NOOBA is blurring the line between a doodle and a masterpiece with its upcoming exhibition of bizarre art | Northcote Town Hall

Art is a funny business. One person's masterpiece is another person's questionable use of materials, and NOOBA is rather interested in that space between the two. The inaugural Northcote Organisation of Bizarre Art Prize brings together a collection of Australian artworks that challenge conventional ideas about what art should be. Founded by a trio with some rather unconventional views on the subject, NOOBA also puts the public in the position of judge, with exhibition visitors deciding who takes home the $2,000 prize. We chat with co-founder Craig Burton about the thinking behind NOOBA, what makes art interesting and why it's worth questioning our expectations of art.

"The response we've had from artists has been fantastic! We received nearly 300 submissions, and I’m sure we’ll receive more next time when we’ve built up more of a profile. These 'bizarre' works are unconventional, interesting, and surprising. It’s something between a doodle and a masterpiece," Burton explains. "Nothing moderate, mediocre or middling. They are a call from artists seeking to be understood, while leaving room for multiple meanings. If the perfectly ordinary subject can be presented this way, then it becomes bizarre."

Fiddler on the Roof review | Her Majesty's Theatre

There is something timeless about Fiddler on the Roof. Set in a small Jewish village in early 20th-century Russia, it explores the pull between tradition and change, following poor milkman Tevye as he tries to hold his family and community together. With memorable songs, gentle humour and themes of faith and belonging, it has been a fixture of musical theatre for generations.

Set in 1905 in the fictional village of Anatevka, the story follows Tevye and his wife, Golde, as they raise five daughters. Faith and customs provide the villagers with a sense of identity and stability, despite the discrimination and persecution they face. But Tevye's ordered world begins to unravel when his three eldest daughters challenge arranged marriages by choosing their own partners. As he wrestles with their expectations, wider political upheaval threatens all their futures.

Sidekicks review | The Motley Bauhaus

We're all the heroes of our own story. But what if we're not in our own story, and someone else's? Are we nothing but a mere sidekick? And can we ever step up? In Stephen Vagg's Sidekicks, two friends navigate the complications of friendship and romance, considering the roles they play in each other's lives and whether they have the courage to change them.

Simon Chugg and Tammy Tresillian, who also co-direct, bring a relatively naturalistic approach to their portrayals of McKenzie and CB. Their interactions suggest two people at ease with one another, sharing a longstanding familiarity. However, the exaggerated accents and affected speech patterns adopted for the other characters feel jarring, undermining the believability established in their lead roles.

Smaller review | Gasworks Arts Park

In Smaller, David Williams brings together family history, genetics and the experience of raising a child with a developmental disability to explore how the past shapes who we become. Tracing his heritage across Germany, England and Australia, he connects the stories of earlier generations with scientific discoveries about DNA and the challenges of navigating support for his son through the NDIS.

Williams is particularly effective when weaving family history and migration across generations. However, as the narrative turns towards genetics and chromosomes, the scientific detail begins to weigh it down. The discussion of the Human Genome Project, an international effort to map and sequence human DNA, feels unnecessary, adding another layer of information without sufficiently advancing the personal account.

Crapbox review | Theatre Works

Death and grief take many forms, from the quiet sadness of losing a loved one to the complicated emotions that surface when having to live without them. In Crapbox, playwright Kevin Nemeth explores these experiences through four short stories that examine loss, memory and the relationships that shape our lives. While each one approaches its subject in its own way, they come together to form a poignant reflection on what remains after someone is gone.

Opening with Early Morning, a couple wake up early one morning and become overwhelmed by their anxieties as they lie in bed. This is the most difficult piece to engage with, largely due to the writing style Nemeth has chosen. The husband and wife (Peter Houghton and Ann Browning) narrate their own actions and reactions as though reading stage directions, with lines such as “he pauses for a moment” and “she’s surprised”. While the actors do a great job of conveying the emotions behind their words, the approach feels somewhat unnatural, creating a distance between the audience and the characters.