Reviews

The Sydney Theatre Company’s highly praised production of Andrew Bovill’s The Secret River more than lived up to its advance hype and expectation. It was epic and powerful theatre. Not since the same author’s When the Rain Stops Falling have I been so moved by an Australian drama, and Neil Armfield’s direction of it was flawless. Originally seen in 2013, this new production has allowed the creatives to take a second look at the material and the result was searingly memorable.

Adelaide singer Dave Freeman brings Neil Diamond to life in his tribute to the American icon. You can feel the anticipation from the crowd as he begins his first song and then a sigh as you realise that Freeman does indeed sound like the singer/songwriter that many have grown up with. He captures that raw sincerity and that undeniable inflection that Diamond has. I turned away many times to realise this would be as close as I would ever get to seeing the original live.

This adaption keeps the spirit of the original and exposes the controlling underbelly of a relationship that was always there lurking in the text, hidden in manners and frippery. The two actors share their artistic plans and it is clear from the start that Beyonce, glitter and dancing are high priorities for Troy and not so much for Carly.

Accomplished actor/pianist Phil Aughey delivers an impressive performance on two fronts with Chopin’s Last Tour – performing six of the great man’s most iconic compositions with impeccable precision, and in between, regaling the audience with impassioned dramatic monologues “in character” as Chopin himself.