The Dragon (rawr!)

(–Warning! This play contains swearing!–)

When you think of a dragon, what comes to your head? A dashing knight, a dazzling princess and some puny little fire-breathing lizard who only wants some company and a room full of shining coins?

Malthouse theatre has come up with a plot much more rude, funny, exciting, and all round cool than your usual fairytale. Lancelot, a lonely knight, and his three invisible talking animal friends (the comedic band, Tripod) as well as the utterly horrible three-headed dragon (Tripod again) and his love, Elsa, a quest to kill the Dragon is formed as Lancelot goes against the wishes of the people of his village to destroy the protective Dragon that empowers them.
Not only does this play have a witty sense of humour, there are underlying, hidden themes of politics, power, and other important elements that bring the play into a twist of actions and uncertainness.

I also would like to mention that my next door neighbour, John Leary, plays the part of the Mayor’s son in The Dragon. I think his character was very humorous and well-played, and he did a really good job! I cannot wait to see his next performance!

I absolutely loved this performance, and especially Tripod and their hilarious songs. Well done Malthouse! 8/10

To see more of the Malthouse’s amazing shows, click the link here!

Little Big Shots returns for more – 2013 issue

Little Big Shots is an amazing, inspirational film festival that invites children to watch and create their own movies to star on the screen.

You may have heard me talk about the festival before, but 2013 was one of the most outstanding years for LBS by far. There was so much contrast between all the films, animation or reality, fantasy or real-world problems. There was something special about all of the different short films, something that was very unique. I think every contestant did a very good job. Let’s hear about my top three films-

3. Reloaded

Reloaded is a humorous animation about a scientist’s experiment gone wrong. Using clay and other strange objects to create crazy effects and a destroyed landscape, monsters crawl through the city as cars are crushed and citizens are eaten.

This film reminds me of an old horror movie, as it follows the well-known storyline of a city being taken over and then saved at the last minute by the scientist. This could be considered typical, but it is actually very clever and well-put together as to not be so boring and predictable.

The cool stop-motion film brought a happy and fun feeling to the end of the films, and left us feeling satisfied with the day of films.

2. Yonalure – Moment to Moment

This is one of the craziest but most beautiful things I had ever seen, and I hadn’t seen many of those.

Yonalure is about … well, it had many underlying messages but I couldn’t tell you exactly what it was about. It was based on a large moon, who could stand up and walk, and explore the city and places around it. Bizarre objects and angles were twisted around the screen, making you change perspective at any spare moment.

The moon-man was very tall, but seemed confused with the night and the world that surrounded him. As the movie progressed, he seemed more and more aware of the many things that were happening around him. The constantly changing world was becoming a playground to him – until the new day arrived.

The simple but amazing imagery in the animation and the ticking of time in the background, unheard but known, makes a fantastic and wonderful setting for Yonalure – the dreamlike film that has my thumbs up!

1. Julian

Julian. This is one of my favourite movies as it is a very intelligent take on one of Australia’s most recent and modern discussions.

Set in a 1981 classroom, with an impatient teacher and a very persistent bully, Julian uses ‘dobbing’ to make peace in the classroom and rid of the bully, but instead drives the teacher to a frustrated mood, and gets sent out of the classroom to see the principle.

While waiting for the boy before him to take his turn, he sees his friend being driven out of the office by an angry principle and is told by the boy some information which the principle would have liked to keep a close secret.

Julian is a very clever short film that has definitely won my good points, and I think it has been one of the most interesting and funny takes on modern events. It is a story of innocence turned into a fight of blackmail, but all humour at the same time.

 

So there you have it! The 2013 list of my favourite short clips. Many of the other films were amazing and cleverly-made as well. Unfortunately there were also a few that didn’t spark my enthusiasm though. The film ‘Memories’ could have been brilliant, but I found the storyline very typical and dull. Perhaps next time there could be another was of expressing break-up in another unexpected, amazing way!

You can see more about the clips and Little Big Shots at their website here!

Or you can submit your video that you are passionate about here! (remember to make sure the video is your own!)

The MSO returns – with a rhythm machine!

I was lucky enough to experience to the MSO’s amazing new show, Rhythm Machine, which is part of the Educational Week at MSO.

This show was absolutely sensational, and I have two words that just about sum up the best parts of the show. Beautifully unexpected. Every moment in the music was humorous, exciting, suspenseful and crazy all at the same time, which added a strange sense to the music that kept you on the edge of your seat.

All of the songs had a story to go along with them. It wasn’t a set story, but it was one which you could make up yourself. The beautiful tunes and notes in the melody created scenes in your mind, so you could just drift off and listen while dreaming.

Some of the songs also used percussion for the main tunes. Sometimes it was tiny, whispering notes, and sometimes it was loud chimes and cowbells that rocked the stage. It added a crazy, out-of-control feel to the music, but it could also make it settle back into position at any time.

The percussionists were two people named Ollie Cox and Owen Gunnell, as well as the wonderful composer Fraser Trainer. They were very humorous and passionate, and added a comfortable feel to the stage. They also worked throughout the performances, playing on different instruments and talking about the songs, and the mood of the songs.

The music was the most relaxing and amazing I’ve heard in ages, and I will never forget those beautiful tunes.

You can find out more about the education week here!

More instruments…

Percussion in action!

Robin Rhode – The Call of Walls

Robin Rhode is truly an inspiring and different artist to what any of us have seen before.

Using graffiti art on many different kinds of walls in normal streets, amazing imagery, and dance moves caught in motion, Robin creates many scenes to do with everyday objects, and has picked up the art of finding strange but mesmerising worlds in the simple asphalt or concrete walls of Johannesburg. Simple shapes can be turned into rhythms and patterns while he dances around them in the many scenes of his artwork.

Robin often creates an unfinished but exciting edge to his work. You sometimes feel like a certain shape is out of place, but somehow it all fits in like a puzzle. He also adds strange performance, that often echoes the shape or puts it out of place. It often feels like he is dancing with the object itself, or sometimes it is just simple and lonely, with Robin like a shadow beside it.

This exhibition hosted two parts – one full of Robin’s work and animations, and the second room covered with different shapes and diamonds which you could colour in and experiment with. I loved the idea of being able to have a whole wall to yourself, where you were able to spread colour and different drawings and brighten up the room like your own little world.

This was a wonderful exhibition which inspired me and others to step out, and create art in the most unsuspected and surprising places. Robin Rhode is an artist who stands out in the most peculiar of ways, and I would love to see more of his work one day!

To see more about the exhibition, click here!

The Wheeler Center Gala 2013

The Wheeler Center is one of the best places in Melbourne. One, it has amazing stories to tell and ideas to be unleashed. Two, it holds a wonderful writing Gala every year, one of the events I have looked forward to most in 2013!

The Gala is where everybody shares their stories, are invited to come up and tell their own or make one up on the spot. Some can be amusing, some sad, some long and some short. Everyone comes from their own world of ideas to share their books and amaze us.

Every Gala in every year has a themed set of writing though. This year was Where The Wild Things Are. The theme is open to whatever pops up in the guests head, and whatever interests them, amuses them or even scares them! But when the minds run free in the Gala, some of the most incredible tales are let free from the imagination in even the simplest form.

This year, I loved every single one of the stories. You could feel the emotions in the stories, step into the writer’s minds as they spoke with even simple words. David Marr, who started off his story in the most unusual way, worked his way with his extreme intelligence until everyone knew what he was talking about, humorous and amazing as it was.

Where the Wild Things Are, as a theme, brought out the most mind-blowing stories and inspiration I have seen yet. The Wheeler Centre is a truly wonderful place for the mind to wander its way down the paper.

WRITERS AND POETS

Hannie Rayson

Robyn Davidson

Alison Lester

David Marr

Luka Lesson (poet)

Clare Bowditch (musician)

Monica Dux

Arnold Zable

Bruce Pascoe

Anthony Morgan

Josephine Rowe

Oslo Davis (illustrator)

You can see more about the Gala on this page: Where the Wild Things Are

 

David Byrne and St Vincent : Love this Giant tour

David Byrne and St Vincent are two brilliant musicians that have worked together to create a beautiful and stunning album with their own type of genre – modern pop.

With genius music, a collection of deep and wonderful songs, and a choreographed brass band, the two composers can make the most amazing tracks with their beautiful tunes.

Which song do you think was done the best?

All of the songs were their own magnificent quality, and especially on stage! I loved This Must Be The Place, a fantastic redo of one of David Byrne’s best songs. All of them songs were redone really well, and sounded fabulous.

What did you like about the show?

It was inspiring, and the pair were talented in every way. It was put together perfectly, and all you felt like doing was dancing! All of the songs had talent and hard work put into each of them, there weren’t any ‘badly done’ songs.

Did you like the brass band?

They were fantastic. I loved how they were added to the whole set up, and the way they played and danced across the stage. You didn’t have to focus on the artists, or the dancers, you just listened and enjoyed the whole show.

The show was absolutely outstanding, and is by far the best music I’ve ever seen. 10/10, I loved it.

I saw David Byrne and St Vincent at the new Hamer Hall

An Act of Now : Chunky Move

An Act of Now is an amazing production by Chunky Move, some of the best dancers in Melbourne. The show is a string of events, including passion, anger, excitement, revenge and power, most without words, only movement.

The scene of the show sets in a glowing glass box, with music inside but unheard without headphones. You hear whispers, heavy beats and music that makes you hold your breath through the dancer’s moves. You are constantly reminded during the show: Beware of what is behind you. Beware of what is going to happen next.

You feel like a part of the torment, even though the characters are put through it themselves. With constantly changing emotions and feelings, An Act of Now peels off the fantasy world to leave the deadly truth in front of you. I give this show a 10/10. It scared me, and probably most of the audience, but made us all realise what happens when all of our bad emotions and power comes together.

See more about the show at www.chunkymove.com

Frankenweenie

Frankenweenie is Tim Burton’s latest film about a young boy and his desire to bring his dog back from the dead.

Using puppetry, dark effects, black and white film and stop motion animation, Tim Burton brings you into the world of New Holland, where science has started as a new, deadly trend.

When Vincent finds his experiment to bring his dog back with the power of lightning works, he is overjoyed. But it isn’t long until another ‘friend’ of his finds out his secret and starts plotting a plan to win the school Science Show, which everyone is dying to win.

A beautiful, funny, scary, weird and just fantastic movie, Tim Burton brings science to it’s limits, while telling a darkly spun tale of truth and hope.

Frankieweenie is an enjoyable film for the family, and is sure to make you laugh and cry while you watch it’s way of exposing death in a sweet and hopeful way.

I give this film a 9/10.

A big thank you to Triple R for the free tickets we won!

See more about Tim Burtons Frankenweenie here.

The Lichtenstein Nursing Home Massacre

Bang! Crash! Another moment has happened in The Lichtenstein Nursing Home.

The Lichtensein Nursing Home Massacre is a show about some peaceful residents that live in a dark mansion in the mountains. No-one is expecting any excitement or bizarre incidents. Fritz Mitz, a retired farmer, is doing his favourite hobby, Dr Fink is inviting residents down into his torture chamber and Garson, the butler, is serving coffee.

But what happens when the maid is found dead one day in the storeroom?

A humorous but gory tale of death and power (not to mention money) the show takes you through a story of many characters in different situations. As this show is all puppetry, dark settings, sound effects and side-splitting scenes make you excited, held in suspense, laughing until you cry and suspicious all at the same time.

So who will you choose to be the suspect? Is it the devilish Lichtenstein Junior, the stylish Nurse, or the mysterious Major?

In the Lichtenstein Nursing Home Massacre, things will not be always what they seem…

The murderer awaits at La Mama.com.

Another murder awaits…

Experimenta – Speak to Me

Experimenta is an exhibition that is held every two years.

Experimenta pushes the mind to its limits, asking you what feels right and what life means to us, in different ways. With different concepts of different views, thoughts of what you could do to change technology and the world are scattered around the exhibition.

Forming bonds between people, we think about what these bonds are worth, and how we turn to technology for comfort and peace. Giving you morals in different captivating circumstances, you are shown from different positions how you could change other people’s situations.

The exhibits were amazing and interesting all in their same way. One of the most touching things was to put your hand on a small, metal ball, then breath heavily. You then invited somebody to touch you on the shoulder. I thought this was a perfect way to bond with someone without having to know them, and doing it in a subtle and unplanned way.

The result were massive soundwaves going through the room and creating some astonishing sounds that bounced off the walls. In the end, it wasn’t any of the noise you were concerned about – it was bonding and not knowing it.

In the world of media, Experimenta shows us that we don’t have to unite with technology to become comfortable, we have to experience bonding with something real.

Experimenta is an absolutely marvellous exhibition that will amaze and wonder every age. For more information, click here.