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The Addams Family

10 May 2024 Cheryl Lee

The Addams Family Rating

★★★★★

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There is so much to love about the Addams Family Musical comedy presented by the Metropolitan Theatre Company of SA Inc., which was originally formed in 1958 as the ‘Metropolitan Light Opera Company’. Performances first took place at the Unley and Norwood Town Halls before moving to the Arts Theatre in 1964, where the Company has remained.

I love that it was performed three streets from my house in a gorgeous little old theatre in Adelaide, The Arts Theatre.

I love that we left home a little bit too late to race there in my high heels, so hubby and I jumped on our scooter and it took us three minutes to scoot there, longer in fact to chain the scooter up outside.

I love that I could pull this old dress out of the wardrobe and nobody batted and eyelid. In fact, I don’t think I’ve been complimented on my outfit so much that I might wear it again!?!

I love that everybody was chatting in the foyer before entry, like a bunch of old friends.

I love that you could stand outside the stage door after the show to chat to the artists, if you could recognise them that is, as they left to celebrate their opening night.

Even my husband who gets dragged along to these things, and he loved it, which is a really really big compliment coming from him.

But now to the important thing, the performance

Fans of the Addams Family you will discover and love these actors and their characters immediately.

The show is brilliantly cast :

Ben Todd (Young Frankenstein, Spamalot,Guys & Dolls) playing Gomez Adams.

Selena Britz (One Touch of Venus, All That Jazz, Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs) Morticia Adams.

Vanessa Crouch (The King & I, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hello Dolly!) Wednesday.

John McKay (Jack The Ripper, Jesus Christ Superstar, Pirates of Penzance) Uncle Fester.

Elizabeth Lee (characters such as The Beggar Woman, Hedy La Rue, Mrs Higgins) Grandma.

Tom Sheldon (Winnie The Pooh, The Sound of Music, Hairspray) Lucas Beineke.

Krystal Dally (Annie, Nice Work If You Can Get It) Alice Beineke.

Andrew Mayer (The Boyfriend, Fiddler on the Roof, Pirates of Penzance) Mel Beineke.

Jason Clark (Le Mis, Grease) is Lurch.

Pugsley shared between 14-year-old Phoebe Clark and 11-year-old Elijah Proctor.

And also a cast of 15 ancestors who were absolutely perfect support to the story.

Each main cast member had their time to shine with their song. As each cast member sang, I thought, this is the show stealer, until the next one, and I thought, this is the show stealer, and the next one, and I thought, this is the show stealer!!

If I really had to choose, I would say Vanessa. Wednesday was mesmerising, and you couldn’t take your eyes off her. Vanessa appeared in her first show at age five, and her state experience is evident.

The storyline is fabulous, giving each of the actors their moment in the sun.

It has a great message about the importance of family, mother-daughter struggles, long-term husband-and-wife dynamics, and the trials and tribulations of bringing new members into families.

Which coincidentally coincided with the first time that our eldest daughter brought her partner home to our house to meet us and her four siblings for a movie night tonight, so that aspect of the story was particularly relevant to my husband and I.

It was a long show, but it was so much fun that you didn’t feel it was too long.

A bonus was that during the break, we could order some lattes on an app, and my husband walked down to the On The Run on the corner, arriving back just in time for act two with some nice hot coffees.

The production team consisted of Caroline Adams, Director, Jane Feast, Musical Director, and Jacinta Vistolli, Choreographer. They should all be very proud of what they have created.

The only disappointment of the night was that I would’ve loved to have seen more guests in the house.

If you can get out and see this show, support our local talent, support our local venues, remember that these guys do this for the love of it and do a spectacular job, so let’s get behind them.

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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Living Together

7 May 2024 Emma Bennett

Living Together Rating

★★★★★

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Celebrating its 75th year in community theatre, St. Jude’s Players present a lively rendition of “Living Together”, the second play in Sir Alan Ayckbourn’s renowned trilogy, “The Norman Conquests”. Directed by Les Zetlein, who, with four decades of dedication to St Jude’s community, offers a delightful escape into the quirky world of 1970s England.

Upon entering the theatre, audiences are greeted by a meticulously crafted set courtesy of the multi-talented Don Oakley. Oakley’s expertise shines through as he transports us to a cozy English living room, complete with all the nostalgic touches of the era. A dedicated team have ensured that every element of the production is seamless and authentic.

At the heart of the story is Norman, portrayed by Simon Lancione, whose antics set the stage for a weekend of chaos and comedy. Despite his moral shortcomings, Norman possesses a charismatic charm that allows him to manipulate and charm those around him, particularly the women in his life. Lancione, as Norman, is both witty and pervasive, often managing to avoid the consequences of his actions through his quick thinking and silver tongue.

Norman’s role in the trilogy is multifaceted. He serves as a catalyst for much of the conflict and chaos that unfolds, driving the plot forward with his reckless behaviour and romantic entanglements. At the same time, he is also a deeply human character, grappling with his own insecurities and desires beneath his charming facade.

Rebecca Butler shines as Ruth, Norman’s long-suffering wife, capturing her character’s mix of disgust, frustration, and eventual resignation. Adrian Heness brings humour and a very expressive character to the role of board-game inventor Reg, opposite Rose Harvey’s sharp-tongued portrayal of his wife, Sarah. Larry Waller’s portrayal of the harmless neighbourhood vet, Tom, adds a touch of dim-witted charm to the ensemble, while Carla Hardie delivers a compelling performance as Annie, the troubled sister burdened with the care of their mother, seeking a little excitement and distraction from her otherwise dull life.

The cast has great chemistry, with each member skilfully supporting each of their fellow actors to deliver a fast-paced, layered performance filled with comic timing. The result is a performance full absurdity, as the characters navigate through a weekend filled with unexpected twists and turns.

While the cast’s performances are commendable, the plotline may feel somewhat dated, with all three women seemingly revolving around Norman, whose flaws are glaringly apparent. Despite this, the production offers an engaging exploration of family dynamics and interpersonal relationships.

With its high production values and talented cast, St. Jude’s Players once again prove their commitment to delivering quality theatre and the audience laughed in all the right places creating an appreciative and warm atmosphere.

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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A Playful Parody – Potted Potter Returns to The Seymour Centre

13 April 202413 April 2024 Linda Lokhee

Potted Potter Rating

★★★★★

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What began as a skit in 2005 to entertain people lining up to buy Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in a London bookstore has become Potted Potter, a smash hit sell-out show all around the world. This modest five-minute skit grew to incorporate the first six books in a one-hour show in 2006. Creators Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner expanded their show in 2007 to include JK Rowling’s seventh book, which is where the magic lies in this current form.

It’s easy to see how Potted Potter has outlasted other parodies over the last 17 years. The formula is simple – make your audience laugh! And laugh we did for almost all of the 70-minute performance. There were audience members of all ages, from kids dressed up in their favourite Hogwarts house uniform as others donned witch’s pointy black hats to parents and the older generation attendees. At times, it was similar to a kid-friendly ‘clean’ stand-up comedy set, complete with a lot of audience participation and laughs. One part I shan’t spoil had the audience involved in a group game.

The script was deceptively clever, delivered in a rapid conversation between the two characters, Brendan and Scott. Despite the fast narration, there were no fumbles or tripping over the quick-witted lines. Paired with comedic physicality and perfect timing, the character’s expressions sometimes gave away their surprise when interacting, hinting at some smart stage improvisation. This appeared to keep the script fresh and was delivered so well that it was hard to tell whether it was improv or really good acting. Either way, it worked. They cleverly wove in lines that were particularly Australian too, at one time referring to the ‘bin chicken’, which made everyone laugh.

The set design by Simon Scullion was purposely basic, which didn’t place them at Hogwarts; rather, it added to the charm of a parody. The same was true for the costumes and props used. It was like Turner and Clarkson raided their dress-up and toy box at home and used what they had, such as a stuffed snake and various wigs. Rather than detract from the performance, they added a comfortable charm and a good spice of fun to the Potted Potter experience.

Composer Phil Innes created an air of Harry Potter expectation as the audience was being seated. The music as each book tale begins is cute in the repetition.

The performance also featured some magic, as expected from a book about this topic, as well as a hilarious musical duet complete with a dance break between the two characters to close the show. One of my favourite lines delivered by a ridiculously dressed character was, ” Look it up in the book of cool.”

This quirky performance of Potted Potter will appeal to people of all ages if you expect a lighthearted and quick tour through the seven books’ plot points.

Do you need to have read all seven books to enjoy this performance? No, not at all. It certainly referred to certain things that people who love the Harry Potter series would quickly understand; however, those who hadn’t read all the books gained an understanding of what was going on easily. The characters were all there, in fine form, represented by the two actors.

Potter Potter An Unauthorised Harry Experience is playing at The Seymour Centre, Sydney, from 12 – 21 April and will tour Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth throughout May.

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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Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

25 March 2024 Kenneth Stephens

The Adelaide Rep’s first offering for 2024 at their home of the Art’s Theatre is Baskerville -A Sherlock Holmes Mystery. Written by Ken Ludwig, it is based on the story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Geoff Brittain directs the production, which is ably assisted by Olivia Jane Parker.

The cast consists of Andrew Horwood as Sherlock Holmes and Sam Wiseman as John Watson. These are supported by Anita Zamberlan Canala, Thomas Midena, and Kim Clark, who play the remaining characters who have to fill a whopping 35 roles.

As you can imagine, with the cast playing so many roles, numerous costume changes take place, including several on stage. What a challenge for all involved! The costumes were all created by the surely overworked Gillian Cordell and were suitable for the type of production and in keeping with the period.

The set, designed by director Geoff Brittian, is nice and simplified. A screen projection dominates, making it effortless to create the atmosphere for a wide variety of scenes and locations. The lighting design by Richard Parkhill accomplishes its job and lends strength to the various scenes, assisting in generating a variety of moods.

The audio design for the show was very neat and clever, with Michael Diakomichali designing and performing the audio live. This turned out to be a great asset to the show, with a live soundtrack that included some slightly recognisable pieces as well as original pieces. The timing of the cues was spot on.

The play flows well, partly due to the simple set design, comprising a few scenic trucks and a projection screen. This made it easy for the action to flow smoothly. As often is the case with big sets, scene changes can take time, but here, we can see the economy of set design complimenting the pace of the story. With clever scene changes, we move from 221b Baker Street to the estate of the Baskervilles on the Moors in an instant.

Being opening night, there were a few moments when the pace seemed to drop. This play needs power to keep the gags rolling, but the cast will undoubtedly become slicker with each performance.

There were many funny moments, which the audience lapped up. Geoff Brittain has schooled his cast well to get every laugh out of the script. The cast does a wonderful job on stage, knowing when to hold for the laugh. Occasionally, they miss the light, but that can be put down to an opening night technicality.

This was an enjoyable play with plenty of laughs and entertainment that made the trip to the theatre worthwhile. So scurry along to get your fix Sherlock Holmes fix before the season ends on April 6th.

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.

Photos by Richard Parkhill.

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