Flying in my gondola

Left – Lilikoi Kaos and Circus-Oz band. Cover – Spenser Inwood. Photos – Rob Blackburn Locally grown and internationally recognised  Circus Oz are not known for their intimate shows, but since the recent move into their new permanent home in Collingwood, they have pitched a gorgeous old Spiegeltent and launched their latest show,  Close to the Bone .  With  Close to the Bone , the  Circus Oz  crew have deconstructed their large-scale production, squeezed it into The Melba Spiegeltent and are now performing something which is very much ‘in-your-face’ both in space as well as in style. With performers leaping off the minute stage nearly into the laps of audience members, and occasionally flashing body parts which would normally be neatly tucked away,  Close to the Bone  is a joy to experience. It’s like a condensed and intensified  Circus Oz  in one neat little morsel-like serving. Although the whole production was whipped up in just a few...

Left – Claudio Sgura and Martina Serafin. Cover – Claudio Sgura and Diego Torre. Photos –  Jeff Busby Giacomo Puccini’s  Tosca , based on the 1887 French-language dramatic play by Victorien Sardou, was originally set in the summer of 1800, in Rome, when the Kingdom of Naples was threatened by Napoleon’s invasion of Italy; a very turbulent and violent time. Opera Australia’s  latest rendition of  Tosca , is directed by one of Australia’s  most acclaimed theatre personalities, John Bell , who has set the opera, which some critics have referred to as ‘over-familiar’ even ‘old’, in an equally dangerous and brutal period in Italy, the German occupations of Rome of 1943. Martina Serafin  embodying  Tosca , and  Diego Torre  as her artist lover,  Cavaradossi , radiate a special chemistry, which is laden by jealousy as well as great affection. Their performance was thoroughly moving. “Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore,” (I lived for art; I live...

If you are a child of the 80s you will recognize Rock the Casbah as a popular song by the English punk rock band, The Clash. And that’s where the similarity ends... or so it seems. The song, Rock the Casbah , gives an account of a ban on rock music, by a king who is being defied by his kingdom’s population. The king orders jet fighters to bomb anyone who violates the ban, but the pilots ignore the orders. The Clash based their 1982 top 40 songs on the ban of Western music in Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The film Rock the Casbah is not about Iran, nor is it about its Islamic Revolution, but it does have a so-to-speak king, and his “population” does indeed revolt against his rules. In this case, the “king,” Moulay Hassan ( Omar Sharif ) is a respected entrepreneur and the patriarch of an affluent Moroccan family. Hassan unexpectedly suffers a cardiac arrest and dies, leaving behind his grieving wife Aicha ( Hiam Abbass ), three daughters and a brother to tend to h...

On a remote desert army base in southern Israel, very important strategic military maneuvers are being mapped out in a smoke-filled hot office, and the big wigs are getting irritated due to the lack of refreshments. A male superior officer directs his discontent to a female officer - Rama (Shani Klein) - who promptly rushes off to hunt down the culprit who’s failed at the mundane task of making and delivering of beverages. Rama’s frustration is palpable.  Adding to her stress, just as Rama is about to serve the refreshments to the officers, a flurry of young women donning uniforms waltz into the office/kitchen, coming back from weekend leave, spewing dialogue of extreme discontent with the military forces. Among them are Daffi (Nelly Tagar), a young woman who clearly has no desire of returning to her duties, and Zohar (Dana Ivgy) her comrade in arms, equally unenthused.  After Rama hurls a rapid and heated verbal reprimand their way, the two soldiers enter the meeti...

Photos – Aaron Walker After years of learning, practicing and refining their craft, the National Institute of Circus Arts’ (NICA) final year circus students are able to exhibit their dynamic and captivating acts in front of the public in a special showcase held at the custom built NICA in Prahran. This year’s show, featuring 20 final year students, is titled ROUGE et BLANC , and it’s actually two very distinct performances... one being ROUGE, and the second BLANC, running from July 2nd to the 5th, and each show performed three times throughout the six show season. Hosted by MC  Aurora Kurth , donning a top hat, rhinestones, corset, fishnet stockings, ruby slippers, matching sparkling lipstick and speaking with a French accent,  Kurth  was the “glue” between performances, and a perfect fit for the cabaret-style show, where she delivered her humour laden lines with cheeky zing, and a singing voice to be reckoned with. NICA is Australia’s only Bachelor of Circus Arts. Duri...

The below review was originally published on Australian Stage and can be read by clicking here . Written by Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Friday, 30 May 2014 08:39 Melbourne has the privilege of being one of the stops on internationally acclaimed dance troupe Pilobus’ world tour, performing its groundbreaking new show Shadowland . Having featured on the 79th Annual Academy awards, and performing for Oprah Winfrey, Shadowland , simply put, is a fusion of shadow theatre, dance and acrobatics – but in actuality it is so much more. Using screens of all sizes to project onto them seemingly impossible body morphing, where dancers magically transform into exotic creatures and beautiful imagery, to convey a fantastic tale, Shadowland brings to life the story of a young girl who is at life’s cross road. While she reluctantly prepares for bed, she wishes that her parents’ perception of her would change. Convinced that she is more mat...

Each year, around this time, Little Big Shots (LBS) comes to town with a new collection of films from around the globe, intended for children or made by them. The film festival was conceived by Nick Place back in 2004, and this year LBS celebrates it first big milestone, a whopping decade of dedication to exposing kids to the very best international and domestic films, as well as the process of filmmaking. To commemorate their fabulous decade, LBS has released a limited edition 10th B’day Retro Collection DVD , featuring some of their most memorable films: Birthday Boy (2005, Aston’s Stone (2008), Because You’re Gorgeous (2009), Brunswick Browns (2010), The Animal Book (2010), The Vacuum Kid (2012), Abiogenesis (2013) and The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore (2013). The film festival offers 13 different packages appropriate for ages ranging from 2 years old to 15+. Movie aficionados of all ages can customise their film viewing schedule according to age, subjec...

In a not so distant future, Earth has been invaded by an alien race called the Mimics. The occupiers are - of course - menacing and über scary, resembling the offspring of   octopi who mated with some vicious space insects, with anger management issues.   Humans have looked past each other’s racial, religious and socio-economic differences by fighting  together  an up hill battle against their common enemy, and failing at it royally. It seems that, no army in the world or its arsenal of weapons can match the lightning speed or ruthlessness of the Mimic forces.  Lt. Col. Bill Cage ( Tom Cruise ) has been spared from combat during most of his career however, after his sudden drop in rank, he is forced to embark on suicide mission alongside more experienced soldiers, in a last ditch effort to defend the globe against its alien invaders. Unfortunately, within a few minutes of on the ground fighting, Cage is killed. For reasons unbeknown to him, Ca...

The below review was originally published on Australian Stage, and can be read by clicking here . Written by Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Wednesday, 28 May 2014 09:28 The letter “S” is the19th letter of the English alphabet; represented by a line which curves on top to the right and on the bottom to the left, therefore it is probably also the most balanced letter. The “S” can be perceived as sensuous as well, sophisticated, even a bit dangerous, and in this particular case it is the inspiration behind Circa’s powerful piece work, S , which the Brisbane-based circus troupe, performed at the Darebin Arts Centre last night. On a dark stage void of props, a lone female figure is barely visible, as it contorts to the rhythm of slow and heavy breathing. The bit of light which originates from a solitary lightbulb above her, highlights her body’s curves as she continues to bend and slither, possibly in pain, or perhaps in ecstasy, until she is met by a...

Written by  Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Saturday, 24 May 2014 08:47 Left – The Topp Twins. Photo – Sally Tagg Not familiar with the  Topp Twins ? Neither was I a couple of years ago, until I watched their documentary film,  The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls . I made myself a promise that, the next time they were in town, I would move heavens and earth to go see them live. Heavens and earth moved, I had my wish fulfilled. New Zealand’s national treasures, folk and country music singing activists and identical twin sisters,  Jools  and Lynda Topp  have been performing together for over 30 years. Born in the country, tending to farm animals and leading a true farmer’s life, the sisters started out as country singers, and eventually, due to their incredible sense of humour, they evolved into comedy. In the late 1990s, the  Topp Twins  had their own variety TV show, which showcased a cast of New Zealand stereotype characters among them, th...

Written by Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Tuesday, 20 May 2014 09:06 Left – Bert LaBonte and Jude Perl April 1st, 1984, on the eve of his 45th birthday, Motown Records’ superstar Marvin Gay, renown for chart topping hits such as “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You),” “I heard It Through the Grapevine” and “Sexual Healing,” was shot and killed by his own father. Ironically, when the news of the unfortunate incident broke out, many thought it was an April Fool’s joke, so they didn’t pay much attention to it. When Gaye’s passing was confirmed, the world was overwhelmed by a combination of shock and a devastated sense of loss. Upon learning of the incident, Rev. Al Sharpton said that Gaye’s death came “like a sick, sad joke.” Years later Marvin Senior was asked in an interview if he ever loved his son. He replied, “Let’s just say I didn’t dislike him.” 30 years after Gaye’s death, the show, Let’s Get it On at Melbourne’s Athaeneum Theatre, s...

Written by Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Tuesday, 06 May 2014 09:02 Left – Luke Ryan, Mark Constable, Naomi Rukavina and Daniela Farinacci. Photo – Jeff Busby It's Friday night, and 17-year old stag Lee is bored. Lee is thinking of ways of making easy money, and when he sees his school mate Leila at the same all-night superstore, leafing through celebrity gossip magazines, he invites her to hang out at the cemetery. ‘Silent Leila’ as she is known amongst her peers, is a good girl and a top student, but Leila secretly feels inferior to others. In her mind, Leila is stupid, ugly and does not feel ‘real.’ When Lee insists: “Silent Leila! Are you coming, or are you coming?” Leila suddenly experiences a sort of rush; one she’s only felt twice before in her life, and during her secret self harming sessions. Much against her better judgement, Leila can’t decline the offer and takes off with Lee . After a sudden life-changing event at the cemet...

Written by  Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Tuesday, 15 April 2014 08:29 Flying Fruit Fly Circus , Australia’s National Youth Circus, known for its training excellence and its award-winning performing arts company, was established back in 1979, and based in the twin border towns of Albury-Wodonga, on the Murray River. Since then the company has been training and touring young circus artists up to the age of 19, with many graduating artists going on to such companies like  Circus Oz, Cirque du Soleil, Circa  among many others around the world. The  Flying Fruit Fly Circus ’ latest  Circus Under My Bed , part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, is a a fabulously choreographed, directed and executed little show for all ages. Circus Under My Bed  is a story about a young girl, Celeste , who is in the process of moving houses with her family. This has brought  Celeste’s  mood down, but through the help of an imaginary circus ring ...

Written by  Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Thursday, 10 April 2014 09:15 Ever hear of ‘The Axis of Evil?’ The term was initially coined by former U.S. president George W. Bush in a State of the Union Address back in 2002, when he identified Iran, Iraq and North Korea as governments assisting terrorism and seeking weapons of mass destruction. What about ‘The Axis of Awesome?’ Contrary to what might come to mind,  The Axis of Awesome  does not describe countries which inspire an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, or induces awe, instead it is the name three very talented musicians/comedians have gone by for nearly eight years. Rocking their unique brand of musical comedy and gaining fans from around the globe, including some A-list fans like Ashton Kutcher and Journey,  The Axis of Awesome  are back for their sixth Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) season, to elate audiences with their brilliant quirkiness. The Awesome  tr...