Reviews

Colder Than Here

By Laura Wade. Ensemble Theatre, Sydney. Directed by Janine Watson. 16 September – 12 October 2024

I’ve been there. Seeing a close family member on cancer alert, time running out fast, no religious backup, having to face the harsh, brutal truth of impending death. I can vouch: it’s no fun. 

But that’s the big subject of this delicate little English play in which middle-aged Myra’s cancer takes over the lives of her husband Huw and two daughters, Jenna and Harriet, making the family as cold as it’s possible to be in the West Midlands when your boiler and electric heaters are down. That’s cold!

God of Carnage

By Yasmina Reza, adapted by Christopher Hampton. Melville Theatre Co. Directed by Thomas Dimmick. City of Melville Main Hall, Booragoon, WA. 13 - 28 Sep, 2024

Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage is somewhat of a modern classic, often studied in schools and universities. Translated from the French, it retains its Parisian setting, and is intended to be a biting satire, as two sets of parents meet to discuss their fighting children, and gradually descend into childishness themselves.

All Boys

By Xavier Hazard. Every Other Theatre Company. Director Mehhma Malhi. KXT On Broadway. 6 – 21 September, 2024

In the last three months Sydney audiences have had the chance to see two plays that disclose the “hidden world" of exclusive private boys’ schools. Trophy Boys by Emmanuella Muttana directed by Marni Mount played at the Seymour Centre in June and July. All Boys by Xavier Hazard directed by Mehhma Malhi will close at KXT On Broadway this weekend.

Chicago

Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. Lyrics by Fred Ebb. Music by John Kander. Produced by John Frost for Crossroads Live, Jones Theatrical Group in association with Barry and Fran Weissler. Canberra Theatre. September 7 – 29, 2024

Zoe Ventoura and Lucy Maunder are standouts as Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart. Both roles are extremely demanding on voice, characterisation, and dance, and it was a true pleasure to see these actresses at peak performance.

The Laramie Project

By Moisés Kaufman and Members of the Tectonic Theatre Project. WAAPA Second Year Acting. Directed by Adriano Cappelletta. The Enright Studio, WAAPA, Edith Cowan University, Mt Lawley, WA. Sep 6 - Sep 12, 2024

The Laramie Project has been a popular choice of production, with high schools and universities in the years since its inception in 2000. Not only does the show have compelling themes, with its examination of small-town attitudes, homophobia, and the examination of hate crime, but it offers the young cast the opportunity to engage with and study verbatim theatre, offers a large and flexible cast size, and has engaging and challenging acting roles.

Spirit of the Wild

Queensland Symphony Orchestra. QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane. 13-14 September 2024

An almost full-house, both upstairs and downstairs, greeted the QSO for this themed concert designed to connect the audience with the natural ecological world around us by including two contemporary works created by composers dedicated to the conservation of our planet and deeply concerned by the formidable destruction already caused by greedy, materialistic humans and their followers.

Annie Jr

By Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. Murray Music and Drama. Directed by Rp Van der Westhuizen. Pinjarra Civic Centre, WA. Sep 13-14, 2024

As Australia gets excited for the next professional production of Annie, Pinjarra has had its own little dose of Annie, with Murray Music and Drama Club’s very professional feeling production of Annie Jr. Featuring a cast aged 8 to 18, this young cast were focused, well-drilled and beautifully prepared to present a high-quality show.

Speaking in Tongues

Written by Andrew Bovell. Ad Astra Theatre, Brisbane. 5th September - 28th September, 2024

Intimate theatre can sometimes be quite stark in its presentation, somewhat minimalist, one being face-to-face with, almost a part of, the lives of the characters-in-portrayal. This is a very confronting play, delving deep into human psychology, its complexities and people's private lives, the Ad Astra theatre being the perfect setting for this kind of presentation.

Hairspray

By Mark O’Donnell, Thomas Meehan, Marc Shaiman, and Scott Wittman. HAMA Productions. Directed by Vincent Hoope. Crown Theatre, Perth, WA. Sep 7-28, 2024

It’s the biggest show in town and boasts the nicest kids in town. This big budget, big talent production is playing at Perth’s largest theatre and deserves all its positive buzz.

Featuring the best bright colours of the 60s, Matthew McVeigh gives us a bright and beautiful set, toning beautifully with the gorgeous bigger and brighter than life wigs and costumes designed by Producer Marina Del Basso. Lucy Birkinshaw has provided a spectacular lighting design that adds a healthy sprinkling of stage magic.

The Queen’s Nanny

By Melanie Tait. Ensemble Theatre. Director Priscilla Jackman. 6 Sept – 12 Oct, 2024

Prince Harry took “Royal Memoirs” to a new, personal level in Spare, but how many people knew that the very first ‘inside the Royals’ story was told by a Scottish teacher who was hired to look after Harry’s grandmother and her sister in 1933.