Thursday, March 28, 2024

AWKWARD (DANCE)



Director: Cadi McCarthy

Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub, Newcastle

The B Theatre, Queanbeyan 27 March

 

Reviewed by Len Power 27 March 2024

 

Remember feeling like the odd one out at a party? Did your small-talk dry up before you’d even started? Did your pick-up line go over like a lead balloon? In “Awkward” from Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub, based in Newcastle, all those remembered fears are realized in dance.

A group of people come to a party, having been invited by friends of the host. They don’t know each other. They don’t know anyone else at the party. They don’t even know whose house it is, and their friends don’t show up. Sound familiar?


To a selection of well-known songs and music with driving beats from the past, the seven dancers, Jordan Bretherton, Cassidy Clarke, Alexandra Ford, Nicola Ford, Romain Hassanin, Remy Rochester, and Anna McCulla take you through all those cringe-worthy moments that you’d rather forget. It’s funny, appealing, easy to identify with and cleverly danced.

The host of the party is also the narrator and, at times, instructor, pointing out some hilarious do’s and don’ts of party-going. Particularly funny was a demonstration of a “cool” dance that would be sure to attract attention – the wrong type, of course.

Using the stage, steps and a large part of the auditorium floor of the B Theatre in Queanbeyan, the production used that unique 2 level environment to good effect. They must have had to adapt their choreography to work in that space and it’s a credit to them that they gave such a highly polished performance.

Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub, Newcastle is a contemporary dance and multi-arts organisation that cultivates, and champions mid-career and emerging professional dance choreographers, multidisciplinary artists, with strong programs with and for young people and the community.

It’s a pity they were only here for one night. It was very enjoyable, funny and skilful evening of dance.  It brought up memories that most of us would prefer to forget!

 

Photos: Ashley de Prazer

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.


Sunday, March 17, 2024

EULOGISER BUNNY (PLAY)

 


Written and performed by Cameron Ribbons

Q The Locals 2024 season

Q Theatre Queanbeyan March 16

 

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

In and out of Queanbeyan in a flash (it was only on for one night), Eulogiser Bunny was the second instalment in the Q the Locals 2024 Season. Writer and performer, Cameron Ribbons, has been quoted as saying he “just wants everyone to have a good, silly time”.

The show was a funeral service for Ribbons himself. There was a slide of him projected on a screen behind a lectern. A pastor, played by Ribbons, conducted the service. He was Pastor Fastor who was somehow associated with the Fasta Pasta company, a cue for a long and tedious Pastor Fastor’s Fasta Pasta word game.

Eventually he talked about the deceased.  There were short videos illustrating various moments in Ribbons’ fictional life as well as some audience participation. The audience members chosen for these readings seemed suspiciously part of the show.

There was also a murder mystery to solve and a pen and a slip of paper for this purpose were issued to everyone on arrival in the auditorium. A long video of various weird aspects of the victim’s life and death (a slasher in a bunny costume, I think) was played close to the end of the show and then it was time to reveal the killer.

In the absence of a program or any background information, I am guessing that this meandering, unfocussed show was devised by Ribbons himself. The jokes were obvious and not very funny and both performer and show needed the firm hand of a director.

The whole show, although barely an hour long, seemed interminable. Like that other bunny, it just kept going and going and going.

 

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 17 March 2024.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs and published in his blog 'Just Power Writing' at https://justpowerwriting.blogspot.com/.

Friday, March 8, 2024

SUOR ANGELICA (OPERA)


Libretto by Giovacchino Forzano

Music by Giacomo Puccini

Directed by Rachel Hogan

Conductor: Leonard Weiss

National Opera Canberra

Albert Hall to 10 March

 

Reviewed by Len Power 7 March 2024

 

Suor Angelica is a one act opera by Giacomo Puccini which first premiered in 1918. It is the second of the trio of operas known collectively as Il Trittico.

Set in a convent, Sister Angelica has had a baby out of wedlock and given her child up. She takes part in the daily life of the convent with the other nuns, helping them with her ability to make potions and remedies. The arrival of her aunt, the Princess, with news of the death of her child, causes her to take her own life in the hope that she will be reunited with her son.

From the day-to-day life of the nuns to the sadness and loss in Sister Angelica’s heart-breaking aria, Senza Mamma (without mamma) and the Princess’s aria Nel Silencio (in silence), Puccini’s emotional music weaves quite a spell around this sad tale of loneliness, death and redemption.

Intimately staged by director, Rachel Hogan, on the floor of the Albert Hall, the strength of this production is the fine singing and performances from the cast.

Emma Mauch (Suor Angelica) with nuns

Soprano, Emma Mauch, as Suor Angelica, sings the role very well. She gives her aria, Senza Mamma, a sensitive and moving performance. Her level of emotion throughout is nicely judged and quite affecting.

Soprano, Sonia Anfiloff, is a commanding presence as the Principessa and gives a strong performance of the aria, Nel Silencio. A hint of compassion showing through her stern exterior was a nice touch.

Sonia Anfiloff (La Zia Principessa)

There is beautiful singing by the nuns, many of whom bring individual character touches to their roles. The finale, which includes some male singers, brings the opera to an uplifting climax.

The musical director, Ella Luhtasaari, has captured a striking level of emotion and colour in the singing of Puccini’s music and the musicians, conducted by Leonard Weiss, give a fine performance of the beautiful score.

 

Photos by Peter Hislop

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 8 March 2024.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs.