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HSC Review: Suzy Goes See - The Jungle book

Review: The Jungle Book (Emu Productions / King   St Theatre)

Weber’s Jungle Book Lacks the Bare Necessities

Venue: King Street Theatre (Newtown NSW), Apr 10 - 22, 2017 Book and Lyrics: Markus Weber (based on the original by Rudyard Kipling) Composer: Michael Summ Director: Markus Weber Cast: Kodie Amos, Maria de Marco, Mark Power, Mandy Fung, Martin Charles, Wheatley, Brett O’Neill, Kyle Stephens and Alfie Salvato

Theatre Review: The Jungle Book is synonymous with high energy and joviality. It is a story of friendship and good triumphing over evil. Markus Weber promised the audience two things in his adaptation; a musical version of the much-loved narrative, and that he would steer away from the Disney cliché. And in some ways, he didn’t disappoint. It was definitely a musical. A rock musical. Indeed, the elements for success were there; well-known characters and some surprisingly catchy songs. And indeed, he stayed away from the Disney alternative, but in the worst possible way. The often-lacklustre execution made the performance at times painfully disappointing to sit through.

Although King St Theatre offered only a small stage space, a lot of versatility was used to easily guide the audience through to the action, making it feel bigger and providing the actors with ample space for physicality. Alfie Salvato’s Mowgli managed to engage the audience twice during the production with some decent physicality as he swung on ropes and did acrobatics around the stage. However, this created an unintentional split staging which only served to contrast to the other actors in the space, who seemed awkward in comparison and unnatural trying to traverse the vertical stage as ‘animals’. The only remotely funny part of this play was watching how laughable the actors’ abilities were to stay in character while moving around the stage.

The split focus and cross cutting could have been forgiven if the main actors had delivered more than mediocre stage presence. Some would excuse this with it just being for children, thus lowering the bar, but not even the kids in the audience looked engaged. The basic task of being energetic enough to keep kids engaged appeared to be too difficult for the cast. Poor casting is an understatement for how inexcusable the performances were; the entire audience was cringing throughout most of the show. How did they expect to engage anyone when Maria De Maroc, as Bagheera, had the charisma of a throw rug or Alfie Salvato, as Mowgli, had the emotional depth of a caveman?

The play’s linear character dialogue, which expressed only two emotions; “angry” and “not angry”, was infuriatingly mundane. Along with confusion of the poor emotiveness of the actors, many jokes fell flat or were outright inappropriate for such a young audience. Such as threatening to say the ‘F’ word and many other similar ‘gags’. Also, long pauses after jokes and gags were uncomfortable and awkward; leaving a lot of confusion. The constant failure to engage any jokes felt rather insulting, as if the audience was meant to laugh simply because it was the polite thing to do. 

What truly added insult to a giant, gaping injury was the musical scores. Repetitive, harsh, outdated 90’s style funk/rock is bad enough, but trying to decipher what actors are singing, unaided, over the trashy music was like trying to crack the enigma code. This is truly baffling as Michael Summ’s composing has been praised in past performances of The Jungle Book. Not even that long ago, almost as recently as a year; Weber’s script and Summ’s composing had even made their way to Europe. How this fresh-hell was capable of recognition is beyond belief with its near criminally punishable, torturous experience. Escaping the Amazonian jungle would’ve been an easier task than attempting to follow along with any plot development in musical interludes. How children were expected to keep up with anything occurring on stage is such an abstract idea it may as well be expressed as a complex mathematical equation.

Subpar performances by the entire cast? Check. Awkward, janky dialogue that is hard to follow? Check. Inappropriate “gags” and “jokes” that would make any parent seriously question why anyone would recommend a child audience? Check. The list goes on. Weber’s The Jungle Book is indeed a Musical (musical catastrophe) and is an alternative to the Disney version; much like poorly made student projects are similar to the Disney movies they rip off. Just different enough to pass but so poorly executed it ruins any meaning or enjoyment. Never has 75 minutes seemed longer than in The Jungle Book.

The Jungle Book is ‘unbearable’ and ‘bearly’ has, if any, redeeming qualities. You’d have to be monkeying around to go see this one with your kids. Avoiding this agonisingly long 75 minutes of performance is the best decision to make these school holidays.

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HSC Review: Aus Stage - Antigone

Antigone | Sport for Jove

October 20th 2016

Antigone brings Powerful Modern Rhetoric and Ancient Human Ideology, Together. 

Janine Watson, Elijah Williams, Louisa Mignone, Andrea Demetriades and Thomas Royce-Hampton. Photo - Marnya Rothe

Antigone is captivatingly modern, bringing many contemporary world issues to the stage and yet, in its modesty, does not stray far from Sophocles’ original. Two brothers, Polynikes and Eteocles, having slain each other in a battle during a Greek civil war, become the centerpiece for the civil unrest. Their uncle, Creon, who has become the new ruler, decrees that Polynikes must be left on the ground to rot and that no one is to bury him, while Eteocles is to be buried with a state funeral. Their sister, Antigone, buries Polynikes and lands in trouble with the state causing more tragedy for the war-torn people.

This timeless ancient classic is persistently relevant, with characters and issues so modern the play screams of 21st century war crimes and human rights atrocities. This adaptation of Antigone by Damien Ryan of Sport for Jove Theatre Company opens with a disorienting assault of the senses. Loud beating drums that force you into an uncomfortable, eager and silent anticipation. Antigone explores contemporary issues revolving around war and its effect on humanity as well as raising ethical questions about the very nature of conflicts and the people affiliated with them.

From the moment you sit down in your seat, the set and atmosphere of the stage gives an uneasy vibe and prepares you for the oncoming Realist piece. The ruined, decaying walls, the rubble and rubbish, the dusty floor, a soldier’s silhouette, all bring together the overwhelming despair and grief of a war torn country. The needless destruction is clear to all. Different projections upon a transparent wall create an evolving dynamic capable of changing the mood of an entire scene effectively and suddenly; keeping the audience engaged and in constant anticipation of the implications that come with the projections.

Torn, dusty clothes worn by the general public of war torn Greece grips you in a looming sense of desperation. A confronting juxtaposition to King Creon as he speaks of peace in his neatly ironed suit and leather shoes. Discussing freedom, prosperity and peace, Creon has a contrast between the grieving, injured people. A well-tailored yet disconnected politician preaching ‘promises’ -- that feels all too modern and really brings home the pitch for Antigone.

War ravaged Greece. Its powerful trap draws you in, and holds on, as immediately after seeing the populace, there is an overpowering feeling of disappearance and dread, locking you in for the emotional ride. Tragedy, death and morality, all foreshadowed as two sisters, Antigone and Ismene, talk and soon direct the attention to you. In all black, Antigone captivates the audience with short monologues to “whoever’s out there”. Andrea Demetriades draws a deep connection between the actor and audience as through  attempting to break the fourth wall, Antigone seems more human.

Damien Ryan expertly uses Antigone’s morally ambiguous dilemmas to encapsulate you in a constant pull between characters as you question Creon’s intentions while his conscience is torn between morality, leadership and society. No one is innocent in the nation-wide challenge of law, society and personal conscience as the links between Antigone’s closest friend and Fiancé are strained and intentions are hazed by an uncertain fog of conflict.

With conflict constantly bringing new morally ambiguous questions throughout the play, Antigone will have you questioning your own moral code. Do all deserve respect, or only the victors? Who is the one to judge what is moral and just in a sea of uncertainty? When will man learn to forgive? Not only does the play Antigone bring these questions to life, but it leaves a finger print on your conscience. The world today highlights the pertinent nature of ethical dilemmas in a dystopian reality and Damien Ryan brings this to your attention from start to finish.

Sharp bangs and long resonating sounds force an atmosphere of tension over you. Small chimes, drums and sombre, choral singing keep you deeply engaged. Tense moments brought to life with the sound of a gong; low resonating sounds from urns and small little chimes all create an amazing emotional device that you feel deep inside of you. Chaotic scenes on stage mixed with deafening drumming is something that you both figuratively and literally feel in your bones from moment to moment. Timing, volume and pitch all tuned perfectly from scene to scene. Tension between the public of Greece, Creon and Antigone are all masterfully brought to a climax when the dam walls break and you are swept up in a tidal wave of emotion as the dark and depressing ending shows its face. When all is too late to change, you’ll be drawn in wishing you could speak back to Antigone just as she has been speaking to you throughout the play. You will even find yourself crying with Creon as the lights fade out and the sound of a sobbing man is all that can be heard.

Antigone is an avalanche of raw emotion, questioning and intense performance. The actors draw you in and don’t let go of your attention as Creon slides down a slippery slope and Tragedy unfolds. A brutal ending that leaves you in a state of content sadness… an uncomfortable feeling, but still a sense of closure. A sense of certainty in what transpired.

Powerful performances, perfectly timed musical queues and a narrative as ancient as society itself, brought together in a performance that feels as modern as if it were a contemporary story. Antigone is one that you’ll not only enjoy but that you’ll continue to think about long after you leave.

(HSC review piece styled in an Australian stage review format)

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HSC Review: SAG - Huff

TAKE A BREATH, CLIFF CARDINAL’S ‘HUFF’ IS ABOUT TO KNOCK THE ‘WIND’ OUT OF YOU!

Cliff Cardinal’s Huff @ the Seymour Centre January, 25th 2017     LEAVE A COMMENT

Unfathomably dark, emotionally distressing and down-right terrifying. The single man play, written and performed by Cliff Cardinal, brings a confronting and draining journey that grabs hold of you, quite literally, and drags you through the dirt of systemic racism and abusive households. This bold solo performance explores how one Canadian Inuit attempts to survive in his turbulent life.

From the moment the lights go up, you are at once confronted by our protagonist, who emerges with a plastic bag taped to his head, slowly suffocating. After a short self-aware Brechtian monologue describing in gruesome detail how suffocation works, the audience is then disoriented by the actor physically breaking the fourth wall to approach them with a jarring yet enthralling plea to help him remove his restraints and save him from certain asphyxiation. I was truly startled when I was chosen to remove the plastic bag and I was genuinely concerned as the bag did look like it was suffocating him. I was on edge for the rest of the play as adrenaline was coursing through me. It had the entire audience on edge as people around me jumped in their seats as the ordeal was occurring, setting the standard for the rest of the unconventional and jarring play.

Huff isn’t afraid of completely shattering audience expectations of what theatre should be. Cliff Cardinal challenges the traditional conventions of theatre in a deeply engaging manner through the morbid curiosity the play generates in the audience. As I struggled to remove the plastic bag from his head, the uncomfortable tension was made audible by morbid shots of laughter that broke the silence as the audience attempted to keep a cool head in a genuinely stressful situation.

Dozens of characters are brought before you, shattering all expectations as Cliff Cardinal enthralls with simple yet effective changes, bringing you into the eyes of Wind. Wind is a young boy trying to escape his daily struggles with racism and domestic abuse alongside his little brother. Rampant substance abuse, alcoholism and the constant theme of escapism are seen from numerous perspectives, articulated through interesting mannerism and disturbing monologues. Father to Son, Grandma to teacher, Wind reveals his warped reality and recounts his experiences as he attempts to reason with the hardship inflicted on him.

Huff dives head first into deep water as the pressures of emotional distress build up and the flood gates burst. There is a rampant epidemic of black humor, only making you more and more uncomfortable as suicide, domestic violence and sexual assault are brushed off with an awkward silence. A few seconds later and it is right back into the fanaticism of Wind’s imagination. This juxtaposition is jarring and jerks you out of the previous scene, forcing you along through this tragic, yet awfully appealing world.

Following form of Cardinal’s previous productions, such as the highly praised “Maria Gets a New Life”, released in 2013, the childish rendition of people in Wind’s life are full of mystery and the child-like belief that what’s happening is “normal”. It’s normal to be hit. It’s normal to have a deranged family. It’s normal to do drugs with your brother, “everyone does it… right?”. Lies and deceit have obscured how Wind sees the world, keeping you always guessing at what is real, what’s a feverish hallucination and what’s an analogy for something much more gruesome. Even after the conclusion, you won’t be sure exactly what was reality and what was fiction, leaving audiences pondering long after the curtains have closed. Cliff Cardinal’s intention to get you asking questions mixes beautifully with his ability to craft dialogue on societal issues, such as poverty and racism. Huff will truly connect with you on a deep emotional level.

At one point, a bombardment of red light and a demented musical chorus plays, signaling the entry of Chris, the eldest brother of the trio. Michelle Ramsay perfectly designed the lighting to reflect Chris’ psychological torment on stage. Chris suffers from Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and is a constantly tortured soul represented with distorted screams and flashing lights.

Director Karen Randoja explores deep-rooted societal inequities in a theatre of cruelty style that Artaud would be proud of. The audience begins to question their own realities as they are forced to reflect on what they are witnessing, and participating in. Revelations about the high rate of suicide in public schools, coupled with implementing an astoundingly discomforting simulated rape scene between Wind’s older brother Chris and the youngest brother of the three, slaps the audience in the face. Immediately afterwards, Wind normalises the experiences nonchalantly, leaving the audience cold and silent in a mixed state of shock and disbelief.

Overall, Huff is a shockingly brilliant play. Its electrifying energy sustained throughout the production in a well-rehearsed performance, only occasionally broken by moments of confusion from which Cardinal easily recovered.

HUFF is playing at the Seymour Centre until 28th of July. I strongly recommend seeing this powerful performance.

(HSC review piece i made, styled after a sydney arts guide review.)