Melbourne Festival summary 29th October 2014

Melbourne Festival summary 29th October 2014

The 2014  Melbourne Festival was the 29th and I provide my summary:

Buying tickets:

I was in Chicago with my partner in late July 2014 when trying to buy tickets this year.  I always buy our tickets on the first day of Melbourne Festival tickets going on sale.  This year it was more difficult than ever, partially due to the lack of an international direct phone on their website from the day ticket sales opened.  This apparently changed after I provided the Melbourne Festival with feedback.

I must thank the staff who did assist me with the tickets and the emails.

With my experience in project management and particularly projects that re-occur annually, like the Melbourne Festival,  they need to evaluate more rigorously and improve upon their systems.  Do not go backwards and delete information from the website or the booklet.

Brochure:

When we arrived home the Melbourne Festival brochure had been delivered.  There was no mention of an international booking phone number as in previous years.  For example please refer to page 74 of the 2013 Melbourne Festival brochure that clearly outlines under "Booking Information" there is a sub heading "By Telephone" that states "Call Ticketmaster on 136 100 or from outside Australia +613 8623 2139.

When we arrived home I tried four times to buy tickets for "Since I Suppose."  We finally bought them, thankfully.

They should include all venues on the maps, as does the Melbourne Fringe Festival brochure that uses more than one map.

I provided feedback to the Melbourne Festival regarding "Early Works" by Trisha Brown Dance Company and was not impressed that the brochure did not state there was no seating, nor that we could photograph or record the event, nor was there an announcement stating such at the Meat Market.  They made a minor alteration to the website after my feedback.

Venue announcements:

I am not impressed with the inconsistent pre-show announcements at each venue.  "Off" with a phone is off.  If they choose to say "please turn phones to silent" then include "This means no texting during the show" as stated at the New York City Centre Theater.  I am sick of attending theatre and having people rudely texting or taking photographs during a show.  The ushers need to be more vigilant.

In 28 years of attending the Melbourne Festival, and seeing many shows each year, there is only one show that we have attended that has started on time.  Interestingly it was driven by technology and time.  The only show to begin on time was "Since I Suppose."

An aside:

The timing of the Melbourne Festival was perfect as I was able to show my friend around Melbourne.  I had worked with her on an Australian tour in 1978/79.  As a former circus and aerialist performer and at 78 year old, former circus performer from the USA, I was conscious of her interests and short amount of time.  Sadly she was unable to see any shows and it was lovely to be able to introduce her to the Golden Mirror Carousel and the Vault Exhibition.  She was so thrilled with the circus theme within the festival and left her with such fond memories upon returning to Melbourne.

My Favourite show:

My favourite shows this year was "Since I Suppose" by One step at a time like this.  This show should have gotten 9/10 but did not due to the difficulty in buying tickets.  Ironically I was in Chicago for ten days when they were probably rehearsing in Chicago.

I was so impressed with the communication from "Since I Suppose" before the event.  This built my curiosity and interest.  They had a Question and Answer session on Tuesday 28th October that was wonderful to be able to celebrate such a unique event, meet with the cast and crew, and also to give closure to a very good Melbourne Festival.

Congratulations to Josephine Ridge and her team.

Overall the 2014 Melbourne Festival gets a mean average of 7.2/10.  This is a good score that had a consistent standard and we only saw two shows that brought this score down.

Complexity of Belonging, Southbank Theatre, The Sumner Theatre, Friday 24th October 2014

Complexity of Belonging, Southbank Theatre, The Sumner, Friday 24th October 2014

For those new to my blog, I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre and I do not repeat the story as in many traditional theatre reviews.

"Complexity of Belonging" was presented as part of the Melbourne Theatre Company subscription season at the Southbank Theatre - The Sumner.  This was also presented as a joint project as part of the Melbourne Festival, the Brisbane Festival and Chunky Move.

"Complexity of Belonging" is described as a project by Falk Richter and Anouk Van Dijk.  I have seen some of their previous works including "Hedda Gabler" and "An Enemy of the People" both of which I enjoyed. 

Wow what a show!  "Complexity of Belonging" is true festival fare of the highest order and deserves to tour the international festival circuits.

"Complexity of Belonging" began with a prologue as the actors bring out props to prepare the show.  This is a ritual of taking ownership and belonging to the show.  During this prologue, at least four audience members were on their phones taking photographs even though there was an announcement in the foyer.  I wish the ushers were more vigilant as I would have thought it was a breach of copyright.

Technically "Complexity of Belonging" began at 8.03pm which is not too bad.

"Complexity of Belonging" is about relationships with others, to the land and to Australia. It is a research project for an installation.  It is a project within a project. Both Karen Sibbing and Eloise Mignon's characters are doing research and take many notes.

Each performer had defined roles and carried these throughout the entire show.  The performers would take it in turns to highlight their story.  These varied from tragic, desperate, funny, poignant, racist, brothers, gay etc.  They touched on so many issues relating to the sense of belonging.

A complex work about what it means to belong in Australia.  "Complexity of Belonging" is like art within art.  The final image is of a group of statues as if they represent the stories we have heard and seen earlier.  In the art gallery pose there is so much respect and homage to the people's stories that we hear through the performance.

It does not matter to me that there is not a Muslim story represented in this show as one critic wrote.   There are so many religions, races and issues that are not introduced here.   I think the critic missed the point.  Other examples that were not shown included the viewpoint of a farmer, traditional housewife, child's, or a disabled persons etc.  This show creates powerful images of what it means to belong in Australia.

If anything I thought there was not enough emphasis on sport and being a "bloke" or a man in Australia.  There was not enough about political correctness, bullying and the cotton wool generation.  There was not enough about the older generation and what it meant to them for generations to assimilate.  The voice of the stories was younger than I thought. We were not shown a full range of viewpoints.  But - you know what!  I don't care, as "Complexity of Belonging" was about raising the complex issues of belonging in Australia and creates room for discussion.

The cinemascope cyclorama looks like a football scoreboard/screen.  This is used so effectively to transmit images from portable cameras to this screen.  As a scoreboard we could be measuring the score of what it means to belong.  The central image of the scoreboard/screen was foremost in our minds with many images being projected.  The performers climb this structure and hide as if hiding behind the shelter sheds and having their initiation to sex, or they try to climb higher in order to determine who is belonging more.  I loved these images.

The dance was great for most of the time.  Anouk Van Dijk's choreography is frenetic at times.  Wonderful images were created to counter point or provide a backdrop to scenes. There were two main instances of unison dance that were not in unison.  Also the canon effect of falling off the sofa chairs was out of time by the lady second from upstage.  She needs to prepare and anticipate her moves to keep the canon image fluid.

Alya Manzart is such a fine dancer.  Eloise Mignon is a fine actress that has a gawkiness to her role.
Josh Price, Karen Sibbing and Tara Soh are all fine performers.  Joel Bray played the boyfriend with sincerity and a genuine concern to try to understand his boyfriend played by Josh Price.

The powerful image of the bearded actor, Josh Price explaining the five options to his boyfriend Joel Bray who has climbed to the top and back of the screen. Joel Bray's head appears small and highlights the enormous projected image of his "bullet point" boyfriend.  This was a terrific image of the various degrees of power in a relationship.

I love the needy boyfriend played by Stephen Phillips  who has a Skype call with his girlfriend in Australia. 

I loved Lauren Langlois as the female character who lists what she wants in a man.  She is an exquisite performer who relishes her monologue with the therapist. It was a huge list of about 167 items. A male dancer comes and begins to lift her and throw her around.  She continues her rant, unperturbed.  The audience thunderously applaud her monologue.  Sensational theatre that had the audience completely engaged.

Karen Sibbing's character highlight the language barriers of coming to Australia and trying to understand the phrases "No worries" etc.

At one stage the cast of  "Complexity of Belonging" are lined up with microphones and it reminded me of a scene from an early 1980's production by Pina Bausch where the cast compete to tell of their body scars.

Another image of the man, Stephen Phillips building a structure with the sofa chairs. It is as if this is his mundane job.  He builds a second tier as if he has achieved middle management status.  He keeps organising them until he builds a tower.  He stands aloft.  It is as if he is the king of his castle.  The CEO.  He has achieved, but he is so desperately unhappy.  He is seeking meaning in his life, as do the other characters.

Stephen Phillips  deconstructs and reorganises the sofa chairs into a line.  He ensures they are evenly spaced and checks his work, then proceeds to hurdle over the sofa chairs.  Again, he reorganises the them into a slightly different configuration and proceeds to hop over them like a kangaroo.  Both of these sequences visually represent the competitive and sporting nature that is expected by many Australians. The hopping like a kangaroo sequence is something many children copy and is an international identity.  It both speaks of the outback and the Qantas logo.  It also represents the early flights to London which was known as the kangaroo route/hop.

James Vu Anh Pham is a powerhouse dancer.  There is a section about the Asian invasion of Australia.  He talks about the film "Romper Stomper" and being Asian.  Ironically, Russell Crowe who stars in this film is a New Zealander who made Australia his home.

"Complexity of Belonging" includes the use of the cameras and a crew member, who really should be credited as a cast member with her involvement in making sure the technology worked.  She was on stage many times as if the silent majority. Voiceless, but always observing.  Her presence gives texture to the staging. It is a shame that she is acknowledged more in the programme.

I loved the sections of  "Complexity of Belonging" with the actors walking backwards and forwards as if on the crowded streets.  The camera would focus on one performer.  Sometimes the camera would go into slow motion and what we were witnessing on the screen was a time-lapsed version of what the performers were doing. 

Three whiteboards were littered with photographs and articles for the research project.  Occasionally these items were projected onto the scoreboard/screen.  The whiteboards would be turned around and become the backdrop of an apartment, an airport with a Qantas plane, or an office building.  As backdrops they were used in so many creative ways: from providing depth to a scene or dance across the stage, or give a sense of perspective to a scene.  Sometimes they looked like camels crossing the desert and it felt like we were moving with the characters on their journey of discovery.  This paid homage to the early pioneers discovering their sense of belonging in years gone past.

Sometimes I longed for more stillness in "Complexity of Belonging" to reflect and focus upon the action.  The performers were scattered across the stage at times, as either individuals, pairs or small groups, as if they were searching for what it is to belong.  It looked like a huge scavenger hunt with the performers reaching into themselves.

We finish at the installation in Paris with Josh Price calling his boyfriend, who has not turned up.  I wonder if this had to do with the introduction about the Malaysian flight?  Was the boyfriend lost on the Malaysian flight?  I wonder if the phone call about the child being picked up by the mother meant that the child had one less father.

I loved the final images of the statues at the installation and the artist, Karen Sibbing desperately writing her notes that were projected onto the scoreboard screen.  She then edited these notes.  Her alterations being so beautifully poignant.  Great theatre.

I cannot rave enough about this production and would love to see it again.

Overall both my partner agreed simultaneously this deserves an 8.5/10.

Labels:

Complexity of Belonging, Melbourne Theatre Company, Melbourne Festival, Brisbane Festival, Chunky Move, The Sumner, Falk Richter, Anouk Van Dijk, Karen Sibbing, Eloise Mignon, Joel Bray, Lauren Langlois, Alya Manzart, Stephen Phillips, Josh Price, James Van Anh Pham, Tara Soh,

If These Walls Could Talk, Dislocate, Fairfax Studio, Sunday 26th October 2014

If These Walls Could Talk, Dislocate, Fairfax Studio, Sunday 26th October 2014

"If These Walls Could Talk" by Dislocate was presented as a World Premiere season at the Fairfax Studio as part of the Melbourne Festival.

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre.

I had met someone on the previous night who had seen "If These Walls Could Talk"and he warned me with "Good luck with that one."  I was left curious what he meant and was keen to see it for myself.  I have seen some awful shows in my time and thought it best to keep an open mind.

To me theatre can speak in many ways.  When theatre moves the human condition to feel something then I feel it has been successful.  This was theatre that generated strong feelings of empathy and understanding to make my heart sink, glow or soar.

"If These Walls Could Talk" is a show for all ages though it has some adult themes of death and suicide that may not be suitable for young children.  It would be a good talking point with teenagers. It is a very accessible piece of theatre and maybe that is why the man did not like it as it was not "arty" enough.  I loved its simplicity in telling a simple story about a flat/apartment or house with various residents over the years.  It is as if the ghostly residents come to life to tell their story.  This is interspersed with the removalists moving the previous resident out and also an opportunity to change the set.

A very moving piece of theatre that did have a few holes that could be filled.

I was disgusted that someone in the front row had the audacity to take photos during the opening sequence.

The set comprises a round table, a two seater sofa, a window, fireplace mantelpiece and the frame of the building.  The doorway we learn later is a trick doorway that can swing open and closed and also rotate.  There is also a hat stand at the start. A tulle lampshade hangs from above. Along the way the sofa's covers or cushions are changed by the removalists to create a refurnished space for the latest residents.  The painting about the mantelpiece changes according to each resident: a family snap, a fish, a map etc.  Production Design by Michael Baxter would have been completed in consultation with the director, dramaturge and performers due to the working complexity of each aspect of the set.  Michael's designs provide enough of a cut out space for us to fill in the gaps.  From their work-in-progress video on Vimeo it is obvious that this show has grown in depth of content and design.

Kate Fryer and Geoff Dunstan play an old couple.  They enter and try to take off their hat and coat.  There is no coat hook.  Maybe there was once upon a time.  The performers move with a sincere respect of old age.  They want to dance together and negotiate the space in which to do so.

The lights change and the couple transform to their younger selves.  The door way rotates and there is a coat hook.  We too, are not mad. Memory can play tricks on our history.  Perception is their reality.

We see the younger couple dance, flirt and date.  They perform circus antics on the sofa.  There is an aerialist moment using the lampshade.  We then return to the older couple reminiscing and begin a tea ceremony that may be their suicide pact.  This overall opening sequence is tender and poignant.  I think it is powerful and rich in love,  that makes me wonder what the guy last night was thinking.  Maybe it is too obvious what they are doing?  Theatre should be about communicating.

We have the removalists DJ Garner and Luke Taylor who, not only change the setting but also provide some great clowning. Luke Taylor  is so funny with his electric drill routine that he uses to create the sound effects for his robot sequence.  I love his cheeky recognition of the audience.

At times the table, coat rack and sofa are moved.  They are covered with sheets as if from "Great Expectations."  As they are moved closer to the window and fireplace, I expect that they will reveal a performer underneath later.  Not to be.  I loved the way they played with the audience here and what they later did with these props.

We are introduce to a gay couple.  DJ Garner wears a cravat and is very needy of his partner.  They perform a tumbling routine over the table and the sofa.  He is craving affection and recognition.  They also use the cravat in their play.  DJ Garner does everything in his power to impress and keep his boyfriend.  He even dresses Geoff Dunstan with the coat.  Very simple and effective choreography that has smooth transitions.  Their routine means something, it is not just a filler circus act.  They reveal the breakdown and imbalance in their relationship.  They not only tell a story but has a message of relationship communication.  Their relationship is on the rocks.

The removalists can sometimes be two or the four performers.   With a cast of four they change their demeanour and characters so quickly from the other characters they play.  The costumes by Harriet Oxley give a great sense of character, time and relationships.  They look like street clothes but have been adapted for the rigours of these performers and their quick changes.

Kate Fryer lays in the outline of herself.  The spotlight chases her.  It is,  as if the light, is what people say they see when they have had a near death experience.  This white light keeps chasing her.  She flies above as if astral travelling and then recognises what has happened to her.  This is a great aerialist routine where DJ Garner enters.  They perform an aerialist duo.  At one stage he slides under the sofa with great speed.  She keeps trying to escape death.  He leaves and we realise that he she has been visited by death himself.

We have a haunted house routine by the two removalists. We have the black clown Geoff Dunstan and the more frivolous clown played by Luke Taylor .  It is such fun and the ladder gag is a joke on not only us but on each other.  This was such a good slapstick routine that paid homage to "Hold That Ghost" starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in a haunted house.  Both of these fine men have great physical comedy and plasticine faces.

There is a section that could be from "If/Then" the musical or "Sliding Doors" where there are two men  tending to the sick Kate Fryer on the sofa.  DJ Garner wants to chop her up while Geoff Dunstan wants to nurse her to good health.  There is a great sequence with the rug and the butcher's cleaver.  Another with the thermometer and the spoon.  The audience loved the complex nature of the comedy: her oblivion to the events around her, the two men's different motivations and also the men oblivious to each other.  They roll her up in the rug and she is thrown many ways.

DJ Garner is no small fry with his performance.  He is a giant as a dynamic performer with a powerhouse of strength and charisma.  His doorway routine where he drops straight to the floor had the audience gasping.  He is perplexed and confused as he works the doorway and has us in the palm of his hands. This is what good circus does - it engages the audience and creates a response.

Geoff Dunstan and Luke Taylor play with their power tools and have a paint-ball type fight. The power tools pick up sofa covers and the rug.  They create whirl pool like images.  One becomes a bomb.  Great inventive fun.

The final section has Geoff Dunstan desperately trying to do himself in.  It is a great routine with a bottle of pills, the fishbowl, the tie, the window, the light bulb and the electrical cords.  His black comedy clowning is so reminiscent of Marcel Marceau who I have seen on at least five occasions.  He tries to jump out of the window and the window itself becomes another performer.   It is not just one joke with the window but many. They create many physical examples with each prop or piece of scenery that the production designs would have to have been done in consultation with the performers.  The same with the tie and door frame.  The routines do not milk the routine but feed each routine to keep us intrigued and build our empathy towards his plight.

I loved the balance of the darker humour by Geoff Dunstan  with the lighter shades by Luke Taylor.

There are so many circus companies that link their speciality routines together with a theme.  They can be a bit like Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney's famous line "Let's put on a show."  Here we have a stronger thread and the routines support the story.  Some circus troupes do not incorporate an accessible story into their work.  Maybe the guy last night thought it was patronising.  I do not think that. 

I loved "If These Walls Could Talk"  as it is a great piece of artistic work that can create new audiences for the theatre.  There are themes of memory, history, relationships, respect for life, love, suicide and evil intentions.  We have time lapsed cultural references with the various changes to the sofa, costumes and other décor. 

Ghosts of some of the past residents appear.  We conclude with vignettes of previous scenes: the teacup and the thermometer, the old lady, the coat man.  Have they altered his decision? Do they unite in his grief? Do they spiritually guide him?

The final images make my heart soar.  It is raining shreds of a torn notes as the old lady and the coat man fly around him.  The stage is littered with paper that fuels such an uplifting finale.

This production was created with the performers and Daniel Rabin and Alexandra Harrison.  Composition and sound design by Chris Lewis.  Lighting Design by Eduard Ingles.  All worked together for a tight production.

"If These Walls Could Talk" resonated with warmth and was respectful of the vulnerability of the human condition. It made my heart soar that desperate people can seek help in themselves and in others.

Overall I gave this production an 8/10.

Pure Movement - Program 2, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Playhouse Theatre, Saturday 25th October 2014

Pure Movement - Program 2, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Playhouse Theatre, Saturday 25th October 2014

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre.

Note there is my original review below and an amendment at the end:

"Pure Movement - Program 2" was presented by Trisha Brown Dance Company at the Playhouse Theatre by the Melbourne Festival.

The program states five works and I am appalled at the lack of respect for audiences that they did not make an announcement to the order of the dance pieces.  Appalled you may ask?  Yes considering my previous feedback about what was on the "Early Works" program.  It should not be a guessing game for audiences to decipher what pieces they are seeing.

I asked one usher at interval what was the running order of the performance.  She opened her program and began to read out the supposed running order as published in the program.   According to the program the first piece was meant to run for 2.5 minutes.  In fact the first piece ran for more like 20 minutes.  I explained that to her. Did she even bother to read the program?  She then tried to tell me that the second piece was "Newark".  Heavens above!  I had seen "Newark" in Program One and explained that to the usher.  She tried to say it was definitely "Newark" and I emphasised that I had seen it on Thursday night and that the dancers wore grey unitards.  She finally back pedalled and said that she could check with her supervisor at the end of the show.

Later at home I had to decipher from the program notes and the Trisha Brown Dance Company website what I had in fact seen. 

I think it is just plain RUDE that you are not given the courtesy to be told what is on the program.  I have paid big money to see all three of their shows.  Do you have to be "in the know" and the inner sanctum to be given this information.  This is why some people think that theatre is elitist due to this sort of behaviour.

The show began at 8.38pm for a scheduled start time of 8.30pm.

You may think that I did not enjoy the show.  I did enjoy the dancing - in fact I loved the dancer's work.  Though they could have selected a better work to finish the evening.

I had to go online to the Trisha Brown Dance Company  website to try to determine the order of the show.  I know she loves sequences and structure but here is my take on it:  The order was published as for example 1,2,3 Interval then 4 and 5.  The actual order was 5,1,3 Interval and 4 and 2.  It should not be so hard for audiences to have to do their own research to know what they are seeing!

"Set and Reset" began Program Two with two large triangles and a square that had film projected onto their white screens from four reel-to-reel projectors suspended above the stage.  The three large shapes rise to become three dimensional shapes: now they are two pyramids with a cube in between.  Still the historical footage is being projected. 

We then see a dancer carried across the stage by three other dancers.  This is reminiscent of Lindsay Kemp's slow crossing from "Flowers."  They wear beautiful translucent costumes designed by Robert Rauschenberg that follow their movements as good dance costumes should. 

In "Set and Reset" the dancers perform phrases with fouettes both a terre and en l'Air. There are wonderful hip sways that build momentum and create releves and create a Michael Chekhov  lightness and ease to the choreography.  There is more pas de deux or double work in this piece.  It is the most balletic piece that I have seen this wonderful company perform and shows a point of difference in Trisha Brown's choreography. 

I loved the way we could see the dancers in the wings awaiting their entrances through the net like tab curtains.  They played with the tab curtains on some of their entrances and exits that allowed the billowing effects to continue.  Some phrases seemed to originate in their elbows for their port de bras and build into fouette turns.  There were moments of sheer brilliance with the unison phrasing as they would sneak up on us and treat us to their magnificent timing.

I loved their curtain call of forming two lines of four and wheeling around.  They would then wheel these two lines of four again to showcase a variation of the ensemble.  They would exit using a similar phrase and re-enter with similar movements.  It was like watching the Radio City Rockettes post modern style.

"Watermotor"  was danced by Neal Beasley.  This short solo received thunderous applause from devotees.  Neal danced with quick shifts in weight and direction.  Some qualities of movement reminded me of the loose and easy style of Twyla Tharp.

"Les Yeux et l'ame" uses music from the opera with a score by Phillipe Rameau.  There are beautiful grey costumes that have a flowing rectangle of fabric at the front like a Grecian uniform.  This is such a magnificent and sophisticated piece of choreography. There are duos, trios and other variations.  Trisha Brown segues into each grouping with a central pulsation (like a group hug) that blooms into yet another variation.  There is a diagram by Trisha Brown as the backdrop.  Sometimes it looks like the dancer replicate some of the shapes form her drawing.  Her dance is such a sketch-a-graph of patterns.  It reminded me of "Tis A Goodly Sport" at one stage with its playfulness and the Baroque music.

There were pairings with heads being supported and gentle framing. The music was so bouncy and so relaxing and comforting.  It was pure soul food.

Interval/intermission/break!

 "Rogues" was danced by Lee Serle and Neal Beasley. One wore a blue sleeveless t-shirt and the other wore a blue t-shirt unlike the website that has them in orange and greenish colours.  This was danced at times to a harmonica.  The elbows are accentuated for their angularity.  There seemed to be a signature Jose Limon phrase with retrogrades and inversions.  I loved the sweeping feel with the swinging arms and the masculinity of the piece.  This showed great strength and the most masculine of her choreography in the three programs.

"Newark" finished the program and was also in Program One.  However, "Newark" starts with the two men and then two women enter, then another woman.  We build to many variations of the ensemble.  The flat back with the arms in second with a twist is a signature movement.  Lunges are prominent with turned in attitudes derriere.  I was so excited that I saw a developpe en avant as it stood out.  It stood to me as it highlight the limited vocabulary of this piece.

"Newark" had great partner work with the balances of the women on the men's knees.  The women are upside down and they suspend in space until they roll forward.  I was concerned though, that the rolls forward were a little flat-backed and needed more of a rolling motion to make contact with the ground or otherwise could lead to injury.  I had the same feeling at both performances.

Some of the floor work by the men is like a contemporary version of the Cossack dance/tricks. 

"Newark" is better on the second viewing but makes you feel let down as we do not finish on a high as we have seen it before. Any of the other three ensemble pieces in this program would have been the better choice to conclude the evening.

Olsi Gjeci and Stuart Shugg are the two men who dance with the same breath. Jamie Scott reminds me of Marg Downey the Australian actress.  She has such a lovely flow about her dancing.  Leah Ives has an assurance and confidence in her ability to create different qualities.  Tara Lorenzen has a lovely line, lightness and finish to her work.  She is a dynamo and has a cheeky glint in her eye.  Cecily Campbell appears at time to waft into space with her ability to change dynamic shifts, from being a feather to a bullet.

Overall, "Pure Movement - Program 2" was a good program but the order does not do them justice.  Plus it is not fair on the paying public to not know what they are seeing.  As my partner said it did not worry him as they all blurred into one another.  Though we both agree that some people enjoy reading about what they are seeing.  Also knowing the order of what you are seeing is important to be able to give context and try to understand each piece.

It should not be a guessing game about what I am seeing.  Even Merce Cunningham would announce the order of his work when they would randomly alter the order.  It is just plain courtesy and respect for the paying audience.

"Pure Movement - Program 2" gets a 7.5/10.

 

Amendment to my review written late Sunday 26th October 2014:

I went to the theatre on Sunday 26th October to see "If These Walls Could Talk" and spoke to a supervisor, Stephen about the usher incident on Saturday night.  He mentioned that there was an insert for the program.  I said that we never received an insert in our program.  My partner did not get the insert in his program.  Stephen offered to get an insert for me and it was the order that I worked out above it correct.  My experience would have been different had we received an insert in the program or an announcement made.

I do not retract what I said above from my experience but emphasise that having a consistent positive experience is my aim for all theatre goers.

Early Works, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Meat Market, Wednesday 22nd October 2014

Early Works, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Meat Market, Wednesday 22nd October 2014

"Early Works" by Trisha Brown Dance Company was presented at the Meat Market in North Melbourne.  We went to the 9.00pm performance that started ten minutes late.

Note that it took me two emails and a phone call to clarify the running order of the "Early Works" show.  I have included below my feedback to the Melbourne Festival.  As a consequence they wrote to me and made some changes to their website in preparation for Sunday 26th October 2014 performance. 

Page 42 of the Melbourne Festival brochure advertises the "Early Works" program of Trisha Brown Dance Company and did not mention the following:

·         That there would be no seating; 

·         That you could move around the space;

·         That photography and recording was permitted; (well that is what the Stage Manager said after the show)

·         The repertoire did not include "Scallops" 1973 as advertised; (This was not listed in the program but apparently was shown)

Please clarify the following;

What was the running order of the show at 9.00pm ?

Is "Group Primary Accumulation" the same as "Group Primary Moves" as advertised in the Melbourne Festival brochure?

What was the piece other than "Spanish Dance" that included music?

Concerns:

No pre-show announcement was made about the use of mobile phones or cameras.

No pre-show announcement was made to say that you could record, photograph or film the event. (Was this correct?)

As people were filming the event I am concerned about where the photographs of video footage will end up. 

I am concerned about the privacy implications of being filmed without an express notification to say that this could occur.  Note that the Australian Ballet recently sent out an email stating that a performance of "The Nutcracker" would be filmed and if you had any questions or concerns then they offered a contact telephone number.

No seating was available for some elderly or others who may have had ailments to restrict them standing for an hour plus waiting time in the foyer.

The show started ten minutes late: that is 9.10pm

It was a very hot night and had no air conditioning.

People would walk in front and block other people's views.  Only a few people looked around to see that they were not blocking other people's views.

Note:

The following order was received via email on Friday October 24th 2014:

Sticks VI

Soft Phrase (from Foray Foret)

Leaning Duet I

Sticks I

Grubby Duet (from Astral Convertible0

Figure 8

Scallops

Group Primary Accumulation

Sticks II

Spanish Dance

Note on running order:  If this was the running order then why is "Accumulation" missing from the above order?  Apparently it has music credits "Uncle John's Band" by the Grateful Dead.)

Review:

I really do not know the order of the programme and can only comment on what I did see or experience.

Believe it or not, with my above comments, I did enjoy what I could see of the show.  I look forward to seeing the other two programs by Trisha Brown Dance Company.

I chose a spot against a pillar as it was a hot night and I have had a bad back of late and needed as much support as possible.  I chose to stay seated on the floor as I did not want to hurt my back and I wanted to get a holistic perspective of the experience.  It was interesting to watch the behaviour of the audience and the dancers when I could not always see the dance piece being performed.

I chose my position,  as I am sure that Merce Cunningham would attest that this was another perspective to seeing Trisha Brown's work. No one at the Meat Market had the same view or perspective.  Mine was probably more "alien-modern" than some of these post-modernists could cope with.

I loved the pure movement and the skill of the dancers.  It was like stepping back into the early 1970s with their white jump suits.

The opening apparently was "Sticks IV" that had the dancers laying on the ground, each holding a ten-foot-long-stick.  They were trying to join them together as they rolled over on their backs and changed position. The dancers communicated with one another.  These moves are not pedestrian nor child like.  They are sophisticated and require their utmost attention, skill and steadiness.  It is a lovely group exercise to warm up the audience.  Sadly I got a view through peoples' legs.  It was as if watching a tribe presenting a ritual through a jungle of legs.

I think the second piece was called "Soft Phrase" (from Foray Foret) where Stuart Shugg and others danced.  I loved its fluidity and was reminiscent of many Nanette Hassall classes in Merce Cunningham technique.  I could only really see Stuart and two female dancers from where I sat.  I loved their precision although the bearded gentlemen had a flexed foot while the others had a relaxed foot.

 "Leaning Duets I " comprised of pairs each holding one arm and leaning as far away as possible from one another. They were totally off balance but balanced.  They would then walk in pairs on the diagonal to the opposite corner.  This was thrilling and challenging and reminded me of a twist on a school fete's "three legged race."  The opposite couple would do the same to the other corner.  Then they would both walk and try to pass each other in the centre.  The centre change over did not ring true for me as pure movement.  There was not enough off centred-ness and trying to catch their balance.  I got the idea and enjoyed it and went along with the staged version and the changes in the rules.  It would have been good to see a real change of weight between the four as they tried to pass over each other.

I could not see two pieces (maybe three pieces) properly but I did get to see the audience gather around and block each other's views.  I watched as the off-stage dancers looked over to me curiously why I did not run with the crowd.  I was fascinated with their keeping warm and preparing for the next piece.  Watching hips swaying made sense later for the "Spanish Dances" piece.  I got the preview that the audience did not get to see.

I think the pieces that I could barely see included "Sticks 1" and "Grubby Duet" (from "Astral Convertible".)  I swore one of the pieces that I could not see had music.  If so, I have been told it must have been "Accumulation" which apparently has a track called "Uncle John's Band" by the Grateful Dead. I do not know what this piece was called but I will call it the "Square Dance" where five dancers are in the central area that is marked on the floor as a square. Maybe this is called "Scallops." They pass each other in twos and threes and communicate "corner" when one dancer reaches the corner.  They complete the sequence to end where they began.  I loved it for it was adult playfulness.

I had it clarified in writing that "Group Primary Accumulation"  "is in fact the one piece called "Group Primary with Movers"."   This is where four dancers lay on the floor and begin a sequence which they repeat.  There is a definite beginning, middle and end to this piece.  A dancer walks in and moves one dancer slightly and they all continue the sequence.  Another dancer gets moved.  One is moved to sit upright and they all continue the sequence.  One is placed on top of another slightly and again they all continue the sequence without stopping.  The one sitting up is propped to stand up and you guessed it: they continue the sequence.  It is not boring.  It is fun.  I loved the ticklishness and genuine giggles from one or two of the dancers as they were intertwined as they continued the sequence. It is like a mediation on the simple.  Not so simple as they are moved about.

"Figure 8" had the dancers form a line and created gestures like "stewardesses demonstrating safety measures on an airplane." The program states that they stand in a row.  It could be a row or a column depending on your perspective, that is why I said a line.  They continue the pattern and close their eyes.  This is done to a clicking track or metronome type clicking sound.  They complete the sequence in unison and open their eyes.  Great timing and not a revelation they would finish together.  What I loved was that it reminded me of the Pina Bausch conga-line-type sequence through the Palais Theatre audience in the early 1980s. 

The finale "Spanish Dances" to the Bob Dylan's "Early Morning Rain" is such a fun piece to finish off a fine collection of historical post-modern dance.  The dancers are in a line and gradually get engulfed to the rhythm and movement of the dancer from behind.  It is infectious and makes you want to join in.

I chose my viewing position in order to have a perspective to create a point of focus to compare each piece.  Once I realised that the ensemble would move around the space I wanted to stay and see everything from the same angle to see if it worked or not. The thing that disappointed me was the rudeness of people standing right in front and blocking your view.  Not just in front of me but in front of others.

Some people chose to meander around the space.

I did not appreciate that at least two people were taking photographs and filming sections of the show.  I found this off putting and also disrespectful of people's privacy. 

It was also lovely to see Linda Sastradiprajda perform with this company.  Linda, I believe is the first person to enter through the six years of the VCA Secondary School and complete the tertiary course also at VCA.  I remember her in what was her First Form (now Year Seven) and it is a privilege to see her as a mature and sophisticated artist.

Stuart Shrugg is also a graduate of the VCA and is a fine contemporary dancer.  I remember learning similar phrases whilst a student at VCA and he has a lovely fluid and musical quality.

Trisha Brown uses movement and gestures in her choreography.  The larger archetypal movements are not her signature.  She expresses an honesty in pure movement that many choreographers do not understand.

What can turn me off some contemporary dance is the academic exclusivity of being in the inner sanctum of knowledge.  In other words if you have not studied their technique or concepts then it can appear alien to outsiders. With Trisha Brown's works, here you can see many of the concepts at play and enjoy their nuances.  Whether people understand her work is beside the point as it is also entertaining and has our attention.

Sadly I cannot name the other dancers as there are not photographs to put names to faces.  I enjoyed every dancer's contribution and the team work involved.

As audience members we should be treated with respect and given proper announcements and introduced to the names of the works rather than us trying to guess.  We should not have to write to request this sort of information.  I stand up for all "paying" theatre goers.

If my review seems confused, I am, as the brochure notes, program notes and the email all contradict each other with names and missing information (for one example the music credits of  "Uncle John's Band" by Grateful Dead.)

I received the following in my email from the Melbourne Festival "Regarding the use of photography and filming, the nature of Trisha Brown’s works means that the company does allow audience members to take photos and video, so it was indeed permitted during the performance."  Why were we not given the respect with a suitable announcement at the start of the show as this would have changed the experience for everyone concerned?

Yes I did enjoy what I could see.  But theatre should not be this hard to know what you are seeing.

Overall this program gets a 6.5/10.  It should have gotten an 8/10 if all of my concerns had been addressed.

Labels:

 

Trisha Brown, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Melbourne Festival, Meat Market, Uncle John's Band, Grateful Dead, Stuart Shugg, Linda Sastradiprajda, VCA, Pina Bausch, Figure 8, Soft Phase, Spanish Dances, Leaning Duets, Group Primary Accumulation

Pure Movement - Program 1, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Playhouse Theatre, Thursday 23rd October 2014

Pure Movement - Program 1, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Playhouse Theatre, Thursday 23rd October 2014

Trisha Brown Dance Company presented Program 1 at the Playhouse Theatre as part of the Melbourne Festival.

"Solo Olos" begins with a group of five dancers until the bearded man jumps off stage to the front row.  He then gives directions via a microphone - to a specific individual or various dancers to either reverse or split or break.  The dancers are all performing the same sequence and sometimes are dancing the same phrase.  It is fun to watch as the dancers reverse a movement.  It is even more fun to watch as they are then quickly instructed to  reverse again the movement.  It is like watching your rewind on the video/dvd.  With many combinations of instructions. the dancers end together in the same pose.  The audience erupts with applause and appreciation.  A great opening for Program 1.

"Son of Gone Fishing" is a complex work with phrases that sometimes matched another dancer or mirrored another dancer.  At times it looked as if they were in canon musically - for a fleeting few seconds.  Very shiny costumes and muted lighting.

Interval.

A number of people did not return after interval.

The solo of "If you couldn't see me"  has the dancer face upstage and we get to see her expressive back.  I thought this went on a bit too long and did not develop some of the exquisite possibilities that I have seen with either classical ballet, contemporary or even musical theatre dancing.

About four people left from the front stalls after the above dance piece. 

The finale "Newark"  was danced in very ordinary grey unitard costume. These looked to be constructed from a cotton fabric, which showed up every sweat stain possible.  The fabric did not seem to breath and dry.  My friend "Bridie" Murphy would have made those costumes using a fabric better designed for dance wear.  I can hear him from the grave complaining about the quality of the fabric and the poor line of the round collars. 

I did not feel the distinction between the male and female styles of dance in this work.  There still seemed to be a androgynous quality about the movements for both sexes.  What I did enjoy was the fleeting moments of pas de deux or contact work.  I wish to see more duo or contact work.

This piece was tiresome and too long.  I enjoyed the dancing but it rambled on.  I think "Son of Gone Fishing" would make a more spectacular finale to this program.  This is easily the most sophisticated and more accessible for the general public to enjoy.

Beautifully danced by all dancers.   This is a feast for dance history fans.

My partner and myself both loved act one of this program.

Overall this program gets a 7/10.  Act One gets an 8/10 and Act Two a 6/10 which averages to overall 7/10.

The Trouble With Harry, Northcote Town Hall, Tuesday 21st October 2014

The Trouble With Harry, Northcote Town Hall, Tuesday 21st October 2014

'The Trouble With Harry" is a new work by the award winning playwright Lachlan Philpott.  It played at the Northcote Town Hall and is directed by Alyson Campbell.  "The Trouble With Harry" is produced by MKA: Theatre of New Writing and Darebin's Speakeasy in association with the Melbourne Festival.

'The Trouble With Harry"  should not be confused with the 1955 film of the same name.  Both are completely different stories.

There was a poorly projected announcement from the stairs prior to entering the theatre.  We were near the front and could hear the announcement and sadly those towards the back would not be able to hear it.  They should have repeated the announcement inside the theatre.  Plus no usher was abiding by their own rules by asking people to switch off their mobile phones.  So why bother with the announcements?

We were issued with a set of headphones that had blue lights.  As the lights dimmed we were given instructions through the headphones to ensure that the blue lights were facing forward.  There was also a technician on hand if anyone had any issues with their headphones.  A simple request to raise your hand and the technician would give you a new set of headphones. A simple and effective introduction.

The clarity of the headphones was much to be desired.  The initial announcement gave us an opportunity to set our desired volume.  Sadly the clarity of the voices of the man and the woman played by Dion Mills and Emma Palmer was very crackly, muddied and inconsistent.  Was it to give it a 1920's wireless sound?  I doubt it as at other times it was clearer.  I think the sound quality diminished when they used the two standing microphones as it was better when they were relying only on their radio microphones.

Using the two standing microphones I guess was to establish the role of a male and female narrator.  They were also wired ("bugged") with radio microphones.  It was not too clear when they were narrator, observer and other characters.  This was also due to the staging of moving the man and woman around and sometimes into the shadows and they were also masked by other performers.

I liked the idea of the man and woman narrating, but it was the differentiation between observer, and other characters that was not clearly defined.  Lachlan Philpott in his play "Bison" used a similar device of having his actors look at only three points: 1. at the other actors, 2. the main character or 3. the audience. 

Here the looking at the audience was more distracting as the central focus of each scene was not staged to create clear locations.

The set and costumes by Eugyeene The created a 1920's feel.  They used a series of steel frames to create doorways, bars, doctor's surgery and other locations.  There were portable and fixed lighting rigs.  The portable lighting rigs danced a duet with one of the characters to illuminate a scene.  It was very cinematic at times and reminded me of the new musical version of Baz Luhrmann's "Strictly Ballroom" in concept.  

The Northcote Town Hall with its imposing and austere presence created an authenticity to the 1920's era.  The huge lights hanging from the ceiling created a sense of power and impending doom. If these large lights were to fall then the whole world would come crashing down.  The lights do not fall but the world of Harry and his family come tumbling down.

The best part was when the frames were lined up to create visibly identifiable locations.  I loved the slight cross over of the two larger frames as they created an art deco doorway with leadlight windows.  There was a long row of fourteen by three windows, a total of forty two windows that created a sense of the house and its surrounding neighbourhood.  It was particularly effective when we could see inside their house.  We as the audience are the flies-on-the wall, eaves-dropping on their private lives.  The windows were also effective as the other characters could be observing as if through the neighbour's curtains.  These were some of the most memorable images.

The acting was good for the main characters as their relationships are established.  Caroline Lee played Annie Birkett with Daniel Last as her son, Harry Birkett.  They had an honest 1920s sensibility to their relationship and behaviours.  While Maude Davey played Harry Crawford with a blokey swagger and rehearsed mannerisms.  Maude's voice, though not deep, had a hint of the 1920s' sound bites.  It would be great to hear her develop more of the 1920's vocal quality.

Josephine Falleni was played by Elizabeth Nabben and gave the production the ticking time-bomb it needed to create more drama.  Josephine observes the action from a doorway for a good part of the start of the play. I liked this device as it enhanced our curiosity of: who was she, what has she got to do with the story?  Her entrance and effects on the story are like a cyclone.  Her relationship with each of the other characters varies and creates conflicting dramas.  I particularly liked the sensitivity with her and the young Harry Birkett.  Together they created the chasm between innocence and worldliness.

The man and woman narrators/observers provide more of a visual radio-play quality to their two dimensional characters, for example a neighbour, a barmaid etc.

The play is based on true events of the 1920s and uses many parts of the large Northcote Town Hall.  They use the doorways as effective entrances,  we see behind the curtains and down underneath the floor as if in an outside shed.  The depth of the town hall is so large I can understand why they chose to use the headphones.  But it is a little like the chicken or the egg in what came first with the designs and direction.  Was it the location or the concept of using the headphones.

Lachlan Philpott  has written a play that speaks largely of the 1920s era.  My parents are of this era and some of the language was a bit modern.

Lachlan Philpott in conjunction with Alyson Campbell have created a good play with some work could be great.  My partner and myself knew that Harry Crawford went to trial but did not pick up it was for the murder of Annie Birkett his wife.  This was not clear from the script and the direction.  Maybe the final dance through the curtains was a dance to her death.

The play is advertised in the Melbourne Festival brochure as one hour and twenty minutes while it ran for ninety minutes. 

A good play that required some clarification and clearer direction at times.

My partner has asked that I put up my scores for each production.  This gets 7/10.

Opus, State Theatre, Saturday 18th October 2014

Opus, State Theatre, Saturday 18th October 2014

"Opus" is a collaboration between Circa and the Debussy String Quartet and presented as part of the Melbourne Festival.

Yaron Lifschitz from Circa directed this fantastic show that showcased some great musicians and circus performers.

The thrills and build up is what was lacking from "Cirkopolus".  Even though some of the acts in "Opus" were not as polished they were better choreographed for a build up of tension and drama.  The thrills and spills made it more real and the audience appreciated the reality checks.

This fine ensemble are pictured on the Circa website.  I understand the cost and space limitations of not having the cast photos in the programme, but what a shame as it adds to the holistic experience of attending the theatre.  It is such a good talking point to be able recognise a particular performer or act in the programme.
 

There were numerous hula hoop acts running through "Opus".   Occasionally we were treated to a pas de deux of either a single or multiple hula hoops.  Tumbling and acrobatic tricks through, up and under the hoops added to the suspense.  Occasionally there were some near misses or misses but these added to the spectacular timing, skill and accuracy of these performers.

The Aerial Straps was performed by Daniel O'Brien.  He has a beautiful line and fine musicality in his lyrical performance.  He demonstrated power, strength and artistry in this difficult act.  He had the audience oohing and ahhing at his stillness, presages, falls and other tricks. 

Talking of which - the audience's reactions and the connection by the ensemble with the audience was more prominent than with "Cirkopolus".   Even though "Cirkopolus" had cleaner lines and more precision in some aspects, "Opus" provided a more circus feel by building the suspense and engagement with the audience.  The overall direction and choreography of "Opus" with such a blank stage was more satisfying and thrilling than "Cirkopolus" which had all of the multi-media.
 

The acrobatics and tumbling was a constant show stopper.  The choreography was tight and kept us involved.  Fabulous examples of many different types of tumbles and falls.  They formed three tier tower like structures and leaning tower like structures.  One man stood on another's shoulders and they leant so far forward that they dropped into a forward roll that received a thunderous round of applause.  The tumbling and acrobatics were so engaging.

 

During the Contortionist routine where she was carried off stage reminded me of the true story from Gary Jennings' book "Spangle" where a contortionist died on stage and was carried off stage by clowns.  This moment paid so much homage to this true story.  The contortionists here were magnificent in their dexterity but also their choreographic fluidity. 

The trapeze act by Jessica Connell (?) involved a lot of heaving, grunting and grinding.  I wanted to see more grace, elegance and ethereal lightness that is associated with the trapeze.  As one of my 78 year old circus/trapeze friends said "she loved the beauty of the trapeze."  Here we could see effort.  That did not bother me too much as it requires such skill and strength.  What bothered me was that I wanted a bit more stillness to savour the shapes and the aplomb to finish each sequence - the old fashioned "ta da" poses.  Her performance was thrilling, exciting and assured.

During the trapeze act a male performer was upstage left creating contortionist poses.  This seemed a bit incongruous and distracting from her act.

Four performers supported the leg of a chair.  Michael Standen (?)  performs a chair balancing act with fine precision.  Has this chair been specially strengthened to bear the weight load?  I am fascinated and love the choreography as he keeps us in suspense for his next move.

There was a sequence with a lot of swinging people around.  At times it was like juggling people.  This was such a thrilling segment and the music supported it by making it more so.  This sequence had so much fun and frivolity and really played with our emotions.

Adagio  and Hand-to-hand routines were interspersed throughout the show.  There was some shaking at times but this adds to the excitement.  It was great to see the same sex couples doing some adagio work also.  Particularly the women as it appears more impressive with the supposed delicate nature of some females.  Do not be fooled as these are amazon women.

A lone runner does the vaudeville running act and trips and falls and picks himself up.  A curtain appears billowing low across the stage.  The ensemble are revealed in various upside down poses.  This becomes a handstand and hand-balancing routine.  It could also be similar to some break dancing at times.  They reminded me of the trees: where Snow White was running through the woods in the first "Disney On Parade."   This was an enduring memory of my childhood theatre experience.  The choreographic image of upside down tree-like shapes cements the memory of "Opus" further.

Acrobatic basing to me means the strong man/woman who supports the others above. They are like the foundations or the base of many multi-tiered routines.  They stand their ground and support those above them.  The men were very good at this and did have the occasional shake.  This adds to the tension building drama and the thrills of the ride for us as viewers.

The Debussy String Quartet played with such passion and moved around with such confidence. It was great to see them all wearing blacks unlike the concert last Wednesday.  The music by Shostakovich lends itself to such a theatrical event.  At times it was thrilling and created suspense and drama. 
 

The musicians were blindfolded for quite an extended period of time.  They played with such skill as they were moved around the stage by cast members.   At times a violinist could be carried or put off balance and still played with such security - and reminded me of the band playing during the sinking of the Titanic.  He would play to the bitter end.  The cellist was moved too and due to the nature of the instrument was a bit more restricted in how they moved him.  Still it added to the sense of accomplishment, skill and teamwork.
 

Overall a very satisfying circus experience.  More so because of the humanity of the occasional spill or near miss.  I loved the warts and all approach as it was not a clinical production.  This production had an honesty about the vulnerability of being a circus performer and a musician.  There was so much suspense and drama that I watched many of the audience on the edge of their seats.  That was a true connection with the audience.  This was theatre that created involvement and an emotional response.

Note: forgive me if the names are wrong as I tried to put faces to the names above from Circa's website.