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Showing posts with label Musical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Musical. Show all posts

Saturday 24 May 2014

The Detective’s Handbook - Review


Review originally posted at www.suzygoessee.com
Venue: University of Sydney Studio B (Camperdown NSW), Apr 30 – May 10, 2014
Book and Lyrics: Ian Ferrington
Score: Olga Solar
Director: Ian Ferrington
Actors: Alessandro Tuniz, Matt Bartlett, Alexander Richmond, Natasha Vickery, Victoria Zerbst, Elliott Miller, Alice Birbara

Theatre review
The Detective’s Handbook is a new musical written by Ian Ferrington, with score provided by Olga Solar. It is a satirical take on film noir, bringing to mind, films like Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). It is persistently self-conscious, but it takes its parody seriously, placing as much focus on storytelling and its musical numbers, as it does on creating laughs.

Ferrington’s vision is ambitious and idiosyncratic. His work might not look original, but it bears a quirkiness that prevents it from feeling derivative. His writing is witty and charming, but his characters, although spirited, are too traditional. Ferrington’s direction is energetic, with an emphasis on rhythms, which keeps things buoyant and lively. There is however, a need for punchlines and plot twists to be cleaned up for clearer delivery. Olga Solar’s delightful music is beautifully woven into the narratives, and effectively provides characters with interest and complexion. There is a noticeable lack of melodies in most of the songs, with the team’s decision to adopt a “rap-infused 1950s showtune jazz” style. It is debatable whether that choice is a wise one, but the two most memorable numbers, “Too Much To Ask” and “Congratulations”, are both conventionally structured, hummable tunes.

Matt Bartlett has the strongest singing voice in the cast, and plays Detective Jimmy Hartman with great conviction, creating a character that stands out as the most believable of the group. The actor brings a warmth to his performance, and quickly establishes a good connection with the audience. Natasha Vickery plays her three characters with panache and levity. She embraces the show’s giddy style of comedy with good humour, and although required to play silly often, we remember her performance to be a polished one. Other players tend to have an oversimplified approach, with characterisations that do not develop far enough to sustain a show that’s considerably more substantial than a skit.

This is a musical with a lot of frivolity, but it also demonstrates impressive flair. Ferrington and Solar’s material contains great potential, with generous room for comedians to provide dynamic and creative interpretations. This production might be a little under-cooked with too many one trick ponies, but there is no doubt that if explored with greater depth, its future incarnation could well be The Big Noir Musical Hit.

The Jungle Book - Review

Review originally posted at www.suzygoessee.com
Venue: King Street Theatre (Newtown NSW), Apr 14 – 26, 2014
Book and Lyrics: Markus Weber (based on the original by Rudyard Kipling)
Composer: Michael Summ
Director: Markus Weber
Actors: Maria De Marco, Badaidilaga Maftuh-Flynn, Mark Power, Mandy Fung, Bernard Wheatley, Brett O’Neill, Kyle Stephens
Image by Lorina Stacey Schwenke

Theatre review
Markus Weber and Michael Summ’s version of The Jungle Book is a beautifully-written musical derived from Rudyard Kipling’s famed writings. Familiar characters are retained, and even though these songs are less well-known, they are delightfully catchy and pleasantly melodic.

Markus Weber’s current production is fairly minimal, and relies on the strength of the songs and text to carry the show. Musical arrangements are joyful and effective for most of the material, but several numbers need an update from an unfortunate and uncomfortable 1990s pop/rock sound. Weber’s use of space is thoughtfully varied. The multi-tiered stage is designed well, and used cleverly to keep the attention of the audience. It is noteworthy that although a vast majority of the crowd is very young, the musical has enough content to entertain any adult companion.

There are moments however, where performances falter, and confusion emerges. Even though performances are spirited, calibre of players vary dramatically. The show is designed for children, but the roles are not simple, and it relies heavily on what the actors can bring to the production.

Maria De Marco’s singing voice is strongest in the cast, using it wonderfully to convey the story wonderfully despite not having assistance from microphones. She plays Bagheera, the black leopard who delivers several poignant moments that give the production a necessary shade of gravity. Badaidilaga Maftuh-Flynn plays Mowgli, the only human character. Maftuh-Flynn performs with conviction, and has the gift of being able to portray emotion with great clarity without appearing to be doing very much at all. Brett O’Neill is a vibrant King Louie, the amusingly deluded monkey who never fails to entertain. O’Neill’s energy is big and focused, and his keen sense of comic timing shows him to be the most polished actor on this stage, leaving an excellent impression, notwithstanding the brevity of his appearance.

The Jungle Book‘s message of ecological awareness is a critical one. The anthropomorphism of wildlife imparts to younger generations, values of conservationism that are noble and necessary. Providing children with an understanding that animals are not our slaves or property is a responsibility we must take, if only for our own survival.
www.kingstreettheatre.com.au

Thursday 10 April 2014

The Drowsy Chaperone - Review

Review originally posted at www.suzygoessee.com
Venue: Hayes Theatre Co (Potts Point NSW), Mar 14 – Apr 6, 2014
Book: Bob Martin, Don McKellar
Music and Lyrics: Lisa Lambert, Greg Morrison
Director: Jay James-Moody
Choreography: Monique Sallé
Musical Direction: Paul Geddes
Actors: Jay James-Moody, Gael Ballantyne, Chris Coleman, Emma Cooperthwaite, Anna Freeland, Hilary Cole, Brett O’Neill, Ross Chisari, Laurence Coy, Steven Kreamer, Richard Woodhouse, Jaimie Leigh Johnson, Tom Sharah, Monique Sallé, Michele Lansdown

Theatre review
The Drowsy Chaperone is a brilliantly written musical. It is also a hilarious comedy with intelligently sharp and sophisticated humour that does not underestimate its audience. The show’s concepts and structure are original. Considering the usually restrictive genre, the writers have been able to create something that feels refreshing, yet maintain a classic musical formula that is perennially appealing.

The cast is a fairly large one, but the undoubted star of the production is Jay James-Moody, who plays “Man in chair”, a narrator of sorts who functions as our sometimes tipsy chaperone, guiding us through his favourite musical. James-Moody is also director of the work, and does a good job assembling and crafting the many elements of his creation, but his achievement as performer here is outstanding. His humour is subtle and precise, with a very thorough grasp of the vacillations and nuances in the writing. His connection with the audience is impeccably strong. James-Moody addresses the audience directly and is required to take control of all our reactions to almost everything that unfolds on stage. It is a very tall order but he delivers at every point, and in unbelievably fabulous form.

Hilary Cole as Janet van de Graaf impresses with a beautiful and versatile singing voice. Her role is a demanding one, and she delivers on many fronts but some of the choreography exposes her shortcomings. Cole’s work is full of conviction, and she looks very much the part, but can sometimes introduce too much fragility into her characterisation. Her fiancé Robert Martin is played by Brett O’Neill who has created a character that seems to be magically transported from the 1920s. It is a performance that is authentic and meticulously studied. O’Neill is delightful in the genre, with a strong singing voice and confident execution of choreography. Ross Chisari is slight of frame and plays a smaller role, but leaves a substantial impression. He is by far the strongest dancer in the cast, and has a surprisingly strong voice that belts out some of the most powerful notes in the show. Chisari has many qualities that would see him thrive in the field for all the decades to come.

In its final moments, the show takes a swipe at blockbuster musicals like Cats and Les Misérables. Indeed, The Drowsy Chaperone is not for every Tom, Dick, Harry and their 8 year-old children. It doesn’t operate on a level of simple sentimentality and doesn’t rely on unthinking emotion to hit its mark. This is a supremely entertaining show that appeals with its clever humour, but may need its crowd to have some level of cultured awareness. It is also a show about our love of performance. “Man in chair” has an obsession for stage performers in his record collection, and this production gives us many reasons to be enthralled in our seats, amused and awestruck.
www.hayestheatre.com.au

Sunday 27 October 2013

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - Review

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Theatre Royal, Sydney
Reviewed by Ben Oxley

Credit: dirtyrottenscoundrels.com.au

Tony Sheldon (Lawrence Jamieson), Matt Hetherington (Freddy) and Amy Lehpalmer (Christina Colgate) combine expertly to bring a fast moving musical comedy to the stage. By the response from the opening night audience, it was clear the show is a big hit, thanks to the work of Roger Hodgman. You may have come to the theatre expecting something else, but you go out with a buzz, whirling around the dance floor.

'Great Big Stuff' sets Freddy's aspirational stall out; what he doesn't know is how he will figure in this elegant swindle. 'Love Sneaks In' is the perfect foil for this, expertly contrasting the two cads. In fact, David Yazbeck’s clever score takes you on a journey through cabaret and Broadway styles. You feel like you know these songs.

'Oklahoma?' is more than a passing nod to the more familiar musical. Katrina Retallick as Jolene is a firm favourite, giving home-style glitz to her role. She brings a cast iron brass to the elegant world of Beaumont sur Mer. Her only challenge is how to deal with 'Ruprecht', Freddy's take on Lawrence's special needs sibling.

Anne Wood, as the medicated Muriel, has the experience and timing for "What Was a Woman to Do". Her balcony scenes, with Andre (John Wood) are beautifully crafted and deftly delivered from both of them.

But the songs sell the show, with "The Miracle" in Act I Finale, "The More We Dance" and the final "Dirty Rotten Number" giving the cast and fabulous ensemble much to create lasting impressions.

Choreography by Dana Jolly had the feel of elegant revue, with lovely use of the stage, balustrade and staircase. Michael Hankin created a summery set, allowing the action to rattle on, costume and scene changes taken onstage when needed.

Nicholas Rayment’s lighting is everything, if you agree with Tony Sheldon. It is also key to the final outcome of the scam. Big rap for music director Guy Simpson and his orchestra in keeping the story alive through the twists of this tale. While you might not be able to hum the tunes on first hearing, this is a welcome return to stylish musical comedy of yesteryear, with plenty of today's jokes. Go!

For more information go to www.DirtyRottenScoundrelstheMusical.com

Friday 18 October 2013

GREASE - Review

Casino draws from the top deck
GREASE
Lyric Theatre
The Star
16 October 2013
Ben Oxley

The new Australian production comes to Sydney at the Lyric Theatre in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre to an enthusiastic reception. Maybe the pre-show interjections and 'back to school' routine set the mood, but this was a clever segue into the opening.

Let's not forget since the show’s Broadway premiere in 1972 and the 1978 hit movie starring John Travolta and our very own Olivia Newton-John, GREASE went on to become the highest grossing movie-musical of all time. Presented in Australia by GTO, this brings the show back where it began.

Applause for John Frost for assembling a strong cast of creatives: Terry Parson’s fantastic set brought together with lighting from Mark Henderson. Bobby Aitkens sound creates the oh-so-familiar mood for an evening of fun with nothing to wish for. Costume design by Andreane Neofitou caught the preppy tone, and dazzled in the Teen Angel scene. Arlene Phillips, Natalie Gilhome and Charlotte Bull coax the ensemble skills of this cast to full effect. Music direction from Stephen Amos brought the show up to its peak. It's amazing the band is just seven players; I'm sure there are more.

Rob Mills gave some comic flair to the role of Danny, and keeps pace with a hot-rod ensemble of T-Birds. Most impressive was Stephen Mahy as Kenicke, with a supercharged rendition of ‘Greased Lightning'. The boys definitely make this scene rock, with the car a must-have extra.

Gretel Scarlett as Sandra Dee really came alive for the finale in her transformation. She plays the character very straight, as she sings. We learn to love her, and she is an excellent foil for Danny.

Standout performance of the show is Lucy Maunder's Rizzo, with searing vocals and attitude to match. Having the confident swagger, and then the pained heartbreak caught this troubled character.

The A-list pack is revealed further in the form of beautiful star turns from Todd McKenney as the Teen Angel, and Anthony Callea's superb vocal display as Johnny Casino. Their performances bring a sure professionalism to this part of the show.

Bert Newton back to his early roots in radio spun the discs as DJ Vince Fontaine after undergoing a quadruple heart bypass late last year. Award winning Val Lehman, a long mile from Queen Bea on Prisoner, gives the right tone to Miss Lynch for us to enjoy the night and not feel like we never left school.

Watch out for the new Australian Cast Recording featuring this star-studded cast on sale for audience members and includes those unforgettable songs we all love to sing at karaoke – You’re The One That I Want, Grease Is The Word, Summer Nights, Hopelessly Devoted To You, Sandy, Greased Lightnin’ and many more. Stay right to the end, there’s even an audience sing-a-long moment towards the end of the show!

Another piece of advice for theatre-goers: make sure you arrive in the theatre a little early or you’ll miss some great pre-show entertainment. Get the gel out, don your bobby socks, step back into a fun era, and Chang chang chang-it-ty chang shoo-bop that's the way it should be wha oooh yeah!

GREASE at the Lyric Theatre runs in Sydney until December 22 and Melbourne from January 2, 2014.

Monday 22 April 2013

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - Review


Reviewed by Regina Su
This year, from the 19th until the 28th of April, the Canterbury Theatre Guild presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. This musical is a humerous examination of the microcosm that is junior school competitive academia. Plotwise, the musical itself seems to have sprouted from a regular audience member at spelling bees, following 9 characters through their spelling bee experiences and friendly competition. In my opinion, the cast seemed a little too old for the characters, however by the end of the night, I was most impressed with the characterisation and loyalty that the actors had to their parts. Although I was a little phased by the faux American accents, the singing was great, and the acting even better. The performers looked as if they were having the time of their lives, with veteran musical performers from amateur productions all over Sydney. As the night wore on, the audience loosened up and the gags seemed less forced and instead of the theatre guild putting on a show, we became part of the show. Four random members from the audience were called upon to test their own spelling skills and unscripted mayhem ensued. With vibrant colour and confidence, it was a pleasure to see an amateur production executing a professional job with warmth and ease. It was a great family night out of entertainment for all ages and the venue, Canterbury Bowling Club, showed hospitality to no end. Showing suppport for this local theatre group at a community venue keeps the performance culture alive and this night was one of outstanding collaboration between cast and crew.

Wednesday 10 October 2012

Legally Blonde - Review

If you have never been to America then you do tend to believe that all girls are like Elle Woods, live a fairytale life, wear a lot of pink and say 'like' way too much and that love triumphs in the end. Legally Blonde the Musical is very close to the film. All the characters are there, all the humour and the girlie drama. If you like the film then you will like the musical.
The musical is fairly simply constructed though there are quite a number of scene changes, it must have been good however, as I can't say I really noticed! The wow moments came from the performances, the choreography and the dogs. Yes, Elle's dog Bruiser makes several appearances as does Paulette's dog Rufus. The audience delighted with each appearance.
The singing, music and choreography was all that you expect from a musical that has won awards (Winner Best New Musical 2011 Olivier Awards). There is one part in particular when the actors are skipping and dancing, which is remarkable. I know if I had to do it I would have had to have practiced for several years!

The only slight negative was Elle herself played by Lucy Durack. Throughout the performance I thought her voice was just a little too harsh and the whole part was slightly forced. This was the preview, so as time goes one she might relax more. There was certainly nothing wrong with her singing, all the actors had great voices. Helen Dallimore who played Paulette and Mike Snell who played Kyle the delivery man were fantastic. Particularly the way Mike played Kyle, he had the audience in stitches.
All in all it is a fun musical which makes for a great night of entertainment.

To find out more about when it is on click here

Monday 24 September 2012

Beauty And The Beast



A production by the Miranda Musical Society
When: 19th to 23rd of September
Where: Sutherland Entertainment Centre
Reviewed by Lana Hilton

Men – take your lovely ladies out to dinner and then to a magical performance of Beauty And The Beast, presented by the Miranda Music Society. Trust me when I say that it will earn you brownie points.
Nothing beats a passionate orchestra playing the award-winning score from the original film that rekindles your love for Disney and romance; except maybe the talented cast and crew. Beauty And The Beast was brought to life and brought tears to my ears just like when I was a child.
The music, the costumes, the sets – fantastic!                                                                         
Belle, played by Natasha Horberigs, allows you to dream with her and feel with her, through her sweet, strong voice that carries you all the way to the tiny French town the story is set in. She perfects the innocent, thoughtful character of Belle right down to the tone of her voice.
Other than the elaborate and creative set design that allows you to follow the characters on their journey from the town, to the woods, to the Beasts’ castle; the stand-out moments all had one character in common – Gaston.
Played by Lachlan O’Brien, Gaston stole the stage with his arrogance, humour and great booming voice. Lachlan was 100% committed to the role and it was easy to see he was thoroughly enjoying it. There were a few extra songs thrown in that you won’t remember from the film and one of them – “Me” – performed by Gaston had the audience in stitches. Never have I loved such a dislikeable character!
47 cast members is a lot of people to be in the one production let alone part of the one scene and “Be Our Guest” highlighted the talents of all 47 members. Boys, girls, adults, children, ballet dancers, tap dancers, chorus girls, singers and actors all took to the stage the perform the most lively and celebrated scene in the musical. It was such a delight to see that many people of all ages and sizes cohesively entertaining an audience and never missing a beat.
I could mention a lot of other great actors – Lumiere and Cogsworth had great chemistry throughout their Abbott and Costello moments, and Andrew Symes who played the Beast had such a deep vibrato I could feel it in my bones – but I would be rambling on forever.
Go and live a cherished childhood favourite live on stage. Fun for all the family!