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Sydney Morning Herald
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
If you're only going to see one musical this season, let it be Beetlejuice
Everyone from a Pollyanna-ish girl scout (Rebecca Ordiz) to a dead beauty queen (Angelique Cassimatis) – not to mention Beetlejuice's own chain-smoking mother (Noni McCallum) – gets in on the action as the door to a bureaucratic underworld opens, and Lydia must find a way to cope with her loss before all hell breaks loose. Everything about Beetlejuice is super-slick and timed to perfection. The musical is so jam-packed with visual gags and satirical lyrics and outre musical hijinks you'd probably need to see the show twice to catch them all. Perfect is in his element as an equally appealing and offensive agent of chaos, poking fun at every musical theatre rule with scruffy charisma, riding a hometown vibe with some of the ad-libbed jokes. Opposite him, Karis Oka is ideally cast as Lydia, playing the show's beating black heart with a winsome but slightly vicious undertone that might just bring about a goth revival and certainly won't disappoint fans of Winona Ryder in the original movie. McCann and Johnson leap into parody as a couple diminished by suburban life – channelling shades of Brad and Janet from Rocky Horror, only, well, dead. And camp comedy is embraced with wild abandon by the supporting cast. Loading Dinner party guests are possessed into performing Harry Belafonte songs; Claire's ditzy Delia butts heads with the goth heroine in a duet that pits mindless positivity against nihilistic angst; and an entire chorus of Beetlejuices conquers the stage with gruesome … glamour is not the word. Pigs' genitals might have been removed from the show, but Beetlejuice still revels in rebelling against the appropriate and its highly orchestrated chaos does, in the end, achieve comic catharsis. We are all strange and unusual, after all, and never more so than when we refuse to admit how fleeting life is, or to embrace life knowing we're all going to die. Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead MUSIC Theremin and Beyond ★★★★ Australian Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Recital Centre, May 17 German theremin virtuoso Carolina Eyck is a musical conjurer. Making mysterious hand gestures between the two antennas of her electronic instrument, she seemingly creates music out of thin air. Named after its Russian inventor, the theremin led the way in electronica. Because of its eerie sounds, the theremin has been a godsend for movie and television composers. Surely, Midsomer's reputation as the most murderous place in England could not have been cemented without its spooky theremin theme, nor would Hitchcock's Spellbound be so compelling without composer Miklos Rozsa's appropriation of the instrument. In this eclectic program, the Australian Chamber Orchestra celebrated the theremin's place in popular culture, creating a party atmosphere with The Beach Boys' Good Vibrations, Morricone's music for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and an arrangement of the Star Trek theme. Classical repertory was not neglected with empathetic accounts of Bach's so-called Air on a G String, extracts from Saint-Saens' The Carnival of the Animals including its celebrated swan, and at the other end of the spectrum, a clever take on Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee. Glinka's The Lark also appeared – the song with which Theremin introduced his invention to Lenin. Holly Harrison's Hovercraft, commissioned by the ACO for Eyck, brilliantly opened up the expressive capabilities of the theremin as did Eyck's own composition Strange Birds. Reduced to some 10 players, the ACO strings led by Richard Tognetti provided diverse connective tissue with works by Brett Dean, Erwin Schulhoff and Shostakovich's Japanese friend Yasushi Akutagawa. Enlivened by the colourful addition of pianist Tamara-Anna Cislowska and percussionist Brian Nixon for much of the program, rhythmic interest also came with Offenbach's famous Can-can and Jorg Widmann's 180 Beats per Minute.
The Age
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
If you're only going to see one musical this season, let it be Beetlejuice
Everyone from a Pollyannish girl scout (Rebecca Ordiz) to a dead beauty queen (Angelique Cassimatis) – not to mention Beetlejuice's own chain-smoking mother (Noni McCallum) – gets in on the action as the door to a bureaucratic underworld opens, and Lydia must find a way to cope with her loss before all hell breaks loose. Everything about Beetlejuice is super-slick and timed to perfection. The musical is so jam-packed with visual gags and satirical lyrics and outre musical hijinks, you'd probably need to see the show twice to catch them all. Perfect is in his element as an equally appealing and offensive agent of chaos, poking fun at every musical theatre rule with scruffy charisma, riding a hometown vibe with some of the ad-libbed jokes. Opposite him, Karis Oka is ideally cast as Lydia, playing the show's beating black heart with a winsome but slightly vicious undertone that might just bring about a goth revival and certainly won't disappoint fans of Winona Ryder in the original movie. McCann and Johnson leap into parody as a couple diminished by suburban life – channelling shades of Brad and Janet from Rocky Horror, only, well, dead. And camp comedy is embraced with wild abandon by the supporting cast. Loading Dinner party guests are possessed into performing Harry Belafonte songs; Claire's ditzy Delia butts heads with the goth heroine in a duet that pits mindless positivity against nihilistic angst; and an entire chorus of Beetlejuices conquers the stage with gruesome … glamour is not the word. Pigs' genitals might have been removed from the show, but Beetlejuice still revels in rebelling against the appropriate and its highly orchestrated chaos does, in the end, achieve comic catharsis. We are all strange and unusual, after all, and never more so than when we refuse to admit how fleeting life is, or to embrace life knowing we're all going to die. Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead MUSIC Theremin and Beyond ★★★★ Australian Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Recital Centre, May 17 German theremin virtuoso Carolina Eyck is a musical conjurer. Making mysterious hand gestures between the two antennas of her electronic instrument, she seemingly creates music out of thin air. Named after its Russian inventor, the theremin led the way in electronica. Because of its eerie sounds, the theremin has been a godsend for movie and television composers. Surely, Midsomer's reputation as the most murderous place in England could not have been cemented without its spooky theremin theme, nor would Hitchcock's Spellbound be so compelling without composer Miklos Rozsa's appropriation of the instrument. In this eclectic program, the Australian Chamber Orchestra celebrated the theremin's place in popular culture, creating a party atmosphere with The Beach Boys' Good Vibrations, Morricone's music for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and an arrangement of the Star Trek theme. Classical repertory was not neglected with empathetic accounts of Bach's so-called Air on a G String, extracts from Saint-Saens' The Carnival of the Animals including its celebrated swan, and at the other end of the spectrum, a clever take on Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee. Glinka's The Lark also appeared – the song with which Theremin introduced his invention to Lenin. Holly Harrison's Hovercraft, commissioned by the ACO for Eyck, brilliantly opened up the expressive capabilities of the theremin as did Eyck's own composition Strange Birds. Reduced to some 10 players, the ACO strings led by Richard Tognetti provided diverse connective tissue with works by Brett Dean, Erwin Schulhoff and Shostakovich's Japanese friend Yasushi Akutagawa. Enlivened by the colourful addition of pianist Tamara-Anna Cislowska and percussionist Brian Nixon for much of the program, rhythmic interest also came with Offenbach's famous Can-can and Jorg Widmann's 180 Beats per Minute.
Fox News
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Carnie Wilson defends daughter from 'cruel' nepo baby comments following 'American Idol' audition
Carnie Wilson is not taking the "nepo baby" negativity surrounding her daughter Lola Bonfiglio's "American Idol" audition lightly. On March 23, Bonfiglio was joined by her famous family, including her mother Carnie, aunt Wendy Wilson and father Rob Bonfiglio during the audition. The group performed the iconic Wilson Phillips song "Hold On" together before Bonfiglio sang by herself. She received a golden ticket, which moved her through the audition round and onto Hollywood week, but some "American Idol" fans were not happy with the judges' decision, claiming that she only got to move forward on the show because of nepotism. On March 30, Carnie and her Wilson Phillips bandmates attended a "Music of the 90s" panel in Connecticut and addressed the negativity that Bonfiglio had received since her audition, saying some of the comments about her daughter "pissed" her off. Per People, Carnie told the crowd during the panel that Bonfiglio's audition was the "scariest thing she has ever done." "She was trembling with nerves," she noted. "We're human, and the Internet is so cruel, and the comments are really pissing me off, and I can't respond," Carnie explained. "Would you encourage a doctor's son not to be a doctor? Lola wants to be a singer, and they say these terrible things. And she was so hurt." Carnie's bandmate, Chynna Phillips Baldwin, said that she did see positive comments about Bonfiglio's performance. However, it was not enough for Carnie since the "majority" were negative. "I encourage her to do it because she loves to sing. But I'm so proud of her that she was even brave enough to audition. She sounds so beautiful. I'm so excited for her future. She has a stunning voice," Carnie said. "American Idol" posted Bonfiglio's audition on Instagram. The comments were mixed with both negative and positive remarks on her performance. "Brian Wilson's granddaughter, huh? There's a word for that I think…." one user wrote, noting that Bonfiglio is related to The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. Another added, "Seems like a sweet girl but her voice is nothing special…American idol is for people who don't have celebrity parents/influence!! Looks very pushy to allow her famous mother and aunt to sing with her!!" "Tired of the nepo babies on the show, let's see real talent without famous family members!!" another person wrote. A fourth user commented, also pointing out Bonfiglio's family background, "Probably a lovely young woman. But with singing talent given this is a competition and not a family reunion, compared to the other talent, she is marginal at best," the user wrote. Still, there were several comments praising Bonfiglio's performance. "Such a beautiful voice and cool family moment!" one user wrote. Chynna Phillips' husband Billy Baldwin also left a sweet message for Bonfiglio. "Way to go Lola!!! So great!!! Keep going!! So proud of you," he wrote.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'American Idol' contestant surprises judges by bringing out famous family members to sing their hit song
This American Idol contestant gets to hold on for one more day. Idol hopeful Lola Bonfiglio walked into the audition room on Sunday's new episode determined to show judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan her best. Her dad, Rob Bonfiglio, was also there to accompany her on guitar. "I'm guessing you come from a musical family," Underwood asked and continued to press Bonfiglio on what she intended to perform for them. "First, I've gotta get some family members," she teased. Bonfiglio returned with Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson, two of the three members of Wilson Phillips. But to her, the famous musicians are just Mom and Aunt Wendy. "Wilson Phillips?!" Underwood exclaimed. "This is so cool," Carnie expressed, adding that the audition would be "a family affair." The Wilsons, Papa Bonfiglio, and Lola — who is also the granddaughter of The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson — then performed a rendition of Wilson Phillips' classic 1992 hit, "Hold On." Related: The Masked Singer's Lambs reveal one of them was asked to do the show twice, and why they refused "That was so good," Richie enthused after the quartet finished the song. Carnie beamed with pride at her daughter as Underwood observed, "You can tell that is a thing with family; everybody is genetically designed to just sound good together." Carnie and Wendy agreed that they "love singing with her," and Carnie added, "but we love Lola by herself even more." Bonfiglio then sang Kacey Musgraves' 2019 song "Rainbow" solo. The judges offered her some feedback, with Richie suggesting, "When you sing the lead, hold the story out longer. It could have been the nerves, but you were getting to the end and just cutting it off." Bryan noted, "The tone and pureness, and the quality of your voice, that's the perfect song for you. But this competition is going to require you to belt too, and let loose a little bit, filling up the room a little more." "If I'm on this show I'm going to push myself, that's why I want to be on American Idol. I want to grow," Bonfiglio said in her defense, but she hardly needed one. A unanimous round of yeses earned Bonfiglio a ticket to Hollywood."When she was in the womb, I was playing Frank Sinatra with the little headphones, putting it up to my belly going, 'This kid going to be musical, whether she likes it or not,'" Carnie joked later that day in an interview on Entertainment Tonight. Wilson said she thought Lola's idea to audition for Idol was "perfect," because the show "profiles a lot of different styles," and though "Lola is not this big Broadway-type singer, but she's got something so honest and pure and lovely." Next week's episode will wrap Idol's audition round, meaning viewers will get to catch up with Bonfiglio during Hollywood week in April. Related: Watch Kelly Clarkson rock out to 'Hold On' with Wilson Phillips Bonfiglio wasn't the only nepo baby to try her luck at Idol auditions this season. The judges were also asked to evaluate a rendition of the original song "Waiting on Myself to Die," written by a contestant named Baylee Littrell. "There's something about you that looks familiar," Underwood suspected before Littrell had even begun his audition, prompting him to pull in his famous dad, Backstreet Boysmember Brian Littrell. The Backstreet Boy's boy advanced on to Hollywood, just like Bonfiglio. Littrell and Bonfiglio join the ranks of dozens of other kids and grandkids of famous artists who've passed through the ranks at Idol, including Jim Carrey's daughter Jane (season 11), Jo Dee Messina's cousin Alex Preston (season 13), and Aretha Franklin's granddaughter Grace (season 20). American Idol season 23 airs every Sunday at 8 p.m. PT/ET on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Carnie Wilson's Daughter Lola Brings in Her Mom and Aunt Wendy to Audition for 'American Idol 'with 'Hold On'
It was a family affair on American Idol. On the Sunday, March 23 episode, Lola Bonfiglio — Carnie Wilson's daughter — auditioned alongside her mom and Aunt Wendy in front of the show's judges Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie. "I'm guessing you come from a musical family," the "Before He Cheats" artist, 42, asked before Lola launched into her set. "First, I've gotta get some family members," the Idol hopeful, 19, who is the granddaughter of The Beach Boys' co-founder Brian Wilson, teased. Related: When Does American Idol Come Back? All About the Show's 2025 Season — Including Which Alum Is Returning as a Judge! Lola ended up bringing out her mom, 56, and Aunt Wendy Wilson, 55, two of the three members of Wilson Phillipps."Wilson Phillips?!" Underwood exclaimed. "This is so cool," Carnie said, noting that the audition would be "a family affair." Lola then performed a rendition of Wilson Phillips' classic 1992 hit, "Hold On," with her father, Rob Bonfiglio, accompanying her on guitar, alongside her mom and her aunt. After the performance, the "We Are the World" hitmaker, 75, noted how "good" Lola was, as the "Cry Pretty" artist said: "You can tell that is a thing with family; everybody is genetically designed to just sound good together." Carnie and Wendy said they "love singing" with Lola, with the former adding, "but we love Lola by herself even more." Lola then tackled a different song for the judges solo — Kacey Musgraves' 2019 track "Rainbow." After her performance, she received some feedback from the judges. "When you sing the lead, hold the story out longer. It could have been the nerves, but you were getting to the end and just cutting it off," Richie said, while the "Buy Dirt" singer, 48, noted, "The tone and pureness, and the quality of your voice, that's the perfect song for you. But this competition is going to require you to belt too, and let loose a little bit, filling up the room a little more." "If I'm on this show I'm going to push myself, that's why I want to be on American Idol. I want to grow," Lola replied. The judges unanimously voted to send her to Hollywood. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Related: Get a Sneak Peek at the Season 23 Contestants Competing to Be the Next American Idol (Exclusive) In an interview with Entertainment Tonight later that day, Carnie recalled how her daughter's musical education started in the womb. "When she was in the womb, I was playing Frank Sinatra with the little headphones, putting it up to my belly going, 'This kid going to be musical, whether she likes it or not,'" she teased. In an interview with PEOPLE in April 2024, Carnie raved about Lola's voice. 'To stand beside Lola and hear that voice, her voice is so beautiful,' she said at the time. 'She can sing anybody in this family under the table. I can't get over it. I get emotional when I'm on stage, so I have to look the other way." Read the original article on People
