In the introduction to Nick, Michael Farris-Smith talks about his relationship with its “source material”, the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald novel The Great Gatsby. That relationship shifted over the years and his response to that novel changed as he grew and changed. As this happened the character who he found himself most fascinated with was…
The terms “medically induced coma” and “charming rom-com” may not seem an ideal fit, but that’s exactly what happens in The Big Sick. Kumail Nanjiani’s (literal) labour of love is one of the more original and engaging romances of recent years. You might recognise Nanjiani from TV’s Silicon Valley. He’s also appeared in smaller parts…
Do you believe in ghosts? Noted sceptic and author Professor Adrian Chambers (Peter Houghton) most certainly does not? The 62-year-old has written 14 books on the subject. At a very poorly attended new book reading and signing, he is waylaid by the only person who turns up, librarian Beth Jackson (Emily Trheny). Although their awkward…
Puss in Boots (the voice of Antonio Banderas) first appeared in Shrek 2 in 2004, before showing up again in a couple of other Shrek sequels and then a standalone film in 2011. Now the swashbuckling adventurer returns in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. This time, he’s facing his biggest challenge – losing his…
There is something wicked and subversive about storybook villains rising and trying to rewrite their fate. That’s the premise of the world premiere musical Villainy. Druzilla (Olivia Charalambous), one of Cinderella’s ugly stepsisters, who bemoans the fact that she is always walked over, is hosting a party. Mind you, the atmosphere is hardly festive. In the house are several…
If you are in the camp that our recent history rapid technological advancements all stemmed from scientists in a secret US government agency retro engineering what crashed down from the skies at Roswell – you are absolutely in good company with UFOs – The Lost Evidence. Season Two is here to put to the viewer…
It was inevitable that the runaway success of The Blacklist would spawn imitators. No doubt the attraction of having a ready-made “list” of episodes provided a “lightbulb moment” for many a producer. But where we never get to actually see Raymond Reddington’s “blacklist”, in Blindspot, the clues are literally laid out for you. In the…
The Van Apfel Girls are Gone by Felicity McLean hooked me in with its all-too-familiar north-west of Sydney 1990s setting and the missing girls premise reminiscent of Joan Lindsay’s classic Picnic at Hanging Rock. Here’s the blurb: Tikka Molloy was eleven and one-sixth years old during the long hot summer of 1992 – the summer…
The gritty and unrelenting Rosie is an affecting slice of life drama dealing with homelessness. With a severe shortage of rental properties and rising rents in Ireland, Rosie Davis (Sarah Greene) and her family have been left homeless and struggling. That happened after their landlord of seven years decided to sell the house they were…
Compulsive hoarding (from which an estimated 1.2 million Australians suffer) is a major mental health issue. It is also ripe for comedic treatment and it sure gets the once over in Benjamin Law’s assured debut play, a world premiere by MTC. Humorous and at times poignant, Torch the Place focuses on a Chinese Australian family. Mum (Diana…
