Review - The Waiting Room

Melbourne Theatre Company Presents:

The Waiting Room

By Kylie Trounson

Director – Naomi Edwards

Set Designer – Dayna Morrissey

Costume Designer – Chloe Greaves

Lighting Designer – Richard Vabre

Composer and Sound Designer – Russell Goldsmith

Video Designer – Michael Carmody

Cast:  Kate Atkinson, Brett Cousins, Belinda McClory, William McInnes, Sophie Ross and Greg Stone

Fairfax

15 May to 27 June 2015

If nothing more The Waiting Room is a lyrical homage by playwright Kylie Trounson to her father IVF pioneer Alan Trounson.  Our collective social history and Kylie’s personal history, in relation to the development of IVF, is placed under the microscope and framed by the music of the era.  Over all the script is drawn with sincerity and the production full of humanity.

It is a kind and generous work that looks at the good-natured openhandedness and hard working commitment of the scientists in progressing our ability to deal with infertility.  Although it touches on the down side and controversy it treads lightly there.   It is not so much a play describing conflict as a work describing the personal perseverance of a number of characters.

Relationships are tempered with sensitivity and understanding this work is way more about people than ethics.

The Waiting Room’s structure, informed by a feminine libidinal economy, is fashioned like many chains of a necklace, vignettes and scenes follow each other linking and interlinking - creating meaning.    Kylie Trounson uses a most interesting conceit of having the playwright talking to the audience as if she is still mapping out and writing the work.  This suggests an enduring control over the material and her perceptions of her own experience with in it.

The short scenes are mostly presented in quick and mostly efficient succession displaying quite some slickness in the Direction by Naomi Edwards. 

A very strong and competent troupe of actors move deftly both physically and from character to character and, in some instances, from realism to delightful and funny ‘magic realism’.

Sophie Ross plays Kylie Trounson as a comfortable and genuine young woman.  While Greg Stone morphs into a liberal, gentle and loving father with great, sense of humor in his portrayal of Alan Trounson and, charm as Eros.  

Sophie Ross and Greg Stone - photo Jeff Busby

There are memorable moments of pathos such as William McInnes shuffling around PJ’s and slippers with his back to the audience representing Carl Wood in an advanced stage of dementia.  Belinda McClory, such a consummate and strong actor, convincingly represents the heartbreak of a ravaged young woman unsuccessful in conceiving through IVF after numerous traumatizing attempts.

Much in life is unsure and much is only achieved by dogged determination.  So much has changed in the last four decades.  I remember a time when one was expected to accept ones lot in life.  When in nice middle class company a child only, ideally, came with a successful and satisfactory relationship.  When everyone seem to be desperately trying not to get pregnant.  But science, feminism and perceived individual rights have changed all of that.

There are some fabulous laughs pertinent to the era that is being examined and heaps to think about in this satisfying production.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)

Review - Timeshare

Malthouse Theatre Presents

Timeshare

By Lally Katz

Direction - Oliver Butler

Set and Costume Design – Dale Ferguson

Lighting Design – Paul Jackson

Sound Design and Composition – Jethro Woodward

Choreography – Bec Reid

Cast:  Fayssal Bazzi, Marg Downey, Brigid Gallacher and Bert LaBonte

23 April – 17 May

This ridiculously funny work, riddled with cliché and infused with strange surrealist unreality and imagery, was enthusiastically received on opening night.

Mother Sandy (Marg Downey) and Daughter Kristy (Brigid Gallacher) are at a non-specific resort, somewhere on the International Date Line in the Pacific, having their own generic holiday.  They seem happy enough but are both experiencing niggling problems and dissatisfactions.  The infinity swimming pool is empty.  Sandy seems to be wearied by the perpetual badgering, to buy a timeshare, by Gary the annoying resort manager, played superbly by Bert LeBonte.   Kristy, disappointed by her dismal failure to achieving a holiday romance, continues to foist herself on a completely disinterested tour guide, Juan Fernando, played with gusto and excellent comic timing by Fayssal Bazzi.

Brigid Gallacher and Marg Downey - Jeff Busby

Comparing this whimsical comedy with fanciful very early works from the extensive and varied Katz Canon the most significant difference is that Timeshare contains more coherently expressed meaning/message.  This comparison highlights how far Katz has come in the last decade and an half as a developing/maturing playwright. 

Timeshare is a well-crafted, funny and weirdly quirky work that surprises with a compelling exposition.  This is unanticipated and gratifying as it adds rich dimension to a kooky but already satisfying work.  The whole, with all its anomalies, is well honed together and effectively and efficiently managed by Director Oliver Butler.  There can be no doubt that he gets Katz’s fleeting imagination and entrancingly light touch.

Fayssal Bazzi and Marg Downey - Jeff Busby

However on two or three occasions there are some dull and possibly unresolved moments where everything seems lose drive and become static.  These moments could be justified within the overall rickety reality but they do allow for slippage in attention.

Marg Downey and Bert LeBonte -Jeff Busby

Marg Downey manages a difficult role capably and convincingly.   Brigid Gallacher shines and elicits much laughter in her contrasting roles of dutiful and somewhat long suffering daughter Kristy and passionate and ambitious dancer Maria.  Fayssal Bazzi is fabulous as Juan the Latin tour guide but not quiet as convincing as Gary, Sandy’s straight and well-meaning son.  All performers are required to have their characters waft away into light and lyrical song.  All the singing is enjoyable but Bert Le Bonte’s voice enchants.

Music by Jethro Woodward is great and Dale Ferguson’s set allows for all the changes and nuances of atmosphere that are skillfully achieved by Paul Jackson’s enriching lighting design.

Great fun – a really enjoyable production.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)

Review - Cautionary Tales for Children

Cautionary Tales for Children

Based on the verse of Hilaire Belloc

Arena Theatre for the Comedy Festival

Performer – Virginia Gay

Music and Piano – Mark Jones

Speigeltent – Arts Centre

Season ended

 

Photo - Jolyon James

Cautionary Tales for Children is a wonderfully dark and ironic, lively vibrant work.  This staged performance, based on the verse of Hilaire Belloc, is beautifully rendered by Arena Theatre and performed with entertaining aplomb by Virginia Gay, with Mark Jones on the Piano.  There is never a dull moment as one segment just flows into the next.

In one sense Cautionary Tales for Children is a museum piece as Belloc’s verse was written in 1909.  The set made up of metal edged glass cabinets filled with curios, many of them preserved in jars, seems like a sort of quirky private museum with a slightly gothic feel.   Everything is inclined to teeter a bit and feels a bit unstable – adding to the magic.

One would expect this old material to be dated, but Gay’s rendering is not in the least bit quaint - it is bold, engaging and very funny.   She sparkles as she commands her audience with warmth and humour, and channels Belloc, singing her way through stories of poorly behaved children who come to very sticky/nasty ends. 

There was barely a restless moment.  This is perhaps surprising as it is a sophisticated work based on material containing complex and challenging vocabulary - that mercifully has not been patronizingly dumbed down.     

Consummate performer Gay has such a grand control of her material.  She appears to be having the best time in performance and uses her singing voice, with its impressive range, to great effect.  She displays a very quick wit and is able to divert from the scripted to improvise in conversation with the children in the audience.

According to my 7 year old plus one the ventriloquists dummy really is a bit scary – if you are a kid anyway.

For the more sensitive child Gay’s wacky Bellocian character could be a bit daunting which leaves me wondering if the seating arrangement of kids on cushions in the front below such a formidable force is really the best way to go.  Cushions imply safety and comfort and looking up to a standing actor, who is elevated could be a little overwhelming.   Whereas from the more evenly balanced position of being placed opposite, sitting on a chair, for a child, may feel more secure and comfortable.

This work is so fabulous and fun I imagine it could have new incarnations for a several more very successful seasons.  It would make a great touring piece for school holiday sessions in regional and rural towns.

Rush to it if a chance comes up.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)

Review - I Call my Brothers

Melbourne Theatre Company Education Presents:

I Call My Brothers

By Jonas Hassen Khemiri

Translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles

Cast

Ahlem - Alice Ansara

Amor – Osamah Sami

Shavi – Ray Chong Nee

Valeria – Joana Pires

Production

Director – Nadja Kostich

Set and Costume Designer – Marg Horwell

Lighting Designer – Rachel Burke

Composer and Sound Designer – Darrin Verhagen

Video Designer – Michael Carmody

Stage Manager – Vivienne Pozanski

Southbank Theatre, The Lawler

16 April to 1 May 2015

Regional Tour

4 May to 18 May 2015

I Call My Brothers is an intelligent, probing and poetic work that explores some of the rippling shock waves resulting from an inner city bombing.  It is superbly presented with all aspects woven together to create complex tapestry.   Layer on layer of story un-folds through the unreliable perceptions, of the main protagonist Amor (Osamah Sami), gradually informing the audience.  It feels like a rich rewarding journey of chasing, sometimes fleeting, meaning and is full of revelation.

This is the sort of satisfying Theatre that works the audience’s intellect, perceptions and emotions all at the one time.  It moves swiftly and efficiently and is not needlessly didactic or overtly literal but is primarily thought provoking.

As Theatre in Education the high caliber of the material can only be good for Secondary Schools Students and a ‘God Send’ for Teachers.  There are many issues and points of entry for Students.  Pertinent contemporary concerns are highlighted such as generational trauma, terrorism, suicide bombing, grief, alienation, friendship and psychological well-being.

The interactive set by Marg Horwell amongst other things serves as a metaphor for the main protagonist Amore’s mind.  And Horwell’s costuming is fittingly indicative and somewhat abstract.    Lighting (Rachel Burke) enhances scenes and atmospheres wonderfully.

Photo - Jeff Busby

Sound and composition by Daniel Verhagen is rich and varied.  It creates atmosphere and enhances the sense of journey of the whole. 

The actors Alice Ansara, Osamah Sami, Ray Chong Nee and Joana Pires work as an efficient, energetic and focused ensemble to serve the piece admirably.  Sami as Amor impressively plainly and clearly conveys his character’s messed up journey.

As director Nadja Kostich excels in bringing all elements together to allow for nuance.  She has the considerable advantage of working with a very seasoned production team.   Most significantly it is the commitment, comfort and clarity that the actors communicate with, that endorses her work as Director.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)