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We are confronted by distressing imagery of natural disasters and the aftermath of war, where nothing remains but the grey shell of homes that once were. In contemporary terms, think Gaza, the Ukraine and Russia. This, on a large scale, on a big screen, begins a more intimate portrayal of the impact of devastation. A woman, Layla (Jane Montgomery-Griffiths), is being held captive in a Museum of Art and Antiquities that has been ravaged by war. Photos by Sarah Clarke Th

A dystopian fantasy set in the Amazon, it concerns the fate of a resilient 77-year-old woman. Her name is Tereza (Denise Weinberg) and she has lived her whole life in a small, industrialised town, working on the production line at a local factory. She raised her daughter, Joana (Clarissa Pinheiro) on her own and now, in turn, Joana is also a mother and working hard, with little time for Tereza. The Brazilian government is at pains to point out that it wants to recognise t

If you are looking for a sensational night out, look no further than what my wife and I experienced over four hours at Melbourne’s Skydeck and Eureka 89. It was so special. It is situated at Riverside Quay in Southbank. If you are driving in, there is a Wilson carpark literally seconds away (where you can benefit from $15 parking if you get your parking ticket validated at the Skydeck check in desk). Photos by Eugene Hyland and Alex First So, now, onto the details about t

Caroline O’Connor is a living treasure – so gifted, so natural, so personable and so, so good. She sings with power, passion and precision. She dances, she acts and can she weave compelling stories! This is a musical theatre performer extraordinaire who has made it big on the world stage. And those who attended Morning Melodies at Hamer Hall were privileged to see her warble and chat with the host of ABC Classic Breakfast, Megan Burslem. O’Connor was very much on song

It was the print media that exposed the tale of two reclusive, idiosyncratic, upper-class women – a mother and daughter – in the early 1970s. That was when an article in the National Enquirer and a cover story in New York Magazine shone a light on the pair’s living conditions. Home for them was a derelict mansion, known as Grey Gardens, situated in the wealthy neighbourhood of East Hampton in New York. I speak of Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale (known as Big Edie: 1895 –1977)

Powerhouse performances and an electrifying vibe. That is the essence of a cavalcade of hits from Broadway musicals brought to the Melbourne stage by Sam Steven Productions. Vocalists Hannah Underwood, Sylvia Kokkinas, Andrew Vassett and Craig Lough join a talented four-piece band to figuratively lift the roof off The MC Showroom. Photos by Sam Steven Productions While many of the 34 numbers in the two-act, two-hour program (including interval) are up-tempo bangers, ther

Innovative and highly creative, east meets west in playwright Shane Woon’s love story about Chinese gods and AFL football. The Rabbit in the title is the Rabbit God Tu’er Shen (played by Sean Yuen Halley), the patron saint of queer people. Watson (Anton Pan-Cassin) is a budding AFL player, at age 22 on his last chance to make it in the Big League. They literally bump into each other after a colourful (and loud) lion dance that starts the show and Watson immediately make

There is so much joy in Pretty Woman: The Musical. I adore what the collaborators have done with the beloved story of the Hollywood sex worker and the wealthy businessman. It is based on the 1990 feel good romance, written by J. F. Lawton and directed by Garry Marshall, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Photos by Daniel Boud The book of the musical is by Marshall and Lawton, with an original score in a rich variety of genres. Gone is the soundtrack from the movi

Breaking up is hard to do. So it goes, as Karin McCracken and Simon Leary put on a most entertaining sketch comedy show, peppered with science and some musical numbers. In so doing, they unpack the angst associated with broken relationships. In character, she struggles big time to put the past in the past. It is about staying mired in the why, trawling over what could have and should have been. Photos by Lewis Ferris The vignettes are interspersed with McCracken’s co