[20020038] The Longest Night

The Longest Night

Urban Theatre Projects @ Parks Motor Maintenance Shed

7:30pm, Sun 3 Mar 2002

Score: 1

Short Review: Unforgivable

At the show I attended immediately prior “The Longest Night”, William Yang mentioned that he could see hope in the faces of indigenous children.

However, it was especially tragic to see what skills were being offered to the young indigenous people in the workshop preceding “The Longest Night”. The sexes were segregated: boys had the opportunity to be “B-Boys” or rappers, and girls could be “R&B Girls” (complete with “sultry” R&B Top 40 hip moves), or try their hand at acrobatics (tumbling, et al).

If this blatant Americanisation doesn’t send a shiver down your spine… well, I guess you can’t see the writing on the wall.

America – the place where the black population have been marginalised to such an extent that the major role models available are those of sport stars or music stars. And yet, here we are, inviting a culture of subversive racial subjugation into our country with open arms.

And this was just the precursor to “The Longest Night”. After obtaining a coloured ribbon (to segregate patrons into “tour groups”) and watching the youngsters performed their newly-workshopped talents, we went on a bizarre “tour” around the Parks Community Centre campus, the point of which completely escapes me. We were then treated to the performance proper.

And what a performance it was. Using the tried, tested and true theme of “look how drug and alcohol abuse can ruin your life”, we see Bernie first have her child taken away by a government worker. Then her old druggie mates drop by, and her life (and those of her friends) turns to hell. All this is “acted” out using over-the-top theatrics, creating confusing “action” scenes, backed by a bizarre and contrived selection of music.

Yes, I realise that Peter Sellars had placed an emphasis on the representation of indigenous culture, and the involvement of youth, in his planning of the Festival. And I certainly support the intentions of Urban Theatre Projects – their altruism for their work is certainly commendable. However, to pass this piece off as “art” is really, really hard to take.

(As a sidenote, I noticed previous Festival Director Robyn Archer chose a black ribbon, then wore it almost as an armband. Almost apt, really.)

[20020037] Shadows

Shadows

William Yang @ Parks Theatre Two

5:00pm, Sun 3 Mar 2002

Score: 8

Short Review: Overt

“Shadows” is a piece that somehow manages to meld the stories of East and West Germany, their reunification, and the theme of Aboriginal reconciliation together. Flanked by two slide-show screens, noted photographer William Yang cruised through a ninety minute monologue, accompanied by a selection of his own photos.

Based on Yang’s travels and experiences with friends, lovers and colleagues, he covers the period from 1980 to the present day. Along the way, he introduces us to the characters central to his discussion – the adopted Aboriginal son of a friend, an ex-boyfriend, and the people that surrounded them. We then follow him on several trips to outback Enngonia, Berlin (both pre- and post-unification), and the South Australian German settlements.

Yang placed particular emphasis on the continual spiritual malaise of the Enngonian settlement, showing the decay of their culture due to the white inputs of alcohol and violence. He also juxtaposed the systematic decimation of the Aboriginal communities in the earlier parts of last century with the genocide inflicted upon the Jewish peoples by the Hitler-led Germans. And yet, despite these weighty matters, Yang still managed to expose his own dry, wry wit – witness the “second best meal” he had in Germany.

Colin Offord provided wonderfully textured, subtle background music – playing flute (in the style of a didgeridoo), some percussive stuff (with his feet), and this uber-woodwind-string-instrument that pretty much defies description. And this was a very enjoyable monologue; it’s just that the political nature of the content was a little… overt for me. As subtle as a brick, that just managed to put a damper in the work that, while optimistic, left me… edgy.

[20020036] Soobee and Jeffree

Soobee and Jeffree

Broadway And Company

1:00pm, Sun 3 Mar 2002

Score: 5

Short Review: Great for little ‘uns

Sue Broadway and Jeff Turpin adopt the personae of clowns Soobee and Jeffree for this short and charming show which, while somewhat entertaining for nutcases like me, is probably better suited to a younger audience.

After struggling with their opening under the warm Lunar Tent, Soobee and Jeffree squeeze some gentle humour out of simple, but visually effective, tricks – their spinning plates representing the solar system was quite amusing – but they excel when it comes to juggling.

Their hat juggling routine was quite mesmerising, but when they started juggling up to seven clubs between them, you knew they weren’t mucking around. Their ability to “steal” items from each other while juggling was also pretty neat.

Yup, with a young crowd, Soobee and Jeffree would go off – they had the kids at this show howling like wolves at the moon (not the best thing for tinitus) and giggling like… children. Then again, there’s always one kid in the crowd that makes you crack up – this performance, it was the 3 year old that yelled out “FUCK” quite audibly when Jeffree dropped something. Most amusing.

You could certainly do a lot worse than dragging the little ‘uns along to this.

[20020035] Shedding Light – The Tracker

Shedding Light – The Tracker

@ Her Majesty’s Theatre

10:30am, Sun 3 Mar 2002

Score: 7

Short Review: Visually adept

“The Tracker”, the first film on the AFA’s F5 program, is a simple tale following the hunt of an alleged murderer by an Aboriginal Tracker, and the police that enslave him. Written and directed by the acclaimed Rolf de Heer, and produced for the 2002 Festival, it’s a pretty reasonable bit of work.

Filmed near Arkaroola (South Australia), the film is visually splendid – wonderful shots of the very Australian landscapes, and some magnificent images in certain scenes – “that sunrise” (to tell you exactly which sunrise would be a spoiler) is a masterpiece. de Heer also uses oil paintings to describe the violence which takes place, rather than using live action, to wonderful effect.

The plot is simple and linear; my only complaint was that there were points where characters flip-flopped unbelievably – Gary Sweet (as The Fanatic) transforms from The Tracker’s main ally in the party to his greatest nemesis within a scene or two. Likewise, Damon Gameau’s Follower goes from wet-behind-the-ears to Bush Guru almost overnight. Grant Page, as The Veteran, is under-used.

In short, this was a pretty reasonable flick, but just not chunky enough to fully satisfy.

BTW – here’s the IMDB info (as sketchy as it is) on “The Tracker”.

[20020034] electronic bonk (eBonk)

electronic bonk (eBonk)

Tori Hodgman @ Worldsend Hotel

9:30pm, Sat 2 Mar 2002

Score: 6

Short Review: Glass Vase

Tori Hogman, local girl and ex-criminal lawyer, shows us the seedy side of dating using modern methods – phone chat lines and ‘Net based message boards. Not to mention a few stories from her past, and a few laughs along the way.

Tori first introduces us to wankline, a phone system for singles to leave messages for one another to contact (if necessary). Tori, ever the thorough researcher, maintained a glass vase of messages left for her by men on wankline – if anyone in the audience yelled out “Glass Vase”, she would read some of the sad, sad, SAD (and crude) messages, then get back to the show. A neat trick to get out of comedy death.

Besides wankline, we were also treated to Tori’s use of internet Message Boards – with similar crude responses. Actually, Tori seemed to be the antagonist on the ‘Net, but hey, it was pretty funny. There were some funny (and serious) family moments presented, too.

Overall, though, this show was perhaps a touch too patchy to warrant a “must see” tag – but was enjoyable nonetheless. And I think it’s testament to the thoroughness of her research that Tori was the first person in the room to switch her mobile on at show’s end.

[20020033] American Dreamchasing with Spirit-Drive! NOT Ego-Jive…

American Dreamchasing with Spirit-Drive! NOT Ego-Jive…

Mark “ZonaCat” Hansen @ Iris Cinema

8:00pm, Sat 2 Mar 2002

Score: 7

Short Review: Motor-mouthed

I’ve no idea why this one got picked out of the Guide. In fact, when I was reading the Guide just prior to going to the show, I caught mention of the performer’s web site. Go there, it’s pretty… odd. So all of a sudden I was worried: “shit, I’ve just paid $14 for an American self-help seminar… he’ll prolly try to sell me stuff at the end of the show too…”.

These fears were not allayed when we arrived at the Iris cinema, and the barguy said “Mark wants you to read this pamphlet before he starts. Oh, and he wants you to have a beer. On the house.”

Oh dear. I was worried now. Curiously, the pamphlet didn’t contain any pyramid schemes… and then in bounds Mark Hansen. And he launches into his monologue.

80 minutes later, he’s still speaking 200 words a minute. No selling, just a bunch of positivity and wacky stories about himself. Pretty entertaining stuff really, if you can handle an over-stimulated American monologue (who uses the word “lugubrious” in conversation – Dali link).

Seriously. Read some of the stuff on his website (www.zonacat.com) – it’s great. As for paying money to see him? Well, it’s an experience, I’ll say that much. And he shouts you a beer – Southwark White, not too shabby.

[20020032] Solos

Solos

Ros Warby @ AIT Arts Space

6:30pm, Sat 2 Mar 2002

Score: 9

Short Review: Finesse

This was stunning.

As I’ve remarked earlier, I’ve been seeing a disproportionately large amount of dance this ff… and I had to fight to get a ticket to this “sold out” show (my diatribe about the Adelaide Festival ticketing fiasco will be elsewhere), so it was an extreme annoyance to see one-third of the seats in the AIT Arts Space empty. Obviously, there’s “sold out” and “SOLD OUT”. Anyhoo, I was glad I made the effort.

“Solos” is three solo pieces by Ros Warby. The first, “eve”, was choreographed by Warby herself, and is simply magnificent. Warby dances about the space, between (and up against) screens, which act as recipients for pre-filmed dance and movement pieces also. Some of the screens are translucent, allowing Warby to dance behind an image of herself dancing, while speaking softly to herself – positively freaky. Added to this is the use of carefully positioned spotlights casting Warby’s shadow(s) onto other screens. All this, and the music the piece was set to was sensational.

After a short interval, “Living with Surfaces” was a more mechanical piece, set to phasic experimental music. Using a fluoro green backing wall, Warby remains physically connected to the surface at all times, as she roams about in a gloriously stilted manner, connected to her discretely shifting shadow. After literally climbing the wall, she traces her own outline upon it in an act of self-definition (see, I do read the notes).

At this stage I was in ecstasy; I was ready to give this show an 11. However, the last piece, “FIRE”, saw Warby strutting about the stage chatting indecipherably to herself, occasionally turning to the audience in faux query, and even more occasionally performing something that may be misconstrued as dance. The notes indicate that “the dancer is with out his or her convictions about dance”, but I really couldn’t tell whether she was taking the piss or not. The lack of backing music only enhanced the suggestion that this piece is “ad-libbed”.

However, despite this last piece, I found this performance to be absolutely mesmerising. Go see it, if you get the chance (and dispute any “full house” claims).

[20020031] Killer Joe

Killer Joe

Brink Productions @ Odeon Theatre

4:00pm, Sat 2 Mar 2002

Score: 7

Short Review: Trashy

After the epic co-production (with The Wrestling School) of The Ecstatic Bible in the 2000 Festival, Brink Productions return to their Fringe roots with their second season of “Killer Joe”.

Working within the confines of an exploded trailer park home, the plot is a sick little number involving the Smiths, a white trash family, contract killing, a lot of angst, and a few plot twists along the way. Lizzy Falkland (exceptional in The Ecstatic Bible) was the perfect picture of poor southern America, and Michaela Cantwell was wonderful as Dottie, Killer Joe’s “retainer”. Unfortunately, Killer Joe himself (a detective and part-time assassin) was less convincingly played by Rory Walker.

The sound and lighting of the performance was exceptional – they set the mood perfectly. The direction, especially the blocking of the fight scenes, was really confused – these scenes devolved into a mess of yelling and obvious stage fighting (which would make pro wrestlers blush!).

Apart from the afore-mentioned directorial issues, this was pretty competent entertainment. I did love the program, however – all the usual production info, plus a wonderful collection of poor white trash factoids and historical information. So, if you’re down the Parade, you could do a lot worse than catching this show.

[20020030] Hopeless Games

Hopeless Games

@ Union Hall

2:00pm, Sat 2 Mar 2002

Score: 8

Short Review: Curious

Groo, what an interesting piece of work. For some reason I seem to be getting myself into a whole bunch of dance and physical theatre stuff this ff, and this is one of the more visually impressive.

“Hopeless Games” opens with some interesting theatrical tricks, and winds up with a neat “russian roulette”-type scene. The second piece is a superb piece of physical theatre – the miming is superb, and the players look positively wretched (as befits the ghosts they have become). There’s also a clever suitcase fight(!), and the balloons of the final piece are a neat touch.

Interspersed thoughout the work is several short films, which themselves lend a feeling of hopelessness to the proceedings – neverending staircases, train tracks, et al. The last bit of film of fireworks projected over stage fog to which the performers exit the stage, does seem a little trite and indulgent, however.

In short – yep, this was visually appealing, and well worth a look. However, it was missing something that stopped it from being truly exceptional.

[20020029] The Seriously Big Show

The Seriously Big Show

Strut & Fret Production House @ The Lunar Tent

10:30pm, Fri 1 Mar 2002

Score: 9

Short Review: Amazement

“The Seriously Big Show” seems to be a collection of 10 minute acts from various Lunar Tent performers, plus whoever else is around. And tonite I think I hit the Mother Lode.

First up was “Flaunt”, yet another dual-trapezist act. This was probably the most erotic of all such acts, and certainly one of the best. “Mr Fish” came out next for a few visual gags & unicycling, not to mention gloriously amusing facial expressions.

Matt Wilson (?) followed and astounded with his sense of balance, as he created a ladder of deck-chairs and proceeded to sit atop it, rocking it ’til it toppled down. Spectacular, hold-your-breath stuff. Our compere then took it upon himself to juggle 3 skittles whilst flying over the audiences head, suspended – once again, pretty sweet. “Buzz” then came out for more visual gags and some bloody good juggling.

“Mission Improbable” then appeared (in tight black jumpsuits, no less) – and this male/female combo stole the show with more aerial work. Truly stunning – I know it’s getting repetitive, but what can I say? “Popeye”, two strongmen, then proceeded to lift and support each other in a variety of incredulous poses, and threw a bit of panto in for good measure.

This was a cracker. As always with an “lucky dip” show of this type, YMMV.

[20020028] Shakti – The Woman in the Dunes

Shakti – The Woman in the Dunes

Shakti @ Nexus Multicultural Arts Centre

9:00pm, Fri 1 Mar 2002

Score: 5

Short Review: Inexplicable

After the unexpected pleasure of Tokyo Triangle in Tantra Vision , and having chatted with the wonderfully friendly Shakti after that show, I was really looking forward to this. Oh, how I was disappointed.

“The Woman in the Dunes” is supposed to represent the subconcious in all of us, Shakti explained in near-incomprehensible babble at the end of the show. Set to various pieces of gothic rhythms (with the exception of a horrendously out-of-place version of “I Put A Spell On You”), this dance was a repetitive group of movements, combined with inexplicable wiggling of eyebrows, tongue wagging and head bobbing.

The saving graces of the performance were the entry and exit silhouettes, the use of front-lighting to generate giant dancing shadows on the rear wall, and the periods of the dance where Shakti was joined by another dancer. Oh, and the net entrapment was a nice touch, too.

Somehow, I sensed that Shakti wanted to shock with this performance. Sadly, this was not achieved.

[20020027] Shenzo’s Electric Stunt Orchestra

Shenzo’s Electric Stunt Orchestra

Strut & Fret Production House @ The Lunar Tent

11:59pm, Thu 28 Feb 2002

Score: 10

Short Review: Flabergastingly Funny

Dressed like vinyl-clad superheroes, the four members of Shenzo’s Electric Stunt Orchestra (drums, bass, guitar, and Shenzo himself on electric violin) enter the Lunar Tent and launch into “Toccata”. Suddenly, reaching the bridge(?) of the piece, Shenzo leaps into the air (aided by some clever rigging) and soars over the audiences heads, still belting out the tunes. As the Stunt Orchestra play, and the guitarists sail into the air also, one cannot help but be both amazed and amused.

An amalgam of the James Bond and Get Smart themes, and Grieg’s “In The Hall of the Mountain King”, have me won over. But the best is yet to come, as the three mobile members of the band creep outside the tent while playing a quiet march and get strapped into the rig that lies between the Spiegel and Lunar Tents. The drummer’s kit gets carried out to the rig also, and soon the whole band is suspended in mid-air as they belt out a rockin’ “Flight of the Bumblebee”. The three stringed members fly about the rig (the drummer, necessarily, stays carefully swing-free, but suspended) – Shenzo nearly cleans himself up on one of the supports. Spectacular.

Sure, while they’re all swinging about, they mightn’t be hitting the right not every time. Sure, the guitarist was often inaudible. But the sight of a band swinging about, high overhead, is one that you’ll never forget.

Update:Strolling thru Rundle Mall on 2nd March I noticed the Stunt Orchestra were using the Gawler Place canopy as rigging for an impromptu show. Great stuff… keep yer eyes open for them.

[20020026] The 42nd Floor

The 42nd Floor

K Brian Neel @ Uni Cinema

10:00pm, Thu 28 Feb 2002

Score: 10

Short Review: Precision Excellence

The second of K Brian Neel’s solo performances this Fringe (the other being Double Climax), this play, whilst not being the topsy-turvy character piece the previous show was, is still a technical masterpiece.

Scooting between the ancestor of a great cat polisher (who begins the performance seated in the middle of the audience), a time-travelling orphan, and a man forseeing his own suicide, Neel performs with a level of precision that is just sublime – the time travel sequences are so wonderfully reproduced, you’d swear that you’d undergone time travel yourself.

At some point during the performance, one of the characters mutters “I’m tired, but I’m alive”. This is a wonderful description of how this show makes you feel – the mental twists and turns (especially of the time-travel variety) continually stress one’s mind, but at the end of the performance you are of the opinion that it has definitely been worth it.

[20020025] Rachel Berger – Perfect

Rachel Berger – Perfect

Rachel Berger @ Nova 2

8:30pm, Thu 28 Feb 2002

Score: 2

Short Review: Yawn… Berque

I’d been warned (by someone who had seen this show on opening night) that Berger had been nervous, lacking in confidence, and not put on a good show. Unfortunately, the tickets had already been bought, otherwise I would have skipped this show in favour of… pretty much anything.

There was a joke or two about gynecologists. Some fun was had with the presence of a small girl in the front row. There was a nice ode to Sara Lee at the end of the show.

That was it.

I could tell early on that this was going to be not good. So I counted all 3 laughs, 8 chuckles and 2 yawns that I emitted. I did this partly for my own amusement (no-one else was amusing me, least of all the performer), and partly so I would have some quantitative evidence so I could say:

Do not see this self-contradictory, indulgent, rambling, piece-of-shit show. Sorry Rachel, but I am totally flummoxed how you managed to get onto the comedy scene at all spewing this kind of tripe.

[20020024] Hamlet in One Hour

Hamlet in One Hour

Short Attention Span @ Bakehouse Theatre

7:00pm, Thu 28 Feb 2002

Score: 5

Short Review: Amusing in parts

I wanted to love this. I wanted to hate it. In the end, I could do neither purely.

Let’s get one thing straight – this bears only a very passing resemblance to the Bard’s work. The script has been butchered to get it to fit in one hour – but then most of the time is spent by the cast (one male, one female) performing corn-ball acting antics towards the near full-house. And make no mistake – this is very much HAMlet. I was quite willing to perform a massacre review on this show, until the puppets…

There is an absolutely brilliant 5 minutes in the middle of the show where the two actors control a multitude of puppets and act out the killing of the King of Denmark, and subsequent wooing of the Queen, in terrific (some might say “pornographic”) detail. At this point I was willing to forgive all prior sins, and love the show to death. But then it returned to its prior state, devoid of clever machinations, and the spell was broken.

A pity, really, since that 5 minute break in the middle was gut-bustingly funny, and there was some clever theatre in there somewhere. But the show can’t be recommended for those 5 minutes alone; especially with the annihilation of the script and frequent additions of material.