Le Grand Cirque to dazzle Melbourne

Tuesday 23 November 2010, 11:24 AM
By The Team | Posted in Events

Le Grand Cirque will visit Melbourne for the very first time this summer as part of an extensive international tour. Seen by millions of people around the world Le Grand Cirque is an extraordinary and thrilling combination of classic and innovative group acrobatics and white-knuckle stunts.

We were lucky enough to get our hands on photographs from the show set to dazzle Melbourne and we think you’ll agree, this is shaping up to be one jaw-dropping spectacular.

Le Grand Cirque runs from 30 December – 23 January at the Regent Theatre. Tickets are on sale now and selling fast (we think they’d make a nice addition to the Christmas stocking).

Phillip Escoffey: where Scully meets Mulder

Friday 24 September 2010, 3:52 PM
By The Team | Posted in Events

Phillip Escoffey is one heck of a showman. He teases. He torments. He troubles our senses of reason and tricks us mercilessly. And we eat it all up with glee, thoroughly entertained as he twists our beliefs and disbeliefs about in confusing combinations.

Escoffey walks a fascinating tightrope as he makes a show of dispelling myths about psychic powers while pulling off all manner of psychic stunts – predictions, mind-reading, tarot cards and more.

He performs with such aplomb we became a little concerned about the welfare of the goats at the nearby Royal Melbourne Show. But it’s okay, Escoffey’s show focuses on the lighter side of psychic phenomena – friendly old playing cards, for example – and steers well clear of spooky ouija boards and unseemly US military activities.

But is he really psychic? Probably not. But see – there’s the word ‘probably’! For most of us in the room, Escoffey did one particular thing that defied explanation – and that made us doubt our doubt. And that’s the beauty of his show.

This is a guy who waves his hands in front of your eyes while telling you to watch closely. Who very helpfully explains how he performs some of his psychic ‘feats’ while simultaneously casting doubt on his own explanations.

Us humans are so good at suspending our disbelief that we’ll do it even when we’re being told not to.

Why? Perhaps for the same reason Scully followed Mulder around all those years – because believing is more fun.

Phillip Escoffey – Six More Impossible Things Before Dinner is at the Arts Centre until Sunday 3 October. Presented as part of Melbourne Fringe

Bare Witness: experiences of photojournalists

Thursday 23 September 2010, 4:07 PM
By The Team | Posted in Events

They say the first casualty of war is the truth. An old tin box contains a collection of photos and reveals bittersweet memories as photojournalist, Danny Hills, confronts the truths in her own life and in her profession.

Bare Witness gives us a glimpse into the lives of five foreign correspondents who work in multiple war zones, using their cameras to reflect the realities of conflict as a portal to the outside world.

Starring Daniela Farinacci (Lantana), Danny tells her story directly to the audience through a series of photos 011 to 01. Each reveals an insight into her life at the time from the beginning of her career to what we imagine to be the end.

Starting as a fashion photographer, tired with the frivolities of snapping Fashions on the Field, Danny meets enigmatic frontline photographer, Jack Stewart who inspires her to join him in Sarajevo. Wanting simply to take great pictures, this is her first visit to a combat zone.

We discover that life on the frontline is exhilarating, heartbreaking and morally suspect. War correspondents flock to the local bar, drinking to forget, pondering the futility of what they do while sealing a bond that will last them for a lifetime.

Using a bare stage, the powerful script by Mari Lourey is brought to life through a stellar cast; distilled with a mixture of multimedia, live music and physical theatre. Clapping represents both the click of the camera shutter and the spray of gun fire.

Bare Witness is deeply relevant to the world we live in and provides a rare insight into the complex motivations of the people in the frontline. This highly charged and original work is a visceral experience that will change the way you look at the daily news.

You can see Bare Witness at fortyfivedownstairs until Sunday 26 September. Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 concession.