Human in the Audiosphere
Rhino Room
10:30pm, Sat 11 Mar 2000
Score: 9
Short Review: PerfectPercussion
One-third of Pablo Percusso (a huge hit at the 1998 Fringe), Ben Walsh, thundered out a superb percussive set in front of a packed house at the Rhino Room (prolly not the most ideal venue for this, but adequate nonetheless).
On a tiny stage packed with things to hit (both conventional and not), Walsh's live percussion was accompanied by backing tapes (bass, on the whole, with some less complex percussion as well) and a projected visual presentation. It all managed to converge wonderfully.
Walsh's hands were a blur for most of the performance, and the rhythms he created were nothing short of incredible. This was a top-notch performance.
(There was also a Human in the Audiosphere CD available at the venue... highly recommended!)
Richard II
Old Parliament House
8:00pm, Sat 11 Mar 2000
Score: 7
Short Review: Verily
After a uniquely presented rendition of The Tempest in the Zoo last Fringe, Rough Magic returns to present Richard II in the austere setting of Old Parliament House.
As was the case with The Tempest, the direction is fabulous - Alice Teasdale has walked the modernist tightrope superbly, with soldiers in khaki and fatigues, noblemen in suit-and-ties. Despite lighting problems on the night, performances were solid, but the two major characters must be singled out: Damien Storer was wonderful as the hoighty-but-doomed Richard, and Nick Smart wonderfully restrained as Bolingbroke.
In all, a production well worth seeing. The setting within the Old Parliament House was a masterstroke, and the presentation of Shakespeare's work is very entertaining.
Cool Heat Urban Beat
Her Majesty's Theatre
5:00pm, Sat 11 Mar 2000
Score: 7
Short Review: NoYo
Like many other productions at the Festival this year, Cool Heat Urban Beat delivers lots of visual and aural spectacle, but not enough lasting substance. As an exhibition of urban dance, it is fabulous; as a coherent dance piece, it is lacking.
I was unlucky enough to be present at a matinee in which one of the performers injured himself (attempting to do an assisted back-flip) early in the performance; for some time after, both the audience and the performers were decidedly flat. (I'm unsure as to whether the injured dancer resumed later in the piece; I suspect not, having seen the way he landed on his back).
The dancing was always vibrant and full of energy; the tap movements, in particular, were fabulous. And words cannot express the fluidity of movement displayed by the dancers - "fluid" really is the operative word there. The two live musicians - Daniel Moreno on percussion, and DJ Mizery on turntables - were also superb, engaging in a "duel" with each other while the dancers took a breather. DJ Miz was also seen teaching a youngster to scratch in the closing minutes of the performance!
All the performances were superb - so what was lacking? Well, variety for one thing - the show got into a group-solo-group routine far too often, and some of the dancers' solos did not differ greatly from one piece to the next. Sure, there were some truly superlative parts in amongst it all; but I personally found the performance to be too repetitive, and easily forgotten. Nice watching it while it's there, though.
(BTW - why is the programme so full of mis-prints? In a 30 second glancing, my little eye spied three typos... not a lot of care for $10, it seems!)
Because
Promethean Theatre
2:00pm, Sat 11 Mar 2000
Score: 5
Short Review: Adequate
Because, a play by Tasmanian Stella Kent, is brought to life by Thespian Tendencies (responsible for Dark Love). Although the play covers interesting and thought-provoking subject matter (following James McAuley and the Ern Malley hoax involving the Max Harris-editted "Angry Penguins" magazine), something has been lost in the translation to the stage.
Performances were all fine, although one may be able to acuse Richard Gruca of overacting in the role of McAuley (especially with that laugh!). Glen Christie also does a good job in the director's shoes. It's just that the play is presented... dryly. No real interest is forthcoming from the script.
Things improve in the latter parts of the play, but overall this play can only be described, at best, as adequate. A shame, really, since the subject matter could provide so much more.