Observer

OBSERVER: Red

Sunday, November 30, 2025

Directed by Iain Sinclair, John Logan’s Red crafts a compelling narrative based on a true event. In 1958, the artist Mark Rothko, played by Dylan Smith, was commissioned to paint murals for the famed New York eatery, the Four Seasons.On his first day as Rothko’s new assistant, played by Jordan Briggs, is instructed to observe…

Observer

OBSERVER: Sisters In Crime

Dr Sandra Thom-Jones, the winner of Sisters in Crime’s 32nd Scarlet Stiletto Awards first prize ($2000 plus the trophy), was always told that “autistic people can’t write fiction because we’re not imaginative or creative”.Thom-Jones, who had previously won several awards in the national women’s short story competition, has well and truly proved those nay-sayers wrong…

Observer

OBSERVER: Rourke’s Reviews

Nuremberg(M). 148 minutes. Opens in cinemas December 4.Apart from one strong performance, this latest examination of the Nuremberg trials is a major disappointment, relying too much on slick presentation and hoary cliches, turning what should be an engrossing and disturbing drama into something barely passable and totally superficial.Based on Jack El-Hai’s non-fiction book, The Nazi…

Observer

OBSERVER: Revolt She Said, Revolt Again

Wit has done it again at the Bluestone Church Arts Space with a rarely performed work, this time by Alice Birch, an English award winning playwright and screenwriter for film and TV.A feminist play, Revolt She Said, Revolt Again, actually commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company being first performed in 2014, at The Other Place,…

Observer

OBSERVER: Nihilistic Optimism On Trampoline

In a classic example of youthful exuberance being trumped by poor stagecraft, Nihilistic Optimism On Trampolines started from an interesting premise. Unfortunately, however, the premise was realised in a cumbersome fashion that dissatisfied.The play was set in two contrasting worlds; one world was that of a group of disaffected employees of a modern day trampoline…

Observer

OBSERVER: Midsumma launch

Last week we witnessed the big reveal of 2026 Midsumma Festival, Victoria’s premier festival of LGBTQIA celebrated through arts and culture January 18 – February 8 at BMW Edge Theatre and coinciding with Transgender Awareness Month. Victoria, both city and regional, will host over 200 events in over 150 venues.Djirri Djirri dancers opened with welcome…

Observer

OBSERVER: Midsumma Festival

The Midsumma Festival 2026 program is now live and tickets are on sale. From January 18 – February 8, over 250 events showcasing queer culture will be presented, featuring local, interstate, and international artists in spectacular performances, talks and social events, bringing a kaleidoscope of preeminent queer arts and cultural festivities.The 2026 Festival features a…

Observer

OBSERVER: Local Theatre Report

The 1812 Theatre: Rhinestone Rex and Miss Monica, Until December 6 at The 1812 Theatre, 3 Rose St., Upper Ferntree Gully. Director: Chris and Libby Procter. Bookings: 1812theatre.com.au 9758 3964.Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Company: Sister Amnesia’s Country Western Nunsense Jamboree (book, lyrics and music by Dan Goggin) Until December 6 at the Lilydale Mechanics’ Institute, Castella…