Arts & Culture

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Category: Arts & Culture; Published: 11 October 2020

In these uncertain times of covid-19 and social distancing, my partner and I were looking forward to getting out of the house and watching a real live performance for the first time in many months.

Strangely enough, in a time where performers have had many months away from the spotlight to rehearse and hone their roles, our first foray back to the theatre was to watch a night of improvisational comedy – The Big Hoo-Haa! 18th Birthday Show, at the Dolphin Theatre in the Nedlands UWA campus.

Improv comedy is one of those real seat-of-the-pants things, especially when performed troupe style like the way The Big Hoo-Haa does it.

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Category: Arts & Culture; Published: 07 October 2020

Recently in the film world, we have been privy to some enjoyable Asian American movies of the likes of Farewell (a touching grandma story) and Crazy Rich Asians (the rom com with an all Asian cast).

This time - the adventures of a feisty and stubborn grandma in Chinatown hits the screen at Luna Leederville – in the Asian American comedy “Lucky Grandma”.

Tsai Chin, well known for her role as Auntie Lindo in Joy Luck Club (1993), stars in the role as an 80 year old widower “Grandma Wong”, keen to live her life as independently as possible in spite of the worry of her family.

On a day that has been deemed auspicious by her fortune teller, she sets off to the casino to try her luck!

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Category: Arts & Culture; Published: 28 July 2020

Knowing that it’s never too late to find love whatever your age, and throwing in for good measure some cute pooches with personality, and you’ve got the makings of a great feel good movie.

That is the essence of “23 Walks”, which follows the relationship that blossoms between Dave (Dave Johns) and Fern (Alison Steadman) (both in their sixties) who get to know one another over the course of 23 dog walks.

It was the first time that my partner and I had been to the movies since covid-19 struck and it was a very nice experience to return back to Luna Leederville after what has seemed like an eternity.

There were quite a few interesting themes that were woven throughout the movie – love, the joy of owning dogs, and the challenges of growing old.

Love comes in many shapes and forms, and when it arrives later in life – each individual brings to the table some battle scars and baggage – but oftentimes are a little wiser about the intricacies and challenges of daily life.

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Category: Arts & Culture; Published: 20 July 2020

In a world premiere season, Co-Directors Emily McLean and Joe Paradise Lui have risen to the challenges of covid-19 in order to tell the story of some unique and every day West Australians who have achieved extraordinary things. "Unsung Heroes" is Black Swan State Theatre Company's first outing in its series of "Black Swan Home Theatre".

Emily and Joe have been encouraged to grow and adapt to working during covid times by transforming a series of staged monologues into a series filmed on stage, that will be live streamed during the next fortnight from tomorrow Tuesday 21 July onwards.

As Emily McLean Co-director of Unsung Heroes explains:

" Working closely with Joe Paradise Lui to ensure a shared language across the project that still has room for each individual story's quirks and demands has been a rare treat.

It has been freeing to have the ability to cut and zoom to a close up - like really, really close up.

Building a relationship with the audience member found down the barrel of the camera has been an interesting use of the form and the best (and only) possible path to our audience.

And in fact it isn't one audience member down there - we have put the whole Studio Underground audience onto one seat and we are telling the story to that seat."

The performances tell stories of courage, life’s music, adventure, new beginnings and dignity and is a timely reminder of our shared humanity and of our uniquely Western Australian identity.

The works have been written by local playwrights Gita Bezard, Barbara Hostalek, Chris Isaacs, Hellie Turner and Mararo Wangai.

The program line up is as follows:

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Category: Arts & Culture; Published: 06 July 2020

Fancy a double dose of the Rev Film Festival in 2020 ?!

For the past few months, we have hit the pause button on just about everything in Perth due to covid.

But not any longer!

The Revelation Film Festival returns with a vengeance!

And we are in for a double shot of the #RevFilmFest this year.

First up this month will be Rev Couched! - the digital film festival kicks off on 9 July for a 10 day marathon.

Then in December, The Rev Film Festival will revert back to a physical event where we will be able to attend in person. Yay!

Rev Couched! will feature 30 plus brand new international films from across the globe consisting of features, short films, live streams, talks and more with a good dose of Aussie films and local talent.

Perth Walkabout’s Top 7 picks from Rev Couched are as follows:

The Florist premieres as a feature film at this year’s Rev Couched.

Careerist millennial Annika (Rebecca Murphy – also as the producer) makes her living selling edible hypnotic flowers to trendy eateries in Los Angeles. Business appears to be going well till she hears that her competitors are moving in, so she has to act fast.

Details: Written by: Nita Teoh; Category: Arts & Culture; Published: 28 February 2020

Diehard fans turned up at the Camelot Outdoor Cinema yesterday evening rain, hail or shine to kick off the opening launch party of Flickerfest 2020 in Perth.

The BAFTA recognised international short film festival celebrates an impressive 29th year of being run across Australia.

A special shout out to Perth local film makers who were featured on the opening night. Father and son team Jay Jay and Radheya Jegatheva with The Quiet (the contemplation of an astronaut out in space), director and writer David Vincent Smith for Featherweight (as the writer) and I’m Not Hurting You (as the director) (a topical one on meth addiction), Freo local Lewis Attey for his Three Stories inside a Local Van and Jamie Helmer for The Diver (as co-director).

This weekend Flickerfest will feature the EU short film showcase on Friday 28 February and will finish up on Saturday evening 29 February with a short laughs comedy theme.

Details: Written by: Greg Letts; Category: Arts & Culture; Published: 25 February 2020

Both my partner and I were looking forward to heading down to the Somerville Auditorium to check out Adam, a cinematic masterpiece from Morocco as part of the Perth Festival.

In a time where the trend seems to be towards bigger, flashier and shallower entertainment that is larger than life, Adam is a quiet and introspective glimpse into the current day world of famed Casablanca, where modern times and centuries old traditions mingle freely.

We are first introduced to Samia, a young pregnant women who is far from home and looking for a job and a place to stay. After numerous rejections, she ends up sleeping on the doorstep opposite Abla's house, the widowed local baker who lives with her young daughter Warda.

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GET THE PERTH WALKABOUT NEWSLETTER

The Big Hoo Haa - 18th Birthday Show!

Lucky Grandma at Luna

23 Walks at Luna

Black Swan unveils Unsung Heroes – a Digi Fest of WA Stories

Double Shot of the RevFilmFest starting with Rev Couched!

Flickerfest: The Hottest Shorts around Town

Adam at Perth Festival