Latest news with #IAm
Bangkok Post
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Bangkok Post
Rebirth in exile
On a poster, Phnom Penh glows dimly from afar. Flickering on the other side of the Mekong River, rows of buildings dissolve, blending with water and sky in the blue hour of twilight. This photo and a whisper are an invitation to stargaze the city glimmering in the distance. The military coup in Myanmar on Feb 1, 2021, triggered an exodus of millions, with many fleeing to Thailand. "If Only It Is Seen, Thus, From Afar" is the first queer exhibition of emerging artists from the neighbouring country. Curated by Sid Kaung Sett Lin and Bodhisattva LGBTQ+ Gallery, it brings together eight lost stars -- Zicky Le, Zin Min Thike, Swannie, Roxy Owan, Na Torah, Min Chit Paing, Htet Aung Lwyn and Kyaw Min Htet. Partly inspired by Yukio Mishima's Sun And Steel, a memoir of transformation of his own flesh, the exhibition delves into the fundamental question of queer homemaking. Straddling between their homeland and a foreign city, they are navigating emotional turmoil of reinventing themselves in a terrain that is familiar, yet strange. Resilience and hope are inseparable from pain and alienation. In his prequel, Sid traced his curatorial inspiration, though fragmented, to his visit to Zin's home in a suburb of Bangkok. Slowly, the city is morphing from an adrenaline-rush getaway into a personal sanctum. He explained how they had taken root, dealing with visas, house contracts and job applications. In free time, they played a video game together, which is when this project came about. "We want to talk about home, migration, displacement and how we try to survive here. After survival, we have a little time to reflect on ourselves. What do we want to do with life?," he said in an opening ceremony on June 7. Hence, a collaboration came together with Patpong "Oat" Montien, founder of Bodhisattava LGBTQ+ Gallery and SAC Gallery. Oat noted how queer individuals are remaking home all the time, whether they be bodies, identities or places. "Some of them cannot be themselves in their own home. But in a new home, they find a community, a new sense of identity, a new sense of pride, a new dream. Hopefully, it is a reminder for us, during Pride Month, not only to celebrate but to elevate their voices," he said. Scattered on a green wall is a visual diary titled Where I Was, Where I Am Going by Zicky Le, a Myanmar-Karen photographer from Insein, Yangon. Since his family sold their only home to support his relocation, he has documented his experience of life on the move. His photos, as well as letters and drawings, capture liminal moments, including the last sunset in Yangon, an encounter with a stranger and the glowing city. "I want to memorialise this experience. For example, in the last photo, someone showed me around Phnom Penh during a visa run. I never saw the Mekong in my life. It made sense because the city is far from us, but it is still close enough to see the city's bright light. In Yangon, we don't have tall buildings. It was emotional at the time," he said. Zicky's ongoing project is a memoir of his own reinvention. In Myanmar, he worked as a fashion photographer. He said queer individuals are limited to the entertainment industry. Bangkok, in contrast, is so big that "you can be whoever you are". Now settling in Talat Noi, he and his boyfriend have adopted cats into their family. "I don't have a home, a flower vase or fame. This is the time to find myself again. I will catch up," he said. The Wait by Min Chit Paing, a theatre artist and writer from Palaw, Tanintharyi, is a text-based installation that comprises four short stories produced in exile following the military coup. They are presented in the form of fragments across Burmese, English and Thai. In his work, reading, like writing, requires effort. It demands a lot of concentration in the age of doomscrolling. On the other hand, Celluloid Demon by Htet Aung Lwyn, a filmmaker, is a screen test of the fiend that challenges the expectation of Myanmar artists to always produce political works. Meanwhile, Na Torah, a visual artist from Tachileik, Shan State, presents a video of ritual performance and a sculptural installation titled It Is I Giving Birth To Myself to reclaim power over the most personal sanctum -- the body. Growing up in a society where gender roles are rigidly defined in a hierarchical order, Torah confronted an existential question of why her father brought her into this world. "I don't want to be a man or a woman or anything at all," said the artist. Torah's artistic practice is an act of queer liberation. The video of ritual bodypainting with organic sound is declaration of authorship. A genderless torso and the red face challenge the binary gender system. The red mask also unleashes raw emotion and energy. Unlike previous works, Torah renders rebirth as a final movement. "I don't want to relive any more. I want to love this life, but in order to love this life, I want to give birth to myself again. This time me, not for my parents," said the artist. Kyaw Min Htet, a multidisciplinary artist, presents a three-bodied installation of sexual encounter titled I Used Him As Much As He Uses Me. Forced to leave everything behind, he has lived in Chiang Mai alone for almost a year. Using Instax, film and digital cameras, he took blurred photos of those he hooked up with, mostly expats and tourists, to document queer intimacy that blooms fleetingly in exile. "They don't know what is happening in Myanmar. It is heartbreaking because they see you as an object. This is how I navigate homesickness on a daily basis," he said. "In Myanmar, I have a family, friends and an art studio. But in Chiang Mai, I have little resources. I don't feel I am a real person." As his work is a meditation on the cycle of desire, seeking warmth in the digital no man's land can offer only a temporary cure for a yet unreturnable home. He inches closer, but never arrives at it, finding himself trapped in limbo. "If Only It Is Seen, Thus, From Afar" is running at the Front Room of SAC Gallery until Aug 9. It is open from 11am to 6pm, Tuesday to Saturday. Visit
Sydney Morning Herald
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
25 years on, Killing Heidi gives fans licence to step back into younger selves
During Weir, Ella Hooper teases the chorus, saying 'gotcha!' when they'd lead into the next verse, knowing fans wanted to belt out 'will you make it in the end'. Killing Heidi returns for an unexpected encore – an opportunity to play hit singles Calm Down, Heavensent and I Am from other albums. This performance had a zeal that was missing from the main set, perhaps due to the amplified vocal harmonies from the keyboard and bass player, or maybe because the tracks represented an era when the band's sound had matured. Jesse Hooper expresses how humbled they are that fans have reconnected with their music. Signing off, Ella Hooper says cheekily: 'See you guys in another 25 years … maybe'. Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar MUSIC MSO Winter Gala: Lang Lang ★★★★★ Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Hamer Hall, June 28 Part pianist-muse, part dazzling showman, classical music superstar Lang Lang presented as an intriguing artistic phenomenon during his two sold-out Melbourne concerts. Wednesday's solo recital affirmed Lang Lang's great affinity with the romantic repertory in a program underlining poetics, rather than pyrotechnics. Faure's beloved Pavane was treated almost too delicately with whispered phrases and half-lit sonorities. Schumann's Kreisleriana, arguably one of his least approachable works, sprang to life with vividly etched contrasts between aching melodic outpourings and frenetic, fiery outbursts. Traversing a dozen Chopin Mazurkas, Lang Lang illuminated the huge variety of moods and styles the composer was able to achieve in this rhythmically lopsided dance form. Among their sometimes-playful perversity, the melancholy sensuality of the A minor, Op. 17 stood out for its meltingly beautiful timbre. The official program ended in a blaze of glory with the imposing Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op. 44, before encores that included a diaphanous account of Debussy's Clair de lune and a truly incendiary reading of de Falla's Ritual Fire Dance. Saturday's breathtaking account of Saint-Saens' Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was more in keeping with Lang Lang's rock star image. A strange amalgam of styles, the concerto was once described as 'beginning with Bach and ending with Offenbach'. Loading After the dramatic opening with its baroque overtones and the amusing, nonchalant scherzo, the blinding virtuosity of the tarantella finale left many wondering how anyone could play so fast and so accurately. Images of a fluttering hummingbird came to mind. This seemingly superhuman talent, the stuff of lasting memories, unsurprisingly elicited a rapturous ovation. Two encores, Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3 and the Disney tune Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? were strange bedfellows. Bookending the concert, chief conductor Jaime Martín revelled in the festive Spanish air of Ravel's Alborada del gracioso, graced with perfectly judged bassoon cameos by Elise Millman. Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition in Ravel's wondrous orchestration was supported by lustrous string tone and cohesive, strongly characterised playing throughout the orchestra. Among the solos, Owen Morris's rapid-fire trumpet impressed. The rousing solemnity of The Great Gate of Kyiv seemed a timely and fitting conclusion. Hopefully, those who came to witness Lang Lang's technical brilliance went away from these concerts realising that he is a well-rounded romantic, whose art is both dazzling and deeply empathetic. For that, he really does deserve a rock star reception. Reviewed by Tony Way MUSIC Jem Cassar-Daley ★★★★ Northcote Social Club, June 28 These are golden days for feeling blue. The Northcote Social Club was thoroughly charmed on Saturday night by the collective heartbreak of three charismatic Gen Z songwriters singing a big, sad world of everyday calamities while positively beaming with the first rush of being heard. Anxiety is the confessed bete noir of Belgian expat Romanie. She silenced the early arrivals with a finger-picked electric guitar, impish banter and songs drawing on the agonies of Palestine, climate grief and fragile hope. They played like first drafts of raw experience, roaring with a voice that threatened to scream and ultimately did. An even fresher voice from rural New South Wales, Mikayla Pasterfield opened with her TikTok breakthrough Damage You Still Do – an assured first dip into a well of childhood guilt, unrequited love and worldly resilience. Her pealing giggle between songs brought ample light, even to that intriguingly loaded one about buying a goldfish, Tactile. Steeped from birth in old-school stagecraft and grit, Jem (daughter of Troy) Cassar-Daley upped the energy with a slick bass-drums-guitar trio and a gushing dedication to her 'incredible' sisters in song before throwing herself into the last night of her Kiss Me Like You're Leaving tour. From the post-romantic inner monologue of Slow Down to the homesick airline stationery letter Space Between, her songs mine a consistent emotional register: sharp-focus country-pop ballads laced with the genre's traditional sighs of longing and brave-faced disappointment. As a writer, she's moving fast. Changes was an oldie from the 2022 debut album that she's all but left behind. The paint was barely dry on Tidal Wave and one or two others, even if it took a couple of inspirational covers — Gwen Stefani, Addison Rae — to bring any real sonic surprise. Mikayla Pasterfield returned to make a seamless duet of Texas Ain't That Far, Is It Dear?, the sheer joy of communion making the song's fundamental melancholy evaporate like an old memory. The headliner's inevitable encore, King of Disappointment, radiated with the same sense of bliss reclaimed in the thrill of performance. For all its gentle sorrows, that joy was the glaring takeaway from this show: three stunning singers claiming a world where blokes are sidemen and women draw strength from bills stacked with more women, then laugh about it on the way to the bar. Some nights, one guitar solo is enough. Reviewed by Michael Dwyer THEATRE Super ★★★★ Red Stitch, until July 6 Superhero culture is dangerous because it's 'essentially fascism', according to Alan Moore. Trump once released a non-fungible token of himself as a superhero with eye lasers, let's not forget, and the adolescent fantasy of fighting evil with superpowers looks frankly terrifying when it plays out in the world. Anyone who thinks seriously about the subject should be worried by the infantilising nostalgia, the power worship, and the narcissistic sense of exceptionalism that seem to have gripped the imagination of a so-called adult audience. At the same time, it's true that satire and subversion from within – the nerdy reality-check of Kick-Ass, say, or the cynical vision of corporatised 'Supes' in The Boys – can act as a kind of kryptonite to the worst tendencies of the genre. Emilie Collyer's new play Super gives us a fantastically silly and strange sideswipe at the superhero tropes we've inherited. It's a full-throttle feminist funfest that will tickle those who love the grandiose cosplay and game-changing powers of superhero stories, while dodging hypermasculinity and ultra-violence, launching a guerrilla attack on gender inequality, and celebrating female friendship into the bargain. Two besties – Nell (Laila Thaker) and Phoenix (Lucy Ansell) – are the only members of their superpower support group, and their special abilities are drawn from a distinctly feminine arsenal. Phoenix has a preternatural gift for suppressing her rage and can calm others against their will. Nell is, well, super-organised – a paragon of unpaid labour who can fast-track solutions to almost any problem. When Rae (Caroline Lee) first enters their gathering, they think she's taken a wrong turn – the AA meeting's down the hall. But the celebrity chef has a superpower of her own. She's so in touch with her own sorrow that if she bursts into tears, she can make anyone cry helplessly alongside her. It comes in handy when the ageing star's producers threaten to dump her from her TV show: Rae weeps and wails and weaponises her victimhood until they relent. Phoenix is suspicious of the new arrival – they're almost opposites of each other – but all three are determined to use their powers to do good in the world, despite the prickliness, and despite their powers coming at a physical cost (nothing special power suits can't fix, though that comes at a price, too). Soon their charity work becomes big business. Rae uses her celebrity to start a reality TV show judging whether ordinary contestants have superpowers. Phoenix gets ripped and fights against gang and domestic violence in marginalised communities. Nell turns their enterprise into a mega-corporation fuelled by big data, drastically enhancing the good they can do … Loading A dystopian twist and climactic confrontation looms, as liberal aims begin to be achieved through – you guessed it – fascist means. Can they right themselves, or will they become villains and victims of their own success? Emma Valente directs an almost painfully entertaining show, featuring exaggerated, laugh-out-loud funny performances and spectacular visual gags and costumes. The examination of power isn't quite as fleshed out as you might hope, but the ending is radical in a way that restores perspective. The greatest superpower, it seems, might be the ordinary human comfort of genuine friendship. Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead IMMERSIVE THEATRE The Door in Question ★★★★ Metro West Footscray, until June 29 Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia are still a source of fear, confusion and stigma. Troy Rainbow's remarkable mixed-reality immersive theatre event, The Door in Question, fights against them by opening a portal into altered perception, utilising the latest VR and interactive AI technology. This is a solo trip into the labyrinth of the disordered mind. And if that sounds risky, the project is so sensitively realised that it feels unique in humanising (without remotely romanticising) what psychosis is like, inside and out. It helps that the artist has skin in the game. Rainbow's mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia – a deeply personal experience and an inspiration for the world you'll enter. Audiences first step into an antechamber that serves as a meditation room. A few deep breaths are needed before donning a VR headset in a Footscray shopping mall and stepping down the rabbit hole. A colourful, disturbing wonderland awaits, based on a childhood story Rainbow's mother wrote for him. Disorienting voices guide you through gritty urban landscapes, decrepit domestic environments, and a world based on classical mythology – statues of Medusa, fountains, ancient Greek columns – and onwards and upwards into a florid brush with divinity … or paranoid delusion. You're inducted into a secret history of Footscray (including its Indigenous history) as you walk the streets to a second location, and I don't want to spoil what happens there. The less you know, the better, though I can say it's a full-body experience. The show will quite literally make your spine tingle, twisting the design surprises and interactive mystery of immersive theatre and escape rooms towards a higher purpose. In fact, it almost portrays mental illness as a kind of escape room… one with no escape, and a profusion of clues everywhere you look. Each space is engagingly designed, and there's a haunting quality to the voice acting and the polyphonic script, some of which sounds as if taken verbatim from people with schizophrenia. Hallucinatory audiovisual tricks keep you on edge, painfully vigilant, and one section involves a responsive AI program, as a grandiose delusion tightens its grip. Loading Exploring psychosis through mixed reality tech is a fabulous idea, and The Door in Question really does feel at the forefront of a brave new kind of artmaking. But it's the human element that makes it work – the profound authenticity of lived experience, and the unflinching insight into the danger and distress, as well as the wildcard beauty – and, yes, the love – amid the deranged tangle of psychotic illness. Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead MUSIC ACO Unleashed, ★★★★ Australian Chamber Orchestra, Hamer Hall, June 22 Undaunted by the withdrawal of injured Moldovan violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja from its current tour, the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) took the opportunity to draw soloists from its own ranks in a program confirming all its appealing strengths. In the absence of artistic director Richard Tognetti, longstanding violinists Helena Rathbone and Satu Vanska shared direction of the orchestra. They were joined by the ACO's newest member, Anna da Silva Chen, in a buoyant account of Bach's Concerto for Three Violins. Clearly delighting in their collaboration, they wove the music's contrapuntal strands into a richly detailed tapestry, abetted by the ACO's customary rhythmic drive. Vanska brought an edgy bravura to Bernard Rofe's arrangement of Ravel's Tzigane to which the presence of the celesta in the accompanying forces contributed an additional exotic touch. Loading Exemplary ensemble and beauty of tone graced Tognetti's arrangement of Beethoven's String Quartet in F minor, Op. 95 'Serioso'. Nuanced variations of texture reinforced both the original's urgency and intimacy. Schubert's Quartet Movement in C minor, D. 703 shimmered like a jewel, full of light and shade, where dramatic and lyrical elements were held in admirable balance. Giving the Melbourne premiere of Jaakko Kuusisto's Cello Concerto, principal cellist Timo-Veikko Valve gave a passionate tribute to the late composer, a longtime family friend and fellow Finn. Kuusisto, who died of brain cancer in 2022, aged 48, conceived this well-crafted work with Valve's considerable technical and expressive prowess in mind. Like Sibelius, Kuusisto often sets his emotional lyricism in sparse surroundings. Here, some percussion freshened the orchestral palette, further enticing the listener's close attention. Empathetically supported by his fellow players, Valve's advocacy of this score may well make it a 21st-century classic.
The Age
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
25 years on, Killing Heidi gives fans licence to step back into younger selves
During Weir, Ella Hooper teases the chorus, saying 'gotcha!' when they'd lead into the next verse, knowing fans wanted to belt out 'will you make it in the end'. Killing Heidi returns for an unexpected encore – an opportunity to play hit singles Calm Down, Heavensent and I Am from other albums. This performance had a zeal that was missing from the main set, perhaps due to the amplified vocal harmonies from the keyboard and bass player, or maybe because the tracks represented an era when the band's sound had matured. Jesse Hooper expresses how humbled they are that fans have reconnected with their music. Signing off, Ella Hooper says cheekily: 'See you guys in another 25 years … maybe'. Reviewed by Vyshnavee Wijekumar MUSIC MSO Winter Gala: Lang Lang ★★★★★ Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Hamer Hall, June 28 Part pianist-muse, part dazzling showman, classical music superstar Lang Lang presented as an intriguing artistic phenomenon during his two sold-out Melbourne concerts. Wednesday's solo recital affirmed Lang Lang's great affinity with the romantic repertory in a program underlining poetics, rather than pyrotechnics. Faure's beloved Pavane was treated almost too delicately with whispered phrases and half-lit sonorities. Schumann's Kreisleriana, arguably one of his least approachable works, sprang to life with vividly etched contrasts between aching melodic outpourings and frenetic, fiery outbursts. Traversing a dozen Chopin Mazurkas, Lang Lang illuminated the huge variety of moods and styles the composer was able to achieve in this rhythmically lopsided dance form. Among their sometimes-playful perversity, the melancholy sensuality of the A minor, Op. 17 stood out for its meltingly beautiful timbre. The official program ended in a blaze of glory with the imposing Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op. 44, before encores that included a diaphanous account of Debussy's Clair de lune and a truly incendiary reading of de Falla's Ritual Fire Dance. Saturday's breathtaking account of Saint-Saens' Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was more in keeping with Lang Lang's rock star image. A strange amalgam of styles, the concerto was once described as 'beginning with Bach and ending with Offenbach'. Loading After the dramatic opening with its baroque overtones and the amusing, nonchalant scherzo, the blinding virtuosity of the tarantella finale left many wondering how anyone could play so fast and so accurately. Images of a fluttering hummingbird came to mind. This seemingly superhuman talent, the stuff of lasting memories, unsurprisingly elicited a rapturous ovation. Two encores, Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3 and the Disney tune Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? were strange bedfellows. Bookending the concert, chief conductor Jaime Martín revelled in the festive Spanish air of Ravel's Alborada del gracioso, graced with perfectly judged bassoon cameos by Elise Millman. Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition in Ravel's wondrous orchestration was supported by lustrous string tone and cohesive, strongly characterised playing throughout the orchestra. Among the solos, Owen Morris's rapid-fire trumpet impressed. The rousing solemnity of The Great Gate of Kyiv seemed a timely and fitting conclusion. Hopefully, those who came to witness Lang Lang's technical brilliance went away from these concerts realising that he is a well-rounded romantic, whose art is both dazzling and deeply empathetic. For that, he really does deserve a rock star reception. Reviewed by Tony Way MUSIC Jem Cassar-Daley ★★★★ Northcote Social Club, June 28 These are golden days for feeling blue. The Northcote Social Club was thoroughly charmed on Saturday night by the collective heartbreak of three charismatic Gen Z songwriters singing a big, sad world of everyday calamities while positively beaming with the first rush of being heard. Anxiety is the confessed bete noir of Belgian expat Romanie. She silenced the early arrivals with a finger-picked electric guitar, impish banter and songs drawing on the agonies of Palestine, climate grief and fragile hope. They played like first drafts of raw experience, roaring with a voice that threatened to scream and ultimately did. An even fresher voice from rural New South Wales, Mikayla Pasterfield opened with her TikTok breakthrough Damage You Still Do – an assured first dip into a well of childhood guilt, unrequited love and worldly resilience. Her pealing giggle between songs brought ample light, even to that intriguingly loaded one about buying a goldfish, Tactile. Steeped from birth in old-school stagecraft and grit, Jem (daughter of Troy) Cassar-Daley upped the energy with a slick bass-drums-guitar trio and a gushing dedication to her 'incredible' sisters in song before throwing herself into the last night of her Kiss Me Like You're Leaving tour. From the post-romantic inner monologue of Slow Down to the homesick airline stationery letter Space Between, her songs mine a consistent emotional register: sharp-focus country-pop ballads laced with the genre's traditional sighs of longing and brave-faced disappointment. As a writer, she's moving fast. Changes was an oldie from the 2022 debut album that she's all but left behind. The paint was barely dry on Tidal Wave and one or two others, even if it took a couple of inspirational covers — Gwen Stefani, Addison Rae — to bring any real sonic surprise. Mikayla Pasterfield returned to make a seamless duet of Texas Ain't That Far, Is It Dear?, the sheer joy of communion making the song's fundamental melancholy evaporate like an old memory. The headliner's inevitable encore, King of Disappointment, radiated with the same sense of bliss reclaimed in the thrill of performance. For all its gentle sorrows, that joy was the glaring takeaway from this show: three stunning singers claiming a world where blokes are sidemen and women draw strength from bills stacked with more women, then laugh about it on the way to the bar. Some nights, one guitar solo is enough. Reviewed by Michael Dwyer THEATRE Super ★★★★ Red Stitch, until July 6 Superhero culture is dangerous because it's 'essentially fascism', according to Alan Moore. Trump once released a non-fungible token of himself as a superhero with eye lasers, let's not forget, and the adolescent fantasy of fighting evil with superpowers looks frankly terrifying when it plays out in the world. Anyone who thinks seriously about the subject should be worried by the infantilising nostalgia, the power worship, and the narcissistic sense of exceptionalism that seem to have gripped the imagination of a so-called adult audience. At the same time, it's true that satire and subversion from within – the nerdy reality-check of Kick-Ass, say, or the cynical vision of corporatised 'Supes' in The Boys – can act as a kind of kryptonite to the worst tendencies of the genre. Emilie Collyer's new play Super gives us a fantastically silly and strange sideswipe at the superhero tropes we've inherited. It's a full-throttle feminist funfest that will tickle those who love the grandiose cosplay and game-changing powers of superhero stories, while dodging hypermasculinity and ultra-violence, launching a guerrilla attack on gender inequality, and celebrating female friendship into the bargain. Two besties – Nell (Laila Thaker) and Phoenix (Lucy Ansell) – are the only members of their superpower support group, and their special abilities are drawn from a distinctly feminine arsenal. Phoenix has a preternatural gift for suppressing her rage and can calm others against their will. Nell is, well, super-organised – a paragon of unpaid labour who can fast-track solutions to almost any problem. When Rae (Caroline Lee) first enters their gathering, they think she's taken a wrong turn – the AA meeting's down the hall. But the celebrity chef has a superpower of her own. She's so in touch with her own sorrow that if she bursts into tears, she can make anyone cry helplessly alongside her. It comes in handy when the ageing star's producers threaten to dump her from her TV show: Rae weeps and wails and weaponises her victimhood until they relent. Phoenix is suspicious of the new arrival – they're almost opposites of each other – but all three are determined to use their powers to do good in the world, despite the prickliness, and despite their powers coming at a physical cost (nothing special power suits can't fix, though that comes at a price, too). Soon their charity work becomes big business. Rae uses her celebrity to start a reality TV show judging whether ordinary contestants have superpowers. Phoenix gets ripped and fights against gang and domestic violence in marginalised communities. Nell turns their enterprise into a mega-corporation fuelled by big data, drastically enhancing the good they can do … Loading A dystopian twist and climactic confrontation looms, as liberal aims begin to be achieved through – you guessed it – fascist means. Can they right themselves, or will they become villains and victims of their own success? Emma Valente directs an almost painfully entertaining show, featuring exaggerated, laugh-out-loud funny performances and spectacular visual gags and costumes. The examination of power isn't quite as fleshed out as you might hope, but the ending is radical in a way that restores perspective. The greatest superpower, it seems, might be the ordinary human comfort of genuine friendship. Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead IMMERSIVE THEATRE The Door in Question ★★★★ Metro West Footscray, until June 29 Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia are still a source of fear, confusion and stigma. Troy Rainbow's remarkable mixed-reality immersive theatre event, The Door in Question, fights against them by opening a portal into altered perception, utilising the latest VR and interactive AI technology. This is a solo trip into the labyrinth of the disordered mind. And if that sounds risky, the project is so sensitively realised that it feels unique in humanising (without remotely romanticising) what psychosis is like, inside and out. It helps that the artist has skin in the game. Rainbow's mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia – a deeply personal experience and an inspiration for the world you'll enter. Audiences first step into an antechamber that serves as a meditation room. A few deep breaths are needed before donning a VR headset in a Footscray shopping mall and stepping down the rabbit hole. A colourful, disturbing wonderland awaits, based on a childhood story Rainbow's mother wrote for him. Disorienting voices guide you through gritty urban landscapes, decrepit domestic environments, and a world based on classical mythology – statues of Medusa, fountains, ancient Greek columns – and onwards and upwards into a florid brush with divinity … or paranoid delusion. You're inducted into a secret history of Footscray (including its Indigenous history) as you walk the streets to a second location, and I don't want to spoil what happens there. The less you know, the better, though I can say it's a full-body experience. The show will quite literally make your spine tingle, twisting the design surprises and interactive mystery of immersive theatre and escape rooms towards a higher purpose. In fact, it almost portrays mental illness as a kind of escape room… one with no escape, and a profusion of clues everywhere you look. Each space is engagingly designed, and there's a haunting quality to the voice acting and the polyphonic script, some of which sounds as if taken verbatim from people with schizophrenia. Hallucinatory audiovisual tricks keep you on edge, painfully vigilant, and one section involves a responsive AI program, as a grandiose delusion tightens its grip. Loading Exploring psychosis through mixed reality tech is a fabulous idea, and The Door in Question really does feel at the forefront of a brave new kind of artmaking. But it's the human element that makes it work – the profound authenticity of lived experience, and the unflinching insight into the danger and distress, as well as the wildcard beauty – and, yes, the love – amid the deranged tangle of psychotic illness. Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead MUSIC ACO Unleashed, ★★★★ Australian Chamber Orchestra, Hamer Hall, June 22 Undaunted by the withdrawal of injured Moldovan violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja from its current tour, the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) took the opportunity to draw soloists from its own ranks in a program confirming all its appealing strengths. In the absence of artistic director Richard Tognetti, longstanding violinists Helena Rathbone and Satu Vanska shared direction of the orchestra. They were joined by the ACO's newest member, Anna da Silva Chen, in a buoyant account of Bach's Concerto for Three Violins. Clearly delighting in their collaboration, they wove the music's contrapuntal strands into a richly detailed tapestry, abetted by the ACO's customary rhythmic drive. Vanska brought an edgy bravura to Bernard Rofe's arrangement of Ravel's Tzigane to which the presence of the celesta in the accompanying forces contributed an additional exotic touch. Loading Exemplary ensemble and beauty of tone graced Tognetti's arrangement of Beethoven's String Quartet in F minor, Op. 95 'Serioso'. Nuanced variations of texture reinforced both the original's urgency and intimacy. Schubert's Quartet Movement in C minor, D. 703 shimmered like a jewel, full of light and shade, where dramatic and lyrical elements were held in admirable balance. Giving the Melbourne premiere of Jaakko Kuusisto's Cello Concerto, principal cellist Timo-Veikko Valve gave a passionate tribute to the late composer, a longtime family friend and fellow Finn. Kuusisto, who died of brain cancer in 2022, aged 48, conceived this well-crafted work with Valve's considerable technical and expressive prowess in mind. Like Sibelius, Kuusisto often sets his emotional lyricism in sparse surroundings. Here, some percussion freshened the orchestral palette, further enticing the listener's close attention. Empathetically supported by his fellow players, Valve's advocacy of this score may well make it a 21st-century classic.
Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Our generation must understand being just an artiste not enough today: Mame Khan
New Delhi, Mumbai, 2005. Singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan spots a 'slim boy' at the wedding of actor Ishitta Arun, effortlessly belting out Rajasthani folk tunes that even impressed virtuosos like Ghulam Ali. Our generation must understand being just an artiste not enough today: Mame Khan That chance encounter was to lead Rajasthani folk music sensation Mame Khan into the spotlight. In a virtual interview with PTI, Khan recalled his meeting with Mahadevan and his journey from Jaisalmer's Satto village and why it is important for artistes like him to understand "social media, distribution and music labels". "When I sang, Ghulam Ali sahab came and hugged me—I'll never forget that. Shankar ji heard me that day. After the wedding, Shankar ji asked Ila ji, 'Who was that slim boy singing?' That was me,' Khan said. The singer was a regular at national and international performances of Rajasthani folk music by the early 2000s while working with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations , but he was a largely unknown voice in the mainstream. Mahadevan invited Khan to sing "Baware" for Zoya Akhtar's 'Luck By Chance' after their meeting at the wedding. 'I didn't know it was for a film. We went in full traditional attire—turban and dhoti. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy were sitting in front of us, and we just started singing,' the singer said, adding that the composers were so engrossed that they forgot the actual purpose of the meeting. 'Then suddenly Loy reminded Shankar, 'We've called them for recording!' And that's how I did my first professional studio recording. That song turned out to be a huge hit. I'm thankful to Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy for it,' he said. After 'Baware', Khan sang for movies 'I Am' and 'No One Killed Jessica' but he shot into limelight with another chance encounter with Amit Trivedi in Jaipur during a new year's party. After listening to 'Baware' live at the party, Trivedi told the singer, 'Khan sahab, we must work together soon.' 'Then came 'Chaudhary',' Khan said. The blockbuster song in Coke Studio Season 2 turned Khan into an overnight celebrity on social media. With lyrics that spoke of Rajasthani culture and playful romantic moonlit nights, Khan rose to the heights of his career and horizons opened up for more collaborations with national and international artistes. 'Though it's an original composition by Amit Trivedi, the arrangement—raag, rhythm, and instruments—puts it in the Rajasthani folk space. It represents Rajasthan. Even the lyrics—'daal baati kha le aa ke mhare gaon'—reflect that tonality and cultural flavour,' Khan said. Coke Studio season 2 had another song by the Khan-Trivedi duo, 'Badri Badariya', that became popular. Since 'Chaudhary', Khan has given his mellifluous voice that carries the taste and texture of Rajasthan to songs in films and shows, including 'Mirzya', 'Sonchiriya', 'Bandish Bandits', 'Dasvi', and 'Chandu Champion'. The 47-year-old also collaborated with Dhruv Ghanekar for 'Mitho Laage' in The Dewarists season 5, affording him further recognition as a singer. Speaking about the importance of visuals, Khan said that it has become imperative for the younger generation of artistes to be seen along with being heard. 'Being an artist is not enough today. You must understand social media, distribution, music labels. Today, I work with Global Music Junction and Warner Music India. Why? Because if my song used to reach 100 people, now I want it to reach at least 1 lakh. Our generation must understand that just being an artist is not enough—you need this knowledge too,' he said. JetSynthesys' Global Music Junction powered Hari Prem Films recently announced an exclusive partnership with Khan for a three-year collaboration that spans music, brand partnerships, and international performances. 'In a country like India, with 1.6 billion people, even if 1 crore recognize you, it's huge. People recognize me on the streets, at airports, while eating at roadside dhabas. They say, 'Oh, that's Mame Khan.' It feels great that people know me because of my music. And it's all because of music,' he said. Under this partnership, HPF will exclusively manage Mame Khan's YouTube presence and digital rights. 'At Global Music Junction, our vision is to connect India's rich musical legacy with today's global audience. Mame Khan is the perfect blend of tradition and modernity, staying true to his roots while connecting effortlessly with contemporary audiences,' Rajan Navani, founder and CEO of JetSynthesys, said. This partnership also includes performance management across two of Khan's key live acts, the famous band RockNRoots Project and The Folk Orchestra of Rajasthan which features over 40 musicians. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Rahul Bose reveals his mother slapped him every day for 5 years, forced him to play Rugby: ‘I was useless, it helped me'
Rahul Bose credits his unconventional upbringing for shaping his perspective. His mother, who took on masculine roles, disciplined him strictly and pushed him into sports, while his father focused on appearance. This unique dynamic helped Rahul grow resilient. He is acclaimed for nuanced roles in films like 'Mr. and Mrs. Iyer' and 'Bulbbul'. Rahul Bose , a seasoned actor in Hindi cinema for nearly 30 years, recently reflected on how his parents' unconventional approach to gender roles influenced his perspective. Growing up in such an environment helped him develop a deeper awareness and a more thoughtful understanding of the world around him. Unconventional Upbringing The actor recently shared with ANI how his parents defied traditional gender roles in their household. His father was more focused on grooming and appearance, whereas his mother prioritized her career and took on roles typically seen as masculine. He said, 'I was woke way before the word came up because my mother never cooked, my father cooked. My mother slapped me every day for 5 years. I was such a nikamma (useless) that it only helped me. And you can't say that these days but believe me I was such a nikamma those days that it only helped. She forced me to play Rugby and box.' Father's Apprehension Bose recalled how his father reacted to his passion for physically demanding sports. He said, 'I boxed in school and my father was appalled. He wanted me to wear a cap so that I wouldn't get too dark in the sun. He wanted me to play cricket and be a gentleman. He saw me playing rugby and never looked at the field when he would walk in.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending Local Enterprise Accounting Software [Click Here] Accounting ERP Click Here Undo A Product of Contrasts He shared how the contrasting roles of his parents played a significant part in shaping who he is today. He described, 'I am the product of a father who would ask what we should wear at a wedding and a mother who asked what should I do with my career. This is exactly opposite.' Acclaimed Career Rahul Bose has earned acclaim for his distinctive and layered roles in films like 'Mr. and Mrs. Iyer', 'I Am', 'Bulbbul', and 'Kaalpurush'. Most recently, he appeared in the movie Berlin, continuing to showcase his versatile acting skills.
