Big Religion (Fruitcake Productions), at Theatre Works’ Explosives Factory – theatre review
In 1843, German philosopher Karl Marx famously wrote that “religion is the opium of the…
Menopause: The Musical, at Athenaeum Theatre and touring – musical theatre review
Change of life never looked as good as it does on stage in the hilarious musical Menopause. It mashes four strong artistes, delivering power packed vocals on familiar, up-tempo tunes, cleverly reworded, with slick choreography. Add in colourful lighting, striking sound, easy to navigate staging with smooth transitions between scenes and evocative costuming and you…
Big Religion (Fruitcake Productions), at Theatre Works’ Explosives Factory – theatre review
In 1843, German philosopher Karl Marx famously wrote that “religion is the opium of the people”. So, does religion exist to assuage the tough times? But so much about it can’t be explained. It just is. Think of a virgin birth for starters. And then how do you deal with the untold misery in the…
& Sons (M) – 119 minutes – movie review
Nearly two decades ago, an incident shattered a family and now the patriarch – a feted, but ailing author – is intent on making good before he drops off the mortal coil. Forever sickly, stumbling about, popping pills and turning to the bottle, his name is Andrew Dyer (Bill Nighy). He lives a reclusive life…
I Want Your Sex (MA) – 90 minutes – movie review
Kinky and sexually charged, I Want Your Sex is an erotic dark comedy. Naïve twenty-three-year-old Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) almost can’t believe the fact that he has just landed his first job after finishing university. It is working as an assistant to renowned, sexually provocative artist Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde). Apart from anything else, it will…
GRIMM (Shake & Stir Theatre Co.) at Fairfax Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne and touring – theatre review
While growing up, I was captivated by subversive stories in a classic cartoon segment known as Fractured Fairy Tales. That aired as part of the TV series The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends. It turned familiar yarns about the likes of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and many others on their head. All these…
The Party’s Over! (M) – 95 minutes – movie review
A decidedly French dark comedy about the class divide, The Party’s Over involves a well to do family and their caretakers, who are at loggerheads. Parisian lawyer Philippe Trousselard (Laurent Lafitte) and his former actress wife Laurence de Preville (Elodie Bouchez) are spending the summer at their villa. That is in the south of France….
The Deplorables (Skin of our Teeth Productions), at Theatre Works – theatre review
Did you know that the first recorded women’s cricket match in Australia took place at the Bendigo Easter Fair on 7th April, 1874? It was a charity event organised between two teams of 11 players – labelled the Blues and the Reds – by 19-year-old schoolteacher Barbara Rae. Her father, John, was headmaster of Rae’s…
Il Trovatore (Melbourne Opera), at the Athenaeum Theatre – opera review
The drama. The pathos. Melbourne Opera’s production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Il Trovatore sizzles and crackles with feeling. With an empty stage, save for a simple wooden platform, it is left to the performers, with the aid of the odd prop, to do the heavy lifting and they do so with distinction. It is an emotion…
Carrie: The Musical (Patrick School of the Arts), at Chapel Off Chapel – musical theatre review
A superb showcase of future musical talent, Patrick School of the Arts’ presentation of Carrie: The Musical is a beauty. There are so many talented performers in the 18 strong cast, all drawn from third year musical theatre students at the school. Based on Stephen King’s debut novel, integrating elements of the 1976 supernatural horror…
Finucane & Smith’s Dance Palace, at Luna Palace, at Luna Park – cabaret review
Bold and bawdy, provocateur extraordinaire Moira Finucane has been turning heads with her fierce brand of variety for 30 years. To mark the auspicious occasion, she is back with a new offering, marking the reopening of Luna Park’s iconic Luna Palace. Think music – popular, mellow and operatic – dance and striptease. I speak of…
