Year: 2017

HIDDEN FIGURES HIDDEN FIGURES, tells the story of African-American women,mathematicians, involved crucially in the NASA Space Program in the1960’s, in its race with the Soviet Union and its Space program. In2017, a story of timely importance, definitely politically, for ourtimes. It is an important story, then. I, I should confess, was moved,cried and smiled often. Manipulated pleasantly like the rest of you. This was despite the film-making having all the hall marks of anAffirmative Action movie that Ticks All the Boxes on how to make apopular commercial product. Now, there is nothing, essentially, wrongwith that except it is, in this…

Sydney Symphony Orchestra presents, YOUNG RUSSIANS – Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich, in the Concert Hall, at the Sydney Opera House. 1st, 3rd and 4th March. YOUNG RUSSIANS was a program of music from three of the greats of music of the last century. Music from the three greats, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich right at the beginning of their career. All three pieces are auguries of their coming contribution to world music. Sergei Prokofiev wrote his CLASSICAL SYMPHONY. OP 25 (SYMPHONY No. 1 in D) in the summer of 1917, at the age of 26, right at the beginning of the…

  PYT FAIRFIELD presents, TRIBUNAL, a devised verbatim work led by Karen Therese, at the PYT Performance Space in Fairfield. 2 March – March11. TRIBUNAL, was presented last year in a short and sold out season at the SBW Stables Theatre. This re-mounting of the work has been prepared for the local audience of Fairfield, the ‘home’ of the young theatre company. What was exciting about the showing in Fairfield is to experience the sense of community and its support for one another. In the foyer we were regaled by The Choir of Love, invited to dance, and offered coffee…

  Bell Shakespeare present, RICHARD 3, by William Shakespeare, in the Playhouse Theatre, at the Sydney Opera House. 25 February – 1st April. RICHARD III is a play written by William Shakespeare c. 1592, early in his career. The Bell Shakespeare present at the Sydney Opera House RICHARD 3,  a dramaturgical collaboration between Director, Peter Evans and actor Kate Mulvany using the Shakespeare original. The play has been hand-crafted with this actor and company in mind, it seems. This is their third collaboration, JULIUS CAESAR and MACBETH, being the previous two. Kate Mulvany is also playing this Richard 3, and…

  Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, presents HANDEL’S MESSIAH, in the City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney. March, 2017. Paul Dyer, leader of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, has invited a young theatre Director, Constantine Costi, to prepare, with him, a performance of George Frederic Handel’s, MESSIAH. In a speedy two hour performance, including interval, this great and famous English Oratorio, has all barefooted – orchestra, chorus, soloists and conductor – perhaps, that the reason for fleet-footed tempo. THE BAREFOOT MESSIAH, in the City Recital Hall. In the program notes we are told that Handel always intended his oratorios as entertainment, to be…

  Sydney Theatre Company presents A Sydney Theatre Company and Malthouse Theatre Production of AWAY, by Michael Gow, in the Drama Theatre, at the Sydney Opera House, 23 February – 25 March. Michael Gow’s AWAY is a ‘classic’ Australian play much loved by Australian audiences. I have seen some countless numbers of productions and, I believe, this is the fifth professional production that I have seen. I saw the first production for the Griffin Theatre Company at the SBW Stables Theatre in 1986, Directed by Peter Kingston. One for the Playbox Theatre in Melbourne in 1986, Directed by Neil Armfield.…