Reviewed by: Emma Parfitt Spamalot is a show advertised to knock Broadway back by 1,000 years – and UMMTA sure delivered a knockout performance at Union Theatre as they transported us back to middle ages in spectacular fashion. The musical, with book and lyrics by Python legend Eric Idle, is essentially a direct spoof of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Directed by Nick Reynolds … Continue reading UMMTA’s Spamalot: A Successful Quest!
From novel, to film, to theatre, The Witches of Eastwick has had many incarnations, the latest being UMMTA’s most recent production. Three single women, outcasts from their town of Truman Show-like domestic perfection, pray for the ‘perfect’ man to save them from their struggles. When he arrives, innocent fun turns into manipulation and harm of a more serious kind, and the three ‘witches’ must unite to … Continue reading The Witches of Eastwick: Wickedly Slick
Somehow, despite loving theatre like the puppy I never got, I have never seen an UMMTA show. I have missed showing after showing, year after year of their music theatre extravaganzas, but I am glad to say I finally made it. And of all the shows to see, a double bill of new works written by up and coming artists is quite the first time. … Continue reading The Factory: Seeing Double
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!
《星期天与乔治同游公园》（下称《星期天》）是由Broadway出品的音乐剧，该剧最初的灵感来源于19世纪点彩画派①之父Georges Seurat (乔治·修拉)的一幅画，《大宛岛上的星期天下午》②。同时，这也是词曲家Stephen Sondheim③和作者James Laphine的第一次合作，两人联手创作了Broadway1984年最初版的音乐剧。 像Sondheim的很多其他音乐剧一样，《星期天》对技术和所呈现的音乐要求很高，以致对任何接手制作的公司而言，都意味着挑战。UMMTA将这部曾获普利策最佳戏剧奖的作品搬上舞台，在设计和导戏方面上都注入新的创意，让澳大利亚观众也能一睹这部不常在剧院能够观赏到的戏的风采。 Thomas Fellowers设计的舞台布景及投影简洁明了。整个舞台看起来像一只巨大的帆船，对投影的巧妙运用则烘托了该剧的气氛。Blake Condon设计的灯光，很大程度上依赖侧光，在一些屏息凝神的时刻，将一众演员的影子打在帆船上，恰到好处。然而，舞台前部表演区和追光灯不够，导致有时很难看清台上演员的表演，特别是在The Day Off和Putting It Together这两首歌的时候。 Tuan Pham的服装设计相当出色，女演员们的戏服不仅多，而且件件精美，其中Dot的装扮最是让人印象深刻。 然而该剧的最大败笔，在于幕与幕之间的转换时间过长，让人有些焦躁不安。甚至舞台上全黑的时间超过了30秒，而与此同时场上的工作人员以及演员在置换场景时，发出的声音有些过大。当然我能理解，首演是第一次完整地呈现。我也相信，在之后的演出中，场景切换可以更加顺利，时间会所缩短。 演出《星期天》的UMMTA的演员全体都维持在一个高水准上，没有任何一人掉链子。Ryan Bentley饰演的1884年版的George还原度很高，并且歌声很出色。不过尽管他有很强的表现力，但是整体上有一点固定，我个人认为他还可以稍稍扩大一下他在舞台上的表演范围。来自英国的Olivia Gould饰演了George的恋人Dot，表现很棒，喜剧感很强，在We Do Not Belong Together和Move On两首歌时相当出彩。但这两位的台词发声仍需要下功夫，有些歌唱部分让人难以理解，跟上歌词所想表达的。Sondheim的音乐剧很注重清晰的吐字，很不幸，本剧里因为之前提到的台词的缘故，对话以及歌词里的一些重要的暗示性信息没能传递给观众。Dan Czech饰演的1984年曾孙版的George形象同样接近于原型人物，并且让观众为之动容。在第二幕里被精心安排的一首嘈杂的歌曲Putting It Together中，他使用的道具贯穿了整首歌。 虽然几位主演的表现已足够出色，但更夺人眼球的是配角的表演。Refaela Cleeve Gerkens饰演的老妇人是全场的亮点之一，不仅仅是她和护士（Mel O’Brien）的对手戏部分令观众捧腹大笑，她个人在Beautiful这首歌时所流露出的真情，也让我的眼泪几乎夺眶而出。其他很棒的配角还包括，Selena Nicastri和Claire Warrillow饰演的两位名叫Celestes的法国时髦女郎，她们一唱一和，将气氛推至高潮。Asher Harrington的Marie同样可圈可点。 UMMTA的《星期天与乔治同游公园》令人感动，这群有天赋的演员贡献了一场精彩的演出。Sondheim的粉丝们都该去看看这部难得一见的戏。 Alexandre Guérin Translated by Azalea Huang, from Theatreshow.Melb 翻译：Azalea Huang（墨尔本好戏连台翻译员） Continue reading Sunday in the Park with George 《星期天与乔治同游公园》: Putting it Together
“The challenge: bring order to the whole.” Challenge accepted. UMMTA has bravely approached the genius composer, Sondheim, with Sunday in the Park with George. Inspired by Georges Seurat’s painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, the musical takes place in both the months preceding the painting during 1884, Paris, and in an Art Museum in America, 1984. Seurat and later his … Continue reading Sunday in the Park with George: A Musical Masterpiece
Sunday in the Park with George is a Broadway musical inspired by the painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte by French painter Georges Seurat, the father of the late-nineteeth century pointillist movement. Sunday In The Park With George marks the first collaboration between composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim and writer James Lapine, who directed the original production on Broadway in … Continue reading Sunday in the Park with George: Putting it Together
In the running history of UMMTA shows, The Hatpin stands alone, quite unique for being both Australian and somewhat contemporary (written in 2008, with revisions as recent as 2011). It is distinctive for its predominantly female lead-cast, and its deliberate focus on the experiences of these women. Written by James Millar and Peter Rutherford, The Hatpin follows the story of Amber Murray, played by Eleanor Davey. Set … Continue reading UMMTA Gets Political
First-time director Jordan Peters has hit the ground running with UMMTA’s The Hatpin, a story surrounding motherhood and friendship in the midst of a terrible tragedy. With a powerful ensemble, succinct direction and the perfect balance of comedy and poignancy, the production exceeded my expectations, and delivered what is surely one of the most impressive productions of the year. The performances in The Hatpin were … Continue reading Hats Off
Urinetown is not your usual musical – we were promised this early on. The play takes place in a time where big business controls the one bodily function where when you need to go, you need to go. That’s right – paying for the right to pee. Although Urinetown is not the place you want to be, you definitely want to be in the Union … Continue reading A Daring Piece of Musical Theatre
The Dialog 