Reviews

Aidan Fennessy was dying of cancer when he wrote this excellent Australian play. Caught in Melbourne’s complex response to COVID, he never saw it produced by the MTC in 2022 when planned. But now it has arrived in Sydney as the Christmas production at the Ensemble and the local audience showed its lusty approval with lengthy and thunderous applause. 

While singing in a choir, said Fennessy, ‘each character can hold their differences and be together at the same time.’ And his play goes on to prove that dictum in spades.

It’s the show that puts the ho into ho ho ho, and it’s back for another very naughty season. Now in its eighth year of production, A Very Naughty Christmas is a big, bright, and brazen celebration of the holidays just for the grown-ups. This Christmas themed cabaret has sex appeal with a burlesque sense of humour, raunchy remixes of familiar festive tunes, comedic skits and banter, and some hilarious audience interaction.

Many theatre companies try to put a guaranteed crowd-pleaser as their final show for the year, a good way of guaranteeing bums-on-seats and setting yourself up financially for the year ahead. For most clubs that means a pantomime or musical, but Roleystone from time to time turn to the cult following of Terry Pratchett, including this year’s Guards! Guards!

The Peter Allen Show at Pip Theatre’s Toucan Club Cabaret & Live Arts Festival is a dazzling celebration of one of Australia’s most beloved entertainers. Performed by Brisbane locals Simon Chamberlain, Maureen Bowra, and Rebel Bliss, the show features a cabaret style mix of Allen’s iconic hits and lesser-known gems, interspersed with engaging banter – some scripted and some off the cuff.