Bell at his very best in this devastating play
John Bell excels in French writer Florian Zeller's cool-toned study of an elderly man losing everything to the slow creep of dementia.
Stage
Comic portrait only goes skin deep
A playwright's churn-and-burn approach to comedy wears thin in this story of cosmetics queens to refuse to make up.
Gender on the agenda for Bell
"There is no reason why you can't have as many women on stage as men in these worlds," says Bell Shakespeare's Peter Evans. "We want gender parity to be the new normal, not the exception."
Theatre
Comic portrait only goes skin deep
A playwright's churn-and-burn approach to comedy wears thin in this story of cosmetics queens to refuse to make up.
Gender on the agenda for Bell
"There is no reason why you can't have as many women on stage as men in these worlds," says Bell Shakespeare's Peter Evans. "We want gender parity to be the new normal, not the exception."
Using the arts to energise collective decision-making
Mikey Weinkove uses pizza-making and other forms of audience participation to get people talking.
Dance
Love is Love review: smart, entertaining and unexpected
What a welcome surprise. A group I had never heard of, dancers and choreographers whose names were unfamiliar – and they turned out to be smart, well produced and very entertaining.
Swan Lake like you've never seen it before
Michael Keegan-Dolan's reimagining of Swan Lake seems calculated to offend traditionalists.
Dance work uses the past to confront the present
A slice of history comes to life on stage from Bangarra Dance Theatre.
Musicals
Singer Paulini leans on Bodyguard cast amid bribery allegations
Singer Paulini Cureunavuli says she has leaned on the cast and crew of The Bodyguard for support amid allegations of bribery.
Iconic role lures Arena back to the music theatre stage
One of Australia's most successful and enduring stars will take on the role of Eva Peron in Evita at the Sydney Opera House in September next year.
Diva's greatest hits land with force
You'll learn plenty about Nellie Melba's life, but this musical's stick-to-the-facts approach reveals little of what might have made her tick.
Opera
Opera Australia announces 2018 Melbourne season
Wagnerites will rejoice at the inclusion of Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg, but we miss out on Barrie Kosky's new weird opera, The Nose.
Opera Australia comes home with a diverse program
Opera Australia is bringing the best local and overseas talent to the stage in 2018.
Review: Rape of Lucretia
A fresh look at a rich though problematic piece.
Comedy
15 best jokes from Edinburgh Fringe revealed
A comedian who quipped about Britain's new pound coin at the Edinburgh arts festival has won Best Joke of the Fringe 2017.
Comedian wants to help Canberra cheer up
In Tom Gleeson's new show he promises to tell you when he's been lying.
Desperate Aussies 'begging' for Seinfeld tickets
About 140,000 Australians will see the legendary comic perform – while many more miss out.