DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD

Danny The Champion of the World by Roald Dahl.

Adapted by David Wood. Directed by James Scott. Honest Puck Theatre. Perform Australia Fyshwick. January 10 – 17 2020. Bookings www.perform.edu.au or 1300 908 905.

Reviewed by Peter Wilkins

Danny. The Champion of The World marks a notable departure from other works by Roald Dahl. There are no amazing chocolate factories, giant peaches, big friendly giants or twisted takes on familiar nursery rhymes or popular folk tales. There are no magic tricks or bewildering illusions. Instead there is the magic of a very different kind. It is the magic of a love between a single parent father and his young son. There is the magic of friendship and community spirit. There is the magic of wit against the stupidity of arrogance and malevolence. And there is the magical triumph of good over evil.

Leo Scott as Danny. James Scott as Dad

At its heart, Danny The Champion of the World is a story of the nature of goodness and kindness. It is a simple story about poacher and garage owner William (James Scott), his son Danny (Leo Scott) and their battle to survive the oppressive use of wealth and privilege by the local landowner Mr Hazel (David Cain). Honest Puck Theatre has staged a simple, honest and unpretentious production of Dahl’s affectionate story and David Wood’s skilful and natural adaptation. The representational set effectively depicts the look and feel of William’s caravan, fuel pump and garage. The audience needs no glitz or glamour. Set construction by Sam Wilde and scenic art by Rachel Pengilly evoke a country town setting on one side of the stage and the forest on the other. Sergeant Samway’s pride and joy is his cut-out Austin Seven and Victor Hazel’s car is given a more expensive sheen. Puppet designer Jenny Oliver has created loveable hens and colourful pheasants and puppeteers Odessa Johnson and Lily Mae Harrison allow the puppets their character without intrusion. All in all, the setting of the play is free from artifice, a virtue reflected in the performances by natural young actor, Leo Scott and his experienced real life Dad, James Scott.

David Cain as Victor Hazel. Katherine Berry as Rabbetts

Director James Scott maintains a careful eye for the qualities of good children’s theatre.  The villagers, Dad, Danny, Sergeant Samways (Brendan Kelly), Mrs. Clipstone (Monica Engel), Dr. Spencer (Veronica Constance) and taxi driver Charlie Kinch (Katherine Berry) give natural and believable performances, while the villains of the piece, Hazel and  offsider Rabbetts and Council Inspector , all played by Katherine Berry capture the exaggeration of villainy with effective energy.

 

Younger audience members are kept involved with additional participation as they are invited to sign a petition against the council’s eviction notice and then make the sounds to drive the pheasants away from the Hazel’s cruel shooting party. Participation maintains  audience interest and excitement, but in Honest Puck’s uncomplicated production it is the power of the human element of Dahl’s story that best engages young and old alike. The universal battle between good and bad and the victorious triumph of goodness and kindness wield their magic. Effectively used sound effects and music heighten mood and action, operated by technical operator Patrick Uran. Only the initial subdued lighting of the opening poaching sequence obscured the action. Lighting designers have a habit at times of preferring mood over visibility. A small but cautionary quibble.

 

David Cain as Victor Hetzel. Veronica Constance as Head Teacher.
Brendan Kelly as Mr. Jackson

For fans of Roald Dahl, Honest Puck’s Danny The Champion of the World is a faithful and thoroughly enjoyable interpretation and production of a story that captures the heart and excites the imagination. I look forward to and highly commend future holiday productions for children by a company that understands their audience and the power of storytelling.



The Aspie Hour

The Aspie Hour.  Created, written and performed by Sophie Smyth and Ryan Smedley.

Director and Dramaturg – Fiona Scott-Norman
Musical Director and Pianist – Rainer Pollard

Sydney Festival 2020 at Carriageworks, Bay 20  January 14-18, 2020.

Reviewed by Frank McKone
January 15

What on earth is an Aspie?  If you’re on the spectrum, you may be thinking is this what normal people call a joke, until Sophie explains that it’s a short-cut word for a person who has Asperger’s Syndrome.

Fortunately I have known someone with Asperger’s over many years.  He would probably not think being called an Aspie was funny.  It’s no joke when you don’t understand how to initiate a conversation, say.  Or realise that what someone said was meant to be a joke, or it was an innuendo and actually meant something quite different from what the words said.  My friend’s an expert computer programmer.

Sophie explained, for example, that “come up and have a cup of tea” means “sex”.

The Aspie Hour is a very pleasant entertainment.  Because they each have an obsession with musicals, but not the same sort of musicals, they demonstrate their tendency to concentrate on informative details and a strictly logical approach by performing songs from an enormously wide range of musicals, mainly with their own words.

Ryan prefaces his song and dance routines with proof of his factual knowledge by having members of the audience call out a year date, like 1955, 1984 and three others last night.  He immediately tells us which musical that year was the most popular, or which in his view was the best, even though his choice may not have won awards.  And I am sure that he knew his facts.

His songs tell the story of a visit to New York, the source of more musicals than anywhere else in the world (he claims).  The essence of his song and dance act is about what he had to learn about social contacts in order to travel by himself to achieve his dream – to see a musical each night for 20 nights and meet famous musical performers.  And, I guess from his show, he learnt song and dance skills from his obervations.

Sophie took a different line, focussed on the elements of what makes up a musical, from the intro dance number, through the I want solo to the grand finale, which has nothing much to do with the rest of the plot.  She explained what we needed to know about each element before she sang, perfectly in style, each type of number.

For me, Sophie gets a special award for “Over the Rainbow”: “If little blue birds can fly, fly over the rainbow, why, then oh why, can’t I?”  This was a moment of tender appreciation by us all, through quiet tears for an Aspie’s frustration and at the same time recognition in the strength and quality of her performance that indeed, she can fly over her rainbow.

As they have written, “The purpose of this show is to relate ourselves to the audience, asking ‘have you had an experience like this?  We’re not all that different.”  How true, and how enjoyable.

Sophie Smyth and Ryan Smedley
in The Aspie Hour
Photo supplied

I'm a Phoenix, Bitch

I’m a Phoenix, Bitch.  Conceived, written and performed by Bryony Kimmings (UK).  Sydney Festival 2020, at Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre, January 14-17 2020.

Co-commissioned by Battersea Arts Centre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts and supported by Latitude Festival.  Supported by the British Council and Arts Council England using public funding.  In association with Avalon Management.

Reviewed by Frank McKone
January 14

Directors – Kirsty Housley and Bryony Kimmings

Art Director – David Curtis-Ring; Projection Designer – Will Duke; Composer – Tom Parkinson; Sound Designer – Lewis Gibson; Lighting Designer – Johanne Jensen; Dramaturgical Support – Nina Steiger; Choreography and Rehearsal Direction – Sarah Blanc; Makeup Design – Guy Common.

“Performing on stage is always a risk (break a leg!), but the greatest risk – to your sanity, if not in failing your audience – is to turn your own life into a public performance, and then perform it yourself.”  In quite recent times I have coined the term “Personal Theatre” for this kind of work.

Two especially powerful pieces were RED by Liz Lea  (reviewed here March 9, 2018), a dance work expressing her pain and determination to keep performing while suffering ever-continuing endometriosis; and Ghenoa Gela’s experience of shock in finding her personal salvation in re-connecting with her traditional culture through dance on her first visit to her mother’s home island Erub in the Torres Strait, after being born and brought up in Rockhampton.  My Urrwai is reviewed here January 21, 2018.

Based on dance with some story-telling, these were demanding and impressive works, though relatively straightforward theatrically.  I’m a Phoenix, Bitch is centred on Bryony Kimmings’ experience of her psychosis arising from the sudden onset in her baby son of ‘Infantile Spasms’, seemingly life threatening: the beginning of epilepsy. 

Her creating this work for performance arises from the principle of cognitive behavioural therapy – that is, learning to objectify frightening mental experiences and recognise reality through the process of telling others.  So I’m a Phoenix, Bitch begins rather as if Bryony is a stand-up comedian setting up a relationship directly with us, her audience, through humour, about sex, marriage and childbirth.

But as her child is in hospital and her husband has moved out, she finds herself left alone in what was meant to be the ideal little family cottage on an isolated hilltop in the country – fearing for her child’s life.  Her experience is expressed on stage in acting and singing, in a complex set design using live and recorded video, a model of the house, a representation of the hill and the flooded stream that prevents her from obtaining help, with sound miked so that her inner voice sounds male threatening her female self, and a surround soundscape creating her emotions in us as we watch her despair.

The real life experience took place over a two year period, which Bryony structured to make this work in 2018 after a highly successful career following a degree in Modern Drama from Brunel University in 2003, creating multi-platform art works.
[  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryony_Kimmings  ]

In the title she becomes a phoenix in the sense that she learns that even the worst that can happen is just bad luck, and that we must not feel guilty for what, in reality, we cannot control.  As she finally drives away from the house – now rented by another family and no longer haunting Bryony – she tells us 

“And I watched the cottage disappear out of sight in my rear-view mirror.  And for a moment I felt like I was in a film.  But then I stopped doing that.  Because I wasn’t.  This was real fucking life.”

Black out.
And to tremendous applause and a great sense of relief, Bryony takes a bow and takes us back to something like the comedian she had appeared to be at first.  But we now know, “it’s time to love the new Bryony now.  She has sharper edges, she laughs a little less, she is scarred.  But she is who you will need in the next flood.”

I’m a Phoenix, Bitch is an important work of art because it is a story of real experience which becomes a meaningful metaphor for us each to interpret in our own lives.  Though more complex in the form of its expression, this is what Bryony Kimmings’ work has in common with those other works of “Personal Theatre” by Ghenoa Gela and Liz Lea.  They take the risk which is theatre; they succeed through genuine art.

And I note that these works are by women.

DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD

By Roald Dahl

Adapted for the stage by David Wood

Directed by James Scott

Honest Puck Theatre

Perform Australia Theatre, Fyshwick to 17 January

Reviewed by Len Power 10 January 2020

Roald Dahl’s stories for children have now become well-known through movie and musical versions of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, “Matilda” and “James and the Giant Peach”.  As well as being great adventure yarns, each of these stories have a characteristic dark side and “Danny The Champion Of The World” is no exception.

In this 1975 story, adapted for the stage by David Wood, young Danny and his father live in an old caravan next to a service station, fixing cars for a living.  Danny’s father also poaches pheasants from the woods owned by wealthy neighbour, Mr Hazel.  After injuring his leg in a man-trap set by the neighbour while out poaching, Danny’s father, with his son’s help, plot to spoil the neighbour’s annual pheasant shoot.

This story focusses on the loving bond between father and son and doesn’t rely on any magical or supernatural elements.  Its simplicity is one of its strengths, allowing us to empathise with the pair in a very real way as the story plays out.

The first half of the show is a bit too leisurely in its development of characters and storyline but the second half of the show explodes into action with plenty of comedy and audience participation.  The young children in the audience were captivated and entertained and Dahl’s dark humour made it very amusing for adults as well.

Directed by James Scott, who also plays the father, the show is performed on a simple but practical set by a cast of nine, including two puppeteers.  Three of the cast play multiple roles.

Leo Scott (Danny) and James Scott (Dad)

James Scott is very effective as the father in a performance of great depth and warmth.  You can see why his son Danny loves him.  Danny is played by Leo Scott, who is actually James Scott’s son.  He gives a winning performance of great confidence especially in his monologues to the audience.

There was good work by others in the cast especially the nicely judged almost Dickensian performance of David Cain playing the villainous Mr Hazel.  Brendan Kelly as the policeman, Sergeant Samways, and Katherine Berry as Rabbets gave vivid performances that were also delightfully mannered.

This is a good school holiday show for children over the age of seven.  Adults will have a good time with it as well.

This review was first published in the Canberra City News digital edition of 11 January 2020

Len Power’s reviews are also broadcast on the Artsound FM 92.7 ‘In the Foyer’ program on Mondays and Wednesdays at 3.30pm.

Disney THE LITTLE MERMAID

Emily Pogson as Ariel, the little mermaid. 

 Directed by Jordan Best - Musical Direction by Adam Blum

Choreographed  by Jodi Hammond - Set designed by Ian Croker

Costumes designed by Fiona Leach - Lighting by Sidestage Productions

Presented by Ickle Pickle Productions,

Belconnen Community Theatre 10^th to 25^th January.

Reviewed by Bill Stephens

“The Little Mermaid” may not be the best of the Disney musicals, but in the experienced  hands of director, Jordan Best, who seems to have been waiting for this opportunity to let loose her inner child,  this production is jam packed with exuberant performances, colourful costumes, spectacular dance routines, and clever staging ideas. 

Although the minimalist staging facilities at the Belconnen Theatre provide a challenge for  any designer hoping to create a creditable undersea environment for the first part of the show, Ian Croker has triumphed with a colourful, uncluttered setting that provides plenty of room for the large cast to execute  Jodi Hammond’s spectacular dance routines and  perform imaginative transformation scenes, and yet, by employing pretty lighting effects, still intimate enough for the all-important,  romantic “Kiss The Girl”  sequence.

The musical tells the familiar Hans Christian Anderson story of a mermaid who trades her voice for a pair of legs. But this is the Disney version, so not nearly as dark as the original, and crammed full of cute fishy side-characters to provide golden opportunities for inventive actors.

Throwing in just about every trick in the trade, Jordan Best keeps the storyline clearly in focus, while encouraging her actors to move beyond their comfort zone to create interesting characters, resulting in some very fine performances indeed.

Emily Pogson is appealing as Ariel the mermaid. She looks the part, sings prettily and receives strong support from Ben Brown as Prince Eric. Brown struggles a bit with the songs, but what he lacks in vocal prowess is more than made up by his good looks and Disney prince charm.

Jade Breen (Flounder) and the Mersisters

Jade Breen (Flounder), Michael Jordan (King Triton) Jackie McIntyre and Elliott Cleaves (Flotsam and Jetsam) all offer strong characterisations, while Cassie Ramsay, Emily Mullamphy, Kellee-Rose Hand, Emily O’Brien , April Hand and Katy Larkin, as Ariel’s six mean-girl mersisters, capture their share of laughs as a delightful ensemble, with each creating her own clearly drawn characterisation.

Jack Morton is a stand-out as the cheeky seagull, Scuttle, especially when leading a team of tap-dancing gulls for “Positoovity” and Joss Kent is simply marvellous as the manic Chef Louis. Indeed there are so many good individual performances that it is tempting not to list everyone on stage.

However, two of the performers rise above even these. Janie Lawson, offers the best work this reviewer has seen from her, to create a truly masterly villainess in Ursula the octopus, constantly on the move and skilfully phrasing her lyrics, especially “Poor Unfortunate Souls”.

 

Meaghan Stewart also ceased the opportunity to create a memorable character as Sebastian, the lobster, literally  leaving the opening night audience cheering as she led the ensemble through Jodi Hammond’s spectacular staging of “Under The Sea”.

While the attractive recorded soundtrack gives the production a professional sound, it also led to a few draggy moments and occasionally drowned some of the un-miked singing. Full-marks however to Musical Director, Adam Blum for obtaining some lovely choral singing from the ensemble; to Fiona Leach for her imaginative costumes, (though hopefully some badly crushed dresses which spoilt the final scene will be rectified quickly); and full marks to Ickle Pickle productions for this delightful holiday entertainment. Don’t know about the kids, but this reviewer loved it.

                                                      Photos by Cathy Breen

This review first published in the digital edition of  CITY NEWS on 11.01.20

DISNEY THE LITTLE MERMAID

Disney The Little Mermaid. Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater. Book by Doug Wright. Musical director Adam Bluhm. Choreographer Jodi Hammond. Directed by Jordan Best. Ickle Pickle Productions. Belconnen Community Theatre, Friday Jan 10 – Sat Jan 25.

Having been reared on Hans Christian Andersen’s deeply tragic original I find I have to simply switch that part of the memory off to deal with this show. Which is, of course, a different take on the tale.

Yes, it’s still about a mermaid who falls for a human prince and becomes human herself in an effort to win him. But this version is littered with song and dance and eccentric underwater characters and the ending is much more upbeat.

The cast is led by a charming Ariel, well sung and performed by Emily Pogson. Ben Brown is equally charming as Prince Eric but needs to get more breath behind what is a nicely placed voice. Hopefully the problem is temporary, since they work together rather well.

They are opposed by the dreadful sea witch Ursula in a commanding and funny performance from Janie Lawson. She eyeballs the audience with venom, backed up ably in her machinations by henchfish Flotsam (Jackie McIntyre) and Jetsam (Elliot Cleaves).

Jade Breen turns in a beautifully wide eyed performance as Flounder, the fish with an unrequited crush on Ariel. Jack Morton is an affable and funny Scuttle, the seagull with an eccentric use of language. Samuel Dietz as Prince Eric’s old mentor Grimsby seems a little on the young side but supports the Prince ably. Meaghan Stewart struts around with a vigorous sense of character as Ariel’s crab mentor Sebastian.

There’s a good cameo from Joss Kent as Chef Louis, serving up the seafood at Prince Eric’s palace to a shocked Ariel. (Is that Nemo I see on a plate…?) And the six other daughters of the impressively noble King Triton (Michael Jordan) make quite a tribe of sibling rivals.

Director Jordan Best does an excellent job of marshalling a rather large and youthful cast who are required to be everything from a figureheaded ship and its crew to courtiers to underwater denizens. The Belconnen Community Theatre does not have a big stage but Ian Croker's compactly imaginative set makes the most of the space, it is peopled convincingly and it is choreographed sensibly by Jodi Hammond, whether the scene is below the waves or in the courts of kings.

Alanna Maclean

DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD

Danny The Champion of the World by Roald Dahl. Adapted for the stage by David Wood. Directed by James Scott. Honest Puck Theatre. Perform Australia Theatre. Jan 10-17.

Roald Dahl’s engaging tale of a boy growing up with a widowed dad involves poaching and pheasants and old cars and a gipsy caravan and a conniving villain and a good old fashioned sense of community.

Director James Scott has come up with a gentle and genial production that does justice to Dahl. He also takes on the role of Danny’s father with real life son Leo Scott as Danny. Their on-stage collaboration is funny and true.

Leo Scott carries Danny’s narration with assurance and a good humoured connection to the audience.

There’s a good supporting cast, with David Cain as the villainous Victor Hazel*, Brendan Kelly as (among others) a genial Sergeant Samways, Veronica Constance as a range of characters including the sensible Dr Spencer and Katherine Berry notable for Hazel’s none too bright sidekick Rabbetts.

Monica Engle is grand as Mrs Clipstone, the vicar’s resourceful wife, complete with a baby Clipstone  in a wonderful old pram.

Puppeteers Odessa Johnson and Lily Mae Harrison are deft puppeteers, handling Jenny Oliver’s strikingly desisgned chooks and pheasant puppets with a humorous sense of character. Hide their tumbling hair under caps and you’d see even more of this.

The set is full of surprises; look out particularly for falling pheasants, trundling cars and a cunning way to show someone trapped down a hole.

And for those that know the book, the look of the show picks up on Quentin Blake’s fidgety birds’ nest spiky illustrations, especially that for the vicar’s wife.

Not a whiz bang holiday piece but a slowly developing story. It’s one for a young audience that might like the encouragement to thought that Roald Dahl generally provokes.

Alanna Maclean

* That’s the programme’s spelling. The book says ‘Hazell’