WARTS, THE AGE, Saturday October 5th 2019

WARTS, THE AGE, Saturday October 5th 2019

2019 Observation and post script about the Melbourne International Arts Festival:


It is obvious that there are budgetary restraints to kill off the Melbourne International Arts Festival in October.  This is obvious to allow for the new splash of dollars that will support the new revamped winter festival for 2020.  

WARTS = Winter Arts Festival.  Not a pretty name as Cameron Woodhead in The Age Saturday October 5th 2019 had a heading that included WARTS instead of naming a show that was from the Melbourne International Arts Festival. 

Everywhen, The Substation, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Thursday October 9th 2019

Everywhen, The Substation, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Thursday October 9th 2019

"Everywhen" performed by Matthias Schack-Arnott at The Substation on Thursday October 9th 2019 was presented by the Melbourne International Arts Festival.

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.

The World Premier of “EVERYWHEN” at The Substation is a percussion work by Matthias Schack-Arnott with a difference.

Two banks of seating frame the two ends of the central staging area where there is a mobile hanging structure that looks like a carousel. The centre looks like a round water pond that later is revealed to be slate type tiles all in a circular formation.

The hanging mobile is a classic piece of 1970’s decoration that had lots of psychedelic designs. Baby carriages and cots have mobiles hanging above to entertain the child with different shapes and colours, while here we are the babies to be entertained.   Some even have different sounds. This is what the show immediately reminds me of.

The hanging mobile has about 10 or 12 arms, and at least three inner layers. There are many things hanging from the wires that some have an inbuilt raising and lowering mechanism that is similar to Venetian blinds cords.

There are at least four circles on the ground. One is the inner enclosure that looks like a water pond, a narrow path of what looks like tiles, a wider path, and then what appears to be shells that turn out to be clumps of sand.

The are so many interesting things hanging from the carousel type mobile structure:

Pipes, Shells, beads, Wooden and metal wind chimes, Cymbals, blocks, bells, foliage clumps, twigs and branches, light type boxes, contraptions with complex and indeterminate structures. Each of these items would be used to create a different sound.

The definition of "Everywhen" alludes to a portmanteau the words every and when.  According to one website the word is from the 17th Century and his hair and cream costume could be from that era.

Matthias Schack-Arnott enters bare footed and walks dragging a long metal pipe along the ground providing a scraping sound. This opening move sets the scene for what is to eventuate. Matthias walks at least four rotations around the main path, and then he begins to engage with the overhanging mobile carousel.

The carousel begins to turn as he continues to walk. Heck, I would be ill walking around in circles for nearly fifty minutes. At times he walks in the same direction as the carousel.  At other times he walks in the opposite direction. The carousel lowers to allow different items to drag along and hit the sand clumps or other items that Matthias places in their path thus producing a variety of sounds.

He plays with the different pieces to raise and lower items that will drag onto the sand clumps and spread them into longer strips. The sounds change with each item that touches the sand.

When he first stepped into the centre I thought he was going to get wet as it looked like a pond with cascading divides. The lighting changed and I realised these were in fact possibly slate tiles.

At one stage he overturns a few slate tiles and scrapes at them with different items including what appears to be small metal cymbals or wooden blocks. It could even be sandpaper blocks to give a tradesman sound. He taps with drums sticks.

He wiped the four cardinal points of sand to create a gap in each direction.  He placed a block with a metal bowl on top that would then be a target to be hit by one of the items rotating on the carousel.

When he lowered the two large cymbals they dragged along creating distinctly different sounds.

Towards the end he cuts the central inner circle of hanging wooden and metal blocks to create a xylophone type instrument in the centre. He plays with sticks. This builds as he continues and begins to also tap and grab different items swinging in the second central circle. He taps and grabs cymbals, pipes, blocks, beads, foliage that each provide different sounds and experiences both aurally and visually.

A large string of beads fell at one point, and later he moved them out of the main pathway. I am unsure if this was intended, but even so it gave another texture to the sounds and the visual experience. A small bell like cymbal fell from the outer ring at about a similar time to the large string of beads falling. I do not think this was intentional, but we will only know if someone else writes about it.

There is a background of soundscapes that give a beat to the work. The trains passing at Newport Station add another dimension to the work.

The show reminded me of a Dalcroze Eurythmics exercise where many performers use different body parts to create the different sections to the inner workings of a clock.

Fifty minutes was long enough duration as it was beginning to become tedious, even though it was hypnotic. This show was a great companion piece to “100 Pianos” at the same venue from the 2018i festival.

The programme is a disappointment with a lack of biographical information of Matthias Schack-Arnott. I also prefer that all Melbourne International Arts Festival programmes have the standard format. The year 2019 is missing from the programme.

Costume wise - he wore a different outfit to the promotional page in the festival brochure. He wore a cream top and trousers that suited the dark setting more than the promotional photo. Though, I do not like promotional photos that give you a visual representation and then it is different to what we are seeing. It could, and I stress, could be misleading as we booked this show thinking it was going to be similar to Safri Duo with their percussion works.

My partner felt it was too monotonous and was disappointed as he could see the work developing into the “Tubular Bells” style work.

Going back to the definition of "Everywhen" and my comment about the Dalcroze Eurythmics clock example, Matthias Schack-Arnott could very well be demonstrating that he is in all times.

I gave this show an 8/10

Jekyll and Hyde 25th Anniversary Concert, Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, Friday October 25th 2019

Jekyll and Hyde 25th Anniversary Concert, Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, Friday October 25th 2019

"Jekyll and Hyde" was presented by Concertworks at the Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne and we attended the Australian professional premiere on Friday October 25th 2019.

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.

"Jekyll and Hyde" was presented by Concertworks at the Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne for the Australian professional premiere. Finally we got to see Anthony Warlow  and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in the 25th Anniversary concert of the release of the iconic “Definitive Album” - “The Complete Work Jekyll and Hyde” with Music by Frank Wildhorn and, the Book and Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse.

The atmosphere at Hamer Hall was electric before the show. I have not felt this much atmosphere at a Melbourne show for years. The last two shows that I saw that had this much pre-show buzz were “The Prom” and “Beetlejuice” on Broadway in August 2019.

Long queues of people waited patiently to purchase the souvenir programme for this professional Australian Premiere event.  The programme sadly did not include the song list. Nor did it discuss the history of some of the changes made from the concept album, to the Broadway runs. Check out Wikipedia for some notes on the changes that have been made along the way.

Anthony Warlow was superb but cracked a few notes during “This Is The Moment”.  My heart swelled as the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra played the underscore and introduction to the song. I had tears rolling down my face during this song. To finally hear him sing this in the context of the show live was worth every cent. The ovation and cheering at the end was long and well deserved.

Jemma Rix as Lucy was sensational and did a terrific job of the role. I was saddened that one of my favourite songs has been deleted since the original recording ‘No One Knows Who I Am”.

Lisa played by Amanda Lea LaVergue with pinched notes and forced “you” words. She sang better in Act Two.

The first ensemble number in Act One had an awful sound quality with thumping and scratchy noises. This was not up to scratch for a $130 ticket in C Reserve.

The lighting was very clunky and very haphazard in its approach. Sometimes the lighting created terrific atmospheres and then seemed incongruent for the next scene as the mottled lighting for a ball scene continued. The church wedding lighting was appropriate.  The final duet between himself as both Jekyll and Hyde had lighting that nearly worked. It was more hit and miss and seemed like a technical dress rehearsal. Tomorrow night in Melbourne should be smoother - I hope!

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra led by Vanessa Scammell was brilliant playing the Frank Wildhorn score.

Director, Chris Parker used semi staging in this concert production with a desk, chaise lounge, stairs and a raised walkway. Five chairs and a speaker’s podium were also used. Minimal props were used effectively.

A single Victorian light hovered overhead on stage left near the staircase.

The ensemble singing was terrific though the microphones let down the quality of sound reproduction. In Act Two the sound quality for the ensemble was a lot better, but could still be improved.

There were some terrific performances by Martin Crewes as John Utterson and Peter Coleman-Wright as Sir Danvers Carew in particular.

The duo in Act Two between Lucy and Lisa left me numb as I know how rich this song should sound emotionally. Lucy was better than Lisa in capturing the emotion. I felt it lacked the emotional connection as I have cried many times listening to the recordings.

The deadly tease by Mr Hyde with the conductor, Vanessa Scammel, drew lots of laughs from the audience that added some light relief from the tension.

If you thought it was Anthony Warlow who would star in this production, then his quote on page ten of the souvenir programme reveals what we were in store for:  “I said I’d love for Jemma to play that role. I think she deserves to at least have a go at it.”

Wow - Jemma Rix was amazing as Lucy. Even better than in “Wicked”. She also received lots of cheers and applause.

Mr Hyde lays motionless on the stage. Blackout. The audience rose to a standing ovation, but not a volcanic eruption like “Come From Away” on Broadway, as Anthony Warlow rose centre stage for his well deserved recognition.

Some of the minor characters provided adequate and superficial performances though were vocally secure.

I hope someone offers Anthony Warlow mega-dollars to film his performance with Jemma Rix as Lucy, Martin Crewes as John Utterson and Peter Coleman-Wright as Sir Danvers Carew.  

Jekyll and Hyde obtained an 8.5/10.

Note: We are so fortunate to have seen Anthony Warlow play Sweeney Todd and Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde this year. An interesting note is both roles of Sweeney Todd and Dr Jekyll have a major love interest character named Lucy who gets killed by the titular roles.

It should have been a 10/10 but the lighting and sound microphones let it down.

Bright Star, Pursued By Bear, Chapel Off Chapel, Saturday October 26th 2019

Bright Star, Pursued By Bear, Chapel Off Chapel, Saturday October 26th 2019

"Bright Star" was presented by Pursued By Bear at Chapel Off Chapel and we saw the opening night show on Saturday October 26th 2019.

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.

"Bright Star" has Music, Book and Story by Steve Martin while the Music, Lyrics and Story are by Edie Brickell.  They have created a beautifully heart warming story that is tragic, funny and full of love.  The music and lyrics are so relatable, bouncy and toe tapping one moment and then can change rapidly to become so emotionally tragic and gut wrenching as they move the story along.

The foyer was well decorated to create a sense of the era.  The programme sellers are not easily accessible and need to be on a raised dais to sell their wares.  Maybe they could be calling out "programmes" occasionally to vie for business as it would create atmosphere and also be in keeping with the era.  The reason I suggest this is a few people could not get close to buy a programme and I watched how the lack of access discouraged people from purchasing a copy.  Maybe they could have the programme seller centrally located or mingling with the crowd.

Programmes are a very reasonable $5.00 but should include the year, 2019 on the front cover or inside cover.  Readers and theatre historians should be able to quickly identify the year of production on any posters and programmes.  Some of the black text is difficult to read against the bridge in the background,  and against the dress, respectively at the top and bottom of the programme.  Look at the theatre posters at Chapel Off Chapel and see how few include a year of production.  Pursued By Bear would want people to remember 2019 as the year of such a great show!

As soon as we entered the theatre, the set comprising of wooden slats and about 16 fruit crates reminded me of “Come From Away”.  The wooden slatted wall upstage also reminded me of the set from the new "Fiddler On The Roof" in Yiddish where you can see parts of the orchestra.

Thank you for the best pre-show announcement that has ever been conducted at Chapel Off Chapel as it also included "That includes no texting during the performance."   Thank you Pursued By Bear for being role models as showing respect for all audience members, cast and crew with this specific announcement; as I am sick of spending big money on shows to be interrupted by phone's lights, people texting, scrolling, or, even receiving or making a phone call during a performance!

"Bright Star"is set during the 1920’s and the 1940s’ with costumes by Jodi Hope that captured the mood and atmospheres.

Anthony Craig as the Banjo player and Max looked respectably iconic in his ankle freezing length cuffed trousers.  This comical device is important as not every one could afford trousers during the Great Depression and the war period during rationing and many people wore hand-me-down clothes.   He played with gusto and so much personality that the relationship with Violinist/Edna played by Ruby Clark created fabulous cameo moments.

Sarah Tulloch's set designs were magical to transport us between the 1920's and the 1940's with the use of about 16 fruit crates.  The framing of the set with the wooden slatted walls and the plants captured the locations beautifully.  A raised stage stood centre stage where many scenes were played.  Even the back of the piano on stage left was used to store books.

The first major ensemble number was squashed as between 15-18 performers navigated the fruit crates and the plant on stage left.  But, wow what a great number.

Lighting by Mungo Trumble created clear locations and atmospheres that differed between scenes and between the different decades.  The revelation scene with the dry ice and lighting from the wings was slick and allowed for a poignantly gut wrenching denouement.  This scene in particular had hearts thumping.

I have rarely seen such good segues between scene changes. In fact one scene change received applause as it was staged so well with dance to continue the story without breaking the flow.  More importantly the previous number had received welcoming applause, and then to follow up with such a slick scene change was "icing on the cake".

All of the performers created solid characters for each role. The relationships between characters had more depth than most musicals that I have seen in 2019.

Choreography by Freya List has created some of the best movement and dance that I have seen for a long time. The choreography included lots of stomping, hand clapping and thigh slapping in keeping with the era and region.  She used some contemporary moves that were not out of place and could quite easily been in a 1940's film.  The cast performed her choreography with accuracy and requisite dynamics.  In fact, Freya List's choreography was up there with the eight Broadway musicals I saw this year  She captured so much more emotion connection to the story than some much more famous current shows.  Remember Freya List as a choreographer for the now and for the future.  I have seen her work in a few MTC shows and she is consistently reliable in delivering for the theatre.

Alice Murphy played by Kala Gare and Jimmy Ray Dobbs played by Matthew Prime were fantastic as the main characters and were so appropriate for the roles as they captured the warmth of their relationship during both the 1920's and the 1940's.  They both have great singing voices and their characterisations honoured the legacy of many people who had been through similar ordeals (of having a child out of wedlock during this era) with their respectful performances.

The casting for the entire production was one of the best I have seen for a long time.  There was not a weak link to the cast.

Callum O"Malley as Billy Cane, a soldier returning from WW11 service is a confident and fine charismatic performer who brought a sincerity to the role of being an aspiring writer.  With, Margot Krndija as Margo Crawford they created a restrained sexual tension.

Ellie Nunan as Lucy Grant and Lachlan Hewson as Daryl Ames created much of the comic relief with their gate-keeper antics.  These two resisted the urge to ham up these roles and gradually revealed hints along the way.

Major Dobbs played by Mike Gardiner has a rich voice with a menacing evil demeanour that created a defined journey for his character.

Anthony Craig as the Banjo player and Max looked respectably iconic in his ankle freezing length cuffed trousers.  This comical device is important as not every one could afford trousers during the Great Depression and the war period during rationing and many people had to have hand-me-down clothes.   He played with gusto and so much personality that the relationship with Violinist/Edna played by Ruby Clark created fabulous cameo moments.

Singing was melodic and emotionally charged particularly towards the end. The connection between Alice Murphy (Kala Gare) and Jimmy Ray Dobbs (Matthew Prime) was electric and raw in their final duet.   Her reaction was like the famous "The Scream" painting by Edvard Munch, but without the hand gestures.  I had tears rolling down my face during their performance of this song.  What a shame that the microphone cues really disturbed the flow of the show to the point that it not only jolted me in my seat, but others in the audience also.

Daddy Cane played by Tom Blair created an important arc in the story with his honest display of emotional revelations with his suppressed history.  His pain during the revelation scene was felt by the audience.

The entire ensemble should be proud to be in such a fine production, as you all helped to create such wonderful atmospheres that I am sure Michael Chekhov would be proud of.

The story's denouement is illuminating and comes as a shock. You could hear a pin drop, and, sadly, the solo phone vibrating!

Some of the musicians double as characters and do an exceptional job in creating some sensational moments. The final fiddle and banjo strum is worth a treat.

The mother, Mama Murphy played admirably by Lindy Yeates was restrained during the “sign here” manipulation scene as she watched from behind while her daughter was being subjected to the unspeakable. I felt Mama Murphy could have been more physically protective of her daughter.

Tref Gare played Daddy Murphy with religious restraint.

The microphone and sound quality let the show down a lot in Act One.  By Act Two this had improved slightly but was far from what should be tolerated in a production.

I stood immediately to applaud after the final blackout as I felt emotionally connected to the work and I wanted to show my full appreciation for such a great job.

This show has so much heart and emotion unlike “Frozen” that we saw recently on Broadway that should be called “tepid” for the lack of emotion and over-produced.  The "Bright Star" cast created more passion and allowed me to have more of an emotional response than the new, sensational and spectacular "Moulin Rouge" on Broadway.

My partner thought this was better than “Jekyll and Hyde 25th Anniversary Concert”. I agree overall with the consistency of performances and characterisations.  I repeat the sound quality let this show down!

"Bright Star" is my second favourite musical of 2019 as it captured so much emotion that was missing from some of the Broadway shows.  It did not score the 9/10 that I gave "Come From Away" (both here and on Broadway), but the cast and crew of  “Bright Star” should be proud as I saw eight musicals and three plays on Broadway this year.  "Bright Star" should have received a 9/10 except for my major complaint about the sound quality, and the staging logistics that should have been ironed out prior to bumping into the theatre.

"Bright Star" created much better emotional connections between characters than some of Broadway shows I saw that had much more expensive sets and costumes.

Directed by Mark Taylor, he has created a beautiful piece of theatre with emotion and honest human connections that created an emotional response from the audience that will resonate for a long time.  His work also reminds me of the simple staging and emotion of  the 1994 production of "The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol" by "Complicte"  from the UK.

The sight lines were terrific as so many shows direct their casts to perform too close to the audience at Chapel Off Chapel thereby limiting the view for anyone sitting beyond B row.  So congratulations for staging most of the show upstage to allow audience members to view the action.

"Bright Star" obtained an 8.75.

I wrote the following onto Facebook as soon as I got home:

“Bright Star” produced by Pursued By Bear is the best show I have ever seen at Chapel Off Chapel. The show is quite tragic but has some fantastic light relief to ease the tension.
I have never stood for a show at this venue, but this show deserves it. My main reservation is the microphone/sound quality needs urgent attention. Every performer contributed to the best choreographed show I have seen for a long time.

Congratulations.

Posted October 26th 2019

Note: I am disappointed that I cannot find a website or agent link for Mark Taylor as he so desperately deserves representation.

October 31st 2019:

Wow, I found Mark Taylor’s website.  Here it is:  https://www.markallantaylor.com/

Colossus, Stephanie Lake Company, Fairfax Studio, Friday October 4th 2019

Colossus, Stephanie Lake Company, Fairfax Studio, Friday October 4th 2019

"Colossus" by the Stephanie Lake Company was presented by the Melbourne International Arts Festival at the Arts Centre Melbourne's Fairfax Studio on Friday October 4th 2019

"Colossus" choreographed by Stephanie Lake for her company suited the Fairfax Studio with its intimacy. This is one of the best dance works I have seen in 2019 but I have some reservations.

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.

I arrived at the Fairfax Studio and was longing to read the programme prior to entering the theatre.  At about 7.10pm I went up to a group of ushers and requested a programme.  They obliged and were preparing to hand out programmes in the foyer.  I was impressed that the female usher then stood at the base of the stairs handing out the programmes to new audience arrivals.

Stephanie Lake has created a good dance piece that should tour international festivals mainly due to the exciting structure of the piece.  It could be more exciting as some of the flow was broken from time to time.  There were some missed opportunities to allow the flow to continue organically.  Occasionally, the structure was anacoluthon as it rapidly changed direction.  The show was clearly divided into different scenes with lighting black outs in between.

As you entered the Fairfax Studio the fifty dancers lay faceup on the stage in a large circle.  This stillness was hypnotic as per entering the State Theatre last night to see the dancers all sitting in a meditative formation.  Here the "Colossus" dancers all had their arms outstretched over the heads and their eyes open.  Having your arms overhead for such an extended period is not comfortable. Well done as barely an arm or toe moved.  I was impressed with their meditative and disciplined opening pose.  Coincidentally, "The Rite of Spring" at the State Theatre on the previous night had the dancers sitting on stage for an extended time before they moved.

The fifty "Colossus" dancers laying supine in the large circle formation looked like they could be the Colosseum in Rome, a snowflake, or a pattern.  The opening image was powerful, assertive and commanding.

I knew they would begin with some small movements to warm up their bodies as they lay at least for ten minutes before the show officially began.  A drum beat announced the opening and the fifty pair of fingers curled in unison.  They rolled their wrists and other body parts. Their feet stretched, they curled up and then rose in a sit-up with incredible core strength.  They rolled down and did many stretching and flexing movements to prepare for larger movements. They arched their backs in unison.  Flexing and stretching hands,  or bending and stretching elbows were respecting the dancers' bodies but also ensuring the audience were attuned to what was to follow.  Stephanie Lake in this opening sequence created a solid contract with her audience to invite us into this world of "Colossus".

The dances, as I predicted would roll up through the spine to walk.  They created a crowd formation and then the first soloist appeared in the centre of the circle,  She pointed and directed the circle.  Mexican Waves of wrists rolled around the large circle.  We then were treated to so many "illegal" Mexican Waves of heads to the right and left; arms raised and bent: legs raised and bent; rolling, twisting and swaying from side to side.  This was sheer brilliance in structure as it built momentum.

The Mexican Wave then split upstage (at 12.00 noon position) to continue down each side to finish at the centre downstage (6.00pm position).  This was repeated a few times.  This is where it jolted as the two Mexican Waves should have crossed and gone in the opposite directions to build momentum and continue the flow.  This is one section that could be expanded.  Do not get me wrong, I loved it, but it jolted as if anacoluthon.

The dancers moved to the sides to frame the action.  I actually found the crowd formations in many ways more interesting than the solos, duos, trios, quartets, quintets, sextets, etc.

The ensemble gathered around and sweep up the first soloist to reveal the second soloist.  She stood centre stage as the ensemble moved into two groups each side.  This soloist became a conjurer as she controlled the forces of energy from either side.  Ying and Yang spring to mind as the dividing image.  Here she led each group to follow her directions as a conductor, a dictator or guru.  They followed with some really interesting formations and movements.  The ensemble followed her lead with varying levels of intensity as directed.  Sometimes the tempo challenged the ensemble.  The two sides ebbed and flowed to her commands.  This was another strong piece of choreography, although very academic in approach, I was enthralled.

A section of window wiping lower arm moves really challenged the capacity of the dancers.  This is where you could tell those who had a strong core as they chopped the air with their window-wiping arms, while some could not keep the pace, let alone accelerate as directed.  This did not bother me as the effort of the individual was being supported by the masses.  The effort is what I really admired.

So many different formations were created.

These are not in any particular order:

Tap Dance sequence was very much like "42nd St" as the ensemble performed time steps in varying degrees of competence.  A small group began and then swelled to the entire ensemble doing time steps in the manner of class or an audition.

Marching groups occurred.  One was as if from a scene in "Evita", another like a Surf Life Saving Club doing marching drills, and another as if performing their Calisthenics Club routine.  I loved the marching sequences with the slapping of the thighs to create rhythms.  Maybe a bit more musically challenging rhythms could have expanded this section.

Rescue scene where a guy was brought into the group that then developed into a mob scene.

There were fun bits too - with the Bollywood style "Light Globe turning" sequence.  A bad joke is coming: How many dancers does it take to change a Fairfax Studio light globe?  Yes, 50!  I was beaming inside and with a huge smile in the front row as I loved the joy in this section.

Class Photo sequence as the dancers lined up in formation of a class photo, or a graduation shot, or a Grand Final portrait of a football team.  The ensemble then followed the directions - maybe the teacher, the photographer, the historian - it does not matter who.  They followed the directions of opening and closing mouths, looking up and framing their faces etc.  Interestingly, the looking up sequence should have begun with just the eyes looking up first before anyone lifted their chins.  Little tweaks will strengthen this work.

Window wiping sequence consisted of the splaying of the lower arms that was similar to Brad and Janet driving in the rain from "The Rocky Horror Show".    Some dancers struggled to keep up as the tempo accelerated.

After a duet, the ensemble reformed from the boundaries of the stage and performed duets similar to a dance or an American Prom.

A party scene had the ensemble mingling with low, indistinguishable conversations as individual dancers' worked-the-room in the crowd.

My favourite part was what I shall call the RETROGRADE sequence where the ensemble moved from stage left to right.  First a lady, then two men who did a short throwing pas de deux, and the rest of the ensemble followed in their own combinations.  This whole sequence was reversed.  It was danced backwards - which is called the RETROGRADE.  They did this retrograde sequence at least three times.  I loved it as my heart was beating at the excitement that they created as an ensemble.

At times, the work reminded me of  the umbrella scene from "The Concert" by Jerome Robbins.

There were times when "Colossus" reminded me of  Maurice Bejart's "The Competition" that was performed by The Australian Ballet in 1989. 

Another section reminded me of the swelling crowd scenes from Natalie Weir's "Carmina Burana" performed by The Australian Ballet in 2001.

These comparisons are a compliment as the pulsating and swelling crowds revealing moments of interest are common in all of the works mentioned.

There were moments that reminded me of birds murmuration.  I wanted an obvious flying bird murmuration sequence with arms outstretched as there was one brief moment that had a glimmer of "Swan Lake" style flock.  It reminded me of the sensational Peter Brook's version of "The Conference of the Birds" where the birds would hover and swoop from a great height, that was presented at the HSV7 Teletheatre in Fitzroy in 1980.   This is where birds murmurating was choreographed with exquisite detail.  Visually the sense of  height was lacking in "Colossus" except with the use of the lighting and shadow effects on the back wall; and the two men with the throwing lift from the retrograde sequence.

Many times I watched the ensemble as they observed the soloist or duos or trios perform.  It was interesting to watch those who looked into the audience to espy a friend or the reaction of the audience compared to those who concentrated on the central action.  When those who saw me looking at the ensemble, they quickly diverted back their concentration to the central action.    This Greek Chorus of observation is crucial to ensure the energy is directed to the central point as otherwise it breaks the flow of the work.  The swelling of those concentrating supported the central action to a higher plane than those who sat back and relaxed.  The ensemble is that - an ensemble - to create a unified atmosphere or experience.  These brief moments elevated the work and I longed for more.

The ensemble left the main stage for the finale, leaving a soloist to conclude the show.

These dancers should be proud of being in such a good work.

I could see "Colossus" by the Stephanie Lake Company again.  Even though the quality of the dancing was not necessarily the best contemporary dance I have seen, it was the ensemble's qualities and atmospheres that lifted this work.  Some of the soloists lacked the qualities and finish that I saw from others in the ensemble.

Overall, I gave "Colossus" and 8/10 while my partner gave it 7.5/10.

Follow up:

I could see "Colossus 2" with scenes of pedestrian behaviour, football crowds, protest crowds, Hari Krishna rituals, celebratory parades, The Hajj at Mecca, Boxing Day Sales crowds, queuing up for a new produce; queuing up for the latest book launch; queuing for the latest technology; camping out overnight for tickets to the Grand Final; Bison stampede; African elephants stampede; other animals stampedes; evacuations etc. There are possibilities to include protest marches or protest sit-ins, panicking crowds, peer crowds and evacuations. There are so many possibilities for another version.

I believe Stephanie Lake could do an even better version.


After effects:

I had to press my ears during the show on a few occasions.  The music did not sound loud during the performance but I did feel the thumping went through my entire body.  Both my partner and I had ringing in our ears for four hours after the show.  I am curious if anyone else had a similar effect.

Roots, 1927, Melbourne International Arts Festival, The Coopers Malthouse, Merlyn Theatre, Saturday October 5th 2019

Roots, 1927, Melbourne International Arts Festival, The Coopers Malthouse, Merlyn Theatre, Saturday October 5th 2019

"Roots" by 1927 was presented by the Melbourne International Arts Festival at The Coopers Malthouse, Merlyn Theatre, and we attended the performance on Saturday October 5th 2019.


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.

"Roots" by 1927 was presented by the Melbourne International Arts Festival after its World Premiere in the UK at the Theatre Royal, Margate in England on October 27th 2019.

Arriving at the The Coopers Malthouse had a more festive appeal compared to the drab un-festive Arts Centre Melbourne.  Banners advertising shows that would appear as part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival adorned the high ceilings in the lobby of the The Coopers Malthouse.  Congratulations as this complex made the effort to create a sense of occasion.

The programme outlined the background to the making of "Roots" and sadly did not list the stories for reminiscing after seeing the show.

1927  set various tones with their choice of stories from the Aarne Index housed at the British Library.

"Roots" consisted of about ten short stories that reminded me of "Fractured Fairy Tales" cartoons and also the twisted adult fairy tales by Gregory Maguire.  Some of the tales are funny while others are much darker in the humour.

"Roots" consists of animation and live action acting and music.  The actors lip-sync the voiceovers and they interact with the animation similar to Gene Kelly in "Anchors Aweigh".  The four performers play instruments and alternate in the acting roles.  The set design is integral to the concept as there are trap doors to allow the actors to poke their heads and other body parts through.  Live action combined with animation was also used in David Atkins' version of "Hairspray" where the set was projected onto about ten LCD screens.  The window opening and telephone ringing sequences from "Hairspray" were the most similar to "Roots".

Some of the stories included the cat who ate everyone and everything.  Stay to the end of the show for a great reference back to the first story.  This was easily the funniest story and audience members were bopping along to the song.  I love that song and want a copy.  This story reminded me of the "I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly... I don't know why she swallowed a fly..."

"The Miracle Bird" used a simple set of a white flat where the projections would bring it to life as the back of a settee, or the base of a bed.  A dog in a basket lay stage right with the occasional murmur of movement.  The old couple wore wigs watching a television news item about a miracle bird.  The bird escapes and you can guess where it lands.  The antics are pure magic as we watch greed and jealousy at play.  This story plays with more pace variations and the animation is incredible from a timing perspective.  The performer's interaction with the animation is sublime from a spatial perspective.  The final twist of this story drew a great response from the audience.

"Patient Griselda" was a story about a King wanting a bride that met his very specific criteria. A great twist at the end drew lots of oohs from the audience for its contemporary theme.  We too were "patient" like Griselda as we were curious where this story was heading.

"The Ant Finds A Coin", "Three Wishes", "Poverty" and "The Luckless Man" were some of the other tales.    Each story had their own moral, with some being a little more didactic than others.  What let the show down was the sameness of rhythm and pacing.  The stories that succeeded theatrically the most were those that challenged with pacing, timing, presentation, and humour. Strong endings for stories also enhanced the experience.  The funniest stories received the most spontaneous reactions and applause.  The least successful stories received delayed or lukewarm applause/responses.

Costume Designs by Sarah Munro were simple and clever.  The musicians donned a new outfit for each story to compliment the action.  My favourite costumes included the King's outfit and the musicians wore elaborate outfits that could have been from the Sun King era.  The naked costumes were fun with the genitalia outrageously obvious in different shades and textures that could have come from a knitting or craft exhibition from the Royal Melbourne Show.

The costume for "The Unremarkable Man" was an adaptation of vaudeville half-man/half-woman-costume style visual joke.  Even though the visual "reveal" is a classic joke, the turn enface to the audience received a lovely response as the audience were surprised.

The white face makeup particularly for the opening story created a sense of a simpler era for storytelling.  The performers eyes were so important to convey not only the emotions of the characters, but more importantly their vulnerability as they broke the fourth wall to realise they were being exposed.

Compositions by Lillian Henley created a wonderful potpourri of music that differentiated each story.  I repeat I want a copy of the song from the cat story.  The use of different instruments gave a texture to each story.  These characters were on display at a human slave market with their stories.

Animation by Paul Barritt is a genius for the mathematical and spatial specifics.  More so, his animation created slightly different moods for each piece with the various styles of colour and animation.  The work required for the animation with the story and interaction with the actors is a phenomenal feat of planning and project management.  This co-ordination between all production departments leaves me in awe at their skills.

Writer and Director, Suzanne Andrade has created a terrific piece that I can see growing within the parameters of the set and animation design.

Lighting is paramount to the success of the show as spotlights grow smaller to focus on a character's face.   This vaudeville style lighting works so well in this show to open and close each story.  Childhood memories of "Looney Tunes" cartoons spring to mind with the use of the vaudevillian spotlights.

Our favourite was the opening number with the cat who ate everything.  The other stories were not as funny, but opened us up to different perspectives.

In hindsight, I think some stories were chosen from a personal resonance and were indulgent choices rather than bearing in mind the needs of the audience.  This is both a positive and a criticism as I admired the choices as being personal.  I would love to know why each story was chosen.  This level of detail would engage with me more as it would take an audience on a deeper understanding of 1927's work.

I thought we had seen this company before as we had seen a similar theatre company before at the 2017 Melbourne International Arts Festival using animation for a show called "Dark Circus" by Stereoptik.   This is why we bought tickets thinking that this was Stereoptik with the animation link.  We were still very happy that we saw the "Roots".

"Roots" obtained a 7/10.

Observation and post script about "Roots":

I could see this company adapting Gregory Maguire's "Leaping Beauty".

I would also love a follow up with "Roots" whereby audience members have a code to explore more background information about the stories chosen for the show.  I do not mean an educational pack as per Matthew Bourne with "Lord of the Flies" but an follow up information.


Even though "Roots" had similarities to the Seven Deadly Sins,  I would love to see 1927 do a specific show about the Seven Deadly Sins.    I could see an education pack for the Seven Deadly Sins would be a great companion piece without being too much like theatre-in-education.

Note:

My links are not necessarily those that reflect the stories from the show.

The Beautiful Game, Manilla Street Productions, Chapel Off Chapel, Wednesday September 25th 2019

The Beautiful Game, Manilla Street Productions, Chapel Off Chapel, Wednesday September 25th 2019

"The Beautiful Game" was presented by Manilla Street Productions at Chapel Off Chapel, and we saw a performance on Wednesday September 25th 2019.

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.

"The Beautiful Game" with a Book by Ben Elton, and Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber was presented by Manilla Street Productions at Chapel Off Chapel, and we saw a performance on Wednesday September 25th 2019.

I had seen Manilla Street Productions of “Pacific Overtures” that I overall preferred to the original Broadway production. The Manilla Street Productions version should have toured more extensively and warranted supporting this company to see what they would do with “The Beautiful Game”. Even though I had not seen "The Beautiful Game", I knew the music and story from the cd.

Programmes costing $10.00 are a bit steep, but at least the year 2019 was stated on the inside cover!  So many programmes and theatre posters do not have the year of production and it is my pet hate from a theatre history perspective for this oversight. So thank you for including the year for history.  The programme also has the songs listed. Why did they not state it was the Australian premiere on page three rather than just a premiere? Why are all the cast not photographed for the programme? This contrasts to the block of headshot photos announcing the cast in a pre-show email. I was disappointed that these photos were not duplicated in the programme.

Up front, I do not like the show, but this cast did a great job with very average material. I can now understand why this show never surfaced professionally after its London premiere. Yes, some of Andrew Lloyd Webber's music is good, but the dialogue is very average. The jokes in act two barely worked due mainly to the writing and then next to the setup, delivery and timing.

Congratulations to Manilla Street Productions for making a pre-show announcement. This is such a rare event at Chapel Off Chapel that special thanks needs to be made, as we paid $89 for our tickets and do not expect to be disturbed by “Twankers”.

A woman sitting in C4 took a photo and then kept texting during Act One. I spoke to her at the end of Act One. She then had the audacity to confront me in the foyer protesting “I only took one photo!”  I said “Didn’t you hear the announcement?” “No”, she said, and then continued “I have a sick child”. I thought but did not say “Why aren’t you with the child? If they can text you they .......”  I kept thinking "Where have you been?  Have you ever attended the theatre before?"

I was impressed at interval the two ladies at the programme stall asked me to talk to the director about my interaction with our mobile-phone-lady from C4. I explained the situation to them and they supported what I said. Impressive follow up as they took the time to determine disruptions to their show, and to ensure all patrons received value for money as a respectful audience.

The staging was simple and congratulations as they did not play right up to the front row of the audience.  A bank of lights about 1.5 metres from the front row that allowed for a demarcation point to end the downstage area and allow for a better view of the entire stage. Brilliant as this is only the second show at Chapel Off Chapel to not play right up to the front row. By doing so the audience cannot see the action downstage. So a hearty thank you as I do pay to be able to see the action.

The sound quality for the singing was good. The quality of sound for the dialogue was awful with a breathy, rasping annoying volume level that was way too loud. At least I could understand all of the dialogue, but I did not need the breathing.

The simple staging used cyclone and corrugated fences trucked in to become cells, walls, and other supporting structures. The two fence styles also subliminally represented the two sides of the fence with the Catholics and the Protestants.  When the different Catholic and Protestant characters stood either side of the cyclone fence this highlighted the geographical divide. 

The opening scene set the contract with the audience of what to expect in the simple staging. The opening was strong as the cast were watching a game of soccer.

Lighting Design by Jason Bovaird created many distinct locations. The use of the four banks of angled lighting replicated the atmosphere of a major football stadium. The dual scenes were clearly defined with different qualities to represent the distinct locations.  The divide of the Catholics and Protestants was emphasised by the red and green colours.  The lighting through the windows and the textured floor lighting gave this show a more professional quality than many shows I have seen at Chapel Off Chapel. Some of the lighting from the sides occasionally appeared out of synchronisation with what had just happened, as if the lighting cue was missed. Congratulations Jason Bovaird for producing some of the best lighting design I have seen at Chapel Off Chapel in a long time.  

Choreography by Sue-Ellen Shook captured the mood of the show, in particular the ball game sequence. The pub scene with dancing did not appear authentic 1969, but was a stylised version of the era also referencing Irish traditional dancing. The men had individual choreography that worked to create a united ball game. Some impressive male pas de deluxe included back rolls.

Musical Direction by Daniele Buatti produced some fine choral and rich harmonies. The occasional individual struggled with some notes but more importantly captured the emotion and drama.

Vocally, a stand out moment included the duet between Ginger (Gregory) and Bernadette at The Party (played respectively by Samuel Skuthorp and Nicola Bowman). Their innocent reticence and youthful anxiety was captured with sincerity and honesty to build our warmth to their characters for the drama that lay ahead.

Singing varied in quality with some rough or flat notes at times. Occasionally, screaming rather than projecting the emotion through the singing pushed the quality of vocal production. Sometimes the notes were pinched on the word “you”.

Bernadette was played brilliantly by Nicola Bowman with her depth of emotional connection to the music and lyrics. This was no solo as she created an honest relationship with Ginger (Gregory) played brilliantly by Samuel Skuthorp. I loved their developing relationship as if we were a fly-on-the-wall observing them.

Mary played admirably by Stephanie Wall sang with a deep burning passion during her a cappella “Is This What We’re Fighting For”. Her conviction was timeless.

The final scene told us what happened to the main players. This scene was well staged to clearly differentiate body movements for the individual characters by turning, exiting downstage for a death or exiting upstage as they left for personal reasons.

Stephen Mahy did a good job playing John, though I felt he was too old for the role to give it credibility. He has a good voice but occasionally screamed the emotion rather than allowed the emotion to sing through.

Oscar Tollofsen as Daniel played the role with impish and loutish gusto.  He did not play for laughs but for his next opportunity to score.

David Meadows played Father O’Donnell with good timing and commanding assurance.

Sam Ward as Del built a rebellious and believable relationship with Ellie Nunan as Christine. They performed their roles with youthful, sexual chemistry.

The Protestant Girl played by Sophie Loughran sang magnificent harmonies with Mary played by Stephanie Wall during the duet “God’s Own Country”. This duet emphasised the religious and political divide, and the sexist divide between the Irish men and women of 1969.

The Book by Ben Elton needs some work as it blocks the flow of the story. I understand the need for the music to aid in the scene changes but it felt so laboured at times and clogged the flow of the story.

The accents were strong for the opening but gradually declined in consistency for a few characters thereafter. Overall, the accents were quite consistent.

Atmospheres varied appropriately for many scenes. Some were more successful than others due to the training of the cast who understand their role in creating different atmospheres. The ensemble worked to create the moods for the crowd, the football game, the locker room, the pub, the bedroom etc. This atmosphere building was lacking in the duo scenes, except for the wedding night scene where there was an atmosphere of trepidation, fear and excitement.

One of my favourite scenes was the staging and acting for the announcement that Ginger (Gregory) had died. The mood was palpable as the characters tried to allow this news to sink in. When Bernadette (Nicola Bowman) announces “His name was Gregory”, I had my first and only tear well up in my eyes. This scene is where Ellie Nunan as Christine excelled in her thoughtfulness to create a compelling atmosphere. Ellie Nunan did not do much in this scene, but it was the quality of her and other performers that supported the scene holistically.

The farewell scene between John (Stephen Mahy) and Mary ( Stephanie Wall) did not weigh enough on the stakes for either character. It may have been rushed a bit as the atmosphere was lacking. We should have been in tears with the situation for one of, or both of the characters.

The knee-capping scene was well staged and had the requisite shock value, though the trio’s entrance lacked atmosphere of an invasion of privacy and security.

The confrontational scene between John (Stephen Mahy) and Thomas (Des Flanagan) built the tension with the scripted material. More work could have built the tension to a more uncomfortable level for the audience by working on the atmospheres.

Costumes and Set Design by Karen Jemison mainly worked with the constraints at working in this venue with the limited room for storage backstage. Some of the costumes did not fit the era - as I remember clearly the fashions.

The scene changes were completed with promptness, thankfully with the distraction of the tedious Andrew Lloyd Webber music. The bedroom scene set up and bump out was slick except for the mattress. A roll-up mattress would have been less clumsy and awkward for the scene set up and bump out. Maybe a roll-up mattress could have been stored on the side with the benches rather than lumbering awkwardly down the side aisle.

It is easy in hindsight to see these things. I do not understand all of the limitations of the production but this is what I felt after seeing the show. It is well worth the time and effort to to try different versions in rehearsals in order to maximise the best product.

Finally special congratulations to Nicola Bowman as I have watched her grow as a performer and I look forward to seeing her next work.

Director, Karen Jemison, cast and crew with Manilla Street Productions are to be congratulated for producing a good show from an average script.

The story is better than the Book by Ben Elton.  The book of the show by Ben Elton  itself only warrants a 5/10. While the music and lyrics are worth about 6/10.  This story deserves better.

Overall, congratulations on a 7/10 for the performances of a very average show.