In The Heights review | Comedy Theatre

Melbourne has turned the volume up to eleven with In The Heights, a vibrant burst of music, movement, and pure heart that spills from the stage. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s beloved musical ignites to life with warmth and energy, planting the audience into a neighbourhood alive with stories. From the first electrifying note to the final bow, this is a celebration of the delight that comes from being part of a community.



In The Heights follows Usnavi, a bodega owner in lively Washington Heights, as he wrestles with whether to stay and carry on his family’s legacy or chase his dreams elsewhere. The story weaves through the lives of the colourful residents, including Nina, a young woman returning from college, Benny, a dispatcher caught between two worlds, and Vanessa, Usnavi’s love interest dreaming of a better life. Against a backdrop of pulsating music and exhilarating choreography, the musical explores identity, family, ambition, and the bonds that hold this neighbourhood together.



The Collector review | Barking Spider Creative

Tucked down a labyrinth of Fitzroy alleyways, The Collector invites visitors into a world where memories live through an assortment of whimsical curiosities. Crafted for two participants at a time, this production by Barking Spider Creative blends playful interaction with a raven-masked host, surprising contraptions, and objects that blur the line between treasure and trinket.

We meet outside a café where our guide gathers us and leads us into a tangle of winding paths. Whether by design or happy accident, the guide’s chatter keeps me distracted enough that I lose track of where exactly we’re going. By the time we stop, we’re in front of a compact corrugated iron shed. Before we’re allowed in, we’re asked three abstract questions that make you pause and reflect, while a scribe dutifully jots down our answers. Then, with a ceremonial ring of a bell, the door opens and we step in.


Miss Julie review | fortyfivedownstairs

Written in 1888, August Strindberg's Miss Julie is a tense exploration of class, power, and desire, centred on the fraught relationship between an aristocratic woman and her servant during a single, volatile night. Company 16’s adaptation relocates the story in a contemporary setting on the eve of Greek Easter, set inside a bustling restaurant where Miss Julie is the daughter of a wealthy restaurateur, John is an intense sous-chef, and Kristina is the determined head chef. This modernisation aims to highlight the rigid hierarchies and simmering tensions of the hospitality world through the lens of cultural tradition and family expectations. While the concept offers a fresh and immersive perspective, the production grapples with fully capturing the complexity and affective nuance to make for a compelling story.

Making her acting debut, Annalise Gelagotis captures the eponymous character's surface-level frustration and defiance, but is unable to thoroughly explore Julie’s internal conflict and shifting status. What’s missing is a deeper layer of subtle vulnerability and psychological tension that would allow us to connect with her downfall. As it stands, the performance feels too obvious and leans into melodrama.

Pride and Prejudice review | Darebin Arts Centre

Bloomshed takes a sledgehammer to Jane Austen with their vision of Pride and Prejudice. Reimagining the classic novel with the company's trademark satire, real estate panic and modern love fatigue, the Melbourne-based theatre company tackles the Bennet family’s marriage market negotiations with big ideas and plenty of laughs as they drag Austen’s romantic masterpiece into the cost-of-living crisis. 

The regular Bloomshed gang are still going strong, and their chemistry keeps building momentum. The ensemble clearly loves to play, and play off each other, with their joy radiating in every scene, with Laura Aldous, Elizabeth Brennan, Syd Brisbane, Anna Louey, and Lauren Swain bringing the Bennet sisters to life. Louey’s performance is measured and engaging, weaving well into the group dynamic. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Brennan is an incredible talent to have on stage, and watching her navigate Elizabeth’s wit and bite is a real treat.

Kimberly Akimbo: A Musical review | Melbourne Theatre Company

Kimberly Akimbo: A Musical might seem like your typical coming-of-age musical, but it quickly proves to be something stranger, darker, and slightly more surreal. The story follows a 16-year-old teenager who has a rare genetic condition that causes her to age four times faster than usual. As she negotiates her way through high school, first love, and a wildly dysfunctional family, Kimberly is also racing against time in her quest to experience life before it slips away.

Marina Prior takes on the role of Kimberly and does a fantastic job of conveying the character’s unique challenges. She captures the confusion and vulnerability of a teenage girl trapped in an older body with subtlety and heart, never tipping into over-the-top comedy. Her performance is authentic and sincere, which is no small feat given the material. Darcy Wain is an absolute scene-stealer as the awkwardly endearing Seth. He shares an effortless chemistry with Prior and his presence brings a welcome charge to the show, making Seth its quiet anchor amid the mayhem.