GEORGE Cukor’s 1944 movie “Gaslight”, starring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer, is the quintessential psychological, edge-of-the-seat drama. Now barb barnett will direct the original play by Patrick Hamilton for Rep. At Theatre 3, July 31-August 15, bookings to canberrarep.org.au or 6257 1950.

CANBERRA artist Luke Chiswell has hit the big time in Brooklyn, NYC, with “Touch Lines”, a solo summer show at Chasm Gallery in which he paints imagined features on to his female and male subjects. Puritanism has reared its head and, alas, he was not allowed to post the result online.

MEANTIME science-oriented artist Dr Eleanor Gates-Stuart, of Royalla, whose work “CityNews” featured during the Canberra Centenary, has been appointed to a full professorship at National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, where she will develop the new Techno Arts program in a university that teaches medicine, engineering AND the arts.

THE National Zoo & Aquarium is holding an art exhibition and sale in the Aquarium Gallery, 9.30am-5pm, on August 1-2. Entry is free for zoo visitors and all money raised will go to wildlife conservation projects. There’ll be a gala launch at 5.30pm on Friday, July 31.

THE “Dirrum Dirrum” conference, celebrating the art of being human, will see nearly 1000 delegates converge on Radford College from July 31 to August 3. Belconnen’s Year 8 students have created a massive paper boat installation in #belcobeyondborders and there’ll be fire, giants, music and art, as well as TEDx?style talks and a leadership workshop. Bookings via eventbrite.com.au

FILIPINO-American piano virtuoso Jovanni-Rey de Pedro is coming to Tuggeranong Twilight Series at Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 5pm-7pm, on Sunday, July 26. Bookings to 6293 1443.

THE Canberra Blues Society is celebrating the third International Blues Day at the Harmonie German Club, Narrabundah, 2pm-11.30pm, on August 1. The 11 acts, featuring local and interstate artists, will be headlined by the Darren Jack Band. The event will feature a vinyl record and CD sale, and a hot rod display. Tickets at the door.

LAST year Coro chamber ensemble threw a big “Christmas in July” party. This year it’s “Messiah in July”, the 1742 Dublin version of Handel’s masterpiece, normally heard at Christmas. At St Paul’s, Manuka, 4pm, on Sunday July 26, conducted by Joseph Nolan from St George’s Cathedral, Perth, with Paul McMahon as tenor soloist. Tickets at the door or bookings to corocanberra.com/tickets/