Reviews

The Birds

By Daphne du Maurier. Adapted by Louise Cox. Directed by Matthew Lutton. Presented by Malthouse Theatre. Beckett Theatre. Malthouse, 113 Sturt Street, Southbank, Melbourne. 16 May – 7 June 2025.

Louise Cox has fashioned a brilliant adaptation of du Maurier’s chilling story of an uprising of birds. Adapted into a thriller by Alfred Hitchcock (1963) the mysterious and ominous behaviour of the birds focuses predominantly on crows and is set in a coastal town in the US. The film captures the looming threat of the birds well but glosses over the paranoia and sheer terror that is conveyed in the short story.

Little Women – The Broadway Musical

By Allan Knee (book), Jason Howland (Music) and Mindi Dickstein (Lyrics). Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott. Dural Musical Society. Director: Isabelle Venice. Musical Director: Rodrigo Noel. May 16 – 25, 2025

Louisa May Alcott was both a woman of her time and a woman before her time! A writer, teacher, nurse, abolitionist, feminist, believer in women’s suffrage, as well as a caring, supportive daughter, sister and aunt. Reading a summary of her life is like combining the female characters from Dickens and the Brontes and transporting them across the sea to a little town in nineteenth century America.

Alice by Heart

By Steven Sater, Jessie Nelson and Duncan Sheik. Wanneroo Repertory. Directed by Naomi M. Capon. The Limelight Theatre, Civic Dve, Wanneroo, WA. May 8 -24, 2025

This beautifully crafted production sets Alice in Wonderland against the horrors of the London Blitz. Produced with passion by Wanneroo Repertory, this is a production with excellent production values, strong direction and heartfelt performances.

Chalkface

By Angela Betzien. Melville Theatre Company. Directed by Vanessa Jensen. Melville Civic Centre, Booragoon, WA. May 2-17, 2025

This community theatre premiere was among the top plays of the year so far. Expertly staged, and with a strong cast, this comedy, set in a primary school staffroom, rang true for many teachers. While very funny and highly satirical, Chalkface also highlighted the many difficulties faced by teachers at this time.

Storked

By Myf Hocking. Antipodes Theatre Company. Theatre Works, St Kilda. 15 – 24 May 2025

Storked is, as the program blurb says, ‘a series of vignettes’ – here, that is, short scenes and sketches about aspects of female physiological and psychological experience – with the exception of the horrible pain of endometriosis – they are unignorable and inevitable.  Not for nothing was menstruation alone called ‘the curse’ but here - as it seems to me - playwright Myf Hocking extends the concept of ‘curse’ by declaring in their program notes that Storked is about ‘monogamy, pregnancy, parenting, and the

The Pajama Game

By Richard Adler, Jerry Ross, George Abbot and Richard Bisselll. Murray Music and Drama Club. Directed by Carole Dhu. Pinjarra Civic Centre, WA. May 2 – 17, 2025

The Pajama Game is a story of community, as employees of the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory work together to secure a 7 and a half cent an hour pay rise. This production has the same feel as that very social factory. Proudly casting everyone who auditioned, this show had a lovely feel which transferred to the audience.

Sitting cabaret style (at nicely decorated tables) the audience feels very full and allows for a more social evening as you make and share food with new friends.

Pramkicker

Written by Sadie Hasler. Directed by Amy Ingram and Nerida Matthaei. Presented by MO Theatre for DOOR 3. Diane Cilento Studio. 16 May – 7 June 2025

There’s a particular brand of rage that lives just beneath the surface of being a woman in the 21st century. MO Theatre’s Pramkicker, written by Sadie Hasler, grabs that simmering fury by the almond mum ponytail and drags it out into the open—with hilarious, devastating, and unflinching effect. Equal parts gut punch and belly laugh, this blisteringly funny two-hander doesn’t hold anything back, and frankly, thank Goddess for that!

The Shape of Things

By Neil LaBute. Lane Cove Theatre Company. Director: Kathryn Thomas. The Pottery Lane Performance Space. 14 – 25 May, 2025

What seems on the surface to be a story of young love, The Shape of Things is really an indictment of the power of one person to manipulate another. And even though it was written in 2001, years before #MeToo, “consent”, “intimacy training” and the recognition of manipulation and intimidation in relationships, Neil LaBute’s psychological, black comedy still has the power to delude and stun its audience.

Rapture

Australian String Quartet. Elder Hall, The University of Adelaide, North Tce, Adelaide. May 16th, 2025

Rapture is the perfect title for The Australian String Quartet’s latest Australian tour, celebrating their 40th year. Rapture they promised and rapture it was!

Performing in the stately Elder Hall at the University of Adelaide and evocatively lit in shades of red, blue and purple, the quartet present a program of intensity, excitement and peace featuring the music of Beethoven, Perica, Janacek and Golijov, a perfect evening!

The Strauss Gala

Conducted by Gábor Káli. Performed and Presented by Queensland Symphony Orchestra. QPAC Concert Hall. 10 – 11 May, 2025

Forget celebrity selfies and far-out fashions – this May, the true gala worth attending was Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s Strauss Gala at QPAC. It’s where charm, virtuosity and Viennese glamour collided in a sparkling celebration of Johann Strauss II’s most beloved works.

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