Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Directed by Jordan Best. Lakespeare/The Q. Various locations Feb 12 - Mar 1 - see www.lakespeare.com

This is a tightly done  Shakespeare that survives the open air, the wheeling crying birds at sunset and the coming of night. (If you look at the performance schedule you’ll find both indoor and outdoor performances.) Outside specialists Lakespeare have joined forces with director Jordan Best and The Q for this year’s show and it’s a sharp version with clarity and drive. 

There’s a Macbeth (Isaac Reilly) and a Lady Macbeth (Lainie Hart) who are lean and hungry for the power they think a bit of murder will gain them. How their certainties are undone is the fascination.  Reilly and Hart  nail the unravelling of a brisk marriage between two morally blind people with a degree of ruthlessness and a twist which I will not reveal. 

They are backed up in this well paced show by a small but flexible cast that  includes a couple of thanes who look as if they could actually wield weapons. Max Gambale’s Duncan has a good royal authority, Lachlan Ruffy’s Banquo has honesty, Caitlin Baker as Malcolm has a youthful directness that plays well and Paul Sweeney as Macduff  is moving in his grief and rage. Then there’s Jane Ahlquist as an authoritative Ross (but also splendid as a nasty goblin of a Porter) and Annabelle Hansen wonderfully disturbing as a terrified Lady Macduff.

The concept of the witches (Caitlin Baker, Annabelle Hansen and Paris Scharkie) who are veiled and horned and glide around unsettlingly underplays their presence in a way that is much more sinister than a bunch of cackling hags might be. 

Seeing this haunted play under cloudy skies  with its climax at sunset and the chance of some serendipitous performances by the local crows made for an unsettling show on opening night. This tight production of The Scottish Play will chill  no matter which of its season’s venues, indoor or outdoor, you see it in. 

Alanna Maclean

BUBBLE BOY - Queanbeyan Players.

Rylan Howard (Jimmy-Bubble Boy) - Christina Philipp (Ensemble)

Book by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio – Music and lyrics by Cinco Paul.

Directed by Tijana Kovac – Musical Direction by Sally Taylor

Set, Costume and Properties design by Remus Douglas

Lighting design by Eve Perry – Sound Design by Telia Jansen

Presented by Queanbeyan Players – Belconnen Community Theatre Feb.14 -23.

Opening Night Performance reviewed by BILL STEPHENS

Aleisha Croxford (Jimmy's Mother) - John Potter (Jimmy's Father) - Rylan Howard (Jimmy- Bubble Boy), Kay Liddiard (Chloe) and ensemble.

Queanbeyan Players has come up with another winner with its latest production "Bubble Boy" which opened in the Belconnen Community Theatre last night.

Although based on a potentially serious premise about a boy born without immunities forced to live in a plastic bubble room by his over-protective mother, the musical is given a playful, cartoon-like production, by first-time Queanbeyan Players director Tijana Kovac.

The tuneful music and lyrics of Cinco Paul’s songs are unabashedly derivative, while the comic-book style storyline by Paul and Ken Daurio delights in its own silliness.

Kovacs has embraced the possibilities offered by this approach by utilising colourful two-dimensional props and minimalist settings and successfully harnessing the exuberance of her large, predominately youthful cast to achieve a disarmingly entertaining evening of feel-good theatre.

Aleisha Crosford (Jimmy's Mother) - Rylan Howard (Jimmy - Bubble Boy)

As the bubble boy, Jimmy Livingstone, whose education in isolation consists of reading his mother’s copies of Better Homes and Gardens, Ryland Howard is immediately likeable and delightfully goofy.

His naiveness is cleverly contrasted by Kay Liddiard’s portrayal of Chloe, the girl-next-door, and the object of Jimmy’s affections, as a resourceful, confident young woman easily able to thwart the tactics of Jimmy’s controlling mother, portrayed by Aleisha Croxford.

To describe the obstacles Jimmy and Chloe meet on their path to true love would risk spoiling the fun, but suffice to say their journey offers endless opportunities for delightfully outrageous cameos, among them, Mark and Shawn the doltish best mates, Mark and Shawn, enthusiastically portrayed by Andrew Taylor and Sam Thomson, who miss out on the girl but discover each other instead, and Lorraine and Todd (Emilie Martin and April Telfer) the terrifyingly cheerful leaders of the Bright and Shiny Cult.

Valeria Arciniega Vidurrizaga is a stand-out as the biker, Slim, who offers Jimmy some useful advice, as is Roya Safaei as Pushpa, who hits a cow with her ice cream truck before stopping the show with her solo "It’s an Elk".

Throughout the large enthusiastic ensemble obviously delight in executing Sally Taylor’s quirky choreography while singing up a sometimes-ear-piercing storm to the enthusiastic accompaniment by Adam Blum’s funky six-piece on-stage band under the musical direction of Tara Davidson.

Despite the clunkiness of some of lighting and sound technicals, and some out-of-tune singing on opening night, Bubble Boy still succeeded in providing a remarkably entertaining evening of theatre in which director Kovac and her company’s embrace of the goofiness of the piece out-trumped any perceived lack of finesse.

                                                    

                                              Images by Damien Magee




       This review first published in the digital edition of CITY NEWS on 15.02.25

BUBBLE BOY

Book by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio

Music and lyrics by Cinco Paul

Directed by Tijana Kovac

Musical Direction by Tara Davidson

A Queanbeyan Players production

Belconnen Community Theatre to 23 February

 

Reviewed by Len Power 14 February 2025

 

Most musicals we know had a typical Broadway start, but ‘Bubble Boy’ is a musical that first appeared in a production in New Jersey, USA in 2013. A cast album was then released, and the show became available for subsequent productions.

Somehow, the clever people at Queanbeyan Players found out about it and, even though audiences here would be unlikely to have heard of it, they’ve had the courage to take a gamble and give it a local production.

Based on an equally obscure 2001 film of the same name, it’s about a boy who was born without immunities and has had to live in a plastic bubble room. The show explores the idea that we’re all in our own limiting ‘bubbles’ and need to break out of them to reach our full potential.

Director of this production, Tijana Kovac, has given the show a comic look and feel.  The set and properties design by Remus Douglas is minimal and deliberately ratty and Sally Taylor’s choreography is based on simple movement. Their apt choices all contribute to the show’s overall sense of fun.

Rylan Howard (centre), the Bubble Boy, Jimmy, with members of the cast

The large youthful cast attack the material with gusto and enthusiasm right from the opening number and keep that energy level high throughout the show. The 6 piece band play the music very well.

Kay Liddiard (Chloe) with Ryan Howard (Jimmy, the Bubble Boy)

You could criticize certain aspects of the show – there is some flat singing and over-acting at times and the music for the show isn’t all that memorable – but, honestly, the rough edges of this production work in its favour and the cast’s enthusiastic delivery overcome any short-comings, making this a very enjoyable two hours of musical fun.

Once again, Queanbeyan Players have shown that you don’t always have to look to the well-known Broadway musicals to have a good show.

 

Photos by Damien Magee

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs and published in his blog 'Just Power Writing' at https://justpowerwriting.blogspot.com/.

  

MACBETH

 

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

 Directed by Jordan Best. Fight choreographer Annie Holland. Choreographer. Jodi Hammond Costume construction Gaia La Penna. Jig sound designer. Patrick Haesler. Production /Stage manager. Sophia Barrett. Cast Isaac Reilly, Lainie Hart, Caitlin Baker, Lachlan Ruffy, Max Gambale, Paaul Sweeney, Annabelle Hansen, Paris Sharkie, Jane Ahlquist, Sterling Notley, Kirana De Schutter,  Ensemble: Isaiah Prichard, William Best, Joshua James.  Aunty Louise Brown Lawns at The Q. Lakespeare and The Q. Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre February 13^th At various sites. Bookings and information: www.lakespeare.com

Reviewed by Peter Wilkins

 

Lakespeare has joined forces with The Q Theatre to produce its first tragedy in the open air. In the past Lakespeare has gained an enviable and well-earned reputation as a popular presenter of Shakespeare’s comedies and history plays for audiences at its open air festivals at various Canberra venues from Glebe Park to the amphitheatre at the ANU and the Patrick White Lawns at the National Library. This year Lakespeare in association with The Q Theatre and under the inventive direction of Jordan Best has decided to take the bold step to present Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth. It is a bold and risky move. Shakespeare’s tale of a noble warrior’s fall because of  his fatal flaw of  “vaulting ambition which o’erleaps itself and falls on ‘tother” is a gruesome tale of ironic prophesy, bloody regicide and violent murder. Director Best understands the power of storytelling and at the Aunty Louise Brown Park adjacent to Queanbeyan’s Q Theatre, the audience on the grass and in chairs at the back sat transfixed as three ethereally costumed witches (Caitlin Baker, Annabelle Hansen and Paris Sharkie)lead Macbeth (Isaac Reilly) along a predestined  path to retribution at the sword of noble Macduff (Paul Sweeney ).

Isaac Reilly )Macbeth) Paul Sweeney (Macduff)

The success of an open-air production relies on the ability of a company to tell the story. Macbeth is Shakespeare at his most economical. His Elizabethan audience for the most part were superstitious and believed in ghosts and portents. There is no subplot of note to distract or confuse and Best’s actors have understood the power of the telling by speaking the speech trippingly on the tongue and clearly suiting the action to the word and the word to the action. It is all done to entice an audience. They needed no better gauge of success than the spontaneous applause of their audience as Macduff exacted his just revenge. 

It would be easy to dismiss Macbeth as a propagandist thriller to please England’s Queen Elizabeth and assure favour. Shakespeare is too clever and great a writer to deny the significance of tragedy on the human condition. Macbeth is a noble brave and highly respected soldier of honour who, because of a fatal flaw allows himself to be persuaded by the ambitious and loving Lady Macbeth.  In Best’s production motive and action are clear enough, and delivered by an enthusiastic and talented cast. However, the open air and amplification make it often more difficult to capture the nuance or subtlety of the occasion. Best’s production is more sound and fury than introspection but this is probably to be expected in the open air in daylight hours with black birds flying high above. It may be a different matter when the production moves to the ACT HUB theatre in Kingston later in the season.

Lainie Hart as Lady Macbeth

There are fine performances from the diverse cast. Reilly’s Macbeth is the caged beast, trapped by supernatural forces to play out his destiny against his nature. It is the action of a man trapped and desperate to combat the consequences of his evil deeds. Hart does give a sensitively nuanced performance of the loyal and loving wife, driven to succeed in her ambition for her husband and yet too fragile to accept denial of her rightful role as partner in the deed with the tragic consequence of Macbeth’s rejection. From viperish vixen to tormented outcast, Hart elicits a performance that evokes a tinge of empathy during the sleepwalking scene. Usually, her death is not witnessed, and it is interesting that Best has decided to show a violent end.

There are some notable performances. Max Gambale’s bombastic King Duncan lends credibility to the fact that he could only have been murdered while asleep. Lachlan Ruffy gives an excellent performance as Macbeth’s offsider Banquo. He is the suspicious witness to the prophesy and hapless victim of his knowledge. There is an authenticity  to Caitlan Baker’s performance of the king’s son and heir, Malcolm. Paul Sweeney’s Macduff is hugely impressive ranging from his performance of the strong and loyal soldier to the poignancy of the grieving father and husband of  Lady Macduff. In a play of unrelenting violence Jane Ahlquist’s quirky porter lends a touch of comic lampoonery.

I have seen more productions of the Scottish play on stage and screen than I can remember. Lakespeare's and The Q's co-production is a feat of riveting storytelling. As the sky darkened over the Aunty Louise Brown lawns and Shakespeare’s psychological and political thriller hurtled towards its prophetic denouement, I found myself rapt in the company’s artful storytelling. It’s a ripping good yarn that will keep you wanting to see what happens however well you know that  something wicked this way comes.

Photos by Photox

 

 

MACBETH - Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre & Lakespeare.

Lainie Hart (Lady Macbeth) - Isaac Reilly (Macbeth) in "Macbeth"

 

Written by William Shakespeare – Directed by Jordan Best

Stage Manager: Sophia Barrett – Sound Design by Paris Scharkie

Fights staged by Annie Holland –

Jig Composed by Patrick Haesler – Choreographed by Jodi Hammond.

Costumes by Jordan Best, Sophia Barrett, Gaia La Penna.

Aunty Louise Brown Park – Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre -February 12^th – 16^th Feb.

Performance on 12^th February 2025 reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.

Isaac Reilly (Macbeth) - Paul Sweeney (Captain) in "Macbeth"

The opportunity to experience one of William Shakespeare’s most intriguing plays in an atmosphere not dissimilar to how it might have been presented originally, proved surprisingly engrossing in this clever outdoor staging by Jordan Best.

Blessed with a balmy summer evening, a single black tent provided the only setting.  Repurposed op-shop style costumes provided often lavish spectacle and differentiated the characters created by the fourteen strong cast approximating an itinerate Jacobean acting troupe.

Clever directorial flourishes and the power of Shakespeare’s extraordinarily powerful language proved all that was necessary to captivate the opening night audience for this production of his blood drenched drama of murder and revenge.

Such was the power of the central performances that even the lack of theatrical lighting to differentiate night and day, or time and place, the gender-blind casting, or gremlins in the otherwise excellent sound system during the second act, seemed of little consequence.      

While the necessity to have actors play multiple roles sometimes proved perplexing for those unfamiliar with the text, Best’s innate sense of theatre ensured her direction kept the action moving at a compelling pace, punctuated by engagingly staged set-pieces, enhanced by atmospheric sound design and amplification that allowed the nuances of Shakespeare’s quote-infused dialogue to be relished and weave its magic.  

Magic was in the air at this performance, as unexpectedly, a flock of ravens created an unforgettable moment when they flew in and settled on the surrounding buildings just as a character sounded a warning as to the meaning of their presence. Then later a flock of chattering corellas, settling in for the night, created a strangely foreboding atmosphere for the battleground scenes.  

Performing as Macbeth, Isaac Reilly offered a compelling interpretation. His initial, superbly phrased speeches hinting at the insecurities which would eventually lead to his downfall. Matching him as Lady Macbeth, Lainie Hart created an intriguing characterisation at various times warm, manipulative, controlling and finally terrified. The director’s decision to have her murdered in full view of the audience provided a stunning moment.

The obvious attention paid to line delivery and phrasing paid off in particularly powerful, performances delivered by Paul Sweeney as Macduff, Max Gambale as Duncan, and Jane Ahlquist as both Ross and Porter.

Harkening back to the itinerate acting troupe theme, the performance concluded with the entire cast participating in a merry jig to dissipate any gloom induced by the events portrayed in the play.

Following this outdoor season at the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre this production will be performed both indoors and out at various locations around Canberra. Full details can be found on the Lakespeare website.  

                                                               Images by Photox

 

Footsteps and Frames – A Travel Diary Of China

Photography e-Book Review: Brian Rope

Footsteps and Frames – A Travel Diary Of China | Pele Leung

Publisher: Pele Leung Photography

Chinese Edition first published 2016

English Edition translated by DeepSeek AI in 2025

After working in the information technology industry for over twenty years, Melbourne-based Pele Leung decided to change his career and became a photographer. Since then he has travelled extensively in China chasing landscape images and also seeking interesting travel stories. In addition to photography, Leung is also interested in writing, considering it is one of the best ways to complement his photography. His website is peleleung.com. He is on Facebook at peleleungphotography and has videos on YouTube channel @peleleung2688.

Leung had been thinking of rewriting his Chinese e-books in English for a long while. When the new DeepSeek AI software was announced recently, he downloaded a copy immediately. In less than an hour of testing, he decided to use it for this book and within 25 minutes he had his English language version. Whilst it is only available as a PDF, that is not a bad thing. You can purchase and download all 472 pages for the cost of a large cup of coffee.

Leung has previous experience of publishing e-books. Indeed, for a time he administered a Facebook group called Joint Venture eBook Publishing for the Australian Photographic Society, which was designed to assist interested members to learn the needed skills.

So, what is this book all about and how good is it? I expected the images to be excellent as I’ve been familiar with Leung’s work for many years. I was not disappointed. The huge number of diverse images are great. The writing complements the imagery very well.

Having travelled to China 20+ times since 2009, this photo artist has seen far more of that diverse country than most of us and, I suspect, more than a majority of permanent Chinese residents. Whilst I saw a tiny number of the places/events covered in this book during my one short visit to China, my collection of China images is miniscule in comparison.

There are magnificent landscapes – partially frozen waterfalls, snow-capped and sacred mountains, lakes, rugged terrain, sunrises and sunsets are all in this large volume. There are village scenes, panoramic views of very old bridges spanning lakes, golden fields in Xinjiang, nature’s sculptures, grand bazaar souvenir shopping, and much more. Here are just a small sample of Leung’s images.

Jiuzhaigou Sichuan

Xingping Guilin Guangxi

Rugged Scenery of Xinjiang

Zhouzhuang Jiangsu

Hemu Village Xinjiang

Keketuohai Xinjiang

Mengpin Terraces Yunnan

Birds Nest Stadium Beijing

And coverage of “Romance of the Song Dynasty”, a musical stage performance in Hangzhou which reminded me that I had photographed a couple of incredible stage shows including one in that city.

Hangzhou performance Zhejiang

Those few images are but a tiny sample of all that are in this excellent travelogue. And the book is not just a collection of photos. It is much more. The accompanying words tell a substantial story about the elegance of particular places in China, about cruising on the Yangtze River, about the kindness of strangers that Leung has met on his travels, about his amazement at Huangshan. And about peach blossom, winter and the beauty of Taiwan.

It is particularly interesting to reflect on some of the author’s opening words in the book where he reveals that he was already reading Chinese history books when he was in third grade. “Within them, I discovered a fascinating world …. what captivated me the most were the majestic mountains, rivers, and ancient towns that seemed within reach yet were, in reality, impossibly distant. ….. more than thirty years have passed…. my passion eventually overcame all obstacles……I was able to fulfill my long-held dream of personally visiting the places I had read about.”

This is a comprehensive story in words and pictures of more than twenty trips to mainland China and to Taiwan. Do yourself a favour, buy a copy and immerse yourself in the story.

This review is also available on the author's blog here.

Exhibition Review: Photography | Brian Rope

Waves of Kinship | Marzena Wasikowska

Platform by Canberra Contemporary (previously CCAS Manuka)

7 – 23 February 2025 (11am – 5pm, Fri - Sun)

Marzena Wasikowska is an excellent visual artist specialising in photomedia. Having participated in a workshop series she led four years ago this month, I can attest that she also is an excellent tutor. Inspired by Wasikowska’s interest in capturing the human qualities of Canberra, we explored the idea that a city is best understood through its people. 

Based in Canberra, Australia, this artist has maintained a professional practice in portraiture and landscape photography since the mid-1980s. Her landscape photography is inspired by fieldwork and studio meditations on the built environment, waterscapes and global warming.

In the room sheet for this exhibition, Waves of Kinship, the artist has written that the Far South Coast of New South Wales (Australia) is a cherished destination where she captures her family and the beguiling ocean.

She reveals that, as she gazes from the shore towards the horizon, she reflects on her polish past and the loved ones she left behind – figures who inevitably find their way into the photographs she creates.

There are four images of waves. Each of them holds your attention. You can imagine yourself standing on the shore looking at them, watching their movements, seeing the patches of sunlight on the ocean’s surface, wondering what is causing particular shapes to emerge then disappear. Another visitor when I was at the exhibition spoke of being mesmerised by one of the waves.

Marzena Wasikowska - Wave 1, 2025. Giclee Ilford Rag 100x100cm

Conversely as she looks back from the other side of the world, Wasikowska says that isolated outcrops on the fringes of the northern Pacific Ocean take on the presence of her Australian family left behind.

There are four images referring to these outcrops as spires. Each of them is a joy to consider. Their shapes are fascinating, and they contain much detail to explore. The light pouring down from the sky above beautifully complements each outcrop.

Marzena Wasikowska - Spire 1, 2025. Giclee Ilford Rag 100x100cm

When she watches her children, seemingly transfixed by the sea, she wonders what emotions it stirs in them. In this exhibition the artist has sought to distil those moments into works on paper, offering a reflection on memory, distance and connection.

Two images, Gazing Back and Gazing Forward, include family members. We can spend time with each of them, wondering what they may have been thinking as they looked at the ocean, considering the artist’s words in the room sheet. And even thinking about those times in our own lives when we have similarly stood gazing at ocean waves, at things that appear through them from the depths below, and perhaps similarly reflecting on some of our own memories.

Marzena Wasikowska – Gazing Back, 2025. Giclee Ilford Rag 100x100cm

I was reminded of a time when I was by the coast with my wife and children. We four were at a similar stage of our life journeys as my parents, brother and I had been when we migrated from England to Australia. I found myself then reflecting on the bravery of my parents making the decision to relocate to the other side of the world in 1950 when they thought they might never see their wider families again. I doubted that I would have had the necessary courage to do likewise.

Memories, reflecting on our lives, relationships with family members – these things are important for a whole host of reasons. Wasikowska has used her considerable photography skills to create an exhibition which successfully achieves her aims to reflect on memory, distance and connection.

This review is also available on the author's blog here.