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Send For Nellie

16 February 202415 February 2024 Paige Jenkins

The opening night of ‘Send For Nellie’ is a bright and deeply captivating performance celebrating and commemorating the life of Sydney’s own cross-dressing cabaret queen, Nellie Small.

Rich with history, soul and laughter, Alana Valentine’s research into Nellie and her stage presence was well executed by performers Elenoa Rokobaro and Eleanor Stankiewicz, the incredibly talented musicians Maria Alfonsine, Camilla Bellstedt and Wollongong local Jodie Michael, and director Liesel Badorrek.

Elenoa Rokobaro brought Nellie Small to life with grace and power. Her vocals boasted of control and an enjoyment of the craft. Rokobaro captivated the audience, whether jazzy or mournful, throughout each song, and it was difficult to look away.

Her scene partner, Eleanor Stankiewicz, should be commended for her commitment to each character she transformed into. With hats and jackets as the sole means of a character change, Stankiewicz put everything into the physicality and vocal performances of the people in Nellie’s life. Right down to the way a certain character would sit or walk or even hold their hands when listening to Nellie perform, there was never any confusion as to who was on stage with Nellie at the time.

The hilarity of movement and costume choices contrasted with the authentic conversations and laws of the 1930s and 40s in Australia. Using clown noses and vaudeville choreography made those scenes and the following songs more powerful.

Clearly, each person on stage was having a good time, which encouraged the audience to be consumed by the story. The set up of cabaret tables directly in front of the stage and the performers moving through the crowd at different times allowed for an immersive experience. From the get-go of the theatre doors opening and jazz music playing softly from the speakers, it was like stepping back in time to a smoky jazz club and waiting to hear the shouts of “Send for Nellie!” in order to salvage a performance.

This performance, however, needed no salvaging. ‘Send For Nellie’ is a moving story of a cross-dressing, gender non-conforming, black Australian woman pursuing her passion in show business and is backed by more multi-talented women. ‘Send For Nellie’ is a good time from start to finish. The entire creative team should be very proud of themselves.

Tickets are available to see ‘Send for Nellie’ at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre via the link below.
Performance Times: Thu 15 Feb, 6:30pm; Fri 16 Feb, 7:30pm; Sat 17 Feb, 1:30pm &7:30pm
Where: Bruce Gordon Theatre–Illawarra Performing

This review also appears on It’s On The House, and check out more reviews at Dark Stories Theatre to see what else is on in your town.

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The Wharf Review – Pride in Prejudice

15 February 2024 Kat Skarbek

Being a Pom, if I had seen this production advertised, I would honestly have said, “No, not for me.” I’m not interested in politics beyond the important issues, and Australian political satire is definitely not my usual wheelhouse. That said, I’m so glad I got the opportunity to see this show. I was surprised and genuinely entertained by The Wharf Revue’s pith and wonderful wit in their latest production, ‘Pride in Prejudice’.

The company romped energetically through two hours packed with songs and skits, all ripe with intelligent social commentary and a keen eye for the ridiculous. Despite the occasional slip into some Benny Hill-esque style humour, they provoked and delighted in equal measure, calling out both the hypocrisy and the difficulties of our current political landscape.

They deftly illuminated the prejudices we still unconsciously carry, many of which are a hangover from our colonial days. Poking gleefully at the beasts that are Australian ‘bloke’ culture, climate change, racism, the ‘Yes’ vote, sexism, inequality and many well-known government representatives in all of their ever-changing and inconsistent glory, the show was blunt, pithy and very funny. Not even Biden, Putin or the Royal Family were safe.

The cast shone, seamlessly shifting from one political player to the next, with an uncanny ability to truly bring their subjects to life. A confused elderly Joe Biden was a gem in this respect, but I would like to give a real shout out to Mandy Bishop, whose diverse vocals and comedic talent were a delight throughout but especially in the Jazzy ‘Toughen Up & Fly Right’ where she sings about the vagaries of life as Peter Dutton’s deputy, Sussan Ley.

The whole show was brilliant, but highlights would have to be Trump (played by the fabulous Jonathon Biggs) and Giuliani on the run from a chain gang, during which Trump whips out a ukulele and sings a gem of a song, ‘In the Land of Mar-a-Lago’, about Trump’s magical resort created for important people like them, in all of their misogynistic, narcissistic and ruthless beauty, which was a big hit with the crowd and made me laugh out loud.

I also cannot go past the tender song about the outcome of the recent Indigenous ‘Yes’ vote, which was lyrically poignant and movingly delivered to a slowed-down reworking of ‘Bad Moon Rising,’ and which proved that the Revue has an enormous heart as well as biting wit.

In the olden days, the role of the court jester was to highlight the folly of those in power, and every member of the Wharf Revue skilfully did this with punchy, no-holds-barred humour.

So, even if you are politically more slacktivist than an activist, go see it! Unlike Albanese, whose election promises have now been downgraded to ‘more of a values statement’, I promise you you’ll get great value from this show.

This review also appears on It’s On The House, and check out more reviews at Dark Stories Theatre to see what else is on in your town.

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The Rooster Film Review

16 February 202415 February 2024 Davros Dark

The Rooster, a cinematic journey directed by Mark Leonard Winter and set against the backdrop of Australia’s picturesque bush landscape, opens with a scene shrouded in mystery, immediately captivating the audience. Its title, a symbol laden with anticipation and curiosity, sets the tone for a film that promises an exploration of deep themes and complex relationships.

From the outset, the film establishes its narrative pace and character development through the silent routines of its main characters. This method, mostly devoid of dialogue, is well executed and intriguingly allows the audience to immerse themselves in the characters’ lives and get to know them by observing their actions, particularly highlighting Dan, a small-town policeman portrayed with depth and nuance.

The storyline revolves around Dan (Phoenix Raei) as he navigates the aftermath of discovering his oldest friend buried in a shallow grave. This discovery propels him on a quest for answers, leading him to Tim (Hugo Weaving), a hermit living off the grid and the last person to see Dan’s friend alive. But was Dan looking to solve a potential murder mystery or attempting to answer his own questions? What ensues is a complex tapestry of friendship, grief, and existential search for meaning.

The investigation into the friend’s death, initially the story’s core, gradually becomes a backdrop to a series of events that, while visually compelling and enhanced by the Australian bush’s stunning cinematography, meander away from the initial mystery. At times, the friendship that forms between Dan and Tim feels muddled by actions and decisions that seem incongruent with the actions of real people.

Disappointingly, the film takes the time for the obligatory and unoriginal disrespect towards a religious symbol, which serves little purpose in portraying the character’s evolving relationship and rips the watcher out of the story. We’ve seen it all before, and it unnecessarily distracts from the story’s emotional resonance and thematic coherence.

The visual storytelling, particularly the outdoor scenes set in the Australian bush, showcases the film’s technical strengths with excellent lighting and innovative camera angles.

As “The Rooster” concludes, the audience is left pondering the significance of its symbolism, the resolution of its mysteries, and the true arc of its protagonist, Dan.

The film explores themes of friendship, redemption, and the search for hope in unlikely places. Despite the strong performances and a promising premise, the film takes too long to develop the relationships between the central characters. The movie’s final act hints at the promise of an intense payoff worth the investment in time but inexplicably chooses to lower the stakes before concluding.

In summary, “The Rooster” offers an interesting afternoon’s entertainment, and with the star box office attraction Hugo Weaving present, fans will delight in his performance.

This review also appears on It’s On The House, and check out more reviews at Dark Stories Theatre to see what else is on in your town.

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Shaken and Stirred – An Evening With James Bond

24 March 20244 February 2024 Linda Lokhee

When listening to some movie soundtracks, certain iconic notes link that song to a movie and are immediately recognisable, similar to lines recited where you know precisely which Shakespeare play they hail from.

In the case of the James Bond franchise, they are the first four notes of the opening theme. You know them, that first scene – where the black camera lens swirls open, and James Bond appears, dressed in formal attire, confidently holding his weapon. These four notes are followed by a tune that places listeners in a particular era; one of intrigue, one of suave sophistication, one where the men are debonair and the women breathtakingly beautiful. The “Bond, James Bond” era.

On Saturday night, 3 February, this is exactly where everyone went in their memories inside the theatre at The Concourse Concert Hall in Chatswood. The sixty-plus musicians from the Willoughby Symphonic Orchestra (WSO) presented an evening of James Bond movie themes.

Delightfully conducted by Dr Nicholas Milton AM, the WSO took us on a musical memory journey from Dr No in 1962 to 2012’s Skyfall. The distinct sounds of the sixty decades shone through with each theme, and I immediately visualised the actor playing James Bond and the associated colourful villain in the film. After all, one doesn’t exist without the other – the hero and the villain. They seesaw much like the music’s portrayal of deception, danger and determination. Performed one after another, it was interesting to hear the recurring recognisable 007 leitmotif pop into a few different theme songs. All orchestrations were by Nic Raine.

Dr Nicholas Milton was dynamic in conducting the WSO. From the opening theme song and throughout the many changing tempos, his enthusiasm was infectious and enabled the audience to be swept along with his energy. As well as being a Concertmaster, Dr Milton showcased his skill as a musician and joined in as a pianist on one of the songs. This was only one part of a show where people on stage had dual roles. During Live and Let Die, musicians sang the backup vocals, which surprised and delighted the audience and in Another Way to Die, I interpreted the strings section performing a visual type of ‘Mexican Wave’ with their bows in the air, which I loved seeing.

This was not a show to be silent the whole time, with the audience showing their full appreciation with claps and cheers after musicians’ solos, such as when Rick Cassar and Lars Mehlan showcased their talents on their trumpets. The WSO received a standing ovation at the concert’s end, prompting an encore of two more James Bond movie songs.

Some James Bond themes are not purely instrumental, and we were fortunate enough to have been treated to the vocals of incredibly talented British singer Mary Carewe. Mary is an established and well-respected recording artist and recitalist with an extensive repertoire, including Broadway musical songs, cabaret, and jazz. She seamlessly brought her own style to the songs, and I was impressed by how she sang life into the body of the music. Certainly not surprising, as she has made a CD of The Music of James Bond with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Not to be understated were Carewe’s beautiful outfits, with one in particular, a sparkling and glittering nod to the true glamour of James Bond.

The 21 songs that the Willoughby Symphonic Orchestra performed were perfectly chosen to showcase the talents of the musicians. The slow, romantic ballads of For Your Eyes Only and All Time High were sweet and earnest, whilst the stand-out song for me with the varied slow and then frenzied tempo was Live and Let Die. A perfect song to close the first half of the concert.

It was impressive that the WSO performed all except a handful of James Bond theme songs. Even if you haven’t seen these movies, this orchestra’s renditions made for a beautiful evening of classic British 007 music. It was an immersive performance, and as I left the concert hall, I knew I’d be humming those four-plus notes all night.

Running Time: 90 minutes with a 20-minute interval
The Concourse Concert Hall, Chatswood
Saturday 3 February, 7pm
Sunday 4 February, 2pm

This review also appears on It’s On The House and with more reviews at Dark Stories Theatre Reviews to see what else is on in your town.

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