Performing arts
The private pains – and joys – of playing Harry Potter
Gareth Reeves, who plays Harry Potter on stage, has a shoulder strapped together with elastic tape. His physio likens his injuries to those “typical of trapeze artists”.
- by Nick Miller
Latest
★★★★★
Arts
Yes, Dorian Gray is that good. It’s tour de force theatre you mustn’t miss
This show is a timely reminder that – even during a pandemic – Australia can produce world-class theatre capable of taking the West End and Broadway by storm.
- by Cameron Woodhead
When dancers touch: the push for real consent in this intimate art form
‘Intimacy coaches’ are helping dancers regain their power, advising on consent and choreography. But are Australian companies doing enough?
- by Emma Sullivan
An ‘invisible opera’: Witness the absurd, dramatic choreography of bustling city square
The Invisible Opera at Federation Square will leave its audience wondering about the line between the bizarrely real, and the really bizarre.
- by Nick Miller
Sydney’s suburban town halls to get second life as arts hubs
Inner West Council has undertaken an audit of its former town halls as it moves to make them more readily available for live music, studios and rehearsals.
- by Linda Morris
Shadowy pageant of dance runs from chaos to breathless stillness
The Australian Ballet performance of Kunstkamer is a world of clowns, mimes and maniac dolls, with lots of screaming and neurotic vibrating, contrasting with flowing movement.
- by Andrew Fuhrmann
★★½
Arts
This raunchy, risque nostalgia cash-in loses the plot of a classic
Jukebox musical Cruel Intentions has clumsily shoehorned in too many ’90s hits, making the story underneath rushed and wince-inducing.
- by Tyson Wray and Jessica Nicholas
Behind-the-scenes stars transform Moulin Rouge into a musical
The creatives behind the film’s iconic costumes and make-up have pivoted to theatre, helping bring Paris to life for the musical version of Moulin Rouge!
- by Garry Maddox
‘It challenged my brain and body’: How theatre’s hardest role came to be shared
When Nikki Shiels signed up as ‘alternative performer’ in The Picture of Dorian Gray, she found a role where millimetres divide success and failure.
- by Nick Miller
★★★★½
Arts
The return of the Sydney Dance Company classic is a must-see
Ab [Intra] is the most interesting piece Rafael Bonachela has choreographed for Sydney Dance Company.
- by Jill Sykes
The Broadway director who couldn’t refuse turning Moulin Rouge into a live show
Tony winner Alex Timbers was not out to copy the movie when he translated Moulin Rouge to the stage.
- by Linda Morris