Affectionately warm and devilishly witty, The Audience provides a fly on the wall insight into sixty years’ worth of meetings between Queen Elizabeth II and her Prime Ministers. A huge hit on […]
NT Live: The Audience review
Simon Parris
I have appeared in about 40 productions over the past forty years. Favourite roles include Eugene Fodor and Junior in (separate productions of) Crazy for You, Mr Fox in Mack and Mabel, Max in The Sound of Music, Freddy in My Fair Lady, Julio in Paint Your Wagon, Marcellus in The Music Man and Grantaire in Les Miserables.
I have directed several school productions. I choreographed Urinetown and Little Shop of Horrors, then went on to direct Hot Mikado and the Australian premiere of 13. I have since gone on to direct/choreograph The Music Man Jr and Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr.
At my next school, I was Head of Productions, overseeing up to a dozen productions each year and directing another seven musicals, including The Music Man, Brigadoon and How To Succeed in Business Without really Trying.
I reviewed music theatre and opera for Theatre People and the Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne). I served on the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Committee for five years as Treasurer and was on the Board of The Opera Studio Melbourne.
I am a keen audience member, having seen 58 shows in six weeks in a 2012 trip to New York, as well as 57 shows during 6 weeks in London/Europe earlier the same year.
I hope you enjoy reading the news and reviews at Man in Chair. I would love to hear your thoughts on the shows covered here so please feel free to leave your comments.
Idina Menzel with Melbourne Pops Orchestra review
Broadway, television, movies, motherhood, symphony concerts, it seems there is nothing Idina Menzel cannot do. And having heard her roof-raising voice live in concert tonight, two thousand screaming fans know have an […]
Melbourne Cabaret Festival: Adam Guettel in Concert review
Adam Guettel may be teaching a masterclass with students tomorrow, but this evening he gave one all on his own. Simply attired in sweater and jeans, Guettel had the crowd of music […]
Tall Trees Productions: The Last Five Years review
A cult favourite amongst music theatre cognoscenti, The Last Five Years is all too rarely seen on Melbourne stages. This popularity, along with the relatively simple staging requirements, makes the show a […]
Helpmann Awards Nominees 2013
Nominations were announced this evening for the 13th annual Helpmann Awards. The Awards will be presented at the Sydney Opera House on Monday 29 July, in a ceremony that will be telecast […]
The Australian Ballet: Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake review
More than ten years old, and not showing the slightest signs of age, Graeme Murphy’s masterful production is as vivid and thrilling as ever. Following last year’s traditional staging of perennial favourite […]
Shane Warne the Musical review
The revival of a musical might involve new sets and costumes, but the addition of new material based on further real life events makes Shane Warne the Musical even more unique than […]
King Kong review
As a groundbreaking theatrical spectacular, King Kong is a lavish, jaw-dropping success. As a “music theatre event,” however, it is a disappointing failure, setting the art form back 70 years.
Kristin Chenoweth in Concert review
A visit from Broadway royalty drew a Melbourne crowd who cheered just for the house lights dimming at the start. Anticipation reached fever pitch as the overture of hits played along with […]
The Australian Ballet: Vanguard review
The Australian Ballet’s only triple bill for the year, Vanguard is a celebration, through dance, of the beauty of the human body. Stripped back to sheer unitards, trunks and tights, the dancers […]
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