Flying in my gondola

Written by  Gordana Andjelic-Davila      Friday, 27 March 2015 16:22 Laughter, it's said, is the best medicine. Research has concluded that laughter reduces pain, brings down blood sugar levels and relieves stress. If this is true, then last night’s performances by comedian Russell Peters  and opening act  Gregg Rogell , cured all sorts of ailments, with the exception being sore cheeks. Canadian-Indian comedian  Russell Peters  was born and raised in Toronto, and, according to his recanting, he was clueless as to what career path he should pursue, until one day, he was thinking out loud to a friend, saying that he needed a job which would allow him to sleep all day, and work only a couple of hours in the evening. His friend suggested he become a comedian, so he went for it. Fast forward 26 years,  Peters  has been entertaining packed houses internationally longer than, some of his audience members have been walking the Earth, as he...

The Brunswick Music Festival , nearly three decades old and still one of Australia's most diverse and colourful festivals, has come to town, with many free and ticketed concerts and events, which are sure to impress even the most seasoned festival goer. I was fortunate to experience three (actually four, including Radical Son ) very different shows, which form part of the rich tapestry of the Brunswick Music Festival . Margaret Leng Tan Margaret Leng Tan caught my attention, because of the most unusual musical instrument(s) which she features in her repertoire.  Classically trained, Tan is revered as one of the most formidable pianists in modern music. In 1971 Tan became the first woman to earn a Doctorate in Musical Arts from New York’s Juilliard School. In 1981 Tan met John Cage, an American composer and pioneer of non-standard use of musical instruments, who influenced Tan ’s musical style, and can be credited for her consequent exploration and eventual p...