Dance, Reviews, Theatre

REVIEW: 歸屬 Gui Shu (Belong) | PICA, Performing Lines WA and Steamworks

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歸屬 Gui Shu (Belong) PICA and Performing Lines WA 12 November 2019 One of Perth’s sister cities since 1999 is Taipei, Taiwan, and this relationship has fostered a four-year, multi-disciplinary, international artistic collaboration that culminates in a dance theatre performance currently seeing its world premiere at Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) called 歸屬 Gui Shu (Belong). I had the privilege of attending the preview night of the show’s week-long season that runs from 12 – 16 November, and spent an hour or so locked in the fascinating, rich world that this eclectic group of artists has created. The performance space is … Continue reading REVIEW: 歸屬 Gui Shu (Belong) | PICA, Performing Lines WA and Steamworks

Reviews, Theatre

REVIEW: Cephalopod | Squid Vicious and The Blue Room Theatre

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Cephalopod Squid Vicious and The Blue Room Theatre November 1, 2019 Now, maybe my theatre tastes have changed vastly over these six or so years I’ve been reviewing, but I’m increasingly finding it’s the shows that abandon formula in favour of sincere and controlled chaos that are the most exciting and interesting to watch. Sometimes I find the most theatre joy in being taken for an utterly weird ride, each twist and turn of a performance’s anti-narrative revealing something wildly surprising. This is the kind of show I found in Cephalopod. It’s a two-part one-act: the first half, an absurd/surreal … Continue reading REVIEW: Cephalopod | Squid Vicious and The Blue Room Theatre

Opera, Theatre

VIEWS: This Month in Perth Performing Arts – October 2019

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October, you’ve been good to us here in Perth. As the weather gets a little warmer, companies start to head into their final productions, while artists and indie producers begin gearing up for Fringemas. I want to take a look back at the shows I got to enjoy this month, and look ahead to a couple of big seasons that were launched by two of our majors, WA Opera and Black Swan STC. I’ll get a little more personal with this post than you’d see with a typical review, so if you decide to read on, I hope you’ll indulge … Continue reading VIEWS: This Month in Perth Performing Arts – October 2019

Cabaret, Reviews

REVIEW: Under the Milky Way: Trevor Jones Sings the Great Australian Songbook || Downstairs at the Maj

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Under the Milky Way: Trevor Jones Sings the Great Australian Songbook Review by Cicely Binford Thursday, 18 July, 2019 Australian piano man Trevor Jones blew into town last weekend to debut his new cabaret, Under the Milky Way: Trevor Jones Sings the Great Australian Songbook. No question as to what the show will be about with a title like that, and indeed, Jones delivered exactly what was promised. He and his band (comprised of Chris Gibbs on guitar, Daniel Skelton on drums, and Craig Skelton on bass) powered through an hour and a bit of some of the best-loved, best-known … Continue reading REVIEW: Under the Milky Way: Trevor Jones Sings the Great Australian Songbook || Downstairs at the Maj

Reviews, Theatre

REVIEW: Love and Information || Hand In Hand Theatre

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Love and Information Review by Lorna Mackie July 18, 2019 I had the pleasure of attending the opening night of Hand in Hand Theatre’s production of the fascinating work Love and Information, by Caryl Churchill at the Subiaco Arts Centre Studio space. Love and Information is a unique work, with almost 80 scenes in the script for the director to choose from. There are no character descriptions, no names, no thread of storyline, no recurring themes or narratives; the genius of the work is that the author requires the director and actors to work as a true ensemble, workshopping and … Continue reading REVIEW: Love and Information || Hand In Hand Theatre

Reviews, Theatre

REVIEW: S-27 || Feet First Collective and Fremantle Festival

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S-27 Review by Lorna Mackie July 12, 2019 S-27, written by Sarah Grochala, is presented by Feet First Collective as part of Fremantle Festival – 10 Nights in Port 2019 at the Fremantle Arts Centre. S-27 is a dystopian, partially immersive theatre experience shown in the round. Set in a fictional world where ‘The Organisation’ controls everything, the audience, as traitors to The Organisation are taken for Assessment. Audience members have the option to volunteer for some physical interaction (which is well managed by the cast) prior to the Assessment, which is a more traditional seated play in the round. … Continue reading REVIEW: S-27 || Feet First Collective and Fremantle Festival

Reviews, Theatre

REVIEW: Floor Thirteen || Marshall Stay and The Blue Room Theatre

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  Floor Thirteen Review by Lorna Mackie 27 June 2019 Floor Thirteen, presented by The Blue Room Theatre and Marshall Stay, is a fascinating and challenging new work. This is its premier run, however, it feels highly polished. Floor Thirteen is performed in the round, a brilliant directing choice by Marshall Stay (one of many such well-considered choices) to make the best of some incredibly strong physical theatre, and had me captured from start to finish. The show features an emotional and nuanced performance in the character of Phoebe (Kylie Bywaters), stuck in a lift at 3am, anxiously recounting the … Continue reading REVIEW: Floor Thirteen || Marshall Stay and The Blue Room Theatre