Passion, Playhouse Theatre, Thursday November 6th 2014

Passion, Playhouse Theatre, Thursday November 6th 2014

"Passion" plays for a short season at the Playhouse Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne for four performances only.  "Passion" has music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Lapine.

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre and I do not retell the story.  Please click on my links to other sites for extra information.

"Passion" is presented by Life Like Company with a stellar cast of Australian musical theatre performers.  I purchased two Dress Circle tickets for $135 each in the A row.  I was shocked that these great seats were available and on hindsight I can understand people's reluctance to spend this amount on a new group.  Though these seats were a little pricey for the quality of the entire production I have paid more for another lesser quality show.

I have seen "Passion" before at Chapel Off Chapel and thought that production was the Australian professional premiere.  Maybe it was a co-operative production?  I try not to compare productions but I had not written my blog back then.  I want to acknowledge that the Chapel Off Chapel production had a minimalist set and did a stellar job on a much smaller stage with magnificent harmonies.

The pre-show announcement asked that mobile phones be "turned off."  I hope this is the new standard compared to their normal request to switch phones to "silent."

"Passion" stars Kane Alexander as Captain Giorgio Bachetti who has a mistress Clara played by Sylvie Paladino.  They begin the musical in bed singing "Happiness" and the staging is anything but happiness. The singing is glorious but the emotional connection is anything but happiness, more like awkward lusty adventures.  There was no tenderness or seduction or passion but pure mechanical post-coital coy covering-up with the bed-sheets to hide their flesh or modesty patches from the audience.  The physical action lacked physical intimacy and was incongruent with the beautiful singing.

There was a detachment and aloofness between Clara and Giorgio.  It was as if the director was trying to emphasise the lack of passion or maybe there was no emotional connection between the actors.

The role of Fosca is the ugly duckling role in "Passion" as she teaches Giorgio about love and passion.  Fosca was played with restraint by Theresa Borg.  Her screams varied in terrorising us as did her physical condition.  I wanted to see more physical connection to Fosca's mental health issues.  Though sung beautifully I yearned for more rich darkness in her vocal connection.

Lighting by Rob Sowinksi and Tom Warneke was confused and ill-defined.  The performers either could not find their light or there were too many shadows across their faces.  The lighting did not differentiate the sense of space or location enough in the first third of the show.  It did improve but the lighting design came across as a last minute decision.

My favourite aspect of the lighting was when the desk was used by Clara with one lighting plot.  Then the desk was used in the bedroom with Fosca and Giorgio with a lighting change.  This lighting to differentiate scenes was what this show needed more of.

The set design by Rob Sowinski, Kim Ritchie and Dave Bramble used some elaborate and heavy period furniture pieces, including a large dining table, desks and pool table.  They were awkwardly moved about by the military clad actors.  Some times the poor actors had to heave and lug the heavy dining table or pool table off the stage.

The use of the sheer curtains gave a voyeuristic atmosphere to some scenes particularly when we could glimpse Fosca in the background.  These curtains got in the way on a number of occasions with the performers trying to navigate around them with the heavy furniture.  With a longer season this would be corrected.

The orchestra played magnificently as led by Guy Simpson.  Why though did one player read the programme during sections when he was not playing?  This was very distracting and sometimes more interesting to watch the orchestra rather than the stage.

I felt the staging, with more time, would become more confident, as it came across as very awkward on occasions.  Particularly with the stumbling into curtains and retakes on some dialogue.

I understand this is a short four performance season but the length of the men's hair varied so much that it looked ill-defined for the military characters.  While some of the men were all disciplined and well groomed the others were dishevelled and rebellious looking.

The support roles give few opportunities to show their characters and some were more defined than others.  The dining scene allowed us more of an opportunity to distinguish each character.  Some of the characterisations were a little wooden and stilted.  I hope that this was their historical period and military choice.

The costumes by Wendy Findlater were of the period and suitable. MMMM Wendy Findlater sounds like a made up name.  Plus she is the Assistant Stage Manager.   MMMMMMM!

There was a wardrobe malfunction for Giorgio and I longed for Clara to adjust his epaulet with some tenderness.  The more this was ignored, the more prominent the wardrobe malfunction became.  In the next scene Giorgio's epaulet was adjusted and again highlighted a missed intimate moment between Clara and Giorgio.

Director, Neil Gooding has produced a fine ensemble of performers that brought "Passion" to life.  With more they could have made this work radiate and excel.  Though what I loved about this production was the various levels the main characters developed relating to the many definitions of passion from lust, love, desire, obsession and struggle. Another definition relates to the strong and powerful emotions not only felt by Fosca, but also juxtaposed by the ever present "strong and powerful" military characters.

I too "struggled" with the military characters moving the heavy furniture.  Maybe this struggle was intentional by the director, as many people when they move house struggle to let go of a favourite piece of furniture and take it with them to fit inappropriately in their new abode.  If this "struggle" to move the sets was intentional, then make it more obvious.  It makes sense in respect to camping and decamping the military, but also decamping and setting up a new relationship or a new house.

The musical "Passion" also highlights the grieving patterns that people can experience.  Giorgio goes through two simultaneous grief cycles for Carla and for Fosca.  This culminates in his acceptance of love for Fosca.  Someone should do a PHD study on these two simultaneous grief cycles that Giorgio experiences.

The various letters between Carla and Giorgio show different stages of their relationship.  In Giorgio's letters to Carlo he talks about Fosca.  Giorgio is denying Fosca and is angry or disgusted by her.  He has a turning point where he is depressed by his relationship with Carla and also does not realise that he misses Fosca.  There is the final acceptance that his relationship with Carla is over and the acceptance of his love for Fosca.  This is where Kane Alexander excelled in his balancing of the two grief cycles.  His vocal gymnastics over the evening, showed us the range of emotions that finally resigned itself in his acceptance of self with his love for Fosca.

Fosca too goes through her grieving cycle and this manifests itself in her mental illness.  Remember that depression used to be called melancholia.

Carla also goes through her grief cycle.  This could include grieving for refusing to be with Giorgio and not wanting to give up her child.  This imaginary grief counterpoints the reality of what we see with Fosca's public displays.  Both Carla and Fosca have different imaginations: Carla's what could be in the future, compared to Fosca's what is now.

Again this is where Sylvie Paladino and Theresa Borg have hit these grief cycles on the head with accuracy in their vocal delivery.  I could hear the despair of Theresa Borg's longing while with Sylvie Paladino there was a yearning and lustful desire for Giorgio.

The Musical Direction by Guy Simpson is the highlight of  "Passion" with such a fine orchestra playing Sondheim's score.  Guy has also ensured that the performers sing Sondheim's score with reverence.  The harmonies were beautiful particularly between Clara, Giorgio and Fosca.  While the harmonies for the men's ensemble were a bit unbalanced in volume levels at times.  The ensemble of men played the supporting roles with varying levels of success.  Small sections of the individual singing was flat and out of tune. I was very impressed with the diction as it was clear but not pedantic.

My favourite part of "Passion" was the singing of Kane Alexander, Sylvie Paladino and Theresa Borg.

I look forward to seeing more work by Life Like Company.

Overall this production gets a 7.5/10.

Les Miserables, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Thursday 29th October 2014

Les Miserables, Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Thursday 29th October 2014

The newly imagined version of "Les Miserables" directed by  Laurence Connor and James Powell played at Her Majesty's Theatre.

For those new to my blog I do not retell the story and write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre.

I was so impressed with the Dress Circle usher who reminded patrons that no photography was permitted as they entered the theatre.

One of my favourite actors, Simon Gleeson was not appearing as Jean Valjean.  I was disappointed but I had heard only but praise for his understudy, Daniel Belle.  The role of  Jean Valjean is iconic to modern musical theatre and Daniel Belle did not disappoint.  He has a rich and powerful voice with terrific diction.  He brought sincere passion to the role and I felt he made a lovely connection to the role and to other characters.

Daniel Belle aged physically and vocally with his portrayal of Jean Valjean.  In his final scene I had tears welling up in my eyes with his relationship to the memory of Fantine, Cossette and Marius.  This was the emotional connection that I longed for with other characters.

Hayden Tee was menacing and powerful in his portrayal of Javert.  I loved how he took ownership of his space and radiated his evil intentions.  At times I thought he pushed his voice and pressed down for volume.  I also liked his emotional connection with other characters.

Fantine was played by Patrice Tipoki with a warmth and vulnerability.  I liked her emotional connection to the role and her relationship with Daniel Belle  as Jean Valjean.  Her final entrance needed some alternative lighting such as a ghostly lighting or a tunnel of light to create an atmosphere of ascension to heaven.

Lara Mulcahy as Madame Thernadier and Trevor Ashley as Thernadier relished in their roles and the audience adored them.  They added depth and various emotional levels to their wicked characters.  I did prefer the original staging of "Master of the House" compared to this updated staging, as focus was pulled by other characters with over-staging the number.  I thoroughly enjoyed their characterisations.

Eponine was played by Kerrie Anne Greenland and I was mesmerised by her performance.  I enjoyed her emotional connection and then towards the end of "On My Own" it was if she was yelling rather than belting in "On My Own."  It sounded so forced that I lost my emotional attachment to her characterisation.

Gavroche played by Daniel Stow had the audience in the palm of his hand. Daniel Stow has a good sense of comedic timing as the feisty street urchin.  He showed up some of the minor principals with his command of the stage and keeping his character's accent.  He did not force his portrayal and allowed his character's cheekiness to come through.

The sets and image design by Matt Kinley were very effective and I did not miss the original revolve for the barricade as I know others have.  I liked the use of the film and video projections to provide depth and a more realistic time frame.  I did not like the lack of continuity with a recurring scene.  I understand about logistics with moving staging and did not like it when the bench was removed near Jean Valjean's gate when we returned to this set.

I particularly liked the use of the walkway stage right and the proscenium set construction as it was used effectively and brought the audience closer into the action.

The lighting design by Paule Constable was terrific and created lots of atmospheric changes for each scene.  Though I was disappointed in the final scene as there was not a ghostly quality to highlight Fantine as in heaven.  I prefer this new staging of final sequence.

The costume design by Andreane Neofitou and Christine Rowland honoured the period but it worried me that some of the shoes were not dirty or tatty enough for some of the poorer characters.

The wigs and make up for Jean Valjean were particularly impressive. They did not look like wigs as in some versions of this show that I have seen.

The music conducted by Geoffery Castles was crisp, fresh and clean, while the sound design by Mick Potter was impressive.  The gunshot by Jean Valjean towards Javert (stage right) had the sound effect over our shoulder on stage left and lost the realism for that moment.  Otherwise the gun shot sound effects in the audience were terrific.

I loved the projections by Fifty-Nine Productions, particularly Jean Valjean carrying Marius through the sewers.  This created a new depth to the scene.

The musical staging by  Michael Ashcroft and Geoffrey Garratt  was very effective except for  "Master of the House" as sometimes the focus was lost from the central characters by the upstaging of minor characters.  The famous marching sequence did not work for me due to the stop/start nature of the choreography.  If the video had the same stop/start timing then it may have appeared differently and been more effective.  I liked the concept and have seen it done very effectively in shows like "Young Frankenstein" with the "Roll in the Hay" song.  Here, with the cross-overs in the choreography and forward marching it did not match the video footage.

When most of 28/30 cast were on stage they gave depth and filled the stage with their individual characters.  This was unlike the main opening scene in "Brigadoon" at the Goodman Theater in Chicago that had an empty stage with a cast of 28.

The Javert suicide "Soliloquy" was brilliant and his final fall into the vortex was so effective and unexpected.  Comparing it to the original I thought, they may stage it in a similar fashion.  Not to be - as it was very clever and created an emotional push back by the audience as we were jolted into our seats and staring into Javert's black void.

I loved the "Turning" sequence with the candles as a great segue to the ghosts of the dead appearing for "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables."  Some terrific staging that created more of an emotional impact than the singing.

I loved the ensemble singing for its rich harmonies, but, sometimes a minor character was a bit off key and/or there was some scooping onto notes.

I am not going to compare performances from the other versions of "Les Miserables" that I have seen.  I was concerned at the number of times I saw performers checking their marks on the stage to ensure they were correctly placed.  This gave it a real "colour in by numbers" feel to some performances.  With the younger female performers this needs to be corrected.

Some of the minor principals were too concerned about the beautiful singing and came across as emotionally detached from their roles.  I thought some of the casting of these roles jarred in that there did not appear to be an emotional truth with their circumstances.

My partner has also seen "Les Miserable" at least five times and thought that this was the clearest version of the story.  I agree though some of the diction of the minor characters was thrown away.

I would highly recommend seeing this new version of "Les Miserables" again.

Overall this production gets a 8/10.