Reviews

Griffith University’s Queensland Academy of Excellence in Musical Theatre chose a certain winner for their second production of this year. As directed by the versatile Jason Klarwein, this production of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is bracing, with plenty of fresh talent, perfectly showcased.

If you’re of the opinion that all opera is over the top dramatic histrionics, The Val Machin Opera Scenes performance would have certainly changed your mind. The annual event returned to Queensland Conservatorium for an unforgettable evening of hilarious opera and classical music. Yes, you read correctly, it was hilarious. The Classical Voice department treated us to comedic excerpts from three operatic works.

This wonderful, troubling, but gentle story about a teenager growing up gay in a football mad catholic boys’ school in rural Queensland was only in Sydney for two short days before a four-month tour of the eastern states then a move to Adelaide. How lucky were those of us who braved the wild weather this weekend to see it!

Fourteen is yet another brilliant adaptation from the Shake and Stir team. Nelle Lee and Nick Skubij always find just the right way to stay steadfastly true to the original work yet make entertaining, thought-provoking theatre.

Written in about 1595, the play is set in Athens and consists of several sub-plots that revolve round the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. Thus, we have  four Athenian lovers = in conflict and six amateur actors preparing for a wedding show. Then Oberon, King of the fairies and Puck become involved in the forest one night. Ah, what a summer dream it was. It was complicated in many ways but was still easy to follow as it touched on many points relevant to today’s society.