Written and originally performed by the production company ‘Starkid’, UoN Musos recreation did justice to the quirky and whacky storyline that puts the drama in melodrama, hitting the comedic beats despite, or because of, the chaos unfolding everywhere else.
When the cast and crew all enjoy the show as much as this one did, despite weeks of rehearsals and run-throughs, you know you are in for a treat. While putting on a fantastic show of lights, the techies were laughing along at the jokes, bopping to the sound track, and showing their passion in every movement they made, in tandem with the cast.
There were some minor tech issues that are common with the opening show – volume issues with lines being drowned out and microphones having a delay in being turned on – but in no way do I fault the crew as the Warners Bay Theatre is well-known to me as one with difficult tech to run.
As well, the cast were a phenomenon to witness, with all members bar two successfully performing multiple quick changes into a variety of characters, giving their all to each of the characters and their idiosyncrisies they played. Paired with a fabulous choreo, a show-stopping soundtrack, and singing voices as strong as the set design, this community show is one our local community can be proud of.
Performances until 23rd of November.
Warnings: Contains heavy use of strobe lights and fog machines, heavy swearing and sexual references. Contains death and gun sound effects.
I can’t believe that prior to last night I had never heard of CALVIN BERGER: A MUSICAL COMEDY, because boy have I been missing out on something really special!
The fantastic musical is a modernised adaptation of CYRANO DE BERGERAC, a classic play written by Edmond Rostand, and is being proudly showcased at the Civic Playhouse, presented by UpStage and Hyde Entertainment and directed by Amber Curby and Seb Smee.
The story centres around four teenagers struggling through the tumultuous years of High School. They are each grappling with their own insecurities, bringing light to the truth that even those we perceive as being; the prettiest, the smartest, the coolest, all still doubt their self worth at times.
It’s a heartfelt message to all teens to be mindful of others’ feelings and to note that you never really know what inner demons your peers may be battling. Although there are some underlying subtle messages, the musical is incredibly lighthearted and hilarious, reminiscent of a 90s romcom.
All four leads were an absolute standout! Both the acting and vocals of each were nothing short of brilliant. The Vocal Director – Gabrielle Connett has delivered commendable vocal instruction to the talented young cast, who all portrayed great skill in their solos and ensemble harmonies.
Seb Smee, an up and coming superstar of Newcastle and certainly beyond, is the assistant director and producer and also plays the lead character Calvin Berger. His comedic delivery, tiny nuances and vocals are flawless. Seb, you are a young genius and I will be thrilled to attend your future productions.
The ever-witty and delightfully nerdy best friend of Calvin, Bret, was performed superbly by Zoe Chan. Zoe’s characterisation and comedic dramatic skills were indeed A+ and I really enjoyed her convincing character delivery.
Finlay Page delivered a superb portrayal of the gorgeous and highly sought after Rosanna. Finlay gave great depth to her complex character and also delivered wonderful vocal performances throughout the show. Jude Schiller absolutely nailed the ‘handsome jock’ character, Matt. He displayed superb natural acting and an impressive vocal timbre, range and skill. A highly commendable and impressive performance all round.
#image_title
The set design was very creative and I was impressed with how effective it was in creating depth and dimension to the small space they had to work with. A special shout out to the fantastic work from the sound and lighting technicians, I appreciated the pleasant sound balance and the ‘wetness’ in the microphone settings.
The Calvin Berger musical has ‘scores’ of laugh out loud hilarious moments (yes, pun intended), and I think the entire audience, myself included, were shocked by the talent and professionalism of these young performers. Calvin Berger is an immensely enjoyable and relatable production particularly appealing to ages 13+ and I urge you to support these incredibly talented young artists and help keep local theatre thriving.
The Drowsy Chaperone presented by UON MUSOS at the Civic Theatre Playhouse Newcastle “does what it’s supposed to do and takes you to another world.” The entertaining musical satire was Directed by Louise Barcan and the Production Manager/Music Director was Dean Selem.
The Drowsy Chaperone is set in 1928 and is a parody of 1920s musical theatre. It has a completely nonsensical plot filled with oodles of drama and slapstick comedy. The opening night audience lapped up every comedic line and gave accolades of warm appreciation.
The Choreography by Lilly Grant was perfectly on theme, with great inclusion of famous 1920s dance moves, including the energetic Charleston and plenty of jazzy hands.
To my great delight there was 1920s inspired tap dancing choreography for the musical number “Cold Feets”, which starred Joshua Davies who played ‘the groom to hopefully be,’ Robert Martin. He delighted the audience with his enthusiastic and vivacious tap dancing, as well as his highly entertaining blindfolded roller-blading.
The lighting throughout the performance was timed meticulously and showed great creativity by Michael Conry. It was melodramatic in itself mirroring elements in the musical. The lighting provided cohesion to the plot utilising simple effective techniques for full and elaborate lighting on the ‘imagined musical parts’ and then centring spotlights on Eamon Mahon who performed marvellously as ‘The Man In The Chair.’
Eamon’s acting was absolutely astounding and unwavering throughout, he performed with the greatest of sincerity and pure honesty to his character. His steadfast natural presence and dry comedic responses elevated and unified the entire show.
Vocal director (Rachael Sebastian) produced wonderful harmonies with the ensemble and gave great direction to the lead vocalists as well. A particularly commendable job on the final number “I Do I Do In The Sky,” with a special mention to Trinity Young for her strong melodic vocals.
The leading lady character Janet Van De Graff was delightfully portrayed by Shanaya Budden who rocked the stage with her sultry tunes and dance performances throughout the entire show. I especially loved her vocal performance in “Bride’s Lament.”
Olivia Leathley danced and sang with great finesse as the “Laissez faire” Drowsy Chaperone character. She gave a very enjoyable and admirable performance and portrayed great comedic acting skills. Olivia’s romantic scenes with Aldolpho were definitely some of the highlights of the production. Raphael Teixeira displayed an absolutely hilarious rendition of his zany, romantic character Aldolpho. Raphael showed wonderful comedic acting skills and vocal delivery in his solo number “I Am Aldolpho.”
The quote from the musical “I just want to be entertained, and that’s the point, isn’t it?” is perfectly fitting for The Drowsy Chaperone musical. The abundance of adult humour and witty one-liners, combined with all the flair of the 1920s, ensure an enjoyable evening for all theatre goers.
Karma Cafe is a new indie musical set in Newcastle, but it could be any town in Australia that faces the barrage of constant change and development. Written and directed by local playwright Carl Caulfield, with music by Gareth Hudson, this is a big-hearted production with a simple message about the power of community.
Cafe owner Rewa has created a sanctuary in the heart of Newcastle, where her family of staff serve the regulars, the not-so-regulars and the downright irregulars. It’s a place that welcomes Joe, the mute bongo drummer, gives glasses of water to tired passers-by and has a bearded barista and opera-singing Scottish chef.
But there’s trouble brewing in the form of a skeezy developer with big plans for Darby Street with his mantra of the New New Newy. With the help of The Fixer, he’s going to demolish the old buildings and build a new multiplex.
What these ‘visionaries’ fail to realise is that the Karma Kafe is not just a place to get coffee and smashed avo on toast; it’s a meeting place for people trying to find connection in a complicated world.
There’s the writer who’s working on his first novel and also trying to work up the courage to ask out the waitress, Millie. Then there’s a young man trying to cope with his anxiety, who never wants to leave the security of the cafe. There’s the aggressive dog owner who sticks her nose in where it’s not wanted (but perhaps where it’s needed). And the old dancer who can only get about now with the assistance of his walking frame.
As the developers close in with their nefarious plans, the community must come together to save their haven.
This is very much a Newcastle show, and the Novocastrians in the audience were delighted with the local touches – the writer’s crime novel features a murder in Carrington, and there are frequent allusions to money being moved around in brown paper bags (an embarrassingly true part of Newcastle’s recent political past). But with a little adaptation, this could easily be translated to Wollongong, Toowoomba or any mid-sized city in Australia. Themes of corruption are, unfortunately, all too common. Fortunately, so is community, love and the power of a local gathering place.
A highlight of Karma Kafe is the terrific set, which establishes the location in a simple and universal way. Anyone in the world would recognise the homely, comfortable cafe. The musical numbers gave each performer the opportunity to shine. Having a live band on set is a fantastic treat in a venue of this size and the musicians and singers worked well together. There were quite a few laugh-out-loud moments and a strong sense that we, the audience, were on the side of Karma Kafe and its ragtag collection of staff and locals.
Overall, some of the story threads didn’t resolve, but with a cast of more than 15 characters, that’s perhaps to be expected. If you don’t interrogate the storyline too closely, this is a fun evening of karma, community and coffee that will surely be a crowd-pleaser.
