Humphrey Bower

Fond farewells to As You Like It, which I had the pleasure and privilege of directing with the WAAPA Advanced Diploma of Acting students in the new Flex Theatre at the ECU city campus. Special thanks to course coordinator Tom Heath for giving me the opportunity to explore my favourite Shakespeare play with this fabulous cast. 'Play, music! And you, brides and bridegrooms all, With measure heaped in joy, to dancing fall.'

PERTH if you missed out on Humphrey's national touring hit "An Imaginary Life" you can catch it THIS WEEK for the City of Cockburn 's Makuru Arts Festival.

Free tickets, registration essential: https://www.cockburn.wa.gov.au/City-and-Council/Events-and-News/Events-and-Workshops/Makuru-Arts-Festival

Wolfgang is impressed by Harrison Cooke's Mata Mata at The Blue Room Theatre:

Hideous Creatures Mata Mata

Wolfgang on WA Opera's forthcoming performance of Tippett's A Child of Our Time:

The Shadow and The Light A Child of Our Time for Our Time

Wolfgang gets on the dance floor at Audible Edge '26.

Between Sound and Silence Audible Edge ‘26

Wolfgang's seventh and final post from Adelaide Festival 2026, on FC Bergman's Works and Days, and Robert Wilson's Mary Said What She Said, with Isabelle Huppert:

Works and Days/Mary Said What She Said Reviews and Reflections from Adelaide Festival 2026 (7)

Wolgang's sixth missive from Adelaide Festival 2026, on Ensemble Pygmalion's Monteverdi Vespers and Orfeo by Luigi Rossi:

Baroque Masterpieces for a Neo-Baroque Age Reviews and Reflections from Adelaide Festival 2026 (6)

Wolfgang's fifth post from Adelaide Festival 2026, on Anthony Marwood with the Adelaide Symphony and Olli Mustonen at Elder Hall:

Spaces in Togetherness Reviews and Reflections from Adelaide Festival 2026 (5)

Wolfgang's fourth post from Adelaide 2026, on The Tiger Lillies: Serenades from the Sewer:

Dead Funny Reviews and Reflections from Adelaide Festival 2026 (4)

Fond farewells to Secret Opera: The Marriage of Figaro which I had the pleasure and privilege of adapting and directing for WA Opera at IKEA in Innaloo as part of Perth Festival 2026. Special thanks to Maestro Chris van Tuinen (Artistic Director of WA Opera and Musical Director) for coming up with the idea and adapting the opera with me for five performers and three musicians. Thanks also to Bayden Adams for his amazing work in reducing the score for clarinet, cello and keyboard; to dream design team Fiona Bruce (hilarious IKEA costumes and cunning deployment of existing layout, furniture, props and signage in the bedding section, bistro and garden furniture section) and Mark Haslam (equally brilliant use of existing and additional lighting); to the calm and collected organisational and logistical nous of Ginny van Tuinen (special project manager) and Mandy Farmer (production manager); to musicians Lydia Lye (piano), Melinda Forsythe (cello) and Ashley Smith (clarinet); to all at WA Opera who helped to make this happen; and above all to the dazzling cast: Sam Claxton (Figaro), Claire Condipodero (Susanna), Benjamin Del Borrello (Mr Conti), Jessica Blunt (Mrs Conti), and Ruth Burke (Cherubino). 'Ah tutti contenti saremo cosi!'