Phil Wang: What you say is meaningless if what you do is monstrous 

In 2019, we have seen more and more comedians beginning to use their platforms for more than just jokes. Stand up as a catalyst for social change, as a way of bringing public attention to an issue, as a device to subvert and surprise. In his Melbourne International Comedy Festival show Philly Philly Wang Wang, Phil Wang reminds us that these comedians are just people. … Continue reading Phil Wang: What you say is meaningless if what you do is monstrous 

All I Want for Christmas is Revue: One of Australia’s Favourite Things

“We’re sold out tonight so please don’t leave any empty seats”, the long line of audience members are told as we line up on the stairs to get inside. This collection of The Melbourne University Law Revue alumni are playing at Campari House, a cosy venue on Hardware Lane. Well known for their successful alumni and high quality sketch, Law Revue putting on a show … Continue reading All I Want for Christmas is Revue: One of Australia’s Favourite Things

Arbus and West: A dame that knows the ropes isn’t likely to get tied up

Stephen Sewell’s Arbus and West, presented by Melbourne Theatre Company, is a power play between three women. All are connected by Mae West, a sex symbol of the 1920’s and 30’s, and the person which the play revolves around. The show follows one day in West’s Hollywood apartment when she is photographed by controversial fashion photographer Diane Arbus, as well as featuring a number of … Continue reading Arbus and West: A dame that knows the ropes isn’t likely to get tied up

The Lady in the Van: She’s safe and reliable

This production is directed by Dean Bryant, stars Miriam Margoyles and, at first glance, encapsulates everything I am wary of when it comes to main stage theatre. A reliance on a famous international actor (albeit one that has recently become an Australian citizen), partnered with a well known international play and a resident director. It is very safe, even by the standards of Melbourne Theatre … Continue reading The Lady in the Van: She’s safe and reliable

Ophelia/Machine: Hamlet Who?

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is arguably his most frequently performed play, with Hamlet himself known as one of theatre’s most iconic leading men. The original text has been interpreted and reinterpreted throughout theatrical history, with big names, gender swaps and re-contextualisations providing fresh takes on the play.   The most subversive and widely respected of these interpretations is Heiner Müller’s Hamletmachine. This 1977 play originally ran for seven … Continue reading Ophelia/Machine: Hamlet Who?

Lou Wall’s Drag Race: Drag With a Difference

The latest endeavour of comic singer songwriter Lou Wall, Lou Wall’s Drag Raceis not your ordinary fringe show. It is a glitzy, spoofy, non-binary drag fringe show, and is not to be confused with the Ru Paul created cess pool of cis white men, something which so many of us have come to identify with the art of drag. This racially diverse, intersectional and cross … Continue reading Lou Wall’s Drag Race: Drag With a Difference

The Med Revue: Medley’s Burning Inferno

Upon hearing this show was taking place in the Union House Theatre, which seats around three hundred and fifty people, I was worried. There’s nothing worse as an artist than performing to a half empty theatre. But as I walked into the space with a minute to spare before show time, I was delighted to see an auditorium teeming with excited audience members.   This … Continue reading The Med Revue: Medley’s Burning Inferno

Mudcrabs: A Set of Successful Sketches

Mudcrabs: The Box Set, opened last night for the first of their four night run, as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. A lively demonstration of sketch comedy, Mudcrabs’ nine members demonstrated varying levels of commitment to pull off an energetic and rousing performance. With nudity, defiance of heterosexual norms and an array of accents, this eclectic show is guaranteed to present a sketch … Continue reading Mudcrabs: A Set of Successful Sketches