2015 Adelaide Cabaret Festival – Michael Griffiths in Cole

Michael Griffiths in the stage performance of Cole at the 2015 Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Image: Nicholas Purcell.

Definitely De-Lovely by Linh

Cole is a creative collaboration between Adelaideans, singer-musician Michael Griffiths and pianist-composer-writer Anna Goldworthy, which has resulted in a brilliant show full of heart and soul set to the songs by American composer and lyricist Cole Porter. The use of Porter’s first name in the show’s title demonstrates a more personable account of the talented composer and a very intimate delivery of his songs. The show is just as much about Porter’s private life as it is about his popular songs and Broadway musical successes.

Cole is a beautifully crafted show with Griffiths embodying the persona of Cole Porter throughout the show, as though the real Porter was on stage. There is only Griffiths on stage with a piano and his walking stick, for the entire show.

Griffiths speaks in a manner as witty as Porter’s lyrics and in a tone as marvellous as Porter’s melodies. Porter’s stage musical successes and most intimate yet publicised aspects of his private life are used as a narrative structure for the show. Porter recounts these moments and speaks briefly of his thoughts and feelings before breaking into song. Porter’s songs are interwoven into the show to connect audiences with his public-self, and give a glimpse of his private-self. The songs are the heart of the show as they not only display Porter’s dazzling gift of musicality but also reveal elements of himself in the songs.

Griffiths is excellent and believable as Porter in voice, song and mannerisms. His slight hobbling on the walking stick as he moves onto the stage towards the piano is referenced later in the show. Griffith’s powerful delivery of more than a dozen songs including ‘Anything Goes’, ‘It’s De-Lovely’, ‘I Love Paris’, ‘What Is This Thing Called Love?’, ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ had the audience in raptures. His humour and playfulness while singing ‘Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall In Love’, ‘Let’s Misbehave’, ‘Always True To You In My Fashion’ were a joy to behold. He encouraged and led audience participation for a sing-along of the chorus in the song ‘Another Op’nin’, Another Show’ which was a fun and engaging experience. Audiences were nodding and smiling at the Adelaide cultural references in the song ‘You’re The Top’ with frog cakes, Fruchocs, the quaint rotunda in Elder Park and pie floater mentioned.

Goldworthy deserves much praise for writing the script and arranging the music. Her use of the biographic information to nuance the    songs and musical arrangement are masterfully accomplished.

Cole works well as an introduction to Porter’s songs for the uninitiated and as a pleasurable treat for Porter fans who have loved his work for many years. Porter’s wife Linda and his alleged lover Boris are mentioned throughout as they had a major role in shaping his 
career and the ambiguity of his personal life. Cole reminds us of how exhilarating and timeless Porter’s songs remain and the sophistication of the lyrics and music has eclipsed and surpassed many of those that came afterwards.

2014 Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival

Cabaret Companion by Linh

The Adelaide Cabaret Festival has a younger sister festival called the Cabaret Fringe, where anything goes anywhere! This independent arts festival is a creative brainchild of brothers Paul and Adam Boylon with Jay Robinson in 2008, and has expanded to become a companion cabaret alternative to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

The cabaret culture and music is celebrated in the same way with a diverse array of artists performing in Adelaide during June but there are points of difference. Firstly, most of the venues for Cabaret Fringe are smaller and informal, therefore enhancing the intimacy and participation experience for the performers and audiences. Secondly, the Cabaret Fringe is more risqué and more than cliché with their performances that push the boundaries of musical conventions, also using music and song to comment on social/political issues in a tongue-in-cheek manner.

The Adelaide Cabaret Fringe has more than thirty cabaret acts throughout June with local and national artists providing more than burlesque in bow ties and black hats. This year’s programme has some unexpected surprises that do not fit the usual mould of cabaret as it is the eclectic nature of cabaret that encourages variety and something different.

The local artists at Cabaret Fringe include Megan Doherty in Dirty Thirty, Zephyr Quartet, Jamie Jewell as Candy Chambers in 50 Forever and Hew Parham in Giovanni’s Buono Voyago Fiesta. Interstate artists include Joanne Sutton in Fill Her Up, Selina Jenkins as Beau Heartbreaker and Amy Bodossian in Salvation Amy.

There is something different to tempt everyone at the 2014 Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival and is certain to put a smile on your face and keep it there after the show ends.

2014 Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival details:

Where:

La Boheme, Adelaide Town Hall, Ayers House, Hartley Playhouse, Nexus Cabaret, The Star Theatres, The Blue Bee Room, The Popeye, The Promethean, The Soul Box, The Whitmore Hotel, The Marion Bowling Club and The Alliance Francaise

When:

1 - 29 June 2014.

Tickets:

Price varies for each performance.

There is no physical Box Office for the Adelaide Cabaret Fringe Festival to buy or collect tickets.

Book online for individual shows via the ‘Shows and Tickets’ tab http://www.cabaretfringefestival.com/shows-2/

Contact the Cabaret Fringe team if experiencing problems ordering tickets online

Email: info@cabaretfringefestival.com

Telephone: 08 82430001

Mobile Phone: 0406 980 962

Please Note: There may be problems when ordering tickets on mobile devices such as iPads or other tablets so the Cabaret Fringe team recommends using a laptop or desktop computer.

This is due to the possible incompatibility of some browsers with the online ticketing system for the Cabaret Fringe.

*All details are correct at the time of publishing.

2014 Adelaide Cabaret Festival

2014 Adelaide Cabaret Festival artistic director Kate Ceberano and some of her partners-in-crime. Image: Facebook.

Creative Criminals by Linh

The Adelaide Cabaret Festival is the largest cabaret festival in the southern hemisphere and has evolved to become bigger, bolder and more brilliant than before. It is also the most eclectic cabaret festival, especially with a vast array of performers this year which include familiar faces, new talent and international artists. In 2014, it will be the 14^th Adelaide Cabaret Festival and the third and final one with Kate Ceberano as Artistic Director. Kate has been a fabulous ambassador for the performing arts in Australia and overseas, so it has been a delight for Adelaideans and South Australia to have her in an integral role of bringing diverse cabaret culture and music to curious audiences. 

This year’s Cabaret Festival theme is ‘Not Your Usual Suspects’, which is a play on words and adds some mystery to the types of performances audiences may expect. According to an interview with Kate, the theme is inspired by Mark Nadler (an audience favourite from previous Adelaide Cabaret Festivals) who was heckled by an audience member and Mark replied, “Hey buddy, I’m a cabaret artist not a f***ing role model!”. It is about a mix of familiarity and the unknown, where artists who performed many times in Adelaide’s cabaret and other festivals, return with very different or more daring performances. The artists become the masters of musical disguises, so that it may take a mental shift to recognise a musical theatre artist as a country singer or a rock singer performing opera. Their talent to effortlessly move from one musical style/genre to another is so good that it’s a crime. There are the repeat offenders such as Ali McGregor, Paul Capsis, Catherine Alcorn and Libby O’Donovan. International partners-in-crime include Mark Nadler, Brian d’Arcy James, Darlene Love and Kathy Najimy. 

The Cabaret Festival is a shining example of Adelaide’s innovativeness and artistic vision as a festival city and contributes to showcasing South Australia as the Festival State. This helps to secure the talents of different artistic directors who offer their own style of fun and artistic touch to keep the Cabaret Festival vibrant and fresh. Adelaide farewells Kate Ceberano this year and welcomes Barry Humphries as Artistic Director for the 2015 Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Humphries is loved for his alter egos Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson and enjoyed for his satirical wit. His appointment is exciting for audiences and his choice of cabaret artists is highly anticipated.

2014 Adelaide Cabaret Festival details:

Where:

Festival Theatre, Dunstan Playhouse, Space Theatre, Banquet Room, Artspace Gallery, Piano Bar, Lyrics Room, Her Majesty’s Theatre

When:

6-21 June 2014.

Tickets:

Price varies for each performance.

Book in person from the Adelaide Festival Centre Box Office and all BASS outlets. BASS at the Adelaide Festival Centre is open Mon-Fri 9:00am-6:00pm.

Book by telephone through BASS on 131 246
International bookings +61 8 8205 2300
Monday to Saturday 9:00am-6:00pm (CST)

Book online for individual shows via the ‘listed events pages’ button on any event page at http://www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/adelaide-cabaret-festival/whats-on/

Please Note: A payment processing fee of 2.5% of the transaction value applies to all credit card transactions.

*All details are correct at the time of publishing.

Source:

Ceberano, K. (2014). Not Your Usual Suspects. Adelaide Festival Centre website.

http://www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/adelaide-cabaret-festival/news/listing/not-your-usual-suspects/ Accessed 5 June 2014.

The Magic Chicken; puppetry and physical comedy family theatre review

 Barnie Duncan and Trygve Wakenshaw star in the stage production The Magic Chicken. Image: Theatre Beating.

Comic Chefs by Linh

Award-winning New Zealand theatre company Theatre Beating has re-worked, re-designed and revived their original stage production The Magic Chicken for their Australian tour. The Magic Chicken was created in 2004 and toured New Zealand for a few years, receiving rave reviews. In 2014 during the school holidays, The Magic Chicken is in Australia to delight, surprise and entertain audiences from ages seven to a hundred and seven.

Barnie Duncan with Ethel the magic chicken (Oliver Smart) and her golden egg in the stage production The Magic Chicken. Image: Theatre Beating.

The Magic Chicken combines diverse styles of comedy from theatre and silent cinema; including slapstick, pantomime, puppetry and magic, with musical accompaniment by John Bell and Jeff Henderson which accentuates and compliments the actors’ gestures and emotions. This family theatre production has only a few words spoken during the entire play and is reminiscent of the physical comedy and humour of silent films featuring Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.

Barnie Duncan and Trygve Wakenshaw as the two chefs Toot and Collins with Ethel the chicken (Oliver Smart) in the stage production The Magic Chicken. Image: Theatre Beating.

In the play, two hapless and bungling chefs named Toot (Trygve Wakenshaw) and Collins (Barnie Duncan) are failing to attract customers, until a magic chicken who lays golden eggs, enters their cafe. Her name is Ethel (puppeteer Oliver Smart) and she is escaping the Evil Eric (Kai Smythe) who follows her into the café. Evil Eric fails to find Ethel and he leaves, but Ethel makes her way into the kitchen while Toot and Collins are busy preparing meals. The pair decide to adopt Ethel after growing fond of her, but a short time later, Evil Eric returns to have a meal. Hilarity ensues when the chefs attempt to save Ethel from Evil Eric as they fumble around in the kitchen, juggling pots and pans, tossing pizza dough and flour, sliding on and leaping under tables or diving in and out the oven.

Puppeteer extraordinaire Oliver Smart gives Ethel a hand backstage for the stage production The Magic Chicken. Image: Instagram.

Under the direction of Geoff Pinfield, this fifty-minute stage production is packed with visual gags, slow-motion action scenes, Drew McMillan’s magnificent score is wonderfully performed by John Bell and Jeff Henderson and the cast also give excellent performances. Trygve (pronounced Trig-vee) Wakenshaw and Barnie Duncan deftly handle all the physical comedy and their characters’ calamitous situations with aplomb; Kai Smythe is superb as the gruff and Neanderthal-like chicken-catcher Evil Eric; Ethel the chicken is endearing and plucky courtesy of the skilled hands and imagination of puppeteer Oliver Smart.

 

Kai Smythe backstage as Evil Eric for Adelaide's stage production The Magic Chicken. Image: Facebook.

The Magic Chicken is a gastro-nomic rib-tickling and laughter-inducing treat for everyone who enjoys comedy served up with brilliant comic timing and a dash of audience participation.

*Tour Details:

Where:

Adelaide season at the Dunstan Playhouse

When:

Tuesday 22 to Sunday 27 April 2014.

Two performances each day at 10am and 1pm.

Tickets:

Adults $25, Concession $22, Children $20.

Where:

Sydney season at the Sydney Opera House

When:

Wednesday 9 July to Sunday 13 July 2014.

Two performances each day at 11am and 1:30pm.

Tickets: 

Standard $30, Insiders (Sydney Opera House membership) $24.

*All tour dates and ticket prices are correct at the time of publishing.

The Rocky Horror Show - 40th Anniversary Australian Tour; rock musical comedy theatre review

Cast of The Rocky Horror Show in Adelaide for the 40th Anniversary Australian tour in 2014. Image: Jeff Busby.

Rollicking Rocky by Linh

The 40^th anniversary Australian tour of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show was astounding and the cast definitely gave audiences absolute pleasure. From Brisbane to Perth, and then Adelaide with Melbourne later in April, the stage production still excites and enthralls audiences with all the rock ‘n roll numbers, glittering gothic-inspired costumes, wildly wonderful wigs and make-up, kooky characters and some naughty adult sex humour.

Adelaide’s season of The Rocky Horror Show was blessed to have the show’s creator Richard O’Brien as the narrator, who also celebrated his birthday during his stay in the Festival State. The production is wonderfully cast and features some of Australia’s best musical theatre and cabaret performers including Craig McLachlan, Christie Whelan Browne, Tim Maddren and Erika Heynatz.

Dr. Frank N. Furter (Craig McLachlan) performs in the floor show in the stage production The Rocky Horror Show. Image: Jeff Busby.

The plot is seemingly simplistic on the surface yet has complex issues at its heart, and the stage set is minimalistic with the orchestra hidden away behind large background panels on a balcony decorated with a celluloid film strip; perhaps to hint at the stage show’s references to the 1940s Hollywood B-grade science fiction movies. Perhaps the film strip is also there to remind the theatre audience that they are watching a “fictional film” performed as a stage production, beginning with an usherette (Erika Heynatz) introducing a “film” by singing the opening number ‘Science Fiction/Double Feature’. This may be a clever metaphor by Richard O’Brien to depict the fluidity of human sexuality to be as easily interchangeable as the way viewers watch film and theatre. The “watching” concept is further complicated in the story by those who are watching, are themselves being watched, and voyeurism becomes a constant theme throughout the stage show.

Magenta (Erika Heynatz), Riff Raff (Kristian Lavercombe) and Columbia (Ashlea Pyke) begin the stripping of Brad (Tim Maddren) and Janet (Christie Whelan Browne) in the stage production The Rocky Horror Show. Image: Jeff Busby.

The Rocky Horror Show is about a young, conservative, colleague couple named Brad Majors (Tim Maddren) and Janet Weis (Christie Whelan Browne) who leave their town of Denton, to inform their science tutor named Dr. Everett Scott (Nicholas Christo) of their engagement. Their car gets a flat tyre during the journey so Brad and Janet walk a short distance in the rain to get help. They arrive at a spooky castle where the handyman named Riff Raff (Kristian Lavercombe), the maid Magenta (Erika Heynatz) and a groupie named Columbia (Ashlea Pyke) invite them inside to attend their master’s, Dr. Frank N Furter (Craig McLachlan), unveiling of his new creation. Brad and Janet are immediately immersed in the sexual shenanigans and liberated libidos of the castle’s unconventional residents (aliens from the planet Transsexual in the galaxy of Transylvania), who not only strip away Brad and Janet’s clothing, but also their sexual inhibitions.

Janet (Christie Whelan Browne) consents to Rocky (Brendan Irving)  touching her body and becoming intimate in the stage production The Rocky Horror Show. Image: Jeff Busby.

The cast is brilliant with every performance a standout, including O’Brien who not only narrates, but appears in cameo roles during a few scenes; McLachlan as the stilettoed and stockinged sweet transvestite from Transsexual in Transylvania, whose wicked humour and hilarious sexual euphemisms raised more laughter than eyebrows; Heynatz is gothilicious in her outfits and big wigs while belting out her songs as the maid Magenta, with equally excellent turns as the Usherette who opens and closes the show; Tim Maddern is superb as Brad Majors, who is gentlemanly and polite on the outside but is a little boy on the inside; the gorgeous Christie Whelan Browne is lovely like an American Sweetheart in her role as Janet Weis, whose rendition of ‘Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me’ is one of the highlights in the show; Kristian Lavercombe fantastically plays Riff Raff as sinister yet strangely likeable; Brendan Irving excelled as the show’s title character Rocky with his terrifically muscled and oiled body looking divine; Ashlea Pyke is fabulous as Columbia, who begins the show with the world-view of a little girl and we see her mature into a woman who understands the meaning of love.

Dr. Frank N. Furter (Craig McLachlan) sneaks into Janet's (Christie Whelan Browne) bed in the stage production The Rocky Horror Show. Image: Jeff Busby.

Dr. Frank N. Furter (Craig McLachlan) sneaks into Brad's (Tim Maddern) bed in the stage production The Rocky Horror Show. Image: Jeff Busby.

 

When Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show debuted at the London Royal Court Theatre in 1973, the topics surrounding an individual’s sexuality were largely taboo and issues of incest, infidelity and gay marriage were not part of public discourse, albeit some academics at the time attempted to give these issues a scientific explanation. Forty years later, issues of LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer) sexuality are openly discussed, accepted by most people and more individuals identify themselves as LGBTIQ. A creative work such as The Rocky Horror Show embodies all these issues and frames it in a science fiction perspective to depict how these issues were initially considered to be an oddity or something unnatural by those from the scientific realm and religious sector. 

Rocky (Brendan Irving) is the new creation of Dr. Frank N. Furter in the stage production The Rocky Horror Show. Image: Jeff Busby.

However, The Rocky Horror Show goes against the conventions of the 1970s to depict sexual liberation and freedom of sexual expression. This aligned with the sexual revolution of the 1960s-1980s that challenged traditional codes and conventions relating to sexual behaviour and interpersonal relationships in the social and political spheres of Western democracies. Perhaps the world will still be doing the ‘Time Warp’ with a ‘Sweet Transvestite’ many years from now because The Rocky Horror Show and its film adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show enlightened enough people in positions of power and influence to ensure we live in a world where all forms of sexual discrimination no longer exist.