Reviews

The Rise and Disguise of Elizabeth R

Written by Gerry Connolly, Nick Coyle and Gus Murray. Music by Max Lambert. Sugary Rum Productions and Hayes Theatre. Directed by Shaun Rennie. February 13 – March 1, 2020

There has been so much real life drama swirling around the Royal Family this year that my first thought about this production was that Gerry Connolly wouldn’t know what material to leave out. Indeed, when I had the good fortune to sit next to him earlier this year, at another production, he quipped that he had a truck load of material to sort through.

However, much to my surprise, there was only a sparse reference to Harry and Meghan (nobody asks me how I’m doing) Markle and the sad plight of Prince Andrew in this production.

Crunch Time

By David Williamson. Ensemble Theatre, Sydney. Director: Mark Kilmurry. 14 February – 9 April 2020

The Ensemble Theatre is packed to the gunnels. Its favourite son, the writer David Williamson, author of over 50 plays, 24 plays staged here, watches as the lights come up on the very last, Crunch Time. After 50 years of play writing, this is officially the end, finis, the final curtain. He put down his pen 11 months ago ‘and I haven’t missed it one little bit’. 

No Pay? No Way!

By Dario Fo. A new adaptation by Marieke Hardy. Sydney Theatre Company. Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House. Feb 10 – Apr 4, 2020.

The audience was greeted by the exterior of a non-descript double storey apartment block in Italy in the 1970’s. What happened to the façade, to bring us inside the working class abode was positively thrilling – especially for those sitting near the front. 

Les Misérables

Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg. Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. Original French text byAlain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel. Additional Material by James Fenton. Adaptation by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. Packemin Productions. Riverside Theatre, Paramatta. February 14 – 29, 2020

This is a brilliant production! The standing ovation it received on opening night was thoroughly deserved. The direction is brilliant. The voices are superb. The action is dramatic. It is everything a production of Les Misérables should be – and what one expects of a Packemin production. The fact that the season is almost sold out is indicative of the esteem in which the company is held by its western Sydney audiences.

The Spooky Men in Concert

The Independent Theatre, North Sydney. February 16, 2020

Who are the Spooky Men?

I’ve seen The Spooky Men three times! Does that mean I’m a Spooky Groupie? Perhaps!

Each time I’ve seen them I’ve been impressed by their voices, their comic concentration and their Spookmeister, Stephen Taberner’s droll humour and wait-a-bit-longer-and-I’ll-come-to-the-point delivery. I’ve been further impressed by the size, enthusiasm and demographic of the audiences that follow them.

Eh Canadian Comedy Dream

Adelaide Fringe. The Sky Room at The Griffins Hotel. 19 February - 1 March, 2020.

On arriving at Eh Canadian Comedy Dream to see British Columbian comedian Alex Mackenzie, I expected a show about Canada- its quirks, its funny ways and to be opened up to the comedy of the country. It was evident that the others in the audience had come with the same expectation.

A Butterfly Effect

Adelaide Fringe. First Draft. Bakehouse Theatre. 17 – 22 February 2020

The ‘butterfly effect’ is where a small change at a point in time creates a significant change in the outcome.

A Butterfly Effect is a frustrating sixty minutes observing four people stumble through a wandering commentary on their character’s lives.

Every Brilliant Thing

By Duncan Macmillan. Adelaide Fringe. The Bus Stop. 18 Feb - 21 Feb, 2020.

I rarely leave my living room to go to the theatre in a living room, but ​Every Brilliant Thing​ is just what the name describes. Beginning its life as a short story by Englishman Duncan Macmillan and now performed by Canadian Michael Torontow, it is the story of one troubled boy becoming a man, one whose whole life is spent dealing with depression and suicide. Sounds miserable, but this artful monologue is entertaining, uplifting, informative and deeply insightful.

The Importance of Being Earnest

By Oscar Wilde. Adapted by Jon Haynes, Jude Kelly & David Woods. Merlyn Theatre, The Malthouse, 113 Sturt Street, Southbank. 14 February – 8 March, 2020.

The ingenuity in this production of Wilde’s most famous farce is not in its re-interpretation of the text but in its capacity to fully expose all the underlying allusions. Jon Haynes and David Woods, renowned for their comedy work with the independent theatre company Ridiculusmus, set themselves an almost impossible task. The two comedy actors take on all the parts in the play, executing some very demanding and often challenging costume and character changes. The result is hilarious, enthralling and induces side-splitting laughter.

Once Upon A Fractured Fairytale

By Joondalup Entertainers Theatre School. Directed by Ros Boyer. Musical direction by Chelsea Gibson. The Big Top, Woodside Pleasure Garden, Russel Square, Northbridge, WA. Feb 8-16, 2020

Once Upon A Fractured Fairytale was written and performed by 10-18 year old students of the Joondalup Entertainers Theatre School, and is a bright and complex story of fairytale characters gone awry. 

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