• ROALD Dahl’s children’s classic “James and the Giant Peach” is heading for The Street Theatre, April 24-28. Produced by a Victorian company called Playing with Snails, this musical adaptation tells of James Henry Trotter, orphaned when his parents are killed by a rhinoceros escaped from London Zoo. “A Dahlicious fantasy,” The Street says. Bookings to 6247 1223 or www.thestreet.org.au

 

• WONDERFUL news from artist Marilyn Hutchinson, of McKellar, that Canberra was not only well represented in the Archibald Prize, but also in the Sulman. Pamela Horsley from Holder was a finalist with “Out, at Tidbinbilla” hanging in the Art Gallery of NSW, along with Hutchinson for her work “Joy”.

 

• THE NGA has announced that its just-closed “Renaissance” exhibition attracted almost 213,000 visitors and injected an estimated $75 million into the ACT economy. Great news, but how do they estimate that kind of injection so quickly?

 

• IF you’re quick, you can catch Vivien Lightfoot’s unusual ceramic sculpture exhibition “Substance” at ANCA Gallery, 1 Rosevear Street Dickson, running until Sunday, April 22.

 

• THE timely 8th Molonglo Exhibition, “Water = Life?” is coming up. Sponsors are ACTEW Corporation and the Molonglo Catchment Group, who provide the first and second Prizes of $2000 and $500 respectively. A third prize of $200 in vouchers has been donated by Pepe’s Paperie and there’s a People’s Choice award. At CSIRO Discovery Centre, Clunies Ross Street, April 23-29 (10am-5pm on Wednesday-Friday and 11am-3pm Saturday and Sunday).

 

• CERAMIC artists Walter Auer, Roderick Bamford, Stephen Bird, Jacqueline Clayton, Andrea Hylands, Addison Marshall, Pip McManus and Paul Wood have “re-imagined” the uses of clay in an Object Gallery touring exhibition “Hyperclay: Contemporary Ceramics”. More than 30 short, informative videos accompany the show. At Watson Arts Centre, Aspinall Street, 10am-4pm Thursday to Sunday, until April 29.

 

• ANU School of Music students, soprano Jessica Westcott, clarinettist James Moorhouse and pianist James Hunting Ford will perform, among other things, Artie Shaw and Schubert in the Wesley Music Centre’s Lunchtime Live series from 12.40pm to 1.20pm on April 27. $2 or paper note entry. No bookings required.

 

• BEN Kane, a YWCA of Canberra youth worker, was inspired by a documentary about kids in Calcutta to get some of Canberra’s more disadvantaged kids involved in photography. The outcome is a collaboration between the YWCA’s SCOPE Youth Services at the Mura Lanyon Youth & Community Centre and PhotoAccess, which provided resources and taught the kids photography and black and white film development and printing. The result is “Pictures of Life,” a reflection of their experience of living in the Lanyon area, at Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 9am-5pm, Monday-Fridays, until April 30.

 

• “TITANIC: The Musical” will take the stage for a revival of Supa Productions’ hit success from some years ago. Great costumes, good singing. At the ANU Arts Centre, May 14-28, bookings to 6257 1950. Dinner and show packages at Teatro Vivaldi, bookings to 6257 2718.