Reviews

Oklahoma!

Music: Richard Rodgers. Book & Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein 2nd. Based on the play Green Grow the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs. Beenleigh Theatre Group (Qld). November 16 – December 1, 2018

Oklahoma! takes place outside Claremore in the Oklahoma Territory in 1906. It tells the tale of a farm girl, Laurey (Samantha Paterson), and her courtship by two rivals, the wholesome, clean-cut Curly (Connor Hawkins) and the sinister, frightening farmhand Jud Fry (Lachlan Clark). As is the case in the Rodgers and Hammerstein book musical mode, there is a secondary plot, in this case, impetuous cowboy Will Parker (Josh Cathcart) and flirtatious (“I’m Just a Girl Who Can’t Say No”) Ado Annie (Terri Woodfine).

Seussical Jr.

Music by Stephen Flaherty. Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Book by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. Based on the works of Dr Seuss. Directed by Shirley Budinger and Paula-Mary Camilleri. Mousetrap Theatre, Redcliffe, Qld. November 16 – 25, 2018.

As the name of the musical implies, Seussical Jr is designed for young performers up to the age of 16 and is based on many Dr Seuss stories such as “Horton Hears a Who”, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Horton Hatches the Egg”. Thus Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat and all the favourite Dr Seuss characters come to life onstage in this musical extravaganza with the young performers. Even for those who have not read all the books, the characters are intriguing to follow with the singing, costumes and movement.

Man of La Mancha

By Dale Wasserman. Music by Mitch Leigh. Lyrics by Joe Darion. St Jude’s Players (SA). St Jude’s Hall. November 15-24, 2018

St Jude’s Players regularly pack their venue with loyal and enthusiastic patrons and such was the case on the recent opening night of an unusual production for St Jude’s, not its regular fare of drama or comedy, but instead, a musical… in this case, Man of La Mancha.

Company

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by George Furth. Directed by Julie Baz. The Depot Theatre, Limelight on Oxford, Sydney. November 14 - December 1, 2018

Little Triangle’s production of the Stephen Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along was a pleasant surprise at Sydney’s Depot Theatre earlier this year. With a young cast, the company staged a wonderful show, demonstrating care and affection for the difficult musical gem. 

The Gods of Strangers

By Elena Carapetis. State Theatre Company of South Australia. Dunstan Playhouse. Nov 14 – Dec 2, 2018.

It is always an exciting time when a new Australian play and playwright arrive on the scene and Elena Carapetis’ The Gods of Strangers has much to recommend it.  In State Theatre Company of South Australia’s world premiere production of this play Carapetis tells the stories she grew up with, setting them in the difficult and to new immigrants, strange, country around Port Pirie.

Carapetis fills her play with believable and engaging characters who carry us along in a torrent of English, Greek and Italian (subtitles are provided).

And Then There Were None

By Agatha Christie. Adelaide Repertory Theatre. Arts Theatre Angas St, Adelaide. November 15-24, 2018

Reputedly the most difficult novel Agatha Christie ever had to write, And Then There Were None - originally Ten Little Ni**ers and later, Ten Little Indians,was renamed for obvious reasons. The play is Christie’s own adaptation of the story for the stage. The novel, which clearly had a very grim ending, was changed to make the finale more appealing for theatre-goers.

Ophelia Thinks Harder

By Jean Betts. WIT Incorporated. Bluestone Church Space, Footscray. Nov 9 – 24, 2018

Ophelia Thinks Harder is the new production by WIT Incorporated, who have taken on the grand task of tackling Jean Betts’ masterfully witty post- modern reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Ophelia, as we know her, famously suicided after being driven mad with grief from the death of her father Polonius, who was killed by her lover Hamlet. Not in Ophelia Thinks Harder - a feisty outlook and a wanton list of recognizable relentless characters all create havoc as they poke fun at gender inequality and cultural misdemeanors.  

Private Lives

By Noël Coward. Castle Hill Players. Pavilion Theatre, Castle Hill. Nov 16 - Dec 8, 2018

With the voices of Gertrude Lawrence and Coward himself infusing the action, director Jan Mahoney pays tribute to one of the twentieth century’s theatrical ‘greats”. Playwright, composer, librettist, musician, satirist, actor, director – Sir Noël Coward made his special mark on stage and screen in England and America. His plays live on as classic vignettes of the wealthy social ‘set’ of London in the 1920s and 30s.

Hedda

A re-imagining of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler By Melissa Bubnic. Directed by Paige Rattray. Presented by Queensland Theatre. Bille Brown Theatre, 10 November - 8 December, 2018

It’s always with some trepidation that we approach a modern adaptation of a well-known classic. Reinventing a script from the 1890s and turning it into something that’s relevant and relatable to contemporary audiences is no easy task. It often just feels gimmicky and forced. So it’s with much relief that we see Melissa Bubnic’s reimagined Hedda Gabler doesn’t just do the original Ibsen work justice, it’s also exceptionally relevant to modern Australian society.

The Wharf Revue – Deja Revue

By Jonathan Biggins and Drew Forsythe. Sydney Theatre Company. Roslyn Packer Theatre, Walsh Bay. Nov 13 – Dec 15, 2018

Eighteen years later and still a riot, the annual Wharf Revue has now moved across the road to the big theatre, the Roz Packer. 

And while the founding writers and creators, Jonathan Biggins and Drew Forsythe, have gained two new cast members and a new musical director, their show has lost a touch of its old home’s intimacy.  

Rachael Beck is a great musical and dancing addition; so not surprisingly music director Andrew Worboys has upped the number and pizzazz of the songs.

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