Review - Michael James Manaia

45 Downstairs in association with Melbourne Festival presents

Taki Rua Productions

Michael James Manaia by John Broughton
Directed by Nathaniel Lees, Performed by Te Kohe Tuhaka, Set Design – Daniel Williams, Lighting Design – Lisa Maule, Sound Design – Maaka McGregor

Michael James Manaia is a spirited work of compassionate humanity exquisitely presented by a real tour de force in actor Te Kohe Tuhaka.  

This flawless, strikingly lit (Lisa Maule) work on a simple, practical and evocative set (Daniel Williams), places the actor in an environment where he can uncomplicatedly recount the early and maturing years of a pretty normal Maori bloke. This aspect of the work is lengthy, though engaging and spirited, importantly it frames the shattering contrast and desperately dark experience of Michael James Manaia as a soldier in Vietnam.  From whence he returns an altered, and yes, irreparably damaged human being.

This is a very forthright experience there is no irony of hindsight clouding the information or ambiguity teasing the audience.  The actor, in action, has obviously been cocooned in character by way the work is written (John Broughton) and the Direction (Nathaniel Lees).  Te Kohe Tuhaka does not specifically address the audience or seek pity or understanding.  His story is presented with a kind of neutrality and purity of purpose. He commences the whole with a prayer and concludes the experience with a spiritual cleansing with water to dispel any demonic influences from the evoked horrors of war.

With graphics of Vietnam and particularly the famous photo of the naked girl running in the street, as backdrop prior to the commencement, there can be no doubt from the onset what is to be expected.  Michael James Manaia’s generation was a generation barely separated from the Second World War by virtue of their parent’s experience of it and then they were fed into the Vietnam War and shocking neglected on their return.  And in Australia it has only really been in the last decade that they have found any significantly recognized voice.  And I assume this is much the case in New Zealand.  This work is a strong elucidating worthwhile addition to our understanding of the mostly hidden experience of the Vietnam Viet’s. 

I found myself impatient for a more biting experience as I was watching Manala’s early life unfold and was hungry for irony or some separation of actor from character and a more visceral connection. The visceral connection, with stunning use of sound (Maaka McGregor) does come but never the irony just the brutal experiences, as undergone, recounted.  To me the early part of the work is lengthy and the war experiences truncated by contrast.  However in discussions after the performance I learned that others had completely contrasting experiences and just loved the passionate expressive young man portrayed with energy and exuberance and very happy did without a meta-narrative.

On opening night Te Kohe Tuhaka received a standing ovation and this work is comparable to the already ended No Child as a strong energetic one-person narrative that has the potential to deeply move.

Suzanne Sandow

Review - After Life

After Life

Michel van der Aa (Netherlands)

Composer, Stage Director, Video Script and Direction – Michel van der Aa

Performers:  Roderick Williams, Richard Suart, Marijje van Stralen, Margriet van Reisen,Yannick-Muriel Noah and Helena Rasker

Conductor - Wouter Padberg

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Technical Production Development – Frank van der Weij

Costume Designer – Robby Duiveman

Melbourne International Festival

Regent Theatre

11-13 October 7.30pm

As a semi-staged contemporary opera, about the gravitas we as individuals place on what we deem to be significant memories at the unraveling end of corporal inhabitation, After Life is an uncomfortable, yet gratifyingly challenging, offering.  It is an individual journey that although not without humor and lyricism requires patience and a contemplative approach to be satisfyingly engaging and inspiring.  

The story is of what happens to three people in the three or so days after their deaths, when they are accommodated in a state of limbo in the care of staff, Sarah (Marijje van Stralen) and Aiden (Roderick Williams), at a way station.   And there they are required to choose a memory to have with them to be able to move forward.   Whilst performers are grappling with these individual characters journeys; projected on two rear screens are various groupings of objects and furniture like those in an auction rooms from deceased estates and, at times throughout, the very genuine faces of actual people telling the stories of their own most significant memories.  These non-actors bring a beautiful heightened sincerity to the work.

The musical composition is heavily influenced by modern masters such as Stravinsky, Shostakovich and Schoenberg to bring to the ear what it sounds like.  The score though lyrical at times has an atonal not fully completed quality about it and the libretto is often startlingly simple, almost simplistic - adding another dimension of sparseness.  Thus – ‘space’ is ideally left to ponder the pivotal question of which single memory from ones life would one want to be able to access when dead - bringing to the fore what has been most important to us, as individuals, in our especially individualistic contemporary lives.

Well surely this type of challenging fare is what Arts Festivals are all about!

Note:  Do read the synopsis in the program before the work commences or you could seriously flounder and loose the will to persevere.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)

Review - A Guide to Unhappiness

A Guide to Unhappiness

Written and performed by Sunny Leunig and Jono Burns

Music Performed by Sara Retallick, Directed by Anne Browning, Produced by Kylie Risson 

The Loft

Lithuanian Club Errol Street North Melbourne

9 to 13 October 6.45

This delightful funny and moving fifty-minute performance comes highly recommended by me as fully entertaining, lyrical, funny and perceptive.  It could be equally at home in the Comedy Festival as the Fringe.

The show opens with a family film projected onto a sheet then the lively Jono Burns introduces Sunny Leunig with energetic enthusiasm and then Burns introduces Sara the Magician’s assistant.  She is then, astonishingly, cut in half by Leunig.  Sara Retallick presents as a dour young woman (sad sack Sara) as an amusingly contrasting foil when required and then works as the main musician.

Although the overall narrative, a personal story from Leunig, has a profound universality about it, there are some thin moments and comments that come across as glib adlibbing that could be more carefully scripted.

Directed with a very competent and even hand by Anne Browning it does slump a little in energy and focus at times.  It is not perfectly tuned like a performance by Ms Browning or her partner Peter Houghton.  This I sense is more due to the relaxed (generational) attitude of the performers than the expectations of a director.  Primarily it is an opportunity for the three young talented and experienced, but as yet not particularly disciplined, performers to further explore the heady complexities of working with an audience.  Having said that I also want to say their work is lovely.

There is much magic in Guide to Unhappiness as well as serendipity and syncopation in the story and performed magic by Sunny Leunig who is without question an interesting young person.  Mostly this magic is surprising and stunning with the exception of some clumsy work early on that could be put down to nerves.  As for costume (Chloe Greaves) Leunig’s pants could be a bit more stylish. There are some delightful effects such as the projection of images on a suitcase lid (Joseph Leunig Noster) and the set prop of a tarot card.

My criticisms are superficial and designed to be helpful. 

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)

Response - Kodo & Taikoz In Concert

Kodo & Taikoz

In Concert

Featuring Riley Lee shakuhachi

National Tour

Melbourne, Presented by Taikoz and Arts Centre Melbourne

Hamer Hall – 24 September 7.30

Kodo & Taikoz In Concert is a generous rousing and very powerful experience.  Vigorous and energetic drummers engage fully with the Taiko (drums) and joyfully with each other to wholesomely entertain.  There is not one beat out of place.

Very enthusiastically received by the audience this amazing concert is the amalgam of many years of cultural exchange and development between the Japanese Taiko playing ensemble Kodo and Australian ensemble Taikoz.  Surprisingly approximately a third of each of these cohorts of musicians is female.

Like the ambient heat of a log fire the drumming penetrates ones whole body through to the bones and marrow and can be experienced as purging and spiritual.  This, at times thunderous, drumming is complemented by beautiful ethereal bamboo flute, harp, marimba and most particularly the haunting shakuhachi.  There is much variety through out the evening.  And amongst other things it is a wonderful chance to catch Reilly Lee’s masterful shakuhachi playing.

After interval is a haunting song by Riley Lee called Passing through Tears of Nectar that is exquisitely arranged by Lee and Ian Cleworth, to memorable effect. 

Through out the evening I closed my eyes several to be able to really listen and was amazed by the complexity of the percussive compositions. 

One suggestion although looking very like a glossy marketing tool programs are probably a must to buy a the beginning of the performance to be versed in what to expect and have an awareness of the cultural and spiritual dimensions implicit in the individual pieces.  My appreciation at the time would have been enhanced by having the program I procured at the end of the evening with me from the beginning of the evening.

A rich, fascinating and rewarding evening.

Suzanne Sandow
(For Stage Whispers)

Review - Diabolica Jones

Drop Bear Theatre

Presents

Daibolica Jones

Written by Anna Held

The cast: Diabolica Jones: Pier Carthew, Sharon: Sarah Lockwood, Carol: Carolyn Ramsey

24 – 26 September 11am and 1.30pm

Kingston Arts Centre – Moorabbin

I was lucky enough to, almost accidentally, catch a preview of this charming show for young people. 

Diabolica Jones, the play, is a spirited and intriguing work, full of imaginative connections and flights of fancy and presented with sparkling fresh energy.

Three actors one male and two females traverse from day to day office life to the induced fantasy world of, the character, Diabolica Jones.  There several nail biting events are energetically enacted.  Explored are tricky, tenuous relationships and the humdrum of day-to-day existence - juxtaposed with an extravagant fantasy world.  In this imagined world amazing, if not a little unsuccessful and bemusing events, that enhance self-esteem, satisfyingly, happen.

I guess the shows message is that it is way better to try something and not be great at it than just to do the same old – same old and be boring and shy.   

The work is beautifully performed and the title role is filled by a fabulously quirky and kind of smallish but lanky actor Peir Carthew. 

I laughed and had a great time at this preview, which was generously presented in the humble Sunday School Hall of the Old Arts Centre in Kyneton.  There I imagined how excellent the work will look and feel when presented in the more lavish and supportive environment of the Kingston Arts Centre.

Well worth catching with a 4 to 10 year old in the next couple of days as light and lively holiday entertainment.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)