Walk down the street to Melbourne’s Regent Theatre, where Pretty Woman the Musical has landed for the final leg of its debut Australian tour. Strap on those glossy red heels, tighten that bold red tie and witness the stage adaptation of one of the most beloved 90s romantic comedies, now with an array of songs…
Have you ever been swept up in an argument, so positive in your convictions, so certain of your truth, and then suddenly, you’re not so sure? A seed of doubt is planted, but you’ve passed the point of no return. To back down now would be to admit you’re wrong, so you stand firm, your…
Although scheduled as part of the winter school holiday show programme for the Sydney Opera House, Pay No Attention is thoroughly entertaining for all age groups. Advertised as suitable for 4-year-olds and up, this 60-minute show demonstrates the incredible skill and talent of a group of 13 young acrobats, with ages ranging from 11 to…
Festival of Dangerous Ideas in Sydney is designed to challenge and subvert the way we think. Across 10 days and multiple venues, FODI is packed with talks, films and behind-the-scenes excursions that are driven by ideas and a sense of open dialogue. The Festival is meticulously curated, uninterested in outrage for its own sake, and…
Patience and Penitentia is a powerful durational performance by South Australian artist Ida Sophia that explores silence, punishment, and power within relationships. Over forty days, the artist, weighted down by rose-petal chains, performs a ritual of penance and silence. Dark red walls and a haunting soundtrack evoke memories of cavernous churches. Strands of rose thorns…
As you enter the Studio space at the Sydney Opera House your senses immediately switch on. There is a smokiness to the room that makes everything slightly soft around the edges and amidst the hum of people finding their seats, the sound of crickets and nocturnal wildlife can be heard. The scene is set for…
Joining two art forms, orchestra and acrobatics, LOUDER is much more than just the mere slapping together of the two. This production showcases a unique offering; an opportunity for audiences to bear witness to the evolution of acrobatics and orchestra. And they do it together. Director and visionary, Darcy Grant, eloquently observes that, “contemporary circus…
Produced and created by Indian Ink Theatre Company, Balloon Dog at the Sydney Opera House is a contemporary adaptation of Kabuliwala, the 1892 Bengali short story by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. It is the story of a five-year-old girl called Mini who befriends a local service station worker called Kabir (Jehangir Homavazir). They form an…
From Broadway in New York to Disneyland in California, North America has long mastered the immersive experience. With new productions and spaces opening regularly, there’s also always something new to experience. Here’s just eleven of my favourite places to visit in the U.S.A. when looking to immerse yourself in art, music, scenery, cowboys (you’ll see…
Matt Tarrant is a highly regarded magician, mentalist, producer, creator, and performer. He has recently taken the role of Chair of the Adelaide Fringe Foundation. We spoke to him about what the Foundation provides for artists and venues and how it fits into the Adelaide Fringe. Congratulations on your appointment as the Adelaide Fringe Foundation…
Canberra is at its best on a clear winter morning, when the cold sharpens the light and the crowds are thin. I had come to the National Gallery of Australia for the opening of its major winter exhibition, Arthur Boyd: Tapestries, a show Nick Mitzevich, Director of the National Gallery of Australia, described as the…
“The smartest thing and the dumbest thing you will ever see” is festival director Reuben Kaye’s typically pithy summation of Po Po Mo Co, and as usual, he’s spot on. Short for Post-Postmodern Comedy, the troupe features four female performers and begins with a content warning; “there will be a lot of nudity, starting… now”….
“I didn’t come here to f*ck spiders,” Dylan Adler announces as the lights come up to show the purple kimono-clad performer seated at a grand piano. “I came to fuck you.” And over the hourlong performance of Haus of Dy-lan, he certainly f*cks with the audience, allowing them to guess just how much truth there…
Meet Bev, or Chiko, who, in his own words, is “not the best truckie, just the best looking.” He’s every stereotype of Australian masculinity you could conjure up, from his impressive mullet to his truck-themed stubbies (translation: shorts). Written and performed by Jonny Hawkins, Truck Driver at the Sydney Opera House, is an insight into…
If you need any evidence that history repeats itself, look no further than this 1960s rock musical, HAIR. Celebrating an age of freedom, rebellion against war, and experimentation, tackling issues of race, sexuality and gender identity. HAIR takes us back to the 1960s/70s counterculture hippie movement whose obstacles are not so dissimilar from those we…
Choreographed, written and performed by Martin del Amo, Scary Piece of Work at the Sydney Opera House is perhaps the most bizarre show I have ever seen. Pitched as a work that explores fear, its universality and our individual responses to it, this one-person production was a cocaine-fuelled fever dream that left audiences wondering what…
Sheltering at the Sydney Opera House is a triple-bill from the acclaimed Bangarra Dance Theatre. Bangarra’s unique style of dance fuses traditional First Nations movement and narratives with contemporary dance to tell stories that resonate and challenge the audience. Sheltering acknowledges and honours the theatre’s history through the work Sheoak, while looking forward to the…
In NSW, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children make up over 56% of those in youth detention, but only around 4% of the youth population. Presented by the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP), Saplings at the Sydney Opera House sheds light on the youth justice system. Written by Yuwaalaray playwright Hannah Belanszky and directed…
Oscar Wilde‘s satiric play, The Importance of Being Earnest, is a “Trivial Comedy for Serious People”. South Australia’s State Theatre Company have sprinkled their own flavours into this delicious mix. The best way to describe the event would be queer and quirky – in the most over-the-top camp way imaginable. The plot begins with Jack…
Death, grief, loneliness, goblin demons, and a “crusty old” bio-exorcist in black-and-white stripes are probably not the ingredients you’d expect for one of musical theatre’s most unexpectedly heartfelt shows. Yet that strange emotional cocktail is exactly why Beetlejuice the Musical has developed such a fiercely devoted following around the world. Beneath the chaos, the absurdity,…
What better way to celebrate the State Opera of South Australia’s 50th anniversary (Golden Jubilee), than with a special presentation of Rossini’s classic and joyful story of Cinderella (La Cenerentola). Artistic Director Dane Lam and Executive Director Mark Taylor have hit the nail on the head by choosing this beautifully simple story of an innocent…
The Other Side of Me at the Sydney Opera House is a heartbreaking story of loss and identity. Based on actual events, the dance duet tells the story of a young Aboriginal man in the Northern Territory who is adopted, along with his brother, by a white English couple in the 1960s. The adoption process…
Got yourself a case of the sweet tooth? Treat yourself to a slice of happiness with the hit Broadway musical, Waitress, where there’s a bun in the oven… and certainly a pie. Picture entering Her Majesty’s Theatre and the room being filled with the intoxicating scent of fresh apple pie. And no, it’s not artificial;…
Illuminate Adelaide is a beacon of light and energy in the midst of the city’s chilly winter. Expect the City of Churches to transform between July 1st and 19th into a vibrant winter playground of light, art, music, technology, and culinary discoveries. With world premieres, Adelaide exclusives and over 100 experiences and performances, this year…
Arriving in Sydney’s vibrant inner-east feels like stepping into a city that has learned how to reinvent itself without losing its edge. Just past the iconic Coca-Cola sign at the crossroads of Kings Cross and Potts Point, where neon glow meets leafy side streets and boutique energy, you’ll find a pocket of Sydney perfectly suited…
Co-founders of Erth, Scott Wright (Artistic Director) and Steve Howarth (Head of Design), have brought their large scale, animatronic puppet dinosaurs to life in the world premiere of Erth’s Dinosaurs, now playing at the Sydney Opera House. Geared towards kids (5+) and families, Wright and Howarth really show their commitment to teaching young audiences about…
There are standing ovations… and then there are the kind that feel inevitable. The opening night of MJ the Musical at Brisbane’s QPAC Lyric Theatre didn’t just earn one – it triggered waves of them. The kind that start mid-show, ripple through the crowd, and return again before the final curtain even has a chance…
As the Adelaide Fringe reaches the final quarter of its four-week life, the tempo of the event changes. The audience and the artists are tired and weary. Some are elated. Some are just waiting to be newly discovered. With over 1500 shows on offer, it can be difficult to be heard above the noise of…
Comedian Elf Lyons is no stranger to the Adelaide Fringe, with rave reviews of her show Raven back in 2024, making her the talk of the town. Which is no mean feat in the cut-throat world of the Fringe. This year, she has brought the ballet “Swan Lake” to life in a way that even…
Few texts are as closely associated with a single era – or as widely mischaracterised – as The Great Gatsby. In truth, the two go hand in hand; the imagined glamour of the Roaring Twenties often serves to obscure just how deeply cynical and pessimistic the novel is. Despite its brevity, abridged adaptations inevitably prioritise…
