Twelfth Night
In Bell Shakespeare's production of this comedy directed by Heather Fairbairn, Viola is shipwrecked and believes her twin Sebastian lost to the ocean. Washed up in a strange new land, determined to survive, she disguises herself as a man named Cesario and finds work with Duke Orsino, only to fall head over heels in love with him. But Orsino is in love with Olivia, who - grieving for her brother - refuses all offers of romance. Until, that is, she meets Cesario for the first time. It's on at the Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre, various dates and times until October 21, 2023. See: canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
Oklahoma!
The first collaboration of composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist-librettist Oscar Hammerstein II is set at the turn of the 20th century. Its story is backdropped by the passionate rivalry between the farmers and the cowmen and tells of the complicated romance between Laurey (Demi Smith), who lives on her Aunt Eller's (Emma White) ranch and the over confident but good natured Curly (Nathanael Patterson), a cowboy. To add to the complication, Laurey agrees to accompany Jud (Paul Sweeney), the farm hand, to the Box Social. Laurey's good friend, Ado Annie (Emily Pogson) also finds it difficult to make decisions in the matter of love. The songs include People Will Say We're in Love, The Farmer and the Cowman, and I Cain't Say No. Queanbeyan Players' production is on at the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, various dates and times until October 29, 2023. See: theq.net.au.
A Taste of Ireland
After performing more than 200 shows since 2019, A Taste of Ireland - The Irish Music & Dance Sensation returns to Canberra. Featuring Irish dancers, folk musicians and contemporary vocalists the show's live, energetic blend of dance and music transports you through the story of Ireland's tumultuous history. The show is on at the Canberra Theatre on Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 7.30pm. See: canberratheatrecentre.com.au.
Ben Salter
Over the past 25 years Salter has garnered a dedicated fan base with his increasingly eclectic recorded output, where elements of indie-rock, folk, jazz, electronica and more all coalesce. He is coming to Canberra on his Sublimation tour joined by multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter Jethro Pickett who'll help flesh out arrangements of songs both new and old from Salter's ever-expanding repertoire. They'll be supported along the way by their friend and neighbour, Warren Mason, songwriter and founder of Tin Camp Studios. The gig is on at Smith's Alternative on Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 7pm. See: smithsalternative.com.
Impro ACT: Duets
A theatrical inquiry into every imaginable type of relationship pairing, from romantic to familial and from collegiate to frenemies, with completely different scenarios presented every night in a duet of different performance formats. Occasional songs arise, because when feelings are involved, it's not always enough to express these with words alone. In Act I, duos expose snapshots of their own unique relationships in conversation; sometimes true, sometimes imagined. In Act II, artistic director of Impro ACT Nick Byrne pairs with a different actor each night to present Unconditional, a single narrative relationship play that is different every time it is performed. It's on at The Street Theatre on October 20, 21, 27 and 28 at 7.30pm. See: thestreet.org.
Murders, mayhem, malevolence and marathon swimming
What to see at the cinema:
Disconnect Me (PG, 87 minutes): Alex Lykos directed and is the subject of this documentary in which he disconnects from his smartphone for 30 days. It examines the effects this has on his life and along the way, he investigates the social impacts of the smartphone and social media, interviewing children, teenagers and adults.
Ford v Holden (E, 104 minutes): Narrated by Shane Jacobson, this feature-length documentary explores the decades-long competition between car manufacturers Ford and Holden.
Killers of the Flower Moon (M, 206 minutes): Director Martin Scorsese's new film is set in 1920s Oklahoma and depicts the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation in what came to be known as the Reign of Terror. It star Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Brendan Fraser and Jesse Plemons.
The Last Night of Amore (M, 122 minutes): This Italian thriller stars Pierfrancesco Favino as an honourable Milanese police lieutenant on the verge of retirement whose spotless record comes undone over the course of one fateful night.
Nyad (CTC): Three decades after giving up marathon swimming in exchange for a prominent career as a sports journalist, at the age of 60, Diana Nyad (Annette Bening) becomes obsessed with completing the 177-kilometre trek from Cuba to Florida and goes on a four-year journey with her best friend and coach Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster) and a dedicated sailing team.
The Origin of Evil (MA15+, 123 minutes): In this French comedy thriller. Stéphane discovers the dysfunctional family around her wealthy, estranged father to be a vipers' nest, all angling for the old man's inheritance and suspicious of the interloper.
Pain Hustlers (M, 122 minutes): Liza Drake, a high-school dropout, lands a job with a failing pharmaceutical start-up in Central Florida. She catapults the company and herself to success, where she soon finds herself at the centre of a criminal conspiracy. Stars Emily Blunt.
