Reviews

West Side Story

By Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim. Dural Musical Society. Dural Soldiers Memorial Hall. May 15 – 30, 2015.

If you’re into trendy theatre-speak you might well call Dural Musical Society’s West Side Story ‘Immersive’ theatre.

Don Giovanni

By Mozart. Opera Australia. Director: David McVicar. Conductor: Anthony Legge. Arts Centre Melbourne. May 11 = 30, 2015

I have seen many productions of Don Giovanni, as well as sung a role, but I was engrossed in this exciting production. Everything was dark with most characters in grey or black and the huge grey walls constantly opening and closing to reveal different scenes, opening to a graveyard at the back. This allowed the action to flow. The lighting was stunning.

Sweeney Todd

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by Hugh Wheeler. Holroyd Musical and Dramatic Society. Redgum Centre, Wentworthville. May 15 – 23, 2015.

Reminiscent of a period book or newspaper illustration, the black and white London backdrop is the striking first impression for Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s musical thriller, based on the bloodthirsty revenge melodrama of the same name, telling the tale of a barber, wrongfully transported to NSW, who returns to 19th century London after 15 years, bent on vengeance.

Saturday Night Fever The Musical

Based in the Paramount/RSO Film and the story by Nik Cohn. Music by the Bee Gees. Adapted for the stage by Robert Stigwood and assisted by Bill Oakes. Edited by Ryan McBryde. Showbiz Queenstown. May 13 – 23, 2015. NZ Community Theatre Premiere.

Picturesque Queenstown is festooned with the iconic dancing man logo of this 1970s film turned musical and the leading man Cameron Mason is so full of beans it looked like he had leapt out from a poster.

Talk about talent and brains to burn. At 15 he started University to study to be an astronaut. Then the Christchurch talent learnt he was too tall for NASA. Graduating at 19 with some redundant astronomy subjects, he became a private investigator. Now at 21 he is reaching for the stars on stage.

Evita

By Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Directed by Stephen Carr. Koorliny Arts Centre, Kwinana, WA. May 15-30, 2015

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's power-house musical is presented with class at Koorliny. A strong cast delivers a nicely nuanced production that also packs a punch.

In the title role, Al Hill sings beautifully and offers an Evita whose motives remain an enigma. Saint or schemer — we are never quite sure. Her real life brother shines as Chè. Paul Spencer's performance is excellent and he brings a continuing energy to the show.

Equus

By Peter Shaffer. Directed by Lars Jensen. Melville Theatre, Melville WA. May 8-23 2015

Director Lars Jensen brought Equus to the Melville Theatre, a challenging, well-known but rarely performed play, that remains somewhat controversial, over forty years after its first rehearsal.

Safety Switch

By Rowan Freeman. Director: Eden Falk. Cast: Warwick Allsopp, Fiona Pepper, Rowan Freeman, Mansoor Noor. Old Fitz Theatre (NSW) Late Night Show. 13-24 May 2015.

Viewpoints...

“Things, seen from one angle, look entirely different when seen from another – but things don’t change. Their status of being is relative to our perspective.” This is a viewpoint I highly respect and it would appear to be a driver of the action in this play.

Jerry’s Girls

Music, Lyrics and Concept by Jerry Herman, with Larry Alford and Wayne Cilento. Gold Coast Little Theatre, Southport. Director: Kate Peters. 15th May – 13th June, 2015.

Gold Coast Little Theatre has a smash hit in Jerry’s Girls, featuring some of the Coast’s most talented ladies. The show is a musical tribute to the music and lyrics of Jerry Herman, with show stoppers like ‘Hello, Dolly’, ‘Mame’, ‘I am what I am’, ‘I Won’t Send Roses and many more.

Moonlight Serenade

Conceived and directed by Gai Byrne. Tugun Theatre Co., Gold Coast. Tugun Village Community Centre. May 14th – 30th

First time director Gai Byrne has put together an entertainment featuring a variety of songs and sketches covering the era from the 1930’s to 1950’s.

With a beautifully dressed cast of 20, the program includes popular songs made famous by Vera Lynne, “Old Blue Eyes” and Dean Martin to name a few, and even has a section showcasing Burlesque Queen Tracey “Fleur” Lord, complete with feathered fans, and stripping down to a couple of “doo dahs”.

All Shook Up

Book by: Joe DiPietro. Presented by: Devonport Choral Society Inc. Devonport Entertainment and Convention Centre. Director: Sid Sidebotom. 15 – 30 May 2015

Devonport Choral Society has been providing entertainment in the small city of Devonport on the North West Coast of Tasmania for over six decades. Their latest production is a tribute to the King, the Elvis Presley jukebox musical All Shook Up. DCS promoted the claim, if you love Elvis Presley you will love All Shook Up, and lived up to the boast.

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