A con man tries to fleece a widow; but there’s more here than meets the eye. A crime caper and a dramatic thriller, The Good Liar stars two of the UK’s best known and most beloved actors – Helen Mirren and Ian McKellan. Consummate swindler Roy Courtnay (McKellen) has set his sights on his latest…
Froth and bubble, Legally Blonde: The Musical remains a fun-filled romp and genuine crowd pleaser … more than a decade after it opened on Broadway and was nominated for seven Tony Awards. A spirited 20-strong cast and 14 talented musos bring to life the story of a vacuous blonde who comes into her own once…
A New Zealand fundamentalist church is under the spotlight in Gloriavale. The Christian community, located at Haupiri, north-west of Christchurch, is home to about 600 people from 70 families. Neville Cooper, who changed his name to Hopeful Christian, founded it in 1969. It stands accused of using slave labour and exploiting women and children. The…
Power and control shift constantly in the drama The Cane, which is set in England. On the verge of retirement after 45 years in the job, Edward (Dion Mills) is a deputy school head. It is Sunday and his wife, Maureen (Caroline Lee) – who also used to be a teacher – has been busily preparing for his…
Outside of the first two films in Edgar Wright’s so-called Cornetto Trilogy, Simon Pegg’s film career has probably seen more misses than hits. He recently redeemed his reputation with roles in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation and the romantic comedy Man Up, although the latter’s success was due more to the superb chemistry he shared with…
It’s taken a while, but the hit show of the just-passed US summer, Mr Robot, is now available in Australia. Mind you, if you’re hoping this intriguing and unsettling show will turn up on network TV after the next collection of cat videos, you’ll be disappointed; as it’s currently only available via on-demand provider Presto….
I saw the feel good, comedic, part musical, part play, part concert Here You Come Again when it was first in Melbourne for a brief run in July and I enjoyed it. I appreciated it even more second time around. It is a lot of fun and carries a relatable message that resonates. The legendary,…
Queensland Theatre is putting the emphasis on fast and furious fun at the Cremorne Theatre as the comic adaptation of John Buchan’s novel and Alfred Hitchcock’s film, The 39 Steps, woos capacity audiences. The Master of Suspense brought John Buchan’s much loved 1915 Boys’ Own story to the big screen in 1935. But it’s a…
What an experience! I speak of a searing, at times humorous trilogy covering 16 years and lasting seven hours, in which, on several occasions, the characters eviscerate one another. And “yes”, I approached it with fear, simply because even for an unashamed theatre enthusiast like me 420 minutes in a small, black box theatre seemed…
Greatness is never achieved by mere proximity. But that doesn’t stop thousands from trying to get close to their heroes. People feel the need to be a part of those who’ve transcended the mundanity of everyday life – whether in sport, business or art. It could be a piece of memorabilia, an autograph, or even…
