The Blurb Magazine

Are men savages? Does the battle for supremacy, for power and control, of man against man know no bounds? Is it in our DNA? The answer to all these questions is a resounding “yes” if Nobel Prize-winning English author William Golding’s iconic work Lord of the Flies is anything to go by. It was his first novel, published in 1954, while its huge impact as a stage production was first felt in July 1995.

They are so damn good. It is not just the broad variety of circus arts on show that had me mesmerised, but the extremely high level of achievement from the second-year student ensemble. The physical feats of the fresh-faced performers, orchestrated by director Kate Fryer, all but defy belief. Photos by Alex First and Rob Blackburn That, plus the splendid showmanship and comedic interludes, provides a massive “wow” factor.

As much as it is iconic in Japan, you don’t need to travel that far to experience the splendour of cherry blossom season. Imagine up to 25,000 snow white, petalled trees in bloom in the Yarra Valley, at one of Australia’s foremost orchards. Now, stop imagining it and organise a visit to CherryHill Orchards in Wandin East before the end of the month, for cherry blossom season is but fleetingly short.

Literature, history and inappropriate dealings between a teacher and student are at the core of this incendiary drama, which plays out over two decades. We begin in country Victoria in 2007, where Damon (Dion Mills) is an inspirational English teacher. He changed Chris’ (Will Lonsdale) life when he taught him. Now, Chris’ career path is set to follow his. Chris, 19, is now a rowing coach at the school and decides to travel and pursue further studies to become a writer.

So joyously silly, Drew Anthony Creative’s presentation of Monty Python’s Spamalot, lovingly ripped off from the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail, is five-star gold. It is entertainment personified – witty, wild and wonderful. With book and lyrics by Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, this frivolous fancy captured the imagination when it was first produced on Broadway in 2005.

Danger, discomfort and tension are the hallmarks of a family gathering in Harold Pinter’s incendiary play The Homecoming. Set in the mid ‘60s in London, it concerns working class kin with proverbial skeletons in the closet. Patriarch Max, a former butcher, is nothing, if not somewhat unhinged – combative and confrontational. A widower with three adult sons, he isn’t always complimentary about his deceased wife, Jessie.

So rich and raw, humorous and moving. This is a slice of life piece about a precious friendship forged between two girls at the age of 13 that carries them through to adulthood today, 22 years later. Isabella Yena plays Sam and Mich McCowage is Holly. The two “girls” meet at try outs for spots as ball kids at a tennis training camp. Holly arrives first, methodically slathers all her exposed areas in suncream and offers some to Sam when she turns up. Sam’s approach is far more slap dash.

What an electrifying showcase of talent up close and personal. That is what is in store when you set foot inside Fairfax Studio at Arts Centre Melbourne to witness Zerial. It is a slick, enticing and highly entertaining program of fluid movement, breathtaking aerial acrobatics, dance par excellence and ear pleasing music and song.

The extraordinary musical talent of the delightful and dynamic Silvie Paladino is on display for all to see and hear in her walk down memory lane at Hamer Hall. With her emotionally resonant, soaring vocals she captivates an appreciative audience as she talks us through her background and her career. Her father was an Italian tailor and her mother an Egyptian seamstress. They met in Australia, with Silvie the third of four children. She has two older sisters and a younger brother.

The subject matter might be stomach turning, but its entertainment and engagement value certainly is not. Soundworks Productions’ Sweeney Todd is triumphant thanks to strong performances, astute direction and compelling staging. If you have never seen Sweeney Todd before, I dare say that having done so you will never look at meat pies quite the same way again. It is a tale of murder, vengeance, cannibalism and entrepreneurial spirit.