Spring Awakening- Little Theatre, Gin and Vodka Productions

Gin and Vodka Productions have pulled off an amazing coup getting the rights to this Tony Award winning show and then perhaps even trumping professional productions by staging a powerful, gutsy and thought provoking performance.

Co-directors Vince Fusco and Josh Penley have assembled an outstanding cast of amazing young talent and crafted a show that engages and involves the audience. The Little Theatre is effectively used (although inevitably there are masking issues at times) but the audience never feels left out.

Duncan Sheik's music is, with a couple of exceptions, fairly bland but the talented group rise above it and present it with as much belief as they can muster.

Fusco as the tormented Melchior pulls off one of the finest performances of his career and is ably assisted by Penley who gives it his all as the troubled and confused Moritz (despite looking too old for the role). Both have immense talent as well as acting and singing ability by the bucketload. They have channeled their own abilities into their younger cast members.

Of the guys Kyle Kaczmarczyk practically rules the roost in his role as the sexually charged Hanschen, fully comfortable with his homosexuality. Robin Breugelmans as Georg is also memorable.

The ladies are highlighted by the outstanding performance by Ashleigh Hauschild as Wendla. From her opening notes to the last she is totally immersed in her world. Blessed with gorgeous looks and a wonderful voice, she's the bright light of what is already a dazzling company.

This is not to take away from the rest of the young ensemble, who are perfectly cast as well and showing clear signs of not just understanding their own characters but the world they inhabit.

Jeff Lang and Fran Kennedy take on a plethora of adult roles with aplomb and help guide these troubled teens through their lives. Both adapt very well to the numerous roles they are given brilliantly.

Jonathon Bligh has done a remarkable job as musical director. Not only has he trained his cast superbly well but delivered one of the finest bands I've heard in amateur theatre in a long, long time. Tight, disciplined and in tune (hooray!) they are comparable to professional musos in their quality of performance.

Although there were some minor staging issues and sound problems dogged act one of the performance these were, by and large, rectified in act two. One other minor niggle is the expensive programme which doesn't tell you who plays what and seems really small for the price you pay.

This is a production that all involved with can be rightly proud of. It was an outstanding night of theatre and one that will resonate with everyone blessed to see it.

Wagner Knows

In one of the many documentaries of the Lord Of The Rings dvds, Sir Ian McKellan mentions that he reads the books every single year. At the time I remember thinking that was a curious thing to do. The books are long and can be quite tough to get through. Funnily enough, the same thing has often been said about my annual event- Wagner's Ring Cycle. I'm not sure when this habit started but practically every year I find myself going through the the vast cycle of operas in some way, shape or form.

For the uninitiated, the Ring cycle is a series of four operas written by composer Richard Wagner over the course of 25 years. They tell the story of the rise and fall of the Gods (most specifically Wotan- their leader) and the start of the human race. There's a LOT of music (nearly 15 hours worth) and it's all linked together by a series of "leitmotivs" that are either sung onstage or played in the orchestra (which numbers over 100 players).It's quite possibly the finest achievements in music ever. Certainly it's one of the most influential and controversial works ever written. I'm not going to go into a lengthy rave about this music but no matter how many times I hear this I always find something new- some nook or cranny in the score that I missed on the previous 20 outings through the Ring. The music itself never fails to move me. I've just recently finished watching a cycle filmed in Valencia in Spain which utilized a troupe of movement specialists (I'm loathe to use the term dancers because there was no real dancing) as well as state of the art back-projection to tell the story. At the end of the second opera the god Wotan bids farewell to his daughter, Brunnhilde. It's a sad and powerful moment (especially if you've been watching the action unfold for the opera and a bit) and even now the music that Wagner wrote for this moment is one of the most achingly beautiful melodies that I still almost burst into tears every time. Conductor Zubin Mehta states that he finds the remaining 15 or so minutes of the opera incredibly hard to conduct as he's fighting back the tears as well. It's wonderful when music can still elicit the same emotional connection everytime you hear it. it also shows that for all his faults as person (by all accounts Wagner was a massive egomaniac and a generally unpleasant man to be around) Wagner knew how to find that raw nerve and emotion musically. If you never listen to another opera (or series of operas) again I strongly challenge you all to take the plunge and discover this amazing work for yourself.

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From one extreme to another and I want to talk about the anonymous facebooker known as "Adelaide Knows". I find it curious that this person has almost succeeded in uniting the Adelaide Theatre Community. Anyone with half a braincell can slag off a show anonymously. If this person (whoever they may be) had any kind of spine they'd say their vitriol with their name attached. In the past I've come under fire for things I've either said outright or implied on this blog or on my Facebook comments. Indeed as a consequence I've occasionally written status updates only to delete them a few hours later for fear of reprisals. There are things I could say about aspects of local theatre that are bugging me but I find it unhelpful to do so- and more to the point it won't change anything except that people will start to see me as a whinging old so and so. Maybe this is what Adelaide Knows is trying to avoid. Well to them I say that's tough. It's bad enough when you slag off a show ("Dirty Rotten Scoundrels- yawn") but then you slag off individuals like Ben Finn or Hayley Horton- both of whom I daresay have done more for Adelaide Theatre then you EVER have- and you cross a line. I realize that my comments are not going to bring this mysterious person out of the shadows (indeed it will probably garner some subtle (or not-so subtle) reference in one of their status updates about how easily I am riled). In some ways it is sad that people are not allowed to speak their mind in this town but then again I was always taught the old adage that if you have nothing good to say then don't say it. Ah well, maybe by taking some fire it will divert their attention from other things. I believe that's called taking one for the team.

Who knows?

Jesus Christ Superstar- Her Majesty's Theatre, Gilbert and Sullivan Society of SA

The G and S society should be immensely proud of this achievement. Director David Lampard has created a thought-provoking and challenging production that will polarise people- and he'd LOVE it!

The decision to cast professionals Luke Kennedy and Danny Lopresto in roles of Jesus and Judas respectively caused a few grumbles and ripples but their performance totally justified the expense. Kennedy is an absolute revelation in the role. Vocally he nailed every note and his stage presence was second to none. This is a role that he will just get better and better at for sure. His performance of "Gesthemane" left the audience breathless. Lopresto certainly has the vocal ability and physicality to bring off Judas but lacked a certain amount of emotional connection to the role- certainly as the show went on this improved. Sarah Lloyde as Mary is another wonderful addition to the cast. Her characteristation of the role was pretty much bang on the money (although why MD Ross Curtis let her Mariah Carey-ise the vocal line in "I Don't Know To Love Him" thus killing the mood and meaning of the song entirely is beyond me).

The three principals are backed by the brilliant G and S chorus- all expertly drilled in their music and singing- and a host of wonderful little cameos throughout- including Kent Green as Herod (one of the show's highlights), Fahad Faroque as Simon, Beau-Daniel Loumeau as Peter and Joel Valenti as Pilate (quite possibly one of the finest interpretations of the role I've ever seen).

Lampard's curious decision to cast female priests just didn't work for me. As talented as all the ladies are the range of the roles was clearly too much for both Louise Messenger (as Caiaphas) and Vanessa Shirley (as Annas). The masculinity of the lyrics also seemed to be lost on Lampard and it didn't really gel for me- not too mention them appearing as the backing singers for Judas in "Superstar".

The sound design by Matt Curtis was flawless and lighting by Nathan Luscombe was outstanding. Costumes were generally good (although the priests looked a little like a cross between an ice cream scoop and a pez dispenser). Ross Curtis led a tight and well-drilled band.

Despite some reservations about some of the directing in the first act, these are relatively minor points. The enthusiasm of the crowd after the moving final 15 minutes of this production proved that "Superstar" in the right hands has the power to make people think. And at the end of the end of the day, that's all any director could wish for.

Goodbye, Dolly

I want to reflect on the last four months of my theatrical life.

I'm always asked by people on the final night of a show how I feel. My usual response is that it's always kind of mixed. On the one hand, it's nice to have my evenings back but on the other hand, I miss the people, I miss the friendships, I miss the sense of doing something that people enjoy doing and people enjoy watching.

In May I was faced with a choice. I was doing State Opera's Aida which would finish in August and then I had nothing lined up. It was a weird feeling so I thought about the shows that were coming up and I noticed that The Met was doing Hello Dolly so I thought I would audition. After viewing the film I realised that the only role I could realistically audition for was Rudolph- head waiter of the harmonium gardens. At info night the director, Hermonn, said he wanted someone in his late 40's. Well I'm old, but not THAT old. Then I thought well if I don't try out for it then I won't get the role full stop. To my surprise, I got the role!

That began something that has been a wonderful journey that I embarked upon. Yes there were hard times, a few cross words, some mumbled whisperings behind backs and a few clashes, but by and large it has been a really pleasant group of people to work with.

I think I have walked away from this having made some wonderful new friends who I will miss incredibly when I move. Some of the younger cast like Michaela and Sophia who always greeted me with a smile and a hug (except when Sophia "wasn't in a hugging mood") have always made me feel great. Guys like Brendan and Shay were great people to swap stories with and share a dressing room with. Truly great company. Gemma was the most gorgeous ball of energy who always greeted me with a loud "RODNEEEY!" and a back breaking hug. Lisa also became a good friend when I needed a little encouragement and help- another beautiful soul. It's also very hard to look past the other members of the ensemble like Victoria and Elle from the younger end of the cast to the more elder statesmen like Shirley, Nancy and Robert.

My dance partners Raelene, Courtney and especially Haidee showed tremendous patience and good humour when faced with my two left feet. Ah, how well I remember Raelene looking lovingly into my eyes whilst angrily gritting "left! left! left!" through her teeth. Poor Courtney never lost her smile despite going over one particular step with me more times then I care to remember and Haidee dealt with me by appealing to my twisted sense of humour and mentioned words like "scrotum" and "breasts" copiously.... All three are saints in my eyes.

Then there was the power coupling of Greg and Trish Hart. Never have I been so honored to share a stage with two of the finest performers I have ever worked with. Their professionalism, humour and ability were a credit to the production and a lesson to all the younger folks in the cast. I really hope they all learnt from the unspoken lessons they gave each and every rehearsal.

Behind the scenes I was actively encouraged once again by Carmel who managed to get me to look reasonably assured of my dancing (no small feat) and Hermonn who- German swear words aside- gave me enough wiggle room to fully explore this character I had. And then there was the Stefanoffs- MD Ben and his wife Kristin who not only welcomed me into the show but into their hearts as well. Two wonderful individuals (with a gorgeous puppy to boot).

Yes, I have made many wonderful relationships in this show.

As a final hoorah for me from Adelaide theatre it was more than I ever could have hoped for.

To all the wonderful people who made up the company from Dolly I leave you with the words of Stephen Schwarz from "Wicked"-

Who can say if I've been changed for the better,

but because I knew you I have been changed for good.

The World Goes 'Round, Arts Theatre, Marie Clark Musical Theatre

Marie Clark have gone a strange path for their second musical of the year. Instead of a traditional musical they have opted for a celebration of the wonderful body of work from collaborators John Kander and Fred Ebb. Kander and Ebb gave us some amazing shows like "Cabaret", "Chicago" and "Kiss Of The Spider Woman" amongst many others. Whilst these shows are represented, it's the other numbers in the show from their lesser known works that make this an entertaining evening.

Director Ben Saunders (who also designed the wonderfully versatile set) has assembled a cohesive and dedicated cast of performers who deliver many a wonderful performance. Musical director Gordon Combes has picked his soloists very carefully making sure the right people sing the right songs. Jenny Scarce-Tolley sings up a storm several times but never more so in the duet "The Grass Is Always Greener" (paired with the equally wonderful Maxine Morales). Nikki Gaertner-Eaton nearly manages to upstage her husband Chris Eaton (never an easy feat) in "Ring Them Bells" but the real standout is Omkar Nagesh who not only shows his serious side in "I Don't Remember You" but his humorous side in "Sara Lee".

Kylie Pedler's choreography works well for the most part even if the execution of the ensemble isn't as polished as it could be.

The band suffers from bad audio (always a problem when onstage). The drums couldn't be heard and there was practically no bass, whilst the acoustic instruments had intermittent tuning issues throughout the night. One suspects that with a few more performances under their belt, these problems will iron themselves out.

The sound mix was a little hit and miss on opening night and few lazy follow spots need to be tightened up. However, once these small issues are resolved this will be a very entertaining evening.

Auditions 101

You know I've sat in on so many auditions now I can't even begin to think of how many hours I've spent listening to potential wannabes.

There's something special about auditions...in fact, I think more people prepare for the audition than the role. With a new round of auditions starting the next few months I thought it might be an idea for me to give potential auditionees some vital tips on preparing an audition. If you want to study it further I'd heartily recommend Peter Mapleson's book "Auditioning For Musicals" (some of his song suggestions are a little out of date but the bulk of the book is timeless)

Song Choice

You've heard it mentioned on Idol/X-Factor many times, but song choice is critical. Many audition panels (especially for amateur groups) require you to sing a song from the show (usually one from the character you're auditioning for) so this eliminates the problem but if you are allowed to sing your own song then make sure it shows YOU off to the best of your abilities. To quote Geraldine Turner:

"Get songs that suit your voice, in at least three different styles and pay to have them well arranged and copied in your key. They should last you for twenty years of auditioning"

I'd also go on to add that the pianist is sight-reading so it's best to make sure your accompaniments are relatively simple. If you're not sure, ask someone that plays how hard the accompaniment is. If you really, REALLY want to do that fast piece of Sondheim then hire the services of a piano player to play for your audition (but always check with the company that it's ok to bring them along). I also want to re-iterate the point about the music being in your key! Sight-transposing is NEVER easy at the best of times let alone in the pressure-cooker that is an audition. It also is unnerving on YOU as a performer to have a piano part being lightly bashed and mutilated to within an inch of its life by some poor piano player who's struggling to remember what key they're in....been there, done that, bought the t-shirt....

Present! Present! Present!

"You audition proper begins the moment you enter the building and does not stop until you leave. The auditioners will be interested in you as a person as well as a performer" Derek Bowsill

One of my absolute PET HATES in auditions is people who are unprepared. People who rock up with no idea of the song they'll be singing, or the dialogue to be spoken. They look like they've just gotten out of bed (and dress accordingly) and spend the whole audition making excuses. I don't care how good you are, if you don't make the effort, neither will I. Dress appropriately, be well-groomed and polite the whole time...and this most importantly....NEVER say "sorry" in an audition. Don't make excuses about your voice, your cold, the lack of preparation because your pet bunny died etc. Let the panel judge you- don't give them a reason to reject you.

Be Open-Minded

You know, there's nothing wrong with chorus- or that small role with two lines of dialogue. Unless you're a top-line star you should never go in for only one role- always be open to a panel's suggestion for you to read for another role- or to be in chorus. But if you're insistent on only going for the one role then don't lie and say you'll take chorus- trust me, panels are like elephants when it comes to memory. they'll remember the people who said they'd be in chorus but then poo-pooed it when offered it.

Prepare Ye!

There are many excellent singing teachers out there. Go to one of them. My first singing teacher told me that everyone can sing- just some people need more coaxing and work than others. Do the effort and get lessons. take a drama course if you're so inclined (even take dance classes!). Trust me, the triple threat is more likely to get roles than not. If you're serious about strutting your stuff on stage then make it happen and put in the work!

Good Luck!

All Shook Up- Arts Theatre, Shedley Theatre, Chaffey Theatre- Matt Byrne Media

One thing that Matt Byrne can't be faulted on over the years is his ability to find obscure shows and put them on. In fact the current trend in Adelaide theatre to staging new shows is thanks in no small part to his willingness to give these shows a run for better or for worse.
A musical featuring a healthy serve of Elvis classics (and not-so classics) is almost guaranteed to get the crowds in and the vocal crowd at the start of the second week of shows at The Arts Theatre was testament to that. Early reviews indicated a number of technical glitches that dogged opening week. It's a credit to the technical crew that a lot of that has now been resolved. There are still a small number of incredibly slow scene changes and some bizarre lighting cues that spoil a couple of numbers and the chorus still struggles to be heard over the loud band and miked principals.
But another thing Matt Byrne always delivers is a dedicated cast, and this one is a beauty. Gavin Cianci struggles vocally against the might of The King and his pitching is an issue in places when singing (and he is not the only one), but his overall performance as roustabout Chad is a delight- full of swagger and cool (helped by his handsome looks and remarkable head of hair).
Melanie Smith is the pick of the singers- backing up her star turn in last years' "Hot Shoe Shuffle"- playing the role of lovelorn mechanic Natalie who becomes Ed- a male roustabout- in order to spend more time with Chad.
Dominic Hodges and Rebecca Plummer make cute couple as a pair of star-crossed young lovers whilst Gareth Wilkes takes the comedy trophy with his turn as nerdy Dennis. Heidi-Rae Abbey is wonderfully sexy as cougar Miss Sandra and Chris Bussey has a grand old time (and a helluva wedding dress) as Mayor Melinda.
But the absolute winners from this cast are Maggie Wood and Russell Ford as Sylvia and Jim. Wood gives us one of the best performances I've ever seen her in, full of sass, and full of heart with a wonderful act two solo whilst Ford times his role perfectly with the right amount of comic timing and tenderness.
Director Matt Byrne does his best to keep his mouth shut as Sheriff Earle but we all know that you can't fight fate....
The chorus are generally good although the male dancing is still very rough as guts in places. Sue Pole has done a great job yet again although some of the later routines lack the polish that the earlier ones do.
Mike Pitman's band has some balance issues with guitar and piano almost being drowned out by the brass section. Quite why Byrne decided they should be onstage is a puzzlement to me. They would be much better served in the pit where the singers can see the conductor and hear the band properly.
All in all though this is a fun night out with many wonderful tunes and some genuinely funny moments (although it must be said that writer Joe DiPetrio's script really gets bogged down in act two). The show could have probably stood to lose a couple of the act two ballads and some dialogue trimmed to make this an really exciting two and a half hour show instead of the almost three hours running time (not a fault of the production but more the original writers).
At a time when a lot of theatre is very dark and depressing it's always good to remember what theatre does best- makes us forget our troubles. This is one show that will do just that.

Author note: Full disclosure- I worked on this rehearsals of this show for approximately six weeks. This review was based wholly and soley on the performance given on the 13th of July at The Arts Theatre.

My Top Ten Songs

After my last blog, something a little lighter.... and totally inspired by Nicole Molloy's blog on the same topic (that's the sound of me being a sheep...)

I couldn't possibly find a proper order for these songs so I'll just list you ten of my favourite songs (click on the title for a youtube link to the song in question)

Burn- Deep Purple

After the departure of their most revered lead singer, Ian Gillan, and their brilliant bassist and songwriter Roger Glover, you could be forgiven for thinking that Deep Purple would just give up. Instead they hired David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes and kept right on going. The first song off of the first album with these two is quite simply one of the best songs DP ever did. The drums are like pounding cannons, Jon Lords throws in an amazing keyboard and Ritchie Blackmore, as per usual, blows the socks off of every other guitarist in the business. 6 minutes of white knuckle pounding rock...

Katie Melua- Thank You Stars

One of my most favourite love songs ever. Katie has a beautifully fragile voice here. The string arrangement is wonderful- and the addition of the mandolin inspired. But more than any of that, it's the beautiful and haunting lyrics that get me every time. This is a wedding song if I ever heard it.

Spandau Ballet- Gold

Oh yes. I'm going there. Have you ever sat down and listened to what this song is about? A father's final words to his daughter before she heads off. I always envisage he's alone and she's has turned up at his house and seen him by himself but instead of being downtrodden he gives her this beautiful piece of advice- always believe in your soul. There's nothing left for me to do, you're everything I had hoped you be. For a band in their mid twenties, this was remarkably mature writing. Tony Hadley has amazing vocal chops, his technique is flawless here (remember this is pre-Protools). Beautifully produced and performed.

Electric Light Orchestra- Mr. Blue Sky

There are so many ELO songs I could have listed here, but I'm going to go with this one, as it really is one their very, very best numbers. So bright, happy and catchy. You hear this once, you'll never forget it. This is the finale to side 3 of their "Out Of The Blue" album and it's the finale of their "Concerto For A Rainy Day". You can just hear the sunshine in every pore of this song.

Kate Miller-Heidke- Space They Cannot Touch

Haunting, evocative and so brilliantly underplayed. Anyone who has followed me on facebook will know how highly I regard Kate's music. This song- one of her earliest- is a great reason why. How do you describe that moment when you wake up next to the person you love? That moment when nothing else in the world matters- it's just you and them. Kate does an absolutely brilliant job of describing it.

Live- Lakini's Juice

This song is just one of my all time favourites. The lyrics make no sense at all, but in this case, who cares? This song has a brilliant vocal performance from Ed Kowalcyk on top of some outstanding playing from the rest of the band- added in to that is a great string arrangement. I just love the way it dips down quietly and then explodes out of the blocks with an almost primal scream. Crank this one loud and proud...

David Bowie- Life On Mars

Long before John Simm's series of the same name propelled this into the musical stratosphere it was one of my favourite Bowie numbers. What an amazing vocal performance (stretching nearly two octaves) and beautifully arranged, produced and performed. This was Bowie at his absolute creative and artistic peak.

Bon Jovi- Keep The Faith

This song is one of those numbers I loved the second I heard it. From the moment the bass kicks in with a brilliant riff this hooks you in. Jon delivers things with a powerful punch (as usual), Richie Sambora chugs along for most of the song and then nails a fantastic solo. This was a remarkably great period for Bon Jovi. The whole album is brilliant but the title track for me is one of their finest ever.

Queen- Princes Of The Universe

Again, so many Queen songs I could have picked, but it's this one that sneaks over the line. Why? Freddie Mercury proves why he is the greatest vocalist in rock history. Just an all out rock pounder. I swear Roger Taylor sounds like he's about to break cymbals during this one. Brian May is in outstanding form too. The production is brilliant as well. loved this song from the moment I heard it as well. Yes, THAT'S why I picked this one over the others...

Iron Maiden- Run To The Hills

Another rock classic that has embedded itself into my subconscious. The drums don't pound, they BATTER. Bruce Dickinson shows amazing vocal chops and it's all capped off with a brilliant guitar solo in the middle. This is a Maiden classic. And a fitting end to my top ten list.

Here comes that feeling again.....

This week I started planning my move to Melbourne. To be honest, I'm scared witless about the whole thing. Everyone keeps asking me if there is anyone I know over there- and yes there are a few friends that now live over there- but none I'd want to mooch off of for a few months while I find my feet.

But there's also someone else living there....

To tell this tale (probably one of the few deep regrets I have in my life) we have to go back to 1998. I was 24. I was the rehearsal pianist for Mayfair's brilliant production of "Sweeney Todd"- it was how I first met Tim Sexton. It was also where I first met Rochelle.

Originally she was just going to be in the chorus, but then our original Johanna had to pull out and Rochelle became the new one. She was inexperienced, an ok singer....and absolutely drop-dead, gob smackingly beautiful. Both physically and mentally.

Of course, being the rehearsal pianist I had to spend a lot of time with Rochelle while she learnt her part. Oh how I ached to hear the magic phrase from Tim- "Rochelle, let's work on your bits while we have a moment".

I should say that I was a total professional. I assumed she had some boyfriend tucked away somewhere so I just thought "Ok Rodney, read your music, do your job...it'll pass". It didn't. Then after one rehearsal she came over to me and hugged me and said "I'm glad you're playing". I was a jibbering mess. What I meant to say was "Why thanks Rochelle, that's really sweet of you". What came out was a new language- I think it was a hybrid of Swahili and Mandarin Chinese. She laughed. I laughed. She left. I had to start breathing again.

For the next two weeks or so I tried to be more social with her, all the while reminding myself that this woman was more than likely off the market, when during a conversation she casually mentioned that she hadn't had a boyfriend for a couple of years. That mysterious language I created? Yup, came back again.

Now before I continue on here, I should point out that I have never been that lucky with the ladies. I don't really know why. If I was being brutal to myself I could say it's because I'm a fat, ugly git. I don't think too many women think of me like that but I'm pretty certain none have seen me and immediately thought "hubba hubba" (or words to that effect). I have never found it easy to talk to attractive women. For some reason I get very self-conscious and as a result I probably come across as either a try-hard or desperate. Or both.

But with Rochelle it was different. I was worse. I seriously could not string two sentences together. I was so damn in love with this girl that it totally and utterly screwed with my mind. It was the first time I was truly in love. I didn't realise this until about halfway through the rehearsal period when I found myself watching her every move and just hoping and praying she would spend some time with me. It was pathetic.

I'm glad I don't have a TARDIS- or some other time travel device- because to see me act like that would be embarrassing. I honestly have no idea if the rest of the cast (which included her brother by the way) noticed it.

One night I had to ring her brother (honestly!) and she picked up the phone. We talked for over an hour. Anyone that has called me on the phone will know what an absolute miracle that was. I soon convinced myself that she was, at the very least, open to going out on a date with me. All I had to do was ask. So I started to psych myself up.

Days turned into weeks and soon the season was upon us. I could see the window of opportunity rapidly disappearing. Oh I'd love to tell you that I summoned up the courage to ask her out. But I didn't. The only thing we ever did together was go and see B*Witched together at the Saturn Nightclub (It was promo thing- I won two tickets on the radio). No dinner, no coffee afterwards. Just the show, a hug goodbye and that was it.

You sad, sad, sad, pathetic man.

But the worst was still to come for my already fragile psyche.

She auditioned for State Opera and didn't get in. I'll never forget the email she sent- "I didn't get in. that does it! I'm moving to Melbourne!". And she did.

"That's ok," thought I, "I'm sure she'll keep in contact". Well she did for a little while. And then she told me about her new boyfriend she met over there. My heart sank. The final nail came when I rang her and her boyfriend picked up the phone and hadn't realised it had connected to me- "It's Rodney" he said. "Oh...hmmm....he can leave a message" came her response. That was a conversation I wish I hadn't heard. I silently hung up the phone and slunk away to my bedroom. I listened to Mahler- as I often do when I'm depressed- and even the beauty and majesty of his music failed to lift my spirits. For a very long time I couldn't even bring myself to say her name for fear of losing it completely.

What if I'd actually grown a pair and asked this girl out? What if we'd become a couple? Would we have moved to Melbourne together? Would we have moved in together here? Marriage? Kids? God only knows.

I'd love to tell you all that I learnt from that experience but I really didn't. In fact I think it burnt it into my psyche that I'm simply not able to ask anyone out.

I don't have very many regrets in my life, but that is by far one of the biggest.

Somewhere in Melbourne she's living with her husband (yes she got married a few years later) and, presumably, kids. She probably doesn't even remember me now. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

I think it is....

Curtains for the Curtain Calls?

The recent announcement of nominees for this year's ATG Curtain Call awards has come out. Doubtless over the next few days there will be many a congratulatory message left on people's Facebook walls and a few grumbling ones in status updates. (There's already one in my news feed!). It's times like these that make me wonder if the awards are a good or bad thing for Adelaide Theatre. This is not a slap against the ATG (Adelaide Theatre Guide)- they created these awards with the absolute best and noble intentions (even if their categories leave a lot to be desired- I'll never forget at the first awards ceremony the bile I forced down my throat when I heard one of the reviewers for the ATG declare to all and sundry from the podium that it was the onstage performances people remember the most so that's what's being honoured and nothing else- hence the reason there was no backstage awards like Best Director, Best Costumes- now there are a few minor dribbles like "Best Technical"- but rather the mindset that turned us into competitive and slightly narky theatre folk.

It would be incredibly naive of me to think that the awards were the reason Adelaide Theatre has recently become more separated than what it was. This is not a fault of the companies but rather some of the individuals that populate them. Now they have a reason to get narky ("Oh the Joe Bloggs company got nominated yet again- ho hum- no surprise given that one of the reviewers is on their committee", "Oh gosh what a surprise to see Fred Nerk nominated yet again, seriously he's SO overrated"). Before, all the recognition the hard-working folk of Adelaide Theatre got was a good review and at the end of the year a paragraph in the Oscarts. Now there's a CEREMONY!!! and AWARD TROPHIES!!!! and CLAIRE HOOPER!!!!

I realize this probably comes across as sour grapes because none of the shows I was involved in got nominated, but to be honest when I see what these awards have done to us it makes me sad. I just don't think we're ready for these awards. There have been a lot of simmering tensions for a while (long before the awards started) but these seem to bring out the worst (and best) in us. When the inevitable winners are announced, there'll be lots of backslapping and faint praise I'm sure.

Actually I think one of my MD colleagues summed it up perfectly when he said "Nobody supports anyone else these days yet expects everyone to come and see their shows". He's right (and I'm as guilty as anyone- although I do try and make it to a large number of shows throughout the year).

There's a lot more I could say on where Adelaide Theatre is going wrong, but you know what? It's easy to bitch so how about I finish by saying a few nice things about recent Adelaide Theatre and the people that populate it?

What I AM loving about Adelaide Theatre now is the daring of companies to do more recent shows that haven't made it to Adelaide's theatres before. Shows like "Curtains", "Honk!", "Spamalot", "All Shook Up" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (that's just this year!) have proved a boom for performers and audiences alike. 8 years ago you would have said that Adelaide audiences don't embrace new things. The large crowds that attend these shows actually prove that they do! This can only be good. I'll also say that the level and quality of the productions are of a very high standard all round (both on and offstage). That's something I LOVE about Adelaide Theatre. So what if we have a budget of only $15,000? Let's stage Miss Saigon! That "can do" attitude of companies is a healthy and good thing to see. It's also good to see the immense pool of young talent we have (again, both on and offstage). I don't think Adelaide Theatre will ever have THAT particular well dry up.

Time for me to take my bow (and dodge a few rotten tomatoes).....

Honk!- Marie Clarke Theatre Company- Arts Theatre

When Marie Clark do the right show it's a really good thing to watch. "Honk!" is such a show. This musical retelling of the ugly duckling fable is full of life, colour and pizazz. But what it also has is a big, big heart.

Director Megan Dansie has got the best out of her ensemble making sure the action or interest never waivers. Scene changes are smooth and, by and large, unobtrusive. Rachel Dow has done some remarkable choreography- especially in Act Two. Ben Morton's set design makes the most out of a limited budget and a small stage. Renee Brice has done an outstanding job on the costumes.

Headlining the cast is a beautiful, touching and totally believable performance by newcomer Scott Reynolds. This guy is one to watch. He never breaks character and has a wonderful singing voice to boot. Kate Brooker as his mother, Ida, also is a highlight of this production, even if her vocals are not quite as strong as they could be. Daniel Salmon's Bullfrog threatens to upstage just about anyone and anything not nailed down whilst Jethro Pidd- with a rather bizarre accent- puts on a great turn as the nasty Cat. Eleanor Stankiewicz also puts in a great performance as a cat in heat.

The ensemble is full of lively characters, young and old, and musically they are very, very tight. Musical directors Kate White and Joanna Patrick have done a great job with them, although the same can't entirely be said about the rather hit and miss ensemble in the pit which sounds like it needs a couple more rehearsals under its belt. However, both groups make do with what is a largely rather unremarkable score.

Nevertheless, these minor quibbles aside (and few technical glitches with the sound towards the end of the show) it is a wonderful show for both young and old audiences. Gosh it would be great to see a show such as this get recognised by the ATG in their curtain call awards. It deserves to sit alongside some of the best this state's local groups have done in the last year.

Sydney (Part 2) and beyond

It occurs to me that I haven't yet finished my ruminations on my Sydney trip and the subsequent Adelaide performance of Mahler 8 so I think I need to finish that part of my blog before I can officially "move on".

When I last wrote about the trip I was almost at performance stage. I think it was on the Thursday of our first performance. I wasn't feeling very well- my throat had finally succumbed to the humidity and constant singing of the week. However- I made it through our first performance and was relatively happy with the both my own performance and the performance as a whole. There's something very special about singing in the Opera House. It may not have the nicest acoustics, the lights look like giant toilet seats, and the seating looks very 70's, but it is still an amazing experience.

On the Friday we did a what is known as a "patching call"- where any bits that didn't quite work we resang to an empty auditorium (the performances were recorded for a cd to come out later). During the run of that my voice completely went dry and I started coughing. I went home early and rested. Fortunately by the time the following night rolled around I was ready for action.

It was a major event in my life. After the nearly 90 minutes running time the Sydney audience leapt to it's feet and cheered as one. It reminded me of standing onstage at the end of the Ring cycle in 2004. Just one of those moments that lives with you forever I reckon.

So the musical side of the trip was definitely brilliant. Working with the SSO and Vladimir Ashkenazy was an amazing experience. I don't know if I'll ever have that experience again to be honest. The professionalism of those involved was wonderful, and we were- for the most part- treated wonderfully.

Probably the only downside for me was the expense of it all. We didn't get paid for anything and we did this off our bat. The public transport costs alone for the week amounted to $120! Not to mention buying meals, cough lollies, etc. This was really the only downer for the trip (well, that and my voice caving in on the Friday then getting all those lovely blisters).

Arriving back in Adelaide, we went back into the final rehearsals for the Adelaide performance. It's hard to go back a step having had such a buzz in Sydney. many of the touring party felt like it was superfluous.

The Adelaide performance was a lively and energetic one. Arvo Volmer had a great concept of the work (even if a little hurried), and the ASO were as good as the SSO. The soloists were perhaps not as strong a lineup as in Sydney but they were still good.

The only letdown was the venue. The Adelaide Entertainment Center is great for rock concerts, Disney on Ice, WWE wrestling and the like, but for the nuance and dynamic contrasts of Mahler (or any work from the classical repertoire) it was like playing in a tin shed. Funny, because that's exactly what the AEC is....

Oh sure, they used mics and foldback but it was just not the same as the feeling of hearing the organ rumble under your feet and this sense that you were part of a greater whole. Instead it felt like there was me, about five people immediately around me and an orchestra in the distance. It was a bit of a shame really.

One thing though that Adelaide did have over Sydney. A decent cast party. Yup- in Sydney the choir had to buy their own drinks and food at the thank you party put on by the SSO. That's right- NOTHING was free. (Apparently we were supposed to get some photographic souvenir from the event but it hasn't shown up yet- two months after the event). But at the Adelaide gig we got free drinks and nibbles. Wine, champers, Coopers, Soft drink, all free.

On looking back over the whole thing I feel immensely proud of myself for the effort I made in learning this work. It's an amazing piece of music- one I never thought I'd sing. I will walk away from this whole experience with the joy of Mahler renewed in me yet again....

...not that it ever left me to begin with.

Dear Sir Andrew.....

Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber

C/o The Really Useful Company

22 Tower Street

London

WC2H 9TW

Dear Sir Andrew,

You don't know me, but I have been a loyal follower of yours since my mother bought home the original London Cast recording of "Evita" when I was barely 6 years old (You know the one?where the lady playing the title role gets second billing to David Essex?). I also doubt I am the first one to say that your musicals inspired me to become involved in theatre. Living in a relatively small city you probably haven't heard of (it's called Adelaide, in Australia. Google it if you're not sure) I have found myself conducting and taking part in the vibrant theatre scene here. This has meant conducting your shows and watching several more. We have some pretty talented people down here who often have some great ideas for pepping up older shows (just keep an ear out for an upcoming production of "Superstar" where the leads may or may not be female. No I'm not kidding. Jesus as a female. Think about that for a moment.....) so I'd like to think that I could help you with "Love Never Dies".

Now I must say from the start that I'm not going to slag it off. I don't mind it all (and that's without seeing the show) but I do feel that there are some corners and problems that maybe you and your production team might want to reconsider should you decide to take the show back to the workshop (so to speak) ahead of the Broadway and Australian runs. Now I'd never pretend for a second that I know more about what makes a good show than you do- you're the one with the knighthood and rather posh house after all- so whether you regard these suggestions or not I leave entirely up to you.

Firstly, this show is set 10 years after the original "Phantom". When Michael Crawford first performed the role he was 44. Ramin Karimloo was 31 when he premiered in "Love Never Dies". Oh, I know he also sang in "Phantom" to great acclaim, and I'm quite happy to accept that Phantom might be in his mid-thirties in "Phantom"...but surely it would be amazing to have someone sing the Phantom who actually LOOKS like he's had the life experience and sounds it. Did you see Anthony Warlow in "Phantom" recently??? He'd totally own Karimloo in "Love Never Dies" and he'd pull off the role with enormous punch. Can't wait to hear him sing "'Til I Hear You Sing Once More". On that same point, why does Christine STILL sound like a young and naive teenager? Surely she's had slightly more experience after ten years of marriage to Raoul? Yet again, you pick someone extremely young to play her in the show (both Sarah Brightman and Sierra Boggess are/were around the same age when they premiered their respective Christines). I think you seriously needed to get older people in these roles. Maybe think back to great Phantoms and Christines of the 90's and see what they can do? On the plus side, it's great to see Meg Giry get a much meatier role this time around and play, along with her mother, such a vital and important role.

As far as the music itself goes I generally found the music to be melodic and well written with two exceptions. Your song "The Beauty Underneath" sounds like a cast off from "Whistle Down The Wind"- not really in the same style as "Phantom". Why you quite chose this style for this particular number in this particular show I'll never quite know. I'll also never quite know why you chose to musically end the show the way you did. To have a flute line that just peters out to nothing (and not even on a tonic note) seems a really bizaare way to bring the curtain down. Mind you, given your track record of ending shows like Superstar, Evita and Woman In White- and indeed the original "Phantom"- on a quieter and unfinished chord it perhaps shouldn't be too surprising. I can't help but wonder if you're paving the way for a third and final entry? Believe me Sir Andrew, I have defended your musical honor more times than I care to imagine. I still believe your scores for "Aspects of Love" and "Sunset Boulevard" are two of the finest compositions you have ever written and musically as rich as anything written by Broadways finest.

In conclusion- as I know you are an extremely busy person, as is your publicity person who'll probably be the one who actually reads this- I hope you take the time to tinker with this show. There is a lot more to recommend this show than others might have you believe. I'm also quite happy to waive any rights, fees or royalties for my services today- think of it as a tiny thank you for all the years of enjoyment your shows have given me- and hopefully will continue to give me.

Yours,

Rodney

"Spamalot"- Northern Light Theatre Company- Shedley Theatre, Elizabeth

It's obvious from the outset that there is a lot of love in this production. Director Mike Pole (whose brother directed the professional version), choreographer Sue Pole and Musical Director Peter Johns have put together an outstanding production.

Northern Light has taken some big risks in recent years but the packed house on the night I saw it shows that Monty Python will always bring the fans out. And I'm certain they weren't disappointed.

A top notch cast has taken the rather disjointed script by Eric Idle and turned it from an attempt at a cohesive plot to a series of funny sketches joined together with a loose thread or two (and some sparkling music).

There's really not a lot to tell if you've seen "Monty Python And The Holy Grail" you'll have pretty much seen Spamalot. The show sticks pretty rigidly to the film until the end when it's clear that Idle has no idea how to end the show (much in the same vein the comedy troupe had no idea how to end the original film).

None of this is the fault of Northern Light who make do with what they've got and they do it very well.

Nick Setchell and Megan Humpries sing up a storm as King Arthur and the Lady Of The Lake, both having memorable turns throughout the course of the night. Humphries is adorned is some outstanding costumes (and some that have to be seen to be believed).

They are joined by an outstanding array of talent including Omkar Nagesh (in several small but pivotal roles), Jason Ferguson, Steven Rudd Jethro Pidd, Michael Papps and Glenn Vallen- all who play numerous roles to perfection.

The rest of the ensemble join in the hilarity and dance and sing with great gusto.

The sets are practical and well lit and the costumes are all exceptional.

My biggest complaint is with Northern's ridiculous habit of miking the orchestra. As good as the band is, when it drowns out the chorus it's pointless. You either mic everyone on stage (including the chorus) or you do what other amateur groups do, which is only mic the principals. I've seen far too many Northern shows recently where the sound mix has ruined a good evening, and it's a shame when it's obvious that a lot of care and work has gone into putting on an outstanding show. It's something that needs to be addressed if Northern are to present the truly outstanding nights of entertainment that they are capable of.

Having said all that though, it was still a great night out with many laughs.

Sydney (Part One)

It's hard to believe I have been here in Sydney for a little over five days. When I arrived it was hot and humid. It stayed that way all weekend and for the majority of Monday as well. The weather here has been so interchangable. I think I've possibly experienced all four seasons this week. Mind you, at least it stayed the same for the whole day, unlike in Melbourne where the weather has more mood swings than a woman with PMS!

While I've been here I have been incredibly fortunate to stay with two of the nicest people I could have imagined. Bronwyn and I go way back (in fact I believe I took her to her first orchestral concert). Although we reconnected a couple years ago, we hadn't seen each other face to face for at least 15 years. When she said I could stay with and her fiancee, Ben, I was totally stoked. They have been wonderful hosts, allowing me to eat, sleep and come and go at all times of the day and night. The fact that they have opened up their hearts as well as their home will never be forgotten by me.

Of course, the reason I'm in Sydney is to perform in the Mahler 8th Symphony with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy. Mahler's music has been the soundtrack to my life for the better part of twenty years now and to sing in this monumental work, with the SSO and Ashkenazy at the Opera House was an opportunity I would not pass up. The rehearsals have been great (although the backstage area is like a labyrinth- I'm sure there have been more than one or two Spinal Tap moments from visiting artists). The singing has been first class and I can't wait for the performances tonight and on Saturday. That has definitely been the highlight for me.

Sadly it hasn't been quite the sightseeing adventure I had planned. The major thing I wanted to do was visit Martin Place and see Sunrise being filmed. That I did! I even met Mel, Kochie and Nat. Kochie's first to question to me after he found out I was from Adelaide was whether I barracked for Port Power. Sorry mate, no I don't. It's interesting to see the actual size of the studio in real life. It's a lot smaller than I imagined it was. And the fun thing about seeing into the studio was being able to see the hosts do things like scratch their bums and wash their glasses when they think nobody is looking.

The reason it hasn't been quite as glorious a trip as I had planned was that on Monday, after a LOT of walking around Sydney, I developed rather bad blisters on my feet, not to mention that the pollution and humidity has played havoc with my voice. I think also the fact that the touring party is basically split up into two groups- the over 55's and the under 25's (of which I am neither)- has meant that I really didn't fit into any group activities which meant that I am pretty much on my own when it comes to sightseeing. It has been a little depressing but I am refusing to let these setbacks bring me down. I will continue to bathe in the sunshine Mahler's music brings me.

Anyway, I shall finish my ruminations on the sydney trip once I get back to Adelaide.

Until next time blogrollers!

Ace Frehley- HQ Feb 2010

If there is one thing the Kiss Army is, it's loyal- especially to the four original members of Kiss. So when Ace Frehley originally announced only an east coast tour of Australia to promote his new album "Anomaly" the fans elsewhere kicked up a stink. Ace relented, and not only added new dates for other cities, but also cancelled the earlier tour so he could do it all in one fell swoop.
The Kiss faithful were not disappointed when the original Space Ace took the stage to the strains of his instrumental "Fractured Mirror" and then launched into "Rocket Ride" from "Alive 2". Over the next ninety minutes he let his music do the bulk of the talking (save the usual thank yous and the odd off-colour Michael Jackson joke). The bulk of the show was made up of songs from his days in Kiss and included such rarities as "Hard Times" and "Talk To Me" as well as a number of songs sung by other members of Kiss. Frehley had no qualms in letting his exceptional backing band do the singing either- his drummer doing an excellent impersonation of Gene Simmons on "Shout It Out Loud" and "Deuce". Frehley also let loose some songs from his earlier solo records including his self-titled debut. Although only a handful of numbers from "Anomaly" were played, they were received with as much warmth and love as any of the others. It also showed that Frehley still has the ability to write great riffs and powerful hooks. The relatively small but vocal crowd walked away feeling that they had seen something quite special.

On Australia Day ambushes, Courtesy and Facebook...

Well I'm a little bored tonight so I thought I would espouse my views yet again.

Firstly, thank you to the people who are following my blog and to those who have left comments. It's nice to know I'm getting through to people in a nerdy, geeky kind of way.

So on Australia Day the Premier of South Australia, Mike Rann, was due to show up and open an art exhibition on Greenhill Road. Who should show up but the woman who has accused the Premier of having an affair with her (a claim he has denied). Now here is where things get interesting. Somebody alerted the media that she would show up so naturally a huge gaggle of press showed up. This tipped off the Premier's people and they told him. Suddenly Mr. Rann became too busy. Now poor Russell Starke (and I use the term loosely as his reviews of both shows I've been involved in and others have been absolutely horrid at times) got all flappy and ordered this woman and her mother out of his gallery. You couldn't write a better script for "Home And Away" if you tried.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind sticking the boot into pollies when they deserve it but in this instance I don't see that Mr. Rann had any choice. It would have been a spectacle. Although the lady in question swears she wasn't going to do anything, just her mere presence there would have ruined the day for Starke, his gallery and the other guests who wanted to see the exhibition. If this lady wants to keep stymying the Premiers plans and his outings then she's going to need some serious tread on her shoes before March 10. And in the end it will only serve the Premier as the public will get sick of her showing up everywhere like a crazed stalker.

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Rehearsing for the Mahler 8 has been interesting to say the least. It bothers me that some (and I'm only talking a small handful here) seem to have lost their manners. You're there to rehearse. That means you sing, you listen to what the chorus master has to say and you apply it to what you're doing. But it seems to me that some people think that rehearsing means checking Facebook every 5 seconds (I love Facebook but even I can stay off it for an hour and a half), sending text messages, playing Nintendo DS or even knitting! For crying out loud. It's driving me nuts. Even if it's not your section that's rehearsing, show some respect to the people around you or to the section that IS rehearsing, and the funny thing about choir rehearsals is that what is said to one section can often be carried over to another.
To me it's all about the learning. Working with top people and enjoying the experience. It's sad that others just see it as another gig and they just can't be bothered. Well buddy, there's the door- don't let your butt hit it on the way out...

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Everyone seems to be telling me what I can and can't say on my status update so I may as well return the favour. Here's some things I DON'T want to see on a status update...


- Poor spelling. Seriously, there are plenty of sites to help you spell. Use them. You look ignorant and stupid.

- Rhetorical conversations with a person who won't read it ("Hey smelly lady next to me on the bus- TAKE A SHOWER!")

- Incessant plugs for shows you're doing. I don't mind event pages. I don't mind you plugging it a couple times but just LEAVE IT AT THAT!!!

- Over affectionate status to your partner. Ok, you love them. Great. You want to share it with the world. Awesome. BUT NOT EVERY STATUS UPDATE!!!

- Random Quotes. Nothing wrong with quoting a favourite line from a film or tv show. Please let us know though where it's from. Or do you just want people to ask you where it's from....?

- Bowel movements. It's bad enough when we get your diet plan everyday but I really don't need to know about the belch that rattled the windows or the fart that blew a whole in the wall and killed the cat.

and finally....

- Abbreviations. Not all of us speak in netspeak. Take the extra 5 seconds out of your day and write it out fully. Please

BTW- I'm probably guilty of at least 3 of the above but I have learnt my lesson. I think... naaaaaaaah.....

Until next time campers!

25 random things about me....thanks Kelly

I have been tagged by Kellyansapansa to share 25 random things about myself. Now I've got to think...

1. I am at a crossroads in my life right now. Part of me wants to stay with the status quo but a big part of me realises I can't stay where I am and that I need to move cities if I am ever to be successful in what I truly love doing.
2. My first car was a 1986 White Gemini hatch. Gorgeous car. 0-60 in about 3 days and faster to push up a hill than actually drive it up.
3. There are times when I just sit at the piano and play. I must confess to not having done any serious practice in a long time- my sight-reading is pretty good so it gets me by. However I realise that if I am to succeed at my goals that will have to change.
4. I hate being alone. I hate waking up alone.
5. I have always wanted to try my hand at standup comedy. I've always felt I could do a solid 10-20 minute bracket- maybe incorporating some of the parody songs I have written over the years.
6. Last year was the first time I had cried in a very long time. It was brought on by someone pushing me to the edge and nobody believing me. That complete frustration, coupled with lack of sleep just wrecked me.
7. The most amazing night of theatre I have ever been to was Wagner's "Parsifal" in 2002. Despite its near 6 hour running time at the end I felt like I could have watched it all over again.
8. If I don't have a cup of coffee in the morning I get really cranky.
9. 9 times out of ten when I remember dreams it's about me going back to either High School or Flinders Street and me always feeling out of place.
10. My party trick? Playing the piano from underneath.
11. I refuse to watch or read the Twilight series. The tweenies can drool over team whoever. I just don't care.
12. Last year was probably one of the worst years of my life- despite some bright rays of sunshine at the end.
13. I have well over 1000 cd's (originals- not burnt) and nearly 300 dvds in my collection.
14. When I was a kid I went to see Glenelg play Port Adelaide at Footy Park. In front of me were a family of Port supporters. When a Glenelg player tripped up a Port player the father shouted "Send the f****r off the ground you f*****g useless umpire. It's a f*****g disgrace!" Not one quarter later when a Port player proceeded to clotheline a bays player right in front of us the same man (surrounded by his kids) shouted "Kick his f*****g head in!!! That's it! F*****g kill the b*****d!". From that point on I swore never to support any team with words "Port" and "Adelaide" next to each other.
15. I don't drink much alcohol. Weird I know. My parents were never heavy drinkers (My dad has the great ability to have the same glass of beer in his hand all night aqnd make it look like he's had several) so I guess I never got the taste for it. When I was 18 I took a swig of Fosters and nearly vomited. Never drank the stuff again.
16. I have decided I really like getting photos with celebs. It's a great momento of a fleeting moment when you met someone who made it. Happened just last night.
17. I once saw Bert Newton in his underwear.
18. I love spending time with my niece and nephew. They make me feel young again (and it's a great excuse to see cartoons in the cinema)
19. I am getting tired of people telling me what I can and can't say in my Facebook status update. If my friendship is only worth what I write on my status then quite frankly I wonder why we're friends.
20. I hate the nickname Rod. To me, Rod belongs to either old cricketers or ageing rockstars of which I am neither. People just assume I don't mind being called Rod and I hate telling them I don't like it because I sound so petty.
21. I have an older brother- 4 years older than me.
22. My favourite game of all time would be guitar hero. any of the versions.
23. I tried wearing contact lenses but I hated them so I went back to glasses.
24. One night I will get up at a karaoke bar and sing "Bat Out Of Hell" loudly and proudly- followed by "Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad"
25. My dream job? Playing keyboard for Kelly Clarkson.

I now tag Maggie and Miss S!

"Avenue Q"- Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide

“Avenue Q” is one of the most outstanding productions Adelaide has seen in a long, long time. The Robert Lopez/ Jeff Marx musical has been a major hit on Broadway (where it won several major awards including the Tony Award for best musical), the West End and across Australia. It’s easy to see why.
The musical makes a mockery of the Sesame Street style by setting words like “Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist” and “The Internet Is For Porn” to melodies that wouldn’t be out of place on the children’s classic. And neither would the puppets. There’s the Bert and Ernie pairing of Rod and Nicky, the cookie monster style Trekkie Monster who are joined by a cast of other puppets and real life humans in their endeavours.
What makes this production outstanding is the hard work and brilliant performances of the cast who manipulate and voice the various puppets in full view of the audience- yet strangely enough, you hardly linger the humans as the puppet characterisations are that good.
Of the cast Natalie Alexopoulos is the highlight in her dual role as the lovable Kate Monster and the incredibly well endowed Lucy T. Slut. Her singing is exceptional and her movements and work with the puppets is top notch. Luke Joslin also is in terrific form as the scene stealing Trekkie Monster and the goofy Nicky. Mitchell Butell caps off a magnificent trio in his dual roles as the “fresh-faced” Princeton and the closeted Nicky.
The human characters are well performed by David James, Christina O’Neill and Leah Howard as Brian, Christmas Eve (his fiancée) and super intendant Gary Coleman (he of Diff’rent Strokes fame).
Jonathan Biggins has directed the show with aplomb making sure the action never drags and the clever use of multimedia adds to a hilarious night- all admirably backed by musical director David Skelton and his band.
The set is a remarkably adept one that changes frequently for different scenes set in and around the area.
Whilst there were some sound issues in the first half and some dialogue that needed a little slowing down, these are minor complaints in what is a must-see show for anyone who needs a good laugh. But be warned, this is no kids show. The language is a tad fresh at times and if you've seen "Team America" and thinkk you've seen the only puppet sex you'll ever see you'll be wrong.
Do not miss this wonderful, witty show.

Classic Doctor Who- The Top Moments From The Original Series

Ok- if you're not a fan of "Doctor Who" then this is probably the post to ignore. The Doctor has been with me for nearly 25 years. I first started watching the show around 1987 when Sylvester McCoy became the seventh actor to play the role. Shortly after- in 1989- the series was cancelled and for 16 years there was nothing except a telelmovie featuring Paul McGann. Of course, since 2005 we have been blessed with new episodes of our favourite timelord and the whole franchise is going from strength to strength. But let's not forget where it all started- the original series- 26 seasons worth! here are some of my highlights. I was actually going to do a top ten but then decided on a different approach...

First Doctor- William Hartnell
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"The Aztecs"- School teacher Barbara Wright- one of the Doctor's companions- is mistaken for an Aztec God. Despite the Doctor's assertion that she shouldn't change history, she tries to stop a ritual sacrifice. The writers don't hold back- she fails and the sacrifice goes ahead.

"The Dalek Invasion Of Earth"- The serial's final moments are the first genuinely touching and emotional spots in the series to date- The Doctor bids farewell to his granddaughter. Hartnell- known for his fluffing of lines- delivers this speech with the most amazing gravitas and sorrow.

"Mission To The Unknown"- the only episode to not feature the Doctor or his companions is a prelude to the serial "The Daleks Masterplan"- itself an outstanding serial spanning 12 episodes with so much death and destruction.

"The Tenth Planet"- our first glimpse at the Cybermen- thank goodness their look changed considerably. It was also the first time that the Doctor would change his appearance...


Second Doctor- Patrick Troughton
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"Evil Of The Daleks"- The final hurrah for the Daleks for nearly 5 years is an absolute cracking tale that crosses timezones and planets and it features a pitch battle between Dalek factions and the Emperor Dalek as well.

"The Enemy Of The World"- Troughton plays both hero and villain in this great little romp. No alien threat, just a madman (played by Troughton) wanting to take over the world. The score utilises the piece "Music for strings, percussion and celeste" by Bartok.

"The War Games"- The final episodes of this 10-part epic reveal the Doctor's origins for the first time. He goes on trial by his own people and is forced to change yet again.


Third Doctor- Jon Pertwee
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"The Silurians"- the Doctor tries to play mediator between the people of Earth and a race of beings who lived here millenia ago. The ending of this story is incredibly powerful with the Doctor actually losing.

"Inferno"- An alternate universe where all the good guys are bad guys and the bad guys are even badder? It's an outstanding tale that is gripping from start to finish.

"The Three Doctors"- Hartnell (in his last ever acting role) and Troughton join the current Doctor to battle a rogue timelord. Don't think about the science too much and you'll love it.

"Planet of The Spiders"- To send off Jon Pertwee, they give him a fairly average story but the final scene has been known to reduce some people to tears. Brilliantly acted and paced.


Fourth Doctor- Tom Baker
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"Genesis Of The Daleks"- A brilliant story that introduces us to Davros, the mad creator of the Daleks. A great tale of political intrigue and- of course- mass exterminations

"The Brain Of Morbius"- A former timelord- now reduced to a brain in a jar- tries his hand at being reborn. An all-time classic

"The Deadly Assassin"- Without a companion and back on Gallifrey, The Doctor must find out who has killed the President. it all climaxes with an amazing episode set entirely in a make believe world known as The Matrix.

"City Of Death"- Running around Paris, a story that stretches across all eras of Earth's past and with an outstanding cast, this was probably Tom's last great story.


Fifth Doctor- Peter Davison
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"Earthshock"- The cybermen return and the unwittingly cause the death of a companion. It's so brilliantly written and performed. One of the series absolute highlights for me.

"The Five Doctors"- Richard Hurndall (replacing Hartnell), Troughton and Pertwee join forces with Davison (Tom Baker had declined) to defeat another rogue timelord (there sure are a lot of them aren't there?). A wonderful story that not only manages to juggle multiple Doctors and companions, but also a number of the Doctor's main enemies too.

"Caves Of Androzani"- One of the most outstanding four episodes in the series history to bring to an end the Peter Davison era. A loathsome villain, the Doctor dying a slow death and some fabulous performances make this 100 remarkable minutes of television. The regeneration itself is the finest to date in my opinion....


Sixth Doctor- Colin Baker
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"Vengeance On Varos"- Predicting reality TV about 15 years before it became a reality- a stunning social commentary on where society was headed.

"The Two Doctors"- although the story is fairly flabby, it marks the final appearance of Troughton as the second Doctor.


Seventh Doctor- Sylvester McCoy
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"Rememberance Of The Daleks"- the final appearance of our favourite pepperpots is a brilliant sendoff to them. Full of battles, guns, death and twists and turns you won't see coming for miles....

"Survival"- the final serial is a good one- not brilliant but ok. It's ending is a fine sendoff to a series that was waiting to be reborn.....

On the 80's, Mahler and a man called Lance

I don’t know whether it’s just my generation or not, it could possibly be me looking at the era through rose-coloured glasses but I firmly believe that the 80’s was the last decade when music was, by and large, fun. Nobody really seemed to take themselves too seriously. Oh sure, there were serious performers like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan etc, but when you hear the popular music of the day it was largely about having a good time and the good things in life.
Last year I bought two 80’s compilations- “101 80’s Hits” and “101 More 80’s Hits”. This compilation, more than anything, proved that creativity in music really died after the 80’s. It was during this time that artists really felt the cold hard hand of the accountants. It’s fair to say that record company pressure had been around for ages before then, but by this time there was a lot more experience under the belt so that execs thought they knew how the public responded. When I think about the bands I liked in the 80’s I think of artists like Europe (“The Final Countdown”), Adam And The Ants, The Bangles and more established bands like Queen, ELO and Kiss. But when you hear songs from that era it all just seems a much simpler and happier time. Recently I’ve been listening to Bucks Fizz. Prior to about 2008 my sole song of theirs that I knew from my childhood was “Land Of Make Believe”. It was a song that got me through some pretty sad times at primary school. To this day, as cheesy at it is, it still makes me smile. But now I’ve listened to a lot more of their material and am amazed at just how good this band was. Their songwriters were outstanding and they have an amazing ability to harmonise. Remember this was an era when there was no protools. Harmonies had to be spot on (even if recorded separately) and this band were outstanding at that.
At the risk of sounding old and fuddy-duddyish I truly believe that the music that is pumped out today is nothing more than marketing. There’s little creativity- certainly in the mainstream market. Artists have to write singles and do videos- not to mention look good. Sadly, ability to actually sing seems to be secondary to how good you look. Imagine Buddy Holly rocking up to a record company today (“Ok geekboy- get your rid of your glasses and stop writing songs about Peggy Sue”) or even Bill Haley (“Dude, stop eating the Christmas hams, you’re becoming one of them. And sheesh, we need to do something about your hair!”). What’s also lacking is fun. Music today is either downtrodden and angry or saccharine sweet treacle. There’s virtually no middle ground at all.
There was a time when I religiously watched the top 40 countdown and knew all the movements in and out of the charts but after about 1992 I just couldn’t be bothered. Ask me to name a top ten song in this weeks chart and I’ll flounder. There are some good artists out there for sure, and many of the more established artists are making great music so I’m not totally in the dark, but it’s still sad that the joys of discovering new music are well and truly over.

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Over the next 6-7 weeks I am going to be involved in something I never thought would happen to me. I’m singing in the Eighth Symphony of Gustav Mahler. Mahler’s music has been a very special part of my life. Ever since I was about 16 I have been listening to his music both in the concert hall and on CD. Of course, being in Adelaide the chances of seeing the symphonies performed live are few and far between. It wasn’t until last year that I saw his Third Symphony live. To this date I still haven’t seen either the 2nd or the 7th Symphonies live either. But the 8th....that’s the granddaddy of them all. It’s not called the “Symphony Of A Thousand” for nothing. Two massed choirs, boys choirs, 120-piece orchestra and eight soloists make a rather loud and truly awesome sound. What has made this experience so special for me is that I will be singing in the choir as part of the Adelaide contingent that is going to Sydney. We’ll be performing the work with arguably Australia’s greatest orchestra- the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and legendary conductor/pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy at the Sydney Opera House. Oh. My. GOD!!! I haven’t been to Sydney since January 1991 when I was at National Music Camp at King’s College (I still have the t-shirt and cap) so I can’t wait to see what the city has to offer. But as excited as I am to be going to Sydney, it’s the realisation that I’ll be singing this amazing work in two different cities that really excites me. Not only that, but I’ll singing with some of Adelaide’s finest talents. If you’re either in Sydney or Adelaide do everything in your power to get along and see this once in a lifetime event.

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Lance Armstrong has undoubtedly raised the profile of the Tour Down Under throughout the world. I don’t deny that this man is an inspiration both on and off the race course. But when he arrived this week he did something enormously stupid. He was asked at his press conference whether he would vote for Mike Rann in the election if he could. It was probably one of those cheeky questions reporters ask thinking that it would make great copy on the news that night. Well they would have been right. He said he would- even though he had no idea about who his opponents were or what they stood for. Naturally enough, the Libs weren’t too impressed. I wonder if Izzy hopped on the phone to Lance’s people and asked to meet him? It would seem to me that if you were going to be asked on record about something like that you would politely decline by saying you didn’t follow local politics and it wasn’t your place. If I was a powerful and influential man and went to the US as the guest of someone and was asked which guy I’d vote for in the next election and I said- for example- the Democrat candidate, I’d be willing to bet the Republicans would go ballistic. What does this ridiculous Aussie know about our country and the intricacies of its politics? Unless Lance has studied our politics over the 51 weeks in the year when he’s elsewhere, or more importantly, applied for citizenship to Australia and then settled in Adelaide then I would humbly suggest he keep his nose elsewhere. Nothing pisses me off more than other countries or international celebs telling us what to do in our own backyard. Especially when the countries can hardly brag on the same issue themselves. When the whole Red Faces debacle blew up last year and all those Americans jumped up and down calling us racist I wanted to ask them how they knew what we did to the indigenous people here? Had they seen the way we try and help them? More importantly, why brand 21 million people racist over the actions of half a dozen men- who incidentally are not even Australian. So with respect to Mr. Armstrong- stick to cycling and cancer awareness. Leave the politics to us.

"Cats"- Festival Theatre Jan 2010

"The problem with cats," the late Trevor Searle once said to me, "is that it never changes. The set is the same, the costumes the same and even the cast albums sound the same". I guess you can use the old adage that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Whatever the reason, "Cats" has been around for nearly 30 years and its formula has remained largely unchanged.
The set, costumes, lighting and sound have undoubtedly been tweaked through the years and there has been some tinkering with the music but, by and large, it still has the same magic that has kept audiences captive for three decades.
This production is a well polished and lively one. The dancing is slick and solo dance spots are taken by the throat and delivered with aplomb. The characterisations of the various cats is also sensational. No-one breaks character even when they aren't in the spotlight.
Highlights in this particular cast include Shaun Rennie as the powerful Munkustrap, John O'Hara as the flirty and feisty Rum Tum Tugger and Laura McCullough as Jennyanydots.
Delia Hannah is an absolute standout as the haunted Grizabella. She exudes every nuance of this character and when she sings the words of "Memory" you realise just why this song is so popular. Michael John-Hurney also shines in his triple whammy of Bustopher Jones, Gus the theatre cat and Growltiger (one of the most brilliantly executed sequences in the show).
The only drawback in the cast is the rather lacklustre performance of Old Deuteronomy by John Ellis. There is little gravitas- or indeed seniority- in his performance.
The other major drawback is the use of a largely taped orchestra. Whilst the four live musicians hold things together well there is little nuance or shape to the music and a lot of the subtleties of the score are lost- given over to cheesy synth sounds instead. There were a number of times when the cast desperately needed to have the full live force behind- or at the very least a conductor not bound to a tape machine.
Having said that, the large audience wouldn't have cared one bit as they enjoyed every magical moment of this true theatre classic. Yes, it hasn't changed much in 30 years Trevor, but when it achieves what it sets to then who are we to judge?

Introduction

Greetings and welcome to my new blog. On this page I will be doing the usual blogger thing- ie venting frustrations and pondering on the ways of the world. I'll also use this to review productions I see. Feel free to comment me and let me know what you think. Believe me, I don't mind people disagreeing with me, I don't mind debate, but rude, insulting posts will be deleted and reported.

Enough already....let's blog...