Reviews

Cyrano

By Virginia Gay (after Edmond Rostand). Melbourne Theatre Company, Black Swan State Theatre Company and Perth Festival. Directed by Sarah Goodes. Heath Ledger Theatre, State Theatre Centre of WA. Feb 17 - Mar 5, 2023

Melbourne Theatre Company, with Black Swan State Theatre Company and Perth Festival, present this glorious, modern retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac. Unashamedly and conspicuously theatrical, this clever queer framed rendition captures and embraces its audience in a tale of acceptance and love.

Leather Lungs: Higher Love

Adelaide Fringe. Ben Anderson Presents. The Lark at Gluttony, Adelaide Feb 21 – March 5, 2023

The average male singing voice spans just over two octaves, but Jason Chasland has no average voice. At four octaves Jason, or ‘leather lungs’, joins the illustrious company of Freddie Mercury and David Bowie and proceeds to make the stage his own!

Of Mice and Men

By John Steinbeck. Stirling Players. Directed by Tim Riessen (assisted by Sharon Thomas). Feb 10-25, 2022

Stirling Players’ stage presentation of John Steinbeck’s classic, Of Mice and Men is attracting much attention, including some sell-out performances, and features some strong performances.

The Evolution Revolution

By Kimberley Sim. Adelaide Fringe. Singapore’s Conundrum Theatre. The Chapel at the Migration Museum. 21-26 February 2023

‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,’ says Digby Tofu at the start of this new play from Singapore’s Conundrum Theatre. These words from Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities bookend the dystopia of The Evolution Revolution. It’s several lifetimes on from today, when society and countries have collapsed, and where this pocket of the planet is ruled by Lord Pinkle Dinkle Smith the Third.

Looking for Albanese

By Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe, and Phillip Scott. The Wharf Revue. QPAC Playhouse. Feb 21-25, 2023

What a joy that we no longer have travel to Sydney to see the acclaimed Wharf Revue (not that there’s anything wrong with it). Now we can wallow in the comfort that is QPAC and pat ourselves on the back because Sydney has come to us with its new offering, Looking for Albanese, and if you don’t understand the literary reference in the title, you probably shouldn’t be in this audience.

Adriana Lecouvreur

Composed by Francesco Cilea. Libretti by Arturo Colautti. Opera Australia. Directed by Rosetta Cucchi. Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. Feb 20 – Mar 7, 2023

There was drama before the curtain opened when it was announced that star soprano Ermonela Jaho was ill, and was to be replaced in the lead role of Adriana by Natalie Aroyan.

It fills me with terror the thought of being thrown into a lead role on opening night – but Ms Aroyan rose to the occasion, earning a special rousing reception for her accomplished performance.

Broadway Diva

Adelaide Fringe: World Premiere. The Barbara Hardy Garden at Holden Street Theatres. Tue 21 Feb - Thu 23 Feb, Fri 24 Feb, Sat 25 Feb, 2023

On a hot summer’s night, the Barbara Hardy Sunken Garden at Holden Street Theatres is the perfect spot (you must forgive the dratted airplane noise) for 60 minutes of those ‘earworm songs’, the songs that stay with you even if you only know a smattering of the music or lyrics, and it is 20 of these both very well-known and lesser loved Broadway, West End and some Opera classics that soprano Olivia Ruggiero uses to create her World Premiere show, Broadway Diva.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

By William Finn, Rebecca Feldman and Rachel Sheinkin. Laughing Horse Productions. Directed by Adam Salathiel. Koorliny Arts Centre, Kwinana, WA. Feb 10-18, 2023

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, presented well, is great fun for an audience, and Laughing Horse Productions’ spirited rendition was very well received.

Simply staged, with the show’s solid 5-piece ensemble led by Musical Director Natalie Winsall, present on stage (and occasionally brought into the action). This intimate production included lots of audience involvement and extended the show into the auditorium. 

Virginia

By Edna O’Brien. La Mama HQ. February 14 – 26, 2023.

Virginia, a play by the multi award winning feminist Irish writer Edna O’Brien, is based on Virginia Woolf’s personal relationships with her father, her husband (Leonard Woolf), and her lover Vita Sackville West. Nicholas Opolski (director and designer) offers a curious and bold interpretation of the original text.

The Rocky Horror Show

By Richard O’Brien. Produced by Rocky Horror Company Ltd. Theatre Royal, Sydney. Opening Night, Saturday February 18, 2023

The audience is full of anticipation as a lonely usherette crosses the stage, singing her ode to the Science Fiction double feature. She draws back a sparkly red curtain and, hinting at the mayhem to come, allows all to suspend disbelief for 2 hours. 

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