{"id":144110,"date":"2023-01-06T13:04:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-06T03:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/?p=144110"},"modified":"2023-01-06T13:06:47","modified_gmt":"2023-01-06T03:06:47","slug":"motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Motherlod_^e (Frenzy Theatre Company) &#8211; theatre review"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sixty-five minutes of glorious mayhem.\u00a0That is what you get with this extraordinarily detailed production.\u00a0It is set against the sprawling layout of a full house \u2013 broken into five rooms \u2013 a major video screen as a backdrop and two smaller TVs, stage left and right.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cast does a mighty job with the material, which is based around one of the best-selling video game series of all time.\u00a0I refer to The Sims, which was first released in February 2000.\u00a0Players created virtual people, called \u201cSims\u201d, placed them in houses and directed their moods.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_144114\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-144114\" style=\"width: 560px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-144114 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2717.jpg?resize=560%2C391&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"391\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2717.jpg?w=560&amp;ssl=1 560w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2717.jpg?resize=300%2C209&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-144114\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photos by Daniel Rabin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Motherlod_^e, we see Sarah (Mila Lawson as the younger and Jorja Bentley as the older) on the big screen.\u00a0She was once an avid teenage player and is now a disillusioned adult.\u00a0Sarah revisits her old PC to jump back into a world she left behind.\u00a0She dictates the Sims\u2019 personalities, their sexuality and humanity.\u00a0Her commands appear on the TV screens. \u201cSmall talk\u201d, \u201cFind a job\u201d, \u201cEat cake\u201d, \u201cShower\u201d, \u201cSwoon\u201d, \u201cKill\u201d and many more.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Characters created notably include the Grim Reaper (Nicola Pohl), naturally dressed all in black and carrying a scythe.\u00a0Sarah can pause the Sims and fast forward their actions, which are robotic in nature.\u00a0So, she has the ultimate power and she uses it.\u00a0The tale unfolds with music and sound effects. Jack Burmeister is the master of his art in that regard, as the composer and sound designer.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-144115 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2194.jpg?resize=560%2C394&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2194.jpg?w=560&amp;ssl=1 560w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2194.jpg?resize=300%2C211&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everything about Motherlod_^e is impressive. It is a huge effort, involving ingenuity and talent \u2026 and it is hilarious.\u00a0Created by Frenzy Theatre Company (Belle Hansen and Matilda Gibbs), with Amelia Newman, Hansen also directs the production and does so with aplomb.\u00a0The actors have so much fun with the content, which the audience laps up.\u00a0Individually and collectively, the former are memorable.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether that be Gabriel Cali \u201cshowing\u201d his charisma as Kevin Steffan or Anna Fujihara changing her disposition constantly as Brynlee Farr.\u00a0Equally, that applies to all the other performers in the work \u2013 Xanthe Blaise, Liam Trumble, Matilda Rose Gibbs, Nicola Pohl and Brandon Armstrong.\u00a0And that is not to overlook \u201cthe builders\u201d, who we see busying themselves on set even before anyone presses &#8220;play&#8221;.\u00a0Some of those I just referenced inhabit multiple personas, but those I haven\u2019t yet mentioned are Anna Louey, Isabella Patane and Bugs Bachera.\u00a0On screen, Lillah Summers-Dixon and Hattie Elliot have roles as teenage Sims player Sarah\u2019s raucous friends.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-144116 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_1820.jpg?resize=560%2C384&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"384\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_1820.jpg?w=560&amp;ssl=1 560w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_1820.jpg?resize=300%2C206&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I can only imagine the work that must have gone into getting the show ready to be presented to a paying crowd.\u00a0That, in itself, was quite some feat. What we see is slick and that includes a deliberately elongated pause.\u00a0Honestly, I had no idea what I was walking into when I entered the theatre, but I emerged energised by what I saw.\u00a0Frenzy Theatre Company is to be commended for its efforts.\u00a0Those who used to play The Sims should be the first to buy tickets, but Motherlod_^e has broader appeal than that.\u00a0Confession time. I hadn\u2019t even heard of the game and I was agog and absorbed by the insanity that was unfolding in front of me.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Motherlod_^e is playing at Theatre Works until 14<sup>th<\/sup> January, 2023.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Alex First<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sixty-five minutes of glorious mayhem.\u00a0That is what you get with this extraordinarily detailed production.\u00a0It is set against the sprawling layout of a full house \u2013 broken into five rooms \u2013 a major video screen as a backdrop and two smaller TVs, stage left and right. The cast does a mighty job with the material, which&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":144111,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[801],"tags":[21,8316,8315,7215,7083],"class_list":["post-144110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-theatre","tag-comedy","tag-frenzy-theatre-company","tag-motherlod_e","tag-sex","tag-spoof"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Motherlod_^e (Frenzy Theatre Company) - theatre review -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Motherlod_^e (Frenzy Theatre Company) - theatre review -\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sixty-five minutes of glorious mayhem.\u00a0That is what you get with this extraordinarily detailed production.\u00a0It is set against the sprawling layout of a full house \u2013 broken into five rooms \u2013 a major video screen as a backdrop and two smaller TVs, stage left and right. The cast does a mighty job with the material, which...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-01-06T03:04:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-01-06T03:06:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2349.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"498\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Alex First\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Alex First\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Alex First\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/485a03a567664eed5233363f88ed35a4\"},\"headline\":\"Motherlod_^e (Frenzy Theatre Company) &#8211; theatre review\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-01-06T03:04:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-01-06T03:06:47+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":559,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/rsz__mg_2349.jpg?fit=800%2C498&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"comedy\",\"Frenzy Theatre Company\",\"Motherlod_^e\",\"sex\",\"spoof\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Theatre\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/\",\"name\":\"Motherlod_^e (Frenzy Theatre Company) - theatre review -\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/rsz__mg_2349.jpg?fit=800%2C498&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-01-06T03:04:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-01-06T03:06:47+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/485a03a567664eed5233363f88ed35a4\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/rsz__mg_2349.jpg?fit=800%2C498&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/rsz__mg_2349.jpg?fit=800%2C498&ssl=1\",\"width\":800,\"height\":498},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Motherlod_^e (Frenzy Theatre Company) &#8211; theatre review\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/\",\"name\":\"\",\"description\":\"Australian arts &amp; entertainment reviews\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/485a03a567664eed5233363f88ed35a4\",\"name\":\"Alex First\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d6c07f6ab1e27d55a9fc81f09b51709069a83a382270fbe4f25a1b8ffec9185f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d6c07f6ab1e27d55a9fc81f09b51709069a83a382270fbe4f25a1b8ffec9185f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d6c07f6ab1e27d55a9fc81f09b51709069a83a382270fbe4f25a1b8ffec9185f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Alex First\"},\"description\":\"Alex First is the editor of The Blurb. Alex is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He also contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/firstcommunications.com.au\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/theblurb.com.au\\\/wp\\\/author\\\/alexfirst\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Motherlod_^e (Frenzy Theatre Company) - theatre review -","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Motherlod_^e (Frenzy Theatre Company) - theatre review -","og_description":"Sixty-five minutes of glorious mayhem.\u00a0That is what you get with this extraordinarily detailed production.\u00a0It is set against the sprawling layout of a full house \u2013 broken into five rooms \u2013 a major video screen as a backdrop and two smaller TVs, stage left and right. The cast does a mighty job with the material, which...","og_url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/","article_published_time":"2023-01-06T03:04:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-01-06T03:06:47+00:00","og_image":[{"width":800,"height":498,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2349.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Alex First","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Alex First","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/"},"author":{"name":"Alex First","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/#\/schema\/person\/485a03a567664eed5233363f88ed35a4"},"headline":"Motherlod_^e (Frenzy Theatre Company) &#8211; theatre review","datePublished":"2023-01-06T03:04:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-01-06T03:06:47+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/"},"wordCount":559,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2349.jpg?fit=800%2C498&ssl=1","keywords":["comedy","Frenzy Theatre Company","Motherlod_^e","sex","spoof"],"articleSection":["Theatre"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/","url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/","name":"Motherlod_^e (Frenzy Theatre Company) - theatre review -","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2349.jpg?fit=800%2C498&ssl=1","datePublished":"2023-01-06T03:04:00+00:00","dateModified":"2023-01-06T03:06:47+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/#\/schema\/person\/485a03a567664eed5233363f88ed35a4"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2349.jpg?fit=800%2C498&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2349.jpg?fit=800%2C498&ssl=1","width":800,"height":498},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/motherlod_e-frenzy-theatre-company-theatre-review\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Motherlod_^e (Frenzy Theatre Company) &#8211; theatre review"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/#website","url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/","name":"","description":"Australian arts &amp; entertainment reviews","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/#\/schema\/person\/485a03a567664eed5233363f88ed35a4","name":"Alex First","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d6c07f6ab1e27d55a9fc81f09b51709069a83a382270fbe4f25a1b8ffec9185f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d6c07f6ab1e27d55a9fc81f09b51709069a83a382270fbe4f25a1b8ffec9185f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d6c07f6ab1e27d55a9fc81f09b51709069a83a382270fbe4f25a1b8ffec9185f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Alex First"},"description":"Alex First is the editor of The Blurb. Alex is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He also contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.","sameAs":["http:\/\/firstcommunications.com.au"],"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/author\/alexfirst\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/rsz__mg_2349.jpg?fit=800%2C498&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":144573,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/oracle-regal-theatre-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":144110,"position":0},"title":"Oracle (Regal Theatre) &#8211; theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"February 19, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Oracle is an electrifying and sensual mix of circus, burlesque and dance, which showcases the emergence of the 12 zodiac signs, namely how they came to be.\u00a0It is the brainchild of Bass G. Fam, who has built a reputation for staging visually and physically spectacular shows, including Matador and Mansion.\u00a0The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Theatre&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/rsz_3ydcwrgs.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/rsz_3ydcwrgs.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/rsz_3ydcwrgs.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/rsz_3ydcwrgs.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":146218,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/the-world-according-to-dinosaurs-la-mama-courthouse-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":144110,"position":1},"title":"The World According to Dinosaurs (La Mama Courthouse) &#8211; theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"May 28, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Having just sat through The World According to Dinosaurs, I am sorry to say I can\u2019t really tell you much about the narrative, save for an extinction event.\u00a0A big part of the reason is the verbiage in the work was frequently drowned out. Frankly, the sound mix was appalling.\u00a0From the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Theatre&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/rsz_the_world_according_to_dinosaurs_darren_gill-5861.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/rsz_the_world_according_to_dinosaurs_darren_gill-5861.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/rsz_the_world_according_to_dinosaurs_darren_gill-5861.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/rsz_the_world_according_to_dinosaurs_darren_gill-5861.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":156746,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/homo-pentecostus-malthouse-theatre-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":144110,"position":2},"title":"Homo Pentecostus (Malthouse Theatre) &#8211; theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"May 16, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"What did I know about Pentecostalism when I entered the Malthouse Theatre? Little to nothing, save for a few colourful stories about Hillsong.\u00a0Suffice to say, it is a charismatic Protestant movement, which is subject to much scrutiny in the no holds barred offering Homo Pentecostus.\u00a0Co-creators (with Emma Valente) and performers\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Theatre&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/rsz_3_grphoto_malthouse-homopentecostus_hires-14.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/rsz_3_grphoto_malthouse-homopentecostus_hires-14.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/rsz_3_grphoto_malthouse-homopentecostus_hires-14.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/rsz_3_grphoto_malthouse-homopentecostus_hires-14.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":166456,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/1984-shake-stir-theatre-company-at-comedy-theatre-and-touring-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":144110,"position":3},"title":"1984 (Shake &#038; Stir Theatre Company) at Comedy Theatre and touring &#8211; theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"July 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"While I sincerely wish it weren\u2019t so, the power struggles the proliferate globally ensure that Shake & Stir\u2019s brilliant adaptation of George Orwell\u2019s prescient and dystopian novel 1984 appear chillingly real. We are in Oceania, where Big Brother rules with an iron fist. What BB says goes. If he says\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Theatre&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/rsz_1984-show-8324.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/rsz_1984-show-8324.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/rsz_1984-show-8324.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/rsz_1984-show-8324.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":167406,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/othello-melbourne-shakespeare-company-at-fortyfivedownstairs-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":144110,"position":4},"title":"Othello (Melbourne Shakespeare Company), at fortyfivedownstairs &#8211; theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"September 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"For someone who unashamedly struggles with Shakespeare (I never studied the Bard at school and find his language challenging), I was invested in Othello. I should add that my practice is never to read anything about a play before I see it. The reason \u2013 it must speak to me\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Theatre&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rsz_nmp_-105.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rsz_nmp_-105.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rsz_nmp_-105.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/rsz_nmp_-105.jpg?fit=800%2C534&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":169388,"url":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/femoid-vixen-theatre-company-at-theatre-works-explosives-factory-and-the-old-fitz-theatre-theatre-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":144110,"position":5},"title":"Femoid (Vixen Theatre Company), at Theatre Work&#8217;s Explosives Factory and the Old Fitz Theatre &#8211; theatre review","author":"Alex First","date":"March 23, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A pathological hatred and disdain for women is brought into sharp focus in a searing production from Vixen Theatre Company. Frankly, what is depicted on screen behind the actors disgusted me. And what makes it more appalling is that every word of it is true. Welcome to the domain of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Theatre&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/rsz_femoid_smwimage-22.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/rsz_femoid_smwimage-22.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/rsz_femoid_smwimage-22.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/rsz_femoid_smwimage-22.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=144110"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144110\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/144111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=144110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=144110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theblurb.com.au\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=144110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}