Autocannibal presents a dystopian circus exploring the nature of sustenance. Isolated as the only remaining human in a world bereft of food and water, our protagonist battles a sea of junk and plastic, avoiding the obvious reality that thereâs only one thing remaining for him to truly eat. Mick Jones is a versatile performer, delivering […]
Read More
Sybylla Melvyn announces (triumphantly and somewhat without apology) that this is a play all about herself. Stuck on her family property as the eldest of eight, her drunken father (Jason Chong) has squandered much of the family resources while her mother (Blazey Best), keen to marry her off, is worried sheâs too plain. In strong […]
Read More
Pippin is the first major musical to return to Sydney theatres, with distancing restrictions easing just before the showâs opening. The showâs offering of colour and magic are perfect medicine for our current climate. But, on another hand, its somewhat confusing premise and over-reliance on smoke and mirrors are yet another symptom of them. This […]
Read More
Billed as a one-woman retelling of the famed 1961 novel (and 1971 film), Malthouse theatreâs production of Wake in Fright is an ambitious undertaking â if not initially perplexing. Producing one of Australiaâs most classic outback thrillers as a one-cast show is odd enough, but not least of all when you are greeted by a […]
Read More
After a five year break between releases, during which he released a polarising feature film, Flying Lotus (real name Stephen Ellison) finally reacquainted himself to fans with the album Flamagra. Ever one to place visuals central to the musical experience, he has returned to Aussie shores with a new 3D live show. UK/Aussie Warp Records […]
Read More
Pipe organs are interesting, yet largely under-utilised beasts. Built into the grand expanse of the building, the organ at Sydney Town Hall is not an instrument in itself but rather turns the entire building into one. Ireland-based Australian composer and artist Robert Curgenven utilised this to its full extent in his immersive production:Â Bronze Lands (Tailte […]
Read More
An all-star collaboration of sorts, Anthem sees acclaimed writers Christos Tsolkas, Patricia Corneleus, Andrew Bovell and Melissa Reeves reunite with composer Irene Vela following their 90s-era play Whoâs Afraid of the Working Class? A series of stories interweave through the backdrop of Melbourneâs train network, with a range of characters thrust together on public transport […]
Read More
Performance artist Bryony Kimmings is known for work centering on the personal, with prior shows exploring her partnerâs depression, a show devised with her tween-aged niece and another sleuthing the source of an STD. In Iâm a Phoenix, Bitch, however, things get far more raw. If one uses life experience as a platform for their […]
Read More
The wedding comedy is common shorthand through which to explore culture. Those from different traditions are forced to navigate a new frontier, negotiate new sets of terms and decide what parts are most important. Black Ties sees this culture clash cleverly told between an Indigenous and Maori family, highlighting both the similarities and stark differences […]
Read More
One of the longest-running musicals in history, Chicago returns to our shores again, seemingly only a heartbeat since itâs the last production, which was in fact in 2009. As the show-to-end-all-shows, it seems interesting to have it return, in this mounting of the most recent Broadway production. However in our current era of reality and […]
Read More
With controversy preceding its release, The Nightingale has seen polarising responses from festival audiences, from walkouts to awards. The controversy stems from the filmâs depiction of rape, with two gruesome examples early in the film. These however, provide the necessary bedrock for a deep look into our colonisationâs patriarchy, genocide and classism, with white (male) […]
Read More
The Australian Dream is one of two recent documentaries about AFL legend Adam Goodesâ playing career and his his powerful anti-racism advocacy, with Ten’s The Final Quarter already making waves. Written by famed journalist Stan Grant and directed by BAFTA-winning director Daniel Gordon, the film is an inspiring (and infuriating) exploration into the depths of […]
Read More
An impending wedding often brings out the worst in people. Familial and societal expectations collide with capitalism at the extreme of feminine expression. The wedding industrial complex magnifies every insecurity and extracts large sums from its subjects. Where women on the larger end of the body spectrum deal with constant reminders and callouts regarding their […]
Read More
Thunder Road opens with one of the more profound opening scenes in recent memory. Police officer Jim is giving a eulogy at his motherâs funeral somewhere in the American heartland. Heâs completely unprepared and grief-stricken and – in one 12-minute shot – flips from humourous nostalgia to all out hysterics, finishing the awkward performance with […]
Read More
Contemporary act-plus-orchestra shows arenât a new phenomenon in rock, with arena-size bands churning out orchestral projects since the 80’s; an attempt at legitimising corporate rock, re-selling already existing albums and making mums proud. With dance music reaching maturity, EDM acts and DJs are beginning to jump on the bandwagon as their audiences age and new […]
Read More
Matt Corby is on a home run in support of last yearâs long awaited Rainbow Valley, with a national tour booked a little later than the albumâs release and following a run through Europe. Melbourne singer Eliott opened the show with a brand of electro soul and a huge voice, while second support Blessed turned […]
Read More
Devin Townsend is a mainstay in metal circles, with an almost three-decade long career spanning industrial, speed metal, rock, ambient and even novelty projects. Empath, his 25th album and the 13th under his own name, sees him solidify the presence he has built up in the progressive metal genre over his last few projects. Epic is often […]
Read More
Sydneyâs Cog have remained incredibly active since returning from a six-year hiatus in 2016, finally releasing new music last year and launching into 2019 with new song Drawn Together. Taking the single on a national tour before heading to Europe, the three-piece played a completely packed Max Wattâs. Opener, Melbourne’s The Omnific surprised the early arrivers […]
Read More
Counting and Cracking was Belvoir and Sydney Festivalâs lead production for 2019, launching with much fervour and excited rumour. A stadium worthy theatre piece purpose-built into Sydney Town Hall. A global casting call for 17 performers playing over 50 characters. Five languages on stage. A Sri Lankan meal awaiting each audience member as they arrive. […]
Read More
The trek to Parramatta Park seems to have become a regular occurrence for Sydney festival goers, with almost every large-scale day-long music event being held there nowadays. With Good Things the newest addition to this list and with more coming (looking at you Download and Ultra), the parklands might do a job of keeping the […]
Read More
The Bronx swept into Sydney’s Metro Theatre last night as part of their current Australian tour, which sees them playing in intimate venues across the country. Melbourneâs High Tension are a welcome addition to any show. Playing songs from their new album Purge, the post-hardcore band showed a deeper, heavier more metallic sound. Though they […]
Read More
A legend across contemporary classical, electronica and experimental music, Ryuichi Sakamoto has had a long an illustrious career. Spanning a number of collaborations, itâs his sixteen year partnership with German composer Alva Noto that has stuck, garnering five albums, along with the soundtrack to the movie The Revenant. A largely improvised affair, the duo meshed sparse […]
Read More
Set in Europe â20,000 years agoâ, a tribe of hunter-gatherers is preparing to hunt before winter. Keda (Kodi Smit-McPhee), is learning the ropes from his father, the tribeâs chief Tau (Johannes Haukur Johannesson). Quiet and sensitive, the young Keda is having issues in coming to terms with killing animals, with father gently guiding him unto […]
Read More
Narelle (Sheridan Harbridge) skirts across a converted factory floor, all brushed concrete and industrial chic, flanked by an eager estate agent (Nikki Shiels). Itâs an all too common scene as Sydneyâs working class havens make way for heritage apartment conversions, hip cafes and pet-owning professionals. Narelle however stalks the space with a touch of melancholy, […]
Read More
Padraicâs long been away from his home of Inishmore, fighting with the Irish National Liberation Army. Too mad even for the IRA, heâs built an epic thirst for murder and torture, picking small-time pot dealers and bombing chip shops in his spare time. His father Donny calls to inform him his beloved cat is ill, […]
Read More
America has an interesting and contentious relationship with soccer. Where the world game has been at the centre of global sports (and often politics) for centuries, Americans sidelined the sport during the depression years, only to resurrect it in the 1960s as a high school game. With many young boys choosing American football (the nationâs […]
Read More
The Chinese restaurant is a bastion of our urban culture. Birthdays in the suburbs spent with red lanterns, lazy susans and honey chicken dot our collective memory. While contemporary Australiaâs lust for foodie culture and an ever refining palette may have moved away from the Red/Golden Phoenix/Centuries in the 00s, they still form culinary centres […]
Read More
Danish group Between Musicâs Aquasonic was one of the more intriguing inclusions in this yearâs Sydney Festival program. Billed as the âworldâs first underwater bandâ, the group performs with purpose-built instruments while completely submerged. The team apparently developed the show for over a decade, generating optimal conditions for water acoustics and creating the soundscapes. The […]
Read More
A question commonly asked in arts circles is where all the new Australian musicals are. Surely, they do exist, but grand-scale, blockbuster song-and-dance shows isnât something weâre generally known for. Hot Shoe Shuffle â arguably Australiaâs first hit musical – premiered only 24 years ago, and since then only Pricilla and Strictly Ballroom have made […]
Read More
The GFC hit 10 years ago, yet itâs wave still lingers on. In a post GFC world, wages are stagnant, jobs are threatened, house prices skyrocket and global warmingâs dark cloud hangs in concert. 10 years on, weâre still asking questions; how did this happen? Can it happen again? And, if so, whoâs best equipped […]
Read More
