Tag Archives: Belinda Hodgson

Theatre

BEARFOOT THEATRE’S ‘HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE’ : DYNAMIC THEATRE

I have always admired the director, Barrie Kosky. My admiration started with his King Lear for Bell Shakespeare and grew after his production of Seneca’s Oedipus in 2000 and by the time he had created the epic based on the work of the Roman poet Ovid, The Lost Echo (that I had to go to twice – 16 hours all up) I had become a deeply committed fan.

It wasn’t just because his work was confronting, at times confusing, completely irreverent, bizarre and insightful to the point of genius. It was also his constant questioning of the state of the Arts and how the Arts are viewed here in Australia.

What worried Kosky most about the arts in Australia is that he believed that the bland was denying the erotic and the disturbing. He also expressed a belief that there wasn’t enough dialogue, enough pushing of the boundaries, enough support to experiment and potentially even “fail” without judgement. Continue reading BEARFOOT THEATRE’S ‘HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE’ : DYNAMIC THEATRE →

Theatre

PAPER CUT COLLECTIVE PRESENTS HELLO, STRANGER

Hello, Stranger

Back in the day a friend and I were travelling in Mexico and had arrived at the top of the Baja Peninsula, accompanied by another young Aussie who had attached himself to us on the boat over from the mainland. We stuck out our thumbs and a big, black 4WD pulled over, driven by a middle aged Mexican doctor. He was just travelling to pick up some supplies a bit further south, but was keen to practise his English and find out about Australia, from our viewpoint.

After a while he pulled over at a general store to make a phone call – this was well and truly before mobile phones – and when he hopped back in the car he announced that it was all sorted and that he was taking us all the way to our destination – the southernmost tip of the Baja and a two day drive.

What followed was a wonderful 2 days and a night of beer, tequila, singing, an improvised fire and camping on a scorpion infested beach sleeping under upturned fishing boats and a lasting question in my mind as to why this kindly bear of a man who was a husband, father and professional chose to take two days off to drive 3 strangers from a foreign land to their next place of adventure. Continue reading PAPER CUT COLLECTIVE PRESENTS HELLO, STRANGER →

Theatre

Lachlan Philpott’s THE CHOSEN

The Chosen - TANTRUM Youth Theatre

To be chosen by others always makes one feel special. To be the soloist, on the team, a friend, a girlfriend or boyfriend, a representative. Being singled out is a gift of self-worth that even the most bashful or shy enjoys.But what if your special chosen status is beyond the realms of belief by others? Your best friend, chosen by you, has a strong spiritual faith and belief in God but struggles with believing your stories of alien abduction and the theory that your father was taken as well.

Lachlan Philpott’s latest play, THE CHOSEN, is a multi-layered and deceptively complex work that focuses on the isolated Freya, played by a perfectly cast Belinda Hodgson. Recently relocated with her mum (Chloe McKinnon) and younger brother, Tiddy (Kelty O’Shea) to Grove Grammar in Brisbane from a list of other places, including Andromeda, Freya has become very used to her status as the bullied outcast at school. Her raging skin condition, which she attempts to hide by wearing jumpers in summer, makes her an instant target for the ubiquitous bullying tribe. Continue reading Lachlan Philpott’s THE CHOSEN →