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.

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.

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/.

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.