Month: May 2011

Belvoir presents THE BUSINESS by Jonathan Gavin, based on VASSA ZHELEZNOVA by Maxim Gorky, in the Upstairs Theatre at the Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney. This is a new Australian play by Jonathan Gavin, set in the 1980’s about a successful business family that is on the cusp of inter-generational change. The heirs, spoilt by the wealth of the hard work of their parents, are waiting to indulge the spree that wealth without responsibility can give. They want to sell up the business and indulge (“I want a yacht!”). But there is still life in the old guard-gal yet, and mum…

  TINY STADIUMS FESTIVAL produced by PACT and Curated by Quarterbred at the PACT Theatre, Erskinville. TINY STADIUMS FESTIVAL, curated by Quarterbred and produced by PACT “presents a season of performance and a weekend of works made for public spaces with live, sonic, visual and participatory projects from some of Australia’s (most exciting (emerging) artists” from 2-15 May, 2011. A season of live performance simply called DOUBLE BILL, includes EXECUTIVE STRESS / CORPORATE RETREAT invented by Applespiel and CHEER UP KID by Nat Randall. They can be seen as a double bill or separately. Apppelspiel have devised a program presenting…

Performance Space, Carriage Works and version1.0 present THE DISAPPEARANCES PROJECT at Carriageworks, Redfern, Sydney. THE DISAPPEARANCES PROJECT presented by version 1.0 concerns itself with the world of missing persons, and, more specifically, this work deals with the people left behind without ‘closure’. On an oblong of neat carpet, in front of a large screen for projection, are two high backed, uncomfortable looking, wooden chairs, that, after the production begins, two actors, Yana Taylor and Irving Gregory sit, and in a highly stylised vocal delivery, recall details of the events surrounding the disappearance and the aftermath of the void left by…

TRAPTURE presented by Sands through the Hourglass in association with Tamarama Rock Surfers Theatre at the Old Fitzroy Theatre. TRAPTURE, says the blurb, is bleeding theatre into performance art. Oh, yeah. “Outrageous and visceral”! – mmm? For who? A woman (Sarah Enright) dressed in slinky full length dress and gag greets each of us as we enter the Old Fitz theatre space. The walls are draped in plastic, the seats are covered in plastic. There is an air of fun (and potential danger?) Above the stage there is a technical arsenal of sound gear, being treated by Basil Hogios, live,…

  One of the strengths of Lachlan Philpott’s playwriting so far has been the sense of deep authenticity that he brings to the worlds he explores in his plays. BISON (2000-2009) and COLDER (2007) have powerful and grave impact, particularly, as Mr Philpott’s point of view is embedded with ‘real’ knowledge and creative identification of the characters and the events of the action of the plays. He has first-hand ‘knowledge’ of what he writes. The plays have the pulse and wealthy inside knowledge that only connected, close, lived observation can give. Part of their power is the exposition of worlds…