Adelaide Festival Theatre. 16 Jan 2015
For the third time in as many years, The Illusionists ‘brand’ returns to Adelaide, sporting an impressive line-up of magicians, conjurers and tricksters to dazzle and amaze Australian audiences. Sadly the reputation of a sequel has rung true with this production, and it fails to reach the same heights as its predecessors.
It is only on comparison that one would note the difference however; and many of the audience (including those who see fit to give a standing ovation on the second night) appear to enjoy the show.
The pace is slower in this production, and it is felt.
Charlie Frye, ‘The Eccentric’, is the blundering, clumsy performer who brought a vaudevillian style to the show. His tricks ranged from magic rings, to juggling just about anything and levitating a bowling ball. Whenever Frye took to the stage the energy was high.
Rick Thomas as ‘The Immortal’ uses contraptions to aid in his illusions, but is at his absolute best during a routine where he reveals dove after dove seemingly from thin air. His levitation illusion closes the show with a bang as he flies high above the stage before his assistant vanishes right before our eyes.
Armando Lucero is ‘The Maestro’ and revels in the incredibly complicated sleight of hand. Card tricks and disappearing coins abound; though it is always more spectacular when viewed in person rather than via a big screen.
‘The Showman’ and ‘The Conjuress’ are husband and wife duo Mark Kalin and Jinger Leigh. Together they partake in everything from sawing people in half to linking the jewellery of unsuspecting audience members and performing a famed ‘bullet-catch’.
‘The Daredevil’, Jonathan Goodwin turns the audience’s collective stomach with his pain endurance routines and Thommy Taen and Amelie van Tass as ‘The Clairvoyants’ do a clever mind-reading demonstration which leaves you confused, and yet still slightly underwhelmed.
Visually the show is impressive, and the costumes and sets are perfectly themed. The pace and the energy are a huge let down however, and despite a noticeable lift in the second act the show still fails to reach the heights of the first.
Paul Rodda
When: 15 to 25 Jan
Where: Festival Theatre
Bookings: bass.net.au
Adelaide Festival Theatre. 2 Jan 2015
‘Thriller Live’ is a kind of concert cum juke-box musical with no plot line or real historical relevance which, despite these theatrical flaws, still manages to impress. It is the music that does the work, and that is what executive director and original creator Adrian Grant has wholly aimed for; a celebration of the music. With a less familiar artist or fewer chances for spectacular dance numbers it would be a terrific flop – and yet, ‘Thriller Live’ is not.
The show opens slowly and takes quite a while to warm up. Numbers that really get the audience going include ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ and ‘Black or White’. The set is practical with a few uncomplicated levels to add interest. A flank of screens adorns the wings and upstage entrance which play colourful moving graphics to decorate the stage. The quality of the graphics is pretty low, and some of the images belong in a clip-art gallery, but for the most part the effect supplements the performances fine.
The two hour concert features many of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5’s best known hits including ‘I Want You Back’, ‘ABC’, ‘Beat It’, ‘Man In The Mirror’, ‘Billie Jean’, ‘Thriller’ and ‘Bad’. Tracks from the albums ‘Thriller (1982)’ and ‘Bad (1987)’ are the most popular amongst the audience, but a rousing performance of "They Don't Care About Us" from ‘HIStory (1995) and a touching version of “She’s Out Of My Life” from Off The Wall (1979) do well to showcase some earlier and much later work.
All of the performers are strong in their own right, but there are definitely standouts who rate a mention. The principal cast consists of six soloists who share the tracks throughout the performance. Alex Buchanan, hailing from Manchester in the UK, strikes the best balance of vocal and dance ability amongst the leads. Sean Christopher, also out of the UK, demonstrates outstanding physicality as he recreates many of the famous Jackson dance moves – including the ever popular moonwalk. J Rome bursts with energy and look unmistakeably like Usher from mid-way back in the auditorium and Wayne Robinson oozes class with every note he sings, filling out the bottom register with delicious dulcet tones.
The dance troop is also a force to behold and tear up the Adelaide Festival Centre stage with bucket loads of energy. Again, all give110 percent, but it is hard to take your eyes of off pocket rocket Leah Hill who hits every step as sharp as a knife; Tom Remaili who is amongst the best of the boys in the choreography; and Jessica Powell and Rose Wild whose long slender physiques mark every line with perfection.
There are a few sound issues with band levels being too high and hand mics occasionally too heavy on the bass. All said and done however ‘Thriller Live’ gives a real insight into what it might have been like to experience a live performance from the man himself.
Musical theatre aficionados might leave wondering what they just saw, but Jackson fans are unlikely to be disappointed.
Paul Rodda
When: 30 Dec to 11 Jan
Where: Festival Theatre
Bookings: bass.net.au
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Retrospect Arts. The Bakehouse Theatre. 17 Dec 2014
Philip Zachariah has been performing his one-hander ‘A Christmas Carol’ around Australia for several years now. The work - one of Charles Dickens's most popular - was written in 1843, and it has never been out of print. Reaching the stage the following year, Dickens himself publicly read an abbreviated version of his novella over a hundred times, and this show, I'm sure, is an enlivened re-enactment of the same.
For those who have missed this important part of Christmas all their lives, the pejorative "Scrooge," "Bah, humbug!", Tiny Tim, and the film, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, all originate from this tender tale of redemption. The miserly and miserable Ebenezer Scrooge hates Christmas, until he is visited on Christmas Eve by ghosts that convince him otherwise. The famous 1951 film, staring Alastair Sim, was obligatory viewing on Christmas Eve in the Grybowski household in Canada, and unfortunately saved us the trouble of reading the book.
Zachariah, resplendent and startling in period formal attire and beard, would be at home in a Chekhov play or a Dostoevsky novel. He vividly and energetically portrayed all the characters with sharp distinction and individualised expression. Alongside conveying many heartfelt moments and humorous situations and vignettes, Zachariah resorts to dance and often demonstrates a surprising physical capacity in his aged protagonist.
However, I think Dickens's diction could have been delivered with more clarity. Scrooge was rendered as a small, withered man, tight as a dried prune, and this often resulted in a choked vocalisation, culminating when Scrooge was giddy with Christmas, but expressed with a forced and annoying laughter. Perhaps director James Adler, uncredited in the program, should have another listen.
You have only one more night to succumb to Zachariah's enchanting performance. Scrooge's transformation to generosity and love puts the awe back into Christmas, and Zachariah leads the way.
David Grybowski
When: 17 to 18 Dec
Where: The Bakehouse Theatre
Bookings: Closed
The State Opera of South Australia. The Opera Studio. 14 Dec 2014
On Sunday afternoon there was gluttony, unrequired love, sexual indiscretion, grief, blood, mayhem and carnage at the Opera Studio, and some damn fine singing!
Playing to a capacity audience, talented director David Lampard put together a generous program of operatic scenes from no less than six operas featuring signers from the Young and Emerging Artists programs of the State Opera, who are generously assisted by the James and Diana Ramsay Foundation.
With only a few simple moveable set items, Lampard seamlessly wove together scenes from ‘Falstaff’ (Verdi), ‘Eugene Onegin’ (Tchaikovsky), ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ (Mozart), ‘Der Rosenkavalier’ (R Strauss), ‘Suor Angelica’ (Puccini), and ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ (Donizetti).
Comprising thirteen performers in the early stages of their careers, the program amply demonstrated the depth of vocal talent this state has to offer. Of particular note were sopranos Desiree Frahn and Joanna McWaters.
Frahn gave a standout performance of Tatyana (‘Eugene Onegin’). She sang the role beautifully and won the hearts of all with a superb portrayal of the passionate love struck aristocrat. Jeremy Tatchell’s voice didn’t quite suit the role of Onegin but the chemistry between he and Frahn resulted in an impressive performance.
Joanna McWaters sang a fine mad scene from ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ and held the audience spellbound with her fine acting. Lampard was careful to ensure that the witnesses to Lucia’s demise were ever watchful and horrified as the tragic events unfolded. Yes, the focus is on Lucia but her tragedy is made even more poignant by the despairing reactions of those around her. McWaters richly deserved the prolonged applause at the conclusion of the program, as did the rest of the company.
Special note must be made of pianist David Barnard whose accompaniment and musical direction was near faultless.
Kym Clayton
When: Closed
Where: The Opera Studio
Bookings: Closed
Emma Knight Productions and Karen Lettice Productions. Space Theatre. 4 Dec 2014
Written by Pulitzer prize winner Gian Carlo Menotti in 1951, ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’ is a one-act Christmas opera for children and was the first ever written specifically for television. It has since become an annual tradition but it has been many decades since it was last performed in Australia.
It is set at the time of the birth of Christ and concerns a young lame shepherd boy Amahl and his destitute mother. One night they are visited by the three Magi who, with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, are on their way to Bethlehem to worship the Christ child. The mother provides them with shelter for the night but has no refreshment to offer. In her desperation she is later caught stealing a piece of gold but she is forgiven and Amahl offers his wooden crutch as a gift. He is immediately shown God’s grace and is healed. Able to walk again he asks if he can accompany the three kings so that he too can worship Christ.
This production has been a labour of love for co-producer Karen Lettice, who also sings the role of the Mother. The production team and cast is derived exclusively from Adelaide talent and there is plenty of it.
Damon Hill’s representational set is simple and assists the action to flow well, but it is perhaps lit too uniformly and doesn’t reek poverty.
Olivia Freear’s costumes contrast the peasant folk with the richness of the kings, but there is a medieval feel about it – not 1st century Israel.
Vanessa Redmond’s spirited choreography was a highlight of the production, and would have worked even better if the dance routines came across as being performed for the entertainment of the three Kings rather than for the audience. Apart from this oversight, Andrew McKenzie’s direction was tight and he allowed his principals the freedom to use the acting space.
Ian Boath’s small orchestra was at the top of its game, and Josh Oates on oboe and Sachiko Hidaka on piano were particularly fine.
The Magi were played enthusiastically by Branko Lovrinov, Andrew Turner and Keith Hempton. Karen Lettice’s tight vibrato suited the anxiety of the role she played but the lightness of her voice got lost in the cavern that is the Space, as did Aidan Hutson-Hill’s light treble voice, which was a shame as his characterisation was quite touching. The large chorus was well disciplined and their careful articulation made them sound as one, which is precisely the way it should be.
A lot of care and passion went into this production but it needed a friendlier and more intimate venue.
Kym Clayton
When: Closed
Where: The Space Theatre
Bookings: Closed