Selected Reviews
Kenny
[Australia, 2021]
"…what a delightful, life-affirming show it is. … Kenny runs 80 minutes without interval, and a very joyous, entertaining, uplifting – and at times touching – 80 minutes they are too." ★ ★ ★ ★
- Jo Litson (Limelight Magazine)
"This production brings the Ensemble and its company out of the dark days of the past few months with a bright and entertaining ‘bang’. Steve Rodgers, Mark Kilmurry, the designers, Ben Wood himself – and the team that are keeping the cast and audience safe – thoroughly deserve the standing ovation it received on opening night."
- Carol Wimmer (Stage Whispers)
"So this production of Kenny is both highly entertaining… but even more engaging because of our personal interaction with Kenny’s very-Aussie character full of positive humour and because we become committed to humanitarian ideals… When I say “not to be missed”, I really mean it."
- Frank McKone (Canberra Critics Circle)
"In my view, this production works like a treat."
- David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"…Kenny the stage show feels not so much like theatre or stand-up, as group therapy. It’s not just the restorative joy of a good belly laugh. Ben Wood’s Kenny is a timely love letter to all those people out there cleaning up and getting their hands dirty on behalf of others." ★ ★ ★ ★
- Harriet Cunningham (Sydney Morning Herald)
"…a gloriously funny and endearing success. … The design team has created a simple and effective set that seems ideal for the widespread touring the show deserves. … Kenny, as hopeless on the guitar as he is at so many things other than portable toilets and loving his family, is given a cute song at the end that might be straight out of Play School except that it is all about poo." ★ ★ ★ ★
- John McCallum (The Australian)
Best Trick Ever
[Australia, 2021]
"The show was charming, baffling, entertaining, mind-bending, heart-warming, and incredibly clever. …really set up a bubbling and exciting atmosphere for a show. And this one delivers. … This show is wonderful and an incredibly enjoyable evening. Date night, family night, solo night, weeknight, girls’ night, it doesn’t matter what the night is, you should start it at this show."
• Jerome Studdy (Theatre Travels)
"…by the end of the show you are just enjoying the night for what it is – magic. … This isn’t a glossy, over produced show. It is personable, entertaining and fun." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Lynden Jones (Theatre Now)
"There is also a considered use of music which gives each turn an individuality of tension and surprise in a subtle specificity of that particular art. ...the use of video is gratefully limited to the finer sleights of hand." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Judith Greenaway (Arts Hub)
"…Best Trick Ever is a wondrous night of entertainment for all ages. … The particular style of the design provides Best Trick Ever with a cosy welcoming atmosphere, instead of a large setting that purely relies on all the magic being shown via screens. Galea does however provide us with a roaming cameraman for the close-up card magic, just so we do not miss out on any of the slight of hand tricks that occur… Best Trick Ever proved to be a delightful night of illusions and magical mastery for magic lovers young, old and young at heart." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Justin Clarke (Theatre People)
The Wharf Revue:
Good Night
And Good Luck
[Australia, 2020-2021]
"As we’ve come to expect from The Wharf Revue, the production values are first rate. Brilliant writing supported by clever direction, excellent costumes and props, exceptional video content, lighting and sound... are reasons why The Wharf Revue has flourished for more than 20 years. Hopefully, under its new arrangement, we can now look forward to many more annual visits from The Wharf Revue."
• Bill Stephens (Australian Arts Review)
"…throughout the whole show, the technical quality, originality of content, as well as satirical precision in the actors’ performances in the video designs and presentations, though a continuation of this developing heritage from previous years, was a leap forward this year… I just wish The Wharf Revue could go on forever."
• Frank McKone (Canberra Critics Circle)
"…that indefatigable and hilariously sharp-witted Wharf Revue team just keep getting better and better. … As a mirror held up to this extraordinary year, the Wharf Revue's Goodnight And Good Luck arouses side splitting laughter and cathartic tears and the hope of a brighter future. Don't miss it." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Peter Wilkins (The Canberra Times)
"Well, it might have been a year we want to forget, but The Wharf Revue was back in town to cheer us up with one of their best ever shows. …every item was finely polished and presented with great skill and professionalism. There are times where the words and lyrics were coming at you at high speed but you could hear every word clearly. …a seamless, fast-moving show that never faltered."
• Len Power (Canberra Critics Circle)
"…the Revue’s musical adaptations too have only increased in sophistication over the years, their four-part harmonies increasingly outstanding, and this year’s Revue rested squarely on musical parodies of impeccable production and stunning cleverness. The satisfactory balance between voices, the great balance of stage lighting and background graphics, the cast’s beautiful echoes of its characters’ real-life mannerisms, and the fact that every word — muttered, shouted, or sung — came across with perfect clarity made this production, ingenious in its planning, flawless in its execution."
• John P. Harvey (Stage Whispers)
"Scott provides most of the live music with additional accompaniment from Biggins, either on piano or guitar plus additional prerecorded music used to fill out sound. As always, the text of the performance, either spoken or sung, is incredibly clever and the cast all ensure that the words are heard clearly…"
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
Wicked Sisters
[Australia, 2020]
"In Nadia Tass' new Griffin Theatre Company production… we see what's happening on Alec's computer via video screens built into Tobhiyah Stone Feller's set. These videos, created by sound designer Nate Edmondson, show tiny digital creatures zipping around a beehive-like environment. Were it a computer game, the point would be to kill them. Instead Alec has it set up so they exterminate each other. … It's these touches that make the play so taut." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald)
"As the double-crossings and deceits emerge, Hobbes’ “critters” wage their own ceaseless war above, projected in an eerie display on the glass walls… The effect is degrading, savage and cold." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Kate Prendergast (Limelight Magazine)
"A modern, subtle and knotted production… …how timeless a play written with prescience, wit and tangled narrative can be in skilled creative hands." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Judith Greenaway (Reviews By Judith)
"…we watch his active algorithm on the screens surrounding the set design of Alec's study/studio destroy many 'lives' / screen blips in his visually multiplying algorithmic community!"
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Alec Hobbes, social Darwinist and artificial intelligence researcher, is dead. But his reach lives on though the artificial intelligence algorithm he designed, one which rumbles on in the background in a flurry of blips and fluorescently lit 'critters' which act out the infinite possibilities of the universe… Every now and then, due to a mislaid hand or a tap of the keys, the 'experiment' goes haywire, blasting alarm signals which summon Meridee from another room, or out of a reverie. It's all done with panache by sound designer Nate Edmondson, such that the sound gaps give distinct structure to the plot otherwise based mostly in dialogue." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Divya Venkataraman (Time Out Sydney)
"Alec’s troubling computer experiment is impressively brought to life in a large Nate Edmondson-designed video installation whose crawling “critters” often draw the eye from this worthy revival." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jason Blake (Audrey Journal)
"Wicked Sisters is an excellent piece of theatrical entertainment. … A huge overhead visual surround with sound effects representing Alec’s research into artificial lifeforms evolved from random computer programs in the process of inventing strategies to survive or else dying out, could have been distracting, but was not. … Congratulations to Nadia Tass for her strong directorial vision…brought so compellingly to the stage." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Catherine Skipper (South Sydney Herald)
Our Blood Runs
In The Street
[Australia, 2020]
"This powerful work of theatre reminds us that the past is never over. … Blending the direct address, journalistic techniques we’ve come to expect from the verbatim genre with a movement score of commensurate expressive weight, this performance is as moving as it is informative. … Thoughtful set design (Veronique Benett), music (Damien Lane), sound design (Nate Edmondson) and lighting (Richard Whitehouse) cement word and action into an affecting experience, one that lingers with you long after its 70 minutes are over." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jason Blake (Audrey Journal)
"A powerful production… an evocative and blunt statement of queer anguish. ... Damien Lane’s compositions wind around the ensemble and propel them forward..." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out)
"The work is immensely powerful… Sound by Nate Edmondson during movement sequences was a fantastic addition to the show. Our Blood Runs In The Street is such an important work, and really must be seen by everyone in Sydney, which I know I've said before but seriously, go and see it. It really does hit you hard, but is so pleasing, with flawless work from the entire ensemble and creative team. … Work as important as this really can't be missed, and it's just so fantastic that you'll have to witness it for yourself."
• Adam Stepfner (Theatre Travels)
"Auditory capacities are attended by composer Damien Lane and sound designer Nate Edmondson, who move us seamless from scene to scene, as they maintain an uncompromising gravity for these harrowing tales."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"…the stories are layered over contemporary dance that ranges from subtle movement punctuating speech to expressions of the unifying force of music and dance to more powerful expressions of stylized violence and rage."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"The spoken word is variously enhanced by or juxtaposed with solo or group movement sequences. The effect is remarkable as unbearable descriptions are accompanied by physical beauty and music at one moment, or telegraphed by choreographed bodies when words fail. … Set designer Veronique Benett, sound designer Nate Edmondson, composer Damien Lane, and lighting designer Richard Whitehouse are vital elements in the success of the piece. And it’s a tribute to the creativity and ability of the actors that the 70 minutes are utterly riveting theatre. …one has to wish it gets seen by a wider audience than Mardi Gras – high school performances should be mandatory." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Anthony’s attention to detail across the production and the consistently strong performances elevate this production from a sentimental piece of documentary to an artistically affective experience."
• Night Writes
"...Our Blood Runs In The Street is a lest we forget recognition of past injustice- a litany of the lost, a list that is throat catching and heartbreakingly long reminds us of this shocking legacy presented in finely drilled alliance of speech, dance, music and lighting – a coalition of arts that goes straight to the heart."
• Richard Cotter (Sydney Arts Guide)
"...Red Line Productions’ season opener is a visceral and heartbreaking achievement not just for queer theatre, but theatre overall. …eye-catching movement of Andrew Fraser, the ensemble, and the pulsating Nate Edmondson sound design / Damien Lane composition. …the cast’s interaction with Edmondson’s and Lane’s sound, Veronique Benett’s deceptive set, and Richard Whitehouse’s lighting gives this work the justice it deserves. …a technical design that never stops being brilliant, and putting together a production that successfully makes a passionate (and incredibly well-researched) plea for attention... this production is second to none. … Without reservation, it is the best queer-focused production playing during the 2020 Mardi Gras season." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Manan Luthra (State Of The Art)
"…backed by long low notes of music from Nate Edmondson and composer Damien Lane…"
• Martin Portus (Stage Whispers)
Pomona
[Australia, 2020]
"…Pomona becomes a thriller that keeps you bolted to the edge of your seat. … Actors delve headfirst into the darkest material, Veronique Bennett’s lighting creates the perfect sense of unease, and Nate Edmondson’s sound design both ramps up the tension and amplifies the play’s sense of mourning; for all that these characters have lost and all they were never allowed in the first place." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Time Out)
"Music by Nate Edmondson, commanding and tenacious, keeps tensions unrelenting for this foreboding representation of our dangerous lives. The production is an engaging one, with powerful concepts and a cleverly fractured plot, conspiring to hold our attention."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Staged in close-up traverse and directed by Anthony Skuse, this Secret House production does a good job establishing a threatening mood (thanks in no small measure to Nate Edmondson’s constant soundtrack) and sustaining it for 110 minutes or thereabouts." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jason Blake (Audrey Journal)
"Direction from Anthony Skuse capitalises on the unstable narrative with an amped-up dis-ease and tension. … Lighting design by Veronique Benett and sound design from Nate Edmondson evoke sci-fi elements with multi-colour beams and an atmospheric score incorporating drones and electronic beeping."
• Night Writes
"...this production by Secret House is a compelling thriller that keeps you hooked until the very last moment. ...a tense and captivating play, shrouded in an atmosphere of all kinds of darkness. … Skuse has successfully conveyed the essence of this play making technically and artistically interesting choices… Nate Edmondson and Veronique Benett’s work on sound and lighting design, respectively, further complements the sinister setting of this play and works well in extending the tension and aura of suspense."
• Jessie Trompp
"…Pomona certainly keeps the creep. Not just the lightly hazed acting area or the dull reflections in the morgue-black tiles or the screech of a single string… …the immersion is in a complex, immediate, theatrical experience. … There’s a stringed screech on the audio plot which gives way to hollow echoes and distant rumbles under. Brilliantly operated for levels so that a water bottle cap unscrewed in the audience feels like part of the plan, perhaps it is below the sea or sewer pipes or traffic in tunnels. However, the wail of classic instrument eventually rises to consciousness as full and rich music. Heavens, I love Nate Edmondson’s work. …Pomona is a gripping, engrossing night in an intimate performance space with lingering questions that will have you texting your friend on a different train all the way home." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Judith Greenaway (Reviews By Judith)
"Underpinned by a characteristically subtle yet all-pervasive soundtrack from Nate Edmondson, Pomona reveals itself in multiple ways. … The excellent Secret House introduces us to a hitherto unknown Brit talent in a short, sharp season: Pomona is not to be missed." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Engaging as well are the lighting and sound design of Pomona, expertly crafted by Veronique Bennett and Nate Edmondson. Bennett’s lights cut through the darkness and create harrowing images of partial truths, while Edmondson’s soundtrack subtly builds a creeping sense of dread."
• Rosie Niven (Theatre Travels)
"As always with Secret House productions, much attention is given to production quality, and Pomona is no exception. With exceptional lighting design from Veronique Benett, cinematic sounds from Nate Edmondson understated yet thrilling set design by Anthony Skuse and James Smithers all tied together nicely by SM Clare Sheridan, Pomona successfully reaches and traverses its ambitions and intentions and provides for an exciting night of theatre."
• Lisa Thatcher
"It is a genre defying, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi vision of our now and our future. Director Anthony Skuse’s production taps into all this. And he is mostly ably assisted by a haunting lighting design (Veronique Benett) and sinister soundscape (Nate Edmondson)." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Kate Stratford (Theatre Now)
"…gripping, thought-provoking and unexpectedly funny. …a classy creative team (including sound by Nate Edmondson and lighting by Veronique Benett) skilfully draw out the threads of the puzzle. The slick, thrilling pace, cutting from scene to scene, both acknowledges the work’s cinematic references and builds on them, using theatre’s own superpowers of immediacy and imagination." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Harriet Cunningham (Sydney Morning Herald)
"No doubt this contemporary work is framed by a script of excellence. Yet within this, what the cast and crew of Secret House carry to the bAKEHOUSE stage is a truly outstanding moment in theatre." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Rebecca Varidel (Sydney Scoop)
"Pomona is captivating and intriguing, if not somewhat unsettling as an expression of a world no one really wants to live in but in reality could easily happen if people don't stand up and prevent it. Artfully presented with more twists and turns than an Escher staircase in a grown up form of the circle of life."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"All this time there is an effects track, pinpoint lighting and enough smoke and mist to cover the scenes as they descend into utter darkness. There’s no doubting that this is a brilliant production by Anthony Skuse, with set design by Skuse and James Smithers, excellent lighting design by Veronique Benett and superb sound design by Nate Edmondson. …this play is undeniably gripping."
• Frank Hatherley (Stage Whispers)
POOF! Secrets
Of A Magician
[Australia, 2020]
"…a heady mix of comedy and music…an eye-popping cabaret of wizardry. … This show has some high production values. … Poof! was an energetic and entertaining show… This was a night that ultimately offered up a nice mix of tricks and treats for us all." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Natalie Salvo (The AU Review)
"Extremely funny, extremely charming, extremely clever. …will have you laughing – possibly laughing-crying – and singing too. Singing the c-word no less. In the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre! … It’s a terrific show." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
- Caroline Foreman (Theatre Now)
"…a cabaret night of past experiences, original tunes, superb magic and personal revelations. …a top notch night of variety entertainment rather than a evening of pure magic. …the audience experiences laughter, opinions, heart felt warmth with some superb magic."
- Jade Kops (Broadway World)
Paddington
Gets In A Jam
[United States &
Canada, 2019-2020]
"Critic’s Pick. For those under 8, the action is hilarious, and members of that demographic at the performance I attended were squealing, giggling and bouncing in their seats." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Laurel Graeber (The New York Times)
"…a funny, exquisitely beautiful production aimed at young children and featuring the impossibly adorable Paddington Bear. … The show is indeed very funny and the kids in the audience laughed often (I myself may have chuckled several times)… Overall, the show was sweet but not overly cutesy, and it’s perfect for young kids… And I can guarantee my kids and I left the theater with a smile…"
• Maytal Wichman (The Mama Maven)
"…Paddington Gets In A Jam is sure to delight any child-at-heart." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Lexi Orphanos (Theatre Is Easy)
"However many ways there are to say "wildly adorable" is exactly how many reasons you have to see this show. …the creative genius of theater professionals who know best just how to capture these little ones' attention. And that is exactly what is proven as the show begins and a hush settles over the audience. … And what an impression this show has already made! This production brings together a cast and creative team that know exactly what they're doing to make this show as delightful and fun as possible for children of all ages, without losing its great professional quality. …this show has that something special that captures our attention so easily. … Sound Designer and Composer Nate Edmondson does excellent work behind the scenes. The hottest family show in town!"
• Kristen Morale (Broadway World)
"…engaging storytelling that effortlessly captivates the wildest imaginations. … A really special part of this show is that the team of impressive creatives manage to make the performance a lot of fun to watch regardless of how old or young at heart you are." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Dellah’s Jubilation
"…a delightful show that’s aimed at ages three to eight, but is utterly irresistible to the child in all of us. …hilarious slapstick scenes that are perfectly executed by the cast and keep the audiences of all ages gleefully giggling."
• Deb Miller (DC Metro Theatre Arts)
"…a heartwarming, family-friendly show full of laughs, love, and marmalade. … Paddington Gets In A Jam is truly a sweet show that kids of all ages will love." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Celebrity Parents Magazine
"…I can say with certainty that it’s fun for the entire family, no matter the age. The laughs and giggles filling the theater made for a feel-good experience from start to finish."
• Eliana Arian (The Knockturnal)
"…sweet and well meaning, funny, but never scary. … The kids were having way too much fun… Makes kids laugh out loud." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• A Child Grows In Brooklyn
"Witness the most adorable show of the new year!"
• Union Square Partnership
Coram Boy
[Australia, 2019]
"In England and America, Coram Boy has been played on vast stages with large casts, lush costumes, a chorus and an orchestra. It’s an epic tale, set in eighteenth-century England, with Dickensian themes and characters – a perfect vehicle for a main stage extravaganza! Yet its Sydney premiere, on the small transept stage of the Kings Cross theatre, loses none of the dark drama or redeeming love of this beautiful adaptation. In fact, the proximity of the performers spreads like a cloak that wraps around the audience, gathering them into this poignant tale of greed, betrayal, love and music… It is a ‘spell-binding, heart-breakingly beautiful tale’ told by a company that has the courage to do big things in small but clever ways. Doing so takes guts, time, innovative ideas and a production team that knows how to realise them. Directors John Harrison and Michael Dean, producer Suzanne Miller, composer Nate Edmondson and lighting designer Benjamin Brockman are such a team. …almost gothic themes are lightened by hope and redemption - and the music of Handel, that inspires the two young musicians about whom the plot revolves. ... Encompassed by Edmondson’s sound design, this action creates an atmosphere that is eerily isolated at times, frighteningly congested at others. …it is the ‘whole’ that impresses most about this production."
• Carol Wimmer (Stage Whispers)
"The size of the story and loftiness of the themes might seem to best fit a traditional stage, audience banks in stalls and a dress-circle, but the intimacy of KXT creates a new magic. The simple, close stage images sing. A child throws apples to his new friends on an estate. Birds held by long sticks float through a dim yellow sky in London. A boy struggles to breathe, rising and falling against waves outside of the docks. The directors conjure these unforgettable and personable images that burn into our skulls, and provide us with visual footholds as the plot races. There is real meat in the unfolding of an epic in close-quarters, and it's one that does credit to the live performance." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Sean Maroney (The Music)
"The epic features unfeeling landowners, ruthless criminals, desperate mothers, music prodigies and George Frideric Handel, all woven into a very big play with narratives that all concern themselves with the welfare of children. Wonderfully imaginative and often very touching, Coram Boy is written almost like a screenplay, with short scenes taking place in a myriad different places. Directors Michael Dean and John Harrison orchestrate the action marvellously, adventurous in their efforts to help us suspend disbelief inside a small black auditorium, allowing us to see in our mind’s eye, old streets, stately homes and the deep blue ocean. Lighting design by Benjamin Brockman is instrumental in manufacturing these impossible visions, extravagant and evocative with everything he presents. Similarly rhapsodic is Nate Edmondson’s sound design, an unbelievably rich aspect of the show, thoroughly assembled to cover all bases for a luscious rendering of this period drama. … The greatest inspiration one would take from Coram Boy relates to the immense ambition on display. A grander project could not be envisioned for a smaller space, yet all three hours of the experience is entrancing, satisfying and fruitful. …it is clear that on this occasion, necessity has become the mother of invention. Endless shows have been put on costing more, but have delivered far less. … When a lot is done with very little, is when we know that something truly great has been achieved."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Helen Edmundson’s script structures the action through short, staccato scenes around which directors John Harrison and Michael Dean construct movement sequences to convey bustling city streets, racing carriages, and more joyful scenes of dancing. … The melodrama is understandable in an epic inter-generational tale written for children adapted with a clear admiration of the larger than life quality of the narrative …in combination with Nate Edmondson’s grand composition and sound design. In a production that features George Frideric Handel as a character, classical strings and symphonies …are used extensively to generate sentimentality in Alexander’s sensational quest for his son late in the second half… This is an ambitious production taken on by bAKEHOUSE with gusto and a clear enthusiasm for the size of the undertaking. …there are moments of beauty and prized theatre magic."
• Night Writes
"Nate Edmondson’s sound design swings ambitiously from the tension of clattering contemporary beats to a gaudy choral arrangement of Handel’s Messiah, and is coupled with live harpsichord, violin, and vocal melodies performed by the actors. While the contribution of live music is a pleasant addition to a story around which the love of music ribbons, it is certainly a risk …which ultimately pays off when the bright voice of musical prodigy Aaron (Petronella van Tienen) flutters across the stage. …Coram Boy remains a captivating, emotionally complex piece, beautifully designed to sling its audience into the throes of the love, loss, and reclamation that glimmer through relentless grime and greed."
• Lady Lemoncholy
"Sound designer/composer Nate Edmondson’s synthetic-orchestral score imparts a filmic gallop... …you can’t help but root for something resulting from such a giant collective effort." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jason Blake (Audrey Journal)
"Epic in scope, staging and soaring humanity, Coram Boy is a must see. ...audiences are taken back in time to a spectacle of charging carriages, duels on the high seas, and eerie bush burials. Such is the pure, crystalline theatrical magic of bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company’s production… Production values match the high pitch of the performances, with a brilliant lighting design by Benjamin Brockman, and composition and sound design by Nate Edmondson."
• Richard Cotter (Australian Stage)
"...a time-bending foray into the realms of choral music, family relationships, and racial oppression, prides itself on its self-labeled ‘epic’ nature. A smorgasbord of sweet sounds and larger-than-life sights, it is easy to get lost in the world created before you. … If two words were to describe this production, they would be size and synchronisation. … Coram Boy features numerous dance sequences, transitionary movements, and moments of collective action… It is nothing short of sublime. …bAKEHOUSE’s Coram Boy is a success." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Manan Luthra (State Of The Art)
"…the production is a riveting experience that is focused despite its ambitious canvas. … The narrative moves along at a swift pace, and scene transitions are artfully choreographed. … Helping to give the piece fluidity, despite the frequent scene changes, is Nate Edmondson’s excellent cinematic soundscape. Handel’s Messiah oratorio appears alongside original instrumental music, and each piece has been carefully matched to a sequence, be it to underscore a scene or accompany a transition. Even a couple of contemporary tracks have made their way into the mix. Edmondson’s sound design is a vital aspect of this production. … In one standout sequence, performers are used to suggest Meshak’s efforts underwater to rescue two drowning children. Paired with Benjamin Brockman’s evocative lighting, it makes for a beautiful, transfixing moment in the piece, and Edmondson’s music is again another crucial contributor. … Staging Coram Boy in the 80-seat Kings Cross Theatre is an ambitious undertaking, but bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company’s efforts here have shown that an epic tale doesn’t necessarily require an epic space. Owing to the hard work of Harrison and Dean and their creative team, this is a heartrending and wholly absorbing production…" ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Tim Garratt (Theatre People)
"Coram Boy is a well-crafted, brave, bold and entertaining production. Its direction, acting, lighting and staging are all at an exceptional level. … In previous English and American productions of Coram Boy there was a full choir even orchestra on stage – in the Bakehouse production the performers sing… The singing was pleasing, including Petronella Van Tienen as Edward Ashbrook. Children in the Hospital can perform in the choir, and in Handel’s work, and Petronella acquits the eight year old role in buoyant acting and polished singing. … The show has many deserving features, none the least of which were composition and sound design by Nate Edmondson… and the collective complex efforts of 31 on the published team. The production is not only brave – it is audacious and successful. It deserves to be seen and supported – it is finally satisfying, for all kinds of reasons."
• Geoffrey Sykes (Sydney Arts Guide)
"An action-packed musical historical tragical thriller spanning three generations? With a cast of 15? In an 80-seat micro-theatre up six flights of stairs? Seriously? When it comes to attempting the impossible, bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company has form, so it is no surprise that they have, once again, achieved what really shouldn’t be possible: a coherent, gripping show far bigger than the physical space it inhabits. … Coram Boy is a Dickensian swoop across 19th-century England that…achieves an emotional punch located on just the right side of authenticity. Nate Edmondson’s superb underscore helps here, resisting the lure of costume drama picturesque with shafts of attitude. As for the ending, it does not disappoint… As the cast breaks into a stirring chorus, it almost feels like Christmas." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Harriet Cunningham (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The presentation of this work just felt so right thanks to a vision that was incredibly clear and flawlessly executed through the work of the cast and creative team. … Original composition by Nate Edmondson was impressive, and created a great sensory experience as an audience member. With various classical style pieces paired together with choir harmonies the sound design has a massive pay-off, and its contribution to the piece is completely necessary. Coram Boy is phenomenal. It's more than just a show, it's a theatrical experience, and it cannot be missed."
• Adam Stepfner (Theatre Travels)
"…the most stunning elements of the work come from the inventive stage direction, the sound design and composition (Nate Edmondson)… The entire cast weave across the stage with an incredibly choreographed frenzy and horse rides are executed with clarity and humour. … Nate Edmondson's music, interwoven with moments of Handel…is wonderfully varied allowing the cheerful moments of the cathedral choir with recorded voices bolstering the live singing, and darker, ominous tones along with aural expressions of things like the perpetual motion of the emerging industrial revolution. Coram Boy is an amazing feat of theatre…"
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"Coram Boy is a must-see... A visual spectacle, and emotional journey, a performance triumph. …a patchwork of music, tableaus, scenes, and time. …a highly ambitious work that embraces storytelling in all its glory. When you have a stage, a cast, a play, and the undivided attention of an audience… it truly is a gift. This production is not wasteful of that gift. … It’s important in such a small space that movement is melded by a hand of precision, which was my main worry about the show, yet the cast and creatives were able to deal with that requirement strongly. … If you’ve been yearning for a show that embraces the possibility of a play...look no further than this…" ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Felicity Anderson (Theatre Now)
"What an achievement this bAKEHOUSE Theatre and KXT production is. …gripping and totally believable. There’s barely a prop in sight but there is an awesome combination of sound, lighting and choreography that turns the tiny KXT stage into the drawing rooms, the cathedrals, the slums and woods of 18th Century England. Oh, and if that isn’t enough, Handel and his Messiah are integral to the story."
• Carrie Kablean (Megaphone Oz)
"bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company has done it again, delivering a stellar production that kept the audience captivated from the get-go. … It is set in a backdrop of extreme wealth and poverty, the rich and powerful, and the soaring sounds of Handel's Messiah. … The production delivers in graphic details stories of infanticide, child abuse and slavery, and is genuinely confronting. … The narrative moved along at a swift pace, and the scene transitions artfully choreographed. … The production achieved an emotional punch with authenticity. Each frequent scene change, cinematic soundscape and lighting was mastered. … The production was heartrending… From acting, lighting, sound, to staging, it was all exceptional level, making this well-crafted, brave, bold, and entertaining play one you do not want to miss out on."
• Gypsy Rose (Weekend Notes)
"Handel himself is also featured, as choirs at the cathedral and the Coram Foundling Hospital rehearse his music. … The direction makes ingenious use of choreography, inventive physicality and simple stage effects to create bustling streets, graves, statues and a garden at the orphanage among many other settings. …the terrific ensemble brings each character to vivid life, helped by the costume design (Suzanne Miller and Sonia McAlpine with Cleary O’Brien-Boots), the dramatic lighting by Benjamin Brockman, and the sound design by Nate Edmondson, which combines original music with music by Handel." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jo Litson (Limelight Magazine)
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H.M.S. Pinafore
[Australia, 2019 & 2020]
"The show opens with a deliriously rackety overture reminiscent of earnest amateur efforts the world over. … It’s a crafty way to draw in the audience because actually, the show is bursting with talent and expertise and basically it’s all joy and effervescence for the rest of the voyage. … It’s a glorious production made memorable by Nate Edmondson’s sound design of creaking timbers and whooshing waves… Just the ticket for a summer or Christmas outing: all aboard for the cruise of the season. Recommended without reservation." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"In a bright, high camp, adeptly performed presentation of the Gilbert & Sullivan classic, Gaul has accentuated the timeless music and text, while emphasising the incongruity of arbitrary class, gender and status-based hurdles in a contemporary context. None of the humour is sacrificed, nor the music subordinated, but rather coloured with funny local references in tightly harmonised numbers that can soar. … Unusually for productions staged at the Hayes, the music and vocals in H.M.S. Pinafore are un-amplified. Piano player and music director, Zara Stanton, leads a small group of players, who meld seamlessly into onstage activities and provide ample backing to the talented vocalists. Moments of harmonisation across the two-hours are consistently highlights. …H.M.S. Pinafore is a sharp and vibrant reinvention of a work from the canon that is both entertaining and consequential in a contemporary world. Recommended." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Tim Garratt (Theatre People)
"Purely radiant in its entirety… The music direction (Zara Stanton) is imaginatively innovative: in particular, the splendid overture that immediately immerses us in this nautical world as the multi-talented ensemble play a string of seafaring ditties, adeptly supported by the exquisite sound design (Nate Edmondson). … The theme of acceptance runs deep throughout as each element attempts (and succeeds beautifully) to subvert every aspect of perceived normalcy so we recognise that we need to open our minds and our hearts in order to embrace our truest selves and find a harmonious state in which every one of us deserves to live."
• Jessie Trompp (A Millennial With An Opinion)
"Nate Edmondson’s sound design delivers some of the biggest and most unexpected laughs of the production."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Unusually for this venue of late, all of the music and singing is un-amplified, which lends the event a pleasing sense of immediacy and intimacy." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Audrey Journal)
"…H.M.S. Pinafore is dazzling and oozing with personality, a smaller cast allowing for a delicious assortment of captivating talents. Cast and music director Zara Stanton alike picking up different instruments throughout the wonderfully un-supplemented soundscape of the show. It truly feels like a party, with so much attention to detail. … Nate Edmondson’s sound and Fausto Brusamolino’s lighting add to the unapologetically camp production, tight and bright. It’s as if the well-known and well-loved tunes and tongue twisters of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic were taken and thrown onto a Mardi Gras float."
• Felicity Anderson (Flick Flick City)
"This production - a killer vision from director Kate Gaul - is an exuberantly gender-bending, stripped-down but highly musical reimagining of this classic tale. … The accompaniment is provided by two creative multi-instrumentalists, with incidental touches (acoustic guitar, harmonica) supplied by various members of the well-voiced cast." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Bill Wyman (City Hub)
"Gaul is faithful to the text, the music is gorgeously sung and the production unerringly shines a light on G&S’s evergreen targets of unearned influence, the class structure and unthinking. … Music director Zara Stanton creates wonders with an upright piano, a few strings, some touches of brass and the occasional tambourine and mouth organ, all played onstage by the cast."
• Deborah Jones (The Australian)
"…in a real treat, the music and singing is un-amplified. …the lighting by Fausto Brusamolino and sound by Nate Edmondson complement the exuberantly camp production." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jo Litson (Limelight Magazine)
"The music is un-amplified and the songs feel, deceptively, casual. We ease our way into them. … Cast members play additional instruments, and there’s a sense of community onstage that feels believable and right for a production playing with queer signifiers. Nate Edmondson’s sound design is supportive and sharp (keep an ear out for a little RuPaul amongst the soothing hint of waves – because why not?)… Why stage H.M.S. Pinafore at the end of 2019? Because it can be a celebration of living outside your expected social role. It can be a queer party. It can be funny and sweet, and clever." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out)
"Supported by Zara Stanton's musical direction from the stage, presented at times with the assistance of various members of the ensemble on instruments that range from violin, cello, trumpet and trombone, the un-amplified cast give beautiful renditions of Gilbert and Sullivan's songs. … An easy bit of summer fun entertainment."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"Oh give three cheers and one cheer more for the cast and crew of this H.M.S. Pinafore. This wonderful, exuberant gender-bending production, directed by Kate Gaul, is not a ‘traditional’ version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic operetta but joyously updated with a twist. … The magnificent cast of 11 performers and a fluid onstage band (including trombone, clarinet, guitar, cello, violins and harmonica) led by pianist and singer Zara Stanton perform with gusto and panache. … At times the show is witty and hilarious, at others extremely moving. … Sound design by Nate Edmondson encompasses the sound of lapping waves. … Overall it’s a joyous, witty romp." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Lynne Lancaster (Arts Hub)
"Fun. Cute. Cheeky. Camp. Nostalgic. Worth a visit."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"It is the Hayes at its creative best – bringing together musicians and opera singers who exude talent as musicians swap between the piano to the clarinet and piano accordion, and the ensemble switches from singing and dancing to playing the cello, violin and guitar. …H.M.S. Pinafore starts the overture and the ensemble singing, playing instruments and setting the standard of the show to come. To set the scene, the action begins with a large sheet featuring a model sailing ship atop the waves featuring the sounds of the ocean that fills the room. Next, a ship is crashing on the waves."
• Nora Charles (Hunter And Bligh)
"As camp as a row of tent pegs, awash with sequins and glitter make-up, this gender-bending, hyper-theatrical, kinky re-imagining of one Gilbert and Sullivan’s best loved operettas, surprises and delights from the clever overture until the final notes of the riotous finale."
• Bill Stephens (City News)
"With wit, style and thrill, this Hayes Theatre production is relentlessly entertaining. ‘Love can level ranks’ - and this revel ranks high."
• John Lombard (The Rock City Jester)
"Oh joy! Oh Rapture. What a glorious romp. What a magical invention. Siren Theatre Company’s psychedelic production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s satirical comic opera, H.M.S Pinafore billows with colour, rollicks with action and buffets its way through the gales of laughter. … Siren Theatre Company’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s highly popular comic opera is proof enough that you can teach an old dog new tricks."
• Peter Wilkins (Canberra Critics Circle)
"Thank you, Kate Gaul, Zara Stanton, Ash Bee, Melanie Liertz, Fausto Brusamolino, Nate Edmondson and all the cast and crew of Hayes Theatre Co. for bringing me back to my senses. We all need a good dose of Gilbert & Sullivan every now and then – and this is a good one indeed."
• Frank McKone (Canberra Critics Circle)
"What is especially notable with this production is the respect for the music. It’s beautifully and clearly sung by the cast, all of whom can handle the operatic demands of the score. The cast also play the musical instruments on stage as part of the action. The musical arrangements for the smaller number of instruments give the show a pleasant and unique sound. The playing of the overture by the cast was a delight, setting the tone for the rest of the show. … This is a show that everyone will enjoy. On the surface it’s just crazy, silly fun expertly done but the quality of the music and singing shows why this show is still being performed over a century later."
• Len Power (Canberra Critics Circle)
"...musically the evening is a treat, capably accompanied by music director Antonio Fernandez on piano, complemented by various cast members. ... The small ensemble delivers intimate and delightful takes on familiar harmonies. …in Kate Gaul’s delicious production, love has the power to level barriers well beyond mere social rank. It’s a marvellous, uplifting interpretation."
• Neil Litchfield (Stage Whispers)
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Haunted
[Australia, 2019]
"Making imaginative use of the heritage-listed Petersham Town Hall, Haunted asks the audience to follow our instincts and indulge our curiosity as we explore the labyrinthine architecture of the building in order to discover and construct this story. As an audience on foot, lingering in the eerie vastness of this historical hall, our senses are heightened as our spines are chilled and our hairs are stood on end by the anticipation created by things that go bump in the night. … The sound design by Nate Edmondson is nothing short of amazing as it works surreptitiously in the background to keep us on the edge. We explore the building, fearful and terrified, as the chilling, frightening noise surrounds us on our journey. Ben Brockman’s lighting design ominously complements the aural aesthetic and works to solidify our jaunts between the natural and the supernatural. … I felt like I was a character in a horror movie as I tip-toed throughout the halls and peered cautiously around every corner, just in case something jumped out and scared me – as inevitably ended up happening! I love going to see a piece of theatre that is different; something that surprises me, is unpredictable and takes a unique (even if risky) approach. I strongly believe that theatre (even art as whole) is supposed to be bold, provocative and disturbs the air in some way. For me, Haunted is a piece that travels down this particular road. It is bold and unpredictable from the creative concept right through to its execution."
• Jessie Trompp (A Millennial With An Opinion)
"…the work is fresh and playful, impressive in its exhaustive and imaginative use of space. There is pleasure not only in investigating the many curious satellite occurrences, but also in the very experience of exploring a forgotten building. Sensational work on sound by Nate Edmondson heightens all our senses, to have us feeling as though immersed within a world of horror cinema."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
Baby Doll
[Australia, 2019]
"It is a first-class production of Baby Doll. Under the direction of Shaun Rennie, the fine cast is supported by a magnificent creative team. … Full marks to lighting designer Verity Hampson, set and costume designer Anna Tregloan and composer and sound designer Nate Edmondson. Baby Doll is a theatrical experience to thoroughly enjoy. The audience is fully immersed and involved for the full 90 minutes. A must see!"
• Paul Kiely (The Blurb)
"Directed by Shaun Rennie, the scintillating production grips us, not only with the exciting paradigm shifts deliberately introduced to the old story, but also with its exhaustive efforts at imbuing every theatrical moment with a rich sensuality, able to have us captivated on levels beyond character and narrative. … Sound and music by Nate Edmondson moves effortlessly from episodes of rhapsodic extravagance, to sequences filled with hushed precarity. We always know what the people on stage are thinking and feeling, even if their words are designed to disguise the truth."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Nate Edmondson's sound design draws on Deep South gospel and foreboding heavy tones to heighten the mystery of this comedy thriller. This primal bold background is contrasted with Aunt Rose's carefree mindless singing of a folk song as she potters around the home apparently deaf to most of the abuse Archie Lee hurls at her. … With Baby Doll, Shaun Rennie has created another well-crafted captivating piece of intimate theatre as the audience, seated in Ensemble’s steep raked theatre, get a 'fly on the wall' experience of the tale of revenge, deceit, betrayal, lust and sexual frustration all presented with Tennessee Williams' trademark Deep South dialogue. Well worth catching."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"Sometimes, just as you think you've failed to light a fire, it suddenly flares up. This production is like that. It flickers and hisses and fizzes for a while, and then the key kindling, desire and arousal, catch alight, and the play begins to burn. … Constrained by space …Rennie has cleverly solved staging conundrums by choreographing some scenes with voice-overs... Nate Edmondson's score, meanwhile, is brilliantly evocative." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The production has a heartbeat pulse and motif recurring, but used in moderation and there are a few still, silent, almost mimetic scenes…" ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Judith Greenaway (Reviews By Judith)
"This production is an uncommonly stylish and stylised one for the Ensemble Theatre, under the confident hand of director Shaun Rennie. Utilising an atypical degree of scenic lighting effects, theatrical haze and immersive soundscapes, this is a richly realised production which largely compensates for some of the lulls in the drama, despite the short runtime. Dramatic tension, sexual tension, the tension born from impending discoveries or even violence are clearly at the heart of this text. Baby Doll is an effective, if imperfect, re-adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ lesser-renowned material, via an intermediate film version. It is an atmospheric one-act play with some excellent actors and stylish direction, concerning some inherently uncomfortable subject matter. This show…is well worth a watch."
• Jack Teiwes (Australian Stage)
"The ever-reliable Verity Hampson (lighting) and Nate Edmondson (composition and sound design) contribute to the sultry mood." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Veronia Hannon (Theatre Now)
"The lighting (Verity Hampson) and Sound (Nate Edmondson) evoke the heat and atmosphere of the Deep South. Baby Doll starts somewhat languidly but builds into a steamy little inferno of seduction, betrayal and revenge. …there is a hint that this Baby Doll isn’t finished yet – and that’s worth seeing. As is this production."
• Carrie Kablean (Megaphone Oz)
"…Williams’ usually brooding subtext is played strongly out front on the small Ensemble stage. … Via film to stage, we now happily have another Williams play, not a masterpiece, but certainly a new fantastical set of his seething and entwined characters. They’re worth meeting."
• Martin Portus (Stage Whispers)
"Director Shaun Rennie has brought vigour and passion to the stage. The contagious energy fills the room. … Verity Hampson has done great lighting and likewise, Nate Edmondson’s music and sound design is powerful and haunting. His voice-overs work well. Baby Doll is a rich and enjoyable play. Definitely worth seeing."
• Bronwyn Fullerton (Sydney Arts Guide)
"My, oh, my, I do declare that this play was hotter’n blue blazes. … Well done to the amazing cast and production team for putting together such a mesmerising piece of theatre." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Matt Lighton (State Of The Art)
"…I saw the Ensemble Theatre production of Baby Doll as an interesting exercise, performed and designed very well…"
• Frank McKone (Canberra Critics Circle)
Fully Committed
[Australia, 2019]
"Champion, with long roots in dance and physical theatre, has choreographed a frenetic pattern of ringing handsets for Treffone to answer." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out)
"In the basement of one of Sydney’s most exclusive restaurants is an office more closely resembling a call centre, lined with at least a score of telephones that never seem to stop ringing. … With a far more elaborate set than previous stagings … the choice here to festoon the performance space with innumerable functioning prop telephones that ring and light up on cue may perhaps not be strictly realistic, but the effect certainly ups the ante."
• Jack Teiwes (Australian Stage)
"…Fully Committed is felicitous comedy, fiery characters, and formidable craft in 90 minutes. … Everything from Anna Tregloan’s set, to Verity Hampson’s lighting, and Nate Edmondson’s sound design have allowed a quick-footed performance the similarly impressive playground it needed to flourish." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Felicity Anderson (Theatre Now)
"…there are stairs leading to a huge bank of phones and a special red one for the temperamental chef, as well as an intercom. Casually dressed, Sam dashes madly between each phone as well as personal calls coming through on her mobile. … Recommended." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Lynne Lancaster (Arts Hub)
"Whilst other productions represent the calls as coming into a single phone, set and costume designer Anna Tregloan reinforces the madness of the incoming calls with benches filled with phones surrounding the staircase up to the restaurant floor above… Red lights illuminate on the affected phones with lights remaining blinking when Sam has put them on hold, helping to highlight the chaos."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"…sound design by Nate Edmondson is superb and beautifully timed to create a tight, frantic conversation that runs the full length of the show. Packed from top to bottom with laughs, Fully Committed is an exceptional piece of theatre that you must see before the season closes. Highly recommended." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Annabelle Drumm (State Of The Art)
"...the Broadway production saw Sam manning a single switchboard running hot. In Champion’s production a large number of phones line the stage area and we see Sam jump from one phone to the next. Champion’s decision to have multiple phones on stage works well and cleverly magnifies the level of chaos. The phones run hot including Sam’s own mobile phone packed away somewhere in her bag."
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
Table
[Australia, 2019]
"When thinking about how to begin this review …does he go left-of-centre by talking about the impressive lighting design and composition before anything else? … Musical director, composer and sound designer Nate Edmondson has compiled a wonderful list of songs, hymns and audio elements that richly complement the on stage action. The inclusion of such elements, which are sung by the cast, played artificially, or otherwise incorporated naturally, are a fun addition to the show that the audience easily takes to. … Ultimately, Table is on the whole a great show." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Manan Luthra (State Of The Art)
"With plenty of singing interspersed with family business, they all have their moments… This production at the Seymour Centre is excellent… they pull off some marvellous moments of pure theatre."
• Frank Hatherley (Stage Whispers)
"The production is exceedingly elegant… Nate Edmondson contributes two hours of music and sound, intricately magnifying every sensory peak and trough, highly effective in helping us find focus for all of Table‘s deliberately abrupt plot shifts. …makes for a staging that sings with authenticity from beginning to end."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Nate Edmondson’s sound design and composition are beautiful in their own right… The audience is…always won back by the acting and design elements working together. … Table is a magical text, and there are real moments of greatness in this production. … Its themes, and their exploration, have edge, and make it a night at the theatre that you’ll need to talk and talk about." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Sean Maroney (The Music)
"‘I hate this table,’ is the first line uttered in Tanya Ronder’s Table. It is repeated again at the end of the play, but by then the beautiful crafting of the writing and the exquisitely precise staging of this production defies anyone to mimic the line. On the contrary, audiences are most likely to enthuse ‘I love this Table!’ … Director Kim Hardwick’s simply elegant production not only boasts very high performance proficiency in the playing but also superbly realised technical expertise. …Nate Edmondson’s music composition and sound design, especially the mixing Swahili song with the Christian chant of Kyrie Eleison, is simultaneously poignant, powerful and playful. Tempestuous and boisterous, a seat at this Table is an invitation to a feast."
• Richard Cotter (Sydney Arts Guide)
"The audio is remarkable for this production. From a hummed 'He Who Would Valiant Be' to the choices of mood underscore, the music holds the production in its gentle hands. The seduction, for example, is light and bold. The recurrence of a wood-block feel in the score is conceptually beyond wonderful and the drum heartbeat combined with ecclesiastical choral out of interval an exciting entr’acte. The singing done by the cast, in English and Swahili, is delightful to listen to also. … This a production which begins in the head before slowly taking pride of place in a hopeful heart." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Judith Greenaway (Reviews By Judith)
"…the play remained polished and solid from the beginning to the very end. Table is an imaginative, deeply felt production filled with old hymns, intense confrontations, quirky humour, and sudden surprises. … It was truly a must-watch. A spectacular theatre production."
• Gypsy Rose (Weekend Notes)
"…Table moves with easy fluency. Passages of high drama and gentle comedy seamlessly dovetail. The live singing and pre-recorded music composed by Nate Edmondson, likewise." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jason Blake (Audrey Journal)
"With a clarity and detail that feels like a true story… A precocious child in pink tutu and headphones sings Cantonese songs… With such sparse visual clues Nate Edmondson's sound design and musical composition helps set the scenes whilst also creating a family theme of sorts. A traditional English folk tune transports the story to Litchfield whilst a percussive military rolls sends Finley Best (Mathew Lee) off to the First World War. Tribal beats signal Sarah's position as a Novice sent to the Tanganyika mission and Cantonese pop songs welcome in Anthony Best (Mathew Lee) and Ben Hillier's child born with the help of a Chinese surrogate. Table is a beautifully woven story with a strong cast capturing the highs and lows of the family."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"With a sparsely set stage, sound takes a prominent role particularly in the use of reverberation and echos. Musical director, composer, and sound designer Nate Edmondson weaves music into moments of collective joy in Sarah’s (Duckworth) mission and Su-Lin’s playing which severely alter the impact of silence and shouting in moments of disagreement or trauma. This sound design is potently affective in reflecting the shared emotions of the characters on stage."
• Night Writes
"There is nothing about this production that isn’t scrupulously planned and meticulously rehearsed. … Ronder has added English hymns and African songs to the play, eerily punctuating some scenes, raising the pace of others. Moments of suspense punctuate the tension that builds steadily… Designers Isabel Hudson (set and costume), Martin Kinnane (lighting), and Nate Edmondson (music and sound) have made the maximum of minimalism, providing a background on which the cast can take five generations of the Best family cunningly through over a hundred years of historical events and social change."
• Carol Wimmer
"Mystical lighting effects from Martin Kinnane and a haunting, wistful composition from Nate Edmondson created the appropriate mood. The simulation of a lion encounter was quite breathtaking. … Table is an experience well worth enjoying."
• Paul Kiely (Absolute Theatre)
"I was riveted throughout by the faultless performances, the clarity in the direction and the economy in its design. … I advise to trust in the writing and the nuances in the acting and the clear presentation by Hardwick and her production creatives. … What can be reviewed here is the exquisite soundscape by Nate Edmondson credited as sound designer, composer and musical director. … As stated rarely do I sit in the front and moreover infrequently do I return to see a play in the same season. I will make an exception this time as this wonderful theatre piece deserves a second viewing as it is so rich in its story-telling. Not to be missed under any circumstances." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Mark Nagle (Theatre Now)
"The tone is very much ethereal, emotionally driven and tragic. … In Table, I felt the input of raw emotions and hard work. This show is memorable for its unique perspective, dazzling performances and generosity with feeling and ardour."
• Brianna McCarthy (The Buzz From Sydney)
"…it is a terrific production… Musically, Nate Edmondson’s sound design, including the Christian chant of Kyrie Eleison blended with Swahili song, is boisterous, vigorous and passionate. … A vibrant, at times very intense and turbulent play that celebrates life and love."
• Lynne Lancaster (Lynne’s Theatre Notes)
"The musical design of the show was also a key point of joy for me. Nate Edmondson curated songs and composed some moving pieces of score that breathed a some mighty colour into the centuries spanning narrative. Score and soundtracks are not common in the Sydney theatre scene today, so Edmondson’s work here brings forth. While at times the variety of instrumentation used was eclectic (shifting from woodwind pieces to orchestras to piano segments and roaring choirs), Table has crafted an audio experience that is among the strongest I’ve seen in recent times."
• James Ong (Theatre Travels)
"There is a robust composition and sound design from Nate Edmondson that places with aural mood and detail the history of the table and its locations."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
Possum Magic
[Australia, 2019]
"The gentleness of Grandma Poss and her journey around Australia with her invisible grandchild, Hush, is ‘magically’ recreated in this imaginative adaptation. …Sandra Eldridge brings together a cast of creative theatre makers to breathe life into the characters, and the illusion that weaves through the story. … Backed by the creative sounds of composer Nate Edmondson… It may sound trite to say ‘Monkey Baa has done it again’, but it’s true. …they have taken characters from the page and made them live graphically for young audiences in eclectically theatrical productions that are creative and carefully polished."
• Carol Wimmer (Stage Whispers)
"The clever artistic team, including production design (Emma Vine), composer and sound designer (Nate Edmondson), and magic and illusion designer (Adam Mada), successfully translated the whimsical world of the story to the stage and captivated the young audience. It’s sure to be another dazzling success for Sandra Eldridge and Eva di Cesare."
• Catherine Skipper (South Sydney Herald)
"The highlight of the production is Nate Edmondson’s sound design that clearly evokes the book: the distinctive sounds of birds and wildlife immediately transported us to that imaginative Australian bush place where all of our favourite characters reside. … This production of Possum Magic elegantly adapted by Eva Di Cesare and Sandra Eldridge certainly contains enough magic to enable the production to have a long, long life."
• Fiona Hallenan-Barker (Theatre Now)
"We're instantly transported to a magical forest with gnarled tree trunks and a giant moon listening to the buzzing sounds of wildlife. … Joined by an extraordinary creative team, Monkey Baa brings to life the characters, journey and love that has made Possum Magic the most-loved and best-selling Australian picture book of all time. I found it fabulous to see a production that gets children engaged at a young age in theatre and develop an appreciation of the production and artists. The production was seamless from the acting, puppetry and illusion of travel and music and entertaining actors Alex Packard and Michael Yore."
• Weekend Notes
"Bake Monkey Baa Theatre Company’s international reputation, sprinkle it with some marvellous acting, mix through music, dance, screen animations, add half a lamington and you have 'people food' for the soul. Junior or senior. …the newer elements thrill too. The glorious audio track which gives the animals a motif. Pluck and percussion for the emu and the strings that keep Hush invisible. … This production is an experience to treasure and take with you to bedtime. Young or old, Possum Magic brings the paper and ink to life in a glorious way that children obviously adore and carers remember with genuine love and affection." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Judith Greenaway (Arts Hub)
"…this attractive production garnishes the story with low-key stage magic, elements of puppetry and projected animation." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Audrey Journal)
"The show captured the story wonderfully, starting with a bang in the scene where Hush is made invisible, turning her brown possum costume into a glistening invisible cloak. Lights, music and the large projection at the centre of the stage were cleverly used to make this moment memorable."
• Teri Mortimer (Artsplorers)
Dead Cat Bounce
[Australia, 2019]
"…the work of the crew is worth commending. … Sound designer Nate Edmondson has an unusually pumping soundtrack for a play like this, making transition points ironically welcome with an absolutely banging library (which, if I could get a copy of, would be much appreciated)."
• Manan Luthra (Scenestr)
"All credit, too, to the design team, set (Genevieve Blanchett), lighting (Alexander Berlage) and sound (Nate Edmondson), for providing a stage that is white, usually bright and walled in."
• Carrie Kablean (Megaphone Oz)
"…the engineered snap from scene changes is meticulously clever. … Audio is equally subtle with effects such as bushscape, operated to be effectively under, and smooth jazz belying the turmoil inside and exemplifying the search for peace." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Judith Greenaway (Arts Hub)
"…this work is presented with artful simplicity in the intimate space of SBW Stables Theatre."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"It is a well-structured play; well-acted and well-directed (Mitchell Butel) and well-designed for Griffin’s challenging space."
• Kate Stratford (Theatre Now)
"The production is fortunately, a fairly polished one, with Alexander Berlage’s lights and Nate Edmondson’s music providing a great deal of elevation…"
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"…some deft touches from the design team…"
• John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald)
"Nate Edmondson’s score is appropriately woven in and out of the production and makes particular impact during scene transitions." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Tim Garratt (Theatre People)
"Mitchell Butel’s production serves the play well… Nate Edmondson’s moody, dark soundscape hovers over the play, ‘commentating’ on the action."
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"There is an effective set by Genevieve Blanchett, an open stage with brightly illuminated edges; a rich and subtle lighting design by Alexander Berlage; and a very good score and sound design by Nate Edmondson that guides us through the story."
• John McCallum (The Australian)
The Moors
[Australia, 2019]
"A final deserving hat tip now to Nate Edmondson, the award-winning composer and sound designer behind this intriguing production, who jangled audience nerves at all the right moments and swelled the self-reflexive melodrama with apropos musical pomp. He also aided Daly in her terrific genre-bending final ballad. For the audience on opening night: a highlight." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Kate Prendergast (Audrey Journal)
"It is a deliciously detailed production which, despite being non-sequitur free, is alarmingly disorienting and it’s ferociously feminist and with some remarkably troubling hits over the head with a Bronte. … It beings with a ‘nunnunnunnah’. And from there on Nate Edmondson’s audio design leaves no clichéd audio cue unreferenced. It takes the horrible from horror with a score which interlaces plunks and a distant pipe strike and swirls of strings and a contrapuntal discordancy in places. It never overwhelms and even has a bell motif that rings distant from a hillock through the fog! Nothing about this production goes too far… or not far enough."
• Judith Greenaway (Sydney Arts Guide)
"Kate Gaul's production and design astutely uses a slow-motion revolve to let us scrutinise moments of intra-scene stasis from different angles. ...with Nate Edmondson's music she has maximised the inherent Gothic melodrama…" ★ ★ ★ ☆
• John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The cast and crew, under the masterful direction of Kate Gaul are very good. … The musical theme by Nate Edmondson was especially apt and haunting. Strong and loud, I was reminded of eerie feelings from old Vincent Price horror movies. The Moors is an entirely enthralling theatrical experience which I can thoroughly recommend."
• Paul Kiely (Absolute Theatre)
"Directed by Kate Gaul, it is a fabulously moody atmosphere that supports the play’s dark humour. … Composer Nate Edmondson surpasses all expectations with the astonishing detail in the sounds that he provides. We are spooked and tickled at the same time, thoroughly entertained by the purposefully arty approach to his portion of the storytelling."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"…highlighted by a climactic, high-energy song and dance that absolutely brings the house down, revelling in its own weirdness and audacity to become the show’s highlight. For anyone remotely intrigued by Brontë-ish period pieces and dark, subversive comedy (or if you caught The Favourite in theatres and loved it), The Moors is a must-see."
• Fred Pryce (Theatre Travels)
"The director has also made fine choices in having Nate Edmondson compose the soundtrack/soundscape: from the opening morning birdsong through lushly-orchestrated Korngold-esque fragments, the music-sound is virtually another character. … That there were going to be tears before bedtime is never in any doubt: how they happen is by turns comical and tragic. If the Brontës had lived longer than their painfully short lives, they might have come up with some of these ideas to amuse each other. Recommended." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Part parody and part black comedy, The Moors is a tightly crafted 80-minute piece that has laugh-out loud moments. … A doom-ridden score opens the proceedings, which take place on a circular stage with plenty of black, grey and silver to put us (briefly) in a sombre mood (courtesy of sound designer Nate Edmondson and lighting designer Fausto Brusamolino) and there are plenty of musical clichés throughout to up the quirky ante. … Without tight direction and great performances, The Moors could easily be lame. This production at the Reginald Theatre is anything but. Under Kate Gaul’s direction everything works a treat and the cast is uniformly excellent… Horror has never been so horribly funny."
• Carrie Kablean (Megaphone Oz)
"Kate Gaul has designed and directed this fascinating, macabre, quirky little show. It’s moody and grotesquely compelling, with a clever revolve utilised fabulously by all. … It’s a slick production… Composer Nate Edmondson puts his signature grandiose style to the sound, with epic orchestral compositions thwarting us throughout."
• Alana Kaye (Theatre Now)
"Gaul has added two rows of bleacher seats on either side of the stage to heighten the intimacy between the audience and the world of the play, while Nate Edmondson’s sound and Fausto Brusamolino’s lighting underpin the action with an unsettling, haunting quality." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jo Litson (Limelight Magazine)
"The Moors is a thrilling production, brought to vibrant and exciting life by Kate Gaul and her energetic, intelligent group of creatives. … One gets a sense of potent collaboration inside the production… There are so many wonderful productions on the independent theatre scene in Sydney, so much vitality, so much to feed the mind, that for a production to stand out it must conform to something extra special. The Moors achieves this in so many ways. Turn your television off, pay your $50 and let it touch your life."
• Lisa Thatcher (Lisa Thatcher)
"Not often do Sydney audiences have the opportunity to see theatre that takes you by surprise with its colourful well poised theatrics, but also offers moments that are quietly moving, somber, unexpectedly feeling. … Director Kate Gaul has created an all surrounding and brilliant theatrical experience of The Moors – and like the play itself, we are caught off guard from the moment we enter the Reginald with a staging that is simple yet totally alive and ever moving. Highly recommended."
• Sylvia Keays (The Buzz From Sydney)
"A curtain, held high above the stage, symbolises the grey desolation of the moors, shimmering and reflecting Fausto Brusamolino’s lighting, the gloomy mood emphasised by the eerie suggestions of Nate Edmondson’s score."
• Carol Wimmer
Love
[Australia, 2018]
"Director Rachel Chant's simple but tight production puts the women's visceral relationship front and centre. … Nate Edmondson's sound design injects moments of portentous yet lyrical beauty. And concluding with an arrangement of REM's hauntingly dark 'The One I Love' strikes a perfect note." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Joyce Morgan (Sydney Morning Herald)
"This production strikes and grasps at the audience, gouging presumption to open the heart. … The suddenness of the emotional energy change between each is exquisitely wrought by the director and the tech of this production is subtle and setting for each new context. … The lighting and audio often tell their own story without speech. Just as often, the dialogue is rapid fire yet when the music makes its way gently through the dialogue it is unobtrusively emotional. Especially as the metallic treble whine of ringing metal gives way to the greater recognisability of strings. And there’s a superb sequence during a speech about love that is as ethereal, undefinable and big as the word itself. … Make no mistake, this production will bite you, hard, then gnaw at your world view. Love is a breath-held journey into other lives and an arse kick to dispassion and rationality." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Judith Greenaway (Arts Hub)
"Love is a striking work, both entertaining and compelling. Worth a look."
• Geraldine Worthington (Molong Online)
"Under the careful eye of director Rachel Chant, the poetic moments of Cornelius’ script soar: her lyrical, colloquial monologues are the hero of the production, bathed in glory by lighting designer Sian James-Holland and composer and sound designer Nate Edmondson. … This isn’t an easy production, but it’s an admirable one." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out Sydney)
"Magnificent direction by Rachel Chant turns this desolate tale into incredibly compelling theatre; even if the personalities feel far removed from our middle class realities, Chant’s exhilarating rigour from beginning to end, insists on our engagement. Design elements are cleverly imagined, by the wonderfully concordant trio of Ella Butler (set), Nate Edmondson (sound) and Sian James-Holland (lights), for a production rich and sophisticated in its impact."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s production lets the play speak for itself… An electronic score/sound design (Nate Edmondson) smoothly marks scene transitions." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Debbie Zhou (Audrey Journal)
"Director Rachel Chant has come up with a forceful production which immerses us in the lives of these three battlers. … Nate Edmondson continues to impress (he gets a lot of work) with another edgy, atmospheric soundscape. … There were no false notes, the scenes felt authentic and were well played. Recommended…"
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"Do not hesitate to take yourself to the Eternity Playhouse to catch this fine production. …Love is depicted in all its complexity. It’s all rounded out by sound designer Nate Edmondson’s composed and found aural fragments. … The result is 75 minutes of astonishing theatre. Recommended without reservation." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Love is confronting, unforgiving and very powerful. … It’s a voice that’s rightfully cherished and it’s wonderful to hear it here, staged with such compassion in a fine production. It’s not a fun night at the theatre but a powerful one that’ll make you think twice about the way we treat each other."
• Peter Gotting (Stage Whispers)
Evie May -
A Tivoli Story
[Australia, 2018]
"…Evie May is a meticulously constructed production. …creative aspects carry subtle intricacy and theatricality. From the 60s swatch of green eyeshadow to the exciting animation early in the show, the design and tech gently travel the character and the narrative. With text responsive lighting, look for the black and white of early television, and a splendidly designed audio mix, the production has the seamless finesse which allows uninhibited absorption in the music… This is an entertaining, crafted, timely and relevant work." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Judith Greenaway (Arts Hub)
"There are a lot of clichés you could toss at Evie May – A Tivoli Story, but this show rises above them to deliver an entertaining and moving show that embraces its inherent melodrama and theatricality, and is all the better for it. … With simple production values and an abundance of talent under the reliable direction of Kate Champion, Evie May – A Tivoli Story is a promising debut of a new Australian musical."
• Jack Teiwes (Australian Stage)
"This show is a must see: float back in time and let the songs wash over you until the present day melts away. The writers note that the musical is about a time when ‘there were greater opportunities for us to come together, connect, and share a communal experience.’ This production offers just such an opportunity."
• Oliver Wakelin (Australian Arts Review)
"Evie May is a strong work, beautifully imagined and executed with admirable integrity."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"This is a remarkable addition to Australian musical theatre and as one audient remarked after the opening night: ‘You should run to see it.’ Recommended without reservation." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"…this show nails it. Some of the music and writing is superb - and it’s given the best start possible with a brilliant production. … It now feels that the Hayes (and some other companies) are producing Australian musicals that can be compared to what you’d see off-Broadway or in other countries. Creative, varied and with loads of talent - that’s worth applauding."
• Peter Gotting (Stage Whispers)
"Evie May is a wonderful new work that deserves a life that lasts beyond its Hayes Theatre Co. premiere. … Adding to what has arguably been the strongest season to date at the Hayes, Evie May speaks to the stunning calibre of talent on our stages and the fascinating home-grown stories they should be playing an integral role in sharing." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Tim Garratt (Theatre People)
"…Stephen Kreamer’s musical direction is lovely. The concealed band can be easily heard throughout. … It’s a lovely little show and a nice Australian addition to the theatre scene right now."
• Alana Kaye (Theatre Now)
"There was a time when the Hayes Theatre Company productions over-amplified the sound for this tiny space. In more recent times this has been corrected and with this production is perfected by sound designer Nate Edmondson. A new Australian musical is to be celebrated and this most welcome production comes highly recommended."
• Ben Apfelbaum (Sydney Arts Guide)
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The Harp In
The South
(Part One & Two)
[Australia, 2018]
"…it is lovingly and evocatively brought to life at the STC in Kate Mulvany’s most impressive, sensitive and intelligent dramatic adaptation. … These battlers choose to focus on finding joy when and where they are able — a New Year’s bonfire, a school trip to the seaside and the iconic Luna Park fairground. These moments and many more are all brought to life by a distinguished design team, David Fleischer, Nick Schlieper, Renee Mulder, Nate Edmondson and music by The Sweats. These design magicians evoke the times seamlessly in a production that is world-class. ... Absolutely not to be missed!"
• Geraldine Worthington (Molong Online)
"At its best it's like wading against the great wash of humanity in peak hour at Central Station: an endless press of faces registering worry, sorrow, panic, anger and, yes, even joy. … And the sheer scale of the enterprise is eye-watering: 700 pages of fiction adapted into 78 scenes for 18 actors across six hours – a huge undertaking for Mulvany, director Kip Williams (Sydney Theatre Company), the principals, ensemble, crew…" ★ ★ ★ ★
• John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald)
"…with spells of eye-popping (and complexly choreographed) theatrical magic. … The first act, a distillation of Missus, is a triumph of design and theatricality, evoking the wide open spaces and the buzz of small-town life. …when newlyweds Hugh and Margaret move to Sydney to chase vague dreams of something better, their arrival in the big smoke is spectacularly staged like the entry to Valhalla. … This production is notably musical, too. It’s injected with instantly hummable Irish ditties, carefully sourced by Mulvany, as part of composer The Sweats’ never imposing score. Nate Edmondson’s sound design is well-judged." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Whittaker (Daily Review)
"Director Kip Williams’ vision is exquisite, for a production extraordinary in what it achieves… The Harp In The South is tremendously soulful, and it speaks to all who have an intimate connection with Surry Hills and its surrounds. Flawlessly designed, the show looks and sounds magnificent. … Music by The Sweats and sound design by Nate Edmondson, combine new with old, real with abstract, seamlessly cajoling us from one dimension to another, making us laugh and cry at will. The songs we choose to sing, are the truest indication of who we are, and the many melodic renditions of The Harp In The South are like spiritual disclosures, engineered to touch us in the heart and in the mind."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"This is all beautifully done, the creative team making every effort to contrast the open spaces of the country with the concrete and mildew of inner Sydney. Beautiful tableaux interspersed with song and moments of heightened theatricality are hilarious and supremely affecting, with action occurring on a revolve and set pieces whisked on and off at lightning speed. … These plays will make your blood sing – they are utterly sublime." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Justine Nguyen (Limelight Magazine)
"Part One begins with a broadly sentimental depiction of country town life, which director Kip Williams and his design team…realise in a series of energetic, fluidly orchestrated sketches. … Nick Schlieper’s lighting design is symphonic in its detail and scope. Music (The Sweats) and sound (Nate Edmondson) likewise. … This is theatre for which terms such as ‘big-hearted’ and ‘sweeping’ were invented." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Audrey Journal)
"…The Harp In The South trilogy directed by Kip Williams is a unequivocal success. This incredible production, presented in two parts over 6 hours of stage time … captures the heart of the Aussie battler and Irish immigrant story in an incredibly beautiful but also incredibly real expression of a society that has since been cleared out of the now trendy Surry Hills. … Given the work is grounded in the Irish immigrant heritage of both Margaret and Hugh's parents, Mulvany keeps a common thread of The Last Rose Of Summer, an Irish ballad sung by the performers running through the story. It carries a mournful undertone whilst also being a reminder of Ireland as it reappears throughout the story. With additional music by The Sweats and Nate Edmondson's sound design, moments of joy, happiness, sorrow and pain are coloured by the soundscape. The songs on the radio help illustrate the changes in eras from the big band jazz to a fabulous female trio presented by Lucia Mastrantone, Helen Thomson and Emma Harvie at the end of Dolour's radio contest win. Music also helps express the multiculturalism of the Hills, from Lick Jimmy's traditional Chinese song of Shanghai and Florrie's Italian love song. … This production is gritty, raw and incredibly honest but also amazingly beautiful in its expression of hope beneath the grime and pain. … The Harp In The South is a captivating theatrical experience. … If you've read any of the books, go see this. If you haven't read any of the books go see this. If you know Sydney well, go see this. If you don't know Sydney well, go see this."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"Especially impressive is the composition of the atmospheric score of this production by The Sweats, the sound design by Nate Edmondson and the Musical Direction by Luke Byrne. … The Harp In The South is an especially good production. The scale of this Australian story on stage with these 18 actors is what a national theatre ought to be about. … I have seen this production twice. I recommend it thoroughly."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Kate Mulvany’s masterful adaptation of Ruth Park’s The Harp In The South trilogy… is an empathetic landmark event in the Australian theatrical canon. …an astonishing achievement that will doubtless leave an indelible mark on the Australian theatre landscape." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Laura Hartnell (Australian Book Review)
"It’s a warm, rollicking feast of theatre… The suffusion of song throughout the text is smart, singalongs being central to working-class Irish culture: Mulvany and musical director Luke Byrne unearthed gems… I saw The Harp In The South just one week into its run, and the sophistication and polish of the work was remarkable. It’s a great piece of theatre, with continuing relevance today… In an ideal world, everyone would be able to see this epic." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Fiona McGregor (The Monthly)
"…there’s warmth and humour galore interwoven into the script along with a number of Irish songs tastefully punctuating the narrative. … The opening words of Siúil A Rún, which is used to great dramatic effect in Part One, spell it out: ‘I wish I were on yonder hill, ’tis there I’d sit an cry my fill’. …make no mistake, this is a very important addition to the Australian theatrical canon and one definitely worth seeing." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Billy Cantrell (Irish Echo)
"Part One is an exquisite play brought to life in a faultless production. … When we return for A Poor Man’s Orange in Part Two, we find Surry Hills in a state of flux. … Houses in Plymouth street are being knocked down and we can hear this destruction… The beautiful songs of the earlier acts, sung by the cast, still filter through, but now this music is recorded and played to the characters and the audience. We are distanced from it, and it’s less comforting. … This production stands proudly and deservedly alongside its forbears."
• Keith Gow (Witness Performance)
"This epic adaptation of Ruth Park’s famous trilogy of novels about love and life in the slums of Surry Hills is a triumph. … The show moves like a musical and, indeed, is rich with Irish songs, hymns and evocative sound (thanks to the composition, design and music direction by The Sweats, Nate Edmondson and Luke Byrne). Music sings of cultural identity and community, and mostly it’s Irish strugglers, overflowing with pathos and defiant cheek, who are at the tender heart of this Australian saga. ...by the end, the audience are on their feet – and rightly so."
• Martin Portus (Stage Whispers)
"Brilliant, memorable, epic, intimate, hilarious, tragic, unsentimental, humane, loving, vicious, tender, sickening, romantic, inspiring, redemptive... In essence it’s the theatre event of the year and will remain in hearts and minds for decades to come. … Complementing the stage are Renée Mulder’s costumes: delivering time, place, social standing and character with thrilling intelligence. The same can be said for the music, by The Sweats, and sound design by Nate Edmondson. From Irish shanties and folk tunes through fragments of period songs and street sounds – including the wrecking ball as old Surry Hills is destroyed – the aural component of the plays is as ravishing as the rest. And all of it is brought together in his most ambitious and best work to date by director Kip Williams. The star system is a reductive pain in the arse. I’m giving The Harp In The South all five; it deserves more." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"The set is stripped bare, becoming cavernous and crushing: a demolition soundscape of ripping and collapsing punctuates sad scenes."
• Eve Vincent (Meanjin Quarterly)
"This is one of the big shows of the year for the Sydney Theatre Company, and… Kip Williams has come up with a very fine production which richly deserved the standing ovation it received on opening night. … The soundscape created by Nate Edmondson with some music composed by The Sweats always worked in with the action well. Some harp music was appropriately woven into the soundscape. … This was an engrossing, richly theatrical production which one was swept along by. Highly recommended…"
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"…an epic stage production at Sydney Theatre Company. A cast of 18 actors is accompanied by an original musical score and more than 200 costumes across a two-part, six-hour play. … Original music with an Irish lilt is the thread that links past and present. …The Harp in the South: Parts One and Two deserves to be revived after this premiere season."
• Steve Dow (The Saturday Paper)
"Sydney Theatre Company’s production…is one of those rare theatrical experiences that remain forever indelibly printed upon the mind as a masterpiece of the Australian stage. …The Harp In The South is a classic production of a classic Australian work. It is a production that will stay with you in heart and mind. What is so remarkable is the production’s ability to capture the very essence of the period… We can feel the ground, breathe the air and live in the very hearts and minds of the characters that people this intensely visceral world. Cast and creatives conjure an epic tapestry of experience that propels us into the minutiae of Park’s evocative world. … You will be amply rewarded by your visit to a production that I predict will sweep the Helpmann Awards. Whatever your decision, hurry to secure your seats. I offer another prediction – this brilliant production will sell out within a very short time, once the reviews and word of mouth hits the streets."
• Peter Wilkins (Canberra Critics Circle)
"And Surry Hills itself changes as the sound of buildings being demolished echoes through the second play."
• Alanna Maclean (Canberra Critics Circle)
"Mulvany has stitched the plays through with traditional Irish song, all minor keys and balladry, passed down from generation to generation. It’s a moving soundtrack to family – and community – history that traverses the open expanse of the first act of Part One, into the terrace-house structures of Plymouth Street in the second, and keeps us grounded even in Part Two... Composition by The Sweats, sound design by Nate Edmondson, and Nick Schlieper’s baldly emotional lighting keep us swept up in the story. To make an epic work of theatre is a near-impossible task; to demand perfection within it seems unfair and almost beside the point. … A standing ovation grew like a wave; the actors came back again and again for more curtain calls… It was almost like no one wanted to leave the theatre. The audience didn’t want to say goodbye." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out Sydney)
"The production – as we have come to expect of STC, from the direction by Kip Williams; the stage, costumes, lighting and sound designs; and of course with such a wonderful 20-member cast playing at least 50 characters over three generations – is highly engaging throughout."
• Frank McKone (Canberra Critics Circle)
"Every so often something is truly worthy. And at almost six hours – it’s a big call – The Harp In The South is worthy of being the epic that playwright Kate Mulvany has brought to the stage. …I challenge you to find a more enjoyable entertainment that gives you access to a heart and soul snapshot of Sydney, back in the day."
• Nora Charles (Hunter And Bligh)
"The STC production is a long way from dun-coloured journalism, with the first play bright with ensemble activity and music — so much so that you almost expect it to become full-blown musical theatre. With clever staging and a large and disciplined cast, the production brings to life the novel’s soap-opera narrative of hard times…"
• Susan Lever (Inside Story)
"Every now and then there are very special pieces of epic theatre that sweep audiences up in their story over several hours… The Harp In The South, performed over two parts, has a similar power – and is surely destined to become a classic of Australian theatre. … Nick Schlieper’s lighting is incredibly evocative and the music (The Sweats) and sound design (Nate Edmondson), which moves from Irish songs to a harsher score in Part Two, works a treat. … All in all, this is superlative theatre. … You can see both parts in one day (a richly rewarding experience) or at separate performances. Either way, don’t miss it." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• The Daily Telegraph
"It takes time to create a theatrical experience as rich as this. And also love. … Renee Mulder’s costumes, Nick Schlieper’s lighting, the Sweats’ composition and Nate Edmondson’s sound design all contribute to a shifting sense of scale, as the action zooms in on lovers and family members and out to the people in the streets around them."
• The Australian
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Torch Song
Trilogy
[Australia, 2018]
"A wonderful, funny, poignant, moving and thought-provoking production of this ground-breaking play, which is still extremely relevant today." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Lynne Lancaster (Arts Hub)
"Finger clicks to Sydney’s newest jazz club, the Eternity Playhouse, which is gently swaying to some very smooth sounds. The American songbook – Gershwin, Porter, Holliday and the like – is in the capable hands of top-rate crooners channelling love and loss in the smoky, dimly lit confines. … It makes Torch Song Trilogy, at least this commendable production, some sort of minor miracle. Go for the songs. Stay for every wonderful moment in between." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Whittaker (Daily Review)
"Colyer uses music, and some appropriately glamorous musical theatre imagery, to drive and reflect upon the action, with Phil Scott musically directing from a grand piano at the back of the stage, confidently tackling everything from Gershwin to a jazzy take on one of Pink’s ballads. … In the hands of a less astute director or cast, Torch Song Trilogy could easily feel like a museum piece. But when the performances are this fine, it’s impossible not to be transported to Arnold’s world and experience the heartbreak, joy and defiant richness of his life." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Time Out Sydney)
"This is a stunning production where writing, direction, design and acting come exquisitely together. … The three plays are funny, witty, warm … yet heart-breakingly realistic. This revival by Stephen Colyer of his 2013 production finds the all of this and more. … The skilful alliance between sound designer and musical director achieved by Nate Edmondson and Phil Scott is testament to their innovation and vast theatrical experience. … Stephen Colyer’s production of this iconic trilogy gives it the elegance, lustre and sophistication that 'the chutzpah of Fierstein’s creative spirit' deserves."
• Carol Wimmer (Stage Whispers)
"This production by Darlinghurst Theatre Company is a reprisal of director Stephen Colyer’s much lauded 2013 production and is every bit as good. … You must see this production."
• Rita Bratovich (Alt Media)
"If you've never seen Torch Song Trilogy you'll not see it more lovingly made than with this production."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Torch Song Trilogy is a beautiful, thought provoking and unfortunately still relevant work… Touching stories presented in three distinct styles all set to beautiful renditions of famous torch songs with additional incidental music that ranges in style all presented live. Do not miss this wonderful production."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"The play is so well written, and produced with such sincerity, that Torch Song Trilogy engrosses you into the world of living an ‘out’ life in the 20th century, and leaves you questioning, has anything really changed? Torch Song Trilogy is an experience like no other with a high quality production value that will leave you feeling Arnold’s pain long after it has ended." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Cassie Cheeseman (On The House)
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Julius Caesar
[Australia, 2018]
"Verity Hampson’s simple lighting, subdued but for the assassination’s strobing effects, is contrasted with Nate Edmondson’s dramatic music. ...overall it intrigues and enhances the play’s dark psychology. … This production of Julius Caesar does a lot with very little…" ★ ★ ★
• Patricia Maunder (Limelight Magazine)
"The virtue of this pared back, ‘poor theatre’ production of Julius Caesar is its simplicity – and therefore its clarity. … The citizens of Rome, swayed this way and that by the forces at play, are represented (after scene one) by most evocative bursts of music and sound from sound designer Nate Edmondson. … What we do get with this production is the play stripped to its essentials so that it can be clearly seen… it will undoubtedly provoke discussion of the characters’ motives and why the play matters now."
• Michael Brindley (Stage Whispers)
"Director James Evans has created a vision of the Roman Republic as some sort of … steampunk world, with … a cinematic soundtrack…"
• Cameron Woodhead (The Age)
"Ribaldry, humour, serious focus... clever theatricality… are all entwined to bring us Shakespeare’s blockbuster chronicle of demise by power in their newest outing, Julius Caesar. … This is true Shakespearean theatre. Alive and relevant to its age, speaking directly to the humours and irritations of his audience… This play has layers and layers of ironic truth and builds to a bloody and compelling crescendo before interval… Nate Edmondson’s composition is the extra player in this version, enveloping scenes as music does on film, amping up the obvious drama whilst giving other plot information, making theatre resemble cinema for the Netflix generation. This version is edgy, industrially distressed, and a metaphor for the state of the world today. … We see non-textual drama tell us about mood, emotion, fate, and bestial betrayal. The whole presentation has a feel of dark portent and inevitable undoing, and of ritualism, deep in theatre’s classical roots."
• Sarah Wallace (The Plus Ones)
"…her ‘Friends, Romans, countrymen…’ oration swells and ebbs with symphonic grandeur. … The production’s strongest suit is Nate Edmondson’s score, which layers in some missing drama and tension."
• John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The bleakness of Anna Tregloan’s scaffold set design and urban grunge costumes were emphasised by Nate Edmondson’s industrial sound design. … There was no chorus role – by necessity in a small production – so the fickle mob reactions to the political intrigues were expressed through the soundscape."
• Rosalind Appleby (Noted)
"Bell Shakespeare’s Associate Director James Evans’s production is a fierce one. …the drama just builds from there with Edmondson’s score thundering away in the background. Nate Edmondson’s very dramatic soundscape is one of the main features of the production. … Recommended."
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"Nate Edmondson’s music and sound design added nicely to the atmosphere of the set and lighting design. The dystopian world created by James Evans’ production is stark and uncompromising. It’s a fine production that works well even if it is discomforting."
• Len Power (Canberra Critics Circle)
"Sara Zwangobani provided the high point with her performance of Mark Antony’s famous funeral oration, which was punctuated with thundering crescendo’s from Nate Edmondson’s cinematic score."
• Bill Stephens (Australian Arts Review)
"An appropriately modern tone is injected by director James Evans, who assembles for the production, a satisfyingly cinematic look and feel. Music by Nate Edmondson is particularly noteworthy. Luscious, bold and flamboyantly epic, sound proves itself this staging’s most reliable element, whenever we begin searching for explanations to the goings on."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Nate Edmondson’s sound design is very dramatic, with composition that is bold and almost imposing at times. A rare opportunity to catch one of Shakespeare’s less often performed works, with this thoughtful, strongly acted incarnation from Bell Shakespeare."
• Kimberley Shaw (Stage Whispers)
"But those rankled by contemporary contrasts to classic prose may screw their faces up at the thunderous musical accompaniment to the show, a score that sizzles and crashes to a crescendo as Sara Zwangobani’s Mark Antony takes to the pulpit do deliver her speech at Caesar’s funeral. The music adds to the drama and power of what is a crucial turning point in the play — but would also not be out of place in a Michael Bay blockbuster. I liked it."
• Cameron Myles (WA Today)
"…Nate Edmondson’s sound design and music…feels like the result of an … alliance between Hans Zimmer and Philip Glass." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• William Yeoman (The West Australian)
"The sound design was interesting, using discordant music at times to heighten the drama… Instead of vocal shouts of the crowd during the long speeches, these unidentifiable noises filled the pauses and created a clever impression of the sometimes inhuman nature of a large and unpredictable horde."
• Satima Flavell (Perth Shakespeare Club)
"In the absence of crowds in the Forum or legions upon the battlefield of Philippi, Evans judiciously edits text, doubles up roles and stylises action sequences. Nate Edmondson’s composition and sound design represent the crowd’s responses."
• Peter Wilkins (The Canberra Times)
"Sara Zwangobani epitomised the power of persuasion in her nuanced and effective delivery of Mark Antony’s rousing ‘Friends Romans and Countrymen’ oration. I doubt I have experienced it presented so powerfully either on stage or on screen. It worked brilliantly with Nate Edmondson’s music score and Anna Tregloan’s masterful set design while supported with some eerie ensemble movement work. This scene alone made the production worth a visit."
• Joe Woodward (City News)
"The most exciting part of the show is Nate Edmondson’s music. It’s mesmeric, dynamic and just downright epic."
• Alana Kaye (Theatre Now)
"Superbly staged…"
• Geraldine Worthington (Molong Online)
The Rolling Stone
[Australia, 2018]
"This is one of the most powerful and disturbing pieces to have appeared on Sydney stages this year. … Cook’s direction is never heavy-handed; it ensures our attention is fixed on the characters and the interactions between them in navigating their courses. Nate Edmondson’s compositions support the performances, drifting in and out of the background and subtly but effectively enhancing integral moments." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Tim Garratt (Theatre People)
"The design elements bring the story together seamlessly. Isabel Hudson (set), Sian James-Holland (lighting) and Nate Edmondson (sound) have fused together all elements to provide a space in which the pain, love and atrocity play out. …there is an objective approach which compels us to consider just how high the stakes are. Cook has a firm hand on the play and a clear vision, moments of humour are beautifully placed to that the story is never maudlin. Transitions keep us on the hook. … Both the writer and production have welded the unwieldy into a memorable night of theatre."
• Kate Stratford (Theatre Now)
"With a gentle hazed space the lighting design, by Sian James-Holland, creates a crisp feel to the heat of the drama on the stage in its many changes of location, supported by an often near subliminal sound composition and design, by Nate Edmondson (and Ryan Devlin). … The Rolling Stone is a powerful play, and in this production from Outhouse Artistic Director, Jeremy Waters, continues that company's spot-on curatorial eye to the important international plays and writers that we in Sydney, would otherwise not encounter. … The Rolling Stone is as much a 'must see' as The Flick was, a few weeks ago. Do not miss."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"…it’s a neatly constructed work and incredibly lean and precise in its storytelling. Adam Cook has directed a production that matches the script’s melodrama at every step… Isabel Hudson’s stripped-back set and Nate Edmondson’s sound design gently support the action..." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Time Out Sydney)
"Adam Cook has, as usual, found the depth and poignant intensity of the characters Urch has created and brought them into stark, moving authenticity in this compelling production…"
• Carol Wimmer (Stage Whispers)
"…the play best manages its nuance and most compelling treatises as it steers towards a very moving, unexpected finale." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Glen Falkenstein (Arts Hub)
"...Adam Cook’s spare but visually attractive production is very gripping. …the emotional terrain of the piece is very well covered and the play’s climaxes capably scaled. … Recommended without hesitation." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Audrey Journal)
"This production is infused with music, Let It Shine hymns to cleanse the palate before the horror of hate speech escapes some lips. ... A lesser director might have thrown a musical underscore at the emotion but here there is simply, elegantly, a cicada hit of the outside world. Just one of the stunning elements of Nate Edmondson’s audio design. Completely eschewing any cultural appropriation, the audio, music and soundscapes both, simply sneak in under events to highlight emotion or response. ‘Do you love me?’ comes with a slight sound effect to render the answer ambiguous. A boat on a lake barely surrounded by noise, an ‘I’m outside’ hit of cicada and masterfully, a sudden cessation, a pulse and a fade in the music score at important moments. Not to mention the evocation of cello and strings into the second act after interval. … It is blindingly good … impassioned and compassionate, intelligent and emotional."
• Judith Greenaway (Sydney Arts Guide)
"...this astounding production just has to be experienced. It is profound, hard-hitting and devastating. Outhouse Theatre has a production to be extremely proud of and one I imagine will feature in theatre award ceremonies to come. … Sound plays a huge part in this production, with gospel church songs of praise overlaying the desperation of Dembe and Sam's situation."
• Emma Caldwell (Weekend Notes)
"There are noteworthy technical elements in the production… Ryan Devlin and Nate Edmondson keep music and sound design understated, but there is no denying the efficacy, and elegance, of what they accomplish."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"This production of The Rolling Stone is one of the most powerful and beautiful performances of the 2018 Sydney season."
• Lisa Thatcher
"…as the production ... moves into the tenser second act, the drama becomes gripping. … The devastating ending is beautifully handled by Cook whose eloquent, understated staging leaves us heart in mouth." ★ ★ ★ ★
• The Daily Telegraph
Blackie Blackie
Brown
[Australia, 2018 & 2019]
"Filmic influences, particularly in relation to the cartoonish violence being portrayed, are cleverly incorporated in this live meets video amalgamation... Also marvellous is the work on sound by Nate Edmondson and Steve Toulmin, who keep adrenaline pumping for the duration of the piece, having us under control with an exquisite blend of sounds that seems to have direct authority over our viscera. Technical aspects… are complex and precise, and there is no denying the scale of ambition necessary for this show to come together…"
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"I’m not usually one to go for an exaggerated, Tarantino-esque entertainment experience – but after seeing award-winning playwright Nakkiah Lui’s latest play, maybe I just needed it served up with some relatable political discourse. …we are given generous servings of Lui’s no-holds-barred commentary on a wide range of issues affecting Indigenous peoples …delivered in a larger than life show that melds live action, cartoonish animation, video projections and clever prop work." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Emily Nicol (The Guardian)
"Enter Blackie Blackie Brown, which even warns us of its intent at the outset, with huge projections shouting that this is not a story about 'reconciliation' or 'forgiveness', each point reinforced by frightening blasts of sound." ★ ★ ★ ★
• John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The combination of cartoon graphic animations and characters pre-recorded on video interacting with live actors could be jarring and chaotic, but it works seamlessly." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Kath Kenny (Daily Review)
"Everything is tightly wound and every reference is on point. He also keeps the tricky technical elements in check – including superb and integral animations by Oh Yeah Wow, and a superhero-worthy soundtrack…" ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Time Out Sydney)
"The show's design ... is equally eye-popping, offering an inspired solution for transporting this story from the stage to the (comic book) page. With its use of dynamic projections with a pop art aesthetic, this is as visually thrilling as any new production of chamber-scale I've seen in recent years, and a truly impressive example of what exciting possibilities exist when stagecraft is trusted with as much narrative responsibility as the actors…" ★ ★ ★ ★
• Maxim Boon (The Music)
"The interweaving of projections and live action is complex and highly choreographed (and this is also mined for meta-humour) and while it was all pretty tight on opening night – there’s punchy rawness and energy to the staging… Text and images projected on the slanted floor of the stage – from sci-fi style mission objectives to television news reports – were an effective part of the eclectic wash of media… ...through this Lui also dissects the tropes of theatre, film and popular culture, wielding them virtuosically in an irreverent, multilayered collage that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Angus McPherson (Limelight Magazine)
"The work crosses a number of genres and therefore the animation draws on traditional comic strip captioning, anime imagery, classic arcade and computer game references, corny B-grade cinematic strategies, science fiction film scene setting and traditional Aboriginal artwork whilst also incorporating a number of television news headline snippets… The mood is heightened further by … cinematic compositions and sound design that utilises attention grabbing chords, seat rumbling bass, arcade game themes and classic cartoon sound effects."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"The play’s fantastic mix of lighting, animation and choreography make this show worth seeing alone. It’s not often that a superhero story can be successfully be told on a stage, but Blackie Blackie Brown does it very well. Animation by production team Oh Yeah Wow is used for the 'big budget' fight sequences we’re familiar with seeing in superhero films, adding an extra layer of both realism and surrealism to the work. Huge compliments to them for bringing the splattering blood and explosions to life in a way that theatre has rarely seen before."
• Davey Thompson (Yirramboi)
"The action is played through videogame-style cut-scenes and epic comic book blood sprays in the fight scenes. … sound design shifts between badass girl rap such as Azealia Banks and Okenyo, and superhero themes, which are perfect for the very female superhero feel of the show."
• Carissa Lee (Witness Performance)
"The superbly vivid content that features sharp lighting effects, spirits and spatters of blood makes for visually gripping theatre. This is aided by Oh Yeah Wow’s ingenious animation and Emily Johnson’s concept design that together beef up the lean cast of two. Director Declan Greene (of Sisters Grimm and current Resident Artist at Malthouse) uses their projections – with animated characters interacting with live performers – in a novel blend of theatre and film."
• Lois Maskiell (Theatre Press)
"There’s no point to reading this review of Nakkiah Lui’ Blackie Blackie Brown. Just go. … The marvel of this Malthouse production is that no one element outshines the rest: each work in powerful, chemical tandem with the rest. … And the result is the kind of thing — to circle back — this reviewer doesn’t just encourage you to see, but implores you to experience." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Viv Mah (Theatre People)
"Following Blackie Blackie Brown along her quest for vengeance, this new Australian work is loud, provocative, bloody, and a lot of fun. … There is so much going on with this production. …add on top of that elaborate and hilarious projections ...and the show very quickly becomes something so much bigger than a play. … Even with the outrageous plot and overwhelming design, this is a production that speaks directly to its audience and contemporary context without sugar-coating or tempering. It’s an outspoken piece of contemporary activist theatre on Sydney’s largest stage and I hope, in years to come, it will not stand alone."
• Night Writes
"This play is a sleek, colourful, fast-paced adventure that brings the house down with its acerbic sense of humour. Utilising incredible projected animations…" ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Andrea Simpson (Arts Hub)
"The icing on the cake is the lighting and sound design and animation. This is a great team collaboration. Strap in, you’re in for a bumpy but brilliant ride."
• Steve Dow (The Monthly)
"Indigenous Australia’s fight for justice and equality is given superhero treatment in Blackie Blackie Brown. We may well be looking at the stage equivalent of the movies Deadpool or Kick-Ass. Exaggerated theatrics are liberally supplemented by evocative graphics, animation, mock television news reports, and mood lighting. … The buzz is real for Blackie Blackie Brown with good reason. It’s a night of theatre you are unlikely to forget in a hurry."
• Alex First (The Blurb Magazine)
"…Declan Greene has created a brilliantly entertaining work with delightful visuals and technical feats. While modern theatre can sometimes be lessened by videos and other whiz bangery, here it works wonders. The animation is key to bringing this comic-book idea so deftly to stage. … But above all this is entertainment. And never before have I seen such great animation (integrated with skilled acting) on stage."
• Peter Gotting (Stage Whispers)
"This is quite an extraordinarily bold and provocative new show that, like most good political satire, is a heady mix of both silly and serious. … Given the presumably prerecorded nature of this large amount of supporting content, its illusion of interaction with the live cast must have been a nightmare for technical rehearsal, yet the result is extremely impressive and virtually without any hitch. Accompanied by compositions and sound design … providing everything from atmospherics and a speaking computer (a vocal cameo by Peter Carroll) … the show is a feast of soundscapes and almost overwhelming graphical diversity."
• Jack Teiwes (Australian Stage)
"Blackie Blackie Brown is fierce and funny …a 90 minute show with 70-minutes of weapons-grade material." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Audrey Journal)
"Much of the play’s charm comes from its tone, where essential topics are clearly articulated via the cinematic nature of the production which also proceeds at a rapid pace. This is a quality production that looks good, moves fast and, as you would expect from the STC, there is immense talent on display. This talent is especially located in the wings, where an impressive production team … all of whom are truly the superheroes of this show. Cinematically staged, this show is certainly worth a look."
• Geraldine Worthington (Molong Online)
"The music and sound design … takes us into the action movie and then sometimes pulls us back again. The effect is very unsettling and enables the creators to raise some difficult questions."
• John McCallum (The Australian)
"Technically, the production is probably the most ambitious the Beckett Theatre has ever seen… loud and colourful and heaps of fun." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Tim Byrne (Time Out Melbourne)
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Good Cook.
Friendly. Clean.
[Australia, 2018]
"The play is directed with a brisk superficiality, promulgating a brusque tempo by Marion Potts … enveloped dramatically with composition and a sound design by Nate Edmondson. … Go, see."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"…Good Cook. Friendly. Clean. is a very well executed and timely commentary on the short-comings of the current housing market."
• Joy Minter (The Buzz From Sydney)
"The design of the show is a tribute to Liertz, Berlage and Edmondson, as well as Potts, who no doubt commands a tight and focused production. All these elements blend well together to deliver a show that is both entertaining and disturbing."
• Felicity Nicol (Theatre Now)
"Sound designer-composer Nate Edmondson punctuates her journey with anachronistically peppy bursts of electronica as Paterniti and Bazzi represent the unacceptable face of the capitalist rental market. … Directed by Marion Potts, in a welcome return to a Sydney stage, Good Cook. Friendly. Clean. is a remarkable production. … I had a lump in my throat, it scared me, and I loved it. Recommended."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Robinson’s terse dialogue is well-served by taut direction (Marion Potts), a snappy production (an in-progress renovation designed by Melanie Liertz; jarring blasts of techno from Nate Edmondson)…" ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jason Blake (Audrey Journal)
"The piece clocks in at approximately 75 minutes, and Potts ensures the pace moves quickly and orchestrates the change of tone from frivolous to sombre at the appropriate moment in the script, making sure there are glimpses of Sandra’s escalating angst prior to that time. Scene changes are well choreographed moments and nicely underscored by Nate Edmondson. Good Cook. Friendly. Clean. is highly engaging while disturbing, principally because it rings so true to life with the precariousness of home." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Tim Garratt (Theatre People)
"Marion Potts directs this strong story with pace and fluency but at the same time augments the pared-back dialogue to reveal a carefully constructed world hampered by grief. This is a most understated drama which explores in a very novel way the omnipresent topic of land and home in 2018, and probably the decades to come. Worth a look."
• Geraldine Worthington (Molong Online)
"This play is a masterclass in how to pace a drama. Outhouse Theatre’s adaptation of Annie Baker’s The Flick is one of the must-see plays of the year. … A superbly crafted piece of theatre that will get under your skin, The Flick is one to catch." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Glen Falkenstein (Arts Hub)
"With outstanding performances and superb sound composition by Nate Edmondson, The Flick connects itself strongly to a world that is both passing and not moving fast enough. Outhouse Theatre Co. can always be relied upon for beautiful, thought provoking theatre, but they have surely outdone themselves with The Flick."
• Lisa Thatcher
"Nate Edmondson captures the soundtrack of the film genres of this flickerhouse, and designs a 'tinny' stereo, that is so inferior in quality that it evokes, captures, a remembered time of the valiant suburban theatres' determination to attempt respectful quality of 'showing' - ahh, the memory of the cinema venue in Kogarah! … I recommend this play and production."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Nate Edmondson’s sound composition and design evokes reels and sprockets and epic soundtracks. Epic in the magic it conjures from the mundane, The Flick shows that the problems of three little people DO amount to a lot more than a hill of beans in this crazy world."
• Richard Cotter (Australian Stage)
"The Flick is as beautifully made as it is performed. … You can almost smell the popcorn. Martin Kinnane’s lighting and Nate Edmondson’s soundscape (which uses the clatter of a projector gate to amplify the intensity of the drama as it unfolds) is exemplary." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Audrey Journal)
"Both theatre and cinema black out simultaneously. Loud music heralds the credits of a movie. Lights come up on the empty cinema, littered with spilt popcorn. … The repetitive scenes are transitioned by brief black outs, flickering light from the projection box and aisle lights, the clicking of the projector itself and theme music as credits role. … ‘Connecting with the fullness of each other’s humanity takes time … it takes investment, patience and detailed care’ – all of which Baldwin and his team have given to this long, very intense but compelling production."
• Carol Wimmer (Stage Whispers)
"Music paying tribute to genres of film, are meticulously crafted by Nate Edmondson, who also creates a variety of unmistakably unique sounds, in the form of whirrs and purrs to be heard emanating through the walls whenever we congregate for a movie. … Led by stage manager Steph Kelly, technical aspects are remarkably well managed for this production of The Flick. … The Flick is completely satisfying…"
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"This is dangerous theatre. You feel it testing your responses, stamina, patience and involvement. … This is work that seeps into your bones and haunts you thereafter, twisting from a mania for cinema to unrequited love; from subtle racism to glacially slow-moving workplace politics of envy, gratitude and resentment. A major work, it is intimate, tender, devastating, funny, infuriating and oh-so finely observed, and, once again, the commendably consistent Outhouse Theatre has done Baker proud. …I've just seen a truly significant piece of theatre." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The production elements are excellent, the acting terrific, there’s lots for the movie buff, so much to appreciate. … The audio rips through genres as we hear snippets from Barrabbasy Ben Hur-ish epic through French New Wave to Irish inspired Titantic-ness. And the many speakers around the set add to the ambiance."
• Judith Greenaway (Sydney Arts Guide)
"The music from a film soundtrack swells as the beam of light from a projector shines directly at us. Then the house lights come up on a small, run-down cinema, the seats of which are like a mirror image of the theatre where we sit, with the cinema screen as the fourth wall at the front of the stage. … Not a lot seems to happen on the surface of Annie Baker’s ineffably tender play The Flick but by the end of it you are so completely caught up in the small human dramas that gradually unfold that you are profoundly moved. … Craig Baldwin directs a pretty flawless production for Outhouse Theatre Co. and the Seymour Centre. … Mesmerising theatre." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jo Litson (The Daily Telegraph)
"The staging of The Flick is a masterpiece. The Seymour stage has been transformed into a cinema, and above the seating is the projection booth, from which we are given the impression of movies being projected between scenes. … This play has two weeks to run and deserves sell-out crowds."
• Jenny Bromberger
The Flick
[Australia, 2018]
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Diplomacy
[Australia, 2018 & 2019]
"Lights by Matt Cox and sound by Nate Edmondson, are elegant, both suitably restrained and minimal in approach."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Nate Edmondson delivers a typically creative and enhancing sound design…"
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"With lighting by Matt Cox, sound by Nate Edmondson and costumes by Genevieve Graham, Bell’s assured production unfolds seamlessly on an evocative set by Michael Scott-Mitchell." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jo Litson (Limelight Magazine)
"Nate Edmondson‘s sound did well to contribute to what rising tension existed in the production."
• Lynden Jones (Theatre Now)
"In this astonishingly powerful production of the play, more or less a two-hander, we witness army general and military governor of Paris, Dietrich von Choltitz (John Bell), in his suite in the Hotel Meurice, Paris, 1944. … This perfectly formed play and its players is the stuff that theatres are built for. The risk, the tension, the danger and doubt and the unravelling of our conscience. … A defining moment in the theatre." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Margaret Helman (Sydney Scoop)
"Lighting by Matt Cox and sound by Nate Edmondson create great atmosphere. It’s not often that such a stimulating and well-crafted play comes along."
• Bronwyn Fullerton (Sydney Arts Guide)
"…this lightly fictionalised portrayal of extraordinary true events from the Second World War makes for a totally engrossing night of theatre… For anyone who considers 'talky' plays tedious, this terrific and intimate production should serve as the perfect antidote. Its brilliant performances and captivating subject matter are sure to thrill all but the shortest of attention spans. Highly recommended."
• Jack Teiwes (Australian Stage)
"Poised at a pivotal few hours in history and with virtually no action, Diplomacy is a story reliant on atmosphere. Nate Edmondson’s ominous rumblings help establish the mood…" ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Kate Prendergast (State Of The Art)
"The plot, the script, the acting and the production is as tight as you’ll ever see. … The all-round success of this production would not be possible without the professionalism of the creatives. Detailed costuming (Genevieve Graham), effective lighting (Matt Cox) and brilliant sound effects (Nate Edmondson) all contributed to setting a tense mood in the theatre. Diplomacy is a remarkable story and a remarkable play."
• Paul Kiely (The Blurb)
"This production is also directed by Bell, with an interesting and thought-provoking monochrome set from Michael Scott-Mitchell and appropriate soundscapes from Nate Edmondson." ★ ★ ★
• Alana Kaye (Theatre Now)
"This is a play, and a production, to take you out of your body into the realm of what-if. … Forced upon one by the explosive shelling or discretely paralleled with the obfuscation of our chosen moments of contemplative absence. The audio, too, evokes and shocks at a perfectly operated level. (Set design: Michael Scott-Mitchell; Lighting: Matt Cox; Composer and Sound Design: Nate Edmondson; Costume Design: Genevieve Graham)." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Judith Greenaway (Reviews By Judith)
"The work, directed by Bell, with set design by Michael Scott-Mitchell, costume design by Genevieve Graham, lighting design by Matt Cox, and sound design by Nate Edmondson, is a wonderfully crafted compact story. … Don't miss the opportunity to experience this fine performance by greats of Australian theatre."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"…back at the Ensemble for a return season of this polished jewel of a production. … Highly recommended."
• Carrie Kablean (Megaphone Oz)
"The turbulence of occupied Paris was confected superbly by sound designer Nate Edmondson, particularly in the blasts of the last scene, where von Choltitz considers the challenges that lie ahead." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Sylvie Woods (Arts Hub)
"There are no bells and whistles, only theatre with clarity. … For anyone interested in Bell, short and incisive theatre, or the possibilities of war and WWII, this is an alluring flame on the Sydney theatre landscape." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Sean Maroney (The Music)
Three Sisters
[Australia, 2017]
"Chekhov’s text is full of references to the Russian classics, like Pushkin, Lemontov and Gogol, which would have been familiar to his audiences but are less so to a contemporary Australian audience. Upton instead draws on a more familiar cultural heritage, sprinkling the dialogue with nods to Shakespeare, with the music of Bob Dylan standing in for folk-song references. … This reimagining of Chekhov’s Three Sisters brings the Russian playwright’s masterpiece into a uniquely Australian idiom, offering plenty of laughs with characters and attitudes that are often strikingly and disturbingly familiar – but in the end it’s a brutal, scouring piece of theatre." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Angus McPherson (Limelight Magazine)
"Kip Williams, the millennial artistic director of Sydney Theatre Company, has directed a Three Sisters for the current zeitgeist. It’s a play that evokes the anxiety of having too many tabs open in your browser, knowing you’ll never read all the content that’s available to you. It’s unfocused and restless; characters talk around and beyond each other, avoiding eye contact and genuine engagement. There is constant noise – from dueling conversations, from boom boxes and a piano – an unplugged version of our constant information overload." ★ ★ ★
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out Sydney)
"As is characteristic of director Kip Williams’ style, the show is presented with remarkable polish and an impressive elegance. … Music by The Sweats and sound by Nate Edmondson help us locate the contemporary relevance in Chekhov’s story, whilst retaining its intrinsic sense of Russian austerity."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Few productions are blessed with both wonderful material and a team as extraordinarily talented as the one working on Sydney Theatre Company’s Three Sisters. …a design team featuring some of our most thoughtful and experienced theatre-makers." ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"The lighting by Nick Schlieper and the composition by The Sweats and Nate Edmondson contribute to a growing feeling of alienation as these characters’ dreams begin to slip away."
• John McCallum (The Australian)
"Nick Schlieper's fragile, atmospheric lighting accentuates the various moods Nate Edmondson’s sound design (planes flying overhead) and music by The Sweats accentuate the contemporary relevance of Chekhov's story (yet keep its Russian astringency). … This play was a fresh take on the dry, dreary trapped life of the three sisters and their friends who are full of existential angst." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Lynne Lancaster (Arts Hub)
"…the standard of acting and stage design at Sydney Theatre Company is impressive to say the least."
• Frank McKone (Canberra Critics Circle)
"The town’s garrison doesn’t march out of town to a jaunty band. They leave to the deafening rumble of jet planes, which is definitely more telling. … The soundscape is also bleak. Constant noises accompany the action, and can be heard even during the interval, a new thing."
• Frank Hatherley (Stage Whispers)
"Let’s just be clear from the outset: this production is simply stupendous. Brilliant acting, superb design and an electric script collaborate to create a truly unique experience from Siren Theatre Company. ... Out in C Primo, Misterman is a little further out than the most central Fringe venues, but I guarantee this show is worth every step of the walk out there. If you have an interest in theatre, whether that’s an all-consuming addiction or a brief phase, go and see Misterman, you won’t regret it." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• The 730 Review
"For a one-man play, Enda Walsh’s Misterman feels almost mythically large in its intensity. … Cramped into a small theatre on Hill Street, this version of Misterman uses containment and introspection to achieve its pressurised atmosphere of faith and frenzy. … In a dirty, derelict space, Magill obsessively relives and replays a day from his past with the use of tape recorders – like Krapp - and stage props; the day is constructed from fragments of speech he has recorded from the townspeople of Inishfree alongside a series of character portraits enacted live. … Much is made of hidden nooks and crannies, and the technical effects hit the right balance between simplicity and volume. Always teetering on the edge of violence, Misterman is a powerful examination of community, kindness and the line between faith and sanity." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Sam Fulton (Broadway Baby)
"A man stands alone in his grimy, makeshift home, conversing endlessly with voices from the reel-to-reel tape recorders that surround him. …this is a gripping, finely crafted show ... that crackles with dark energy." ★ ★ ★ ★
• David Kettle (The List)
"There’s a surrealist vibe to it all – unsurprising given the nature of Enda Walsh’s script. Nate Edmondson’s compositions waft across the stage, initially all playing over each other to mimic the disorganised clutter around. Misterman contains many such devices, clever depictions of the jumbled state of Magill’s mind as he goes about his potentially real, potentially fictional day. … It’s a ticking time bomb of a show that explodes in the dying seconds."
• Daniel Perks (Culture By Night)
"By the time Laura Marling’s Devils Spoke rang out at the end of the performance, some audience members’ tears were in freefall. ‘All of this can be broken, hold your devil by his spoke and spin him to the ground.’ So goes Marling’s verse, rather prophetic of Enda Walsh’s Misterman itself. … In short, utterly captivating." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Chloe St George (The Reviews Hub)
"Misterman is a big performance made for a small theatre. The one man show performed by Thomas Campbell has a strong production team behind it, proven by the finely tuned sound and lighting, and cleverly choreographed performance all round. ... The voices of other villagers are heard through a collection of composed tape recordings in addition to Campbell’s own impersonations. These all make for a great theatrical experience. … This is a very well-delivered and clever production and the moments of violence and drama are truly captivating." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Rachel May (Edinburgh Festivals Magazine)
Misterman
[United Kingdom, 2017]
"A fine performance, delivered from the heart in a way that seems authentically autobiographical. The languid meandering of the often lyrical script flows with the soundscape and music. … High on the wall of the theatre space can be found in gilt letters ‘Behold how good and how pleasant a thing …’ How apt." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Kenneth Scott (Edinburgh Guide)
"…beautifully performed by Jane Phegan directed by Kate Gaul with a soundscape by Nate Edmondson, design by Alice Morgan, lighting design by Louise Mason in a massive rig from C founder Hartley Kemp. I credit everyone because although the spotlight was on the solo actor, it was an ensemble of fine creative artists who made this work the complete heartfelt experience I love. … Last year Simon McBurney took me down the Amazon in The Encounter. Yesterday Jane Phegan took me back there in the role of Noëlle – allowing me time and space to see the ever changing sky above and the wide open water below as she travelled through Brazil in the spirit of adventure her father would have been proud of – had he not been trapped, himself, in the endless roadmap detours of a decaying brain in a hospital bed."
• Chris Grady
"Nate Edmondson’s originally composed soundtrack is an absolute pleasure. Discreet but engaging, it guides the account with well-structured returning motifs and familiar sounds, like a water-flowing effect. Supplying the necessary context, it plays an essential role in setting the mood of each individual scene, and compensates the understated (but beautiful) design and limited use of props. More of a tribute than an actual adventure journal, Good With Maps doesn’t have many surprises in store for the audience but its evocative production values and approachable storyline are highly enjoyable. Nate Edmondson’s original music score is a journey in its own right." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Marianna Meloni (Everything Theatre)
Good With Maps
[United Kingdom, 2017]
"Ensuring that the work’s confrontational qualities are retained is director Kip Williams who pairs a flamboyant theatricality with a keen eye for detail, delivering a show that is as entertaining as it is challenging, and quite surprisingly, profoundly moving."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Director Kip Williams cleverly coordinates the drama and orchestrates and accentuates the plays theatricality. It is by no means a perfect play, but the STC production values are certainly five-star — lighting, set, costume and music (Alexander Berlage, Elizabeth Gadsby, Nate Edmondson) — and are all worth the price of admission alone. … Thumbs up!"
• Geraldine Worthington (Molong Online)
"It jangles its way through a variety of theatrical manoeuvres. It is playful and potent, titillating and thoughtful. … In this production, directed by Kip Williams, the theatrical effects balance the visual and the textual. ... The messy happiness of Cloud Nine lingers."
• Gareth Jones
"The creative team of designer Elizabeth Gadsby, lighting designer Alexander Berlage, composer Chris Williams and sound designer Nate Edmondson has produced a place that is fresh, acute and timeless – as is the play. … Cloud Nine: absolutely recommended for loads of laughs and clever stuff."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Kip Williams’ take on Cloud Nine functions like a series of vignettes; blackouts and an atmospheric score mark the transition between individual scenes. He is unafraid to stretch the playfulness of the text which revels in its comedy. But his production also manages to engage with the text’s ideas about social roles and identity. It’s a captivating mix. Williams finds nuance within Churchill’s rollicking fun... In its interrogation of social labels, Churchill’s Cloud Nine unveils the extensive possibilities of theatre as entertainment to shatter social norms and provoke change. The actors close the show with another musical number — ‘Cloud Nine’ — that reflects on their new place in this more modern world. This time, the song is hopeful."
• Debbie Zhou (Seventh Row)
"All fears of getting lost or confused (and having to bluff through a review), were soon swept aside by the wonderful marriage of a splendid production and an always engaging narrative in a stunningly beautifully written play. … The play opens with an amusing Gilbert and Sullivan like song, but soon the traditional Victorian roles they are meant to follow begun to unravel. … The threads sweep towards a very moving conclusion."
• David Spicer (Stage Whispers)
"Let’s begin at the top. This is the BEST production I have seen at the Sydney Theatre Company (STC) for many a long year. Get your self a ticket ASAP. This production of Cloud Nine – a play by Caryl Churchill written in 1979 – is an absolute 'knock out'. … An intricate element of the production’s success is the music composition of Chris Williams and the sound design of Nate Edmondson, whilst the lighting design by Alexander Berlage is subtly supportive and beautiful. Cloud Nine is a must to see. …as relevant as ever. Besides, artistically, you will not have seen better at the STC for some time – the quality of the acting and delicacy of directing is astonishing and all inspired and supported by great writing from one of the living greats of our time: Caryl Churchill. Do go."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"The title of Caryl Churchill's play Cloud Nine is a figure of speech rather than a true meteorological term, but that doesn’t stop it being a thundering theatrical storm with flash lightning performances in Kip Williams' production for STC. … The play begins with a rousing Britannia Rules type song belted out by the ensemble, marking out its cultural chauvinism, then proceeds to examine cultural concepts, constructs and constraints by subversion, inversion and pretty perversion. … Cloud Nine is a shape shifting, thought shaping, shibboleth shaking show that's shocking, sharp and shameless. This well crafted cast and crew ensure it's a cloud with a silver lining, that turns the dark inside out into a theatrical seventh heaven."
• Richard Cotter (Australian Stage)
"As the actors romp onto stage in Victorian era costumes, singing a boisterous Gilbert and Sullivan-style paean to England, the tone for the first act is immediately and hilariously established in Kip Williams’ brilliantly staged production of Caryl Churchill’s 1979 play Cloud Nine. … Williams’ passion for the play is evident and his production constantly hits the mark whether we’re laughing at the ribald comedy, gasping at some of the sentiments of the characters, or feeling their anguish. He and composer Chris Williams have interspersed the play with songs most effectively too. All in all, a wonderfully intelligent, stunningly staged production of an intriguing play." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jo Litson (Limelight Magazine)
"Kip Williams’s superb production, on a highly effective set by Elizabeth Gadsby, is a triumph, especially for one of the best casts assembled in Sydney for a long time."
• John McCallum (The Australian)
"In a bleak midwinter comes forth STC’s Cloud Nine – surprising, hilarious, shocking and magnificent. … The staging bespokes a Kip Williams production in its minimal design, allowing focus to solely rest upon its carefully selected cast. A layer of dirt covers the ground, upon it a glass box to which the actors retire occasionally to be “indoors” or in-scene but unable to be heard or seen by the other characters. Their voices projected outwards of the box. … Similarly moving throughout both acts were the songs sung by the characters, including a chilling chorus of ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’. … There is an all-encompassing blackout that happens between scenes, moments where you are left feeling entirely unaware of what will be happening when the lights return, and it is exactly this feeling of questioning that reflects the experience that is watching STC’s Cloud Nine. It is a puzzle, a thoroughly enjoyable one."
• Kat Czornij (The AU Review)
"Director Kip Williams’ production of Caryl Churchill’s 1979 masterpiece Cloud Nine starts with a Gilbert and Sullivan-esque musical number, establishing Churchill’s characters and their first-act world. Not only is it a useful guide for the various relationships and the hierarchy at play during that act — particularly useful when characters are played by actors who are often not the same gender, age, nor race as their characters — it sets the perfect tone and places all the characters clearly into their positions. … Williams throws the focus onto the text and characters, but that’s not to say his production doesn’t have its share of bold theatricality, thanks to composer Chris Williams’s songs, Alexander Berlage’s lighting and Elizabeth Gadsby’s design. … This is a wonderful production of a wonderful play, full of compassion for its characters as they start to change their own worlds — from the inside out." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"This is an impressive and carefully governed production directed by the Sydney Theatre Company's Kip Williams. …Cloud Nine remains a strongly affecting work." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"This production is wonderfully crafted to balance the comedy with the seriousness of the underlying study of gender, power, sexuality and prejudice. … Chris Williams has composed some wonderful songs that help ground the work as they are woven into the work throughout the two acts. The standout vocals come from Backer as Joshua and Gerry but the whole ensemble handle the works well, capturing the comedy of the Gilbert and Sullivan-esque opening number and the poignancy of others. Cloud Nine is a beautifully created production that is a must see in terms of the blend of comedy, truth, shock, and continued relevance."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"All production elements were fantastic…"
• Alana Gatley (Love Always, Alana)
Cloud Nine
[Australia, 2017]
"The play uses animations and video projections onto the wall of the stage very effectively, to set the scenes and move the story along. There is also one part of the story which requires audience participation - my tip is to warm up those jazz hands. … Thai-riffic! is a fun introduction to live theatre for younger audiences."
• Weekend Notes
"Whilst Nate Edmondson's sound design is a touch too heavy at the start, it settles to a comfortable level to colour the work without overpowering. … Parents with a range of children can still bring younger or older children to the show and have them engaged and entertained whilst parents are also catered for as the work is presented with a maturity and respect for their audience, not talking down to the children. Thai-Riffic! is a brilliant school holiday offering that should not be missed."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
Thai-riffic!
[Australia, 2017]
"Also noteworthy is Nate Edmondson’s work on music, transportative and transformative in its effect, from scene to scene."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Coloured cloths hang from the roof and corrugated iron shanty shacks with dodgy wiring border the playing space. It's so authentic and truly creates a world so vivid it was easy to forget I was in King's Cross and not Mumbai. This, coupled with the unnerving and eerie sound design and composition from Nate Edmondson creates a magical atmosphere of uncertainty and unfamiliarity that subtly brings the show to its climax. … The small playing space at the bAKEHOUSE Theatre provides a challenge for a cast of this size, but Millar's production navigates the stage with ease using dreamlike choreography and layered staging to contrast gritty realism and trancelike fantasy."
• Emma Caldwell (Weekend Notes)
"Director Suzanne Millar's bAKEHOUSE Theatre production is vividly realised with elements of dance, unison movement and puppetry to the fore. … Staged in traverse, as is always the case in this venue, the production (designed by Millar and John Harrison) is spare but effective. Nate Edmondson's dense soundtrack of music, bird cries and sound effects contribute to the impression that Jatinga could be a story powerfully told in film someday." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"Jatinga is a highly provocative, intelligent and engrossing theatrical experience, which challenges romantic ideas of India. … The extent of the research conducted and involvement of creatives working on the ground in the region is evident, and it’s a credit to Millar and her team that they’ve worked to ensure the involvement of two Mumbai actors. There’s a tangible sense of authenticity about this production, and that very obviously owes to that care and thought in creating the work. … In speaking to Theatre People recently to discuss the piece, Millar spoke of her aim to put “a little piece of India on stage”, and this production achieves precisely that. Thanks to the performances, simple but beautifully incorporated movement content, Nate Edmondson’s lush and sometimes cinematic soundscape, and Benjamin Brockman’s sensitive lighting of the intimate theatre’s traverse stage, Jatinga creates a sense of being a genuine bystander to the unfolding events. It is original, it is important, and thoroughly gripping." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Tim Garratt (Theatre People)
"...the story unfolds in a surrealistic juxtaposition of hard nosed contemporary reality and haunting folk myths in song, dance and puppetry (Puppetry Design and Construction by Aleisha Jelbart). The complicated and beautiful Lighting Design, by Benjamin Brockman creates a broad, and when needed, a detailed feature-guide, to help focus the audience's attentions for narrative impact, in co-hort, with a truly wonderfully culturally redolent soundscape of music and atmospheric support by Nate Edmondson. ...The visual and aural creativity to assist us to suspend our disbelief is first class. …this production of Jatinga is an ambitious contribution to the Sydney theatre scene and is outstanding in its achievement, and leaves one questioning the product, ambition and courage of more financially advantaged companies such as the Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir and the Griffin. Australia Council and the relevant Government bodies ought to be taking notice. … The passion combined with artistic nous and invention as exampled here makes theatre of a most valuable kind. Modern and mythical India, alive in Kings Cross. Amazing. Do go."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Millar directs this production, and while it takes a few moments to warm up – the opening scene feels particularly stilted, though it has a rich payoff later – it soon falls into an irresistible blend of music (Nate Edmondson’s soundscape is particularly evocative), movement, puppetry, and arresting performances. … For one of our smallest companies to reach out so far beyond themselves to make a difference in the world is remarkable. The play is compelling and so is its reach, so don’t miss it – and next time a ‘cause’ on stage moves you, find out how you can help." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out Sydney)
"The intimate setting made the play alternatively dramatic and jarring. The production lets you dive into the colourful culture of India, its enjoyment of song and dance. It’s not a ‘rags to riches’ story but a tale of struggle and strife. … Jatinga has an incredible mode of storytelling that propelled the magnificent and intense plot. ... It felt like a roller coaster experiencing the play’s world and left us at the edge of our seats, itching to know what happens next. Jatinga will leave you stunned and emotional with its energetic cast, colourful sets, costumes, and confronting themes."
• Kevin Rodrigueza (The Plus Ones)
"The ramshackle backstreets and alleys of Mumbai are brought to brilliant life in this evocative play about the journey of five young women seeking escape from a grim looking future. Such a story could have easily been a very long and depressing night of theatre, but it turned out just the opposite, full of laughter and imbued with a beautiful yet subdued mysticism. … Sound and lighting by dream team duo Nate Edmondson and Benjamin Brockman was idyllic as we were transported to Kamathipura, a village that enjoys the dubious distinction of being the oldest and second largest red-light district in Mumbai."
• Joy Minter (The Buzz From Sydney)
"It is wonderful that Naresh is putting women's stories on stage and showing the world a story from a region whose stories are not often told in western theatres. Drawing on the audience's imagination, flocks of birds are implied by a sweeping dance and Champa's hockey games are well choreographed to capture the energy and excitement."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
Jatinga
[Australia, 2017]
"One of the best independent productions of the year. …cast mates and director Rachel Chant's impressive production support her at every turn. … Detailed lighting (Hartley TA Kemp) and sound design (Nate Edmondson) add to the impression that this production could sit proudly on any mainstage in Sydney." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The stacked audience face a perfect little setting in which everything works – the doors, the upstairs bedroom, the rumbling pipes, the computer, the sink, the bike. The Sydney Theatre Company couldn’t wish for a more polished and convincing set. … Brilliant lighting by Hartley Kemp makes every bit of the set work and the compositions of Nate Edmondson fill every second of time between the scenes. Full marks to director Rachel Chant, whose desire for perfection is hereby duly noted."
• Frank Hatherley (Stage Whispers)
"Nate Edmondson's sound design gives the impression of a light sitcom, which the work does feel like on the surface, and includes a wonderful composition for Becky's bike ride to freedom."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"Rachel Chant has directed a fine and smart production — which mostly manages to strike the right balance between light and dark… The production, designed by Anna Gardiner and Martelle Hunt is a smart use of the tiny Old Fitz space — taking place across two floors and three distinct locations — while Nate Edmondson’s compositions and sound design set the appropriate tone." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"Although political and intellectual, the production is equally stimulating on other fronts. ... Sequences oscillate between comedy and drama effortlessly, with moments of breathtaking sexual tension giving an excellent sense of texture and dimension to what we see, hear and feel."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"The convergence of talent in Red Line Productions current staging of The Village Bike makes it a rare and thrilling theatre experience. … Definitely worth the ride!"
• Rita Bratovich (Alt Media)
"Their newly renovated gorgeous country cottage is a problem too: the plumbing is tricky and incomplete – the pipes form a piquant part of the sumptuously detailed and cleverly lit two-storey set (Anna Gardiner and Martelle Hunt with lighting by Hartley TA Kemp) – and the intermittent racket from them forms a witty counterpoint to Nate Edmondson’s equally sumptuous, tongue-in-cheek sound design. …this production is superb and together with the performances as detailed above, it’s lifted to a place of really recommended."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"This show was a knockout… A strong, sparring drama with good performances and was well suited to the intimacy of the Old Fitz. … Nate Edmondson’s edgy soundscape and a sharp lighting design by Hartley T A Kemp enhance the action on stage. … Highly recommended."
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"Anna Gardiner and Martelle Hunt’s set is a charming multi-layered home, giving refreshing height to the Old Fitz playing space; Hartley TA Kemp’s lighting gives it depth, and Nate Edmondson’s music suggests an English comedy of manners, from which form The Village Bike is at least partially drawn. It’s a pleasant and welcoming kind of atmosphere, which stops the play from ever being completely bleak." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out Sydney)
"The dark comedy starts off like a sitcom, with lots of laughs, but in the second act it veers into more provocative territory as it explores the Madonna/Whore complex, with Becky caught somewhere in the middle. ... Rachel Chant directs a well-honed production on an impressive two-storey set by Anna Gardiner and Martelle Hunt." ★ ★ ★ ★
• The Daily Telegraph
"…the lighting by Hartley T A Kemp is focused on the illumination of the locations and is accompanied with a sound design and composition by Nate Edmondson - Mr Edmondson seems to be on a cresting wave of creativity, what with Jatinga and other work heard in our theatre's so far this year. The Village Bike introduces us to a writer, Penelope Skinner, worth knowing and brought to life by a company of tremendous artistry. Within the modesty of the Old Fitz possibilities, The Village Bike production is a very interesting (important) time in the theatre. … Should see."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
The Village Bike
[Australia, 2017]
"Gaul’s production of this iconic play does not shy away from the script’s surreal elements and larger than life characters – the show is somewhat dream-like but also recognisably Australian through a humour and audacity that Patrick White so deeply revered and revealed with every stroke of his pen."
• Arts Review
"...Gaul and designer Jasmine Christie confine the action to one level, a shiny-floored abstract space whose only permanent feature is a steel bench, simultaneously suggesting commercial kitchen and autopsy table. The rest of the 'great, damp, crumbling house' is conjured in the mind by composer Nate Edmondson, whose surround sound underscore makes it seem like a malevolent living presence." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The surreal world of White’s play is unlike any other in the Australian canon… Kate Gaul, one of Sydney’s most insightful, confident and versatile directors, is entirely up to the challenges presented by the play, and has created a production that sings with all the music and poeticism of White’s text. … Nate Edmondson’s sound design suggests the setting brilliantly, with all the subtle creaks and drip-drops of the old, ramshackle house, while his music creeps in at exactly the right moments. … This is an entertaining, imaginative, first-rate and crystal clear production of one of the most idiosyncratic plays ever written by an Australian playwright. It’s no fusty museum piece, but should be seen by everyone with an interest in the handful of plays that make up the Australian theatrical canon." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"The Ham Funeral is dense and wildly obtuse and director Kate Gaul has steered a lucid path through it and achieves a bright, light production of what is also a darkly humorous gothic drama. … That world is vividly portrayed in this production, not least through a remarkable soundscape by Nate Edmondson that is integral to the action. You could swear the smells of coal, rancid dripping and cheap perfume hang in the air of the Stables theatre along with the sweaty ghosts of characters past. It’s captivating and wonderfully weird… This is a glorious production – Recommended."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Patrick White’s surrealist work is not one to rely on for narrative pleasure, but as a platform for theatrical delight, it swells with possibilities. Director Kate Gaul identifies the extremities in the play, whether they be comedic, dramatic, grotesque or celestial, and turns them into sequences of sheer and intense pleasure. ...our senses, beyond those that comprise the rational mind, are fired up and called upon to engage, in a visceral way that can only happen within a live setting. It is a waking dream in which we find ourselves immersed. Nothing looks real, but we know that everything points to something authentic. We are gripped by its mystery, and the hypnotic ambience so expertly manufactured by its team of daring creatives. Hartley T A Kemp lights the space so that everything seems to float in an abyss of subconsciousness, and Nate Edmondson’s sensational sounds of ringing and rumbling take over our nervous system, directly manipulating our moods and responses."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"This is a breathtaking production of a landmark play, riveting and humorous. … This is a fabulous production of this at times grotesque, mythological, symbolic, challenging and grippingly dynamic play."
• Lynne Lancaster (Arts Hub)
"It had been said that the play was ‘a triumph of the imagination over mediocrity’. This can certainly be said of director Kate Gaul’s latest production for Griffin Independent at The Stables Theatre presented by Gaul’s Siren Theatre Company. … Design by Jasmine Christie, Lighting by Hartley T A Kemp and Sound by Nate Edmondson all contribute to make this a memorable production. The Ham Funeral is thoughtful, funny and really enjoyable. It’s worth a trip to the Stables in Kings Cross to see it."
• Bronwyn Fullerton (Sydney Arts Guide)
"Designer Jasmine Christie has created a dank and bare space that stretches into an eternity of blackness; Nate Edmondson’s sound design imbues that minimalistic set with ominous, murky atmosphere (the drip of a tap, an indeterminate rumble, and, with Hartley T.A Kemp’s lighting design, a sense of foreboding)." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out Sydney)
"Accompanying the visual promptings is a complex and haunting soundscape by Nate Edmondson that builds up an imaginative invention of a crumbling, damp, mysterious and 'creepy' living space. The visuals and sound are the triumph of this production."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Along with Hartley T A Kemp’s lighting and Nate Edmondson’s soundscape, the stage suggests both two-storied boarding house and the atmospheric landscape of The Young Man’s psyche. … I went in a bit dubious, wondering if Patrick White wasn’t a bit much on the Friday night of a long, arduous week at work, when I would rather have been sharing a round or two of drinks. But I came out tipsy on thoughts of the meaning of life and high on the energy of some great performances."
• Toni Carroll (Molong Online)
"Directed by Kate Gaul, The Ham Funeral is set in a dim and decaying house where Mr and Mrs Lusty bicker about the state of their existence. … The lighting and sound superbly captured its bleakness…"
• Penny Spirou (Australian Stage)
"Directed by Kate Gaul, this production is a brave choice for the intimate Stables Theatre. … Technically, this production is very schmick. Nate Edmondson’s underscoring soundscape is remarkable and truly transportive. It’s subtle and refined, but always lurking in the background. This, and Hartley T A Kemp’s ethereal, dreamlike lights, adds a wonderful level of depth to this production."
• Alana Kaye (Theatre Now)
"Absurdist, vaguely existential theatre like The Ham Funeral comes with a myriad of difficulties for both cast and creative teams. Luckily, the brilliant combination of director Kate Gaul, sound designer Nate Edmondson and lighting designer Hartley T A Kemp are more than up to the challenge. The compositions and background noise gives the dingy setting a character of its own, lending a malevolent, anxious atmosphere to the play."
• Matthew MacDonald (The Buzz From Sydney)
"This Siren Theatre Co production, directed by Kate Gaul for Griffin Independent, captures the play’s exuberant theatricality, with some wonderfully bizarre, darkly comic moments. Within the confines of the tiny space, the design team – Jasmine Christie (set and costumes), Hartley T.A. Kemp (lighting) and Nate Edmondson (sound) do an inspired job of evoking the fetid, crumbling house." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• The Daily Telegraph
"Composer and sound designer Nate Edmondson brings the decaying, vermin infested house to life with a persistent 'breathing' and the distant sound of a busy city."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"The Griffin Theatre doesn’t lend itself to this multi-leveled symbolism, but Kate Gaul uses breadth instead of depth to create the journey to realisation our poet makes within himself. Nate Edmondson infuses the room with the creaking and moaning sounds of the circumventuous rotting house, forcing the invisible story’s to the stage such that we never doubt they are there. In this way, under Kate Gaul’s direction, The Ham Funeral becomes not just a literary thought, but the form of that thought. … From the pure perspective of production, the play is an essential part of the theatre goers' 2017 calendar. True to White’s vaudevillian love, The Ham Funeral is entrenched in a crumbling carnival aesthetic, consistent to the Dobell art work that spawned the original spark of the play."
• Lisa Thatcher
"Composer & Sound Designer Nate Edmondson also throws everything into preparing a perfect canvas on which to paint numerous of the most colourful, esoteric characters e’er written for the stage… At times difficult to decipher (and frustratingly so), at others imbued with profoundly empathic, if incorrigibly (and ironically, if names are anything go by) black, insights into ‘the human condition’, Gaul, cast and creatives consistently ensure production values always meet the unapproachable genius that was and is White. The result is, at once, symphonically Stygian, luxuriantly lurid; a veritable circus of Shakespearean proportions, viewed through a prism that could only be Australian. ... As I publish, only a week to run. Don't waste a moment."
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Syke On Stage)
"Nate Edmondson’s enveloping sound design conjures that creaking and grinding like a haunting, with distant melodies floating by and the sudden presence of a ticking clock. Alma, too, listens, hearing the damp and the furniture. … This modest, intensely intimate production is another that reveals the enduring power of The Ham Funeral."
• Keith Gallisch (Realtime)
The Ham Funeral
[Australia, 2017]
"The show looks great - the design is simple and effective, with a brilliant soundtrack by Nate Edmondson and beautiful costumes by Stephanie Howe."
• Peter Gotting (Stage Whispers)
"Rajiv Joseph's acclaimed play Bengal Tiger At The Baghdad Zoo is presented by Mad March Hare Theatre with compact creativity at the Old Fitz Theatre as part of Red Line Theatre's season of Unspoken stories. Under Claudia Barrie's direction, the spirit filled story of the questions which haunt those that have ever pondered their purpose plays out with recognisable elements from the truth that underpins Joseph's imaginative story. … Humorous and shocking in the exposure of human behaviour towards each other and the innocent, this is work worth seeing…"
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"Bengal Tiger At The Baghdad Zoo truly earns its stripes as one of the should see shows of the Old Fitz season."
• Richard Cotter (Australian Stage)
"Barrie’s production is finely emotionally wrought, and she makes plenty of confident and bold directorial choices… that never takes you out of the world of the play, which is conjured up in magical ways by Isabel Hudson’s simple cyclone wire set, Benjamin Brockman’s colourful, otherworldly lighting and Nate Edmondson’s atmospheric and surprisingly understated sound design." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"Bengal Tiger At The Baghdad Zoo, by Rajiv Joseph, presented by a young independent company, Mad March Hare Theatre, directed by Claudia Barrie, was an unexpected pleasure. One of the highest order. … I have not had a better time in the theatre since Angels In America... On top of that, Mad March Theatre has found a group of collaborators that confidently and without a single unsteady will, deliver clarity and vivacity to all that they do in service to the vision of Mr Joseph's play. … Nate Edmondson, Composer and Sound Designer, has contributed a rousing and propelling, authentic sounding soundscape to keep the play moving and focused - the best of his prolific contributions to the Sydney theatre world for some time. … Go. Do not miss this production if you cherish theatrical excellence."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"This is an intelligently written, witty and well-performed play that will leave the audience with many unanswered questions. Sydney audiences are lucky to have a production of this caliber currently showing at the Old Fitz."
• Vanessa Powell (Alt Media)
"Director Claudia Barrie’s intimately scaled, emotionally gripping production draws its audience into it, slowly at first, but very completely. ... Creative sound and light (Nate Edmondson and Benjamin Brockman, respectively) help move the audience back and forth between life, afterlife and the spaces in between. … Don’t miss it." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Time Out Sydney)
"Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo is beautifully rich and multi-leveled. … Director Claudia Barrie’s production is powerful theatre, visually and linguistically exciting."
• Paul Gilchrist (Theatre Red)
"What must have been a very entertaining play in its original incarnation is absolutely spellbinding at The Old Fitz, due to the direction of Claudia Barrie. … This is the best of theatre and we are so lucky to have such talent and creativity in Sydney."
• Jenny Bromberger
"In Nate Edmondson’s glorious (de)composition, we have the clarion call for revolutionaries to measure up to the revolution to be made. Herein lies one of the great beauties of this production of Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. … A sublime example of evocative collaboration, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo finds its place among the provocative, transgressive and universal. Highly recommended."
• Lisa Thatcher
"A production that engages with the events of the Iraq War has got to be a heavy hitter. But this production manages to deal with even bigger questions, like, ‘what is the meaning of life?’ Claudia Barrie’s piece engages strikingly with these big picture questions and issues and doesn’t recoil away from a bit of grit. With great performances from the whole cast, this show is something fierce."
• Emily Richardson (Upstaged Reviews)
"The play, via a face smear of chalky white denoting each death, then becomes a ghost story as the Tiger prowls and watches amid the ruins (simple, persuasive setting by Isabel Hudson, effectively lit by Benjamin Brockman with a beautiful soundtrack for this unnerving place and time by Nate Edmondson). … Director Claudia Barrie keeps a tight rein and focus on what could be, in lesser hands, a slithery landscape of dreams and nightmares, fantasy and reality. … It’s not often that one leaves a theatre provoked by a tiger into deep thought about life and death and laughter and the whole damn thing, but this is one of those occasions. Recommended."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Rajiv Joseph’s, Bengal Tiger At The Baghdad Zoo is a very tricky play. You can’t profile it, it does not allow itself to stay very long in any one genre. There is comedy, drama, horror, violence, realism, fantasy… It is a very complicated play and it requires a very bold directorial vision. I am thankful Claudia Barrie was courageous enough to take the challenge and delighted that she succeeded. The play moves from pin point comedy to chilling violence and back with the elegance of a ballerina. … Nate Edmondson‘s soundscape was spot on. It was understated but not unnoticed and built the tension into scenes as well as creating a vibrant middle eastern vibe. … The show closes this weekend and I have hear rumours of it being sold out. Deservedly so but keep checking for a chance to sneak in. It's worth it."
• Lynden Jones (Theatre Now)
"...the production’s extraordinary intensity is determined to have us embroiled. It is powerful work by director Claudia Barrie, who invests great detail and dynamism into all facets of her show. An unrelenting atmosphere of tension akin to horror movies and war zones, is marvellously established by a bevy of design talents. Nate Edmondson’s music in particular, impresses with its exceptional precision in calibrating tonal shifts, allowing us to flow with the play’s many surprising and contrasting moods, with no apparent effort at all."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
Bengal Tiger At
The Baghdad Zoo
[Australia, 2017]
"Sound design by Nate Edmondson added a fine atmosphere to the show."
• Len Power (Canberra Critics Circle)
"The soundtrack that accompanied the play is also good, not just concentrating on Irish music, but across genres to create the atmosphere needed for the numerous scenes. Another scene worthy of mention is the celebration where Grant and Sean do a type of Irish dance, hilarious and clever at the same time. … This is a fast-paced play, bursting with hilarity, even though there is a sad underlying theme. Well worth a night out."
• Pauline Smith (Absolute Theatre)
"You’d be forgiven for approaching Marie Jones’ Stones in His Pockets with trepidation. There is the title itself, the likely Oirish lads — boots (and caps and vests) and all — and the lilting tunes playing as you enter the theatre. … Well that’s not Stones in His Pockets at’all, at’all. Instead (and let’s drop all the mock Irish stuff now) it’s a tight little drama with a couple of well- manufactured twists that gives its actors some impressive technical challenges and its audience some impressive rewards. … Cartwright and Hawkins’ whirlwind, muscular performances, and terrific direction by Chris Bendall, on a welcome return to Perth, made for a genuinely engaging entertainment that was warmly, and justly, applauded by a capacity audience." ★ ★ ★ ★
• David Zampatti (The West Australian)
Stones In His
Pockets
[Australia, 2017]
"This production, directed by Kim Hardwick, has all of her usual hallmark visual details. Designed, by Isabel Hudson - a black rock resting on a floor of shifting sand - and lit by Martin Kinnane with sinister shifting effect, accompanied by a subtle soundscape, composed, by Nate Edmondson."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Nate Edmondson’s score/sound design does wonders to unify the world... It is a typically slick and atmospheric production by director Kim Hardwick." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Ann Foo (Arts Hub)
"The set (which is at first covered in a large autopsy-esque plastic sheet) is sensory and simplistic – a large rock face protrudes from a sand covered stage. Effectively evoking an ocean side atmosphere, together with a skirting of milk crates and plastic lawn chairs and a coastal soundscape. … Considered, weighty and wonderfully executed (especially considering the budget constraints), this production of Blackrock is important and telling theatre, and trigger warnings should be well regarded."
• Alannah Maher (Alt Media)
Blackrock
[Australia, 2017]
"…director David Berthold finds a variety of smart staging solutions to the challenges of telling a story that unfolded largely through social media platforms, emails, phone calls and text messages. His use of video projection and Nate Edmondson’s cinematic, tension-building score, keep the story moving at a decent pace." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"...the telling of the tales is compelling and rewarding. The set design by Michael Hankin is a virtually empty stage with an occasional table, desk, hospital gear and ever-changing back projections and surtitles (by Vexran Productions); both enhanced by a tightly integrated lighting set-up (Damien Cooper) and punctuated by a gorgeous and almost filmic soundtrack by Nate Edmondson."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"This virtual documentary ... is rather like a two-hour version of ABC TV’s weekly Australian Story. That’s not a complaint. On stage, with projections that look as good as the best high definition TV, and full-on (far better than home) theatre sound, and where the participants live and breathe right before us, this is one of the best Australian stories around."
• Frank McKone (Canberra Critics Circle)
"Video projection upstage is a nice reminder of the truth of this story, and the damage that was caused when it all exploded. … Nate Edmondson’s compositions take the tension of the projections to another level…"
• Alana Kaye (Theatre Now)
"The play's production team use enthralling techniques in sound and lighting and the minimalist set of alluring grey walls covered with shining perspex unfold the text message relationship that develops between Colvin and Field. … Is it a play or an opera? ... The production creative team also embraced the text and the direction and delivered a 'perfectly formed' new Australian play." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Margaret Helman (Sydney Scoop)
Mark Colvin's
Kidney
[Australia, 2017]
"Lights by Benjamin Brockman and music by Nate Edmondson are employed with a deft touch to guide us boldly through every unequivocal statement; technical design for the production is heavily relied upon not just to cue emotional responses, but also to help us with all the character and plot details we need to know."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
Political Children
[Australia, 2016 & 2017]
"And Nate Edmondson’s subtle original music is equally hard to grasp hold of. The tinny echoes of a fairground organ or the reverberations of Harry’s tuneless whistle with instruments which escape easy classification. The low and lingering topped by crystal lightness for a tightrope walk which leads into a cello / string / electric under-wail for the ensuing monologue. It is a marvellously cohesive production."
• Judith Greenaway (Sydney Arts Guide)
"This Siren Theatre production directed by Kate Gaul is elegantly simple and exceptionally clear. …in what for me is the stand out show of the Mardi Gras festival so far." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The sophistication of the script is reflected in the production’s look and sound, with an exceedingly elegant team of designers bringing to the space, a serene beauty that evokes an appropriate grandness of emotion and meaning, so as to correspond to Harry’s extraordinary experiences. … There is a real beauty in Gaul’s theatricality…"
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"The design (Alice Morgan) and lighting (Matt Cox) are simple, effective and variously atmospheric, as is Nate Edmondson's clever sound score – you can almost smell the bad drains, stale beer and sweat and visualise the lurking fears and questions of what was essentially a sepia-lit, fugitive existence. … Programmed by the Seymour Centre and Siren for this year’s Mardi Gras festival, The Trouble With Harry is a very fine production that deserves a wide audience. Recommended."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Director, Kate Gaul has built with her designers, Alice Morgan (Set and Costume), Matt Cox (Lighting) and Nate Edmondson (Sound and Composition) a seductive environment to create a means of attention focusing for the telling of the story. ... Mr Edmondson's Sound Composition is particularly beautiful and is sparing in its use, supporting almost unconsciously, in the background, the emotions of the play, without spectacle."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"The Trouble With Harry is an intriguing mystery that asks more questions than it answers, packaged in a beautifully simple staging that allows focus to remain on the characters, and the mental images and emotions that Philpott's text evokes."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"…Nate Edmondson’s sound design, Matt Cox’s moody and sinister lighting, and Morgan’s costumes and set — which all feel like they’re part of the one artistic vision. And that’s Gaul’s strength as a director: she always seems to be able to wrangle every part of a production together and make it work as a cohesive whole, serving the text in the most vibrant and integral way possible. This is a great piece of Australian writing, new to Sydney stages, and served up in a wonderful production." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"This production has been keenly directed by Kate Gaul, and elegantly designed. Lighting by Matt Cox is emotive and evocative, and dances around Alice Morgan’s ethereal set beautifully. Sound and music by Nate Edmondson complements the piece nicely..."
• Alana Kaye (Theatre Now)
"On Alice Morgan’s pleasingly rustic set of sturdy, unsentimental decking and wooden boxes, Matt Cox’s lights and Nate Edmondson’s sound summon a sense of foreboding that grows – and occasionally ebbs away for moments of relief – throughout the taut 85-minute running time. … Gaul’s production and Philpott’s script offer an eloquent argument for examining our history and releasing genuine human struggle from the badge of scandal; it gives dignity back to those who had it ripped from them." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out Sydney)
"To the sounds of an almost cinematic musical score, we see unfold at once the story of two lovers, their family and the people who watch them. The Trouble with Harry is a contemporary commentary on the vicious nature of rumor and the power of assumption, themes especially valid in today’s post-truth world."
• Revile The Review
"Director Kate Gaul and her design team – Alice Morgan (Set & Costume), Matt Cox (Lighting) and Nate Edmondson (Sound and Composition) have created an almost eerie setting to tell the story. The action tends to play out under the hazy glow of sepia on a raised rough-hewn platform (which reminded me of an execution scaffold) against a backdrop of two shabby see-through curtains. The score is spare and haunting, reflecting the changing moods in the play. … This is a notable production of an Australian play..." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Veronica Hannon (Gay News Network)
"Kate Gaul amassed a superb team of creatives to bring Lachlan Philpott’s words to life. The list of names reads like a whose who of great creative talent in Sydney 2017. Nate Edmondson composing and performing sound, Alice Morgan’s production design and Matt Cox giving us the exquisite lighting that becomes so important to Kate Gaul’s ability to whisk Harry back and forth through time. … Highly recommended."
• Lisa Thatcher
"Designers Alice Morgan, Matt Cox and Nate Edmondson effectively create a forlorn, sepia, early twentieth century Sydney. … With a fine cast, director Kate Gaul creates a captivating night of theatre."
• Paul Gilchrist (Theatre Red)
"The Trouble With Harry is emotional and powerful and the audience were mesmerised from the first words. … Evocative music playing in the background and clever lighting created the mood whilst some gentle humour stopped it from being too dark. … The intimate space of the Reginald Theatre was packed to capacity and provided the right atmosphere for such a confronting piece. The Trouble With Harry will stay with you long after it ends..."
• Janelle (Weekend Notes)
The Trouble
With Harry
[Australia, 2017]
"Direction by Erin Taylor brings a certain minimal elegance that keeps our minds attentive only to what is important at each moment. There is great sensitivity to her storytelling that protects us from ever feeling alienated, no matter how the phenomenon of pain is expressed. ... Atmosphere is calibrated gently, but brilliantly, by Christopher Page’s lights and Nate Edmondson’s sound and music. Both demonstrate acuity and artistic maturity with their respective disciplines, contributing significantly to a show that communicates with precision and confident ease."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"The creative team, led by director Erin Taylor, conjures a multitude of settings from a multipurpose utilitarian room with very minimal elements. … Nate Edmondson creates an impressively large soundscape in the intimate space... In fact there is stillness to the physicality of the work that lends itself to hearing rather than watching the play."
• Fiona Hallenan-Barker (Theatre Now)
"This is an excellent production at the 505 theatre, complete with complex characters and a beautifully executed choreographic relationship to the synchronicity of nationalism and the easy flow of taking refuge in the aggressive stance of the other. … This is enhanced by the evocative lighting of Christopher Page, Tom Bannerman’s set and Nate Edmondson’s exquisite sound that forces the audience to imagine it has experienced a terror attack at one point. BU21 as a whole is a beautifully nuanced experience that explores what is happening to us when we react to a terrorist attack, whether we were on site or not. … BU21 comes highly recommended. Don’t miss this."
• Lisa Thatcher
"The real power of sound design, here masterfully delivered by Sydney Theatre Company regular Nate Edmondson, is to the fore in this production. When we see playbacks on CCTV or handicam of terrorist attacks, the fidelity is never quite there for obvious reasons. But the 'true violence' of the surround sound depicting the plane crashing was so immersive, you could feel the chaos and evil taking over in such a moment. The feeling that this is it, nobody can save you. … Great performances, beautifully staged and directed."
• Mark O’Connor (Scenestr)
BU21
[Australia, 2017]
"Kim Hardwick moves the play with agility and Tyler Ray Hawkins’ chromatic dark set with Martin Kinnane vivid strip and detailed spot lighting delivers a high production value. So too does the rising tension of Nate Edmondson’s sound."
• Martin Portus (Stage Whispers)
"The interaction between the two (Cronin and newcomer Simen Glømmen Bostad) is charged with the humour of the audience’s automatic reaction to Patricia’s zealous niceness as well as a contrasting if ill-defined unease. The latter is generated by Nate Edmondson’s sound design with echoing whispers in the opening moments hinting at something lurking in the shadows – of the past or the imagination, who knows."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"The show captures you from the moment you sit down and takes you along a generational journey that resembles a 1000 piece puzzle than a linear sequence. … Immeasurable credit goes to Composer and Sound Designer Nate Edmondson who held the pace, emotions and excitement of the play at a sensory level the entire show. Every moment was filled with deliberate audio (or lack of) and it complimented all other show aspects without losing its own marvel. … Undoubtedly dark and mature, I Hate You My Mother is an incredible start to the Old Fitz’s 2017 season…"
• Sabrina Stubbs (Theatre Now)
"Martin Kinnane's (lighting design) starburst and line of fluorescent light tubes illuminates the walls and when paired with changes to the main stage lights and bursts of Nate Edmondson's (Sound Design) sound, serve to help change locations without any physical set changes. … Presented with passion and mystery, this is an interesting new play that will satisfy audiences that enjoy being challenged with thought provoking, intelligent works."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"Elevated by beautiful work from its team of designers, the production is effortlessly elegant, with an atmosphere cleverly calculated to secure our attention. Director Kim Hardwick establishes an ethereal grace that underscores the entire show…"
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Director Kim Hardwick navigates the scene transitions with changes in lighting (by Martin Kinnane) and the score (2016 Sydney Theatre Award winner Nate Edmondson)…"
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out Sydney)
"There is Sound Design by Nate Edmondson, too. The design elements are the most interesting aspects of this experience and is obviously a strong aesthetic inclination in Ms Hardwick's Directorial quiver."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"This play is quite adventurous, and moves backward and forward in time over four hundred years. … The design, costuming and sound is really wonderful. The play overall is so entertaining that I was sorry when it finished, hoping that the interwoven stories could just continue! I highly recommend this production."
• Jenny Bromberger
I Hate You
My Mother
[Australia, 2017]
"This delicately robust show ... is intelligent, lyrical and haunting. Director Kate Gaul’s solid choice to use a well operated face mic, grounds the production. Phelan can move any way without the audience losing content and Gaul’s direction resists the temptation to put the performer at the head of the traverse where she can always be fully seen. It also gives Phelan the freedom to use her vocal range to create emotional landscapes for the listener. Supported by the brilliant soundscape of audio designer and composer Nate Edmondson. I always seem to love Edmondson’s work but this is something special. With absolutely no sense of cultural appropriation, his themes are a counterpointed homage to South American rhythms and instruments. Flutes, woodblocks, shakers, claves all sneak in as the music heightens emotional moments yet allows for silences. The single instrument for the dragonfly which swells and rises evocatively to suddenly fall silent as the speaker’s father appears in the story gave me goosebumps. Very, very quick hits and punctuations sometimes. That few seconds of violin at the mention of the Belle Époque! Marvellous."
• Judith Greenaway (Sydney Arts Guide)
"Nate Edmondson’s sound design and compositions immerse you in the various worlds of the play, while Louise Mason’s lighting traces each dramatic turn perfectly. In fact, every element in this production is in step and working together to create this fascinating and ultimately heartbreaking piece of theatre." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"The sound design is crafted well and offers her words a scaffold to linger on. Good With Maps is sad but by no means melancholic. It finds a symmetry that leaves you feeling balanced between worlds both real and imagined."
• Emily Shaddick (Australian Stage)
"Good With Maps is one of those rare and beautiful productions I dream about, where a fine writer has handed a text to a fine director who calls forth a great performance from a fine actor who inspires creatives around her to produce their best for the show. … Rounding out this great triumvirate are Alice Morgan’s beautiful designs including her murmuration of small tin foil boats, Louise Mason’s subtle lighting that seems to come up from beneath the narrative rather than impose god-like over it, and Nate Edmondson’s sound that springs into the production with alacrity and verve from a certain time and space. Good With Maps is an exquisite production, knotty, agrarian and ideologically blasphemous. It’s not easy – this is not a visit to the theatre to 'chillax' – but it is untamed and necessary, lyrical and intense. I found myself hanging off every word and surprised when it reached its end. Highly recommended."
• Lisa Thatcher
Good With Maps
[Australia, 2016-2018]
"Director Erin Taylor has created a production much, much better than you’d expect for a one-off performance. … It’s fascinating and heart-wrenching to watch as these young women struggle to come to terms with the contradictions and immense pressures of the world they live in. I hope this production returns to Sydney at some point, because it needs to be seen." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"This production was seen as a one performance highlight of the WITS’ Festival Fatale in October last year. ...it’s an astonishing and unmissable experience. … Directed with great verve and nuance by Erin Taylor, Slut is a production that delivers dynamic truth and theatre with every minute of its 35. … A must see."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"It is a cruel existence that Lolita has to endure, and director Erin Taylor’s portrayal of that brutality is certainly vivid. The production is rhythmically precise and in its half-hour duration, we are thoroughly captivated by all that it wishes to communicate."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Erin Taylor helms a tight, incisive production. … In this tight drama which runs just a skimpy forty minutes, Cornelius has an overhanging plot which comes starkly into play at the close. Recommended…"
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"The one-off staging of the piece was a sell-out success and garnered an excellent critical response. … Taylor’s staging of the production in the intimate venue makes good use of the entire space; the proximity of the actors to the 65-strong audience heightens the impact of Cornelius’ text. Additionally, Nate Edmondson has ensured the action that unfolds is always suitably and meaningfully underscored." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Tim Garratt (Theatre People)
"According to the contestants on this year’s series of Masterchef, 30 minutes is not long enough to infuse a dish with the flavour punch the judges are looking for. But it’s more than enough time for the cast and crew of Slut... This whirlwind of a play is defiant, crude, charming and deeply engaging. … The musical score underpinning the show is well curated and interacts seamlessly with the dialogue, and the lighting design is subtle but hits all the right notes."
• Emily Saint-Smith (The AU Review)
"Sound by Nate Edmondson sets the pace, although the rapid fire movement of the cast and delivery of their lines is what keeps us hooked while making excellent use of the theatre space. All this, in just under 35 minutes."
• Joanna O’Hara (Theatre Now)
"Taylor has found the inner musicality present in each of Cornelius’ lines, and in Slut it’s the relentless rhythm that propels us forward, unable to stop for too long on any one moment: time must keep marching on in the play like it does in our own lives. Further shaped by Nate Edmondson’s sound, which is designed to engage our hearts, the production feels like an assault, a prayer, a wake-up call. … Send your teenage sons; they might learn something. But more importantly: send every teenage girl you know. They’ll feel seen." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out Sydney)
"When I reviewed that initial staging, I wrote: ‘I hope this production returns to Sydney at some point, because it needs to be seen.’ … The production has evolved, with an extended sound design by Nate Edmondson, which matches the poetry of Cornelius’s language bar-for-bar." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
Slut
[Australia, 2016-2017]
"There was something very peaceful and magical about this show. On face value the staging seems purposefully simple but it is clear that a lot of work has been put into producing this show with brilliant music, lighting and props. … This is a super show and is perfect if you want to introduce your younger children to the theatre…"
• Dartford Living Magazine
"Colour, movement, smiles, clear story telling, visual surprises and a narrative so iconically familiar that almost everyone in the audience can recite it from memory: it’s a promising mix for pre-schoolers’ show. …the result is a fine piece of theatre which uses the whole space and retains all the charm of the books in a fresh way." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Susan Elkin (The Stage)
"…bringing Eric Carle’s classic story to life requires some serious imagination. Luckily this production has it in spades. …the show tackles Carle's stories with ingenuity and wit and easily has something to offer for audiences of all ages. This innovative adaptation makes for an enchanting experience that won't leave you hungry for more." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Emily Cole (What’s On Stage)
"What do you do when you have a series of children’s books, that have sold 43 million copies, and you wish to bring them to life in a theatrical play? You get the very best ‘creatives’ to adapt it for you! The producers ... have done just that. Everything about this production says authenticity, creativity, learning and love. … The sound design and music composition by Nate Edmondson is simply beautiful. It effortlessly dances around the action without you even noticing it is there. … The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is children’s entertainment at it’s very best!" ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• John Bowles (Live Theatre UK)
"This is probably the best children's show we have seen - and I don't say that lightly. Simple but effective. With a fairly relaxed atmosphere, the audience are drawn in from the start, interacting enthusiastically, which continues throughout ending with everyone's favourite caterpillar. … On tour for the first half of 2017, this show has become our go-to recommendation. With a musical accompaniment beautifully composed by Nate Edmondson, it is a real treat for all the senses and is definitely one not to be missed. … Congratulations to director and creator Jonathan Rockefeller and his whole team. I just hope the show gets translated into some of the 62 languages which the book has, it's a theatrical treat every child deserves to experience."
• Sardines Magazine
"I mentioned how captivated my three and five year old were, but my eight month old thoroughly enjoyed it too – the large pops of colours from the puppets and accompanying lighting kept her mesmerized, particularly during the layout of Mister Seahorse as the music, colour, bubbles and glitter provided some fantastic stimulation." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Laura Mason (Essex Baby)
"All the elements are there: brightly coloured cloths dancing across the stage, bubbles blown over the audience, beautifully crafted animal puppets and familiar rhythmic words. … At just under an hour, it’s an enchanting experience for your little ones." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• The Pigeon Pair & Me
"This is undeniably children’s theatre of the highest standard… The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show certainly delights on all levels, particularly the reveal of the beautiful butterfly at the climax of the show, but the hidden gem of this production is the first of the series of four pieces; The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse. The combination of vibrant physical theatre, the arresting images of the numerous animals ranging from a polka-dotted donkey to a pink horse, and an uplifting musical score really drives home the message of the power of the imagination. … With wonderfully crafted storytelling and stagecraft, this is a truly spectacular theatrical offering and one which both children and adults alike cannot resist being swept away by." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Clare Howdon (The Reviews Hub)
"When a five year old rates something as 99 out of 10, you know it's probably gone down well. ... There was a big thumbs up from the five year old with me, and both babies in my group also enjoyed the experience, transfixed by the music and colours."
• Emily Roberts (Basingstoke Gazette)
"Each of the tales is told through a mixture of music, dance, puppetry and reciting Eric Carle’s words just as they were written. ... Although the audience is of course very young, it was clear that they were all really enjoying the show as everyone was sat beautifully watching and listening, there was a lovely hum of chatter as children excitedly talked about the things they saw on stage..."
• Colette (Going On An Adventure)
"The show actually covers four of Carle’s stories, each engagingly told through the use of some amazing puppets, very vivid lighting and lots and lots of movement. My granddaughter, who only recently turned one, sat riveted for most of the show, loving the non-stop action."
• Andrew Bramfitt (What’s On North East)
"Each story ran seamlessly into the next, keeping the little ones mesmerised from beginning to end. … You know when a show is a success when your 2-year-old daughter is asking ‘again mummy?’ So if you’re looking for a fun treat for the little one’s this half term, book yourself seats for 50 minutes of pure magic and amazement." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Sharon Wallace (Essential Surrey & SW London)
"The theatre show is like watching a pop-out of the book! I think this production is equally as magical and memorable; the colour and vibrancy just pops off the stage! This 60 minute production kept my little mister engaged from start to finish."
• Mummy Shire
"This colourful, charming and gentle 60-minute show is perfect for children under five. The show features a gentle musical accompaniment composed by Nate Edmondson. And there’s even a cascade of bubbles onto the audience – what more could an under-five seek from a theatrical experience?" ★ ★ ★ ★
• Laura-Jane Foley (London Theatre 1)
"There was an element of movement too, both in terms of dance… This is a fantastic production for youngsters who are fans of the book and even those that have never read it. It’s an ideal introduction to live theatre for children and I could not recommend it more highly." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jody Tranter (West End Wilma)
"Experience the well-known story in this energetic re-enactment, complete with delightful music and colourful set designs. Your little ones will certainly enjoy themselves at this festive treat."
• Culture Whisper
"The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show gave life to my son’s all time favourite children’s story and was an excellently performed and staged piece of work. … Leaving the auditorium and looking at many happy faces, I feel that I could have not wished for a better show to start the weekend with my nearly two year old son. It was upbeat, educational, imaginative and full of marvellous creatures who I hope to meet again in my dreams."
• Julia Harris (Fringe Review)
"Now in its second festive run, this kaleidoscopic hour-long adaption of four of Eric Carle’s classic children’s stories is a pure, kid-quelling joy. The titular chow-lusting larva doesn’t appear until the final quarter – the big diva – but there’s plenty of colourful puppets, dancing and music to entrance youngsters until then." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Phil De Semlyen (Time Out London)
"The cast … let their puppeteering skills do the talking but also demonstrate skills in dance. I quite enjoyed the synchronised puppet movements – you couldn’t take your eyes off the stage. … I feel as though this show represents children’s theatre at its best…" ★ ★ ★ ★
• Stephanie Legg (The Spy In The Stalls)
"Eric Carle’s beautifully illustrated books have enchanted children for years, but a stage show of his work? How could that work? Well, put your worries to one side. This one, adapted by director Jonathan Rockefeller and aimed at children between two and six, works very nicely indeed. … The Mister Seahorse story is beautifully told and also has something to teach the little ‘uns about the intricacies of fish spawning. … The journey from egg to caterpillar munching through cake and watermelon doesn’t need to be repeated here, but it’s re-told with charm before his riotous explosion into the butterfly. It’s worth the wait and a truly magical culmination to a winning hour of theatre." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Dowell (Radio Times)
"The production, created by Jonathan Rockefeller, is a wonderful show for the very youngest theatre-goers. The large and colourful puppets will delight toddlers and preschoolers, and the fact that the show covers four stories in one hour makes it varied and entertaining. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show brings classic picture books to life with first-class puppets in a production that offers little ones a fun introduction to West End." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Mummy In The City
"Families escaping the blistering heatwave outside for the air conditioned comfort of the Forum Theatre found themselves mesmerised by the world of colour that is The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show… The excitement was tangible as the magical 50-minute show managed to cram in four of Eric Carle’s best loved books with the help of 75 enchanting puppets. … As the moon crept along the stage everybody was jumping up and down for the final story and the one everyone was waiting for. We all joined in with ‘But he was still hungry…’ and I heard the word ‘wonderful’ escape from my daughter’s mouth when the butterfly was revealed." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Emma Trimble (A View From Behind The Arras)
"There is no doubting that the show, which has already been a hit in London’s West End, New York and Australia, has perfectly captured the collage-like aesthetic of Carle’s charming books. … The whole show, in fact, felt a little bit like a pre-school version of a stadium gig. … With the caterpillar’s arrival, toddlers were truly captivated, grown-ups could cease their whispered explanations of the plots of lesser known books, and everyone could get on with chanting ‘But he was still hungry!’ in the manner of a Robbie Williams crowd during a rendition of Angels." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Fran Yeoman (Northern Soul)
"The idea of director Jonathan Rockefeller, with puppetry direction from Eric Wright and music and sound by Nate Edmondson, it has a deceptively simple staging. … Each one displays more activity than the one before it and more involvement with its creator: the pink rabbit leaping, the donkey performing a whole dance routine with him. … You’ve probably noticed that there has been a repetitive element in each of these stories and that is something children love. …they are shouting the words out themselves in chorus. By the time we reach day 5 and 5 oranges, they are counting aloud as he devours them. No one has done anything to directly encourage them. This is a spontaneous reaction triggered by involvement. … The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is as simple and direct as Eric Carle's books but brings them to life in three dimensions in a way that is very child-friendly."
• Howard Loxton (British Theatre Guide)
"An uplifting and masterful Jonathan Rockefeller adaptation of four of the much-loved author, Eric Carle’s, classic children’s stories. … The first three stories stand alone as wonderful stage adaptations of Carle’s books, filling the stage with light, bubbles, uplifting music and hi-energy and as the lead in to the finale – the ‘43 million copies sold’ star of the show, there’s a sense of excitement even amongst the adults, as if a long-lost friend has just arrived to tea. People can’t help narrating along, holding back their applause after each bite. … Wriggly and very hungry indeed, the metamorphoses into a stunning butterfly is the icing on the cake of this truly fantastic show. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is must for young and older – my six-year-old fell in love with the huge, colourful, animated puppet characters and so will you."
• Pregnant City Girl
"Bringing books to a completely new level and the concept was even more amazing when I found out not only was it The Very Hungry Caterpillar but three other stories Eric Carle wrote, made it even more spectacular. … The cast and production team put a lot of attention to detail in not just the one but all four books. So much careful detail was put into the puppets and the choreography of the play was played out smoothly." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Clarissa (KK, Moo, And Monkey Too)
"All the elements are there: brightly coloured cloths dancing across the stage, bubbles blown over the audience, beautifully crafted animal puppets and familiar rhythmic words. … From the familiar sun rise, the caterpillar wiggles his way through the story, dancing along his wooden perch and getting larger with each mouthful. The whole theatre joined in for the 'But he was still hungry' line, and the older ones enjoyed counting what he had eaten each day. … At just under an hour, it’s an enchanting experience for your little ones."
• Rosalie Horrocks (Travel And Joyful)
"All of the performances were bright and colourful and clearly captured the children’s attention. … I think that the show is a perfect introduction to theatre for very little ones. It had a very fun feel to it, whilst also capturing the charm and magic of the well loved story. … Team Mack would definitely recommend a trip to see The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show as a fantastic family trip for all ages to enjoy."
• Lucy Mack (Momma Mack)
"…a charming production…" ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Kathryn Harrison (What’s Good To Do)
"…the show was beautifully put together and these classic stories were magically retold." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Theatres Online
The Very Hungry
Caterpillar Show
[United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates &
Europe, 2016-2019]
"I left boiling over with excitement, enthusing about the quality and huge, but completely realised, ambition of what I had just seen, filled again with wonderment at the genius of Weiss’s writing and the imagination that had yielded this truly remarkable concept. Yes, this had been a performance for the ages. … It’s certainly not a musical, indeed far from it, but it must also be remembered that Marat/Sade is very much a play with music — and that there is considerable singing, led by the brilliant quartet of Cucurucu (Irene Sarrinikolaou), Polpoch (Patrick Howard), Rossignol (Debra Bryan) and Kokol (Tim de Sousa). Their animated performances are simply superb. … I’ll just urge you to go see it. It rates among the best theatre I’ve seen. Very much thumbs up."
• John Rozentals (Oz Baby Boomers)
"Also noteworthy is Nate Edmondson’s original music, thoroughly creative, with a welcome exuberance adding texture and depth to the staging. Performed to a backing track, we are struck by the beauty of the score’s arrangement, and are left hankering for an opportunity to hear the songs sung completely live in tandem with musicians."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"This production of Marat/Sade is well executed with fine performances, an eye-catching exciting set and complex detailed behind the scenes work. Of special note is Nate Edmondson’s sound and the truly brilliant score. The songs are thrilling, and immediately evoke a need for more. This production has enlisted a long detailed list of contributors and it shows from the broad multifaceted talents ... this is a well thought out, beautifully executed production that rewards the close listener with nuances far beyond the original playwright’s intention. It is a stand out in a stellar year. Highly recommended."
• Lisa Thatcher
"Production values are first rate, from Tom Bannerman’s excellent set, through Spiros Hristias’ lighting, composer Nate Edmondson’s score and sound design and costumes by Nicola Block. Chaotic, rambunctious, percussive and provocative, Marat/Sade is a theatrical bull untethered and let loose among political and economic sacred cows and a whole herd of social injustice."
• Richard Cotter (Australian Stage)
"Peter Weiss’ intricately written play about rebellion and counter rebellion, profiteering and war, and the cavernous gulf between the rich and poor and the ruled and the oppressed comes to disconcerting new life in this incredible production directed by Barry French. … Leading the ensemble in song to the stunning compositions by Nate Edmondson are Irene Sarrinikolaou, Tim De Sousa, Debra Bryan and Patrick Howard. Their strength and energy are a vital part of the performance. ... It is a vibrant, confronting piece of theatre that moves from song to sadness, anger to failure and despair with gripping passion. Barry French, his cast and crew and the New Theatre are to be congratulated on this bold, theatrical production."
• Carol Wimmer (Stage Whispers)
"In between monologues they effectively break away into songs which resonate the themes and timeless lessons of the play. This is a dramatic theatrical production which will evoke laughter as the comedic elements of the play transpire, leading to an eruption of emotions as the main themes are revealed in the explosive finale."
• Mark Morellini (Alt Media)
"A madcap meta-musical repurposing historic cruelty for the new age, Marat/Sade is a fantastic experience for audiences to get up close and personal with. … Marat/Sade drips with ambition, which each element truly reached. …Nate Edmondson's composition is still in my head a solid week post attendance. A thoroughly strong spectacle with a message that might be uncomfortable, but remains important for audiences to be engaged with, galvanised by and spurred to action of any kind."
• Brodie Paparella (Broadway World)
"The anti-realism of the rousing musical intervals further Brechtian influence, almost like a distorted version of Les Miserables. … The compelling and engrossing narrative transports you to a world both familiar and surreal. This city could do with seeing more works like it."
• Jo Bradley (Aussie Theatre)
Marat/Sade
[Australia, 2016]
"Super fans of the show will definitely enjoy spending time with these characters. If the chorus of folks singing along to the opening theme at the top of the show is any indication, their ranks are sizeable."
• Zachary Stewart (Theatre Mania)
"Nate Edmondson’s (Composition and Sound Design) pre-show soundtrack includes some old favorites... As the lights dimmed, the familiar tones of Andrew Gold’s Thank You for Being a Friend blasted out of the speakers, prompting some audience members to sing along, doing their best Cynthia Fee. Make no mistake: this show is all shoulder pads and bright colors, glamour and sass, puppets and meta humor (jokes about puppets and the episodic nature of sitcoms abound) – and yet, it feels just as fresh, modern, and daring as it does familiar. And by the end of this theme song instrumental, you could practically feel it in the air that we were already hooked." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Dianne Gebauer (NY Theatre Guide)
"Picture it. A theater in Union Square. A packed audience immediately sings along to the iconic theme song of The Golden Girls. ... That Golden Girls Show! is the puppet parody you never knew you desperately needed." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Michael Block (Theatre In The Now)
"When the lights dim and that theme song plays, sans lyrics, the audience can't help singing along. A couple of nervous voices, at first tentative, are joined by more and more until the entire audience seems to vocalize as one, 'Thank you for being a fri-e-e-end.' On one hand, it's remarkable to witness, as a sense of communion that total is rare at any show these days. On the other, though, it's no surprise at all, as that was indeed the mission statement of The Golden Girls (NBC, 1985 to 1992), and certainly is of this fuzzy valentine... Beyond the tunes, the scene transition and even end credits music sound as though they could have been lifted wholesale (Nate Edmondson is credited with composition and sound design)... Had Rockefeller wanted this to look and feel more like the real thing, I don't know that he could have swung it."
• Matthew Murray (Talkin’ Broadway)
"You know you have a welcoming crowd when the audience begins singing your theme song before the lights have even come up. Such was the case the night I saw That Golden Girls Show!, Jonathan Rockefeller’s puppet-filled tribute to the beloved 80s sitcom. No sooner had the familiar chords of the show’s opening tune began to play, than the entire audience joined in to sing, Thank you for being a friend.'"
• Lisa Huberman (New York Theatre Review)
"The vibe is electric. If the set, a near replica to that of The Golden Girls, isn’t enough to get you in the mood, the audience singing along to the opening theme song will. … If the original Golden Girls knew you were attending this puppet parody production, they would surely 'thank you for being a friend.'" ★ ★ ★ ★
• Tania Fisher (Stage Buddy)
"Picture it…wicker furniture with floral cushions in soft, pastel hues, the sound of canned violins, and the shenanigans of four women you’d swear were your best friends despite whatever age difference may exist between you."
• Naveen Kumar (Towelroad)
"Nate Edmondson's compositions sound exactly like the sitcom's incidental music, and his sound design is totally solid."
• David Barbour (Lighting & Sound America)
"That Golden Girls Show! may be the only show running right now that begins with an audience sing-along; as the lights go down and a karaoke version of Thank You For Being A Friend starts to play, the audience tentatively, then eagerly, joins in. It’s clear what we’re all here for—the joy of revisiting a favorite sitcom, with four characters who never fail to make us laugh."
• Dan Dinero (Theatre Is Easy)
"That Golden Girls Show! is pretty silly and we had a great time experiencing it together. … We giggled at the theme show music at the top of the show and the interstitial music as well."
• Tari Stratton (Magical MissTari Tour)
"Nostalgia quickly sets in upon entering the theater. … When the opening theme song, Thank You for Being a Friend, started playing, the audience could not help but sing along."
• Nathan Harding (Off Off Online)
"For devotees of The Golden Girls, there were numerous laugh out loud sequences and big guffaws and recollections of those days of yesteryear that brought great pleasure to so many and still does via the on-going repeats on television. In fact, the audience gleefully sang the theme song before the show even began!" ★ ★ ★ ★
• Sandi Durrell (Theater Pizzazz)
"When I got to the theater ... what I saw was the most age-diverse crowd filling this beautiful intimate theater. Not only were many of them younger than my kids, as soon as the music played, everyone chimed in with the words, with enthusiasm I've rarely seen. What a hoot!"
• Ellen Eichelbaum (Splash Magazine)
That Golden
Girls Show!
[United States, 2016-2017]
"The design by Alicia Clements features a back wall with two doors at either end of a long oblong curtained window that rustles and flutters with a 'wind' ... with a Sound Composition and vocal Design atmospherically creating a 'real' past world of news bulletins concerning a lost child, with the magic music of the eerie otherworld of imagination, by Nate Edmondson."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Poignant, thrilling, terrifying and thought provoking, the latest offering from Darlinghurst Theatre Company will have your pulse racing and heart breaking as the Darling house is revisited decades after where Barrie left off. … Along with building the suspense, the sound design incorporates the television and radio announcements that gradually reveal the event that has haunted the family for years and the pieces slowly start to fit. … Remembering Pirates is an engaging and heartbreaking thriller that puts a different twist on the classic children's story."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"Harley’s play is a dark retelling of Barrie’s original story of the boy who never grew up. A far cry from the lighthearted, sanitised Disney version we’ve come to know. This understated production is rife with tension from beginning to end, and offers some beautiful performances."
• Alana Kaye (Theatre Now)
"There is much to admire in how the production works with both surreal and naturalistic elements, blurring the boundaries between the two, to formulate a world that keeps us guessing. Its dreamlike atmosphere is created well…"
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"The great strength of the show was in the directing, the designing and the acting. … With eerie lighting, sound effects, and thunder and lightning, dramatic tension built – until the whole wall and window finally came crashing down in a symbolic collapse of childhood memory into harsh adult reality."
• Frank McKone (Canberra Critics Circle)
"The sense of disquiet is raised at the outset with a jumble of ill-defined yet ominous street sounds, radio announcements, news items, snatches of music and other aural detritus (Nate Edmondson – score, Katelyn Shaw – sound). …Remembering Pirates is a play and production that intrigues and raises glitters of tempting questions in the imagination – just like Tinkerbelle’s fairy dust!"
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"It's this building tension that drives the play, directed by Iain Sinclair as something between a thriller and elegiac portrait of family trauma. Alicia Clements’ production design, in tandem with sound and lighting, conjure a dreamlike, seemingly perpetual twilight, with breezes causing the curtains to flutter and part as though in anticipation of an otherworldly arrival." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Cassie Tongue (Time Out Sydney)
Remembering
Pirates
[Australia, 2016]
"Brutal flashes of light and sound open this stark vision of Shakespeare’s comedy, retina-searing blasts illuminating a male dancer in black sequinned underwear (who later turns out to be Matthew Backer as Puck) writhing to a sad rendition of Gershwin’s Summertime – a musical motif that returns throughout the play. … The frightening dystopia of the early scenes, saturated in overwrought sound…disintegrates into dream-like absurdity…" ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Angus McPherson (Limelight Magazine)
"Also deadly serious are all the production’s design aspects. Chris Williams’ music and Nate Edmondson’s sound design hold us firmly in their dictatorial insistence for dramatic tension… On stage is a morbid world, resplendently manufactured to satisfy our need for an art that is carnal, wild and audacious. …what is achieved here is an instance of magic rarely witnessed, and unlikely to be seen very soon again. Wonderful for its uniqueness, and its gutsy approach to the most time-honoured of classics, this is excellent theatre that reminds us how good it is to be alive, at a time when the ephemeral art form can thrive so brilliantly, and we are here to catch it."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"A stirring soundscape (Nate Edmondson, with composer Chris Williams) rumbles throughout and Damien Cooper’s lighting, initially at least, adds powerfully to the threat."
• Martin Portus (Stage Whispers)
"Chris Williams has composed some brilliantly unsettling music, and Nate Edmondson’s sound design amplifies the dialogue smartly, melding the words into a pulsing soundscape. … This is a production which is constantly engaging and intriguing, inviting you to lean forward and wonder what the company might pull out next. … There are enough moments of absolute magic, both from the performances and Williams’ sense of showmanship, to keep the audience entertained, and force them to reconsider this very familiar work." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"In cahoots with his design team, Williams has certainly succeeded in making this regularly performed play ... strange and unpredictable again. Composer Chris Williams' and sound designer Nate Edmondson's wall-to-wall underscore contributes strongly to the densely spooky mood. Woozy passages of Gershwin's Summertime, crooned by Matthew Backer's emcee-like Puck, serve as a Lynchian leitmotif. Dark club beats lend the production a pulse. When Bottom is transformed into an ass, Ligeti's Lux Aeterna ... creeps into the mix." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"Shakespeare's silly ass comedy gets a dash of Gershwin in the Kip Williams' STC production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The use of the song Summertime ... could be considered a cheesy choice, a gimmick, but it works here as a musical leitmotif, summoning both the summer of the time of the action, and, through several orchestrations and refrains, a sense of simmering sensuality. ... Kip uses another popular song to fun effect, Buck Ram's Only You, sung by Titania in Eartha Kittish tone to serenade and seduce Bottom in her spellbound state of wanting to mate with a mule. That bestiality underscores the nightmare quality of this Dream, a grim fairy tale where the fairies are malignant mischief makers, lewd and lascivious gremlins, convenors of carnal carnage."
• Richard Cotter (Australian Stage)
"Sex as a tool of power is the theme here, and one that the staging goes all-out to emphasise. Early scenes are played out with Crucible-like seriousness, the men in stern suits and hoods passing judgement and the women in constricting bridal veils and 1950s wigs, all to the ominous thrumming of Chris Williams’ music and Nate Edmondson's sound design. … It’s at once anarchic and tightly controlled: mesmerising, funny, gory, sexy, confronting." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Nick Dent (Time Out Sydney)
"Kip Williams' contemporary-yet-enchanting take on Shakespeare's greatest comedy grips audiences from the first scene. … The design approach is perhaps the most radically inventive and incisive element of this staging. … Much of this fiercely intelligent staging challenges our expectations of this play: it is, of course, magical and yet somehow laced with a dark, sinister energy." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Tanya Rae (The Music)
"The darkness inherent in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is embraced in the first half of Kip William’s vision of the work for Sydney Theatre Company, now showing at the Opera House. It’s magnetically tense and discomforting, the performers often running across and around the stage, the action driven by an unrelenting, low-end warble courtesy of composer Chris Williams and sound designer Nate Edmondson." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Chris Hook (The Daily Telegraph)
"The production is underscored by dark, throbbing music by Chris Williams, and sound design by Nate Edmondson."
• John McCallum (The Australian)
"Mr Williams has conjured with his Designers a scary post-modernist space filled with Hieronymus Bosch-like images of hellish deformity filtered through a contemporary sensibility evoking the work of artists such as Matthew Barney, Leigh Bowery or Cindy Sherman, that take us into a world of nightmare rather than dream. On a stripped-back, white floored stage with all the (three) walls demarcated with a strip of white some five feet or so tall, edged sharply into black, with lighting of blazing white flashing, and start to finish ominous music backing the activities of this theatrical vision, behind a proscenium-wide scrim-gauze, a figure begins the play, back-to-us, singing verses from Gershwin's Porgy And Bess."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Chris Williams’ score and Nate Edmondson's sound design underlies most of the play, and it is a musical world of deep bass and gloomful thrums. Everything is tense and in stasis with this soundscape." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Tomas Boot (Arts Hub)
"Kip Williams’ creative team contribute quality work. … I found composer Chris Williams’ and sound designer Nate Edmondson's work particularly effective, underscoring and commentating on the action well. … This is a wondrous dream that one simply doesn’t want to end."
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"At the very opening of the production the pitch-black room flashes in a single strobe light and a heavy bass resonates through the audience. Puck is seen in these moments of lighting, his back to us and his body moving along with the music. Again the room returns to pitch black, again the strobe flashes to illuminate Puck, and the deep bass continues. Amidst all this Backer begins to sing Gershwin’s Summertime, and his voice is eerie, powerful and perfect."
• Kat Czornij (The AU Review)
"Chris Williams’ score, and Nate Edmondson’s sound design are almost always present, and bombard us with drones, pulses, heart-tripping beats, and snatches of Ligeti. …Titania’s glamoured awakening – to the strains of Elvis Presley’s Only You – works a treat, not least because Paula Arundell’s rich voice and her shimming gold gown seem to be one and the same, and work in conjunction with the lyrics to enhance the moment."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
"I think the clarity of purpose in this production has been carried through in the stage design, lighting and use of music, making all these elements into an integrated artistic work. Shakespeare might be surprised at some modern devices, like the smart phone which answers a crucial question, or Puck singing ‘Summertime, and the living is easy…’ ...This production is a real dream, and not be missed."
• Frank McKone (Canberra Critics Circle)
"The Athenian women wear sombre, conservative wedding gowns – and even the stage itself is veiled for the opening scenes. This is augmented by pulsating, eerie music (composer Chris Williams and sound designer Nate Edmondson) and excellent lighting (by Damien Cooper) – particularly striking were the first opening frames of Puck, played with eerie, malevolent joy by Matthew Backer."
• Claire Hansen (Shakespeare Reloaded)
"…for me this production is invigorating and exhilarating, and all future productions will pale by comparison."
• Toni Carroll (Oz Baby Boomers)
"It is an often gripping, coherent production which goes a long way to justify the play getting another outing on a mainstream stage. ...Williams in collaboration with his team of designers takes a very physical and visually striking approach. …this most unusual Dream has stayed with me for weeks." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Veronica Hannon (Gay News Network)
"Right from the moment the curtain goes up and a buff male in sequinned knickers sings a slow and moody Summertime, we know the climate of this Midsummer’s night is sultry. … I really enjoyed Kip Williams and STC’s darker take... Hot enough to wilt the wildflowers."
• Fiona Prior (Henry Thornton)
A Midsummer
Night's Dream
[Australia, 2016]
"Chant has created a simple production, with lovely set design by Isabel Hudson (also on costumes) and music by Nate Edmondson. There is an underlying sense of melancholy running through Leaves."
• Alana Kaye (Theatre Now)
"It is a production full of nuance, aided by the considerable talents of music composer Nate Edmondson and lighting designer Sian James-Holland, both providing unobtrusive but essential elements of movement and tension to the piece."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Nate Edmondson’s soundtrack makes a strong contribution throughout. All up, another feather in the cap for the Kings Cross Theatre, which hasn’t put a foot wrong in this, its first year." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"Leaves is peppered with plenty of moments of tenderness. …the production successfully constructs a credible world that simultaneously exudes pain and warmth. You may emerge from the theatre swimming wistfully in memory, a little sombre but also hopeful about the future."
• Shon Ho (Alt Media)
"This quietly intense, melancholic and compelling play grabs us and forces us to listen. … The soundscape by Nate Edmondson is haunting, and the lighting design by Sian James-Holland wonderfully complements the action. This was a gripping, compelling production."
• Lynne Lancaster (Sydney Arts Guide)
Leaves
[Australia, 2016]
Straight
[Australia, 2016]
"There’s something very special that happens when artists make bold choices to tell bold stories. This is exciting theatre, if not a little confronting for some audience members I would imagine. It’s scary when people push boundaries and force you to consider the grounds for ideas that are resolutely fixed in our minds. Bosher strikes gold yet again with this play, with an impeccable ensemble of artists."
• Emily Richardson (Upstages Reviews)
"Backed by Julia Cotton’s pacey stage movement, the result is a theatrical, rhythmic build in tension and threat. Nate Edmondson’s rumbling sounds add to the unease, as the men shift from sentimental, even amusing fantasies about their mums and the best of womanhood, to angry hatred and entitlement. …this sophisticated production successfully makes uncomfortable drama from the maudlin horrors of the pack."
• Martin Portus (Stage Whispers)
"The set, which abstractly represents the cruise ship, is cleverly constructed and lit, with music and sound used effectively to mark the changes in mood – and even make us laugh again in a drunken karaoke scene. Until the laughter fades and we see the reality."
• Frank McKone (Canberra Critics Circle)
"There was plenty of dreaming going on, as they escape, however briefly, the mundanity of their depressing lives. Blaring sound design by Nate Edmondson and glaring lighting by Sian James-Holland and Cameron Menzies further enhances this in your face play, lighting is unforgiving and the music a relentless cacophony, but amazingly effective as we are pushed out of our comfort zone. Director Tim Roseman has let the dogs loose and the result is superb."
• The Buzz From Sydney
"Director Tim Roseman has marshalled superb work from his collaborators, the aforementioned cast and production designer as well as ... composer and sound designer, Nate Edmondson. Unflinching, uncompromising, unpalatable, unforgettable, Savages is a remarkable and searing theatrical experience."
• Richard Cotter (Australian Stage)
"Savages is 70 tautly-wrought minutes… The constant movement of the men ... is punctuated and enhanced by Nate Edmondson’s sound and composition. … Darlinghurst is to be congratulated for staging this production and audiences should flock to it. Recommended."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"…a wild and drunken karaoke performance of When A Man Love A Woman by all four men is very funny and cruelly ironic. … It left me feeling physically ill, not because there’s much physical violence described (and there’s none performed) but because the attitudes played out on stage are sickening. The cumulative effect of hearing them expressed both explicitly and implicitly for 75 minutes is overwhelming; a necessary jolt to the system." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"All four actors are committed, credible and energised, and the ominous sense of events taking a darker turn is superbly enhanced by Nate Edmondson's eerie music." ★ ★ ★ ★
• John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald)
"Design elements are intricately dynamic, with Nate Edmondson’s very exhaustive and complex work on sound design playing an integral role in conveying subtexts and psychological undercurrents... Also notable is Jeremy Allen’s evocative set design, which provides an intense intimacy to the small cast, and shapes the space in a way that allows acoustics to be perfectly established for every word of dialogue to ring with crystal clarity."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Sian James-Holland's lighting and Nate Edmondson’s sound and music (composer and sound design) heighten the mood with blackouts and music signalling scene changes and a row of coloured LED's within the portholes that line the rear wall changing the time of day and the tone of the scenes."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"...a lighting design by Sian James-Holland that creates the atmospheres of the journey of the men, accompanied by a detailed, supportive sound design and composition by Nate Edmondson. Savages is a confronting work and worth experiencing for its theatricality."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Roseman has brought together a wonderful team to make this production what it is. ... Nate Edmondson’s music and sound paired with Sian James-Holland’s lights ... are hugely evocative and well-executed. This is truly a gripping production. While I can’t say it was likeable, or even palatable, it certainly shouldn’t be missed."
• Alana Kaye (Theatre Now)
"Composer and Sound Designer, Nate Edmondson, along with Lighting Designer, Sian James-Holland, should be commended for their contribution, both adding significantly to the crescendo of baneful behaviour." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Sophie Gillfeather-Spetere (Arts Hub)
"The production opens with the lights dimmed, a heavy drum beat, and the performers taking to the stage in an animalistic, pack like movement. As the drum beat settles, the lights brighten to show the four men ... gazing out into the audience in a trance-like state. … You find yourself immersed in the rollercoaster ride of emotion that they take you on, believing every twist and turn as it unfolds before you."
• Erin Hunter (Sydney Social 101)
"Opening with a blast of light and sound... This is a production that fully utilises all the elements of theatre – sound, lighting, set, script, and physical performance. What’s more, they work together smartly to create a cohesive, slick production where nothing is redundant."
• Emily Saint-Smith (The AU Review)
Savages
[Australia, 2016]
"...these beasts range from glowing fireflies, mounted on rods and held aloft, to a jointed, life-size polka-dot donkey that dances a hoedown with Weston Long, a puppeteer who’s a stand-in for Mr. Carle. (Nate Edmondson composed the background music, which ranges from sweetly lyrical to comically percussive.)" ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Laurel Grabber (New York Times)
"The show was very creative and we think it is great for kids ages 10 and younger. The show was very colorful and the music was just a perfect match to the actors and the puppets! … We rate it five smiles for all children." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Kidsday Reporters (Newsday)
"The puppeteers use a light-handed touch and keep the puppets moving across the stage at a brisk clip, inviting the audience into a world where magical animals have adventures and do extraordinary things. … At scene's end Weston puts down his paintbrush, kicks up his heels and does a jazzy dance with a polka-dot donkey." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Deirdre Donovan (CurtainUp)
"Adapting children's books into musicals can be tricky. It's a delicate balance between recreation and saccharine productions. ... Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, the stories are enhanced by a charming score. … The Very Lonely Firefly captures the slightly spooky ambiance of the book. The lone firefly looks for other fireflies and keeps following lights as noises from a dog and a cat disturb the peaceful night. At one point, he follows fireworks that are depicted by sound effects and streamers a puppeteer throws over the audience and pulls back again. … This is a colorful production, loaded with gentle messages wrapped in an engaging presentation. If you're looking for young kids' introduction to theater, this is it." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Fern Siegel (Huffington Post)
"…with 75 handcrafted large-scale puppets, four actors who double as puppeteers and narrators and subtle but lyrical music that readies the audience for the animal magic about to appear on stage. It’s earnest, colorful, artsy and will hold your kid in awe for 60 solid minutes. ... Colorful fluttering scarves, neon-hued puppets created in the illustrator's familiar collage-style that prance about and flashy stage lighting, combined with clever soundscapes like crickets and firecrackers, transport the audience to the inner pages of each children's story. Music composed by Nate Edmondson helps fuel the action and alert viewers to upcoming events with attention to rhythm and movement rather than verse. The orange elephant of The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse gets a long, slow trombone as kids in the audience laugh and point to his impressive trunk, while the trumpet fish of Mister Seahorse arrive with Jamaican steel drums and trumpets sounding in the background." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Rose Gordon Sala (Mommy Poppins)
"An adventurous mother sat next to me with her 6-month old baby who was having his first theatrical experience, and he wasn't the only baby in the audience. And yet the production was just as captivating for the older kids in the audience as well. … The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show beautifully captures Eric Carle's spirit and creativity, and my daughter and I left the theater with the same sense of brightness and wonder projected through his artwork in his books. We both highly recommend the show, and hope you will go with your children and have the same magical journey through Mr. Carle's world."
• Vonnie Murad (Macaroni Kid)
"The first has an artist moving one color at a time through many of the animals found throughout Carle’s books — including a purple fox, an orange elephant and a black polar bear — with each one taking the stage as a dancing puppet. The section moves at an easy pace with gently pulsating music and gets kids into the groove of the show. ... And by keeping the whole thing to an hour, no one in the audience lost interest or got overtired. (The adults seemed to be having a pretty good time, too!)"
• Brian Glaser (Baristanet)
"Nicholas Rayment’s lighting and Nate Edmondson’s original music flesh the experience out. … The result was a house full of kids having a great time. They were encouraged to laugh, clap, call out, in short, to be kids, and they did. The tag line in The Very Hungry Caterpillar is 'but he was still hungry.' By the end of that section, the kids were reciting the lines ahead of the actors just as surely as a Bruce Springsteen audience will sing the chorus of Born in the USA. … The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show creates little theatre fans, and that is the entire point of theatre for children. My 2-year-old granddaughter already is asking when we are going again." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jeff Myhre (NY Theatre Guide)
"In an era when children’s entertainment is often a flamboyant bonanza constantly bombarding the senses, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show feels refreshingly personal and unassuming. The set, costumes, and script are modest, but colorful, and the production is minimal, except for the sheer number of vibrant puppets. As a parent, I appreciated the reminder that stupefying excess is not the only way to hold kids’ attention. A good story, well told, can do it just as well. … The small-scale production feels both familiar and exciting. … I asked my five-year-old son if he enjoyed the show and he responded simply, 'Can we see it again please?!' I’d say that’s a ‘yes.'" ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Nathan Lents (StageBuddy)
"...the show is comprised of 75 dazzling puppets, dancing and narration of the four stories. I recently saw the show with my kids and found it absolutely endearing! Everything about it is top-notch! … This is probably the show’s charm – it appeals to lovers of Eric Carle’s books and artwork, regardless of their age." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Maytal Wichman (The Mama Maven Blog)
"This is the perfect introduction to theater for little ones. … Get up and dance along as a frisky fox prances on stage, and bask in the moonlight of Mr. Moon as he helps a lonely firefly help find his way back to his swarm. (My preschooler couldn't get enough of it!)." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Stephanie Barnhart (Mommy Nearest)
"Mister Seahorse, lets children know how fathers care for their young as eggs. it is a great message for children. Set to the tune of Jamaican steel drums and trumpets the sea never sounded so inviting. The Very Lonely Firefly used ... soundscapes like crickets and firecrackers by Nate Edmondson to create a nighttime world. … The good news is parents will be just as entertained as their youngsters due to the creative sets, score and puppets."
• Suzanna Bowling (Times Square Chronicles)
"The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show was as charming as children's theater gets. It was simple but magical and the 60-minute length was the perfect length of time for toddlers. … The entire show is well paced and contains the right elements of surprise that children really respond to. My husband, Gerard, and I enjoyed it too! I highly recommend this delightful performance."
• Bergen Mama
"Each time the music changed we tried to guess what animal the artist would draw next: the green lion, pink rabbit, black polar bear, purple fox, or orange elephant who were made from puppets and walked gracefully on the stage. … For toddlers, it was magical, most kids in the audience were glued to the stage, the colors, gentle music, the soft voices of the actors, the familiarity of the pictures and very slow movements made it familiar and interesting." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Liat Ginsberg (The Culture Mom)
"The vivid images of the stories were brought to life in a brilliant manner. … The music, composed by Nate Edmondson, blends well with the performance and helps draw you into each story. … It is an excellent show to introduce kids to live children’s theatre while spending quality family time."
• Sai Malena Jimenez-Fogarty (Motherhood Later)
"Each time the music changed we tried to guess what animal the music suggested before they entered the stage. Animals that were playful, sinister, or humorous; all were wonderful, colourful additions that filled the Artist's gallery. 'I am an Artist', declared our clever painter and all the budding artists in the theatre broke their mesmerised silence to clap loudly."
• Jenny Rossiter (Weekend Notes)
"Although Carle’s books are recommended for children aged 10 and younger, this show has a wider appeal. When you get a reaction from audience members between the ages of 2 and 82, you know that you are doing something right. … The puppets aren’t the only thing that makes this show great." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Bebe Fischer (Off Off Online)
"The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is an absolute, unqualified triumph. …full scale Broadway musicals have struggled to have as much impact and simple joy as this tale… There is nothing not to like about this production. It is that perfection combination of ambition, achievement and genius. The hard working company make real theatrical magic with good storylines, committed intent and inspired vision." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Stephen Collins (Live Theatre UK)
"My kids especially loved the puppets and the noises that they were ‘making’. The beautiful music is the perfect accompaniment to the show..." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• The Mama Maven
"Let me tell you the production is amazing, there’s about 75 creative puppets throughout the show. All the stories were told so nicely; It’s like having the book read to you in performance form…"
• Demitra Mensah (Love Demitra)
"We were thrilled to hear about Dallas Children’s Theater’s production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, but I couldn’t help but wonder how, or even IF, a live theater production could capture the heart of this story. Short answer: It can, and it did. From the music’s first chord, the energy and enthusiasm of the acting ensemble draws the audience in and along on the journey through Carle’s books. … Dallas Children’s Theater makes the trek and the traffic worth the trip. An afternoon here is more than just ‘a show’. It’s an experience."
• Lark Wallis-Johnston (Theatre Jones)
"It is a testament to this crew that what could have been cloyingly condescending came out as fun and edifying. Each performer struck a marvelously unique dynamic in this well calibrated kaleidoscope of gentle lights and cooing sounds. … The mood is well balanced between calming light effects, pleasant sound levels, wonderfully honest performances, and beautifully rendered puppets that put one in mind of Chagall. Whether you have a child or are a child at heart, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is a fabulous work of art that should be experienced by all."
• Juan Michael Porter II (Broadway World)
"This is a show filled with colors and puppetry trying to entertain children. And, by those measures, it is a resounding success. … The adaptations of those four books are incredible."
• Deann Welker (Oregon ArtsWatch)
"It’s actually four shows in one, each beautifully presented with colorful lighting, soothing music and talented storytelling…" ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Kids’ News NYC
"It was an utterly magical hour of storytelling and music accompanied by stunningly playful puppets both familiar and new."
• Whitney C. Harris (New York Family)
"Opening with a background of Eric Carle’s iconic watercolor polka dots, as well as soft lighting and music, it is an absolutely perfect introduction to live theater for the littlest children (while also featuring enough breathtaking moments to engage seasoned theatergoers). … 'This production embraces the rhythm of the books and adds to it a beautiful musical score that invites every audience to come along for the ride at their own pace,’ said Crowson. ‘There are lots of ways ‘in’ to the play: words, music, sounds, light, pictures, movement; but without those elements coming at the audience fast and furiously. There’s breathing room, perhaps, that will give each audience member the space to experience it in the way that’s most comfortable for them.’"
• Mary Brady (NW Kids Magazine)
"The play, just like Carle’s books, is meant for very little kids. It’s slow-moving, with soothing music and deliberate dialogue. … This is the terrific first show for toddlers and preschoolers that will (hopefully) bridge their love of Eric Carle books to a love of theater. Bright colors, fun animals and less than an hour long: perfect!"
• Jiaying Grygiel (Parent Map)
"I thought the show was designed very well. The music and sound effects really elevate the production. … But, I think what stood out to me the most was that the theatre was PACKED. Yes, we went on a Sunday morning, so I knew it would be busy. But, it was a sold out show! And that made me smile. … This show inspires kids to get excited about reading, think creatively, and appreciate live theatre. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is a great first theatre experience for toddlers and preschoolers!"
• Marcie Cheung (Marcie In Mommyland)
"The show itself was beyond adorable and absolutely perfect for kids Noah’s age. Each of the four stories was about 10-15 minutes and held Noah’s attention perfectly (which is hard to do!). The different colors, animals and songs were fun and engaging! … Overall, the show could not have been better! … You won’t be disappointed in this one."
• Robin (My Milwaukee Adventure)
"…the dreamy dance of the production and its faithfulness to the visual reality of Carle’s art keep the show captivating from beginning to end." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Russ Bickerstaff (Shepherd Express)
"At one point, Neeko said, ‘The music is so peaceful.’ … It is a treat for all to see."
• Debbie Decker (Front Row Reviewers Utah)
"The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is as sweet and soothing as any show possibly could be."
• Seth Tucker (Broadway World)
"This gentle production, accompanied by music, is colorful and inventive. The puppetry is wonderful, and the sweetness with which the stories unfold, make it a perfect theatrical introduction for toddlers. …the show has a lovely pace and enchanting quality, capitalizing on Carle’s distinctive visual sensibilities. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is artistic, surprising and fun."
• Fern Siegel (Huffington Post: Stage Door)
"For the techies in the audience, it's interesting to note that the music was imagined specifically for each character, by Australian composer Nate Edmondson. The music is what keeps the young audiences at attention, guiding them through their journey of this story-book world."
• Larisa Amaya-Baron (Broadway World)
The Very Hungry
Caterpillar Show
[United States, Canada
& Asia 2016-2019]
"Nate Edmondson’s complex sound design is executed with impressive refinement and is noticeably adventurous with its concepts.”
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Lighting (Hugh Hamilton) and sound design (Nate Edmondson) are thoughtfully folded into a technically sharp production." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"...the sound (Nate Edmondson) is spare and also instrumental in creating the imagery so effortlessly conjured up for the audience. … Fascinating stuff – highly recommended."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"An unseen radio discussing the Berlin Wall plays… Sound designer Nate Edmondson has bought together archive recordings of radio broadcasts and interviews along with a selection of music to emphasize the importance records played in Charlotte's life. … I Am My Own Wife is a detailed, powerful work…"
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"She loved music and had a collection of 15,000 gramophone records and never owned a radio or TV. Crackly old gramophone music weaves through her story, taking us back to when she was a 16-year-old boy called Lothar…"
• Mel Somerville (Alt Media)
"Gerrard’s performance was enhanced by superb lighting design by Hugh Hamilton and sound by Nate Edmondson which transformed this show and the intimate space of the theatre and provided an enthralling night of theatre. I Am My Own Wife, with its astute observations and wry humour is a great success for director Shaun Rennie and his team."
• The Buzz From Sydney
"Credit goes to Wright’s brilliant writing and this production’s reverent treatment of the play. … A beautiful production telling a special, moving story. Go see it."
• Maryann Wright (Australian Arts Review)
"Shaun Rennie has directed a vibrant, textured production which allows Gerrard to shine." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"Theatre doesn’t get much better than this. … The creative team: lighting designer Hugh Hamilton, set designer Caroline Comino, sound man Nate Edmondson and costume woman, Elise McCann- create the milieu in which he weaves his spell. … This is a memorable night in the theatre, spotlighting a unique life story."
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"The production is immaculate. ...with a Sound Design by Nate Edmondson of restrained aptness. Director, Shaun Rennie, has created a very tight and lucid production … I Am My Own Wife at the Old Fitz is a production of theatrical bravura."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Hugh Hamilton’s lighting design considers its subjects well as does Nate Edmondson’s excellent sound design. This is a production of very high quality." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Adam Rafferty (Theatre People)
"The last song I expected to hear playing over the speakers as I entered the space for I Am My Own Wife, was I Feel Love by Donna Summer. But the purpose is later made clear as we learn about the extraordinary and intriguing life of German transgender woman, Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, who survived both the Nazi and the Communist regime."
• Myron My (My About Town)
"I loved this play. Gerrard’s subtle, sly and moving performance and the simple but ingenious staging, with a backdrop of censored Stasi files and sparse, deceptively simple furniture (design by Caroline Comino, lighting by Hugh Hamilton, sound by Nate Edmondson), combine to create an engrossing experience. Knowing that the play is based on a real person, and hearing her voice and that of Wright at the very end, left me wanting to know more about this astonishing woman. ... It’s a terrific piece."
• Katie Purvis (Aussie Theatre)
"In addition to Mr Rennie’s direction, the other artistic elements here cohere beautifully and do nothing but enhance Charlotte’s story and Mr Gerrard’s wonderful performance. … Nate Edmondson’s sound design includes numerous perfectly chosen music cues and just perceptible but ominous rumbles that stir the emotions. I’ve not seen a lot of standing ovations at 45downstairs. Mr Gerrard received one and it is thoroughly, totally merited."
• Michael Brindley (Stage Whispers)
"To be as clear as can be: the show is a knockout. Absolute highest-quality, runs the emotional gamut, cuts right to the bones of humanity. Nothing short of a masterpiece. … I Am My Own Wife's ambitions by no means stopped at Gerrard's performance. … A highlight of the environment installed at fortyfivedownstairs was the music player that paired beautifully with Nate Edmondson's sound design, through his adventurous use of historically accurate sound alongside contemporary tracks, where even quality of sound varied to cement the authenticity made for a rich integrity Gerrard could stand upon. Lighting and shadow played up moments to true drama, which with Edmondson's help gave this particularly seasoned audience member a genuine fright or five!"
• Brodie Paparella (Broadway World)
"I Am My Own Wife is the most incredible theatrical experience... and one of our more memorable evenings at the theatre; it’s one that I’ll treasure not only for its extraordinary story, but more so, for its captivating star performer. … Caroline Camino’s simple, sombre design, Hugh Hamilton’s moody, poor man’s lighting and Nate Edmondson’s evocative soundscape wholly support Gerrard’s multiple voices whilst remaining true to the main character’s obsessions with precious things."
• Xanthe Coward (XS Entertainment)
I Am My
Own Wife
[Australia, 2015-2018]
"...Sian James-Holland’s lighting turns the space into a magical, ethereal nowhere-land. This sense is enhanced by Nate Edmondson’s soundscape and music. …Good Works is yet another reminder of what an extraordinary talent we had in Nick Enright and he is well served by this mainly very fine production. Recommended."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Nate Edmondson's sound and music is clean and simple highlighting an underlying innocence that the characters once had. …Good Works is a well presented, poignant and complex work about lost youth, damaged lives, abuse, betrayal, and prejudice."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
"Iain Sinclair’s production is ravishing. Like the play itself, it doesn’t make much sense initially but eventually the meaning hits home. ... It becomes dreamlike and so confusion is acceptable. Indeed, it’s almost like a puzzle: solving it keeps us engaged. …This is a fine production that proves the power of a well-told Australian play."
• Peter Gotting (Stage Whispers)
"…it is plainly evident that a great deal of intelligent design has gone into this production, and for that alone the cast and crew should be congratulated."
• Dinner And A Show
"Nate Edmondson’s soundscape and music is seamlessly atmospheric and haunting. … A most intense, thought provoking, sometimes disturbing production excellently acted." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Lynne Lancaster (Arts Hub)
"Special mention must also go to Nate Edmondson (composer and sound designer) and Hugh O’Connor (production designer) for making this such a memorable production. … Thumbs up."
• John Rozentals (Molong Online)
"Sian James-Holland and Nate Edmondson round out a beautiful night of theatre with subtle lighting and sound that use the empyrean space of the Darlinghurst Theatre stage to full advantage."
• Lisa Thatcher
"Nate Edmondson’s soundscape layers even more chilling complementarity to these close encounters of the horrific, depressingly familiar kind. … By rights, we shouldn’t have to wait another couple of decades for drama of this magnitude and quality. Don’t go changing, either: this a supremely well-engineered production, without the need for any tweaking of tampering of cast, or creatives."
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Syke On Stage)
Good Works
[Australia, 2015]
"There are the classic tropes of said shows – a good cop/bad cop pairing, red herrings and a suspect who keeps you guessing – plus the familiar stark noir atmosphere of Scandinavian crime thrillers created by the minimal stage set-up, ominous soundtrack and strip lighting." ★ ★ ★ ★
• George Nott (The Brag)
"The best of this late night show … is the inventive scene change lighting of pulsing coloured 'fluro-tubes' hung on the back wall of the set by Alexander Berlage, and the vivid and exciting Sound Design by Nate Edmondson."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Sound and lights help with a sense of continuity…"
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"The 80 minutes are packed with intensity as the 'present' events in the police precinct are interspersed with flashbacks to the events that led up to William being arrested and interrogated. Scene changes vary from either full blackout and loud music to sets being rearranged around actors before their departure."
• Jade Kops (Broadway World)
A Girl With Sun
In Her Eyes
[Australia, 2015]
"The sombre, oppressive music by composer The Sweats and sound designer Nate Edmondson, hauntingly overshadows the misery of the characters’ lives."
• Greg Elliot (In Daily)
"The soundscape from The Sweats and Nate Edmondson is a roiling rumble punctuated by explosive scene markers."
• Murray Bramwell (The Australian)
"Production design is spartan, but Geoff Cobham’s meticulously nuanced lighting design, combined with the subtle shifts in Pete Goodwin's and Nate Edmondson's score, serve to effectively establish each different scene. …if hard-hitting, edgy contemporary drama is what you’re after, it doesn’t get much better than this."
• Benjamin Orchard (Stage Whispers)
"Using compositions by The Sweats, Nate Edmondson’s rich soundscape, and terrific lighting design by Geoff Cobham enhance this production with clarity, atmosphere and breath-stealing tension, without ever demanding to be noticed. Plays like Mortido can change perspectives and open conversations that sometimes, might save a life. Bravo!! That’s the kind of legacy that good theatre deserves." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Nikki Fort (The Clothesline)
"Effectively dramatic lighting (Geoff Cobham), teams nicely with sound (Nate Edmondson) and music by Franz Schubert and The Sweats ominously marking scene changes, and assisting the tension building and marking the contrasts."
• Peter Bleby (Aussie Theatre)
"…the soundscape lifts, carries, and complements the action on the stage magnificently. Composed by The Sweats with Nate Edmondson as sound designer, it ranges from soft, strange rustling and rattling through rumbles and roars, thumps and thunders and wondrous percussive intensities. Mortido is a brave new work and an ambitious production which is what theatre is meant to be."
• Samela Harris (The Barefoot Review)
"…a welcome jolt of adrenaline in the tail-end of a year of theatre. …Mortido is set upon a dark and atmospheric set (Robert Cousins) with moody chiaroscuro lighting (Geoff Cobham), and a furious score (The Sweats with Nate Edmondson)."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
"With such narrative complexities, sound, set and lighting design become crucial in telling the story. ... Aural cues take us from El Camino to German nightclubs and Sydney’s Ivy bar." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Emma Froggatt (The Guardian)
"A soundtrack of thudding beats and abrasive cues composed by Pete Goodwin (The Sweats) and Nate Edmondson, and Geoff Cobham's lighting, contribute to a squeezing build of tension in the room." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"Angela Betzien’s crime thriller set in Sydney carries all the hallmarks of that town; its loud, gritty, grim and grotesque as well as great entertainment." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Peter Maddern (Kryztoff Raw)
"The action is occasionally punctuated by sound amid a soundscape-composition that pounds the body and senses (The Sweats, sound designer Nate Edmondson). All up there is every ingredient to make Mortido a memorable experience."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Mortido is gripping, and very exciting, with each scene holding surprises, frequently overwhelming with its keen portrayal of brutality, both physical and psychological. Composer The Sweats and sound designer Nate Edmondson do exceptional work with their manipulations of atmosphere. The production relies heavily on its sounds to control our responses, and the precision at which it guides our emotions through every sequence and transition is remarkable."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Betzien has been inspired by the 'Golden Age' of television and the emergence of popular crime shows to write a cycle of crime dramas, the latest of which, Mortido, feels like binge viewing a season of a series. Indeed, director Leticia Caceres employs cinematic techniques like cross fade and superimposition, deftly combining the televisual with traditional theatre craft."
• Richard Cotter (Australian Stage)
"Director Leticia Cáceres says in her notes that she hopes seeing this play will be a ‘workout for the brain’. She and her team have delivered a production that is gripping from beginning to end. … The technical direction of the show is seamless. The design is pared back and subtly textured. As the show progresses, surfaces get stripped away and daubed with swirls of lipstick and blood. This is a riveting portrayal of people caught between a death wish and a dangerous impulse to tenderness that spiral one around the other. It is a wild ride." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• John Lavarack (Sydney Scoop)
"Pete Goodwin, of The Sweats, with Nate Edmondson's sound design, provides a vivid soundtrack throughout, including an ear-popping club scene. All lovers of modern theatre should attend."
• Frank Hatherley (Stage Whispers)
"Geoff Cobham, Lighting Designer, captures the murky colours of this false world of glamour, accompanied by Composition by The Sweats, with a magnificent Sound Design, by Nate Edmondson, that aurally careers around the alluring, confronting spaces and time of the play. … maybe the best new Australian work we have seen this year."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Mortido is well written and executed, often laugh-out-loud funny, and utterly gripping – from its blood-soaked prologue to its Cola-splattered ending." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Dee Jefferson (Time Out Sydney)
Mortido
[Australia, 2015]
"With lighting by Roderick van Gelder, costumes by Pamela McGraw and soundscapes by Nate Edmondson, Departures is another feather (candle) in the cap for a unique and inspiring company. Their work really should be more widely seen."
• Jo Litson (Scene And Heard)
Departures
[Australia, 2015 & 2016]
"Rogers makes imaginative use of the little stage, especially in the non-naturalistic sequences. … Cheel stood out, as did Nate Edmondson's sound design." ★ ★ ★ ★
• John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The set design, lighting and music choices all evoke the sense of isolation and desperation of characters marred by tragedy. A thoroughly compelling and thought provoking night at the theatre." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Katharine Rogers (Arts Hub)
"The production values, the Design, by Georgia Hopkins; the Lighting, by Sian James-Holland; and a dense … Composition and Sound Design, by Nate Edmondson, are of a very high quality - elegant and dramatic."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"…its sensuality resonates effectively, with beautifully crafted tension holding together a show that is full of fragility and volatility. Marvellously designed by the dynamic team of Georgia Hopkins (set and costumes), Sian James-Holland (lights) and Nate Edmondson (sound), we are transfixed and overcome by a sordid world populated by unimaginably dark thoughts and evil plans. …the production is a polished and sometimes spectacular one. There is a generous amount of talent on display, and every one of its fabulous facets welcomes our genuine and immediate admiration."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Nate Edmondson’s score and sound design seems to rely upon a series of ominous drones and reverberating metallic clangs, but it also adds to the pervasive sense of unease and dread which hangs over these characters’ heads."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
"Sian James-Holland’s lighting and Nate Edmondson’s sound design and compositions are perfectly matched to production. Working seamlessly underneath. Another great production from Stories Like These and the Griffin Theatre. Worth adding this to you ‘Go See’ list."
• Lynden Jones (Theatre Now)
"Luke Rogers has directed a fast-moving, textured and energetic production… The production elements are all first-class, from Georgia Hopkins’ sophisticated set and costumes to Sian James-Holland’s lighting design and Nate Edmondson’s sound design, which both punctuate the dramatic beats of the play." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"The value of this play lies with this production, tautly directed and quite brilliantly executed by this young, aspiring ensemble."
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Syke On Stage)
"Sian James-Holland’s sterile and erratic lighting, accompanied by Nate Edmondson’s tense horror music, propelled the scene changes and maintained the fast pace. Despite the gory context of the play, the designers conveyed the dark mood subtly… The writing, design and performance came together brilliantly to produce a fast paced, engaging work that drew you in and spat you out." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jo Bradley (Scribbles Of Stage And Screen)
"Formidable, forceful performances… Luke Rogers’ direction is tense and musical… Anna Barnes has tapped into something essential and immediate about young women, about anxiety and terror and anger and a constant, destructive lack of control over their own bodies and lives." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Time Out Sydney
MinusOneSister
[Australia, 2015]
"The Tempest opens with a cracking storm and shipwreck as Prospero’s enemies, handily passing by, are tossed on to the island. Alan Johns’s operatic score (with Nate Edmondson's sound design), designer Julie Lynch’s wildly billowing curtains and Damien Cooper’s expressive lighting immediately conjure a world of theatrical magic in which anything might happen." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Deborah Jones (The Australian)
"Music by Alan John and sound design by Nate Edmondson are outstanding features; helping to drive the production through atmospheric transformations and exquisite moments of ethereality."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Immediately upon setting your feet into the theatre, it is clear that Bell wants his audiences to immerse themselves into the imaginative world of The Tempest. Nate Edmondson’s sound design grabs you on with its crashing waves, chirping birds and atmospheric sensations, very much supported by Alan John’s spectacular musical score. Not only do both become a drive for exposition and, at times, an allusion to the self-reflexivity of the play, but it also adds another layer of fascinating storytelling to its mix." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Debbie Zhou (Theatre People)
"The stage design truly sets the scene, it is minimalistic but it works here. ... Sounds of the wind and ocean flutter constantly through the theatre intertwining with Alan John’s beautifully whimsical score, and the lighting is a mix of dream-like blues and sun-baked yellows. It’s all rather magical really. …it is the enchanting cast and stunning staging that has made this production by Bell Shakespeare my favourite by far. Be not afeard to see The Tempest, for it is full of noises, sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not!"
• Kat Czornij (The AU Review)
"…the casting is excellent, the set and costumes brilliant, the lighting, sound and music composition wonderful, and the movement exciting and telling…"
• Frank McKone (Canberra Critics Circle)
"Refreshingly for one of Shakespeare’s most imposed-upon works Bell has felt no need to ‘interpret’, but merely staged it so the sense of wonder has been a paramount concern across the creative team, including ... Nate Edmondson's sound and Alan John’s music. Music is the blood of spirits, and John’s pretty songs and disembodied enchantments fully justify Caliban’s rapturous 'When I wak’d/I cried to dream again' speech." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The opening storm scene, so difficult to stage, is perfectly executed and evoked here by the combination of Julie Lynch’s softly sensual and flowing set design, Damien Cooper’s lighting, Nate Edmondson’s sound skills and Scott Witt’s movement direction."
• Geraldine Worthington (Molong Online)
"...it is a crowd-pleaser, big on atmosphere and colour and deceptive in its simplicity. Resisting the urge to impose on it some new, contemporary meaning, he plays it absolutely straight, embracing the story in all its ridiculousness and, along with his creative team of set and costume designer Julie Lynch, lighting by Damien Cooper, sound by Nate Edmondson and composer Alan John, creating a space where imagination is king. ... All in all, it’s an accomplished and beautifully balanced production..." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Polly Simons (The Daily Telegraph)
"…enchanting, richly imaginative. evocative and effective as Julie Lynch’s set & costumes, Damien Cooper’s lighting, Alan John’s composition & Nate Edmondson’s sound design are…"
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Syke On Stage)
"…this accomplished swansong production, superbly performed by its excellent cast, is a potent reminder of how gifted and ground-breaking an exponent of the Bard’s work Bell is." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Maxim Boon (Limelight Magazine)
The Tempest
[Australia, 2015]
"…Sarks' production is restlessly active, emotionally vibrant and finessed." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"With a 'Permission granted, @BelvoirSt' Taylor Swift became Australian theatre’s biggest news. When her pop mega-hit Shake It Off played during Seventeen’s opening night, the crowd cheered, clapped, and all but sang along. … They turn up their speakers and they dance ... to plenty of other infectious pop songs too..." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Cassie Tongue (Daily Review)
"Alan John’s compositions and Nate Edmondson’s sound design create a naturalistic world for the production, from the popular tunes played on the speakers, to the sounds of suburbia at night."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
"Taylor Swift has definitely enhanced her career by giving them permission to dance to Shake It Off, and meanwhile – get on down to Belvoir and revel in a show that combines charm and intensity and most of life’s deeper truths. Totes recommended."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"…picking an unobtainable track (i.e. a #1 single from the last 12 months) by Taylor Swift that you’ll have trouble securing the rights to, allowing you to barrack her via a social-media driven campaign that publicises your show, is a great way to get bums on seats (many thousands of bums, in fact, from what we hear). Hopefully the thousands of young ticket buyers will enjoy the experience and come back for another show, or even better – get turned on to theatre in general. …Matthew Whittet’s play has things to say to them that go deeper than the soundtrack of hits by Iggy Azalea, Farrell and Taylor Swift…" ★ ★ ★ ★
• Dee Jefferson (Time Out Sydney)
"Watching John Gaden as Mike dance to Taylor Swift's Shake It Off was my favourite part. It allowed me to believe he was seventeen."
• Emily Shaddick (Australian Stage)
"The stand-out scene, without a doubt, was when the cast grooved to Shake It Off, a Taylor Swift tune, showing that even at their advanced ages, they could still make all the right moves. Anne-Louise Sarks creative team brought Whittet’s world vividly to life."
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"What is the definition of happiness? We all have very different answers to this question, but seeing Seventeen at the Belvoir last night has provided me with a new answer: happiness is seeing John Gaden dance to Taylor Swift. … This is one of those ‘you’ll kick yourself if you miss it’ kind of plays, if only to see John Gaden et al Shake it Off. In fact that sequence received much applause from the audience, probably as much for overcoming the well-publicised last minute dramas over using the song, as for the performance itself."
• The Buzz From Sydney
"The cast dancing to Taylor Swift’s Shake it Off – which would have been cut if the pop megastar hadn’t given last-minute permission for the song’s use – is one of the most joy-filled moments on stage I have ever seen."
• Huw Griffiths (The Conversation)
"One of the best moments in the play is the phenomenal dancing rendition of Shake it Off by Taylor Swift. A truly priceless, hilarious three minutes of shakin' it all off. … Never in my life have I enjoyed seniors dancing to a pop song, more than I did in Seventeen." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Leanora Collett (Sydney Scoop)
"It was so worth their Twitter campaign for Shake it Off… Volume was perfect especially when the music was supposed to be under the action and from the portable."
• Sydney Live Theatre: Technical Notes
Seventeen
[Australia, 2015]
"Lights (Matthew Marshall, with projections by Martin Kinnane), sound (Nate Edmondson) and a swirling score combine to excellent effect and cast a warm glow over this novel take on the Gallipoli legacy." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"Minimal prop changes, energetic music and innovative lighting and projections help to execute these transitions seamlessly while uninterruptedly holding the audience attention."
• Sereima Tarogi (Megaphone Oz)
"The supporting contributions from Matthew Marshall and his lighting design; Nate Edmondson with his sound design; Sue Wallace with her puppet creation and performance (rod and mechanistic Herman); Martin Kinnane with the projection design and the original music by Joseph Tawadros (featuring the oud) are of an exemplary order."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Shellshock is a remarkable story about hope, family and the way we remember those that went before us. It was clearly a labour of love for all those involved, and will be a moving experience for those in the audience."
• Erica Enriquez (Weekend Notes)
Shellshock
[Australia, 2015]
"Nate Edmondson’s sound includes the expressive solitary guitar that then includes a realist perspective with environmental sound that becomes an intimate part of the emotional impact. All in all Iain Sinclair has produced a wonderful night at the theatre that complies with the always high standard Sport For Jove insists on with its productions."
• Lisa Thatcher
"I make no apologies for reusing the word ‘natural’ to describe everything about this outstanding production. We saw a simple but effective design from Michael Hankin, …enhanced by the lighting design from Sian James Holland and sound design by Nate Edmondson. …the use of naturally occurring sound in the background created atmosphere, and the audience’s commitment was palpable. I heard sighs and gasps at all the right times. The last scene led to nearly half a minute of stunned silence, then the rapturous applause exploded."
• Allan Chapple (Sydney Arts Guide)
"Sport For Jove’s production is tight, elegant, mesmerising and atmospheric, richly evocative of the hardship of the era. …there is something immediately tangible and emotionally pulling about this setting which take us instantly to the time and a place, such as Steinbeck’s America, when to live off the land and have your own dream of a place of your own, was The American Dream. … Coupled with Sian James-Holland’s lighting, Nate Edmondson’s sound design of the working ranch, and live guitar music by Terry Serio, there is a kind of simple perfection to this production which is hard to beat."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
"This production, directed by Iain Sinclair, is a near flawless rendering of Steinbeck’s 78 year-old text. Beautifully realised by a brilliant design team (Michael Hankin is production designer, with Nate Edmondson on sound, and lights by Sian James-Holland), the show feels rich with authenticity and provides our senses with a satisfying approximation of how Northern America must have been at the Great Depression. Sinclair’s consummate control of atmospherics delivers a transportative pleasure…"
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"…quite simply, this is a marvellous production. …supported by a company of similarly fine actors and a fine creative team. Of Mice and Men is great theatre. The casting is sublime, the production is handsome. A pity the playwright wasn’t in the house to see it. Not to be missed."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Sport for Jove, under the Direction of Iain Sinclair have mounted a more than handsome production of this great text. … The subtle sound design by Nate Edmondson adds, and carefully impinges on our consciousness to give depth of reality to the world of the play."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson’s Theatre Diary)
"Chirruping crickets, creaking wood and scratching rats in the sound design (Nate Edmondson) transport the audience into the bunkhouse with the migrant workers. … The whole production seems bathed in a lovingly nostalgic golden haze, which is disconcertingly comforting. Throw in the live guitar and harmonica and you almost want to pull up a rocking chair and join George and Lennie." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jen Cannock (Time Out Sydney)
"Sport for Jove have, once again, delivered an outstanding piece of theatre. Their production of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is practically flawless. From beginning to end, it was enthralling, moving, poignant and heart breaking. … Nate Edmondson’s soundscapes that ran throughout were so subtle they might have been missed, which is exactly the way they should be. They so easily summoned up images of what lay beyond our immediate view, whether it was the men winding down after a long day’s work, or birds chirping in the summer heat. Unassuming and simple, yet hugely effective. … It’s a beautiful piece of theatre, and should not be missed."
• Alana Kaye (Theatre Now)
"Chippendale is a long way from rural California, yet, in its inimitable, scrupulous, intensive way, Sport for Jove manages to create a derelict, dustbowl on stage that takes you there. … Director Iain ‘Nobby’ Sinclair seems to have a profound grasp of the work’s profundity and has exemplified this in the way he’s cast his gaze over the entire production and managed to communicate the world of the play (to resort to a terrible cliche) to cast & creatives, who, overwhelmingly, exemplify the depth of his understanding, insight and appreciation. The result is a almost reverent homage. … Michael Hankin’s production design, Nate Edmondson’s wonderfully naturalistic, spatially convincing soundscape and Sian James-Holland’s lighting get the production off on the right foot and keep it there."
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Syke On Stage)
"Sinclair’s coherent staging, as well as the contribution of the design team, conveys well the claustrophobic intimacy of this world. This is one of SPJ’s best-ever productions. Don’t miss it." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Veronica Hannon (Gay News Network)
"The production is an effortless refashioning of Steinbeck’s original work that draws in every audience member and distils the raw emotion that acts as a reflex response to the sometimes shocking, yet mundane, circumstances that arise. It is breathtaking in its simplicity. … Sport for Jove’s play Of Mice and Men is immensely compelling and showcases incredible skill in all aspects of the production."
• Emily Richardson (Absolute Theatre)
"There's occasional live music, with guitar and mouth organ to sharpen the mood. … Opening night's audience responded to the piece with its twists and mood and power with indrawn breaths and utterly solid applause for this version of Steinbeck's small modern tragedy. It is just a pity that the season is so short." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Alanna Maclean (Canberra Times)
"Iain Sinclair’s directing, in Michel Hankin’s ostensibly simple yet very clever set design, lit in shadows by Sian James-Holland and with Georgia Hopkins’ costumes and hair designs, recreates an image of the loneliness of Steinbeck’s Great Depression, emphasised by the solo slide guitar and single-notes wistful folk harmonica. … I can only say it’s a great feeling to be surpassed by the quality of thought and art in this production and to have my ancient limited understanding of Of Mice and Men broadened and deepened."
• Frank McKone (Canberra Critics Circle)
"Iain Sinclair has produced a strong, uncompromising production that presents a very real impression of the era. … Lighting designed by Sian James-Holland adds greatly to the atmosphere as does the sound design of Nate Edmondson. … If you’ve never read or seen it, don’t miss this opportunity to undergo a profound experience."
• Len Power (Canberra Critics Circle)
"Without waiting for the formality of curtain rises and the like, a lone acoustic guitarist serenades the audience members as they take their seats, heralding a pattern where the sounds of the west are interwoven into the scene changes throughout the show. … Of Mice & Men is a tribute to the power of storytelling. With understated sight and sound effects and seamlessly delivered performances, the unassuming production avoids any hint of sentimentality that might detract from the clarity of Steinbeck’s script. ... The result is an outstanding adaptation that is indicative of a dedicated team working together to bring this heartbreaking tale to life." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Revelly Robinson (Arts Hub)
"…the production worked very well, all characters well defined despite their number, a blues guitarist setting the mood for each act, and a single versatile set becoming the outdoors, a bunkhouse, a single bedroom, and a barn by the simple magic of furniture removalism. Articulation was very good, with the sound balance perfect…"
• John P. Harvey (Stage Whispers)
"...seriously one of the best productions I've seen this year and director Iain Sinclair found a beautiful juxtaposition of rustic dreams and brutal reality with an outstanding cast and design."
• Jane Simmons (Shit On Your Play)
"The sound effects are very well thought through in this production and are a highlight in creating the feel and atmosphere. There are distant dogs and sunset insects all the way through the initial scene and a flock of birds will occasionally take flight in perfect rhythm with the text and action. When the action moves to the ranch there is a range of effects used. The set build into the bunkhouse is covered with owls, indeterminate nature and the distant dogs barking. The dray arrival complete with horses neighing, bridles clinking and men being rowdy really set the scenes for the use of audio as background setting. The real men then start to call from backstage and the move into action is completed smoothly. Their wash up is also nicely done with effects of water splashing and bowls being banged with the men chatting. There is some evening insect noise under but it is different to the first scenes at a much lower level. The bird noises heard in the first scene are slowly brought up to conscious level as the death is announced and fills the stage when it is empty. The men playing horseshoes is very well recorded and played through the upstage speaker, places the non visible action perfectly. You can hear the conversations and comments and the metallic clinking. Especially impressive is the 'somebody made a ringer' line. It was timed perfectly. Also impressive was the horses in various speakers around Crooks’ room. You could hear the kick on the stalls, stamping, the metal clink of their movement, neighs and occasional metallic elements in separate places. Individual noises punctuate the action. As the animals are disturbed when Crooks arrives, there is a louder and more targeted neighs. Truly wonderful."
• Sydney Live Theatre: Technical Notes
"Director Iain Sinclair's staging at the tightly packed Reginald Theatre is limited but dramatically effective with the selective light and sound effects to evoke the unfolding menacing situation."
• Weekend Notes
Of Mice And Men
[Australia, 2015]
"...this production, directed by Kate Gaul, is perfect in almost every regard. …all the elements combine in the tiny theatre to create something unexpectedly moving and overwhelming. Gaul has pulled together every element with a sensitive hand, including Nate Edmondson’s creeping sound design, which pours out of speakers all throughout the theatre… This is a spectacular production with a spectacular performance which shouldn’t be missed." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"A terrific script and a masterful characterisation are aided and abetted to high degree by Hartley T A Kemp’s lighting design that is not afraid of the dark, and Nate Edmondson’s sound design, pivotal to the focus on the auditory that pervades the play. Thomas is quite literally hounded and haunted by sounds and voices, and due to Edmondson’s work, the audience is too. The machines are like ghosts, unholy ones at that, at times turning on automatically, repeating the recorded past, taunting Thomas’ present. Misterman is chilling, thrilling, compelling theatre. It would be a sin to miss it."
• Richard Cotter (Australian Stage / Sydney Arts Guide)
"The holistic incorporation of design faculties demonstrates a sophistication that reflects a deep understanding of the nature and capacities of theatre. Set by Gaul, lights by Harley T A Kemp, music and sound by Nate Edmondson contribute much more than atmosphere. The way we understand the protagonist’s environment and his psychology happens through the accomplishments of this formidable design crew, and their exhaustive exploration of space and fantasy."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"… surrounded as he is by archaic reel-to-reel tape recorders and cassette players that intermittently crackle into life with snatches of voices and disparate sounds (wondrous sound design by Nate Edmondson) – there’s a touch of Krapp’s Last Tape too. … Simplicity and complexity combine in a virtually flawless production from Kate Gaul and Thomas Campbell. Not to be missed."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"...Gaul does not shy away from giving us the full horror of the final moments in a terrifying soundscape. Nate Edmondson’s sound design and score are naturalistic, and is impeccably timed with Magill’s finely calibrated performance, and vice-versa. …it seems perfectly crafted… I’d even go so far as to say it’s one of the highlights of the year so far. Definitely recommended."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
"… in Misterman particularly, the sound design and lighting design form their own characters from off the stage, giving the impression that Thomas, with his endless torturous demons, is never alone. Nate Edmondson’s recordings from old reel to reel tapes and his imposing sounds from outside the world/mind of Thomas bring others into Thomas’ strange world and complete the sense of the dire and desperate place Thomas is in as he struggles with his memories. One of the challenges for any performer (director and rest of the crew) of Misterman is to be in perfect rapport with the sound designer, where timing and connection are directly translated to the audience. If there was a hitch on opening night, I didn’t see it, as the splendid ode to Beckett rings out perfectly timed in the gorgeous dungeon of the Old Fitz Theatre. ... This is a production you won’t want to miss. Highly recommended."
• Lisa Thatcher
"The creditable technical side of the production deserves mention. Flawless playback allowed Thomas to carry on the dialogue with other members of the town exactly as he saw fit. … This train wreck is nuanced and beautiful." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Sean Maroney (The Music)
"Excellent sound (Nate Edmondson) and lighting (Hartley T A Kemp) build an ominous atmosphere. … Misterman is a compelling look into an unhinged mind and an exciting piece of theatre." ★ ★ ★ ★
• The Daily Telegraph
"While it’s strictly a one-man show, Campbell is not alone on stage, accompanied by the meticulously plotted sound (by Nate Edmondson) and lighting design (Hartley T A Kemp) that beautifully amplifies his performance." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jen Cannock (Time Out Sydney)
"… bright moments that were assisted by a very comprehensive and supporting sound design by Nate Edmondson…"
• Stevie Zipper (Theatre Unzipped)
"The lighting and sound design seamlessly enhance the creepily atmospheric space. Nate Edmondson supplies arguably the best sound design the Old Fitz space has seen… A delicious production of a disturbing but electrifying play."
• Maryann Wright (Stage Whispers)
"Gaul has pulled together a tight team of creatives to create Thomas’ world, including... Nate Edmondson’s composition and sound (which is pivotal)… Misterman is provocative, buzzes with nuclear energy…"
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Syke On Stage)
"Nate Edmondson’s soundscape brilliantly scores the intense drama of the evening. This is a challenging and exquisitely realised piece of theatre, not to be missed." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Michael McLaughlin (The Mercury)
"This play was incredibly dark, disturbing, beautiful, haunting, and yet kept you maintained and was even light and funny at times. Following an Irishman’s religious fanaticism lead him to terrible actions, the single actor shared the stage with recording voices and sound effects that beautifully created the world around him and the gut-wrenching reality of his actions. Nate truely outdid himself on this production, and that’s saying something. Kate’s direction was, as always, unique and moving, dealing with the darkest of content and staging it in such an incredible way."
• Alana Gatley (Love Always, Alana)
Misterman
[Australia, 2015-2017]
"Nate Edmondson’s sound design is cleverly imagined, and beautifully realised. Without many spoken lines to occupy our minds with, Edmondson’s contribution takes on greater importance than usual. More than any other element of the show, it is the sound that provides us with the information required to help make sense of the intriguing chaos that unfolds."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Chant is on quite a roll at the moment and this production is no exception, she has created a fantastic world of such gruesome intensity it is hard to watch at times, but impossible to look away. … When you enter the theatre the air is hazy and you can hear emergency air horns, signalling the unseen catastrophe. The stage has been transformed brilliantly into a Japanese apartment, but without the claustrophobia."
• The Buzz From Sydney
"The technical aspects and design of this production pull together what would otherwise be a chaotic mess. Benjamin Brockman’s lighting design creates beautiful hints as to our past and present situations, while Nate Edmondson’s sound design and composition layer the inner psyche and set the scene regardless of the circumstance."
• Alana Gatley (Love Always, Alana)
Decay
[Australia, 2015]
"Upon entering the auditorium, the rumbling sounds of a tropical monsoon emanates from the stage to greet us. Without characters and narratives, we sit listening, surrendering to the voluntary effects that our physical selves cannot help but react with. Emotions surface, seemingly for no rhyme or reason. The art that we experience changes us, without letting us know how and why. A delicious melancholy, like a calm sadness, washes over. When the story begins, we are already hypnotised. … Our senses are captivated for the entire two-hour duration, by her sensitive and adventurous exploration of sound and sight… It is a rare occurrence to have the sound design of a non-musical theatre production steal the thunder, but Nate Edmondson and Alistair Wallace’s partnership is a clear triumph. Their work is original, surprising and experimental, but always effective and often powerful. It is omnipresent, but never distracting. There is an accuracy to the way the sound of When The Rain Stops Falling parallels, or perhaps determines, the stage action that makes the show inexorably involving and at many points, sublimely devastating."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"The original Brink Theatre production was meticulously prepared by some great practising artists and the long 'gestation' of that work is, partly, what gave the original production its depth of power and wonder. More modestly, the New Theatre production, under the respectful guidance of a young director, Rachel Chant … supported by the growing powers of the recently very busy lighting designer, Benjamin Brockman, and the, similarly, prolific sound designer and composer, Nate Edmondson, assisted by Alistair Wallace, triumphs."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"Nate Edmondson creates beautiful sound design cleverly using the sounds of rain here to inspire both the peace of natures cleanse and the ominous fear of drowning in emotional intensity."
• Lisa Thatcher
"Nate Edmondson’s musical composition is haunting and beautiful and perfect for the piece. Similarly, the sound design (Nate Edmondson and Alistair Wallace), which seamlessly transports the audience into the world of the characters."
• Kitty Hopwood (Theatre Now)
"The rain/thunder SFX which are loud and violent on audience entry are well-sourced and provide an excellent ambient state for the audience. … The music is lovely and the levels were good to my ears. … The music is electronic and keyboard but it manages not to be period specific. The single keyboard note or chords are skilfully inserted into the show. The single piano notes are especially well-used during the car accident monologue; very evocative and slightly disorienting. … The piercing electronica for the entry of the food and coat hanging works well as counterpoint to the simple, slow, silent movement. … The weather SFX under the Mary Shelley piece is just low enough to re-enforce the exterior events and interior turmoil."
• Sydney Live Theatre: Technical Notes
"Their work is well supported by the excellent music created by Nate Edmondson, a composer who seems to be everywhere at the moment. His use of low electronica morphing into single light piano under the initial monologue is a masterful and his use of bass to build a bridge to the first scream is wonderful. His audio design is created with Alistair Wallace and the loud, topical downpour which greets the audience on arrival expertly fades to a subtle and ‘just there’ underscore."
• Judith Greenaway (Sydney Arts Guide)
"Ultimately the piece is clearly intentioned and well polished... It is also worth mentioning the high production quality provided by Tom Bannerman (set design), Benjamin Brockman (lighting design) and Nate Edmondson (sound design)."
• Dinner And A Show
"On occasion at the New Theatre, sound levels have been intrusive, but for this production it was just right — and the final music was perfect, haunting me out into the foyer where I couldn’t speak for several minutes."
• Sanda Bowden (Oz Baby Boomers)
"This is easily one of my favourite Australian plays; the exploration of damage through generations and the interwoven stories presented alongside on stage are beautiful and haunting; and the New Theatre production of it was simply amazing. … The set design was imaginative and creative, using the space of the large stage perfectly; and the soundscape maintained the haunting presence of rain and emotion throughout the piece."
• Alana Gatley (Love Always, Alana)
When The Rain
Stops Falling
[Australia, 2015]
"And the technical elements in this production are all brilliant — Nate Edmondson’s sound design gives the audience plenty of jolts in their seats…" ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"The play started out beautifully, lighting designer Alexander Berlage and sound designer Nate Edmondson setting the tone of the piece that was immersive and interesting. …the set production, lighting design and sound arguably out-shone the show…"
• Stevie Zipper (Theatre Unzipped)
"Freak Winds is beautifully designed by a creative team that has addressed every aspect of sight and sound with good taste and sensitivity. Nate Edmondson’s sound design rumbles beneath our feet to taunt us into a space of horror, and along with Alexander Berlage’s lights, the small venue is dissected into a hundred different spots, adventurously explored in all their possibilities."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"The lighting by Alexander Berlage ... supports the horror layerings, as does the Sound Design, by Nate Edmondson."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"Sound design and lighting, I hasten to add, contribute in almost equal measure to script, set and performances."
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Syke On Stage)
"Clever use of sound was employed to set the scene, as well as onstage lighting through the windows, indicating the storm outside."
• Emily Richardson (Absolute Theatre)
"Nate Edmondson was responsible for auditory effects and he masterfully created sound effects that were both real and frightening. The threatening sounds of knives being sharpened triggered fear and an uneasy expectation of dangerous and cruel outcomes. The precise use of sound effects quickened the pulse of the audience adding to the agitated and foreboding nature of the developing disturbing thriller."
• Rose Niland (The Culture Concept)
"The wind SFX on entry was loud and given the title of the show entirely appropriate. There was an arctic feel to the effect giving a chilly ambiance. … he announcements were very well recorded to give an old fashioned static-y feel to the radio appliance. … There were several SFX from the dressing room, ostensibly the kitchen, and there was speaker in there. Vomiting, toilet flush, knife on grindstone. There were also some practical effects from that area. Jug boil, crash box. … Good use of an angelic choir was made leading into the final scene change. A well sourced effect for the Taser. The final audio well matched the macabre final state with loud cries, bells and high pitched wails leading to birdsong."
• Sydney Live Theatre: Technical Notes
Freak Winds
[Australia, 2015]
"The script … lays out a bunch of buttons to press for particular emotional reactions and Skuse, to his credit, presses them all, using Nate Edmondson’s eerie compositions, sung live by the cast…"
• Ben Neutze (Daily Review)
"Skuse draws similarly rarified performances from his actors; although often earthbound in conflict and pain, they float in the whiteness and light, upheld by an almost continuous and occasionally luscious soundscape (Nate Edmondson, composer/sound designer)."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Nate Edmondson has matched director Anthony Skuse’s exceedingly cinematic approach (including projected text, citing scientific, or pseudo-scientific facts about human neurological response) with a score worthy of a feature film…"
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Syke On Stage)
"…Edmondson’s score sounds like a cross between Philip Glass and Alexandre Desplat, and provides the emotional tug we don’t quite get through Miller’s writing."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
"The actors performed with aplomb, and the haunting choral music and sporadic set projections about the science behind human contact unified their scenes in a manner evoking Expressionism." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Bite Size Reviews
"And then unfolds before us a multi-faceted poem; an ode to touch. But instead of just using words, it uses actors, projection screens, choral work, recorded music and lighting. …I am filled with admiration for the technical team. Director Anthony Skuse was as much logistics manager as creative artist. He worked with Sophie Fletcher (designer), Matthew Marshall (lighting designer), Nate Edmondson (composer/sound designer) and the actors themselves to almost flawlessly pull off complex choreography of so many theatrical elements."
• Toni Carroll (Molong Online)
"His style touches me, his performers are endlessly engaging, and his use of music within every play moves me to my soul. Tonight I experienced all this and more at Griffin Theatre Co’s Caress/Ache. The design was beautifully crafted… The emotion keeps you transfixed through a heavily composed sound designer, never leaving the intimacy and enacting the surrounds perfectly regardless of the setting. This is topped off perfectly by live singing..."
• Alana Gatley (Love Always, Alana)
"Anthony Skuse’s direction is clear and very fluid. … His creative team support him well; a great score by Nate Edmondson..."
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"The composition was really good. … Really evocative. As was the single sharp notes over the sex ballet and the metallic hits under the forearm sequence. … The cast hum a cappella for the opening and this is repeated once and then reinforced with a recoding towards the finale. … The SFX of the air conditioner really under the execution lead up was another neatly effective subtlety."
• Sydney Live Theatre: Technical Notes
Caress/Ache
[Australia, 2015]
"…the Sydney Festival Parramatta production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is a knockout success. … Kudos should also go to the musical and sound design team. The original soundtrack hits just the right note, a fitting aural accompaniment to the beautiful visuals unfolding on stage." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Chris Hook (The Daily Telegraph)
"The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is a gorgeous little stage production for children aged one to seven that captivates with its clear storytelling, its fresh, bright design and its simple but inventive staging. Nate Edmondson’s music and Nicholas Rayment’s lighting are also pitch-perfect."
• Jo Litson (Scene And Heard)
"Beautiful, rhythmic and faithful to the author’s works, The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a triumph for first time theatregoers. … As characters emerged on stage the space is filled with vivid colours and buoyant sounds that captures the attention of even the youngest in the room. … Filled with ‘wow’ moments and stunning effects throughout, The Very Hungry Caterpillar is mesmerising." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Emma Joyce (Time Out Sydney)
"Add the beautifully intuitive lighting and eclectic musical score and these scenes had the audience of all ages mesmerised. … For the tiny folk, my 9 month old included, the lighting, illusions, movement and music had them enthralled and I didn't hear one cranky kid during the 50 minute performance! A testament to the skill, thought and care of the production."
• Kid Town Melbourne
"The performance features rich, original music and warm, sumptuous lighting, and is well-paced but with a calm decorum which soothes the nerves of parents and children alike. … The children who surrounded and accompanied me sat largely transfixed, open-mouthed throughout the show, spellbound by the steady spectacle of colour and light and sound which poured forth over its 50 minute running time." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Amelia Swan (Arts Hub)
"This show had everything kids could ever want: vibrant colours, movement, music and magic. ... I couldn’t have imagined a better day spent with my family…"
• Lauren Jackman (Canberra Mummy)
"The creative team behind The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show demonstrates that magic is not merely the province of the sleight of hand or the cunning illusion. … The magic in the story and the marvellously gentle puppetry, narration and musical backing, all illuminated by the changing scenes, are sufficient to bring Carle’s world to life and keep it vivid in the minds of an audience who are old enough to remember."
• Peter Wilkins (Canberra Critics Circle)
"For her very first theatre experience I have to say it was wonderful and I cannot recommend it more highly. It was a perfect mix of colour, movement, music and narration. ... The staging, props and amazing puppets were full of surprises and quite magical at times." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Kid Size Living
"The music accompanying each story varies but is also upbeat. … A timeless classic beautifully adapted for first-time theatre-goers." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Joanna Love (Child Magazine)
"The show was timeless theatre that entertained and delighted all generations. The stories about friendship and finding your place in the world were told with a rare and simple beauty. … In the show the startling clarity of design and the integrity of interpreting Carle’s exquisite illustrations were profoundly wondrous. … The food puppets travelled around the stage in skilfully choreographed dance sequences. … Every aspect of this production was impeccable and the heart-warming interpretation of the books was authentic and honoured the originals."
• Rose Niland (The Culture Concept)
"The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show was as amazing production where everything was created with kids in mind. The stories were beautifully presented through the stage, the music and the puppets. It exceeded my expectations…"
• Christine Knight (Adventure, Baby!)
"Using puppets and set to meditative music, it holds the audience's attention and is a great example of setting a tone for children's theatre that doesn't need to be all fast-paced antics and pantomime trickery. Brought to life with a cast of four talented performers wielding over 75 stunning puppets, this show is a wonderfully faithful take on Eric Carle's classic tales. … The young audience are mesmerised by The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show's magical, gentle pace. This slick production is beautiful to watch. Highly recommended."
• Heidi North-Bailey (Theatre Review)
"It was the first time I’d taken my son (2.5 years old) to a live show... I imagine he felt the excitement of the live performance, that intangible magic that always appears when the lights start to dim, the crowd begins to hush and a new world is created live in front of you. ... It was definitely an experience that was great for both our kids (our daughter is 4.5) and it was just the right period of time (not too long, and not too short). It was the perfect kind of story for little people, and I loved watching them both enjoy the experience." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Shevonne Hunt (Kinderling)
"HOT: Simply put, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is a stunning production that shouldn’t be missed. The show is utterly enchanting and engaging… There are many ‘wow’ moments, even from adults. … I highly recommend The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. The production is faithful to the simple beauty and colourful artistry of the books and it’s sure to delight and inspired your little ones in the same way – and you too!"
• Joyce Watts (Tot: Hot Or Not)
The Very Hungry
Caterpillar Show
[Australia &
New Zealand, 2015-2018]
"The very subtle work by composer and sound designer Nate Edmondson and lighting designer Benjamin Brockman might be easy to overlook, but their efficacy at controlling ambience is quite perfect. Within the understated aesthetic requirements of the production, they have found creative space to demonstrate innovation and sensitive flair."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Terrific Sound Design, by Nate Edmondson."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"Nate Edmondson’s soundtrack blends with the ambient noise drifting up from Elizabeth Street to create a sense of connection to the real city this fictional character inhabits." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
River
[Australia, 2014]
"Nate Edmondson's soundscape includes extracts from some of the best rock tracks of the time."
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"The 1980s is ripe for laughter – we remember the décor and the shoulder pads and the music, assembled by Nate Edmondson..." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Hannah Story (The Music)
"A real telephone ring! Just perfect. The VCR audio came from the coffee table and represented the TV extremely well. The boom box was used as a practical… they loaded a cassette in and pushed the button and the sound came out. Great stuff. The preshow, interval and scene change music was well chosen and entertainingly nostalgic! And the volume was great. A little louder for the rock of course. I stayed in the house at interval to enjoy it."
• Sydney Live Theatre: Technical Notes
Daylight Saving
[Australia, 2014]
Jack Kerouac's
Essentials
For Spontaneous Prose
[Australia, 2014]
"Jack Kerouac’s Essentials of Spontaneous Prose is a gentle, contemplative, rich piece of theatre. … It’s certainly not theatre in the traditional sense. It’s more akin to a radio play, but it’s not quite that either. … We as audience sit around a pool of water, watching and listening as conversations and snippets of stories ripple across its surface."
• Jodi McAlister (Theatre From The Back Seat)
"Nate Edmondson’s score and sound design, while ever-present and almost through-composed, is a beautiful and often haunting counterpoint to the sometimes nihilistic words and actions on-stage. From the opening judders and whisperings which signal the Weird Sisters’ entrance, to the anthemic entrance of Malcolm and the halcyon final coronation scene, this is a Macbeth composed of many beautiful images and moments, a clever poetry in its execution..."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
Macbeth
[Australia, 2014 & 2017]
"The sound effects went really well with each different part of the story, using elements such as lightning effects and background music."
• Felicity Dayhew (Stage Noise)
"Christopher Page’s lighting is theatrical, almost storybook-like, and is perfectly complemented by Nate Edmondson’s score, near through-composed, every cue and moment with its own gleefully designated sound, from Grand Guignol-esque fanfares to quiet strings, to a crazy carnivalesque tune to ticking clocks, and every moment is timed within an inch of its life, coordinated and unified."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
"… the sound design by Nate Edmondson is astutely atmospheric. … Storytelling at its very best - I highly recommend this one for the kids... Well worth seeing."
• Kimberley Shaw (Stage Whispers)
"This fast paced and physical show is performed by just one very talented actor, who takes on several different characters in the play. Similarly there are no costumes, just a few random props, sound effects and music. … The Witches is a great entertainment choice these school holidays."
• Lydia Lee (Weekend Notes)
The Witches
[Australia, 2014-2017]
"Set (Andrea Espinoza), costume (Christie Bennett) and sound (Nate Edmondson) cohere well and contribute much to this robust and stimulating show." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"…the Sound Design by Nate Edmondson serves the production well."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"Sound (Nate Edmondson) and lighting (Ben Brockman) are appropriate in mood-setting… This is a play with few faults." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Suzanne Rath (Arts Hub)
"...sound designer Nate Edmondson successfully transports us to the 16th century with his compositions…" ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jessica Keath (Concrete Playground)
"Lights (Ben Brockman) and sound (Nate Edmondson) are cleverly used. This is a fine play." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Elissa Blake (The Sun Herald)
"There is a story, and stakes are raised, and characters are tested – to be sure, but any ensemble presenting will be met with the severest of inclined text, each level providing steep challenges; layering complexity of language, subtlety in characterisation, clarity of metaphor, boldness of costume and design, fluidity of composition, philosophical reach, truth-seeking, wickedness in humour… The kinds of things one expects from a powerful night at the theatre. … On a technical level – these are the multiple competing texts found in theatre which make the form so compelling for artist and audience alike. A three-dimensional canvas of word, sound, voice, music, gesture and image to shift beneath such tectonic elements as plot, setting or character. ... A great play such as this is not merely a set of events, or a set of characters, or even a set of ideas; it is a blueprint for a visual and aural and verbal assault on the mind and soul of its audience. …go and see this play. It’s a brutal, sexy, and confrontational mud-wrestle between art and language, with some of the most visceral and funny dialogue on offer."
• Victor Sanchez (5th Wall)
"Scenes From An Execution is an incredibly rich, textured piece of theatre. … This is a really good production of a very difficult script. … Make time to go and see it."
• Jodi (Theatre From The Back Seat)
Scenes From
An Execution
[Australia, 2014]
"Adam’s penchant for dark 1980s pop (Joy Division, The Smiths, Siouxsie and the Banshees) punctuates the drama powerfully and drives the sense that his life is spinning out of his control." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The Sound Design by Nate Edmondson is what Ms Bodie believes her brother, would 'bloody love'…"
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"...with a gently evocative score by Nate Edmondson … it evolves as it unfolds, from awkwardness through tenderness to despair as the house of cards comes crashing down around them all. …it hits its stride (or finds its rhythm, to continue the musical motif) and features a soundtrack of post-punk and dark pop songs that perfectly capture the mood of Adam’s life speeding out from under his fingers."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
"The creatives compliment and comment on the action well, particularly Nate Edmondson’s soundscape … which often replicates Adam’s oscillating moods."
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"Within the drama appear lovely moments of humour and — naturally, given the title — music. Fantastic music, in fact. As we all could pick a soundtrack to our lives, so Adam finds his truth within the cassettes and CDs strewn around his cluttered flat."
• Sandra Bowden (Oz Baby Boomers)
"The result is a tender, funny work that engages emotions from the start. Highly recommended." ★ ★ ★ ★
• The Daily Telegraph
"There are lots of great tracks played during Music, Jane Bodie’s powerfully claustrophobic play, but the most disturbing music is playing in the unknowable mind of her mentally ill protagonist, Adam. It’s a devastating portrait of confusion, pain and lost identity. Though there are lighter moments, audiences at the tiny Stables Theatre must prepare for some tough, extra-close-up drama. I ducked for cover several times."
• Frank Hatherley (Stage Whispers)
Music
[Australia, 2014]
"There is much to like here, from Stephen Curtis’ set, Matthew Marshall’s vibrant lighting, Alan John’s Cat Stevens-esque songs and Nate Edmondson’s fairytale sound design."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
"Bell has incorporated a number of bold conceits, bolstered by Stephen Curtis’ design, Nate Edmondson’s cavernous sound and Alan John’s unconventional composition." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Daily Review)
The Winter's Tale
[Australia, 2014]
"As well as the exemplary cast, the creatives are also on fire. ... Nate Edmondson (composer and sound designer) subtly underlines that living under the flight path is noisy, while living as a migrant brings an inner soundscape that can conjure the past and present simultaneously."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Nicholas Rayment’s lighting design was crisp and supportive of the work, wonderfully assisting Nate Edmondson’s composition that travelled beautifully throughout the production."
• Stevie Zipper (Theatre Unzipped)
Jump For Jordan
[Australia, 2014]
"Incidentally, the storm itself is well-handled and David Jeffrey’s lighting, Nate Edmondson’s sound and the windswept deportment of the cast create a suitable illusion."
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Daily Review)
"…the scene where blind Gloucester finds himself caught in a cacophony of sirens is great."
• Jodi McAlister (Australian Stage)
King Lear
[Australia, 2013]
"There is a score by Nate Edmondson that is almost cinematic in the way it supports and enhances the emotion."
• John McCallum (The Australian)
"It is noteworthy also that sound design by Nate Edmondson is subtle and indispensably effective."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"Nate Edmondson’s subtle music score works well, as does Nicholas Rayment’s lighting design."
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"Luke Ede’s production design, Nate Edmondson’s sound and Nicholas Rayment’s lighting all combine to take us back in time to 1950s middle America, when life was supposed to be simple, but was far far from it."
• Whitney Fitzsimmons (Stage Whispers)
"Musical punctuation and the distant drone of aircraft, above the chirping birds out on the back porch, are the only concessions to abstraction. Yet the play yells out at us today." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Martin Portus (Arts Hub)
"Nate Edmondson’s composition and sound design is minimal (less is more) and disciplined…" ★ ★ ★ ★
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Daily Review)
"Sound (by Nate Edmondson) was subtle, naturalistic, and foreboding – the right mix for a play that builds its intensity and shapes it over long notes; suggestions of aural memories are delicate enough to be poignant."
• Cassie Tongue (Aussie Theatre)
All My Sons
[Australia, 2013]
[United Kingdom, 2014]
"…there are impressive cinematic sequences in which the entire set revolves to dramatic music (lending a propulsive quality that reflects the momentum of the work as written)…"
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Crikey)
"There are some really gorgeous theatrical moments: design and direction perfectly in step." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Vicky Frost (The Guardian)
"Composer Alan John and sound designer Nate Edmondson, created an eclectic soundscape that underpins the emotional thread of the production and is one of the most sympathetic and creative I have heard recently."
• Rebecca Whitton (Australian Stage)
"It’s a smartly trimmed-down production; the staging, with music and lighting, delivers exposition as well as the Prince and the full prologue - as well as the opening scenes - so they are jettisoned. Instead we are treated to a music video montage, a Skins-esque study of the bored, the rich, the endless nights of excess, to open the piece."
• Cassie Tongue (Aussie Theatre)
"Underlying - and underlining - the dreadful arc of the play is a terrific, almost filmic soundtrack of found and composed music."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Alan John’s, together with Nate Edmondson’s, soundscape works in well with the narrative, mixing cutting edge music bytes with orchestral tones."
• David Kary (Sydney Arts Guide)
"Set to a dance-music score and rather electronic sound design (Alan John and Nate Edmondson), the bass beat from the party scene suddenly becomes Romeo and Juliet’s fast-beating hearts in a startlingly fresh moment of sonic poetry. There are moments in the score which seem to be imbued with something akin to Sigur Rós’s lyricism, and it perfectly captures the giddiness, the head-over-heels nature of Romeo and Juliet’s attraction to each other, at the same time as hinting at something darker to come."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
"…the use of modern music mixed with Handel’s Coronation really does a lot to set the tone for the whole production."
• Matthew D'Silva (Same Same)
"Special thanks should be reserved for David Fleischer for his inspired set design, and Alan John & Nate Edmondson's dynamic soundtrack."
• Dinner And A Show
"There’s chandelier-swinging (literally), a glitzy party with a pulsating dance soundtrack (Robyn’s None Of Dem) and creepy rabbit masks, and a massive set that twists and turns on a revolve." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Ben Neutze (Time Out Sydney)
"The low comedy of near recognition and meetings is counterpointed with a triumphant classic music score that finishes in a timely, elevated fashion with the fateful wedding kiss - to give conclusion of the first half, a golden comic high."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"With people swinging from chandeliers, drunken fights, mysterious bunny masks and the perfect party soundtrack, you won’t want the opening sequence to end!" ★ ★ ★ ★
• Simon Edds (Daily Sydney)
"Romeo and Juliet opens to a montage of youthful hedonism butting its head up against reckless conflict on a grand and elaborate set and revolving stage, accompanied by an exciting contemporary soundtrack. Wow. Seriously. Wow. … We see the transience of each moment of the play for its characters and it is underscored with a soundtrack of bass lines and percussion."
• Jane Simmons (Shit On Your Play)
"Aided by contemporary rock music the fast paced action is engaging."
• David Spicer (Stage Whispers)
"The sound design is superb. Mixing modern with classical in the first act, and an increasingly tense, more subtle soundscape in the second enriches the flow of action and the build-up to the powerful final moments. Even knowing full well how it ends, the manner in which this plays out is a shock."
• Sandra Bowden (Oz Baby Boomers)
Romeo And Juliet
[Australia, 2013]
"The 80's soundtrack underscores the production, that will have you hearing 'Dance for me, Salomé!' long after the curtain has closed."
• Rohan Shearn (Australian Arts Review)
"Booming down like the voice of God, her microphone - powered speeches are highlighted with faultless sound design by Nate Edmondson. Key narrative points are deliberately and hilariously cut with characters breaking into lip - synchronised song." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Nick Pilgrim (Theatre People)
"... this slick and flippant production of Oscar Wilde’s Salomé is lively, loud, lighthearted and wickedly profane."
• Suzanne Sandow (Stage Whispers)
"Five big fat erotic stars out of five." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Youth Central
"This is bible stories in the boudoir, draped in fur and pearls, pop anthems and stadium lights, hairy chests and lace panties. ... Demented, depraved and uproarious, Little Ones Theatre has once again smeared its mark on the Melbourne stage." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Rebecca Harkins-Cross (The Age)
"Salome is glorious and hilarious and so damn smart that missing it isn’t an option."
• Anne Marie Peard (Aussie Theatre)
"…a camped-up drag-fest. One can’t help but think Oscar would have been delighted. …the cast get to clown around in performances that segué into 80s style choreography, assisted by some familiar clubbing and rock classics. … Salomé is funny, stylish and appealing. A shared laugh is a good laugh." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Liza Dezfouli (Arts Hub)
Salomé
[Australia, 2013]
"…sensitive and intricate Sound Design by Nate Edmondson…"
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"Of special note is Nate Edmondson's portentous, reverberant sound design. The earth moved for me, time and again."
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Crikey)
"It is ominously effective and along with Sian James Holland’s moody lighting and Nate Edmondson’s throbbing sound design, underlines the precarious predicament facing the characters." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Veronica Hannon (Gay News Network)
"Fireface is constructed of a series of 94 short vignettes, beautifully separated by foreboding musical pieces designed by Nate Edmondson." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Suzanne Rath (Arts Hub)
"Lighting and sound are pushed to their limit… in what is essentially a narrative based play. They add to the drama, and assist with the innumerable scene changes in Von Mayenburg’s script…"
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
"…he is ably aided by Lucilla Smith’s functional but fluid set design, Nate Edmondson’s jolting and throbbing sound design and Sian-James Holland’s shutter-speed lighting."
• Geraldine Worthington (Oz Baby Boomers)
"Luke Rogers punctuates the myriad scenes with sharp blackouts and a surge of sound not unlike the explosive crackle of fire (sound design by Nate Edmondson). ...this production is certainly unsettling and sends you home pondering what you’ve just seen."
• Jo Litson (Scene And Heard)
"This is an engrossing production, featuring excellent design …with intelligent use of whooshing sound cues (by Nate Edmondson) that punctuate the storytelling dramatically." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Elissa Blake (Sun Herald)
"Challenging and dark, the production of Fireface by Stories Like These is powerfully staged, and at times dreadfully frightening. ... It is a home in which the occupants collide to varying physical and psychological degrees, collisions rendered powerfully by an overwhelming, shuddering, sound and lighting design. ... This production imbues Marius von Mayenburg’s play with tremendous depth, and cliché or not, it is literally on fire."
• Robin Marshall (Alt Media)
"Fireface is a beautifully rich play, and this production is brilliant. The performances are superb and director Luke Rogers’ staging is a joy to watch."
• Veronica Kaye (Theatre Red)
Fireface
[Australia, 2013]
"…supported by a very superior and beautifully atmospheric composition/soundtrack by Nate Edmondson. Its detail is wondrous."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"Immersive design (Dylan Tonkin, with sound by Nate Edmondson and lights by Benjamin Brockman)… make for an involving 70 minutes." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"Add some simple but effective sound design (Nate Edmondson) and the space is transformed." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Time Out Sydney
"From a masked man covered in metal spoons to a ceiling of floating cardboard birds, blood-stained palms and recurring dark melodies, The Light Box successfully dismantles theatrical conventions and is both eerie and captivating from start to finish."
• Gavin Fernando (Alternative Media Group)
"The sound design by Nate Edmondson and lighting by Benjamin Brockman add atmosphere and help the audience as it constantly has to reorientate."
• Maggy Franklin (Sydney Arts Guide)
"It's almost psychedelic in its effect; its rhythms relate to unfamiliar time signatures. Tonkin's extraordinary design is strongly supported by Benjamin Brockman's lighting and Nate Edmondson's unobtrusive but noteworthy composition and sound. Here is a burgeoning Philip Glass or Michael Nyman."
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Australian Stage)
"…all of it wrapped up in the surreal sounds of Nate Edmondson."
• Lisa Thatcher
"...Dalton heads the production fantastically, making a seemingly disjointed story cohesive and engaging, assisted by an effectively designed set (by Dylan Tonkin), lighting (Benjamin Brockman) and sound (Nate Edmondson)." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Fern George (The Actor's Pulse)
"The design elements are terrific. Sound, lighting, costumes and set are transportative, and entirely mesmerising. The production bears the aesthetic of an avant garde installation but is undoubtedly theatrical in its approach. The care taken to utilise all the potentialities of an empty space is impressive, and breathtaking."
• Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See)
The Light Box
[Australia, 2012 & 2013]
"By use of voice and pounding on the table, a soundscape and paper aeroplane we were transported through the air…"
• L.B. Bermingham (Stage Whispers)
"The stage is set with heavy domestic furniture, a puzzling set-up as we know all the action is about to take place on a island. The girls begin a powerful thrumming against the wood, a paper plane is carried across the sky and we are there. It is an excellent introduction and we have high expectations as the first words are uttered." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Deborah Stone (Arts Hub)
"This production is intensely physical, gritty and fearsome…" ★ ★ ★ ★
• Kate Herbert (Kate Herbert Theatre Reviews)
Lord Of The Flies
[Australia, 2013]
Lenny Bruce:
13 Daze Un-Dug
In Sydney
[Australia, 2013]
"This play is probably the most important new work I have seen all year (and I’ve seen a few). It’s a vital piece of Sydney history, painstakingly researched and developed for the stage, with tight, powerhouse performances, laughter and music to boot. We can’t add anything to it because there’s simply so much there to enjoy, and learn, and laugh with, and cry for. With one week left, you would be mad to miss out."
• Victor Sanchez (5th Wall)
"There are harsh, interrogative spotlights and, at one point, total, terrifying, pitch blackness. Out of this rings a deafening gunshot. If sound designer, Nate Edmondson is trying to shock us, he succeeds. But I’m sure my palpitations will subside soon."
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Crikey)
"The lighting (Luiz Pampolha) with the claustrophobic haze, abetted with composition by Steve Francis and sound design by Nate Edmondson in the black/box hole with strong silver-metal 'old school' park swing equipment, designed by Sophie Fletcher are all collaborators in this emotionally confronting night in the theatre."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"Luiz Pampolha’s lighting works in haunting conjunction with Alice Babidge and Sophie Fletcher’s set and the sound design and music of Nate Edmondson and Steve Francis, evoking Lui’s 'idea of backstreets and darkness and fire and people, weaving in and out of the night.' An anger, a fire of anger, a conflagration in the night, desperation and sorrow and despair erupting, igniting, and being destroyed by morning."
• Glenn Saunders (The Spell Of Waking Hours)
"...the sound design and music of Nate Edmondson and Steve Francis, evoking Lui’s 'idea of backstreets and darkness and fire and people, weaving in and out of the night.' An anger, a fire of anger, a conflagration in the night, desperation and sorrow and despair erupting, igniting, and being destroyed by morning."
• Sydney Theatre Seen
This Heaven
[Australia, 2013]
"In their spare moments members of the cast form a loose on-stage band with Wollaston on vocals and clarinet, Verevis on keyboard and Jordan on bass guitar. It works well in involving the actors with the progress of each piece and integrating the music in an unusually effective way (musical director Phil Scott, sound design Nate Edmondson)."
• Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise)
"Nate Edmondson’s sound keeps everything in perspective, too." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Crikey)
Torch Song
Trilogy
[Australia, 2013]
"McMahon’s uncluttered drum-tight production makes that immersion all the easier, with seamless cueing ...and crisp interplay with Teegan Lee’s lighting and Nate Edmondson’s sound design." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"Director Corey McMahon’s subtle direction simmers through the production from performance to production values, summoning sterling work from set and costume designer Michael Hankin, lighting designer Teegan Lee, and composer/sound designer Nate Edmondson."
• Richard Cotter (Sydney Arts Guide)
"...the overlapping dialogue is merged with sound designer Nate Edmondson’s astutely placed soundtrack, heightening the inevitable fallout of conflict." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Alexandra Hayden (Time Out Sydney)
"The lighting by Teegan Lee is unobtrusive, as is the sound by Nate Edmondson, mostly bare but hitting the gut when it's needed." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Tomas Boot (Theatre People)
"Pace, timing and focus are essential in a piece of drama such as this. Otherwise the audience could be lost in the desperation of the characters. That this doesn’t happen, even so early in the run, indicates a strong, carefully considered vision, research and understanding of the script and the characters, intricate and compassionate direction and the establishment of a strong, professional bond across the production."
• Carol Wimmer (Stage Whispers)
"Rust and Bone is an incredibly skilful piece of theatre. Writer, director, and actors combine to create an incredibly complex piece of theatre which manages to never seem clumsy or unwieldy. Stories overlap. Worlds collide. Threads upon threads upon threads are interwoven to create a wonderfully rich tapestry. … This is a remarkable piece of storytelling. ... Rust and Bone is an incredibly complicated show, but McMahon has put a piece of theatre on the stage that flows wonderfully smoothly and which never seems laboured or overwhelming at all. In terms of form and style, Rust and Bone is one of the best constructed pieces of theatre I have seen for a long time. It is powerful, moving, and visceral: cunningly written, cleverly directed, and wonderfully performed. Wholeheartedly recommended."
• Jodi McAlister (Australian Stage)
"There wasn’t one bit of whispering or fidgeting in the audience on the night this reviewer attended; every person appeared unable to tear their eyes away from the stage. Rust and Bone is a magnificent play… This is the kind of show that illustrates the unique, incredibly special gift of live performance. No film, television show or YouTube clip will ever compare or deliver anything near this. It’s far too dark to use the word ‘entertainment’, but for the strong hearted, it's a highly recommended evening of intensity." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Bernadette Burke (Arts Hub)
Rust And Bone
[Australia, 2013]
"It's a subversive look at gender and identity, and a celebration of popular culture. But mostly, with the dancing, snappy dialogue and rocking soundtrack, it's a hilarious explosion of seaside fun." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Ben Neutze (The Guardian)
"…the lighting (Katie Sfetkidis) and sound design (Nate Edmondson); plus, choreography that punches out all the style humour of the time ...are all tops."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"…any soundtrack that includes the B52’s Rock Lobster gets my vote. This is just one highlight of a night full of great tracks, often accompanied by the kind of dance moves any play set in the swinging 60’s simply has to include. ... Psycho Beach Party plucks all that’s enjoyable about a 60’s B-grade horror film, from corny overacting to ludicrous analogies, and places it onto the stage, resulting in a laugh out loud psycho-palooza. If life is feeling a little serious, these joyous 80 minutes will bring it all back into focus." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Mark Taylor (Arts Hub)
"With rocking song and dance moments, coming out stories, a psychotic mother and beach bums galore, this tightly directed production is all killer, no filler." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jonathan Hindmarsh (The Brag)
"Psycho Beach Party is part high-camp homage to '60s surfer flicks, part coming-of-age tale, complete with catchy tunes and some great dance numbers." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Kate Rose (Herald Sun)
"The combination of tight, focussed direction by Stephen Nicolazzo and a talented cast ... means this party continues to delight and surprise the audience. It never feels as though the party is just happening on the stage. The leopard print set is matched by leopard print details on the costumes, binding everything together like a B-52s film clip. Speaking of that band, Rock Lobster makes a welcome addition to a surfing scene... Psycho Beach Party is a romp that perfectly captures the free spiritedness of the Midsumma Festival."
• Sara Bannister (Stage Whispers)
"Songs featured (like the quirky, surreal and iconic Rock Lobster) help build the atmosphere..." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Crikey)
"Every part of this production has been well thought out and is highly detailed in its simplicity... This is one show that puts all the cheesy hallmarks of the genre into a blender, sets it to high, leaves the lid off and presses go, letting the results splatter deliciously over the audience." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Elizabeth Best (Brisbane Times)
"Sharp as a wet towel snap and very salty indeed, Stephen Nicolazzo's slick direction and an enthusiastic cast... have created a winning start to the year." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Time Out Melbourne
"A perfect dollop of summertime silliness." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Time Out Sydney
"Psycho Beach Party is an absolute cack. Hi-lar-ious. What fun. …this production is far too successful to be regarded as camp, at least of the ‘so bad it's good’ variety. But so what? It's the funniest show around." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Cameron Woodhead (The Age)
"…the supporting actors constantly threaten to upstage, as do the musical set-pieces… Psycho Beach Party is a perfectly pitched Midsumma offering, and one not to be missed."
• Seanna van Helten (Milk Bar Mag)
"Working on a beach made of wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling leopard spot carpet, it looks a treat. Kurt Phelan's rousing choreography nods to all the dance crazes and more. … For a pumped-up, preening Bondi in the summertime, this is a perfect theatrical fit." ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
Psycho Beach Party
[Australia, 2012-2013]
The Greening
Of Grace
[Australia, 2012]
"The design elements are relatively modest but are enough to give security of belief. I have become a little rhapsodic about my ight in the theatre with this play, but… I believe it deserves some appreciative attention. The independent theatre scene once again being daring and truly collaborative. On our night, magical and majestic. Get along and see for yourself. Expect simplicity and vitality and urgent social debate."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"One passage in particular shows how far people untrammelled by empathy and conscience can go, and thanks to some well-disguised sound effects, it is a test for the squeamish in this intimate space." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"This welter of ... noise and emotion, underlined, later in the play, with a gesture to the theatre of cruelty of yesteryear, with a gruesome moment of the visual and, particularly, aural, crunching of the fingers/bones of one character by another were truly moments of squirming in one's seat. Here, the sound design by Nate Edmondson, including this finger crunch, was outstanding, in its moment to moment attention (2012, a busy, prolific, year for Mr Edmondson)."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"Kip Williams directs with a steady hand – Nate Edmondson’s spooky score perfectly serves the production’s cinematic sensibilities – and does a fine job at pitting his tortured players against each other… The Old Fitz at its grittiest and grippingest." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Darryn King (Time Out Sydney)
"Kip Williams has directed an extremely compelling show. It is an electric hour and fifteen minutes, and though I often found myself frustrated with the lack of information, it was because I was so deeply involved in the story. It is definitely a show worth seeing."
• Jodi McAlister (Australian Stage)
Fallout
[Australia, 2012]
Wrecking
[Australia, 2012]
"Director Gin Savage's production is warmly played, unfussy and fluent…" ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"Nate Edmondson's sound design is powerful and used sparingly to great effect. …it's a hefty story that has this bleeding-heart theatregoer looking for a worthy charity." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jessica Keath (Concrete Playground)
"Then, to wrap it all in a world of awe, is the aural contribution by another young artist, Nate Edmondson, who has created a sound composition and design of tremendous detail and beauty. (Mr Edmondson is prolific too, and this work, along with his contributions to The Seafarer and The Highway Crossing, this year, must set a benchmark for excellence in creative voicing of textual developments and thematic motifs in his playwright's writings, with sound designs involving scrupulous script analysis - rare indeed today, in my experience in recent theatre going.)"
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"The set design is immediately striking. Using something as simple as sheets of paper fixed to a hanging net, Gez Xavier Mansfield creates a flaking, slanted ceiling that might also be a stairway to heaven, or the imagination, or both. This impression is further enhanced by Sara Swersky’s and Nate Edmondson’s atmospheric lighting and sound designs, respectively. Indeed, while simplicity as a design aesthetic is prone to seem cheap or sketchy, here it suggests clarity, an uncluttered and harmonious creative vision across the entire production team." ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Joan Beal (Arts Hub)
"With well developed characters and potent lighting and sound, The Hiding Place is a well rounded and brilliantly executed play."
• Naomi Gall (The Near And The Elsewhere)
"Nate Edmondson’s sound ... shows remarkable flair and potential for sensitivity…" ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Rima Sabina Aouf (Concrete Playground)
The Hiding Place
[Australia, 2012]
"…the peaks and troughs of tension are precisely regulated by Tony Youlden’s lighting and sound designer Nate Edmondson’s spooky underscore and effects." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"The atmosphere…supported with another detailed sound design by Nate Edmondson, is truly disgusting in its realities. There is something rotting in this world."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"So a few technical thumbs up to finish: Nate Edmondson’s sound design of the blaring storm happening outside (and inside) the house…"
• Jane Simmons (Shit On Your Play)
The Seafarer
[Australia, 2012]
"Nate Edmondson’s quietly insistent sound plot – which operates at the auditory threshold much of the time – subtly amplifies our unease." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"However, the key design element, is a fully immersive sound and compositional soundtrack/score that is particular to every shift of development in the story telling, the subtle cueing and minutiae of construction, telling, and a major 'character' in the events of the production. Nate Edmondson is the artist responsible."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
The Highway
Crossing
[Australia, 2012]
"Nate Edmondson’s sound design helps govern the mood without pushing too hard. Jemma Gurney directs and her production is efficient, well paced and fluid in its transitions." ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"TRS is confident enough to tout itself as Australia’s leading indie company. On the strength of this production alone, I won’t be seeking to debate the rather large claim. ... Nate Edmondson’s composition and sound design is pitch-perfect, too, lending a lonely, devastated, desperate air."
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Crikey)
"Experimental and powerfully atmospheric, sound designer Nate Edmondson’s ghost-like echoes, incongruous whizzing, birdcalls and siren trills from Heart of Glass by Blondie leave you filled with a wistful, hollow abandonment felt only in the bush." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Dianne Cohen (Concrete Playground)
Lyrebird
[Australia, 2010 & 2012]
"...biting and witty, and moves fluidly – and quite cinematically – between 1962 and 2002, and the times in between ... it was, for this reviewer at least, totally enthralling. Director Stephen Colyer, in conjunction with his great cast and creative team, has conjured up a terrific production." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Lynne Lancaster (Arts Hub)
The Paris Letter
[Australia, 2012]
"Working with a design that leaves us craving sun and fluffy towels (Emma Kingsbury, set and costume; Nate Edmondson, sound) and a cast who let us love their characters through their faults, director Stephen Nicolazzo creates a mood that spatters hope among the inevitable despair."
• Anne-Marie Peard (Aussie Theatre)
Two By Two
[Australia, 2012]
"…with the tender and resonant score composition by Steve Francis rendered in the impressive sound design by Nate Edmondson, all is a whole. This is a very impressive, assured production. One feels safe and therefore, open to the journey of the play, from the start."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"Embracing the simple theatricality: suggestive lights (Verity Hampson), carrying music (composition Steve Francis, sound design Nate Edmondson), single set (Carmody), Ellen’s bedroom becomes every room… Until through the words of Adam, we are off on an adventure across Sydney, a magical escape without a hand to touch the setting."
• Jane Howard (No Plain Jane)
"This Year's Ashes is a broadly appealing, wryly funny and touching comedy, and this clear-sighted production directed by Shannon Murphy shows it off to its best advantage." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald)
"As both a piece of writing, and a piece of theatre, it’s unbeatable… Script. Cast. Crew. All that glitters isn’t gold, but this sparkles and comes close to being a treasure."
• Lloyd Bradford Syke (Crikey)
This Year's Ashes
[Australia, 2011]
"In a cool garden setting by Eliza McLean, and wistful lighting by Sara Swersky, the atmospheres are heightened by the sound design of Nate Edmondson."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
Fefu And
Her Friends
[Australia, 2011]
"The sound design by Nate Edmondson is alluring to the mood of the piece… This work is attractive and interesting..."
• Kevin Jackson (Kevin Jackson's Theatre Diary)
"Chemistry is a key word here, as it is between the lighting (Nicholas Rayment), stage (Anya Tasmin) and sound design (Nate Edmondson), with a special round of applause... Pictures of Bright Lights may be about the transmutation of memory and meaning, but the end result is certainly golden. ...seeing this show should guarantee you at least one evening of bliss." ★ ★ ★ ★
• Gareth Beal (Arts Hub)
Pictures Of
Bright Lights
[Australia, 2011]
Flightfall
[Australia, 2010]
"This is independent theatre at its best."
• Nicolette Lorraway (Alt Media)