Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, November 28, 2012 - Page 47
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Radio Confidential: Top daytime DJ named .. Page 49 Media Flashes: Neil Mitchell-MTR story ..../...... Page 50 The Spoiler: Neighbours plotlines ....................... Page 50 Jim and Aaron: Movies, DVDs, Top 10 lists ............... Page 53 Cheryl Threadgold: Local Theatre shows, auditions ....... Page 56 PLUS THE LOVATT”S MEGA CROSSWORD
MUSIC MARATHON TO RAISE CASH New shows for ‘War Horse’
■ The National Theatre of Great Britain and Global Creatures have announced three additional weeks of War Horse at the Arts Centre Melbourne. Tickets for the multiple Tony and Olivier Award-winning went on sale yesterday (Tues.). The newperformances are from February 12-March 3. Applauded by critics and audiences alike, War Horse will hold its Australian premiere in Melbourne on New Year’s Eve at the Arts Centre Melbourne’s State Theatre. The cast and crew have arrived in Melbourne for rehearsals, with preview performances at the State Theatre commencing on December 23. War Horse is a theatrical blockbuster play (not a musical), that has taken worldwide audiences on an emotionally-charged journey via production elements, superb talent and imagination. At its heart are puppets strong enough for men to ride, created by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, who bring breathing, galloping, charging horses to life on the stage. The 33 Australian cast members including actors and puppeteers will create theatrical magic as the life force behind War Horse’s storytelling and astonishing puppets. Nick Stafford’s stage adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s book, War Horse is a magnificent drama which tells the heart wrenching story of Joey, the beloved horse of a boy called Albert, who is sold to the cavalry at the outbreak of World War I and shipped to France. He’s soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home. Tickets: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au 1300 182 183 or www.ticketmaster.com.au 136 100
All the critics have it wrong: John-Michael ■ Straight off the plane from a US tour, More Sex Please We’re Seniors writer John-Michael Howson says critics of his musical comedy have it all wrong. Howson gave an interview to Lawrence Money of The Age, saying the critics did not understand the seniors audience. The season for MSPWS ends on Saturday next week (Dec. 8). Producers had hoped that the show would continue at The Comedy ● John-Michael Howson Theatre into January.
Kutcha delivers some culture ● Caroline Almonte ■ Marathons are a time-honoured way of raising funds and profile, and Melbourne's fine music station, 3MBS-FM, has come up with a musical marathon of Beethoven. The 3MBS Beethoven Marathon 2013 is the first of its kind staged in Australia, and it will happen on Sunday, March 2, from 9am-10.30 pm at Federation Square's BMW Edge. The statistics of staging such an event are impressive - 32 Beethoven sonatas will be played by 28 pianists on a 9-foot Shigeru concert grand piano donated by Kawai Pianos. That's a lot of finger work from some dedicated musicians, each of whom are volunteering their time to help 3MBS raise funds for its continued survival. The team of pianists for the Beethoven Marathon include such eminent names as Michael Kieran Harvey, Amir Farad, Timothy Young, Caroline Almonte and the winner of the 2012 Australian National Piano Award, Daniel de Borah, amongst others. The marathon will be staged in seven two-hour sessions of four to five sonatas each and the whole marathon will be broadcast live by 3MBS and relayed to the Fine Music Network across Australia, and online across the world. Some 3000 tickets are available to cover the various sessions of the Beethoven Marathon. Launching the Beethoven Marathon at the Sofitel Hotel was 3MBS Honorary Patron, Professor Richard Divall, who told the assembled crowd that 3MBS was a vital voice and support for Melbourne and Australia's performing artists. "I am delighted that so many artists of such calibre have stepped u to donate their talent to keep our important station on air," Professor Divall said. As a 'sampler' at the launch, pianist Caroline Almonte delighted the crowd with a Beethoven movement she will be playing as part of the marathon. All day passes are on sale now, with single sessions on sale from December 3 from artscentremelbourne.com.au or 1300 182 183. - Julie Houghton
Death Of A Comedian ■ Death Of A Comedian is less of a whodunit than a fly-on-thewall eye-opener that exposes the true personalities behind those affable and carefully marketed stage personas we’ve come to know and ‘love’. Laughter aside, the artists’ green room is a blood-spattered arena where the successful and the not-so-successful entertainers fight tooth and nail for that precious spot at the top of the bill. Fred Rowan draws on his own rich background to create a range of characters from every comic genre, from the breakfast radio crew to the Tonight Live set. For the untold thousands of live stand-up comedy fans who have staggered from pub to pub in pursuit of a good laugh since the early 1980s, this play is your life. Director Bruce Langdon worked with Fred for almost a year refining the script and staged a very successful public reading at La Mama Theatre earlier this year. Performers include Linden Compassi, Tim Ferris, Jeremy Kewley, Wendy Little, David Nash, Karla Silvey and Kevin Summers. Performance Season: November 28 – December 9 Times: Wed, Sun 6.30pm; Thu, Fri, Sat at 7.30pm Venue: La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond Street, Carlton Tickets: $25 full, $15 concession Bookings: Online www.lamama.com.au or 9347 6142. - Cheryl Threadgold
● Kutcha Edwards ■ A perfect combination of reflective and tantalising, the Kutcha Edwards – Boubacar Traore concert at the Australasian Worldwide Music Expo was a showcase of the best of both Australian and international talent. Very much a storyteller, Kutcha Edwards introduced every song with a narrative, and his wry sense of humour and laid-back stage presence gave the performance a great charm. Kutcha’s resonant voice carried effortlessly over the band, allowing for full appreciation of the singersongwriter’s poignant lyrics. However, the lighter voice of his niece Charlotte (Charlie), who joined for some later songs, was often lost in the mix, especially when the two sang together. Indigenous identity, though clearly a central focus of Kutcha’s songs, was not overly dwelt on. The band was strong, with polished arrangements and particularly impressive solos from the saxophone. Dazzling in every sense of the word, the enviable quality of Boubacar Traore is that he makes the whole thing look so easy. Dressed in a zingy yellow, he played the guitar with flying fingers, sang beautifully and added in more than the odd bout of shuffling footwork along the way. Collaborative artists were similarly into the groove, with mouth organ solos taking the instrument to new levels of virtuosity and occasionally almost bordering on beat-boxing! It would have been fascinating to hear the stories behind this music and an English rendition of lyrics. Nevertheless, the audience was highly appreciative, with more than a few dancing in the aisles. - Naomi Johnson
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The harmony supergroup Eddie Perfect and Tripod will perfect at the Arts Centre Melbourne on Januray 18-19. John Blackman, stand-in co-host for 3AW’s Nightline, commented that he was certain he would receive a Melbourne Observer mention when he said Wye River was near Wilsons Prom. He referred to Bruce Mansfield’s notoriety for Victorian geography. Andi Lew and Natalie Kringoudis will launch their new book, Eat Fat, Be Thin, at Dymocks, 234 Collins St, on Tuesday (Dec. 4) at an invitation-only champagne event organised by publicist Helen Reizer.
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