|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Perth,
|
Rob
Guest has done something
good “Edelweiss,
edelweiss...” Rob Guest is
the von Trapp patriarch in The
Sound of Music, opening in Perth
in October. "It's a
bit of a record, I think," he said
cheerfully. Rob
replaced John Waters who resigned from the
show, due to ill health, shortly after his
promotional tour to Perth. "It's not
the sort of thing I would choose to do
again," Rob admitted, chatting in the back
of his chauffeur-driven car as it crosses
Brisbane. "In fact I
told the promoters that I didn't know if I
could do it. "But
everyone worked so hard with me and the
cast have been so fantastic that I just
got on and did it." The Sound
of Music opens in Perth on October
4. Based on
the book, The Trapp Family Singers, by
Maria von Trapp, the stage musical became
Rogers and Hammerstein's greatest
success. Although
most people are familiar with the film
that won five Academy Awards, it is widely
believed that the light, romantic film
doesn't do justice to the play. Georg von
Trapp, a captain in the fast disbanding
Austrian navy, is a proud and patriotic
man who refuses to embrace Nazi
philosophies. He takes a strong stand,
even in the face the laissez-faire
attitudes of close friends like Elsa (Anne
Wood) and Max Detweiler (Bert
Newton). "The
political aspect is stronger in the play,
but it's not in your face," explained
Rob. "Georg
loves his family. He is a strong and
passionate man and in Maria he finds a
woman who reawakens his love of life,
music and humanity." Almost two
weeks down the track Rob is clearly
feeling relaxed and confident about his
swiftly-rehearsed role. S how was
it that the popular performer was
available to take on the part at such
short notice? "I was
treading water a bit," said Rob, who in
1998 completed a record seven years in the
title role of The Phantom of the Opera and
last year did the Australia and New
Zealand tours as Jean Valjean in the 10th
anniversary production of Les Miserables.
When the
urgent call from The Sound of Music
promoters came he had just finished the
Sydney production of Jolson (playing the
title role of Al Jolson). The
producers of Jolson are still waiting for
confirmation of a venue for the show in
Melbourne and Rob is also waiting for
confirmation of a London season of Les
Miserables. All the
producers were happy to wait until The
Sound of Music tour finished. "It was
just meant to be," said Rob. In between
performances Rob is working on a book. A
publisher encouraged him to write his
memoirs after he was the subject of New
Zealand's This Is Your Life. "It's a
behind-the-scenes look at my life in the
theatre - no kiss-and-tells," he puts in
hurriedly, "just the fun times, the
anecdotes, the people." Bookings
for The Sound of Music can be made through
BOCS. Wow,
it's all happening at
WAAPA Well known
director Leith Taylor takes the second
year musical theatre students through the
paces of Working. Working is
a funny and vibrant musical which explores
the lives, hopes and aspirations of a
range of workers: waitresses, firemen and
schoolteachers, hookers, housewives and
executives. The dance
and music styles are as varied as the
careers, from rap and rock to funk and
tap. Working
runs from Tuesday, August 29 to September
2. Camino
Real will be presented by the academy's
final year theatre students. Described
as Tennessee Williams' misunderstood
masterpiece, Camino Real creates a nether
world of poets, prostitutes, police,
crooks and cheats - all travellers on a
desperate Mexican road to
nowhere. Into this
imaginary world comes the all-American
boxing ring hero who must fight the match
of his life for the sake of humanity and
the indomitability of the romantic
spirit. Camino
Real runs from Wednesday, August 30, to
Sunday, September 3. Monteverdi's
The Coronation of Poppea will be produced
by director John Milson, who has forgotten
more about opera and musical theatre than
most of us will ever know. Emperor
Nero sets off a chain reaction of
treachery, suicide and murder when he
takes Poppea as his mistress. The opera
opens on Thursday, August 31, running to
to Saturday, September 2. On Sunday,
September 3, the 6pm show is a Friends of
the Academy Fundraising event and
refreshments are included. Dance
students will perform the work of student
choreographers in the dance season of
Urban Interruptions. Created
and performed by the students in
collaboration with student designers in
set and costume, sound and lighting, the
program includes a variety of contemporary
dance styles. Urban
Interuptions is the only performance not
at the Academy. The show is on at PICA in
Northbridge from Tuesday, August 29, to
Saturday, September 2. The shows
all offer an opportunity to see the talent
about to emerge on to the arts
scene. Bookings
for all shows can be made through the
Academy box office on 9370
6636. Are
they watching you? Written by
local playwright Nick Miller, Wired tells
the story of Victor (Tilly Ozsdolay), an
out-of-work immigrant convinced that THEY
are watching him. Who are
they, and why are they watching him?
Victor's cousin Carla hires her new
neighbour, generation X dropout Charles
Crow (PI) to find out. Directed
by David Ryding, Wired features Tilly
Ozsdolay (The Mules Foal), Tahnee Merrey
(Sweat), Gibson Nolte (Othello vs Titus)
and newcomer Lucy
Waldron-Brown. The show
will run at the Blue Room, James Street,
Northbridge, from August 30 to September
9. Tickets are available at the door or
phone the Blue Room on 9227
7005. Back
to top Copyright © 1999 - 2006 Post Newspapers Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. |
In Post Impressions this week:
Theatre:
Art Dates:
Cinema:
Music:
|
|||||||||||||||||
