In honour of Australia Day, I thought I'd write about my favourite Australian plays. Not just ones written by Australians, but those that tell something of our country's story. Sadly though, I came to realise my experience with true 'Aussie theatre' is painfully limited.
I could always blame the theatre-makers for failing to produce new works. But I think that's not necessarily the problem - there are numerous new plays being written and performed across all of Sydney's theatres. I was lucky enough to get to see Keating! on its third return season, and laughed hysterically, in spite of only being a mere child during the majority of the period presented in the show. I do however believe it resonates in Australia, rather than of Australia. Could you tour this internationally with the same success - doubtful, although the songs are certainly catchy.
I also got to see the brilliant Deborah Mailman in the equally brilliant premier of 7 Stages of Grieving, which she co-wrote with Wesley Enoch. It was the first time I had ever seen Indigenous Australia represented on stage. I remember crying, laughing, crying and generally being in awe of the extreme talent of the woman in front of me.
The good news is that the Aboriginal voice has not disappeared from our theatres. Look at Belvoir's determination to bring the Aboriginal voice to the stage in last year's Buried City, Don't Take Your Love to Town and Beautiful One Day. And this year will give us This Heaven, Coranderrk and The Cake Man.
And the Sydney Theatre Company are kicking off their 2013 season with The Secret River, based on the award winning book by Kate Grenville (which I hear is brilliant, more on this when I finally get to see it in February), and finishing with an adaptation of Storm Boy.
Plus, moving away from just the Indigenous angle, you've got the team at Griffin, who's website proudly claims to 'lead the country in developing and producing great Australian stories'. And the increasingly long Short and Sweet festival.
So what about existing work? This is probably more of a concern. Last year I watched Summer of the Seventeenth Doll at Belvoir, and fell in love with the play that had seemed fairly boring to me in high school. It was especially refreshing to hear the Aussie accent used in its appropriate setting, rolling over words like 'bloke', 'blue' and 'up North'. (Not that I'm criticising the artistic choice of many local directors to insist upon their actors using their natural voices but it don't always work so good, eh). What I like (now) about Doll is that there's a desperation to the characters - a little of the Aussie battler in all of them. Interestingly, though set in Melbourne (or Sydney depending on the version), I can't help but picture Pearl, Olive, Emma and Roo in an outback town; the dusty streets, the single pub, the falling down shack of a house. But probably the strongest pangs are drawn in picturing those 16 kewpie dolls, with their hideously made-up plastic faces, painted on hair and spiky skirts providing the poor dear with zero modesty. It's been successful in that it is part of the school curriculum, but it really didn't come to life for me until I saw it staged. Thanks Belvoir for introducing this classic to me for a second time.
But I can't say I've seen a lot of other 'classics' from the Aussie library. There are countless Williamson's, Enright's and Nowra's that remain on my 'to do' list, and regardless of the fact I heard more about it than any other play at university, I'm still to see a production of Away, by Michael Gow. University can also be thanked for introducing me to Blackrock and Cosi, and Stephen Sewell's Sisters (which I think is sadly un-lauded) but only to scenes, rather than whole productions. I guess the lesson is that the classics don't come around too often, so make the time to see them.
And memorandum to own-personage: see more new Aussie theatre, lest it never get produced again!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Review Review - Peter Pan (Belvoir)
When I picked up our Peter Pan tickets from the Belvoir box office last night, I asked the girl behind the counter if it (the production) was any good. Dressed in a bright red Belvoir t'shirt, with a comic-strip-patterned skirt, yellow high-tops and large, red, apple earrings that perfectly matched her shirt (and lipstick), she gleefully said: "Yes! I want to see it again! And again!! And again!!!"
Quite a review! And not being one to spoil my theatrical experiences with reviews (perhaps it was silly of me to ask in the first place) I entered the theatre with some trepidation. What would Belvoir do to this children's classic?
As TimeOut Sydney says so eloquently in its review, Belvoir's production of Peter Pan "... captures the way that children dream when they play."
The corner stage was transformed into a bedroom straight out of my childhood, complete with board game classics like Mousetrap, Connect 4 and (as my partner excitedly pointed out) Test Match. Uno also made an appearance. And just like my formative years, each item in the room took on a new identity as the story unfolded. I won't share too many of the transformations here (as Lloyd Bradford Syke does in his review) because they are all the more delightful for being so unexpected, but watch for a very funny fishing rod-cum-ship's mast and the clever use of a blanket to represent water (haven't we all dreamt we were drowning only to find ourselves buried under the covers?). Props (in every sense of the word) to both Set Designer Robert Cousins and Director Ralph Myers for letting their imagination run wild.
And so to the cast who are given full reign to play in the space. Often I find that one or two casting choices leave me perplexed, but not so with Peter Pan. I disagree with TimeOut who suggested that Meyne Wyatt (in the title role) lets the side down - I thought he was the epitome of an adventurous boy. Dressed in his sporting attire and jumping fearlessly from one piece of furniture to the next, Wyatt brought depth to a character who is often simply thought of as merely a child. Sure, Peter never wants to grow up, but isn't there something in that idea that all adults could benefit from? He seeks out a regulator for himself and 'the boys' (a mother), and desires structure (he needs to find out what happened to Cinderella at the end of the story, for example), but refuses to be confined by the usual parameters of life - school, office, and such like. A challenging role indeed, and one which Wyatt owns.
He does, however, lose some limelight to the comedic talents of the ensemble, who steal more scenes than is usually recommended. But again, Myers allows the actors to play, rather than simply act, and this brings a sense of fun that is sometimes lacking in today's performers (particularly those working on a show that they clearly loathe). Notable mentions go to Charlie Garber as the ad-libbing Captain Hook, who "turns the pantomime up to 11" and the delightful, Harriet Dyer, whose "giggly Twins (either and/or both), sunbathing mermaid and succession of doomed pirates are unlookawayable" (well said TimeOut). I also loved (as I usually do) John Leary's performance as Nana (the dog) - very Wilfred-esque.
There were so many moments that made me smile, and even more that made me laugh out loud. But I think the main reason my cheeks ached all the way home was for the sheer brilliance of the production elements. I hope I'm not spoiling things too much by sharing that Tinkerbell is perhaps the cleverest creation, in that she appears as flashing lights, darting across the room to the sound of bells rung by the cast. Congrats to Damien Cooper, Lighting Designer, for realising this tricky character so effectively.
As Tomas Boot explains on theatrepeople.com.au, "this is inventive theatre at its best, with director Ralph Myers crafting a taut and hilarious work... The delight comes not just from the comedic ensemble, but the ingenuity of the entire machine, as it were."
In some ways it was made all the more joyous an experience as it was the first time we (my partner and I) had taken his mother to this beautiful little Surry Hills space. Needless to say, she loved it. Wept tears of joy, in fact, a phrase I don't believe I've ever had the pleasure of needing to write before.
I simply cannot wait to see it again! And again! And again!!!
Quite a review! And not being one to spoil my theatrical experiences with reviews (perhaps it was silly of me to ask in the first place) I entered the theatre with some trepidation. What would Belvoir do to this children's classic?
As TimeOut Sydney says so eloquently in its review, Belvoir's production of Peter Pan "... captures the way that children dream when they play."
The corner stage was transformed into a bedroom straight out of my childhood, complete with board game classics like Mousetrap, Connect 4 and (as my partner excitedly pointed out) Test Match. Uno also made an appearance. And just like my formative years, each item in the room took on a new identity as the story unfolded. I won't share too many of the transformations here (as Lloyd Bradford Syke does in his review) because they are all the more delightful for being so unexpected, but watch for a very funny fishing rod-cum-ship's mast and the clever use of a blanket to represent water (haven't we all dreamt we were drowning only to find ourselves buried under the covers?). Props (in every sense of the word) to both Set Designer Robert Cousins and Director Ralph Myers for letting their imagination run wild.
And so to the cast who are given full reign to play in the space. Often I find that one or two casting choices leave me perplexed, but not so with Peter Pan. I disagree with TimeOut who suggested that Meyne Wyatt (in the title role) lets the side down - I thought he was the epitome of an adventurous boy. Dressed in his sporting attire and jumping fearlessly from one piece of furniture to the next, Wyatt brought depth to a character who is often simply thought of as merely a child. Sure, Peter never wants to grow up, but isn't there something in that idea that all adults could benefit from? He seeks out a regulator for himself and 'the boys' (a mother), and desires structure (he needs to find out what happened to Cinderella at the end of the story, for example), but refuses to be confined by the usual parameters of life - school, office, and such like. A challenging role indeed, and one which Wyatt owns.
He does, however, lose some limelight to the comedic talents of the ensemble, who steal more scenes than is usually recommended. But again, Myers allows the actors to play, rather than simply act, and this brings a sense of fun that is sometimes lacking in today's performers (particularly those working on a show that they clearly loathe). Notable mentions go to Charlie Garber as the ad-libbing Captain Hook, who "turns the pantomime up to 11" and the delightful, Harriet Dyer, whose "giggly Twins (either and/or both), sunbathing mermaid and succession of doomed pirates are unlookawayable" (well said TimeOut). I also loved (as I usually do) John Leary's performance as Nana (the dog) - very Wilfred-esque.
There were so many moments that made me smile, and even more that made me laugh out loud. But I think the main reason my cheeks ached all the way home was for the sheer brilliance of the production elements. I hope I'm not spoiling things too much by sharing that Tinkerbell is perhaps the cleverest creation, in that she appears as flashing lights, darting across the room to the sound of bells rung by the cast. Congrats to Damien Cooper, Lighting Designer, for realising this tricky character so effectively.
As Tomas Boot explains on theatrepeople.com.au, "this is inventive theatre at its best, with director Ralph Myers crafting a taut and hilarious work... The delight comes not just from the comedic ensemble, but the ingenuity of the entire machine, as it were."
In some ways it was made all the more joyous an experience as it was the first time we (my partner and I) had taken his mother to this beautiful little Surry Hills space. Needless to say, she loved it. Wept tears of joy, in fact, a phrase I don't believe I've ever had the pleasure of needing to write before.
I simply cannot wait to see it again! And again! And again!!!
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