Reviews

The Merchant of Venice

By William Shakespeare. Bell Shakespeare. Playhouse, Sydney Opera House. October 24 – November 26, 2017

This is clear and agile storytelling from director Anne-Louise Sarks and Bell Shakespeare, even if this Merchant of Venice is oddly branded as a comedy. 

It’s hard of course to know what it is, with the Jewish caricature and cruel fate of Shylock mixed up with a romantic romp, fairy tale games and courtroom drama.

Tchekov at the House of Special Purpose

By R Johns (with reference to Tchekov’s Three Sisters). Directed by Alex Menglet. La Mama Courthouse, Carlton, VIC. 25 October – 5 November 2017

Rosemary Johns’ play about the final days of the Romanovs is no docu-drama.  As in the historical accounts, all the named characters are real people, and the Romanov family is confined to a single room in ‘the house of special purpose’, the Inpatiev House, the windows covered in newspaper.  As in history, the family is exposed to constant surveillance, inspections and insults from the Bolshevik guards. 

Salomé

Written and directed by Yaël Farber. National Theatre Live. Cinema Nova, 380 Lygon Street Carlton, and cinemas nationally from 4 November 2017. 

This play radically reinterprets the biblical story of Salomé which has normally been treated as a tale of a woman’s perverse sexuality and vindictive nature. Farber’s vision of Salomé (Isabella Nefar) is more flattering and carves out a space for her as an important political figure. 

Brigadoon

Music: Frederick Loewe. Book & Lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner. The Production Company. Director: Jason Langley. Musical Director: Michael Tyack. Choreographer: Cameron Mitchell. Venue: State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne. October 28 – November 5, 2017

Having performed in a couple of productions, I was looking forward to The Production Company’s take on this old war-horse. It was very well done.

It started with leading lady Fiona running onto stage from the back of the auditorium, and singing, with the chorus, the opening number, which is usually just sung by the chorus. This made the words much easier to follow, which helped set the scene.

From Broadway To Ballroom

By Liza Beamish, Lachlan Baker, Emma and Rhett Salmon. HIT Productions and Liza Beamish.. Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. October 26 to 28, 2017 and touring.

“Our next piece is a medley of Andrew Lloyd Webber hits. It’s quite long, so if you’re not into Andrew Lloyd Webber, you might want to leave now,” quipped tenor Lachlan Baker. Immediately my daughter tugged my arm to go. She was joking, but I understood her problem.

Bambert’s Book of Lost Stories

Adapter: Dan Giovannoni, Adapter & Director: Luke Kerridge, Production Designer: Jonathon Oxlade, Lighting Designer: Chris Donnelly, Composer/Sound Designer: Ian Moorhead, Dramaturg: Matt Edgerton, Cast: - Igor Sas, Amanda McGregor, Jo Morris, Nick Maclaine and Tim Watts. Arts Centre Melbourne, 27 & 28 October 2017

Barking Gecko Theatre Company’s presentation of Bambert’s Book of Lost Stories is magical, and so fittingly adapted for the stage by Dan Giovannoni and Luke Kerridge.  The production brings to life the exquisite illustrations of Reinhardt Jung’s book, the characters in the story are validated and the audience can step into a world of fantasy, into a time when storytelling and imagination were fundamental above everything else.

The Wharf Revue - The Patriotic Rag

Written and Created by Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott. Sydney Theatre Company. Wharf 1 Theatre. October 24 to December 30, 2017.

Satirists have to move with the times and so when the sparkling Blazey Best came on stage as the beautifully quaffed Michaelia Cash, she apologised for being late due to a staff farewell function – referencing the resignation, the night before, of the minister’s press secretary. 

Jonathan Biggins too settled in for large helpings of improvisation as Donald Trump. He wound up the audience when they didn’t get a gag. My first wife was a blank cheque….err that was blank Czech.

Grace Under Pressure

By David Williams, Paul Dwyer in collaboration with the Sydney Arts & Health Collective. York Theatre, Seymour Centre, Sydney. Directed by David Williams. 25 – 28 October, 2017

This is a prime example of ‘verbatim theatre’, plays created from interviews with specific people - in this case doctors and nurses talk about their training and practice in Victorian and NSW hospitals. The dialogue is chopped up and divided between four actors, all equally good, and the resultant dish served for just a few days at the Seymour Centre. It’s striking enough to go much further.

In the Heights

Music & Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda Book: Quiara Alegría Hudes. Blackout Theatre Company. Director: Cierwen Newell. Musical Director: James McLanders. Choreographer: Daniel Lavercombe. The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith. October 25 – 28, 2017.

In a blink-or-you’ll-miss-it season Blackout brings out In the Heights , and entertains us with  a joyous display of a slice of life in a US barrio in New York.

In the Heights won four Tonys including Best Musical. While there’ve been professional productions around the world, it’s Broadway success has never translated outside of Broadway (though a film version is supposedly in the works). So it’s very welcome that an amateur company is giving us a chance to see what all the fuss was about.

1984

Written by Michael Gene Sullivan. Based on the novel by George Orwell. Directed by Scott West. Presented by 4Stage Productions. The Schonell Theatre, 20 – 22 October, 2017

Audiences will always approach well-known stories with certain expectations. When attending a production of 1984, one expects bleak tension, oppression and heartbreak (I’d packed the tissues). The dystopian play that’s sprung forth from Orwell’s well-known novel needs to make an audience feel uncomfortable. We need to be reminded of the horrors of authoritarianism and totalitarianism.

Subscribe to our E-Newsletter, buy our latest print edition or find a Performing Arts book at Book Nook.