Observer

OBSERVER: John’s Pops Were Tops

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

It was Christmas time and the once a year time for John Foreman’s Australian Pops Orchestra to perform a mix of their various Christmas and New Year themed recitals as part of their regular 10-day Holiday Concerts. Something they have specialised in for many years.Whether it be at Hamer Hall, the Melbourne Recital Centre or…

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OBSERVER: City Gallery

City Gallery announces On The Street Where I Live: Viva Gibb’s portrait of North and West Melbourne, a landmark exhibition celebrating the work of Melbourne artist and social documentary photographer Viva Jillian Gibb (1945–2017).Opening March 12, this exhibition, curated by Savannah Smith of the City of Melbourne’s Art and Heritage Collection team, marks the largest…

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OBSERVER: Teddy Bear’s Picnic

During early summer there was an air of mystery hanging over the St Kilda Botanical Gardens as parents and little ones were challenged with solving who had kidnapped Bobby the Bear.The Melbourne Shakespeare Company brought the Annual Teddy Bear’s Picnic to the historic gardens with a talented cast of five each playing various characters, as…

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OBSERVER: Written On Stone

What would you expect to see on a gravestone? Perhaps a heartfelt message of love for the deceased, along with the usual dates and names.Queensland author Julie Holland (pictured) has a different take on gravestones, having discovered the American tradition of gravestone recipes, and that tradition takes centre stage in her latest novel, Written On…

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OBSERVER: Drawing Program

Artist and educator Belinda Wilson is inviting adults to explore the art of life drawing through Drawing Together, an eight-week program designed to foster creativity and social connection.Commencing Wednesday, February 11, at Kingston Arts Centre, the program offers participants the opportunity to work from a professional live model in a relaxed studio environment.All skill levels…

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OBSERVER: Bek’s belated award

Musical theatre performer Bek Chapman was thrilled to be nominated for Best Supporting Performer in a Female Presenting Role by the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria, for her role as Magda in Beaumaris Theatre’s production of Ladies in Black.Unfortunately, Bek became ill and could not attend the special MTGV gala event held at Camberwell Grammar…

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OBSERVER: Love, Lies and What I Wore

Heidelberg Theatre Company presents Love, Loss and What I Wore from February 13 – 28 at Heidelberg Theatre, 36 Turnham Ave., Rosanna.Written by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron from the book by Ilene Beckerman, Heidelberg Theatre Company’s production is directed by Catherine Christensen.Love, Loss, and What I Wore is described as ‘a heartfelt celebration of…

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OBSERVER: Stable Confusion

Curated by Liquid Architecture, music group Worlds Only and artists and technologists Junior Major, present Stable Confusion on February 13 from 7pm at Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall.Smashing sound and live visuals into an electrifying experience, Stable Confusion is said to push perception to its limits, where human intuition clashes with machine logic.As Worlds…

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OBSERVER: Songs of the Bulbul

British-Indian dancer and choreographer Aakash Odedra’s award-winning solo show Songs of Bulbul will be presented at Arts Centre Melbourne from February 3-7.Winner of the Best Show Award at Edinburgh International Festival, this solo dance piece brings together the art of Kathak dance and Sufi storytelling to create a dialogue between intense physicality and a spiritual…