theatre review - Whats The Show

Shaken and Stirred – An Evening With James Bond

24 March 20244 February 2024 Linda Lokhee

When listening to some movie soundtracks, certain iconic notes link that song to a movie and are immediately recognisable, similar to lines recited where you know precisely which Shakespeare play they hail from.

In the case of the James Bond franchise, they are the first four notes of the opening theme. You know them, that first scene – where the black camera lens swirls open, and James Bond appears, dressed in formal attire, confidently holding his weapon. These four notes are followed by a tune that places listeners in a particular era; one of intrigue, one of suave sophistication, one where the men are debonair and the women breathtakingly beautiful. The “Bond, James Bond” era.

On Saturday night, 3 February, this is exactly where everyone went in their memories inside the theatre at The Concourse Concert Hall in Chatswood. The sixty-plus musicians from the Willoughby Symphonic Orchestra (WSO) presented an evening of James Bond movie themes.

Delightfully conducted by Dr Nicholas Milton AM, the WSO took us on a musical memory journey from Dr No in 1962 to 2012’s Skyfall. The distinct sounds of the sixty decades shone through with each theme, and I immediately visualised the actor playing James Bond and the associated colourful villain in the film. After all, one doesn’t exist without the other – the hero and the villain. They seesaw much like the music’s portrayal of deception, danger and determination. Performed one after another, it was interesting to hear the recurring recognisable 007 leitmotif pop into a few different theme songs. All orchestrations were by Nic Raine.

Dr Nicholas Milton was dynamic in conducting the WSO. From the opening theme song and throughout the many changing tempos, his enthusiasm was infectious and enabled the audience to be swept along with his energy. As well as being a Concertmaster, Dr Milton showcased his skill as a musician and joined in as a pianist on one of the songs. This was only one part of a show where people on stage had dual roles. During Live and Let Die, musicians sang the backup vocals, which surprised and delighted the audience and in Another Way to Die, I interpreted the strings section performing a visual type of ‘Mexican Wave’ with their bows in the air, which I loved seeing.

This was not a show to be silent the whole time, with the audience showing their full appreciation with claps and cheers after musicians’ solos, such as when Rick Cassar and Lars Mehlan showcased their talents on their trumpets. The WSO received a standing ovation at the concert’s end, prompting an encore of two more James Bond movie songs.

Some James Bond themes are not purely instrumental, and we were fortunate enough to have been treated to the vocals of incredibly talented British singer Mary Carewe. Mary is an established and well-respected recording artist and recitalist with an extensive repertoire, including Broadway musical songs, cabaret, and jazz. She seamlessly brought her own style to the songs, and I was impressed by how she sang life into the body of the music. Certainly not surprising, as she has made a CD of The Music of James Bond with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Not to be understated were Carewe’s beautiful outfits, with one in particular, a sparkling and glittering nod to the true glamour of James Bond.

The 21 songs that the Willoughby Symphonic Orchestra performed were perfectly chosen to showcase the talents of the musicians. The slow, romantic ballads of For Your Eyes Only and All Time High were sweet and earnest, whilst the stand-out song for me with the varied slow and then frenzied tempo was Live and Let Die. A perfect song to close the first half of the concert.

It was impressive that the WSO performed all except a handful of James Bond theme songs. Even if you haven’t seen these movies, this orchestra’s renditions made for a beautiful evening of classic British 007 music. It was an immersive performance, and as I left the concert hall, I knew I’d be humming those four-plus notes all night.

Running Time: 90 minutes with a 20-minute interval
The Concourse Concert Hall, Chatswood
Saturday 3 February, 7pm
Sunday 4 February, 2pm

This review also appears on It’s On The House and with more reviews at Dark Stories Theatre Reviews to see what else is on in your town.

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.

Blurred Lines – A Review of the Film May December

18 December 202318 December 2023 Kat Skarbek

May December is the new comedy-drama (leaning heavily into the drama) from acclaimed director Todd Haynes of Carol and Far From Heaven fame. Haynes has a penchant for stories about complex, often taboo relationships and this film, written by Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik, certainly fits that narrative.

Powerhouse actresses Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman are beautifully supported by a surprisingly nuanced performance from Charles Melton, who is better known as the hunky Reggie Mantle from the teen TV series Riverdale. The film is inspired by the true story of American teacher Mary Kay Letourneau, who had a sexual relationship with (and eventually married) one of her 13-year-old students. It centres on the arrival of Elizabeth (Portman), a well-known actress who is researching for her role in a film being made about the scandal and the unconventional relationship between Gracie (Moore) and her much younger husband, Joe (Melton).

In truth, while I genuinely enjoyed this movie, it’s difficult to know how to feel about it, and that is absolutely intentional on the filmmakers’ part. The controversial subject matter is cleverly handled with everything from the diffuse, shadowed lighting and overly dramatic music to the awkward character interactions, designed to make you feel uncomfortable from the very outset. Even the darkly comedic elements add to a general sense of awkwardness and an increasing sense of unease even before the story unfolds to show its moral grey areas.

This growing discomfort is beautifully carried throughout the film with powerful yet understated performances from the three leads, whose personalities and hidden motives gently bump up against each other like boats in a harbour, scratching away at their facades. Portman brings out the big acting guns in her portrayal of the outwardly gracious but increasingly unstable actress, Elizabeth, whose arrival unravels Gracie and Joe’s relationship.

Gracie, a complex character with both dangerous steel and embarrassing, child-like vulnerability, is played to great effect by Moore, who easily and startlingly shifts between the roles of a loving (yet controlling and sometimes critical) wife and mother, into an increasingly fragile infantile state which is deeply unsettling.

With its whitewashing of a very scandalous and divisive relationship, the inappropriateness of the coupling is never really confronted directly. Everybody in Gracie and Joe’s world skirts around the very natural questions of morality and responsibility within their relationship and the shocking nature of how it began. Elizabeth’s polite intrusion into the couple’s lives slowly unravels the accepted story that theirs is somehow a relationship of such deep and abiding love and passion that it has to live outside societal norms.

As the mother of a 13-year-old son, I found the subject matter uncomfortably provocative, especially around the blurred lines between real and palatable fiction. Ultimately, this movie explores societal expectations and the roles we are expected to play, both those forced upon us and those we take on. It gently investigates the taboo nature of some love stories and the lies we tell ourselves in order to normalise the things we cannot face, leaving us to ponder the age-old question of whether love truly does conquer all.

This movie is due for release in early February 2024, so please check your local Palace Cinema for upcoming film and session times.

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

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