Chantal Harrison Writer🥉

A Pride-full Celebration Of Unprecedented Talent! Happy Pride!

03/06/202602/06/2026 Chantal Harrison Writer🥉

Homo Grown Rating

★★★★★

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Imagine crossing the rainbow street and walking into Qtopia on the first day of Pride month, only to be greeted by the one and only Kala Gare’s and Kala’s incredibly beautiful, smiling face! Well, I don’t have to imagine, because that’s how this year’s Homo Grown kicked off for me.

Home Grown Australia, are pioneers championing new theatre and musical theatre works in Australia. What started as a backyard pub meeting, now has the backing of MTIA and the Australian Government. Founded by Nick Hedger and Ben Nicholson, Home Grown have nurtured beloved Australian new works such as My Brilliant Career, FANGIRLS and A Trans Woman On The Internet, Crying.

Homo Grown is a Pride-full celebration of queer Aussie new works to be produced, to come and in progress. The queer celebration in the room was electric, not least of all because the multi-talented Kala Gare was guiding the ship.

Kala kicked us off with an original “Hello” that speaks to “Letting freedom flow”, which was a great set up for the night. Kala’s skillful piano along with an incredible voice and sharp, relatable lyrics had us strapped in for “a wild ride, to say the least.”

Next up was Phoebe Rodger with the title song from upcoming “Phoebs, You’re A Lesbian” on June 10th – 12th at QTopia. Described as “a letter to my younger self”, this song was earnest, clever, cute, hilarious and relatable. Much like Phoebe. The second song was from a “yet to come” musical, it took us on a humorous journey of Phoebe’s ideal career discovery through a career’s test.

Cassie Hamilton and Nic Prior then took to the stage for a snippet from Afterglow by Sheanna Parker Russon & Lillian M. Hearne which will be showing at the Belvoir and is described as a “Barbershop rom-com”. Lillian introduced the piece and began to play, while Nic tore us into their deep, tender and sombre beginning. Cassie joined in and the duet echoed the lyrics “With you I fit”. Nic’s tender fragility of emotion is in stark contrast to the power of their voice, while Cassie’s sombre moments are only magnified by the reality of her powerhouse vocals. Cassie took to a solo called “Normal Michael” in which we got more of that voice, and what I can only describe as four seasons in one face, as we join the emotional journey of the character Cassie is embodying.

Matt Hawke then took us into their song from upcoming “Beautiful Lies” on June 11th-14th at the Substation Qtopia. Described as one of the lies unpacked in therapy, we deep dive into Matt’s 20 year old identity exploration wrapped in self-deprecating humour. None of us saw the sharp turn from this jaunty piano-pleaser into an acoustic guitar heartwrenching homage to Matt’s deceased dog. It left the majority of the room in tears, and awe at its beauty.

Robbie Alexander and Alex Gonzales had to wipe away tears and reset for their performance from “Twenty-Something”. Alex played the character, Charlie’s Mum, deadpanning that “I’m wearing a cardigan so you know I’m a mum.” and meeting a lot of laughter. Alex performed “Long Story Short” with power, emotion and a lot of talent. Robbie performed “Delightfully Gay”, showing us the tug of war between Angel and devil on the shoulder and reinforcing the lyrics “There’s no such thing as ‘a little bit much’!”

Lincoln Elliot joined forces with Kala, Natalie Abbott, Gracie Rowland, Nead Cristaudo, Alex Gonzales, and friends for a snippet from the “yet to be announced” emo-rock heist. The performance of “Creativity Is An Island showcased exceptional musicianship and a palpable musical love and collaboration between the group.

Kurt Kansley and Oli Lidert were missing in action, enjoying their time in Moulin Rouge, but Katie Staddon did them proud and then some with “More Than Words On A Page”. Katie’s vocal range is beyond comprehension, the melodies sublime. The swift shift from deep soul to angelic was out of this world.

Meg Rob took us on a solemn and sincere ride with “Step Into Infinity”, showcasing an ability to embody the characteristics of an introvert grappling with personal trauma, while knocking our socks of with some big belts. Those who saw Meg in Jagged Little Pill will be familiar with this ability to take an audience on a wonderful and surprising ride. Catch Meg’s show “Make It Queer” 25th-26th June at Loading Dock, Qtopia.

We finished with the cast and creatives from Nails 25th-27th June at The Eternity Playhouse. Created by Sophie Davis and Laura McDonald, and composer Harry Collins. This netball based comedic musical has a lot of balls (see what I did there?). Nead Cristaudo had us captivated as the coach, mixing brilliant comedic timing with powerful vocals.

Then the large ensemble cast and creatives from Nails finished us off on a high with Natalie’s gorgeous voice and some epic harmonies being the highlights of this final piece. It was an incredible finish to a night of unprecedented talents and not-to-be-missed new works! Make sure you catch these and as many Pridefest shows as you can this month. More than ever, we need to join together and support each other. Happy Pride!

To book tickets to Homo Grown, please visit https://tickets.qtopiasydney.com.au/Events/Homo-Grown.

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A Whimsical, Joyful, Surprisingly Current Night Of Musical Theatre

25/05/202624/05/2026 Chantal Harrison Writer🥉

Cinderella Rating

★★★★★

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The magic of Hills Musical Theatre Company’s Cinderella began as our complimentary programme arrived with a gift voucher for the canteen (and if that isn’t community theatre done right, I don’t know what is).

The set up is cabaret style. You can bring your own snacks and/or purchase from the canteen. We were then shown to our table. I loved the idea of this cabaret style, but in execution it’s a bit tricky. We were seated with others, which is a lovely way to promote the community, but it means you need to be aware of each other and visibility. I recommend you get there early enough to negotiate comfort. I had to move away from the table to properly enjoy act 2.

That small logistical wrinkle aside, this show was fantastic.

The stage itself announces its ambitions immediately. Set design by Hannah Aouchan and Keith Macbeth glitters with fairy-tale intention, and as the ensemble assembles to open the show, lighting design by Max Tibbles and Jeremy Cardew at Latarka bathes the whole scene in something genuinely enchanted. Musical director Gemma Rolph’s orchestra; live, warm, and present, does what only a live pit can do.

Into all of this steps Claire Polczynski as Ella, and she has the voice of an angel. Polczynski grounds this Cinderella in something more than sweetness; there’s a steeliness beneath the warmth, a Cinderella who knows her own worth even when the world around her doesn’t. It sets up the show’s quietly progressive take on the classic.

This version leans into political satire that lands with a particular sting of relevance; a royal wedding deployed to distract from poverty and stifle revolution, an advisor with his own nefarious agenda, a prince naive to the divide between haves and have-nots. Deniz Dogan plays Prince Topher with a commanding presence that makes his ignorance sympathetic rather than infuriating, and Sebastian Barons is a convincing, credible puppet-master pulling the strings behind him. Theo Cuelho’s cameos as Lord Pinkleton are enjoyable, and Lachlan Hopkins brings charisma and genuine earnestness to Jean-Michel, a revolutionary whose eye only strays from the cause long enough to find Stepsister Gabrielle’s. The show’s comedic MVP, however, is Josephine Pinto as Crazy Marie; and then, as the Fairy Godmother, Pinto delivers a solo to rival Disney.

Kortana Blissett as the Stepmother deserves her own paragraph. Impressively terrifying and clearly relishing every moment, Blissett finds the comedy in the menace without ever letting you feel entirely safe. Blissett and Annie Beardsley, playing Charlotte (the other Stepsister) are a fun comedic duo.

And the costuming, by Angela East and Emma Stanton, that surrounds all of this is extraordinary. The magical transformation sequences are achieved with such clever ingenuity that they serve as a reminder that community theatre, with the right hands on deck, can eclipse a big budget entirely.

Emily Taylor’s choreography leans into the classic musical theatre register while giving the ensemble room to be genuinely joyful together. This is a large cast spanning a wide age range, and every performer seems to know exactly why they’re there. The show’s youngest scene-stealer, Mackenzie Scott, is all kinds of adorable and already very much at home on the stage (watch this space).

In the interval, the company president spoke about what Hills Musical Theatre Company means to its community, and it wasn’t hard to believe. The values the show celebrates; kindness, generosity, charity, are clearly embodied by the powers that be. That spirit is woven into every corner of the evening, from the canteen voucher to the curtain call.

Cinderella is a whimsical, joyful, surprisingly current night of musical theatre. We’d have happily risked turning into a pumpkin if it had kept going.

To book tickets to Cinderella, please visit https://www.hillsmtc.com/.

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Neighbourhood Watch

22/05/2026 Chantal Harrison Writer🥉

Neighbourhood Watch Rating

★★★★★

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This was my first visit to Lane Cove Theatre Company, I was met by warm greeters at the door. The intimate space then added to that cosy sense of community-mindedness. The warmth and passion of director Kathryn Thomas, delivering the acknowledgment of country and welcoming us, was a great start. I was excited for what lay ahead.

The Wednesday 11am session is, I can now confirm, a genuinely civilised way to experience theatre. It is also, the perfect hour for this attention-challenged reviewer to see Lally Katz’s Neighbourhood Watch; a hefty play dealing with some big issues centring the question of when and why we stopped knocking on each other’s doors.

The set divides the stage into two distinct domestic worlds. To one side, Ana’s home; layered with the sentimental clutter of a long life, ornaments and keepsakes crowding a shelf beside antique chairs upholstered in faded pink. To the other, the sparse, slightly chaotic territory of youth; a cream sofa with an ironing board for a companion. That ironing board is doing a lot of thematic work, as it turns out.

Directors Kathryn Thomas and Christopher O’Shea, use a creative light and sound design to split stage with real intelligence; symbolic darkness pooling around characters who are unheard or unreachable, light carving out the emotional temperature of each scene with quiet precision.

The play opens on Isobel Rabbidge as Catherine, standing alone in the dark. When the lights rise, what we see is a young person held together by very little; their melancholy is in their posture and anguish across their face. It’s a bold, wordless opening statement, and Rabbidge earns it. Christopher O’Shea’s Ken arrives to break the spell, and together they establish the housemate dynamic with warmth and comic ease, celebrating Kevin ’07, negotiating the competing distractions of World of Warcraft and compulsive ironing, gently circling each other’s wounds.

The neighbourhood assembles around them: the polished, self-contained Christina; the relentless Nancy with her Neighbourhood Watch clipboard; and Milova, whose dogged pursuit of friendship Ana meets with hostility. We see the collective loneliness, and we are frustrated by the missed connections.

Then Ana arrives in full. I found out later that Miriam Fagueret’s authentic and powerful performance is a stage debut! Her Ana is genuine, funny, heartbreaking and fierce, an eighty-year-old woman who has survived prisoner of war camps across three countries and is absolutely not about to be managed by anyone. Fagueret finds the dark comedy in Ana’s mistrust without ever softening what lies beneath it, and when the play shifts into its magical realist register; reaching back into wartime Hungary through gorgeous ensemble work, she anchors those sequences with a lived-in gravity that is quietly extraordinary.

The production’s best moments arrive when the cast moves as a collective. The ensemble, including Caitlin Clancy, Penny Day, Gabriel Jab’bar, Jack Stout and Luca Savini, create the bridge between past and present with a physical attentiveness that gives the magic realism its legitimacy. Being an opening session, there were a few stumbles; entirely forgivable, and in truth, the trust and responsiveness between Rabbidge and Fagueret in navigating those moments only deepened the sense of a tight-knit ensemble at work.

The second act darkens considerably. Catherine’s truth and Ana’s collide, and Rabbidge meets the challenge with a raw, heart-wrenching honesty. The chemistry between the two leads is the engine of the whole piece; you feel the unlikely love of this odd couple friendship, which makes its ruptures genuinely painful.

Neighbourhood Watch is a long piece, and it carries weighty themes: grief, isolation, trauma, the peculiar modern loneliness of living wall-to-wall with strangers. But it is lifted throughout by the warmth of its central relationship and by a company that clearly believes in what they’re making.

For the HSC students who will study this text, seeing it live is an extraordinary gift. For everyone else: this is exactly the kind of story that reminds you what theatre, and neighbourhoods, are actually for.

To book tickets to Neighbourhood Watch, please visit http://www.lanecovetheatrecompany.com.au.

Photographer: Paul Frontczak

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We Laughed, We Cried, We Grooved, We Swooned!

04/04/2026 Chantal Harrison Writer🥉

A Transgender Woman On The Internet, Crying Rating

★★★★★

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Wow. Yesterday was the International Day of Trans Visibility, and what better way to honour such an important occasion than by seeing Cassie Hamilton’s hyperpop musical, “A Transgender Woman on the Internet, Crying”.

I love the Old Fitz, not least because of the complete transformation of the set with every new show. This one was brilliantly done, with stylised graffiti and old skool speakers that pumped out the hyperpop hits. What is “hyperpop”? Thanks, Mouth_Feel, played by Rosie Rai, for answering that question. This is one of many questions raised, asked, and answered in this powerful and vulnerable piece of work; some you never thought to ask, some you should have thought to ask, and some most of us have no right to ask. All are handled with a delicate balance of truth through song, delivered with poignancy and emotion by this incredibly talented cast.

The story centres around Avis O’Hara, aka the DIY Doll, played by the epically talented writer and creator Cassie Hamilton. Avis has built an online platform by leaning into being “the right kind of trans”; with an emphasis on “right”, where those internalised self-hate pathways sometimes end up aligning. I first came across Cassie Hamilton in ATYP’s production of “Converted!” and was excited when this project was announced, eagerly awaiting a Sydney season. Even more so when two of my favourites, Blake Appelqvist (who I’ve been fangirling since Fangirls) and Teo Vergara (stole my heart in Jagged Little Pill), were announced, and it was a pleasure to make the acquaintance of the equally talented Rosie Rai. These four powerhouses bring their own unique authenticity and depth to their characters. Blake plays Corrin Verbeck, a left-tube vlogger who, along with besties Mouth_Feel and Sasha (Vergara), is sick of the toxic messaging by people like Avis and conspires to expose her.

It’s a classic frenemies-to-lovers story, but also a beautiful celebration and deeply moving collective healing and purging of complex trauma for one of the world’s most marginalised and persecuted groups of people. The foursome harmonise beautifully, with vocals (musical direction by Lillian Hearne) and choreography by Dan Ham and Riley Gill that allow each performer to shine.

Jean Tong’s direction is a real asset to the production, grounding and guiding the chaos with a deft hand. Tong allows high energy and spontaneity to flourish while maintaining a sharp pace and a strong emotional through line. There is a kind of guerrilla-theatre quality to the staging that feels entirely appropriate here, and the performers absolutely thrive within it. It is a confident, responsive directorial vision that gives the work room to be both playful and devastating.

The creative team deserves huge credit for the world they’ve built. Ruby Jenkins’ set is grungy, eye-catching, and feels like a playground for the characters to gleefully exist in. Rachel Lee and Nick Moloney’s lighting leans into cliché musical-theatre lighting state, and the work is better for it. Dan Ham’s choreography is crafted not only to capture each character’s movement, but to allow each performer to comfortably move within their abilities and fully relish the dance breaks. The lighting and sound design are engaging and responsive, with one of the most impactful moments coming when the production makes the brilliant choice of pure silence at a significant emotional peak.

The trans joy and journey are loud and proud, as they should be. But this work is also an important commentary on the fast-moving pace of online interaction, how quickly acceptance and encouragement can turn into control and isolation, and then just as easily flip into hatred and the dreaded “cancelling”. It highlights the impact of keyboard warriors and the knife’s edge of finding online belonging while surrendering freedom, autonomy, and authentic self-expression. It shines a dark light on the struggles many face when it comes to cyber culture, particularly in specific communities.

The audience was thoroughly engaged throughout. We laughed, we cried, we grooved, we swooned. This is a truly well-written, beautifully crafted show that is a must-see. I might just need to go along and see it again if I can manage to secure a ticket before they sell out.

To book tickets to A Transgender Woman On The Internet, Crying, please visit https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/a-transgender-woman-on-the-internet-crying.

Photographer: Brett Boardman

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