Flying in my gondola

The Pirates of Penzance | The Production Company Written by  Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Saturday, 02 November 2013 07:29 Melbourne has been invaded by pirates. The Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic operetta  The Pirates of Penzance , that is. From the moment the doors open and the seats of Hamer Hall begin to fill, colourfully dressed young men and fair maidens stroll through the isles, interacting with the public as well as each other, whilst a merry bunch of swashbuckling pirates congregates on stage, enticing the observers with what is to come, and that which does come, is great over the top, light and fluffy fun. Though there was little reference to the classic which debuted in 1879, this silly adaptation, mirroring the 1981 Broadway production is one fabulously orchestrated show. From the beautiful costumes, overly dramatic acting (reminiscent of South American soap operas), earth shaking vocals, amazing Orchestra Australia, whimsical set design, spot...

Every Blessed Day (Tutti i Santi Giorni) ‘ Every Blessed Day ’ (Tutti i Santi Giorni), part of the Lavazza Italian Film Festival 2013 , is an intimate albeit left of centre love story, between the highly educated intelligent, generous and soft spoken Guido and the slightly neurotic, ex wild child/singer Antonia.  This unusual Yin-Yang couple, finds a harmonious balance in life, experiencing their everyday events in a unique encapsulated state, weaving through the turmoil and chaos of the rest of the world unfazed and perhaps even perceived as slightly crazy by the people around them.  Guido has the opportunity to work in very economically rewarding jobs both in Italy and abroad, but instead, he is the night clerk at the front desk of a luxury hotel. He enjoys reading his academic books during the quiet hours of the night, which he would not be able to do if he held a “regular” job. Antonia has left behind a tumultuous and erratic singer’s life and the w...

Elixir | Head First Acrobats Written by  Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Friday, 04 October 2013 09:11 The elixir of life is a mythical potion which, when ingested from a specific cup at a precise time, supposedly allows eternal youth to the individual who drinks it. In ancient China, emperors have sought the elixir, Hindu scriptures mention ‘Amrit, the Nectar of Immortality,’ and in 18th century the elixir was on the lips of European nobility who yearned for life extension. It seems the topic of youth and physical stamina has been on humanity’s agenda since the beginning of time, and now in Melbourne, it has resurged via  Elixir , a contemporary circus performance, part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Created and performed by  Thomas Gorham  and  Callan Harris , who play research scientists in a high tech laboratory, conducting trials of a new drug which is sure to invigorate and boost physical endurance in its test subjects. In this case, t...

Alice in Wonderland Written by  Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Friday, 27 September 2013 09:18 Alice in Wonderland , always a favourite among the young and old, the seasoned theatre goers and the wee little ones just being introduced to the fabulous world of ‘pretend.’ This year, Melbourne Fringe offers a lovely adaptation of the Charles Lutwidge Dodgson children’s novel (written under the pseudonym  Lewis Carroll ) playing at The Theatre Husk in Northcote, until the 1st of October. Directed by  James Wardlaw  and starring  Veronica Thomas  and  Philippa Spicer , this version of  Alice premiered at Last Year’s Melbourne Fringe where it was warmly embraced by audiences, and then it had quite a successful run at this year's Melbourne Comedy Festival as well. The Husk is a quaint and intimate theatre, a perfect venue for the  Alice  target audience, whose attention tends to wonder easily. The stage is stark but, it had just en...

Written by Gordana Andjelic-Davila    Friday, 23 August 2013 08:07   After two decades of impressing audiences around the globe, the Brighton, UK and Manhattan-based dance troupe known as Stomp has come back to Australian shores. My first exposure to the troupe was in the US back in 1997, at the Orpheum Theatre, by which time New Yorkers had already enjoyed numerous performances over the years. For me it was all very new. I was impressed by its originality and awestruck from the first matchbox shake. If you have never heard of Stomp , imagine a sort of post apocalyptic junkyard, where its inhabitants or workers have rummaged through the scraps and salvaged such things as large plastic rubbish bins, metal paint buckets, shopping trolleys, rubber tubes, newspapers, etc. After which, these overall clad scruffy individuals perform a mind blowing percussion symphony which varies from Spanish Flamenco-like clapping to Brazilian Samba ...

Indie film director Noah Baumbach, known for his dark humour films such as: ‘The Squid and the Whale’ and ‘Margot at the Wedding,’ has come out with a new cinematic feat, ‘Frances Ha.’ The film features quirky and whimsical actress Greta Gerwig, who plays a young woman in the midst of finding her purpose in life. Frances is 27 years old, living with her from university, Sophie (Mickey Sumner daughter of Sting). The two women share a great affection for one another, which they describe as, “lesbian love without the sex.” So deep-rooted is their friendship, that when Frances’ boyfriend asks her to move in with him, she declines the offer, because of her upcoming rental lease renewal with Sophie. Under the circumstances, the boyfriend dissolves their relationship. Ironically, Sophie decides to take an apartment in the uber pricey Tribeca neighbourhood in Manhattan, which is impossibly out of Frances’ budget. With no boyfriend, apartment-less and her best friend suddenly out of her l...

MUSEUM OF MOTHERHOOD MamaBlogger365 – Mommy’s Wish List by Sue Fabisch POSTED BY  JOY ROSE   ⋅   FEBRUARY 23, 2011 ⋅   1 COMMENT FILED UNDER    MAMABLOGGER365 ,  MOTHERHOOD ,  MUSEUM OF MOTHERHOOD ,  SUE FABISCH It’s inevitable. Around the time of my birthday, Mother’s Day and Hanukkah/Christmas, my kids are walking around wondering, “Gee, what can we get for Mom?” I’m sure they are! But don’t worry kids! I’ve made my own list for you to refer to and for all of these presents combined the cost to you is $0… but to me? Priceless. Mommy’s Wish List: 1)  Feel free to clean your room. Any time, any day. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion. Even just picking up the socks and underwear on the floor would be great. Maybe another day you can pick up stuffed animals. Another day old Chuck E. Cheese toys that never worked anyway. This is a gift that keeps giving all year long… 2)  Don’t leave your dishes in the si...