18 June 2008

Waiting For Godot


Waiting For Godot
Cracked Actors
18 June 2008
Cromwell Street Thearte


I enjoyed this Waiting For Godot like a young bottle of red. It’s still a bit rough, but the skill of its making is evident and its richness and complexity will come with exposure and time.

Cracked Actors was formed in 2007 with the determination to bring “classic” works to the stage. As Samuel Beckett’s Waiting For Godot is a compulsory play for anyone with an interest in theatre, it was a obvious choice for the new company.

This Godot will improve with every performance. It needed the response of an audience to let the pace settle and let the performers trust the text and the humour. Opening night suffered from forced pace and anticipation. The natural rhythm and structure of the work was overridden by enthusiasm and a determination to interpret the well-known text.

This is the play so famously quoted as the one where “nothing happens….twice”. But that doesn’t mean that the audience don’t need to want something to happen.  We know that Godot never arrives. Like watching a loved movie, we know what’s going to happen, but still hope that this time it will be different.  Stories need anticipation and hope. We want to imagine everything that has happened to bring these people to this point and everything that could possibly happen tomorrow. We need to be told the story, not just see the text.

You know you won’t see Godot, but you will see Phil Roberts as Pozzo. Roberts was born to play Pozzo.  His timing is immaculate and his deep understanding of Beckett, his character and the style shine though.  He once played Lucky and I want to see him give Estragon and Vladamir a go. Colin Morley’s also brings a believability, poignancy and almost lovability to Estragon. The rest of the cast just needed to relax into their characters and trust the words. It’s a very funny script, we don’t need to be told when to laugh.

It’s always worth seeing a well known script performed. Sure, we can read them, but plays are written to be performed. Cracked Actors production is a terrific introduction to Waiting For Godot and I look forward to seeing what great work they show us next.

 This review appeared on AussieTheatre.com

14 June 2008

The Chaser’s Age of Terror Variety Hour


The Chaser’s Age of Terror Variety Hour
3 June 2008
The Atheneum

 I have to admire a group who finish their show by telling the assembled crowd that they’re the worst audience they’ve ever seen; then create an instant standing ovation by using one of the most overused jokes in Australian comedy. The Chaser team are having a break from the telly and touring with The Chaser’s Age of Terror Variety Hour.

The live show is a mix of political jokes, sketches, gags and shockingly choreographed dance routines. It’s more about seeing the boys in the flesh (too much in Craig’s case) than creating a new Chaser genre.

So what do our favourite satirists do now that little Johnny has left The Lodge (and Kirribilli House)? Kevin07’s gang gave us some chuckles (like Penny Wong trying to control harmful emissions - from Peter Garrett), but the biggest laughs still came from Johnny’s faded team. There was even room for one last Peter Costello joke. The set up was elaborate and misleading; a musical about Frank Forde, our shortest serving Prime Minister, who served for only eight days - but that’s still eight days longer than Costello.

The politically savvy had many giggles, but the leg slapper guffaws of the night were saved for the arse jokes (not just Craig’s), the internet dating research and embarrassing the bogans in the audience.

Naturally, the team had to test the satire/offence line. The joke about plastic bags and Philip Nitschke was close, but a couple of Bill Henson jokes were the evening’s balancing acts. The topical subject matter is ripe for the kicking, but maybe the jokes would be better pitched at the critics (and I use that term in its broadest sense) of Henson’s photography, rather than the subject matter of his art (jugs too small to be decent).

Chas Licciardello was quoted in The Age this week saying that reviews of the live show haven’t been positive, but “we’re all so arrogant reviews don't affect us." With theatres full of appreciative, ticket buying fans, should they care was the reviews say? Chaser fans will continue to love every minute of The Chaser’s Age of Terror Variety Hour and non-Chaser fans won’t be there; so let the boys be arrogant. I enjoyed myself much more than I expected to and Osama W bin Laden wins my vote for joke of the month.

This review appeared on AussieTheatre.com