CLOSER THAN EVER (Playlovers)
Sat, 17 Feb 2001, 03:30 amjassep6 posts in thread
CLOSER THAN EVER (Playlovers)
Sat, 17 Feb 2001, 03:30 amShow: Closer Than Ever
Authors: David Shire (Music) & Richard Maltby jr. (Lyrics)
Company: Playlovers, Inc.
Director: Gillian Binks – Musical Director: Caroline Badnall
Venue: Hackett Hall, Draper St. Floreat
Bookings: 0415 777 173
Reviewed: 16 February 2001 (Opening Night)
Season: February 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 28 March 02, 03 @ 8pm (except 25/2 @ 7pm)
Tickets: $17/$15
Playlovers have done it again! Just when you thought this company could not go further in creating excellence in musical theatre, up comes another wonderful addition to an enviable track-record.
‘Closer Than Ever’ is a difficult show to pigeon-hole. It is at once a cabaret and a concert without ever really being either. It could also be described simply as a collection of excellent songs. However, it is more than just a simple potpourri of random music.
To my mind, ‘Closer Than Ever’ can be, for the audience member, an intensely personal journey into relationships lost, found, destroyed and imagined. And each member of the audience is invited to create their own meaning out of a show alive with both the possibilities and the regrets of life; possibilities and regrets that we all share simply by virtue of our shared humanity.
‘Closer Than Ever’ could so easily be dismissed as a simple bit of froth and bubble (which on the surface it surely emulates); there is no preaching or didactic rhetoric. There is simply a presentation, through song, of modern life and its daily trials and tribulations. And it is this simplicity that gives the show its inherent power.
The power inherent in a show like ‘Closer Than Ever’ is the power of possibility – of being able to transcend ourselves and try on the shoes of others’ predicaments for a brief, engrossing moment; the possibility of being able to accept our common humanity and rejoice in our all-too-human foibles and face the apprehension that thoughts of the future can bring.
That ‘Closer Than Ever’ manages to work the way it does through such simplicity is in no small part due to the skilful direction of Gillian Binks (who also performs as one of the small ensemble of six singer/actors) and Musical Direction of Caroline Badnall.
Each member of the cast has several solo songs which are each, in themselves very good musical theatre songs, but for me the heart-breaking moment came in Gillian Binks solo ‘Life Story’; a song rich in regret and sorrow and so masterfully sung by Gill that it was difficult to imagine a person in the house who remained unmoved. So powerful was her rendition, it moved from simple song to confession to catharsis in under three minutes!
Having said that, however, the rest of the cast had many wonderful moments in which to shine and kudos to must go to Alex McLennan, Melanie Robinson, Hayley Binks (who IÂ’ve never seen do solos and I hope to see much more of in the future), Paul Whiteley and David Gardette (whose vocal power has developed to almost an overwhelming level). They, along with Gill, were the glue that held this seemingly simple concept together and made it much, much more than the sum of its parts.
My only small criticism of the shows structure is simply that in the second half there seemed to be an imbalance which saw one or two whispy ballads more than I would have liked – I was really hanging out for a show stopper at one point!
On the whole, this is a show I hope Playlovers will get many people along to see. ItÂ’s a difficult concept to market, but it is well worth both the time and effort to get along to see.
Jason Seperic
Authors: David Shire (Music) & Richard Maltby jr. (Lyrics)
Company: Playlovers, Inc.
Director: Gillian Binks – Musical Director: Caroline Badnall
Venue: Hackett Hall, Draper St. Floreat
Bookings: 0415 777 173
Reviewed: 16 February 2001 (Opening Night)
Season: February 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 28 March 02, 03 @ 8pm (except 25/2 @ 7pm)
Tickets: $17/$15
Playlovers have done it again! Just when you thought this company could not go further in creating excellence in musical theatre, up comes another wonderful addition to an enviable track-record.
‘Closer Than Ever’ is a difficult show to pigeon-hole. It is at once a cabaret and a concert without ever really being either. It could also be described simply as a collection of excellent songs. However, it is more than just a simple potpourri of random music.
To my mind, ‘Closer Than Ever’ can be, for the audience member, an intensely personal journey into relationships lost, found, destroyed and imagined. And each member of the audience is invited to create their own meaning out of a show alive with both the possibilities and the regrets of life; possibilities and regrets that we all share simply by virtue of our shared humanity.
‘Closer Than Ever’ could so easily be dismissed as a simple bit of froth and bubble (which on the surface it surely emulates); there is no preaching or didactic rhetoric. There is simply a presentation, through song, of modern life and its daily trials and tribulations. And it is this simplicity that gives the show its inherent power.
The power inherent in a show like ‘Closer Than Ever’ is the power of possibility – of being able to transcend ourselves and try on the shoes of others’ predicaments for a brief, engrossing moment; the possibility of being able to accept our common humanity and rejoice in our all-too-human foibles and face the apprehension that thoughts of the future can bring.
That ‘Closer Than Ever’ manages to work the way it does through such simplicity is in no small part due to the skilful direction of Gillian Binks (who also performs as one of the small ensemble of six singer/actors) and Musical Direction of Caroline Badnall.
Each member of the cast has several solo songs which are each, in themselves very good musical theatre songs, but for me the heart-breaking moment came in Gillian Binks solo ‘Life Story’; a song rich in regret and sorrow and so masterfully sung by Gill that it was difficult to imagine a person in the house who remained unmoved. So powerful was her rendition, it moved from simple song to confession to catharsis in under three minutes!
Having said that, however, the rest of the cast had many wonderful moments in which to shine and kudos to must go to Alex McLennan, Melanie Robinson, Hayley Binks (who IÂ’ve never seen do solos and I hope to see much more of in the future), Paul Whiteley and David Gardette (whose vocal power has developed to almost an overwhelming level). They, along with Gill, were the glue that held this seemingly simple concept together and made it much, much more than the sum of its parts.
My only small criticism of the shows structure is simply that in the second half there seemed to be an imbalance which saw one or two whispy ballads more than I would have liked – I was really hanging out for a show stopper at one point!
On the whole, this is a show I hope Playlovers will get many people along to see. ItÂ’s a difficult concept to market, but it is well worth both the time and effort to get along to see.
Jason Seperic
RE: Closer Than Ever
Tue, 6 Mar 2001, 11:37 pmWalter Plinge
Hey, Gill,
Where was the story? What happened to the story?
Ho, ho, ho. What a terribly funny man.
Playlovers’ production of “Closer Than Ever” never claimed to have a story. It was advertised as a musical without a plot, moreso a collection of vignettes about life told in song. In that respect, it was more like a concert than a musical. I’m not a huge fan of musicals. There have been musicals in the past that I have not particularly enjoyed, although I loved last year’s “Assassins” and “Cabaret”, and am very much looking forward to Scarp Theatre’s “Cabaret” this month. So for me, I guess it depends upon the show itself and the quality of the production. Playlovers have a damn fine - and well-deserved - reputation for producing musicals, and the fact that this was billed as “not your average musical” was intriguing incentive to go along.
And IÂ’m really glad I did.
The show opened with an ensemble number from the six performers, that impressed the audience with, um, good singing (sorry, I donÂ’t know as many high-falutinÂ’ big theatre words as other reviewers). What I could tell, even with my shockingly untrained ear, was that all six performers were equally matched in, um, singability. I could hear each individual voice, yet they all contributed to a synergistic whole (whew, scientific terminology - back on safe ground). From then on, the songs were handled as solos, duets, or groups, depending upon requirements.
I thought that Hayley (almost didn’t recognise her with her clothes on) Binks well and truly stole the early part of the show with her two hilarious songs, “You Want To Be My Friend?” and “Miss Byrd”. Credit also to wounded puppy, David Gardette, in “Friend”. A cunning move also by the director to curry my favour by putting a gorgeous woman in a lab coat on stage for “The Bear, The Tiger…” - there were some other animals involved, but I was otherwise distracted. However, I think my favourite song of the evening was the beautiful “Life Story” which would’ve brought a tear to my eye, were I not beyond all that girly stuff.
IÂ’m sort of hesitant to say what I didnÂ’t like, because it might sound like criticism of some people when it isnÂ’t. With such strong and talented singers on stage, it was easy (sorry) to forget about the two talented musicians (sorry). However, some of the early songs were accompanied by organ music (very nicely played organ music) which nevertheless reminded me of schmaltzy 80s American sitcoms like, "Growing Pains", "Family Ties" and (shudder) "The Facts of Life". I am so, so sorry. Your parents always tell you that watching too much TV will be your ruination... Anyway, several of the other songs featured piano accompaniment, which was both beautiful and (to me) an improvement. Sorry, I'm sure the script/score/whatever told you which to use. I just preferred the piano.
It was a great programme (except for the middle page which kept falling out of everybody's copy). Then, halfway through Act 2, a guy dressed in black joined Gill on the stage, seemingly from nowhere. "Scott" it said in the programme. But who was "Scott"? Scott was the drummer who, until then, had been practically hidden by the drum kit, and had come downstage for a duet. After 14 songs with the same six people, it was a bit of a surprise to be confronted by a new person, and audience members on either side of me scrambled for their programmes to try and work out who he was. This is not a criticism, merely acknowledgement of something that caught me, and others, by surprise. A Playlovers sextet - now with new, bonus drummer!
Congrats to Playlovers for continuing to try new stuff. I hope you consider it a success. While it's easy to make me like car chases, space battles and aliens with acid for blood on stage, it's a lot harder to get me to enjoy "just a bunch of songs". I'd consider this a success. However, if the show is advertised as "A collection of show-stopping songs for ceaseless and troubled times; Tales of love, security, happiness and holding onto them in a world pulling us in a hundred directions at once," then why the hell were there no songs about doing multiple plays at once, staying at rehearsals till all hours, sweating with scripts and lines, and STILL trying fit in all the shows you're interested in seeing? Huh? Answer me that, Mr "Funny, Romantic & Intelligent Lyricist and Composer".
JB
Where was the story? What happened to the story?
Ho, ho, ho. What a terribly funny man.
Playlovers’ production of “Closer Than Ever” never claimed to have a story. It was advertised as a musical without a plot, moreso a collection of vignettes about life told in song. In that respect, it was more like a concert than a musical. I’m not a huge fan of musicals. There have been musicals in the past that I have not particularly enjoyed, although I loved last year’s “Assassins” and “Cabaret”, and am very much looking forward to Scarp Theatre’s “Cabaret” this month. So for me, I guess it depends upon the show itself and the quality of the production. Playlovers have a damn fine - and well-deserved - reputation for producing musicals, and the fact that this was billed as “not your average musical” was intriguing incentive to go along.
And IÂ’m really glad I did.
The show opened with an ensemble number from the six performers, that impressed the audience with, um, good singing (sorry, I donÂ’t know as many high-falutinÂ’ big theatre words as other reviewers). What I could tell, even with my shockingly untrained ear, was that all six performers were equally matched in, um, singability. I could hear each individual voice, yet they all contributed to a synergistic whole (whew, scientific terminology - back on safe ground). From then on, the songs were handled as solos, duets, or groups, depending upon requirements.
I thought that Hayley (almost didn’t recognise her with her clothes on) Binks well and truly stole the early part of the show with her two hilarious songs, “You Want To Be My Friend?” and “Miss Byrd”. Credit also to wounded puppy, David Gardette, in “Friend”. A cunning move also by the director to curry my favour by putting a gorgeous woman in a lab coat on stage for “The Bear, The Tiger…” - there were some other animals involved, but I was otherwise distracted. However, I think my favourite song of the evening was the beautiful “Life Story” which would’ve brought a tear to my eye, were I not beyond all that girly stuff.
IÂ’m sort of hesitant to say what I didnÂ’t like, because it might sound like criticism of some people when it isnÂ’t. With such strong and talented singers on stage, it was easy (sorry) to forget about the two talented musicians (sorry). However, some of the early songs were accompanied by organ music (very nicely played organ music) which nevertheless reminded me of schmaltzy 80s American sitcoms like, "Growing Pains", "Family Ties" and (shudder) "The Facts of Life". I am so, so sorry. Your parents always tell you that watching too much TV will be your ruination... Anyway, several of the other songs featured piano accompaniment, which was both beautiful and (to me) an improvement. Sorry, I'm sure the script/score/whatever told you which to use. I just preferred the piano.
It was a great programme (except for the middle page which kept falling out of everybody's copy). Then, halfway through Act 2, a guy dressed in black joined Gill on the stage, seemingly from nowhere. "Scott" it said in the programme. But who was "Scott"? Scott was the drummer who, until then, had been practically hidden by the drum kit, and had come downstage for a duet. After 14 songs with the same six people, it was a bit of a surprise to be confronted by a new person, and audience members on either side of me scrambled for their programmes to try and work out who he was. This is not a criticism, merely acknowledgement of something that caught me, and others, by surprise. A Playlovers sextet - now with new, bonus drummer!
Congrats to Playlovers for continuing to try new stuff. I hope you consider it a success. While it's easy to make me like car chases, space battles and aliens with acid for blood on stage, it's a lot harder to get me to enjoy "just a bunch of songs". I'd consider this a success. However, if the show is advertised as "A collection of show-stopping songs for ceaseless and troubled times; Tales of love, security, happiness and holding onto them in a world pulling us in a hundred directions at once," then why the hell were there no songs about doing multiple plays at once, staying at rehearsals till all hours, sweating with scripts and lines, and STILL trying fit in all the shows you're interested in seeing? Huh? Answer me that, Mr "Funny, Romantic & Intelligent Lyricist and Composer".
JB