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,…
Rolling Thunder Vietnam is a deeply emotional, richly rewarding musical and narrative experience that takes you to the heart of the highly divisive Vietnam War. Featuring 20 of the most affecting songs of the era, Rolling Thunder Vietnam prizes open the hopes and fears of the young soldiers who went into battle. It also looks at the…
What a hoot! Featured performer Jay James-Moody, the artistic director of Squabbalogic Independent Music Theatre, has adapted (to the present day) and directs the musical play by Alan Jay Lerner to great effect. Dr Mark Bruckner (Blake Bowden) is a strictly evidence-based psychiatrist who has recently lost his wife. Returning to practice, he has a chance meeting…
Opera Australia’s Handa Opera Madama Butterfly sears with emotion. It is a splendid and spectacular offering, with surprises, against the backdrop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. The story concerns a US navy lieutenant named Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton who takes advantage of a beguiling former Japanese geisha, Cio-Cio-San, in Nagasaki. While she – nicknamed…
Three disaffected young men are at the centre of punk rock band Green Day’s rock opera American Idiot. The story is expanded from its album of the same name, (released in 2004) and also features music from its 2009 album 21st Century Breakdown. The band – formed in 1986 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and…
Relationship often start with sizzle and succumb to pressure and misalignment between parties. Lion Heart Dance Company has cleverly captured that with movement and song. Don’t Go is characterised by star turns from principals Jemma Craig and Andrew J Liu. They are dynamic leads. As the saying goes, the “lovers” are “all over each other” at…
Energy and enthusiasm are the hallmarks of a slick tribute show to some of the greatest musical artists the world has seen. Legends in Concert features tributes to Elton John (Stephen Sorrentino), Cyndi Lauper (Nellie Norris) and Cher (Lisa McClowry) before interval. In the second act, it is Stevie Wonder (Tino Ibach), Tina Turner (Lori Mitchell), Michael…
With silky vocals and a big sound, this Fleetwood Mac tribute band is pure gold. There is a lot of love in the room for breathing new life into the hits of the British-American pop rock band that has sold more than 120 million records. Although over the years Fleetwood Mac line-up changes have been plentiful, five…
A cavalcade of song, movement and colour, Shake Rattle ‘N’ Roll breathes new life into the sounds of the ‘50s and ’60s with entertainment aplenty. A poised and polished cast of five singers and eight dancers light the fuse and keep it burning for more than two hours. The pretence is the re-creation of famous, gravelly voiced…
One thing to add to the list of our new first world problems is the lack of commuting time that we’d normally have to devote to podcasts. Maybe that’s been on the drive in, or as you studiously ignore making eye contact with anyone on the train. You may have to get a little more…
