Page 64 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Observer Showbiz DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER
www.MelbourneObserver.com.au
Local Theatre With Cheryl Threadgold
IT’S GLORIOUS AT LILYDALE SHOWS
● James Carlon and Jackie Fraser in Eltham Little Theatre’s Don’t Dress for Dinner . Photo: Liz McCrory ■ Eltham Little Theatre: Don’t Dress For Dinner (by Marc Camoletti) March 15 – 31 at 8pm, Thursday to Saturday, and 2pm on March 23 at the Eltham Performing Arts Centre, 1603 Main Rd., Research. Director: Jonne Finnemore. Tickets: $20/$16. Bookings: 9437 1574 www.elthamlittletheatre.org.au
■ Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre: Glorious (by Peter Quilter) Until March24 at 8.30pm, 2.30pm matinee on March 28 at 39-41 Castella St., Lilydale. Director: Doug Bennett. Bookings: 9735 1777. www.lilydaletc.com ■ 1812 Theatre: Round and Round the Garden (a comedy from Alan Ayckbourn's Norman Conquests trilogy) Until March 31 at The Bakery, 3 Rose St., Upper Ferntree Gully. Bookings: 9758 3964 or 0406 752067. www.1812theatre.com.au ■ Altona City Theatre: Aladdin the rock panto March 23 at 7.30pm and March 24 at 2.00pm at Altona City Theatre, 115 Civic Parade, Altona. Director: Scott Bradley; Musical Director: Jaxson McLennan; Choreographer Steph Jones. All tickets $7. Bookings: 0425 705 550. www.altonacitytheatre.com.au ■ The Mount Theatre: Art (by Yasmina Reza) Until March 31, 8.00pm Fridays, Saturdays, 2.00pm matinees on Sundays at the Mountview Theatre, 56 Smith St., Macedon. Bookings: 1300 463 224 (10am-5pm Tues to Sat) Bookings: 1300 463 224 ■ Sherbrooke Theatre Co. Inc: The Shoehorn Sonata March 22, 23, 24 at 8.15pm at the Doncaster Playhouse, 679 Doncaster Road, Doncaster … Bookings: 1300 650 209.
The Plague Dances
AUDITIONS ■ Frankston Theatre Group: The Mousetrap (by Agatha Christie) March 22, 23, 7.00pm-10.00pm and March 24, 12.45pm-4.30pm at The Shed, Overport Rd., Frankston. Director: David Wearne. Audition bookings: 0412 518710. ■ Peridot Theatre Company: One Act Play Season. The Shell Seekers (by Charlotte Bingham) March 25 at 1.30pm at the Unicorn Theatre, Lechte Rd., Mt Waverley. Director: Christine Grant. For further details visit www.peridot.com.au ■ 1812 Theatre: The Lonesome West (by Martin McDonagh) March 25 at 7.30pm at The Bakery at 1812 Theatre, 3 Rose St., Upper Ferntree Gully. Director: Grant Lepan-Walker. Enquiries: 0432 129660. ■ Peridot Theatre Company: One Act Play Season. No Chocolates, By Request (by Chris Hodson). March 26 at 7.00pm at the Unicorn Theatre, Lechte Rd., Mt Waverley. Director: Lisa McNiven. Audition bookings: 0410 567 834. ■ Brighton Theatre Company: Who's A Good Boy? (by Anthony Wood) March 27 at Brighton Theatre Company, cnr. Wilson and Carpenter Sts., Brighton. Director: Andrew McMillan. For audition enquiries please email a.mcmillan50@optusnet.com.au ■ Essendon Theatre Company: Love and Other Calamities (One Act Play Season) March 29 at 7.30pm and April 1 at 2.00pm at the West Essendon Community Centre, Bradshaw St., West Essendon. For more information visit www.essendontheatrecompany.com ■ Peridot Theatre Company: One Act Play Season. The Waiting Room (by John Bowen) April 2 at 7.00pm at the Unicorn Theatre, Lechte Rd., Mt Waverley. Director: Annie Blood. Call 9551 9084 for audition bookings. ■ Mordialloc Theatre Company: Life and Beth (Alan Ayckbourn) April 1 at 2.00pm at Bracken Hall, Wilson St., Cheltenham (off Centre Dandenong Rd.). Director: Alan Ayckbourn. Enquiries: 0411 645003. ■ Malvern Theatre Company: An Evening with Chekhov's Short Comedies (by Anton Chekhov) April 1 at 2.00pm, April 2 at 7.30pm at 29 Burke Rd., East Malvern. Director: John Keogh. Enquiries: 0401 745483.
SHOWS ■ Leongatha Lyric Theatre: Habeus Corpus (by Alan Bennett) March 23 - 31 at 8.00pm and 2.00pm matinee on March 25 at Mesley Hall, Leongatha Secondary College, Nerrena Rd., Leongatha. www.lyrictheatre.net.au Bookings: Mushroom Crafts 5662 3940. ■ SLAMS Music Theatre: Hairspray March 23, 24, 28, 29, 30, 31 at 8.00pm and March 25, 31 at 2.00pm at Mahon Theatre, Aquinas College, Great Ryrie St., Ringwood. Tickets: $32/$28. Bookings: 9720 3205 www.slams.org.au ■ Hundreds of supporters have saved the Melbourne Cabaret Festival, far exceeding its $15,000 fundraising goal. The 35-day fundraising campaign raised $18,180. It marks the first time in Australia that a Festival has received ‘core funding’ via crowdfunding. The campaign was supported by Geoffrey Rush, the Dresden Dolls, Paul Capsis, Sammy J & Randy, Alan Brough and the Jane Austen Argument.
Melbourne
Observer
● Four Larks creators Mat Diafos Sweeney (left), Sebastian Peters-Lazaro and Jesse Rasmussen. Photo: Garth Oriander ■ Malthouse Theatre and Four Larks present the premiere of The Plague Dances from April 14 to May 6 in the Tower Theatre, Malthouse Theatre, 113 Sturt St., Southbank. Four Larks are Malthouse Theatre’s 2012 Company in Residence, and have taken the mantle as some of the country’s most exciting theatre-makers. They create grand-scale, polyphonic ‘junkyard’ operas with huge ensembles and original scores. An ensemble of more than 20 members will present The Plague Dances, a dance of death with a contagious undercurrent. The phenomenon of dancing mania has left a mysterious trail through history – entire communities infected with a spontaneous urge to dance until they literally drop. It’s suicide with a backbeat, but what’s behind these lethal outbreaks? The devil’s drumming or religious ecstasy? Inspired by a mysterious event in Strasbourg, 1518, in which more than 400 townspeople were ‘infected’ by a desire to dance (even to their deaths), The Plague Dances transposes an enigmatic historical moment onto a haunting, dreamlike realm. It follows a repressive priest, an isolated community, and a fearful young woman who becomes the site of the town’s ‘contagion’, exploring our most basic emotions with devastating results. Written by Mat Diafos Sweeney, Sebastian Peters-Lazaro, Jesse Rasmussen with Marcel Dorney, The Plague Dances provides ideas of collective hysteria and communal panic, as relevant today as they were during the Salem witch-trials. Performance Season: April 14 – May 6 Venue: Tower Theatre, Malthouse Theatre, 113 Sturt St., Southbank. Bookings: www.malthousetheatre.com.au
Caravan
● Donal Taylor (Rodney), Catherine Larcey (Penny), Susan Rundle (Monica), Eddie Edmunds (Parkes) and Andrew McNess (Pierce) in Essendon Theatre Company’s Caravan. Photo: Eddy Dora ■ Essendon Theatre Company presents the Australian comedy Caravan until March 24 at the West Essendon Community Centre, 9 Bradshaw St., West Essendon. Patrons adapt to holiday mood when greeted by a nostalgic foyer display of caravan holiday memorabilia and the theme continues inside the theatre. The authentic caravan interior set, equipped with bunks, double bed, dining and kitchen area has been custom built by Champion Caravans and looks terrific. Written by Colin MacDonald and directed by Dawn Hinrichsen, Caravan tells of three couples, two married and a friend who brings along his young girlfriend, holidaying together in the confines of a caravan. Tensions erupt as things go wrong, ranging from bad weather and no hot water to revelations of adultery and Pierce’s arachnophobia. The cast delivers naturalistic performances in the roles of Penny and Parkes Robinson (Catherine Larcey and Ryan Edmunds), Rodney and Monica Rice (Susan Rundle and Donal Taylor), Pierce (Andrew McNess) and Gwendolyn (SamanthaEllen Bound). Particularly strong performances were enjoyed from Samantha-Ellen Bound, Catherine Larcey and Susan Rundle. The script’s plot may be a little thin, but it is great to sit back in cabaret style and be entertained by a fun show and the audience laughed and had a good time. Caravan is very special for director Dawn, because her mother, Essendon Theatre Company’s late president Eileen Bentley, obtained the rights to the show shortly before her death last year. Following in Eileen and Dawn’s footsteps is Dawn’s daughter Rhiannon Dummett, who will co-direct a one act play for the company’s second season. Tickets: $20 full price, $18 Concession. Bookings: www.essendontheatrecompany.com or . 0422 029 483
SHOWS
■ Encore Theatre: Rumors (by Neil Simon) Until March 31 at 8.00pm, March 25 at 2.15pm at the Clayton Community Centre theatrette, Cooke St., Clayton. Tickets: $20 Full Price, $18 Concession, $15 Opening Night tickets. Bookings: 1300 739099 www.encoretheatre.com.au ■ Beaumaris Theatre: To Kill a Mockingbird (by Harper Lee) Until March 31 at Beaumaris Theatre, 82 Wells Rd., Beaumaris. Director: Robyn Morris. Tickets: $25/$22 9583 6896 www.beaumaristheatre.com.au ■ Fab Nobs Theatre: Avenue Q Until March 31 at The Fab Factory, 33 Industry Place (off Malvern Street), Bayswater. Director: Tony Burg; Musical Director: Danny Forward. Bookings: www.fabnobstheatre.com.au or 0401 018 846 ■ Melbourne Passion Play: April 1 at 1.30pm and April 6 at 10.00am at Ruffey Lake Park, Doncaster. Director: Robert Durai. Further information: www.passionplay.info
Cheryl Threadgold on 3AW ■ Non-Pro Theatre columnist Cheryl Threadgold is heard weekly on 3AW Melbourne Overnight program hosted by Andrew McLaren. Cheryl presents a segment with the latest community theatre news at 12.45am Wednesdays.