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With so many stars and planets in the universe, why is Earth the only one we know of so far that can support a preponderance of human life? That is a question answered categorically in the interactive and immersive virtual reality experience Smithsonian Starstruck. Developed in collaboration with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is an invitation to explore distant galaxies. In fact, there is an abundance of information, coupled w

A cavalcade of colour, movement and sound, EONARIUM Enlightenment is a sensory sensation with huge emotional resonance. Upstairs at the Immigration Museum is the perfect venue to immerse yourself in this spirited showcase that dazzles and delights. Antonio Vivaldi’s Baroque era masterpiece The Four Seasons provides the ultimate sound bed for an extraordinary half hour of moving projections. Vivid colours in a huge variety of shapes and styles, including naturalistic and

It is known as the magical world of Disney for a reason, which is immediately evident when you witness the spectacular show Disney on Ice presents Magic in the Stars. Featuring a surfeit of Disney favourites, this is something special. As technology continues to develop and with creativity in abundance, I venture to suggest this is the best Disney on Ice yet … and I have seen many. Think ice skaters par excellence performing somersaults, lifts, twirls and jumps, not to o

There is so much to get excited about in Victorian Opera’s new production of The Coronation of Poppea. It is chock-full of skulduggery, subterfuge and intrigue. Think ruthless ambition and illicit passion. Photos by Jeff Busby As director Sam Strong well puts it, Brian De Palma’s classic film Scarface meets 1980s Miami and neo-classical kitsch. Into that mix you should add ancient Rome and the gods. Talk about a heady combination … and I assure you The Coronation of

Let’s start with a simple question. What is the Minions’ mantra? If your answer is to find the most evil boss of their time to serve, you get an elephant stamp. But what would any Minion worth his salt do along the way? Create mayhem, of course. So it is that this seventh film in the franchise, dating back to Despicable Me in 2010, is built on the contention that Minions have always been around. Grainy black and white footage at the start of the movie – a nice touch – g

The wellness industry gets a well-deserved dressing down in Marieke Hardy’s uproarious comedy with a dark underbelly, Losing Face. Jo (Michala Banas), Lauren (Christie Whelan Browne) and Simone (Madeleine Sami) have been besties since ... forever. Only these days they don’t see much of each other because, well, life has gotten in the way. Photos by Pia Johnson In fact, they haven’t been together for five years, when with only a week’s notice, Jo invites them to join her

Colour, movement and music to delight the senses. Modern balletic dance at its finest. A work of sublime beauty and integrity that has 30 captivating dancers entrancing the audience from a blank canvas. Save for lighting differentiation and enthralling music, their backdrop is an open stage. All the more reason to admire their endeavours. Photos by Kate Longley As the curtain lifts, the performers are covered head to leg in sheer wrapping, only to shed those light “g

The fun starts even before you enter the heated Big Top, which is located opposite Westfield Fountain Gate in Narre Warren. Snow is falling immediately outside, courtesy of a snow making machine. FROSTED – A Winter Spectacular is a magical experience for the littlies and for the parents and grandparents who watch their small faces light up. It is the second time that Showtime Attractions has staged this Christmas in June and July celebration and it has been expanded sinc

Set between Australia and the Philippines, the tragicomedy MR BIG aka Tatay, A Transwoman and That Tiring Tune! deals with pain and regret. Diana (Dax Carnay-Hanrahan) is a trans Filipina woman who now lives in Australia and is engaged to be married to the love of her life, Jerry (Aiden Gale Miranda). At the same time, she is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Photos by Myca Guinchoma She is holding on to a dark secret that she can’t bring herself to share

Relationships can be complicated beasts. That is shown up in all its tangled glory (well, not so much glory) in Four Play. Rafe (Anthony Jacobsen) and Pete (Reuby Chip), both virgins when they met at university, have been in an exclusive relationship for seven and a half years. That’s when Pete puts forward an unusual suggestion that Rafe agrees to run with. Photos by Phoebe Anne Taylor He wants both of them to try having sex with the same third person, someone they both

Lightscape, the highly creative, after dark, lighting cavalcade at Royal Botanic Gardens, complete with a most appealing soundtrack, is a sensory sensation. It started in 2022 and the "exhibits" this year are the best yet. Following a curved two-kilometre trail, the installations have been created by leading artists from Australia and around the world. For those who have seen Lightscape before, there is so much this year that is fresh, while those who haven’t are in for a

What a fascinating, intriguing, thrilling premise this James Joyce actioner has! Imagine if the Irish writer of Ulysses, one of the most lauded books ever published, exchanged correspondence with one of the world’s most famous comedians. Yes, Joyce and Groucho Marx in regular communication, after Groucho reached out to Joyce having acquired a first edition of Ulysses. Photos by Jody Jane Stitt He does so because he admires passages of Joyce’s writing within it, but is fru

Do tech bros, that is entrepreneurs in the tech industry, rule the modern world without taking personal accountability for their missteps? You need not think too hard to come up with names that roll off virtually everyone’s tongues. That is a concept explored in this horror sci-fi about such a man who sets about trying to colonise Mars. Photos by Joe Calleri His name is Evan Task, the founder of a company called Corporare, that has its sights on the red planet. Not only

Tragicomic in nature, Sweet Charity features a series of big musical numbers. It premiered on Broadway in 1966, was nominated for nine Tony Awards (winning one for choreography) and continues to resonate. With book by Neil Simon, music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, it is based on the screenplay for the 1957 Italian film Nights of Cabiria. Heirlume Productions’ iteration is big on energy, humour and heart. Leading from the front as the ever-optimistic Cha

A sensational, largely musical tribute to Grey Gardens, House of Rot resonates … and how, from the first note. Grey Gardens was a derelict 14-room mansion in the wealthy neighbourhood of East Hampton in New York. It was populated by two reclusive, upper-class women – a mother and daughter. Photos by Gianna Rizzo Their names were Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale (known as Big Edie: 1895 –1977) and Edith Bouvier Beale (who went by the moniker Little Edie: 1917 – 2002). Respectiv

A finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, American playwright Sarah Delappe has crafted a portrait of female adolescence through a girls’ soccer team. The story unfolds as a group of 16 and 17-year-olds has regular work out sessions to prepare for upcoming games. As the nine youngsters warm up, their discussions are many, varied and far ranging. Photos by Steven Mitchell Wright They include global trouble spots, including genocide in Cambodia under Pol Pot, menst

A prolific, iconic writer and feminist who lived life on her terms, Miles Franklin (14th October, 1879 – 19th September, 1954) is best known for her auspicious debut, My Brilliant Career. Her legacy lives on through her published works and with the announcement of the annual Miles Franklin Literary Award to a novel of literary merit on Australian life. In quick succession, we have seen two original musical works about Franklin’s life and times, her hopes and dreams. Phot

While growing up, I was captivated by subversive stories in a classical cartoon segment known as Fractured Fairy Tales. That aired as part of the TV series The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends. It turned familiar yarns about the likes of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and many others on their head. Photos by Joel Devereux All these years later, one of my all-time favourite theatre companies, Shake & Stir, has done the same, now featuring real flesh an

The Australian Ballet’s glorious retelling of the classic Shakespeare tragedy Romeo and Juliet is colourful, powerful and passionate. This is a step back in time to wealthy, medieval Verona, where rivalries explode and danger lurks. The innocence of first love is shattered through the antipathy of the Montagues and the Capulets. Photos by Daniel Boud The interpretation we witness is that of choreographer John Cranko (who passed away in 1973). The thoughts behind it have

Katzenmusik is a German word that translates as caterwaul, the shrill howling or wailing noise of a cat. And this is a story about the slaughter of 85 moggies, the end result of exploitation by greedy landlords. It is a disturbing, darkly comedic yarn about social divide from British playwright Tom Fowler, revealed in extraordinary fashion by theatre company Paracosm. Photos by Alec Farrow Seven actors play 77 roles over dozens of short scenes in three acts, with events