Cameron Menzies
Artistic Director, Stage Director
Press Quotes
INTO THE WOODS- Northern Ireland Opera - The Lyric Theatre Belfast Northern Ireland UK 2022
★★★★★
"OUTRAGEOUSLY STYLISH REVIVAL" The Sunday Times
★★★★★
"Under the sensitive yet sure direction of its Artistic Director Cameron Menzies, Northern Ireland Opera delivered a captivating production of this late 20th Century musical gem. Wit abounds, as does pathos. Every aspect of this production serves the text, the music and the story" Opera Now Magazine.
★★★★★
"Like and enchanter stirring a bubbling cauldron, Menzies just keeps the various Grimm-Perrault plot lines swirling and close to the boil, and there is no let up in the action...this can't have been a cheap production to stage, so to see top price tickets costing just £35 is frankly startling.
"We're lucky to have Cameron Menzies working in Northern Ireland" Belfast Live.
★★★★
"Only a national tour marketed to families, could make it better". The Irish Times
★★★★
The composer's 1987 musical comes up trumps in this irresistible production" The Times
"A Thrilling moving, entertaining night" The Irish Times
Cameron Menzies production storms along with such irresistible zest and unflagging energy that it deserves packed houses throughout its run"
LA BOHÈME - Northern Ireland Opera - Belfast Northern Ireland UK 2021
★★★★★
"OPERA AT ITS FINEST" Opera Now Magazine
"Well paced and rewarding night at the opera" The Irish Times
"Northern Ireland Opera comes back to life with Puccini... this is an admirably atmospheric and lively show, updated to the 1920's and stage by NI Opera's new artistic director Cameron Menzies" The Times
"In years to come, NI Opera's staging of La Bohème will surely rank as one of the company's greatest achievements, for reasons both musical and non-musical. Pandemics may come and go, but young love - and great opera - will never go out of fashion" The Thin Air - Global Music and Culture with a local Accent.
OLD FRIENDS AND OTHER DAYS - Northern Ireland Opera, Causeway Pictures - Film 2021
"THINK OPERA ISNT FOR YOU? THINK AGAIN... almost everyone on the film is based in Northern Ireland so it's very much a celebration of local talent that is gaining international interest. Old Friends and Other Days is the perfect way for someone who doesnt think they'll enjoy opera to dip their toe in to the genre" The Belfast Telegraph
FLUID – Starring Courtney Act - Darlinghurst Theatre Sydney Australia.
“ Heartfelt, honest, intelligent and embracing. This is a refreshingly open and enlightening work that informs and explores. Under Cameron Menzies’ direction Courtney Act employs a blend of exposition, song, dance and costume evolution, a wonderful piece of theatre”
Broadway World Feb 2020
SALOME - Victorian Opera, The Palais Theatre, Melbourne Australia.
★★★★1⁄2
“Directed by Cameron Menzies, this production is perhaps the company’s most impressive yet for Victorian Opera...it’s visually enthralling and unnerving”
Limelight Magazine
★★★★1⁄2
“SALOME is a boiling pot of emotions and brilliance...In one of Victorian Opera’s finest quality productions, director Cameron Menzies gives it genuine potency in a curious multifaceted concept.”
Herald Sun
“World Class.... What unfolds is dazzling and disturbing”
The Age
“The Victorian Opera’s latest production of “Salome” is, in my opinion, a triumph. The huge stage and perfect acoustics of the landmark Palais Theatre, St. Kilda, were made for such a breathtaking spectacle... Cameron Menzies’ clever direction is sure-handed and astutely brings out the very best in his cast... You want a high drama? You have it. The Victorian Opera can be very proud of this superb production.”
TOORAK TIMES
★★★★
“The direction by Cameron Menzies is topnotch, with a freedom of movement that is also precise and disciplined. Christina Smith’s stunning set, a crumbling theatre that speaks directly to neo-classical imagery of the fall of Rome, combines with Anna Cordingley’s deliciously outré Weimar-inspired costumes, and Gavan Swift’s wonderfully decadent lighting to create one of the most visually impressive productions this company has ever mounted. It may be an old and bloody tale, but it feels very much alive in this excellent rendition.”
Time Out, Tim Byrne.
“A disturbing opera, masterfully presented... Director Cameron Menzies has capitalised on the uncomfortable themes of Strauss’s opera, bringing to the stage characters who are complex, unlikeable and disturbing, especially in their interactions with each other... Everybody’s performances are exceptional, including the impressive ensemble.... While the opera is short – one act of 90 minutes – the impression it leaves is lasting. Victorian Opera’s interpretation of Salomé is tragic and uncomfortable, but captivatingly so.
Theatre Press
“Congratulations Richard Mills, Cameron Menzies and Victorian Opera! I think it might be the best VO production I've seen. Stunning, STUNNING voices and arresting designs. Definitely one for the history books in my opinion! And the crowd was so into it!”
Kevin March –Composition Melbourne University
The Selfish Giant (World Premiere)
★★★★1⁄2
”Crafting these performances in such a short time frame requires an incredibly dedicated and talented production team and Cameron Menzies clear direction shows just that. Menzies showed a strong understanding of not just the text but the composition itself in his staging as nothing conflicted with the central themes and there was no dissonance between any of the theatrical elements. Menzies knew exactly how much to give it at each moment of the opera, showing a lot of restraint to allow the audience to have their own ideas about the piece while still guiding them through the journey.
Henry Shaw – Theatrepeople.com.au
“A GIANT PRODUCTION WITH SO MUCH TO LOVE.... Menzies’ use of props to represent the garden is incredible, as are all the performances... hopefully The Selfish Giant will get the revival it deserves”
Theatrepress.com.au
“In their broad-checked uniforms, their vibrant singing and spirited but never over-acted acting is praiseworthy. So too is Cameron Menzies’ amply extracted and searching direction.
The Opera Chaser
HAIR - The Original Tribal Rock Musical
50th Australian Anniversary National Tour - 2019
★★★★1⁄2
“THEATRICAL KNOCKOUT, HAIR packs a mighty punch... elegantly and affectively deployed. The final scene left me with tears flowing down my cheeks, the final refrain of the chorus echoing in my ears, and surrounded by an audience giving a standing ovation”
OutinPerth.com
★★★★1⁄2
“Under the direction of Cameron Menzies, it absolutely brings the sunshine in”
Artshub.com.au
“HAIR WAS RAW... Cameron Menzies’ direction of Hair was powerful and presented a time capsule of the 60’s... a profound production. a very high quality production that received a deserving standing ovation, endless cheers, and applause from the audience”
Theatrehaus.com
★★★★
“the fresh iteration is a layered feast for the senses.. Hilarious, poignant and the perfect amount of naughty HAIR maybe middle aged but its certainly still relevant”
The West Australian
Sister Act - The Musical (The Vaults, Off West End, London)
★★★★
“It's a tighter show than the West End version”
“this is a slick and well-paced production with a palpable feel-good factor. Rejoice!”
Sister Act – The Musical, The Vaults Theatre, London.
Chris Omaweng, London Theatre1.com
★★★★
“...directed by Cameron Menzies we see a lot of accomplished support work. This company and their director have a lot of fun with accents (capitalizing on natural ones in some cases) and the development of a clear persona for the nuns”
Susan Elkin, Musical Theatre Review
Die Entführung aus dem Serail
“a real treat that received a well deserved never ending standing ovation”
Robert Pénavayre, Culture 31, L’Essential de la Culture, France. 2018
Die Fledermaus
“The impact, vitality and stamina of these shows was exceptional”
Die Fledermaus and Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Michael White, Opera Now Magazine. 2018
Yma Sumac: The Peruvian Song Bird
★★★★★
"Five stars really do not fully import the wonder that is this show. Don’t miss it.”
Yma Sumac: the Peruvian Songbird
Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2018. The Clothesline
The production, directed by Cameron Menzies, is excellent. First class, and top shelf. There’s no reason why Yma Sumac, The Peruvian Songbird should not tour all over the world. It is that good. I, for one, am going again. Peter Burdon, The Advertiser. Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2018.
“Parents need not be deterred by the word opera – it's more a pantomime (The Magic Pudding, Victorian Opera) with a sophisticated score, performed by first-rate classical singers. But perhaps more importantly for this show, the direction by Cameron Menzies is creative and admirably executed... They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating. In this case, the eating is nostalgic, fanciful and entirely satisfying.”
The Age, Melbourne 2018.
La Boheme
"A GREAT SUCCESS RIGHT UP TO THE FINAL CURTAIN...
For La Bohème, a stove and a few meagre items of furniture suffice to evoke the garret of the four artists, that thanks to director Cameron Menzies successfully evolves with an effortless naturalism...the delivery seduced with its freshness, its passion, and its believability.”
Opera Magazine, France Aug 2017
Helpmann Nomination for Best Direction of an Opera 2016 - The Grumpiest Boy in the World, Victorian Opera.
Lucia di Lammermoor
**** Fours Stars.
"This Lucia is a must see!"
Paul Selar, Herald Sun
"Cameron Menzies is a master of restraint"
Julie Houghton - 3MBSFM Classic Radio.
Seven Deadly Sins
"Director Cameron Menzies maintained a deft lightness of touch, presenting the segments with individual quirks yet overall cohesion...Somehow, the 2000-seat Hamer Hall auditorium was transformed to an intimate, smoky club of the Weimar Republic...Menzies gives Meow Meow the entire downstage as a playground, setting Anna’s conservative family upstage, a living sepia-toned image in a picture frame. Lay and Petruccelli are joined by tenor Carlos E. Barcenas and bass baritone Jeremy Kleeman to create beautiful music as the family. Kleeman provides a nicely surreal touch as Mother with a beard...One of those you-just-had-to-be-there events, Die Sieben Todsünden was just divine"
Simon Parris - Man in a Chair.
"a handful of props and set elements - suitcases and piles of shoes serving as futile symbols of drudgery ...an Orwellian sleight of hand by director Cameron Menzies that enabled fascistic scrutiny of Anna's every move..."
Eamonn Kelly - The Australian.
Lucia di Lammermoor and Le Nozze di Figaro - Diva Opera Season 2015.
“Diva Opera's Lucia di Lammermoor and Le nozze di Figaro (director Cameron Menzies) are in the round, ingeniously designed for small stages in intimate setting which involve the audience closely in the dramas... In both operas Menzies sensitive direction concentrates the audience's attentions on every detail and nuance in a way rarely achieved in much larger houses...”
Michael Proudfoot – Opera Magazine, Dec 2015
Don Giovanni - Diva Opera, Cherbourg, France 2015
“Triumph of Don Giovanni by Diva Opera... it had a lot of freshness, life and authenticity. It was truly a communion with the lyrical art... it was precise and chiseled in a setting that was serious and well articulated. The realization of the characters was real and the musical world and the theatrical world echoed each other.”
Théâtre à l'Italienne, Cherbourg France, 2015
STATUS - Real Life Stories of HIV Stigma
"There is definitely nowhere to hide. This is one of the strengths of the production - the fundamental issues and challenges presented by Status are not diluted by distractions that afford the audience an easy way out. It is arguably a fine example of impact theatre - a show that packs an emotional punch and forces reflection and questioning from all who witness its strong dialogue... As tough as it is for the characters in each story to process their individual experiences, it is actually tougher for the audience members to watch. Not because the play is poorly done. It is, in fact, brilliantly executed.
Brett Considine - Broadwayworld.com
"The piece never goes for a too easy sympathetic tear-jerker approach but lets the audience make discoveries as the actors deliver powerful statements of sex, love and life. Instead of a speech on white blood cells, we see a stud in white sheets sharing a story. Imagine discussing passionate sex during a play about AIDS- revelatory!"
WeKnowMelbourne.com
"the voices command the audience's complete attention... it feels as though each character is relaying their story directly to you"
Matthew Wade - ArtsHub.com
Four out of Five Stars
"The dramatic script, combined with the mutability of the actors, was effectively juxtaposed with the bareness of the set and the monologues. With few prop changes and only faint segue music between scenes, the production aspects of the play are extremely subtle, with basic costumes, transitions, lighting and set ensuring no distraction from the strong dialogue and powerful performances. The intimate venue and predominantly conversational monologues have an inclusive effect; it's almost as if the characters are revealing their stories directly to you."
Director Cameron Menzies' STATUS is unquestionably confronting, but very relevant, its power residing in its capacity to engender self-reflection. STATUS challenges every audience member to ask themselves: "What would I do? How would I react?" "
Stephanie Cochrane - Theatrepeople.com
Willam and Mary - Melbourne Indigenous Arts Festival
Four out of Five Stars
"the creative synergy between Cameron Menzies’s direction and Deborah Cheetham’s
dramaturgy provides evenly spaced moments of humour where the audience can reflect,
commiserate and be enlightened....The crowd honours Onus’s performance with a standing
ovation. Human stories, such as this, deserve to be told more often and more widely, as William
& Mary is certainly deserving of international audiences."
Eugenia Twomey - Artshub.com
The Magic Pudding - Melbourne
Victorian Opera - World Premiere
Four Stars **** " All the ingredients for a night of pure magic.. The shows winning elements are brought together by the director Cameron Menzies, a marvelous job of what would have been a difficult task."
Isabelle Oderberg - The Herald Sun Oct, 2013
"The Australian bush comes alive - trees, a fallen log, a campfire - in Cameron Menzies' magnificently staged production of one of Australia's classic tales"
Peter Burch - The Australian. Oct 2013.
"Director Cameron Menzies exepertly juggles clear, distinct storytelling with humorous physical action. Most impressive is the authentic character work that stays true to the piece by avoiding any trace of the over-the-top pantomiming that could easily mar the work in less capable hands."
Simon Parris - Theatrepeople.com
Pecan Summer
Short Black Opera Company (Perth Season)
"Pecan Summer's ray of sunshine through song" Four and a half stars *****
Jenna Clarke - Sydney Morning Herald 2012.
"This is a well-integrated narrative with a message of significance to all Australians, and perhaps the rest of the world. It is intensly moving without ever descending into sentimentality... This is a milestone in Australian opera. It should be widely seen both here and overseas, for a number of reasons. Firstly, because it is good. It is also a wonderful vehicle showcasing an amazing array of Indigenous operatic talent. It tells an important story which has relevance to all Australians. and anywhere where there are minority communities who have suffered at the hands of an oppressive majority. Bravi to all involved.
www.opera-britannia.com 2012
Dark Summer
Midsumma Festival, 2011
Chapel off Chapel.
"solid direction given by Cameron Menzies and the beautiful execution of illusion, riveting script mesmerized the audience into complete silence"
Australian Stage, 2011
The Juniper Tree
Beechworth Opera Festival and Abbotsford Convent Opera Festival. 2011
“ Under the Direction of Cameron Menzies Melbourne’s “operatic enfant terrible” today we heard superb voices interpreting complex rhythms beautifully.... Whooooosshh it was a wild blood-curdling journey from gruesome beginning to it’s reincarnated happy ending! Yes, this is what we (and hopefully all young minded) theatre goers have been waiting to see! ... It takes a lot to change a culture and it is usually up to the young to do it, well done guys you have moved the parameters of opera/theatre and all those tired old performance goalposts…."
The Opera Boys, 2011
Don Giovanni
The Opera Studio, Melbourne
National Theatre, Melbourne. 2010
“ The Don swings his way through the black and white mod world of the early 1960s, discovering women-on-the-verge-of-the-sexual-revolution-but-not-quite-there-yet. An achievement that is not to be taken for granted, the updated setting perfectly serves the story and characters.
The youth and beauty of the performers adds to the realism of the sexually charged shenanigans.... highly entertaining rendition of the well known opera, in which new layers of humour and humiliation are revealed.
As well as coming up with the fabulous concept, director Cameron Menzies has clearly worked closely with the lead performers to develop distinct and developed characterisations. The series of conquests by Don Giovanni can tend to meld together but here the individual nature of each situation is quite apparent.
Menzies’ carefully chosen splashes of colour in the costumes stand out vividly against Amanda Henderson’s striking Florence Broadhurst inspired set. Voiles bearing giant black and white geometric designs glide in and out, effectively creating space and location. All white props, from guns to grapes, are a neat touch and the use of vintage costumes adds to the pleasure. The act one garden party scene could have been set at Roger Sterling’s country estate on Mad Men. The Fosse-like Frug choreography was another delightful touch...
This is the ideal entrée for theatre fans who may not have tried opera before. Opera buffs will also enjoy the witty take on the classic tale and will one day be able to say of the talented cast “I saw them back when they were part of the Opera Studio…"
Theatre People Opera Publication.
Simon Parris.
