The Children, MTC at Sumner Theatre MTC, Tuesday February 27th 2018

"The Children", MTC at Sumner Theatre MTC, Tuesday February 27th 2018

"The Children" a co-production by MTC and STC was presented at Sumner Theatre MTC, Tuesday February 27th 2018.

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 Children" by Lucy Kirkwood and directed by Sarah Goodes as a co-production by MTC and STC.  In a nutshell the acting is better than the script.  The direction is laboured.

The logic with the set design is flawed when the stage left door is opened with no change in the lights.  Then suddenly there is a lighting change with a huge doorway lighting effect.  

The kitchen with the table and two chairs made sense while the sole lounge chair screamed unrealistic.

The major visual effect is flawed also when William Zappa who plays Robin sits in a trail of the visual effect.  There is not a trace on his jeans when he stands.

Writing wise, there seemed to be segments spliced together to create scenes and then patched together to create drama.  The play took way too long to get to any potential drama.

The funniest lines were those usually delivered by Pamela Rabe as Hazel, who underplayed her asides to reveal deep feelings.  Sadly these asides rarely raised a vocal laugh as they were the best writing in the play.  Though the asides that were overplayed and made obvious to the audience as "this is a laugh line" rose laughs of recognition.  Sadly these were embarrassing to watch as they were played so much in our face.

The actions were laboured by the over produced and over rehearsed choreographed actions  that there was barely a truthful realism.  Pamela Rabe came closest with her fastidious ways, particularly in the preparation of a meal that took way too long for what was produced.  The best piece of realism was when Sarah Peirse as Rose rescued the dripping lettuce in the tea-towel.  More of these moments were required to save a very ordinary script.

These fine actors are better than this ordinary play and this direction.

What really lost me was William Zappa's entrance with the bike.  He kept carrying it during the welcome scene.  The used the machine to check for any radiation.  Wow!  It read okay!  But later this same man was being checked with the same machine, on the same day and now we have a dramatic reading.  Oh spare me!

The telephone rang conveniently to provide a distraction.  This was another spare me moment!  It was so cliched and the phone call took the requisite amount of time for the reveal scene.  My eyes were rolling my eyes in my head as it was as if this was an undergraduate play.

The accents varied and heaven forbid we had the occasional Canadian or Australian sounding word and phrase.  And they used a vocal coach!

The dance routine scene seemed so out of place and overly long.  Yes the MTC and STC  had to justify the use of a movement consultant.

The set design does not work properly in this theatre with the sight lines as each side of the audience is denied the view of one of the end walls.  The set is set askew with the stage right side further upstage (kitchen set) than the stage left side, that provides some tension.  This tension is then negated by counter balancing the less cluttered stage left side with the sole lounge chair and stool.

I have seen amateur companies do a better job with less flamboyant sets and costumes than this overly produced work.

To top off this we had to endure a very loud ringing mobile phone.  Then there were three other phones that beeped throughout.  Plus two of those flashy watches with computer attachments had to be checked on numerous occasions.  In a darkened theatre these flashy lights are so distracting.  The first loud ringing phone was during a crucial reveal that both my partner and I missed the dialogue.

Overall, this production obtained a very generous 6,5/10.  My partner agreed and said the whole play was too long!

Picnic at Hanging Rock, Malthouse Theatre, Saturday February 10th 2018.

Picnic at Hanging Rock, Malthouse Theatre, Saturday 10th 2018

"Picnic At Hanging Rock" was presented at the Malthouse Theatre on Saturday 10th 2018.

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.

This is our second viewing of the play "Picnic at Hanging Rock" that has been adapted from Joan Lindsay's novel by Tom Wright. We originally 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."  This time we were prepared and were pleasantly surprised.  Maybe they had read my review and deleted the "fuck, fuck" sequence!

"Picnic At Hanging Rock" at the Malthouse had originally made us wanting to flee like Edith screaming and running down from the rock "Miranda, Miranda. Miranda." This time the production made more sense. The 85 minutes was more tolerable.  Still not my favourite work it is worth seeing to discuss the book and the film.

My favourite part from the original viewing did not have the same impact.  It lacked the atmosphere when the 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 seemed to lack the shadow of the large looming tree at the back of the set.  The shadow had looked like an alien space craft in earlier scenes and did not create that impact here.

Thankfully they had deleted the word "fuck" from this updated version.  The sequence where Irma returns and the other students want information and they attack her.  This sequence was more believable.

The opening created a shared descriptive monologue that foretold the doom of this production.  Each of the five actors shared the verbose opening.  The actors rotate roles and not look like the characters at times. I maintain that it would help when and if they would try and use some body posture to differentiate each of the various characters, as the vocal differences can be subtle.

The production on second viewing has been tightened and can challenge us with focus.  It is not as confusing on second viewing.  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 again the most effective when using vocals to create a male character.  Her changing to male body posture was less defined, which had been so strong in the original production.  Her writhing scene as Sarah made more sense on this viewing. Sarah's vocal change from a mouse squeak to nearly a lion's roar towards the end of the play made more sense on the second viewing.  The quality of the mouse squeak had a more unnerving quality in the first production.

Elizabeth Nabben's created a a stronger journey as Miss Appleyard with her clear diction.  I maintain her pronunciation of words like "room" and "noon"lacked the upper class precision, though I congratulate her as they were not as strine on first viewing.

The final suicide scene did not have the same impact as the first viewing.

All actors, including Harriet Gordon-Anderson, Amber McMahon and Nikki Sheils had their fleeting moments of glory and were more confident with the material.  The variance in the fleeting moments was more consistent and not as jarring.  A maturity had developed in their confidence. Thankfully the anticipation on their faces and in the breathing for their next line or action was absent.  I did not get bored, though I did notice balancing could be an issue with the slow walks forward.  Occasionally, the synchronisation of the ensemble stepping forward was not as precise as the first viewing. and lost that sense of foreboding.

Set and costume design by Zoe Atkinson had a modest set comprising of a large "V" shaped wall>  Most noticeable was the absence of the wardrobe upstage right. The footprints in the carpet were not as distracting.  The quick scene and costume changes were silent and appeared effortless.

I am still at odds with the use of the costumes.  I think the contract made with the audience in the opening scene broke when the other costumes were introduced.  Some costumes were of school uniforms we then had to endure the confusing introduction of character costumes occasionally. The most noticeably was that Miss Appleyard never had her own costume while Irma did.  This did not make sense and appeared incongruent.  Maybe Miss Appleyard had never grown up from being a schoolgirl.  Oh, someone will justify why this was done.  I still wonder "why some characters were being dressed in a different costume and not others?"  It did not make me cringe, but try to fathom why the inconsistency. I would love to hear the justification from the costume designer.

A possible answer to my above question is that some characters remained in costume to show they had were travelling in another time zone. (Refer to the article below for other possible insights as to the costume question!)

The production is an academic discussion of the myth, and is better on a second viewing.

The lighting by Paul Jackson did not add to any mystery but emphasised the concept of time and what it must be like to be in a black hole of nothingness.  It did not alienate me this time with the long black outs between scenes, but made me pause for reflection.  The music did not seem to create an atmosphere as in the original production.

The sound-scape and composition by J.David Franze and Ash Gibson Greig made such an impact on the first viewing and at times reminded me of "Earthquake" with sensurround in the 1970s.  This second viewing left me disappointed as the sound design as in the sensurround effect was more atmospheric in the first production.

For those who did not read my 2016 review, there is an entertaining and informative article - "The Solution to Joan Lindsays' Novel 'Picnic at Hanging Rock'?" by Brett McKenzie.

My partner gave it a 5/10 while I gave it 6.5/10.  

Falsettos, Stage Art, Chapel Off Chapel, Saturday February 3rd 2018.

Falsettos, Stage Art, Chapel Off Chapel, Saturday February 3rd 2018.

"Falsettos" was presented by Stage Art at Chapel Off Chapel on Saturday February 3rd 2018.

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.

"Falsettos" was presented by Stage Art at Chapel Off Chapel on Saturday February 3rd 2018.

Vocally, Mendel played superbly by Nick Simpson-Deeks sang without going flat.  Sadly the others  hit bung notes on occasions.  His performance had depth of character as he built up relationships with other characters, in particular Jason played well by Ben Jason-Easton.

The quality of the ensemble singing harmonies was questionable.  This show should have lush harmonies to evoke emotion.

The lesbians from next door livened up the stage in Act Two.

Lighting Design by Tom Davies was awful and unfocused and barely made any distinction between locations.  The execution of the lighting plot was laboured, mechanical and amateurish.

Set Design by Daniel Harvey was messy and dysfunctional, thereby creating obstacles for the staging.  The stage left rostrum was under-utilised and jammed up the stage.  The image of the chess set was a great idea and sadly under-utilised by not having the actors move into precise squares to create tension as in a chess game.

The set was awkward and dangerous as the actors navigated the squashed set.  I cannot understand why the white cut-outs of the New York City skyline were not placed further upstage.  The performers had to try and squeeze through to make entrances and exits.  The lesbians from next door were the most obvious as they cautiously clambered over the upstage step to make entrances.  These cautious entrances detracted our attention from the show.

The set did not define locations and lacked any "neuro-linguistic programming" assistance for the audience.  Good direction and set design uses principals from "neuro-linguistic programming" to heighten recall and emotional connection.  A simpler design with more benches would not only free up the stage but create more flexibility in staging.

Costume Designs by Meredith Cooney was adequate and captured the essence of 1979 and 1981.  The toy soldiers' outfits were fun. The texture of Marvin's jacket, shirt and trousers with contrasting fabrics was straight from a 1981 edition of GQ.  

The four men wearing toy soldiers' costumes was a nice touch for the "March of the Falsettos" quartet.  Sadly the marching was very pedestrian except by Whizzer.  Can't they lift their knees to create the mechanical toy image?

The choreography by Madison Lee was not fully realised in "March of the Falsettos".  The emphasis on the inner struggle and trepidation of the words "one foot after the other" was absent.  The full meaning of this song was lost in both the words and choreography.  The "March" is both an inner struggle for each of the individual characters, and a struggle for the gay community at the time..  Remember, for example that the Stonewall riots had only occurred a decade earlier than when Act One is set in 1979.

Trina was played by Sarah Shahinian.  Trina's Song was well executed and sadly some of the staging was lost as the front row of seating blocked the action.

The "Late for dinner/late again" sequence was lost on some audience members as Whizzer stood on the large rostrum on stage left.    This sequence had no hint of suspicion, sexual innuendo or rendezvous or betrayal and thus lost any tension.  More thought was required in both the staging and the performances to elicit a fuller emotional connection to the material.  The lighting also let down this sequence and could have created more of the requisite tension between the characters.

Act Two was better than Act One, and it was obvious where the most rehearsal time occurred.  The choreography by Madison Lee was slick for the opening of Act Two.  Overall, the choreography by Madison Lee was better in Act Two, both in design and execution.

The Ball Game sequence was messy with the staging as the cast were squashed up stage right near the piano looking out to their audience right.  By doing so, the sense of perspective was squashed.  A simple method would be to have them placed further back on stage left or looking out into the opposite direction towards audience left.   The lighting also let this scene down by flickering lights.  The lighting cues seemed nonexistent. The best part of this scene had the six performers sitting on the bench executing slick choreographed moves.  The focus on Jason playing baseball was at odds with any sense of perspective and distance.

The two lesbians created the most warmth in their relationship and had some sexual energy.  Along with Mendel, the two lesbians, and Jason were the closest in making me feel empathy for any of the characters.  The others made me feel distanced, cold and disconnected and I did not believe them on their separate journeys.

Nick Simpson-Deeks as Mendel created a fully rounded complex character that we could warm to. His idiosyncrasies did not dominate but textured his performance with qualities.  

Ben Jason-Easton as the son Jason gave a very credible performance full of nuance and with great timing.  His duet with Mendel captured the vaudeville style and flavour.  This duet was a welcome relief.   Their performance and working relationship was as good, if not better than other versions I have seen of this show.

The staging overall was very messy.  In Act One, focus was drawn from the main action and there were missed opportunities to freeze some characters to emphasise the focus on the main action.  For example Jason laying on the piano with his chess set was distracting as he kept moving.  The lighting also did not focus our attention.  The lighting plot seemed nonexistent.

The laughs were rare and are needed to cut through the story's building tension.  Sadly the tension between the characters was nearly nonexistent, and so reduced the opportunities for laughs. One of the funniest moments was when Mendel was simulating an erection with a white scarf.

There seemed to be a lack of character research of what it was like in the early 1980's with sexual freedom of expression juxtaposed with the threat of a new disease.

There was no sexual spark or electricity between Marvin played by Don Winsor and Whizzer played by Sam Ward.  They barely had any physical or emotional contact, and came across as contrived, frigid and stilted.  They both sang okay with the occasional flat note.  The final song "What Would I Do?" lacked any heart.  I wanted the whole audience to be in tears as I had experienced when I saw the 1994 STC production of "Falsettos" at the Alexander Theatre at Monash University.  Instead I felt relieved when this performance was over.

I found the show lacked warmth and was forced.

The seats were so uncomfortable that what should be a pleasant experience felt pained.

The singing by Nick Simpson-Deeks as Mendel; Ben Jason-Easton as Jason; Francesca Arena as Charlotte and Jenni Little as Cordelia was welcomed.  And these were the supporting roles!

The playing accompaniment by David Butler was assured and honoured the score.

From a safety perspective an usher should have been standing near the floor lights to direct audience members.  This should have occurred as patrons were entering and leaving the theatre at the beginning, interval and at the conclusion of the show.

The programme is not worth $10.00.  Yes $5.00 is reasonable but not $10.00!  Thankfully ours was included in the season's package.  I noticed very few people bought a programme.  I congratulate the programme seller for walking through the waiting crowd.

Director, Tyran Parke is capable of much more.  The set design limited many aspects of this production.  More depth of characters and relationships was required as well as the reasons for doing actions and singing the lyrics.

Sadly this version of "Falsettos" is not one of Stage Art's better shows.

I wish this company would perform at the Alex Theatre in St Kilda as the seats are more comfortable and has better sight lines.

"Falsettos" obtained an adequate 6.5/10 while my partner gave it a 7/10.

Dream Lover: The Bobby Darin Musical, State Theatre, Thursday January 11th 2018

"Dream Lover:  The Bobby Darin Musical", State Theatre, Thursday January 11th 2018

"Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical" was presented at the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne on Thursday January 11th 2018.

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.

"Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical" was presented by John Frost (Gordon Frost Organisation) and Gilbert Theatrical at the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne  on Thursday January 11th 2018 is a sublime show.

I wrote the following paragraph onto Facebook as soon as I arrived home after the show:

"Congratulations to the cast and crew of "Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical".  I have seen over 60 shows on Broadway and it is up there with the best.  A great night at the theatre.  I bought front row seats accidentally thinking I was five rows back and these performers could not hide.  Wow - great honest and heartfelt performances.  Yes, David Campbell is sublime as Bobby Darin, but the whole cast were terrific.  The choreography was fabulous and paid homage to the 1950's and 1960's.  Highly recommended."

The "Childhood" and "Road to Rock 'N Roll" sequences provide the background to Bobby Darin's story and set up the characters and their emotional relationships.  These two sequences provide so much musical and dramatic action to build the sense of anticipation and tension.  The staging and dialogue is so tight that you do not want to miss a line.

The "Vegas" sequence is short.  The Las Vegas showgirls scene showcased female dancers who were slicker and more polished than those that I saw in "Jubilee" at Bally's in Las Vegas in 2008. 

During the "Hollywood" sequence, the Clapper-board used in Italy with Scene 74 and Take 1 was not changed for each of the various shots.  Pedantic, yes but not unnoticed!

The finale to Act One with "Dream Lover" sung by Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee was an appropriate cliff hanger break for those who do not know his story.

Act Two opens with the "On Tour" sequence and a reprise of "Dream Lover" by Bobby Darin and the ensemble.

The "Multiplication" song is next, and begins in full voice, fading to be mimed to juxtapose a scene where Sandra Dee's mother confronts her daughter.  The ensemble miming creates a musical silence that is deafening against the dialogue.  So brilliantly effective with the ensemble resuming the vocals to counterpoint and punctuate the finish of the scene.

The "On Tour" sequence continues with four more songs which pays homage to the "Gypsy" stripping sequence where Gypsy Rose Lee sings "Let Me Entertain You" sporting quick-change gowns.  In "Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical", they use a similar theatrical sequence by announcing different venues where Bobby Darin will perform: "Live from (fill in the venue)...."; but instead of repeating the one song as in "Gypsy", a medley of Bobby Darin songs is used.  This sequence also pays homage to the historical reverence to some old classic songs that Bobby Darin had reworked.

The "Copacabana" sequence, although short, more importantly allows the story to move forward by providing the realisation of Bobby Darin's childhood dream.  This realisation of his dream emphasises the significance of the show's appropriate title.

The "Slippery Slide" sequence included a reassuring and educational song of experience by Polly "Everybody Has The Right To Be Wrong" that pointedly highlights how wrong Bobby Darin's choices had become.

Bobby Darin's son, Dodd played admirably by Oscar Mulcahy reprised "Splish Splash" and received an enthusiastic ovation for his slick dance moves and impersonation of his father.

"Rainin'" was a poignant funereal tribute to Robert Kennedy.  The staging with all of the umbrellas was a bit cliche as it reminded me of each of the funeral scenes from  "Blood Brothers" and "Chaplin".  What is it with the umbrellas that highlight the pathos of a funeral and to provide the subliminal message of tears from heaven?  The transformation of the white coffee table from the previous scene into a coffin was simple, and visually and emotionally moving.  (See Getty images for Charlie Chaplin funeral).

The emotional finale with the characters surrounding Bobby Darin is poignant.  The suitcase opening is magical stuff.  Watching the cast was very moving.

Every ensemble member played a fully blown out character.  There were no two dimensional performances here!

The choreography by Andrew Hallsworth captures the essence of the 1950/1960's era with his combination of steps and staging.  He has created layers of texture into his choreography by using various qualities.  The formations he uses with the six entrances provide interest, spontaneity and surprises.  (The six entrances include the two wings, the doors, upstage - down the stairs, and from under the piano!)  Occasionally the dancers will sneak or explode onto the stage.  While other times they will parade, or pas marche in a solemn funeral procession.  "That's The Way Love Is" sequence climaxed with some clever swaying and pulsating body thrusts - suggestive and appropriate for the choreography to also move the story along as in Agnes De Mille's iconic choreography for "Oklahoma".

Lighting by Paul Jackson provides focus and clarity with the use of colours to distinguish locations.  The slim rail flown-in was lit to provide a clear sense of separation of distance and location.  This was achieved in combination with the Set Design by Brian Thomson.  The set looked simple and was ingenious in its simplicity to create the sense of various locations - particularly in the many showrooms, theatres and venues that Bobby Darin played in.  The white lounge setting had a white coffee table that transformed into Robert Kennedy's coffin.  This was tastefully achieved with honour and respect.  The kitchen scene with the family during the "Childhood" sequence transported you back in time to the 1950's.

The big band set with the sweeping staircase is nothing new to Hollywood or Broadway musicals and reminded me of the wonderful set from "Catch Me If You Can".  Brian Thomson is a classy designer for his ability to create focus and gravitas to the essence of a story.  I have seen many of his set designs and the simplicity in "Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical" is not to be under-rated as it provides clarity to the story and seamless segues between scenes.

Sound Design by Michael Waters provided an appropriate and contrasting sound mix.  The crisp, clean sounds for soloists and ensemble numbers contrasted when the performers used the larger silver microphones as in showrooms, which provided a realistic concert- not so polished 1950's sound.

Costume Design by Tim Chappel transported me to my childhood as I remembered some of the various patterns and textures of fabrics.  When Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee's son, Dodd, played by a Oscar Mulcahy, appeared in his blue and white pyjamas the audience had a chuckle of recognition that the pyjamas were the same fabric as the dancers had worn in the previous scene.

David Campbell was Bobby Darin.  He was totally believable and is a tour de force.  The genuine emotional connection to the material and his relationship to the other characters could not be fabricated.  We sat in the centre of the stall's front row where David Campbell and the cast were under the radar.  He has an honesty interacting with the other characters.  His ability to listen to the other performers created honest emotional connections that were palpable.  His tears trickled down his face on at least two occasions as he allowed the depth of revelations to sink in.  And this was his sensational acting!  Wait until you hear this man sing!  He knows how to adjust his voice to create so many qualities and emotions.  David Campbell is a master in phrasing and brings the lyrics to life. He can change his voice from a teenage idol, to a more mature sound and finally to a man gasping for breath!  Broadway would want to see him play this role.  No - Broadway should be begging to see him play this role!

I am loath to use the term supporting cast as Bobby Darin's story would not come to life without the other performers.  Marina Prior plays the dual roles of Polly and Mary and makes each character physically, vocally and emotionally distinguishable.  At times when the deceased Polly reappears it reminded me of "The Secret Garden" when Lilly would reappear.

Marney McQueen plays Nina and provides us with a definite journey of pain, sharing and discovery.   David Campbell would not have been able to create his believable reactions without their acting relationship.  The revelation scene was magnificently poignant and gut wrenching, while earlier scenes were full of joy, support and love (obviously with an underlying secret).

Rodney Dobson as Charlie was upbeat, blokey and supportive.  He has a terrific stage presence and showed  "That's The Way Love Is" song as a great number that compares with the "Oh What A Night (December '63)" scene from "Jersey Boys" providing a similar dramatic through line.

Martin Crewes played manager Steve Blauner with style, flair and the appropriate amount of cockiness.

Hannah Friedriksen played Sandra Dee by capturing the 1950's innocence.  Her journey from naivety, to alcohol abuse to rehabilitation was believable.  Hannah Friedriksen had a vulnerability that was respected with tenderness by David Campbell and allowed for an honest relationship.

The dual role of a Young Bobby (Darin) and Bobby Darin's son, Dodd was admirably played by a Oscar Mulcahy. He mimicked his father's moves with dexterity and confidence.

I was disappointed that the other minor roles were not named named in the programme as in Dion, Frankie Avalon, Buddy Holly etc.  I can understand that with swings and understudies these can change, but I wanted to acknowledge what a super ensemble provided so much depth to this show.  Every one of the ensemble cast created clearly distinguishable personalities for each of their cameo roles.

Musically - what a show!  The big band led by Richard Montgomery was sensational.  Before the show began the band played to create a sense of occasion, as if entering a Las Vegas showroom.  Thank you for creating atmosphere.  A huge compliment to the orchestra was that most of the audience sat during the exit music.

Congratulations to Simon Phillips on directing such a wonderful night at the theatre.

The only reason I did not stand in a well deserved standing ovation was that I would have blocked David Campbell being seen as I am so tall.  I could not take block the audience seeing him in his well deserved standing ovation.

The programme is a great souvenir and is good value with some terrific articles.

Overall, "Dream Lover - The Bobby Darin Musical" obtained an 8.5/10.  I would have preferred to sit further back to relish this lush and clean production.  

PS In fact I am returning to see the show again on February 21st and will sitting about six rows back in A row.

2017 Melbourne Festival Summary

Melbourne Festival summary 26th October 2017

The 2017 Melbourne Festival was the 31st festival that I have attended and I provide my summary:

Buying tickets:

We bought our tickets at the launch at the Melbourne Recital Centre. I always buy our tickets on the first day of tickets going on sale.  The young lady at the Melbourne Recital Centre was most helpful.

Brochure:

The Melbourne Festival brochure has the planner via each venue.  I have changed my opinion and am now convinced that I prefer this format compared to naming the shows down the left column.

Venue announcements:

I am not impressed with the inconsistent pre-show announcements at each venue.

I was very impressed with the usher who was proactive at "Backbone".

The pre-show announcement for “Ever” at The Temperance Hall in South Melbourne needed more vocal projection and authority to command attention.

In 31 years of attending the Melbourne Festival, and seeing many shows each year, there is only one show that we have attended that has started on time.  Interestingly it was driven by technology and time.  The only show to begin on time was "Since I Suppose."

The use of mobile phones was a problem at “Under Seige” and “The Wrap”.  Also the talking from the audience during “The Wrap” begs the question why people went to the show.

My Favourite show:

My favourite shows this year are hard to split as they all received a 9/10.  Though I think “Germinal” was the best for its emotional connection.  This show obtained a 9/10.

Even though “A Requiem for Cambodia: Bangsokol” obtained an 8.5/10 it was also the most emotionally engaging show with  “Germinal”.

Dance wise I think “In Plan” used technology in a more appropriate and balanced way than the over produced “Tree of Codes” where the technology took focus away from the dancing.

Congratulations to Jonathon Holloway and his team at the MelbourneFestival for the second best festival that I have attended.  The best was his 2016 festival.

Overall the 2017 MelbourneFestival gets a mean average of 8.029/10.  This is a great score that had a consistently high standard and we only saw two shows that brought this score down.

Show	Score
Backbone	9
The Inauguration	9
Voyage of Time	7.5
Under Siege	8
Black Rider	8.5
Dark Circus	9
All of My Friends Were There	8.5
Caravan	8
The Season	7.5
A Requiem for Cambodia: Bangsokol	8.5
More Up A Tree	5
In Plan	9
Ever	7
7 Pleasures	8
Tree of Codes	9
Germinal	9
Taylor Mac: The Wrap	6
Total	136.5/17
Average	8.029

Germinal, L'Amicale De Production, Malthouse Theatre's Merlyn Theatre, Melbourne Festival, Saturday October 20th 2017

Germinal, L'Amicale De Production, Merlyn Theatre at The Malthouse Theatre for the Melbourne Festival, Saturday October 20th 2017

"Germinal" was presented by L'Amicale De Productions with concept and direction by Halory Goerger and Antione Defoort at the Malthouse Theatre's Merlyn Theatre for the Melbourne Festival, Saturday day October 20th 2017

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 it is more of a stream of consciousness.

"Germinal" was presented by L'Amicale De Productions with concept and direction by Halory Goerger and Antione Defoort at the Malthouse Theatre's Merlyn Theatre for the Melbourne Festival, Saturday day October 20th 2017

"Germinal" is a very clever piece of theatre that provided a heart and an emotional connection that is so lacking with many theatre productions.  My heart and body is full of electricity after the show.

The opening was playful with the lights going down then tricking us by coming back on.  This lighting sequence was repeated and then went to black out.  The lights came up slowly as if from Genesis and the beginning.

Four people were revealed on stage playing with equipment sliding levers.  Halory Goerger appeared to be having difficulty which could have been a part of the show as he announced this should not be happening.  We are having a few technical difficulties.  A stage manager appeared and they played around with some levers and looked up at the lights and up to the technical crew as adjustments were made.  This disruption could easily have been a part of the show as they were discussing the technical issues as a metaphor about the origins of life - as to whether it was science, creationist, or another possible theory.  I thought that this disruption was a part of the show and loved it.  Though the running time was more than the allotted one hour and twenty minutes that suggested it was a genuine technical hitch.  I would keep it in for the philosophical question.

The banter between the actors is so funny and thought provoking.  Halory Goerger, Antione Defoort, Arnaud Boulogn and Beatriz Setien are brilliant as they work together seamlessly.

They gradually introduced thought, objects, language and so many aspects of life.  The thoughts were written on the back in what could be described as text boxes.  This was very playful with the four characters introduced but only two text boxes were available for writing their thoughts.  They were using their control panels to express their thoughts.  The sequence built organically with structure to allow for various thought processes.  They even played with the concept of ventriloquism and being able to throw their voices or thoughts.. They played with the concept of defining who was speaking as if writing a script and naming the person who was speaking.  They gradually got rid of the control panels.

Beatriz Setien at one stage obtained a pick axe and cut a hole in the stage to reveal a microphone.  An entire sequence followed about finding sound and their voices.  Whoever was holding the microphone had the control and the power.  The discovery of any new object was fascinating and childlike as they tried to make sense and understand what, how and why things worked.  The playfulness of the microphone to tap it and discover that it made a sound intrigued them.  This led to the tapping of the microphone on various objects including each other's head to discover the famous "poc poc" sound.  They played with the microphone tapping it on every object that they had already found.  This was a recap sequence that was so much fun.  Some objects did not make a sound when they used the microphone as in tapping the empty hole.

Using their new found wisdom they began categorising their thoughts as "Poc poc" or "Non poc poc".  It became an academic exercise in the absurd and made fun of any meeting or process.  In particular it created their version of the Johari Window.  "Poc poc" and "Non poc poc" will become in-jokes as was the phrase "Could it be? Could it be?" from Ronnie Burkett and his puppet shows at previous Melbourne Festivals.

The opening sequences of "Germinal" reminded me at times of "Gilligan's Island" or any film/story where the characters are stranded and have to discover their environment and learn how to survive.  Here the cast of "Germinal" were learning about how to make sense of their environment, and as such was deeper than the superficial survival skills.

A guitar was discovered and more antics followed to learn about this unusual object and to learn about musical concepts: rhythm, pitch, timing and harmonies.

They played with singing as a means of communication that suggested musical theatre and opera.

A laptop was discovered to provide order and assist in categorising their findings.  It was a great play on the Microsoft Windows Word format with headings such as Display, Environment, and Language etc.  They played with each of these categories, for example the environments of Forest, Swamp were discovered.  When playing with the language option they started speaking in Japanese.  This was clever and so entertaining.

The setting was three side black walls and a raised stage that was divided into dark grey cubes.  These could be destroyed at will for when the axe was used to reveal the microphone or the pulley system to reveal the sound speaker.

They discovered what could be a pool of water that looked like a spa bath.  One sat in the pool, another dived into the pool and the others then also got in.  They found electronic drums that they played with to introduce other concepts of anger, denial, negotiation etc. This section was like the five stages of grief.

I loved the summary at the end when the "End" was nigh.  The cast summarised the whole show with the aid of all of the words that we were introduced to throughout the show. They created a rhythm and a chant as they played their electronic musical drums. 

"Germinal" is a very thought provoking work that is extremely entertaining.  At no time does it try to dictate to us but rather gets us to think about concepts.

We were lucky to attend a Question and Answer session convened by Matthew Lutton, the Artistic Director from the Malthouse Theatre after the show.  I had to share with them after I heard they do not have theatre backgrounds about "The Serpent" by Jean-Claude Van-Itallie and directed by Joseph Chaikin at the Open Theatre in New York.  The opening sequence of light reminded me of the Genesis section from "The Serpent" from a production in Melbourne directed by Norman Southerby in about 1975.

"Germinal"also reminded me of a live version of aspects from "History of the Universe in 2 Hours" shown on the History Channel.

"Germinal" is a celebration of life and freedom as this cast muse and ponder on the meaning of many concepts, particularly when they summarise the whole show as if in a spa bath.  "Germinal" feels joyful and grateful for life and existence.

"Germinal" obtained a 9/10 and my partner gave it a 9.5/10.

"Germinal" is a great companion piece to this year's show  "7 Pleasures" from the Genesis perspective.

Tree Of Codes, State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Friday October 20th 2017

"Tree Of Codes", State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne for the Melbourne Festival, Friday October 20th 2017

"Tree Of Codes" was presented as part of the Melbourne Festival at the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne on Friday October 20th 2017

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 it is more of a stream of consciousness.

"Tree Of Codes" choreographed by Wayne McGregor was presented as part of the Melbourne Festival at the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne on Friday October 20th 2017

In preparing the theatre, the EXIT signs were covered over as the reflections would interfere with many of the illusions.  When leaving the theatre after the show, the step lights had been covered over so as not to destroy the visual illusions of the reflections.

Sections for "Tree Of Codes" included:

The house lights dimmed and went down.

Lights illuminated from either side of the stage into the audience.

The lights dimmed on each side of the stage.

An orange spot light focused on my partner.  Friends of ours that were sitting in S Row, thought he was going up on stage as the light was so prominent on my partner.  They said it was spooky.

Darkness fell.

Dancing dots appeared on stage that reminded me of a troupe that I had seen recently on "America's Got Talent".  Maybe this troupe had been influenced by Wayne McGregor's "Tree Of Codes".  If so, this troupe showed the wonderful influence of Wayne McGregor, dance and technology via their contribution on mainstream competition on television.

Ten silver shapes on black stands were wheeled on in a blackout.  Each mirrored silver shape had a central hole.  A hand appeared through each of the central holes to show the different reflections, and to distinguish that each of the ten shapes had a different hand as they each did different movements.  Then they would trick our perspective by sometimes having the ten hands perform the same actions.  They would then alternate between individual and synchronised movements.

The lights came up slowly from a dark stage to reveal a stage-width-and-height-sized-mirror that hung upstage.  You could see the audience in this enormous mirror that was reminiscent of "Music and the Mirror" from "A Chorus Line".

The orange spot light returned and this time the images were reflected and appeared on stage in a large mirror upstage.  This orange spotlight moved throughout the theatre to show the reflection on the mirror.  You could see the reflection of the light in the mirror and where it focused on audience members.

Two dancers in nude briefs did a pas de deux in front of the mirror.

Then four dancers did a pas de quatre in front of the mirror.  We were gradually building the challenge to our perception of the perspectives of what we would see.  We questioned ourselves about what was real and what was being reflected.

Then twelve dancers danced various combinations.  Rarely were more than two dancers doing the same moves.

The back mirror shape changed.

A bank of red fluoro type lights was flown in to show the reflection in the mirror.

Another mirror wall was flown in downstage and two female dancers danced in front to show us their reflection in this new mirror.

Then a sole dancer danced in front of the downstage mirror and another dancer danced in between the two mirrors.  This showed the different types of reflections in the front mirror and the dancer in the middle had multiple reflections.

There were then variations of this theme with all of the twelve dancers in different combinations either in front of the downstage mirror or in between.  More colour was used in the t-shirts and costumes to differentiate the dancers behind the front mirror to those wearing plainer colours in the downstage area.  This was again to play with our sense of perspective to create a sense of reality and comfort, and then to distort our view.  The whole show was a human kaleidoscope that gradually built up with gradual changes pulsating and interspersed with reality checks.

This sequence finished with a dancer in the front dancing with a dancer in the middle section.  It was a pas de deux with a mirror in between.

The back mirror had a semi circular light outline.  Eventually this was moved as the mirror changed shape to allow the dancers entrances either side of the mirror.   Depending upon where you sat in the theatre, it appeared that the dancers were coming out of a potentially cracked mirror.  This was another play on our sense of perspective.

Dancers danced downstage and the back mirror was manipulated in such a way to distort our view as if the dancers were in full view downstage and their reflections appeared to either be on a raked stage or dancing in a pit as their bodies disappeared.  To challenge us even more was when one or two dancers would walk across this middle section and be fully visible while the reflections of others were disappearing below or raised up.  This was very similar to Cirque De Solei's "O" in Las Vegas where the performers appear to be walking on water, or walk into the water until they are fully submerged.  Visually it was stunning and challenging as I watched two large white-ish coloured pulley systems counter balance the rear mirrors to distort our view.  Very clever and sophisticated technology was used throughout the show.

I was so curious about the location of two banks of red lights that I could see in either side of the mirror.  I turned to see where they were located in the theatre and could not see them.  The reflections were so distinct on either side of the stage and it was magical to not be able to find their origin.  I am still in awe as to where they originated.

When debriefing with my fellow seven audience members who sat in different sections of the audience, those in the "S" row could clearly see these raked and disappearing illusions while friends sitting in closer seats in "C" row missed this illusion.   My cousin who flew from Sydney to see the show sat in "K" row and was able to see the raked stage illusion. We sat in "BB" row which in some ways was too close but in other ways was fascinating.  My partner, sitting next to me, could not see this rake or sinking illusion.  I would like to see this show again further back.

A larger mirror full of many rectangular panels and two large circular panels flew very close to the main curtain.  There were hinges to be seen and I knew something special would occur.  These two large circles began to rotate slowly within the large mirrored panelled wall.  The circles reflected images and lights into the audience and onto the back cyclorama blue wall.  These large circles then rotated in the opposite direction.

The orange spotlights returned as small lights from the back wall.  They intensified their light and shone again into the audience focusing on individuals and the reflections appeared on the mirrors.  At the finale there were two large orange reflections of audience members on the back wall.

Wayne McGregor's choreography was beautifully realised by the sublime dancers with superb technique.  I am curious about any influence or relationship from Laban notation, Benesh notation or Trisha Brown with her diagrammatic score (a numerical-spatial-cube) from "Lotus" (1975).  At times the choreography reminded me of the computer generated versions of all three.

The dancers were incredibly fit athletes with consummate artistry and technique.  Their extensions were so high and their rond de jambe en l'air were dynamic and powerful as they sliced the air.  Their attitudes derriere were exquisitely pure.  The pas de deux throughout were solid, secure and electric.

The dancing was sublime but the choreography at times felt repetitive with the style.  I sound spoiled for choice with such incredible performances but I have seen a lot of good choreography and thought there was something missing.  The pace had such a bland sameness that it highlighted the needed for some variation.  It could have been the textures and qualities were so similar rather than layering various qualities and timing.  There was a flow that seduced me but I wanted more depth of intensity of movements.

The audience was selfishly spoiled with the high standard of dance.  As such the choreography was overwhelming as there was too much action at times.  Wayne McGregor's choreography is so frenetic and unrelenting with no respite to savour sequences.  I begged for some simultaneous work or quiet times to allow for reflection.  As Stephen Sondheim, says: audiences need time to digest lyrics.  Here, the audience needed time to digest the choreographed movements. The audience was gasping for breath and needed time to breath.  When the pauses did occur they created slight trough between the constant peaks in dance.

By being spoiled with such incredible quality of dance, music and technology the audience can become a bit blase and expect this from every show.  I felt cheated at missing many of the incredible dance variations as there was too much happening.

Two female dancers, that look like twins, even with their blonde and pink hair, danced magnificently. When they danced together it challenged us again to question whether we were seeing double.

Music by Jamie XX was pulsating and engaging.

The Visual Concept by Olafur Eliasson, which included the lighting and design, was sensational and at times overwhelming that detracted from the dance.

"Tree Of Codes"  is based on the Jonathon Safran Foer book "Tree of Codes" which is based on the "Street of Crocodiles" by Bruno Schultz that was made into a short film.  Scissors hang from above in the short animated film.  I wonder if "Under Siege" designers obtained their scissor designs idea from this short movie.  Either way there are two shows that have hanging scissors imagery - one on stage and the other on film! 

"Tree Of Codes" provided a good companion piece to "More Up A Tree" with the mirrored cube that played at The Substation.  "Tree Of Codes" focused so heavily on the technology that at times drew focus away from the brilliant dancing.

In some ways I think the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne was the wrong venue and needed to be at a similar venue to the Park Avenue Armory in New York.  I question the use of the State Theatre as the most appropriate venue when I looked at the Park Avenue Armory time lapse photography of the staging set up from Wayne McGregor's brilliant site.

The videos provided on Wayne McGregor's site allow the audience to savour their experience and this is what I mean about a holistic experience.  The Wayne McGregor's site allows the audience to be prepared and anticipate an event in conjunction with any advertising and marketing before attending a show.  We can then experience the show and then revisit the Wayne McGregor's site to reflect and be informed or educated.

"Tree Of Codes" was presented as part of the Melbourne Festival at the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne on Friday October 20th 2017

"Tree Of Codes"  obtained a 9/10.