Western Australia’s arts playground

Author Archives: Barbara Hostalek

The cast of The Bleeding Tree stand in front of a lattice fence. There are three women, two have their arms extended from the elbow to the audience. What to SEE: The Bleeding Tree
What to SEE

What to SEE: The Bleeding Tree

24 April 2023

With its all-First Nations cast, Ian Michael’s production of Angus Cerini’s revenge thriller The Bleeding Tree was a smash hit at The Blue Room last year. If you missed out, don’t worry – you can catch it at the State Theatre this month.

Reading time • 10 minutesTheatre
Photo Dana Weeks A First Nations woman faces a First Nations man, holding the edge of his suit jacket and smiling at him suggestively. He looks like he's just as keen. Cruel deadly play has plenty of koort
Reviews

Cruel deadly play has plenty of koort

3 April 2023

Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company’s much-loved rom-com is heading to Kalgoorlie, Albany and Bunbury. Ahead of the tour we’re re-sharing Barbara Hostalek’s review of its debut season.

Reading time • 7 minutesTheatre
photo: Mustafa Al Mahdi A scene from Bright & Bold: Memoirs of a Desk Goblin in which Dureshawar Khan sits underneath a projection of different women of colour who are tattooed Tattooing a feminist perspective
Reviews

Tattooing a feminist perspective

8 February 2023

Dureshawar Khan’s deep dive into the complex and colourful history of tattooing is insightful, inclusive and intimate, writes Barbara Hostalek.

Reading time • 4 minutesTheatre
Homeward Bound, photo: Sophie Minissale A man sits in the dark. he wears a white outfit that seems to mimic a space suit, and sits at what look like the controls of a spaceship Sci-fi soars at the Blue Room
Reviews

Sci-fi soars at the Blue Room

7 October 2022

Grab your jetpack, you won’t be lost in space with Lazy Yarn’s snazzy sci-fi, says Barbara Hostalek.

Reading time • 6 minutesTheatre
A well-dressed man and woman hold hands raising them up to an audience in front of an orchestra. Benjamin Northey and Deborah Cheetham acknowledge the crowd after Eumeralla Requiem leads path to truth and reconciliation
Opinion

Requiem leads path to truth and reconciliation

3 October 2022

Gunditjmara culture is brought to life by the power of collaborative music. Barbara Hostalek soaks up the sharing of truth telling and the freedom of voices singing strong, proud and loud.

Reading time • 8 minutesMusic
Photo: Court McAllister A Noongar man stands in a swathe of fiery red light. He holds a spear and appears to be calling or shouting. A spray of sand suggests he has just stamped his foot. More than adventures in Noongar Wonderland
Reviews

More than adventures in Noongar Wonderland

4 March 2022

As the name promises, Perth Festival’s closing event is filled with wonder, but it’s also filled with valuable Noongar lessons about how to live and love, says Barbara Hostalek.

Reading time • 6 minutesMulti-arts
An image from Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company's performance of Panawathi Girl, pictured is multiple actors posed at the ending of a scene. Dream girl emerges from turbulent time
Reviews

Dream girl emerges from turbulent time

11 February 2022

Perth Festival’s Panawathi Girl is a polished production that uses music to tell an important story and ignite the heart, writes Barbara Hostalek

Reading time • 5 minutesPerth Festival
Photo: Helah Milroy A young woman stares at the camera. She's wearing a bright red wig, that's slightly askew on her head, bright red lipstick and a bright red skirt with a gold crop top and a shrug of pieces of fabric cut in scale like shapes. Choose your aquatic adventure
Reviews

Choose your aquatic adventure

28 January 2022

Helah Milroy’s audience-driven, fish-pun laden, dark comedy wins over Barbara Hostalek, even if it could use a little more rehearsal time.

Reading time • 4 minutesTheatre
Reading time • 6 minutesTheatre
Reading time • 6 minutes

Cleaver Street Studio

Cleaver Street Studio

 

Cleaver Street Studio