Presented by The Flying Elephant Company. The Burnside Ballroom, Tusmore, South Australia. Wednesday 18 December - Saturday 21 December 2024.
Speaking from personal experience, I know the Silly Season can be difficult for those who have experienced trauma, loss, grief, or heartbreak - anniversaries are always hard. Benji Riggs has written a whimsical and precious musical examining the difficulty a child might face during their first Christmas without a beloved grandparent. Despite some pulling on the heartstrings, the tone is hopeful and gladdening, and definitely not mournful.
By Frank L Baum, adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company. With Music and Lyrics by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg. Background Music by Herbert Stothart. Dance and Vocal Arrangements by Peter Howard/ Orchestration by Larry Wilcox. Based upon the Classic Motion Picture owned by Turner Entertainment Co. and distributed in all media by Warner Bros. Launceston Musical Society in partnership with Bakker Productions, VJAM and the City of Launceston Council. Director: Renee Bakker. Musical Director: Andy Prideaux. December 13 – 22, 2024
There’s no overstating the renewed currency the release of the film version of Wicked has given this tried and true Community Theatre staple. Indeed, the timeliness of it, should be seen as a bonus. On the flip side, it also adds a bit more pressure to compare favourably while existing simultaneously in the…um, “Oz-iverse”.
By Alan P. Frayne. Directed by Denice Byrne. The Irish Club, Townshend Rd, Subiaco. Dec 5-15, 2024
One of the wonderful things about attending a pantomime with Irish Theatre Players is that the audience, hailing from a place with a pantomime culture are thoroughly involved from the outset, and that this in turn heightens the on-stage performances. The happiness of seeing this production is tinged with a little sadness, as this will be ITP’s final performance at The Irish Club - with this well-loved building up for sale.
Where else but the Brisbane Music Festival (BMF) would you be introduced to new music in six world premieres and five Australian premieres over one weekend? Many of the hand-picked selection of musicians are now based in Brisbane, but have worked all over the world.
Choreographed by Ben Stevenson OBE. Composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Music Arranged and Conducted by Nigel Gaynor. Presented by Queensland Ballet. QPAC Lyric Theatre, 13 – 21 December 2024
Queensland Ballet's twelfth season of The Nutcracker is a triumph of artistry and enchantment, offering a spellbinding experience for audiences of all ages. This beloved holiday classic has been reimagined with an exceptional blend of skill, creativity, and festive cheer, courtesy of a stellar team of performers and creatives.
By Mike Bartlett. Old Fitz Theatre, Woolloomooloo, NSW. December 10 – 22, 2024
Theatre is exquisite when live arguments on stage keep differently tugging our empathies as to who’s right. Often it's nobody, of course, but the young daughter Maya in Mike Bartlett’s Snowflake is certain to draw support from those in the audience signed up to her identity politics.
By David Gieselmann. The Other Theatre in Association with bAKEHOUSE. Director Eugene Lynch. KXT On Broadway. 7 – 21 Dec, 2024
Billing The Pigeons as a “fierce, black Christmas comedy” understates the play and certainly the direction of this strange comedy. “Fierce” it is, and certainly “black”, but it’s also loud and furiously fast. Some scenes are so fast that they appear chaotic. Nine actors rushing around the stage, shouting at each other, weaving around each other, passing slips of paper that are held for a moment then passed overhead to be caught by someone else. It is chaos that is impeccably timed and meticulously rehearsed.
Music and Lyrics by Richrd M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. Adapted and arranged and additional music by Will Van Dyke/ Book and additional lyrics by Cheryl Davis. Based on the stories by A.A. Milne. Produced by Fantasia Showstoppers at Kuyper Christian School, Kurrajong, NSW. Directors Alana Kenn and Lani Micsko. December 6 – 8, 2024
Fantasia Showstoppers, formed in 2020, is a theatre company for young people based in Richmond NSW. Nestled at the foot of the Blue Mountains, Richmond is home to a thriving community who support the many arts-based organisations in the area. One of these is Fantasia Showstoppers. Overseen by talented directors David Catterall and Jake Elston, the company provides training, performance opportunities and directing experiences for young people from ages 8 to 18.
By Tay Conway, William Gammel, Leah Robyn and Rebecca Riggs Bennett. Wayalup Koort, Fremantle, WA. Dec 1-8, 2024
Up There (Wayalup) was a site responsive audio walking tour of empty spaces in the city of Wayalup. Hosted by three effervescent and caring young guides, it is part immersive experience, part documentary, part verbatim theatre and a fulfilling entertainment experience.
By Amarantha Robinson. Un(afro)pick your ideology. 45downstairs, Flinders Lane. 5 – 15 December 2024
Ilarun The Cutting Comb is a stunning amalgam of past and present, the divine and the profane, satire and poetry – and with music, dance, and drumming. Set in the 18th century, it digs into colonialism, slavery, and their twisted sexual roots. Via the play’s sly and canny language, we see that the business system, its product, and its marketing has not changed. Well, not that much.
