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Sydney Morning Herald
Friday March 12, 2010
ANIMALS OUT OF PAPER Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli, 9929 0644, $39-$63.Previews from Thursday, runs March 24-April 24.Director Mark Kilmurry Stars Arka Das, Tara Morice, Drayton Morley US writer Rajiv Josephs play has a world-renowned origami artist stuck in a rut when the appearance of her biggest fan changes everything. CATHOLIC SCHOOL GIRLS Darlinghurst Theatre, Potts Point, darlinghursttheatre.com, $37/$32.Tonight-April 4. Director Kingston Anderson Stars Lucinda Armour, Kim Lewis, Helen OConnor Four young lasses are amid the nuns in Casey Kurttis comedy, set in the 60s, with all that permissiveness and secularism outside the cloistered gates.DEATH IN BOWENGABBIE Old Fitzroy, Woolloomooloo, rocksurfers.org, $29/$21.Until March 26. Director Caleb Lewis Stars Andrew Brackman Lewiss play tells of Oscar, a young bloke called back to his home town to attend a series of escalatingly bizarre funerals. FEELGOOD New Theatre, Newtown, 1300 306 776, $28/$22.Previews Wednesday, runs Thursday-April 17. Director Richard Cotter Stars Anthony Hunt, Nick Hunter, Dave Kirkham On the eve of a British Labour PMs address to the faithful at the annual conference, Alistair Beatons 2001 comedy has two hacks, amid scandal and riot, trying to craft some inspiring words for the great man.THE FLAGS Cat & Fiddle, Balmain, 9555 9009, $25/$20. Until March 21. Director Maggie Scott Stars Scott Grimley, Andrew Mead, Elizabeth Rutter A black comedy by Bridget OConnor about very inadequate lifeguards at Irelands second-worst beach.Presented by Insomniac Theatre.JOURNEYS END Genesian Theatre, city, 1300 306 776, $25/$20.Saturday-April 24. Director Debbie Smith Stars Aaron Glenane, Hunter McMahon, Andrew OConnell R C Sherriffs 1928 play, based on personal experience, looks at the relationships of a group of British offi cers in a dugout in WWI France.THE LARAMIE PROJECT ATYP Studio, Walsh Bay, 9270 2400, $20/$17. Until March 27. Director Fraser Corfi eld Moises Kaufmans play, based on more than 400 interviews with the citizens of Laramie, Wyoming, explores the 1998 murder of 21-year-old gay student Matthew Shephard. Presented by Australian Theatre for Young People. LOVE ME TENDER Belvoir St Theatre, Surry Hills, 9699 3444, $25-$57. Previews from Thursday, runs March 20-April 11. Director Matt Lutton Stars Luke Hewitt, Belinda McClory, Kris McQuade Set in a dreamscape Australian backyard, and loosely inspired by Euripidess daughter-sacrifi ce tale Iphigenia in Aulis, this collaboration between writer Tom Holloway and Lutton is billed as a haunting vision of contemporary Australia drawn from experiences of catastrophic bushfi res, pre-teen sexuality and domestic aspirations. Presented by Company B, Griffi n and Thinice.NINETY Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli, 9929 0644, $39-$63. Until April 3.Director Sandra Bates Stars Brian Meegan, Kate Raison Like it says on the box, Joanna Murray-Smiths Ninety is 90 minutes long. This production, which feels like a couple of hours, leaves you hankering for a play called Seventy- Five. William, a Golden Globe-winning actor, is about to fl y to Paris to marry a German starlet. He has granted his ex-wife Isabel a 90-minute window of opportunity in which to convince him that their love, which predates his success, is the genuine article. Its a poised and sharply choreographed piece constructed from unrealistically taut dialogue and tart aphorisms. The climax feels like a last-minute grab for an emotional high gear. Jason Blake N S-27 Stables Theatre, Kings Cross, 8002 4772, $23-$30.Previews from Wednesday, runs March 19-April 10.Director Caroline Craig Stars Paige Gardiner, Antony Gooley, Molly Knight A high school in Phnom Penh became Security Prison 21 during the Khmer Rouges genocidal reign in Cambodia.Sarah Grochalas play is based on survivor testimonies, chiefl y that of the teenage soldier required to photograph the inmates. See p12.THE SHOEHORN SONATA Newtown Theatre, 8507 3034, $25/$20. Until March 28.Director Stephen Wallace Stars Lisa Peers, Janine Penfold Two archetypal opposites Bridie, a no-nonsense Chatswood matron, and Sheila, a spinster librarian from Perth are brought together for a documentary on the women who survived the Japanese POW camps. Its a fraught though ultimately cathartic reunion.This production is serviceable rather than inspired, amplifying the clunkiness in Mistos TV-interview concept and its melodramatic bent. The underlying strength of the story is always apparent, however, as is the courage of the women it pays tribute to. JB.SHORT & SWEET Parade Theatre, Kensington, 1300 795 012, $40/$35.Tonight-Saturday.The grand fi nale of this years edition of Sydneys short play festival features all 12 contenders (from an initial pool of 170), with a preview tonight and the winners announced Saturday. STOCKHOLM Wharf Theatre, Walsh Bay, 9250 1777, $30-$75.Previews from tonight, runs Wednesday-April 24. Directors Scott Graham, Steven Hogget Stars Socratis Otto, Leeanna Walsman A relationship founded on codependency, obsession and passion is dramatised in this collaboration between the Sydney Theatre Company and British physical theatre company Frantic Assembly. Bryony Laverys play has an apparently blissfully happy couple riding the tenderness/cruelty edge in their stunning kitchen.THE SUICIDE Belvoir St Downstairs, Surry Hills, 9699 3444, $32/$24. Previews Thursday, runs March 19-April 11.Director Simon Stone Stars Aaron Orzech, Anne-Louise Sarks, Tom Wren Russian Nikolai Erdmans 1928 comedy has the distinction of being banned by Stalin. This new version, by director Stone, still features a man having a crisis of meaning who fi nds his possible suicide sparking a bidding war for mentions in his fi nal note.THAT FACE Belvoir St Upstairs, Surry Hills, 9699 3444, $35-$57. Until Sunday. Director Lee Lewis Stars Marcus Graham, Laura Hopkinson, Susie Porter See Metro Picks, left.NEW A THING OF BEAUTY Royal Oak Hotel, Double Bay, 0403 762 212, $15/$12. Monday- March 23. Stars Jo Richards A collaboration between Richards and writer Paul Gilchrist, this one-woman show has two women travelling together, one of whom has taken to photographing shop dummies. All profi ts donated to the Lifehouse at RPA Chris OBrien Appeal.NEW VS MACBETH Wharf 2, Walsh Bay, 9250 1777, $25-$40. Previews from Thursday, runs March 20-April 3.Director Sam Haren With most of it by Shakespeare, this is the fi rst production from the Sydney Theatre Companys 2010 Next Stage program and features the STCs permanent ensemble, The Residents.MUSICALS NEW NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY Darlinghurst Theatre, Potts Point, darlinghursttheatre.com, $25.Monday only. Director Jason Langley Stars Martin Crewes, Beth Daly, Naomi Livingston New company Neglected Musicals presents musical theatre works previously unseen in this country. First up is Douglas Cohens 1987 comedy thriller about a publicity-obsessed actor turned serial killer.WICKED Capitol Theatre, 1300 723 038, $69.90-$129.90. Booking until April 15. Director Lisa Leguillou Stars Lucy Durack, Maggie Kirkpatrick, Bert Newton See Metro Picks, left.CABARET NEW LATE NIGHT LOUNGE Opera House Studio, 9250 7777, $35/$30. Saturday only.A new monthly rocknroll, variety, cabaret, chat show experience, this time featuring the renowned Paul Capsis, musical theatre type Ian Stenlake, Scottish comic Craig Hill and drag illusionist Dallas Dellaforce.NEW THE WILD PARTY Macquarie Hotel, Surry Hills, 1300 438 849, $30. Thursday-April 3.Queenie throws a very memorable shindig in Joseph Moncure Marchs narrative poem of jazz-age decadence.OPERA NEW BLISS Opera House Opera Theatre, 9318 8200, $65-$297. Tonight- March 30. Director Neil Armfi eld Stars Peter Coleman-Wright, Lorina Gore, Merlyn Quaife Harry Joy still tells stories and wonders if hes really in hell, in this adaptation of Peter Careys 1981 novel by composer Brett Dean and librettist Amanda Holden for Opera Australia.LA TRAVIATA Opera House Opera Theatre, 9318 8200, $95-$350. Until March 29. Director Elijah Moshinsky Stars Aldo Di Toro, Elvira Fatykhova See Metro Picks, left.A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM Opera House Opera Theatre, 9318 8200, $95-$350. Until March 24. Director Baz Luhrmann Stars Tobias Cole, Rachelle Durkin Luhrmanns production is rightly regarded as one of Opera Australias fi nest recent artistic achievements.This revival achieves exquisite magical delight. Peter McCallum TOSCA Opera House Opera Theatre, 9318 8200, $95-$350. Until March 27.Director Christopher Alden The loud boos for the director suggest that for some it was the production that was the shocker. PMcC COMEDY GODZONE Riverside, Parramatta, 8839 3399, $39-$52.Until Saturday. Stars Max Gillies For 30 years Max Gillies has affectionately mimicked our public fi gures, while slipping a knife between the ribs of their politics.Guy Rundles script is sharp, but the bald patches should have been addressed in the shows Melbourne run. John Shand
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