Sydney Opera House Presents
The Miss Behave Gameshow

Everyone’s a star when Miss Behave takes centre stage

Direct from Las Vegas, the international smash hit The Miss Behave Gameshow brings a chaotic brew of variety, gameshow and disco to the Sydney Opera House Studio this March.

The formula? Simple: Miss Behave, London’s reigning Queen of Cabaret, divides the audience into two teams according to their mobile phones. A series of challenges ensue that include “The Laid Lottery”, “Sit on a Seat and See What Happens” and “Shazam That Riff”. There are no rules – just some questionable prizes. It’s fast and frenzied fun where – relieved of inhibitions and encouraged to let loose – the audience is the star of the show.

The show’s host, Miss Behave (producer, performer, curator and comedian Amy Saunders), is one of the stars of the Olivier Award-winning smash hits La Clique and La Soirée and “a skilled exponent of the art of controlled theatrical anarchy” (Broadway Baby) (NB. she accepts bribes). She’s aided by glamorous assistant Tiffany (US dancing sensation and aerial hoop expert Bret Pfister) and special guest The Evil Hate Monkey (Adam Krandle, an award-winning burlesque legend) who adds to the mayhem.

Amy Saunders, AKA Miss Behave says of the show: “I wanted to create something that was the antithesis of the red curtain and absolutely encouraged people to smash sh!t up. When everything seems to be glamorous, high production, and airbrushed to perfection – the gameshow aesthetic represents the broken beauty of our times – obsolete analogue landfill, trash, detritus. The night starts with me dividing the audience by their mobile phone type – which gets quite competitive, and I dance while they throw rubbish at me – it’ll be a wild time at Sydney Opera House and different every night.”

An international comedy sensation, The Miss Behave Gameshow has performed sell-out seasons at festivals in London (Wonderground 2014), Adelaide (Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2016) and Christchurch (World Buskers Festival 2016) and toured to Hong Kong, Amsterdam and Austria.

THE MISS BEHAVE GAMESHOW – SEASON DETAILS

Dates: Monday 5 – Sunday 18 March, 2018
Where: Studio, Sydney Opera House
Tickets: From $49.90 + booking fee
Purchase tickets online here

The post The Miss Behave Gameshow comes to Sydney in March appeared first on Theatrepeople.

Robert LePage’s The Far Side of the Moon is an inspired piece of theatre.

Set against the backdrop of the ‘space race’ between America and Russia, LePage explores the complex and damaged relationship between two brothers. After the death of their mother, loner Phillippe attempts a reconciliation with his brash, successful brother Andre. The rivalry between the two brothers is neatly analogised by the competition between the two nations as they reached for the stars, revealed through nostalgic documentary footage projected against the backdrop.

Loner Phillippe struggles to find the success of his weatherman brother, a bombastic television personality who condescends to his older sibling. Phillippe is obsessed with space, and particularly the Russian perspective on space travel, passionately discussing the term cosmonaut and its etymological link to art and beauty with a rather prosaic barman. But the world seems to conspire against Phillippe, keeping his feet firmly anchored to the ground. Despite this, he enters a competition to record a video and have it projected into the universe as part of the international search for extra-terrestrial intelligence.

Yves Jacques plays both brothers in this one man show – in addition to a range of secondary characters. The transitions are slick, with unique identities clearly established by this accomplished actor. Clever plot devices – a chance phone call between Phillippe and a woman from his past, Phillippe’s video for the SETI project – provide the right amount of back story to develop a genuine sense of pathos for Phillippe’s solitary existence. However, frequent moments of humour pepper the script, preventing this from being a simple wallowing in misery. Jacques first took on these characters in 2001, and his experience was reflected in his polished performance on Saturday night.

A portal in the set becomes a motif throughout the production, performing various roles as a washing machine, goldfish bowl and spacecraft hatch. Its several functions symbolise a key theme of the play: the tension between entrapment and freedom. In the mundanity of his existence, Phillippe yearns for the stars – or more accurately – the cosmos. Simultaneously tethered and adrift, Phillippe nevertheless yearns for connection: with his mother, the cosmonauts he admires, and most importantly, his brother.

A highlight of The Far Side of the Moon is its inventive staging. The transformation of an ironing board into a bench press, MRI bed, and moped is a whimsical touch that underscores Phillippe’s imagination. Sliding panels subtly rearrange the stage into various locations and the ever-present portal provides visual continuity. Projections and lighting are also used to great effect. Laurie Anderson, an avant garde performance artist and composer, provides an atmospheric score.

In the haunting final scene, Phillippe waits in a soulless airline departure lounge. Fluid choreography and suspended mirrors give the impression that he is drifting in space. It is an affecting final image of the power of dreams.

The Far Side of the Moon will be playing at the Adelaide Festival from Friday 2 – Wednesday 7 March

Image: Sophie Grenier

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Written by Robert Askins, in 2011 Hand To God premiered Off-Broadway at the Ensemble Studio Theatre. Several years later, the show had a second run at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.

Then in 2015, the play officially opened on Broadway at the Booth Theatre. Mainstream critical appreciation for the work quickly followed.

The show scooped Tony Award nominations that season for best play, leading actor (Steven Boyer), leading actress (Geneva Carr), featured actress (Sarah Stiles) and best direction (Moritz von Stuelpnagel).

Askins, it should be known, grew up in a strict, religious community.

Profiled in a recent interview for The Boston Globe, he described himself as ‘an angry, troubled teen with a self-destructive streak’. To further reference that article, the author ‘got drunk, smoked pot, and cut classes.’ It was in college, however, that Askins discovered his passion and gift for playwriting.

Learning these snippets of personal information, Hand To God’s creator clearly draws on his own background as inspiration for the play. Its unusual but original premise, centres on a church – run puppetry club for wayward youth. Chaos quickly ensues, when one of the creatures takes on a dangerous life of its own.

For decades, puppetry has been a live entertainment staple for children. That all changed with recent fare designed strictly for adults, including Jim Henson’s Puppet Up, Thank You For Being A Friend, and of course, Avenue Q.

Unless you possess a little Regan or Damien in the making, this is definitely not a kid’s show. With copious amounts of fake blood, simulated sex and swearing on tap, you have been warned.

Hand To God is a challenge to categorise, and has been described as ‘Sesame Street meets The Exorcist’ and ‘Theatre for the YouTube Generation’.  Both reviews are valid. The piece also pulls thematic elements from Heathers, Little Shop Of Horrors, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Rules For Living, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, all rolled into one.

Fundamentalist evangelism, creationism and religious hysteria, are notions rarely covered in mainstream theatre. Standout exceptions are the dramas, Inherit The Wind and The Crucible, and more recently, two musicals, Violet, and The Book Of Mormon.  Where Askins’ play really pushes the envelope, is by addressing these topics as a scalding comedic expose on family values, the church and its teachings.

The show is presented by the same team that brought the monster hit, Bad Jews (by Joshua Harmon) to Melbourne. Mounted by Aleksandar Vass and Vass Productions, it is easy to see what attracted them to helming Hand To God.

There are definite similarities between both works.

Meaning, nothing and no one are off limits.  Grabbing viewers’ attention from the word, ‘go’, each shares an ’off the chain’ electricity between cast members that alone, are worth the price of admission.

Gary Abrahams directs with equal doses of laser focus and outrageous flair. He is no stranger to pacing intricate speech and dialogue, either.

Like his work for Bad Jews, Hand To God has its share of extended monologues. That journey also gave Abrahams heady moments of intense physical interaction to explore and choreograph, accelerated ten – fold in Askins’ farce.

An expert acting quintet brings Hand To God to rich and multifaceted life. Sharing an impressive list of performance credits, each is a brilliant character player in their own right. Furthermore, the group’s collective dynamic is hilarious, yet raw and real at all times.

Abrahams’ ensemble features Allison Whyte (as Margery), Grant Piro (as Pastor Greg), Jake Speer (as Timothy), and Morgana O’Reilly (as Jessica). Led by Gyton Grantley, he takes on the twin roles of Jason and Tyrone.

Such is her unbridled commitment, Whyte’s take reminds me of Amy Adams (from Junebug), Kathleen Turner (from Serial Mom), and Piper Laurie (from Carrie).

Piro plays against type as the creepy minister. Like Patrick Swayze’s gripping presence from the cult classic, Donnie Darko, mixed with The Simpsons’ Ned Flanders, it is clear that Piro is enjoying every delicious moment.

Speer channels the quintessential bad boy who would give James Dean’s Jim Stark (from Rebel Without A Cause), Jeremy Lindsay-Taylor’s Shane Mungitt (from MTC’s Take Me Out), and Gary Oldman’s Joe Orton (from Prick Up Your Ears), a thrilling run for their money.

O’Reilly is an angel under the influence. With a strong physical resemblance to Lena Dunham’s Hannah Horvath (from the HBO series, Girls), combined with Jennifer Jason-Leigh’s Sadie Flood (from Georgia), the sordid underbelly she builds and shares with Grantley’s Jason / Tyrone, particularly in act two, is palpable. (Jacob Williams must be congratulated for his critical input as puppet director.)

In a career-defining revelation, Grantley’s Jason is nothing short of breathtaking. His energy and daring never let up for the entire time. Sharing the show’s key bond with Tyrone, there is always a clear separation between both characters.

Pieces such as Avenue Q or Thank You For Being A Friend, each have the novelty value of puppeteers always in clear view. However, the operators in charge had to be on constant alert, to make sure they never drew focus.

Brent Hill, as Seymour in Little Shop Of Horrors, blew that constraint out of the water. His show’s creative team, had Hill voice Audrey 2, as well. It was a fascinating production choice, where the man – eating plant became a dark extension of Seymour’s character.

As Hand To God’s story unfurls, Tyrone’s sinister grip soon takes hold. One moment in particular, triggers James Corden’s battle with his character’s personal demons, (from the National Theatre Live’s filming of One Man, Two Guvnors). In Grantley’s care, he makes the sequence a physical tour de force.

Without giving anything else away, Hand To God walks that fearless high – wire between social restraint and wild abandonment. It takes viewers to the wackiest corners of the human mind, and back again.

From a technical perspective, excellent voice and accent coaching from Geraldine Cook – Dafner, reinforces the play’s bible – belt, deep south setting.

Robust, two – tiered set design by Jacob Battista, takes full advantage of the venue’s stage. Setting the mood with cheeky irreverence, the show’s colourful classroom layout is spliced up by a series of secondary, prop – driven episodes.

Executed with deceptive simplicity, his elegant work feels like a wicked variation on Roald Dahl’s Matlida. Tessa Robinson adds fine visual support as scenic artist, with set construction by Just Imagine’s Justin Green and Colin Orchard.

Their vision is matched by Chloe Greaves’ bright costuming, which inform both the characters and viewers alike. Thanks to Greaves’ devil in the details, it has to be said that the sock puppets present a constant threat of stealing the show.

Creating a strong balance to Ian Moorhead’s twisted sound composition, Amelia Lever Davidson’s and Nick Glen’s mood lighting is always on point. (Lighting operation is by Bao Ghislain and Jai Leeworthy).

Douglas Brook is responsible for Hand To God’s smooth production management. Seamless stage management duties are shared by Whitney McNamara, Millie Mulliner and Julia Orlando.

Perhaps an indication of the show’s impact, is how the opening night celebrity audience applauded each and every scene. In my eight years of reviewing for Theatre People, this response speaks volumes.

Playing for a strictly – limited season until Sunday March 18, Hand To God is destined to become the cult sensation of the season. Catch it while you can.

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A celebration of Nelson Mandela

MADIBA the Musical

Opening in Melbourne in October and Sydney and Canberra in November 2018

Tickets on Sale Friday 2 March

Energetic and compelling new stage show Madiba the Musical – a Celebration of the Life of Nelson Mandela opens in Melbourne in October and will tour to Sydney and Canberra in November.  Dates and booking information for Perth, Adelaide and New Zealand to be announced.

Madiba the Musical, which celebrates the life of the former South African leader who would have turned 100 in July this year, is interwoven with stories of the fight against apartheid and forbidden love in a troubled land.

African dance and vocal traditions are given a contemporary setting alongside eternal love songs and stirring anthems in a show that tells of Mandela’s lifework as a lawyer and activist for peace through the story of young artist Will, who is the victim of apartheid in South Africa.

Madiba the Musical began its journey in France with its world premiere at Le Comedia Theatre in Paris in January 2016.

The first English language production of Madiba the Musical opens in Australia in October 2018, and it will tour to New Zealand, UK and the US in 2019, said the show’s Australian producer Neil Croker.

Mr Croker said Madiba The Musical’s Australian tour cast members will be announced shortly.

French writers Alicia Sebrien and Jean-Pierre Hadida said in creating Madiba The Musical, they wanted to tell the story of Mandela’s pursuit of peace and reconciliation in his homeland.

They said the musical was also timed to mark 25 years since the abolition of apartheid in South Africa.

“There are no languages that are more universal than music and dancing to reconcile nations, cultures, religions and generations,” the show’s creators said. “We want to remember Madiba; Nelson Mandela is certainly the last providential figure of the 20^th century.”

Shortly after Mandela’s death in 2013, his Xhosa clan name Madiba emerged worldwide in condolences.  The clan or family name represents a person’s ancestry and is used as a sign of respect and affection.

Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, spent 27 years in prison for fighting racist white rule and became South Africa’s first black president in 1994, serving one five-year term.

The director of the current French touring production of Madiba The Musical, Pierre-Yves Duchesne, is also the founder of the International Academy of Musicals, the first school in France dedicated to musical theatre.

Duchesne said he has incorporated the latest in stage technology in Madiba The Musical, with the sketchbook images of the young artist character Will projected on to the stage screen backdrop.

“Nelson Mandela’s vision of the world was truly turned towards the future, and that is why the stage direction must look towards modernity,” Duchesne said.

French reviews have praised the production’s staging and describe Madiba The Musical as “a powerful and generous work”, “the essence of a fight for humanity” and “a show that touches our hearts”.

MADIBA THE MUSICAL – National Australian Tour

VENUE AND DATES

Tickets on Sale Friday 2 March

MELBOURNE: 3 to 21 October

Venue: Comedy Theatre

Bookings: Tickets from $79

www.ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100

SYDNEY: 1 to 11 November

Venue: State Theatre

Bookings: Tickets from $79

www.ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100

CANBERRA: 22 to 24 November

Venue: Canberra Theatre

Bookings: Tickets from $79

www.ticketmaster.com.au  or 136 100

www.madibamusical.com.au

@MadibaMusicalAU

#MadibaMusicalAU

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The funniest and filthiest broadway show in years finally arrives in Australia.

Now open at the Alex Theatre, Melbourne

The post VIDEO: Hand To God – Melbourne Premiere appeared first on Theatrepeople.

TODRICK HALL ANNOUNCES AUSTRALIAN DATES

FOR HIS ‘HALL AMERICAN’ WORLD TOUR

TEG-DAINTY and Nice Events are excited to announce that Broadway actor and Streamy Award winner Todrick Hall will bring his world tour Todrick Hall American: The Forbidden Tour to Australia and New Zealand in June 2018.

The tour opens up in Auckland on Friday 8 June, and moves on to Adelaide on Sunday 10 June, Melbourne on Wednesday 13 June and Sydney on Thursday 14 June before winding up in Brisbane on Saturday 16 June.

Tickets go on sale at 10am local time on Wednesday 28 February for the five-city tour.

The tour will feature a brand-new storyline with new songs, costumes, and production and will travel throughout North America, Europe and Asia before reaching Australia/New Zealand. Todrick last visited Australia in 2017 with his sold out Straight Outta Oz tour.

Todrick Hall is a singer, songwriter, dancer, actor, choreographer, costume designer, playwright and director.  In 2010 Todrick Hall rose to fame as a semi-finalist on the ninth season of American Idol.  He focused his talent on creating his own content on YouTube.  His videos of flash mobs to songs by Ariana Grande and Beyoncé became viral video sensations.  Todrick has amassed nearly 3 million YouTube subscribers and an astounding 513 million YouTube views. He has since choreographed for Beyoncé. He won the 2016 Streamy Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

In 2014, Todrick was named one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 to watch in Hollywood & Entertainment. He also starred in his self-titled MTV show, TODRICK, which he wrote and directed. The docu-series showed fans a behind the scenes look at Todrick and his creative team as they choreographed and staged elaborate performance videos.  He has written and directed commercials for Fiat and theme songs for Sesame Street.  He wrote and performed in the Virgin Airlines Safety Video. He has also been a judge and choreographer for RuPaul’s Drag Race.  

Todrick was on Broadway starring in the Grammy & Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots.  He was also part of the Tony Award-winning musical Memphis, and prior to that he took the stage alongside Fantasia Barrino in The Color Purple.

Todrick Hall has returned to Broadway this winter and is currently starring in the Grammy & Tony Award-winning musical CHICAGO. He also just released his film Todrick Hall Behind The Curtain, an inspiring documentary that shows the hard work and creative power of this multi-talented artist.

TOUR DATES:

AUCKLAND    Friday 8 June – Bruce Mason Centre

ADELAIDE     Sunday 10 June– The Gov

MELBOURNE   Wednesday 13 June – Comedy Theatre

SYDNEY    Thursday 14 June – Enmore Theatre

BRISBANE    Saturday 16 June – Eatons Hill Hotel

General public tickets on-sale date:

Wednesday 28 February, 10am local time from www.tegdainty.com

The post Todrick Hall to tour Australia appeared first on Theatrepeople.

Here’s the latest news in the Weekly Wrap!

CURRENT SHOWS 

QUEENSLAND

QPAC Lyric Theatre: Aladdin

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NEW SOUTH WALES

Capitol Theatre: Mamma Mia!

Hayes Theatre: The View Upstairs

Lennox Theatre: Calamity Jane

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VICTORIA

Chapel off Chapel: Gilligan’s Island

Comedy Theatre: American Idiot

Her Majesty’s Theatre: Beautiful: The Carole King Story

Regent Theatre: Priscilla, Queen of the Desert 

State Theatre: Dream Lover: The Bobby Darin Musical

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Crown Theatre: The Rocky Horror Show

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WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND AUSTRALIAN THEATRES? 

The Production Company announces their 20th year shows

Tuesday, February 20th saw The Production Company announce the shows that would make up their 20th season.

Oklahoma! was the first musical written by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs’ 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of farm girl Laurey Williams (Anna O’Byrne) and her courtship by two rival suitors, cowboy Curly McLain (Simon Gleeson) and the sinister and frightening farmhand Jud Fry (Ben Mingay) . A secondary romance develops between cowboy Will Parker (Bobby Fox) and his flirtatious fiancée, Ado Annie (Elise McCann).

Announced Cast- Anna O’Byrne (My Fair Lady), Simon Gleeson (Les Miserables), Ben Mingay (The Phantom of the Opera), Bobby Fox (Jersey Boys), Elise McCann (Matilda), Robyn Nevin (My Fair Lady) and Richard Piper (Black Rider).

Show 2- The Boy From Oz (August 11th- August 19th)

The iconic Australian musical, The Boy from Oz turns 20 in 2018, and to celebrate, The Production Company are staging a new production. Rohan Browne stars as Peter Allen, and Caroline O’Connor  returns to Australia to portray the role of Judy Garland. Matthew Manahan will play Greg Connell.

This is the dazzling, funny and moving story of the legendary Australian entertainer Peter Allen. From a humble start, Peter was singing in country pubs at age 11. He survived family tragedy to become a teenage TV star. Discovered by Judy Garland, he married her daughter Liza Minnelli and went on to achieve international stardom as a performer and songwriter.

Announced Cast- Rohan Browne (Brigadoon), Caroline O’Connor (Anastasia) and Matthew Manahan (Brigadoon).

Show 3- A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (October 27th – November 11th)

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder is the drop-dead, uproariously funny musical about Monty Navarro, a penniless clerk who discovers he is ninth in line to be Lord D’Ysquith, the Earl of Highhurst. But when the D’Ysquith family dismiss Monty’s claim, all eight family members in line to be Earl start dying from unnatural causes! This dastardly plot has been created to feature a single virtuoso performer in all eight roles; triple Helpmann Award winner Mitchell Butel stars in these eight roles.

Between murders, Monty is trying to woo money-minded Sibella Hallward until he finds himself drawn to the young Phoebe D’Ysquith.

How will all these convoluted storylines come together?

Announced Cast- Mitchell Butel (The Mikado), Chris Ryan (All My Sons), Amy Lehpamer (Beautiful) , Genevieve Kingsford (Brigadoon) and Nancye Hayes (Brigadoon).

Single Tickets for the 2018 season go on sale Tuesday, April 10th. For further information go to http://www.theproductioncompany.com.au.

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Calamity Jane

Due to a sold out March 14th to March 25th Melbourne season, Calamity Jane has announced an encore season.  The encore season will run from December 12th to December 23rd at The Arts Centre.

Tickets and further information can be found at https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/2018/musicals/calamity-jane-encore

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In The Heights

Tony Award winning musical In The Heights have extended their performance season at Sydney’s Hayes Theatre. Opening on March 16th the show now runs until Sunday, April 15th.

Be sure to buy your tickets early as shows are already sold out. Further show information and ticket sales can be found at https://hayestheatre.com.au/event/in-the-heights/

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Home Grown

Melbourne’s renowned Home Grown is back with a bang to present their first 2018 show which will be held on Monday, March 4th at Chapel off Chapel.

The theme for this performance is New Musical Theatre written by Australian Song Wtiters and boasts a strong cast including Adam Noviello (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert), Alana Tranter (They’re Playing Our Song), Kerrie Anne Greenland (Les Miserables),  Vincent Hooper (Heathers), Allyce Martins (My Fair Lady), Imogen Spendlove, Doron Chester (Beautiful), Callum Warrender (Memphis), Lachie Graham (Falsettoland), Daniel Cosgrove (First Date), Olivia Charalambous (21 Chump St), Jordon Mahar (Paris: A Rock Odyssey) and Joe Meldrum (Curtains).

Tickets are available from https://chapeloffchapel.com.au/show/home-grown-march-edition/

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Green Room Awards

Thursday, February 22nd saw the announcement of the nominations for the 35th edition of the Green Room Awards. In the Musical Theatre category the following individuals and shows have been nominated:

Female Lead

Anna O’Byrne – My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost)
Marina Prior – Hello, Dolly! (The Production Company)
Christie Whelan Browne – Vigil (Commissioned by Adelaide Cabaret Festival and presented by Arts Centre Melbourne)
Genevieve Kingsford – Brigadoon (The Production Company)

Male Lead

Charles Edwards – My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost)
Grant Piro – Hello, Dolly! (The Production Company)
Joel Granger – Ordinary Days (Pursued By Bear)
Ainsley Melham – Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions)
Michael James Scott – Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions)

Female In A Supporting Role

Robyn Nevin – My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost)
Verity Hunt-Ballard – Hello, Dolly! (The Production Company)
Nancye Hayes – Brigadoon (The Production Company)

Male In A Supporting Role

Reg Livermore – My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost)
Glenn Hill – Hello, Dolly! (The Production Company)
Michael Cormick – Jesus Christ Superstar (The Production Company)
Aljin Abella – Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions)
Luke Joslin – Brigadoon (The Production Company)

Lighting Design

Richard Pilbrow – My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost)
Trent Suidgeest – Jesus Christ Superstar (The Production Company)
Chris Petridis – Vigil (Commissioned by Adelaide Cabaret Festival and presented by Arts Centre Melbourne)
Natasha Katz – Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions)

Set Design

Oliver Smith – My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost)
Christina Smith – Brigadoon (The Production Company)
Bob Crowley – Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions)
Owen Phillips – Vivid White (Melbourne Theatre Company)

Costume Design

Cecil Beaton recreated by John David Ridge – My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost)
Isaac Lummis – Hello, Dolly! (The Production Company)
Gregg Barnes – Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions)

Sound Design

Michael Waters – My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost)
Kelvin Gedye, Julian Spink & John Scandrett (System Sound) – Hello, Dolly! (The Production Company)
Ken Travis – Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions)

Music Direction/Supervision

Guy Simpson – My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost)
Vanessa Scammell – Hello, Dolly! (The Production Company)
Joe Chindamo – Vigil (Commissioned by Adelaide Cabaret Festival and presented by Arts Centre Melbourne)
Geoffrey Castles – Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions)
Michael Tyack – Brigadoon (The Production Company)

Betty Pounder Award For Excellence In Choreography

Kirsten King – Hello, Dolly! (The Production Company)
Casey Nicholaw – Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions)

Direction

Gary Young – Hello, Dolly! (The Production Company)
Tyran Parke – Ordinary Days (Pursued By Bear)
Andy Packer – Vigil (Commissioned by Adelaide Cabaret Festival and presented by Arts Centre Melbourne)
Jason Langley – Brigadoon (The Production Company)

Production

My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost)
Hello, Dolly! (The Production Company)
Vigil (Commissioned by Adelaide Cabaret Festival and presented by Arts Centre Melbourne)
Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions)
Brigadoon (The Production Company)

The Green Room Awards will be held at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre on Monday, April 9th, further information can be found at https://www.greenroom.org.au

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OPENING NIGHTS

The Rocky Horror Show

The Perth season of the 2018 Australian tour of The Rocky Horror Show opened on Wednsday, February 21st at The Crown Theatre. The cast was joined by Rocky Horror creator Richard O’Brien who is performing the role of Narrator for the Perth season.

The Rocky Horror Show plays in Perth until March 4th with tickets available from https://rockyhorror.com.au/tickets/perth/

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Beautiful

Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre was lit up on Thursday, February 22nd when hit musical Beautiful: The Carole King Story opened.

Esther Hannaford,who earlier this week was described by playwright Doug McGrath as “The best in the world” lead the show with a strong and moving performance of the titular role. Joining Hannaford on stage was Lucy Maunder (Matilda) who has taken over the role of Cynthia Weil from Amy Lehpamer, Josh Piterman as Gerry Goffin and Matt Verevis as Barry Man.

For a full review head to http://www.theatrepeople.com.au/beautiful-melbourne-review/

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Aladdin

On Saturday, February 24th Brisbane audiences were introduced to a whole new world as Aladdin- The Musical opened at QPAC – the first official opening night for Gareth Jacobs since taking over the role of the Genie. In what was a magical performance from start to finish, the cast led by Ainsley Melham as Aladdin and Hiba Elchikhe as Jasmine received a standing ovation.

Aladdin is in Brisbane until June 3rd.

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OPENING SHOWS 

NEW SOUTH WALES

Lyric Theatre: The Book of Mormon (February 28th)

Orange Civic Theatre: Calamity Jane (February 28th)

Illawara Performing Arts Centre: Calamity Jane (March 7th)

Hayes Theatre: In The Heights (March 16th)

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VICTORIA

The National Theatre Melbourne: A Little Night Music (February 28th)

Arts Centre Melbourne: Calamity Jane (March 14th)

Chapel off Chapel: Bare (March 20th)

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CLOSING SHOWS

NEW SOUTH WALES

Lennox Theatre: Calamity Jane (February 25th)

Orange Civic Theatre: Calamity Jane (March 4th)

Hayes Theatre: The View Upstairs (March 11th)

Illawara Performing Arts Centre: Calamity Jane (March 11th)

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VICTORIA

The National Theatre Melbourne: A Little Night Music (March 3rd)

Chapel off Chapel: Gilligan’s Island (March 4th)

State Theatre: Dream Lover: The Bobby Darin Musical (March 4th)

Arts Centre Melbourne: Calamity Jane (March 25th)

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Crown Theatre: The Rocky Horror Show (March 4th)

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AUSSIES ABROAD

Sarah Bowden

Congratulations to Sarah Bowden (Der Glöckner von Notre-Dame) who made her Broadway debut performing the role of Cassie in A Chorus Line at New York’s Westchester Broadway Theatre. A Chorus Line runs until April 1st, 2018.

If you are in New York, tickets can be purchased from https://www.broadwaytheatre.com

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Margaret Thatcher was the first female Prime Minister in the United Kingdom’s history. But far from being a woman who championed feminism, Thatcher is remembered by many as a leader who did nothing to promote the political and social progression of her gender. In an opinion piece for The Guardian penned days after the death of the former British PM in 2013, Hadley Freeman described Thatcher as “one of the clearest examples of the fact that a successful woman doesn’t always mean a step forward for women”, highlighting that only one woman was promoted to her cabinet during 11 years in office. Freeman went on to say that both Thatcher and fashion designer Coco Chanel “ultimately had little interest in being kind to their own sex”, lacking a sense of collegiality.

It was during the initial years of Thatcher’s reign that Caryl Churchill wrote Top Girls. First performed at London’s Royal Court Theatre in 1982, it provokes thought about the price women pay for breaking the elusive glass ceiling. It prompts us to think about the principles and people that may be compromised or cast off, as part of a woman’s efforts to take and share power with men.

In Churchill’s play, set in England in the 1980s, ‘Top Girls’ is the recruitment agency where Marlene (Helen Thomson) has beaten out a male colleague for the role of managing director. As its name suggests, it’s an agency specifically for female jobseekers, but it’s quickly apparent that Marlene and her colleagues, Nell (Paula Arundell) and Win (Michelle Lim Davidson), don’t understand – or don’t care to understand – their clients. It’s a fact amply evidenced by an exchange between Win and Louise (Heather Mitchell), an accomplished woman who arrives at the agency seeking a new role, fed up with the lack of value placed on her contributions in her current role.

Heather Mitchell and Michelle Lim Davidson in Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Top Girls (Photo by Brett Boardman)

To celebrate her promotion, Marlene hosts a dinner party, inviting five women from art, history and literature to attend (the implication being that no one in her own life would want to attend or even be invited). The women at Marlene’s dinner table include Isabella Bird (Kate Box), a 19^th century British explorer and popular travel writer; Lady Nijō (Lim Davidson), a Japanese concubine of a 13^th century emperor, who later became a Buddhist nun; Dull Gret (Contessa Treffone), a figure from a painting by 16^th century renaissance artist Pieter Bruegel that promotes a misogynistic message; Pope Joan (Mitchell) who, according to medieval legend, was pope for a few years in the Middle Ages; and Patient Griselda (Arundell), a subject of European folklore, who appeared as a character in a number titles (including Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales) and is noted for her patience and obedience.

Each of Marlene’s dinner guests share stories of their lives and accomplishments, and gradually it’s revealed how each of these women has been hindered and/or repressed because of their gender and, once again, the question of the cost and compromise associated with gaining power arises.

As well as an insight into Marlene’s work life, there’s also a glimpse provided of her working class family. Her unadulterated teenage niece, Angie (Treffone), and her older sister, Joyce (Box), are introduced late in the first act. The interaction between the two adults indicates the toll Marlene’s ambition has taken on her familial relationships.

Contessa Treffone, Kate Box, Helen Thomson, Heather Mitchell and Michelle Lim Davidson in Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Top Girls (Photo by Brett Boardman)

Top Girls is intelligently written, provocative, poignant, razor sharp and beguiling and, in the hands of director Imara Savage, makes for outstanding contemporary theatre. While the play remains a stunning piece of writing, its focus on gender inequality has obviously ensured its continued global relevance 36 years on from its debut performance.

Savage has taken Churchill’s text to create a first-class production that showcases its shrewd construction. The dinner party scene is beautifully staged and allows Churchill’s overlapping dialogue to depict the discordance at the table with clarity. Concerned about their own plights and unable to reconcile the issues faced in their each of their times, these women aren’t listening to one another, despite their commonalities. Savage also succeeds in her handling of the show’s non-linear structure – there is no confusion regarding contexts.

Showing her meticulous attention to detail, Renée Mulder’s costumes are some of the best you’ll see on Sydney stages this year. From Pope Joan’s impressive formal regalia, to Lady Nijō’s elegant jūnihitoe, to Marlene’s 1980s office chic, each character is wonderfully realised. David Fleischer’s set ensures each scene plays out stylishly, and Max Lyandvert’s sound design enhances integral moments. The Rolling Stones’ hit ‘Sympathy for the devil’ is suggestively incorporated.

Kate Box in Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Top Girls (Photo by Brett Boardman)

Savage has assembled a remarkable cast of seven women to portray the piece’s 16 characters. Thomson is tremendous as the assertive, hard-nosed and starkly unemotional entrepreneur, who endorses Thatcher’s unsympathetic vision of the working class. She is utterly convincing down to the last gesture. Box is also excellent, both as the well-to-do Victorian travel writer, and as Marlene’s unfortunate and dispirited sister, Joyce.

Lim Davidson is highly engaging as the 13^th century Japanese concubine and equally convinces as ‘Top Girls’ employee, Win. She is guileless and single-minded and mirrors Marlene’s coldness. Arundell’s portrayal of Patient Griselda is appropriately virtuous, befitting of the popular literary character, while her Nell possesses traits aligning her closely with her ‘Top Girls’ colleagues.

Treffone is strong in each guise assumed – the inarticulate and rough Dull Gret, and Marlene’s naïve and slow niece, Angie. It’s painful to contemplate Angie’s predicament in a world where Thatcher-esque views find favour. And whether she’s playing Angie’s younger friend, Kit, or the over-confident and mendacious ‘Top Girls’ client, Shona, Claire Lovering shines.

Contessa Treffone and Claire Lovering in Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Top Girls (Photo by Brett Boardman)

And, as Louise, Mitchell articulates precisely the issue many women face in the workplace of being overlooked by men for promotions for which she is ably qualified, and losing out to showy associates while getting on with the job. But it’s her performance as Pope Joan for which she deserves the highest praise. The details of Joan’s story are some of the most compelling moments at the dinner table, and Mitchell makes the most of the role. Her Joan is droll, sharp and genial, and provides us with some of the best laughs.

Top Girls is a must-see for those who relish the opportunity to see a fine piece of theatre performed by some of the top acting talent this country has to offer, and overseen by one of our most exciting directors. It poses questions, for both women and men, that suggest we might need to recalibrate. Perhaps, we need to think about how we bring people along with us, as we scale executive heights, and how willing we are to pay a price for career success that’s more than it’s actually worth.

TOP GIRLS – SEASON DETAILS

Presented by Sydney Theatre Company

Dates: Playing now until 24 March, 2018
Venue: Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Tickets: Box office – (02) 9250 1777 or www.sydneytheatre.com.au

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Having watched and critiqued some outstanding productions of late, Melbourne is indeed a leading hub for visiting international, and especially, home-grown, world-class talent. One of these national living treasures is Bernadette Robinson.

Her professional stage credits include Cats, The Pirates of Penzance, and The Venetian Twins. A versatile artist, she has sung at high – profile corporate events around the world in English and where required, in local languages, too. But that’s not all. Robinson, it should also be noted, was a regular guest on Channel Ten’s hit television series, The Comedy Company.

It is her uncanny knack for mimicry, however, for which she is best-known, loved and worshipped. Robinson’s catalogue of iconic divas includes Julie Andrews, Shirley Bassey, Maria Callas, Patsy Cline, Judy Garland, Edith Piaf, and Barbra Streisand.

Building powerhouse experiences around this particular capacity, to date, her one-woman cabarets include:
▪ Calling All Angels

▪ Patsy Cline: Her Songs, Her Story

▪ Pennsylvania Avenue

▪ Songs For Nobodies 

▪ You Might As Well Live.

Robinson’s latest outing, The Show Goes On, plays for a strictly-limited season until March 11 at the Arts Centre Melbourne’s – Fairfax Studio.

With a swift running time of seventy – five minutes, her tribute’s gripping, emotional heart can be found in its gentle simplicity. Further more, there is a deep and unwavering reverence for her cast of characters.

In terms of its structure, the show smoothly fluctuates between dark understatement and bright electricity.

From the outset, Robinson’s celebrity personas are slowly introduced one by one, in turn, to the audience. Allowing us access to their souls, each reveals small tidbits of personal and professional information about their lives, and essentially, what makes them tick. As Robinson channels her troupe’s singing and speaking voices, she matches these famous attributes with their trademark facial and physical mannerisms as well.

The show’s spectacular set list features eighteen classics, including ‘The Trolley Song’, ‘You Made Me Love You’, ‘Diamonds Are Forever’, ’I Fall To Pieces’, ‘La Vie En Rose’, ‘Una Voce Poco Fa’ and ‘Over The Rainbow’. (The title piece by Bruce Hornsby bookends the overall journey.)

Robinson’s special gifts don’t stop there.

She takes her skills to another level, fusing tunes and stars together, and in several numbers, switches between artists with each line. Two standout examples include ‘Get Happy / Happy Days Are Here Again’, and ‘A Foggy Day’.

As The Show Goes On details between songs, these legends are at times, connected by insurmountable challenges. What ultimately drives them to succeed, is a shared self – belief in their innate talent. Equal parts glass and steel, each woman is a survivor.

Both the show’s director and co–creator with Robinson, Richard Carroll has realised a vision which is never overpowering, and always plays to her strengths.

Using nothing more than a centrally – placed microphone, a small side table and an easy chair, props are kept to a clean minimum. Set designer, Lauren Peters, maintains this purity with an ingenious grid of floor lighting, which changes colour and tone for each new song.

An expert, three – piece band is positioned in the shadows to the rear of the stage. Led by musical director and arranger, Martine Wengrow on piano, the trio is completed by Dean Cooper on drums and Scott Griffiths on guitar.

Ethereal mood lighting by Trent Suidgeest is balanced by Nick Reich’s glorious sound. One minute we are in a little supper club, and the next, in the grandest stadium. The Fairfax Studio is the perfect venue for this sort of presentation. Raked seating allows viewers to always be up close, intimate and personal.

Dressed in a modest cocktail dress created by Joselyn Creed, her astute choice never boxes Robinson or viewers into any one particular character. Subtle yet precise details include at one point during the show, having Robinson’s Piaf ditch high heels worn by the other characters, for stocking feet.

Bruce Bolton’s production management, combined with Michele Forbes’ stage management, keep the action fluid and seamless at all times.

If the appreciative opening night standing ovation was any indication, Robinson, co–producer, Harley Medcalf, and her creative team, can be congratulated for putting together an unforgettable winner. Don’t miss it!

For more details and tickets: https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/en/whats-on/2018/musicals/the-show-goes-on

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Beautiful: The Carole King Musical was a revelation for me. Like most of us, I was of course familiar with her most renowned hits, such as ‘You’ve Got a Friend’ and ‘You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman’. But my strongest personal connection to Carole King was as an actor, for her role in Gilmore Girls. So Act 1 was a huge education. I had no idea that King had been a professional songwriter since she was 16, or that she had written so many hits alone and with her husband Gerry Goffin.

The role of Carole King was played by local performer Esther Hannaford, and she did a stellar job. I’m not an expert on King’s music, so I can’t say for sure how exactly Hannaford imitates her singing style. But Hannaford is totally believable in the role. The audience sees King’s heart, growth and talent expressed through Hannaford’s performance, and it is powerful.

The show is not just about King’s life however. It is about the music of the time, and it is about relationships – between family, friends and lovers. King and Goffin (played by Josh Piterman), had a volatile relationship. Many of the songs that King wrote alone reflect the ups and downs of their life together and her depth of feeling, which made them perfect to construct a musical around.

This tour through the music of the sixties and into the very early seventies also revolves around the music written by Cynthia Weil (portrayed by Lucy Maunder) and Barry Mann (played by Mat Verevis), who were peers, competitors and close friends of King and Goffin. The competition between the two couples was responsible for a significant number of the hits of the time, and the show brings them to life, from the initial creation in their offices at 1650 Broadway through to performances by iconic names such as The Drifters, The Shirelles, The Righteous Brothers, Little Eva and Janelle Woods and the Chiffons.

The direction, staging and all aspects of the performance are sharp and tight. Scene changes occur often, but never interrupt the flow of the show. Each transition is slick and effortless, facilitated by props (such as pianos) that glide off the stage as if by magic and sets that fly in from above smoothly and transform the stage. Derek McLane’s scenic design takes the audience from a New York home, to the interior of the the recording building (complete with recording equipment, musical instruments and ‘on air’ signs), to club interiors, performance venues, a ski lodge in Vermont and a house in the suburbs. Each flat creates the feeling of the venue without literal accuracy. Colour and design are used very effectively to create an eye catching set that transports the viewer to each new location, in an aesthetically pleasing way.

The lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski enhances each new environment. A background flat covered in brightly coloured lights sets the scene for the Drifters live performances, while more subtly lit draped satin frames the Shirelles.

The costume design, by Alejo Vietti, works alongside the sets and lighting to transport us between scenes. The costume choices show the passage of time, as clothing and hair styles change throughout the sixties, culminating in King’s Carnegie Hall performance in 1971. They also highlight the character differences between individuals such as King and Weil. And the bright colours of the costumes for all of the ‘live’ musical performance help bring the scenes to life and add to the energy of the songs. These costumes are clearly inspired by those worn by the artists being portrayed (The Drifters did wear some eye-catching suits!) but are often more colourful and elaborate than the originals. But Beautiful is a piece of musical theatre, not a documentary, and the bright colours and elegant designs create just the right atmosphere. The choreography by Josh Prince is designed in a similar way. Dance numbers are reserved for the musical ‘performances’ within the show – there is no scenes of the cast randomly breaking into song and dance! The choreography is clearly modelled on the original style of the performers, but makes use of the size of the stage, and the freedom provided by wireless mics to elaborate on the choreography, particularly in the case of The Drifters.

The music was supervised by Jason Howland and Musically Directed by Daniel Edmonds. There were some entertaining arrangements, such as the medley of sixties music at the start of Act 1, and overall, the musical performances are spot on. This show is grounded very much in reality – it is telling a true story.

The songs are all performed in context, and for that reason, many of the songs are supposed to be demos and sight reading. So, they do not all have the polish we usually expect in a stage musical. But this is very clever, because there is a distinct transition when actual ‘performances’ are occurring, and we don’t see the true talent of King as a singer until the 2^nd act, when the strong emotion behind her music encourages King to put aside her shyness at singing in public and record and perform herself. In the re-enactment of the 1971 Carnegie Hall concert Hannaford lets loose and shows us what they both can really do. The only possible criticism regarding sound is a slight momentary imbalance with the band in the quieter moments of some of Hannaford’s numbers.

Beautiful was masterly directed by Marc Bruni. Each scene evolves so naturally, the staging is unobtrusive and highly effective. The show has amazing momentum, and keeps the audience engaged constantly. While some scenes are quite emotional (I was literally brought to tears on at least one occasion), there was also a lot of humour. In writing the book, Douglas McGrath has captured a droll, self-deprecating humour from Carole King, Cynthia Weil is full of witty comebacks and Barry Mann is the foil for many humorous references to his hypochondria.

Melbourne musical theatre seems to be going from strength to strength. With each review I am often tempted to refer to it being the best musical I have seen. Beautiful: The Carole King Story entertained me, educated me and inspired me. And now I think I’m off to purchase Tapestry on iTunes….

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical is now playing at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne’s East End Theatre District.

http://www.beautifulmusical.com.au/

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