Opera Australia: My Fair Lady

I enjoyed this production of My Fair Lady at the Theatre Royal, which was musically sound and handsome on a small scale. The production stuck very closely to that of the film in aesthetics (sets and costumes) and staging.

I was so happy that we did get Richard E. Grant as Professor Higgins, and he didn't disappoint - he's a decent singer, and very much Henry Higgins in his delivery of those cutting lines. He's much more physical in his performance that I'd expected for the role, constantly in motion, but it works since he is a much younger Henry than usual. When they took their bows at the end, he was a little teary-eyed, probably out of relief at successfully pulling off his musical theatre debut.

Taryn Fiebig has a good singing voice, but I found her a little harder to hear in dialogue, since she seems to swallow her words - I don't know if that's an operatic training thing. She looked lovely though in the Ascot and ball costumes. And John Wood was very funny as Alfie, though I question the amount of eyeliner they used on him...why would a common dustman wear so much eyeliner (or any at all, really)? The supporting cast were good too. There was a slight tendency towards the hammy (from the whole cast, though I'd single out the actor playing Freddy as a particularly notable example), but it's always had that feel, especially in the 'cockney' folk-of-the-street numbers.

The 'romantic' ending (that of the original musical and film, not Shaw's Pygmalion ending) worked better for me here, this time. They chose to play up the romantic tension from earlier on, and in the scene at Mrs Higgins' house they make it much more explicit that both Eliza and Henry have feelings for each other, but it's more a battle for Henry to acknowledge Eliza as more than his marvelous creation, as her own self instead. Which makes their reconciliation sweeter, and more understandable.

Conor Oberst - 4 Oct 2008 - Enmore Theatre

The concert, showcasing Oberst' new eponymous album of upbeat indie-folk rock songs with trademark depressing-as-hell lyric, was good. Musically, the five piece Mystic Valley Band worked together well, backing Conor solidly as he strummed a variety of guitars and threw himself all over the stage and played in their faces. They even took lead vocal duties on a few songs.

The only problem was the sound was quite muddy, and the band overpowered the vocal quite a lot. I enjoyed it a lot more when Conor played the simpler arrangements, usually himself and one other member accompanying him - in those moments it was clear how beautiful and unique his voice is, how affecting the songs are. I particularly loved a slowed down version of Cape Canaveral, with the guitar slapping and extended band jam. Actually, all the band jams were good examples of Americana folk rock at its best. And Conor clearly adores his band, from his descriptions of them as amazing and lovely, and the random shaking of their hands in thanks, and the group hug at the end of the second last song.

Conor himself was ADORABLE. He was a tiny man, smart and oddly formal in a dark suit and tie. He was obviously enjoying his time on stage, playing with passion, dancing oddly around with his arms in the air or outstretched at other times. He even climbed up on the drummer's riser, then onto his bass drum, where he proceeded to play and sing half a song during the encore. He also came and sat on the edge of the stage for Central City, to the joy of those lucky fans at the barrier. His voice was, as already noted, in good form, and he had this great growl in the more bluesy songs that was both unexpected and much appreciated.

The set list was pretty obscure; apart from nearly every song from the new album, there was a scattering of covers, unreleased songs and rare tracks. Milk Thistle ("This is a therapeutic song" was Conor's introduction) was amazingly moving live, and I really liked the blues cover Corinna, Corinna.

Sausalito
Get-Well-Cards
Danny Callahan
Central City
Smoke Signals
Cape Canaveral
I Got A Reason #1
Moab
Ten Women
I Got A Reason #2
Sun Down
NYC - Gone Gone
Souled Out!!!
Milk Thistle

Lenders in the Temple
Corinna, Corinna
Kodachrome (Paul Simons cover)
I Don't Want to Die (In The Hospital)
Breezy