Sitzprobe, presented by University of Melbourne Music Theatre Association (UMMTA), was an entertaining and unpredictable performance. A compilation of four, original, twenty minute shows, written and created in just eight weeks, took the audience on quite the roller-coaster of a journey.
The first show, ‘What a Steal’, written and composed by Matt Chan and directed by Matthew
Packham, was delightfully upbeat, funny and appropriately silly. The plot for this show is a
standout from the night, with clever writing and tasteful direction from the crew. I was especially
enamoured and entertained by Lockie Carmichael and Jasmyn Carr in their roles as the leading
fraudulent car sales representatives. Both were particularly charming in their roles, I think I
would buy a car from them, even if I got ripped off!
The second show of the evening, ‘Cryptid Crossword’ was written and composed by Enje
Herbert and Belle White, directed by Laine Masi. The musical composition was clever, catchy
and creative. I particularly enjoyed the ability to create a sad, heartfelt mood with the music, but
with lyrics that were hilariously unfortunate and a little too relatable. Josh Drake as leading
man and Crytid Catcher, David, did exceptionally well carrying the show with his talented vocals
and convincing acting. Josh Drake could be someone to keep an eye out for in the Melbourne
Theatre scene. The highlight song from the show, was Tragic Male Backstory, I wish I could
stream this on Spotify to listen on a regular basis. Overall, Cryptid Crossword was the standout
show of the night with hilarious writing, strong vocals and refined direction.
The next show, titled ‘Enemy Painters of the Renaissance’ was quite entertaining. Composed by
Tineque Law, written by Kristy Cornell, and directed by Hamish Box, the team created a very
unique work. While it took a while to adjust to the writing style, I was loving the strong
choreography, and the demanding stage presence of the ensemble. The final number, Reclaim
Rome, performed by Eadie Milne as Michaelangelo and Bradley Watson as The David, with
support from the brilliant ensemble, was the standout performance of the entire night. Amazing
vocals and chemistry between Michaelangelo and The David, flashy choreography with perfect
timing and synchronicity, great use of the stage, and very well composed, catchy music to round
it all off.
The final show of the evening was ‘The Raven Thief’. Written and composed by Colin Han, and
directed by Anna Ryley, the pair created a rather tragic yet heart-warming story. It was an
ambitious choice to make this work an opera, I believe the music was well composed and had
lots of potential. The opera accurately conveyed the tone and theme throughout, however, it
was not the strongest choice for the actors on stage. It felt as though the actors were struggling
at times with their vocals being so high. If the music was transposed down a little, it could have
created more ease and confidence for the vocalists. There were hauntingly beautiful harmonies
at times from the ensemble, if they were more consistent, it could have complimented the
characters much more. This being said, Charlotte Addy as Margolis, the mother of Alice,
remained in character the whole time and portrayed her character with grace and strength. She
was vocally competent in her role, even for particularly challenging areas, so I commend her on
her efforts.
Overall, Sitzprobe, presented by UMMTA, was a hilarious and entertaining show. With
upcoming, talented young artists, creators, performers alike, I commend everyone on their
efforts seen on and off the stage. Including producers, lighting designers, set, sound and
costume designers. It was a great show, and I highly recommend to anyone looking for a laugh,
or to hear Julius Caeser himself rap. Quite unforgettable. Congratulations.
