What is the price to be paid for progress? That is the conceit at the centre of the compelling drama with comedic undertones, The Wrong Gods. Nirmala (Nadie Kammallaweera) is a hard-nosed traditional Indian farmer who does what many generations before her have done. It is back-breaking work. She lives in a clearing in a…
Do you enjoy being challenged mentally and physically? Do you like playing games and solving puzzles? Are you fit, clear of mind and appreciate the stimulation of a team environment? Then this Australian first, Prison Island, is likely to be in your wheelhouse. With 94 “prisons” and nearly 3,000 “cells” in 18 countries, the immersive,…
The conceit behind the Australian premiere of the darkly comedic chamber opera Fat Pig feels all too real. What is it like to be constantly judged for being an overweight (I am talking morbidly obese) woman? No matter that you are smart, witty and a good communicator, the one thing you can’t shy away from…
Have you ever thought about playing mini golf with a tail? No, I am not off with the pixies. Swingers: The Art of Mini Golf, a nine-hole course above Flinders Street Station, gives you that experience. I kid you not. And, I should quickly add, it is far from easy swinging from the hips with…
POV (Point of View), is an extraordinary undertaking, unlike anything I have seen before. A 14-year-old – played by alternates on different nights (I saw Mabelle Rose, while the other is Edith Whitehead) – assumes the role of an 11-year-old girl. She, who is fully aware of the conceit of the piece, interacts with two…
Naked women, guns, pop and classical music, dancers, roller skating, shadow boxing, athleticism, a shrine and Russian ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinsky incarnate. That is what you are in for when you buy a ticket to see Kill Me, Argentine choreographer Marina Otero’s latest step off the deep end. The central conceit is mental health. In…
Life’s struggle from childhood is captured in captivating form in Botis Seva’s Olivier Award-winning dance theatre production BLKDOG. Extraordinarily fluid movement, a pulsating original score from Torben Lars Sylvest and Tom Visser’s striking lighting design coalesce and enthral. Dimly lit throughout, with strategic spot lighting highlighting one, two or all the seven performers, the music…
A portent of doom hangs over Melbourne Opera’s production of Samson & Delilah. It is largely dark and foreboding (lighting design is by Harry Cope), a pointed reference to the story that underpins it. The tale is that of strong man Samson, whose strength is a gift from God. Enslaved Hebrews are praying for deliverance…
Talk to Me marked “them” as a pair to be watched. I speak of twins Danny and Michael Philippou for whom that supernatural horror marked their feature directorial debut. Now Bring Her Back, shot in South Australia, brings more terror. Originally from Adelaide, the brothers moved to the US at the start of 2019, but…
In keeping with Disney’s want of late, Lilo and Stitch is a heartwarming live action version of the animated feature that was released in 2002. Lilo Pelekai is a cute six-year-old scallywag, who runs to the beat of her own drum. A loner, she has been profoundly affected by the tragic loss of her parents…
