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This is the temporary home of Theatrewire, (mainly) Sydney theatre reviews @ Vibewire while it takes a brief hiatus to renovate and rejuvenate. More to come soon!

Sydney: Halpern and Johnson

Reviewed by Nicole Bassil

Ensemble Theatre has offered me no diamond encrusted champagne flutes, Ming vases stuffed with cash or trips to the French Riviera. With that preface, I am unashamedly delighted to assert that Halpern and Johnson is undoubtedly the best play I have seen in years. And I knew it would be from the first five minutes.

Sydney: The Bee

Reviewed by Joyce Chau

Traditional Japanese theatre meets comedic panache and irreverence in Darlinghurst Theatre’s production of The Bee.

Sydney: The Wharf Revue: Beware of the Dogma

Reviewed by faceless

The Wharf Revue, now in its eight year draws upon some familiar characters to provide Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phil Scott with a great comedic platform to lampoon our politicians and media figures.

The Australian Ballet: Destiny

By Katrine Narkiewicz

The Australian Ballet’s latest offering, Destiny is a delightful double bill featuring symphonies by Tchaikovsky and Berlioz and the crème of Australian ballet’s finest.

Sydney: Tales from the Vienna Woods

Reviewed by Nicole Bassil

‘Surprised’ is the best way that I can describe my reaction to Odon von Horvath’s Tales from the Vienna Woods. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Von Horvath’s artistic endeavors transpired in the wake of revivalist seventeenth century German folk theatre. Inspired by the likes of Brecht and Zuchmayer, this post-world-war-one Hungarian playwright sought to satirise the desperation of an economically ravaged Austria by paying homage to the farcical, raw elements of folk theatre. The “love” story seems to be the meat of the play is inherently undercut by the quagmire of social conditions that thwart idealism and emancipation.

Sydney: Simply Fancy

Reviewed by Joyce Chau

Join Pig Island for a Simply Fancy evening at the Old Fitzroy Hotel theatre.

Simply Fancy is a quest, a modern fairytale with all the staples of the genre plus a few other things: two children and a clueless dad (who was in a movie about the internet), some telepathy, cloaks, a forest, a god-like mystical stag, an evil old crone, a self-sacrificing robot, a bunyip/deformed thing, teenage angst and did I mention a movie about the internet?

Sydney: Respect – The Musical

by Vivien Fung
Respect is a musical that’s light on plot but heavy on entertainment, the on-stage equivalent of the perfect jazz bar, one full of wonderful singers who perform all your old favourites.

Sydney: Lessons in Flight

Reviewed by Joyce Chau

Lessons in Flight is one of those wonderful plays where there’s just enough said and much more beneath the surface.

Sydney: King Tide

Reviewed by Joyce Chau

We may be losing our social conscience and our sense of social justice. We may no longer care about anything other than wealth and consumption. They’re hardly the most shocking accusations found in the Sydney theatre scene. Nor are they usually particularly subtly put. Yet King Tide by Katherine Thomson stands out for its eloquence.