http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html Alarm! was a show I directed and produced for the Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2007. It was my most ambitious Commedia project to date, and we performed to good houses, including a packed final night, and received a positive review from ArtsHub (below). Musical director: Raelene Bruinsma Acrobatics Coach: Matty Brown Stage combat choreographer: Elena Kirschbaum Lighting design/operator: Tai Stephens Cast: Robin Davidson Petra Elliott Bianca Gonos Steven Kennedy Celeste Markwell Kate O’Keeffe Debbie Zukerman Helen Delaney was an integral part of the team devising the show, but due to an unfortunate accident was unable to perform. Here’s the original blurb for the show: The five hundred year old masks of the Commedia dell’Arte are brought back to life in a new performance to premier at the Melbourne Fringe. Like the original Commedia, Alarm! will use stage combat, acrobatic moves, original music, improvisation and a touch of the burlesque to weave its farcical tale, but that tale is of ASIO and police powers, the war on terror, and sex dolls. Commedia dell’Arte is the theatre which birthed Harlequin, Columbine, Pierrot and Punch (before he became a hand puppet). It is the much-studied well-spring of European comedy, which Moliere and Shakespeare drew on, but is rarely performed. Alarm! is for anyone who wants to see the original spirit of the Commedia: physical, violent, bawdy and very funny; getting its sharp teeth stuck into the issues of the day, just as it did five hundred years ago. Director Robin Davidson, studied the form in France with John Rudlin and in Italy with Antonio Fava. ‘I was first attracted to Commedia as a young theatre student in Bathurst,’ said Davidson, ‘from the work of contemporary theatre-makers like the San Francisco Mime Troupe and Dario Fo. But when I encountered the masks, I was in love. They have a timeless energy, they transform actors, instantly connecting them with their bodies, and they love to improvise. They refuse to be tied down to a script.’ http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#0 c6406a97-dffb-409e-a864-d103b1e391b5 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-2/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-2/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Stephanie Lock</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#1 d338c97d-a5a3-492b-8398-01b06f2c7bc7 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-22/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-22/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Stephanie Lock</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#2 fb17e244-3c6d-442e-bf77-cf5f2010b11e http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-24/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-24/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Stephanie Lock</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#3 832caea8-87b5-44c7-b4aa-6a7da607ea60 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-28/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-28/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Stephanie Lock</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#4 c24a671a-70a0-4cb8-8423-f2402342bbfe http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-31/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-31/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Stephanie Lock</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#5 ae92578a-4056-4f4e-8c25-ed8b34a0d010 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-45/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-45/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Stephanie Lock</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#6 1f60927c-05aa-4c31-ba8c-65c2cfd94ccf http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-53/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-53/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Stephanie Lock</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#7 50cda19a-b5b9-41ba-8fc9-acebd85d2d64 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-54/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-54/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Stephanie Lock</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#8 538f2144-d4eb-4dd5-a7c6-23406f1e5400 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-56/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-56/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Stephanie Lock</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#9 b87cf512-ec53-4a38-a643-7b281c93fdde http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-63/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/Alarm-63/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Stephanie Lock</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#10 742f7211-be10-4d43-8680-f1b81cdebfaf http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000001/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000001/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Wendy Zukerman</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#11 477d55a8-23fa-4f5d-a432-d5ad69bd3962 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000002/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000002/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Wendy Zukerman</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#12 1505f199-3546-4a07-9236-8c72463a8f2a http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000003/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000003/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Wendy Zukerman</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#13 9adbd435-4a0e-44a2-9b60-d6a2ddd6067b http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000004/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000004/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Wendy Zukerman</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#14 80e8e5c1-a60e-4588-9484-06bf7463aad7 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000005/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000005/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Wendy Zukerman</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#15 f531d329-c6f5-4de7-a09c-51390a135649 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000006/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000006/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Wendy Zukerman</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#16 8fcc0acc-60dd-42ac-a580-dc54541c081f http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000007/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000007/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Wendy Zukerman</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#17 14e0f689-2dbb-433d-abe0-4009d05443e1 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000008/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000008/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Wendy Zukerman</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#18 6fefb721-018b-4855-a380-974fa6a25b02 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000009/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000009/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Wendy Zukerman</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#19 f72c6c64-ab88-42c5-85ab-b3d6c4230bbf http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000010/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/F1000010/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Wendy Zukerman</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#20 a0a0c503-7d90-4607-92da-23cb230e4e07 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-1/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-1/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Sophie Neate</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#21 e61f1a84-ded3-4cad-85ed-8ff6d189a13d http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-2/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-2/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Sophie Neate</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#22 2964a803-0c12-4f3d-a5f2-91cbc8dfce8d http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-3/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-3/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Sophie Neate</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#23 aa78a8ad-f32d-4a6a-9923-5929166ec21e http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-4/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-4/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Sophie Neate</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#24 499ec87d-2dc2-4fee-996e-9d240f15d465 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-5/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-5/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Sophie Neate</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#25 bfdf423a-c9e0-408e-a77a-40e215ebe32d http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-6/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-6/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Sophie Neate</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#26 8421bf16-da92-471b-9942-63dbf5c4ccc3 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-7/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-7/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Sophie Neate</p></div></div> http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21.html#27 6129124f-b49a-4df9-8dbe-68ea76e1d975 http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-8/thumb.jpg http://www.robindavidson.co-operista.com/Site/Alarm%21_files/Media/SophieNeate-8/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_3"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption"> Sophie Neate</p></div></div>