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The Perfect Mother’s Day Gift- New Tickets On Sale For Anastasia!

05/05/2026 Breaking News

Just in time for Mother’s Day, new seats for the much-loved hit Broadway musical ANASTASIA, which premieres in Brisbane in September, go on sale this week. Tickets for performances from 7 – 18 October can be purchased by those who have signed up to the waitlist through the ANASTASIA website today (Tuesday 5 May) and to the general public on Friday 8 May from 10am. The Sydney Morning Herald declared that ”the Australian incarnation of this international phenomenon is hard to fault” and that it is “Frozen, Les Mis and Ragtime, all in one” while the Sunday Telegraph declared it “lavish, theatrical and dropping in old-world glamour” and The Plus Ones said that ANASTASIA is “lavish musical theatre at its finest: rich, romantic and gloriously performed”.

The cast for this charming modern fairytale and much-loved musical includes Georgina Hopson as Anya, Robert Tripolino as the charismatic con artist Dmitry, Joshua Robson in the role of antagonist Gleb, Rodney Dobson as Vlad, the universally adored Rhonda Burchmore as Countess Lily and theatre icon Nancye Hayes AM in the role of the Dowager Empress.

The ensemble cast includes Sophia Bae, Elliot Baker, Nicholas Cunningham, Davis Giotopoulos Moore, Todd Goddard, Stephanie Kurlow, Keian Langdon, Bella Minniti, Nathan Stafford, Alexis Van Maanen, Patrick Volpe, Annie Wilson, Deone Zanotto and Andrea Zappacosta with the Swings team featuring Manon Gunderson-Briggs, Iosefa Laga’aia, Nathan Pinnell and Emma Russell.

Inspired by the mysterious tale of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov’s rumoured escape in the dawning days of the Russian Revolution, and the 1997 Oscar nominated animated film of the same name, ANASTASIA has been brought to life on the stage by the Tony Award-winning creative team of Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens.

1023 (sml) - Eleanor Flynn and Nancye Hayes in ANASTASIA. Photo by Jeff Busby.jpg

ANASTASIA is a lavish musical for all ages, transporting audiences from the twilight years of the Imperial rule to the euphoria and exuberance of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman named Anya sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by an army officer determined to silence her, she enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.

Directed by Tony Award winning director Darko Tresnjak, ANASTASIA premiered on Broadway in March 2017. It received a Tony Award nomination for Best Costume Design in a Musical and won more than 15 major international awards including Best Musical awards in Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.

The book for ANASTASIA was written by the late five time Tony Award winning writer Terrence McNally, whose credits include Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime.

Music and lyrics for ANASTASIA were written by the renowned writing team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens who have been referred to as “one of the greatest songwriting teams in Broadway history.” (Chicago Tribune).

“Fantastical, intelligent, well-crafted, and exhilarating, ANASTASIA deserves a coronation!” – The Wall Street Journal
“Captivating, beautifully staged and emotionally vital. ANASTASIA hits the sweet spot!” – The Hollywood Reporter
“One of the most gorgeous shows in years! Luscious, lavish, and a joy that leaves you cheering. This is a grandiloquent feast for the senses you won’t soon forget.” – The New York Observer

ANASTASIA – THE BROADWAY MUSICAL
Produced by John Frost for Crossroads Live and Opera Australia in special collaboration with Stage Entertainment Productions, Tom Kirdahy, Hunter Arnold and Dan Hinde

Lyric Theatre QPAC, Brisbane from September 2026

Visit www.anastasiathemusical.com.au

Australian production images by Jeff Busby

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Chaos and Comedy

04/05/202604/05/2026 Olwyn M Kerr🆕

Thank God You’re Queer Rating

★★★★★

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Now a returning fixture of the Brisbane Comedy Festival, Thank God You’re Queer riffs on the familiar and iconic format of Network 10’s Thank God You’re Here while centreing queer voices and experiences. It throws some of Brisbane’s sharpest Straight comedians into the unknown … and dares them to survive it.

The premise is simple but effective: pre-show prompts submitted by the audience via QR code—often drawn from real-life queer moments—are fed to a cast of LGBTQI+ improvisers who have only minutes to workshop ideas before stepping onstage. The result is predictably unpredictable, with scenes that veer from sharp and insightful to completely unhinged. (Brisbane City Council approving a giant, interactive Glory Hole…anyone?)

The Queer cast—Ollie Windsor, Beef, Caitlin McGrath, Cameron Watson, and Kelsey Wynn—didn’t just perform improv, they elevated it. Quick, fearless, and ridiculously funny, they built scenes that were as solid as they were chaotic, bouncing off each other with the kind of chemistry you can’t fake.

Successful Improv relies not only on a sharp wit but on respect, honesty, and a willingness to share the spotlight. The Queer cast showed that in spades allowing and supporting each other to run with a theme with all of the pivots that improv demands.
There was a generosity onstage that kept even the more chaotic moments grounded.

In contrast, the “Straight Cast”—Luka Dale, Liz Talbot, Rhys McCane, and Taylor Edwards – inhabited a deliberately more precarious role, thrown into unfamiliar territory in pursuit of the tongue-in-cheek title of “Best Ally.” Their willingness to commit, even when clearly out of their depth, made for some of the night’s more memorable moments. Watching them trying and (mostly) succeeding in keeping up? Comedy gold!

Hosting duties were handled smoothly by Daniel Kirkby representing Second Beat Productions. In collaboration with Big Fork Theatre, both companies continue to play a significant role in shaping Brisbane’s improv and comedy landscape. Daniel’s effortless charm meant the show never slowed down—each scene more unhinged and hilarious than the last, and his directing ability ensured that each scene closed at a critical and hilarious point.

As with any improv show, not every line lands—but that’s part of the appeal. What Thank God You’re Queer offered was spontaneity, risk, and an insightful look at lived experiences.

Standout performances of the evening saw Taylor Edwards crowned “Queen Ally” for the second year but there was not a dud note from any of the cast – Straight or Queer.

Ultimately, Thank God You’re Queer succeeds not by being polished, but by being present—leaning into the messiness of improv and the richness of the stories it draws from.

To book tickets to Thank God You’re Queer, please visit https://www.brisbanecomedyfestival.com/events/thank-god-youre-queer/.

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I Can See You, I Can Hear You – But You Are Not Real

26/04/2026 Virginia Gray⭐🎭

Anthropology by Lauren Gunderson Rating

★★★★★

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What happens when AI and humans combine, who/what is controlling the other.

Anthropology is an ancient science that investigates human diversity, evolution, and social life to understand the “big picture” of what it means to be human.

While theoretical foundations and ideas regarding “thinking machines” existed earlier, the term “Artificial Intelligence” was coined and adopted during a workshop at Dartmouth College in the summer of 1956.

Lauren Gunderson’s Anthropology first premiered September 2023 in Hampstead, England. The American Playwright has a string of popular plays doing the rounds including comedies The Book of Will and The Revolutionists. This however is not a comedy.

When we think of AI we are all familiar with the imagery we can create, and chatbots that interact with us (some even make sense). We watch CSI and Bones; we marvel at the technology they expose us to.

But what about creating a program to mimic loved ones so you can still talk to them and they talk back. Even when they are gone.

This is a play about a tech genius, a missing presumed dead sister, an ex-girlfriend and an emotionally absent mother. It is full of twists and turns, teetering on the brink of despair and then a landslide back to reality.

Firstly, let me say the set was tremendous and deserves the Matilda this year – designed by Freddy Komp who also brought the computer screens to life. The surreal set had a large corner desk with “working screens” and a functional living room space. The giant screen that seemed to dominate over the room played an important role in bringing the character Angie to life. Simple entrances via the black curtains at the side allowed the actors to enter and exit as if a doorway did exist.

Caroline Sparrow played the tech savvy older sister Merril, of missing teen Angie played by Rose Traynor-Boyland. A tense, distraught character whose grip on reality was slipping. Caroline was able to make this character both vulnerable and strong. The interaction between the onscreen Angie and the distraught Merril was heartbreaking to watch. Angie taunted Merril playing on her emotions while presenting as an AI Chatbot. The switching of characterizations by Rose was seamless. The ex-girlfriend, Raquel played by Vivien Whittle was a perfect choice as the warm voice of reason and human touch to ease Merril away from technology and back to a type of normality and this interplay also gave the audience a break from the tension. Sherri Smith, as the mother gave a believable version of an erratic reformed addict who was emotionally unstable.

The director Nicky Whichelow has brought together an excellent cast and certainly created an excellent piece of theatre. The production was slick, with a marvellous set that complemented the talented cast.

The crew of Zoe Power- sound, Geoff Squires- lights and Hazel Evans as SM, are also to be congratulated for the behind scenes work that helped give this show polish.

While this drama/mystery will appeal to a wide audience if you are a fan of any of the American Missing person/Crime TV shows you will certainly appreciate this work of live theatre.

Running at PIP Theatre, Milton until 2nd May, tickets https://piptheatre.org/2026-anthropology

To book tickets to Anthropology by Lauren Gunderson, please visit https://piptheatre.org/2026-anthropology/.

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The Bubbles Festival 2026 – Nationwide

25/04/2026 Breaking News

The Bubbles Festival – a celebration of all things sparkling – is back in 2026! The Festival is organised by The Bubbles Review, a multi-award-winning blog and website devoted to the enjoyment of drinking champagne and sparkling wine.

Launched in October 2016 by Melbourne based entrepreneur and international best-selling author Natalie Pickett, The Bubbles Review shares information on the people, history, tasting, techniques of making champagne and sparkling wine and creates courses, events and tours so that our followers can join us and indulge. Our immensely popular blogs on Aussie sparklings really struck a chord, and it brought about the concept of launching The Bubbles Festival featuring a range of sparkling wines all in one boutique event.

The inaugural Bubbles Festival was held in Melbourne in April 2017, and after responding to demand to take the event to other states, since 2021 the festival has been cemented in the events calendar as a national series catering to sold out audiences across the country. We are excited to be sharing the bubbly love once again – The Bubbles Festival will be held in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide in 2026.

Patrons purchase a ticket for a two-hour session which includes a chance to meet and engage with producers and distributors of sparkling wine and champagne, and enjoy bubbly tastings, paired with canapés, all at one stylish event. (A VIP upgrade can also be purchased giving extra bonuses and access to a special tasting. $5 from every VIP ticket is donated to our chosen charity in each city.)

Natalie Pickett, the Founder of The Bubbles Review provides an introduction on tasting appreciation. A RIEDEL Champagne tasting glass is given to each attendee, and a curated list of 10 or more tastings of sparkling wine are provided along with canapés and tasting notes.

Tickets are $139 + Booking Fee via Eventbrite

Details for all events are:
Melbourne at Rivers Edge Events Melbourne – 2 May 2026
Brisbane at the Great Hall, Hills of Rivermakers – 8 & 9 May 2026
Sydney at the Royal Automobile Club of Australia – 22 & 23 May 2026
Adelaide at Ayers House – 6 June 2026

For more information, visit: https://thebubblesreview.com/the-bubbles-festival/

Natalie says “I think that champagne and sparkling wine are one of the joys of life and something to be shared. We love bringing all of these superb sparkling wines together with our followers at The Bubbles Festival”. There is no other wine event in Australia that showcases a range of sparkling in this way.

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