Review : The Mountaintop (MTC)

Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr

On a long stormy night in 1968, Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr (Bert LaBonte) is holed up in his Memphis hotel room, weary, alone and downhearted. After years of preaching, ‘testifying’ and advocating for an end to racial inequality what does he have to show for it? Camae, a maid (Zahra Newman), arrives with coffee and the evening plunges into a series of revelations, confessions and surprises.

What was King like when he wasn’t preaching to the thousands? Egotistical? A philanderer? Driven?  Neurotic? A sell-out on West End and Broadway, Katori Hall’s entertaining script hones in on King’s personal despair in the hotel room, opening to a bigger picture perspective towards the close. Historical footage alongside the recitation of names of leaders and achievers is captivating. Continue reading

Review: Savages by Patricia Cornelius (fortyfive downstairs)

Patricia Cornelius' latest play is all about men. Men you know. Men who are capable of unspeakable acts.

Now playing at fortyfive downstairs, this is a confronting play with important things to say. Things that some people (still) will choose to ignore.

Highly recommended, unless you need a happy ending. Read the review here.

Misogyny at fortyfive downstairs

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Review: Miss Ophelia

Photo: Dutch Performing Arts

If I told you a finger-puppet show about a quiet old lady, presented on a set made of cardboard shoeboxes and everyday items was a hit with primary school children, I doubt you’d believe me. 

But here we have Miss Ophelia, an exquisite gift from The Netherlands.

How on earth can basic cardboard cut-outs lined with black texta translate to the stage, particularly for an audience of high-tech children? Continue reading here

Review: A Storm in a D Cup

Amelia Ryan is all ringlets and sparkle as she presents her one-woman show ahead of a Melbourne season, and then New York City appearances on 42^nd Street.

Ryan, the 2012 Australian Cabaret Showcase Prize Winner, is a generous performer who invests great energy and passion into this performance. The show begins with the childhood discovery that her father is gay, and his relationship with a transgender step-mother, before we are led through a litany of personal mishaps, parking fines, driving debacles, pole dancing injuries, romantic exploits and physical ailments.

Continue reading this review on Stage Whispers here.

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Review: Other Desert Cities (MTC)

Couched in real-life events affecting Republicans Ronald and Nancy Reagan, and James Oughton, Other Desert Cities not only explores family politics, but the complexities inherent in families addicted to preserving a public image.

Jon Baitz’s explosive script has the audience eavesdropping on the family reunion of Senator Lyman Wyeth, his wife Polly, their grown-up children Brooke and Trip, and Polly’s sister Silda. When Brooke, a writer, reveals she has written her account of the most painful chapter of the family’s history, all hell breaks loose.

Other Desert Cities will be audio-described on Tuesday 2^nd and Saturday 6^th April, and captioned on Saturday 13^th April.  Get along if you can. Read the entire review

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Review: Blaze (Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne)

Pumping out any number of impressive moves, head spinning, and one armed hand stands this week comes Blaze, a celebration of street dancing, in Melbourne after its premiere in London’s West End, and tours of the Netherlands and the UK.

MC Tony Mills urges those gathered to ‘make some noise’ as sixteen dancers and breakers take the stage. After a rather languid opening we are thrust into a high energy and mega volume affair that maintains pace by launching into new songs before the previous one ends. Continue reading

You may be interested in other summer shows in Melbourne

I, Animal (Melbourne Zoo)

Romeo and Juliet (Royal Botanic Gardens)

Quit Horsing Around, This Is Puppetry (War Horse)

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Review: Contact! The Netball Musical

A laugh-out-loud night for those with 'netball brains'. My review of opening night of Contact! at the Fairfax Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, is now published online by Stage Whispers.
Read the review
Read about the background to the show
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Review: The Dollshouse

Melbourne's Fringe Festival is underway again.
Read my review of The Dollshouse (an adaption of Henricks Ibsen's classic 19th century play).

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Review: Kiss Me Kate (Ringwood Secondary College)

At Ringwood Secondary College this afternoon, shots were fired, a bird dropped dead, faces were slapped, pot plants hurled, people were deceived, and a whip was cracked. Luckily it was all in the script.

Read my review of the preview performance given to a largely primary school audience yesterday afternoon. If you're a local, why not buy a ticket.  

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