Fans of the classic Australian movie and those fascinated by costume design, fashion and theatre will love this exhibition.

It is 30 years since the movie started the world dancing .The Strictly Ballroom story began as a short play developed by NIDA students ( with Baz Lurhman himself in it) . The movie has gone on to win 8 AFI and 3 BAFTAS and has become one of Australia’s most successful films ever grossing over 80 million dollars at the box office!  Its soundtrack  includes popular songs Cindy Lauper’s ‘ Time After Time’ and John Paul Young’s ‘ Love Is In The Air ‘.

Just opened at the Powerhouse and  and linked in to the musical currently showing at the Lyric Theatre  ,the small but amazingly bright bold and colourful exhibition is downstairs on Lvl2 . It is immaculately presented and designed.  The exhibition celebrates the sequinned splendour of the iconic stage and screen musical , now regarded as an Australian classic, and tells the ‘Strictly Ballroom’ story through design drawings, cast and set photos, performance and rehearsal clips. But the major highlight is 40 of the original costumes for the movie created by Catherine Martin. The extraordinary detail in some of the ‘larger than life’ costumes is exceptional, some taking hundreds of hours to complete.

As you enter the exhibition from the escalators one of the first things you see are the amazing fluoro ‘Fruity Mambo’ outfits for the new stage version all green frills, ruffles and masses of beading . (what is interesting is to compare the screen and stage versions) . There is also a selection of three Prada outfits Catherine Martin has worn at award ceremonies such as the Oscars.

Throughout the exhibition there are TV screens with edited scenes from the movie running on a loop. There’s fascinating footage of the  original NIDA play plus pictures of the NIDA one and the STC version .There are also notebooks and assorted workbooks used in the establishment of the various characters  and lots of the designs in association with the various costumes.

Three wheeled costume clothes racks are included along with hairpieces , shoes ,jewellery etc .

At various points there are detailed descriptions of the costumes displayed.  For example we learn about  Scott ‘s (Paul Mercurio’s) Matador costume  with its hundreds of hand sewn sequins and the matching Flamenco dress for Fran (Tara Morice) which was hand made by costume designer Angus Strathie’s mother. We learn that for each costume in the movie indications were given about the cut and fabric for dressmaker Nola Lowe and men’s tailor Tony Bonnico and Anthony Phillip . (There is an exquisite white men’s suit for example.)

But it is the huge frothy competition costumes that amaze. You could spend hours poring over the incredible detail in some of the costumes with the beading , fringes, use of feathers etc .Some white , some with feathered shoulders, some fluoro bright ; one is scaly silver sequined like a fish, some with flower /fruit tendril decorations  with a cascading ,flowing line . What is also of interest is the use of layers, various textures etc in the outfits. And how some appeared to be skimpy but had skin coloured inserts where appropriate. Much fun is had with the use of a reflective mirror background and a revolving glitter ball .An enthralling ,dazzling exhibition .

 On View: The Strictly Ballroom story

Dates: From Saturday 5 April 2014 Hours: 10.00am to 5.00pm daily

Address: Powerhouse Museum, 500 Harris Street, Ultimo

Website: www.powerhousemuseum.com