Reviews

It’s an age-old story, now with more teeth thanks to MeToo alerts – an illicit sexual relationship between an esteemed academic and novelist and his awed teenage student.

Canadian writer Hannah Moscovitch however steps us back from predictable outrages by telling us her story through male eyes.  Jon even speaks to us in the third person, from his desk of power and celebrity, or pacing the stage in guilt and moral fence-sitting.

Celebrating a career of more than 40 years treading the boards, Philip Quast presented a relaxed evening of stage favourites – from Candide to Les Misérables, with plenty of surprises in between. As he is now semi-retired from musical theatre and stage performance, Philip now teaches at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) with accompanist Anne-Maree McDonald (or ‘AM’ as he affectionately calls her), who added cheeky cabaret chic to her virtuoso performance on the piano.

The Sound of Murder is a nicely produced murder play, with some unexpected twists, elements of a thriller and a touch of melodrama. A good-looking production that moves swiftly and keeps its audience interested throughout.

Centred around Charles Norbury, a children’s book author who dislikes children and refuses to grant his wife a divorce. His wife Anne and her lover Peter plot his murder, but plans go seriously awry. 

There isn’t much to say about Kunstkamer which hasn’t already been written. I went to the opening night expecting that this ambitious contemporary ballet may not actually be my cup of tea. I’m happy to admit that my fears were not realized. There has been much said about David Hallberg returning to the stage and the import of Jorge Nozal, on whom the ballet was choreographed. Unsurprisingly those two dancers were magnificent in their stage presence and performance.