PRIDE & PREJUDICE*(sort of) - Canberra Theatre

Teo Vergara -Kaori Maeda Judge -Zoe Ioannou - Ruth Shannon in "Pride & Prejudice *(sort of).

Written by Isobel McArthur after Jane Austen

Directed by Simon Harvey -Associate Direction and Choreography by Simone Sault

Set and Costume design by Ana Ines Jabares-Pita – Lighting Design by Jason Bovaird

Sound Design by Marcello Lo Ricco – Musical Direction by Kohan van Sambeeck.

Produced by Neil Gooding Productions & Woodward Productions.

Canberra Theatre September 16 to 27, 2026.

Opening night performance on September 18th reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.

Ruby Shannon - Kaori Maeda Judge - Amy Lehpamer - Zoe Ionnou -Teo Vergara   

Responses to this production will doubtless depend on how comfortable audiences are with seeing favourite Jane Austen characters lampooned, and how familiar they are with the source material.

Having seen several stage versions of “Pride and Prejudice” over the years, the opportunity to see this Olivier Award-winning adaptation was irresistible, particularly because it promised to be even funnier than the original.

The production is lavishly mounted. Ana Ines Jabares-Pita’s striking set features a tall staircase and an even taller bookcase, with every inch of each stair and shelf layered with books in a witty nod to the literary source material.

Her costumes are equally witty, though somewhat wilted. No doubt because of the rough handling required during the many quick changes that allow the actors to play multiple female and male characters.

Isobel McArthur’s adaptation opens with five maids setting the tone downstairs emptying chamber pots and grappling with plumbing blockage problems. Their performances were broad, leaning heavily towards mugging and buffoonery.

As the action moved upstairs, Amy Lehpamer was able to demonstrate her renowned versatility by taking on the roles of Charlotte Lucas, Charles Bingley and Miss Bingley as well as playing violin and piano.

Amy Lehpamer - Teo Vergara -Kaori Maeda Judge

At the heart of the story, Teo Vergara as Elizabeth Bennet and Zoe Ioannou as the uptight Mr Darcy set up the romantic vibe. Ioannou also triumphed as the fearsome Mrs Bennet. 

Kaori Maeda Judge’s roles included Mr Wickham and Lady Catherine de Bourgh, while Ruby Shannon played not only Mr Collins but both Mary and Lydia Bennet. 

Tongue-in-cheek snippets of around twenty popular songs that comment on the action are sprinkled throughout the story commencing with Elvis Costello's Every Day I Write the Book and Carol King's Will You Love Me Tomorrow. 

Among others are Robert Hazard's Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Chris De Burgh's Lady in Red and particularly appropriate for Mr. Darcy, Carly Simon's You're So Vain. The actors deliver the songs through in-hand microphones while performing amusing choreography devised by Simone Sault.   

However, despite the unquestionable skill of the five accomplished actors over the two-and-a-half-hour running time, and the involvement of West End co-director Simon Harvey who directed this Australian production, it was difficult to escape the feeling that something had been lost in translation during the transfer of the production from England to Australia.

Zoe Ioannou - Amy Lehpamer - Teo Vergara

Perhaps the size of the Canberra Theatre contributed to the problem, prompting the actors to overplay the buffoonery as they searched for the correct balance. Whatever the cause, laughs were sparse during the first act on opening night.

Things improved considerably after interval. The actors appeared more settled, and the performances became less broad and more nuanced, allowing the story to take over, or perhaps the audience had simply adjusted to the style.

Whatever the reason, the laughs began to come thick and fast, so that by the end of the performance some audience members felt moved to reward the hard-working actors with a standing ovation.

Kaori Maeda Judge - Teo Vergara - Ruby Shannon - Zoe Ioanou

Ultimately, PRIDE & PREJUDICE* (sort of) proved an inventive and energetically performed reimagining which finally found its footing and an audience willing to embrace its irreverent approach to Austen’s beloved novel.

                                                           Photos by Matthew Chen

The Elevator - Ensemble Theatre

 

 The Elevator by Eloise Snape   Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli, Sydney, September 18 – October 18 2026.
Running Time 90 minutes (no interval)
Rec. Age 14+ - occasional coarse language
The Elevator was commissioned by Ensemble with the support of the Commissioners’ Circle

 
Previewed by Frank McKone
September 18

Previews September 18 / 19
Opening September 20

Cast
Leeanna Walsman as Margot, Di Adams as Ollie, and Shirong Wu as Alison

Director: Anthea Williams
Set & Lighting Designer: Kelsey Lee
Costume Designer: Keerthi Subramanyam
Composer & Sound Designer: Daniel Herten
Stage Manager: Krystelle Quartermain
Asst Stage Manager: Amelia McCann


Standard practice says that I’m not allowed to write a real review of a preview performance.  The opening is Tuesday, September 22, as my other commitments have prevented my being there – and I find it hard to imagine how it could be much better then, than the top-class show I saw on Friday night.

The Ensemble’s publicity says “playwright Eloise Snape delivers a whirlwind of laughs and truth bombs in this no-fluff office satire”, but the script is much cleverer than this makes it sound; and the demands it makes of the three women actors, performed close to perfection I thought, takes the characterisations and the plot far beyond an entertaining satire.

This is where the quality of directing by Anthea Williams shines through, in the strength of character of Ollie; the new realising in the frightened Alison of how to take control; and especially of turning around the hard-nosed Margot to the point where we can even begin to feel sorry for her.

And, in the face of the newly even more threatening AI situation, the point of the play is especially sharpened.

This is an Ensemble short play wonder – and you have a whole month to make sure you don’t miss it.

 

 

 

National Photographic Portrait Prize (NPPP) - Retrospective

Visual Art Exhibition Review | Brian Rope

National Photographic Portrait Prize (NPPP) - Retrospective I Various Artists

National Portrait Gallery (NPG) I 22 August – 11 October 2026

The National Photographic Portrait Prize (NPPP) was first conducted in 2007. Whilst at the NPG, the final NPPP in 2026 (which I’ve previously reviewed) is accompanied by selected finalists from previous years. This review discusses some of the latter.

Grant Hawkes’ subject fell asleep during a documentary they were watching. When entering it in the 2007 NPPP, the artist said that the image explored the significance of objects and their assumed symbolism in portraiture. Looking back on it after 20 years, he found himself drawn to his use of a “dramatic pose to describe a state of rest.” I’m not sure how a sleeping subject could actually pose, dramatically or otherwise. Nevertheless, it an excellent composition and it reveals more than a traditional portrait.

 

Grant Hawkes - She Fell Asleep During the Movie, 2007, pigment photographic print (sheet: 32.4cm x 48cm), National Photographic Portrait Prize 2007 Finalist

However, Samantha Harris, 2010 is a traditional head-on portrait. Hamish Ta-Mé was creating a series in which he asked many of his models to be photographed immediately on arrival at the studio before “hair and makeup.” His collaborative creations sought to convey intensity and engagement. In this particular image, I certainly believe he achieved his aim. He and his model are engaged. I can feel the intensity.

Hamish Ta-Mé - Samantha Harris, 2010 (printed 2026), pigment photographic print (sheet: 86.7cm x 65cm), National Photographic Portrait Prize 2011 Finalist

David Rosetzky’s portrait of champion Australian ballroom dancer Lyu Masuda is from an ongoing series of analogue, double-exposures using 35mm film. They bring together images of flowers with individuals from LGBTQIA+ communities. I enjoyed this print, particularly for the translucent area over the subject’s left eye. The flowing lines of the flowers seem most appropriate in a portrait of a dancer.

 

David Rosetzky - Lyu with Orchid, 2017 (printed 2026), pigment photographic print (sheet: 106.6cm x 82.4cm), National Photographic Portrait Prize 2018 Finalist

Comment on the image of the charismatic Bob Hawke was a no brainer. The artist, known for his playful works, simply found the pose he would capture the moment Hawke walked in sipping through a pink straw. It was chosen as their favourite by people who saw the 2018 NPPP. Readers with no knowledge of Hawke might appreciate why if I mention that he was a highly popular Australian Prime Minister, trade union leader, and reformist politician and that he set a Guinness World Record by drinking 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds when at Oxford University. Australians loved the larrikin in Hawke.

 

Harold David - The Honourable Bob Hawke Savouring a Strawberry Milkshake, 2017 (printed 2026), pigment photographic print (sheet: 67cm x 50cm)' National Photographic Portrait Prize 2018 People's Choice Award

A self-portrait finalist in 2019 sought to reference the collective anxiety and uncertainty of the climate threat that defined those times. The title is a well-known colloquialism for a situation both impending and unavoidable. The artist disappears into a constellation of flowers. Some may struggle to see this artwork as portraiture, but it is one of many successful NPPP entries over the years that have challenged viewers whilst successfully redefining the concept of portraiture. When I reviewed the 2019 NPPP, I described this work as elaborate and stunning, with its vivid colours immediately attracting attention.

 

Dr Christian Thompson AO - Writing on the Wall, 2019, pigment photographic print (sheet: 120cm x 120cm), National Photographic Portrait Prize 2020 Finalist

In The Mahi-mahi, Josh Niland, a head chef and restaurant owner, reinvents what can be done with every part of a fish, to drastically reduce wastage. Photographer, Rob Palmer, seeks to create honest portraits celebrating people behind such stories. This work was the 2019 NPPP winner.

 

Rob Palmer – The Mahi-mahi, 2019 (printed 2026), pigment photographic print (sheet: 75.8cm x 113.5cm), National Photographic Portrait Prize 2020 Winner

Finally, a comment on the 2024 NPPP Art Handlers’ Award. Artist Shelley Xue uses photography, personal objects and archives to remember, reconnect and reflect on family and home. When, after three years apart, she reunited with her mother for three precious weeks, she felt as though she’d never previously truly seen mum. During their reunion, mother told daughter stories she had never known. She exuded childlike joy and sought her daughter’s hand on walks. This most interesting portrait beautifully captures those feelings.

Shelley Xue - 阿谊 (ah Yi), 2023, pigment photographic print on paper (sheet: 90cm x 60.8cm), National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024 Art Handlers’ Award

If you are unable to visit the exhibition, all the artworks can be seen at https://www.portrait.gov.au/nppp-images.php. (The retrospective images will not be joining the 2026 finalists when the exhibition goes on tour to various other venues.)


This review is also available on the author's blog.

Disney FROZEN The Broadway Musical - Free-Rain Theatre Company

 

Charlotte Morphett (Elsa) - Chloe Stevenson (Anna) in Free-Rain Theatre Company's production of Disney FROZEN The Broadway Musical

Directed by James Tolhurst-Close – Musical Direction by Callum Tolhurst-Close

Choreographed by James Tolhurst-Close – Conducted by Callum Tolhurst-Clost

Set Design by John Nicholls & Ehan Henderson – Costume Design by Fiona Leach

Lighting Design by Jono Gerdes – Sound Design by Chris Neal

Presented by Free-Rain Theatre Company- The Q, Queanbeyan Sep.17 to Oct.11, 2026

Opening night performance on September 17^th reviewed by BILL STEPHENS

Joe Dinn (Olaf) - Graeme Fennamore (Sven)

In a dazzling production confidently directed and choreographed by James Tolhurst-Close with musical direction by Callum Tolhurst-Close, Free-Rain Theatre Company has managed to capture the magic of the Disney musical Frozen, The Broadway Musical.

Can there exist a little girl who doesn’t already know the story of princess sisters Elsa and Anna?  Elsa, played by Charlotte Morphett, has a magical power to create snow and ice but doesn’t how to control it. After inadvertently causing her kingdom to become frozen, Elsa flees. Her loyal and adventuress sister Anna, winningly performed by Chloe Stevenson, almost dies in her quest to find her sister.  

Before both find the necessary true love to save the day, they share many spectacularly staged adventures, most of which involve much singing and dancing, even a sauna enthusiastically presided over by Cameron Taylor in a scene-stealing turn as Oaken.

Cameron Taylor (c) and his merry sauna friends.

 Among the many zany characters met along the way, are an amiable snowman, Olaf, played by Joe Dinn, and a lovable reindeer called Sven, remarkably brought to life by Graeme Fennamore.

Joshua Kirk is Prince Hans, handsome on the outside, not so much on the inside.  Jackson Gibbs plays ice harvester Kristoff, who’s also the owner of Sven, the reindeer, while Jake Fraser offers an eye-catching turn as Duke of Weselton. There’s also a colony of exotic hidden folk led by Pabbie (Sam Thomson) and Bulda (Katie Lis).

Joshua Kirk (Prince Hans) - Chloe Stevenson (Anna)

Hanna Smith and Ned Swann bring the required elegance to their roles as the parents of Anna and Elsa, Queen Iduna and King Agnarr, while on opening night, Mele Tuli and Zara Zulkapli charmed as the young siblings, roles they share with Millicent Fitzgerald and Meadow Kuske at other performances.

Jackson Gibbs (Kristoff) - Graeme Fennamore (Sven)

The many musical numbers are masterfully staged by James Tolhurst-Close, whose use of beautifully choreographed ensemble dances behind the duets and feature singers, add additional spectacle to the already stunning video visuals, Fiona Leach’s lavish costuming, Jono Gerdes spectacular lighting design, and the towering settings created by John Nicholls and Ethan Henderson.

Full marks to all concerned for nailing the crucial quick-change during the “Let it Go” sequence which drew spontaneous cheers from the first night audience.

Zahra Zulkapli (Young Elsa) - Mele Tuli (Young Anna) and friends

This is a huge production for which every element is delivered at an impressive level. The realisation of the design concepts, the performances, the excellent singing from the principals and ensemble, enhanced by a superb orchestra conducted by Callum Tolhurst-Close, together with the army of unseen back-stage workers under the stage management of Cameron Walter, has resulted in another memorable production from Anne Somes’ Free-Rain Theatre Company.

The season runs until 11^th October. It’s bound to sell-out so get your tickets while there’s some still available.    

 

                                                  Photos by Ben Appleton - PHOTOX

        This review first published in CITY NEWS on September 18, 2026 - Link here

DAISY PULLS IT OFF

 

Daisy Pulls It Off.

Written by Denise Deegan. Originally produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Directed by Kate Blackhurst. Production Design by Annie Kay. Lighting Design Nathan Sciberras. Sound design Nev Pye. Stage Manager Anne Maree Paradin. Production Manager David Bennett. Canberra REP Theatre. September 10-26. 2026. Bookings 6257 1950.

Reviewed by Peter Wilkins

The cast of Daisy Pulls It Off

 

Denise Deegan’s Daisy Pulls It Off comes to Canberra Rep with an impressive pedigree. In 1983 it was the recipient of the Laurence Olivier Award for the Best Entertainment or Comedy Award as well as a Critics Circle Theatre Award. What is most welcome about Rep’s inclusion of the play in its 2026 Season is the decision to present an all-female cast under the direction of Kate Blackhurst. On the surface Deegan’s play about Daisy Meadow’s experience as a scholarship student at the prestigious Grangewood School for Girls is a nostalgic look at girls’ education in the 1920’s. 

Daisy (Ashleigh Butler) Miss Granville (Antonia Kitzel)

Daisy (Ashleigh Butler)  is a young girl from a poor background with dreams of rising above her station. She applies for and wins a scholarship to Grangewood and the promise of an elite education. However she immediately confronts the realities of England’s class system in the snobbish and catty treatment by Sybil Burlington (Alex McPherson) and Monica Smithers (Kara Taylor) who set about to plant false accusations that could lead to Daisy’s expulsion. Fortunately, Daisy is befriended by Trixie Martin (Elaine Noon) and together they set about to discover the Beaumont treasure that could ensure the future of the school and the scholarship.  Without giving the plot away, Daisy triumphs and Deegan’s parody of girls’ education in the 1920s is a call for equality in education and the opportunity to succeed in life.

 

After having just seen a production of Disney’s Frozen that astounds with modern technology it was interesting to see Kate Blackhurst ‘s traditional amateur production that cast me back to the theatre experiences of the Fifties. Annie Kay’s design with panneled brown timber, doors on wheels and Honour Rolls with Rep names on the walls captures the flavour of bygone amateur productions. Blackhurst  is to be commended on directing an all-female cast. Daisy Pulls It Off does not have the political sting of David Hare’s Slag, which is about three female teachers in an all-girls’ school. Deegan’s play is more conservative in the tradition of the St. Trinian’s stories but it does highlight the injustice that young women may experience if they do not conform to class expectations or the unfair attitudes of prejudiced authority figures. In Rep’s production the message is clear. It is Daisy’s individual talent that will triumph over adversity, whether that be at hockey, at the rescue of her enemies or at searching for the Beaufort Treasure. Daisy Pulls It Off is an affirmation of gender equality and society’s responsibility to recognize and promote opportunity for all women, irrespective of class or background. Do check out the sobering timeline for the education of women in the Rep programme. Daisy’s battle has won many victories, but the war goes on.

 

Trixie (Elaine Noon) Clare (Lily Wellings) Daisy (Ashleigh Butler)

In a cast as large as this, the differences in experience are apparent and more attention to vocal, projection, diction and clarity would have helped my better understanding of much of the plot. Even professional companies employ a voice coach! There are some fine performances, including the Munchkin-like schoolgirl performances of Elaine Noon and Antonia Kitzel. There is firm authority in Azeria Cromhout’s Miss Gibson and viperish superiority in Alex McPherson’s Sybil. The two male roles are effectively spoofed by Sue Gore Phillips as Mr Scoblowski, sporting a ludicrous cut out beard and Rachel Howard as the pipe smoking, lurking Mr. Thompson whose real identity is eventually revealed.

As the protagonist Daisy, Ashleigh Butler gives a very natural and appealing performance. She exudes a maturity that already shows that she is an actor to watch in the future. I look forward to seeing her in future challenging and rewarding roles.

Much of the first act is relatively static and could be livened up by an injection of energy. I suspect that a matinee performance may have initially taken some energy out of the evening performance that I attended, but this appeared to be resolved in the second act by some interesting staging such as the portrait gallery, the hockey match, the rescue,  the excellent choir singing and the final dance with a nod to the tradition of Greek comedy.

On the one hand, Daisy Pulls It Off is a nostalgic glimpse of a theatre of a bygone era. Rep’s usual high standards of detailed set design and construction appropriately take second place in this observance of amateur tradition. On the other, apart from providing equal opportunity for a female cast, it also echoes that principle in its message and the realization that Daisy’s will to succeed on equal terms and have her talent recognized is a fundamental right for all, and especially women.

In providing this important message in a entertaining production, Rep’s latest production has definitely pulled it off.

 

 

 

 

 

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE* (*sort of)

Written by Isobel McArthur

Directed by Simon Harvey

Based on the novel by Jane Austin

Canberra Theatre at the Canberra Theatre Centre to 27 September

 

Reviewed by Len Power 18 September 2026

 

If obvious humour is your thing, this might be the show for you. The classic Pride and Prejudice story by Jane Austen and the Regency period is sent up with TV sitcom humour, a tough modern-speaking all woman cast, a few recognizable recent songs and a liberal sprinkling of the F-word for cheap laughs. There might be a bit of a feminist political statement in there as well.

With the show covering nearly the entire original story, it certainly is a very long evening. Anyone who sees this without a knowledge of the plot would be hard-pressed to know what is going on amongst all the jokes and hijinks. At the opening night performance, the audience seemed to warm to the humour only in the second act. They probably realized by then that they should just concentrate on the jokes and forget trying to follow the story.

On the plus side, the five women performers give expert high energy performances and all sing very well. They play the male characters of the story as well and at times it’s hard to keep up with who they’re playing now. Not that it really matters. However, Kaori Maeda-Judge is a standout with her characterization of Lady Catherine De Bourgh.

This touring production has an impressive set with a huge staircase and towering bookcase. There is a clever lighting design by Jason Bovaird and some good theatrical tricks are staged very well. It all moves along at a fast pace. Where some moments seem laboured and obvious in their delivery, it’s a fault of the material and the direction, not the performer.

Recognizing things out of period is a major part of the humour in this show. There is the character struggling to open a tin of Pringles, a box of Kellogg’s Frosties lying on the sofa, cast members chasing each other with plastic spray bottles, the stack of drink cans on a table at the Merryton Ball and the wheelie bin name-stamped with Jane Aust-Bin (groan).

This play won the Olivier Award in London for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play. It makes you wonder about the competition that year.

 

Photos by Matthew Chen

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs and published in his blog 'Just Power Writing' at https://justpowerwriting.blogspot.com/.

  

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (Sort Of)

 

Pride and Prejudice (sort of). 

Written by West End Co-Director Isobel McArthur after Jane Austen.  West End Co-Director and Australian Tour Director Simon Harvey. Associate Director and Choreographer Simone Sault. Musical Director Kohan van Sambeeck. Original Sound Composition Michael John McCarthy Set and Costume Design Ana Ines Jabares-Pita. Costume Supervisor Isaaac Lumis. Jason Bovaird Lighting Designer. Marcello Lo Ricco Sound Designer. Company Stage Manager Jasmyn Cate. Assistant Stage Manager Brittany Myers. Executive Producers Neil Gooding and Alex Woodward. Producer David Pugh. The Canberra Theatre. Canberra Theatre Centre. September 19-27 20226 Bookings: 62752700 or www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au

Reviewed by Peter Wilkins

 

The Cast of Pride and Prejudice (sort of)

The very first question one might ask is would Jane Austen have approved of writer Isobel McArthur’s hysterically chaotic, uproariously eruptive and outrageously silly, topsy turvy telling of Austen’s most beloved Pride and Prejudice? Can the story told in word and song by five petticoat clad maids of the Bennett household still be true to Jane Austen’s sharply, and yet affectionately penned social satire of the 19^th century? At the end of the Australian production of the Olivier Award winning hit after the five maids had romped through two hours of playing all the characters and charging through the fateful lives of the desperate Mrs. Bennett, the sanctimonious Mr Collins, the stuffy William Darcy, the silent Mr Bennett and each of his five unmarried daughter there was no doubt that the Canberra audience revelled in McArthur’s clever invention of a female take on the story and its characters. In a high octane production class is exposed, social status lampooned, the fickle nature of love and romance revealed and the treatment of women condemned by a female author over two hundred years ago who observed with wit and intellect injustice in society. In 2026, I Think that Jane Austen would applaud McArthur’s stance and the production’s challenge to cast aside preconception and faithful reverence and enjoy  this madcap glimpse of Jane Austen’s world. It helps if you have read Pride and Prejudice. Well sort of!

Teo Velzara as Darcy. Zoe Ioannou as Elizabeth

 Pride and Prejudice (sort of) smacks of University Revue in its playful and imaginative approach to the time worn classic. However there is no doubt that writer McArthur is resolved in placing the role of women and their status in society at the very centre of this production. It is left to director Sam Harvey and his talented cast to layer McArthur’s work with all the fun and invention of the action. The cast throw themselves into this theatrical romp. They sing, dance, play instruments and switch roles with a jacket, a hat, an Empire dress or a bedpan. It’s a giddying telling of the familiar source and at times it risks losing control of the storyline. I suspect that style and storyline could become confusing for those less familiar with Austen’s narrative. 

Amy Lehpamer in Pride and Prejudice (sort of)

 

There are carefully etched sketches of character by the performers. Their versatility is astounding. Amy Lehpamer is equally convincing as the haughty Caroline Bingly or the sexually suppressed Charlotte. Ruby Shannon convinces as the flighty Lydia or the obseqious Mr. Collins. Kaori Maida Judge effectively captures Jane’s anguish and Lady Catherine De Bourgh’s fearsome authority . Teo Vergara’s Mrs. Bennett exudes desperation in her quest to marry off her daughters as well as the aloof arrogance of Mr. Darcy.

Kaori Maida Judge as Jane in Pride and Prejudice (sort of)

In focusing mainly on Elizabeth NIDA Graduate Zoe Ioannou is able to give more depth to Jane Austen’s intelligent and independent heroine. Love may triumph in the end but one feels that her strength of character will never be compromised. In Act Two, the confrontation scene between Elizabeth and Darcy assumes a more naturalistic truth that lends it a moment of emotional truth. This is largely in part due to Ioannou’s convincing portrayal.

 

It’s all played out with a sense of fun, frivolity and respect for Jane Austen’s amazing and enduring popularity. Pop music prevails, anachronism abounds, props transform and Ana Inez Jabares-Pita’s lolly pink climbing staircase and towering bookshelf provide a romance novel backdrop. Her costume design is lavish and Pride and Prejudice (sort of) is as tasty a treat as a Venetta from a red-dotted Coles shopping bag. If that is to your taste, then you are in for a treat.

Photos by Matthew Chen.

 

 

 

DISNEY'S FROZEN - THE BROADWAY MUSICAL

 

 

Disney's Frozen  The Broadway Musical. Music and Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Book by Jenny Lee. Based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 2013 animated film Frozen.

Directed and choreographed by James Tolhurst-Close.  Musical Director Callum Tolhurst-Close . Free Rain Theatre. The Q Theatre  Queanbeyan.  September 17 – October 11 2026. Bookings 62856290.

Reviewed by Peter Wilkins

The Company of Disney's Frozen- The Broadway Musical

 

Producer Anne Somes has never been one to shirk from a challenge. With a plethora of award-winning musicals behind her, Somes has embarked on her most ambitious project yet. And she has pulled it off with pizzazz, panache, and style. In short her production of Disney’s Frozen, The Broadway Musical is nothing short of spectacular. Every aspect of the show has taken Free Rain where it has previoulsy not dared to go. A large part of the success is due to her creative team of director/choreographer James Tolhurst-Close, Musical Director Callum Tolhurst-Close with Associate Musical Director Sam Hutchinson, Assistant Director Caitie Bissett, and Assistant Choreographer Charlotte Jackson. John Nicholls and Ethan Henderson’s set design of icy peaks with sumptuous visual projections of Nordic locations and stunning magical special effects lend the show pure bewitchment. This is highlighted by Jono Gerdes lighting design and complemented with Chris Neal’s sound design. Fiona Leach has excelled herself in providing a fairy tale, mythical authenticity to the costumes of the characters of the fictitious, icy kingdom of Arendelle. From the creatives to the cast to the orchestra and the production team, Somes’ bold venture blurs the line between amateur and professional. This is amateur theatre at its very best and I predict that the last ticket of the season will be snapped up by the end of the week.

Anna (Chloe Stevenson) and Elsa (Charlotte Morphett) 

 

The story of two sisters, Princess Elsa (Charlotte Morphett) and Princess Anna (Chloe Stevenson) embraces the timeless theme of the power of true love. Elsa is cursed with the magical powers that enable her to turn everything to snow or ice. After accidentally afflicting Anna and fearful of her powers, Elsa escapes to her palace of ice, condemning her subjects to an eternal winter. Jenny Lee’s book strikes a familiar chord in a plot that cleverly combines elements of captivating storytelling. There is the romance between Hans, an opportunistic Prince, played with matinee idol charm by tenor Joshua Kirk and Anna, a rising star for whom I foresee a bright future. There is abundant comedy in the performance of the gangly Sven the Reindeer (Reindeers Are Better Than People), played on all fours by Graeme Fennimore and the snowman Olaf, personified by the voluble comic talents of Joe Dinn (In Summer).  There is the innocent simplicity of ice merchant Kristoff (What is Love, sung with poignant naivety by Jackson Gibbs) And there is the eternal battle between good, Anna’s love of her sister, with the support of Grand Pabbie of the Oaken people (a suitably tribal Sam Thompson), Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, and the duplicitous Hans. 

 

Kristoff (Jackson Gibbs) with Sven (Graeme Fennimore)

This is classic fairy tale fare that can enchant young and old alike, and Free Rain’s opening night largely adult audience clapped and cheered (some too raucously for my poor ears). Entranced by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez’s music and lyrics and Jenny Lee’s absorbing book, the enraptured audience was swept along by a bevy of magic moments, none more striking than Elsa’s discarding of her coronation dress to reveal the spangly icy gown of the ice queen. Her launch into the iconic Let It Go was spellbinding as she accepts her isolation from which only the true love of a devoted sister will free her and bring Summer back to her people.

Young Elsa (Zahra Zulkapli) and Young Anna (Mele Tuli)

 

What is so notable in this fairy tale, based loosely on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen and that melts the heart is the consistent quality of performance throughout the company from principals to ensemble, supported by a fine orchestra under the baton of Callum Tolhurst-Close. We feel Elsa’s anxiety, not only in Morphett’s controlled performance but also in the initial appearance of an older and more mature Young Elsa (Zahra Zulkapli), contrasted with a wonderfully energetic and ebullient Young Anna (Mele Tuli) Other performances worth commending are Jake Frazer’s anal Weselton and Cameron Taylor’s Oaken Sauna owner (supported by a sauna-soaked and towel clad host of villagers with their rendition of Hygge). In a show that requires believable performances from the characters, Frozen delivers in Spades. The crucial relationship between Morphett and Stevenson is cemented in talent and trust, and every moment of individual and collective performance by principals and ensemble alike is highlighted by a total commitment to plot and character.  

Oaken (Cameron Taylor), Anna and Olaf (Joe Dinn)

 It came as no surprise that the final company rendition of Let It Go  brought the audience to its feet in a spontaneous and enthusiastic ovation. Book today, because Free Rain Theatre’s spectacular production of Disney’s Frozen – The Broadway Musical will sell out!

Photos. Photox. Ben Appleton 

 

 

 

 

 

FROZEN

Book by Jennifer Lee

Music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

Directed by James Tolhurst-Close

Musical Director: Callum Tolhurst-Close

Free Rain Theatre Company production

The Q, Queanbeyan to 11 October

 

Reviewed by Len Power 17 September 2026

 

Based on the 2013 Disney animated film, a stage musical version played successfully on Broadway from 2018 and cost $35 million to mount. The spectacular local production by Free Rain Theatre looks like it cost that much, too.

The musical’s story is expanded from the film with new songs and there is a deeper exploration of the relationship between two sisters, Elsa and Anna, who are princesses, one with magical powers to create snow and ice which she does not know how to control. After inheriting the throne, Elsa has to flee, which causes the kingdom to become frozen in an eternal winter. Sacrifice and true love ultimately save the day.

Chloe Stevenson (Anna)

Amongst the large cast, there are some standout performances. Chloe Stevenson is a hugely appealing Anna. Her beautifully sung ‘For The First Time In Forever’ wins her over to the audience early in the show. Charlotte Morphett as Elsa has the best song in the show, ‘Let It Go’. Her strong, emotional performance of the song and her icy presence throughout the show are truly memorable. Both actors also impress with their believable relationship as sisters.

Charlotte Morphett (Elsa)

With his song, ‘In Summer’, Joe Dinn is delightful as Olaf, the snowman. Cameron Taylor as Oaken, performs his song ‘Hygge’ with gusto. Jackson Gibbs as Kristoff sings an appealing ‘Rheindeers Are Better Than People’ and Graeme Fennamore steals the show as Sven, the rheindeer. There are also fine performances by Joshua Kirk as Hans, Mele Tuli as Young Anna and Zahra Zulkapli as Young Elsa. The roles of Young Anna and Young Elsa will alternate with Millicent Fitzgerald and Meadow Kuske during the season. Everybody on stage impresses in this show and the enthusiastic and hard-working chorus sing and dance very well.

The cast of 'Frozen'

For this show to work it needs a spectacular icy setting. The set design by John Nicholls and Ethan Henderson is atmospheric, practical and a feast for the eye. Fiona Leach’s many costumes are colourful and finely detailed. The music, conducted by Callum Tolhurst-Close, is played very well by the orchestra.

Both the lighting design by Jono Gerdes and well-balanced sound design by Chris Neal are imaginative and brilliantly executed. They bring so much extra depth to the production.

Mounting this show must be a mammoth undertaking. Full credit goes to the director, James Tolhurst-Close, for creating such a memorable and enjoyable entertainment.

Photos by Photox, Ben Appleton

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs and published in his blog 'Just Power Writing' at https://justpowerwriting.blogspot.com/.

 

  

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL The Second Coming - Canberra Theatre Centre

 

Jonathan Biggins as Paul Keating in The Gospel According to Paul - The Second Coming.

Written and performed by Jonathan Biggins

Directed by Aarne Neeme – Designed by Mark Thompson

Lighting designed by Verity Hampson – Sound and Video designed by David Bergman

Produced by Jo Dyer – Stage Managed by Tim Burns

Canberra Theatre Centre Playhouse: 15^th to 20th September 2026.

Opening night performance on 16^th September reviewed by BILL STEPHENS

         Jonathan Biggins as Paul Keating shares favourite slides in "The Gospel According to Paul                                                                              The Second Coming". 

Jonathan Biggins describes his play as “the first three-dimensional, unauthorised autobiography written by someone else.”

It is hard to disagree. As entertaining as this masterly performance is, it also offers a fascinating lesson in contemporary Australian political history through the eyes of one of its most erudite participants.

Biggins’ research and writing are exemplary, as are his observations and recreation of his subject’s physical and vocal mannerisms. He is also a brilliant character actor, with a chameleon-like ability to capture the essence of others; a skill he used to significant effect in the much-admired and now-lamented Wharf Revues.

In The Gospel According to Paul The Second Coming, however, his portrayal of Paul Keating goes deeper. As the play unfolds and Biggins, as Keating, comments on current political issues, it becomes difficult to separate performer from subject, even as the production remains marvellously entertaining.

At the start of the performance, Keating addresses the audience from his elegantly appointed, Mark Thompson-designed office. He warns that there will be no personal revelations; instead, he will focus on his achievements, illustrated by a slideshow of significant moments.

Jonathan Biggins as Paul Keating emphasises a point in "The Gospel According to Paul
 The Second coming".

No prime minister, colleague or public servant escapes his merciless barbs. Taking the audience into his confidence, he names names, assigns blame, and delivers assessments while tracing his journey from boyhood to the prime ministership and beyond.

Along the way, Keating reveals his admiration for Tom Jones and impersonates the singer performing his hit “Delilah.” He also displays previously unsuspected terpsichorean skills performing “Pushing Up the Rent,” a parody of “Puttin’ on the Ritz”, complete with high kicks.

Less surprising is the moment when he delves into his extensive record collection to share an excerpt from Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony.

Jonathan Biggins as Paul Keating.

The most revealing moment of all comes when Keating recalls meeting his future wife, Anita. Seemingly overcome with emotion, he pauses and struggles to regain his composure.

Biggins portrays the moment brilliantly and without words, revealing the humanity beneath Keating’s polished wit and urbane public persona and lifting the production beyond pure satire.

Sharp, insightful, and superbly performed, The Gospel According to Paul the Second Coming is both a richly entertaining portrait of a formidable political figure and a thoughtful reflection on Australian public life. Biggins’ wit, meticulous characterisation, and flashes of humanity make this much more than an impersonation. It is a compelling theatrical achievement.

                                                       Photos by Brett Boardman

           This review also posted in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW.Link here

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL - THE SECOND COMING

 

 The Gospel According To Paul. The Second Coming.

Written and performed by Jonathan Biggins. Directed by Arne Neeme. Designer Mark Thompson. Lighting Designer Verity Hampson. Sound and Video  Designer David Bergman. Producer Jo Dyer. Production Manager Barrie Seale. Touring Technical Manager Sam Read. Stage Manager Tim Burns. Photographer Brett Boardman. Soft Tread Theatre. The Playhouse. Canberra Theatre Centre. September 16-19 2026. Bookings: canberraticketing.com.au or 62435711.

Reviewed by Peter Wilkins

 

Jonathan Biggins plays Paul Keating in

The Gospel According to Paul - The Second Coming 

Paul Keating’s scathing one liners are the stuff of legend in the history of parliamentary debating. Who can forget his withering description of a political opponent as “a shiver in search of  spine”? Jonathan Biggins returns with his portrayal of the former Prime Minister.  With an acerbic swipe at fools and nonsense, the Honourable Paul Keating and Member for Blaxland was not just the sharpest parliamentary performer on the block. With his love of art, music and soaring intellect many would consider Keating a truly Renaissance man, but he remains best known for his performance as the nation’s 24th Prime Minister and his sabre sharp repartee. As Biggins reveals, the man remains an enigma. Mark Thompson’s replica set of Keating’s study with its red feature walls, hung with classic portraits and an English landscape and furnished with heavy furniture suggests a traditionalist of a former era rather than a fervent stalwart of the Labor Party since the age of 15. Here is the man for all seasons with the imagination to see the bigger picture and the courage to carry through economic reforms, such as floating the dollar, deregulating the banks to allow foreign banks and cutting tariffs or the social reforms to introduce compulsory superannuation, passing the Native Title Act and delivering the landmark Redfern Speech to acknowledge the wrongs done to the indigenous First nations Peoples. The Gospel According to Paul - The Second Coming is no dry account of Keating’s achievements as Bob Hawke’s Treasurer or the nation’s Prime Minister. Director Arne Neeme and Biggins present a flesh and blood portrayal of a man of astounding intellect with a deep love of music, art, architecture and 95% of the working men and women of the nation.

 During a performance lasting ninety minutes without an interval, Biggins offers a masterful portrayal of a colossus of Australian politics, fearless in assertion, ruthless in condemnation, resolute in reform, unerringly honest and in the end humbled by the genius of Mahler and the great composers. Drawing on the writings of Kerry O’Brien, Troy Bramston and Don Watson as well as the words of Paul Keating, Biggins has drawn together a comprehensive account of the man, his ideas, his ideals, his ambition and and his Nature. It is left to an audience to determine their response to Biggins’s carefully documented account of the man and his life, a theatrical biography that encapsulates the complexity and the character of an unique and intriguing politician. The party faithful and the politicians in the row to my left erupted into gales of laughter and applause as Biggins opened with a scathing attack on political foes and chosen parliamentary colleagues alike. His dismissal of the AUKUS compact and the “odious” Hanson brooked no contradiction. Keating came out swinging and his swipe hit the mark with precision. Actor and subject merge in gesture and voice and the opening night Canberra audience lapped up the performance with delight.

 Director Neeme keeps a tight rein on a performance that in less capable hands could lapse into caricature. The timing is impeccable as Biggins takes us through a slide show of his early life, through to his entry into Parliament, his relationship with Hawke and eventual challenge and ascension to the highest office in the land. For those who lived through his time it is a trip down memory lane and the milestone events of his political life. To a less informed audience it may be a lesson in the visionary ideal and leadership. All this is underpinned by Keating’s incisive observation of the cut and thrust of political life, seasoned with hilarious wit that filled the Playhouse with laughter. Neeme ensures that this is no dry presentation of an indulgent memoir. The mood is lightened by Biggins’ performance of My My My Delilah in homage to his hero Tom Jones or a vaudeville routine to Putting on the Ritz and a rendition of Sinatra’s That’s Life.. There are moments of tenderness as he cradles an eighteenth-century fob watch that he bought when a youth or utters a sombre reflection of the political life’s effect on family and the impact of the death of an adored father. Biggins avoids incursion into the personal life, but his performance ensures our empathy in the moments that reveal a man like any other man. In the extraordinary we can discover the ordinary that is common to all.

 Soft Tread’s production of The Gospel According to Paul – The Second Coming is a cautionary tale not to be missed. Biggins offers a brilliant funny, instructive and thoroughly entertaining performance as he unravels the complex nature of a man with simple ideals and the will to carry them through. It is a sermon worth hearing in today’s Parliament on the mount.

Photos by Brett Boardman