Best of Theatre 2015

The Brett Awards 2015

“Great theatre is about challenging how we think and encouraging us to fantasize about a world we aspire to.” - Willem Dafoe

1. The Book of Mormon (Sonia Friedman Productions)

2. The Curious Incident of the Dog and the Night Time (National Theatre)

3. Photograph 51 (Michael Grandage Company) 

4. Les Miserables (Michael Cassel Group for Cameron Mackintosh)

5. Matilda (Louise Withers and Associates)

6. Miss Saigon (Cameron Mackintosh)

7. Fake It ’til you Make it by Bryony Kimmings and Tim Grayburn

8. Briefs - The Second Coming 

9.  Asian Provocateur (Josie Lane)

10. Close To You - Burt Bacharach Reimagined 

11. Totem - Cirque du Soleil

12. Turandot (Opera Australia)

13. Tosca (Opera Australia) 

Best Venue:  The Prince Edward

Worst Venue: The Duchess

Random Fun Award - Calypso Nights

Epic Award for Epicness - We Are All/Cleansed In Blood

Dissapointing - The Play that Goes Wrong

2013 Brett Awards for Theatre Excellence

Ending 2013 a few ticket stubs short of my 2012 effort is a little disappointing but having viewed about 35 pieces of live theatre (not counting filmed theatre such as National Theatre Live), I do think I've done pretty well.  Again my London binge makes up the majority of my list, as working in the industry prevents me from seeing much unless I'm on holiday. I openly admit that I have not seen everything, rather much less than I would have liked.

2013 really has highlighted the importance of story, structure & character above all else. The disappointments for me this year have all too often been spectacular and expensive messes. Many mediocre productions could have been potential classics if the emphasis placed on the book and music was equal to the technology created to mount them (there are several big shows that have disappointed me for these reasons). On the other hand, the greatest theatre I have seen this year have been a tribute to inspired writing with design that allows the production to breathe rather than attempt to command all of the attention (Bob Crowley's "Once" design being the strongest in my view this year). Tom Stoppard has described theatre in terms of the "ambush" of the experience and whilst I agree with the need for constant surprise in theatre I also think that sometimes we can forget that this can come in many forms, "by an unexpected word, or by an elephant falling out of the cupboard, whatever it is".

Small venues & intimate productions have excited me a great deal throughout 2013, namely the Union Theatre (Southwalk, London) and the (now renamed) Hayes Theatre, providing wonderful, personal touches with beautiful productions of Chess & Torch Song Trilogy respectively. Staging the tumultuous "Chess" to an audience of 30 really brings home just how stunning the score is (it really is one of the best even if not the most successful musicals). I'm also very happy that all the venues I have visited this year are but a few degrees warm or cool of perfect. I really went to some awful venues last year and I'm glad that I haven't needed to go back to them.

I have had the privilege of watching some remarkable performers in wonderful roles and some incredible productions this year. Part of that joy is sharing the moment that performer and the audience, knowing it is so different to watching a film or listening to an album.

I hope that all of you have seen some remarkable performances this year. Let's hope 2014 is just as lush.

See you at the theatre.

1. Once (NY Theatre Workshop)
2. Macbeth (Trafalgar Transformed & Jamie Lloyd Productions)
3. La Traviata (English National Opera)
4. Matilda (Royal Shakespeare Company)
5. The Judas Kiss (Chichester Festival Theatre &The Hampstead Theatre)
6. The Graduate (Kay & Maclean Productions)
7. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (STC)
8. Torch Song Trilogy (Gaiety Theatre)
9. Chess (The Union Theatre, London)
10. The Bodyguard The Musical

Honourable Mentions -

Quartermaine's Terms (Michael Codron & Theatre Royal Bath Productions)
The Magistrate (National Theatre of GB)

Best Female (play) - Helen Mirren in The Audience
Best Male (play) - Rupert Everett in The Judas Kiss & James McEvoy in Macbeth
Best Female (musical) - Heather Headley in The Bodyguard
Best Male (musical) - Declan Bennett in Once

Worst Production - Spamalot (ATG)

Sexy Sex Sex Award - Freddie Fox and Tom Colley in The Judas Kiss

OMG OMG OMG Award - The Bodyguard The Musical

Best Use of the Male Torso - The Lion King (for the gay hyena disco dance-break) & Grease (for the three topless men in shower cubicles for no apparent reason)

Three Rieslings Please?

I’ve been known as Brett Riesling for a couple of years now. It began as a bit of a laugh; I changed my Facebook name to Brett Chardonnay. It stayed a while. I wanted a change. I felt that it didn’t really represent who I was. My name became Brett Gewürztraminer for about a day. It was a little OTT. Brett Riesling works. And it stuck. Most people now know me by my wine of choice, rather than my actual name. I’m ok with that. It’s a bloody good grape.

Riesling isn’t what it used to be. Aussie Riesling used to be a sickly sweet, hugely popular and particularly awful, so I’m told (too young to know). Obliterated by the rise of the Chardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc. It’s now been completely reinvented, reinvigorated and refined as one of Australia’s biggest triumphs.

Riesling is a wine that draws its character very specifically from its surroundings (terrior-expressive). The weather patterns, soil types & geography make each and every Riesling quite different from the next. While Australian Rieslings are all in a dry style, there are so many variations which makes for so much enjoyment.

Next time you go to grab a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc off the shelf, pick up a Riesling instead, I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised.

These are three different Rieslings from various price brackets. There are quite a few others on the market now. Some other good ones are Pikes, Petaluma, Annie’s Lane & Pewsey Vale.

Lock & Key Single Vineyard Riesling 2012 $12.99

Moppity Vineyards, Young, NSW 

Honestly this is a really, really good entry level Riesling & probably one of the best value that I’ve come across. Lively & fresh, dry as expected & playfully acidic. Its best feature is its accessibility. It displays wonderful bright citrus notes with a little salt, perfect for drinking straight away.

Perfection: Grab some prawns & oysters from the Sydney Fish Markets & picnic in the park in the middle of Spring with a bunch of mates.

 

Handpicked Riesling 2011 $19.99

Knappstein Wines, Clare Valley, SA

Knappstein make some wonderful stuff and their Riesling is front and centre. Though a bit more subtle both in flavour and aroma, this is still a good wine to drink now, but will be exceptional in a few years.

Perfection: Riesling is great with spicy Asian food so I’ll be taking a bottle next time I go to Chat Thai.

Undhof Kögl Riesling 2011 $29.99

Salomon Wines, Austria

If you’re familiar with Riesling, have a go at this one. This will be superb in a few years and I’m going to grab another few bottles of it to make sure I get to find out just how good. This one is less dry than the Aussie styles but full of pineapple fruit acidity, honey and a bit of citrus. It has a wonderful aftertaste that lingers for some time. This one really makes me smile.

Perfection: With a few years under its belt enjoy with Billy Laws Squid, Pineapple & Green Papaya Salad  as a starter (http://atablefortwo.com.au/2013/08/squid-pineapple-and-green-papaya-salad) & a Thai-style whole baked fish for mains. Divine.

Opening Night Cheesecakes

I'm not the kind of person that shows up empty handed to anything. So when my housemates new play had Opening Night on the same night as the lead performer's birthday my house-mate and I got to work to ensure the birthday boy felt extra special. It's an incredible play so I also sort-of considered it a way to say "thank you" to the cast for sharing such a beautiful experience with us. We got free tickets and a bit of booze out of it so it only fair really. And it's a gay play so we had to make this cake pretty fabulous!!

Saucy Raspberry & White Chocolate Cheesecake

200g Oreos
90g Melted Butter
125g Premium Cocoa
3 tsp Gelatin
200ml hot water
250g Cream Cheese
250g Mascapone
400g Sweetened Condensed Milk
300ml Cream
150g White Chocolate
500g Frozen Raspberries
125g castor sugar
125g water

1. Annihilate the Oreos with a rolling pin. Normally I'd do this imagining an ex-boyfriend's face but this cake was being made with lurve so no room for anger here. I begin by smashing the Oreos whilst still in the packet then dumping them into a bowl and go at it until a consistent but slightly course texture is reached. Mix in cocoa & melted butter and stir until evenly combined.
2. Scoop mixture into a spring-form pan lined with greaseproof paper; smooth out to the edges. Stick it in the fridge.
3. Melt white chocolate by being very careful using a Pyrex bowl and a plastic spatula in the microwave. 30 seconds; stir; 30 seconds; stir; 30 seconds; stir. That ought to do it. Ensure that you give it a good stir before putting it back in for more.
4. Boil the kettle and pour 200mls of the water into a small mug. Add the gelatine & stir continuously until dissolved completely without lumps. Stir it Una!
5. Ensure that cream cheese, mascarpone & condensed milk are at room temperature - beat until smooth.
6. Whisk cream to soft peaks.
7. Add gelatine to cheese mixture & combine. Gently stir cream & chocolate through. We also added pink food colouring at this point to ensure the cake was flamboyant enough.
8. Pour half the mixture onto the prepared base. Add a layer of frozen raspberries (about 375g) then top with the remaining mix.
9. Bash the bubbles out by holding the mix 10cm above the bench and firmly dropping back down. Repeat only 2-3 times to ensure that raspberries remain suspended and do not sink to the bottom.
10. Stick it back into the fridge overnight.
11. Place 125mls water on the boil with 125g castor sugar and 125g raspberries. Bring to boil; reduce temperature and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Cool. Blitz when cooled.

We decorated the cheesecake with edible gold stars that are pretty readily available. Feel free to decorate with some fresh raspberries or white chocolate shavings.

Cut the cheesecake with a hot knife, pour the sauce over each individual slice liberally (please lets be fabulous about this!). I prefer to eat without cutlery but by all means be a little civil if you really must.

Continental cheesecakes really are so easy and fast to prepare. There are so many types of fruit you can replace the raspberries with. Why not try mango, mulberry or strawberry? You'll always get invited back when you arrive with one of these beauties!

Best of 2012

1. Antigone (Schaubuhne Theatre Berlin)

2. War Horse on the West End (National Theatre of Great Britain)

3. Noises Off (The Old Vic)

4. Love Never Dies Australia (Really Useful Group)

5. Stop the Virgens (Vivid Sydney & Karen O)

6. Lucia di Lammermoor (Opera Australia)

7. Die Tote Stadt (Opera Australia)

8. Legally Blonde The Musical Australia (GFO & ATG)

9. Pirates of Pensance (Union Theatre UK)

10: Tchaikovsky (Eifman Ballet)

Special Mentions:

Sufjan Stephens, Nico Muhly & Bryce Dressner (Vivid Sydney)

Briefs (Sydney Festival Spiegletent)

Bronze Bear Cabaret (at Red Bennies Melbourne)

Camp award: Legally Blonde & Pirates of Penzance

Worst: Blood Brothers (Phoenix Theatre London) & Face to Face (STC)

Performance: Anna O'Byrne (Love Never Dies) and Emma Matthews (Lucia Di Lammermoor)

Best Venue: The Old Vic

Worst Venue: The New London

Best Food: Aria Catering SOH for the fucking sandwiches!!

Best Beverage: The Bombshell Carafe at Sydney Lyric

The Stage for The Sceptical

To some, the world of theatre begins and ends with nightmares of being dragged by grand-ma to see some camp and lifeless over the top piece of melodrama; to others flicking between television channels has led to a fat old man singing music that is as difficult to understand as the foreign language it is being sung in. Sometimes it can be quite daunting to try and find a genre that compliments you, like understanding how to dress in a new style or appreciate a new style of food.

If you've not been to the theatre for a while, perhaps not at all - these productions will change what you believe the theatre is capable of, how it speaks to you, what it means. These aren't necessarily baby steps or easy things to watch but (hopefully) all productions that will overwhelm and inspire. I'm confident that they will.

　

Un Ballo in Maschera (Opera Australia)

You've seen "Phantom of the Opera" right? That's not opera. Not even close. This coproduction between Opera Australia, Sydney Festival and Spain's La Fura dels Baus looks set to bring a style unseen before on Australian stages. Known for epic use of digital imagery, cirque style human sculpture and liberal splashes of science fiction (their current production of Puccini's Turandot is recreated in a futuristic world fully under Chinese rule), La Fura is proof opera is not stale & due to its malleability & reliance on constant reinvention, the theatre as an art form will never die. A Masked Ball is Giuseppe Verdi's retelling of the assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden at a masquerade party. Politics, love, tragedy. I expect to see a lot more from La Fura dels Baus in the coming years.

http://www.opera-australia.org.au/whatson/events/detail?prodid=78745&noloc=true

 

War Horse (National Theatre of Great Britain & Global Creatures)

Please don't talk to me about Spielberg, just don't. If you were disappointed by the film "War Horse", let the National Theatre of Great Britain teach you about metaphor, beauty, honesty. With indescribably detailed puppetry from Handspring Puppet Company that speaks the language of the heart; the story of the horse Joey and his best friend Albert is simple in telling, exceptional in execution and breathtaking in design. This is World War I from the perspective of an animal that does not speak but he does live and breath and will remain in your mind for a long time after exiting the auditorium doors.

http://sydneylyric.com.au/index.php/whats-on/coming-soon/War-Horse

 

A Clockwork Orange (Soho Theatre UK)

Single-sex casting certainly isn't new. In fact, men have been portraying women on stage far longer than women have been. This production based on Anthony Burgess' novel rather then the Stanley Kubrick film discusses masculinity, violence, disaffected youth. A Clockwork Orange will not be easy to watch, should spark some pretty decent post show chatter but ultimately explores a much darker world than most perceive theatre to have the ability to explore.

http://www.seymourcentre.com/events/event/a-clockwork-orange/

 

2001: A Space Odyssey (Sydney Symphony)

Interestingly, composer Alex North created a score for Kubrick's film that was replaced with the classical pieces that we now know to be an imperative part of this film's experience. There is something extraordinary about the power of a live orchestra that can never be truly understood with out experiencing it for oneself. Cinefiles will undoubtedly be familiar enough with these pieces to enjoy and appreciate them without the film even playing, though in this case it will be. Sydney Festival gets it right again, it seems.

http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/2001_a_space_odyssey.aspx?gclid=CP2xyri2wbQCFYR66wod4VEAnQ

 

Briefs (Sydney Festival)

After years in the underground, the great traditions of variety, cabaret and burlesque are experiencing somewhat of a resurrection, for good reason. In what I think is a response to overblown budgets (both film & theatre), overhyped performances & necessity to behave in public- these art forms are once again giving us the opportunity to get a little tipsy, loud and a lot fabulous. This intimate show by an all male troupe has travelled the world and beyond a doubt will show you a good time; they are sexy, talented and hilarious. Just go, drink bubbles and leave the world behind.

http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2013/Theatre/Briefs/

 

Semele Walk (Sydney Festival)

Presented as part of Sydney Festival, this is the story of the mortal Semele, engaged to the Prince of Boetia but in love with the god Jupiter. A piece that explores love & mortality in a runway style with costumes by Vivienne Westwood. This is Vogue meets Handel. First performed at Herrenhausen Festival in Hanover this concept seems a lot of fun.

http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2013/Music/Semele-Walk/

 

King Kong (Global Creatures)

Brought to us by the creators of "Walking with Dinosaurs" and "How to Train Your Dragon" arena spectaculars, this is the most ambitious live theatrical event to be born on Aussie soil. Exclusive to Melbourne, Global Creatures' move to a proscenium style (rather than an arena) affirms their growing commitment to reach out to more adult audiences (Global Creatures are also producing War Horse and Strictly Ballroom) and could see this production syndicated in a number of cities across the globe in the next will be brought to life by a team of ten puppeteers using various styles of the art form as well as some of the most advanced technology used in live performance.

http://kingkongliveonstage.com/