Wednesday 29 January 2020

Dahlin! It's The Jeanne Little Show - Midsumma Festival review

There's no denying that in her heyday, Jeanne Little captivated the Australian public. So much so that in 1976, she won the Gold Logie for Most Popular Television Personality, the fifth woman to win it since the awards began in 1960. In Dahlin! It's The Jeanne Little Show, Caroline Ferguson retraces the life of this enigmatic icon with her quirky Aussie drawl and eclectic fashion to offer a look as to how her carefree and playful attitude was based on years of hard work and determination.

Ferguson is great in her impersonation of Jeanne Little with regards to her voice and appearance. Her assortment of clothing, accessories and wigs are very reminiscent of the TV darling, including her infamous garbage-bag dress. The select set pieces build on this world being presented with bright coloured items, an assortment of drinks, her "Quick Cleaning Guide" on tough spills, stains and splashes that she co-wrote with her husband, and of course, the Gold Logie.

Saturday 25 January 2020

Rust - Midsumma Festival review

It is the height of a World War and the Cote family are all too aware of the looming threat of bombings and death. On this particular evening however, it is revelations and betrayals that risk derailing the lives of these eight people. Presented as part of Midsumma Festival, TBC Theatre's immersive production Rust, lets the audience choose their own adventure by following the characters whose story they find interesting and discover which of them will live through the night. 

The most difficult aspect of immersive theatre, where you are free to wander around the venue and pursue whichever character you wish, is ensuring that whatever path the audience takes, they can still put the pieces together by the end. With Rust, creator and writer, Vaughn Rae, and co-writer Sophie Joske have carefully constructed a recognisable narrative that we can comfortably follow but with plenty of mystery and suspense that builds towards a satisfying conclusion.

Thursday 23 January 2020

The Campaign - Midsumma Festival review

It's difficult to fathom that up until 1997, being gay in Tasmania could land someone in jail for a longer term than a rapist or an armed robber. Written by Campion Decent, The Campaign covers a nine-year period during which the Tasmanian gay community battled against the Government in order to be allowed to live their lives free of persecution for no other reason than loving someone of the same sex. 

In 1988, the Tasmanian Gay Law Reform Group defied a ban at Salamanca Market that prevented them from having a stall on decriminalising sexual activity between consenting adults. This resulted in over 100 arrests and consequently led to the final push to change the Tasmanian law. Based on personal testimonies, parliamentary transcripts, media reports and archival sources from the people involved, Decent presents a script that is factual and accurate but not stuck in simply retelling the events. In 90 minutes, he finds the most relevant and pivotal moments of this crusade while giving distinctive voices to those we are introduced to, including LGBTQ rights activists Rodney Croome and Nick Toonen and politician Christine Milne, and allowing their personalities to come through.

You & I - Midsumma Festival review

Being in love can often feel like you are the only two people in the world. In You & I, real-life couple Jesse Scott and Lachlan McAulay find themselves stuck indoors due to rainy weather interrupting their plans. As they pass the time, the two playfully express the deep affection they share.

There is an undeniable chemistry between Scott and McAulay from the instant they appear on stage. There is a playful and innocent-like way in which they move and respond to each other that leads to an intimacy and trust that is very hard to depict in a performance, particularly in circus. Not only are these performers extremely good at what they do, but the depth at which they know one another allows them to execute some highly impressive acts.

The pair rely mainly on adagio and use their height difference to push how far their bodies can work together and at times, surprise us with regards to the roles they take during those acrobatic moments. Their chair stacking and balancing routine is a noteworthy example of the focus and strength that is required from them but there is a lightness to what they are doing, as if they can accomplish anything when they are united. They display a great balance of concentration and fun throughout their routines and we constantly feel welcomed to share this moment rather than standing on the outside looking in. This is also supported by McAulay's warm and cozy set design of their home.

Wednesday 22 January 2020

Queen Bette - Midsumma Festival review

The biggest bitch in Hollywood is back. Performed as part of the Midsumma Festival, Queen Bette delves into the life of film legend Bette Davis. Having had its initial development in 2014, its creators, director Peter Mountford and performer Jeanette Cronin, have refined this into a spellbinding production that gives a stirring voice to a woman that Hollywood often wished would just stay quiet and do her job.

Cronin may bare an uncanny resemblance to the movie icon, but her mannerisms and speech add to the authenticity of her portrayal that highlights Davis' fiery personality. This is further heightened when you consider that most of the dialogue was originally spoken or written by Davis, which is based on much research by its creators. In this captivating performance you can easily find yourself believing that Davis is standing right in front of you, because apart from capturing Bette Davis' eyes, Cronin also finds a way to capture her spirit and soul.

Tuesday 21 January 2020

Love By The Hour - Midsumma Festival review

In Caleb Darwent's Love By The Hour, Eve announces to her friends that she is a sex worker. She is tired of hiding it and no longer wishes to feel any shame with what she does. As she sees it, it is simply a business transaction. Until one of Eve's friends requests to book her services that leads them both to question their ideas on friendship, sex and closeness, and if it is possible to distinguish between them. 

While the script keeps its attention on Eve and Ashish, Darwent opens the conversation to issues around being trans, racism within the LGBTQ community, loneliness and the struggles that many face with accepting who they are. This makes Eve and Ashish more well- rounded and fleshed out and they become something greater than their current circumstances. This is supported by Kitt Forbes' direction where the characters express themselves through tender body language and gentle touches of physical contact.

Monday 20 January 2020

Poorly Drawn Shark - Midsumma Festival review

Between 2010 and 2015, Andrew Sutherland, an Australian, lived in Singapore where he worked as a model and actor. Ming Yang Lim moved from Singapore to Australia in 2002 to complete his schooling. In Poorly Drawn Shark, the two men open up about their lives and relationship with Singapore through some provocative and surprising storytelling.

In true colonial spirit, Sutherland's years in Singapore dominate the show as he discusses his modelling career, being gay in a country where prosecutions for consenting sex between men still occur, and his relationship with an older Singaporean man. It's fast paced, a bit of a blur and seemingly one (mis)adventure after the other, and as someone who has also lived in Asia, it's an accurate depiction of what life as a white person in an Asian country can feel like.

This Bitter Earth - Midsumma Festival review

The gay community is large and varied, and determining where exactly you belong in it is not always a simple task. In his first full-length play, This Bitter Earth, Chris Edwards presents a series of vignettes revolving around this community and how experiences within it shape who we are and how we relate to one another. The stories might not be necessarily new, but Edwards’ writing and the way in which these are depicted, brings an exciting freshness and energy to them.

This Bitter Earth opens with a young man (Matthew Predny) recalling his first gay sexual encounter. With each subsequent scene, an additional person is added so that when we reach the sixth scene, all six actors (Michael Cameron, Elle Mickel, Ariadne Sgouros, Sasha Simon, Alexander Stylianou, and Predny) are present. It's a structure that allow the stories to flow smoothly from intimate and confessional to self-regarding and exaggerated.

Friday 10 January 2020

Party Snake review

When we see drag queens perform, they are confident, loud and love being the centre of attention. But how often do we think about the person behind the wig, makeup and dazzling outfit? In Kotryna Gesait’s Party Snake, the duality of these two existences is explored as a drag queen arrives home from a night out only to begin getting ready for work that morning as a primary school drama teacher. 

As Queen and the man behind the persona, Lachlan Martin shows a commanding and captivating understanding of who they are, or thinks they are. It’s rare to watch someone act drunk or high in an authentic yet interesting way, but Martin ensures that despite the state she is in, Queen never stops being a layered character who continues to surprise and engage us. As Queen begins to remove her wig, makeup and clothes, Martin finds a consistent balance in showcasing the opposing nature of these lives. The closer he gets to leaving for work, the more subdued and awkward he becomes, where even his voice changes from animated and bold to meek and polite. It's an incredibly restrained performance that clearly presents an innate awareness of their character.

Saturday 4 January 2020

Cirque Stratosphere review

Walking on the moon may have been one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind, but with Cirque Stratosphere's spaced themed circus, it's the astonishing feats that we are capable of on Earth that are explored. Producers Simon Painter and Tim Lawson have brought together over 20 performers from around the world to astound and inspire us as it celebrates the 50th anniversary of man walking on the moon.

While the acts have the potential to excite and wow the audience, their execution occasionally results in a lot of style but with very little substance or charisma. Some come across as mechanical with minimal emotional projection. However, when they do work, we are more than eager to jump on board this spaceship. Nicolas-Yang Wang and Shendpeng Nie engage us with their energised, humourous and thrilling hoop-diving which ups the ante with each successive dive.