Amadeus Review

Star Theatres, Sat 26 Nov, 2022

Presented by Independent Theatre

Amadeus is a remarkable play. Written by Peter Shaffer and first performed in 1979, it is based on a fictional feud between Mozart and the court composer in Vienna at the time, Antonio Salieri. It’s quite Shakespearean in its level of gravitas and epic drama.

As an old man in his final hours Salieri feels the need to come clean and tell the audience (his ghosts of the future) what he’s done so we might set the record straight when we are born in our own future time. It’s a fascinating theatrical device and it works brilliantly.

Shaffer’s Mozart is a rude shock. He’s a bumbling, crass buffoon in the style of Monty Python’s depiction of upper class twits. No manners, no sense of decency, but a prodigious musical talent nevertheless. It drives Salieri crazy and he can do no better than refer to him as ‘that creature’.

The challenging task of portraying this brat of a Mozart falls to Ben Francis and he does a wonderful job. Manic, excitable, passionate, even vaguely endearing – he’s like an uncontrolled schoolboy buzzing about in his own world. Until he plays music – when he transforms into an angel.

Even Salieri has to admit Mozart’s music is magnificent. There are some wonderful moments when Salieri (played by David Roach) waxes lyrical in trance-like admiration of Mozart’s genius as we hear his music playing in the background.

The vast majority of the play has Salieri on stage and usually talking – it’s an incredibly demanding role that would challenge the best of actors. Roach has not quite got all of Salieri under his skin yet but it is an inspirational performance all the same. But ‘that creature’ certainly gets under his skin as he struggles with an intense jealousy towards his musical peer.

I loved the two Venticelli who function as Salieri’s spies around town and their scenes of eagerly reporting gossip back to Salieri in tandem comedy are really enjoyable.

There is so much to like about this production. The cast made ample use of the whole performance space of the Star Theatre to take us to the salons and concert halls of Vienna.

The set and costumes were a visual treat and though Shaffer’s Amadeus might be a little liberal with the facts, in this instance it’s a case of never let the truth get in the way of a good story!

(This review also published on The Clothesline.)

Hand to God Review

Little Theatre, Fri 18 Nov, 2022.

Presented by the Adelaide University Theatre Guild

Since its first production in 2011 Hand to God has been variously described as edgy, risky, filthy, provocative, and obscene – all of these descriptions are apt. It has nevertheless won multiple awards and based on this offering by the Adelaide University Theatre Guild  – deservedly so.

The action takes place in small town Texas in the space where fundamentalist Christian beliefs clash with the darker smouldering desires that many a good Christian blames on the devil. Margery has recently lost her husband and has taken to running puppetry classes for the local church youth group as she tries to build a new life for herself. Her son Jason joins in these classes, as does a very horny and outspoken youth called Timothy.  Out of the blue Timothy inappropriately declares his love for the much older Margery.  With this shocking revelation the genie of desire is released from the bottle and the struggle between good and evil begins.

Leading the way for the forces of evil is Tyrone, Jason’s puppet, as it becomes a mouthpiece for every carnal and impure thought Jason has ever had. Leading the forces for good is the local pastor – terrifically played with equal parts bluster and dignity by Brendan Cooney.

The star of the show is undoubtedly Tyrone, as played by his puppeteer, Jason. Matt Houston’s double act as himself and his wicked puppet is simply masterful.  Jason and Tyrone often communicate with each other in quick back and forth repartee. A little like ventriloquism – where two different voices argue with each other. Houston’s mastery steps up a notch when his puppet begins to torment others – tempting them to come clean and say what they really believe. He taunts and growls, hisses and heckles in an extraordinary performance.

Emily Branford shines as Margery. Her rock-solid belief in all things Jesus sure takes a battering, but she is in turn compassionate, understanding, despairing, deceitful and desperate and despite everything ultimately retains some sense of dignity.

Well-known rock and country music tunes make scene changes really entertaining and subtly remind the audience of location and underlying themes.

There are a couple of unforgettable scenes in this play – I kid you not! And as the posters around town suggest, some things cannot be unseen!

Those with strongly held religious beliefs will no doubt find this play offensive. But if, like the playwright, Robert Askins (who grew up in the Texan Bible-bashing belt), you believe that the hypocritical nature of fundamentalist Christianity needs to be called out, then you’ll love this.

This production of Hand To God is funny, insightful, and entertaining.  Strong, near faultless performances from the whole cast. And hats off to Director Nick Fagan for pulling this one out of the hat.

Go and see it!

(This review also published on The Clothesline.)