by Jan Chandler
Australian Stage
Saturday, May 3rd, 2008

From Little Things explores the emotional journey of two lovers, one Anglo Australian (Aurora Kurth) the other Chinese (Joshua Erwin). In seeking to learn more about each other they reach back into their past histories, sharing their family stories, in an effort to understand each other and their place in today's world.

Aurora Kurth is multi-talented. An established singer and award-winning theatre maker and actor, her performances never fail to impress for their high energy and humour, let alone her singing voice. She has written, directs and performs this piece and is joined on stage by Joshua Erwin, an actor, gymnast, dancer and singer. Their performances bring to life the to-ing and fro-ing of lovers each searching out the other and the possibilities of their relationship. United as lovers they are nevertheless separated by vastly different cultural experiences and histories. As they reach out to each other across this divide their journeys of discovery, both of self and other, are revealed through story-telling, dance, music, song and martial arts.

The stage is bare except for a rectangular wooden box which proves to have multiple uses and the focus is fixed on the two performers who are well matched athletically - I loved the opening sequence where they do the tango and the quickstep to Chinese music - though Erwin is not as strong as Kurth vocally or dramatically. Generally the writing is strong, although I had a couple of problems with a phrase or too which came across as a little cliched. Sound and lighting work well. It's a big call to write, direct and perform and this piece would, I think, gain from having a director who is not a performer.

From Little Things is the inaugural production of the newly formed Australasian Chinese Theatre Company (The ACT), a company that aims to create theatrical performances that draw on both Chinese and Australian cultural experiences, ancient and modern. As such it is an interesting addition to independent theatre and hopefully will grow stronger bringing a new and different voice to local theatre.

by Stephen Rhys
Arts Hub
Wednesday, March 26, 2008

After a sell-out season and rave reviews in last year’s Malthouse Theatre Cabaret Season, award-winning theatre-maker, actor and chanteuse Aurora Kurth returns to the stage with her one woman cabaret Take the 'L' out of Lover, the only show at Melbourne’s Manchester Lane during the 2008 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

The multi-talented Kurth, best known to audiences through past performances with such well known companies as Chambermade Opera and The Charcoal Club, is set to win over a whole new legion of fans with her often hilarious look at the trials and triumphs faced in the quest for true love.

Hitting the stage like a demented Alice In Wonderland, Aurora, using the narrative device of an AA meeting (in this case the letters standing for Amorist’s Anonymous) charts the trials and tribulations - through re-styled classic pop and rock songs - of a series of characters who act as a sort of "everywoman".

In her version of events-through-the-looking-glass, the myriad of characters on display, all looking for love in all the wrong places, straddle the realms of pathos and humour with impressive comedic results.

In Kurth’s deft hands we see the best and worst in all of us when it comes to the lengths we are willing to go to in the search for love.

At times wildly hilarious and others movingly poignant, Kurth’s characterizations never once fell into the realm of mere caricature.

Her characters, however implausible their actions at times, maintained a strong thread of humanity and the empathy Kurth felt for them and their yearning for love and a sense of connection in an often-harsh world rang true to life.

Who amongst us hasn’t, at times, considered going to often crazed extremes in our quest for amour, Kurth asks?

Her vocal range was truly amazing as she tackled songs that spanned all musical genres with an energy that never wavered despite the enormous physical and vocal demands such a complex performance required.

Punters should be wary of sitting close to the stage however, given Kurth’s manic determination to make the audience fully interact with the action on stage!

Audience participation was taken to a whole new level for one poor soul who, in one of the shows funniest sequences, gamely smiled as Kurth channeled Marlene Dietrich on acid in a bondage flavoured version of Joe Cockers classic hit You Can leave Your Hat On.

As a venue, Manchester Lane provides the perfect environment for this kind of show.

With its multiple levels, great food and intimate atmosphere it hearkens back to what cabaret clubs must have felt like in the 50’s and 60s (minus the cigarette smoke!)

Accompanied by the The Butterfly Club’s talented Adrian Portell on piano and aided by very tight staging and choreography by producer/director Jonah Klein, in Kurth´s deft hands, to quote another 80’s pop icon/relationship seer, love is indeed a battlefield.

If you only see one show during this years Melbourne International Comedy festival make sure it’s this one.

by Jan Chandler
Australian Stage
Saturday, March 29th, 2008

Aurora Kurth possesses a madcap energy and impeccable comic timing combined with great physicality and a fantastic voice that does justice to whatever musical genre she chooses to sing.

Take the L Out of Lover opens with Kurth dressed demurely as an Alice in Wonderland but with a dress that has a low, low back. Her first song makes it clear that she will do anything for love but I won't do that! Kurth's great vocal timing and intonation makes it clear that no arguments will be entered into on the latter point.

The audience is then drawn into the action as members of an AA Meeting – Amorists Anonymous - and Kurth launches into a gospel number Let the Healing Begin. Along the way we are introduced to a number of recovering lovers including Misty, shy and submissive; Cindy, who prefers to be called Cin and has problems with co-dependency; and Trace who is as brash and ocker as they come. Each or these characters is beautifully captured by Kurth.

Take the L out of Lover takes its audience on an emotional journey through the L Myth of longing, love and lust, as well as a musical journey that touches on almost every genre you can think of, from opera and jazz to rap and rock. Along the way Kurth reveals a genuine comic talent that happily combines with a wonderful voice.

Be wary of sitting in the front tables at Manchester Lane unless you want to be drawn into the action. You may prefer to lounge on the banquettes which offer some protection and a wonderful view. Whichever you choose rest assured you will be in for a night of music and laughter that is unlikely to disappoint cabaret fans.

by Karla Dondio
The Groggy Squirrel
Thursday, March 27th, 2008

The premise for this cabaret show Take the L out of Lover is a string of characters attending an AA meeting – Amorous Anonymous – all played by Aurora Kurth. The characters obliquely traverse the human spectrum from the innocent to the sinful, the angry to the ordinary.

One thing that is obvious from the outset is this lady can sing. And I mean really sing. During the course of the evening Aurora Kurth belts out a myriad of 80’s ballads, show tunes, contemporary songs and opera which left me thinking: what can’t this woman do? One of the highlights of the evening was an operatic tune showcasing the extraordinary range of Ms Kurth’s voice. The juxtaposition of feathered fans she manipulates during the number for innuendo serves as a fine example of simple yet clever comedy. The pianist on the night was a talented and steadfast accomplice, not missing a beat on any of the songs or interludes.

But unfortunately, a great voice doesn’t guarantee great cabaret, or laughs for that matter. With a premise like this, I’d expect there would be an abundance of material to play with but most of the jokes never stray far from your stereotypical lamentations of love and the opposite sex. Generally, the comedy only appeared to serve as distractive prop to Ms Kurth’s true talent.

Ms Kurth, herself, is a confident and energetic performer and appears to be giving it all she’s got. However, her characters seem more like caricatures, overblown and ahead of themselves. Cabaret characters are often extremes of the human condition but we still need to believe in them. Strangely, the only time I connected with a character was when Ms Kurth was off stage and pulled a bar tender into the routine. Perhaps because this character portrayed the normalcy of ourselves, it was easily believable. Ms Kurth seemed relaxed in character and it felt sincere. This portion of the show was genuinely funny.

Overall, the songs themselves did not always seem congruent with the framework. The discourse of some of the characters just didn’t seem to fit with some of the songs which often had me questioning where I was in the scheme of the show. I often felt disengaged.

Ms Kurth is clearly a talented singer. She has the kind of voice that can stop traffic, hell, her voice could probably engender world peace . So if you want to bear witness to this kind of talent, then this show is for you. But if you want a truly memorable night of cabaret then it probably isn’t.