Reviews

The opening sforzando of Les Misérables’ ‘Confrontation’ sets the tone of the show, the commanding singing voices of our hosts Michelle Braiser and Ben Russell offset by their valiant attempts not to take it too seriously. Braiser is a bold Valjean; Russell the serious Javert attempting an arrest without breaking into laughter.

In Uncle Vanya – first produced in 1899 - Chekhov gives us a familiar cast of characters.  They are stuck in a country house, stewing in thwarted hopes, burning resentments, complacent privilege, misdirected desires, and loquacious evasions.  That’s not to say, ‘we’ve seen all this before’ – and in this production, it’s too individual, dynamic, incisive, and too funny for that.  Apart from the old nurse, Maria (Clare Larman), the only honest character is Dr Astrov (Catherine Morvell), a medical doctor (like Chekhov himself) a

Michael Griffiths is the quintessential cabaret performer! Born and raised in Adelaide, it is only fitting he return here to premiere his new show It’s a Sin.

Griffiths takes us on his journey of his development as a queer performer (he prefers queer to gay), punctuated with the songs of the Pet Shop Boys. He is joined on stage by Julian Ferraretto on violin and Dylan Paul on double bass. Ferraretto and Paul are not simply accompaniment, they form an integral part of the performance. Their playing is sympathetic and adds another level to the production.

If The Regals Musical Society wanted something to contrast their last adult show, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, they have made an excellent choice by now giving us Carrie.  The feathers, falsies and fishnets have all been put away and in their place we have every day, American high school clothing most of the time, with noticeably less costume changes.  An even greater difference, however, is that the three male leads in Priscilla have been replaced by a trio of powerful ladies:  a compassionate peer, a deranged mother and a leading lady w