Reviews

Talking Heads

By Alan Bennett. Villanova Players. Ron Hurley Theatre, Brisbane. 16-19 October 2019

Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads monologues – written in the 1980s for BBC TV – put faces and names to Thoreau’s ‘lives of quiet desperation’. They are superbly written character pieces and, incredibley, are showing no signs of age. The two short and sharp pieces chosen by Brisbane’s Villanova Players give Jane Binstead and Jean Spencer a chance to polish and show off their comic skills.

Gender Euphoria

Melbourne International Arts Festival. October 15 – 20, 2019

Gender Euphoria is back with a powerful new multi-talented variety line-up of trans and gender diverse artists from across Australia. After a successful run at Midsummer, it has earned a well-deserved guernsey at the Spiegeltent for the Melbourne International Arts Festival.

Light

By Thomas Henning and TerryandTheCuz. OzAsia Festival. Nexus Arts, Adelaide. October 17 -19, 2019

To some degree history is the recollection and interpretation of individuals involved. Shakespeare claims “There is history in all men’s lives” and Voltaire says "History is only the register of crimes and misfortunes". Both of these themes are explored in the production Light by Thomas Henning and TerryandTheCuz.

The Glass Menagerie

By Tennessee Williams. GRADS. Directed by Jane Hille. The Dolphin Theatre, University of Western Australia. October 16-19, 2019

The Glass Menagerie has been presented by GRADS (Graduate Dramatic Society) at the Dolphin, for a very short season.

Fangirls

Book, Music and Lyrics by Yve Blake. Belvoir. October 12 - November 10, 2019

My first reaction after leaving the theatre was that I must buy tickets for my 15 year old daughter (which I did this morning). One of the most striking aspects is the authenticity of the writing and how Yve Blake nails on the head the heady experiences of teenage girls and their passion, energy and search for love. Sitting next to me was the mother of a recent teenager, squealing with recognition. OMG!

The Nico Project

Created by Maxine Peake and Sarah Frankcom. Melbourne International Arts Festival. Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne. November 11 – 19, 2019.

Legendary “underground” sixties icon Nico has captivated artists for decades and the new show The Nico Project, performed and co created by English actress Maxine Peake (better known as barrister Martha Costello in the BBC legal drama Silk and or as Veronica Bell in Shameless), along with director Sarah Frankcom, is an art-theatre-actor performance that includes an all female youth orchestra.

The Mikado

By W.S.Gilbert & Sir Arthur Sullivan. Northern Light Theatre Company. Shedley Theatre – Playford Civic Centre. 11 - 26 October, 2019

Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado: or, The Town of Titipu was first performed in London in 1885. This was Gilbert and Sullivan’s ninth collaboration and one of its most successful. Subsequently, it has proven to be one of the most popular and regularly performed of the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. It is not difficult to see why. The wit, humour, and beautiful music is as charming and beguiling as it ever was, and performed with absolute relish and joy in this production by the Northern Light Theatre Company.

Fully Committed

By Becky Mode. Ensemble Theatre, Sydney. Director: Kate Champion. 11 October – 16 November 2019

In the dismal basement of a ridiculously trendy Woolloomooloo restaurant are 30 phones all hooked up to the same number, all with irrational customers waiting for immediate attention. Into this battleground comes Sam, the young, female Reservations Manager, whose acting career has been put on hold while she navigates through the complaints, suggestions and blistering demands of her callers. There’s also a line to her touchy, award-winning boss who can change ‘fully booked’ to ‘fully committed’ on a whim.

The Stars at Noon

Written and directed by Emily Engeman. Bondi Theatre Company. Musical director: Anthony Cutrupi. Bondi Pavilion Theatre. Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach, Sydney. 12 and 24 October 2019

The one-woman show The Stars at Noon has its world premiere during Bondi Theatre Company’s season of comedy, musical cabaret and children’s theatre.  The show, with the wonderful title, is written and directed by Emily Engeman. Emily is also the star. You have to admire the passion and commitment of someone who does all three together, particularly as it is difficult to direct yourself.

Birdland

By Simon Stephens. WAAPA Graduating Acting students. Directed by Andrew Lewis. The Edith Spiegeltent, WAAPA, Edith Cowan University, Mt Lawley, WA. Oct 11-17, 2019

Birdland is the final full scale production by this year’s graduating Acting students. Presented in the round, in the Edith Spiegeltent, where the audience are very close to the action, this is a very powerful piece, acted with intensity and impressively designed and created by Production and Design students.

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