Stage Whispers November/December 2019 edition

12 In this issue

Finding Billy ............................................................................................. 8 Billy Elliot The Musical sets off on its 10th Anniversary tour Musicals In 2020 ................................................................................... 14 Mainstream and intimate musical theatre across Australia in 2020

14

Glittering World Premieres ..................................................................... 24 A wealth of new local plays in the 12 months ahead Playing With Light ................................................................................. 30 Nick Schlieper talks about lighting operas, plays and dance

32

Adelaide’s World Of Stages .................................................................... 35 Theatre in pubs, graveyards & gardens, on farms & boats and in a kitchen Packer & Sons ........................................................................................ 38 Media barons take to the stage at Belvoir

48

Aussie’s Return After Wowing West End ................................................ 40 Bernadette Robinson tours in Songs For Nobodies The Australian Musical: From The Beginning ........................................... 48 Extracts from the new book celebrating 100 years of Australian musicals

Regular Features Stage Briefs

62 70 81

6

Broadway Buzz

44

London Calling

45

Stage On Disc

46

Stage On Page

48

Amateur Stage Briefs

58

On Stage - What’s On

60

Auditions

69

Reviews

70

Musical Spice

92

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THE NEXT ISSUE OF STAGE WHISPERS IS FOCUSSING ON THE UPCOMING 2020 COMMUNITY THEATRE SEASONS

89 4 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

PLACE YOUR AD BY NOVEMBER 25 CONTACT (03) 9758 4522 OR stagews@stagewhispers.com.au

Editorial Dear theatre-goers and theatre-doers, If you’re choosing a Christmas gift for a theatre-loving friend, by the time you’ve finished this magazine you’ll probably be tossing up between a pair of tickets to one of next year’s world premiere productions of a new local play, a double pass to one of the musicals gracing our stages in 2020, a brand new coffee table book about 100 years of Australian musicals, or a gift subscription to Stage Whispers.

In this edition we’ve surveyed the many new local plays, and the musicals - from blockbusters to intimate productions - which will be seen across the country in the next 12 months.

Australian novels, sporting stars and cinematic icons will be dramatised, our most prolific playwright will celebrate 50 years of writing for the stage, and stories of our diverse cultures will be explored and celebrated.

2020 really does promise an exciting year of new local plays.

Meanwhile, adaptations of fairy tale movies from Disney and DreamWorks compete with Henry VIII’s six rocking wives, family drama, fresh-baked pies and #MeToo office politics on our musical theatre mainstages, and that’s just for starters.

As opera companies across the country celebrate the 25th anniversary of landmark musical Bran Nue Dae with a national tour, a new book co-authored by our own Peter Pinne celebrating 100 years of Australian musicals hits the bookstores. This edition features a couple of tantalising extracts from The Australian Musical: From the Beginning.

The third item on my thespian Christmas shopping list is a gift subscription to Stage Whispers. It’s a blatant plug, I know, but flip over to page 43 for our specially discounted festive season offer.

Wishing all our readers a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year from the team at Stage Whispers.

Yours in Theatre,

Neil Litchfield Editor

CONNECT

Cover image: Jamie Rogers, River Mardesic, Omar Abiad and Wade Neilsen share the lead in Billy Elliot The Musical, currently playing at Sydney Lyric Theatre.

Read David Spicers’s feature story on Page 8.

Photo: James D. Morgan. www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 5

Online extras!

David Williamson introduces the revival of his classic play Emerald City. https://youtu.be/iQHeFJcjIaY  Nadine Garner and Jason Klarwein in the Melbourne Theatre Company / Queensland Theatre co-production of Emerald City, celebrating 50 years of David Williamson’s plays on Australian stage.

Discover MTC’s 2020 season at mtc.com.au and Queensland Theatre’s at queenslandtheatre.com.au Photo: Justin Ridler.

Online extras!

Director Lee Lewis discusses staging David Williamson’s Family Values. https://youtu.be/3A6TzcMKsgY 6 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Stage Briefs

Online extras!

Watch the preview of Ensemble Theatre’s Crunch Time. https://youtu.be/J2AWA3TCmMo

 John Wood and Guy Edmonds in Ensemble Theatre’s Crunch Time, the final play for David Williamson prior to his retirement after 50 years.

Read more about Ensemble’s 2020 season on our website at bit.ly/31Qn9c2 Photo: Christian Trinder.  Andrew McFarlane in Griffin Theatre Company’s Family Values, another performance marking David Williamson’s golden anniversary as a playwright.

Read more about their 2020 season on our website at bit.ly/2BLZCyA Photo: Brett Boardman.

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 7

Online extras!

The Billys showcase their singing and dancing chops for Stage Whispers TV. https://youtu.be/pnmECTwBv_k Jamie Rogers, River Mardesic, Omar Abiad and Wade Neilsen share the lead in Billy Elliot The Musical.

Photo: James D. Morgan.

8 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Cover Story Imagine yourself as an eleven or twelve year old, playing the most intense lead role there is, in a musical that is touring the country for a year. Four boys playing Billy Elliot carry that weight on their slight shoulders. The role is compared to Hamlet, such is its intensity of time on stage and physical demands.

Billy Elliot The Musical has opened in Sydney ahead of a national tour.

David Spicer reports.

River Mardesic had barely turned eleven when the media watched him rehearse a number called “Angry Dance”. It’s an intense tap routine where the character expresses his extreme frustration at having to give up ballet.

Billy screams to his father that his mother would have allowed to him to dance. When his father shouts that his mother is dead, he launches into a foot stomping tirade.

Such was the passion and intensity of River’s routine at the media call that it made jaws drop.

One of those watching was Robert Grubb, who plays Billy’s boxing coach.

“A couple of weeks ago he was ten years old. Today he lifted by responding to an audience. You could see the intensity on his face,” he effused.

Vivien Davies who plays Grandma was equally enthusiastic about all the leading boys.

“I am gobsmacked at their brilliance. They are lovely little people. I mean it quite genuinely. They are just lovely kids,” she said.

River (from Melbourne) was four years old when he caught the dancing bug.

“My mum is a professional dance teacher. I used to watch her teach. She suggested I try it. I loved it and I just

decided to start dancing. The rest of my life I continued dancing.”

Wade Nielsen from Newcastle was encouraged to dance by his mother at the age of five.

“I went into a ballet class and I’ve loved it ever since.”

Jamie Rogers from Canberra took his time to start hoofing - he was seven.

“My sister was dancing, my mother encouraged me to try and I have loved it.”

The audition process for Billy Elliot the Musical was gruelling. Producers first sifted through 600 expressions of interest, which they whittled down to 200 for auditions.

From there a small group was invited to train for months.

“We look for passion, potential and charisma,” said assistant choreographer Tom Hodgson.

“On the first day we would have seen them. I was looking from a dance perspective. The director something different. These four boys would have had that spark.”

However, none of the boys had all the skills needed to undertake the role.

They received months of training during the audition process to fill in the gaps before commencing rehearsals with the adult cast.

(Continued on page 10)

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 9

(Continued from page 9)

“We just never know the combination we are going to get,” said Tom. “All the dance numbers and scenes are rehearsed with each of the four boys. Every night the cast has to be prepared for a unique version of the show. There is never a cookie cutter version.”

At a media conference, each of the four boys retold the moment when they first heard the news that they got the part.

Omar Abiad (from Brisbane) said, “I was in a car going back from school with my mum, and we got the phone call from my agent. We were very emotional, and I was excited at the opportunity to make new friends.”

River Mardesic said, “I just got back from school when the agent called. Mum jumped around like crazy.”

Wade was at his sister’s soccer training when news came though. “I was stunned. I could not believe it.”

For Jamie Rogers it didn’t sink in at first. “My mum was at work. She facetimed my Dad. She said guess who got the role? I didn’t understand. I only realised when my father and brother were screaming with joy.”

Twelve weeks later we met the boys again at a second media conference. Tom Hodgson described

10 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

how they had grown into their roles.

“Physically their bodies have changed. They have packed on muscle and become more mature. They approach the work as a professional to reach a polished performance.”

This includes being taught to eat and sleep well.

“We talk about a healthy nutrition rich diet. With the amount of physical activity, they will be burning through so much. You can compare what these boys are doing to the highest-level sports people of their age. Every day is gruelling - with ballet, gymnastics, tap, pilates, or contemporary dance - it never stops.”

Playing the boxing coach, Robert Grubb helps make rehearsals ‘intense’.

“I get to clip them around the ear and bang ‘em in the stomach. I do all this sort of stuff,” he said with a laugh.

They also have to learn to work in a large group.

Entering the rehearsal space and seeing all the alternative casts of young male and female dancers, it feels like you are at a primary school assembly.

“They have to be a special personality to get on with lots of other people. It is a very big company.

Getting along is very important,” said Robert.

He also observed that none of them are moody, despite the intense pressure.

“We are on tour for a whole year. Who knows how they will go? At the moment they are pulling it together beautifully.”

Vivien Davies speaks of them like they are her pet kittens. “They are so much fun. You can play with them.”

In another corner of the rehearsal floor I speak with Justin Smith, returning to the musical as Billy’s father.

During the original tour he played Billy’s older brother.

He tells me, “it is such a great show to be part of and do it again.”

Next to him is Drew Livingstone, playing his old role of Billy’s brother Tony. They speak over the top of each other when I ask how the boys are going?

One says he finds it inspiring how they get their heads down and do the work. “They show little selfconsciousness. It is wonderful to watch. At their age they have not learnt to be self-conscious. Watching kids do that I get emotional. They have a freedom about them.”

Then other chimes in, “they are better at everything than I was at their age. And they still have to do English, Maths and History.”

(Continued on page 12)

Cover Story Billy Elliot is currently playing at Sydney Lyric Theatre, ahead of seasons at the Festival Centre, Adelaide from December 29, the Regent Theatre, Melbourne from February 20, 2020, Crown Theatre, Perth from June and Brisbane’s Lyric Theatre, QPAC from July. billyelliotthemusical.com.au

Online extras!

Watch as the cast rehearse “Solidarity” for Stage Whispers TV. Scan or visit https://youtu.be/mjA90AWr0BM Jamie Rogers as Billy with the cast of Billy Elliot The Musical.

Photo: James D. Morgan.

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 11

Wade Neilsen in Billy Elliot The Musical.

Photo: James D. Morgan.

(Continued from page 11)

Helping co-ordinate the schooling is children’s consultant Erin Fleming. She supervises the tutoring for the 21 children on the tour, mostly aged between 10 and 12.

“We set up classrooms in every venue. We put up posters on the walls, so it looks like a classroom,” she said.

A typical day might involve class in the morning, followed by dancing or acting in the afternoon.

“We have a lot of chats with them and discuss how they should focus and use their time wisely. We separate school time from rehearsal time. We can’t employ them if they don’t keep up their studies. That can be a great motivating factor.”

During the extended rehearsal period they even got to spend the odd day putting on a school uniform to attend McDonald College, a Performing Arts High School in Sydney.

“They get to fit in with other the kids.”

Once the musical goes on tour a teacher goes with them.

12 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Omar Abiad in Billy Elliot The Musical.

Photo: James D. Morgan.

Cover Story “Every family allocates a guardian to travel with the child,” she said.

A typical work week for a Billy would be to perform in two or three shows and be on standby for another two performances.

The woman who portrays their teacher on stage is Kelley Abbey.

She is their on-stage mentor in the role of the ballet teacher, Mrs Wilkinson, but she leaves the teaching to others.

“I am enjoying rehearsing with them as accurately and consistently as I can to allow them to feel safe with what they are doing. I am more of an emotional support and positive mentor as well as their colleague,” Kelley says.

“Mrs. Wilkinson is a very different person to me. She is a very tough, loving individual, whereas I am softer and much more empathic. Where we align is that we both deeply care about artistic talent.

When we recognise it, we want to nurture and support it and help that talent realise its fullest potential.”

But she did have a message for the Billys before opening night, to “leave themselves in the dressing room and allow ‘Billy Elliot’ to do the show. Let the story take them.”

The Producer Louise Withers said a key theme of the musical which appeals widely to audiences is the role a mentor can play in someone’s life.

“We are incredibly passionate about that element of this production. Each of the boys had a driving mentor behind them,” she said. “This connects with audiences. It is not just about dance.”

Billy Elliott the Musical was only seen in Sydney and Melbourne in 2009. At the time the company was required to replicate the set used in the West End, which had a large revolving bedroom rise through the stage then disappear.

“We had to dig a four metre by four metre hole underneath the basement floor (at the Capitol Theatre Sydney and Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne).”

The job required supervision from an archaeologist.

In the new production Billy’s bedroom comes in from side stage, allowing the show to tour to Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

None of the dancing, though, appears to have been simplified. To get through each performance the four Billy Elliots are ready to dig deep.

Online extras!

The cast come together over their shared joy of dance. Scan or visit. https://youtu.be/HjSvz4eA11M www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 13

Online extras!

Watch the cast of Six perform at West End Live. Scan the QR code or visit https://youtu.be/bk5rCUQTZDM

Musicals In Shrek The Musical Based on the much-loved DreamWorks movie, Shrek The Musical opened on Broadway complete with a dragon portrayed by a large animatronic head.

This production has less technology and more old-fashioned show business schtick. Instead of a robot, Australian audiences will have the star power of Marcia Hines as the dragon.

Ben Mingay will play the green ogre, while just months after giving birth to her second baby, Lucy Durack will also be slapping on the green paint as Princess Fiona.

The role of Lord Farquaad, the short-in-stature, ruthless ruler of Duloc, and the associated old vaudeville trick (requiring knee pads) 14 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

have been assigned to the trusty hoofs of Todd McKenney.

Shrek opens at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in January, followed by Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne from February and then a season at the Lyric Theatre, Brisbane.

Six The Musical West End hit Six The Musical, by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, has its Australian premiere at Sydney Opera House from January 4 to March 6.

Six The Musical remixes the history of the six wives of Henry VIII - Britain’s notorious Tudor King - by giving the microphone to his Queens to tell their stories: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr.

These powerful women transform from Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses as they tell their rebellious tales in this original pop musical, accompanied by an all-female band and inspired by the canon of music divas like Adele, Lily Allen and Ariana Grande.

Six The Musical twists the narrative from five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a 75-minute celebration of 21st-century girl power.

Frozen Disney Theatrical’s musical Frozen will have its premiere Australian season at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre in July, only two years after its Broadway premiere.

Based on the classic fable of the Snow Queen, Frozen was the highest grossing animated movie of all time,

The UK cast of Six. Photo: Idil Sukan.

2020 with eye popping imagery and that ear worm song “Let it Go”.

A dozen songs were added by the original composers, plus a mountain of scenic effects, to turn it into a Broadway musical. Special effects highlights include a stunning curtain of Swarovski crystals.

The New York Times raved about the “masterly” first twenty minutes but noted that children were looking on the sleepy side during the second act.

The Guardian was also a little underwhelmed, describing Frozen as “a good show, with its music, its dance, its flurry of likable leads, and snowball after snowball.” The real star of Frozen is not Elsa, its critic (Continued on page 16) www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 15

After the unexpected death of her father, Alison is forced to said, but Sven the reindeer. In true confront his secrets. Shifting Disney style the show and between past and present, we meet characters are the stars, not the present-day Alison, a successful cast. graphic novelist; college-age Alison on the cusp of self-discovery; and precocious child Alison, who plays Fun Home At the complete opposite end of in coffins instead of sandboxes in the musical spectrum is Fun Home. the family’s Bechdel Funeral Home.

Maggie McKenna, the original The winner of the 2014 Tony Award (musical) Muriel, returns from for Best Musical, Fun Home is a touring the United States in Dear small cast, simply staged Evan Hansen to play medium production, based on a graphic Alison, alongside Lucy Maunder as novel by Alison Bechdel. It’s mature Alison. described as “a heartfelt story The cast also features Lisa about coming out and coming of McCune, Ryan Gonzalez and Adam age.”

Murphy.

(Continued from page 15)

Fun Home.

Photo: Justin Ridler.

Online extras!

Watch the trailer for Frozen, coming to Sydney’s Capitol Theatre. Scan or visit https://youtu.be/EhBeBMBTQ2s

Caissie Levy as Elsa in Frozen on Broadway.

Photo: Deen van Meer.

16 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Charity Angel Dawson, Desi Oakley and Lenne Klingaman in Waitress.

Photo: Joan Marcus.

Musicals 2020

Online extras!

Waitress believes that life should be as easy as pie. Scan the QR code or visit https://youtu.be/tocbTSLp5qg Melbourne Theatre Company will stage the Australian Premiere in July, followed by a season at the Sydney Theatre Company commencing in late August.

Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 Based on the 1980 film of the same name, the musical 9 to 5 had a limited run on Broadway in 2009, but has been given a new life thanks to a well-received production at London’s Savoy Theatre and the changing times.

A musical about workplace harassment is suddenly topical again thanks to the #MeToo movement.

The female-led musical follows workmates Doralee, Violet and Judy as they prepare to take revenge on their incredibly sexist supervisor, but as they tie him up and begin reforming the office, their CEO pays a surprise visit.

The musical features a mostly original score by Dolly Parton, with a couple of her hits including, of course, “9 to 5”.

Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 opens at Sydney Lyric Theatre, The Star in April.

away), it is still scheduled to continue baking on the Great White Way until January 2020.

Described by Variety as having “a charming score that suits the quirky material”, Waitress is based on a 2007 rom com by Adrienne Shelly.

The central character is diner waitress Jenna, who “is such a honey bun, she melts us like the mounds of butter that make Jenna’s homemade pies so luscious.”

The Australian premiere is slated for late 2020 at the Sydney Lyric Theatre, but has already been postponed once due to cast scheduling.

The Book of Mormon After clocking up more than 1000 performances across Australia, The Book of Mormon returns to Brisbane at QPAC in January 2020 before heading across the Tasman for a limited run in Auckland.

School of Rock Following seasons in Melbourne, Asia, New Zealand and Brisbane, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock continues its Sydney season at the Capitol Theatre into 2020, before heading to the Adelaide Festival Centre from March 20.

Come From Away After its Melbourne season at Chicago the Comedy Theatre, the Australian The revival of the hit Kander and production of Come From Away Ebb musical Chicago continues its heads to China in 2020. national tour at the State Theatre, Arts Centre, Melbourne during Oklahoma!

January and February, starring Black Swan State Theatre Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Alinta Company of WA’s production of Chidzey, Casey Donovan and Jason Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Donovan.

Oklahoma! takes to the Heath Ledger Theatre stage from 28 Nov Billy Elliot The Musical to 20 Dec. This intimate production, The 10th anniversary tour of Billy performed in the round, promises Elliot The Musical continues in bluegrass, country and even the 2020. After opening in Sydney in chance to join the townsfolk and Waitress October, it plays Adelaide from band members on stage in the Waitress opened on Broadway in December 29, then Melbourne from heart of the action for a squarethe same season as Hamilton, and February 2020, before audiences in dance at the Box Social. Directed by although it was overshadowed by Perth and Brisbane get to see the Richard Carroll (Calamity Jane, The that production (just a few blocks production for the first time.

Show Goes On). www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 17

Musicals 2020

18 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Opera Companies Staging Musicals

Fiddler On The Roof Opera Australia and John Frost again join forces in 2020 to stage two musicals.

Fiddler On The Roof, the classic Broadway musical set in a downtrodden Ukrainian village, will be even more Jewish in a new interpretation performed entirely in Yiddish.

This production was originally staged off-Broadway and described by the New York Times as “offering a kind of authenticity no other American Fiddler ever has.”

Time Out New York said, “At times it’s more like a séance than a show.

The turn-of-the-20th-century village of Anatevka may be fictional, but its denizens feel wonderfully, vibrantly alive.”

Fiddler On The Roof, directed by Oscar and Tony Award winner Joel Grey, plays at the Sydney Opera

House in September, then Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre in November.

won six Tony Awards including Best Original Score. Set in Florence during a languid 1950s summer, a windborne hat sparks an intense The Secret Garden romance between Clara and local Opera Australia and John Frost will dreamer Fabrizio. The production also collaborate on a 25th anniversary plays at the Sydney Opera House in production of The Secret Garden, August. which reunites the original Broadway creative team of director Susan H Bran Nue Dae Schulman, choreographer Michael Opera companies around the Lichtefeld and designer Heidi Ettinger. country are combining for a 25th Based on the popular literary classic anniversary tour of Jimmy Chi and

by Frances Hodgson Burnett, with a Kuckles’ coming-of-age musical book and lyrics by Marsha Norman comedy. A loving and joyous and music by Lucy Simon, The Secret celebration of Indigenous culture, Garden will open at Sydney Lyric Bran Nue Dae is an exuberant ride Theatre in August. through 1960s Western Australia.

Ernie Dingo will reprise the role of The Light In The Piazza.

Uncle Tadpole he first performed 30 Four-time Grammy Award winner years ago.

Renée Fleming stars in Opera Australia’s production of Broadway (Continued on page 21) musical The Light In The Piazza, which

Renèe Fleming in The Light In The Piazza.

Online extras!

Renèe Fleming shone in The Light In The Piazza when it toured Los Angeles. https://youtu.be/mE0XTewkL2Y www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 19

Musicals 2020 Michael Mavromatis, Musical Director and Indigenous Advisor for Bran Nue Dae. Photo: Damian Kelly.

Online extras!

Watch the cast and creatives discuss the background story of Bran Nue Dae. https://youtu.be/_CSgvGDPW18 20 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

The revival will have a real family feel with up to three generations involved. Original Kuckles member Stephen Pigram will tour as part of the band, this time with his daughters Naomi and Ngaire as the Associate Director and the role of Aunty Theresa respectively and their children Taj, Tehya and Bojesse all in the ensemble.

Fellow Kuckles member and the show’s Indigenous Advisor Michael Mavromatis will be joined in the band by his son Manny.

Lauded as “the great Australian musical” when it premièred in 1990, this new production will tour to Parramatta, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Adelaide.

The Who’s Tommy Victorian Opera is venturing about as far away from traditional opera as you could imagine with The Who’s Tommy. Based on the band’s 1969 rock opera album about the pinball wizard Tommy, whose traumatic childhood leaves him deaf, dumb and blind, the rock opera will play at the Palais Theatre, St Kilda in August.

Margaret Fulton The Musical.

Margaret Fulton The Musical Victorian Opera gets cooking with its other musical theatre offering in 2020. Based on the best-selling autobiography I Sang for My Supper: Memories of a Food Writer, Margaret Fulton: The Musical brings her inspiring true story to the stage at Arts Centre Melbourne in September.

Sweeney Todd State Opera SA will present Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s classic musical about the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, starring Ben Mingay and Antoinette Halloran, at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide from October 3 to 10.

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 21

Intimate Productions

Ben Bennet and Ashleigh Taylor in The Life Of Us.

At The Hayes Theatre Sydney’s Hayes Theatre will stage four new Australian musicals amongst the offerings in its 2020 season.

The Life Of Us by Ashleigh Taylor & Ben Bennett follows the long distance romance of Charlie and Ellie. Forced apart by circumstance, they maintain their relationship through technology.

But how much connection can a person truly feel through a screen?

Playing from January 16.

Gerry Connolly has written, and will star in, a brand-new musical The Rise and Disguise of Elizabeth R, which brings to life many of Gerry’s alter-egos, from Her Maj, her son, her bête noire the Baroness Thatcher and her Australian PMs to other famous home-grown personalities. Playing from February 13.

There’s not a spare seat in the West Dubbo High School Gym. Ozzy the Aussie Battler flicks his cape and steps into the ring, and the crowd go troppo. Dubbo Championship Wrestling, by Daniel and James Cullen, is a new Aussie rock musical classical storytelling, and the about professional wrestling, regional Australian professional Australia, and musical theatre itself. premiere of Bonnie and Playing from May 29.

Clyde. To mark Stephen Sondheim’s 90th year, The creator of Keating, composer April will see a Casey Bennetto, teams up with Sisters production of Merrily Grimm to “explore the guts of our We Roll Along, brave nation, in a toe-tapping musical currently being colonoscopy”. The Sovereign Wife made into a film, “smashes together all the stories while Mel Brooks’ Australia loves to tell about itself Young Frankenstein combining the subtlety of Baz concludes the Luhrmann’s Australia with the soaring season in beauty of Gina Rinehart’s poetry.”

November.

Playing from August 7.

The 2020 Hayes season also includes The Bridges of Madison County in March, the Australian premiere of Head Over Heels, which mixes The Go-Go’s 80s pop with neo22 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

The Hayes Theatre is offering subscriptions for the first time in its five year history.

Dubbo Championship Wrestling.

Musicals 2020 At Darlinghurst Theatre Company The Darlinghurst Theatre Company will feature two musicals in its 2020 season.

A new staging of A Chorus Line, directed and choreographed by Amy Campbell, will be the first professional production in Australia to feature entirely new choreography. Playing March 13 to April 19.

The musical version of AmĂŠlie will have its Australian Premiere from July 2 to August 9. Based on the motion picture of the same name, this production will feature an ensemble of actor-musicians in a blend of musical theatre, puppetry and illusion.

A Look At 2021 Global Creatures will present Moulin Rouge! The Musical in Melbourne at The Regent Theatre in 2021.

Hamilton will have its Australian premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in March 2021.

A Chorus Line.

Photo: Daniel Shipp.

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 23

Seasons 2020

Australia’s mainstage theatre companies are serving up a smorgasbord of new plays in 2020, with some potential classics in the making.

STC’s Triple X. Photo: Rene Vaile.

Online extras!

In 2020 witness electric performances from the finest storytellers at the STC. https://youtu.be/xBpLuER7Y-w 24 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

become the number one tennis player in the world at the age of 19. The Sumner Theatre will be transformed through on-stage ‘court-side’ seating to evoke the magic of Wimbledon.

The MTC started investing millions through its Next Stage writing program in 2017 and audiences will see the results in 2020 with four new commissions.

Benjamin Law makes his playwriting debut with Torch the Place. Directed by Dean Bryant, it’s about a family who come together around their “hoarder” matriarch.

Joanna Murray-Smith conjures a world of lust and intrigue in Berlin, described as a “spine tingling thriller”.

Aidan Fennessy’s new comedy, The Heartbreak Choir, is set in an amateur choir with music by Leonard Cohen.

In Dan Giovannoni’s SLAP. BANG. KISS, a video of a 16-year-old hitting a security officer goes viral (Slap), an impassioned speech for the victims of a school shooting makes international news (Bang) and in the car park of a Wangaratta Woolies two boys lock lips (Kiss).

Belvoir’s The Jungle And The Sea. Photo: Daniel Boud.

2020 is a ‘golden’ year for David Williamson. Australia’s most successful playwright says he is retiring after 50 years. Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre will stage Crunch Time. Gold Logie winner John Wood plays Steve - a high flying (Continued on page 26)

One of the most keenly anticipated new works of 2020 is Queensland Theatre’s adaptation of the bestselling Australian novel Boy Swallows Universe.

Director Sam Strong promises it will be the theatrical event of the year.

“Trent Dalton’s Brisbane coming of age novel swept Australia like a tidal wave. Playwright Tim McGarry has retained the rough poetry of Trent’s language, capturing his flair for unforgettable set pieces, and maintaining the incredible velocity of the story.”

Also set to have mass appeal is Sunshine Super Girl by Andrea James, being staged by the Melbourne Theatre Company. The play tells the story of the “quintessential girl from the bush” Evonne Goolagong, who rose to

The National Theatre of Parramatta’s Lady Tabouli.

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 25

two men are looking for the manager, their friend Jim Barclay.

Seasons 2020 Then a grim discovery sets them off on a journey across the harsh (Continued from page 25) Australian terrain, looking for businessman in a race against time answers. to pass on his company to his The STC is teaming with dysfunctional family.

Queensland Theatre for the world Across the harbour, the Griffin premiere of Triple X by Glace Chase.

Theatre Company has the world It’s about Scotty, a successful Wall premiere of Family Values. This is Street banker who is “living the described as “Williamson at his dream”. He has just bought a angry best, distilling the enormous Tribeca loft for a cool three million ethical, intergenerational battles and is about to marry his beautiful facing the nation into one family’s and loaded girlfriend Kymberley, but living room.” his ongoing affair with charismatic The Melbourne Theatre Company trans drag performer Dexie is about and Queensland Theatre are to outrage his family. celebrating Williamson’s 50th Queensland Theatre has high anniversary with a co-production of hopes for the world premiere of The Emerald City. Deliciously promoted Holidays by David Megarrity. 12as a love letter “to that that sinkhole year-old Oliver Holiday has been of ambition and superficiality we pulled out of school for an call Sydney.” unexpected road trip with his parents en route to grandad’s The Sydney Theatre Company is seaside shack. It’s described as a putting its star power into the new meditation on mortality with a play Wonnangatta by Angus Cerini. touch of magic.

Hugo Weaving and Wayne Blair feature in the drama set in 1918 at Sydney’s Belvoir Street Theatre is a dark and empty farmhouse. The hoping to build on the incredible

success of its production of Counting and Cracking. The team behind that Helpmann Award winning production is staging The Jungle and the Sea. Written by Belvoir’s Eamon Flack and S. Shakthidharan (and presented in collaboration with Lingalayam Dance Theatre), the story leans on two pillars of classic literature Antigone and Mahābhārata - to forge a new story with the power to heal.

Belvoir is staging a brand new comedy from the writer of Single Asian Female. Michelle Law’s Miss Peony is a glitzy, glamorous and slightly unhinged comedy about being caught between two generations and two cultures.

Another new comedy at Belvoir is Cursed! by Kodie Bedford, described as a madcap story of a mixed-up family.

The company has three new adaptations of literary classics. My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin has been adapted for the stage by Kendall Feaver; Carissa Licciardello and Tom Wright have adapted Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own, whilst Belvoir artistic director Eamon Flack is transplanting Maxim Gorky’s Summerfolk into an Australian coastal town.

Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre season is also dominated by new Australian work.

Black Cockatoo by Geoffery Atherden opens the Sydney Festival.

It’s inspired by the true story of legendary First Nations cricketer Johnny Mullagh and Australia’s first ever international sporting team.

At short odds to tour the country (eventually) is Kenny, adapted for the stage by Steve Rodgers, based on the movie by the Jacobson brothers. Stepping into his overalls for the story about the fearless Aussie plumber is actor Ben Wood.

(Continued on page 28)

Online extras!

Get a taste of Queensland Theatre’s 2020 season. Scan the QR code or visit https://youtu.be/EJue9jgHZHw 26 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Online extras!

See the world differently in 2020 with the Melbourne Theatre Company. https://youtu.be/DOV6MOcDbl8

Online extras!

Watch Griffin Theatre Company’s 2020 season launch trailer. Scan or visit https://youtu.be/zOepXCjnsHo

 Griffin Theatre Company’s Kindness.

Photo: Brett Boardman.  MTC’s Torch The Place.

Photo: Justin Ridler.  Queensland Theatre’s Boy Swallows Universe.

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 27

Belvoir’s Summerfolk.

Photo: Daniel Boud.

Seasons 2020

Online extras!

Check out a Belvoir’s 2020 season launch trailer. Scan the QR code or visit https://youtu.be/YQggJGGeWtE (Continued from page 26)

Melanie Tait has a new comedy, A Broadcast Coup, which promises to pull the plug on an antiquated media industry.

Ensemble Artistic Director Mark Kilmurry has penned a new comedy, Outdated, about diving back into the dating pool in your 40s.

Hillary Bell has penned an update to the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol, to be directed by her father John Bell, who will also play Ebenezer Scrooge.

uncertainty, incessant change and extreme weather events.

The La Boite Theatre is staging the world premiere of The Brothers Book Club as part of the Brisbane Festival.

Traversing theatre, hip hop, poetry, and the boys’ imaginings of classic texts, the play is described as “inspirational, hilarious and unflinchingly honest.”

The company’s season kicks off with The Neighbourhood. Seven storytellers in the Roundhouse Theatre space share their true-life tales of fleeing their homelands in search of refuge.

negotiating their small lives in a time of big politics.

The National Theatre of Parramatta will stage the world premiere of James Elazzi’s comedy Lady Tabouli, described as an unapologetic examination of culture clashes in contemporary Australia and a searing look at how expectations can eat away at us until we decide to change the rules.

In Melbourne, Malthouse Theatre has the world premiere of Grey Arias, featuring and created by gay, black, English-Nigerian man and drag artiste Le Gateau Chocolat. With Adrienne In Perth, Black Swan State Theatre Company has two world premieres.

Sydney’s Griffin Theatre Company Truscott - a cis white feminist Unsung Heroes is a collection of six will stage Matthew Whittet’s American female performance artist home grown stories, whilst York, Kindness, which follows a group of 20 they spring rhetorical traps designed written by Ian Michael and Chris -somethings over the course of a to catch any who overstep the blurred Isaacs, promises to delight and terrify single night, as they attempt to gently lines of political correctness. pull their dear friend Lukas out of a Ra Chapman makes her Malthouse in equal measure. York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia and deep and complicated grief that is mainstage debut with K-Box, a is the setting for a ghost story set in a sucking him down like quicksand. comical new play about a 30hospital that is inspired by 200 years Kendall Feaver also has a new play something Korean adoptee who finds the raucous and riotous side of family. of ‘real accounts’. In the play a pack of at Griffin that dives into the schism Lucy fled her manic Melbourne routine cub scouts are confronted by a ghostly between emerging and established feminists. Wherever She Wanders to find calm in the country. But the matron. explores the safety of women in home of her adoptive white babyThe State Theatre of South physical and digital spaces. boomer parents ain’t the place for Australia is touring Euphoria by Emily Mark Rogers’ Superheroes explores peace and quiet. Enter Kim Han, a charismatic K-pop star making a Steel. It’s about coping with mental the ordinariness of existence in the face of profound situations. The play surprise visit to rural Victoria, who tips illness in a remote Australia town marked by isolation, financial follows two women a world apart, Lucy’s crisis into a complete tailspin.

28 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

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Multi-award-winning Nick Schlieper talks to Martin Portus about the rigour and magic of lighting our landmark operas, plays and dance works for four decades.

STC’s Saint Joan (2018).

Photo: Brett Boardman.

30 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Nineteen-year-old Nick Schlieper first plugged into his craft alone backstage at Doris Fitton’s old Independent Theatre in North Sydney in 1977.

It was a time in Australian theatre when the lighting guy was usually one of the mechs. Nick was the Independent’s resident stage manager; restless, he began experimenting every night during the show by shifting around the lights.

Actors learnt to just work around it.

Schlieper has been playing with light ever since, earning - and demanding - a respect for the precision, invention and storytelling role of his craft, and his very distinctive signature in lights.

It’s no surprise that painters are his first inspiration - think Turner and Edward Hopper and Nick’s own late brother. Michael Schlieper, Nick’s senior by 11 years, would work on his canvases through the night at the family home in Chatswood. Every morning, getting ready for school, Nick would observe the added layers, the depths appearing from new light and colours.

“I think I learnt most about lighting design and light from that exposure, watching him painting and then, growing up, talking to him about it, and watching his style change radically over a few decades,” says Nick.

“He started out as a wildly abstract painter, went through a very figurative, so-called Teutonic, social commentary period and then ended up painting landscapes but with a great facility for technique, which I learnt from him.”

Nick’s start in stage management also added a practical insight into the logistics of theatre - and the required diplomacy. He was soon responsible for casts and crews far older than he, calling shows, later operas, with the big companies in Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide. Finally as a production manager, young Schlieper always had work …until, that is, he put out his shingle as a freelance lighting designer.

The jobs were few but, somehow, he scored the lighting gig on the STC’s Summer of the Seventh Doll and

Away, both of which went to New York in 1988. He remembers Roger Kemp’s three model houses signifying the three families intersecting in Away.

“It was played in tight areas and was the first time I had to create a naturalistic pool of light in an abstracted stylised space yet evoking a sense of place. And I approached it from an incredibly simple point of view - of standing under a light bulb, but expanded.”

German director Harald Clemen commissioned Nick to light a show at the prestigious Schillertheater/ Berlin just before the Wall came down,

angles, very cold light, all things very unfashionable then.”

Home he may be, but Nick was also staggered at the absence in Germany of expressive techniques in lighting design. Images of German theatre may look stunning, but the lighting was fixed.

The idea of leading the audience’s eye, lighting the actor and expanding on the emotion was becoming essential to Nick’s story-telling toolkit back in Australia but, then at least, it was foreign in Germany.

“Germans called it dramaturgical lighting, and actors even said to me that they resented me doing their job

Bangarra’s Bennelong (2017).

Photo: Daniel Boud.

which was, he says, like “dancing on a volcano “ with the arts integral to everyone’s fervent conversation, and part of the arsenal between East and West.

“And at the theatres I suddenly understood where my aesthetic had come from - it was like coming home,” says Nick, whose family immigrated from Germany.

“In Australia I was jokingly criticised for my work being very Teutonic, very stark, without much colour. I spent a lot of time making people look right, not nice - which is not the same thing. I do use very steep

for them. It was best to do it under fluoros and with the house lights on!

It was a Brechtian hangover.”

Times have changed. Nick went on to work regularly across Germany, and notably at the Salzburg Festival: he’s just returned from there, lighting a brilliantly urbane contemporary version of Médée. For more than a decade he’s taught lighting design in Munich and he went on to see WAAPA in Perth establish Australia’s one major lighting course.

But ‘dramaturgical’ remains his best descriptor. He rejects all jobs (Continued on page 32) www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 31

“We always made sure that after fabulous visuals we came back to a permeable box with no scenery in it, just lots of light and that light in those interludes, even more than usual, with a focus all about the singers.”

With a set that filled 38 shipping containers (an average opera may fill three) and a lighting rig with a thousand lamps, this was the biggest theatre show ever staged in the country. Oddly for the celebrated designers, the job offers then dried up.

“You’re so easily pigeon-holed by this industry. I think we were branded as, they only do huge now!”

Nick however did join another trusted collaborator, director Simon Phillips, in 2006 to create the stage Still, five years out, he joined the version of the film hit, Priscilla, Queen (Continued from page 31) creative team, all of them leaving of the Desert. unless he’s included from the start in behind their phones and locking “I’m not drawn to musicals but I that first collaborative planning with themselves away in a Blue Mountains was keen to get over my prejudice the director and other designers. He retreat. that they’re all flash and giggle and reads the script or score over and over “But at the end of that week at not much craft.” again and, he says, he eschews tricks “Camp Wagner”, we’d only got as far With a colour palette beginning and focuses his lights only on as the first five minutes of the first with hot pink, he was also repainting advancing the meaning of the work. opera, and most of that was the his reputation as a master of stark “We start with that simple prelude! white light. Nick’s starting point with question - why are we doing this “Still, all that time we were Priscilla was that every scene have the work? It’s all the more vital a question addressing the whole framework with sparkle, the heightened colours, as when it’s a classic. I’ve done five the same question - why are we doing though viewed through the lens of a productions of Macbeth; if you don’t this work yet again and why in drag show - just like back then at the ask why you’re doing it here at this Adelaide?” famed Imperial Hotel in Newtown, This landmark Ring had massive, time and place, then they’d all look Sydney. He admits that the lighting the same. And once you answer that strikingly lit set pieces, but here again took a leap elsewhere, especially with question, you find the environment in for the lighting designer the priority the introduction of Brian Thomson’s which you’ll do it.” was story-telling, of not losing sight of magically inventive bus and a huge All this was well tested when Nick the human stories over time. and his frequent collaborators, director Elke Neidhardt, and set and Médée (2019). costume designers Michael Scott Photo: Thomas Aurin.

Mitchell and Stephen Curtis, started planning what was Australia’s first full production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle. It was premiered by the modest sized State Opera Company of SA in 2004, but years earlier Nick was getting his head around a score lasting 16 and a half hours.

And it was all the harder, given his block about Wagner, one he suggests is common in many Germans.

“It just makes me very uncomfortable, to the base of my spine, since it’s so laden with his vile thoughts…. so learning what I find fairly repugnant music was a challenge.”

Nick Schlieper at the lighting desk for Love Never Dies (2012).

Photo: Jeff Busby.

32 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

tech budget. And Nick finished up with a lighting plot of 2,500 cues.

The arc of Nick Schlieper’s career has seen an ever-growing respect from audiences, critics and industry colleagues - for the craft of a lighting designer, and an astonishing shift in the technology at their fingertips.

“I’ve seen manually operated desks replaced by computer boards; football -sized globes replaced by ones golfball -sized; and colour temperature and heat emissions have changed so much we can have an expanded palette of colour gels. And importantly we can now have a whiter, less yellow light.

“At first with computers doing a lighting fade we missed the skill of a good operator, but now these have a control which is incredibly sensitive.

You can virtually move a host of lights throughout a show without the audience being aware of what you’re doing.”

A negative for Nick is LED technology. He argues it reduces the colour ring spectrum to just 70%; with the missing 30% so critical because that’s the light most sympathetic to

MTC’s North By Northwest (2016).

Photo: Jeff Busby.

skin tones, to lighting the actors and telling the story.

It didn’t stop him, however, employing a huge back wall of white light in the STC’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The lighting bank initially simmered and then blasted direct into the audience, suggesting the fireworks - and raw emotions - that climaxed at the end of the play.

Nick has the perfect collaborator in STC artistic director Kip Williams, whose own stage signature often strips everything to an empty space, often with a revolve, defined with little set or clutter, and so often dramatised by cross lighting.

Their recent credits also include Chinamerica, with its complex (Continued on page 34)

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 33

(Continued from page 33)

storytelling across countries and decades; the epic dramatisation of Ruth Park’s Harp in the South; Brecht’s Arturo Uri with Hugo Weaving; White’s ghoulishly vaudevillian A Cheery Soul; and Shaw’s St Joan. He just finished lighting Simon Phillips’ STC production of Stoppard’s The Real Thing.

He remains a big fan of white light and cross-lighting, and his reasoning, of course, comes back to what’s true to the performers.

“It solves the age-old problem of people standing next to each other talking as we do in real life, by lighting along the axis they’re speaking to each other.

“And it gives such a sculptural impact to dancers. It makes bodies look fantastic and faces so much more interesting and more present.”

Nick has lit six notable shows by Bangarra. With Patyegarang and the most recent, Bennelong, he’s lit Stephen Page’s significant shift to a dance theatre storytelling involving

34 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Ring (2004).

Nick Schlieper spoke to Martin Portus for a State Library of NSW oral history project on leaders in the performing arts; the full interview is now available on amplify.gov.au points of view both indigenous and colonial.

“In terms of the practical, it’s about being very careful about colour and choosing the optimum angle for dancers … but with the episodic story of Bennelong I also had to be wary about leaving the audience with a clear dramatic structure.”

He’s getting over being what he describes as “the whitest thing possible in that context, yes Aryan even!

“It’s a very useful reminder - as if it’s needed - of how strongly you can feel being the ‘other’, and useful to have the boot on the other foot.”

Blue Sky Theatre’s Cyrano de Bergerac.

Adelaide’s World Of Stages

When we consider theatrical venues the first image that comes to mind is an auditorium where the audience sits in front of a stage.

However, in any city there can be unexpected and thrilling alternatives.

Lesley Reed reports from Adelaide where theatre is being staged in pubs, a graveyard, on boats, a farm, in gardens and a kitchen.

Live and highly interactive performance, not from a stage, but streamed to wherever we are. That is the creation of Michael Allen Productions, headed by Adelaide theatre practitioner and PHD researcher Michael Allen. What’s more, his audience is the world, simultaneously...and it all began in his kitchen.

Lunch With Jenna heralds new dramaturgical methods to create theatre for an online audience with stories about online life. A trilogy, it is the story of Jenna Britten, an emancipated middle-aged suburban mother stuck in the structures of domesticity and conventional heterosexuality. When her husband left her she re-invented herself. Now, she supports others and lives her life on her terms.

“This is theatre and not ‘film’ as such, because film and TV are postproduced events subject to editing of sound, vision and many other aspects,” said Michael Allen. “This work is not post-produced. It is live and the audience, both in the room

and online, are active participants in the performance. They can talk to the actors or even each other during the performance. It’s not like Q & A either, where the twitter feed is posted as ‘dressing’ to the conversation. The tweets and social media interactions during the performance can have a direct impact on the performance. In this sense the audience members are vicarious performers in the piece. They are active participants. It is a dynamic, interactive and multilayered experience that happens in real time even though the physical space is dislocated across media, time zones and geography.

“You go to the theatre to feel the live visceral sensations of tension and humour. When as an audience you can manipulate that, then the danger of live performance is more real than anything you have ever experienced in the quiet darkness of polite company.”

Since his first venture into livestreaming theatre during the 2016 Adelaide Fringe, Allen has engaged in

intensive creative development of his work and believes it has evolved as a new genre of theatre, separate and distinct from conventional theatre.

“The potential configurations of technology from an independent approach to a full commercial application are limitless,” Allen said.

Lunch With Jenna, streamed live from Michael Allen’s kitchen, can be found at michaelallenproductions.com.

Blue Sky Theatre Productions stages theatre by collaboration with a group one would not usually bring to mind when thinking theatre-Open Gardens SA. Each Blue Sky season is staged across various beautiful, stately, often heritage South Australian gardens, such as the garden of Adelaide’s historic Carrick Hill.

“These gardens infuse an atmosphere impossible to achieve in a theatre,” said Artistic Director Dave Simms. “We focus on the performance, costumes and props, as there are no lights, scenery or sound (Continued on page 36) www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 35

(Continued from page 35)

effects to add to the show. Blue Sky thinking under a blue sky. Honest, well-crafted production values, paired with an open-minded and forwardthinking attitude, brought to life with elegant simplicity. The audience always comment that it’s the whole experience which makes the night so special. And the vibe nature can bring to the show as the sun sets is magical.

There’s an amazing bond of resilience which is formed between the audience and the cast; a ‘we are in this together come rain or shine’ mood.”

Following successful seasons of Sense and Sensibility, The School for Scandal and Cyrano de Bergerac, Blue Sky Theatre will present She Stoops to Conquer in very special gardens, season beginning mid-January 2020.

Details at blueskytheatre.com.au Emma Knights Productions focuses on music-based, out-of-theatre musical experiences. Knights said, “In The Sound of Music the baroness says, ‘there is one thing you do better here than in Vienna and that is your sunsets’. We performed the musical at The Monastery in 2019, with the sky above full of beautiful pinks and purples, reflected in the monastery windows. My Oklahoma! production was on a real farm, and included horses. There was much entertainment from farm animals. The chicks and ducks and geese really do All The Cemetery’s A Stage.

36 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Peek Into The Past With Popeye.

scurry! Among other such works, my company performs a one-hour, eightperson version of Pirates of Penzance on boats, in swimming pools, even shearing sheds. Each different venue challenges the cast to recreate the magic.

“Creating productions outside is also better for the environment. Using natural lighting and fixtures that already exist means much less waste and a much smaller carbon footprint per production.” Find out more at emmaknights.com.

Butterfly Theatre’s Creator Bronwyn Ruciak said, “Having enjoyed live music at ‘The Wheaty’ (the Wheatsheaf Hotel) I realised there was an opportunity for a different use of

the space. We chose plays that suited the venue, the atmosphere and also the clientele - and so Beer Theatre was born. Each production is viewed as a ‘one-off’ project, reminiscent of the life cycle of a butterfly; cocoon butterfly - flight. This model requires each project to be independently sourced and funded and all participants are rewarded accordingly.”

It worked from the start. Ruciak said, “There were mutual benefits for both the performers and the venue for example, patrons would attend the show who had never visited the pub and vice versa and both parties extend their clientele base. From productions in festivals, to a regular season of Summer Sessions, Butterfly Theatre has staged pub-based fulllength plays (the company’s debut with David Mamet’s Boston Marriage and a sell-out season of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew) and short plays.”

Butterfly Theatre’s next production in January 2020 is Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, not in a pub this time but in the Holden Street Theatre, though still with an immersive twist; a mix of onstage ‘in the round’ and traditional seating. Find out more at butterflytheatre.com.

Treading the boards is their usual activity, but some of Adelaide’s theatre actors regularly involve themselves in a night tour experience at West Terrace Cemetery, creating

for multi-award-winning 30,000 Notes, a unique production that premiered well away from traditional staging, at a boutique Adelaide art gallery.

The company’s latest production, Guthrak, is a new interactive play inspired by the table-top game Dungeons & Dragons.

“An intimate audience of 30 will be invited to sit around an ornate table and interact with a threedimensional map that comes to life and where they ultimately decide Guthrak’s journey,” said Briggs.

“Guthrak aims to focus on three major themes, including maternal roles and child neglect, religious freedoms and roles, especially with a strong focus on women within the live theatre there among the colourful past, such as businessman church, and racism, through the headstones. All The Cemetery’s A John Bull and bushranger James Fox,” perspective of Orcs and humans. The Stage is a Friday night live experience said James McCluskey-Garcia, a story was developed by Natalie offered by the Adelaide Cemeteries Popeye employee who wrote the Hockley, who has largely based the Authority. interactive show with his partner character on her own personal stories In cemetery grounds and cloaked Charissa. and experiences.” in inky darkness they bring to life just “There’s singing, dancing and Discover more at a few of the stories behind the colonial poetry as you travel up and underthemicroscopetheatre.com thousands of people resting in the down the river and you can cast your Streamed theatre, theatre in a imagination back to 1838 when there kitchen, pub theatre, theatre in a vast graveyard.

Sometimes brutal, certainly were only red gums and bilbies along graveyard, in gardens, galleries, on fascinating, these stories are played the banks of a dry creek bed,” boats and on a farm - just a few of out in full period costume, supported McCluskey-Garcia said. the unique theatre experiences that by light and sound effects that help The drive to create theatre outside take place away from traditional traditional venues continues into the set the scene; a very different stages in Adelaide, adding to the theatrical experience for audience and future in Adelaide too. city’s reputation for truly immersive, actors alike. Stories such as that of Matthew Briggs is Producer/ high quality and surprising theatre Albert Edwards. He spent his life as a Director for Under the Microscope performance. politician, bending the rules and Theatre, which is particularly known bullying his opponents, but compassionately serving the Emaa Knights Productions’ Oklahoma! at Four Oaks Farm. underprivileged. Known as ‘The King of the West End’, his indiscretions led to a jail term, but he was soon back out in public, establishing tea rooms and women’s shelters. When he died in 1963 he left his fortune to Adelaide’s poor. Event details at aca.sa.gov.au/tours-and-experiences.

Speaking of historical stories, Peek Into The Past With Popeye brings Adelaide’s colonial past to life on Adelaide’s River Torrens on one of the city’s iconic Popeye launches, one of many shows that use the boats as venues and which can be found at thepopeye.com.au “It’s a ninety-minute show where you meet living characters from our Butterfly Theatre at the Wheatsheaf Hotel.

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 37

David Spicer: Let’s start at the beginning. Did the Packer dynasty really begin with a bet at the racecourse?

Tommy Murphy: It is a myth with some credence which we refer to in Packer & Sons. As the story goes, R.C. Packer found some money at the Hobart racetrack.

The amount varies depending on who tells the story. He placed a bet. He won enough money to get to the mainland where he advanced his career as a newspaper manager. The empire really began when R.C. helped his son, Frank, trick R.C.’s employer into thinking that he’d launch a rival newspaper. So, they began not with luck, but with ruthlessness.

DS: What was the smartest business deal a Packer accomplished?

TM: Well the famous one is the sale of Channel Nine to Alan Bond for over a billion dollars. Kerry bought it back for about a quarter of the price not long after. That was 1987.

DS: What was their dumbest business deal?

TM: Kerry was himself willing to sell to Bondy without sentimentality but when James courted a big sale of the family company to Telstra, Kerry scuppered it. I think that deal would have sidestepped the later collapse of One.Tel. It was also an example of James being prophetic enough to predict a convergence of the telecommunications industry. He knew phones were going to be the future.

Kerry couldn’t bear being wrong.

DS: Can you describe what you think is the kindest act from a Packer?

TM: They are famous for their patronage of medical research and the arts in Australia.

DS: And the cruellest?

TM: They were tough in business. I think for the most part they acted with old-fashioned decency. When crossed, however, they unleashed fury and hatred. In terms of cruelty, my play takes interest in Frank and then Kerry as fathers. I’m sure Frank thought belittling and undermining was his version of love and that it would make his sons strive harder. It cost him his relationship with his eldest son, Clyde, who was disinherited. Frank left his successor, Kerry, with lifelong demons.

DS: What is it about the Packer story that made you want to turn it into a play?

Cast rehearsals of Packer & Sons.

Photo: Brett Boardman.

38 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

TM: Fathers and sons. I had the inkling for this idea when my father was fading into dementia. That painful time made me reflect on how grateful I was for his nurture and gentle love. This play comes from that personal, happy place but is a kind of horror show at times about the brutality that can be inculcated by the patriarchy.

governments yielded to them and the shadow they cast over the city - and over James.

DS: Have you had to be careful to avoid defaming anyone?

TM: Of course. I believe we have created a story that is accurate and fair. It’s sympathetic in some ways - a complex sympathy - for James’ quest for happiness. It would be ridiculous to say ‘poor James’. We don’t pity the man. We do try to understand him and his yearnings.

DS: If you were reincarnated as Jamie Packer, what would you do with the fortune?

TM: That’s a provocative question. James presumes it, In the corresponding edition of this magazine y’know? He said to Mike Willesee in 2013[1]: “I recognise last year, Stage Whispers nominated Packer and that the vast majority of people would swap places with Sons as the most exciting dramatic prospect of me and I wouldn’t swap places with - with anyone.” I’d 2019. Ahead of its opening at Sydney’s Belvoir like to think I’d use the money for social good. Who Street Theatre in mid-November, David Spicer knows? With Kerry as a father I might equally want to spoke to the playwright Tommy Murphy. build that casino.

DS: Are any of the Packers coming along?

DS: From your research can you see clearly how one TM: If they did they would be most welcome. I would generation influenced the other? like to think they would see a play that is well researched TM: This is precisely the premise of Packer & Sons. The and accurate. play dramatises half a century of that influence and the DS: How would you label this play - a comedy or a echoes of the Packer men in their sons. drama or a farce?

DS: Has the play changed much this year to keep up TM: A drama that will make you laugh. with recent dramas surrounding Jamie Packer?

DS: How do you compare the process of creating this TM: The play ends in 2001. We don’t cover any play to your best known work, Holding the Man? material from James’ recent troubles or anything from his TM: Worlds apart. But I enjoy embracing theatricality married life. I am sure that recent news about the Crown as in that work and I’ve also utilised the experience of Casino in Sydney will be in the audience’s mind. The play researching true lives. points to what James did next but it does not depict the DS: How hard was it to decide what to leave out? casino narrative directly. It’s an origin story of the man TM: The focus of fathers and sons was the best guide that wanted to build that sky-scraping monument on the for that. edge of the city. The casino is a monument. A monument DS: What is one insight you would like the audience to to all the Packer men that came before them, the way be left with?

TM: We want to complicate their responses. You see, this play is less interesting when we just condemn or dismiss these characters. We’re not writing a satire, though parts of it might lean close to that. We’re trying to involve the audience in a complex and high stakes emotional narrative about power and entitlement and the patriarchy.

[1]

‘Sunday Night’ Channel 7 interview with Michael Willesee, 2013.

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 39

Aussie’s Return After Wowing West End Fresh from a prestigious Olivier Award nomination in London, Bernadette Robinson is returning to Australia for a new tour of her one woman show Songs For Nobodies, written by Joanna Murray-Smith, in which she portrays five ordinary women, the “Nobodies” of the title, and the iconic vocalists (Judy Garland, Edith Piaf, Patsy Cline, Billie Holliday and Maria Callas) who inspired them. Bill Stephens reports.

Best known in Australia for her remarkable talent for capturing other people’s voices, Bernadette Robinson’s sell-out seasons of Songs For Nobodies around the country culminated in a Helpmann Award nomination for Best Female Actor in a Play.

“Well Cate Blanchett beat me, so I don’t mind too much,” Bernadette laughs down the phone from London.

The production’s success led to a three and a half week season at Wilton’s Music Hall in London in 2018, followed by a seven week transfer to the Ambassador Theatre in the West End. Critics were rapturous, with Bernadette described as “a jaw-dropping talent” in The Times. The Telegraph described her portrayal of Maria Callas singing ‘Vissi d’arte’ from Tosca as “so sublime, it’s like a shot of morphine; for a blissful few minutes, all the cares in the world are gone.”

Bernadette received word of the Olivier Award nomination for Songs For Nobodies after she had already returned to Australia.

“I wasn’t going to fly back over, but my investors were so proud they flew me over for the event.”

The excitement in her voice as she describes her Olivier Awards experience is palpable.

Bernadette Robinson in Songs For Nobodies.

40 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

“It was like the Oscars (but) at the Royal Albert Hall. All sorts of famous people were walking around - Richard E. Grant and Tom Hiddleston. Sally Field was there.

She had done something in the West End. So many glamorous people and I was one of them, with my beautiful program.”

She couldn’t remember who the winner was in her category (for the record it was the Old Vic production

are not rare, but what immediately sets Bernadette Robinson apart is her uncanny ability to access the vulnerabilities of the artists she is portraying.

At that time, she was already well established as a cabaret performer and had appeared in musicals including Cats, The Pirates of Penzance, My Fair Lady and Nine, garnering Mo and Green Room nominations.

of A Monster Calls). It didn’t matter.

“I just went on to the party afterwards and had a good time.”

Overnight success rarely comes quickly. I first met Bernadette in 1994 when she accepted a twoweek engagement to perform her one-woman show, The Songs of Bernadette, at Queanbeyan’s nowdefunct cabaret venue, The School of Arts Café. Even then it was obvious that she was a remarkable talent and her ability to captivate audiences in the intimate ‘café for the showbiz connoisseur’ was on show nightly. Vocal impressionists

“Always nominations. I never seem to win,” she laughs, rather ruefully.

Bernadette had trained with Dame Joan Hammond at the Victorian College of the Arts, so a career in opera seemed an obvious pathway. To that end, she had played Rosalinde in the Wellington City Opera’s production of Die Fledermaus and starred in three productions for Melbourne’s Chamber Made Opera. Her performance in The Two Executioners was described in The

Australian as ‘...brilliantly sung, with an almost hypnotic intensity’.

However, it was her own onewomen cabaret shows, You Might As Well Live, Who’s That Girl and The Songs for Bernadette (which she had created almost as a sideline to showcase her talent for reproducing the voices of famous singers), that were attracting national attention.

Her cabaret performances put her in demand for high profile events, particularly with corporates across Australia. By incorporating singing in English and in local languages into her act, she found herself performing in Tokyo, Beijing (during the 2008 Olympic Games), Shanghai (during the 2010 World Expo), Macau, Buenos Aires, Singapore, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto and even parts of Africa.

But despite her success in cabaret, Bernadette felt she could do more with her talent and was looking for a vehicle to better showcase her extraordinary skill.

Opportunity knocked while she was performing at a corporate event in Melbourne.

“Simon Phillips was sitting at a table in front of me,” she explains.

“I was doing a lot of funny stuff and I saw him laughing. At that time, he was the Artistic Director of the Melbourne Theatre Company.

(Continued on page 42)

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 41

The tour of Songs For Nobodies opens in Geelong Arts Centre, where it runs from December 13 to 15, before moving to The Melbourne Arts Centre from December 18 to 29, and then the Sydney Opera House from January 23 to February 2, 2020. duetgroup.com

Online extras!

London audiences found Songs For Nobodies captivating. Scan or visit https://youtu.be/dqv5Qo4NE7g (Continued from page 41)

“So, I went and saw him and said, ‘I’d love to do a play,’ and he said, ‘Well I don’t know of a (suitable) play, and you’d have to do a play, because that’s what we do.’

“So, I said, ‘Well Joanna MurraySmith did Bombshells (written by Murray-Smith for Caroline O’Connor).’

I’d seen a tiny bit of it on television and thought it would be something I’d be interested in doing. I approached Joanna Murray-Smith as well, and got the two, sort of, on side.

“Simon commissioned Joanna to write one monologue for me and said, ‘Go away and learn that and come back and do it for us when you’re ready.’ It took ages and ages to get up, but it finally did, at the MTC in 2010. It really did well, and they extended the season.

“Then Barry Humphries came along to see it. He loved it, and told his then manager, Harley Medcalf, to go see it and that he should tour it.

Which is what happened.”

Recalling her season at The 42 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Ambassador, Bernadette enthuses, “It’s a gorgeous little theatre. A lot of people came to the show. Emma Thompson came and she took me out. Maureen Lipman came several times and has been a real support for me.

“When you perform at The Ambassador Theatre, you have an honorary membership of The Ivy Club across the road. All these glamorous show-biz people would be at The Ivy Club, and it felt like a whole new wonderful world for me. I’d do the show, pop over for a drink and meet all these interesting people.”

Since August, Bernadette, her husband/manager Paul Noonan, and their daughters have been back in London, following up on contacts, performing in prestigious cabaret venues like The Crazy Coqs and The Ivy Club, and putting the finishing touches to her latest double CD album, entitled Songs of Bernadette, recorded live over two nights at The Pheasantry in Chelsea.

“In Songs of Bernadette there’s quite a lot of me singing my interpretations in my own voice.

Bernadette Robinson in Songs For Nobodies.

“It has some of the voices from Songs For Nobodies. It’s got ‘Strange Fruit’ (Billie Holiday), ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ (Judy Garland), ‘If You Go Away’ (Eartha Kitt) and ‘La Belle Histoire D’Amour’ (Edith Piaf).

“Apart from that there’s a song I wrote myself, ‘One Perfect Day’, a Jane Siberry song, ‘Love is Everything’ and Damien Rice’s ‘The Blower’s Daughter’.”

The album will be launched at The Crazy Coqs prior to her return to Australia.

Simon Phillips directed the London season of Songs For Nobodies, and will again direct the 2019 / 2020 Australian tour.

“It will be the London production, which was slightly different - not the content, but the design and everything was slightly different. It’s just fantastic to be bringing it back to Australia. I’m sort of on a high with all the great reviews. It’s a validation of Joanna’s work, and Simon’s work, and mine. I love the piece and I’m always thrilled to do it. I’m very proud of myself,” she giggles.

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B

roadway uzz

Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker .

Photo: Little Fang Photography.

By Peter Pinne

Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker are joining forces to star in a revival of Neil Simon’s 1968 comedy Plaza Suite, opening at the Hudson Theatre, 13 March 2020, after playing a season in Boston in February at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. The real-life married couple will be directed by Tony winner John Benjamin Hickey. Plaza Suite is a portrait of three couples (each played by Broderick and Parker) successively occupying a suite at the Plaza Hotel. The original production, which ran 1097 performances, starred George C. Scott and Maureen Stapleton, with Tony winning direction by Mike Nichols.

Broderick is a long-time Neil Simon interpreter, winning a Tony for Brighton Beach Memoirs, appearing in the sequel Biloxi Blues, and leading a revival of The Odd Couple. He won a Tony for his performance in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and was nominated for The Producers. Parker, an Emmy winner for Sex in the City, returns to Broadway after two decades. Her last appearance was in a 1996 revival of Once Upon A Mattress.

Global Creatures have announced that the U.S. tour of the hit musical Moulin Rouge will kick off at the Saenger Theatre, New Orleans in November 2020, ahead of playing the James M Nederlander Theatre, Chicago from December 17 through February 21 2021, before a West Coast gig at the Orpheum Theatre, San Francisco summer 2021. Directed by Alex Timbers, Moulin Rouge has a book

by John Logan, choreography by Sonya Tayeh and music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Justin Levine. The musical adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 movie is currently playing to capacity houses at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre. The musical features many iconic songs from the movie and also includes recent hits released since the film premiered.

The Michael Jackson bio-musical previously titled Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough has had a name change to MJ The Musical and will begin performances at the Neil Simon Theatre 6 July 2020, ahead of a 13 August opening. The new musical will have a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage (Sweat) and a score made up of Jackson’s greatest hits. Tony winner Christopher Wheeldon (An American In Paris) will choreograph and direct. The musical, currently in development at studios in New York City, cancelled its original world premiere which was slated to play 29 October to 1 December at the James M Nederlander Theatre, Chicago. Jackson’s music and life are featured in the musical Thriller - Live, which has played around the world (but not Broadway or the U.S.) and is still going in London, where it opened in January 2009.

44 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Amber Riley, who won an Olivier Award for her performance of Effie in the London production of Dreamgirls, will emcee the upcoming Little Mermaid Live! which airs on ABC 5 November 2019. Riley will present the Daughters of Triton with a special performance for King Triton and his subjects. The starry cast also includes Queen Latifa as Ursula, Shaggy as Sebastian, Graham Phillips as Prince Eric, John Stamos as Chef Louis and Auli’l Cravalho as Ariel. The show (not to be confused with the live action remake) celebrates the 30th anniversary of the original animated film and will feature 12 songs and combine footage from the movie with live musical performances. Riley is best known for playing Mercedes Jones in all six seasons of Glee.

The musical version of Mrs Doubtfire is finally coming to Broadway, but with a new creative team. The 1993 Oscar winning comedy, which starred Robin Williams in one of his most iconic roles, will begin previews at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre in March 2020 for an April 5 opening, after an out-of-town tryout season in Seattle later this year. Karey Kirkpatrick and John Farrell have written the book, whilst the score is by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick. All worked on Something Rotten.

Rob McClure, another Something Rotten alumni, currently in Beetlejuice, is to frock up as Euphegenia Doubtfire, in the story about an estranged husband posing as a Scottish nanny to spend time with his kids. The piece first surfaced as a possible musical in 2015 when Alan Menken said he, David Zippell and Harvey Fierstein were working on an adaptation but later claimed it was on “creative hiatus” citing other projects. The Kirkpatricks and O’Farrell have been developing the project since 2016. Jerry Zaks (Hello, Dolly! revival) will direct. Film-to-stage musicals are tricky on Broadway, where Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Mean Girls and Beetlejuice have found favour but Pretty Woman and Groundhog Day, less so. Then there’s Tootsie, which opened to good reviews but has seen only average ticket sales. Mrs Doubtfire follows the clown-filled festive offering Slava’s Snowshow at the Sondheim, which in turn followed Beautiful the Carole King Musical after it closed at the end of October.

London Calling

Ghost Quartet rehearsals.

By Peter Pinne London’s newest theatre, the Boulevard in Soho, has a raunchy past; it is built on the former site of the infamous striptease club Raymond Revuebar. Owned by porn baron Paul Raymond, the site is now part of a cutting-edge £40m redevelopment of Walker’s Court, an area once dominated by the club known as the “world centre of exotic entertainment”. Raymond’s granddaughter Fawn James has headed up the redevelopment, which includes a 165 seat capacity theatre.

Rachel Edwards is the artistic director of the first season, which opened late October with Ghost Quartet, a song-cycle by Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), about Rose, who has been betrayed by her lover with her own sister. Sunset Limited by novelist Cormac McCarthy follows, an existential two-hander set in the New York tenement home of a former convict who has saved a professor from leaping off a subway platform.

Terry Johnson will direct.

The season also includes Lucy Prebble’s play about love and neuroscience, The Effect, which was previously staged at the National Theatre in 2012; a revival of Athol Fugard’s Hello and Goodbye, which explores the relationships that past actions can hold on the present; The Cavalcaders, a play by Billy Roche about an Irish barbershop quartet, and the theatre’s first commissioned play, to be written by Northern Irish playwright Abbie Spallen, which will reflect the position of Northern Ireland in today’s turbulent political climate.

The cheapest ticket in the season will be £12, whilst the most expensive will be £36. The venue will also offer late-night comedy, cabaret and live music, both jazz and classical.

Kevin Elyot’s pioneering 1982 gay relationship play Coming Clean, which has recently been given an acclaimed revival at the King’s Head Theatre, will return to the West End and run at Trafalgar Studios 2 from 8 January to 1st February 2020. Set in a flat in Kentish Town, North London in 1982, the plot revolves around struggling writer Tony and his partner of five years Greg, who are committed and in love but are open to having one-night stands so long as it doesn’t impinge on their relationship. Tony would like the relationship to be monogamous but his world comes crumbling down when he finds out Greg has been having a full-blown affair with their cleaner, out-of-work actor Robert.

The production, which preserves the play’s period feel, will again be directed by Adam Spreadbury-Maher, with design by Amanda Mascarenhas. Coming Clean won the Samuel Beckett Award, which is given to writers showing particular promise in the performing arts. Elyot’s most

Online extras!

Watch the trailer for Ghost Quartet.

Scan the QR code or visit https://youtu.be/uAZwnMinSOs famous play is the 1994 West End long-runner, also gaythemed, My Night With Reg. After recent musical successes with The Bridges of Madison County and Fiddler on the Roof, which transferred to the West End, Menier Chocolate Factory is to mount a revival of Sandy Wilson’s classic 1920’s spoof The Boy Friend. It will play from 22 November, 2019 until 7th March 2020. Set in Madame Dubonnet’s French finishing school, the musical premiered in 1953 and ran for a record-breaking 2084 performances. An unknown-at -the-time Julie Andrews headed the Broadway cast as Polly, just prior to her captivating appearance as Eliza in the original My Fair Lady. The 2020 cast includes Olivier Award winner Janie Dee as Madame Dubonnet, Tiffany Graves as Hortense, Adrian Edmondson as Lord Brockhurst, Issy van Randwyck as Lady Brockhurst, Jack Butterworth as Bobby van Husen, Dylan Mason as Tony and Amara Okereke as Polly. Direction is by Matthew White, who previously helmed the Menier revivals of She Loves Me, Candide and Sweet Charity.

Off-West End venue the Kiln Theatre in Kilburn has announced three new productions to be performed in 2020. Award-winning actor Paapa Essiedu will play Moses in Antoinette Nwandu’s Pass Over, inspired by Beckett’s Waiting For Godot, where two friends are passing time by a lamppost at night, waiting for change. It runs 1 February - 2 March. After performances at Stratford-upon -Avon’s Swan Theatre, Hannah Khalil’s A Museum in Baghdad will play 22 April - 23 May 2020. Erica Whyman directs the female-led play about a British archaeologist who looks to fund a museum in 1926 in the Iraqi capital, juxtaposed with a young woman looking to reopen the museum 90 years later. Although the women are decades apart, they share the same goals in a play which showcases the importance of preserving culture. Kate Wasserberg will direct a revival of Richard Cameron’s 2002 play The Glee Club, which follows five members of the Ealing Miners’ Glee Club as they prepare for their local gala to celebrate the ‘good old days’, in a play that explores close bonds between friends. It plays 8-27 June 2020. www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 45

Stage On Disc

By Peter Pinne

Oklahoma! (Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein ll) (Decca/Verve B0030375-02) The new cast recording of Oklahoma! sounds like it has been soaked in a barrel of Nashville. With pedal steel and electric guitars, the country sound is unmistakeable, and with a leading man who plays his own acoustic guitar, it’s a more natural and real version of the show than we’re used to hearing. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s seminal score, despite its stripped back status, comes up shining in this new version which has some good vocals and orchestrations. Dominating the disc is Damon Daunno’s sexy Curly. His a capella opening of “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” is simply lovely, whilst his youthful tenor seduces not only Laurey but the audience on “The Surrey With The Fringe On Top” with a mesmerising charm. Rebecca Naomi Jones’ Laurey has more grit than normal and she sings the role in a lower key. Her “People Will Say We’re in Love” duet with Daunno gives the wellworn standard a new ambience, with “Many a New Day” a delight, accompanied by Aunt Eller (Mary Testa), Ado Annie (Ali Stroker) and Gertie Cummings (Mallory Portney). Stroker’s outrageous turn as Ado Annie is broad, but it won her a Tony, whilst James

Online extras!

Buy the Oklahoma! cast recording from Amazon today. Scan or visit https://amzn.to/35FVPQP

Davis’ Will Parker brings new life to their duet “All Er Nuthin’”. One of the disc’s best vocals is Patrick Vaill as Jud Fry. His “Lonely Room” is richly expressive and emotional. “The Farmer and the Cowman” has been given a blue-grass fiddle square-dance makeover, and it’s nice to have the not often recorded “It’s a Scandal, It’s an Outrage!” giving Will Brill (Ali Hakim) his spotlight moment. Laurey’s “Dream Ballet” has been rearranged for one dancer, Martha Graham disciple Gabrielle Hamilton.

With lots of dirty guitar riffs, it’s the one time you hardly recognise Rodgers’ tunes.  Kiss Me, Kate (Cole Porter) (Ghostlight Records Download) She’s put her stamp on Anna in The King and I, Nellie in South Pacific and Fiona in Brigadoon, now Broadway’s favourite leading lady Kelli O’Hara puts her stamp on one of the Golden Era’s most beloved characters, the sassy Lilli Vanessi and spankable Kate. O’Hara is all over this new recording of Cole Porter’s classic score, adding delicious coloratura trills to the first-act finale’s “Kiss Me, Kate” and bringing some #MeToo attitude to “I Hate Men”. She also does a spirited “I Am Ashamed That People Are So Simple” with ‘women’ being changed to ‘people’ to reflect the era. Will Chase’s vocals are underpowered as Fred/Petruchio, but Stephanie Styles’ work on “Always True To You In My Fashion” sounds better on disc than she did in the theatre. Corbin Bleu sings the charming “Bianca” and tap-dances furiously on “Too Darn Hot”, but “Another Openin’ Another Show” still sparkles as the ultimate musical comedy opener. It’s not the best version of the show out there but it’s very enjoyable and worth having for O’Hara’s performance alone. 

Online extras!

Stream Kiss Me, Kate! from Spotify now. Scan the QR code or visit https://spoti.fi/33xz4wK

Rating  Only for the enthusiast  Borderline  Worth buying  Must have  Kill for it 46 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Toosie (David Yazbek) (Decca/Verve B0030379-02) After winning a Tony for his groundbreaking middleeastern flavoured score for The Band’s Visit, David Yazbek is back in the territory of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and The Full Monty for Tootsie. These are songs that delineate character, situation, and get laughs with lots of clever lyrics. By shifting the plot from a TV soap-opera to a Broadway musical, Robert Horn’s cracker adaptation of the movie has the self-centred pretentious actor Michael Dorsey (Santino Fontana) impersonate a woman (“Dorothy Michaels”) to land a role which results in him becoming a feminine trailblazer. Two showstoppers stand out - “What’s Gonna Happen”, in which Michael’s neurotic ex-girlfriend Sandy (Sarah Stiles) brilliantly relates a tongue-twisting ton of audition insecurities, and “Jeff Sums It Up”, which has roommate Jeff (Andy Grotelueschen) dryly setting out the lay of the land to a big-band beat. Fontana gets to show Michael’s true colours in “Opening Number” and has his epiphany in “Whaddya Do”, but its Dorothy’s empowering anthem “I Won’t Let You Down” that becomes his mantra and shows off his killer vocal skills.

There’s a good ensemble number, “I Like What She’s Doing”, which gives veteran Julie Halston her centre-stage moment, and John Behlmann as the dumb hunk winner of TV’s Race To Batchelor Island earns his laughs on “This Thing”. 

Delia, a new-age guru and former Miss Argentina, on the Latin inspired “What I Know Now”, whilst Rob McClure and Kerry Butler as the recently deceased couple add chutzpah to whatever track they’re on. As it did in the movie, Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” still gets an airing, closing the first act, but it’s Perfect’s witty lyrics that find him in his element, skewering middle-class pretension.



Online extras!

Download the album from Apple Music today. Scan the QR code or visit https://apple.co/2OMK1qa

Hadestown (Anais Mitchell) (Sing It Again Records) The Broadway Cast recording of Hadestown is a twoalbum set that absolutely throbs with life. Telling a version of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, where Orpheus goes to the underworld to rescue his fiancée Eurydice, it’s written as a folk opera and sprinkled with New Orleans jazz and blues. Indie singer/songwriter Anais Mitchell created the show in 2006. It toured Vermont and Massachusetts the following year, became a concept album in 2010, then later played Off -Broadway in 2016, Edmonton, Canada in 2017, and the Royal National Theatre, London in 2018 with basically the same cast who opened it on Broadway. Andre De Shields is a marvellous Online extras!

Hermes, setting up the journey with “Road to Hell” and Get your copy of Tootsie online or inbringing it full-circle with its reprise at the finale. Reeve store from JB Hifi. Scan or visit Carney (Spiderman - Turn off the Dark) as Orpheus sings http://bit.ly/2oKsqo9 with beauty, as does Eva Noblezada (Miss Saigon) as Eurydice. Their “Wait For Me” is probably the best song in Beetlejuice (Eddie Perfect) (Ghostlight) the score. Patrick Page’s (Spiderman - Turn Off the Dark) Eddie Perfect’s Tony nominated score for his musical deep baritone shines magically as Hades on “Why We adaptation of Tim Burton’s 1988 cult-classic movie of the Build the Wall”, a song written long before the Trump administration came into same title is in the contemporary Broadway mode and leans a lot towards 80s-pop. The story of demon ghost office, whilst Amber Gray is Beetlejuice, who helps a newly deceased couple cope with Persephone, a party-girl the afterlife, and a teenager cope with the loss of her with a bittersweet life on mom, is a fun and frenetic ride, and with Alex Brightman “Livin’ It Up On Top” and “Our Lady of the (School of Rock) at the helm, a total blast. Setting the scene with “The Whole ‘Being Dead’ Thing”, which takes Underground”. It’s a terrific a sly-wink at musical theatre conventions in a mix of score, well-recorded and death-metal, swing and rock, he’s a coke-snorting baddeserving of its recent Tony boy who frequently floats F-bombs. His raspy vocals in a for Best Musical Score. series of numbers charm but bear bountiful fruit on the  second-act showstopper “That Beautiful Sound”, with its swing bass and great use of organ. Sophia Anne Caruso, Online extras! with her Cyndi Lauper-type pipes, is the Goth teenager Get your copy of Hadestown from who scores on “Dead Mom”, “Girl Scout” and “Home”, Google Play. Scan or visit but is best as Beetlejuice’s teenage bride in “Creepy Old http://bit.ly/32jSZiB Guy”. Leslie Kritzer walks away with the character of www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 47

Tim Minchin.

Stage On Page

The Australian Musical: From The Beginning Allen and Unwin and QPAC have joined forces to publish The Australian Musical - From the Beginning. Written and compiled by Peter Pinne and Peter Wyllie Johnston, it covers over 100 years of Australian written music theatre, from small amateur performances in the early days, to international productions, to the new wave of Australian musicals from the 1990s, right through to the explosion of creativity in the 21st century. It also includes a guide to over 300 Australian musicals, and is richly illustrated with colour photographs from the early days to the present. The following is an extract from the text.

On 11 April 2013, when Tim Minchin’s West End hit musical Matilda opened on Broadway, few people realised that Minchin was matching the record of another, even more successful, Australian writer of musicals: Oscar Asche.

Almost 100 years earlier, in 1917, Asche’s West End hit Chu Chin Chow had opened on Broadway.

Both Minchin and Asche were multitalented. Tim Minchin was a writer, composer, actor and cabaret performer who had written several musicals before Matilda. Oscar Asche was an actor, writer, director and impresario who had written the book and lyrics for Chu Chin Chow and produced, directed and starred in the musical as Abu Hasan, alongside his beautiful and famous wife, the actress Lily Brayton, who played Zahrat Al-Kulub.

Both Matilda and Chu Chin Chow demonstrated the capacity of Australian musical theatre talent to reach the top. By 1921, Chu Chin Chow had become the world’s longest-running musical, a record that would stand for nearly 30 48 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

years. Like Chu Chin Chow, Matilda was produced in Britain, America and Australia. It also became a big hit in other parts of the world, and earned Tim Minchin a Tony nomination for Best Music and Lyrics in 2013 - making him the only Australian so honoured. While neither musical was entirely Australian, they neatly bookended a century of Australian achievement in musical theatre as the greatest

success stories of the first hundred years. Through their successes, Minchin and Asche each gained a special place in the history of the Australian musical - a history that began with the early works of two young women.

One was a lyricist and author named Ella Airlie, who wrote the original version of The Bunyip in (Continued on page 50)

Somewhere…

The Magical Musical Of Penrith (2005) M/L: Tim Minchin B: Kate Mulvany Prod.: Q Theatre Company D: Brendon McDonall MD: Greg Crease C: Velalien Premiere: Q Theatre, Penrith, Sydney, 6 October 2005, 15p Cast: Geraldine Turner, Sharon Millerchip, Nicholas Simpson-Deeks, Jo Turner, Amie McKenna Synopsis: The show-within-a-show concept was used in this musical. Philomena (Geraldine Turner), a bossy theatre veteran, tries to steer a disparate committee of locals - who include a know-it-all taxi driver (Sharon Millerchip), a larrikin ex-footballer (Nicholas SimpsonDeeks) and a likeable nerd (Jo Turner) - into creating a show about the local community.

Major songs: ‘Alone in a Spotlight’, ‘Panther’s World of Entertainment’, ‘Let Me Introduce You’, ‘The World of Glenmore’, ‘Supre Girl’, ‘Somewhere’ Comment: A musical especially commissioned to celebrate the opening of the new 382-seat Q Theatre, Penrith. In a prescient decision, the commission was awarded to the relatively unknown but uniquely talented writer and musician Tim Minchin. Somewhere affectionately sent up local landmarks: the Panthers football club, the Plaza, Mulgoa Road, Glenmore Park, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and ‘the tank Frank built at McDonald’s’. The musical blended a professional cast with a community chorus.

Critics: ‘Not so much a musical as a rough-hewn pantomime replete with brassy dames, earthy blokes, town gossips and dreamers. It is crammed with bittersweet songs that sound like jingles and wry ballads

Somewhere…The Magical Musical Of Penrith .

encapsulating some of the history and progress of the place. Turner is funny and vengeful as arch diva Philomena.’ (Bryce Hallett, SMH) ‘This show is a triumph...Somewhere positively resonates with familiarity as it gently pokes fun at what it means to be a Westie...If this is home-made theatre for the people, by the people, about the people, then all I can say is give us more of the same.’ (Alison Taylor, Penrith Press) Recording: ‘So Much Love’ (Geraldine Turner) Desiree Records GAV008 (2018)

LET’S PUT ON A SHOW! ALL THE RESOURCES YOU NEED TO STAGE YOUR NEXT PRODUCTION stagewhispers.com.au/StageResources www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 49

The Boy From Oz. Photo: Jeff Busby.

Stage On Page

(Continued from page 48)

1908, although it would first be performed as a musical in 1916. The other was Ella’s contemporary, a woman whose life was anything but ordinary: the prolific and popular composer May Brahe, who in 1915 became the first Australian to compose the score of a musical, Compromising Harriet, first staged in 1933. Ironically, Brahe’s enormous success in composing ‘art’ songs impeded her career as a writer of musicals and was the cause of the delay between the inception and production of Compromising Harriet.

By contrast, Oscar Asche was a major theatrical star when he created Chu Chin Chow and as a librettist and lyricist experienced none of the barriers that confronted Brahe.

Beginning with Ella Airlie and May Brahe, several hundred Australian writers and musicians have written original musicals. A handful of those working in the early decades of the twentieth century won distinction, 50 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Sydney Book Celebration Genesian Theatre Sunday Nov 24 @ 1pm.

Performances, Q&A with guest of honour Nancye Hayes AM. Purchase this book and book for the celebration at stagewhispers.com.au/books

and Australian musicals that enjoyed success on a small scale during this period included Healo (1924), Dutini A Song of India (1931), Collits’ Inn (1932) and Flame of Desire (1935). A few years further on, The Highwayman (1950) was a solid financial success, and The Sentimental Bloke (1961) became the twentieth century’s most successful Australian musical with an original score. Some musicals, such as A Bunch of Ratbags (1966) and Pearls Before Swine (1986), confronted serious social issues. The new wave of Australian musicals that began in the 1990s brought major commercial successes: they included Bran Nue Dae in 1990, Hot Shoe Shuffle in 1992, The Boy from Oz in 1998, Keating! in 2005, Eurobeat in 2006 and, from the same year, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (a ‘jukebox’ musical that also played in the West End and on Broadway).

Although hundreds of musicals written by Australians were staged between 1916 and 2018, most of them disappeared rapidly from view,

West Of The Black Stump (1964) M: Sandra McKenzie B/L: Reg Livermore Prod.: Canberra Repertory Society D/C/Set Des.: Peter Batey MD: Maria Boddy Premiere: Riverside Theatre, Barton, Canberra, 26 November 1964, 10p Cast: Grant McIntyre, Liz Ferguson, Paul Fitzgerald, John Bishop, Janette Jones, John McMillan Synopsis: The story involved scenarios from the American Old West transplanted to the Australian goldfield town of Witchety Grub. The hero was Gentleman Jesse Starr (Grant McIntyre), while Miss Opal Reef (Liz Ferguson) was the keeper of the Golden Garter saloon and dancehall, and the baddie was Big Bill Billabong (Paul Fitzgerald). The young love interest was provided by Bonnine Gumnut (Janette Jones), who took in washing to make ends meet, and her bloke Bonza Wallace (John McMillan).

Major songs: ‘Early Morning in Witchety’, ‘The Witchety Stage’, ‘Ballad of the Hired Gun’, ‘Anticipation’, ‘Posse Song’, ‘Jewels of the Golden West’ Comment: Subtitled ‘A Child’s Game of Cowboys for Adults’, Reg Livermore’s second musical, West Of The Black Stump, was a hit for the Canberra Repertory Society. The musical later played Adelaide (1965) in a production by the AETT and the STCSA (19p), with Livermore as the hero and Lois Ramsey as Opal Reef. This production also toured South Australia.

Critics: ‘Mr. Livermore’s book is sound. It carries a good plot, and a number of wittily expressed lyrics, but it could still stand quite a bit of work, particularly some heavy pruning in the first act... Grant McIntyre has never been seen to better advantage.’ (G.C. Power, Canberra Times) just as their equivalents on Broadway and the West End had done. These musicals were a vital part of Australia’s creative fabric and, whether they succeeded commercially or not, audience responses to the works carried important lessons for their writers and composers Some of the glorious failures included Yantabinjie (1921), Joanna (1936), Chalet of Dreams (1946), No Man’s Island (1957), The Cousin from Fiji (1964), Hero (1976), Rasputin (1987), The Emerald Room (1992) and Eureka (2004). Although (Continued on page 52)

West Of The Black Stump.

‘Although we’ve yet to see a slap-up Australian musical take root and sprout, for sheer enjoyment, West Of The Black Stump will fill the bill nicely in the interim...He [Reg Livermore] held his audience as neatly in his hand as his gun in his immaculate holster...Lois Ramsey again showed her capacity to command a situation on stage.’ (Pat Griffith, Advertiser)

Stage Whispers Books Visit our on-line book shop for back issues and stage craft books www.stagewhispers.com.au/books www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 51

Stage On Page

Strictly Ballroom.

Photo: Jeff Busby.

(Continued from page 51)

it often took less time for the musicals to be forgotten than it did to produce them, creative struggles proved to be invaluable for writers, often arising out of obscurity, whose talent was apparent from their very first musical and who were also persistent: Jack Fewster, with Yantabinjie; Craig Christie, who wrote 40 musicals following Morgan (1979); and Tim Minchin, with Pop (2001).

The story of the Australian men and women who wrote musicals throughout the twentieth century and created an explosion of musical theatre creativity in the twenty-first century is an emotional roller-coaster ride, oscillating between tales full of high hopes, perseverance, disappointment and even suicide, and those of glorious achievements, fortune and fame, and the fulfilment of dreams. After more than 100 years of success and failure, it is time for that story to be told.

The Beloved Vagabond.

52 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

The Australian Musical: From The Beginning

By Peter Pinne and Peter Wyllie Johnston. Published by Allen & Unwin in association with Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).

Available from 5 November 2019. RRP: $79.99.

What makes a successful musical? Tony Sheldon says the key is ‘heart’. Well, whether a smash success or glorious failure, there is plenty of heart on show in The Australian Musical. From ‘FFF’ in 1920 to ‘Muriel’s Wedding’ in 2019, this immaculately researched and fabulously comprehensive book covers every story in 100 years of homegrown musicals. Readers who love theatre or history will enjoy the book’s chronological exploration from early pioneers to today’s stars; theatre practitioners, drama and music teachers will relish the A to Z, providing synopses for more than 300 productions and a list of over 2,000 original songs. Many theatrical characters emerge from the pages, each demanding further exploration. This book is also full of stories ripe for future stage productions!

While Australian talent now enjoys a global audience, that was not always so. Our early musical mavericks found out, from painful firsthand experience, that it was difficult getting their ideas from page to stage! It is riveting reading about the strugglers and stars who have paved the way for today’s international players, such as Tim Minchin, Eddie Perfect, and Kate Miller-Heidke.

The first hurdle was a colonial mentality - underlined

by US-born promoter JC Williamson - that Broadway and the West End were superior to local productions. But other entrepreneurs, such as FW Thring, championed our own stories and talent. We beat world records: May Brahe was the first woman to sell one million sheet music tunes (1916), and Oscar Asche had the world’s longestrunning musical in London’s West End with Chu Chin Chow (1916-1921). However, for every star, there were several unsung heroes working to make a living from their passion. A handful emerge in the 1970s and 80s Enright and Clarke, Pinne and Battye, Denver, Livermore producing regular successes. Meanwhile, dozens were putting heart and soul (and often their own savings) into short-lived shows.

It is a medley of one-off productions, bumpy runs, and abrupt closing nights. There are occasional successes, boosted by independent budgets, statesubsidies or generous philanthropists - but nothing in the early years to build a stable, homegrown industry. Star players come and go, giving in to the lure of London.

But, despite the ‘tyranny of distance’ that thwarted the collaborations so easy for creatives in the US and UK, there were favourite stars (Gladys Moncrieff) and hit tunes (‘The Road to Gundagai’) to attract audiences who knew that 1953’s Reedy River, a musical about the 1891 Shearers’ strike, would ignite the ‘jukebox’ spark that would lead to Priscilla: Queen of the Desert and The Sapphires?

The many productions detailed reveal that our musical talents have tried it all - tapping history and literature,

sportspeople, politicians, crazy true-life stories and even Biblical epics. And it is reassuring to see that tenacity and patience have their day: Jon English waited 23 years to see his Paris performed; and Peter Stannard’s Rosie premiered in 2005, nearly 50 years after his initial work in 1958.

Success can result from a strong work ethic (Pinne and Battye); popular original material (Ladies in Black) or the smarts of vast entertainment experience (JohnMichael Howson and Steve Vizard). Sometimes it seems almost accidental - Casey Bennetto’s Keating! And when our irreverence is celebrated - Priscilla - and indigenous stories are embraced - The Sunshine Club, Bran Nue Dae - we see smash shows from refreshing new talent (Tony Briggs, Jimmy Chi and Kuckles).

Interestingly, this book gathers first-time material on the contribution of women writers, musicians and directors - such as Coralie Grace Condon, Dorothy Mendoza, Robyn Nevin and Gale Edwards - and new Australians such as Stelios Salingaros. It also highlights the importance of numerous designers and crews who offer their time and moral support, the cabarets and fringe festivals that supply vital venues, and the producers and theatrical adventurers who establish national funding and training (e.g. Jim Sharman and the Australian Musical Foundation and artist-in-residence gigs sponsored by Jeanne Pratt) that all fuel future superstars.

The Australian Musical is perfect to dip in and out of over the upcoming holiday season. Treat yourself!

Review by Beth Keehn

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 53

Going Wireless Using a hard wired intercom system was proving one big headache for students and production staff at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts at ECU.

WAAPA is recognised nationally and internationally for the quality of its graduates. It provides the most comprehensive range of performing arts training in Australia. WAAPA’s world-class staff, working in state-ofthe-art performance and teaching facilities, provide rigorous and specialised training of the highest order.

Over the course of its academic year, WAAPA stages around 25 key productions of musicals, plays, dance, jazz and classical concerts. With such a rigorous production schedule, having a reliable communications infrastructure is paramount in the successful delivery of each show.

54 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Speaking with Tim Landauer, Venue Services Coordinator of WAAPA, he explained a few of the challenges that WAAPA faced before he found a new wireless system, installed by Riedel Communications.

“The best approach in teaching is with clear concise communication.

However, after using the old hardwired system for production communication between technical crew such as lighting, sound, stage managers and mechanists, we saw around 50 hours of downtime annually.”

Maintenance delays and fault finding hampered WAAPA’s ability to

put on modern productions and the downtime was amplified in all the key departments, leading to hundreds of ineffective student hours as staff triaged the breakdowns in communication.

“It was obvious our systems were at the end of their useful life in terms of supporting multiple productions.

This left us with the choice of investing in reliable, state of the art technology or ultimately a reduction

in production capability, which was simply not an option,” said Tim. In May 2018 WAAPA commenced installation of a Riedel Bolero Wireless System into their venues. The modular system has been used both on and off campus for a major musical production, highlighting several benefits of the portable wireless system, including:  Using a modular and integrated design allows for fast setup times and cost efficiency  No extra hardware is required, only minimal configuration changes  No risk of cable entanglement with machinery - such as fly lines and large moving trucks  Safe and reliable communication for stopping elements and calling out hazards.

“Riedel Systems are Industry standard in the broadcast and theatre production/event workspace meaning that our production students receive training on technology they will use in the real world. Riedel can also provide additional equipment when required on a rental basis which keeps our total cost of ownership down,” Tim added.

Publication and recording management is integrated with digital

Light & Sound

rights management and IP control allowing a neatly edited face to the world backed by well managed campus-wide infrastructure.

Prior to the upgrades WAAPA hired two discreet systems annually, at a substantial cost for the equipment, whilst having to pay the associated support costs on top. With Riedel, WAAPA receives convenient support in a local time zone after setup, training and install.

“It is not impossible to foresee the end of analogue technology’s general use for this purpose within the industry,” explained Tim. “We also found that Riedel’s experience in major performing arts venues, theatres and universities across Australia was invaluable in helping us optimise the system design.”

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 55

New Releases Origin Theatrical origintheatrical.com.au Grumpy Old Men Book by Dan Remmes. Music by Neil Berg. Lyrics by Nick Meglin.

Full Length Musical, Comedy. Cast: 5M, 4F. Based on the 1993 film, which starred Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margret, this stage adaptation captures the lovably crotchety characters through twinkling humour, great songs, and the affectionate depiction of a small town that feels like home to everyone. origintheatrical.com.au/work/10971

56 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

David Spicer Productions davidspicer.com.au Uked!

The first play-along ukulele musical.

By Jane Cafarella.

Cast: 2 to 14 roles, plus minimum 2 in band.

Karla is dumped on her 50th birthday by her violinplaying boyfriend, Brian. Desperate to belong and prove her musical worth, she buys a ukulele and joins a dating site, learning that love and the ukulele have a lot in common.

Audience members can just sit back and enjoy the show, or they can bring their ukulele and sing and play along with Karla. A screen displays all the chords and lyrics for the sing-along songs. davidspicer.com.au/node/17034

Choosing A Show

Music Theatre International, Australasia mtishows.com.au

Maverick Musicals and Plays maverickmusicals.com

The Scottsboro Boys Original Broadway Version Cast: 13 roles.

The final collaboration by musical theatre greats John Kander and Fred Ebb (Chicago and Cabaret), with a book

by David Thompson, The Scottsboro Boys confronts an infamous event in the history of the American criminal justice system.

In 1931, nine black men were ripped from a train in Alabama and accused of rape by two white women.

Hauled to jail without a shred of actual evidence against them, The Scottsboro Boys were rushed through trial procedures, found guilty and sentenced to death. What occurred in the years following the trials was a harrowing tale of bravery and strength in the face of great adversity. mtishows.com.au/the-scottsboro-boys

Only Children

By Marlene F Magee Cast: 5 to 20 roles.

Tells the true story of the drowning of three children at a beach picnic in the 1950’s. As one of the leaders, now an elderly lady, relives the event, a story of heroism, tragedy and regret is told.

This dramatic ensemble piece is designed for a small or large cast and may be performed by teenagers or adults. It is non-naturalistic in style, utilising monologues and physical theatre. Includes screen images from newspaper articles, witness statements and the memoir of one of the leaders on the picnic. maverickmusicals.com/play/only-children

Performance Accompaniment Recording (PAR) now available For organisations that don’t have a live pit orchestra, MTI’s Performance Accompaniment Recordings provide instrumental tracks for rehearsals and performances that match your show’s score note-for-note.

Also available are cast and crew rehearsal tracks for organisations that have an orchestra.

Shows range from Annie to West Side Story.

See the full list at: mtishows.com.au www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 57

Stage Briefs

 The Guild Theatre’s Sufficient Carbohydrate.

November 8 - 30.

Photo: Darren McDowell. guildtheatre.com.au  Arts Theatre Cronulla’s Death Of A Salesman.

Until November 30. artstheatrecronulla.com.au

58 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

 Castle Hill Players’ Nell Gwynn.

November 15 - December 7.

Photo: Chris Lundie. paviliontheatre.org.au  Hunters Hill Theatre’s Our Town.

November 22 - December 1. huntershilltheatre.com.au

www.stagewhispers.com.au Stage Whispers 59

On Stage

A.C.T. & New South Wales

Online extras!

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll rock when School Of Rock opens in Sydney. https://youtu.be/xnqgLHZTC8w

A.C.T. Cinderella. Queensland Ballet.

Nov 5 - 10. Canberra Theatre.

(02) 6275 2700.

The Wharf Revue 2019: Unrdact-d by Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phil Scott.

Sydney Theatre Company. Nov 12 - 23. The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre. (02) 6275 2700.

Waiting in the Wings by Noël Coward. Canberra Rep. The Q, Queanbeyan, Nov 20 - 23, (02) 6285 6290, and Theatre 3, Nov 27 - Dec 7, (02) 6257 1950.

Cirque Stratosphere. Dec 10 21. Canberra Theatre. (02) 6275 2700.

New South Wales Billy Elliot the Musical. Music

by Elton John, book and lyrics

by Lee Hall. Ongoing. Sydney

60 Stage Whispers

Featuring 14 new songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber and all the original songs from the movie, School Of Rock plays from November 8 to February 2 at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney.

Photo: Matthew Murphy. schoolofrockthemusical.com.au

Lyric. 1300 795 267. billyelliotthemusical.com.au

Baby Doll by Tennessee Williams, adapted for the stage

by Pierre Laville and Emily KURIOS - Cabinet of Curiosities.

Mann. Ensemble Theatre. Until Cirque du Soleil. Until Dec 15.

Nov 16. Australian premiere.

Entertainment Quarter, Moore (02) 9929 0644.

Park. cirquedusoleil.com/kurios White Pearl by Anchuli Felicia Fully Committed by Becky King. Australian Premiere.

Mode. Ensemble Theatre. Until Sydney Theatre Company / Nov 16. (02) 9929 0644.

Riverside’s National Theatre of Fangirls by Yve Blake. Belvoir St Parramatta. Until Nov 9.

Lennox Theatre, Riverside Theatre. Until Nov 10. (02) Parramatta. (02) 9250 1777.

9699 3444.

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. Bell Shakespeare. Until Nov 24.

Playhouse, Sydney Opera House. sydneyoperahouse.com Les Misérables by ClaudeMichel Schönberg & Alain Boublil. English Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. Based on the Novel by Victor Hugo. Gosford Musical Society. Until Nov 9.

Laycock Street Community Theatre, North Gosford. gosfordmusicalsociety.com.au

Me and My Girl. Book and lyrics by L Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber. Music by Noel Gay. EUCMS Inc. Until Nov 9.

Eastwood Uniting Church Hall. eucms.org.au Anne of Green Gables - A New Musical. Highlands Theatre Group. Until Nov 9. Mittagong Playhouse. htg.org.au Mamma Mia! Book by Catherine Johnson, music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and

Bjorn Ulvaeus. The Very Popular Theatre Company.

Until Nov 9. Civic Theatre, Newcastle. (02) 4929 1977.

Spiegelesque Too. Kermond Creative Entertainment. Until Dec 14 - Fridays and Saturdays.

Glen Street Theatre. (02) 9975 1455.

Venetian Twins by Nick Enright and Terence Clarke. Woy Woy Little Theatre. Until Nov 10.

The Peninsula Theatre, Woy Woy. woywoylt.com Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. Arts Theatre Cronulla.

Until Nov 30. 6 Surf Road, Cronulla. artstheatrecronulla.com.au Ladies In Black. Book by Carolyn Burns. Music and Lyrics

by Tim Finn. Genesian Theatre Company. Until Dec 7.

Genesian Theatre, Sydney. genesiantheatre.com.au

Just $50 a month to reach thousands of theatre goers. Contact Stage Whispers for details.

On Stage Così by Louis Nowra. Sydney Theatre Company / Melbourne Theatre Company. Until Dec 14. Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House. (02) 9250 1777.

The Underpants by Steve Martin, adapted from Carl Sternheim. Sugary Rum Productions. Until Nov 16.

Seymour Centre. (02) 9351 7940.

First Love is the Revolution by Rita Kalnejais. Griffin Theatre Company. Until Dec 14. SBW Stables Theatre. griffintheatre.com.au Doubt A Parable by Patrick John Shanley. The Theatre On Chester, Epping. Nov 1 - 23.

Corner of Chester and Oxford Streets, North Epping. theatreonchester.com.au 42nd Street. Music by Harry Warren, Lyrics by Al Dubin.

Book by Michael Stewart & Mark Bramble. Hills Musical Theatre Company. Nov 1 - 9.

Model Farms High School, Baulkham Hills. hillsmtc.com Good Dog by Arinzé Kene.

Green Door Theatre. Nov 1 16. KXT - Kings Cross Theatre. kingsxtheatre.com

New South Wales Players. Nov 2 - 23. Richmond School of Arts. richmondplayers.com.au

Lane Cove Theatre Company.

Nov 8 - 23. The Performance Space at St Aidan’s, 1 Christina Street, Longueville. lanecovetheatrecompany.com

De Profundis by Oscar Wilde.

Staring Paul Capsis. Nov 5 - 22.

Old Fitz Theatre.

School of Rock. Music: Andrew redlineproductions.com.au Lloyd Webber. Lyrics: Glenn One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Slater. Book: Julian Fellowes Nest by Dale Wasserman.

The House at Boundary Road based on the Paramount movie Valley Artists. Nov 1 - 9.

Liverpool by Violette Ayad, written by Mike White. From Laguna Hall, Laguna. (02) 4998 Thomas De Angelis, Chika Nov 8. Capitol Theatre, Sydney.

8244.

Ikogwe and Jordy Shea. schoolofrockmusical.com.au Bontom. Nov 5 - 16. Old 505 Mosquitoes by Lucy Kirkwood.

Theatre, Newtown.

HMS Pinafore by Gilbert and Theatre on Brunker. Nov 1 old505theatre.com Sullivan. Hayes Theatre Co. 30. St Stephen’s Hall, From Nov 8.

Adamstown (Newcastle). (02) The Choir of Man. Andrew Kay hayestheatre.com.au 4957 1895. and Nic Doodson. Nov 6 - Dec 1. Studio, Sydney Opera House. Sufficient Carbohydrate by Little Miss Sunshine. Book by sydneyoperahouse.com Dennis Potter. The Guild James Lapine. Music and lyrics Theatre, Walz St, Rockdale.

by William Finn. New Theatre. South Pacific by Rodgers and Nov 8 - 30. (02) 9521 6358.

Nov 2 - Dec 14.

Hammerstein. Coffs Harbour guildtheatre.com.au Musical Comedy Company. newtheatre.org.au Nov 7 - Dec 1. Jetty Memorial The Gypsy Baron by Johan A Funny Thing Happened On Theatre, Coffs Harbour.

Strauss. Rockdale Opera. Nov 9 The Way To The Forum. Book jettytheatre.com - 17. Rockdale Town Hall. (02)

by Burt Shevelove & Larry 8197 1796.

Gelbart. Music & lyrics by The Wonderous Wizard of Oz. rockdaleopera.com.au Stephen Sondheim. Richmond Adapted by Cameron Farnham.

Advertise your show on the front page of www.stagewhispers.com.au

Stage Whispers 61

On Stage

New South Wales Dame Edna’s irreverent Australia-wide My Gorgeous Life tour winds up next month with two shows at the Sydney Coliseum on December 18 & 19. sydneycoliseum.com.au

Dec 21. Roslyn Packer Theatre.

(02) 9250 1777.

Mercutio and The Prince of Cats by Giles Gartrell Mills. Nov 19 - 30. Old 505 Theatre, Newtown. old505theatre.com Crossing Over with John Edward. Jenus Inc. Nov 20.

Civic Theatre, Newcastle. (02) 4929 1977.

The War on 2019. The Chaser Quarterly & The Shovel. Nov 21. Newcastle City Hall. (02) 4929 1977.

To Be Honest by Stefo Nantsou. Outloud. Nov 21 23. Lennox Theatre, Riverside Parramatta. (02) 9250 1777.

The Odd Couple by Neil Simon.

Ensemble Theatre. Nov 22 Dec 30. (02) 9929 0644. ensemble.com.au Coram Boy. Adapted by Helen Edmundson from Jamila Gavin’s novel. bAKEHOUSE. Nov 22 - Dec 7. KXT - Kings Cross Theatre. kingsxtheatre.com

Online extras!

Dame Edna has come out of retirement for the My Gorgeous Life tour. https://vimeo.com/334374907 I Am My Own Wife by Doug Wright. Tamworth Dramatic Society. Nov 9. Civic Playhouse, Newcastle. (02) 4929 1977.

I’m With Her. Lead Writer: Victoria Midwinter Pitt.

Darlinghurst Theatre Company.

Nov 9 - Dec 1. Eternity Playhouse, Darlinghurst. darlinghursttheatre.com Next to Normal by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey.

Campbelltown Theatre Group.

Nov 15 - 23. Town Hall Theatre, Campbelltown. 0426 285 287. ctgi.org.au

62 Stage Whispers

Nell Gwynne by Jessica Swale.

Castle Hill Players. Nov 15 - Dec 7. Pavilion Theatre, Doran Drive, Castle Hill. (02) 9634 2929. paviliontheatre.org.au Wizard of Oz Retro. Musical adapted in 1902 by L. Frank Baum and others from his novel The Wizard of Oz. Maitland Musical Society. Nov 15 - 17, St John’s Pro Cathedral, Maitland; Nov 23 24, Dungog High School, Dungog; Nov 29 - Dec 1, Raymond Terrace Public School. maitlandmusicals.org Dali: Hallucinogenic Toreador

by Carl Caulfield (premiere).

Our Town by Thornton Wilder.

Hunters Hill Theatre. Nov 22 Dec 1. Hunters Hill Town Hall. huntershilltheatre.com.au Dad’s Army by Jim Perry and David Croft. Nowra Players, Bombaderry. Nov 23 - Dec 7.

1300 788 503. nowraplayers.com.au

Nick Tickle: Fairytale Detective Stray Dogs Theatre. Nov 15 23. Civic Playhouse, Newcastle. by Steph DeFerie. Young People’s Theatre. Nov 23 - Dec (02) 4929 1977.

7. Young People’s Theatre, Packer & Sons by Tommy Hamilton (Newcastle). (02) Murphy. Belvoir Street Theatre. 4961 4895.

Nov 16 - Dec 22. (02) 9699 Dylan Moran: Dr Cosmos.

3444.

Adrian Bohm. Nov 25. Civic Miss Bennet: Christmas At Theatre, Newcastle. (02) 4929 Pemberley by Lauren 1977.

Gunderson and Margot Emil and The Detectives by Melcon. Newcastle Theatre Erich Kästner, adapted for the Company. Nov 16 - 30. NTC Theatre, Lambton (Newcastle). stage by Nicki Bloom Slingsby.

Nov 28 & 29. Lennox Theatre, (02) 4952 4958.

Riverside Parramatta. (02) 9250 The Beauty Queen of Leenane 1777.

by Martin McDonagh. Sydney Theatre Company. Nov 18 -

Just $50 a month to reach thousands of theatre goers. Contact Stage Whispers for details.

On Stage Lily, the Felon’s Daughter by Tom Taggart. Maitland Repertory Theatre. Nov 29 Dec 15. maitlandreptheatre.org 2019 CONDA (City of Newcastle Drama Association) Awards. Nov 30. Starlight Room, Wests New Lambton (Newcastle). conda.com.au John Bell: A Few Of My Favourite Things. Ensemble Theatre. Dec 1 - 10. (02) 9929 0644. ensemble.com.au Faulty Towers - The Dining Experience. Interactive Theatre International. Dec 2 - 4.

Lizotte’s, Lambton (Newcastle).

(02) 4956 2066.

The Split by Sarah Hamilton.

House of Sand and Old 505 Theatre. Dec 3 - 14. Old 505 Theatre, Newtown. old505theatre.com Gianni Schicchi (Johnny Sneaky) by Giacomo Puccini new translation by Newcastle’s Dr Jennifer Barnes, and Love,

Life and Opera III - much loved scenes and arias from operas.

Opera Hunter and Newcastle Theatre Company. Dec 5 - 8.

NTC Theatre, Lambton (Newcastle). (02) 4952 4958.

The Midnight Gang. A play by Maryam Masters, from the book by David Walliams. CDP Kids. Dec 5 & 6, The Joan, Penrith, (02) 4723 7600 & Dec 8 - 10, Seymour Centre, (02) 9351 7940.

Alice in Wonderland.

Pantomime. Berowra Musical Society. Dec 7 - 15. Berowra Community Centre, The Gully Road, Berowra. bmsi.org.au

New South Wales & Queensland The Wiggles: Party Time! Big Show! Dec 12. Newcastle Entertainment Centre.

Broadmeadow. (02) 4921 2121.

The 91-Storey Treehouse by Richard Tulloch, Andy Grffiths and Terry Denton. CDP Theatre Producers. Dec 14 & 15.

Seymour Centre. (02) 9351 7940.

I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Theo Rule (premiere). Grainery Theatre. Dec 21 - 22. Civic Theatre, Newcastle. (02) 4929 1977.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. shake & stir theatre co.

Cremorne Theatre, QPAC. Until Nov 9. 136 246.

Matrix. Expressions Dance Company. Playhouse, QPAC. Nov 1 - 16. 136 246.

Kinky Boots. Book by Harvey Fierstein. Music and Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper. Nov 1 - 23.

Spotlight Theatre Company, Benowa. Gold Coast. (07) 5539 4255.

Ladies In Black. Book by Carolyn Burns. Music and Lyrics

by Tim Finn. Villanova Players, Cirque Stratosphere. The Works Morningside, Qld. Nov 2 - 17.

Entertainment. Dec 24 - 29.

(07) 3395 5168.

Stepping Out by Richard Harris. Concert Hall, Sydney Opera villanovaplayers.com Newcastle Theatre Company.

House. sydneyoperahouse.com Chicago. Music and Lyrics by Dec 11 - 15. NTC Theatre, Fred Ebb and John Kander.

Queensland Lambton (Newcastle). (02) Book by Fred Ebb and Bob 4952 4958.

Orpheus & Eurydice by Fosse. John Frost and Suzanne Christopher Willibald Gluck.

Ignite Collective. New Ghosts.

Jones in association with Barry Opera Queensland. Playhouse, Dec 11 - 22. KXT - Kings Cross and Fran Weissler. Nov 2 - Dec QPAC. Until Nov 9.

Theatre. kingsxtheatre.com 8. Lyric Theatre, QPAC. 136 qpac.com.au 246.

Bazaar and Rummage by Sue Glitz & Glamour and Mambo in Townsend. Growl Theatre. the Jungle. Mousetrap Theatre, Until Nov 9. Windsor School of Redcliffe. Nov 8 - 16. (07) Arts. growltheatre.org.au 3888 3493.

Open Homes by Jeffrey Tan. La Complete Works of William Boite. Until Nov 10.

Shakespeare (Abridged).

Roundhouse Theatre. (07) Javeenbah Theatre Company, 3007 8600.

Gold Coast. Nov 8 - 23. (07) 5596 0300. javeenbah.org.au Antigone by Sophocles, adapted by Merlynn Tong.

Mark Vincent & Tommy Queensland Theatre. Billle Fleming - Together in Concert.

Brown Theatre. Until Nov 16.

Empire Theatre, Toowoomba.

1800 355 528.

Nov 8. 1300 655 299.

The Beast by Eddie Perfect.

Lea Salonga In Concert.

Brisbane Arts Theatre. Until Concert Hall, QPAC. Nov 9.

Dec 2. (07) 3369 2344.

136 246.

The Glass Menagerie by Pulp by Joseph Zettlemaier.

Tennessee Williams. Brisbane Centenary Theatre Group, Arts Theatre. Until Nov 9. (07) Chelmer, Qld. Nov 9 - 30.

3369 2344.

0435 591 720.

Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber centenarytheatre.com.au and T.S. Eliot. Queensland The King and I by Rodgers & Musical Theatre. Schonell Hammerstein. Gold Coast Little Theatre, St Lucia. Until Nov 9.

Theatre. Nov 9 - Dec 7. (07) 136 246.

5532 3224.

Jekyll & Hyde by Frank Wilhorn Katherine Jenkins. Concert Hall, and Leslie Bricusse. Phoenix QPAC. Nov 10. 136 246.

Ensemble, Beenleigh, Qld. Until Nov 9. (07) 3103 1546.

Advertise your show on the front page of www.stagewhispers.com.au

Stage Whispers 63

On Stage The Drowsy Chaperone. Book

by Bob Martin and Don McKellar. Music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison. Burke Street Studios, Wooloongabba. Nov 12 - 16.

136 246. qtix.com.au Boeing Boeing by Marc Camoletti. Ipswich Little Theatre. Nov 14 - 30. (07) 3812 2389. ilt.org.au Shirley Valentine by Willy Russell. Sunnybank Theatre, Sunnybank. Nov 15 - 30. (07) 3345 3964.

Queensland

Hall, QPAC. Nov 15 - 16. 136 246. qso.com.au Bonnie And Clyde. Music by Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Don Black and a book by Ivan Menchell. Beenleigh Theatre Company. Nov 15 - 30. (07) 3807 3922. beenleightheatregroup.com The Foreigner by Larry Shue.

Nash Theatre, New Farm. Nov 16 - Dec 7. (07) 3379 4775.

The Kings Of Country Rock Tour. Empire Theatre, Toowoomba. Nov 16. 1300 Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward. St 655 299.

Luke’s Theatre Society, Piers Lane - Medici Concerts.

Tarragindi. Nov 15 - 23. (07) Concert Hall, QPAC. Nov 17.

3343 1457.

136 246. stlukestheatre.asn.au Brahms & Dvorak. Australian Alexandra Flood. Opera Chamber Orchestra. Concert Queensland Studio. Nov 15 Hall, QPAC. Nov 18. 136 246.

16. 136 246. oq.com.au Clancestry - A Celebration of Timeless. Ravel, Greig and Country. QPAC. Nov 18 - Dec Tchaikovsky. Queensland 7. 136 246.

Symphony Orchestra. Concert

64 Stage Whispers

Mojo Juju - Native Tongue.

Playhouse, QPAC. Nov 19. 136 246.

When The World Was Wide.

Camerata. Concert Hall, QPAC. Nov 28. 136 246.

Feinstein & Fox - Shaken and Stirred. Michael Feinstein and Bobby Fox. Concert Hall, QPAC. Nov 20. 136 246.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. shake& stir theatre co.

Playhouse, QPAC From Nov 29.

136 246.

Monty Python’s Spamalot by Eric Idle and John Du Prez.

Brisbane Arts. Nov 23 - Jan 18.

(07) 3369 2344. artstheatre.com.au

We Will Rock You by Ben Elton and Queen. Coolum Players, Coolum. Nov 29 - Dec 8. (07) 5446 2500. coolumtheatre.com.au

Glamonatrix. Dita Von Teese Concert Hall, QPAC. Nov 24.

136 246.

Aladdin by Ben Crocker.

Pantomime. Cairns Little Theatre. Nov 29 - Dec 14.

1300 855 835. therondo.com.au

Celebrating Australian and American Bandstand. Concert Hall, QPAC. Nov 27. 136 246.

Cinematic. Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Concert Hall, QPAC. Nov 30. 136 246.

Matriarch by Sandy Greenwood. Cremorne Theatre, QPAC. Nov 27 - 30. 136 246.

Dr Cosmos. Dylan Moran.

Concert Hall, QPAC. Dec 2 - 4.

Christmas Actually by Naomi 136 246.

Price and Adam Brunes. Little Red Co/La Boite. Roundhouse Bohemian Rhapsody Live.

Theatre. Nov 27 - Dec 7. (07) Concert Hall, QPAC. Dec 6. 136 3007 8600 246.

Just $50 a month to reach thousands of theatre goers. Contact Stage Whispers for details.

On Stage

Queensland & Victoria Currently playing at the Sydney Opera House, The Choir Of Man, will kick off the new year at The Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne, with previews beginning December 28.

Photo: David and Chris Cann. thechoirofman.co.uk

Online extras!

The Choir Of Man will have you singing and dancing in the aisles. Scan or visit https://youtu.be/9-tqLIcNhwo

The Messiah by Handel.

Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Concert Hall, QPAC. Dec 7. 136 246.

Tenori. Empire Theatre, Toowoomba. Dec 12. 1300 655 299.

The Nutcracker. Ben Stevenson / Tchaikovsk.

Queensland Ballet. Lyric Theatre, QPAC. Dec 13 - 21.

136 246.

Jungle Book The Musical by Markus Weber and Michael Summ. Brisbane Arts Theatre.

Dec 14 - 21. (07) 3369 2344.

Spirit of Christmas. Concert Hall, QPAC. Dec 20 - 21. 136 246.

The Angels - Symphony Of Angels. Concert Hall, QPAC. Dec 28. 136 246.

Queensland Pops New Year’s Eve Concert. Concert Hall, QPAC. Dec 31. 136 246.

Victoria Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany.

Continuing. Princess Theatre, Melbourne. harrypottertheplay.com

Heathers The Musical. Book, Music & Lyrics by Kevin Murphy & Laurence O’Keefe. Based on the film written by Daniel Waters. Fab Nobs Theatre Inc. Until Nov 9. fabnobstheatre.com.au

Willingham & Buck Henry. The Mount Players. Nov 1 - 23.

Mountview Theatre, Macedon.

0419 348 387.

Seussical The Musical. By Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. MMuDS. Nov 2 - 16.

Thigh Gap by Jamaica Zuanetti. Mansfield Performing Arts Until Nov 10. La Mama Centre. mmuds.org.au Come From Away. Book, music Courthouse. lamama.com.au and lyrics by David Hein and Ragtime. Book by Terrence Irene Sankoff. Junkyard Dogs The Year of Magical Thinking McNally. Music by Stephen Productions and Rodney Rigby. by Joan Didion. Until Nov 17.

Flaherty. Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens.

Continuing. Comedy Theatre, fortyfivedownstairs. (03) 9662 The Production Company. Nov Melbourne.

9966.

2 - 10. Arts Centre Melbourne. comefromaway.com.au 1300 182 183.

Photograph 51 by Anna Charlie and the Chocolate Ziegler. Melbourne Theatre I’ll Be Seeing You. Sophie Factory. Music by Marc Company. Nov 1 - Dec 14. Arts Bengough. Nov 4 - 9. The Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Butterfly Club.

Wittman and Marc Shaiman, Studio. 1300 182 183. thebutterflyclub.com book by David Greig, with Twelfth Night by William Winefulness. Tash York. Nov 4 additional songs by Leslie Shakespeare. Malvern Theatre - 9. The Butterfly Club.

Bricusse and Anthony Newley Co. Nov 1 - 16. 1300 131 552. thebutterflyclub.com from the 1971 Warner Bros motion picture. Her Majesty’s The Graduate. Adapted by Parramatta Girls by Alana Theatre, Melbourne.

Terry Johnson, based on the Valentine. Torquay Theatre Continuing. novel by Charles Webb. Motion Troupe. Nov 4 - 16. ttt.org.au charliethemusical.com.au Picture Screenplay by Calder

Advertise your show on the front page of www.stagewhispers.com.au

Stage Whispers 65

On Stage Ladies in Black. Book by Carolyn Burns. Music and Lyrics

by Tim Finn. Based on Madeleine St John’s novel.

Lilydale Athenæum Theatre Company Inc. Nov 7 - 23. (03) 9735 1777.

Death by Eating by Cenarth Fox. Strathmore Theatrical Arts Group. Nov 7 - 16. Strathmore Community Hall. (03) 9382 6284. stagtheatre.org She is Vigilante by Chanella Macri, Lauren Anderson, Meegan May, Ivana Brehas, Krystalla Pearce, Maja Amanita and Roshelle Fong. Directed by Bridget Balodis and Krystalla Pearce. Theatre Works. Nov 7 16. theatreworks.org.au Two Weddings, One Bride by Robert Andrew Greene. Music

by Strauss, Offenbach, Lehár and Kálmán. Opera Australia.

Nov 7 - 10. Playhouse, Arts Centre, Melbourne. 1300 182 183.

Dinner With Friends by Donald Marguiles. Brighton Theatre Company. Nov 8 - 23. Brighton Arts & Cultural Centre. 1300 752 126 brightontheatre.com.au Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward.

The Basin Theatre Group. Nov 8 - 30. 1300 784 668. thebasintheatre.org.au A Chorus Line. Music: Marvin Hamlisch. Lyrics: Edward Kleban. Book: James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante.

Williamstown Musical Theatre Company. Nov 8 - 16.

Centenary Theatre, Williamstown. wmtc.org.au The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project.

Shepparton Theatre Arts Group. Nov 8 - 10. The Bakehouse Black Box Theatre. stagtheatre.com Out of Order by Ray Cooney.

Mordialloc Theatre Company.

Nov 8 - 23. Shirley Burke Theatre, Parkdale. (03) 9587 5141.

66 Stage Whispers

Victoria

Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story

by Alan Janes. Beaumaris Theatre. Nov 8 - 23. beaumaristheatre.com.au Bryn Terfel in Concert. Opera Australia. Nov 10. Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne. 1300 182 183.

The Producers by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan. Babirra Music Theatre. Nov 11 - 19.

Whitehorse Centre, Nunawading. babirra.org.au Fourplay by Katie Lee. Glass Half Full Productions. Nov 11 16. The Butterfly Club. thebutterflyclub.com The Madwomen Monologues.

Nov 11 - 23. The Butterfly Club. thebutterflyclub.com La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini. BK Opera. Nov 12, 16 & 21. Wesley Anne, Northcotte. bkopera.com.au Oil by Ella Hickson. Red Stitch Actors Theatre. Nov 12 - Dec 15. (03) 9533 8083.

Nov 15 - 30. GPAC. (03) 5225 Melbourne. 1300 182 183.

1200. geelongartscentre.org.au opera.org.au Tartuffe by Molière, adapted by Christopher Hampton.

Heidelberg Theatre Company.

Nov 15 - 30. (03) 9457 4117.

People Suck by Megan Phillips and Peter Cavell. Theatre Works and Salty Theatre. Nov 20 - 30. theatreworks.org.au

Season’s Greetings by Alan Ayckbourn. Frankston Theatre Group. Nov 15 - Dec 1. Mount Eliza Community Centre. 1300 665 377.

Electric Dreams. A new musical

by Drew Lane. Music Theatre Melbourne. Nov 20 - 24.

Gasworks Arts Park. gasworks.org.au

Kiss Of The Spider Woman.

Book by Terence McNally.

Music by John Kander. Lyrics by Fred Ebb. Based on the novel

by Manuel Puig. Melbourne Theatre Company. Nov 18 Dec 28. Southbank Theatre, The Sumner. (03) 8688 0800. mtc.com.au

Jack The Ripper: The Musical.

Book and Lyrics by Ron Pember and Denis de Marne. Music by Ron Pember. Essendon Theatre Company. Nov 21 - 30.

Bradshaw Street Community Hall, West Essendon. essendontheatrecompany.com.au

Refined by Katy Warner. Lab Rohan Browne: Influences. Nov Kelpie. Nov 22 - Dec 23.

18. Hamer Hall, Arts Centre fortyfivedownstairs. (03) 9662 Melbourne. 1300 182 183.

9966.

Turandot by Puccini. Opera Legally Blonde The Musical.

Australia. Nov 19 - Dec 6. State Music and Lyrics by Laurence Theatre, Arts Centre O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin.

Black Comedy by Peter Shaffer and The Real Inspector Hound

by Tom Stoppard.

Williamstown Little Theatre.

Nov 13 - 30. wlt.org.au Spot. Based on the books of Eric Hill. CDP Kids and Salspot.

Nov 13 - 17. Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne. 1300 182 183.

The Audition. Nov 13 - 24. La Mama Courthouse. lamama.com.au A Knight to Remember by Jane Rothnie. Eltham Little Theatre.

Nov 14 - 30. 0411 713 095.

Leading Ladies by Ken Ludwig.

The 1812 Theatre. Nov 14 Dec 7. 1812theatre.com.au Stage Kiss by Sarah Ruhl.

Peridot Theatre. Nov 15 - 30.

The Unicorn Theatre, Mt Waverley. 0429 115 334.

One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean. Geelong Repertory Theatre Company.

Just $50 a month to reach thousands of theatre goers. Contact Stage Whispers for details.

On Stage Book by Heather Hach. James Terry Collective. Nov 23 - Dec 8. Chapel Off Chapel. chapeloffchapel.com.au I’m Here by Narelle Bonnici.

Nov 26 - 30. The Butterfly Club. thebutterflyclub.com

Mazda Opera in the Bowl.

Opera Australia. Nov 30.

Sidney Myer Music Bowl. opera.org.au

Victoria, Tasmania & South Australia The Sleeping Beauty. The Australian Conservatoire of Ballet. Dec 18 - 21. Playhouse, Arts Centre, Melbourne. 1300 182 183.

The Return of Grazie Fibonacci.

Mark Gambinno. Dec 2 - 7.

The Barber of Seville by Rossini.

The Butterfly Club.

Victorian Opera. Dec 12 - 14. thebutterflyclub.com Melbourne Recital Centre. (03) Faust by Gounod Opera 9699 3333.

Australia. Nov 27 - Dec 7. State Punk Rock by Simon Stephens.

Theatre, Arts Centre Patalog Theatre Co. Dec 4 - 15. Songs For Nobodies by Joanna Melbourne. 1300 182 183. fortyfivedownstairs. (03) 9662 Murray-Smith. Starring 9966.

Bernadette Robinson. Dec 13 Five Minutes To Midnight and 15. GPAC, Drama Theatre.

Raoul Wallenberg Saved Me Mozart and Salieri by geelongartscentre.org.au Alexander Pushkin and Nicolai

by Neil Cole. Nov 27 - Dec 8.

Chapel Off Chapel.

Rimsky-Korsakov. Circle in the Chicago. Music by John chapeloffchapel.com.au Sand. Dec 9 - 14. The Butterfly Kander. Lyrics by Fred Ebb. Club. thebutterflyclub.com Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Humans. Circa. Nov 27 - 30.

Fosse. John Frost and Suzanne Playhouse, Arts Centre, Storytime Ballet: The Jones. From Dec 14. State Melbourne. 1300 182 183.

Nutcracker. The Australian Theatre, Arts Centre Ballet. Dec 11 - 15. Playhouse, Melbourne. 1300 182 183.

Broadway Obsessive Disorder.

Arts Centre, Melbourne. 1300 Nov 27 - 30. The Butterfly 182 183.

Songs For Nobodies by Joanna Club. thebutterflyclub.com Murray-Smith. Starring Anna by Bagryana Popov. Dec Bernadette Robinson. Dec 18 I Shot Mussolini by Alice 11 - 22. La Mama Courthouse.

29. Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre, Bishop. Nov 27 - Dec 8. La lamama.com.au Melbourne. 1300 182 183.

Mama Courthouse. lamama.com.au Tasmania My Fair Lady by Lerner and Loewe. Bijou Creative. Until Nov 9. Theatre Royal, Hobart.

(03) 6146 3300. theatreroyal.com.au Wuss in Boots. Bawdy Pantos.

Nov 20 - 23. Theatre Royal, Hobart, (03) 6146 3300. theatreroyal.com.au

Venice) by William Shakespeare. The Raw Shakespeare Project. Nov 2 22. Various venues. rawshakespeareproject.com.au Nunsense A-Men by Dan Goggin. Matt Byrne Media.

Nov 7 - 30. Holden Street Theatres. (08) 8225 8888. mattbyrnemedia.com.au Assassins by Stephen Sondheim. Hills Musical Company. Nov 8 - 23. Stirling Community Theatre. hillsmusical.org.au Black is the New White by Nakkiah Lui. State Theatre Company of South Australia.

Nov 13 - Dec 1. Dunstan Playhouse. statetheatrecompany.com.au A Christmas Carol. Adapted by Patrick Barlow. Adelaide Repertory Theatre. Nov 14 - 23.

The Arts Theatre. (08) 8212 5777. adelaiderep.com Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Jeffrey Archer. St Jude’s Players.

Nov 14 - 23. St Jude’s Hall.

(08) 8296 2628.

Murder at the Manor by Kate Farrer. Top of the Torrens Theatre Group. Nov 16 - 24.

Mt Pleasant Hall. trybooking.com/535745

Marathon by Edoardo Erba.

Adapt Enterprises. Nov 20 - 30.

The Barber of Seville by Rossini.

Bakehouse Theatre.

Victorian Opera and Tasmanian bakehousetheatre.com Symphony Orchestra. Nov 21.

Princess Theatre, Launceston.

Going Postal by Sir Terry (03) 6331 0052.

Pratchett, adapted by Stephen theatrenorth.com.au Briggs. Unseen Theatre Company. Nov 20 - 30.

Something Fishy. Children’s Bakehouse Theatre.

Pantomime. The Hobart bakehousetheatre.com Repertory Theatre. Dec 1 - 8.

The Playhouse Theatre.

Aladdin. Pantomime by Joshua Dixon. Nov 22 - 30. Tea Tree playhouse.org.au Players. Tea Tree Players South Australia Theatre. (08) 8289 5266 or teatreeplayers.com Cash on Delivery by Michael Cooney. Noarlunga Theatre The Brothers Grimm Company. Nov 1 - 9. Port Spectaculathon by Don Zolidis.

Noarlunga Arts Centre. (08) Venture Theatre Company. Nov 8326 5577.

22 - 30. Trinity Uniting Hall. venturetheatreco@gmail.com The Merry Wives of The Merchant of Windsor (or Advertise your show on the front page of www.stagewhispers.com.au

Stage Whispers 67

On Stage

South Australia & Western Australia

Online extras!

Watch the trailer for the five-time Tony Award-winning War Horse. https://youtu.be/K5E16IQ8_ZM

West Side Story. Music: Leonard Bernstein. Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim. Book: Arthur Laurents. Opera Australia, GWB Entertainment and BB Group. Nov 28 - Dec 15. Adelaide Festival Theatre. adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. SALOS. Nov 28 - Dec 1. (08) 8294 6582.

Billy Elliot the Musical. Music Elton John, book and lyrics Lee Hall. Dec 29 - Jan 19. Adelaide Festival Centre Trust. Adelaide Festival Centre. 131 246. billyelliotthemusical.com.au

Wembley Theatre Company.

Until Nov 10. Wembley Community Centre. trybooking.com/540605 The Man Who Was Peter Pan

by Allan Knee. A story about J. M. Barrie. Nov 1 - 14. Old Mill Theatre, Mends St, South Perth. oldmilltheatre.com.au Playthings by Scott McArdle.

Second Chance Theatre. Nov 5 - 23. Suburban homicide while watching “Rage”. The Blue Room Theatre, James St, Northbridge. blueroom.org.au

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, adapted Western Australia

by Richard George. Midnite Youth Theatre Company. Nov 6 Cephalopod by Jess Nyanda - 9. Based on the novel. Drama Moyle. Squid Vicious. Until Nov Centre, Christ Church Grammar 16. Calamari, karaoke and School. trybooking.com/YOVZ Filipina fury. The Blue Room Theatre, Northbridge.

The Lion, The Witch and the blueroom.org.au Wardrobe by Glyn Robbins, based on the C.S. Lewis book.

The Secret of Snow White by Nov 8 - 23. Koorliny Arts Tony Nicholls. Pantomime.

68 Stage Whispers

War Horse, touring the country, first to the Regent Theatre, Melbourne from January 10, the Sydney Lyric from February 15 and then Crown Theatre, Perth from March 24.

Photo: Brinkhoff Mögenburg. warhorseonstage.com.au

Centre, Kwinana. koorliny.com.au Red Riding Hood. Pantomime

by K.O. Samuel. KADS. Nov 13 - 30. KADS Town Square Theatre, Kalamunda. kadstheatre.com.au Les Misérables. Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg.

Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer.

Original French text byAlain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel.

Darlington Theatre Players. Nov 15 - Dec 14. Musical based on the novel by Victor Hugo.

Marloo Theatre, Greenmount. marlootheatre.com.au Cinderella A Pantomime.

Murray Music and Drama Club.

Nov 15 - 30. Pinjarra Civic Centre. 0458 046 414. mmdc.com.au Clue by Peter De Pietro, Galen Blum, Wayne Barker, Vinnie Martucci and Tom Chiodo.

Phoenix Theatre. Nov 15 - 30.

Musical with over 200 possible endings. Memorial Hall, Hamilton Hill. trybooking.com/BERHT Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, adapted from the novel

by Peter Clapham. ARENA Arts.

Nov 15 - 30. Roxy Lane Theatre, Bayswater. (08) 9255 3336. taztix.com.au Rock of Ages by Chris D’Arienzo. Wanneroo Repertory. Nov 21 - Dec 7.

Jukebox musical. Limelight Theatre, Wanneroo. limelighttheatre.com.au ALICE (In Wonderland). WA Ballet. Nov 21 - Dec 15.

Australian premiere ballet for all ages. His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth. ptt.wa.gov.au Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks

by Richard Alfieri. Melville Theatre Company. Nov 22 Dec 7. Melville Theatre, Palymyra. meltheco.org.au

Just $50 a month to reach thousands of theatre goers. Contact Stage Whispers for details.

On Stage The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society Production of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin. Stirling Players.

Nov 22 - Dec 7. Seasonal classic dramatic massacre.

Stirling Theatre, Innaloo. trybooking.com/444008

Western Australia & New Zealand

Roxy Lane Theatre, Bayswater. trybooking.com/523544

Heroes by Gerald Sibleyras, translated by Tom Stoppard.

Nov 7 - 17. The PumpHouse Dick Whittington. Pantomime.

Theatre, Auckland. (09) 489 Roleystone Theatre. Dec 7 - 15.

8360.

Pantomime. Roleystone Hall. trybooking.com/564032 The Flint St Nativity by Tim Firth. Dolphin Theatre Sleigh Bells Ring. Sunday (Auckland). Nov 8 - 30.

Serenades and Bel Canto. Dec dolphintheatre.org.nz 15. Old Mill Theatre, South Perth. oldmilltheatre.com.au 80’s Mania Theatre Restaurant.

The Boobytrap by Jane Hilliard.

Gore Musical Theatre. Nov 8 Rockingham Theatre Company.

New Zealand 16. Gore Town and Country Nov 22 - Dec 7. Comedy. The Club. (03) 208 7396.

Cock by Mike Bartlett.

Circa Castle Theatre, Rockingham.

Theatre, Wellington.

Until Nov rockinghamtheatre.com The Game’s Afoot by Ken 9. circa.co.nz Ludwig. Howick Little Theatre.

Bang! Bang! Presented by Nov 9 - 30. (09) 361 1000.

Frost/Nixon by Peter Morgan.

Scott Elstermann and Shona Stagecraft Theatre Erskine. Nov 26 - Dec 14.

Mamil by Gregory Cooper.

(Wellington). Until Nov 9.

Murder, melodrama and Wes Centrepoint Theatre, stagecraft.co.nz Anderson. The Blue Room Palmerston North. Nov 9 - Dec Theatre, James St, Northbridge. The Pink Hammer by Michele 14. (06) 354 5740. blueroom.org.au Amas. Centre Stage Taupo.

Disney Beauty and the Beast.

Nov 6 - 16. Playhouse, Matai Puss in Boots by Ben Crocker.

Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics St, Taupo.

Garrick Theatre. Nov 28 - Dec

by Howard Ashman and Tim centrestagetaupo.co.nz 14. Pantomime. Garrick Rice. Book by Linda Theatre, Guildford.

Les Misérables. Music: Claude- Woolverton. Centre Stage trybooking.com/556257 Rolleston. Nov 14 - 23.

Michel Schönberg. Lyrics: centrestagerolleston.org.nz Herbert Kretzmer.

Original Old Mill Christmas Show.

French Text: Alain Boublil & Christmas celebration. Dec 4 The Odd Couple (Female Jean Marc Natel. Additional 14. Old Mill Theatre, South Version) by Neil Simon. Detour Material: James Fenton.

Perth. oldmilltheatre.com.au Theatre, Tauranga. Nov 14 Auckland Music Theatre. Civic 30. 0508 484 253.

The Ghost Train by Arnold Theatre Auckland. Nov 7 - Dec Ridley. Harbour Theatre. Dec 6 1. aucklandmusictheatre.nz Alice in Wonderland - The - 15. Comedy thriller. Camelot Pantomime. By Simon Leary Enchanted April by Matthew Theatre, Mosman Park. (08) and Gavin Rutherford . Nov 15 Barber, adapted from the novel 9255 3336. taztix.com.au - Dec 22. Circa Theatre,

by Elizabeth von Arnim.

Wellington. (04) 801 7992.

Possession: Fear Never Sleeps.

Ellerslie Theatrical Society. Nov Halcyon Playhouse. Dec 6 - 14. 7 - 16. iticket.co.nz Dad’s Army by Jim Perry and Immersive horror experience.

David Croft. Papakura Theatre

Company. Nov 16 - 30. Off Broadway Theatre, Papakura.

(09) 361 1000.

Blackadder Goes Forth by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton.

Nov 22 - Dec 7. Blenheim Musical Theatre. bmt.net.nz Uma Lava by Victor Rodger.

FCC. Nov 22 - Dec 7. Circa Theatre, Wellington. (04) 801 7992.

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, adapted for the stage by Alan Bennett. Nov 23 - Jan 18. Court Theatre, Christchurch. 0800 333 100.

Bonking James Bond and Snip

by April Philips. Cambridge Repertory. Nov 30 - Dec 14. cambridgerepertory.org.nz Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Dec 7 - Mar 1.

Pop-up Globe Theatre, The Shakespeare Gardens, Ellerslie Racecourse, Auckland. 0800 BUY TIX (289 849).

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. Dec 8 Mar 1. Pop-up Globe Theatre, The Shakespeare Gardens, Ellerslie Racecourse, Auckland.

0800 BUY TIX (289 849).

Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts. Auckland Live with Shake & Stir Theatre Co. Dec 21 - 23. Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland. aucklandlive.co.nz

Auditions Place your audition notice in the next edition of Stage Whispers magazine.

Email stagews@stagewhispers.com.au or call (03) 9758 4522

Stage Whispers Directory Premium listing: $20

Online extras!

Check out all the auditions that didn’t make it to print. Scan or visit www.stagewhispers.com.au/auditions

Get noticed on the Stage Whispers website with a premium listing www.stagewhispers.com.au/directory-central

Advertise your show on the front page of www.stagewhispers.com.au

Stage Whispers 69

Reviews: Premieres

Online extras!

The ever-dependable Cirque Du Soleil magic shines through in Kurios. https://youtu.be/RXSpuKlWeVs Kurios - Cabinet Of Curiosities Written and directed by Michel Laprise. Cirque du Soleil.

Big Top, The Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, Sydney.

Oct 3 - Dec 15 FIRST seen in Montreal, Canada in 2014, Kurios had a major New York outing with sparkling reviews two years later, and now arrives in Sydney on the first stop of an Australian tour.

For the link that knits the various brilliant acts together, Michel Laprise has gone back to legendary French filmmaker Georges Melies, whose A Trip to the Moon in 1902 created a bizarre world in which anything can happen.

The bunch of characters thus created (which includes Rima Hadchiti as the most astonishing mini-person I have ever seen) lead us on while the major scenes are quickly cleared and/or established behind.

Here there’s plenty of marvellous talent to choose from. A French lady cyclist takes off and, suspended in mid-air, does impossible cartwheels. Four Russian girls go through extravagant contortions while perched on a giant hand. A magical tea party builds on stage until you realise that it is mirrored by an upside-down party high above.

The second half is even better. ‘Siamese Twins’ from the United States do amazing things above us on ropes, a Taiwanese master of yo-yos demonstrates his mastery of the toys, and a troupe of 10-man / 2-lady gymnasts fling themselves about in a display of synchronised acrobatics rarely seen.

70 Stage Whispers

Cirque Du Soleil’s Kurios - Cabinet Of Curiosities.

The appreciation of the audience grew as the evening progressed: by the end we had clapped and cheered ourselves hoarse.

Frank Hatherley Amongst The Trees Daphne - Composed by Josh Van Konkelenberg, libretto

by Fleur Kilpatrick and Erwartung by Arnold Schoenberg.

Co-Opera. Woolshed - Adelaide Showgrounds. Sep 29.

AMONGST the Trees was an intense and sometimes challenging evening. Its intensity came from both the subject matter and the style of music. This was a departure from the usual offerings from Co-Opera, which usually chooses more traditional and ‘audience-friendly’ works.

Amongst the Trees demanded close attention. The Schoenberg opera in particular is rarely performed and lacked the melodies and the moments of transcendent beauty that come from arias in more well-known operas.

That said, I did enjoy Daphne. Bethany Hill combines excellent technical ability with a beautiful voice and a strong physical performance, in a tour de force. The program demanded a huge amount from a solo performer and she delivered a beautiful and compelling performance.

A simple set used an effective collection of wood and steel sculptures, lit to create shadows and atmosphere.

Hill was accompanied by Konkelenberg, who demonstrated his considerable virtuosity on the piano.

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I must give Kilpatrick’s beautifully written libretto a round of applause. It was possible to read it as well as listening.

The audience appreciated the skill and dedication of Hill and Konkelenberg, who received cheers and a welldeserved ovation.

Sally Putnam

entertaining, despite its slim verisimilitude. And two fine performances help.

Ben Wood’s Henry is an Aussie bloke, an unpredictable mix of charm and threat, off to prove himself in battle; while Nikki Shiels is an elegant intelligent Parr who looks great in cocktail dresses.

This famously dysfunctional Tudor family does suggest some modern truths, with Emma Harvie as enthusiastic Jane Eyre Young Bess, Bishanyia Vincent as droll Mary and Emma

By Charlotte Bronte. Adapted and Created by Shake & Stir. Chelsey overplaying the spoilt male heir, Edward. Simon Shake & Stir. Cremorne Theatre, QPAC. Oct 19 - Nov 9.

London is his uncle, Thomas Seymour, and lover of Parr.

JOSH McIntosh’s multi-level set, with moody and Two giant portraits of Princesses Mary and Elizabeth evocative lighting by Jason Glenwright, immediately tells dominate Simone Romaniuk’s set and, in between, the us we’re in the moors, it’s cold and damp, and that life is marital bed on which Parr negotiates their security, and harsh. As Jane Eyre, the gothic story of the 19th century also her own. female orphan unfolds, we are drawn into her life and her The play is overlong but still delightful for historical love for the ‘Byronic’ hero Edward Fairfax Rochester. tragics like me who daydream what these monarchs were Re-conceived for the #MeToo era, it’s an exciting piece really like. But I’m sure they weren’t too much like this. of drama with a haunting musical score, imaginatively Martin Portus staged by director Michael Futcher. And that’s what sets it apart - the staging, the blistering vocals by Sarah McLeod Golden Shield and the piano underscore. The former lead singer/guitarist By Anchuli Felicia King. Melbourne Theatre Company. of The Superjesus is a powerhouse and more than earns Southbank Theatre, The Sumner. Aug 12 - Sep 14. her onstage stripes with her searing performances in AN American IT company is contracted to erect a firewall - the ‘Golden Shield’ - in China, but it also various roles, especially as the violent Bertha.

As the protagonist, Nelle Lee brings spunk and fierce determination to Jane as she fights for her place in an The Last Wife. unjust society, whilst Helen Howard is by turns cruel (Mrs Photo: Phil Erbacher.

Reed), warm and motherly (Mrs Fairfax) and coquettish (Blanch Ingram), in a series of excellent vignettes. Anthony Standish also excels in multiple roles as the evil Mr Brocklehurst, the severe St. John, and the infamous Rochester, whose secret unravels with devastating effect.

Midway through the first act we encounter a burning room, which is a dynamic piece of staging, but it’s only a precursor for the finale when the whole set of the manor is on fire in a brilliant coupe de theatre.

With memorable performances, spectacular staging, and a classic story that’s had an invigorating new coat of paint, there’s no doubt it’s another Shake & Stir production destined for hit status!

Peter Pinne The Last Wife

By Kate Hennig. Ensemble Theatre (NSW). Aug 30 - Sep 29.

THIS contemporary telling of the story of Henry VIII’s sixth wife, Katherine Parr, requires a vertigo-inducing suspension of belief.

Kate Hennig’s family of royals - with young Edward, Elizabeth and Mary all waiting to rule after the old king squabble and banter in an idiom and modern dress more akin to American TV. This Katherine keeps a new world feminism only just at bay, when, in reality, it was her new religious radicalism which almost caused her downfall.

And yet, as directed by Mark Kilmurry, Hennig’s dialogue bristles with pace and wit, and the pragmatic marital bargaining of Henry and his last wife is Longer versions of many reviews can now be found at www.stagewhispers.com.au

Online extras!

Audiences raved after seeing Yank!

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functions internally to identify ‘terrorists’. A ChineseAmerican lawyer, Julie Chen (Fiona Choi) decides to represent some of these ‘terrorists’ and sue the American company for aiding the Chinese government in its suppressions, torture and murder.

The characters per se are not real - as the playwright Anchuli Felicia King tells us - but the situation is; it happened. Multi-stranded, with a non-linear time scheme skilfully deployed as a series of reveals, the play shows us intimate relationships but ventures into international politics, paranoia, corporate greed, amoral egomania and betrayal. Appropriately, a Translator (Yuchen Wang) introduces the play: it is about translation, of words, of mores and values - and between sisters, lovers and friends.

Esther Marie Hayes and Rebecca Hayes (The Sisters Hayes) set design is cold marble brutalism. Aided by Damien Cooper’s lighting it can become a home kitchen, a hotel room, a cheap restaurant, a courtroom or a multinational’s boardroom. Director Sarah Goodes uses a big empty space in a dynamic and pictorial way with the positioning of her cast - and the cast itself is clearly inside not just their characters, but also what this play is about.

The cast is excellent, working in a mix of Mandarin, English and ‘American’. Gabrielle Chan plays three roles, most strikingly as a steely Chinese Deputy Minister. Yi Jin is Li Dao, one of those ‘terrorists’, whose dignity and courage crumble away. Ms Choi’s Julie hires her cynical sister Eva (Jing-Xuan Chan) as translator. Sophie Ross is the naïve liaison in China. Nicholas Bel is Julie’s boss, and he’s also Larry Murdoch, the ‘business’ side of the computer company. All end up disappointed and hurt except for computer genius Marshall McLaren (Josh McConville) who is very proud of his download speeds and damn the consequences.

The play’s ending is not ‘feel good’, but something morally complex has been dramatised; it may be grim, but it is satisfying. It is astonishing to think that Anchuli Felicia King is only twenty-five - not just for her story structure skills but also her grasp of moral ambiguities and ambivalences. Golden Shield is an MTC NEXTSTAGE Original and this production is its world premiere.

Michael Brindley

also deeply connected to spirit, with the ghosts of her ancestors regularly appearing to her.

Director Isaac Drandic has gotten some great work out of the cast. Stand-out performances are delivered by Roxanne McDonald, who plays the sassy, vivacious Nanna with gusto, and Colin Smith as father Eric. When Eric reveals why he hasn’t had much to say since the suicide of his son, his speech is so heartbreaking you’d be made of stone not to be moved.

Kevin O’Brien’s set design is clever. Keith Deverell’s film and animation is excellent. Guy Webster’s sound design is especially effective in building the mood, as are Ben Hughes’ lighting choices.

This is a highly engaging and entertaining piece of theatre with a distinctly Australian sense of humour. From Darkness will make you laugh, cry and consider your own connections with those you love and the universe around you.

Kiesten McCauley

Daddy Long Legs Music & Lyrics: Paul Gordon. Book: John Caird. Passion Productions. Brisbane Powerhouse. Sep 26 - Oct 5.

JEAN Webster’s 1912 novel, set in turn-of-the-century New England, has been previously musicalised. Hugh Martin wrote a West End adaptation called Love From Judy in 1952 and three years later Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron turned the story into a very successful Hollywood musical, Daddy Long Legs. But there’s no splashy songand-dance numbers in this version, written for a cast of two.

The story of an orphanage waif who benefits from a mysterious benefactor’s largesse in the form of college tuition bears similarities to Jo Marsh’s story strand in Little Women. The fact it’s set in the same period, locale, and that she also becomes a writer only underline the likeness.

This new adaptation and Australian premiere has charm, and an emotional finale when the two characters finally declare their love for each other, but too often, because of John Caird’s epistolary treatment of the book, it treads water. Paul Gordon’s music and lyrics are workmanlike without being outstanding, although I did like the recurrent “The Secret of Happiness”.

As the protagonist Jerusha Abott, 18-year-old Ella From Darkness Macrokanis was feisty, with a youthful adolescence that

By Steven Oliver. Directed by Isaac Drandic. La Boite and appealed. Her vocals had a purity of tone that delineated Brisbane Festival. Sep 7 - 28. the character, especially in “I Couldn’t Know Someone SPIRITUALISTS and scientists have long spoken of the Less”. As the benefactor, Jervis Pendleton lll, Shaun interconnectedness of all things. Steven Oliver’s From Kohlman’s light tenor was perfect for the role; whether Darkness handles the subject with intelligence, humour singing solo on “My Manhattan”, or dueting with and sensitivity. It explores one family’s journey through Macrikanis on “The Colour of Your Eyes”, it had warmth. the pain of losing a son to suicide, yet the script is packed Sean Fagan’s three-piece orchestra of piano, guitar full of hilarious one-liners. The flow between sarcastic and cello added a tenderness to the soundscape, while stirs, loving family moments and screaming matches Maddi Goodridge’s costumes nicely mirrored the period. seems very realistic.

Scott Lymbery’s bookish set and its attention to detail Helping to heal the family is teenage son Preston, elevated the level of production, as did Connor Clarke’s played by Benjin Maza. He’s being visited by Aboriginal sensitive direction. spirit figures that are beautifully represented in film and The oft-told story still pleases in this new adaptation. animation on a curved scrim. Akira (Ebony McGuire) is Peter Pinne 72 Stage Whispers

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Online extras!

Belvoir’s Fangirls is about love and other big feelings in the age of the internet. https://youtu.be/1w4170zbuIY

Fangirls.

Photo: Brett Boardman.

Fangirls Book, music and lyrics by Yve Blake. Belvoir. Oct 12 - Nov 10.

ONE of the most striking aspects of Fangirls is the authenticity of the writing and how Yve Blake nails the heady experiences of teenage girls and their passion, energy and search for love. Sitting next to me was the mother of a recent teenager, squealing with recognition.

OMG! During one scene, which replicates the experience of being at a boy band pop concert, daggy parents (like myself) struggled to find the torch app on our phones.

Thankfully help was at hand and Belvoir was lit up by waves of throbbing glows.

Jaws dropped at the talent of Yve Blake. “What, she wrote the music, book and lyrics - and is also the star?” asked startled opening night guest in the foyer. Yes, and she is only 26.

The musical opens with our heroine Edna fantasising about her boyband crush Harry. The teenager has a talent for creative writing and invents vivid pulp fiction like scenarios for the two.

Into her bedroom marches her mother Caroline, played gorgeously by Sharon Millerchip, demanding that Edna do her homework.

The action switches to the school playground where Edna’s equally charismatic buddies also express their love for Harry. News breaks that he is going to tour Australia, prompting a scramble for tickets.

In the second act the drama goes on a white knuckle rollercoaster ride.

The role of popstar Harry is played by an actual 18year-old who has cut his teeth in reality television. Aydan looks every bit the part of boyband eye candy.

The entire production is wrapped in a dazzling light extravaganza. Images swirl around the screens, seamlessly blending with slick choreography and toe tapping melodies.

This completely original Australian musical is headed for global conquest with a TV adaptation already signed up in the United Kingdom.

David Spicer Playing Face

By Cassie Hamilton. Bearfoot Theatre. Civic Playhouse, Newcastle. Oct 16 - 19. Shopfront Arts Co-op, Sydney.

Oct 23 - 26.

BEARFOOT Theatre, which developed this show, was established in 2017 by young Newcastle people in their late teens and early 20s, and they have compiled a very engaging collection of shows that grew from their experiences and those of people they know.

And, while there were some scenes in Playing Face that didn’t work as well as they should have on the opening night, this was a vigorous look at the interactions of two couples who get together for three days and nights to prepare the season finale of a long-running television show, Living With The Kings.

Cassie Hamilton, who wrote and directed the 75minute show, assembled a diverse collection of performance styles which suit the nature of the story.

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Stage Whispers 73

Fully Sikh.

Photo: Daniel J Grant.

Online extras!

What does it mean to be Australian?

Fully Sikh explores this question. facebook.com/watch/?v=783872642043733 There are projected film sequences that show moments from Living With The Kings and comments by people in footage from other television programs that could apply to the Kings and their guests, bright songs written by Cassie Hamilton and presented by the actors, with the visiting couple, a musical pair known as the Wild Violets, showing how they interact, in public and privacy, and amusing switches of clothing which underline the changes in the quartet’s relationships in their three days together.

The onstage actors - Harold Phipps and Stephanie Priest, as Mr and Mrs King, and Carl Gregory and Anna Lambert, as their guests, Jason Wilde and Violet Young had watchers smiling and laughing. There was good work, too, from the actors in the film sequences: Christopher Shanko, James Chapman and Brittany Biles.

And Kieran Norman provided engaging live piano accompaniment to the songs.

Ken Longworth

Written by and starring slam poet Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa, this one woman show tells about how Sukhjit grew up in a Perth suburb as a brown, hairy Sikh girl. Sukhjit blends poetry, comedy and the occasional pun in this beautiful story of family, self-realisation and acceptance. Not only is her writing excellent, but Sukhjit is a dynamic and personable performer who seems to personally welcome every audience member into her family home.

On stage musician and composer Pavan Kumar Hari provides musical accompaniment on a variety of instruments, including the traditional Harmonium and Tabla. More than just another (excellent) musician, he adds colour and humour, reveals impressive dance skills and even plays a character or two. Tim Collins’ sound design allows traditional and contemporary sounds to blend beautifully.

Isla Shaw’s magic jewelry box of a set beautifully creates a family kitchen, and opens to reveal a plethora of surprises. Costumes are lovely, and the production is creatively lit by Lucy Birkinshaw.

Fully Sikh This is an engaging ritual of a show that begins with

By Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa. Barking Gecko and Black Swan. the audience removing their shoes and ends with a Directed by Matt Edgerton. Studio Underground, State Shabad (sacred song). The first Australian Sikh story to Theatre Centre of Western Australia, Perth. Oct 10 - Nov 3. grace professional theatre in Australia, Fully Sikh is a wonderfully celebratory show, guaranteed to warm your FULLY Sikh is a vibrant, clever celebration of Sikh and Punjabi culture that is funny, warm and subtly heart. informative.

Kimberley Shaw 74 Stage Whispers

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Safari Developed and directed by John Campbell. Circus Avalon.

The Circus Big Tent, Callaghan College, Waratah (Newcastle). Oct 5 - 13.

JOHN Campbell, the founder and director of Newcastle -based Circus Avalon, has also shown his performance skills on stage, playing key roles in operas, musicals and comedies. And his theatrical mastery certainly was evident in this school holiday show he put together that has two clowns embarking on a holiday safari through an African jungle, encountering many different creatures, losing each other at one place, and being robbed by animals at another. The storyline certainly came together well as they trekked though forests that were made from recycled vegetation the troupe had collected from footpaths and parks.

The two clowns, Mr Safety (Simon Tarrant) and Zoe (Kaitlin Arvidson), wore colourful garb - he had tartan trousers, she had a ballet-style dress and multi-coloured stockings. And the people and creatures they met were also bright and lively.

The routines they saw - and sometimes took part in had watchers in awe and laughing and smiling. The clowns came across two glittering snakes, for example, that wound their way up and down the tissu materials that hung from the tent top to the floor. And a flamingo swung a colourful red hoop with her feet.

The jungle also had corridors where encounters occurred, with a naturalist in khaki clothes spinning a diabolo as he searched for creatures he wanted to study.

And a pair of vultures did awesome movements in and around a single ring.

Mr Safety rescued the other clown from a cage, then engaged watchers by swinging more than a dozen hoops, with one being swung on his chin. Three small and fluffy White Mice, one of whom also acted as the narrator, showed what can be done with a candelabra, and a toucan bird with a large beak swung on a trapeze without holding it in her hands. It was certainly an engaging 75minute, plus interval, safari.

Ken Longworth

Excellent ensemble work from the cast, who have a lovely camaraderie.

Kaitlin Brindley’s nature inspired set and costuming were beautifully appropriate, and the use of retrotechnology was excellent, with some lovely surprises in this area.

I Feel Fine is a church service that has much to say, and thoroughly entertains along the way. A funny, feel-good show that packs a big punch.

Kimberley Shaw On Our Beach

By Peta Murray. Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, WA. Directed

by Phillip Mitchell. Sep 28 - Oct 12.

ON Our Beach, a World Premiere production by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, is a delightful romp that is part traditional puppetry, part promenade theatre, has heaps of audience participation and a whole lot of surprises.

It’s appreciated by parents as much as their children, making this a particularly attractive holiday option for families.

Three very personable performers dressed as life guards guide us through the experience. Rebecca Bradley leads the way, a very funny head life guard who anchors the show nicely. Shona Mae adds a great deal of charm, and while all three sing very well, Tani Walker’s beautiful solo singing is a lovely gentle touch during this adventure packed show.

There are a few lovely puppets in this show, designed

by Cecile Williams, but the favourite is definitely loveable dog FOMO, who adds lovely comic moments. The lighting design by Chris Donnelly is outstanding, and almost a character in its own right, while Stage Manager Jackson Harrison makes cameo appearances while managing the show, and an audience that become performers.

A holiday adventure ideal for primary school kids and their favourite adults.

Kimberley Shaw

Natives Go Wild Conceived and written by Rhoda Roberts. Studio, Sydney Opera House. Oct 19 - 27.

I Feel Fine NATIVES Go Wild is a First Nations cabaret circus Written and directed by Zachary Sheridan. The Blue Room about the ugly days when Aboriginal and Pacific Islanders Theatre, Perth, WA. Oct 1 - 19. were virtually kidnapped to be freaks in the circus. PT I FEEL Fine is a service at the Church of the Barnum, recently celebrated in the movie The Great Anthroposcene, a place to repair our relationship with the Showman, is the main colonial villain. world. This production - by performance collective public Developed by Rhoda Roberts for an all too short service announcement - is an opportunity to repent for season, it’s a tantalising mix of sad vignettes about lost humanity’s effect on the world, in this era when humans performers, circus skills, great songs and high camp, have become the most dominant force on the planet. acerbic commentary.

While this is a strong statement about climate change Maori performer Mika Haka sets the tone as the and a need for positive action, this funny, irreverent and queered ringmaster - charismatic, sharp tongued and only hopeful little show is also an examination of the ecopartly on our side. True to circus, the six performers bring anxious and a show of support for those who need on distinct skills and characters, and bring alive those lost, reassurance. A wild ride that blends Catholic Youth Mass original First Nation circus stars. with a touch of cult and a good dose of crazy, this is a Wizard of the High Wire Con Colleano was a global warm, shared experience that provides much food for hero but, like so many, concealed his Aboriginality, posing thought. as a Spaniard. Former Bangarra dancer, and here artful Longer versions of many reviews can now be found at www.stagewhispers.com.au

Stage Whispers 75

Online extras!

The cast and creatives discuss the production of Avalanche: A Love Story. https://youtu.be/HgB_UEFBwxc

Maxine Peake and Ausra Ramdharry-Panka in Avalanche: A Love Story.

Photo: Richard Davenport (The Other Richard).

choreographer, Waangenga Blanco gives him agile life against great archival footage.

Aerial acrobat Josephine Mailisi plays the exotic if fictional showstopper, Feejee Mermaid; circus veteran Beau James the famed Little Nugget, Seini Taumoepau is the bearded woman and Rotuman Samuela Taukava a formidable black warrior.

Tim Chappel gives them all mad support with costumes of ragged grandeur and the songs from music director Damian Robinson are remarkably expressive, both urgent and toe-tapping.

It’s a simple if well-lit staging from director Chelsea McGuffin, a conspicuously under-rehearsed show and with some of these fascinating stories lost in the unpunctuated enthusiasm. But with a cast this crazed and skilled, and a truth so vivid and wrenching, this, miraculously, is an entertainment must.

Martin Portus

This nameless woman is played to the hilt on the broad Roslyn Packer stage by English actor Maxine Peake in a 90-minute solo performance.

Originally published as a book, Australian-born Julia Leigh’s searing memoir was turned into a play for London’s Barbican Theatre when planning for their month -long Fertility Festival about ‘the science of making babies and modern families’. Another Australian, director AnneLouise Sarks, became involved, as did (brilliant find!)

Maxine Peake, who had her own 4 rounds of IVF treatment to add to the mix.

Peake plays a screen writer and sometime director, someone with enough spare cash, who has finally parted from her much-loved husband Paul and is thrashing about in her 40ish pain: ‘I want to stab him!’ she cries. At the same time, she wants to create a baby with him. Cue the doctor with the expensive methods, the Trans-Vaginal Ultrasound, add-ons, etc.

All is presented in an office setting, white walls, chair Avalanche: A Love Story at table, for the first hour. Then, very slowly, the walls

By Julia Leigh. Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney. Sydney start lifting. At 80 minutes the desk collapses in a heap of Theatre Company, Barbican Theatre. Aug 29 - Sep 14. rubble. At the end of the play, in a staggering coup de ‘IT’S up to you’ - the consistent refrain from specialist theatre, the advertised avalanche arrives - and the doctors and nurses when asked if your (very expensive) IVF monologue has been swept away. treatment should be continued. An 8th round of treatment Frank Hatherley for a 45-year-old woman over the edge of middle age?

‘Well, it’s up to you.’

76 Stage Whispers

Longer versions of many reviews can now be found at www.stagewhispers.com.au

Bondi Legal.

Photo: Lightbox Photography.

holiday lawyer and expert witnesses. Richard Cotter’s direction is spot on and shows great understanding of the text.

This is a fun show for lawyers. But does it stack up for non-lawyer? I rely on the testimony of my expert witness: Ms Plus One, who has no idea of law or court hearings.

She loved it, found it hilarious, and had no problems following it. Verdict for the Production.

Peter Novakovich

Ulster American

By David Ireland. Red Stitch Actors Theatre, Vic. Aug 25 Sep 19.

ULSTER American is like a fast-moving 70-minute sitcom, which David Ireland constructs with conscious intent - and an animus toward a certain kind of American, and a certain kind of Englishman too.

The night before the first rehearsal of a new play by Northern Irish writer Ruth Davenport (Sarah Sutherland), Jay Conway (Steve Bastoni), A-list American actor and Oscar winner has come to Britain to play the lead. A man of great (if false) humility, a loud voice, and a tendency to over-share. Englishman Leigh Carver (David Whiteley) will do anything to keep Jay happy. When playwright Ruth arrives, she’s thrilled that Jay wants to do her play - even if his version and hers are not quite the same thing… Thus, the set-up for the blustering, self-aggrandising, egoOnline extras! tripping, horribly honest, horribly dishonest, misogynist, Meet the cast and creatives behind childish conflict which ensues.

Bondi Legal. Scan the QR code or visit Director Brett Cousins finds just the right pitch for all https://youtu.be/jeou0hBo0hw this - and his cast maintain that pitch without falter. Steve Bastoni gives us a character devoid of self-knowledge and Bondi Legal with a massive ego. Mr Whiteley’s Leigh is soft-spoken,

By Tony Laumberg. Bondi Theatre Company. Director: understated, studiously polite - and duplicitous.

Richard Cotter. Bondi Pavilion Theatre. Oct 11 - 26.

Playwright Ruth is the wild card and with her the stakes AN excellent production of a funny and clever play. go up. Her transition from gushing fangirl to bloodyTony Laumberg’s comedy opens in the office of a Bondi minded warrior is another great comic performance. But law firm: a nervous locum turns up to manage the office these are types - skilfully constructed for comedic and of a sole practitioner who’s away on holiday. Due to a mix satiric purposes. Serious issues are raised only to spark up it turns out the locum has to run one of the firm’s comic conflict. When it all ends in mayhem it is, of course, cases that very morning. shocking and dreadful but very satisfying too.

The case is about a suburban mum suing a huge Michael Brindley corporation for injury to the family’s pet horse. It’s a classic David v. Goliath set up.

Frankie And Johnny In The Clair De Lune We follow the case through the hearing and verdict.

By Terence McNally. STARC Productions. Bakehouse The hapless locum careens from the opening address to Theatre. Oct 9 - 19. closing argument with all sorts of entertaining nonsense FRANKIE And Johnny In The Clair De Lune focusses on in between. Playwright Tony Laumberg is a practising two lonely, middle-aged people whose first date ends lawyer who based the show on a real case where he acted with them tumbling into bed. Johnny is immediately for the horse’s owners. certain he has found his soul mate in Frankie. She, on the The main point is that the dialogue, proceedings and other hand, is far more cautious, writing it off as a one mannerisms of the cast all have the ring of truth about night stand. As the night unfolds, they take tentative them, and it feels like we’re in a public gallery watching steps towards the possible start of a relationship. an actual case. When the funny bits happen (which is a Under the tight direction of Tony Knight, Marc lot) they feel natural, even when some of the bits fall into Clement is in his element as Johnny. His delivery is silliness. The humour ranges from clever snappy retorts to impeccable; every gesture, including on-stage cooking, slapstick and absurdist shtick. builds character and meaning. The light and shade in his My cast favourites were Tricia Youlden as the delivery give passion, determination and deep empathy to Magistrate and Valentino Arico in the multiple roles of Johnny.

Reviews: Plays

Longer versions of many reviews can now be found at www.stagewhispers.com.au

Stage Whispers 77

Look Back In Anger.

Stefanie Rossi is luminous as Frankie. She creates selfprotecting feistiness and shifts mercurially from anger to vulnerability. Her targeted timing takes the audience from painful remembrances to pithy one-liners that break unbearable tension.

The delivery is lightning fast, overlapping dialogue is the norm, and accents are faultless. The setting is a simple one room Manhattan apartment, with furniture and features carefully chosen for the style of the mid 1980’s.

Of note is impressive lighting throughout by Stephen Dean.

A masterclass in teamwork.

Jude Hines Look Back In Anger

By John Osborne. Adelaide Repertory Theatre. The Arts Theatre. Aug 29 - Sep 7.

JOHN Osborne’s famous play Look Back In Anger follows a young husband and wife, Alison and Jimmy Porter, as they attempt to steer their way through class conflict and deal with a crumbling marriage in 1950s England.

The question arises, do the themes in this iconic play remain relevant in today’s society? The simple answer is yes. The class divide still remains and abusive relationships are sadly still prevalent.

Director Lesley Reed’s* work is evident throughout, making good use of the Arts Theatre stage, creating a composite set with attention to detail.

78 Stage Whispers

Adam Tuominen as Jimmy Porter carries the weight of the show, handling the immense amount of dialogue with expertise. The difficulty with this role is that constant ranting can cause the audience to ‘turn off’ or dislike his character, ignoring his softer moments.

Leah Lowe as Alison perfectly embodies a woman ‘living on the edge’, torn between her love for Jimmy and her inability to help him change.

James Edwards’ Cliff is the peacemaker, even if it means putting himself down. Edwards’ Welsh accent never wavers.

Jessica Carroll’s Helena could be construed as the play’s moral compass, as she does the honourable thing by leaving when Alison returns.

Jack Robins’ Colonel Redfern (Alison’s father) is the voice of reason, his compassionate performance showing a real understanding of Jimmy’s plight.

All in all, Look Back In Anger retains a pertinent message about the way we perceive the world, the way we treat each other. It remains a quintessential piece of English theatre.

Barry Hill * Lesley Reed is a reviewer for Stage Whispers Seventeen

By Matthew Whittet. University of Adelaide Theatre Guild.

Little Theatre. Oct 12 - 26.

MATTHEW Whittet’s coming of age play reminds all of us of the end of our secondary education, when, on the brink of launching ourselves into adulthood, we may have

Longer versions of many reviews can now be found at www.stagewhispers.com.au

celebrated that watershed moment with false bravado, perhaps too much alcohol and not a little fear and trepidation.

On the night of their last-ever day of school, 17-yearolds Mike, Sue, Edwina and Tom meet in the local park to drink, to ‘pash’, and reminisce the night away. They are joined by introverted and sensitive outsider Ronny, and Mike’s 15-year-old sister Lizzie, neither of whom are particularly welcome. As the night unfolds and the alcohol flows, humour and heartbreak ebb and flow amid the teenage angst.

The fact that older actors play the teens gives everything an added poignancy for the audience.

Jack Robins gives a deeply affecting and totally ‘real’ performance as outsider, Ronny.

As Edwina, Kate Anolak embodies a studious, intelligent girl who has never been a risk taker.

As Tom, Lindsay Dunn is also excellent, portraying the group’s stabilising centre and the peacemaker, a hardworking student who even at seventeen is clearly going to be a very fine adult and family man.

Lindy LeCornu plays ‘cool’ Sue very convincingly, not as a stereotype. A very intuitive performance in a difficult role.

AJ Bartley does a great job of Mike, the ‘coolest’ kid in the group, one who also borders on being a bully. Bartley develops Mike’s conflicted inner self very well too.

Rebecca Kemp is delightful as Mike’s irritating younger sister Lizzie, who follows him everywhere to niggle and watch him.

This play has no interval but the audience sits enthralled for the full 90 minutes, testament to the absorbing and relatable nature of the narrative and to the very natural performances of some fine Adelaide actors.

Lesley Reed The Drawer Boy

By Michael Healey. Directed by Karen Wakeham.

Heidelberg Theatre Company. Sep 6 - 21.

THIS play is a meticulous character study of ordinary individuals whose extraordinary ability to play with the truth unravels in a heart-warming manner. Miles’s (Sam Barson) intrusion into the lives of Angus (John Cheshire) and Morgan (Andrew McAliece) initially appears innocuous. Neither the text nor this production suggests otherwise. The first act reveals little of the huge impact Miles’s presence will ultimately have on their lives.

The performances, accompanied by a very effective and melancholic musical score, are expertly executed. The soft edges of the Canadian accents are beautifully enunciated, although McAliece seems less comfortable with the rhythm of the language. Barson inhabits the part of Miles with an amusing sense of naivety while Cheshire creates an endearing portrayal of Angus’s forgetfulness.

The pace of the performance picks up as the truth slowly unfolds, however, the lead up can seem slow and the production could have benefitted from a more suspenseful approach to the climax.

One of the strengths of the show is the striking set design; it is both pragmatic and extremely evocative; its clean harmonious lines are decorated with some intricate and fine details which always produce captivating aesthetics. The lighting accurately captures the mood of the play and helps to give the set a variety of spatial dimensions. This is a fine production that works hard to allow this important example of Canadian theatre to shine.

Patricia Di Risio Birdland

By Simon Stephens. Directed by Andrew Lewis. The Edith Spiegeltent, WAAPA, Edith Cowan University. Oct 11 - 17.

BIRDLAND was the final production by this year’s graduating Acting students. Presented in the round, in the Edith Spiegeltent, with the audience very close to the action, this was a powerful piece, acted with intensity and impressively designed and created by Production and Design students.

Reliant on an amazing central performance, Ben Chapple delivers a highly physical, emotionally engaging performance of a very unlikeable character, rock star Paul, whose grip on reality disappears throughout the play.

Johnny was played with great depth by Bryn Chapman Parish, while Jenny was given a wonderful sense of discovery by Ruby Maishman. Hamish White was excellent as David. Camila Ponte Alvarez captivated as Marnie, whose death is a catalyst in the story.

The other roles are essentially cameos, only appearing in a scene or two. These actors established clear, distinct and fully fleshed characters, including some amazing accent work, in a very short period of time.

Matthew Erren’s bold lighting design was essential in establishing location and mood. Modern costuming, by designer Maeli Cherel, was effective. Rockstar sound was designed by Heinrich Krause, supplemented with live music from contemporary music student Christian Meares on guitar and actress Poppy Lynch on drums.

Birdland was a moving, impressive performance that showed that this class is ready to move out into the world.

Kimberley Shaw Kelly

By Matthew Ryan. Spotlight Theatre, Benowa, Gold Coast.

Director: Cilla Scott. Sep 20 - Oct 5.

BY far our most famous bushranger, Ned Kelly is best remembered for wearing a suit of bulletproof armour during his final shootout with police.

Kelly: national hero or criminal? Whatever the answer, this dramatic three-hander about the last 24 hours of Kelly’s life is food for thought.

The title role is strongly portrayed by Brad Kendrick.

Brad never leaves the stage, and his characterisation is constant the entire time. As his brother Dan (disguised as a priest) Mitch Walsh gives a compelling performance and is supported by Nathan French as the warder (and several others in flashbacks leading up to Ned’s capture).

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Stage Whispers 79

Set within Kelly’s cell at Melbourne Goal, there is nothing glamorous about this production. The language is coarse and may be confronting to some but in the overall scheme of things is not unexpected. After all, Kelly was a police killer and was treated with all the disrespect the ‘system’ could apply.

Director Cilla Scott has chalked up many successes around the coast and this is another feather in her cap.

An interesting telling of a slice of Australian history.

Roger McKenzie

phone, as she single-handedly brings the many off-stage characters to life.

Director Kate Champion had a big say in proceedings, along with Set Designer Adam Deusien. The play ended with a deluge of genuine appreciation.

Frank Hatherley

Twelfth Night

By William Shakespeare. Directed by Dr Miles Gregory.

Pop-up Globe, Perth, WA. Oct 9 - Nov 23.

POP-UP Globe has arrived in Perth with a season of Fully Committed four plays. This intimate building allows audiences to

By Becky Mode. Ensemble Theatre, Sydney. Director: Kate experience Shakespeare in as close as possible style to the Champion. Oct 11 - Nov 16.

1600s, with the audience sitting in full light and the IN the dismal basement of a ridiculously trendy atmosphere resembling as much a party as a theatrical Woolloomooloo restaurant are 30 phones, all hooked up experience. to the same number, all with customers waiting for This high energy, singing, dancing and slightly mad immediate attention. Into this battleground comes Sam, incarnation is cut to 2 hours and 15 minutes, leaving the the young, female Reservations Manager, whose acting story intact, and retaining most of Shakespeare’s beautiful career has been put on hold while she navigates through language, but allowing the show to move at a faster the complaints, suggestions and blistering demands of pace. The ‘spirit’ is retained by adding contemporary jokes her callers. There’s also a phone to her touchy, awardand references, audience interaction and improvisation. winning boss who can change ‘fully booked’ to ‘fully A gorgeous looking production, the costumes in committed’ on a whim.

Twelfth Night are a triumph, as designer Bob Capocci Sam (Contessa Terrone) is tested daily by this bizarre blends extremes of Elizabethan excess with creative and set-up, making do as best she can, running between the clever anachronisms. phones (and her father on a dodgy cell-phone), giving After a “fun” shipwreck, we are introduced to twins detailed impressions of the callers as she goes, from Viola (a captivating Rebecca Rogers) and Sebastian (an Gwyneth Paltrow’s pushy agent down. impressive Simon Rodda) whose resemblance sets up the The play has been widely updated by writer Becky plot for the show.

Mode for a 2016 Broadway run. ‘Global fusion’ has Sheena Irving is a beautifully imperious Olivia, with Harry become ‘molecular gastronomy’. One meal (at $600 per Bradley a wonderfully unlikely leading-man as Orsino. person) is described as ‘crispy deer lichen atop a slowly Wonderful clowning from Renaye Tamati as Feste; deflating, scent-filled pillow dusted with edible dirt’. Yum. Johnny Light, a charmingly cheeky Sir Andrew; Peter And what’s with the 30 phones spread out in this Hambleton, a likably larrikinesque Toby Belch and Sophie basement, all linked to the one incoming phone line?

Wright, a nicely naughty Maria. Foil for their teasing is Surely there would be a switchboard system capable of Jonathan Martin’s marvelous Malvolio. corralling them together? But one switchboard would A ‘night’ of fun and frivolity. limit Contessa Terrone’s ability to sprint from phone to Kimberley Shaw

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Will Manukia and the cast of Kinky Boots.

Photo: Grant Leslie.

Reviews: Musicals

Kinky Boots Music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, book by Harvey Fierstein.

Wanneroo Repertory. Directed by Jane Anderson.

Limelight Theatre, Wanneroo, WA. Sep 12 - 28.

WANNEROO Repertory’s Kinky Boots sold out weeks ahead of opening. The excitement was well deserved. This was a top-tier production with tight direction, excellent music and a fabulous cast.

Stellar performers lead the cast. Zac Bennett gave credence and gorgeous vocals to Charlie Price, a flawed but loveable protagonist, anchoring the production beautifully. Manuao TeAotonga was a glorious Lola, with a wonderful flair for drag paired with great emotional depth.

The supporting cast included well-drawn characters that felt real, with top notch performances throughout.

Choreography by Dixie Johnstone was impressive and well executed.

Vocally very strong under the supervision of music directors Maddy Innes and Taui Pinker, the show is backed by a top-notch band. Sound Design by Daniel Toomath could not be faulted.

The costumes, designed by Meg Andrichem-Considine, were a superb blend of fabulously flashy and gritty realism. The set, designed by Mal Anderson and John Johnstone, felt like a generations old factory, transforming nicely to other locales. It was sensitively and sensationally lit by Dene Jones.

Opening night audience was not the ‘expected’ Kinky Boots crowd, with bus loads of senior citizens in the

audience bringing realism to Lola’s performance in the nursing home. A testament to the wide appeal of this production, it received a standing ovation and loud acclaim.

Kimberley Shaw Billy Elliot Music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall. Sydney Lyric Theatre, The Star. Opening night: Oct 18.

SCREEN writer Lee Hall experienced the despair of the 1984 Miners Strike in Britain and encapsulated it in the movie Billy Elliot. When it premiered in Cannes in 2000, Elton John was in the audience and was so moved that he approached Stephen Daldry and Hall about the idea of a musical. They made a pact to do the musical “so long as we would not short-change the material emotionally or physically”.

The plot and dialogue drive the action, giving greater dimension to the characters and sustaining the sense of reality and the emotional core that Hall worried might be lost. John’s music picks up the rhythm of protest, and choreographer Peter Darling uses it to create a “celebration” of all kinds of dance, especially tap, which infuses the show with an element of immediacy and anger.

Jamie Rogers played Billy on opening night, but Omar Abiad, River Mardesic and Wade Neilsen will charm audiences just as thrillingly in future performances.

Justin Smith finds emotional turmoil in the role of Billy’s dad. Kelley Abbey shines as the encouraging but

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Stage Whispers 81

Mamma Mia!

flinty Mrs Wilkinson. Vivien Davies is a comic Grandma.

Drew Livingston, as Tony, symbolises the righteous anger of the striking miners, and Robert Grubb brings humour to the role of boxing instructor George.

Carol Wimmer Mamma Mia! Music & Lyrics: Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus.

Additional songs by Stig Anderson. Book: Catherine Johnson. Ipswich Musical Theatre Company. Director: Robbie Parkin. Music Director: Matthew Rofe.

Choreographer: Simon Lind. Ipswich Civic Centre, Qld. Sep 13 - 22.

IPSWICH Musical Theatre did Mamma Mia! proud. The mix of ABBA tunes and a ‘paternity whodunit’ plot was irresistible to the mainly female audience.

As single mother Donna, Carol Williams has spunk, personality and hit the vocals into the stratosphere. She found pathos in “One of Us” and “S.O.S.”, but her “The Winner Takes It All” was a true diva moment. Heidi Enchelmaier as daughter Sophie, the girl who wants to know her father and invites the three possibilities to her wedding, had a ton of spirit and some searing vocal chops. Sweet when necessary, as in “I Have a Dream”, she had the full belt with her potential fathers on “Thank You For the Music”.

E.J. Campbell did well as Tanya on “Does Your Mother Know”, ably assisted by Simon Drew’s Pepper, doing some impressive splits, whilst Simone Behrendorff 82 Stage Whispers

brought lots of laughs as Rosie with her amorous advances to the redoubtable Adrian Carr (Bill) on “Take a Chance on Me”.

Ian Moore (Sam) had his spotlight moment with “Knowing Me, Knowing You”, Raymond Chander (Harry) did likewise with Williams on “Our Last Summer”, whilst Jesse Olds (Sky) exuberantly led the boys in flippers in “Lay All Your Love On Me”. Matthew Rofe’s musical-minions produced the distinctive ABBA sound, whilst Parkin’s direction kept it pacy.

Peter Pinne The Boy From Oz Music and Lyrics by Peter Allen. Book by Nick Enright.

Savoyards. Sep 28 - Oct 12.

THIS ambitious production sees a substantial cast of triple-threats, dancers and musicians under the direction of Miranda Selwood. Selwood’s interpretation is very much aiming for professional standards. Her work is wellsupported by that of musical director Benjamin TubbHearne. The songs are a major star of the show and TubbHearne has the orchestra and singers working well to support each other. There’s a lovely, period-appropriate style of choreography by Renee Allotta-Charman.

Shannon Foley works tirelessly as Peter Allen. It’s a gruelling and demanding role. Aiden Huntley is quite charming as Young Peter - flawless in his singing and tap dancing. Vanessa Wainwright makes a great effort to emulate Judy Garland in voice and mannerism, belting out

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those big notes with confidence. There’s a beautiful, gentle realism to the way Luke Devine plays Allen’s greatest love, Greg Connell.

Charlotte Keen’s flexible set design includes many pieces, quickly and easily moved to represent locations from Tenterfield to New York. The show also boasts some outstanding costume design by Kim Heslewood and team.

While there are poignant moments that may bring a tear to some eyes, this is ultimately an uplifting show that can be enjoyed by a range of audiences.

Kiesten McCauley A Girl’s Guide To World War Music & Musical Direction: Aleathea Monsour. Book, Lyrics & Direction: Katy Forde. Musical Theatre Australia Inc. Events Centre, Caloundra, Qld., Oct 11 - 12 and Maleny Arts Council, Nov 9 - 10.

TELLING the true story of Agnes Bennett, an Australian/New Zealand doctor who, with other women, ran a hospital which served the Serbian Army in Macedonia during World War I, A Girl’s Guide To World War was highly effective in dramatising the frontline situation with comedy and pathos. The cast of eight, all women, played a multitude of roles from doctors, surgeons, nurses and ambulance girls, to Aussie soldiers and Serbian Colonels.

The music, in the folk-rock vein, was greatly assisted by Vicky Shearer, lead singer and guitarist of the all-girl blues band “Vix and the Slick Chix”, who acted as a narrator and played interesting guitar underscore throughout.

The level of performance was excellent, as was Katy Forde’s direction. As Dr Agnes, composer Aleathea Monsour created a compelling portrait of a woman who was stoic, determined, and a master at hiding her stress.

Susie French’s lesbian surgeon Dr Lilian Cooper was an assertive force, passionate, with a no-nonsense attitude, whilst Zoe Georgakis as her lover, Josephine Bedford, knew when to take control in the relationship. Their duet “Ask Me Once Again” was emotionally rewarding.

Veteran Margery Forde was in her element as the snobbish and stiff-upper-lip English Mrs Harley, running the ambulance service, and gave her appearance as Crown Prince of Serbia a distinguished regal authority.

The two ambulance girls, Kathleen and Elsie, provided comic opportunities aplenty for Gillian James and Forde.

The strength of the piece was in Forde’s text, which although occasionally sprinkled with four-letter words, had a charming innocence.

Peter Pinne

Caitlin New shone in the title role, impressively portraying this rough diamond. The women were particularly strong, with lovely fleshed out portrayals, especially by Grace Collins and Annabelle Rosewarne as Helene and Nikki, along with their fellow taxi dancers, including honorary female Axel Duffy.

Conor Neylon brought charm and sex-appeal to Vittorio Vidal, with Victoria Graves lovely as his lover Ursula. Jackson Peele was a dynamic Daddy, in a showstopping “Rhythm of Life”. Luke Wilson nicely portrayed anti-hero Oscar Lindquist.

Choreography (Michael Ralph) included amazingly styled crowd scenes and huge production numbers, most memorably “The Frug”, featuring Sara Reed. The ensemble was busy throughout, with performers making the most of cameo roles.

Riley Tapp’s set created the era beautifully, with the elevator and parachute drop scenes particularly clever these scenes also showcasing some of the most notable aspects of Matthew Erran’s lighting design. Danielle Chilton’s costumes were a wonderful refection of character and the time, with strong sound design by Kellan Starkie and smooth stage management led by Zoe Martino.

A fitting farewell for this fabulous cohort.

Kimberley Shaw WAAPA’s 3rd Year Music Theatre production of Sweet Charity.

Photo: Jon Green.

Sweet Charity

By Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields and Neil Simon. WAAPA. Directed by Shaun Rennie. Geoff Gibbs Theatre, WAAPA, Edith Cowan University, WA. Aug 24 - 31.

SWEET Charity was testament to the talent of this year’s WAAPA Musical Theatre graduates, and the skills of Production and Design students, who contributed greatly to the look and feel of this production.

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Stage Whispers 83

Fiddler On The Roof Music: Jerry Bock. Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick. Book: Joseph Stein. Director: Andrew Benson. Musical Director: Matthew Herne. Choreographer: Steph Edmonds.

Willoughby Theatre Company. The Concourse, Chatswood. Oct 18 - 27.

WILLOUGHBY’S Fiddler is all life, joy and heart. The production team succeeded in creating a bold and energetic production.

The orchestra’s excellent playing made us feel like we were in a shtetl circa 1914. Choreography was authentic to the various styles of time and place.

Dennis Clements was his own Tevye, making you forget about past versions. As Golde, Belinda Delaney brought a lovely dignity and passion to the role.

Imogen Abba (Tzeitel), Dylan Haley (Hodel), Mikaela Dane (Chava), Katie McPherson (Shprintze) and Chloe McDonell (Bielke) charmed us as Tevye’s dutiful-butquestioning daughters.

The suitors, Luke Holland (Motel), Matt Hourigan (Perchik) and Aleksander Justin (Fyedka), all had the right demeanour and voices for their respective roles.

Barbara Hannan’s matchmaker Yente is delicious: no Babushka caricature. Stephanie Georgesen’s Grandma Tzeitel and Chloe Angel’s Fruma Sarah in the Dream Sequence are show stoppers. Clive Hobson as jilted butcher Lazar Wolf made the character sympathetic.

The ensemble is simply brilliant; from Mitch Bryson’s Constable and Phil Lucas’s Mordcha to the one-liners and non-speaking roles, it felt like we were watching village life.

The most powerful thing in this show for me was not the showy numbers or humour. It was the small simple gestures that spoke so much.

Peter Novakovich

His command of the character nuances was impeccable and his singing of Higgins’ songs, as opposed to the usual “talk singing”, was a breath of fresh air.

Ken Morrisey was boisterous as Doolittle, having a great-old knees-up with “Get Me to The Church on Time”, Vicki Bravery brought warmth to Mrs Pearce, whilst Wendy Lee Kyle’s Mrs Higgins was staunchly Edwardian.

A wonderful and satisfying night of musical theatre.

Peter Pinne

A Year With Frog And Toad Music by Robert Reale. Book and lyrics by Willie Reale, based on the books by Arnold Lobel. Mercy Place, Mandurah, WA. Sep 19 - 29.

THIS situational theatre project placed A Year With Frog And Toad TYA Version inside Mercy Place, an Aged Care Facility. As well as rehearsing and performing in the venue, a key aspect included working with the residents for months, not only on production aspects such as scenery painting, but forming the ensemble for the production.

The show was presented promenade style, throughout Mercy Place, bringing a sense of camaraderie and adventure as the audience travelled with the show. Sound quality was excellent, carried by Snail in his “shell’, as part of an excellent performance by Lincoln Tapping as he led the audience through the building.

Matthew Lister and Daniel Burton, in the title roles, had a wonderful rapport, sung beautifully and embodied the characters with flair. Strong support came from Samantha Ferguson, Rp van der Westhuizen and Mackenzie Coombe, in a variety of delightful roles, and a very sweet Amelia Newman, who was a lovely Mouse and Young Frog. Singing was strong, under Musical Director Megan McDonald.

Star status belongs to the residents forming the My Fair Lady ensemble. Particularly memorable were the Underwater Music: Frederick Loewe. Book & Lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner. and Snow Ballets, choreographed by Paige Gordon.

Based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. Toowoomba The passion project of director Althea Gordon, A Year Choral Society. Director: Kate Peters. Musical Director: With Frog and Toad was a wonderful example of Nick Williams. Choreographer: Lucy Panitz. Empire community involvement, celebration of living and a joy to Theatre, Toowoomba, Qld. Sep 13 - 15. experience.

TOOWOOMBA Choral Society’s My Fair Lady proved Kimberley Shaw why the musical is regarded as one of the best ever written. Director Kate Peters production was first class all Peter Pan Jr. the way. Great performances from a top notch cast meant Based on the play by James Barrie. Adapted by Jerome that Lerner and Loewe’s masterpiece crackled with wit, Robbins. Music by Moose Charlap and Jule Styne. Lyrics by captivated with melody, and blossomed, like the flowers Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Hunter in Eliza’s basket, into radiant joy.

Drama. Civic Theatre, Newcastle. Oct 10 - 12.

Shannon Gralow, no stranger to the big soprano roles, HUNTER Drama will present this show at an English was the perfect Eliza Doolittle, warm, feminine, and feisty junior theatre festival in May 2020, and the Newcastle in her determination no elocution teacher was going to staging, with 50 actors aged eight to 18, showed that the break her cockney spirit. “Wouldn’t it be Loverly” was just Brits are in for a good time. The 70-minute show is very “loverly”, as was “I Could Have Danced All Night”, but it colourful and brisk, with the mischievous fairy Tinkerbell was the show’s ‘magic moment’ in “The Rain in Spain” seen as a bright yellow light that moves quickly around when Eliza masters the correct pronunciation of the the people it is manipulating on behalf of Peter (Imogen English language for the first time that electrified.

Bamback). And the flying sequences, beginning with Peter Jon Maskell’s Henry Higgins was one of the best taking the three London-based Darling children - Wendy community theatre performances of the role I have seen. (Sabine Cook), John (Jasper Coy) and Michael (Jack 84 Stage Whispers

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Peter Pan Jr.

Online extras!

The cast of Peter Pan Jr share their thoughts on the show. Scan or visit facebook.com/watch/?v=2552747578138401 Norman) - to Neverland, are certainly the real thing, thanks to Melbourne technical company ShowTech Australia that specialises in such movements.

The characters in Neverland are very diverse and engaging, including the Pirates, with names like Salt and Pepper, who are commanded by the sneering Captain Hook (Luke Barker), the Lost Boys in very plain garb that Peter looks after, the determined Brave Girls who adeptly help people, and a Crocodile who knows how to get among those it would like to consume. These creatures and a furry London Dog are bright, as are the settings that include an elegant London apartment, the dilapidated pirate ship, waterways and jungles. The adult staging team, headed by director James Tolhurst, ensured that this enraptured adults and children alike in a large 1500-seat theatre where intimate productions sometimes don’t work.

Ken Longworth

the best showcases of recent times. Singing mainly contemporary musical theatre pieces from the past 20 years (a lot of Jason Robert Brown and Justin Paul and Benj Pasek), the hour quickly disappeared as the cast showed off their considerable talents.

The show opened with the company lead by Trent Sinclair and performer Tom Collins on electric guitar, in a foot-stomping return to the sixties with “The Nicest Kids in Town” from Hairspray. It had a ton of energy and with its built-in roll-call was the perfect introduction to the cast.

Sinclair also scored with “I Love Betsy” from Jason Robert Brown’s Honeymoon in Vegas, whilst Jack Biggs elicited some big-voiced warmth for the same composer’s “It All Fades Away” (The Bridges of Madison County). Paul and Pasek’s savage title song from Dogfight gave Selin Doygun a brittle moment in the spotlight, with Dear Evan Hansen’s tenderly wistful “For Forever” giving Jake Vollbon a similar chance to shine.

Class of 2019 Musical Theatre Showcase The most enjoyable ensemble number was Jackson Bachelor of Musical Theatre Students from Queensland Head and company on Matilda’s very funny ode to the Conservatorium Griffith University. Choreographer: Joseph tube, “Telly”, although Daniel Steer and the boys were Simons. Burke Street Studio, Brisbane. Sep 18 - 21. right up there with them with Something Rotten’s “It’s THIS year’s third year student showcase was extremely Hard To Be The Bard”. well-co-ordinated with the segues from one item to Peter Pinne another handled with melodic invention, making it one of Longer versions of many reviews can now be found at www.stagewhispers.com.au

Stage Whispers 85

Rosy Carrick in Passionate Machine.

Photo: John Preece.

Reviews: Fringe

Melbourne Fringe Festival 2019 September 12 - 29

Anna Bella Eema

By Lisa D’Amour.

AMERICAN playwright Lisa D’Amour’s Anna Bella Eema is an immersion into a magical world of a fairytale.

Passionate Machine It is gentle, lyrical and directed with a very fine eye to Written & performed by Rosy Carrick. detail by Anja Homburg.

ROSY Carrick PhD takes her personal experience and It feels mystical and magical with superb acting/ turns it into an autobiography-meets-sci-fi performance art piece. The result is a dazzling show about time travel - storytelling from three performers, seated in the tiny performance space. Intuitive set design by Abbey Stanway and other things.

Her obsession with Russian poet Vladimir Mayakovsky echoes the traditional business of women.

Maxine O’Hara as raconteur Anna Bella is beautifully begins her obsession with time travel because, believe it clear and expressive. The story is about coming of age and or not, in Moscow she was handed a letter written to her moving beyond. To do this Anna Bella creates her own by her future self, trapped in the past.

Golom a companion, Anna Bella Eema - from mud and Time travel becomes an elastic term. With a pack of three drops of blood. playing cards (just one of her skilfully used props), she Maeve Hook is marvellously expressive as Anna Bella asks us to think of the top card as her now - 36-year-old Eema, also morphing into creatures. Shelly Dunlop takes PhD, poet and performer, and single mother - and the on the contrasting persona of Anna Bella’s mother. cards beneath as her past selves, all the way down to the All three women have beautiful singing voices when child that promised to look after the future selves. singing songs by Natasha Moszenin.

She yokes wildly disparate ideas, insights and Lighting by David Silvester supports the whole confessions together, racing into tangents that somehow excellently. connect - making a consistently fascinating, charming, Suzanne Sandow amusing and provocative show for all its sixty minutes.

You’re not rolling in the aisles, but you laugh at the unexpected and you’re fascinated by where she’ll go next Quite Drunk, Very Jesus-y

By Grace De Morgan. Key Conspirators & North of Eight. and whether she will bring it all together.

UNUSUAL for the Fringe: a full-length (90 minutes), Michael Brindley well-made play with an appealing and talented cast, directed by a fully professional and accomplished director. An ensemble of ‘ordinary’ people who think they 86 Stage Whispers

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know each other get quite drunk, enough to say things they didn’t mean to say but perhaps should have before this.

Jessica Stanley is Beth, who’s invited friends from church to her birthday party. If anyone’s still a Christian, it’s Candace (Vivian Nguyen) - but is she happy about it?

Justin (Gideon Wilonja) is the evening’s catalyst - while maintaining an infuriating calm. Beth’s brother Simon (Pat Moonie) arrives unexpectedly. But it’s Agnes (Siobhan Connors) whose journey carries the most weight comic and sad. A delicious performance - with poignant irony in the fact that when Agnes achieves something for which she has prepared too long, it’s a crushing anticlimax. Director Peter Blackburn brings out the light and shade, the mayhem and the silences, in Grace De Morgan’s witty and insightful text.

Michael Brindley

Loony Tunes cartoon, peopled with multiple characters.

With the Big Bad Wolf knocking on the door, Jofus escapes out the window! Falling, falling, floor after floor flashing by. But Ms Fish tells the audience, ‘My mime skills will save me!’ The Wolf is a constant threat; her Uncle Trevor oblivious; a bird tries to help; and a local with a rollie watches on. Clouds roll by. Balloons appear.

Ms Fish is alone on stage for fifty-five minutes with no lighting changes, no music, no props - except 60 cm of wood. At the end, all the characters take a bow, and we relax, having shared Jofus’ adventure every crazy step of the way.

Michael Brindley

Batmania Bus Tour The Very Good Looking Initiative / Theatre Works.

WHEN Melbourne was a new settlement it was named Batmania (1835 -1837), after one of its founders, John Jofus And The Plank Batman. Supported by Theatreworks, the collective team Created & performed by Lily Fish, in collaboration with at The Very Good Initiative have developed two separate Kimberly Twiner. events under the banner of “Batmania” - an Expo ‘19 and LILY Fish is a comedienne, a mime, an acrobat and a a Bus Tour. chameleon. Part of the PO PO MO CO Company, I chose to board the bus and ventured into some wild renowned for inspired ‘silliness’, in this show she is ‘Jofus’ antics led by our droll tour guides (Raymond Martini and and dressed more or less as a clown. The ‘plank’, a 60 cm Vidya Rajan) and bus driver (Elliot Gee). In the heart of piece of wood, becomes everything from a toothbrush to Batmania, we meandered around demolition sites, and a a windowsill. desolate beachside to view the toxic ocean, including the The show departs gloriously (and bravely) into an off chance of catching a lone jogger. action adventure, a time-stretched fantasy of a magical Siobhan Connors, Vivian Nguyen, Jessica Stanley and Gideon Wilonja in Quite Drunk, Very Jesus-y.

Photo: Jack Dixon-Gunn.

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Stage Whispers 87

The tour is a sight-seeing metaphorical venture into the vast hollow land of our sunburnt country; it is a subversive and challenging piece of anti-theatre, steeped in black comedy routines, that has the audience feeling uncertain, bemused and maybe a bit scared.

The guides turn into zombies. The driver decides to stop off at the local petrol station for a snack break. We do arrive back safely to enter the last moments of the Expo ‘19 show and the absurd banalities continue, or should l say finish.

Flora Georgiou The Living Room

By Amrita Dhaliwal & Gemma Soldati. Dhali Dati.

DEATH is an inevitable part of life, so why not create an hilarious hour around this morbid subject. Amnita Dhaliwal and Gemma Soldati perform The Living Room A Comedy of Grief, set around a bunch of rules that remind us that we can laugh at our own mortality and mourn the passing of others.

A tally of deaths is recorded on a blackboard by Dhaliwal, dressed in a southern Belle mourning dress.

Soldati, in a plain black suit, crawls out from under her hoops. Together they meld physical theatre and clownish antics.

Their swivelling, jiving and partying hard has me thinking of Lucille Ball and Jerry Lewis. Cocktails, drunken stupors and sweet dance duets between death calls - the

audience are besotted with their outrageous farcical contradictions.

It is important to use one’s voice they proclaim - they attend to their goldfish and announce the death of “America’s champagne of light”, the suction faced Cher.

There is perpetual fabrication and underhand social commentary, with effervescent zing and cheeky sassiness.

And if you have ever thought of attending a cute funeral, go no further; they lash out big for the sad passing of their beloved goldfish. There is also plenty of audience interaction, prompted by the devilish pair.

These guys are so damn good they should have their own TV show.

Flora Georgiou Flutter And Flounce Po Po Mo Co. AWARD-winning queer comedy troupe Po Po Mo Co’s Flutter and Flounce explores life’s more intimate moments through movement, including a passionate first date and farting in an elevator.

The show contains energetic pop and rap songs, with a bit of musical theatre to boot. I enjoyed the very energetic number from Chicago. Their Cats interpretation was far less creepy than previews from the up-coming movie.

The troupe, comprised of Po Po Mo Co founder Kimberley Twiner, Lily Fish, Hallie Goodman and BeckyLou, worked well together. Dance numbers were well Amrita Dhaliwal in The Living Room.

Photo: Kevin Krieger.

Online extras!

The Living Room is a comedy about death, conceived in grief. Scan or visit https://youtu.be/0ipA8I0dbhM

88 Stage Whispers

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Bryony Kimmings in I’m A Phoenix, Bitch.

Photo: Richard Davenport (The Other Richard).

Online extras!

Bryony Kimmings discusses her onewoman show I’m A Phoenix, Bitch. https://youtu.be/O13eAJFep_Q synchronised while each performer also put their own unique spin on every act.

The costumes are creative and an integral part of the show. These performers are not only triple-threats, they’re triple-tits too (you’ll find out what I mean if you see the show). Their artistic representation of a fart is quite excellent and of course hilarious (who doesn’t like a good fart joke). There’s nudity and adult themes, so leave the kids at home.

They used the small stage well, creating a dynamic space with a simple whiteboard with tinsel curtains on either side.

A fun, saucy and silly performance.

Sophia Dickinson

photographic experiments with female ‘types’. Or she is lost in a wood or sinking and drowning in the flooded stream that runs past her isolated cottage.

By the end, even if women are in tears and men are overwhelmed by the power of raw emotion, we are uplifted. This is theatre, not a conversation and it demonstrates how art can heal. The show was voted ‘Best Theatre’ of the 2019 Fringe.

Michael Brindley

I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Cooking For Stage Mom Theatre Collective.

JAMIE Oliver is the quintessential charismatic chef, a true master of the thirty minute no fuss meal, and for over a decade he has changed the way we cook and think I’m A Phoenix, Bitch about our food, as has every other television celebrity Created & performed by Bryony Kimmings. chef.

A MULTI-MEDIA, multi-platform one woman show.

The people at Stage Mom have addressed the Celebrity British performance artist Bryony Kimmings is the defiant Chef overload with a new “mockumentary” style fringe Phoenix who rises from the ashes of an appalling time in comedy show, set in an authentic kitchen space in a local her life: post-natal depression, madness and paranoia; her suburban home. An introduction by conveners Alberto Di first-born severely disabled; abandoned by the boy’s Troia and Hannah Fallowfield, accompanied by a short father; and she almost drowned. She followed the advice video of Jamie Oliver and his 30 minute three course meal of her therapist to ‘rewind’ her experiences - like watching motto of easy, simple and fun, sets the farcical pace for a film. Thus, they are relived on stage, transformed and this Fringe Celebrity Chef competition. distanced, ‘dramatic’ and entertaining.

It’s an hour of fun and games, with audience She becomes our friend doing a funny turn; there’s a members requested to ask the celebrity chef questions down-to-earth self-mocking humour - a very female way while he/she is preparing the meal. Di Troia is rigorous of telling a story. She projects live video images of herself with cooking instructions, while Fallowfield delivers a in various female roles - reminiscent of Cindy Sherman’s barrage of personal and general questions. Improvisation Longer versions of many reviews can now be found at www.stagewhispers.com.au

Stage Whispers 89

Melissa McGlensey in The Briefing.

is the key ingredient, with the chef juggling the desert, mains and entrée while whipping up hilarious culinary mayhem. With a different chef every night, audiences are required to rate their skills out of ten and to follow the competition, with the winner to be announced on social media after the last show.

A funny and innovative critique on the Celebrity Chef phenomena.

Flora Georgiou

The Q&A segment was less developed and the opportunity for a more improvised approach to the show was somewhat lost. Nonetheless, McGlensey demonstrates great writing and performing talent and provides some light-hearted respite from a dire political reality.

Patricia Di Risio

You Should Be Dancing

By Everybody NOW! The Briefing PERFORMANCE collective Everybody NOW! has a Created and performed by Melissa McGlensey. highly inclusive approach to its concept of dancing. This THIS show imagines the former White House Press event brings together an eclectic collection of dance styles Secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, on tour in Australia and performers who congregate to celebrate a and wreaking havoc. The routine is structured as a mock wholesome, family-oriented activity. The show goes out of press briefing and she is accompanied by her faithful and its way to welcome people of all ages, abilities, races and somewhat subversive bodyguard, Gumbo (Randy Adeva). nations.

There is some great parodying of the bold-faced lies that With a vast array of shiny, glittery costumes, dance are often spruiked via the White House and the audience moves and music styles, the show proves to be a dazzling is treated with the same bullying tactics that kept experience for the audience/participants.

Huckabee Sanders in her post for a significant length of Dance styles included Bollywood, Colonial, Samoan, time. McGlensey’s impersonation is pitch perfect and Swing, Cabaret, Hip-Hop and Caribbean and many of the Huckabee’s bizarre nature is evoked in phenomenal costumes are extremely elaborate and visually striking. The fashion. event is conducted by emcee Tessa Waters, alongside An amusing slide presentation refers to Australia’s dance captain Bec Reid. Their collective enthusiasm is increasingly awkward alliance with the US. The highly highly contagious and puts a smile on everyone’s faces as defensive and aggressive tones accurately convey how the they delight in being able to groove or move to some political spin is virtually shoved down the throats of the classic and contemporary tunes. audience.

Patricia Di Risio 90 Stage Whispers

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Daring Dog Monologues Melbourne Writers’ Theatre.

DIRECTED by Elizabeth Walley with precision and attention to detail, Daring Dog Monologues is six adeptly rendered works.

The night ends on a high as young actor Isabella Gilbert uses her dancing skills to convey the character of a megalomaniac Fashion Designer in Bruce Shearer’s ‘I am ublet’.

The Gilbert sisters bookend the night, with Cosima Gilbert, as a USSR astronaut, opening the evening. This work, ‘Comet’s Tale’ by Michael Olsen, unfolds slowly and Ms. Gilbert realises the pathos therein.

In ‘It’s Not Funny’ by Maree Collie, Callum Straford disarms us with his fresh sincere rendering of a young man with deep rooted issues about punctuality.

‘Jitterbug’ by Brooke Fairley won me with its subtle exposition. Ms. Hamilton’s lovely vital dancing and stage presence is a treat to behold.

Elizabeth Dias’s writing, ‘Since’, allows Alec Gilbert the opportunity to express the dull disconcerting sadness of losing a loved one.

‘Desperate and Dirty at Twilight’ by Heather ForbesMcKeon tells a tale of lust, passion and bitter jealousy and is expertly performed by Clare Larman.

Suzanne Sandow Frantasia

By Frankie McNair.

COMEDIAN Frankie McNair presents her first solo show at this year’s Fringe, after appearing around the country in the award-winning duo Sweaty Pits with Miriam Slater.

While Sweaty Pits was fully sketch comedy, Frantasia is more stand-up, with a good seasoning of sketch.

McNair’s vision is to remind us of “the joy in play and the ridiculousness of life”. She harnesses this with hilarious and creative stories, enhanced with props and pop songs.

She also finds humour in sharing her life experiences as a queer woman and artist. As with Sweaty Pits, McNair succeeds in making some poignant observations, in the most riotous and silly way. It’s wonderful to see McNair continue to hone her craft and bring her unique sense of fun and humour to Melbourne. The audience was in stiches!

The voice-over becomes a character, heard but never seen. It seems to symbolise McNair’s own journey towards finding the courage to do her own solo show. This makes it a perfect show for Fringe, which is all about giving emerging artists the opportunity to develop and explore their art.

There were a few terms used I didn’t understand must be something the kids say these days - I thought to myself, feeling old. My insecurities were alleviated when John Farnham’s “You’re the Voice” came blaring through the speakers. Some classics can be appreciated by all of us.

Sophia Dickinson

PERFORMING ARTS MAGAZINE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019. VOLUME 28, NUMBER 6 ABN 71 129 358 710 ISSN 1321 5965

All correspondence to: The Editor, Stage Whispers, P.O. Box 2274, Rose Bay North 2030, New South Wales.

Telephone: (03) 9758 4522 Advertising: stagews@stagewhispers.com.au Editorial: neil@stagewhispers.com.au PRINTED BY: Spotpress Pty Ltd, 24-26 Lilian Fowler Place, Marrickville, 2204 PUBLISHED BY: Stage Whispers PRE-PRESS PRODUCTION & DESIGN BY: PJTonline Solutions, email: pjtonline@pjtonline.com DISTRIBUTED BY: Gordon & Gotch, 25-37 Huntingdale Road, Burwood, 3125 DEADLINES For inclusion in the next edition, please submit articles, company notes and advertisements to Stage Whispers by November 25th, 2019.

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FREELANCE CONTRIBUTORS Are welcomed by this magazine and all articles should be addressed to Stage Whispers at the above address. The Publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material. Black and white or colour photographs are suitable for production.

DISCLAIMER All expressions of opinion in Stage Whispers are published on the basis that they reflect the personal opinion of the authors and as such are not to be taken as expressing the official opinion of The Publishers unless expressly so stated. Stage Whispers accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any opinion or information contained in this magazine.

LIMITED BACK COPIES AVAILABLE ADVERTISERS We accept no responsibility for material submitted that does not comply with the Trade Practices Act. CAST & CREW Editor: Neil Litchfield 0438 938 064 Sub-editor: David Spicer Advertising: Angela Thompson 03 9758 4522 Digital production: Phillip Tyson 0414 781 008 Contributors: Cathy Bannister, Anne Blythe-Cooper, Mel Bobbermien, Michael Brindley, Rose Cooper, Kerry Cooper, Ken Cotterill, Bill Davies, Coral Drouyn, Jenny Fewster, Graham Ford, Peter Gotting, Frank Hatherley, Jude Hines, John P. Harvey, Barry Hill, Tony Knight, Neil Litchfield, Ken Longworth, Kiesten Mcauley, Rachel McGrath-Kerr, Roger McKenzie, Peter Novakovich, Shannon O’Connell, Peter Pinne, Martin Portus, Sally Putnam, Lesley Reed, Lisa Romeo, Suzanne Sandow, Kimberley Shaw, David Spicer, Penelope Thomas, Anthony Vawser, Carol Wimmer and Mark Wickett.

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Stage Whispers 91

Musical Spice David and Ruthie Spicer enjoy a pre-show lamington before their audience with Dame Edna.

Online extras!

The inimitable Dame Edna speaks candidly ahead of My Gorgeous Life. https://youtu.be/ePJ_VBkOyBA Recently I had an audience with royalty (well sort of). Dame Edna Everage held court at a posh hotel ahead of her national tour. I was a little star struck, got a selfie and even brought along a copy of the cover of Stage Whispers she adorned last century.

The tour is now over, save for few gigs in a Sydney suburb called (I kid you not) Rooty Hill.

The Rooty Hill RSL has done so well out of poker machines that it has built a magnificent 2000 seat theatre called the Sydney Coliseum. Could Rooty Hill be the last suburb the housewife superstar performs at in Australia?

Now aged 85, it might be pushing it to think she will be back in three or four years time. The previous tour in 2015 was already billed as her farewell.

“I have come back by popular demand. I don’t need to do these shows. I have independent means. I have a little tucked away. What woman doesn’t have a little bit tucked away. I am doing this out of love. I adore being on stage,” she told us.

92 Stage Whispers November - December 2019

Dame Edna was in good form at the media conference, dispensing advice to world leaders.

“Scott Morrison, who is he?” she said.

“Does he have the qualifications?

Has he ever had a job?”

What advice does she have for the British Prime Minister?

“I know Boris. He is a bit of scallywag. This is a genuine crisis to mend. I have to bring these people together.”

And President Trump?

“I knew him when he married Ivana, who was gorgeous before she had the surgery. He was a young ambitious man. I was on a television program and he had a model of the Trump Tower. He was showing it off and said what do you think Edna? He was touching and tweaking it. I said, I love to see a man caressing his erection.”

The publicist kindly gave me a ticket, but asked me not to review the performance. A general observation, though, is that the evening was one of

nostalgia - a salute to Dame Edna’s wit and longevity.

There were plenty of video screen flashbacks to golden moments. She first appeared as Mrs (Norm) Everage (a suburban housewife with straight black hair in the 1950’s just before the Melbourne Olympics), then later ascended the heights of superstardom with her own tonight show. We watched Dame Edna descend the TV studio stairs in a kaleidoscope of ghastly dresses, mocking one superstar after another.

It wasn’t quite the production we enjoyed last time around and perhaps her use of a teleprompter was a little distracting, but she is 85. As per the tradition, gladioli were tossed into the audience for a sing along and swing along.

Dame Edna still found it amusing seeing the phallic shaped stalks held aloft.

“If only you could see what it looks like from here,” she giggled.

David Spicer

Read scripts, listen to music and order free catalogue at: www.davidspicer.com.au david@davidspicer.com (02) 9371 8458

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