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.
Tag: Indie Theatre
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 