His Mother’s Voice - Review

Review originally posted at www.suzygoessee.com
Venue: ATYP (Walsh Bay NSW), Apr 30 – May 17, 2014
Director: Suzanne Millar
Playwright: Justin Fleming
Actors: Alice Keohavong, Angela Tran, Arisa Yura, Dannielle Jackson, Harry Tseng, John Gomez Goodway, Jonathan Lourdes, Michael Gooley, Monica Sayers, Renee Lim, Isaiah Powell
Image by Tessa Tran, Breathing Light Photography

Theatre review
China’s Cultural Revolution ended officially in October 1976, but its after-effects are felt everyday the world over. Today, China’s influence on the global economy develops rapidly, and the country is now widely known to be Australia’s largest trading partner. According to the 2011 census, 4 percent of Australians identify themselves as having Chinese ancestry, and that number continues to grow. Justin Fleming’s His Mother’s Voice is a story about the Cultural Revolution, and the defection of a Chinese pianist to Australia.

Fleming’s script is colourfully structured. With the story of Qian Liu as a young boy, it sets out to provide a dramatic background of the Cultural Revolution that would assist audiences who might be unfamiliar with that slice of history. When Qian matures and becomes a successful pianist, he takes an opportunity to defect to Australia, and the story takes a turn that allows a more direct connection with its intended audience. Fleming’s focus however resides with the relationship between Qian and his mother Yang Jia, who struggles against all odds to teach her son the piano, in the firm belief that music is integral to their family identity and survival. The universal ties between parent and child is rightly central to the story, as it is a theme that we all have an affinity for.

Director Suzanne Millar’s sensitive creation of scenes from the revolution are dynamic and fascinating. Her talent in the use of space and sounds crafts a show that is relentlessly engrossing (lighting designer Christopher Page and sound designer James Colla execute Millar’s vision with great elegance). She has a deep understanding of the audience’s senses, and we are kept entirely under her spell. The stage is kept very busy, but our minds are always carefully guided through all the action with clarity. The show she has built is an entertaining one, but casting issues prevent it from being the moving experience it wishes to be.

Henry Tseng is a perfect visual fit for the lead role, but a lack of authenticity in his characterisation disrupts the crucial relationships Qian has with his mother, and his wife. Without a believable emotional centre, the story is one we hear, but do not feel. Qian’s Australian wife is Emma Fielden, played by Dannielle Jackson. Jackson has a delightful effervescence that brings a necessary lightness to the often heavy going narrative, but can be slightly distracting when scenes require more gravity.

Renee Lim as Qian’s mother Yang Jia, is star of the show. Her performance is powerful yet varied, and her strong presence is consistently engaging. The level of commitment she exhibits is impressive, and it is noteworthy that she exercises restraint effectively on many occasions, although her emotional scenes are unmistakably remarkable. John Gomez Goodway and Michael Gooley both play their paternal roles with excellence, and Alice Keohavong and Monical Sayers are memorable in a humorous scene as bumbling officials negotiating Qian’s farcical reconciliation.

His Mother’s Voice is earnest, and beautiful. It does not always resonate, but it is fiercely captivating. The exoticism involved in dealing with foreign cultures is often tricky, but this production handles matters with respect and dignity. Fleming and Millar are to be commended for looking abroad in their search for artistic inspiration, and for a show that tells us who we are by finding the similarities that lie in the seemingly drastic differences between us and them.

www.bakehousetheatrecompany.com.au

Great Expectations

Reviewed by Regina Su

I had great expectations for Great Expectations and by jove, they were exceeded. From the 31^st of October until the 17^th of November, the bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company works in conjunction with ATYP Under The Wharf to bring a classic Dickensian tale to life.

Great Expectations follows the life journey of protagonist, Pip, as he falls in love, discovers both fortune and misfortune, and learns the value of connections and acquaintances.

The show is an absolute treat to all members, I guarantee it. I, myself, am a fan of the quick wit and linguistic ironies of Master Dickens, however, my partner is not so inclined, yet I can safely say, we both had a blast watching this period English tale take the stage. I’d not known of the storyline of Great Expectations previously, but the adaptation flowed se seamlessly, I was able to follow with ease, commendations to the production team. It has been said that a Dickens work is often long and dry but on the contrary, I was captivated, engaged and enchanted for the duration of this long performance. It’s fast-paced choreography sports a collective ensemble acting as the protagonist’s consciousness and although it took me a while to become attuned to this style, it was extremely effecting in moving the plot along. Costuming, staging, lighting and a subtle soundscape just complemented the outstanding performances by passionate actors. A thoroughly enjoyable night out and, as a matter of fact, an inspirational piece of theatre for any upcoming playwright to learn from.

Storylines

The opening night of the StoryLines Festival was abuzz with an energy, a certain excitement as we walked through the glass doors of NIDA, Kensington. The StoryLines Festival is a landmark cultural event of theatre, art, dance and music; a forum showcasing the stories of Sydney’s Malaysian, Islamic, Indigenous and African Refugee communities. With the bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company in association with NIDA Parade Theatres & Tamarama Rock Surfers, the night began with an upbeat and thrilling performance from Sibo Bangoura on drums. Joshua from EmilyMax silenced the audience on Chinese Zither, creating a sombre and reflective mood leading gently onto special guest, Chris Edwards-Haines, a member of the Kinchela Boys Home and Stolen Generation. His contribution of an acknowledgement of country and self-written songs on acoustic guitar touched every member of the audience deep inside, he whispered to their hearts. Following this introspective performance, Anthony Treacy entertained by spicing up the traditional art of playing the Didgeridoo by adding a light, contemporary spin as he became the segue to ‘The Saints’ contemporary dance team of entertaining hip-hop, pop-n-lock.

The exhibition itself begins with a very personal and moving display of art works from the stolen generation and refugees from detention centres, created as part of a process of rehabilitation. While many of these pieces are for sale, the very individual touch of each work seems delicate and fragile. Each story, no matter how treacherous or troublesome, is under the scrutiny and examination from strangers and yet, they move you to your core. As you process through the exhibition into the Playhouse theatre, you walk in, peer through the darkness and observe the setting for the first play performed- A Land Beyond The River. This is a surprising and very thought provoking reinvention of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer-Prize winning novel To Kill A Mockingbird. Indeed, this play is quite simple and yet effective, as the talented actors strive entertain and all the while pushing a very clear and sombre message- a social commentary of 1960’s segregation in a contemporary application. This play is easily accessible and yet borderline personal. Through lighting and use of staging and props, this play is both a mental and visual spectacular. Junction follows as the second play for the night and in quite a pleasant surprise, this two-man performance is both moving and thrilling. While both plays are presented consecutively, they address very different themes with their plot content in stark contrast. Junction manages to use minimal props, high-beam lighting and two powerful actors to create an intricate space of dilemma and tension, with only your imagination as the woven thread to hold it together. Don’t’ miss this festival from July 31st until Augst the 4th.

Reviewed by Regina Su

Metamorphoses - Review

"The best play I have seen since living in Sydney" Nicola Grayson beamed as she left the Theatre on opening night, she has lived in Sydney for 8 years so this is saying something! Nicola is my younger sister and has been to many plays that I have reviewed. I have to agree it was a brilliant production.
Metamorphoses is playing at the Pact Theatre until the 21 July. It is presented by Apocalypse Theatre Company and bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company.
Mary Zimmerman wrote Metamorphoses in 2002, it is based on the fifteen books by the Roman poet Ovid, describing the history of the world from its creation to the deification of Julius Caesar.  It is bases on Greek mythology with the common theme of love.  There are myths that we all know and love like the story of Midas to some lesser know ones. There is passion and greed, love and loss.  It  reminded me sadly,  we rarely feel fulfilled and generally yearn for more. Though if Greek mythology is anything to go by it might not be a good idea to ask a Greek God for help you or upset one, you might get more than you bargained for.
The acting and performance was fantastic.  The casting was perfect and all the actors were equally talented. There was not one moment when you weren't glued to what was happening on the stage. It was my first visit to the Pact Theatre and if I was to go back I would take a cushion, it has to be one of the most uncomfortable theatres I have ever sat it. However, the space for this production was perfect. As soon as you walk in you wonder that you are in for. You enter through a bank of plastic curtains which surround the staging area and I did wonder, briefly, if an actual murder was going to take place!  The actors are all on stage, simply dressed in white and black. The are standing on large wooden crates.  All is silent and then suddenly the stories start to be told.  Most of the actors remain of stage for the entire production, there are no real costume changes, scene changes but when you are watching it there is constant movement and action. There is narrative, live music, nudity and a touch of comedy.
For me the outstanding element to the production was the direction and the way it was produced, all thanks to Dino Dimitriadis. Dino was on stage for the opening night, as one of the actors had become unwell earlier in the day. Though if he hadn't told us you would not have known. Mary's staging was based round a large lake. Dino decided to move away from this and took quite a modern, simple approach which turned out to be extremely effective. It looked simple to the audience but it would have taken some rehearsing. The crates moved to make stages and prop boxes, there was a clever use of light and material; it created enough of an impression to stimulate your imagination.

I would highly recommend Meamorphoses, though take something to sit on! For more information click here

Photo by Rudi Yap