Category: Published

‘LORD OF THE FLIES’ BY BEENLEIGH THEATRE GROUP REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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Last Friday I was fortunate to attend opening night of the Beenleigh Theatre Group’s first production for the year 2018 as a reviewer for Scenestr magazine. I had interviewed Brad Chapman last month who was directing this stage adaptation of Lord of the Flies and who I had seen perform earlier in 2017 in Cosi. Chapman who is also a school drama teacher has gotten some great natural performances out of his young cast and I was impressed by the lighting and set design. I enjoyed the play and you can read more of my thoughts here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/lord-of-the-flies-brisbane-review-crete-street-theatre-20182201

It remains a privilege to get to go along and see theatre put on by people who give up all their spare time to put on a show with great productions and performances.

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Celebrating 25 years in 2018 of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane every month. If you’re into music they’re a great read but they do cover all of the arts including festivals, stand-up comics, fashion, theatre and film. I feel very fortunate to get to write for them.

-Lloyd Marken

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY TOP 5 AVAILABLE AT HEAVY

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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Star Trek: Discovery returned back to our screens earlier this month and in anticipation I put together a Top 5 of things I was looking forward to being further developed following the mid-season hiatus. Star Trek: Discovery grows from strength to strength despite my concerns. It may not play as Trek for hardcore fans and it has a few flaws that need to be ironed out but it proved one of the more entertaining shows making their debut last year and I look forward to further adventures.

I am super pleased to have contributed another Top 5 to Heavy in what is so far turning out to be monthly thing. I wish I could be more prolific but alas the day job keeps me busy. To check out the post click here https://heavymag.com.au/top-5-reasons-excited-star-trek-discovery-coming-back/ and please feel free to leave a comment there if you want.

Heavy is an independent magazine and website that is all about the music and specifically heavy music and supporting the Australian music scene in general. Fortunately for me they do cover film as well and I have been fortunate to have a few things published there.

-Lloyd Marken

FIVE CAME BACK REVIEW AVAILABLE ON BUZZ MAGAZINE

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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One of the best things I enjoyed watching on Netflix last year was the series Five Came Back. Based off the book by Mark Harris, the series recounts the experiences of five legendary Hollywood directors throughout their service in World War II. It is one of the most fascinating and moving stories I got to watch and hope you will get a chance to enjoy it too. I think sometimes I struggle to find the right way to review something I enjoyed so much but feel free to check it out at http://buzzmagazine.com.au/five-who-came-back/

Based out of Victoria, Buzz Magazine was one the longest running street press magazines in Australia being published in print from 1993 to 2010. Some fine writers have worked for Buzz over the years and gone onto successful careers in media since and there is simply no way to measure the contribution the mag made to local music over its print run. With such words and minimal advertising on the website the impression could be taken that Buzz is now semi-retired. Yet the site is quite prolific with new write-ups on a daily basis, the ongoing interest of fans old and new and contributions from some very talented people indeed.

-Lloyd Marken

 

INTERVIEW WITH EDM EXTRADINAIRE OPIUO AND THEATRE DIRECTOR BRAD CHAPMAN AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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2018 kicked off with a bang for me in terms of writing for magazines when I got the opportunity to contribute to the cover story for my hometown’s edition of Scenestr. This was a great opportunity and a thrill for which I’m grateful to Opiuo and to the team at Eyeball Media Enterprises.

Rather than the usual phone interview I provided a series of questions to be e-mailed to the electronic music producer and then received his responses. Opiuo’s answers were thoughtful, passionate and fascinating making the piece a great read. You can find it here http://scenestr.com.au/music/opiuo-is-making-your-inner-cheeky-child-dance It’s an honour to have my name attached to such a piece where others made it what it is. Two cover stories in two months is a real privilege.

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Also during the Christmas break I got to speak to the director of Beenleigh Theatre Group’s latest production Lord of the Flies which is opening this Friday night for local readers. Chapman was a delight to speak to and provided some excellent discussion about what fresh angles this new production of such a well known text will bring. You can read the interview here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/lord-of-the-flies-survival-of-the-fittest-in-beenleigh

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Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. Celebrating 25 years in 2018 of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane every month. You can read see a digital version of the printed Queensland edition here http://scenestr.com.au/read/QLD/2018/1100-QLD/scenestr-QLD-1100.html where the Q&A with Opiuo features on page 10 and 11 http://scenestr.com.au/read/QLD/2018/1100-QLD/scenestr-QLD-1100.html#p=10

Scenestr42and the interview with Brad Chapman can be found on page 38 http://scenestr.com.au/read/QLD/2018/1100-QLD/scenestr-QLD-1100.html#p=39 Scenestr43

If you’re into music they’re a great read but they do cover all of the arts including festivals, stand-up comics, fashion, theatre and film. I feel very fortunate to get to write for them.

-Lloyd Marken

THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI REVIEW AVAILABLE AT HEAVY

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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Winner of four Golden Globes for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is currently playing throughout Australia. A thoughtfully constructed film with unapologetic humour the plays against expectations at several turns and offers no easy answers about how we can best deal with injustice and our own anger at the state of the world. Frances McDormand leads a pitch perfect cast full of heavy hitters character actors, rising talent and the formidable talents of people like John Hawkes, Sam Rockwell and yes Woody Harrelson. This is not a comforting film or at times even entertaining but it is an intelligent confronting film from the mind of the man who brought In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths. It may be his best yet and it will stay with you as the award season rolls on. You can read more of my thoughts over here https://heavymag.com.au/film-review-three-billboards-outside-ebbing-missouri/ at Heavy Magazine where I was lucky enough to have my review published.

National treasure, fine actress and all around great broad Frances McDormand stepped up to the mike with a great speech at the Golden Globes following her win. We’ll see how she fares in the race for Oscar but a good Globes speech never hurts. Nor does acting your ass off in one helluva performance. This film won’t be for everyone but McDormand’s performance should meet with universal praise.

Featuring in the trailer was Don’t Walk Away From Me Renee by Motown group The Four Tops. The use of the song hints at the themes of the film but also how different things can exist alongside each other.

Heavy is an independent magazine and website that is all about the music and specifically heavy music and supporting the Australian music scene in general. Fortunately for me they do cover film as well and I have been fortunate to have a few things published there.

-Lloyd Marken

 

INTERVIEW WITH GRAVITY AND OTHER MYTHS MEMBER JASCHA BOYCE AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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At the end of last year I was blessed to have a run of assignments with Scenestr including a week where I saw five performances and one film. At the end of that week a last minute opportunity came which I was lucky enough to be able to seize. I’ve reached another milestone with Scenestr by completing an interview that went on the cover of their Western Australia December edition. On Wednesday night I saw contemporary circus group Circa perform in Brisbane and believed it to one of the best shows I saw last year. A top 5 would include Queensland Ballet’s Raw, Tim Crouch’s England, Circa, Randy Writes A Novel.

Having just been thrilled by Circa‘s performance it seemed appropriate to now get to interview an actual performer. Gravity and Other Myths are Adelaide based and perform around the world. I interviewed Jascha Boyce as part of press for their upcoming performances in Perth as part of Fringe World. It was fascinating to hear from Jascha how as one of the founding members they have sought to maintain a close family dynamic in the group and her own history as a performer. I couldn’t have asked for a more interesting and patient interviewee as she went through her craft, her fellow performers and their priorities in the world. There is a courage and a vulnerability in circus performers as they perform for us putting their bodies on the line but also risking failure and yet maintaining such disciplines and nerves of steel that they always seem to nail it. You can read my interview here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/a-simple-space-filled-by-circus-company-gravity-other-myths

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There were 3 more interviews I did before 2018 for Scenestr which will feature soon. This was the last thing to be published in 2017 though and was a real thrill for me to cap off the year in this way with a cover story. I really can’t believe my luck, I feel so grateful for this. I went to the offices to wish the team Merry Christmas a couple of weeks ago and feel so grateful to contribute to what is an amazing group of talented individuals. It is one helluva thing to produce a street press magazine in 2017 in the Australian market and keep it viable and grow it online in other mediums but this is what these guys do and there’s no shortage of what I could learn from them. Bring on a 2018 where I hopefully continue to contribute to and get so much from the awesome gang at Scenestr.

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Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. With over twenty years of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane every month. You can read see a digital version of the printed Western Australia edition here http://scenestr.com.au/read/WA/2017/9-WA/scenestr-WA-09.html where Gravity and Other Myths are featured on the cover and my interview with Jascha takes up page 10 and 11. The Western Australia edition only started up in May 2017 and only with such an expansion I guess could such an opportunity had been made possible. If you’re into music they’re a great read but they do cover all of the arts including festivals, stand-up comics, fashion, theatre and film. I feel very fortunate to get to write for them.

-Lloyd Marken

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THE CROWN SEASON 2 REVIEW AVAILABLE AT X-PRESS MAGAZINE

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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I’ve been lucky to have another review published at X-Press Magazine. The review is for the second season of Netflix’s The Crown. I was a big fan of the original season in particular the first two episodes dealing with the end of King George VI’s reign. The quality would dip and rise in the latter part of that season. I feel some of that is the case with the second season but now the Queen has more agency of her story with the focus on affairs within her own household rather than matters of state. In a pinch I’d say its the better season and certainly the more confident one with Claire Foy and Matt Smith really owning their roles now. Its a shame to bid them adieu. We see for example the same actor playing Lord Mountbatten in 1937 and then in 1957 and it only adds to the power of the storytelling. Why replace Foy and Smith? Yet that was the plan all along and we know that a talented main cast will lead season 3.

You can read more of my thoughts here http://xpressmag.com.au/the-crown-season-2-gets-8-10-queen-of-diamonds/

X-Press Magazine was established in 1985 and at one point was Australia’s highest circulating free weekly entertainment publication with over 40,000 copies reaching 1,0000 outlets every week.  On the 24th May, 2016 Issue 1527 hit stands. Like many publications of its ilk X-Press Magazine is now foremost an online magazine engaged globally and making the most of the possibilities that new digital technology offers. It’s roots though are tied to its home city, love of local artists and productions and music which it supports wholeheartedly. Perth a capital city most isolated from all the other capitals is continuing to grow and develop culturally and artistically with its own identity and talent. X-Press has always been there to capture this growth and will continue to do so.

 

 

TOP 20 TV SHOWS OF 2017 LIST AVAILABLE AT X-PRESS MAGAZINE

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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Following on from the list for Top 20 Films of 2017 at X-Press Magazine I was lucky enough to feature in a list of the best TV Shows of 2017 this time having 4 picks of mine feature with words I wrote. I don’t get to watch as much TV and found it interesting to sum up the 5 best I’d seen. There was a lot of quality TV that I just didn’t connect to the same way as others and did not even consider placing on such a list. Earlier this year I fell in love with the second season of Fargo but that was not a show from 2017. When I looked back there was only one show I really loved and was engaged by and constantly thought back on. Not House of Cards, not GLOW (which by the way is great), not even Game of Thrones (which let’s not kid ourselves is still the biggest show in the world and I’ll have a front row seat to it the day the final season starts), not Strangers Things (which is only getting better), not Fargo Season 3 (it was all right but didn’t engage with likeable characters like Season 2), not even Five Came Back (which really touched me and I went back to watch several times). No there was only one show for me that was truly great, mesmerising and haunting. It may not have killed in the ratings but it will endure in the years to come and as it turned out it got the No.1 Spot on the list which you can check out here http://xpressmag.com.au/the-x-press-top-20-tv-shows-of-2017/

It’s a real thrill to have some of my thoughts included in an end of year list for such a well established publication (that I’ve only just begun to contribute to) alongside such experienced and talented professional writers.

X-Press Magazine was established in 1985 and at one point was Australia’s highest circulating free weekly entertainment publication with over 40,000 copies reaching 1,0000 outlets every week.  On the 24th May, 2016 Issue 1527 hit stands. Like many publications of its ilk X-Press Magazine is now foremost an online magazine engaged globally and making the most of the possibilities that new digital technology offers. It’s roots though are tied to its home city, love of local artists and productions and music which it supports wholeheartedly. Perth a capital city most isolated from all the other capitals is continuing to grow and develop culturally and artistically with its own identity and talent. X-Press has always been there to capture this growth and will continue to do so.

-Lloyd Marken

TOP 20 FILMS OF 2017 LIST AVAILABLE AT X-PRESS MAGAZINE

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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I count myself very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to contribute to a new publication X-Press Magazine. This is the fifth publication I have been able to contribute to following on from Scenestr, Heavy, Buzz and FilmInk. We were asked to send in our own Top 5s respectively for films and TV shows along with what we thought was the worst. Three of my Top 5 films made the list and two of those had words I’d submitted. I feel very lucky to have reached another goal in my writing career before the close of the year and look forward to doing many more contributions to all the publications I’ve been lucky enough to be published with. Bring on 2018. Please note my Top 10 to feature here on this blog next year around Oscar time will go off films released in 2017 in the U.S. This list done by X-Press Magazine was based on Australian releases for 2017 and does include 2016 American releases. You can read it here http://xpressmag.com.au/the-x-press-top-20-films-of-2017/

X-Press Magazine was established in 1985 and at one point was Australia’s highest circulating free weekly entertainment publication with over 40,000 copies reaching 1,0000 outlets every week.  On the 24th May, 2016 Issue 1527 hit stands. Like many publications of its ilk X-Press Magazine is now foremost an online magazine engaged globally and making the most of the possibilities that new digital technology offers. It’s roots though are tied to its home city, love of local artists and productions and music which it supports wholeheartedly. Perth a capital city most isolated from all the other capitals is continuing to grow and develop culturally and artistically with its own identity and talent. X-Press has always been there to capture this growth and will continue to do so.

-Lloyd Marken

CIRCA’S ‘HUMANS’ REVIEW AVAILABLE ON SCENESTR

Posted on by Lloyd Marken

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What a week it was, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday I was on assignment with Scenestr to check out shows at Wonderland Festival, comedian Alex Williamson and Woody Allen’s new movie Wonder Wheel. Recuperating on Tuesday I went along to see Circa on Wednesday at Queensland Performing Arts Centre. My first assignment given to me by Scenestr magazine was to go see Queensland Ballet’s Raw in 22 March, 2017 at QPAC. As we come to the end of the year such coincidences feel appropriate to me. Karen took me to see a performance from Circa with the Brandenburg Orchestra earlier this year so I knew we were in for a treat.

As we began to watch last week, I have to admit I was genuinely enthralled. I believe contemporary circus maybe one of the great art forms going at the moment and quite simply a show from Circa is the best thing to see in Brisbane at the moment. You can read more of my thoughts here http://scenestr.com.au/arts/circa-humans-brisbane-review-qpac-20171208

Produced by Eyeball Media Enterprises Scenestr. is an online national magazine with local offices around Australia. With over twenty years of publishing history they’ve excelled at moving into the digital realm but they remain at heart from the streets. They still publish magazines in print for Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane every month. If you’re into music they’re a great read but they do cover all of the arts including festivals, stand-up comics, fashion, theatre and film. I feel very fortunate to get to write for them.

Thank you for your continued support and reading, I’m not able to blog as much as I used to including reading my fellow bloggers’ posts. It’s been one hell of ride this year getting to write for publications and share it with you all. The next day an opportunity came up to interview a contemporary circus performer which I was lucky enough to get to do so it made one heck of a busy 7 days. I look forward to sharing that story with you in the near future.

–Lloyd Marken