Reviews

In over thirty years, Melbourne based Chamber Made has gained an impeccable reputation for their modern experimental operatic works. In recent times, they have included an eclectic group of artists who work in visuals, performance, sound and music.

Inspired by the first chapter of Greg Egan’s science fiction novel of the same name, Diaspora, Chamber Made’s new show for the Melbourne International Arts Festival, at the Substation situated in Newport, features Robin Fox, Erkki Veltheim, Madeleine Flynn and Georgina Darvides

You’d be hard pressed to find a show more joyful, creative and innovative than Laser Beak Man. Entertaining for all ages, the script is packed with jokes for the kids mixed with more grown-up humour worded innocently enough to fly right over the little ones’ heads. Visual puns come thick and fast in a show that’s an absolute feast for the eyeballs. Your ears aren’t left out either, with a fantastic, pumping soundtrack provided by Ball Park Music. This is not your average kids’ puppet show.

You can imagine the shock of seeing Hair staged for the first time 50 years ago. All the rules of polite musical theatre themed, G-rated Rodgers and Hammerstein story lines were thrown out the window. In their place was a free-for-all rock-n-roll sex and drug fueled Vietnam War story.

This is the touring show first seen in Montreal, French Canada in 2014. Kurios had a major New York outing with sparkling reviews two years later, and now arrives in Sydney on the first stop of an Australian tour that includes Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. It’s in a huge Big Top setting that took 10 days to construct, with a line-up of top international acts – a must-see for all lovers of the Circus, which Cirque du Soliel has now fundamentally eclipsed, killed off.