brisbane

Final Tickets Now On Sale For The 40th Anniversary Tour Of Cats In Brisbane

Feature-CATS

Final tickets have been released for the Brisbane season of the 40th Anniversary Australian tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical CATS which will play at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC for two weeks only from 6 to 22 February. Tickets have been released on pre-sale today with general public sales from Friday 21 November. Due to huge demand, one extra final performance has been added to the Brisbane season, on Tuesday 10 February at 7pm, and it is on sale now. The record-breaking, iconic production is currently playing in Perth after rapturous audience response and rave reviews in Sydney and Adelaide. ★★★★★ “Fun, energetic and nostalgic – CATS is the purrfect night at the theatre” – GlamAdelaide “Inexplicably magical” – First Class Magazine “Bursting with talent” – Stagenoise “This fresh production is a great way to celebrate 40 years” – AUReview “An immersive spectacle” – Sydney Morning Herald “Electrifying. A spectacle of transformation” – Theatre Thoughts

The coveted role of Grizabella, the former “glamour cat”, is played by Gabriyel Thomas (“Gabriyel Thomas’s rendition of Memory is so hauntingly beautiful it sends shivers down the spine” – Theatre Thoughts), while audience favourite Todd McKenney plays the dual roles of Bustopher Jones and Asparagus the Theatre Cat (“Todd McKenney has the audience in his paw thanks to his comic timing” – Adelaide Advertiser), and classical performer Mark Vincent returns to the musical theatre stage as Old Deuteronomy, the patriarch of the Jellicle tribe (“Mark Vincent brought sonorous gravitas” – Sydney Morning Herald). Recently seen as Roxie Hart in the sold-out national tour of Chicago, Lucy Maunder has taken on the role of Jellylorum, while the rebellious cat Rum Tum Tugger is Des Flanagan. WAPPA graduate Jarrod Draper plays Munkustrap, and returning to CATS after many years is Leigh Archer as the motherly character Jennyanydots, also known among the tribe as the “Gumbie Cat”.

The remainder of the company includes Sarah Bourke (playing Tantomile), Olivia Carniato (Demeter), Mia Dabkowski-Chandler (Bombalurina), Tom Davis (Skimbleshanks), Ella Fitzpatrick (Jemima), Charlie Follows (Bill Bailey), Joshua Gordon (Coricopat), Chaska Halliday (Cassandra), Dominique Hamilton (swing), Tim Haskayne (Mr Mistoffelees), Claudia Hastings (Victoria/ White Cat), Aimee Jones (swing), Savannah Lind (Rumpleteazer), Joe Miller (swing), Jake O’Brien (Mungojerrie), Xavier Pellin (swing), Guy Pik (Carbuckety), Rania Potaka-Osborne (Alonzo), Edward Smith (Admetus/ Macavity), Thalia Smith (swing) and Tod Strike (swing).

Todd McKenney, Lucy Maunder and cast of CATS (c) Daniel Boud_191.jpg
Gabriyel Thomas and the cast of CATS (c) Daniel Boud_057.jpg

“I’m thrilled to bring this 40th Anniversary Australian tour of CATS to Brisbane with the most fabulous cast,” said producer John Frost for Crossroads Live. “CATS was revolutionary when it began 40 years ago and Australia has an enduring love for the show. Now it’s time to let the memory live again. Melbourne, queue up to grab your tickets before they sell out as it’s only in town for five weeks!”

Based on T. S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and set to music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, CATS has been captivating audiences around the globe since it opened at the New London Theatre (now known as the Gillian Lynne) in 1981, where it played for 21 record-breaking years and almost 9,000 performances, winning both the Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Musical. Since then, CATS has been presented in over 50 countries, translated into 23 languages and has been seen by over 81 million people world-wide. On Broadway, CATS played for 18 years and won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical.

The musical tells the story of the Jellicle cat tribe. On just one special night of the year, all Jellicle cats meet at the Jellicle Ball where Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, makes the Jellicle choice and announces which of them will go up to “The Heaviside Layer” and be reborn into a whole new Jellicle life.

The timeless musical score includes the hit song Memory, which has been recorded by more than 150 artists including Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Nicole Scherzinger, Johnny Mathis, Liberace and Barry Manilow. With “timeless music, spectacular sets and a superb cast” (Daily Mirror), breathtaking choreography and of course the unforgettable Memory, CATS is a magical musical like no other.

Get your tickets now for this iconic musical at catsthemusical.com.au and let the memory live again.

BRISBANE SEASON
Venue: Lyric Theatre, QPAC
Season: 6 – 22 February
Performance Times: Tues-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7.30pm, Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm
Bookings: catsthemusical.com.au

PERTH SEASON
Venue: Crown Theatre
Season: To 6 December
Performance Times: Tues-Sat 7.30pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm (schedule varies weekly)
Bookings: catsthemusical.com.au

MELBOURNE SEASON
Venue: Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne
Season: 21 December – 31 January
Performance Times: Tues-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7.30pm, Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm (schedule varies weekly)
Bookings: catsthemusical.com.au

 

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Wyrd Sisters – Brisbane Arts Theatre

Wyrd Sisters

Wyrd Sisters Rating

★★★★★

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3

Stephen Briggs adaptation of Terry Pratchetts fantasy fiction novel Wyrd sisters, invites the audience into a world of parody in a humorous blend of Monty Python absurdism meets Shakespeare.

Opening with three witches (the Wyrd Sisters) huddled over a cauldron we hear the line: “When shall we three meet again?” and with a deadpan “Well I can do next Tuesday”, the satirical tone is set and we soon realise this play won’t take itself too seriously. Woven into this fantasy adaptation are meddling witches, a scheming duke and duchess, a murdered king’s ghost, a baby heir smuggled into hiding, a travelling troupe of actors and a reluctant fool. Restoring the rightful heir to the throne becomes the witches’ main plight all while challenging the philosophy of whether we control our destiny or it controls us.

Director Sally Daly undoubtedly had a task ahead of her bringing Wyrd Sisters to life and to eager Pratchett fans and non-fans alike. Stephen Briggs script manages to weave wit, fantasy, magic and thought-provoking narratives inside nuanced references to Macbeth. And in playful meta-theatrical style it makes nod to Hamlet and A Midsummer night’s dream.

The Stagehouse theatre, plays host to this production and offers a lovely expansive stage. The tri-level minimalist set relies heavily on the lighting to shape scenes requiring more intimate space. At other times the very large stage wasn’t helpful to the actors and often diminished the actors’ presence and impact.

Sound also proved challenging. Without strong projection or microphones, several lines were lost into the void, extinguishing the punch of some of the sharper comedic beats. This was disappointing for the actors and I noticed more than a few audience members leaning in to hear. Sound projection was an ongoing issue, especially with the Fool (Sam Bentley), whose enthusiastic movement and antics often muffled his dialogue.

Sam Bentley as The Fool embodies the presence and accent reminiscent of Lord Percy in the Black Adder, and is very fitting to this period piece.

 

Wyrd Sisters
Wyrd Sisters
Wyrd Sisters

 

Costuming was on point and provided much of the authenticity and atmosphere this farcical period piece demanded. The three witches each had their own distinctive costume style as are their characters. Granny Weatherwax played by Amanda Lay provided a formidable anchor for the two other witches. The junior witch Magrat played by Marisa Bucolo added a youthful energy to her role. Nicky Whichelow as Nanny Ogg is a standout with her delightful contorted facial expressions providing great comic relief.

The Duke (Aodhan Thomas) and Duchess (Jacqueline Ellis) deliver their lines with confidence though there are times when their exchanges lack cohesion and flow. The duke navigates his personal demise and nervous breakdown with great energy again emphasising a nod to Shakespeare.

Nick Daly’s portrayal of the oblivious heir Tomjon shines with his bright upper register voice, conveying the naivety and innocence essential to the character.

Special mention goes to the support actors and ensemble cast who often play more than one role with quick changes. Although the first act suffered with some pacing issues, and tentative delivery of dialogue at times, the second act was a lot stronger. The sound projection had improved, and I’m sure these opening night nerves and tweaks will resolve with future shows.

All things considered, the production’s strong ensemble work and the clever Shakespeare-tinged script make Wyrd Sisters an entertaining show.

Wyrd Sisters is running at StageHouse theatre Stafford for a limited season until the 22nd of November.

For bookings go to: Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters Tickets, Stagehouse Theatre, Stafford | TryBooking Australia

To book tickets to Wyrd Sisters, please visit https://www.artstheatre.com.au/wyrd-sisters/.

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Night of the Living Dead! The Musical! Comedic Camp and Spooky Spoof

Night of the Living Dead! The Musical!

Night of the Living Dead! The Musical! Rating

★★★★★

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3

Adapted from George A. Romero’s seminal 1968 zombie film, Night of the Living Dead! The Musical! is an edgy and unique rock musical from Ghostlight Theatre Co., hilariously following a group clinging to safety – and each other – after a zombie apocalypse. Written and composed by Jodan Wolfe, an acclaimed New York-based creator and performer, the calibre of the material is immediately evident, with clever, catchy and well-crafted musical numbers and polished choreography working seamlessly with a tight, fast-flowing and comical book. EvilCorp Horror Maze provides the perfect, unorthodox venue to this singular and very entertaining show, creating a sense of immersion and slight claustrophobia, that both sets the scene and augments the show’s themes. I can also highly recommend a shot of “Demon Semen” on your way past the bar.

Director Yasmin Elahi is an impressive creative force, delivering bigtime here – with responsibility for direction, set, costumes, lighting, special effects – and everything in between. Excellent use is made of the compact space, creating interesting shapes and well executed scene changes, while sharp timing of lighting queues is also notable. Further, the live band is a wonderful addition, building atmosphere and exuding effortless cool under the helm of Musical Director William Pipe.

The talented young ensemble cast excel in all facets of their performances – singing, dancing, acting – and flesh-eating. All have impressive performance resumes already, with immense promise of more to come. Alexander Graves is well cast, especially as Ben – a ladies’ man with high self-esteem, with the calm confidence and charm to pull it off. As Barbara, Aimee Segal leans into the sixties send-up as well as any, sweetly naïve with just the right amount of extra. Graves and Segal have good chemistry together onstage and bring entertaining range and incongruity to the show – i.e., saccharinely sweet, whilst summoning Satan.

 

Night of the Living Dead! The Musical!
Night of the Living Dead! The Musical!
Night of the Living Dead! The Musical!

 

Erin Lowry is a standout, breezing charismatically through multiple roles with effortless versatility. In turn nasty and nice, Lowry handles her quick costume changes well and gets some of the heartiest laughs on opening night, especially during the News Broadcasts. Patrick ‘Az’ James is similarly eye-catching in his roles, bringing nuanced mannerism and precise delivery. His performance of ‘Dan the Science Man’ is particularly memorable, impeccably timed and rhymed.

Aden Lowry is engagingly likable, offering commanding presence and a knack for accents and impressions. I’m unsure whether Lowry deliberately modelled Harry’s voice off of James Stewart – but the likeness is striking. Meanwhile, Molly Parker’s hard-drinking Helen brings mischief and endearingly inebriated indifference to the plays higher-stakes situations. She really just needs The Juice. Helen feels somehow more modern than the show’s late 1960’s setting, although nothing is lost for this, where strict historical adherence is unrequired, and may even be intentionally ignored.

While the singing was very good overall – especially the group harmonies – there were a couple of audibility issues, flat notes, and moments where vocal levels were drowned out by the band – but these are forgivable opening-night bugbears, which will no doubt be resolved by the next performance. Overall, Night of the Living Dead! The Musical! is an extremely funny and high-standard show, serving comedic camp and spooky spoof, which was voraciously eaten up by an appreciative audience of the undead on opening night.

To book tickets to Night of the Living Dead! The Musical! , please visit https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1452872.

Photographer: Alan Burchill

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Brisbane Annies And Child Cast Announced!

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Producer John Frost for Crossroads Live today revealed the young actors who will be playing the roles of Annie and her orphan friends in the upcoming Brisbane season of the ever-popular Broadway musical Annie, which opens at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC next month. Three gifted young performers will share the titular role of Annie – Matilda Casey, Dakota Chanel and Isabella Hayden. Playing the role of Pepper will be Stella Shiels-Winters and Kensi Simpson, while Violet Knight and Aenorah Wallace will share the role of Duffy. As Kate will be Jessica Kime and Aubrie Wildman, with Tessie played by Zara Boldery and Sienna Hannant. July will be played by Tilly Love and Claire Taylor, and Molly by Indigo Ohlin and Macy Salvana. Emily Birch, Dakota Bolt, Charlotte Edwards and Aneka Mitchell have been cast as Friday.

They will join the stellar cast led by Anthony Warlow as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, the role which took him to Broadway, and Debora Krizak as Miss Hannigan. Rising star Mackenzie Dunn plays Lily St. Regis, Keanu Gonzalez steps into the role of “Rooster” Hannigan, while Amanda Lea LaVergne plays Grace Farrell. The original Yellow Wiggle, Greg Page, plays President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his musical theatre debut.

The talented ensemble cast is comprised of Luke Alleva, Cameron Boxall, Tim Brown, Emily Casey, Nakita Clarke, Andrew Dunne, Sebastian Johnston, Anna Mallows, Chloë Marshall, Kristina McNamara, Tom New, Ryan Orphel, Madeline Pratt, Lisa Sontag, Suzanne Steele and Dean Vince.

“I’m extremely excited to announced this wonderfully talented group of young actresses who will be playing Annie and her orphan friends in Brisbane. They were chosen from hundreds of girls who registered for an audition, and all stood out as marvellous performers. They join the rest of the cast led by Anthony, Deb, Mackenzie, Keanu, Amanda and Greg – we have a spectacular company,” said John Frost. “This is a magnificent new production of Annie for a whole new generation. Line up now to buy your tickets to one of the most delightful and inspiring musicals of all time. Don’t wait until Tomorrow!”

Sydney child cast in ANNIE (c) Daniel Boud (1).jpg

This inspiring new Australian production, directed by Karen Johnson Mortimer and choreographed by Mitchell Woodcock, has been playing in Sydney and Melbourne to packed audiences and standing ovations. Here is what critics have to say about this unmissable production: ★★★★★ “The production was a knockout” – Melbournise Me; ★★★★ “Filled with optimism, joy and hope … a great reason for a night on the town” – Time Out; ★★★★ ½ “Annie offers a fun night out with its simple, classic storyline, beloved by many for generations” – Theatre Matters; ★★★★ “Theatrical sunshine” – Limelight; “This production is a triumph” – Australian Stage; “Annie proves the golden age of musical theatre is here…Broadway is so back” – thescoop.au

One of the most awarded and loved musicals of all time, with its iconic score featuring classics like It’s the Hard-Knock Life, Tomorrow, Easy Street and N.Y.C, Annie is truly a timeless masterpiece, with a book and score written by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin.

Based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” which debuted in 1924 and ran for over 80 years, the musical Annie burst into popularity in 1977 when it opened on Broadway. The musical won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin), the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, and the Grammy® for Best Cast Show Album. After the Broadway run of almost six years, it has played in more than 22 countries worldwide including the UK, Argentina, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Spain and Australia. Annie became a smash-hit movie musical in 1982 starring Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney and Carol Burnett that is adored worldwide and a fixture of popular culture references.

A celebration of hope, family and friendship. This small but mighty young girl has returned to stick out her chin and grin once more!

BRISBANE SEASON DETAILS
Venue: Lyric Theatre, QPAC
Season: 27 December – 31 January
Performance Times: Tue 7:30pm; Wed, Fri, Sat 7pm; Matinees Wed & Thurs 1pm, Sat 2pm; Sun 1pm & 6pm (performance times vary each week)
Prices: From $70 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: anniemusical.com.au

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