Reviews

The Comedy of Errors

By William Shakespeare. Bell Shakespeare. Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio. 13 – 23 July 2022 – other venues to follow.

First, accept the premise: identical twin boys are born on the same day in Syracuse to Emilia (Leilani Loau) and Egeon (Maitland Schnaars), a merchant; both boys are called Antipholus.  On the same day, another set of identical twin boys is born; Egeon buys/adopts them from their penniless mother as ‘bondsmen’ to serve his twins and calls them both Dromio.  

Our Blood Runs in the Street

By Shane Anthony and ensemble, presented by Metro Arts and Chopt Logic. New Benner Theatre, Metro Arts, Brisbane. 14 to 16 July 2022

Our Blood Runs in the Street is a thoughtful and sensitive stage exploration of those lives lost to gay hate crimes in Australia in our recent past. The piece does not focus on any one individual, but one story that will be familiar is US maths student, Scott Johnson, whose ‘fall’ from a cliff in Sydney in 1988 was immediately ruled suicide by local police and a coronial inquest.

Singin’ in the Rain Jr.

By Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed. Bel Canto Performing Arts. Directed by Blake Jenkins. Old Mill Theatre, South Perth, WA. July 8-16, 2022

Bel Canto Performing Arts’ production of Singin’ in the Rain Jr. is a top-notch junior production that blows many adult musicals out of the water. With fabulous performers and outstanding production values, this show deserves its capacity audiences and compresses throughout.

Looking for Alibrandi

By Vidya Rajan, based on the book by Melina Marchetta. Presented by Malthouse Theatre and Belvoir. Directed by Stephen Nicolazzo. Merlyn Theatre, The Malthouse, 113 Sturt Street Southbank. 9 - 31 July 2022.

The adaptation of this classic Australian coming of age tale allows this version to resonate not only with an Italian-Australian community but anyone whose heritage is outside the white Anglo-Saxon (now somewhat anachronistic) norm. The production remains faithful to the novel and the film versions, keeping all the familiar main characters. However, there are some subtle and significant differences that give this version a very individual quality.

THREE 2.0

Australian Dance Collective. Brisbane Powerhouse. 13 to 16 July 2022

Forget State of Origin football – Queensland’s athletic staying power was on display last night at Brisbane Powerhouse – as the Australian Dance Collective’s (ADC’s) group of six dancers took to the stage for their opening night of just six performances. The three pieces total just under two hours of constant movement and energy – a total triumph of athleticism. There is satisfying symmetry in this meticulous work, with an overall structure of three independent pieces.

A Day at a Time in Rhyme

Written and performed by Jane Clifton. La Mama HQ, Faraday Street, Carlton. 13 – 24 July 2022

Jane Clifton resolved to write a poem every single day across a year.  And she did.  Her show is based on the published anthology of those poems.  First joke: ‘I’ll now read to you all three hundred and sixty-five poems… Lock the doors.’  We laugh – and she’s got us. 

An American in Paris

By George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin and Craig Lucas. GWB and the Australian Ballet. Directed by Christopher Wheeldon. Crown Theatre Perth, WA. July 9-27, 2022

Perth is the last stop on the Australian tour for GWB and the Australian Ballet’s An American in Paris. This production, like its Broadway and West End predecessors, is directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon, who won multiple awards for this production. Featuring absolutely stunning choreography, this show is also spectacularly staged, and stars Broadway and West End leading actors Robbie Fairchild and Leanne Cope.

Secrets

Created by Sancia Robinson & Nick Steain. 24 Carrot Productions. The Butterfly Club, Carson Place, Melbourne CBD. 11 – 16 July 2022

Everybody loves a good story.  Even more so when you are being let in on a secret – something hidden, shameful – or just embarrassing – and never confessed before.  In this show, five actors who are in turn intriguing or funny or charming or disturbing play many characters who, for whatever reason, want to confide in us.  Why?  Why now?  Why us?  Motives for confession are not disclosed.  Maybe the time is right.  Maybe the secret cannot be held in any longer…  Or maybe enough time has passed so that the painful or the tr

The Addams Family

By Andrew Lippa, Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. Zealous Productions. Directed by Michael McCall. The Regal Theatre, Subiaco, WA. July 7-10, 2022

Zealous Productions’ The Addams Family returned to the Regal Theatre for a short encore season. Featuring most of the ‘original’ cast, this production was possibly even more slick than its 2021 predecessor, and delighted its audiences.

The Wrong Mountain

Written and directed by Cath Willacy. Cairns Little Theatre. July 1-9, 2022

Mature-aged widow Beth is told by Nicky, her cleaner, that she is too old to be climbing ladders. In defiance of appearing ‘elderly’, she proudly announces to her friends that she is going to climb Mount Everest. Encouraged and in turn discouraged by her close friends, Kaz and Val, Beth begins training for the climb of a lifetime.

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