Reviews

Whilst you could be forgiven for assuming that this is the name of a polite English comedy, it is, in fact, a 90 minute play that has at its heart, a real race held annually in the Australian country town of Robertson in New South Wales. Starting in 1913, the race was exclusively for men until the scandalous appearance, in 1988 (in our story), of cleverly disguised Alexander Strumpet who opened the floodgates to women.

There was a lot of love in the air last night in the Concert Hall: waves of love from the musicians, waves of love from the singer, and waves of love from the audience for the performance. Celebrating two centuries of liberation from the Ottoman Empire, the songs of four of Greece’s contemporary composer Gods - Vassilis Tsitsanis, Manos Hatzidakis, Stavros Xachakos and Mikis Theodorakis - have been responsible for founding the modern Rebetiko and Laiko genres of popular Greek music.

One of the enduring questions for those of us looking back through time at what happened during the Third Reich is, “How did ordinary citizens sit by and let it happen?” In A German Life - the true story of Brunhilde Pomsel (Robyn Nevin) - you may find some answers. The play is drawn from 235 pages of transcribed interviews with Ms Pomsel, who was disinterested in politics and claimed to be unaware of the atrocities being committed by the Nazis, even while working as a secretary for Goebbels himself!

Upon taking my seat for this production, I was immediately impressed by the presentation and functionality of the set.  There are French Doors centre back and two single doors quite deep upstage on either side which both cleverly open with the doors downstage to as not to reveal any of the actors or potential paraphernalia in the wings.  The scenery is mostly blue with artistic touches of red everywhere which tie it all together nicely, creating a feeling of homeliness and warmth.