The 70-minute performances of this Renegade / Harriet Roberts co-production can be seen in the main theatre of the Blue Room, James Street, Northbridge commencing at 7.00 pm each evening until Saturday 30^th April.

There is a single row of chairs around this ‘in the round’ set.

The set, designed by Cherish Marrington, comprises a 3-metre, circular platform, raised about 15 cms off the floor. It is patterned with old Gaelic symbols; this is seaside shack of the fisherman. Stage managed by Meabh Walton.

White gauze is draped towards the centre of the ceiling. Thin strips of polythene hang from the roof, and with the clever lighting (designer, Joe Lui) the overall effect is of realistic icicles and snow – very appropriate for the north of Scotland. The lighting temperature changed with the mood of the script.

        The lights rise to show a creature (Cherish Marrington also designed the costumes), with fur on its shoulders, long clawed fingers and a thin skin that showed the bone structure and blood vessels beneath. It is a Selkie (Yilin Kong). She is slithering and undulating her way around the beach, stalked by a fisherman (Kynan Hughes) who is carrying a towel. He is trying to wrap and protect the creature that is shivering and distressed.

      Back in the house, a young girl, Rónnad (Ella Hetherington) is waking up. Immediately she starts searching for something that she has lost, but she is interrupted by the fisherman (Paul Grabovac) who found her lying on the beach after a storm.

      The lonely fisherman took her to his home and is now trying to get some strength back into her frail body. It is a long time since he has enjoyed company in his house. He tries her with various foods, but she has a penchant for fish.

      This is a sad tale of deep love and affections that appears doomed from the start, but can adoration overcome the problems?

 

O’Branagáin’s tale was first released to the Curtin Uni theatre students about 6 months ago, allowing the author to see how the script worked on stage. Playwright, Finn, has made small changes to the dialogue for this presentation.

At the Hayman Theatre in Curtin, it was beautifully performed as a simple tale. Now, the much-admired director of this show, Joe Lui, has further developed the story, giving it a clever, second dimension; this is a flashback that looks at what happened weeks earlier, whilst the main story is being enacted centre stage. The result is skilful and intriguing, but possibly a little too ingenious and complex (?).

As with all of Joe Lui’s plays, the soundscape includes specially composed music coupled with complex sound effects. This show ranges from thunderous storms to soft – almost inaudible – sensitive melodies.

Talented choreographer, Laura Boynes, has been given a wonderful pair of gifted dancer to direct. Kynan and Yilin seem to float across the stage as though they were frolicking in the ocean. Yilin gave a heart pulling performance as she lay exposed to the elements twitching on the beach, you could feel her suffering. Ella and Paul, who have had numerous acting nominations over the years, added greatly to the depth of this unusual tale.

An exceptional show of movement, love and deceit.

The scene is around the 1950s in Ménilmontant, a poor area of Paris. On each side of the stage is a ramshackle, three-storey house with shuttered windows. At the rear of the stage is a park with a small hill. At the edge of the stage is a rubbish tip, where vermin gather.

A young pupil, Pascal (Dylan Christidis alternating with Rory McLaughlin and Jack O’Neill), is late for school as usual. En route, he finds a large, red balloon tangled around a lamppost. He unties it, only to discover that the balloon has a mind of its own. Forgetting about school, the boy meanders around the neighbourhood entranced by his find.
In the early morning sun, a rat (Ben Mortley) searches for food in a dustbin. A pigeon (Ella Hetherington) looks for a statue to ‘decorate’. Pascal soon finds that the massive balloon is not as popular with everyone; his mother will not allow it in the house and the bus driver (St John Cowcher) will not allow him onboard.
The local wily cat (Sarah Nelson) rubs herself against Pascal, looking for affection and a chance to burst the balloon.
Soon Pascal meets a young girl with an equally large, blue balloon (Eloise Hunter alternating with Katie Price). Naturally, a friendship follows, but with bullies in the area, the two must take care.
Will the balloon stay safe? (Sky flying puppet by Chloe Flockart)

How often do producers think, ‘it is a kids’ show, the story can be simple, the scenery undemanding and the acting effortless – they won’t know any better’. However, nowadays the children are discerning. This simple story was filled with warmth, the outstanding scenery most impressive, and the acting first-class.
Nationally recognised director, Chrissie Parrott, has transferred her acclaimed ballet skills to these dramatic performers, they glide across the stage. The controllers of the balloon meld into the background as the children become hypnotised by the mobile, mysterious balloon.
Creative mentor, Kate Cherry, has helped assemble the atmospheric production.
The magnificent set and costume design is by possibly WA’s best designer, India Mehta. India’s sets always show a brilliant use of materials and ingenuity of construction, whether it is a house, boat, animal costume her work is jaw dropping. These Parisian houses had smoking chimneys, fire escapes, balconies, working shutters – and the whole assembly could be moved by two stage crew, Georgia Landre-Ord and Claudia Blagaich. With talented sound designer and composer, Ash Gibson Greig and lighting designer, Trent Suidgeest every sense was stimulated. You could feel the poverty, smell the decay and hear the creatures just out of view.
This was an extraordinary piece of theatre.

The book adaptation was produced as a play (starring Cecil Parker, Fay Compton and Margaret Rutherford) in London’s West End in 1941. It had the ‘longest run’ record of 1,997 performances. After the radio drama, television play and musical, ‘Blithe Spirit’ was in 1945 made into a successful film, this was only David Lean’s fourth film as a director, yet his third Coward film. ‘Blithe Spirit’ was soon followed by Coward’s major classic ‘Brief Encounter’.

After the war, the theatres suffered and so Coward metamorphosed into a cabaret and TV star, with songs such as ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen’.

He was knighted in 1970, and in 1973 died peacefully in Jamaica, his home for 20 years.

This wonderfully funny 2 hour 30 minute production is being produced and presented by the Black Swan State Theatre Company, at the Heath Ledger Theatre, State Theatre Centre of Western Australia, Northbridge each evening at 7.30 until 9^th August.

Sadly Perth actor, Roz Hammond, the versatile star of Shaun Micallef’s ‘Mad as Hell’, has had to withdraw from the show due to illness; but she has been replaced by Equity award winning Alison van Reeken. Having only been given the part three days ago, Alison carried a script – which she subtly referred to infrequently. Most actors have a 5 week rehearsal period, and yet she has captured her quirky character perfectly. The facial expressions, body language and diction could not be improved upon, a stellar performance.

It is 1940. The setting is the cavernous sitting room in the Condomines mansion near Folkestone, on the south coast of England (award winning set designer Bryan Woltjen). The cream painted room has a cathedral ceiling. On one side is a fireplace, a wall covered in oil paintings and electric gramophone. At the rear of the room is a huge arch, with plush red velvet drapes hung on each side. On the other wall are patio doors with ceiling height windows above. These doors overlook a well-tended garden. The scene is lit with warm lighting (lighting designer Jon Buswell) that subtly changed as the day went by, until the pink sky outside gave a cosy glow. When the ghost appeared, a blue white follow spot gave an amazing iridescence and genuinely eerie appearance.

The costumes have been very well researched (costume designer Bryan Woltjen), from the shimmering white of the ghost’s outfit, to the perky feathered hats (milliner Susi Rigg). Mrs Condomine wore a full-length, dark green velvet dress, a particularly difficult material to sew, but the style and finish was superb (costume makers Jennifer Edwards, Jennifer Stewart). Most of the time Madame Arcati wore an almost hippy outfit, however, she had the most immaculate, pastel checked, flared short jacket and knee-length culottes. Mr Condomine wore a pair of red Turkish / Arabian curled-toed slippers, a very popular souvenir with the ‘desert rat ‘soldiers returning from the war in the Middle East.

The hair styles (consultant Virginia Hawdon) and wig construction (Lynn Ferguson) not only had to reflect the 1940s, but make the actors that little bit eccentric.

The visual creations, lighting, costumes and set, were all exceptional.

          Before the1940s tableau-style proscenium curtain was raised, we were treated to composer, Ash Gibson Greig’s idiosyncratic overture. This was a clever blend of so many topics from the play, there were the eerie ghostly sounds, the bouncy madcap freedom of the acting, and even the tinkle of the strange Madame Arcati’s bicycle bell could be heard in the music. Clever and innovative writing.

        The very nervous, enthusiastic but slightly dippy housemaid, Edith (Ella Hetherington – delightful) is trying to please her long-suffering employer, Ruth Condomine (Adriane Daff) by not running around the house. Sitting in his chair supping a wine is Ruth’s husband, Charles Condomine (Adam Booth). He is a successful novelist, who wishes to learn about the occult for a book he is writing. Charles has organised for an eccentric medium, Madame Arcati (Alison van Reeken) to hold a séance at his house. The family GP, Dr Bradman (Michael Loney) and his sycophantic wife, Mrs Bradman (Michelle Fornasier) are invited along to witness ‘the happening’.

     When the guests have left for home, Charles’s first wife, Elvira (Jo Morris), turns up at the house. Elvira is still very much in love with Charles, which causes Ruth a great deal of distress. The jealousy becomes really serious when a vase gets thrown and the dirty tricks become vicious. After a highly dramatic finish, who actually won Charles’ hand, Ruth or Elvira?

Thankfully WA director and NIDA graduate, Jeffrey Jay Fowler, has had years of theatrical experience including playwriting, acting and direction, winning many awards on the way, this enabled him to capture the unique Coward style perfectly. Coward’s slightly dated dialogue requires accurate intonation and pacing, with a precise body language to create the full effect of this classic. The humour contained in the personalities and subtle writing, rather than straight jokes and one-liners. Fowler and his terrific cast were totally in tune.

Credit should go to stage manager, Georgia Landré-Ord and her assistant, Claudia Blagaich – they worked for their money.

This magnificent cast has conquered every little expression and twitch, making the whole show exciting to today’s audience. Jo Morris was almost balletic as she flitted across the floor. The Bradmans gave that extra sparkle to the séance sequence. I have always admired Adriane Daff’s work, but this performance is her best yet. The chemistry between Charles Condomine and his two wives was convincing and electric.

Once again, congratulations to Alison van Reeken on mastering such a difficult challenge.

A terrific presentation of ‘a rave from the grave’.