Review
Beauty and horror collide in this famous exploration of ‘madness’
One of opera’s most famous ‘mad scenes’ is on show in Melbourne Opera’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor.
- by Bridget Davies, Cameron Woodhead, Tony Way and Andrew Fuhrmann
Latest
A smile so hideous it inspired the Joker: The Grinning Man comes to Melbourne
Eight years after becoming a huge cult hit in the West End, the musical The Grinning Man is heading Down Under.
- by Will Cox
★★★★½
What’s on
Who would have thought a cost of living crisis play could be so funny?
Our reviewers give their verdict on acts all over town from the No Pay, No Way, Carmen, Chris Isaak and Grease.
- by John Shand, Peter McCallum, Harriet Cunningham, Chantal Nguyen and Shamim Razavi
★★★★★
Melbourne live reviews
He was playing the ‘wrong’ instrument – but nailed the concert anyway
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 and Cameron Woodhead
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
Wicked’s extravagance is a sight to behold in this return to Oz
After nine years, the fanfare and pomp of Broadway blockbuster Wicked is back in Melbourne.
- by Sonia Nair
★★
What’s on
Frothy, syrupy and plastic: Clever story can’t save & Juliet from samey songs
The cumulative effect of Max Martin’s songs is excruciating.
- by John Shand
★★★★★
Melbourne live reviews
All musical theatre lovers should see this show at least once
This wrap of shows around Melbourne includes Rent at the State Theatre, The Crying Room: Exhumed, Greentea Peng, Cuddle, and Queens of the Stone Age.
- by Cameron Woodhead, Andrew Fuhrmann, Vyshnavee Wijekumar and Nadia Bailey
★★★★
Brisbane
‘Gobsmacked’: Beauty and the Beast gets standing ovations before it’s even half over
From dancing cutlery to miraculous transformations, Disney’s hi-tech layer-cake delivers on the magic.
- by Nick Dent
Flop to smash hit: Sumptuous, talent-packed Bernstein musical goes the whole ham
This wrap of shows around Melbourne includes four five-star shows within one week – including one that hasn’t been seen on our stages since the ’80s.
- by Bridget Davies, Jessica Nicholas, Cameron Woodhead, Tony Way and Andrew Fuhrmann
★★★★
Melbourne live reviews
We’d need to see Groundhog Day over and over to write the perfect review
For us, there’s always tomorrow, and this lively black rom-com does make you appreciate the beauty and the curse of living one day after another.
- by Cameron Woodhead