From The Front Row

She is a woman with a keen eye for the details that others might miss. She doesn’t just watch the show—she inhabits it. With an extensive career spanning decades in media, television, and live broadcast, her perspective is informed by experience and sharpened by the spotlight itself. Once, she dabbled in the world of acting and theater—taking the stage and testing her own mettle in the most demanding of roles. But it’s not the curtain call that drives her anymore. Her insight is built on years of navigating the complexities of live production, the pulse of a newsroom, and the raw energy of the stage. But don’t expect her to tell you everything. No, her reviews leave a little room for mystery—because she knows the true nature of art is that which can’t always be pinned down. You never know, you might happen to find her sitting in the front row of your next production.

The Children’s Hour

16 February 2025 From The Front Row

The Children’s Hour Rating

★★★★★

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What damage can one lie do?

Can it ruin lives? Destroy relationships? Tear apart businesses? Or even cause death?

In The Children’s Hour, one girl’s lie causes all of the above.

The play, based on an actual 1810 court case in Scotland, presents a gut-wrenching and emotional story of a cruel and manipulative student who fabricates a tale of a lesbian affair between her two school mistresses. The fallout is catastrophic—lives are destroyed, trust is shattered, and a community is torn apart.

First performed in 1934, The Children’s Hour remains strikingly relevant today. Its exploration of human nature touches on themes we still face: the cruelty of a lie, the vulnerability of truth, and the devastating consequences of a malicious word.

The characters are people we have encountered at some point in our lives—from a young girl desperate for attention at any cost to a grandmother trying to spoil her grandchild and women trying to create a future for themselves, only to be cut down before they get there.

The strength of the play lies not just in the harrowing story but in its perfectly cast ensemble. The entire cast is extremely strong, with raw emotion and realistic portrayals bringing each character to life. Special mention would have to go to the three generations of women: the conniving Mary, played by Kim Clifton; the wronged school mistress, Martha, played by Jessica Bell; and the matriarch grandmother who unwittingly sets the lie free into the world, played by Annie Byron.

By the time the final curtain falls, the severity of the play’s message lingers in the air as you exit the safety of the theatre walls. The Children’s Hour forces the audience to confront the consequences of dishonesty and the fragility of truth. The question remains: would you ever lie again, knowing the damage it could cause?

The Children’s Hours runs until the 1st of March, this powerful production is a must-see. Don’t miss it.

To book tickets to The Children’s Hour, please visit https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/the-childrens-hour

Photographer: Phil Erbacher

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

From The Front Row

Old Fitz Theatre Presents: Pride and Prejudice (An Adaption)

19 January 2025 From The Front Row

Pride and Prejudice Rating

★★★★★

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Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the most eligible sister of them all?

In an uproarious reinterpretation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, this bold and comedic staging brings the iconic family drama to life in a setting as unexpected as it is delightful—the last surviving pub theatre in Australia. The play, set against the backdrop of a family teetering on the brink of financial ruin, centres on the age-old dilemma of marrying off daughters to wealthy suitors. Yet, in a fresh and dynamic twist, every character—rather than just the heroine, Elizabeth—takes centre stage in their own right.

This production’s brilliance lies in its ensemble cast, which delivers such an impeccable balance of humour and nuance that it’s nearly impossible to pick a standout performer. Each actor shines, feeding off the energy of the others in a masterful display of comedy and wit.

Special mention must go to AJ Evans, who plays the frenzied matriarch, Mrs. Bennet. His portrayal is a riotous blend of manic energy and unfiltered desperation, offering some of the evening’s most laugh-out-loud moments. Evans’ comedic timing, coupled with his ability to morph into a character consumed by a single-minded obsession with securing the daughters’ futures, steals the show.

The play’s minimalistic set allows the actors to shine, while clever costume changes and seamlessly executed scene transitions keep the action flowing without missing a beat. You can’t stop laughing and smiling through the performance as it takes you through formal dances, garden appreciation walks and many formal scenes with a reverie of a “bogan” country bumpkin family attempting to snare the big kahuna.

While the dreamy Mr. Darcy remains a figure of quiet earnestness, his stoic presence is overshadowed by the relentless charm of the surrounding characters. The play cleverly balances these serious moments with a playful irreverence that breathes new life into the familiar story. Even the stiffest of characters find their moments of absurdity in this delightful reimagining.

In the end, it’s happily ever after for everyone, bars Mary, the ugly duckling of the family, and it’s impossible not to leave the theatre grinning, still chuckling in a posh English accent. It’s a joyous, uproarious ride from start to finish—one that offers a new lens through which to enjoy a beloved classic.

To book tickets to Pride and Prejudice, please visit https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/pride-and-prejudice

Photographer: Phil Erbacher

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

From The Front Row

Mother and Son: Presented By Hunters Hill Theatre

23 November 2024 From The Front Row

Mother and Son Hunters Hill Theatre Rating

★★★★★

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Mother and Son, a masterful stage adaptation of the beloved 1984-1994 TV show, opens in a stereotypical living room of a household that’s been lived in for 50 years.

Maggie, an elderly woman, precariously balances on a ladder, struggling to change a lightbulb. Before disaster strikes, her son Arthur returns home, reminding her with a mixture of exasperation and affection that he had already taken care of it earlier. This seemingly trivial exchange sets the tone for a play that deftly balances humor with the emotional weight of caring for a loved one with dementia.

From the outset, it’s clear that the mother and both sons casting is impeccable. The chemistry between mother and son, be it the eldest – Arthur, or youngest, Robert, and between the two brothers themselves, is nothing short of magical. The family dynamic is all too relatable, with one son being the favourite, despite never actually doing anything to help, while the other being the unsung hero, living with the mother and dealing with the every day, only to feel guilty to take some time for himself. It’s a dynamic many families will recognize, and it provides plenty of comedic moments laced with tenderness.

The script shines with authenticity, navigating the fine line between comedy and drama. The humor is sharp and relatable, never diminishing the emotional gravity of the situation. The everyday absurdities of caring for an elderly parent are captured brilliantly, from Arthur’s constant guilt to the quirky moments of Maggie’s fading memory. One particularly hilarious and universally relatable touch is the series of voicemail messages left by telemarketers on Maggie’s answering machine, offering everything from cheap electricity deals to vitamins — these clever scene change breaks are both funny and poignant, capturing the absurdity of modern life while highlighting the isolation of the elderly.

The direction is flawless, creating a space where the audience feels like they’re watching their own family dynamics unfold. In dealing with such a delicate subject as dementia and caregiving, the production manages to be both respectful and remarkably entertaining. The adaptation, transitioning seamlessly from television to stage, introduces the beloved characters to a new generation while allowing long-time fans to relive the magic.

As the curtain falls, you are left wanting more. Is there a sequel? I already forgot.

To book tickets to Mother and Son, please visit https://www.huntershilltheatre.com.au/

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

From The Front Row

Grand Horizons

17 November 2024 From The Front Row

Grand Horizons Rating

★★★★★

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The name “Grand Horizons” evokes an image of expansive possibilities, a bright future, and a world of untapped potential. It suggests a place where grand things await, a sense of hope and excitement about what lies ahead. In the context of the play, however, this promise is ironically deflated. The “Grand Horizon” is revealed to be not a metaphor for limitless opportunities but rather the confines of a retirement village.

From the very first curtain rise, director Jason Darlington expertly transports the audience into a space that is reminiscent of a sitcom, with musical tunes such as “Love and Marriage” from the TV show “Married with Children”, setting up the scene perfectly. The story is indeed about a married couple with children, only in this tale Nancy decides one day that she wants to divorce Bill, while their two grown up children come to the “rescue” by trying to stop the divorce from happening.

The children’s behaviour is somewhat sitcom-like, with over-the-top acting and facial expressions. Both are oblivious to their parents’ true nature: no matter how many times they ask what the reason for the divorce could possibly be, they never stop to actually let them answer and instead continue on their own trajectory.

It is deep into Act One when we finally hear from Nancy about her rather superficial marriage to Bill. Her confession of long-held desires for an old high school crush feels like a tipping point. It’s here, deep into Act One, that the play shifts gears from sitcom-style comedy to something more poignant, building toward a climactic moment where the walls of the retirement unit—quite literally—come crashing down. This marks the moment when “Grand Horizons” takes a profound turn, offering a raw and vulnerable exploration of the emotional truths that have been buried for decades.

Act Two is the standout, with Nancy’s meeting with Bill’s new girlfriend serving as an acting high point. The final confrontation between Bill and Nancy is both explosive and deeply revealing, a gut-wrenching moment where both characters come to realize how much they’ve actually known about each other’s desires all along.

In his directorial debut at the Castle Hill Pavilion, Darlington wisely lets the seasoned actors take centre stage, and it’s their performances that resonate most strongly. “Grand Horizons” blends comedy with pathos in a way that’s both funny and cringeworthy, ultimately leaving the audience with a bittersweet sense of reflection on life’s fleeting promises and the often-unspoken truths we carry with us.

Grand Horizons is running from 15 Nov – 7 Dec.

To book your tickets, please visit https://paviliontheatre.org.au/grandhorizons/

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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