Turning 25 review

Two women meet. They have various conversations on important topics such as what it feels like to fall in love, are humans ultimately evil, and can you separate art from the artist. Inspired by Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot and Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique, Turning 25 is a feminist absurdist examination of women's wants and desires in the modern world.

Similar to Waiting for Godot, Turning 25 lacks a clear plot, climax, or resolution. In this production though, the two women race through random threads of conversation as they provide commentary on society and evaluate their lives. You can see John's Wife (Eleni Vettos) has adopted some of Vladimir’s philosophical traits, while the Unnamed Woman (Gillian Mosenthal) mirrors Estragon, with less abstract thinking and a more childlike quality. Vettos and Mosenthal present confidence with Georgie Hindle's script and find a good balance in highlighting its humour and vulnerability.

Never Have I Ever review

Faced with shutting down their restaurant and an inevitable bankruptcy claim looming, Jacq and Kas invite their friends / investors Tobin and Adaego, for dinner to break the news to them, and potentially seek a second lifeline. But in Never Have I Ever, things don't go according to plan and soon enough the four are drunk and high, and conversations and challenges around sexism, racism, misogyny and classism begin to rear their ugly heads.

Chika Ikogwe is utterly brilliant as Adaego, who as well as being an upper class black journalist is also a self proclaimed activist for women in business. Ikogwe is paired up perfectly with Simon Gleeson as her exceptionally wealthy and pompous husband Tobin who despite being thinly written, is given adequate layers by Gleeson's performance that keep him interesting. The highlights of the show are when these two are going at each other, with both finding the comedy and the truth of their characters in an extremely convincing way.

Our Monster's Name is Jerry review

When Maud's aunt passes away suddenly, she is surprised to learn that the house in which she lived in has been passed on to her. As Maud and their partner Lou move in and start to make a home - and family - for themselves, random noises, flickering lights and eerie visions begin to become far too common as deeply buried secrets eventually come to the surface. Written by Amy May Nunn, Our Monster's Name is Jerry is a queer, gothic horror story that looks at the depths we go to keep our anxieties at bay.

Em Jevons and Laura Jane Turner are great as Lou and Maud. They convincingly portray two people in a long-term relationship who know each other intimately and have a shared history. Jevons is particularly noteworthy as the concerned and supportive partner but who also finds themselves being drawn into this psychological and physical nightmare. Alanah Guiry's direction adds lots of flowing and gentle movements in the actors' actions that heightens the conflict and mystery taking place, especially at its most terrifying.

One Of These Things First review

As children, many of us had career aspirations that were ultimately abandoned. What if we had gone to medical school and become a doctor, or practised the guitar and become a famous musician, or actually become a billionaire? In One Of These Things First, Hot Lunch make their dream vocations a reality by acting out every single one of them in a fast-paced, 60-minute show that packs as much of a reality-check punch to the gut as it does laughter.

Delta Brooks, Rebekah Carton and Tom Richards are the co-creative directors of Hot Lunch, and this group is an absolute joy to watch. They possess incredible complementary energies, an enthusiastic focus on making each other look good and an uncanny skill in delivering a clear artistic vision even when it seems like they've thrown everything into the bowl. A considerable amount of care has gone into the devising and literal creation of this show, and because of this, they can be fully committed to the wackiness while retaining a strong sense of authenticity.

TANTRUM for 6 review

In Harrison Ritchie-Jones' TANTRUM for 6, six babies are born from a thunderstorm, with a natural ability to dance together. They begin to explore themselves, each other and this brand-new world leading to enthralling contemporary choreography and performances that investigate what it means to be human, particularly when it all gets a little bit too overwhelming.



The ensemble (Anika Deruyter, Rebecca Jensen, Georgia Rudd, Oliver Savariego, Michaela Tancheff, and Ritchie-Jones) is completely in sync with each other with their movements built on skill and trust. When they move their body a certain way or drop to the floor, everyone else is in the right spot to catch, push or rotate them into the next arrangement of this mesmerising chain reaction. As these babies become more familiar with their new forms and how they function, the choreography too, becomes more complex as they rely on one another even further with some striking pair work.



Tender review

Presented by an all-queer cast, Cirque X's Tender looks at what it means to be tender through circus, acrobatics, and musical and dance numbers. The word itself conjures up different definitions and ideas, and in this production, the acts offer unique perspectives and explorations of what tender can be via various lenses such as relationships, sex, sexuality and desire.

The opening teaser by J Twist and Chris Barnett is hands down one of the most seductive and tantalising experiences I've ever had in the performing arts. The pair appear either side of a cube structure and stare defiantly out to the audience. They are "outside the box" and challenging us to join them on this adventure of discovery. They exude sexuality and sensuality as they gradually begin to remove their clothes which climaxes with a surprising reveal that sets the tone for the rest of the evening.

Labyrinth review

For their latest offering, Forest Collective takes its audience into the labyrinthian myth of Theseus and Ariadne and their battle with the Minotaur, Ariadne’s half-brother. Set in the large and winding spaces within Abbotsford Convent, this opera / physical theatre performance of Labyrinth leads us into the maze alongside Theseus as he edges his way to the confrontation with the beast that has the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man.

Artistic Director of Forest Collective Evan J. Lawson serves as composer, music director and sound designer for this production and the touches he has put to these define and embolden the vision of this show. Alongside librettist Daniel Szesiong Todd, this is a captivating story that is told at a pace that allows you to be drawn deeper and deeper into this world.

Liza’s Good Judy review

Legendary mother-and-daughter duo Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli reunite for an evening of storytelling and musical delights. Performed by Manda Rozen-Flannery as both celebrities, cabaret show Liza’s Good Judy explores the challenges and hardships experienced by them and the strong bond that existed between them.
 
Aesthetically, Rozen-Flannery captures Minnelli with her hair and outfits but further differentiation is needed during her scenes as Garland. The dialogue generally confirms who is speaking, but having distinction in mannerisms or physical appearance for each would benefit the show immensely.