Reviews

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.

The Rainmaker

By N. Richard Nash. Directed by Anita Bound. KADS Theatre, Kalamunda, WA. May 8-30, 2015

KADS brings the beautiful story of The Rainmaker to their Kalamunda stage, with a nicely presented production of N. Richard Nash's  romantic.

Set in Kansas, in 1935 in a drought, Alistair Woodcock and Geoff Rumsey's set recreates the Curry household, the local sheriff's office and the Curry's tack-room with detail and accuracy, with costuming by Rose Weighell also helping to recreate the era. James Glasson and Stephen Marr's lighting design adds to the feeling of heat and dryness, while the sound design by Lindsay Goodwin and Julie Hicking adds whimsy.

The Wizard of Oz

Music and Lyrics Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, based on the book by L. Frank Baum. Spotlight Theatre, Benowa, Gold Coast. Director/Choreographer: Tess Burke. May 15th – June 6, 2015.

They say – never work with kids or animals; but in this case nothing could be further from the truth.

Three grandchildren and I entered into the world of witches, little people, talking animals, caring adults and a girl who sings like ….Dorothy!!! AND a precious little dog who didn’t put a foot wrong!

I’d already heard this presentation was delightful – it is. 

The Three Musketeers

By Alexandre Dumas, adapted by Ken Ludwig. The Genesian Theatre, Sydney. May 16 – 27, 2015.

Sword fighting, swash-buckling heroism, a conniving cardinal, a kitsch king and an aldulterous queen! What’s not to like?

This production is a bit of fun that’s fairly well done for a community theatre and some actors who have never held a sword before! They look good, they fight well and they do their best with a script that is an ambitious adaptation of a well known and oft’ adapted novel.

Never The Sinner

By John Logan. Director: Dan Lane. Nash Theatre. Merthyr Road Uniting Church, New Farm, Brisbane. 9-30 May 2015

Nash Theatre’s second entry in their 2015 series of “murder” plays is John Logan’s compelling look at Leopold and Loeb’s heinous thrill-kill in 1924 Chicago and their subsequent trial where they were defended by legendary defence attorney Clarence Darrow.

One Suitcase: Four Stories

Collaboration between performer Linda Catalano and director Penelope Bartlau. Barking Spider Visual Theatre at the Darebin Homemade Food & Wine Festival. Northcote Town Hall, West Wing, Northcote (VIC). 13 – 17 May 2015

The stage is an Italian kitchen – but one in the suburbs of Melbourne rather than Calabria.  Drying herbs and salamis hang from the overhead drying frame.  A big pot of sugo (sauce) stands ready.  Piles of tomatoes, an aubergine, some zucchini.  A big lump of pasta dough waits to be rolled out.  The audience sits at big wooden tables – each table equipped with its own pasta dough, a board, flour, a stick rolling pin, bunches of parsley, bottles of wine and cutlery in a box.  

Encoded

Stalker Theatre. Presented as part of SEGUE Festival at The Street Theatre, Canberra. 8-9 May 2015.

Encoded messes with your mind in the best possible way, creating optical and temporal illusions by melding live dance and acrobatics with a projected fluid video. The piece opened with extraordinarily beautiful figures, which in the blackness appeared to be made of swirling light. The light danced on their torsos and faces, brilliant red and delicate blue.

Legally Blonde The Musical

Music & Lyrics: Laurence O’Keefe & Nell Benjamin. Book: Heather Hach. Engadine Musical Society. Sutherland Entertainment Centre. May 13 – 17, 2015.

Haven’t seen the 2001 movie starring Reese Witherspoon? Don’t know the plot? Archetypal blonde Elle Woods qualifies for Harvard Law solely to pursue the guy who has dumped her for a more suitable fiancé. After finding her own brand of legal smarts, which stretch well beyond dusty law books, she makes her mark, finds academic success, and finally love with the right guy.

The musical version of this feel-good story is played out with snappy enthusiasm in this production.

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