Chantal Harrison Writer - Whats The Show

A Bold and Breathtaking Culmination of Art Forms

27/09/2025 Chantal Harrison Writer🥉

BiPolar Express Rating

★★★★★

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As a community theatre director, I often stress the importance of teamwork and that no player reaches their best without the shared journey and uplifting of every member of the cast, often to eye rolls. However, Bipolar Express is a gleaming example of a powerful ensemble who are the backbone and heart of the story. It’s only now as I sit down to write this, having just read the program, that I ascertained how many creatives were among this ensemble cast including choreographer, Avalon Ormiston, and producer, Phaedra Brown, which doesn’t surprise me considering what a stellar example of full-bodied togetherness that this piece is.

Anton played by writer, Bianca Yeung, is on a train to meet an estranged friend when she has a manic episode. The train is depicted with a simple yet vibrant set consisting of three double floodlights, and cane chairs with the iconic Sydney Transit blue squiggly velvet seats. Anton is desperately trying to remain upright as she sends voice-notes to friend, Mish, not knowing if Mish will be meeting her at the other end.

The ensemble weave and move around her, engaging in conversations that begin as small talk and progress into more interesting musings. Anton has a bouquet of orange flowers that become more disheveled as she unravels. They are the motif that anchors the passage of time. The set is changed with rhythm and poetry by the actors throughout the show.

The story moves between the present train delay and the past story of Mish and Anton. We discover that Mish was the keeper of Anton’s secrets, she was the one with the directives for what to do and when, and she was often the keeper of this part of Anton. We see the complications of these assigned roles between the two, and how it impacts their friendship over time.

To describe and adequately give voice and understanding to a complex mental health diagnosis such as Bipolar would be incredibly difficult in words, that is where the powerful art of movement and dance breathtakingly fill in some of those gaps. For example; the ensemble close in around Anton during a portrayal of exhaustion. She tries to creep out, reach out and even tries to free Mish in these moments, but she is unheard as she is swallowed by “The Others”.

Sound and light design take a huge amount of credit as a device in this piece as well. We are stagnant and trapped along with Anton in the darkness and we are pulled into the jubilance of the bright highs punctuated by poppy, boppy, music.

It is abundantly clear this piece has involved all creatives building, supporting and creating deep intimacy, which in turn made it inevitable that the audience become deeply invested and intertwined.

It’s a bold and breath-taking culmination of art forms that does great justice to shining some light on an important lived experience. I highly recommend supporting this work.

To book tickets to BiPolar Express, please visit https://sydneyfringe.com/events/bipolar-express/.

Photographer: Nat Cartney

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Nostalgic, Hilarious, Infectious Fun for Fans Old and New!

26/09/2025 Chantal Harrison Writer🥉

Stranger Sings! A Parody Musical Rating

★★★★★

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The Eternity Playhouse Theatre in Darlinghurst is a perfect blend of plush red velvet and modern design, creating a space that feels rich with history, despite modern touches. To the side of the stage, a small band waits eagerly, giving that unique thrill only live musical theatre provides. Early show wrinkles were handled with humour and camaraderie, immediately setting the tone for a show that thrives on both chaos and connection.

Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical is exactly what its title promises: a satirical, joyfully camp reimagining of Stranger Things. Across 90 minutes, Hawkins is gleefully turned upside down, with the iconic core four; Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will; at the story’s centre. Each young performer captures their role with razor-sharp comic nuance. Raven Swinkels gives Eleven both haunting presence and playful edge, while Anouk Macarthur Mitchell leans into Will’s fragility with endearing self-parody. Julien Daher’s winning Dustin brims with charisma, Ruben Aguilera hits the mark as earnest Mike, and Jahzara Mariasson brings fiery energy to Lucas.

And then, of course, there’s Barb. Belle’s powerhouse vocals ensure justice is not just served but belted to the back row, a standout that lit up the night. The wider ensemble provide a constant stream of physical comedy and energy, morphing into bullies, scientists, and perhaps most memorably, a gloriously camp Demogorgon. Together, their knack for timing and willingness to push into parody’s extremes kept the show fizzing with momentum.

The production is deliberately low-fi in its design, which only adds to its charm. Simple staging is enlivened with clever costumes, witty choreography by Anna Jaques, and inventive ensemble work that makes even the scene changes cheekily entertaining. Musical director Mitch Brown guides the band through a synth-heavy score that perfectly skewers the 1980s vibe, layered with inside jokes and knowing winks to pop culture.

Vocally, the cast are outstanding. Occasional mic issues threatened clarity, but the performers carried through with enough charisma and vocal strength that the cracks only showed how strong the foundations were.

What elevates Stranger Sings! beyond parody is its cheeky breaking of the fourth wall. These playful intrusions make the audience co-conspirators, reminding us all that this is both fan satire and affectionate send-up. Even for those of us who lost track of the show past season three, the humour lands. The references are sharp enough for superfans, yet broad enough to keep casual viewers grinning throughout.

Above all, the joy radiating from this young cast is infectious. They aren’t just parodying Netflix’s most nostalgic property; they’re celebrating the simple delight of putting on a show with gusto, fearlessness, and a palpable sense of fun. To see so much future talent unified in delivering something this funny, smart, and warm is a treat, and a reminder that Sydney’s next wave of performers is already here.

Did I want to leap onto the stage to join them? Absolutely. And that’s the upside-down magic of Stranger Sings!: a parody that revels in its chaos, and a cast that makes you want to be part of the ride.

To book tickets to Stranger Sings! A Parody Musical, please visit https://sydneyfringe.com/events/strangers-sings-the-musical-parody/.

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A Deep, Beautiful, Brave and Vulnerable Piece of Performance Art

08/09/202507/09/2025 Chantal Harrison Writer🥉

Once In A Blue Moon Rating

★★★★★

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“Once in a Blue Moon,” created and performed by Tala Issaoui as part of PYT Fairfield at the Sydney Fringe Festival, delivers a brief yet densely layered experience that fuses dance, ritual, and evocative visual storytelling.

Spanning just 30 minutes, Issaoui’s multidisciplinary performance beckons the audience into a shifting world of transformation. It’s a melancholic trilogy told through patterns, transitions, and potent symbolism.

The work opens with a striking video projection: Issaoui’s dance, rendered in cinematic hues and fluid imagery.

The transitions between film and live presence feel seamless, as the artist materialises onstage before a circular altar adorned with pebbles, an urn, and a pair of goblets.

The artist’s movements around this circle are cyclical and deliberate, blending ritual with choreography in a way that bridges the personal and the universal, with the lights, sound and music complimenting each phase.

Throughout, imagery and symbolism abound; the veil, for instance, which seems to float between meanings, might connote marriage, transformation, or transcendence.

The rhythmic motions, paired with dynamic lighting and a soundscape of often eery music, build tension and drama: thunder and lightning suggest fear and elemental power, while the act of dousing with water feels like a physical release, mourning, or rebirth. Texture becomes tangible as exaggerated makeup begins to spill down Issaoui’s face, accentuating the emotional intensity and the sense of unravelling.

The performer’s precision timing is key, with the crafted sound and lighting cues. These multi-dimensional effects surround the audience with layers of sensation, blurring boundaries between dance, ritual, and visual art.

Patterns repeat and modulate, symbolising repetition and cyclical pain, while the pace of the piece builds into a crescendo of melancholy.

Issaoui is visibly moved by the work’s close, punctuating the experience with authenticity and emotional depth. The ritual ends not with clear answers, but with a shared sense that something profound, if hard to articulate, has transpired.

While “Once in a Blue Moon” may not suit every taste, I found myself admiring the precision and vision more than personally connecting with its abstract ethos. It stands as a compelling example of experimental performance in Western Sydney. The blending of film, choreography, sound, and symbolic staging delivers a textured, esoteric meditation on grief, transformation, and spiritual passage. Issaoui’s willingness to traverse the boundaries of art-form and narrative ensures this work is both brave and memorable. I admire and am in awe of the power of the personal artistic risk and wholehearted embodiment.

Recommended for those ready to meaningfully engage with experimental theatre. It is a deep, beautiful, brave and vulnerable piece of performance art.

To book tickets to Once In A Blue Moon, please visit https://sydneyfringe.com/events/once-in-a-blue-moon/.

Photographer: Benjamin Tiger La

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A Thoughtful, Entertaining, And Faithful Rendering Of A Complex Classic

25/08/202524/08/2025 Chantal Harrison Writer🥉

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead – Hunter’s Hill Theatre Rating

★★★★★

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Hunters Hill Theatre’s “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead,” Tom Stoppard’s legendary absurdist tragicomedy, delivers a warm and lively take on the tale of two minor Hamlet; characters doomed by fate and their own obscurity. From the outset, the greeting from the Hunters Hill Theatre committee sets an inviting tone, matched by the cheerful note of live music wafting through the space as the audience finds their seats; a particularly thoughtful touch that eased the transition into what would be a lengthy but joyful theatrical experience.

Stoppard’s play pivots around Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two bewildered courtiers caught on the fringes of Hamlet’s story, who contort through existential wordplay, philosophical meanderings, and a growing awareness of their own lack of agency. The narrative, fragmented and surreal, weaves in and out of Hamlet, placing our protagonists in a landscape where meaning and momentum are perpetually just out of reach. While in theory this absurdist structure invites playful confusion, in practice it can be a genuine challenge for audience members to follow; something I certainly experienced at times.

The sequence of coin tosses, theatre-troupe hijinks, and discussions of fate and free will were made more powerful by the gorgeous old theatre style setting, the reds of the enticing set, the colourful costuming and light design and the interwoven 90s classics as the soundtrack.

Karen Pattinson’s Rosencrantz anchors the show with remarkable vitality, her presence is infectious, and she brings a buoyant, engaging quality to every scene. With a playful physicality, Pattinson makes superb use of the stage, drawing energy from even the most challenging passages and keeping the audience engaged. She manages the lightness and quick wit the role demands, creating a Rosencrantz who is both affable and deeply sympathetic, maintaining momentum even where Stoppard’s existential riddles might otherwise cause the pace to lag.

Jivan Drungrilas as Guildenstern plays the perfect foil to Pattinson’s cheer, rendering their character with brooding skepticism and philosophical weight. The dynamic between the two is the production’s heart; comic timing and tonal balance keep the core relationship feeling alive, dynamic, and frequently funny.

The supporting cast deserves credit for enlivening the margins with punch and humour, particularly during the play’s meta-theatrical moments and ensemble-driven scenes involving the Tragedians. The use of shadow puppetry adds a whimsical element. Their comic timing and character work bring welcome clarity and relief, heightening the absurdity while never losing the sense of fun.

Practical touches, such as the provision of cushions for the chairs, should absolutely be taken up, as the play’s length is both a testament to the ambition of the company and a point of practical consideration for audiences. These small gestures, along with the committee’s warm welcome, reflect the community ethos that makes local theatre so rewarding.

As with any opening night, there were some small hiccups and moments where the pace snagged slightly, but these did little to diminish the overall energy and connection of the cast. The enthusiasm onstage, particularly in the lead performances, quickly won over the audience and supported the more challenging elements of the text.

The direction of Tui Clark and the well-chosen cast really have taken this piece to the next level. The production offers a thoughtful, entertaining, and faithful rendering of a complex classic.

To book tickets to Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead – Hunter’s Hill Theatre, please visit https://www.huntershilltheatre.com.au/.

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