News

33rd Annual Green Room Awards

The 2016 Green Room Awards were presented on Monday March 21 at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre. Melbourne’s premier peer-presented performing arts industry awards recognise excellence and innovation across a range of professional productions presented on the Melbourne stage.The 2016 awards recognise outstanding achievement for work presented in 2015 across Cabaret, Contemporary & Experimental Performance, Dance, Independent Theatre, Music Theatre, Opera and Theatre Companies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stage Fawlty Towers’ Basil and Sybil Announced

On behalf of Michael Coppel and Philip McIntyre in association with Louise Withers, Creator and Co-Writer of the original television series, John Cleese today (March 21, 2016) announced that Stephen Hall will play the role of Basil Fawlty in the World Premiere Tour of Fawlty Towers – Live on Stage with Blazey Best Co-Starring as Sybil Fawlty.

The Voice of Velvet

With Velvet, the extravaganza that is part circus, part disco, part burlesque, part musical and all eighties, opening this week at the Malthouse, Coral Drouyn managed to grab some time with the Incomparable Marcia Hines.

FUNNY BUSINESS

On the eve of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Coral Drouyn talks to Adam Hills about Festivals, British humour and HIS favourite Comedian

A famous one footed comedian and a quiet funny American walked into a festival…

No, there’s no punchline and it’s actually true…. Adam Hills met Jake Johannsen in  Kilkenny (home of great beer) at the Cats Laugh Comedy Festival, and a Bromance was born.

PUBLIC MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR JON ENGLISH

The family of Jon English has confirmed details of the Public Memorial Service for Jon.

Date: Monday 4 April 2016

Venue: Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell Street, Haymarket, Sydney

Time: 4.30pm for a 5pm start

Everyone is invited and very welcome.

Rob Mills’ Unchained Melody

Coral Drouyn talks to Rob Mills as he prepares to open in the biggest challenge of his life…the role of Sam Wheat in Ghost – The Musical.

“My manager asked me what I wanted to do next…and I said – Everything!”

Marina’s Evolution

Marina Prior spoke to Neil Litchfield during rehearsals for the current Australian tour of The Sound of Music.

I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy Marina Prior’s musical theatre career through romantic leading lady roles - Mabel, Josephine, Cosette, Hope Harcourt, Christine Daaé, Magnolia and Guinevere - transitioning into more mature comedic roles like Miss Adelaide and motherhood as Mrs Banks.

Short + Sweet 2016

One of the judges, David Spicer, shares his notes on this year’s Sydney finals of the ten minute play festival.

There were thirteen plays in the final and almost all were entertaining and well put together.

One production was a stand-out and got my vote for best production, a majority of the other judges and also won the people’s choice award.

Match of the Century portrayed an infamous chess match between Bobby Fisher and Boris Spasky in the shadow of the Cold War.

Vale Jon English

David Spicer remembers Jon English.

My fondest memory of Jon English was sitting in his front garden in Rozelle as he strummed out on the guitar a song from the musical Paris he wrote with David Mackay.

No matter how worse for wear he was, he could always switch back on his extraordinary talent as a performer, to recall lyrics he had penned decades past.

Arts Leaders Silenced by Cash Inducements

One of Australia’s leading arts administrators has described cuts to the Australia Council and the reaction by arts leaders to those cuts as a disgrace. David Spicer reports.

Michael Lynch, the former CEO of the Sydney Opera House,and London’s Southbank, today (9 March 2016) described the 40 million dollar cut to the Australia Council last year as “one of the worst pieces of bad administration I have seen in almost 40 years of working in this sector.

Subscribe to our E-Newsletter, buy our latest print edition or find a Performing Arts book at Book Nook.