Theatre

Louder Producers Brandenburger Symponiker and Gravity & Other Myths Brandenburger Theater and Chamäleon Berlin Joan Sutherland Theatre Sydney Opera House Photo credit Daniel Boud Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP It’s interesting when two elements that might not normally combine are placed in a creative marriage. Sometimes it works, and sometimes not so much. Louder is a collaboration between Brandenburger Symponiker and Gravity & Other Myths in which eight ex

Les Femmes Performers: Emma Mylott, Jacinta Gulicano and Tia Gigliotti The Grand Electric Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP What happens when some of the greatest songs that were made famous by male artists are placed in the hands of three female performers who have different backgrounds? Emma Mylott (rock), Jacinta Gulicano (pop) and Tia Gigliotti (R&B) have come together to belt out some of the classics, opening with That's Life. The show celebrates the men — fathers, brothers, me

Book and Lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni Music by Galt MacDermot Producer/Director Glenn Elston Choreographer Sue-Ellen Shook Theatre Royal Sydney until July 12 Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP Hair The Tribal Love-Rock Musical Prior to 1969, a stage musical meant The Sound of Music, Carousel, The King and I, Music Man, Show Boat, Annie Get Your Gun, Brigadoon, Kiss Me Kate, Oklahoma! and the like. They provided clean, family entertainment that reflected the wholesome values of

La La Land in Concert Composed and conducted by Justin Hurwitz Darling Harbour Theatre One show left on Monday, June 1 Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP Take a film that has won six Academy Awards including Best Original Score, screen it in a 2,500 seat theatre and include a full orchestra and a jazz ensemble. Have it conducted by the composer himself and you have La La Land in Concert, a spectacular, immersive experience. For those who haven’t seen the 2016 Damien Chazelle film, La

Galaxy Guardians Reviewed at Easts Leagues Club Playing at various venues including Souths Juniors Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP Do you ever have a hankering to return to the music of your youth, if your youth was in the seventies? A new band that consists of very experienced musos is rapidly gaining a following around the clubs. Galaxy Guardians plays songs from the 1970s and “seventies adjacent”. The four musicians and two female lead singers have a big sound. Songs were origin

The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert & Sullivan Director and Adaptor Richard Carroll Musical Director Jonathan Holmes Foundry Theatre at The Star until June 7 Photo credit John McRae Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP The works of Gilbert and Sullivan are performed in one of two ways. One is to play it seriously and straight, and guided by direction, allows the audience enjoy the humour that is intrinsic to W.S. Gilbert’s writing. The other is to play for laughs, which is more obvious. T

The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, along with Hamlet, is one of William Shakespeare’s most performed works.

Self-Inflicted Conceived and performed by George Rigden Sydney Comedy Festival Enmore Theatre Laneway Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP Sometimes it's hard to know if a comedian is actually teetering on the edge or if it's part of the act. George Rigden, in his Sydney Comedy Festival show, Self-Inflicted, it seemed to definitely be the former. The once-cancelled Englishman Rigden talked about issues with his father, autism, neurodiversity, dating, therapy, his a

IKEA Wars Conceived and performed by Kieran Bullock Sydney Comedy Festival Bonda Pavilion Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP I hadn’t been to the Bondi Pavilion since the massive renovations and what a venue it is now, hosting Sydney Comedy Festival shows. IKEA Wars is the creation of Kieran Bullock who pits two comedy performers against each other in a race to each assemble an IKEA product in front of the live audience. According to the media release, “the chall

At The Factory at this year’s festival we’ve so far seen Rachael Sue Raglan in Feral and John Glover in Be My BFFFFFF.

Creator/Composer/Performer Jung Jae-il Sydney Opera Concert Hall Photo Credit Jay Patel Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP Parasite: Live in Concert One of the most unusual and intriguing productions of the past twenty years was staged at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is one of the most acclaimed and awarded films of the century. It was named New York Times’ best film of the 21st century, and won the Cannes Palme d’Or and Academy Award for Best Picture.

by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett Produced and directed by Drew Anthony State Theatre Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP The Diary of Anne Frank stage play is based on the original book that was published by Anne’s father, Otto Frank and details Anne’s experiences and insights while she and her family were in hiding, living in a constant fear of being arrested by the Gestapo in Nazi occupied Amsterdam in 1942 to 1944. Anne received a blank book as one of her presents on 12 June 1

In the tradition of recent musicals with a Shakespearean bent, Head Over Heels opened at The Hayes Theatre. The music of The Go-Go's is belted out by the diverse cast of ten and is backed by a five-piece band that sounds much bigger.

It was an indigenous double bill from the Northern Territory as part of the Sydney Festival at the Wharf Theatre. The first show was Ursula Yovich Sings Nina Simone. What a voice she has in her. The performer from Darwin sang Nina Simone songs from the perspective of an Aboriginal woman. She definitely made those songs her own. In fact, she could sing anything and put her stamp on it.

This is a roller derby themed play, with music, about a mother and daughter relationship. It's set on a flat oval track and skaters from various roller derby leagues are used to move the pieces of the set on, off and around the floor.

Created and performed by Reuben Kaye Sydney Opera House Concert Hall Photo credit Wendell Teodo Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP enGORGEd Review – Sydney Opera House Concert Hall The unstoppable Reuben Kaye performed his latest show, enGORGEd , at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall . The tall, good-looking, gay, openly Jewish, cross-dressing, fearless quadruple threat (if you include comedy) presented his biggest show yet, with an 18 piece orchestra and three backing singers. In

What would you call a humorous reimagining of the ballet Swan Lake? Duck Pond of course. We all know the story of the ugly duckling transforming into the graceful swan through one of the most produced ballets in history, along with Pygmalion, My Fair Lady and Hans Christian Anderson’s The Ugly Duckling.

Now You See Me Live Featuring Adam Trent, Enzo Weyne, Andrew Basso and Gabriella Lester Creative Producer - Simon Painter Creative Director - Ash Jacks McCready The season plays until Sunday 4 January at the Opera House, Concert Hall Photo credit Cameron Grant Reviewed by Ron Lee, CSP Helicopter – Cameron Grant There’s nothing quite like big stage illusions in a large theatre. Now You See Me Live has opened at the Sydney Opera House. The traveling troupe of interchangeable m

The Lovers was unfamiliar. It’s a new Australian musical, that’s why. They’re always met with anticipation, hoping that it will be world class. Before this one, the last two “next big Australian musicals” that I saw were well below that standard and, combined, lasted only a handful performances.

In this age of desensitisation due to TikTok, Artificial Intelligence and other media, it’s still possible to be astounded and amazed, knowing that what you’re seeing is real and is happening right in front of you.

Fly Girl is based on the life, times and career of Deborah Laurie who was the first female to pilot for a large commercial airline in Australia. In 1971, at age 18, Lawrie obtained her private pilot licence and her commercial pilot licence in 1973