Of Mice & Men | Ad Astra
It wasn’t just like watching a room full of men speak through clenched teeth at each other and then break out into violence, it was like being in a room full of men about to break out into a fight which truly verged on unpleasant for me. It definitely kept me deeply invested but it also kind of made me want to hide.
I Liked it.... But | Joel Bray
The work did feel a little self-congratulatory on Bray’s part from time to time, but this was very well balanced against the ‘tongue firmly in cheek’ tone of the night. As someone with contemporary dance training I found the jokes made at the form’s expense accurate and hilarious.
Boy Swallows Universe | Trent Dalton
Watching Boy Swallows Universe, I felt connected to my city and curious about Brisbane’s thick history of corruption and crime. The show was quintessentially Australian and seems fit to become a staple in high school drama curriculums. I was astonished by Queensland Theatre’s ability to bring Dalton’s world to life.
Same Penis Forever | Rebel Lyons
Same Penis Forever treads this fine line between a shout and a whisper, between displays of the intimate and of the public. It was the epitome of a Hen’s Night at its core, where the bride reigns supreme and those who’ve come to celebrate are privy to the drunken divulgence of secrets and hesitations.
Ishmael | Dead Puppet Society
Dead Puppet Society has created something truly spectacular with Ishmael. It captured my inner child and had a wonderful sense of play in its sets and puppets, and paired it with some really grounded critiques of capitalism and the false security presented by constant competition.
Same Penis Forever | Rebel Lyons
Humanising the different agents of social conditioning demonstrated that people make traditions, and traditions aren’t these immovable structures that must be obeyed at all costs. Traditions make culture, so if the diamond engagement ring was something some marketing mogul came up with to sell more diamonds, then why the hell do we take this ‘tradition’ so seriously.
Weredingo | Karul Projects
“Are you coming as a human or as an animal tonight?” a well-dressed guy asked us as we descended into New Benner Theatre at Metro Arts on Saturday night. “Animal!” I said without giving myself the time to process the question.
The Freshblood Festival 2021 | Vena Cava Productions
The Freshblood Festival allows a platform for emerging artists to showcase and workshop their work in a professional capacity. Each performance I viewed was written by current QUT students and alumni. I must admit that I was blown away by the level of professionalism that was showcased in this festival, and I hope that I will be able to get to the festival again next year.
Romeo & Juliet | Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble
If you haven’t seen ‘a Shakespeare,’ then the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble’s (QSE) Romeo & Juliet is a highly-accessible doorway into the Bard’s work. Love at first sight ends badly for the star-crossed lovers, but results in the end of a long-standing feud between their waring families. Go along to experience the anguish of love and loss, with great fight scenes, tender romantic moments, youthful rebellion, live original music, and memorable comic interludes.
Titanic: The Movie, The Play | Act/React
A light-hearted riff on a pop-culture film particularly beloved by GenXers, this is a tonic for the tumultuous times we live in. In a time of near endless impositions and challenges to our mental health, it was just So Nice to watch something silly and welcoming and cheerful and performed with joy and gusto.
A Midnight Visit | Broad Encounters
What the creative team of A Midnight Visit have created is truly something wonderful that transported me into a world where my imagination could run wild. I felt childlike exploring the rooms and listening to the characters, as though I was romping around an exciting large playground for the first time.
Lucy & Me | Nicolas Angelosanto
Lucy & Me charmed me with the tale of man, Sphenn, and his bike, Lucy, trying to get home to Germany. We followed the two on wacky adventures as they tried to make money for a plane ticket. Sphenn was part trickster and part fool, an effeminate, romantic, simple-minded, European caricature. Nicolas brought enthusiasm, extremity and maintained his character well. I enjoyed his commitment to silliness, wiggling his whole body or licking the corners of a stamp feverishly until he got a laugh.
Plastica Fantastica | Jennifer Laycock
Plastica Fantastica was clever, poignant and a real knee-slapper. A woman obsessed with plastic, who is also allergic to plastic. How can she live without the one thing she loves the most? Brilliant.
Caesar | La Boite
Caesar isn’t really an adaptation of Julius Caesar, it’s a show about actors putting on a play. In fact, it wasn’t really about putting on a play, but more so about the disputes and individual philosophies between the actors. It’s all very meta.
How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse | Dark Stories Brisbane
Words cannot describe how nervous I was before I arrived, yet there was something strangely comforting about this weird ride from the get-go. A little bit university science lecture meets AA meeting, with Rocky Horror vibes on slow burn; this one was definitely a creeper.
The End of Us | Rouge Theatre Co.
Full of sharp dialogue, witty exchanges and very episodic in nature, Fenton’s writing created a very surreal landscape which surprised and delighted. The thread that wove the scenes together was split into two, jumping between different stages in Meredith’s (Georgie Oulton) and Archie’s (Calum Johnston) plutonic marriage mandated by law.
Wanted for Murder | InsideOutside Theatre Company
In the second act of the show, the audience is handed a clue pack and have an opportunity to question each suspect about their whereabouts the night of the gruesome murder and their relationship to the suspect. It’s not every performance that you get thrown headfirst into the characters’ world and get an insight into their motivations and I enjoyed it immensely. Truth be told, I got quite a thrill putting my detective hat on. Maybe a little bit too much.
Undertow | Shock Therapy Productions
Using the conventions of Epic Theatre, Foster and Jones allowed us to see their transitions in and out of characters and setting in a blacked-out stage. This not only placed an onus on the writing but also connected the characters lives and conflicts, showing that the difference between humans might be a metaphorical change of hat.
People of Colours | Naavikaran and Grace Edward
People of Colours is an important performance that has been created by BIPOC performers and creatives behind the scenes, allowing them a stage where they can express themselves and speak on various issues that impact marginalised voices and people of colour.
Anatomy of a Suicide | Metro Arts and BC Productions Qld
The script weaves in and out of sync whilst three storylines are unravelling at once. Where does one look? How do they link? Who is that character now? This show forces you to stay focused, alert, overwhelmed and silenced whilst each character explores their own tension, grief and loss.