Stephen A Russell
Stephen A Russell is a freelance writer and imported Scotsman who loves film, theatre, good food and grand design.
How rejection and three days in a hotel room led to a creative breakthrough
Actor Francis Greenslade’s ambitious debut play, The Platypus, skips between genres while tracking the breakdown of a relationship.
- by Stephen A Russell
Latest
Threatened youth theatre company’s tale of two tribes
An idea born out of lockdown has become the latest production of St Martins Youth Arts Centre. It’s about saving the world, but can it save the centre?
- by Stephen A Russell
Puppeteering and tiny tombstones? This festival has it all
From lurid family histories to Excel-lent stand-up, this year’s comedy festival is in full swing. Keep an eye on our ever-growing list of reviews here.
- by Sonia Nair, Lefa Singleton Norton, Hannah Francis, Tyson Wray, Stephen A Russell, Cameron Woodhead, Vyshnavee Wijekumar, Donna Demaio and John Bailey
Surreal and lewd (and sometimes nude): This year’s comedy festival is off to a strong start
From Tim Tams to a screenplay written by an 11-year-old this year’s comedy festival is off to a roaring start. Keep an eye on our growing list of reviews here.
- by Stephen A Russell, Lefa Singleton Norton, Mikey Cahill, Tyson Wray, Sonia Nair, Hannah Francis, Vyshnavee Wijekumar, Guy Webster, Cher Tan, Cassidy Knowlton and Cameron Woodhead
The celebrated play taking on bathroom bigotry
Set in a women’s bathroom, Overflow is a one-woman show that tells an intimate and powerful story. It makes its Melbourne debut this week.
- by Stephen A Russell
Mates and melodies: The musical that invites you to have a pint with the cast
Jukebox musical The Choir of Man offers up hit songs and good times – but as fun as the show is, there’s more to it than boisterous bloke culture.
- by Stephen A Russell
This filmmaker quit school to chase her dream. At 19, she’s made four movies
Last year, teenage filmmaker Alice Maio Mackay completed three movies. This year, two of them will screen at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival.
- by Stephen A Russell
Mob has a meeting place at Melbourne Fringe’s Blak Lodge
A multidisciplinary hub at North Melbourne’s Meat Market has been home to a range of Deadly Fringe shows in this year’s festival.
- by Stephen A Russell
‘Dazzling’: Jose Navas’ homage is an exceptional night of dance
In other Fringe dance productions, Mechorstra shakes and shimmies, Shower Thots drips with sensual energy, Shian Law carries the weight of history, Leisa Prowd shows resilience and Joel Bray blurs gender and genre.
- by Andrew Fuhrmann, Vyshnavee Wijekumar, Cher Tan, Stephen A Russell and Lefa Singleton Norton
Manic multi-tasking: Endorphin levels surge in Fringe theatre Burnout
Fringe Theatre goes on the treadmill in Burnout Paradise while other shows offer high octane dance/theatre fusion, AI monsters and invitations into strangers’ loungerooms
- by Cameron Woodhead, John Bailey, Stephen A Russell, Cher Tan and Vyshnavee Wijekumar
Why the bloody hell are Australians so good at making scary movies?
From stories of religious fervour gone horribly wrong to a quiet tale of an alien invasion, horror is having a well-deserved moment.
- by Stephen A Russell
Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/by/stephen-a-russell-gue9vz