Reviews

Moonlight and Magnolias

By Ron Hutchinson. Directed by Bruce Akers. Heidelberg Theatre Company 36 Turnham Avenue, Rosanna. 19 February – 5 March, 2016.

David Zelznick (Tim Constantine) is the hyperactive visionary who created what is often considered the greatest film produced in Hollywood. Zelznick convinces scriptdoctor Ben Hecht (James Antonas) and director Victor Fleming (Jeremy Just) to work on a rewrite of the screenplay for five days, while cooped up in his office. They live off peanuts and bananas provided by the faithful assistant Miss Poppenghul (Pauline Constantine).

Beowulf: The Blockbuster

Developed & Directed by David Horan. Written & Performed by Bryan Burroughs. Adelaide Fringe. The German Club, Adelaide. February 23-28, 2016

A single father discovers that he is dying of cancer, and won’t live to see his young son grow up. Whilst struggling to find the right words to express this sad news, he relates the epic legend of drangonslayer extraordinaire, Beowulf, to his child in the form of a bedtime story, at times appropriating the language of Hollywood blockbuster movies that the youngster can relate to. Over the course of the evening, as the action in this epic tale grows more intense, various emotional issues that both father and son have bottled up rise to the surface.

The Point of Light

By Amberly Cull and Greg Lavell. Casa Mondo, The Pleasure Garden, Fringe World, Northbridge WA. Feb 17-21 2016

The Point of Light was a fabulous choice for my final Fringe World show for 2016, a sweet and inspiring show from a supremely talented performer.

The Magic Flute

By Mozart. Presented by State Opera SA. Adelaide Fringe. Directed by David Lampard. Freemasons Great Hall, Adelaide. Feburary 19-24, 2016

For this year’s Fringe Festival, State Opera SA present a musically immaculate and visually striking, if dramatically uneven production of Mozart’s much beloved light opera, The Magic Flute – that is likely to delight fans, even as it leaves opera newbies scratching their heads.

The Legend of Ned Kelly

Written and compiled by Deirdre Quinn. Upstage Theatre Inc. Adelaide Fringe. The Irish Club. Directed by John Martin. 21 February - 5 March, 2016.

It's terribly frustrating to witness a show begin so promisingly, and to aim so high, only to fall so disappointingly short.

The exploits of the Kelly Gang are virtually second-to-none in terms of genuine historical - yet mythic - figures to emerge from - and endure throughout - Australia's history. There will presumably always be tremendous appeal to the idea of staging a re-telling of the tale, and probably always an audience interested in paying to see one.

Sincerely Yours

By Jason Arrow and Kohan van Sambeeck. Studio 411, Murdoch University, WA. Fringe World. Feb 18-20 2015

Fringe World premiered a number of new musicals and Sincerely Yours, presented by Stray Cats Theatre Co. and Mad Cats Theatre was a top class and worthy offering.

This beautiful and gentle three-hander features book and lyrics by Jason Arrow, music by Kohan van Sambeeck and Jason Arrow, with guitar arrangements by Campbell Ellis.

A lovely story set in the 1970s against the background of the Vietnam War, it centres on artist Sarah and her willingness to take a second chance at love.

Chase The Feeling

By Michael Allen. The Bakehouse Theatre, Adelaide. February 22-27, 2016

Chase The Feeling is a multi-layered, genre-busting theatre piece that defies easy categorisation or explanation. It’s a poignant coming of age drama, that pulls at the heartstrings without watering down the harsh realities of life… it’s also a critical examination of the nature of theatre as an art form, that presents academic concepts to the audience in a manner that is both accessible and humorous.

Rebecca

Radio Play based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier. Director: Dan Lane. New Farm Nash Theatre Inc., Brisbane, 20 Feb – 12 Mar 2016

Nash Theatre New Farm certainly know there way around a radio play, having produced countless during the last few years in their Lux Radio Theater recreations, The Canterville Ghost, The Wizard of Oz, The War of the Worlds, and The 39 Steps to name just a few.

Variation on a Theme

By Terence Rattigan. The Stirling Players. Stirling Community Theatre. 19 February– 5 March 2016.

Terence Rattigan was lauded in his heyday for using understated emotion in his devastatingly accurate plays about the emotional damage wrought by self-denial. Yet reviews slammed his Variation on a Theme when John Gielgud produced the play’s premiere in 1958. Critics believed then that Rattigan had lost his touch in this play and focused too much on the new trend for sexual frankness.

Variation on a Theme wasn’t revived professionally until 2014, with the resultant British production also achieving mixed reviews.

Pippin

Book: Roger O. Hirson, Music and lyrics Stephen Schwartz. Spotlight Theatre, Benowa, Gold Coast. Director: Trent Ivett. February 19th to Mar 12th, 2016

In this age of noise and gimmicks, it’s refreshing to come across a great “old fashioned” show with a great sing-a-long score and a variety of colourful costumes.

Pippin first came to Broadway in 1972 and, since then, has had a number of international tours and revivals.

Spotlight’s staging is around a carnival trailer surrounded by a black stage, which became a trifle boring (considering their last production was also basically black).

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