Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap | QPAC
For a script written in the 1950s, I was pleasantly surprised by the strong female leading the show. Played by clearly talented actress, Anna O’Byrne, Mollie Ralston was a witty and electrifying character. O’Byrne’s energy filled the stage and was captivating to the very end. The entire cast was incredibly well-suited. I particularly enjoyed Laurence Boxhall’s performance of Christopher Wren, a delightfully peculiar character that was often times the comic relief.
Again, You Have Trusted Me | Sarah Stafford
I think I’m a fan because Stafford can silence a room as easily as she can get one onside, and that’s a skill, an artist that makes work that’s rough and stabby and is Not For Everyone. It’s so refreshing actually. I actually can’t think of another work I’ve seen in ages that felt so sharp-edged, so fresh in style and tone as this strange dark tonic.
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.
Howling Jackals | Micah Rustichelli
Howling Jackals is an exhibition of dichotomies; beauty and destruction, sacrifice and redemption, faith and hopelessness, god and godlessness, ice and fire, and blue and red. Micah Rustichelli has created an installation that explores the days after the rapture through provocative symbology and biblical themes that would make a theology professor blush.
Sad Boys Luv Art | Baby Blue
Dance, drag, costume, and performance come together in Baby Blue’s Sad Boys Luv Art. The show is a journey through male femininity that seeks audience interaction and reflection. Thalia Novela leads travellers through a fantasy world, with each new location introducing a new mythical creature. These magical entities are portrayed by Luna Thicc, Brandi Doll, Bailey Strothmann, Crimson Coco, and of course, Baby Blue.
Assembly 2022 | La Boite Theatre
‘Assembly’ is a glimpse into fresh, new, raw, uplifting, punchy, witty, funny, sad, ambiguous monologues written by upcoming playwrights who own their stories. It’s a smorgasbord of flavours. Some palatable, some not. It’s a teaser taster consisting of flawed characters, minimalist props, zero music/soundscape, bittersweet scripts where shades of light and dark reside comfortably side-by-side. Kudos to the actors who did a splendid job of bringing these stories to life within the allocated ten minute time slot.
Not for ... Exposure | Mad Dance House
I’m just beginning to understand the immense dance talent that’s on offer in Meanjin and I think there are many lovers of live performance like me who are finally starting to wake up to the calibre of the street performers based in our town.
Dominoes & Rum | Nicholas 'Prince' Milverton
The engaging, entertaining and punchy script does lay bare the real truth that migrants grapple with after leaving their country. It is obvious from the plot that reconnecting with one’s roots forms an integral part of identity while belonging to a community of like minded individuals is priceless. It also raises the burning question of cultural assimilation versus acceptance.
Gates | Bobbie Jones Photography & Robyn Darling Images
I loved this exhibit. I was blown away by Bobbie’s intricate framing of an object that, while regularly used, rarely occupies my mind. These gates each told a story. What I found most peculiar was how certain gates were easier than others to imagine what that story might be. I was so engulfed by some gates, while my eyes fleeted by other gates. I found the open gates most intriguing, as though they were begging me to explore what lied beyond its threshold.
Shakespeare's Othello | Queensland Theatre
On the night of my attendance, it was interesting to note the array of ages in the audience, many of whom could have been in my very own children's age category. Methinks a testament to the enduring nature of Shakespeare’s works? Impressive to note was the resounding applause, standing ovation and numerous curtain calls. Again methinks a testament to the enduring nature of Shakespeare’s works!
The Boys | Pip Theatre
One of the most poignant parts of Graham’s script is that whilst we still see women being sexually and verbally abused, most of the violence is supressed and hidden between the lines of the text. It is up to us to draw those connections and to use our imaginations, for a lack of a better term. Fight director Jason McKell and intimacy director Michelle Miall both did a fantastic job in their respective roles, making these glimpses of violence in its various forms all the more realistic and confronting.
Murder on The Dancefloor | The Mystical Menagerie
Murder on the Dancefloor was a burlesque show with a fun, interactive twist. Before the show began, we were given a piece of paper on which to make our best guess of whom the guilty party was and how they committed the murder. We then witnessed an excellent line-up of local Brisbane performers, with each act containing a weapon as the through line connecting the performances.
Queensland State Final, Australian Poetry Slam | QLD Poetry
The night’s winner [was] Anna McGahan. Her performance was truly the highlight of the competition. McGahan’s writing is lyrically complex, sonically delicious, and speaks of parenting, reparenting, shame, unconditional selfhood, and unconditional love with such a wonderous astuteness. Her victory is more than earned and I wish her the best for the national heats.
Batshit | Leah Shelton
Leah Shelton’s BATSHIT was fast and frenzied. Inspired by Leah’s grandmother’s experiences of mental illness and forced medical treatment, the show was equally intimate and hard hitting. Kicking off with an ear shattering soundscape that was brilliantly timed with the lighting design, the precision of the scenographic elements were a highlight of the show.
Ephemeral | Institute for Molecular Bioscience & Atelier Sisu
In the grand scheme most things we deal with are only temporary. Living and engaging in your current circumstances is the only way to approach life. Otherwise, we get swept up worrying about our eventual end rather than enjoying the beauty we have right in front of us.
Queen's City | Blak Social
Alethea [Beetson] has taken a refreshing approach to telling First Nations stories and has turned that singular, unbalanced narrative into a fierce, honest and sometimes searing commentary on how to move forward by showing us how to look back. The trauma and pain of our First Nations people is an indelible stain on the history of Australia. Queen’s City is an ideal example of a theatre production that can create awareness through its storytelling so that we can move forward and together as a nation (hopefully).
Gail Sorronda on the Art Boat | Brisbane Festival
I cannot imagine this show being nearly as impactful if it had taken place on a standard runway. The onboard installation could have easily distracted from the outfits or vice versa. However, The creativity and ingenuity of those involved allowed their art to complement one another seamlessly. Events such as these that celebrate local talent are critical, and it is always wonderful to see and meet the varied creatives of Meanjin.
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.
Holding Achilles | Dead Puppet Society & Legs on the Wall
And the way the tension between the two was established and then built was a masterclass. From the moment they first met and instantly hated each other, to a building of respect and trust, to the furtive, lingering glances, until that final kiss, the punters were with them every step of the way. I have never heard an audience explode with cheers and applause like they did when the pair finally kissed near the end of the first half. I’m sure that there were a number of people in the audience that also found it just a wee bit life affirming.
Cirque O L I O | JACs Entertainment
Being a semi-regular attendee of circus, I admit to a degree of scepticism towards the promise that I would see something I had never seen before. I was delighted to be proven wrong, my cynicism melting away not in what was performed, but in who performed it. I’ve seen numerous sexy hoop acts before, but O L I O made the unexpected but fantastic choice of including Adam Malone, a non-binary circus artist in its line-up.