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…
The design of seven new Brisbane River ferry terminals by Aurecon and Cox Architecture, has won the Australian Good Design of the Year Award. I met with Brendan Gaffney architect from Cox Architecture at the Holman St Ferry Terminal Brisbane to talk about his award winning design. The ferry terminal is a combination of world first…
In a bleak midwinter comes forth STC’s Cloud Nine– surprising, hilarious, shocking and magnificent. The staging bespokes a Kip Williams production in its minimal design, allowing focus to solely rest upon its carefully selected cast. A layer of dirt covers the ground, upon it a glass box to which the actors retire occasionally to be…
When the Sydney Symphony Orchestra first planned a concert series based on the music of George Michael, it was envisioned as a celebration marking 30 years since the release of his first solo album, Faith. But in December last year, Michael’s name was added to the heartbreakingly long list of stellar artists that were lost…
If you’re looking for a good time, call Belvoir! The iconic Sydney theatre’s latest production, The Rover, will have you doubling over your doublets with laughter. A delightful classical script, paired with comedically-gifted actors and a theatre company who knows how to have fun, make this show a must-see. Written in 1677 by Aphra Behn,…
While waiting for Fiona O’Loughlin to come on stage at the new St Kilda winter garden known as Map 57, we see a guitar and a few mics set up next to the stand up’s own microphone. While thinking that O’Loughlin may have turned her wares to a musical act, it was actually a separate…
Commissioned from local Parramatta author Felicity Castagna based on her multi award winning novel and performed by Australia’s newest theatre company, National Theatre of Parramatta, the coming-of-age drama The Incredible Here and Now looks set to be one of the most talked about shows on the season. In the leadup to the opening of the production…
Audiences are invited to a birthday party like no other when the national tour of Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday takes to the stage at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta from 27 to 29 July. Hello, Goodbye and Happy Birthday celebrates two milestone birthdays – 18 and 80 – two major transition points of adult life. One…
Even though it is billed as a cabaret, Vigil is something that is far from that label. This one-person show – commissioned by the Adelaide Cabaret Festival – is filled with songs and interludes that weave through its story. While cabaret is traditionally seen as something jovial, Vigil cannot lay claim to this. It is…
Opening late last month at Brisbane’s Queensland Museum, Gladiators: Heroes of the Colosseum is an expansive and interactive look at one of Ancient Rome’s best known traditions and one of the Eternal City’s most enduring symbols. Curated in conjunction with some of Rome’s most prominent museums and institutions, Gladiators is a Brisbane exclusive, and I…
Front is a new theatre production whose name could mean lots of different things. The band could all be a “front” for something else, a group often has a “front” man and being an artist means you have to perform on-stage “front” and centre. The play is a rocking one that takes a walk on…
Staged on the set of Kinky Boots at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney, the 17th Annual Helpmann Awards Ceremony will feature a vast array of high-profile hosts, talent and performances when it airs live this July. This years premier celebration of Australia’s live performance industry will showcase performances from the musical My Fair Lady with…
It’s a massive month for theatre all around Australia, with the Helpmann Awards on July 24th only furthering the spotlight on the many great productions happening all over Australia. But the Helpmann nominees aren’t the only shows worth celebrating; here are seven productions which kick off or continue through the month ahead in Sydney, Brisbane,…
Known for her award-winning role as Miss Honey in the recent Australian tour of smash-hit musical Matilda, Elise McCann has now taken her love and knowledge of Dahl’s work one step further- creating an album that draws upon and inspired by the magical works of one of the world’s most beloved authors. We caught up…
Choreographed by Stephen Page, Bennelong by the Bangarra Dance Theatre Company, articulates the story of Wollarawarre Bennelong, an Eora man who was kidnaped by Governor Phillip in 1789 and forced to live in the colonies. Taken back to England, Bennelong learnt to speak English and was held up as an example of the relationship between…
There’s no doubt you’ve seen the work of Aardman Animations at some point in your lives. Some of you grew up with it, some of you are just discovering it now and some of you are sharing it with your own kids and reminiscing on the good old days. ACMI has done it once again;…
Heart of Mist, the first in new fantasy series The Oremere Chronicles, hits bookshelves later this year. Ahead of the book’s release, AU Reviewer Jodie B. Sloan chatted to author Helen Scheuerer, to get the lowdown on the upcoming series and her new fantasy publishing house Talem Press. Can you tell us a little about…
Shortlisted for the 2015 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers, No Way! Okay Fine is the first book from writer, editor and occasional DJ Brodie Lancaster. A series of personal essays, Lancaster tackles just about everything, from growing up in a small town and a year spent in New York City, to early brushes with feminism…
Encouraging you to think big, bold and take action, Antidote is the latest festival to join the blossoming list of annual events at the Sydney Opera House. The two day festival, which will be replacing Festival of Dangerous Ideas, celebrates the thinkers and doers who have spearheaded change in a time of uncertainty. Running from…
Many people love a drink in fact they will indulge at least once a week in a session of binge drinking or occasionally in some Class A’s, their habit is recreational and generally the individual gets on with their life relatively unhindered with some help from a Berocca and a Nurofen. But for others the…
Unplug your curling wands and get ready for the ride of you lives darlings- we’re going bush! A decade since its dazzling premiere, hit musical Priscilla: Queen of the Desert is returning to Australian stages in January 2018 with even more glitz and glamour then before. Having spent the last ten years frolicking around the…
I’ve been to many a circus show over the years where death defying acts are the norm however, this brand new concept show from Circus Oz has me feeling mighty proud of the creativity and ingenuity of our Australian creatives. Set under the Big Top along Birrarung Marr, the show begins with host Mitch Jones…
