For our very first review by stepping on the crack click here!
REVIEW of LalinRóka’s Trickster show in September 2022
After the year that we’ve had Melbourne, everyone deserves a treat. And a
night at Lalin Roka is exactly the cheeky delight you should be choosing.
Before even taking your seats, The Long House is ready to transport you into
an alternate universe. We could spend hours talking about how stunning the
venue looks in its current home at Macquarie square.
Unlike any venue you’ve ever stepped foot in, this space is the only one like it
in the world – and has been custom made just for you to have an authentic
Indigenous experience. From the attention to comfort and mood, to the
intricate, little details throughout – this is a venue that was designed for you
to understand and be enriched by a culture we know so little about.
Do yourself a favour and arrive early enough to spend some time lounging in
this space, sipping on a cocktail – it’s only fair that a night of whimsy starts the
night off the right way.
When you think of Storytelling, of course you think of your child hood
favorites or maybe even culturally relevant folk tales (more on that later), it’s
time to throw away any preconceived ideas you might have.
If you’ve been to the theatre before, this isn’t that. Also, if you’ve been to any
of those “popular” theatre shows – this is definitely not that either. However,
if you’re expecting a night filled with more magic than you can even conjure in
your wildest dreams, you will be satisfied. But the best part is, LalinRóka is so
much more.
They clearly like to do research, and a quick (or not so quick, spend as much
time as you like) scroll through the duo’s bios on the website, it gives a little
insight into what makes LalinRóka so incredible – the performers are
ridiculously talented.
Yep. There is a whole load of talent squeezed into their very different bodies.
The best way to truly enjoy LalinRóka is to not know too much before heading
in, so don’t worry, there won’t be too many spoilers here.
While the stories are the main attraction, this night is all about you. The show
never takes itself too seriously, but it is straight to the point in its messaging
about community, respect, comfort, and consent to wonder.
Maybe even cooler than the performers on stage, is the show’s underlying
theme. They really do ring true to their “IMMERSIVE” tagline. But it also works
in reverse – nothing feels forced upon you. That’s right, we’re talking about
enthusiastic consent to dream and ponder. Hyper aware of audience reactions
and energy, you get to see and listen close to the action you want to be – and
if you’d much rather just feast and stare, you can rest assured that your
wishes will be respected. I don’t know about you, but that made each of the
tastes that more delicious.
Where too often told the opposite, stepping inside an environment that has
been created with the idea of not only claiming but exploring and enjoying
your humanity is a pretty powerful experience. And we bet that this
handpicked selection of dishes, songs, and stories will leave you feeling
empowered and seen.
I did say no spoilers, so I won’t give too much away, but what we can tell you
is that LalinRóka is the sort of full-scale production that caters to every live
entertainment taste.
The music moves from up-tempo to sensual bluesy R&B and everything in
between. You’ll be serenaded by incredible musicians, marvel at Tamas who is
clearly trained in every style of vocal gymnastics, and be awestruck by
engaging emotion provoking food. Oh, and then there are the scents, and
sounds of the food being delivered and consumed around you (cue ooh’s and
aah’s), the 1 st was a stunning crunchy apple crostini (cue more ooh’s and
aah’s), and even a drummer ascending from the heavens (cue the audience
wondering how this magical venue actually works). And that, our friends, is
only a slice of the LalinRóka fantasy.
There might not be a single surface inside The Long House that remains
untouched throughout the night.Servers move between the stage and the
seated, the bar, tables, the floor, podiums, ladders, railings, and more –
ensuring that no matter where you’re seated, everyone is in the best seat in
the house and looked after while being told tales.
While we are here to enjoy the abundance of snacks in front of us, what this
show really needed was some divine feminine energy provided by Ms Honey
Child – and that is where you are fabulously spoiled. She was created by
women from far away sort of secret societies. And whether it is the beautiful Grandmother or Aunt you are eating about, you get these bold, hilarious, and
sassy women on the plate in front og you and it had you feeling you wish you
were raised by them, as Honey was.
LalinRóka is the cheeky, awe-inspiring, fun, sweet treat we all deserve right
now. It’ll leave you feeling powerful, empowered, appreciated, entertained,
and even a little sexier and mysterious than you felt walking in.
In the words of our fabulous MC – “I hope you leave here feeling a sense of
community”. My girlfriend said to me, “I loved the show as it empowered us
to dream as a group, and taste dreams. The sacred feel of the venue only
added to the experience; I thoroughly enjoyed my whole night – from entering
the LongHouse to enjoying a cocktail and watching the whole performance.
Good luck for the rest of the season!”
The bespoke built, glass fronted space lures you in and plunges you into
another reality. There really is simply more to love about this venue, it felt like
part of the Art. Part of the Food. And part of the magic.
There is more than meets the eye with this flirty, rich, and diverse group of
Artists. LalinRóka is no ordinary show! It’s a powerful parade that sparks joy,
wonder, and excitement AND provides multiple OMG’s. It’s like an expedition,
with the audience guided through the minefield of surprises by Tamas and
Honey.
One of the things I enjoyed the most, aside from the singing, comedy, and the
extremely talented men on stage, was the fact that this is a celebration of
women’s empowerment and desires. The food stole the show. Even waiting
on rice to go with the stewed rabbit was enjoyable. It gave us a chance to talk
about the other tastes and discuss what the hell we just experienced.
It’s hands down the best show I have seen in…forever and I’ll definitely be
going back for seconds, and maybe even more! In a world with constant
challenges, this is the light relief, fun and of course, MAGIC we all need!”
My only negative is that it is not based in Melbourne and we have to try our
best to fly in for more.
We will never get over this night! Thank you for all your hard worrk.
Chance and Ellenor of Fitzroy, VIC
Audience reviews
Even though I had read the description before the event, and I knew it was supposed to be an immersive experience, I was still taken by surprise by the depth and the many layers of this multi-sensorial experience! I particularly remember the second story, from Japan, where the tale of simple peasants was made much deeper by the sharp taste of the fermented food, served in a simple “zen” style, with empty spaces allowing clear separation between the sweet and sour parts; and the Western transverse flute masterfully played to sound like a traditional bamboo shakuhachi… it made me feel inside the story — it gives me the chill just to remember and write about it!
It was beautiful to witness Tamas’ skill and passion for storytelling, adjusting the volume and pitch of his voice according to the atmosphere and intensity of each story, as well as impersonating each character. The choice of the stories, in my opinion, was awesome! Starting with a story from his home country, and with a variety of themes to cover different aspects of the complex feeling of love, with a mix of happy, sad, and contemplative tales.
In conclusion, I LOVED this experience! I’ve never seen (or rather felt with all my senses) anything like it before! A big thank you to Tamas, Honey and Danny!
Sauro Emerick Salomoni
We both loved the whole event. It was very unique. You would have passed your “exam” with flying colours. Your delivery was completely engaging and well timed. I loved how you modulated your voice to sweep the audience along. How on earth do you remember all the details of all those stories? The sensory nature of the evening made it particularly memorable. So yummy to match the tastes to the story! (I’d love the recipe for the pickles – so sweet, spicy, sour and crisp … like love). The music was also very fitting. Everything was lovely and very generous. Miss Honey Child was like another character additional to your stories.
Anyway, we had to wrack our brains to think of something that wasn’t perfect about the event. Well done to you and your accomplices for an absolutely marvellous storytelling experience!
Chris Haas
Thank you so much for the storytelling event. The three of you filled that room with love, and it followed us home too. As I mentioned on the day, it was a delight to experience something that wasn’t moderated by a producer or a director or shaped to fit the demands of a festival: it seemed heartfelt and collaborative, and you could see the effect on the audience when people stayed around to talk and laugh afterwards.
Miss Honeychild utterly bewitched us and Danny Healey placed his breath so carefully, both loose and precise. Tamas, you had that rare gift, the ability to look deeply into each person’s eyes without leaving your story, so that we were all carried with you.
The process of handing cups and bowls along the line added a missing sense – touch. Thank you again! That was enchanting.
Bryony Anderson
It was a triumph. The mood and feeling in the gallery was gently jazzed — everyone could sense something special was about to happen. And it so did.
The concept of food, music and stories all woven together worked. As an artist, I was and am very impressed. This is a format you can go to again and again — it will make people happy.
Young Dawkins
Last Sunday I spent an extremely enjoyable couple of hours in the company of Tamas Oszvald, Miss Honey Child and Danny Healy. The combination of food, music and folktales was a delight, and everyone, audience and performers alike, seemed relaxed and happy.
I have been to several of Tamas’ sessions and always enjoyed them, but the change since the last one is remarkable. His narration is richer, much more polished and confident.
His manner is welcoming, charming and engaging; he invites you into his world of fantasy, and his accent helps invoke the feeling of mystery and “otherness” absolutely appropriate to folk-tales. I really liked the choice of stories, and the sequence in which they were told, leading from the simplest to the complex framed story and finishing with another simpler “ghost” (or was it?) story.
Perhaps more experienced story-tellers may find something to criticise, but as an audience member I couldn’t. I was thoroughly entertained and just sorry when it was all over. I’m waiting impatiently for the next one!
Elizabeth Barsham
LalinRóka Productions 