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23/06/202622/06/2026 Jenni Peters⭐

Sweet Charity Rating

★★★★★

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Opening night of Sweet Charity at Chapel Off Chapel, Friday, 19th June, 2026.

Heirlume Productions presents the iconic Bob Fosse musical, Sweet Charity, with support from Forest Collective, the award-winning Australian arts organisation founded in 2009 by composer and conductor Evan Jay Lawson. Playing at Chapel Off Chapel from 18 to 28 June, this production brings together Heirlume’s theatrical vision with Forest Collective’s musical expertise in a successful and masterful collaboration.

Sweet Charity, written by Broadway legend, Neil Simon, with a great score by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, has always been a musical fan favourite.

Taken from the plot of a 1957 Italian film about a streetwalker, Nights of Cabiria (Le notti di Cabiria), Simon’s musical rendition kept four of the film’s landmark moments. Conceived, staged, directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse for his wife, the irrepressible Gwen Verdon, Sweet Charity premiered on Broadway, New York, in 1966 and was nominated for nine Tony Awards with a win for Fosse’s unmistakeable quirky and technical choreography. Let’s just say, Fosse made it his own.

So, no surprise the opening night audience at Chapel Off Chapel were bustling with excitement ready to soak in its many hit songs and, to experience that fabulous Fosse feeling, however, we were not prepared for how tight, fabulous and professional this production and its cast were going to be.

Director, Madison Lee, has reinvigorated the beloved characters and legendary score with a “queer love story and a tale of self-acceptance.” In her Program Director’s Note, Madi reminds us that “Charity Hope Valentine is a woman who wants to be loved completely resisting against a world that has given her very little reason to keep believing….” Except for, “…her chosen family, the people who hold us when we get back up and remind us who we are when the world tries to tell us otherwise.”

Lee has directed a female ensemble so strong and diverse, most playing multiple parts, I haven’t seen the likes of together in years:

Experienced VCA graduate, Erica Wild, fresh back from West End, U.K., embodies Charity Hope Valentine with honesty and sweetness. Wild is hardly ever offstage but gives everything she has to this role, with all her innocence and energy. She is easy to love.

Producer, Heirlume founder and Productions Artistic Director, Manda Rozen-Flannery, says of Charity, “…something feels inherently neurodivergent … about her.” Wild captures this perfectly.

Wild is supported by second leads, Madeline Pratt as Nickie and Hannah Gutierrez Cañon as Helene, playing two seasoned dance hall girls weathered and baffled by Charity’s naivety.

Choreographer and educator, Pratt is powerful in singing, acting and dancing.

For Cabaret performer and former National Latin dance Champion, Cañon, new to the Musical Theatre industry, her dance expertise is obvious.

As is the dance talent of Tyler-Rose Shattock, who charmed us as an excellent Frug Girl in the nightclub scene. Shattock also stands out with all her other characters.

Extremely talented and versatile Sara-Louise Younger plays both the Herman and Daddy characters. Her version of ‘Rhythm of Life’ along with the whole cast, was simply transformational. Singing gospel one minute and opera the next, her range and voice is unique to Australia.

Supported by Alessandra Negro as Ursula, Eden Holmes as Carmen, Lisa-Marie Coad as Betsy and Bridie Erwin-Keirl as Rosie, all playing multiple other roles, the hard work and camaraderie of the whole troupe beams and was just a pleasure to watch.

Clancy Enchelmaier plays the only three male roles, from Charity’s bad choice of boyfriend at the start to movie star, Vittorio, to romantic lead, Oscar. His distinguished voice and range is strong.

This show is also excellent creatively:

The audience was delighted with Jesse Matthews’ choreography. He is resident performer and choreographer for Forest Collective. Matthews paid tribute to Fosse’s unmistakeable 60’s style keeping the line of the classic number, ‘Big Spender’ while adding a touch of difference.
Even in this smaller production, the choreography shines and was one of the highlights of this show.

The iconic dance scene from the Sweet Charity movie, titled, “The Aloof” is a perfect blend of elegance, satire, and stylistic brilliance in storytelling. There is no expression on any of the dancers’ faces in “The Aloof”, however, in this production, Matthews / Lee have decided to arm Shattock’s Frug girl with sexiness and smiles, energising us into the vibe of a nightclub, also switching us away from the dim of the dance hall.

Forest Collective Artistic Director, contemporary composer, singer and conductor, Evan J Lawson, and Composer, Pianist and Musical Director, Max Kielly are co-musical directors on Sweet Charity and are sharing time in the conducting of the orchestra, with Orchestrator, Shanon Whitelock. It’s obvious this has been a very successful collaboration.

An energetic score that is usually undertaken by a full orchestra has been executed with precision by this award winning and versatile crew of six musicians, Thomas English on woodwind, Bodhi Scott-Jones on trumpet, Max Kielly on keys,
Felix Gilmour on percussion, Benjamin Lamb on guitar and Ian Crossfield on upright & electric bass.

The shows’ Costume Designer, Zachary Dixon, has pieced together items that tell a story throughout each scene, from Charity’s gingham print summer dress – she probably wore from her hick town into the big city dance hall for work – to Nickie and Helene’s Lingerie variations, to Daddy’s hippie church group collections, the costumes are colourful and timely in the best way.

Lighting Designer, Ruben Laine, Sound Designer, Lukas Battey and stage manager, Samara Louise have connected all of these dots seamlessly to present to us a stage of scaffolding representing the dance hall above and the dressing rooms below, as well as the highs and the lows of their lifestyle.

I enjoyed this show so much, I may attend once more.
If you can get tickets, hurry up and get them now before they sell out.
This show is not to be missed.

@heirlume.productions
@evanjlawson
@itsmadilee
@erica_wild
@manda.rozenflannery
@madeline.pratt
@chacha_chilena
@tylerrose_shattock
@slyoungerparker
@clancy.ench
@jesse_matthews99
@maxkielly
@shannondw

To book tickets to Sweet Charity, please visit https://chapeloffchapel.com.au/show/sweet-charity/.

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A Ghost To Believe In

08/05/202608/05/2026 Linda Nathaniel🥉

Beethoven’s Ghost Rating

★★★★★

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Musica Viva always assemble world-class musicians. The Beethoven’s Ghost concert at City Recital Hall, on May 6, saw a sublime collaboration. Aura Go on piano, plays with boundless passion and innovation. Kristian Winther on violin, creates wondrous, coherent performances. Timo-Veikko Valve, caresses the cello, in expressive fashion.

In many ways, this is an eclectic program with Beethoven and Ravel, accompanied by Australian composer Evotvos and French composer, Boulanger. Yet, it all blends magnificently in the gorgeous artistic space of the City Recital Hall. Valve and Go have collaborated over several years as a duo. Winther has also played with Go. The prospect of forming a trio, proved irresistible and Musica Viva have launched a national tour.

Beethoven’s Piano Trio in D major, Op 70 No.1 Ghost 1808, opens the program. The Ghost has Shakespearean influences, which of course adds to the drama. The first movement, Allegro vivace e con brio, is fast-paced and lively. We sense a ghostly spirit. The second movement Largo assai ed espressivo, is slow and effectively eerie. The third movement, Presto, is quick, demanding technical intensity from the trio. Ghosts move in mysterious ways! This Beethoven trio is one of his most performed chamber works and its appeal is obvious.

The second composer is Melody Eotvos,(yes, the perfect name for a composer). Regnare, Piano Trio No 3 2026, is powerful. Eotvos, introduces her work on-stage. We learn that her inspiration for this piece comes from the Tasmanian Ash (Eucalyptus regnare). Being the world’s tallest flowering plant, there’s a sense that various climatic changes must be overcome in order to survive. The trio capture the atmospherics here so beautifully. Eotvos embraces the artists to rapturous applause from the audience. It’s a joyous way to glide to an interval.

The third composer is Lili Boulanger’s piece, D’un soir triste 1918, which translates to Of a sad Evening. There’s an enveloping sensation of despair, grief and indeed, deep sadness. The trio again achieve shivering harmonies. Life is fragile. The piece has an urgent intensity. We feel brave for having witnessed it. Sadness is the most lasting of all human emotions.

To close the program, there’s Ravel’s Piano Trio 1914. Movement 1, Modere is played at moderate speed. It has a folk music-like feel with subtle irregularities to waft over us. The second movement, Pantoum Assez vif, is lively and poetic. Victor Hugo’s words being influential in its formation. Passacaille, the third instalment, is a hymn to the piece. Each instrument has its moments to absolutely shine, as a climax is achieved. The final movement has a divine, rhythmic Basque texture. A glorious conclusion to a beguiling evening.

Post Show there is a Q&A on-stage with the ever-charming, director, Paul Kildea, composer Melody Eotvos, accompanied by Aura Go, Kristian Winther and Timo-Veikko-Valve. Musica Viva pride themselves on being accessible. There’s no intellectual snobbery. The mutual admiration between, director, composer and artists is gloriously on-show. Concerts like this happen through collaboration and an ambitious drive for excellence. Beethoven’s Ghost has thrilled audiences in Newcastle, Sydney, and Canberra. Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth, are next on the tour. Not to be missed!

To book tickets to Beethoven’s Ghost, please visit https://musicaviva.com.au/concert-season/2026/beethovens-ghost/.

Photographer: Peter Stoop

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Howl

11/05/202606/05/2026 Georgia Heighway🆕

Howl Rating

★★★★★

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The pamphlet guide to the Omega Ensemble’s new composition of works entitled Howl promises audience members “riot, rapture and release”. Ensconced within a beautiful wood-panelled studio situated in Walsh Bay, it was clear that those who sat down to see the first performance of this show were bearing witness to an intriguing and complex arrangement of music.

The show began with a rendition of a piece called Tooth and Nail, which involved a talented soloist skillfully wrangling his viola to an eerie and circular backing-track. To me, the piece was haunting and reminiscent of the feeling of chasing and being chased by something sinister. It was a piece that woke the audience up; a true skill for the musician to play this kind of music in a way that is suspenseful without being shrill.

Following the first piece, two more violinists and a cellist joined each other on stage, and the blue curtain behind them was at once lit up by a fluorescent green/pink background. This was in preparation for a piece entitled Tuggemo; my least favourite composition of all that were played. According to the guide, Tuggemo is a word that has fallen out of usage and means “a swarm of birds or flies”. It was clear the musicians were mastering their instruments, and perhaps the flurry of activity in the last portion of the piece was building into something sharper. However, when the piece ended abruptly, what was left seemed to be a confused purpose. It felt to me as if the purity that strings are capable of was being eschewed in order to replicate the impossible. However, I am not an experienced musician and the audience seemed to be okay with it, which may simply mean that something had been lost on me.

The third piece; Interference Patterns seemed much closer to its intent. When the green and pink lights fell away from the blue fabric of the curtain, it was as if the music had become orchestral and cinematic again, and the audience was taken to another place. The piece was foreboding and ominous while at other times clean and exquisite. The friend I had brought with me (who previously played as a classical violinist in her home country) said she loved it. To the question of why she liked it so much, she answered that it was ‘nostalgic; like something in the past but at the same time hasn’t been heard before’.

Interference Patterns set the tone perfectly for what was to come next; the piece the show is named after and which uncoincidentally shares a name with Allen Ginsberg’s infamous poem. The musicians playing Howl did well to capture the nightmarish intensity of the infamous work. It was sharp rather than chaotic and the strings were haunting but never sad. Particularly effective was the clarinetist, who commanded the room, and led the audience through what seemed to be a faultless performance. I felt that the music did not unravel in the same way the poem does, however technically and thematically, the notes were mastered by their respective musicians.

Following the end of the fourth piece, pianist Vatche Jambazian took to the stage to introduce himself as the musician playing Danny Elfman’s composition; Piano Quartet. He seemed to at once take command of the beautiful Steinway and Sons grand piano in the centre of the room to express himself through the music, rather than merely playing it. The animated performance provided music that was interesting, creepy and captivating.

And so, as a non-musician who loves music and knows it is for everyone, I can only review this performance from the honesty of my own lens. In this way, I think the collective attentiveness of the audience showed that they were grateful for being gifted with this experience. As an admirer of poetry, I would say that it is perhaps impossible to emulate the intensity of Ginsberg’s Howl without the words by which it expresses its sentiment. However, I am adamant in my judgement that the standalone performance here played out in the final piece; Piano Quartet. The pianist was a definitive and shining gift in the program, fully embodying its genre and showcasing inherent musicality.

3 ½ stars

To book tickets to Howl, please visit https://www.omegaensemble.com.au/howl.

Photographer: Gxbriellemxry

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Perfect. A Triumph For Easter Weekend

06/04/2026 Mark Hobgood⭐

St John Passion Rating

★★★★★

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75 years ago, the director and Chief Conductor of Sydney Symphony Orchestra was the renowned Eugene Goossens.

Goossens conducted concerts in the Sydney Town Hall, but he had a loftier goal: a grand concert hall at the heart of the city. Goossens lobbied relentlessly, campaigning for a world-class venue. It was his vision that led directly to the creation of the Sydney Opera House.

I imagined the ghost of Goossens, looking down from the gods, in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, as Brett Weymark conducted Sydney Philharmonia’s Symphony Chorus and Baroque Orchestra in Bach’s St John Passion.

Brett Weymark championed classical music in Australia long before he was appointed Artistic & Musical Director of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. His devotion was honoured in 2021, when he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to the performing arts through music.

You may have heard Weymark’s work but never known it. He was the conductor for the movie scores of ‘Happy Feet’ and ‘Mad Max: Fury Road.’

Eugene Goossens fled Australia, mired in a sex and occult scandal that ruined his reputation and destroyed is career. Thankfully, Brett Weymark’s reputation as one of Australia’s foremost conductors continues to grow from strength to strength. This year’s Bach’s St John Passion is his latest triumph.

One of the great joys of life is connecting with others through music. Singing in a choir, surrounded by other voices is a magnificent visceral experience.

Do you sing bass or tenor? Sydney Philharmonia Choirs are currently looking for more basses and tenors.

The Acknowledgement of Country was ‘Tarimi Nulay: Long Time Living Here’ by Yorta Yorta composer Deborah Cheetham Fraillon, translated into Gadigal by Matthew Doyle. This work is hauntingly beautiful.

Language is important, and fortunately for those who speak neither Gadigal nor German, programmes were available online and in hard copy. Following the dialogue is key to fully understanding St John Passion. It highlights the callousness of Jesus’s persecutors, and the genius of Bach, hearing the music bouncing with glee as the chorus humiliates Him on the journey to the crucifixion.

The soloists within this oratorio played their respective roles to perfection.

Timothy Reynolds tenor rang through the concert hall as he narrated the action as the Evangelist. Christopher Richardson took the baritone role of Jesus with reverence. Andrew O’Connor portrayed the stress of Pilate dealing with the enraged mob.

Penelope Mills (soprano), Ashlyn Tymms (mezzo-soprano) and Michael Petruccelli’s (tenor) arias shone.

Bach wove together passages from the Gospel of John, extracts from the Gospel of Matthew, Lutheran Chorales, and his own arias based on poetry from contemporary Passion librettos.

Hearing the Sydney Philharmonia’s Symphony Chorus sing Bach’s Passion is a wondrous experience. Every member of the choirs and each player in the Baroque Orchestra is to be commended and congratulated.

A public service announcement: addressed to the lady that stomped in late during Part 1, in what sounded like wooden clogs. She was roundly shushed and hissed for disturbing the audience as she clumped to Box C. If you are delayed and running late, the least you can do is take off your heels / tap shoes / boots and tiptoe quietly to your seat.

St John Passion was a beautiful, liminal performance, created by world-class artists.

To book tickets to St John Passion, please visit https://www.sydneyphilharmonia.com.au/events/bachs-st-john-passion/.

Photographer: Keith Saunders

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