This extraordinary one-woman creation was conceived directed and performed by the equally extraordinary Liz Lea, supported by a huge cast of professional and community dancers and creatives.
Lea is a nationally and internationally recognised dance artist, choreographer and producer. Over three decades she has toured her work internationally and been commissioned in India, UK, Europe, Australia, South Africa, Singapore, USA and Kuwait.
Since settling in Canberra, among her many achievements, she has been named the 2017 ACT Artist of the Year and received a 2017 Australian Dance Award. She directs two festivals, DANscienCE and BOLD, and is the founder of the GOLD Company, the Chamaeleon Collective and directs the Stellar Company, a not-for-profit arts organisation.
Diamond is the second, in what she intends as a trilogy of one-woman dance works drawing attention to women’s health issues from a dancer’s perspective. The first in the trilogy was a stunning creation entitled, Red which focussed on her own experience with endometriosis and its effects on the dancer’s body. She toured Red internationally.
With Diamond she likens the many facets of a diamond to the issues surrounding menopause, growing older, missing out on marrying and having children, and the perceived invisibility of woman as they grow older.
But should those topics sound a bit daunting, particularly for any males reading this review, don’t underestimate the skill and creativity of Liz Lea, who in addition to still being a prodigiously skilled dancer, is also a captivating entertainer and storyteller, with the ability to induce paroxysms of laughter with the raise of an eyebrow.
She is also a remarkably creative theatre maker who has blended elements of contemporary dance, song, cabaret, burlesque, and moments of eye-popping spectacle, to create a dazzling, provocative one-woman show that delights and entertains while delivering powerful, provocative and informative insights into womanhood.
From the moment she takes the stage as a glittering Goddess figure enshrouded in mist in a circle of light and performing delicate arm movements while a heavenly voice intones incantations, Lea has the audience in the palm of her hand.
Despite her expressionless face, only her eyes hilariously betray the fact that perhaps the goddess is not altogether in agreement with the heavenly voice, resulting in her discarding a section of her spectacular costume to perform a rebellious burlesque dance.
Then follows 60 eye-popping minutes of storytelling during which Lea shares personal stories from her experiences maintaining an international dancing career while dealing with the challenges of ageing.
These she imparts between executing lightning-fast costume changes and performing demanding dance routines to upbeat pop tunes, surrounded by a bevy of glamourous befeathered showgirls from Kym Dagenhart’s High Kix Productions, and a troupe of lavishly costumed seniors both female and male who luxuriate under the title of Silver Stars.
Karen Norris gilds the lily with a dazzling lighting design, while James Hiscutt provides gorgeous cinematography on a huge overhead screen which range through dreamy dawn lake scenes filmed at Mirramu to cheeky satirical comments on fashion.
But despite all the breathtaking glitz, glamour, gaudiness and gaiety, it is the gobsmacking professionalism of the ageless Liz Lea, her polished showgirl stylishness, and the breathtaking frankness with which she tells her story, that remain the abiding memories of this not-to-be missed diamond of a show.
DIAMOND
The Q – Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, 253 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan
Performance: Thursday 6 August 2026
Season continues to 8 August 2026
Information and Bookings: www.theq.net.au
Images: Liz Lea in Diamond – photo by Olivia Wikner (O&J Wikner Photography) | Liz Lea in Diamond – photo by Olivia Wikner (O&J Wikner Photography) | Liz Lea and Dancers in Diamond – photo by Olivia Wikner O&J Wikner Photography
Review: Bill Stephens OAM