Clyde’s Ensemble Theatre What a privilege it is to witness a local Ensemble Theatre production by the great Lynn Nottage. Nottage is an American playwright with a unique voice and an impeccable record: her play “Ruined”, from 2009, about Congolese women under threat of rape and violence in the civil war, won her a Pulitzer Prize. “Sweat”, set in a bar in a decaying, deindustrialising US town, won her a second in 2017. She is the only woman to have won the Pulitzer for drama twice, which puts her in the ranks alongside Tennessee Williams, Thornton Wilder and August Wilson. Her work covers a wide range of subjects but is always on the side of the marginalised and dispossessed. Her breakthrough play, “Intimate Apparel”, which starred Viola Davis in its off-Broadway production in 2004, is about a black seamstress in early-20th century New York. And now, “Clyde’s”: A truck stop greasy spoon offers its formerly incarcerated kitchen staff a shot at redemption. Even as the shop’s callous owner undermines them, the staff learn to reclaim their lives, find purpose, and become inspired to dream by their shared quest to create the perfect sandwich. In “Clyde’s” sandwiches tell stories, hold truths, and nourish dreams. What is next level is that Nottage not only creates individual characters with whom we empathise over the course of what is billed as a comedy, but she subverts familiar genres such as drawing room comedy or workplace dramas. Nottage is asking us to consider – amongst other things – which sorts of rooms and people have previously been considered worthy of our sustained attention in the theatre. The play is set in the kitchen where so-called line cooks prepare sandwiches. Like any good drama the action is going to be about what happens between the characters (and it is). The challenge is to create a believable environment with believable business that runs alongside the ups and downs of the human story. Simone Romaniuk designs. The Ensemble stage is currently being prepared for the upcoming in-rep season of ‘Suddenly Last Summer” also designed by Romaniuk – so the company can be forgiven for a somewhat light touch on the Clyde’s kitchen accoutrements. Given that we look over the action in this theatre there really is no hiding when it comes to that sandwich making and the hustle and bustle of a busy kitchen. Darren Yap seamlessly choreographs the movement around the stage, but I yearned for more detail and genuine fireworks during the busy times; the monotony of the menial day to day; and the subtle blurring of lines between battle fields as staked out in the kitchen. “Clyde’s” is beautifully cast by Yap. Nancy Denis navigates the unforgiving Clyde with confidence. One longs for a more satisfying insight into what makes this character tick but there is the occasional hint a vulnerability behind the brashness. Sandwich visionary, Montrellous is played with charismatic integrity by Charles Allen. He is the perfect calm inside this storm of a kitchen. Gabriel Alvarado plays erstwhile bank robber Rafael. His is an exciting, exacting, and sensitive portrayal. He and Ebony Vagulans (playing Tish, battling mum convicted of robbery) conjour a heartbreaking chemisty. Both young actors impress with their intelligent, and skilled work here. Aaron Tsindos completes the cast playing white supremist Jason – all intensity hiding a heart of gold. It’s a treat seeing Aaron Tsindos in a drama which emphasises his versatility as a performer and one who never disappoints. It's a comedy but take some tissues – the emotion grabs you hard. I wasn’t expecting to see this play at Ensemble. It’s a clash of cultures par excellence sitting at affluent Milson’s Point and taking the imaginary journey into the roadside culture of economically challenged Pennsylvania. “Clyde’s” is a sobering examination of America’s inadequate social safety net, a lack of second chances, capitalism’s facility for exacerbating racial, ethnic and class fault lines with challenging lessons to ponder closer to home. Do not miss it!!! Kate Gaul

Theatresports – All Stars Enmore Theatre TheatreSports Allstars is a staple of the Sydney Comedy Festival program. This is a very accessible 90-minute event for audiences of all ages in need of a mid-afternoon laugh. The (obviously) successful schools and other educational engagement programs offered by Impro Australia (The Home of TheatreSports TM) means there is no shortage of intergenerational audiences and players. This event showcases the very best of local TheatreSports legends. Amongst the players were schools’ champions Ryan Atkins, and Amy Tustian who admirably held their own against veterans such as Daniel Cordeaux and Jioji Ravulo, to name but two. Hosted by the inimitable Adam Spencer and Josie Riley – both impressive improvisors. Adam Spencer and Lyn Pierce (the doyen of Australian TheatreSports) did a terrific interview on the ABC radio Stage Show. It was part homage to the late Keith Johnstone (father of TheatreSports) and part spruik for this event. I was primed! The event began with a round of quick fire 2-minute games which warmed up both the audience and players. There was a lot of explanation of each game and although we were promised more audience interaction there was very little overall. All teams, topics, games, and challenges were (mostly) pre-organised on Josie’s clipboard. One notable exception was a scene where the text messages from an audience member’s phone became the text to a scene onboard the Titanic (players included Lynette Voller and Daniel Cordeaux). Layered and hilarious, as the audience member sat onstage with the players, reacting from her own personal context from which the text messages were exchanged. Highlights of the event included a sensational ballad on the subject of Tinder created by trio Kate Wilkins, John Knowles and Bridie Connell with Gep Blake as improvising musical maestro; Jane Watt’s bring-the-house-down ending to Cinderella in a Wild West genre; David Callan and Monique Dykstra ticking off a bucket list in a scene of Alphabet Conversation; David Callan reincorporating the bucket list as he appeared in subsequent scenes; the aforementioned John Knowles in a small upturned rostra demonstrating the scale of his Newtown digs; and a special mention to Ewan Campbell who also reincorporated and early offer across his other appearances. And of course, playing TheatreSports isn’t all about who stands out. Knowing when to leave your teammates to it is all part of the art just as knowing when to jump in with a scene-saving (or, should I say, advancing) offer. This cast know their stuff. But more critically, most scenes were played at a strident pitch with some very average stagecraft. High energy without detail gets dull very quickly. Essentially this is a kind of demonstration event with high achieving players demonstrating skill and dexterity. This would have made sense of them playing “games”. I was expecting long form open improvisations after the warmup round. Perhaps I thought an Allstars event would take us outside the comfort of known structures and outcomes. A place where – along with comedy – players might explore hot topics of the day; not fear silence and stillness; embrace the political and vulnerability of the human condition. It all felt very safe and perhaps not as sophisticated as this incredible, centuries old artform could be even if - for the purposes of a comedy festival – your mission is to make us laugh. Kate Gaul

Three Mary’s Sydney Opera House UnWrapped Composer Andrée Greenwell’s and librettist Christine Evans’ 75-minute chamber opera “Three Mary’s” is inspired by the medieval myth of three biblical Marys who travelled from the Middle to East to France. In this opera story, the three women are Maria, her daughter Magdalene (Mary) and Sarah-Marie, daughter of Jesus and Mary. From contemporary times there is a Tunisian fisherman, Marzoug, inspired by a real, Chamseddine Marzoug, who gathers the bodies of drowned migrants he finds to give them burials. A teenage chorus - representing the voices of children who have drowned over millennia making a similar journey - complete the layering. The libretto is in English and occasionally the chorus sings in English, with French and Arabic. These layers resonate deeply with the plight of asylum seekers, the fate of women and children in war. And the hope and heartbreak of all young people who grapple with the injustice and inequality of the human condition. Bass Eddie Muliaumaseali’I (as Marzoug) shines as he anchors the piece on dry land. Maria (Heru Pinkasova), Magdalena (Jessica O’Donoghue) and Sarah Marie (Samantha Hargreaves) - adrift on a tiny platform - are uniformly excellent. There is absolute clarity of Evans’ imagistic, poetic text as is sung. Of particular note is the spirited newcomer, Samantha Hargreaves, definitely a performer to watch! Economically directed by Angela Chapman on a lowered Playhouse stage, the action takes place atop a watery mirror surfaced floor; two small platforms that become a broken boat and shoreline; and a sculptural element - that could be as literal as seaweed or metaphorically rising spirits of the dead – provided a pivot around which the chorus can move, hide, and re-emerge. At the back sit an eight-piece ensemble (designer Anna Tregolan). All is conducted from the front by a dazzling Simon Kenway. This is an exceptional piece of new music theatre. Its story moving, enraging and one of deep sadness. The music, and the text are haunting and something to be revisited. Along with the up-close performances this is a memorable event from the Sydney Opera House’s commitment to presenting works by Australia’s best independent artists. To resource, draw a team together and deliver this work is incredible. Bravo to all who supported Andree Greenwell and her undoubted passion. One hopes it has another outing as a full-scale work. I hear the Opera House is streaming this as part of their on-line offering later this year. Don’t’ miss it! Kate Gaul

Fantastic Mr Fox Roslyn Packer Theatre The redoubtable Shake & Stir’s Nick Skubij adapts Roald Dahl’s children’s book “The Fantastic Mr Fox” for an impressive cast of six who double in a multiple of roles. The story centres on a charming fox who enters an escalating battle with the three gluttonous farmers from whom he has been stealing. It’s a male-heavy rollercoaster of a production but the women in the cast shine. Nelle Lee is completely unrecognisable as pate-obsessed farmer Bunce and provides laughs a plenty with the numerous fart jokes. Her mole is a spunky warrior and so completely loveable as ally to the Fox family’s machinations! Phoebe Panaretos plays Mrs Fox with great style. In fact, the entire cast is choreographed with great precision by director Ross Balbuziente. Leon Cain as fat-suited chicken farmer Boggis has some terrific moments of physical comedy while Tim Dashwood as misguided farmer Bean is the authority figure we love to hate! Memorable doubles are Dashwood’s cider-guzzling Rat, and a trio with both women joined by Cain (still in fat-suit) as Mabel, with a punchy dance routine. Johnny Balbuziente as the son, Chase Fox, narrates the tale with a great connection to the audience young and old. Nick Skubji is working hard and admirably plays the title role of Mr Fox. He’s a cool dude! The sweat-soaked costumes belie the ease with which this talented cast bring this physical and fast-moving production to life. A highlight of this production is the design. Designer Josh McIntosh creates a playing space using three interconnected ramps, a revolve, and a projection surface. Jon Weber’s cartoon illustrations and Craig Wilkinson’s video design literally leap out at the audience and the synchronisation between the projections, the content and the action onstage is stunning. All the animals of the story live underground, and the tunnel building sequences are thrilling, funny and inventive. Split second timing, illusion, foley sound effects (sound designer Guy Webster), still leave room for individual character traits. When we are a not open-mouthed in awe of the clever conception for the piece, we are in equal parts laughing at the antics. The anthropomorphic character costumes also deserve a gold star. In a show that runs just on an hour it certainly captures Dahl’s interrogation of the ugliness of greed – on the part of all the characters – if not much else. The cartoon style gives this broad stroke morality tale a hard edge. This style is loud in every sense. It is visually in-your-face and quite a battering for the ears. Everything in this production is turned up to 11 and stays there. I yearned for a touch more nuance. There is a lot of entertainment out there for youngsters and their humans. Shake & Stir are offering a foxy tale at one end of the spectrum. A company that can fill the Ros Packer for the holidays is doing something right! Enjoy. Kate Gaul

Fences Wharf Theatre Fences, play in two acts by August Wilson, won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1987. It was the second in Wilson’s series of plays depicting African American life in the 20th century. Sydney Theatre Company produce it in 2023. The protagonist of Fences is Troy Maxson, who had been an outstanding baseball player at a time when the major leagues were closed to black players; he bitterly resents his lost opportunities. An ex-convict as well, Troy is now a garbage collector who struggled to hold the job. He is married to Rose and is the father of a teenager named Cory. Though he loves his son, he feuds continually with him and refuses to permit him to accept a football scholarship to college. An emotional, hard-drinking man, Troy ranges from tyrannical fury to delicacy as his preconceived ideas are challenged. Playing at the handsome new Wharf theatre this revival reminds us of what a pleasure it is to sit with a solid American family drama; a classic. Its clever dialogue, fully developed characters, at least three genuine gasp-out-loud moments from a rapt audience are just some of the reasons to see this STC production. Director Shari Sebbens has assembled a terrific cast. Bert LaBonté as a sensational Troy and Zara Newman as heart-breaking wife Rose capture the wit, beauty, and tragedy of this story. Set mostly in 1957, a landmark year for the Civil Rights Movement, the play dramatises much of a community caught between a violent and oppressive past and the possibility of a brighter future. Newman and LaBonté bring significant experience and insight into these pivotal roles. Some outstanding moments include the set-piece monologues (from Troy) about death, the violent past and (from Rose): “I took all my feelings, my wants and needs, my dreams…and I buried them inside you. I planted a seed and watched and prayed over it. I planted myself inside you and waited to bloom. And it didn't take me no eighteen years to find out the soil was hard and rocky, and it wasn't never gonna bloom.” Perfection! Exciting to see some new faces on stage and kudos to a captivating Markus Hamilton as foil and friend to Troy, Mr Jim Bono. A tribute to the fine writing and depiction of Bono is that it’s tragically clear from the very first scene that Bono is trying curb Troy’s wandering eye. Troy's promotion to driver separates them at work, and Troy's betrayal of Rose separates them on a personal level. Hamilton subtly plays the gradual loss of a friend with dignity and it is so satisfying (and very sad - take some tissues!) Damon Manns, as older son Lyons, is suitably dashing and - in a play full of dreams – he makes a real connection with the audience as the passionate and ambitious jazz musician. Cory, the teenage son of Rose and Troy, (played by Darius Williams) handles the inevitable conflicts with his father with maturity. My personal favourite was Dorian Nkono’s fine portrayal of Uncle Gabriel. Soothsayer, fool, scapegoat, a damaged man. The climax of the play rests on the successful portrayal of Gabriel and Nkono delivers a home run! (I haven’t mentioned the plethora of baseball images along with the fencing metaphors that pepper the text…). An extremely satisfying moment where – as audience – you want to hold your breath and let the moment exist for as long as possible, and on the other hand hit that applause with the enthusiasm the production deserves. Unsettling and charged sound from Brendon Boney setting time and place and underlining all the edgier themes. Exquisite costume design from Jeremy Allen. These costumes are another star of this show. Shari Sebbens (director) has again demonstrated assured taste in her approach and has clearly and sensitively guided this searing drama into life to inspire a contemporary audience. Getting out of the way is a lesson that all good directors must learn. Sebbens demonstrates this wisdom and much more! Recommended. Kate Gaul

Girls and Boys by Dennis Kelly Everest Theatre - Sydney Festival 2023 Various State Theatre Companies have vied to produce this electrifying work by British playwright Dennis Kelly and now the State Theatre Company of South Australia arrives at Seymour Centre for the Sydney Festival. Evoking Euripides, Dennis Kelly presents an unnamed working-class woman (simply called Woman) who blags her way into the film industry, gets married and has two children. She and her husband build a life together, but it starts to crumble and is then brutally destroyed. This is a compelling 110 minutes of dramatic writing for a solo performer. There is a baleful side to Kelly’s work, from his 2003 debut, Debris, which featured a DIY crucifixion, through to DNA (about teenagers killing a classmate) to BBC’s brutally explicit thriller Utopia. Even his family shows, Matilda, and Pinocchio, have darker undertones. In Girls and Boys, he considers the unthinkable: family annihilation. This play is a treatise on masculinity and violence. Premiering in Britain in 2018 (with Carrie Mulligan in the role) it is a play that reflects a larger social movement. In one of the play’s key moments, Woman posits the idea that “We didn’t create society for men, we created it to stop men.” Justine Clarke - a doyen of Australian theatre – dazzles in this production directed by Mitchell Butel. Justine Clarke’s effortless comic skills have us laughing loudly. The play is almost a sort of confessional stand up, to begin. It and the performance also take us into our imaginations as Woman mimes her absent family. Don’t cringe. It’s an extremely effective technique as this is ultimately a memory play. You’ll have to see it to find out why! Back to Justine Clarke – it’s a nuanced, moving, and skilled performance. What a treat to see a luminous Australian actor in an intelligent play. This is a portrait of a woman who must live with the consequences of a marriage gone wrong and, in a society riddled with normalised sexism and toxicity. And so, she re organises her memories, reimagines her past and at the same time has a laser recall for the details that brings her to us now. But is a world beyond the violence of men imaginable? The production is everything you expect from a flagship company – impressive box set with colour grading from pink to blue (designer Ailsa Paterson); exquisite lighting (designer Nigel Levings) and a light touch composition and sound design (composer Alan John, sound designer Andrew Howard). Justine Clarke is gently amplified for this performance. If you love great acting and solid writing, then do not miss this show! Kate Gaul

Never Closer 25A, Belvoir “Never Closer” is a debut full-length play by writer Grace Chapple. It is directed by Belvoir associate Hannah Goodwin and produced by “essential workers”. This is a curious beast. Set – mainly – in a border town of Northern Ireland in the 1980s the play tells the story of a group of friends. We meet them as young, idealistic, and dreaming of the future. One of the team, Niaimh is off to England to study medicine. We can see where this is going – Niamh enters the world of Northern Ireland’s political enemies and in doing so will call into question everything these idealists believe. Indeed, that is what happens. Fast forward and we discover that Deidre still lives at home; Jimmy, Mary and Conor converge for a Christmas Eve drink and catch up and welcome Niamh and her English boyfriend, Harry. Political and personal tensions explode in a potent cocktail of half lived lives, trauma, and a lot of whiskey. The play begins with what we think is going to be an Irish ghost story – and yes, the main action happens in the past, so I guess we are watching ghosts in this almost nihilistic tragedy. To end the play, we encounter an Australian back packer searching for his ancestral roots. Grace Chapple has a talent for dialogue and the story telling is well plotted. It’s written with what sounds like an authentic Irish voice (and I do love and Irish play!). I discovered that Grace has an Irish mum. The work is at its strongest when it leans into an almost Chekhovian yearning. The characters yearn for Dublin, England, New York… they yearn for an impossible unrequited love …. They yearn for a better, brighter world which seems forever out of reach. I wanted more of that. It felt original to be looking back at a world that we couldn’t ever understand (who of us lived through Thatcher’s England?) with some knowledge of how things have and have not resolved politically. But it feels overly long and often derivative – once the major forces are established the work hasn’t many places it can go (or doesn’t in this play). The outsider will get drunk and throw up, old flames will reignite or continue to smoulder and so on. The premiere of a new play is to be celebrated and Chapple’s website reveals a good sprinkling of accolades for the play. There’s no doubt we will hear more from Grace Chapple. Bring it on! The play is set in a single sitting room. It feels like it could be a kitchen but there’s no sink, which becomes a challenge when characters are required to pour liquid away. The set design (Grace Deacon) is functional, literal save for an over-sized, patterned curtain covering the back wall of the theatre. Costumes (Keerthi Subramanyan) strain to be either authentically 80s or from a past world. When clues from the text on period were lost it sometimes wasn’t clear exactly when we were. The Margaret Thatcher reference helped. Alyx Dennison (Sound) and Phoebe Pilcher (Lighting) add solid support. I note the stellar work from dialect coach Laura Farrell who has all the cast sounding top notch. Director, Hannah Goodwin, works with a universally skilled cast to deliver this Irish Australian work. Mabel Li excels as the student doctor Niamh whose accent subtly alters after her stint in England. Boyfriend Harry is played with great panache by Phillip Lynch. He hits just the right note in a role that in lesser hands could go horribly wrong. Emma Diaz delivers detailed work as the story’s centre – Deidre – who hasn’t changed since high school but holds a candle for Jimmy (a vibrant Raj Lambade) while courting Conor (a brooding Adam Sollis). Ariadne Sgourus as friend Mary brings her usual flair and solid support. As an exploration of the stories that shape us and the power of political crisis as a backdrop to youth, “Never Closer” is worth a look. Shout out for producers “essential workers” – lead by the indefatigable Zoe Hollyoak - for whom this is their second show in the 25A season this year (the first being “Horses”). It’s a tough time for indie theatre producers everywhere who support audacious emerging artists. Hollyoak is making quiet but significant inroads into our local theatre scene. One to watch! This production was reviewed at the first preview. Kate Gaul

Six Women Standing in Front of a White Wall Little Dove Theatre - Sydney Fringe 2022 Director Chenoeh Miller writes that Little Dove’s butoh-influenced performative installation “is an investigation into the possibility that it’s not necessarily a kind of love we crave but more the physiological need for human touch to survive.” Hailing from ACT it is an absolute privilege to see this work in Sydney. Great work can transform even the humblest of venues and the notoriously difficult Sound Lounge becomes the site for a small but beautifully formed work. Six female identifying humans make their way from the dressing room to the stage slowly, in unison, heads bowed. They are dressed identically in pink tutus and singlets, hair messed up and white smudged faces. Feet bare. Before they reach the stage, Chenoah Miller places a sign in front of the stage. It reads “Please Do touch”. A provocation, a plea, or a warning? The work has its origins in art-gallery performance. It is both vulnerable and fierce. The piece is a meld of Japanese Butoh, physical theatre and a looser performance art. It has, rightly, received accolades wherever it has performed. The women, in crisis, face us. Time passes. The women silently become husk-like, primal. The event reminds us of humanities destruction in a world without touch, connection, and engagement. Finally, the more woke audience members comply with the signage. The women on stage are transformed by the touch – posture and gesture change, bodies soften, faces beam. At just over 30 minutes this is the perfect length. At the fringe all art is equal. But Six Women Standing in Front of a White Wall reminds us that some art is more equal than others. It takes huge commitment to bring a company of 7+ artists to an uncertain fringe. Thanks to Little Dove Theatre for making the journey. Recommended. Split Lip Gendermess - Sydney Fringe 2022 A regular on the Perth scene, Ginava is now in Sydney. And not a moment too soon. Split Lip is incredible, and I’ll say straight up that the marketing does not do this show justice. This is drag and lip synch but there’s not a song played. The work defies category. Go Go GO! Split Lip follows multiple personalities through their struggles within a psychiatric institution. Ginava flawlessly lip syncs to a series of pop culture voice overs. Her face, gestures and movements are beyond brilliant. This is a work that is meticulously created and presented. A focussed simple setting of desk, chair, and side trolley in which there is a collection of wigs – and yes, they are all worn. Ginava scribbles in a book. She is dressed in a version of a hospital gown. Her white-face makeup is haunting with its red lips and dark eyes. The rapid lighting changes and brilliant mashing together of sound bites from movies, television, and other media, through which Ginava cuts manically, are cut way above the usual fringe fair. The movement, pacing and precision are exceptional. It’s exciting to see what is possible in this format: that fringe can be incisive, polished, intelligent. Several personalities are on display. The changes of wig – when used – are pure class. The audience is held, capitated, on the edge of seats waiting to see what’s next. A light google tells me that Ginava is mother to a Perth collective of subversive artists who revel in challenging thinking with their brand of club kid art, Gendermess. This is a form of rebellious performance art. It all began in back-alley clubs and has a huge influence on RuPaul’s Drag Race. RuPaul herself began as a club kid. It is so much more than drag yet is often included under that umbrella. They are often the most maligned of performance artists, who claw their way up to be respected. Apparently, Ginava usually works with oversized costumes that go beyond drag into the realm of art and design. Split Lip is an altogether more personal affair. The work explores acceptance, moving past adversity and is ultimately life affirming. It’s kind of obvious that after 40+ minutes of lip synching we will hear her real voice. When it comes, the monologue is vulnerable, moving, jolting. One of the best shows of this year. Do not miss it! Anna Piper Scott: Such an Inspiration Sydney Fringe - 2022 Celebrated Anna Piper Scott - comedian, trans woman, and voice of a generation – is an inspiration. With a slew of awards, she arrives at Sydney Fringe. As a trans woman whose made it in the cutthroat world of comedy she IS an inspiration. It’s exhausting having to keep giving to the inspiration porn industry which doesn’t allow artists to be artists. We all love a survivor! The title is a joke, of course. This is a show about being trans, mental health, recovering from trauma and Anna’s love/hate relationship with comedy. Anna tells her story – complete with “Nanette moment”. No spoilers – it’s her story to tell. But this is a savvy, slick and somewhat dark 50+ minute comedy show. Some of it is tough. Anna takes us by the hand and leads us through her world of pronoun abuse, being cast as villain or victim and the mountain of transphobic abuse the world has to offer. It’s a warts-and-all personal journey but far beyond weepy confessional. There are funny flat mates and plenty of job search material to keep the show buoyant. Anna playfully encourages us to get down with gender issues, don’t avoid the tricky stuff. Anna is a consummate professional and knows how to land her blows. This is a beautifully crafted show. Anna is a charming, luminous (and sometimes biting) presence. She may not see herself as inspirational, but Anna is one fierce queen here to dismantle myths about trans gender folk and make us laugh. One of the top shows of the Fringe. Highly recommended. Kate Gaul

Erth - Sydney Opera House – Studio September, 2022 The suspension of disbelief is a wonderful thing. Erth’s production for youngsters and their humans combines storytelling and wonder in equal measure. Lifesize puppets are animated in full view of the audience by four black-clad puppeteers. This is a story of our vulnerability as a race and the fragility of the eco-sphere. With conservation at its heart Arc has something for everyone. An unnamed man sits alone in his room. It looks as if he maybe sorting and tidying after the departure of a loved one. He is definitely grieving. He is surrounded by carboard boxes. The floor is carpeted, the room is silent except for his breathing, his words, his musings. From his imagination he conjures a series of visitors from the animal world. There are moths and the tiny Leadbeater’s Possum illuminated by torchlight. Hammerhead sharks and others trawl the waters that seemingly invade the room. Aided by powerful projections and rich sound score it is easy to forget we are in the theatre. A snow leopard visits. We meet an angry cassowary and some strange birds from New Zealand and a rare pangolin. Time suspends as these animals explore our human world. One of the most effective moments is when 2 bed sheets, some fluffy white slippers and an exquisitely carved head become a captivating polar bear. Rather than frightening our narrator it’s as if he becomes a polar bear too. In a delicate and silent dance, they become one. Man, and beast. Not in conquest or competition but harmony. At this point the show really lands. With each encounter, the narrator comes a little closer to acknowledging his own feelings, and shares his experience with the audience to ask: what is most precious to you? Driven by a special interest in natural history, indigenous folklore, sociology, and urban mythology, Erth makes puppetry-based theatrical productions and innovative community projects that challenge and inspire audiences around the world. Renowned for the integrity and quality of the work they create, Arc represents a unique addition to the company repertoire. The place of humans in the narrative of the piece and at the centre of the work. The narrator invites a child from the audience to experience up-close some of the wildlife onstage. He shows the youngster how to greet animals by offering the back of the hand for the animals to sniff. They do. Then from the carboard boxes explodes a rain forest of flowers, leaves, air-filled trunks, leaved and vines. The vines are passed to the audience and before we know it the theatre is transformed into a place of colourful wonder. The kids love pulling the vines from the stage. Throughout, the music and projection help fill the stage and our senses. Finally, the largest animal of them all enters – a friendly looking grey elephant. Nature is resilient and we have the power to protect and preserve. Arc doesn’t hit you over the head with its themes. It gently focuses us on the future – with hope – and the understanding that our children will be challenged with what we leave behind. If you get the opportunity to experience any of Erth’s work – go! Arc is a work that will deepen in time and it’s a quality offering from one of Australia’s most exciting companies. Kate Gaul

Milkcrate Theatre Richard Wherrett Studio - 15 September 2022 In its 23rd year, Milk Crate Theatre continues to create socially relevant and paradigm-shifting performance work. Milk Crate makes work specifically by and with people with lived experience of homelessness, mental health issues and disability. It effects social change through the power of performance and provides opportunities for people whose voices are under-represented to engage in artistic practice to build confidence, skills, and connections. If you are unfamiliar with the work of this exceptional company, then DUST – now playing at the Richard Wherrett Studio - is a great introduction. For those of us who have been engaging with Milk Crate’s performance work over many years, DUST marks a development, change and exciting chapter for Milk Crate. This is a work that emerged from the COVID hiatus in public performance. This meant the company had to devise on-line. A major work was born, and it isn’t reliant on personal testimony or even social justice issues. DUST is a narrative drama, set in an imagined country motel. There’s a dust storm coming. A woman, two old school friends and her daughter are locked in as the crisis pass. Yeah, you can feel its genesis through the isolation of COVID. DUST is more resonant than just a play about COVID! The Richard Wherrett Studio is a striking space – with its elegant, exposed bricks, timber floor and evidence of past industry. Director Margot Politis situates the audience in the centre of the room on small stools and the action takes place either side of us on raised platforms. We are in the centre of an imagined common area of a motel. The platforms are hung with layers of found curtaining, the occasional generic picture in a frame, and some motel-esque furniture. The combinations of fabric (also designed by Margot Politis, assisted by Sam Read) and atmospheric lighting (designed by Liam O’Keefe) create a beautiful, sometimes creepy, and gothic aesthetic. Perfect for the revelation of secrets, lies and existential concerns with which the work deals. Director/designer Margot Politis achieves great success with guiding the development of both story and characters. She also inspires the confidence of the cast to use text, movement, stillness, and silence to great effect. There is beauty in experiencing performers working to the edges of their ability. Sound designer Prema Yin adds to the literal and metaphoric world of DUST with an eerie, unexpected, and primal score. The fragility of human connection, our hopes, dreams, and regrets are conveyed through the unity of design and performance – and importantly the subversive relationship the audience has with the action as we are sitting right in the middle of it all! Kamini Singh plays Elixir – a mum with a secret, hard-working motel owner and carer of all in this remote town. She plays the role with dignity. Her constant movement – often in slow motion – provide gravitas and elegance. Her high-octane daughter, Jeddi, is played by a fierce Lana Filies. Sparks fly when she’s on-stage and she creates a detailed, funny, touching portrait of a teen with an unsure future. Lana also impressed in Milk Crate’s production TinyUniverse. She is a talent to watch! Matthais Nudi is William. He’s well cast as the quiet centre of the work - a schoolteacher who has lived at the motel for ever. Friend and confidant to all his loyalties are challenged with the arrival of new guests. Old friend Kirra returns to bury her mum. Darlene Proberts brings her natural grace and presence to the role. Her character journey serves to remind us of the plight of the stolen generations and generational trauma that is not taught in schools. Desmond Edwards plays Two Bob - a mysterious stranger. He has panache and a constant twinkle in his eye. Is he a seer, charlatan, or prison guard? It takes a village to make a new work. I mention this because the production is ably supported by emerging theatre luminary and assistant director Lily Hayman; Key support artist Lucy Watson, Producer Jessica Saras and Production Manager Tyler Fitzpartick. There is great energy and a bourgeoning range of what I call outsider art emerging in Australian theatre. With a heightened awareness of social responsibility companies such as Milkcrate in Sydney can be viewed as a catalyst for challenging the stigma associated with functional diversity. Inclusion and recognition of difference are powerful art making elements. DUST is such a great show. Recommended! Kate Gaul

Overflow Eternity Playhouse Overflow is a welcome addition to the theatre scene in Sydney. Most programming comes in various shades of vanilla and prominent trans voices like UK playwright Travis Alananza are rarely heard. Noted for their distinct voice, in 2019 the Evening Standard listed them as one of the 25 most influential under 25year olds. The Guardian asks if ‘they are the future of theatre’ and Alabanza is listed on the Forbes30Under30List. Overflow is a 70-minute solo performance produced by Darlinghurst Theatre. Directed and designed by Dino Dimitriadis, we follow Rosie (Janet Anderson) as she isolates herself in a nightclub toilet away from a violent thumping against the door. From here, Rosie reminisces about the moments of profound bonding that she’s had in women’s toilets over the years, the experiences shared. But the public loo is also a battleground. The dangers for trans folk are reinforced by a constant drip of water coming through the ceiling and finally an overflowing sink leaving Rosie atop the toilet as she searches for safety. The design for the production has real focus and is further enhanced by Benjamin Brockman’s astute lighting design. It’s a successful synergy of elements on what is a very tricky stage. Closing the space right down to the realistically rendered club bathroom gives a great sense of intimacy to the piece and helps to amplify the playing. A striking sound design by Danni A. Espositol has a theatrical exaggeration when needed and “realistically” dovetails with the text at other times. The undoubted star of the show is Janet Anderson. Her performance has incredible energy, nuance, and intelligence. There’s terrific detail in the characters Rosie introduces. Charlotte "the best cisgender woman to ever exist and ultimate ally and protector of the trans" and life-tips giving Zee is memorable. The play flags around the 50-minute mark but Janet is spellbinding. There’s a refreshing clarity to the performance. The company has chosen to keep the work rooted in the UK and, with the assistance of voice and dialect coach Adriano Cabral, Anderson’s dialect is light but flawless. Janet Anderson is a performer to watch. I appreciated the total experience of the theatre for this production. Big ups to foyer designer Kelly Lovemonster – the Eternity Playhouse had a vibe! It was an exciting place to be. It is a fitting celebration of a play and a great production which overflows (yes, pardon the pun) with trans joy and suffering. Go see it! Kate Gaul

The Phantom of the Opera Sydney Opera House “The Phantom of the Opera” premiered in London in 1986 in an era of excess. Back then shoulder pads were big, hair was even bigger and mega-musicals – many of them by Andrew Lloyd Webber – were a spectacular new phenomenon. “The Phantom of the Opera” has become one of the most long-running shows in theatre history. Now produced by Opera Australia. The Meantloaf-esque sounds of the synth, drum machine and blasting descending organ riffs is an extraordinary sound coming from the Sydney Opera House pit (Music supervisor, Guy Simpson; Music Director, Anthony Barnhill) The plot: Christine Daae (in this production, Amy Manford) is a dancer at the Paris Opera but is discovered to have a divine voice by the new theatre managers (David Whitney and Andy Morton), at the huffy exit of the opera’s Prima Donna, Carlotta (Giuseppina Grech). She sings at the opera’s opening night and her childhood friend, Raoul (Blake Bowden) who is now a Count, recognises her and everything appears to be rosy for her. Sadly, all is not well because it’s soon revealed that her voice is not god-given but phantom-given, as her “angel of music” has been giving her lessons and has been the cause of much mischief at the theatre. The Phantom (Josh Piterman) is a character who is outcast due to his scarred face and lives in the catacombs of the theatre, composing music. Both the Phantom and Raoul claim to love Christine and fights ensue. Even though “The Phantom of the Opera” follows Christine, the “struggle” of both men to “win” Christine dwarfs her rags to riches story. Created for the male gaze both men seek to possess her and shape her into their image of her. Finally, the Phantom has Raoul in a noose and threatens to kill him if Christine does not marry him. Christine saves them both by kissing the phantom. If I rejected all forms of media because they contained problematic elements, I would live in a very silent and still world. That’s the thing about the patriarchy—it’s so steeped into our mythos that it powerfully permeates all corners of our culture. Christine could drop both men walk away, go on tour as a Prima Donna instead. She doesn’t. The fair-maiden-in-a-love-triangle ensues, with both men feeling entitled to her affection. The “need for a man to protect me” trope is alive and well. But what’s great about this production directed in Australia by Seth Sklar-Heyn? From the cast I adore Jayde Westaby’s Madame Giry – her still authority is a spectacular counterpoint to the colourful gymnastics across most of the production. Mietta White as Meg Guiry is a shining delight. As Christine, Amy Manford is exceptional. She is tender, luminous and sings with incredible confidence and strength. I was on the edge of my seat as she made her way down the side of a turret where each step emerged from the wall just as her foot was to reach each one. This, the gliding gondolier in swirling mist, the candle lit catacombs do not disappoint as part of the visual fireworks. Maria Bjornson’s original costumes recreated by Jill Parker dazzle. The second-act ensemble “Masquerade” felt squashed on the Sydney Opera House stage but was dazzling none the less given the detailed array of costumes, body shapes and choreography (original choreography, Scott Ambler). The production gets off to a spectacular start with a canvas - that covers the awaited chandelier - being sucked into its glass beads. Magic indeed. The now sold-out season will run its course in Sydney before heading to Melbourne complete with bolts of fire, jealous passion and a Phantom who lives on. Kate Gaul