KEATING! (MUSICAL THEATRE REVIEW)

 

Music and lyrics by Casey Bennetto

Directed by Sarah HullQueanbeyan Players

Belconnen Community Theatre to 6 March

 

Reviewed by Len Power 25 February 2022

 

If an opening night audience response is any indicator, the new production of ‘Keating!’ will be very successful indeed.

A sung-through musical with music and lyrics by Casey Bennetto, its revue-like structure illustrates the political career of Paul Keating, Australia’s Prime Minister between 1991 and 1996.

Originating at a Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2005, it’s tongue-in-cheek, larrikin approach to the story is presented in a mish-mash of musical styles including rock, rap, jazz, hip-hop, tango and everything else you can think of.

Various characters in the story, like John Howard, Alexander Downer, Gareth Evans and John Hewson, are presented as caricatures, which add to the fun.  Keating’s character is fairly straight but with a knowing wink to the audience.

Director, Sarah Hull, has produced a bright and breezy production in a simple setting with the small band onstage throughout the action.  Musical director, Jenna Hinton, has achieved a high standard of musical performance from the cast and band members.  She also plays drums for the show.

The young cast are clearly having a great time performing this show.  As the tone of the piece is satire, the cast members do not have to look exactly like the characters they’re portraying.  Well-chosen wigs, eyebrows, fishnets and distinctive eye-wear take care of that aspect very well.

    Steven O'Mara centre stage as Keating

As Keating, Steven O’Mara has presence, a fine sense of the satire in his role and sings well.  There is also good work by Matt Greenwood in a deliciously wicked performance as John Howard and Anthony Swadling as a classic Bob Hawke.

Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope uses his strong voice and presence to great effect in his songs ‘The Beginning of the End’ and in the duet ‘Heavens, Mr Evans’, with Alissa Pearson, who is also in fine voice as a sexy Cheryl Kernott.  Everyone else in the twelve member cast gets their moment to shine.

David Santolin, the choreographer, has provided dances that appropriately enhance the mood and intention of the songs.  The cast attack the dances with energy and tall seem to be having a great time performing them.

Sound balance, particularly in the first act, needs more attention.  The satire in this show demands that the audience be able to hear the lyrics clearly.  The singers were often drowned out by the band.

This is a good production of a rare home-grown musical.  Queanbeyan Players are to be congratulated for having a go at something different and less main-stream.  It deserves to be a success.

 

Photo by Michael Moore

 

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

 

RUTHLESS! (MUSICAL THEATRE REVIEW)

 

Book and lyrics by Joe Paley

Music by Marvin Laird

Directed by Jordan Best

Musical Director: Nicholas Griffin

Q Theatre, Queanbeyan to 12 March

 

Reviewed by Len Power 26 February 2022

 

Here’s the perfect musical for classic movie and Broadway show tragics.  Loaded with references to past shows and movies, this 1992 Off-Broadway musical is a madcap romp that shamelessly uses every melodramatic cliché it can dredge up.

Young Tina Denmark kills a rival child to get the lead in the school musical.  Her mother is horrified but understands because she has her own secrets.  After many wild and over the top complications it all ends badly but hilariously.

Director, Jordan Best, has produced a colourful, crazy entertainment that zips along at great speed and gives her six performers – all women - every opportunity to shine.

Jessy Heath as Tina Denmark

Jessy Heath is a delightfully wicked and determined child murderess, Tina Denmark.  The wonderful Jenna Roberts is brilliant as a troubled mother and housewife who finds fame and glamour in her second act.

Tracy Noble has great fun with the character of Myra Thorn, a dowdy schoolteacher and director of the school play for whom a murder is just a nuisance because theatre is what really matters.

Dee Farnell gives a classic performance of a mannered and stylish woman, Sylvia St. Croix, who has many secrets and Eryn Marshall is hysterically funny as the off key singing murder victim, Louise, and then as Eve, the nervous, plotting secretary to a famous star.

Janie Lawson is deliciously awful as theatre critic and grandmother, Lita Encore, and is superb in her show-stopping song, ‘I Hate Musicals’.

While this is a crazy, very silly show, it needs to be done very well to succeed.  It requires performers of a high calibre who can play the satire with all stops out but also sing the demanding songs.  All six women have been perfectly cast.

The cast of 'Ruthless!'

The set, with eye-popping 1950s colours and patterns, has been nicely designed by Ian Croker and the clever choreography by Jacquelyn Richards shows a great knowledge of Broadway musical dance styles.  Anna Senior has clearly had a lot of fun designing the perfect costumes for this show.

Musical direction by Nicholas Griffin is tight and accomplished and both he and Sharon Robinson perform the score on two pianos in full view of the audience.

If you don’t have a good time at this, I’m afraid young Tina Denmark will probably hunt you down!

Photos by Ben Appleton

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

 

 

THE BROADWAY MUSICALS YEARBOOK 1951 (RADIO PROGRAM PROMO)

 

“The Broadway Musicals Yearbook” will be heard on Artsound FM 92.7 at 5pm on Sunday 27 February and repeated at 11pm on Monday 28 February.  The show is produced and narrated by Len Power, Canberra theatre critic, music critic and radio presenter.

This week – the musicals of 1951

In 1951, the stars were as much of an attraction as the shows.  Phil Silvers was in ‘Top Banana’, Shirley Booth added lustre to ‘A Tree Grows In Brooklyn’, James Barton starred in ‘Paint Your Wagon’ and Gertrude Lawrence starred with Yul Brynner in ‘The King And I’.

You’ll hear songs from all of these shows and others, including ‘They Call the Wind Maria’ (from ‘Paint Your Wagon’), ‘Make The Man Love Me’ (‘A Tree Grows in Brooklyn’), ‘I Fought Every Step Of The Way’ (‘Top Banana’) and ‘Shall We Dance’ (‘The King And I’).

Performers include Gertrude Lawrence, Shirley Booth, Rufus Smith, Nanette Fabray, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Rose Marie and Phil Silvers.

Listen Now: https://artsound.fm/shows/the-broadway-musicals-yearbook/

 

 

THE GERSHWIN PROJECT - EPISODE 23 (RADIO PROGRAM PROMO)

 

THE GERSHWIN PROJECT – EPISODE 23

 ‘The Gershwin Project’ is a 26 episode series about the life and works of the 20th Century American music composer, George Gershwin.  Each episode runs for 30 minutes.

The series was first broadcast on Artsound FM in 2008.  The show was written and produced by Len Power and is narrated by Bill Stephens.

With access to the vast music library of local Gershwin collector, Bert Whelan, the programs include not only Gershwin’s well-known music but also an extraordinary number of Gershwin rarities.

Program 23: Gershwin After Gershwin

‘The Dawn Of A New Day’, the official song for the New York World’s Fair of 1939, had music by George Gershwin.  But George had died two years earlier.  Another new Gershwin score appeared in the 1945 movie ‘The Shocking Miss Pilgrim’ and, yet more new Gershwin songs in 1964 in Billy Wilder’s movie, ‘Kiss Me Stupid’.  Artists performing in this program include Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Betty Grable and Ray Walston.

 Listen now:

https://www.mixcloud.com/artsoundfm/the-gershwin-project-episode-23/

 

PIAZZOLA - A CENTURY OF TANGO (MUSIC CONCERT REVIEW)

Art Song Canberra

Ayşe Göknur Shanal, Soprano

Storytellers Ensemble

Wesley Music Centre, Forrest 20 February

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

Listening to the soprano, Ayşe Göknur Shanal, sing the tango music of composer, Astor Piazzola, you could be forgiven for believing the songs had been written especially for her.  Her singing was so intensely personal and passionate that the meaning of the songs hardly required any translation.

Her rich, clear soprano is perfectly suited to the songs of Piazzola.  To sing them well, with their driving and changing rhythms, great technical skill and the ability to give the songs the emotional level they require, is essential.

Every song was performed superbly but there were a number of highlights.  The first song presented, ‘Ballad For My Death’ was startling in its intensity and ‘For The Head’ with its familiar tune was given a romantic and highly emotional performance.  ‘Oblivion’ was full of passion and ‘Goodbye Nonino’ was heart-breakingly moving.

Ayşe Göknur Shanal

The accompanists played a number of Piazzola’s instrumental works as well as the songs.  ‘Otono’, ‘Psychosis’ (piano and cello), ‘Invierno Porteno’ and Libertango’ were all extremely well-played.

This concert for Art Song Canberra by Ayşe Göknur Shanal was as memorable as her previous one, ‘A Journey From East To West’, in 2018.  She is a fine singer who clearly loves to sing and she is not afraid to perform the full range of emotions in the works she presents.  In addition, her down to earth and friendly personality gives her an immediate connection with audiences.  If she returns for more concerts, and I hope she does, she is not to be missed.

From left: Monica Cichon (violin), Eugenie Tamplon (piano), Ayşe Göknur Shanal, (soprano) 
and  Aleksandar Zivkovic (cello) 

Ayşe Göknur Shanal has won many prestigious awards and scholarships here in Australia and overseas.  She has performed widely in the USA, UK, Europe and Asia including Opera Ausralia, Turkish State opera and Opera Queensland.

She was accompanied by Monica Cichon (violin), Aleksandar Zivkovic (cello) and Eugenie Tamplon (piano).  Each artist has a formidable list of qualifications and performance credits.

Astor Piazzolla was an Argentine tango composer, bandoneon player, and arranger.  His work revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed nuevo tango, incorporating elements from jazz and classical music.  A virtuoso bandoneonist, he regularly performed his own compositions with a variety of ensembles.  He was 71 when he died in 1992.

Photos by Peter Hislop 

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/.

 

 

DARKNESS AND LIGHT (MUSIC CONCERT REVIEW)

 

Phoenix Collective Quartet

Tuggeranong Arts Centre 17 February

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

The Phoenix Collective showcases classical music with a uniquely Australian edge.  They were formed in 2018 and have gone from strength to strength.  They have become known for their diverse and thoughtful programming and, in December 2021, they received a Canberra Critics' Circle Award for a concert exploring the music of the tango.

With “Darkness and Light”, the Phoenix Collective Quartet presented a particularly interesting program of musical contrasts.  Each of the works was given a well-presented and enlightening introduction by the performers.

Commencing with a world premiere by Western Australian composer and jazz musician, Mace Francis, “Squint Your Eyes” is a work that explores the concepts of truth and perception.  It is filled with dark, disturbing elements relieved by moments of melodic brightness and optimism.  It seems to truly mirror the uncertain times we live in and its intention is very clear.  This is a work that deserves to be heard more widely and was played very well by the quartet.

From left: Dan Russell (violin), Pip Thomson (violin), Ella Brinch (viola) and Andrew Wilson (cello)

Mozart’s String Quartet in C major K 465 “Dissonance” was next.  Again, it was well-chosen with its unusual and unexpected dissonance in the first movement, hinting at darker ideas, but ultimately leading to bright and sunny passages with lyrical hints of Mozart’s operatic works.  The quartet gave this a fine performance and their obvious enjoyment of playing the rollicking final movement was especially fun to watch.

The final work presented was another good choice for the “Darkness And Light” theme.  Beethoven’s String Quartet in A minor op 132 was composed in 1825 at a time when Beethoven was already profoundly deaf and in great pain from an intestinal complaint.  That pain is clearly there in the darkly emotional music of this work.  It is relieved only by the beautiful and slow third movement which Beethoven labelled “Holy song of thanksgiving from a convalescent to the Divinity”, referring to his partial recovery from his intestinal illness.  The quartet’s playing of this work was masterful from start to finish.

The audience at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre was then treated to two encores.  The first was a short, highly atmospheric Swedish traditional piece followed by a jazzy arrangement of themes by Taylor Swift.

 

Photo by Peter Hislop

 This review was first published in the Canberra Citynews digital edition of 18 February.

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

ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD (THEATRE REVIEW)

 

Written by Tom Stoppard

Directed by Cate Clelland

A Canberra REP production

Canberra REP Theatre, Acton to February 28

 

Reviewed by Len Power 18 February 2022

 

It must have been quite a relief for the Canberra REP company of ‘Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead’ to finally get this show past an opening night.  Delayed just as they were about to open last year by the Covid lockdown, it’s amazing that nearly all of the cast and crew were able to stay with the show all these months later.

‘Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead’ made Tom Stoppard an overnight success when his play was staged by the National Theatre in London in 1967.  He has produced a major body of work since then and is still writing to this today.

In the play, two minor characters from Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ consider their place in the world, how much control they have over their own existence and why death is such a preoccupation – universal themes we all ponder at some time in our lives.

We know their ultimate fate and the drama of their futile struggle plays out in a theatrical world that often defies logic.  It’s absurd and confusing, richly farcical and darkly unsettling, all at the same time.

The director, Cate Clelland, shows that she understands the deep intricacies of this play, clearly bringing out the underlying themes while keeping it moving at a breathless pace.  She has obtained fine performances from her cast.

Lainie Hart skilfully gives her role of Rosencrantz, usually played by a male actor, a warmth and bravado that makes gender unimportant.  Josh Wiseman as Guildenstern projects an appealing multi-layered character full of doubt and desperately needing logic to exist.  Both actors give admirable performances in these difficult, marathon roles.

Arran McKenna, Josh Wiseman and Lainie Hart

In the other substantial role in the play, Arran McKenna as The Player gives a fine traditional actor performance full of colour.  There is good work by the other cast members and especially the Troupe Of Players ensemble who display well-considered, individual performances.

This is a lengthy, demanding play that requires close concentration by the audience.  Having at least some knowledge of the plot of ‘Hamlet’ beforehand will add to the enjoyment of this play which is now rightly considered a modern classic.

Photo by Helen Drum 

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/.

 

THE BROADWAY MUSICALS YEARBOOK 1913

 

“The Broadway Musicals Yearbook” will be heard on Artsound FM 92.7 at 5pm on Sunday 20 February and repeated at 11pm on Monday 21 February.  The show is produced and narrated by Len Power, Canberra theatre critic, music critic and radio presenter.

This week – the musicals of 1913

In 1913, ‘Oh, I Say!’ was Jerome Kern’s second complete score for Broadway and up-and-coming Irving Berlin had songs included in ‘All Aboard’.  Victor Herbert provided the score for the operetta, ‘Sweethearts’, which became an enduring hit and Al Jolson was in ‘The Honeymoon Express’.  Rudolf Friml wrote the score for the very popular ‘High Jinks!’ and ‘Isle o’ Dreams’ unveiled a song that is still popular today - 'When Irish Eyes Are Smiling'.

You’ll hear songs from all of these shows and others, including ‘You Made Me Love You’, ‘He'd Have To Get Under, Get Out And Get Under’, ‘Sweethearts’, ‘Something Seems Tingle-Ingle-Ing’ and ‘The Monkey Doodle Do’.

Performers include Jane Powell, Travis Hudson, Gordon MacRae, Billy Murray, John McCormack and Joseph Cawthorn.

 

Listen Now: https://artsound.fm/shows/the-broadway-musicals-yearbook/

 

 

MONO (THEATRE REVIEW)

 

Written and directed by Angus FitzSimons

Bunbury Productions

The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre, 12 February.

 Reviewed by Len Power

Subtitled as “a three-person one-man show”, the comedy “Mono”, which played recently at the Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre, was an opportunity to see three of Australia’s much-loved comedy actors performing live onstage.

Noeline Brown is a household name on stage and in television in this country.  She appeared in the Phillip Street Revues in Sydney in the 1960s and went on to the notorious “The Mavis Bramston Show” on television.  “The Naked Vicar Show” followed and she has had numerous roles on stage and in films in a career spanning sixty years.

Max Gillies became a national sensation with his performances on television in “The Gillies Report” in 1983.  He had been a major stage performer long before that and has appeared with most of the major theatre companies in Australia.  He continues to enjoy a busy career onstage and in films and television.

John Wood rose to fame on television in “Power Without Glory”, “Rafferty’s Rules” and “Blue Heelers”.  He also had a busy stage career prior to those successes and continues to be one of Australia’s most recognizable actors.

In “Mono”, the performers take turns in nine solo scenes and a short wordless finale in which they all come together.  There are the hectoring Headmistress, a bad Bush Poet, a puzzled Policeman, a meandering Minister, a chaotic Conductor, a mindless “Mindfulness” teacher, a surreal Sotheby’s Auctioneer and a very, very sozzled Mother of the Bride.

There’s a definite feeling of having seen it all before and none of the scenes are more than mildly amusing.  Some of the sketches felt laboured in spite of their short running times.  Only two sequences stood out from the rest and that was due to Max Gillies.  As a music conductor in ‘Guide’ and an art gallery visitor in ‘Perspective’, Gillies showed his remarkable comic skills without saying a word.

The audience chuckled their way through it all, but these three performers are quite capable of having you rolling in the aisles.  It’s a pity they were limited by a script by Angus FitzSimons that didn’t give them that opportunity.  It was a pleasure to see these iconic performers onstage but the play itself was a disappointment.

This review was first published in the Canberra Citynews digital edition of 13 February.

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

 

THE BROADWAY MUSICALS YEARBOOK 1987 (RADIO PROGRAM PROMO)

 

“The Broadway Musicals Yearbook” will be heard on Artsound FM 92.7 at 5pm on Sunday 13 February and repeated at 11pm on Monday 14 February.  The show is produced and narrated by Len Power, Canberra theatre critic, music critic and radio presenter.

This week – the musicals of 1987

1987 saw the opening of one of the most popular musicals of all time – ‘Les Miserables’.  Stephen Sondheim had a hit with the fairy tale musical with a sting, ‘Into the Woods’, and Andrew Lloyd Webber gave us ‘Starlight Express’, his roller skating musical about trains.  There was also ‘Teddy And Alice’, a musical about the relationship of President Theodore Roosevelt with his feisty daughter, Alice.

You’ll hear songs from all of these shows and others including ‘Only He’ (from ‘Starlight Express’), ‘No-one Is Alone’ (‘Into the Woods’), ‘Stars’ and ‘On My Own’ (‘Les Miserables’) and ‘But Not Right Now’ (‘Teddy & Alice’).

Performers include Roger Allam and Frances Ruffelle (‘Les Miserables’), Stephanie Lawrence (Starlight Express’), Joanna Gleeson (‘Into The Woods’), as well as Ella Fitzgerald, Georgia Brown and Hoagy Carmichael. 

Listen Now: https://artsound.fm/shows/the-broadway-musicals-yearbook/

 

 

MOZART: VIENNESE STAR (MUSIC CONCERT REVIEW)

Photo: Helen White

Australian Haydn Ensemble

Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest

Thursday 10 February

 

Reviewed by Len Power

  

Founded in 2012, the Australian Haydn Ensemble is one of this country’s leading period instrument ensembles, specialising in the repertoire of the late baroque and early classical eras.  It takes its name from a leading composer of the late eighteenth century, Joseph Haydn, when style was transitioning from Baroque to Classical.

To celebrate the Ensemble’s 10^th anniversary, they presented “Mozart: Viennese Star”, a three part program of one string quartet each by Haydn as well as Boccherini and Mozart.  These works were published close together but each is quite different to the other, reflecting the composers’ distinct voices.

The first work presented, Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 33 No. 5 in G major, begins with a joke with two bars taken from the end of a phrase heard later.  The work has developed a nick-name, ”How Do You Do?”, because of this witticism.   The ensemble gave it a fine performance full of warmth and colour.  The Largo second movement was especially memorable.

Skye McIntosh

The second work presented, String Quartet Op. 32 No. 5 in G minor by Luigi Boccherini, is noticeably different in style to that of Haydn.  Its opening nostalgic melody has hints of strong emotions underneath and the Andantino second movement is quietly reflective.  The rest of the work has a bright, almost humorous flavour which is very enjoyable.  The Ensemble played it superbly.

Matthew Greco and Karina Schmitz

The final work presented was Mozart’s String Quartet No. 19 in C major K. 465.  Known as his “Dissonance” quartet, it was published not long after and was considered influenced by Haydn’s Op. 33 in 1785.  The opening Adagio with its sighing, piercing dissonance is quite unexpected and the rest of the work contains beautiful melodies and a playful finale.  The Ensemble played it with great energy, precision and obvious enjoyment.

Daniel Yeadon

The performers – Skye McIntosh (violin), Matthew Greco (violin), Karina Schmitz (viola) and Daniel Yeadon (cello) – all have formidable study credits and have busy performing and teaching careers.

Their performances of these works were exemplary and it was also fascinating to watch them playing.  Their obvious love of music and the joy of playing it drew the audience in even closer and added another level of enjoyment to this fine concert.

 

Photos of the performers by Oliver Miller

This review was first published in the Canberra CityNews digital edition of 11 February.

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

 

 

EXOTIC HYPNOTICA (THEATRE REVIEW)

 

Created and performed by Jazida

Jazida Productions

Belconnen Arts Centre to 12 February

 

Reviewed by Len Power 9 February 2022

 

In ‘Exotic Hypnotica’, a burlesque theatre extravaganza, Jazida opts into a hypnosis program with the Exotic Hypnotica Clinic.  It promises to make everything better but will she find what she’s looking for within her subconscious?

Exploring what it means to be labelled ‘exotic’, Jazida’s journey to enlightenment takes her through a number of dream-like states full of colour, sound and movement.  In confessional moments between the dreams, under hypnosis, she reveals a lot about her personal self and the often harsh realities of her life.

This is an ambitious show with good production values.  Jazida appears in a dazzling array of well-designed, expensive-looking costumes and the colourful setting has been enhanced with a dramatic and atmospheric lighting design.

Jazida is an internationally acclaimed burlesque performer and dance teacher.  Her warm and sincere onstage personality and her skill as an exotic dancer are showcased very well.  She is supported by an ensemble of women billed as the Fabulous Fan Dancers.  They lived up to their title with an intricate ostrich feather fan dance that was executed very well, receiving appreciative applause from the audience.

Jazida

The sound design was a bit over-powering at times, swamping the vocals.  It was impossible to hear the lyrics of some of the songs and dialogue over the music.

More attention needed to be given to the transitions from one number to the next.  Some of these were anti-climactic and exits from the stage by the ensemble were not planned well.  The framing story about the hypnosis clinic did not really go anywhere and seemed to be forgotten later in the second act.  If a framing story is deemed necessary for the show, it has to have the same care and attention as the dance and music sequences.  Overall, the work would benefit from stronger direction.

With ‘Exotic Hypnotica’, Jazida and her company have provided an entertaining burlesque evening for adults that should appeal to a wide audience.

 

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/.

 

 

THE GERSHWIN PROJECT - EPISODE 21 (RADIO PROGRAM PROMO)

 

‘The Gershwin Project’ is a 26 episode series about the life and works of the 20th Century American music composer, George Gershwin.  Each episode runs for 30 minutes.

The series was first broadcast on Artsound FM in 2008.  The show was written and produced by Len Power and is narrated by Bill Stephens.

With access to the vast music library of local Gershwin collector, Bert Whelan, the programs include not only Gershwin’s well-known music but also an extraordinary number of Gershwin rarities.

Program 21: ‘Girl Crazy’ and “’I Got Rhythm’ Variations”

The 1930 musical, ‘Girl Crazy’, produced more hit songs than any other Gershwin show.  It also introduced Ethel Merman to Broadway.  You’ll hear how Fred Astaire danced with Ginger Rogers for the first time and hear songs from ‘Girl Crazy’ sung by Lorna Luft, Ethel Merman and others.  George Gershwin himself introduces and plays his major work ‘Variations on “I Got Rhythm.”’

Listen now: 

https://www.mixcloud.com/artsoundfm/the-gershwin-project-episode-21/

 

THE BROADWAY MUSICALS YEARBOOK 1935 (RADIO PROGRAM PROMO)

 

“The Broadway Musicals Yearbook” will be heard on Artsound FM 92.7 at 5pm on Sunday 6 February and repeated at 11pm on Monday 7 February.  The show is produced and narrated by Len Power, Canberra theatre critic, music critic and radio presenter.

 This week – the musicals of 1935

1935 was a year of contrasts on Broadway.  George Gershwin premiered his folk opera, ‘Porgy And Bess’’, and Rodgers and Hart wrote the score for the massive circus musical, ‘Jumbo’.  Cole Porter presented a musical about European royalty, ‘Jubilee’, and 'At Home Abroad' was a revue with music by Arthur Schwartz and lyrics by Howard Dietz.

You’ll hear songs from all of these shows and others including ‘It Ain’t Necessarily So’ (‘Porgy and Bess’), ‘Begin the Beguine’ and ‘Just One Of Those Things’ (‘Jubilee’), ‘Little Girl Blue’ (‘Jumbo’) and ‘The Hottentot Potentate’ (‘At Home Abroad’).

Performers include Emily Skinner, Cab Calloway, Ethel Waters, Douglas Sills, Dorothy Loudon, Jack Cassidy and Lisa Kirk.

 

Listen Now: https://artsound.fm/shows/the-broadway-musicals-yearbook/

 

 

SMOKESCREEN (THEATRE REVIEW)

 Written and directed by Christopher Samuel Carroll

Bare Witness Theatre Co.

Q Theatre, Queanbeyan to 5 February

 

Reviewed by Len Power 3 February 2022

Tracing the origins of many of today’s political and social ills back to the marketing machinations of the tobacco industry in the mid-1970s when they were fighting for survival provides the basis for ‘Smokescreen’, an intriguing, dramatic new play by Christopher Samuel Carroll.

Set in a shabby hotel meeting room near an airport somewhere in the American mid-west in 1977, two men in suits with briefcases have a meeting.  One of them, a man working for an oil company, Glenn, played by Christopher Samuel Carroll, is a heavy smoker.  The other, younger man, Bud, played by Damon Baudin, is an advertising man and a non-smoker.

Their discussion over the next ninety minutes or so without a break is intense and increasingly worrying.  The young man clearly has a strong handle on the tactics necessary for the tobacco industry to circumvent increasing regulation of their business.  His smugness and confidence quickly rattles the older man who is forced to re-consider many of the things, personally and professionally, that he has taken for granted over the years.  The dominance of the situation by one man over the other soon changes.

Watching a discussion that took place over 45 years ago which has a sobering relevance to issues we are grappling with today, is an often uncomfortable experience.  As director, Carroll keeps the focus on the words with minimal movement by the characters.

Both actors give fine performances.  Christopher Samuel Carroll shows us a man at the beginning of the play that has never had to think about his values before.  The change from his aggressive over-confidence to questioning his life, business practices and future is subtly and carefully done.

Damon Baudin has the burden of playing a rather dislikeable young man quietly delivering more and more unpalatable messages.  It’s a marathon role with long and complex speeches which Baudin handles extremely well.

However, some of these long speeches seem to be trying to include as much research as possible and do not always ring true as dialogue from Bud.  It is also puzzling that, when subjected to long speeches filled with ideas he does not agree with, Glenn doesn’t try to interject more.

Overall, this is a demanding, insightful and well-researched play on marketing manipulation across a wide range of industries that resonates with us to this day. 

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

 

 

THE GERSHWIN PROJECT - EPISODE 20 (RADIO PROGRAM PROMO)

 

‘The Gershwin Project’ is a 26 episode series about the life and works of the 20th Century American music composer, George Gershwin.  Each episode runs for 30 minutes.

The series was first broadcast on Artsound FM in 2008.  The show was written and produced by Len Power and is narrated by Bill Stephens.

With access to the vast music library of local Gershwin collector, Bert Whelan, the programs include not only Gershwin’s well-known music but also an extraordinary number of Gershwin rarities.

Program 20: Preludes, Sketches & Transcriptions

In response to a heated public debate about the merits of jazz, George Gershwin wrote and performed 5 Preludes to show how worthy and dignified a jazz program could really be.  We’ll hear George himself and others playing the Preludes.  After his death, his estate released various pieces and sketches of music composed by George.  This program contains a selection of these pieces, most of them rarely heard before.

 Listen now: 

https://www.mixcloud.com/artsoundfm/the-gershwin-project-episode-20/