Australia has never been shy of drag. From the legacy of Sydney’s Les Girls and Carlotta, to Barry Humphries' iconic Dame Edna and Stephan Elliott's classic 1994 movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, drag has long been part of nation's cultural mix. But things changed when Courtney Act rose to fame in... Continue Reading →
Lizzie, an early 00s power punk-pop musical about Lizzie Borden—the turn-of-the-century axe murderer—has been ripped apart and put back together for the Sydney Festival. Dial down the history, turn up the lesbian rage. “Lizzie Borden took an axe, And gave her mother forty whacks; When she saw what she had done, She gave her father... Continue Reading →
Glace Chase’s play, Triple X, has finally hit the Sydney Theatre Company mainstage and it has been well worth the elongated wait. Fresh, complex, and hugely entertaining, this exploration of the love between a cis man and trans woman quickly demolishes your expectations and takes you on a ride filled with ethical backflips, emotional diversions,... Continue Reading →
Multi-hyphenate trans queen, drag performer, playwright, comedian, screenwriter, and New York City tour guide Glace Chase has been unexpectedly stuck in Australia during the pandemic and things have taken some unusual turns. “Oh my God, it’s been an ongoing trauma!" Glace tells The Queer Review's Chad Armstrong in Sydney. "I was only meant to be... Continue Reading →
Hot Mess from The General Public at Sydney's King's Cross Theatre this month begins with an ode to those awkward public bathroom stall conversations you have with strangers at nightclubs (or is that just me?!), with the characters talking shit, literally. Uncomfortable and hilarious, I couldn't help but laugh throughout the show. The line, "the... Continue Reading →
It’s really not often that a new play feels so electric, funny, and fierce that the audience alternates between literally falling off their seats with laughter, and stunned soulful silence. Dammit, I’m just going to say it, Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner is the best new play I’ve seen in years. Moreblessing Maturure as... Continue Reading →
Watching Dead Skin—which won the State Theatre Company of South Australia’s Young Playwright’s Award and had its world premiere at the Kings Cross Theatre Sydney this week—I was impressed by the complexity of the narrative structure, the ease and flow of dialogue that authentically captures the energy and angst of youth, as well as the... Continue Reading →
After a particularly challenging week in the news cycle, the outright misogyny and with those in power continuing to act with impunity, this show could not have been performed at a more important time. On Friday night, Sydney's Riverside Theatres was host to a compelling and cathartic piece of performance art that reminded the audience... Continue Reading →
After a hit debut run at Belvoir Theatre in 2020, the new musical Fangirls has made its way to the larger Seymour Center in Sydney to bring some preemptive post-pandemic music-mania to the stage. The tale of three schoolgirls and their obsession with the boyband True Connection and lead singer Harry (yes, you may notice... Continue Reading →
