One of the most energetic pieces of theatre I’ve witnessed, Perpetual Frustration Machine is performance art combining circus with a dystopian underbelly. When we enter the theatre, the four cast members – Debra Batton, Adam O’Connor-McMahon, Seth Scheuner and Stephanie Benson – are engaging in a series of activities. They’re exercising on a mat, cleaning…
A wicked soundtrack and a bodacious storyline underpin Sorry to Bother You. And this subversive comedy hits many of the right notes. This is the kind of movie you’ll either love or hate. It definitely pushes boundaries. It’s fantasy, but it is also endearing. The film follows telemarketer Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) on a journey…
Samuel Langhorne Clemens – a.k.a. Mark Twain – visited Australia in 1895. Advertising posters labelled him the funniest man in the world and audiences loved his sense of humour. Chris Wallace, the man responsible for the book, music and lyrics in Huckleberry: A Musical Adventure, isn’t credited. But he “frocks up” as the great man…
If you’re into the Yuletide spirit, perhaps a British teenage zombie musical should be an early Christmas present. Yep, when you’ve seen Anna and the Apocalypse, you’ve seen it all; although perhaps you have better things to do. Director John McPhail based Anna and the Apocalypse on his BAFTA-winning short Zombie Musical. The late Ryan McHenry,…
It may have premiered on Broadway 22 years ago, but Rent remains a heart-wrenching and energetic show. Of course, it’s won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, along with four Tony Awards; including Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book. Producer James Terry brings Rent to Chapel off Chapel, and it retains all the hallmarks…
When Creed came along and revitalised the Rocky franchise, I was more than happy to sing its praises. That was three years ago. Now comes the sequel Creed II, which I’m sorry to say lacks punch (pun fully intended). Creed II starts with the central character, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) fighting for the light…
The Christmas Spectacular is the work of Silvers Circus. This top-notch circus show was my highlight of Santa’s Magical Kingdom, a colourful cavalcade of rides, games and interactive experiences, most inside the Big Top at Caulfield Racecourse. But the extraordinary prowess of the circus performers who feature in this production left my mouth agape. The…
What happens if a woman who’s been married for 30 years suddenly confronts her man with the thought she could be into women? That happens not once but twice to two different 50-something couples in Thomas Ian Doyle’s latest incendiary work, Pins and Needles. Clearly the spark in these relationships when they formed is no…
Who would have thought a documentary about the devoted female fans of boybands could be so entertaining and engrossing? Certainly not me. From The Beatles, to the Backstreet Boys and One Direction, I Used to be Normal: A Boyband Fangirl Story transports us to girls’ teenage years. Filmed over four years and spanning three generations,…
