Reviews

The Backstage Sessions Live

Adelaide Guitar Festival. Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide. 23 October, 2020.

As with many artists and artistic ventures in 2020, Slava Grigoryan’s Adelaide Guitar Festival was halted by the impact of Covid19.  They did, however, conceive of and produce The Backstage Sessions, presented as a series of virtual concerts and broadcast from the wings of The Adelaide Festival Theatre featuring a stellar cast of Adelaide’s guitar legends - you can still catch the recordings online. 

Together, Apart

Composed by Nicholas Gentile. Lyrics by Lincoln Hall. Musical direction by Patrick Burns. Directed by Linda Thompson. Presented by Gertrude Opera (online opera festival). 16-25 October, 2020.

The theme of this opera is especially apt for the current circumstances in Victoria and the story captures many themes around the way contemporary romantic relationships are developed and sustained. The “to camera” format is ingenious and produces a powerful atmosphere of intimacy. The four outstanding performers Georgia Wilkinson (soprano), Morgan Carter (soprano), Nigel Huckle (tenor) and Sam Ward (baritone) appear on the screen in Caravaggio like fashion: dramatically set against a dark background.

A Promenade of Shorts: A Mini Festival of Tiny Plays

Red Phoenix Theatre and Holden Street Theatres. Holden Street Theatres, Hindmarsh, SA. 22 - 31 Oct, 2020

It feels exciting to finally be attending live theatre as it now somewhat gingerly emerges from the COVID hibernation chrysalis. Indefatigable actor and Arts promoter Martha Lott is predictably leading the charge, in partnership with award winning Red Phoenix Theatre and a cavalcade of well known, loved and respected Adelaide community theatre actors and technicians.

The Man Who Wrote Shakespeare

By David Cronin. Back2Back Short Play Festival. Star Theatres, Hilton, SA. October 23 to November 1, 2020

‘To be a well-favoured man is the gift of fortune, but to write and read comes by nature’ – a line from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing that sums up the play The Man Who Wrote Shakespeare, but did the Bard really write it?

Playwright David Cronin has devoted an amazing amount of time to delving into the premise that Shakespeare was not solely the author of his own works. While this play is a combination of fictional dialogue combined with fact, he has kept, as accurately as possible, to documented evidence.

The Other Place

By Sharr White. Fremantle Theatre Company. Directed by Chris Edmund. Victoria Hall, Fremantle. Oct 17 - Nov 8, 2020

The Other Place is the debut production of Fremantle Theatre Company, which has taken residence in Fremantle’s Victoria Hall. A stunning introduction to this new company, The Other Place is a stellar production which is playing to rapt, capacity audiences.

Victoria Hall is looking fresh and vibrant, with front of house, essentially a trendy laneway bar, a great place for a pre-show drink. A great atmosphere - and you may be lucky enough to meet Front Of House Dog Audrey, who takes her public relations job very seriously. 

La Mama Poetica Online

Featuring the work of artists: David Stavanger, Anne Elvey, Anisa Nandaula, Jocelyn Deane. Curated and presented by Amanda Anastasi. October 2020.

La Mama has presented poetry in a live format since 1967 and is one of the many traditions that form part of the La Mama project which nourishes emerging and talented artists. As with many other Arts enterprises, this event has been forced to pivot online. Unlike more performative Arts events, adapting to the online format for poetry readings is daunting. They are, by their very nature, much more intimate events that rely heavily on the physical presence of the audience.

Alexa, Turn The Lights On

Written and Performed by Jacob Watton. Toowoomba Empire Theatres, Toowoomba. October 16 & 17 2020.

If ever there was a year for theatre to explore the intimate conversations of a young man and his AI technology, 2020 is top of the list.

Originally scheduled to premiere in March, but postponed due to the nationwide lockdown, Alexa,Turn The Lights On - a story of humanity vs technology - featured in Toowoomba’s annual Curious Arts Festival over the weekend.

Self-professed Luddite Jacob Watton starred alongside Amazon Alexa technology and humorously pontificated about modern technology that has “taken over his house”.

Animal Farm

By George Orwell, adapted by Saro Lusty-Cavallari. New Theatre (NSW). Oct 13 - Nov 7, 2020.

With mainstage theatres serving up small cast COVID friendly productions, the New Theatre currently has the ‘biggest play’ on stage in all of Sydney. 

This production felt generous in many respects. It almost felt lavish seeing 15 people on stage in front of an audience (under 44) spread around the New Theatre, as allowed by current regulations.

Love Fail

By David Lang. Yarra Valley Opera Festival. Directed by Luke Leonard and presented by Gertrude Opera (online opera festival). 16-25 October, 2020.

Love Fail is an original work by David Lang that is inspired by the varied accounts of Tristan and Isolde. This story of star-crossed lovers has been adapted in many forms and continues to be pervasive in our cultural landscape. However, Love Fails is heavily focused on allusion and creates a unique and new text to address this classic tale. This performance is mystical and eerie in the way it elicits the spirit of the characters and their elusive and often shadowy presence.

An Enchanted Evening

Live at Riverside Parramatta and streamed. October 17, 2020

While some of us watched and listened online, an excited – albeit socially distanced – audience were welcomed back to Parramatta Riverside Theatre for An Enchanted Evening of music. Enchanting it was, bringing some of the most famous arias and love songs from opera and musical theatre on to a stage that has been bereft of a live audience for a long six months.

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