West Side Story: cooling with a Jet

Tuesday 7 September 2010, 10:42 AM
By Holly Shorland | Posted in Events

West Side Story is playing in Melbourne until early October. This musical was ahead of its time when it first opened in New York in the 1950s, and it’s still considered a ground-breaking and extraordinary show. The songs, the dancing, the subject matter – it’s all as moving now as it was half a century ago.

Here’s what Rohan Browne has to say about the show, our city – and his fighting prowess.

Rohan, congratulations on your role as Riff, leader of the Jets, in Melbourne’s West Side Story. What is it about this musical that makes it so popular?

What the original creative team brought to the fore is something that will stand the test of time. It was originally set in New York, but it could be anywhere.

In every city of every country there are issues with violence, race, societal differences and creed. West Side Story lends itself to these different problems and everyone, at any time, can relate. 

As a born and bred Melbourne boy you must be stoked to play such a big role in your home town.

Of course I’m stoked! I mean, this role is such an incredible character and I am thrilled to be able to do this around Australia – and especially in Melbourne.

Do you have any favourite hidden bars or cafes that you take your international cast members to while they’re in town?

The hard part about Melbourne is keeping up. Everywhere you turn there are new, exciting and funky places to go to. One of my favourite bars is The Golden Monkey down Hardware Lane. The Emerald Peacock is a great place to hang out, The European and Supper Club are both reliable and trusty friends. And Self Preservation makes a mean coffee.
 
(Spoiler alert) Your character features only in the first half of the musical. If you could sneak out for a while during the second half, where might we find you?

A hospital? I don’t know if you know what happens to my character but it’s pretty messy. There is blood loss. For recovery I’d need something with some iron in it, perhaps a Guinness at 3 Below. Then, if they were still in with a chance I’d maybe go and cheer on the mighty Dees [Melbourne Demons].
 
Though not sung by you in the production, one of the most-loved songs in West Side Story is America. Can you change the words of the first verse to reflect the Melbourne you love?

Melbourne
You lovely city…
City of coffee snobbery
Always the trams clattering and slowing
Always the eclectic bar scene growing
And the MCG buzzing
And the Yarra flowing…

West Side Story is playing at the Regent Theatre now.  Tickets are selling fast.

WIN!

We have a double pass to West Side Story to give away. If you’d like to take a stab at winning it, comment below and tell us which West Side Story character you most relate to – and why.Our favourite answer will win.

One entry per person. Entries close 10am on Friday 10 September. Double pass is for the 8pm show on Friday 17 September.

Melbourne, we dare you

Friday 27 August 2010, 9:08 AM
By Georgina Laidlaw | Posted in Things

Tired of the grind? Try a little reckless risk-taking – we find it does wonders for the complexion.

We’re not suggesting you do anything that could land your mugshot in MX and your butt in the back of a divvy van – there’s no need to take things that far! In Melbourne you can stick your neck out in the name of fun without disturbing the peace (too much).

Think you’re up to the challenge? Go ahead, Melbourne: we dare you!

Laughter is good for the Spleen

You know, you really are a hoot. Every great comedian has to start somewhere, so why not kick off your career at Spleen’s open mic Mondays? Comedy@Spleen  always includes established acts, so you won’t be cracking jokes just for the bartender and that kanoodling couple in the corner. There’ll be a real audience, and real laughs.

Tai Chi cadets

Too scared to join the zen, hip, seventy-plus super-grans who do perfect Tai Chi in the park? Hone your Tai Chi chops – and entertain a few passing commuters – at Fed Square on Tuesday mornings.  Before you know it, you’ll be grasping the sparrow’s tail and repulsing the monkey with the best of ‘em!

Public piano, please

We don’t care if you wagged every one of those expensive piano classes your parents paid for: we want to hear you tickle the ivories. Wow the crowds with your public piano performance on Wednesdays at Fed Square. Bring a few friends for a guaranteed standing ovation … and break a leg!

Trigger-happy snappers

Secretly fancy yourself as a photographer? Join a Loop photography night walk . Snap happily – with arty advice – while you stroll the most scenic corners of our fine city. Then it’s back to the bar, where, with a stiff drink, you can watch your work screened on the wall for all to see.

80s countdown on ice

Admit it: you can’t ice skate, and you know every word to Footloose. Sounds like you’re the ideal candidate for the 80s countdown on Icehouse’s mega-rink this Friday. Mix a bunch of uncoordinated mates, the Safety Dance and some razor-sharp skate blades for the ultimate in hair-raising hilarity. Don’t forget your leg warmers!

 If, after all this, the daredevil in you is still hungry for adrenalin, these coming events might help you get your thrills:

The St George Melbourne Marathon – but remember to put some training in – or choose a length that’s going to see you finish better in a better state than this distance event’s namesake.

Thrill the World invites Melbourne – and the world – to dance to Thriller in a city-wide flash mob on Saturday 23 October.  

What daring antics have you been up to recently?

Review: Australian Ballet Centre Tour

Friday 9 July 2010, 5:12 PM
By Alana Holmberg | Posted in Places

When I was young I dreamt of being a ballerina. Every Tuesday night Mum would take me to the local church hall for lessons where a stern woman barked her orders over tape recordings of tinkly piano. Twenty years on and I find myself standing at the doors of The Australian Ballet Centre. No, I’m not a ballerina. But a guided tour is as close I’m going to get.

Our first guide is Wardrobe Production Manager Michael Williams, who leads us to the famed Production Division Wardrobe Department. In moments we are surrounded by a wonderland of tulle, ribbon, fabric and buttons. Our eyes go to the racks of costumes lining the walls.

He’s a crowd-pleaser, Michael. A collective sigh escapes from the group as he pulls out The Sugar Plum Fairy costume from The Nutcracker and others from Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and the more recent Coppélia. With knowledge only 34 years at The Australia Ballet can provide, Michael explains the process of costume creation from material selection, to specific stitches and boning techniques, and appliqué and sequin designs that pay homage to their decades-old samples.

The extent to which The Australian Ballet creates costumes for their dancers from scratch is astonishing. Staff work away surrounded by sewing machines, tools, hanging patterns and mannequins. In a kitchen-turned-science lab, fabric and ballet shoes (literally thousands) are dyed and treated in huge pots, cookers and washing machines.

Our next guide is Frank Leo, The Australian Ballet’s artistic administrator and a former dancer.  As Frank describes the gruelling schedule of the ballerinas, we peer through doorways to watch lithe bodies move in fluid perfection across the large light-filled studios. And they’re dancing to tinkly piano music. But the Australian Ballet doesn’t dance to wonky tapes like I did. They have a real pianist. Seated behind a baby-grand.

Finally, we peek inside a small dark room smelling of rich leather. It’s the smell of hundreds of hand-crafted, made-to-measure pointe shoes. Each dancer will wear out around three pairs per performance, so plenty are always kept in stock.

My own dancing ambitions ended with the distinct lack of coordination that comes with being a tall teenager, but the obsession of the ballet is lodged firmly in my heart. For those who have ever criss-crossed ribbons around their ankles, dragged their hair into an eyebrow-lifting bun or forced their parents through years of ballet recitals (sorry Dad), this tour is for you.

Australian Ballet Centre Tours run most Tuesdays and Thursdays until the end of September. Tours run for an hour and depart at 10.30am. Cost is $15 for adults and $8 for children under 17 years of age. Bookings are essential as places are limited.

Remember, remember, remember…legwarmers?

Friday 30 April 2010, 10:57 AM
By Holly Shorland | Posted in Things

Fame the Musical is now playing at the Regent Theatre. This means two things: we all want to learn how to fly; and we’re all looking at legwarmers and thinking, hmm…could I? Could I really get away with wearing them now, in 2010?

Well, we’ve done a bit of the legwork (so to speak) for you. We’ve asked around and we’ve gone exploring. And this is what we found.

Legwarmers are in most of the big department stores, a sure sign they’ve been on edgy legs for quite some time now. Plus, legging tights and ballet slippers have been staple fashion items for a while –so going all the way with dancewear is no longer much of a stretch. And fuzzy ankle coverings do make sense at this end of April.

A polite legwarmer inquiry elicited some amusement from a helpful Target salesperson. ‘I couldn’t believe it when they came in,’ she said, pointing at the two purple varieties on offer (one striped, one with glitter). ‘Haven’t seen those for years.’  Stocks were low, so someone has been buying them!

At Bloch, that magnificent dancewear store, the guy in front of me asked for a ‘level six unitard’ and they knew exactly what he meant. Legwarmers are part of the terrain here, no raised eyebrows in sight. You’ll find lots of pastel options, plus black white and grey and some lovely soft burgundy thigh-high numbers.

You can choose from two styles, with or without stirrup. Apparently someone cleaned out their stocks of black and hot pink glitter legwarmers – respect! – but the salesperson assured me they’re getting more in. And yes, the guy got his unitard and seemed quite satisfied with it. So good work all round, Bloch.

Finally, if you have your heart set on a particular colour or texture, you could always knit your own. Morris and Sons has a wonderful array of wools, cottons and acrylic blends to choose from, in so many colours you might need to take a paper bag to prevent selection-anxiety hyperventilation.

New or nervous knitters are welcome, just go up and ask your question. Advice will be dispensed with kindness and wisdom – even when the question is about legwarmers. (We checked.)

Clearly, Fame the Musical has revived more than memories in our enthusiastic little city. Once you’re wearing your comfy and cosy fashion numbers, you’ll wonder why you ever stopped. Legwarmers proudly on, your next step is surely to move it and shake it down to the Regent Theatre for one of the world’s best-loved musicals of all time.  

Fame the Musical finishes Sunday 13 June.