From Darkness Theatre Review

admin — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 04:14:26 +0000

Raw and visceral, From Darkness captures a family trying to crawl back into the light from underneath the long shadows cast by a horrific family tragedy. To lose one so young has reduced the surviving family members to their most basic emotions.

Anger and fear have created a divide that becomes filled with selfish outbursts and recriminating discourse. The love that exists is challenged and through the white noise of profanity and unchecked rage, beacons of light begin to burst through.

This emerging flame of illumination emits from the spiritual centre that all humans possess but one that is slowly extinguished by a separation of one’s spiritual self. In this case it takes the distraction free focus of the young to empower the elders and provide the reconnection.

Many families live in a state of conflict. Sometimes that energy blasts the elements into broken shards but then there are times when the heat provides the warmth for those same elements to melt back together again.

CAST
PRESTON – Benjin Maza
ABIGAIL – Lisa Maza
NANNA LOU – Roxanne McDonald
AKIRA – Ebony McGuire
ERIC – Colin Smith

From Darkness is currently playing at La Boite until September 28, head to their website for more information and to purchase tickets – www.laboite.com.au
Rob Hudson

Romeo and Juliet Theatre Review

admin — Thu, 30 May 2019 04:09:25 +0000

How do you make the over four-hundred year-old play, Romeo and Juliet relevant to a modern audience? La Boîte’s current production of the Bard’s most famous work accomplishes this by combining a rare mix of youthful exuberance and seasoned craft. The technical side of the work is also uniformly modern and accomplished

The two leads are young and exciting and the veteran actors on stage are generous with both their presence and acting skills. The play features a very clever stage set up that appears very simple at first only to surprise with a depth of application. The use of stage props is excellent throughout as well. There are interludes of song that buttress the work with a fresh approach.

Dressing the cast in skinny jeans and Chuck Taylors and doing away with the trappings of time and opulence makes the look feel current. Staging the fight scenes as street gang warfare turns the brutality into choreographed dance. All these new strands weave together splendidly. This is a play for the fans of Will and those that have a will to be fans.

Cast
Kerith Atkinson, Jack Bannister, Bridget Boyle, Grady Ferricks-Rosevear, Eugene Gilfedder, Darcy Gooda, Nicole Hoskins, Nikhil Singh, Colin Smith and Wei Lan Zhong

Creatives
Writer: William Shakespeare, Director: Todd MacDonald, Additional Dramaturgy: Lucas Stibbard, Set & Costume Design: Anthony Spinaze, Lighting Design: Katie Sfetkidis, Sound Design: Anna Whitaker and Fight Choreographer: Nigel Poulton

Romeo and Juliet is playing at the La Boite Theatre, Brisbane from 25 May – 15 June 2019. Head to their website for more information and tickets www.laboite.com.au

Photo Credit: Stephen Henry

modmove » Colin Smith

From Darkness Theatre Review

Romeo and Juliet Theatre Review