Never have I seen a children’s storybook rendered on stage so effectively, while maintaining the colour and personality of the source material. I got a ticket based off the dynamic trailer alone, and I was not disappointed.
Tag: Sydney Theatre Reviews
Review: Fences at STC Wharf 1
Wilson’s writing is soulful and monologue-heavy—this is one of those ‘Mount Everest’ roles for actors at the top of their careers, and LaBonté and Newman live up to the challenge brilliantly.
Review: CAMP at the Seymour Centre
As a young person in my twenties, many of my peers see Mardi Gras as another excuse to party. It was powerful to be reminded of Mardi Gras’ origin as a protest, particularly considering I saw the matinee show on the day of Mardi Gras. As a piece of theatre, CAMP isn’t particularly groundbreaking, but it is an important story that everyone should watch to learn about this crucial piece of Australia’s history.
Review: Sex Magick at Griffin Theatre Company
Brown and Greene have created a bold and brash story that combines social satire with a deeper reflection on masculinity and queer love across Australian and Indian cultures, although those two story elements aren’t weaved together as effortlessly as they could have. If you like your theatre provocative, risqué and loud, this is the show for you.
Review: Hubris and Humiliation at STC
Treston’s writing is witty and intelligent, paying homage to Austen while also creating a fun, campy story that stands on its own. Director Dean Bryant has delivered an energetic laugh-out-loud production—Hubris and Humiliation is a joy— a sparkly, fizzy delight.
Review: Chef at KXT
Ultimately, Chef was not for me. I found it hard to sit through the show’s grim tone and violent subject matter. While Birbara’s performance has been widely praised, I struggled to connect with her character and her performance.
Review: Australian Theatre Live & Emerald City
Australian Theatre Live has arrived and it’s the perfect compromise if you find yourself unable to go to the theatre for whatever reason (geographic, financial, Covid-19, etc). The new theatrical streaming service takes it inspiration from the success of National Theatre Live in the UK, offering high quality video recordings of mainstage theatrical performances. The…
The Monologue Collective Mini-Review
These monologues successfully captured the feeling of being 17, with all the angst and humour and romance that comes with it. These young writers are ambitious and in-tune with the concerns of their peers. The topics explored included young queer love, the pressures of high school, grappling with grief as a teenager, and young women’s relationships to their mothers.
Review: Fangirls (2022) at Sydney Opera House
I truly believe Fangirls has the potential to play on a Broadway stage one day, and hope it continues to grow and improve with each iteration. Fangirls is a joyful, hilarious show that demonstrates an incisive understanding of contemporary fandom culture in the internet age, and I can’t wait to see it staged again.
Review: STC’s Chalkface at the Sydney Opera House
As a political commentary about how some of society’s most important and hard-working individuals—teachers—are systematically undervalued and overlooked, Chalkface succeeds. However, as a comedy—which the play is marketed as—Chalkface is a disappointment.
Review: Looking for Alibrandi at Belvoir
Looking for Alibrandi is a thoughtful depiction of a teenage girl torn between cultural identities, and a moving tale of mothers and daughters. Ultimately, I was disappointed by the director and designer’s use of the Belvoir space. While the production lacked the warmth of the original writing, the funny, loving lead performances of Macri and Mastrantone are a joy to watch, and it is well worth seeing.
Review: The Lifespan of a Fact at STC
The script is not subtle in its moralising about facts versus art, but it is effective. STC’s marketing evoked Aaron Sorkin, which is an apt comparison. Jim is agonisingly pedantic about the facts, and John is a pretentious egotist. Neither of them are fully likeable, and neither are 100% right or wrong— the writers let you decide where you fall. Jim and John’s battle is the clash of pragmatism and high-mindedness, a battle against what is correct, and what is dramatically compelling.
Scribbles of Stage and Screen 