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ENCORE MAGAZINE (by Laraine ball)
AUGUST 2006

"King Arthur and the Magic Sword" (excerps)

Medieval madness abounds in this romp of a pantomime by writer/director Luke Baldock.

(The cast was) "impressive" "energetic" "humourous" and "sparkled with enthusiasm".

Songs by David D'Angelo were delightful and bright.

(Sue Oldknow's) choreography...was intricate and lively, adding to the fun.

(Violet Rowe's) costumes were a standout, medieval looking and well suited to the characters.

A potted history lesson brought to life in an amusing and magical way.

FRINGE FESTIVAL 2004
"Carry On Kelly" ...a lot of fun... well presented characters. They jump into each song with great gusto...show off their singing talents...a decent entertainer for those after a laugh.
Nikki Gaertner (Adelaide Theatre Guide)

City Messenger 2002 Light Year Awards for the Performing Arts 2002
Best Pantomime: Snow White (Upstage Theatre).

"This clever local musical comedy sends up Prohibition-era gangster movies stealing great lines from everything from Some Like It Hot to Casablanca"
Nick Carroll (Messenger Press) for Speakeasy: An Extravagangster

"I haven't enjoyed myself so much at a show for a long time."
Rod Lewis (Messenger Press) for Snow White

"These big hearted performers give it their all and provide an excellent first theatre experience for children..."
Matt Byrne (Messenger Press) for Robin's Hoods

"Two hundred cheering children can't be wrong. The audience participation is great."
John Fitzpatrick (Encore Magazine) for Treasure Island

"Very lively...full of colourful troopers, show girls, tellers and Kelly Gang members..."
Matt Byrne (Messenger Press) for Ned Kelly

Snow White – Upstage Theatre Company - Review by Rod Lewis

The best pantomimes cater to the child in all of us, offering colour and adventure for the kids and a jolly good laugh for the adults. Upstage Theatre finds the right balance of these two extremes in their current pantomime, Snow White.

Their original script and song parodies, with Vi Rowe’s elaborate costumes, have created a musical-comedy for everyone to enjoy.

Kirsty-Lee Jones made a pretty Snow White, and although a bit too precocious in the beginning for my liking, soon softened into the sweet heroine we’ve come to expect.

Deirdre Quinn proved a favourite of many kids, playing the evil Queen Sybil with more relish than a corn beef sandwich. While Georgia Dodd took on various roles, her part of the Magic Mirror left me in tears of laughter. What an expressive face!

Sue Oldknow shows she’s got the right stuff, singing up a storm as multiple characters including the delightful servant Fetch, a gorgeous white rabbit and Smiley the Dwarf.

John Martin’s King Basil could be slightly more henpecked for greater comedy, but as Hugo the Huntsman and Charlie the Dwarf, he’s a riot.

The hero of the show is of course, the handsome Prince. Chris Mayes, despite a lack of projection, is nicely nerdy as Prince Percy.

The cast all work well with the kids, fearless when it comes to encouraging them to join in. There are some clever ideas in this show including how they represent the dwarfs, whose presence on stage earns a laugh in itself.

John Penberthy’s musical direction is excellent, as usual. The lyrics to his song parodies are funny, his selection of tunes is spot-on, and his rhyming dialogue is clever. Penberthy accompanies the play on a keyboard, once again displaying his expertise.

Snow White is great fun. I haven’t enjoyed myself so much at a show in a long time, and going by the reactions of the kids, parents and grandparents in the audience, I suspect they all came away feeling the same. Snow White usually performs for once-off engagements at various venues. Don’t miss it!

Fringe 2000: REVIEW OF SPEAKEASY: AN EXTRAVA-GANGSTER

by Rod Lewis

In Chicago, Illinois, the Cabana Brothers (Al, Sal, Hal & Mal) run their illicit deals from their Copa-Cabana speakeasy. When their star attraction, Bubbles Galore, discovers that compromising photographs of her and "never-mind-who" have gone missing, she engages the aid of Private Dick, Sam Shovel, to find them. So begins this 1920s cartoonish trek of music, murder, mayhem and mistaken identities.

Traditionally presented as a dinner theatre package, Upstage have chosen a more formal, theatre-style setting for this production of Speakeasy. It features three of the original cast – John Martin, Deirdre Quinn and John Webster – who are joined by a highly talented ensemble of new blood: mega-star-in-the-making, Amber McMahon, Anthony Waack, Graham Roberts, Rino Crescitelli, Rachel McCall and Therese Harris.

Each performer has a good grasp on both their character and the absurd plot, and they all have wonderful singing voices. But with more cheese than charm, this show really does need to be presented in an informal setting, as done in the past, to really work to full effect. Such an over-the-top, simplistic script, punctured with more puns than a bad joke, looses greatly in the harsh confines of a makeshift theatre space in a noisy pub.

Director Rikki Howard has done some remarkable things with Speakeasy, including the addition of ample new humor and interaction between the characters, and he does wonders moving the cast in such a tight acting area. Ultimately however, this fun-loving troupe of performers really do need to keep to the casual to give true justice to an otherwise fun show.

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SPEAKEASY: THE EXTRAVA-GANGSTER: Upstage Theatre
Crown & Sceptre Hotel, Until March 11
Reviewed by Nick Carroll

THIS clever local musical comedy sends up Prohibition-era gangster movies stealing great lines from
everything from Some Like it Hot to Casablanca. And while the company needs to keep chipping away at Suzanne Monck's script, they've got here quite an entertaining slapstick romp.

The storyline sees notorious gang leader Al Cabana (John Martin) and his brothers Hal, Mal and Sal trying
to gun down a rival crim called Louie the Louse. All along, Louie (David Winston) is in disguise as the chef at Al's speakeasy.

Meanwhile Al's girl Bubbles Galore (Deirdre Quinn) has enlisted the help of private eye Sam Shovel
(Anthony Waack) to retrieve some incriminating photos of her with someone else. Sam goes undercover as a showgirl at the speakeasy and winds up the object of Al's amorous attention.

There are also a few other intervening plots which serve to highlight some bright new talent including the
delightful Rachel McCall as Millie the showgirl.

Another one to watch is the engaging Amber McMahon who, in the style of Popeye's girl Olive Oyl, plays
Sam's secretary who falls for Hal Cabana (Graham Roberts) even though she's working undercover as a
male waiter.

John Pemberthy backs some glorious old show tunes on the keyboard while John Webster, who plays Sal
Cabana, keeps the beat on the drum kit.