We caught up with the whirlwind behind Popera: Sex, Death & Politics to dive into a world where opera meets glitter, pop sass, and a hefty dose of feminist fire. With high notes, high drama, this cabaret gameshow turns tradition on its head.
About Popera: Sex Death and Politics
What is this Production about?
Popera: Sex, Death & Politics is an interactive cabaret gameshow that blends original pop and opera parody, all while tackling agesim and sexism in the performing arts — in silver sparkly boots and a red jumpsuit! It’s basically opera with Kath and Kim energy.
What character are you playing, and what can you share with us about them?
I play the gameshow host, a trained operatic soprano who hosts a gameshow that mixes pop and opera. But on the day of the show, her boyfriend/assistant Trevor doesn’t show up to work, and since the show must go on, she’s determined not to think about him…
What sort of person is going to love this show?
Anyone who loves pop, opera, divas — or honestly, anyone who loves a laugh! Popera has many…
What will the audience be thinking about in the car as they drive home after this show?
They’ll probably be singing “sex, death & politics! Popera! Popera!”… if you know, you know 😉
Call someone out by name: who must come see this production?
Opera singers! Opera students! Opera lovers! They’ll get every reference — or if they don’t, they’ll learn something new about the operas they love.
Who has the best costume?
Definitely me — knee-high silver, diamanted, stiletto boots, a tight red jumpsuit, a black tails jacket, a magnificent red robe, and a jaunty red circus hat?! Who could resist?
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
We’re doing an Auslan-interpreted and audio-described show (please bring your own device and headphones) on Sunday, April 13th!
Where can patrons purchase tickets to this production?
Show Sessions run Sat 12 Apr & Sun 13 Apr: 4 pm and Sat 19 Apr & Sun 20 Apr: 4 pm at The Motley Bauhaus – Theatrette, 118 Elgin Street, Carlton.
Thank you for sharing your journey into the world of Popera with us! We can’t wait to see you dazzle in those knee-high silver boots and red jumpsuit. Best of luck with the show – it’s sure to be a night of laughter, glamour, and unforgettable tunes!
Melbourne Comic Jeremy Dooley brings his debut show Daddy Cool to Richmond for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
In an attic on Bridge Road, an intimate crowd gathers for Dooley’s stand up show. The lights are dim and the atmosphere is relaxed for this evening’s show.
Warming up the crowd is Canadian Richard Meneses who cracks jokes about being a backpacker, having left Canada to find himself. It’s a funny set that packs in a lot of laughs in a short time. Having cut his teeth on the Open Mic circuit Richard delivers a great set and performance that is memorable.
Lightly jogging onto the stage is the main act Jeremy Dooley, whose jokes are relatable and delivered perfectly with each punchline landing. He invites the audience to participate, which creates some very funny moments and makes for some great banter.
Being that this is a debut show, one could be mistaken for thinking Dooley has done the act before. He is comfortable being on stage, laughter comes easily, and he’s relaxed.
Dooley presents an hour of great storytelling, with some laugh-out-loud moments that captivate the audience. As the show winds up, Dooley has given the audience a solid hour of laughter and endearing moments that make for a fantastic show.
LET THE FUN BE-GIN AT MELBOURNE GIN FESTIVAL THIS MARCH Rating
★★★★★
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The Melbourne Gin Festival was a paradise for gin lovers, showcasing an impressive lineup of Australian distilleries, each offering unique and innovative spirits. Crowds of people flocked to The Timberyard to gather and taste their favourite gins from all over the country. From Tasmanian gins to all the way from Darwin there was a broad representation.
The atmosphere was lively, with passionate distillers sharing their craft, and plenty of opportunities to taste some truly exceptional gins.
One of the most eye-catching products was Gingle Bells by Wild Hibiscus Flower Co. Their beautifully designed gin-filled baubles added a festive touch, and the botanical-infused flavours were both vibrant and well-balanced—perfect for gifting or enjoying over the holidays.
Noble Bootleggers impressed with their smooth, well-crafted gins that highlighted locally sourced botanicals, while Just B Distillery from Tasmania showcased their dedication to quality with gins that delivered a clean, crisp taste with a hint of wilderness.
Happenstance Distillery stood out with its trio of offerings—Fireside Gin, a smoky and warming delight; Fiesta Gin, bursting with citrus and spice; and Gin Noir, which had a deep, complex profile that was perfect for a sophisticated cocktail.
Teddy & The Fox from Bellarine presented a bright and refreshing gin with a coastal twist, ideal for summer sipping. Meanwhile, Naught Distilling wowed the crowd with their Sangiovese Gin, a rich, fruit-forward spirit that blended wine and gin beautifully.
The festival was a fantastic celebration of Australia’s gin scene, with something for every palate. Whether you’re a seasoned gin enthusiast or a newcomer, this event was the perfect place to explore, taste, and discover new favourites.
The Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir Rating
★★★★★
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6
“Try connection, try love, try understanding: it will fill your hearts with joy and change your life!” This plea from the heart of Morris Stuart, Artistic Director of the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir (CAAWC), could be the catchcry of this unique ensemble. The values of connection, love and understanding underpin the choir’s history and allowed two seemingly disparate cultures to find a common ground in singing. German Lutherans arrived in Hermannsburg/Ntaria, NT, in 1877 bringing hymns of faith. They collaborated with Western Arrarnta people to the translate the hymns into Western Arrarnta language. The old musical form from overseas merged with the old language of the interior, and both were preserved in a new form by four generations of Western Arrarnta women, some of whom are singing in the choir today.
The significance of this preservation, particularly for a threatened Aboriginal language, is revealed in Naina Sen’s documentary “The Songkeepers” (2017), available on SBS, which followed the CAAWC’s 2015 journey to Germany to sing sometimes forgotten hymns to the churches that originally sent them, in the languages of Western Arrarnta and Pitjantjatjara 140 years later.
The CAAWC performed at the Melbourne Recital Centre on Sunday 23rd March to a very supportive audience. The choir of 25 members (including four men) have a very distinct sound due to the thick, guttural, nasal quality that is the preferred vocal timbre of Aboriginal musicians. The hymn arrangements from the time of Bach to early Romantic period take on a new life with this tonal quality and use of Central Australian Aboriginal languages. Every song was infused with joy and there was an artlessness about the performance that engaged me in its honesty.
Most of the sacred songs were Lutheran hymns with lyrics translated into Western Arrarnta or Pitjantjatjara. With Aboriginal languages increasingly endangered, this choir and its members are living history. To be able to sing for us in their first language is a privilege that has had to be fought for. It is a continuing conversation about culture and language preservation that the choir invites us to have. Artistic Director, Morris Stuart, reminded us that Areyonga/Utju’s 50 years of bilingual education program in the NT had to be fought for, even to the point of involving the Human Right’s Commission.
I was particularly interested the two sacred songs in the repertoire that were original compositions. One was written in 1921 by Western Arrarnta elders, Moses Tjalkapurta and Johannes Ntjalka in the style of a traditional ceremonial chant (3- line chant) with modern harmonic elements. Some of the choir members are their descendants.
The other original song was “Godanya” written by Carolyn Windy, her niece Petrina Windy (both choir members) and Adelaidean Holly Webb. It celebrates the Holy Trinity – God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To me this song was the highlight of the evening. The influence of hymn was there in its strophic form and diatonic harmony. However, the synergy of words and melody was remarkably seamless and the simple homophonic texture gradually grew into a wall of sound, unified and balanced, with no unnecessary movement. There was a power in its compositional simplicity that moved me. The choir was particularly of one voice in this song – my guess is that it must be one of their favourites – like one person breathing. In a later conversation with Morris Stuart, he agreed that it is the choir’s “tour de force”. It is more original songs like this that I look forward to hearing in the future.
Apart from the early Romantic style hymns and original sacred songs, we were treated to a Bach Chorale conducted by teacher, linguist and author, David Roennfeldt, as well as two German rounds with Western Arrarnta lyrics by Lily Roennfeldt.
There was also a short set of three more familiar songs which were beautifully supported by collborative pianist, Marten Visser. The audience were taught Western Arrarnta words to Kumbayah and invited to sing along. Waltzing Matilda showcased the choir’s storytelling ability and humour. But the most memorable was “We Are Australian”, sung in Western Arrarnta language. We were invited to simultaneously sing the last chorus in English and the connection between choir and audience was palpable. We rose to our feet to give a heartfelt standing ovation.
For me, the word that sums up the CAAWC and this performance is connection. At one point, Stuart asked for the house lights to come up so they could see who they were singing to. They waved to us as they exited the stage singing, and we waved back, our hearts filled with joy, and then went out to meet them in person in the foyer.
The Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir is made up of members of six remote community choirs from Ntaria, Areyonga, Titjikala, Mutitjulu, Docker River and Mission Block, Alice Springs. This tour is produced by Margot Teele from Andrew Kay and Associates Pty Ltd and includes Nuriootpa, Womadelaide, Bunbury, Perth, Canberra, Melbourne, Brunswick, Sydney and Bateman’s Bay.
