ARCADIAN SPRING - MUSICA DA CAMERA (CONCERT)

 

Musica Da Camera String Orchestra

John Ma, musical director

Holy Covenant Church, Cook, September 5

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

It might not have looked like spring outside, but Musica Da Camera ensured their concert showed us the promise and glory that the season can offer.

With a thoughtful and apt collection of music works by Bach, Fischer, Scarlatti, Telemann and Vivaldi, this spring concert, directed by Early Music specialist, John Ma, was a delight for the senses.

Violinist, John Ma, gave entertaining and educational information about the chosen works and he was really in fine form with this concert. He could make anyone love baroque music.

The program commenced with Alessandro Scarlatti’s Sinfonia suite from Clori, Dorino e Amore. With harpsichordist, Ariana Odermatt, Ma led the orchestra in a spirited playing of this work with its grand opening, elegant melodies and charming rhythms.

Ariana Odermatt, harpsichordist

Ouverture Burlesque by Georg Philipp Telemann was next. Burlesque in the 18^th century saw music provoke laughter through parody or cartoonish exaggeration. The work provided musical portraits of Commedia del Arte characters such as Scaramouches, Harlequinade, Colombine and Pierrot. Ma’s colourful descriptions of these characters provided a welcome and amusing depth to the music.

John Ma with Musica Da Camera orchestra members

The orchestra then played Bach’s sparkling Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor. This was a wonderfully clear and graceful playing of this timeless work. In three movements, Ma and the orchestra excelled with a particularly beautiful and sensitive playing of the central Andante. It was the highlight of the concert.

The next work, Vivaldi’s Concerto for Strings in B-flat major (Conca) was inspired by the strings mimicking the resonant blasts of a conch shell. It was a good example of the Baroque era’s spirit of experimentation and everyone clearly had fun playing it.

Johann Fischer, a German composer, was a good choice for spring with his 3^rd Suite from Le Journal du Printemps. The elegance of the French Court style blended with the contrapuntal traditions of German music and this fine work was very well played.

Telemann’s Excerpts from Die Satyn in Arcadien was the final work on the program. The introduction was rhythmic and full of atmosphere and the dances in the second half were witty, colourful and rousing. They were played with gusto and skill by Ma and the orchestra. By the end, there was definitely a feeling of spring in the air.

 

Photos by Dalice Trost

 

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 6 September 2026.

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

Len Power also presents the weekly Concert Hall program on Artsound FM, playing recordings of some of the best concerts from in and around Canberra. Concert Hall can be heard on Sundays at 8pm and is repeated on Wednesdays at 2pm.

 

 

ANIMAL FARM (PLAY)

 

By Elizabeth Brennan and James Jackson

From the novel by George Orwell

Created and Performed by Bloomshed

The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre to 5 September

 

George Orwell’s Animal Farm, a fierce 1945 allegory for the Russian Revolution and satire on the Soviet Union and Leninism, proves to be an ideal vehicle for Bloomshed, a company who states that their work emerges primarily from the people who make it, not the other way around.

In Orwell’s original story, a rebellion by farm animals, who then create a self-governing farm built on equality, unravels as some animals see themselves as more equal than others.

Bloomshed sets the story in rural Australia, giving the animals a voice that sounds uncomfortably like the language of Australian labour politics. It may be your imagination, but some characters seem to be almost recognizable figures in the current political scene.

The second half of the show depicts the collapse of Animalism in a wildly satirical re-enactment of a Senate Select enquiry. While it’s broadly played and is very funny, it does feel uneasily close to the real thing.

Syd Brisbane and company

The ensemble cast of eight - Anna Louey, Edan Goodall, Elizabeth Brennan, James Malcher, Laura Aldous, Lauren Swain, Sam Nix and Syd Brisbane – give equally fine performances full of energy and deftly defined characters. Their sense of timing of the humorous elements of the script is particularly strong.

It’s an eye-catching production with a stylish and substantial set of wood and glass. As well as the fine performances, Justin Gardam’s sound design is a major element of the production as is the clever lighting design by John Collopy.

Running just 75 minutes without an interval, this production moves at a frenzied pace, honouring Orwell’s original story but making it a recognizable take on the current Australian political scene. It’s highly amusing even though it makes you squirm.

 

 

Photo by Sarah Walker

 

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 4 September 2026.

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

 

 

GREASE (MUSICAL)

 

Book, Music and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey

Directed by Bradley McDowell

Musical Director: Ella Ragless

Choreographer: Jordan Kelly

Canberra Philharmonic Society production

Erindale Theatre to 12 September

 

Reviewed by Len Power 27 August 2026

 

These days, audiences want Grease’ on stage to remind them of the popular 1978 film version of the show. Although the original stage show opened in 1971 and was a huge success on Broadway, the current stage version is less gritty and even includes the most-loved songs that were written especially for the film.

Director of this Philo production, Bradley McDowell, notes in the program that his concept is more of a rock show. Traditionalists might not be happy about this, but, as the show is now a hybrid and most people in the audience probably know all the songs and characters anyway, why not do something different with it? An entertaining, high energy, colourful (and loud) production with a wildly enthusiastic cast is the result.

While the set design is black-and-white with colourful mobile props (including a groovy Greased Lightning car), the clever and complex lighting design by Alex Clifford gives a colourful rock show atmosphere that is a highlight of the show.

Ashleigh Maynard (Sandy) and the girls

There are some standout performances from the large cast. Ashleigh Maynard does ‘sweet’ Sandy very well and her transformation to the ‘new’ Sandy at the end of the show remains a valid and fun character. Her singing of ‘Hopelessly Devoted To You’ was especially appealing. Samuel Whiter achieves the roughness of Danny who is really a nice-boy-underneath and the emotion he brings to his singing of ‘Sandy’ is a standout in the show.

Samuel Whiter (Danny)

There are also colourful performances from Georgia Motto (Rizzo), Joseph Mansell (Kenickie), Erin Hawker (Marty), Meaghan Stewart (Miss Lynch), Michael Cooper (Vince Fontaine) and Declan Pigram (Johnny Casino). Dave Collins sings Teen Angel well, but his makeup looks like he escaped from a zombie movie.

Chorus members of 'Grease'

Choreography by Jordan Kelly doesn’t have much to do with the 1950s but works fine with the rock show concept. His ability to make a cast look good with simple steps and gestures works very well here.

Musical director, Ella Ragless, has achieved a high standard with the singing of the cast and production of the music. Conductor, Craig Johnson, achieves a fine sound from the orchestra. Dialogue, though, is difficult to understand because of the amplification.

This production should please everybody who loves this show. If, by chance, you’re from another planet and have never seen it, you’ll have a great time.

 

Photos by Photox

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