2023 French comedy-drama directed by de Gilles Legardinier in his directorial debut, Mr. Blake At Your Service stars John Malkovich, Fanny Ardant, Émilie Dequenne, Philippe Bas, Eugénie Anselin, Al Ginter, Anne Brionne, and Christel Henon and is based on the director’s novel Complètement cramé! (Completely Burnt Out!).
At times, it was slow and dragged a bit, always seemingly waiting for something to happen. The tempo was slow, the speaking was slow, and you felt the need to know more about the somewhat implausible characters, but maybe that’s part of its charm.
For most of the movie, there is a sadness that lingers over everything with an unlikely collection of lonely, odd characters.
Having seen the lead actor, John Malkovich, depict the evil guy in many movies, I found myself expecting him to suddenly turn into the big bad guy with all hell breaking loose AND then all of a sudden he sort of does!!!
It seemed like the premise held a lot of promise but never quite lived up to it. And then suddenly, it sort of just does!!! The mood goes from sad to silly, and suddenly, you almost…… I did say almost—don’t want it to end.
The plot was holey, the characters thin, and the tempo sluggish, but, despite myself, I found I was enjoying it anyway. Even though finally, after all that damned melancholy, without giving anything away, I was so happy I actually cried – real tears – maybe of relief!!
If you want a movie that you’ll probably like even with all its faults, this one’s for you. It’s especially for you if, like me, you love a happy ending (no!! Keep it classy, please!!).
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.
Eccentricism is, by definition, “an unusual or odd behaviour on the part of an individual”. The Victorian Opera offers a memorable exposé of 19th-century characters of British Society who are precisely that, making for a display that is both amusing and thought-provoking.
The two-part Operatic spectacle by Sydney-born Malcome Williamson elaborately expresses over twenty characters based on the 1933 book ‘The English Eccentrics’ by Edith Sitwell. The Victorian Opera Company dazzled audiences with its interpretation of the work at Melbourne University’s Union Theatre.
Opening with ‘Goose Weather’, the company presents its first parade of peculiar characters. Most memorable include Lord Petersham and his hysterical affections for ‘snuff’, the portrayal of dirty Lady Lewson who refuses a bath, and Lord Rokeby, who comically challenges her hygiene merits with his bath brush.
The poignant true story of Sarah Whitehead later follows and is undoubtedly the pinnacle of Act I, performed by the technically exquisite Michaela Cadwgan. Cadwgan surfaces the real-life struggles of women in old British society with her illustration of the once affluent Sarah Whitehead, who was driven insane after her brother was hanged for financial fraud, leaving her destitute. Miss Whitehead becomes a weary-eyed ghost-like figure, holding the audience in condolence as snow-like confetti falls to the stage, closing Act I.
In Act II, the audience was charmed particularly by Henry Shaw’s portrayal of Philip Thicknesse, a confessed hermit, and later the dazzling Princess Caraboo, played by Alessia Pintabona, a mysterious foreigner assumed to be a Princess of an exotic land. Act II offered light-hearted and well-rounded revelations of characters, which seemed to become gradually more bizarre as the show progressed.
The performance of Beau Brummel, a madman in decline, was captivating, soul-stirring, and deeply moving. Douglas Kelly’s cosmic tonal quality closed the opera, and he sang “I owe nothing…nothing” as he symbolically walked toward the light, leaving the audience in a sudden state of teary-eyed awe.
‘English Eccentrics’ by The Victorian Opera showcased the immense technical standards of the company and its leading performers and simultaneously proved their theatrical and comedic merits. The impeccable precision of The Victorian Opera Chamber Orchestra made for a thoughtful and well-supported overall performance.
Directed by Stuart Maunder, ‘English Eccentrics’ portrays stories and characters of considerable absurdity, performed by a talented cast with commitment, ever-amusing wit and excellence.
In performing work with such little recorded material available for viewing at one’s leisure, The Victorian Opera Company offers a rare opportunity to see a fine production performed with distinction and character.
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.
Whilst always being required of course for Salsa and Latin dance classes, ‘heels’ have rarely been seen in a regular dance school until very recently. Now you can find ‘heels’ classes on many weekly dance timetables at studios everywhere, but reviewing the first specific heels dance show in Australia, is very exciting!
The Siren Heels Company “Finesse” launch on Friday 5th July 2024 promised “delicate, impressive and sexy”. Excellent and engaging dancers, Estelle, Georgia, Jaime, Jessica, Jordan, Kimmie, Liam, Lia, Maddy, Sarah and Vicki, bring the vision together with Director and Founder of the new venture, 25 year old Peyton Leete.
Rehearsals must have indeed been taxing but worth the long hours as their timing and syncopation on the accents of the music is slick and their energy endless. All the dancers, including Peyton herself, are a tight team for the entire program – smooth transitions and incredible stamina is also on show here, and yes, you’ll hold your breath and your heart will skip a beat or two in parts.
Firstly, the music choices on the program can’t be beaten, they are perfectly selected from yesteryear’s Hollywood glamour to a modern day Catwalk vibe. Secondly, great costuming must be praised and it would have taken some very creative wardrobe brains to think of how black lace and a red garter would go strutting alongside a bright orange puffer jacket and make it work!
In the showcased burlesque items, I wonder what designers of the essential corset undergarment in early centuries women’s fashion would say about these current elegant pieces, which definitely do not seem to hinder any breathing or ability to move.
Act 1 is full to the brim of everything ‘JAZZ’ – A fitting opening “Feeling Good”, choreographed by Peyton, has everyone on-stage and in the audience knowing that a long awaited night is now full steam ahead!
So, let me get right to the point, no dance show taking you back in time is complete without Fosse and a favourite was surely ‘Big Spender’. Originally written for the musical Sweet Charity, I doubt there’s another song even remotely similar that packs a punch like it does. A flashback moment in itself, I remembered performing to this song in my own youth as I watched Maddy’s solo, though the moves were a lot more tame back then (haha), and Maddy a lot more daring!
Fun fact, whilst ‘Big Spender’ is famous for Shirley Bassey and Peggy Lee, it was actually recently discovered that Cilla Black first performed it at London’s Savoy Hotel in 1966, by a forgotten tape found by her family. It makes a memorable moment to watch dancers perform to a song with interesting history. My grandmother would have known the words off by heart and although if she were here today she may not have approved entirely of Maddy’s attire, my 18 year old daughter sitting beside me and listening to the song for the first time, loved it!
‘Jaguar’ performed by Jordan is eye-catching choreography and her technical training is obvious, but her interaction with the audience was what stood out for me with this solo and I’ve seen a zillion dance solos over the years. Her gorgeous persona shone, she was mysterious and told the story she wanted to tell while we listened.
Act 2 is themed ‘FRENCH’ – filling the theatre with anticipation on shadows as ‘Derniere Danse’ dimmed the lights and ‘Fever’ heated up the lighting. However, I had seen in advance that ‘Toxic’ was on next – you know when you want to say turn up the volume, because Jessica definitely did that defining single justice. Then a WOW with ‘Roxane’ (I’m a tango fan), performed by Sarah – insane dancing, flawless execution.
Act 3 titled ‘FAME’ – I absolutely have to give a shout out to Liam for his solo ‘Queen of Pop’. Boys who dance never cease to be an incredible inspiration and steadfastly prove that this industry is definitely for both sexes and who doesn’t love a death drop, especially when you least expect it. The crowd did go wild!
If we were not informed by now that the growing popularity in ‘heels’ classes can incorporate many genres of dance, Kimmie’s talent certainly amplified this in her very rhythmic and more commercial style solo, before the group remix of Britney Spears’ hits was the showstopper highlight.
I won’t give anything else away, there’s a LOT in this show, there’s a lot of dancing, a lot of iconic music, a lot of smiling, clapping, jaw-dropping action, but mostly I would say there is LOVE. Love for dance, love for showcasing dancing in heels with excitement, and of course it’s sultry and sassy from start to finish, so the show suits older teens and adults because it does have mature themes throughout.
Peyton created Siren Heels Company because she wanted to create a space that nurtures passion and creativity. This company is for dancers who want to inspire each other and challenge the ideas of Heels dancing which encompasses many genres and styles. The idea for Siren Heels Company came to her five years ago and she started planning. Her new company embodies the values of treating people fairly, working hard, having fun and supporting each other.
“Heels is often misconceived as being hyper sexualised and in actual fact this show is all about class and fun” Peyton said, and after countless rejections from those who have not always treated her like the professional that she is proud to be, she wants Heels dancing to be appreciated as the art form it deserves to be known for.
If you are interested to see what it’s all about, there is still time to grab a last minute ticket for Saturday 6th July 7pm via trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1230831 or keep an eye out for the next Siren Heels show – auditions are open and this is just the beginning …..
Congratulations to Peyton, who has been brave enough after dancing for more than two decades herself to develop her own dance company and put her heart and love into what she and her cast clearly love, those HIGH HEELS!
ps. the Silver Boots – where do you get them????
NOTE: This show was hosted at Melbourne Dance Centre, Brunswick. Parking is easy in the street or near Coles – walking distance away. The theatre venue is warm with tiered seating and a glass of wine was on offer with a welcoming 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.
Great magic does not have to be big and extravagant to entertain, and Sam King proves this in his award-winning show, “Sam King Presents TA DA: The Ramblings of a Magician”.
Perfectly located at Melbourne’s quirky and iconic Butterfly Club, the friendly staff immediately welcomes you, and Sam himself personally greets each guest in the intimate theatre space.
From start to finish, Sam brings warmth and connection to the audience, putting the entire room at ease. Sam brings a calm confidence to the stage, keeping the audience completely engaged throughout the entire show.
Although a magic show at its core, the sheer talent of Sam’s stand-up comedy routine bits cannot be overlooked. Simple and effective magic tricks and illusions are cleverly connected to his ingeniously crafted comedic narratives.
At times reminiscent of the comedy stylings of Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt (of ‘The Mighty Boosh’ fame), Sam has created a magic show that masterfully intertwines his passion for magic with his quick wit and brilliant talent in comedy.
With an intimate audience, it wasn’t long before Sam had the entire room entranced and taken on an unexpected and utterly entertaining narrative journey. We were introduced to unforgettable characters, including Gary, the bitter violin case, Thumper the rabbit who had met an unfortunate and untimely end, and a strangely hilarious unfinished wooden ventriloquist puppet.
There is nothing better in the world of entertainment than watching a creative artist do what they love on stage. From start to finish, it was clear that Sam not only loves what he does but is also extremely talented.
Sam’s passion for magic and comedy fed directly into the audience. Laughter abounded in those brilliantly placed comedic moments, and the audience was openly amazed by the magic and illusions that were thoughtfully paced throughout the show.
Although some people cringe at the thought of being involved in audience participation, Sam masterfully involved a large proportion of audience members, finding that lovely ‘sweet spot’ where people feel comfortable enough to want to actively engage and be a part of the show.
This was quite simply one of those feel-good shows that give the audience exactly what we all need more of these days: a really good belly laugh and an escape from the humdrum of daily life.
‘TA DA’ is on until the 6th of July at the Butterfly Club.
Sam’s next show, ‘Tricks & Stuff,’ his award-winning close-up magic experience, runs from July 9 to 13 at 483 Swanston Street.
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.
