The Australian — The Arts

Brisbane, we hardly knew you

David Malouf's celebrated coming-of-age novel, Johnno, put Brisbane on the literary map. Now it's about to enter theatrical – and musical – territory, writes Andrew Fraser.

Twin cellists pull strings to play together

BORN minutes apart, cellists Pei-Jee and Pei-Sian Ng have spent 21 years in each other's footsteps on a path to hallowed concert halls all over the globe.

No more the boss from hell

THE dragon lady boss from hell never had it so bad as she does in vengeful author Lauren Weisberger's best-selling novel The Devil Wears Prada. A barely veiled portrait of Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of American Vogue, the roman a clef was based on Weisberger's repeated humiliations as the "smart, fat girl assistant" to the impeccably coiffured fashion oracle with an allegedly appalling management style.

Stories to tell

GARRY McDonald still remembers failing his Play School audition. "All right, boys and girls, let's all sing Alexander's Rag Time Band," he had to say, and then sing.

Six feet and under

TOM Cruise is a short arse. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Being height-challenged doesn't alter the fact that he is an actor with a winning smile and all-round wholesome appeal. He's also one of the most highly paid and powerful men in Hollywood.

Living the clash of civilisations

AT the end of the 18th century, James Cook spent more than eight years away from England on three voyages. Traced on a map of the world, the routes his ships took resemble the night-time meanderings of an inebriated slug. But of course, they had dramatic consequences for world history, especially for the people of the Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand.

Hamlet's predicament serves an Arab cause

IRAQI playwright Jawad al-Asadi's version of Hamlet was first staged in Cairo as Ophelia's Window in 1994. It was retitled for publication in 2000. The new title, Insu Hamlit (Forget Hamlet), confronts the audience with a paradoxical demand. In the same breath as it reminds us of the figure of Hamlet, it asks us to forget him.

Child's view takes African writing prize

THE surreal and subtle intrigues of young South African Mary Watson's fiction have won her the Caine Prize for African writing for a short story dealing with apartheid.

Cash-battle dance pair call it quits

TWO of Australia's leading dance figures have quit, citing government indifference and impotent funding bodies.

Rich melody rises from the squalor

SO great are its melodic riches that Porgy and Bess can easily become a static, show-tune extravaganza, with scant character or story development.

Thrill at find of Shelley poem

A PAMPHLET containing a long poem by Shelley that had languished unread for almost two centuries has been discovered.

Nature of single-minded devotion

Bronwyn Oliver
Sculptor. Born Gum Flat, NSW, February 22, 1959. Died Sydney, July 11, aged 47.

• Rich life of brilliant scholar of musicology

• World beat for Kiwi brothers

• Pink Floyd's crazy diamond dies

• Master of '60s psychedelia tripped and fell to LSD

• A big hand for the little arts station

• Inspired return for modernist

• Reddy for Hall of Fame honour ... and still roaring

• Land of tears and triumph

• Star would rather a good book than booze

• Gallery probes love-art conflict

• Conductor's messy farewell

• Eccentric German transvestite captures audiences

• Depp's Pirates finds the treasure

• Expressive singer of luminous intensity

• Give me a chance, says Yoko

• Beyond the family album

Stephen Matchett

Decline and fall of education reaches a class of its own

A GOOD morning and welcome to this inaugural national education assessment meeting. Ah, a question from the golden west, yes Western Australia there will be a written record of our discussion.

• No time to waste words

• It makes life simpler, folks, if you get with the message

• The funny thing is, these people think they're funny

• Portraits of the past