Two shows run in parallel at Melbourne’s Gasworks in Albert Park until 23 August 2019. Ghost Quartet (Antipodes Theatre Co) A palpable chemistry exists between four excellent performers who bring a surreal musical experience to life. They are music director David Butler (on piano, synthesizer and spring drum), Melissa David (on keyboard, harpsichord and drum),…
When he appeared at the Brisbane Comedy Festival, Rhys Nicholson was as debonair as ever, in contrast to the not-so glamorous life of touring on the standup comedy circuit… especially in places like Tasmania, he tells the audience. Like previous shows and indeed perhaps all quality comedy, Nicholson’s latest show I’m Fine is anchored by…
A Steady Rain (2007), by Keith Huff, is a cop show, a vivid law and order episode of a grimy underbelly intensity, looking at two Chicago men-in-blue, two schoolboy, neighbourhood friends, partnered to patrol their cities’ streets for the protection of their citizenry. It examines two men, two bonded ‘bros’, under the relentless pressure of…
The Despicable Me series, created by French filmmaker Pierre Coffin, has developed and expanded over the past 14 years, and the franchise has grossed over $4 billion worldwide. Given its success it’s no great surprise that we now have a fourth film in the series (not counting the two stand-alone Minions movies). Over the course…
A brass band is the connection between two fascinating and compelling unrelated personal stories that are part of a double bill known as Stardust + The Mission. First up is the tale of Victorian trumpeter and bandleader Col Brain, as told by his grandson Joel Carnegie. Joel, who was only two when Col died, chanced upon a…
A steady stream of mum and dad jokes lay the foundations for Then Came You, written and starring Kathie Lee Gifford. Depending upon your perspective, you might find it pleasant or painful. Over a year ago, 60-something Annabelle lost her beloved husband Fred in an accident at their hardware store in Nantucket. The would-be entertainer…
The prolific Francois Ozon is one of France’s most stylish and intriguing filmmakers, especially with visually sumptuous melodramas like Swimming Pool winning great critical acclaim and reaching international audiences. His films deal with sex and death, and often have a strong queer subtext. His latest film is no exception. Frantz is a haunting and stylish…
The prequel to The Wizard of Oz is back to delight anew and delight it most certainly does in a dazzling display at Melbourne’s finest theatre – the grand Regent. This is top shelf entertainment in every way. I speak of the talent, the choreography, the staging, the lighting and the sound. We are in the…
First up, an admission. My job in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre on 28th April, 1996, in which 35 people were murdered and 20 wounded, was to try to come up with strategies to restore tourism to the area. I had visited the UNESCO world heritage listed site – Australia’s largest and most…
A fictitious thriller concerning the aftermath of the Holocaust, Remember is a film unlike any I have seen before on the subject.It is an intimate story, set in the present day, but triggered by events 70 years ago. Over the past decade or so there has been an increasing awareness that, although now aged and…
