The plaudits are mind blowing, the statistics staggering, the downfall tragic, but her musical legacy lives on. I refer to the incomparable Whitney Houston (August 9th, 1963 – February 11th, 2012), whose record sales exceed 200 million. She was cited by Rolling Stone as being in the top two singers of all time. Tilarni, together with…
OMG! Wow. If you are after a show that is energy on steroids and positively sizzles, you simply have to see Velvet Rewired – a celebration of the sensational ‘70s and the disco beat. What a superb production. It is electrifying and takes much pride and pleasure in whipping the audience into a frenzy. Slick and dynamic,…
Essendon supporters (including me) can rejoice in the long and storied history of the club, which has resulted in a record equalling 16 Premierships. But along with the adulation, there has been a fair share of bruises along the way. Most notably, of course, was the supplements’ saga of the early to mid 2010s that resulted in…
We are in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2013, as the US troops are starting a major withdrawal from the country. Taroon (Khisraw Jones-Shukoor) is in hiding from the Taliban. He’s been targeted after working as an interpreter for the American military. Effectively caged for four months, he dare not set foot outside his sister Afiya’s (Nicole Nabout) small apartment….
He’s such a naturally funny guy, quick witted, endlessly talented and responsive. With his boyish charm and relaxed attitude, he welcomes audience interaction. Michael Shafar’s material is fresh. He observes the world around him from an obtuse perspective. He delves into what many may regard as taboo subjects and gets away with it. In his sights are,…
Cain and Abel – biblical brothers at loggerheads. In American playwright Sam Shepard’s searing, black comedic drama it is well educated Hollywood screenwriter Austin (Justin Hosking) and his older brother Lee (Mark Diaco) – a drifter, thief and drinker – in conflict. The pair hasn’t seen each other in five years and find themselves together in their…
Joanna Murray-Smith’s remarkable insight, attention to detail and writing prowess are front and centre in a captivating production of Berlin at The MC Showroom. Australian Tom (Lachlan Hamill) has just landed in the German capital, keen to get to know the real city, not the tourist offering. He’s directed to a small watering hole, where he meets…
Circus Royale is an artistic triumph. I have seen a great deal of circus, but the calibre of acts in this hour and a half show (plus interval) is top shelf. As breathtaking as many performances are, the best of the best are undoubtedly the Colombian-born Lion Brothers – Saret, Sarius and Samir Leon. Not for…
Nominated for eight Oscars, David Lynch’s 1980 dramatic biographical film The Elephant Man – featuring Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft and John Gielgud – remains seared into my consciousness. Now a clever and creative group of writers and composers (Marc Lucchesi, Sarah Nandagopan and Jayan Nandagopan) has taken the story’s essence, twisted it and turned…
I swear I close my eyes and I can hear the late, great John Denver. When I open them and see Darren Coggan performing in front of me, he bears a striking similarity to the world-renowned acoustic folk musician, born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31st, 1943 – October 12th, 1997). For well over an hour,…
