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Alex First

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

The Twins (Gasworks) – theatre review

Two guys waxing eloquently about their shared experiences. That is the essence of The Twins, a play about friendship, redemption, loss and regret. It is set in a tin shed studio in Kangaroo Valley, NSW, over a single day towards the end of 2019. The pair chatting – comedian and actor Greg Fleet and documentary filmmaker and philanthropist…

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June Again – movie review

In JJ Winlove’s debut feature, June Again, a go-getting woman is gone. In her place is an empty shell. June Wilton (Noni Hazlehurst) has vascular dementia. She’s being well looked after in an appropriate facility, where the staff is kind and understanding. Her condition means she has visions of the past as if they were…

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Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Athenaeum Theatre) – theatre review

What a sensational stage show for the littlies. There were toddlers and youngsters galore and excited parents and grandparents with them anticipating something special as the proverbial curtain was about to fall at the Athenaeum Theatre. And special is just what they got. The 45-minute piece is a faithful adaptation of four of author Eric Carle’s stories,…

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The Wedding Singer: The Musical Comedy (Athenaeum Theatre) – theatre review

A fun-filled, comedic musical with some choice one liners, crowd-pleasing scenes and ear-pleasing songs, The Wedding Singer is a spirit lifter. The path to true love is littered with casualties. That single line probably best describes the theme running through The Wedding Singer, which is based on the Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore hit movie, released in…

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Matador (Her Majesty’s Theatre) – theatre review

A fusion of dance, burlesque and circus, Matador sizzles and bedazzles. The show is characterised by pulsating, ear-pleasing beats, brilliantly choreographed, fast paced routines, superb athletic and acrobatic prowess, a phenomenal array of sensual costuming and outstanding, colourful lighting design. Written, directed and produced by Bass G Fam, Bass used his own life experiences as inspiration for…

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Berlin (MTC) – theatre review

Passion, intellectual rigour and the Holocaust collide in Joanna Murray-Smith’s intense, high verbiage, sexually charged drama Berlin. Australian Tom (Michael Wahr) 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, hole in the wall bar, where he meets and is immediately drawn…

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