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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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A Midsummer Night’s Dream

13 November 2023 Paige Jenkins

Merrigong Theatre Company’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ opening night in the Wollongong Botanic Gardens was a huge success.

This Shakespearean classic was adapted by Danielle King and directed by Merrigong Theatre Company’s Artistic Development Manager, Leland Keane. The careful blend of traditional Shakespearian language mixed with modern-day coarse language, with the ingenious idea of using the names of the Illawarra suburbs, amplified the humour and the audience’s engagement with the dialogue.

The players were engaging with the audience from before the get-go, embracing their roles not only on the stage but also whilst onlookers were still filing in to find their space.

The ‘Intern’, played by Charlotte Dickinson, paraded around asking audience members what the difference was between an internship and work experience. Bradley Ward, doubling as the H&S Manager responsible for overseeing ‘Safety and traffic’, demanded to know if we were following the rules. John Michael Narres, playing Bottom, started a ‘Woo-off’ with the different sides of the audience, using his selfie stick to record both before and during the performance.

Then, the real action began, and the backdrop for the play was absolutely stunning. We were blessed with a beautiful, clear night and a gorgeous sunset as a backdrop for the first act. Be sure to pack a jacket or a blanket, as it does get a little chilly once the sun has gone.

Given the outdoor setting, the actors did an incredible job at projecting and ensuring they were engaged with and speaking to all the different sections of the audience at different times. No one side or group in the audience was left perpetually straining to hear which can sometimes be the case in an outdoor setting.

The musical interludes and summaries by composer Kay Proudlove were both comedic and insightful, particularly if you were unsure about specific plot points that had just occurred. There were a few very rare moments where the music and the amplification of her voice overpowered the actors, depending on where you were sitting and where they were speaking from.

A commendation must be given to the costume designer Katja Handt for the incredible outfits of the fairies, Queen Titania, Oberon, and, in particular, Puck. The colour scheme of the white outfits of the mortals compared to the bright, earthy colours of the fairies was a great visual representation of the characters, particularly with the cast who played multiple mortal and fairy characters.

The technical element of Bottom’s transition between man and Donkey is always a thorny one to portray, particularly when the stage is an outdoor setting, but I am pleased to say that this was accomplished incredibly well. The scaffolding of the donkey head, along with the dual-purpose tail and whip, was a brilliant interpretation and complemented the lighting design beautifully.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream features an all-star cast and runs from Thursday to Sunday until November 26th at the Turpentine Lawn in the Wollongong Botanical Gardens. This was a wonderful experience and an adaption that will surely delight locals and visitors alike.

Shakespeare in the Garden – A Midsummer Night’s Dream

When: 9 to 26 November 2023
Times: Thu – Sun 7 pm
Where: Turpentine Lawn – Wollongong Botanic Garden
Performance Warnings: Ages 10+

Tickets: Fri & Sat – Adult: $59, Under 30s: $49, Pensioner/Student/Groups 8+: $54, Family of 4: $196, Sun-Thu – Adult: $49, Under 30s: $39, Pensioner/Student/Groups 8+: $44, Family of 4: $156, School Groups 8+: $23

Bookings: https://merrigong.com.au/shows/shakespeare-in-the-garden-a-midsummer-nights-dream/

Accessibility: Shakespeare in the Garden – A Midsummer Night’s Dream is an accessible event for all to enjoy. Please refere to the Box Office on 4224 5999 for details.

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

Something That Happened – A Night of Fun and Laughter

21 September 2023 Paige Jenkins

The opening night of ‘Something That Happened’ by The Strangeways Ensemble was one filled with fun and laughter from audience members, young and old alike.

The Strangeways Ensemble, made up of professional neurodiverse actors, put on an inspiring and entertaining performance filled with pop culture and classic references that fit wonderfully within the play’s plot and the base reference to John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.

It was an immersive experience as the audience was able to feel as though they were a fly on the wall during the company’s rehearsals, as well as being part of the conversation about what it means to be neurodivergent with goals and dreams.

The use of narration, both anecdotal and prose extracts from Of Mice and Men by Ethan Arnold, was incredibly powerful. A single spotlight and a microphone on a stage can be very daunting, but he pulled it off with ease. The use of a soundscape, when paired with the monologued moments, pulled the audience in and left me absolutely enthralled. I was astounded when I realised that many sounds were being created in the moment and looped in with the pre-recorded sounds.

It was a lot of fun being in the audience, and there was a clear sense of fun amongst the actors on stage. It was wonderfully unpolished, which is incredibly refreshing. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to sit in an audience and watch something without picking all the minute errors apart from a clearly polished and intensely scheduled performance. There was no need to nitpick because there was no expectation of perfection.

I was very taken with Jordan Bowater’s view on neurodivergent actors; “We shouldn’t have to be defined by what’s wrong with us, we should just be able to be actors.” I do, however, disagree with his view, as I don’t believe that being neurodivergent or having a disability should be categorised as ‘wrong’. The Strangeways Ensemble were wonderfully entertaining and creative with their performance.

‘Something That Happened’ runs until Saturday 23^rd September at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC). It is absolutely worth it, and I recommend it to everyone. Families, friends, take your grandparents, bring your kids, you will have a blast and an eye-opening experience all rolled into one.

Head to the website to grab tickets: https://merrigong.com.au/shows/something-that-happened/

This review also appears on It’s On The House.

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