David Venn’s Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is on its final week in Melbourne, so now is the perfect time to write a quick review before it leaves the Athenaeum Theatre.
Continue readingCategory: theatre
Thoughts On Girl From The North Country Musical (2022)
Melbourne is offering a smorgasbord of musicals at the moment and currently on at the Comedy Theatre is the little mentioned Girl From The North Country. We managed $35 rush tickets on June 7 and were seated in the second row in an almost half full theatre (granted, though, it was its final week, and also a Tuesday, which may or may not have had something to do with it).
Continue readingTheatre review: Jagged Little Pill – The Musical
Now playing at the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne until March 16 Playing at the Crown Theatre, Perth from May 14-June 5 and returning to Sydney’s Theatre Royal in July 2022
Jukebox musicals are often a risky proposition. Crafting a narrative out of a collection of songs from a specific era or artist is a difficult thing, and for every Mamma Mia! or Rock of Ages, there are countless other musicals which have adopted this technique but haven’t quite pulled it off.
Thankfully though, Jagged Little Pill, using Alanis Morrisette’s landmark 1995 album as its basis, is one of the best examples of how to do this type of show correctly. With a book by Diablo Cody (Juno, Young Adult), and featuring hits such as You Oughta Know, Ironic and Hand in My Pocket, this story of a fractured family is a moving and heartfelt one, and the characters are all well-realised and three dimensional.
Continue readingReview: Adults Only Magic Show
As part of the 2021 Melbourne Magic Festival
Playing at the Houdini Theatre @ Arrow On Swanston, from July 6-10
The brainchild of a supremely talented Melbourne-based magic duo – Sam and Justin – Adults Only Magic Show is exactly what it says on the tin, but while it does get quite raunchy at times, it’s also unexpectedly sweet and a vigorously good natured show pulled off with aplomb by two master magicians. Even with an 18+ warning on the posters, it’s highly unlikely anyone would find anything to get upset about in this hilarious show.
Continue readingReview: Drummer Queens
While the clever pun of this show’s title went right over my head until I said it out loud, there’s certainly nothing subtle about the show itself, a rollicking, floor-rumbling 90-minute all-female drumming extravaganza that constantly finds ways to reinvent itself and keep the performance fresh and innovative.
Continue readingThoughts on Chess the Musical 2021
I’m quite familiar with Chess the musical. While I’m by no means an expert, I have watched it enough times that I feel like I have a good grasp of the characters and overall story. I should disclaim, I have only seen the recording of Chess in Concert, taped at the Royal Albert Hall in London in May 2008, starring Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal and Josh Groban.
Seeing one of your favourite musicals live is always tricky, because very rarely can live up to your high expectations. So overall, I’m in two minds about the 2021 production, currently playing at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne (until Saturday, April 24), before heading to Adelaide (May 27-29), Perth (June 3-5) and Brisbane (June 8-10). Ticket info is available here.
Continue readingThe Secret Garden Musical Sneak Peek
The Secret Garden returns to Australia later this year, and TaTS was lucky enough to attend the Melbourne media launch earlier this week at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
Produced by John Frost and Opera Australia, 2020 marks the 25th anniversary production, based on the 1911 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett and its film adaptations of the same name. Anthony Warlow returns as Archibald Craven, the master of Misselthwaite Manor, and is joined by Georgina Hopson, Rob McDougall, Alinta Chidzey, Rodney Dobson and Gold Logie winner Rowena Wallace.
We’ll be sharing interviews with the cast very soon, but for now, please enjoy the videos below to entice you to buy tickets, now on sale at secretgardenmusical.com.au
Thoughts on Billy Elliot – The Musical
What: Billy Elliot – the Musical
Where: Regent Theatre, Melbourne
Performances run until April 19, 2020
For more information, please visit https://billyelliotthemusical.com.au/
Review: War Horse
Playing at the Regent Theatre, Melbourne until February 8
The Lyric Theatre, Sydney from February 15-March 15
The Crown Theatre, Perth from March 24-April 12
https://warhorseonstage.com.au/
There’s certainly one thing audiences will remember above all else from this incredible production – the incredible horse puppets which are simply astounding. But even though the horses are the undisputed stars of the show, the emotional core of this wartime story is still strong and this is an incredibly emotional production that that most people will shed a tear to while viewing.
Review: The Choir Of Man
Playing at The Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne until January 12
Tickets: https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/2020/contemporary-music/the-choir-of-man
Tour dates and more info: https://choirofman.com/
It’s not often you attend a show and before you can take your seat, you’re invited up to the stage to join the cast in a friendly pint from an actual working bar on the stage floor. But that’s what happens to attendees of The Choir of Man, a rollicking 90-minute singing session with a troupe of likeable British lads who instantly win over the crowd with their warm and friendly demeanour, and have the audience on side even before they start singing, even without the free beer.
TINSEL and TAP SHOES 