Reviews

Sassafras - An Evening in Paris

Fringe World. The Ellington Jazz Club, Northbridge, WA. Jan 27 - Feb 4, 2018

Jessie Gordon is a glittering, glamorous, golden-voiced joy, who is just gorgeous as she leads the band Sassafras in this French inspired Fringe World cabaret.

Sassafras features Lachlan Gear, Aaron Deacon, Pete Jeavons, Adrian Galante, all superb musicians who work beautifully as an ensemble and have “great hair”.

Club Swizzle

Fringe World. Club Swizzle, The Ice Cream Factory, Roe St, Northbridge, WA. Feb 2 - 11, 2018

From the makers of La Soirée comes this year’s Fringe World headliner Club Swizzle. A sophisticated blend of circus and burlesque for adults, it is exciting, daring and a different night out.

The former fish warehouse on Roe St has been converted to what looks like a trendy, retro style bar, surrounded by some stadium seating. You wonder where on earth they are going to perform until the first ‘number’ consists of converting the bar into a stage.

Bring it On

Book: Jeff Whitty, Music: Tom Kitt & Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lyrics: Amanda Green & Lin-Manuel Miranda. Directed by Katherine Friend. Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre, WA. Feb 2 - 11, 2018.

Black Box’s second production, Bring It On, is a cheerleading musical with a large cast and bucketloads of enthusiasm and team spirit. Black Box is a youth focused theatre company and the cast range from 12 to 18.

Central character Campbell becomes cheer captain at Truman High School and has a good chance to lead them to Nationals, until she is unexpectedly “redistricted” and sent to poorer Jackson High.

Katie Price (Campbell) is an outstanding leading lady with lovely depth, who sings beautifully and a delight to watch. 

Passing

Fringe World. Directed by Angela Dolan. The Shambles, Fringe Central, Perth, WA. Feb 1-3, 2018

Passing, a new solo theatre work featuring the lovely Sahra Hamadi, explores the intersectionality of race, gender and sexuality through Islamic and queer culture. Written by Hamadi and director Angela Dolan, it tells of the experience of a young Algerian/Australian girl, who people assume to be white, growing up in Australia.

Au Cause Célèbre

Presented by Ms CeCe Rockefeller. Musical Director: Shanon D. Whitelock. Midsumma Festival 2018. Brunswick Mechanics Institute, 270 Sydney Rd, Brunswick. 25-27 January & 31 January - 3 February 2018.

This sultry performance by writer and performer Christopher Fieldus is evocative of a bygone era of cabaret performance. Accompanied by the talented cellist Claire Abougelis, Ms CeCe tells the tale of Cecilia’s tragic experience of love and loss. The story is woven through an eclectic collection of narrative, poetry and song and produces a highly nostalgic and melancholic mood.

Djuki Mala

Fringe World. The West Australian Spiegeltent, the Pleasure Garden, Russell Square, Northbridge, WA. Jan 28-Feb 25, 2018

One of last year’s most popular Fringe World shows, Djuki Mala returns this year, leaving you no excuse to miss this quintessentially Australian offering and one of the true blue bests of the fest.

Five fabulous super-talented dancers from Elcho Island, in North Eastern Arnhem Land, blend traditional Yolngu dance with a variety of other styles, in a fusion that is exciting, cheeky and clever - a wonderful way to showcase traditional dance and show its relevance in the 21st century. 

Ego Jacket

By Phillip Lee Curtis. Midsumma. MC Showroom, L1/48 Clifton St, Prahran. Jan 31 - Feb 4, 2018.

Ego Jacket will give you a powerful beyond belief performance. It is an actual purchasable jacket. And it is eponymous with Ego Jacket, a solo energy driven show by Phillip Lee Curtis; a great title and a fascinating cathartic rock infused cabaret show that leaves you in awe of Curtis. It is enthralling to watch; such a deluge of psychological emotions. He is a twenty something struggling with some deep seeded issues in his life.

The Cockburn Incident

Directed by Zachary Sheridan. Fringe World. Centre for Stories, Northbridge, WA. Jan 31 - Feb 3, 2018

The Cockburn Incident is set over a single day in a fictional Perth high school. Played in a presentational style by an enthusiastic young cast, it showcases a very clever and funny young writer and some promising new talent.

On the first day of the year at Cockburn College, someone has burnt the image of a giant phallus into the oval - the day before the new Year Sevens will arrive. School Captain and Angela Lansbury fan, Diane, will stop at nothing to find the culprit. 

Homophonic!

Programed by Miranda Hill. La Mama Courthouse. 29-30 January 2018

This show celebrates LGBTI composers and musicians through a musical response to life in all its pain and absurdity. Miranda Hill programmed a moving and effectively balanced concert. It ranged from Threnody for Carlos Chavez with Gamelan DanAnda and viola to a premier performance of a piece for solo double bass by Andrew Aronowicz by way of a mini opera “Stubble” and Jesus Erbame Dich by Claude Vivier sung by the Consort of Melbourne.

Love Bird

By Georgina Harriss. The Butterfly Club, Melbourne. Jan 30 - Feb 4, 2018

Hilarious new absurdist comedy Love Bird is a family drama turned on its head and pulled from side to side to portray preposterous situations in a frivolous and comical manner.

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