A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen (or How to Make the Perfect One-Pot Chicken Curry) | Joshua Hinton
A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen made for heartwarming theatre. Its soulful unfolding is a testimony to the transformative power of stories, especially the ones we relish and rely on for the sustenance of our selfhood.
Congratulations, Get Rich! | La Boite Theatre
‘Congratulations, Get Rich” reminded me of the value in hearing stories that come from a place of deep cultural specificity — stories that, regardless of your background, tap into shared experiences of love, loss, and connection. It’s rare to see something so intimate and culturally specific on stage, yet still feel so universal — and for me, that’s what made it clear how important it is to keep sharing diverse stories in theatre.
Back to Bilo | Belloo Creative
Back to Bilo’s painstaking efforts in amplifying the refugee story with so much attention to detail are praiseworthy. It is a necessary Australian story. One that needs to traverse terrains and timelines across the continent to the enduring hum of humanity.
Pasifika Made 2025 | Brisbane Festival & Brisbane City Council
Pasifika Made had such a wealth of immersive cultural activities, performances and music to offer that an event of this calibre and creative appeal should have been given more showtime. One day was certainly not enough to indulge my senses and appease my creative appetite in what turned out to be a dynamic and authentic cultural event.
AI May - Embodi Theatre
AI May is a play that explores grief, and the ways in which we process it, or the ways in which we do not. It is a slice of tomorrow-styled science fiction, or as it totes itself, futuristic realism, wherein potential technologies of artificial technology have become commonplace in the not-too-distant future, replacing social services and healthcare and other daily essentials.
Pasifika Made | Brisbane Festival Street Serenades
Pasifika Made was a beautiful way to spend a Saturday evening and I left with my heart and stomach full. Brisbane's Pacific community has so much talent to offer and I know I’m not the only person desperate to see more of this kind of programming from Brisbane Festival in the future.
Pacific Harmonies | Opera Queensland
One hour with Pinkasova could have easily been many; her voice, her stories, her presence were all so enchanting. The way she connects her personal history and the history of the pacific and to song is masterful; just like her vocals.
Global Fusion- India - 'Into the Light' | Thomas Dixon Centre & BEMAC
“I pay homage to the light,” says Menaka, gently reinforcing the intention of the performance to honour Diwali, the Festival of Light through an amalgamation of select Indian elements and Western influences. The mellifluous sounds of the Bansuri (bamboo flute) played dexterously by Darshil Shah juxtaposed against the lean silhouettes of professional Ballet dancers, Sarah Thompson and Jayden Grogan signal to us that more forces of global fusion are waiting to be unleashed. From the wings onto the stage, and into the light.
Mosaic Multicultural Festival | Multicultural Australia & Brisbane Serenades
These are just some of the many performances featured in the massive action-packed program - there was so much content to discover. The event was so joyous and provided me with numerous insights on how multicultural Brisbane really is and its relevance to celebrate and promote. Not only that, but the audience loved seeing their own culture represented, just like a mini Olympics for the arts.
Six shows and events you shouldn't miss in Week Two of BrisFest22
Not sure what to check out during week two of BrisFest? Don’t worry, NEHIB’s got your back and bring you six shows your shouldn’t miss during week two of the festival, as recommended in our latest monthly newsletter. Get into it, Meanjin!
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.
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.
Brown Church | Naavikaran
“Brown Church is a work in progress”, declares Naavikaran, and it’s clear that they have much to say. Thank those Gods within Naavi that they have created a space to share this. The very clearly rehearsed and intentional poetry recited is of considerable expertise, sheening the POC queer space into the light.
Auntie's Fiafia Night | Casus Circus
Imagine two powerful women with vibrant flower covered moomoos, fanning themselves with woven fans, and big palm leaf plant beside them, laughing and gesturing as the performers take turns trying to earn a smile from them all night long. This shows just how respected elders and women are in Pasifika culture and that was an amazing take away for those who may not be of that background/culture.
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.
Strangeness, dislocation, complexity, displacement, belonging - real and imaginary stories of arrival and departure
Inspired by the stories of local migrants, EXODUS is a collectively-devised contemporary physical theatre performance that focuses on real and metaphorical migrations and raises the questions: what unites people who decide to leave their native land?
Wer ya from? | Big Fork Theatre Improv In Colour
I didn’t know what was gonna happen, I haven’t been to anything like this before, it was fun, it was loose, it was cool. I didn’t feel weird once all night cause some bro made some sexist twat comedy shit comment. I laughed a lot and I felt right at home. Good vibes would recommend.
Tales from the Colony | Voices of Colour & Skin Deep Collective
It’s hard to believe that it took only ten days for ‘Tales from the Colony’ to be created and then performed on stage. For a work that was complexed, multifaceted and spoke on deep themes and issues, it was suspiring to hear how quick it took for it all to come together, but that’s also a testament to the rawness that was on full display. And when the ending came, the audience on their feet standing, clapping and cheering on in praise: the emotional toll on six incredible performers was evident, and with that the realisation of what we had experienced was more than a show, but a journey of exposing truths, finding identity and baring trauma.
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.
Apocalipstick | Polytoxic
Apocalipstick really, truly deserves to be seen. It made me laugh out loud - repeatedly. It’s visceral messages will blow you away. It’s an ultimate feast for the senses. It’s nuanced delivery is nothing short of outstanding. It’s what makes Brisbane even more special.