‘Nexus Theatre’, ‘Murdoch Theatre Company’ and ‘From The Hip Productions’ are presenting this fun-filled production at the Nexus Theatre, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch – near car park 3. The series has a crew of over 40, and combined casts of over 30, promising us something that Perth has never yet experienced.

After a warm welcome from Front of House, Rachel Doulton, the one and a half hour performances commence at 7.30 each evening until 16^th July, with one matinée at 2.00 pm on Saturday 16^th July.

The scene is Saqqara, the City of the Dead in Egypt. The year, 1890. The stage is divided into the Waldren’s home and the tomb of Artek Bey. An inscribed, limestone sarcophagus leans against a wall. The rear wall of the cavernous tomb is covered in hieroglyphics.

Later the stage becomes the storeroom at the British Museum. Another triumph from production designer, Allison Snell and her construction and artwork team, John King, Katie Southwell, Andrew David and Sam Knox. There was clever use of the smoke machines, such as when the coffin was opened, and there were cobwebs everywhere.

The period costumes were stunning, and beautifully tailored by Alli Snell, Sophie Braham and Bella Doyle. The Mummy was not simply wrapped in crêpe bandages, but had tassels and rotting material on him too.

The stage management was slick, thanks to Keaton Howe and his assistant Mike Casas.

       It is Egypt 1890, and we hear the sounds of the explorers hacking through the final layer of stone, before entering the tomb of Grand Vizier, Artek Bey. The leader of the British expedition, John Waldren (Tim Brain) and his labourers, Alfie (Andrew David) and Charlie (Tay Broadley) are first into the cavernous tomb.

      Then Lord Preston (Dean Lovatt) demands that they open the sarcophagus. The leader’s daughter, Claire Waldren (Christie Strauss) is an expert on hieroglyphic, so warns them that on opening the coffin a curse will result on all of those invaders. The casket lid is prized open and the bandaged Mummy, Artek Bey (Andrew Dawson) appears to move. There is a rapid exit from the grave, but poor Charlie was a little too slow in leaving.

       Back in the Waldren home, Claire is saying ‘Goodbye’ to Lady Harriet Preston (Anna Weir) who is being treated abominably by her husband. Young Alfie calls around, and we find that there is romance in the air.

       All of the treasures are shipped back to the British Museum in London, where we meet the mad librarians, Miss Dalrymple (Kate Willoughby) and Cora (Abbey McCaughan) trying to catalogue the new items. As they work, the lights flicker and the attractive Priestess, Abrar Ali (Bella Doyle) seems to appear from nowhere. Uttering ancient texts, she commands Artek Bey to come back to life.

      Will her commands work? Who will die? Will the handsome policeman (Andrew Dawson) discover what is going on?

This adroit, original comedy thriller was directed by Tim Brain, with movement advice from Tym Sanders. On opening night, there were a few nerves and it took a little while for the play to gather pace and for the actors to project their voices; but by the second Act everyone was tuned-in and the show moved up a few gears. Tim is exceptionally talented in numerous theatrical fields, sound, music, directing etc., but to tackle all of these – and several more – in one play I think might have been a touch too much. Perhaps a separate director could have taken this masterful play to yet another level. It must be said that this is a very clever and brave production, with Tim breaking a huge amount of new ground in bringing it to the stage. So much talent, well done.

The soundscape of creepy noises and bodies being broken was created by Tim Brain and operated by Kiah Van Vlijmen. Tim also composed the musical backing that varied from the double bass ‘breathing’, violas scraping to ethereal organ music – even a burst of bagpipes crept into the score. Tim played the various instruments and was ‘accompanied’ by legends Anne Dudley, Jaz Coleman, Erik Satie and the Warner Music Group.

Scott McArdle’s ingenious, complex and highly atmospheric lighting design was set by Katie Southwell, Sarah Bond and Bella Doyle; being operated by Katrina Johnson. The imaginative makeup and hair designs were supervised by Leah Toyne and Sophie Braham.

The main cast members brought depth to the serious drama, with episodes that made the audience wince on occasions – well done. However, the director was a brave man in deciding to mix humour with the creepy violence, an idea that to succeed, takes special acting skills; but the eccentric librarians (Willoughby and McCaughan) captured their brief and chalked up another success for the show.

A must see quality event, but be quick.

Youngsters nowadays have been brought up to think they are perfect and always right. This show demonstrates, with blatant honesty how, despite the admiration given by people close to you, along with most of the idealistic images created by TV programmes, have lied and that life is in fact a bloody hard struggle. It tackles topics like racism, homosexuality and sexism with taste (?).

This hilarious two and a half hour, light-hearted fantasy, a Dark Psychic Production can be seen at the Phoenix Memorial Hall, 435 Carrington Street, Hamilton Hill, at 8.00 pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights until 19^th March. There is one matinee, on Sunday 13^th March at 2.00 pm.

The eleven, large puppets are operated and voiced by neutrally dressed puppeteers, who are constantly in full view of the audience, mingling with three human actors. However, the strength of the puppets’ characters, and their complex but smooth operation, quickly help the audience forget about the operators.

The colourful set is the exterior of a block of flats in rural New York City (design assisted by Pat McMahon, Kerron and Danial Muller). Constructed by the designers, with further help from Wayne Gale, Leon Dekker and Aubrey Cason. The stage management was smooth, totally unobtrusive all thanks to Alison Kovacs and Nikita Harwood.

Alex Coutts-Smith’s lighting was colourful and very well designed.

The Musical Director, Lee Wilson, operated the music and sound. It is often tricky for a cast to follow a pre-recorded musical track as there is no leeway for error, but this cast was perfectly rehearsed and well advised by Lee.

      On graduating, young, naïve Princeton (Darren Bilston), decides to search for his purpose in life. After discovering that accommodation in Avenue A in central New York is atrociously expensive, he finds himself in the suburbs at Avenue Q, where he meets the tactless Nicky (Ryan McNally). Nicky says that there is a room to let in his block of flats; a block that is supervised by Gary Coleman (Bernadette Ward) who was Arnold Jackson in TV’s ‘Diff’rent Strokes’.

     Whilst living in the flat he meets the other tenants, there is the svelte therapist, Japanese girl, Christmas Eve (Jayde Clark) and her fiancé, ‘Blian’ or Brian (John P. Gray) who is a poor stand-up comic. Upstairs is friendly but tight-fisted, Republican banker, Rod (Andrew Dawson) and Trekkie Monster (Sean Williams) who spends most of his time watching porn.

     One day Princeton meets an old school friend, Kate Monster (Danni Close) a kindergarten teacher who wants to leave her boss, Mrs Thistletwat and open her own Monstersorri (sic) school. They rekindle the love of their youth. However, in the ‘Around the Clock Café’ the big busted, sex mad singer, Lucy T Slut (Elouise Eftos), and two of her friends, the charismatic, Bad Idea Bears (Sally McMaster, Ruby Reye) are determined to lead Princeton astray. The couple do have some good friends – Ricky, Jumper and Suzi (Dan Rooney, Em Rose, Chantal Kerkhof).

    Will Nicky and Kate Monster find their lifelong loves?

Confession time. I have never been a fan of ‘Sesame Street’ or ‘The Muppets’, often finding them infantile and annoying, but this show has warmth and demands empathy from the audience. The content is definitely for adults only – the first Act ends in raunchy hilarity, whilst depicting half the positions of the Kama Sutra.

Thanks to the supreme skills of the operators, the puppets are mesmerising. The puppeteers have to work the immaculately made and dressed puppets (assembled by ‘Cursed Creations’), whilst speaking in an American accent, and capturing the nasal, squeaky voices of the TV characters. The result was amazingly accurate.

When a production opens with a powerful and happy chorus, you know that the show is going to be well above average. The opening number was magic.

There was a couple of dozen musical number and songs, which were required to be sung in the strange voices, and once again with brilliant presentation and perfect enunciation.

Directed by Jayde Clark, with solid production assistance from Gabriella Guidone and Bethsaida Tapsall, the show was fast moving throughout. The songs were delivered with plenty of power and feeling – fabulous singing voices. Special mention for performers Darren Bilston, Danni Close, Ryan McNally and Andrew Dawson, their voices were amazing. Sean Williams’ gruff Trekkie voice was incredible.

The quirky songs were accompanied a soft-shoe shuffle and such convincing puppet arm movement that at times you would swear that the facial expressions were changing too.

This must be Dark Psychic’s best production yet – and over the years, they have had a very high standard. Slick, professional and great fun. Highly recommended, the type of show you could see again.

This 150-minute production ran for three nights until 26^th September, at the refurbished Studio 411 on the Murdoch campus on South Street, near car park 4.

       The scene is an interrogation room in an American police station where the female officer, Sarah Stein (Nicola Brescianini) is giving the quaking prisoner, Seth (Scott McArdle) a rough time. During the interrogation, Seth’s ex-wife, Grace (Kaitlyn Barry) appeared declaring that she was God. One of her crucified followers, Herman (Eamonn Skov – great) declared how happy he was to be one of her sacrifices. Then there was Seth’s sister (Shannon Rogers), the mad detective, Gabe (Rhys Hyatt) and Hodge Podge (Rhianna Hall). I may have got various characters mixed up – but who cares? I don’t.

 

The director, Andrew Dawson, has done a fine job of leading this talented team through this multifarious maze of words and situations. Aiden Willoughby’s musical backing was beautiful, but too loud so became invasive, and really quite unnecessary, especially during the interrogation scene. Scott and Sarah Bond’s lighting was clever, selective and with the well positioned lamps, captured the mood well.

I don’t believe that an audience should be spoon fed, but made to ponder on various aspects. Nor should they be required to have to carry out a PhD research to understand the story. The public go to the theatre to be entertained, rarely to admire the writer’s work. If the cast are exceptional, all well and good, but the major reason for their presence is to have a good night of fun, or to have an emotion stimulated. I think that 150 minutes of asking, ‘what the hell is going on?’ and then leaving not much more informed is not what the audience is looking for.

On ‘The Antiques Roadshow’ a woman had a 4-foot model of Buckingham Palace made by her father from 500,000 matchsticks. It took him 5 years to make, and was immaculate in every detail. The antique expert asked ‘Why?’ and said that despite the obvious talent and hard work it would be lucky to get $400 as no one other that the family would want it.

So sorry Scott, you have a matchstick model. A huge amount of work, a brilliant cast (9 out of 10) and technically on the ball (7 out of 10) – but you have to ask – ‘why?’

I lost part of my life, and at my age I need all I can get.