Too Many Elephants in This House - Review

By Dominique Broomfield, blogger, http://www.babiesandtoddlers.com

I still feel a sense of wonder and excitement when I walk into any theatre. The dark, the quiet, the anticipation, the atmosphere, I don’t think that changes from child to adult.

I would have liked to have stepped into my little boys mind today when he experience the theatre for the first time. Queuing up with the preschool and kindergarten kids at the NIDA theatre for a production of Too Many Elephants in This House, I could visably see him change. He is normally a busy two year old constantly on the move but he was quiet, thoughtful, even patient as he lined up. I could almost see the intrigue working in his brain. What is this place? What is going to happen?

We took our seats and he lost his sense of wonder and contemplation a bit and slipped back into two year old mode when he found that the seats flipped up and down. But he sat for almost the entire 55 minute performance – only about 5-10 minutes to the end did he get up and start skulking around the empty seats.

The play is an adaptation of the book by Ursula Dubosarsky and illustrated by Andrew Joyner. It says suitable from 2+ but is really aimed at kids Years K – 6. Specifically designed to engage young people with humour and mystery, this is the first time the book has come alive on stage.

The story is about a 7 year old boy named Eric who’s collection of beloved elephants is getting on his mums nerves because they take up a lot of space. There are just too many elephants – in the living room, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, even in his bedroom! She proclaims he has to make it an elephant free house. So the journey of self discovery and magic begins as Eric learns to combat his fear of the dark; find his sense of belonging and comes up with a clever solution to a very BIG problem…

I expect the theme of the play encouraging creative problem solving is a bit lost on the today’s audience but I imagine the one o’clock showing has some older children. The The children today are happy just watching and giggling. There are lots of opportunities to make preschool and kindergarten children laugh: oversized elephant “listening ears”, mum tripping over the vacuum cleaner which has been dressed as a elephant and an elephant hiding in a fridge brings about a pantomimesque “he’s behing you” chorus from the giggling crowd of youngsters!

The sets are simple but effective helping to playfully explore the concepts of size, space and perspective. The lighting works to capture that sense of theatre without it being too dark and the costumes of grey overalls and woolly jumpers as trunks and stick on ears make some great playschool elephants.

The actors, graduates of NIDA are a bit am-dram for my liking but putting myself in the mind of a child, they do a good job with a heckling audience. The character of Eric and the large elephant are particularly engaging and have a good dynamic, playing for giggles. The actors and Kellie Mackereth who adapted the book for the stage stay on for a brief Q and A which is a delight to listen too. The kids ask a range of cute questions, all answered well and with good humour.

I don’t know the book but by pure coincidence when I picked up my four year old from preschool they had read it that day as it’s recently honoured by the Children’s Book Council of Australia in the Early Childhood category.

I think it’s a shame it’s only on for a short period of time. So, if you read this and get a chance to go before Saturday, it’s a nice way to spend an hour in the luxury of a theatre while your kids are engaged and giggling.

Further information

Based on the book by Ursula Dubosarsky and illustrated by Andrew Joyner
Published by Penguin Books
Presented by the National Institute of Dramatic Art
Adapted for the stage by Kellie Mackereth
http://www.nida.edu.au

Trainspotting - Review

Review originally posted at www.suzygoessee.com
Venue: King Street Theatre (Newtown NSW), May 8 – 24, 2014
Playwright: Harry Gibson (based on the novel by Irvine Welsh)
Director: Luke Berman
Actors: Damien Carr, Taylor Beadle-Williams, Brendon Taylor, Leigh Scully

Theatre review
Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting is one of the defining cultural landmarks of the 1990s. From novel, to play, and eventually to the blockbusting hit film, its immense popularity and pervasiveness in landscapes the world over is testament not only to the quality of work by artists involved, but also to the way its story has resonated and subsequently appropriated as a sign of the times.

Black Box Theatre’s staging of the 1994 Harry Gibson adaptation seems, on the surface, to be an exercise in nostalgia. It is entirely too predictable to have a group of Gen-Y enthusiasts take on a cult classic that pushes the boundaries of decency, but what they have created is a work that is surprisingly relevant, and very well crafted indeed. Luke Berman’s direction is exciting, colourful and crisp. Scenes move along quickly but clearly, as though injected with adrenaline. The action is heightened and dynamic, but sentiments are always elucidated. Berman has a sensitivity that ensures the text’s many controversial elements are handled circumspectly, with just the right amount of restraint that keeps bad taste from turning unacceptable.

Berman’s cast is truly impressive. They are a fearless and captivating foursome, whose love for the art of performance is absolutely evident. By taking on multiple roles, they all receive significant stage time and are able to showcase creative versatility, but we are not always able to identify the characters being played, although it must be said, that this does not seem to alter the enjoyment of the work. Damien Carr plays Mark, the protagonist and narrator of the piece. The duality of simultaneously narrating the story and performing the scenes being described is fascinating, and Carr does a stellar job of it. He is on stage for virtually the entire duration, and is able to provide a consistently focused energy that keeps us engaged and involved. Taylor Beadle-Williams is magnificent in her roles. There is often a baroque exuberance in her work that articulates perfectly the aesthetic of Welsh’s hallucinatory world, but at the core of her performance is a fixation on truth, which gives all her characters a beautiful empathy that is irresistible.

Drug abuse and the “junkie” subculture is sadly, not a relic of the past. Trainspotting‘s articulation of that underworld satisfies our curiosity, telling us about the fringe dwellers who reside on our peripheries. We are reminded that the world is a shared one, and our beliefs about life are often fundamentally the same. Even when our values diverge, and our judgemental minds divide us, it is our common humanity that allows us to look into the experience of others, drawing parallels where they exist, and discovering through these diversities what is enduring, and what actually matters.

www.blackboxtheatre.org

Arthur’s Place - Review

Review originally posted at www.suzygoessee.com
Venue: TAP Gallery (Darlinghurst NSW), May 7 – 11, 2014
Playwright: Ben Eadie
Director: Ruth Fingret
Actors: Dominic Witkop, Aaron Nilan, Matt Jacobsen, Steve Vincent, Timothy Parsons, Jamie Merendino, Cait Burley

Theatre review
The young Australian man has in recent times become a subject of interest in media and social discourse. Characterised as violent, drunk and disorderly, he is also often considered to be of white and middle class origins. Ben Eadie’s script is concerned with this particular group of “lost souls”. Six characters are created to represent an aimless but troubled segment of our society, each with a distinctive personality type but all are purposeless except for a preoccupation with drugs and alcohol.

Eadie’s efforts at painting a picture of detachment is effective. He gives a clear impression of characters unable to engage meaningfully, but although we are able to relate them with some familiarity to our lived communities, they struggle to evoke empathy or arouse much interest. The fact that they are privileged enough to live a lifestyle that includes no work but a lot of debauchery, prevents us from feeling for them or for dramatic tension to build sufficiently. Not very much seems to be at risk. Some attention is paid on sexual abuse in a couple of the boys’ histories, but those scenes feel like afterthoughts, even if they are clearly well-intentioned.

The pace of the show is exceedingly languid. Much of the acting seems to be based in “real time”, which often comes across too slow for the audience. Dominic Witkop’s performance is slightly too internalised, but his focus and commitment is strong. His character Lance is by far the most convincing one, and the care and measuredness at which he attacks his part is laudable, but introducing a greater sense of vigour would allow him to connect better. Arthur is played by Aaron Nilan who lacks the enigmatic quality required by the script, but his less restrained performance in the second act adds much needed energy and animation to the stage.

Unlike its characters, Arthur’s Place has a purpose. It discusses our social problems, which is one of the most important functions of theatre, but while it tries to push the envelope with its exaggerated use of profanity, more conviction is needed to advance its central message. We do not expect plays to give us solutions, but when art is able to make us care about our worlds, it becomes indispensable.

www.tapgallery.org.au

Event For A Stage - Review

Review originally posted at www.suzygoessee.com
Venue: Carriageworks (Eveleigh NSW), May 1 – 4, 2014
Artist: Tacita Dean
Actor: Stephen Dillane

Theatre review
English visual artist Tacita Dean’s Event For A Stage is her first work in the “live theatre” medium. Unsurprisingly, the piece is not concerned with theatrical conventions, and it certainly places no interest on the fabrication of a narrative. The rectangular stage is surrounded by audiences on all 4 sides, and Dean, the artist sits front row with us, in a darkened corner. A big chalk circle is drawn on the stage, with two people operating a video camera within the circle, and another two people outside of it. A microphone is suspended from the fly bars into the middle of the circle. For the duration of the 45-minute work, the actor Stephen Dillane walks around the stage, usually following the chalk line, but uses regular disruptions to the circular stroll to create a sense of action or to emphasise certain points in his monologue.

Over the course of the performance, Dillane walks up to Dean and obtains, with visible resentment, sheets of theatre and performance theory, which he reads aloud, effectively using them as scripts. The writing is insightful and fascinating, and Dillane’s interpretation of them is thoroughly compelling. In addition to Dean’s sheets of paper, Dillane also gives us coherent and interesting accounts of conversations he has had with the artist, or about events and people from his personal life. Further, he reads sections from a slim novel he keeps in his pocket, and performs extracts from Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The work however, is not about stories. Its main crux deals with the nature of theatre and performance, the sociology of spaces in a theatrical venue, and the relational dynamics between artists and audiences.

There are layers upon layers of ideas that are touched upon in this deconstruction of performative spaces. Things get complex, but Dillane’s supreme ability to connect, keeps us from confusion or perplexity. One of the main themes discussed relates to contrivances that arise from the convergence of creators and spectators. The presence of video cameras helps illustrate the point, while simultaneously adding to the multiplicity of the artist’s concepts in its obvious extension into other televised or filmic media. Dillane also talks about the danger that sits below the surface of theatrical artifices, and his close proximity from us is a constant threat to our presumption of security, with the cameras amplifying the stakes at hand.

Event For A Stage approaches theatre with concepts and conventions from the visual art world, in a collision of forms that is fresh and exciting. It seeks not to emulate familiar precedents, but like all great works of theatre, it enthrals, intrigues and informs, even if its subject matter (its self) is a little haughty.

www.tacitadean.net
www.carriageworks.com.au

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

Chroma - Review

Review originally posted at www.suzygoessee.com
Venue: Sydney Opera House (Sydney NSW), Apr 30 – May 17, 2014 Choreographers: Wayne McGregor (CHROMA), Stephen Baynes (ART TO SKY), Jiří Kylián (PETITE MORT and SECH TÄNZE) Image by Jess Bialek

Theatre review

The programme begins with Wayne McGregor’s 2006 work, Chroma. Set against the powerful and aggressive music of Joby Talbot and Jack White III, this very modern ballet is instantaneously captivating. Its exquisite set is designed by John Pawson, evoking sensibilities proffered by the minimalist art movement. Covered in white and with its corners rounded off, the stage glows with a warm and quiet spirituality that finds a strange harmony with the vigorous soundscape conducted by Nicolette Fraillon. The dance creates a new grammar based on the balletic form. It is characterised by a dynamic desire for freedom, and it seeks in movement, the expression of all that is beautiful, emotive, and sublime. Inspired by a concept of nothingness, what transpires is a process of distillation with an outcome that displays honesty and necessity. The dance is fresh and new, but it is at no point hollow. There is an originality in its shapes and tempo that seems completely natural, even though it intends to break new aesthetic ground. McGregor’s earth shattering creation is a true work of art, but more than that, its deeply transcendent quality affects us as though it is by nature, sacred.

Stephen Baynes’ new piece Art To Sky is considerably more traditional. It is impressively technical, and the dancers’ athleticism is wonderfully pronounced here. The most well rehearsed and precisely performed work of the night, it showcases the company in glorious light. Chengwu Guo’s solo sequence is remarkably powerful, executed with great flair and exactness. An exceptionally tender pas de deux featuring Madeleine Eastoe and Andrew Killian is touching in its passionate fluidity, and sensitively embellished by the talents of lighting designer Rachel Burke.

Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián is featured twice. His Petite Mort (1991) is as sensual as the title suggests, but also unpredictable. Surprising movements, coupled with unconventional combinations of the dancers’ bodies make for startling and breathtaking beauty. There is however, a lack of depth with its realisation on this stage. The performers require a more thorough engagement with the work to muster a greater range of subtleties to exalt more life. Kylián’s Sechs Tänze (1986) is a delightful and theatrical creation that is equal parts camp humour and extraordinary choreographic innovation. It is engaging, provocative and endlessly fascinating, and the dancing seems to be particularly enthusiastic for this section. This morsel of genius is undeniably the perfect choice for closing the show on a high note.

www.australianballet.com.au

Shakespeare’s Reservoir Dogs - Review

Review originally posted at www.suzygoessee.com
Venue: The Vanguard (Newtown NSW), Apr 29 – May 2, 2014
Playright: Steven Hopley (based on the screenplay by Roger Avary and Quentin Tarantino)
Director: Steven Hopley
Actors: Chris Miller, Richard Hilliar, Diego AR Melo, Lukasz Embart, Jerry Retford, Patrick Magee, Leof Kingsford-Smith, Anthony Campanella, Dominic Santangelo

Theatre review

Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 film debut, Reservoir Dogs established him early on as a popular new auteur. Combining violence, humour, popular culture references and non-linear narratives, Tarantino’s distinctive and refreshing style captured the attention of many, and the film has now garnered cult classic status. Steven Hopley’s new adaptation is a faithful yet radical retelling, keeping characters and events intact, but transposing all the “colourful” language of the original into the style of William Shakespeare.

Shakespeare’s Reservoir Dogs script is a thorough rejuvenation that shows an unusual flair and love for the Bard. Hopley’s direction of his own writing is mindful of audiences that might find the new text challenging, taking great care to utilise all his actors’ capacities to stage a show that is surprisingly accessible. This staging understandably features less of the film’s memorable ultra-violence, but its elements of humour are played up considerably to great effect. Hopley does not shy away from opportunities to make light of this “self-parody”. Management of the unconventional timeline is slightly flawed, but the constant referencing of Tarantino’s film is handled with remarkable sophistication, and for fans of the original in particular, this new staging is tremendous fun.

The cast amassed by Hopley and producer Russall S. Beattie is an impressive one. Full of passion and commitment, the men are individually strong performers who have managed to find excellent chemistry within their group. Chris Miller’s playfully flamboyant performance as Sir White provides a firm anchor for the production. He shows a genuine affinity for the material at hand, and is wonderfully entertaining in his enthusiasm. Richard Hilliar, in the role of Sir Orange, has a presence that is consistently dynamic. The actor has an engaging charm and an understated approach to comedy that is delightfully amusing. Anthony Campanella has a memorable soliloquy that he executes with outlandish gusto. His ability to communicate meaning with his Shakespearean lines is second to none. A crowd favourite is the show’s troubadour, played by Dominic Santangelo. He has a license to play the fool, and is clearly not afraid to use it.

Also noteworthy is Tristan Coumbe’s work as costume designer. Tribute is paid to the film’s unforgettable imagery, of characters in black suits and white shirts. Coumbe’s Tudor style interpretations using modern fabrics, including black leather, contribute not only to the players’ believability, they also convey an interesting sense of time and space in the absence of set pieces. The costumes’ contemporary, sexy edge is a good reflection of the show’s boisterous irreverence.

Familiarity with the film is not necessary, but it would certainly help with enjoyment of this “update”. Many in attendance on opening night responded buoyantly to recreations of classic scenes and celebrated lines. Nostalgia in the air was evident. For those less au fait with Tarantino’s work, the quality of performance by this exceptional ensemble is more than adequate to please any discerning theatregoer.

www.thevanguard.com.au