Flesh and Bone featured in The Age. See article in its original context here.

Long-term funding has given two dance collaborators a chance to explore their relationship, writes Philippa Hawker.

There are two people at the heart of Kage Physical Theatre – its name tells you as much. It is made up of the first two letters of the first names of its founders, Kate Denborough and Gerard van Dyck, who established the company 15 years ago.

The pair have worked with plenty of other performers and creative partners over that time, but their new work Flesh And Bone returns to the relationship at its centre.

It also brings them both together as dancers for the first time in eight years.

There are various reasons, Denborough says, why they decided to take this step. After some anxious times, they’ve been given a solid base with triennial funding from the Australia Council. There was a sense of relief and freedom, she says, in this support, and ”something in me felt it was a good time to reconnect with the reasons why we started the company”.

FLESH AND BONE
Where: fortyfive downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, city
When: March 7–24
Tickets: From $20
Details: call 9662 9966 or visit fortyfivedownstairs.com
See article in original context here. Written by Leeyong Soo.

The question of what attracts one person to another has been around forever, and the answers are many and complex. The subject provides a rich source of inspiration for dance theatre company KAGE’s latest work, Flesh and Bone. The dance, a wordless study of relationships and couples, explores traditional gender roles in modern society.

It brings KAGE’s founders, Gerard Van Dyck and Kate Denborough (pictured), together on stage for the first time in eight years. The pair met while studying dance at the Victorian College of the Arts in 1992 and they formed KAGE in 1997.

They appeared together in earlier works but until recently Denborough has focused on directing. She says their desire to return to the stage together inspired Flesh and Bone.

‘‘We felt that the timing was right to re-unite as performers and remind ourselves why we started KAGE all those years ago,’’ says Denborough.

GET THE BAD BOYS AWAY FROM ME! POZIBLE CAMPAIGN

(i.e. Send them to Adelaide! Or, if you’re in Adelaide, help get them back to Melbourne!)

The Bad Boys of Music Theatre

See article in its original context here.
Words by Theodora Barker

The Australian artist Gavin Brown, known for his richly coloured graffiti and oil paintings, is soon to open another exhibition Urban Scrawl, in March 2013.

Gavin’s excitable and bright palette has often been compared to the work of Frieda Kahlo. The colourful textures contrast with the moods of the portrait models – tormented expressions of faces in society are set against vibrant backgrounds, leaving the onlooker to interpret the narrative in their own way.

See article in its original context here.
Written by Dione Joseph, 22 February 2013

ZeroZero is the latest devised dance work by long time collaborators, Yumi Umiumare, Tony Yap and Matt Gingold. Performed in the intimate space of fortyfive downstairs this hour long work is an experimental exploration of the effects of trance, technology and illumination of the self.

Inspired by traditional dances (including many which have clearly defined animal movements) both Umiumare and Yap have clearly mapped out individual journeys, but the strength of their work lies in the highly nuanced awareness with which these paths are carved out for us to engage and observe. In addition, Gingold’s contribution as a technological collaborator is vital to this production and although off-stage, his sophisticated envelopment of the dance movements is certainly a highlight of the show.

The performance was fascinating but at times also alienating. The nature of trance exploration is such that invitation to participate in some form is always present – and perhaps the limits of what an audience can or can’t do is restricting within a space where what is being performed is also being shared, what is being displayed is also being given as a gift. To create such a space is not necessarily about venue but about changing how we receive a particular work and the expectations we bring.

See article in its original context here.
Written by Dione Joseph on Australian Theatre on 21 February, 2013.

If you type ZeroZero into Google the web definition suggests that it is not contemporary performance that you’re interested in, but rather top quality Moroccan hashish. The latest dance work by Yumi Umiumare, Tony Yap and Matthew Gingold has in fact nothing whatsoever to do with hashish, but it does have everything to do with exploring the state of emptiness, the moments of zero gravity, and the spiritual arena in which these states occur.

In a recent conversation with choreographer Tony Yap, we spent an hour exploring the process of creating dance works such as ZeroZero and the place that such works occupy within the contemporary performance landscape. Having worked together for sixteen years in a range of different productions, both Yap and Umiumare have developed a unique choreographic language.

“Yumi [Umiumare] and I have known each other for such a long time and watched each other grow both artistically, and in many other ways, that we have immense trust and confidence in each other, and that gives us the ability to examine certain subjects with innate confidence in each other and in the work.”

ZeroZero is fundamentally the experimental examination of an open mind. When the willingness to question what lies “in-between” is given the space and breath to develop then, as Yap says, “that’s where the magic is!”

See article in its original context here.

Written by Michelle Pitiris on February 1, 2013

Did you know that on average the human body needs eight positive touches a day to survive? The need for human connection and interaction is built into our DNA, and every day that passes that we don’t feel at least the touch of skin on skin, is causing detrimental damage to our psychological and physical balance. And whether we connect physically, spiritually or mentally, man or woman, adult or child, it raises many questions as to how, where, and who dictates it. So it makes perfect sense that Melbourne performance duo, KAGE, have put together an ethereal piece based on the human desire to be connected to one another.

‘Flesh and Bone’, conceived and performed by Kate Denborough and Gerard Van Dyck, will take you into the realm of gender diversity, and explores the boundaries of what it means to be male or female in modern day, and whether or not it frees us to be who we are, the way we choose to be, or does it actually constrict us, bound by society’s invisible lines of judgement and social standard. This piece is sure to stir emotional waters that were once calm ripples, and thanks to Melbourne designer,Lisa Gorman of the label Gorman will provide an added visual component, thanks to her contribution to costume and style.

From left, KAGE’s Kate Denborough and designer Lisa Gorman with BalletLab dancer Brooke Stamp and designer Susan Dimasi. Photo: Eddie Jim

View article in its original context here.

Written by Justine Costigan in The Age, February 16, 2013

WHEN the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival kicks off in March, the focus for Melbourne designers Lisa Gorman and Susan Dimasi will be less on the catwalk and more on the stage.

Dimasi, whose label Materialbyproduct (MBP) is sold locally and internationally, has created the clothing to be worn by dancers in BalletLab’s two-part show And All Things Return to Nature/Tomorrow, which premieres at The Lawler next month.

Gorman worked with KAGE, both as an ambassador for the dance company and as costume director for its new show Flesh and Bone, which is also premiering as part of the festival’s cultural program next month.

BalletLab performers.

Moving into the world of dance comes naturally to Dimasi, who has been incorporating choreography and performance into the showing of her collections for several years, most recently with choreographer Shelley Lasica. The small groups of clients and friends who attend ”enactments” of her collections take part in an intimate performance staged in Dimasi’s home and studio, a play on the idea of a traditional house of couture.

It was at one of these events that BalletLab choreographer and dancer Philip Adams told Dimasi the experience of watching the performance was ”spiritual”, a comment that still makes her blush.

KAGE is the internationally award-winning partnership of Kate Denborough and Gerard Van Dyck. They have created technically rigorous and visually striking dance theatre for over 15 years.

What are they doing now?

We are creating a new and thought-provoking production called Flesh and Bone. This new work explores gender equality and transformation in a modern-day relationship. Costumes have been created by fashion designer extraordinaire Lisa Gorman (please click here to find out more).

It will be presented as part of the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival Cultural Program and the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Umbrella Events in March 2013 (which is fast approaching!).

Article by Mary O’Brien

See article in its original context here.

Mary Lou Jelbart, founder of the St Kilda Festival and St Kilda Film Festival, is passionate about   the suburb.

Your favourite suburb?

I have a really strong attachment to St Kilda. When I lived there, Acland Street still had a  greengrocer’s and I used to hear a dozen languages in the butcher’s. The old Jewish men, who  went to the cake shops, spilt out on to the street on a Sunday morning. It was almost like living  in eastern Europe and felt very exotic to me. St Kilda was filled with artists, writers and actors –  what a hotbed of creativity it was in the ’80s and ’90s. I’m also very fond of South Melbourne,  where I live now, because it feels like a village rather than part of a city.

What place changed you?

I was on the St Kilda council for nine years in the ’80s and it changed my life. I was one of three  women and we were subjected to the most extraordinary abuse by the conservative element of  the council. The local community started to pack out the visitors’ gallery and heckle the men  who were abusing us and the local newspaper took up our cause. As a councillor, I saw another  side of the world and learnt about social justice issues and how hard it was for so many people  in that area. I was accused by a member of the Prostitutes Collective of being a ”chardonnay  socialist” and I was so embarrassed. Photo: Eddie Jim, Mary Lou Jelbart at Cafe Zappa.

What doorway would you most like to go through?

Peter McIntyre’s Sea House on the Mornington Peninsula has always fascinated me. It’s built into a cliff and is very simple and looks like the perfect beach house. I imagine it’s like being on the deck of a boat or in a balloon floating above the seashore. I spent a lot of my childhood in Asia and we lived right on the beach in an oil town in Sarawak. Our house was made of timber and palm thatch and I think the Sea House is an echo of that.

Your favourite piece of architecture?

I love the South Melbourne Town Hall, which stands on top of a hill with a piazza in front. Brides come every weekend to have their photos taken, films shoots happen there, and the music school [Australian National Academy of Music] is a wonderful asset.

Where do you take visitors to Melbourne?

I take visitors to the inner city, the South Melbourne Market, my favourite coffee shops and the arcades. I love the Nicholas Building and Majorca House, which were part of the rag trade until the mid-to-late 20th century. We have the most incredible food culture in Melbourne, which has transformed the city since I first came here, aged 18. I also love the inner-city farmers’ markets.

The movie that best sums up the city?

One of the most enchanting memories I have is of a short film by Maggie Fooke called Pleasure Domes. It was shown at the St Kilda Film Festival 24 years ago and I’ve never forgotten it. It’s an animation of the pleasure domes of St Kilda (many of them had vanished even then) – the dome of St Moritz and the Palais Theatre. For eight minutes to stay in your memory for so long is quite a feat. I founded the St Kilda Film Festival and that film made it all worthwhile.

Clixk here for Pozible campaign link.

March this year will see the launch of our musical comedy You’re tearing me apartment: THE ROOMSICAL.
A 5 member cast  will parody and explore the weird and wonderful aspects of The Room [The internationally regarded cult film celebrating its 10th birthday this year]. If you haven’t seen the film, you should. Regardless, our musical is esoteric enough that anyone will enjoy the ride.
It is scheduled to play 11 nights during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival between March 27 -April 7 and (it being a Sydney production) is likely to cost in excess of $10,000 for travel, accommodation, venue hire etc.

The cast for this tour are all professionals who in some cases will be taking unpaid leave to realise our little piece of theatrical nonsense.
With your help, we can reward our cast for their time and effort and rely less on remuneration through nightly ticket sales alone.
Any amount will help and you’ll be feeding a starving artist. I mean, isn’t it bad enough that they have to sing these awful songs in these horrendous costumes? MUST THEY ALSO GO HUNGRY?

A is for Atlas have launched a crowd-funding campaign, seeking shipmates to sail with them to stage on the good ship VOYAGE: a devised ensemble performance about Australia's history of emigration. Collaboration is at the heart of A is for Atlas'…

A lifetime in the making: Sydney art enthusiasts Liz and Colin Laverty with some of their artworks. Photo: Michele Mossop

Article published in The Age, Thursday 7 February 2013

See article in its original context here.

WHEN Sydney pathologist Colin Laverty and his wife, Liz, met in the early 1980s, art was their common ground. Dr Laverty, well known for his groundbreaking research into cervical cancer, had a passionate interest in abstract art. Mrs Laverty had a grandfather who had collected the contemporary art of his era and had Frederick McCubbins on the walls when she was growing up.

Since then, the couple have amassed one of the most significant private art collections in Australia, valued at up to $6 million. On March 24, 266 works from the Laverty Collection will be sold. The works – by artists including Peter Booth, Emily Kngwarreye, Ken Whisson, Louise Hearman and Boxer Milner Tjampitjin – will go on display in London next week and in New York from March 2 to 6, prior to viewings in Melbourne and Sydney.

Of the 266 works, 157 are by indigenous artists. It’s the culmination of a collection that began when Dr Laverty purchased abstract expressionist art in the 1970s, his wife said. Mrs Laverty, who spoke on behalf of her ill husband, said the arrival of abstract art in Australia in the ’60s ”swept him away” and he was captivated by the work of artists including Tony Tuckson, Peter Upward, Michael Taylor, William Rose and Stan Rapotec.

  Article from FJORDE MAGAZINE Issue #13

See article in its original context here.

Reviewed by Vito Mattarelli

While not a great piece of writing, it is a remarkably interesting one. The original Broadway production opened in 1977, but closed after playing only five performances and eleven previews.

In the play a young man (who is nameless, and played by Thomas Blackburne), arrives at a run-down boarding house in the Vieux Carre of New Orleans (now more commonly known as the French Quarter) run by a demented landlady Mrs Wire (Kelly Nash).

See article in its original context here.

Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead

By Tennessee Williams
ITCH Productions
fortyfivedownstairs, until February 3

THE late, autobiographical work Vieux Carre recalls with languorous rhythm Tennessee Williams’ sexual awakening in the humid squalor of 1930s New Orleans.

Queer characters and the playwright’s famed sense of place are central to this play of erotic and artistic emergence, and the design, especially Alexandra Hiller’s set, makes the seedy rooming house come alive with the intensity of memory too often recollected, with a crepuscular sense of Southern heat and decay.

The acting isn’t as reliable. Thomas Blackburne portrays the young Williams figure as impossibly spectral and one-noted. He gets the radiant naivety and shyness at the start but there is no character development.

Still, Vieux Carre can be carried by the strong women and lost souls that surround the young writer. Francesca Waters commands the stage as the dignified, put-upon Nursie. Kelly Nash impresses as the broken-hearted dragon lady who runs the guesthouse.

See article in its original context here.

Vieux Carre reviewed by the Star Observer online.

As a young writer in the 1930s, Tennessee Williams slummed it in a New Orleans’ French Quarter sharehouse from hell. The American playwright would go on to pen A Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and A Streetcar Named Desire that have inspired awe in audiences worldwide since the late 1940s. An autobiographical piece by Williams is making its Australian premiere next year at the Midsumma Festival.

While Williams was apparently not ‘out’ as a gay man until after the Stonewall riots, some of his better known pieces like A Cat on a Hot Tin Roof toyed with the struggle of sexuality for people of that era. But an autobiographical piece by Williams is heading to our shores next year, making its Australian premiere at the Midsumma Festival.

Vieux Carré follows a young, naive and nameless writer who moves into a dilapidated boarding house in New Orleans.

It tracks the St. Louis writer (Williams) as he encounters his troubled roommates who are dealing with the ailments of the world including, but not limited to, addiction, poverty, illness, hunger, failure and death.

See article in its original context here.

Andrew Stephens from The Age reviews Vieux Carré

ALICE Bishop visited 722 Toulouse Street in New Orleans this year. Tennessee Williams had lived there as a young man when it was a boarding house and she wanted to see it. There’s still a bit of fancy iron lacework, but the faded grandeur is even more faded these days at this historic site, there amid the infamous city’s steamy, seamy recklessness, its hot colours, blues music, big personalities and Mardi Gras vibe.

Bishop could well imagine all that had once transpired in that French Quarter house: the hollering, the tensions, the carnality. She wanted to capture it.

Williams was born in small-town Mississippi at Columbus, and when he went to the big smoke in New Orleans during his very early career, he ended up at this house. Sexuality bubbled forth, as it will for a young person leaving home for the first time and, being an artist, he knew just how to process those deep and confronting desires, anxieties and experiences.

It wasn’t until much later, though, that he put pen to paper. In the 1977 play Vieux Carre, Williams tells the story of three artists living at 722 Toulouse Street in the 1930s and the difficulties they have in making careers as the forces of poverty ensnare them. When Bishop came upon this full-length, two-act play – one of Williams’ less-famous creations – she knew she’d have to do a site visit.

See article in its original context here.

The Last of the Three Brother at fortyfivedownstairs

The upcoming exhibition at the Melbourne gallery showcases the contemplative, introspective work of Korean artist Park Sung Soo.

The philosopher David Hume once said that looking into ourselves comes with agonizing pain because we must first pull our eyes out to get a look. Korean Artist Sung Su Park fully understands this ostensibly simple yet problematic philosophical proposition. Sung Soo Park is a painter who essentially throws his whole self into the fissures of the familiar in an attempt to reclaim the true significance of that which is ordinary. His art practice is testament to his capabilities for introspection and contemplation of the world around him.

The exhibition title The Last of the Three Brothers references an ancient yarn. There are three brothers; the first is physically combative, the second is headstrong, though physically weak the last is mentally very wise. The youngest does not lead; he follows his two older brothers and is often chided by them as the precarious, the weak and the limited. However, he who precisely understands his predicaments is ironically very strong, aware of his own imperfections where the others are self-absorbed.

Time Out casts a critical eye over a year spent in theatres around Melbourne and doles out the metaphysical gongs. Many fortyfivedownstairs productions feature. Congratulations to all! See the full article online here. Theatre, Medium Stage Best: Persona, Theatre Works…

Tintin Rhaman ponders fortyfivedownstairs public art project One World on Weekend Notes See the article in its original context here. Do you remember the scene in The Princess Diaries where Mia vents her frustrations by throwing darts at paint-filled balloons…

Erika is congratulated by Toyota Australia President, Max Yasuda Artist Erika Gofton has both exhibited and facilitated art workshops at fortyfivedownstairs in 2012. Her works are currently on display in the large gallery at fortyfivedownstairs alongside Ilona Nelson, Celeste Chandler…

See the interview in its original context here. Lina Andonovska is a highly accomplished flautist that has spent more time playing with the MSO, SSO and BBC symphony orchestra, then you or I have spent eating hot meals. A lover…

In a rare musical event, Wendy Saddington is set to take centre stage again.

WENDY Saddington seems unfazed that few recordings were made during her heyday. “I’m not into legacies,” the blues, soul and jazz singer says. She will draw on a 45-year career in a rare performance this week, with songs including Aretha Franklin’s Save Me, an old favourite Nina Simone co-wrote with poet Langston Hughes, Backlash Blues, and Etta James’ At Last.

But she won’t do Look-ing through a Window, her Top 30 1972 song, penned by Aztecs’ Billy Thorpe and Warren Morgan. “Not this time,” she says, confident there will be opportunity yet.

See the feature online here. NOT enough Australians know that in Wendy Saddington we had our own Janis Joplin: a passionate, larger-than-life but ultimately fragile blues singer in a rock'n'roll world. A one-time member of Chain, Saddington was inspired by…

Yunuen Perez and Sissy Reyes are crowdfunding for their forthcoming exhibition. Mex-tli, Mexican goddesses will be exhibited at fortyfivedownstairs in May, 2013. Check out their campaign on Pozible About the Project Hola Amigos, We need your help to present Mex-tli,…

See the feature online here. Audiences will find out what has been kept under wraps for a year, if you assembled the theatrical equivalent of a superhero team, Avengers-style, it might look a lot like Kin Collective. The dozen-strong independent company includes actors…

See the feature online here. WHAT would happen if we were brave enough to follow through on a random connection? That glimpse when you meet the eyes of a stranger in a public place? The seemingly endless possibilities of what life…