Reviews

The Gathering

By Will Halligan and Belinda Jenkin.. VIc Theatre Company. fortyfivedownstairs. November 26 - December 11, 2016.

Not being from Melbourne, the first pleasure was discovering this clever venue down all those stairs in the basement of a CBD building.

fortyfivedownstairs is the perfect setting for a (second outing) try out production of this musical, set at a house warming party at a home that is haunted.

The posts holding up the roof looked almost made to measure, even if you had to look around them at times.

Cymbeline

By William Shakespeare. Secret House in association with The Depot Theatre, Marrickville. Oct 1 – 15, 2016.

Secret House’s production of Cymbeline at The Depot Theatre was a vibrant, robust, exciting rendition of Shakespeare’s rarely performed play. Great direction by Sean O’Riorden and brilliant ensemble acting by the cast.

Shakespeare took the title and setting from the British King Cymbeline (Cunobelinus), who reigned until just after the birth of Christ. Shakespeare used some of the characters and ideas from early British history.

A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody

By Ron Bernas. Centenary Theatre Co. Director: Debra Chalmers. Chelmer Community Centre, Brisbane. Nov 12 – Dec 3, 2016

Centenary Theatre’s final offering for what has been one of their most successful years in history, should see them continue their success with this audience-pleaser by Ron Bernas. A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody won the 1991 Community Association of Michigan New Plays competition and has since become a staple on the community theatre circuit in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.

One Man, Two Guvnors

Written by Richard Bean. Directed by Chris Baldock. Heidelberg Theatre Company, Rosanna. Nov 18 – Dec 3, 2016

Multi award winning Director Chris Baldock has been an integral part of both Independent and Community Theatre circles in Melbourne for many years. His own  company, Mockingbird Theatre, was responsible for some of the most exciting theatre in Australia over a number of years and productions, breaking conventions and raising standards in confronting plays that deserved to be seen. Some of my favourite nights of theatre in the past five years have been spent admiring Baldock’s work and incredible casting.

The Addams Family

Music and Lyrics by Andrew Lippa. Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. Directed by Ryan S. McNally. Musical Direction by Krispin Maesalu. Phoenix Theatre, Hamilton Hill, WA. 24 Nov - 10 Dec 2016

Phoenix Theatre’s The Addams Family is an immersive experience - from a heavily and impressively decorated foyer, to a playing area that extends through the auditorium.

Phoenix Theatre has a notoriously small stage, and this production accommodated its cast of 25 by extending the playing space, via catwalks, forming a ‘pit’ to house the strong 13 piece orchestra.

The music was very precise and the sound levels of the band were well controlled - although it was difficult to hear individual solo lines within the big production numbers.

Blitz!

By Lionel Bart and Joan Maitland. Directed by Alan Brock, Musical Direction by Lyn Brown. Limelight Theatre, Wanneroo, WA. Nov 24 - Dec 10, 2016

Blitz!, with music and lyrics by Lionel Bart and book by Lionel Bart and Joan Maitland, is set during the London Blitz of World War II, A nostalgic; historic musical, it is rarely performed, despite running for over a year on the West End.

Reefer Madness

Book, Music and lyrics by Dan Studney and Kevin Murphy. RL Productions. Directed by Stephen Wheat. Chapel off Chapel. 25th November – 4th December, 2016

Reefer Madness may not be the best musical ever written, but it is quite possibly the funniest. Inspired by the deathly serious, church backed, film of 1936 on the perils of Marijuana, it’s a marvellous satirical melange…or perhaps a blancmange: guaranteed to send you right round the twist into lunacy! (The drug and the show.)

No Sex Please We’re British

By Anthony Marriott and Alistair Foot. Noarlunga Theatre Company. 25 November - 4 December, 2016

The purpose of farcical comedy is to evoke laughter and Noarlunga Theatre Company’s latest offering does just that. At the helm is first time director Linda Lawson. No stranger to the stage, Lawson does a fine job to keep this fast-paced show rolling along.

Rough Crossing

By Tom Stoppard. Lyrics & Music: Andre Previn. Musical Director: Mark Connors. Directors: Fiona Kennedy, Jane Sizer. Villanova Players. F.T. Barell Auditorium, Yeronga. 18 Nov – 4 Dec 2016

The best things about Villanova Players’ Rough Crossing were the musical numbers. Performed either by piano or to a synth backing they captured the period and brought life to this dull, inconsequential play by Tom Stoppard.

Noises Off!

By Michael Frayn. Wyong Drama Group. Directed by Pam Campbell. Set Design: Daryl Kirkness. Art House Theatre Wyong, November 18-26, 2016

[Cue Etta James] At last, WDG has finally opened their first show at the new Art House! Noises Off was actually originally slated to be staged as the new facility's curtain raiser in May this year (and indeed, rehearsals commenced in March) but due to a delay in the building's completion, the production had to be pushed back six months. While this may have been inconvenient, it certainly didn't hurt to have the audience's anticipation heightened from a publicity perspective.

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