The Drawing Room

The films of Peter Strickland exist in a world slightly off-kilter from our own, but which feel perfectly alive; even if the dresses are deadly and sound studios are dangerous territory.

His latest, Flux Gourmet, introduces audiences to a group of sonic caterers: sound artists who use food as their instruments.

Led by the controlling force of Elle di Elle, the unnamed band have taken up a prestigious residency at an art institute. But close quarters can lead to unexpected tensions.

What is it like to represent your country on the biggest stage? To become part of a tradition that is far bigger than yourself?

The All Blacks are one of the most successful teams in world sport and former captain Richie McCaw is one of their very best.

In the Drawing Room, Richie shares his experiences on and off the field.

In a small town, a young man wakes up to find a different person staring back in the mirror. His skin, once white, has darkened overnight to a 'deep and undeniable brown' and he no longer recognises himself.

At first it seems a unique event, a solitary and individual metamorphosis. But slowly, news spreads: one case becomes several; several becomes many.

And, faced with the prospect of change, society becomes uncertain and fractures.

In the Drawing Room, the award-winning author Mohsin Hamid discusses his new novel, The Last White Man, and how reality forms and changes.

When a young girl from a large Catholic family is sent away for the Summer to live on the farm of relatives that she barely knows, she finds the kindness and attention that allows her to blossom and begin to find her voice.

The Quiet Girl, based on a short story by Claire Keegan, is set in Ireland and presents the world from the perspective of the child, with a brilliant debut by Catherine Clinch.

In the Drawing Room, the director, Colm Bairéad, discusses the film and how he chose to tackle big ideas of love and loss with a gentle hand.

The tradition of choral music reaches back through centuries, voices rising in unison to meet across time as well as across the octaves. So what does it mean to chart your own path within that tradition?

Eric Whiteacre is a Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor, and his work The Sacred Veil was inspired by poetry written by Eric’s collaborator Charles Anthony Silvestri, after the loss of Silvestri's wife to cancer.

Eternal Nightcap, by The Whitlams, was a surprise hit, swimming as it did against the popular tide of guitar rock and house music in Australia at the time. But not only did it launch the band to national attention, it inspired a new generation of Australian artists. 

In the Drawing Room, Tim Freedman looks back at the album on its 25th anniversary and explains why he's returned to the recording studio after an extended break.

It's been twenty years since George released their debut album Polyserena to massive acclaim, becoming a sort of six year overnight sensation.

Since then, sibling stars Katie and Tyrone Noonan have gone on to other projects, but in the Drawing Room they're returning to where it all began, talking about the triumphs of youth and the strangeness of success.

Over the last few years, we have seen a cascade of governance failures in companies around the world. CEOs and board chairs have been removed and questions raised around probity and community expectations.

Fred Hilmer has held leadership positions in many leading Australian companies, and has written extensively on what the role of a board can and should be. In the Drawing Room he examines the problems and solutions of governance in business and his new book, What's Wrong With Boards.

For thirteen years, Lyndon Terracini has seen Opera Australia through good times and bad: handling the aftermath of the GFC and the recent lockdowns, while expanding the company's stages to include huge performances on the harbour and a digital platform.

And now, as he approaches his final year as artistic director, it's time to take stock.

In the Drawing Room, Lyndon recounts his own path onto the stage and explains how the constant phone calls during Covid led to one of his favourite productions in his finale with the company.

One of the foremost Shakespearean actors and directors of our time, John Bell has brought the words of the bard to stages across Australia, and was the founding Artistic Director of Bell Shakespeare.

In a new show, One Man in His Time, Bell is looking back at the works of Shakespeare: what they teach us; why they've endured; and their impact on his own life.