Chapel off Chapel, Prahran
Reviewed on October 19, 2012
The British author, Ian Fleming, created a fantasy world for people of all ages, filled with girls, guns, spies, high – tech gadgetry, big – ticket postcard locations, maniacal super villains and cold war world domination. To nobody’s surprise, Fleming’s books were massive best sellers from the get go.
Hot on the heels of that success, soon his protagonist, action hero and global man of mystery, James Bond 007, was brought to the big screen. Spawning such box office hits as Dr No, Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, The Spy Who Loved Me, A View To A Kill, The Living Daylights and Casino Royale, the series will be celebrating its fiftieth anniversary on film with the November 2012 release of Skyfall.
A sell out smash in 2011, this month Bond-A-Rama returns for an exclusive season at Chapel of Chapel.
The show’s ambitious premise, is that its quartet of players cover all 22 films in 75 minutes live on stage, or the audience gets their ticket price refunded. Activating a back – projection clock and playing the hook for all its worth, what viewers wouldn’t be up for such an inviting challenge?
Both loving tribute and tongue – in – cheek parody, the team of Ben Anderson, Stephen Hall, Emily Taheny and Michael Ward, have weaved a show jam – packed with witty dialogue and delicious pop cultural cross – references that will leave any fan in stitches.
From the writers of Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell and Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation, what puts Bond-A-Rama over the top is that no iconic stone is left unturned. Immediately setting the tone for what’s to come, the famous opening title sequence is given a knowing once over.
Highlighting how every film is actually the same story repackaged, both hardcore aficionados and newbies alike will love how far this foursome is willing to push the 007 franchise’s limits. Since plot logic and character continuity were never a strong selling point, from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, all six actors who played Bond have their particular quirks, shameless use of product placement, and speech patterns unmercifully mocked. Even Q’s unexplained sex change from a man to a woman comes into question and is given the comic once over.
Also, where the movies were known for their massive budgets and heart – pounding stunts, here, we are treated instead to a madcap theatre sports, fly by the seat of your pants mentality. If Bond isn’t being attacked by plastic crocodiles or invisible man (but not woman) eating sharks, he is being pursued free-fall on a camouflaged shopping trolley.
Adding to Bond-A-Rama’s infectious charm, special effects are limited to styrofoam shuttles docking onto cardboard space stations, plastic toy soldiers suspended from the wings, model blimps crashing into Lego suspension bridges, and a props department able to produce inflatable life rafts seemingly from nowhere.
Jump cutting from film to film, the three male leads parody all six Bond variations with equal verve, enthusiasm and vocal strength.
They also take turns teasing many of the supporting characters as well.
For example, Michael Ward plays up Q’s banter with Bond that is reminiscent of Abbott and Costello’s ‘Whoís On First’.
Complete with a prop cat and sticky – taped monacle, Ben Anderson has a ball as SPECTRE’s evil Blofeld.
Without giving too much of the fun away, Anderson also has fun with some gender role reversal that has to be seen to be believed.
Emily Taheny vamps through all of the requisite Bond beauties, murderous femme fatales, and sexless Miss Moneypenny with charming ease. She also rephrases several of the famous signature songs with a belt voice reminiscent of Sheena Easton (and clad in a tartan mini skirt) to perfection.
Mid way through the show, an audition sequence for a new James Bond had the audience in hysterics.
Putting a completely new spin on 007, Steven Hall’s knack for mimicry is brilliant. Surely, it will be impossible not to imagine anyone but Julian Clary, Shane Bourne or Nick Giannopolis as the man in the tuxedo from now on.
Shaken, not stirred, this is high – camp hilarity at it’s best.
Image Source: Milk Bar Mag