Reviews

Every Second

By Vanessa Bates. Produced by Wit Incorporated. Directed by Emma Drysdale. Bluestone Church Arts Space, 8A Hyde Street Footscray. 19 - 29 May, 2021.

Vanessa Bates' play opens up a dialogue on very sensitive issues. She has the ability to address the problems that infertility can cause in relationships with humour, sensitivity and candour. The script is taut and incisive, leaving little room to be trite or clichéd.

Jekyll & Hyde

A Slightly Isolated Dog Production. Centennial Hall, Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. Directed by Leo Gene Peters. 18 – 23 May 2021 and touring

A Slightly Isolated Dog are back at The Q this week with another piece of frenetic brilliance.  The team (Leo Gene Peters, Meg Rollandi, Debbie Fish, Blair Gody and Sam Clavis) take turns at playing Mr Hyde, essentially represented by an evil wig, whose crimes become increasingly flamboyant and ridiculous, coming to a hilarious come-uppance. The casual silliness of it all belies how much skill has gone into building the show. Their physical comedy sequences are beautifully timed involving incredible co-ordination between the team and their sound operator.

Spike Heels

By Theresa Rebeck. Crashing Water Theatre Co. at Fringe HQ, Newtown, Sydney. Director: Serhat Caradee. 19 – 29 May, 2021

Spike Heels, the first full-length play by prominent American writer Theresa Rebeck, was written in 1990, and is now over 30 years old. It still has a lot to say to our confused society. ‘You guys,’ calls lead character Georgie, in her usual shouty manner, ‘for all you know, you don’t know shit!’ 

Beautiful - The Carole King Musical

Book by Douglas McGrath. Music and lyrics by Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil. Director: Kim Reynolds. Spotlight Theatre, Benowa, Gold Coast. 14th May – 5th June, 2021.

Spotlight Theatre’s second hit musical to be staged this year, Beautiful, is a fantastic production in every sense of the word!

The story follows the life and creative genius of the incredibly talented musician Carole King.

As Carole, Gabriella Flowers gives a powerhouse performance with Todd Jesson as her lyric writing husband Gerry Goffin, and her friends and song writing rivals Cynthia Weil (Rachel Love) and Barry Mann (Bryn Jenke). The supporting cast all have their opportunity to present their various “songs” with style.

I Want To Know What Love Is

Created by The Good Room. Directed by Daniel Evans. Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Sydney. 19-22 May, 2021

When you tell people you’re off to the theatre, it’s hard not to sing the name of this play. “I Want to Know What Love Is” is just one of the many pop songs that helps bring to life a performance devised by members of the Queensland theatre collective The Good Room. They said to the public “I want you to show me”: asking for submissions about stories of love.

Hyperdream

Devised by Mikala Westall and Adriane Daff. Red Line Productions. Old Fitz Theatre. May 15 – June 6, 2021

The title is suggestive. The publicist’s words even more so …“A devised, lo-fi science fiction, dark comedy about how our sense of worth, wellbeing, and meaning-making in a technological world cater to anxiety, doubt, and existential dread.

Aida

By Giuseppe Verdi. Opera Australia. Directed by Davide Livermore. State Theatre, Melbourne. May 6th -21st 2021.

An expectant hush fell over the packed crowd as the audience prepared for the long and eagerly awaited return of Opera Australia to the State Theatre in Melbourne. As the lambent, longing, opening notes of the overture rippled out from the pit, it was clear we were to be rewarded for our long patience with a night of magnificent music, with Orchestra Victoria in fine form under the assured guidance of Tahu Matheson.

Priscilla Queen of The Desert – The Musical

Book: Stephan Elliott & Alan Scott. Music & Lyrics: Various. Willoughby Theatre Company. Concourse Theatre, Chatswood. May 15th-30th 2021.

Willoughby Theatre Co’s return to the stage post Covid opened with all the glitter and sparkle you would expect, then more, from this stage musical version of iconic film. As the theatre lights went down and the welcome announcement was delivered, we knew we were going to be having a fun evening. Then the glitter cannon went off over the audience.

Broadway To West End

Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Guy Noble. Soloists: Simon Gleeson, Lorena Gore, Nina Lippmann, Hanlon Innocent. Concert Hall, QPAC. 15 May 2021

Conductor Guy Noble quipped that it’s not often we get to experience the wonder of musical theatre with a symphony orchestra, and how wonderful the feeling was when we do. That’s what happened at yesterday’s QSO concert at QPAC. It was an afternoon to sit back and luxuriate in the sound with superb voices singing a collection of musical theatre’s greatest power-ballads.

Mara Korper

By Jayde Kirchert. Citizen Theatre at Theatre Works, St Kilda. May 12 – 22, 2021

Futuristic – set in the year of 3033 - Mara Korper is a lively dystopic feminist play about an austere religious order ruled by “The Mother” administration, written and directed by Jayde Kirchert and presented by Citizen Theatre at Theatre Works.

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