Reviews

The Rite of Spring

Presented by The Taiwan Wave brand by The Tussock Dance Company & Lewis Major. Adelaide Fringe Festival 2025. Main Theatre at Adelaide College of the Arts, Adelaide. March 12 to 15, 2025

The Rite of Spring was written for the 1913 Paris season of the Ballet Russes with original choreography by possibly the greatest male ballet dancer of all time, Vaslav Nijinsky. The complex music and violent dance steps depicting fertility rites first drew catcalls and whistles from the crowd, and were soon followed by shouts and fistfights in the aisles. The unrest in the audience escalated into a riot.

It has survived with many choreographic interpretations and of course as a staple on the concert stage.

Big Name, No Blankets

By Andrea James with Anyupa Butcher and Sammy Tjapanangka Butcher, presented with ILBIJERRI Theatre Company. Adelaide Festival, Her Majesty’s Theatre. 14-16 March 2025

Big, bold and loud – an apt description for both the Warumpi Band and this musical that tells their story. Brought to the stage after nearly six years of development, this is a tremendous production that is part storytelling and part rock concert, which has Adelaide’s Her Majesty’s Theatre captivated one minute and on their feet the next.

Blacksheep

By Dr Jae West. The Blue Room Theatre, Perth Cultural Centre, WA. Feb 4-8, 2025

The most moving solo show that I have seen in a long time, Jae West’s sassy heartfelt, true story, was beautifully structured, highly educational, funny, personal, heartbreaking and moving.

After Dinner

By Andrew Bovell. Directed by Tim Riessen. Roxy Lane Theatre, 55 Ninth Ave, Marylands, WA. March 7-23, 2025

Roxy Lane Theatre travels back to the 1980s with this early Andrew Bovell play, embracing the period with Saturday Night Fancy Dress Nights and the Front of House staff in 80s fashion. 

Come From Away

Book, Music & Lyrics: Irene Sankoff and David Hein. The Empire Productions. The Empire, Toowoomba Qld. March 14 – 23, 2025

Come From Away is poignant, uplifting theatre.

It’s enthralling and fast-paced, with toe-tapping folksy music and a diverse cast of characters showcasing aspirational humanity – kindness, generosity, humility, joy, courage and humour.

Henry IV

By William Shakespeare. Graduate Dramatic Society. Adapted and Directed by Patrick Downes. The New Fortune Theatre, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA. Mar 12-22, 2025

Graduate Dramatic Society (GRADS)’ production of Henry IV combines Shakespeare’s Henry IV Parts One and Two into a single play. Played in the Shakespearian proportioned New Fortune Theatre, this modern dress production has a slimmed down story.

As hinted in GRADS’ poster, this epic story tells of King Henry facing off against Hotspur, while heir to the throne Hal is drinking with Falstaff. Combining themes of loyalty and war with a coming-of-age story.

Billy Elliot

Music by Sir Elton John, Book and Lyrics by Lee Hall (adapted from the 2000 movie by screenwriter Lee Hall). Presented by Encore Theatre Co. Director - Ross Marsden. Choreographer - Jacquelyne France-Marsden. Musical Directors - Denise Sam & Michael Stocks. Princess Theatre, Launceston. March 14-29, 2025.

In the year 2000, Billy Elliot stood out as one of the most surprisingly captivating movies I’d ever seen. I say surprisingly because on paper, a story about a young boy aspiring to be a ballet dancer, who also happens to be the son of a widowed coal-miner, caught up in the the violent civil unrest of the infamous British coal-miners strike of the 1980s, doesn’t exactly scream 'Most Memorable Film of the Decade'.

Popera: Sex, Death & Politics

Adelaide Fringe, The Breakout at the Mill. 13-22 March 2025

Is it pop? Is it opera? Is it a game show? It’s all of these, and more, as cabaret performer Uma Dobia commands the stage in a wickedly revealing leotard, garnished with feather boa and a perky little hat. Dobia is disarming with the audience, has a show-stopping operatic voice and her transpositions of pop songs to operatic arias are both excellent and hilarious.

Skank Sinatra

Presented by Jens Radda. Adelaide Fringe Festival 2025. The Bally at Gluttony - Rymill Park, Adelaide. March 11 to 16, 2025

Jens Radda is a Melbourne-based actor, singer, drag artist, and producer. Growing up in a Danish and Afrikaans-speaking household, he moved to Australia in 2007.

His alter-ego Skank Sinatra presents an all too short hour of glitz, glamour, comedy and song set on a bare stage with just a microphone and an electric piano (yes, she plays as well).  She is a trilingual Diva who understands her craft and has the audience eating out of the palm of her hand.

Furious Mattress

By Melissa Reeves. Legit Theatre Company. Director: Margaret Thanos. Belvoir 25A. 11 – 25 March, 2025

Years ago I walked out of a black comedy saying “I can’t believe we laughed at that!” Last night I couldn’t laugh. In fact, I didn’t even manage to smile, because, even though Legit Theatre’s Furious Mattress is an incredible production and theatrically stunning, it is also gut-wrenchingly visceral and chilling.

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