Stacks On, a small indie company making theatre out of Flow Studios (an art gallery/performance space in Camperdown) are back with another intimate show. After the charm of April’s share house comedy For The Time Being, the team return on a more serious note with British playwright Lucy Burke’s Glitter Punch, a coming-of-age drama about…
Tag: Indie Theatre
Review: Expiration Date at Meraki
Although obviously the work of a playwright who is still finding her voice, I think it is an admirable debut play that discusses important feminist issues. I’m sure that many couples in their twenties and thirties will find Expiration Date relatable in its exploration of the difficult conversations regarding having or not having kids. The one-location storytelling and brilliantly simple set were perfectly engineered for indie theatre, and the creative team should be applauded for achieving more with less.
Review: For The Time Being at Flow Studios
“It’s always refreshing to see contemporary australian work that takes the elitism out of theatre and brings in a young, new audience. I went with friends that aren’t ‘theatre people’ who really enjoyed it, and found the depiction of the twentysomething sharehouse experience amusing and relatable. It’s the theatrical equivalent of a well-written TV sitcom (in a good way).”
Review: Chef at KXT
Ultimately, Chef was not for me. I found it hard to sit through the show’s grim tone and violent subject matter. While Birbara’s performance has been widely praised, I struggled to connect with her character and her performance.
Review: Tongue Tied at KXT
Tongue Tied is an incisive representation of a media culture that often prioritises publishing ‘scandalous’ news over the wellbeing of victims (see: the EJ Norvill Geoffrey Rush case).
I loved the contemporary and urgent subject matter of the play, and it made me think deeply about the many real-world examples that parallel the events of the play.
Review: The Dazzle at Meraki Arts Bar
I left the theatre unsure of what I was supposed to get out of The Dazzle.
Maybe this is a simple matter of personal taste, and maybe I’m just not amenable to Greenberg’s style, but this production didn’t click for me.
I struggle with writing reviews of plays I don’t like, especially when those plays are created by indie companies because I know how hard it is to be an indie artist, and I know how much love is poured into these productions. However, I can’t pretend to be objective as a reviewer, I can only interpret and critique art by drawing on my own experiences and tastes.
The Monologue Collective Mini-Review
These monologues successfully captured the feeling of being 17, with all the angst and humour and romance that comes with it. These young writers are ambitious and in-tune with the concerns of their peers. The topics explored included young queer love, the pressures of high school, grappling with grief as a teenager, and young women’s relationships to their mothers.
Review: Albion at the Seymour Centre
Albion is an ambitious production of a formidable text that explores big ideas about humanity, class, family and social change. It’s a thought-provoking work of writing that has stayed with me all week. To successfully stage Bartlett’s intimidating and ideas-heavy text is a tall order, especially for an indie production, and Clements and the team have a real crack at it. An admirable attempt at a difficult text, Bartlett’s writing, combined with Briant’s lead performance and Langford’s thoughtful design makes this an impressive and thought-provoking night out at the theatre.
Review: Ugly Love at Flight Path Theatre
Ugly Love is a witty and topical show and Matthews should be applauded for taking on the considerable challenge of bringing a new Australian musical to our stages. I felt lucky to be a part of the audience and hope to see the work develop and grow in future productions.
Scribbles of Stage and Screen 