Reviews

Nijinsky

The Australian Ballet, with Orchestra Victoria. Regent Theatre Melbourne. 21 February – 1 March, 2025

This is the second time that the Australian Ballet have staged John Neumeier’s ballet about one of the 20th century’s greatest male dancers.  To many, Nijinsky was and continues to be the ‘god of dance’ but in this production the madness of the artist is laid traumatically bare.

Yandha Djanbay (Go Slowly)

Writer Performer: Kirli Saunders. Merrigong Theatre Company. Director Leland Kean. Bruce Gordon Theatre. Illawarra Performing Arts Centre. 20 – 22 Feb, 2025

Kirli Saunders is a proud Gunai woman who, in her own words “rarely stays in her lane”. Rather, as a multi-disciplinary artist, she uses words, music and movement to express her strong feelings about country and mob … and the politics and policies and that force her out of “her lane”.

In Yandha Djanbay she explains those feelings in a performance that is open and challenging but is infused with gentle humour, wry irony and wise commentary.

No Dragon No Lion

Adelaide Fringe Festival 2025. TS Crew. Ukyio at Gluttony, Rymill Park, Adelaide. Feb 21 – March 2 2025

TS Crew from Hong Kong is a group of performing artists with different backgrounds, and it is known for blending Chinese opera, dance, martial arts and stunt performance in its repertoire.

An Unwasted Evening - The Genius of Tom Lehrer

Adelaide Fringe. The Jade, 142-160 Flinders Street. Sun, 23 Feb - Sun, 16 March, 2025

Whilst in 1960, South Australia’s Chief Secretary slapped a ban on five of Tom Lehrer’s songs, describing them as being ‘in poor taste’, the Fringe crowd for the opening of An Unwasted Evening - The Genius of Tom Lehrer at Jade, sang, clapped, laughed and waved their hands in sheer undisguised enjoyment. My, how the times have changed.

Grimm DNA - a double bill.

Presented by Actually Acting Youth Theatre. Adelaide Fringe, Theatre at Tower Arts Centre. 22-23 February 2025

One of the best things about Adelaide Fringe Festival is not just the variety of performances, but the diversity of performers from all ages and cultures. It was a pleasure to experience the hard work of the students from Actually Acting Youth Theatre in their double-bill performance of The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon by Don Zolidis and Dennis Kelly’s DNA.

Baby Jane.

Adapted by Ed Wightman from the novel Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, by Henry Farrell. Canberra Repertory, directed by Ed Wightman. Theatre 3, Acton. 20 February – 8 March 2025.

Baby Jane follows the increasingly twisted dynamics between two sisters bound to each other by their involvement in a terrible car accident: Blanche, whom t

Fledermaus!

Music: Johann Strauss II. Libretto: Carl Haffner and Richard Genee. English version by Robert Ray. Orchestral score for small ensemble: Geoffrey Urquhart. Presented by: Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria. Director: Robert Ray. The Knowe, 4 Clarkmont Road, Sassafrass, 15 February – 2 March 2025. The Round – Studio, 379-399 Whitehorse Road Nunawading, 8 March – 9 March, 2025. Moe Plaza – 2 Moore Street, Moe. 12 April, 2025

Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Victoria is celebrating their 90th birthday having been formed in August 1935. They could not have done better than to present Fledermaus! which showcases the deep experience of a group of people who love this art form and are prepared to do the myriad tasks which bring such a show to life.

Checkmate,

By Leslie Sands. Tugun Theatre Company. Feb 7 – Mar 1, 2025

 

Checkmate is intriguing!

 

This is a Room

By Tina Satter. Half Straddle / Perth Festival. Directed by Tina Satler. Studio Underground, State Theatre Centre of WA. Feb 14-17, 2025

This real-life thriller was presented by Half Straddle as part of Perth Festival. The play is formed from the FBI transcript of the day that American translator Reality Winner (her real name) was surprised by the FBI and interrogated in the back room of her house.

House Party for the Apocalypse

By Macy Sharp. girlcatboycat productions for Fringe World. Directed by Adrijan Levis. Hayman Theatre, Curtin University, Bentley WA. Feb 4-9, 2024

House Party for the Apocalypse presented by girlcatboycat productions for Fringe World is a post apocalyptic play with a nice blend of comedy and the concerning, as a group of friends are holed up in a house avoiding a rapidly spreading zombie virus.

As Will’s house-warming stretches into many days, the food runs out, tempers get short and conspiracy theories abound. In the meantime television broadcasts from the local news anchor become more and more strange.

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