Blog — Page 239 of 275

Richard III

Schauspielbühne Berlin

Guest performance at the Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

December 30, 2016

Richard III is one of Shakespeare’s earliest works, first believed to be performed around 1593 and as it is often the case with villains, the title character’s allure lies first and foremost in his unbridled, single-minded, gleefully exhibited amorality, executing his revenge and acting out what most would love to but would never dare.

Having served his family on the battlefield of the War of Roses, Richard enabled his brother Edward to become king. Outcast and sidelined because of his hideous exterior, he masks his seething malevolence behind his hunchbacked deformities and grows to become a Machiavellian psychopath and masterful manipulator.

Cold bloodedly he slaughters his family, marries his victim’s widow and eventually betrays his allies, all in his enraged quest to become king to lord over a world he was never meant and denied to ever be a part of.

Triumphant in his pursuits and as the last man standing, he eventually has to face his true nemesis and the demons it is infested with, which takes all but a deep, hard look in the mirror.

Schauspielbühne Berlin was founded in 1962. It is known for its stylistic variety, the most prominent advocate of which is its superintendent Thomas Ostermeier, who formed the foundation of his tenure with the establishment of a permanent cast that is regularly extended by new appointments.

The Schaubuehne’s search for a contemporary and experimental theatre language informs Ostermeier’s daringly re-imagined approach to directing one of Shakespeare’s earlier works, which is based on a splanchnic production and an unorthodox translation of Shakespeare’s script into German:

Marius von Mayenburg tackled the challenge of simplifying Shahespeare’s complex and often convoluted thoughts by letting go of verse and rhyme and thereby focusing on the condensation of the meaning instead, making it intelligible and translating it into a contemporary, easy to understand plot while at times allowing moments that let the power of the original poetry shine through.

Mayenburg manages to find an experimental modern-day mode of communication that offers a different and easier access to Shakespeare’s original.

Going past the surface of the mise-en-scène, it is the seductive power and variable rhythm of the idiosyncratic language that gives this incarnation of Richard III. an edge and additional dimension, much more than just the pure evilness of the main protagonist.

This is intensified by Lars Eidinger portrayal of Richard III by addressing the audience directly, confiding in it, making it a partner in crime and thereby establishing a relationship that operates on a meta-level both above and below the actual play.

Mingling with the audience and either equipped with a costume that amplifies Richard’s deformations or confrontationally in the nude, he dominates the stage, a microphone in hand commenting on his lecherous exploits, ultimately coming to face and succumbing to his own demons.

It is because of his convincing delivery that it feels like a missed chance, when he breaks character at one point admitting to having forgotten his lines due to the impact of jetlag when he has to rely on the services of a prompter: Instead of explaining and admitting to the audience that he dried, it would have been a perfect opportunity to go off script and not break character.

Same goes for Eidinger dealing with audience members nonchalantly arriving 30 minutes late and causing disturbances to the performance -- a widespread phenomenon omnipresent among theatre audiences in wider China: It would have been an excellent opportunity to unleash a barrage of exaggerated insults Richard-style, instead of engaging in a chit-chat about traffic problems and thereby breaking character.

Ostermeier placed a drum kit on stage, and incorporates noisey guitar interludes that set a contemporary stage for Richard rock star qualities, which he revels in, microphone in hand, channeling his sinister alchemy to engage and form a bond with the audience. Eidinger takes them by the hand, makes them witnesses and accomplices, and has them follow him on his deprived path, all the while teasing and exploring man’s innermost abyss.

What makes his portrayal of Richard relatable is the borderline pornographic way he wears and licks his wounds, the exemplifications of how he has been mistreated and showing where his resentments and traumata stem from.

Combined with Marius von Mayenburg’s compelling dissection of the relationships between the characters and the creation of tragic-comical situations, especially towards the end when Richard becomes his own worst enemy, almost evokes a sense of empathy for the villain.

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Photos by KAVV

Dancer
Film review premiere
Leichhardt Norton Theatre
November 25, 2016

Palace Norton Cinema proved to be an adequate forum for Dancer - a 2016 French biographical musical drama film offering an intimate look into the life and journey of Sergei Polunin, who became the world’s youngest ever principal dancer at the Royal Ballet School. Renowned for combining grace and power, we follow Polunin through his times in the highly competitive arena of artistic dancing, the physical and emotional toll it takes and the impact his career had on his family, parts of which immigrated to different parts of Europe to pay for his education,

What the film does well is documenting and witnessing it all without passing judgment.

It starts in the Ukraine, painting a picture of the dire circumstances Polunin emerged from and his family’s dedication to enable him to live a different, more prosperous and fulfilling life.

His relationship with his family, strained by his move to the UK is a red thread in The Dancer, with Polunin finding success in the world of elite dancing as the glue to reunite his family. There is an omnipresent sense of guilt for his families’ sacrifices and a focus on the artist being in emotional distress, confusion and torment while striving for perfection as a dancer.

The movie also portrays Polunin as a rock star and bad boy of the ballet scene with everything that comes with its consuming lifestyle, i.e. late night party escapades and debauchery – a view of him that he seems to cultivate and revel in.

The Dancer culminates in a full-length music video of Polunin dancing to Hozier's “Take Me to Church,” which was a viral internet success and seems to signify his rebirth, emancipation and liberation, which is ins stark contrast to the VHS home-video footage of Polunin capturing his growth as both a dancer and a man.

What makes the documentary relatable is that it is not sensationalistic but a sympathetic, multi-layered portrait of an artist in flux struggling with his isolation on the top of his craft, background, success, perfection, remorse and personal desires.

Soundscape Festival Sydney
Factory Theatre
Sydney, AUS
December 17, 2016

After a successful debut in 2015, Soundscape Festival was back for the second time in 2016, serving up a massive day of tunes and chills in Sydney’s inner west.

After debuting as an intimate festival at the Greenwood Hotel in North Sydney, Soundscape has progressively up-scaled and took hold of the purpose built, multi-venue that comprises Marrickville’s Factory Theatre this time around, bringing together Australia’s most talented new bands, DJs, and producers.

The sunny December incarnation of the Soundscape Festival included: The Lulu Raes, who served up a mélange of catchy melodies smothered in soulful dance and punk tinged with an omnipresent Oasis / Beatles influence; Tora, an Australian electronic band dedicated to the new-age genre they refer to us Chillwave, a blend of ambient harmonies, layered rhythms and pulsing soundscapes; Moses Gunn Collective, a 5-piece glam-psych-disco band from Brisbane, who with their recent release add some brooding strokes to their previously dreamy oeuvre; Human Movement, comprised of Sydney-based dance duo Blake Gilray and Edward Macdonald emitting their minimalistic, dark vibes with emotive elements; Juan du Sol, who is well known among dance music circles for his role as one third of RÜFÜS, who carpet bombed the dance floor with dark synths, driving kicks and eerie vocal loops.

The Ruminaters, took the young hopefuls on a chaotic, fuzzed out, wild ride and Winston Surfshirt, spread what they have trademarked as “mellifluous Psychedelic Sex Funk Soul”, and the laid back surfer Robbie Lowe and permanent fixture at Sydney’s underground party – Sweetchilli - conjured his own signature broth of late 80ies acid / hip house & rap tunes behind the decks.
The South of Sydney sent The Kava Kings, an outfit that brought a loose mash up of Gypsy, Rock, Reggae and Dub and Adi Toohey brought her own bag of wax spanning house, disco, funk and soul, collected from international record crate digging expeditions. Strange Associates delivered the appropriate soundtrack for the sunny afternoon with their house music mixed with dreamy vocals, which they have come to refer to as “provocative house”, which did not fail to elicit the desired crowd response.

With having nurtured local talent since its inception and with most acts having become established and successful, it will be interesting to see what Soundscape Festival will grow to in 2017.

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Photos by KAVV

DZ Deathrays
Factory Theatre
Sydney, AUS
December 15, 2016

DZ Deathrays are essentially a duo.

An Australian “dance-punk” duo that is, that emerged from the ashes of the band Velociraptor. The fact that their debut EP Ruined my Life from 2009 was recorded live at a house party gives an accurate impression of their DIY approach to channeling their alchemy.
In 2012 their debut full length Bloodstreams saw the light of day and was warmly received and heralded as the appropriate, uncontrived soundtrack for a weekend of debauchery.

With the band signing with Infectious Records, a second album followed in 2014 and demonstrated that the band had arrived at more refined stage with more textured, dense and structured arrangements while still honoring their trash party origins and aversion to mainstream culture.

While not being derivative of any singular source band, as far as influences are concerned, DZ Deathrays have created their own signature concoction by skimming the cream of the crop of melodic punk and hardcore from the mid-'90s, enriching it with the beach-party blowout vibe of Air’s debut and topping it up with a nod to classic metal and alternative music standouts from 1990s.

Along with Violent Soho, DZ Deathrays are one of the spearheads of a new Australian scene that injects fresh blood into tested and tried rock archaisms - an injection that was direly needed and is leapt up by tonight’s mosh pit, consisting of a young, hairy, sweaty, beer drenched crowd of young hopefuls circle pitting, stage diving and overall having a fantastic time.

From the time the houselights dimmed and give way to DZ Deathray’s epileptic attack inducing strobe lights, there was a noticeable buzz among the crowd unleashing their anticipation and erupting with excitement – a reflection of the band’s vibrance, exuberance and their very own strain of radiation sickness.

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Photo by T

Craig Robinson and the Nasty Delicious
Metro Theatre
Sydney, AUS
December 14, 2016

If you don’t mind the American version of The Office, or goofball comedies like Hot Tub Time Machine franchise, Pineapple Express and most importantly This is the End, Craig Robinson won’t be an unknown constituent to you.

Robinson has a pedigree and longstanding career as a  stand up comedian, which commenced in Chicago 1998 at the Just For Laughs festival in Montreal. 

His incarnation in Sydney during his first Australian tour showcased Craig Robinson’s unique comedy and musical talents backed by the immense musical talent of The Nasty Delicious. It was a laid back affair comprised of a combination of musical comedy and stand-up components – or as he eloquently puts it: “An evening of jokes and dancing transporting you back to the kindergarten days where you were to have fun and laugh and sing and play!”

Backed by The Nasty Delicious, a seven-piece funk band featuring Robinson’s younger brother, Chris Rob, Wynston Byrd, Asa Watkins, David Sampson, Brian Cockerham, Lakecia Benjamin and Reggie Hines, the funnyman performed an engaging set comprised of his own repertoire, cover songs and both accompanying and interrupting his songs with stories and anecdotes, as well as crowd interaction.

Despite most people having probably made an appearance because of Craig’s TV presence, The Nasty Delicious was the solid foundation and so much more than a mere backing band of the evening: Seasoned professionals that mean business, enjoy their craft and could have easily carried the evening without further comedic ado with their idiosyncratic blend of Latin jazz, electric funk and a whole lot of soul.

What seemed to be a lack of a stringent set list, left a lot of room for improvisation, which is where Craig Robinson feels right at home, truly shines and where the funnier bits of the evening originated from.

A naturally funny, funky comedic jam session.

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Photo by T