By Alexandra Carroll
AziaCity.com 10 January 2007
This slickly produced, fast-paced show is evidence that Rick Lau has near-mastered the complex art of the cabaret.
How's he done it? Like all good cabaret, it's success lies in its seeming simplicity. The set-up of "Men in Love" is straightforward: Rick, an actor, spends his time gazing out his window into his neighbors' apartments -watching them by day and night. From there we enter the worlds of the men who inhabit apartments 18C to 22F. Each man tells us about their kind of love - beginning with the last thing the object of their affection said to them. We learn of sacrifice, jealousy, heartbreak and even the joys of self-love ("Making Love Alone").
All very simple but Lau does it brilliantly. Each of his characters lives their short lives to the full. His detailed characterization leaves you wanting to know more about the pilot in apartment 18D, the soulful and mysterious Benjamin in 20H and we all wanted more of drama queen Mitchell (26A) after his show-stopping "Shopping Cart of Love." Lau's song choice too is brilliant. Cabaret can all too easily turn into mush, suffering from obvious song choices (Brecht, Sondheim, Bacharach et al). But Lau and his collaborator Tony Taylor have selected lesser-known numbers (including a Canto-pop tune) that are so perfect they almost seemed written especially for the show.
"Men in Love" was a smooth affair partly due to the talents of Lau's musical director and accompanist Craig Renshaw. Renshaw was flawless and even joined in with backing vocals on several numbers (including the big encore). The usual singer-accompanist banter was not needed in this show - the pair was obviously completely comfortable and confident with one another. Never mind that the encore didn't have anything to do with the show at all - it was so much fun it didn't matter anyway
This production is a world-premiere for Lau who will next take the show on to the Glamour Bar in Shanghai and then back home to Sydney. Joining him on tour is his director and collaborator Tony Taylor who visits Lau's native Hong Kong for the first time. The pair should be proud of "Men in Love" - intimate, engaging cabaret at its best.
Jan 12 and Jan 13 performances sold out. Tickets still available for Jan 14, 7:30pm. Fringe Club, 2 Lower Albert Rd., Central.
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Szeto impresses with Wushu
Australian born Antony Szeto (pictured left at Cannes 2008) has directed Wushu, a feature film backed by the legendary Jackie Chan. Szeto wanted... "to tell an uplifting story of the struggle to raise oneself out of mediocrity." The film will be released across theatres in China on 24 October 2008.
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OzAsia Festival 2009
Asian Australian collaboration never looked so cool! Congratulations to the team behind the 2009 OzAsia Festival Adelaide. Over 17,000 locals gathered for the opening event, the Moon Lantern Festival in Elder Park, hosted by Performance 4a's Annette Shun Wah. There were packed houses for performances including the Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe, Taikoz, the Akram Khan Company, the Australian Art Orchestra with the Sruthi Laya Ensemble, and Yumi Umiumare. Next year's festival takes place Sep 17 - Oct 3, 2010. OzAsiaFestival.com.au
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COOLie
COOLie is a unique showcase of Asian-Australian storytelling and performance. The inaugural season took place at Belvoir St Downstairs Theatre on 1-13 Feb, 2011. Comprising three shows:
Meeting at Moree - Chinese Australian meets Indigenous Australia through the stories of William Yang and Noeline Briggs-Smith
Stories East & West - six storytellers link Asia and Australia, past and present, family and personal aspiration. Directed by William Yang and Annette Shun Wah
About Face - from mini-skirted vixens to big pants percussion, and searing torch song to a genuine 70s guitar hero. Les Gock, Paul Cordeiro, Lena Cruz, Suara Indonesia Dance and comedians Jennifer Wong and Oliver Phommavanh address turn expectations 180 degrees. Directed by Lisa Freshwater.
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Welcome to Performance 4a. Our website will keep you in touch with Asian Australian performance through news, links and an exciting resource: the Asian-Australian Performance Directory . Our aim is to become the definitive source of information about all contemporary performance exploring Asian-Australian themes, and to foster an online community interested in these themes. To find out how you can be involved click here .
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