Danish author and poet Hans Christian Anderson based the literary fairy tale The Red Shoes about a peasant girl named Karen on his loathed half-sister of that name. The story, first published in an 1845 collection of his works, is that of a girl being forced to dance continually in red shoes. The peasant girl’s…
With significant political, religious and cultural conflict in the world today, a reworking of a well-worn story about war seems particularly pertinent. The Trojan War, fought around the 12th century BCE, between the early Greeks and the people of Troy – now a part of Turkey – lasted a decade. It was, arguably, sparked when…
Oh my. What would lauded Russian playwright Anton Chekhov think if he came back to life and saw Pony Cam’s hilarious reimagining of The Cherry Orchard. Written in 1903, the original concerns an aristocratic landowner returning to her family estate and sanctioning its sale to pay the mortgage. As the orchard literally faces the chop,…
I know the 2025 Green Room Awards for the best of the best of Melbourne theatre have just been announced, but here is the early contender to scoop the pool in 2026. The Birds is a blindingly creative immersive experience, which leaves an indelible impression. A brilliant performer in Paula Arundell is on stage on…
With selective taste appeal, A Nightime Travesty is a walk on the wild side. It is a parody, an extreme First Nations’ cabaret with music. Earth is a smouldering mess. The crew of a plane is on the last flight out of there, heading for the afterlife. Angel is buckled in, alongside Alexa, while a…
Is he a hero or a villain, a revolutionary or a zealot? Fair questions to pose about a man who spent seven years in exile and a further five in prison. Of course, I speak of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, the subject of a powerhouse new play from Patricia Cornelius, directed by Susie Dee. In…
Creative – yes. Original – my word. Captivating – not so much. I struggled with Apologia, which is a reflection on language, interpretation and communication across boundaries. It is a piece for selective tastes. Apologia is a bold undertaking and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, I commend courageous theatre. The problem…
A striking reimagining of Shakespeare’s tale of murder and madness, Zinnie Harris approaches the tragedy from Lady Macbeth’s perspective. Macbeth’s wife is the one pulling the strings … or so she thinks. For those familiar with Macbeth, the basic plot remains … with twists. Scottish general Macbeth receives a prophecy from three witches that he…
Just what are people capable of? Can we exist in harmony? Is symbiosis even possible? Those questions are explored in the darkly comedic, at times disturbing, strikingly original theatrical work Multiple Bad Things. The actors are physically and mentally challenged, and diverse. They are in a warehouse trying to erect the skeleton of a house (I admire Anna…
What did I know about Pentecostalism when I entered the Malthouse Theatre? Little to nothing, save for a few colourful stories about Hillsong. Suffice to say, it is a charismatic Protestant movement, which is subject to much scrutiny in the no holds barred offering Homo Pentecostus. Co-creators (with Emma Valente) and performers Joel Bray and Peter Paltos…
