Reviews

Adelaide Tonight

Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Space Theatre. 15 - 19 June, 2023

A testament to the love of these performers and nostalgia was immediately evident from the packed audience at the Space Theatre for Adelaide Tonight.

Underscore

Sally Ford and the Idiomatics. Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Space Theatre, Adelaide. 14 June 2023

Sally Ford and the Idiomatics – Patrick Cronin and Michael Havir – fill the Space Theatre with a fusion of music, song, and spoken word, offering decades of musical style to underscore Ford’s observations through poetry and prose.

Rigoletto

Composed by Giuseppe Verdi. Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. Opera Australia. Dame Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. Directed by Elijah Moshinsky. June 13 - 26, 2023

What does one of Verdi’s most famous operas have to do with the musical Grease? Well in this revival production, the leading lady dons an Olivia Newton-John blonde wig, as part of the transfer of the drama from the 16th century to stylish 1950’s Italy.

Unlike some opera castings where the principal does not resemble the character’s physical attributes, in this case Stacey Alleaume as Gilda sang gorgeously, rattling fillings with her crisp floating top notes, and looked the part.

Catch Me If You Can

Book by Terrence McNally, lyrics by Mark Shaiman, music by Scott Whitman and Mark Shaiman. Koorliny Arts Centre, Kwinana, W.A. Directed by Katherine Freind. June 9–17, 2023

Koorliny Arts Centre’s production of Catch Me If You Can has been much anticipated, and is certainly living up to the hype. Featuring a stellar cast, this show has outstanding production values, looks great, sounds brilliant and is being very well received.

Performed on a multi-level set, which it will cleverly share with the upcoming production of Les Misérables, it is beautifully dressed and thoughtfully used. Costumes, under the supervision of head of wardrobe Lyn Leeder, are particularly impressive and transport us back to the 1960s.

Precious Little Talent

By Ella Hickson. Harbour Theatre. Directed by Ellis R. Kinnear. Camelot, Lochee St, Mosman Park, W.A. June 9 –25, 2023

Precious Little Talent, presented by Harbour Theatre, is directed by one of Western Australia's best up-and-coming directors, Ellis R. Kinnear, and features a strong cast. 

British girl Joey has just been fired from her job in a pub. On a whim, she flies to New York to visit her estranged father, and meets an idealistic young American.

Footloose

By Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie. WAAPA. Directed by Jason Langley. His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, WA. June 9–15, 2023

WAAPA’s annual musical at the Maj Is an eagerly anticipated event. Performed by WAAPA Second and Third Year Musical Theatre students it is supported and crewed by WAAPA production and design students and features musical accompaniment predominantly by WAAPA students.

The Winslow Boy

By Terence Rattigan. Hobart Repertory Theatre Company. Director - Meredith McQueen. Set – Rogan Brown and Meredith McQueen. The Playhouse Hobart. 9 – 24 June 2023

Rattigan’s 1946 play has been regularly revived and adapted for the screen on a number of occasions. It remains a classic because it still has something to say.

Reconcile

By Boyname. The Blue Room Theatre, Perth Cultural Centre. June 6–17, 2023

Reconcile is one of the most vulnerable pieces of theatre you will see this year. An autobiographical performance piece, performed by creator Boyname, it is a physical theatre work without words.

Sensitively choreographed by Bobby Russell, this performance art tells the story of a performer coming to terms with their own identity and body and finding queer self-acceptance. Boyname Is a trans-performance artist and their journey has obviously been a difficult one. While not easy watching, it is moving, with great impact.

The Culture

By Laura Jackson. Powersuit Productions. Theatre Works, Explosives Factory. June 7 – 17, 2023

Violence against women needs more exposure in the arts!

Laura Jackson, writer of The Culture, states that whilst penning a new play back in 2014 she was inspired to make a difference and raise awareness, roused by the domestic violence victim Rosie Battie - the then Australian of the Year, who lost her son and her abusive husband in a dire situation that could have been avoided and at a time when one woman was killed every week. It was an era in our culture when domestic violence was swept under the carpet and hidden from public view.

Comedians Auditioning for Musicals

Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Space Theatre. 11 June 2023

The opening sforzando of Les Misérables’ ‘Confrontation’ sets the tone of the show, the commanding singing voices of our hosts Michelle Braiser and Ben Russell offset by their valiant attempts not to take it too seriously. Braiser is a bold Valjean; Russell the serious Javert attempting an arrest without breaking into laughter.

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