Cruise review | Fruit Box Theatre | Theatre Works

In 1980s London, at the height of the AIDS crisis, a diagnosis of HIV carried a devastating prognosis. Cruise follows Michael, a gay man who, after being told he has only four years to live, decides to spend what remains of his life embracing everything the city’s nightlife has to offer. But when he survives beyond the date he had expected to die, he is left to confront an entirely different challenge: working out how to live in a future he never imagined he would have.

Fraser Morrison captivates us from the moment he appears. Playing more than 20 characters, he moves effortlessly between them, transforming his voice, physicality and mannerisms to distinguish each one. Among them are the two protagonists, Jack, a young gay man volunteering at an LGBTQ Switchboard, and Michael, a caller recounting his life as a young gay man in 80s London.

What makes Morrison's portrayal particularly impressive is the confidence with which he takes on this mix of personalities. His transitions are often instantaneous, especially when switching between several speakers in a conversation, yet never confusing. Each character is distinct, allowing the audience to follow the rapid exchanges and numerous relationships with ease. He brings considerable emotional depth to the role, balancing humour with the vulnerability and heartbreak of the subject matter. There are very powerful passages in the script, and Morrison gives them the weight they demand.

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.