I can’t resist saying that 12th Night was the first Shakespeare I ever saw. I was in Grade 6 at Ivanhoe State and our teacher told us we should go and see it and explained the plot and all the characters to the whole class.
I doubt that would happen in many primary schools today.
The theatre company was the Old Vic. Viola was performed by Vivien Leigh. The audience was almost entirely school kids (it was a matinée) and it was hilarious.
I’ll take my hand off it now. Both hands.
went to see Muriel’s Wedding last night. Very very good! stuck to the exact script of the movie for quite a lot of the time, and the bits that were changed worked really well too. Great set, singing was sensational for 99% of the time. The dialogue with the Heslop siblings and the bitchy girl set was particularly clever, and the use of Abba was amazing!
also saw Jersey Boys a couple of weeks back. Was enjoyable, not sensational, but worth seeing. The guy that played Frankie Valli held the role well, but you could hear some of his falsetto was a little strained (understandably, would be a tough ask!)
Sometimes you go to a show and think “well, that was good, but I don’t think I need to see this version again”. Other times you leave wondering when you can go back to see it again!. With these two, Jersey Boys was the former, and Muriel was absolutely the latter.
Great reviews, Koala.
I’m always dubious about musicals. It’s not like it used to be when you’d go and see the latest Broadway hit and come out humming the tunes, and that’s really the test for me. Jersey Boys is a safe bet because you know the songs before it starts. What about Muriel? Are there songs you hum? Songs that make you want to buy the CD? Or download from iTunes?
absolutely. Have been listening to the soundtrack a lot!
Some songs that are slower and more poignant, particularly with the funeral scene, and others that do a great job of expressing Muriel’s emotions - the feelings of loneliness, despair, and wondering what her life will amount to.
And some upbeat, really catchy songs. Very clever lyrics, some quite risqué bits, which I’m picking up even more now - missed some on the night!
And so deliciously aussie!
about to book to see Muriel again!
also, if anyone is interested - on April 26 and 27, there will be screenings of Ghostbusters at Hamer Hall with the MSO providing the score! I have a discount code for $40 tickets which will work until midday tomorrow (Thursday) night - PM me if you’d like it!
The MTC’s revival of the Arthur Miller classic, “A View from a Bridge”, ends this week but if you crave high octane cathartic theatre it’s highly recommended. Bit of a runaway train, it’s loud, emotional, incestuous, and full of suppressed sexuality and emotion which inevitably expresses itself in the violent final scenes. The cast are great and the setting is stark, nothing to distract the audience from the gut wrenching tragedy everyone sees coming.
I like theatre like this, a ripping theatrical experience, the MTC should serve up more of it and fewer film adaptations.
PS Not sure if people of Italian heritage will love or hate it, it’s based on a true story and set in Brooklyn in the 30s and there’s a lot of yelling and bull headed macho posturing.
If you were thinking of going to the MTC’s “Heisenberg” and were put off by the nasty review in The Age, think again. It’s a whip smart tale of desperation and personal reinvention. Kat Stewart is a revelation in the role of Georgie, a jabbering, middle aged, wannabe femme fatale, her performance is simply stunning. Peter Kowitz is a bit bland as her theatrical straight man but he has his moments and has the good sense to let her dazzle. It’s a two hander at the Fairfax, possibly my favourite theatre, and is thankfully sans interval. Not sure what got into the reviewer’s knickers, but seriously, anyone who couldn’t appreciate Stewart’s tour de force performance shouldn’t be publicly reviewing.
Only took me till my seventh decade but I broke my opera duck last night. I gather Turandot is a starters opera and we were in the cheap seats at $100 a pop but I admit to enjoying the spectacle of it all with some misgivings. Some uneducated observations from an opera novice.
so true!!!
Going to Home Alone as done by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in a couple of weeks.
Never seen them before, should be good.
GRR gave Turandot a bit of a rave the other day, and now it’s my turn to rave about Faust, which Mrs S10 and I saw last night. To be honest I wasn’t looking forward to it very much; it’s well over 3 hours long with only one interval and I didn’t know the opera at all (although everyone knows the basic outline of the Faust story), and I have only a slight acquaintance with the music of Charles Gounod, who wrote the opera. I needn’t have worried. It was absolutely sensational.
It’s a huge production. The orchestra was large, and on stage there were multiple soloists, a huge chorus, ballet dancers, acrobats … The music was fabulous and the singing did it full justice. The three major leads were Teddy Tahu-Rhodes, who was magnificent as Mephistopheles (bass-baritone), Saimir Pirgu (tenor) as Faust and Maria Mudryak (soprano) as Marguerite, both outstanding. The production is full of action and it really was a delight from start to finish. The audience loved it, and rightly so.
GRR is right; the audience demographic is definitely white and grey hair. I didn’t see a single dead animal, though, and that’s not something I’ve noticed ever, actually. I haven’t booked for Turandot but now I’m inspired to.
Opera is not to everyone’s taste. There’s a distinct absence of gritty realism, and the singing is not like pop singing. But if you’ve ever listened to extracts from famous operas and enjoyed them, and you’re prepared to go with an open mind and concentrate on what is happening on stage, and if you’re lucky enough to strike a really exceptional production like this one, you will find it a truly magical experience.
And last night I went to Turandot and agree very much with GRR. This and Faust are quantum leaps in advance of the dross that Opera Australia has been serving up in recent years. Opera is a spectacle. It’s not just about the music and the singing; it’s a show, and the sets, the lighting, the costumes and the acting are all parts of the show. For a long time they’ve been dull and the singing has been unspectacular too, but with these two productions the company has been right back on its game.
Last night was the final performance of Turandot and I think the last Faust is tonight, so in the incredibly remote event that anyone is moved by what GRR and I have said to look for a ticket, you’re too late. But there’s a season next year. I’ve not attended much in recent years because it’s been so dull, but that will change next year.
I have never been to an opera before; saw this is on tonight and was tempted to perhaps go. Never read Faust before but the outline of these types of stories always interest me. I have to admit I’m still undecided though.
The Company put a lot of time and energy into the Ring Cycle over the last few years, even just behind the scenes with singers trying to learn the roles it’s been very demanding. And Wagner is dull and heavy going anyway, imo. I know for a fact that it tired the organisation out overall.
Terracini has had his contract extended through to 2023. It’ll be interesting to see what he wants to do with the choice of shows . He’s on record as saying that making sets digitally has saved a lot of money over physical sets, but I’m not sure it doesn’t take away from the overall feeling. He has a tough balancing act, because OA is not majority funded by Government.
Go. Look at what seats are available on all 3 levels and make your choice. It’s not cheap but it’s still less than a name band. Read what the program says about the plot before each act, and follow the surtitles above the stage. The worst that can happen is that you waste a few hours and the cost of the ticket. The best that can happen is that you’ll be totally knocked out by something that’s not like anything you’ve seen before.
The digital stuff is actually very good, but there’s a lot of non-digital spectacle as well.
I went to the whole ring cycle and I don’t know why they bothered. Very dull. Totally lacking in spectacle.
Question:
Which is worse?
Essendon finals or Ring Cycle?
We were in the cheap seats at tjhe back of the dress circle for Turandot and the view was unrestricted and the sound was fine. And I wear hearing aids
sydney symphony orchestra with n cave on monday night…film scores
The State Theatre really is pretty good. You’re right; there are few if any dud seats, but it’s still true that the more you pay the better you get. The central seats are much better than the sides, even though you’re further back. The Arts Centre was Rupert Hamer’s pet project. It cost a fortune and spawned a mountain of litigation that made a lot of lawyers rich, but in the end it was worth it. The construction of the buildings is very high quality and even after 35 years of heavy use the fittings are still in top condition. There was a big facelift done on Hamer Hall not too long ago, but that was mainly to open up the northern side to the river and not because there were any problems. There are heaps of good eating places nearby too. We’ve recently been going to The Barre in the State Theatre building. It’s only got a small menu but it’s a good one. The only drawback is that you can’t book, but if you get there at 5.45 for a 7.30 show you’ll get in easily and have time for a martini (they do a good one) before you eat.