Perth Walkabout - The Insider's Guide to Perth Western Australia

Conversations with a Fish at The Blue Room Theatre

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Published: 29 January 2022

Are humans as a species really superior to fish?

Are fish more intelligent than we ever imagined?

These and many other thought provoking questions are put to the audience in Blue Room Theatre’s latest production “Conversations with a Fish” as part of its Summer Series.

First Nations Director and Writer Helah Milroy puts us through a rigorous philosophical and challenging debate using fishy characters as the medium all the while questioning humanity in all its forms – the quest to seek freedom, addressing gender and equality issues, dealing with power and greed, survival of the fittest, the tyranny of the justice system and the fight for sovereignty rights.

Under the belly of some darkly comedic and very funny laugh out loud moments, Milroy takes us on a once in a lifetime journey to question our positioning on ethical and moral dilemmas...

Limbo at Perth Festival

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Published: 18 January 2022

On a cool summer’s evening, my friend and I headed to UWA Somerville to watch a Perth Festival 2022 movie.

It was the first event we were attending where we had to show our proof of vaccination, but there was only a short queue which moved quickly as we checked in. Thumbs up to the staff at Perth Festival for the smooth process.

The movie for the evening was Limbo – which I had marked as one to watch.

The setting is a remote Scottish Island – the location for a group of male refugees from various countries who are seeking asylum, the main character of which is Omar from Syria.

La Traviata - My Brothers and I at Perth Festival

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Published: 21 December 2021

It was another pleasant evening under the UWA Somerville pines watching the French movie La Traviata.

La Traviata tells the beautiful and poignant story of young Nour - a 13 year old boy who has the whole summer ahead of him.

Nour lives with 3 brothers and his Mum in a community housing project located in a coastal town in southern France.

On paper, one might expect a boy that age to have a carefree summer and to enjoy his youth but it is not to be.

Juniper at Perth Festival

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Published: 15 December 2021

On a cool summer’s evening, my partner and I eagerly headed to UWA Somerville to watch Juniper under the stars.

The movie tells the story of how a family, whose members are emotionally distant, are brought together by challenging circumstances.

Teenager Sam (played by actor George Ferrier) has been in boarding school since his mother died. He is not close to his father, and is suddenly tasked with looking after his grandmother from the UK who is unwell and spending some time at his home in scenic New Zealand.

The movie portrays well the terse relationships between the different family members as they navigate unknown territory during unsettling times and unearth some painful memories along the way.

Lingui - Sacred Bonds at Perth Festival

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Published: 07 December 2021

On a balmy summer evening, my friend and I headed to UWA Somerville to watch Lingui – Sacred Bonds as part of the Perth Festival movie season.

The story line of Lingui – Sacred Bonds is simple enough – teenage Maria gets pregnant and wants an abortion and once her mother Amina finds out, she tries to help her daughter navigate the system to get it done.

But simple would definitely not be the appropriate word to use in this context – where the religious and social structures underpinning what is deemed proper conduct and behaviour are less than straightforward as Amina and Maria face challenge after challenge in a country where abortion is illegal and considered immoral.

The Tempest by Black Swan State Theatre Company

Details: Written by: Greg Letts; Published: 24 November 2021

On a cool spring night with a fresh breeze blowing around the UWA grounds, the scene was set for Black Swan State Theatre Company's production of Shakespeare's The Tempest. Fortunately the Octagon Theatre proved to be wind-proof, as otherwise the audience would have ended up covered in grit, since we were greeted by the cast prowling a sandy beach and venturing into the uncharted waters of the audience in search of additional props.

As the later arrivals continued to filter in, those of us who were already seated were treated to a few sea-shanties by the cast, who all seemed to be in good humour and poised for action. And then the final stirring notes faded away and the play began in earnest.

As somebody whose exposure to Shakespeare amounts to suffering through Macbeth in high school and recognising a few of his more famous quotations, I wasn't sure how I would go with listening to an hour and forty minutes of old style English.

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Conversations with a Fish at The Blue Room Theatre

Limbo at Perth Festival

La Traviata - My Brothers and I at Perth Festival

Juniper at Perth Festival

Lingui - Sacred Bonds at Perth Festival

The Tempest by Black Swan State Theatre Company