"The Geometry of Love"
Wed, 4 June 2008, 09:44 amMelz8 posts in thread
"The Geometry of Love"
Wed, 4 June 2008, 09:44 amFirstly, I want to point out that I really don't like writing reviews... and yes, I have a connection with Garrick Theatre, and my comments below are purely as Melz and not as the publicist - ok...
I just want to say that I saw "The Geometry of Love" last Sunday and WOW !!!
What a show !! I totally fell into this story of the mad, bad and dangerous to know "Lord Byron"... this is an Australian Premiere performance, and I wish more people would race to see shows at the beginning of the season and not leave it all to the last minute...
Every performer was outstanding, totally believable, some actors had multiple roles and each role they played was individual and again believable.
It was very interesting to see Ailsa Travers incorporate the auditorium in parts of the show. I really felt like I was in the ball room and that there was a large room off stage right where supper was being served... I loved seeing that Garrick's revolve is being used again, and many other ways the stage incorporated the scenes.
When you read the program you think - woah - there's a lot of scenes here... the show flowed so well and the pace was great that you forget there are so many scenes...
I mean, I FELL INTO THIS SHOW !! I wanted to rescue Annabella Milbanke and hit Byron - "you leave that poor girl alone!!" This show really is an adults only production. There is no nudity, but there's some interesting 'touchy feely' and the content leans to intense on some occasions. But with that, the actors portrayal was 100 percent. And Annette Hopkinson who is the dancer in the show was a lovely touch and I felt very fitting.
Congratulations to all involved, particularly Daniel Kershaw who plays that dastardly Lord Byron, Lorna Mackie playing Augusta Leigh - aww you could feel the lust and love... Erin Comenos as Annabella Milbanke, Veronica Fourie as Lady Melbourne (who has her own touchy feely moment), Jeff Watkins as Hobhouse and Sneak, Richard Allen as Hanson and Dr Baillie, and Paris Romanis as the Bailiff and Lushington.
I don't really know a lot about lighting - but in my book, it was excellent, well used... and in the wedding scene Erin Comenos emits radiance and shines on stage, she sparkled !!
Having been very fortunate to be communicating with the English playwright of this show, Peter Dunne, I am sure that he would be proud and thrilled with Garrick's production of "The Geometry of Love".
As I write this, there is only 1 week left to see the show... so if you haven't seen it, I urge you to, as not every show can transport the audience like this one did for me.
Would love to read other people's feedback and reviews on this show too.
Melz
Geometry of Love
Fri, 6 June 2008, 07:41 amAgreeing with all that Theatre Reviewer has said above, I was a little disappointed with ‘The Geometry of Love’. Daniel Kershaw was excellent, giving a powerful portrayal of this egotistical, drug-taking maniac Byron. When I saw the show, his voice was clear throughout. Byron’s long suffering wife, Annabella (Erin Comenos) was depicted in a delicate, prissy manor, filled with sensitivity.
With the script being slightly verbose and in some passages quite tricky, some of the less experienced actors required more direction. ALL of the actors, however, worked hard and did their best.
The costumes were outstanding, with most of the cast having several changes, it must have been chaos behind the scenes. Likewise the set changes were numerous, and so necessarily the scenery was quality but simple.
As Theatre Reviewer mentioned, the sound was terrible. There were several false starts, with interruptions in a piece then the same music would recommence. There was no fader use, the music was either on, or off - with no thought to when a bar ends. There was one short burst of an unwanted tune. The lighting was basic and poorly aligned, with the only coloured filter employed, being a scarlet tint naively used for dramatic effect at the two points of ‘anger’ in the play. Sorry but disappointed.