Artfully conceived and oh so lovingly crafted, Girl From the North Country tempers a heart-rending narrative with the heart soothing balm of more than 20 exquisitely arranged Bob Dylan songs.
Mates blogger: Simon Parris
Simon Parris is one of over 45 theatre bloggers who are part of the MyTheatreMates collective. This page features Simon's posts on MyTheatreMates. Take a look at our full list of theatre bloggers and our aggregated feed of all our Mates' posts. We’re always looking for new theatre bloggers. Could that be you? Learn about how to join us.
Simon is a Melbourne-based theatregoer and critic, who reviewed for many years for Theatre People and the Sunday Herald Sun. He has also acted, directed and choreographed, and has served on the boards of the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Committee and The Opera Studio Melbourne. In addition to productions in Melbourne, on his extensive travels, Simon reviews shows in Sydney and on annual trips to Broadway and the West End. He now blogs independently at simonparrismaninchair.com.
The latest from Simon on MyTheatreMates
FROM DOWN UNDER: The Australian tour of Broadway hit An American in Paris
Deliberately marooned in Paris at the end of WWII, ex-serviceman Jerry Mulligan juggles art, romance and music as he makes new friends, attracts the attention of a wealthy benefactress and falls helplessly in love with a mysterious young dancer.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton arrives in Melbourne in sensational form
Australia’s theatre capital takes its turn to host the Room Where It Happens, as Hamilton arrives in sensational form, setting off a theatrical powder keg at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Broadway’s Fun Home in its Melbourne debut
Delayed over the past two theatrically arid years, multi-Tony Award-winning musical Fun Home finally makes its Melbourne debut, arriving in a superbly cast, sharply directed production.
FROM DOWN UNDER: The Australian premiere of Jagged Little Pill
Electrifying new musical Jagged Little Pill commands attention, breaks hearts and, ultimately, inspires hope in this thrilling Australian premiere season.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Melbourne Shakespeare Company’s The Comedy of Errors
The border control comedy we didn’t know we all needed, The Comedy of Errors is Melbourne Shakespeare Company’s convivial contribution to the welcome wave of theatres reopening.
Film Review: West Side Story is a ‘soaring cinematic achievement’
Respectfully adapted and lushly scored, dreamily romantic and heartbreakingly moving, the new movie adaptation of evergreen classic West Side Story gleams with the splendour of mega-budget movie magic.
FROM DOWN UNDER: The Australian premiere of Moulin Rouge!
A spectacular spectacular, Moulin Rouge! the Musical arrives in Melbourne in ravishing form for its Australian premiere season.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Melbourne Theatre Company’s As You Like It
Well worth the ever-extended wait, the lush new Melbourne Theatre Company production of Shakespeare’s pleasantly pastoral comedy As You Like It proves an appealing year-end treat.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Frozen in Melbourne
While its title may match the chill of Melbourne winter, the arrival of Frozen brings welcome warmth and theatrical magic as the first major musical to debut locally since March 2020.
FROM DOWN UNDER – The Wedding Singer in Melbourne
Shoulder pads, big hair and vivid colours come back to the future in the vibrant Australian premiere season of The Wedding Singer.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Fangirls in Melbourne
Not just an original score but also an original and highly entertaining story, new Australian musical Fangirls explodes onto the Melbourne stage in a very welcome yet all too brief season.
FROM DOWN UNDER: La Traviata in Sydney
In celebration of the ongoing return to live theatre, Sydney turned on perfect conditions for the opening night of La Traviata on Sydney Harbour.
FROM DOWN UNDER: The Cane in Melbourne
Riding the crest of the oh-so-politically-correct zeitgeist, The Cane taps into the current craze for scrutinising old sins under today’s standards.
FROM DOWN UNDER – Hamilton in Sydney
Deservedly drenched with international awards and accolades, megahit musical Hamilton arrives in Australia in pristine form, the terrific local cast members not throwing away their shots at future superstardom.
FROM DOWN UNDER: The Winter’s Tale in Melbourne
As their 2021 autumn tale, Melbourne Shakespeare Company presents a lively, well-judged open-air staging of A Winter’s Tale in the charming surrounds of Central Park Malvern.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Come From Away in Melbourne
The joy of finally returning to live theatre in Melbourne is exponentially magnified by the heart lifting humanity of the first musical to reopen, Come From Away.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Chicago in Melbourne
Set to dazzle and divert, the Broadway revival of Chicago returns for its third Melbourne sentence with as sexy and sinewy a company of dancers as could possibly be wished for.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Opera Australia’s Faust in Melbourne
In a production as spectacularly staged as it is intelligently conceived, Faust is another mighty achievement from Opera Australia, demonstrating the full extent of their resources to sterling effect.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Jekyll & Hyde 25th Anniversary Concert in Melbourne
Well worth the 25 year wait, this was the Moment, not just for Anthony Warlow to actually play Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde on stage, but also for Australia to finally see a professional production of Jekyll and Hyde.