Hunter Region

First Things First

First Things First

First Things First Rating

★★★★★

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First Things First…. I loved the play. Maitland Repertory Theatre has brought to the stage an enthralling comedic performance with a group of very talented actors.

The stage was set as a comfortable living room, practical and well dispersed for audience interaction. The audience is immersed into the crazy antics of the night’s unfolding drama, which all takes place in the living room of Pete and Sarah’s home.

The idiom “Oh, What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive“ rings loud, clear and undeniably true as the predominant theme in “First Things First.” We witness the very anxious, escalating to frantic main character, Pete, played by Matt Scoles, squirming his way through lie after lie in a very sticky delicate dilemma. How does one handle their supposedly dead wife spontaneously returning when you have recently remarried a new wife, who knows nothing of the previous marriage?

Well…our main character Pete handles it deplorably! Matt Scoles gave a fabulous expressive character portrayal with top notch comedic timing. He had the audience in his hands the entire night willing him to confess and put an end to the spiraling chaos. Louise Cowan gave a splendid portrayal of Sarah, Pete’s ‘new wife,’ She was ‘on key’ for the role of a timid, attention-seeking, needy wife.

 

First Things First
First Things First
First Things First

The gorgeous long lost wife of Pete, Jessica, who is responsible for creating all the mayhem and chaos was performed tremendously by Jessica Gray. Jessica brings her own unfolding drama, mystery and surprises to the stage.

Devoted and loyal to Pete’s side and to his ludicrous spinning web of lies, is his best friend George played by Tez Tywal. This is the second time I’ve had the pleasure of watching Tez Tywal perform and I love the natural humorous energy and vibrance he brings to the stage.

A solid and perfectly composed professional performance by Jane Johns who played Margot, the doting and ever inquisitive mother of Sarah. Her skepticism towards her son in law is unwavering and rightly so.

And then there was Alan… who entered in the 2nd half at a time when we thought things couldn’t possibly get any more complicated. But they certainly did! A very enjoyable performance by Matt Robinson who plays the hilarious role of Jessica’s secret French lover. Matt skillfully had the audience in hysterics.

First Things First was a highly engaging and very enjoyable performance from a group of impressive skilled actors. Thoroughly recommended for couples and friends who are after a night full of laughter and great entertainment.

First Things First is running at the Maitland Repertory Theatre from November 20 to December 8, 2024.

To book tickets to First Things First, please visit https://www.mrt.org.au/2024-plays/first-things-first/

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

Deep In The Hundred Acre Wood

Deep In The Hundred Acre Wood

Deep In The Hundred Acre Wood Rating

★★★★★

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As a lifelong lover of A.A. Milne’s stories and poems and the endearing E.H Shepherd illustrations of ‘Winnie The Pooh’ I was deeply intrigued to view the original script by Riley McLean of “Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood” presented by Bearfoot Theatre.

Let me begin with how fantastic it is to see original live theatre productions in Newcastle and I highly applaud Bearfoot productions in continuing to provide their fabulous contribution in our area and beyond.

I loved the immersive greeting of 1940s era tunes and the immediate introduction to Christopher Robin (Zac Scully) laying in the middle of the floor busily drawing pictures of childhood favourite characters; Pooh Bear, Eeyore, Kanga, Rabbit and Piglet. Edward bear (Winnie The Pooh) was perched ready beside a made-up mattress on the floor. I instantly felt connected to the Hundred Acre Woods – Deep In The Hundred Acre Woods I guess you might say.

The play began with the poem ‘Now We Are Six’ and I was enraptured as that is actually one of my all-time favorites. Plentiful exquisite literature of A.A. Milne, including his quotes and poems are beautifully and seamlessly woven into this creative tapestry. Attention to A.A Milne fans – I think you’ll love this respectful honour to his works.

Christopher Robin is shut in his room, hiding away from the bombing raids which bombard the city. He desperately tries to busy himself with the help of his beloved bear and a magnificent dash of imagination. There is a mix of endearing, playful, whimsical,comical, eerie and harrowing moments at different stages and sometimes all at once.

The bombing scenes are deeply eerie created by an effective sound track along with clever lighting and projected image techniques. The creeping stage hands wearing war masks definitely contributed to the disturbing atmosphere.

I have to admit I was skeptical about watching a one person play but Zac Scully was truly exceptional and literally blew me away with his ability to reincarnate one of my childhoods most beloved characters- Christopher Robin. One might presume that it would be an impossible task for a grown man to harness the character of a six year old boy, especially one so worldly famous and beloved but I assure you that Zac Scully mastered it! To merely say I was thoroughly impressed would be a gross understatement. He successfully reincarnated Christopher Robin with commendable skill.

 

Deep In The Hundred Acre Wood
Deep In The Hundred Acre Wood
Deep In The Hundred Acre Wood
Deep In The Hundred Acre Wood
Deep In The Hundred Acre Wood

The stage never felt empty or lacking by any means considering Christopher Robin was alone albeit his bear. However, Pooh Bear’s recorded voice effectively gave the impression of him being a solid secondary character.

“Deep In The Hundred Acre Woods” is a ‘What If story,’ a reimagining of the life of innocent six year old Christopher Robin, who was actually born in 1920 and instead displacing him into the thickest, deepest, darkest depths of World War Two. After some deliberation and upon hearing the Q&A responses after the show I’ve decided that It’s an intriguing notion to displace young Christopher Robin in this era as he and his father A.A.Milne were both devastatingly affected by World War One and World War Two respectively.

Riley McLean discussed the relevant parallels in current war torn countries and how they felt urged to shed light on the suffering of innocent children who are subjected to the atrocities of war. The walls were plastered with gruesome war drawings which we later learnt were real artworks from children afflicted in war torn countries- a chilling accessory.

Well done Riley McLean and the fabulous team at Bearfoot Theatre I look forward to your next production.

Although Winnie The Pooh is well known as a children’s favourite this reimagining does contain disturbing depictions of war and is recommended for older A.A Milne fans.

Deep In The Hundred Acre Wood is running from 9-12 October at The Tantrum Studio 101 City Road , Merewether.

Book now for tickets @ https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1272450

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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Karma Kafe: A Big Hearted Show

Karma Kafe

Karma Kafe Rating

★★★★★

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3

Karma Cafe is a new indie musical set in Newcastle, but it could be any town in Australia that faces the barrage of constant change and development. Written and directed by local playwright Carl Caulfield, with music by Gareth Hudson, this is a big-hearted production with a simple message about the power of community.

Cafe owner Rewa has created a sanctuary in the heart of Newcastle, where her family of staff serve the regulars, the not-so-regulars and the downright irregulars. It’s a place that welcomes Joe, the mute bongo drummer, gives glasses of water to tired passers-by and has a bearded barista and opera-singing Scottish chef.

But there’s trouble brewing in the form of a skeezy developer with big plans for Darby Street with his mantra of the New New Newy. With the help of The Fixer, he’s going to demolish the old buildings and build a new multiplex.

What these ‘visionaries’ fail to realise is that the Karma Kafe is not just a place to get coffee and smashed avo on toast; it’s a meeting place for people trying to find connection in a complicated world.

There’s the writer who’s working on his first novel and also trying to work up the courage to ask out the waitress, Millie. Then there’s a young man trying to cope with his anxiety, who never wants to leave the security of the cafe. There’s the aggressive dog owner who sticks her nose in where it’s not wanted (but perhaps where it’s needed). And the old dancer who can only get about now with the assistance of his walking frame.

Karma Kafe

 As the developers close in with their nefarious plans, the community must come together to save their haven.

This is very much a Newcastle show, and the Novocastrians in the audience were delighted with the local touches – the writer’s crime novel features a murder in Carrington, and there are frequent allusions to money being moved around in brown paper bags (an embarrassingly true part of Newcastle’s recent political past). But with a little adaptation, this could easily be translated to Wollongong, Toowoomba or any mid-sized city in Australia. Themes of corruption are, unfortunately, all too common. Fortunately, so is community, love and the power of a local gathering place.

A highlight of Karma Kafe is the terrific set, which establishes the location in a simple and universal way. Anyone in the world would recognise the homely, comfortable cafe. The musical numbers gave each performer the opportunity to shine. Having a live band on set is a fantastic treat in a venue of this size and the musicians and singers worked well together. There were quite a few laugh-out-loud moments and a strong sense that we, the audience, were on the side of Karma Kafe and its ragtag collection of staff and locals.

Overall, some of the story threads didn’t resolve, but with a cast of more than 15 characters, that’s perhaps to be expected. If you don’t interrogate the storyline too closely, this is a fun evening of karma, community and coffee that will surely be a crowd-pleaser.

For more information and to book tickets, please visit https://www.carlcaulfieldstraydogs.com/

Remaining Sessions:-
Tuesday 08 October 2024 @ 7:30 pm
Wednesday 09 October 2024 @ 7:30 pm
Thursday 10 October 2024 @ 7:30 pm
Friday 11 October 2024 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday 12 October 2024@ 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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Into The Woods: Presented by UON Musos

Into The Woods

Into The Woods Rating

★★★★★

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UoN’s Musos took on the production of Sondheim and Lapine’s “Into the Woods”, a well-known challenge within the industry. Refusing to bow to opening night nerves, the cast was admirable, and put on a cracker took on the pressure of opening night nerves, and put on a cracker of performance for their first night show!

Singing, dancing, and acting their way through the performance, the cast transported us into their world of magic and fairytales, with each and every performer putting their all into the show.

The show featured jaw-dropping performances from some show-stopping singers, with their voices and belief in their characters bringing me to tears at all the best moments. Opening night comes with the inevitable occasional issue with timing and cues, but we watched the characters believably progress and grow into themselves. The characters, like the magical beanstalk itself, grew in confidence and timing as the performance went on, and the show will no doubt climb higher in quality and grow stronger with every show.

Aside from the acting, the set design and stage use were phenomenal. The cast had very limited space to perform such an intense play with complex staging, and they managed it extraordinarily well. The props deserved recognition of their own and were incredibly well-suited to the vibe and experience of the show.

Into The Woods

 

Opening night technical issues aside (those flimsy radio mics strike again!!), massive kudos to the tech crew, especially the conductor—he was on his feet but never missed a beat.

I would have loved to see a few more original takes on the characters and scenes, but overall, I recommend this as an enjoyable play, a good evening’s entertainment, and an enjoyable rendition of the popular 1986 play.

With only two sessions left, please show your support for upcoming local talent and book your tickets quickly here at https://www.newcastle.edu.au/events/community-and-alumni/the-conservatorium/into-the-woods-presented-by-uon-musos

Showtimes:

Friday, 13th of September: 6:30-9:30pm
Saturday, 14th of September: 1-4pm, 6:30-9:30pm

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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