Timothy Buckney as William Barfée Brisbane Arts Theatre present a truly delightful production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, with a cast of loveable characters and all-round impressive vocal performances. This production is directed by Natalie Mead, with assistant direction by Amanda Lay and music direction by Emma Parkinson. As the title suggests,... Continue Reading →
Review: Salamander (Brisbane Festival & Northshore)
Image credit: Atmosphere Photography The headline show of Brisbane Festival 2023, Salamander brought together contemporary dancers from Brisbane's Australasian Dance Collective with guest artists and international collaborators to produce a multifaceted spectacle on an ambitiously large scale. Lead by director and choreographer Maxine Doyle and renowned designer Es Devlin, Salamander combined dance, song, poetry, and... Continue Reading →
Review: YES YES YES (La Boite Theatre)
Karin McCracken performs YES YES YES, photographed by Megan Goldman Created by Eleanor Bishop & Karin McCracken in collaboration with a group of school students in New Zealand, YES YES YES is aimed at young people and deals with the complexities of consent and respectful relationships in a way that is inclusive, compassionate, and practical.... Continue Reading →
Review: Stunt Double (The Farm, Screen Queensland, Brisbane Powerhouse & Brisbane Festival)
Content warnings: coarse language, partial nudity, violence, adult themes and sexual references, the use of haze and strobe effects. The Farm flips the script on what a dance theatre work can be with their new production. Stunt Double is packed with action, humour, and unexpected turns as it celebrates the unsung heroes of the Australian... Continue Reading →
Review: The Penelopiad (Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble)
Liliana Macarone (centre) as Penelope, with the maids, photographed by Benjamin Prindable Photography Content warning: physical and sexual stylised violence and mild coarse language. Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble brought their signature dynamism, theatricality, and musical skill to Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad, a contemporary retelling of Homer’s epic poems that focuses on Penelope, the wife of Odysseus,... Continue Reading →
What’s On: The Music Man (Savoyards Musical Comedy Society)
David West as Harold Hill and Jeremiah Rees as Winthrop, photographed by Sharyn Hall The Music Man 23 September - 7 October 2023 Iona Performing Arts Centre, Lindum With music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, The Music Man has been entertaining audiences for decades, winning multiple Tony Awards for Best Musical and Best Revival of... Continue Reading →
Review: Pallas Sister Rising (theatrePUNK Co)
theatrePUNK Co presented Grace Wilson's contemporary take on the myth of Pallas and Athena, Pallas Sister Rising, at BackDock Arts in Fortitude Valley. Wilson's poetic script casts the two young goddesses as (presumably mortal) housemates in a toxic friendship. In a version of the original myth closest to Wilson’s interpretation, Athena (daughter of Zeus) and... Continue Reading →
Review: Viva Violin (Camerata)
Camerata and Catherina Lee perform Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, photographed by Michael Marston. Camerata - Queensland's Chamber Orchestra and QPAC presented a thrilling and evocative concert of music by Mendelssohn and Rossini, Viva Violin, including an electric performance by guest soloist Catherina Lee and the premiere of a new work by Camerata’s 2023... Continue Reading →
What’s On: The Korean Film Festival in Australia
An official still from the film Life is Beautiful The Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA) 14 - 17 September 2023 Elizabeth Street Picture Theatre, Brisbane City The Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA) returns in 2023, showcasing an impressive line-up of highly acclaimed and captivating Korean films across genres and showcasing the brilliance and diversity of... Continue Reading →
Review: ITEM (Nakhre Crew, Dance Masala)
Image credit: Morgan Roberts Content warnings: Adult Themes, Mild Coarse Language, References to Sexual Assault, References to violence, Strobe Lighting Effects Dance Masala's contemporary dance theatre work ITEM is both a love letter to and an indictment of the multibillion-dollar institution of Bollywood film, as joyful and energetic as it is engaging and intellectually provocative.... Continue Reading →
Review: Macbeth in Concert (Opera Queensland)
Umberto Clerici conducts the Queensland Symphony Orchestra for Macbeth in Concert. Photographed by Jade Ferguson. Opera Queensland opened their 2023 season with Macbeth in Concert, an exciting and engrossing semi-staged production of Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy scored by Verdi. Directed by Laura Hansford in her mainstage directing debut, the performance featured some incredible vocal performances as... Continue Reading →
What’s On: Pallas Sister Rising (theatrePUNK co.)
Pallas Sister Rising 24 - 27 August 2023 Backdock Arts, Fortitude Valley We don’t see shit like us on the TV. You can call it bizarre, I call it fucking scary. Pallas Sister Rising is a raw new work by emerging Australian playwright Grace Wilson, directed by El Waddingham. Taking the myth of Pallas Athena... Continue Reading →