The Robot Dog review | Melbourne Theatre Company

Janelle, a woman of Cantonese heritage, and Harry, a First Nations man, are a seemingly happy couple living in Australia in 2042. When Janelle's mother dies, she and Harry move into her mother's home as they attempt to clear out the house. But this is 2042, so there are a few distinct additions to this home, such as an AI system that controls their daily movements (sometimes literally), and a robotic therapy dog.

As they begin packing and cleaning, the two are forced to confront their own cultural identity and the way it has shaped them, even if they feel little attachment to it. Written by Roshelle Yee Pui Fong and Matthew Ngamurarri Heffernan, The Robot Dog, offers a quirky exploration of how technology has become an inseparable part of our lives, particularly in an ever-changing world.

Goldfish review | Arts House

Goldfish is a striking collaboration between Tasmanian puppetry company Terrapin and Japan’s Aichi Prefectural Art Theater. It’s a playful yet thought-provoking exploration of nature and climate, urging audiences to reflect on the lasting impact of human action (or inaction).

The play begins with Mayu Iwasaki using shadow puppets to tell a story. Dylan Sheridan’s layered sound design and Greta Jean’s delicate puppet creations lull us into a hypnotic dreamscape, making the opening moments feel otherworldly. But that tranquillity is soon shattered when two volunteers from a Disaster Response Coordination Team (CRDT) burst into the theatre announcing that a flood has hit the city, and we - the audience - are now evacuees.

Turning 25 review | The Butterfly Club

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 | Melbourne Theatre Company

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 | Theatre Works

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.