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.
‘Entertaining viewing’: SUDDENLY / CELLS (Online review)
Sometimes good things DO come in small packages – a pair of mini musicals, Suddenly and Cells, make a pleasurable watch.
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.
‘I wouldn’t count on us being safe until the summer at the earliest’: Mark Shenton shares his thoughts with a new daily blog for 2021
One of my new year resolutions — and one I intend to keep — is to revitalise this personal website ShentonStage as my primary editorial home this year.
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.
NEWS: Aequitas presents UK premiere of Australian hit e-baby at Brockley Jack Theatre
e-baby, Jane Cafarella’s 2015 comedy-drama about surrogacy, gets its UK premiere in a brand-new production at London’s Brockley Jack Theatre. Presented by Aequitas Theatre, it runs from 19 to 30 November 2019.
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.
WATCH: Step into the When The Rain Stops Falling rehearsal room with behind-the-scenes videos
As The Kindling Collective’s new production of Andrew Bovell’s When The Rain Stops Falling takes to the Lion and Unicorn Theatre stage, we take a peek at some exclusive videos from rehearsals to get a feeling for what to expect from this physical show. Book you tickets now!
NEWS: Award-winning intergenerational tale When The Rain Stops Falling is revived at the Lion & Unicorn
Andrew Bovell’s award-winning, world-covering, generation-spanning, time-leaping drama, When The Rain Stops Falling is to receive a revival at London’s Lion and Unicorn Theatre later this month, when Kindling Collective returns the play to the stage. Book you tickets now!
FROM DOWN UNDER: The Australian Ballet’s Sylvia in Melbourne
Brilliantly bolstered and boosted, Stanton Welch’s new Sylvia enlivens and enhances the 1876 original for an evening of pure theatrical enchantment.
FROM DOWN UNDER: West Side Story in Sydney ★★★★★
One of the most iconic musicals of all time, this West Side Story is an explosion of colour and culture clashes which immerses all your senses at the Sydney Opera House. This heart wrenching tale of lovers from two sides is a rollercoaster journey, taking its audience through every emotion.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Thoroughly Modern Millie
Whoopee baby! Thoroughly Modern Millie returns in a splashy, starry staging that distils the very essence of musical comedy into an evening of unabashed joy.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Come from Away in Melbourne
Offering the pure joy of musical theatre at its unadulterated best, Come from Away is a breathless celebration of the finest qualities of humanity.