Reviews Archives - FIFTY+SA

Review | The Boy Who Loved Dolls by John A. Scott

Dave Bradley — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:57:25 +0000

A Gothic psychological tale of hidden agendas, obsession and deception, set in the world of film and art.

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Commentary | State Theatre’s bold new play tackles cancel culture head-on

Dave Bradley — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:06:33 +0000

Ash Flanders' Adelaide-set drama is audacious, uncomfortable and utterly compelling. It's the kind of theatre that stays with you.

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Into the Woods | A dark, Oedipal take on Sondheim’s classic

David Jobling — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 04:51:42 +0000

State Opera South Australia's production reimagines Into the Woods through the lens of Greek tragedy, with stunning results.

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State Opera’s Hansel and Gretel is a visual and vocal triumph

David Jobling — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 04:46:40 +0000

State Opera South Australia's Golden Jubilee production subverts storybook clichés with striking design and an extraordinary cast.

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Theatre Review: ANASTASIA

Dr Diana Carroll — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 03:43:16 +0000

ANASTASIA the Musical has arrived at the Festival Theatre after charming the audiences in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. The show premiered on Broadway back in 2017 and has won many international awards. That was preceded by the 1997 animated Anastasia with Meg Ryan voicing the title role. This production, by Crossroads Live and Opera Australia, is a delight with its beautiful costumes, impressive sets and projections, and plenty of glitz and glamour. Admittedly it is rather far removed from the actual historical events of the Romanovs, but therein lies its appeal. It is a modern fairytale and a gentle romance,

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Book Review: Once We Were Wildlife

Dave Bradley — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 04:30:41 +0000

NSW-based author Simpson’s latest isn’t as frightening or apocalyptic as her recent The Last Woman In The World or The Thinning, although these eleven mysteriously interconnecting short stories can definitely be difficult and troubling. Seemingly presenting a series of ends (a relationship, motherhood, innocence, complacency, life itself), this kicks off with the simple but stinging ‘The Wash’, before the unsettling ‘Poached’, and the deeply moving ‘The Great Walk’, which strays into surprising territory in more ways than one. The epic and almost tragic ‘Once, We Were Wildlife’ (note the comma) is a near-novella and very much the longest tale here,

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Theatre Review: Oliver!

Dr Diana Carroll — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 10:46:16 +0000

A joyous night with Oliver, Fagin, and the Artful Dodger Marie Clark Musical Theatre’s Oliver! is a perfect example of Adelaide’s vibrant community theatre scene. Rich with energy, warmth and heart, this polished production embraces the timeless appeal of Lionel Bart’s beloved musical and showcases the talent and dedication of everyone involved. At the centre of this excellent show is Adam Goodburn’s outstanding performance as Fagin, the corrupt but charismatic leader of the children’s gang of thieves. Goodburn brings wit, charm, and a wonderful feeling of theatrical flair to the role, while also revealing the character’s more vulnerable side, playing

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Book review: The Land and Its People

Staff Writer — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 05:22:13 +0000

New Yorker David Sedaris’ 16th book is another collection of personal essays, with explorations of some of his favourite topics, the most prevalent of which is this whole damn getting-older thing. With much snarky self-criticism, Sedaris again delves into the many relationships in his admittedly privileged life: his experiences with his partner Hugh (they’ve been together for some 35 years); his complex connections to his siblings; and the lingering legacy of his late Dad Lou, with whom he had a deeply unhealthy bond. The first piece, Care And Feeding, is about the troubles the author endured when Hugh was dramatically

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Adelaide Cabaret Festival Review: Po Po Mo Co Best Bits Spectacular

Dave Bradley — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 01:53:40 +0000

The ‘femme queer clown’ quartet Po Po Mo Co (as in ‘Post Post Modern Comedy’) began their show with no introductions and no explanations, just an amusingly awkward warning that there was going to be nudity. And yes, there was too. And quite a lot of it. Running through an hour-long collection of their best bits (hence that title) from the last 10 years, this featured many musical numbers, all of which were, shall we say, a little weird. After a sort-of-mime set to Baby Bash’s Suga Suga, they then leapt into a bizarro take on 4 Non Blondes’ beloved

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Adelaide Cabaret Festival review: Haus Of Dy-lan

Dave Bradley — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 01:49:56 +0000

The San Francisco-born Dylan Adler’s hour-or-so-long show fearlessly touched upon a host of painfully personal themes, all of which hit pretty hard despite his wild, wonderfully raunchy rudeness. Frequently taking to a piano for self-penned and coolly Broadway-infused musical numbers (“That one’s from Hamilton!!!”), Dylan began with some amusingly crude jokes about Adelaide, Grindr, and more, before noting that he recently drunk-Facebook-messaged Seth, his old high school bully. This led into a slew of autobiographical avenues, with memories of coming out (with his also-fabulous twin) to his parents, the intricacies of being “half-Japanese and half-Jewish”, and how therapy has helped

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