Muddy Flicks

On Wednesday night the Rowden White Library undertook a transformation, it was still the same relaxed, cosy place it always has been, but those kicking back with a comic book, or blatantly ignoring the request to 'please do not study' were absent. The lights were dim and deep within the labyrinth of shelves, screens were flickering to life. And so began Muddy Flicks.

Featuring over 30 short films, screened over the course of three hours, Muddy Flicks invited visitors to move between screens and spaces, to view a series of different films at their own pace. It is perhaps not practical to mention every film in this review, and as it happened, I regrettably wasn't able to see them all.

My night started with a cosy armchair in the screening room, with a set of headphones that were a touch too big. Almost as soon as I had sat down, the film began. Opening with a violently red, yellow and orange landscape, we slowly focus on the pale face of a young boy. He looks lost, frightened, hopeless in a desolate world that burns behind him. The film that followed was a beautifully realised story of one man, perhaps the last on earth, living out his days in Bunker 14 after a massive nuclear explosion. It was, I think a good film to start with. The films I watched after snuggled in an equally cosy armchair in front of the projector followed similar themes. The filmmakers of Muddy Flicks explored the horrors and quieter moments of war, of grief, of frightening worlds where women are scarce and valuable commodities. Difference was pondered and celebrated, sometimes with humour and sometimes with poignancy. We travel the country with a young boy who learns that a well rounded education does not come from a tape, learn the adverse affects of smoking from a young sunflower, who once found her Dad's cigarette butt in her noodles. But by the end, like the man in Bunker 14, we find there is the possibility of a world with hope.

Muddy Flicks certainly celebrated the talent of some amazing filmmakers, talent that one day we shall hopefully see on the big screen.

Musical of Musicals - the Musical! Review

‘The Musical of Musicals: The Musical’

I didn’t want to review a show on Friday evening. Instead, I’d been hoping to attend my friends’ “N”-themed housewarming. Lucky for me, I take my reviewing duties very seriously. As the first Mudfest 2011 show I’ve seen, The Musical of Musicals: The Musical certainly did not disappoint. In fact it entirely exceeded my expectations.

TMOM:TM is basically a piece of musical theatre written to (affectionately) rag on musical theatre. The show is five short pieces (satirising/paying tribute to different musical styles from the past century) with the same basic plot: “I cannot pay the rent”. These are driven by five archetypal characters: the ingénue (Emma Hoy), the hero (Jack Brown), the villain (Josiah Lulham), the confidante (Bianca Bruce) and the ensemble (Michael Leaver). Each piece respectively parodies the work of Rogers and Hammerstein (in Corn!), Stephen Sondheim (A Little Bit Complex), Jerry Herman (Dear Abby), Andrew Lloyd Webber (Aspects of Junita) and Kander and Ebb (Speakeasy).

Directors and co-producers Scott Dunsdon and Emma Leaver did a fantastic job of transforming the sometimes vacuous Union Theatre, giving it a more intimate—sort-of cabaret—vibe. I was struck, upon entering the space, by the simplistic set (all black, with a piano stage right and a small rostrum stage left) and the cool instrumental jazz cooing over the speakers. My only criticism of the show is that it might thrive in a smaller space.

As a lover of snark, I was surprised to find there was nothing to snark about in TMOM:TM. The show itself is wonderful, filled with broad humour and sharp insider jokes (yet never losing its wit and cool). Leaver and Dunsdon have opted for a simple vision. This ultimately enhances the show as it allows the concept, and the fabulous actors, to shine. The aforementioned set design is clean and effective. Dunsdon and Leaver are clearly great directors who know how to construct sharp, aesthetically-pleasing blocking. Some scenes (most of A Little Bit Complex and Speakeasy, for example) are concomitantly inspired and referential, giving the show that magical mixture of familiarity and freshness.

The lighting design was one of my favourite aspects. For something that looks so easy to pull off, it’s perfectly obvious when a lighting designer doesn’t know what they’re doing. TMOM:TM’s lighting captured the essence of the show perfectly, while also lifting it from its simple surrounds. It was just totally classy. The simple costume design matched that class, predominately blacks and whites. Another outstanding aspect was the exceptional effort from Simon Bruckard, the show’s sole instrumentalist. Bruckard (on piano) held the show together with an emphatic and impudent performance.

Now, to the actors, who undeniably made the show. Brown, Bruce, Hoy, Leaver and Lulham are clearly all accomplished performers – there wasn’t a botched line or bung voice between them. However, there was so much more than ‘accomplished’ in their performances. Each actor had impeccable comic timing, an extensive vocal range (and appealing, commanding voices), and a wonderful affinity with the stage. Jack Brown made an interesting, engaging ‘hero’. He has a fabulous rich vocal timbre and an easy physicality onstage. Michael Leaver (who voiced the ‘ensemble’) was a stand-out; he shone in Dear Abby and Speakeasy and his comfortable manner (and sweet physical comedy) held the five pieces together. Emma Hoy, whose comedic style has impressed me before, was predictably spectacular. She melds sweetness and maturity brilliantly and makes a complex, charming damsel. She also has some wonderful facial expressions.

Bianca Bruce was an absolute knockout. It’s worth attending the show just to see her performance. She is a gracious, hysterical comedienne with a truly magnificent voice. Her Merman/Lansbury/Channing was particularly on-the-nose. Josiah Lulham was fabulous. He is just totally smooth (and has wonderful physicality) onstage. He made an excellent faux-Emcee in Speakeasy, an absolutely outstanding villain in Corn!, and was just a complete joy to watch. I found that my eye always wandered to him, as he was always doing something fascinating. Another joy was the ingenious Leslie (the “talking program”). As Mudfest is a ‘paper-free’ event, the TMOM:TM team keep you informed during the show via a lucid voice-over (I’m assuming, an un-credited Scott Dunsdon). A couple of stand-out Leslie moments were a soliloquy on apples, and a wonderful crack about Rent.

TMOM:TM holds appeal for musical theatre-lovers (like me) and the general public alike. There are jokes for the masses, and some for those who know the genre inside and out. I attended TMOM:TM on opening night with some 25 other enthusiastic audience-members. TMOM:TM has 4 more performances during the Mudfest period, and I would highly recommend attending one of them. This show is a treasure, and deserves a much larger audience than the one it had on opening night!

The Musical of Musicals: The Musicals is showing at the Union House Theatre at the University of Melbourne from 19-25^th August (as part of the University of Melbourne’s biennial Arts Festival, Mudfest 2011). Dates, times and prices for the performances can be found here. Don’t miss out on this one folks; it’s truly a fab experience!

This review by by Matilda Dixon-Smith (part of Mudfest 2011) can also be read on Your Dripping Egg.

Overheard in Rehearsals

"Butterfly to sparkly aeroplane to swishy box square "

Waiting for Eurovision Rehearsals - choreography speak!

Overheard In Onion House

First Floor during the interval for Closer

"I think this will be the Best Mudfest Ever"

We could not agree more with the the sentiments expressed here by an Esteemed Member of the University of Melbourne Theatre Community.

MUDfest and the Farrago.

Farrago Edition 3, 2011 was an interesting issue for many reasons. One was the highly amusing horoscopes but there was a lot of more interesting and political stuff as well. Not to be daunted the Editors of Farrago ran a provocative cover and also a feature article about the way forward for the Union/Onion underneath the leader ship of Clemens Unger*. Under the title Westfield Parkville Tim Hall wrote about the the direction the University is taking with the Union. This very interesting and worthwhile article was on page 11.

On page 40 there was an article about about MUDfest: Covered in MUDfest by Vicky Smith (which doesn't seem to be up on the website for some reason - check out the emag. It will be there - page 40). This is not a go at the eds for relegating it to the bag of the magazine - when it really should be in the front news section - instead we would like to draw some parallels between the articles.

For a University Union to be concerning itself to becoming "the Parkville destination...in terms of retail, entertainment and hospitality...a layout like Melbourne Central, you get the drift of what should be there" is a worry. This is Von Westfield on his vision for Onion House. But wait there is more! "I like that Borders principle..." Yes, it is always wise to take business ideas FROM A BANKRUPT COMPANY THAT FORGOT IT WAS A BOOKSHOP. It is clear that the Union is at risk as the article continues of forgetting that "it is a University not a shopping centre." So. We have a mandate (apparent mandate) anyway to move away from being "stuck in the 1970s" and 'moving forward' to to the present. The cynic in the root system of this website asks:

1. How much is the architect being paid to redesign the second floor?
2. How much does this "major make-over" going to cost?
3. Will it actually benefit students and...
4. Why was there no money in the MUSUL budget for MUDfest?

This is where the two articles are linked. On page 11 we have a man with an expansive and expensive vision to transform the Union and 29 pages later there is an article about the same organisation completely annihilating the funding of a student festival. There is of course tough economic times at the moment as we are being constantly reminded by our politicians in the lead up to Federal Budget BUT, the cynic might not accept that there is no money at MUSUL. There is just no money for MUDfest as it is being channelled into other ventures. 

Incidentally factually the report in the Covered in MUDfest article that MUSUL has cut the budget almost in half is incorrect. The money raised for this years festival predominately came from C-CRAG (The Cultural and Community Relations and Advisory Group - hideous sounding acronym but really quite awesome) and ever lovely and supportive Theatre Board. Allegedly MUSUL have not provided any direct funding (as far as Muddy Leaks is aware) but have been assisting with the providing the designs and other materials. Fortunately it finished on a great positive note:

Arts Officer Extroadinaire: "For us it is not about going 'Oh crap, we don't have eighty thousand dollars to spend' it's about producing a festival that's sustainable, raw, and not too loud in terms of expenses - a festival that is about ideas."

Keep up the fight Farrago!

*Henceforth on this site the supreme leader of that darkside of the will be known as Von Westfield, although we are sure he is a lovely chap.

Overheard In Onion House

"[Food-Place-Not-Named-in-Union-House] is only good for smoothies unless you like your foccacia with blowflies."

An Alternative Solution, Perhaps?

"The Academic Board sits to interview the last possible candidate for the position of Vice Chancellor. Enter Glyn Davis (Nick Masters), Rock Star Academic of Melbourne University. From the sellout musical written by Fregmonto Stokes, Directed by Richard Pettifer, with music by Angus Leslie and Ben Kiley in Union House Theatre - see http://www.melbournemodelthemusical.com/"

It's an oldie - all the way back from 2008, but still as glorious as ever. Enjoy!

Money Makes the World Go Round

Money Makes the World Go Round, the world go round. Money Makes the World Go Round, that clinking clanking sound! That makes the world go roooooouuuuuunnnnnnndddd.

It's strange isn't it, dear University how much the lines of a Cabaret set in 1930s Berlin have such resonance with the way one conducts business today. An Oscar Winning Cabaret no-less?! One that was performed (albeit in a different form) in Union House Theatre but Queens College in 2009. Ah, 2009 a year when there was money around...

If you happen to rich
And you feel like a night's entertainment
You can pay for a gay escapade.
If you happen to be rich and alone
And you need a companion
You can ring (ting-a-ling) for the maid.
If you happen to be rich
And you find you are left by your lover,
And you moan and you groan quite a lot
You can take it on the chin,
Call a cab and begin to recover
On your 14-karat yacht! WHAT!?

Everything was bright (well quite) and there was budgets. Yes, budgets! For arts! For Students! And then... it all changed. Well, lots of things changed really. Cost cutting further under cutbacks for the Union. Everything has a new price, a new connotation.

When you haven't any coal in the stove
And you freeze in the winter
And you curse to the wind at your fate.
When you haven't any shoes on your feet,
Your coat's thin as paper,
And you look 30 pounds underweight
When you go to get a word of advice
From the fat little pastor,
He will tell you to love evermore.
But when hunger comes to rap,
rat-a-tat rat-a-tat at the window
*knock knock* (at the window)
Who's there? (hunger) oh, hunger!!
See how love flies out the door...

And so in late 2010 according to Insider Sources within the Darkside of the Union/Onion (as opposed to the Force) it came to pass that all the money would become no money.

No money at all.

[do stay tuned for more hard-hitting musical theatre journalism, and proper information too: * jazz hands*] 

Overheard In Onion House

Overheard in the extensive Melbourne University Co-Op queue:

"Not sure if this is terribly efficient."
"We find it works quite well for us."