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.

Cross Roads, Chapel Off Chapel, Thursday April 21st 2016

CROSSxROADS, Chapel Off Chapel, Thursday April 21st 2016

"CROSSxROADS", Chapel Off Chapel, Thursday April 21st 2016

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.

Buying the tickets via the Chapel Off Chapel website is not as easy and fluid as other ticket agency websites.  The sequencing in the website needs to corrected.

Thursday April 21st 2016 was a very wet night and an umbrella stand had been placed near the main door.  There is no verandah to the venue and consequently it is hard to shake your umbrella of excess water before entering the foyer.

A programme stall was set up near the theatre with a lady providing customer service before the half hour.  Whew this a good change from the last show we saw at Chapel Off Chapel!

Reading the $5.00 programme frustrated me as the cast have their lovely biographies but does not state who plays which role. There are photos of the Creative Team that do not state their creative role succinctly.

It would make it quick and easy to see the name of the Peter Fitzpatrick - Book, Anthony Costanzo - was he the composer?  It actually does not say in the programme.   Though he is credited as an Orchestrator alongside David Wisken.  In fact who was the composer? Anthony is also credited on page three as collaborator.  But you have to go back to the cover to see this is the only place that Music and Lyrics are credited to the very talented Anthony Costanzo.

To find out the Creative Team's functions you must go to page 13.  For example  Michael Ralph is the choreographer and Kim Bishop the costume designer.  The list on page 13 is incomplete as it is missing the book, and, music and lyrics credits (as mentioned above).  Yes I sound picky but I want to remember these fine performances and later try to recall "was it Bronte Florian who played Amy?"  This could be alleviated by putting the names of the characters next to their photo and name.

Oh yes the date of the production was April 16-30.  Which year?  I would love to remember this show was produced in 2016.  But as we age and want to cross our legs trying to not wet ourselves. We will piss ourselves laughing when we remember it was 2016 - only because we can refer to the tickets if we kept them and inserted them inside the programme!                        

We knew something was wrong as the doors did not open to the theatre at 7.25pm for a 7.30pm start. Front of House Management could have made an announcement as it is not rocket science to provide notice to audience members that the show is delayed.  Yes the book writer Peter Fitzpatrick finally made an announcement as he weaved his way near the bar to apologise for the delay.  This could have been done 15 minutes earlier and people would have been more empathetic to the delay.  It also would have shown more respect to the audience members.    Remember some elderly people like to time their toilet breaks in accordance with approximate Act One or Act Two timings.  Yes laugh!  You too could age!   Sorry - YOU TOO WILL AGE!

An announcement made just before the start of the show to turn off phones etc.  How rude of people to be playing with their phones right up until the first entrance. Off means off.

I have been to amateur shows that show more respect to their audiences in preparing an audience for a special occasion.  John Truscott was famous for making sure audience members enjoyed the holistic experience of attending the theatre.  That means from the moment you see an advertisement to a show,  to buying the tickets, arriving at the theatre, buying a programme, using the toilets and to buying a drink and to leaving after the show.

I have not even started the review for the show!

If the seats were more comfortable and I did not feel as if I were falling forward in my seat I could have enjoyed this show more.  In fact I enjoyed this show more than the slick and over produced  "If/Then" which we saw with the original cast on Broadway.  That show is so convoluted and complex in its staging and storyline.  It dragged on and on and on - and was way too long.

"CROSSxROADS"  has a simpler story with some very pleasant tunes and terrific performances and simple staging.  It does not pretend to be clever and thus emphasises the fragility of human decision making with our numerous opportunities and choices in life.

Stand out performances by Alinta Chidzey as Amy with her strong and expressive voice.  Alinta Chidzey is one of Australia's finest musical theatre performers for her pure voice and honest performance. Her voice did not crack or break during any of the songs.   Stephen Mahy played Scotch College educated Rick consistently well until he had a few strained top notes in "Yellow Brick Road" solo.

The setting was simple and very effective with eight sheer white curtains that created screens and tabs similar to sliding doors.  The staging varied with the use of the simple curtains to change locations. Upstage was a low raised rostrum.

Projections onto the white screens were sometimes clear and other times were very blurry which had more to do with the quality of the images.  Most scenes and/or locations and/or times were projected onto the screens.  A different actor would announce each new scene like a vaudeville Ziegfeld Follies which seemed incongruent with the show.   These announcements heightened the inconsistency of the projections as I wondered why they scripted specific locations or times in some scenes and not in others.  The announcements and projections became annoying.  I wanted the projections to be succinct to contain all the information rather than the inconsistent duplication or elaboration by an actor.  In one scene no slide announced the location or time.

The choreography by Michael Ralph created the sexual tension to a scene.  I actually liked his sequences which were well danced by Ryan Gonzalez  and Bianca Baykara.  In one way the main dance duet was distracting as the contract had not been made with the audience in the early stages of the show that this device would be used.  It seemed out of keeping with the rest of the show.

The opening scene reminded me of "Merrily We Roll Along" with the graduation gowns.

The opening scene created a clear contract with the audience of what we were to expect by enacting optional versions and perspectives of the same scene.  (It would be fun to choose your A,B or C version of what happened - which would be a more complex version of the finale from "The Mystery of Edwin Drood" .)  I really liked the three or sometimes four options in different scenes.

Clarity in staging was established early with the audience to differentiate between phone calls, text messages or face to face interactions.

"That's My Shit" duet between Amy and Rick provides us with their personal introductions, and provides a very unusual song of seduction.

Act One had a terrific fun ensemble number "The Difference Between" set in an art gallery.  Rosalie played by Bianca Baykara was flamboyant and demonstrative.

The Club singer played by Bronte Florian sang "Paint The Town Red" well.  The theme of red and green, or, stop and go  - continued throughout the musical.  The colours red and green provided us with the moral compass of decision making.

I remember thinking that I would have been satisfied had  "CROSSxROADS"  ended with "The Emails song" in Act One.  I remember feeling very satisfied that this created a natural conclusion to the options in Amy and Rick's lives.  After this, I hoped substance would be added to their stories.

Barrel is played convincingly by Joe Kozky with a blokey larrakin nature that we witness from the opening scene. Barrel's buck's turn has four options of what could have transpired.  I am sure other audience members had their preferred version of what they would like to be Amy or Rick's reality.  The doorbell ringing as Rick and Barrel party on has both fun and poignant moments.

The song "Floating on Cloud Nine" is a lovely duet between Stephen Mahy and Joe Kosky.  Both blokey and poignant at the same time.  It is their bromance!

The opening of Act Two "Be My Wings" has a good twist of locations and emotional context.  This scene created a depth to the relationships and friendships. Fem Belling is an engaging performer and showed us a depth to her character Hannah.  Her emotional journey matures and is underpinned by Hannah's fun and zany nature.

Amy and Hannah sing "M.E.N" which is traditional female duet to fill in gaps to the story.

Act Two felt more laboured than Act One.

The "What If" song created a sense of possibilities.  Ryan Gonzalez as Paul provided the uncomfortable atmosphere requisite in a new partner meeting Rick.  Does he destroy the hopes of Rick?

The song "Eyeful of the Eiffel" provided different versions of what could have happened meeting under the Eiffel Tower in Paris.  The staging of this song lacked subtlety.  Though the stalking was overdone, with each subsequent variation of the scene, the stalking heightened the menacing atmosphere.

Some of the ensemble did not differentiate enough between each of their characters.

Overall as an audience member you can decide what transpires.  The ending supplies both the neat ending to keep some people happy.  More so, I like the ending as it cleverly gives us the possible endings without being conclusive.  These optional endings were more satisfying than "If/Then".

The final look between Edward Grey and Bronte Florian tells us that this can happen again to another person.  It does not spoil it as we all know that we are all dealt with options and choices every day.   This final look only personifies what we already know.

In some ways it is unfair to compare this to "If/Then" but I will because I saw a performance where some of the singing was off pitch and grating.  Whereas, in "CROSSxROADS"  the singing was terrific except for one strained section. The other bonus was "CROSSxROADS" did not drag on and on as I felt in "If/Then"  (Read my review from 2014).

"CROSSxROADS" is a much simpler version that highlights our journey of navigating our personal, routes, chances and opportunities.

"CROSSxROADS"  needs tightening and some holes filled in.  Some of the music can be a bit repetitious at times but with pruning this can be alleviated.

I thought one musical phrase paid homage to a tune from "For Good" from "Wicked"  with the lyric and tune of "If I knew you" reminding me of "Because I knew you" "Wicked"..  In any love or friendship story you are bound to get a snatch of similar sounds or lyrics.

The costumes by Kim Bishop were well suited to each of the characters plus the passage of time.

Tyran Parke has directed a fine ensemble of performers and should be proud of their inaugural season. without the benefit of 29 previews!  I have seen other new shows that have not stood up as well as "CROSSxROADS".

David Wisken as Musical Director and Arrangements led the small band who played well.

The Set and Lighting Design by  Rob Sowinksi and Bryn Cullen provided an effective set of eight sliding curtains.  The lighting plot was basic and could have made more of the options as if we the viewers were experiencing deju vu.  A simple flickering of lights could have heightened the fun of each of the different alternative scenes.  I appreciate the limitations of the Chapel Off Chapel theatre, but I could visualise side lighting to heighten the sensation of the sliding doors.

Sound Design by Marcello Lo Ricco  provided a better quality of sound than other recent shows.  The sound levels seemed to be much more comfortable than I have encountered in recent years.

This show would have been more suited to the more comfortable Alex Theatre in St Kilda but sadly was not available. This show should tour to other states to gain a larger following in an intimate venue.

My perspective would have changed slightly had the show started on time, been about ten minutes shorter, and if the seats were more comfortable.

Overall I preferred "CROSSxROADS"  to "If/Then".

I gave "CROSSxROADS"  a 7/10 and my partner gave it a 6/10.

(Note:  do not worry that I gave "If/Then" a 7.5/10 as it had millions pumped into it with 29 previews.  So 7/10 is a very good score comparing it to the flashiness and over produced staging.)

Vitesse, Australian Ballet, State Theatre. Wednesday March 16th 2016

Vitesse, Australian Ballet, State Theatre. Wednesday March 16th 2016

"Vitesse" was presented by The Australian Ballet at the State Theatre on Wednesday March 16th 2016.  This is one of the best contemporary triple bills in The Australian Ballet's history comprising "Forgotten Land" by Juri Kylian,  "In the Middle Somewhat Elevated" by William Forsythe and "DGV©  : Danse A Grande Vitesse" by Christopher Wheeldon.

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.

"Forgotten Land" by Juri Kylian is a beautiful work that I have seen on about four or five occasions. I thought this cast were terrific dancing Juri Kylian's haunting choreography.  The sets and costumes are also by Juri Kylian.  The skirts look heavy-weighted fabrics but the female dancers make them move as if part of the choreography and also paying homage to costumes worn in Martha Graham's ballets.

The last girl in the cream coloured dress had a higher centre of gravity and from the beginning of her pas de deux affected her ability to be grounded like the other female dancers.  This gave the feeling that she was slightly off the beat.  She danced beautifully though created a visual heaviness with her partner.

"In the Middle Somewhat Elevated" by William Forsythe is another of my favourite contemporary ballets.  I have also seen this work on about four or five occasions and adore it.  The cast danced this beautifully with zest and verve.  It is an in-your-face work and is confrontational for the narrative story ballet-goers with its recorded score.

Apologies as I am finishing this review a few weeks after the event and did make notes though I am vague in names.  The shortest man had brilliant balance and was so light and buoyant.  I think his name is Callum Linnane and he is a dynamo to watch as he is so charismatic and was like a bouncing ball.  He was replacing Jarryd Madden at the last minute.  These type of cast changes are so exciting as the dancers are even more alert with a heightened sense of responsibility to deliver the goods.  Congratulations as the entire cast were brilliant and had me on the edge of my seat with your hyper extensions, off balances and thrilling bravura.

The finale pas de deux contained some hand holds that were so difficult - as the female lunged forward and was off balance.  They made it look effortless - when I can appreciate the timing, strength and skill involved. Cheers for a sensational and breath taking connection in your partnership. This was a sublime pas de deux.

"DGV©  : Danse A Grande Vitesse" by Christopher Wheeldon was my least favourite work of the night - though I still thoroughly enjoyed it for surprising reasons.

The set and costumes by Jean-Marc Puissant were fun.  The set was similar to seven rolls of celluloid film rolled up and jaggered at the raised ends which created various images of rolling hills or secret hiding places.

The corps de ballet out shone the principals for the choreography they danced as it was much more interesting and was so arresting and mesmerising.  It was as if the four pas de deux were lifting show cases for the men to show off how many lifts they could execute in the shortest given amount of time. Though each pas de deux was well danced they were such a serious contrast to the corps de ballet and the fun choreography they danced.  The corps were like the scenery you pass on a train journey and if you were not looking out of the train window you would miss their fleeting moments.

The corps de ballet reminded me of the Busby Berkley sequences from the movies with the various formations and playfulness.  Their port de bras was reminiscent of Delcroix Eurthymic exercises with a splash of Busby Berkley.  The changing of the arms with the couples turning their partners was a trick of the eye and so much fun.  They created optical illusions that had me questioning if I was watching correctly - a twist here, a turn there and a cheeky change of hands etc.  Wow!

Even before I had a chance to read the programme, I thought the pas de deux ballet reminded me of the dance sequences from the Gene Kelly film "An American In Paris" and as if I was looking out the window of a train to entertain myself.  The corps de ballet provided the light interludes and splash of dynamics.

There is an intrinsic focus problem with this ballet and that is the corps de ballet have the most interesting choreography.  They pull focus from the principals each time as I wanted to really concentrate on their moves, patterns and delivery.  They created such wonderful images of a journey.

I became obsessed with wanting to follow the corps de ballet from their first formation: when they moved from Stage right to left I was watching the first pas de deux and realised the corps had disappeared.  It was so enticing and played with our senses: as I questioned myself whether the corps suddenly were blacked out or gradually faded to a black-out.  This cemented the imagery of a train journey for me as if entering a new tunnel.  They moved along to Stage left in their formations.

Some of the entrances and exits were through a gap between two of the jagged ends of two film strips.  The dancers had to angle themselves to squeeze through the gap.  To me it was if we were voyeurs and sneaking into this private journey of what we could see on the travels.  Climbing through this barrier was embedding memories into our brains to differentiate between the fleeting moments that passed us by -  to these determined and deliberate actions to invade a new space.  They were trespassing and invading our senses.

The coda was sharp, bold and defined.  The music ended as the four couples held their female partners aloft.  This finale image was an after shock or an orgasmic after-glow to suspend the majesty of the ballet to let it linger in our memory.  This is our after glow or end to our journey to "Bliss".

Although it was my least favourite of the evening's ballets -  I do want to see it again as it was so rich in details.  I feel cheated that I did not get another chance to travel on this journey.

The music by Michael Nyman sounded like Phillip Glass repetitions and cycles with subtle changes in between.  Michael Nyman's score was played by Orchestra Victoria with gusto.

I really loved was the dancer's wrists were not a distraction as in any of these ballets.  The men and women created fluid lines that radiated beyond their finger tips, where-as in some story ballets the women, in particular, have a jarring angularity in their wrists which creates an evilness rather than an ethereal quality.  Here tonight, the dancers created magnificently pure shapes.

Each dancer gave us every ounce of their energy and artistry, and they were all were sensational.  The dancers serve us proud as a nation - dedicated to their art.

"Forgotten Land" by Juri Kylian,  "In the Middle Somewhat Elevated" by William Forsythe and "DGV©  : Danse A Grande Vitesse" by Christopher Wheeldon is the one best triple bills by The Australian Ballet with its dollar per step value.  Give me a good quality triple bill any day rather than the fluff and filler-material in the story ballets.

Better still it was a mobile phone free night!  No distractions in ten years!  Call the Ambulance as I am having a heart attack at the shock!

A brilliant night at the ballet.  That is a brilliant night at The Australian Ballet.  Who?  Yes The Australian Ballet - our ambassadors to the arts world.

Picnic at Hanging Rock, Malthouse Theatre, Wednesday March 9th 2016

Picnic at Hanging Rock, Malthouse Theatre, Wednesday March 9th 2016

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 new play "Picnic at Hanging Rock" has been adapted from Joan Lindsay's novel by Tom Wright. We saw this production at the Malthouse Theatre, on Wednesday March 9th 2016 and we practically ran out of the theatre screaming "Miranda...get me out of here."

"Picnic At Hanging Rock" at the Malthouse made us seething inside and we felt like Edith screaming and running down from the rock "Miranda, Miranda. Miranda." We could not wait to get out of the theatre. "Miranda, Miranda. Miranda get us out of here" It was an awful adaptation of the book and seemed to be a three hour production with its laboured transitions between scenes and it was only 85 TOO too long. Highly NOT recommended.

The best part was when three of the actors formed a triangle and raised alternate arms and then touched palms to create the most ethereal aspect of the production.  They did this sequence twice which followed after the shadow of the large looming tree at the back of the set.  The shadow looked like an alien space craft and together with their actions created some mystery to the production. Obviously this was the trigonometry imagery required to give visual weight to this lacklustre production.

Where in Joan Lindsay's book is the word "fuck"?  There is a sequence that defies logic where Irma returns and the other students want information and they attack her.  Irma of course rants "fuck" as one lady must do in Victorian times!

The opening created a shared descriptive monologue that foretold the doom of this production.  Each of the five actors shared the verbose opening.  Oh yeah I get it that the actors will rotate roles and not look like the characters at times. It would help when and if they would try and use some body posture to differentiate each of the various characters.

Oh no - let's just make it a radio play - like "Under Milk Wood" and use our voices to create the story.  If only this had occurred!  It would have been better to have read the book to us.

The production lacks focus, and is so confused.  Half an hour into the production and suddenly an actor appears in a man's outfit.  Why?  Why now suddenly use different costumes to create and differentiate characters?

Arielle Gray was the most effective when using vocals to create a male character.  She also used her body to create a male posture.  Though her writhing scene as Sarah was beyond comprehension. Vocally as Sarah she whispered her lines like a mouse and then suddenly found her voice towards the end of the play.  This was an interesting device to show her change in finding courage and her sense of identity.

Elizabeth Nabben's created a journey as Miss Appleyard.  Her diction was clear and precise though the accent lacked the precision of words like "room" and "noon" which were a bit strine.  Oh yes there is a difference for words like room and noon when using an upper class English accent compared with an Australian accent.

The other actors Harriet Gordon-Anderson, Amber McMahon and Nikki Sheils had their fleeting moments of glory, but due to the script and direction they were drowning with the material.  Sadly we were cringing as any semblance of rapport was lost between the characters as we quickly had to advance to the next scene change.  Sadly you could see the anticipation on their faces and in the breathing for their next line or action.  To stave off boredom I would watch their feet to see how they would prepare for the next line.  Oh yes one lady needed to rest her heel and calf at this moment or otherwise she may cramp!  Or I watched their breathing to see the anticipation in preparing for the next deep breath to support the next tirade.

Set and costume design by Zoe Atkinson had a modest set comprising of a large v shaped wall with a wardrobe upstage right. The carpet was the most interesting feature to keep me entertained as I watched where the foot prints were embedded into the carpet after each black-out.  This was so interesting as to ascertain where the actors and crew entered and exited for each "not too quick" scene change with thumping noisy sound effects to drown out any sounds.

While costumes were of school uniforms we then had to endure the confusing introduction of character costumes occasionally.  MMMMM we wondered "why some characters were being dressed in a different costume and not others?"  Another example to make us cringe.

Programmes were not available for sale until I asked for a copy at 7.10pm.  Finally the programmes were put on display.  This did not give a good impression of the Front of House staff.  Reading the programme notes gave away a hint of what was to come "The cast rehearsed with their eyes closed, and our backstage crew wear night vision googles during the performance."  Yes night vision googles not goggles!  Even Mr Google corrected "googles" to goggles in the previous sentence.  I think they mean "night vision goggles" and could not resist creating a link for them here!

The production was an academic discussion of the myth.  It was a drama school project gone wrong.

The lighting by Paul Jackson did not add to any mystery but further alienated me with the long black outs between scenes.  The best saving grace was the illumination of the tree hanging in the background as if looming.  The long black-outs reminded me of the days when the tabs would close in the theatre for a scene change with music playing to distract us.  The music created atmosphere but with the extended black-outs added to the fury we felt about the production.

The sound scape and composition by J.David Franze and Ash Gibson Greig reminded me of "Earthquake" with sensurround in the 1970s.

Oh yes I did read the director's blog (Matthew Dutton) after seeing the play.  Yes I have read the book and understand the significance of the gym scene.  But really do we need "fuck" in the script? Oh yes I understand now - "fuck" was used to help us run screaming out of the theatre like Edith.

This was not a memorable production and must be on the school curriculum as there were many teenagers in uniform at this performance.  The teachers will have a field day debating the book, movie and now this play.

I cannot wait for the musical or the "Forbidden  Broadway Picnic at Hanging Rock" send-up.  Tongue firmly in my cheek as I again scream for "Miranda".

For a more entertaining and informative piece - read the "The Solution to Joan Lindsays' Novel 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'?" by Brett McKenzie.  Your article made more sense than this ordinary production.

My partner gave it a 5/10 and then changed his mind to a 4/10.  I generously gave this production a 5/10.