School holidays herald various activities for children – sports day camps and short jaunts to shopping malls. And for some of the lucky ones they sit in darkened theatres with parent, grandparent or carer and watch open mouthed as a story unfolds infront of them. Read more

How often do we get a blokey, football focused new Australian play on stage?

Not often. Read more

The Fringe throws up lots of challenges. For the punters it’s trying to fathom the depth and breadth of a huge and confusing program with the times and places and artists and ideas and unusual venues and ticket prices. For the artists there is the challenge of doing it yourself -putting your money where your mouth (or heart) is and going for it: and a part of that is the brave and sometimes impossible act of balancing administration with art. Read more

Always curious to check out new writing and new playwrights I made my way over to The Greek Theatre in the Addison Road complex. The play was written by an up-and-coming SUDS (Sydney University Dramatic Society) member, Julian Larnach and directed by Jenna Martin. Read more

It was all a bit of a weird week. Since arriving back in Brisbane I had started to fill up my diary with little blue tags (indicates “show to see”) and the Fringe invites were coming thick and fast – and opening night invites to Fringe shows popping up in my in box the night before. Research and calculation ensued. I had to try and sort out what I was seeing where and when, with whom and why – did I know them? Is this a friends show? Is it a new Australian play? Is it something I might learn from or enjoy? Dismayed at the thought of missing out on so much due to limited time and logistics it was by chance that a reminder email encouraged me to take a second look at my schedule and see if I could fit in Cut Snake by Paige Rattray’s new and exciting company, Arthur. Read more

David and Saskia sit in a lounge room hemmed with VHS tapes of Disney classics and still in their plastic-wrap board games. It isn’t long before David (Terry Serio) quizzes Saskia (Jenna Martin) on the finer details of her job – extracting money from people for “Earthaid.” She saving up, she has plans to “go somewhere”, but there’s something not quite right here. Read more

A mild night after a sweltering spring day caught some punters unaware – and PACT is traditionally one venue for which you don’t want to forget your cardigan.

You could be forgiven thinking that PACT’s second suite of Fringe offerings should not be called “Program B” but rather “The Wollongong Invasion.” The majority of the works hail from Wollongong University graduates – a powerful throng of theatre makers inspired by the likes of Chris Ryan and Tim Maddocks. Read more

It is a little hidden among the hubbub of The Sydney Fringe (which overwhelms and fatigues even the most enthusiastic punter with it’s stranglehold over art events of the Inner West) but a new group show/residency at Tin Sheds Gallery is a lovely collision of worlds. Read more

If there is one thing I know for certain, it is that Christmas is one of the most difficult days of the year. The lead up is nearly unbearable – constant glitter and sparkles and fairylights and images of a poor but happy Jewish family nursing a blonde boy lying in straw, or worse – a rosy cheeked Coca-cola Santa winking with his all-knowing judgement. It’s a stressful time of year. And to be honest, I don’t like it.

Luckily, the latest offering from Phil Spencer’s pen (or printer cartridge) is not Christmas Day – Read more

It’s a beautiful clear night in Kogarah when I make my way to the Town Square – there’s a parked car in the middle of the street and a man hemmed in by bright-eyed children spinning pink fairy-floss onto a stick. There’s a fortress… There’s a gated night market within – and we wait as people gather and mill. Read more