Reviews

Writer David West Read came up with the idea for & Juliet whilst recovering from a concussion. He was not able to look at screens, so instead he lay in a dark room where he focused on listening to the 250 songs written by Max Martin – the pop composer no-one had heard of, but everyone knew though his hits.

A common thread of the songs Martin wrote for everyone from Britney Spears to Taylor Swift to Kate Perry, and many more, is heartache.  So, Read’s mind wandered to Shakepeare’s tragedy which has bucket loads of love and despair.

This tribute to Australia’s beloved Dame Olivia Newton-John AC DBE did more than reprise and celebrate the songs she is so well known for; it gave the audience a chance to grieve her loss and acknowledge her contribution to cancer care in Melbourne. The performers and audience basked in the wonderful songs Olivia Newton-John gave us and the stories the performers shared brought her shining presence into the concert hall.

Like Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark I approached my first escape room with trepidation. How hard could it be?

Collaborating with Adelaide Fringe and Gluttony, the Escapeneers have crafted a thrilling escape room experience taking players back-in-time to learn of SA’s amazing and revolutionary scientific history – and save the world!

With puzzles designed by Yuri Vilmanis (Senior Software Engineer at Maptek) and a lot of research and planning, upon entering, the small room looks deceptively simple, and is air conditioned.

A wise man once said ‘youth is wasted on the young’ however, if he had seen the opening night performance of Spies are Forever, I’m sure he would agree with me – the young are best to handle youthful enthusiasm, youthful confidence and have a great time doing it!

Before an enthusiastic and very supportive audience this cast of bright young things threw themselves into every aspect of the production and held it together despite technical difficulties, miscues, costume malfunctions and prop failures.