You Got Older is an American play, from a young up-and-coming playwright, Clare Barron. It premiered in 2014 and won the Obie Award in 2015. You Got Older concerns cancer and dying. It seems the writer, Ms Barron, lost her job, had a break-up and received the news that her father had a bad cancer…
Just as outrageous as when it first appeared 45 years ago, The Rocky Horror Show has lost none of its sass either. I dare say a fair chunk of the audience know the words to almost every song. The revivals have been that plentiful. The Rocky Horror Show is a tribute to sci-fi and B-grade…
What a delightful turn of phrase Oscar Wilde had. His wit and playfulness are there for all to see in the verbiage-dense An Ideal Husband. In case you’re not familiar, the play deals with blackmail and corruption in high society. And doesn’t this sterling 11-string cast do it justice! They have loads of fun with…
You might have seen Lars Von Trier’s film Melancholia. This world premiere stage production is based on it. But if you enter the theatre knowing nothing about it, I dare say you’re likely to find much perplexing. Suffice to say that like the film, events unfold in two distinct chapters. Underpinning both is depression that…
Good Muslim Boy is a tale of procrastination, bureaucratic somnambulance and frustration, but it’s brilliantly told at a breakneck pace. It’s fast, funny and powerful and had me fretting for the hero and so much relating to his predicament of being stuck in a foreign place where no one really cared about your predicament. It…
A troubling mind-puzzle in English, French (often without translation) and a touch of German, Polygraph takes concentration to follow. I did finally make sense of it, I’m pleased to say, near the end. For much of the play the disparate elements appear like a jigsaw, where try as you do, you simply cannot connect the…
Well, the last Mary Rachel Brown play I saw in Sydney was Silent Night for the Darlinghurst Theatre Company late last year. It was a disaster. Approaching another evening with Ms Brown was a tentative commitment. However, I can say, it was worth taking a punt, for the experience was a better one. Permission to…
An infectiously entertaining, toe-tapping, hand-clapping production of Mamma Mia! has officially opened at the Princess Theatre. With a successful Sydney season under their belts, the cast of 24 and eight musos are well rounded performers … and it shows! The fairy tale appeal of the story, along with the beloved ABBA music, make this a…
A huge line up of stars and industry heavyweights come together to honour and celebrate Australia’s prestigious live performance awards, the Helpmann Awards. This year, the winners of the Helpmann Awards will be announced at two events over two nights. Both events will be directed by one of Australia’s Olivier and MTV Award winner, choreographer…
John Misto’s witty and acerbic Lip Service translates to a top night of entertainment. The play concerns a battle royale between cosmetics giants between 1954 and 1965. It’s Helena Rubinstein versus Elizabeth Arden, with both under siege from Revlon. Misto has taken the truth and embellished it with sparkling effect. Don’t for a moment think…
