Year: 2009

  Sydney Theatre presents A VESTURPORT AND LYRIC HAMMERSMITH PRODUCTION: METAMORPHOSIS by Franz Kafka. Adapted and Directed by David Farr and Gisli Orn Gardarsson at the Sydney Theatre. Franz Kafka wrote this short story in 1912. He was 29. He was dead at the age of 40. This work along with The TRIAL and maybe THE CASTLE have had a fascination for intellectuals, so much so that there is a word: Kafkaesque in the English dictionary – “( of a situation, atmosphere etc) impenetrably oppressive, nightmarish, in a manner characteristic of the fictional world of Franz Kafka.” This version of…

  Company B presents a Company B & Melbourne Theatre Company production THE MAN FROM MUKINUPIN written by Dorothy Hewitt and Music by Jim Cotter, at the Belvoir St Theatre. The production by Rodney Fisher of The Man From Mukinupin by Dorothy Hewitt at the Drama Theatre in the early eighties is one of those theatrical memories that has stayed with me. It was a magical and translating experience. This new production at Belvoir confirms for me, my belief, that this play is one of the great heritages of the Australian repertoire. Dorothy Hewitt’s work had always been controversial, not…

  B Sharp and floogle present OLLIE & THE MINOTAUR at Belvoir St Downstairs Theatre. The best thing about this experience is watching three actresses (Adriana Bonaccurso, Wendy Bos and Sarah Brokensha) reveling in the playing of three characters that they and the writer, Duncan Graham, and the director, Sarah John have collaborated in creating. Their curtain call exuding pride and satisfied joy. There is a naivety to this that is affecting, for there is not much else to take away and cherish. OLLIE AND THE MINOTAUR by Duncan Graham is a new play first performed at the 2008 Adelaide…

  Spikey Red Things & Tamarama Rock Surfers present DNA by Dennis Kelly at the Old Fitzroy Hotel Theatre. DNA is the third play of Dennis Kelly that we have seen at the Old Fitzroy. (Different Company productions, however.) Debris (2004), and Love and Money (2006) being the others. DNA was first performed in the Cottesloe Auditorium of the National Theatre in February 2008. It was originally written for the National Theatre’s Connections project, which pairs young actors with new writing. Dennis Kelly says “it’s about a group of teenagers who do something very wrong, and then cover it up.”…

  Sydney Theatre Company presents THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISSOCIA by Anthony Neilson at the Wharf 1. THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISSOCIA by Anthony Neilson is a play about Lisa. In the first half Lisa experiences a journey in her world of mental illness, of “Dissocia”, (Dissociation). In the second half of the play we see Lisa in a hospital ward being chemically treated for her “mental illness”. This is a terrific play. Mr Neilson through the action of the first half has us experience the world that Lisa knows with her illness. The world in her mind. He has…

Lana Jones and Kevin Jackson (the ballet dancer… not the blogger.) The Australian Ballet presents FIREBIRD AND OTHER LEGENDS at the Sydney Opera House. This season of ballets is the conclusion of the Australian Ballet’s celebration of the Ballets Russes.”FIREBIRD AND OTHER LEGENDS features three works that were performed in the first three years of Diaghliev’s Paris seasons in 1909.” LES SYLPHIDES, choreography by Mikhail Fokine, music by Frederic Chopin arranged by Roy Douglas. This is a ballet that for most represents the image of what ballet is in most people’s eyes. A ballet danced by the female dancers in…