Keith Gow, Writer

There’s been a lot of talk in Australia recently about adaptations of old plays into “new works”. And there’s a constant refrain that Hollywood has lost all imagination, which is why mainstream fare is so often based on something with brand recognition – a comic book, a superhero, a television series, a remake. And it’s easy to bemoan remakes and reboots, prequels and sequels – especially if you have a fondness for the original movie. Or TV series. Or comic book. Or theme park ride. Mads Mikkelsen, delicious as Hannibal in Hannibal (2013) Bryan Fuller’s new TV series, Hannibal , is based on the characters that first appeared in Thomas Harris’ book, "Red Dragon" – first published in 1981. That book has already been made into a film twice: Manhunter , a lean thriller from Michael Mann in 1986; Red Dragon , by director Brett Ratner in 2002. The character of Hannibal Lecter first appears in "Red Dragon", but he’s most famous for appearing in Thomas Harris’

This year, the most brave and challenging theatre I’ve been witness to has been on the stages of the Melbourne Theatre Company – as part of the Neon Festival of Independent Theatre . Five of Melbourne’s best known independent theatre companies have been invited into the Lawler Theatre and given carte blanche to create new works. The results, so far, have been incredible. Last night, I was witness to the Hayloft Project’s By Their Own Hands , co-written, co-directed and co-starring Anne-Louise Sarks and Benedict Hardie. Ever since I saw Hayloft’s production of Thyestes , I have always felt less an audience member and more of a witness to their work – later reporting on their brutal ( Thyestes ), thought-provoking ( The Nest ), darkly humorous ( Delectable Shelter ) and enigmatic ( The Seizure ) creations. By Their Own Hands continues the evolution of a company that has made their mark on Melbourne theatre and will survive because each of their shows both compliments what

Our premiere date at Edinburgh Fringe is only two months away - and we need your help to make this show the best it can be. We're raising a bit more money to cover costumes, publicity and to knock a little bit off venue hire. Rewards on offer include: free tickets to the show (if you're in Edinburgh), 2-for-1 tickets when we tour near you (possibly London, definitely Melbourne next year), and other bits and pieces like postcards, posters and an annotated copy of the script. Any contribution is greatly appreciated. The more money we can raise now, the better the show will be in Edinburgh - and the more likely we'll be able to tour this show far and wide. Pledge your support now ! Thank you.

Matt Smith as the Doctor (2010-2013) Over the last 48 hours, I might have given the impression that my Edinburgh Fringe show, “Who Are You Supposed To Be” is all about Doctor Who. It isn’t. It’s a romantic comedy about fans, fandom, obsession, pop culture trivia, anxiety and  "Doctor Who". It just happens the hook at the start is an amusing discussion between a woman and a man at a science fiction convention about whether or not a woman could or should play the role of The Doctor. As I’ve learned over the past two days, the discussion of a woman playing the role of a thousand-year-old alien with two hearts who travels across time and space reaches back about thirty years to when Tom Baker left the role. He wished luck to whichever man or woman took over. I’m not really sure how seriously that comment was taken at the time. Personally, I’m a pretty late bloomer when it comes to “Doctor Who”, but the notion of the character changing genders is fascinating to