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Her life story has hardly been straightforward but, dare I say, that is what makes it compelling. I speak of Iranian immigrant Sahra Davoudi, who arrived in Melbourne at age 25 and had to learn English. In fact, the first words she mastered were “sorry” and “hey, how you goin’?” She tells us about a childhood marked by a significant injury. Suffice to say it involved a reenactment of the movie Titanic at age 11. Then, there’s a career trajectory against her mother’s w

What do you call a loving relationship that can’t readily be categorised? Rhomboid, according to the central character in Eric Jiang’s humorous and poignant play of that name. A dictionary definition of the term is also apt in terms of what unfolds, for it refers to a lopsided diamond. Photos by MOUK. MEDIA Filipino Xavier (Ken Paolo) and Caucasian Sebastian (Lawrence Hawkins) get together in their final year of school. There is the awkwardness that often accompanies th

It was a stunning night of song and ceremony that will long remain with me for its richness and redolence. I speak of First Peoples’ stories woven into Country. Gugu Dindi Gunyah. Many Rivers. One Home. marked the opening of the newly refurbished Ian Potter State Theatre at Arts Centre Melbourne. That includes fresh, acoustically designed seats and wider space between rows of seats, a new glittering ceiling and upgrades to the lighting and sound systems. Along with be

Can artificial intelligence develop from an increasingly valuable tool for business and personal use to a destructive force that will wipe out the human race? Unfortunately, this question appears no longer to be purely in the realm of science fiction. It is increasingly being debated and speculated about. Photos by Pia Johnson The doomsdayers are convinced the threat of that happening is real – likely even. It is hard not to think about these things while watching Tom H

Who doesn’t love Elton John’s expansive musical repertoire and who doesn’t appreciate the fine work of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra? Bringing the two together is akin to lighting a bonfire that is an instant drawcard. Genius, no less. Photos by Laura Manariti and Alex First You could rightly call this a celebratory concert because 40 years ago Elton John invited the MSO to accompany him on a national orchestral tour. So, this is a tribute show, in which Jason Dean, who is

Unquestionably dark and haunting, Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw paints a devastating picture of distress and, possibly, madness. It concerns a governess appointed to look after two orphaned children on the strict condition that she never contact their guardian, an uncle too busy to take care of them. Photos by Jeff Busby Apprehensive about taking on the role, soon enough she warms to it because the youngsters – a boy and his elder sister – seem bright and respons

Integrated dance, light and sound at their mesmerising finest. That, in a nutshell, is Triptych. While the definition of the title refers to a work of art divided into three sections, there are – in fact – four works on show. They are described as an epilogue, acts 1 and 2 and a prologue. The respective running times are about nine minutes, nine minutes, 20 minutes and nine minutes, with brief breaks in between. In the epilogue, three female dancers, hair tied up and

Sensitivity and soul permeate a fresh song cycle about life and its vicissitudes from first time writer and director Isabelle Davis, which strikes a chord. Emotionally resonant throughout, The Eternally Hopeful features four talented performers from their teens to their thirties who pour their hearts into the material. Photos by Alec Farrow I speak of Jacqui Dwyer, billed as Hopeful 1, Kate Allnut as Hopeful 2, Hamish Pattenden, at the tender age of 16, as Hopeful 3 and Luk

Are men savages? Does the battle for supremacy, for power and control, of man against man know no bounds? Is it in our DNA? The answer to all these questions is a resounding “yes” if Nobel Prize-winning English author William Golding’s iconic work Lord of the Flies is anything to go by. It was his first novel, published in 1954, while its huge impact as a stage production was first felt in July 1995. Photos by Matthew Chen That was when the Royal Shakespeare Company at St

They are so damn good. It is not just the broad variety of circus arts on show that had me mesmerised, but the extremely high level of achievement from the second-year student ensemble. The physical feats of the fresh-faced performers, orchestrated by director Kate Fryer, all but defy belief. Photos by Alex First and Rob Blackburn That, plus the splendid showmanship and comedic interludes, provides a massive “wow” factor. The 15-strong contingent that take to the stage

Literature, history and inappropriate dealings between a teacher and student are at the core of this incendiary drama, which plays out over two decades. We begin in country Victoria in 2007, where Damon (Dion Mills) is an inspirational English teacher. He changed Chris’ (Will Lonsdale) life when he taught him. Now, Chris’ career path is set to follow his. Photos by Parenthesy Chris, 19, is now a rowing coach at the school and decides to travel and pursue further studies t

So joyously silly, Drew Anthony Creative’s presentation of Monty Python’s Spamalot, lovingly ripped off from the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail, is five-star gold. It is entertainment personified – witty, wild and wonderful. Photos by Ben Fon With book and lyrics by Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, this frivolous fancy captured the imagination when it was first produced on Broadway in 2005. It was justly rewarded with the Tony Award for B

Danger, discomfort and tension are the hallmarks of a family gathering in Harold Pinter’s incendiary play The Homecoming. Set in the mid ‘60s in London, it concerns working class kin with proverbial skeletons in the closet. Patriarch Max, a former butcher, is nothing, if not somewhat unhinged – combative and confrontational. A widower with three adult sons, he isn’t always complimentary about his deceased wife, Jessie. He is forever sparring with his middle son, Lenny,

So rich and raw, humorous and moving. This is a slice of life piece about a precious friendship forged between two girls at the age of 13 that carries them through to adulthood today, 22 years later. Isabella Yena plays Sam and Mich McCowage is Holly. The two “girls” meet at try outs for spots as ball kids at a tennis training camp. Holly arrives first, methodically slathers all her exposed areas in suncream and offers some to Sam when she turns up. Sam’s approach is fa

What an electrifying showcase of talent up close and personal. That is what is in store when you set foot inside Fairfax Studio at Arts Centre Melbourne to witness Zerial. It is a slick, enticing and highly entertaining program of fluid movement, breathtaking aerial acrobatics, dance par excellence and ear pleasing music and song. Photos by Leigh Hyland, Steamkittens Eight artistes – four aerialists, two dancers and two singers – work through 15 acts in a little more than

The extraordinary musical talent of the delightful and dynamic Silvie Paladino is on display for all to see and hear in her walk down memory lane at Hamer Hall. With her emotionally resonant, soaring vocals she captivates an appreciative audience as she talks us through her background and her career. Her father was an Italian tailor and her mother an Egyptian seamstress. They met in Australia, with Silvie the third of four children. She has two older sisters and a you

The subject matter might be stomach churning, but its entertainment and engagement value certainly is not. Soundworks Productions’ Sweeney Todd is triumphant thanks to strong performances, astute direction and compelling staging. If you have never seen Sweeney Todd before, I dare say that having done so you will never look at meat pies quite the same way again. Photos by Matthew Chen It is a tale of murder, vengeance, cannibalism and entrepreneurial spirit. Benjamin Bar

BIG Live’s balletic production of Dracula is, in a word, captivating. It is dramatic, haunting and sensual. In 11 scenes through two acts, the production reimagines Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic horror story about desire, torment and immortality with passion and conviction. With no beg pardons, the performances are pointed and electrifying. It is the tale of Vlad the Impaler. He is a formidable warrior, who after defeating an army of enemies, is embittered when the chur

This guy – Fabio Motta – is absolutely brilliant. In the first instance, he has drawn on fact and upended it to craft an immersive, engaging and thoroughly entertaining story. More to the point, he and he alone (with a little help from the lighting and sound designers) manages to hold us in the palms of his hands for 90 minutes. That is no mean feat. Photos by Darren Gill Onto the premise. From when he was young, at the end of the 12th century, Francis of Assisi kn

I fell big time for the two leads in James Terry Collective’s production of Disney’s High School Musical On Stage! Their chemistry is unmistakable. Individually and collectively Sophia Kouknas and Gabriel Tiller’s vocalisation is pure, strong, melodic and engaging. They harmonise magnificently. They play Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton, who meet on New Year’s Eve after Gabriella’s mother took her on a ski trip. The pair immediately bond and find themselves singing a k