Freelance
Reviewer
Homeward Bound, Lazy Yarns
“A runway flanked by neon light arcs and the low hum of an engine ensure that the scene is set from the moment Homeward Bound’s audience enters the auditorium.
Local theatre collective Lazy Yarns is taking us on a journey into outer space, one that explores solitude, loneliness, memory, friendship and sacrifice.”
— Barbara Hostalek (2022).
Requiem leads path to truth and reconciliation
“Gunditjmara culture is brought to life by the power of collaborative music. Barbara Hostalek soaks up the sharing of truth telling and the freedom of voices singing strong, proud and loud.”
“But the strength of music transcends those boxes. I felt proud and relaxed hearing Noongar Elder (Birdiyar) Walter McGuire speak and sing in his mother tongue as he gave the Welcome to Country.”
— Barbara Hostalek (2022).
More than adventures in Noongar Wonderland
“As the name promises, Perth Festival’s closing event is filled with wonder, but it’s also filled with valuable Noongar lessons about how to live and love.”
“Like Alice who entered another kind of Wonderland, we journey through a labyrinth of storytellers and floating characters to uncover something about our own identity and relationship to the world around us.”
— Barbara Hostalek (2022).
Dream girl emerges from turbulent time
“Perth Festival’s Panawathi Girl is a polished production that uses music to tell an important story and ignite the heart.”
“The serious themes and the strong emotional journey in Panawathi Girl are balanced with humour and joy; there is political banter and synchronised performances from Hewitt and Kelso, mushroom madness, lamington metaphors, colour blind romances, a toe-tapping song about a pony and, of course, the magical music which underscores the production’s happy ending.”
— Barbara Hostalek (2022).
Choose your aquatic adventure
“I heard a lot of laughter amongst the opening night audience and it was contagious. But Milroy’s “choose your own adventure” melodrama/borderline-absurdist concept goes beyond comedy, cleverly forcing the audience to take responsibility and experience the consequences of decisions.
This production is lingering in my psyche. Though it could do with a bit more rehearsal time to sharpen the cohesion of the group, there is much to think about in Conversations with a Fish and I look forward to experiencing more of Milroy’s creativity.”
— Barbara Hostalek (2022).
Other Reviews
Digging into the FIFO Dream
In the eye-catchingly titled FIFO – Fit in or F**k Off, new West Australian playwright Melody Dia provides multiple perspectives into the life and relationships of Aboriginal people working in and out of the mining industry, and the unsustainable sacrifices required to live well and with purpose.
Black is the New White
A romantic comedy to prepare for Christmas
Creating is All the Time
PLAYS/Scripts
I’ve lots of ideas. Ideas need help to be developed. Developed will be fantastic.
POETRY
In
motion
Everything ELSE
Graphic Novel - Cracked
Workshops
Drawing
Art for fun
Spoken word poetry
3 Sisters of Air (Jesse Ward), Fire (Brieanna Collard), Water (Barbara Hostalek). Created and performed spoken word poetry for Dark Swan Exhibition: Imaginary Territories at PS Art Space. Costume design: Kelsey Ashe Visual Art: Jo Darbyshire installation ‘Pelt’