Arts

Review: Magician Lawson Reeves shows us the impossible in his first solo show Genuinely Impossible

There is something about magic that brings out the inner-child in us all. From a rogue coin behind the ear, to an ace up the sleeve, there is something still so satisfying in witnessing the seemingly impossible. But, you won’t find any rabbits or hats in Lawson Reeves’ hour long magic show, Genuinely Impossible. Reeve’s…

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Interview: Michaela Burger & Greg Wain on bringing Edith Piaf to life at the Adelaide French Festival

Edith Piaf remains one of the world’s best known performers, bringing French music further into the contemporary music world, while Piaf herself has become a icon portrayed on film, on stage and in studio thanks to countless tributes. At the Adelaide French Festival coming up this month, Piaf’s music comes to life with Exposing Edith, the brainchild of two…

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Review: Limbo Unhinged transforms Sydney Opera House with vaudeville steampunk

Strut & Fret have reimagined the wickedly entertaining Limbo production Sydneysiders have come to know and love into Limbo Unhinged, a new show that has toured the country to critical acclaim and constant sell-outs before landing at the Sydney Opera House, where it will sit for the next three months. It is vastly different to…

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Book Review: Mary Beard explores the ancient roots of modern misogyny in Women & Power: A Manifesto

Drawing on lectures delivered in 2014 and 2017, Women & Power: A Manifesto is a small, yet powerful exploration of the historical silencing of women in the public sphere. The Ancient Roman and Greek cultures we so often hold up as the basis for our democracies today were never particularly kind to the loud woman…

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Book Review: Daniel Shand’s Fallow is a wild ride through the Scottish highlands, helmed by an increasingly unstable narrator

Paul and Michael Buchanan are in hiding. Moving from highland village to highland village, the brothers are trying to avoid the press and police surrounding their home after Michael’s release from prison. Convicted of the murder of a little girl when he was a teenager, Michael relies heavily on Paul to source them food and…

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Book Review: Start 2018 off the right way with Sarah Knight’s You Do You

Sarah Knight, anti-guru and author of best sellers The Life Changing Magic of Not Giving A Fuck and Get Your Shit Together, is back with another empowering message for her readers. Only this time they can actually print the book’s full title in The New York Times. Score! Are you difficult or do you just…

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Sydney Festival Review: The Town Hall Affair argues the need for more lively feminist debates

The original “Town Hall” debate was no ordinary affair. So it should come as no surprise that the one-act play based on this historic event is no ordinary piece of theatre. The show comes courtesy of New York’s The Wooster Group and rather than a straight, re-telling of an already chaotic feminist discussion, they inject…

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Interview: Phil Jamieson on stepping from rock n roll into musical theatre with American Idiot

Having led one of the country’s most beloved rock bands for over 20 years now, Grinspoon‘s Phil Jamieson is well used to stepping out on to stage with thousands of faces looking back at him. Which is why it might seem like a natural fit for a performer such as he to join the cast of American Idiot,…

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Book Review: Alana Valentine’s Dear Lindy shows us just how far the story of Azaria Chamberlain travelled

We all know the story of when Azaria Chamberlain went missing in 1980. The case was one of the most documented murder trials in our nation’s history. So there is should be no need for me to recap the baying for blood by many that surrounded the coverage. in 2013 critically acclaimed playwright Alana Valentine secured a…

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Sydney Festival Review: Whist is an intriguing but not wholly satisfactory experience

A dance-theatre piece presented using virtual reality technology in which the audience subconsciously chooses their own performance is a fantastic concept, but with Whist the end-result is confusing and even a little disturbing. For those interested in psychology and, in particular, the work of Sigmund Freud, this is an immersive treat. But if you’re looking…

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Review: Sydney Festival’s Aquasonic is an exercise in extreme music

Danish group Between Music’s Aquasonic was one of the more intriguing inclusions in this year’s Sydney Festival program. Billed as the ‘world’s first underwater band’, 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…

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Book Review: Oliver Sacks’ The River of Consciousness is a look inside a beautiful and enquiring mind

For decades Oliver Sacks was lauded as a gifted scientist and storyteller. He penned several books, the most famous being Awakenings and The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat. Prior to his death from cancer in 2015 Sacks had been busy working on two final books. The first, Gratitude, was published posthumously in late 2015. The latest…

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Win a family pass to see the Grease the Arena Spectacular in Sydney

One of the world’s most loved musicals, Grease, will hit the stage at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on the 19th and 20th of January in the largest production ever staged for the iconic musical. With over 500 performers, Grease: The Arena Spectacular is big in every sense of the word with an all-star cast….

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Opera Australia’s The Merry Widow is a sumptuous feast for the senses (until 3rd February)

Graeme Murphy’s divine production of The Merry Widow finally makes its way to the Sydney Opera House and it’s a cracking way for Opera Australia to kick off 2018. The combination of stunning Art Deco design, a witty new English translation and two extremely charismatic leads make this an extremely accessible introduction to opera for…

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Red Carpet Photos: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Wizard Of Oz – Capitol Theatre Sydney Premiere

Nathan Atkins hit the red carpet at the Sydney Premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Wizard of Oz. On now at the Capitol Theatre until 4th February. [print_gllr id=11132] For tickets and more details head to https://www.wizardofozthemusical.com/ ———- This content has recently been ported from its original home on Arts on the AU and may have…

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Book Review: Fresh Complaint is a highly anticipated collection that leaves a lot to be desired

Jeffrey Eugenides, best known for his novels The Virgin Suicides and Middlesex, has earned a reputation as somewhat of a heavyweight in American literature. His last book was The Marriage Plot, published in 2011, a novel which followed three college students during the year 1982. Many parts of that novel were loosely based on the…

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Book Review: Elan Gale’s You’re Not That Great (but Neither is Anyone Else) is like fear & self-loathing in Los Angeles

A lot of us have heard of the metaphor involving the carrot and the stick. It describes the idea of reward versus punishment, such that a cart driver can use the former to motivate a reluctant mule or they can hit it with the stick. When we think about self-help books they typically use the…

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American Idiot is coming to Adelaide: Here’s everything you need to know!

Get ready to make some noise!! Green Day’s Broadway musical, American Idiot, is coming to Adelaide and the award-winning spectacle promises to be explosive. Following a successful run in Brisbane earlier this year, the Australian production is about to embark on a national tour and will be arriving in Adelaide January 19. Presented by Adelaide…

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Theatre Review: The Unbelievables is a magical, modern spectacle

Seeing is believing. Especially when you are watching a theatre show like, The Unbelievables. This variety show comes from the producers of The Illusionists and Circus 1903 and promises to be the “greatest” one on earth. The finished product is a grand assortment of different treats and tricks, with performers from multiple disciplines and presentations…

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Book Review: Lily Tuck’s Sisters is a searing novella about an insecure second wife

When The Four Tops sang about “Standing in the shadows of love” Lily Tuck’s Sisters wasn’t quite what they had in mind. And yet, this novella by a National Book Award recipient feels like it could use that track as an anthem. This story is a tense piece about a second wife who is obsessed…

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Book Review: Best Australian Stories 2017 brings together a mix of the new and the familiar

Each year, Black Inc bring out three volumes which wrap up a selection of the year’s best Australian stories, poems and essays. These collections have been edited by various authors over the years, among them Robert Drewe, Geordie Williamson, Cate Kennedy, Amanda Lohrey, and, most recently, Charlotte Wood.  The 2017 collection of short stories was…

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Review: Club Swizzle sizzles and entertains at Space Theatre in Adelaide

Amongst the rubble of the Festival Theatre, buried deep in the Space Theatre, Club Swizzle is a welcome distraction to the outside world. Transformed into a burlesque bar, the atmosphere hits long before the show even begins. Waiters wander and the MC, Reuben Kaye mingles and greets the guests as they take their seats. The…

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Review: A Very Kransky Christmas has the audience in (festive) stitches

The Kransky Sisters have set out on a national Christmas tour from their hometown in Esk, Queensland, to share their memories of Christmases past. Before the sisters arrive, the audience is treated to an intriguing slide show of their adventures to date, featuring the big Koala and the big potato amongst other charming places. Eve,…

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Sydney’s Carriageworks unveils massive 2018 program including 10 world premieres

Carriageworks have revealed a dynamic program for 2018 and its going to be huge with the season spanning contemporary art, dance, performance, music, screen, food and ideas. The Artistic Program will support 690 artists and will present 70 projects, including 10 world premieres, 17 international works and 17 new Australian commissions. From January Carriageworks will…

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Theatre Review: Love / Hate Actually at the Brisbane Powerhouse

Love, Actually is one of those Christmas films that had a significant impact on me the first time I saw it. I’ve since seen it more than once, and each time it has elicited a similar set of emotions within me that have confounded many. I absolutely detested the film and felt it was a…

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Book Review: Get inside the head of pop legend Robbie Williams, in Chris Heath’s Reveal

It’s been thirteen years since Feel, music journalist Chris Heath’s first book with singer Robbie Williams. In that time, Williams has married and started a family, rejoined and left Take That, and further cemented his legacy as one of pop’s true superstars by breaking the Guinness World Record for most tour tickets sold in a…

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Fringe World reveals an epic 2018 line up (Perth)

Fringe World Festival has shared its full 2018 program, rolling out the awesome summer vibes from 26 January through to 25 February in Perth. This year is meant to be the biggest yet, with a variety of new and classic showcases kicking off during the Australia Dy Long weekend. We can expect 750 events across 130 venues…

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Theatre Review: Secret House’s The Seagull is beautiful, edgy and raw (at The Depot Theatre until 16 December)

The Depot Theatre and Secret House have once again worked their magic on a classic, this time bringing Anton Chekov’s The Seagull into the modern era. Stripped back to its heart, this is a compelling tale of the frailty of the mind. Cleverly adapted, beautifully designed and expertly cast, there is nothing to fear from…

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Connecting The Maker and The Wearer: You&Mei Launch Spring/Summer 2017 Collection

Look at the dress or shirt that you are wearing right now. Do you ever wonder where it came from? Or who made it? Imagine if that piece of clothing helped put someone through university, or helped alleviate them from living a life of sex-trafficking and poverty. You’d feel good right? Like, you helped the…

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Future Park: Japanese collective teamLab brings the wow factor to Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum

Famed Japanese art collective teamLab and their endless, unique and energetic approach to art and technology is currently on full display at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum. Future Park is the largest exhibition from the collective and the largest ever seen in Australia, featuring eight interactive light installations which will be dazzling art lovers of all ages…

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