"The Geometry of Love"

Wed, 4 June 2008, 09:44 am

Melz8 posts in thread

Firstly, 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

Thread (8 posts)

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MelzWed, 4 June 2008, 09:44 am

Every performer was outstanding, totally believable, some actors had multiple roles and each role they played was individual and again believable.

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...

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

Don AllenWed, 4 June 2008, 11:35 am

I saw the show lasr

I saw the show last Saturday night and overal it rates as a good production. Erin's performance is excellent, her facial expressions and body language give depth to her character. Daniel was excellent too, only criticism was that he lost some intelligibility of his words when shouting. I have a lot of respect for the ability of actors to learn so much dialogue. Costumes were excellent apart from the chinese pajamas at the start, couldn't figure them out ? The set was fuctional but bland. One side of the revolve had wallpaper of the era, the other side was painted. Removeable window frames etc could be used to provide a different look for each scene. Carpet is needed backstage to mask footsteps during scene changes. The lighting provided a smooth illumination of the actors, but there were scenes where actors stood in the dark during some of the scenes when the lead actors were centre stage. With so many scene changes, the downstage area in front of the middle stage curtain needs different lighting states as it is not practical to have different sets for these short scenes. The use of colour, gobos, sidelights and backlighting can produce different scenes, especially if most light is kept off the curtain. The choice of set wall colour and different gels in floods can give different looking sets due to the additive and subtractive nature of lighting. The Garrick has 8 cyc floods so the walls can be lit without the actors costumes getting affected by the wall lighting. The homemade gobo needs to be replaced with a commercial one to let the audience know it is a window. One of the good aspects of amateur theatre is that as we can keep improving our techniques as we do more shows. I have a connection with the Garrick theatre, I know several of the actors, production crew, front of house crew, committee but it has not influenced my review !

Walter PlingeThu, 5 June 2008, 04:00 pm

Geo of Love

I saw this play on Sat nite and really enjoyed it. Daniel Kershaw's performance of Byron was superb. He played Byron less on the melancholic, cynical and aloof (Byronic) and more like the selfish, self-pitying, thoughtless pig that he was. Set was pretty good, especially the drawing room scene and the costumes (especially the ladies) were superb and they seemed to evoke the 'Regency' period well. Tech not so good - there were too many noises off and the lighting didn't seem right, occasionally some of the actors were in shadow. Sound effects were rough. The people doing sound should learn to fade the music out not cut it abruptly. Scenes were a bit clunky. This was more a problem because the Garrick stage was too small necessitating many scene changes. A larger stage could have scenes shifted between scenes more easily as you could have accommodated more scenes on stage. Other actors were very good, especially Erin Comenos and Lorna McKie. All in all a fine effort for an Australian Premiere. The play runs to the end of the week.

LabrugThu, 5 June 2008, 04:24 pm

Thanks all

In behalf of the director, cast and crew, I would like to thank the posters on this thread for the encouragement and support in these reviews. The play is pretty hard going at times, especially for Danny and Erin when things get heated in the later half.

Being one of the cast myself, I won't say much more other than it as been fun.

Absit invidia

Jeff Watkins

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Gordon the OptomFri, 6 June 2008, 07:41 am

Geometry of Love

Agreeing 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.

jefroe20Sun, 8 June 2008, 05:45 pm

The Geometry of Love

Well Jeff,you have encouraged me to reply,although the reviews so far have pretty well accurate. Yes,I am Daniel's Dad,who with his Mum have supported his efforts since his teen days at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre.With all the plays I've seen with Daniel involved,there has been a huge upward spike in his performances in the last couple of years.Maturity and experience yes, but his Lord Byron was at times painful to watch in his total lack of self conscienceness ,which I thought at times worked to his detriment as an audience pleaser. Erin Comenos is the most natural and gifted actress I have seen in many years.Her composure in the violent scenes was remarkable.(Hey you were terrific too Jeff). The only real criticism I had of the play(and its a major one),was that it was too long in the first half ,in introducing the characters and the plot and then having a repititious talkfest,for what seemed like hours.Take 15 minutes out of the first half and it would be far more engrossing.Also I should add that the tone seemed to change from lightheartedness to full on Drama and back again too quickly,giving the audience a feeling of a 'should I laugh,or not,feeling',perhaps leading to a lack of any reaction in the crowd on the first Sunday Matinee. thanks'Armchair Critic' Jeff.

Walter PlingeTue, 8 July 2008, 10:42 am

Forgotten actor in the review

Just a quick note to the writer of the original review I think you missed an actor in your wright up she didn't have big parts but i thought she was as good as everyone else. Claire Wise she was Lady Caroline Lamb and maid/friend to Annabella. I think she performed both roles admirably. Her character shifts were seamless so there for i think she was as great as everyone else. Who knows maybe i'm just biased :)

Walter PlingeTue, 8 July 2008, 04:21 pm

A bit late...

Yes maybe you are biased :P

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