REVIEW BY POPPY ELFICK EDITED BY CHARLOTTE FRASER I walk into the Carlton Scout Hall and find my seat in front of the quaint stage. Before us are two sets of door frames – one full sized on the stage and a smaller set on the ground in front – and a tree wrapped in fairy lights. Here is the beginning of our trip down … Continue reading Curiouser and Curiouser: JCH’s Wonderful Wonderland
“The end is coming, and there’s nothing we can do.”
Cipta Theatre’s inaugural play, The Last Supper by Elizabeth Browne, closely traces the labyrinthine relationships between the introspective and misunderstood main character Judy, her husband and her parents. Continue reading The End Of The World As They Know It
Reviewed by: Michelle Yu Edited by: Lola Sargasso “People pay to hear our music, not listen to what we represent.” Is cancel culture valid? Should public figures who have been cancelled ever be forgiven? These are the compelling questions posed by Cancelled, Four Letter Word Theatre’s latest production. I had the privilege to be there on opening night. Featuring Ethan Francis D’Amour’s catchy tunes and … Continue reading Cancelled For Blowing The Roof Off
Barkly Theatre gets off to a sinister, spell-binding start with their debut production. Picnic at Hanging Rock would be a bold choice for any debut. Published coinciding with the 1967 First Nations referendum, Joan Lindsay’s carefully manicured novel sculpts a world in turmoil. Four schoolgirls, perfect Anglo-Australian citizens, disappear from a Valentines’ trip to Hanging Rock; two are never found. Lindsay’s curlicued prose chronicles the … Continue reading Cake, Crinoline and Colonial Sins at Picnic
EMMA PARFITT DISCUSSES THE DEAD END COLLECTIVE’S DIVE INTO OUTER SPACE Dead End Collective advertised their new production, The Crystalline Consciousness That Speaks Meaning Into Flesh, as ‘a romp’, and a romp it most certainly was. With a talented ensemble cast and captivating production design, this show is a promise of more excellent things to come from Dead End Collective. In their brand-new original work, … Continue reading Out of this World with ‘Crystalline Consciousness’
Reviewed by: Jade Smith Fundamentally, this production of Drowsy can only be described as an absolute romp – fun, vibrant, and carried by an incredibly strong cast and crew, a fabulously loving homage to musical theatre. The Drowsy Chaperone follows the Narrator (Will Serafim), an anxious, socially awkward older man living alone in what one can presume is his New York apartment, as he takes us through his … Continue reading The Drowsy Chaperone: Pure Theatre Joy at Queen’s College
Reviewed by: Oscar Lidgerwood “My love for you was greater than my wisdom” To love is to hurt. It’s to break, and to heal. To love is knowing when it’s time to go. Through a striking blend of theatricality and a humane vulnerability, LOVEMACHINE finds a beautiful intimacy beneath the complexities of contemporary relationships, underpinning the timelessness of theatre. LOVEMACHINE delivers a nuanced mix of classic with a … Continue reading LOVEMACHINE: A Striking Presentation of Modern Love
The Bunker, written and directed by Joshua Trappett, explores the aftermath of an apocalyptic event that leaves two sisters trapped in a bunker, traumatised and with no way of knowing when they will be able to leave or if anything remains for them outside. It is hard to think of a more appropriate location for such a performance than tucked away in the basement of … Continue reading The Bunker: No Escape
Melbourne University Shakespeare Company’s Lɘar set out to re-conceptualise both conventional theatre and the traditions of Shakespearean representation. Presenting an ambitious and transformative portrayal of the Shakespearean tragedy, Lɘar explored the consequences of hitting rewind, delivering a thought provoking and admirable performance. Adelaide Greig’s direction of Lɘar created opportunity for a wild shift in the presentation of the perennial tragedy: King Lear. Beginning from the original … Continue reading Lɘar: Walking Backwards isn’t Easy
Playwright Katy Warner’s newest work SPENCER is touching, hilarious and Australian. Produced by Lab Kelpie’s Adam Fawcett and directed by Sharon Davis, the play is debuting at the intimate Chapel Off Chapel theatre. Scott (Jamieson Caldwell) is a man well on his way to becoming an AFL star but has come home to regain his focus before the next season. His mother (Jane Clifton) is … Continue reading SPENCER: A Charming New Australian Work
The Dialog 