Author: Gillie Cumming
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Unforgettable: Bangarra’s call to Country sings
A brother and sister – Benjin Maza and Tjilala Brown-Roberts – are winding down for the evening somewhere in the suburbs. Their bunk bed becomes a canvas for the hypnotic dance of shadow puppetry that tells the ancient stories of Australia’s First Nations people. The pair long to visit their nan’s Country in the Australian…
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Last dance: Goodbye my beloved father, hello everlasting love
Mandy Sayer’s father Gerry lived life to the beat of his own drum kit. A restless spirit who valued the oddball calm derived from choosing creative freedom over a life of suburban satisfaction, the talented jazz drummer was an unconventional dad, a precarious parent – often absent, somewhat self-absorbed and repeatedly prone to a messy…
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Sumptuous reawakening: A timeless tale takes flight
It’s been a decade rather than a century, but the reawakening of The Sleeping Beauty by David McAllister for The Australian Ballet remains a breathtaking spectacle on a scale rarely seen. Premiering in 2015, the former artistic director’s lavish reimagining of the fairytale classic was adored by audiences and admired as an achievement, so it’s…
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Ebony Bott announced as Brisbane Festival’s next artistic director
Brisbane Festival has announced the appointment of Ebony Bott as its next artistic director, ushering in a new chapter for one of Australia’s most ambitious and culturally resonant festivals. A nationally respected creative leader, Bott brings to the role a rare combination of artistic audacity and strategic precision. With a career spanning two decades across…
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If you could see history through their eyes … The Visitors opens Clancestry
Imagine for a moment that it is 1788 and you are watching a mysterious fleet amassing on the harbour. This is the premise for the play, The Visitors, that open’s QPAC’s Clancestry this year – the monumental events of 1788 from an Aboriginal perspective, giving audiences an opportunity to see these events from a viewpoint…
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Box seat: Scandi noir the perfect winter warmer
Even though Aussies might’ve felt that the temperatures the past few weeks have been icy, it’s a reality check to watch films from the Scandinavian Film Festival. Witnessing the overwhelming grandeur of wintery landscapes in countries such as Iceland, Norway and Finland makes you realise what the definition of winter really is. And it’s often…
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Wesley Enoch keeps kicking goals for the arts
Internationally renowned playwright and artistic director Wesley Enoch has scored a major Queensland coup in his appointment as the new chair of the Australia Council Board of Creative Australia. A Quandamooka man from Stradbroke Island (Minjeribah), he is the first Indigenous Australian to chair the nation’s main arts investment and advisory body, and the first…
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QPAC unveils name of its newest venue – Glasshouse Theatre
As it turns out, the decision was a no-brainer. When the public were given a choice of four names for QPAC’s newly completed venue, almost half of the more than 5000 people who voted backed the name Glasshouse Theatre. And so it will be known as the Glasshouse, with the added kudos that QPAC’s stunning…
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Power play poses moral dilemmas for us all
Tucked away up an elevator ride to the first floor above Milton’s restaurant strip, Savoir Faire, is PIP Theatre. You could be forgiven for not knowing it even existed, but it’s well worth a visit for its quirky furnishings and welcoming, cosy vibe. Seating is for 100, with each seat enjoying a pretty good view…
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Bold new world for BLEACH* on the beach
Contemporary arts and culture festival BLEACH* returns to the Gold Coast next month with a renewed vibe under a guest artistic director and a powerful line-up of more than 100 events – including three world premieres – across 11 days from July 31. With a fresh curatorial vision from artist Michael Zavros and new performance…