Laneway Festival Melbourne review: Hitting the high notes
MUSIC ST JEROME'S LANEWAY FESTIVAL Footscray Community Arts Centre February 3
Stage
MSO's live soundtrack to Star Wars: A New Hope a roaring success
The humour may be hokey and the special effects not so special, but John Williams' score remains immediate and memorable.
The View UpStairs turns tragedy into a celebration of old-school gay culture
"In the '70s, when people were so vilified, there was a real defiance, and people celebrated their life and their sexuality, but it all happened inside these closed bars."
Theatre
Jeremy Irons takes on a huge acting challenge
Jeremy Irons can relate to the role of James Tyrone in Eugene O'Neill's masterpiece.
A wild night of entertainment that will make you want to change the world
In this Irish variety show, the freakish are fearless and the oppressed take charge.
Ventriloquist takes on the age of the internet
The veteran ventriloquist says this is his most technologically advanced show to date.
Dance
Bad boy comes good with rocking Horses project
Not so many years ago Michael Clark was the "bad boy" of mainstream dance, subverting his classical training – Britain's Royal Ballet School no less – into outrageous and provocative entertainment, often with the use of startling props.
I wouldn't want to go further down that road, says Michael Clark
Michael Clark shocked the dance world of the 80s with his outrageous highly sexualised punk-inspired productions. He took heroin for inspiration, made Leigh Bowery's mum cry with mortification and encouraged his own mum appear topless on stage. But as Sydney is about to see, at 55, he is aiming for a different meaning in his work.
'Nearly ideal': Cella shines at Sydney Festival
Cella is Latin for cell, and this engrossing work has been choreographed by its performers, Narelle Benjamin and Paul White, to reflect the "complex structures of our biological system".
Musicals
The View UpStairs turns tragedy into a celebration of old-school gay culture
"In the '70s, when people were so vilified, there was a real defiance, and people celebrated their life and their sexuality, but it all happened inside these closed bars."
Still fabulous: Priscilla the Musical returns to Melbourne with a flourish
Some of our cultural attitudes may have changed but the heart of this Australian classic still beats strong.
Is your kid a star? Auditions open for School of Rock
Melbourne has had a bit of a dearth of family-friendly musicals lately.
Opera
New York opera director fired for 'inappropriate behaviour'
In the latest jolt to the classical musical world, New York's Metropolitan Opera has fired the veteran British stage director John Copley after receiving a complaint about what the company described as "inappropriate behaviour in the rehearsal room".
Director Barrie Kosky says the opera is genre defying
Acclaimed opera director Barrie Kosky presents the surreal story of an escaped nose.
Carmen given killer new ending
After more than 140 years of being stabbed to death on stage, the gypsy heroine of the opera Carmen gets her own revenge in a new Italian production – shooting her thwarted lover instead.
Comedy
Menopause and arthritis are laughing matters for Judith Lucy and Denise Scott
The first time Denise Scott remembers laying eyes on fellow comedian Judith Lucy was less meet cute, more meat cute.
Bill Cosby takes the stage for first public performance in years
Bill Cosby joked about his blindness, scatted along with a jazz band, and even played the drums Monday in his first public performance since abuse allegations from dozens of women put his career on hold two years ago.
Oscar winner calls for Netflix boycott over 'gender and colour bias'
Mo'Nique has called on her fans to boycott Netflix, accusing the streaming service of "colour bias" and "gender bias" in the wake of a pay feud.