Reviews

How to Drown a Fish

By Sophie Minissale. University Dramatic Society. Fringe World. Directed by Megan Rundle. The Briefing Room, Girls School, East Perth, WA. Jan 30- Feb 7, 2021

Set poolside at a community swim centre, How to Drown a Fish is a gorgeous little late-night rom-com produced by University Dramatic Society for Fringe World. After a successful opening night, Perth’s lockdown has paused performances of this feel-good show, but hopefully they will be able to resume for the last 3 shows of their run.

The Witch and the Goat

Written and directed by Bello Benischauer. Art in Process and Existence Theatre. Fringe World. Old Customs House, Fremantle, WA. Jan 15-30, 2021

The Witch and the Goat is a mesmerising, impactful and highly emotional piece of physical theatre, presented by Art in Process and Existence Theatre at Old Customs House, Fremantle as part of Fringe World.

With Fire in Her Heart: The Edith Cowan Story

By Trevor Todd. Fringe World. Directed by Gabrielle Metcalf. Biology or Home Economics, The Girls School, East Perth, WA. Jan 27-Feb 7, 2021 (pre Covid Shutdown dates)

Most Western Australians are at least vaguely familiar with Edith Cowan, the first woman elected to any Australian Parliament - 100 years ago this year. She is remembered on the $50 note, through Edith Cowan University and the seat of Cowan, and now with this new play, presented by Gabrielle Metcalf for Fringe World.

Love Letters

By AR Gurney. IpSkip Productions. Parks Theatre, SA. 29 January 2021.

Written by AR Gurney in 1988, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Love Letters appears deceptively simple. By calling for a pair of actors to read from scripts on an otherwise bare stage, it could sound like one notch up from a radio play.

Burn This

By Lanford Wilson. 16th ST Actors Studio. Fortyfive downstairs, Flinders Lane, Melbourne. 28 January – 7 February 2021

Burn This, a psychodrama by esteemed American playwright Lanford Wilson is given a powerful and engrossing production here by a focussed cast, completely inside their characters and given nuanced and detailed direction by Ian Sinclair.  

As You Like Hamlet

Written by Tully Jones (and William Shakespeare. Directed by Tully Jones. Fringe World. DADAA, 92 Adelaide St, Fremantle WA 28 Jan - 7 Feb, 2021

As You Like Hamlet is a slightly irreverent Shakespeare tribute, performed as part of Fringe World by a talented troupe of young actors. Modernised, funny and clever, it still contains much of what we love from the original texts.

Club Cremorne

At the Cremorne Theatre, Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), Brisbane. 28 January to 6 March 2021.

Conceived by QPAC last year to reunite eager artists and enthusiastic audiences after the too-long closure of theatres, Club Cremorne is back by popular demand – the debut season in 2020 was a block of sold-out shows. This snazzy showcase of local, world-class talent is a welcome way to get back to the theatre and have some fun. With club-style table seating and a bar open throughout the performance, Club Cremorne provides excellent date-night or friends-out-together fun – a little bit cheeky and a whole lot entertaining.

A Nought for a Cross

By The Perthian Chronicles. Fringe World. The Studio, Subiaco Arts Centre, WA. Jan 28-30, 2021

A Nought for a Cross just might do for Tic-Tac-Toe what The Queen’s Gambit has done for Chess - so if you see a sudden increase in Noughts and Crosses activity in Perth, you will know who to blame.

Side by Side

Written and directed by Daniella Sicari and Eimear Foley. Fringe World. Downstairs at the Maj, His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth, WA. Jan 27-30, 2021

One of the unexpected benefits for theatregoers, of a world disrupted by Covid, is that many International Artists have returned home to Perth. Two of many outstanding performers who are in Perth at the moment are Daniella Sicari and Eimear Foley, whose Fringe World show, Side by Side, presented by Aces at the Maj, is playing for a very short season.

Come From Away

Book, Music & Lyrics by Irene Sankoff & David Hein. Junkyard Dog Productions & NewTheatricals. The Comedy Theatre, Melbourne. 26 January – 28 February 2021, then Brisbane and Sydney.

There are two clear and outstanding reasons to see (or to see again) Come From Away: the amazing ‘true story’, and the dazzling, funny, moving production. 

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