Chitty Chitty Bang Bang flies into Perth

September 5, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
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Rachael Beck and David Hobson are in Perth for the stage show Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which opened last night at Crown Theatre.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has Australian audiences and critics raving! Sensational sets, stunning special effects, Ian Fleming’s irresistible story, and an unforgettable score by the Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins) all add up to a blockbuster musical that everyone will love. Starring David Hobson, Rachael Beck, Shane Bourne, Jennifer Vuletic, Peter Carroll, George Kapiniaris and Tyler Coppin as The Child Catcher.

This multi million dollar production remains the longest running musical ever to play at the London Palladium and was nominated for three Olivier Awards, five Tony Awards, ten Outer Critics Circle Awards and four Drama Desk Awards. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang holds the Guinness World Record for the most expensive stage prop in the history of British Theatre!

Both David and Rachael are loved for their roles in musical theatre with David also having a distinguished career in Opera and Rachael capturing hearts as a young television actress in the early nineties. Both were also involved in Channel Seven’s It Takes Two where they played the part of vocal and performance coaches.

I had the pleasure of chatting to Rachael and David during my radio program this morning. Just click on the play button on the audio player below to hear what they had to say.



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Slava’s Snowshow Melts Hearts in Perth

August 1, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
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Slavas-Snowshow

I’d forgotten just how good Slava’s Snowshow is and how many surprises there are along the way while watching the show. I last saw the show almost four years ago when I took my then ten year old son.

I headed along to the opening night of the current season of Slava’s Snowshow at the Regal Theatre last night. It’s been said that Snowshow is to clowning what Cirque du Soleil is to Circus.

It was a dream. A dream that on Thursday the 13th it snowed in the auditorium of the “New Opera” theatre in Moscow. Snow covered the entire floor, all the chairs, and all those who sat in them. A marvellous dream it was. Well-disposed oligarchs and icy pop stars in tuxes smiled in beguilement, even dropping themselves into the gathering snowdrifts. Suddenly a wind began to blow, hard as only hurricanes know, and music to deafen one’s ears to sepulchral silence. Fear gripped us in anticipation of what was to come.

But the lights came up – and out shuffled a clown with small, meditative Kabuki-theatre steps: a figure in vastly-oversized yellow overalls and red fluffy slippers. A rope in his hands coiled into a noose, then – slipping like rosaries through his fingers – framed his face in portrait, became a leash, then a jump-rope, and then an Alpinist’s life-line… a hawser from which a friend – one of a clan of buffoons in hats with helicopter-blade ear-flaps and ski-esque elongated booties – dragged himself out…

I dreamt that there is no such thing as postmodernism, but only the primacy of feeling, an ancient purity of emotion. The touch of fine fingers on a spot-lit balloon in the dark… And – look – the balloon has flown away! Slava the clown weeps. With forbidding whistle, he sternly orders it back; with gentle persuasion, he beseeches the escapee to return; he blisters and boils with rage, then whistles out his longing. And the balloon drifts back, bulging a fat yellow smile, dangling its rosy little thread by his side, and then! – explodes in his arms. The poor baggy sod in red slippers – he couldn’t withstand the momentary bliss of his sudden repossession…

I’m feeling a little conflicted right now. I so much want to tell you about the magic of the show. I want to describe the excitement of the various elements which make up the experience but I don’t want to spoil the surprises for anyone who may go to the show. And I can assure you, there are plenty of surprises.

You may have been to shows before that let a few audience members interact with the cast. This show isn’t like that. When you go to Slava’s Snowshow everyone will have opportunity to be part of the show in one way or another.

It may be called a ‘snow show’ but it has the effect of melting hearts. You can see walls continuing to come down until each and every person in the theatre is totally immersed in the experience. Even those adults who earlier sat quietly as they enjoyed the entertainment on stage are transported back in time to become children again.

I don’t want to spoil it for you, but one of the most moving moments is when the action moves from the stage and ends up with adults effectively being given license to play like children. I defy even the most hard hearted to leave the show without having been swept up in the glorious emotion of the evening.

Slava’s Snowshow is on in Perth at the Regal Theatre until the 4th of August. If it ever comes to a theatre near you … don’t miss it.



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Mel Smith Dead at 60

July 21, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
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I was saddened this morning to wake up to the news that Mel Smith had passed away from a heart attack at the age of just 60. He will be well and truly missed by comedy lovers around the world.

Heartbroken Griff Rhys Jones last night led tributes to his comedy partner Mel Smith, who has died of a heart attack in bed at 60.

Mel, adored by audiences for his work on sketch shows Alas Smith and Jones and Not The Nine O’Clock News, was found dead at his London home.

Griff said: “I still can’t believe this has happened. To everybody who ever met him, Mel was a force for life.

“He had a relish for it that seemed utterly inexhaustible.” – Daily Mirror

I think that it’ll be a fitting tribute for me to spend a few hours this week watching my DVDs of Not the Nine O’Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones.

Melvin Kenneth “Mel” Smith (3 December 1952 – 19 July 2013) was an English comedian, writer, film director, producer and actor. He was best known for his work on the sketch comedy shows Not the Nine O’Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones along with his comedy partner Griff Rhys Jones. Smith and Jones founded Talkback, which grew to be one of the UK’s largest producers of TV comedy and light entertainment programming. – wiki

Many years ago a lot of people would comment on a resemblance between Mel and me. I have a speaking suspicion that even Mel noticed it.

A friend and I went to see Mel and Griff Rhys Jones in a live Alas Smith and Jones show at the Perth Concert Hall some time in the eighties. After the show we went to the stage door in the hope of meeting my comedy heroes. I think there would have been around 15 or 20 people altogether.

After a short while the security people opened the door and let us in to wait backstage. Then, after another short wait, Mel and Griff emerged.

Both got down to the business of signing programs. They would smile at the person holding the program, then look down to sign it before handing it back with anger smile.

Then Mel came to me. Smile, look down ……. then another look up at me with a quizzical look on his face, a quick shake of the head, then he looked down again, signed my program and gave it back with a smile.

It was a very short interaction with a great talent but one I will always remember.



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Before Midnight

July 16, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
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Before Midnight

After seeing a few big budget Hollywood films recently, a couple of comedies and an action blockbuster, it was refreshing to sit down to something with a gentler pace, where the scenes didn’t change every few seconds, where we could just let ourselves been drawn into conversations between people that seemed so real. That was the case with the movie we saw last night, Before Midnight.

The second scene of the movie is a long, uncut dialogue, shot through the windscreen of Jesse and Celine’s car as they drive along a road in Greece with their twin daughters asleep in the back seat. It’s the perfect piece to let the audience get to know a little more about the characters and to ease into the unhurried nature of the film.

Before Midnight is a 2013 American romantic drama film and the sequel to Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004). Like its predecessors, the film was directed by Richard Linklater and starred Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. As with the previous film, Linklater, Hawke, and Delpy shared screenplay credit. Following a limited opening, the film was released wide on June 14, 2013. It received universal acclaim from critics and grossed over $10 million worldwide. – wiki

Before Midnight is a movie that has received glowing reviews from so many but I must admit that I can’t find too much to recommend in it. I’ve mentioned the slowed down pace and I really did enjoy that, but I found it hard to like the characters portrayed.

What Before Midnight does well is remind us that we are all deeply flawed people. None of us has it all together and we’re all pretty much facing life one day at a a time, doing the best we can. I don’t want to see perfect people on the screen in a movie such as this but this wasn’t a love story, it was a story of a couple of selfish people feeling resentful about not getting their own way. The hurtful way they both throw around words has you wondering how they’ve stayed together over a period of years. Both refused to debate the point behind their arguments, preferring to push the knife deeper and deeper into the wound by using words as weapons against each other.

Jesse was resentful that he couldn’t spend more time with the son he fathered to his ex-wife before he cheated on her with Celine. Celine resents pretty much all of her day to life including having to look after their beautiful twin girls. Both refuse to admit cheating on each other, even though their own relationship was a result of cheating on previous partners. The film could have been greatly enhanced by someone wandering in during one of their arguments and telling them both to grow up. Much is made of the fact that the characters are now in their early forties but they act like spoiled teenagers.

If this movie is designed to show the bitterness that results from following our own selfishness rather than seeking the best for others through commitment, integrity and sacrifice, it’s done its job, but don’t try to tell me it’s about love or romance.

Many people will see this film and love it. I was just glad when it was all over.



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The Death of the Photo Album

June 17, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
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According to a new study the growing trend of sharing photos online is causing the death of the traditional photo album. Around two-thirds of the 3000 Britons who were surveyed now catalogue their pictures on computers, tablets or on their smartphones.

Around one in five people take photos with the intention of posting them on sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, it revealed.

Meanwhile the so-called “selfie” – a snap taken by the photographer holding a camera at arm’s length – has become the most popular image captured by young people.

These account for 30 per cent of the pictures shot by those aged 18-24 and, according to the study, men take more pictures of themselves than women.News.com.au

A lot of photos are only being stored on sites like Facebook these days. Many of those who were questioned share their photos online within a minute of taking them and over half share their photos online within a week.

Just a third of those questioned said they still displayed images using an old-fashioned book. More than half – 53 per cent – claimed they preferred to use Facebook and only 13 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds said they had ever used an album. – News.com.au

The vast majority of pictures are never ever printed and only exist in digital form. Do you think we’re losing something with the loss of printed photos and photo albums or does the way we share photos these days mean that we see more of our pictures?

I share quite a few photos through my instagram account. I also put photos on Facebook but most of my photos end up being stored on a hard drive at home.

Do you still haul out the old photo albums to have a look through from time to time? How do you store your photos? I’d love to hear from you. Let me know in the comments section of this post.



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