Donna Portland

Donna Portland is a journalist with experience writing for a regional newspaper and is also the author of a self-help book published in 2020. A lifelong admirer of the arts, she has a particular passion for live performances, particularly stand-up comedy, theatre and music concerts. As a reviewer for What’s the Show, Donna combines her love of film with her flair for writing, delivering insightful critiques that celebrate creativity while offering thoughtful analysis.

Interwoven Lives: A Review of Various Characters

Various Characters

Various Characters Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

‘Various Characters’ is an aptly titled play that explores the emotional terrain of six individuals, each living in their own world and caught in the tension between isolation and connection. Their lives – diverse, troubled, and at times tender – intersect by circumstance, creating a tapestry of modern identity, dislocation, and longing.

Set in early 21st-century Sydney, the play touches on themes of multiculturalism and cultural identity, exploring how difference both separates and defines us. Through these characters, we glimpse the struggle of living in a society where connection is craved but hard-won.

Each character wrestles with personal transformation. Nina (Georgia Da Silva) is plagued by uncertainty and fear; Raoul (Tony Goh) stumbles through his inability to express himself and fit into the community; Mile (Tate Wilkinson-Alexander) grapples with identity and the burdens of responsibility. Boris, played with wide-eyed charm by Maliyan Blair, lives in a romantic fantasy. Zita (Nashy MZ) attempts to exert influence on the world around her, while Greta, portrayed with particular depth by Kate Bookallil, seeks to rewrite her future and reclaim a sense of purpose.

Bookallil’s performance as Greta, a Croatian mother, is a standout – rich in authenticity, expression, and control. Her presence brings emotional gravity to the piece. Blair’s Boris is also noteworthy, his youthful optimism providing contrast to the more subdued characters.

Various Characters
Various Characters
Various Characters

Though engaging and evocative, the narrative at times lacked clarity. Some character motivations felt opaque, leaving the audience uncertain as to why certain events unfolded. Still, the emotional beats mostly land, offering poignant moments of insight.

Technically, the production was tight. Set changes were executed smoothly in near darkness, a testament to the cast’s discipline. The minimalist staging adapted cleverly to both indoor and outdoor settings, and the restrained use of music helped maintain focus on the dialogue and action.

Performed at Flight Path Theatre – appropriately named, given the frequent sounds filtering in from low-flying planes – the two-sided amphitheatre ensured an intimate viewing experience, with every seat offering proximity to the stage. The theatre holds 90-100 people and has a bar with snacks. The demographic of the crowd was mostly younger with a mix of ages and ethnicities.

Written and produced by Šime Knežević and directed by Victor Kalka, ‘Various Characters’ offers a glimpse into lives trying to make sense of themselves and each other. While not every thread resolves cleanly, the performance is heartfelt, timely, and thought-provoking.

This play has an approximate runtime of 80 minutes, with no interval. The season runs from May 7 to 17, 2025. To book tickets to Various Characters, please visit https://www.flightpaththeatre.org/whats-on/various-characters.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Snakeface – A Young Woman’s Raw And Unfiltered Portrait

Snakeface

Snakeface Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

Written and performed by Aliyah Knight, Snakeface is an unapologetically raw solo performance that plunges the audience into the turbulent mind of a young black woman navigating love, identity, and self-worth in white Australia. Staged in an intimate, amphitheatre-style venue seating no more than 80 people, the sparse set and close quarters create a confessional atmosphere – almost as if we’ve been invited into Snakeface’s private reckoning.

The play unfolds as a 90-minute monologue – fast-paced, fragmented, and emotionally charged. Knight’s character spirals through thoughts and memories, swinging between the emotional highs and gut-wrenching lows of relationships: a girlfriend she adores but who drifts in and out of her life, predatory men, and the isolating ache of being unseen. These aren’t clean narrative arcs but messy, unresolved entanglements – mirroring the chaos within.

There are moments of levity, brief flashes of sharp humour that puncture the heaviness. Yet overall, the experience is intense, almost claustrophobic in its honesty. It’s not an easy listen – the sheer density of language and emotional weight can be exhausting – but it’s also riveting.

Snakeface
Snakeface
Snakeface

Knight’s sculptor identity is cleverly embedded in the staging. A large block of soft clay sits at the centre of the set, which she digs into and manipulates as the performance progresses. By the end, she’s covered in it – a visceral visual metaphor for how we mould and are moulded by our traumas, desires, and decisions. The mesh backdrop, which doubles as a projection screen, flashes fragmented thoughts and phrases, echoing her inner turmoil and providing commentary or emotional cues for the audience.

The sound design by Marco Cher-Gibard adds an atmospheric layer – ranging from subtle ambient textures to pounding nightclub beats – underscoring shifts in mood and energy. Similarly, lighting by Rachel Lee and projection design by Wendy Yu enhance the storytelling, immersing us deeper into Snakeface’s emotional landscape.

Though the structure at times feels loose, even meandering, it’s this lack of polish that gives Snakeface its edge. It’s not about resolution – it’s about being seen in the mess. And Knight, as the sole performer, commands the space with stamina and vulnerability, keeping the audience engaged throughout.

Snakeface
Snakeface
Snakeface

Directed and dramaturged by Bernadette Fam and supported by a team of creatives – including producer Madeleine Gandhi, set and props designer Keerthi Subramanyam, and movement director Fetu Taku – Snakeface is a collaborative feat with Knight’s bold performance at its heart.

The audience was predominantly female and spanned a wide age range, clearly resonating with the rawness and relatability of the themes. Practical comforts – padded seats, excellent air conditioning, and the welcome permission to bring drinks into the theatre – made the experience physically enjoyable, despite the emotional intensity onstage.

Snakeface is not a traditional play – it’s a poetic excavation, a cry for recognition, and a reflection of one woman’s attempt to make sense of her fractured world. It may not be comfortable viewing, but it is compelling, urgent, and defiantly human.

Snakeface was awarded runner-up in the Australian Theatre Festival NYC 2024 New Play Award.

To book tickets to Snakeface, please visit https://belvoir.com.au/productions/snakeface/.

Photographer: Abraham de Souza

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

‘Amber’: a sharp, soulful, and surprising journey through love and loss

Amber

Amber Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

5

Playwright and actress Nikita Waldron delivers a commanding performance in Amber, a thought-provoking and emotionally layered one-woman-led play exploring the romantic misadventures and inner life of a young Sydney woman. Waldron, who also wrote the script, is on stage for the full 90-minute production, holding the audience in the palm of her hand with equal parts vulnerability, wit and charm.

Amber is bright, likeable and emotionally raw – a young woman shaped by a generation raised on social media’s curated ideals of love and life. Her pursuit of romance follows a self-imposed checklist of how and when things should happen. It’s a narrative many young women will find deeply familiar, and one that older audience members may recognise in hindsight.

Waldron’s script is peppered with humour and razor-sharp observations about modern dating, self-worth, and the often-dizzying path to adulthood. The writing is clever and culturally relevant, with a rhythm that feels natural but purposeful. Dialogue zings with energy – smart, snappy, and fluently delivered. While some swearing enhanced the realism, a slightly lighter touch might have been just as effective.

Amber
Amber

Directed by Mehhma Malhi, and produced by Zoe Hollyoak, the play has a tight cast of five. The four supporting actors seamlessly slip between multiple roles, each performance distinct and believable. Esha Jessy, a NIDA graduate from Perth, plays Gabrielle, Amber’s best friend, with warmth and authenticity. Fellow NIDA grads Ashan Kumar, Harry Stacey, and Kurt Ramjan round out the ensemble, portraying Amber’s lovers and friends with nuance and credibility.

The play charts Amber’s life from puberty through early adulthood, following her turbulent journey through insecurity, grief, self-doubt, and finally, emotional clarity. Initially self-absorbed and desperate to fit the mould of ‘perfect love’, Amber spirals into anxiety and over-analysis, losing herself in the process of pleasing others.

Notably, the play introduces a spiritual dimension through Amber’s Catholic faith. Her evolving relationship with God parallels her romantic struggles, offering a subtle but poignant layer to her development – particularly in a moment where she rejects God, mirroring her rejection of the men who fail to meet her emotional needs.

Waldron’s diction is impeccable – every word lands clearly, a refreshing experience in an intimate theatre space. Her ability to hold extended monologues with dynamic pacing is impressive. However, the occasional longer pause between emotional beats could have helped punctuate the tension and allow the audience to fully absorb each turning point.

The Set design by Hailley Hunt is minimal yet inventive. The clever use of windows expands the visual space, while fluid prop transitions and subtle lighting shifts by Lighting Designer Izzy Morrisey lend the production a cinematic texture. Sound Designer and Composer Madeleine Picard’s strategically timed bursts of sound enhance the atmosphere without ever feeling intrusive.

Amber
Amber

The Old Fitz Theatre’s compact setting – just 55 seats – draws the audience into Amber’s inner world. It’s a venue that suits this intimate, confessional style of theatre perfectly.

‘Amber’ was the winner of the Rebel Wilson Comedy Commission (2021) through ATYP (Australian Theatre for Young People). As one critic aptly noted, the play “derails romantic comedies from the Brat-Pack era to the noughties and rebuilds a new kind of Rom-Com fit for our times.”

Waldron herself described the commission as “outrageously exciting,” recounting how she danced in the gym, then cried, laughed, and ate celebratory ice cream when she shared the news with her family. “Making people laugh and connect with something meaningful through theatre is my favourite thing to do,” she told ATYP.

Practicalities: The theatre is well air-conditioned – bring a light cardigan if you run cold. Audience demographics spanned two distinct groups: twenty-somethings who related directly to Amber’s world, and older theatregoers intrigued by a fresh perspective on a timeless topic.

Tickets start at $38.50 for Cheap Tuesdays, with regular pricing ranging from $49.50 to $82.50, and concessions are available. Parking is generally available in nearby streets, and the adjoining pub serves excellent food – making it a great night out all around.

To book tickets to Amber, please visit https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/amber.

Photographer: Phil Erbacher

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Witches, Daggers, And Dark Ambition: Macbeth Takes The Stage

Macbeth

Macbeth Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

1

Director John Grinston delivers a compelling interpretation of Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy, Macbeth, which follows the dark and ambitious rise of a Scottish general who murders his way to the throne, spurred on by his equally ruthless wife.

The production’s minimalist set – featuring a cloudy backdrop and simple, unchanging props – places the focus squarely on the actors and the power of Shakespeare’s words. While this approach demands strong performances to maintain audience engagement, the cast largely succeeded in bringing energy and verve to their roles.

Shakespearean dialogue, with its dense 11th-century language, can be notoriously difficult to render fluently. However, several actors navigated it with skill, making the text feel natural and immersive. Dimitri Armatas (Banquo) was particularly outstanding, delivering a consistently engaging and authentic performance. A standout moment came from Micah Doughty as Seyton, who stumbled in from a drunken night, weaving through the audience before joining his companions onstage. His delivery, in full Shakespearean fluency, was both amusing and believable, offering a rare moment of levity in the otherwise dark narrative.

 

As Macbeth, Jack Taylor handled the immense demands of the role well, especially considering this was his first Shakespearean performance. He had moments of true greatness, portraying Macbeth’s descent into tyranny with conviction.

Yvette Gillies played Lady Macbeth with admirable command, though her casting opposite a much younger Macbeth was an interesting choice. Indeed, some productions have depicted Lady Macbeth as older, emphasising her ambition, influence, and almost maternal guidance over her husband. Gillies’ Scottish accent was a welcome addition, lending authenticity to her portrayal, though it did contrast sharply with the rest of the cast, who spoke in more neutral tones.

Veteran actors David Stewart-Hunter (King Duncan) and John Benjamin (Doctor) added a seasoned presence to the production, bringing gravitas to their roles. Meanwhile, the trio of witches – Jasna Mars, Poppy Cozens, and Julie Burns – delivered some of the most engaging scenes of the night. Their cauldron scene, revealing the fateful prophecy that “no man born of woman can defeat him,” was particularly well-executed, creating an eerie, mystical atmosphere that resonated with the audience.

The Audience and Venue:
Opening night drew a predominantly older crowd, with more than half of attendees appearing to be over 50 or 60 – perhaps due to the presence of the actors’ families and longtime Genesian patrons. Shakespearean theatre may have a stronger appeal to older audiences, but productions like this have the potential to engage younger viewers as well.

 

More young people should experience Shakespearean theatre, as Macbeth remains strikingly relevant. While language and idioms have evolved, human nature has not, and the themes of unchecked ambition, moral corruption, and fate still captivate modern audiences. For students studying Macbeth, seeing it performed live provides an invaluable perspective on the play’s intricate dynamics.

The Genesian Theatre, at 2B Gordon Street, Rozelle, offers a viewing experience with well-tiered seating ensuring clear sightlines. The venue is air-conditioned (with two split systems), making for a pleasant atmosphere, as long as they remain on. The bathroom facilities are well-maintained, and the bar is excellent. Parking in the surrounding streets can be challenging, so allow extra time to find a spot.

Final Verdict:
This Macbeth was an enjoyable and well-executed production with a commendable cast and crew. While some moments could have benefited from greater consistency in fluency and intensity, the strong performances – particularly from Banquo, Lady Macbeth, and the witches – made for an engaging evening of theatre. Grinston’s direction, combined with Shakespeare’s enduring themes, ensured that Macbeth still has the power to thrill and unsettle, centuries after it was first performed.

To book tickets to Macbeth, please visit https://genesiantheatre.com/

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Connect Online

© 2025 Dark Stories Pty Ltd     ♦     Whats The Show