Reviews

The Songs That Got Away

Written and performed by Johanna Allen. Australian Musical Theatre Festival, Launceston. May 25, 2025

The name Hymen Arluck is not memorable. It’s a good thing he changed it to Harold Arlen as he embarked on his brilliant career as a composer. 

Except, as it turns out, that name didn’t ring as many bells as it should have, either. As a fan of his personal contribution to what has become known as The Great American Songbook, I must confess - in retrospect – that I probably attributed most of his songs to the Gershwins, Irving Berlin or Cole Porter.

Art of the Score - The Music of Hans Zimmer

Queensland Symphony Orchestra. QPAC Concert Hall. 23-24 May, 2025

Hans Zimmer has almost become a household name with his ongoing success as a media and film score composer, leading to live concerts, extending to a wide range of outlets such as documentaries, video games, even his own music production company; in fact, anything where the accent is on music technology.

Sunday in the Park

Australian Musical Theatre Festival. Entally Estate, Hadspen (15 mins from Launceston). May 25, 2025

The hallmark of this festival is the crazy variety of venues where performances are staged. We’ve got the 900-seat Princess Theatre, at one end of the spectrum, to literal hallways at the other. Not that the less glamorous situations take away from the performances - but when you juxtapose them with this particular venue - we really have travelled from the ridiculous to the sublime over these five days.

Shrine

By Tim Winton. Darlington Theatre Players. Directed by Chris McRae. Marloo Theatre, Greenmount, WA. May 9-24, 2025

Shrine is a dark play, set in Western Australia, which looks at the aftermath of a fatal road crash, and the effect on the deceased young man’s mother, father and friend. Darlington Theatre Players are using this play to promote road safety and the tragedy of life lost on our roads.

Kicking off with a disturbing audio portrayal of the crash (later revealed to be not quite was it seems), the audience are faced with high stakes drama from the outset.

Some Enchanted Evening

Australian Musical Theatre Festival. Featuring the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Princess Theatre, Launceston. May 24, 2025

Forgive me - if there was ever a clichéd sentence waiting to happen - this is it: “Tyran Parke dreamed the impossible dream”. He did so by way of his introduction to proceedings. Apparently, way back in 2021 when he took the reins as Artistic Director and the festival was in its infancy, he vowed… 

“In five years, we’ll put on a big show in the Princess Theatre with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.” 

Disney's Alice In Wonderland Junior

Music and lyrics by Danny Elfman, Sammy Fain, Bob Hilliard, Oliver Wallace, Cy Coben, Michael Abbott, Sarah Weeks, Mack David, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston. Music adapted and arranged and additional music and lyrics by Bryan Louiselle. Book and additional lyrics by David Simpatico. Camden Musical Society. Director: Hayleigh Burman. Musical Director: Kayla Hall. Choreographer: Sasja Penman. Asst Choreographer: Tiana Giampaolo. A.H. and I. Hall, Camden. 23 - 31 May 2025

What a brilliant production!

Camden Musical Society's latest show is a delight for all ages. Disney's Alice In Wonderland Jr. is based on Disney's full length feature film. Disney has re-packed its original film into an hour-long stage version that is suited for junior casts. The original songs from the film are there, with some new ones thrown in with a modern harmless pop feel. 

Holding the Man

Adapted by Tommy Murphy, from the novel by Timothy Conigrave. Glenbrook Players. Director John Forbes. Glenbrook Community Theatre/Cinema. 23 May – 1 June, 2025

Tommy Murphy’s sensitive adaptation of Timothy Conigrave’s deeply personal memoir of his relationship with John Caleo places their story securely in its time yet also transcends time and place. It tells a love story that, in the words of director John Forbes is “uniquely theirs, yet deeply universal” – one that reaches across boundaries and generations.

When I Get My Name In Lights

Australian Musical Theatre Festival, Launceston. Day 3. May 23, 2025.

Billed primarily as a showcase of emerging artists, this water-tight program had more tricks up its sleeve than Houdini - kicking things off with a flourishing rendition of “If They Could See Me Now", from Sweet Charity. Featuring Alinta Chidzey (star of the first Australian touring production of Moulin Rouge) alongside emerging talents Laura Henderson, Amelia Howell and Lexie Lethborg and supported by the VCA ensemble, it not only started the show with a bang - but for the rousing last chorus, out from the wings struts none other than an abs

Nathan Cavaleri: New Blues with a Story

The Brunswick Ballroom. Fri 23rd May, 2025

Nathan Cavaleri steps onstage, easily picks up his guitar and starts playing. What the audience doesn’t know yet is that the simple, famous action of ‘Cavaleri picks up guitar’ has been fraught. On Friday night I went to The Brunswick Ballroom to see Nathan Cavaleri: New Blues with a Story. It’s a music show coinciding with his recent album release, peppered with anecdotes and musings from his past. Nathan’s story is an intense one; we see a grown man on stage and yet the figure of the child remains.

8 Women

By Robert Thomas adapted by Céline Oudin. PLaylovers. Directed by Paul Treasure. Old Mill Theatre, South Perth, WA. May 22 - 31. 2025

Thanks to the generosity of Old Mill Theatre, Playlovers have taken to the stage once more, with their rendition of the French black comedy, 8 Women. A Western Australian premiere, this adaptation of the 70-year-old French play was originally performed in Canberra, and thanks to Stage Whispers came to the attention of Director Paul Treasure, who has searched for many years for an English version of this play.

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