BABY JANE (PLAY)

Adapted and Directed by Ed Wightman

From the Henry Farrell novel, “Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?”

Canberra REP production

Canberra REP Theatre, Acton to 8 March

 

Reviewed by Len Power 21 February 2025

The 1962 psychological horror film, “Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?” is famous for its now iconic performances by the stars of the film, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. The film was based on a novel by Henry Farrell and it is this novel on which Ed Wightman has based his play, rather than the film.

In the story, two sisters are living together in seclusion.  Former stage child star, Jane Hudson (Baby Jane) is caring for her crippled sister, Blanche Hudson, formerly a famous movie star. It seems that Jane is responsible for the accident that resulted in her sister’s condition. Jane’s unstable state of mind results in an unrealistic plan to revive her child act while her aggression towards her sister increases alarmingly.

While the story in both film and play is basically similar, there is, wisely, no attempt to copy the performances of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.

Louise Bennet gives a winning performance in the marathon role as Jane Hudson. She gives the character of Jane an eccentric childlike quality that is initially funny and a little sad, making her gradual descent into a dangerous insanity effective and realistic.

As her crippled sister, Blanche Hudson, Victoria Tyrrell Dixon gives a fine, in-depth performance as a woman increasingly fearful for her safety who is unable to get help when she needs it.

The best moments in the play are the confrontation scenes between the sisters. Petty jealousies become serious conflicts as Jane’s mind deteriorates and both actresses make these sequences frighteningly memorable.

Michael Sparks gives a nicely controlled performance as the ghost of the sister’s father who appears in Jane’s mind at key moments in the play. The psychological impact he had on the young Jane is effectively detailed in Sparks’ performance.

Andrea Garcia plays the housekeeper, Luisa, with an appealing warmth and concern for Blanche’s situation while dealing with the difficult Jane, and Tom Cullen gives a good performance as Edwin Flagg, a seedy young man who sees a chance to take advantage of Jane’s delusions.

Andrew Kay’s detailed set of this faded Hollywood home is nicely claustrophobic. Ed Wightman’s adaptation of the Farrell novel works very well and his direction of both character and action is excellent, making this a fine and entertaining thriller.

 

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

 

  

BUBBLE BOY (MUSICAL)

Book by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio

Music and lyrics by Cinco Paul

Directed by Tijana Kovac

Musical Direction by Tara Davidson

A Queanbeyan Players production

Belconnen Community Theatre to 23 February

 

Reviewed by Len Power 14 February 2025

 

Most musicals we know had a typical Broadway start, but ‘Bubble Boy’ is a musical that first appeared in a production in New Jersey, USA in 2013. A cast album was then released, and the show became available for subsequent productions.

Somehow, the clever people at Queanbeyan Players found out about it and, even though audiences here would be unlikely to have heard of it, they’ve had the courage to take a gamble and give it a local production.

Based on an equally obscure 2001 film of the same name, it’s about a boy who was born without immunities and has had to live in a plastic bubble room. The show explores the idea that we’re all in our own limiting ‘bubbles’ and need to break out of them to reach our full potential.

Director of this production, Tijana Kovac, has given the show a comic look and feel.  The set and properties design by Remus Douglas is minimal and deliberately ratty and Sally Taylor’s choreography is based on simple movement. Their apt choices all contribute to the show’s overall sense of fun.

Rylan Howard (centre), Jimmy, the Bubble Boy, with members of the cast of the show

The large youthful cast attack the material with gusto and enthusiasm right from the opening number and keep that energy level high throughout the show. The 6 piece band play the music very well.

Kay Liddiard (Chloe) and Rylan Howard (Jimmy, the Bubble Boy)

You could criticize certain aspects of the show – there is some flat singing and over-acting at times and the music for the show isn’t all that memorable – but, honestly, the rough edges of this production work in its favour and the cast’s enthusiastic delivery overcome any short-comings, making this a very enjoyable two hours of musical fun.

Once again, Queanbeyan Players have shown that you don’t always have to look to the well-known Broadway musicals to have a good show.

 

Photos by Damien Magee

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs
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MUSIC TO CELEBRATE (CONCERT)

Salut! Baroque

Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest January 31

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

It’s hard to believe that in 2025 Salut! Baroque celebrates 30 years of presenting Baroque music.

Their first program for this year celebrated the entire spectrum of baroque music – from its near-beginning to its near-conclusion – presenting various composers who were either an influence for what was to come or influenced by what had already taken place.

A feature of a Salut! Baroque concert is the presentation of obscure or never heard before composers from the era. This concert offered works by Giovanni Antonio Guido and Jan Rokyta as well as works by several other composers.

The concert commenced with Tarquinio Merula’s canzona, The Nightingale, from 1615. Anna Stegmann, Sally Melhuish, Alana Blackburn and Alicia Crossley, playing recorders, gave this work a delightfully atmospheric performance.

On Baroque instruments, John Ma (violin), Julia Russoniello (violin), Isaiah Bondfield (violin), Brad Tham (viola), Tim Blomfield (bass violin) and Monika Kornel (harpsichord) then played Pietro Antonio Locatelli’s 1741 Concerto in E Flat Op. 7 No. 6, subtitled Arianna’s Tears. The sombre and contrasting bright and melodic sections were given a sensitive performance of great depth.

Salut! Baroque

The next item, Giovanni Guido’s Playful Harmonies on the Four Seasons – Summer Op. 3 from 1717 was performed by the string players. They were joined by Anna Stegmann on recorder for the final section, Dance of the Faun. The performance of this melodic and colourful work by the no longer well-known composer, Guido, proved to be one of the highlights of the concert.

Moving to an unexpected 1969, Balkanology, by Jan Rokyta for four recorders, this haunting, mysterious and complex work with Romanian and Turkish influences was given a superb performance by the four women on their recorders. The thunderous audience applause at the conclusion was well-deserved, making this another highlight of the concert.

There were also works by Johann Christian Schickhardt, Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Heinrich Schmelzer. Each of these was given a fine performance by these musicians.

The concert concluded with a work written towards the end of the baroque period in 1750, Georg Philipp Telemann’s Concerto in A minor TWV 43. The combination of strings and recorder produced a rich sound that was at times dreamlike. It was memorably played and the perfect end to a concert that was educational as well as charming.

 

Photo by Dalice Trost

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 1 February 2025.

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