Physical Theatre

Belvoir St Theatre’s A Room With a View is Full of Heart and Humour

A Room With a View

A Room With a View Rating

★★★★★

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Grace Chapple’s “A Room With a View”, based on the novel of the same title by E. M. Forster, was a delightful adaptation brought to stage, with a dose of heartfelt romance and subtle yet at other times bold, uproarious humour.

At first glance the set was minimal. A few chairs, tall doors and windows introduced the audience to a hotel room in Florence. This remained the set throughout the whole play, with some additions. It became apparent as the play progressed that the set did not need to be cluttered with period furniture and ornate furnishings. The costumes were beautiful and intricately detailed enough to place us in the exact time period of the early 1900’s, courtesy of set and costume designer Zoe Atkinson.
Lighting designer Amelia Lever-Davidson, sound designer Madeleine Picard and composer Grace Ferguson pulled together masterfully to create an atmosphere to surround the characters and convey exactly where they were at any given time. This was through nuanced lighting and clever sound design. One standout scene was when three characters, George Emerson (Luke Wiltshire) Freddy (Tomas Kantor) and Mr Beebe (Tom Conroy) went swimming in the pond in the woods in Surrey. When they ducked under the water in a circle together, the light spotlit the men using cool blue tones and underwater meditative sounds. This, combined with the actors’ slow and exaggerated ‘underwater movements’ and playful interactions whilst holding their breaths had me almost believing they were going to emerge from this scene totally soaked when their heads popped up.

“A Room With a View” follows Lucy Honeychurch (Nathalie Morris) as she begins her holiday in Florence with the older and wiser (in her own words) Charlotte (Hayley McElhinney). Charlotte has been put in charge by Lucy’s mum Mrs Honeychurch (Kate Atkinson). She is accompanying her naive-to-the world cousin and promises to keep Lucy safe and ladylike, a responsibility which she takes extremely seriously. McElhinney’s exacting potrayal of an anxious Charlotte rang true to her character, kudos to her.

It is in Florence where the ladies meet Mr Emerson (Patrick Williams) and his kind hearted son George (Luke Wiltshire). He offers his room with a beautiful view of the piazza to Charlotte and Lucy after overhearing them wishing their room had a view. Morris effortlessly became her character and immersed into Lucy with ease, portraying her as a young woman genuinely torn between acting as society expects – a respectful and quiet young lady – and the need to burst out of her conventional self to bloom into a spirited woman who wants more than being a subservient wife and living a sombre life.

Williams played Mr Emerson well, portraying his kind, honest and truthful heart in a calm and likeable manner. His poetic delivery of advice towards the end hits to the core of the play and the message the audience are left to ponder – “We fight for more than Love or Pleasure; there is Truth. Truth counts, Truth does count.” – is poignant.

A Room With a View
A Room With a View
A Room With a View

 

There are outings together in Florence and one day, they are taken on a sight seeing trip led by a confident and outgoing Italian driver, portrayed by Tomas Kantor. After the British tourists leave, the Italian driver, cigarette in hand, turns to the audience and begins a one way conversation. He spoke expressively about the tourists in fluent Italian, even pouring a drink from a wine bottle into a glass that he gave to some front row patrons, thus breaking the fourth wall. How did we know what he was saying? With the very creative use of subtitles! This was done the 1900’s way with a projector and with the Italian driver manually clicking through slides as he spoke. This delighted myself and from the audience’s laughs, they appreciated it too.

Later, the play progresses to Windy Corner and Surrey where Lucy lives with her mum Mrs Honeychurch (Kate Atkinson) and her younger and animated brother Freddie, played by Tomas Kantor. Mr Beebe, the local Pastor who had also been in Italy, has new neighbours move in who happen to be Mr Emerson and his son George. They had been invited to stay by Mr Cecil Vyse (Charles Wu). Lucy announces her engagement to Cecil. Wu’s portrayal of Cecil is excellent, and we see that this upper class character, “a fortunate man of leisure”, is a mismatch for dynamic Lucy. There is a very funny scene which highlights this. Lucy, George and Freddy are playing tennis. As each ball hits the tennis racquet, it was highlighted with a live note struck by Patrick Williams discreetly situated at the back behind the windows on a keyboard. As they are screaming with laughter, running around and having rallies (resulting in a shower of musical notes being played), Cecil sits on the umpires chair, trying to read a novel and looking extremely uncomfortable amongst the physicalities and laughter from his fiancé and the men. Lucy is faced with the choice of continuing her engagement or breaking it off with Cecil, and trusting and following her heart, to wherever and to whomever that may be.

Serious themes such as the complexities of one’s heart, women in society, family and class structure and expectations are balanced perfectly with the lighter moments brought to the stage by the cast. One such scene comes with a full frontal nudity scene warning on the program, and not having viewed the program before the play began, this particular scene was a surprise and created the intended hilarious response from myself and from the audience. Director Hannah Goodwin, A Belvoir St Fellowship Awardee, has brought together a captivating and complete reimagining of a novel nearly one hundred and twenty years old, and it is a timeless theatrical masterpiece! Book your tickets to “A Room With a View” at The Belvoir Theatre soon, before it changes its room with a view and onwards travels to Melbourne.

“A Room With a View” is playing from 3 October – 1 November at The Belvoir St Theatre.
25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills 2010.
Run Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes (including a 20 minute interval)
Tickets: www.belvoir.com.au/productions/a-room-with-a-view

To book tickets to A Room With a View, please visit https://belvoir.com.au/productions/a-room-with-a-view/.

Photographer: Brett Boardman

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Where Little Stars Shine: Coach Mon’s Baby Wonderland

Coach Mon’s Baby Wonderland

Coach Mon’s Baby Wonderland Rating

★★★★★

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Up the stairs of the multi-story landmark Clocktower building in Moonee Ponds, I come upon a theatre studio lit up in bright primary colours, complete with a giant matted floor, and two rows of seats at the back. With prams parked downstairs in the entrance hall, hoards of parents gladly seat themselves criss-crossed in these roomy surroundings, with their babies and toddlers in tow, eagerly awaiting ‘Coach Mon’s Baby Wonderland’, a musical adventure for infant and tots, to begin.

Among the ohhhs and ahhhs, I am enamoured by a set decorated in pure Australiana. Encompassing a journey over land and sea, a tree is bedecked in thick foliage, representing the Australian bush. An underwater vista set piece is sitting upright, representing the Great Barrier Reef. And finally, a mountain-shaped cutout is brimming with sparkly perfection, representing the Snowy Mountains. A resounding set design, simple yet effective; not unlike ABC’s Playschool, or the imaginary magical kingdom set in Mr. Rogers Neighbourhood.

The show begins naturally, gaining the children’s attention with singer and musician Jackson Peele kneeling on the floor with a guitar in hand, dressed in a tracksuit in purple, green and blue hues. Beside him is the show’s star and co-creator, Coach Mon, played by Monique Warren, similarly dressed in a sports hat and uniform wearing green, red and purple. Together, they begin the show in an intuitive fashion, milling around and interacting with the mums, caregivers and toddlers as everyone is still walking in. Feeling as if we will be playing an active role in this upcoming adventure.

Once the door closes, Coach Mon and Jackson start singing a welcome song, pleasantly and gently, warming up the audience and harmonising well. They teach the children to wiggle their fingers and touch their toes. Coach Mon has a beautiful light and poppy voice, drawing the toddlers in with her animated facial expressions and fun, sharp choreography.

The story begins as Coach Mon and Jackson talk about the galaxy, and the stars that light up the night sky. ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ begins, and everyone joins in. Suddenly, a shooting star crash lands on the stage. They pick it up and a rendition of ‘Little Star’ is then sung, asking where she’s come from, and if she is lost. With a tinkling noise, we discover the star’s name is Stella, and in her fall, she has lost three missing pieces. Coach Mon decides to help Stella find them, so she can fly back out and shine once again in the universal skies.

Coach Mon’s Baby Wonderland
Coach Mon’s Baby Wonderland
Coach Mon’s Baby Wonderland

 

So ‘off on an adventure’ we go, by singing ‘Walking in the bush’ to find her missing pieces. Where lovely bird sounds are heard, along with ‘Leaves blowing in the wind’, as Coach Mon grabs some bushes off the tree and bounds through the pathways of children – to rustle the bushes on the ground as she walks around.

Creating an exciting sensory experience, the children look up enthralled, as the Old MacDonald nursery rhyme begins to play, with the words updated to reflect the animals seen in the Australian bush: like Kangaroos, Wombats and Koalas. As ‘Ei-ei-oh’ is sung out, a little girl starts hopping up and down out front, as a toddler claps her little hands. As Coach Mon mimics each animal, the children are having an absolute ball. It is so heartwarming to see.

Suddenly? Behind the bush tree – they find a piece of the star. As they shake it, a sound tinkles. They put it back on Stella. But two more pieces are still missing.

And so we venture underwater, with Coach Mon cleverly adding swimming lesson movements. Suddenly, a large sheet of lightweight blue fabric is held by both Coach Mon and Jackson, who manage to float it above the children all around the room, as if the children are sitting under the waves of the ocean. Singing a classic underwater song, we are in the ‘Great Barrier Reef’. But that’s not all. For a surprise ensues, enlightening our morning audience with a huge sparkly jellyfish, who floats ever so gently around the room to an amazing effect. Then lastly? A fish is held blowing bubbles out, to great delight, encouraging the tots to pop the bubbles with their hands for further sensory joy, all under the guise of blue oceanic lights.

After another piece is found? We head up on a steep walk, to the Snowy Mountains, delightfully displayed by Coach Mon and Jackson, who pretend to climb up either side of the mountain cutout, two-by-two, with their fingers.

Suddenly, the temperature drops, and Coach Mon throws out netted white cloths to be used as snowflakes, encouraging parents and kids to wave these cloths up and down. Icy winds are blowing as they sing ‘I’m a little snowflake’ – asking toddlers to touch their face, nose and toes with the freezing snowflake. Then to count to 3, and ‘throw your snowflake back to me‘.

To the children and parent’s delight, the final piece is found, a child yells out, ‘great job’ – and the whole audience laughs uproariously.

As we wave goodbye, Stella is sent back up to the sky. A sweet and heartwarming finale to a great Australian adventure. Ending with a beautiful line, ‘Our friend Stella is now shining down on us.’

All in all, I would highly recommend any parent to bring their child along and be bedazzled by this sweet and delightful show. Hats-off to director and co-creator Laura Aldous for making this children’s production polished and professional, as it contained all the enchanting elements of toddlerdom combined. The children all bopped and danced in dreamy landscapes with smooth transitions, a classic warm up and goodbye song; sensory surprises; kids encouraged to sing and dance, and movement coached clearly throughout. What was especially lovely was the music and singing being so natural and gentle, with an acoustic guitar and no backing tracks. I also loved the Australian landmarks, animals, bush songs and references used across the show, making this production unique for parents, carers and children of all ages.

To book tickets to Coach Mon’s Baby Wonderland, please visit https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/coach-mons-baby-wonderland.

Photographer: James Rush

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Dancing Through the Storm: Finding Light in Glimpses of Heaven

Glimpses of Heaven

Glimpses of Heaven Rating

★★★★★

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Upstairs in Motley Bauhaus’ cabaret room, I come upon a stage set as the aftermath of a torrential storm. A neglected apartment in shambles – with its occupant nowhere to be seen.

Open bottles of alcohol and soda cans lie half-hazardly across the floor. Fancy women’s clothing slumber in a supine position. So very unfitting, I wish to shake them clean and lift them off the dirty carpet.

The pièce de résistance? A pair of beige boots, stuck mischievously on top of one another on the side of a bookshelf with superglue. As if alive, ready to run amok – but have nowhere left to hide.

Yet above the disarray, progress is being made. Moving boxes are labelled. Rubbish bags are being filled. And within each effort to pack up this apartment, a quick-witted, playful young girl, Hannah, mills around, ushering us to a trip down memory-lane. Namely, the tumultuous experience her musician mother had struggling with addiction, and the complicated relationship they underwent to beat it into submission.

With captivating off-the-wall humour, cleverly directed by Damian Callinan, props are in fact used onstage with a mission – to reel us in further by unlocking Hannah’s personal memories of this deeply challenging time. A dusty Aria award statue is held up to the light not for reverence, but as a weapon of mass destruction – due to its sharp, pointy head. A single shoe is startingly transformed into an ashtray, complete with cigarette butts standing up inside of it – a brand-new work of art inspired by a female rock star, spiralling downwards.

Glimpses of Heaven
Glimpses of Heaven
Glimpses of Heaven

 

But as the show progresses, and Hannah’s heartbreaking story unravels, one can see through the paradoxes of addiction: that two things can be true at the same time. Like a see-saw, memories can exist between tenderness and darkness. Little ditties can be sung on a guitar to settle nerves and balance heaviness. A Spice Girls dance can ground and steady us through the wobbles of confusion. The loving eyes of a mother can start to slip away and become unrecognisable to a daughter’s eyes, even though her heart is still pounding strongly.

That flying a little too close to the sun can bubble under the weight of pressure – of an unforgiving music industry ready to take its next victim.

Complexities aside, here is where I congratulate the shows writer and star, Mary-Agnes O’Loughlin. For not only providing a beautiful voice and graceful miming movements to bring this tale to life, but in honouring Hannah’s truth of a very headstrong girl having to deal with a mother experiencing life-threatening addictions.

Not by shutting it out. Nor by dodging it or avoiding it. But by dancing through its storms.

That for Hannah, fortitude was needed. This meant choosing to dance through the fire. Through the highs and the lows. Through bamboozlement and confusion. For the show’s star, Mary-Agnes O’Loughlin, speaks a different language of bravery – using rhythmic movement as a psychological coping mechanism – to let the ugliness of her mum’s addiction flow through her and be released. In order to see it as a seperate entity – to the unconditional love she has for her mum. Planting her at the centre of her mother’s recovery journey, even beyond the disease itself – helping save her life in the process.

In all, Glimpses of Heaven, weaves a beautifully balanced tale of how a mother’s love can affect our soul’s growth, through the good and bad. That each family have their own set of dynamics, even if not set by social norms. That a mother’s love, even mixed with complication, can still lead us forward: to the full experience of being human.

To book tickets to Glimpses of Heaven, please visit https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/glimpses-of-heaven.

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SLUGS: A Perfect Show About Nothing to Smooth-Brain You

Feature-SLUGS

Making a show about nothing sounds simple enough. For SKINT, it raised a few awkward questions about what we’re actually leaving at the door when we go out for a laugh. Ahead of SLUGS at Melbourne Fringe, the team talks puppets, plastic shirts and whether switching off is ever quite that straightforward.

About The Show – SLUGS

What is this show about?

It’s about nothing! Completely and utterly nothing! A perfect nothing of a show to smooth-brain you for one whole hour. An hour where no one has to think about anything political or existential or anxiety-inducing. What could possibly go wrong?

How would you describe this show to someone who has never seen anything like it before?

It’s part comedy, part techno-concert, part gross-out freak show, with puppets!

How did this show come together? What was the creative starting point?

For many years, we had been talking about making a band called SLUGS, or maybe a puppet band, or maybe a show with puppets and music and high energy comedy. We would often joke, while working on other shows, “oh well, that idea is far too much, but it’d be perfect for SLUGS” but had no real unifying idea for this supposed show. It was a bucket where we’d dump all those “too much” ideas. Then after we began touring the international Fringe circuit for a couple years, we began to notice a tendency present in many “comedy” shows (though by no means was it exclusive to this genre) – shows that asked us to leave the world at the door and be free and laugh for an hour. We felt (and feel) somewhat complicated feelings about this. We began to wonder what if we tried to make a true show about nothing. Could we? Should we? What makes something a “nothing”? What makes it a “something”? What would it reveal about the act of trying to not think about the political nature of our lives?

Creepy Boys

What is the element of the show that is hardest to explain but unmissable in person?

The sweat. We cannot reiterate enough how much this is a high energy show. We actively have to fuel ourselves with electrolytes after. Our plastic shirts will never smell clean, no matter how much we wash them.
That and the live feed camera puppets, they really transform the space in a surprising and delightfully simple way.

Who is this show for? Who is going to have the time of their life?

SLUGS is for everyone burnt out from scrolling, exhausted from headlines, and suspects their best days are behind them. It’s the perfect cocktail of genre-less chaos for that part of our mind that sees a killer meme and can’t decide whether to cry out of laughter or tears.

What is going to genuinely shock or delight people?

We think we look very cute in our plastic-blow-up-chairs-turned-cunty-tops and feel it is the perfect intersection of our desire to look cute and stupid.

What do you want the audience to feel in the final moment?

Joy! Laughter! A reprieve from despair! It has been an increasingly pessimistic few years and finding the energy and drive to keep going is hard. It’s brutal. It’s been on our Sluggie minds quite a lot.

Thanks to the SLUGS team for chatting with us. To book tickets to SLUGS, you can find session details and tickets on the Melbourne Fringe website.

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