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Taking its cue from bouffon, a form of theatrical performance rooted in grotesque mockery, satire and physical comedy, Golden Soil & Wealth For Toil takes aim at The Lucky Country.   Swiss dramatis t Friedrich Dürrenmatt ’s 1956 tragicomedy The Visit offered the perfect framing. Photos by Darren Gill For it is, indeed, a fair question to ask whether Australia is still the land of opportunity it was once seen to be.   Given the cost-of-living crisis and the widening gap betwee

Danish author and poet Hans Christian Anderson based the literary fairy tale The Red Shoes about a peasant girl named Karen on his loathed half-sister of that name.   The story, first published in an 1845 collection of his works, is that of a girl being forced to dance continually in red shoes.   The peasant girl’s mother dies when Karen is still very young.   Adopted by a rich, old lady, Karen grows up vain and spoilt. Photos by Brett Boardman Before her adoption, Karen had

Insults, treachery and love are interchangeable in this new, modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, which crackles with absurdity and wit.   It centres around the vicissitudes faced by two couples feted to be together, but not before a whole heap of melodrama. Photos by Grego ry Lorenzutti I speak of the acerbic Beatrice (Alison Bell) and aristocratic soldier Benedick (Fayssal Bazzi), both sworn off love and marriage. They are constantly testing each other

How do you handle it when the odds are stacked against you, the elements are playing havoc and you have a gun to your head?   That is the contention explored in the remote northern Minnesota wilderness in the peak of winter.   In this case, there are four main players – five, if you count flashbacks. Barb (Emma Thompson) is a recent widow.   She was happily married for many years and during the ordeal that plays out, she reflects fondly on her courtship and union.   Barb sets

Do you believe in ghosts?   Noted sceptic and author Professor Adrian Chambers (Peter Houghton) most certainly does not?   The 62-year-old has written 14 books on the subject.   At a very poorly attended new book reading and signing, he is waylaid by the only person who turns up, librarian Beth Jackson (Emily Trheny). Photos by Darren Gill Although their awkward exchange has Chambers cringing, he certainly takes notice when she offers him half a million dollars to take up a c

The multitalented PJ Lane takes us on a most entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable walk down memory lane, as he pays tribute to his famous father.   With special guests Patti Newton and Rhonda Burchmore, PJ Lane sings, dances and delves into the life and times of fellow entertainer, Don.   Complete with a striking 12-piece band and four glittering showgirls, PJ has a strong, powerful and melodic voice, which he uses to full effect. The variety show is interspersed with black

Passion, obsession, desperation, jealousy and rage make for a fiery combination in composer Georges Bizet’s Carmen, newly interpreted by director Anne-Louise Sarks.   The sublime music, with such familiar refrains, also showcases a sassy, not to be messed with soprano in Danielle de Niese. She is irrepressible and oh so potent as the titular character.   Carmen attracts men as a shining light draws insects. Resistance is impossible.   Never truer words have been written and t

What a special show: the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at its glorious best and four popular and talented singers in fine voice showcasing the incomparable Billy Joel. The sound is magnificent. The experience unforgettable. Photos by Mark Gambino The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s catalogue is remarkable. Thirty-three top 40 hits in the US. Record sales exceeding 160 million worldwide. Six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year.   So, it becomes a quest

First love erupts into a fight for Country in Whitefella Yella Tree.   Teen indigenous Australians from different clans meet to exchange information.   Ty (Joseph Althouse) of the River mob is tall, wiry, reflective and intelligent. Neddy (Danny Howard) of the Mountain mob is slightly shorter and sturdier, a livewire who darts about. Photos by Prudence Upton They meet beneath the knotted branches of a newly rooted lemon tree.   They have eyes only for one another. It is all v