The Actress
The curtain is ready to rise on Lydia Martin's final performance before she retires and is whisked away by her wealthy fiancé to a life of luxury in Switzerland. As Lydia prepares to farewell the stage, her family, friends, rivals, and colleagues descend upon her dressing room to deliver gracious goodbyes and settle past scores. Renowned director Aarne Neeme takes us behind the curtain and into the actors' private world in this Peter Quilter tragicomedy that cleverly explores the roles we play in our own and other's lives as we navigate relationships and the expectations that come with them. At Canberra REP Theatre, various dates and times until May 18. See: canberrarep.org.au. Liz St Clair Long plays Lydia, who she describes as "a happy-sad, complex challenge. She's used to commanding the space, but she's facing the unknown". But it's not all poignant moments. The play sparkles with wit as Lydia spars with her ex-husband (Rob de Fries) and daughter (Kate Harris), both sceptical that she'll be satisfied away from the stage, and uses her razor-sharp tongue to put her agent (Jane Ahlquist) and the company manager (Jazmin Skopal) firmly in their place. Her relationship with her smitten and very rich fiancé (Saban Lloyd Berrell) provides gentle comedy, while the professional intimacy she shares with her dresser (Sally Rynveld) is full of wry moments.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Manning Clark House exhibition
Don't miss the final week of heritage uncovered, an exhibition at Manning Clark House featuring the works of 28 artists from around the region and beyond. Staged as part of the Canberra and Region Heritage Festival, the works include ceramics, sculpture, painting, printmaking, glass, textiles, photography, drawing, jewellery, metalwork and assemblage. Tours of the house are also being held as part of the festival program, and will continue throughout the year. Visitors can climb up to the study and see where Manning Clark wrote the six volumes of his History of Australia. See the exhibition until May 12 at Manning Clark House, 11 Tasmania Circle, Forrest, Wednesday to Sunday from 11am-2pm. Visit https://www.manningclark.org.au/events for more information.
New at Beaver
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists' Our Beautiful Art Room features soft sculptures from an art centre enterprise in Alice Springs, giving voice and opportunity to many members of the community to express their creativity and diversity. An array of animals and figures have been brought into being using an extensive range of materials from recycled woollen bush blankets and fabric dyed with local Arrernte plants to hand painted fabrics, embellished with wool and cotton. Several works are adorned with feathers enhancing their colourful and flamboyant personalities. Kirrily Hammond's paintings and works on paper in Noctilucent depict an intersection between landscapes of the imagination and those physically experienced by the artist. The works depict, predominantly, European skies and landscapes created in response to Hammond's time living with her family in Denmark. Both exhibitions are on until May 18. See: beavergalleries.com.au.
Eurovision at the NFSA
The Eurovision Song Contest is coming up and the National Film and Sound Archive has a big weekend planned. On Saturday May 11 at 6pm will be a live recording of the podcast Aussievision hosted by Mike Jones and Dale Roberts, with special guests, sizing up this year's competition - favourites, top contenders and dark horses - and making their predictions before of the grand final. There will be live music performances by Eurovision - Australia Decides finalist and winner of The Voice in 2016, Alfie Arcuri and Canberra's Indie Rock party people ARCHIE. Then on Sunday May 12 at 6pm, the Eurovision Grand Final telecast in Arc Cinema will be streamed with bingo, bubbles on arrival and costume prizes. Both events will be in Arc Cinema. For more information and bookings, see: nfsa.gov.au.
Musicals in Concert
From The Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables to Guys & Dolls and South Pacific, The World of Musicals in Concert presents a wide selection of classic songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Rodger and Hammerstein, and many others. It's on at the Canberra Theatre on Sunday, May 5 at 6pm. See: canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
Ron Cerabona
As arts reporter I am interested in and cover a wide range of areas - film, visual art, theatre and music, among others - to tell readers about what's coming and happening in the vibrant and varied world of the arts in Canberra. Email: ron.cerabona@canberratimes.com.au
As arts reporter I am interested in and cover a wide range of areas - film, visual art, theatre and music, among others - to tell readers about what's coming and happening in the vibrant and varied world of the arts in Canberra. Email: ron.cerabona@canberratimes.com.au
