Most people would be familiar with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby (or at least Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 film of the same name) and the story of mysterious and wealthy Jay Gatsby, his love for Daisy Buchanan and his unfortunate end. GATSBY at The Green Light, playing at the Sydney Opera House, transforms…
Set across five distinct time periods, Oil at the Sydney Theatre Company depicts different moments in the modern history of petroleum (crude oil) and its far-reaching impacts. Written by UK playwright Ella Hickson and directed by Paige Rattray, the play follows the journey of May (Brooke Satchwell), a strong-willed woman who longs for a better…
Adapted by Verity Laughton from the novel by Pip Williams, The Dictionary of Lost Words centres around the Scriptorium, where the very first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary is being compiled. It is 1886, and researcher Harry Nicoll (Brett Archer) is working while his four-year-old daughter Esme (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) plays under the table. The…
With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the Tony Award winner, A Little Night Music at Hayes Theatre Co. encompasses love, desire and regret. Indeed, regret is the most poignant emotion of the production, touching everyone in different ways. Directed by Dean Bryant, we follow the story of two couples, each with their own secrets and…
The first thing you will notice about The Importance of Being Earnest at the Sydney Theatre Company is the stage. Impressive seems an inadequate description for such an elaborate set design. Created by Charles Davis, the audience is transported to another world, a world of excess, decadence and extremely high ceilings. With incredible attention to…
If the end of the world was upon you, how would you respond? Hopeful optimism? Or perhaps defiant acceptance? It’s a question that has found its way into social consciousness a lot over the last few years, and it forms an integral part of Sydney Theatre Company’s On the Beach. Directed by Kip Williams and…
The Poison of Polygamy at the Sydney Theatre Company will take you on a journey. From China’s Qing dynasty to Victoria’s nineteenth-century goldfields, and the colourful landscape of Melbourne’s Chinatown, the play seamlessly shifts focus. Based on the novel by Wong Shee Ping and adapted for the stage by Anchuli Felicia King, The Poison of…
Known around the world as the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin is one of the most iconic singers of all time. During her impressive career, she won 18 Grammy awards and sold over 75 million records. Her incredible life and the songs defining her career form the heart of the stage production, ARETHA: A Love…
Cultivating an atmosphere of neighbourly fun, Slide Night! at the Sydney Opera House brings together some of Sydney’s most prolific comedic talent for a night of laughs and nostalgia. Hosted by Rove McManus, the audience is invited to an old-school backyard BBQ complete with music (from the skilful Benny Davis), games and a slide show….
Climate change, global warming, greenhouse effect, carbon emissions – there are many words to describe it and even more emotions associated with its impacts. Scenes from the Climate Era at Belvoir explores our complicated and tumultuous relationship with climate change. Presenting over fifty stories which delve into climate science, activism, and denial, it doesn’t pull…
Why do people get married? Why would a person willing choose to legally and financially bind themselves to another person, particularly in 2023? For love? Security? A great big party? It’s this myth of marital happiness that author Clementine Ford will explore in I Don’t: The Case Against Marriage, due for release on the 31…
Forget everything you think you know about art. The Other Art Fair is a global gathering which brings together some of the most creative thinkers emerging from the Sydney art scene. Priding itself on reframing the way in which people consider art, The Other Art Fair actively attempts to remove the elitist stigma so prevalent…
Trigger warning: this review/play covers the topic of abortion, if that’s triggering for you please give it a miss. For many, the idea of being trapped in an elevator is the stuff of nightmares. Throw in an ex-partner and it suddenly becomes the last place you want to be in the world. Unfortunately for the…
Underground Spirits Australia announced the launch of their limited-edition Coronation Gin during a cocktail event in honour of World Caramel Day. With notes of sweet orange, maple syrup and coconut, among others, this intricately crafted gin adopts flavours from across the Commonwealth countries. The Coronation Gin will be officially unveiled at the 2023 Sydney Royal Easter…
The Sydney Writers’ Festival is one of the top five literary festivals in the world. In its 26th year, the Festival aims to appeal to many different audiences, with topics ranging from AI and climate change to politics and food. We cannot escape the sense that our country, if not the world, is in a…
Described as a “coming-of-age comedy-drama”, COLLAPSIBLE, at the Old Fitz Theatre in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo, explores identity and that all too familiar feeling of being completely lost. Written by Margaret Perry and directed By Zoë Hollyoak and Morgan Moroney, this one woman play centres on Essie (Janet Anderson). She’s lost her job, her girlfriend and, as…
All About Women at the Sydney Opera House has been running for 11 years. In recognition of International Women’s Day (March 8), it showcases some of the most inspiring voices in this ongoing fight for equality and opens up dialogue in the hope for change. 11 years. Some things have changed for women over that…
The Backstreet Boys have been waiting three years to finish off their DNA World Tour. And, for those fans who have been holding on to their tickets it was more than worth the wait. Cementing themselves as the best-selling boy band of all time, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson…
When sitting down to review Liz Kingsman’s critically acclaimed One Woman Show at the Sydney Opera House, the real challenge is trying not to reveal too much while simultaneously describing one of the funniest comedic performances you’ll see this year. Written and performed by Kingsman and directed by Adam Brace, One Woman Show uses self-deprecating,…
With a disco soundtrack that had more than one person dancing in the aisles, Velvet Rewired at the Sydney Opera House is an explosion of glitter, glam and classic 70s hits. Lead by the iconic Marcia Hines, the night is filled with aerial feats, acrobatics and vocal talents. The show adopts a vaudeville – style…
ArtsLab is Shopfront Arts Co-op’s emerging artist residency program which offers free space, masterclasses, networking opportunities and professional mentorships over a six-month period. At the end of the residency the participants present their work to the public. More than just about creating work, ArtsLab teaches young artists how to create a sustainable career in the…
Written and directed by S. Shakthidharan and Eamon Flack, The Jungle and the Sea at Belvoir follows a family as they fight to survive during the Sri Lankan Civil War. Spanning fifteen years, we witness the family, Mother Gowrie (Anandavalli), Father Siva (Prakash Belawadi) and their four children, Lakshmi (Emma Harvie), Madhu (Nadie Kammallaweera), Abi…
Bringing together performers from Australia and abroad, L’Hôtel at the Sydney Opera House combines cabaret, circus and a touch of burlesque all within the walls of an opulent French hotel lobby. Directed by Craig Ilott and choreographed by Lucas Newland and Jo Cotterill, the audience is invited to take a seat in Le Salon and…
A group of friends gather in a house, drinks in hand, as one begins to tell a ghost story. The atmosphere is playful, vibrant and full of friendly bickering. Someone turns on the radio and they begin to dance. The throwaway abandon of youth is heavy in the air when suddenly, in the distance, an…
Based on the 1992 novel by Melina Marchetta and adapted for the stage by Vidya Rajan, Looking for Alibrandi follows the trials and tribulations of 17 year old Josephine Alibrandi, a third generation Italian migrant, as she navigates life over the course of her final year of high school. Directed by Stephen Nicolazzo, the play…
Antidote at the Sydney Opera House is marketed as a ‘festival of ideas, art and change’ and the 2022 line-up presented a diverse and intriguing list of topics from climate change to the war in Ukraine. Over the last few years, it feels as if the stability we have so long expected and taken for…
It’s a cold, dark night in Sydney. As the wind whips around St James’ Cathedral, there’s a whisper of something sinister. The shadows appear to be moving and an overwhelming sense of anticipation hangs in the air. This is Deadhouse: Tales of Sydney Morgue and we are about to step into Razor Gang Wars: The…
There would be few people who are not familiar with Charlotte Brontë’s classic story of Jane Eyre. Even if you have not read the original novel, there are numerous film adaptations and stage productions that have re-imagined this haunting and Gothic tale. I was interested to see what this latest offering from director Michael Futcher…
As the applause dies down and the lights go up, the audience glances at one another, glassy-eyed and slightly dazed. What had we just experienced? It felt as if we had witnessed open heart surgery – while the person was still conscious – and the thought uppermost in my mind was – how the hell…
On Monday 16 November 2009, the Australian Parliament formally acknowledged and apologised for the harsh treatment and ongoing trauma of Forgotten Australians and former child migrants. There are an estimated 500,000 children who experienced care in institutions in Australia throughout the 20th century – Kaz Therese’s grandmother and mother were two of them. Incorporating video,…
