Reviews

The Gospel According to Paul

By Jonathan Biggins. Cremorne Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), Brisbane. 9 to 13 July 2019

Written and performed by Jonathan Biggins, The Gospel According to Paul is a tour de force script brought to life in a performance of inspired wit but also political admiration. While Biggins gives a brilliant impersonation, he doesn’t set out to look or sound exactly like Paul Keating; but he does conquer Keating’s key attributes: the arrogance, the ego, and the political nous.

Solaris

By David Greig, adapted from Stanislaw Lem’s novel. Malthouse Theatre. Merlyn Theatre. June 28 – July 21 2019.

Solaris is another remarkable feat of staging from Director, and Malthouse’s Artistic Director, Matthew Lutton.  On an immaculate white set (Hyemi Shin) with walls that magically open and close to furnish cold impassive environments on a space station, three living scientists try to understand the strange, lurking, human-like, presences that have beset their environment.  These disturbances are attributed to extraterrestrial interactions from the planet Solaris and unnervingly they have been, mysteriously, growing in efficacy.  

The Outsiders

Based on the book by S E Hinton, adapted by Christopher Sergel. Deadset Theatre Company. Bakehouse Theatre, Adelaide. 9-13 July 2019

“Nothing gold can stay,” says Ponyboy, quoting a Michael Frost poem whilst watching the sun go down. That seems to be true for this new production from Deadset Theatre Company, which tries to mine a rich seam of material, but nothing here glistens for long.

I Hope It’s Not Raining In London

By Nicholas Thoroughgood. Bearfoot Theatre. Tuggerah Season. Touring Nationally June / July 2019.

It’s a shame the arts funding is the way it is in this country, leaving emerging artists and companies needing to self-fund tours, because Bearfoot’s touring production of their acclaimed 2018 production I Hope It’s Not Raining In London deserves a longer run, in more locations, to more patrons.

Strictly Ballroom: The Musical

Created by Baz Luhrmann. Book by Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pearce. Adapted by Terry Johnson. Matt Byrne Media. Arts Theatre, Adelaide. 4-13 July, 2019. Shedley Theatre, Elizabeth. 18-27 July, 2019.

It’s a relatively rare event that brings Australian characters and all their quirks to the musical-theatre stage. This reality ensures that Matt Byrne Media’s new offering is, at minimum, a refreshingly unusual experience, even for those who may be familiar with the much-loved movie that marked Baz Luhrmann’s cinematic debut and which forms the basis of this show.

 

AIDA The Musical

Music Elton John, Lyrics Tim Rice, Book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls And David Henry Hwang Based on Aida by Giuseppe Verdi. Gosford Musical Society Juniors. Laycock Street Community Theatre. July 9 – 13 2019

Gosford Musical Society’s Juniors never fail to deliver. Whether they are staging the last Disney screen to stage adaption or tackling this contemporary rock musical.

ZIRK!

The Showring, Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, Sydney, and touring. Opening Night: July 6, 2019.

ZIRK! brings all the technological excitement of contemporary circus acts mixed with the age-old skills of juggling, balancing, high flying, and, of course, clowning. All of this occurs under the (very) Big Top, which seats 1650, has a circumference of 40 metres, is held up by king poles 18.5 metres high and is powered by 5 kilometres of cable. Valued at 1.2 million Australian dollars this enormous structure takes three full days to erect.

Yes, Prime Minister

By Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn. Ipswich Musical Theatre. Director: Alan Brown. Old Courthouse, Ipswich. 7 July, 2019.

The Old Courthouse, Ipswich, which still displays the NSW Coat of Arms, predates separation between Queensland and NSW and is one of the oldest government buildings in Queensland, so it seems entirely appropriate that a play about the machinations of government should grace its hallowed halls.

Popcorn

By Ben Elton. Directed by Siobhan Vincent. Garrick Theatre, Guildford, WA. July 4-20, 2019

Garrick Theatre’s Popcorn explores the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle, with a murder or two, or more, in a slick production with some superb performances.

The Addams Family Young@Part

Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa. Primadonna Productions. Young@Part Edition by Mark Tumminelli. Directed by Carole Dhu. Pinjarra Civic Centre, WA. July 5-6, 2019

Primadonna Productions’ youth troupe presented this very special version of The Addams Family. Young@Part productions are authorised shortened editions of musicals especially designed younger casts, including youth theatres, keeping the spirit of the show intact, while making the show more child friendly, simplifying the musical demands and giving extra tasks to the ensemble.

Primadonna’s cast ranged from 8 to 15 years of age, and worked well together, with great stage technique, excellent focus and bucket loads of enthusiasm.

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