Curtain Call: The Hits of Broadway, at The MC Showroom – concert review
Powerhouse performances and an electrifying vibe. That is the essence of a cavalcade of hits…
Reg Livermore’s Ned Kelly: The Musical (Victorian Opera), at Union Theatre, The University of Melbourne – musical theatre review
It has been tucked away for the best part of 50 years, but thankfully Victorian Opera has revived a quintessentially Australian musical about bushranger Ned Kelly. With book and lyrics by Reg Livermore AO, the story in the company’s new production is compelling. It moves from the northern districts of Victoria and the formation of…
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, at Theatre Works – theatre review
We are confronted by distressing imagery of natural disasters and the aftermath of war, where nothing remains but the grey shell of homes that once were. In contemporary terms, think Gaza, the Ukraine and Russia. This, on a large scale, on a big screen, begins a more intimate portrayal of the impact of devastation. A…
The full Melbourne Skydeck, the Edge, Voyager theatre and Eureka 89’s Altitude dining experience (Journey Beyond) – fine dining, viewing platform and virtual reality review
If you are looking for a sensational night out, look no further than what my wife and I experienced over four hours at Melbourne’s Skydeck and Eureka 89. It was so special. It is situated at Riverside Quay in Southbank. If you are driving in, there is a Wilson carpark literally seconds away (where you…
Morning Melodies – Orchestra Victoria with Caroline O’Connor: Music and Me at Hamer Hall – concert review
Caroline O’Connor is a living treasure – so gifted, so natural, so personable and so, so good. She sings with power, passion and precision. She dances, she acts and can she weave compelling stories! This is a musical theatre performer extraordinaire who has made it big on the world stage. And those who attended Morning…
Grey Gardens (Clovelly Fox), at fortyfivedownstairs – musical theatre review
It was the print media that exposed the tale of two reclusive, idiosyncratic, upper-class women – a mother and daughter – in the early 1970s. That was when an article in the National Enquirer and a cover story in New York Magazine shone a light on the pair’s living conditions. Home for them was a…
Curtain Call: The Hits of Broadway, at The MC Showroom – concert review
Powerhouse performances and an electrifying vibe. That is the essence of a cavalcade of hits from Broadway musicals brought to the Melbourne stage by Sam Steven Productions. Vocalists Hannah Underwood, Sylvia Kokkinas, Andrew Vassett and Craig Lough join a talented four-piece band to figuratively lift the roof off The MC Showroom. While many of the…
Rabbit & Watson, at Northcote Town Hall – theatre review
Innovative and highly creative, east meets west in playwright Shane Woon’s love story about Chinese gods and AFL football. The Rabbit in the title is the Rabbit God Tu’er Shen (played by Sean Yuen Halley), the patron saint of queer people. Watson (Anton Pan-Cassin) is a budding AFL player, at age 22 on his last…
Pride & Prejudice (Queensland Theatre), at Playhouse – theatre review
The appetite for Jane Austen adaptations seems to be relentless. Of course, Pride and Prejudice is one of the evergreen favourites for many Austen fans, with several film, TV and stage adaptations having been produced over the years. Queensland Theatre had a sell-out season of their joyous, Matilda Award-winning production last year (the 250th anniversary…
Pretty Woman: The Musical, at the Regent Theatre – musical theatre review
There is so much joy in Pretty Woman: The Musical. I adore what the collaborators have done with the beloved story of the Hollywood sex worker and the wealthy businessman. It is based on the 1990 feel good romance, written by J. F. Lawton and directed by Garry Marshall, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere….
Heartbreak Hotel, at Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne – theatre review
Breaking up is hard to do. So it goes, as Karin McCracken and Simon Leary put on a most entertaining sketch comedy show, peppered with science and some musical numbers. In so doing, they unpack the angst associated with broken relationships. In character, she struggles big time to put the past in the past. It…
