It's Only Life | The Head Bros
Speaking of those performers, Maddison Hutchins brought such joy and levity whenever she walked on stage; matched by her buoyant vocals. Whenever she was on stage, you couldn’t help but look at her as she was so animated.
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.
Shad and Pete Save the World | Shad Wicka and Peter James
If you’re a prude or enjoy more clean humour then this isn’t the show to attend, however if you’re into crude and outlandish comedy that can travel into all kinds of weird and wonderful directions then I would recommend it.
Good Chat Comedy’s Pop-Up Showcase | Good Chat Comedy
Comedy is subjective and the jokes can be hit and miss, but the comedians on display are experienced and have been touring the stand-up circuit for years so they come with the knowledge of how to work a room and get the most out of their punchlines.
Sometimes It's Hot Like The Sun | Imperfect Creatives
I found in the performance and the deeper reading the play later, a refreshing candour for ugliness. The mother who does not particularly like her kids and is somewhat resigned to such a poor choice made some time before. The lack of self-awareness that occurs when an adult berates a tiny child for social transgressions of which it can scarcely be aware. A wistfulness for an imagined life that was never really pursed with any commitment.
Holy Bin A Moley | Art for Earthlings
Samantha, Nicolas, and Jennifer are all fantastic actors. Bringing each of the characters they play to life with an understanding of how to perform children’s entertainment, but like those Nickelodeon shows they still manage to have jokes for the adults. They also aren’t afraid to make fun of themselves or show their improvisation skill when the kids are offering their suggestions.
An Evening with Those Folk | Lawrence Menard & Clare Quinn
They aren’t afraid to be honest and show their relationship on stage in a playful way, and I enjoyed the stories they told between each song while also sharing the meanings behind the music too. Those Folk manage to create songs that are deep, layered and explore multiple themes utilizing folk and incorporating other genres such as bluegrass and jazz.
Death and The Maiden | Ad Astra
As an audience, we are left wondering right to the end of the play whether the man she has bound in her home is guilty of the crimes Paulina condemns him for or whether her trauma has shaped an elaborate narrative that allows her to punish the guilty and move on from her past.
Shelter | The Drawer Productions
Intricately woven, utterly impressive, and a crash-course in ancestral healing. Shelter deserves all the success it has had commercially and critically, as well as the success I am sure is coming in the near-future. I am so glad I was able to experience this work.
Grease | Musical Theatre Students, Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University
A massive cast of consummate performers tore down QPAC's Lyric theatre with a passionate, charming and energetic production of beloved musical Grease. The theatre was packed and the audience was buzzing, both from the excitement at seeing their loved ones dance and sing up a storm and the nostalgia of seeing the live version of the movie and megamix that we all knew so well. Or so we thought, because while the stage version of Grease is still the story of teen rebels and lost love, it isn't quite the version that we'd been raised on and the nostalgia of what I remembered from the movie didn’t match the reality of the story of Grease.
Rhythmology | Tyson Goddard & Backbone
It’s 7pm and I don’t want to be late and as we arrive a few minutes past the hour and do the obligatory check-ins, we see the place is teeming with POC people, the familiar feel of Backbone Youth Arts reeks of that uniquely old ozzy bowlo vibe, but as we enter through the next room, the set slips into a shimmering pink backdrop, fully seated with fabulousness dripping, geometry in the ceiling, warm hues with lighting low, you can feel the vibration from the punters peaking with jittered excitement.
A Celebration of Amy Winehouse | Blue Arcadia Music & Fearless Singer Productions
Each performer brought a different flavour to each tune and told their own story through their vocals. They were complimented by the live band behind them, filled with a horn section, bass, drums, percussion, guitar and keys who captured the energy, melancholy and soul of Amy’s compositions.
Return to the Dirt | Queensland Theatre
This play is sheer genius. It’s bloody brilliant. What a marvellous piece of theatre. I gave the cast a standing ovation on their first curtain call and I stood clapping long after they’d left the stage. I hope everyone gets to see this, young and old.
The David Bentley Trio | Restrung Festival
Led by Brisbane’s accomplished jazz/blues pianist and composer David Bentley and joined by Brisbane musicians Andrew Shaw (bass) and Nathan Goldman (drums), the trio played a number of jazz standards and original songs; all which left the audience gleefully tapping their feet.
The Brother’s Grimm Spectaculathon | Left of Right Theatre Company
The script was a hybrid form of a pantomime cross with a farce, featuring lots of audience interaction and sixty bold characters played by only six actors… it truly made you wonder how they were all not out of breath.
Maze | The Naughty Corner Collective
The actors used neon tube lighting to move around the space, giving shape to the maze and blocking Wray’s path as he approached dead ends. This was a very effective use of the small stage. Further, it made the labyrinth feel alive, almost like a character itself, with the lighting being the blood pumping through the veins of the tunnels.
Momentum | WOW (Women of the World) Australia
The series explored what the notion of ‘momentum’ means for the feminist movement and how it differs dependent on various intersectional feminisms. The three events – Women Who Dare, First Nations First, and The Making of Men – each opened up important conversations and placed a spotlight on feminist and other social issues.
One Night Only | Queen and Friend
It was mighty impressive how they seamlessly wove these stories without any preparation or insight and how the performers never seemed to lose momentum in their hour long run time. It’s one thing to do improv for ten minutes but to do it for sixty minutes non-stop is not an easy feat for the faint of heart. But faint of heart, these comedians were not.
Happy Go Wrong | Andi Snelling
The archetype of the angel, mythical creature, saviour or inner subconscious is portrayed by ‘ French Aviator’ on skates, provides the comedy against the anguish this show journeys in to help Andi to see the light.
Closing night concert feat. Aspy Jones | Undercover Artist Festival
Aspy Jones features two other equally talented siblings in the line up plus what can be guessed as two besties who write killer songs, obviously all musically click and have the chops to do this for the rest of their lives, hopefully making mega bucks along the way.