Review - Hangman

Review by Grace Edwards

As a reflection on ‘the idea of choice in the world of torture’, Hangman is a play with one incredibly ambitious agenda. Led by a cast of five eccentric yet recognisable characters and set in a claustrophobic torture facility, the piece’s plot centres on the character of Alphonse, a new torture ‘recruit’, whose first case is a man who simply will not talk. Witty and poignant in equal measure, Hangman proved itself up to the challenge, leaving its audience members with few answers and numerous questions as they exited the theatre.

The Black Box theatre’s intimacy was fully exploited with doors, sinks and walls all incorporated effectively into the action of the play and Al Green’s simple but effective lighting design highlighted the carefully thought-out use of floor space on the part of the actors.

In the part of Alphonse, Luke McMahon proved a solid anchor, though perhaps predictably the ‘personalities’ of the other characters tended to dominate the performance. Andrew Smith in the role of Captain MacDeath was the standout. Smith’s diction, stage presence and commitment to each line transformed the otherwise loud and obnoxious MacDeath into a multi-faceted character.

Last but not least, congratulations must be extended to writer and director Matthew Ziccone for an utterly perceptive, intelligent script. Hangman is a humorous, affecting piece of theatre and a stunning showcase for a group of talented artists.

Hangman closed on Saturday 29 August.

Review - The Trackers of Oxyrhynchus

Review by Felix Ching Ching Ho

Although I'm not the biggest fan of greek mythology, I was considerably impressed by the performance. Always intrigued by productions that make use of non-theatrical spaces, the architecture and outdoor element of the Old Quad was a particularly well thought of choice for this production. With its dimmed night lamps, rustic architecture, and the cold wind sweeping through its arches, the place brings about an ambience that heightens the theatre experience to another level. As Director Helen Slaney noted, "...the Old Quad's neo-Gothic stonework does lend a certain gravitas to some otherwise frivolos proceedings."

Throughout the show, audiences needed to move around to get a better view of the ever-changing stage. Performances held in this way included more interactivity with the audiences and provided varying views of the scene as audiences could move their positions. No need to worry about where to go, the stage manager will lead the way with silent hand gestures.

Omniprop has a had a particularly strong group of cast with everyone highly enthusiastic and in character even during intermission. Seamus Magee's consistent performance and presence throughout the play was a key link between scenes, and nothing could distract our eyes from the breathtaking performance given by Nicholas Kato. Their double roles were done particularly well, not forgetting Nicholas' battle with himself as both Apollo and Bernard Grenfell. Olympia Bowman-Derrick's Godly presence was like a breath of fresh air to the play. But the play would not be the same without its Satyrs (who were also enchanting Fallaheen Chorus members), with their pointy ears and costumes that bared a Satyr's manhood in all its glory. They slink around the columns, crisscross between the audiences, all the while bearing out their emotions out to you. You couldn't ask for a more convincing and mischievous group of Satyrs.

The costumes fitted each character well and the use of simple props accomplished its purpose. More awareness as to the position of the lamps lighting the space would have helped to light the cast in a more effective way, as there were many times where the positioning of the lamps and the cast affected the mood created. The music in this play ranged from A Capella to hard rock, and the structure of the Old Quad provided enhanced the music that was played and sung.

It is easy to applaud the efforts of this production, but it is even easier to recommend spending $10 a ticket for a play that provides a free warm and spicy ginger-apple concoction for braving the cold. I thoroughly enjoyed all the comical antics and the heart wrenching moments; everything came together so well and I would like to congratulate all involved for your efforts.

The Trackers of Oxyrhynchus runs until Saturday 29 August at 7:30pm. Meet in front of the Mudfest Club at The Open Stage, Level 2, Arts Centre (Corner of Swanston & Grattan St). $18/$12/$10. Bookings: www.union.unimelb.edu.au/tickets

Review - Into the Unknown

Review by Danielle Asciak

At 10.30pm last Saturday night, I was caught at the corner of Swanston and Collins street by a man asking that awkward question, ‘do you have any loose change?’ Many ignore or reply with, ‘sorry I just used my change’ or ‘got no change on me’. I stood on the corner, struck dumb. It was only an hour before this encounter that I heard this exact question in the Union House Theatre Mudfest11 developing production, Into the Unknown. I was going to reply with my automatic response but Eleanor Bally’s innocent begging was echoing and I was ready to hand over a gold coin to the homeless man.

Into the Unknown: A play about encounters with strangers in public places is a work that I would like to describe as an artists playground. It is a theatrically devised collaboration by artists Eleanor Bally, Tom Gutteridge, Joshua Lynzaat, Olivia McCombe, Ian Wilding and Mattie Young. From the very beginning, the actors own the space and transport the audience to the unknown. In some parts, the unknown was very familiar and I found myself reflecting on the times that I fantasized on the tram or was faced by a drunken wannabe hero on the train. The four actors Eleanor, Josh, Olivia and Mattie share a wonderful stage presence and chemistry. They articulate the narrative with consistent enthusiasm. Eleanor delivered a standout performance with beautiful sincerity and tenderness. The unknown that night looked like incredible fun and I ready to explore more.

There were moments that dragged but as it is a work in progress, emphasized by the brainstorms on the butcher paper pasted on the theatre’s walls, these moments can be excused. The performance encourages you to ride on the train into the unknown without hesitation and a willingness to embrace your next encounter with the stranger sitting next to you. Are you ready to travel into the unknown?

Into the Unknown has two final shows this Friday 28 & Saturday 29 August at 8:30pm in the Guild Theatre, Union House, $15/$10/$8. Bookings: union.unimelb.edu.au/tickets

Are you exotic?

Moya Stubbs talks to Danielle Asciak about her debut cabaret Everyone Wants a Piece of Malta!

Are you exotic? People often tell Danielle Asciak that she is and after a holiday in Malta, the country her grandparents emigrated from, she agrees! Born to Maltese and Serbian parents Ms Asciak brings her love affair with Malta to the stage in a cabaret show called Everyone Wants a Piece of Malta.

When I met with Danielle before her second show in her changing room, a disabled toilet above the café where her cabaret show is running on Friday nights during Mudfest, she was having costume dramas – her bra, to wear or not to wear? That is the question (in case anyone is interested; she did wear it). However, we swiftly moved on to talking about the topic on everyone’s lips, Danielle’s heart warming tale of a trip to Malta with her father, and various other family members, was a hilarious, musical ride, flying Air Malta, over Asia to the Mediterranean Sea. Destination – Malta – the tiny island with a big history and a big rubbish problem.

At the beginning of Malta Danielle enters the room, bronzed skin and big hair, dragging a suitcase, the very one she took to Malta on her trip. The scene is set with the little help of a brief air hostess costume change and then the singing, dancing and pastizzi began to flow freely, accompanied by a large glass of humorous anecdotes about being belonging and yet not belonging in Malta and trying to understand bus drivers speak “Minglish” Danielle’s name for the Maltese version of English. FULL UP THE BUS, EVERYONE!

Malta is Danielle’s first foray into writing for cabaret. The idea for the show came about when a friend suggested she should do a script rather than an essay as her final assessment piece when studying cabaret at Melbourne University earlier this year. “Why not? It could be fun” thought Danielle. Her studies and the show that came out of it have clearly sparked a fire. “I would love to just go to Berlin and see more of cabaret, real, traditional cabaret… I think it’s just got so much history.”

When I talked to Danielle about how she developed the show and what that experience was like, she spoke openly about how important her discussion and collaboration with colleagues was. James Simpson, the musical director of Malta, proved to be a wealth of information as well as a decisive and constructive editor. “I went in there just completely going on what I knew about cabaret and [James] opened up a world of cabaret, and imagination and how to tell a story and so I’ve been quiet blessed with that. Ha ha, I sound like one of those hip hop artists; let’s thank god (bows her head solemnly).”

She has clearly really loved the process of creating an entire show from conception to performance. And the control she has with a one-woman show. “It’s exhilarating because you have the freedom to do what you want to do and tell the story that you want to tell and do it your way”. Which sharply contrasts with her work done in ensembles and most recently in acclaimed student production Melbourne Model: The Musical, which had quite a large cast. “It’s just me on stage for and hour and ten minutes and I have to, like, hold the audience’s attention the whole time and that’s really scary as a performer.”

Malta is Danielle’s first foray into cabaret but I have to say that I am looking forward to her next installment. About her Serbian heritage, perhaps? But till then go and see Everyone Wants a Piece of Malta this Friday at 7pm and 10pm at the Brooklyn Project, University of Melbourne.

Review - Muddy Shorts

Review by Iain Finlayson

If Muddy Shorts is the “flagship” event of Mudfest, as its website proclaims, it would be easy to think the festival might be sinking. I’m a fan of short work in any art form. I like the way in can spark something in your imagination and leave it there, without feeling the need to draw a conclusion. Or alternatively the way it can punch you in the face with its snappy message. The success of events such as Short and Sweet and the increasing popularity of short fiction and poetry, shows that I’m not alone in my appreciation of short bursts of art. But I would be lying if I said that Muddy Shorts didn’t leave me slightly underwhelmed.

My main disappointment was the attendance numbers. Last Mudfest, Muddy Shorts played to packed houses over two nights in the Carlton Courthouse. As a one night only event in the Mudfest Club, I was sure this was going to be a sell out. In fact there was only a handful of people in the audience, many of them Muddy Shorts performers or Mudfest volunteers themselves. Thankfully the audience swelled later in the night when cast and audience members came in after Hangman and Into the Unknown.

I was surprised when the short film Adam, David and Daniel go to Europe, which had already featured as part of Mudfest two years ago, was trotted out again. While the film has some amusing dialogue, it is little more then your average holiday camcorder video with a voice over. It certainly made me think the organisers had struggled for content, whether this was the case or not.

That said Muddy Shorts still managed to showcase some of the rich artistic talent that exists on campus. Sherwin Akbarzadeh’s short film I Had A Dream I Went To Coney Island, created a surreal and elegant dreamscape out of Coney Islands amusement rides, sideshows and burger joints. Marisabel Bonet’s poetry was earnest and sincere. Although her work may have lent itself more to reading then to performance, it was interesting to hear Marisable talk about the various people and experiences in her life that had inspired her. Paige Marshall’s one women retelling of Rapunzel was a very polished performance in which Paige seamlessly embodied the various characters in the story. However it was Biddy O’Loughlan’s monologue, The Girl Who Thought She Was Irish, that was the stand out performance of the night. Clever and irreverent, Biddy had most of the audience laughing out loud.

Muddy Shorts played for one night at the Mudfest Club on Saturday August 22.

Who killed Abigail Anderson?

By Justina Lui

Abigail Anderson, rising starlet and a leading lady of the big budget West End show Hit the Sky has been found dead after opening night. Police suspect foul play but with Detective Mr. E. Solver on hiatus, it is up to you, dear reader, to solve the case! With more of a nod to the glamorous world of Agatha Christie than the drudgery of Sherlock Holmes’ Victorian England, Mysterious Mysteries! gives you the chance to star in and solve your very own murder case. Akin to a life sized game of Cluedo, complete with caseboard located outside the Open Stage and suspects with alliterated names, this fun whodunit is well worth a lunchtime!

Having stumbled upon the writer of the show, Terence Turtleson, tapping away on South Lawn by chance, I was soon drawn into their world of shady characters and showbiz rivalries. My bumbling attempts at questioning were encouraged and so armed with a case sheet and 5 pre-prepared questions, I began to sniff out the characters scattered all around campus. On the first “Game Day” (August 12) the tyranny of distance between characters may have made all but keenest detectives lose interest however this was rectified by the second Game Day (August 19) and there were queues for interview appointments with some suspects!

Each character was very well signposted and had created their own set in the open. The cast (Danielle Asciak, Kieran Bullock, Sara-Tabitha Catchpole, Tim Fitzgerald, Sharon Flynn, Terry Kenos and Dylan Morgan) were all fabulous in bringing theatre to the people in the most literal sense. What could have been awkward silences were smoothed over by ad libbing in character and it was this marvellous attention to detail in each of the characters’ props, costume, mannerisms and accents that added to the thrill of piecing together the facts.

So who was it? Was it the writer in the wings? The star in her dressing room? What do the mysterious initials “F.F.I” stand for? You be the detective!

Mysterious Mysteries! final game day is this Wednesday August 26, 12pm-1.30pm. Murderer revealed at the Mudfest Awards Night, Saturday August 29. More info at www.heistproductions-mm.blogspot.com

Review - Iamfinethankyouandyou

Review by Justina Lui

Sun Min Oh’s visual art piece explores the language barrier faced by those for whom English is not their mother tongue. Utilising a phrase most beginner English learners will be familiar with, it inverts the meaning to become a wall behind which one can reflect questions about one’s well being, state of mind and progress in a polite but unrevealing manner.

Whilst the concept is thought provoking, I found the actual execution lacking. Consisting of a projection of the phrase “Iamfinethankyouandyou” in a childish font onto pages of English language homework taped to the wall, the presentation could have been improved. However, it is worth a visit to get you thinking about how we use language not only to express ourselves but also to hide behind.

Iamfinethankyouandyou runs daily from 9am-5pm until Sunday August 30 in the Atrium Gallery, Architecture Building.

Review - The Puppets

Review by Felix Ching Ching Ho

Desire and satisfaction has always been a constant in our lives. These days we think that the grass on the other side is not only greener – but that its got its own water sprinkler system too. We pursue this more fertile land only to find that the one we had in the beginning was the most fruitful; “The Puppets” is one such musical that reminds us of this.

With the intention on meshing music and dialogue, composer Anthony Williams writes music to “fit the mood” of the scene with the use of different music genres like jazz, classical, R&B and contemporary pieces all in one musical. The message behind “The Puppets” is complex and intricately hidden behind the plot. Fortunately, Director Xia Liu has been able to bring this out with an arsenal of theatrical ideas. A personal favourite includes the use of shadow projection that created powerful imagery.

There were also some strong vocalists in the cast, and all the performers portrayed enthusiasm in their role; although sometimes the cast feel disconnected from each other and the interaction and connection between them could be improved. It was fairly disappointing not to hear some bridge music whilst scene changes were going on. This is only because it left the audiences hanging and broke the flow of the rhythm so archetypal in a musical.

The costume design marries well with the abstract design of the set, leaving the time period and setting of the play to your own imagination. The main sets were well designed and functioned both as a Set and backdrop for the action going on in front. What worked the best was the partnership between lighting and sets, making it one of the highlights of the musical.

All in All, The Puppets represents a new scene of theatre genre in Mudfest11. The syncronisation and interaction between this large team to put on The Puppets symbolises the spirit and passion that is the Chinese Music Group.

The Puppets runs until 22 August at 7pm in the Union House Theatre, Union House. $12/$14/$16. Bookings: 04 30 103 556. For more information visit www.cmg.org.au

Review - Everyone Wants a Piece of Malta!

Review by Lucy O'Brien.

Arriving at "Everybody Wants a Piece of Malta" I knew probably two things about Malta: that it was an island in the Mediterranean, and that they compete in Eurovision. I wasn't even sure if I wanted a piece of it, but was curious to find out why I should, and I was quickly enlightened.

Danielle Asciak, in her debut cabaret performance, invites the audience to take flight with her to Malta and enjoy a tour of her island home's many eccentricities through song and recollection. Her blend of comedy and touching honesty made for a truly engaging show, with highlights being her performances of songs such as 'Beautiful' by Christina Aguilera and Queen's 'Fat Bottomed Girls'. The power of her voice blew the audience away with a rendition of Malta's 2007 Eurovision selection, 'Vertigo'.

Danielle shows such talent and insight that it’s difficult to believe this is her first venture into cabaret, in partnership with her extremely talented accompanist and musical director, James Simpson. If the promise of a show that will have you grinning from start to end isn’t enough to entice you, then I should mention the belly dancing. Oh, and the Maltese pastry, pastizzi. Seriously, they’re amazing.

Everyone Wants a Piece of Malta is on Friday 21 August at 7pm and Friday 28 August at 7pm & 10pm in The Brooklyn Project. $15/$12/$10. Bookings: 0433 743 369 or iwantapieceofmalta@gmail.com

Review - Shifting Patterns of Light and Shade

Review by Hagan Mathews

Candlelight, a whirring projector and fuzzy images tripping over themselves on a rolling canvas. That’s what waited in Brooklyn Project Café on Wednesday night. Super 8 film creates an unavoidably nostalgic ambience that, if used with restraint, makes for simple and effective short films. And the stuff on show here was certainly short. None longer than five minutes, most less than three, Shifting Patterns of Light and Shade collected ten surprisingly engaging works as a follow-up to a the Inaugural Super 8 Backyard Film Festival held in April this year. All shot using black and white film, a couple of films contained more shifting patterns of shade rather than light. But these were firmly in the minority. The stuff on show was best when shot in full sunlight, the warmth of the images contrasting with a slight draught trickling through the café. I was disappointed that nobody used colour film. It would have been interesting to see modern scenarios shot in the fuzzy sepia of seventies newsreel footage. Black and white created an almost imposing artiness that detracted from the simple fun of most of the work. But that’s something to look forward to next time.

Shifting Patterns of Light and Shade was held in The Brooklyn Project, 18 & 19 August.

Review - Touched

Review by Lauren Hutchison

Convention says we do not ‘touch’ artworks on display, but for Molly Cook’s exhibition, the compulsion is definitely there. Whether they emerge from out of the wall, or cover the floor, Cook’s tactile reconstructions of everyday waste invite investigation and interrogation.

With mounds of rubbish aplenty, tube party lighting on the floor, and nails in the wall for no apparent reason- at first I likened the exhibition to a reconstruction of my over-crowded “drop-in centre” Fitzroy share-house. But this is so much more than that - and it is clear that Cook has a lot to say within the densely filled space.

Like a magpie, bringing bling to her nest, Cook fills the George Paton Gallery with a feast of shiny detritus. Clever lighting heightens the sculptural aspect of her forms, casting shadows rich with narrative. But this is not merely the story of converted waste, Cook’s woven wires and packing foam enabled patterns somehow allow craft and art to meet.

Personal highlights are the coffee stained colour cards and the wall of ‘bits’ (you will know it when you see it) – a seemingly effortless display of vacuum-clogging sized bits. Among them: a piece of string, a squashed bottle cap and lolly wrapper – really, its hot.

But don’t take my word for it - let Cook’s work touch you personally (but only in a consensual, respectful way) until 21 August, 11am-5pm Monday-Friday in the George Paton Gallery, second floor, Union House.

Review - Holiday

Review by Justina Lui

Holiday is an original dance piece which explores the universal themes of human interaction and the family. Walking into the smoke filled Guild theatre I was greeted by a simple but effective set which continued the geometric theme first evident in the program and later also in the lighting. This was the first indicator that this dance piece was not going to be about any one particular family but the universal qualities evident in any family.

The soundtrack started unobtrusively with a series of percussive sounds bringing the performers to life from their stationary starting points at the edge of the stage. There was good use of the entire stage space, with the performance often moving beyond the set and even up the walls. I was amazed at the variety of movements the human body can produce both alone and in combinations of twos and threes.

The costumes were generic but effective - as the piece progressed, characters which evoked familiarity were created and projected onto them: the father who yearns to escape the boredom that is family life, the mother who smothers her children, not realising they are no longer children.

The cast was very well rehearsed which was especially evident when periods of individual movement melded seamlessly into unison group pieces. However, more facial expressions from the family characters would have aided the story telling. The father, (Paul Bongiorno) bought a certain gravity to his role which was somewhat lacking in the mother’s (Kate O’Callaghan) performance.

The intensity of some scenes was breathtaking; the support of the family for the daughter (Dara Klein) trying to reach the light. A highlight was the son’s (David Park) duet with his girlfriend (Chiemi Fukimori). The repetitive movements and musical ideas were very effective in telling the story of a relationship from beginning to bitter end. At times the choreography suffered from too many ideas, for example in the playground scene there were too many small groups doing different things making it difficult to focus on the father/daughter relationship. The supporting cast (Scott Williams, Chiemi Fukimori, Jim Nuttal, Sophie Dunn) were fantastic and maintained a very high level of energy throughout the show.

Sparse at times but complete with samples of the Presets, Dean Gourley’s original score contained the only spoken words in the performance. It was more of an industrial sound scape which was closely married to the movement on stage than accompanying music. Katie Skillington’s lighting was also highly effective, seamlessly blending with the dancers and soundtrack

First time director Leah Landau and the entire cast and crew should be commended for creating a highly enjoyable, thought provoking experience.

Holiday closed on Saturday 15 August.

Diary of Lock In! The 24 Hour Musical

By New Beat Theatre Company

7:00pm
People started to arrive. A real mix of talent: song writers, lyricists, writers, performers all ready to tackle the next 24 hours with a bang! Lots of random ideas placed in the $1.99 blow up paddle pool. Highlights include: “Sexual Frustrated Librarians”.

8:00pm
MUDFest Festival Director, Davfid Ryding, chose three “Titles Shows” and three “Big Number Songs”. The cast and crew cheered for the most popular titles: “Wild Nights and Awkward Mornings” and “Clean That Upholstery”.

9:00pm
Time to brainstorm those crazy ideas! The entire group were asked what ideas they had thought about after hearing the winning titles. Some of fantastic ideas that we didn’t use: Wild Knight, Ghosts of the Future and 7 Minutes in Heaven! Too many to use!

10:00pm
Time to split up into areas of expertise. Turns out we have 14 actors, 6 writers, 4 tech, 1 camera man, 3 production! Writers went off to flesh out the plot and characters. Actors played some theatre games.

11:00pm
Plot: Group of people who know each other from a single apartment building, meet on top of the building to welcome the end of the world! Time to get casting! Apartment locals: An old couple, A love triangle between a guy and two girls, three bitchy career women, a homeless guy, a blokey bloke and who could forget the Stud!

12:00am
First couple of You Tube Videos grace the web! Cast told the writers what their characters were all about to help the writers get song writing.

1:00am
First lull. Cast are catching up on much needed sleep while the writers keep plowing along writing those songs! It’s a tough gig for these guys! And the crew – well they’re working on another show. Trinity’s Grease – Check it out!

2:00am
And the marathon continues! Lots of red bull has been drunk by all. Song writing continues in groups and the crew peeps have been tech trouble-shooting. Cast members who had naps were woken up quite groggily. Does pay to stay awake the whole time!

3:00am
The plot of the show has been finalised! Everyone sat down to debrief over the plot to add any ideas that might add to the show. Already 8 hours in and the plot is sorted! Songs are still progressing and actors will soon start improvising their scenes.

4:00am
Song writing continues...

5:00am
Song writing continues some more... (Obviously too tired to think of something witty to say).

6:00am
Song show and tell! We have some amazing songs that have extraordinarily been created in such a short time. The songs are coming together really well. Though the cast still have songs to be learnt, lines to be memorised and compositions to be written! We leave our nightowl location at 8:00am – then its breakfast!

7:00am
Last minute touches on all songs before we pack up at the nightowl location. Everyone seems to feel the pressure of the next 12 hours. Most of the hour is spent cleaning up the venue.

8:00am
BREAKFAST!

9:00am
Everyone migrates to the Guild Theatre for a superfast Bump In! All hands on deck to get lights and set constructed. A lot of napping in the seats from the cast – just making it that little bit harder for them to find that energy. But they’ll get there!

10:00am
More napping and more bumping in. Flyers to be handed out to Open Day crowd made in 20 min flat. Program starts to be made.

11:00am
Gorrilla style wake up call for the cast. Nap time is OVER. Time to get cracking with learning songs, memorising lines and boosting up those energy levels! The entire cast are in the theatre learning the opening number! Sounds good from out here!

12:00pm
Pyscho moment of nearly losing the file of the program! Panic attacks were nearly had. Tempers flare as cast members try to get the lyrics, harmonies and dialogue in their scenes.

1:00pm
Writers were finalising the script and actors were getting blocked in their scenes. Unfortunately, one of our cast members had to go home sick with a fever and their song had to be re-written with a different cast member. As they say, the show must go on!

2:00pm
Set construction was going well but some of the pieces started to fall off. Gaffa tape will fix any problem. Everyone is a little bit delirious at the moment.

3:00pm
Blocking of the scenes continue. It is a mad scramble around to get everyone and everything ready to get the show up and running. Highlight of the hour: The “super-mega – awesome-sexy EIGHT part harmony” that the whole cast had to learn with only a couple of hours to spare.

4:00pm
Tempers start to flare as last minute rush to get the program, tickets, documentary ready without the help of the Powers That Be. But as true Music Theatre pros, we banded together and got the job done.

5:00pm
DRESS REHEARSAL!

6:00pm
SHOWTIME!

Reviews - The Maids and The Manor

The Maids
Review by Moya Stubbs.

Based on the French play Les Bonnes by Jean Genet, The Maids is a complicated story about power struggles and class systems that is importantly, also a performance which explores performance. The central characters are two sisters, Solonge and Claire, housemaids who spend the hours when their mistress, ‘Madame’, is absent constructing elaborate, sadomasochistic fantasies, in her rooms and whilst wearing her clothes, about the power struggle between themselves and their mistress.

The performance was an admirable effort, the text is very difficult and in parts quite disjointed. I did, however, find this portrayal of the Madame by a man to seem to make a mockery of the deeper elements of the play, in particular the complex, emotional struggle of the two girls and eventually their tragic demise. I understand that the text indicates the character of Madame should be a cross-dressing role but in this particular case I found the performance terribly amusing which made it distracting from the rest of the story.

The set was dressed straightforwardly but effectively. The maid’s costumes were also simple but very effective. The lighting could do with a little development in some places and we had a few hiccoughs on the first night, but that can happen to the best of us.

On the whole, it was a very interesting performance. The text is a difficult one for actors and audience alike. It is deliberately disjointed and leaves questions in the air, while the characters spend the hour switching roles, exploring performance and in particular gender performance.

Congratulations to all involved.

The Maids runs until Saturday 15 August at 9:00pm in the Guild Theatre, Union House. $15/$12/$10. Bookings: 0406 527 561


The Manor
Review by Seamus Magee

The Manor opens with a few simple statements of fact about an average politicians wage versus that of an average carer. It then it tells you the facts about Pine-O-Clean.

The Manor paints an unsentimental picture of life for the disabled and their carers without wallowing in self-pity or despair. A minimal set, with scattered white furniture leads you into a world of confinement, sterility and co-dependency. Within this world the show's 2 characters 'PWD' - played by Sarah Whitaker - and 'Carer' - Josua Lynzaat spiral episodically around the same routine, the same conversations and the same spaces in an almost 'Godot-ian' universe.

Carer is presented as a bit of well.... a loser who's employers since school have included Coles, Safeway and a local video store. PWD just wants to be able to get by out in the real world, and really looked forward to living in a share house, "The Manor". The reality of "The Manor" is more bleak: Visitors never arrive, TV never changes and nothing really happens unless by the neglect or incompetence of Carer. The audience finds itself laughing at scenarios in the play which, if played out in real life, would be the fodder of Today Tonight and the rantings of politicians. It also makes you wonder if any of these instances have come from real-life experience.

There are no saints or martyrs in The Manor. It succeeds in getting an audience to laugh while portraying a bleak and confining world of a disabled person and a carer. It presents a slice of life which is thought provoking, well thought out and makes its point very well without preaching to it's audience. The reality it portrays speaks for itself.

The Manor runs until Saturday 15 August at 6:30pm in the Guild Theatre, Union House. $12/$10. Bookings: 0432 763 552 or boonhan.koh@gmail.com

Photography by Shayen Wong.

Why Dance?

Nic Halliwell talks to Director of Holiday Leah Landau to ask why dance at Melbourne Uni?

This year Melbourne University Diversity Festival (MUDFest) is a little bit smaller and a little less present in the Student Union building, but it is still alive and kicking. The program has brought together a great range of mediums and styles to help showcase some of Melbourne University’s artists. Yet Holiday stands a little off from the rest of the bunch. Not only is it a Dance piece, a medium that most students would only think could convey meaning through a bump and grind approach at PAs. But it is also largely made up of and directed by non-Melbourne University students. One cannot help but wonder why would you think of coming to this University rank No. 50407838* for dance in the world to present a show to a largely apathetic student community. I briefly had the chance to speak with Leah Landau, the Director, after the show to find out what inspired her to put on a dance show in the Melbourne University (MU) environment.

“It’s about going out and see something new, there are people who never see dance.” May I add that this interview was after opening night, that had sold out. So perhaps I might be presuming a bit when I said students are apathetic. You’re not all that bad.

This desire to present something fresh to MU had been a driving force behind the production. Holiday originally was conceptualised as a play featuring dance movements. But Leah was inspired by other dance shows around Melbourne and the ability the medium had to convey meaning in a unique and creativity way, allowing the audience to break away from how they normally have to receive their information. “So much could be conveyed through the movement… rather than using voice."

However this work in progress is still evolving and may have more scripted or acted sections added before the next showing. “When you create something from the ground up it seems so much more evolving… this is just its first incarnation.” Here is one of the most important roles that Holiday plays in MUDfest, and vice-a-versa. Holiday is an opportunity for “art-interested” students to see a work in progress, (a very polished one at that). With the Director hoping to present it again in Melbourne, students can follow the development of this piece, to come to a greater understanding of how dance can progress and give insight into how it functions to create what it is. “It is really about where it can go from here… refining things. It is definitely about enjoying the creative process as an ongoing thing.”

So while there is only two nights left, I would urge anyone interested in understanding why dance? To go see Holiday, and take a break from the books and enjoy.

Political side note: It is worth noting that the Frank Tate building used to be the only spaces where dance groups could practice on campus. It is now one of the many computer labs on campus.

(*This number is approximately generated using my subconscious and the theory of automatic writing).

Holiday runs until Saturday 15 August at 7:45pm in the Guild Theatre, Union House. $15/$12/$10. Bookings: holiday.mudfest@gmail.com. For more info visit http://holidaydance.com.au

Sounds like a Holiday

Justina Lui spoke to composer Dean Gourley about his latest project Holiday, a collaboration with choreographer Leah Landau.

The synopsis for Holiday describes “a contemporary dance piece which explores the notion that every single person, at some point in their lives, has wanted to kill somebody.” An original work, Dean’s aim was to create “a visual interplay between the dancers who react to the music and story themes and vice versa.”

“Leah came up with the original concept and I proposed what I could contribute to give form to the entire piece. It was a highly collaborative process, she would give me ideas and I would come back to her with musical suggestions. It was concurrent physical and aural development.”

Over the two month rehearsal period, the show has been elaborated and refined from a linear scripted dialogue interjected with dance to a continuous 30 minute flow of scenes in which relationships between family characters and ensemble cast are explored.

The score is entirely pre-recorded and features “rhythms made from voices and the sounds the cast make when in character. They become almost drum and bass type sounds.” Different dance styles and Rhythmic ostinatos are used to define characters. “There’s a ballerina who does hip hop and break dancing, it’s amazing! Not all of them are trained dancers but they deliver the story with such conviction.”

Dean is looking forward to the show’s opening “I have the utmost respect for the cast – they have all done such a fantastic job!” With ticket prices cheaper than a parma and pot, there’s no excuse not to go.

Holiday runs from Wednesday 12 August to Saturday 15 August at 7:45pm in the Guild Theatre, Union House. $15/$12/$10. Bookings: holiday.mudfest@gmail.com. For more info visit http://holidaydance.com.au

This week in the Mudfest Club...

The Mudfest Club looks like the place to be this Mudfest. With its tropical themed decorations, Hawaiian shirt wearing staff and comfy deckchair seating it is easy to imagine you might be some place warmer then the cold reality of Melbourne outside. Unfortunately there is not a lot of info about the program for this week. We’ve done out best to get the low-down of what’s going on but information such as performance times has not been made public yet. If your interested in a particular performance our only advise is to keep checking www.mudfest.org.au/club or alternatively just head to the Club early and make a night of it. There are worse ways to spend an evening then sipping Stella’s in this make-believe paradise.

WEDNESDAY: Film Night

A variety of short films plus music from Alex Duncan.

THURSDAY: Bogan Night

Bogan Bingo and bad 80s tunes.

FRIDAY

Eleanor Garran in acoustic performance be scared plus a preview of poetry installation Hierachy.

SATURDAY

Launch of Lock In! The 24 Hour Musical Project and music by Mr Brady.

Mudfest - Open for art

It was a cold, dark and wet night as the glitterati of Melbourne Uni made their way to the far-flung outpost The Open Stage, transformed into a decadently tacky calypso affair of fake flowers (fake enough to look real but actually fake) hallucinogenic deck-chairs (thank YOU rooftop bar!) and romantically placed down-lights. I will enjoy my $4 Stella very much, and talent-wise its good to know Melbourne Uni is one of the best places to get a good (FREE) night out and an exciting (gotta use that word sometime) start to the FEISTA DE MUD. Highlights of the night/festival where put together in a user friendly slideshow of A-Z, with sexy results: Ananth Gopal usurping Mr Bean as ultimate in the ol’ flicky tongue movement thing, (La Promenade des Gen Betes) HOTT (extra t for titillating), belly dancing from Danielle Asciak (Everyone Wants a Piece of Malta!) nothing like audience participation with Into the Unknown (snaps for focus, girls) The Greeks Omniprop up to it again (up is the operative word, in a biblical way- The Trackers of Oxyrhynchus). I was ‘mystified’ with outrageous accents/lisps with Heist (Mysterious Mysteries!). Also, Simon Taylor’s a hoot. The magic isn’t bad either.

Without sounding too desperate:

OH MY GOD GO AND SEE THE SHOWS MUDFEST IS GONNA BE AWWWWWEESSSSOOOOOMMEEEEEEE

This is Lauren Bok signing off from the Opening Night of Mudfest 11.

Mysterious Mudfest

Reading the program for Mudfest 11 can be a little overwhelming. There are so many artists producing so much work all over campus. But there is even more to Mudfest then first meets the eye. Some artists have taken the festivals theme of “hidden spaces” to heart, and have hidden their art all over campus. “The really really hidden spaces are the most interesting” says Festival Director David Ryding. “The main part of one project is not advertised, and I reckon maybe only five people will see it. It’s about seeing the campus with different eyes”.

One project that will be hiding clues all over campus is Heist Production’s Mysterious Mysteries! Literally “Cludeo” without the board, Mysterious Mysteries! encourages the general public to engage with the characters, collect the clues, and solve the mystery through a mixture of roving street performance and improvised theatre. The case opens with a performance during Mudfest’s Opening Night party when a talented young actress falls to her death and a cast of crooked characters are implicated in her murder.

Keep you eyes on Mudmap for more information as the mystery unfolds.

If you find any “hidden spaces” as part of Mudfest let us know at mudmapzine@gmail.com

Join the Club

The Mudfest Club has been a Mudfest institution since the first festival. Originally it was housed in the Union’s coffee lounge (now Bluezone) and provide late night entertainment and alcoholic refreshments for students who stayed back on campus to take in the festival. Since then it has had stints in the Food Co-Op, North Dining Hall (now the Members Lounge) and most recently in a configuration of shipping containers set up in South Court. But this year the Mudfest Club has decided to embrace the festival’s theme of “hidden spaces” by locating itself in one of Melbourne University’s most unknown and under-utilised arts spaces – The Open Stage.

While the Union and Guild Theatres have back-to-back performances throughout most of semester, The Open Stage sits empty and forgotten over the other side of campus. “The University hates it being used as a performance space” says Chris Summers, Arts Officer of the Student Union. “Its ridiculously expensive”. Luckily Mudfest has secured the support of the Theatre Board in covering the cost of the venue. More then just political manoeuvring to ensure the University still sees The Open Stage as a vital resource on campus, Chris says the venue offers a unique opportunity to completely curate a space. While the organisers are being tight lipped about the designs for the Club, Chris assures me it will challenge people preconceptions about the space.

Nearly as secret as the Club’s design is the Club’s program, which had not been realised at time of printing. Chris says the response from acts wanting to perform in the Club has been really good, particularly from music acts. He thinks a particular highlight will be a “weird trippy performance group” called Mr Brady, which he compares to a 1970s version of Flight of the Conchords. There will also be a number of nights which will allow budding performers to turn up and get involved, including Comedy Survivor and Acoustic Idol. Another highlight is likely to be the 24 hour installation project in which four artists will produce an arts installation using only things they find on campus.

Your first chance to see the Club will be on Tuesday when it plays host to the Mudfest Opening Night party. Hosted by Simon Taylor, the night will kick off from 8pm. For coverage of the Opening Night and full details of this weeks Club program, see Wednesday’s edition of Mudmap.

The Open Stage is located on Level 2 of the Arts Centre, corner of Swanton and Grattan Streets.