These World Premieres, part of the Perth 2016 Fringe World Festival, are being presented by the Black Swan State Theatre Company’s Lab – a ‘melting pot’ of talented mentors and new graduates designed to develop confidence and ambitions.

These shows can be seen nightly at 8.00 pm until 7^th February at the Studio Underground, within the State Theatre Centre of WA in Northbridge.

Lawrie Cullen-Tait’s set design for the first play, created a large playpen for the ‘youngsters’, emphasising their juvenile outlook. For the second play, this 6-metre square framework was raised vertically to act as a window to the world.

The Sound Designer, Joe Lui, has constructed a soundscape that you could close your eyes and soak up. The magnificent audio is in quadraphonic; when a sound effect is required, he considers it fully – does it require reverberation or echo? What is the volume and speed? Very clever work.

Lighting designer, Mark Howett and his assistant Chris Donnelly have obviously worked closely with the sound design. The lamp angles, colour and intensity were perfect. The timing of the lighting changes was critical to the suspense and required superb control by the operator.

The amazing talent from WAAPA and the Creatives just ooze quality, with a collection of honours that would make even their mentors envious.

‘Girl Shut Your Mouth’ is a gripping tale, written by award winning, Gita Bezard and directed by equally talented, Jeffrey Jay Fowler.

       A gunman burst into a senior school classroom, and shot 16-year old Katie (Jessica Paterson) in the head. With only a short time left to live, Katie is enjoying sharing and reliving her few minutes of horrifying fame. When she realises that she is heading to a place where people are free to enjoy life, and without her parents breathing down her neck, her effervescent friends, Mia (Stephanie Panozzo) and Grace (Shalom Brune-Franklin) think that Katie’s future sounds wonderful – perhaps they should devise a way to join her. When nerdy, ‘normal’ Darcy (Brittany Morel) tries to re-join the misfit group, she meets massive opposition.

 

The writer and director have perfectly captured the new, irrational teenage attitudes. There is a wonderful, fast paced rollercoaster ride of highs and lows. The tension is built up beautifully, and although we are watching some nutcases, their logic is fully explained and the whole scenario is horrifyingly believable.

‘Tonsils and Tweezers’ is a new work from WA’s much admired playwright and director Will O’Mahony.

        Whilst at school, Tonsils (Lincoln Vickery) and Lewis (Hoa Xuande) – known to his friends as ‘Tweezers – were involved in an irresponsible, car accident. An accident that changed their lives, but not as one would expect. Strangely the two friends were drawn closer together.

      Now, ten years later, their class is having a reunion. One of their studious friends, Max (Adam Sollis) has ambitions of becoming an outstanding actor and wanders around quoting ‘the Scottish play’. Then there is bolshie Beth (Megan Wilding), a little power pack, who is not shy about expressing her opinion.

Both works were immaculately structured and had very well-observed characters. The dialogue was natural, complete with all the annoying intonations and expressions of today’s youth, highly amusing.

Two amazing plays in a similar genre, starting the new Black Swan season.

Curtin’s Performance Students and The Hayman Theatre Company have combined to present this Stage One production. Stage One is a Curtin University initiative that annually gives a WA playwright the chance to see their own work brought to the stage.

‘IN a BONY EMBRACE’ can be seen at the Blue Room Theatre, 53 James Street, Northbridge. The 70-minute performances are nightly at 7.00 pm until Thursday 10^th; on Friday 11^th and Saturday 12^th there are two shows, one at 6.00 pm and the other at 8.30 pm.

Designer, Sally Phipps’ impressive set is of an office, home and bar – all in pink. The floor and walls are bright carnation pink. The furniture is stylish Scandinavian and in the corner is a bunch of helium balloons. The chairs are matching pink, emerald green and mauve. Sally was helped in her design by Daisy Coyle, Madeleine Mullins and Sally Davies; with the numerous props sourced by Anna Lindstedt and Jess Fowles.

The hanging lights are 70s style, but are trendy and coming back into fashion. The lighting design by Rhiannon Petersen, assisted by Dylan Dorotich, is very well thought out and most effective. Lauren Beeton was lucky enough to have one of Perth’s top sound designers, Ben Collins, mentoring her. Production manager, Karen Cook was helped by her stage managers, Daniel Suelto and Becca Jackson, and ASMs Mai Han and Reef Jennings.

Luciana Kember and Annika Jane had to design costumes from the sexy, to nerdy and suave.

        In the dark, ten young people file onto the stage area. When the lights come on, there is a fight for the prime ‘star’ position in the line. This is to be the aim of the youngsters for the next 80 minutes – just to be that little bit better than their partners.

      At the breakfast table, April (Chelsea Gibson) decides that she has gone off her fun-loving partner, Sam (Alexander Gerrans). When the two arrive at work in the same office, the tension is high.

     Left behind in the flat are randy Lila (Beth Tremlett) and her long-term lover, Gavin (Nathan Whitebrook). They decide it is time to start a family, Gavin’s way, slowly and responsibly!!

     At work, shy and nervous (and possibly never-been-kissed) Harry (Daisy Coyle) confides to Danny (Tristan McInnes) how much she loves him; but she knows that at work, one should never mess on their own doorstep. Sylvia (Anna Lindstedt) loves men, but seems happy to just sort out people’s romance troubles.

     Holly (Jessica Nyanda Moyle) is a deep thinker, having deep, heart-breaking conversations with her absent partner and herself. In the corner of the bar sits the ‘sex magnet’ known as Jaxon (Sean Guastavino), always waiting to tell the next girl just how wonderful he is, or to point out to poor shy Matt (Kane Parker) what an ugly loser he is.

Gita’s script is superbly observed. The audience roared with laughter, not just at the hilarious dialogue but at the situations; situations that we have all experienced, and cringed at in retrospect.

Directed sensitively and subtly by Adam Mitchell, with Teresa Izzard looking after the movement, this play travels at an express pace, carrying the audience smoothly along for the bumpy ride. The acting was completely natural, adding to the madcap situations that kept cropping up.

An exceptionally funny play that has you recalling the many times you too have escaped from such terrible situations. Exceptionally funny and highly recommended.

The stage has a two metre high, gold shimmer curtain totally covering the walls on three sides. The floor is pale blue with gold writing, stating ‘All that glitters’. Above is a mirror ball. Designer, Tessa Darcey has fashioned a wonderfully warm and exciting nightclub location. She has also created the costumes of gold lamé onesies, like spacemen’s suits, for the four cast members.

The lighting and sound design by Joe Lui has been carefully thought out, ranging from a lively scene to a stark and dark, lonely location.

       To loud Taylor Swift music, the four Hunters dressed in gold, with sparkling gold dust on their face and hair, enter the stage. They appear to be hugging or caressing an invisible baby – a refugee. After an energetic dance routine, one of the male Hunters (Chris Isaacs) steps forward and explains how their aim is to ‘save’ a refugee from being deported every few minutes. A counter appears on the rear wall stating that so far, no one has been saved.

       With all of the pseudo-sincerity of the actors in a TV advertising programme for kitchen appliances, the four smile and explain their aims. We are next invited to join Chris and Arielle (Arielle Gray) with two of their friends (Adriane Daff, Jeffrey Jay Fowler) in their tastelessly decorated dining room. Adriane and Jeffrey – with ham acting (intentional) that would make ‘The Days of Our Lives’ look like high drama – explain to their hosts how much more they have done for the suffering minorities.

       Will a heart rending, arousing speech and an amazing tap dance sequence by this highly dedicated team save a few more dozen downtrodden lives?

Talented director Gita Bezard has packed this show with subtle laughs. From the dryly delivered, yet overstated performances with the flowery ingratiating script, the belly laughs flowed non-stop. This highly experienced cast, with Equity nominated members, had the audience in the palms of their hands. Each actor played several characters, from shy to bold, from wimpy to orator; the whole of life is packed into this fun hour. A great start to the Blue Room’s new season.

This 90-minute theatrical treasure is showing in the Blue Room Studio, James Street, Northbridge nightly at 8.30 pm, with performances until Sunday 18^th May.

The walls and floor are black. To the left are a settee and a carpet, to the right are a piano and a grey zoo wall (Designer Tarryn Gill). Tarryn has also created delightful, funky headpieces with elephant ears and tusks. Her choice of wigs brought a smile for each character.

       Five heads pop up over the Tuskville Zoo wall. They are the last four elephants in the universe along with their tender, caring keeper, Annie (Gita Bezard). They sing of their happier days of ice-creams and peanuts, but now in their senior years there is just death ahead. Indeed, the older elephant, Carabooda (Brett Smith) dies. Broken hearted, Annie goes home for consolation from her husband, Harton (Jeffrey Jay Fowler).

     Harton, being a businessman, is obsessed with contracts and is far too busy renovating their house, choosing only the very best of materials irrespective of the cost. Annie explains to him that her beloved elephants are dying for the sake of a few dollars donation, but with all the warmth of a polar bear’s bottom, Harton gives a heartless, unsympathetic remark before continuing with his home renovations.

     When Annie’s best friend Nellie (Adriane Daff) calls around, she tries to console the zookeeper, but Harton’s attitude drives her out of the house. Back at home, Nellie is being sung to by her musically untalented husband, Roger (Jeffrey Jay Fowler), when her gifted bachelor, brother in law, (Pete Townsend) calls. He is desperate for a girlfriend, and Nellie has just the friend for him.

     Will the elephants in the zoo be saved? Will the elephants in the room become clear to all?

 

This hilarious piece caricatures all the worst points of the people we know. Jeffrey Jay has given us the miser, the lousy lover, the over legislative, the self-righteous unfaithful partner. The politically incorrect script is delivered by the team with deadpan expressions and has the audience in fits of laughter throughout. Director, Kathryn Osborne has helped create several very different characters and brought them to life. Talented musician, Brett Smith, provides the musical accompaniment, ranging from the tinkle of a xylophone to the pounding of an electric guitar.

Lighting designer Chris Isaacs has come up with some clever and innovative uses of LED lights. Great atmospherics.

This show really has everything, singing, live music, a powerful message and oodles of very dry humour. The houses are packed out every night, so ensure that you book ahead. Jeffery Jay is one of the Blue Room’s most popular performers, and with a team of his talented friends is bound to have another major hit on his hands.

Try to grab a ticket for this unusual show that will have you chuckling days later.