By David Williamson. An isthisyours? and Insite Arts production presented by State Theatre Company SA and Kojo. Space Theatre. April 5 - 20, 2019
The all-female, three-actor version of Williamson’s forty-year old iconic play about men behaving badly gets treated to a full body reconstruction in this production. The words are the same but the satire becomes edgier and Tessa Leong’s direction and vision for the play brings a whole new physical comedy element to this play.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Storyville Cocktail Bar. March 27 – April 21, 2019.
The multi-talented Dirty Diana performs her new comedy show at this year’s Melbourne Comedy Festival, currently running until the 21 of April at the Storyville Cocktail Bar, in the CBD.
Dirty Diana pumps the crowd with ‘high fiver’ fever, bursts onto the stage heralding all the way from Springvale and reminds us that her story comes in three phases. Diana Nguyen weaves titular story-telling with a refreshing energetic flair that connects homegrown family dramas with perpetual boyfriend problems.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival / A-List Entertainment. Athenaeum Theatre. April 8, 2019.
Welcome to this year’s A–List Comedy Sampler hosted by the one and only, all time seriously funny guy Lawrence Mooney, reminding us that the Melbourne Comedy Festival is like a box of Whitman’s chocolates and please excuse any obvious reference to Forest Gump.
By Ron Sieminginowski and Giles Watson. Directed by Adam Mitchell. The Regal Theatre, Subiaco, WA. April 9-21, 2019
It is a rare occasion that Perth sees a large scale World Premiere musical. Mimma, a musical of war and friendship, is a lavish professional production with beautiful production values, making its debut at The Regal Theatre.
By Lyle Kessler. Directed by Aaron Evans. Brisbane Arts Theatre. April 7 – May 7, 2019.
The two orphans live, or rather exist, in a barren house in the poorer section of Philadelphia where the relationship of the brothers is challenging to not only them but also to the audience. The younger of them, Phillip, is sensitive and reclusive and never ventures out of the house. His mental state is doubtful. His life is dominated by the older brother, Treat, who buys him tins of tuna for meals, and is violently domineering while developing his skills as a picket pocket and thief.
Book by Arthur Laurents. Music by Leonard Bernstein. Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Opera Australia / GWB Entertainment / BB Group. State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, April 6 – 28, 2019.
Leonard Bernstein's modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet, complete with tragedy following the blossoming of forbidden love, is a compelling piece of theatre. Set in the Upper West Side of 1950s New York, the rival families are now two gangs - the Jets (first generation American-born from Polish immigrant parents) and the Sharks (Puerto Rican immigrants who are seen as invading interlopers) - although the boys clearly see their gangs as two very real families, with the unquestioning loyalty blood demands.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The Butterfly Club. April 1 – 11, 2019.
Whether you have a personal interest or you’re just fascinated about the how’s and why’s of a female sex worker, then Bella Green Is Charging For It is the show for you.
Bella Green has crafted a blend of sketch comedy, story telling and some downright ‘dirty’ stand up while living out her childhood dream, currently performing at the Butterfly Club, as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
By Jim Cartwright. Ensemble Theatre. Directed by Mark Kilmurry. The Q – Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. Crawford Street, Queanbeyan. 4 – 6 April, 2019 and touring.
Two is a tight little one act exploration of character. Set in Australia in 1989, the play dips into the lives of the married couple who own and run a pub, and some of the pub’s patrons. Performers Brian Meegan and Kate Raison swap seamlessly between the characters using posture, voice and minimal but effective costume change.
By Ursula Yovich & Alana Valentine. Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney. Directed by Leticia Cáceres. April 4-28, 2019
Sydney’s Surry Hills is full of pubs where you’d see a band rocking the house. And so it’s not out of place to see such a scene at the Belvoir, where Barbara and The Camp Dogs first played in 2017 and are back for a return season. This time, it’s a tour too, with gigs in Brisbane, Melbourne and other cities. This award-winning band (and the musical they’ve created) needs to be seen by more people.
