There’s dance, theatre, film, exhibitions and concert news from all around Canberra in this week’s “Artsweek” column by HELEN MUSA. 

THE Royal Czech Ballet returns to Canberra with the classic, “Sleeping Beauty”. Canberra Theatre, September 17-18.

UK lecturer Marie Conte-Helm will give an illustrated talk, “Dressed to Thrill: the Art of the Japanese Kimono”, for Canberra ADFAS (or Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Societies) at the National Library, September 19.

Exhibitions

• IN “Plasticus Organicus”, artist Shani Nottingham takes the humble bread-tag and transforms it into an artwork. Belconnen Arts Centre until October 8.
• “ELM” is a collaborative exhibition by artists and former housemates Sophie Quinn and Maximilian Gosling, who explore the similarities and differences of etching and metal working. Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Manuka, September 14-24.
• “HANGING by a Thread” is the exhibition by ACT Textile Arts Association, showing hand-crafted textile art, embroidery, crochet, knitting, felting, mixed media, dyeing, printing, sewing and dressmaking, at the Queanbeyan Art Society Gallery, Trinculo Place, September 15- 24.

On stage

• MONTY Python’s “Spamalot”, a riff on the 1975 film “Monty Python and The Holy Grail”, will be at The Q, Queanbeyan, September 12-24.
• AHEAD of their coming production of “The Pirates of Penzance,” Child Players ACT will be converting the stage into a pirate ship and holding a lunchtime ”International Talk (and Sing!) Like a Pirate Day” on September 19.

Film

• THE next instalment in the National Film And Sound Archive’s 2023 Australian New Wave series will be the 1978 thriller, “Patrick,” by Australian director Richard Franklin, Arc Cinema, September 16.
• THE 2023 Italian Film Festival will run at Palace Electric Cinemas, September 20-October 18.

Concerts

• KATE Ceberano, performs her personal favourites with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra in “My Life is a Symphony”, Canberra Theatre, September 15.
• BRISBANE Chamber Choir, conducted by Graeme Morton, presents “Eternal”, a concert of choral music by Thomas Weelkes, Elizabeth Poston, Andrew Schultz and more. Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, September 15.
• THE ACT Keyboard Association is holding its piano competition at the Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest, from 10am, September 16. Audience members welcome.
• BACH’S best loved choral music will be performed entirely in German by Canberra Choral Society and Luminescence Children’s Choir in “Immortal Bach”. All Saints Church, Ainslie, September 16.
• SPIROGRAPH Studies’ “Lowlights” album launch will feature post-rock minimalism, neo-classical and jazz. The Street Theatre, September 16.
• CANBERRA Strings’ coming performance of Tchaikovsky and Elgar String Serenades marks the retirement of leader, the eminent violinist Barbara Jane Gilby, former concertmaster of the Canberra and Tasmanian symphony orchestras. All Saints Anglican Church, Ainslie, September 17.
• ANU School of Music will hold a Classical Lunchtime Concert in the Larry Sitsky Recital Room., then a nighttime Jazz Concert The Big Band Room On September 19.
• IN the Wednesday Lunchtime Concert, the Canberra Men’s Choir, under the baton of Leanne McKean, will sing popular songs from the ’40s to the ’80s, together with some American spirituals and folk songs Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, September 20.
• ED Kuepper, co-founder of Australian band The Saints and guitarist/main songwriter on their first three albums, will join his band to perform “The Exploding Universe of Ed Kuepper”, The Street Theatre, September 20.