Review - De Stroyed

De Stroyed

Based on a number of books and writings by Simone de Beauvoir including La Femme rompue/The Woman Destroyed.

Director/Co-creator – Suzanne Chaundy

Performer/Co-creator – Jillian Murray

Video Artist – Zoe Scoglio

Composer – Christopher de Groot

Production Manager/Lighting Designer – Andy Turner

Stage Manager – Lachlan O’Connor

AV Technician – Andre Vanderwert

45 Downstairs

16 – 27^th May 2018

Jillian Murray and Suzanne Chaundy have created a beautifully refined work based on their personal responses to some of the acute realizations of Simone de Beauvoir as expressed through her writing.   The themes seem, most pertinently, about the deep pain of betrayal in a marriage and some shifts in sense of personal power and vulnerability experienced through aging.   

Video Artist Zoe Scoglio and Composer Christopher de Groot sensitively and expertly support Murray’s delivery of the text.  Through video Murray’s face is penetratingly examined again and again.  This metaphorically mirrors the way Beauvoir examined her own thoughts, emotions and understandings. 

De Stroyed is staged as a static work dependent on the beautifully modulated and very clear vocal skills of Murray and the projected images on the simple white screens that surround her.  These could be viewed as the empty white pages of a book.

De Stroyed will probably be best appreciated by audiences who have some knowledge of Beauvoir, arguably one of the most brilliant Philosophers of the 20^th century.  However my plus one thoroughly enjoyed this production as a tantalizing introduction to her writing and is now very keen to read more.

At the very least this engrossing work pays rich homage to Simone de Beauvoir and her life examined.  It offers devotees of, and those interested in, this extraordinary woman, a very fine opportunity to reflect on some of her profound and illuminating insights.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)

Review - The Bleeding Tree

The Bleeding Tree

Written by

Angus Cerini

Director - Lee Lewis

Composer - Steve Toulmin

Designer - Renée Mulder

Lighting Designer - Verity Hampson

Cast

Paula Arundell, Brenna Harding, Sophie Ross

Fairfax Studio

15 – 19 May 2018

At the heart of The Bleeding Tree is the question of why, as neighbours and friends, do we turn a blind eye to the perpetration of domestic violence.  It is an extraordinary work of ‘high art,’ with rich integrity.  Superb craftsmanship is skillfully fused together by Director Lee Lewis.

The Bleeding Tree commences with an abrupt change of atmosphere, brutally, bringing the audience into the pitiless world of a desperate story.

I’m not giving away any secrets by quoting the press release:  “The only issue now is disposing of the body.”  This tells us there has been a death, but what happens next is pretty wild, wacky and unexpected.  The production is darkly imbued with an Australian Gothic sensibility. 

Three women portray, a Mother (Paula Arundell), and, her two daughters (Brenna Harding and Sophie Ross) who live on a desolate and fairly isolated country property.  We witness a grim and gruesome incident perpetrated by the Mother.   Subsequently as events unfold we better understand the cause and the overall situation.   We are perhaps not inclined to judge, as there seems to be, little room, or need, for remorse or regret.

The story is told partly through the stilted personal language of the three women and partly through the voices of visiting neighbours.   The girl’s responses to, and sharp asides about, these intrusions, are very telling.

Writer Angus Cerini’s poetic language, that at times even rhymes, does much to create atmosphere and convey the intimacy of the relationship between the three.  When just talking amongst themselves they use a kind of stilted abbreviated language.   This also suggests isolation.   Indeed, these three women have been isolated by a powerful, controlling man.

The acting is superb and all three actors are deeply convincing as they represent the essence of what it is to be relentlessly tormented and afraid of ferocious violence. 

Each also takes on personas of visiting men to startling effect.  Paula Arundell most particularly displays extraordinary vocal versatility in speaking as a rough but caring bloke.  It is easy to she why she is a Helpmann recipient for this performance.  She shines but so do Harding and Ross as they very convincingly embody young girls.

Cerini’s words paint strikingly vivid and memorable visual imagery.

Lighting (Verity Hampson) at times bright and at others shadowy endows the story with added dimension.

Designer Renee Mulder has stripped everything back.   The three actors work on a bare stage, which is partially raised in tiers and painted with a floral carpet like design.  The costuming feels timeless and is perhaps indicative of the 1950s or 60s or 80s.   The two young girls have that grubby look of neglected or indeed abused children.

Sound (Steve Toulmin), at first deeply disturbing and insidious white noise, is later used in various ways to assist in creating assorted atmospheres and imagery.

As I watched I was continually referring to my memories of Cerini’s work Animals, Directed by Susie Dee and presented in November 2016 at Theatre Works.  Both are extraordinary pieces of Theatre that very bravely explore issues around the social problem of domestic abuse.

An extraordinary work for six voices - or three voices, six characters that are richly embodied in this marvelous production. 

Strong and timely.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)

Review - Wild

Melbourne Theatre Company Presents

Wild

By

Mike Bartlett

Director – Dean Bryant

Set Designer – Andrew Bailey

Costume Designer – Owen Philips

Lighting Designer – Ross Graham

Composer and Sound Designer – Sydney Millar

Cast

Andrew – Nicholas Denton

Woman – Anna Lise Phillips

Man – Toby Schmitz

Southbank Theatre, The Sumner

5 May – 9 June 2018

Wild is a fresh, clever, pacey, engrossing work.  In fact you don’t know what has hit you when you walk out of the auditorium.

As a probe of the public/private realm, that highlights just how vulnerable we are to scrutiny in all aspects of our lives, it is very timely.  It suggests that even those of us who have lived only a small percentage of our lives on/with social media are still vulnerable to not having the luxury of keeping any dark secrets in the proverbial closet.

As theatre audiences we are privileged to get to see Mike Bartlett’s work.  His play Cock was produced by MTC in 2014 and more recently by Bakers Dozen (Directed by Ben Ho) earlier this year.  And Bartlett’s Oliver Award winning play King George III about Prince Charles ascension to the throne, complete with ghost of Princess Diana, was given an airing in Sydney by STC in 2016.

Cock it is about identity and how identity is influenced by environment and in relation to others.  Wild explores the shattering of identity due to the destabilizing of the structures constitute society.

Andrew (Nicholas Denton) has the appearance and demeanor of a kind of everyman.   He is portrayed as a person who, seemingly with out guile, blew a whistle on corruption that in turn released Government secrets - like Edward Snowden.  The subsequent fallout is frightening.  Andrew is rendered stateless and bailed up in a generic hotel room in Moscow.  We witness is his destabilizing by two ‘secret agent types’ Woman (Anna Lise Phillips) and Man (Toby Schmitz).  These characters are confusing and disturbing particularly because of the way they talk about themselves and how their stories change.

Andrew’s total vulnerability is palpable.  Yet we feel, not so much for him, but for ourselves as we watch him try to grapple with his drastically changed circumstances.   Having ruptured reality, by exposing some of the fundamental travesties that underpin the mechanics of society as we have constructed it, any reliable framework has been smashed for Andrew.

As Man, Schmitz, with the help of a wacky hair-do, has developed the most marvelously sinister character with indications of ominous power and shifty danger.   Phillips as Woman is no less engaging.   Her energy, commitment and focus does much to drive the performance forward as it twists back on its self and confounds.

Ultimately nothing is as it seems and we, almost too fully, experience Andrews wrenching disassociation.

In many ways Dean Bryant makes the perfect Director for Wild however I feel the obvious is overstated at times.  For example Andrew’s helplessness is highlighted in the middle of the work through a naked torso.  Wild is very energetically and emphatically staged.   I wonder if, as the season progresses and the production matures, moderation in tempo and intensity will heighten clarity.

The set with evocatively strange vivid colouring is designed by Andrew Bailey and enhanced by the shades in the costumes (Owen Phillips) and beautifully lit by Ross Graham.  And sound Design by Sidney Miller is marvelously subtle and atmospheric.

It is such a pleasure to be an audience to actors who are not mic’d.

Pretty much as exciting as anticipated.

Very strong and intelligent theatre.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)

Review - Bliss

A Malthouse Theatre and Belvoir Production

Bliss

By

Peter Carey

Adapted for the Stage by Tom Wright

Direction – Matthew Lutton

Cast:  Marco Chiappi, Will McDonald, Amber McMahon, Charlotte Nicdao, Susan Prior, Anna Samson, Mark Coles Smith and Toby Truslove

Set and costume Design Marg Horwell

Lighting Design – Paul Jackson

Sound Design and Composition – Stefan Gregory

Stage Manager – Kristen Marr

Merlyn Theatre

4 May – 2 June 2018

Bliss is a fascinating ‘look back’ at the heady days of abundance and hedonism in Sydney of the 1980’s through the sharp incisive writing of Peter Carey - filtered by way of the perceptions and dramaturgical skills of Tom Wright.   It is presented by an eclectic ensemble of versatile actors on a surprising set by Marg Horwell with exceptional Lighting (Paul Jackson) and Sound (Stefan Gregory) and highly polished by Direction by Matthew Lutton.  It is a lengthy, ambitious, keenly conceptualized and executed, hypnotic work that spans three hours including interval.

One assumes the text is pretty much completely drawn from Carey’s writing from the book of the same name, published in 1981 that won the Miles Franklin Award and the NSW Premier’s Literary Award. It flows eloquently and contains arresting imagery and marvelous smatterings of insight and indeed wisdom.

At the commencement of the performance Toby Truslove unassumingly breathes life into Carey’s words through his engaging stage presence and adroitly modulated voice. 

In contrast to my memory of Barry Otto’s shocked and startled Harry Joy from the 1987 film (Directed by Ray Lawrence and starring Barry Otto, Lynette Curren and Helen Jones), Truslove’s Joy seems to take the unsettling events in his stride as they unfold.

I can still hear Otto’s voice ringing in my ears and remember the film to be very lush and fecund.  By contrast although fecundity is mentioned a number of times in this work it is set on a stark empty revolving stage with a feature of a kind of glass house.  In this way it is Carey’s language that features and the actor’s characterization that resonate with sharp clarity.

Much emphasis falls on what was the thriving world of advertising and the exorbitant amount of money, alcohol, food, drugs, sex and general decadence and debauchery that went hand in hand with this bourgeoning industry.  Though I think it is fair to say this decadence was experienced in many walks of life in the 1980s.  Carey seems to be identifying, with at times, outrageous levity, some of the damage indulged in and perpetrated particularly on a personal level.

Although financially the bottom fell out of the 1980’s the relentless world of advertising is only partially losing its hold in present times.  Much of what is being examined seems to have become more pertinent and relevant today as we are belatedly trying to grapple with the concept of sustainability.

The casting of this stage version of Bliss is partially ethnicity, gender and age blind which adds to the over all charm of the flowing but rather epic story.  In fact nobody misses a beat.

Marco Chiappi excels, particularly as Alex, Harry’s partner in the advertising company, when accidentally institutionalized for insanity.

As Joy’s longsuffering, but not to be suppressed, wife Amber McMahon wows with energy commitment, vitality and vivaciousness.

Honey Barbara, a truly fascinating, strong and complex character, is richly fleshed out by Anna Samson.

Susan Prior plays a variety of roles with aplomb, flexibility, generosity and humour.

There are some issues with voice levels and actors projecting unnecessarily - as they are all wired for sound.  But hey that really is my only quibble.

An enriching adventure.

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)