What Did She Think?

What: Crazy Arms When: 27 - 29 June 2019 Where: Loft, Chapel Off Chapel Created by: Damon Smith Performed by: Adam Coad, Trent McKenzie, and Damon Smith Damon Smith, Adam Coad and Trent McKenzie These days the piano (or pianoforte in full) is considered to be something of a classical instrument but Smith knows there is so much more to it then that. In his new show Crazy Arms , playing at Chapel Off Chapel this week, Smith takes the piano out of the opera house and puts it back in the bars and dives where it lost its patina and livened up the world. Beginning very formally, Smith comes out on stage in a three piece suit and bow tie and sits himself down at the baby grand, beginning his tale of this magnificent instrument in 1708 with Mozart. We learn a few things, such as why the instrument was such an important invention (because the harpsichord had no dynamic range - softness and loudness), why the word 'forte' is such an important inclusion, and also how Mozart fo

What: I Really Don't Care When: 27 - 29 June 2019 Where: Loft, Chapel Off Chapel Written by: Ron Elisha Directed by: Suzanne Heywood Musical direction by: Meg Hickey Performed by: Kate Yaxley Kate Yaxley and Meg Hickey I think in some ways everybody in the world is fascinated by Melania Trump . How can she be married to The Donald ? Can she really love him? What is in it for her? This week you can find out playwright Elisha' s point of view about this in I Really Don't Care at Chapel Off Chapel. The title of this show refers to that day in 2018 when Melania decided to wear a jacket branded 'I Really Don't Care, Do U?' whilst on a visit to children of refugees who have been separated from their parents as part of the US immigration policy. It has since been explained as a message to a malicious media cohort, but at the time there was a lot of questions about the incidence which assumed an ugly position on the part of the American First Lady. Elish

What: Any Moment When: 25 - 26 June 2019 Where: Chapel, Chapel off Chapel Composed by: Bradley McCaw Musical direction by: Shanon Whitelock Performers include: Du Toit Bredenkamp,  Harry Fenn, Anne Greenland, Vidya Makan, Bradley McCaw, Natalie O'Donnell, John O’Hara, Jessie Singleton, and Shanon Whitelock Cast of Any Moment Any Moment was performed in concert as part of this year's Melbourne Cabaret Festival to coincide with the release of the concept album for this new Australian musical created by McCaw . Taking over the Chapel for two nights, the cast had a lot of fun playing with the new (very new) songs as well as singing the older material (developed in 2018) incredibly well. Any Moment is not like the kind of musical we are used to. Sitting somewhere between a song cycle and musical theatre, this show is intended to be a kind of meandering through the lives of people living in a suburb across the course of the year. If I understand the idea correctly there

What: Death of a Demi Diva When: 22 - 23 June 2019 Where: Loft, Chapel Off Chapel Written by: Willow Sizer Composed by: Rachel Lewindon and Willow Sizer Directed by: Jayde Kirchert Performed by: Elijah Bradbury, Rachel Lewindon, and Willow Sizer Willow Sizer Death of a Demi Diva is one of those cabarets which will return and return because it is just good fun, clever, and has appeal across the generations. Created in 2017, it has just finished it's latest season at Chapel Off Chapel as part of the 2019 Melbourne Cabaret Festival . Modelled somewhat on the iconic tragic character Norma Desmond from the movie Sunset Boulevard , Sizer has created her own aging tragic diva - Madame Darling. Dripping in furs, fabulousness, and Received Pronounciation to rival Patrick Stewart 's, Madame is in the Loft to perform her grand farewell concert. The problem is nobody (not even the foyer servants) have any idea who she is. We find ourselves at the tech rehearsal where Mad

What: Age of Stephen When: 20 - 23 June 2019 Where: Loft, Chapel Off Chapel Written by: Stephen Valeri and Mark Wilson Directed by: Mark Wilson Performed by: Caleb Garfinkel, Kellie-Anne Kimber, Andrew Rousch, and Stephen Valeri Stephen Valeri - photo by James Thomas What would an Australian cabaret festival be without some form of homage to John Farnham ? More Australian than Vegemite, Valeri brings his fantragic adoration to the stage of the Loft with Age of Stephen. Whispering Jack is one of the great Australian albums of all time. In fact, it was the first Australian album produced on CD and not too long ago celebrated it's 30th anniversary by being re-released on vinyl. Well, I guess Australia has never been known as a forward thinking country... Valeri first came across Farnham at the tender age of 3 when his parents took him to (a very age appropriate?) production of Jesus Christ Superstar in which 'The Voice' was singing the lead role of Jesus. In ef

What: Wunderage When: 20 - 30 June 2019 Where: Cobblestone Pavilion, Meat Market Directed by: Chelsea McGuffin and Rob Tannion Performed by: Phoebe Armstrong, Grant Arthur, Jess McCrindle, Chelsear McGuffin, Tania Cervantes, Lachy Shelley, Dylan Singh, Bonnie Stewart, David Trappes, and Skip Walker-Milne Set by: Michael Baxter Costumes by: Harriet Oxley Lighting by: Paul Lim Stage managed by: Joshua Sherrin Phoebe Armstong Circus Oz  and Company 2 have taken over the Meat Market for the rest of June with their new show Wunderage . They have transformed the Cobblestone Pavilion from a cavernous hangar into a tetrical landscape of potential creating a Wonderland of possibilities for their circus performers. Wunderage began as a creative workshop between the two companies called Underage where they gathered together a group of young people to explore the boundaries of shared space within a context of the tension of the tight rope. The resultant show now in performance

What: Drew Downing's Ultimate 90s Playlist When: 20 - 22 June 2019 Where: Theatre, Chapel Off Chapel Created by: Drew Downing Performed by: Drew Downing, the Ultimate 90's Band, 3BG 3BG and Drew Downing The Melbourne Cabaret Festival has taken over Chapel Off Chapel for the rest of June and to get things going Drew Downing is rocking the Theatre stage with his retro concert Drew Downing's Ultimate 90s Playlist . As kitsch as it is, this concert has a sound system to rival the major arenas and Downing's choice of songs will have you up off your chair dancing and singing along! I have always thought of my self as an 80's tragic but this concert had me realising how much of the 90s soundtrack had seeped its way into my brain. With slightly more sensible lyrics than the 80s (although Downing may disagree) and a pervasive hint of grunge Downing took me back to my love affair with bands such as Snow Patrol and classic pop hits such as 'Breakfast At Tiff

What: Two On The Night Train When: 13 - 22 June 2019 Where: Gasworks Theatre Written and directed by: Martin Quinn Performed by: Frazer Lee and Katherine Pearson Set by: Alaina Bodley Costumes by: Constance Lewis Lighting by: Adelaide Harney Sound by: Edwin Cheah Stage management by: Stephanie Ghajar Katherine Pearson Midwinter tends to bring out melancholy meditation in people and Two On The Night Train, playing at Gasworks, fits the season perfectly. Lost on a train bound for nowhere, two confused souls struggle to remember who they are, where they are, and where they are going. Two On The Night Train has been written and directed by Quinn and in the program notes he credits Beckett as his muse and predecessor.  I disagree. To me this play feels much more beholden to Satre and his seminal work No Exit . Whilst I can acknowledge traces of Vladimir and Estragon I think the despair and horror of being endlessly trapped is much closer to a Satre lineage - although per

What: When The Light Leaves When: 12 - 23 June 2019 Where: La Mama Courthouse Written by: Rory Godbold Directed by: Jayde Kirchert Performed by: Tomas Parrish, Michelle Robertson, Leigh Scully, and Veronica Thomas Set by: Stu Brown Costumes by: Aislinn Naughton Lighting by: Gina Gascoigne Sound by: Imogen Cygler Stage Management by: Teri Steer Leigh Scully and Tomas Parrish  As of Wednesday next week Victoria's new voluntary assisted dying laws will come into force, hopefully changing the face of respectful end of life decision making in this state forever. If you need reminding why this is a good thing, or have not yet been fully convinced in the first place, make your way down to La Mama Courthouse to see When The Light Leaves. It will all become perfectly clear. The topic of euthanasia has been in hot discussion in the Australian landscape for decades. In 1995 the Northern Territory briefly had laws allowing it and Dr Phillip Nitschke was the first medical prof

What: Beachside Stories When: 13 - 22 June 2019 Where: Studio Theatre, Gasworks Written by: Brooke Fairley, Alison Knight, Clare Mendes, Bruce Shearer, and Adele Shelley Directed by: Elizabeth Walley Performed by: Tony Adams, Melisand Box, Emma Cox, Alec Gilbert, Dick Gross, Sarah Hamilton, Coralie Ling, Peter Logan, Tony Manago, Giovanni Piccolo, and Karissa Taylor Giovanni Piccolo and Peter Logan - photo by John A Edwards Melbourne Writers' Theatre are presenting their newest season of local short plays, Beachside Stories , at Gasworks until June 22. This season has a fun new twist with the company having been invited to interview local residents of note and create performance pas de deux to show off the rich and extraordinary living history in the Port Phillip community. For this adventure, the writers interview a range of local people - mostly via email - and through a process of exchanges and editing a snapshot of their works and achievements within communities wa

What: Travesties When: 12 - 23 June 2019 Where: fortyfive downstairs Written by: Tom Stoppard Directed by: Jennifer Sarah Dean Performed by: Syd Brisbane, Milijana Cancar, Matthew Connell, Tref Gare, Joanna Halliday, Dion Mills, Johnathan Peck, and Gabrielle Sing Set by: Jordan Stack Costumes by: Rhiannon Irving Lighting by: Alex Blackwell Sound by: Alex Toland Stage Managed by: Kyra von Stiegler Dion Mills, Johnathan Peck, and Joanna Halliday - photo by Christa Hill Do you want to see a good old English romp but are sick to death of Shakespeare ? If so head on down to fortyfive downstairs and get an evening full of Stoppard wit with Bloomsday's production of Travesties . Travesties is being directed by Melbourne Shakespeare Company's Jennifer Sarah Dean and much of the style and aesthetic of those productions (including cast and the work of costumiere Irving ) are a part of this show, so even if you still love Shakespeare and go to the gardens every year

What: Rudy & Cuthbert When: 12 - 22 June 2019 Where: The Lawler Studio, Southbank Theatre Created and performed by: Toby Blome and Zelman Cressey-Gladwin Zelman Cressey-Gladwin and Toby Blome Get ready for an hour of fun filled master clowning with Rudy & Cuthbert . Beckettian absurdism meets modern theatre making in this high clowning romp across the Lawler Studio stage this week before the pair head back to Sydney to tell part II of this sweet and hilarious tale. Rudy & Cuthbert are the creation of NIDA graduates Cressey-Gladwin and Blome . A comedy pair to rival our greatest clowns, the pair have come to the stage to produce the classic stage play 12 Angry Men. Their management skills are nowhere near as good as their comedy skills though so things do not happen in the right order and, as Murphy always told us, what can go wrong does go wrong. The question is can their friendship survive their incompetence? The show begins straight out of the Beckett playboo