sydney - Whats The Show

Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure

10/08/2025 From The Front Row🚀🦉🎭🎬

Ken Ludwig's Moriarty Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

It’s no mystery why audiences continue to be captivated by Sherlock Holmes—and the Genesian Theatre’s Australian premiere of Moriarty proves just how enduring the great detective’s appeal remains. Ken Ludwig’s whirlwind theatrical caper, directed with flair and finesse, is running now through September 13, and it is nothing short of an amateur theatre triumph.

Celebrating its 80th anniversary and settling into a brand-new venue, the Genesian Theatre Company has marked the milestone with a bold production choice. Moriarty, a complex, fast-paced, and highly stylised Holmes adventure, is no easy feat—but under the company’s deft touch, it sparkles with energy, intelligence, and theatrical magic.

The game is afoot once more with a plot that launches with the theft of incriminating letters from a Bohemian king and soon spirals into a high-stakes game of espionage, deception, and pursuit. Holmes and his ever-faithful companion Dr. Watson are drawn into an international chase to foil the shadowy machinations of Professor Moriarty. It's classic Holmes—with a twist of modern theatrical ingenuity.

Eight actors take on over 20 roles, switching characters, accents, and costumes at breakneck speed. This ensemble approach keeps the momentum electric. Peter David Allison shines as Dr. Watson, anchoring the narrative with warmth, wit, and humility. His storytelling binds the chaotic threads of the play into a coherent and compelling whole. Meanwhile, Susan Jordan is a revelation—slipping effortlessly between diverse characters, her skillful transformations and vocal dexterity bringing flair and creativity to every scene.

The technical elements elevate the experience further. From the cleverly used faceless puppets to richly detailed costumes, from crisp sound effects to atmospheric lighting that subtly underscores tension and intrigue, the backstage team delivers period authenticity with theatrical verve.

The production’s brisk pacing—driven by rapid scene changes, constant movement, and tightly choreographed action—keeps the audience on edge. Ken Ludwig’s script is sharp and respectful of Holmes canon while injecting just enough levity to balance the suspense. It's a treat for both diehard fans and newcomers alike.

Moriarty at the Genesian Theatre is a testament to what passionate theatre-makers can achieve. It’s a love letter to classic detective stories, brought to life with heart, humour, and remarkable creativity.

The verdict? Elementary, dear reader: a must-see.

To book tickets to Ken Ludwig's Moriarty, please visit https://genesiantheatre.com.au/events/moriarty/.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Three (Short) Plays by Tennessee Williams

10/08/2025 Claire Mulcahy⭐🦉

Three (Short) Plays by Tennessee Williams Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

Ground Floor Theatre Company's debut production of three one-act Tennessee Williams plays is a rare opportunity to see some of the American playwright’s earlier work. The three one-act plays, At Liberty, Auto-Da-Fé and This Property is Condemned, provide a compelling snapshot of the playwright’s early writing and excitingly foreshadow his later classics such as The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire.

Each play is like a staged vignette; a portrait of unfulfilled dreams, repressed longing and shattered innocence. In At Liberty, Gloria La Greene (Helena Cielak), a struggling actress, returns home in the early hours of the morning after a night out with a beau. Her mother (Emma Wright) sits waiting for her daughter. Theirs is a strained relationship. Gloria clearly chafes against the control her mother tries to exert over her, dismissing her mother’s concerns about her health. We see here Williams’ preoccupation with the domineering matriarch; an early prototype perhaps for the unforgettable Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie who suffocates her children in her attempts to love them. There are also shades of Blanche Du Bois in Gloria’s character; a woman in her thirties, still unmarried, still unfulfilled, still clinging on to the last remains of her youth and beauty.

In Auto-Da-Fé, we again witness an enmeshed parent-child relationship; this time between a mother and her adult son, Eloi (pronounced El-wah). Eloi (Will Manton) is in his late thirties but still lives at home, working in a post office. He casts judgment on the people who surround him in a rundown, impoverished New Orleans neighbourhood, condemning their licentiousness as if their vices threaten to infect him. Eloi is repressed but he needs to tell his mother something. In his postal worker job, he has come across a ‘dirty' photo; it is almost too much for Eloi to describe yet Madam Duvenet (Emma Wright) draws the information out of him. Similar to At Liberty, we again see an adult child straining against the cage their mother has placed around them. But Eloi is also trapped in a cage of repressed sexuality and his preoccupation with the ‘filthy’ photo suggests something more. Again, Tennessee Williams shows early signs of the themes, particularly around sexuality, that he would grapple with in his later plays.

The refuge of fantasy is particularly poignant in the final play of the show, This Property is Condemned. Two children, Willie (Helena Cielak) and Tom (Will Manton), on the threshold of puberty, play by railway tracks. They seem to know each other but have lost touch. Their conversation reveals Willie’s broken family life; her mother has taken off with a man and her sister, who supported the family through sex work (although this is never said overtly), has died. The house they lived in is condemned yet Willie still somehow occupies it. She lives off rotting, abandoned food, sustaining herself emotionally with the memories of her sister she embellishes as a way to protect herself from her brutal reality.

Director Megan Sampson very competently captures the claustrophobic atmosphere of the worlds these characters inhabit. The small, intimate space of the Old Fitz downstairs theatre is perfect for the scenes of suffocating domesticity; we feel we are sitting in the living room with these damaged characters, straining to be free, to breathe fresh air. Set and costume designer, Meg Anderson uses simple props and costumes to evoke a 1930s Southern milieu. All three actors show admirable versatility in playing multiple roles, even attempting, though not always successfully, the difficult tonal shifts in the Southern dialects the characters speak in.

Three (short) Plays is running until August 15 at the Old Fitz Theatre, Woolloomooloo.

To book tickets to Three (Short) Plays by Tennessee Williams, please visit https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/three-plays-by-tennessee-williams.

Photographer: Robert Miniter

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Once On This Island.. You'll Never Want To Leave

07/08/2025 Linda Lokhee🏆💎🔥🦉🎭

Once On This Island Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

There’s something magical about Once on this Island A Musical. Curveball Creative with Hayes Theatre Company whisked me away on an 80 minute meander into a visually beautiful and enchanting cultural retelling of ‘one small girl’ (the name of the second song performed), Ti Moune.

Relative newcomer to the stage Thalia Osecueda Santos absolutely shines as Ti Moune. Her performance as a little orphan captured my heart at the beginning of the show. Portraying the young adult Ti Moune, Thalia’s singing and expressive emotions showed an innocent and carefree character full of hope, on the cusp of womanhood, bursting with excitement to start her life. One standout scene was when she was asked to dance by Andrea (Chaya Ocampo) and to the delight and encouragement from the audience, her beat and movement to the music showed a dynamic traditional islander dance.

Leah Howard’s choreography and musical director Dylan Pollard’s work throughout the musical was truly captivating. The whole cast moved together in song and dance seamlessly. Even when they were onstage and changing the set, the actors made it part of the story. I particularly adored the choreography and acting when some characters were part of nature – watch out for the birds and frogs in different scenes, which garnered some laughs.

Rita Naidu’s costume design for Once On This Island A Musical was vibrant and creative. In the retelling of the story of Ti Moune and her search for her love Daniel (Alexander Tye), there was an incredible range of varied and colourful characters. The four gods, Agwe (Googoorewon Knox), Asaka (Paula Parore), Erzulie (Cypriana Singh) and Papa Ge (Rebecca Verrier) were brilliant, performing together to create quite the authoritative presence of the overseeing powers-that-be, and separately in their roles that pulled the audience into their orbit. Rebecca Verrier’s sly Demon of Death was frightening at times!

Ti Moune was an orphan who was taken in after being seen clinging to a tree after a dreadful storm by an elderly couple, Mama Euralie and Tonton Julian. Mama Euralie, played with a huge heart and a matching commanding voice by Zahrah Andrews, was the ever-protective Mama and Sione Mafi Latu portrayed Tonton Julian with a gentle and loving presence.

After seeing Daniel and caring for him after a car accident, she falls deeply in love. There is a problem of the two coming from vastly different classes. This raises boundaries and questions of following the heart, or following family traditions. Bash Nelson (as Armand), Paul Leandre Escorrido and Sara Camara are strong supporting cast members.

Be on the lookout for a history lesson (the backstory of Daniel’s family) told in a most creative way, using shadows and narrative. Kudos to Alexander Tye and Bash Nelson in these scenes. It was almost a nod to shadow puppetry and this added a visual element that was very original and very well performed.

Director Brittanie Shipway, amongst other things, has guided the cast of twelve into sounding like a cast of twenty, with the band onstage at the back, heralding a clear and beautiful accompaniment to the actors’ vocals.

Once On This Island A Musical was a fast moving feast for the eyes and ears, best told as it is with no interval to distrupt the flow. The book and lyrics are by Lynn Ahrens and the music by Stephen Flaherty. This is a fable which imparts messages of love, belonging, culture and connection to our land and gods – I highly recommend seeing this musical and having your heart travel with Ti Moune and her story.

Once On This Island A Musical is playing at The Hayes Theatre 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point
Season run: 2 August – 31 August 2025.
Tickets: $99
www.hayestheatre.com.au/event/once-on-this-island

To book tickets to Once On This Island, please visit https://hayestheatre.com.au/event/once-on-this-island/.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Macbeth in The Lounge

08/08/202507/08/2025 Cherelle Flemming🥈🦉🎭🎶

Macbeth Rating

★★★★★

Click if you liked this article

‘Come You Spirits’ Theatre Incorporated’s production of Macbeth is being performed in the intimate and engaging space of The Lounge at the Concourse Theatre Chatswood. It creates the perfect atmosphere for delivering a truly personable Shakespearean performance.

There was a lovely welcoming message from the cast and they also concluded the performance with a heartfelt message of thanks. Although the actors were not amplified, they were heard clearly due to their perfected voice projection and the nature of the small space. I really appreciated the clarity, articulation and dramatic delivery, which ensured a well-absorbed performance. Shakespeare can often be difficult to digest, as the script is comprehensive, and sometimes players tend to rush through the complex dialogue. However, this was definitely not the case during this presentation. It was engaging and delivered in a timely, dramatic fashion, which had me - and certainly the entire audience- enthralled. The entire cast of six was of the highest professional caliber and all gave a spectacular performance.

Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were played by Charles Mayer and Jo Bloom, who portrayed a natural connection and chemistry on stage. They both brought great emotional depth in their leading role characters and delivered a solid convincing performance.

Charles Mayer displayed the overly ambitious character of Macbeth with great conviction throughout. He showed passion, ambition and then later portrayed the tortured, battered soul of his character.

Jo Bloom delivered the greatest of sincerity to the ever-goading, ruthlessly ambitious, Lady Macbeth. Jo also doubled as the Second Witch and skillfully transitioned between the two contrasting characters.

Banquo was played by David Halgren, who gave a haunting and eerie rendition of his character. He also showed great skill in his theatrical movements leaping on and off the table and in his ghost-like manoeuvres.

Ciaran O’Riordan’s performance as Macduff was heartfelt and convincing. He portrayed Macduff with all the passion the character deserves.

I really appreciated the well-projected clarity and dramatic delivery of Willa King's portrayal of the First Witch. Her
resonating, clear vocal tones were deeply impactful.

The homage to our traditional Aboriginal custodians was beautifully and seamlessly interwoven throughout the performance. Ella Havelka, who beautifully portrays the Third Witch, is an alumnus dancer with the Bangarra Dance Theatre and honoured her heritage as a member of the Wiradjuri people by flawlessly incorporating traditional influenced movements in her portrayal as the Third Witch.

The dimly lit setting created an eerie atmosphere for the supernatural elements, which constantly wove throughout the play.
I was particularly taken with the regal, gothic themed dining room staging, complete with lit candelabras, tablecloths and goblets. Also, the staging for the infamous “Double, double, toil and trouble” witches scene, presented with a smoking cauldron and appropriate props was equally striking.

The costuming was very impressive and gave authenticity to the period. It was brought to my attention that the costuming, sets and props were all predominantly sourced second-hand. This is a credit to the Art Director Letitia Hodgkinson who passionately sourced a suitable array of fabrics and materials. Her actions are most admirable and show a great commitment to environmental sustainability, while maintaining a high standard of creativity and artistic sense.

The musical compositions by Brandon Read, music composer and producer, elevated and intensified the performance. The recorded soundtrack was impactful and creatively accompanied the dramatic themes, providing a more full bodied performance.

I would also like to mention the fantastic work of the Lighting technician Adam Applebaum. He made splendid use of spotlights and coloured lighting to enhance themes and poignant moments as well as amplify the eerie scenes.

‘Come You Spirits'’ presentation of Shakespeare's Macbeth is brilliant and captivating. Their rendition is condensed into a fast paced 90 minute performance centered around six main characters. A highly enjoyable performance with a stupendous professional cast.

To book tickets to Macbeth , please visit https://www.theconcourse.com.au/event/macbeth-in-the-lounge/.

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Subscribe to What's The Show

Connect Online