Rock and a dog

It really has been a long time between drinks for me on this blog, all I can simply say is life sometimes gets in the way....but lately I have been lucky enough to see some truly fun pieces of theatre.

Because of other commitments, I attended the dress rehearsal (instead of the performances) of Sylvia, a play put on by local group the Wangaratta Players.

For anyone unfamiliar this show, it tells the tale of a man, Greg, who adopts a stray dog, Sylvia, from the local park, with the twist being the dog is played by a woman who converses with him.

Things soon get complicated when the pet-human relationship begins to blur and Greg, looking for more meaning in his life, becomes so devoted to Sylvia it begins to ruin his job and his marriage.

The play, despite the sound of this synopsis, is a hilarious take on relationships and a fond look at the bond that develops between people and their pets.

The whole cast were unforgettable, with Janelle Bisignano flawlessly inhabiting the title role (pictured above with fellow cast members Mel Taylor-Ryan and Hamish Ramsay).

Fun was also the byword last week when I was lucky enough to attend the final preview of Melbourne's latest Broadway import, Rock of Ages (thanks to Flourish PR).

Too often, I think fun is an overlooked element of theatre, sneered at by elitist elements, but there is something to be said for shows that leave you singing, dancing and grinning.

Let me say, this show delivers fun in spades, with a cheesy, self-aware storyline and a long list of the crowd pleasing rock songs of the 1980s, from Every Rose Has Its Thorn to We Built This City and of course, the Journey classic that has been granted an immense second life in the 21st century, Don't Stop Believin'.

You are handed an LED "cigarette lighter" on entry to the show, are encouraged to take a drink to your seat and to sing along, and are treated to a cavalcade of 1980s nostalgia, romance and laughs.

Rocker Justin Burford brings a charming, boyish charisma to the main character of Drew, who has a goofy Brendan Fraser quality to him, while Amy Lehpamer was determined and winning as Sherrie.

I got the most laughs out of Brent Hill, who played the narrator, a Jack Black crossed with Puck type character called Lonny, who did not let up on the comedy for a second and has a truly unforgettable moment during Can't Fight This Feeling. Also memorable was Michael Falzon as the debauched and bizaare Stacee Jaxx and Lincoln Hall as the highly camp "I'm not gay, I'm just German" Franz.

This show is truly crowd pleasing, having something for both men and women, and especially nostalgic for Generation Xers like myself.

I even found myself suggesting it as a "man-date" for my some of my rock-inclined male friends!

I am not embarassed to say I, like most of the audience, was out of my seat dancing, singing and waving my lighter during the closing number, losing myself to the fun and optimism of the music.

And you will too.

Hairspray!

As I have said earlier in this blog, I was finally able to catch a performance of the very entertaining musical Hairspray in Melbourne recently.
I have been a fan of the musical ever since seeing the movie a few years back, and since I heard of the casting I have been super excited to see Jack Chambers perform as Link.
I have admired his personality and dancing style ever since seeing him perform in - and win - So You Think You Can Dance Australia.
As you can see, I was lucky enough to also meet him after the show and he was kind enough to agree to a photo.
But on to the show itself.
I was amused when we sat down to see a host of old TV clips - and a fake 'educational video' from The Fast Show - presented on a giant TV screen on the curtain.
TV screens and digital scenery are an integral part of this show, and this led to my one disappointment with the show.
During the very first song, a number of screens started strobing, and the show had to be stopped to fix the problem, which took a good 15 minutes. I hope this is not too regular an occurrence for the show, and that we were just unlucky. It could have led to us (my best friend Michelle and I) missing our trains home, although luckily it didn't.
However, this hiccup did not diminish my enjoyment of the show itself. The entire cast really were entertaining, funny and delightful, particularly the perky and energetic Jaz Flowers as Tracey and the talented Trevor Ashley, who played Edna, as well as Jack, who brought kinetic dance energy and a sense of fun to his role.
Jaz was everything you'd expect of a Tracey Turnblad and has an excellent voice.
Trevor, an accomplished cabaret performer in his own right, was a highlight. He took full advantage of the comedy value of switching from a feminine voice to a booming masculine one, and also had plenty of fun with his ostrich feather edged costume, getting plenty of laughs when he 'accidentally' inhaled a feather or two.
Cle Morgan also deserves a mention for her handling of the role of Motormouth Maybelle. During her rendition of I Know Where I've Been, I really felt goosebumps...it was very powerful. She brought a little more anger and fight to the role that Queen Latifah did and it made the role all the more real.
The music was tight and well performed, and the colorful costumes were really a delight to see.
All in all, it is a bright, fun, and happy afternoon or evening at the theatre and was highly enjoyable.

Summer craftiness

Some of the recent hot summer days have been perfect excuses to stay inside in the cool and work on craft projects. Last night was a quiet Saturday night with no commitments, so I decided to tackle some little craft projects that I had been meaning to get to for ages.

The first thing I decided to do was make a cover for my camera strap, using a secondhand tie I had purchased at St Vincent de Paul.
The image at left is the finished product.
It works best with a fairly narrow tie.
I left the pointed end intact at one , threaded the strap through, and simply trimmed the other end to size with my pinking shears and handstitched it so that it looked neat and tidy. I think it gives my camera just that little touch of individuality. This project was done with the narrow end of the tie, not the wide end.
The other project I did was cover an old shoebox with some gift wrap, just to give it a bit of interest as it is the box I keep my gloves in.
I simply sprayed the box with some spray adhesive I keep in craft kit, and carefully attached the paper to minimise bubbles and other imperfections.
The gift wrap was part of a set that came free with an issue of Frankie magazine, but you could do it with any wrapping paper you like the design of - or even adhesive book coverings such as patterned Contact. Slightly thicker gift wrapping is better.
To ensure that the glue would stick on the inside of the box, I used some paper clips to keep it stuck down overnight as everything dried.
As far as my craft goes, I am currently also working on tattoo-influenced cross-stitch design featuring a bluebird. I will post pictures here when it is complete.

New Year excitement

It is safe to say that I am fairly excited about the range of theatre around this year - in North East Victoria, other parts of regional Victoria, and of course, Melbourne.
Until I can afford to visit New York, Melbourne is a great substitute, and I found myself escaping there at least once or twice a year to explore the flashy musical theatre treats the town has to offer.
Tomorrow I am heading to down to catch a matinee of Hairspray - watch this space for my impressions. I am excited to see Jack Chambers - whom I always enjoyed watching in So You Think You Can Dance - go through his paces as Link (and I hope we don't get stuck with a stand-in!)
Next month I am heading to Ballarat, where I am being treated (courtesy of a very sweet Christmas present) to a performance of the edgy musical Spring Awakening. I know some songs but am not overly familiar with it as a piece of work, so I am keen to see it in its entirety.
More information on the show is available at http://www.blocmusictheatre.com.au/.
North East Theatre is chock full of treats this year.
Late last year saw the launch of the 2011 season at Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre.
There is a diverse season promised, with some of the productions I am hoping to get along to including the dark comedy Furiously Fertile, I Am My Own Wife (which I have heard rave reviews about for years), and a modernised production of A Midsummer Night's Dream coming in September.
For more information see http://www.wangarattapac.com.au/.
Allegro Theatre Company in Yarrawonga are tackling the drama Hotel Sorrento, which sees three sisters reuniting and feeling the constraints of family life. In the second part of the year the group will be staging the rock musical Return to the Forbidden Planet, which, with its Tempest-influenced story, sci-fi overtones and classic pop tunes, is set to be a real crowd pleaser.
Benalla Theatre Company are putting on the classic Oklahoma, while on the Border, audiences will be treated to such diverse shows as Spamalot (a hugely funny show which I can't wait to see again - who doesn't love Monty Python), Blackadder II (brought to the stage by my good friend Miguel De Oliveira), Miss Saigon and more.
Wangaratta Players are also no slouches, beginning the year with the quirky play Sylvia, following the relationship woes of a unhappy couple who adopt a stray dog - the twist being the dog is played by a human who is able to speak. I have heard of this play before in years gone by, with Sylvia (the dog) having been played by such big names as Sarah Jessica Parker and Rachel Griffiths.
They will follow this up with a David Williamson play, Face to Face, which follows a "community conference" that is convened when a young man rams his boss' car in a fit of anger at being sacked. This should prove to be a powerful night at the theatre.
The final play in this trio, to be honest, is the one that has me the most excited - a stage production of Joss Whedon's popular cult classic "internet musical", Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.
I have already watched the DVD countless times and must confess, I am keen to strut my stuff on stage as part of this one. It will be very interesting to see who is attracted to the project and what the Players can do with it onstage. I am sure it will attract Whedonists from all over the place!
I will post more about this group of fascinating productions as I know more.
Til next time, take some time out to support theatre of all kinds!