This year I have tried to see a couple of shows that I woudln’t usually see- mainly because, they are at theatres which I don’t usually think to visit- why? Well I’m not sure. I can usually be found whereever the indpendent artists are launching a new show- New Australian writing is my preference- and so I see alot of fringe style shows- alot of emerging work (I have even been known to attend university shows to check out the talent) and shows that are for the hipsters who love to stand languidly in the corner of a foyer with asymmetrical haircuts lightly brushing their eyelashes whilst coyly sipping at a glass of red… and I see things I am curious about…
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Ambition (am’ bish’ un) n, a desire for power, superiority or excellence; strong desire of advantageous or creditable.

You may be aware that there is a red megaphone forging its way through the sea of Independent Theatre right now. The bright red megaphone is attached to the cherry red lips, framed by the flame red hair of Kate Revz. Kate Revz and a collective of emerging theatre makers are the powerhouse which is Cry Havoc. According to their website, programme and publicity materials: Cry Havoc is born out of a desire to share daring re-workings of the “great classic texts” with contemporary audiences. Read more

In the unassuming heart of Carlton is a theatre called Shopfront.

For those with momentary squinting eyes and furrowed brow who chime in with mysterious low tones “where’s Carlton?” (some think I’m talking Melbourne, some perhaps the area around the old brewery site on Broadway) – Carlton is a suburb on the South Line – a stop past Rockdale. It – like many theatres in Sydney is a converted space- a shopfront no less- which houses programs, shows and workshops for Under 25’s.

I made my way there on Friday night to see what the six month long artslab residency had yielded for the artists. Simply called “Three” the night was three works which were overseen by theatre director Michael Piggott. Read more

Often reviews are mistaken for publicity- and for some they are. Some reviews are about word count- is it fair to confine a two hour experience to 350-600 words? Is this the stuff of dialogue? Is this how theatre moves forward- artists develop- audiences engage? Is arts commentary destined to be confined to pithy one line grabs spilling forth a profusion of overly embellished adjectives? This is not review in the sense that this is for marketing purposes- this is more of a reflection of “Bustown.” I have been busy with all things Brand Spanking New- and so though this appears after the season of Bustown- I hope to encourage any of you who saw it to offer a “remembering” of your own. Add your comments- what do you remember- what did you love, what did you learn, what did you marvel at? Read more

Theatre- an artform inheritantly voyeuristic – relying on witnesses in order to exist- is a perfect place in which ideas about surveillance, presence and what it means to be watched can be pulled apart, examined and reconnstructed.

Since the rise of paranoia from governements across the world- and the heightening of security (or perhaps the need of “a sense of”) in streets, on buses, in lifts- the Orwellian Big Brother emerges. What appeared to be a futuristic fantasy is now not only present- but a vehicle for the rise of the “reality TV” celebrity. We are a generation who is constantly under watch- we encourage others to watch us through our facebook status- there is a flattery about being on screens – watching us walk through train gates… we are a curious animal- curious about ourselves in the wider context of the world and perhaps now more than ever as camera surveliance multiplies, and implies the danger which is other people.

The DeConverters lead by fearless Jane Grimley, is a group of performers including Grant Moxom, Amy Wanless, Jaya Sound, Sam Duncan and Sacha Harrison and media artists- Daniel Brown, Sacha Cohen and Ben Storey who have spent months collaborating, workshoping and devising The Witness in The Wall.
This is the first prouction by the DeConverters who have chosen to launch their tour of this piece at Newtown Theatre. For those who remember Newtown Theatre as “The Edge”- home of Kinetic Energy Theatre company for some time- this style of work is not an unusual fit for this space- but for those more familiar with Newtown Theatre as the home of Short and Sweet it may be a surprise for you to attend this style of performance in this venue.

Weaving audio visual materials, live sound (a very evocative harmonica), text (spoken and projected) , Witness in the Wall is a series of vignettes which seek to explore what it means to be watched. This is not the type of performance in which there is a linear narrative- but a collage of ideas and sentiments and moments wherein te performers move through a sequence of mundane and then extraordinary moments- performance as a living gallery of ideas and actions. Playing with the connection between audience and performer- a small segment of direct address is largely terrifying for audiences who enjoy being in the sweetness of the darkness of the audience seating.

Though I must declare that I appreciated many moments of The Witness in The Wall, especially the opening video projection which felt largely like star gazing, the major ideas that came across to me, was not necessarilly the effect of surveillance- but the disconnect people feel in a society where in we are busy watching each other. Through watching we can feel lonely, disconnected, removed from each other… through watching we are alone.

This is a really unique and interesting piece of performance- and depending on where you are in your own headspace- it will reach you in someway, somewhere about what it means to be present and particpating in a world where we are constantly looking out in order to understand what is within.

More Info:
http://www.thedeconverters.com/witness/company.html
Contact :thewitnessinthewall@gmail.com
$10-$20 Rock on up Tuesday-Saturday until September 26th
Book Here http://newtowntheatre.com.au/

The 1st of September was the launch of the AFI Screening Circuit- and the night of the premiere of a new Documentary made by local filmmakers Jillian Bartlett and Philip Myers…. no prizes for guessing where I decided to go… Read more

It’s an unfamiliar space- where in the action of A Woman in Berlin is enacted. The Old Fitz Theatre space is converted by designer Gabrielle Logan into a museum space- black reflective floor, white walls with ornate trim, fringe-in the action.

A bench centre stage. A line of text – a horizon of dates skim around the walls. German. Read more

This was a funny review to write- mainly because I am knee deep in New Australian work at the moment with Brand Spanking New- Which opens in 4 weeks- or it could be because I spend alot of time reading about th Australian film Industry- about audiences, about marketing of Australian product. So I am naturally geared to look at programming choice. I am naturally scanning the field to see what is on right now in Sydney- If a tourist came to this city looking for Australian theatre- could they find it? Coudl they find it easilly? Perhaps at some stage I will either accept or not care about the programming choices- maybe one day I will give up, embrace a life of stoic predicatbility in a law firm or even a corner shop… or perhaps my long standing fantasy of becoming a florist…. but until that time I will ask about the programming choice. Read more

It’s no secret. I don’t see Shakespeare if I can help it: two notable exceptions in the last two of the last ten years- Macbeth by Wildfire Theatre Company (2008) and Pericles by the Bell Shakespeare Company (2009) . Both were social occasions- one in support of the very energetic and intelligent Sandra Stockley and the other as the guest of James Waites. Read more