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Eleven-year-old Juniper May is different.   With artists for parents, she is smart, speaks her mind and loves robots.   Her favourite is drawn from a short-lived Japanese animated 1983 television series known as Battletac. A loner, Juni doesn’t fit in with others and doesn’t want to go to school.   In the back garden is an old recycling bin she has named Gomi that contains all sorts of childhood treasures.   There is an animal mask, a doll’s head, a small robot made from thre

Bittersweet, comes this slapstick, but poignant tale of sisters looking to escape from their mundane small-town (Dumfordton, population 340 and falling) existence.   To do so, with her school dropout, songwriting little sister Shannon’s (Alana Louise) undying support, 25-year-old Jodi (Sarah Palmieri) has her heart set on winning Simon Cowell’s the X-Factor. Photos by Nina Hopley Shannon has a history of picking the winners of that talent competition and next year she firmly

Irreverent, crude, witty, clever and lyrically and vocally adept, The Book of Mormon is an hilarious religious satire.   It is a rolled gold hoot from start to finish.   Not for naught did it win nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, a Grammy and four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical.   It starts with a quick, quirky and humorous pantomime about the formation of the Church of Latter Day Saints.  Photo by Daniel Boud Then, we are into the body of the story, a cre

A star is born. Such is the impact of sweet-voiced Belle Parkinson in the lead role in the up-tempo musical inspired by many of ABBA’s hit songs.   From her first melodic note, she is utterly captivating as the bright and breezy Sophie Sheridan, who – on the cusp of her wedding day – yearns to know who her father is. Photos by Natalie Edge Photography Energetic and heaps of good-natured fun, Mamma Mia! is unquestionably a mood lifter – a spirited delight.   With music and lyr

It is 1949 and on a dark and stormy night they have gathered at Boddy Manor in New England.   They are being blackmailed, so each has a motive to commit murder.   Their mysterious blackmailer, Mr Boddy (Joshua Monaghan), who will reveal himself, has orchestrated it so that once inside they cannot leave. Photos by Jeff Busby All guests are given pseudonyms.   There is Mrs White (Rachael Beck), Reverend Green (Laurence Boxhall) and Miss Scarlett (Olivia Deeble).   So too Profes

Very smartly written and cleverly performed, Kitty Litter concerns friends who used to be more than that who fall out over a black cat.   Robin (Sian Crowe), 27, surprises Dan (Hamish Johnston) when she turns up at his apartment unannounced.  Photos by Rhonin Xu He has literally just returned from a six-month trip to Europe and South America.   After interrogating each other about whether they hooked up with anyone during their time apart, Dan prizes a shocking story out of R

Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts-trained artiste Jens Radda, aka drag queen Skank Sinatra, sure knows how to attract attention.   With powerful and melodic vocals, energy personified, attitude to burn and deprecating humour, he sashays his way through some of Broadway’s greatest hits.  Mind you, he doesn’t mind re-engineering a few of the lyrics and even manages a familiar tune in Danish. His mum is Danish and his father South African.   Skank Sinatra: The Name o

Provocative from the opening scene, Afterglow sets out to push the envelope.   It starts with shadow play of a heated ménage à trois between three buff men, two in their 30s and one in his 20s.   Thereafter, the play features full frontal nudity and steamy shower scenes. Photos by Cameron Grant Yes, a real shower with an imposingly large shower head is prominent centre stage in several scenes.   The contention is this:   Alex (Julian Curtis) and Josh (Matthew Mitcham) are mar

A heartfelt drama about identity and belonging with comedic elements, The Placeholder takes place is a small regional town in 2017.   It is just months before the plebiscite on same sex marriage, in which all assembled will vote “Yes”.   You might recall that when the vote was taken, 61.6 per cent of Australians voted that way. Photos by Darren Gill The play focuses on a group of women, known as Barb’s Bosom Buddies, whose bond is fragile.   They gather regularly in the kitch