Arts

Theatre Review: King Lear is a story of love, lust, deceit and murder

The University of Adelaide Theatre Guild have tackled quite a challenge in presenting one of Shakespeare’s last plays, King Lear. Imagining the play set in the future, it challenges the notions of modern civilisation. In fact, Shakespeare’s commentary on power, lust and betrayal is as relevant today as when the play was scribed in the…

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Pride and Prejudice at the Sydney Opera House is a fitting tribute to the brilliance of Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, arguably Jane Austen’s most famous novel, has been the subject of countless adaptations. There is the 2005 film with Keira Knightley, the modern-day retelling in Bridget Jones’ Diary, the cultural reinterpretation with Bride and Prejudice, and who could forget the incredible masterpiece that was Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. However, there is…

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Little Murmur at the Sydney Opera House provides a stunning insight into living with dyslexia

Choreographed by Aakash Odedra and Lewis Major, Little Murmur at the Sydney Opera House is a sensory feast of projections, dance and sound. Aimed at younger audiences, the performance reflects on Odedra’s life growing up with dyslexia. Having been diagnosed at a young age, he struggled in school and misspelled his own name until he…

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Theatre Review: The must-see musical SIX opens in Melbourne

Melbourne’s East End Theatre District glowed purple on Wednesday, August 7th, to celebrate the premiere of the smash-hit musical SIX. Since its debut in 2017, SIX has taken the musical theatre world by storm, and this run marks the show’s highly-anticipated second time in Australia (or the third run if you consider the COVID interruption!)….

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Chicago is a fabulous story that truly rocks

The true story behind Chicago is so fascinating that it still resonates a hundred years after the action. In 1924, Chicago was overrun by gangsters, with prohibition-era criminality infused with a smoky jazz background. On “murderess row” in Cook County, over a dozen women were waiting sentencing. One woman, Kitty Malm, dubbed by the newspapers…

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The “shoey” has been immortalised at The Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas, along with these Australian artists

It’s always wonderful to see Australian artists getting the recognition they deserve overseas. But rarely do you expect to see Australian musicians featured in a museum in the USA. However, when The Punk Rock Museum opened in Las Vegas last April, three Australian punk bands saw themselves featured alongside the legends of the genre. Founded…

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In the Heights at the Sydney Opera House will have you dancing in your seat

As the sun rises on what is set to be another blistering summers day in Washington Heights, bodega owner Usnavi (Ryan Gonzalez -they/them) is getting ready to start work. Chasing away petty vandal Graffiti Pete (Jervis Livelo – he/him), he begins to talk about his life, his world and this little corner of Manhattan he…

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Jon and Jero’s The Forgotten Tales review

Melbourne comedy duo Jon and Jero are back with their latest kids’ show The Forgotten Tales. At the start of this year, the pair performed their previous show, STUFF! at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, getting a five star review from yours truly (read it HERE). The Forgotten Tales was highly anticipated by my kids, with the…

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Dan and Phil are going to heal your inner child with their Terrible Influence tour, headed to Aus this December!

Ah, 2012. The Year of the YouTuber. If you’re in your mid-late twenties and anything like me, this was your prime. Not much compares to the feeling of getting home from school, raiding the pantry for snacks, and catching up on the latest vlogs and videos from Zoella, Tyler Oakley, and of course, Dan and…

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Interview: Barry Conrad on joining the Australian production of In The Heights, career lessons and aspirations, and the importance of authenticity in his work

Barry Conrad’s multifaceted career spans screen, stage and music. After breaking out on the reality series The X Factor, both local and international tours followed, including openings for such R&B icon acts as Brian McKnight, Craig David and Eric Benet. Landing a role on FOX’s Power Rangers: Ninja Storm, his first feature film was the…

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The final days of Love: Reflections on the show that changed Cirque du Soleil

This week marks the end of a 18 year legacy, as the groundbreaking Cirque du Soleil production Love, celebrating the catalogue of The Beatles, closes this Saturday at The Mirage in Las Vegas. Debuting on 2nd June 2006, the show was Cirque’s first using existing IP, setting up a dream opportunity for publishers to engage…

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Melbourne comedy duo Jon & Jero are back with their latest kids’ show The Forgotten Tales!

Melbourne comedy duo Jon Walpole and Jeromaia Detto, better known as Jon & Jero, are back with a brand-new kid-friendly show, set to kick off on July 4th. Specializing in physical comedy, Jon & Jero’s performances are family friendly – with anyone aged 5 and up encouraged to attend. If you caught them at the…

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From The Who to Alicia Keys and Katy Perry: The chart-topping artists taking over Broadway

Right now New York’s iconic theatre district – Broadway – may have the most amount of chart-topping artists represented in its catalogue than ever. And this was well recognised at this weekend’s Tony Awards, with the two most nominated productions being Hell’s Kitchen, featuring the catalogue of Alicia Keys, and Stereophonic, with original music from…

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Theatre Review: The Woman in Black is a spine-chilling retelling of a gothic horror classic

Prepare for the most spine-chilling ghost encounter of the year. Susan Hill’s acclaimed gothic horror tale hasn’t gone dull with age, surviving through Stephen Mallatratt’s remarkable adaptation, which has lived on London’s West End for over 30 years. Bringing its ghostly horrors to Melbourne, The Woman in Black is a thrilling exploration of terror that…

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Review: International Crime fiction takes center stage at the 2024 Brisbane Writers Festival

This past week, Brisbane hosted its annual Brisbane Writers Festival, drawing thousands of eager bookworms to Southbank for four days of literary celebration. With 150 events packed over four days, there was certainly plenty on offer. Featuring author panels, speeches, and performances showcasing both international and domestic talents from blockbuster bestsellers to literary luminaries, BWF…

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Romeo and Juliet Suite

The Australian premiere of L.A. Dance Project’s Romeo and Juliet Suite at the Sydney Opera House is flawless

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, an ill-fated tale of star-crossed lovers, has been re-imagined time and time again. I honestly thought there was no ground left to cover when it came to adaptations of the beloved classic. I have never been more delighted to be wrong. Set to Prokofiev’s iconic score, Romeo and Juliet Suite at…

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Korea’s “Eternal Nature” gallery comes to Las Vegas: A look inside America’s first ARTE MUSEUM

At the end of November last year, Korea’s large scale digital art gallery – ARTE MUSEUM – opened their first (and still only) location in North America, on the Las Vegas Strip. It’s part of a burgeoning trend of immersive experiences in the city, and sits amongst seven locations for the gallery around the world….

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Bad Friends

‘Bad Friends’ Andrew Santino and Bobby Lee announce Australian and New Zealand tour.

Brace yourselves, comedy fans. US comedy stars Andrew Santino and Bobby Lee, the co-hosts of wildly popular podcast Bad Friends, have announced they will be trekking down under for their ‘Bad Friends Tour‘ this November! Establishing themselves first within the elite ranks of the US comedy scene, Santino and Lee’s podcast venture has amassed a…

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Sunset Boulevard brings Hollywood to Melbourne

Melbourne’s oldest and grandest venue, the Princess Theatre was transformed into Hollywood Glamour on Wednesday night as the city welcomed the return of the Australian production of Sunset Boulevard presented by Opera Australia & GWB Entertainment by arrangement with The Really Useful Group. With a dazzling red carpet, free-flowing champagne on a glamorous bar that…

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Film Review: The Garfield Movie hates its audience as much as its lead feline hates Mondays

Similar to the disdain many had when it was announced that Chris Pratt would be voicing Mario for last year’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the actor’s involvement as Garfield hasn’t assisted in warming him to the masses that have seriously turned on him in a manner many never saw coming after his winning work…

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Theatre Review: Death of a Salesman endures on stage with Anthony Lapaglia leading the way

The 1949 play, Death of a Salesman, was written by lauded American playwright, Arthur Miller. Miller wrote plays including All My Sons (1947) and The Crucible (1953), and dabbled in screenwriting and radio plays, winning a Pulitzer Prize for Drama for this very play. Death of a Salesman first premiered in 1949 and ran for…

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Theatre Review: The Odd Couple turns Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre into a laugh factory

Spaghetti and ketchup. Pineapple and pizza. Felix and Oscar. They say opposites attract, but sometimes they’re better left alone. The Odd Couple follows two divorced friends who decide to live together… only there’s one problem… Oscar thrives in a messy, laid-back environment, while Felix prefers his quarters spick, span and neatly polished. Can this mismatched…

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Adelaide’s Cabaret Fringe Festival VIP preview promises a spectacular week of entertainment

Celebrating twenty-two years of open-access artistry, the Adelaide Cabaret Fringe presented a VIP preview at Arthur’s Art Bar, promising an exciting program to come. Creating a Cabaret Fringe Festival was the vision of the late Frank Ford AM, father of the Fringe and founder of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Conceived in 2001 as the ‘enfante…

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Theatre Review: Symphonie of the Bicycle is an exciting ride, with just a few wobbles along the way

Playwright and actor Hew Parham has created a unique one-man show with Symphonie of the Bicycle. Stepping on stage in the intimate Space Theatre, adorned in a white tracksuit with a green stripe, Parham immediately demonstrates his skill at using his body gestures and voice.  Acclaimed director Chris Drummond has kept the focus on Parham’s…

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SILENCE at the Sydney Opera House empowers people to speak up against the White noise

Part of UnWrapped, a series dedicated to uncovering the best independent creators, SILENCE, at the Sydney Opera House, is a visually stunning and deeply moving performance. Created by Karul Projects and produced by BlakDance, this contemporary dance work successfully examines and disrupts the deliberate and ongoing silence surrounding more than 250 years’ worth of struggle….

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Comedy Review: Dawn French is the only one who can be a comedy queen and a twat

There aren’t many people who would willingly publicise themselves as a “huge twat,” least of all a celebrity. But actress, comedian and writer, Dawn French, is exceptional in every sense. Her latest standup show – an extension of her recent memoir The Twat Files – is all about embracing your failures and relishing every minute…

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Theatre Review: Angels in America delivers a powerful message in a gratifying way

Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes is an ambitious two-part play by American Playwright Tony Kushner. Written in 1991, the story explores personal motivations, hopes and desires of characters in New York during the 1980’s AIDS crisis. It has had previous success as a six-part television mini-series and a West End production….

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Amy Poehler to join this year’s Vivid Sydney celebration for first Inside Out 2 preview

Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actress and comedian, Amy Poehler will join this year’s Vivid Sydney line-up for a special Vivid Ideas event at the Sydney Opera House on Monday 27 May. Poehler, who is one of Hollywood’s most versatile and sought-after talents, with credits including actress, writer, director, producer, and bestselling author, will front Vivid Sydney Presents…

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A Midsummer Night's Dream

Theatre Review: Mortals really do be fools at the Australian Shakespeare Company’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Centennial Park Sydney

Heralded as one of his most beloved plays, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is no stranger to adaptation. The delightful tale of love, fairy’s and mischief, despite its troublesome undertones around consent, continues to mesmerise audiences. Performed at Sydney’s Centennial Park, the Australian Shakespeare Company have created a beautiful and incredibly humorous depiction of the…

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No Pay, No Way

Theatre Review: No Pay? No Way! Is a funny play that makes much cents!

Sydney Theatre Company’s latest production, No Pay? No Way! may have celebrated its golden anniversary but it feels as relevant as ever. This farce about cost-of-living pressures and a healthy distrust of corporate greed could be about modern Australia- except that it took its inspiration from real-life events that occurred in Milan in the 1970s….

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