Performing Arts Reviews:
2008–2022

Sydney Festival 2012 in association with Sydney Theatre presents BABEL (words) – Sidi Cherkaoui, Damien Jalet and Anthony Gormley. Sidi Cherkaoui has been a recent visitor, twice, to our theatres. I first saw him in an astounding duet with Akram Khan in a piece called ZERO DEGREES (also featuring an Anthony Gormley design) and later in the Concert Hall showing a work called SUTRA a project in collaboration with Anthony Gormley, Syzmon Brzoska and monks from the Shaolin Temple in China. This work BABEL was co-commissioned by the Dash Arts 2010 programme on Arabic Arts. Eastman vzw is company in…

  Marney McQueen presents SUNBURNT COUNTRY starring Rosa the Russian Beautician and Friends, written by Marney McQueen and Tim Bain, at Slide, Oxford St. Darlinghurst. Friday night I was whisked off by Daniel Scott to see a one night stand at the Slide Cabaret venue in Oxford Street – Marney McQueen in a show called SUNBURNT COUNTRY. I had not planned it, but it was a great way to finish the week. Marney McQueen has been seen in the musical PRISCILLA, QUEEN of the DESERT and recently in HAIRSPRAY in Sydney and elsewhere. This triple threat, actor-singer-dancer has, however, not…

  Griffin Theatre Company, in association with Sydney Festival, presents THE BOYS by Gordon Graham at the SBW Stables Theatre, Kings Cross. If, for no other reason, a very good reason to decide to see THE BOYS at the Griffin Theatre, is to see the acting. There maybe other reasons to go as well, but, if in doubt about going, for this play we all know, is not easy, overcome your reluctance. The front of House team took our tickets and wished us ‘a lovely night’ as we climbed the stairs to our seats. A lovely night was not to…

  BLACK CAPITAL DAY and I AM EORA, World Premiere, presented by Sydney Festival 2012 in association with The Balnaves Foundation in Bay 17 at Carriageworks. According to the stylish corporate brochure and publicity material for the Sydney Festival 2012 : Carriageworks in the heart of Redfern is the place to be for our FAMILY AND CULTURE DAY on Sunday, January 8. The official opening ceremonies for BLACK CAPITAL start at midday with a Welcome to Country, kicking off a colourful and fun-filled program of storytelling, music, art performance and food. The doors open on Brook Andrew’s TRAVELLING COLONY of…

This is not to be a normal post, but rather an update of the circumstances in which I will continue to write. I graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Arts in the Acting Course (NIDA) in 1971 – yikes 41 years ago. Since then, I have worked as an actor, director and teacher of acting, both in Australia and Internationally – Principally, the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. I worked as a teacher at NIDA, part time and full time for 28 years. I have just finished a ten year stint as a full-time staff member, working with…

Let’s begin with the theatre that I have seen this year that has given me good reason to KEEP going. By far and away the  most satisfying production I saw this year was: THE LIBERTINE by Stephen Jeffreys at the Darlinghurst Theatre by SPORT FOR JOVE. Every aspect of this presentation was informed by theatrical intelligence and committed passion, beginning with the writing right through to the Acting: Danielle King – amazingly gifted and giving, present; Anthony Gooley – it looked like a self sacrifce of himself to create the performance of Rochester, exciting to see auch a young actor…