The Independents: Festival of New Works.
The Courtyard Studio.
Canberra Theatre Centre. October 10-11 2026. Bookings:: 62752700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Reviewed by Peter Wilkins
Mikelangelo In The Belly of the
Whale
Co-created by Michael
Simic and Tracy Bourne
The self-appointed Nightingale
of the Adriatic and Bull of the Balkans, Mikelangelo, alter ego of Michael Simic
goes solo in his autobiographical account of his difficult balancing act as
husband, father, the son of a complex father and a nationally renowned artist.
Can singer, songwriter, musician, performer and former Canberra Artist of the Year
Simic sway a packed audience in the Courtyard Studio without the support of the
Black Sea Gentlemen. Can he charm the audience without the backing of an
Adelaide Cabaret Festival Ban?. Can the Balkan Elvis send shivers down your
spine with his rich baritone voice? The answer is a resounding yes.
But Simic is not
merely alone with his trademark accordion, guitar and clarinet to tell the
story of a journey across the metaphorical sea that will eventually thrust him
on a search for true identity in the belly of a sperm whale. He is the Captain
Ahab of his own life’s journey, accompanied by his charmed crew of mesmerized audience
members ready at the slightest urging to la la along or join in the shanty to
weather the storm that hurls our intrepid hero into the belly of the whale,
where he finally confronts the home truths that he must face with Mikelangelo.
Mikelangelo In The
Belly of the Whale is a tender and personal account of the tranquil and
turbulent seas that many artists must face. Simic is the consummate entertainer,
the captivating storyteller and the Svengali of willing audience participation.
With co-creator and director Tracy Bourne, Simic weaves a rollicking yarn that
hoists the sails on an artist’s struggles to balance the ballast of his life.
Like Jonah his epiphany comes with the struggle through the Sphincter into the
light of revelation. As the song says, “It ain’t necessarily so.” (Struggling through the sphincter I mean).
Simic’s personal and
heartfelt account of his life and the battles that he faces makes for a thoroughly
enjoyable and at times surpirising hour in the company of a caring husband, a
loving father, a compassionate family man and an entertainer who never fails to
give his audiences a whale of a time.
Ichor.
Directed by John Fabry.
Cast: John Fabry, Mario Panucci, Bayley Prendergast, Anthony King, and Callum
Stephens.
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The meaning of
contemporary dance and physical theatre so often rests in the interpretation of
the beholder. So it is with the second show of The Independents’ double
bill. Nothing could be in greater contrast to Mikelangelo In The Belly Of
The Whale than John Fabry’s sinewy dance piece, Ichor. Five male dancers including
Fabry enter the stage. They each wear
loin cloths and are marked with patterns of black streaks and tribal markings.
Their bodies ripple with muscularity and youthful vigour, elastic in their
steely physicality. Fabry’s choreography lends primeval animalism to their
corporality. It is strong, sinewy and confronting in its subversive aggression.
It is unabashedly masculine, admirable in its physical strength and fine
physique. But what does it all
mean- the leaps, the growls, the beating rhythms of sticks upon the tarquet,
the conformity and the eviction of the outcast individual?
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The Greek word Ichor
refers to fluid that flows like blood through the veins of the Gods or a watery
fluid emanating from a wound. In the absence of a programme, the spectator is
left to wonder. At times, while two dancers explore the mystery of sexual
attraction, others raise their hands in supplication to a possible higher
authority. Am I witnessing the evolution of the human animal, from the tribal
collective to communication to sexuality to the development of language,
repeatedly uttered in an incomprehensible tongue to the audience? Possibly. And
then again perhaps not.
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Without a clearer
indication of intent, the work becomes repetitive and mystifying. The dancers
are agile, virile and expressive in their choreography as they progress from individual
dance to ensemble interaction. I couldn’t help feeling that a shorter work with
the explanation of the theme and content would have made for a far more
satisfying experience. Refer to the Bangarra programmes with their detailed and
helpful notes.
The Canberra Theatre
Centre is to be applauded for providing artists with the opportunity to experiment with new work and
a platform for community to witness the diversity of arts practice. In the case
of Ichor, an outside eye may have resolved some of the issues that detracted
from a potentially powerful piece.
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