A rogue cop, police brutality and domestic violence are front and centre in David Williamson’s incendiary satire The Removalists. Written by the prolific and highly acclaimed playwright 54 years ago, the piece has lost none of its bite. With crime the number one issue in the state and partner abuse showing no signs of dissipating,…
If you have money, just how far are you prepared to go and at what price? That is the question at the centre of the devilishly clever Never Have I Ever. Bisexual Jacq (Katie Robertson) and Kas (Sunny S Walia) is a couple. Together, they run a London restaurant named Masada, or at least they…
When I first saw 37 almost a year ago, I was suitably impressed by the authenticity, grit, vitriol and humour involved in the production. In fact, it was another MTC triumph. With only one cast change, the second helping is just as satisfying. It gets to the essence of why football is much more than…
A whip smart dramatic and comedic script and a couple of stellar performances characterise a seedy story set in Singapore. Singaporean Chinese Girl (Merlynn Tong) is 14 and her brother Boy (Charles Wu) is 21. Boy moved out of home seven years ago and became a gang member, which he regards as a badge of…
Outstanding performances distinguish an extraordinarily insightful, Pulitzer Prize-winning script about the human condition in Cost of Living. Unfolding with heart, humour and pathos, it is a bravura production in every regard – simply stunning. Eddie (Aaron Pedersen) is lonely and desperately missing his wife Ani (Rachel Edmonds) who has passed away. A former truck driver…
Acclaimed actor Bert LaBonté makes his directorial debut with the Pulitzer Prize winning comedic drama Topdog/Underdog. It is a two-hander, involving African-American brothers. Lincoln (Damon Manns) has (temporarily) moved into his younger brother Booth’s (Ras-Samuel) small, rented apartment, which has no toilet or running water. That follows Link’s break up with his wife, Cookie (who…
Identity. Being comfortable in our own skin. It is integral to who we are and what we stand for. English is about that. It is about love and loathing, aspiration and fear. It deals with learning to speak a language that is not your native tongue and, in so doing, fitting in, not standing out….
One of the great plays of the 20th century retains its vibrancy and bite in a stunning MTC production, headlined by a bravura showing from Nikki Shiels. Written by Tennessee Williams in 1945, A Streetcar Named Desire was first performed on Broadway two years later. Now, here I am, coming up to 80 years on,…
It was 9th October 2012 when Prime Minister Julia Gillard drew a line in the sand … when she refused to stay silent any longer. To that point she had effectively put up with personal attacks and insults from her political adversaries and the media. Those related to her spartan home environment, her looks, her choice of…
Memories – personal, intimate, global … over time and space … on Earth and beyond. A monologue that is vivid and humorous and, at times, matter of fact, a kaleidoscope of disparate thoughts that come together to form a time capsule. That is what writer Emma May Hall pulled together seven years ago and revised slightly earlier…
