Puttin’ on the Ritz is an all-singing, all-dancing affair with the occasional spoken interlude. Six vocalists and 10 dancers from London’s West End take us back to the Golden Age of Hollywood for a couple of hours. We’re talking about music from names such as Fred Astaire, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Al Jolson…
– Come from Away – Only at the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne from 3 July 2019 We have 2 double passes thanks for the preview performance of Come from Away on Tuesday, 9 July 2019 at 7 pm. *Please make sure before you enter that you will be 1) in Melbourne, and 2) available to…
As big, loud and flamboyant as its subject, Rocketman presents Elton John as a not-so-stable genius. If you want loads of Elton’s songs, extravagant costumes and a long spiral into depression, this is the movie for you. If you’re looking for a different take on the rockstar biopic though, you might have to look somewhere…
An inspired production involving top talent, slick staging and creative costumes, David Bowie’s fantasy Lazarus – his final project before his death in 2016 – is a revelation. Entering the Playhouse at Arts Centre Melbourne, I had no idea what to expect. Sure, I admired Bowie’s musical prowess, but I would hardly say I was…
A pre-show soundtrack of Oz-rock classics adds an air of excitement to the experience of audience members awaiting the Brisbane season of Belvoir Theatre’s Barbara and the Camp Dogs by Ursula Yovich and Alana Valentine. It’s an effective emphasis of the pub rock atmosphere for anyone who hasn’t gathered the feel of set designer Stephen…
The first thought that comes to mind when I think of Glen Hansard is that opening sequence in the movie Once, where we hear the singer/songwriter alone on acoustic guitar as the camera moves in one seamless longshot along the streets of Dublin, until we finally see him playing his acoustic guitar and singing out,…
Australian theatre doesn’t get much rawer and stirring than Barbara and The Camp Dogs now playing at The Belvoir. For 90 minutes we were entertained by an excellent all-girl pub band, we shared a road trip to the country’s top end, and we bemoaned the shameful degradation of the indigenous population. There’s so much talent…
It’s not hard to see why West Side Story has become such a staple. The tale it tells continues to resonate – in fact perhaps even more so today. Whether we’re talking gang violence or racial or religious divisions, the enmity continues unabated. The depth of feeling in the way the story is told –…
A great sense of fun and a rich array of talent are on show as Muriel’s Wedding The Musical hits town. Toni Collette endeared the socially awkward Muriel Heslop to Australia in PJ Hogan’s 1994 film, Muriel’s Wedding. Collette may have left big shoes to fill, but 23-year-old Natalie Abbott has stepped into them with…
British author E.L. James’ novel Fifty Shades of Grey “struck” a chord around the world, just as Christian Grey loved to “lash” Anastasia Steele. Featuring bondage and sadomasochism, it was translated into more than 50 languages and has sold well over 100 million copies. Of course, further books followed and then a film series. The…
