Lord Of The Flies: Presented by the Gold Coast Little Theatre

Lord of The Flies

Lord Of The Flies Rating

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Due to budget cuts or in an effort to shield the students from the harrows of castaway life, my school decided to remove Lord of the Flies from the English curriculum. So, Gold Coast Little Theatre’s production last night was the first time I’ve ever experienced the madness of William Golding’s literary classic.

If you, like me, aren’t aware of the full story of Lord Of The Flies, let me give you the cliff notes version, literally:
In Lord of the Flies, British schoolboys are stranded on a tropical island. In an attempt to recreate the culture they left behind, they elect Ralph (Amelia White) to lead, with the intellectual Piggy (Mia Waldron) as a counsellor.

But Jack (Bree Paige) wants to be leader, and one by one, he lures the boys from civility and reason to the savage survivalism of primeval hunters. The disturbing tale portrays the children’s journey into turmoil and indicates that humanity’s inherent nature is barbarous.

To say that this production kept me on the edge of my seat is an understatement. The all-female cast of 13, led by Amelia White as Ralph and Bree Paige as Jack, under the direction of Joshua McCann-Thomson, worked tirelessly to bring this disturbing story and all of its themes to life in the most exciting way. Even though the actors might be young, this story and its dark motif are probably suitable for teenagers and above.

 

Gold Coast Little Theatre is nestled in Southport, a stone’s throw from Australia Fair, surrounded by pubs and restaurants if you want to make a night of it. It has ample off-street parking if you want to drive, but it’s just a hop, skip, and a jump from Southport South Station if you want to leave the car at home.

Seating for people with disabilities is available for all shows on request to the Box Office (until booked out). These seats can be booked by phoning the Box Office and are not available online. So, if you’re looking for an exciting night out, give Gold Coast Little Theatre’s Lord Of The Flies a go. The show runs from August 21st until September 21st.

Book your tickets for any one of the six remaining shows @ https://gclt.com.au/lord-of-the-flies/

Remaining Sessions
Friday 13 September, 7.30 pm
Saturday 14 September, 7.30 pm
Sunday 15 September, 2 pm

Thursday 19 September, 7.30 pm
Friday 20 September, 7.30 pm
Saturday 21 September, 7.30 pm (Closing Night)

Photographer: TTL Photography

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Veronica’s Room

Veronicas Room

Veronica’s Room Rating

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Who is Veronica? Who is Susan? Is it 1973? Or is it 1935?

These and so many other questions are explored and eventually answered in the expertly written psychological thriller by American novelist Ira Levin (many of whom will be familiar with his works as the author of ‘Rosemary’s Baby’, ‘Deathtrap’, and ‘The Stepford Wives’).

Eltham Little Theatre has expertly brought this intricate play to life. Director Drew Mason has done a brilliant job at the helm, both in casting and in staging this intense story.

Veronica’s Room grabs you from the start, with so many twists and turns that will truly make you question everything that has happened. You’ll be on the edge of your seat from the opening scene right up until the very last moment of the play.

The cast of four actors navigated their challenging characters exceptionally, with powerful performances delivered across the board. Susie Sparkes plays ‘the Woman’, George Benca plays ‘The Man’, Briana Collier plays ‘The Girl’ and Joshua Massarotti plays ‘The Young Man’.

The moments of humour written into the script were integrated beautifully by all four actors, giving the audience little reprieves from the otherwise heavy nature of the play. And the character nuances were so lovely to watch, as we, the audience, were drawn into the various complexities of all the characters and their roles within the story.

 

Veronicas Room

The entire play is set inside Veronica’s bedroom. The stage was expertly set, with the most intricate details and beautiful furniture and props utilised. It really brought the play to life, almost acting as a character in its own right.

Veronica’s Room is a play that needs to be seen, as any further details on the story-line would just ruin it for those who are not familiar with the play. This is not a plot you want to give spoilers for; it’s just far too good!

So, whether you know the play well and would like to see a great staging of it, or you are not familiar with it and would like your curiosity piqued; you’ll just have to head out to Eltham Little Theatre and see the show for yourself!

The theatre itself is a lovely space, and patrons have the option of booking classic theatre-style rowed seating towards the front, or cabaret-styled tabled seating at the rear, where you can bring your own snacks and drinks.

From ticketing to the bar/snack station, everyone at the theatre was extremely friendly and welcoming, making for a thoroughly enjoyable night of community theatre.

For tickets, book @ https://www.elthamlittletheatre.org.au/what-s-on

Veronica’s Room is running at Eltham Little Theatre from 6th – 21st of September. Make sure not to miss this brilliant play.

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Bonnie & Clyde: The Musical

Bonnie & Clyde: The Musical

Bonnie & Clyde: The Musical Rating

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The tale of Bonnie & Clyde is a well-known one, but this musical put on by Stand and Deliver Inc. will make you hear it like never before, set to a rambunctious rockabilly and glamorous gospel soundtrack!

The cast of actors performed wonderfully, drawing the audience into their world using their passion and strength of character, each performer nailing their complex character and filling every moment with idiosyncrasies to look out for. The staging meant even the minor characters could steal the spotlight for themselves in each moment (I’m looking at you three ladies in the hair salon!), giving us a well-rounded view of 1930s America and all the intricacies.

The cast’s singing was just as strong, the solos making you lean forward, desperate to hear more, only for the choirs to throw you back in your seat with the power of their harmonies.

For the costuming and set design, I must give the stage crew major props. Every piece of the set was chosen with purpose and passion, and the whole stage was used to the absolute fullest potential possible. While this did mean you may miss minor details if you happened to have a tall person sitting in front of you, the overall experience and stage presence this brought more than makes up for it, and the fast pacing means the characters will be back in view for you in mere minutes.

For each scene transition, the stage crew knew exactly what to do and where to be at any given moment, a well-oiled machine that made every transition seamless.

 

Of course, there were some minor issues—singing being drowned out by the music, microphones cutting out on actors, and some lines being delivered to the back of the stage rather than us as the audience—but these are often to be expected for an opening performance.

Each issue was combatted instantly, and the performance grew smoother as the night went on. Nothing dulled the audience’s mood, with people bopping along and hollering out throughout the whole show, creating a positive environment for the audience and actors alike.

This meant that despite costume surprises, the actors remained in character throughout, swiftly using the issue as a character choice in-scene.

Bonnie and Clyde’s run is going to be short. Sadly, this show runs only for three nights this week, and you’ve already missed opening night. Be sure not to miss it and support a new and up-and-coming local theatre company: Stand and Deliver Inc.

Book your tickets quickly @ https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1217425

Showtimes:

Friday, 6th of September: 7:30-10 pm
Saturday, 7th of September: 7:30-10 pm

Location: Warners Bay Theatre

Music by Frank Wildhorn (Dracula: The Musical, Jekyll & Hyde), lyrics by Don Black (Dracula: The Musical, Billy), and book by Ivan Menchell (Death Note: The Musical).

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Murder by the Book – A Delightfully Dark Murder Mystery

Murder by the Book

Murder by the Book Rating

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A well thought out murder has always been the premise for a juicy plot. A traditional whodunnit which has red herrings and hidden clues, complete with an eccentric detective. This is what the main character, author and critic Selwyn, excels at with his best selling novels. We begin the play being introduced to the self inflated, egotistical Selwn, played with relish by Ross Alexander wearing a sports coat, a pocket handkerchief and a fancy silk neckerchief scarf – a nice touch by the costume designer Cettina Lahiri to convey the success of his career.

Selwyn and his assistant Christine, played by Fabiola Pellegrino, are discussing his latest review of a rival’s novel, which he essentially deems as rubbish and takes great delight in taking it apart! The dripping venom and confidence in Selwyn’s words is a key factor in this story as he is someone who likes to be in charge; to lead the story.

When something happens to Selwyn, the next door neighbour Peter Fletcher guides us through his own theories of what he thinks has led up to this murder. Rawdon Waller, as Peter Fletcher, gives us a delightful performance as the amateur sleuth, who excitedly tries to solve the mystery. Dressed flamboyantly in a fancy dressing gown, he is a fan of Selwyn’s murder mystery novels and Rawdon’s portrayal of Peter’s enthusiasm for being in a real life murder mystery was very amusing. His lines and physical comedy had the audience laughing many times over.

 

There are the ‘usual suspects’ in this story – Christine the devoted secretary, Imogen the wife who wants a divorce, and the publisher, who also happens to be Imogen’s lover, John. When faced with accusations, Brian May’s John appears helplessly out of his depth and this is communicated in both action and speech in a way which made me laugh and feel sorry for the poor man.

Imogen, played by Julie Mathers, was sassy and confident, complete with big hair and an 80’s sequinned top. Julie Mathers and Ross Alexander had their characters at the top of their form in a believable love/ hate marriage relationship. They were arguing, throwing insults and pointed remarks at each other and quickly bouncing back for more. It was a like watching a succinct tennis match with clever and witty dialogue as the ball.

The play, written by Duncan Greenwood and Robert King, had its strength in the script which was full of dark one liners and clever twists and turns. It was quite a wordy play, but the Hunters Hill Theatre’s strong cast, led by director Margaret Olive, didn’t let Murder by the Book drag.

The setting of 1980’s London meant we had a living room on stage with a traditional rolled armed couch, a wooden writing desk, record player (which was used to musically enhance a scene) typewriter and a dial handset telephone. These props by Coralie Fraser all added to the authenticity of the era. Wayne Chee’s set design ensured the living room had an open and spacious feel, where the audience could view the actors clearly. I noticed that there was a clever addition of something behind the couch which I won’t give away, would have made Selwyn feel more comfortable for some of the scenes!

If you are a fan of the clever whodunnit genre, come along to see the Hunters Hill Theatre’s performance of Murder by the Book. You’ll be guessing the Who, What, Why all throughout the play, not just at the end!

Running Time: Two hours, including a 20 minutes interval

Season: 7 -31 September 2024
Hunters Hill Theatre at Club Ryde
728 Victoria Rd, Ryde
Tickets from $32

www.huntershilltheatre.com.au

Photographer: Kris Egan

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