Trevor, Red Stitch, Wednesday August 3rd 2016

Trevor, Red Stitch, Wednesday August 3rd 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.

"Trevor" by Nick Jones is a play presented by Red Stitch.  This play did not receive the laughs that I was expecting and I can understand why.

"Trevor" is a very dated type of drawing room comedy with a supposed new twist having a man play a chimpanzee.  There is nothing new about this type of theatre where actors are talking in contrasting languages to be understood.

There is a lack of drama in the writing.  The actors do the best with quite a laboured script.  It is something that was presented so frequently at drama festivals around Australia in the 1970's and 1980's.  Scripts including Peter Shaffer's "Black Comedy" had more wit in them back then and still stand up as funny today. (Note the main joke in "Black Comedy" comes from the visual humour of the natural action occuring when the lights are off, compared to the characters struggling to see each other when the stage is lit up.)

"Albert" by Richard Harris is another play and where the actors talk in different languages to each other.  We as the audience can understand them talking in English but the three characters try to understand each other's foreign language.  I have seen each of these plays many times and are very funny even when performed by ordinary actors.

"Trevor"  also uses this device of a chimpanzee and owner communicating with each other.  Though we can hear them speaking in English they cannot understand each other.  Plus other characters including Morgan Fairchild try to communicate with Trevor the chimpanzee.  The playwright Nick Jones could learn from both Peter Shaffer and Richard Harris in constructing a drama that unfolds rather than envelopes an audience into tedium.  There are times when the dialogue becomes babble of words to give us the perspective of the listener struggling to understand.

Thankfully we witnessed the skill of a very actor Rory Kelly who physically transformed into Trevor the chimpanzee.  This physicality could have been utilised more in Act One as Act Two Rory Kelly' physicality was more pronounced.  Maybe it was a directorial decision for the audience to question if the chimpanzee was more human in Act One.

Andrea Swifte played Trevor's "mommy" Sandra with a fine balance between normalised behaviour and an eccentric woman.  I found her accent occasionally dropped out.  Her relationship and connection with Rory Kelly as Trevor created a semblance of truth and honesty.

The neighbour Ashley was played by Eva Seymour who was totally believable until the baby dropped out of a shelf.  Her objective to retrieve her baby was completely diminished by the lack of hysteria. Ask any mother how they would react if their baby fell off a shelf.  No normal person would put a baby on a shelf.  To add to her desperation the chimpanzee putting her baby on a shelf should have set off alarm bells.  If this was an accident that the baby fell from the shelf the cast needed to play their objectives to achieved their goals more honestly. The audience gasped in horror at our performance when the baby fell.  I think it would have been more realistic for Trevor to hide the baby under the lounge cushions  as he made this his base.  This is one reason why actors do improvisation work.

In one of the casts of "Blood Brothers" in London's West End the mother forgot her prop which was integral to a major scene.  How did she react?  She said something to the effect "I've got something for you.  A locket and I'll give it to you later".  I heard this story life from one of the brothers in this said production and this very named performance.

The other cast supported the production to varying degrees of success.

Dion Mills as Oliver the star chimpanzee in a white tuxedo had a consistent posturing and physicality.

Kevin Hofbauer played Pa and Jerry.  He played being uncomfortable in Trevor's company, during the questioning scene, with honesty. One of the funnier moments in the play was when Jerry was stabbed by the tranquilliser dart. Kevin Hofbauer's  gradual fall was terrifically timed for realism and comedy.

Angela Kennedy played Morgan Fairchild with moderate success.  She could have copied the pose of the cutout version on a number of occasions.  Her gown was a glamorous costume by Adrienne Chisholm.

The costumes worked better than others.

The haircut for the cop Jim played by Andrew Gilbert was totally wrong and his costume looked ridiculously cartoon-esque.  Both hair and costume detracted from his role.

Lighting by Daniel Anderson created mood and distinguished between the reality and Trevor's  memory of working with Morgan Fairchild.

The finale tag scene was unnecessary as it did not add anything to the story.  The exit of Ashley left us perplexed as to her baby's health situation.  We felt that the play could have been stronger had it ended with Sandra locked in the cage (slightly reminiscent of a "Twilight Zone" "Children's Zoo" episode at the zoo!).

Overall Denis Moore has done a reasonable job in directing "Trevor" with a very ordinary script.

The Stage Manager and Assistant Stage Manager, Jacinta Anderson and Jasmine Persse require special mention as I assume they re-set the props for each performance.  There is so much action with props in this play that the actors need confidence that they have been re-set accurately.   (It is the actor's responsibility to check their props before a show but they must work with the "Props" department.

I would recommend reading "Ape House" by Sara Gruen for more drama..

"Trevor" only obtained a 6/10.

Romeo and Juliet, Houston Ballet, State Theatre, July 6th 2016

Romeo and Juliet, Houston Ballet,  State Theatre, July 6th 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.

"Romeo and Juliet" by the Houston Ballet was presented as part of The Australian Ballet Melbourne subscription season and I attended The State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne on July 6th 2016.

The programme cast sheet had the poorest of printing quality and was hard to read.  Other regular patrons agreed in the poor quality on the synopsis side.

This is a glorious sumptuous production, choreographed by Stanton Welch.  He has developed into a fine story teller by filling in so many missing gaps that other versions do not reveal.  Though this is at the expense of what seems a longer work.  Some of the scenes were necessary to tell the story, though the John Cranko version is more succinct without the detail of this production.

Choreographically there is a depth to the individual characters which is particularly noticeable in the Act 1, Scene 2: The Market.  Though visually stunning the focus was all over the place and other audience audience members were trying to differentiate between each of the characters.

Each character seemed to have signature movements and Michael Chekhov would be impressed as if
was using their own psychological gesture.  The nuns flitted across the stage on pointe - not your traditional pas de bourree, but more with a prim and proper religiously superior gait.  So many spring pointes were used en pointe to show excitement and an innocence of youth.

Many variations of echappes: saute, a terre and en pointe; were used by both sexes.  These echappes symbolically showed the separation of the two families. These simple movements created a subliminal tension.  I adored the masculinity of the men who defiantly asserted their strength with an echappe to a turned in second stance and fists on hips epaulment.

The ballet was hard to follow at times due to the lack of focus and busy background action.  There was just too much to take in and savour!  Even at the end of Act One I said to myself that I have to see this act again to absorb the depth of skill in choreographing so many characters..

"Romeo and Juliet" felt like a long ballet but was well worth the ride.  The thunderous applause and cheering was unheard of in my 35 years of going to see The Australian Ballet.

Act 1, Scene 5: The Ball was beautiful but the costume's colours merged into the backdrop.  It was so hard to see the port de bras above the shoulders against this background, and what made it worse was that the males and females alternated arms and became a blurring and rotating kaleidoscope.  I enjoyed the simplicity of the choreography during the famous musical phrases, and longed to be able to see the arms more clearly.  At times it reminded me of a televised triangle of the girls' and boys' audition combinations from "A Chorus Line".

The costumes and sets by Roberta Guidi di Bagno were stunningly military in their colour coding for each family unit.  The set folded into various configurations to create the alleys which turned into the ballroom and then into the famous balcony scene.

Act 2, Scene 2: The Chapel where the wedding of Romeo and Juliet occurs, was a magnificently simple set with a screen flown in with a large cut-out cross.  Light beamed from behind to create a lovely cross on the floor.  This lit cross created a boundary for family, and foreboding their doomed future - like their crucifixion and their tombstones.

The bearded men in blue were so snappy and crisp in their turns and batterie.  They received and deserved their acknowledgement by the audience who appreciated their sublime dancing.  I think it was Derek Dunn as Balthausar and Oliver Halkowich as Benvilio.  One of these fine young men displayed the neatest and most pure attitude en avant piroutte en dedans I have ever seen a male dancer perform. That. rarely performed pirouette, alone was worth my ticket.

It is so refreshing when the men out-shine the woman in such a traditional art form as ballet.  This is not to say the woman did not dance well, they danced beautifully.  To see so many fine male dancers was electrifying.

Jared Matthews as Mercutio had me gasping at his power and his controlled pirouettes.  His sensational double tours en'lair were breath-takingly clean, crisp and polished.  He too made my ticket worthwhile.  Then Jared Matthews finished off with more turns a terre.  Jared Matthews finished his turn with a solid, masculine and forth right fifth position.

Lord and Lady Capulet were danced respectively by Linnar Looris and Jessica Collado. They commanded your attention.  With the caring Nurse danced by Barbara Bears these three created emotional and electric charges of concern for Juliet.  Each had their signature moves to demonstrate their concerns, frustrations and love for Juliet.

Tybalt danced exquisitely by Christopher Coomer.  The fight sequences seemed natural and paid homage to the Errol Flynn movies without being hammy.

The sword fighting sequences with about twelve dancers were exciting and created tension.  There was no pussy footing to be seen. The rotating circles of sword fighters created a visual feast.

The miming was clear throughout.  It was a little patronising and over-explained in some sections, but added the depth of story telling that other versions of this ballet lack.  Normally the miming is referred to by our ballet audience group as "fluffing about", but here we had more action than other narrative ballets.

Although Act 1 seemed to not have as much dance, it was still spectacular to watch.

Finally to the two leads.  Romeo and Juliet were danced sublimely by Connor Walsh and Karina Gonzalez.  My ticket value had soared to scalper's heaven with these two dancers.  My heart was pounding with the love and angst they portrayed.  Having been trained by Anne Wooliams and Jan Stripling, I had learnt so much about John Cranko and his version of Romeo and Juliet .    Connor Walsh and Karina Gonzalez spoke every line of Shakespeare's iconic love story through dance.

Connor Walsh and Karina Gonzalez are names etched in my memory for their exquisite technique and musicality.  We were voyeurs as they created the forbidden soft ballet-porn with their erotic but not pornographic sexualisation of the love story.  We were allowed to see the development of their relationship in such a beautifully revealing way.  The simplicity of the kisses were natural and not the cliched dance moves.  They were passionate, romantic and eternal.

Connor Walsh never missed a beat with his pure technique and skill.  My heart leapt out of my chest with a few of his lifts.  A MICA unit nearly had to be called when he swept Karina Gonzalez across the stage and threw her around his neck and created seamless, flowing images that will stay with me for a lifetime.  Connor Walsh's pressage where he lifted Karina Gonzalez above his head with straight arms was as if he were a crane on a building site lifting her to the top of the Eureka Tower.  Breath taking!  It was the equivalent of the Alex Jesaulenko 1970 mark in Australian Rules Football - to be recalled for ever. That is why Melbourne audiences love and appreciate both their Australian Rules Football and the majesty of ballet. Speechless!  (Not really speechless - I cannot rave enough about these two iconic 21st Century stars!)

Karina Gonzalez showed the innocence of Juliet with her pure lines and her precise but not clinical technique.  Her footwork was so neat.  Both Connor Walsh and Karina Gonzalez's acting and interaction with other characters had a depth of understanding to their respective roles.

The Arts Centre Melbourne had many toilets being renovated and the queues to the Ladies Toilet were so long and many chose to venture upstairs to near the VIC Restaurant at the second interval. More advance signage should have given patrons notice that specific toilets were closed in advance. I only noticed one sign had been covered over.  The second interval was only 15 minutes and many ladies were still scurrying back from the long walk from the street level.

"Romeo and Juliet" by the Houston Ballet at The State Theatre, July 6th 2016 was a terrific night of dance and I could see this production again.

Overall I gave this production an 8/10.

Netherlands Dans Theater, State Theatre, Saturday June 23rd 2016

Netherlands Dans Theater, State Theatre, Saturday June 23rd 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.


"Netherlands Dans Theater" performed a trio of works as an Australian exclusive at The State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne Saturday June 23rd 2016.

Our tickets were purchased about 7 months in advance upon their initial ticket release and they were snapped up fast.

We have seen "Netherlands Dans Theater" on about four or five occasions in the past, and seen each of their various programmes.  This time they did a trio of works "Sehnsucht" by Sol Leon and Paul Lightfoot, "Solo Echo" by Crystal Pite and "Stop-Motion" by Sol Leon and Paul Lightfoot,

"Sehnsucht" by Sol Leon and Paul Lightfoot reminded me of a contemporary version of Fred Astaire dancing in the room that turns around from "Royal Wedding".  Prince Credell is an athletic sleek and shiny black dancer who begins and ends this work.  He wears white loose trousers and shows off his magnificently masculine muscular physique.  Prince Credell dances sublimely and controls when he begins and ends the work.  He will not be rushed in framing this work.  If Prince Credell is the photographic negative then the two dancers Medhi Walenski and Parvaneh Scharafali, in the rotating box set are wearing the opposite colours. The male Medhi Walenski and Parvaneh Scharafali in the rotating box set are wearing the opposite colours to him with their white skin and black trousers.  The lady, Parvaneh Scharafali wears white tunic and is seated on the fixed-to-the-wall chair and leans on the equally fixed-to-the-wall table. 

This is a dance about yearning and Prince Credell introduces us to his yearning and desires.  It is voyeuristic at times as he poses while the others dance in the rotating cube.   Is he yearning for them or they for the outside world?  At times it has hints of regret and even razbliuto.  It is also like a threesome with no physical contact but intense emotional connections.

The dancing is sublime while the choreography at times is a bit clunky especially as the cube rotates.  There are pauses and shifts of weight to allow the dancers to get purchase and ready themselves for the next rotation.  I appreciate the editing in "Royal Wedding" is different to watching a life performance but felt these shifts were not as exciting and challenging our spacial perspectives.  

Saying this, I thought the use of the door and the windows was much more exciting than the cube turning.  This is where I felt we were challenged with our sense of spatial perception.

I could nearly scream at the cliched turned in a la'seconde attitude positions and yearned for more variety.  I was definitely feeling razbliuto about these positions.

The two side tabs revealed an ensemble of twelve dancers who rose from the wings.  This looked impressive at first but soon lost its appeal due to some of the sloppy ensemble timing.   When the ensemble were synchronised they looked terrific.  Note they were not doing a canon!

The ending was blurry as audience members scrambled for their mobile phones because the world was obviously going to end if they did not check them.  Prince Credell took his time to conclude the work as he remained crouched in his squat for many minutes until he finally rolled up through his spine and wandered very slowly off stage.  This reminded me of Lindsay Kemp's famous walk across the stage in "Flowers".  That was revolutionary and provocative back in 1875/76 and now comes across as indulgent.

"Solo Echo" by Crystal Pite was like being manipulated by others.  The soloist was like their plaything or toy as if the ensemble were the marionette operators.    I thought this was the most satisfying work in the programme.

The backdrop was a multi media of snow falling.

There were lots of suspended motions and off balances in the ensemble's ripple effects.  They demonstrated through dance the consequences of someone's actions and how it ripples through the lives of others.

My favourite section was when the six or seven dancers were in one line behind each other.  The main dancer moves upstage to each of dancer and tilts their head -first dancer right side, second left side and continued alternating as each dancer was thrust aside - quicker and quicker until the last dancer was caught.  This was a beautiful phrase that thankfully was not repeated.  There was a slight variation that hinted at this phrase but allowed us to savour the complexity of this work.

The lighting by Tom Visser created a flow and link to the choreography.


The final work was "Stop-Motion" by Sol Leon and Paul Lightfoot,  A large screen hung on down-stage right and showed a baroque type woman.  We saw close ups and various slow motion movement through out this piece.

Great extensions by the dancers showed power and their superb technique.

Five to six dancers brought a curtain forward and dumped white powder on the stage and returned the curtain upstage.  Usually this curtain device is shown to reveal a new dancer or create waves, and the dumping of the flour like powder was a surprise.  Though in hindsight the photos in the programme alerted us to some dancers getting very earthy with the powder.  The use of sand and powder was more successful in the co-production by The Australian Ballet and Bangarra Dance Theatre "Rites" based on "The Rite of Spring" where they used the coloured sands of the earth to paint their bodies ritualistically.  In "Stop-Motion" it seemed like a theatrical trick.

A bird flew off into the distance on the backdrop.  The dancers pulled back the black backdrop to create vaulted columns.  The side tabs rolled forward and were raised into the flies.  The lights above were exposed and lowered and reminded me of the finale of  the 2014 Broadway Tony Award winning revival "Pippin".  

The final pose had the man and woman interlocked reaching forward in opposite directions and created a semblance of hope after the heaviness of the theme of farewell and transformation.  The finale pose allowed the lightness of renewal.

Overall the dancing was sublime while the choreography was very repetitive at times.

Overall a 7/10.

Double Indemnity, MTC, Playhouse Theatre, Wednesday June 29th 2016

Double Indemnity, MTC, Playhouse Theatre, Wednesday June 29th 2016

"Double Indemnity" written by Tom Holloway and adapted from the book by James M Cain was presented by the Melbourne Theatre Company at the Playhouse Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne on Wednesday June 29th 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.

"Double Indemnity"  is a great night of entertainment and should tour internationally with its superbly clever three revolving stages that create so many wonderful scenes.  The best part of the scenery is that it lives and is as much an actor as the rest of the cast.  This revolving set also allows for the most incredible transitions between places and actors by having one actor starting a scene before the next ends.  I thought this device was used intelligently and flowed beautifully to seamlessly move us into a new scene, whilst maintaining tension from the previous scene.

The acting by the cast paid homage to the film-noir genre without being hammy or over-acted.  Though some of the accents did drop at times and the intonation was more Australian rather than the driven American intonation.

The ending was a bit of a disappointment but after research was more in keeping with the non-specific ending of the book.  In hindsight our discussion as per many others leaving the theatre outlined the many possible endings within the context shown.

Costumes were magnificently rich and created the genre of "how was it done?" or "how did they or will they get away with the murder?"

Overall this production deserved a 8/10.

Swan Lake, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Wednesday June 8th 2016

Swan Lake, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Wednesday June 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.

"Swan Lake" choreographed by Stephen Baynes is usually a tight cohesive ballet.  This return season and the second night by The Australian Ballet, State Theatre on Wednesday June 8th 2016 should be re-titled "Swan Dive".

Let me first highlight and congratulate the sublime partnership of Kevin Jackson and Leanne Strojmenov.  Their partnership saved the evening for me.  Their chemistry and artistry was on fire with electricity to the back row of the State Theatre.

Now I have seen at least 40 live performances and many versions of Swan Lake by both The Australian Ballet and many international dance companies and I know the difference between a solid performance and otherwise.  Heaven help me with the number of versions I have seen on television, cable tv, or on video or dvd.

Act One saw a sloppy corps de ballet.  To top off Act One I saw one of the worst pas de trois I have seen in a ballet with sloppy footwork, individual timing and near falls.

The man was not supporting his turns and stumbled on about four occasions.

The corps de ballet were out of time and the lines were wonky or not straight.  The pas de deux during the corps de ballet main dances highlighted the hand to hand exchange between the male and female dancer as sloppy and laboured.

I repeat that Kevin Jackson and Leanne Strojmenov were great and may not have been aware how they saved this performance.

The Act Two white scene left me uninspired.  The corps de ballet seemed disengaged.  Take note the interview with Eloise Fryer on page 27 of the programme may explain why. I would expect that the swans would be holding their poses to create a frame and an atmosphere.  Not according to Eloise Fryer who explains that during these 15 minutes of holding a pose she will either look at the orchestra or will run over choreography through her head.  Well used this later technique during "Giselle"!  I am so not impressed that the concentration levels have resorted to this!  Maybe we could supply the corps de ballet with tablets and mobile phones to catch up on their social media obligations!

Overall this "Swan Lake" was more like a "swan dive"!

Dogfight, Chapel Off Chapel, Thursday May 12th 2016

Dogfight, Chapel Off Chapel, Thursday May 12th 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.

Congratulations to the cast of "Dogfight" presented by Doorstep Arts.  In 2012 we saw the Second Stage Theatre  production of  "Dogfight" on Broadway, and we were hesitant about seeing it again. We were very pleasantly surprised with this production by Doorstep Arts.   Yeah, some of the staging is a bit clunky at times but the singing harmonies were terrific.  The two leads nailed the final scene with honesty and integrity.  We thought the actors playing Rose, Eddie and Marcy were just as good as the leads on Broadway.  In fact my partner preferred this version.

The Chapel Off Chapel website for buying tickets needs some work to make the sequencing flow more seamless.

Two very friendly programme sellers (VCA students) were stationed outside the door of the theatre at about 7.25 pm for an 8.00 pm start.  The show started within a respectable 5 minutes of the advertised 8.00 pm start.

The programme was a rolled up A3 double sided "San Francisco Chronicle" available for a gold coin donation.  The Director's notes were comprehensive and the biographies of both cast and crew had their name and function/role underneath their name.  I know this seems a small thing to ask but it is great to quickly see the name of the person and their function/role.  Too many programmes state the name but not their function or role next to their photograph.

Three main things were missing from the programme including the year, 2016 for this production of "Dogfight", the song list and the character's full names (for example Eddie Birdlace and Rose Fenny). Granted the Playbill from 2012 only lists these two surnames as does the Original Cast Recording.

No pre-show announcement was made regarding mobile phones etc.  One mobile phone was checked during Act One and spoiled the entrance of Rose into a scene.  The light flashing on the phone completely distracted my peripheral vision.  The Second Stage Theatre presented "Dogfight" at the Tony Kiser Theatre at 43rd Street and has a large sign saying it is a condition of entry to turn off phones prior to entry.  I wish other theatres in Australia had this rule and adhered to it!

Set Design by Shane Thompson was totally different from the two level Second Stage Theatre production.  Upon arriving in the theatre the band was enclosed in a gazebo or bandstand that was made of two set pieces, which would later be wheeled around and used in various ways.  Part of the Golden Gate Bridge was looming in the background reminiscent of "In the Heights" (under the George Washington Bridge). The smaller truck was used to create both a church pew when faced concavely to the audience and a window when convex to the audience.  The position of the church pew and praying moment was a bit lost as it was so quick and so far downstage - it required more significant lighting to draw our focus. This "It's a miracle" moment during the "Hey Good Looking" song was so fleeting.  It could have been staged for all audience members to see clearly as so much gets lost in the extreme down stage areas of Chapel Off Chapel. Do not play within one metre of the front row as many in the audience cannot see the action!

Sets were are a bit clunky at times, this was not necessarily a design flaw, but either the direction and/or execution of their movements.  I have seen some incredible shows were the cast move the sets either in or out of character and create seamless transitions to the next scene.   The pew/window steps on down-stage-right needed a white safety stripe for the audience not to bump into when leaving at interval! Alternatively, an usher should have been situated to alert patrons to be careful of the set piece.

I liked the façade/door frame wheeled around to create different locations.  This large set was wheeled around to show either the red front or black rear with a low platform.  Very effectively used when positioned, though the transitions between scenes could have incorporated more seamless movement of the set pieces.

Lighting Design by Martin Kinnane created very clear locations especially the walking scene with Eddie and Rose in Act One, which was well lit to create street lighting that moved around the stage.  When Eddie leaves Rose's bedroom, the bumping out of the bedroom set upstaged Eddie outside, and the lighting was not distinct enough to create his location.
  

The lighting for the Vietnam war scene could have included some blood red or "Agent Orange" to contrast from the blinding flashes.  I remember in the Broadway production I had tears rolling down my face with the holistic direction of this horrifying scene, where as here it did not move me as it should have. The Vietnam War was the first war that was basically live on TV every night on the news.  It was so horrific as a child to see these images on the screen.  It was our child hood lost in the 1960s and this is the image I wanted in this production.

While the Broadway production had a two storey set and flashier lighting with the neon signs for locations, this production achieved the various locations with simpler staging and lighting design. Maybe more ensemble work to create atmosphere for each location would enhance this production.  I yearned to see the actors enter and visualise the smell, feel, touch and sounds of each location.  It would be interesting to ask the actors what was the colour of the walls in various scenes.

Choreography by Leanne Marsland was more masculine than compared to the promotional video.   I liked her staging and sequences.  More so she made the men move as if expressing themselves through dance, rather than making them dancers.  The distribution of the firearms sequence in "Some Kinda Time" lacked precision and needed more direction.  These marines had just completed their military training and would have been sharp as a razor when receiving their weapons.  Although the next dance sequence was sharper it should have been drill perfect.  

Overall the accents were good.  Some of the accents need work as one actor changed accent from Act One to Act Two.  The word "knew" is "noo" etc.  Intonation at times did not drive to the end of sentences as per American accents.

Costumes were designed by Riannon Irving and though the men's costumes were not accurate, they did capture the 1963 era.  The cuffs of the men's trousers needed to be taken up as they were way too long for 1963.  Bearing in mind the marines had just completed their training - the "spit and polish" and pride was not evident in the ritual of dressing and wearing the uniforms.  For example, Eddie's collar needed adjustment when he dressed after visiting Rose.  Rose's costumes were dowdy and plain enough for 1963.  Marcy's hooker outfit was perfect for Jaclyn Devincentis.  In the party scene, some of the women's costumes were too cartoon-esque and we focused on their ridiculous outfits, which took away from the men's cruel behaviour.

The men's crew cuts were too long for the boys who were shipping out from San Francisco the next day.

Sound Design by Marcello Lo Ricco was not intrusive like some productions.  I did not hear a tinny or artificial sound and can only praise the quality of the sound.  This production was sound enhanced and did not sound miked.  Take that as a huge compliment as not noticing it ensures that the sound design is integrated into the holistic experience.

The Club Singer played by Tim Carney  wore a silver suit with one shirt button done up, and trousers with extra long legs.  I am still wondering if this was quick change gone astray, a design flaw or both. This sloppy look also highlighted the discrepancy of the song "That Face" that needed more polish in order to support building the juxtaposition of the tension in the scene.

The final sequence with Eddie's solo, "Come Back" is both an emotional and physical transition from Vietnam to arriving in San Francisco.  This transition was staged simply and very effectively as if Eddie was rising out of the ashes.  "Come Back" was sung beautifully by  Alexander Woodward  with sincerity and compassion.  I longed for more of these heightened emotional connections to the material.  I got to see inside his Vietnam experience which is what I mean by creating atmosphere.

The arrival to San Francisco with the kaftan wearing and beaded hippies was staged simply and effectively to build to the climax of the scene.

Generally I longed for more emotional connection to the work.  Some of the various character's motivations need work to ensue the audience is more sympathetic with certain characters, and/or hateful of their actions.  With certain lines the dialogue was not grounded enough into the 1963 manners but had a more modern interpretation.

Rose Fenny was played brilliantly by Olivia Charalambous.  She was as good as the Broadway Rose Fenny.  With more clarity in direction with some of the motivations in some scenes, she could be better than brilliant.  Olivia Charalambous' singing was sublime as she did not force the naivety or innocence of Rose.   Her working in the diner appeared natural as if she had been doing it for years helping her mother.  I even liked the after hours joke of emptying the dust pan of sugar into her tray -highlighting what patrons normally do not see.  Roses' party dress selection scene did not have the luxury of a closet or rack of clothes.  Olivia Charalambous made the most of the dresses strewn across her bed.    Her Act One finale song "Funny" was sung with genuine despair and self-realisation that built to show Rose's strength, determination and resilience.  

Act Two opened with "Hometown Hero's Ticker Tape Parade" that reset the tension of the imminent departure of the marines for Vietnam.  The walking scene between Rose and Eddie did not use the same sort of lighting to create space which I thought was odd.  The clever use of the larger set piece created so many wonderful images of locations.  The "First Date" scene between Rose and Eddie in the restaurant showed us a tentative reconciliation and new level of .building trust in their short relationship.  Sparks were beginning to fly and hope was back on the agenda.

 Alexander Woodward played Eddie Birdlace with youthful exuberance and valour.   The magnificent voice of Alexander Woodward  made luxurious harmonies with Olivia Charalambous.

The connection between Rose and Eddie in the final scene created the gulp in my throat I was hoping for.  I admit I did yearn for more of these moments throughout, and I know this cast could have had this drawn out of them.  The finale "Take Me Back" is not only a personal duet for Rose and Eddie, it more importantly represents the reconciliation and acceptance of a pacifist welcoming home a soldier who went to Vietnam.  In 1967 many Vietnam veterans were scorned upon on their return and this finale with Rose and Eddie shows us the many feelings of what a nation is thinking.

Musical Direction by Trevor Jones created a full sound with a small five piece band.  The harmonies of the ensemble were terrific.

Joel Granger played Bernstein with virginal, wide-eyed hope.  He clearly showed us a journey into manhood and destruction.

Zoy Frangos played Boland with natural strength and masculinity.  Though there was a bond with Birdlace and Bernstein, and I wanted more electricity in his final altercation with Birdlace to show the weight of their actions and consequences.

I did not feel the emotional charge when specific characters were killed in Act Two.  I remember having tears rolling down my face at the Broadway production and I longed for this connection to the deaths in this production.

Other cast included James Coley as Fector and Daniel Cosgrove as Stevens, Jack Van Staveren as Gibbs, and Joel Granger who provided depth to the harmonies,  (Note how he looks very much like the American born Daniel Cosgrove !  They could be brothers on "Days of Our Lives"!)

Hannah McInnerney physically and vocally differentiated between her Librarian, Ruth Two Bears and Chippy characters.

Sally Bourne as Mama and Suzette also differentiated clearly between these characters.  In her brief scene as Mama she demonstrated her concern for Rose.  We could visualise her asleep when Rose did not want to wake her.  To create this image requires conviction of the relationship between mother and daughter.  Sally Bourne and Olivia Charalambous  in their brief encounters were able to create a believable relationship of mother and daughter,

Marcy was played magnificently by Jaclyn Devincentis as a more buxom and realistic hooker who physically looked as if she could handle herself.   Marcy singing and explaining the rules of "Dogfight" to Rose built some tension but could have done so more with their interaction via the mirror.  Jaclyn Devincentis' singing was as good as ever and is such a dynamo performer.  When scooping up the money she missed one bill.  Whether this was directed or not she picked it up when her character noticed it.  Maybe it could have been scooped up a bit more greedily.

Darylin Raymondo has directed a fine interpretation of "Dogfight"with a limited budget. Some aspects that I noted are picky and she should be proud of this production.

Olivia Charalambous,  Alexander Woodward , Jaclyn Devincentis,  Zoy Frangos and Joel Granger are all performers to watch in the future.  I look forward to seeing other roles by the remaining cast members.  The future of musical theatre in Australia gets stronger every year with such a talented cast.

My partner preferred this production to the Original Broadway 2012 production and gave it a 9/10.  I gave this production a respectable 8/10.

tick, tick... BOOM Chapel Off Chapel, Thursday April 28th 2016

tick, tick BOOM Chapel Off Chapel, Thursday April 28th 2016

"tick, tick...  Boom" at Chapel Off Chapel, Thursday April 28th 2016

"tick, tick...  Boom"  is a three hand musical with music, lyrics and book by Jonathon Larson.  This fine production is from Pursued By Bear who last year did "John and Jen" at Chapel Off Chapel, Thursday April 28th 2016 has a cast of five.

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre.  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 also mainly write for my memories of what I have seen.

The Chapel Off Chapel website for buying tickets needs some work to make the sequencing flow more seamless.

I was impressed that a programme seller was outside the door of the theatre at about 7.20 pm for an 8.00 pm start.  The show started within a respectable 5 minutes of the advertised 8.00 pm start.

The programme at $5.00 does not state the year 2016 on the cover.  I told this to the programme seller who asked me how I came to see the show.  I was impressed as he introduced himself as Mark Taylor, the Marketing Manager, so I told him that the year is missing from their posters, flyers and programme.  I congratulated him that each photo/bios of the producer, director and cast specified their production or acting role; which is unlike many other programmes at Chapel Off Chapel.  This company will do well with having their production team so close to understanding their current and future audiences.

The centre pages of the programme included a great photograph of the three main cast and sadly the writing is in white and is so hard to read.  Heaven forbid when I tried to see the title of a song during the show - we sat in the front row and had ample light and still could not read the titles of the songs.

Entering the theatre was a narrow passageway between strewn sheet music.

There was no pre-show announcement regarding phones etc.  The bonus was that no phones went off during the show.

Sarah Tulloch is the Creative Director and Production Designer and has designed a set that looks like a New York apartment with the sides full of everyday items.  This clever set allows for the change of locations.   There is a raised central platform with an upright piano on a revolving hinge which is reminiscent of "Beautiful The Carol King Musical" opening set.  Four chairs and a piano stool fill the main stage.  At the front of the stage were paint tins and an answering machine.  Ladders were on either side of the stage with a drop sheet.  Stage left had a microphone stand with a ladder and drop-sheets.   Up stage right were a stack of suitcases, while an upright cello and two microphone stands were more centrally located on the side.  Everyday items filled shelves giving a lived in appearance.  Sheet music bordered the raised stage which created a a physical and frame and a frame of musical reference.  Overhead are various light globes.  Sarah Tulloch is a theatre designer to watch for her ability to create designs that become portals into new worlds - full of emotional texture and depth.

Bearing in mind that Jonathon Larson died before his masterpiece "Rent" opened on Broadway, makes seeing "tick, tick...  Boom" even more poignant.  It was important to see where Jonathon Larson's work had progressed from.  These fine actors demonstrate such deep respect for this work, and perform the finale two songs with poignancy that moves us.

Luigi Lucente as Jon,  Angela Scundi as Susan and Quin Kelly as Michael created a balanced cast and were rounded off with the swings Rebecca Heatherington and Mitch Roberts providing vocals and extra characters to scenes.

"Sunday"  was a fun ensemble number that paid tribute to Stephen Sondheim's "Sunday In The Park With George" while the duet "Therapy" reminded me of the competitive duets from "Annie Get Your Gun".  This duet showed off the skills of  Luigi Lucente and Angela Scundi as they paid homage to many famous Broadway duets.

There was variable singing throughout, though the best harmonies were demonstrated in the finale "Louder Than Words".

The final lines of "30/90" remind me of the Renee Mill's book "Anxiety Free, Drug Free" with her 90 day anxiety reduction programme.  Here Jon shares with us, not only his journey, but his ability to overcome obstacles -  "ticks not being as loud".

Director, Paul Watson has used some very brave and effective staging by placing Jon  (Luigi Lucente) with his back to the audience.   Luigi Lucente is so expressive in his ability to communicate with his whole body that we do not need to see his face to feel his angst, joy and frustration.  Sometimes not seeing his face was more powerful than seeing his facial expressions.  Congratulations Paul Watson on using this device with compassion.

Luigi Lucente  sat, but mainly stood to play the piano.  Stooping over a piano is not a posture conducive for singing but was totally realistic for the character Jon.  Although  Luigi Lucente sometimes scooped onto his singing notes it did not bother me as it enhanced the truth in Jon's desperation as an artist to find his next lyric or tune.

Angela Scundi  as Susan, and voiced other small roles of Jon's agent or mother.  She differentiated between each of these characters.

Quin Kelly as Michael also played Jon's father.  Michael's revelation to Jon was played with sincerity.

The swings Rebecca Heatherington and Mitch Roberts were incorporated into the action providing vocal harmonies to the singing and provided visual characters to various scenes.  It is so rare these days that understudies are rehearsed in small scale works and I commend this company for having swings and also using them in the production.

Some of the American accents varied in quality.  Some noticeable errors included the pronunciation of Houston St in New York which as friends in New York explained to me differentiates if from Houston in Texas.  The other main word is the word - new.  (Hear examples of the differences online).  Some of the dialogue needs to drive to the end of the sentences compared to the Australian intonations.  (See "Speaking American" by Bruce Shapiro is a brilliant practical book with terrific explanation of the history of the American accents).

Musical Direction by Jess Barlow created some beautiful vocal harmonies.  The four piece band played well without drowning out the singers in this small venue.

Lighting Design by Jason Crick created atmosphere to each scene.  Sound Design by Kyle Smith created Jon's uncomfortable inner voice of the ticking sound.  There were opportunities to include some effective percussive sound effects used during the Times Square scene.  For example taxis honking and the constant crowds of people as in "On the Town".

The synopsis of  "tick, tick...  Boom" is available via this link.

I would love to see Pursued By Bear perform the two hander musical "Murder For Two" as Luigi Lucente would be ideal for one of the roles with his ability to play the piano, sing and act.

I consider buying tickets to a Pursued By Bears production is an investment rather than a cost.

Overall we gave "tick, tick...  Boom" a 7/10.