Orpheus – A One Of A Kind Captivating Performance

Orpheus

Orpheus Rating

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The ‘Orpheus’ show was mesmerising, and I was utterly captivated by Shakti’s creative brilliance. ‘Orpheus’ is part of the Newcastle Fringe Festival performances, and last night’s show was held at the REX Royal Exchange Newcastle Salon Theatre. I had not previously attended the quaint theatre before, but I will endeavour to return there again soon. The staff were welcoming and friendly and did their best to make everyone feel relaxed and ready to enjoy the performance.

‘Orpheus’ is a solo dance show performed by Shakti, a seasoned professional dancer who has graced stages all over the world, including New York, Moscow, Paris, London, Kyiv, India, Israel and Germany. Her self-choreographed performance is rooted in inspiration from the Greek mythical character Orpheus and his tragic story.

The Greek mythology tale of Orpheus can be traced back to the 5th Century BCE and has captivated and inspired people worldwide for thousands of years. To quickly refresh your memory of the tragic tale, the mythological character Orpheus, gifted with seemingly superhuman musical abilities, is madly in love with his newlywed wife, Eurydice. Shortly after their wedding, Eurydice tragically succumbs to a snake bite, leaving Orpheus in a state of horrific grief. He travels to the underworld to beg Hades and Persephone to allow him to take his beloved wife back to the surface world.

Orpheus’ enchanting musical abilities successfully persuade Hades and Persephone to allow him to return home with his beloved wife on one condition: he must not look back at Eurydice until they reach the surface. Unfortunately, Orpheus doesn’t heed the warning and turns back to check that his beloved is trailing behind. As he does so, Eurydice instantly vanishes, and Orpheus is once again overcome with grief. Orpheus later meets a brutal death, being torn to pieces by frenzied maenads who were scorned by Orpheus’s rejection of their advances.

Through her dancing, Shakti explores the philosophy of life, death and the underworld. At the end of her performance she briefly discussed the concept of the underworld and how we won’t know what happens next until we get there. Will it be life’s greatest adventure? She philosophized how cultures all around the world, throughout time, have been intrigued by death and the various versions of beliefs regarding the age-old question- what is the afterlife?

Shakti’s choreography appeared to be a blend of contemporary dance styles beautifully enriched with Asian influence. Incredible emotion oozed into Shakti’s captivating performance. Her portrayal of torturous grief and loss was powerfully performed through every essence of her being. The use of flickering lights and darkness contributed splendidly in complementing and reinforcing the deeply emotive scenes. Likewise, her utilisation of exquisite materials as coverings and props was both visually impressive and emotive.

Shakti displayed true artistry at its finest in her performance. Her show was unique and extremely creative. I have utmost appreciation and admiration for this inspiringly talented woman. If you missed her at this year’s Fringe Festival, she promised to return next year to captivate audiences once again with her one-of-a-kind dance performance.

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Magpie – Fearless and Brave

Magpie

Magpie Rating

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2

I had the pleasure of reviewing EJ Mann’s comedy show MAGPIE at Bernie’s Bar Newcastle. In her own words, “It’s a musical comedy show about being brave and living like one of Australia’s most fearless birds- the Magpie.”

EJ Mann is a Brisbane based comedian on tour for the Fringe Festival. She has been gaining great momentum in the comedy circuit and receiving wonderful acclaim and reviews from her shows. In a relatively short period, of only a few years, she has certainly made her mark in the comedic world as a RAW State Finalist, Funny Coast Laughable Finalist, and Brat Pack People’s Choice Winner.

EJ Mann’s references to Uber drivers, Elon Musk, and keyboard warriors on neighbourhood Facebook pages made the show incredibly relatable and hilarious. There is a meld of Facebook posts and comments from her neighbourhood page, which EJ brilliantly and most creatively creates into a humorous song. I recommend she join my local page, as there is great content there if she is after new material for her next show. Facebook community pages definitely seem to bring the most brazen characters out of the woodwork.

It was most endearing to hear EJ intertwining various quotes and stories from her beloved late grandmother into her performance and songs. She made various mentions regarding her family and personal relationships which created an intimate, personal atmosphere and allowed the audience to feel acquainted, at ease and more receptive to her material.

EJ talked about her self discovery and sexuality in a heartfelt entertaining presentation. What I loved most was how she seamlessly incorporated her original comedic songs, accompanied by her guitar, throughout the show. A very stylish guitar, too, I should mention. EJ sings with an authentic Australian accent and a reminiscent sweetness of Missy Higgins. I could draw comparisons to the comedian Garfunkel (Kate Micucci), whose work I also absolutely adore.

There was a steadfast theme of the brave and fearless Magpie bird which is cleverly intertwined throughout her material. I particularly loved the reference to a ‘Parliament of Magpies’ and their superior efficiency. There were also references to shallow peacocks and rainbow lorikeets which reinforced her ideas beautifully.

EJ Mann is undeniably bold and brave as the Magpie and reveals an authentic, raw, self-exposing performance with skilful comedic light. A solid and professional performance by an up and coming star in her field. It is hard to believe she has only been at this game for just a few years. EJ certainly portrayed the grace and confidence of a seasoned professional. I was truly impressed by her creative witty performance and wish her all the best with her remaining Fringe Festival performances.

To book tickets to Magpie, please visit https://newcastlefringe.com.au/events/magpie/.

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The Little Mermaid: Out Of Your World

The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid Rating

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I entered the enchanting “Under The Sea” world to review The Little Mermaid by PACA Productions at The Concourse Chatswood and “Darling it’s better” than I could have hoped for “Take it from me!!” 🎶

The theatre was almost full for opening night and the audience was pumped to see this classic childhood nostalgic show. It was one of the most interactive and responsive audiences I have witnessed in some time which is a credit to the marvellous production PACA have produced.

I was so excited to discover the live orchestra was warming up when I walked into the theatre early. A live orchestra always elevates a show in my eyes and they delivered a fabulous performance bringing authenticity to this well known wonderful musical score.

It was pleasant to read in the director’s notes the incredible effort they had gone into utilising as many recycled items as possible for the staging in their commitment to sustainability. The staging and props were impressive and cleverly designed to create illusions for each scene. I was particularly impressed with the ‘ship at sea’ set and Ursula’s lair.

They also utilised projected images to create three-dimensional depth, which was especially effective for the ocean and inside the castle. The fly lines were put to fantastic use in creating effective multi-dimensions for the sea depth and a great visual ‘wow factor.’ The lighting techniques were also spectacular in creating green seaweed, effective lightning strikes, and the majestic illusion of sunshine.

Costumes were authentic to the Disney characters and imaginative. I had previously wondered how they would portray the characters of crabs, birds and fish and I loved their creative interpretation for bringing these characters to life.

If I had to pick three favourite music numbers- I couldn’t. I loved them all! My top favourites would be Sebastian’s “Under The Sea” with its full of life music and dance, Ursula’s “Poor Unfortunate Souls” with Jordan Berry’s powerhouse stellar vocals and then there was “Kiss The Girl” with absolutely beautiful choreography, lighting and staging. But I think perhaps my favourite (very hard decision) has to be “Positoovity” by the incredible tap dancing Scuttle (Alexander Billet) and the tap dancing ensemble. This was the opening song in the second act and the choreography and skill of all these dancers was sensational. The way Alexander Billet animated Scuttle the seagull was truly remarkable.

Faith Sherwood played Ariel as a true Disney princess. Her unwavering beautiful Disney smile and wonderful sweet vocals gave a commendable rendition. Her co-star Cameron Mayhew who played Prince Eric also gave a fantastic performance with a natural at ease flair on stage.

Andrew Read as Sebastian brought the house down. Sebastian gave plenty of comedic light and a charismatic performance and was absolutely adored by the audience.

Ursula (one of my favourite characters) was sensational. Jordan Berry’s vocals and acting are truly professional and I will definitely be looking out for her in future productions.

Jemima as Flounder blew me away with her superb vocals as did Simon Buchner who played King Triton. He has a most inviting smooth rich tone and great resonance.

Although not technically a lead role, Chef Louis, played by Mercurius Yousif, definitely deserves a special mention. He absolutely brought the house down with outstanding acclaim for his comedic scene. He has a wonderful stage presence and personality accompanied by fabulous vocals and I hope to see more of him.

The ensemble was brilliant! Their dancing and vocal harmonies tied the show together and illuminated it to greater heights. Their steadfast enthusiasm and energy throughout every scene was commendable.

My only criticism of the production would be it’s not playing long enough for me to watch it again. Nine days simply isn’t long enough for all the creative talent and obvious hard work that has gone into this wonderful production. I admit it is honestly up there with my very favourite musicals and I would love to see it again! Do yourself a favour and if there’s any tickets left, go and have a fabulous night out watching some outstanding talent.

To book tickets to The Little Mermaid , please visit https://paca.sydney/the-little-mermaid/.

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No Love Songs: Poignant And Impactful

No Love Songs

No Love Songs Rating

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1

“No Love Songs” was my first visit to the newly opened Foundry Theatre located inside The Star Casino’s glamorous building. The quaint size and layout of the theatre creates an immersive and intimate experience for the audience and I look forward to spectating many more shows in this fabulous new venue. The acoustics and viewing would be fantastic from any seat in the theatre which makes it, in my opinion, a very inviting theatre. 

The “No Love Songs” musical is based on the book written by Laura Wilde and Johnny McKnight which was inspired by real-life experiences of Kyle Falconer and his partner Laura Wilde. The featured songs are written by the musician Kyle Falconer.

The musical stars the incredible Keegan Joyce and Lucy Maunder and is co-directed by Andrew Panton and Tashi Gore. Music direction is expertly provided by Mark Chamberlain.

“No Love Songs” is a harmonious Yin and Yang balance of grief and joy, sublimely written to strike the audience with the juxtaposition of tears and laughter. The script is superbly written with natural flowing dialogue and a generous sprinkle of witty comedic gags, all of which were delivered impeccably by the stars Lucy Maunder and Keegan Joyce. 

The script delves deeply into themes of depression, loneliness and relationships. It highlights the importance of bringing light to the hardships of parenting and in particular post natal depression. Shedding light on these ‘once unspoken’ topics, yet still not spoken enough about, is vital for urging more conversations, actions and reassurance. 

The writer has truly achieved a very natural realistic depiction of struggling young parents in their personal relationship together and with their child. I’m certain most can relate to the struggles couples face: keeping in combined rhythm, picking up the missed beats for each other and being cautious not to drop the drumsticks altogether into a fathomless pit of no return. 

It was a stellar performance by Lucy Maunder and Keegan Joyce, two immensely talented industry professionals. The acting diversity of both is applaudable and easy to understand their great successes to date and undoubtedly in the future. They delivered unfaltering honest character portrayals coupled with brilliant vocals and musicianship. Neither could be faulted in their brilliant hard hitting performance. Their casting was a commendable choice and they admirably portrayed a convincing real-life couple. 

Staging, costumes and props were minimal which felt authentic to the script. Unnecessary props and elaborate staging would have likely depreciated the poignant impactful themes. The music may not leave you singing as you leave the theatre or asking Google to play the soundtrack but I don’t feel like that was the intention. The obvious intentions of the “No Love Songs” musical is to be conversation striking, thought provoking and impactful and these intentions are mastered to perfection. 

No Love Songs is on tour around the country. For date/time sessions for your local area and to book tickets to No Love Songs, please visit https://www.nolovesongs.com.au/.

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