Nutcracker adaptation for kids is lots of fun and doesn't scrimp on skilful dancing
The Australian ballet clearly understands the needs of its young audience in this Storytime Ballet version of the Christmas classic.
Stage
Sydney Festival: women stride onto centre stage
The first program from new director Wesley Enoch is full of all-female productions, from cabarets about gin to modern Indonesian dance.
Creature feature
An inventive puppeteer plays in the shadows.
Theatre
Gender switch poses hard questions about women in power
The US presidential election cast a shadow over rehearsals of Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra.
Important exploration of queer experience lacks refinement
This piece of verbatim theatre gives much-needed airtime to some of the less prominent letters in 'LGBTIQ'.
Playwright gender parity moving slowly
Australia's mainstage theatre companies are producing more original Australian work than three years ago, but commitment to Australian female playwrights has stalled, according to a new report by the Australian Writers Guild. In The National Voice 2017, a survey of Australia's 10 largest theatre companies, next year's seasons were found to include 95 plays, of which 52 (55%) are written by an Australian playwright. This is up from 50% in 2016, but down from 63% in 2015.
Dance
Nutcracker adaptation for kids is lots of fun and doesn't scrimp on skilful dancing
The Australian ballet clearly understands the needs of its young audience in this Storytime Ballet version of the Christmas classic.
Bored ballerinas with patchy technique let down a standout soloist
Irina Kolesnikova is outstanding in the lead roles. It's a shame the supporting cast wasn't up to scratch.
Price shines at Genee International Ballet Competition
The audience buzz after 16-year-old Joshua Price completed his solo from Le Corsaire told you instantly who was going to get the audience choice award.
Musicals
Intimate two-hander with a chronological twist
Jason Robert Brown's chamber musical is an intimate two-hander with a chronological twist.
Action!: Music, dance, comedy at the Q
From a new musical about Australia's first female prime minister to a three-person adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days, there's plenty on offer in next year's season at the Q.
Adaptation of cult parody Reefer Madness leaves audience on a high
The 1930s anti-drug propaganda film became a cult classic for all the wrong reasons. It translates well to the stage.
Opera
Seraphic beauty would make choirs of angels sing with joy
It is difficult to know what to commend most strongly.
Final instalment of Wagner's Ring ends in blaze of glory
It was hard to imagine things could step up any further but this last and longest of the Ring operas was also the most majestic.
Stefan Vinke astounds in third Wagner instalment
That anyone can sing Siegfried, the title role in Wagner's third Ring opera, is surprising, so challenging is the role. That anyone can sing it like Stefan Vinke is astounding.
Comedy
Amy Schumer cancels tour
Comedian Amy Schumer has cancelled her Australian stand-up tour just five days before she was due to perform in Perth.
Comedian, idiot, hoof prancer
Sam Simmons and his fight against beige is our hottest comedy export.
Stand-up comedy career adds up
Dilruk Jayasinha left the heady heights of accountancy for sweaty live comedy.