Reviews

The concept behind Anna K is a very clever way to suggest that sexism continues to reign in society despite historical progression. Anna K makes direct reference to Tolstoy’s famous novel Anna Karenina, its iconography and its themes. Contextualising it in a contemporary digital media landscape, where the damaging expression of societal disapproval can go completely unchecked, beautifully mirrors the ruthlessness of the aristocratic ambience of the novel. The parallels are extremely feasible and the alternative narrative outcome also is also very plausible.

It’s not often that you find yourself part of an audience that is so totally into a show as the audience for Hairspray.  It’s immersive.  It’s their show and they seem to know it backwards.  Almost every song and every artist are greeted with applause and roars of anticipatory approval.  

Once again, the Brisbane Music Festival has come up with an energising programme presented in a hidden gem venue. This time, Soprano Bethany Shepherd curated a programme to highlight the Baroque period’s forgotten female composers – women who defied the constraints of their time to have their musical voices heard. Bethany’s programme was an intriguing glimpse into the domestic and professional life of women in the 1600s, focusing on three ways Baroque women could be creative through music.

Twenty years ago, working class, from a Vietnamese immigrant family Lucy (Ngoc Phan) got a scholarship to Laurinda, an exclusive (i.e., private, snooty, high fees) girls’ school.  Now thirty-five, and still bearing the scars, she’s back at Laurinda to receive an award.  Worse, it’s an award as a teacher and it is to be presented to her by her chief school days’ nemesis and tormentor, Brodie, who is now a judge.  Lucy is having a panic attack. She’s hiding out in the loo.