Reviews

Rumours

By Neil Simon. Noosa Arts Theatre. April 3 to 20, 2025

Noosa’s latest production – Neil Simon’s Rumours – is a great choice of fare to open their 2025 season. It is the perfect marriage between a company’s artistic fare and its audience demographic.

Smart and classy, slick and funny. An evening about middle-class entitlement and righteous indignation. It doesn’t expose their failings as much as a Williamson but it does give them so much more “meat on the bone” then a Foot or even an Ayckbourne. 

A Girl’s Guide to World War

Writer, Director and Producer Katy Forde. Composer, Musical Director and Producer Aleathea Monsour. Presented by Musical Theatre Australia. QPAC Cremorne Theatre. 8-12 Apr 2025

If history were taught with the heart, humour, and horsepower of A Girl’s Guide to World War, we’d all have paid a lot more attention in school. This revival of Katy Forde and Aleathea Monsour’s 2018 musical brings a little-known but utterly riveting chapter of World War I roaring back to life — complete with bluesy guitars, clever set transformations, and an all-female cast who juggle roles, accents, and emotions with aplomb.

Glorious!

By Peter Quilter. Castle Hill Players. Pavilion Theatre, Castle Hill. 4 – 26 April, 2025

Glorious! at the Pavillion Theatre is a delightful and heartwarming rendition of Peter Quilter's comedy, brought to life under the skilful direction of Meredith Jacobs.

Into The Woods

Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by James Lapine. Upstage Theatre Company. Tony Sheumack Centre for Performing Arts, Beacon Hills College, Berwick, Vic. April 4 – 13, 2025

Into the Woods is a well-known and often performed 1986 musical by the doyen of musical theatre, Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics), his second collaboration with James Lapine (book) after Sunday in the Park with George. Combing fairy tales and dark comedy the show intertwines several Grimm’s fairy tales, exploring the characters and their desires of Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Cinderella and more.

All Sorts 4

Bite Sized Plays by local writers. Henry Lawson Theatre Company, Werrington NSW. 28 March – 12th April, 2025

This is the fourth of Henry Lawson Theatre’s program of short plays by local writers – and what a nice little collection of plays they have found this year. Seven unusual stories, a varied range of characters, all presented in a well-directed, smoothly produced program that is interesting and entertaining. Well done to the seven directors and twenty one actors – and the stage crew led by Mike Rochfort who work quickly and efficiently to ensure minimise the time between each item.

Lou Wall: Breaking the Fifth Wall

Written & performed by Lou Wall. Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Comedy Republic. 27 March – 20 April 2025

It’s difficult to say anything about this dazzling show without spoiling what it achieves.  It is a show of non-stop twists, reversals, reveals and revelations. It takes what we are happy to believe and then whips the rug out from under us.

The Dictionary of Lost Words

Adapted by Verity Laughton from the novel by Pip Williams. State Theatre Company of SA. The Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre. 3-17 April, 2024

The book The Dictionary of Lost Words, written by Australian author Pip Williams was first published in 2020. It quickly became a bestseller in Australia and was the first Australian novel to be selected for Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club. The book was adapted to a play by Verity Laughton and first brought to the stage in 2023.

Rose Callaghan: I’m not a girlboss, not yet a womanboss

Written & performed by Rose Callaghan. Melbourne International Comedy Festival. TIC Swanston (The Nicholas Building). 27 March – 13 April 2025

Rose Callaghan’s show is about making a living – or, to be blunt, survival.  She’s small, perky, charming, energetic, but also a little cynical and a little grumpy.  Not so much complaining as exasperated.  Why is it all so hard?  Why isn’t she a girlboss? 

Mum’s Gift

By Phil Olsen. Therry Theatre. The Arts Theatre Adelaide. April 2nd – 12th, 2025

Therry, like several other community theatre groups, has been the launch pad for the careers of many celebrated theatre and television luminaries. It also continues to provide opportunities for graduates of excellent theatre programmes, including Flinders Drama graduates, and Jessica Corrie who skilfully steers Mum’s Gift, is an excellent example of one of those highly skilled graduates.

Wondered

Written and Directed by Elodie Boal. Presented by Mira Ball Productions. Ron Hurley Theatre, 5 - 6 April 2025

Wondered is an original work by local writer/director/producer Elodie Boal. This one act play has been a festival circuit phenomenon since its first iteration hit the stage 10 years ago. In that time, it has won over 40 awards, including Best New Australian Script. The work has evolved somewhat, with Boal disclosing to Stage Whispers that she was still adding some fresh scenes in the weeks prior to this staging. Still present in this recent production is Boal’s clever linguistic playfulness and wit, which is a delight for the word nerds in the audience to behold.

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