37 review | Melbourne Theatre Company

When the Aboriginal Marngrook cousins join the (all-white) local football team, it means a new hope of finally nabbing the premiership cup that has eluded the club for years. But as they inch closer and closer to victory, tensions begin to simmer. Written by Nathan Maynard, 37 explores the world of Aussie Rules and "Aussie rules" of identity, community, and racism within a local footy club of Cutting Cove Currawongs.

Maynard's story might take place at a local level but by setting it amid Adam Goodes' challenging years as a player for the Sydney Swans, he presents a global perspective to this small-town event. The Number 37 guernsey wearer faced a bombardment of constant booing from AFL audiences, being called an ape by a 13-year-old Collingwood fan and accused of inciting violence for performing an Indigenous war dance at a match where he mimed throwing a boomerang (and not a spear as was reported), towards the Carlton cheer squad.

A Dodgeball Named Desire review (Melbourne Fringe Festival)

You've got to hand it to Bloomshed. They have proven themselves time and time again to be one of the most innovative, bold, daring and creative theatre makers around. Too much? Absolutely not, and with their new show A Dodgeball Named Desire they continue to reign supreme. Using Tennessee William' near 80 year-old play A Streetcar Named Desire, Bloomshed explore the competitive nature between the performing arts and the sporting industries, and if there's any chance of these two co-existing. All set in a dodgeball arena. Flores para los muertos? Indeed.

On one side of the court we have our dainty and frail Blanches dressed in old, withered white gowns. On the other, we have the Stanleys, who happen to be extremely fit and very much ready for a fight. While Streetcar is a sharp critique of how society and its attitudes restricted women's lives, A Dodgeball Named Desire uses the dodgeball scenario as a way to highlight how government and institutions are restricting and suffocating the performing arts and not giving them their due credit.

Bloomshed are preparing for an epic bloodbath with A Dodgeball Named Desire (Melbourne Fringe Festival)

Bloomshed is back at Melbourne Fringe Festival with its unique take on classic literature, this time turning its attention to the work of Tennessee Williams. But any expectations on what A Dodgeball Named Desire will be about should be dropped right now, unless you already suspected the ensemble will go up against a sub-elite AFL team in a game of dodgeball. We caught up with one of the brains behind Bloomshed, Anna Louey, to discuss this show and how these ideas formulate.

"Bloomshed as a theatre company is always thinking of the next show to develop, but we can also stew on a suggestion for years before it comes to life," she tells me. "In March of 2022, we met together for an intensive development of A Dodgeball Named Desire and knew that we wanted to make something about sport and theatre, and the colliding world in which theatre becomes sport. We had to set this aside to focus on our season of Paradise Lost in July, but revisited Dodgeball in October through the support of Darebin Arts Speakeasy. During this development, we realised that we were serious about the show and committed to buying a stack of dodgeballs that were the official size and weight as per international rules. We weren’t messing around. It meant hours of pounding each other with dodgeballs while simultaneously working on the script. A year later, we’re putting it on at fortyfivedownstairs as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival and we can finally whip the balls back out."

Scandal! A Reflection on Essendon’s Doping Saga: The Musical? - Melbourne International Comedy Festival preview

For a country that prides itself on sport, particularly football, the doping scandal that plagued the AFL in 2013 was a devastating blow to the nation. After being investigated by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority and the World Anti-Doping Agency over the legality of its supplements program during the 2012 AFL season, the Essendon Football Club was fined $2 million, banned from the 2013 finals series, and suspended its senior coach and general manager. They're the perfect ingredients to create a musical comedy out of right? Well Kit Richards seems to think so with her new Melbourne International Comedy Festival show, Scandal! A Reflection on Essendon’s Doping Saga: The Musical? 

After being nominated for the Golden Gibbo and Green Room Awards in 2019 for Wool! The Musical, Richards is looking forward to tackling this scandal, and while it might be very different to the wool industry, the two are more closely linked than you'd think.

"I recently bought an Essendon guernsey that was made out of Merino wool and the tag on it said ‘Australian Rules Football and the wool industry are knitted together geographically, socially and financially’ so I guess it was fate!" she tells me. "Seriously though, the history of wool was a topic that had plenty of comedic potential but I always like to grow and develop as a writer so I thought it would be interesting to tackle something I don’t find funny. In that way, that was a natural progression but to outsiders, it’s probably a bit of a leap."

Become The One - Midsumma Festival review

The writer's notes in the program for Become The One tell us that in 2018, there were over 790 players on club lists in the AFL. Of those 790 there were no players who identified as anything other than heterosexual. While this is possible, it is highly unlikely, and in Adam Fawcett's new play, a high profile AFL player struggles to keep his relationship with a man out of the news for fear of ruining his career.

Chris Asimos (Tom) and Henry Strand (Noah) share great chemistry on stage, with both of them comfortable in their characters and in their more intimate scenes together. As time moves forward in the play, so too does the familiarity and affection the two have for each other develop. Fawcett's sharp and witty dialogue between them shows two people who are in love and devoted to one another but ultimately trapped by their circusmstances. Homosexuality, masculinity and sports are openly explored and rather than giving simple solutions to these issues, the script veers towards a more realistic and complex resolution.

Hoke's Bluff review

There is nothing quite representative of American culture than a packed auditorium or sports field of screaming high schoolers cheering on their team. The colour, the noise and the atmosphere can be electric and in Action Hero's Hoke's Bluff, this is vividly brought to life through a high-paced exploration of glorified dream chasing. 

The space is authentically designed to resemble a basketball court with bleachers on each side and the school flag and mottos emblazoned on the walls. A dancing animal mascot is rallying the crowd, popcorn is handed out and loud music is playing that would have even the grumpiest and sullen of attendees find themselves surrendering to the spirit of the game.

The Helendale Nude Footy Calendar review | Kissing Booth | Bluestone Church Arts Space

A local football club has run out of funds and is at a loss of what to do. "What is it that we have that people want?", laments one footballer shortly before taking off his top and showing off his toned body. And so The Helendale Nude Footy Calendar adventure begins. However, there are two other parallel stories occurring in two other country towns: at Karandah Heads, two locals encounter a celebrity staying at a caravan park, and at Galshank, a gay high school student tries to figure out what it is he wants. Presented as part of this year's Midsumma Festival, the three stories in The Helendale Nude Footy Calendar explore sexuality, relationships and love, and the different ways these can present themselves.

Helendale - the most fleshed out of the three stories (pun intended) - focuses on Angus (Chris Edwards) who secretly (and maybe not so secretly) swoons over footballer Mason (Guy Talon). Edwards is well cast as the shy, nervous and incredibly sarcastic Angus, with his body language and mannerisms bringing to the surface his anxieties and desires. The support cast does well with their characters and are given the opportunity to show multiple sides of their personalities. They're not just footballers but also friends, brothers, boyfriends, etc. etc., and Sam Nix as Angus' brother, Tom is a great example of embracing this chance for strong character development. There are scenes of bravado when Tom is with "the boys" talking football but there are sincere moments when speaking to his brother about life and reaching for the opportunities it has to offer.

The Helendale Nude Footy Calendar - Midsumma preview

As the end of 2016 approaches, there are a plethora of 2017 calendars being released, including the first all male redhead naked calendar, the University of Sydney student naked charity calendar and even a calendar featuring near naked 'hunks' helping animals in distress. Well now the Helendale Hornets are now getting in on the action. Written by Jake Stewart and presented as part of Midsumma Festival, The Helendale Nude Footy Calendar will look at the lengths a local football club will go to in order to secure itself a future.

However, this is not the only event to be told, as Stewart informs me there are a number of interesting stories to be told from within these small country towns. "The play is actually three independent stories told simultaneously, with Helendale being just one of them. While we tell the story of the Helendale Hornets photographing their nude calendar, we also delve into the Lynx-scented dynamic of an all-male classroom in Galshank, as well as the events surrounding a hunky celebrity arrival at a caravan park in Karandah Heads. These three stories are all told with a young gay protagonist at the helm," he explains. "As we have been rehearsing, it's been exciting to watch the ways in which these stories illuminate each other. As is the sheer wonder of watching eleven brave, funny, talented guys work together to tell three complex, socially pertinent stories."

30 Days of Fitness: Day 13 - I'm Spinning Around

Don't mess with me

Second fencing class today. Starting to get a bit more aware of the technique and stuff. Just a bit frustrating playing against someone who just comes hurtling at you waving their sword all over the place and not through skill but just thinking that thrashing about quickly will win him points. It's a shame it's not an activity you can just do anywhere with anyone. This week wasn't as physically demanding as last week, think it's a combination of the weather being cooler and spending more time on technique and principles of fencing.

At the end we had a "last man standing" fencing battle - i won the first two until people realised i was a threat and had three people attack me in the third game. Felt a bit like Zorro...I took two out before getting 'stabbed'. Haha...

Was also my second Spin Cycle class today at the Gym. I was a little more mentally prepared about what to expect from the class and from myself. I paced myself a lot better and for the whole 45 minutes I didn't stop once. There were moments though where I thought my legs were just gonna give way but soldered on through various methods, mainly counting down till how long I had left or telling myself till the end of the song or set and then have a break but then I keep going on. What do other people use to keep their momentum going?

30 Days of Fitness: Day 3 - Look Ma! No Hands!

Woke up this morning with very sore right leg. Just near the inner thigh...was a little painful to walk on but nothing too major (I don't think).

Today was going to be an easy one, as was going indoor rock-climbing at Hardrock in the city. Had the safety demonstration and away we went. Was actually not that hard, granted I stayed on levels 8-11. And they go up to about 25, but perhaps something to work towards.

Finished it like a cheesecake!!!!

There were a few moments of where do I go from here, and at one point, I may have cheated and stepped on a green ledge when I was on the orange path - the scandal. There was a group of people there just climbing the wall without even looking at the colour and I just didn't get that; how are you challenging yourself if you're just climbing a wall.

Again though, it did make me realise how unfit I actually am. Even though I did power through most of the walls, my arms were killing me and I almost let go at one point because I was so weak. Really required much more upper body strength than lower, which was a good thing as I was still recovering from yesterday's spin class.

So by the end of the day, my arms are still a bit jelly-like and my legs are feeling better. My PT has since texted and wants to meet at 5:45am tomorrow. He obviously doesn't know what I am like at hat time...especially as it's now 11pm and I am just getting ready for bed....sigh....