The Gathering, Vic Theatre, 45 Downstairs, Thursday December 8th 2016

The Gathering, Vic Theatre, 45 Downstairs, Thursday December 8th 2016

"The Gathering" was presented by Vic Theatre in Association with Kin Collaborative Inc at  45 Downstairs on Thursday December 8th 2016.

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre. I buy my own tickets. So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights.  Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases.  I write for my memories of what I have seen, and is more of a stream of consciousness.

Buying tickets for the "The Gathering"  was easy though I nearly missed it and only realised due to the Herald Sun article on Tuesday November 22nd 2016 that it was a new musical.  I love to support new Australian works as does my partner.

The tickets are reasonably priced and thankfully offer discounts for M.E.A.A. members as many venues do not offer such a discount.  My partner is a senior and could not obtain a discount as he is not a pensioner.  We are not complaining as we like to support young talent of such a good standard.

The boss office guy is always such a hoot and has so much personality and really brings a welcoming vibe to the 45 Downstairs venue.

Waiting in the queue I observed the poster and the flyer for the show.  A striking image that makes sense after seeing the show.  The poster reminded me of the "iceberg theory" image and the underlying tensions or background stories of the characters.  The dates are shown on the reverse of the flyer but not the year.  Historically I want a record to recall this show was in 2016 and they need to be on the posters and flyers.

"The Gathering" was suitably staged on this steamy summer night as we learnt that this was the time and setting for the show.  We arrived just before 7.30 pm as the traffic was so bad.

Signs with large print were displayed on the walls asking patrons to turn off their mobile phones.  A great touch though sadly some audience members had to be "Twanking" right until the show began. The older gentlemen on stage right was the worst and continued to do so during the opening song. How rude of him as it is so distracting.

Sadly programmes had sold out.  MMMMM "Not happy Jan" as I like to read about the show and get some background of the performers before I watch a show.  I enjoy recognising different performers or creative talent to be able to compare and watch their growth in the industry.  I like to keep all of my programmes in chronological order with any newspaper articles and brochures as a holistic collection for theatre history.

After the show, I was pleased that the box office guy introduced me to two of the producers and one offered to email me a programme.  "The smallest action is better than the biggest intention".  I was most impressed as he saved me having to ask if he could do so.  That is what I mean - so many people put young people down -but these young adults have such insight into how to progress their careers. They really appreciate that the next conversation could open up doors for them.  That is what I really admired about Joel Granger when we bumped into him at "Reefer Madness" he introduced himself after we congratulated him on his work in "Titanic".   We were so pleased to learn that he was to be in "The Gathering".

Sadly I have not received a copy of the programme and do not know if the song list was included.


Costumes by someone unknown were appropriate to differentiate each character.  The costumes in the chest were also important to support the story.


Note:  I never did receive a copy of the programme.


The following was copied from the 45 Downstairs website:

We took our seats and found some in the second back row of the central section.

Upon entry to the theatre I was hit with an immediate atmosphere created by the set and Joel Granger as Tom who was vacuuming the mixed carpet off cuts and dusting the table.  It reminded me of "Rent".

The stage reminded me of The Why Not Theatre in Carlton from 1975-1976 with the array of carpet off cuts.  It was a terrific segue in to the show to create the realism of his living conditions.  We, as the audience were like flies on the wall.  I did not want to walk on his carpet to get to our seats as I felt like I was invading his space.

I used the cast list from the 45 Downstairs website and the Vic Theatre website as my references when trying to complete my notes.  I have copied the cast list from the 45 Downstairs website at the end of my notes.

Set design by  (insert name here)  involved a round table, chairs and an esky centre stage.  On stage right was a large recliner type chair and a tall lamp stand.  Upstage were boxes and various items. The set design was appropriate for the venue and for genre of the show as it immediately set the tone for a new arrival to a grungy apartment.

Props by (insert name here) were mainly bottles, paper cups, boxes and cases.  Mobile phones were used as torches reminiscent of "Hernandos's Hide-a-way" from "The Pajama Game". The props were used realistically within the constraints of the set and the story.

Direction by (insert name here)  was adequate though the depth of characterisation and interactions between the characters was limited by the script.  

The staging for the different locations was terrific and created simply by moving some furniture and enhanced by the lighting design.    As I write this I do not have the programme and assume someone was responsible for the choreography or movement direction.  The choreography or movement was appropriate for the show without being too razzle-dazzle.  Sadly I cannot name them to congratulate them on their staging.

Lighting design by (insert name here) created a sense of location and I appreciate the limitations of the venue.  The lighting was quite effective except for the final bonfire sequence which was a let down because it was meant to support the story.

The book needs work but is very promising. I have seen worse scripts presented in development at the New York Fringe and on Off Broadway.

Performances were quite good while some stood out.  The gay guy in black and the hippy girlfriend both had a solid characters throughout.  

Joel Granger's Tom was suppressed and I longed for some backstory interaction with his foster sister or friends to create more of a build-up.   At the two performances of "Titanic" we attended  his singing was sensational, while he hit a few bung notes in "The Gathering" he kept his emotional connection to his character.  He did not flinch and this created a reality to his character. I enjoyed his contrast in his restraint to his impulsive displays of fight and flight (save the staging of the fights).  He made the most of what he had to work with, though I yearned for more from the script and score to showcase what this fine performer is capable of.  He is capable of taking it to another level.

Tom's male friend Joe was played by Daniel Cosgrove and had a more Ocker strine to his voice and was not as secure in his singing.  His connection with girl friend Daisy played by Hannah Sullivan McInerny was quite strong in creating a bond that would eventually break.  Their interactions and reveals in the "Secret" sequence were the most realistic and created the much needed tension.

The fight scenes were very twee and needed more tension in the movement direction to show us the relationship history of the characters.  The pushing and shoving was childish, and any arguments were forgotten within ten seconds of occurring.  These spats needed more festering in both the script and the direction.  I know these writers could give more.

Hannah Sullivan McInerny as Daisy the hippy girlfriend. Hannah Sullivan McInerny was suited to the part visually and vocally. Her costume was appropriate and simple.  Ironically her alternative character seemed the most grounded in the production.  Her performance really stood out for me and it is such a pleasure to see how performers grow with each new challenge.

I have seen Olivia Charalambous previously in "Dogfight" and here she played Mia.  I know how meaty her performance can be with her depth of understanding.  Her singing in "The Gathering" was pleasant though her character at times jumped without any transition to her next action.   I think her performance was partially due to the jerkiness of the script at times.  Her scene when finding Tom revealed what she is capable of as an actress who can be honest and truthful.

Tom's foster sister Kelly was played by Shannen Alyce Quan was a strong, confident and assertive young lady.  She sang well and her character seemed to lose some of the self assurance as the script progressed.  I yearned for a duet or a montage with her and Tom as youngster's growing up.  It would have been interesting to see the character's playing dress ups or "Secret" as kids to counter point the adult action.

The first entrance of the gay guy Luke was played by Daniel Assetta.  His arrival was unwelcome by Tom and needed more dramatic electricity and stand off.  Daniel Assetta kept this character flamboyant and consistent throughout.  He made the most of the script and I longed for more tension between him and Tom.  Maybe some backstory or time shifting interaction between Tom and Luke could have suspended the tension.

When Tom asked people to leave it was unrealistic from a script perspective.  It seemed corny and was too blunt in the writing. There was a lack of keeping people apart and any tension built up was immediately dissipated and as such made the scene fizzle.  With development the tensions could be built.

The opening of the "Secrets" sequence lacked any build up and so I found it cringe worthy in the writing when the first two characters revealed their secrets.  There needed to be more hesitation, pause, courage, confidence building, trust and anticipation in this sequence.  This could have been achieved with a slower build up and musically could have been very interesting.   Nothing was at stake between the characters and no tension to keep us on edge. The actual secrets revealed by each character were appropriate - it was the linking together that seemed episodic and too much like a soap opera's tight 30 minutes structure.  It was as if I was watching someone scrolling through their Facebook page and dismissing the next comment by a character.  

The best aspect of the "Secrets" sequence was the reveal between the guy and the hippy girlfriend.

Music and lyrics by Belinda Jenkin and Will Hannagan and were not as bad as one reviewer stated. This is a young person's story and as such spoke in a language attuned to their ears.    Both Belinda Jenkin and Will Hannagan have an ear for the younger person's voice.

Diction could have been improved as some important lyrics were completely swallowed and we lost the logic or reason for an action.  My partner and myself could not work out a few of the lyrics due to the diction.  I wanted to understood some of the lyrics at times. 

At times "The Gathering" reminded me of "The Woman In Black" as horror play or film.  The sound effects used were haunting and adequate.  With more resources these could be made more disturbing. The interactions between the characters dismissed the sounds while this could have created more tension.  I longed to see the characters playing as children to counter-point their adult interactions.

I look forward to more work by Belinda Jenkin and Will Hannagan.  I do not know whether it is worth tinkering with "The Gathering" and sometimes you have to move on and let go of a particular work. If this work is any indication of what they are capable of - then I know they will deliver even more sophisticated works.  

The duet between the foster sister Shannen Alyce Quan (Kelly) and Luke was too long and was hard to understand the lyrics at times.  Maybe it felt too long due to the lack of diction.

The music was pleasant and it did not remind me of other show tunes rehashed.  This is important as usually I start recognising themes or songs from other shows.  The originality is a compliment. Though the music was not memorable and needed a stronger thematic thread, it is just off the edge of recognition and recall.

The staging of the finale reminded me of "Assassins" by MTC that was performed at the George Fairfax Studio.

The harmonies were good and I wanted to hear more of this ensemble's capabilities.

Oh yes remember our resident "Twanker"?  The older gentlemen sitting on stage right was the worst and actually had the audacity to check his phone about four times during the show.  He is lucky he was not closer to me.  I was not going to disturb these young people's efforts.  Then the old guy has to wipe tears at the end.  Really?  Did you actually watch these fine performers?  It was so distracting mate as I pay money to watch a show and not get the peripheral flash of your phone.  Maybe you were a part of the lighting design!

Thankfully the younger generation had the decency to turn off their phones.

"The Gathering" was presented with enthusiasm and was a terrific showcase of a work in progress.

The website for Vic Theatre is terrific in providing me with some information and I hope they maintain their knowledge base via their archives.  Sadly when I take the time to create these links many organisations delete the information down the track.  I hope that Vic Theatre maintains their archives as they are a company to watch for the future.

Overall I gave "The Gathering" a 6.5/10.  My partner gave it the same score.

Five years in the making, The Gathering is a new musical by Will Hannagan and Belinda Jenkin. Fresh from a development season at the New York Music Theatre Festival, it returns to Melbourne for an all too short season at fortyfivedownstairs.
The Gathering is presented with the support of City of Melbourne.
Cast
Joel Granger (Tom)

Olivia Charalambous (Mia)

Daniel Assetta (Luke)

Shannen Alyce Quan (Kelly)

Daniel Cosgrove (Joe)

Hannah Sullivan McInerny (Daisy)

 Co-Composers and Creators

Belinda Jenkin is a singer, actor and writer. She is a 2015 graduate of NIDA (Diploma of Musical THeatre). Before NIDA she also studied a Diploma of Arts in Popular Music and Performance and in 2012 travelled to New York to study at America’s Musical Theatre Conservatorium CAP21. She has performed professionally in stage and screen and written new works that have been presented in both Australia and New York.

Will Hannagan is a theatre-maker, songwriter and pop-cabaret performer based in Melbourne. Past works include, Gaga V Assange, Affluenza, Pop Press and Until Tomorrow. His works have appeared in numerous festivals and abroad. He holds a degree in English and French from the University of Melbourne.