An epic and intense tale of bravery in the lead up to and during the First World War, War Horse focuses on the trials and tribulations of a chestnut animal named Joey and on those who come into contact with him. When it was first performed on stage, in London in October 2007, War Horse…
Deeply entrenched racism is at the centre of a drama in which the result is never in doubt and the journey is designed to provoke outrage. First up, there is the political issue of a civilised society condemning felons to death. Regardless of your position on that, it is difficult to feel too much sympathy…
Irish hatred of the British propels a fantastical take on the life and times of bushranger Ned Kelly. Part lyrical, part punk rock, this is a liberal interpretation of a man who became famous in his own lifetime. I tell you, his mother was a real piece of work, according to how she is represented…
It’s party time as some of the greatest artists from the ‘50s to today take to the stage … again. Well, not really … but as reimagined in tribute form. And they are good – very darn good. The history of Legends in Concert dates back close to four decades. It made its Las Vegas debut in…
Shaun the Sheep (2015) was one of the funniest animations – in fact movies per se – that I have seen, so I was mighty keen to see the sequel. It has a lot in it to satisfy children, but not so much adults – as the first one did. Set in the quiet township…
Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus is a stunning display of daredevil acrobatic artistry set to the dramatic tunes of Mozart, making it a wonderful way to introduce children to the composer’s music. The family friendly show with an energetic circus twist starts slowly with a lonely birthday girl (Kathryn O’Keeffe) conjuring up Mozart (real-life husband Paul…
Every generation is gifted with its own take on Count Dracula and vampire lore. You may think it near impossible to put a new spin on such an iconic horror tale, so we’re pleased to report that Dracula, the 2020 Netflix version, manages to do just this. The vampire generally receives his or her best…
Sam Mendes is a terrific director. American Beauty, Revolutionary Road and the Bond films Skyfall and Spectre all appear on his resume. But he exceeds even those lofty heights with his latest film, 1917. This 2-hour visual and emotional extravaganza cements Mendes’ reputation, and provides a stunning new perspective on the war movie. Much as…
You know those books that pop up so often on your feeds that you begin to feel that the universe (and lots of very savvy literary publicists) would really like you to read them? This is how I came to read The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley. Having heard many good things, and with Foley’s…
Farming and idealism. They hardly go hand in hand. And yet that is precisely what a young US couple – John and Molly Chester – was looking to create by getting back to traditional farming principles to coexist with nature. She was a foodie, who knew the value of good, wholesome, tasty produce. He was…
