Performing Arts Reviews:
2008–2022

  Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) present Tour Two: The Hilliard Ensemble at the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House. The Australian Chamber Orchestra in the chimerical secular cathedral of the Concert Hall presented The Hilliard Ensemble in an astute and educative curation of music. The religious origins of some of the repertoire of the internationally esteemed guests, Sheryngham’s “Ah, Gentle Jesu” (Ca. 1500) were highlighted alongside especially commissioned work by Hilliard from a Russian composer, Alexander Raskatov, “Obikhod” (2002 -2003), referencing the traditional liturgical chant books of the Russian Orthodox Church for string orchestra and voices (with a struck bell effect)…

  Siren Theatre Co and Griffin Independent present the Sydney Premiere of THE NEW ELECTRIC BALLROOM by Enda Walsh at the SBW Stables Theatre, Kings Cross. The Irish gift of the ‘gab’ is once more on display in Enda Walsh’s THE NEW ELECTRIC BALLROOM at the Griffin Independent Theatre and Siren Theatre Co’s Sydney premiere presentation of this play. Words, words, words. None of these characters are shy with language. Talk, talk and more talk. It is even remarked upon by the characters in the play!!! In an Irish tradition that harks back to Oscar Wilde, the inimitable Mr George…

  NEGLECTED MUSICALS presents ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, Book and Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Music by Cy Coleman at the Darlinghurst Theatre. “NEGLECTED MUSICALS is a theatre initiative dedicated to presenting musical theatre that’s never (or rarely) been seen in Australia. NEGLECTED MUSICALS presents a reading of a chosen show with scripts in hand and with the musical numbers sung through after only a few rehearsals. Neglected musicals are not for profit where the participants are volunteers.” – Michelle Guthrie For Michelle Guthrie, the producer of this company, NEGELECTED MUSICALS is a passion project catapulted and sustained…

  New Theatre presents THE TEMPERAMENTALS by Jon Marans at the New Theatre, Newtown. I have been, of late, busy creating. Hence, the slow list of Diary entries. One of these activities has been my direction of THE TEMPERAMENTALS by Jon Marans for the New Theatre as part of the Mardi Gras theatre program. The other has been work on Gao Xingjjian’s wonderful play, THE OTHER SHORE, for the School of Art and Media at the University of New South Wales. I am genuinely pleased about the experience of THE TEMPERAMENTALS and particularly proud of the work of the actors…

  Belvoir produced BABYTEETH by Rita Kalnejais at the Belvoir St Theatre, Upstairs. BABYTEETH by Rita Kalnejais, is a contemporary story of a young fourteen year old girl in the last stages of dying from cancer and the repercussions on her close and extended ‘family’. In the very first scene Millla (Sara West), the girl, dies. The play then travels back in time to show us some of the events that lead to this ending at the beginning of the play. We see it again in dumb show, later. Since we know the ending, perhaps, we can watch the storytelling…

  Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO), 2012, Tour One; Chopin and Mendelsshon’s Octet in the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House. The Australian Chamber Orchestra are my favourite concert music maker artists. This first concert for 2012 features the Chopin Concerto No.1 in E minor, Op.11 (arr. Hofmann) (with string accompaniment) with guest pianist Polina Leschenko. No matter the undeniable skills of Ms Leschenko I was flatly unmoved or connected to the Chopin. Similarly the Mendelssohn Octet for strings in E flat major, Op.20 failed to sustain my interest. Whether it was the choice of music or the playing, or me on…