It Takes A Lot Not To End Up Dead | NiK NaK Productions
In this unique musical cabaret, local folk singer-songwriter Lizzie Flynn takes us on a heartwarming journey through her youth via the key people and events that inspired her repertoire of original songs. It Takes A Lot Not To End Up Dead is a fun and wholesome time. I’m a big fan of putting singing and storytelling together. Singing itself is storytelling, but add a sprinkle of honest, in-character storytelling and you’ve got something extra special.
The Pageant | The Beryls
Roger Seahorse, played by Laura Trennery, was a stiff, wide-eyed dork of a man, clad in a bedazzled pale blue suit. He was timid but endearing and practically plastic with fake tan and glowing white teeth. Victoria Beauvoir, played by Patrick Dwyer, was lush, larger than life, suggestive and sexually available in a shimmery gown and a cloud of blonde curls. Both characters were extreme, almost demonic, caricatures of pageant hosts. The footlighting cast shadows across their faces that twisted their white smiles.
Utopia! And the Calamity Caravan | Observatory Theatre
Using circus, tap dance and clowning, the team at Observatory Theatre have made a vibrant and lively adventure story that is sure to please the kiddos. This is a pretty good first draft of a fun family show, and I genuinely enjoyed it and would like to see it transformed into a real winner, so I am going to put on my circus producer hat for this one.
As You Like It | ThunderBear Productions
A classic Shakespearian comedy, As You Like It is a drama that throws a big stick in the spokes of gender norms, what with a cast of characters that wander off the path on ill-conceived adventures, that fall in love quicker than you or I can drink a luke-warm latte, and are inclined to cross-dress without so much as a by-your-leave. It’s quite satisfying then, to see this contemporary staging heavily weighted with women, when once it would have been entirely performed by men.
Vasilissa | Sylph Circus & Sirin Ensemble
I hope that Sylph Circus continues this path in future productions, finding other girl-centred stories to tell, to share, to enjoy the creating and performing of, to embed knowledge and learn it joyously, to share it with whomsoever comes to trip down the forest path on a crisp morning in autumn.
The Great Grandiosa | Act React
If you have ever wanted to know what the winning lottery number is going to be, or what riches are coming in your future, then you might not find that at The Great Grandiosa. What you are guaranteed though is a fun night of hilarious comedy and a peek into what might’ve happened in our past lives as you are swept away by The Great Grandiosa’s psychic charm, tarot card readings and a deep delve into horoscopes.
I am King. I am Queen | Roýmata Holmes & Room to Play
It is still very rare to see the stories of queer people of colour on the stage and screen, especially Pacifika peoples, that celebrate their joy and the importance of ongoing connection to culture in their lives. It was a joy to see Roýmata share these experiences as a part of the showing and I particularly loved the passion that they showed sharing the stories of their family and the dances from The Cook Islands.
Coterie Cabaret
If I had only one word to describe Coterie Cabaret, it would undoubtedly be sexy! Coterie is a celebration of human bodies and all the kinky ways that they connect. This is not a show for the prude, and you will leave with a new checklist of kinks to try!
Rat Dog Double Bill | Esther Dougherty & Siobhan Gibbs
Surrealist, and dripping with symbolism, the show was ludicrously, awkwardly funny, a philosopher’s treat. A complex tangle, perplexing and challenging perhaps for anyone looking for a fluffy night out. But perhaps not.
The Shelter | Here + There Productions
Trapped in a random person’s garage with a group of strangers and limited time to get out may not be everyone’s cup of tea or idea of a fun night out. For many, this probably sounds tantamount to volunteering yourself for torture. If you’re in that category, bear with me, because I’m going to convince you getting yourself trapped will be a highlight of your Anywhere Festival.
Sometimes I Say Your Name Out Loud | Moment of Inertia & Collectivist
As I entered the space that ‘Sometimes I Say Your Name Out Loud’ inhabited, I noticed the warm aura immediately and felt drawn to take a seat in the front row, which is unusual for me. The set and lighting felt whimsical and almost childlike, with a paper lantern in the shape of a boat hanging above the stage.
Begotten | Minola Theatre
We see the relationships the women have with men unravel from healthy and supportive to dysfunctional and abusive. We see these women losing their identities and finding themselves, embracing motherhood and running away from it and either fighting against or succumbing to the hardships in their lives.
A Bed of Roses | Arbour Theatre Company
The five improv actors were so good I kept forgetting they were acting. They did an incredible job of staying in character despite so much distraction around them, while also handling the crowd through the scene changes.
Starter Boyfriend | Squirt Productions
We ventured into the mythical but very real ‘Virginity Store’ where the performers broke into song and synchronised dancing, listing some of the many ways to define sex. They drew focus away from traditional hetero-centric ideas of penis-in-vagina virginity and celebrated all the different ways to have sex, and thus virginities to be lost. It honestly got me excited for more first times in my life. There is such a big deal made over that one first time that often we forget to celebrate the others.
SHELTER | The Drawer Productions
SHELTER is a powerful and moving performance. I’d encourage anyone interested in immersive theatre to check it out if it gets the opportunity to run again. There’s a lot more to it than what I have touched on, but a big part of the experience is going in not knowing much and watching the mystery unfold, interacting with the bunker and following the Chapman family around as their complex relationships with each other are played out for us in a close and personal way.
Prison X | UNITED NOTIONS Film & KOA.XYZ
While it borrows traditional gaming elements, it also plays our as a documentary. It’s an opportunity to learn about a different culture and heritage as well as a current society in a different part of the world. And with it being created by not only Violetta Ayala, but a team of female Andean artists and POC designers, it brings a genuine authenticity in the work that they’re sharing.
Betwixt | Pink Matter
Betwixt invited the audience into the ‘In Between’: a space where words connected to movements and movements connected to music to tell unfinished stories to unsuspecting listeners. Through an enthralling combination of spoken-word poetry and dance, Pink Matter produced a fresh storytelling experience that pulled at the heart and compelled the mind.
Peach Papaya | GoldenCoastline
There is something special that happens when dancers come to support other dancers, and that is the way their energy bounces off one another. Even when nothing is happening. The performers might be standing completely still in near complete darkness, tinted only in the softest red. This is enough to spur a shout, or a cheer, or a “Get it!”. As though true silence is forbidden.
Cluedo! The New Suspects | Brisbane Immersive Ensemble
Across the venue, blackmail, flirtations, arguments, and even a broom closet triste were playing out between the six key figures. While a number of confrontations played out in front of large gatherings of the audiences, many punters had taken to chasing after the characters who took their interest to try to catch a sliver of gossip or accusation to piece together the story. Gasps, cheers and accusations from the punters fill the space as each new twist and turn unfolded.
Mental Illness Is Not A Crime | Haus of Beaver Productions
An undulating soundscape filled the room with an otherworldly atmosphere. Tents and noise cancelling headphones littered the floor. There was a wide assortment of things to poke and scratch and put your fingers in, particularly things which excited taste, smell, and touch – senses that don’t get a lot of attention in theatre.