Month: November 2013

Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) present the 2013 Concert Season: Mozart Clarinet Concerto. This was, as usual with the ACO, an interesting program of music. The orchestra led by Satu Vanska played a short work by the Finnish composer, Einojuhani Rautavaara: A Finnish Myth (1977); from Russian, Edison Denisov: Five Paganini Caprices: Caprice No. 9.(1985) and Swedish, Goran Frost’s: DTangled (2013). The Finnish work was modern in its sound, full of grating string affects – lack of harmonies – contrasted with a, relievedly, thematic pattern. The Caprice by Denisov was of easier appeal and had enough echoes of the Paganini inspiration…

Sisters Grimm and Griffin Independent in association with Theatre Works present SUMMERTIME IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN at the SBW Stables Theatre, Kings Cross. Recently, while cogitating on the Belvoir production of HAMLET I formulated what I believe is the priority for a successful collaboration in the theatre (and, I believe, in the other mediums, too.): The Writer (i.e. good writing). The Actor (i.e. good acting). The Designer (or, historically, the Producer). The Director. In the time of Shakespeare that was the priority, and, I still believe, is more often than not, the best formula (in fact there used to be…

Photo by Gez Xavier Mansfield Dreamingful Productions presents ATOMIC – A New Musical in the Parade Playhouse, Parade Theatres, Kensington. ATOMIC – A New Musical performed in the Parade Playhouse in Kensington is a work in development – progress. A workshop reading was, so I am told, held in February of this year. It seems that much as been going on since then. One of the writers is an Australian, Danny Ginges, working with Gregory Bonsignore, an American, both on the Book and Lyrics. Philip Foxman of Australian/American background has been collaborating on the Music and Lyrics. All assisted by…

2013 Reginald Season. Squabbalogic Independent Music Theatre proudly presents CARRIE, The Musical, in the Reginald Theatre, the Seymour Centre, Sydney. CARRIE, The Musical in the Reginald Theatre at the Seymour Centre is using a 2012 re-working that was presented off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. Originally, presented in 1988 on Broadway, in the Virginia Theatre, it survived only16 preview and 5 performances, costing the investors some $8 million when it pre-maturely closed – a total disaster. Based on the 1974 book by Stephen King and the 1976 movie directed by Brian De Palma, and starring Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie…

Belvoir presents HAMLET by William Shakespeare in the Upstairs Theatre, Belvoir St, Surry Hiills. HAMLET by William Shakespeare, is, perhaps the challenge, the equivalent measuring stick for a theatre company and its artistic endeavours as, say, Tchaikovsky’s SWAN LAKE may be for the Ballet Companies of the World, or, Wagner’s DE RING DES NIBELUNGEN may be for an Opera Company, or, Beethoven’s NINTH SYMPHONY for a Concert Orchestra. This production of HAMLET at the Belvoir Theatre is an adaptation by Simon Stone of William Shakespeare’s play, for 8 actors and 2 musicians. The original text has been severely edited and…

Melbourne Festival presents Nature Theater of Oklahoma (USA) in LIFE AND TIMES: EPISODES 1-4, at the Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse. Kelly Copper and Pavol Liska met up while studying writing and theatre at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, and after moving to New York in 2004, created a company:Nature Theater of Oklahoma – it, adopted from a name of a dubious and promising troop in Kafka’s unfinished novel AMERIKA. I first saw this company in 2009 as part of the Sydney Festival, in their work NO DICE. I was won over and have followed their progress ever since. Earlier this…