Reviews

Eleanor’s Story: Home Is the Stranger

Adelaide Fringe. Tandanya Theatre. February 17th – March 18th, 2018

Eleanor’s Story: Home Is the Stranger is biographical. A sequel to Eleanor’s Story: An American Girl in Hitler’s Germany, it is a 50-minute, one-woman show presented by Eleanor’s granddaughter, Ingrid Garner.

Destroy, She Said

By Marguerite Duras, directed and adapted by Laurence Strangio. DURAS: Desire & Destruction season. La Mama Theatre. March 15 – 25, 2018

Destroy, She Said is part of the new Duras: Desire & Destruction season at La Mama. Four guests in an isolated hotel in the midst of a forest; a tennis game is heard but never seen, a strange card game that is somewhat foreboding. Is there madness looming? Or is this a gathering of post- holocaust  German Jews seeking rebirth?

Elevate! The Musical

Presented by The Dizzy Biz. Adelaide Fringe Festival 2018. Gate 1 at Tuxedo Cat at Broadcast Bar. March 14 – 17, 2018

Being a little claustrophobic myself I can’t think of anything worse than being stuck in a lift with 3 complete strangers. Seems an unlikely premise for a musical, but it really works!

Four seemingly unrelated people enter a lift, only to have it break down and force them to be trapped in uncomfortably close proximity for more than 26 hours.

Taha

By Amer Hlehel. Directed by Amir Nizar Zuabi. Adelaide Festival. Space Theatre. 15-18 March, 2018.

Though this solo performance may, at first glance, appear to be a tale of autobiography by its performer – such is the passion and personal touch with which Amer Hlehel presents it – Taha is, in fact, a spirited, richly textured telling of selected experiences from the life of Palestinian poet Taha Muhammad Ali (1931-2011).

The Magic Pudding

Composer: Calvin Bowman. Librettist: Anna Goldsworthy. Victorian Opera. Conductor: Fabian Russell. Director: Cameron Menzies. Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse Theatre, March 13 – 15, 2018, then touring regionally.

Continuing its strong emphasis on building opera audiences, Victorian Opera celebrated the centenary of the first print of Norman Lindsay’s The Magic Pudding by reprising their operatic incarnation.

It was a delight.

Designed for touring to schools and involving local community/school choirs, the set was simple but effective and would be easily transportable and fit into any venue. The choruses all appeared to be unison for ease of learning.

Azza

Writer: Amir Nizar Zuabi. Music: Faraj Suleiman. ShiberHur Theatre Company. Adelaide Festival. The Space. March 14th – 18th, 2018

Azza is one of the most compelling pieces of theatre I have seen. It is like a well-structured piece of choreographed verse that, from the first minutes, lures you into one of the most poignant and painful times in the lives of those who love and are loved.

A capella chants are used as blessings, creating a trance-like state for the players and the audience, linking stories and changes of mood throughout the hour of the performance.

Essgee’s Pirates of Penzance

Music: Arthur Sullivan. Libretto: W.S. Gilbert. Additional Lyrics: Melvyn Morrow. Empire Theatre Production. Director: Terence O’Connell. Musical Director: Craig Renshaw. Choreography: George Canham/Alison Vallette. Empire Theatre Toowoomba. 14-17 Mar 2018

The Pirates of Penzance has been entertaining Australian audiences for nearly one hundred and forty years ever since J.C. Williamson mounted the first production of the comic-opera in Australia in 1881, a year after its first London production. In fact it became one of the main money-streams that consolidated Williamson’s theatrical empire.

Curtains

Book by Rupert Holmes. Music by John Kander. Lyrics by Fred Ebb. Beenleigh Theatre Group. March 9 – 24, 2018

You might not have heard of the musical Curtains, but you definitely know the work of its songwriters, John Kander and Fred Ebb. The duo wrote Cabaret and Chicago, as well as Liza Minnelli and Frank Sinatra’s shared signature song, “New York, New York”.

Unknown Neighbours

By Ranters Theatre and Creative VaQi. Theatre Works and Festival of Live Art. Theatre Works (Vic). 12 – 18 March, 2018

Site-specific work can be a bit hit and miss.  Unknown Neighbours is a hit not to be missed!  No seriously - this is a rich and rewarding collaboration between Ranters Theatre and Creative VaQi from Korea for the FOLA (Festival of Living Art).  And the season is only a few days!

Venus in Fur

By David Ives. Directed by Kirsten von Bibra. Lightning Jar Theatre. Fortyfivedownstairs, Flinders Lane, Melbourne. 9 – 24 March 2018

As the old Johnny Mercer song has it, ‘when an irresistible force such as you, meets an old immovable object like me… something’s gotta give…’  That’s not I hope to trivialise David Ives’ play, which, despite its comedy, its wordplay, its surprise reveals and reversals, and its twist on the romantic comedy form, deals with a big theme – but in a most entertaining way and – by happenstance – most timely way.  The story premise is simple: the play depicts a theatrical audition – and therefore there’s a play wi

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