Reviews

Head Over Heels

Songs by The Go-Go’s, adapted by James Magruder. Original Book by Jeff Whitty. WAAPA Third Year Music Theatre. Directed by Melanie Hillman. The Roundhouse, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University, Mt Lawley, WA. Jun 7-13, 2024

This WA premiere was directed with a sense of fun by Melanie Hillman, performed by WAAPA Third Year Music Theatre students, and designed, built, and crewed by WAAPA Production and Design students.

My Fair Lady

Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Music by Frederick Loewe. Presented by Queensland Musical Theatre. Director: Deian Ping. Musical Director: Julie Whiting. Choreographer: Bec Swain. Twelfth Night Theatre. June 14 – 23, 2024.

Queensland Musical Theatre's 40th anniversary production of My Fair Lady at Twelfth Night Theatre was a triumph of classic musical theatre, delighting the audience with its timeless charm and outstanding performances. Under the expert direction of Deian Ping, with musical direction by Julie Whiting and choreography by Bec Swain, this rendition of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's beloved musical soared.

Between the Covers

Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Banquet Room, Festival Centre. 16 June 2024

The Great Gatsby was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and published to initially lukewarm reception in 1925 – eventually finding its place as a contender for the ‘Great American Novel’ after World War II, and today, still receives considerable attention from scholars of all ages.

Samuel Beckett & The Rainbow Girl

By Steve Carey. Bloomsday in Melbourne. St Martins Theatre, South Yarra. 13 – 23 June 2024

There are complex and intriguing elements underlying Samuel Beckett & The Rainbow Girl.  The poster for the show tells us that it is a story of ‘Genius, Madness, Sex & Violence in 1920s Paris’.  ‘Genius’ is James Joyce, struggling with what will be Finnegan’s Wake, and the young incipient genius Samuel Beckett struggling with what sort of writer he wants to be.

Young Frankenstein

By Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan. Darlington Theatre Players. Directed by Terence Smith. Marloo Theatre, Greenmount, WA. Jun 14 -29, 2024

The Mel Brooks musical Young Frankenstein comes to life in this broad stroke, campy and very polished production from Darlington Theatre Players. Top notch production values and a stellar cast make this one of Perth's top community theatre productions of 2024.

A Doll’s House Pt 2

By Lucas Hnath. Directed by Emily McLean. The Blue Room Theatre, Perth Cultural Centre, WA. Jun 11-29, 2024

A Doll’s House Pt 2 is a sequel to Henrik Ibsen’s 1879 play, A Doll’s House, extremely controversial in its time, in which sweet little “doll wife” Nora, leaves her husband Torvald, and their children. This play, set fifteen years after Nora’s departure, explores what happens, when after fifteen years of no contact, Nora returns. Presented by Red Ryder Productions, this well-directed play with a talented, tight-knit cast of four, makes for fascinating viewing.

Famous

NICA third-year student ensemble performance. In collaboration with fashion design and makeup students from Melbourne Polytechnic. Director: Carita Farrer Spencer. Costume Design: Savannah Wegman. Set Design: Tim Rutty. Composition/Sound Design: Darius Kedros. Lighting Design: Spencer Herd. 14-22 June 2024

The clown is the classic outsider and his attempts to ascend to the heights of fame using charm and trickery are used to anchor the narrative and expose the alure and detrimental effects of fame. The chorus of paparazzi and fans throw light on the tensions and dizzying demands of endless attention which fall on celebrities,

Skinny - Michelle Pearson

Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Space Theatre. 15-16 June, 2024

I have watched the career of Michelle Pearson with great interest and admiration. I have seen her in musical theatre and in her Comfort Food Cabaret shows and have always been totally blown away by her magnificent voice - a belt to die for and the ability to adapt across a wide range of genres.

Highway of Lost Hearts

By Mary Anne Butler. Lingua Franca and Arts on Tour. Riverside Theatres Parramatta. 14 - 15 June, 2024

Mary Anne Butler’s play takes her character Mot on a road trip through Australia to find the heart she seems to have lost after the tragic death of someone she loves. With only her dog for company she drives to distant places, the long kilometres broken by short stops where lonely people reach out hopefully … or threaten menacingly. She finds other lost hearts, and through them and the country itself, eventually finds the missing pieces of her own.

RGB, Of Many One

By Suzie Miller. Directed by Priscilla Jackman. The Heath Ledger Theatre, State Theatre Centre of WA, Perth, WA. Jun 13-23. 2024

RGB, Of Many One, is the life story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman elected to the US Supreme Court, expertly crafted into a one-woman play by Australian playwright Suzie Miller. 

Performed by Heather Mitchell, this is one of those iconic performances that you only see every few years - a stunning and mesmerising performance, that captivates the audience from the very first moments until they leave an hour and thirty-five minutes later, wondering where the time went.

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