Ophelia Thinks Harder: A fast-paced, feminist-doused bout of Shakespeare
Melbourne-based theatre company wit incorporated are set to deliver Shakespeare’s Hamlet like you’ve never seen it before. Playwright Jean Betts has shifted the all-too-familiar narrative of Hamlet to follow misguided teenager Ophelia as she navigates loss, expectation, faith and sexuality. Unraveling and challenging the tropes that trapped Ophelia so heavily in Shakespeare’s original, Ophelia Thinks Harder presses its audience to question society’s attitudes towards women. Ophelia Thinks Harder plays at Bluestone Church Arts Space, Footscray from Friday November 9 until Saturday November 24, with show times and tickets via the wit incorporated website.
Alliance Française Classic Film Festival: Celebrating the brilliant career of Jeanne Moreau
This year’s Alliance Française Classic Film Festival is set to celebrate the work of acclaimed French actress Jeanne Moreau. The festival will feature six films spanning Moreau’s epic career, from her early breakout in Elevator to the Gallows (1958, dir. Louis Malle) to her biggest international success Jules et Jim (1962, dir. François Truffaut) and her César Award-winning performance in The Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea (1992, dir. Laurent Heynemann). The Melbourne leg of the Alliance Française Classic Film Festival goes down from Thursday November 8 until Sunday November 11 at The Astor Theatre. Program details and tickets via the festival website.
A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer: Theatre and activism collide for V-Day
For the 20th installment of V-Day – a global initiative working towards ending violence against women – an all-female cast from Melbourne are set to bring A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer to the stage. Originally a collection of writings from acclaimed authors and playwrights the stage project is helmed by actor, director and producer Mariah Bouillaut, who alongside a cast of ten, will bring this famed feminist work to life. A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer will play at Handsome Her from Thursday November 8 until Saturday November 10 at 8pm. Tickets are $25 via Eventbrite, with a portion of the ticket price going towards Elizabeth Morgan’s House for Aboriginal Women.
Mo Gilligan: The comedy kingpin hits Melbourne this month
UK comedy heavyweight Mo Gilligan is set to land in Melbourne this month in conjunction with his appearance in Sydney for Just For Laughs. Gilligan – AKA Mo The Comedian – has enjoyed a rapid rise to stardom since going viral online, and he’s now also set to take his dedicated social media following into the realm of TV, with a prime time six-part series slated for release in 2019. For his run Down Under, Gilligan will perform his Coupla Cans show – which notably sold out Birmingham’s 1000-seater O2 Academy in minutes – and is set to bring it to Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre on Friday November 23. Tickets via Ticketek.
Julian Opie: Bask in the renowned artist at NGV
A free exhibition showcasing the acclaimed style of Julian Opie is set to come to NGV International this month. The London-based visual artist is acclaimed for the way he harnesses thick black lines and splashes of colour with exquisite simplicity, capturing faces and moods with ease. The exhibition will showcase 60 of Opie’s painted works, while the artist will also install a city of skyscrapers up to 13 metres high in the NGV foyer, alongside as a slew of other pieces in the garden including a large-scale fountain. Check out the Julian Opie exhibition at NGV International from Friday November 9 until February 2019 from 10am to 5pm daily.
