Earshot review | fortyfivedownstairs

Long gone are the days where a conversation between two people stayed that way. With advancements in technology, private conversations can be captured, recorded and shared to the masses within seconds of being had. However, the age-old art of eavesdropping has been around for much longer, where by leaning back just a little bit further on your chair means you can catch the argument a couple sitting behind you are having, or the joy a person is expressing on a phone call seated on the train next you regarding their recent engagement. In Earshot, Kate Hunter has created a show out of the conversations she has overheard in which she and fellow performer, Josephine Lange re-enact.

There are a variety of conversations in this live performance including death, being Jewish, domestic violence and gardening and the conversations and topics range from laughable to horrifying. So while we are provided with an array of people's conversations, you can't help but begin to question what is the purpose of hearing these conversations? Why have these conversations been specifically chosen over others? And unfortunately no answers are provided, which leads to a sense of dissatisfaction and frustration with Earshot.

All We Cannot Say - A Voiceless Party

In December, The Boon Companions created the immersive experience of The Clinic of Regrets. Set around the world’s first allergy tested, dermatologist-driven laboratory designed to help people process any regrets they may have and then to move on with their life. The event was met with strong, positive responses from attendees and this month, the anonymous art collective return with another event that is sure to get people talking with All We Cannot Say.

Except, there is a catch with this event, as talking is strictly prohibited. That's right, no commenting on how great someone's dress looks, how good the music is or introducing yourself to someone who caught your eye. But it's not all doom and gloom, as The Boon Companions assure me that there will still be liquor, dance, music, performance, art, story and immersive theatre, just without any talking. "We love the idea of having a party and taking away one element of how we communicate with others. Our hope for All We Cannot Say is that people still have a great time - drinking, dancing, interacting - but trust themselves to do so without using their voices. It's going to be a challenge, but we're trying to make it as safe and comfortable experience for attendees as possible."

Shake review

Fittingly having her Melbourne premiere of Shake at The Butterfly Club, Becky Lou lives up to its name. Twirling tassels, bouncing breasts and jiggling buttocks; there is a lot of shaking going on. However, there is more to this show than just sexy and entertaining burlesque routines, as they are interspersed with Becky Lou's musings on significant moments in her life that have led to her career as a burlesque performer.

Shake is a well-crafted show that allows Becky Lou to expose herself in more than just the literal sense. Beginning with memories of her four-year-old self dancing topless in a supermarket to Madonna's Like A Virgin, each story that Becky Lou shares has a purpose. It's not for entertainment value, it's not to shock us, but it's to strengthen the relationship women have with their body.