Born in London, Barry was introduced to theatre as a small boy, through being taken to see traditional Christmas pantomimes, as well as discovering jazz and fine music at a very young age. High school found him loving the works of Shakespeare, as well as many other great playwrights, poets and novelists. Moving to Australia, he became a jazz musician, playing with big bands and his own small groups, then attended the Elder Conservatorium of Music at the University of Adelaide, playing with several orchestras. This led to playing in theatre pits, joining the chorus, playing character roles, playing lead roles (after moving into drama), then directing, set and lighting design, administrative roles on theatre boards and, finally, becoming a critic. After twenty years of writing he has now joined the Broadway World team to represent Adelaide, in South Australia. Barry is also a long time member of the prestigious Adelaide Critics Circle.
May 13, 2026
Petra Kalive has made some interesting casting choices.
May 8, 2026
If you have never seen a live opera, this would be an excellent introduction.
April 26, 2026
Australia is not a classless society. Class is based in wealth and social standing.
April 11, 2026
Heather Mitchell delivers a master class.
April 10, 2026
Biggins raises many questions, but provides no answers.
March 23, 2026
You will likely want to go back and see it a second time.
March 18, 2026
It all begins hilariously, as the four boys claim that they support feminism, but the misogyny shows through.
March 12, 2026
King Hamlet and Yorick are an hilarious Shakespearean Odd Couple.
March 7, 2026
For Isabelle Huppert, this is a massive undertaking, a tour-de-force performance.
March 5, 2026
Alex Frayne’s analogue photography captures the history, presence, and future of people and place.
March 4, 2026
This is high risk theatre.
February 27, 2026
The world premiere of Faraway, a new work by Jenni Large.
December 4, 2025
This is very fine; not perfect, but who else in Adelaide would be up to the task?
November 16, 2025
They are dedicated to bringing Adelaide performances of the cantatas.
October 30, 2025
I really need to see this production again.
October 24, 2025
Charles Gounod took Shakespeare’s tale of the star-crossed lovers and adapted it to create the 1867 opera, Roméo et Juliette, with an overture and Shakespeare’s explanatory prologue, delivered by the chorus, followed by a five-act opera, with a libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré.
October 23, 2025
Another huge success for T.H.E. and a wonderful, spiritual experience writes BroadwayWorld's critic about the OzAsia Festival.
September 30, 2025
The hills are alive with the sound of music and the Arts Theatre is alive with The Sound of Music, in this most enjoyable production from the Gilbert and Sullivan Society. Now, this is not the film. All your old familiar songs are there, but sometimes in a slightly different context. There’s a new duet for two of the supporting cast, and a lot more of the singing nuns.
September 26, 2025
Almost forty years ago, in 1987, I happened to be sent on a training course in Melbourne, when Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, Cats, had its run in Sydney and been transferred to Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre, and I took advantage of the opportunity to buy a ticket to see the performance.
September 15, 2025
Singer/songwriters who play guitar a bit were disappointing in a guitar festival.
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