Reviews

Jacky is a remarkably insightful yet hilarious drama about a young Aboriginal man down from the mission, negotiating his way in the big city by becoming a black poster boy for whites. 

Developed and premiered last year by the Melbourne Theatre Company, writer Declan Furber Gillick uses just four characters to unpack multiple layers of racism in our current post-colonial world, from “kind”, jocular and unintentional to appallingly abusive.

With her thrilling, often mass of dancers and heart-warming chorography, Stephanie Lake  is a regular visitor to the Sydney Festival.   For Colossus in 2020 she kept 50 young dancers crisply controlled in what was a compelling tug of war between individual initiative and group action.  After enduring Melbourne’s lockdowns with her partner and music collaborator Robin Fox, she then came roaring back post-Covid with the Manifesto (2023), an explosive tattoo of optimism with dancers backed by nine thunderous drummers.

IT HAS to be said that – like The Boy from Oz – whoever plays the title role in Billy Elliot – the Musical either makes or breaks the success of the production.

Cabarets can often be introspective affairs for performing artists, looking back at their own lives, careers and experiences.

Whilst many do have interesting enough stories to tell, Rachael Beck and writer James Millar have taken the refreshing approach of turning the spotlight on others.

Sixteen inspiring living Australian women from the arts, science, politics and sport were interviewed as part of the project. Each was introduced as part of a chapter – with an intriguing title.