As an 18-year-old nerd, Brit Steve Bugeja decided to reinvent himself. So he flew to the US and volunteered at a summer camp for children with autism. For the first time in his life, he wanted to be known as “Cool Steve”. Well, that didn’t work out, but still he gives a hilarious account of…
My take on Garfield: The Musical with Cattitude – energetic, fun and funny. This musical is based on the world’s most widely syndicated comic strip. Jim Davis created the cat Garfield, the human Jon Arbuckle and the dog Odie in 1978. Today it is syndicated to more than 2,500 media outlets worldwide. Common themes in…
Superbly written by Jane e Thompson, Fierce is a beautiful nuanced play that highlights gender disparity in sports. I was riveted throughout. Suzie Flack is better than other female AFL footballers. She doesn’t want to play in the women’s league. Rather, she’s intent on competing against men. And she gets her chance to do so,…
UK actor Maddie Rice delivers a pitch perfect performance in Fleabag. She doesn’t miss a beat in an absorbing hour that starts off with a job interview from hell. She says and does all the wrong things. The business owner – who turns out to have a few skeletons – wants to terminate the conversation…
One of the takeaways from Bare the Musical is that the Catholic Church has a lot to answer for. This heart-wrenching musical concerns life’s most intimate struggles with equality and fairness. At its core are a couple of seniors – Peter (Adam Di Martino) and Jason (Finn Alexander) – who attend a Catholic boarding school….
Ten minutes into Abigail’s Party, I was thinking, “if only the playwright (renowned British scribe Mike Leigh) had killed off all his characters”. Then we wouldn’t have to sit through the rest of this drivel. I was looking around, disinterested in the material. The whole sorry episode seemed simply mindless nonsense. Fast-forward another 90 minutes and I…
Can lightning strike twice? Well, “yes” according to playwright Lachlan Philpott whose work was inspired by real life events. Colder concerns the disappearance of David in Disneyland at age seven and then again in a different place 26 years later. On the first occasion, he reappears after seven frantic hours. The second time, he does…
Strong, emotive performances are the hallmark of Venus in Fur. This sado-masochistic two-hander is brim full of verbiage. It’s a play within a play, during which the power shifts. New York theatre director Thomas (Darcy Kent) is trying to cast the lead female role for a play. It’s a play he’s adapted from the 19th century book…
The Rules of Backyard Croquet by Sunni Overend captivated me with its fresh and sassy take on a familiar theme – a woman shaking off past baggage to shine bright. And shine bright Apple March did, as she emerges from a self-imposed cocoon to find new friendships, love, and her zest for what she’s best…
A Pacifist’s Guide to the War on Cancer is heartfelt, bold, funny and heart-wrenching. It’s also a flawed blancmange as a piece of performance art that many will, no doubt, applaud. I love the energy and vitality of Bryony Kimmings. She’s one of the playwrights, and the narrator of the piece. The single mum tells a story of…
