Friday, April 26, 2013

Under Milkwood - Canberra Repertory

Yes, yes, it's been a very long hiatus.  I am so insanely behind in my reviews - and so frantically busy in the day job - that I was pretty much giving up on ever getting back here. But I've just realised that there are only two performances left of Rep's production of Under Milkwood, and it is so transcendently wonderful that if there is a chance of getting one more bum on a seat then I owe it both to Rep and to the possessor of that fortunate posterior.

I won't say too much, or I'll never hit the Publish button, so this is probably not really a review.  But Duncan Ley has done an absolutely astonishing job with this; the ensemble is perfect, the set wonderful, the costumes bang on, and the lighting and sound possibly the best I've seen.  And Duncan Driver as the narrator is glorious; his voice is rich without being unctuous, round without being plummy; I could listen to him read the phone directory and instead he is reading Dylan Thomas' brilliant, rolling, heartrending prose.

When this ends you'll discover that your mouth is open, your hand is on your heart, and you've been holding your breath for minutes.  Please go see this!

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PS: seen and not reviewed since Pocket Shakespeare:

December 2012:
Glimpse     (42downstairs)

January 2013:
Oliver!  (Ickle Pickle)

February 2013
The Magistrate (NT Live)
West Side Story (Free Rain)
The Secret River (Sydney Theatre Company)
Calendar Girls (Canberra Rep)
Les Miserables (Canberra Philharmonic)
Henry IV (Bell Shakespeare)

March 2013
Animal Farm (shakeandstir)
Dear Epson  - Danny Bhoy
It's My Party & I'll Cry if I Want To (HIT Productions)
Thursday (Brink Productions)
Men of Substance - Tripod
Vakomana Va Viri Ve Zimbabwe (Two Gents Productions) 
Kupenga Kwa Hamlet (Two Gents Productions)

April 2013
Mindbender - Ross Noble
Richard, Prosessor of Literature - Stephane Georis
Eurobeat  (SUPA Productions)
As We Forgive (Collected Works)
Under Milkwood  (Canberra Repertory)
Pea!  (Serious Theatre)
People (NT Live)
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (Queanbeyan City Council)
One Man, Two Guv'nors (Sydney Theatre Company)
Weimar Cabaret (Barry Humphries, Meow Meow & the ACO)
Piece of Cake - The Kransky Sisters

I have notes; I may get around to these. But no guarantees! And I have a feeling I've missed a couple.