Culture
Live reviews
★★★★★
Melbourne live reviews
Icelandic pianist’s technical brilliance on show – even if on the wrong instrument
Listeners were dazzled with the dizzying accuracy of Vikingur Olafsson’s fast hand-crossing, which was made far more perilous on a modern piano.
- by Tony Way
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This revolutionary feminist was executed at 31. Her ideas never died
Farewell Lady Autumn at La Mama is inspired by the life of Qiu Jin, who was executed after being implicated in a failed assassination plot.
- by Cameron Woodhead, Kosa Monteith, Jessica Nicholas, Barney Zwartz and Tyson Wray
★★★★
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, Michael Ruffles, Bernard Zuel and Peter McCallum
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