Reviews

From Johnny to Jack

Original concept by Luke Kennedy. Developed by Adam Brunes, Naomi Price and Luke Kennedy. Directed by Naomi Price. Presented by The Little Red Company. Powerhouse Theatre, 15 – 16 February, 2019

Perfectly pitched power-ballads combined with excellent storytelling in this fascinating show covering the career ups and downs of John ‘Farnsie’ Farnham. The show gives fans and even those not too familiar with his work a whole new appreciation for John Farnham. His tenacity in the face of adversity is worthy of respect. As lead Luke Kennedy puts it, “He had nearly two decades to quit, but he didn’t”.

Rouge

Adelaide Fringe 2019. The Octagon @ Gluttony. February 20th – March 17th, 2019

If you are looking for a show to shock the senses, then look no further than Highwire’s production of Rouge. Performed in the sublime setting of The Octagon at Gluttony, you will find a talented troupe of performers mixing it up with circus, burlesque and cabaret.

Beautifully executed, Rouge delivers a high-energy circus that must be seen to be believed. Deliciously naughty, performers wow the audience with feats of strength. Highly-trained acrobats, Annalise Moore, Andre Augustus and Lyndon Johnson twist, turn and balance to the delight of the crowd.

Eurydice

Adelaide Fringe 2019. Joanne Harstone, The Flanagan Collective & Gobbledigook Theatre, and Holden Street Theatres. The Sunken Garden – Holden Street Theatres. 14 February - 16 March, 2019.

The story of Eurydice and her husband, Orpheus, is one of the most popular, influential, and enduring of the Greek classical myths. The story goes that Orpheus and Eurydice were very happily married, but when a man called Aristaeus desired and pursued her, Eurydice stepped on a viper, died instantly and went to Hades. The grief-stricken Orpheus descended into Hades to bring her back. With his music and ‘lyre’ he melted the hearts of Hades and Persephone and he was allowed to take Eurydice back to the land of the living – with one condition.

Tony Galati - The Musical

By Dan Debuf and Caleb Garfinkel. Fringe World. Directed by Nicole Stinton. Musical direction by Caleb Garfinkel . De Parel Spiegeltent, The Pleasure Gardens, Russell Square, Northbridge, WA. Feb 12-17, 2019

This show is a 70 minute commercial for Spud Shed, a fruit and supermarket chain. It would also be largely incomprehensible to anyone from outside Western Australia. It is therefore surprising that Tony Galati - The Musical is a brilliant little show, that was one of the hits of Fringe World.

Me. Asian?

By Urban Lights, The American School of Vietnam. Fringe World. Directed by Kate Soper. The Stevenson Theatre, Stafford St, Midland, WA. Feb 13-16, 2019

This was one of the very special events of Fringe World, a beautiful self-devised piece, created and performed by high schoolers from Vietnam, which should have been one of the most publicised and exciting aspects of Fringe World. Unfortunately this little treasure of a piece, flew under the radar, and did not get the full houses it deserved.

Another Night at the Musicals

Adelaide Fringe 2019. The Box at the Garden of Unearthly Delights February 15 - March 3, 2019

Fringe favourites Jonny Woo and Le Gateau Chocolat are back to bring us the next instalment in the Night at the Musicals series...the somewhat unimaginatively titled Another Night at the Musicals. Any lack of imagination ends with the title and the show is a magical, glittery, mystery tour through the back catalogue of diva songs from our favourite musical theatre.

Beginning the night, Chocolat asks who in the crowd is a fan of musical theatre, before informing all that this is where musical theatre comes to die.

Get Sweatier with Cheryl and Chardee

Adelaide Fringe 2019. The Keg Room at Hotel Victor, 23rd Feb, 2019. Ferguson Room at the National Wine Centre, 24th Feb 2019. HAT's Courthouse Cultural Centre Auburn, 1st March, 2019.

Cheryl and Chardee entertained us at the 2018 Fringe with Get Sweaty, in 2019 they’re back to help us Get Sweatier. Cheryl and Chardee met at dance class in their teens where they formed a strong bond over their mutual love for the much adored and sadly missed morning television show ‘Aerobics Oz Style’.

Bubble Show: Milkshake and the Winter Bubble

Adelaide Fringe 2019. The Jade. February 22 – March 16, 2019

Fringe favourites, The Bubble Laboratory (aka Iulia Birze and Kurt Murray) are back once again to entertain children of all ages with their bubble skill, puppetry and clowning.  Best known to young audiences as Milkshake and Doctor Bubble, this year Birze and Murray bring us an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Match Girl. It’s a fairy tale with moments of much sadness but delivered here with great pathos. It’s refreshing to see a children’s production that is not entirely sugar-coated.

Heavenly

Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Daniel Blendulf. Piano: Paul Lewis. Soprano: Morgan England-Jones. Concert Hall, QPAC. 16 February 2019

Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s first concert for the year was indeed a ‘heavenly’ affair of exalted music from Mozart and Mahler.

Dirty Tattooed Circus Bastards

Adelaide Fringe 2019. Empire at Gluttony 15 February - 17 March, 2019

Touted as Cirque du Soleil meets Motorhead, Dirty Tattooed Circus Bastards is more reminiscent of Jackass meets Spinal Tap.  Over the course of an hour you will feel amused, amazed, confused and, at times, worried for the performers’ wellbeing.

Performed by two bearded and inked Irishmen, Martin Mor and Logy Logan, this show appears to have been constructed as an attempt to see how much dangerous, hilarious stuff two mates could fit into an hour.  In reality, these two are skilled and slick circus performers with a gift for comedy.

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