High Fidelity is a musical of 2006, a famous Broadway flop (set in Brooklyn). It is based on the novel of 1995, by Nick Hornby (set in London), and the film of 2000, directed by Stephen Frears and starring John Cusack (set in Chicago). It charts the growth of an emotionally stunted Rob (Toby Francis)….
It has been tucked away for the best part of 50 years, but thankfully Victorian Opera has revived a quintessentially Australian musical about bushranger Ned Kelly. With book and lyrics by Reg Livermore AO, the story in the company’s new production is compelling. It moves from the northern districts of Victoria and the formation of…
For a film featuring several brutal murders, Neil Jordan’s Marlowe is oddly bloodless. That’s not to say it’s bad – it has many fine things going for it – but it lacks the grit those familiar with Raymond Chandler’s iconic detective may be expecting. That could have something to do with the fact the source…
Don a black cape and an exotic mask and be led on a journey of discovery through darkened hallways, up and down stairs and into a series of rooms. So is the immersive, small group experience that mixes the provocative and hedonistic with the celestial and cerebral. This is theatre with a decided difference, in which…
William Boyd is one of the many authors to write a James Bond novel (Solo) and he did so very much in the classic mode. So it might be no surprise that he has set his new venture into the world of espionage, Gabriel’s Moon, in the 1960s. Much of the enjoyment here comes from…
The Picture of Dorian Gray is an extraordinary triumph of talent and theatricality. It is the very finest of entertainment involving a handsome young man and a portrait that becomes a mirror to his soul. The play shines a spotlight on a world obsessed with youth and beauty. Dorian Gray is painted by his friend, artist Basil…
If you think it is nerve-wracking planning and orchestrating a dinner party or perhaps even a gallery opening, just imagine what it would be like helming an exhibition that will attract 800,000 people. Opening night will be veritable who’s-who of paparazzi favourites dressed to the hilt by the foremost fashion designers. That is what The…
Well, the last Mary Rachel Brown play I saw in Sydney was Silent Night for the Darlinghurst Theatre Company late last year. It was a disaster. Approaching another evening with Ms Brown was a tentative commitment. However, I can say, it was worth taking a punt, for the experience was a better one. Permission to…
In 2012, Natasha Lester was my guest at one of my early Stories on Stage events. Few of the audience had heard of her; I was the only one who had read her two books. She was polished and professional; in fact, she was so well prepared that audience members were left open-mouthed at the end of her talk. Fast…
Blaze is a confronting coming-of-age drama. It deals with themes of the emotional and physical effects of trauma, including sexual violence, and is not an easy film to sit through. Blaze (Julia Savage) is a 12-year-old schoolgirl who witnesses the brutal rape and murder of Hannah (Yael Stone) in a laneway. As a result, she…
