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Art & Culture Archive



Free-Rain Theatre’s production of '& Juliet' explores the question: what if Juliet didn’t die for Romeo and instead chose herself? This remix of Shakespeare is energised by hit pop songs from Max Martin and features a talented cast. In this reimagining, Juliet gets a second chance, while her best friend May, portrayed by Josh Kirk, steps into the spotlight as a non-binary character who navigates issues of identity, community and self-acceptance on their own terms.

SYDNEY
Maxi Shield was the kind of queen it was hard to imagine Sydney without — a fixture on Oxford Street. A drag legend who lit up stages from the Darg Race to the Olympics closing ceremony to late‑night karaoke at Palms. News of her death at 51, following treatment for cancer, has left the queer community grieving a performer many saw as both a drag icon and a friend.

Review
★★★★☆ “A spellbinding dive down the rabbit hole. Bold, beautiful and brimming with wonder.” FUSE Magazine

Interview
We had a chat with Honor Wolff from Hot Department about sketch comedy, creative sparks, and what it means to push boundaries in humor. From their award-winning webseries to their unique writing process, these comedic superstars know how to make people laugh while keeping it smart!

INTREVIEW
He’s an Australian national gay treasure with a grin that could light up a city and bangs that any ’80S girl would kill for. We interview Bob Downe. Australia’s Clown Prince of Polyester

INTERVIEW
Nigel Featherstone has never been one to follow the rules. The celebrated gay Australian novelist, playwright, librettist, and music maker is known for pushing boundaries, blending genres, and telling stories that are as intimate as they are political. From his award-winning wartime novel Bodies of Men to his new play The Story of the Oars, Featherstone’s work is fuelled by questions of truth, silence, and what it means to live freely as a queer person in Australia.

Review
As one of Shakespeare’s least performed plays, Coriolanus is startlingly relevant under Trump 2.0. Coriolanus by Bell Shakespeare is playing in Sydney and Melbourne 20 June until 10 August.

Music
Llewellyn Hall echoed with heartbreak, harmony, and a bold reimagining of history as Qwire presented These Precious Hours – Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas Reimagined.

Interview
Canberra Comedian Holly Hazlewood puts the tea in TransFat with a savage and cutting look at coming out, misogyny, queer dating, chasers, toxic masculinity and what it's like to age backwards. We chat to Holly in the lead-up to her new show and this year's Comedy Festival, which draws talent from all over the country.