Post by Talissa on Jan 27, 2007 7:54:30 GMT 11
I was in Sydney earlier this week and saw this and Priscilla (the review of which is coming. I was hoping to get it done yesterday, but did something to my neck). This may be a little incoherent because this week's a bit of a mess, but here goes.
The design of the show was very cute. Entering the auditorium there were wildlife sounds in the background, and I swear I could smell eucalyptus. The set was simple to look at but very clever. They were aiming for a playground atmosphere and succeeded, creating a set full of slides, swings, firemen's poles, trapdoors and even the back of the stage was a slope, although this was worrying at times when I was certain people sliding down it would slide straight into the pit! The idea of the costume design was good, but I felt it didn't quite reach its full potential.
A colourful opening, a bright bush scene being set during the overture. The music was cheesy, but never pretended to be anything else. The laughs were there from the start, with a delightfully typical schoolroom setting led strongly by James Millar as Mr Kookaburra with nice additions from Andrew Koblar as Galah and Mitchell Butel as Wren.
Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, played by Tim Richards and Darren Gilshenan, worked well off each other, presenting a good comic pair. Their age seemed mudded, but that's hardly unusual in males, is it?
Ed Wightman as Magpie was fluttering with energy, brightening the stage in his short, frazzled scenes.
Simon Burke was very smooth as Mr Lizard, reliable as ever and making the most of his role.
Hollie Andrew gave a nice cameo as Caterillar and Butterfly, adding colour to a chunk of educational exposition.
Ursula Yovich's performance as Ragged Blossom was sweet and heartfelt, with strengh of voice and presence.
A gorgeous contrast was the spunk of Ana Maria Belo as Fantail, confident and balanced in her character.
Paula Arundell was deliciously nasty as Mrs Snake, a very pantomime-style villian, crossed with a drill sergeant. Actually, did anyone else catch shades of Pauline Hanson there?
Lara Mulcahy stood out as always in the role of Cockatoo, loud and bright as the birds themselves.
Mitchell Butel was given another chance to let his character acting shine as Frog, as always timing the comedy perfectly.
There as some nice use of shadowplay during the show, its very simplicity ading to its charm, especially the end of the rescue in Act 2.
There were sound issues in the Circle when I was there, which made hearing the words a definite strain, so I'm afraid I missed some things. I gather Theatre Royal doesn't have the best Circle acoustics at the best of times, though, so hopefully that will improve in the other cities.
The design of the show was very cute. Entering the auditorium there were wildlife sounds in the background, and I swear I could smell eucalyptus. The set was simple to look at but very clever. They were aiming for a playground atmosphere and succeeded, creating a set full of slides, swings, firemen's poles, trapdoors and even the back of the stage was a slope, although this was worrying at times when I was certain people sliding down it would slide straight into the pit! The idea of the costume design was good, but I felt it didn't quite reach its full potential.
A colourful opening, a bright bush scene being set during the overture. The music was cheesy, but never pretended to be anything else. The laughs were there from the start, with a delightfully typical schoolroom setting led strongly by James Millar as Mr Kookaburra with nice additions from Andrew Koblar as Galah and Mitchell Butel as Wren.
Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, played by Tim Richards and Darren Gilshenan, worked well off each other, presenting a good comic pair. Their age seemed mudded, but that's hardly unusual in males, is it?
Ed Wightman as Magpie was fluttering with energy, brightening the stage in his short, frazzled scenes.
Simon Burke was very smooth as Mr Lizard, reliable as ever and making the most of his role.
Hollie Andrew gave a nice cameo as Caterillar and Butterfly, adding colour to a chunk of educational exposition.
Ursula Yovich's performance as Ragged Blossom was sweet and heartfelt, with strengh of voice and presence.
A gorgeous contrast was the spunk of Ana Maria Belo as Fantail, confident and balanced in her character.
Paula Arundell was deliciously nasty as Mrs Snake, a very pantomime-style villian, crossed with a drill sergeant. Actually, did anyone else catch shades of Pauline Hanson there?
Lara Mulcahy stood out as always in the role of Cockatoo, loud and bright as the birds themselves.
Mitchell Butel was given another chance to let his character acting shine as Frog, as always timing the comedy perfectly.
There as some nice use of shadowplay during the show, its very simplicity ading to its charm, especially the end of the rescue in Act 2.
There were sound issues in the Circle when I was there, which made hearing the words a definite strain, so I'm afraid I missed some things. I gather Theatre Royal doesn't have the best Circle acoustics at the best of times, though, so hopefully that will improve in the other cities.
