Observer

OBSERVER: Mr Big

Monday, June 1, 2026

The Tayo Tayo Collective and fortyfivedownstairs present Mr Big: aka Tatay, a Trans Woman and that Tiring Tune written by Dax Carnay-Hanrahan from June 24-July 5 at fortyfive-downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne.Set between 1990s Manila and contemporary Melbourne, Mr Big follows Diana, a trans Filipina woman juggling her upcoming wedding and the funeral of her…

OBSERVER: From All Sides

The conventional view of life in Western Sydney as boring and suburban was given a shake-up by the low-budget independent feature From All Sides with its portrayal of a multiracial sexually liberated family living there.Unfortunately the film’s promising premise was only partially realised as direction, editing, script and acting all suffered from shortcomings.A married multi-racial…

OBSERVER: The Forest – Lucy Guerin Inc.

The Forest by Lucy Guerin Inc. will be presented by Rising with University of Melbourne Arts and Culture from June 4 – 7 at the Union Theatre, University of Melbourne, Carlton.The new dance work reflects the many identities that forests hold in the human imagination.Our deep connection to trees has existed throughout history, alongside the…

OBSERVER: Twist of Fate

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

You could call them ambitious, but Scary Goats Theatre, founded in 2023 by Chloe Towan (pictured), has proven beyond doubt of their ability to create unique works such as A Twist of Fate, in fact Season 4.In less than a year SGT has already performed Seasons 1 to 3 and obviously my regret is having…

OBSERVER: La Traviata

“What’s not to love about Verdi?” I asked my companion for the evening at the Australian Opera’s production of La Traviata. The maestro could sway the audience with a lyric motif that could evoke both delight and sadness. As the courtesan, Violetta (Stacey Alleaume) is dying in the final act, echoes of the theme that…

OBSERVER: You and Me and the Land of Lost Things

Arts Centre Melbourne presents a CDP Kids Production, Andy Griffiths’ You and Me and The Land of Lost Things on June 13-14 at 11am or 1.30pm at the Playhouse.A play by Richard Tulloch, this show is adapted from the book by Andy Griffiths and Bill Hope in a fun new theatrical adventure for children aged…

OBSERVER: Beneath A Broken Sky

Detective stories are loved by so many people, and the leading protagonist can range from an elderly English villager, a Belgian detective, a mediaeval monk or a contemporary cop.But rarely is the detective a queer man investigating the murder of a gay son’s mother.American author Joshua Moehling created the acclaimed and best-selling Ben Packard series,…

OBSERVER: Circus Showcase

One of the funniest, most endearing/clever MCs Dandyman (Daniel Oldaker)- a physical comedian, opened the Circus Showcase at Gasworks.This show featured a variety of finalists in this development competition, all receiving awards/prizes.Oldaker set the scene for a fun evening with his physical comedy, plus sharp wit. He was funny, engaging, very professional, quite unique, though…

OBSERVER: Local Theatre Report

Shows The Mount Players: Mr Bailey’s Minders (by Debra Oswald) Until May 24 at the Mountview Theatre, 56 Smith St., Macedon. Director: Sonja Prater. Bookings: themountplayers.comCLOC Musical Theatre: The Hunchback of Notre Dame, May 15-30 at the National Theatre, St Kilda. Director: Shaun Kingma, Musical Director: David Clausen-Wisken, Choreographer Melanie Ott. Bookings: cloc.org,auMordialloc Theatre Company: The Other Place…

OBSERVER:: Fabulous Caprettos

The Fabulous Caprettos perform at Frankston Arts Centre on Friday, May 22 at 8pm in the Main Theatre.Four legends unite for a night of Australian hits, including Dave Gleeson (The Screaming Jets/The Angels), Rai Thistlethwayte (Thirsty Merc/Joe Satriani/Sammy Hagar/TOTO), Joe Camilleri (The Black Sorrows) and Wendy Matthews (Multi Aria Award Winner) live together as The…