PREVIOUS AUSTRALIAN THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES, REVIEWS, STORIES AND OTHER THINGS
The
Malthouse Theatre,
in Melbourne, is one of my favourite performance venues. It has
intimate, multiple, theatres catering to a range of productions. On Saturday 17, May 2008, I was there with my friend Helen to
see "Through the looking Glass", commissioned by the Victorian Opera and Malthouse Theatre in association with Opera Australia. It was a preview with opening night scheduled for mid week.
Lionel sat down next to Helen and we immediatley engaged in conversation. He asked if we were reviewers and I replied in the negative.
We were there to just watch. Lionel prefers previews to
opening night. There is a certian expectation of rawness and then there is refining that takes the edginess off. At the end Lionel said he
liked what he saw and was looking forward to seeing it again at the opening. But he, and his coleague Tony, had to wait to tell the world after the
opening night. I am not bound by such conditions because most enterprises have no idea that I exist let alone the nature and extent of my hobbies which are amateurish.
Lionel is one of the
"Opera Boys".
The other half of the Opera Boys is Tony. Together they review selected theatrical
performances and provide a wide range of insights drawn from their experience,
work and love of the performing arts.
If you want a critique on an operatic performance, an inside story about significant operatic performances in Australia, with an international bent where appropriate, want to read the gossip, or exoand tour horizons by engaging
with Lionel and Tony, then visit
the Opera Boys.
As for "Through the Looking Glass"? Well it helps if one knows the story by Lewis Carroll, because you need to
place the performance, and characters, into some perspective. Otherwise you have no idea who they are or what they are about.
Not all of the story charcetrs are present in this production.
It is a strident and discordant creation both in terms of literature, and in this particular performance.
There is a lack of apparent melody in the songs and this overall can be
disquietening and off putting. It is a story based on childish fantasy populated by adults some of whom are villaneous in character.
The performance implies this but does not quite pull off the underlying themes of
malevolence and wierdness redolent of Lewis Carroll's thematic writing. Nonetheless it is an important contribution and is visually interesting and
full of colour and image. My favourite vision is the more traditional central portrait of Alice.
Guys and Dolls,
a more traditional musical, with songs that are melodic, is a great production.
It stars the talented Lisa McCune, Marina Prior and Ian Stenlake and the new star Shane Jacobson, of Kenny (the movie) fame.
There are other performances that add to the cast depth though none as outstanding as Ian and Shane, to my mind. Th interesting thing for me is the proposition that the stars move easily between television soapy series, and comedy,
to stage and musical performance. A very enjoyable production.
The Jersey Boys,
the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, a splendid production highly recommended.
Chicago,
it is a goodlooking, okay production but not as good as the Jersey Boys, in my opinion. (Kevin R Beck, Melbourne, Australia)
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