The telephone rings, trilling through the darkened living room three, four, five times. The bedroom light flicks on, illuminating the telephone and the desk it rests upon. A woman appears, yawning, in her dressing gown.
She answers the phone, but no one responds. “Hello?” she says again, looking at the handset in confusion. It’s in that moment she feels fabric tightening around her neck as she is shoved onto the desk, fighting for air …
“Dial M for Murder”, presented by Galleon Theatre Group, is not only a beautiful demonstration of inner turmoil, but simplicity on stage. Everything from the set design to the costumes is simple, elegant, and beautifully complementary. The set has been expertly crafted to enhance the impact the lighting has on key moments within the story. Key moments which have also been carefully paired with a spine-tingling score to set your nerves jangling.
Not only will your nerves be frayed, but you can expect to find yourself holding your breath in anticipation more than once, wondering “how on earth will they will get away with this?”
With a small cast of five you expect the chemistry to be high-quality, and the cast from Galleon Theatre do not let down their audience for a moment. With heartfelt confessions, scheming, dastardly deeds, and inquisitive inspectors, no interaction felt unhurried or unconsidered. Each moment was carefully plotted from the facial expressions to the smooth, natural use of the entire stage.
The stage, which has a distinct air of being its own character, is deceptively simple at first glance, but after some observation has clearly been well curated, not just for the performance but also for the actors. The set feels cohesive and lived in, just like the flat of a married couple should.
Be sure to keep your eye on this married couple, for their body language and voice control are expertly maintained … until they’re not. Dressed impeccably, and with barely a hair out place, Mr. and Mrs. Wendice navigate the new twist their marriage has undertaken, while a desperate Mr. Halliday and the calculating Inspector Hubbard do their utmost to make sense of how the slimy Captain Lesgate fits into the story. Be sure to watch the costumes carefully, each one perfectly suited for their character, and even being used as a plot point … The audience will find themselves on the edge of their seat to see if the good guys will prevail and the bad guys will get what’s coming to them, with laughs, gasps, and sinking feelings along the way.
Review: The Taming of the Shrew – The Adelaide University Theatre Guild
The Adelaide University Theatre Guild’s new adaption of one of Shakespeare’s more problematic plays puts The Taming of the Shrew into a new realm of pop and rock music to great effect while still holding mostly true to the original text.
Dispensing with Shakespeare’s original play within a play concept, and instead of being set in the usual Padua, this version is set in Paradise which is “a powerhouse record label and the battlefield is the charts.” The play begins with Bianca (Jessica Merrick) and her band singing and dancing to her pop song, then enters Katherine (Heather Crawford), her rock chick older sister with her band and her sharp edges.
Bianca has two suitors, Gremio (Martin Penhale) and Hortensio (Macey Lawson) who wish to marry her but her mother, Minola Baptista (Deborah Walsh), will not agree to anyone marrying Bianca until her older sister Katherine is married. Lucentio (Ben Proeve) arrives with his loyal servant, Tranio (John Charles), and Lucentio also falls in love with Bianca. To try to win her love, Lucentio disguises himself as a tutor for Bianca and Hortensio disguises himself as a musician to also gain access to her to try to do the same. Tranio disguises himself as Lucentio to help convince Minola Baptista to allow Lucentio to marry Bianca.
Standing in their way however is Minola Baptista’s demands that the quarrelsome Katherine be married first. Petruchio (Tom Tassone) arrives and after hearing about Katherine he decides to court her, and he is assisted in this task by Gremio and Hortensio. Upon meeting Petruchio, Katherine resists his advances, but he is not discouraged and he sets a wedding date and so begins the taming of the shrew.
Setting the play in Paradise and revising it for a contemporary time is successful and adds a welcome fresh dimension to the play, although the audience seemed to be a little confused by Bianca and Katherine’s entry. In addition, modern music references to the original text brings many humorous elements. The limited space of the Little Theatre always adds production issues, but both levels of the theatre are skilfully utilised by Olivia Jane Parker’s first-rate direction. In addition, the music includes songs by Ben Waller and two songs by Macey Lawson.
The whole cast handles the fast-moving proceedings superbly, Tom Tassone as Petruchio, John Charles as Tranio with Macey Lawson as Hortensio are particularly impressive. Heather Crawford delivers Katherine’s long final monologue exceptionally.
This version of the thorny The Taming of the Shrew, set innovatively in the modern music scene, is outstandingly well performed and adds to the long line of exceptional productions by the Theatre Guild.
Reviewed by Rob McKinnon Rating; 4/5
Production Details
Venue: Little Theatre, Adelaide University, The Cloisters, Adelaide SA 5005
Performance Dates: Saturday 9 May – 3pm Sunday 10 May – 3pm Wednesday 13 May – 6:30pm (w/ post-show Q&A) Thursday 14 May – 7:30pm Friday 15 May – 7:30pm Saturday 16 May – 3pm Sunday 17 May – 3pm
The Bubbles Festival Melbourne: A celebration of all things sparkling!
Natalie Pickett founded The Bubbles Review 10 years ago, when her first blog educated those who thought Moet was spoken like the end of the word, “ballet”, with a silent T, when really, it’s pronounced “Mo-wett.” Natalie should know. When working as a tour guide in Europe, on a guided trip to Moët et Chandon, she confirmed this exact fact.
Natalie’s ‘Bubbles Reviewers’ Club’ offers members monthly rewards, tasting technique masterclasses and more discoveries and invitations via www.thebubblesreview.com
I met some of her club members on Saturday, 2nd May, for Bubbles Festival Melbourne, at River’s Edge Events in the World Trades Centre – in a room with a stunning view of the Skyline Wheel and Polly Woodside. Holding our complimentary Riedel sparkling glasses (included in our tickets), we were all thirsty to begin when Natalie welcomed our group and spoke about some important terms to remember before sampling the bubbles on offer. She reminded everyone to hold their glass by the stem, as best to view the bubbles in the middle. We were advised to enjoy the experience of each sparkling with each of our five senses; even holding the glass to our ears – as though listening to a seashell on the beach – and to take in the scent with our noses, as far as they’ll go into the glass before tasting.
“Bubbles – Just like a hug in a glass” and “ABC = Always Bring Champagne” slogans called to us from TV screens around the room. After this, we would visit all the Exhibitor tables to indulge in the exquisite selection.
In between tastings, we were served trays of various Canapés – including Truffle and Mushroom Arancini. We also indulged in a succulent seafood station and a cheese station – perfect bubbly food companions.
Ian was the friendly host from Clover Hill. He poured my first tasting with CLOVER HILL TASMANIA EXCEPTIONELLE MULTI-VINTAGE, (59% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 6% Pinot Meunier) – a light straw/green hue in the glass, vibrant citrus and stone fruits on the nose and crisp acidity on the palette.
My second tasting was the CLOVER HILL TASMANIA ROSÉ MULTI-VINTAGE (66% Chardonnay, 29% Pinot Noir, 5% Pinot Meunier) with fresh vibrant strawberry notes upfront on the nose. The palate was layered and creamy with red forest fruits, to a balanced, long finish. This one was sweeter than the first and a little too perfumed for my taste – still a lovely sparkling.
My third taste was the CLOVER HILL BLANC DE BLANCS MULTI-VINTAGE – Tasmania with 100% Chardonnay. This one reminded me a tad of the lovely Billiecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV from France. It too, is characterized by aromas of citrus, white peach, and brioche with a creamy texture.
Tasmanian cool-climate sparkling wines are dominating at the moment, having taken out all the trophies at the 2025 Australian Sparkling Wine Show and Clover Hill is no exception, having been recognised by The Real Review as one of the best producers in the country. They are consistently ranked among Australia’s top producers with a 5-star Halliday rating.
Ian had a fourth offer in CLOVER HILL ROSÉ D’ASSEMBLAGE MULTI-VINTAGE (63% Chardonnay, 29% Pinot Noir, 8% Pinot Meunier), which I didn’t get to sample as I felt drawn to the French table while there was a lull in the crowd.
I met Jean Paul at the Philippe Fourrier table for a quick chat. Since 1847, this family Champagne house located in Baroville, is anchored in an exceptional terroir, the Côte des Bar, in the south of Champagne appellation area.
JP’s first French pour was the CHAMPAGNE PHILIPPE FOURRIER – ROSÉ DE SAIGNÉE (NV) (90% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay) with a light red to deep rosé hue and orange reflections, its fine and persistent bubbles adding elegance in the glass. The nose opened with ripe raspberry and fresh red berry aromas.
JP’s second French pour was LOUIS PERDRIER FRENCH BRUT (NV) – Bordeaux – France (100% Chardonnay), an exceptional French Sparkling. Deliciously toasty notes melt into the scent of golden apples. Gentle and harmonious on the palate with some richness tempering the citrus finish. For me, this was the best sparkling of the day.
The third French pour was CHAMPAGNE PHILIPPE FOURRIER – PINOT MEUNIER BRUT (NV) – Champagne, France (100% Pinot Meunier), with a beautiful pale-yellow hue and fine bubbles bright in the glass. The nose offered fresh red fruit aromas of subtle blackberry, hints of peach and plum. This one seemed a tad light to me after the Brut.
Lastly, I met Kathy at the Sutherland Estate stand – a small, second-generation family-owned enterprise located at a picturesque location in Dixon’s Creek, a mountainous area, past Yarra Glen in the Yarra Valley. Her first pour was SUTHERLAND ESTATE – 2021 BLANC DE BLANC SPARKLING – Yarra Valley (100% Chardonnay). Made from 100% Chardonnay in the Méthode Traditionelle, with secondary fermentation and ageing in the bottle.
Kathy’s second pour was her SUTHERLAND ESTATE – 2023 SPARKLING TEMPRANILLO (100% Tempranillo.). This renowned sparkling red is unique because we don’t often see a Tempranillo here in Australia. Sutherland have been making it for more than 12 years, and it’s all grown onsite. It has spent twelve months in seasoned barriques before undergoing secondary fermentation on lees in the bottle made Méthode Traditionelle, having a powerful burst of mid-palate fruit of berries, dark cherries, a bit of liquorice, with peppery spice and earthy undertones to finish. The palate is medium-bodied and well structured, with fine tannins and a persistent bead. A great match with cheese and charcuterie. It had the power of a sparkling Shiraz and I’m keen to visit their Cellar Door for more.
I tried the SUTHERLAND ESTATE – 2025 SPARKLING ROSÉ (with 100% hand-picked Pinot Noir). Whole bunches of Pinot are harvested from the vineyard and come into the winery and straight into the press immediately leading to the gorgeous pale salmon colour. The aromas are bright and enticing with rose petal, strawberry and perfume. On the palate were strawberries and cream. A delightful summer’s drink, but for the last glass of the day, I had to return for one last taste of the Sparkling Temperanillo.
Illustrator, Susan Kerian, who some recognised from her work with retailer, ‘Blue Illusion’, returned to showcase her original illustrations – perfect for ‘Emily In Paris’ fans and Francophiles.
All sparkling wines and Susan’s artwork could be purchased on the day so, I happily departed with my order for delivery of four of the LOUIS PERDRIER FRENCH BRUT (NV) from Bordeaux, two of the CHAMPAGNE PHILIPPE FOURRIER – PINOT MEUNIER BRUT (NV) – from Champagne in France and six of the SUTHERLAND ESTATE – 2023 SPARKLING TEMPRANILLO from the Yarra Valley, because according to F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.” Well, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!
All of the exhibitors offered great deals for purchasing on the day. I’ve never understood why tastings sometimes don’t allow that, but at Bubbles Festival, you could take the wine with you on the day, or get it delivered later, which was ideal. $5 from each ticket went to the Sacred Heart Mission, St Kilda. Natalie chooses a different charity to donate to in each of her state’s events.
It was a sunny 25degree day in Melbourne and I tasted some new and exciting Sparklings and Champagnes, met like-minded and vivacious souls, feeling the fresh bubble of life, therefore, I thoroughly recommend attending the Bubbles Festival.
Here are the other states’ Bubbles Festivals, coming soon:
Brisbane – 9 May 2026 – Get your tickets here! Sydney – 22 & 23 May 2026 – Get your tickets here! Adelaide – 6 June 2026 – Get your tickets here! Perth – 20 June 2026 (TBC) – Join waitlist here!
Scene 1, Sunday afternoon. We meet the main players, namely Dr. Katherine Stockman and her family, friends, and local community members, as they gather for a casual BBQ lunch. Pay close attention to the interactions between each of the characters – they will evolve and change as the story progresses but it’s important to remember this immediate sense of community and family between them. The stage is set, the tongs being test snapped, beers cracked, and banter flowing freely. Upstage, nice and close to the audience, the cast are immediately under close scrutiny, but they react and interact with and around each other with practiced ease. Dr. Katherine shares the discovery that the local baths at the spa resort – which was her idea, and have become an important part of the towns economy – are poisoned with heavy metals.
Scenes 2 and 3 reveal Dr. Katherine’s tumultuous relationship with her brother, the mayor, and her father-in-law, as well as her warmer friendships with other members of the community. The community friendships Dr. Katherine has obviously cultivated work in her favour to help her get the word out about the poisoned bath house. But the Mayor has other plans. We are swiftly transported from Dr. Katherine’s living room to the entrance of the spa report, where we witness the Mayor marshalling the community members to oppose Dr. Katherine. The Mayor is persuasive and captivating in his speech, striking in his suit and confident in his decision. If you watch closely you can see the moment Dr. Katherine feels the rug is ripped out from underneath her.
And the lights lift for interval. The volunteers serving the refreshments on offer are so friendly, if you aren’t paying attention you may not notice when the cast make their way to the auditorium and begin mingling with the audience…
Scene 4, Dr. Katherine is addressing the town in an informal meeting. She wants the town to understand the concerns and risks at the resort spa. In this case, the town is the audience. The rest of the cast wander around and through the auditorium, not only interacting with the audience, but throwing snarky comments to Dr. Katherine. Be prepared to be exceptionally frustrated at the outstanding performance from the male cast members of shouting down a female colleague, and keep your ears open for their amusing commentary in response to Dr. Katherine’s statements.
With a simple, but elegant stage decoration and furniture, each scene is clearly set. At no point was it unclear where the characters were, and their interactions with the props outstanding. Every prop, piece of furniture, and piece of set was used to its fullest, being moved, manipulated, acted with and around naturally, nothing stood out as out of place. The lighting, and the timing of, were never out of place, the same for which can be said about the sound. The costumes and makeup were perfect for the small town aesthetic – the men all looked very striking in their suits, and the women suitably dressed for their work and station.
One thing I did notice was the first and final scenes between Dr. Katherine and the Mayor felt shakier, and less in line with their characters than the rest of their performance. But every cast member brought their characters to life with very natural interactions, amusing expressions in the background, and a compelling presence on stage. This cast melded together spectacularly, even when their characters were at odds. “An Enemy of the People” by St. Jude’s players is thoroughly enjoyable, professional, and not to be missed.
