Discover Australia’s best-reviewed shows with 5-star ratings from our team. Updated regularly with top performances from across the country.
A Twist Of Fate Christmas Special
T’was the night of Scary Goats Theatre’s A Twist Of Fate Christmas special. All through the Motley Bauhaus cellar, such a merry and full audience was stirr…
The Wizard of Oz – A Traditional Christmas Pantomime
Zealous Productions yearly pantomime must be Perth’s best kept secret and this year’s The Wizard of Oz is no exception. Housed at Subiaco’s Regal Theatre a…
Dial M for Murder – A Killer Thriller at the Ensemble Theatre
Where can you find yourself as an observer to a murder, a diabolical plot and the twists and turns of an inverted mystery? Onstage at the Ensemble Theatre’…
Kokuhō Opens the 2025 Japanese Film Festival With Power, Precision and Pure Theatrical Brilliance
The Japanese Film Festival is in its twenty-ninth year, and the festival continues to build its reputation as one of the most significant celebrations of J…
Final Two
Small theatre is always such a joy. Seeing stories created with such a deep passion across all facets of production is so unique and a far more touching ex…
Bach Akademie Australia: The Brandenburg Concertos
About 25.3 billion kilometres from Earth, travelling at 61,000 km per hour, Voyager 1 contains a gold record that includes recordings of Barnumbirr (Mornin…
Adrift in New York
The Rep presents a masterfully executed traditional melodrama with Adrift In New York that requires the usual audience participation and is a thoroughly en…
The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Strathmore Theatrical Arts Group (STAG) has once again outdone themselves, with their final production for 2025: Martin McDonagh’s multi-award-winning play…
I Do, I Do, I Do
From the moment the curtain lifted at the Arts Theatre, the audience was in for a delightful ride. Therry Theatre’s production of I Do, I Do, I Do, directe…
Naturism – A Hilarious Exposé
Griffin Theatre, in association with Sydney Theatre Company, bares all in the debut production of Naturism. Naturism presents a fabulously entertaining scr…
A Gastronomical Heaven
The ‘Good Food & Wine Show’ needs to be on your radar. Installed at the Brisbane Convention Centre over 3 days, 24-26 October, it was a wonderful addition …
ATC’s ‘Gaslight’: Artful, Suspenseful and Entertaining
Arts Theatre Cronulla have had a fantastic year of shows; the ambition and attention to detail in their productions are always notable. Patrick Hamilton’s …
I Swear
Many people still think that Tourette Syndrome is all about swearing, not understanding the deeper complexity and impact of the condition. With education c…
Fasten Your Seat-Belts, This One Soars!
I’ll take the chicken, but I have ZERO beef with Fly Girl! Inspired by the true story of Deborah Lawrie, Australia’s first female commercial airline pil…
‘To Save Your Soul, Shake Your Soul.’
Daytime Deewane is an uplifting and high-energy play by award-winning UK writer Azan Ahmed, written from, in his words, ‘a place of radical joy. ‘ The p…
This Restless House
Cats in the Cupboard Productions have magnificently presented an Australian debut of This Restless House at Newcastle’s Civic Theatre Playhouse. This award…
& Juliet
I can sum up this review in 5 blaring words – DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW! I was so excited to see that CLOC were producing Victoria’s non-professional premie…
The Edit
How far would you go to achieve your ultimate goal? Would you lie? Cheat? Manipulate? Abuse? In ‘The Edit’, a stellar new play by Gabrielle Scawthorn, t…
Checked Out: The Musical
Checked Out: The Musical – A musical comedy about the mundane lives of supermarket workers in a cost of living crisis. Check in, deal with angry custome…
Rollicking Great Fun
Currently on at Qpac,“The 39 Steps” is originally a book written in 1915. A spy novel about a man living in London, who becomes entangled in murder and esp…
The Revlon Girl – A Story From The Aberfan Disaster
It’s NOT about make-up…. Playing at Clayton in Melbourne 10-19 October 2025 with Encore Theatre. Written by Neil Anthony Docking. Directed by David Kr…
Brothers Bare
Tucked away in Theatreworks’ blink-and-you’ll-miss-it supplemental venue, the aptly named Explosives Factory, “Brothers Bare” explodes with creativity, men…
Samson
Samson, the stunning debut production from Luminar Theatre Company, opens with a hauntingly beautiful performance of Nick Cave’s ‘O children.’ From the ver…
Soul Divas, Sung by Sarah C.
FRIDAY, 3RD OCTOBER – ‘SOUL DIVAS’ AT MEMO MUSIC HALL, ST KILDA There’s Soul…and then there are Soul Divas. On a balmy Friday night in Spring, it was…
Wasteworlds
There’s something magical about a space that not only invites you to witness art, but also lets you get your hands dirty and dive right into the creative c…
Till Death (Or Court) Do Us Part
Written and performed by Jai Cameron, “Till Death (Or Court) Do Us Part” is a heartwarming and hilarious comedy cabaret that delves into the complex emotio…
Powerful, Passionate, and Fantastic
Comedy Games With Coach Mon is now on at the Ivanhoe Library & Cultural Hub’s Yarra-me Djila Theatrette as part of the Melbourne Fringe. Aimed at children …
RUINS / أطالل
RUINS / أطالل Ruins / أطالل at the Seymour Centre is a stunningly realised masterpiece of movement from Clockfire Theatre Company, devised by Emily Ayo…
Not a Fairytale Love Story
“Blue” is a new work written and directed by Claire Yorston. Currently showing at Pip Theatre in Milton in the intimate Level 1 Studio, a black box theatre…
Toe Tap and Sing – Side by Side by Sondheim
Genesian Theatre Company’s “Side by Side by Sondheim” showcased music from one of the most influential minds of musical theatre, Stephen Sondheim. He had a…
The Art of Violin
The Sydney Opera House is always a breathtaking setting for live performance, but tonight’s concert in the intimate Utzon Room was something truly special….
Colour and Light: The Art of Sondheim
Buckle in. There is going to be a lot of hyperbole in this review. When something is this good, how else can you describe it? Colour and Light: The Art …
Draw Two
What would happen if you were mistaken (by a hot guy, no less) for your recently deceased twin sister in the local Woollies, but fail to correct the mistak…
Absolute Trash
Bawdy, bendy and bootylicious Glitter Martini have brought Absolute Trash down from the Gold Coast for a short run at the Sydney Fringe, following spar…
My Brilliant Career – Warrnambool Regional Theatre
An extremely long time ago I first performed on stage as a tiny 4 year old in my birthplace of Warrnambool, so when a show came up to review in my home tow…
Bright Star – A Bluegrass Musical
The spectacular Bright Star musical presented by Sport For Jove Theatre Company, in association with Hayes Theatre Co, is a spellbinding must-see. Co-Direc…
Signorinella: Little Miss (Italian Film Festival)
When they began migrating to Australia pre-World War II, Italian’s were given plots of land in the harsh outback to call their own. From there, they worked…
Shrek: The Musical ‘Inclusical’ by STaM
Set in a mythical “once upon a time” sort of land, this is the story of a hulking green ogre who, after being mocked and feared his entire life by anything…
The Machine Stops
‘THE MACHINE STOPS’ Stage Play adapted by Briony Dunn from the short story by E.M. FORSTER. Playing at TheatreWorks, St Kilda from 23rd – 30th August, 2…
Dance Nation: A Provocative and Adrenaline-Driven Dramedy
Brisbane’s West End is pulsating as a capacity crowd converge upon Metro Arts Centre for Dance Nation, the latest offering from THAT Production Company. Ho…
Courage and Love in The Face of Jizo
Japanese playwright Hisashi Inoue’s script must make for some tender reading. Translated by his long-time friend, Australian Roger Pulvers, The Face of Jiz…
Marian Or The True Tale of Robin Hood
Strathmore Theatrical Arts Group (STAG) has opened their third season for 2025 with a rambunctious jaunt through Sherwood Forest and Nottingham Castle. …
Getting Lost to Find What Truly Matters – Lost and Finding
Liminal Production’s “Lost and Finding” is one of those unique theatre experiences which peaked a sense of curiosity, right from the beginning. Unlike othe…
Once On This Island.. You’ll Never Want To Leave
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…
Macbeth in The Lounge
‘Come You Spirits’ Theatre Incorporated’s production of Macbeth is being performed in the intimate and engaging space of The Lounge at the Concourse Thea…
She Works Hard For (No) Money: A Reality Delivered With Precise Hilarity
She Works Hard For (No) Money is an ode to the superheroes in our lives: the women that make magic seem real when everything is miraculously taken care of….
Beauty and the Beast
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast musical enchants audiences with its lavish production, values and timeless storytelling at Crown Perth. The latest staging, f…
Plied and Prejudice
The court was certainly aflutter during Plied and Prejudice, a racy adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice. Featuring five unhinged acto…
An Epic Masterpiece Of Creative Collaboration
Upon entry to the theatre, the background music is teetering that edge of ambient and unsettling. There’s a child rocking on a horse downstage right. They …
Agatha Crispie
A hilarious spoof of Agatha Christie’s classic whodunits, written by Cenarth Fox and directed by David Dodd. In the south-west of England soon after Wor…
Terracotta Warriors: Legacy of the First Emperor
Nothing can really prepare you for coming face to face with one of the most iconic collections in the world. You might already be familiar with the history…
Sincere Apologies
Sorry, Apologies, My Bad… There are myriad ways to express regret when one has stuffed up. These are some of the expressions I pondered as an audience memb…
The Diary Of Anne Frank
Globally, the name ‘Anne Frank’ is recognized either from history lessons, reading the book, seeing the movie, travelling to The Netherlands or seeing the …
Jesus Christ Superstar: A Modern, Mesmerizing and Immersive Experience
It’s opening night in Brisbane after a successful Australian tour, and there is no denying that Jesus Christ Superstar rises again. For those uninitiated, …
More Than Just A Dance Performance
The lights drop, plunging the stage and audience into darkness. The only sounds to be heard are excited, wriggling young audience members and the tap of th…
The Offering
This brilliant play by Borneo/Australian rapper/poet Omar Musa and American classical musician Mariel Roberts Musa combines poetic storytelling with live m…
A Very Naughty Christmas
‘A Very Naughty Christmas’ is back for its eighth year with a delicious new array of jaw-dropping spectacles and skits. The musical features raunchy dance …
Christmas in Caulfield: Melbourne’s Christmas Wonderland
Christmas has come early to Caulfield with Melbourne’s Christmas Wonderland. Walking into the Big Top, christmas lights adorn the enclosure. There is a…
Christmas Comes to Melbourne: A Christmas Carol
Since first being published in 1843, Charles Dickens ‘ A Christmas Carol’ has captivated audiences. As the audience enters the theatre a dimly lit stag…
The Collector
The Collector is a harrowing tale about an emotionally stunted and lonely young man who abducts a young woman and keeps her locked in his basement. In this…
The Wolves present: Marooned
The lights go up to illuminate a minimalistic stage with clouds floating on a screen behind, as we are introduced to our cast of characters. We are in a…
Crimson Gully
Powerful and engrossing, Crimson Gully is the brilliantly written play by Sreekanth Gopalakrishnan. Set in the 1990s, the story centres on a brothel wi…
Delicious Aerialicious
Delicious is a scrumptious hybrid show mixing your favourite Burlesque and Circus acts, all themed around food and drink. The show as a whole imbues the au…
Daddy Long Legs – Long Applause
What a show! It’s a little bit like a fantastic audio-book with songs and an incredible two person cast having us all holding on for the ending we hope to …
Trick or Treat
It may have been a Thursday but according to MC Andrew Silverwood, every night is Friday the 13th at Kaleido Companies ‘Trick or Treat’. It was hard to kno…
Hornsby Musical Society Presents – Urinetown: The Musical
Urinetown is undeniably a twenty-first century musical with its humorously cynical take on the social effects of late stage capitalism. Hornsby Musical Soc…
Your Name Means Dream
Wow. I am going to put this front and centre: if you love seeing high-quality acting and theatre, go and see ‘Your Name Means Dream’ at Red Stitch Actors T…
Blur: Live At Wembley Stadium – Timeless
The film “Blur: Live at Wembley Stadium,” directed by Tony L, is a concert film that shows well loved alternative/rock band, Blur, performing their songs t…
Food, Wine and Good Times
Last Sunday I had the pleasure of attending the Good Food and Wine show at the Brisbane Convention Centre. Featuring over 300 exhibitors from all over A…
Pymble Players: The 39 Steps
For their final production before they repair to Chatswood, the Pymble Players present The 39 Steps. David Allsop’s directing of Partick Barlow’s 2005 play…
Brolga: A Queer Koori Wonderland
Saturday 26 October saw Bay 17 at Carriageworks Redfern transformed into a psychedelic spectacle, the latest incarnation of multidisciplinary artist and Wi…
The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave
‘The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave’ is a dance and movement work that pulses with all the varied energy of an hours-long dance floor. Created in Aucklan…
Global Smash Club: A Full-Throttle Cabaret Spectacle
Exuding colour, light, and all things sublime, Finucane & Smith’s ‘Global Smash Club’ celebrates its 20th anniversary exactly as it came into the world: wi…
The Queens Nanny
‘The Queen’s Nanny’ opened in Wollongong on the 16th of October at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre. Fresh from their world premiere season at Sydney’s…
Deep In The Hundred Acre Wood
As a lifelong lover of A.A. Milne’s stories and poems and the endearing E.H Shepherd illustrations of ‘Winnie The Pooh’ I was deeply intrigued to view the …
Family Fun and Wonder: Michael Boyd’s Magical Spectacle
Mystique: where magic meets emotion, and the impossible becomes an unforgettable reality. In a dazzling display of sleight of hand and showmanship, Michael…
KINDER Surprises: Where Drag Show Meets Storytime
‘The library is open. So sit down, be quiet, and listen up.’ Just around the corner from Melbourne’s Fringe hotspot, Trades Hall, producer and actor Rya…
Maria Montessori Film Review
Léa Todorov’s directorial debut feature film ‘Maria Montessori’ offers a biopic of the Italian doctor’s journey in revolutionising children’s pedagogy. Mar…
Karate Man – A Brilliantly Clever Interactive Live Action Comedy
If you have ever played a video game, you’d feel the excitement of pressing a combination of different buttons on the controller and moving your character …
Leather Lungs: Shut Up and Sing – Big Boots, Big Hair, Bigger Heart
It’s September in Sydney – time for the largest arts festival in NSW The Sydney Fringe Festival, to come alive. Over 400 events are being hosted across mul…
Sweeney Todd Presented by Victorian Opera
Sweeney Todd has again emerged from the shadows into the Melbourne limelight, with audiences greeting this season’s combined Victorian Opera and New Zealan…
Ghostlight: Heartwarming With A Dash Of Shakespeare
Ghostlight is a heartwarming film that blends comedy and drama through its exploration of grief and healing. This film is an excellent look into how a fami…
Iphigenia In Splott: Full of Heart and Swagger
Wow! This award winning play, written by Gary Owen and directed by Gary Abrahams, was a sharp, funny and insightful social commentary that had us hooked fr…
Film Review: Diving Into The Darkness
Diving into the Darkness is a captivating and immersive documentary featuring Dr Jill Heinerth and her deep sea and cave diving expeditions. Directed by Na…
The Cram Collective Presents: FAG/STAG
The CRAM Collective’s latest production of FAG/STAG is a winner! (CRAM stands for Create, Revise, Augment and Merge). They are a comparatively young compan…
Annie: Presented by Chookas Entertainment
“You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile” and attending the Chookas Entertainment production of Annie definitely added infinite smiles to myself and eve…
The Addams Family Inclusical – A Spectrum Of Success!
Once a year… it’s time for ‘Stars and the Moon Theatre’ to celebrate the stage with their intoxicating Musical Inclusical. This year it is Wednesday and h…
Mad Nun Productions Presents Flick
From the moment ‘Flick’ (Madelaine Nunn) walked on stage, the entire audience was drawn into her captivating story and exploration of life, love, loss, and…
Piper: By Frenzy Theatre
Seeing the opening night performance of PIPER presented by Frenzy Theatre Co and Theatreworks has renewed my faith in live theatre as a place of exuberance…
The Bridges of Madison County
Many in the audience will be familiar with the highly successful film, based on the book, starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood, but here we are now sit…
Six The Musical
Step into the royal extravaganza as SIX the Musical arrives in Melbourne, igniting electrifying emotions with its daring and empowering reimagining of hist…
Home, I’m Darling: Pastel Paradise or Prison?
Laura Wade’s Olivier Award-winning comedy Home, I’m Darling is simply spiffy! After finding herself newly free from a high powered job, Judy (Amelia Co…
Children Are Stinky: Fart-tastic Circus Fun For All Ages
Are children really stinky? How many ‘bot bot’ jokes can you fit into a 45 minute show? And who enjoyed this jam packed, super fun extravaganza more? The a…
Finesse: An Australian First
Whilst always being required of course for Salsa and Latin dance classes, ‘heels’ have rarely been seen in a regular dance school until very recently. Now …
Prima Facie: An Intense and Thought-Provoking Journey
Prima facie—a Latin phrase meaning “at first sight” or “based on first impression”—is used in both civil and criminal law to denote that a legal claim has s…
Blood in the Water
Playwright Jorja Bentley has authored a gripping and provocative theatre show with ‘Blood in the Water’. The show comes laden with content warnings: sexual…
Sydney Film Festival: Super/Man The Christopher Reeve Story
The directors Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui present the documentary Super / Man: The Christopher Reeve Story to the world and by doing so, they bring him …
The Ballad of Maria Marten – Giving Voice to the Victim
“It’s been a year since I died and still nobody has found me.” A shadow emerges from a barn. It’s a figure in britches, and so begins a tale which captu…
Spanish Film Festival: Jokes and Cigarettes
Director David Trueba says of his film Jokes and Cigarettes – “This is a film about humour, and about survival. Eugenio was one of the most popular comedia…
Bernie Dieters Club Kabarett
Bernie Dieter is back with a bootylicious BANG and its settings on stun! Dare to enter if you can handle the heat. A sultry fusion of circus, song an…
The Marvelous Wonderettes – Soundtracks and Schadenfreude
The Marvelous Wonderettes by the Maitland Musical Society catches all the kitsch and the fabulous fluffiness of 50s frocks, with the costuming, props, and …
Limbo The Return – A Transcendental Glimpse into Another World
The cast of Limbo The Return, was extraordinary! Playing to a packed sell-out house at The Grand Electric, their opening Sydney performance transported the…
Billy Elliot Shines With CLOC Musical Theatre
This is the 60th anniversary year of CLOC Musical Theatre (formerly Cheltenham Light Opera Company) and president Ric Birkett is beaming proud of Billy Ell…
Potted Potter – The Unauthorised Harry Experience
Every now and again a show comes along that is simply just good fun. Potted Potter is one of these shows. It is child-like (in the best possible way), hyst…
The Addams Family
There is so much to love about the Addams Family Musical comedy presented by the Metropolitan Theatre Company of SA Inc., which was originally formed in 19…
Fourteen; A Coming-of-Age Memoir
There are plays which immerse the audience immediately. Fourteen, originally a memoir by Shannon Molloy and adapted by Nelle Lee, Nick Skubij and the autho…
Tab 2 content.
