Forbidden Music: Composers banned by the Third Reich
September 7, 2016 by Stevie Whitmont
J-Wire a monthly series by Stevie Whitmont of vignettes of Jewish composers banned in by Nazis. This month features Gideon Klein. Read more
Kubo and the Two Strings – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
August 18, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
“I tell stories about epic heroes and monsters but I had no idea my stories were true” says boy hero Kubo, in the trailer for this enthralling animated action adventure from director Travis Knight (ParaNorman,Box Trolls).
Down Under – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
August 11, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
Examples of irony and idiocy litter this Australian black comedy from director and writer Abe Forsyth as he shows that bouts of bad behaviour can be interspersed with surprising moments of clarity and truth.
Three peas in a pod…a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
August 11, 2016 by Fraser McEwing
Last night’s APT Master Series programme threw the orchestral gauntlet down to the SSO – and it delivered in spades, producing everything from passionate storms to gentle rain to exotic and erotic scenery. This orchestra was made for this music. Read more
Truman – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
August 9, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
“Truman doesn’t sound very Spanish” said my friend. It turns out to be the name of a dog and the ostensible focus of this delightful film.
Embrace – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
July 29, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
When my teenage daughters used to complain about an aspect of their bodies, I told them they had everything they needed for a happy life. I made peace with my thighs some time ago but after viewing Embrace realized that perhaps I could have saved years of anguish if I had been more truly accepting of my own body.
Love & Friendship – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
July 14, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
It’s interesting that non- British directors consistently produce fine British costume dramas. Read more
All My Sons…a theatre reviews by Deb Meyer
July 10, 2016 by Deb Meyer
Capitalism, corruption and cover ups are familiar stomping ground in American theatre. In All My Sons, Arthur Miller’s riveting, award-winning play of 1947, these themes and more are explored in epic proportions. Read more
A resoundingly satisfying performance…an SSO music review
June 30, 2016 by Fraser Beath McEwing
Staying in familiar territory, but with more ear-challenges than the last APT Mater Series concert, the SSO loaded up its heavy artillery for a resoundingly satisfying performance last night, writes Fraser Beath McEwing. Read more
Ice Age: Collision Course – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
June 21, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
When my favourite plus1 was not available for a preview of the fifth outing of this animated anthropomorphic franchise, I took a friend and her grandson. I need a little tacker for feedback.
The Power of Dance and Mr Gaga
June 17, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
“I really believe in the power of dance to heal” says Ohad Naharin, artistic director and renowned choreographer of Israel’s Batsheva Dance Company in the documentary Mr Gaga in which he features…writes Roz Tarszisz.
An appeal to the sweet tooth and Mad Max…a music review
June 13, 2016 by Fraser Beath McEwing
After testing recent audiences’ resilience with the lunges and shocks of Messiaen, and then their staying power to see off Haydn’s Creation, last night’s concert opened a chocolate box full of favourite flavours, writes Fraser Beath McEwing. Read more
Shir Madness 2016
June 7, 2016 by Geoff Sirmai
Jewish music festival SHIR MADNESS returns to Sydney for 2016 and the first list of acts has been announced. Read more
Land of Mine – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
June 6, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
It has been a few weeks since I viewed Land of Mine but images have stayed with me.
The Literati by Justin Fleming after Moliere’s Les Femmes Savantes…a review by Deb Meyer
June 6, 2016 by Deb Meyer
On opening night of The Literati, at Sydney’s SWB Stables Theatre, love was certainly in the air. Read more
Queen of the Desert – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
June 2, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
Being of a more practical than romantic bent, I watched explorer Gertrude Bell (Nicole Kidman) gadding about the desert swathed nun-like in beige linen and all I could think was – slap on a hat woman or you’ll end up with a ruddy complexion. But this being art, she remains pale as a lily.
God Willing – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
June 2, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
It’s not that often you get a good laugh at the movies. First time director/writer Eduardo Falcone provides plenty of laughs but it’s nicely calibrated and not slapstick, well perhaps only a little.
Is This the Real World – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
May 26, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
Reviewing movies takes me to places I might otherwise not go. In the past I might have considered myself a tad old to enjoy a story about a teenage boy but was engrossed by this debut film from writer/director Martin McKenna.
Works by Noa Eshkol in Sydney
Wall carpets created by Noa Eshkol, the daughter of Israel’s third Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, are on display during Sydney’s current Biennale. Read more
Audience in embryo
May 23, 2016 by Fraser Beath McEwing
It doesn’t take much imagination to look over the aging sea of regular Sydney Opera House orchestral audiences to know that in 20 years from now the tide could have gone out – never to come back in, writes Fraser Beath McEwing. Read more
My Name is Asher Lev…a theatre review by Deb Meyer
Over the years, non-Jewish book reviewer Doug Cannon and his Dad would occasionally have a conversation about Chaim Potok’s classic novel. Read more
An evening with a remarkable pianist…a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
May 15, 2016 by Fraser Beath McEwing
While there are many valid opinions as to who is the best classical pianist in the world, you do know when you’re in the presence of a contender. That was how I felt after hearing Alexander Gavrylyuk in recital at the Theme & Variations Foundation fundraiser last night. Read more
In the beginning – retold…a music review by Fraser Beath McEwing
May 12, 2016 by Fraser Beath McEwing
Whether you believe in the Big Bang or the Bible when deciding how everything started, Haydn’s The Creation stands inarguably as one of the most outstanding musical works of the 18th Century. Read more
My Name is Naama Potok
May 10, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
Naama Potok, daughter of acclaimed Jewish author, Chaim Potok, is in Sydney to promote the stage version of his novel My Name is Asher Lev.
STC’s play Disgraced lays bare a modern Muslim’s crisis of identity …a theatre review by Deb Meyer
May 10, 2016 by Deb Meyer
Arab-American playwright Ayad Akhtar is the most produced playwright in America at the moment and for good reason. Read more
Debunking Holocaust Denial Theories…a book review by Alan Gold
May 9, 2016 by Alan Gold
Some books are ‘must-read’. Others are ‘should read’. And a lot are ‘toss away without reading so you don’t let the facts bother you.’ Read more
Monica Goldberg at the SWF
May 4, 2016 by Geoff Sirmai
Work by Sydney Jewish writer Monica Goldberg will feature in the Sydney Writers’ Festival later this month. Read more
Bad Jews: a theatre review by Toni Susskind
May 2, 2016 by Toni Susskind
Touted as the “The funniest play of the year” by The Washington Post, Bad Jews is a black comedy set in a New York Studio Apartment. Read more
Portrait exhibition at The Great
April 30, 2016 by J-Wire Staff
Sydney’s The Great Synagogue will present thirty selected highlights from the collection of historical and contemporary portrait paintings from its AM Rosenblum Museum. Read more
Florence Foster Jenkins – a movie review by Roz Tarszisz
April 28, 2016 by Roz Tarszisz
It must have been hard work for Meryl Streep to learn to sing off-key. Read more
