Behind the Scenes 17th March 2025

Steph Spears is the Theatre Network Australia rep for the start of May and she’ll be introducing the TNA Member of the Month, Philip Channells from Dance Integrated Australia … Then, it’s time for the Melbourne Writers’ Festival and Vision Australia Radio is a media partner – so let’s do some media with Festival Director, Veronica Sullivan… After that, it’s time for Screens & Streams, and we’ll start with Elysia Zeccola from Palace Films for a chat about the German Film Festival…  before Marc Gracie drops by to talk about what we’ve seen on our big and small screens… They’re all on this week’s edition of Behind the Scenes with Chris Thompson right here on Vision Australia Radio.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This month our Darwin correspondent is Liz Rogers from Brown’s Mart and she’ll be introducing us to Nicky Fearn and Gail Evans, creators of Fair Punishment… Then it’s time for the Yirramboi Festival again and we’ll sit down with Co-Leads Sherene Stewart and J’Maine Beezley to find out all the good stuff… And then a bit of music to finish off the show…  new instrumental dance group Intermood have released their debut album – Casuarina – so, we’ll listen to a couple of tracks and chat with drummer Miles Murray… They’re all on this week’s edition of Behind the Scenes with Chris Thompson right here on Vision Australia Radio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a great new exhibition at Linden New Art – Bernhard Sachs: After History - which celebrates the life and art of artist and academic Bernhard Sachs and Curator Hamish Sawyer walks and talks us through these remarkable works… …and speaking of Linden New Art, and exhibition we missed last year has been captured in a beautiful book – I’m A Believer by artist Michelle Hamer capturing her exploration of the invalidation and dismissive language we often encounter in healthcare systems all over the world… And why not spend the whole show in galleries…  we’ll finish up at McClelland Sculpture Park and Gallery where Monica Curro is rolling out a fabulous new programme of Music on Sundays… They’re all on this week’s edition of Behind the Scenes with Chris Thompson right here on Vision Australia Radio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We start this week’s show in Adelaide with Elena Vereker from InSite Arts who’ll introduce her local guest artist, Jennifer Greer Holmes from Vital Statistix… Then we’re off on a bit of a nostalgia trip at the Museum of Australian Photography when we check out The Basement, their exhibition devoted to celebrating the Photography Course at Prahran College from 1968 to 1981 and we’ll meet photographer Paul Lambeth who was there as a student AND there on opening night… Meanwhile, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is still going so let’s catch up with comedian Anisa Nandaula who’ll tell us why You Can’t Say That… …and then let’s drop in on Gasworks for a bit of Berlin Burlesque from the Lyttelton Circus Theatre Company and we’ll chat with David Ladderman… who is either a narrating juggler or a juggling narrator… They’re all on this week’s edition of Behind the Scenes with Chris Thompson right here on Vision Australia Radio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Behind the Scenes… my name’s Chris Thompson and each week as we talk about the arts and culture across Melbourne, across Victoria and across the country, we acknowledge the Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation…  the traditional custodians of the land on which we make this show…  we pay our respects to their ancestors and elders past, present and emerging and remember that they are part of the longest continuing culture in the world. First show of the month means a visit from Theatre Network Australia and this month we catch up with Josh Lowe who’ll also introduce the TNA member of the Month – Bina Bhattacharya from PYT Fairfield Theatre for young and emerging artists… Then, Amanda Douge is an Australian actor and Theatre Maker who’s been living in the UK where she’s been investigating the intersection between theatre and the climate crisis…  and she’s brought part of that investigation – Rosa Luxemburg and I - back home for a one night showing and discussion at the Abbotsford Convent… Ross Judd is a consultant in communication management, and he’s brought together many of the things he’s learned over the years into a book about – exactly what its title says – Listening… And finally, it’s Screens&Streams time again with Marc Gracie and a whole bunch of new films… They’re all on this week’s edition of Behind the Scenes with Chris Thompson right here on Vision Australia Radio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's almost school holidays and amongst the many things on offer for young people is a pretty terrific programme of workshops and activities at the Koorie Heritage Trust, which is why CEO Tom Mosby is here to tell us what’s what AND to remind us that the fashion and textiles exhibition - Stitchin’ Stories: Blak and Threadly is still running through until May… Then, New Zealand theatre company – A Slightly Isolated Dog – has made the trip across the ditch to bring us their latest production – Jekyll and Hyde…  we were to catch up with company members Jonathan Price and Andrew Paterson but sadly, they’ve gone AWOL but never fear… in their place we’ll meet Phillipe and Julie…  who might well be in the production, or maybe not… Then, it’s two for price of one when Rueben Kaye drops by to talk about playing the iconic role of Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar PLUS what he’s got in store for us with his latest Melbourne International Comedy Festival show… And speaking of the Comedy Festival, UK comedian and occasional equine Elf Lyons claims to have the first comedy show ever performed entirely by a horse…  appropriately titled…  Horses… They’re all on this week’s edition of Behind the Scenes with Chris Thompson right here on Vision Australia Radio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's our week to begin in the Northern Territory, so we’re welcoming back one half of our dynamic Darwin duo – Brown’s Mart Artistic Director, Yvette Walker and she’ll be introducing us to Nadine Lee, Artistic Director of the Larakia Studio… Then, author Maryrose Cuskelly is back to talk about her new book – The Campers…  which she’s referring to as Neighbourhood Noir…  what’s that about? And if it’s noir, who is the homme fatale? And finally, award winning opera singer Piera Dennerstein is Pursuing Pleasure…  at least that’s the name of her show, and we’ll find out whether her pursuit pays off…  and listen to a bit of a song… They’re all on this week’s edition of Behind the Scenes with Chris Thompson right here on Vision Australia Radio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helen Simondson from WA Museum Boola Bardip has been to the theatre and she’ll be telling us about that in her Perth roundup, before introducing her local guest artists, Shannon Yujnovich from The Lester Prize for portraiture which is on the hunt for young artists… Then, at Theatre Works, they have a brand new building in their back stage area and a brand new show – The Three Sisters – in their onstage area…  so it’s a good time to drop in on Executive Director and Creative Producer Dianne Toulson… Meanwhile, Vision Australia Radio is an official sponsor of the Brimbank Writers and Readers Festival, so why don’t we chat with Community Learning Officer Silvia Velez and featured  author Holden Sheppard… And finally, let’s head up the Hume Highway to the Albury Entertainment Centre where blind singer and former Voice contenstant Julee-Anne Bell is collaborating with pianist Melissa Buchholz to bring us Perfectly Imperfect – Songs and Stories of Life, Love and Laughter… They’re all on this week’s edition of Behind the Scenes with Chris Thompson right here on Vision Australia Radio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sadly, we’re without Elena Vereker this month, but she’ll be back on deck in April for our regular Adelaide round up… So, our first guest this week is trans playwright Eva Rees who’s new psychological thriller, Djuna is about to open as part of Darebin Speakeasy… Then, it’s a bumper edition of Screens & Streams… …starting with Sian Mitchell who returns to the show to let us know all the good things she’s got in store for us at this year’s Melbourne Women in Film Festival… …then we’ll meet Mitu Bhowmick Lange, Producer of the new Australian film My Melbourne which has just hit the local cinema screens and will soon be on screens in India… And finally, Marc Gracie is here for a debrief on this year’s Oscars and some thoughts on some of the contenders for best picture…  did the Academy get it right? They’re all on this week’s edition of Behind the Scenes with Chris Thompson right here on Vision Australia Radio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here we are in March already, and Steph Speirs is here with the Theatre Network Australia round up and an introduction to our TNA Member of the Month – a former TNA regular on Behind the Scenes – Tessa Leong… After that, Susie Dee is back for a chat – this time about THREE different show’s she directed…  Rodeo Clown and I’m With Her at HotHouse Theatre… and the new Patricia Cornelius play Truth at The Malthouse… Then we catch up with Captain Fish AKA Bill Marshall to tell us what we’ll experience at this year’s Festival of Surrealisms… And finally, it should be Screens & Streams this week, but it’s Oscar night! So we’ve decided to hold off until next week when we can reflect on the gongs and the snubs…  but we still have a movie to talk about…  twenty-two years after David Wenham as Johnny ‘Spit’ Spitieri made his famous run down the street wearing only thongs and underpants in Gettin’ Square, he’s back in the eponymous sequel Spit – and we’ll ask screenwriter Chris Nyst why it took so long… They’re all on this week’s edition of Behind the Scenes with Chris Thompson right here on Vision Australia Radio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.