Home to brews, bands and giant-sized board games since 2014, Ann Street's Woolly Mammoth Alehouse now has an in-house sibling venue: a tropical-themed watering hole called Ivory Tusk. Now open after first being announced late last month, the new bar has taken over Woolly Mammoth's Mane Stage area and given it a Palm Springs-inspired revamp, complete with plenty of pastels. As well as transforming the Fortitude Valley's site's existing garden terrace into a tequila-focused party space, Ivory Tusk boasts three bar areas, all serving up cocktails on tap. Expect eight different concoctions made from fresh ingredients and botanicals — such as the Living Vanilla Loca, with rum, French vanilla syrup, citrus and spritz; and the Apricot Julep with bourbon, apricot brandy, lime, mint and sugar. Wine and craft brews are on the menu, too, plus ten types of tequila. And, you can nab either a cocktail tasting paddle or a tequila flight, each featuring four tipples. Food-wise, the venue champions Mexican cuisine, with the kitchen overseen by Executive Chef Graeme McKinnon (Covent Garden) and Head Chef Jack Thompson (The Line & Label, Port Lincoln). Think gazpacho tequila shooters, lamb barbacoa, chorizo sliders, black bean chilli and roast pork, as well as vegetarian, vegan-friendly and gluten-free options. With the site also doubling as an events space — and catering for between 20-1000 people — set menus are a feature. Visitors will also spy plenty of colour, new furnishings and a lighter, airier feel to suit the 'tropicali' vibe, thanks to renovations led by Luis Nheu of BSPN Architects. In the garden terrace, that means pendant lighting and a stencilled terrazzo floor. Back inside, Woolly Mammoth's band room has also been given a makeover. Ivory Tusk's entertainment lineup will span regular DJs, live bands and rockaoke — aka karaoke, but with a live band playing as you sing. And if you're fond of Woolly Mammoth in its current guise, its Mane Stage is still hanging around — just smaller, and on the site's upper level. Find Ivory Tusk at 633 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4–11pm, Fridays and Saturdays from midday–midnight, and Sundays from 5pm–midnight.
If you're familiar with sunglasses brand Colab, then you know they put out some pretty amazing designs. As suggested by its name, the company collaborates with independent artists, musicians, filmmakers and designers to create limited edition lines. In the past they've created killer shades with the likes of Toro Y Moi, Elke Kramer, and Kill Pixie. Their latest project with Sydney-based artist, Beastman is no exception. Beastman, personally known as Brad Eastman, is best known for his amazing street art murals in Australia and around the world. Eastman has since expanded to include gallery work, apparel design and skateboard graphics. His partnership with Colab was not his first artistic merger, but certainly proved to be new challenge. When Eastman was approached by Colab to do the collection two years back, he admits that he "didn't know anything about making sunglasses". But with a background in graphic design and a fully capable team of Colab engineers, Beastman set about bringing his vision from paper to plastic. "I drew everything," said Eastman. "I redesigned [the shape] and Colab helped with the whole process." Working closely with the Colab's (now ex) creative director, Carl Tindall, Eastman went through an 18-month process of forwards and backwards steps. He described the process as, "do something, send it to Carl, and then hear nothing for three months. Then he'd ring me, show me some sample and I'd say 'no that's shit, let's try this' and then another six months would go by." Seems like an exorbitant amount of time, but making the perfect frames proved to be quite challenging. "I gave him an idea and said 'I want get these three different colour waves of patterns,'" said Eastman. Carl would travel to factories in China, Italy and Japan searching for acetate colours that hadn't been used before. Then came the endless amounts of tweaking, shaving and adjusting to create the ideal shape. If you're familiar with Beastman's art, then you know it's pretty loud. Intricate patterns, swirling lines, and bright colours make up his dreamlike designs of mythical gods and creatures. Now you're wondering 'how that could possibly translate onto a pair of plastic frames?' Beastman's trio of wayfarer-shaped sunnies are comfortably subdued. "I wanted to make something that was unisex and subtle," said Eastman- and he succeeded in accomplishing just that. Made in brown, blue, and green, the swirly-printed acetate frames show an organic side to Beastman's art. He explained, "all my work is about patterns in nature; and how different natural elements combine and work together." The symbols of these elements, which vary by frame colour, are slyly marked on the arms. Notice a tiny leaf on a green pair or dainty orange triangles on the brown. Beastman's iconic prints weren't all lost in this project. His famous bright, geometric patterns were incorporated onto the sleeve and poster that come with every pair. Maintaining his signature style, Eastman said, "I wanted to include something for people to see the relation between the sunglasses and my work." Only 1000 people will be able to get their hands on this sweet deal. "I like doing limited edition things," said Eastman, "I don't like doing super mass-produced products." Functional products seem to be the direction Beastman's art is moving towards. Prior to his project with Colab, he's done apparel design and skate deck graphics for labels like Element. Now, he and his wife are working on a limited-edition line of furniture and homewares. Designing for everyday products is important to Eastman because, "It's not something you hang on your wall and look at; It's something you can use and wear ... that's (the theme) of all of the stuff I'm doing." We can agree with that, because who wouldn't want a coffee table or a pair of sunnies designed by a baller artist? The new Colab + Beastman sunglasses will be launched at the exhibition and end-of-year bash on Wednesday, December 11, from 6-8pm at Somedays store/gallery, 72B Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills, NSW. It will feature a limited edition print release. Join the party by RSVPing to media@somedays.com.au. Thanks to Colab + Beastman, we have one pair of their new sunglasses to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
Usually when you're at a bar choosing which kind of cocktail to sip, you're picking between multiple different styles. That's still the case at Sasso Italiano, the new Woolloongabba bar and trattoria in the inner east suburb's South City Square precinct — but selecting one of the 11 different negronis on the list is the most tempting option. Now open on Logan Road, this newcomer pours classic negronis ($19), fig negronis ($22), negroni sodas ($16) and negronis made with Campari and orange sorbet ($18) — and they're just some of the options. There's also the vintage birthday negroni ($49–99), which features a different gin, vermouth and Campari from between the 60s and the 00s, depending on the year you were born. Sasso Italiano does more than drinks, of course — although its beverage lineup also spans a tiramisu martini made with mascarpone and amaretto foam ($20), a G&T that features peach bitters ($18), and the venue's own take on manhattans ($24) and margaritas ($19). There's also three types of spritzes (all $18), three non-boozy cocktails ($11–16), and a sizeable range of natural wines. And, beer-wise, it's serving a bespoke Birra Cazino from Aether Brewing that's made exclusively for the bar. With former Ovolo and QT Food and Beverage Directors Vincent Lombino and Jared Thibault behind the eatery, and Head Chef Gabriele Di Landri (ex-Dolphin Hotel, Chiswick Restaurant and Aria) leading the open-plan kitchen, Sasso Italiano's food menu is also a big drawcard. Think: 11 types of pizza ($21–27), pastas including spaghetti cacio e pepe ($29)and linguine marinara ($39), and a one-kilogram bistecca alla fiorentina ($95), Tuscan steak ($42) and Mediterranean-style half roast chicken ($39) among the mains. For those after a smaller bite, the starters selection includes gnocco fritto ($12) and arancini ($15), while the crudo lineup features oysters ($5 each), king salmon ($21) and and yellow fin tuna tartare ($22). Or, opt for 50-gram charcuterie servings ($11–13), house-pickled sardines ($14), confit octopus ($26) and the trusty favourite that is burrata ($19). Desserts span tiramisu ($15) — to pair with one of those aforementioned tiramisu martinis, perhaps — plus cannoli ($8 each), bomboloni ($6 each), a range of gelato and sorbet ($12), and a cheese selection ($21). And, if plenty of Sasso Italiano's dishes sound like classics, that's because the restaurant and bar is going for an old-school, neighbourhood-style, 70s-inspired feel. Dim lighting suits the mood, as does the warm-hued colour palette and wraparound seating.
When you order the garlic bread at Gauge, you don't receive a toasted piece of white, crusty loaf slathered with golden butter. Instead, the bread is black, and the butter brown and speckled with burnt vanilla. That's how they experiment every day of the week, on their standard menu. Imagine what they could come up with if they really wanted to push the boundaries. Actually, don't just imagine. Rather, show up monthly and eat the results. The South Bank restaurant is launching Gauge X, their new, regular, experimental dinner series. It's designed to challenge the way the eatery thinks about food, and increase their creativity — and you get to enjoy five courses of the results. The first dinner takes place on September 20, then monthly from then onwards, with the second session arriving on October 18. Tickets cost $75 per person for what promises a meal like no other — even if you go back each and every time. And if you have a dietary requirement, just make sure you let them know well in advance.
Kristian Fletcher has been demonstrating his love for and knowledge of cult cinema for years. You don't put together some of the city's most beloved film nights without showing your skills and smarts — but, in his latest event, he's testing your fandom, not his. Because there's a trivia night dedicated to every conceivable topic, Fletcher will be asking all of the important questions about those adored movies that fall outside of the mainstream. Of course, we all know the main query everyone will be trying to answer: who is Brisbane's biggest cult cinema buff? Yep, if you're a bit of a know-it-all when it comes to obscure film stats, figures and knowledge, then this is your arena. Plus, the new, bi-monthly night takes place at New Farm Cinemas, which means that you can take in a game of Addams Family pinball before the quiz heats up, enjoy a mid-match beverage from the bar, and catch a flick afterwards to celebrate your win.
When The Sopranos came to a close with perhaps the most controversial ending in television history, it left fans with plenty of questions. If you're keen to get some closure — or simply find out more about the iconic gangster series — then open up your 2019 diary: three of the show's stars are coming to Australia next year. Touring the country between May 25 and June 1, In Conversation with The Sopranos will see Michael Imperioli, Steve Scirrippa and Vince Pastore take to the stage to chat about their time on the HBO series, including everything from behind-the-scenes stories to theories on how the eight-season show ended. That means that Sopranos aficionados can hear all of the insider details from none other than Tony Soprano's unofficial nephew, Christopher Moltisani, plus two of the mob boss' enforcers in Bobby Baccala and Big Pussy. While the man who became synonymous with the series obviously, sadly can't be there, Imperioli, Scirrippa and Pastore will also chat about the late, great James Gandolfini — including their friendship with him both on- and off-screen, and the impact that he had on their lives and careers. No word yet whether the trio will come out on stage to the sounds of Journey's 'Don't Stop Believin'; however they will indeed be answering attendees' questions at the end of their discussion. Tickets start at the $100 mark (give or take a dollar or two depending on the city), and if you're feeling flush with a spare $285 burning a hole in your pocket, you can also opt for the VIP package which includes a meet and greet. In Conversation with The Sopranos tours Australia in 2019, coming to Sydney's Enmore Theatre on Saturday, May 25, The Star Casino on the Gold Coast on Sunday, May 26, Perth's Crown Theatre on Wednesday, May 29 and Melbourne's Palais Theatre on Saturday, July 1. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Tuesday, August 21, with a pre-sale from 9am on Friday, August 16 — for more information, visit the event website.
Stunning art always endures, as A Streetcar Named Desire has for nearing eight decades now. Tennessee Williams' tale of Southern belle Blanche DuBois, her sister Stella and the latter's husband Stanley Kowalski first premiered via a Broadway production starring Jessica Tandy, Kim Hunter and Marlon Brando, and has repeatedly returned to stages since. Indeed, this southern-gothic heartbreaker has trodden the boards worldwide with everyone from Glenn Close (Black in Action), Cate Blanchett (Black Bag) and Frances McDormand (Women Talking) to John C Reilly (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), Joel Edgerton (Dark Matter) and Paul Mescal (Paul Mescal) in its cast. Four Oscars also came the way of Elia Kazan's 1951 film, where he adapted the play that he'd directed in theatres into a screen classic with much of its originating stage cast. Spectacular theatre can make that leap to screens — but the stage productions themselves have historically only lived on via memory and reputation. No matter how immersive and exceptional, and how urgent and unforgettable as well, theatre performances are live and therefore fleeting. They're tied to a specific place and usually solely experienced in the moment. NT Live did its part to help change that over 15 years ago, when it began filming National Theatre productions in the United Kingdom — expanding to other companies, too — then beaming everything from new Shakespearean stagings and Danny Boyle's (28 Years Later) take on Frankenstein to Fleabag and The Importance of Being Earnest into cinemas globally. In 2014 when he unleashed his Gillian Anderson (The Salt Path)-, Ben Foster (Long Day's Journey Into Night)- and Vanessa Kirby (Napoleon)-starring version of A Streetcar Named Desire at The Young Vic in London, Australian playwright, stage and opera director, and filmmaker Benedict Andrews was well-aware that he was taking on a classic, a masterpiece, and a play that ranks among the 20th century's best and has burned itself into memories. He'd done so before at the Schaubühne am Lehniner Platz in Berlin. He didn't initially know, though, that he'd be joining the NT Live ranks, that audiences worldwide would be able to catch it on the big screen, and that they'd still be watching 11 years later. In Australia, Andrews' Streetcar returned to cinemas from Thursday, June 19, 2025. "The play is very dear to my heart, but the nature of theatre is usually that it's ephemeral," he tells Concrete Playground. "Theatre's usually ephemeral and that is its beauty — that it usually just exists in this brief compact with the audience and the viewer when the play comes to life nightly. So it's weird that it's released in cinemas again. It's great though — because I found during COVID, they re-released it for free online at some point, and it found a whole new generation of viewers," the Australian continues. "Not just people who didn't live in London or New York, so couldn't see it there, but I'm having conversations with people in in really far-flung and diverse places, and maybe of a different generation who are seeing it, and discovering the play for the first time through that production." "I've had people tell me that — like a young actress tell me that seeing this production when she was in high school made her want to become an actress. So it's great it's out in the world again, and on cinema screens." [caption id="attachment_1010339" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI.[/caption] Complicated relationships, desire, raw emotions that can't be contained: these themes have recurred in Andrews' work. They all scorch and sear as Blanche's once well-to-do life keeps shattering, leading her to take the titular transport to Stella and Stanley's two-room New Orleans apartment, and to the toxicity — verbally, emotionally, psychologically and physically — of being in her brother-in-law's orbit. If you'd like to think of the trio's altercations, and those involving Stanley's friend and Blanche's hoped-for beau Mitch (Corey Johnson, September 5), as a traumatic merry-go-round, Andrews has taken that idea literally in this staging. Tying into Blanche's alcoholism and downward spiral, this aesthetically striking production is both in the round and revolves, the skeleton of the Kowalskis' powderkeg of a flat exposed to theatregoers as the show constantly rotates. Sculptural sets, spaces that actors are required to interact with rather than just stand upon, are equally a regular element in Andrews' stage creations. See also: his Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in 2017, another dance with a Williams great for The Young Vic that was also immortalised by NT Live. Streetcar's iteration is arresting, but that label perhaps best applies to Anderson as its Blanche — a part that she'd been wanting to step into since she was 16. While she'll always be The X-Files' Agent Dana Scully, The Fall's DSU Stella Gibson and Sex Education's Jean Milburn, among the immense range of roles before and after always relying on the kindness of strangers, Anderson's portrayal here is one that you'll always remember her for as much as the above once you've seen it. 2026 will be three decades since Andrews kicked off his career as a theatre director with Wounds to the Face and Storm From Paradise in Adelaide. From the South Australian capital, he went to Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir and Malthouse Theatre — and to London's stages, New York's as well with both A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and also Munich, Berlin, Reykjavik, Copenhagen, Buenos Aires, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and more. Opera beckoned. On the big screen, he was behind 2016's stage-to-screen adaptation of Blackbird as the Rooney Mara (La Cocina)- and Ben Mendelsohn (Andor)-starring Una, then 2018's Kristen Stewart (Love Lies Bleeding)-led Seberg. Alongside digging into his Streetcar journey, including whether thinking about the cinema experience is part of directing a stage production that will be filmed and then show in cinemas, Anderson's stellar work, and ensuring that the play's themes and emotions are always bubbling, we also explored his path to here with Andrews in our in-depth discussion. On Whether the Possibility of a Stage Production Being Filmed for the Big Screen Changes Anything About Andrews' Approach "No, no, no, never. In the case of Streetcar, I didn't know. I guess NT Live branching out of the National Theatre stuff, because this was a Young Vic production, was fairly uncommon at the time. I've had two productions filmed, I think, only — which have both been Tennessee Williams. They also filmed the Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. And no, I don't and probably I wouldn't at all. Well, I've had a bunch of operas films since as well — and I never think about it. When I've worked with the team on it, I talked to them about it like they're filming a boxing match or a football game. So we discussed what their setup would be, and with them having watched the production. Obviously Streetcar is very special because of the revolving stage, and what that means to try to shoot that or capture that, but I discuss it with them more like they're going in to shoot that, to capture the live experience of it. Rather than, because I'm also a filmmaker, rather than thinking about this filmmaking, I see it as much more of almost a functional recording that they happen to do very well — like if you watch boxing at the Olympics or you watch a well-filmed AFL game, you want it to capture the highlights and the moments, and give you the enhanced sense of being there. I think I'm trying to do that. So then, when I'm in the rehearsal room, no, I'm not thinking about that at all. I often, when I'm in a rehearsal room, I give myself and the actors very fundamental challenges to work with and overcome. And those challenges, I think, are about — they're like a kind of drill to drill very deeply into the core of the play. Rather than just assuming we can access that play by selling this kind of difficulty, I think then it allows you to access the raw matter of the play in a new and immediate way. So the revolve in the Streetcar production was exactly that. I felt it was the perfect metaphor for the play. It begins when she takes this schluck of alcohol. It reflects her addiction and the sense of what it means to be in her downward spiral with her. But it also is very visceral. Every single audience member gets a different perspective on what's happening in that room, as it constantly — the in-the-theatre experience of it — moves in and out of long shot and closeup, and literally every seat is seeing a different way into this cage where this encounter is going on between Blanche and Stanley. And we had that on throughout rehearsals. It's not some big decorative thing that's put on at the end. If it's going to be this drill, we have to learn to work with it. And the effect of it was so disorientating that the actors would go home and the room would be spinning. And I remember my apartment in London spinning when I went back after being it on all day. I think they would to take motion-sickness tablets, and so on. Beyond that, it's just also: how do you use it? What does it mean to be on and off it? And all that. So when you're so busy with the play and busy with helping the actors unlock it and find its raw heart, which all of them do, but particularly the four, the quartet, of Blanche and Stella and Stanley and Mitch, there's so much to be busy with in that that I'm not thinking about that. But in a similar way, I'm not really thinking about the audience, even the theatre audience, when I'm making something — until I'm in previews. I'm sort of the first audience, and the other people in the room are the tuning rod through which the players get to charge through. And then you hope you get that to such a point of intensity and feeling that then it's ready to share with a larger body of people." On How Staging a Play on a Revolving Set Gives Every Audience Member a Different Immersive Experience "I'm constantly thinking about that. And part of this is the acceptance that you cannot control that it will not be the same for everybody. To take the football analogy again, if you're sitting behind the white sticks at one end, you're seeing a different game from somebody sitting in the centre line, except then that it's moving, so you're rotating that perspective. But you have to accept that no audience member will literally ever get the same view of the show, so that even if audience member X bought exactly the same seat two nights in a row, just because of the slight variation in the motion of that thing, they're going to — maybe on a certain line, Blanche is going to be on the side angle one night, and on the next, she's going to be momentarily obscured by the shower curtain coming past. But that was part of it — that enhanced voyeurism of that, but it's like an active voyeurism, like you're aware that you're watching this fight in this cage, but also this very, very painful to watch, at-times unraveling and madness, this coming apart, of this woman and this family, and the sexual violence when that begins. But I think it meant that the audience had to really lean in and be complicit with it. So to answer your question, I'm thinking about the overall implications of that. Like if I was making a static picture from the front, that works — actually, that changes, the static picture changes from the position, the ideal centre-perspective position where the king used to sit, it actually changes as you move further away and the perspective disintegrates. So there's sort of something radical and democratic in how people watch it. That cinematic effect of the wipes, and that you would each see different perspectives — but in the end, everybody united in the same moment. That's what I think is also really interesting. I think about it in the moment, when the Cat Power song plays at the end, when she walks out — one of the most-extraordinary moments in 20th-century theatre, this speech when she talks about, she's so broken after the rape and after knowing she's being evicted and her psyche can't cope with it anymore, but to cope with that she invents this beautiful fantasy of this man feeding her a grape on a on a boat. And she, her genius is that she invents this, and Tennessee Williams' genius at this most-broken moment, she invents and becomes the perfect actor, playing this dignified role of this woman going to meet her gentleman caller. When we know, and probably she does, that it's the doctor and nurse coming to take her to the mental asylum, which is just going to be fucking hell. A woman like that does not belong in a place like that. It's completely heartbreaking. But the apotheosis when she invents this character, and walks out with such grace and dignity — and then in our production, where Gillian does that circle, that last circle to the Cat Power song, I think for the audience, having watched just this truly extraordinary thing that she goes through, the gift and self-sacrifice, nightly self-sacrifice of Gillian's performance, at that moment, the entire audience is just completely gathered and at one. So I think there's something about having fractured that perspective, then feeling them come together at that moment of apotheosis. I think you're always thinking about that, how to activate that, whatever then the device you're using is. It's a bit of a similar thing in The Cherry Orchard that I just recently staged, where there's also an audience all the way around. But the actors don't have fixed positions. They change what they're doing nightly. So again, the show is constantly evolving and changing and organic, but at the same time, directorially it's still very tightly held. Even if I'm fracturing that viewpoint in Streetcar between all these different viewpoints, I want, ideally, every viewpoint to be perfect — the perfect frame at every moment." On Casting Gillian Anderson in a Role That She'd Wanted to Play Since She Was a Teenager — and Giving Her Another Iconic Part That She'll Always Be Remembered For "This was my second time staging it. I staged it at the Schaubühne in Berlin a couple of years before, in German, and I always wanted to have another crack at it. And weirdly enough, that production of Streetcar was seen by David Lan, the then-Artistic Director of The Young Vic, where we staged Streetcar. And from that, he invited me to come and work in London — and I did first an opera for him, and then a production of Chekhov's Three Sisters, which also had Vanessa Kirby in it as Masha. And Gillian saw that, and said to David 'I want him to direct me in Streetcar'. So when we met to talk about that, she told me how she'd always been thinking about Blanche and always knew she wanted to play Blanche, and I could sense that profound hunger in her to do that. And I already had the plan in my skin. They're wildly different productions. We had a revolve in that, actually, but they're wildly different productions. But it was interesting to have that as a framework — so the first one was like sort of a rough sketch, and then the second one was much more elaborate. So it was just a beautiful kind of confluence of me feeling very close to the play — really, really hungry to do it in English — and then finding, for me, the perfect actress for it at exactly the right time in her life to want to do it. And it was a process and then a production just full of enormous trust and risk. I think from our very first meeting, we felt that we had found each other. I knew she trusted me to take her somewhere. And I knew she wanted to be taken somewhere. I think she and we are very, very, very, very faithful to the play, but even in the UK at that period, at that time, even doing a non-period production of a classic that didn't look like all the other previous productions and all that — she also clearly had an appetite to be in a contemporary production. I guess one thing I try, if I'm approaching a classical play, is to treat it as if it might be a contemporary play. And if I'm approaching a contemporary play, I treat it as if it should be a classical play and will be a classical play. And she clearly believed that there was no attempt to turn, to drag, the play or the production a safe place. She had, as I said, an enormous appetite for risk. And you can see in the performance. So I think why it's memorable, as you say, is she puts herself on the line in every single performance. She's talked about that a lot, I gather, since — what that meant. And I think particularly when we were in New York, what that was like to get under Blanche's skin every night. She's also talked about it, so I won't. But also, she's talked about a kind of confronting or accessing her own history of addiction in the role. And to really do Blanche, I think that is important, because it is the story of someone who is addicted to alcohol and addicted to sex, and trying to deal with the legacy and the brokenness of her own family and her own history through that." On Ensuring That A Streetcar Named Desire's Senses of Guilt and Sadness Is Always Bubbling, and Its Volatility as Well, Alongside Its Exploration of Compulsiveness and Addiction "I think ultimately that's about trusting the players. As such a loaded masterpiece, it is — every single moment of the play, he found such an extraordinary collision of these, of Blanche and Stanley. And I think two sides of himself, Tennessee Williams, but also two sides of his own desire, two sides of his own profound sexual hunger. And it means that everything under the play is just so volatile. And I think often, too, these great plays — whether it's from ancient Athens or Elizabethan London or this — these great plays come at moments of huge historical change, often after major wars. And this play is a of flowering of that new America. It's the same time where the great Arthur Miller plays come as well. And in post-war America is a changing society that's becoming the kind of muscular empire we now see disintegrating. And I think that everything in the play is really loaded. So it's about trusting that, encouraging the actors to access it. In this production, I guess there are a few structural things done, in that Blanche usually leaves the stage — and she does not leave the stage. She's briefly absent in the first minute, I think, before Stella runs out and then she arrives with the suitcase. And then she's very briefly gone the at the end. But even when she and Mitch go to the fairground or whatever, they're still onstage in this production. So that was, I guess, part of also the compact with Gillian, was: what is it like to expose, to put every single moment of this woman's crisis under the microscope and not give her anywhere to hide? So, even during the scene changes, the costume changes between scenes, she's exposed and literally exposing herself while doing them, and she has to stay in that. So I think it's also structurally thinking of the play as this last downward spiral of this, that's been going on for some time — maybe even generations within her family, and the legacy of slavery and corruption in her family. And then she's the last one left. She's the last queen of this ruined nation who comes into exile, into the camp of her enemy, Stanley. And I think it's also been just about what that process in the rehearsal room is, and making sure that it's understood that every night they're going out there to chase it down. And when the play is big enough, then that process never finishes. They're going out to meet each other and the play and the audience afresh every night, and to play the game to the hilt." On the Challenges of Live Theatre, and the Extended Run of Interrogating a Story and Its Emotions Night After Night That It Affords — and Andrews Once Saying That It and Film Are the Same Thing "I'm not sure in the end they are the same thing, either. I think probably what I meant when I was saying that once is that they tap into the same place. And that that someone like [Ingmar] Bergman, who spent his artistic life moving between the theatre and the cinema and not making a binary between the two of them, but that they could be a conversation in which he's exploring ongoing questions — I think that is really, really an ideal for me. But one thing that, of course, is entirely different is that cinema is made by a frame and a camera recording the world. And the shot of the poppy shaking in the garden, cut to the hand of the trembling actor, cut to something they say on their face: that creates the meaning, that creates the story, that creates your feeling. And you collect it during the shoot, but it is then cut up and reconfigured in the edit room, and that is the art and the architecture of cinematic storytelling. So the swaying poppy is just as important as their closeup on the actor's eyes. In the theatre, whatever images there might be onstage or whatever — even if there's an emptiness onstage, even if the actor is absent, it's about the absence of that actor. The actor is everything in the theatre. And it's where I come from first. It is my home and it is my emotional gymnasium. And it's this very beautiful, privileged space, like a little island where we go to reflect on the world and reflect on being human and reflect on being alive, to deal with emergencies and crisis — both political, personal, whatever — but within the permission of this safe room. So you can go into the places emotionally that would send you to the madhouse, like they do Blanche, or put you in prison like if you were to follow through with what happens in that room. But it's a room where we then have permission to think through, play through, work through, together as a collective, without the big, beautiful apparatus — that was a Trumpian sentence — without the extraordinary apparatus that cinema has. You need, even if you're reduced, stripping it right down, it needs this village of people and technical equipment to make it. The theatre needs nothing in the end. Just a circle of viewers and the players. And I guess as I then started to make — I made my first film just after Streetcar, I made Una in the months after Streetcar the first time — and as I've started to move more between the two mediums, I think it's become even more precious, this sense of the fragile, the gift of being in a room with people and exploring these things, but also the idea of this fragility and the idea that if I'm going to do theatre, I don't want to hide behind anything. So my theatre was already pretty raw, but I think since then it's become even more about — in every show I've done since COVID and since my last movie, the audience has been lit. They are to a degree in Streetcar, but in recent plays like The Cherry Orchard, they're lit by this same forensic white light. You're very aware of them sitting there. The actors sit amongst the audience and step up and play from that. So this essential liveness and this essential experiment of theatre, that it's a nightly process, an experiment, I think has become even more important to me — or, if you like, it's always there, it's always there in theatre, but it hides behind a lot of bullshit often." On Whether Taking Either A Streetcar Named Desire or Cat on a Hot Tin Roof to the Big Screen as Films Appeals, as Andrews Did with Una "Probably not with either of those. The Streetcar, the Kazan one, I'd rather film the play like this. I think it's different if it's a new play. I think things have to undergo a transposition, right, and Una undergoes a significant transposition. It's not filmed theatre. You could even say some things that are closer to filmed theatre, like the Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? or something, still that makes a transmutation of form. And so I think more, sometimes I think about two things. To take a story — and this is something I've talked to with some actors about; I've talked about it with Cate Blanchett, who's somebody I've worked with a few times, and also with Nina Hoss [Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World] separately, who, both of those who are great theatre actresses and great film actresses — this idea that if you've played a role in theatre, you've lived it so completely and you've explored it in so many different ways compared to [film]. This isn't comparative. I think they're both significant. But compared to filming for and performing for the camera, which is like you're doing these short little sprints — you're doing these little bits that are then cut up — but when you've lived it in the theatre, I think they recognise, the wealth of having done that, what it might mean to do that in another, to take all that, take the character, rewrite it for another form. Weirdly, it happened when Cate had done Streetcar herself, right, for Liv Ullmann, and then did the Woody Allen film [Blue Jasmine]. She's sort of playing Blanche in that. And that's really interesting. To rather than say you're just copying the same thing, to say you grow a new creature from it, but using the same logic and ideas. And then the other one that I'm starting to think about for a future project — and maybe this is because of the NT Lives. Like I said, they film them themselves and that's great, and they're really excellent things to have out there, and they reflect the moment of the theatremaking. But there's one where then I as a filmmaker and a theatremaker might take the production, and not make it as a film, like the Kazan version of Streetcar, but do my own cinema version of filming the production. So like the Paul Schrader Mishima or something, right, which has that artificiality in it — but do bring the camera into the theatre space that's constructed, and make this boutique object from that. So I'm very curious about that. And I think NT Live proves that there's an audience for that as well." [caption id="attachment_1010340" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David M. Benett/Getty Images.[/caption] On Andrews' Dream When He Was Starting Out as a Director Three Decades Back — and How Even Imagining NT Live Wasn't Possible "No, I didn't. I mean partly, some of those things were impossible to even conceive of then. The world has changed so much. Also, I think my ambition has always been of a different kind. I never began thinking 'oh, I would like to work in these places. I would do this'. I was always just obsessed with making work. So those first works in the Red Shed in Adelaide, they were all-consuming. At the same time then, on the nascent internet or however, I was sort of Googling different — well, it was probably pre-Google — looking for radical theatremakers in the world. And in 1999, getting to travel and go and meet them and see their work. So for me, it's always been a hunger for the work and about the work. And all of the opportunities that have come — right from, I guess, first going and working, being invited from Adelaide to become a resident at Sydney Theatre Company, then being invited to come and work at the Schaubühne in Berlin, and then going to London and so on — they have always come from the work, from somebody seeing the work, recognising the work and inviting me to build on that. I've never looked and said 'I want to be working on these stages' or be there — other people work like that, but for me, it really comes from the work. I think back then, I loved cinema very much and was very influenced by cinema, and thought that I would like to make a movie one day but was busy with theatre for a lot longer than I thought — and absolutely consumed with theatremaking, but I guess I always hoped that I would do that. And to move between those two worlds — we mentioned Bergman — that still remains a goal. And to make a movie that can have the effect on people that Streetcar has, I don't think I've quite done that yet. That can be very, very true to itself — very true to itself — and also have audiences lined around the block to see it when we did it in London, and people still wanting to see it in the cinema. I'd love to find that sweet spot in a movie, and I feel there's still a lot of work to do there — and that theatre is a place I can keep returning to for now. That's a really beautiful, safe home to explore in. So it's always about the work for me." NT Live's A Streetcar Named Desire returned to Australian cinemas from Thursday, June 19, 2025. A Streetcar Named Desire images: Johan Persson.
Winter might currently be in full swing in Australia, but here's a trusty reminder that there's plenty of summer fun to look forward to: the ticket ballot for 2025's Meredith Music Festival is officially open. If spending three days and two nights watching one stage at the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre is your favourite way to kick off the warmest season of the year, then you'll want to go in the running to attend the regional Victorian fest ASAP. 2025 marks the beloved event's 33rd year, and its' promising "a midland melodrama in three parts". This three-decade-plus tradition will take over its namesake locale across Friday, December 5–Sunday, December 7, 2025. In the festival's own words, patrons can look forward to the "same shape, same size, and all on the one stage" once more. The other crucial date for your diary right now is Monday, August 11, 2025 — and 10.33pm AEST specifically that day. As at Wednesday, July 16, 2025, that's when the three-day BYO camping festival's ticket ballot is open until for this year. So, book that long weekend, enter for tickets, then cross your fingers that you'll be spending a trio of days at The Sup. There's no lineup as yet, as Meredith has long stopped being the kind of festival where attendance is dictated by whoever is taking to the stage. In both 2023 and 2024, the roster of acts dropped in mid-August. This year, Meredith has confirmed that 2025 lineup will be revealed with the ballot draws. 2023 saw Kraftwerk, Caroline Polachek, Alvvays, Alex G, Eris Drew & Octo Octa, Flowdan, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, Sneaky Sound System, No Fixed Address, Souls of Mischief and plenty more on the bill. For 2024, Jamie xx, Waxahatchee, Genesis Owusu, Mk.gee, ZAPP, Angie McMahon, The Dare and Glass Beams were just some of the fest's names. Meredith Music Festival will return to Meredith from Friday, December 5–Sunday, December 7, 2025. To put your name in the ballot to get your hands on tickets, head to the festival's website before 10.33pm AEST on Monday, August 11. Images: Chip Mooney, Ben Fletcher, Chelsea King and Steve Benn.
Start making holiday plans: that dream trip to Osaka, pandemic-delayed return visit to Tokyo or bucket-list getaway in Seoul just got cheaper. From October 2023, Jetstar will start rolling out three new international routes direct from Brisbane, heading to those three cities. Across the trio of legs, the airline will cater for almost 500,000 new seats each year out of the Queensland capital. Jetstar already flies to Japan from the Sunshine State, just from Cairns and the Gold Coast rather than Brisbane; however, that's finally changing. Come Tuesday, October 31, the Brisbane–Narita service will take to the skies, running five return flights a week. From Sunday, December 3, that'll increase to daily services. Two notes: everyone needs to do Halloween in Tokyo at least once; and, as part of the change, Jetstar will stop flying from the Gold Coast to Narita from Sunday, October 29, focusing on the Brisbane route instead. For folks keen on cherry blossoms in Osaka, Jetstar will boast four return legs a week from Brisbane from Friday, February 2, 2024. The new Seoul flights will take off the day prior, on Thursday, February 1, 2024, with three return services weekly. To celebrate the Japan and South Korean additions to its Brisbane destinations, the airline is also hosting a 48-hour sale until 11am on Wednesday, June 21. At sale prices, Brisbanites can expect to head to Osaka from $279, Tokyo from $299 and to Seoul from $289 — all one-way and excluding checked baggage. The budget carrier's existing routes from Brisbane to Bali and Auckland are also picking up, doing ten return services to Denpasar weekly (up from seven) from Thursday, February 1, 2024, plus daily return trips to NZ (up from four a week) from Sunday, October 29, 2023. Jetstar's extra services out of Brissie stem from a partnership with Brisbane Airport, with support from Queensland's Attracting Aviation Investment Fund (AAIF), which is joint Government and airport initiative to help kick the state's visitor economy back into gear. Jetstar's new international routes from Brisbane will start rolling out from October 2023. Jetstar's 48-hour sale to announce the new flights runs until 11am on Wednesday, June 21 — head to the airline's website for more details. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
In the always-moving world of fitness, a particular name has been taking Australia by storm: Upstate. The high-energy and even higher octane studio has been expanding its network across the Eastern Seaboard of Australia. It all started in Melbourne, then it swept into Sydney and Queensland (via the Gold Coast) last year, and now it's officially touching down in Brisbane via a Montague Road studio this month. Upstate Co-Founder and Co-CEO Gail Asbell explains that a Brisbane studio has been on the to-do list for some time now, saying "Brisbane has such an incredible energy and community spirit, and West End in particular has a character that feels perfectly aligned with Upstate. It's creative, vibrant and social — exactly the kind of neighbourhood where people want to move, connect and feel good." The new studio, specifically located at Studio 7, 391 Montague Road, will be split across two workout spaces — one a 24-bed reformer studio and the other a 35-pax hot mat studio for those who prefer sweating over stretching. Broadly speaking, members will be able to sign up for a wide range of classes, reformer and hot mat pilates as mentioned, but also hot power yoga, yin and sound baths. Aesthetically, the space is true to the Upstate identity of inclusivity and energy. The colours are bold and neon, all intended to boost members' mood on arrival, and the space includes three unisex toilets and showers, allowing you to freshen up after your class and flow back into your daily routine without interruption. To celebrate the opening on Saturday, April 11, classes for the duration of the studio's opening weekend will be complimentary. You can also purchase a special launch offer of 14 days for $29, giving you access to two weeks of unlimited bookings for reformer, hot mat and hot yoga to try the Upstate way of life for yourself. Upstate West End opens from Saturday, April 11 and can be found at Studio 7, 391 Montague Road. To book a class or redeem your launch offer membership, visit the website. Images: supplied Like what you see? Subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter to get stories just like these straight to your inbox.
It isn't called the big screen for nothing — and, when you head to the pictures, that's typically what you spend a couple of hours peering at. But you won't just be staring at a giant rectangle at Wonderdome, Australia's new pop-up cinema experience. In a blend of film, music and art that takes its cues from planetariums, you'll be sat in a dome watching movies that've been specifically designed to take up the whole 360-degree space that's towering above you. Melbourne Planetarium's regular fulldome sessions, the Melbourne International Film Festival's own fulldome programming and the Brisbane International Film Festival's foray into the same space a decade back have all served up this same kind of immersive view, if the overall concept sounds familiar. But when Wonderdome hits Sydney's Entertainment Quarter between Saturday, December 4–Sunday, January 30, it'll also be following in the footsteps of Coachella and Burning Man by creating a dedicated fulldome space that's all about this type of cinema-going. It'll also offer Australia's largest-ever 360-degree projection cinema. The structure itself is a geodesic steel dome that spans 21 metres in diameter, and is filled with multiple projectors, as well as a 7.2 surround sound system. To watch, you'll recline on throne-style beanbags and stare up at the movie. Given that the projection sprawls all around you, it's been likened to virtual reality — but without the goggles. During Wonderdome's debut run in Sydney, it'll screen a lineup of 22 films — including the dazzling Coral Rekindling Venus, about fluorescent coral reefs, bioluminescent sea creatures and rare marine life, from Emmy Award-wining Australian filmmaker Lynette Wallworth. Other highlights include National Geographic's Flying Monsters, about flying dinosaurs, which is narrated by the one and only David Attenborough; the climate-focused Dynamic Earth, which benefits from Liam Neeson's vocal work; and Carriberrie, which focuses on Indigenous Australian dance and song. Fulldome cinema is also known for its psychedelic and eye-popping visual displays, which is where Samskara, from artist Android Jones, comes in — plus Labyrinth, which is filled with squares, streets, passages, corridors and rooms; and Luminokaya, which lets you explore Cambodian temple complex Angkor Wat. The rest of the program also features the architecture-focused Urban Levitation; Distant Life: Alien Worlds, about whether humanity is alone in the universe; Flight of Fancy, which recreates a space jump at 120,000 feet; and other space-centric titles such as From Earth to the Universe and Journey to the Centre of the Milky Way. There's a lineup of fulldome movies for kids, too, because this is an all-ages space. Snacks-wise, you'll be able to grab something to eat and drink either before or after each Wonderdome session, with the menu including jaffles, chips, slushies, chocolates and ice creams. Plus, there'll be a gin bar, as well as a lineup of craft beers. Wonderdome's Entertainment Quarter season will also accept New South Wales' Dine & Discover vouchers, if you have some left — or you're eager to get your hands on more when two extra vouchers become available for NSW residents over the age of 18 sometime this summer. And if you won't be in Sydney this summer, cross your fingers that Wonderdome will plan stops in other cities. The fact that it's is pop-up dome obviously makes that easier. Wonderdome will pop-up at Sydney's Entertainment Quarter from Saturday, December 4 –Sunday, January 30. For more information, or for tickets from 11am AEST on Wednesday, November 17, head to the Wonderdome website.
Saying goodbye to 2025 at Lost Paradise means farewelling the year with a jam-packed lineup of tunes. Ben Böhmer, Chris Stussy, Confidence Man, Duke Dumont, I Hate Models, KETTAMA, Marc Rebillet, Maribou State, Underworld, X CLUB: they're all headlining the annual end-of-year music festival in Glenworth Valley on the New South Wales Central Coast this year. So, mark Sunday, December 28, 2025–Thursday, January 1, 2026 on your calendar — and prepare for a huge few days. Other acts on the bill include Anna Lunoe, BIG WETT, Channel Tres, Fcukers, DJ Heartstring, Hot Dub Time Machine, Omar+, VTSS and plenty more. Some people love last-minute New Year's Eve plans, going wherever the mood takes them. Others can't start planning early enough. If you fall into the latter category, this December is for you. For Lost Paradise newcomers, the multi-day event turns a slice of its setting — which is located an hour out of Sydney — into one helluva shindig, complete with live music and DJ sets spanning both international and Australian talents. This year, organisers are promising newly reimagined versions of the festival's Arcadia, Lost Disco and Paradise Club stages. Tunes are just one part of the Lost Paradise experience, though. Here, art, culture, wellness, and food and drink also get a look in. And, at Shambhala Fields, you can hear talks and take part in workshops — so that's where you'll find the likes of Dr Karl, Eric Avery, Deano Gladstone, Lara Zilibowitz, Kath Ebbs, Sez, Tom Carroll, Simon Borg-Olivier, Gwyn Williams and others. Since first unleashing its specific flavour of festival fun back in 2014, Lost Paradise has become a go-to way to wrap up one year and welcome in the next — including if you're keen to camp for its duration. Lost Paradise 2025 Lineup Ben Böhmer Chris Stussy Confidence Man Duke Dumont I Hate Models KETTAMA Marc Rebillet Maribou State Underworld X CLUB Anna Lunoe Baby J Bad Boombox & Mischluft Balu Brigada Bella Claxton BIG WETT Blusher Bullet Tooth Cassian Channel Tres Dameeeela DJ Heartstring Dombresky presents Disco Dom Dr Banana Fcukers Folamour Heidi Hot Dub Time Machine INJI Jazzy Josh Baker Juicy Romance Kilimanjaro Luke Alessi Merci, Mercy Narciss Notion Odd Mob Omar+ Pegassi Prospa Riria Ross From Friends presents Bubble Love Sex Mask Silva Bumpa Sim0ne Sumner Swim (live) Two Another VTSS Wolters Alex Dowsing Badassmutha Bella Backe Caleb Jackson Couch Mechanic Cricket Dayzzi B2B Daug Disco Dora Elijah Something GMOZ Grooveworks Kai Kawai Large Mirage LAYTX Lily FM Lost Soundsystem Madame Reve Maina Doe Mash Middle James Mina Tonic Oscill8 Pamela Penelope People's Party Roxy Lotz Salarymen Selve Siila Silly Lily Sim Select Tia Lacoste Tokyo Sexwale Tseba Waxlily Yasmina Sadiki Shambhala Fields: Benny Holloway Catriona Wallace Chanel Contos Deano Gladstone Dr Karl Eric Avery Gwyn Williams Kath Ebbs Lara Zilibowitz Plastic Free Mermaid Sez Simon Borg-Olivier Tom Carroll Lost Paradise mages: Jess Bowen, Jordan K Munns, Byravyna and Amar Gera.
Some visit Bali seeking romantic places to stay, where they can treat themselves to pamper packages within wild natural surroundings. Others want a tropical adventure — hiking up volcano craters, riding quad bikes through the jungle or swimming beneath hidden waterfalls. And, of course, there's the party atmosphere, from group day trips to places to dance the night away. To help any kind of traveller have the best time in Bali, we curated a selection of local trips and tours that can be booked through Concrete Playground Trips. Read on to find a few of our favourites. [caption id="attachment_892435" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Juan Cruz Mountford (Unsplash)[/caption] SUNRISE VOLCANO HIKE WITH THERMAL SPRINGS SWIM This trek could quite easily become the highlight of your trip to Bali. You'll get up early to hike to the summit of volcanic Mount Batur to catch the sunrise and enjoy breakfast cooked over volcanic steam. It's not a difficult climb, but the natural hot springs waiting for you at the bottom are a magical treat. Enjoy the view of the volcano and the surrounding mountains while you soothe your muscles in the natural springs. Not a morning person? Book a midnight hike or a private jeep ride up to the volcano and into the crater instead. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_892433" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rob M Visuals (Unsplash)[/caption] RICE TERRACE CYCLING TOUR When visiting Bali, go beyond the island's famous beaches and head inland to explore the untamed jungle and thousands of miles of rice terraces. While you can drive to many of them, the best way to see a bunch is by going on a cycling tour. This particular one focuses on the Bangli region. It is a less commercialised area, boasting some of the world's most beautiful rice fields with views of Mount Batur in the distance. Alight from your bike to walk between the terraces, little huts, tumbling waterfalls and quaint temples before sitting down to a big lunch overlooking the stunning scenery. We could think of worse ways to spend a day. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_892434" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jared Rice (Unsplash)[/caption] FIVE-DAY HOLISTIC RETREAT Bali abounds with wellness retreats, and Y Retreats is one of the best budget-friendly options. That's why we teamed up with Y Retreats to sell some of the spots available on its upcoming Reset and Recharge retreat. Over the course of five days, you'll be immersed in a carefully curated combination of breathwork, cold exposure, yoga, self-development sessions, leadership and resilience workshops, physical adventuring and so much more. It's held at a secluded beachfront property in Tabanan and includes all your meals. It's the perfect place to relax and work on yourself. BOOK IT NOW. BALI SEA WALKER This is a really random travel experience. But it's heaps of fun. You pop on a glass helmet that's fed oxygen via a long tube and walk along the sea floor spotting tropical fish swimming about coral reefs. It's much easier than proper scuba diving (no training is required for sea walking). Add this little activity to a day spent at the beach. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_892436" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nick Fewings (Unsplash)[/caption] UBUD DAY TRIP The Ubud region has become increasingly popular these days, but remains quieter than most parts of Bali. It has many picturesque temples, coffee plantations, rice fields, museums and small villages filled with markets and great places to eat. But seeing all its best bits can be tough without a guide. So, we teamed up with Candidasa Taxi to offer this unique private tour of Ubud that also includes a trip to Tegenungan Waterfall and Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_892432" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tandya Rachmat (Unsplash)[/caption] THREE-DAY GILI ISLANDS AND LOMBOK TOUR The Gili Islands is one of our favourite places to go in Indonesia. These six small islets are all located by Bali's neighbour sister Lombok and offer up exceptional experiences. You can swim with turtles, explore small fishing villages, relax on long white sand beaches and simply escape the crowds of Bali. And if you book this Gili Island and Lombok tour, you'll get to take your time seeing all the best bits over three days — you'll really want to spend more than just a day in these parts. The tour will also pick you up from Padang, so it's a great addition to any Bali holiday. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_892439" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Florian Giorgio (Unsplash)[/caption] REGIONAL BALI TOURS Bali is a diverse place when it comes to culture, food and natural sites. That's why you shouldn't spend your entire holiday in just one place. But packing up all your things to stay in several different areas can also be tiring. The solution? Get on the day trip bandwagon. We have a bunch to help you see it all. Spend a day in the north, south, east or west of the island with each of these unique trips that take you to all the most popular parts — as well as a few hidden gems only locals know about. [caption id="attachment_892438" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nattu Adnan (Unsplash)[/caption] NUSA PENIDA DAY TRIP Nusa Penida is an absolutely stunning island located just off the shores of Bali. It's a beach lover's paradise, with countless hidden coves located all over. A great way to see them is by joining a day tour. This particular one takes you to Broken Beach, Angel's Billabong, Kelingking Beach and Crystal Bay. You can even book a really affordable private boat tour of Nusa Penida to see it all from the water. BOOK IT NOW. [caption id="attachment_892441" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bali Surgawi Tour Travels (Unsplash)[/caption] QUAD BIKE ADVENTURE As an ATV rider, you will be challenged to conquer some of Bali's rugged off-road terrain and muddy rock formations for 90 to 120 minutes. You'll see some great scenery, rice fields, rivers and beaches while zooming about with some mates. This will be followed by a two-hour snorkel trip that will take you to two different swimming spots. It's a two-in-one. BOOK IT NOW. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips to destinations all over the world. Top image: Jamie Fenn (Unsplash)
When you've directed two movies about zombies — the first of which you've basically become synonymous with — and also dabbled with on-screen demons, what do you tackle next? If you're Australian Wyrmwood, Nekrotronic and Wyrmwood: Apocalypse filmmaker Kiah Roache-Turner, you do battle with another classic horror concept. Sting takes its moniker from The Hobbit. The fact that its human protagonist is called Charlotte is particularly telling, however. What better name to use in a movie about a giant spider that falls from the sky, is discovered by a curious 12-year-old, then makes its growing presence petrifyingly known? Shot in the ABC studios in Sydney but set in a New York City apartment block in the thick of winter, Sting's nods elsewhere stretch across the film like a web. Lines recall Predator. Shots nod to Alien. "I pretty much copied that exact jump-scare from Alien, when Tom Skerritt goes into the air conditioning ducts, 100 percent," Roache-Turner tells Concrete Playground. He's loving about his influences, on- and off-screen. That affection for flicks gone by shows in the movie from the moment that its titular creature — he's named his spider well, too — first appears. Roache-Turner has also used himself and his own fear as a basis. Yes, he's afraid of spiders, as we almost all are. "I didn't necessarily want to confront it. It's just my job is to think of the worst thing, the scariest thing, the most-disturbing thing that could happen to me, and then put it in a script and then make you guys watch it and hope that it scares people," says Roache-Turner. "That's kind of what I do. I just sit around thinking about things that disturb me and then I write about them — and it's good because if you take your nightmares out of here and you put it down onto paper, and you spend a couple of years making a spider movie, the hope is that you might become a little less arachnophobic. So it could be therapeutic." Asked if making Sting ended up being cathartic, though, Roache-Turner has bad news for anyone thinking that they might cure their unease about eight-legged arthropods through filmmaking. "Not at all. No. I still hate spiders. Maybe it's worse now because I've had to look at so much footage of spiders, so now I'm doubly sure that I hate them," he shares. Ten years back on Wyrmwood, which he calls "one of the best things I've ever done in my life", the writer/director put everything that he had into what swiftly became his calling card. "It was three-and-a-half years of production. I shot a lot of it in my mum's backyard. It was me and my brothers and my mates just putting on zombie makeup and having fun," Roache-Turner notes. "I can't tell you how fun it was, and I still think about it almost every day. It's a huge part of my life, and it's the reason why I'm here talking to you about a giant spider movie." He's happy that it keeps coming up. "No matter what I do, people go 'you made Wyrmwood'. I think that's how Sam Raimi must feel, too. He can make as many A Simple Plan movies as he wants. He can do as many Spider-Man movies as he wants. But he's always the guy that did Evil Dead, and that's me," he advises. Roache-Turner is also still giving his all with Sting, including by drawing upon his own family setup. Charlotte, played by Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart's Alyla Browne, has an IRL analogue. So does her stepfather Ethan, with House of the Dragon and In Limbo's Ryan Corr the film's version of Roache-Turner. As happens in the picture — which features Noni Hazelhurst (One Night), Penelope Mitchell (What You Wish For), Jermaine Fowler (A Murder at the End of the World), Silvia Colloca (Wellmania), Danny Kim (C*A*U*G*H*T) and Robyn Nevin (Relic) as well — Sting's creative force had just welcomed a new baby. Similarities continue, albeit with a critter that Roache-Turner is most frightened of looming large, literally, aided by creature design by Wētā Workshop. How does taking inspiration from so much of your own life guide you when you're writing a horror screenplay? How did Sting get rolling from the idea that everyone hates spiders, not just Roache-Turner? What kind of balancing act was required to make this an unsettling spider flick, also a movie about a kid with an unusual pet Pete's Dragon and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial-style, and a picture about a family in crisis? With Sting opening in Australian cinemas on Thursday, July 18, 2024, Roache-Turner filled us in, and also chatted about his inspirations, casting Browne and Corr, and what type of primal fear that he's grappling with next. On Starting with the Idea That Everyone Hates Spiders, Then Getting the Ball Rolling "The good thing about Sting is it's a primal fear like sharks. Everybody's scared of a thing in the bedroom. Everybody's scared of the idea of a ghost. These are primal fears. And as I'm arachnophobic, I've had the image or the idea — anytime I look at a spider, I'm scared, I want to cry. But a little part of my brain goes 'imagine that was big. Imagine that was big!'. I've been thinking about that for most of my life, and then finally I set myself a task. It was actually after I had a meeting with James Wan's producer, and he was explaining how he and James make films. And he goes 'we do a template system, so we go: single location, one monster, one family — go'. And he goes 'we just make the same movie over and over again'. And I was thinking 'I wonder if I could do that?'. So I thought 'okay, I'm going take a single location: let's say an apartment building. I'm going to take a family: let's say my family'. So I just had a baby. I'm married. I've got a stepdaughter. I'm going to just template that so I can make it personal. 'What's the monster?' And that whole thing in my head just started echoing 'imagine a spider was big'. That's the thing that I would be most scared of to see. So I just wrote the movie that would be the scariest movie that I could possibly make. The idea of a giant spider descending on a crib was one of the first images that I got, because I just was a new father and I had a baby, and I just couldn't imagine anything worse. And so I was like 'yeah, that'll make a good poster'. That's how these things get started. And I wrote the script, and I took it around. And I don't think anybody, I couldn't really find a producer who wanted to do it because they were all scared. They're just like 'no, no, no, no, no, it's probably going to be more than about five mil'. Everybody wants to make the five-mil Blumhouse template thing. And I'm like 'yeah, I could write that, but I didn't write that in this case. I don't think we can make a giant spider movie set in a New York apartment building for five. I don't know how to do that'. So Jamie Hilton and Michael Pontin and Chris Brown [Sting's producers] just were brave enough to just go 'okay, we believe in this, we're going push it'. Once we got the ball rolling, it just seemed like a good idea, because it had been a while since we had a really decent giant spider movie. I can't even really think of one. I mean Arachnophobia, but they're little. I'm talking about one the size of a pit bull terrier. Other than Shelob, there's not really that many out there. So we had something vaguely original and we just ran with it." On How Taking Inspiration From Your Personal Life Guides You When You're Writing a Screenplay "It guides the emotion, so all of this stuff with the father and the daughter and the wife and the baby and the tension, that all came out of COVID. I was going through that. The big difference is I get on with my family really well — I'll start to make up a bunch of really horrible drama to make it interesting, but the feelings and the emotion is there. In terms of writing the thing, there's no secret to it. It's unexplainable. The structure just jumps into your head. You go 'if there's an alien spider in the building, how does it get into the apartment? How do we keep it in the family? How does it then grow big? How does it then escape so it can start eating dogs and cats? Who's the first human it's gonna eat? What happens when it attacks the family?'. One thing leads to another, and it just becomes a question of thinking your way out of situations. And then you find yourself at the end, and then you write 'fade out'. Sometimes they're good. Sometimes they're bad. Writing is the most-unexplainable thing in the world, and it's the hardest part of the whole process. But there are little tricks to making it easier, and certainly templating your own family and your own experiences is an easy way to get into an emotional truth." On Balancing the Film as a Spider Horror Flick, But Also a Movie About a Kid with an Unusual Pet and a Picture About a Family in Crisis "It's the hardest part, balancing that stuff. And because I am the person who made Wyrmwood, my tendency is to just make films that feel like they just never stop. So I really was trying to make something that has more long sections of just straight drama. I wanted to slow it down a little bit. A huge part of the writing process and the rewriting was about making the family warmer at the start so that when cracks start to appear, we care about them more — and how much drama should there be between the father and the daughter? All that kind of stuff. Yeah, it's a real balancing act in a film like this. Sometimes, I'm not sure I succeeded. Sometimes, I'm like 'did I put too much family drama in there?'. And some people are like 'yeah man, you should have had more deaths and kills'. And then somebody else would go 'god, what? No, no. That was the best thing about the film'. So it's hard to know sometimes. I think you just make a thing and you hope it's right. You do some test screenings. You work on instinct. But on this one, I wanted it to be more than just about a spider eating people, and scares and thrills. I had a personal thing that I wanted to work through with the family dynamic, and we did that, we went a little bit more dramatic with it." On Casting Rising Australian Star and Furiosa Co-Star Alyla Browne as Charlotte "We went to Nikki Barrett [the Australian casting director] and just said 'Nikki, we have a really, really difficult task for you. We need you to cast a 12-year-old star in this film that we just wrote'. And she goes 'shhhh, stop talking. Cast Alyla Browne. Just don't talk about it. Don't talk about it. Just cast her'. And she doesn't talk like that. She's usually very considered, but she was just like 'this is the person. This is the girl'. I might've just looked up a clip on YouTube. I was like 'who is this Alyla Browne?'. It was two clips of an audition she did for a film years earlier when she was like nine. She did an amazing audition where she cried. And I was like 'oh, my god, she's so talented'. Then she did the same thing in a flawless American accent and cried. And I was like 'is she available immediately?'. We didn't even audition her. I just met with her and her mother and just tried hard not to stuff it up. I was more me convincing her to be in the film. But luckily she loved the script and wanted to do it. Her mum just wanted to meet me to make sure I'm not a crazy person and so I pretended not to be, and she signed up and did the movie. She's honestly one of the most-talented actors I've ever worked with. You put the camera on her and something happens. It's a star quality — she's a 12-year-old with the star quality of Nicole Kidman or something. The whole crew would go silent and people would be looking at each other going 'just how is this 12-year-old being this amazing?'. And she made my film just 30-percent better just by being on in front of the camera — and that's something that the director prays for." On Enlisting Ryan Corr to Play Roache-Turner's On-Screen Surrogate "I'd wanted to work with Ryan for years and years. We tried and we just had a few availability issues or whatever. I've been trying to work with him for a long time. So I was stoked to get him for this one, and I'm glad it was on this one because, yeah, this was very much like he's playing me. He's not playing a guy running around jumping in slow motion, firing a gun — this is me. I wanted to be a comics artist. I wear glasses. I have a beard. Like, he's playing me. He's just playing like a heaps better-looking version of me. And every actor knows that, he read the script, he knew the deal. He's like 'yeah, this is you. I get it, but I'm going to do my own version'. With Ryan, it's like working with Brando or Tom Hardy or something. You just step back, say 'action' and watch him improve your movie. There's not much directing that goes on. The guy's a genius." On the Film's Commitment to Incorporating Practical Effects "I love CGI and we've got some sick CGI in this film. Cumulus VFX, the company that did all that stuff, it was a flawless job. But I just believe, particularly with horror, sometimes there's just a bit of an uncanny-valley thing that pops in every now and again. You're just like 'oh, there's still just something wrong with the weight of it' or 'it's not quite interacting with the shadows right', and that's even when you've just got the best CGI you can get. So it's always important for me to have a big practical element. I prefer to have a layer of practical and CGI augments what's already there. Denis Villeneuve does that on Dune: Part Two — you look at the behind-the-scenes, most of it's practical, it's augmented digitally and that's why Dune is one of the best-looking science-fiction franchises of all time. I think with this one, it was really important that we had a practical element. And when that practical element is done by Wētā Workshop, who are the best at what they do in the universe, your life is made a lot easier." On Sting's Broad Array of Inspirations Beyond Roache-Turner and His Family "Charlotte's Web, 100 percent. That's just me having a dig at a cultural phenomenon — everybody read Charlotte's Web as a kid. And I figured most people have read The Hobbit, so the sting reference I think would be nice, too, and with all the giant spiders in Mirkwood. Also The Thing, with a single location with a bunch of people stuck with one monster being eaten. And there's a comedy aspect to The Thing that I love. The tone of John Carpenter's films, I love. Very heavily influenced by Jaws, even though narratively, it's very different — but just the tone of it. Poltergeist, also in that they're stuck in a house and it's a sort of flawed family with cracks in it being terrified by an entity in a house. I really was going for a Spielberg thing. There's a tendency, I think, in today's horror to be overly arty or overly bleak, and Spielberg has a light and an adventurous touch that I really like — as well as being a really good filmmaker who understands that Hitchcockian tension. So I wanted to play in that sandbox. Spielberg is a huge influence on this." On Which Classic Horror Setup Is Next for Roache-Turner "I'm in pre-production on a giant shark movie right now, so I'm literally a couple of weeks away from shooting. I'm doing an Australian World War Two shark movie where a ship gets shot down by Japanese torpedoes halfway between Darwin and East Timor, and these guys are trapped on a raft and they're bedevilled by this giant killer shark that's eating them one by one. So I'm just making my way through the monsters." Sting opens in Australian cinemas on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
AI is here, in the real world and changing everything as we know it: that's the timely premise of the third TRON movie Ares. What happens when artificial intelligence from the digital realm enters reality? And when it comes in the form of the first AI beings? Also, when those figures are hailed by big tech as super soldiers? The new trailer for the third film in the TRON franchise ponders this exact situation. "The grid. A digital frontier. I tried to picture clusters of information as they moved through the computer. What did they look like? Ships? Motorcycles? Were the circuits like freeways? I kept dreaming of a world I thought I'd never see. And then one day, I got in." If you've watched 1982's TRON and its 28-years-later sequel TRON: Legacy in 2010, or listened to the latter's sublime Daft Punk-scored soundtrack, then you've heard those words. But what if everything that Jeff Bridges (The Old Man) describes as Kevin Flynn wasn't relegated to the virtual realm, TRON: Ares asks. Come Thursday, October 9, 2025 Down Under, viewers will discover the answer when the program that shares the TRON: Ares' moniker makes the jump from digital space to physical. Amid heavy lashings of laser-red hues, the first trailer for the feature had a monster-movie vibe when worlds started to collide, complete with flesh-and-blood folks such as Greta Lee (The Studio) staring up, then beginning to flee. The just-dropped new full sneak peek is also ominous — and shows Flynn back on the grid. While things happen quickly in the digital arena, flicks about it clearly don't always earn the same description, given that it has now been over four decades since the first TRON film made its way to cinemas, and 15 years since its first sequel. A third movie was announced the very same year that TRON: Legacy released, in fact, but TRON: Ares has taken time to eventuate. For much of the past decade and a half, it's been one of those pictures in the "I'll believe it when I'm actually sitting in a theatre watching it with my own eyes" category, until Disney not only announced that the feature had a date with picture palaces in 2025, but also dropped a first image from it. Cast-wise, Jared Leto (Haunted Mansion) plays Ares, aka the threatening face of AI, with Bridges back as the software-company employee who first found himself in the digital world in the initial movie. Evan Peters (Agatha All Along), Hasan Minhaj (It Ends with Us), Jodie Turner-Smith (The Agency), Arturo Castro (The Vince Staples Show), Cameron Monaghan (Shameless) and Gillian Anderson (Sex Education) co-star in TRON: Ares, while Joachim Rønning (Young Woman and the Sea) directs. The new TRON: Ares trailer does more than give viewers a fresh glimpse at the film to come — it also debuts 'As Alive as You Need Me to Be', a new song by Nine Inch Nails. Following on from Daft Punk's masterpiece of a score for TRON: Legacy was always going to be a tough feat, but TRON: Ares clearly isn't skimping on musical talent, adding to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' run of film work (see also: Soul, Mank, Bones and All, Empire of Light, The Killer, Challengers, Queer and The Franchise just in the 2020s alone). Check out the full trailer for TRON: Ares and lyric video for 'As Alive as You Need Me to Be' below: TRON: Ares releases in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, October 9, 2025. Images: Leah Gallo / courtesy of Disney. © 2025 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Every gig should be its own distinctive experience, even if a band is hitting city after city on a massive national or international tour. But there's unique concerts and then there's Sigur Rós' latest run of shows. While there's nothing quite like seeing the Icelandic band live in general, they'll be doing something different on their next trip to Australia: taking to the stage with live orchestras. Jónsi Birgisson, Georg Hólm and Kjartan Sveinsson will play with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and more when Sigur Rós' current orchestral tour makes its way Down Under. Across the rest of 2024, fans across the US and Nordic countries can catch the group joining forces with a 41-piece orchestra. Then, come May 2025, it's Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane's turn to witness quite a few new members temporarily join the band. Sigur Rós have a one-night date locked in in Adelaide to kick off their Australian visit, and then will play Melbourne for two nights, Sydney for three and Brisbane for one. ÁTTA, their 2023 album, will be in the spotlight, as the last time they toured Down Under was in 2022, before it was released — and it was was recorded with arrangements featuring a 32-piece orchestra. Fans can expect tracks from their 1997 debut Von onwards, however, spanning tunes from fellow records Ágætis byrjun, ( ), Takk..., Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, Valtari and Kveikur. [caption id="attachment_974235" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Alive87 via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] That last — and soldout — trip this way was part of the group's first tour in five years, but clearly they haven't left the same gap go by between then and their next tour. Sigur Rós first started doing the rounds with an orchestra in 2023, playing a limited number of gigs, before expanding the experience further. Next stop: Australia. [caption id="attachment_974239" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Goatling via Flickr.[/caption] Sigur Rós Australian Orchestral Tour 2025 Saturday, May 17 — AEC Theatre, Adelaide Monday, May 19–Tuesday, May 20 — Hamer Hall, Melbourne Friday, May 23–Sunday, May 25 — venue to be announced, Sydney Tuesday, May 27 — QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane Sigur Rós is touring Australia in May 2025, with presale tickets available from 10am local time on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 and general sales from 10am local time on Friday, October 4. Head to the band's website for further details. Top image: Kathryn Parson Photography via Flickr.
Huge news for convenient, cheap grocery enthusiasts this morning; specifically those of you outside Victoria and the ACT who haven't already been enjoying the fruits of ALDI's partnership with DoorDash. As of this morning, New South Wales became the final state to welcome the grocer onto its DoorDash systems, following WA, SA and QLD, making delivery now available from most ALDI locations nationwide. Over 1800 products are now available (at the grocer brand's signature low prices) at the click of a button, even cheaper if you're the proud owner of a Prime Video subscription — link it to your DoorDash account and you'll get a year of $0 delivery fees and more, you're welcome. [caption id="attachment_1024795" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Esteban La Tessa[/caption] Some of the first ALDI orders placed when the now nationwide partnership was in its trial phase showed that it's a welcome avenue of emergency supplies when Aussies need it most. Two of the earliest orders were for nappies and wipes, then cat food and toilet paper. It's certainly a lot easier than carving out time to go to the shops yourself. Essentials are on the regular rotation of most orders, with items like milk, eggs and fresh produce being in a quarter of all orders so far, and a third of all orders are placed on the weekends — somehow the best and still the worst time to go grocery shopping. Sadly, the famed Special Buys (AKA the middle aisle) remains an in-store exclusive. Simon Rossi, Vice President of DoorDash APAC, said: "Our partnership with ALDI is all about delivering our customers greater convenience, choice and value. ALDI's much-loved exclusive and value-driven range combined with DoorDash's reliable, on-demand delivery technology means shoppers around the country don't have to go too long between ALDI shops. We are proud to help enable this new level of accessibility for Australians." Download the DoorDash app for free on the Apple Store or Google Play. Find your nearest ALDI via the store locator.
In great news for online streaming fans who feel as though their options are limited now that Netflix has cracked down on that whole VPN thing, there's now another streaming service to add to your rotating repertoire. After quietly and somewhat inexplicably making their Prime Video streaming service available to Aussie customers in mid-November, Amazon has gone and made it all official, with the online shopping behemoth last night launching their film and television streaming platform in 200 countries including Australia and New Zealand. So if you signed up for a Prime Video account last month, it now has the offical stamp of approval from Amazon — but don't expect the number of titles that you can watch to change dramatically just yet. Amazon's first round of titles represent their efforts to dip a toe in the waters of online streaming, but the company still has to navigate around existing local rights deals for some of their original content. Basically, if it's already available on another platform — such as the most recent seasons of Mozart in the Jungle and Transparent, which are linked to Stan in Australia and Lightbox in NZ — then you won't find it on Prime. What you will find is an introductory deal of USD$2.99 per month for the first sixth months, with the cost rising to USD$5.99 monthly after that. And yes, Amazon is keeping their prices in US currency. So, go forth and stream, film and television fiends, whether car-focused banter on the highly anticipated The Grand Tour, catching up with the first seasons of Amazon Original Series such as Red Oaks and The Man in the High Castle, or diving through a host of movies takes your fancy. Next year, additional efforts such as Woody Allen's Crisis in Six Scenes, David E. Kelley's Goliath featuring Billy Bob Thornton, and Sneaky Pete, which is produced by Bryan Cranston and stars Giovanni Ribisi, will join the global lineup. Amazon Prime Video also boasts offline downloads, which Netflix only recently introduced. Alas, as for how you can watch it, you'd best get used to viewing on it on a phone or tablet (sorry, anyone who likes watching television actually on their television). At the time of writing, the service is supported by Android and iOS phones and tablets, plus Amazon's own Fire Tablets, but only on LG and Samsung smart TVs. For more information about Amazon Prime Video, visit PrimeVideo.com.
Sydney's no stranger to world-class drinking dens, but even we're due for a few surprises when one of the world's best, and most enduring, speakeasies hits Aussie shores next month. Since the first Employees Only bar opened its doors in New York back in 2004, it has picked up a whole swag of accolades — including ranking among The World's 50 Best Bars for ten years running, this year coming in at 26 — and its founders have successfully taken the concept global, launching outposts in Singapore, Hong Kong and Miami. And now, they're headed Down Under, taking over a heritage basement space in Sydney's CBD and bringing in Sydney native Anna Fang, for the bar's much-anticipated Australian debut. Here, Employees Only is sticking to its original principles, promising memorable cocktails and sophisticated fare in a beautiful space. But it'll also be rounded out with a distinctly local edge and a healthy dose of Sydney style. The Sydney outpost is being run by EO co-founder Dushan Zaric, along with EO New York bartender Robert Krueger and Fang as venue manager. And it seems no one is deterred by the city's ongoing lockout law woes, with Krueger saying, "We're excited to work with the incredible local bar community, together helping to reinvigorate Sydney's nightlife and bring it back onto the global stage." To that end, expect a cocktail offering that lives up to the hype, with some of the New York outpost's favourites sitting alongside a slew of new, Sydney-exclusive creations. Must-try classics that will appear on the menu include the Amelia, crafted on vodka, elderflower liqueur, puréed blackberries and fresh lemon, and the Provençal, with lavender-infused gin, vermouth and Cointreau. Meanwhile, the kitchen is taking its cues from classic New York bistro fare, the menu sporting a mix of Employee's Only favourites — think house-made pork sausage cavatelli, bone marrow poppers with bordelaise sauce, and the now legendary steak tartare, here done with hand-cut filet mignon — and Head Chef Aurelian Girault's latest Australian-inspired creations. Enter beneath the signature neon "psychic" sign, pull up a seat at the curved, brass-topped bar and get ready for some pretty exceptional boozing. Employees Only Sydney is slated to open in November at 9 Barrack Street, Sydney. Images: Robert Krueger and Anna Fang, by Joe Cheng.
When an actor adds new movies to their resume quickly — popping up in new flicks every couple of months or so — there's a chance they might run out of worthy on-screen opportunities. The one actor that'll never apply to: Nicolas Cage. He's prolific, he stars in far too many terrible films, and yet he always has something interesting around the corner. Across his now four-decade on-screen career, the inimitable actor has made many a must-see. Sometimes his films are simply excellent all round, or he's flat-out fantastic in them. Sometimes his movies are pure cinematic chaos, and his performances as well, but they nonetheless demand to be seen. But one of the next flicks on his slate really does promise to plunge him into new territory — because he'll be playing and parodying himself. By now, we've seen Cage break out of Alcatraz, sing Elvis songs, run around the streets convinced that he's a vampire and let his long hair flap in the wind. We've watched him voice a version of Spider-Man, drive fast cars, swap faces, fight space ninjas steal babies, too. In just the past six months, he's shouted expletives from Netflix, battled demonic animatronics and teamed up with one of Japan's most out-there filmmakers. Sometime in the near future, viewers will learn what happens when he dons Joe Exotic's blonde mullet. Staying in his own shoes stands out, though. The film in question: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Due to hit the cinemas in America on April 22, 2022 — with release details Down Under yet to be confirmed — the movie will follow the on-screen, fictionalised Cage as he accepts an offer to attend a super fan's birthday. He needs the money, but he's also recruited by the CIA along the way. Yep, that sounds about right. As well as Cage playing Cage — not to be confused with his work in Adaptation, where he played two characters — The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent will feature Pedro Pascal (Wonder Woman 1984) as the aforementioned Cage devotee, Tiffany Haddish (Like a Boss) as the CIA operative, and also Sharon Horgan (This Way Up) and Neil Patrick Harris (It's a Sin). Are We Officially Dating? filmmaker Tom Gormican sits in the director's chair, because if there's anything this story needs, it's the director of a Zac Efron and Michael B Jordan-starring rom-com pivoting to total Cage worship. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent doesn't have a trailer as yet but, in the interim, here's the Adaptation trailer if you'd like to see twice as much Cage as usual in one frame: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is set to release in the US on April 22, 2022. Australian release details haven't yet been revealed — we'll update you when they are. Via: Deadline. Top image: Wild At Heart
Aah, aerobics — if any form of exercise instantly conjures images of the '80s, it's this blend of bending, stretching and waving your arms and legs about. And if you grew up during the spandex-wearing decade in Australia, two things probably spring to mind: Aerobics Oz Style and Jane Fonda. Because everything retro is cool again, Work-Shop is combining the two for their Aerobics Fonda Style classes. You'll get your heart pumping and limbs flailing, and yes, you can even wear a leotard and legwarmers if you really want to. While the energetic moves are the main attraction, the pumping '80s soundtrack is worth turning up for alone. It's not a real aerobic workout if you're not getting sweaty to Madonna, Michael Jackson, Rick Astley and Prince, is it? Just don't take it too seriously — we all saw how that turned out for Key & Peele.
If the meaning of life exists in the sweaty, jam-packed confines of a music festival, then Terrence Malick wants to find it. Partially filmed at Austin's SXSW, Song to Song features the filmmaker's trademark swirling imagery as he searches for substance among the crowds, takes us backstage with the likes of Iggy Pop and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and serves up glimpses of several live performances. The writer-director's ninth feature roves through the city's music scene more generally, but its use of the fest couldn't sum up Malick's central question better. Amidst chaotic circumstances, how does one find beauty and love? Through whispered words (another typical Malick flourish), various characters speak of ebbs and flows, of dream-like experiences, and of emotions that don't always feel quite right. In one of the voiceover's most overt moments, Rooney Mara's Faye discusses her relationship with Ryan Gosling's BV, explaining, "we thought we could just roll and tumble, live from song to song, kiss to kiss." Yes, she's saddled with clumsily making use of the movie's title, but she's also describing its quest to understand the ups and downs of human existence. So it is that Faye falls for musician BV, with all the joy that romance can bring. Complicating matters, however, she also falls for her arrogant but well-connected producer boss Cook (Michael Fassbender), who starts working with BV. Cook also has an affair with a waitress, Rhonda (Natalie Portman), while BV becomes involved with Amanda (Cate Blanchett). As snippets of their lives fill the film, a number of other characters filter in and out – including Zoey (Bérénice Marlohe), with whom Faye has a dalliance; BV's flirtatious mother Judy (Linda Emond); and Rhonda's mum Miranda (Holly Hunter), among others. Accordingly, we watch as a bunch of rather attractive people live, love, fight, sing, play, dance and more. They go on holidays, attend parties, see gigs and roam around mansions — sometimes acting as though they belong, sometimes contemplating how lavish their surroundings and exploits are. Depicting their intermingling relationships is as much of a narrative as Malick is interested in providing. Instead, as he did with the thematically and visually similar To the Wonder and Knight of Cups (and The Tree of Life before that), he prefers to immerse audiences in his familiar style, encouraging them to get caught up in individual moments while pondering the bigger picture. The end product is intoxicating and heartfelt, with Malick's desire to convey the complexity of being alive evident in every frame. That said, it also proves his most indulgent film, as he lets his directorial tics and traits run rampant. The movie couldn't look more gorgeous thanks to cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki's floating, sun-dappled lensing, but it also couldn't lean more heavily on Malick's fondness for hushed voices and random shots of nature — motifs that will entrance some viewers and enrage others. His insistence on improvisation also results in inconsistent performances, with each actor shining at times while coming off stilted at others. Perhaps it's best to think of Song to Song in the same way you would an actual song; a track on Malick's broader cinematic album. Within the tune itself, some parts engage and others lag, but there's always a clear melody making its presence known. Some viewers may prefer his older stuff, and that's fine. If you're on the film's wavelength though, plenty of its beats and rhythms will strike a chord. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cTenw8uVSw
For years now, picking something to listen by hitting up Spotify — or letting the service choose your tunes for you — has become a familiar routine for many folks. Prefer audiobooks instead of music or podcasts? Want to break up your soundtrack? The audio streaming service has just brought its new literary library Down Under, so you can now get more than 300,000 books pumped into your ears. Spotify launched its audiobooks service in the US in September, but it has just become available in Australia and New Zealand — and the UK and Ireland as well — since Tuesday, November 22. That timing means that your lazy summer days can now include listening to Aussie hits like The Dry and Boy Swallows Universe on the sand, with the local rollout coming with relevant homegrown titles. Given the size of the library, however, there's clearly plenty more books to choose from. Other titles include Harry Potter books, Stephen King's weird and wonderful bibliography, and everything from Where the Crawdads Sing and My Policeman through to tomes by Hannah Gadsby and Michelle Obama. The range is broken up into genres, and covers both fiction and non-fiction — so whether you want to catch up with Sally Rooney's Beautiful World, Where Are You or hear the late, great Archie Roach speak through his memoir, you've got options. There is one big caveat, though: to purchase audiobooks, you do need to head to Spotify's website. No, you can't buy them via the app. That said, once you've forked out some cash for whatever titles you're keen on, you can listen to them in the app. Spotify users can also download audiobooks, so that you can listen to them offline. And, so that you know where you're up to, there's an automatic bookmarking feature that saves your place. Fancy picking up the pace — the audiobook of speed reading — or slowing things down? There's a speed control function as well. "We've always believed that the potential for audio is limitless, and we've been saying for a while now that our ambition is to be the complete package for everyone's listening needs," said Nir Zicherman, Spotify's Vice President and Global Head of Audiobooks and Gated Content, when Spotify launched its audiobooks offering in the US. "Audiobooks are next to come into the picture because we see a substantial untapped market: while audiobooks represent just a six-percent–seven-percent share of the wider book market, the category is growing by 20 percent year over year. But what we're really excited about is providing a great new experience for listeners — introducing audiobooks to an audience of people who may never have tried them otherwise. By bringing audiobooks to Spotify, we have the opportunity to both grow the space as a whole and enrich listeners' lives." For more information about Spotify's audiobooks library, head to the platform's website.
The hair, the hips, a whole lotta shakin' and Tom Hanks in a far less friendly role than usual: they're all part of the just-dropped trailer for Baz Luhrmann's Elvis. After a nine-year absence from the silver screen following 2013's The Great Gatsby, the Australian filmmaker returns to cinemas with a biopic about the world's most famous blue suede shoe aficionado, with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and The Dead Don't Die's Austin Butler sporting Presley's pompadour. Shot in Australia with a cast that also spans a wealth of local talent — Olivia DeJonge (Better Watch Out) as Priscilla, Richard Roxburgh (Fires) as Presley's father Vernon, newly minted Oscar-nominee Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog) as singer Jimmie Rodgers, and David Wenham (The Furnace) as country artist Hank Snow, for starters — Elvis clearly has a big story to tell. Charting the king of rock 'n' roll's rise to fame, exploring the role that manager Colonel Tom Parker played in that success and examining how Presley became the enduring symbol of rock 'n' roll that he still remains now, 45 years after his death, as everything from touring exhibitions to his enduring status in popular culture keep showing: that's all in the movie's remit, too. As Parker, Hanks also has a significant task. In the trailer, the News of the World and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood star's first words set the mood for his character: "there are some who make me out to be the villain of this story". Launching Elvis' initial sneak peek, Luhrmann explained that Hanks' role obviously isn't quite that simple. "He ran towards that. It's interesting because 'villain' is too easy to wrap it up," the filmmaker advises. "He tells the story, [but] he doesn't go on to tell the story that says 'and they're right'... It's a device, because when it comes to a historical character, there's only ever someone's telling of that story. Even in life, if you lived with an Elvis, it's your memory — your version of their life." From its first trailer, Elvis is unmistakably a Luhrmann movie. As everything from Strictly Ballroom and Romeo + Juliet to Moulin Rouge! and his Netflix series The Get Down have already shown, the Aussie director doesn't hold back when it comes to style, flair, and embracing the look and feel of whichever world he's diving into. Describing his process, Luhrmann goes a step further. "I am the ultimate outsider. I come from a very small country town, not dissimilar to Tupelo [Mississippi, where Presley was born] — where I come from, Tupelo would've been called the big smoke or a city because my town was so small, like five houses. But I'm the ultimate outsider, so when I go and do Moulin Rouge! and it's in Paris, I come as an outsider and live it. If I do The Get Down, I come as an outsider and live it. If I do The Great Gatsby, I come as an outsider and I live like [author F Scott] Fitzgerald — I probably got a little bit too much into some of the things that Fitzgerald did — but I do live it, it's a real truth." "That's why I make films so infrequently. So the greatest joy for me is to make films and to live it," he explains. For the writer/director, who works here with a script also credited to his regular co-screenwriter Craig Pearce, plus The Get Down's Sam Bromell and The Killing's Jeremy Doner, Elvis isn't just about its namesake. "A great biopic is terrific, but something like Amadeus, for example, it's not really about Mozart — it's about jealousy. And the truth is is that in this modern era, the life of Elvis Presley could not be a better canvas on which to explore America in the 50s, the 60s and the 70s," Luhrmann notes. "It's a mythical life that he lived‚ very young, 42 years. But that 42 years is is three great lives put into a short period of time. And what's extraordinary about it is that that life is culturally at the centre of the 50s, and socially the 60s and actually the 70s. And it's a great canvas on which to us explore America. So that's what drew me in — that and a guy called Colonel Tom Parker, who I always like to say was never a Colonel, never a Tom and and never a Parker." Check out the trailer for Elvis below: Elvis releases in cinemas Down Under on June 23, 2022. Images: Hugh Stewart.
When Michael Shanks began writing Together over half a decade ago, he didn't start casting in his mind at the time. He didn't pen it thinking that a real-life married couple would play Tim and Millie, his debut feature's protagonists, either. To fuel the Australian filmmaker's leap from YouTube, shorts and TV — including Time Trap, The Wizards of Aus, The Slot, Parked and Rebooted, as well as visual effects on 2019 miniseries Lambs of God— to becoming the talk of Sundance 2025, scoring the first major sale of this year's fest, then playing SXSW in Austin and opening the Sydney Film Festival, however, Shanks was thinking about long-term relationships. They couldn't be more at the heart of his delightfully wild and smart body-horror must-see. So, enlisting two leads who've been together since 2012 and wed since 2017 is indeed perfect. Those stars, and also producers of Together: Alison Brie (Apples Never Fall) and Dave Franco (The Studio), adding another joint project to a shared list that already featured the latter's directorial efforts The Rental and Somebody I Used to Know, as well as the likes of The Little Hours, The Disaster Artist, BoJack Horseman and Krapopolis. Initially, though, Shanks drew upon his own romantic situation — one that owes a debt to the Aussie end-of-school rite-of-passage that is Schoolies. When an Australian thinks of that week of typically Gold Coast-set revelry playing a part in a horror film, a picture about falling for someone, sharing a life with them, commitment and co-dependency isn't a concept that naturally springs to mind. But that's Together, which is also a movie about love sticking. It takes that concept literally. Franco's Tim and Brie's Millie kick off Together as enmeshed in each other's existence as a couple generally, usually, normally can be. A big move, also literal, is their next step by each other's side: relocating for Millie's job as an elementary school teacher. But their going-away party turns awkward when a marriage proposal doesn't quite go as it should — and as aspiring musician Tim begins gleaning how shifting out of the city for Millie will practically impact his ability to play gigs and keep chasing his dreams. Tension accompanies the pair to their leafy new regional surroundings, then, where greenery-lined hiking tracks beckon, Shanks' key duo fall into a cave and the two find themselves even more linked, and unable to be apart, than ever. What if bonding with your other half had a physical dimension beyond cohabiting, sex, other displays of affection and the standard couple details? What if deciding to always be one of a pair was a corporeal connection right down to your flesh? Of the two big 80s music classics with "tear us apart" in their title, think INXS' Triple J Hottest 100 of Australian Songs-topping 'Never Tear Us Apart' over Joy Division's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' — and not just because Together was shot Down Under, in Melbourne where Shanks is based. How love can change you, the anxieties that it can cause and the resentments that it can spark, and what it truly means to join your existence with someone else's: these are the ideas that Together ponders as it explores transformations inspired by fluttering hearts in its own distinctive and compelling way. Confronting painful real-life situations, while never being afraid to carve its own path into horror tropes such as unsettling new locales, creepy trips into bushland, eerie isolated houses and more: Together does this, too, as it spins a tale that favours life over the horror staple that is death, grief and loss. And in a picture that's firmly a body-horror flick with searing-into-your-brain setpieces to prove it, but is as much a romantic drama as well — and that always anchors its spectacle in the story, never getting gory purely for the sake of it — Franco and Brie are firmly "a dream cast", as Shanks describes them to Concrete Playground. The word "dream" earns a few mentions in our chat. "It's really, really insane," he tells us of Together's journey so far this year, even before reaching cinemas in general release on Thursday, July 31, 2025 Down Under and the day prior in the US. "Getting the film made just alone was a dream coming true, and then it getting into Sundance was a dream come true. And then it playing Sundance and selling to Neon was a dream. So it's kind of hokey to say, but it's sort of this dream that just keeps coming true. It's what every filmmaker dreams of." "When we played at Sundance for the first time, we'd spent months in post-production, just basically myself and an editor [Sean Lahiff, Territory] and an editing assistant, working on the film. We didn't do test screenings. It was just us in a little room. And then we thought it was maybe pretty good — like, we were pretty happy with the movie. And then at Sundance, we were in this theatre of 1000–2000 people, and it's like 'this is literally the first audience that's going to see it. We've got no idea. It's a midnight screening. It's a packed house. Here we go'," Shanks continues. "Five minutes in, there's a little scare, and we could feel the audience gasp — and we went 'oh'. And a few minutes after that, there's this little joke and the audience laughed, and we just felt like 'oh wow, this is going well, I think'. And fortunately it did. And now it's played SXSW and it played a couple of festivals in Italy, and it played in Mexico. And I'm traveling the world in a way I never thought I'd be able to just off the back of a film. It's an incredible privilege. It's been an amazing year," he advises. With the filmmaker that's given Australia another example of YouTube-to-worldwide horror feature success after Talk to Me and Bring Her Back's Danny and Michael Philippou — and whose script for HOTEL HOTEL HOTEL HOTEL featured on the Blacklist — we also contemplated that Schoolies link, dug into Brie and Franco's pivotal involvement, examined why making Together without an IRL couple as its stars might've been a nightmare and discussed the movie's vivid body-horror imagery, among other subjects. On How Schoolies Played a Part in Inspiring a Horror Film About Falling in Love, Commitment and Codependency — and When the Idea for Together Came to Shanks During His Long-Term Relationship "Oh, it was many years in. Because yeah, we met at Schoolies. I would have been 17, I think. And then we didn't start dating until a few months — we became friends, and we started dating a few months after. And then we've been together now — that was 16–17 years ago, so we've been together that long. I'm 34 now, I was writing the script in my late 20s. And that was about when we were moving into our second home together, and we were really beginning to amalgamate our lives, I guess. It really became true that we've been together for so long, we only had the same friends. The Venn diagram of our friendships was just a circle. And we went to all the same events, we listen to the same music, ate the same food, breathed the same air. And now we were living in a second house together. We had a cat. And I was like 'there is no part of my life that's separate from this person'. And likewise. And I started to, I think, confront something that a lot of people go through, of realising 'oh, do I still have independence while I'm committing to this forever-monogamous relationship' — and 'our lives are so intertwined, do I really know where I end and she begins?'. The Radiohead song 'Where I End and You Begin' probably helped dislodge that idea as well. And that was where this jumping off point was — where you already are committing to sharing a life with somebody in such totality, what if you took that even further into a physical, flesh-bound sharing, to take a real relationship and intertwine it in a physical way. That just felt like such an over the top and interesting, operatic exploration of those themes, that also would satisfy the kind of genre-filmmaker obsessive that I am." On Making a Horror Film About Love Instead of Genre Staples Like Grief, Loss and Death "It just felt really natural to me. I mean, the jumping off point to me was honestly just the idea of 'oh, what if people sharing a life started to get so close that they started to share flesh?'. That was sort of that simple. And then it was when I started to fill in the details of that story, and realising that I was putting so many specifics from my own life and the observations I've made of the couples around me in my friendship circles, that I realised that 'oh, this really is a love story' — and a dark, twisted love story. When the actors, Dave and Alison, came onboard, they paid me a great compliment — which was that they said 'reading the script, if you would pull out all the horror, it would still work as a relationship drama'. Which I was really pleased to hear that, despite all the crazy scenes of nastiness and body horror and stickiness and puppets and practical effects and insanity, it's all bound to a character journey and these two people that start in these very different emotional places. And where, like in most romantic movies, rom-coms or rom-dramas, we're basically there to see 'can they can they put this aside and realise that they love each other?'. Or, 'do they realise that they don't love each other and they need to extricate themselves from what has become perhaps a toxic relationship?'." On Casting Real-Life Partners — But Not Actually Penning the Film with That in Mind "No, I kind of wrote it just generically, just set in Australia, because why not? I think it was originally sent Trentham, because I have a friend who makes wine out there — and I was like 'aah, that's my kind of rural in Victoria'. But then I had a chance meeting with Dave, because I had another script of mine that was being passed around Hollywood people in LA. And off the basis of that, I got a meeting with Dave, and we just connected. So I already had the script, and I was like 'hey, maybe have a look at this — maybe you'll like it'. And he read it and loved it and gave it to Alison. And then within a couple of days, we were on a Zoom, the three of us, and kind of figured it out. So that was amazing. Them separately, just as actors and performers, were a dream cast. But them together as an actual married couple, it adds so much to the performances, to the metatextual elements of the film, as well as just an ease of working with them. We needed them to be so physically and emotionally intimate across this film, and the fact that they have such comfort being vulnerable with each other, it created an ease of work as well as an emotional truth that I don't think we could have done with any other actors." On How Pivotal Casting an IRL Couple Proved to Be to the Film "It would have been, especially if they didn't get on, it would have been a nightmare. There was a day on set where they basically had to be fully nude the whole day in front of each other. It's like 'okay, well that's easier to do when they're a husband and wife'. There were days on set where they had to be physically joined via a prosthetic appendage that we didn't have the budget to make a second of — so we couldn't remove it. So if they needed to go to the bathroom, they weren't allowed to separate. We needed them to go to the bathroom together. And of course, you could never impose that on actors, but because they were producers on the film and they're married, they would just be like 'oh, yeah, no worries. Definitely, definitely. We'll just do that'. It was so great. Dave said something in some interviews that I think is really sweet — is that he also said that working with Alison, he feels like it makes him give the best performance, because she knows him so well that he can't be fake in front of her. So he really has to go for it or she'll call him out. Which is — not that I witnessed any calling out, but they worked so well together and it was a huge honour to work with them." On What Brie and Franco Brought to Their Performances — and Shanks Being Able to Benefit From Not Just Their Relationship But Also Their Experience "Thankfully, because they were onboard as producers, I had a lot of time with them even before they arrived in Australia to do the shoot. We had lots of sessions over Zoom, really going through, going over the script and going over the character journeys, and tweaking little things here and there — even intellectually rather than performing it, just kind of speaking it out. And then in pre-production, we had a few days of rehearsal, which were just more read-throughs. And when you're on set, time is money like crazy, particularly for an independent, low-budget film like this. So thankfully when we were on set, it's kind of like — our cinematographer, Germain McMicking [Ellis Park], was amazing, and you tell him what you want and he'll do it. And then he doesn't require much direction because he's a pro. He's so good at it. And same with Dave and Alison, as they're just such pros and they understood the material so well that my job as a director, in terms of their performances, was just ever-so-slightly giving them notes just to tweak. They were always, always in the right area because of the amount of prep that we'd done and the professionalism. And that was great to lean on as well, because I've been working in this industry since I was 17, but this is by far the biggest, longest and most-dramatic thing that I've ever worked on. So having these people that have been doing it for just as long on a much grander scale really, really helped." On Always Anchoring the Film's Body-Horror Setpieces in the Story "I think it was that I just know from being a genre filmmaker. I was really confident in all the horror and all the setpieces. That's what I'm most practised as. And so when I was breaking out the script, I was breaking it out not in terms of the horror, but just in terms of an emotional journey. And just dotting out in character arcs and knowing, because of the nature of the story, that it would be so easy for me to have this journey be interrupted by or enhanced by the horror setpieces. And also, I think something that some people are being surprised by when they walk out of the movie is how much fun it is and that it's quite funny — because again, when I sat down to write it, I was thinking I was writing romantic drama/horror. Scary, you know, serious. I've got this comedy background, but as the situation gets more and more out of hand, it was just impossible to resist — 'well, this is what would actually happen in that scenario' — and lean into something that's fun. So hopefully you'll laugh, you'll cry, it will change your life." On Crafting Horror Imagery That Leaves an Imprint "Well, I get frustrated sometimes with horror films — or with any films in general — when there's not unique images that come out of it, when there's no setpieces that stick with you, when things are just a bit generic. And I also thought the specificity of this concept meant you can only do this once. And I don't know if as a filmmaker, if I'll ever make a horror film again — if I'll ever make body-horror film again. I'd like to. But I certainly could never make this premise again. So if this is the premise, I really was thinking to myself 'you've got to squeeze as much juice out of this as possible'. And so, 'if this is the premise, great, what are ten setpieces that you can only do with this premise' — and just making sure that that's the case. And just really wanting to — really wanting to — leave the audience with something memorable. I hope people, when they leave the cinema, will say that they had a good time and that they've never seen a film quite like this." Together opened in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 31, 2025. Images: Germain McMicking / Ben King.
The idea behind The Lume was always a stunner, giving Australia its first permanent digital-only art gallery. When the Melbourne venue started welcoming in patrons in 2021, it lived up to its immersive, multi-sensory promise, initially with a spectacular Van Gogh exhibition that let visitors feel like they were walking right into the artist's work, and then with the French impressionism-focused Monet & Friends Alive. The next showcase set to grace the site's agenda has those past shows beat, however, heroing First Nations art and music. When Connection opens on Friday, June 23, it'll feature more than 110 Indigenous visual and musical artists in a dazzling fashion. At this Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre gallery, the art gracing its walls tower over patrons, with the space filled with large-scale digital pieces. And Connection will be full thanks to more than 550 works — digitals and originals alike. Set to feature: art by Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Tommy Watson, Anna Pitjara, Lin Onus, Sarrita King, Kate Constantine, Wayne Qulliam, Clifford, Gabriella and Michelle Possum Nungurrayi, and many more, in a walk-through exhibition that'll present its pieces through the themes of land, water and sky Country. Their work will score a soundtrack by Yothu Yindi, Archie Roach, Emily Wurramara, Gurrumul, Alice Skye, Baker Boy and others, plus composers such as William Barton. Grande Experiences, the company behind The Lume and its touring exhibitions — Van Gogh Alive made its way around Australia, and Monet in Paris is about to do the same from June — says that Connection will boast the largest representation of First Peoples art and culture ever assembled. It'll span over 3000 square metres, and its remit is just as sizeable: highlighting pieces by past and present artists, and surveying the entire country and Torres Strait. Shining a spotlight on emerging talents while showing their work alongside their inspirations is another key mission. "The technology Connection uses breaks down a lot of barriers to entry," says Constantine, a Gadigal artist of the Eora Nation. "A lot of people like Aboriginal art because it is colourful or pretty, but a lot of people are quite challenged by Aboriginal art too, by not knowing or understanding how to interpret it or not feeling like they have permission to be involved. Connection is just so inclusive." "I see Connection as this beautiful collection of storytellers sharing our culture with the world the way that our ancestors have taught us to do," adds Professor Wayne Quilliam, a NAIDOC Indigenous Artist of the Year, who is contributing digital storytelling via drone, photography and art to the exhibition. If it sounds familiar, that's because a smaller version premiered at the National Museum of Australia in 2022, with Grande Experiences joining forces with the Canberra gallery. Connection also benefits from an advisory panel featuring Constantine, Quilliam, King, Aboriginal art specialist Adam Knight, the National Museum's lead Indigenous curator and academic Margo Ngawa Neale, arts executive Rhoda Roberts AO, and designer and film producer Alison Page. Fingers crossed that Connection takes its show on the road, too, after thoroughly wowing The Lume. Connection opens at The Lume, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 5 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf, Melbourne, on Friday, June 23 — head to the venue's website for tickets and further information.
UPDATE, September 4, 2020: Paddington 2 is available to stream via Netflix, Foxtel Now, Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. Break out the marmalade, slather it on a sandwich and stash it under your hat in celebration, because Paddington is back. In 2014, the Peruvian mammal journeyed from author Michael Bond's pages to his first movie adventure, and the resulting blend of heartwarming sweetness and madcap goofiness proved an utter delight. Three years later and we're pleased to report that the follow-up is every bit as much of a joy. As with its predecessor, this sequel adores its furry protagonist every bit as much as generations of readers have, and is determined to bring that love to his latest big-screen excursion. But it's also committed to being entertaining; to jovial jokes, smart sight gags and well-meaning silliness. In short, it'll leave you sporting the biggest, sincerest of smiles. Picking up where part one left off, Paddington 2 sees the eponymous bear (voiced by Ben Whishaw) still happy with the Brown family, both in their hearts and in their home. Risk analyst Henry (Hugh Bonneville) is annoyed about losing out on a promotion, his wife Mary (Sally Hawkins) is preparing to swim the English channel, teenage daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris) has started her own neighbourhood newspaper and son Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) is reinventing himself at school. As for Paddington, he's trying to purchase an antique pop-up book for his beloved Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) back in the jungle. Working odd jobs helps raise the cash he needs, but soon two problems present themselves. The first comes in the form of famed theatre actor Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant), who is after the text as well. The second arises when the prized tome is suddenly stolen. Quicker than our hero can stuff a toothbrush or two into his ears, Paddington 2 jumps from a carnival to prison to touring London's famous landmarks. With a jailbreak, some amateur sleuthing and a train-top chase included, it's a busy 103 minutes as the talking bear falls victim to prejudice, befriends a burly jail cook (Brendan Gleeson) and tries to restore order. Despite this, however, the movie never feels over-stuffed. Nor is it lacking in visual treats, be it the exceptional CGI work used to bring Paddington to life, or the gorgeous animation that takes viewers through a pop-up world. The film offers up such a feast of precise, playful and picturesque imagery that it's easy to imagine Wes Anderson sitting at the helm. Indeed, if the man behind Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel had a British counterpart, it'd be Paddington director Paul King. Before he steered the series' maiden movie outing, the filmmaker directed all 20 episodes of The Mighty Boosh as well as the similarly surreal comedy Bunny and the Bull, and the offbeat sensibilities of both shine through here. Witty, whimsical and filled with wonder, in King's hands the film is a comic caper that offers a warm hug and a fierce rib-tickling at the same time. It also finds room to make a gentle statement about the merits of inclusiveness — a message that feels extra important given the current climate in Paddington's adopted England, as well as the world at large. All that's left is for the cast to ace their roles, which is exactly what they do. The returnees remain in fine form, with Whishaw's vocal work proving a particularly perfect match for Paddington's famed kindness and politeness. Grant, meanwhile, hams things up spectacularly, turning in his best and most enjoyable performance in years. Moreover, there's an expressiveness and physicality to his efforts that could've worked just as well in a silent movie — as could've much of the immensely bearable fun throughout the film. Everyone talks, of course, but Paddington 2 serves up an array of well-executed nods to cinema history, along with the feeling that it'll be joining all of those classics soon enough. It's not only the best family-friendly flick of 2017, but one of the best of the year in any genre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aQR1oc3E40
Feel like startin' something? Now's the time to finally perfect your moonwalk—a celebration of Michael Jackson's unique artistry has hit Australia in the form of multiple Tony Award®-winning MJ the Musical, with the Australian Premiere now playing at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. The global touring musical's Sydney stint is brought to you by director and choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, supported by Destination NSW. [caption id="attachment_991797" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image supplied.[/caption] Centred around the making of The King of Pop's 1992 Dangerous World Tour, MJ the Musical offers a rare look at the creativity and collaborative spirit that landed Jackson legendary status. You'll be out of your seats in no time. The musical features 25 hits, including all your favourites like Beat It, Billie Jean and Bad, plus plenty more. If you want the full VIP experience, why not go in the draw to win a bunch of epic experiences? Lucky winners will score four A-reserve tickets to a performance of MJ the Musical on select nights from Sunday, March 9 onwards, two nights of accommodation at Novotel Darling Harbour for a group of four, and a pre-theatre dinner at the Ternary for four people on one night. Winners will also get their hands on the official MJ Program and Merchandise pack and be treated to a backstage tour and meet and greet with some of the cast. Not in Sydney? No worries. We will hook you up with return flights from the nearest capital city. The competition is only open to those in Victoria, Queensland, ACT and New South Wales, and all prize elements are subject to availability. [competition]991802[/competition] Images: Original Broadway Cast, supplied. For more information on MJ the Musical, visit the website.
When it comes to Australia's top hotels, The Calile isn't just one of Brisbane's best; it's among the most acclaimed in the world. But don't just take our word for it — The Calile recently made the prestigious World's Best 50 Hotels list for the third year running. Forming part of its outstanding experience, the hotel's ongoing culinary series, Rooftop Harvest, honours our connection to food by featuring produce grown amid its verdant rooftop garden. With past instalments featuring Sydney-based cocktail savants OK Cantina! and much-loved cook and best-selling author Julia Busuttil Nishimura, the next event in the Rooftop Harvest series is doing things a little differently. Featuring the gastronomic minds behind Ada Lane — The Calile's micro-dining strip — Meet the Masters brings this talented collective together to serve a seven-course degustation centred around a single outdoor long table. With each course introduced by the chef or sommelier who created it, the evening features a host of familiar faces, including SK Steak & Oyster, Hellenika, sAme sAme, Bianca, Lobby Bar, Cru Bar, The Standard Market Company and, of course, the team behind The Calile. Taking place on Tuesday, February 24 at 6pm, diners can expect shared meat and seafood dishes, complemented by seasonal produce from the rooftop and paired wines with every course. However, Meet the Masters also serves a higher purpose. Highlighting Sea Forest — an environmental technology company using Asparagopsis seaweed to reduce livestock emissions — all proceeds from the dinner support the Sea Forest Foundation as it restores kelp forests along Tasmania's coastline. "Our purpose goes beyond providing memorable experiences," says The Calile General Manager, Chris Kemlo. "Supporting the Sea Forest Foundation allows us to contribute to pioneering solutions for our community and the environment."
Since opening in late 2018, Brisbane's Howard Smith Wharves precinct has continued to grow. The spot already boasts a riverfront brewery, an overwater bar and a sprawling Greek taverna, just welcomed an Art Series hotel with a rooftop pool, and is about to become home to a waterside Betty's Burgers. Don't expect the area to stop expanding just yet, either, with a Japanese izakaya next on the CBD spot's list. Although the new hangout doesn't yet have a name, it does boast an impressive pedigree, marking the second HSW venue by restaurateur Jonathan Barthelmess. Come October, the new eatery and watering hole will sit next door to his existing Greca restaurant — and it'll take inspiration from his time spent in Tokyo, where he also owns a fine diner. While specific details are scarce — including just who'll be in the kitchen — the newcomer will take over two levels, featuring a restaurant downstairs and a bar upstairs. Expect a raw section that highlights sustainable seafood and wagyu beef, plus a hefty range of sake and wine. On the second storey, there'll be Barthelmess' version of a vinyl bar, complete with a huge whiskey lineup. [caption id="attachment_640610" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cho Cho San by Nikki To.[/caption] Barthelmess already runs a Japanese izakaya-inspired joint in Sydney, called Cho Cho San, so he's well and truly in familiar territory. And if you're wondering why the restaurateur is doubling down on HSW (other than the killer location), you have all of the Brisbanites who've flocked to Greca to thank. "We love being part of Howard Smith Wharves where the huge success of Greca has taken us all by surprise," Barthelmess said in a statement. "By taking the restaurant space next door we can grow and strengthen our team and invest more into the Brisbane dining scene." Find Jonathan Barthelmess' new Japanese izakaya and bar at Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane from October. We'll keep you posted with more details as they come to hand.
With a fresh (an exclusive) Hiroshi Sugimoto exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA), now is the perfect time to indulge in some Japanese culture right here in Sydney. MCA is known for its world-class art exhibitions and is a leading cultural destination for tourists and locals alike. The Hiroshi Sugimoto: Time Machine exhibition is now at the MCA until October 27. This exclusive exhibition is the largest display of Sugimoto's work ever presented and his first in the southern hemisphere. Featuring nearly 100 of his most iconic and rarely-seen pieces, it showcases over 50 years of the artist's groundbreaking photography. Organised in collaboration with London's Hayward Gallery and supported by Destination NSW, Time Machine is set to be a highlight of the MCA's calendar. Whether you're a seasoned art lover or simply curious, Hiroshi Sugimoto: Time Machine is a must-see event on your Japanese-themed tour of the city. [caption id="attachment_952847" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kahii Kissaten Match, KWPhotography, Matthew Wong[/caption] Morning Start your day with a taste of Tokyo in Surry Hills. Wander over to Parami on Alberta Street, where breakfast comes in the form of onigiri, humble but oh-so-satisfying rice triangles. Whether you go for the wagyu, salted salmon, or a breakfast favourite like bacon and egg, you'll find yourself wondering why you ever settled for avo on toast. Pair that with a matcha latte, and you're set. For a sweeter start to your day, head to the cult-favourite Gram Cafe's CBD outpost and indulge in its famous soufflé pancakes. [caption id="attachment_972871" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hiroshi Sugimoto, installation view, Hiroshi Sugimoto: Time Machine, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2024, image courtesy the artist and Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, © the artist, photograph: Zan Wimberley[/caption] Now that your belly is happy, it's time to feed your artistic soul. Make your way to the MCA for Hiroshi Sugimoto: Time Machine, an immersive exploration of Sugimoto's work. As one of the most renowned photographers of our time, Sugimoto has made an indelible mark on contemporary art. He captures ethereal and contemplative images that challenge the boundaries of time, history and reality. The MCA has curated a dynamic program of talks, workshops, family-friendly activities, and film screenings, all designed to further engage visitors with Sugimoto's unique vision. Mark your calendar for Friday, October 11, when the museum will host a special 'Up Late' event, celebrating Japanese culture through art, music, and performance, offering an unforgettable evening experience. [caption id="attachment_972870" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hiroshi Sugimoto, Opticks 195, 2018, installation view, Hiroshi Sugimoto: Time Machine, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2024, chromogenic print, image courtesy the artist and Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, © the artist, photograph: Zan Wimberley[/caption] After soaking in Sugimoto's art, refuel at Kahii Kissatten in the CBD. A nod to Japan's traditional tea rooms, this spot is part of the buzzing YCK Laneways precinct but with a much more serene vibe. Here, you can savour a house-roasted small-batch coffee, sip on Uji-sourced matcha, or go all out with a black sesame cloud drink. Pair your bevvy with one of their Japanese-inspired pastries (we're talking banana tiramisu pastries and almond croissants), and you're all set. Afternoon With your caffeine cravings satisfied, it's time to channel your own inner artisan with some traditional Japanese art. Head to Kintsugi Australia, and try your hand at kintsugi, the Japanese practice of mending broken pottery with lacquer and gold. It's all about celebrating imperfections, a philosophy that'll have you looking at life's cracks and flaws in a whole new light. Kintsugi Australia offers a range of courses, whether you are looking for something modern, traditional, beginner or intensive. After flexing your creative skills, enjoy a satisfying sushi lunch at the sleek underground sushi restaurant Toko on George Street or head out to Ume Burger in Barangaroo or its outpost in Darling Harbour for delicious Japanese burgers, lotus chips and crisp Japanese lager. No day of Japanese culture would be complete without a little retail therapy. Head to Kinokuniya, Sydney's best Japanese bookstore, for everything from manga to art books. Then, swing by Muji and Uniqlo to pick up minimalist homewares and effortlessly stylish clothing that'll have you embracing the Japanese principle of 'less is more.' And, of course, make time for a quick stop at a Gacha Gacha machine — who doesn't love a capsule toy surprise? — there are numerous Gacha Gachas dotted throughout the CBD. [caption id="attachment_887361" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bay Nine, Declan Blackall[/caption] Evening As the sun sets, treat yourself to a luxe Japanese dinner at Bay Nine Omakase in Circular Quay. Here, you'll be spoiled with a chef's selection of seasonal dishes crafted with the finest ingredients in the tradition of omakase dining. Prefer something more casual? Check out Nakano Darling for an izakaya feast. For dessert, head over to LeTAO for a luxurious slice of Japanese cheesecake. Still have some energy left? Slide into Rekodo, a vinyl bar at Barangaroo where tunes meet Japanese whisky — an ideal combo for a laidback evening. Or, if you're feeling more lively, pop into Bancho in Haymarket for a cocktail and a nightcap. Finally, no Japanese-inspired day would be complete without a karaoke session. Head to Goros in Surry Hills, where you can belt out your favourite anthems while sipping on sake in one of the private rooms, challenge your mates to arcade games or dance the night away at the popular Japanese dive bar spot. Whether you're diving into art, sipping on matcha, or singing your heart out, Sydney's got all the ingredients for a Japanese day out that's anything but ordinary — no passport required. Hiroshi Sugimoto: Time Machine runs from August 2 until October 27, 2024. Tickets can be purchased from MCA's website. Tickets cost $28 for adults and $20 for concessions, excluding booking fee. Entry is free to MCA members, youth (13–17 year-olds) and children (12 year-olds and younger).
Perusing the menu at Petite brings the restaurant's name to mind. Diners will find 20 dishes on offer, each listed next to a wine that the team at the Fortitude Valley newcomer has chosen to pair perfectly with it, whether you're opting for a glass or a bottle. The goat's cheese croquettes are matched with a sauvignon blanc from Sancerre, for instance, and the the pan-fried gnocchi with comte cream gets a grenache blanc from Rhône to accompany it. Pick an eye fillet with pepper cognac sauce among the two steak frites options instead and it comes coupled with a merlot from Pomerol. The idea behind the latest venture from Cameron and Jordan Votan is to focus on French favourites. Cue the concise offering, although a second page of the menu spans to cheeses, desserts such as creme brûlée and chocolate soufflé, sweet wines, spirits, cocktails and other beverages. The brothers have broadened their focus from the Chinese cuisine on the menu at Happy Boy and Snack Man, but remained in the same East Street strip that they clearly love. Petite also follows pop-ups Kid Curry, Nice Thai and Mini, with the latter also taking tastebuds on a trip to France. Its chef Aubrey Courtel (ex-Greenglass) now leads the new restaurant's kitchen. Petite doesn't quite embody its moniker in size, however. On the main floor, including in leather booths beneath glass chandeliers, 70 diners can tuck into the eatery's dishes. Upstairs in the private dining room, groups of between eight and 50 can get comfortable while seated. The steel-frame windows that line the corner spot, which faces Ann and James streets, also make the space roomier. They give Petite another feel, too: the team describes the setup for passersby as akin to peering into a dollhouse. Something that both those strolling along outside and patrons eating inside can't miss is the open kitchen, where everything from baked scallops and kingfish carpaccio to onion tarte gratin with creme fraiche, cordon bleu and pork terrine is also whipped up. Of course, only those dining at Petite can settle in for the night, which is heartily encouraged — complete with a special button in the online booking system tailored for those taking their time. Whether Courtel and the crew are serving up confit duck or the ice cream or sorbet of the day, they're skewing simple and humble with their ingredients. Among the vino choices, Petite also keeps cognisant of price. Glasses start from $15, with the venue ensuring its sips are affordable by sourcing its wine from smaller producers across France. Design-wise, as well as the attention-grabbing windows, concrete pillars are a big feature — another touch that connects Petite with Happy Boy. If you know your Fortitude Valley history or just look outside, you'll also know that they nod to the suburb's air raid shelters. Images: Callie Marshall.
Western Australia's Beerfarm brewery is a go-to for locals. Now, for the first time, you can get cases of its brews delivered straight from the farm to your door — even if you live on the other side of the country. And while there are things we shouldn't be stockpiling right now, if you're spending more time at home than usual, you may as well have some cold ones in the fridge. The environmentally focused, independently owned brewery is located on an old dairy farm in the Margaret River region and strives to do things a little differently. There are a few cows roaming around the property and it's almost entirely run on solar power. So, if you're a fan of funky, fermented tipples and the environment, this one's for you. And you'll be supporting a small homegrown business which, in these times, is more important than ever. It's got a tasty range of brews suited to any occasion and palate, from sessionable lagers to complex IPAs, sours, cider and saisons. Its Asam Boi Gose, which is a salted plum sour, took home a GABS award last year — so, if you've yet to try it, we recommend getting a case of it stat. Luckily, now you can. To celebrate its new farm-to-door delivery service, we've teamed up with Beerfarm to offer you $10 off your first carton. Just head here to make your purchase and enter the one-off code CPBFF20 at check out. Delivery is available nationwide, with varying shipping costs. This story includes affiliate links, which means Concrete Playground may receive a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. This does not influence our editorial recommendations or content. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
Bathhouse chain Soak has made its way to Brisbane, complete with relaxing dips, sundeck, stints getting steamy no matter the weather and staring out over the city from a West End rooftop. In 2022, the Gold Coast-born company launched its first site further north, opening in a sky-high perch in West Village. Here, you can chase your bliss in seven spas and mineral pools, while also hitting up the infrared saunas, steam rooms and relaxation gardens. West End's first rooftop bathhouse literally dials things up a level. Those dips, steams, massages and LED facials come with a sweeping vista — turning the rooftop spot into an inner-city oasis. Soak's pools are meant to be shared, so you can book in for a plunge with your mates and use the occasion to treat yo'selves over a catch up. A big part of the vibe at the bathhouse is about being social, hence the communal facilities, capitalising upon a largely untapped niche: turning wellness sessions into excuses to gather the gang. That said, the venue also provides individual services and experiences — catering to relaxing visits for solo patrons looking to disconnect from absolutely everything as much as group hangouts. As well as getting your mates together and soaking in everything the bathhouse has to offer — or doing so during some much-needed alone time, too — Brisbanites can also book in for special occasions. That's great to keep in mind if you have some milestones to celebrate, or just feel like a relaxing birthday shindig. As it also does at its Gold Coast setup at Mermaid Beach, Soak offers both casual pricing and multi-packs — and, like that spot, it's trading across extended hours seven days a week. It's only at West End, however, that you can enjoy the facilities from 6.30am daily, or head along until 10pm each evening. A sunrise soak? A sunset steam? They're all now a reality as well.
Silo Arts are that group of kids that weren’t the mainstream popular jocks and cheerleaders but rather the mysterious, musically inclined kids who skipped class to listen to tunes on the oval. They never won Prom King and Queen but everyone still wanted their number. Now they’re all grown up but still able to create the same level of intrigue to those not in their inner circle. The good news is they’re not as scary as they seem and they’ve taken their love for electronic music and are giving it back to those who used to watch from afar. April 19 brings about Silo Art’s fifth event since their inauguration and they definitely haven’t messed around booking acts. Headlining is Galapagoose, a Melbourne based interdisciplinary artist born to the name Trent Gill. Renowned for his ability to mix a million different creative disciplines into one, he’ll be bringing all his skills to Barsoma. From composing and recording his own beats, to using both computer hardware and software he’s created, the show is sure to be one to remember. It’s also going to be rife with his signature mix of electronic music that makes Galapagoose so great. Considering his calibre of back catalogue was enough to sway international performer Daedelus to work with him, this says everything about what you can expect from attending Silo #5.
Sundae Body has been "turning every day into a treat" for five years now, with a range of indulgent body and scent products that turn basic hygiene into an experience for all the senses. Its most popular product? A whipped shower foam line that takes the experience of a whipped cream can and turns it into body wash. The latest scent addition to that line, Cookies and Cream, is front and centre at a special giveaway happening this weekend only. It's all going down in a partnership with another internet-famous brand, Brooki's Bakehouse, specifically at her Fortitude Valley store. From 8am to 3pm on Saturday, March 7, any customer at a Brooki Bakehouse who purchases a Cookies N Cream Cookie will receive a free Cookies & Cream Whipped Shower Foam to take the flavour from the kitchen to the shower. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BROOKI (@brookibakehouse) It's far from Sundae Body's first treat flavour. Their whipped shower foam line includes everything from cocktail flavours to glazed donuts, birthday cake, marshmallow, fruits, candy canes, gingerbread, hot chocolate, vanilla and honey. The brand as a whole has come a long way from humble beginnings, with co-founders Lizzie Waley and Andrew Simmons starting the brand in Melbourne just five years ago. Now, it's stocked in over 9,000 stores in Australia, the US, UK, New Zealand, Ireland and Scandinavia via retail partnerships with giants like Coles on home soil and Walmart overseas. You'll be able to try this new flavour for the cost of a sweet treat for one day only; otherwise, it's available for purchase on the Sundae Body website now. Brooki's Bakehouse can be found at 15 Marshall Street, Fortitude Valley.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your text trip. In this instalment, we take you to the Intercontinental Hayman Island Resort, where they have just launched their new lavish beachfront pavilions. We've even teamed up with Intercontinental Hayman Island Resort to bring our readers a great deal. Head to Concrete Playground Trips here, to book a three-night stay in the Premium Lagoon Room (including all transfers and breakfasts). WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Spend a few nights in your own luxury retreat located on a private island's shoreline. You can roll out of bed and slide right into your own plunge pool in mere seconds. THE ROOMS When staying at the Intercontinental Hayman Island Resort's new pavilions, you are located right on the beach. The beach isn't a short walk down a path. Just step off your private terrace and immediately feel the sand in between your toes. This place is about achieving absolute relaxation in the most luxurious of settings. And that means no kids. It's an adults-only accommodation for those who need a break from hectic youth energy and noise. Each standalone room has a generous living area, a plush king bed, an ensuite with a free standing bath and separate shower area as well as your very own plunge pool overlooking the beach. Yes, these luxury accommodations come with a fairly steep price tag but at the Intercontinental you very much get what you pay for. FOOD AND DRINK We get that you won't want to pull yourselves away from your private paradise, but you'll want to indulge in the excellent food and drinks program on offer. The resort has five distinct restaurants and bars, serving up all the best local produce to guests. But it's their private dining options which are most impressive. They organise private picnics on remote beaches including Langford Island and Blue Pearl Bay (where you'll be served premium honeymoon vibes along with the champagne). They also have poolside cabana lunches and hands-on chef's table experiences. It is proper decadence. [caption id="attachment_874908" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Guillaume Marques (Unsplash)[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA Hayman Island is the most northerly of the famous Whitsunday Islands, off the coast of Central Queensland. Once you arrive on Hamilton Island, you'll then need to get either a boat or helicopter to Hayman Island. Once you're here, you've got all the best nature experiences at your fingertips. You can walk into the tropical forests full of wildlife or find your very own remote beach away from the other resort goers. The crystal-clear waters surrounding the private island are also full of coral and tropical fish — making this ideal for diving and snorkelling. Editor's tip: if you're looking for an epic way to experience The Whitsundays then book one of these exclusive getaways through Concrete Playground Trips (including a sunset cruise, scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef, luxury accommodation and a tour of Whitehaven Beach). THE EXTRAS The Intercontinental Hayman Island Resort has a huge range of activities available to those seeking to either relax or go out on an adventure. On the island, guests can go on nature-bound walking trails, picnics on the beach, immersive wildlife tours, fish feeding trips, cultural weaving classes and take part in a whole host of sports and fitness activities. These guys can also organise a bunch of expeditions by air. Helicopter tours and private seaplane charters will take you above Whitehaven Beach's iconic turquoise swirls and gaze over the world-famous Heart Reef. And lastly, you can go exploring the Great Barrier Reef and nearby islands by sea. Get on a daytime tour of the reef (full of snorkelling or scuba diving), work up a sweat during a sea kayaking excursion, head on a fishing adventure by boat or fully relax on a sunset cruise. Heaps of premium sun-soaked activities are on the menu here. Feeling inspired to book a getaway unlike anything else out there? Only through Concrete Playground Trips, our new travel booking platform, can you now purchase holidays specially curated by our writers and editors. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips at destinations all over the world.
It's time to put your skates on, Brisbanites — and use them to roll around Milton. As part of this year's Brisbane Festival, a huge skating party is taking over Milton Park, turning the inner-city spot into an outdoor roller rink complete with skate sessions, live tunes and a silent disco. Dressing in lycra is up to you, though. Free to attend, Roller Daze runs from 1–5pm on Saturday, September 10 — and all rollerskaters of all abilities are welcome. Always coasting around with wheels strapped to your feet? Haven't strapped on a pair of skates in years? Fall somewhere in-between? Here, it doesn't matter. Selve, Little Quirks and Bullhorn will be taking care of the music, and a silent disco is also on the agenda — so you'll hear the tracks, but anyone walking past won't. There's workshops and demos, too, so you can learn from the experts and see how it's done. And if you don't have your own skates, you can hire them for $10 on the day.
Remember life without food trucks? Thankfully, that’s no longer an option. These days, all your favourite meals are always wheeling around town, ready to serve scrumptious bites to anyone, anywhere. And sometimes, they all even pop up in the same spot. Downey Park Food Trucks is the latest gathering of mobile eateries, bringing the craze to the green surrounds of Windsor. In the same spirit as the Yarraville Gardens Food Trucks events in Melbourne, there’ll be a convoy of vans serving a variety of cuisines, as well as a comfy patch of lawn to sit on and enjoy your feast. From the finger lickin’ good King of the Wings to the Mexican selection of Oi Taco, all usual suspects will be there, including Chiptease’s sweet potato sensations, Fire’N’Dough’s smokey pizzas, How We Rolls’ barbecue and bread combination, and the Chocolate Komberry Co’s sweet treats as well. You won’t find a tastier way to wind down your weekend. All you need to bring is a picnic rug to sit on, and a healthy appetite.
Whatever holiday plans you had for 2023, they're changing. Apologies to whichever island trips or European jaunts you'd been dreaming about — you're now going to Japan. That's the only way to react to Jetstar's latest flight sale, which is solely focused on visits to two cities and two cities only: Tokyo and Osaka. Even better — whichever you decide to fly into, the Australian carrier's new special will bring you home without bothering your bank balance. Yes, Jetstar is doing one of its big 'return for free' sales. In fact, it's the first time in four years that the airline has launched a Japan edition of this popular excuse to buy airfares and lock in getaways, and you've got just three days to snap up tickets. Running for 72 hours from 12am AEDT on Tuesday, February 28–11.59pm AEDT on Friday, March 3 — or until sold out — it really is as straightforward as it sounds. Whatever flights you opt for as part of the sale, covering direct flights from Cairns or Gold Coast, plus connecting flights out of Sydney, Melbourne (Tullamarine) and Brisbane, you'll get the return fare for nothing. You do need to nab one of Jetstar's starter fares, and you'll then get a free return starter fare for zilch. Also, you'll have to fly in and out of the same arrival and departure port — either Narita in Tokyo or Kansai in Osaka. Plus, as is usually the case with Jetstar, checked baggage is not included. Still, expect the flights to get snapped up quickly when they go on sale. If you're a Club Jetstar member, you'll get the jump on the special via access from 12pm AEDT on Tuesday, February 28 until midnight. Wondering when you'll be travelling? Dates vary per route, but there are a few windows, including from late April through to late June, and again from early October to mid-December — all in 2023. Jetstar's Japan 'return for free' sale runs from 12am AEDT on Tuesday, February 28–11.59pm AEDT on Friday, March 3 — or until sold out. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
It was true in the first season of Nine Perfect Strangers, and it appears accurate in season two as well: for the guests invited to stay with wellness guru Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman, Holland) at her choice of luxe retreat, little is what it seems. This time, the Austrian Alps is the group's destination. The setting has changed, and the nine perfect strangers are also all different; however, as the just-dropped trailer shows, this series is still plunging its characters and viewers into a mystery. While the initial season of Nine Perfect Strangers was shot in Byron Bay, the second definitely wasn't, given that the Australian spot can't double for frosty European climes. The cast around Kidman in season two starts with Henry Golding (The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare), Lena Olin (The Darkness), Annie Murphy (Fingernails), Christine Baranski (The Gilded Age), Dolly de Leon (Jackpot!) and Mark Strong (Dune: Prophecy). Murray Bartlett (The Last of Us) also features, after starring so memorably in The White Lotus' first season. Also joining him and the above actors: Lucas Englander (The Day of the Jackal), King Princess, Maisie Richardson-Sellers (Wolf Hall) and Aras Aydin (To Betray). The storyline again charts the titular cohort as they're summoned by Masha to a transformational wellness retreat —" because sometimes, you shouldn't deal with pain gently", she tells them. Healing her guests, and helping them recharge and "rediscover inspiration", isn't the only thing on the agenda. The group unsurprisingly have their questions and suspicions. As proved the case in season one, too, their host is also on her own quest. Call Nine Perfect Strangers season two's arrival — from Thursday, May 22, 2025 Down Under via Prime Video, dropping weekly episodes — a case of great timing if you love watching things going awry at lavish resorts on super-scenic getaways, plus digging into star-studded small-screen mysteries. Call it a trend repeating as well. In 2021, within the space of mere months in the middle of the year, the debut season of The White Lotus hit, followed by the first season of Nine Perfect Strangers. Four years later, The White Lotus is a season ahead of Nine Perfect Strangers, but they're both back. David E Kelley (Presumed Innocent) remains one of the driving forces behind Nine Perfect Strangers — and author Liane Moriarty (The Last Anniversary), who wrote the novel that the first season was based on, is one of its executive producers again. As a result, Kidman continues her link with both. Kelley was also behind Big Little Lies, which, like Nine Perfect Strangers, also adapted a book by Moriarty. While The Undoing didn't initially stem from the Australian writer's pen, it did connect Kidman and Kelley. Nine Perfect Strangers' new on-screen lineup follows in the footsteps of an equally starry group: Melissa McCarthy (Only Murders in the Building), Michael Shannon (The Bikeriders), Luke Evans (Weekend in Taipei) and Asher Keddie (Fake), plus Bobby Cannavale (Unstoppable), Regina Hall (O'Dessa), Samara Weaving (Azrael), Melvin Gregg (Fight Night), Grace Van Patten (Tell Me Lies), Tiffany Boone (Mufasa: The Lion King), Manny Jacinto (The Acolyte) and Zoe Terakes (The Office), who all starred in the first season. Check out the trailer for season two of Nine Perfect Strangers below: Nine Perfect Strangers season two streams from Thursday, May 22, 2025 in Australia and New Zealand via Prime Video. Images: Prime Video / Reiner Bajo.
We don't mean to be dramatic, but you haven't lived until you've had your first ButterBoy cookie. Everyone has their own taste in cookies, sure, but these are some of Sydney's best. And now, the brand is opening its first permanent store outside of Sydney, the first step in a plan for national cookie domination. First there was Manly, then followed Chatswood, Broadway and Brookvale. Where to next? Start packing the car for a road trip, because ButterBoy is setting up shop in Byron Bay. The brand may have started humble, but after a series of wildly popular pop-ups in Sydney and Melbourne, they've seen that Australians are hungry for more ButterBoy, more frequently. "We're bringing everything Butterboy has to offer to Byron," says ButterBoy founder James Sideris. Including new and signature cookie flavours, soft-serves and the viral cookie milk to the holiday hot spot just in time for peak summer season". That's right. It's more than just cookies. ButterBoy takes the typical pairing of cookies and milk to the next level, with both soft serve and cookie milk available. Yes, cookie milk. ButterBoy cookies blasted into fine crumbs, then soaked and strained into a creamy glass of milk that tastes like it came out of the oven with the cookies themselves. Sideris started ButterBoy in his uni days, selling muffins and cookies to nearby cafes out of his home kitchen, before jumping on the chunky cookie trend with a bakery in the Manly arcade, just next door to two other Manly icons that Sidaris co-owns, Rollers Bakery and Norma's Deli, before expanding into a flagship store on the Corso in 2022. Now, ButterBoy produces thousands of kilograms of cookie dough to be sold both in its stores and distributed to wholesale partners across the country. The new Byron Bay store will be opening later this month, right in the heart of the action on Jonson Street. ButterBoy will open in late December at 17-21 Jonson Street, Byron Bay. Head to the website for more information.
Fifty years, oh-so-many epic campaigns, and everything from movies to video games, too: that's the Dungeons & Dragons story. 2024 marks half a century since the tabletop roleplaying game first had its players rolling the dice and spinning fantasy tales, a milestone that's being celebrated Down Under with the Australasian premiere of Dungeons & Dragons' leap to the stage. Get excited about DUNGEONS & DRAGONS The Twenty-Sided Tavern. Normally a trip to the theatre means engaging via watching, not by playing a part; however, that fittingly isn't the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS The Twenty-Sided Tavern experience. Audience members don't simply view this version of the game — they also play along, choosing the characters and helping shape the story. Here's how it works, as Australians have been able to discover at the Sydney Opera House Studio since Sunday, December 15, 2024: when you take your seat, you're a key aspect of the show. Entering the Forgotten Realms, you also pick the experiences and other elements of the performance using Gamiotics software, with more than 30 playable characters, 34 backgrounds and 28 combat effects involved. Still on numbers, the production also features 40-plus custom character illustrations, 40 item cards and over 300 individual pieces of content. Five actors take to the stage to bring all of the above to life, including via games, combat, puzzles and riddles — and, because of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS The Twenty-Sided Tavern's interactive nature, they're not just performing the same roles each time. Shaking things up for the audience and the cast alike, this experience is never the same twice. Images: Daniel Boud.
Featuring more than 200 wineries, Margaret River is an instantly recognisable name for those who pay attention to their vino. Having developed as a winemaking region since the 1960s, today it's considered one of Australia's top wine destinations. A massive percentage of Australia's premium wine is produced here, luring thousands of visitors through the region's many stunning cellar doors. With so many wineries to choose from, we've teamed up with Virgin Australia to put together a handy guide of the absolute must-visit Margaret River winemakers. Take a trip to Australia's southwest and go in search of the perfect glass of wine. VASSE FELIX Perhaps the most acclaimed winery in the entire Margaret River region, Vasse Felix has earned its reputation. It was the first winery to open in Margaret River in 1967 and, these days, the striking estate offers thirsty travellers a chic tasting room, a wine lounge and an art gallery, not to mention an award-winning fine dining restaurant that has an elegant yet rustic appeal, with its stone, steel and timber finishings. The rolling grounds make for a relaxing, scenic wander. There's a small creek that cuts through the middle of the estate as well as a series of sculptures hidden amongst the fields. If you're looking to have one blowout on your Margaret River escape, then Vasse Felix is without a doubt the place you should do it. Whether it's the world-class bottles of wine or the striking restaurant setting, it's one of the most delightful gastronomic experiences you'll find in Western Australia. CAPE MENTELLE Established back in 1970, Cape Mentelle is part of the so-called 'founding five' wineries that kickstarted the industry in Margaret River. Over the years, Cape Mentelle has contributed greatly to the local winemaking tradition, with the estate's 200 hectares of grapes producing bottles of wine that are acclaimed both at home and abroad. Located just outside the Margaret River township, the vast grounds welcome visitors and into its rammed-earth cellar to sample the goods, plus learn a few lessons with almost 40 years of viticultural experience on offer. Take part in the food and wine pairing (at $85 a person), which leads you on a journey through the estate before arriving in the original cabernet cellar to enjoy a selection of six canapés and six current release wines. If you happen to be there in summer, you'll have a lively wine-sipping experience as Cape Mentelle's lush lawns are transformed into a bustling outdoor cinema. VOYAGER ESTATE Surrounded by blooming rose gardens, Voyager Estate might just be the most serene winery on this list. And once you begin to drink down its award-winning chardonnay and cab sauv, you'll be completely at peace too — its drops are considered to be some of the best in the country. That's not to say you should pass on Voyager Estate's restaurant while you're there. Led by head chef Santiago Fernandez, get the most out of this fine-dining experience and try the seven-course degustation (at $120 per person), with each plate inspired by (and matched to) one of the vineyard's high-quality wines. To put the cherry on top, Voyager Estate successfully reached carbon neutral status back in 2017 — so feel good knowing that your feast is ecologically guilt-free. BURNSIDE ORGANIC FARM Over the last two decades, the McCall family has been organically farming an incredible variety of produce, including avocados, honey, capers and grapes. Specialising in the Italian styles of primitivo and vermentino, the Burnside Organic Farm is a distinctly family-run affair — and it give the property a homey vibe. Owners Jamie and Lara still manage the entire property and are more than happy to take you on a tour of the fruit orchard, the vineyard and eventually the tasting room, where you can enjoy their efforts as you overlook the surrounding farmland. The couple's three kids also help keep this place producing spectacular vino. Burnside Organic Farm also features some charming on-site luxury bungalows that provide the ideal place to spend a night after enjoying a bottle (or two). Combining modern amenities with natural and organic materials, the bungalows provide a private outdoor spa bath and roaring potbelly wood fire, which should make your countryside stay pretty perfect. FLOWSTONE WINES Flowstone Wines might not have the same massive scale as some wineries on this list, but that doesn't mean it doesn't produce some delicious wine. You can be certain that founder Stuart Pym has the pedigree to match with the best producers in the Margaret River region, having spent years perfecting his craft at some esteemed wineries and breweries, including Voyager Estate, Devil's Lair, Stella Bella, and the Matilda Bay Brewing Company. Having teamed up with fellow wine-lover Phil Giglia some 15 years ago, together the duo planted Flowstone's first vines that have since delivered some remarkable results. The small vineyard might only cover two-and-a-bit hectares, but the chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon grapes are considered some of the greatest in Margaret River. The operation remains a relatively tight-knit one so you should keep an eye out for a bottle of Flowstone's finest around town. If you're thinking about popping down, make sure you organise your trip in advance as cellar door visits are by appointment only. While you're at it, check out Virgin Australia's holiday packages, which will put you in good stead to explore Margaret River in total comfort.
It only takes one run for an event to establish itself as a much-loved addition to its city. The River Pride Parade achieved that feat in 2024. Last year, for the first time ever, boats went floating through Brisbane to give the Queensland capital a LGBTQIA+ celebration cruising down the city's main waterway. Held as part of Melt Festival, the flotilla's debut was such a success that the event is also locked in for a 2025 return. Sydney has the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, which takes over Oxford Street for a night of celebration. Melbourne has the Midsumma Pride March, its equivalent in Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. Brisbane's show of pride is the only one that requires a watercraft, but that fits the River City. In 2025, River Pride Parade will help close out Melt on Saturday, November 8. This time, colourful, sparkles-adorned and flag-waving vessels will venture from West End to Brisbane Powerhouse, again embracing everything that a pride parade should be — just on the water. More than 50 boats and other watercraft are expected to take part, accompanied by daytime fireworks and a mood-setting playlist. You can register now to hit the river, or you can mark your calendar and make plans to score a prime viewing spot at South Bank, Howard Smith Wharves, Brisbane Powerhouse and New Farm Park. 2025's Melt Festival runs from Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9. So far, River Pride Parade isn't the only event on the lineup, after Brisbane Powerhouse announced that Broadway icon Bernadette Peters is coming to the fest for an Australian-exclusive show. "River Pride Parade is fast becoming a cornerstone event of Melt Festival — a much-loved community celebration of LGBTQ+ visibility and unity that floats through the heart of our city. After making waves in 2024, this year's parade will be bigger and bolder, with some fun surprises along the way," said Emmie Paranthoiene, Melt's Executive Producer. "We're thrilled to open Melt Festival with Broadway royalty Bernadette Peters and close it with a river-wide celebration of pride. It's the perfect way to bookend three extraordinary weeks of queer art and culture." Melt returns in 2025 after being reborn in 2024 as a fringe-style celebration of queer arts and culture that not only fills Brisbane Powerhouse, but spreads across the city — and onto the river, clearly. Last year, more than 120 events popped up in 70-plus venues across southeast Queensland, complete with a Wicked-themed Halloween ball, a pool party and plenty more. Melt Open 2024 will run from Wednesday, October 23–Sunday, November 10, with the River Pride Parade taking place on Saturday, November 9. Head to the festival website for additional information, and to register for the parade. Melt Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9. Hit up the festival website for more details. Images: Markus Ravik.
Spritzn' in piazzas under sunny skies trumps being in the office, but it can still be a tad overwhelming. Europe in summer is a melting pot of experiences and adventures, but sometimes these aren't as effortless as they seem on Instagram. Seemingly spontaneous trips perhaps require a bit more planning. Whether you're in a capital city or a charming regional town, it can be hard not to fall into the same obvious touristy routine, especially when it comes to food. To help you get that authentic European experience, we've rounded up some culinary adventures that leave it to the locals and pros to show you the ropes. From truffle hunting in regional France to oyster farming on the Croatian peninsula, we've got you covered. You'll eat well and have a fine old time if you're lucky enough to be trotting around Europe this summer. FOOD AND WINE TOUR WITH A SOMMELIER — BARCELONA, SPAIN Home to architectural marvels, beautiful beaches, and energetic nightlife, Barcelona also has an incredible food and wine scene to explore. If you want to dig a bit deeper and dine like a local, then embark on a Food and Wine Tour. A certified sommelier will take you around the city's coolest hidden gems, from cosy restaurants to hip wine bars. The expert will talk you through a range of delicious local tapas paired perfectly with an assortment of excellent wines from different Spanish regions. This tour will take you away from the city crowds into charming local neighbourhoods where the modern Spanish hospitality scene is thriving. You'll also be taken through the historical Sant Antoni Market, where the locals come to buy their produce. BOOK IT NOW. DISCOVER THE WORLD OF TRUFFLES AND TASTING — MAREY-LÈS-FUSSEY, FRANCE Burgundy isn't known only for its succulent wines. Another delicacy awaits your discovery: the Burgundy truffle. In the charming village of Marey-lès-Fussey, you'll find Mille Truffes House, run by the father-son duo Thierry and Yan. Let the human and canine experts take you through a specialty truffle experience, where you'll experience a truffle hunt with the ultimate pro, Julio the dog. After digging up your treasures, it's time to sample their delicate flavours with a tasting. There's no better way to embrace that old-school regional French charm while learning about a truly fascinating delicacy. Plus, it's a great way to break up all that wine-tasting and give your palate a bit of time to replenish. BOOK IT NOW. SEAFOOD TOUR — STON, CROATIA Ston and Mali Ston are charming coastal towns linked by one of the longest city walls in the world. The area is known for its blue waters and picturesque fishing villages. But most of all it's known for having some of the best oysters in Europe (and the world). Dive into the best Croatian cuisine has to offer by booking a Ston Gastro Tour on the Pelješac Peninsula. Discover the peninsula by boat and sail through the bay to see oyster farms up close. Be sure to try your fresh oysters paired with local wine. Back on land, walk through the historical town and discover local gems — choose fresh mussels or fish risotto for an authentic Croatian lunch. BOOK IT NOW. EXERCISE YOUR CHEESE GEEK — PARIS, FRANCE Whether you know your brie from your camembert or don't normally venture beyond the classic block of cheddar, a trip to Paris is not complete without a deep dive into the wonderful world of French cheese. The Become a Cheese Geek Tasting is highly rated, so we know you'll leave geekier than ever. Discover a plethora of flavours at La Cheese Room in Belleville, where you will warm up the senses with some blind tastings. Then, move on to a tasting of six farmhouse cheeses from around France, accompanied by paired beverages. Let the experts tell you all about the cheesemaking process and serving tips so you can impress while entertaining back home. You will walk out full of cheese and knowledge. BOOK IT NOW. FOOD AND WINE TOUR WITH A LOCAL CHEF — BOLOGNA, ITALY Bologna is known as the food capital of Italy, and for very good reason. This medieval city in the Emilia-Romagna region is the birthplace of balsamic vinegar and parmigiano reggiano cheese (among many other delicacies). With endless trattorias, markets and wares, it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. Luckily, Chef Fred's Bologna Food & Wine Tour will help you make the most of your culinary journey. Avoid the tourist spots and embrace the experience of eating like a true Bolognese local at hidden downtown venues. Venture to the oldest markets, savour a traditional tigella sandwich, relish a slice of bolognese pizza or indulge in local cake. Then wash it all down with a wine tasting and finish with some gelato. Fred has a treasure trove of local secrets to share, guiding you to the very best the city has to offer. Just make sure you arrive hungry. BOOK IT NOW. VESTERBRO CULTURAL TOUR AND BEER TASTING — COPENHAGEN, DENMARK Copenhagen has been a pioneer in the hospitality and culinary scene for quite some time now. The city boasts trendy cafe spots, Michelin-starred dining, natural wine bars, and, of course, beer. Danish beer and pubs stand out as the most approachable and time-honoured expressions of Copenhagen's hospo-scene, reflecting the city's cultural landscape. At the heart of this captivating culture lies the Vesterbro neighbourhood. Once a red-light district, it is currently acknowledged by Lonely Planet as one of the coolest in the world. To truly grasp the essence of this vibrant area, embark on a Cultural Tour with Beer Tasting. You'll spend an afternoon exploring the town with locals, delving into its distinctive history and indulging in some golden Vesterbro brews at locally adored pubs and bars. BOOK IT NOW. BOGOVE WATERFALL AND WINE TASTING — BERAT, ALBANIA We've been seeing Albania, with its ridiculously beautiful scenery, pop up more and more on our feeds. This small country is gaining popularity with tourists, and rightly so. Along with its stunning nature, rich history and warm hospitality, Albania's rich terrains also make it any wine lover's dream. So, if you find yourself in Albanian paradise, be sure to experience the best of both nature and wine with a Bogove Waterfall and Wine Tasting Tour. Located in the stunning seaside city of Berat, you will find the Bogovë National Park, where the iconic Sleeping Pearl waterfall practically begs you to jump into its crystal-clear waters. The tour takes you through the idyllic park with a scenic hike and swim, plus a visit to the historical Poliçan (the 'city of weapons'). After a healthy dose of nature and history, end the day at Pupa winery. It's the perfect place to taste wine made with local grapes alongside traditional Albanian snacks. BOOK IT NOW. WINE AND TAPAS TASTING — LISBON, PORTUGAL Portugal's largest city is a global favourite, and overflowing with charm and culinary delights. If you are lucky enough to travel to Lisbon, make the most of it by embracing the rich wine and tapas culture. Let the local pros guide you with a premium two-hour wine and tapas tasting. Discover the diversity of Portuguese wine with glasses from small producers. Your drops will be accompanied by local cheeses, meats and more. The legendary Pata Negra ham will be sure to make an appearance (the most awarded ham in the world) and a selection of Portuguese extra-virgin olive oil. Your guide will tell you all the ins and outs of the local wine and produce, so you will end the day filled with delicious delicacies and knowledge to flex back at home. BOOK IT NOW. SAILING AND GASTRONOMY AROUND ATHENS — ATHENS, GREECE Greece is a must for Euro-summer travellers for a reason. Not only does it offer insane views, beautiful beaches, great nightlife and a fascinating ancient history, it also has some seriously good food on offer. And if you're stopping off in Athens on your holiday, you can taste all of it with a Sailing & Gastronomy Tour. Pick from a number of packages and enjoy a day on the sea. Gaze at turquoise blue waters and a unique view of the city while enjoying a feast prepared by a private chef. Expect a traditional menu with a variety of Greek delicacies, plus a well-chosen selection of Greek wine, beer and liquor to wash it all down. There is nothing quite like enjoying fresh Greek food under blue skies with the sea breeze ruffling your hair. BOOK IT NOW. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips to destinations all over the world.
Pairing croissants with wine mightn't be anyone's usual food-and-booze combo, but it's now exactly what The Lune Co serves up. The company behind New York Times-approved bakery Lune Croissanterie isn't dishing them both up together, however. Rather, Lune has branched out beyond its impressive pastries, launching its first vino-pouring bar in Brisbane. Come Thursday, July 7, South Brisbane's Manning Street will be home to Butler Wine Bar, with the Lune crew expanding its local remit. The company only set up its first Lune Croissanterie in August 2021 — the first beyond its Melbourne base, even before making a permanent home in Sydney — and it's clearly loving its in the Sunshine State. Also in July, a Lune CBD outpost will open its doors in Burnett Lane, too. At Butler, which was first announced late in 2021, Brisbane will score a neighbourhood bar that's aiming to be accessible both in price and in mood. In other words, Lune's Kate Reid, Nathan Toleman and Cameron Reid are applying the same approach that's made their flagship chain such a hit, just in a new realm. The trio all have plenty of experience in hospitality beyond Lune's famed croissants, after all, with Kate Reid and Toleman meeting while working at Melbourne's Three Bags Full, Cameron Reid running Sydney bar Ching-a-lings, and Toleman's Melbourne resume also including Top Paddock, Higher Ground, Hazel and Dessous. A long, cosy space that seats 30, Butler features dark hues courtesy of Hogg & Lamb — doing the design honours as they did with Lune Brisbane, and also Bar Alto and The Sound Garden. Patrons can try to grab a banquet table at the back of the room, although expect them to be popular. There's also the long communal bar, plus al fresco seating to make the most of Brisbane's climate. "We always wanted the space to feel intimate, interactive and do things people may not expect. We feel like we squeezed every inch of style out of this dynamic little space," Ryan Butler, The Lune Co's General Manager, told Concrete Playground. "While it may seem like a departure for the croissant people to do a wine bar, the reality is we are a team of passionate hospitality professionals with a diverse background. Once it became apparent the space alongside Lune South Brisbane was crying out to be a bar, we thought 'why not us?'," Butler continues. On the menu, the focus is on premium drops and sustainable producers. "We're always focusing on what's closest to home. If someone in Brisbane or Queensland is dropping a good drop we want to see it, the same with fresh and interesting produce. If it's not local, we love a focus on regenerative agriculture and the impact the farmer/grower/winemaker is having," explains Butler. Drinks-wise, vino is the big feature, of course — although beers, spirits and cocktails also feature, including miso caramel old fashioneds and pumpkin highballs. And, as for what you'll be eating, options include oysters with a kombu mignonette, prawn tartare, mushroom tarts, chicken liver parfait, and jamon iberico with ricotta and persimmon. Find Butler Wine Bar at 15 Manning Street, South Brisbane, next to Lune, from Thursday, July 7 — open from 4–11pm Thursday–Monday.
One won't stop cracking wise. The other prefers to say as little as possible. Naturally, they're about to become the Marvel Cinematic Universe's favourite big-screen odd couple. The former: Deadpool, as played by Ryan Reynolds since 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The latter: Wolverine, the X-Men hero that's been synonymous with Hugh Jackman for almost a quarter-century. The movie: Deadpool 3, which'll hit cinemas in 2024. Jackman has already busted out the adamantium claws in nine movies, starting with 2000's X-Men and running through to 2017's Logan, which was poised as his swan song in the role. But when you've been playing a part for that long, in that many flicks, what's one more go-around? After a non-Wolverine gap spent starring in The Greatest Showman, The Front Runner, Bad Education and Reminiscence, Jackman is clearly ready to get hairy again. [caption id="attachment_611846" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Logan[/caption] The news came via a social media video hosted by Reynolds, who notes that Deadpool 3 has been in the works for a while now. "I've had to really search my soul on this one. His first appearance in the MCU obviously needs to feel special," said Reynolds. "We need to stay true to the character, find new depth, motivation, meaning. Every Deadpool needs to stand out and stand apart. It's been an incredible challenge that has forced me to reach down deep inside. And I... I have nothing. Yeah, just completely empty up here. And terrifying. But we did have one idea," he continues. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman) "Hey, Hugh, you want to play Wolverine one more time?" Reynolds then asks, with Jackman strolling past in the background. "Yeah, sure, Ryan," Jackman replies. (And to answer a question you really should have instantly: yes, this announcement came with a throwback soundtrack, because that's the Deadpool way.) [caption id="attachment_611105" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Deadpool[/caption] The other huge news is that Deadpool 3 will form part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, bringing both Deadpool and Wolverine into the ever-sprawling comic-to-screen realm that's been going since the first Iron Man flick and will likely never ever end. The two characters have always been Marvel characters, but because of rights issues behind the scenes, they've stayed in their own on-screen sagas. But when Disney (which owns Marvel) bought 20th Century Fox (which brought the X-Men and Deadpool movies to cinemas so far), those business issues disappeared. Deadpool 3 will arrive six years after 2018's Deadpool 2. It'll also mark a reunion in another way. Behind the lens: director Shawn Levy, reteaming with Reynolds after Free Guy and The Adam Project. It's clearly far too early for a trailer for Deadpool 3, but you can check out the Deadpool 2 and Logan trailers below in the interim: Deadpool 3 will release in cinemas Down Under on September 5, 2024.
If you're itching to head off on a long-awaited, well-deserved overseas getaway once Australia's borders reopen to international travel, then getting vaccinated is likely part of your pre-travel plans. And, once you get both of your jabs, you'll be eligible to receive an extra bonus to put towards your next holiday thanks to Australian airline Qantas. Via its newly launched 'Been vaccinated? Be rewarded' vaccination incentives initiative, the Aussie carrier is handing out flight discounts, frequent flyer points and status points to Australians who've been fully vaxxed. Everyone over the age of 18 who has received both jabs can score their choice of one of the three rewards — as long as you're a member of Qantas' frequent flyer program. You can pick between a $20 flight discount for a Qantas or Jetstar flight, 1000 Qantas points or 15 status credits (which you need to move up tiers in the airline's frequent flyer scheme). If you've already had both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and you're a member of the carrier's frequent flyer program, you can hit up the Qantas app from 8am on Tuesday, August 24 to claim your reward. Otherwise, once you've had both jabs — with Australia's vaccination rollout opening up to Aussies aged between 16–39 from Monday, August 30 — you can then do the same. Qantas frequent flyer membership is free, too, if you're not yet onboard. Also up for grabs: a year of flights, accommodation and fuel, worth around $85,450, which'll be given to eight people — one from each state and territory. To have your travel covered for a year, you'll need to win the prize draw. But, as soon as you hop onto the Qantas app to claim your other reward, you'll automatically be put in the running for the big giveaway, which'll let you jet between any destination that Qantas and Jetstar fly to and from once borders begin to reopen. Keen to nab a flight voucher, some points or credits? And to give yourself the chance to win a year of free flights, accommodation and fuel? You can claim away until Friday, December 31 — with just one claim per person, obviously — and then the mega prize winners will be announced in January 2022. Also, if you're wondering how you'll verify that you've been vaxxed in order to nab your Qantas reward, you'll need to use the Medicare app to access and upload your COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate before you're able to select your chosen option. The airline will then delete the certificate information once you've been through that verification step. Announcing the scheme, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said that "getting vaccinated is an important step that every Australian can take that brings us that little bit closer to life as we knew it. As the national carrier, we want to recognise those who have made the effort to protect themselves and the community." Virgin Australia has also announced that it'll be launching a new competition called VA-X & Win, which will hand out millions of Velocity Frequent Flyer Points and dozens of free flights to Aussie who've had the jab — and make one person a Velocity Points millionaire, with the lucky winner then able to put those points to plenty of use. It hasn't opened the campaign yet, or announced how you'll prove you're eligible, how to enter and exactly what prizes will be on offer, as it has opted not to do so until COVID-19 vaccines are made available to all Australian adults. If you're eager to look for vaccination clinics — to get vaxxed now, or to plan ahead for when you can get the jab — you can check out a handy online map that collates vaccination hub, clinic and GP locations. It covers all Australian states and territories, including New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. To redeem your reward from Qantas' 'Been vaccinated? Be rewarded' vaccination incentives campaign, head to the Qantas app from 8am on Tuesday, August 24. For further details about the initiative, head to the airline's website. Top image: Brent Winstone.
