Dybbuk

Conceived and Curated by Samara Hersch

Featuring the band Klezmania

Dramagturg – Lara Thoms

Sound Design - Marco Cher-Gibard

Lighting Design – Dans Maree Sheehan

Malthouse – The Beckett

April 12 -14 at 8pm

This evening is full of the unexpected and a marvelous opportunity to catch a unique and culturally abundant journey of storytelling with a full-bodied and resonant Jewish essence.

Proceedings open with a young man coming from the audience and briefing us about Dybbuks.  It is hard to know if he is meant to be there.   Once he is politely removed, apparently by a stage manager, Samara Hersch introduces her panel and explains that she is working towards her own unique production of The Dybbuk.   A Yiddish play; The Dybbuk premiered in Warsaw in 1920.  It is about a young bride who became possessed by the man she was meant to marry. 

As the evening proceeds the audience learns of a number of Dybbuks and perhaps experiences the presence of more than one or two.

We listen to the complex rich story of a couple of Jewish entertainers who survived Auschwitz and reinvented them selves in Australia to perform in many places including at Hepburn Springs.  This is a beautifully researched and compiled story - told with wonderful mellow clarity by Master Storyteller Arnold Zable.

Then in a kind of counter balancing act young playwright, Jessica Bellamy, tells an hysterical story of the possessing of a young contemporary Jewish bride to be.  Ms. Bellamy has a marvelous, at times, outrageous x rated sense of humor.

Michael Gawenda, a journalist presents his perspective and his son Husky delights with his song and guitar playing.

Performer and academic Yoni Prior, with splendid irony, talks to us of a time when as a young actress she worked in Melbourne’s unique and seminal Gilgul Theatre. 

The preview was evocative and rewarding (not without it’s ‘technical problems’) and glorious in its unexpected climatic finale.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)

Vladimir the Crow – Whispering Ghoul

Comedy Festival

Written and performed by Paul Bourke

Sound design by Stephen Bourke

La Mama – Courthouse

March 30 – April 10 (Last Show Sunday at 5pm)

If you are interested in clown and clowning catch this show because Paul Bourke’s clown Vladimir the Crow is stunningly unique.  He is a delightful clown, perhaps a little socially confronting at times, but very engaging and touching.  

As ghoul and ghoul whisperer, Vladimir, is sometimes dark and sinister, sometimes contortedly pathetic, sometimes charming, sometimes disarmingly close and often ridiculously funny.

Who would have thought of a ghostly ghoulish clown!   With the assistance of haunting sound by Stephen Bourke, Vladimir the Crow creates a pervading dark and mysterious atmosphere.

It is an enjoyable thought provoking show that ends on a charming and delightful note.

However for this solid little gutsy show to be really satisfying it needs the assistance of a dramaturge.  It could say more, more efficiently, be less taxing on the performer and ‘pack more punch’ for the audience with the aid of the outside eye of a director.

Because of the nature of clowning and the vulnerability of the clown, this work could do more and be sharper with a more rigidly imposed structure and clearly defined journey.

Never the less it is surprising, fun and funny and totally worth catching as a distinctively different offering for this years Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Suzanne Sandow
(For Stage Whispers)

Footnote:  Just thinking about this show this morning as I was taking an odd grey sock off the line.  Paul Bourke has also created a great little very simple, very weird sock puppet with the help of very supportive lighting.  Loved the puppet!

Sunny Ray and the Magnificent Moon - Review

Sunny Ray and the Magnificent Moon

Comedy Festival

The Famous Spiegeltent at Arts Centre Melbourne

Directed by Christian Leavesley

Dramaturgy by Casey Bennetto

11am shows until Sunday 10 April

As consummate, flexible performers Claire Bartholomew and Daniel Tobias present two well-rounded personas - Sunny Ray and Magnificent Moon, respectively. 

This show is great entertainment for - four to eight year olds and their parents and anyone who can be a big kid at heart when watching fun performances. 

Sunny Ray is a round and lively Sun.  She is very cute; in fact she perfectly pulls off the lovely innocent persona of a three year old.  Her wide-eyed innocence is charming and basic sincerity is very appealing to her audience.  She is a comforting creature of habits the perfect character for younger audience members to connect with.  And she blows bubbles to enhance the world’s atmosphere.

Magnificent Moon is the total narcissist who lives in a ‘cool atmosphere hanging out with the stars.’  His songs amuse and delight as he swivels his hips, a bit like Elvis.  With his smooth mellow vocals Magnificent Moon is a hit with older kids and Mums alike.  Quite obviously he knows all about naughtiness!

The theme and story is simple and clear.  It is basically about Sunny Ray wanting to stay up late and party – party all night.  Not such a great idea as it turns out but a perfect story for the age group.  There is lovely audience interaction through questioning from the performers.

The show contains a number of fun and funny songs boppy songs and a couple of great kids jokes.

The children in the audience, when I attended, seem to be having fun particularly a number of real littlies who were entranced and grooving along with the great music.

Another really satisfying work from Arena Theatre Company that will hopefully be around and touring for a while, so keep an eye out for it if you have missed this short season.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)

Review - Good Morning Mofo

Zoe McDonald

Good Morning Mofo

Comedy Festival

23 March to 17 April 2016

Check with the theatre for times:

http://www.thecoopersmalthouse.com.au

Malthouse has been transformed into a Comedy Hub, with an inviting relaxed ambiance, to house a number of highly recommended Festival Shows. 

In Good Morning Mofo Comedian Zoe McDonald presents a high-energy work that opens with a punch and doesn’t let up for a second.  She creates and pillories, one of those ‘good morning television shows’, through embodying a number of hysterical, beautifully drawn and skillfully embodied, characters.  

It is women’s week and the production company is taking advantage of this to highlight women’s issues and feature women - a short-lived, rare, novelty unfortunately.

Good Morning Mofo is a great fun, slick, show driven by insightful penetrating characterization.  Ms. McDonald shifts seamlessly and deftly from one wacky character to another.  I have to say my personal favorite is the tremendously enthusiastic intern who is working for free but just loving the opportunity.  There is a Les Patterson type female executive, very nauseating know-it-all make-up artist and a highly regarded egocentric anchor.

Ms McDonald wears a stylish pink suit that has an appropriate adaptability for her stable of characters.

There is audience participation – but it is fun and not too terrifying.

A lovely enjoyable show that should get heaps of  ‘bums on seats.’ 

Here’s hoping that Zoe McDonald has a very successful festival.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)