News

CHITTY CAST ANNOUNCED

Producer Tim Lawson announced the principal members of the cast of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang August 9, 2012.

Playing the role of Caractacus Potts will be one of Australia’s best-known singers and recording artists, tenor David Hobson; the role of Truly Scrumptious will be played by Rachael Beck.

The role of Baron Bomburst/Lord Scrumptious will be played by Alan Brough, best known for his role on the ABC music game show Spicks & Specks.

THE 2012 MELBOURNE FESTIVAL LAUNCH

Melbourne may be the world’s number one sports city, but it’s also one of the foremost festival cities in the world. There are 39 Arts Festivals in any given year and first and foremost is the Melbourne Festival (October 11 – 27, 2012), which launched on Monday Evening (July 30) at The Sofitel Hotel, a great supporter of the Arts.

Our Favourite Opening Ceremony Highlight

This was our favourite moment from the opening ceremony, when the Queen's stunt double Gary Connery jumped out of the helicopter prompted by the cool hand of James Bond.

Here they are, just about to take the plunge.

Imagine the fun in setting up the  whole event. They must have had a big whiteboard. OK, we'll get the Queen to jump out of plane, Rowan Atkinson can play Chariots of Fire, David Beckham can come in a on speed boat!

New Hamer Hall Opens

No expense was been spared for the glittering opening concerts at the newly refurbished Hamer Hall in Melbourne this week.  Lucy Graham reports.

International Hit One Man, Two Guvnors to tour Australia

The National Theatre of Great Britain’s hit production of One Man, Two Guvnors will tour Australia in 2013.

It will premiere at the Adelaide Festival between 28 February to 9 March 2013, then at Sydney Theatre Company from 30 March to 11 May 2013, before a Melbourne season from 17 May to 22 June 2013 at Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse as part of the 2013 MTC season.

Audiences Behaving Badly.

Joseph Ting is fed up with the “glow worms” of modern theatre - people texting and tweeting on the phone from the audience. But when Stage Whispers asked our Facebook friends for their audience horror stories…the responses were hilarious.

The argument was persuasively made by my theatre-auteur companion. A season of delightful cultural immersion in London would be well worth the disorientating stresses of a long-haul flight from the Antipodes.

You’re never too old!

Coral Drouyn reports on the launch for More Sex Please – We’re Seniors, opening in Melbourne in October.

Elaine Paige to Tour Australia in October

Musical Theatre legend Elaine Paige will be returning to Australia in October 2012, following the success of her 2009 tour.

Elaine Paige is a bona fide legend of musical theatre. Making her West End debut in 1968 she was thrust into stardom when she originated the role of Evita Perón in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1978 production of Evita, winning the Laurence Oliver Award for Performer of the Year. Paige followed up by creating the role of Grizabella in the record-breaking production Cats, recording the Top 10 hit song “Memory”.

Death of a Salesman Transfers from Belvoir to Theatre Royal

Belvoir’s sold-out production of Death of a Salesman will transfer to the Theatre Royal for two weeks from 23 October 2012.

‘We have been overwhelmed by the audience’s response to Death of a Salesman. People are queuing from 7am to buy day seats and standing room and we are thrilled to have this opportunity to meet the demand,’ said Belvoir’s General Manager Brenna Hobson.

War Horse for Sydney and Brisbane

The National Theatre of Great Britain and Global Creatures announced today (June 16) that the multiple Tony and Olivier Award-winning War Horse will extend its’ Australian production to include seasons in Sydney and Brisbane in 2013, following its previously announced Melbourne season.