Glass Child | The Farm & Kayah and Maitreyah Guenther
review, physical theatre Georgia McKenzie review, physical theatre Georgia McKenzie

Glass Child | The Farm & Kayah and Maitreyah Guenther

In the past two days, I have found myself continuously contemplating every aspect of the performance. The show had so many subtle details that made it truly special. As someone who enjoys revisiting past reviews to gauge a show’s lasting impact and reflect on any evolving opinions, I can confidently say that Glass Child has already left an indelible mark on me. It is a production that I will undoubtedly continue to think about for months to come.

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The Bigger Picture | Sachém, featuring Matt Hsu’s Obscure Orchestra.
review, poetry Claire Alcock review, poetry Claire Alcock

The Bigger Picture | Sachém, featuring Matt Hsu’s Obscure Orchestra.

With the colourful ensemble of Matt Hsu’s Obscure Orchestra providing a sonically vibrant depth to Sachém’s poetic innovation from his 2021 debut EP Part of the Picture, The Bigger Picture is explosive but not unstable, complex yet entirely focused, and expansive without ever being overwhelming. Altogether, the experience is simultaneously the manifestation of the incredible skill and ambition of one man while also being an unreservedly proud celebration of a rich, inclusive community. 

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NONSTOP | Dots+Loops
music, performance art, review Tristan Niemi music, performance art, review Tristan Niemi

NONSTOP | Dots+Loops

The ebb and flow between classic and future sounds was so well balanced the similarities between the two became more apparent as the festival progressed. Almost as if we were guided through a showroom full of refurbished antiques and new things that had been aged so well, we could not tell the difference.

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Dirty Laundry | Briefs Factory
circus, cabaret, review Virag Dombay circus, cabaret, review Virag Dombay

Dirty Laundry | Briefs Factory

Briefs Factory’s Dirty Laundry is sexy but it also has a lot of heart and soul. It’s a show that not only dazzles but is also about connection and finding joy and pleasure in moments of uncertainty. It’s a show that will make you wolf-whistle, stomp your feet and leave you thirsty for more.

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Demolition | Polytoxic
circus, physical theatre, review Hope One circus, physical theatre, review Hope One

Demolition | Polytoxic

This work left me feeling seen on so many levels - as a Queer non-binary person struggling to fit the status quo, as a Maori woman who wasn’t raised on her Marae or Ancestral lands, as a Mother realising the importance of embracing culture for your children’s future, as a woman being surrounded by the constant pressures of living up to the patriarchal structure and never feeling good enough. I felt uplifted, hopeful, powerful and full of rage.

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Seen But Not Her | Vulcana Circus
circus, review Kati Murphy circus, review Kati Murphy

Seen But Not Her | Vulcana Circus

I felt like I was watching the inner workings of a glorious music box. The cogs in this microcosm represented by the musicians and their instruments, and the mathematics intrinsic to music generally, and more specifically in the complexity of a piano trio such as this. Also trapped in the music box, layered over these inner workings were the physical performers, who for me were like spirits or muses who represented the imperfect nature of creativity.

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Rear Vision | Vulcana
circus, review Kristy Stanfield circus, review Kristy Stanfield

Rear Vision | Vulcana

The show tread gracefully the emotional arc from the trepidation of this year’s beginning, to the desolation and disquietude of its middle, to the elation at its approaching ending, and touched on themes of the pain of seeking human connection in a physically distanced world, the fragility of ‘normality’, and the power of collective action.

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Tales from the Colony | Voices of Colour & Skindeep Collective
theatre, poetry, review Writeousness theatre, poetry, review Writeousness

Tales from the Colony | Voices of Colour & Skindeep Collective

Escalating emotions aside, one of the many highlights of the night was sharing the same space with such a rich mix of people of colour from so many different ethnic backgrounds. This truly felt like being back home again. Besides the delivery of the original material, what impressed was the message of hope and reconciliation this conveyed. The youth of the performers belied the intensity and ferocity with which they boldly embraced their storytelling by speaking out about taboo subjects.

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Feedback | Dots+Loops
music, review MJ O'Neill music, review MJ O'Neill

Feedback | Dots+Loops

Feedback offered a sublime balance of artistic innovation and inviting, engaging audience experiences. If one were ever pressed to showcase the unique charm and potential of Brisbane’s creative community in one event, Feedback would do nicely.

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TRUTHMACHINE | Counterpilot
performance art, review Ads J performance art, review Ads J

TRUTHMACHINE | Counterpilot

Each audience member had to vote first on questions relating to what truth means to them personally, before assessing whether or not they thought I was telling the truth under investigation. The whole idea of truth was under investigation. And the audience was forced to ask themselves, does this even matter anymore?

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Cirquetry | Vulcana
circus, poetry, review Adam Wood circus, poetry, review Adam Wood

Cirquetry | Vulcana

Cirquetry’s 30min work in development showing at the 2019 Queensland Poetry Festival,is a gorgeous blend of circus and spoken word. It showcases the possibilitiesof how mixing them together can bring new depth and meaning to each art form,which begs to be explored further. I look forward to seeing how thiscollaboration develops.

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Conviction | Dots+Loops
music, review MJ O'Neill music, review MJ O'Neill

Conviction | Dots+Loops

It’s hypnotic, beautiful and, in a strangely weightless way, gripping. The kind of performance that could easily open the minds of more populistly inclined audiences to the brilliance of opera and medieval art music. Which, when considered as a feat independent of the specific performance context, feels almost miraculous.

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Hold My Beer | Half-Hitch
circus, review Ads J circus, review Ads J

Hold My Beer | Half-Hitch

Like a good night out, dares and games result in the cast swapping roles, utilising two stages and much of the room and the audience being drawn into the show and into the fun on the stage. T his provides some of the best moments of the show, as the performers compete against each other and audience members to unexpected results.

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