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 –…
Brisbane Arts Theatre’s latest mainstage production sets a frenetic pace from its opening scene. It’s a necessity perhaps given its stated aim to share the complete history of comedy, albeit abridged. What follows is a somewhat comprehensive trip through comedy in many of its guises. These include the memorable tell of ‘the chicken’ and its…
Many of us will remember the television science program hosted by Professor Julius Sumner Miller in which he always famously asked “Why is it so?” This question is an underlying theme in Once in Royal David’s City. Playwright Michael Gow uses his central character Will Drummond (Francisco Lopez) to search for the meaning of life;…
Robot Song is an energetic, highly creative new work from Arena Theatre Company – and specifically writer, director and designer Jolyon James. What a wild ride it is, but one well worth taking. The love and laughter in the room on opening night were infectious. Eleven year-old Juniper May (Ashlea Pyke) is in her final…
The Queensland Ballet’s Dangerous Liaisons is not only a world premiere but it is also an amazing blockbuster of a show. The whole production just blew me away. It was the ballet’s premiere season and yet the choreography, the costumes and the music, made me feel I was watching an ageless classic. It was genius on…
What caused Osama bin Laden to become the most hated and hunted man on the planet? The controversial drama Bin Laden: The One Man Show asks that question about the once-feared al-Qaeda leader. It’s the work of UK’s Knaïve Theatre; specifically writer and performer Sam Redway and fellow writer and director Tyrrell Jones. Redway came…
The thing I like about the Limelight on Oxford is that the audience enters the theatre via the stage. Hence, we tread the same boards as the actors. It gives us an additional dimension from which to inhale the atmosphere of the production, besides ambience, lighting and comfort. So, we’re off to a good start…
The sound of doorbells chiming is ringing across Brisbane, for as the advertising warned, the Mormons are coming! Far from the polite, mild-mannered suburban Mormons you may have encountered in your actual home, the tale of these missionaries will likely drop your jaw and curl your toes. And leave you in hysterics, of course. From…
What price success? That’s the key question asked in Clare Barron’s Australian premiere satirical comedy Dance Nation. Set in the US, the seven kids – six girls and one guy – are looking to replicate their local dance club’s previous successes. They want to make it all the way to the national dance championships. But…
It’s been a long time since I have read George Johnston’s 1964 Miles Franklin Award-winning My Brother Jack. However, through the lens of undergraduate literary-study nostalgia, I still recognise the seminal Australian novel’s place as part of our country’s canon, despite its challenge to our comfortable assumptions of national character. Still, like many I imagine,…
