What’s On Guide February '18 Arts Reviews What's Best in Brisbane! PROFILE BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL Side-Splitting Stuff! AT BRISBANE POWERHOUSE, BRISBANE CITY HALL AND SUNPAC PROFILE Creative Brisbane BRISBANE COMEDY FESTIVAL Website SIDE-SPLITTING! Want to keep up with the latest in arts and entertainment news in Brisbane? Our newly launched website is packed with events & reviews giving you a central hub to find out what's Best in Brisbane: give creativebrisbane.com.au a whirl today!

Comic musings, side-splitting stories and Brisbane-bound Aussie household names include tear-inducing tales… Jimeoin, Wil Anderson, , Joel Creasey, Australia’s fastest growing comedy festival, Brisbane Lawrence Mooney, Akmal, , Nazeem Comedy Festival, has grown into a multi-venue Hussain and , alongside comedy queens extravaganza, bursting at the seams to host a Fiona O’Loughlin, and Cal Wilson. hand-picked selection of the funniest folk in the From stand up to improv and sketch comedy, we’ve country. got your tastes covered, plus we’ll shine a light on Held from 23 February to 25 March 2018 at Brisbane the best new talent, here and now! Powerhouse, Brisbane City Hall and SunPAC, Brisbane In 2018, Brisbane Comedy Festival celebrates nine Comedy Festival will play host to one-liners, whimsy hilarious years of laughs with an even bigger and and mockery from more than 70 of the most hilarious better line-up than ever before. Join us for night national and international comedians. after night of side-splitting fun*. Leading the pack of international laughter masters are Jim Gaffigan who will be kicking off his Australian Brisbane Comedy Festival and New Zealand tour with his Brisbane debut, 23 February – 25 March Stephen K Amos, James Smith, Rich Hall, Daniel Sloss, brisbanecomedyfestival.com Des Bishop, DeAnne Smith, Urzila Carlson and Jeff * Brisbane Comedy Festival is not responsible for medical costs Green. incurred as a result of said side-splitting.

FEBRUARY 2018 WHAT’S ON GUIDE PAGE 3 Image by Dylan Evans by Image

glittering balls and opium-fuelled Image emerging composers and dreams, Solor and Nikiya are Dancers: Yanela Piñera and Joel Woellner musicians from the Queensland La Bayadère Creative Direction: Design Front Converge Queensland Ballet entwined through life, death and Photography: Justin Ridler Expressions Dance Company Conservatorium. 16 – 31 March the ghostly Kingdom of the with Queensland Featuring provocative new Playhouse Shades. Conservatorium choreographic works by four QPAC Following his acclaimed Griffith University of Australasia’s hottest young queenslandballet.com.au productions of The Sleeping 10 – 17 March choreographers: Acclaimed A love so great, it transcends life. Beauty and Coppèlia, Greg Conservatorium Theatre contemporary dance maker Solor, son of the Maharajah of Horsman’s magnificent staging South Bank Stephanie Lake, Beijing Dance of a revered ballet classic is not LDTX's Xu Yiming and EDC Koch Bihar, has pledged his www.qtix.com.au to be missed. ensemble members Richard undying love to the beautiful 136 246 Causer and Jake McLarnon Nikiya, a bayadère (temple Bold and inspiring, Converge (pictured). Don't miss this limited dancer). When he is forced by his GOVERNMENT showcases the latest in daring season! father to marry the Governor- contemporary dance and General’s daughter, a string of incredible new musical tragic consequences is unleashed. compositions. This sumptuous new production Be transported by this dynamic PRINCIPAL PARTNER of La Bayadère will sweep you into collaboration between the exotic world of the 19th Queensland’s premier dance century British Raj. Within a theatre company Expressions cauldron of colonial politics, Dance Company (EDC) and

PAGE 4 WHAT’S ON GUIDE FEBRUARY 2018 FEBRUARY 2018 WHAT’S ON GUIDE PAGE 5 Fleabag may seem over-sexed, our own terms. Bring the family, Fleabag emotionally unfiltered and in Shrek The but listen carefully to the words Brisbane Powerhouse denial, but that’s just the tip of the songs. Everything is not as of the iceberg. With family and Presented by Brisbane Powerhouse in Musical it seems! 8–10 February association with DryWhite and Soho Theatre. 24th February – 31st March brisbanepowerhouse.org friendships under strain and a Shrek The Musical demonstrates guinea pig themed café Fleabag tour supported by the on selected dates that you don’t have to look Filthy, funny and unflinching, British Council. Brisbane Arts Theatre Fleabag’s modern anti-heroine struggling to keep afloat, incredible, new, shiny and artstheatre.com.au tackles lust, grief and guinea pigs. Fleabag suddenly finds herself glamourous to make a huge Shrek The Musical brings Stumbling through a maze of with nothing to lose. difference to a lot of people. everyone’s favourite green ugly social anxiety, disastrous job “Sucker punch funny… I’ve never Just like Brisbane Arts Theatre! monster to the stage. There’ll be interviews and meaningless sex, seen a play quite like it.” fantastical fairytale characters, Fleabag serves up an uproariously The Scotsman joyful singing and that unique funny and true account of a Writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge humour which speaks to adults 20-something female living Director Vicky Jones and children alike. her sort of life. Starring Maddie Rice Having said that, it’s a little Following the BAFTA more adult than child, and follows award-winning BBC series, the story of a princess falling in DryWrite and Soho Theatre bring love and being able to finally you the acclaimed stage reveal her true self. It is about production of Phoebe acceptance and redemption on Waller-Bridge’s cult hit.

PAGE 6 WHAT’S ON GUIDE FEBRUARY 2018 FEBRUARY 2018 WHAT’S ON GUIDE PAGE 7 from across the globe as they Australian’s of the Year, Professors conducted by Nicholas Buc, and follow along on our social World Science delve into what makes us human, Fiona Wood and Alan Mackay-Sim. Close performed in its entirety by the channels. World Science Festival how humanity has advanced, and Ground-breaking discoveries will Queensland Festival Philharmonic Brisbane is presented by Festival we can live better for longer. be examined. Scientific Encounters and accompanied by the voices Queensland Museum. Brisbane With a range of free and experiments will be demonstrated. of the Third of Birralee choir, live and in sync ticketed events for the whole Knowledge and entertainment will with this extraordinary film. Returns family, the 2018 festival features be shared. Don’t miss your chance Kind in Steven Spielberg’s 1977 21–25 March 2018 five days of spectacular, to be part of something Concert masterpiece, Close Encounters worldsciencefestival.com.au innovative and hands-on science spectacular. View the program WORLD PREMIERE of the Third Kind, is widely World Science Festival Brisbane – all designed to feed curious or buy tickets now at Saturday 24 March 2018 considered one of the most returns with brilliant minds and challenge our views of worldsciencefestival.com.au treasured and influential science Queensland Performing STRATEGIC PARTNERS performances, enlightening what it means to be human. Arts Centre (QPAC) fiction films of all time. conversations, fascinating Crowd favourites include the worldsciencefestival.com.au Nominated for eight Academy demonstrations and more return of our loveable turtle Queensland Museum, Film Awards® including Best Original hatching baby turtles for you to hatchlings, fascinating taxidermy Concerts Live! and Columbia Score, Close Encounters of the fall in love with all over again. presentations, inspiring talks, films, Pictures present Close Encounters Third Kind remains as engrossing From 21 to 25 March 2018, the workshops and Street Science. of the Third Kind in Concert – and inspiring today as it was festival will celebrate and Hear from Dr , STRATEGIC PARTNERS WORLD PREMIERE. For the first forty years ago. investigate humanity. Join world-renowned physicist time audiences will The countdown to one of the world-leading scientists, Professor Brian Greene and be able to experience John world’s largest celebrations of communicators and performers pioneers of science and Williams’ magnificent score science is on. Visit the website

PAGE 8 WHAT’S ON GUIDE FEBRUARY 2018 FEBRUARY 2018 WHAT’S ON GUIDE PAGE 9 Sabine Meyer & Alliage Quintett 1 March 7pm Queensland Conservatorium As a world-renowned soloist who has performed with over 300 orchestras, Sabine Meyer almost single-handedly re-popularised the clarinet. Joined by the Alliage Quintett, Sabine returns to Australia for Fantasia. In a unique combination of piano, saxophones and clarinet, this program fuses popular music from movies, ballets and symphonies. With new arrangements of works by Shostakovich and Bernstein, experience energetic and dynamic sounds, bursting with colourful details. Chinese Lunar

headstrong George; an New Year The Dead environmental scientist desperate Festival Devils of to save the world, one Tassie Devil 17–18 February 2018 at a time. Sharing her cramped Chinatown Mall shack is Harris, a ranger charged Fortitude Valley Cockle Creek with bringing a feral dog plague By Kathryn Marquet brisbane.qld.gov.au/valleymalls under control to protect George’s Presented By La Boite and work with the devils. Across one Free, presented by Playlab night, two unexpected visitors Brisbane City Council 10 Feb – 03 Mar trigger a series of events that will Celebrate the Chinese Lunar La Boite change the pair’s lives forever. New Year in Brisbane with laboite.com.au The Dead Devils of Cockle Creek Proudly supported by performances and events in (07) 3007 8600 is recommended for mature Chinatown Mall from Saturday 17 Acclaimed actor/playwright, audiences 15+. It contains frequent to Sunday 18 February 2018. Kathryn Marquet (Pale Blue Dot) coarse language, sexual references, Ring in the Year of the Dog and makes her highly-anticipated simulated drug use, simulated enjoy the vibrancy of Chinese and return to La Boite with a biting violence, and bodily fluids. Asian culture with an exciting new comedy, The Dead Devils of festival program. There will be Cockle Creek. traditional music, lion dance Set against the unforgiving performances, firecrackers, roving backdrop of the Tasmanian wilds, acts, workshops and much more. Dead Devils centres on the

PAGE 10 WHAT’S ON GUIDE FEBRUARY 2018 FEBRUARY 2018 WHAT’S ON GUIDE PAGE 11 Born into bitter poverty, Li Cunxin Museum of Brisbane is located on level 3, own kite, adding a wish and flying Museum of Brisbane is located on level 3, few up in a world few of us can under the Clock Tower, City Hall, King George it with friends and family from under the Clock Tower, City Hall, King George Mao’s Last Square, Brisbane. The Kite Square, Brisbane. imagine. Through the chance of across Brisbane as part of The Dancer the fate, he was selected to attend Image: Li Cunxin and Mary McKendry in Wishes Kites Wishes Project. Image: Li running with kite from Esmeralda pas de deux, Sydney Opera House The Peasant Prince by Li Cunxin and exhibition: Madame Mao’s Beijing Dance 1990, Photo Branco Gacia, Courtesy Australian Project Visit Museum of Brisbane during llustrated by Anne Spudvilas Academy at age 11. Despite the Ballet and Li Cunxin Museum of Brisbane Mao’s Last Dancer the exhibition A Portrait Academy’s punishing training 1 Dec 2017 – 29 Apr 2018 and design your own kite or be of Li Cunxin regime, with perseverance and the museumofbrisbane.com.au inspired by the koinbori fish Museum of Brisbane love of his family driving him to Create a kite, add your wish template created by Brisbane 1 Dec 2017 – 19 Apr 2018 success, Li became one of China’s and send it flying. artist Elysha Rei. Return on 24 museumofbrisbane.com.au most celebrated dancers. Mao’s Last Dancer – Li Cunxin – February and send your wises Discover one man’s incredible In this world-first exhibition is an has a life-long love of kites: flying high as part of a kite journey from poverty to opportunity to intimately discover creating and flying them as a child, procession from King George world-famous artist in this Li Cunxin’s deeply moving personal in rare and precious moments with Square to BrisAsia’s Kisaragi-Sai exclusive Museum of Brisbane narrative, his remarkable artistic his father. Festival at the Roma Street exhibition. Featuring achievements and the Kites became a metaphor for Parklands. never-before-seen interviews, extraordinary impact he continues Li’s life, as his career soared The Kite Wishes Project is a performance footage and personal to have on the lives of so many beyond the impoverished collaboration between Museum artefacts this exhibition is an within and outside the dance commune of his childhood to the of Brisbane and BrisAsia Festival. intimate portrait of a community. ballet stages of the world. Become contemporary Australian icon. part of Li’s story by creating your

PAGE 812 WHAT’S ON GUIDEWHAT’S DECEMBER ON GUIDE 2017 – FEBRUARY JANUARY 20182018 DECEMBERFEBRUARY 20182017 – WHAT’S JANUARY ON 2018 GUIDE WHAT’S ON GUIDE PAGEPAGE 13 9 This classic Brothers Grimm tale Twelve sees an old soldier getting the better of the young princesses, Dancing and discovering the truth. They escape the palace each night and Princesses dance with their favourite princes 20 January – 17 March 2018 in a secret land filled with on selected dates beautiful trees and precious Tickets $18 jewels. Bookings online at This production will delight all artstheatre.com.au / aspiring princesses and inspire twelvedancingprincesses young performers as the cast Once upon a time there were come and meet their adoring fans twelve beautiful princesses. Each after each show in a 50-year night, the girls slept in a large tradition, much loved by bedroom with twelve beds. Their generations of Brisbane audiences father, the king, always locked at the iconic theatre on Petrie the door to keep them safe and Terrace. couldn’t understand why every morning their shoes were all worn out.

PAGE 14 WHAT’S ON GUIDE FEBRUARY 2018 EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF THE FILM WITH A LIVE ORCHESTRA

WITH QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

1:30PM & 7:30PM SATURDAY 19 MAY 2018 BRISBANE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE BOOK NOW QSO.COM.AU