Review of ‘Table’, a play

It was a big theatrical week with Biloxi Blues a marvelous Neil Simon play on Wednesday night at Castle Hill’s Pavilion Theatre & then Table at Seymour Centre.

The Best family’s dining table handed down through six generations. As the play opens we are at first in modernity as two characters ponder the various scratches, scuffs, discolourations and leopard claw marks upon the table surface. Each distinctive mark is a different story. The next scene, based in the cathedral town within Staffordshire; Lichfield, takes the audience back to the start of the six-generation family heritage when the table was first crafted – as a wedding present from husband to wife. In the scenes that follow the story of each of the table’s distinctive marks is revealed. The table is transported to and from Africa; the Christian mission of one of the family’s women.

It is in Africa that the table dramatically obtains the leopard claw marks.

We were fortunate to see the play last night at the first preview.

The play was special in that our household has it’s own table - a table that has a story. That story started on buying it from a couple at cost of the purchase of their new table. It may seem odd that we bought them a table, however, the exchange worked in that they found the table too large for the nook they had placed it in. Our table comfortable sits sixteen, weighs a tonne, and is well crafted in Australian timbers. The table we purchased for the couple was also finely crafted yet twelve placing settings proved to have greater utility to them.

The acting was grand. The few actors adept at managing the transition of role as each new scene took the audience to a new generation of the family. The set and props are minimalist so there is a degree of pressure on the actors to survive without any distractions to the eye.

One actor remarks:

“I hate this table”.

Yet, the audience recognises the sentiment at odds with the table’s history.

We travelled by public transport with buses to door. The plays runs 26th July to 17th August, 2019 and you can book here: https://www.seymourcentre.com

Shalom,

Ozhamada

#theatre #sydney #seymourcentre

Review of Neil Simon play Biloxi Blues

A heady mix of laughter, latrines, marches through Mississippi swamps, sleepless three-day train journeys and basic army training all come together in Biloxi Blues a marvelous Neil Simon play. It is 1943 and the jumble together crew of army recruits need to shape-up before shipping-out to an unknown war zone.

We were fortunate to see the play last night prior to Friday opening.

The acting was grand and yet I feel the need to first comment on set design and costumes. 

The authenticity of both sets and costumes is very sound. It is a credit to the set designers that they move so much staging materials in so little time. The audience had a real sense of the actors being in the cramped train carriage; the light passing by the window and the set rocking pushed by hands unseen. The costumes were authentic through to accuracy of the dance dresses worn by the convent girls.

As to the acting - I best loved the in-play consideration of journal writing. As one of the recruits made entries in his journal, and as the journal was read out, one could sense the playwright’s own comprehension of the power of the written word. There is a great line that is salient for today’s age of false news:

“Just because something is written down doesn’t make it true”.

Then, there was also the intriguing completeness of one character's Talmudic logic.

Pavilion Theatre is not much to the eye as you approach and yet it is a warm and inviting theatre inside. Seating is comfortable with good legroom and an elevation to each row to offer easy viewing.

Thank you to Ticket Wombat and the Pavilion Theatre for the freebie double tixs. Car parking was a breeze in the ample showground parking spaces and the coffee at interval was free and hot. We’d considered catching NSW’s shiny new thing, the Metro, with Hills Showground station within a 500m walk of the Theatre, however, buses were running instead of trains. The plays runs 26 July 2019 to 17 August 2019 and you can book here: https://www.facebook.com/events/378002956186611/

Shalom,

Ozhamada

#theatre #castlehillplayers #ticketwombat

Leunig; National Living Treasure

Here is a Leunig's cartoon, usually published in the Fairfax papers; SMH and the Age. It is topical to the day.

From a Facebook post on the Micheal Leunig Appreciation page.

Do you detect the brilliance of it?

The nuanced meaning will be lost on many people.Many will think it to be directed at @IzzyFolau; a reference to the now famous Instagram post where Izzy quoted a Bible verse which many have read as confining homosexuals to hell.

But, Leunig is cleverer than that.

Firstly, note that Leunig has ducked the controversy by keeping the matter to bisexuality. There was nothing to be gained by further flaming the homophobic fire!

Secondly, appreciate how Leunig sees through the duplicity. The recently deceased, addressing himself to Saint Peter at the Holy Gates of heaven, continues to grasps hold of something that he has left behind. His identity as bisexual has no relevance to his stand in the next life.  And, in response, Saint Peter mocks him [no!, the poor deceased fellow has no longer any choices]. Peter's sting is most felt when you see through to how Leunig sorrowfully discerns how "bisexuals" expect to have a better standing in heaven (or in hell) than everyone else.

In short, Leunig is saying: 'You rainbow types are treated no different when dead'.

And, in that, Leunig and Izzy said very much the same thing.

Shalom,
Ozhamada

[226 words]#Bible #heisrisen #jesus #Christ #messiah #butGodcares #restoration #cartoon #IzzyFolau #theage #FairFaxMedia

Note: I hope Leunig's cartoon was inspired from the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19-31. The recently deceased man in the cartoon is terribly similar in his thinking to the rich man.

Review, 'The Navigator'

Characters

Kaloni Kienga; Gunnar’s grandfather (alive and then deceased on island prior to arrival of the Frigate Bird).

Characters identified as officers of the Frigate Bird

Carl Magnusson, captain, in an open marriage arrangement initially with Sally Anderton before joining Molly Kaapu in a hut together.

Gunnar Thorkild; mate, Professor at the University of Hawaii, appointed island chief.

Lieutenant Peter Andre Lorillard, communications, US Navy, formed love interest with Martha on-board The Frigate Bird. Married with wife and children in San Diego. Votes for junction of land to USA jurisdiction (a vote that does not pass). One of the colonists to the terraces after Charlie’s exile.

Sally Anderton, medical, boarded the Frigate Bird as love interest to Carl and then hopped beds to be with Gunnar.

Martha Gilman, writer to the captain, formed love interest with Peter on-board the Frigate Bird, voted for Peter as chief. Falls pregnant during the journey. Votes for junction of land to USA jurisdiction (a vote that does not pass). One of the colonists to the terraces after Charlie’s exile.

Charles Kamakau, bosun, also referred to as Charlie, age 40, splits from his wife Barbara and takes to clearing the terrace area. Returns to beach village in ambush of Barbara. Wounds Barbara, also Tioto and Simon Cohen (who come to Barbara’s aid). Exiled on canoe and direct NE.

--/--

Characters identified as passengers of the Frigate Bird who did not make landfall

Malo (male) and Monica (female) (alive as passengers on the Frigate Bird, died in tsunami).

Characters identified as passengers of the Frigate Bird (male)

Franz Harsanyi, linguist, settles into relationship with Ellen.

Simon Cohen, musician, nominated Peter as chief, voted for Peter as chief. Votes for junction of land to USA jurisdiction (a vote that does not pass).

Hernan Castillo, the Filipino, voted for Peter as chief.

Adam Briggs, settles into relationship with Jenny.

Tioto, partner of Malo

Mark Gilham, Martha’s son, a child. Calls Gunnar by nickname Uncle Gunsmoke

Willy Kuhio, married to Eva. Votes for junction of land to USA jurisdiction (a vote that does not pass). One of the colonists to the terraces after Charlie’s exile.

Characters identified as passengers of the Frigate Bird (female)

Barbara Kamakau, Charlie’s wife

Molly Kaapu, cook, settles into relationship with Carl.

Jenny, pregnant (still-born child on island), student of Gunnar, nominated Gunnar as chief, settles into relationship with Adam.

Eva Kuhio, married to Willy. Votes for junction of land to USA jurisdiction (a vote that does not pass). One of the colonists to the terraces after Charlie’s exile.

Ellen Ching, botanist, settles into relationship with Franz

Yoko Nagamuma, nutritionist, voted for Peter as chief. Votes for junction of land to USA jurisdiction (a vote that does not pass).

Other characters - Hawaii

James Neal Anderson, Dean of Oceanic Studies at the University of Hawaii, Gunnar’s supervisor

Michael Aloysius Flanagan S.J., Priest (marmoset?). Wheelchair-bound.

References:

Bounty: Gunnar warns islanders that they should not suffer a similar fate.

Discussion

The count of islanders, prior to Charlie’s exile, is thrice specifically put as eighteen. Once in terms of the lives on the island, then in terms of reconciling the fifteen eligible to cast a vote and then identified to ten men and eight women. However, there are nineteen on the island. Eight women is the correct count, however there are eleven men. On page 153-154 there is an accounting of all nineteen islanders (nine pairs and one single) to newly built accommodation huts (with Charlie temporarily living apart).

While Martha Gilman commenced a love interest with Lieutenant Peter Andre Lorillard, I find it a plot-hole for her to vote for Peter as chief. Martha was friends with Gunnar long before she met Peter. Martha would have been swayed to voting for Gunnar based on Gunnar’s knowledge and skills.

Shalom,

Ozhamada

Note: I located this novel at a Street Library within a cafe; Nibu, in Lane Cove and dropped it into a Street Library within Sydney Town Hall.

[634 words] #book #reading #read #readAustralian