Reviews

What to say?  Just Us Girls (or as the website has it, juSt uS GirLS) is sort of absurdist stream-of-consciousness mix of #MeToo meets Dada by way of cultural theory, poetry and vaudeville.  That formulation comes from The Companion.  After the show she said, ‘I don’t envy you reviewing that one…’

The performance collective Everybody NOW! has a highly inclusive approach to its concept of dancing. This event brings together an eclectic collection of dance styles and performers who congregate to celebrate a wholesome, family-oriented activity. The show goes out of its way to welcome people of all ages, abilities, races and nations.

Frankie McNair presents her first solo show at this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival. The comedian has been working hard, appearing around the country in the award-winning duo Sweaty Pits with Miriam Slater. Her performance of Frantasia sold-out in her hometown of Canberra.

While Sweaty Pits was fully sketch comedy, Frantasia is more stand-up, with a good seasoning of sketch. Her vision is to remind us of “the joy in play and the ridiculousness of life”. She harnesses this with hilarious and creative stories, enhanced with props and pop songs.

John takes me back to a time when plays in three acts (and two intervals) lasted four hours, and to settings of interiors that seem so complete you could move in for the night. Recently at the Reginald Theatre I’ve seen a single table stand as the setting for six generations of a family: not here. John is played on a set as complete, as polished and as real as anything I’ve seen in Sydney theatre for many years.