Circus Royale is an artistic triumph. I have seen a great deal of circus, but the calibre of acts in this hour and a half show (plus interval) is top shelf. As breathtaking as many performances are, the best of the best are undoubtedly the Colombian-born Lion Brothers – Saret, Sarius and Samir Leon. Not for…
King Kong re-imagined as a horror-thriller adventure in Kong: Skull Island is fun, fanciful, clunky and inane, all at the same time. This is a world populated by massive dinosaur-like creatures, brought to the big screen by the producers of Godzilla. The film tells the story of a diverse team of scientists, soldiers and adventurers…
In Olivier Peyon’s Lie With Me, noted author Stephane Belcourt (Guillaume de Tonquédec) returns to his childhood hometown in the Cognac-producing region of south-west France after a 35-year absence and faces some of the ghosts of his past. He has been invited to be the guest speaker and brand ambassador for the town’s signature cognac…
What is a life worth and what is its impact on others? That is at the heart of the Australian premiere of Di and Viv and Rose by British writer (and actor) Amelia Bullmore. It is a reflection of friendship and how ties that bind can be oh so strong. Rose (Mandy McElhinney) is a…
If you’re looking for thrills and action and suspense, I dare say the first profession you seek might not be accountancy. But clearly that isn’t the case for the character behind The Accountant, Christian Wolff (a role filled by Ben Affleck – Argo, Batman v Superman). He is not only a brilliant number cruncher, but…
Cruel Intentions: The 90’s Musical sizzles, with powerhouse performances and a rousing score. There’s palpable excitement and anticipation in the theatre even before the metaphorical curtain rises. Once it does, Cruel Intentions is energetic and electrifying, oozing with sensuality and sexuality. It is slick, moving along at pace and milking the copious double entendres and physical interaction that…
I wonder if the central figure in Ghosthunter manipulated the director to give the best possible account of himself? The man is Jason King, a security guard. He’s also a part-time ghost hunter, a service for which he only receives petrol money. King had an onerous upbringing, in which abuse was commonplace. He comes across…
Just where the line between sanity and madness lies is one of the questions in Bliss. Another concerns the true value of the contribution one makes in life. Everyone loves Harry Joy (Toby Truslove). The world revolves around the successful advertising man who runs his own agency. Then, on a sunny afternoon, when aged 39,…
A man who lived the kind of life he wanted inspires the feel-good Hampstead. The setting for the film is breathtaking. Hampstead in London is famous for its beautiful and much-loved heath – a piece of quiet countryside in a vast metropolis. Living on the edge of the heath is American widow Emily Walters (Diane Keaton). Since her…
Dominic Smith takes readers to Northern Italy in his sixth novel Return to Valetto and brings with him the richness and descriptive power that characterised his earlier novels. While his last couple of novels revolves around art and artists (The Last Painting of Sara de Vos and The Electric Hotel) they had an interest in…
