The restlessness and angst of millennials is on show in Disparate Scenes for Millennial Dreams. The show consists of three one-act plays in three rooms at the same venue, held together by a couple apparently arguing over performance art. I say apparently because frankly much of it was so obtuse I had no idea what…
A beautiful woman engages an older man in conversation … Sounds like the start of a joke, but it’s actually the beginning of the MTC’s production of Heisenberg. This story involves a couple of lonely people. One has been alone … seemingly forever; while the other has a deep-seated need for connection. The woman, Georgie…
Finding love and keeping the flame flickering is difficult enough for any couple. But the couple in Patricia Cornelius’ Love are two rough-as-guts junkies. Tanya (Tahlee Fereday) fell in love with Annie (Carly Sheppard) the moment she set eyes on her in jail. That love was reciprocated. Annie dreams of a better life with Tanya…
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…
If you haven’t heard of Kill Climate Deniers you probably should have. The hyperbolically titled play’s controversial take on the contentious climate change debate in Australia saw it hit the headlines in 2014 when its playwright David Finnigan received $19 000 from Arts ACT to write a play exploring climate change and Australian politics. The…
A compelling story of struggle is enhanced by highly creative staging, sound effects and lighting. Set over 20 years (from the 1940s to the ‘60s), Cloudstreet isn’t just another play – it’s a look inside the consciousness of two Australian families. Tim Winton’s novel won the Miles Franklin Award in 1991. Nick Enright and Justin…
You have to love the Irish! They seem to have an optimism and cheeriness that’s so infectious, you can’t help but smile. Now, combine that with a Catholic nun named Sister Winnie, who likes a sneaky smoke and a Guinness, and the foundations for a heart-warming tale are set. Folk is easy theatre to watch….
Premiering to rave reviews in 2015, The Dinner Party (former title The Host) is a gripping contemporary dance work from Queensland’s award-winning Expressions Dance Company. And in its 2019 reincarnation, the work, which is choreographed by internationally renowned choreographer and former Artistic Director Natalie Weir, has audience members once again absorbed, from the very first frame…
The Violent Outburst That Drew Me To You is exhilarating teen angst from start to finish. Sixteen year-old Connor (Harry Tseng) is perpetually angry. He reflects on the good times with his parents – who love him dearly – but by and large those are distant memories. Now he’s constantly in trouble, not just at…
Stick five strangers together in a room for a week and see what comes out the other end. Are they themselves or acting out some fantasy to form a shield of protection or anonymity? If the latter, how long before the shield is lowered? Intolerance, disinterest and antagonism are par for the course in Malthouse’s…
