Joy Lawn

Joy Lawn is an arts critic living on the traditional lands of the Darug, Guringai and Darkinjung Peoples in NSW. Her writing has appeared in newspapers, journals and magazines. She loves moderating at writers’ festivals, enjoys many forms of art and culture and blogs about books at Paperbark Words.

Joy Lawn's Latest Articles

A young man with blood on his hands. The Talented Mr Ripley.
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The Talented Mr Ripley review: STC production brings a well-known tale to stage

Patricia Highsmith's novel is adapted with theatrical shadow, light and dark.

A blonde woman in green, Rebecca Starford, author of The Visitor.
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The Visitor review: Rebecca Starford's novel is Queensland gothic

Rebecca Starford's The Visitor is about ghosts we can't run away from.

In an elaborate drawing room, three men and one woman have their arms up and mouths open in suprise. One man is lying on a chaise longue
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Theatre review: The Play That Goes Wrong, Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House

On its 10th anniversary this play is as silly and entertaining as it was a decade ago.

Two older woman sitting at a table. The Spare Room
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Theatre review: The Spare Room, Belvoir St Theatre

Based on the Helen Garner book, this play is a study of terminal illness from the point of view of…

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Exhibition review: Cerith Wyn Evans .... in light of the visible, Museum of Contemporary Art

A large-scale immersive light and sound exhibition.

Two panels. On left is black and white photo of a woman with long dark hair. On the right is cover of a book, 'In the Name of the Sister" with an illustration of an orange ibis.
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Book review: The Name of the Sister, Gail Jones

Gail Jones' latest novel is a mesh of literary and crime genres.

Two panels. On the left is a blonde woman wearing black. On the right is the cover of ther book 'Always Home, Always Homesick.' It features mountain ranges in shades of mauve.
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Book review: Always Home, Always Homesick, Hannah Kent

Hannah Kent's first non-fiction book retreads the grounds of her Iceland-set bestseller, 'Burial Rites.'

A man and a woman are standing and staring at each other over a kitchen table; a vase of flowers and a pair of bongo drums sit on the table. The wallpaper behind them is colourful and graphic.
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Theatre review: The Lover and The Dumb Waiter, Ensemble Theatre

A double dose of classic Pinter plays.

Two panels. On the left is a woman with short brown hair wearing a yellow jumper and glasses. She is staying against a bookshelf. On the right is the cover of a book 'How to Survive 1985' that features an illustration of two teenage girls.
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Book review: How to Survive 1985, Tegan Bennett Daylight

A novel that compares and contrasts the 1980s and the 2020s through the eyes of teens.

Three women are laughing and sitting together on a bed.
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Theatre review: Big Girls Don't Cry, Belvoir St Theatre

1960s Redfern as seen through the perspectives of a group of Aboriginal women.

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