I am excited to announce I am part of @lamamatheatre 's IMMERSE program for 2026, where I'll be developing a new play while supporting the rest of the cohort to do the same.
This group of mid-career artists are being supported by La Mama to make new work, push ourselves creatively and expand our networks.
I know the work of several of these writers/theatremakers and I look forward to getting to know them all.
I'll be collaborating with dramaturg @sad_goldfish across the three months of the program. We're already cooking up something pretty special.
📷: @emintheeast
#theatre #writing #playwright #melbourne #lamamaimmerse
My first book, WHERE'S DAVID LYNCH?, is out in Australia, the UK and Ireland, and the US. But here's me at my local bookstore, @ramonabookshop in Northcote, with a copy. Please support indie bookshops where you can.
Thanks to @rebel_pencil for his amazing artwork! And to @smithstreetbooks for publishing this odd ode to a one of a kind filmmaker.
Photos by @booksellersdiary ❤️
Top 9 posts of 2025:
1. That time @emintheeast and I got engaged!
2. Cover reveal for my David Lynch book!
3. I turned 50 this year and Em surprised me with a trip to Hobart!
4. My review of The Removalists in The Saturday Paper!
5. My Favourite Theatre of. 2025 post!
6. Everyone's A Critic - a workshop I did at Melbourne Uni about theatre criticism!
7. Yayoi Kusama exhibition at NGV!
8. MONA is a mindfuck reel!
9. Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image at Bendigo Art Gallery!
So many exclamation marks! So many red curtains! So much love. 2025 has been full of exciting theatre and some lovely breaks/holidays - Hobart and Adelaide at the top.
Next year: getting married, going on a honeymoon, releasing a book and some other exciting writing news. Stay tuned.
My Favourite Theatre of 2025 is up on my blog (link in bio) where I celebrate a year of Melbourne shows (and one in Sydney) and ask for a little bit of support if you like my criticism and you're in a position to help out.
My first book, Where's David Lynch?, is out in early 2026 through @smithstreetbooks .
It's a search and find based on the surreal worlds of Lynch's films. Lynch has gone missing but that's not all there is to find in the detailed illustrations by @kev.gahan_illustration - @rebel_pencil
This has been so much fun to work on. Actually, it didn't feel much like work at all. I wrote the original briefs for what the illustrations should contain (with suggested layout) and Kev has run with that and added in more detail than I thought we could squeeze in.
I've also written about the production of the films that appears at the back of the book, filled with lots of trivia, plus a list of things to look out for when exploring each picture.
The book is released in Australia in March 2026 and in the UK/US in April 2026.
And thanks to @sometimesmelbourne for putting me in touch with Smith Street Books in the first place.
#davidlynch #wheresdavid #lynchian #searchandfind #firstbook
Ballarat Foto Biennale. We love coming to Ballarat every couple of years to see the work of the world's best photographers.
This year's highlights were Mapplethorpe (no surprise!), Campbell Addy and Catherine Leroy.
I've seen many of the Mapplethorpe photos before but this collection, curated by Edward Enninful created some interesting juxtapositions from across his career.
Campbell Addy is from Ghana and his playfulness about the art of photography and his series of images inspired by the Bible were really striking.
Catherine Leroy's photos from the Vietnam War helped the rest of the world understand what was happening. She was so young and saw so much and her work is still so moving.
The best thing about the festival is seeing parts of Ballarat you might never explore otherwise. We even went to the Eureka Museum and had some conflicted thoughts about the Eureka Flag. (There was a photo exhibition there about Auschwitz, which was stark and confronting.)
@emintheeast and I really love the @ballaratfoto Biennale. It's on until mid-October.
The Frida Kahlo exhibition at the @bendigoartgallery is excellent though I did expect to see more of her artwork. The story of her life does mean her clothes and jewellery and the photos she posed for are essential to understanding the woman, who was politically radical and played with gender expression and didn't buy into an art world dominated by New York and Paris.
I guess we'll have to go to Museo Frida Kahlo in Mexico one day, @emintheeast .
#fridakahlo #bendigo #art #artgallery
Back in @satpaper with a review of @melbtheatreco 's new production of David Williamson's The Removalists. Loved being able to dive into this classic play and look at the way it honours the original - and @lamamatheatre - while also recognising that times have changed. Yes, it's still relevant but this script is from a distinct time and place.
Link for review in bio.
I was invited to run a workshop on reviewing and criticism at Melbourne Uni for @unionhousetheatre and I jumped at the chance - even though I don't love public speaking. But I was confident I knew enough about theatre and writing that I would be okay to bluff my way through it.
It went really well. Great group of students with lots of thoughts and questions and I didn't get stuck looking at my notes or unable to think of pertinent examples.
If anyone knows of another outlet where I can present this workshop, get in touch!
Thanks to @emintheeast for helping with the PowerPoint presentation.
