By definition, revolt means to “take violent action against an established government or ruler”, so the fact it is in the title of the show holds great weight in the tellings of this story. This original work by Alice Birch explores the notion of what being a woman means in the 21st century, and how our…
Get yourself ready for an evening of belly laughs and deep concentration because absurdism is back, and it is better than ever! Tom Stoppard‘s groundbreaking 20th century absurdist play Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and thanks to the National Theatre Live, you are able to see it fresh from its…
He is known for his energetic and spell-binding live performances, as well as amassing over 40 million album and DVD sales worldwide, and now the world’s leading pop classical artist, André Rieu, has announced his annual Maastricht concert will once again be beamed into cinemas across Australia in celebration of his 30th year in music….
Outstanding performances from four extremely talented Australian actors make Sunset Strip worthy of the (relatively small) price of admission. The Uncertainty Principle and Griffin Independent Theatre have delivered a beautiful piece of theatre. Just don’t expect sunshine and laughter. By a dried up lake somewhere in regional Australia is a once-thriving holiday town called Sunset…
Most people would be familiar with the story of Cyrano De Bergerac – doesn’t ring a bell? – perhaps you’re more familiar with the 1987 film adaptation Roxanne, with Steve Martin as the plays protagonist Cyrano. Written in 1897, the themes of Edmond Rostand’s play are as relevant today as when he wrote it. Questions…
It is the night we honour and celebrate Australia’s vibrant live performance industry, and recognise distinguished achievements within musical theatre, contemporary music, comedy, opera, classical music, theatre, ballet, dance and physical theatre, presentation for children, regional touring and cabaret. Live Performance Australia Chief Executive Evelyn Richardson said, “This year has been a remarkable year for live…
With a career spanning close to 30 years, Shepard Fairey is a veteran of world street art. In Sydney to talk as part of Vivid Idea’s Game Changers program as well as unveil a new mural work (his largest to date) and exhibition, he spoke of his early days building the now iconic Obey project…
According to the contestants on this year’s series of Masterchef, 30 minutes is not long enough to infuse a dish with the flavour punch the judges are looking for. But it’s more than enough time for the cast and crew of SLUT, on now at the Old Fitz theatre. This whirlwind of a play is…
A show five years in the making – Wireless is eerily eruptive, quietly volatile and infinite in a confined space. A slightly different experience every time, the show works on ambient technology bending to the will of the performers in this dance theatre conquest. Director and Choreographer Lisa Wilson explained the show is deeply rooted…
June is married to Leo, but she’s also having an affair with his twin brother Rob, and her personal trainer Hellmut. And a Catholic priest, John. Leo, meanwhile, is sleeping with Rob’s sister Michelle, his therapist Dr Shaw, as well as the family au pair Melissa. On top of all of this, June and Leo…
Put on your best ABBA outfits because Porpoise Spit’s most iconic export Muriel Heslop is back, and this time she’s singing! A new musical adaption of one of Australia’s most beloved films, Muriel’s Wedding, hits the stage this November and after a long and exhaustive search the new Muriel has been found! Newcomer Maggie Mckenna…
You can tell the moment that Tina Del Twist (Wes Snelling) lurches out onto stage, with a bottle clutched in her hand, knocking over several props along the way, that this is going to be a wild ride. Introducing her band, visible to only Tina, she reminisces about her recent “world tour”, which we suspect…
We often make breakthroughs when we reserve judgement and keep things like fear and prejudice at bay. Yet as humans the notion of embracing ambiguity can be a hard thing to swallow because the only certain things in life are death and taxes. Matt Whale is the founder and managing director of How To Impact,…
The Red Stitch Theatre is utterly beguiling. I’m not sure if it is the fact that they are staging a play set in the Victorian era, or the inviting smell of mulled wine that makes me want to talk like this, but one thing’s for sure, it’s fitting. Affectionately dubbed ‘The Red Shed’, Red Stitch…
If having Jai Courtney in the title role wasn’t enough to draw theatregoers in, let it be known that this modern-day reimagining of Shakespeare‘s Macbeth is like watching a Hollywood blockbuster come to life on stage. Right from the get-go, it’s as if we are immersed into the world of Mad Max with its rough guts…
An art memoir with a difference, A Forger’s Tale doesn’t trace the life and work of a celebrated artist, but that of Shaun Greenhalgh, one of Britain’s most infamous art forgers. A working class kid from England’s North West, whose backyard workshop was jokingly referred by police as “the northern annex of the British Museum,”…
Written from a prison cell, British art forger Shaun Greenhalgh‘s memoir A Forger’s Tale details his life and work , from the faux Victorian pot lids of his childhood to the Armana princess that led Scotland Yard to his door. Accompanying the book’s release, The AU Review’s Jodie B. Sloan had a chat with Shaun about…
Ahead of its season at St. Kilda’s Map 57 winter garden, we chat with Scott Maidment, the brains behind the wildly successful LIMBO and BLANC de BLANC productions. With both shows now worldwide events, Maidment brings us up to speed on where BLANC de BLANC is at. Firstly, a congratulations on the 600th performance of LIMBO. I’ve had the chance to see…
The emergence of participatory art with a desire to move viewers out of the role of passive observers into the role of co-creators has been evolving for decades in contemporary art and theatre practice and theory. In the 70’s, artist and activist Joseph Beuys created the term “Social Sculpture” to illustrate his idea of art’s…
I was a week late to the game on seeing this one, as I was overseas during opening week, and try as I might I couldn’t help watching as the glowing reviews went up one by one. I mean really, with the likes of Hayden Tee and Matthew Backer I knew Hayes was on another winner,…
Back in February I was privileged to interview Broadway star Sierra Boggess, and I remember getting off the phone feeling every chirpier than I normally am – and that’s a lot! I connected with her in many ways but one attribute of hers which really came through was her outlook on the world. She is…
There’s nothing quite like ending your week with something a little sultry, a little bit tantalising, and a little bit jazzy. On Sunday night, the Melbourne International Jazz Festival wrapped things up for another year and who better to do that than the one and only, Dianne Reeves. The Grammy Award winning jazz artist has ventured to…
The first thing that surprised me about The 7 Stages of Grieving was that I laughed. A lot. With a title such as The 7 Stages of Grieving, laughter was not something I was expecting, but such is the extraordinary talent of writers Wesley Enoch and Deborah Mailman and the exceptional skill of performer Chenoa…
The vast majority of us are not natural born managers. Many managers have had to study, research and gain practical experience in the field before they can earn the title. But what do you do if you’re a creative practitioner, freelancer or sole trader who is in charge of their own career? The idea of…
Debbie Malone experienced six near death experiences in 1992, and from this her life changed. She could see dead people. Initially she was fearful of the visions she was witnessing till she began to embrace her spiritual awakening to try and help the spirits by investigating their murders or help find their missing bodies in…
Blueprint, the new play currently on at the Blue Room, is tremendously watchable and involving thanks to the three actors, Sean Crofton, Jessica Russell, and Phoebe Sullivan. They exude a physicality and agitated nervousness that manages to convey an ambiently compelling story, even if I’m not 100 percent sure what’s happening a lot of the…
Seated at a table at the end of a catwalk thrust out into the Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, two girls in their mid to late-20’s take up seats around the same table, wide-eyed and chattering excitedly. A well-dressed bearded man dances his way over to the table holding a silver bucket, singing to the disco music…
The Adelaide Cabaret Festival is officially off and running for another year – with hundreds of Cabaret lovers streaming out into the cold Friday city night for the annual festival Variety Gala to mark the Opening Night. For Ali McGregor and Eddie Perfect‘s second year as Artistic Directors, the program demonstrates an emphasis on the cultivation on homegrown…
The panto is back! Bonnie Lythgoe Productions brings The Adventures of Peter Pan and Tinker Bell to the State Theatre, Sydney from 7-16 July. Starring Australia’s favourite Todd McKenney as ‘Captain Hook’, this world premiere will feature sumptuous glittering sets, spectacular effects, gorgeous fairytale costumes, fantastic song and dance numbers, infectious and riotous comedy, magic…
Many tuning in are likely to know Stavros Yiannoukas from his career with Sydney group Bluejuice. A beloved part of our music scene until they parted ways in 2014, the next creative venture had already begun for Stav. That venture was not in music, but as an author. Meet Elliot Foxley – the title character of Stav’s debut children’s book…
