Reviews

The Mystery of Love & Sex

By Bathsheba Doran. Darlinghurst Theatre Company. Eternity Playhouse. Feb 10 – Mar 12, 2017

While stories of gay people coming out to the world are no longer new, American writer Bathsheba Doran weaves here a heartfelt exploration of two young friends coming out to themselves. 

Charlotte is blessed with loving, liberal-minded parents in Howard, a Jewish New Yorker who writes detective novels and seeks clarity in all things human, and Lucinda, a Southern belle turned spirited rebel.  Nicholas Papademetriou and Deborah Galanos sidestep obvious clichés as the parents and embody considerable detail of warmth and humour.

Tel LA Novela

FringeWord. Directed by Zac Gower. Downstairs at the Maj, His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth WA. Feb 14-18, 2017

Zac Gower enchants his audience with his story of growing up in a Mexican restaurant, with dreams of Hollywood, his journey to LA and his search for love - all told in the style of a Telenovela. A Latin-American cabaret with a healthy dose of Australian realism.

How to Co-host A Murder

APAN Entertainment. Fringe World. Directed by Nicole Stinton. The Ellington Jazz Club, Northbridge, WA. Feb 13-19, 2017

A jazz-era romp, with a murder in a Speak-easy, this homage to musicals, produced by APAN Entertainment, keeps the audience involved in a fun, feel good show.

When Detective Rick Racy (a matinee-idol like Nic Cruise) and his offsider Officer Johnny Broderick (an earnest Lloyd Hopkins) raid the Caught On Club, they plan to arrest the performers and the patrons for a raft of prohibition-era offences, but the discovery of the murder of chanteuse Millie Halliday, has them investigating a murder instead,

Stupid F**cking Bird

By Aaron Posner. Lightning Jar Theatre. Directed by Peter Blackburn. Mechanics Institute Brunswick. 8-26 February 2017

A melancholy love story based on Chekhov’s The Seagull, this play satirises our romantic desires and creative passion. American playwright Aaron Posner has turned it into a contemporary tale that explores the intimate emotions of Con and the people in his life. Con, Michael Mack, struggles with an inability to make the woman he loves love him back and to write as well as he wants to. He also has a dysfunctional relationship with his self-absorbed celebrity mother Emma, Carla Bonner.

An Extraordinary Tale

Holland Street Productions. Fringe World. Directed by Tyler Jacob Jones. De Parel Spiegeltent, Fringe Central, Perth WA. Feb 11-19, 2017

Charlie Franklin is very proud that he has written and directed his own musical, but the day before the show will open, he finds himself having lost most of his cast and half the orchestra. Can the show go on? Of course it can.

Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical

Composed by Alan Menken, Choreography by Christopher Gattell. In cinemas for one night only, February 19, 2017. Screening at Event cinemas in NSW, QLD, SA, WA and NT, and at Village Cinemas and Cinema Nova in VIC and TAS.

Seize The Day This Sunday, 19 February! 

If you’re a Broadway buff that thought they’d missed the boat on Newsiesonce it bumped out of New York in 2014, this Sunday brings a rare and absolutely unmissable treat to you! For one day only, Australian cinemas will be joining the rest of the world in celebrating Disney’s Newsies: The Musical as a filmed event.

Saturday Night Fever

Book: Nic Cohn. Music: The Bee Gees. Spotlight Theatre, Benowa, Gold Coast. Director/Choreographer: Clay English. February 10th to March 4th, 2017

Saturday Night Fever opened last Friday night to a very enthusiastic audience. Based on the 1977 film starring John Travolta, Spotlight’s production had all the pizzazz of the era.

In the role made famous by JT, Jackson Brash gave a fantastic performance and danced brilliantly, receiving a standing ovation. The supporting principals: Hannah Rigby, Ruby Hunter, Jack Harbour, Johnathon Fife and Marcus Du Toit, all turned in creditable characterizations, complete with New York accents.

Blood Brothers

By Willy Russell. Beenleigh Theatre Group. February 10 – 25, 2017

Blood Brothers originally began its journey in the early 80s, starting out as a play in Liverpool before becoming a musical and achieving critical acclaim in the West End. It follows the story of Mrs Johnstone (Fiona Buchanan), a struggling single mother from Liverpool who can barely afford to feed her several children.

Little Shop of Horrors

Book and Lyrics: Howard Ashman, Music: Alan Mencken. Director: Kate Foster. Bangalow Theatre Co. A & I Hall Bangalow. February 10th to 18th, 2017

Bangalow is a little town a few kms west of Byron Bay and this is only their second production.

Little Shop of Horrors was a popular choice judging from the capacity crowd and their reactions.

Director Kate Foster made good use of the limited facilities at her disposal and along with the Musical Director Margaret Curtis and Choreographer Anouska Gammon created a fun show for all the family.

Chicago

Music: John Kander. Lyrics: Fred Ebb. Book: Fred Ebb & Bob Fosse based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins. Directed by Kim Angus, Musical Direction by Andrew Dobosz. Koorliny Arts Centre, Kwinana, WA. Feb 10-25, 2017

Koorliny Arts Centre kicked off their 2017 season with great style, presenting an exciting, very polished production of Chicago.

Directed by Kim Angus in a Brechtian, consciously theatrical style - with actors and stage management visible at the side of stage. This was an intelligent production with a wonderful sense of style.

The fourteen member band are seated across the rear of the stage. The orchestral performance is very tight under the leadership of Andrew Dobosz, and singing is top notch.

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