Image by 3 Fates Media.
It is that time of the year when work winds up, Christmas specials return to the television and Short + Sweet waves the banner for another dose of what the Melbourne independent theatre scene has to offer. Having been both a participant and an audience member for years, I can say with some authority that the festival quality has been up and down over the years but in the deft hands of Artistic Director Celeste Cody and Producer Danny Delahunty, this year has proved more ups than downs. The quality of writing has lifted, (even if direction is overall, still a bit limp) and acting energised over previous years.
No less applause is due to Chapel Off Chapel who, under the guiding hand of the ubiquitous Rachel Fothergill and her team, have a history of presenting a rich cornucopia of innovative works to the Stonnington venue. Short + Sweet Theatre and Dance this year, is no exception. It’s exciting to see what was a withering touchstone on the calendar reinvigorated to such a degree. I can only see the standard rise further.
From the first tier of companies on show (A and B – the format for presenting the plays about six at a time), I was intrigued, with Harry Paternoster’s crisp and imaginative direction on Speedy Adora, Dream Explorer and Tara Rankin in Company B fantastic in Kate Laverack’s quirky Wedding Day.
From Company C the following night, I must confess, I had my cynical critic’s hat on for the first couple of performances as the first tedious “comedy” fell upon us – Dating a PT. I didn’t have much of a problem with the writing as such, as there were sharp lines and enough dramatic build up to make for some strong jokes. Unfortunately, the inexperience of the director was evident as were the trio of actresses. It was a funny idea and nearly there-but-not-quite script, but screwball (and other comedy) requires the patience of a saint to get it right. Whether it was limited rehearsal time, I’m not sure, but the performance looked sloppy along with the incomprehensible The House of Cats following up next.
The evening was lifted soon however when Smashed came onstage. Leading the way for the darker aspects of the evening, took an incident and repercussions of a drunken beating to surprising new levels, while James Hazelden’s terrific Diabolical raised the bar for the blacker-than-black comedy of the night – it provided two great showcases for the excellent actors and was one of the most self-contained pieces of writing of the evening.
The strongest of the Company C section, was Ben Adams’ terrific Metastopheles, in which the cast brought energy, timing to the challenging verse. That’s right! Verse. The (very) bold move was made to write this entire play in verse and the result is beautiful. What’s more, it was actually very funny. Sharp repetition and one-liners sing out thanks to the electric performances with Kazim Kane a standout. Applause for the bold move and exemplary execution of said move (criminally overlooked by the judges come awards time – for shame!)
Company D provided another TNT explosion of creativity with the special highlight being Mating In Captivity. A delicious little sex comedy with searing chemistry between two wonderful actors Carla Bonner and Lee Mason. Full of surprises and directed with a slight air of farce by Helen Mcfarlane, Captivity proved a highlight with the crowd and proved one of the strongest and most focused comedies of the festival. Writer Deborah Johns’ dialogue crackles but is observed and truthful enough to keep a warmth between the married couple.
A surprise omission in the awards end of the event, surprisingly, was Rossleigh Brisbane’s hilarious Y. A clever little 10 minute combination Pirandello’s Six Characters and Offending the Audience, the concept piece places Adam Ward and Jonathan Peck – two manic energies driving a minimalist piece for all it’s worth – as actors in rehearsal working with a script in hand and find themselves having scarified their destinies to a rather cruel writer. It’s even proceeded by a fake apology to the audience for the actors with script in hand. It’s fun to be fooled by a cleverly devious lot and these guys are just that. A highlight.
Other highlights included Sunburnt Country directed by Louise Howlett boasted strong performances with clever timing and utilising cleverly observed satire of the naive English backpacker that never offends, while Ava Amedi in Spidermen brought a huge amount of energy – this actor is a firecracker with an infectious lust for the stage. Writing props must be given to Lucie Morris for her clever Life’s a Song, along with Jane Cora for her Speaking Hypothetically. Award winner Eben Rojeter was a deadpan delight in Between Water and Air as a philosophical parrot with slightly sadistic side, while Simon Coronel was a one-man showcase of physical comedy in the stunning Oral Fixation.
As the theatre section goes from strength to strength, dance was no less a sensation. Displaying a great amount of concepts and limitless of ideas, all pieces were intriguing in their individuality as well as their execution. Brett Fisher and Leisl Smibert shone in choreographer Sarah Evan’s fresh Not To Be both displaying sensitivity and skill. Harrison Hall’s Melekh and James Andrews’ Ctrl proved mesmerising favourites, while critics darling and brilliant Stephen Agisialou and his collaborator, Jessica Mortlock’s piece Nitty Gritty lived up to it’s name with it’s stylish and classy attention to detail, dazzling originality and ever inspiring surprises.
It has been a delight to watch what started as a fringe “night on the stage” at the Arts Centre expand and bloom as a major cultural event providing quality that can hold it’s own with any of the more major festivals in the city. It is a testament to the ambition, tenacity, courage and talent to the creative team and the artists on display. I can only encourage the continuing expansion and reinvention and will be front row centre for the next festival. Shortly.
4 stars out of 5
Short + Sweet Arts Festival Melbourne
Chapel Off Chapel, Prahran
27 November – 8 December
