King Lear
In William Shakespeare's epic tragedy, the ageing King Lear (Karen Vickery) makes a decision that will have far-reaching and deadly consequences. He wants to divide his kingdom among his three daughters and the insincere and devious Regan (Natasha Vickery) and Goneril (Lainie Hart) gush with the show of flattery he demands. Cordelia (Petronella van Tienen), his youngest and favourite daughter, can't bring herself to do the same and is banished. Lear will live to regret his decisions, eventually descending into madness. Joel Horwood is directing the Echo Theatre production which is on at the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre from November 30 to December 3, various dates and times. Contains nudity, violence, strobe lighting, and haze effects. Recommend for ages 14+. See: theq.net.au.
In Paradisum
The Canberra Community Chorale will perform the Requiem by Gabriel Faure at Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest on Saturday, December 2, at 5pm as part of a concert that includes Last Verses, settings for choir and string ensemble of the final poems of D.H. Lawrence, Robert Herrick, Elinor Wylie, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Thomas Hardy by the chorale's musical director, Dan Walker. Tickets $40, $35 concession, $20 student, under 15 years free. Light refreshments after the performance are included in the ticket price. See: trybooking.com/CMGWS.
Dan Sultan
Singer-songwriter Sultan has multiple ARIA Awards and an ARIA-certified Gold record in Blackbird. He will be performing with special guest Jack Biilmann at UC Hub on Saturday, December 2 at 7pm. This is an 18+ event. See: moshtix.com.au.
Sunset Cinema
See movies under the stars at the Eucalypt Lawn, Australian National Botanic Gardens. You can buy popcorn, choc-tops and sweets as well as food from a dining truckor pack your own picnic. This is a cashless event. Gates open at 6.30pm, film begins from last light. On Friday, the satirical comedy Barbie (PG, 103 minutes) stars Margot Robbie as the title character, who lives a seemingly perfect life as the most popular Barbie in Barbieland. But she begins to undergo an existential crisis and travels to the real world, accompanied by her boyfriend Ken (Ryan Gosling), to seek answers. On Saturday, the Agatha Christie adaptation A Haunting in Venice (M, 103 minutes) sees detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) brought to a seance to expose a medium as a fake. But, as usual when Poirot is around, there is a very real murder and he must find out whodunit. See: sunsetcinema.com.au.
Metaverse of Magic
This show combines illusions, stagecraft and technology and allows you to use your smart device to take part in the performance. Joining forces with the magician Lenoxx (Ash Hodgkinson aka Ash Magic) and the all-knowing Game Master DIGI, you'll embark on a quest to reveal the secrets of the four masters of illusion and strive to gain access to the prestigious Inner Realm. It's at the Canberra Theatre Centre until December 3. See: canberratheatrecentre.com.au
