News

Heroic Understudies

With theatres around the world dark, Stage Whispers celebrates some heroic performances by actors thrown in at the deep end to take over a role with just a few minutes, hours or days’ notice. David Spicer chronicles some great escapes.

In 2018, Opera Australia tenor Diego Antonio Torre Villegas had just arrived home after an intense two days.

“On Tuesday night I sang in a performance of Aida, then on Wednesday I sang out in rehearsal from 10.30am until 6pm for Lucia Di Lammermoor,” he said.

Art Aches

Since mid-March COVID-19 has been a wrecking ball on the seasons of Australian theatre companies. Some productions squeaked in before the curtains came down, others were cancelled mid-season or just before opening night.  Stage Whispers reviewer Michael Brindley has been sifting through the debris.  

Lucy Durack, Silvie Paladino and American Psycho for Big Night In

Lucy Durack, Silvie Paladino and the cast of American Psycho – The Musical

CATS is Streaming Free This Weekend

This weekend’s FREE musical theatre screening (May 16 and 17, 2020) at 'The Shows Must Go On'  YouTube channel is Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats.

This isn't last year's controversil version, but a 1998 version starring the original West End Grizabella, Elaine Paige.

Sydney Season of Frozen Postponed

Disney Theatrical Productions Australia has announced that "due to the COVID-19 situation globally, and in line with all current restrictions and advice from the Federal and State Governments, we have had to make the decision to postpone Frozen the Musical at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney until 1 December, 2020."

"Impacted customers have received an email (or will receive a phone call if no email was provided at purchase) explaining the process for transferring their tickets into a new performance and how to get a refund if required."

National Theatre’s Barber Shop Chronicles FREE Online

National Theatre At Home’s latest FREE online offering is Barber Shop Chroniclesis Inua Ellams' hit play about the places where banter can be barbed, and the truth always is telling.

Directed by Olivier award-winning director Bijan Sheibani, this heart-warming, hilarious and insightful new play leaps from a barber shop in Peckham to Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala, Lagos and Accra over the course of a single day.

Rhonda Burchmore, Aled Jones and Ricki-Lee Star in Big Night In

Australian entertainer Rhonda Burchmore, Welsh singer, radio and television presenter Aled Jones and popular singer/songwriter Ricki-Lee are set to entertain during this week’s episode of live variety digital show, Arts Centre Melbourne’s Big Night In with John Foreman on May 13, 2020 at 7pm.

New Cancellations From Opera Australia

·         Fiddler on the Roof –  cancelled

·         Sydney Winter season cancelled

·         Rembrandt’s Wife –  postponed

·         Carmen National Tour – postponed

Watch Lloyd Webber Musical By Jeeves FREE This Weekend

This weekend’s FREE musical theatre screening (May 9 and 10, 2020) at 'The Show Must Go On'  is Alan Ayckbourn and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical comedy By Jeeves!

Small theatres might open in July

Australia's performing arts sector faces months more closure under the Federal Government's new guidelines released today, for the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

The Prime Minister announced that he wants many aspects of Australian life up and running by July - which may include small theatres in some states.

However even under what is described as Stage Three of life getting back to normal, almost all live theatre will not be possible.

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