Comedy & Theatre
Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, Paul Hogan, Geoffrey Rush - Australian actors have been beating a path to Hollywood ever since Tasmanian-born Errol Flynn bared his manly chest in
the 1935 epic Captain Blood. At the root of their success is a powerful, vibrant Australian theatrical tradition that has produced many talented writers and directors as well as
performers.
Sydney's Star Turn
 If you're visiting Sydney and want to catch some innovative drama in a delightful setting, head for the Wharf on spectacular Sydney Harbour. Here, the Sydney Theatre
Company presents a wide and eclectic repertoire, ranging from Australian plays (both new and not-so-new) to musicals, contemporary works from other countries and most recently,
popular entertainment and dance productions.
Sydney Theatre Company was created in January 1979 by the New South Wales Government, following the demise of another highly regarded drama group called the Old Tote Theatre
Company. Following the Sydney Theatre Company's first production in January 1980, the company rose rapidly to become one of the most original and highly regarded in Australia,
providing living proof that supplying government grants to the arts can really
work.
Despite the government's largesse, the biggest financial support to STC comes from its audience - particularly dedicated subscribers. They enjoy the productions so much they are
happy to contribute. By 1997, Sydney Theatre Company had over 20,400 subscribers. The Wharf opened in December 1984, allowing all the STC's departments to be housed under one roof
for the first time.
The STC's Annual Subscription Season features up to 11 plays including recent or new Australian works, as well as interpretations of theatrical classics. After enjoying cutting-edge
contemporary drama , you can dine on site or elsewhere on Sydney's pleasant waterfront precinct.
Dabble in the Arts
 The South Bank is the centre of Brisbane’s artistic life, hosting a bevy of fine institutions side by side. The Queensland Art Gallery, Conservatorium of Music, State Library,
Performing Arts Complex and Queensland Museum all offer a wealth of artistic expression. South Bank also offers entertainment of a less lofty, but equally enjoyable kind. Strolling
along the winding bougainvillea arbour, through the gardens, past the man-made beach, and around shops and galleries, is one of the most quintessentially pleasant Brisbane experiences.
Stop at one of the many eateries offering all sorts of fare.
For a glimpse of the lively contemporary arts scene in Brisbane, head to the Powerhouse at the eastern end of Brunswick Street. Overlooking the river, this enormous structure
is now the venue for live theatre and visual arts. The raw, industrial exterior of the building has been maintained, as well as the graffiti inside it, a leftover from
derelict times, but the space is now a complex of theatres, outdoor performance spaces, offices, meeting rooms, a gallery, restaurant, bar and function space. Take stock in
the Spark Bar, directly looking over the wide brown riverscape.
As well as the dynamic modern developments taking place along the river, Brisbane is home to some exceptionally fine older civic buildings that have been restored to house cultural
institutions. Visit the Customs House, the City Hall, the Commissariat Store and the Old Mill.
Where Melbourne Falls Down
 The Melbourne International Comedy Festival draws a big audience and has it rolling in the aisles. The popular annual arts festival presents a high-profile
line-up of stand-up comedy, cabaret, theatre, live radio broadcasts, television, music, a Comedy Short Film Festival, outdoor entertainment, visual art exhibitions and a Kids'
Comedy Festival.
The festival grows from year to year attracting an audience of 365,000. The program lists individual shows, which are staged over 2,300 performances. This makes it one of the
three largest comedy festivals in the world, ranking with Montreal and Edinburgh. Each April, Melbourne's rather staid Town Hall is converted into an overflowing Comedy Central, with
plenty of other venues getting into the act as well.
The best parts of the festival are distilled into nine hours of side-splitting television, broadcast to an estimated audience of four million Australians. The festival begun in 1987
by taking its talent from Melbourne's abundant pubs, clubs, cabarets and dingy back bars. These venues have proved an extraordinarily fertile breeding ground for wild, wacky and very
funny people.
Visiting humorists and home-grown acts vie to amuse the multitudes.
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