24 Hour Musical Review 3!

“The 24-Hour Musical” immediately leapt out to me the moment I saw Melbourne University’s MUDFEST program. Aside from my poorly hidden love for musical theatre, it intrigued me as something I know I could never do myself – write, direct and rehearse a musical, all in under 24 hrs.

From the start it promised to be an experience. As the show actively advertised, it was designed so that it could be “anything”, from a train wreck to a masterpiece. The way the cavernous Union Theatre contrasted perfectly with the utilitarian staging and light Jazz of the shows’ four-piece band reinforced this - providing an odd mix of conflicting messages for the shows audience. Nevertheless, this made me only more excited as I settled into my seat, eager to see what the writers had come up with in their tight timeframe.

As it turned out, the musical followed the final year of four high school girls growing up in the late 1960s, each with their own set of problems. Helmet, the musical’s love struck Juliet, dealt with heartbreak after falling pregnant and having an abortion. Meanwhile, two of the other girls explored their sexuality, breaking free of their Christian School’s beliefs and finding love. Lastly, the brightest of the group struggled with being an ambitious black woman, with the aim of being a doctor fixed firmly in her sights.

The performances from all of the actresses were impressive. Not once was I reminded that these were a group of people that haven’t slept in 24hrs, and the show’s show-stopping number “In Twenty Years” showcased the vocal talents of the actresses particularly well. Moreover, given the short rehearsal time, the show seemed unusually smooth, and it’s a credit to the performs that they retained their composure throughout.

Despite that, there were a few distinct areas where you could really see the way time constraints affected the overall show. While the premise was ambitious already, the decision to try to tackle such dense and intricate problems as abortion, civil rights and suicide was a truly astonishing act of bravery. In a structural sense this scattergun approach failed to make the story a really satisfying one, and I found myself wishing that they had just picked one issue and drilled down on it in more depth.

Still, Mudfest isn’t about Shakespeare and substance. It’s instead about giving people the opportunity to try something new and deliver a performance that is unique and enjoyable. The 24-hr musical fulfilled this brief to a tee, and, in my mind, showed exactly the kind of spirit and gumption that makes MUDfest something more than just another play.

The 24- Hour Musical review was by Bill Stephenson for You're Dripping Egg!

24 Hour Musical Review 2

Mudfest 2011 (Two of A Kind): The 24 Hour Musical - review by Matilda Dixon-Smith as seen on You're Dripping Egg.

Disclaimer: My lack of a program (part of Mudfest’s ‘no paper’ policy) might mean I make some small missteps (such as character names, cast/crew identities etc.). My apologies.

When I informed a colleague at work that I would spend my Sunday evening reviewing 24 Hour Musical (a musical written, rehearsed and performed in 24 hours), she rather aptly pointed out “Well, at least it’ll be interesting”.

Interesting, indeed, is exactly what it was. 24 Hour Musical was an appropriately ramshackle affair. The stage at Union Theatre was haphazardly set up with podium and chairs set in rows on one side of the stage, and a brightly-dressed bedroom on the other. The cast was all-female, and the band rocked it coolly at the back (setting the mood of ‘improvisational skill’ at the start with a jazzy jamming overture). The story was of four girls in their final year at a Catholic school in the 1960s. I am a little fuzzy on where exactly we were, since some of the girls had Australian accents, and others American. Starry-eyed Helmet spirals out of control when she discovers she is pregnant, and hasn’t studied for her up-coming exams. Muddy and Kaye (one a singer/fake soccer player, the other a recreational drug user and the story’s narrator) explore their sexuality by exploring, er, each other. The final performer (who’s character name escapes me), is an ambitious young black woman who struggles against gender and civil oppression to fulfil her dream of becoming a doctor. There was also the sober but wicked head teacher Sister Mary Catherine.

The music was the most impressive part of the show. A number of songs, similar in style yet each conveying the mood of the scene and serving to propel a plot or deepen the audience’s understanding of a character, were performed with great fervour. I do wish one of the actors (the one playing the doctor girl) had been less obvious about reading her lyrics off a prop textbook she carried. While I understand the necessity of having the lyric (in case you forget words written only 24 hours ago) it was a little distracting to see her always looking down. My favourite song was “Wouldn’t It Be Grand” a sweet love song first performed by Muddy and Donna (Muddy’s pink trench coat-wearing lover), then reprised by Muddy and Kaye at the end. The costumes were bright and exciting, the girls looked like a kind of acid trip version of a 60s Catholic school girl. Their voices were all quite fine (with a rocky vibe) and the acting was also good. These characters had a lot to deal with, and that was clearly conveyed by the four leads.

Herein lies the big problem with this experiment. The musical was short, only 40 minutes long, and those minutes were packed to bursting with women’s rights, civil rights, (implied) lapsed Catholicism, adolescence, abortion, gay rights and suicide. It was a little too much for one audience to handle. These important issues need to be dealt with using more time and a little less insensitivity (I found the jokes about abortion to be in pretty poor taste). Content over clarity is never a good call, especially in a work based around the practice of improvisation. However, despite this minor blunder, I enjoyed seeing the 24 Hour Musical experiment pan out. I really must commend the writing/directing/performing team (unfortunately uncredited on the Mudfest site) for their valiancy and their good sense of fun. It was certainly infectious in the theatre during their wild performance.

Review: iQuest: The Musical

Paul Keating and Shane Warne have musicals. So does marijuana, genetics, and Elle Woods. In an age where no taboo is musically untouched, you might ask where else the musical could possibly go? 'iQuest' answers that question with a ripe sense of the ridiculous: videogame and nerd culture.

Weedy, nerdy Larry sits alone in his basement playing World of Warcraft. His mother worries that he doesn't get out enough, but before this can turn into a serious study of cyber addiction, Larry disappears into cyberspace, meets his dominatrix guide Amy, and is transformed into his hunky avatar Cassius. Through a series of levels he must complete the Ultimate Quest and fight the evil siblings Dr. Z and Mr A and their USB of Doom (which will somehow trigger the formation of a supercontinent and the US taking over the world. Go figure). Along the way he picks up PJizzle (a 90s rapper), Ash (as in Pokemon) and Captain Planet who will aide him in quest.

Half the references sadly went straight over my head. But the ones I did get were well-placed and funny. The first act's Pokemon Battle, and the second's opening with a gone-to-seed Captain Planet are a hoot. 'iQuest' is like a comic-con, ranging from social networking to the vampire craze to Dungeons and Dragons. There's a message in there somewhere about growing up and facing real life, but for iQuest I was happy to indulge in sweet nostalgia for a more naive and innocent time.

There's some solid writing behind iQuest; plenty of good gags (although some overwritten) and a good story arc, told through well-thought and potentially great songs. The production lacked in places, particularly the balance, and there were some awkward timing issues, but this is a rock musical with potential. The finale showed the strength of the talent behind the show, congratulations to the cast and crew for developing this musical from scratch.

'iQuest' is an affectionate homage of nerdy goodness, with a surprising amount of heart.

'iQuest: The Musical' continues today at Union Theatre.

iQuest: The Creative Process

"Test-driving a new game takes a life-changing turn for Larry as his avatar, Cassius, goes on the Ultimate Quest, facing challenge after challenge, including that of Larry’s own life…"

iQuest is an original musical written by ROC'UM, the newest musical theatre company at the University of Melbourne. It will be performed at Union Theatre on Friday 26/8 9pm and Saturday 27/8 3pm & 6:30pm. I spoke with Eden Elliott (Director), Joshua Chang (Musical Director) and Tasha Irina (Book Writer) earlier this week – asking them about how the show was created and why you should go see it!

I’m curious about the creative process of iQuest — how did it start?
Eden: iQuest happened mostly by accident. The production team of the previous show already had ideas in the works, but we decided it would be more according to ROC'UM's principles to write something collectively. A little bit of brainstorming around the Mudfest 'kaleidoscopic' theme landed us instantly in the cyber-world. Anyone who volunteered helped write or compose.
Tasha: We wanted to do something that hasn't been done before. This is what we have :)

How did the collaboration start? Did it start with the script, or the music?
Eden: Collaboration worked mostly on a scene-by-scene basis. The writer produced the initial version of a scene; composers immediately got to work. Except in the case of the opening number, everything developed scene-first and was adapted in later versions. The composers also developed the over-arching themes of the musical using reprises and motifs, to help keep things cogent and really emphasise the satirical nature of the show.
Josh: Lyrics versus music varied. For example, in the avatar building song and P-Jizzle's rap, a writer produced the lyrics, which were then put to music by a composer. In other scenes, composers were given the characters, setting and dialoge around, and then wrote the song.

What inspired you when you were writing & developing iQuest?
Tasha: The Mudfest theme helped guide us but basically when it came down to it, it was a team effort. Characters and script were mainly my forte but everyone could bring their ideas in. Essentially it's like a trip down memory lane.
Eden: I will add that in almost every rehearsal, someone would make a joke or reference based on the script and we'd decide to include it.

How long did it take to write & develop iQuest?
Eden: The show has certainly taken its time – without the readily, instantly accessible internet, we couldn't have pulled this off. Despite the limitations of the Mudfest time frame, this show has been written and performed by amateurs all at once, remarkably. Some songs have been in place for months now – some for less than a week!
Josh: I'll add that I think that time pressure can force art to be good, or at least tight, without loose lazy bits.

How do you feel the collaborative process among cast members and the creative team has shaped the show?
Eden: For ROC'UM, the collaborative process is the show. The whole purpose of this theatre company is that everyone partake, and learn about any and all aspects of what it takes to put on a show. Some of the cast members have really grown a lot and everyone's skills have been put to good use.
Josh: And this is wonderful, because the marker of how good an experience is how much people grow – individually and in their bonds with others.

What are some of the things that you wish to achieve with iQuest?
Eden: for iQuest? I want everyone involved to be proud of what we've made, and for our audiences to understand exactly how difficult and wonderful ROC'UM is. For the company herself, we want more people involved who understand the ROC'UM spirit, and to establish ourselves so that in the future we can work with other, more experienced theatre companies to give our team just that little bit more knowledge.
Tasha: To let people discover skills they didn't know they had, to entertain and have fun... and possibly show that it's okay to be a geek :)

What has been the most challenging thing about writing, composing and developing the show – and realising it from page to stage?

Eden: I'm not afraid the show will fail to make money or entertain. I'm afraid the people involved won't feel good about it – and they deserve to! The most challenging part will be bringing the audience an understanding of where we come from and importantly why we exist.
Josh: I think the hardest thing was maintaining the momentum, development and flow of the show. I think the scriptwriters did and excellent job of this – I would've struggled in their places.
Tasha: The constant revision of the script but it was all worth it.

What do you enjoy most about being involved in iQuest?

Eden: Vocal direction is my passion. Being able to realise the harmonies in one's head, even in part, is always a great thing.

Josh: I love being able to perform good music as a group, and to see tremendous growth and improvement, which is clearly visible among the members of ROC'UM. Of course, entertaining an audience will be the funnest part of it all.
Tasha: Getting to work with passionate and great people. They're like family now.

Describe iQuest in three words!
Eden: I don't need three – wonderful, in the original sense of the word.
Josh: Hilarious Musical Satire / Majorly Unprecedented Awesomeness / Songs, Comedy, Collectibles / Questions e-Society Musically.
Tasha: Irrevocable Indescribable Awesomeness.

Why should people go & see iQuest?
Eden: ^see all above
Josh: People should see iQuest because it contains the best songs released in 2011. Seriously.
Tasha: Because it's fun, it's original, and a new experience for all.

Is there anything else you'd like to add about iQuest or ROC'UM?
Eden: Come and be welcomed!
Josh: I think that everyone should know that we in ROC'UM call ourselves the doughnuts. Do-nut make fun of this.
Tasha: All I can say is <3

photos by Adilah Ikram Shah

Review: 24 Hour Musical

I was waiting for someone else to post a review about this show, because I didn’t feel like I could write one. I’m still not quite sure what actually happened in Union Theatre that night, and I’m saying that in the best way possible.

It started with seven girls marching onto the stage, with a nun proceeding to stand behind a podium in front of them. Soon we found out that it was set in 1963, in some St Peter College something-or-other girls boarding school. Four of the girls were roommates — I’m not even going to try to type up their character names because I know I’ll just get them all mixed up.

Over the next forty minutes, these happened: a girl fell pregnant, had an abortion, got depressed, committed suicide; another girl realised that she couldn’t be with her singer girlfriend, sung about how she could never marry someone, got together with one of her roommate by the end of the show; the aforementioned roommate was constantly tripping on acid, and she was also our main narrator throughout the show; the last girl in the bunch was concerned about academia and was baffled that her friends didn’t bother studying for their test, but she tried helping her no-longer-pregnant friend by swapping their test papers. There were kisses. There were beautiful songs with gorgeous harmonies. There was a cloaked, dancing Death. Also there was an owl. And a pink rabbit. And the musicians wore masks – one of which was a shark fin.

If your reaction to that paragraph is, “Wait… what??” ­– let me just answer with: “Exactly.”

It’s not that there wasn’t a story in this musical. There was a very concrete and witty one, and if I were to describe it in musicals, I’d say that it’s a love child of Spring Awakening and Hair. This show made the most out of the resources that were available to them and, somehow, they crafted a story that was enjoyable and entertaining to watch.

It was sheer fun and excitement to see this musical performed on stage, when everyone in the theatre knew that it was written, rehearsed and performed within such limited time frame. Everyone involved did a fantastic job and they pulled it off tremendously well. I wish it had been longer, and I overheard some people wishing that it could be performed again. If you didn’t get to see it — man, you missed out on one hell of a ride.

photo by David Haidon

Review: The Zoo Story

Jerry has been to the zoo, but before he tells Peter why it will be on the news tonight, he wants to have a proper conversation.

I also went to the zoo on Sunday. The animals were fascinating, but as I followed the endless queues of strollers, some disturbing aspects became apparent. The orangutan gazed through the glass with a little too much recognition. The tiger paced relentlessly back and forth; perhaps lonely, perhaps hungry, perhaps for no reason whatsoever.

Melbourne City Dionysia's production of 'The Zoo Story', presented as part of Mudfest 2011, will take you to the zoo as well, but it's not a family weekend.

Peter (Henry Shaw), a "truly enviable innocent" or perhaps a "vegetable," is a New York publicist with a wife, two daughters, and two parakeets. Jerry (James Jackson) is a transient in a rooming house, with a coloured queen in a kimono next door. One afternoon they meet in a park and Peter's tidy world is turned upside down.

Edward Albee's 'The Zoo Story', directed by Shannon Loughnane and Clancy Moore, is a story of connection between humans (and animals). Their direction is subtle, allowing the creeping horror and tension to build. The set is two park benches that come to represent the vast distance (or perhaps not so vast) between Peter and Jerry. The play is structured around the conversation that they have. A highlight is an extended speech in which Jerry describes the flamboyant menagerie of characters in his rooming house. James Jackson and Henry Shaw bring all the nuances of Albee's play to life; the humour, the horror, and the connection. Their chemistry is spot on. What could have been a vicious satire of conservative values is a story of two men, searching for conversation and companionship, in the zoo that is the city they live in.

'The Zoo Story' continues Wednesday 24th, Thursday 25th, and Friday 26th at Union Theatre

24 Hour Musical at 21 hours!

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.