Reviews

Criollo

NUDO Dance Company, presented by Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre (BEMAC). Talbot Theatre, Thomas Dixon Centre, Brisbane. 26 October 2024.

NUDO Dance Company is relatively new on the Brisbane performing arts scene, and they certainly made their presence felt with their new show Criollo. ‘Nudo’ means ‘knot’ in Spanish, and that perfectly reflects the tone of the group – tethered lovingly to their Hispanic roots but not so tightly as to exclude modern and hybrid dance influences from the creative mix. There is a small but strong community of people in Brisbane of Spanish descent, and it was a very tightknit community who turned out to a completely sold-out show at the Talbot Theatre.

Sing Sing Sing

Presented by Opera Queensland. Opera Queensland Studio. Saturday 26 October, 2024

Opera Queensland’s is embracing the modern appetite for immersive, participatory experiences that transcend traditional spectatorship with Sing Sing Sing. This monthly event, hosted in Opera Queensland’s Studio at South Brisbane, invites attendees to become part of the art, led by the charismatic Jason Barry-Smith, a vocalist whose talent is matched by his infectious enthusiasm.

Fairytales

Alex Raineri (piano). Brisbane Music Festival. FourthWall Arts, Brisbane. 27 October 2024.

Busy Artistic Director for the Brisbane Music Festival (BMF), Alex Raineri, was back in his creative place at the Kawai grand piano for a delightful mix of the magical and mystical in a weekend performance to get us in a Halloween mood. A world premiere of new work by Brisbane-born composer, Ian Whitney, was succinctly wedged between two longer pieces, all based on fairytales.

Reds

Back2Back Short Show Festival. Star Theatres, Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Hilton, SA. Oct 20 and 27, 2024

Bronwyn James (known affectionately as ‘Bronnie’) is one of the joys of Adelaide theatre!

Her one woman show Reds is a celebration and exploration of redheads, famous and infamous. More importantly, it is a lesson in the realisation of what is important in life and how to strive to be an original person.

James has performed this show in-between her portrayal of Judy Garland in The Boy from Oz to critical acclaim. Her energy seems boundless!

The Fifth Elephant

By Sir Terry Pratchett. Adapted by Stephen Briggs. Directed by Sarah Drew. Brisbane Arts Theatre, Petrie Terrace, Brisbane. 19 Oct – 2 Nov, 2024.

In the strange world of Discworld, a huge flat disc rests on the backs of four enormous elephants standing on the back of a giant turtle swimming through space; Uberwald is a mountainous kingdom of warring factions of dwarfs, vampires and werewolves. Legend has is that the fifth elephant fell from the turtle shell onto the Disc to form the mountains they now call home. The mountains have valuables that they all want and so the differences become more exaggerated.

Piano Room

Music by Corrina Bonshek with Roger Cui (piano). Brisbane Music Festival. FourthWall Arts, Brisbane, 26 October 2024.

Queensland-based composer Corrina Bonshek aims to create uplifting musical experiences that connect people to nature. Piano Room is a new piece (it premiered at Redlands Performing Arts Centre earlier this year) and is a brilliant way to start the weekend in an intimate early morning performance for Brisbane Music Festival. Corrina created the concept and sound design, and mixes the sonic soundscape live on stage.

Peter and the Starcatcher

By Rick Elice. Dead Puppet Society and Glass Half Full Productions, directed by David Morton. Canberra Theatre, 15–27 October 2024 and touring to Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, and Brisbane.

 

The 39 Steps

Adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan, The University of Adelaide Theatre Guild. The Little Theatre, Adelaide University, Adelaide. Oct 25 – Nov 3, 2024

The Adelaide University Theatre Guild have out-Hitchcocked Hitchcock himself in their latest production of The 39 Steps, with many clever references to the master filmmaker’s films woven into the script and the set.

The 39 Steps is a parody adapted from the 1915 novel by John Buchan and the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock. The original concept and production of a four-actor version of the story was written by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon, and premiered in 1996. Patrick Barlow rewrote this adaptation in 2005.

Prelude, Elegy, Burlesque

Dagmar Hartmann and Reinhard Armleder. Brisbane Music Festival. FourthWall Arts, Brisbane. 26 October 2024.

Music performers and lecturers from the Badisches Konservatorium Karlsruhe, known professionally as the Karlsruhe Concert Duo, award-winning artists, Dagmar Hartmann (piano) and Reinhard Armleder (cello) have performed together since the late 1990s. They have toured the globe, in demand for their performance prowess and imaginative programming. Their selection for the Brisbane Music Festival was no exception.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Book by Peter Parnell. Based on the Victor Hugo Novel and songs from the Disney film. Gosford Musical Society. Laycock Street Community Theatre. October 25 – November 9, 2024

I have been watching shows put on by Gosford Musical Society for at least thirty years and like all groups, some of their productions are better than others.  To be fair, even the premier musical societies and theatrical companies in Sydney can blow hot and cold at times.  But last night’s opening of ‘Hunchback’ really kicked GMS into another level and was the best thing that I have ever seen on the Central Coast, period.