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Oddly uneven Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night directed by Charlotte Hukvari for Geelong Rep, Woodbin Theatre, August 27 2010
 Though it may appear to be a mathematical contradiction,  this Twelfth Night was extremely uneven - in both senses of the word.
At one hour 50 minutes the first act was uncomfortably long, while the second  scooted past hardly much longer than the 25-minute interval. The first act contained some meaty theatre, flashes of sublime humour and a good deal of original theatrical thinking,  but this was interspersed with some scenes that were theatrically clumsy with wooden acting and staging. 
All this was carefully, deliberately carried out on a clean, clear-stage set where the many scene-changes were signalled by a pair of underwear-clad ‘tarts’ languidly changing or rearranging  the furniture. 
In contrast, the second act flowed much more briskly, tying all the loose ends and even delivering a thought-provoking alternative ending to Shakespeare’s classic - but again, contrasted with some awkwardly unprofessional moments.
The non-speaking tarts, Alice Fincher and Cassi Clingan-Borst  were largely there to signify the play’s being re-set into a 1928 St Kilda brothel, which allowed the production an overall elegance, with the female actors wearing some luscious form-fitting period gowns.  As Olivia, Anna Lewis’s slender poise looked particularly good in this regard, while Colin Urquhart’s sleazy Orsino had the look of Al Capone while his behaviour brought to mind the recent ex-boss of David Jones.
Dan Eastwood, last seen as  a dodgy Sir Lancalot in Geelong’s Spamalot was this time wonderfully over-the-top as the wise, clever and glib clown who seemed able to every other character into giving him money; contrasting Robert Trott’s over-relaxed and oh-so-comfortable inebriate Toby Belch with Rhiannon Hodgkinson delightful as his more than able scheming conspirator/partner Maria.
Jesse Bickerton gave an enthusiastic gung-ho Andrew Aguecheek, while Barry Eeles, as their tormented victim Malvovio, provided much of the laughter with his delicate balance of introspective worldliness coupled with ridiculous naivety.  Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night plot-twist illusion involves mistaken identity between brother and sister Sebastian and Viola. Director Charlotte Hukvari chose actors with very different styles - and builds - for these parts, but dressed them similarly  - the intense, composed  Taliesa Robinson and laid-back and verbose Adrian Sherlock made the deception almost believable.
Brooke Reid played Fabian as  the happiest,  most cheerful wrangling maid and Chris Moore, Trevor Robinson, Zach Eastwood and Rod Hunter lent able support in a number of roles.
All told, this Twelfth Night was adventurous and interesting. It was very good to look at, and with the benefit of some judicious editing - perhaps a shifted interval - and some coaching in the minor roles it has the potential to be memorable by the end of its season.
Colin Mockett 

Good Grief - it's joyful Charlie Brown

You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown directed by Narelle Bonnici & Sam Symons for Parcell Productions, Drama (Blakiston) Theatre August 6, 2010.
It’s unusual to experience involuntary collective sighs of empathy or sympathy from today’s media-hardened audiences, yet this show produced several. It’s also unusual for this reviewer to leave a production with his face aching from more than an hour of constant smiling – but this show did it.
Parcell’s You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown is a vivid, vibrant happy, wonderful, joyful experience of a musical and I urge you to go see it.
Take the kids, they’ll love it. Take the grandparents, they’ll adore it, too. You could even take surly teenagers and they’d warm to it.
That’s because this musical takes the beautiful human truths and insights of Charles Schulz’s well-loved ‘Peanuts’ cartoon strip and adds a slickly professional musical and theatrical gloss. Small wonder that it ran for more than four years in New York.
But for this Geelong production, Parcell’s excellent sibling directors Narelle Bonnici and Samantha Symonds have taken that high-quality proven script and lifted its staging to another level.
They brought together a top-flight cast of highly-talented vibrant young actors and drilled them into slickly choreographed energetic routines in the style of A Chorus Line. Then they brought in vocal coach Jess Condon to lift the choral skills producing crisp delivery and delightful unexpected harmonies. When it all came together on opening night the result was a spectacular, sparkling, heartwarming – simply joyful show.
Parcell’s You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown is a delightful production deserving of a long run in a top theatre. But this being Geelong – there’s only next week at GPAC.
So spread the word and fill the old Blakey for the remaining few performances. You won’t be disappointed. You’ll see the exceptional Patt Ryan as introspective central character Charlie Brown, deconstructing his shortcomings and eliciting most of those sympathetic audience sighs; you’ll meet Jared Smith’s inspiring, moving, blanket-carrying Linus offering insights relating to everyone’s childhood experiences. Then there’s Cherie Mills’ dizzy yet wonderfully grounded and oh-so-human Sally and Lyndon Watts’ quietly-dignified Beethoven-prodigy Schroder. There’s Julian Hart as the inspired and insightful beagle Snoopy whose dinner-time celebrations brought more than a hint of Peter Allen. But above all there’s the gloriously eye-catching, wonderfully bossy, superbly superior self-proclaimed manageress Lucy, played with uber-relish by Michaela Powell. These delightful, accurately costumed characters, drilled to perfection into slick, colourful action on a simple, robust yet elegant set were backed by the happiest bunch of skilled musos led by Dan Heskett.
The only negative this reviewer found in the whole shebang was with the programme. Mysteriously, there’s not a mention of the man who inspired the whole thing – Charles Schlutz.  But if that’s the only drawback – just think how good the on-stage show is.
You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown is a must-see for Geelong’s theatergoers. It’s happy, joyful simplicity makes perfect therapy for these election-sodden times. Please go see it – and take the family. You’ll walk away aching from smiling, too. And you’ll probably be recalling small portions and smiling inwardly for weeks. I’m already experiencing that now.
-Colin Mockett.

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Bergers lead to exquisite emotions

Hold The Pickle written & performed by Rachel Berger, The Potato Shed July 16, 2010.
There’s a line from the play Steel Magnolias that goes something like… ‘laughter through tears is the very best emotion…’
Well, this evening with Rachel Berger delivered that quite exquisite feeling over and over again.  Hold The Pickle is a one-woman monologue that has Rachel telling aspects of her parent’s experiences in Nazi-occupied Poland, their flight to Israel, then as immigrants in 1960s Melbourne.
In practice, this was Rachel on a stark set in a lumpy mud-coloured 1940s dress acting out her characters; sometimes narrating them with searing honesty and clarity and sometimes slipping into familiar stand-up comedy mode. But always the stories she unfolded were real, fascinating, haunting, moving - and ultimately very funny. Throughout her 90-minute presentation we audience sat in engrossed silence – but Rachel’s storytelling skills meant that the next burst of laughter-through-tears was always no more than a minute away.
The show’s base is the gloomy resignation of  Jewish humour which Rachel’s parents, Marcus and Rose, clearly had in abundance.   Though they saved the other’s lives many times over during WWII, they were no heroes; rather, they were warm, human people struggling to survive and maintain their love at a time when their society had gone collectively mad. That they survived to become cornerstones of Ackland St in the 60s was testimony to their strength, while their daughter’s ability to relate their stories with such warmth stands testimony to their love -  that, and the heritage of humour they passed to her.
Though deeply personal, Hold The Pickle is in reality neither a biography nor a memoir. There are many unexplained portions – it’s not told how the family moved from Israel to Australia,  or how they acquired the Deli business and somewhere along the line Rachel acquired a brother – but that lack of formal timeline structure allowed the show much of its charm. Because at base, the Bergers led a harrowing life even after immigrating to Australia.
But by her choice selection of anecdotes and consummate stagecraft, Rachel was able to tell their stories without pathos, blame or accusation –  instead, she delivered an evening of heartwarming insights into a family of real, very funny people who led their lives in extraordinary circumstances. And on the way, delivered enough laughter-through-tears to last a whole season of theatre.
Thanks, Rachel, thanks, Potato Shed,  but mostly, thanks, Bergers  - for a wonderful lesson in humanity.
- Colin Mockett

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Tensions Bring a Tense Thriller

The Woman In Black directed by Kelly Clifford for Geelong Rep. Woodbin Theatre June 25, 2010.
If you haven’t seen much pre-publicity for this play, it’s possibly because the lead up to opening night wasn’t smooth. The few details that leaked from the Woobin’s rehearsal suite told of production holdups, preparation hassles and personality clashes.
But in the age-old theatrical tradition that a bad rehearsal leads to a good show – this Woman In Black turned out to be a very good show indeed. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
It’s an old-fashioned thriller set in Sherlock Holmes style and time, but with the benefit of some whiz-bang up-to-date technology and super staging tricks.  It has a strong storyline that I’m not going to disclose here – enough to say that it’s a set in Edwardian England with all of that era’s frets, fears and fusses.
The play features just two performers on-stage throughout, affecting scene and character changes by their own use of minimal props and costumes.
And although there are only two speaking players, this reviewer is nominating The Woman In Black for no less than six Entertainment Geelong Virtual Oscar (EGVO) theatre awards.
The whole play is in the frame for the ‘Best Production’ EGVO and Bryan Eaton is nominated for his careful, clever portrayal as Kipps, a lower-echelon lawyer who was troubled and literally haunted by a past assignment in remote far north-eastern Britain.
Ubaldino Mantelli is nominated for his intense and powerful performance as the actor who Kipps hired to help, but who found himself involuntarily involved.
Director Kelly Clifford is nominated for her staging that kept things seamlessly flowing – and the play's tension building - by the use of a whole array of formidable staging techniques. It all looked so simple, but it meant that the two actors not only had to memorise their dialogues, but also an intricate choreography of on-stage set and costume changes plus frequently employing short-cut mimes.  That they managed this flawlessly is very much due to Kelly and her excellent production team.
I’m also nominating Sally Smith for her costumes – which were integral to those character changes and never less than perfectly matched for each different role.
And the final nomination goes to Ed Dolista, for his clean, simple and clever set design - then faultless sound effects immaculately timed throught the play.
And this publication forgives Ed for its omission when he compiled the play’s programme credits. Because we understand how easy it is to overlook details at times of pressure.
But if backstage dramas and tensions at Rep can produce such an exciting on-stage production – well, let’s have more of them…
Go see The Woman In Black. It’s good theatre, very well staged.
- Colin Mockett.

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Ozzy Wizadry from GSODA

The Wizard Of Oz  directed by Sadat-Jon Hussain for GSODA Juniors, Playhouse Theatre 20 June 2010.
I was highly impressed by the sheer discipline shown by this group of young performers. This bunch of kids  lifted the hackneyed storyline by their sheer weight of enthusiasm, exuberance – and talent.
The show was a blaze of colour,  highlighted by super costumes and driven by Damian Montaldo’s competent orchestra. It was swept along with imaginative choreography  from Jules Hart and enhanced by Michelle Domonkos’ excellent lighting. Even the yellow brick road was created simply and effectively by lighting effects..
Of the performers, maybe a score of them were in their high-teens but the vast majority of the 60+ cast were toward the younger end of the age spectrum.  And gosh they were good. There was one particular Munchkin – the smallest of the three males - who was simply mesmerizing in his natural stage presence.  The Munchkins, themselves, led by Mayor Jazz Laker, for me, were a highlight. They pinched scenes everywhere and I couldn’t watch them without smiling.
In the lead roles, Chanelle Tait  overcame a fall – and some shortcomings in her vocal range – to carry the show with composure and assured delivery. Chris Maxwell’s scarecrow, Jacob Petcovic’s Tin Man and Ben McNaughton’s Cowardly Lion worked well together  to give Chanelle excellent support.
As Wizards and Witches, Maddison Kohler, Elly Gardiner and Thomas Shears gave life to their roles but, as happens so often with GSODA Junior performances, my memories on leaving were of the sheer number of talented youngsters I had seen
All credit to Sadat-Jon Hussain; not only for his control over such a large bunch of players, but also his ability to tease the very best from them.
The show had some inevitable flat spots, but rather than remembering those, what remains in my mind was the sheer spectacle of a really feel-good show.
- Robert Trott

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Moving with Charm

This That and T’other a collection of the writings of Dennis Mitchell, 19 June 2010.
This aptly- titled piece of theatre was essentially a grab-bag of thoughts, ideas and memories from Dennis, delivered by the man himself along with some talented friends.
It contained a single song, I Still Call Corio Home – a not-too-subtle parody of Peter Allen’s original – plus what amounted to a radio play, a poignant poem, pungent monologue, a couple of practical book-readings, an indulgent wander through childhood  - all delivered with a good deal of charm – but all leading to an unexpected finale which started as a humorous monologue from Dennis based around  his visits to the doctor, and ended with the declaration that he’s now living with cancer and, on balance, would have perhaps preferred not to have been told…
It brought the evening of gentle, urbane charm down to earth – but not with a bump. Like all before it, this segment was told with such calm, warmth and smiling skill that the audience found themselves digesting the content while applauding the neat theatre of the delivery.
Those friends, Colleen O’Toole, Jocelyn Mackay, Ray Jones and Marylin Nash were all on stage for the first piece, Gertrude, which was an international story, originally written by another friend, Heather Dempsey, who was to be seen operating the show’s sound and lighting desk. It had been adapted by Dennis to become essentially a 40-minute radio play, read live on stage with Jocelyn in the lead and the others taking several character parts in a variety of accents as the storyline unfolded across two continents. The evening then continued with a series of much shorter pieces; Dennis’ song parody, his gentle poem on ageing and reminiscences of his childhood in Lancashire, punctuated by Colleen’s  beautifully delivered modern monologue Half Price;  Jocelyn in a flowing black cloak telling a chill story of a Welsh witch who met a dramatic end and Marylin,  delivering Lancashire love story – also with a poignant ending.
But none of the contrived, written endings had a fraction of the impact of Dennis’ gently delivered true one.
If you can get to see this performance, do so. It’s on again this afternoon, and has a simplicity and charm that’s compelling. If you can’t get to today’s performance, well, I sincerely hope to see it updated and restaged in a couple of years…
- Colin Mockett

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A Midwinter's Night's Extreme

Winter Solstice, two warming one-act plays for midwinter at The Potato Shed, June 18, 2010.
Boxing Day, directed by Justyn Rowe, The Proposal, directed by Adrian Sherlock.
Sooner or later I’m going to see that most dedicated and conscientious of actors, Lee Foyster, in a role that’s suits her style and persona.
But unfortunately I seem destined to review her in a succession of inappropriate and incompatible roles; the latest of which was ‘The Woman’ in Theatre 3222’s Boxing Day, which opened The Potato Shed’s now-traditional duo of one-act-plays presented to celebrate winter solstice.
Lee’s casting as a sexy, mentally-troubled and uber-possessive wife just didn’t gel with her age, build and demeanor. This, along with some glaring production faults essentially negated the resolute stagecraft displayed by Lee and her captive partner Keith Lowe.
We, the audience, struggling to come to terms with  Lee’s inappropriate casting on top of an outlandish plot, found ourselves confronted with statements like ‘Everyone knows all the shops are closed on Boxing Day…’ when in fact, we know it’s the busiest trading day of the year. But then you could almost feel a huge question mark rising from the cheap seats when we were asked to swallow that Keith had been imprisoned in a wooden box in a garage for a year without so much as soiling his nappy or growing a fingernail. Yep, he just sat on a milk crate for a year. When the crate was revealed it drew laughs, but I’m sure that’s wasn’t the intention of either playwright Bruce Olive or director Justyn Rowe.
Because, essentially, this production presented what could have been a deep-black study of a troubled woman as simply a piece of bizarre theatre.
But luckily the evening’s second play, The Proposal, by Sandy Fairthorne, salvaged an amount of stage credibility.
This light, frothy three-handed piece displaying skewed modern values was played with skill - and speed - by an intense and driven Charlotte Hukvari, scheming and vulnerable Jesse Bickerton and wry, sardonic Lauren O’Callaghan.  Each delivered playwright Sandy’s perceptive script with verve and vigour -  sometimes a bit too much - especially in the case of Jesse’s supposed heart-attack, which was ‘theatrical’ to say the least.
This reviewer wondered what writer Sandy, who was in the audience, would have thought of director Adrian’s flat-out, unsubtle approach; because I’m certain that with a calmer, more experienced hand at the helm, The Proposal would have delivered much more. Many of the finely-drawn social nuances embedded in a sharply  clever script were skimmed over in the sheer pace of the thing.
But having said all that, the combination of mulled wine and live music in the foyer, Boxing Day and The Proposal did make for a worthwhile evening of live theatre – it certainly provoked a number of highly relevant discussion points.
- Colin Mockett

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What A Performance in the Shed

What A Man's Gotta Do featuring Andrew Horabin, the Potato Shed, May 29, 2010.
If the City is considering for a more relevant name for its soon-to-be-upgraded Potato Shed Theatre, it might consider calling the place ‘Drysdale’s Wheel of Fortune’. Because Geelong theatregoers know that when they take the short drive to Drysdale’s quirky arts venue, they’re taking the entertainment version of a punt. This reviewer has seen some of the finest small productions there – as well as some pretty pathetic efforts. The single constant is that they’re always interesting and in modern parlance ‘pushing the envelope’. It’s a credit to the vision and willingness to commit from the Shed’s staff under manager Rob MacLeod. Long may they continue to shove the stationary.
That commitment was noted by Andrew Horabin half-way through his one-man-show What A Man’s Gotta Do. Andrew said that he’d performed a snippet of the show last year at the annual booking showcase for all Victoria’s Arts Centre managers with the intention of putting together a tour. But only one venue had taken up the offer – the Shed.
Well from this reviewer’s perspective that made a stupendous win for Rob and his team, and a big loss for the rest of the state’s PACs – because What A Man’s Gotta Do was brilliant, and highly appreciated by its audience of 30-50yr-old males and their partners.
And that’s a highly sought-after audience segment.
The show itself is a sharp, satirical, witty one-man musical aimed at adults – no, not the smutty ‘Adults Only’ classification – this was aimed at thinking people with a few miles on the clock and a refined sense of humour. And if that sounds like a promo for the Grumpy Old Men show, it was intentional, because What A Man’s Gotta Do could be considered a Grumpy Young Man’s show.
Andrew Horabin is a highly talented West Australian 30-something recently settled in Melbourne. He developed his show in WA, touring it extensively. It’s a simple concept, taking the form of a slimmed-down musical with a classic coming-of-age plotline set in today’s Australia. Andrew explains the storyline between singing the show’s original and very funny musical numbers. But somewhere along the line – probably around Kalgoorlie -  an element of audience involvement arrived, so today’s incarnation of What A Man’s Gotta Do is always unique – the ending of each show is dependent on input from the extensive two-way patter between Andrew and his happy public.
It means that not only is the show slick and professional, but it’s up-to-the-minute, relevant to each community – and very, very funny.
Andrew Horabin looks like a young Paul Kelly. He writes and delivers songs like Rory McLeod and has a stage-style as sharp and eloquent as Wil Anderson. But he stands alone in combining all this into an original show that had Drysdale’s audience yelling for more.
If you get the chance to see What A Man’s Gotta Do - take it. You won’t regret a moment and you’ll wind up happier, better informed into modern bloke's thinking – and awed by a unique talent.
But if past experience is the form, to get that chance you may have to pester the Shed’s management to nail a return performance. The number is 5251 1998.
- Colin Mockett

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Dimboola shows the changes

Dimboola directed by David Mackay for Queenscliff Lighthouse Theatre Group. Queenscliff Bowling Club May 28 2010.
By Golly, Jack Hibbard, you unleashed a monster when you wrote Dimboola in 1969. I bet you wouldn’t then have predicted that in forty-odd years that your satire on an Australian small-town wedding would become the most performed Australian play.
Back then, when Dimboola opened at La Mama, the audience was welcomed by the players as wedding-guests and ushered into a reception that was packed with surprises. They saw larger-than-life characters satirising the drinking habits and social mores of that pre-breathaliser era. Reports of the time told of shocked audiences being so integrated into the plot they were unsure if the play was scripted or improvised.
But today, Dimboola is so well known that the element of surprise has gone, along, mostly, with the beer-swilling redneck social behaviours of the 1970s. And with it, Hibbert’s sharply critical/funny dialogue has been completely negated.
Today Dimboola appears as a piece of period theatre, its large cast vividly dressed in 1970s op-shop flares and behaving either as outlandish drunken over-aged louts or loudmouthed wowsers, giving its 21st Century audience a chance to sanctimoniously laugh at a (purely fictitious) former age.
This reviewer would suggest that the main reason for Dimboola’s popularity with theatre companies is that it lets everyone get involved in overplaying awful Okker stereotypes.
So, in this Queenscliff Lighthouse production, drunks Simon Thorne & Bernard Reed, Stewart Firth & Steve Howell, Brad Beales & David Mackay all took their soused behaviour way waaay over the top while wowsers Marion Melrose, Liz Fountain, Virginia Cooke and Cynthia Hughes spent the play loudly and vainly  shouting at them to behave.  Tayla Johnston and David Ward played their bride and groom parts as naïve simpletons, Julian Cooke was a hapless best man and Tessa Reid a stupidly dumb flower girl; Nicole Hickman made a malevolent bridesmaid and Tom Houldcroft  an inept and lost Addy reporter.
An unkind reviewer might consider Tom’s character as the only one remotely accurate or recognisable to today’s society.
Yet on opening night the occupants of the next table to ours were clearly having a whale of a time, laughing at every belch and fart and yelling encouragment to ‘show us yer tits’ when mock-child Tessa opened by singing On The Good Ship Lollipop.
Surprisingly, they were all seniors aged, I would guess, in their 70s. Maybe they remembered the original production.
But then, the 50-ish occupants of the table beside us sat in obviously embarrassed silence. Rarely have I seen an audience so polarised. Some 40-ish members of front row tables were roaring at the antics of prostrate drunks, knicker-wetting pseudo-teens  and trouserless priests while others appeared mortified by the antics in front of them.
From this reviewer’s theatre-oriented aspect, there were some good performers and neat touches involved, but all were without exception swamped by the over-portrayed intoxication.
Director David Mackay had added several songs, mostly delivered with Sir Les Patterson accuracy by Brad Beales which lightened the overbearing coarseness a little;  David and Tayla’s sharply-funny dance gave welcome relief from wall-to-wall drunkeness and the small musical group under Lizzie Coyne was excellent in its professional backing and support.
The show's sound quality was uneven with some players wearing head-mics, others using microphones hidden in flower vases and others just shouting to overcome the problems in a low-ceilinged room.
The inclusive set meal was first rate in quality, quantity and service.
And here’s a final irony that Jack Hibberd would surely appreciate.
The underworked young 21st century bar staff were the epitome of polite gentility. Oh, how we've changed.
- Colin Mockett.

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An Unmissable Project - for some

The Medea Project directed by Iris Walshe-Howling for Anglesea Performing Arts. Anglesea Hall May 20 2010.
It says much about the safe, comfortable groove that Geelong’s theatre has settled in that, for this reviewer, it’s rare to feel the thrill of anticipation before attending a radical new work from a progressive company.
Excepting, that is, the drive to the coast to experience a play from Anglesea Performing Arts and its director Iris Walshe Howling.
Iris and her team are, in many respects, the cutting-edge of our region’s theatre, driving it forward into exciting new directions. They’ve gained this reputation by presenting a succession of deftly crafted innovative pieces over the past seven years that have all been squarely aimed at the thinking person. You don’t go to Anglesea to laugh or sing or find escape at the theatre; Iris and her company want you to drive home with your thoughts well and truly provoked and they’ve developed plenty of skills to do this.
And that’s very much the case with APA’s current play, The Medea Project.
At base it’s Euripides’ Greek tragedy Medea and its subject is the vengeful nature of provoked womankind.
In the hands of Iris and APA, this 2,500-year-old story was unfolded with exquisite theatrical care and a lot of 21st Century whiz-bang gadgetry. The result becomes a piece of avant-garde theatre that’s as up-to-date as tomorrow’s newscast; especially so given the two cases of parental murder currently before our high courts.
In theatrical terms, The Medea Project had the lot; its superbly-drilled on-stage team wore stark and dramatic costumes performing against high-tech projected visual and sound backdrops. Their overlarge performance space allowed for plenty of movement and choreography as well as vivid lighting effects. There was a true Greek Chorus linking and commenting on the action while the original and integral live music was performed on stage by an exceptional musician in Kirstin Honey – who would holster her bamboo flute to seamlessly take her place as in integral actor.
And when I say that the cast is well-drilled; not only is every member word and action perfect, but I swear there were occasions that Iris and Kirstin had their chorus breathing in unison.
In the title role Genevieve Roberts was frighteningly single-minded, while Lina Libroaperto heightened this effect with her awed support. Philip Besancon played his King with a resigned finesse, Steven Georgiadis his Jason with sorrowful bravado - both underscoring the inevitable ‘moth to the flame’ nature of their parts. Lithe, supple, lovely and graphically-enhanced Jess Lesosky made Steven’s fatal attraction understandable; but the biggest parts in The Medea Project were filled by that Greek Chorus led by the aforementioned versatile Kirstin and including pale and aloof Liz Gustus, powerful and intense Nikki Watson and confident, concerned Valda Connelly.  These were joined at times by Genevieve, Lina and Jess to become a group that was mesmerizing in its movement, music and stage-presence.
Among the theatrical lessons found in this Medea Project  was that it’s not necessary to graphically portray violence on stage to provoke a sense of menace and suspense in an audience. This can be built using pure theatrical skills – as it was to great affect.
Don’t go to see The Medea Project if you’re looking for a good rollicking night out. But if you’re a thinking person in Geelong who appreciates fine theatre and its skills – this is an unmissable production.
- Colin Mockett.

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Slick As A Gulf Jellyfish

David Strassman with Ted E Bare's Farewell Tour at GPAC’s Playhouse May 17, 2010.
First.. a question. How do you get  800 40-somethings to shell out 50-plus bucks to see a vent-puppet show in Geelong?
Answer: You create a show as slick and up-to-date as a Gulf of Mexico jellyfish; make it as funny as a Billy Connolly trike-tour show and as visual as Myers Christmas windows. You research as deep as Barry Humphries to ensure your local references are sharp and insulting – then you promote yourself through every electronic media. Keep this up for 18 years – and you can get 800 40-somethings to pack GPAC’s playhouse for a 2½ hour show not just once but TWICE NIGHTLY – then come back do it again two days later.
David Strassman has to be the only man in the world who could do this. He also has to be the ultimate entertainer. An ordinary-looking bloke who appears like a thin Jon Pedlar, he presents a one-man show with a cast of dozens. He mixes the age-old arts of ventriloquism and pantomime with the sharpest of 21st Century stand-up and ultra-high-tech electronics. His puppet co-stars range from the twee Ted-E Bare to the foul-mouthed evil Chuck Wood by way of an incontinent grandfather Fred Bare, two alien robots, one a half-sexy siren the other a know-all called Kevin (sound familiar?) a naïve beaver, clued-up baby, the list just went on – and all of them dropping innuendos, one-liners and double-entendres while interacting with the audience.
Such is the Strassman skill that when he presented his own bare right hand, gave it a voice and  worked to it  as a puppet called ‘Mr Invisible’ - the laughs kept on coming. Now that’s really is holding an audience in the palm of your hand.
He’s also a ventriloquist who can leave four puppets on stage – alone – to work, animated, by themselves – then present a finishing spectacular with a cast of robotic puppets reminiscent of Queen’s We Will Rock You.
Sound fantastic? Try this for a clincher. When that audience of 800 40-somethings left, they were still laughing, vowing to come back next time Strassman is in town – and about a third of them were carrying souvenir Ted-E-Bare dolls they’d bought in the foyer.
Now that’s not only good entertainment, it’s brilliant business, too. Hell, the bloke’s good. I’ll go see him next time, for sure. Wanna see my bear?
- Colin Mockett

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High -class Confusions

Confusions directed by Elaine Mitchell & Heather Dempsey for Theatre of Winged Unicorn. Ceres Hall May 14, 2010.
TOTWU, its founder/director Elaine Mitchell and Alan Ayckbourn do not make a natural fit.
Elaine is foremost an artist with a love for 19th Century literature. As such, Geelong audiences have come to expect, almost as a tradition, that when her company takes over her local venue, the historic Ceres Temperance Hall, they’ll experience an artistically staged fully costumed flowing drama in the Dickens/Hawthorn/G&S style.
So this simply staged piece of 1970s Ayckbourn comedy came as something of a surprise. But by golly, it worked. This production was visually excellent, its content insightful, funny – and as a bonus, it made first-rate theatre.
Elaine and her co-director Heather Dempsey’s decision to keep their staging as unobtrusive as possible – using plain white furniture and props against a black background – went totally against TOWU tradition. But it did clear  the way for their well-chosen ensemble cast to deliver Ayckbourn’s shrewdly clever perceptions of the human condition with maximum impact.  
Their further choice, to keep the cast-list small, with each player in a number of different parts, gave their ensemble a chance to display some fine on-stage skills. This was further enhanced by a clear no-frills approach that had each actor delivering every line in normal tones, never over-playing for laughs. The result was a delightful, natural and very funny treatment of Ayckbourn’s five neatly written, sharply observed social scenes.
The first portrayed a harassed mother so set in her child-rearing ways that she used it on her adult neighbours; the second featured a sad and lonely would-be adulterer; the third a triangular restaurant social-climb wrangle; then a clever series of park-bench conversations and finally a scene from the Fete from Hell.
Every scene worked; every aspect was funny. And every one highlighted a different feature of that talented cast. So Miriam Wood, wonderfully distracted as the mum, returned as a nervous, introverted spinster in the park, then became a stressed caterer at the Fete. All were finely, perfectly  drawn. Ultra-dependable Ross Pearce began as a slobbish bloke, morphed into an executive snob, a wary refuge–seeker in the park then the ringmaster of absolute havoc at the Fete. Ed Dolista’s welcome return to the Geelong stage saw him play a series of losers; the sleazy would-be adulterer became a status-obsessed cuckold, a card-carrying loner then finally a sadly, drunk non-pack leader. Melissa Musselwhite changed from being a concerned nosey neighbour to become a knowing wronged wife and then a disheveled posh dignitary. The lovely Kate Hunter moved from seducer Ed’s aware target to become his vengeful wife then a naïve beaten-up girl in the park. Tony Wright played the waiting game, first discreetly, then with tested patience before he was bancrupted in the park then became a dithering vicar. Assistant director Heather competently filled the final part as Kate’s attractively scented workmate.
Please go see Confusions - for all the above reasons. It’s shrewd, funny, insightful and a very good evening’s theatre. It also shows an unexpected aspect of the Ceres entertainers.
- Colin Mockett

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High point at the Basilica

Music for the Spirit by the Ormond College Choir,
under John O’Donnell, Friday, May 7 at St Mary's Basilica, Yarra St.
The Music at the Basilica planners have done it again: they have brought to Geelong, as part of the ‘Seasons’ 2010 Series, a quality choir from Melbourne. Only 24 of them, all undergraduates at Melbourne University, singing wide-ranging sacred music like angels. John O’Donnell must be a wonderful music teacher to train these young people to such high standards of perfection. They even sang music composed for two choirs; thus eight parts: that’s three voices per part. That is talent!  
The 15th and 16th centuries were represented by Desprez, Forestier, Tallis, Byrd and Orland Gibbons. After interval, they sang some lovely 19th century music by Brahms, 20th century music by Elliott Carter and Calvin Bowman and they finished the evening on a musical high with an 18th century Bach motet. The small audience was most privileged to hear such sublime music in the wonderful acoustical space of St Mary’s Basilica.
John O’Donnell’s musical CV has a few surprises: as organist and harpsichordist he once  performed the complete harpsichord works of Bach; what’s more, he performed Bach’s total keyboard output  in 29 recitals. He is also a musicology lecturer at Melbourne University.
In 1985 he became music director of the Tudor Choristers, and in 1990 he founded the Ensemble Gombert which specialises in high-Renaissance music.  The question is now: what hasn’t he done?
The next event in the ‘Seasons’ series is Winds of Change at 3 pm on Sunday, 15 August, which features organist Dominic Perisonnotto and saxophonist Michael Lichnovski. Keep in touch with Music at the Basilica and its program and check the website musicatthebasilica.org.au                                    
 - Hans Colla

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 Spamalot of joyful high-energy laughter

Spamalot directed by Dean Mitchelmore for Geelong Lyric Theatre Society. Blakiston Theatre, April 30 2010.
OK, so it was definitely in the wrong theatre and the sound level problems were chronic throughout. But the joyous irreverence, exhilaration, fun and just plain happiness in this Spamalot swamped all that; I would defy anyone to sit through it and not leave laughing.
The laughter started with Eric Idle’s script, which took sketches from the Holy Grail film and other Monte Python sources and shaped them into a con-Broadway musical worthy of Mel Brooks’ The Producers.
This was tickled and polished with added music, clever direction and slick choreography then given a final lift by its delivery from a happy, talented, energetic cast.  
Director Dean Mitchelmore solved some of the theatre’s shortcomings with neatly Python-esque  ideas involving projections on a scrimscreen exposed by an angel on rollerblades; a platoon of disciplined black-clad stagehands shifting a complex set of flexi-multi-use castle ramparts and some wooden mudfields.
But this stage trickery couldn’t disguise the fact that Spamalot was created and designed as a Broadway musical to be presented in a theatre, not a triangular arena-style venue like the Blakiston.  The shape forced Dan Heskett’s orchestra to be placed on a centre-stage rear platform where its tight excellence came second to its variations of volume. In short, the orchestra’s sound throughout was rarely balanced to the forefront vocals and sometimes it completely overwhelmed them.
But luckily those vocals were delivered with verve, skill and high energy by a delightful bunch of actors led by Scott Beaton, whose King Arthur glued the production together with rare panache.
Scott played his King with a deadpan gravity and assurance, maintained throughout some impressive singing and movement pieces. His domination was such that it seemed somehow strangely lacking when we watched the few scenes where he wasn’t involved.
But there was certainly no abatement in laughter levels, because these scenes involved raucous Narelle Bonnici, perfect as a blowsy diva Lady Of The Lake; Phil Kelly, wonderfully pathetic as Arthur’s downtrodden steed/squire Patsy; Jared Smith, staunch as his cautiously intrepid Sir Robin, Dan Eastwood, resolute as his gung-ho Sir Lancelot, Russell Perry steadfast as his narrow-sighted dim-witted Sir Bedevere and Triston Gili bemused as his tacit–gay Sir Galahad bursting to get out of the closet. The lithe, agile David Zierk more than helped in this, when he wasn’t link-narrating.
All of the above was transmitted with humour-fuelled discipline backed by a brilliant, high energy ensemble with the ability to become monks, cheerleaders, peasants, minstrels, Can-Can dancers, a gay chorus line, backing choir, insulting French knights or a barrow-load of corpses all with effortless ease. And sing lustily while they were at it. So take a bow, Alard Pett, Darcy Carroll, Rik Howell, Gemma Considine, Kai Mann-Robertson, Jess O’Donnell, Lauren Pettigrove, Sue Rawkins, Katrina Santoro, Alesia Taranto, Simon Thorne, Mitchell Turek and gorgeous Amy Wert, who displayed  singing and dancing talents – and a pair of lissome legs –  that were previously hidden.
I recommend you go see Spamalot - a lot.  Even with its flaws this is a wonderful, jubilant tonic of a musical – a joyful piece of uplifting theatre that will certainly figure prominently when Geelong’s awards are distributed.
- Colin Mockett

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Cosi shaped for young forms

Cosi directed by Denis Moore for HIT Productions, Potato Shed, Drysdale April 28.
Louis Nowra's modern classic comedy set in a sixties Melbourne mental asylum is one of the study pieces for this year’s VCE English students. As such it made a perfect fit for The Potato Shed, the City’s multi-purpose theatre that sits between two high schools.
That’s how this reviewer came to attend an opening night full-house that comprised 85 per cent 17-year-olds.
I should stress here that they were perfectly well behaved, if a little subdued, 17-year-olds.
From my seat high in the bleachers I could see the odd mobile phone screen lit intermittently throughout the performance, and, let’s face it, teenagers fidget – but apart from that they were as attentive and appreciative as any adult audience.  
But they did make for a different style audience to the norm, with a different sense of humour, which became apparent when the first laughs of the evening came from Jacob Allen fondling his groin. 
Then the penny dropped. This production is travelling Australia for four months on what is essentially a marketer’s dream tour – because Cosi is on the VCE set list, it needs the minimum of promotion . Audiences are guaranteed once schools had been contacted. And because Drysdale was well into the tour, the cast was already expert in meeting the tastes of late-teen audiences – and was playing to them.
So some of playwright Louis Nowra’s themes became a little restrained– like the historical sixties aspects over Vietnam war and moratorium conflicts - they were there, but they didn’t get the appreciation, laughter or reaction as the themes of uninhibited sexual interrogation, lust, or the abandoned mating rituals that had the audience roaring with laughter.
But having said that, this production was extremely professionally staged; it was well acted, produced and directed and played out on a neat and cleverly-designed touring set. This meant that it comprehensively hit all its marks. There would be, I’m sure, plenty of English tutors very happy that this production has rolled into town. Much credit is due to the on-stage skills of Don Bridges, who made the driven, obsessive lead character Roy totally believable, and Michael Wahr, as the naïve student–director subject of Don’s wrath - and the unsubtle desires of Bessie Holland’s compulsive-eating knife-wielding nymphomaniac. Bessie made her Cherry into a sort of dangerous grown-up version of Matt Lucas’ schoolgirl in Little Britain. There was danger, too, from the leering sex-obsessed pyromaniac Jacob Allan, while obsessive-compulsive Caroline Lee, recovering addict Katie-Jean Harding and ultra-introvert Jim Daly made Michael’s determination to stick to the task believable. These actors coped extremely well with the unpredictable mood-swing behaviors of their characters – but that paled when compared to the task of Adrian Auld, who faultlessly skipped between three characters, an earnest social worker, a committed left-wing activist and spaced out musician with a number of fast costume changes and a great deal of skill.
I recommend this Cosi. It’s probably different from any other version you’ll see, because of its subtle late-teen orientation. And it stands as a very good example of a production that’s shaped by the tastes of its younger audience.
- Colin Mockett. 

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Rockin' - then rolling in the aisles

The Grumpy Old Men’s Travelling Rock & Roll Laughter Show Morning matinee at the Potato Shed, Drysdale, April 20th. 2010
The title says it all. Grumbling geriatrics, a two person Rock band and enough laughter to make you roll in the aisles - if they hadn’t been packed with the overflow from the stalls.
After two years and three shows along the same lines one might anticipate some difficulty finding new things to get grumpy about, but writer Colin Mockett is a gifted grumbler with a knack for exposing and ridiculing the insanities we are all daily subjected to, under the guise of progress. Thank goodness somebody notices!
Geoff Sinnbeck and Sandy Brady (from the Drop of a Hatband) are a slick duo, able to switch from Folk to Country to Rock and to whatever else the situation might demand, and as accompanists they provided a secure safety net for the singers.
The Grumpies are seen at their best in Marriot Edgar’s 'Sam, Sam, Pick up Thy Musket', and 'The Yorkshiremen' from Monty Python. It’s always interesting to hear actors trying their hands at accents. In both pieces Robert Trott employs a sometimes almost believable Northern dialect, and for a moment we are able to nearly forget that Brian Eaton is an Irishman. The fact that they are in some difficulty makes it all the funnier.
Whilst entertaining a personal preference for James Taylor’s Up on the Roof, Robert Trott’s Down in the Shed backed by the Grumpettes, (what a sweet name!) comes a close second.
Regardless of what any critic may say or think, the final arbiter of the quality this show, or any other, is the audience. This audience had a whale of a time and went away happy.
The Grumpy Old Men’s Travelling Rock & Roll Laughter Show is highly mobile, family oriented, and available to come to you 'at the drop of a hat'.
- Dennis Mitchell.

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A feckin' lovely feckin' show

The Cripple of Inishmaan directed by Jon Pedler and Judy Thomson for Geelong Repertory Company
Woodbin Theatre April 16 2010
Sure, The Woodbin mustn’t be such a bad place if they have plays in it like this.  This Cripple Of Inishmaan is a feckin’ lovely show and wouldn’t you be a feckin’ eedjit to miss it. It’s so rollickin’ riotous and joyfully feckin’ politically incorrect. Well, it is set in feckin’ 1932 Ireland which you wouldn’t know from the programme which is full of feckin’ waffle. But the play itself is feckin’ wonderful. It has humour, drama, feckin’ pathos, it’s easy to follow and understand not like those other feckin’ obscure things and it’s got a feckin’ lovely cast of players. Sure isn’t Ubaldino Mantelli grand as the cripple boy who surprises everyone by going to America and feckin’ coming back; and Mary Steuten as his fat auntie and Christine Davey as the thin one who talks to stones. And Bryan feckin’ Eaton as the Island’s vital feckin’ news service and Morgan Jenkins as Bartley who fell in a feckin’ hole and Madelaine Field as his sister Slippy Helen who’s as evil and spiteful as sin but everyone forgives her cos she looks feckin’ gorgeous. Then there’s Andrew Kelly as the moody feckin’  boatman who’s got the right feckin’ name but the most insecure feckin’ accent (sorry about usin’ insecure Auntie Eileen) and Patsy Sanaghan as Bryan’s dipso Mammy and a fat fella name of Jon Pedler as the doctor. Aren’t they all just grand in their parts.  Didn’t that Mary win a feckin’ Oscar last year and it looks like she’s going to be up for one again for this, along with feckin’ Ubaldino, feckin’ Bryan, feckin’ Madelaine and feckin’ Morgan. The only feckin’ thing wrong with this feckin’ play was that it lost some impetus (sorry, Auntie Eileen) in the second half due to an overlong feckin’ interval.  Two feckin’ directors and they couldn’t get that right.  But I suppose we should give them some  feckin’ credit as they’re responsible for the whole feckin’ shebang, though. And the rest of the feckin’ crew. Because the whole show will be up for a feckin’ award, no doubt. Especially if they cut ten minutes off the feckin’ interval.
Anyways, Tell your Mam to come and see The Cripple of Inishmaan. It’s a feckin’ lovely production   Sure when was the last time you went to a show where they applauded the feckin' scene changes? This play has got just about everything in it. Includin’ peas.
Oh, you’d better warn yer Mam, there’s a bit of feckin’ swearing in it.

- Colin feckin’ Mockett.

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Is this a director we see before us?

The Scottish Play directed by Maryanne Doolan for Torquay Theatre Troupe.
Torquay Seniors Centre, April 15 2010.
If first-time director Maryanne Doolan was daunted by her play’s theme – which concerns an obsessive out-of-control director of Macbeth in a small theatre company – she didn’t show it.
She chose to smile enigmatically from her position hovering over the house-lights, with just an occasional anxious glance at faces in the first-night audience.
But she need not have worried. That audience clearly enjoyed her production, and The Scottish Play can be considered yet another success for TTT, a company that survives against the odds in a community that doesn’t even have a theatre.
Much of The Scottish Play’s appeal comes from writer Graham Holliday’s strong plotline, which begins with Macbeth’s unlucky reputation and puts it into a company bursting with amateur-theatre stereotypes.
To perform this neat and clever script, director Doolan chose a convincing cast with a trio of ideal lead actors. Foremost was Michael Baker as the director whose passion for presenting Macbeth became obsessive; ultimately costing his marriage and career. This big, difficult part was handled with élan by the  competent and confident Michael, who played the part surrounded by an almost Frank Spencer-esque aura of subdued chaotic mayhem. This was neatly contrasted by a sturdy, stable performance from his best man and the play’s ‘lead’, Simon Taylor; and that of his wife and ‘leading lady’, Lisa Berry.
Lisa’s part called for her to show a succession of complex emotions in short appearances; guilt, concern, dismay through to pathos and ultimate dignity. She portrayed them all with a rare aptitude. Supporting these three leads was a capable, competent acting team bringing out all those stereotypes. There was Carleen Thoernberg’s domineering prima donna, Chris Young’s indispensable and indefatigable back-stage  crewman, Terry Roseburgh’s staunch ever-reliable stalwart, Rhiannon Hodgkinson’s bright promising newcomer and Kevin Fitzpatrick portraying the timid and insecure actor-member seeking confidence from being in the company. Kate Hunter was deft, dependable - and dishy - in different support roles, Michael Lambkin believable as the director’s short-suffering boss, and Fred Preston excellent in several roles including the Porter (who brought lightness to an otherwise powerful production).
The positioning for some scene changes - placed either side and below the raised stage - were awkward and cumbersome making audience sightlines tricky, but for the most part this was overcome by good lighting and technical arrangements. They were minor irritants in what was, at base, a very good performance of a fine play.
Go and see The Scottish Play.  It’s a credit to cast, crew, director – and company.
And there's not a kilt or bagpipe in sight.
- Colin Mockett

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The Chill of a Horror Meal
Master and Servant, directed by Ben Laden for Courthouse Youth Theatre, Old Geelong Courthouse, March 26.
Way, way back in a former life I remember visiting a fairground House Of Horrors where mock-fear was induced into teenagers using low-lighting, a disorienting black maze unexpected sounds and surprise images. I’d just about forgotten that experience, believing it to be a symbol of the past; long superseded by screen-delivered shock that began with horror films then moved into ever-more gory computer games.
But then came this 21st Century Master and Servant, a newly-minted short theatrical piece that was billed as ‘interactive’, meaning the action occurred around its l audience, included as part of the proceedings.  And the whole thing was based around that old House Of Horrors experience, with disorienting pathways, black maze, odd scary atmosphere and things that go bump in the night.
But as well as the mock-chilling, Master and Servant had a sub-plot, a spoof-sleuth session where the audience of pretend wedding-guests were welcomed into a strange clock-dominated room by a pert 1930s-looking maidservant (Alex Desebrock) who invited them to notice clues – mainly hidden handwritten letters of despair – before dispatching them to a creepy journey upstairs through the maze etc ending in an uncomfortable meal hosted by the gloomy, dominating Master (David Ward) – whose performance included every horror-film cliché in the repertoire  -  and his ethereal bride,  played with ghostly allure by the wraithlike  Miranda Scherger. The whole event was ring-mastered by adept manipulating servant, Johannes Scherpenhuizen, presumably assisted by Canada White and dramaturg Sara Topsoe Jensen – or perhaps director Ben Laden – anyway, there were shadowy presences behind the black drapes helping to take the unreal action firmly back to mock-Goth times.
This one-hour production was big and resourceful. It used the whole of the Courthouse precinct, from pre-foyer to an after-show mocktail bar in a small courtyard.  
On the evening this reviewer visited, the audience consisted of seasoned theatre people and teenaged students.  In the mocktail bat those theatricals considered Master and Servant an unusual piece of dark theatre, well-rehearsed and presented yet strangely unfinished.
By contrast, most of the teenaged audience went off to see if they could book for the night’s second performance and experience the whole thing over again.
But then, they almost certainly had never been to a fairground House Of Horrors.
Master and Servant continues in the Courthouse Theatre twice nightly tonight then April 1, 2 & 3. It's recommended as an unusual theatrical experience.
- Colin Mockett

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Spicy, Tasty Bites
Small Bites directed by Steven Georgiadis for Brown Fairthorne/Theatre 3222,  Potato Shed, February 13 2010
This production heralded a bold new direction for Geelong theatre. The idea was not exactly new – it was to take dramatic entertainment out of the theatre and deliver it directly to the people. But this was no traveling troupe of street players – its 21st Century concept was to deliver small, sharp relevant pieces – Small Bites – with the minimum of set-up and props directly to the places where today’s people gather – cafes and restaurants.  
This was not exactly a cabaret or theatre/restaurant, more a replacement for background music - providing entertaining diversions between courses. At its opening night, in the foyer of Drysdale’s Potato Shed, the concept worked extremely well and produced a highly enjoyable evening’s entertainment. But it should be noted that this was a semi-theatrical venue in front of a friendly audience tuned to expect a theatrical event. The real test will occur when the show is taken on the road to real cafes and restaurants throughout the region. If it overcomes the intrusions of service bustle and noise along with curious children and the odd alcohol-affected customer then Small Bites may well succeed in gaining a whole new audience. And it deserves to, not only for taking that bold step – but on sheer theatrical merit. The six Bites – all written by Janet Brown or Sandy Fairthorne were each individually different. But they were all sharply drawn, incisive, relevant and well crafted. They were presented with a professional gloss by a talented troupe of actors. First Bite portrayed a mismatched couple on a dinner date.  He was Bruce Waddell, calm middle-aged and verbally clumsy. She was Charlotte Hukvari, young, slender, leggy  and prone to tantrums.   They revealed most of the pitfalls of dating before ending on a neat punchline. Second Bite saw the beautiful Lauren O’Callaghan giving a whole new slant to the children’s fairy tale of The Princess and The Pea. Lauren told it from the Princess’s perspective - and  her version was a lot more believable – and interesting - to cynical adults than the traditional. Then for third Bite a vibrant, intense Nikki Watson delivered a you-me verse against Bruce’s disembodied voice which led to a powerful three-word ending.  Following a short interval, mucky, cheerful and costumed Bronwyn Beard delivered us a new eye-opening morsel – a visit from Margaret Cavendish,  a real trailblazing feminist in that she was a woman scientist from the 17th Century. Then Charlotte returned with a darkly funny, sharply accurate portrait of a woman trapped in a five-day hold-circle calling Telstra’s helpline. When she finally succeeded in getting through to friendly operator 981 in Delhi -  that was when her husband announced the end of her marriage. Charlotte’s sheer acting ability made this Bite believable despite it clearly written for an older woman. The evening’s final Bite was just delicious. It was, in essence, a bitch session between two former friends, Lauren and Nikki, relating how their relationship ended when they spent a holiday together in Bali – all beautifully, cattily, hilariously delivered.  
Together, Small Bites was a delightful showcase of theatrical skills. And it’s coming to a restaurant near you.
I recommend you go – and relish these spicy, tasty, appetizing Bites. They’re moorish.
- Colin Mockett.  

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Brilliant team effort

West Side Story directed by Martin Croft for Footlight Productions Ford Playhouse February 6, 2010.
I would estimate the average age of this production’s performers to be around 19. I’ve got shirts older than that. I’ve also been reviewing theatre for very much longer, which serves to qualify what follows...
I’ve seen eight or nine stage versions of West Side Story, as well as the film. And I don’t think I’ve experienced a better one than this. Ever.
Footlights took this publication’s 2009  ‘Best Production’ Virtual Oscar for its Boy From Oz and now West Side Story appears set to repeat the achievement, even at  this early stage of the year.
Sure, some of the lead roles appeared to be in the hands of comparatively lightweight, unknown players – but then, that was pretty much how the Geelong Football team was viewed at the beginning of  its 2007 season, and look what happened to them! That comparison is not so strange. Like the GFC, Footlights has assembled an excellent, professional management team from producer Peter Wills down. That’s exceptional director Martin Croft with top MD John Shawcross and exciting choreographer Jordan Punsalang. Their professionalism then brought in a clear, deceptively simple set designed by Andrew Bellchambers, vibrant costumes from Amber Vahland, quality lighting from Shane Haugh and assembled teams headed by stage manager Robert McKenzie and audio tech Marty Schmidt. I know it’s unusual to begin a review by listing the background staff, but these deserved credit for creating the base for such a  polished, sure - and flawless production.
Because, from the opening moment when a stray basketball bounced on to the empty Ford stage heralding a breathtaking dance routine of cartwheeling, leapfrogging, bopping, salsa-ing young performers through to the poignant last scene of spotlit gun on deserted stage, this was a show that had been carefully thought through and designed to be visually stunning.
But then... Then another team of amazingly talented, disciplined young performers added their energy, verve and skills to create a breathtaking, efficient and highly memorable whole.
Nominally heading the cast were Caleb Vines as an admirable Tony and Michaela Powell’s delightful Maria, who both revealed excellent voices for their big songs as well as fine dance skills and commanding acting presence. But then, they also fitted effortlessly into their respective ethnic teams to flow the action along with unrelenting energy. Indeed The Zoe McDonald-led PR Girls America and Jet Gang’s Gee, Officer Krupke rivaled the more traditional showstoppers Maria, Tonight and I Feel Pretty as the night’s big moments. So here I’ll credit the all-singing, dancing Jets; athletic singing dancers Jack O’Riley, Greg Shawcross, Thomases Russell and Reed, Jordan Doroschuk, Ross McCallum, Xavier McGettigan, Max Corstorphan and wanabee Lizzie Sahistrom with their brilliant supporters Krystie Wiltshire, Jessica Bradford, Erins Mathieson and Mirkovic, Tegan Paisley, Sally Uldrikis, Jemma  Lowther and Lauren Flood. Opposed by the equally talented rival Sharks; David Ward, Lyndon Watts, Mitch Turek, Adam Di Martino, Jonathon Lawrence David Greenwood and Sam Guerra with their girls Caitlin Mathieson, Emily Jacker, Alicia Miller, Tessa Connelly, Bree Moyes, Brittany Vredenbregt and Kyla Bartholomeusz.
It’s a mark of the high all-round skills, talent and raw energy of these youngsters – most of whom, the programme says, are still students – that seasoned performers Howard Dandy, Lachy Joyce and Ray Ferguson were steamrollered inside their breathtaking orbit, becoming a remarkably visual, multi-talented company.
And all this was superbly supported by John Shawcross’ excellent orchestra that they deserve listing, too. Stand up and take credit, Jim Davidson, Michael Wilding, Fiona and David Gardner, Alexandra Wright, Michael Thacker, Martin Duck, Daniels Ballinger and Zampatti, John Adams, Adrian King, Joel Carnegie, Melissa Shirley, Ben Castle, Ellen Newman, Jamie Parker, Emma Day, Danai Fadgyas, Caitlin Stapleton, Stefanie Gumienik, Timothy Dunlop, Maximillian Rudd, Jacqueline Robins, Nicholas Powell, Harrison Kennedy and vocalist Georgia Nicholls.
Together you created an awesome West Side Story - and a new benchmark for Geelong's non-professional theatre. Thank you for the memories. They'll certainly last a while.
-Colin Mockett

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This View’s a Must-See
A View From The Bridge directed by Judy Ellis & Janine McLean for Geelong Rep
February 5, 2010
Geelong Rep has started its 2010 theatre season with a high-quality flourish.
A View From The Bridge is a classic Arthur Miller play presented with sensitivity and skill on a simple, clever set. That’s pretty good for openers. But such was the quality of theatre expertise involved that Miller’s 1955 characters and situations became instantly recognisable to, and clearly understood by, its 2010 audience. His beautifully-crafted script, delivered by a talented cast with the benefit of sensible direction made for an evening of powerful and thought-provoking theatre.  Not least because many of the strands in Miller’s multi-layered  storyline are relevant and pertinent to today’s society.
At the play’s core was a raft of six outstanding performances led by Steven Georgiadis, as Eddie, a Brooklyn-Italian migrant wharfie with an unbending patriarchal attitude and fatally flawed personality. In a masterly performance, Steven instilled his difficult character with an introspective pride, giving his Eddie both authenticity and credibility. He then added an out of control blind conviction to drive the play’s action relentlessly and recklessly onward to an inevitable climax.
Steven’s pace and perception were mirrored by Rep newcomer Felicia Frangapane as Eddie’s ward Catherine, who grew on-stage from a doting teenager to become his unwitting object of desire and then an instrument to his ultimate devastation – all delivered  by Felicia with assured conviction. Then there was Eddie’s downtrodden yet sharply perceptive wife, Bea, played by Cherie Mills with passion and intensity all the more powerful given the Woodbin’s close-up audience.  Into this trio’s powderkeg household Miller introduces the touch-paper of a couple of illegal immigrant workers – young male relatives escaping their homeland’s grinding poverty – with an inevitable further escalation of pressure. Jules Hart was so correct as Rodolpho, the lighthearted romantic who won Catherine’s heart and Eddie’s hatred, while Ubaldino Mantelli  was outstanding as Marco, turning from solid, deferential and dedicated don’t-make-waves worker to become a venom-spitting avenger. Overseeing all this, narrating in hindsight and keeping the action seamlessly flowing – and thereby building the tension further -  was community lawyer Alfieri, played with empathy, compassion and no mean skill by Jon Pedler. This central core of acting excellence was supported and assisted by a team of small-part walk-on players in Morgan Jenkins & Yasha Nisanov,  Michael Currie, Luke Harb & Matthys McLean, Rob Trott, Miriam Wood and Wendy Robinson.
And yet, with all that drama, this  A View From The Bridge was not without its lighter moments. Strategic flashes of humour served to heighten the play’s tensions even more - and make for an exceptional evening of theatre.
It’s highly recommended. Geelong Rep’s  A View From The Bridge rates as a must-see production.
-Colin Mockett.

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Marathon of Delight

 

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