Reviews

Oklahoma! - Youth Edition

By Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Primadonna Productions. Directed by Carole Dhu. Pinjarra Civic Centre, WA. July 1-2, 2022

Primadonna Productions youth edition of Oklahoma! is much more than OK - a great theatrical celebration and a showcase of emerging talent.

With minimal settings, the large cast fills the stage and is allowed to shine, looking lovely in “of the era” costumes, The show is sympathetically lit by Grace Crawford and Terry Peckover, and sound design is by Michael Rogers.

The Amateurs

By Jordan Harrison. Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre, East St Kilda. 28 June – 24 July 2022

They march toward us out of the darkness, singing, flaming torches aloft - a ragged band of travelling players in cloaks and dirty costumes of faded red.  In death’s head masks they begin to perform as the Seven Deadly Sins, a play in rough, clunky couplets.  Suddenly, one of them dies… 

French Without Tears

By Terrence Rattigan. GRADS. Directed by Barry Park. Stirling Theatre, Morris Place, Innaloo, WA. Jul 1-16, 2022

GRADS’ French Without Tears is a good, old fashioned British comedy, albeit one set in France. In Monsieur Maingot’s French language school, a bevy of young, upper-class British lads have their studies interrupted as they jostle for the affections of the lovely Diana Lake. 

Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical

Created by Jordan Ross, Lindsay Rosin and Roger Kumble. Based on the movie by Roger Kumble. David Venn Enterprises. State Theatre Sydney from June 30, 2022, then Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra

This musical is set around the final year of High School, but those seeking a PG night of entertainment will be in for a shock, as Cruel Intentions features both thumping good 90s songs and risqué entertainment.

The 1999 movie of the same name is an adaptation of the classic novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, moving the sexual intrigue from aristocratic Paris to the upper echelons of New York.

Top Coat

By Michelle Law. Sydney Theatre Company. Director: Courtney Stewart. Wharf 1. 30 June – 6 August 2022

Contrast and comedy come together in this perspicacious production that uses the ‘body swap’ genre to take a shrewd look at social order and the multitude of contemporary issues that stem from ingrained attitudes, classism and media representation and how that affects the way we treat others – be that someone who puts the ‘top coat’ on our nails; or the way we climb ruthlessly over others on the way to reach the ‘glass ceiling’. 

Once

Book by Enda Walsh. Music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. Based on the film by John Carney Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Sydney. Director: Richard Carroll. 24 June – 14 August, 2022

For a musical it seems odd to have a male lead who is depressive and uncharismatic.

Guy (Toby Francis) sings (beautifully) about his lost love on the streets of Dublin: he’s also about to dump his guitar and throw in all music ambitions.

But what Guy lacks in charisma and optimism he certainly makes up in authenticity. It obviously draws in a Czech passerby, simply called The Girl, who then spends the show building his confidence, getting him back to the pub band, into the studio, and even to retrieving his lost love.

Madama Butterfly

Music by Giacomo Puccini. Librettists: Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Opera Australia. Directed by Graeme Murphy. Conducted by Carlo Montanaro. June 29 - July 30, 2022

This is a visually stunning production which takes the classic opera to a place that is a world away from some of the dusty traditions of the artform.

Surrounding the stage are long AV screens, projecting images ranging from striking flags of the United States to exotic modern art.

Here We Are Amongst You

Devised & performed by the Rawcus Ensemble: Clem Baade, Michael Buxton, Harriet Devlin-Dunbar, Rachel Edward, Nilgun Guven, Joshua Lynzaat, Paul Matley, Mike McEvoy, Ryan New, Kerryn Poke, Louise Riisik, Prue Stevenson & Danielle der Borsch. Arts House, North Melbourne. 29 June – 10 July 2022

Voom!  The lights go up from black and the members of the Rawcus Ensemble reveal themselves one at a time in movement - by running across the playing space to a definite percussive beat.  Then they’re coming from all directions, criss-crossing, turning, leaving…

My Fair Lady

By Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. Alexandra Theatre. Directed by Natalee Graveson. The Regal Theatre Subiaco, WA. Jun 29 - Jul 2, 2022

Alexandra Theatre have gone big and bold with their production of My Fair Lady, with a huge set, a cast of 38, an orchestra of 22 and literally hundreds of costumes. There are some excellent performances, and the audience are clearly drawn into the story.

And Then There Were None

By Agatha Christie. Directed by Robrecht Herfkens. Roxy Lane Theatre, Maylands WA. June 17- July 3, 2022

Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None is a well-structured, nicely twisted murder mystery, without a detective. With ten characters stranded on an island, an unknown killer is picking them off one by one.

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