Spectre In Concert

WASO's Spectre in Concert

WASO’s Spectre in Concert Rating

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Classical music can be a polarising genre; but for those who say they don’t like classical, what about the scores that bring your favourite movies to life? The music that makes you tear up, or keeps you on the edge of your seat during the unfolding action on the silver screen? That tune you were humming the whole way out of the cinema…that’s classical!

On arrival at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre’s Riverside Theatre, two Aston Martins in the foyer bring a feeling of glamour and excitement as we await the start of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s (WASO) Spectre in Concert. It was nice to see lots of people in their best Bond attire, men in tuxedos and ladies in beautiful gowns.

Rather than the usual printed programs, WASO staff hand out pocket size flyers with a QR code for you to view a digital program with a full list of instruments and the musicians you’re about to see on stage, as well as some info about the composer.

From the moment the Orchestra begins to play that classic James Bond theme, you know you’re in for a treat. Conductor Jessica Gethin brings just the right amount of energy to her pivotal role. It could be easy to get distracted by the musicians below the screen and miss that signature 007 action.

Daniel Craig returns in Spectre as a cryptic message from James Bond’s past sends him on a trail to uncover the existence of a sinister organisation named Spectre. With a new threat dawning, Bond learns the terrible truth about the author of all his pain in his most recent missions. Even having seen the film before, I was looking forward to experiencing it in a more immersive way.

At times I found myself so caught up in the film I would forget the Orchestra was there, but I also loved being able to connect the instruments with certain sounds in the film and watch the short, sharp movements of the string section that have such an impact on certain scenes.

An intermission halfway through the film gave us time to grab a quick drink and another chance to get a photo with one of the Aston Martins, now feeling well and truly immersed in the world of Bond. A girl can dream right?

There’s nothing quite like hearing movie music brought to life by a live Orchestra. Whether you’re a movie buff looking for a fun night out with friends, or hoping to impress someone on a date night, you can’t go wrong with a WASO at the Movies event. As conductor Jessica Gethin says before the concert; it’s a shame we can’t all have WASO in our living rooms when we’re watching a movie, this is truly an experience.

In March, WASO will present Jurassic Park in concert, and I’ll definitely be back.

While you won’t leave feeling shaken, you’ll definitely be stirred by the full force of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

Tickets are on sale for Spectre In Concert’s final performance in Perth @ https://www.waso.com.au/concerts-tickets/whats-on/concert/spectre-in-concert

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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Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat Rating

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It may have been a Thursday but according to MC Andrew Silverwood, every night is Friday the 13th at Kaleido Companies ‘Trick or Treat’. It was hard to know what to expect from in the way of ‘horror’ from the creators of ‘80’s Mix tape’ which, in all 3 iterations I have seen, has been light-hearted and filled with comedy both from Silverwood and the circus/aerialist performers (and riggers). It was hard to imagine them doing dark and creepy.

The show promised an ‘immersive circus horror show, interwoven with seductive delights that will leave you gasping in both fear and delight. Is it a trick or a treat?’ I can tell you they did not exaggerate with that promise. At one point, not even 10 minutes in, I actually said out loud ‘oh my god, I feel sick!’ as the anticipation grew as Kaleido Company director and aerialist, Sarah, prepared for an aerial skill that did not feel safe (my stomach just turned thinking about it to write this) but seconds later the whole audience was whooping and cheering with delight.

As apparatus were being changed, we were entertained by Silverwood who took it upon himself to educate us about fears, rational and irrational. If you are reading this Mr Silverwood, I didn’t know that ‘wearing an aerialist as a hat’ was a very rational fear until last night! The audience certainly couldn’t complain that the performers were too far away, they came from every which way! With wolves abseiling, mental hospital patients and clinicians prowling through the crowd, creepy clowns seeming to appear before your eyes when you attention is elsewhere, not to mention aerialists performing literally above the audience. It was a delight, or should I say a treat, for the senses.

The performance included the stomach-turning trapeze doubles act, a creepy contortion/acro performance and I have to say if Sarah was a Barbie her leg would have popped off! How strong were the people basing!!! I really don’t think human bodies are designed to do the things that these performers did! There was a duo cube performance with animal heads. Aerialist Mya played the psych ward patient a little too well in the lead up to being tossed by the psych nurses and as she was being swung and her body folded on itself the noise from the audience member behind me as her stomach flipped only added to the effect!

 

When the performers let go of a hand and foot and Mya flew over the audience, the squeals that came were far from voluntary. There was lyra and silks and balancing. Things you would expect from a circus show but done in a way that set the bar exceptionally high (literally and figuratively!)

Honestly, the trust that the performers have in each other as they perform these dangerous acts with out a safety net, knowing that if they fall, they are relying only on each other to catch them. There was also an act with aerial body loops but instead of using straps they used loops of chain, because aerials isn’t painful enough, lets do it on chains while holding the body weight of an, all be it petite, additional aerialist. Ohhhh and there was fire! Fire bubbles, fire eating and fire poi. Who doesn’t love fire?

The strength and skill of the performers was beyond belief. The strength to perform on the apparatus and the strength to base and toss and rig (I love watching the riggers as they work to lift and lower the apparatus during the performance and oh my goodness, they were working extra hard during the chains performance! Gents, you work did not go unnoticed).
The costumes were great, the make up was more than effective and the performers who, during 80s Mix tape, previously did happy, bubbly, over the top excited so well did creepy, eerie, sinister WAY too well.

It was summed up perfectly by an audience member who said matter of factly ‘well that was one of the BEST shows I’ve seen in a LONG time!’ I whole heartedly agree!

Sadly, this was only a two night run at Rechabite but Kaleido Company hope to have a run of Trick of Treat at the 2025 Perth FRINGE WORLD Festival. Keep an eye on https://www.facebook.com/kaleidocompany for more information and updates.

Or take a look at the Kaleido Company website @ https://www.kaleidocompany.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.

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Poison: British Film Festival

Poison

Poison Rating

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Poison is a film that examines the relationship between a long-separated couple and their shared grief over the loss of a child. Premiering in Australia as part of the British Film Festival, the production marks the feature debut of Désirée Nosbusch.

The opening scenes promise much, carefully shot by cinematographer Judith Kaufmann, with particular striking images of a petrol station. Alas, from this point onward, the vision and action are confined to church buildings and their surroundings, where the couple meets to discuss the potential exhumation of their son’s grave.

The main roles are taken by English actor Tim Roth and Danish actress Trine Dyrholm, who play the ex-husband Lucas, and ex-wife Edith, respectively. The production feels more like a two-hander than a full cinematic experience. It’s no surprise to learn that the film is based on a play by the same writer, Lot Vekemans.

 

As the conversation unfolds, pain and bitterness begin to surface. It becomes clear that Edith has not moved on from her grief, while Lucas has remarried and is expecting a child. There are some well-written moments, but the script is choppy, with some glaring inconsistencies. For instance, when it’s clear that no one is coming from the church (a ruse by Edith?) a sense of tedium and claustrophobia set in. One begins to wonder why either character stays —or, for that matter, why the audience does.

Is it the script? The casting? The direction? The British-Danish pairing of the two leads simply doesn’t gel, although both actors deliver credible performances individually. This may be one of the reasons the film fails to resonate: there’s a total lack of onscreen chemistry.

This is a slow-moving piece that explores the suffocating nature of grief, or more specifically, grief as experienced by two individuals. It’s inoffensive, but strangely lacking in conviction and emotional power.

My Rating: A luke-warm coffee in the rain

The British Film Festival 2024 runs from Nov – Dec 8.

To book tickets to this or other films click https://britishfilmfestival.com.au/ for session and venue details.

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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9 to 5: The Musical

9 to 5: The Musical

9 to 5: The Musical Rating

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Don Russell Performing Arts Centre hosts Art in Motion Theatre company as they present 9 to 5: The Musical, based on the iconic 1980s film by 20th Century Fox, with music and lyrics written by the legendary Dolly Parton.

Walking into the theatre, it was both intimidating and exciting to see the band sitting right there, front and centre, staring at you as you walked in. It was intimidating because you walked around the corner practically into the band, and it was exciting because the musicians were normally hidden in the pit, and often, community-based musicals rely on recorded music. Who doesn’t love live musicians at a musical?!

My first thoughts on the show were that it was confronting. As a feminist in 2024, where gender parity is still very much a goal to strive for, it was confronting to see this portrayal of workplace culture in the 1970s (which really doesn’t feel like that long ago; if anyone mentions that it was half a century ago, we can no longer be friends) and to realise just how far we have come.

The show was light-hearted and funny and didn’t feel like a lesson in feminist agenda, yet seeing the way actor Aaron Lucas portrayed the villain, Franklin Hart, with the support of the whole male cast, made me uncomfortable, which may have been the intention. I heard someone in the packed audience say, ‘Can they say that now?’ which tells me that the director, Lys Tickner, did a great job of showcasing the themes of empowerment and feminism, without losing the fun-filled musical feel that kept audiences toes tapping.

For those unfamiliar with the show, 9 to 5 is set in an office in the 1970s. The office boss, Franklin Hart, is a sexist, pompous letch with zero ethics with his eye well and truly on Doralee Rhodes, played by Jen Gadeke, a married country girl who can’t seem to make any friends at work. Once the rumour of her affair with Hart is debunked, Doralee is befriended by the new girl and soon-to-be divorcee Judy Bernly, played by Stacey Gobey, and office supervisor Violet Newsted, played by Sarah McCabe, who has taken Judy under her wing, all of whom try to stay away from the office snitch Roz Keith, played by Mary Carter.

We know that when women circle, good things happen. So after a small mishap with poison, one thing leads to another. A kidnapping occurs, and from there, the friends take it upon themselves to hide their misdeeds while also setting the world to rights and creating the kind of workplace that people want to work in. Productivity goes up, escape happens, and the good guy (girls) wins in the end. All set to iconic Dolly Parton music.

The cast do a brilliant job portraying the characters and belting out a tune, I spent the show thinking ‘oh, she’s my favourite….oh no, she is…..ohhh I like her…’ between the female leads and when curtain call came I clapped and cheered for them equally but wanted to boo for Lucas (but did restrain myself), which I’m taking as a sign he did a great job portraying an awful character.

The sets were great. The set changes were really quite simple, and yet when Gadeke climbed the ladder to look for the missing file, I swear I saw a file move! I have to say that the scene with the photocopier might have been set in the 1970s, but it was a little too relatable for a 2020 office. While we may have come a long way with employment law, we haven’t come far at all when it comes to photocopier paper jams!

Hats off to the costume director. Noteworthy moments included the ensemble of Roz (how good are those glasses) and the ensemble of Frank in shorts. Some things can not be unseen; I think that vision will be with me for longer than I wish.

The music is wonderful, with some well-known (and some less well-known) Dolly Parton songs hosting over-the-top dance numbers and dream scenes. Even if you have never heard a Dolly Parton song, you will still be bopping along with the music. A great way to spend an evening.

9 to 5 is at the Don Russell Performing Arts Centre November 8, 9 and 10. With just one weekend, and three shows remaining, book your tickets for 9 To 5: The Musical as soon as possible.
https://drpac.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/138177

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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