Reviews

Silence

Karul Projects. Choreographed, written and directed by Thomas E.S Kelly. Produced by Blakdance. HOTA Sept 1st, 2022 followed by a regional tour from Sept 7th.

It’s only fitting that Silence return to HOTA, the virtual place of its birth, at a time when our “new”ish PM is finally listening to the calls to end the silence which has been crippling reconciliation for the last 250 plus years. It’s about the silence of non-response, of muted muffled arguments, and pleas that are knowingly not heard. It has potent and poignant points to make. Most of all, it’s about the need for a Treaty - for all our sakes.

Chicago - A Musical Vaudeville

By Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse and John Kander. Drew Anthony Collective. Directed by Drew Anthony . Planet Royale Theatre, Northbridge, WA. Sep 1-25, 2022

Drew Anthony Collective’s production of Chicago takes its subtitle “a musical vaudeville” very literally with a vaudeville theme and feel giving this production its soul and impetus. Gritty, consciously theatrical, and well-performed, Chicago is a perfect choice for Planet Royal’s unconventional seating style and smaller stage.

Telephone

By Gita Bezard, Chris Isaacs, Jeffrey Jay Fowler, Arielle Gray, Courtney Henri and Tim Watts with Grace Chow and Elise Wilson. The Last Great Hunt. Directed by Gita Bezard. PICA, Perth Cultural Centre, WA. Aug 30 - Sep 10, 2022

The Last Great Hunt’s World Premiere production Telephone is an exploration of communication, featuring hundreds of telephone calls from which emerge a few interlocked stories. A cleverly structured ensemble production, Telephone has the excellent use of props and innovative use of technology that we have come to expect from The Last Great Hunt.

The Durga Chronicles

Devised by Priya Srinivasan, Philipa Rothfield & Uthra Vijay. Arts House, North Melbourne. 3 – 4 September 2022

With a brilliant dancer, a choreographed Keerthana choir of twelve women, traditional music, song, and enhanced by lighting and graphics, The Durga Chronicles creates two worlds.  First, the divine world of the Goddess Durga, the carrier of feminine strength, ‘the ruler and destroyer of demons’.  Second, the earthly, quotidian world in which human demons abuse, assault, and murder flesh and blood women. 

Nothing

By Pelle Koppel, adapted from the novel by Janne Teller. National Theatre of Parramatta. Director Erin Taylor. Riverside Theatre. 1 – 10 September, 2022

Young actors Alyona Popova and Joseph Raboy shine in this un-nerving Danish play about teenagers who want to be taken seriously. Teenagers searching for meaning in a world that doesn’t … won’t… can’t … answer their questions about the meaning of life. Their world has gone beyond the supercilious “42” that Douglas Adams suggested in Life, the Universe and Everything. Their world is far more insecure, and Pelle Koppel surmised that if they had to find answers for themselves, they might find discover things that are even more disturbing.

Fourteen

By Shannon Molloy. shake & stir theatre co. Cremorne Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), Brisbane. Presented by shake & stir theatre co, QPAC and Brisbane Festival. 27 August to 17 September 2022.

Am I allowed to say that I wasn’t exactly looking forward to yet another boy’s own coming-of-age tale? Well, while Fourteen does deal with the murky waters of teen hormones, bullying and self-discovery, the play’s strength lies in how it really focuses on navigating those waters with survival tactics, a whole lot of delightfully unexpected humour – and S Club 7!

More Than Words Can Say

By Catherine Dunn and Sam Martin. Supported through The Warehouse Residency program. Arts House North Melbourne. August 26, 2022

A new vanguard of deaf theatre makers is requesting representation, and funding for deaf artists. Audience members are ushered into the foyer and up the stairs into a small theatre space by Auslan Speakers for a one night only event at the Arts House North Melbourne, a venue that showcases new and experimental performance and theatre works.

SIX: The Musical

By Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. Theatre Royal, Sydney, August 26 to October 1, 2022.

The wives of King Henry VIII are back to set the history books straight - and it’s not just heads that are toppling.

Smashing records to become the longest-ever running show at the Sydney Opera House Studio and the second-most streamed cast album in the world, the Tudor Queens turned Pop Princesses are continuing their theatrical reign with an electrifying Australian tour.  

Now reclaiming their thrones for a five-week season at Sydney’s Theatre Royal, this punchy, fast-paced 75-minute musical revue is a force to be reckoned with.

Come From Away.

Book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. Directed by Christopher Ashley. Comedy Theatre, 240 Exhibition St, Melbourne. 27 August – 30 October 2022.

This is a musical based on actual events which occurred at the time of the 9/11 attacks in New York. The community in the remote town of Gander in Newfoundland, Canada suddenly found themselves inundated by numerous flights directed away from the US. The musical does not make light of a tragic situation but highlights a positive episode in a dark historical chapter. 

Jane Eyre

By Charlotte Brontë. Adapted by Nellie Lee and Nick Skubij. shake and stir theatre company – on Tour. Riverside Theatre Parramatta. 31 Aug – 1 Sept, 2022

shake and stir’s adaptations are always thrilling, always respectful! They stick to the story. The characters are true to their creator. The set and lighting are just as atmospheric as the written descriptions. Seldom are adaptations so faithful to the original. But shake and stir have assembled a formidable ensemble to create their adaptations.  

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