Phoenix Rising, the title of the new Gulgong MADS production, is somewhat prophetic in that it is three years since the group has put on a major work in the Opera House.
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Far from rising from the ashes though, this delightful evening’s entertainment continues the very high standard of productions MADS is well-known for.
Most pleasing, especially for the longer serving members of the group, is the fact that the majority of those involved with this production are relative newcomers to MADS.
Not only has it been nice to witness such an inspired creative surge but it is also reassuring to know that MADS continues to be in good hands.
Written and directed by Gulgong’s very own Michaeley O’Brien the production is a series of six vignette-like scenes, the connection between which only becomes apparent towards the end of the play.
It is an extremely clever piece of theatre and while Michaeley is no newcomer to script writing, having worked on such notable Australian productions as McLeod’s Daughters, Underbelly and most recently The Killing Field, this is her first foray into playwriting and she excels.
It follows on from the success of one of the pieces which was entered in last year’s Mudgee Short and Sweet Festival for which Michaeley won best director.
The production of Phoenix Rising is slick and continues to highlight the many talents of the Gulgong MADS group.
The two principal actors, Kali Newcomb and Kathryn Maloney, both of whom have won numerous awards through their work with MADS, give outstanding and polished performances. It is as if the play was written just for them.
The set is simple but sophisticated, the theme paintings for each act are brilliant, and the costumes are beautifully crafted and perfectly fit the various time periods of the play.
The lighting and sound cues cleverly weave unobtrusively throughout the performance bringing together all the various elements into a very pleasing and unified whole.
The soundtrack, for those of us who grew up in the 60s and 70s, could very much be the soundtrack for our lives – it is worth the ticket price alone.
For this fantastic sensory evening not even the taste buds are forgotten. During the interval a delicious hot supper is served along with a selection of fine wines made possible through the very generous sponsorship of Robert Stein Wines of Mudgee.
Absolutely everything for the evening has been carefully thought out and has a purpose. Through such economy the end result is a highly professional production which should not be missed.
Two further performances are set down for Friday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18.
