GOOD COMPANY

I went to the Kookaburra Theatre production of COMPANY last night at the Theatre Royal, in King Street Sydney. What a terrific feel good night! Sydney was cold and wet, but the cast warmed the theatre quickly. The buzz at interval was that this will be a hit, and one can only hope is supported by theatre audiences.

COMPANY is a classic midlife story about a single man of 35 (Robert - played by David Campbell) and his friends all wanting him to share the 'joys' of marriage. While the billboards promote the sensational Campbell and Tamsin Carroll (known from her sellout tour as DUSTY, but in this role playing MARTA...a quasi Cabaret style boho chic New Yorker...and she is just soooo good in this role) The rest of the cast should be on the billboards too, but of course, this is Australia...and unless you've been on Home and Away....the audiences just won't recognise you!!!

Every single one of the cast was sensational under the direction of Gale Edwards Simon Burke, Natalie Alexopoulos, Trisha Crowe, Rodney Dobson, Pippa Grandison, Scott Irwin, Anne Looby, James Millar, Chelsea Plumley, Katrina Retallick, Christie Whelan & William Zappa.

Anne Looby, who hasn't been at the Theatre Royal since she did the Rocky Horror Show there 23 years ago...played the most fabulous cynic..a thrice married sexpot with a biting wit. Pippa Grandison (she of many roles, but I will never forget her Philadelphia Cream Cheese ad where she appeared as an angel) is terrific as the stoned goody-two-shoes who finally says 'kiss my ass'. Christie Whelan plays the dumb blonde air hostess girlfriend of Campbell and has some of the best comic timing I've seen since Lucille Ball and Chloe Dallimore. Katrina Retallick is biting with a sly drinking Simon Burke as her husband...all in white, and Chelsea Plumley's GETTING MARRIED TODAY is a shining star of the show. They were all just wonderful. Get along to see this show....

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE!

Sunday in the Park with George is a love story of breathtaking beauty, blessed with great humour and humanity, written by Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) and book by James Lapine.

The story begins in Paris in 1884 with the creation of Georges Seurat’s masterpiece, “A Sunday on la Grande Jatte” and ends with an emotional reconciliation one hundred years later

In its first season, Sunday in the Park with George was nominated for multiple Tony Awards, won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical
and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

The Q Theatre Company is proud to present the first major production of this groundbreaking musical in Australia. It's a brave move...it's Sondheim...it's about art...it looks like it cost a motza to put on...and it's in Penrith, which to everyone I've spoken to it about east of the Anzac Bridge is tantamount to putting it on in Perth. Shame that. It's a great venue, and it's only 90 minutes from the city (M5, M7, M4 people....don't look it up on whereis...that will take you via Gosford!!! he he he he )

Tyran Parke is such a wonderful George and Amie McKenna is a quizzical Dot....the whole cast played together brilliantly. It's a love story, about an artist and his muse/model/girlfriend Dot...and the artists obsession with creating a painting that is full of colour and light. (it's a Georges Seurat thing...sorry I can't tell you more, but POINTILLISM as it's known, has never been my thang! Tyran apparently travelled the world when he was cast as George, Paris, New York, etc...researching for the role...good on him. I knew him for his Cabaret work and hadn't seem him in action, but I ached for him at times....he was so fragile and focussed...not having seen 'SITPWG' before, I have no one to compare him with. Amie McKenna (NIDA) will do SHAKESPEARES OTHELLO after this...she sings so beautifully and is so wonderfully expressive. (there I go, showing my lack of 'criticquing skills n that'. I Loiked it...a lot.

AS you know, I am not a critic, so forgive the lack of flowery language, also as you know, I don't get out much so I know nothing about most things......but I only tell you about stuff that is good, so I don't have to focus on negative stuff. I saw this last Thursday night, and every day, I think a little more about it. I didn't find the songs memorable, or hummable, but the storyline is quite mesmerising, visually, the show is stunning, the music played by an orchestra backstage conducted by Greg Crease, is just wonderful. It was opening night and milling around in the 'fwayay' were a cast of every production staged in this wide brown land...

Congratulations to the Q Theatre's David Hollywood, Joshua Mason, Andrew Kinch, David Betteridge and Teague Gore, and cast members, Yyani-Rose Cook-Williams, Nick Chrsito, Laurence Coy, Trisha Crowe, Phillip Dodd, Natalie Gamsu, Luke Joslin, Barry Langrishe, Aimee-Lee Druett, Claire McCallum, Drayton Moreley, Jennifer Peers, Sam Pembroke, Buster Skeggs, Alessandra Bizzanelli, Kayla Bonnici, and Gabby Rowe.
You must go!!!
Tickets at TICKETMASTER

Tags: "amie mcKenna", "Tyran Parke", "Sunday In The Park With George", "Q Theatre"

WHAT YOU MUST SEE IN FEBRUARY

Where to start? I have seen KEATING, call the BELVOIR book for this, it is sensational!

Tonight I saw David Hawkins production of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH at the TOM MANN THEATRE SURRY HILLS David Bowie said this is "The most wholly rounded piece of ROCK theatre we have seen in years”
~ David Bowie

I was open mouthed, and for one of the 40% non gay member of the audience, there is no pun intended. Saskia Smith has joined this performance and continues to astound me with her depth and ability...what an incredible performance...is she a man? Wait and see. IOTA has won awards for his performance as HEDWIG and he gave and gave and gave until I just felt all I could do was sit there and absorb, not even react until joining the standing ovation.

Next Week SHORT SWEET AND SONG Starts at NIDA Artistic Director Avigail Herman told me tonight at HEDWIG that she was at rehearsals and the performances are phenomenal.

DON'T JUST SIT THERE...GO......Coming up in March....SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE...musical director GREG CREASE...Starring Tyran Parke and Amie McKenna. Tyran is one of the fabulous people behind STATEMENT CABARET (under the State Theatre) along with Alistair Thomson and Amanda Buckworth. Great talent doing amazing things. See Tyran at the Q THEATRE in SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE.

Why not give us your review of what you have seen? Isn't IOTA simply sensational? What about the brilliance of CASEY BENNETTO writing KEATING? Add your comments, tell your friends about this blog...get word spreading.

I am over people saying to me that I always seem to know what's on......watch this blog and see what's on and GOOOOOO!!!!! Thankyou

The Ella James Show

Merry Christmas to you all

Don't let the
gridlock
shoppingmallhavoc
screamingkids
overconsumerism
greed

get you down. Enjoy a break over Christmas and plan for a fabulous 2007.

Love
Ella

Lee Perry - Happy Tonsils!

Very proud to say that one of my agency's great voice artists, Lee Perry is in HAPPY FEET



you can hear more sensational em voices here

KOOKABURRA

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Peter Cousens has got his first three shows lined up for 2007.

Pippin, Company, and Floyd Collins.
What do you think of the line up?
Click here for more info on the shows and subscriptions KOOKABURRA

THE ATTACK OF THE GRANNY BOOMERS

Yesterday saw me giggling at the Parade Theatre (NIDA) Kensington, along with the who's who of Australian TV and theatre. We were there to see a rehearsed reading performance of THE ATTACK OF THE GRANNY BOOMERS. Written by renowned comedy writer John McKellar ("A Cup Of Tea, A Bex, and a Good Lie Down" , "...but I wou;dn't want to Live There" and many other Phillip St Theatre Productions, music by Jim Wallett and Musical Director Greg Crease.

There's something nice about trucking off to the Thee-ay-tur at 2:30pm on a Saturday. I was goggle eyed at my favourite stars..Michael Craig, the gorgeous Tina Bursill (does she age?) Victoria Nicholls (who clearly doesn't either)Ditto Toni Lamond and Margaret Fink,oh and Andrew McFarlane. The case was Saskia Smith (fresh from Bell Shakespeare, gee she was fabulous) Rick Lau...never seen him before but he was fresh and magical, sings as well as he acts and that's saying something. John Derum, Tony Taylor, Jane Harders, Nancye Hayes, and Maggie Dence were the cast of this funny funny piece about a group of seniors at at Retirement Village on the Leafy North Shore. McKellar is a funny man, and I have to say that because he's written my show THE ELLA BRICK ROAD, coming to a stage next year. Crease on the piano was marvellous, and I have to say that too because he wrote the music for my show.

Yesterday's performance was to attract investors/backers/producers. The usual suspects. I thought it was fabulous. I loved it. Send your money to THE GREY POWER MUSICAL or call 0439 672 213.


Later, I was at the Statement Cabaret Lounge to see the final production of the year. STOCKING STUFFERS AND TURKEY PLUCKERS. Andrew Benson is clearly a talented performer. And if you think I love everything I see, I don't, but I really don't want to become a critic. That doesn't mean you should hold back though. What did you think/


Where do you go to see Cabaret in Sydney?
Write soon, love to know what you like to hear about in Sydney!