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Review

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Stella is a new musical about the life of Stella Miles Franklin.

Defiant and daring, this new musical takes on the story of a literary giant

Creating a musical from scratch is a difficult and laborious challenge. Stella refuses to set its sights low, and quite rightly.

  • Cameron Woodhead and Tony Way

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Caroline O’Connor in Chicago.

She can make even the smallest role memorable. Sometimes that gets her into trouble

If there are no small parts, only small actors, then stage queen Caroline O’Connor has never had a small part in her life.

  • Cassidy Knowlton
Gabriyel Thomas, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Mackenzie Dunn in waitress.

Starry cast redeems problematic, pie-in-the-sky plot in Waitress

Yes, there’s a squeamish rom-com vibe and a problematic plot in this Broadway musical - but don’t let that put you off.

  • Marcus Teague, Cameron Woodhead, Kelsey Oldham and Sonia Nair
Ruby Henaway, Aurora Liddle-Christie, Taeg Twist and Tehya Makani as The Sapphires.

The Sapphires still sparkle in tuneful revival of the girl-group crowd pleaser

The singing and staging are superb in this new production of a play about First Nations sisters who found respect entertaining troops in Vietnam.

  • Nick Dent
Christie Whelan Browne channels Britney Spears in The Age studio.

‘Even today, the cost continues’: Christie Whelan Browne on speaking out

After a spell away from musical theatre, one of Australia’s favourite performers is ready to tread the boards again.

  • Karl Quinn
The Last Ship has a spectacular set and a cast of almost 40.

The Last Ship launches with a Sting in the tale. But is it any good?

Sting’s evocative musical opens in Brisbane starring the man himself, as well as reggae star Shaggy. It’s not all plain sailing.

  • Nick Dent
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The Wu-Tang Clan gig at Rod Laver Arena was messy and chaotic, with flashes of brilliance.

This was supposed to be a Wu-Tang gig – so where were the Wu-Tang Clan?

Although this tour was billed as “all living members, together for the final time”, four members were absent, without explanation.

  • Liam Pieper, Cameron Woodhead and Andrew Fuhrmann
The Book of Mormon at the Princess Theatre.

Wildly silly and littered with obscenity: This show will make you laugh until it hurts

The Book of Mormon remains one of the funniest Broadway musicals of all time, not least because it’s willing to slaughter every sacred cow in sight.

  • Cameron Woodhead
Victorian Opera perform The Pirates of Penzance.

This is about the best version of Pirates of Penzance you could see

Featuring one of the most parodied songs in the English language, this is the most joyous Gilbert and Sullivan work around.

  • Bridget Davies, Nadia Bailey, Andrew Fuhrmann, Jessica Nicholas and Sonia Nair
Claudia Shnier in her one-woman show Split Ends.

Funny, surreal and fierce comedy exposes insidious effects of partner violence

A woman’s love for a vacuum cleaner takes us on a journey into the torment of being caught in an abusive relationship in Split Ends.

  • Sonia Nair, Thuy On and Cameron Woodhead