Reviews

The Western Jukebox

By Alex McLennan. Playlovers. Directed by Alex McLennan. The Actor’s Hub, Kensington St, East Perth WA. Jan 19-22, 2023

Playlovers’ youth production The Western Jukebox is a jukebox musical in two parts. Act One is a celebration of country and western, while Act 2, almost a different show, is a musical about jukebox musicals.

Kairos

FORM Dance Projects. Carriageworks – Bay 30, Everleigh. January 19 – 21, 2023

Meryl Tankard draws masterfully on stunning creative collaborations to create our current turbulent world, “collapsing and expanding through a concertina of floods, fire, plaque and war”.  The choreographer calls her vision, Kairos; it’s an ancient Greek word suggesting a random but opportune moment.  And it’s now.

Blue

By Thomas Weatherall. Director: Deborah Brown. Belvoir St Theatre Upstairs. 14-29 January, 2023

When Thomas Weatherall’s agent advised him to “just start writing, Tom” she probably realised much more vividly than Tom himself just how clearly he would be able to translate his thoughts and feelings into words – and just how vividly he would

Guttered

Restless Dance Theatre. Directed by Michelle Ryan. Kicks Bowling Arcade, Parramatta Leagues Club. Sydney Festival. January 19 - 22, 2023

As a died-in-the-wool Eels fan, I could not resist the opportunity to revisit the Parramatta Leagues Club to take in the intriguing juxtaposition of giant pictures of Sterlo and Cronin, the dazzling lights of the poker machines and a company which blends dancers with and without disability.

The Restless Dance Company of Adelaide has taken temporary residence of the bowling arcade on the third floor.

Paradise or the Impermanence of Ice Cream

By Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis. Black Ink Theatre Company NZ. Sydney Festival. Director: Justin Lewis. Riverside Theatres Parramatta. 17-22 January, 2023

When you’re on your final journey, hovering between paradise and hell, haunted by the mistakes you made in the past, you don’t expect to be continually vexed by a vindictive vulture. But as vultures play an important part in Indian mythology – and Parsee sky burial customs – it’s not unsurprising that playwrights Jacon Rajan and Justin Lewis conjured a belligerent, feathered scavenger to make their hero Kutisar’s final journey even more confusing – and more amusing.

Daddy Developed a Pill

By Cassie Hamilton. Theatre Works & tail of tales production. Theatre Works Explosives Factory, Inkerman Street, St Kilda. 17 - 24 January 2023

When Cynthia was a little girl (touchingly played by Sarah Greenwood) she didn’t see much of her beloved Daddy; he was always too busy developing a pill.  But Cynthia (still Greenwood) grows up into an upper-middle-class princess - and a super-loyal, high performing executive who’s developed a pill of her own.  Hers is an experimental pill that transforms perception, particularly of oneself - and tonight Cynthia will launch her pill - and take it herself.

Happy Meal

By Tabby Lamb. Sydney Festival. Eternity Playhouse. Jan 17 – 22.

Tabby Lamb’s play is a slow burning rom com between two transitioning English teenagers who barely meet each other.  IRL, that is: in real life.

Moving from teens to adulthood, these Gen Zers stay talking in the safe space of social media platforms; they kick off with Club Penguin and MySpace and transition onto FaceBook, Skype and finally self-created digital worlds free from outside mockery. 

The Oak Tree

By Fiona Blakely. Fifi Productions / Activate Byford.. Directed by Jane Sherwood. Byford Secondary College, WA. Jan 13-21. 2022

Presented by Fifi Productions as part of ‘Activate Byford’, an initiative to bring culture an excitement to Byford’s town centre, The Oak Tree is a new production with a local setting.

All the Best Roles Are Written For Men

Written and directed by Kate O’Sullivan. Fringe World. Hayman Theatre 2, Curtin University, Bentley WA. Jan 20-29, 2023

Kate O’Sullivan’s one woman show, reviewed at a preview performance, is a beautifully performed examination of the shortage of roles for women. Expertly researched, very well sung, and delivered with passion and humour, this is a clever show with an important message that probably won’t be seen by the people who most need to see it. 

Maybe Today

By Noah Sargent. Lost Theatre Company, Tasmania. Directed by Noah Sargent. Costumes by Elise Bagorski and Maddie Clifford. Lighting and Stage Management by Jenna Grosvenor. Sound Design by Elise Bagorski. Moonah Arts Centre. 14th-21st January 2023.

The future of Theatre in Tasmania is in safe hands.

Exemplified by this young writer/director, Noah Sargent, and his equally young colleagues in this passion project, it is clear that ambitious and thoughtful creatives are preparing to take up the baton.

Maybe Today is not perfect, and mentoring is needed before the mantle can be assumed but what is missing in terms of dramaturgy is ameliorated by some interesting characters tackling some universal issues.

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