Melbourne live reviews
Charming, awkward: This pop star’s joy is infectious
Girl In Red made her Australian debut in 2023 – and this year returns to play a venue seven times the size.
- by Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, Cameron Woodhead, Tony Way and Sonia Nair
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Two powerful performances in this Streetcar make it a bare-knuckle fight
In this MTC production Nikki Shiels plays a Blanche DuBois who isn’t mad – her Blanche is quite fun, witty, and as likely to self-deprecate as self-dramatise.
- by Cameron Woodhead and Barney Zwartz
Lady Macbeth deserves a better fate. Does this play offer that chance?
Horrors both supernatural and human abound in this creative and provocative re-working of The Scottish Play.
- by Cameron Woodhead, Barney Zwartz, Andrew Fuhrmann, Vyshnavee Wijekumar, Michael Dwyer, Jessica Nicholas and Tony Way
It might be a tale as old as time, but this musical is pure delight
Musical theatre lovers with fond memories of seeing Beauty and the Beast as children will find them refreshed in this production (and kids will love it too).
- by Cameron Woodhead, Tony Way and Jessica Nicholas
★★★★★
What’s on
The ghostly theatre classic you should see at least once in your life
Daniel MacPherson and John Waters star in The Woman in Black – the second-longest running play in London, after Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap.
- by Cameron Woodhead, Nadia Bailey and Andrew McClelland
★★★★
What’s on
This moving and vibrant Rising show is a must-watch
Gurr Era Op, a beautifully composed dance theatre piece, is like a sea breeze: it blows strong and tastes fresh.
- by Andrew Fuhrmann, Cameron Woodhead, Tony Way and Vyshnavee Wijekumar
★★★★★
For subscribers
One of Melbourne’s most underrated bands return home and blow off the roof
At first, indie duo Good Morning and the Melbourne Recital Centre seemed like an unusual match. But then the music started.
- by Will Cox, Andrew Fuhrmann and Brodie Lancaster
This play about Julia Gillard will hold your attention, regardless of your politics
It’s worth seeing this show just to watch Justine Clarke transform into Gillard and, in a thrilling display, deliver the misogyny speech in full.
- by Cameron Woodhead, Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, Andrew Fuhrmann and Jessica Nicholas
This Sunset Boulevard looks the part, but just isn’t dark enough to deliver
This production marks Sarah Brightman’s long-awaited return to musical theatre – but despite its many highlights, the show falls short.
- by Cameron Woodhead and Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen
Stellar performances (almost) make up for soulless venue: Tosca
Opera Australia staging of Puccini’s opera at Margaret Court Arena mostly paid off, plus New Zealand jazz pianist Jonathan Crayford hits Melbourne.
- by Bridget Davies and Jessica Nicholas
Shane Jacobson and Todd McKenney work a charm as The Odd Couple
It’s the slob versus the neat freak in this Neil Simon classic, in a delightful comic pairing.
- by Cameron Woodhead, Will Cox and Tony Way