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Alex First

Alex First is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.

The Children Act – movie review

Director Richard Eyre crafts a moving and beautifully realised story of love and loss in The Children Act. The film concerns a highly intelligent couple at a fork in the road … and a 17 year old Jehovah’s Witness with leukemia. Fiona Maye (Emma Thompson) is an eminent High Court judge in London. She presides with…

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Lamb (Red Stitch) – theatre review

Three superb performances highlight Lamb. This sensitive theatrical work combines word and song, and focuses on the hardships of a family born of the land. Lamb concentrates on two generations. The first act starts with the mother’s funeral. The younger of two daughters, Annie (Brigid Gallacher)  – a professional singer – has arrived home after…

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Twelfth Night (MTC) – theatre review

Often riotously funny, Shakespeare’s romantic comedy Twelfth Night is brilliantly staged by MTC and features several wonderful performances. With lots of musical ditties, it’s a tale of mistaken identities, love triangles and pranks. Here I’m indebted to SparkNotes for helping me to unravel the intricacies of Shakespeare’s Old English. The action is set in the…

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Next Move 11 (Chunky Move) – theatre review

Contemporary dance mixes with ancient ritual in Chunky Move’s double-header Next Move 11. The first work, titled “Nether”, is directed, choreographed and performed by Lauren Langlois. She shares the stage with James Vu Ahn Pham, who collaborated on the choreography. “Nether” has an otherworldly feel. It’s a fusion of light, music and movements that are on…

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