Reviews

The Dismissal - An extremely serious musical comedy

Book by Blake Erickson and Jay James-Moody. Music and Lyrics by Laura Murphy. Conceived and directed by Jay James-Moody. Produced by Squabbalogic and Watershed. Seymour Centre, Sydney. September 5 - October 21, 2023

The Dismissal is a banquet of comedy, drama, politics, catchy tunes and even terrific dancing – a musical to feast on and celebrate.

After years of Covid delays, appropriately it opened at the Seymour Centre, which was born in 1975, the tumultuous year of the political battle.

Unperturbed

By Jack Kearney. Sydney Fringe Festival, presented by Nevus, at Meraki Arts Bar – Meraki Mainstage. Directed by John Kearney. September 5 – 9, 2023

The Meraki Mainstage is a cute little theatre perched at the top of Sydney’s Taylor Square. To get there you have to climb stairs through another active show. But it’s worth it to see Jack Kearney’s new play, directed by his father John, about death, funerals and families carrying on.

The Princess and the Showgirl (Adriana Lecouvreur)

By Cilea. freeze frame opera. Directed by Penny Shaw. Fremantle Town Hall, WA. August 31 - September 3, 2023

freeze frame opera’s latest short season is a delightful production of the rarely seen The Princess and the Showgirl, a beautifully performed, highly accessible rendition of this interesting “backstage” opera.

Based on real life events, The Princess and the Showgirl is the story of the rivalry between actress Adriana Lecouvreur and influential socialite Mrs Prince (known as the Princess) who are both in love with the same man, the dashing soldier-come-politician Maurizio.

The Rocky Horror Show

Written and created by Richard O’Brien. 50th Anniversary Production. The Theatre, Star Casino, Gold Coast. Sept 2nd – 23rd, 2023

The fact that The Rocky Horror Show is having a 50th birthday bash is sufficient reason to see it again. But wait, there’s more (and not a free set of steak knives! and the presents are for the audience).

Little Shop of Horrors

By Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, Melville Theatre Company. Directed by Craig Menner. Roy Edinger Theatre, Stock Rd, Palmyra, WA. Aug 25-Sep 16, 2023

Cult classic Little Shop of Horrors is currently being presented by Melville Theatre Company to very receptive audiences.

The Marvellous Elephant Man the Musical

Written and composed by Marc Lucchesi, Sarah Nandagopan and Jayan Nandagopan. Co-Directed by Chris HF Mitchell and Guy Masterson. Sydney Spiegeltent, Entertainment Quarter, Sydney Fringe Festival. September 1 – October 1, 2023.

This production was FULL of surprises. The first is that it is a fully formed musical played by a juicy brass band, with catchy tunes with quite sophisticated and at times hysterically funny lyrics.

The actual story of The Elephant Man is only loosely followed. The original John Merrick suffered from severe deformities and was exploited by a travelling showman, and so this musical is appropriately set in the Spiegeltent. The tent splendidly evokes the Victorian era, equipped with a circular circus like stage and a cage hoisted to the roof of the big top.

Tae Tae in the Land of Yaaas!

By Nelle Lee, with Estee Lee. Shake & Stir Theatre Co. Brisbane Festival. Cremorne Theatre, QPAC. August 25 to September 17, 2023

Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s Cremorne Theatre has transformed into a drag fairytale for Shake & Stir’s latest production, Tae Tae in the Land of Yaaas! Produced in association with CPL – Choice, Passion, Life and presented as part of the Brisbane Festival, this show is a unique journey that resonates with audience members from all walks of life and all abilities.

Piano: A Reading in Seven Parts

By Domenico de Clario. La Mama HQ, 205 Faraday Street, Carlton. August 31, 2023

This reading tenderly explores what could have happened if the individual visits to Lorne by Mark Twain, D. H. Lawrence and Rudyard Kipling, had happened at the same time. The men are accompanied by the women in their lives, Frieda, D. H. Lawrence’s wife, Susie, Mark Twain’s daughter, and Caroline, Rudyard Kipling’s fiancée.

What of It?

Written and directed by Rebecca Fingher. Presented by Rebecca Fingher in collaboration with Lazy Yarns. Theatre Works Explosives Factory. 30 August – 9 September 2023

What of It is an in-your-face role reversal visceral confrontation with three down and dirty street chav women in search of cock before the world ends in three days.  The end of the world could be true, could be rumour, could be ‘fake news’.  Whatever.  Big tall Daks’ (Emma Wright) first instinct is to be safe in a bunker.  But then what?  Bully boss leader Cory (Xanthe Blaise) figures if the world’s going to end anyway, then it’s gonna be three days living fast and hard – and anyway, their little pal Luck (Courtney Caval

All Rise. Jazz at the Lincoln Center Orchestra and the SSO

Composer Wynton Marsalis. Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House. 31 Aug – 1 Sept, 2023

The stage of the Concert Hall is filled with sixteen members of New York’s  Lincoln Center Orchestra, their brass instruments shining, surrounded by the splendid Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Above them 170 members of the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs almost fill the balcony under the towering pipe organ.

Conductor Benjamin Northey stands before them, baton in hand. There is an extended expectant hush … and then the men sing “Ah Zum” …