Review: Surviving a Modern World - closing tonight!

Review by David Allen

Surviving A Modern World The Butterfly Club 12 March 2009

Recently graduated from the VCA, John Frankland and Stephanie Evison-Williams are finding the real world, well, a little bit tough. And so, like all recent performing arts students should, they did the only sensible thing – they wrote a cabaret about it.

Surviving a Modern World is really two short cabarets joined together, each performer operating mainly independently and performing a short show in their own right. Drawn together by the common theme of 'where do I go from here?', the two pieces allow each performer to show off and spill a little bit of their personality onto the stage.

Cursed by a vague resemblance to two famous musicians, John Frankland has developed a quirky and insidious comedic style that leaves audiences in stitches. Coupled with an impressively powerful 'musical theatre'-style voice, John's piece is clever, witty and great to watch.

An innovative approach to modern theatre and impressive use of 'props' make his performance laugh-out-loud funny and just a little groan-worthy.

In contrast to her more 'together' stagemate, Stephanie Evison-Williams has a disjointed, slightly crazy style that makes her quirkily appealing to any person who has ever spilt food all down themselves on a date or declared their undying love for a celebrity.

Rejoicing in her absurdity, Stephanie's wacky approach leads to some downright hilarious antics, including a brilliantly crafted dance with a heart-shaped pillow and a photograph.

Closed nicely at the end with Monty Python's famous Universe Song, Surviving a Modern World is a fresh take on life outside of institutionalised education.

Raw, a little unpolished, but always honest, this is great fun from new strong young voices in cabaret.