Trauma, hedonism and hijinx revealed in keeping Vigil
Christie Whelan keeps Vigil moving with trauma, hedonism and musical hijinx.
Stage
Epic Victorian poem still chimes with modern audiences
An "arcane form" is brought back to life and made to resonate with modern audiences by Simon Tedeschi and John Bell.
Review: Keep the Melbourne Magic Festival up your sleeve for school holidays
With family shows galore and very reasonably priced tickets, it's easy to see why this festival continues to thrive.
Theatre
Williamson returns to celebrate La Mama Theatre's 50th birthday
Ten years ago, Liz Jones' husband, Lloyd, dug out a chunk of the wall at La Mama Theatre.
How intense is 'vomiting', 'fainting' 1984, really?
"Can I handle the STC's new production of 1984?" Apparently this is a question theatregoers are fretting over.
Torture scenes not as bloody awful as advertised
The protagonists go somewhat limp - and not just in the face of torture
Dance
Dance work with a message inspired by Coleridge poem
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner inspired Quantum Leap's next show.
Stripped-down Swan fails to take wing
The traditional Swan Lake is a huge production with dozens of dancers. Arche is the Melbourne Ballet Company's version of the Swan Lake story, danced by nine performers.
Don't miss this exceptional work
Bennelong is an extraordinarily powerful work, a benchmark in Australian dance creativity.
Musicals
Comedy 'the best way' to tell the Joh Bjelke-Petersen story
You are seated at a table in a leagues club next to the Daintree Developers Corporation. There are brown paper bags on the table for donations, as this event is a fundraiser for Joh Bjelke-Petersen's campaign to become prime minister.
Not Sondheim's best, and it shows
There are too many imperfections in this musical, and Watch This' interpretation only accents them further.
New Muriel's Wedding star named
Sydney Theatre Company has announced that Maggie McKenna will take the lead role for its upcoming production, Muriel's Wedding The Musical, the stage version of the much-loved 1994 film starring Toni Collette.
Opera
Sublime music and fart jokes, too
Pinchgut Opera's winter production often presents events which, history tells us, shaped the development of music.
Dean's heart-wrenchingly beautiful opera wows Glyndebourne audiences
Hamlet has everything on which opera thrives: murder, love, lust, intrigue, betrayal, revenge – and a ghost. Not to mention a duel, followed by a pile of bodies.
The Nixon Tapes review: concert captivates with its climactic musical excitement
This is a concert of unflagging interest and intellect from two distinctive younger voices and an enduring work from a venerated master.
Comedy
'I don't hate myself any more': why Hannah Gadsby is retiring from comedy
Hannah Gadsby is walking away from stand-up comedy, and reveals her long struggle with creativity, sexuality and illness.
Rock's show not blockbuster fans hoped for
While there is plenty to like about Chris Rock's ability to explore uncomfortable topics fearlessly, this show felt undercooked.
Chris Rock surprises fans with secret gigs on Australian tour
Comedy club punters in Perth and Melbourne scored a massive treat with surprise appearances by Chris Rock.