July 2019 – Back to the Drawing Board Productions

REVIEW OF GHOSTS BY HENRIK IBSEN REVIEW AVAILABLE ON WEEKEND NOTES

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

Weekend Notes 14.jpg

The shows put on by independent theatre company The Curators won’t be for everyone but I think they may have made their most interesting production yet. I was on assignment last Saturday for Weekend Notes to review Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen and adapted by Michael Beh at the St Barnabas Parish in Red Hill. I certainly feel very fortunate to have seen the latest show from The Curators after covering their first production Uncle Vanya in 2017 and The Third Beauty in 2018 for Scenestr magazine. I also got to interview co-founder, director and designer Michael Beh ahead of the Uncle Vanya run.

You can read my review here https://www.weekendnotes.com/ghosts-henrik-ibsen-the-curators/

Weekend Notes are a growing online magazine with a wealth of contributors based out of several cities across the United Kingdom, Australia and New York. Articles are leisure related and can include a wide variety of subjects from rainforest hikes to cultural festivals, from what hot new play is on at your underground theatre to a ultra trendy eatery. Writers are paid for their work based partly on how many views their articles get so please feel free to stop by and show some love.

-Lloyd Marken

REVIEW OF HIGH FIDELITY AVAILABLE ON WEEKEND NOTES

Posted on July 11, 2019July 9, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

Long term readers may recall one of my first gigs for Scenestr magazine was reviewing a performance of the classic Australian play Cosi by the Beenleigh Theatre Group in 2017. This was followed by reviewing Anything Goes and Lord of the Flies and interviewing the latter’s director Bradley Chapman. Sadly I haven’t been to back to Beenleigh for a while, but over the weekend a last chance opportunity came up to attend High Fidelity on assignment with Weekend Notes.

We saw a Sunday afternoon performance which was in contrast to earlier Friday night attendance but I was pleased to see the cast give it their all and the audience really enjoy themselves. I do have some criticisms about the musical which had a brief run on Broadway but has found a second life in community theatre groups of the world.

I have not read the beloved book by Nick Hornby which spoke to a whole generation and still remains a classic. My best mate Mike recommended the film adaptation from 2000 as one of the year’s best starring John Cusack. I was pretty excited about this since his recommendation for the previous year was the excellent American History X. I am sad to report I was not as impressed but it may be time for a re-look. For me in a lot of ways the musical made certain improvements over the film and I was very charmed by the cast and the spirit of the piece.

You can read my review here https://www.weekendnotes.com/high-fidelity-beenleigh-theatre-group/

-Lloyd Marken

Karen scaling the heights in the carpark. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Copright Lloyd Marken.

FIrst time we went to theatre, we found a park nearby where a public library and the Beenleigh war memorial is. I decided to pay my respects upon our return.. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Outside the Crete Street Theatre. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

GIANTESS REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on July 9, 2019July 9, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

I was back at MELT: Festival of Queer Arts and Culture last week to see Giantess on Thursday night at the Turbine Studio, Brisbane Powerhouse on assignment for Scenestr. Written and performed by transgender stand-up Cassie Workman, it has won numerous awards since its debut. Following Trade by Impromafia, a show I deeply enjoyed and felt privileged to attend, this was a quieter performance that proved touching with its message and the demure but steely presence of Cassie herself. What a wonderful thing it is live in a city where such a festival provides an outlet for artists and attraction for audiences.

You can read my review here http://scenestr.com.au/comedy/cassie-workman-giantess-brisbane-review-melt-festival-20190709

We took in our surroundings a bit more with the ice-block float hanging from the ceiling as part of the MELT festivities at the iconic Brisbane Powerhouse. We also grabbed the beloved bar snack menu pizzas – pepperoni for me and tomato and basil (margherita according to others) for Karen. While enjoying our pizzas outside on the balcony our possum came by to see if we’d let some scraps come our way. Unfortunately nobody told him/her how seriously Karen and I take our pizza eating.

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Having started in 1993 they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland every month.

-Lloyd Marken

Stairs leading down to Visy Theatre, Turbine Studio and Mary Mae’s Bar. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

View of a performance on the Turbine Platform. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

On ground entrance level looking up at the MELT ice-block. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

PIZZA! Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Selfie time. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

View of ice-block second floor catwalk. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Two floors up. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Karen waiting for our pizzas before the possum announced it’s arrival. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

View of lollipop on the level 1 walkway. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

Promo for the musical ‘Yank’ projected. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

ROCKETMAN REVIEW AVAILABLE IN FROOTY

Posted on July 4, 2019July 9, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

Me with the first print issue of Frooty. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

I am proud to announce that I was published in the very first print issue of Frooty magazine. Frooty was founded as an online magazine in 2017 by the Arts/Comedy Editor for Scenestr Jesse Chaffey.

Jesse edits the bulk of my published pieces for Scenestr as well as so many others. He’s rescued me a few times, regularly made my pieces look better, taken on board anything I thought was important to keep and it is a fragment of what he does as an editor working long hours relentlessly. Like all members of staff at Scenestr, he’s talented, hard working and passionate about what he does. The fact he created Frooty the same year he as a recent graduate started as the Arts/Comedy editor for Scenestr speaks volumes and let’s not forget Scenestr has also grown in the same time frame moving into print in Western Australia and Melbourne.

My contribution to Frooty Issue 1 is a review I wrote on page 17 for Rocketman that was originally published online at Scenestr.

You can read a digital version of the print issue here https://frooty.com.au/read/issue-01/FROOTY-01.html#p=17

Started in 2017 and produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises, Frooty is an online national magazine that covers news and entertainment with a queer perspective. They have just done their first print issue with more to come.

-Lloyd Marken

‘TRADE’ BY IMPROMAFIA REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on July 1, 2019July 9, 2019 by Lloyd Marken

It has been a delight to attend MELT: Festival of Queer Arts and Culture for the first time this year on assignment for Scenestr magazine.

There is a fantastic roster of shows, talks and displays so it was great to attend the latest show from the ever reliable and hilarious ImproMafia.

However this show was a little different from others I have attended and I feel that there was something special in the air that night at the Visy Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse.

You can read my review here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/trade-brisbane-review-melt-festival-20190701

-Lloyd Marken

Karen and I attending MELT for the first time. Copyright Lloyd Marken.

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