Several years ago, I was fortunate to see Cirque du Soleil’s “O” at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, with performers excelling on, in and above a gigantic swimming pool. If they can create wonders in water (which they do), surely it is only a small step to freeze that life source and turn it into ice. I…
An unexpected power play between an about to be anointed Prime Minister and a make-up artist readying her to take office is at the heart of Monument. Edith Aldridge (Sarah Sutherland) has been elected in a landslide to lead the nation. As the country’s youngest ever female PM, she is about assume the highest office in the…
The atmosphere of the era is set the moment one enters The Chapel at Chapel Off Chapel, which has been transformed into a den of iniquity. The band is playing and the mood is raucous and raunchy, with gamblers, showgirls and puritans mixing freely with the audience. Particular attention is paid to those seated at the two…
Now in her mid 80s, Caryl Churchill is regarded as one of the world’s greatest living playwrights. Her work is innovative … enigmatic, challenging and provocative, inevitably open to interpretation. Escaped Alone and What If If Only is the world-first pairing of two separate short plays by the acclaimed Brit. The former, which runs for 45 minutes,…
Bernadette Robinson’s new theatrical offering, Divas is currently on at the Sydney Opera House. In her own words, she has chosen “10 extraordinary singers from incredibly different styles… I just made it as diverse as I could.” In her one-woman show with a three-piece backing band, Robinson unleashes all her singing, acting and comedic talents…
4/4 is characterised by a series of complex movements and maneuverings against a stark stage and backdrop. It is black, white and grey all the way, save for the golden sun peeking through at the end. This, against a strong and dynamic sound bed. 4/4 is a highly expressive work, with eight performers paired off. Ostensibly dressed in black…
Even with the best will in the world, the path to finding and sustaining the love of one’s life is often paved with potholes. With two younger sisters, 29-year-old Sahar (Celine Khoury) is smart and gregarious. She studied medicine, but dropped out after two years (the reason becomes a pivotal plot point) and now works as a…
Unless you have context (and I didn’t before entering the theatre), this play will make little sense. By context, I am referring to the notes playwright Laura Collins has in the electronic program. I never read a program before watching a production. I do so afterwards and, even then, only after I have written down my thoughts. That…
A superbly nuanced performance by Izabella Yena elevates an outstanding piece of writing from Benjamin Nichol, who directs kerosene with Yena. She plays Melbourne-based Millie, brought up by her grandfather, known as Gramps, who was raised in Coober Pedy. Yena weaves a tale of love, loss, loneliness and obsession. So convincing is she that I was immediately transported to…
Morality and money are at the heart of the acerbic Telethon Kid. Inspired by his own medical experiences, Melbourne-based writer Alistair Baldwin’s play has two interconnecting threads. One concerns overstepping the mark in a doctor/patient relationship and the other Big Pharma’s bluff and bluster. We’re at the annual global healthcare conference held by fictious pharmaceutical company Geneuris. Each year,…
