Reviews

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. 

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.

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.

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.