Cirrus@Austlit

'Brisbane, 1942: a big country town jumping at shadows, never knowing if that buzz in the air is a cicada or a squadron of merciless Japanese Zeroes. World War II took the city’s innocence, and that of 14-year-old Danny Fisher.

'Danny's dashing pilot brother has been killed in the Bombing of Darwin. As Danny's devastated family unravels, the teen finds a surrogate sibling in Andy, one of the Americans stationed in Brisbane. The American pilot takes Danny under his wing, and as the tension begins to rise between the Yank and Aussie servicemen, Danny hatches a reckless revenge plan against those who took his brother.

'A QTC world premiere drawing on true stories from the leafy streets of Brisbane in the middle of wartime, Matthew Ryan’s Brisbane is a life-affirming coming-of-age tale, with moments of sublime comedy amid a heartfelt tale of a family fragmented by tragedy. A living, breathing picture postcard from a time that could have been the making or breaking of a city. ' (Production summary)

'Cowards, murderers or heroes? Life or death?

'Ned Kelly is about to hang for his crimes, but his final night in prison is interrupted by the arrival of his brother Dan, disguised as a priest. Supposedly killed at the siege of Glenrowan, Dan is intent on moving north to Queensland and forgetting his past.

'To do so, he needs Ned’s blessing and forgiveness. But the last time they saw each other, Dan tried to shoot Ned dead. So begins a brutal confrontation by two titans of Australian history. Facing the sins of their past, each blames the other for their downfall. And neither will escape unharmed.' (Production summary)

'This is the story of Thom and Alethea. Two neighbours in a West End apartment block, trying desperately to keep their lives from falling apart. But the Wall that stands between them has decided they belong together. A one-man show using chalk, sock puppets, a projector and over two-dozen characters in a tall tale of whimsy, imagination and architectural enlightenment.

Source: Metro Arts (www.metroarts.com.au/) (Sighted: 06/08/2010).