Trent Dalton’s Love Stories | Tim McGarry, Trent Dalton and Fiona Franzmann with Brisbane Festival and QPAC
Following the resounding success of Boy Swallows Universe as a novel, play, and Netflix series, it was almost a given that we would see another of Trent Dalton’s books adapted for the stage. Walking into Love Stories it is nearly impossible to not have expectations. But comparing the two adaptations is unfair, Love Stories is its own experience with a very different narrative approach.
Dear Brother | Queensland Theatre & BlakDance
Boundary-defying and incredibly heartfelt, Dear Brother is a show unlike any I have seen at Queensland Theatre before; it is truly a feast for the eyes, the ears, and the heart.
Gaslight | Queensland Theatre
Under the insightful guidance of Director Lee Lewis, Wright and Jamieson’s adaptation of this Victorian Gothic theatre work has been elevated to new heights where doubt, misinformation and deception takes centre stage.
Portraits: A Haunted Mansion | Observatory Theatre
The play follows the Godbold family as they adapt to rapid changes in their family hierarchy after their father, Ivan (played by James Hogan), suffers from a stroke. Estranged siblings, Josephine (played by Rebecca Day) and Martin (played by Emile Regano), are forced back together to confront unspoken traditions, secrets, memories, trauma, and ghosts.
The Freshblood Festival 2021 | Vena Cava Productions
The Freshblood Festival allows a platform for emerging artists to showcase and workshop their work in a professional capacity. Each performance I viewed was written by current QUT students and alumni. I must admit that I was blown away by the level of professionalism that was showcased in this festival, and I hope that I will be able to get to the festival again next year.
How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse | Dark Stories Brisbane
Words cannot describe how nervous I was before I arrived, yet there was something strangely comforting about this weird ride from the get-go. A little bit university science lecture meets AA meeting, with Rocky Horror vibes on slow burn; this one was definitely a creeper.
The Humours of Bandon | Fishamble
It’s the type of work that does so much with so little that it’s easy to take the meticulous craft on display for granted. There’s something quietly brilliant in giving the protagonist everything they want halfway through a narrative, for example. And, using the obsessive nature of a character to elegantly deliver exposition and frame the audience’s understanding is exceptionally graceful writing.
Amelia Anonymous | Virag Dombay
There are moments in Amelia Anonymous that are truly memorable. A sustained moment of sitting in the rain, symbolised by blue torches flickering in the darkness over a single figure, is genuinely inspired. The warmth of the various relationships covered by the play starts to shine through beautifully towards its conclusion.
The Longest Minute | Robert Kronk & Nadine McDonald-Dowd
The show starts jovial, cheerful, giving a good Aussie ribbing to audience and players alike. But the skies are drawing in, and we are ultimately plunged into the deeply personal world of the Wright family, a tale of family life in the 80's and 90's, ever shaded by a dark cloud of racism and violence.
Wheel of Fortune | TAM Presents
The class commentary of the original remains firmly on the down low, and leaves you to make your judgements afterwards in the bar; the play sets the scene, but in this modern world of sexual promiscuity are there really any forbidden fruits to scandalize the punters?