A bit of a holy grail of opera houses, the history surrounding Vienna Opera House is like a subtext that permeates the operatic artistry on display. The thought of being in a […]
Ah, Vienna
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.
Storming the Bastille
Photos do not do Bastille Opera House justice. Its clean design and epic scale dwarfing the audience members. Sightlines are incredibly clear in the well raked stalls, aided by the segmented dress […]
National Treasure
No immersive visit to West End theatre is complete without sampling the offerings at London’s National Theatre on South Bank. Productions often sell out and queuing for two hours in the cold […]
West End Magic
Man in Chair looks at a massive hit production bound for Australia and a gala one night only charity concert.
Ballet Royale
Ballet is so much more affordable than opera at Covent Garden so it is possible to get really great seats – provided you can get out of the virtual waiting room and […]
London Theatre is a Farce
Now that I have your attention let me rephrase that: London Theatre is awash with farce. There are three crackers on the go at the moment, the perfect way to brighten up […]
Not Just For Kids
Some of the biggest recent musicals on the West End are very family friendly, but fortunately they are loaded with in jokes, sly references as well as plenty of nostalgia to provide […]
Terrific Tragedies
Two favourite operas in two magnificent productions.
Theatre Royalty
If Hollywood makes movies about movies, Broadway writes musicals about theatre, then it makes sense that West End shows are enamored with kings and queens.
Sugarplums in Motion
Part of the fun of planning a theatre jaunt to London is searching all the various websites for productions. New York is easy – Playbill has it all in one place. London […]
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