What distinguishes Dance X is creativity and excellence in diverse forms of movement and the emotion it generates. Make no mistake, feelings surface and explode – that is certainly true in my case. There is a primal connection to the art form. In a special fortnight of dance at Arts Centre Melbourne, I started with…
Imagine falling in love with a man many years your senior whose wife passed a year earlier, then quickly marrying him and moving to his stunning, sprawling estate. But far from the world being your oyster, you are shut off from his thoughts, isolated and lonely, very much living in the shadow of his beautiful…
From cabaret to comedy, music to dance, theatre to the visual arts and a lot more, diversity is the key to the 2025 Melbourne Fringe Festival. That was on display at the opening night gala at the Capitol Theatre, which gave us a taste of the almost 500-strong show lineup in this, the festival’s 43rd…
Vive la difference. Award-winning UK theatre collective SUBJECT OBJECT and Nathan Ellis, who is behind the concept and the text of two immersive, interactive shows, don’t run with the pack. In instructions, they call upon a different unrehearsed actor each time over 10 shows to follow their directive, as the actor auditions for a role…
Welcome to the fun, funny, fanciful, colourful and action-packed world of Dog Man. This musical is the brainchild of Kevin Del Aguila (book and lyrics) and Brad Alexander (music), with orchestrations by Lloyd Kikoler. The characters are those adapted from the series of books by Dav Pilkey. Within the universe of Captain Underpants, Dog Man…
Musical theatre magic is captured by the MSO, conducted by Jessica Gethin, with two of the finest exponents of their craft, who have made it big in the West End. I speak of the vocal clarity, dexterity and brilliance of soprano Amy Manford and tenor Josh Piterman, who have starred in The Phantom of the…
Creative excellence and supreme artistry are the hallmarks of three short works that constitute The Australian Ballet’s new production, Prism. The trio is decidedly modern, starting with Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces. It starts with urgency, as people wearing striking pops of colour criss-cross one another, as they walk purposefully across the stage. Interspersed with that…
Filled with humour and pathos, Draw Two is a richly human tale. It is a compelling, beautifully crafted and superbly told story about the impact of a life changing event. In her late 20s, Riley thinks she knows which way is up. Put another way, she has built a life for herself that she likes….
Emotion rings true as five supremely talented performers (including the music director) celebrate the extraordinary legacy of American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. The breadth of his artistry rings true in a collection of his works that number in excess of 30. I speak of material drawn from noteworthy musicals and some lesser-known works. Mentored…
Do the Irish know how to have good time and carry everyone in the vicinity along with them or what? Never truer words have been written. And so it is with a dynamic, world class, musical stage show in which Irish charm and soaring harmonies sit comfortably alongside soulful ballads. The Shamrock Tenors* consist of…
