Melbourne live reviews
You don’t often see a performer of this calibre slumming it down an alleyway
Mike McLeish’s solo show, Pensive Like a Fox, is a charming and offbeat cabaret filled with off-the-wall tangents and genuine poignancy.
- by Cameron Woodhead, Tony Way, Kosa Monteith and Jessica Nicholas
Latest
Pearl Jam’s last Melbourne show was a decade ago. For fans, it was worth the wait
The rockers revelled in the Marvel Stadium crowd’s good vibes, performing a set too infectious to deny.
- by Will Cox
★★★★★
Arts
Rebellious, big-hearted: This show is the holy grail of Australian musical theatre
The Miles Franklin classic that inspired a watershed moment in Australian cinema has now been transformed into an absolute cracker of a musical.
- by Will Cox, Tony Way and Cameron Woodhead
Casey Donovan spearheads a sparkling cast in spirited show full of uplifting silliness
It’s a joy to watch a feel-good musical that does exactly what it says on the box.
- by Cameron Woodhead
An evening of high-spirited dance showcases new works by local artists
Every movement speaks to the delicate balance between constraint and freedom, pressure and release, in these offerings from VCA graduates.
- by Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, Cameron Woodhead and Andrew Fuhrmann
Gangsters and toy koalas: This unknotting of a sibling relationship is oddly affecting
A portrait of a dysfunctional family loving each other in the ways they know best, Golden Blood is a story of yearning and ambition.
- by Sonia Nair, Barney Zwartz, Michael Dwyer, Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen and Jessica Nicholas
★★★★★
What’s on
Cold Chisel at 50 show why they’re one of the world’s great rock bands
Jimmy Barnes sang with every atom of his visibly scarred body. Pianist Don Walker, guitarist Ian Moss, bassist Phil Small and drummer Charley Drayton played like their lives were on the line.
- by Michael Dwyer
★★★★★
What’s on
Christie Whelan Browne’s hilarious cabaret serves up rare authenticity
The zany, raw, warts-and-all Life in Plastic follows Whelan Browne’s own journey from the irrepressible awkwardness of girlhood to stardom.
- by Andrew Fuhrmann, Will Cox, Cameron Woodhead and Barney Zwartz
Melbourne Fringe
Melbourne Fringe Festival
The best, the weirdest and the most risky of the final Fringe weekend
A performance at a mystery location and a show that takes true crime to its limits – read our ever-growing list of reviews here.
- by Cameron Woodhead, Cher Tan, Donna Demaio, Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, Hannah Francis, Sonia Nair, John Bailey, Tyson Wray, Andrew Fuhrmann and Vyshnavee Wijekumar
Melbourne Fringe
Melbourne Fringe Festival
Fun, subversive, and occasionally kinky: Here’s what not to miss at Fringe
From a dinner party with a difference to a cup of tea with a stranger, this year’s Fringe is in full swing. Read our ever-growing list of reviews here.
- by Andrew Fuhrmann, Cameron Woodhead, Cher Tan, Guy Webster, Hannah Francis, Sonia Nair, Tyson Wray and Vyshnavee Wijekumar
Catharsis and high kicks: Olivia Rodrigo’s first Melbourne show is a hit
To say Rodrigo’s first Australian tour was anticipated is an understatement: some eager fans had been camping out at Rod Laver Arena since the weekend.
- by Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, Barney Zwartz, Andrew Fuhrmann, Tony Way and Will Cox
Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/topic/melbourne-live-review-wrap-6g5h