Author: thedialogtheatreblog

A log of student theatre reviews at the University of Melbourne. A dialogue between theatre makers and audiences.
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A Tasting[s ‘18] of Raw Emotion

The seven-course dinner that was Tastings ’18 Group A brought together seemingly heavy subject matters, usually hidden by the mundanity of the everyday, and emphasised their immense weight. Five stand-alone performances stripped away their existential layers and provided us with a fleeting but intimate glimpse of bare emotion and experience. All seven performances in Tastings reflected different ends of the social and cultural spectrum – … Continue reading A Tasting[s ‘18] of Raw Emotion

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Urinetown: Nothing is as it Seems

It would be easy to rattle off some scatological quips about Newman’s latest musical outing, Urinetown. But that would ruin the whole conceit of Urinetown’s refusal to submit to cheap wordplay and throwaway gags. The script is taut, intelligent and undeniably charming in its revisionist agenda. And Newman’s cast pulls it off with success. Directed by Matt Healy, the production makes use of a relatively … Continue reading Urinetown: Nothing is as it Seems

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Heathers: How Very Indeed

Heathers: The Musical has to be one of the balliest musical choices, not only for the challenge of casting performers able to sing its absolutely mammoth vocal score, but also for the fear of offending any unsuspecting audience members with its gratuitously crude, dark sense of humor. And so, when I first heard the announcement that University College would be producing such musical, I was a … Continue reading Heathers: How Very Indeed

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Oil Babies: Anxiety and Apocalypse

At a time when natural disasters headline the news every other day, Lab Kelpie’s Oil Babies taps into modern anxieties about a seemingly inevitable apocalypse, and the apparent futility of individual attempts to ‘save the planet’. Written and directed by Petra Kalive, the play depicts a dystopia not at all far away from our own world. Apocalypse is imminent, with the human race on the precipice … Continue reading Oil Babies: Anxiety and Apocalypse

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Chicago: Foxy and Full of Heart

It’s a fair assumption that, both in nature and reputation, college productions aren’t exactly supposed to be taken too seriously. However, this was not the case for audiences of Ormond College’s recent production of Chicago. The audience were forced to leave any such presuppositions at home as the cast and crew tackled this raunch-fest with surprising professionalism, style and finesse. Chicago tells the tale of two … Continue reading Chicago: Foxy and Full of Heart

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Things We Should Talk About: A Conventional Review of an Unconventional Play

Premiering at Union Theatre House, Things We Should Talk About is an experimental play that asks us to consider heavy and difficult subjects like gender, climate change, race, equality and censorship, and the means through which these subjects are discussed and debated, if they are allowed to be discussed at all. It is not structured as a conventional play, with scenes within an act that tell … Continue reading Things We Should Talk About: A Conventional Review of an Unconventional Play

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The Unexpected Guest: An Unexpected Delight

Clocking in at almost three hours, Melbourne University Chinese Theatre Group’s adaptation of an Agatha Christie tale feels a colossal undertaking that never breaks a sweat. Immediately setting a dark tone, the play strikes a noir chord with an eerie soundscape and darkened set, save for the few scattered candles and a probing torch. We are given glimpses of gothic set pieces and portentous blocking … Continue reading The Unexpected Guest: An Unexpected Delight

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Into the Woods: After the Happily Ever After

We have all grown up with fairytales, and been enthralled by the spell they cast over us. These stories have had several different interpretations over recent years, each with their own unique twists. ICAC’s Into the Woods does just that, incorporating the Grimm Brothers’ fairytales, like Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood, with the original story of a baker and his … Continue reading Into the Woods: After the Happily Ever After

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Plastic Shakespeare: There’s Something Fresher in The State of Shakespeare

MUSC’s Plastic Shakespeare presents two short plays based on the idea that Shakespeare can be on the one hand useful and malleable and on the other garish and opaque. The two very different works, Hamlet by the Pool and Engraft, equally enliven and update the bard while complicating our understanding of his modern-day relevance. Written and directed by Isobel Milne, Hamlet By The Pool is a punchy, pacey and … Continue reading Plastic Shakespeare: There’s Something Fresher in The State of Shakespeare

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The Drowsy Chaperone: No Sleep for the Audience!

UMMTA has always strived to produce high-quality productions and stellar performances in some attempt to mend the stereotypical bridge between the ‘university musical’ and amateur theatre. This time, they have truly exceeded all expectations with their adaptation of ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’. If you’re unfamiliar, which I find highly doubtful considering the show’s popularity, the premise is that of the typical musical within a musical scenario: … Continue reading The Drowsy Chaperone: No Sleep for the Audience!

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