Melbourne

About The Show – Romeo & Juliet/Macbeth Double Bill

Romeo & Juliet/Macbeth Double Bill

G’day everyone! Today, we’re thrilled to have a yarn with the lead actor from the imaginative Romeo & Juliet/Macbeth Double Bill. These unique 90-minute musical adaptations shed a fresh light on the Bard’s timeless tales. Hang tight as we dive into this creative fusion and hear all about the joys and challenges of bringing such an intriguing performance to life.

About Romeo & Juliet/Macbeth Double Bill

What is this Production about?

This production is a double bill of 90-minute musical versions of Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth, with Australasian Indie-Folk and Bluegrass/Americana music, respectively. Music, Mischief, and Magic—It’s Shakespeare like you’ve never seen it.

What character are you playing, and what can you share with us about them?

The cast for both shows is the same, so all actors play roles across both shows. In this iteration of these shows, I play Romeo and Lady Macbeth. It’s been a lot of fun revisiting Romeo after a year away from the show, rediscovering all the little intricacies that made that character feel so special to me. Playing a gender-swapped Lady Macbeth was a daunting challenge, but one that has been so rewarding.

What’s challenging about bringing this script to life?

Bringing Shakespeare into a more modern context without losing what makes it such a timeless and special sort of show is always a challenge, especially when you throw musical elements into the mix, but I think we handle the material with just the right amount of revelry and rebellion all at once.

Ollie Howlett
Ollie Howlett
Ollie Howlett
Ollie Howlett

What sort of person is going to love this show?

We like to think that our shows are for everyone, whether you like the bard’s work or not, but it is always a particularly special moment when someone who before coming along would have said they categorically hated Shakespeare tells us after the show that they finally feel like they get why people love his works so much. So I would say, in particular, people who don’t like Shakespeare will love our Shakespeare.

Call someone out by name: who must come see this production?

I want to see any of the Australian musicians whose songs we use come along to the show. It’s been so special to get to connect with some of the Kiwi artists we’ve used music from, and I’d love to get that connection across the ditch as well! So that means I want to see: the band Dragon, the band Jet, The Dreggs, Divinyls, and Kyle Lionheart at the show!

Where can patrons purchase tickets to this production?

The production runs from 27 May – 1 June at Chapel Off Chapel. To book tickets to the Romeo & Juliet/Macbeth Double Bill, please visit https://chapeloffchapel.com.au/show/the-barden-party-shakespeare-double-bill/.

Thank you so much for sharing your insights and excitement for the Romeo & Juliet/Macbeth Double Bill. Wishing you all the best for the upcoming performances – may they be filled with all the music, mischief, and magic that makes Shakespeare unforgettable! Break a leg!

Other production interviews can be viewed in our About The Production Series.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

An Transcendent Evening Of Theatrical Brilliance

Night Night

Night Night Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

3

From the moment I was handed an interactive pendant at the door of the Alexander Theatre, it was clear Night Night was no ordinary night at the theatre. What followed was one of the most inventive, heartfelt and boundary-defying performances I’ve ever experienced.  

Created and directed by the trio Arielle Gray, Luke Kerridge and Tim Watts, Night Night tells the story of Pip, an Antarctic scientist on a quest to uncover the origins of life. What begins as a familiar voyage into isolation and scientific frustration soon tumbles into a surreal dreamscape with an albino penguin guiding our hero and glowing entities emerging from unseen dimensions. It’s a world built from ice and wonder, where the veil between this world and the beyond feels paper-thin.

The compelling narrative unfolds not just on stage, but across a variety of mediums. The set is deceptively simple, consisting of a large projector screen and a small movie studio, fully visible, at the side of the stage. Combined, they become a playground of live cinematography, puppetry, mime, and animation. Gray and Watts deliver a masterclass in physical theatre, coaxing moments of poignancy, whimsy and laugh-out-loud humour from every pixel and prop at their disposal. Their onstage rapport and seamless interaction is the glowing heart of the show. Their performances feel at once effortless and deeply considered.

Night Night
Night Night
Night Night

The sensory layering was delightful from the moment we entered the theatre. Live sketches on an iPad become playful preludes to the show, blending content warnings with charm (beware the show’s loud sounds, flashing lights and wimsy). Messages and images appear on the screen, inviting the audience into the world with a light touch before plunging them into deeper waters.

Rachel Claudio’s musical score and sound design deserve particular praise. They don’t just accompany the action, they elevate it, transporting the audience with a soundscape that moves from delicate to dazzling, always in perfect dialogue with the visual storytelling. The audio-visual synthesis is so immersive it’s easy to forget how complex and technical the show must be.

Night Night’s innovation lies in how it wears its complexity lightly. Static and animated visuals are woven with handmade puppets, showing digital magic dancing alongside analogue charm. Every moment feels handcrafted, intentional and lovingly made. The creative team’s meticulous attention to detail is evident in every snowflake, shadow and blink of light.

This is theatre as revelation. An invitation to see the world differently and to feel more deeply, remembering the power of connection to each other, to nature and to something greater. As Pip’s journey becomes more metaphysical, so too does the audience’s, emerging not only entertained, but perhaps even enlightened. 

In short, Night Night is a rare piece of theatre that feels both personal and universal, intimate and epic. It’s a reminder of what live performance can achieve when craft, heart and imagination collide. This is the kind of show that lingers long after the lights go out. Do not miss it.

Night Night will be on tour soon and is coming to Geelong Arts Centre in August and Bondi Pavilion in September. To book tickets to Night Night, please visit https://www.thelastgreathunt.com/night-night.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

How Much Honesty Is The Best Policy?

What Marielle Knows

What Marielle Knows Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

What Marielle Knows is a part of Melbourne’s German Film Festival for 2025. It was selected and screened at the Berlinale this year and follows parents Julia and Tobias when they discover that their daughter can see and hear everything they do, whether she is with them or not. The film is advertised as a comedy, however I think it would be better suited to a dark comedy label, dabbling very closely with drama. The film centres on the married couple and how through discovering their daughter’s sudden telepathic abilities, the fragile foundations of their relationship start to crumble and teeter them dangerously close to divorce.

The film tackles a lot in its 86 minute run time, which makes for a really engaging watch. On the surface What Marielle Knows is looking at lying, where the line is, what does honesty mean when compared to truth, and how much of the truth we should share with the people in our lives. Underneath that, it interrogates family dynamics, how each parent has a distinctly different connection with the same child and how this can be manipulated by either parent. It looks at the plain and simple morality of a child and tries to apply those black and white notions to complicated, more mature feelings.

At the bottom of the iceberg, the film is an exploration of the lessons parents teach their kids, commenting on how although they don’t see every action their parents take, there will always be a follow through of emotional consequences. I enjoyed the way the film brought each of these themes up. It felt as though director Frédéric Hambalek thought carefully about each when embedding them into the film’s narrative.

What Marielle Knows
What Marielle Knows

What did divert this understanding for me, was little attention the film paid to Marielle herself. Her parents are the main characters and in many ways Marielle serves as the antagonist, so it was an interesting creative choice to only really examine her reactions through the slow motion, rainbow dyed frames of her that were inserted between moments like title cards. It didn’t do a disservice to the story, as it focused on parental guilt and the pressures of trying to be a good parent and what that even means, but it did make me itch for a version of events told from her eyes, how she’s reacting to some of the more intense moments Julia and Tobias experience.

The greatest highlight of the film to me was the performances. Julia Jentsch, who played Julia, Felix Kramer who portrayed Tobias and Laeni Geiseler who was Marielle, all really brought their characters to life in a way that really allowed me to empathise with all of them. Felix Kramer in particular really shone to me, he conveyed a man on the brink of a nervous breakdown with such careful restraint; the whole film I was waiting to watch the delicate wire he perched his character on snap. Together, the cast had fantastic chemistry, despite their differing physical appearances, they really felt like a believable family unit.

As equally empathetic each character felt to the audience, I thought it was an interesting choice to make Julia’s character into the villain towards the end of the film. The film and Marielle gave Tobias much more grace for his actions, but gave Julia the most work to overcome. I didn’t necessarily resonate with this aspect of the story, considering how much Tobias consistently abused her trust throughout the film, however I do think that beneath this is an interesting discussion of where the line is when it comes to telling the ‘truth’.

For a comedy, this film packs its themes in air tight and gives the viewer plenty to chew on through a unique and original concept.

To book tickets to What Marielle Knows, or any other films in the German Film Festival, please visit https://germanfilmfestival.com.au/.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Nice Work If You Can Get It

Nice Work If You Can Get It

Nice Work If You Can Get It Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

10

“What the world needs now, is love, sweet love.” Quoted in the Director’s note in the program for ‘NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT’ playing at The National Theatre in St Kilda 16-31 May presented by CLOC Musical Theatre. Mark also said he would add the word “laughter” to the above quote, and this show has done just that with the whole cast wholly embracing the story with “froth and fizz”.

This musical was one I had not heard of before. How that is possible I’m not quite sure as it’s definitely my type of musical; full of comedy that has you laughing out loud, Gershwin songs we recognise from a bygone era and set in the 1920s with plenty of tap dancing to boot. Don’t know how I’ve missed this title to date, but very happy to now share my viewing experience and highly recommend all ages to go along and enjoy this hidden gem of Broadway. Ticket link: https://www.cloc.org.au/

CLOC Musical Theatre doesn’t need any introduction, especially in Melbourne; they have been operating at the forefront of amateur theatre for over 50 years! Their productions are of a standard that ooze professional quality and the set on this one – WOWZERS!!!

Nice Work If You Can Get It
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Nice Work If You Can Get It

Imagine you are seeing on stage a ‘Barbie’ style dream-house for a moment and that’s where you’re going. A huge pink beach house on Long Island belongs to the mega-rich ‘Winter’ family, but is hardly ever used. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, those circumstances give way to a trio of goofy criminal friends who decide to hide their stash in the house. After all, no one will be there.

I don’t like to give away too much of the plot, because I know there will be others, like me, who will be seeing this for the first time, but if you like shows like Guys & Dolls and Thoroughly Modern Millie, you’re going to definitely LOVE this one. NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT is a quirky comical love story between two (or three) people with lots of equally amusing sideline stories which all tie in perfectly together at the end, even ties you don’t think will be revealed. It’s a bootlegging blast!

My favourite character was ‘Eileen’ (‘the finest interpreter of modern dance in the world’), played by Lisa Nightingale, her bath scene is hilarious and delicious! Shout out again to the set builders, the costume designers conjuring up the bubbles and flowing pink fabric, and, the amazing gals in the ensemble, who make this scene one to remember forever.

Lead roles were all faultless. Award-winning Will Hanley, back at CLOC for the 6th time, smashes the role of playboy ‘Jimmy’; opposite him is the exceptional voice of Lauren Holcombe playing wallet-stealing ‘Billie’ – these two are a communicative combo. Some of their sequences especially with dancing up and down many stairs required a lot of skill – well done; also to the choreographers who would have given much thought into pulling that step timing safely together.

Liz O’Hanlon playing ‘Duchess Estonia’, who falls for the impostering manservant of the house, is excellent; her characterisation being very clear and absurdly funny. I and my friend (giggling constantly beside me) absolutely loved her in the scene where she finally succumbed to the secret alcohol, and Joshua Saunders (famously known for his meme face) playing ‘Cookie’, who carries her off the table, is splendid – they both indeed precisely land these comedic situations.

Nice Work If You Can Get It
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Nice Work If You Can Get It

The entire ensemble is colourful magic – well done to all of them, no show is complete without the ensemble and there’s great engagement from all of them in every moment. There are some well-known names amongst and a couple I personally immediately recognised were Tyler-Rose Shattock, a legendary coach in the world of calisthenics and Caleb Waterworth who has grown up from being a child in the professional show of Matilda to touring recently with the Australian Ballet. Caleb in particular had me in stitches with face expressions and his movement antics in the beach scene.

Our biggest laughs though came from watching the portrayal of Jimmy’s mother ‘Millicent Winter’ played by Lee Threadgold, her story unfolded gradually, but you will have to go and see the show to see why……
‘NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT – A New Musical Comedy’ is promoted by the President of CLOC as a chance to forget the outside world for a few hours. Just enjoy yourself – no need to think, no need to worry – enjoy the music, laugh, smile and be part of a simpler time.

Well, we nailed that, THANK YOU EVERYONE!

EVERYONE is:
Ric Birkett, President CLOC Musical Theatre
Mark Taylor, Director
Susan Lewis, Choreographer
James Rooney, Assistant Choreographer
David Clausen-Wisken, Musical Director
Victoria Horne, Costume Designer
Marcello Lo Ricco, Sound Designer
Justin Karakai & Sally Martin, Co-Set Designers
Brad Alcock – Lighting Designer
Will Hanley playing ‘Jimmy Winter’
Lauren Holcombe playing ‘Bille’
Lisa Nightingale playing ‘Eileen’
Joshua Saunders playing ‘Cookie’
Thomas Myszka playing ‘Duke’
Melanie Ott playing ‘Jeannie’
Chris Anderson playing ‘Senator Evergreen’
Liz O’Hanlon playing ‘Duchess Estonia’
Mike Gardiner playing ‘Chief Berry’
Lee Threadgold playing ‘Millicent Winter’

ENSEMBLE: Tim Allison, Bryce Dunn, Simone Lay, Madeleine Magetti, Robert Mulholland, India Morris, Thomas O’Reilly, Claire Robinson, Sujanthan Satkumarajah, Tyler-Rose Shattock, Ashley Tynan, Tailem Tynan, Caleb Waterworth, Hayley Wootten.

NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT Music and Lyrics are by George & Ira Gershwin, Book by Joe DiPietro, inspired by Material by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse.

Venue: https://nationaltheatre.org.au/

To book tickets to Nice Work If You Can Get It, please visit https://www.cloc.org.au/nicework.html.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Connect Online

© 2026 Dark Stories Pty Ltd     ♦     Whats The Show