The expression “many hands make light work” immediately springs to mind when describing the specially created “night trail” through the Royal Botanic Gardens. An enormous amount of work has clearly gone into preparing the spectacular light and sound show known as Lightscape in the finely manicured surrounds. I wandered the meandering path, which spans 1.8 kilometres, stopping…
9 to 5: The Musical is energetic, sassy and colourful. What isn’t lost in this bright and breezy production though is the underlying point of it all. To see it played out makes one wince, just as it should. Franklin Hart Jnr (Eddie Perfect) is the misogynistic and pompous CEO of Consolidated Industries. He rides rough shod…
Freedom and identity are in play in Looking for Alibrandi. It is the 1990s and 17-year-old Josie Alibrandi (Chanella Macri), of Italian origin, is a clever student in her final year at school, looking to pursue law. She isn’t enamoured by the tight reign being kept on her by her mother, Christina (Lucia Mastrantone), who fell pregnant…
Just how good are you at keeping secrets? If you hear something juicy, do you immediately rush off to tell your partner or best friend, or do you keep it to yourself? Let’s face it, secrets by their very nature are tantalising and, at times, it feels good to share them with someone. The five actors in…
Australia: The Lucky Country. And through the eyes of a teenage, orphaned girl in Singapore, it represents her dream, her hope for a better life and an escape from the emotional shackles that the death of her mother has dealt her. Although inspired by the early years of its writer Merlynn Tong, Golden Blood is…
One of the most bizarre plays I have seen, The Amateurs is a tragicomedy from 2015 American Pulitzer Prize finalist Jordan Harrison. This is its Australian premiere. While I can’t claim to have liked it, to say it is unusual is an understatement. A troupe of mismatched mediaeval players make their way across Europe in a…
His appearances, disappearances and reappearances are captivating. Michael Boyd is an illusionist whose top line acts are slick and seamless. Two sold out shows at the Palms at Crown (the only two he put on) are testament to his popularity. He draws people of all ages. The couple of volunteers he calls up on stage are children, but adults…
A dynamic score characterises a coming-of-age story. This is a rock musical about a young African American’s journey from Los Angeles to Europe. The starting point is 1976 and the youngster decides church isn’t for him. Rather, he has opted for Zen Buddhism. His mother won’t have any of it and hauls him off to hear the…
Come Rain or Come Shine is a charming, funny and smart romantic musical comedy, which unfolds over a nearly three decades. Set in London, 19-year-old Ray (Angus Grant) is a massive fan of Ray Charles, something he bonds over with fellow student Emily (Gillian Cosgriff). Older style music is their collective passion, much to the chagrin of…
A contemporary interpretation of the dastardly deeds of King Henry VIII, Six rocks. Its pop vibe is a sure-fire winner. The six wives of the Tudor sovereign are presented as modern-day heroines, complete with costumes and “moves” that would be at home in a superhero movie. They have all been wronged (two were beheaded, two divorced, one…
