Amanda Muggleton has the room in the palms of her hands as she assumes the role of actress and femme fatale Coral Browne (23rd July, 1913 – 29th May, 1991), who won the 1984 TV BAFTA for An Englishman Abroad. At just over an hour, this one person play, written by Maureen Sherlock, is the story…
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is front and centre in a searing and poignant new play from Walkley Award-winning ABC journalist and author Sally Sara. Semi-autobiographical, the world premiere of Stop Girl starts in 2011 when Suzie (Sheridan Harbridge) is in the final weeks of reporting from the Afghan capital, Kabul. There to catch up with her…
Crowd involvement is the name of the game for the good-natured banter of Perth-based comedian Emo (Emmanuel Majok), whose show is titled Black Santa. To that effect, he enters the room with a broad smile and a red and white Santa hat. Throughout his 40-minute set, the 33-year-old plays on his colour, flipping it one way…
A lightning-fast wit, smart one liners and political incorrectness distinguish my pick at the 2021 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The 50-minute set is crammed full of contemporary references and personal stories. No subject is off limits and Shafar makes that clear from close to the get go, when he starts talking about his second battle with…
Come from Away opened in Brisbane this week to rapturous standing ovations. This unique production tells the true stories of the people of Gander, Newfoundland (CA) and some of the passengers of the 38 planes that were diverted there during the day of September 11, 2001. As the small town’s population more than doubled with…
Truth or lie? That is the question at the centre of a fun-filled night at the Brunswick Ballroom featuring a number of highly regarded showbiz-types, drawn from comedy, television, film and music. They are divided into two teams of three, with the “players” varying from show to show. The night I attended, there was Emily Taheny, Mike…
Silly, funny, creative and clever, the Umbilical Brothers bring their unique blend of humour to the Melbourne Comedy Festival and the city is all the better off for it. This show, titled The Distraction, won the Best Comedy Award at the recent Adelaide Fringe Festival. David Collins and Shane Dundas, who are the Umbilical Brothers, have been…
It is a joy of gargantuan proportions to witness Handa Opera’s La Traviata in all its passionate glory on Sydney Harbour, with the Harbour Bridge and Opera House and Sydney skyline as a spectacular backdrop. A massive chandelier – frequently lit up in many a hue – hovers above the stage throughout, held fast by…
The magic of Disney is alive and well … and thriving, if Frozen, The Musical is anything to go by. It is the perfect blend of humour, emotion and theatrics, and brings to life the story of sisters separated by a potentially deadly curse. The musical has been adapted from the Disney film and the original 1844…
Get excited. Mighty excited. For all the hype surrounding the arrival of Hamilton, the musical in Sydney is justified. It is an incredible, spine tingling history lesson, packaged as entertainment par excellence, much of it delivered as readily digestible hip-hop, together with classic Broadway song writing. The entire story unfolds through the lyrics and it is crystal…
