Culture
Live reviews
Honky tonk and disco balls: If you’re going to do country, this is how
Dyed-in-the-denim country music star Lainey Wilson kicked off her arena show with an Australian tradition: a shoey.
- by Kosa Monteith, Jessica Nicholas, Barney Zwartz, Cameron Woodhead and Tyson Wray
Latest
★★★★
Sydney live reviews
This is the perfect show for a perfect Sydney night out
Our critics take in some of the latest shows around town, including West Side Story, Wilco and Jessica Mauboy.
- by John Shand
This three-course menu pairs the wine perfectly with its cocaine-addled chef
‘Gluttony: A Play in Three Courses’ offers an immersive performance as part of Melbourne’s Food & Wine Festival. Don’t worry, your only participation requirement is enjoying the food.
- by Cameron Woodhead, Andrew Fuhrmann and Barney Zwartz
This festival has the best, and worst, shows in Australia – that’s why I keep going back
A safe program is a dull program. You get exceptional shows by pushing at boundaries – the price of that, however, is that occasionally one will fall flat.
- by Elizabeth Flux
★★★★
Sydney live reviews
A night of ‘blazing splendour’ from Sydney Symphony
Our critics take a look at the latest shows around town.
- by Peter McCallum, Cassie Tongue and Harriet Cunningham
After a blistering Golden Plains set, this duo sets out to conquer Melbourne
This wrap of shows around Melbourne includes Gaslight, Mahler 3, The Streets, Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul, and The Human League.
- by Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, Barney Zwartz, Cameron Woodhead, Nadia Bailey and Andrew McClelland
It was too hot to dance until the Balkan punk band gave us no choice
An uninvited band, mixed messages, and a closed stage: the WOMADelaide festival dancing through its challenges.
- by Jessica Nicholas
★★★★★
Sydney live reviews
You’ll want to feast on this unmissable new zombie musical
Our reviewers take a look at some of the latest shows around town, including Zombie! The Musical, Holding The Man, Frame Narrative and Wit.
- by John Shand and Kate Prendergast
Move over David Williamson, we have a new five-star footy play
This wrap of shows around Melbourne includes a thrilling play about footy and racism; the Jonas Brothers’ play Rod Laver Arena on first-ever Australian tour, Fred again..’s instant arena tour; and two comedies: one about two super-Karens meeting for their weekly lunch, and another about two young men who have to deal with a sick cow.
- by Cameron Woodhead, Marcus Teague and Vyshnavee Wijekumar
★★★★
Sydney live reviews
The Human League put on a classic retro show – but it’s all about that one song
Our critics give their verdict on the latest shows around town, including the Human League, Yothu Yindi, Hannah Gadsby, the Song Company, Angelique Kidjo and Bell Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
- by John Shand, Peter McCallum, Daniel Herborn, Shamim Razavi, Michael Ruffles and James Jennings
Amy Hack is captivating as Yentl in this transgressive tale’s return
This wrap of shows around Melbourne includes Yentl at the Malthouse, a revival of The Sound of Music in St Kilda, the stage adaptation of The Hate Race, Sampha at Margaret Court Arena, Shonen Knife, and a fiery triple bill at the Melbourne Recital Centre.
- by Sonia Nair, Cher Tan, Jessica Nicholas, Michael Dwyer and Cameron Woodhead