Author: Callum McLean
-
REVIEW: The Last Five Years, Segue Productions
Originally published in Glam Adelaide The Last Five Years is not an atypical musical—there’s no flash, no show-stopping numbers, no ostentatious costuming or choreographed dancing. There’s not even much of a plot to speak of, but don’t let that put you off. It is much more intimate (and all the more rewarding for it), as the…
-
WINNER: 2017 State Theatre Company Young Playwrights Award
CJ McLean is the 2017 winner of the Flinders University Young Playwrights Award, State Theatre Company’s major award for the encouragement and support of new writing talent, now in its 17th year.
-
REVIEW: Enoch Arden
Originally published in Glam Adelaide John Bell and Simon Tedeschi’s imagining of Lord Alfred Tennyson’s Enoch Arden seems, at first, to be a bawdy sailor’s tale, told in the back corner of a smoke-laced pub and set to piano. It doesn’t take long, however, to realise what is really on display here is a stripped-back account of…
-
PRESS RELEASE: “Love & Anger” Adelaide Fringe 2017
I am very proud to announce that my first show, Love & Anger, will be a part of Adelaide Fringe’s 2017 season. Accompanied on piano by distinguished Adelaide artist and pianist Paul Sinkinson, Love & Anger will be on for two nights only: Saturday February 18th and Sunday February 19th 2017. Below is the official synopsis: ‘I…
-
Site Update
Hello! Just popping in from out of the cold to say, I’ve added another page onto my site for Reviews. You can find it via the menu above, or here: https://cjmcleansite.wordpress.com/reviews/ It’s a humble offering of very kind words at the moment, but I hope to be able to add to it in future. Also, I…
-
The Hearth (and an update!)
Hello! I have been exceptionally quiet these past few months. I have been pretty quiet on the writing front, it is true. But I read at a lovely event called The Hearth on Thursday evening. It was the first time in a long while I’d read publicly, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so,…
-
REVIEW: Calamity, Adelaide Fringe 2016
Originally published in RIP IT UP The heat, the claustrophobia and the uneasiness of Calamity sets in almost immediately as you enter the cellar. The immediacy of this part-theatre, part-art performance piece is not only inspired, but inspiring. The Adelaide Independent Theatre Collective premier piece is a beacon of hope for emerging Adelaide artists, whilst telling a valuable story. Directed by…
-
REVIEW: Kate Miller-Heidke, Adelaide Fringe 2016
Originally published in RIP IT UP First, a negative: the seats at the Spiegeltent are bloody uncomfortable. Phew. Glad that’s out of the way. Kate Miller-Heidke is a master. In voice, ability and presence, she is unparalleled on the Australian music scene. She emerged on stage last night with little fanfare – I mean, of course the…
-
REVIEW: Drag Queen Stole My Dress, Adelaide Fringe 2016
Originally published in RIP IT UP Don’t let the title fool you – a drag queen may well have stolen her dress on an occasion, but that is only a small part of an expansive story that is expertly told by Gillian English. This wonderfully crafted one-woman show about sticking it out in a terrible…
-
REVIEW: Hannah Gadsby – Dogmatic, Adelaide Fringe 2016
Originally published in RIP IT UP Hannah Gadsby’s 1978 World National Tour is in town. If you pray at the altar of Gad-Gad, it’s time to get down on your knees. Gadsby’s latest comedy offering sees her awkward comic style momentarily suspended, as she takes a leaf out of the book of America’s current pop princess, Taylor Swift, and tries her…
Callum McLean 