Reviews

Elspeth

By Trevor Todd. FringeWorld. Much Production. Directed by Jane Sherwood. The Jonesway Theatre, William St, Northbridge, WA. Jan 23-Feb 1, 2025

Performing at the Jonesway Theatre, a short walk from the major FringeWorld hubs, Much Production’s Elspeth is a touching play about a mature actress, as she rejects upon her life.

Standing at the end of a pond, contemplating the fact that as she can not swim, walking in with bricks in her pocket, will allow her to end her life, Elspeth looks back at her life, in what might be described as a bitter-sweet, interrupted monologue.

Not A Boring Life

By Yvette Wall. FringeWorld. Directed by Karin Staflund. Cambridge Bowling Club. Floreat WA. Jan 23-Feb 1, 2025

One of the most frequent reasons I hear for people not wanting to attend FringeWorld, is a reluctance to venture into the Fringe hubs of Perth and Northbridge, to battle with crowds and parking. Not A Boring Life is the answer. Playing in the comfort of Cambridge Bowling Club in Floreat, with a bar, and a specially curated drinks menu, this is a classy and relaxed way to Fringe.

Bubble Show in Space

By Bubble Laboratory Plus. FringeWorld. Perth Town Hall, WA. Jan 17- Feb 2, 2025

One of the best things about FringeWorld aligning with WA School Holidays is the great kids shows that are on offer, and Bubble Show in Space is a great example. This wild, energetic bubble adventure had its large audience captivated throughout - a nosy party of a show that entertained tots to preteens seemingly with ease.

Perth Secrets History Tour With Famous Sharron

FringeWorld. Starts at Hackett Hall Steps, James St, Northbridge. Jan 17 - Feb 16, 2025

If you are looking for a FringeWorld show that allows you to lean and laugh at the same time, Perth Secrets History Tour with Famous Sharron is a great combination of history and humour, with the bonus of a little light exercise in the mix. Running Friday and Saturday nights, with Perthonality Famous Sharron, this is different and a delight.

Mojo

By Jez Butterworth. Red Herring Theatre Company. Directed by Lachlan Houen. A.C.T. Hub. 22 January – 1 February 2025.

Lachlan Houen’s first directorial venture is a play billing itself as a tightly wound thriller, and certainly it has the necessary elements of uncertainty and threat as well as scenes of dramatic action.

Apparently the play’s major conflict concerns commercial rights over the performances of a young singer named Silver Johnny.  Its second act begins making sense of the characters’ recent histories and the relationships between them, and the first act sets us up for the second act through some of that dramatic action.

The Bridal Lament 哭嫁歌

By Rainbow Chan. Director Tessa Leong. Contemporary Asian Australian Performance, supported by Sydney Festival. Riverside Theatres Parramatta, NSW. 23-26 Jan, 2025

The Bridal Lament was a public performance of grief, a ritual where Weitou brides expressed their bitterness about arranged marriages and patriarchal rule. As such, its message reaches across cultures and generations. Rainbow Chan learnt of the ritual in her search to find out more about her Weitou heritage … and the result is a moving song cycle that reveals the multi-disciplinary artist’s incredible ability to draw past and present together through music, movement and storytelling.

Creative Juices

By Timothy Christopher Ryan. FringeWorld. The Lotterywest Spiegeltent, The Pleasure Garden, Northbridge, WA. Jan 22-30, 2025

Creative Juices is a unique show at FringeWorld and an excellent way to finish an evening at Fringe. Playing in the Pleasure Garden, hosted by an effervescent and highly personable Timothy Ryan, this is a fabulous blend of cabaret, comedy and the wildest art class you’ve ever attended. 

I Watched Someone Die on Tik Tok

By Charlotte Otton. FringeWorld. Rehearsal Room 1, State Theatre Centre of Western Australia. Jan 21-25, 2025

Charlotte Otton’s Solo Show I Watched Someone Die on Tik Tok is presented by Charlotte Otton and Lazy Yarns for State of Play as part of FringeWorld. Combining monologue, songs and audiovisual, Charlotte looks at her obsession with the darker side of social media - especially Tik Tok.

La Traviata

By Giuseppe Verdi. Opera Australia. Director: Sarah Giles. Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. 23 Jan - 27 Mar, 2025

La Traviata – The Fallen Woman – is the story of Violetta, a courtesan dying of consumption and her adoring Alfredo, who forsakes his noble family for love, only to lose Violetta when his father convinces her that she should sacrifice their love to sustain the social position of the family.

Julius Caesar

By William Shakespeare. Atherton Performing Arts. Directed by Sarah Riber. January 24th-February 2nd, 2025

Shakespeare’s plays can be produced in many different settings, often far from their traditional productions. This Atherton Performing Arts Junior Theatre version of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is no exception.

Atherton’s Julius Caesar is performed on a well-designed, dystopian set by the actors in futuristic costumes carrying guns of various descriptions. The play is accompanied by jangling music and, surprisingly, an old Doris Day song.

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