What a show!

I like to discover new & different things to do around the city. Whether it is exhibition or amateur theatre I don't much mind, but there is nothing like live performance. Tonight we saw a show which was AMAZING! It blew me away like now show has done before. It didn't have elaborate sets or a 'Stella' cast (although the legend Paul Capsis is pretty 'Stella' to me), but it pushed boundaries and was a journey of creative expression towards the role of women.

The Burlesque Hour LEGENDS! presented by Finucane & Smith and fortyfivedownstairs was in the depths of the city. Down and down into the basement of fortyfivedownstairs we travelled to open the door to a spacious area which resembled a Vietnamese theatre circa 1960's.

The woman of the show were in deed stars, however the special guest was Paul Capsis. He always impresses me, but tonight. I have never, never heard, felt, been drawn in by him like this. His talent is mind boggling.

The rest of the show was just a brilliant. I admit that I might have looked too deep for the meaning behind some of the performances, but I got so much out of what was being 'said' or applied at least. The bent and twisted numbers by Moria Finucane were challenging and jaw dropping. The female symbols and stereotypes which she presented in an alternate universe where woman are strong, sexual, sadistic without solace, left me stunned - brilliant.

Favourite moment was Yumi Umiumare as a business woman, standing, elegant, typical, cultured. Twisted by the image needed to proceed in a man's corporate world; tearing up inside, a beast trying to get out, anxious, sick to her stomach - literally until she vomited on stage. WOW!

Furry little monsters

I have been waiting years to see Avenue Q and it was worth the wait. After listening to the Original Broadway Soundtrack over and over, it was great to actually see how the songs actually fit into the story line. It is such a funny show - one of those things where it is politically incorrect to laugh, but you do anyway because it's true.

The crowd was very young, bit of a uni student feel - maybe that was just because it was mid-week, but that added to the raw feel of the show (even though it was pretty slick). Of course Trekkie Monster stole the show.

We had dinner at Seamstress beforehand - wow. Amazing food. I had been there for lunch before, but don't think I ordered correctly that day because what we ate was brilliant. The dishes are sorted into small, medium, large & x-large sizes are a contemporary Australasian perspective to traditional Cantonese cuisine, with some innovative South East Asian influences.

Dessert was just before the show at Oyster. I had been wanting to try this place for months, but because I'm not a 'fan' of oysters, there wasn't much point. Surprisingly the dessert selection was bigger then expected and decadent!

Superheros are go!

We spend the night with the MSO Pops for a night with Superheros.

"Following the "out of this world" Space Classics experience in 2008, the MSO wears its undies on the outside for a concert event that is more super than superannuation, more heroic than a trip on a peak-hour tram. Your spidey sense will be tingling like mad when Superheroes With The Symphony brings you unforgettable music from the silver screen adventures of those super-heroic beings who spend all day saving civilisation (as we know it). Under the baton of the Maestro with Special Powers, Anthony Inglis, this concert really is more powerful than a locomotive."

Of course this is a great way to introduce people who are not normally interested in Classical music, to a night at the symphony. I was a little disappointed with the obscure selection of the first half, but the second was great with themes from Superman, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones & James Bond.

As I'm 'saving my pennies' a little at the moment, I did buy the cheapest seats and we ended up being up on the side of the orchestra which was a really interesting perspective. Unfortunately the sound was dominated by the Brass & Percussion sections, so after intermission we 'sneaked' down to the Stalls where there were many empty seats.

More Eurovision

It is always around this time of the year when the Eurovision contest happens and I become completely obsessed with many of the songs. I had to share my favourites from this year!