THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE

 

The Pirates of Penzance. Adapted from the comic opera by WS Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan by Simon Gallaher. Additional lyrics by Melvyn Morrow. Orchestation by Kevin Hocking.

Directed by Alison Newhouse.Assistant director and choreographer Jodi Hammond. Musical director Jenna Hinton. Costume design Helen McIntyre. Lighting design. Zac Harvey (Eclipse), Sound design Telia Jansen (Eclipse) Properties Master Mel McDonald. Production Manager and repetiteur Brigid Cummins. Stage Manager Jill Young. Queanbeyan Players. The Q Theatre. July 3-13 2025. Bookings: 0402353443; 62856290

Reviewed by Peter Wilkins

 

Demi Smith as Mabel, David Cannell as the Major General, Adam Best as The Pirate King. Photo: Ben Appleton Photox Canberra

Ahoy me Hearties and shiver me timbers! Walk the plank to the Q Theatre and throw yourself into an ocean of fun, laughter and merriment at Queanbeyan Players’ rollicking production of G and S’s  favourite comic opera The Pirates of Penzance. In a show that explodes with joyful energy and gusto, director Alison Newhouse, musical director Jenna Hinton and choreographer and assistant director Jodi Hammond have brought Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance wonderfully to life. Every aspect of this story of Frederic, a slave to duty and apprenticed to a Pirate King and his tender-hearted band is brimful of captivating melodies, clever stage business, beautiful singing and rousing ensemble chorus song and dance.  It is the perfect antidote to a cold Canberra and Queanbeyan night,

At the opening overture a variety of Gand S characters from the Gilbert and Sullivan canon emerge   from a large treasure chest as a tribute to the wonderful works of the two giants of Victorian comic opera. It was obvious that the capacity opening night audience was in for an imaginative night of G and S delight.  This was no Victorian relic. Newhouse and Hammond have injected the production with slapstick and satire, puns and parody, adlibs and acrobatics. Gilbert and Sullivan are the mockers of sacred cows such as the military, the establishment and the constabulary and yet they are politically astute enough to ensure that their characters pay due allegiance to their  queen (Act ll Finale).

Having recently seen the Hayes Theatre Company production of The Pirates of Penzance performed by a terrific company of five performers it was a refreshing and uplifting experience to see a full cast of eager amateurs present a highly polished and hilarious full scale production of the work. Queanbeyan Players Inc. continues its record of high quality amateur productions and the company’s 60^th anniversary production of The Pirates of Penzance is no exception. The cast throw themselves into the production with all the enthusiasm of a pod of dolphins leaping the salty brine.

Adam Best (Pirate King), Lachlan Elderton (Frederic)

Aficionados of  W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s  comic operas will instantly recognize the popular tunes sung with aplomb by a talented cast of principals and chorus. Adam Best gives a swashbuckling rendition of I Am A Pirate King and throws himself into the bold abandonment of his character with the occasional backflip and cartwheel.  Louise Gaspari’s handmaid Ruth offers a tuneful confession in When Frederic Was A Little Lad  and is also a deft handler of the sword in Duty Duty with Frederic and the Pirate King. The two juvenile leads, Frederic and Mabel are played with endearing charm by Lachlan Elderton and Demi Smith. Elderton is a music theatre performer with enormous promise and Smith has a crystal clear soprano voice that would  sweeten the sourest lemon.

There is comedy in abundance in this uproarious revival of a Gilbert and Sullivan favourite. It doesn’t take a lot to realize that A Policeman’s Lot Is Not A Happy One with the ridiculous carryings-on of the London Bobbies under the leadership of Joe Moores’ Sergeant. Choreographer Hammond has had a lot of fun with the force’s Keystone Cops routines. David ‘Dogbox’ Cannell proves yet again that he is the master of the patter song with his performance of I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major General . Costume designer Helen McIntyre emphasises the parody by giving the character a fez to wear. I remember Cannell’s hysterically funny portrayal of the Admiral of the Fleet in Queanbeyan Players’ 2022 production of HMS Pinafore and once again Cannell’s clownish antics are a highlight of the production. In the tradition of satirical jibes, Cannell's modern major general grapples with the complexity of social media with Melvyn Morrow’s additional lyrics about Tik Tok, Snapchat, Facebook and the like. And then there is the political reference to Peter Who?

Musical director Jenna Hinton and her excellent orchestra of accomplished musicians seated at the rear of the stage get in on the act with interjections between the characters and the musicians. It is a clever example of director Newhouse’s collaborative approach to this 60^th anniversary production. Cast and creatives, including   Helen McIntyre creator of some of the most sumptuous costumes that I have seen on the Canberra stage, Zac Harvey and his colourful lighting design and Telia Jansen whose sound design adds to the atmosphere.

Queanbeyan Players Inc has earned a rightful place as top producers of first class performances of popular Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas. This production of The Pirates of Penzance  will warm the cockles of your heart and launch you on a journey of sheer entertainment.

Photos by Ben Appleton  PHOTOX Canberra

CARMEN

The Australian Ballet 
Canberra Theatre
Reviewed by Samara Purnell

The Australian Ballet made a rare appearance in Canberra, to present Johan Inger’s version of Carmen. Artistic director of the Australian Ballet, David Hallberg, introduced

Jill Ogai and Callum Linnane.
Image from official program

the evening and performance.  

As the familiar strains of Georges Bizet’s Carmen Suite began, played brightly by the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, the anticipation about this overtly sexual and dark take on cigarrera Carmen - her lovers, simps, cohorts, friends and its denouement, was palpable.

Inger’s choreography is full of flexed feet and dance leading with the elbows and hips, as well as graphic sexual poses and references. It is deliberate, considered, blatant and beguiling. 

The set was modern, minimal and maneuverable. A series of rectangular panels went from prison cell doors that clink and clank, perhaps also symbolic of an imprisoned life as a factory worker, to mirrors, to doors and boxes in alleyways, allowing glimpses of what goes on inside. It was deceptively simple and effective. 

The men preen, the girls flirt and the clearly segregated male and female ensembles circle each other like peacocks. Carmen amuses herself as she flits between two lovers, then three, using seduction and sexual prowess to escape imprisonment. 

The confident police captain Zuniga (Brett Chynoweth) commanding in his role, appears to take Carmen’s affairs in his masculine stride, but when she seduces Don Jose, their downfall begins. 

Jill Ogai and Brett Chynoweth. Photo Kate Longley

Jill Ogai dances Carmen with strength and conviction. And a control that almost defies the blase personality and intense yet carefree way she goes about things. She looks like a Spanish firecracker with her black hair and strong body. 

Hallberg has been presenting a body of work for the Company over the past couple of years that has a sole male dancer as the lead and predominantly features the male dancers. This has given audiences the opportunity to really get to know this impressive ensemble of men and in particular to enjoy danseur étoile Callum Linnane, who has recently portrayed Oscar Wilde and Vaslav Nijinsky. These were all-encompassing, stunning performances with poignant and beautiful solos and pas de deux, and have become Linnane’s one wood, and it’s a very impressive wood, but going into Carmen, the anticipation of seeing Linnane as Don Jose perform in a different type of role danced with a female partner was an enticing prospect.  

But that was not really to be. Dressed in pin-striped pants and a white shirt, he rapidly becomes disheveled and desparate in his pursuit of Carmen, as the interpretation of Don Jose in this production delved into the conflict of valour versus shame, jealousy and passion, control and anger, submission versus aggression, desire versus protocol. 

So, another tortured role for Linnane, as Don Jose grapples with the humiliation of being debadged and the teasing from Carmen and by other men, his sexual interludes with her and his jealous obsession. He brings stamina, nuance and emotion to this Don Jose and portrays mental and physical exhaustion with a sensual intensity.  

Jake Mangakahia. Photo Daniel Boud

Jake Mangakahia’s Torero pranced and posed like a horse on a carousel, a music box parody in a sparkling jacket and moustache, as fans and lovers whirl around him. He reveled in the role. The dances with the ensemble were especially striking.  

A young boy (played by Lilla Harvey) had opened the show - an odd inclusion in the narrative and to have the role played by a female dancer, even more so. In a dream sequence he becomes Don Jose’s child, as the story unfolds he becomes wary, angry,
mimicking the downfall of Don Jose. On face value he is a mirror, a reflection of Don Jose’s conscience, or a child losing his innocence by what is witnessed. Another interpretation is that it’s a representation of the generational and gendered violence and learned behaviour of males. 

An article by Heather Bloom, content editor of The Australian Ballet, very much focuses on gender roles and violence in Inger’s Carmen, suggesting that Carmen is inconsequential in the narrative, as viewed by the boy and that Don Jose is a victim - of the patriarchy and the expectation from and reward by society of male aggression and domination. He may be conflicted, but Carmen ends up dead either way. It’s food for thought, but not what would immediately be front of mind watching the ballet with no back-story.

Act two takes a dark turn, literally, into a city that gives Gotham City vibes, where the “dogs” - masked dancers in black suits and masks, sweep the murdered away and appear as a threatening and sinister presence. The interactions with the young boy change, as he is changed. Bizet’s score gives way to music by Mark Alvarez, with electric guitars. Don Jose becomes like a junkie, a dog scouring the street and hunting down Carmen. 

Their sexually charged pas de deux pulses with lust, turmoil and danger, Carmen takes the lead in some of the Paso Doble-esque dances, leaving Don Jose spent. He becomes more aggressive with her as he is consumed by her. 

Jill Ogai and Callum Linnane
Image from instagram

This Carmen was fiery in all senses. It was at the end that the emotional engagement really hit. When Carmen is killed by Don Jose and stripped of her iconic red dress - red that symbolizes danger, passion, love, rage and blood, she’s seen as what she is….first and foremost, Carmen is just a girl. One who messed with men. She played with fire and got burned. 

Callum Linnane. Photo Kate Longley 

As the bells chime and Carmen fades away, this stunning performance, danced with the energy, characterisation and intensity demanded by it, will remain with viewers. 

There was much animated discussion post-show on Inger’s take on the classic opera. It was certainly an exciting evening and a memorable way to celebrate the Canberra Theatre’s 60th birthday, with the Australian Ballet Company accompanied by Canberra Symphony Orchestra, and its performance of Carmen.

THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE

 

The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh.

 Directed and designed  by Cate Clelland. Assisted by Roasemary Gibbons. Set realisation Ron Abrahams. Costumes Cast. Props. Anne Somes. Rosemary Gibbons. Cate Clelland and Janie Lawson. Lighting design Craig Muller. Sound design Neville Pye. Stage Managers Charlie and Sam Harbison-Gehrmann. Marketing and publicity Olivia Wenholz. Social Media James Tolhurst-Close Photography Janelle McMenamin. Free Rain Theatre. ACT HUB. June 25 – July 5. 2025. Bookings: enquiries@acthub.com.au;  0402 809 762

 Reviewed by Peter Wilkins 

Janie Lawson as Maureen and Alice Ferguson as Mag

 

 

 

 

 Winner of the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award for Best Play and the recipient of four Tony Awards, Martin McDonagh’s play The Beauty Queen of Leenane receives a highly commendable production by Free Rain Theatre at ACT HUB.  Under the keenly observed direction of Cate Clelland and performed by  an outstanding local cast, McDonagh’s dark comedy exposes the fragility of human nature. Set against the bleak backdrop of an isolated cottage in County Galway, The Beauty Queen of Leenane tells the story of  45 year old spinster Maureen Foley ( Janie Lawson) and her cantankerous, manipulative mother, 70 year old Mag Foley (Alice Ferguson). Maureen has been released from a mental institution into the care of her controlling mother.  Next door neighbour Ray Dooley (Robbie Haltiner) who invites Maureen to come to a party lends the play a touch of Irish comic irony. Ray’s brother Pato ( played with gentle empathy by Bruce Hardie) offers hope of an escape from Maureen’s entrapment, only to have dreams shattered by Mag’s conniving disposal of Pato’s letter and offer of a new life in America. It is an act of selfish manipulation with deadly consequence. McDonagh’s domestic tragedy echoes with the cruel inevitability of Mag’s fateful interference.

Janie Lawson as Maureen. Bruce Hardie as Pato

Clelland’s atmospherically staged production emanates a pervasive air of futility. Hope lies trampled in the dust of unattainable dreams. Alice Ferguson’s Mag is unnervingly wily, wielding her invidious influence over the vulnerable Maureen. Ferguson’s performance is pivotal to McDonagh’s portrayal of parental manipulation. Our response is visceral, as we watch Ferguson’s Mag dominate the scene from the confine of her rocking chair. Lawson’s Maureen effectively journeys through her rollercoaster of emotion, from the compliant victim of her mother’s will to the coquettish older virgin, longing for escape to her pathetic recourse to fantasy and desperation. Ferguson and Lawson are supported by the performances of Haltiner as the  voluble neighbour and Hardie as Ray’s  affable brother Pato who provides  a momentary possibility of hope for Maureen.   Every performance by these talented actors does justice to McDonagh’s play. The entire production is imbued with Neville Pye’s soulful sound design and the lilting evocative melodies of the Irish ballads.

Robbie Haltiner as Ray. Al;ice Ferguson as Mag

 

 

Free Rain’s production of The Beauty Queen of Leenane lives up to the dram a’s litany of garnered awards. It is yet another of the excellent productions staged by ACT HUB,Free Rain,Everyman and Chaika at the modest ACT HUB theatre. It is regrettable that productions like The Beauty Queen of Leenane should by necessity have to suffer short seasons. This notable production of a classic Irish play deserves full houses and yet a short season prevents the greatest adulation and attendance that it deserves.  The Beauty Queen of Leenane’s short season ends tomorrow. Don’t miss it.

Meteor Shower by Steve Martin. Directed by Chris Baldock. Mockingbird Theatre. Belconnen Arts Theatre. June 26 - July 5. Reviewed by Alanna Maclean.

Photo: Chris Baldock

Meteor Shower is a wild piece set in California among what  looks like the idle Californian middle class in a glossy suburbia. Outside, the heavens are lit up; inside two couples play mad suburban games.

Corky (Jess Beange) and Norman (Sachin Nayak) are welcoming Gerald ( Anto Hermida) and Laura ( Maxine Eayrs) for what looks like a small gathering to watch the meteor show happening in the skies above. But this is a script by comedian Steve Martin, so the growing slide into the manic and surreal is not unexpected.

It looks initially as if the visiting couple will prove the more powerful. Corky and Norman look no match for the somewhat socially overpowering Gerald and Laura. The visitors are eventually upstaged as the gears shift and the play slides into alternate time lines and a good deal of manic comedy.

Beange’s Corky goes from a slightly diffident hostess to a rip-roaring embracer of changes in the time line. Husband Norman (Nayak) sheds an initial reticence for a near death scene and a bit of aggression. Hermida’s Gerald reveals timidity and sensuality as well as a manipulative streak and Eayrs’ Laura is not necessarily as confident and controlling as she might appear at first.

It’s all played on a thrust stage with a screen full of the universe and a ceiling full of little lights for stars. The meteors are never far away.

If there is a problem it is in the swing and the flow of the piece overall. Martin’s brand of comedy can have its introspective side but this play has a bit more in common with the Marx Brothers and could use more of that kind of pace.

However, it’s a good entrant in Mockingbird’s ongoing repertoire which seems to be pleasingly happy with plays that are a challenge.