DEC/ JAN, 1985/ 6 Vol 9 No 11 ISSN 0314 - 0598 A publication of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust The Pirates Of Penzance - Return Sydney Season THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE by ollowing an Australia-wide tour the to the irreverent send-up as originally en­ Gilbert and Sullivan FVictoria State Opera/ Australian Eliza­ visaged by Gilbert and Sullivan who were Reproduced by Craig Schaefer after the bethan Theatre Trust co-production of the Monty Python of their day. In addi­ New York Shakespeare Festival produc­ THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE returns tion, the music, while faithful to the tion to Sydney in January and will play in the original tunes, is presented in a modern Cast: Jon English, Simon Gallaher, June Lyric Theatre, Entertainment Centre. This style, complete with synthesisers. " Bronhill, Dennis Olsen, Rosemary Boyle venue will give the scope to present the Jon English, Simon Gallaher and June and Tim Tyler production on a much larger scale than Bronhill will return with the production. Lyric Theatre, Entertainment Centre was possible within the limited staging They will be joined by Dennis Olsen as the facilities of the Regent Theatre. Major General, Tim Tyler as the Police "It was such a joyous romp it won cheers Sergeant and Rosemary Boyle as Mabel. The Australian production of THE Prime seats have been held for and a thunderous standing ovation . PIRATES OF PENZANCE is based on bursts with outrageous fun, often pure Members for the matinee and evening per­ the New York Shakespeare Festival's pro­ formances on Saturday, January 4 and the slapstick but done with such speed and duction which was first performed in Cen­ vigor that audience laughter is almost non­ Monday and Tuesday evening perfor­ tral Park four years ago with Kevin Kline mances on January 6 and 7. The best stop. " and Linda Ronstadt in leading roles. The Frank Harris, The Daily Telegraph available seats will be allocated at other irreverent handling of the l00-year-old performances. operetta met with such popular acclaim that it was transferred to Broadway. "The most remarkable thing about this BOOKING INFORMAnON tumultuously energetic and continually Since its premiere on New Year's Eve in Fri Jan 3 to Sat Jan 18 lively production is its faithfUlness - con­ 1879 THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Mon to Sat at 8 p.m. Mats: Wed and Sat at 2 p.m. trary to all expectations - to the values, has gradually "become a production like the ones that Gilbert and Sullivan were AETf $23.50 enshrined by more than a century of tribal G.P. $28.50 memory and practice, of the G. and S. spoofing" according to John Ferraro who Stud/ pens $16.00 (Mon to Thu and mats) tradition. " directed the original Australian produc­ Two AETf tickets per member John Moses, The Australian tion. "But the New York version reverts 2 Indian Dance HOW MUCH YOU CARE, his theatre and dance interpretation of the fall of the More Tales ustralian poet Rodney Hall and House of Atreus. It will be followed each BROKEN TALES No. 4 devised and ARamli Ibrahim, the leading dancer of evening by a performance piece called directed by Richard Lawton his generation in Malaysia, have col­ OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION by Cast: Glenda Lum, Helen Jones, Lynne laborated to produce an exciting new a group of artists who used mixed media, Pierse, Chris Ryan, Lawrence Wood­ work to be presented at the Seymour in film, video, painting and sound. ward, Richard Weinstein late January. ADORATIONS is a From January 22 to February 2 Funny The Performance Space dialogue in words and dance between a Stories will present GOLD, a work about guru and his disciple who is being imbued narcissism, greed, intrigue and the unex­ with the spirit of dance. Through this pected among a group of rogues. This l:::7ourth of a music and theatre series unique one-to-one relationship, an age­ too will be followed by a late night show r which originated in 1980 and was old tradition is revealed. Ramli develops - HOWARD SLOWLY presented by performed in marquees at British theatre the ravishing dances of Orissa, site of the Melbourne director Geoff Hooks. festivals, BROKEN TABLES No.4 con­ legendary erotic temple sculptures of sists of five interlocking modern myths Konarak. BOOKING INFORMATION told by people trying to escape their guil­ AETT discount $1.00 ty pasts. It is set in a pub on a tropical BOOKING INFORMATION Bookings on 699 5091 island where an American selling a "Be York Theatre, Seymour Centre Yourself" course becomes a catalyst. Jan 22 to 26, 29 to Feb 1 Richard Lawton came to Australia with Mat on Jan 25 and Feb 1 AETT $15.90 the Dutch theatre group, KISS; the third G.P. $16.90 More Shorts of his BROKEN TALES was staged at Pens/Stud $13.90 the Belvoir Street Theatre in March this Two AETT tickets per member MIXED DOUBLES year, under the title of HAHAHA PER­ Directors: Robyn Nevin, Rex Cram FORMING HUMANS. phorn, Wayne Harrison, Michael Jenkins and Rhys McConnochie BOOKING INFORMATION Tue Dec 10 to Sun Dec 22 Designer: Michael Scott-Mitchell Tue to Sat at 8 p.m., Sun at 5 p.m. Cast: Robert Grubb, Gillian Jones, Alan AETT discount $1.00 David Lee, Victoria Longley, Rhys Bookings on 699 5091 McConnochie, Robyn Nevin, Julie Nih ill, Deidre Rubenstein and Bruce Spence Wharf Theatre ollowing the success of their season of F SHORTS which opened at the Wharf Theatre earlier this year, the Sydney Theatre Company will present a series of six "winning" one-act plays under the general title of MIXED DOUBLES. Two plays will be presented each perfor­ mance and they include Henry Fielding's TOM THUMB, SEDUCED by American playwright Sam Shepard, Ten­ nessee Williams' SUDDENLY LAST Ramli Ibrahim in ADORA TlONS SUMMER, Feydeau's POTTY PLOY Robin Copp and Chris Ryan in BROKEN TALES and two Australian plays - F AMIL Y No.3 FA VOURITES by Linden Wilkinson and At The Space THE DON'S LAST INNINGS by Christmas at Timothy Daly, which as the title suggests here's such a busy programme of has something to say about another Belvoir St. Tevents for December and January at popular Australian sport. The Performance Space that we can't here's a lot of activity at Belvoir possibly list them all. There's perfor­ BOOKING INFORMATION T Street Theatre in December with three mance art, music and dance, sometimes Thu Jan 2 to Sat Feb 1 shows running concurrently. The Gap's combined. For full details please ring The Mon to Sat at 8 p.m. improvised comedy OPERA OPERA! Space. Sat mat at 4 p.m. AETT $17.00 (Mon to Thu and mats) runs its crazy way until December 21 in However, to whet your appetite we can G.P. $19.00 the Downstairs Theatre. It's a heart­ mention a few of the events. From Pens/Stud $13.00 rendering Sydney soapie about a hero January 13 to 19 Nigel Kellaway will pre­ Two AETT tickets per member (Geoff Aldridge) whose nickname "The sent GIVE ME A ROSE TO SHOW ME Brewer's Little Mate" and his blood 3 alcohol level don't quite match his Social Award-Winning Play It's about fabulous ladies of history, Security number «()()()()()()()(l); his wife from Saloma of Biblical times to Madon­ (Mandy Salomon) who vacillates between at Killara na of the eighties with the entire company being a Christian, or Orangeperson taking part and costumes designed by (whatever colour they are now in view of BENEFACTORS by Michael Frayn Jennifer Irwin. recent news reports) and a member of an Directed by Richard Cottrell This will be Graeme Murphy's third anarcho-feminist commune; a heroine­ Cast includes Jennifer Hagan and Jane cabaret at Kinselas, following Flashbacks addict cum -ex -prostitute-cum -failed­ Harders in 1983 and Deadly Sins in 1984. actress cum-single-mother; a lady piano Marian St. Theatre teacher and a European refugee who BOOKING INFORMATION thinks he can make money out of opera "Mr. Frayn is a master farceur, but Thu Jan 2 to Sat Mar 1 in Australia. though his NOISES OFF is wonderfully Mon to Sat at 7 p.m. dinner and show; Upstairs there'll be two shows playing enjoyable, this ironic comedy show only at 8.30 p.m. back to back. At 9 p.m. the Castanet (BENEFACTORS) so unsparing of its AETT discount $2.00 Bookings on 331-3100 Club will be presenting their style of characters' foibles and yet so humane, is choreographed chaos in a new show, an infinitely superior achievement. " THE GIDDY PEOPLE. It includes such Francis King, London Sunday Telegraph old favourites as Bowling Man, the Sondheim Musical human television and Shirley Purvis from ichael Frayn's play BENEFAC­ their Sydney Trade Union Club season. M TORS which opens at Marian St. COMPANY by Stephen Sondheim At 6 p.m. its CAROLS-BY­ Theatre in February has won all three Directed by Richard Wherrett LAZERLIGHT with the Magpie Theatre major London theatre awards. Its North­ Musical direction by Michael Tyack from the South Australian State Theatre side Theatre Company production will be Drama Theatre, S.O.H. Company. There's a medley of carols, directed by Richard Cottrell who was Cast includes Robyn Arthur, Terence popular songs and seasonal dialogue recently appointed artistic director of Donovan, Rod Dunbar, John O'May, complete with choir and surprise guests Nimrod Theatre. Nataly Mosco, Barry Quin and Geraldine under the direction of Geoffrey Rush. BENEFACTORS is set in London in Turner It's an adult show that kids will love.