The Dark Side of the Crown - Review

Reviewed by Lydia Cheng

There is much to be said about belly-dancing.  With the many styles, interpretations and re-imagined versions of the tradition, often times, it is the musical selection and lighting that can have the greatest effect on the audience's mood and enjoyment of the show.

With The Dark Side of the Crown, the audience is at times amazed, amused and confused.  The show began with several side acts.  Seven different Australian and New Zealand troupes displayed their belly dancing abilities. Of the seven, Awakening the Goddess and Qanundrum were among my favorites: they showcased high technical skills.  Meanwhile, Diamonds and Shaabi Evolution involve more comedy and urban expression, presenting an amusing show.

To be honest, there are moments where someone might lose the plot, but the general gist is this: in a matriarchal kingdom, a queen must choose one of her three daughters to rule.  However, on the night of the celebration, tragedy strikes as the queen is murdered and the kingdom is lost as to how to proceed.  With some magic, a ghost, and a few love interests, perhaps the truth of the matter will be revealed.

In fact, at times the audience might feel the need for a guidebook: there are moments when the the performance feels like a talent show, focusing only on the skill of one dancer, and not on the story, such as the opening of the show.  At other times, such as in the act The Flirts, the dancers play up their individual persona, making the story stand out more.  After all, a coquettish belly dancer seducing a B-Boy on stage is not an every day occurrence.

Strobe lighting and thick smoke can also obscure the audience's understanding of certain scenes.  At one point, it seems like the adviser and the priestess are in cahoots to  take away the crown from the daughters.  In another scene, it seems like the youngest daughter schemed to become queen, while the oldest daughter is simply biding her time to rule.

However, there is a great scene, where even audience members are included.  In the scene Discipline is Needed, the new guards of the palace amuse themselves with the musicians, only to be caught by the acting queen.  With that, the scene is set up: they drag a new guard out of the audience, up onto the stage and begin another dance that is a mix of traditional belly-dancing and modern music.

Within the cast, there are multiple talented performers, each with their own style.  Several of the troupe members were winners of the Bellydance Evolution competition.  B-Boy Ju and Daneilo Mendes offered a great contrast as b-boy dancers.  Jilliana, the artistic director and creator of Bellydance Evolution, took the stage to show how truly intensive belly-dancing can be.

All in all, The Dark Side of the Crown is a wonderful visual display. The interplay of  music and lighting tends to help showcase the cast, while the costume changes would make any drama department envious.  As the troupe continues their Australian experience, hopefully other people will begin to discard their preconceived notions of bellydance and enjoy the show.

Naked Dream - Review

Reviewed by Lydia Cheng
On Friday night, Rachel Collis took over the stage at Riverside Theatres. Rafferty's Stage may not call to mind an imposing stage like New York's Carnegie Hall, but for a performer like Collis, the venue is perfect for her piano and her band. With Michael Galeazzi on electric and double bass and Michael Quigley on drums, Collis' music is built up even more and the audience can peek into Collis' mind.

Before the show began, conversations about her filled the audience. Why yes, she was at the Fringe Festival earlier. Didn't you realize that she was working on several other songs? A few of her songs come from real life inspiration; however, she does disclaim that certain pieces are not inspired by her cat, which according to Pet Hell should be made into mince, or her local restaurant that blew up as a result of arson in So Your Dreams Went Boom.

With that, the lights dimmed, and Collis stepped out on stage, barefoot, before striding over to the piano. Her first two songs, Tomorrow and If I Could, are lovingly crooned out to the audience, allowing them to settle back into their seats.

The fourth song began to reveal her theatrical side. The French Door Thief is silly but charming. Dim lighting and a snazzy chorus showcase Collis' ability to step into a persona: I am reminded of someone from the 1920s, or a cabaret singer who dabbles in the burlesque arts. She shakes and shimmies, with comedic effect, but it is truly her voice that holds your attention.

However, there are other skills that Collis has. Her ability to strum along on the ukulele is fantastic, even when she admits that she only knows two songs. Then the moment she showcases her kazoo skills, the audience can't help but laugh. After all, a kazoo appearing in the middle of a sultry act tends to bring out a few giggles.

The bantering between Collis and her band mates kept the mood light throughout the evening, something much appreciated with her songs Winter in Munich and Make Room. Winter in Munich is an eerie piece: the piano and Collis' gentle voice belay sorrowful lyrics about journeys and leaving. Given that Collis' husband contributed to the lyrics, the thought of a couple working together on a melancholic song makes the melody even more haunting.

Make Room is a song that Collis wrote awhile back. She mentions that it makes her think of the current situation with refugees coming to Australia. With lyrics like “love is spacious,” it's not hard to see why. Several people in the audience seemed to have chills from the music, myself included.

Collis ended the night with two fantastic encores: The Germans and Pablo. One is a satirical ode to “If the Germans had won the war”; the other is a ballad for a wonderfully skilled Brazilian waxer. s

Rachel Collis and her band presented a highly diverse and wonderful show for an entire 90 minutes. Between her attitude as a jazz lounge crooner, a maniac pet owner, and a slightly unhinged human being, Collis' performance persona is both likeable and admirable.

Heaven Help Us! - Review

Reviewed by Nathan Finger and Sydney Abba

Photo credits to Sirmai Arts Marketing

Keith Bosler’s new play Heaven Help Us! (2014) tells the age old story of good versus evil, with mankind cast as the football in the Devil/God grudge match.

The play opens in Heaven; God has just returned from a brief two thousand year holiday and is shocked to discover that the world has been overrun by the wicked, the sinful and Tony Abbott. Cue the Devil. He’s been having a grand old time leading the weak into sin during God’s leave of absence. After an argument, the two agree that the only way to settle the matter is through a bet: a competition over one soul. If the Devil can corrupt this soul, God has to leave for another two thousand years, but if God wins the Devil has to go. Sounds fair. Except the soul they’re after is Luke Allcock, a lawyer. Lucky for Luke, Archangel Michael (or Michaela now, having undergone a sex change since realizing that all men are heinous sinners) has elected to descend to Earth in human form to help the misguided man out.

Bosler (who also directed and produced) has put together a rather fun show that never takes itself too seriously. There are laughs to be had from start to finish, from the chilled out Lord All Mighty to the punk rocker Devil. There’s the old contract to be signed, horses to be killed, inheritance to be embezzled and an unlikely love triangle.

As Satan, David Woodland was devilish but a tad overplayed. Decked out in pleather lace ups and a 70s ruffle shirt, Woodland enjoyed his time on stage but failed to boil during furious outbursts. Lyn Pierse brought a relaxed whackiness to the role of God, sporting a rocking Hawaiian shirt in the process. The dichotomy between the two however was a little mismatched.

As the Archangel Michaela, Orlena Steele-Prior was wonderfully serene in performance, holding her own amongst the louder more aggressive performers. She managed to find the right levels for this character, and was probably the most nuanced of the ensemble. As the snaky lawyer Luke, Tai Scrivener presented all pick-up lines with a large serving of sleaze. Scrivener was well cast generally, but like Woodland tended to overplay his role. Thankfully he came into his own when he was required to transform into something more genuine.

The plot does weaken towards the end as Luke tries to get out of his contract with some very flimsy legal maneuvering. But we should probably take this all in the spirit in which it’s offered. Is this play going to change your perspective on life? No. Does it overplay some plot devices and jokes? Shamelessly. Is it enjoyable? Absolutely.

Heaven Help Us! is playing at the Bordello Theatre at the King’s Cross Hotel until the 29th of March. For more information see: http://www.heavenhelpus.com.au/