Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. The Looking Glass directed by Cathie Clelland for National Shakespeare Festival, Gorman House Arts Centre January 18 to February 20, 7pm.
In its early days The Looking Glass was rather narcissistic, but this production of Much Ado reflects a growing maturity.
I liked Clelland's direct approach to the text, set in beautifully colour-coordinated costumes, movement nicely choreographed by Vivienne Rogis, making a virtue of the courtyard space at Gorman House, and accompanied by quality music and song. I might call this a production divine - but "honest" and "sensible" come more to mind. Especially sensible: meaning you can make sense of everything that is said.
All the actors are effective, characters well delineated and voices sufficiently audible in the open air. The use of Gorman House rather than Aspen Island, though regretted by many, is the right choice for this play.
Sally Hendrie, as Beatrice, and Lachlan Abrahams, as Benedick, were notable for their rounding out of these characters, achieving, as Shakespeare surely intended, the self-awareness which lifts them out of the ordinary. When Beatrice paused and then told Benedick to "Kill Claudio", we felt horrified at her demand, with Benedick, but knew he had no choice. Here was the reality behind the sophisticated banter and wit. Equally strong was Phil Roberts' Dogberry, who showed us that justice is a constant, for the unsophisticated as much as for the verbally unchallenged.
In our world we face the same array of "clever" wits, political snakes, and men who assume a "natural right" to power. We also have intelligent women and genuine men. Shakespeare shows us models for living, and this production brings the models to life.
Particularly interesting was the calm assurance of Simon Lissaman's playing of Don Pedro - a prince we could easily believe was the epitome of the good prime minister. But see how easily he could be fooled into enforcing injustice - the error only revealed by the determination of ordinary people to report the truth, and bring the perpetrators of lies before the court.
Much Ado About Nothing is clearly about a very great deal, and I thank The Looking Glass for showing us so clear an image of ourselves.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Thursday, 20 January 2000
2000: A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare. The Looking Glass directed by Catherine Jean-Krista. National Shakespeare Festival at Gorman House Arts Centre January 18 - February 20, 7pm.
An interesting design idea, in 1920's style all in black and white, is the successful original spark in this production. However, though there is well-played comedy among the four lovers, there is not the real magic which the topsy-turvey nature of midsummer's night should create.
Jean-Krista and The Looking Glass's Artistic Director, Nicholas Bolonkin, have cut the play for touring, removing the rude mechanicals to "focus this production on the epic, natural, and supernatural themes". The effect, to my mind, has been to reduce the lovers to the mechanicals' level of rudeness - often very funny, indeed; while the Oberon/Theseus - Titania/Hyppolyta conflict left me cold rather than disturbed at the cosmic level.
Shakespeare deliberately contrasted the foolish but warm-hearted lower class with the foolish but basically selfish upper class, linked by Puck the intelligent "fool" from the other world, which is equally at the mercy of the failure of love to run smooth. With one of these dramatic elements missing (Bottom is represented but out of his proper context) other creative sparks were intermittent. Ritualised movement and tableaux were sometimes effective, especially in the final scene. Puck's fluid and often sexual movement worked well in general but at times Peter Hansen had to work a bit too hard to get effect. The recorded sound represented the action, but I feel would have been more telling if it had been in keeping with the 1920's visual style, and preferably played live.
In the final analysis I enjoyed the lovers most, perhaps giving the edge to Hermia (Claire Bocking) and Demetrius (James Inabinet) who picked up and ran with their characters - a seriously sophisticated flapper, and a dotty plus-fours flappy twit. And the supernatural did appear, in the guise of the sulphur-crested cockatoo who joined in the dialogue, and the wind-gust which ended the action and introduced "If we shadows have offended..."
The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night's Dream are on different nights each week, so ring Looking Glass on 6257 7973 for details.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
An interesting design idea, in 1920's style all in black and white, is the successful original spark in this production. However, though there is well-played comedy among the four lovers, there is not the real magic which the topsy-turvey nature of midsummer's night should create.
Jean-Krista and The Looking Glass's Artistic Director, Nicholas Bolonkin, have cut the play for touring, removing the rude mechanicals to "focus this production on the epic, natural, and supernatural themes". The effect, to my mind, has been to reduce the lovers to the mechanicals' level of rudeness - often very funny, indeed; while the Oberon/Theseus - Titania/Hyppolyta conflict left me cold rather than disturbed at the cosmic level.
Shakespeare deliberately contrasted the foolish but warm-hearted lower class with the foolish but basically selfish upper class, linked by Puck the intelligent "fool" from the other world, which is equally at the mercy of the failure of love to run smooth. With one of these dramatic elements missing (Bottom is represented but out of his proper context) other creative sparks were intermittent. Ritualised movement and tableaux were sometimes effective, especially in the final scene. Puck's fluid and often sexual movement worked well in general but at times Peter Hansen had to work a bit too hard to get effect. The recorded sound represented the action, but I feel would have been more telling if it had been in keeping with the 1920's visual style, and preferably played live.
In the final analysis I enjoyed the lovers most, perhaps giving the edge to Hermia (Claire Bocking) and Demetrius (James Inabinet) who picked up and ran with their characters - a seriously sophisticated flapper, and a dotty plus-fours flappy twit. And the supernatural did appear, in the guise of the sulphur-crested cockatoo who joined in the dialogue, and the wind-gust which ended the action and introduced "If we shadows have offended..."
The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night's Dream are on different nights each week, so ring Looking Glass on 6257 7973 for details.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Monday, 17 January 2000
2000: The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate adapted from the book by Margaret Mahy
The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate adapted from the book by Margaret Mahy. Jigsaw Theatre Company at Tuggeranong Community Arts Centre. Adapted and directed by Greg Lissaman. Music: John Shortis. Design: Matthew Aberline. January 17-22 11am and 2pm daily. Phone 6293 9099.
2 and 3 year olds dancing in the aisles is enough to say "Go and see this show with your littlies". But the strength of the miming, singing and dancing of well-known actors Chrissie Shaw and Tim Wood - in telling the story of the uptight unknown accountant in the neat brown suit who makes a break against all the good sense of his pencil and ruler to take his ex-pirate mother to the seaside and discovers "the weave and the wave" of the sea - was demonstrated by how both the adults and a group of intellectually handicapped people (from The Warehouse, Belconnen Youth Centre) were equally engaged. Warehouse Coordinator, Dylan Shaw was as pleased as any parent could be with this mythic drama of "letting go and taking on a life".
This play, using much of the text from the original story, has a gentle, quite intriguing quality, supported by Shortis's whimsical music and especially by recorded sound which is neatly moved around the stage in stereo. Jigsaw's new stage manager, Catherine Wright, is a strong addition to their excellent design and technical team.
Jigsaw has made the right move out of Gorman House (now perhaps too much in the "contemporary arts" pigeonhole), like the man in the story, to the Tuggeranong Community Arts Centre (by the lake if not the seaside) where there seems to be a special sense of freedom of access for Jigsaw's natural audience. TCA also brings a new bright office with a view, and close contact with ACT Department of Education which funds the core program for schools. As well, with Australia Council and other sponsorship, Jigsaw is setting up a 3-4 year repertory program of local, national and international early childhood, school-age and adult productions: The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate will complete its school and pre-school program in the ACT this year, and is expected to be seen in Sydney and Tasmania in 2001. Email: jigsaw@dynamite.com.au
© Frank McKone, Canberra
2 and 3 year olds dancing in the aisles is enough to say "Go and see this show with your littlies". But the strength of the miming, singing and dancing of well-known actors Chrissie Shaw and Tim Wood - in telling the story of the uptight unknown accountant in the neat brown suit who makes a break against all the good sense of his pencil and ruler to take his ex-pirate mother to the seaside and discovers "the weave and the wave" of the sea - was demonstrated by how both the adults and a group of intellectually handicapped people (from The Warehouse, Belconnen Youth Centre) were equally engaged. Warehouse Coordinator, Dylan Shaw was as pleased as any parent could be with this mythic drama of "letting go and taking on a life".
This play, using much of the text from the original story, has a gentle, quite intriguing quality, supported by Shortis's whimsical music and especially by recorded sound which is neatly moved around the stage in stereo. Jigsaw's new stage manager, Catherine Wright, is a strong addition to their excellent design and technical team.
Jigsaw has made the right move out of Gorman House (now perhaps too much in the "contemporary arts" pigeonhole), like the man in the story, to the Tuggeranong Community Arts Centre (by the lake if not the seaside) where there seems to be a special sense of freedom of access for Jigsaw's natural audience. TCA also brings a new bright office with a view, and close contact with ACT Department of Education which funds the core program for schools. As well, with Australia Council and other sponsorship, Jigsaw is setting up a 3-4 year repertory program of local, national and international early childhood, school-age and adult productions: The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate will complete its school and pre-school program in the ACT this year, and is expected to be seen in Sydney and Tasmania in 2001. Email: jigsaw@dynamite.com.au
© Frank McKone, Canberra
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