Culture
Live reviews
★★★★★
Melbourne live reviews
There’s nowhere to hide in this beautiful meditation on loneliness
Performing solo at the Melbourne Recital Centre, Marlon Williams’ five-star show brought together quiet vulnerability, crowd favourites and weird dance moves.
- by Nadia Bailey, Cameron Woodhead and Andrew McClelland
Latest
★★★★
Sydney live reviews
Domineering diva sang like an angel but behaved like a devil
Our critics take a look at the latest shows around town.
- by Peter McCallum and Joyce Morgan
Has Melbourne’s biggest arts festival finally taken off?
With a beefed-up performing arts program, this was the first year of Rising that felt like more than a poor shadow of an international arts festival.
- by Cameron Woodhead
★★★★½
Review
This feast for the eyes is one of the best dance works you’ll see this year
Our reviewers give their verdict on the latest shows around town, including Chicago and gigs from Pond, Bangarra Dance Theatre. Opera Australia and 5 Seconds of Summer’s Luke Hemmings.
- by John Shand, James Jennings, Millie Muroi, Chantal Nguyen and Peter McCallum
★★★★
Melbourne live reviews
This moving and vibrant Rising show is a must-watch
Gurr Era Op, a beautifully composed dance theatre piece, is like a sea breeze: it blows strong and tastes fresh.
- by Andrew Fuhrmann, Cameron Woodhead, Tony Way and Vyshnavee Wijekumar
★★★★
Sydney live reviews
Actor, rapper, activist, comedian: This artist has got the lot
Our reviewers give their verdict on the latest shows around town, including Yasiin Bey’s two Vivid gigs and the STC’s Stolen.
- by John Shand and James Jennings
★★★★★
Melbourne live reviews
One of Melbourne’s most underrated bands return home and blow off the roof
At first, indie duo Good Morning and the Melbourne Recital Centre seemed like an unusual match. But then the music started.
- by Will Cox, Andrew Fuhrmann and Brodie Lancaster
★★★★
Sydney live reviews
Cameraman and a random seagull are the stars of this love letter to the Opera House
Our critics look over the latest performances around town, including Romeo & Juliet Suite and Marlon Williams.
- by Chantal Nguyen, Bernard Zuel and Peter McCallum
This play about Julia Gillard will hold your attention, regardless of your politics
It’s worth seeing this show just to watch Justine Clarke transform into Gillard and, in a thrilling display, deliver the misogyny speech in full.
- by Cameron Woodhead, Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, Andrew Fuhrmann and Jessica Nicholas
It’s a gas! Laughs and gasps fill the Regal for this smart update of a classic play
A clever and subtle reworking of Patrick Hamilton’s 1938 psychological thriller that gave us the term gaslighting makes for an entertaining night of theatre.
- by Mark Naglazas
★★★★
Sydney live reviews
Newtown to Nashville: The Whitlams’ Tim Freedman takes a surprise detour
Our critics review the latest shows around town.
- by John Shand, Shamim Razavi, Peter McCallum and Michael Bailey