In 2015 writer and academic, Mandy Len Catron went viral when an article she wrote was published in The New York Times. It was called, “To Fall in Love With Anyone, Do This” where she described her recent date with a new acquaintance. They had answered 36 questions together from a research study designed to…
Coming up in a couple of weeks is a brand new work by Australian choreographer Stephanie Lake. Pile of Bones is a visceral and eccentric choreographic and audio-visual exploration of the intricacies of our closest relationships. Before we see this work come to life, we had a chat with Lake about the need to self-fund in the…
Hello, Goodbye & Happy Birthday explores the fears and hopes of those looking for direction at the start of their lives and those searching for peace at the end. The cast is made up of three young performers (Aileen Huynh, Izabella Yena and Matthew Connell) and three older performers (Jim Daly, Roger Oakley and Evelyn…
What happens when one of the biggest names in musical theatre and Britain’s most popular tenor come together? They create an album together of course! Quite literally for Michael Ball and Alfie Boe, whose album “Together” quickly became the best-selling album in the UK in 2016. The album features some of the greatest hits of…
The Space Theatre stage setting is sparse; a central console and an outer ring of lights are the only props. The three performers, Black, White and Grey enter the stage to the sound of pulsing music and start to circle around the space, slowly at first then picking up the pace. The effect is one…
Restrung Festival is returning to Brisbane next month for its third season of cross-genre and contemporary classical strings-driven ensembles, bands, soloists, dance and physical theatre. From August 17 to 19, Brisbane Powerhouse will host an all-star line up of international, national and local guests for three huge days of ticketed concerts and free events. More…
After kicking off in Sydney last year, The Festival of Death and Dying is set to arrive in Melbourne for the first time, from the 9 – 10 September 2017, with workshops, performances, talks and ceremonies on a huge range of topics. Highlights who will be headlining the festival include performance maker Allan Schacher with…
In Theatre Works’ latest showing, Frankenstein gets an 180-degree turn in a shadowy and modern portrayal of a horror icon, however, this portrayal felt overly simplistic despite the theatrical reframing. This premier season directed by Phil Rouse tells the gothic story by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley flipping gender and turning to a somewhat contemporary angle by…
The Actors Benevolent Fund is a non-profit, charitable organisation who has been providing financial and practical assistance to professional performers since 1944. They support individuals who are unable to work due to illness, injury or disability. This charity recently held a fundraising night at Dendy Opera Quays where they screened a recording of the 2015…
The new production of Blackrock, a play written by Nick Enright some 20 years ago, opened at La Boite Theatre in Brisbane last night. Its opening coincided with the acquittal of four men found not guilty of the gang rape of a fifteen year old girl in the Blue Mountains; it’s clear this horrifying narrative is as…
A group of teenagers come together for a party on the beach. But come morning, a fifteen year old girl is dead, raped and then beaten to death. The work of late playwright Nick Enright, Blackrock follows the aftermath of this terrible act, as the party-goers explore their guilt, whether as perpetrators or as bystanders,…
From international touring comedians to rising local stars, Bris Funny Fest is back for its second year and it’s bigger and better than ever before! With over 50 shows to choose from, the festival will take place in various locations around Brisbane from the 2nd-20th of August. A Game Of Thrones improvised parody, a pleasure…
If only all world rulers had the same approach to legacy building as the Chiefs from the Wadagadum tribe on Mabuiag Island, who in their role as leaders bring a different creative expansion to their culture through art and story telling. When Jimi Bani’s father Dimple was the chief of Wadagadum tribe he was a singer, dancer…
Have you ever said to yourself, “this weekend I want an uber-cheesy, sparkly glittery, overly accented, pyrotechnic spectacular?” Well then maybe The Bodyguard – which just kicked off its four week run in Brisbane – is for you. Whether or not you’ve seen the movie is not in the criteria to enjoy this show. It’s…
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and its boisterous, ribald and ultimately devastating story of a psychiatric clinic and its inhabitants has long been considered amongst the great pieces of literature, theatre and film. This August Sport for Jove are bringing Cuckoo’s to the stage once more. We caught up with Stephen Madsen (who will play Ruckly,…
Melbourne is hosting a winter arts festival over ten nights in August, bringing lights and colour to the winter darkness of Stonnington. As the sun sets each night from the 10 – 20 August, the iconic venues and public spaces around the city of Stonnington will illuminate for this year’s Glow Winter Arts Festival. Each…
David Sedaris, the best-selling American author and humourist is returning Down Under to host a series of live shows in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane in January 2018. After previous sold out tours, Sedaris is hitting the Aussie road for his fourth sojourn, following the recent release of his latest book the Theft By…
I’ve always felt an affinity with Bridget Jones. I, too, am hopeless in the realms of romance, and struggle daily to balance my desire to look like Margot Robbie with my simultaneous love of all things chocolate coated. But, after viewing Jude Perl’s comedy show Let’s Hang Out, I’ve realised that I am Jude Perl….
Language warning: if the title makes you uneasy you probably won’t enjoy this show. It slaps you across the face with vulgarity, ugliness and brutality. But if you love innovative, challenging theatre, you must see SHIT at the Seymour Centre this July. SHIT is not so much a narrative as it is a profile of…
A lot of us aspire to be well. It’s estimated that the wellness industry, which sells everything from day spas, retreats and yoga classes to supplements and detox diets is a multibillion dollar one that’s rising. Guardian journalist, Brigid Delaney is well-acquainted with this alternative church having been a devotee of various health and wellness…
The 2017 Arts Music Awards have been announced, with some of Australia’s best composers and performers in classical, jazz and contemporary music joining the list of diverse finalists acknowledged across 11 categories. Presented every year by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre, the Awards recognize achievement in the composition, performance, education and presentation of…
Enoch Arden is a stirring tale written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson in 1884. It tells the story of three children growing up together in a seaside town and the complicated love triangle between them. Enoch Arden is the rough sailor’s son who wins Annie Lee’s heart over his rival Phillip Ray. The performance at the…
In a theatre hidden in the back of a pub in the depths of Wolloomooloo gather a motley cast of characters who look to have stepped straight onto the stage from the street outside. Throw in a hefty dose of humour, a smattering of nostalgia and a generous amount of alcohol and you have This…
After the death of their Mother, two estranged half-sisters enter into a heated debate over which one of them owns a coveted stamp collection. Jackie (Kitty Hopwood) is the younger of the two and she sees the sale of the stamp collection as her ticket to a better life. Standing in her way is Mary…
It’s worthwhile taking Brisbane Festival Artistic Director David Berthold’s advice on how to attack this year’s just announced stellar line up of art and entertainment, “It’s a feast not a snack, don’t just taste one little tit-bit dive in and sample the whole range, use both hands and take risks!” Brisbane Festival launched on Tuesday morning over coffees and pastries,…
If you feel like your current workout regime is just not doing it for you anymore, and you need a little something extra, a little bit of inspiration to get that summer body back on track, might I suggest a night out at the theatre. Noises Off is quite literally the funniest show you will ever see,…
Scandalously funny, thought-provoking and heartbreaking, Cloud Nine is an enduring theatrical masterpiece. However, after seeing it last week we had some questions… and who better to answer them then someone close to the heart of it all? Cue Matthew Backer, who takes on the dual roles of Joshua and Gerry in the production, and who has managed to dish…
The National Geographic Photo Ark Exhibition has made its way to Australia and can I just say, what an absolute privilege it is to have it nestled at our own Melbourne Zoo. The Nat Geo family has always been a huge inspiration to a lot of people in not only educating them about our wondrous…
If ever there was a time to escape reality and just have a good old belly laugh, then you may just want to head to the theatre and see what has been described as the best farce EVER written. Noises Off cast member Emily Goddard graciously took some time out of busy schedule to chat about this…
Submissions are now open for the third edition of the 2018 Keir Choreographic Award. Eight finalists will be given the opportunity to present their work at Melbourne’s Dancehouse in March 2018, where four will then be chosen to do a season at Carriegworks in Sydney. The winner will receive a $30,000 reward, with a $10,000…
