Theatre Review: Retrograde

The Production: Retrograde by Ryan Calais Cameron

The Company: Melbourne Theatre Company

The Theatre: The Fairfax Studio at the Arts Centre

Runtime: 90 minutes

Until 27 June

Stars: 4

This is an uncomfortable play, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does get you thinking. It also makes you grateful for how far we have come as people. We're not perfect, but things have improved somewhat. 

But sheesh. This one is a tough one - good, but a hard watch at times. 

The blurb on the MTC website reads "It’s the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood, fueled by big money and heady ambition. Paranoia simmers beneath the surface and McCarthyism casts a shadow of fear. A young Sidney Poitier arrives at a television studio with a career-defining opportunity on the table. All that stands between him and a breakout lead role is a signature on a contract – or so he thinks. When the network’s fast-talking lawyer begins firing loaded questions, and the screenwriter’s loyalty to Poitier is called into question, the meeting takes a sinister turn, and the cost of ambition becomes alarmingly clear."

A wordy blurb for a wordy play - but it was very good. Uncomfortably good. 

The performances were excellent. Alan Dale will always be Jum Robinson from Neighbours to me, but he's great as Mr Parks, the skeezy lawyer who's out to trap Poitier. Some of his lines make your skin crawl. (Hard to believe that he's turning 80 next year). 

Josh McConville is also great as Poitier's friend, Bobby, who's introducing Poitier to the lawyer in the hopes of advancing both of their careers. He's a man with a conscience but is also wracked with the knowledge that by implicating people as communists, his life could be financially better off. 

But this play belongs to newcomer Donne Ngabo, an Australian actor fresh out of WAAPA. He's fabulous as Sidney Poitier, a young actor at the time who's ultimately blacklisted for not playing the game. He's going to be one to watch - stoic, quiet, with great stage presence, the final 15 minutes have him exploding - brilliant. 

I keep mentioning that this isn't a comfortable watch, due to the themes. The racism, the privilege grate heavily. I had to keep reminding myself that this was set in 1950s America. This is what makes this so effective. That and Bert La Bonte's direction, which slowly amplifies the action over the 90 minutes of the action. The set leans into all of this as well. My one small criticism is the amount of smoke in the 

I now also want to go learn more about Sidney Poitier's early life and Paul Robeson, among others mentioned in the play.

Retrograde gives you a lot to think about. It's very good. Powerful stuff. 

But I think I'm ready for something fluffy now - Prima Facie last night, Retrograde tonight... I think I need a beach read play now. 

Today's song: 

Theatre Review: Prima Facie

The Play: Prima Facie by Suzie Miller

The Theatre: The Comedy Theatre, Exhibition Street

Runtime: 90 minutes

Until 31 May

Stars: 5

You have to love AI. I asked it to find me the review I did for Prima Facie a couple of years ago - and it came up with the goods. February 2023 at the Fairfax Studio. Brilliant. I remember the play well. You don't forget this one. 

Everything I said about this play stands. You can read my original review here. 

Three years on, everything still stands. 

In this limited run at the Comedy Theatre, Sheridan Harbridge takes on the role of Tessa Ensler once again - in a larger auditorium. Gone is the intimacy of the 400-seater amphitheatre. Tonight, the Comedy Theatre, which seats around 1000, was all but full. 

Harbridge once again wove her magic over this incredibly important play. 

It's been three years since I saw this. Tonight's performance was just as fresh as the last time - if anything, tonight's performance was more nuanced than what I remember from three years ago - her movements subtler, more refined. Some of her diatribes were softer, but this made the message clearer. 

I found tears welling at the very end. The play has that effect. 

There was also a well-deserved standing ovation from most of the audience. 

This time, I think the play hit home even more. One in three women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. That fact remains. One in a hundred will take the complaint to the police. Sexual assault has very low conviction rates. Nothing has changed. Rape is prosecuted in courts and often it's the victims who are all but put on trial. 

This in a week where three teenage boys repeated raped two teenage girls, filming them all the while. They were guilty. They had irrefutable evidence. The boys were sentenced to non-custodial sentences, which are now being reviewed. The judge said in his findings, that he didn't want to further criminalise the boys, seeing they were minors.  

There has been an unprecedented outcry. And rightly fucking so. 

Still, at the end of the 90 minutes of this play, once again, I was on my feet applauding this incredible play and the tour de force that is Sheridan Harbridge. 

The play has also been turned into a book. If you miss this, the book is just as good. 

I'm honoured to have seen this again. It's too important to no witness. 

Today's song: 

Dev Card: The Reverse Bucket List

 One of the not so good things about having a low-grade case of the morbs is you don't see the good in things, even though you know they're there. Thankfully the depression is passing, but this Dev Card came just at the right time. I've had a day in front of the spreadsheets and something that's easy to write is good. 

The card I pulled reads " Write a reverse bucket list. A list of everything you have already achieved and experienced."

Again, having the morbs means that I'm not in the most positive frames of mind - but this might help. 

It will be in dot points. 

Here we go. 

Stuff I've achieved and experienced. Not a definitive list. 

• I've earned a Master's degree. 
• And a Bachelor's degree.
• I write everyday. It's twaddle, but I do it every day. 
• I've been to more than 17 countries. 
• I've travelled extensively, and mostly by myself. I love to travel. 
• I got out of Adelaide... and never went back. 
• I managed to lose my virginity - 16-year-old me never thought that would happen. 
• I own a cat. 
• I have friends
• I'm well read. 
• I've solvent and debt free. 
• I can leg press 160 kilograms (that was my top weight tonight - 12 reps)
• I've kept myself gainfully employed throughout life in work I generally enjoy (Long may that remain)
• I normally read at least a book a week
• I'm arty in the nicest possible way. 
• I've been to see the Taj Mahal
• And Nitmiluk Gorge (Katherine Gorge)
• And Milford Sound in the New Zealand South Island
• I've overcome my fear of magpies. I'm still wary of them, but the maggies at home are okay. We say hello to each other now. 
• I've had a gym membership for over 20 years - and it still gets used 2-4 times a week. 
• I have fallen in love
• I read tarot cards well
• Animals love me - I love them, but animals are the best
• I'm good at starting arguments from 10 kilometres away. 
• I have looked after my body well - thanks to the gym and reasonably clean living. 
• I've lived on a Greek Island for a bit. 
• And illegally in England for a number of years. 
• I've stopped worrying about what people think about me
• And I'm learning to ask for help, when needed.

I know there's more that I've done - but this will do for the moment. I can tell myself life isn't that bad. 

Today's song: 

Mango Chutney

I'm not an Aldi shopper. I don't trust myself not to come out with ski gear, a cheeseboard and a winch. 

Also, sometimes, you want something, and it just isn't there. 

Case in point. I made a chickpea curry the other day - it's really just souped-up dahl. It's nice - thanks to Nagi at Recipe Tin Eats. I followed the recipe. All good. I got some rice to go with it. All good as well. But it needs a bit of jzushing  - some livening up. A bit of pizzaz. Some thing that cuts through the legumeness of the whole thing. 

This is where mango chutney comes in. A bit of tang - a bit of sweet. Perfect. 

Does Aldi stock mango chutney - preferably Sharwoods, if not then Beerenbergs or Pataks is fine. Yes, I'm a mango chutney snob - years of living in England will do that to you. 

Regardless, I did a lap of Aldi, avoiding the junkies, scouring the aisles, looking high and low for this wonderful condiment. 

Aldi, well my Aldi, down at Junkie Central as the small shopping centre is often referred to due to its proximity to the safe injecting room, does not stock mango chutney. 

Oh well. It's on the shopping list for tomorrow when I know I've got a choice at Coles.

And in the meantime, I found some Quandong Chutney, a gift from the hotel in Darwin, at the back of the fridge. It did the job, but it's not the same. 

Today's song: 

Movie Review: Power Ballad

 Movie Number 21 of 2026

The Movie: Power Ballad

The Cinema: Hoyts Victoria Gardens

Runtime: One hour 38 minutes

Opens Thursday 28 May

Stars: An easygoing 4

Two questions. Does Paul Rudd actually age? And is there anything Paul Rudd can't do? These are valid questions because, firstly, Paul Rudd and I are the same age - but he looks incredible - and yes, he doesn't look as you as he did when he played the brother in Clueless, but he's doing bloody well. And secondly, this bloke can sing! Power Ballad is just is style. 

Watching this, I thought of a couple of things. Firstly, it reminded me of The Wedding Singer, without Adam Sandler's sense of humour. But this was still fun. It also reminded me of The Commitments, but without the soul. Ah yes, big surprise - most of this film is set in Ireland. 

The film starts in Dublin. Rick (Paul Rudd) is the lead singer in a wedding band. He used to be a semi-famous rock star in the 80's, then he fell in love, stayed in Ireland with his wife and child and he stopped writing songs and became a wedding singer. His band, including his best mate, Sandy (Peter McDonald), is his ultimate wing man. The boys in the band are under no illusions - they're wedding singers and they get on with it. They're middle aged. They wear reading glasses, need their sleep and are prone to act up on occasion. 

At a large wedding Rick meets Danny (Joe Jonas) a washed-up boy band singer. After getting up on stage with the band, Rick and Danny bond, and after a lot of alcohol and heart bearing, they have a song writing session - Rick offering Danny his advice, before playing him a song he's been working on for 15 years. The two part as friends. 

Six months later, while out shopping, Rick hears his song playing in the local shopping centre. The song is everywhere. Rick is rightly pissed. He tries to get to talk to Danny through his skeezy manager, Mac (Jack Reynor) with no luck. By this time, his marriage is under strain, he's been kicked out of the band and his daughter thinks he's crazy. It's only then that Rick does the last thing possible and goes to L.A. to seek out the now famous Danny. 

Power Ballad is a feel-good story about music, self-respect, friendship, and the price of ambition. Coming from the pen of John Carney, the writer of the incredible Once, Begin Again and Sing Street, all songs about music, set in Ireland, he knows what he's doing. Carney also directed this little gem. 

And the soundtrack, mostly performed by Rudd and the band, is great. The song that he and Danny co-create isn't too bad either. For me, the staple covers done by the band were on point. 

I really enjoyed this. This had enough fun, music and heart to keep my happy. 

Look out for it when it comes onto a streaming station in the not-too-distant future. It's great Friday night fodder. 

Today's song: 

Sunday Stealing is Artificial

 I'm getting these out of the way late on Saturday night after a great day of excellent theatre. I saw an alternative version of Pride and Prejudice - one of the funniest things I've seen in ages. Pride and Prejudice, funny? Maybe you had to be there, but this small Australian theatre company did a very good job. 

For the Americans here, we don't have Memorial Day. I gather this is when people can start wearing white trousers again - I've heard this from the movies. We have a public holiday for the Monarch's birthday in a few week. It's strange not to call it the Queen's Birthday holiday. It will be strange if we ever become a republic not to have this day off. 

Anyway, here are this week's questions, brought by Sunday Stealing, as always. 

1) What freedom are you most grateful for?

I'm Australian. We're watching what's going on in America with a lot of amazement. We're left scratching our heads as to how some of the laws that are going through are getting through. Our system is nowhere near perfect, but sheesh. 

Anyway, here are some freedoms that I have over that I am truly grateful for:

• I have the freedom to choose how I want my reproductive organs to be managed. No man can tell me that I can't have a hysterectomy, or my tubes tied or heavens, terminate a pregnancy. My body, my choice. It's nobody else's business. 
• I have the freedom, if I am terminally ill with limited time left, and being of sound mind, m to choose to end my life painlessly, and with dignity. 
• I am free to wear what I want, when I want. 
• I am free to drive a vehicle, by myself. 
• I'm free to have my own bank accounts. 
• I'm free to vote for who I choose. 
• I'm free not to marry. 
  
• I'm free to write and say what I want, when I want (*with the exception of hate speech - and why would I want to do that anyway). 
• I'm free to travel when I want, where I want .
• I'm free to work. 
• I'm free to have a decent education. 

Want me to go on? 

2) What book are you currently reading?

I'm currently between the sublime and the ridiculous. On audiobook (I count this as reading) I'm listening to Susan Choi's incredible novel Flashlight. I can see why it was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. 

On paper, I've just started Steve Toltz's A Rising of the Lights. I've not really got into it yet. His A Fraction of the Whole is incredible. (Australian author). 

On my kindle, I'm having a lot of fun reading Jilly Cooper's novel, Rivals. It's fun. As I've been a bit low, it's good to read something that bolsters the spirits. 

3) What have you been listening to?

I don't count audiobooks as listening, more reading. But I've been listening to some 80s and 90s alternative playlists, a lot of Talking Heads, Imagine Dragons and The Pixies and a bit of Yann Teirsen - he's great to work too. 

Yann Teirsen - he wrote the soundtrack for the movie Amelie. Very French. Good for the neurodiverse mind. 

4) What shows or movies have you been watching?

Movie recommendation - The Sheep Detectives. It's brilliant! I also saw Jodie Foster's French film last weekend, A Private Life. It's not bad. Her French is amazing. 

The two things to write home about on the streaming channels - Margo's got Money Troubles on Apple TV is very cool. 

And don't get me started on Rivals (which is streaming on Disney). It's a bonkbuster and it is most wonderful, even if they are drip-feeding us the episodes. I'm definitely on Team Freddie and Lizzie. 

Today's song: 

Theatre Review: Pride and Prejudice

The Play: Pride and Prejudice - novel by Jane Austen, adapted by the Bloomshed Theatre 

The Theatre: The Merlyn Theatre at The Malthouse

Runtime: 90 minutes

Until: 23 May

Stars: 4.75

This is possibly one of the best, and funniest, bits of theatre I've seen in years. Absolutely and utterly wonderful. And to think that I would have missed it, if not for the box office staff being able to reprint my ticket. When they handed over the replacement, I was told I was in for a treat. 

It was exactly that. 

This was an absolute corker of a production. Funny. Deeply satirical. On point. Engaging. Critical at just the right level and a brilliant farce, I wish I could see this again Unfortunately, tonight is the last night of the run - it's also sold out. Still, this afternoon I was treated to an absolute gem. It's been advertised as a story of housing insecurity - which when you think about it - it is. 

For those who don't know the story of Austen's best-known novel, Mr Bennet (played by a Ficus in varying levels of health) and Mrs Bennet (Emily Carr) have five daughters and seriously need to get them married off, as on Mr Bennet's demise, they are going to be out on their ear. The house will fall into the hands of the odious Mr Collins (Sid Brisbane). 

The daughters sort of run to their descriptions in the book. Jane (Anna Louey) is the pretty one, who soon forms and attachment to Mr Bingley (John Marc Desengano). The witty, wise Lizzie (Elizabeth Brennan) has a love/hate relationship with Mr Darcy (James Jackson). Slutty Lydia (Laura Aldous) wins a wet petticoat contest and ensnares the terrible life choice that is Mr Wickham (Lauren Swain). Mary, (also Lauren Swain) is normally the forgotten one - she's turned into a gun toting emo lesbian, to great effect. And Kitty (Syd Brisbane's other alter ego) is the much-maligned Kitty. 

If you're a fan of the book, and not too precious about the text, you'd adore this. 

What Bloomshed have done is take this story, add some physical theatre and cabaret elements, put in some up-to-date references about the Australian housing market and you've got this wonderful show. 

Set on what looks like a big wedding cake, Savanna Wegman's set is perfect for this laugh a minute show. Being a collective, the company have directed this show among themselves to great effect. I loved the physicality of the production - the actors' movements, the dancing (and twerking) the fast paced-nature of the whole thing was amazing. 

For me, the best scene was the one with Lady Catherine De Burgh (once again, John Marc Desengano) where they all had tea. Tea was brought in on a small table, with an urn, paper cups, tea bags and a family pack of Arnott's biscuits. I nearly wet myself over the five-minute scene - so relatable, yet so funny. Maybe you had to be there. 

As the season finished tonight at the Malthouse, I can't say go and find a ticket for this. It toured Canberra, Darebin and Geelong late last year. I just know that this was thoroughly enjoyable. 

I'll be keeping my eye out for more Bloomshed theatre productions. They're wonderful. Wow. 

Today's song: