Reviews

Songs for Nobodies

By Joanna Murray-Smith. Cairns Little Theatre. Directed by Kevin and Narelle Shorey. Sep 30 - Oct 2, 2021.

This is a beautifully performed and directed production that showcases the acting and singing talents of five multi-talented local actors.

The play tells the story of five famous female singers as told by five ‘ordinary’ people who had the privilege to meet them in their prime. One by one the actors tell their individual stories as well as singing some of the more well-known songs by the famous performers.

CarmenGetHER-A COVID INFUSED DISKUSTATION!

Created and performed and filmed by Dina Emry, in association with Brad Nelson. Melbourne Fringe Digital. October 8 – 17, 2021 on demand.

Dina Emry has created an extraordinary parody of one of those – ‘teetering on overwhelming’ bombastic women who is a ‘force of nature’ and totally full of … their own opinions and self-importance.  With never a dull or hesitant moment, Emry takes us on a brazenly wild ride with her fabulously over the top, ridiculously wealthy alter-ego Carmen a Cougar from Portsea. 

Holiday

By Raimondo Cortese. The Artillery and Quiet Riot. Melbourne Fringe Digital. October 9 – 17, 2021 on demand.

Holiday is an engaging piece of experimental theatre performed by Amesh Edireweera and Richard Pyros (director), written by Raimondo Cortese and presented by The Artillery and Quiet Riot for Fringe Digital.

4000 Miles

By Amy Herzog. University of Adelaide Theatre Guild. Little Theatre, Adelaide. Oct 9-23, 2021

Shakespeare, in As You Like It, wrote – ‘Sweet are the fruits of adversity’. This a very apt quote for Amy Herzog’s 2011 American family drama, which was nominated for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize in 2013 and has been performed numerous times throughout the world. Part of this play’s charm and appeal is its simplicity. Here we have no major socio-political ‘issue’ based play, but a pertinent and touching drama between a loving, elderly New York Jewish grandmother, Vera Joseph, and her troubled 21-year old grandson, Leo Joseph-Connell.

Billy’s Choice

Melbourne Fringe Festival online. October 7 – 17, 2021.

Billy’s Choice is an exploration of modern Indigenous Australia, set during Victoria’s lockdown in 2020. The writer, Brodie Murray, plays the titular character of Billy. He has written an honest dramatic portrayal of Koori people and the dilemmas they face when cultural boundaries blur. It is cleverly crafted by director Rachel Maza for Digital Fringe.

The entire team behind Billy’s Choice have developed a short, powerful piece of dramatic theatre. This production is simple in format and strong in content, revolving around video calls.

Love Letters to the Revolution

Written and directed by Sian Murphy. The Blue Room Theatre, Perth Cultural Centre, WA. Oct 5-23, 2021

Love Letters to the Revolution, written and directed by Sian Murphy, is a vignette play that expresses frustration with a myriad of things happening in the world, and a call to help fight someone else’s fight and a call to take action, whatever that needs to be. Surprisingly light-hearted and funny, despite some dark and important themes, it is an easy to watch, enjoyable show.

The Little Mermaid

Music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater. Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story and the Disney film produced by Howard Ashman and John Musker and written and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements. Northern Light Theatre Company. Shedley Theatre, Elizabeth, SA. Oct 8-23, 2021

Northern Light Theatre Company’s production of The Little Mermaid transported me back to my childhood. I became a kid again, eagerly anticipating what would happen next and relishing the comedy and romance of this Disney classic!

First produced on Broadway in 2007, The Little Mermaid is based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name and the classic story by Hans Christian Anderson. On a side note, I have been told there is a Chinese fairy story almost identical except the little mermaid comes to a grizzly end.

Blithe Spirit

By Noël Coward. Hobart Repertory Theatre Society. Nicholas Lahey (Director) Nicholas Lahey and Ross Taylor (Composer/Sound Design). Matthew Andrewartha (Lighting Design). Treen French, Nicholas Lahey and Ross Taylor (Set). Deb Dean (dressmaker). The Playhouse. 8-23 October 2021

Coward’s dialogue remains as sparkling as Madame Arcati’s jewellery, 80 years after Blithe Spirit was written as a merry diversion from the woes of WW2. HRTS’s third production for the year was no tired drawing room comedy of manners. This was a fresh, intelligent, and witty reading of the text that delighted opening night audiences.

Anything Goes

Music and lyrics by Cole Porter. Original book by P.G. Wodehouse & Guy Bolton and Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse. New book by Timothy Crouse & John Weidman. Stray Cats. Directed by Karen Francis. Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, WA. Oct 7-10, 2021

Stray Cats’ production of Anything Goes is a huge production, playing to receptive audiences at Mandurah Performing Arts Centre. Featuring a cast of 66, an orchestra of 17, a myriad of crew and creatives and a huge set, this is a production that delivers a lot. 

Animal Farm

By Van Badham. Black Swan State Theatre Company. Directed by Emily McLean. Heath Ledger Theatre, State Theatre Centre of WA, Perth Cultural Centre, WA. Oct 2-24, 2021

Black Swan State Theatre Company’s Animal Farm is a fresh modern examination of George Orwell’s classic 1944 novella, which blends the original themes of politics, power and corruption, with 2021 technology, social media and the 24 hour news cycle. Performed by just three superb performers, it will appeal to people familiar with the original story, as well as those new to this famous allegory.

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