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The Australian Ballet’s glorious retelling of the classic Shakespeare tragedy Romeo and Juliet is colourful, powerful and passionate. This is a step back in time to wealthy, medieval Verona, where rivalries explode and danger lurks. The innocence of first love is shattered through the antipathy of the Montagues and the Capulets. Photos by Daniel Boud The interpretation we witness is that of choreographer John Cranko (who passed away in 1973). The thoughts behind it have

The twists keep coming in a darkly comedic film based around art and subterfuge. Specifically, it concerns the legacy of London-based Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen), a prickly painter whose reputation has faded as he has aged and become infirm. In the 1990s, Sklar fell in love with a man who inspired him to create a series of portraits, which became known as The Christophers. However, only two series of the now valuable works have seen the light of day. The third was never

Katzenmusik is a German word that translates as caterwaul, the shrill howling or wailing noise of a cat. And this is a story about the slaughter of 85 moggies, the end result of exploitation by greedy landlords. It is a disturbing, darkly comedic yarn about social divide from British playwright Tom Fowler, revealed in extraordinary fashion by theatre company Paracosm. Photos by Alec Farrow Seven actors play 77 roles over dozens of short scenes in three acts, with events

You are really into this young woman who works with you in a music store and is very soon to move away to pursue her passion for writing. At the moment, you are just friends. So far, you haven’t had the guts and haven’t found the right time to tell her how you feel because you fear rejection. Then you seize an opportunity to cast a love spell on her via a silly little toy that in your heart of hearts you know won’t work … but, surprisingly, it does. In fact, it works

Paul Rudd helms a feel-good story about a wedding singer who dreams of being a global music megastar and filling Madison Square Garden. He plays Rick Power, an American who moved to Ireland to marry the love of his life, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), when his then band was touring there. Mind you, that was 15 years ago and soon thereafter they welcomed their daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon), who is now 14. Now, Rick is the front man for a wedding band named The Bride and Groove

Ballet is in wonderful shape for a rich future if the performances of students from The Australian Ballet School at Hamer Hall are anything to go by. They presented a magnificent five dance repertoire, incorporating classical ballet and creativity, including a new work from choreographer Lucas Jervies. The latter was developed in partnership with the Australian National Academy of Music. The hour-long program featured students from three different study levels – 6, 7 and 8*

A supernatural horror thriller, Backrooms is a phenomenon that has grown through the internet. Co-writer and director of the film Kane Parsons was just 16 when he used open-source software to create what was initially intended as a visual effects test. The nine minute short The Backrooms (Found Footage) was uploaded to YouTube in 2022. In its first two weeks, what was dubbed the scariest video on the internet garnered 20 million views. While still in high school, Parso

Joan of Arc – was she a saint or a sinner? She was an illiterate peasant girl who believed she was acting under divine guidance when she guided the French army to victory in 1429. What she did was, indeed, momentous. Photos by Iz Zettl She effectively stymied an attempt by the English to conquer France during the Hundred Years’ War. A year after that famous victory, she was captured by Burgundian forces (those French allied with England at the time). Subsequently, Joan

Austrian choreographer and performance artist Florentina Holzinger isn’t known for holding back. So it is when 24 naked women – young and old – take to the stage in A Year Without Summer. The show has been described as apocalyptic theatre and medical cabaret. It blends horror with pop music parody. Photos by Marianna Wytyczak and Mayra Wallraff Holzinger sets up the contention thus: It is 1816 and a group of artists gather indoors at the Lake House for a considerable pe