Reviews

The Play That Goes Wrong

By Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields. Directed by Mark Bell, Sean Turner (Australia). Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, Kenny Wax Ltd, Stage Presence, David Atkins Enterprises, ABA International Touring and Mischief Theatre Company. 5-23 April, 2017

So here I am, posting a review from Sydney after The Play That Goes Wrong has played Melbourne and Adelaide and reviewers have raved from both cities. 

The play has been running on the West End for three years. It opens on Broadway this month and follow-up productions proliferate: Peter Pan Goes Wrong is coming. Apart from its attack on amateur dramatics, what can I say that might stem the flow?

Lord Of The Flies

Matthew Bourne. From the novel by William Golding. State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne. April 5 – 9, 2017.

William Golding’s iconic novel is enjoying, along with Orwell’s 1984, something of a resurgence in this strange new era of society we find ourselves embroiled in. Golding’s novel is confronting, and often frightening, as it holds up the mirror to a world driven by power, as well as survival, where the weak and the gentle find little compassion, where the will of the Tribe over-rides the rights of the individual. It is a stark and challenging narrative, crystal clear in its intent and very pertinent today, given what we are seeing overseas.

La Petite Merde

Written and performed by Brianna Williams. Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Imperial Hotel, 5th to 16th April; Butterfly Club, 17th to 23rd April 2017

Running for 18 nights, this solo show is a blend of short sketches and a lot of improvising, and Brianna Williams has given herself the challenge of relying on audience participation for a large portion of the show. The theme in La Petite Merde is the attainment of happiness, whether it is in the workplace, a marriage, or being happy in ones self. Translated it literally means ‘the little shit’, the ‘shit’ being ‘happiness’, as it is so hard to attain.   

Hysteria

By Terry Johnson. Darlinghurst Theatre Company. Eternity Playhouse. March 31 – April 30, 2017

All farces need a good grounding in truth.  A meeting one rainy night in London between the dying great psychoanalyst Freud and the volatile surrealist Dali seems the perfect start.

Designer Anna Gardiner even creates a suitably washed out Hampstead consulting room for Freud with a clutter of busy doors already at surrealist angles.

Long Tan

By Verity Laughton. Brink Productions /State Theatre Company of SA. Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre. March 31st – April 8th, 2017

The Anzac forces in the Battle of Long Tan consisted of a mere 105 Australians and 3 New Zealanders. On August 18, 1966, just three months after arriving in Vietnam, the men of Delta Company 6 RAR were to face a battle like no other.

Dracula

Shake and Stir Theatre Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Riverside Theatre Parramatta. April 1 – 4, 2017, and touring.

Shake and Stir have presented their own new adaptation of the classic Bram Stoker horror story.  Co adaptors Nelle Lee and Nick Skubij, who also played lead roles, Dracula and Mina, have given the tale a fresh new feel, with a clever design using a highly effective stage revolve.

Impure Thoughts

Written and performed by Claire Healy. Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Tasma Terrace, East Melbourne. April 3rd to 22nd 2017

Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) is as much about Melbourne and its glorious tucked away theatres as it is about the abundance and variety of talent that comes from all over the world to entertain us for a month in blissful Autumn weather.  It’s madness if you don’t get out and see at least one show, if not ten, there is so much happening.

The Drowsy Chaperone

Music & Lyrics: Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison. Book: Bob Martin & Don McKellar. Holroyd Musical and Dramatic Society. Director: Samwise Holmes. Musical Director: Todd Jacobs. Choreography: Candice Docker. Redgum Centre. 31 Mar - 8 Apr, 2017.

This is a lively and fun production and, despite some rough spots, has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. The show-within-a-show format is well realised. Although Samwise Holmes is well-experienced performing on stage and in the pit, this is his first time as director, and he does a great job in not only bringing the show to life but keeping it chugging along at a fast-but-not-too-fast pace.

It Shoulda Been You

Music by Barbara Anselmi, with book and lyrics by Brian Hargrove. Chatswood Musical Society. Independent Theatre, North Sydney. March 31 – April 8, 2017

2015 Broadway musical It Shoulda Been You often feels like pure musical comedy, yet it’s also a snappy marital musical farce, with frequent nods to vaudeville. While there’s a lot that’s old-fashioned about this show, especially many of the gags, it also has a joyous and contemporary take on families and marriage. The maternal wrangling over an inter-religion Catholic / Jewish marriage is one fairly obvious plot twist among many, though I’m loathe to discuss plot any further and risk the minefield of potential spoilers.

Trelawny of the Wells

By Arthur Wing Pinero. Canberra Repertory. Directed by Tony Turner. Theatre 3, Acton A.C.T. 29 March – 9 April 2017

Rose Trelawny farewells her theatrical colleagues at the Wells theatre in order to spend time living, on probation, with her imminent in-laws, only to discover that people in that world don’t exaggerate every mannerism, emotion, and word as her company has always done on the stage — and that her in-laws are unbearable.  Returning to the stage with a compulsion to portray her characters more realistically finds her at odds with the theatre management, to her cost.

 

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