Posted by Penny Cropper on September 1, 2010
On at the Old Fitzroy Theatre until September 11, The Schelling Point is the story of John F Kennedy, Stanley Kubrick, Frank Sinatra, Peter Sellers, Dr Strangelove and the Cuban missile crisis. With lots of drinking. And singing and jazz hands and a burlesque singer. Capisce? No, fair enough. But go and see it before it finishes; it's well worth your time and includes some awesome performances from Jonathan Elsom, Jamie McGregor and Marshall Napier, among others.
Directed by Sarah Goodes, this production is the world premier of Ron Elisha's funny and often unsettling play, and gives a hilarious look into the lives of some of history's most powerful men and their attempts to control the unpredictable. It's basically a play about six drunk men and one unpredictable woman (in the form of Miss Lauren La Rouge, the aforementioned burlesque singer) and it's a lot of fun.
Tickets through Tamarama Rock Surfers (we recommend the Old Fitzroy's usual beer, laksa and show deal, plus there are cheap Tuesday night tickets on offer).
the schelling point, old fitzroy theatre, tamarama rock surfers, play, ron elisha, sarah goodes
Posted by kluster on August 24, 2010
Kids: they never cease to amaze me with all the marvellous things they’re getting up to these days. Yesterday, my morning started with the polished news presenter-esque sounds of 11-year-old film reviewing and Emmy-Award-winning Jackson Murphy weighing up the pros and cons of Phillip Noyce’s latest action blockbuster, Salt. The day before, I spent hours poring over the archives of 14-year-old Tavi Gevinson’s The Style Rookie, seeking further fashion inspiration, of course.
So it was with great interest that I ventured down to the Wharf Theatre to take in the Sydney Theatre Company and Australian Theatre for Young People’s co-production of Tusk Tusk last Wednesday night, eager to see what a trio of young Australian actors could bring to 22 year-old English writer, Polly Stenham’s (That Face) latest stage offering. The result, I am pleased to report, is a series of polished, powerful, emotionally driven performances. It’s reassuring to know that the future of Australian theatre is in safe hands.More...
jackson murphy, phillip noyce, tavi gevinson, sydney theatre company and australian theatre for young people, tusk tusk, polly stenham
Posted by KB on June 4, 2010
Since 2008, the Arts Bunker project has been giving emerging performance companies a gentle nudge to get their work out of the bedroom and into the professional sphere. The Seymour Centre provides these up-and-comers with free office and rehearsal spaces, as well as the mentoring they’ll need to produce a full-scale production. One eve of the 2010 launch, we spoke to Seymour Centre Artistic Director and GM, Tim Jones, about the program.
Danni Le Toullec: The Arts Bunker program is providing Australia’s future creatives with an incredible opportunity to grow and be mentored by some of the best in the business. How did you manage to put it all together?
Tim Jones: Well firstly the Seymour had some unused office space and I was keen to make best use of it. The Bunker program has been running in a small way since 2008 but we received some funding from the City of Sydney to expand the program to three resident Arts Bunker companies. This is excellent.
DL: Can you tell me a bit about your career history and how it led to your current position of Artistic Director and GM of the Seymour Centre?More...
seymour centre, tim jones, arts bunker
Posted by Liz Niland on May 17, 2010
Waiting For Godot is, essentially, about nothing more than life itself. In explaining the tale of Vladimir and Estragon to my dear plus one, the closest modern narrative to which it could be compared is Seinfeld – to which, admittedly it bears very little resemblance. But similarly, Waiting for Godot takes the everyday of life and pulls, pushes and expands it into a two-hours-plus exploration of the human condition.
In the purest explanation, Waiting for Godot is a live-action rendition of the oxymoron “bitter sweet”. A yearning for young pink radishes exists alongside the contemplation of a hanging suicide, while physical and emotional abuse comfortably lay somewhere in between.
Let’s go. We can’t. Why not? We’re waiting for Godot.
Samuel Beckett has been, rather expectedly, asked in the past whether the “Godot” for which his protagonists are waiting is in fact “God”. And no doubt, when you see this production, this too will cross your mind. He has however, vehemently denied this definitive reading, saying that the one “Didi” and “Gogo” are waiting for is subjective to the viewers themselves. One person’s God is, after all, another person’s Buddha, which is, of course, another person’s Johnny Depp.More...
waiting for godot, new theatre, samuel beckett, luke rogers, patrick connolly, alan faulkner
Posted by Danni Le Toullec on May 4, 2010
The first few moments of Honour give a literal meaning to the age-old saying ‘love is blind’, as the Sydney Opera House’s Drama Theatre was plunged into complete darkness. It is not bound by reality or responsibility. It suffices as an excuse for any kind of behaviour or acts of recklessness. It can provide reason to turn your world upside down and inside out, in a moment.
Joanna Murray-Smith’s Honour breathes life into the well-told tale of adultery and marriage breakdown. When Claudia, a young ambitious journalist, embarks on a profile of George, a well-known literary figure, it doesn’t take long for his gaze to wander from Honour, his wife of thirty-two years.
Directed by Lee Lewis, this play consistently questions the ideals of passion, sacrifice and persistence. William Zappa and Wendy Hughes are flawless in their depiction of a husband and wife, forced to realise that we are all at the mercy of love.
They say that illusion is the first of all pleasures: An affair is undoubtedly the best example of that. Reflected in Claudia’s admiring eyes, George is once again, in his prime. Disguised as love, this is one man grasping for freedom, from a life that he sees as pre-determined.
Designer Michael Scott-Mitchell’s set of curved, vertical wooden beams is minimalist and pulls the focus toward the actors without the distraction of a household setup.
Since the play’s debut in 1995, it has been produced in three dozen countries, travelling to London’s West End and Broadway, making stops from Brazil to Croatia. It will be setting up shop in Sydney until the May 29.
honour, sydney theatre company, sydney opera house, wendy hughes, william zappa
Posted by Danni Le Toullec on May 4, 2010
A celebration of the sung and unsung creative heroes we adore the guts out of. Kyle Abraham as recommended by favourite folk #2 Kris Moyes.
Dubbed the “best and brightest creative talent to emerge in New York City in the age of Obama” Kyle Abraham, professional dancer and choreographer, has been creating ripples in the industry for quite some time.
Growing up in Pittsburgh playing the cello and taking private art classes, Kyle’s creative drive eventually led him to dance.
Says Kyle, “I’ve always choreographed...That's actually what led me to dancing... [initially] I saw dance as this one thing that I couldn't study or expand upon in my room.”
From humble beginnings choreographing a BBD Poison routine for friends at church camp at 10 years of age to starting his own company, Abraham.In.Motion, Kyle says that choreography is “just something that's always driven me”.
After leaving his first touring company, Kyle took a break from dancing before returning to grad school. There he found a group of dancers willing to roll with him in his creative process. Their willingness paid off as A.I.M’s Fading into Something Tangible debuted in 2006 to great acclaim.
Using a diverse range of dance styles and exploring different patterns of movement, Kyle is making his mark on the American dance world.
Hopping from one city to another, his work has shown at The Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum, Japan, the Springboard Danse in Montreal, Fall for Dance Festival at New York’s City Center, Harlem Stage/Aaron Davis Hall in Harlem, New York and the Internationales Solo-Tanz-Theater Festival in Stuttgart, Germany.
kyle abraham, abraham.in.motion
Posted by Danni Le Toullec on April 27, 2010
When you think of Broadway musicals, the stock market isn't the first thing to come to mind. To go with a feature on Magnetar, the thinktank at This American Life has enlisted the help of the guys at Avenue Q to sing us through the steps of how to make a killing from the collapse of the housing market.
magnetar, this american life, avenue q
Posted by Danni Le Toullec on December 2, 2009
Have you ever had that dream where you find yourself in public wearing nothing but your undies?
Okay, now minus the underwear and put yourself in front of about 200 people, whilst remembering lines for a three hour production. Difficult is a bit of an understatement.
The Mysteries: Genesis is the debut performance for the Sydney Theatre Company’s troupe of permanent actors, The Residents. And yes, it must be said, there is a lot of nudity. Playwrights Hilary Bell and Lally Katz have reworked the biblical narratives of the Creation, the Fall, the Expulsion from Eden, Cain and Abel and Noah’s Ark.
Under the directorship of Matthew Lutton, Andrew Upton and Tom Wright, The Residents have certainly come out with a bang.
The Sound Designer Kingsley Reeve perfectly captured the raw emotion of this unique performance. The revamped space of Wharf 2 was intimate enough for each note to grip the audience and create a stage which was a character in itself.
The first act was certainly the most compelling, with inventive lighting from Paul Jackson plunging the theatre into total and complete darkness. It lasted just long enough for the audience to lose their bearings and feel the need to touch the ground, just to make sure they hadn’t floated away.
The stage was transformed into a wintry Eden, and God himself wandered around naked, patting down the small peaks of polystyrene with his feet. He creates the world as tiny white particles come down from the ceiling and surround him. A cheeky penguin represents all of Gods’ creatures and offers some comic relief from the more serious religious overtones.
The second act started off on a lighter note and with a lot more clothing. The space had been transformed so that the audience could mill around the bottom level as a band played on the upper floor. The tunes created the illusion of a dingy booze den. Their take on Velvet Underground's 'Run, Run, Run' was a definite highlight.
Act three opens with a tower of eight mattresses and a sleeping Noah. He desperately listens to his malfunctioning radio, waiting for God to communicate with him.
The flood rages and smothers the air with the sound of slashing rain and angry winds. Suddenly, all is quiet and a blue light eats up the base of the mattresses. The world has been washed clean.
Creation leads to destruction and for each time sins are washed away, the insidious tide creeps back. To err is to be human, and on the bright side, it sure makes for exciting theatre.
Photographer: Brett Boardman
More...
the residents, sydney theatre company, matthew lutton, andrew upton, tom wright, the mysteries, genesis
Posted by kluster on November 9, 2009
Sydney subscribers take note. Thanks to the Arts Radar in association with B Sharp we have two double passes to A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Belvoir St Downstairs Theatre, Surry Hills on 28th November to give away.
This Midsummer Night’s Dream is a theme-party about shattered innocence and the restoration of grace. Prepare for a glittering karaoke night of love ballads and curses, wedding songs and bestiality, culminating in a special nuptial performance by the acclaimed Rude Mechanicals of Peter Quince’s tragic masterpiece, Pyramus and Thisbe.
Directed by Eamon Flack
With Elizabeth Blackmore, Kit Brookman, Katharine Cullen, Gareth Davies, Charlie Garber, Andrew Lees, Anya Poukchanski, Tim Spencer & Tim Walter
These gifts are so good we’re opening them up to existing subscribers too, you just need to convince a friend to subscribe too. All entrants will be added to Kluster's subscriber list. Entries close 25th November, 2009.
To enter simply email info@kluster.com.au Email subject: My Summer Night’s Dream.
a midsummer night's dream, belvoir theatre, competitions
Posted by kluster on November 4, 2009
Here at Kluster we occasionally like to take our dose of creative culture with a dash of obscure. You too? Great, mainstream is so yawn worthy. Can’t afford tickets this week? You may be in luck. We’re giving one open-minded individual the chance to win a double pass to Burning Daylight on Friday 13th November at CarriageWorks, Sydney. Simply subscribe to be in the running.
Want to know more? Enter the event description:
It’s karaoke night, Broome style. Country meets hip hop meets Japanese love song. A lone cowboy blows into town, stirring its ghosts for a long and wild night. Past and present dance it out on the street as the unforgettable story of Australia’s “Asian Wild West” is told by intercultural and Indigenous performance company Marrugeku in their explosive yet haunting new dance theatre work, Burning Daylight.
Hitting Sydney’s premier address for contemporary arts, CarriageWorks, on Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 November; Burning Daylight is not-to-be-missed during its national tour.
burning daylight, carriageworks
Posted by kluster on October 14, 2009
Friday night at the New Theatre in Sydney's inner west surburb, Newtown brought week two of artistic director Augusta Supple’s production, Brand Spanking New, a refreshing intimate course of short stories.
A blend of talented unearthed writers and actors wove eight very different stories, wooing and challenging the audience. Short stories are are a notoriously difficult medium for engaging an audience. Thankfully, BSN managed to connect with their audience with great aplomb. Lone Bird, King of the Mountain and Bermuda Love Triangle were particularly well versed and had great comedic timing. If you missed it this year we reccomend you look out for Spanking next season.
brand spanking new, new theatre, newtown
Posted by KB on July 30, 2009
Theatre Forward is an alliance of graduates from NIDA’s directing course last year. Their debut production, The Sneeze, is a collection of five of Anton Chekhov’s adapted comic vaudevilles. Far from being heavy and dark, it was actually very funny. Who knew Chekhov could be so humorous? The Michael Frayn translated pieces are presented by five directors and five actors in this Australian premiere. It’s an exciting experiment and a testament of good things to come for this new collaboration.
I must admit, I did question the choice of Chekhov for such a young, dynamic group of directors, but their adaptation feels fresh and contemporary.
Being of the MTV generation, we love short stuff, so five short acts suits my tiny attention span beautifully. And as each one is presented by different directors, they all have a unique flavour.
The performances are tight, very physical and all consuming and we were along for the ride from the moment the lights came up.
It’s amazing to think these guys pulled the whole show together in three weeks. I think it’s safe to say there are exciting things to come for Theatreforward.
The Sneeze runs from Wed July 29th – Sat Aug 1st at NIDA Parade Studio, 215 Anzac Pde, Kensington.
the sneeze, nida