Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, September 12, 2012 - Page 33
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Radio Confidential: Vizard hits back ............ Page 34 Veritas: Latest TV, radio, theatre news ............. Page 35 The Spoiler: Next week’s ‘soaps’ plotlines ............ Page 35 Jim and Aaron: Best DVD-film selections ................. Page 36 Cheryl Threadgold: Community Theatre - it’s a wrap ...... Page 37 PLUS THE LOVATT”S MEGA CROSSWORD
LIFE AFTER 50 FOR AUST. BALLET ‘God Of Carnage’ at Theatre Husk
From Vegas with love
■ Non-profit theatre company Pop Culture makes its Melbourne Fringe debut with Yasmina Reza's Tony awardwinning comedy God Of Carnage on October 3 - 6 at 8.30pm at The Theatre Husk, 161a Heidelberg Rd, Northcote. God Of Carnage is a rollicking 90-minute savage comedy of no manners. The Vallons and the Reilles meet to discuss a playground incident involving their children, but it isn't long before the thin veneer of sugar-coated civility is stripped away, and the civilised conversation descends into childish chaos. Pop Culture's production is co-produced and co-directed by Jeremy Guzman and Lindsay Pritchard, and features ‘Armando’ as Michel Vallon, Melina Wylie (Véronique Vallon), Chris Martin (Alain Reille), and Michelle Myers (Annette Reille). Christopher Weinberg also joins the creative team as Assistant Director. Performances: October 3 - 6. Time: 8.30pm. Venue: The Theatre Husk, 161a Heidelberg Rd., Northcote. Show duration: 90 minutes. Tickets: $23 full, $18 concession, group $18. Bookings: visit melbournefringe.com.au or call 9660 9666. - Cheryl Threadgold
■ Everyone loves the story of the hometown boy who makes it big on the international scene, and one such example is Australian-born popular singer, John Stephan. Busy wowing audiences in America where he is based, John is returning to Melbourne for a one-night only concert at Melbourne Town Hall on Saturday, October 13, at 8pm. The man with the glorious country voice, well known to many Magic 1278 listeners, really is coming direct from Las Vegas back to Australia to delight his fans. John spends his time touring the USA, Europe, Japan and Australia, and his homecoming concerts are always sell-outs. Signature hits like Crying, Mascara and It's Too Soon To Know will no doubt be included in the Melbourne concert. With a four-octave range, John Stephan has a big voice, and the Melbourne concert is rather special because John's mentor, legendary singer Frank Ifield, will make a rare appearance, as John sings hits from the 1950s, 60s and 70s as well as current favourites. John will dedicate a segment of the concert to Frank Ifield, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Frank’s first hit, I Remember You. www.ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100 - Julie Houghton ● Lana Jones.
● Michelle Myers (left), Chris Martin, Melina Wylie and ‘Armando’ in Pop Culture's Melbourne Fringe debut production, God Of Carnage. Photo: Jeremy Guzman
Bring Back The Showgirl ■ The Melbourne Fringe Festival features Bring Back The Showgirl at Red Bennies, Chapel St. Two shows (Sept. 27-28) boast “a living fantasy of Showgirl style and Burlesque beauty rolled into one fabulous show”. Special guests include Bianca Lee, Bijou Belle and Dolores Daiquiri. Cast members include Cassandra Jane Bella de Jac and The Strawberry Siren.
Photo: Georges Anton
■ As the Australian Ballet heads into the future after a big year celebrating its 50th anniversary, artistic director David McAllister has a dream for his company. "My vision for the company over the next five years is to make sure that ballet is accessible to all Australians. “So we will be developing a Children's Ballet, a new ballet film starring our dancers in an iconic Australian landscape, we'll use technology for a ballet to be filmed in 3D and we'll be broadcasting more ballets than ever fore," said an enthusiastic McAllister. Among McAllister's other plans is one to increase the company's Dance Education Ensemble, to double the number of schools they currently visit with their education programs. "Currently, we engage with around 12,000 school students a year, and many of those from disadvantaged areas where we provide the program free of charge," he said. The Australian Ballet's mantra of ‘caring for tradition, daring to be different’, get s a good workout with the planned 2013 program, with Melbourne set to host an interesting mixture of the familiar and the innovative. McAllister has curated the year under the theme of Masterpieces, both classic and future. Alexei Ratmansky will create a brand new Cinderella for the company, which will premiere in Melbourne in September before travelling to Sydney in November. Past masterpieces in the 2013 line-up include Don Quixote, the lively Spanish family favourite; the double bill of La Sylphide and Paquita; and the triple bill Vanguard, a showcase of works that redefined ballet, George Balanchine's The Four Temperaments, Jirí Kylián's Bella Figura, and Wayne McGregor's Dyad 1929. These three seasons will be seen in both Melbourne and Sydney. Graeme Murphy's internationally praised modern update of Swan Lake will return for a Melbourne-only season. Melbourne will also be treated to a free outdoor performance with Telstra's Ballet in the Bowl, taking place in the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in October. The Dancers Company will tour regional areas in New South Wales, Northern Territory, South Australia and Victoria. In its 34th annual tour the company will present Paquita, a new work by Simon Dow and Swan Lake Act III. www.australianballet.com.au - Julie Houghton
● John Stephan
Showbiz Briefs ★
Trikstars, world-renowned magicians, illusionists, quick change transformation artists, singers and dancers, produced bytheatrical impresarios Dion and Randall, will play a limited season at Her Majesty’s Theatre during the school holidays from September 25-30.
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Jenny Taylor and country choir, Lipstick and Spurs, are back for a show as part of the Darebin Music Feast. They will be joined by Frank Jones (Whirling Furfies), the High Street Bells Choir and other guest artists. The show is at Northcote Town Hall Studio 2 on Thursday September 20 at 7.30pm.
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The Australian Centre for the Moving Image will spotlights Dan Sultan in the Desert Island Flicks event on Tues., Oct. 2, , where the award-winning singersongwriter will reveal his to his top five films of all time.
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Cirque du Soleil will perform at the Helpmann Awards ceremony to be held at the Sydney Opera House on Monday, Sept.24, says publicist Julie Cavanagh.