Presented by Q The Locals, Liz Lea Creates and The BOLD Festival
Directed and performed
by Liz Lea
Choreographed by Liz Lea, Jamie Winbank, Natalie Ayton,
Tammi Gissell, Leslie Scott, Di Heaton and Kym Degenhart - Stage Managed by Rhiley
Winnett
Dramaturgy by Natalie Ayton and Julie-Anne Long - Lighting
Design by Karen Norris
Cinematography and editing by James Hiscutt - Technical
Direction by Roni Wilkinson
Written by Liz Lea, Julie-Anne Long and Emma Batchelor - Musical
Direction by Kay Ansah – Costume Design by Liz Lea, Bruce Scott and Cate Cleland
The Q, Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre. August 6th
– 8th 2026.
Opening night performance reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.
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| Liz Lea and the High Kix dancers in "Diamond" |
This extraordinary one-woman creation was conceived directed
and performed by equally extraordinary Liz Lea, supported by a huge cast of
professional and community dancers and creatives.
Lea is a nationally and internationally recognised dance
artist, choreographer and producer. Over three decades she has toured her work
internationally and been commissioned in India, UK, Europe, Australia, South
Africa, Singapore, USA and Kuwait.
Since settling in Canberra, among her many achievements, she
has been named the 2017 ACT Artist of the Year and received a 2017 Australian Dance
Award. She directs two festivals, DANscienCE and BOLD, and is the founder of
the GOLD Company, the Chamaeleon Collective and directs the Stellar Company, a
not-for-profit arts organisation.
“Diamond” is the second, in what she intends as a trilogy of
one-woman dance works drawing attention to women’s health issues from a
dancer’s perspective. The first in the trilogy was a stunning creation entitled,
“Red” which focussed on her own experience with endometriosis and its effects
on the dancer’s body. She toured “Red” internationally.
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| Liz Lea in "Diamond" |
With “Diamond” she likens the many facets of a diamond to
the issues surrounding menopause, growing older, missing out on marrying and
having children, and the perceived invisibility of woman as they grow older.
But should those topics sound a bit daunting, particularly
for any males reading this review, don’t underestimate the skill and creativity
of Liz Lea, who in addition to still being a prodigiously skilled dancer, is
also a captivating entertainer and storyteller, with the ability to induce paroxysms
of laughter with the raise of an eyebrow.
She is also a remarkably creative theatre maker who has
blended elements of contemporary dance, song, cabaret, burlesque, and moments
of eye-popping spectacle, to create a dazzling, provocative one-woman show that
delights and entertains while delivering powerful, provocative and informative insights
into womanhood.
From the moment she takes the stage as a glittering Goddess
figure enshrouded in mist in a circle of light and performing delicate arm movements
while a heavenly voice intones incantations, Lea has the audience in the palm
of her hand. Despite her expressionless face, only her eyes hilariously betray
the fact that perhaps the goddess is not altogether in agreement with the
heavenly voice, resulting in her discarding a section of her spectacular costume
to perform a rebellious burlesque dance.
Then follows 60 eye-popping minutes of storytelling during
which Lea shares personal stories from her experiences maintaining an
international dancing career while dealing with the challenges of ageing. These
she imparts between executing lightning-fast costume changes and performing
demanding dance routines to upbeat pop tunes, surrounded by a bevy of glamourous
befeathered showgirls from Kym Dagenhart’s High Kix Productions, and a troupe of
lavishly costumed seniors both female and male who luxuriate under the title of
Silver Stars.
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| Liz Lean and the Silver Stars in "Diamond" |
Karen Norris gilds the lilies with dazzling lighting design
and pyrotechnics, while James Hiscutt provides gorgeous cinematography on a
huge overhead screen which range through dreamy dawn lake scenes filmed at
Mirramu to cheeky satirical comments on fashion.
But despite all the breathtaking glitz, glamour, gaudiness
and gaiety, it is the gobsmacking professionalism of the ageless Liz Lea, her
polished showgirl stylishness, and the breathtaking frankness with which she
tells her story, that remain the abiding memories of this not-to-be missed diamond
of a show.