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The Hello Girls Answer The Call

15 January 2024 Natalie Capra

The Hello Girls have arrived at Hayes Theatre, and Sydneysiders are in for a treat. Friday night’s audience were enthralled, right from the raucous opening exhortation to “Answer The Call” to the very last reminder that we are all “Making History”. With phenomenal performances from all the actors, this is a show that is definitely going to be a hit.

The Hello Girls tells the little-known story of the first American women recruited into the US Army as switchboard operators during World War I. They may not have carried guns or fought on the front lines, but their service was indispensable to ensuring that communications across the sphere of war remained open and that orders and troop movements could be relayed between officers.

It is essentially a workplace musical (if such a genre exists!) about a group of women trying to do their jobs well in extraordinary circumstances. There’s no suggestion that these switchboard operators single-handledly saved the day or played a crucial role in one defining event. The Hello Girls didn’t win the war – they were one of many people who did their jobs and contributed to the overall success of the armed forces. The overarching theme is one of connection rather than heroism.

The set reflects this theme with a simple but effective design. Telephone wires strung between poles create netting and transparent walls, which add a lovely texture to the multi-level stage. Wheeled tables with perspex lids act as switchboards, desks and even a piano. Hayes Theatre is a small space, so performances always feel intimate, but there was still a roominess to the set that made it feel larger than it actually is, even with all 10 cast members on stage.

And what a cast! As Chief Operator Grace Banker, Rhianna McCourt brought a wonderful strength to the role, with powerful vocals paired with a nuanced performance. Kira Leiva plays Suzanne Prevot with sass and charm, Kaori Maeda-Judge is a quietly determined Bertha, and Kaitlin Nihill is a fiery Louise Lebreton. Special mention must go to Nikola Gucciardo, whose backwater character Helen Hill almost steals the show with her wide-eyed naivety and guilelessness. All five performers were terrific and clearly masters of their craft.

Lest you think it was an all-female show – fear not! The five male performers were also excellent, playing soldiers, officers, musicians, dancers and a prisoner of war. The main social commentary came through their choreography choices, with the men stepping in as background singers and dancers to the women’s story.

Interestingly, the script doesn’t dig deep into social commentary. It could be called a ‘feminist’ story, but The Hello Girls is not bogged down with ‘issues’. While we do see these women in harsh conditions and facing the reality of war – particularly in the excellent number “Quinze Minutes”, where the women literally have 15 minutes between bombs to make it to their workplace – there is a light touch that emphasises the just-get-on-with-it attitude that is essential to teamwork and success in adversity.

Some might be disappointed at the lack of high stakes and/or romance. There is no powerful transformation of one character and no real perilous struggle to achieve their goal. I liked that the focus was more on camaraderie than personal relationships, and there weren’t any intimate duets. Interestingly, the one bit of (straight) romance that does quietly blossom involves a character who gave off seriously queer vibes, but perhaps that was just the trousers 🙂

The costuming is restrained because everyone is in uniform for much of the play, but they all managed a bit of individuality nonetheless. The director has chosen to bookend the play with the cast in contemporary outfits, an excellent way to gently ease us in and out of a story set more than 100 years ago. Hard to believe! Especially considering how the struggle for recognition remains real for so many women.

All in all, this was an extraordinary night out for audiences of all types. While centred on women, it’s not really a feminist story but a story of people just wanting to step up and prove themselves. As producer Ylaria Rogers says in her notes, it is “a call to arms to anyone who has ever felt left behind, forgotten, and unacknowledged for the part they play in this world.”

Everyone left the theatre with a little more knowledge of these people and their part of history – and a little more joy. And that’s precisely what theatre like this should provide.

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

Alice in Wonderland – A Timeless Classic

7 January 20247 January 2024 Sara Barlow

Penny Farrows’s production of Alice in Wonderland is a colourful and creative retelling of Lewis Caroll’s classic tale and the marvellous adventures his Alice gets up to.

This production also weaves in a few other references from Caroll’s works that broaden the performance beyond the original text. The performance runs for 60 minutes and focuses on the key moments in Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland.

The stage design, props, and puppets are all grand for this production, with a lot of thought clearly put into perspective. An excellent example of this is how Alice’s character really does seem to shrink as she drinks out of a jar that gets bigger and bigger with each sip.

The costumes in this performance are grand and majestical, making the audience feel like they are down some weird and wonderful rabbit hole. Be it Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum’s humorously disproportionate garments or the overly large ears of the March Hare, the audience is genuinely transported into Alice’s new world with these new and zany characters.

It was lovely to see the cast working as an ensemble from start to finish on opening night as the play opened and closed in a joint narration. Physical theatre was employed as the cast shared the storytelling, and it was a joy seeing the actors weave in and out of their costumes throughout the performance as they embodied such whacky and whimsical characters.

Although I found myself laughing out loud many times during this performance, I found the pacing lagged occasionally with some noticeable gaps. It became particularly problematic in the water scene, where the audience first meets some odd characters of Wonderland. There needed to be a stronger pulse to keep the chaos in order.

That said, I really enjoyed this Alice in Wonderland performance, as did my children who came with me. This show is for all ages and would be a shame to miss!

This review also appears on It’s On The House, and more reviews can be found on Dark Stories Theatre Reviews – it’s an excellent way to see what else is on in your town.

A Victorian Domestic Noir – Gaslight

6 November 20235 November 2023 Linda Lokhee

Patrick Hamilton’s play Gaslight is a classic domestic noir, performed with careful consideration by the Pymble Players. The English novelist and playwright wrote Gaslight in 1938. After its popularity with the resulting plays and the 1944 Hollywood film, ‘To Gaslight’ became synonymous with the meaning of someone psychologically manipulating another for their advantage, to make them doubt their memory, perception of reality and their own sanity.

Gaslight, directed by Joy Sweeney, is set in Victorian England. It revolves around the Manninghams – Jack and Bella. From the first introduction to these characters, we see an upper-class, seemingly happy couple. They are in the drawing room, where we subtly recognise wealth in the Manningham’s furniture and locked fold-up wooden writing cabinet. This is where tea is served in dainty teacups by the servants, a place where they can engage in relaxing conversation.

However, things do not remain relaxing for long. We soon see Jack, portrayed by Nick Roberts, turn from being a supportive and loving husband into an aggressive and accusatory bully. This flip-of-a-switch was acted with such credibility that it took the audience by surprise, which is how director Joy Sweeney wanted to present this psychological abuse “to create a feeling of severity”.

Amelia Conway’s fragile portrayal of Bella is outstanding, and as she goes from being joyfully excited by the invitation from her husband to attend the theatre to having him rescind it, we witness the disintegration of her mind. When she is victimised and scorned by Jack, we flinch. When Jack abruptly leaves the room, we feel his weighty presence in Bella’s nervous disposition.

There are clear delineations of class and power in this household.

The servants have different personalities, and both play a significant supporting role with strong performances. Georgia Drewe’s Nancy is bold, teetering on defiance towards her mistress. Kate Kelly’s Elizabeth is a strong, motherly and caring woman, reminiscent of perhaps a governess in another period drama.

As the play progresses, a stranger enters and begins to unravel a twenty-year mystery involving the house and the characters within. Retired Detective Rough, portrayed with finesse by David Kirkham, brings a sense of much-needed comedic levity to balance out the sharp points in a play involving domestic abuse. When explaining his visit to Bella, David’s Detective Rough, particularly during the first act, was a guiding narrator of the unfolding past. Therefore, his script was noticeably long, and David handled this task beautifully.

Gaslight is more of a slow burn than a thriller, where the audience is exposed to the intricacies of a mystery as it is revealed. It slots into the era of Agatha Christie, where we examine each character and try to figure out motives.

The cast’s wardrobe, by director Joy Sweeney, packaged up the Victorian era and captured the upper class wholly, down to the dress ruffles, long heavy capes and expensive hats.

Sound design by Geoff Jones kept the audience’s attention and ratcheted up the uneasy atmosphere throughout the play.

Gaslight highlights the domestic abuse darkness that lives behind closed doors, and though set in London in the 1880s, it remains as relevant and prevalent in modern society today.

Running Time: Two hours and 25 minutes, including one 20-minute intermission.

Season: 1st -26th November 2023
Pymble Players – 55A Mona Vale Road, entrance via Bromley Ave

Photographer: Daniel Ferris

This review also appears on It’s On The House, or check out more reviews at Dark Stories Theatre Reviews.

The Visitors(The Play) – To Welcome or Repel

22 October 202320 October 2023 Linda Lokhee

The Visitors, now at The Riverside Theatre, is a new production from award-winning Muruwari writer Jane Harrison. Her play first transfixed audiences at The Sydney Festival in 2020. Quandamooka director Wesley Enoch teams up once again with Harrison to create a masterful reimagining of the First Fleet’s arrival from a First Nations perspective. This contemporary version shows movement and inclusivity by welcoming two women characters into the role of leaders, whereas the previous play had an all-male cast playing elders. The use of the Dharug Dhalang language throughout the script lends authenticity to the discussions and is beautiful to hear.

The Moogahlin Performing Arts and The Sydney Theatre Company bring us back to a warm summer day in January 1788. A day that will impact the history of the Eora nation. Birds are chirping, waves are lapping. Elizabeth Gadsby designed the set so that the stage feels spacious, with mountains of shells piled on the ground and driftwood lying around. A colossal sandstone rock takes centre stage, creating a solid presence, with the gold of the stone glittering under the warm lighting. Six clan leaders and one man, an ersatz leader, gather on this escarpment at the ocean’s edge (which we now know as Sydney Cove,) looking out to sea and warily watching some fleet of giant nawi (ships) sail closer and closer.

They have seen ships come before, but they have never stayed. This time, they are told that ships with many mobs are on the way. The leaders from different clans discuss how they will respond to the strangers. Shall they be welcomed ashore, or should they turn them away and, if necessary, engage in war?

They must each present their reasons for their opinion and must make a unanimous decision. This becomes the underlying premise of The Visitors.

With Gary chairing the meeting, the Elders take turns to speak. Each story is subtly complemented by soundscape changes, thanks to sound designer Brendan Boney. We hear stories about previous encounters with the people from the nawi as each elder presents an argument justifying their opinion.

The conversations are done diplomatically, with one speaker meant to be talking at one time. However, in a vein similar to some current parliamentary meetings, when people become passionate about a stance, their voices become louder until others join in, and the meeting disintegrates into a noisy ruckus. This is not an easy decision. The audience learns there is an innate culture of welcoming people onto their land usually. They help others in need with the use of herbal medicines. However, the unknown intentions of the people on the nawi must be factored into consideration.

Enoch has gathered a magnificent cast. A standout performance was given by Aaron Pedersen, playing Gordon, who delivered a strong emotional performance throughout, particularly in his final speech. Elaine Crombie (as Jaky), Dalara Williams (as Wallace), Kyle Morrison (as Joseph), Beau Dean Riley Smith (as Albert), Guy Simon (as Gary) and Joseph Wunujaka Althouse (as Lawrence) complete this stellar cast and worked together to create some comedic lines, breaking up the tensions during the discussions. They earned a well-deserved standing ovation from the audience on the night I attended.

The timing of the opening performance at The Riverside Theatre comes just after the result of The Voice Referendum, and we leave with an echo of pre-colonisation life and questions of how different things may have been if certain events in history had changed. Jane Harrison has lent her voice, in a form common to First Nation Australian peoples – as a storyteller to fully capture our attention.

The Visitors was a thought-provoking performance that will stay with the audience long after the lights dim.

“Visitors don’t stay; that’s why they’re called visitors” – Wallace.

This review also appears on It’s On The House, or checkout more reviews at Dark Stories Theatre Reviews.

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