Reviews

After thrilling audiences around the world for the last 27 years and in turn becoming the longest running musical in the West End and on Broadway, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera has been released for production to amateur theatres. In that time the musical has become legendary for its crashing chandelier, opulent costumes and sets, and its highly romantic Puccini-like score.

Ruben Guthrie is an advertising creative with the world at his feet. He knows everyone who’s everyone in Sydney, he’s engaged to a glamorous model, and his addiction to drink and drugs makes him spark with creativity.  With NUTS’ production and ACT premiere of Ruben Guthrie by the Australian playwright Brendan Cowell, the audience joins Ruben and those who know him in a journey through sobriety, pain, history and a hazy future. The intimacy of the small stage and limited seating of the Drama Lab heighten the emotional effect drawn by the actors.

Bell Shakespeare continues to raise the bar in presenting us “The Classics.” This time it’s Racine’s play of Euripedes’ Greek tragedy Phèdre, translated by Ted Hughes. Much of it is not a literal poetic translation, and just as well, for Racine’s play is a product of its time and teeters between Tragedy and Melodrama. So, although the story and most of the exquisite language remains intact, Hughes has taken some of the edge off the OTT tragedy and allowed us the relief of some black comedy instead.

Rob Reid is nothing if not courageous. So often one hears it said that real Art is born of taking risks. Couched in ambiguity this fascinating production risks being rebuffed for being obscure.