Arts

Cut, the new book from Marc Raabe, starts with Gabriel, an eleven year old boy, discovering a secretive and disturbing crime that happened in the family home, before both his parents are killed. Then the story moves forward 29 years later and we learn where Gabriel is now, what happened to his little brother and just…

On Monday 21 November, stars of the Australian entertainment industry will come together at the Seymour Centre to perform in a ONE NIGHT ONLY concert – Out From Under 2016. The event is in response to the issue of mental health within the profession and aims at removing the stigma surrounding mental health by bringing…

The Seymour Centre is known for its innovative and provocative productions, and 2017 looks to be no different. In its seventh year, the Reginald Series present unique performances from some of Australia’s leading small and independent arts companies. With work that touches on transgender and gender issues, violence against women, future technologies and speaking out…

On the surface, Elvis Presley seemed to have it all. Money, gold records, women, incredible fame. Yet underneath was a lonely man, addicted to prescription drugs and terrified that, at any moment, it might all be taken away from him. In Being Elvis: A Lonely Life, music journalist and screenwriter Ray Connolly steps into the…

Following years of anticipation, and huge ticket sales, The Book of Mormon’s Melbourne season has been extended through to 30th April 2017 at the Princess Theatre, with new seats on sale now. The acclaimed musical – which has won Grammys, Oliviers and Tonys since its debut in 2011 – has already broken the house record…

The very talented Linden Furnell (RENT, Violet, Kinky Boots) has been presented with the 2016 Rob Guest Endowment Award at the end of another fabulous Gala Concert full of the young talents of the musical theatre industry! The Rob Guest Endowment Award Gala Concert itself is always a wonderful night, spectacular for the six finalists who have the…

The Walkley Book Award forms part of Australia’s most prestigious journalism accolades, the Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism. Now in their 61st year, the Awards celebrate the best in Australian journalism, photo-journalism, and documentaries. The 2016 judging panel narrowed down a nine strong longlist to just three contenders for the main prize, which will…

Nijinsky is a ballet about the life of a ballet dancer- the eccentric Vaslav Nijinsky, whose popularity was such that girls even stole his underwear. But underneath his virtuosity and glittering characters was a man fighting with his mental instability- and all this is beautifully represented in this production by The Australian Ballet. The ballet…

Speed The Plow is a somewhat calm and controlled satirical stab at the American movie business, at relationships and convenience, and at wanting to be a good person and yet always having to succumb in the end at the hands of money, money, money. As Bobby says in defeat: “I wanted to be good, but I became…

The final show for The Production Company‘s 2016 season ended with a dazzling reincarnation of Dusty The Musical. The look, the legend and the music. Three attributes that describe this show in all its glory with an outstanding leading lady in Amy Lehpamer. Over the years we have seen Lehpamer grow into the performer she is…

  With glorious views of Sydney Harbour, lights shinning off the water and the hum of chatter surrounding you like the embrace of an old friend, the scene was set for the 2016 Walsh Bay Arts Table. Walsh Bay’s annual Arts Table dinner offered patrons the unique opportunity to dine al fresco on the water’s…

The Client Liaison boys Harvey and Monte are always ahead of the trends and are known for their on point #farshun choices. Honestly, how do we keep up? Thanks to a collaboration with Kirsty Barros, this luxury summer line brings us every bit of peach and lime goodness in stylish apparel and accessories. It’s hard to feel…

The annual Australian International Tattoo Expo will return to the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, from Friday 18 – Sunday 20 November. Over 10,000 local tattoo enthusiasts are expected to attend iconic event. The 2016 line-up will feature over 250 international and local tattoo artists including: Corey Devine from Los Angeles, Ink Master guest Jesse Smith from…

Chats with Barry Conrad always consist of many belly laughs, lots of talk about food and somehow getting off the phone with an extra pep in your step. The guy has been hard at work yet again having just been announced to play Kenickie in Grease – The Arena Experience. We couldn’t be happier for Barry….

Australian comedian Charlie Pickering, former host of The Project, and current host of The Weekly with Charlie Pickering performed at Rockwood Music Hall in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, on a quiet and cold Monday night. Let me preface this review by saying two things: 1. I found out later that Madonna (yes, that…

After breaking box office records at the Sydney Opera House run earlier this year, the Dame Julie Andrews directed production of My Fair Lady will return to the city’s Capitol Theatre in August 2017, following stints in Brisbane and Melbourne. Celebrating 60 years of the beloved musical, the last run, which ended last weekend, sold…

Building on the success of their revival of Miracle City, Luckiest Productions are set to bring the 1940s/50s set Only Heaven Knows to the Hayes Theatre Co‘s Potts Point stage next year. Following Tim, a teenage playwright who leaves his intolerant family in Melbourne for the bright lights of Sydney’s Kings Cross, Alex Harding’s play…

Naturalist and television legend Sir David Attenborough will return to Australia and New Zealand for a series of dates in February next year. Celebrating a career spanning six decades, Sir David Attenborough – A Quest for Life will see the beloved broadcaster join Ray Martin for a discussion on his work, going as far back…

After the success of the British Museum‘s Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb, held in 2012 at the Queensland Museum, the iconic institution will return to Australia later this year, with a world premiere exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum. Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives will feature six mummies from the British Museum’s collection, all scanned using…

Joanna Murray-Smith has been named as the first ever winner of the Mona Brand Award for Women Stage and Screen Writers, receiving a $30,000 prize. The Award is the only one of its kind in Australia, and recognises “an outstanding Australian woman who has written for the stage and/or screen”. It is named for the…

Lifelong friends and comic book creators Matt Groening (The Simpsons, Futurama) and Lynda Barry hit the Stage at the Sydney Opera House on Saturday for an insightful ninety minutes where the pair reflected on their careers, the nature of the “image” and Donald Trump. Here’s 11 things we learned from the special event “Love, Hate…

The Eighth Wonder celebrates our glorious “cathedral”, the Sydney Opera House, and its history on its very own steps. As the audience take in the performance rising above it all in the most stunning of stage backdrops are the sails of the House itself- something truly spectacular. Entering the space you are given a small radio…

Murray Lambert’s new Australian play, My Father’s Left Testicle, is a triumph. Funny, thought-provoking, challenging and engaging – this is independent theatre (and thinking) at its best. My Father’s Left Testicle is a play about travellers from a land across the sea. Persecuted for their beliefs, they seek refuge in a ‘lucky’ country, where they…

The Rob Guest Endowment Award is presented annually to an emerging musical theatre performer selected by a panel of industry experts. This year’s recipient will be announced at a gala concert performance at the Sydney Lyric Theatre on the 14th November. We caught up with the six finalists in the week before to talk preparations, dream songs…

There is a reoccurring joke in A Flea In Her Ear that plays out as such- one character will start “I saw this play…”, to which the other will interrupt to say “I’m sorry”. The initial character then waves away the sympathy, explaining, “it was short”. Having seen STC’s latest production of this play, my final…

The month ahead is full of some fantastic arts events and festivals around the country. Here’s a look at just seven you shouldn’t miss: The Fremantle Festival ’16 The Fremantle Festival is happening end of October and beginning of November – a mixture of music, theatre and other cultural things. The  festival presents a range…

Rufus Wainwright, Berlin’s Schaubühne Theater, and the premiere of RED, starring Cate Blanchett head up the bill for artistic directors Neil Armfield and Rachel Healy‘s debut festival. Over thirty arts events will take place over the 17 day period, running from March 3rd until March 19th. The lineup includes 16 Australian premieres, 17 Adelaide exclusives,…

Themes of migration, reconciliation, accessibility and empathy form the heart of Perth International Arts Festival’s 2017 programming. Over the course of 24 days, from Feb 10th to March 5th, Perth will play host to over 700 artists from around the world, to 11 Australian exclusives and to 5 World premieres, all to better understand and…

Currently playing to packed houses in London’s West End, Mischief Theatre‘s “masterpiece of malfunction” will tour Australia for the first time in February 2017. A highly physical, slapstick comedy, in the tradition of good old British farce, The Play That Goes Wrong was written by Mischief Theatre members Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields….

WA’s first ever festival of light, Kaleidoscope will celebrate some of Australia’s most dynamic creatives, in a free event running from November 10th until November 13th. Illuminating Joondalup City Centre, the inaugural Kaleidoscope will turn the site into an interactive museum, exploring the theme of the ‘City of the Future’, through projections, augmented reality, performances,…