Image provided by UDS
By Emma Horak
The University Dramatic Society once again delivered a cozy, heartwarming, and hilarious show with the presentation of Latte Art. Filled to its brim with groovy original tunes and dance moves, the performance was certainly one to leave every audience member with a warm glow in their chests long after they left Dolphin theatre.
Set in the iconic Midnight Cafe – an underground hub for university students hoping to abandon their burning of the midnight oil in search of a couple of hours of song and dance – Latte Art follows the hopes and aspirations of both the café’s visitors and its barista, Eden. In this creative space, with its groovy nightly performances and free-flowing drinks, the café proves not only to be the perfect spot to let loose away from the pressures of study and work, but also the perfect opportunity to fulfil aspirations of carving out a name for themselves in the performance world. However, when a rare opportunity comes knocking for Eden, she must make the pivotal decision of answering it, even if it means abandoning the life and relationships she has spent years building…
Featuring a huge ensemble of side characters and a plethora of subplots, the eyes of each audience member were glued to the stage from the first scene to the final curtain, and rarely was the theatre not filled with swells of laughter, with hilarious and distinct performances from each of the cast. Also to be commended is the brilliant collection of costuming and staging throughout the performance – the depth of props created a wonderful layering effect that fleshed out the world of the Midnight Cafe and its visitors perfectly, and with such a large cast, the costuming proved an effective and subtle method for fleshing out both the characters and the warm-toned world they inhabited.
Both wholesome and wholehearted, Latte Art demonstrated brilliantly the creative potential and prowess of the University Dramatic Society as a whole, communicating that the company (now in its 105th year) remains a brilliant hub for the future of creative talent in Boorloo.