Elegies – A Song Cycle (fortyfivedownstairs) – theatre review
Love, loss and laughter are potent and enduring in composer William Finn’s (The 25th Annual…
Older Than I Ever Intended To Be (The MC Showroom) – cabaret review
Since the age of 11, when he was taken to see the dark musical Chicago at the Sydney Opera House, Scott Hollingsworth has dreamt of becoming a star. He went on to forge a successful 18-year career as part of the ensemble in big musicals on Broadway and the West End, but he yearned for…
In Green / We Dream (Parlor Greens) – music review
In Green / We Dream is the debut album by soul-jazz-funk trio Parlor Greens, but the players involved are far from rookies. The band is essentially a Colemine Records supergroup, which features Adam Scone on organ (Scone Cash Players, The Sugarman 3), Jimmy “Scratch” James on guitar (True Loves, formerly Delvin Lamar Organ Trio), and…
Romeo & Julie (Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre) – theatre review
Star crossed lovers all right, but this isn’t the Montagues and the Capulets. In fact, far from it … and neither are we in historic Verona. Romeo & Julie is set in contemporary Splott, a district south of Cardiff and concerns two decidedly different 18 year olds. Romy is a single father and school dropout…
Smoke (Michael Brissenden) – book review
Former Australian journalist Michael Brissenden’s third novel Smoke (after The List and Dead Letters) was inspired by the devastating bushfires that ravaged the Australian east coast in late 2019 and early 2020. But rather than setting his story in that time and place, Brissenden takes the action to another fire flashpoint – the forests of…
Win tickets to Sleeping Dogs
– Sleeping Dogs – Only in cinemas from 1 August 2024 We have 10 double in-season passes thanks to Rialto Distribution. *Note: tickets are digital *(Tickets valid in Australia only)* Watch the trailer HERE In this gripping crime thriller, Russell Crowe stars as Roy Freeman, an ex-homicide detective with a fractured memory, forced to revisit…
Mr Blake at Your Service – movie review
Delightful feel-good entertainment, Mr Blake at Your Service is a fun-filled romantic romp. Andrew Blake (John Malkovich) is a successful English businessman who is pining the loss of his wife of more than 40 years. Diane, a French woman, was the love of his life. They met at a beautiful French chateau when they were…
Sting – movie review
Anyone afraid of snakes and creepy crawlies should probably look away now. In the vein of Arachnophobia and Eight Legged Freaks and their ilk comes yet another horror film featuring a nasty and lethal spider. Sting is the work of writer/director Kiah Roache-Turner, who specialises in low budget horror films like 2014’s Wyrmwood: Road of…
Longlegs – movie review
An unrecognisable Nicolas Cage features in the decidedly creepy crime-horror-thriller Longlegs. A figure sits in a car looking at a little girl in a small house. She comes out to see who it is. Suddenly he confronts her. At first, we only see him from the nose down and says: “There she is, the almost…
New music round-up (for w/e 19 July 2024)
Our selection of the best new music across a range of genres from the week ending 19 July 2024. Beachwood Sparks pioneered the indie-country genre, pushing Americana into experimental territories with their fusion of twangy country vibes and psychedelic sounds. Their unique niche in the indie music landscape is marked by ethereal melodies and introspective…
Elegies – A Song Cycle (fortyfivedownstairs) – theatre review
Love, loss and laughter are potent and enduring in composer William Finn’s (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) Elegies. Based around the importance of community, Elegies is a song cycle, namely a series of songs that hang together thematically, rather than through a narrative thread. Having said that, attendees at a regular, all male…
