4change

4change is continuing a series of acting classes this Sunday at Metro Arts. The participants are requested to get along to several shows at Under the Radar, happening till August 3rd at Metro Arts 109 Edward Street Brisbane.

From discussion and reflections of the viewed shows, theories of performance will be uncovered and explored. On Sunday, bring four objects that have value to you along with your journal.

Look forward to working with you all, Margi

Yesterday i saw a gem of a show. Once Under a Sky, by Cursing the Sea (in the fringe program i see Freya Sant, Kate Sherman are the performers and Michael Piggot is writer/director but after seeing the show, i bet they all wrote it!).

The show was exquisite: the two actors embodied the third space, that place in the imagination where they were transforming before our eyes and as a consequence so was I. Everything unfolded: even dressing to go out into the world was a relevation: climbing on each other’s backs to reach ridiculous heights; creating the sea in a tiny pool of spit; absurdism (echoes of Waiting for Godot) entered the equation but in such a delicately delicious way that as I laughed i cried. These two young actors balanced not only their bodies, but their spirit, beckoning us to enter their transformative world of existential longing. It was a piece of work that will linger in my mind for a long time. Michael Piggot’s direction was faultless, encouraging the actors to risk continually; to laugh with the audience; to bring joy into the room.

Tuesday 22nd July, 2008

Tonight i caught three Brisbane Fringe shows at Metro Arts, all different, and all, in their own way, most worthwhile.

Waiting for Merlot, with The Gooney Girls, de BASE Productions. Liz Skitch and Bridget Boyle raucously entertained everyone including the director’s 3 year old son (”this is funny Mum!” was heard throughout the theatre and appreciated by everyone). Both Liz and Bridget have remarkable comic timing, and kept us all laughing even when we wondered what we were laughing about. And even though it is silly humour, one can still find social meaning underneath the giggles. Worth a peak.

The Asparagus Project and The Wedding Dress Project were next on my list. an exploration into the constructs of work and love. Manda Boyd, Kimberley Holander, Robyn Shenfield and Sarah Winter were the Brisbane based devisors, aided by artist Robert Millett. I found the Asparagus project to be meditative and thought provoking, exploring the humble life of an asparagus spear that takes three years to grow and three seconds to eat (did i get that right?)…the ritual elements made it impactful and watchable. The Wedding Dress project seemed less successful, though fun to watch. Whereas the Asparagus Project had me contemplating the speed and consumption of our modern life, the Wedding Dress Project did not seem to develop my understanding of the social/political/historical discourses that sit around the ritual of marriage. There was an imbalance somehow. Perhaps this was a limitation of the space: if the audience could have moved around rather than sitting, we may have been able to connect more to the stories. Robert Millett’s use of projected image onto the veiled woman was quirky yet thought provoking. If you are interested in multiple ways of performance, put this one on your list.

This week Brisbane Fringe Festival started with a bang with some very strong shows. The Lady of the House of Love is Sandro Colarelli and David Fenton’s creation (and a nameless keyboard player who was remarkable…make sure you get your name on the official program next time!) based on an Angela Carter’s dark fairytale. I loved the design: a carved screen that dominated centre stage…it reminded me of the simplicity of the set of Kosky’s Tell Tale Heart at Melbourne Festival last year…Colarelli is a consummate story teller and it was a joy to witness the unfolding. Fenton’s preciseness, detail and clarity moved the story into a surreal intense world that kept the audience enthralled. I loved watching the little things: the angle of the foot, the movement of the eye. This production is sure to be repeated at other festivals so if you can grab it next time round. Villanus, by Vlad Mijic and Rhys Auteri, was a strong exploration into the construction of the individual: who am I? Mijic begins by outlining a shadow image of himself as he sits under the table and it is symbolic of his search for meaning. The stage is a mess, with cameras, boxes, masking tape…yet out of this confusion comes a powerful story that asks the big questions. Last month Metro Arts held a Creative Development festival, and one thing that sat with me was the sometimes apparent lack of interest in the ‘big ideas’. After witnessing Mijic and Auteri’s work I am thinking that big ideas are not dead in the theatre. Thank you for this strong work. And Louisa Robertson, Fi MacDonald, Jillian McKeague and your team: what a terrific festival you are giving us. I have to commend you on your programming…excellent shows and extremely well organized. The shows continue till Sunday 3rd August, and are programmed all day…well worth a visit to town, or grab a show after work. Tonight the theatre opens at 6pm with Waiting for Merlot. And there is always great wine and conversation downstairs at Verve if you need to fill in time. On Wednesday and Thursday there are day time shows scheduled from 12.30pm onwards, so you could catch three or four. They only last an hour. What better way to spend your lunch hour!!!!!!