Reviews

Little Women

By Louisa May Alcott, adapted by Peter Clapham. ARENAArts. Directed by Christine Ellis. Roxy Lane Theatre, Maylands, WA. Nov 15-30, 2019

ARENAArts’ production of Little Women is a warm, feel-good production that is faithful to the original novel, and is presented with love and care.

Cinderella - A Pantomime

Murray Music and Drama. Directed by Cathy Puzey. Pinjarra Civic Centre, WA. Nov 15-29, 2019

It is always a pleasure to visit Murray Music and Drama, with their lovely Front of House staff and country hospitality. The cabaret style seating helps to make this feel very much a community event. This production of Cinderella speaks to this, with Buttons making call outs to people in the audience, including life members and residents from the local lifestyle village in attendance.

Les Misérables

Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg. Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. Original French text byAlain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel. Darlington Theatre Players. Directed by Joe Isaia. Marloo Theatre, Greenmount, WA. Nov 15 - Dec 14, 2019

Les Misérables is always a “big” production. Darlington Theatre Players’ Les Misérables is a big production of Les Mis. Despite the fact that Marloo Theatre is not a huge space, this production is a behemoth of a show.

Black is the New White

By Nakkiah Lui. State Theatre Company of SA. Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre. 13 Nov — 1 Dec, 2019

Black is the New White feels very much like a marriage between Crazy Rich Asians and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, in the nicest possible way. This romantic comedy challenges all of the stereotypes about our indigenous people and loudly and proudly canvasses almost every politically correct and incorrect issue that you would never introduce into polite conversation.

Madama Butterfly

By Giacomo Puccini. State Opera South Australia. Festival Theatre, Adelaide. November 14 – 23, 2019

Madama Butterfly is perhaps Giacomo Puccini’s most famous opera. Produced all over the world, it remains a favourite for performers and audiences alike.

State Opera SA’s production originated in Seattle and was brought to Australia by Stuart Maunder and directed by its creator Kate Cherry.

PULP

By Joseph Zettelmaier. Centenary Theatre Group. Chelmer Community Centre. 9-30 November 2019

Not even fans of the film Pulp Fiction – which famously plays around with the sequence of time – will be able to guess the extraordinary events in the denouement of Joseph Zettelmaier’s PULP.

Beyond Reasonable Doubt

By Jeffrey Archer. St Jude’s Players. November 14-23rd, 2019

Best known for his fast-moving, critically acclaimed thriller novels, Jeffrey Archer has written three plays, two of which have a courtroom setting, both actively involving the audience in deciding innocence or guilt. Beyond Reasonable Doubt is the first, having had a lengthy London run and countless world-wide performances since.

Bonnie and Clyde

Music: Frank Wildhorn. Lyrics: Don Black. Book: Ivan Menchell. Beenleigh Theatre Group, Beenleigh, Qld. Director: Kaitlyn Carlton. Musical Director: Julie Whiting 15-30 November 2019

Beenleigh has been in the grip of Frank Wildhorn fever. No sooner had Phoenix Ensemble concluded their production of Jekyll & Hyde, than Beenleigh Theatre Group opened their Bonnie & Clyde. Despite closing quickly on Broadway in 2011, the show has since gone onto international success around the world.

A Christmas Carol

Adapted by Patrick Barlow, from Charles Dickens. Adelaide Repertory Theatre. Arts Theatre Angas St. November 14-23, 2019

What the Dickens is going on at the Arts Theatre you ask? Dozens of people exiting happy and joyful, full of Christmas cheer? It’s the Adelaide Repertory Theatre Company’s absolute (Christmas) cracker of a show A Christmas Carol.

Nell Gwynn

By Jessica Swale. Castle Hill Players. Pavilion Theatre, Castle Hill Showgrounds. Nov 15 – Dec 7, 2019.

Theatre stages see many transformations, but surely there are few more different than that which has occurred at the Pavilion Theatre over the past few weeks. From Anne Frank’s crowded, dimly lit garret in war-time Amsterdam, it is transformed to 17th century England and the reign of the “Merry Monarch”, King Charles II.