Writer: Shannon Molloy Adaptors: Nelle Lee, Nick Skubij with Shannon Molloy Directed by Nick Skubij Shake & Stir Theatre Co. The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre to 11 May   Reviewed by Len Power 9 May 2024   You could be forgiven for thinking that a student’s homophobic experience involving gay-bashing, constant bullying and betrayal, must have occurred way back in the 1950s at least. In “Fourteen”, based on the best-selling memoir by award-winning journalist Shannon Molloy, it’s shocking that his story happened as recently as 1999. Taking place at an all-boys rugby-m ..read more

    Five Women Wearing The Same |Dress Written by Alan Ball. Directed by Steph Roberts. Assistant director Lachlan Houen. Producer, sound and lighting designer Nikki Fitzgerald. Stage Manager Lucy van Dooren. Set design Chris Zuber, Costume Design Fiona Leach. Photography Eva Schroeder (Promotional), Ben Appleton (Production) Everyman Theatre. ACT HUB. 16 Spinifex St. Kingston. May 8-18 2024. Bookings: ACTHUB.COM.AU Reviewed by Peter Wilkins. Dolly Parton’s signature song Working 9-5 immediately sets the scene for Alan Ball’s comedy Five Women Wearing The Same Dress.  In the ..read more

  Written by Alan Ball Directed by Steph Roberts ACT Hub Theatre, Kingston to 18 May   Reviewed by Len Power 8 May 2024   “I may be a slut, but I have standards!” declares one of the characters in ACT Hub’s new play, “Five Women Wearing The Same Dress”. While a Knoxville, Tennessee wedding rages on downstairs, five bridesmaids avoid the festivities by hiding out together in an upstairs bedroom. Over time, these very different women discover that they have more in common with each other than with the bride. Written by American, Alan Ball, in 1993, the play is a celebration of ..read more

James Fairfax Theatre, NGA May 4   Reviewed by Len Power   There was clearly a huge interest in modern music as the near capacity crowd enjoyed a concert of works by the America composers Steve Reich and Meredith Monk and Australian-Dutch composer, Kate Moore. Commencing with Reich’s 1972 composition Clapping Hands, Roland and Florian Peelman gave an excellent performance using only their hands.  In this work, two people clap the same rhythm. One performer gradually shifts the pattern one fast beat at a time, twelve times consecutively, until they come back together. The resul ..read more

Snow Concert Hall, Red Hill May 1   Reviewed by Len Power   The opening gala concert of this year’s Canberra International Music Festival was indeed very gala and emotionally uplifting with a program filled with compassion. For the first part of the program, Compassion Now was performed by Australian, William Barton, didgeridoo and voice, Persian-Australian, Hamed Sadeghi, tar and Belgium’s jazz virtuoso, Bram De Looze, piano. The combination of three very different musical traditions was spellbinding. From the haunting opening with Barton’s didgeridoo, we were taken on a musical j ..read more

  Created and Directed by Yaron Lifschitz – Music by Ori Lichtik   Lighting by Paul Jackson   Canberra Theatre Centre Playhouse May 2nd – 4th, 2024   Performance on 2nd May reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.   Any performance by Circa is guaranteed to leave the viewer in awe, not only at the apparently infinite  capacity of its artists to perform seemingly unbelievable physical feats, but also of the ability of its creator, Yaron Lifschitz and his collaborators to devise remarkable showcases to display those talents.   Over the years Lifschitz has been pushing the ..read more

  The Actress by Peter Quilter.  Canberra Rep, May 2 – 18 2024. Reviewed by Frank McKone Opening Night May 3 CREDITS Director: Aarne Neeme AM; Director’s Asst: Mandy Brown Set Designer: Andrew Kay; Set Coordinator: Russell Brown OAM Costume Designer: Anna Senior OAM Lighting Designer: Mike Moloney; Sound Designer: Neville Pye Stage Manager: Paul Jackson CAST Lydia – Liz St Clair Long; Katherine – Sally Rynveld; Charles – Saban Berrell Harriet – Jane Ahlquist; Nicole – Kate Harris; Paul – Rob de Fries; Margaret – Jazmin Skopal Anton Chekhov is having a bit of a revival on the ..read more

  The Actress Written by Peter Quilter. Directed by Arne Neeme. Canberra repertory Theatre, May 2-18 2024. Bookings: 62571950.   Reviewed by Peter Wilkins   Esteemed actress Lydia Martin is about to give her final performance as Lyuba Ranevsky in Chekov’s The Cherry Orchard. As Madame Ranexsky is about to be forced from the cherry orchard that symbolizes her very existence and reason for living so too is Martin about to forsake her beloved stage and retire to Switzerland with her betrothed Charles. Like Prospero who divests himself of his magical powers to depart from his is ..read more

  Written by Peter Quilter Directed by Aarne Neeme Canberra REP production Canberra REP Theatre, Acton to May 18   Reviewed by Len Power 3 May 2024   Dramas about the theatre and its people attract us for all sorts of reasons. For many, to gain an insight into that mysterious and glamorous world of actors is irresistible and, for others lucky enough to have been involved in the theatre, it reminds them of that experience and the emotions that it stirred.   Peter Quilter’s play focuses on the evening of the final performance by celebrated actress, Lydia Martin, before she ..read more

   Humans 2.0 by Circa.  Canberra Theatre Centre Playhouse, May 2-4 2024. Reviewed by Frank McKone Opening Night May 2 CREDITS Director Yaron Lifschitz Original Music Ori Lichtik; Lighting Designer Paul Jackson Costume Design Libby McDonnell; Technical Director Jason Organ Danielle Kellie / Circa Australia & New Zealand Photos: Lesley Martin; David Kelly Performed by 10 Circa acrobats Humans 2.0 is incredible – it is truly unbelievable that this company of dance-drama gymnasts can maintain such energy, such discipline, such complexity of choreography, such humour, an ..read more