Reviews

Ritual

Presented by Ritual Events. Adelaide Fringe Festival 2025. Latvian Hall, Wayville March 1 – 23, 2025

The dictionary defines a ritual as “a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.”

Ritual by Ritual Events is just that. Upon arrival I am greeted by a man in a metallic mask and long black cape who instructs me to put on one of the masks provided on a table by the entrance. Now I’m excited!

When all the audience are present, we are ushered into the venue for the ritual. The feeling is similar to being in a secret order, but with no knowledge of what is going to happen next.

Krapp’s Last Tape

By Samuel Beckett. Presented by Arts Projects Australia and Adelaide Festival. Landmark Productions. Dunstan Playhouse. Feb 27th to March 8th, 2025

It was when I did some research on Irish born Samuel Beckett, playwright, poet, critic and short story writer that the reason for several of his works became clear. For many, he is best known for his literary and theatrical work featuring bleak, impersonal, and tragicomic experiences of life, often coupled with black comedy.

Dinner for One

Adelaide Fringe. Osmond Terrace Function Centre at The Norwood Hotel. 2-23 March 2025

Slapstick comedy is uncommon in the Fringe, but it’s front-and-centre of this (very) short play about an elderly Miss Sophie who insists on hosting her usual birthday dinner party despite all her chosen guests having died before her.

Her butler James must play the roles of all four of them, as well as serve her dinner – and more importantly, pour drinks for the four guests to toast at the commencement of each course.

Retirement Village People

By Maureen Sherlock. Adelaide Fringe. The Studio at Holden Street Theatres. 1-9 March 2025

If this is life in a retirement village, sign me up now! Four women talk, sing and make balloon… err… ‘shapes’ through a series of sketches about life after a certain age, when the grown-up children tell you through gritted teeth just how much they want you to move in with them and their families.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

By Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Primadonna Productions. Directed by Carole Dhu. The Pinjarra Civic Centre, WA. Feb 14-15, 2024

Primadonna Productions’ Youth burst into technicolour action for this high-energy and heartfelt production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Featuring a large cast ranging from 7 to 18, with first timers to old-hands, this was a warm production with a family feel.

Whoop Dee Doo Revue

Viva Melbourne, 64-90 Sutton St, North Melbourne. February 27th and March 27th with more dates to be announced.

As the sun sets, a  hidden gem residing  in the Industrial wasteland somewhere in  North Melbourne, just  off an  obscure side street, where the stray cats roam there is this place where a Cabaret team lay their hats and set up for  a night of scintillating entertainment.

The new Burlesque show Whoop Dee Doo Revue runs two  sets on the one night, every month and  at a very cool  venue called  Viva Melbourne.

Jess Hitchcock & Penny Quartet

Adelaide Festival 2025. Adelaide Town Hall, King William St, Adelaide. March 1, 2025

Jess Hitchcock and the Penny Quartet is a unique combination of song and instrumental giving us a personal glimpse into Hitchcock’s life and innermost thoughts set in a forest of gold and white illuminated trees.

Jess Hitchcock is an opera singer, a jazz singer, a singer-songwriter, a writer, a composer and  storyteller. Her versatile voice can make itself at home in a studio, on a stage or in a football stadium.

Assassins

By Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman. Directed by Christopher Alvaro. Roleystone Theatre, Brookton Hwy, WA. Feb 28- Mar 15, 2025

Roleystone Theatre presents Assassins, a strong production, that is well produced with a strong cast and live orchestra. 

Someone Else’s Story

Adelaide Fringe. Star Theatre Two at Star Theatres. Fri, 28 Feb - Sun, 16 Mar, 2025

One of the joys of the Fringe is the variety of venues used, and the well-known Star Theatres, are two versatile, out of town venues, with Star Theatre two being perfect for Bec Pynor’s show, Someone Else’s Story. This award winning 60-minute show is back after a sell-out season in 2024 and the show I saw was packed with friends, fans and admirers.

The Christian Brothers

Written by Ron Blair - Adelaide Fringe. The Arch at Holden Street Theatres. 22 February - 23 March 2025

‘Where but to think is to be full of sorrow / And leaden-eyed despairs’ (from Ode to Nightingale, Keats, 1819). It’s from the poem discussed at the start of this play, yet that verse’s themes of mortality, pleasure and nature are barely discussed. Instead, there is a discourse on the poet’s name and the definition of an obscure word, both delivered with unwarranted aggression to the student.