Performing Arts Reviews:
2008–2022

Photo by Brett Boardman Sydney Theatre Company (STC) presents, CYRANO DE BERGERAC, by Edmond Rostand. Adapted by Andrew Upton. Translated by Marion Potts. At the Sydney Theatre, Hickson Rd. Walsh Bay, 11 Nov – 20 Dec, 2014. This is a catch-up blog. This production of Edmond Rostand’s famous, CYRANO DE BERGERAC, has been adapted, a second time by Andrew Upton, who also happens to be the Director of this production, (the first adaptation being from a translation from the French, by Marion Potts), assisted according to the program notes, by Kip Williams. Both, recently, collaborated on CHILDREN OF THE SUN,…

Photograph by Phyllis Wong Lace Balloon presents, DEAD TIME, Written and Directed by Fleur Beaupert, at 107 Projects, 107 Redfern Street, Redfern, 20 – 29 May, Wednesday to Friday (8pm). DEAD TIME, is a new Australian play, by Fleur Beaupert, Devised by Paul Armstrong, (Kailah Cabanas), Lara lightfoot, Abi Rayment, Robert Rhode, Melissa Kathryn Rose, Eleni Schumacher and Barton Williams. DEAD TIME has been built from verbatim and interview transcripts concerning the case of Dr Mohamed Haneef, wrongly accused, arrested and held without charge for the longest period on record in this country under the ‘dead time’ provisions in the Commonwealth…

Photo by Brett Boardman Griffin Theatre Company presents, THE HOUSE ON THE LAKE, by Aidan Fennessey, at the SBW Stables Theatre, Kings Cross. 15 May – 20 June. THE HOUSE ON THE LAKE, written by Aiden Fennessey, is presented by the  Griffin Theatre Company, after its premiere, a year ago, at the Black Swan State Theatre Company, in Perth. A new Australian play. THE HOUSE ON THE LAKE is a 90 minute, one act play. A psychological thriller, where David (Huw Higginson) seemingly suffering from anterograde amnesia, is coaxed back to health through a series of interviews by a forensic…

Photography by Heidrun Lohr A Monkey Baa Theatre Company production, THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER, by Sandra Eldridge, at the Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre. Terrace 3 / 1-25 Harbour Street, Sydney, 18 May – 22 May. THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER, is a new Australian play, to honour the Centenary of WW1, written by Monkey Baa Co-Creative Director Sandra Eldridge. Monkey Baa Theatre Company, founded in 1997, has been adapting Australia’s most well-loved stories for young people (aged 3-18), staging and touring them around the country, working with schools, arts and children’s organisations across remote, regional, rural and metropolitan Australia. THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER, is…

Photography by Clare Hawley Mophead Productions presents, THE HOUSE OF RAMON IGLESIA, by Jose Rivera, at the Old Fitz Theatre, Cnr Cathedral and Dowling St, Woolloomooloo, May 12 – June 6. Director Anthony Skuse and Mophead Productions introduced this writer, Jose Rivera, in 2009, when he gave us REFERENCES TO SALVADOR DALI MAKE ME HOT (2000), at the Griffin. THE HOUSE OF RAMON IGLESIA (1983) is Mr Rivera’s first play and has all the hallmarks of an auto-biographical/poetic licensed work. Javier (Stephen Multari) is the eldest son of three brothers, the others: Julio (Christian Charisiou) and Charlie (David Soncin), of Pureto Rican…

Photo by Brett Boardman Sydney Theatre Company (STC) presents, BOYS WILL BE BOYS, by Melissa Bubnic, in the Wharf 2 Theatre, Hickson Rd, Walsh Bay. April 18- 16 May. BOYS WILL BE BOYS, by Melissa Bubnic, is a new Australian play. Set in the work spaces/play spaces of a WOLF OF WALL STREET- like, money-making company somewhere in Australia, this one act play has five female actors playing all the characters, male and female – some in formal suited attire, some, sometimes, in next-to-nothing, but all in high heeled stilettos. Says the Director, Paige Rattray: “We’re used to seeing men…