Recent Episodes
Across the Aisle is a podcast for people who love the arts but don’t get along as much as they would like to. If you’re looking to be inspired to see more exhibitions, film, theatre, or would like to live vicariously through our show going hosts, please subscribe on your podcasting app or listen here.
Hello darling listeners. It is summer, well officially not it seems weather wise, and you know what that means?! GAYNESS. Big gay vibes with our annual festivals Midsumma and Mardi Gras heating things up and stripping thing off. So, of course, we deep dive on some delicious shows from our family – The Gospel According to Jesus Queen of Heaven and the impenetrable Rorschach that is Tár. This is the double feature you have always wanted. We also talk our most loved and loathed coporate yassification, Sydney Festival and much more. Please tell your friends! No one listens to our show. Sending love.
Hello Aislers! So lovely to be in your ear buds again. This episode we experience the visual, aural, spiritual and psychological immersion of Paul Yore’s Word Made Flesh – a comprehensive retrospective of his work at the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. In intermission we chat summer drinks and our love of dance works, and the practice, now we are all emerging from our Covid cocoons. Our second act is Lele at the exciting Neighbourhood Contemporary Arts Festival. We are taking a break for the summer but will return in February with another morsel for you. Enjoy and stay safe <3.
We’re back baby! We went to a Fringe show, Memoir of a Tired Carer, and no one got Covid. Team Aisle also travelled to wilds of North Geelong Arena to see the Evonne Goolagong biographical play (feel good hit) Sunshine Super Girl. In intermission we chat Fringe highlights, Bangarra Dance Theatre and experimental new opera The Lighthouse. In Coming Soon we recommend Bodies of Water, Beth Gibbeson – A Thread of Light, Lele and Richard Mosse – Broken Spectre (at NGV). Please join us with your favourite bevvie.
About Us
Across the Aisle is an award-winning performing arts criticism podcast based in Melbourne that first ran monthly 2015-2019, and has returned in a less regular fashion in 2022. Hosts Carla and Philip chose a performance or art object to experience and discuss in depth each episode. During “intermission” Carla and Phil talk their favourite pop culture moments of the previous month and in “coming soon” they highlight upcoming shows, exhibitions, films, anything culture related.
Across the Aisle was created specifically to provide long form criticism and promotion of live performance pieces that do not usually get covered, in depth, in traditional arts media. In a pandemic world our show has expanded to incorporate all art forms. Our mission statement is to champion work starring, and made, by women, LGBTIQA+ people, disabled people, Indigenous artists, older people and people of colour.
Meet Team Aisle
We live, love, record and make on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung and Wadawurrung people of the Kulin Nation. Land that was never ceded. Land that was, and always will be, Aboriginal.
Carla Donnelly - Creator, Host
Carla is the creator of podcasts Across the Aisle, Club Soderbergh and re:Discovery. She was a judge for the Green Room Awards on the Independent Theatre panel for 4 years and is now settling into her sea change on the Surf Coast.
Philip Thiel - Host
Philip is an English and literature teacher, blogger and cultural consumer from Melbourne, Victoria. His writing and poetry has been published in Traffic, Death Mook and Victorian Writer. He has a particular interest in immersive performance pieces.
Ron Killeen - Sound Engineer, Mix
Support Us
We believe theatre, art and the performing arts are for everyone. We make our podcast so that listeners don’t need to see the shows, or focus of discussion, to feel included. Theatre and art curation is a performance of our cultural times; it’s from this angle that we approached our criticism. Deep cuts, queer theory, feminism and the promotion of minority lead narratives abounded.
In its first incarnation Across the Aisle ran for 4 years publishing 49 episodes, covering almost 100 performances. We resume in 2022 and hope for another 49 more. If you have enjoyed our back catalogue, used our coverage in a grant application or promotion of your work please buy us a drink.
Contact Us
Hello! We love hearing from you! If you’d like to get in touch please use the links below.