How do you find a single missing person in a country of over a billion? That's the terrifying dilemma faced by a desperate father, after his 12-year-old son goes missing. A sobering portrait of a pandemic concern in poverty-affected India, Richie Mehta's film works thanks to his unexaggerated approach to the subject matter. There's not a hint of melodrama here, and the tale is all the more compelling for it. For a film set half a world away, Siddharth hits very close to home. The film takes its title from the name of the missing boy, who in the opening scene we see being loaded onto a bus by his father, Mahendra (Rajesh Tailang). Siddharth is on his way to Ludhiana, hundreds of kilometres away, where he's due to start work in a trolley factory. Child labour is illegal in India, but commonplace nevertheless. And for the family of four, no longer able to survive on Mahendra's meagre wages as a street corner zipper repairman, the second source of income will be crucial. When Siddharth fails to return to Delhi for the Diwali festival a month later, the assumption is that he simply couldn't secure passage home. But as time passes without any word, Mahendra and his wife, Suman (Tannishtha Chatterjee), grow increasingly concerned. When they finally call the owner of the factory, he tells them that the boy ran away more than a fortnight ago. Unable to believe Siddharth wouldn't simply return home, the fear then becomes that he has been kidnapped. Based on a first person anecdote Mehta — a Canadian filmmaker of Indian descent — heard while travelling in Delhi, the story examines multiple social issues facing India. Recent statistics show that nearly 40,000 children disappear in the country each year, many of them sold into slavery or prostitution or forced out onto the streets to beg. Indeed, the problem is so endemic, so normalised, that at one point someone suggests that Mahendra simply have another child. Such callous pragmatism extends to the police force and child protection agencies, overworked and undermanned as they are. But so too does it extend to Mahendra himself, who is soon confronted with the financial cost of continuing the search for his son. It costs him a month's savings just to pay for a train ticket to Mumbai. Suman blames him for sending Siddharth away, and it's easy to agree with her. But then again, did he even have a choice? The grim economic reality of the family's situation is the stark spotlight under which Mehta's film unfolds, and ultimately makes it that much more confronting. https://youtube.com/watch?v=wNMDwpMrxmQ
Whether in collectives or as individuals, a ton of artists are leaving their mark on canvas and walls all around Brisbane. Two such visual magicians are Vlada and Jaimee. You may recognise them a few ways. They comprise one half of rising musical stars Major Leagues, but they also go by separate artistic pseudonyms. Allow me to introduce Junky (Vlada) and Kool Thing (Jaimee) — two of the most interesting artists in town. Junky's detailed illustrations are a sight to behold, while Kool Thing's beloved Pet Portraits have made her hot property to animal lovers everywhere. These pals have been decorating walls across Brisbane for some time, and now they are joining forces for a collaborative exhibition at Jamie's Espresso this Thursday. We decided to have a chat to both artists to find out what makes them tick. Jaimee, in a quick sentence, tell us about your art style! J: My direction might be associated with a street art and/or comic art style. Jaimee, Where did you come up with the idea for Pet Portraits? J: My amazing mother placed that seed in my mind. Thanks mum. How has the response been since you started producing them? J: Dog lovers from all over the country are so encouraging toward this endeavour. It's on its way to becoming a legitimate small business, yippy! Vlada, your illustrations are incredibly detailed! What sort of illustrations do you enjoy drawing the most? V: When I first started drawing I pretty much just drew thousands of pictures of Gambit from X-Men (really focusing on the six pack), so I think doing graphic novel style drawing will always be my favourite thing to do. However Jaimee and I have done a few big murals around the place and they have always been crazy fun. We have been lucky that the lovely people that have let us massacre their walls have just let us have free reign over the space and we get to draw pictures of laser squids and intergalactic bunny rabbits and all kinds of fun things. What/where do you draw your influences from? J: I sway toward anything with intentional and detailed line work. Traditional Japanese prints from old favourites like Hokusai or modern Israeli street artist like UNGA, have surly been an encouragement in the way my work polishes out. V: The artists I follow and fawn over are a huge influence on my work. After I finish something I spend a significant amount of time making sure I haven't plagiarised. I have a little spongy baby brain. Same goes for comic books and whatever I'm reading at the time. Oh and pretty much everything I eat. I'm way too inspired by food. What can you tell us about your upcoming exhibition? What can we expect? J: Vlada and I will each have four to five pieces on display, consisting of our latest inspirations. It will probably look a lot like our Tumblr feed, because us gals don't get out much. V: For this particular exhibition all the works will be fairly new. I never intended on having a theme; however, as I finished everything they all ended up being black-and-white inked pictures. For anyone that has seen any of Jaimee's work she has a solid style that has this incredible ability to adapt and change but maintains its integrity, which is something I really respect about her work. Generally it'll be a collection of new stuff and hopefully will be visually delicious! You are quite active amongst the Brisbane cultural scene; what do you like about Brisbane culturally at this point in time? J: Brisbane has many integral components that make our cultural hub beautiful, including our music and street art. I have recently been city hopping on a national tour with Vlada and our band mates in Major Leagues and we were blown away by the amount of gorgeous street art from the main cities we travelled to. I only hope we will have more tolerance for artistic speech on our streets because I feel that there is a lack of it within our Brisbane culture. I'm super excited for progression in Brisbane's cultural hub. There is much to look forward to. V: Brisbane is wonderful. There are always great bands playing, exhibitions to see, beers to drink and burritos to consume. Brisbane will just keep on growing creatively as well. There are some great minds in this bustling metropolis of ours. Oh yes, and hanging out at Kodak Beach of course. Who are some artists or musicians that you would recommend to someone looking to immerse themselves in Brisbane culture? J: Sam McKenzie (Illustrator) Jesse Olsen (illustrator/tattoo artist), Theresa Fryer (cinematographer) As for musicians, Babaganouj, ROKU MUSIC, Cub Sport and The Good Sports. V: I know for a fact that Jaimee's list and mine are incredibly similar so refer to Jaimee Fryer's list. Ha. But my addition to the artist list would have to be Phoebe Paradise. Where are your favourite places to eat / drink / party around town? J: I go to The Tiller in Alderley for coffee every day; The Scratch bar for my beer needs and The Underdog is a swinging place I'd like to party down at more often. V: Well you can't go wrong with drinking beers on a deck — if you have a deck that is. We have a deck and it is popular past time in our home. Food wise, Vietnamese pork rolls from my bakery in East Brisbane are a solid lunchtime treat and fun dancing times at Black Bear Lodge on the weekends are brilliant, especially if it's a No Diggity night. Ooooh Damn. Kool Thing and Junky will be hosting an exhibition at Jamie's Espresso this Thursday. Check out their work from 6pm.
Here's one way to warm up your winter: heading to Northshore Hamilton for wild nights filled with everything from cabaret, burlesque, circus and music to magic and a Shinjuku-inspired bar. From Wednesday, July 27, that's on the bill thanks to a new entertainment precinct pop-up called Twilight Electric. Yes, heading by when the sun is setting is highly recommended. This luminous limited-time venue will boast two big drawcards: Blanc de Blanc Encore, which has proven a Brisbane Festival favourite in the past; and a Brisbane season for Maho Magic Bar. And if you're wondering why, it's all happening in the lead up to this year's Bris Fest — which'll unfurl its jam-packed 2022 lineup, moon-focused events and all, in September. With the return of Blanc de Blanc Encore comes the return of the Spiegeltent, which'll be filled with the kind of party that'd make Jay Gatsby envious. Think: glamour, hedonism, opulence, an OTT vibe and extravagance aplenty, all thanks to Strut & Fret, who've also brought Feasting on Flesh, A Company of Strangers, Cantina, Dream Menagerie, LIMBO, Blanc de Blanc and Limbo Unhinged our way in the past. Blanc de Blanc Encore combines tunes, big dance numbers, acrobatics and other circus tricks, risqué humour and a vintage French aesthetic — so, there's a little something for everyone. The vibe is pure cheekiness, so if you're a little sensitive, this mightn't be for you. As for Maho Magic Bar, it's a bar, a performance space and a show all in one — all thanks to Broad Encounters, aka the folks behind that eerie Edgar Allen Poe-inspired warehouse experience A Midnight Visit that creeped out Brisbane in 2021. Here, neon lighting sets the mood, cherry blossoms hover above, and sake cocktails and shōchū lead the drinks menu. Also, magic shows happen at your table. An immersive event from the moment that you approach its glowing exterior, it's designed to replicate a night out in Shinjuku in Tokyo, and conjure up an 'anything can happen' feeling. The ace thing about the setup: whether you adore magic or don't think it's your thing, you'll still be entertained given the atmosphere (and the drinks and those lights) are a massive part of the allure. Still, magic is nonetheless a big part of it. Busting out illusions: Osaka's Shohgo Yamashita, the gender stereotype-busting Kaori Kitazawa and close-up magician Sarito. Find Twilight Electric at Northshore Hamilton from Wednesday, July 27. For further information and to buy tickets, head to the Twilight Electric website. Top image: Maho Magic Bar, Trentino Priori.
When September 1994 rolled around, and a new sitcom about six New York City-dwelling friends first debuted on television screens, no one could've known just what would follow. It made stars out of Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, and made seemingly everyone keen to copy Aniston's hairstyle — and it unleashed a genuine pop culture phenomenon that's still watched and rewatched by adoring fans all these years later. The setup is so very simple, and it's one that plenty of other shows have also tried. But Friends manages to distill a familiar and straightforward idea into 236 episodes of entertaining comedy. Call it 'The One with the Huge Longevity', 'The One That No One Seems to Be Able to Get Enough Of' or 'The One That Made Sitting on Orange Coffee Shop Couches and Singing About Smelly Cats Cool'.
When May hits, the Gold Coast will boast yet another attraction — and it doesn't involve sun, surf, sand or theme park rides. Southeast Queensland's popular tourist destination will open its new $60.5 million, six-level art gallery, which'll become the country's largest art gallery outside of a capital city. If the news sounds familiar, that's because it was first announced back in 2018, with an early 2021 opening date set at the time. And yes, it's sticking to that timeframe. While the pandemic has delayed more than a few things over the past year, the new addition to HOTA, Home of the Arts at Surfers Paradise's isn't among them. It'll launch on Saturday, May 8. Art lovers can get excited about a multi-floor gallery with more than 2000 square metres of exhibition space, including a main area that'll be used for touring exhibitions, plus a permanent collection space across three levels, a children's gallery and an area for storing works that aren't on display. Simply called the HOTA Gallery, it has been built at the top of the site's concert lawn, and overlooks HOTA's outdoor stage. View-wise, there'll be much to look at if you're keen on gazing at creative pieces. That includes two sculptural installations that'll be placed outside, as created by Queensland Waanyi artist Judy Watson and Sri-Lankan born, Sydney based artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran. Watson's artwork will hero Indigenous native plants, plus a pathway that forms a topographical map of Nerang prior to European settlement. Piccabeen basket and dilly bag sculptures designed with Quandamooka artists Libby Harward and Elisa Jane Carmichael will also feature, as will a two-metre-tall feather canopy and snippets of local language sandblasted onto the bleachers. As for Nithiyendran, he has crafted a six-metre-high, double-sided sculpture made out of bronze, concrete, neon and fibreglass that's designed to reflect the vibrancy of the new building. Visitors will also be able to peer at something other than the art gracing the walls, with the building featuring a rooftop bar and restaurant. Called The Exhibitionist Bar, it'll take over 233 square metres, and pair panoramic views with tapas, share plates, cocktails, wine, beer and house-made sodas. And, it's also opening in May. Both indoor and outdoor terrace seating will feature, and you'll get a vantage that sprawls over the Goldie's waterways, Surfers' Paradise skyline and the hinterland. Plus, in terms of decor, the venue is taking its cues from rainforests — as does the building itself, which is inspired by William Robinson's 'The Rainforest'. HOTA Gallery and The Exhibitionist Bar are both set to open at HOTA, Home of the Arts, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise on Saturday, May 8. For more information, visit the HOTA website. Top images: Scott Chrisman, Pixeltape Media
For the past few years, the unnerving Séance installation has been popping up around southeast Queensland and spooking the region out. From Thursday, October 3—Sunday, December 8, 2024, it's back again — because when better than the lead up to Halloween? This time around, it's setting up its big, white container at South Bank's Maritime Museum alongside fellow pop-ups Maho Magic Bar and Flight. Unlike most shipping containers around the place, this one isn't being used to transport furniture. And, given that the word 'séance' is written on the side in black, it's definitely more than a little ominous. Participants will be able to take a seat inside, and then put on a headset. You'll next be told to put both hands on the table. The lights go out, leaving the place in absolute darkness — and, for 20 uneasy minutes, you'll be taken on an immersive journey led only by touch and sounds. Expect to feel confused, repulsed and struck with temporary claustrophobia. According to organisers, numerous participants have bailed halfway through sittings in the past. You're probably thinking that there's something dark or supernatural about the whole thing — and going by the name, we don't blame you. But the installation's organiser says that 'séance' is simply a French word meaning 'session' or 'sitting'. And so Séance is a sensory experience that looks at the psychology of both sensory deprivation and the dynamics of a group sitting together. It's a scary indicator of how easy it is for confusion, disorientation and information overload to affect our judgement. (We're serious when we say Séance is not recommended for the claustrophobic, the easily frightened or those afraid of the dark.) Artists David Rosenberg and Glen Neath of Darkfield (who have collaborated in other sensory deprivation projects before) are the creative masterminds behind the project, which has been described as 'disorienting' and 'deeply unsettling'. And if need more of an idea of what you're in for, you might've listened to Darkfield's at-home experiences in the past few years, too — such as Double, Visitors, Eternal and Knot — and experienced a few bumps and jumps.
It's only taken a few short years for the British Film Festival to become a highlight of Australia's busy festival calendar, and their first titles for their fourth year demonstrate why. Fancy seeing this year's Cannes Palme d'Or winner? Or a host of high-profile titles direct from their premieres at the Venice and Toronto film festivals? Or a restored version of the David Bowie-starring sci-fi classic The Man Who Fell to Earth? Well, they're all on the bill when the festival returns to Brisbane's Palace Barracks from October 27 to November 16 Ken Loach's I, Daniel Blake — which took top honours in Cannes back in May — takes a look at the British welfare system through the filmmaker's usual social realist lens, and ranks among the most highly anticipated of the bunch. It's joined by the high-profile likes of opening night's A United Kingdom and closing night's A Monster Calls. The former tells the true tale of a Botswana prince (Selma's David Oyelowo) who caused a scandal when he married a white Englishwoman (Gone Girl's Rosamund Pike), and is also slated to open the London Film Festival. Directed by The Impossible's Juan Antonio Bayona, A Monster Calls adapts a fantasy novel about a young boy coping with his mother's terminal illness, and features Liam Neeson as the voice of the titular creature. Audiences will also get the chance to see crime-drama Trespass Against Us, which not only stars Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson, but marks the film debut of the Chemical Brothers' long-term visual collaborator Adam Smith. For cinephiles looking for something completely different, rom-com fans can get their fix watching Gemma Arterton and Sam Claflin in Their Finest, from An Education helmer Lone Scherfig. And because all good film fests don't just look forward to future hits but also peer back to the greats of years gone by, this year's British Film Festival has curated a ten-movie tribute to some of the country's enduring cinematic heroes. As well as Bowie proving his out-of-this-world acting abilities, catch Gary Oldman getting his punk on in Sid and Nancy and feast on the epic action adventure that is Highlander.
Where's the weirdest, wildest, strangest and most unexpected place you've seen a live show? Wherever it might be, would you like to best it? That's the challenge that Anywhere Festival gives Brisbane audiences every year, because this event's love of putting on theatre everywhere it possibly can is right there in its name. When you're not watching performances in a bar, you might be heading to a park — or a brewery, cemetery or someone's house. They're just some of the spots that Anywhere Festival is sliding into in 2023, with the event returning from Thursday, May 4–Sunday, May 21. Other destinations hosting theatre, comedy, dance, cabaret, music, circus, spoken word or poetry include libraries, paint factories, museums, laneways, galleries and a Harry Potter-themed store — and also a YMCA, a couple of universities, community centres, cafes, a beach and an old Stefan salon. The 2023 event begins as it has in previous years, starting with a big laneway party on Fish Lane. From there, you can ponder cabin fever in someone's apartment, watch a dance work in an airport terminal, catch a musical parody of The Human Centipede and listen to live tunes in a Woolloongabba pedorthic clinic. Or, if you'd like to learn how to survive a zombie apocalypse — a handy skill — that's happening at a school. Also on the lineup: pondering disaster at The Wilderness Society, musing on the worst funerals ever at South Brisbane cemetery, an immersive ten-year reunion at Blute's, songs about shopping at Garden City, a production about a hellish seaside escape at Northshore's beach, and the 12.7 million lights of the QUT Sphere backdropping music and movement. There's a show about the best bubbles — not the drinks — as well, and a string quartet at Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium. Dancing in a park, a circus show about the history of booze while beer is being made around you, an ode to introverts, wizard trivia and wondering what'd happen if Shakespeare's characters were still alive today are on the bill as well. [caption id="attachment_852664" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Geoff Lawrence[/caption] Top image: Stuart Hirth.
"There are eight billion people on this planet, but only 25 awards to be given out tonight". If you've ever dreamed about winning an Emmy, Oprah Winfrey just worked out your odds each year: over 300 million to one. Of course, that just makes every batch of recipients at Hollywood's night of TV nights all the more special — including 2022's, which just received its shiny trophies today, Tuesday, September 13, Down Under. Hosted by Saturday Night Live's Kenan Thompson, this year's ceremony started with an important question. "If it weren't for TV, what would be do in our free time?" Thompson asked — and if you spend plenty of your after-work hours watching the non-stop array of new and returning series always competing for your eyeballs, you understand. The Emmys always provide an answer to a different query, too, showing us all the reasons why we do keep reaching for the remote during our couch time. In 2022, the ceremony's winners included both returning favourites and new hits. Succession — or Business Throne, as it was dubbed by Girls5Eva — kept winning awards. That isn't a surprise given that it nabbed a whopping 25 nominations to begin with, including 14 for acting. The White Lotus also earned itself some new mantle knickknacks from its 20 noms, as did Ted Lasso from the same amount of nods. And Squid Game also got lucky, and a green light. Similarly among the highlights, beyond the gongs themselves: Lizzo's tearful speech about representation and body image in the media, and wanting to see someone like herself on TV; Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers riffing while handing out an award, which never gets old; Only Murders in the Building's Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short doing the same, particularly Martin and Short's banter about each other's careers; and Brett Goldstein promising not to swear while picking up his award, then doing it anyway (he does play Roy fucking Kent, after all). Or, there was Jennifer Coolidge refusing to give up her "once in a lifetime" shot to thank everyone, and just dancing to the music playing her off; The White Lotus creator Mike White talking about his time on Survivor (yes really); and the fact that the ceremony started with opening musical numbers to the Friends, The Brady Bunch, Law and Order, Stranger Things and Game of Thrones themes (again, yes really). Now, back to those winners — you'll find the full list below, as well as who they were up against. Fancy knowing more about this year's must-see highlights? Check out our top ten picks, too. EMMY NOMINEES AND WINNERS 2022 OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES Better Call Saul Euphoria Ozark Severance Squid Game Stranger Things Succession — WINNER Yellowjackets OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES Abbott Elementary Barry Curb Your Enthusiasm Hacks The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Only Murders in the Building Ted Lasso — WINNER What We Do in the Shadows OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES Dopesick The Dropout Inventing Anna Pam & Tommy The White Lotus — WINNER OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Jason Bateman, Ozark Brian Cox, Succession Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game — WINNER Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul Adam Scott, Severance Jeremy Strong, Succession OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Jodie Comer, Killing Eve Laura Linney, Ozark Melanie Lynskey, Yellowjackets Sandra Oh, Killing Eve Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show Zendaya, Euphoria — WINNER OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Donald Glover, Atlanta Bill Hader, Barry Nicholas Hoult, The Great Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso — WINNER OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant Elle Fanning, The Great Issa Rae, Insecure Jean Smart, Hacks — WINNER OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TELEVISION MOVIE Colin Firth, The Staircase Andrew Garfield, Under the Banner of Heaven Oscar Isaac, Scenes From a Marriage Michael Keaton, Dopesick — WINNER Himesh Patel, Station Eleven Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TELEVISION MOVIE Toni Collette, The Staircase Julia Garner, Inventing Anna Lily James, Pam & Tommy Sarah Paulson, Impeachment: American Crime Story Margaret Qualley, Maid Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout — WINNER OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Nicholas Braun, Succession Billy Crudup, The Morning Show Kieran Culkin, Succession Park Hae-soo, Squid Game Matthew Macfadyen, Succession — WINNER John Turturro, Severance Christopher Walken, Severance Oh Yeong-soo, Squid Game OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Patricia Arquette, Severance Julia Garner, Ozark — WINNER Jung Ho-yeon, Squid Game Christina Ricci, Yellowjackets Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul J. Smith-Cameron, Succession Sarah Snook, Succession Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Anthony Carrigan, Barry Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso — WINNER Toheeb Jimoh, Ted Lasso Nick Mohammed, Ted Lasso Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary Henry Winkler, Barry Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) Hannah Einbinder, Hacks Janelle James, Abbott Elementary Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live Sarah Niles, Ted Lasso Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary — WINNER Juno Temple, Ted Lasso Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TELEVISION MOVIE Murray Bartlett, The White Lotus — WINNER Jake Lacy, The White Lotus Will Poulter, Dopesick Seth Rogen, Pam & Tommy Peter Sarsgaard, Dopesick Michael Stuhlbarg, Dopesick Steve Zahn, The White Lotus OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TELEVISION MOVIE Connie Britton, The White Lotus Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus — WINNER Alexandra Daddario, The White Lotus Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick Natasha Rothwell, The White Lotus Sydney Sweeney, The White Lotus Mare Winningham, Dopesick DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES Jason Bateman, Ozark Ben Stiller, Severance Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game — WINNER Mark Mylod, Succession Cathy Yan, Succession Lorene Scafaria, Succession Karyn Kusama, Yellowjackets WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES Thomas Schnauz, Better Call Saul Chris Mundy, Ozark Dan Erickson, Severance Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game Jesse Armstrong, Succession — WINNER Jonathan Lisco, Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, Yellowjackets Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, Yellowjackets DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES Hiro Murai, Atlanta Bill Hader, Barry Lucia Aniello, Hacks Mary Lou Belli, The Ms Pat Show Cherien Dabis, Only Murders in The Building Jamie Babbit, Only Murders in The Building MJ Delaney, Ted Lasso — WINNER WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary — WINNER Duffy Boudreau, Barry Alec Berg, Bill Hader, Barry Lucia Aniello, Paul W Downs and Jen Statsky, Hacks Steve Martin and John Hoffman, Only Murders in The Building Jane Becker, Ted Lasso Sarah Naftalis, What We Do in The Shadows Stefani Robinson, What We Do in The Shadows DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE Danny Strong, Dopesick Michael Showalter, The Dropout Francesca Gregorini, The Dropout John Wells, Maid Hiro Murai, Station Eleven Mike White, The White Lotus — WINNER WRITING FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE Danny Strong, Dopesick Elizabeth Meriwether, The Dropout Sarah Burgess, Impeachment: American Crime Story Molly Smith Metzler, Maid Patrick Somerville, Station Eleven Mike White, The White Lotus — WINNER OUTSTANDING VARIETY SKETCH SERIES A Black Lady Sketch Show Saturday Night Live — WINNER OUTSTANDING VARIETY TALK SERIES The Daily Show With Trevor Noah Jimmy Kimmel Live! Last Week Tonight With John Oliver — WINNER Late Night With Seth Meyers The Late Show With Stephen Colbert OUTSTANDING COMPETITION PROGRAM The Amazing Race Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls — WINNER Nailed It! RuPaul's Drag Race Top Chef The Voice OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL Ali Wong, Ali Wong: Don Wong Ian Berger, Devin Delliquanti, Jennifer Flanz, Jordan Klepper, Zhubin Parang, Scott Sherman, The Daily Show With Trevor Noah Jerrod Carmichael, Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel — WINNER Nicole Byer, Nicole Byer: BBW (Big Beautiful Weirdo) Norm Macdonald, Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special The 73rd Emmy Awards will took place on Tuesday, September 13, Australian and New Zealand time. For more information, head to the Emmys' website. Top image: HBO.
How much green will be seen at 2025's Laneway Festival? With Charli XCX headlining, expect the Brat hue to be everywhere. Given the event's February timing, and the fact that Charlotte Emma Aitchison is headlining, it's going to be Brat summer Down Under. It's set to be a Djo, Beabadoobee-, Clairo-, Barry Can't Swim- and Remi Wolf-soundtracked summer as well, with the quartet also among the big names on Laneway's lineup. Charlie XCX was last in Australia in 2023 for Sydney WorldPride and For the Love, and before that in 2020 at Laneway. If you're keen to see the 'Guess', '360', 'Apple', 'Speed Drive', '1999', 'Doing It' and 'Boom Clap' talent this time, you'll need a Laneway ticket, as she's playing exclusively at the fest. [caption id="attachment_975321" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Harley Weir[/caption] In 2025, she'll have company from BICEP doing their CHROMA AV DJ set, Olivia Dean, Eyedress and Skegss, too, alongside STÜM, RONA, Hamdi, Joey Valence & Brae, 2hollis, Fcukers, Ninajirachi, Julie, and Girl and Girl. The event started by Danny Rogers and Jerome Borazio in the mid-00s is playing Brisbane Showgrounds in the River City on Saturday, February 8, 2025. [caption id="attachment_974759" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Charlie Hardy[/caption] Laneway Festival 2025 Lineup Charli XCX Beabadoobee Clairo Barry Can't Swim BICEP present CHROMA (AV DJ set) Djo Remi Wolf Olivia Dean Eyedress Skegss STÜM RONA Hamdi Joey Valence & Brae 2hollis Fcukers Ninajirachi Julie Girl and Girl + Triple J unearthed winners Top images: Charlie Hardy/Maclay Heriot. Updated Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
Do you sometimes find yourself resenting Chet Faker for his award-winning whisker-wearing*? Do you refuse to listen to Mumford & Sons, not only for their blatant commercial success but also their rugged yet luxurious face forests? Well, you're not alone. Men in the US have been dealing with similar beard-related anxieties and have undergone facial hair transplants to compensate. Using similar techniques to that of Shane Warne and the Advanced Hair Studio, facial hair transplants take hair from the patient's head, make micro-incisions on a bare patch of face, and insert the roots into empty follicles. Even when the hair falls out, the implanted roots begin to grow new hair. All in all, it's a process that ranges from US$3,000 - $7,000. And, for that money, here's hoping it's worth the pain. Though plastics surgeons have reported an increase in "hip" and "fashionable" young men from Brooklyn seeking the procedure, it also has roots in more substantial causes. Many who seek the transplant are the victims of facial scars, women seeking gender reassignment, or Hasidic Jews trying to achieve a denser payot. (Now you feel bad about laughing, right?) Though it may be easy to make fun of those seeking the procedure for the wrong reasons, it's also pretty concerning. Are men developing body image problems about their bare chin in the same way some women are about their flat chests? So what if you don't look like a homeless lumberjack? It doesn't make you less of a man. If anything, it takes you one step away from the likes of Zach Galifianakis and Shia LaBeouf. And, if you ask us, that's surely something to be thankful for. *Can neither confirm nor deny his ARIA win was beard-related. Via DNAinfo. Image by Juan Luis.
Fancy yourself a bit of a Betty Draper? Well it's your luck day lady. Local fashion collective Get Your Frock On is set to brighten up your weekend and wardrobe woes by throwing a much welcomed vintage bargain bonanza sale your way. The sale will feature crowded cupboards and overflowing collections of vintage gems including made-for-Mad-Men tea dresses, evening gowns, blouses, balloon pants and denim galore. The accessories department won't be neglected either with Get Your Frock On selling vintage purses, dainty gloves and top hats. Men who get dragged along to the sale will also have the opportunity to rummage around at some of the vintage blazers and tails on offer too. The extensive vintage collection on sale dates back as early as the 1930s and span right up until the grunge of the nineties. There will even be Opera costumes available for those who like their clothing to be a little more theatrical. Doors open at 8 so if your keen to nab yourself a 'bonanza bargain' best get there early – but be sure to keep your manners in your pockets. There's nothing worse than a Betty Draper look-a-like acting less than a lady.
Who won the very last Halloween Heist before Brooklyn Nine-Nine said goodbye forever? What costume did Rosa Diaz wear the first time that she took part? Which detective asked a criminal to help them win? Who was crowned the 'Queen of the Nine-Nine'? If you can answer all of the above — and you love both Brooklyn Nine-Nine and halloween — then you're set for this trivia night. Yes, it's all about the hit cop sitcom we all know, love and watched eight seasons of. And, the one that goes all out when it comes to the spookiest time of the year. Every time trivia sessions dedicated to B99 hit town, places are snapped up faster than Terry can snap open a tub of yoghurt. This time, you need to register in advance for Fritzenberger's trivia night at its South Bank joint, and then Sunday, October 31 can be your night for glory (that can also be the title of your sex tape if you'd like). It all starts at 6.30pm, and entry is free. Bring your wallet for burgs, obviously, plus beers. If all this sounds rather noice, get in quick as spots are limited.
It's been 133 years since Woolloongabba's The Princess Theatre first opened, but this heritage-listed building still knows how to party. Restored, revamped and now reborn as a new arts and music venue, the Annerley Road spot is officially welcoming the community back in with a huge two-day, all-ages housewarming on Friday, October 29 and Saturday, October 30. A smorgasbord shindig that boasts something for everyone, Open Housewarming at The Princess Theatre is a come one, come all type of affair. Expect a packed lineup of local music, art and performances, plus drinks and bites to eat from the onsite Fables Bar and Cafe. You'll dance, watch, listen, sip and celebrate, with tickets costing $10 per day. Tickets to the all-ages event will be available at the door. The doors will open at 1.30pm with live entertainment kicking off at 2pm and continuing until around midnight.
If you're a fan of mystery and delicious food, we have the juicy deets of an exclusive dinner that'll be right up your alley. This year, classy chip purveyor Red Rock Deli is hosting a series of exclusive secret suppers in mystery locations across Sydney — and you're invited. Across the next few months, some of Australia's most talented chefs will whip up mouth-watering feasts inspired by Red Rock Deli's new flavour range. And when we say exclusive, we mean it — only twenty lucky guests will be tucking into each lavish dinner. Despite everything being very hush-hush, we can reveal that the first Secret Supper will be hosted by Australian-Malaysian chef and 2010 MasterChef Australia winner Adam Liaw on Wednesday, May 15. Most of the details are still under wraps, but here's what we can tell you: after arriving at the collection point at Central Station's Grand Concourse entrance at 8pm, you'll be whisked away to a mystery location for the dining experience. During the evening, Liaw will recreate the flavours from the Thai red chilli and creamy coconut flavour from Red Rock Deli's new limited-edition Fusion range over a three-course meal. The menu will remain a secret until you arrive, but if grilled seafood, hearty curries and tropical flavours tickle your tastebuds, you're sure to be satisfied. Tickets to Fusion Adventure are priced at $110 per person and can be purchased here. Please note the Secret Supper menu will not cater to ANY dietary requirements or allergies. There are strictly no changes to the menu. Image: Kitti Gould.
When spring arrives in southeast Queensland each year, fans of soaking in the region's great outdoors can ignore boy band names and head in two directions. Go west and all things floral await for the entire month of September, thanks to the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers. Venture down to the Gold Coast, however, and you'll find a huge outdoor art gallery gleaming for ten days, and stretching across a one-kilometre expanse of sand. The latter comes courtesy of Swell Sculpture Festival, which returns to Currumbin Beach for 2022 between Friday, September 9–Sunday, September 18. As it has for 20 years now, the event features large-scale artworks displayed along the shore, ready for patrons to see while getting their feet sandy and/or wet, with more than 70 pieces popping up at this year's festival. Once again, visitors can expect to get an eyeful of stunning creations. Yes, by simply walking along the beach, you'll view some stellar art. This year's fest features more than pieces made by more 132 artists using a variety of materials — including works using concrete, stainless steel, copper, bronze, wood, glass, plastic and natural fibres, as well as fibreglass, bamboo, wire, silk, stone and aluminium. Some creatives, such as Malvika Satelkar, have taken inspiration from the ocean's unknowns. Others, like Irene Messia, pay tribute to the natural world — while Amelia Batchelor uses recycled materials to draw attention to humanity's dependence upon plastic and its environmental impact. Emily Hastie has taken cues from her love of surfing, Phil Darnton ponders the crossover of art and architecture, and Dion Parker found inspiration from Where the Wild Things Are. Obviously, the list goes on. Of course, every day, every beach becomes an art gallery in its own way. If you've ever taken a bucket, filled it with sand, plonked it onto the shore and shaped it with your bare hands, then you've sculpted something — and you've added a tiny piece of temporary art to the shoreline, too. So, it makes sense that part of the Gold Coast would celebrate this specific art form right by the water — with more than just sandcastles on offer, though. The 2022 fest includes guided walks; yoga among the art; pop-up food vendors; and masterclasses covering everything from photography and weaving to bush dyes, native foods and sculpture wheels. A beachside fringe fest features live tunes and comedy as well, alongside artist panels and poetry. Swell Sculpture Festival 2022 runs from Friday, September 9–Sunday, September 18 at Currumbin Beach. For further information, head to the event's website. Top images: PBR Images/Leximagery.
Calling all sleuths of Melbourne — and of Brisbane, too. If you haven't fulfilled your murder-mystery fix on the big and small screens over the past few years, then you'd best make a theatre date with the world's longest-running play. Here are three questions for you to solve before you get there: what is it, who wrote it and when is it coming your way? The answers: The Mousetrap, the one and only Agatha Christie, and this November in Brisbane — and next February in Melbourne, after first hitting up Sydney from October. Initially premiering in London's West End in 1952, The Mousetrap has been treading the boards in the UK ever since, only pausing during to pandemic venue closures. When theatres reopened in Britain, so did the show. Indeed, when it makes its way to Sydney's Theatre Royal from October, The Mousetrap will do so 70 years to the month that it first debuted. Unsurprisingly, that hefty run means that the show has enjoyed the longest stint for any West End production, and for any play anywhere in the world. So far, there's been more than 28,500 London performances. To answer the other obvious question, yes, it's a whodunnit. The murder-mystery starts with news of a killing in London — and with seven people snowed in at a guest house in the country. They're strangers, which is classic Christie. When a police sergeant arrives on skis, they're told that the murderer is among them (which, again, is vintage Christie). They all have wild pasts, too, and all those details are spilled as they're interrogated, and also try to work out who among them is the killer. Those guests at Monkswell Manor include a pair of newlyweds who run the house, a spinster, an architect who is handy in the kitchen, a retired Army major, a man who says his car has overturned in a drift, and a jurist. Naturally, there's another death as they'e all puzzling it over — and a twist conclusion, which audiences have been requested not to reveal after leaving the theatre for seven decades now. Again, it's all Christie all over, which'll be evident if you've seen the recent film versions of Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile — or the original cinema adaptations, or read the books, or devoured anything else that Christie ever wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Mousetrap Australia (@themousetrapau) The Mousetrap originated as a short radio play, which was written as a birthday present for Queen Mary. It aired in 1947 under the name Three Blind Mice, after which Christie rewrote it as a short story, then adapted it again for the stage as The Mousetrap. And no, there isn't a movie of it — because Christie stipulated that it can't leap to the screen until at least six months after the West End production closes. Clearly, that hasn't happened yet. In Australia, the play will hit the stage with Robyn Nevin directing and John Frost for Crossroads Live Australia producing. Cast-wise, Anna O'Byrne (My Fair Lady, Love Never Dies) will play Mollie Ralston, who owns Monkswell Manor, and Alex Rathgeber (Anything Goes, The Phantom of the Opera) will play Giles Ralston, Mollie's husband. Also set to feature: Laurence Boxhall (As You Like It, Jumpy) as Christopher Wren, a young guest; Geraldine Turner (Present Laughter, Don's Party) as Mrs Boyle, a former magistrate; Adam Murphy (Shakespeare in Love, Aladdin), as retired British military officer Major Metcalf; and debutant Charlotte Friels as the aloof Miss Casewell. Gerry Connolly (Cyrano de Bergerac, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui) will pop up, too, as unexpected guest Mr Paravicini, and Tom Conroy (Jasper Jones, My Brilliant Career) will play Detective Sergeant Trotter. THE MOUSETRAP AUSTRALIAN 2022–23 SEASON: From Saturday, October 8, 2022 — Theatre Royal Sydney From Thursday, November 3, 2022 — QPAC, Brisbane From Friday, February 17, 2023 — Comedy Theatre, Melbourne Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap will play Sydney's Theatre Royal from Saturday, October 8, 2022, then head to QPAC in Brisbane from Thursday, November 3, 2022 and to Melbourne's Comedy Theatre from Friday, February 17, 2023. Tickets for the Brisbane shows start pre-sales from Wednesday, August 24 and general sales from Friday, August 26, while tickets for Melbourne start pre-sales from Wednesday, September 7 and general sales from Friday, September 9. For further details, head to the play's website. Top image: Matt Crockett.
Since 2011, DJ Tom Loud's travelling dance party Hot Dub Time Machine has ripped up stages the world over, offering a rolling crossfade of the last six decades of pop-music. And back in 2017, he launched Wine Machine, a series of al fresco get-togethers on some of the country's most-loved wine regions. The Wine Machine events have kept returning — when the pandemic hasn't been interrupting plans — and they're making a comeback in 2022 and 2023. This time around, these single-stage parties in the vines are split into two batches, hitting up Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania from November 2022–January 2023 with one lineup, then heading to New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria from March–April 2023 with another. The western and southern leg of the fest is already on sale, with Flight Facilities, Lime Cordiale, Cut Copy, San Cisco, Client Liaison, Masked Wolf and Art vs Science on the bill — although some acts will only play some locations. Their destinations: Oakover Grounds in the Swan Valley, McLaren Vale's Serafino Wines and Home Hill Winery in Huon Valley. For east coasters, leading the music will be one of Hot Dub's Rave Machine sets. He'll be joined on stage by Lime Cordiale (except in Victoria), Bliss N Esso, Vera Blue (except in NSW), Northeast Party House, KLP and more — at Dalwood Estate in the Hunter Valley, Canberra's Commonwealth Park and Rochford Wines in Victoria. Backing up the tunes, there'll be a tasty lineup of eats, craft beer and, of course, some sensational vino from these Australian wine regions. Safe to say, it's probably the rowdiest event these wineries will host all year. WINE MACHINE 2023 DATES: Saturday, November 26, 2022 — Oakover Grounds, Swan Valley, Whadjuk Country, Western Australia Saturday, December 17, 2022 — Serafino Wines, McLaren Vale, Kaurna Country, South Australia Saturday, January 14, 2023 — Home Hill Winery, Huon Valley, Nuenonne Country, Tasmania Saturday, March 18, 2023 — Dalwood Estate, Hunter Valley, Wonnarua Country, New South Wales Saturday, March 25, 2023 — Commonwealth Park, Canberra, Ngunnawal Country, Australian Capital Territory Saturday, April 1, 2023 — Rochford Wines, Wurundjeri Country, Victoria WINE MACHINE 2022–23 LINEUP — WA, SA AND TASMANIA: Flight Facilities (DJ set only in Tasmania) Lime Cordiale Cut Copy San Cisco Client Liaison (excluding SA) Masked Wolf (SA only) Art vs Science (SA only) Stace Cadet (DJ set, Tasmania only) Sumner (SA only) Mell Hall Happiness Is Wealth Jimi the Kween The Poof Doof Jamboree WINE MACHINE 2023 LINEUP — NSW, ACT AND VICTORIA: Hot Dub Time Machine Lime Cordiale (excluding Victoria) Bliss N Esso Vera Blue (excluding NSW) Northeast Party House KLP Grantperez The Poof Doof Jamboree Wine Machine tours Australia from November 2022–April 2023. Tickets for Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania are on sale now. Ticket pre-sales for NSW, ACT and Victoria start from 6pm AEDT on Wednesday, November 2, with general sales from 12pm AEDY on Thursday, November 3. Head to the festival website for further details.
'Twas the night before the Exhibition holiday, and all through the city people were shaking their booties to live ditties. That's Ekka eve in a nutshell — however the Flying Cock are giving their music-focused party a bit of a twist. In the first in what might just become an annual event, they're keeping it local. Showcasing three of their favourite Brissie bands is the name of the game at Good Rock, with Good Boy, Shag Rock and The Con & The Liar the acts in the spotlight. A Brisbane public holiday calls for some Brisbane talent, after all — and this trio fit that bill and then some.
Set on a serene peninsula surrounded by Lake Wakatipu, the Queenstown Gardens boasts stunning lake and alpine views as well as a beautiful collection of blooms. Frequented by locals and visitors alike, the gardens' tranquil setting is the perfect refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city. As the gardens are conveniently located a short walk from downtown Queenstown, many community activities are held within the grounds. We suggest taking a rug, a picnic and some friends, kicking back and enjoy the views of the lake through the Douglas Firs. Once you're sufficiently relaxed, stretch your legs and take a stroll around the beautiful lawns. Be sure to check out the water feature and rose garden for an added bit of pretty.
Always wanted to be part of a show but felt too nervous about being seen on stage? Well, The Confidence Man may be just the ticket. This crime thriller from Side Pony Productions offers a one-of-a-kind participatory theatrical experience. The story is one of skulduggery in the suburbs, in which an ordinary family get drawn into a series of tragic events by the arrival of a bag containing a large sum of money. Each night, several audience members are invited to play characters in the tale. Anonymous inside large cushiony masks, the co-opted actors listen to an audio stream including instructions for their performance by headphones, providing an experience that, while unfolding publicly, is also intensely personal. Whether from within a mask, or watching and listening in from the audience seats, it is sure to an unusual, intimate and perhaps even chilling experience.
Now that Australia's borders have reopened, heading overseas is far easier than it's been for the past two years — but that doesn't mean an international getaway is immediately on everyone's itineraries. Sad about missing Coachella this year? Won't be able to head to Germany to celebrate Oktoberfest? If you're happy to pretend while putting, then make a date with Brisbane's newest mini golf joint. The first putt-putt offshoot of indoor golf simulator business X-Golf — aka the virtual greens you tap, tap, tap your way along when you're not actually hitting the grass — Hey Caddy has just opened in North Lakes. While that means that Brisbanites further south will have a drive north on their agenda, this 18-hole spot is all about indulging your wanderlust for further-away places, with each green themed around a particular destination. With a ferris wheel and coloured cacti, Coachella does indeed provide inspiration for one hole. Thanks to giant steins of beer and pretzels, so does Oktoberfest. Area 51 in Nevada gets the Hey Caddy treatment as well, and so do New York, Miami, Bora Bora, Egypt and, much closer to home, Melbourne. And Mars, too, although growing potatoes and counting sols probably isn't part of it. Murals by Brisbane-based artist Lee 'LINZ' Harnden grace the walls, and all 18 holes sit indoors, so it's the kind of club-swinging you can do no matter the weather. Also, because mini golf without drinks now feels like a relic of another time, there's a nineteenth hole, aka a bar, with beer, colourful cocktails and snacks. That means tucking into popcorn cauliflower, cheeseburger spring rolls, pizzas, sliders and doughnut fries whether you're celebrating a win or commiserating your bad luck at picking the angles (yes, mini golf is all about angles), all while making the most of the fully licensed setup. Sips on offer include brews on tap and by the bottle — non-boozy beers included — plus a small selection of wine and ready-to-drink pre-mixed spirits. Or, try a peanut butter old fashioned, elderflower margarita, whichever classic cocktail takes your fancy, and concoctions themed around certain holes. 'Little Green Men' includes gin, chartreuse, Midori, lime juice, sugar syrup and apple juice, for instance. Although adults can get sipping, Hey Caddy is an all-ages-friendly space — so if you're heading by during the day, you might have little putt-putters for company. And if you're not a North Lakes local or aren't heading that way anytime soon, Hey Caddy will also be setting up shop in South Brisbane as well, with its second venue due to open in September. Find Hey Caddy at 2/4 Burke Street, North Lakes — open 10am–10pm Monday–Saturday and 10am–6pm Sunday.
The Terrace at Emporium is an impressive spot for a drink every day of the year. Being perched 21 storeys above South Bank will do that, of course. Throughout 2021, however, the South Bank spot is paying extra attention to its Sunday lineup — so you can gather the gang, farewell your weekend and psych yourself up for the week ahead with a few drinks, a killer view, something to eat and a soundtrack of live tunes. Spending Sundays in 2021 on the 21st floor obviously has a nice ring to it. And, that's what the aptly named 21 Sundays is all about, running from 3–6pm weekly. While you're at the sky-high, super-scenic venue, you can tuck into small plates for $15, and cocktails for the same price well. Among the food and drink lineup, there's a big focus on supporting local producers, which makes sense when you're literally staring at the local landscape while you're kicking back.
Yarra Valley winemaker Innocent Bystander might have temporarily closed to visitors, but there's now a virtual version of its cellar door that should help fill the void. The team's taking to Facebook to host a series of weekly wine-sipping sessions you can enjoy from the comfort of home. The Live Tasting Bar is set to grace screens from 5pm AEST over the next three Fridays, April 17–May 1, led by Innocent Bystander's own sommelier Margaret. Get comfy and tune in each week for a relaxed wine tasting experience, complete with tasting notes, food pairing tips and general wine-related chat. Each session will be themed around a different variety — from this Friday's Sipping Syrah to Chatting Chardonnay on May 1 — so you can line up a bottle of the same to sip while you watch. As an added bonus for those that want to stock up in preparation, the winery's offering a neat 20-percent-off all drops in its online store, along with free shipping.
Most days of the year, there ain't no party like a Brightside party, and that proves true on Halloween as well. They're not calling their latest shindig the Frightside Horrorfest without good reason, after all. Demonstrating the enthusiastic flair regulars know and love, the Brighty folks will be transforming the entire venue into a haunted heaven (or hell, if you prefer), the carpark included. Indulging in the scarier side of things while dancing around on the concrete usually populated by automobiles might not sound like something exciting, but it should — more room equals an increased capacity for more revellers. That extra space will be filled to the brim, of course, with burlesque performers and go-go girls dancing up a storm, plus Kissperience and Demolition Lovers offering up creepy covers. Even the food is on theme, with the Lucky Egg kitchen adding special Halloween items — such as an all-black burger — to their menu for the evening.
Even though many of us love the idea of home-grown veggies, our work and social schedules often take precedence over sowing, seeding and weeding. However, a new fully automated hydroponics system promises to change all that. Titled 'Bitponics', it runs a 'Personal Grow Plan' (i.e. an entire season of gardening) via its Cloud. The soil is embedded with Wi-fi responsive sensors, which respond to humidity, air and water temperatures, light and pH levels. The Cloud automatically turns accessories on and off, and monitors the sensors' data. This information is sent to a web-based dashboard, accessible from any electronic device. In the case of sudden problems, the system sends immediate alerts, to which the user can respond remotely. 'Bitponics is a path into the future of urban home gardening,' explains Michael Zick Doherty, co-founder and lead hardware engineer. 'Through the development of open source technologies, we are making it possible for urban gardeners to care for their plants while they're away. Growing hydroponically is more than just about providing free food to your home - it is also about the educational experience that allows us to reconnect with what we eat, empowering us to eat healthy and protect our environment. It is also a great way for students in the classroom to use hydroponics as an applied method of understanding sciences such as biology and chemistry. They can see in real time the changes in the plants' environment and how this correlates to plant growth.' Still in development, a Bitponics Base Station will retail at $US499. Three different web services will be available: 'Trial' (free), 'Serious Grower' ($9 per month) and 'Commercial Grower' ($49 per month). [via PSFK]
With the fast approaching tour dates for iconic '90s pop groups, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, Hanson, Wheatus, S Club, Big Brovaz and Eiffel 65 (I'm blue da ba de dab a die), it is now completely undeniable that 2012 will be remembered throughout history as none other than the year of '90s music revival. The Venga Bus came and went, just as Aqua has been and gone. But, it seems as one group leaves, another jumps on the Aussie touring bandwagon. You can't sit dwelling in your hip modern residence forever. Embrace the time where it was cool to not be cool. Forget our technological advances, political debacles and ferocious weather. Australia has seen/is awaiting some of the world's greatest manufactured bands to take us back to the decade that actually welcomed the fashion of flair jeans and a large percentage of the population questioned who that bastard was that 'let the dogs out'. It was common to say mega to the start of every saying, shout NOT at the end of every sentence and no matter how terrible things would seem, the world would always be 'all good'. There's no use fighting the urge to whip out your old Pepsi Charts CDs and embrace the shitness that once was the music industry. Let us respect those that were kicking about before 1D had left the crib and accept the return of the '90s music revolution.
Retailer of classic silhouettes, every season basics and generally good garb COS will open its first Queensland next month — setting up shop on Queen Street. Owned by the H&M Group, COS already has presences in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. With six stores already offering the brand, the Brisbane store will make one for every day of the week (if you're so inclined). Founded in 2007 in London, COS now has 231 stores worldwide. It opened its first Australian store on Melbourne's Elizabeth Street in 2014 and has been supplying us with sleek and minimalist, yet fundamentally wearable clothing ever since. The new two-storey Wintergarden store will open on November 16 and will fill 474 square metres with clothes, accessories, underwear and shoes for women, men and children. It'll launch with the new spring summer 2018 collection, which features lots of soft tailoring and structured draping in greens, whites, creams and navy. COS Brisbane will open on Friday, November 16 at Wintergarden, 171–209 Queen Street, Brisbane.
Every now and then, Airbnb wants you to sleep somewhere you wouldn't normally be able to visit, such as Barbie's Malibu DreamHouse, the Ted Lasso pub, the Moulin Rouge! windmill and Gwyneth Paltrow's Montecito abode. Whichever spots that the accommodation platform is offering up, there's usually a common denominator: these once-in-a-lifetime stays aren't Down Under. Hobbiton broke the trend, and the Bluey house, too. So does Logan Martin's Gold Coast home. Fancy spending a long weekend at the Olympic BMX gold medalist's house? This spring, you can. Airbnb has been focusing on well-known folks of late, following up Paltrow's guesthouse with Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis' own oceanside equivalent in Santa Barbara County. Now comes Martin's place, with the Australian champ — who won his gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the first-ever men's BMX freestyle competition at the games — welcoming a group of up to four people from Saturday, September 30–Tuesday, October 3. In some Aussie states — including Queensland — the dates do indeed fall over a long weekend. Even if they don't for you, this is a three-night getaway. And it's cheap. How cheap? Just $16 per night, which is a real cost-of-living crisis bargain. If you're wondering whether Martin will be hanging around, the answer is yes — for a BMX demonstration and session in his backyard. He'll put his very own state-of-the-art, Olympic-sized skatepark to good use, and also show you how to, in an effort to inspire future BMX riders. Scoring the booking also includes making the most of the three-bedroom, two-bathroom Gold Coast hinterland home's views, putting green and sandpit, as well as its pool. Inside, you'll be surrounded by Martin's trophies, medals and other memorabilia. Like all of these special Airbnb stays, you do need to be available to kick back on the specific dates — and you need to be lucky enough to score the reservation, which opens at 9am AEST on Tuesday, September 12. Also, all travel costs fall on you, with the $16-per-night accommodation fee just covering access to the property. "I stay in Airbnbs all over the world, and love how these stays have given my family and I a unique way to explore amazing places and really authentically connect with new communities," said Martin. "As a host, I will bring a unique and adventure-fuelled experience to my guests so they can create exciting lifelong memories — including a very special one-on-one BMX experience in my world class skatepark in my backyard." Airbnb adds this new extremely short-term listing to its roster after also doing the same with Japan's World Heritage-listed Suganuma Village, the Paris theatre that inspired The Phantom of the Opera, the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine, The Godfather mansion, the South Korean estate where BTS filmed In the Soop and the Sanderson sisters' Hocus Pocus cottage in recent years. For more information about Logan Martin's Gold Coast home on Airbnb, or to book at 9am AEST on Tuesday, September 12 for a stay from Saturday, September 30–Tuesday, October 3, head to the Airbnb website. Images: Luke Marsden Photography. 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.
Comedic duo, Sammy J and Randy are back in Brisbane this week to dish out belly laughs and tons of giggles. The pair have returned to Australian soil after participating in comedy festivals in Montreal and Edinburgh and have hit the ground running. Their show, Sammy J and Randy in The Inheritance, promises to be a light-hearted and entertaining performance. The show focuses on Randy's discovery that he is an heir to an impressive fortune. Moral questions of honestly and jealousy will arise as the two bicker over the cash and of course, hilarity ensues. The show's duration is just a little over an hour and combines puppetry and musical comedy with a theatrical spin. Catch this hilarious Australian act on either their Friday or Saturday night show. The Powerhouse recommends this performance for those over 15 years.
Every year, The Wickham hosts Little Gay Day. Despite the name, it's a sizeable party, all while doubling as a fundraising event for charities that serve the LGBTQIA+ community. And, in 2023, this sister shindig to the venue's Big Gay Day is returning — this time in April. These two fests have swapped spots on the calendar just for this year; however, they're both still attached to long weekends. For Little Gay Day, that means getting Brisbanites partying from 2pm on Sunday, April 30. There'll be live tunes and performances taking over the whole newly revamped venue. There'll be beverages, too, given the location. Zoë Badwi, SGT Slick, BRIEFS, Get Ready with Ruby Slippers, Clara Cupcakes' Good Time Corral, Henny Spaghetti, Dolly Kicks, Stefani Stefani and Reef VS Beef lead the lineup of musicians, drag queens and performers who'll be strutting their stuff, spanning both locals and interstate talents. This year, entry is ticketed, with funds going to Open Doors Youth Service.
What do you have more cash for when you're only spending 50 cents per journey on your commute to and from work, and to get to wherever else you might need via Queensland's Translink public transport? Sunshine State residents are set to find out permanently. The current cost-of-living relief measure that's been discounting fares to a shiny dodecagonal coin since early August 2024 will now continue — on an ongoing basis, not just for the six months that was initially announced in May. Slashing the price of public transport was always going to prove a hit. In its first month, the 50-cent fare trial saw more than 15-million trips taken across southeast Queensland alone, increasing patronage by 2.4 percent on pre-COVID-19 levels. So, not only has the current Labor Queensland Government committed to keeping the reduced price, but so has the state's opposition party. Accordingly, no matter who wins the Sunshine State's next election on Saturday, October 26, 2024, cheap public transport is here to stay. [caption id="attachment_857365" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] When the initiative came into effect on Monday, August 5, 2024, it was revealed that it'd run until February — but The Sunday Mail reported that the Queensland Government would reassess the move in early 2025 if Labour was re-elected. No one is now waiting until the ballot, however, given how popular the discounted fares have been. First Queensland Premier Steven Miles announced that the 50-cent prices would become permanent, then Opposition Leader David Crisafulli revealed that the cheap fare would be kept if there's a change of government. [caption id="attachment_796727" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] The price-slashing move is both a cost-of-living relief measure and an effort to reduce traffic congestion, and it impacts a hefty range of travel options. Translink, which falls within Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads, runs trains, buses, ferries and trams in southeast Queensland, for starters. So for Brisbanites, whether you ride the rails as part of your daily commute, hit the road or hop on a CityCat, you're now scoring a hefty discount, getting there and home for just $1 a day. This is a statewide measure. Translink also runs buses in Bowen, Bundaberg, Cairns, the Fraser Coast, Gladstone and Gympie — and in Innisfail, Kilcoy, Mackay, Rockhampton, Yeppoon, the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Toowoomba, Townsville, Warwick and The Whitsundays. The 50-cent price applies to everyone, including concession cardholders, but is only available on Translink services. As such, privately operated transport services aren't doing the cheap fares. [caption id="attachment_703636" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Philip-Mallis via Flickr[/caption] [caption id="attachment_754201" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] [caption id="attachment_630654" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andrew Thomas via Flickr[/caption] [caption id="attachment_749921" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] John via Flickr[/caption] All fares across Translink's Queensland public transport services currently cost 50 cents. To find out more about Translink's services, head to the company's website. Top image: John Robert McPherson via Wikimedia Commons.
If the regular Brisbane scene suddenly seems passé, full of naïve 18 year olds and you’re looking for somewhere a little more sophisticated/impressive to take someone on a date, the Schubert String Quintet might be just what you’re after. Imagine taking that someone special to QPAC, having a glass of champagne and witnessing classical masterpieces performed to perfection - you’d be getting lucky for sure, and you wouldn’t even need a corny pickup line to woo some lass (or lad) into the boudoir. Performing are five principal musicians from the Australian Chamber Orchestra; Richard Tognetti, Satu Vänskä, Christopher Moore, Timo-Veikko Valve and Jan-Erik Gustafsson. Together they are playing pieces by Bach, Stravinsky and Webern, so your entire musical palate will be satisfied regardless of any classy preferences. This night is a one-off event so you’d better be getting tickets organised quickly and having your formal wear dry-cleaned - you wouldn’t want to miss a chance to show off, would you?
Already a go-to for affordable European spreads, Paddington's Nota has now added a wine bar to the mix. Three years after first opening at 224 Given Terrace, the inner-west restaurant has taken over the space next door, turning it into your next favourite vino-swilling spot. Still present: the exposed brick walls and mirrors aplenty, as Nota has boasted ever since it took over fine diner Montrachet's old Paddington digs after the beloved French eatery moved shop. Now, under the rebadged name Nota Restaurant & Wine Bar, the venue is pairing those eye-catching surroundings with a dedicated area to enjoy tipples — with or without a bite to eat. First announced earlier in 2022 and now up and running, the revamped Nota has become a 90-seater, and has knocked down the adjoining wall between its two spaces so that patrons can mosey between them. On the bar side, you'll find a five-metre wall of wines, wines and more wines. Warm lighting sets the mood, a bar snack menu will keep your stomach from rumbling, and the full Nota menu is also available. Owners Kevin Docherty and Sebastiaan de Kort (ex-Moda) have also enlisted Italian-born, French-trained Head Chef Matteo Pisanu to take care of the kitchen. On the menu: oysters, savoury churros with anchovies, cheeseburger spring rolls and tempura fish sandwiches among the smaller options; plus beef carpaccio, scallops burrata, spanner crab pasta and more. As for all that vino, restaurant manager Yanika Sittisuntorn has grown Nota's range from 12 bottles upon opening to 90-plus now, and is particularly fond of lesser-known and experimental varieties. Find NotaRestaurant & Wine Bar at 224 Given Terrace, Paddington — open 6pm–late on Tuesday, 4pm–late on Wednesday–Thursday and 12pm–late Friday–Saturday. Images: Markus Ravik.
After a three-year hiatus, we are to be once again graced with the Brisbane Indesign Festival. By bringing Brisbane a bevy of local and international talent from a diversity of fields, Brisbane Indesign aims to showcase all that is great in the world of design. If a treasure trove of inspiration from the four corners of the world isn’t enough for those considering attending, real treasure is also on offer this year. The festival’s official partners are offering the opportunity to win some truly awesome prizes, including a collection of Art Series Abstract homewares from Dinosaur Designs, and a trip for two (including return flights and accommodation) to Melbourne for the Saturday Indesign festival courtesy of Stylecraft. The event kicks off on Saturday the 26th May and will continue until Sunday evening throughout various showrooms and pop up stalls along the length of James Street, Fortitude Valley. Free shuttle buses will be running to ferry avid explorers between locations and a host of street performers and artists will also be showcasing their varied talents. Entry to the festival is free. Simply visit the official website and register your intent to attend. For anyone seeking design inspiration, or for those seeking to inspire, this is your time to shine.
At a press conference in Brisbane during his first trip to Australia to see the Down Under production of Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda said that the Aussie stars of his hit Tony-, Grammy- and Pulitzer Prize-winning show had been "stacking up against the originals in a very tangible way" ever since casting took place three years back. That isn't the only time the acclaimed theatre talent has been chatting during his Australian visit, however, taking part in a live public Q&A session for fans in the Sunshine State capital. Missed out on being in the room where that happened? Thankfully, you'll have a shot to watch the results in your own room — and soon. Given that Leigh Sales hosted the discussion, which took place on Sunday, March 5, it should hardly come as a surprise that the talk is heading to the ABC and ABC iView. It'll air on TV twice: at 6pm on Saturday, March 18 and 10pm on Tuesday, March 21, as well as joining the iView catalogue. Viewers can watch Miranda step through the smash-hit musical that's had the whole world talking since it first debuted off-Broadway in 2015. His chat with Sales came the day after he saw the Aussie version of Hamilton at the QPAC Lyric Theatre — the same stage he took to discuss it, in fact. Viewers can expect to hear about everything from the process Miranda went through to make the musical to begin with, behind-the-scenes details and the Aussie production's impressive talents. [caption id="attachment_870525" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] The biggest show in musical theatre this century, this game-changing, award-winning, rightly raved-about take on 18th-century American politics is about the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, as well as inclusion and politics in current-day America. Miranda wrote the music, lyrics and the book for the critically acclaimed hip hop musical. The Broadway hit's Aussie production features a cast that currently includes Jason Arrow as Alexander Hamilton, Martha Berhane as Eliza Hamilton, Callan Purcell as Aaron Burr, Akina Edmonds as Angelica Schuyler, Matu Ngaropo as George Washington, and Victory Ndukwe as Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. Sami Afuni plays Hercules Mulligan and James Madison, Wern Mak does double duty as John Laurens and Philip Hamilton, Elandrah Eramiha plays Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds, and Brent Hill steps into King George III's robes. [caption id="attachment_870526" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] When it finishes its Brisbane season at QPAC's Lyric Theatre on Sunday, April 23, the show will leave the country for a New Zealand run. That'll mean that Aussie fans will then need to be content with watching the filmed version of Hamilton's Broadway production, which started streaming via Disney+ in 2020, again. (And yes, it's as phenomenal as you've heard). Brisbanites keen to see Hamilton for cheap in-person can also try the $10 ticket lottery, which offers tickets for less than the cost of lunch. Lin-Manuel Miranda's chat with Leigh Sales at QPAC's Lyric Theatre will hit the ABC and ABC iView at 6pm on Saturday, March 18, and air again on the ABC at 10pm on Tuesday, March 21. Hamilton's Brisbane season runs until Sunday, April 23 at QPAC's Lyric Theatre, South Bank, with tickets available via the musical's website. You can also read our rundown of what Lin-Manuel Miranda had to say at his Brisbane press conference. Top image: Joan Marcus.
The funniest comics from Australia and across the globe will be in town between February 26 and March 24 for this year's Brisbane Comedy Festival. Be prepared for an onslaught of hilarity as comedians such as Stephen K. Amos, Sammy J & Randy, Dave O'Neil, Dave Thornton, and Hannah Gadsby take to the stage. Although you may not know their faces, you'll definitely recognise the voices of Triple J presenter, Mel Buttle and Tom Ballard, who will also tickle your funny bone. This year's colourful bunch of comedians include well-known entertainers as well as up-and-comers. Newbies have the chance to make you giggle at the Breakout Comedy show from February 21. Another highlight of the festival is Chalkboard, a late-night session held on Friday and Saturday nights where a variety of comedians get the chance to share their new material. Held at the Brisbane Powerhouse, this much-loved festival will make you laugh until you cry — or at least until you need to change your underwear.
During its eight-season run between 2011–19, Game of Thrones served up more drama than several fire-breathing dragons could whip up. It also delivered HBO huge ratings, plenty of advertising dollars and free-flowing acclaim, so the US cable network is understandably keen to keep the franchise going — and it looks like it has three more GoT-related TV shows in the works. We say 'more' because HBO already has three others in various stages of development. Indeed, just which new programs will spin off from the world created by George RR Martin has been a hefty source of drama in itself over the past few years. Before GoT even finished, there was chatter about what would come next, with the network first announcing that it was considering five different prequel ideas. It then green-lit one to pilot stage, scrapped it and later decided to adapt Martin's House Targaryen-focused Fire & Blood for the small screen as a show called House of the Dragon instead. Next, it opted to also give novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg the TV treatment — and to work on an animated GoT show as well. Now, The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that fans might be able to look forward to 9 Voyages, 10,000 Ships and a third show set in Flea Bottom, the King's Landing slum. So, like residents of Westeros hoping that summer (or at least autumn) will last for ever, you don't need to let go of this highly successful fantasy world anytime soon. Hailing from Rome creator Bruno Heller, 9 Voyages plans to focus on Lord Corlys Velaryon, who is also known as The Sea Snake, Lord of the Tides, Master of Driftmark and head of House Velaryon. If he doesn't yet sound familiar, that's because he's set to appear in House of the Dragon, where he'll be played by Steve Toussaint (It's a Sin). As for 10,000 Ships, it'll be about Princess Nymeria, an ancestor of House Martell who started the kingdom of Dorne. If it goes ahead, the show will tell a tale that takes place around 1000 years before the events in GoT. Then there's the the Flea Bottom series, which doesn't yet have even a working title. But, viewers can expect to spend time in the spot where Davos Seaworth and Gendry Baratheon were born. So far, only House of the Dragon — which will star Olivia Cooke (Pixie), Emma D'Arcy (Misbehaviour), Paddy Considine (The Third Day), Rhys Ifans (Official Secrets), Matt Smith (His House), Sonoya Mizuno (Devs) and Eve Best (Nurse Jackie) — is confirmed to be forging ahead. You can probably pencil in 2022 in your diary, if you're wondering when you might be able to see it. As for the other five GoT-related shows, they're just in various stages of development, so it's too early to say when they might pop up or who'll star in them. As the scrapping of the first proposed prequel illustrates — as mentioned above — the fact that HBO is pondering making new Westeros-set programs doesn't mean that they'll end up coming to fruition. At some point, Martin's saga will also live on in his books, whenever the author finally publishes the long-awaited next instalment of his A Song of Ice and Fire series. Until any of the GoT prequels and spinoffs actually drop, you can always rewatch the original — which is streaming in Australia via Binge — or revisit a trailer from its eighth and final season below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuLUyJdRvSU Via The Hollywood Reporter.
It's that time again, somehow: time to start filling your calendar with festive events. If you're the kind of person who can't wait to celebrate Christmas each year, you're in luck. If you think that October is too early to start thinking about all things jolly, Brisbane's social calendar in general doesn't care — and neither does Rivermakers Heritage Quarter. South Bank has a huge revamp on the cards, and Northshore Hamilton as well. Portside is enjoying a makeover right now, while Howard Smith Wharves joined Brisbane's riverside so recently that it still feels brand new. But they aren't the only food-, drink- and entertainment-filled precincts by the water that are inviting Brisbanites in, with Rivermakers Heritage Quarter popping up in the city's east, turning a patch of Colmslie Road in Morningside into a new must-visit destination and regularly hosting events to celebrate. If you haven't had the chance to stop by the 30-hectare heritage-listed spot yet at its open day, 2022 Christmas party, Hottest 100 shindig or autumn's debut Makers on the River, here's your next chance: the return of the latter, aka a waterside festival with live music, a heap of markets, plenty of drinking opportunities and sky-brightening fireworks. Makers on the River will make a Christmas season comeback from 12–4–9pm on Saturday, November 11, showcasing Rivermakers' sights — and everything you can eat, drink and do, from sipping brews and taking brewing masterclasses at Revel Brewing Co's second site through to dancing to tunes and checking out roving performers. The yet-to-be-announced music bill will celebrate local talents. Selling their wares: over 50 stalls from artisan vendors, with a focus on all things bespoke, handmade and local. An array of food options will also take care of the culinary side of things, complete with a cheese and oyster bar. And Milton Rum's pop-up bar will help quench your thirst. For kids, there'll be rides as well. And those fireworks will liven up the heavens at 8.30pm. The full Rivermakers precinct sprawls across a patch of land at the end of Junction Road that first housed a lime factory back in 1917. Since then, it's been used for alcohol distillation, radio broadcasting, naval barracks and a migrant hostel, and as the base for Hans Continental Smallgoods. Now, Low & Slow Meat Co, Bavay Distillery and ceramics workshop Mas & Miek are among Rivermakers' tenants. Makers on the River: Christmas Edition takes place from 4–9pm on Saturday, November 11. Head to Rivermakers website for further details.
Australians can't travel far in 2020, but domestic flight sales have been doing big business. When Jetstar launched a heap of cheap options in mid-June, it sold 70,000 seats in just five hours. And when Alliance Airlines offered $99 trips from Brisbane to the Whitsundays, it understandably received plenty of interest, too. If you're a Queenslander still eager to head north for a getaway in the next few months (to salvage what's left of 2020, perhaps), it's now Virgin Australia's turn to help your holiday plans. The airline is holding a sale on flights from Brissie to Hamilton Island — costing $129 each way. The sale has already kicked off, and is available until it sells out — so there's no official end date but, obviously, it's likely to be popular and seats will probably get snapped up quickly. In terms of making the trip, you can get tropical between Monday, October 12–Sunday, December 13, giving you a hefty two-month period to slot in your island vacation. And, heading to Hamilton Island won't require you to navigate Queensland's borders, given that you'll be staying within the state. Via its app, Virgin is also offering 20 percent off a selection of other fares — not just to Hamilton Island and back — between Wednesday, October 13–Wednesday, December 9. To nab those cheap flights, you'll have to make a purchase before midnight on Thursday, October 8, or until they're sold out. Virgin Australia's $129 sale on flights between Hamilton Island and Brisbane runs until sold out — and its 20-percent-off app sale runs until midnight on Thursday, October 8 (or until sold out).
What's more believable — and plot twists follow: a pre-teen playing a 33-year-old woman pretending to be a nine-year-old orphan, with a hormone disorder explaining the character's eerily youthful appearance; or an adult playing a 31-year-old woman pretending to be a lost child returned at age nine, again with that medical condition making everyone else oblivious? For viewers of 2009's Orphan and its 13-years-later follow-up Orphan: First Kill, which is a prequel, neither are particularly credible to witness. But the first film delivered its age trickery as an off-kilter final-act reveal, as paired with a phenomenal performance by then 12-year-old Isabelle Fuhrman in the pivotal role. Audiences bought the big shift — or remembered it, at least — because Fuhrman was so creepy and so committed to the bit, and because it suited the OTT horror-thriller. This time, that wild revelation is old news, but that doesn't stop Orphan: First Kill from leaning on the same two key pillars: an out-there turn of events and fervent portrayals. Fuhrman (The Novice) returns as Esther, the Estonian adult who posed as a parentless Russian girl in the initial feature. In Orphan: First Kill, she's introduced as Leena Klammer, the most dangerous resident at the Saarne Institute mental hospital. The prequel's first sighted kill comes early, as a means of escape. The second follows swiftly, because the film needs to get its central figure to the US. Fans of the previous picture will recall that Esther already had a troubled history when she was adopted and started wreaking the movie's main havoc, involving the family that brought her to America — and her time with that brood, aka wealthy Connecticut-based artist Allen Albright (Rossif Sutherland, Possessor), his gala-hosting wife Tricia (Julia Stiles, Hustlers) and their teen son Gunnar (Matthew Finlan, My Fake Boyfriend), is this flick's focus. Like their counterparts in Orphan, the Albrights have suffered a loss and are struggling to move on. When Leena poses as their missing daughter Esther, Allen especially seems like his old self again. As also happened in Orphan, however, the pigtail- and ribbon-wearing new addition to their home doesn't settle in smoothly. Orphan: First Kill repeats the original movie's greatest hits, including the arty doting dad, the wary brother, taunts labelling Esther a freak and a thorny relationship with her mum. Also covered: suspicious external parties, bathroom tantrums, swearing to get attention and spying on her parents having sex. And yes, anyone who has seen Orphan knows how this all turns out, and that it leads to the above again in Orphan, too. Thankfully, that's only part of Orphan: First Kill's narrative. Twists can be curious narrative tools; sometimes they're inspired, sometimes they're a crutch propping up a flimsy screenplay, and sometimes they seesaw between both. Orphan: First Kill tumbles gleefully into the latter category, thanks to a revelation midway that's patently ridiculous — although no more ridiculous than Orphan earning a follow-up in the first place — and also among the best things about the movie. It's a big risk, making a film that's initially so laughably formulaic that it just seems lazy, then letting a sudden switch completely change the game, the tone and the audience's perception of what's transpired so far. That proved a charm for the thoroughly unrelated Malignant in 2021, and it's a gamble that filmmaker William Brent Bell (The Boy and Brahms: The Boy II) and screenwriter David Coggeshall (Scream: The TV Series) take. Working with a story by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) and Alex Mace (who earned the same credit on the original), it's one of their savviest choices. Another crucial decision that would've shattered the film had it gone the other way: getting Fuhrman back. Given she's now definitely an adult, it's downright preposterous to buy her as passing for nine, Lizzie Borden dresses and all — but with the jig already up for viewers before this flick even begins, that visible discrepancy adds another sinister layer to everything Esther gets up to. Yes, Bell and cinematographer Karim Hussain (Firestarter) are toying with everyone watching just like their evil protagonist does, not only with the Albrights but with unconvinced Detective Donnan (Hiro Kanagawa, Pachinko) and doubtful Dr Segar (Samantha Walkes, Murdoch Mysteries) as well. Fuhrman makes you want to go along with the gambit; she's again a force to be reckoned with as the malevolent, manipulative miniature psychopath, playing her part with equal parts steely determination and calm-faced derangement, and with the help of camera angles and practical effects to keep up the act. Bell knows that Orphan's twist is now as familiar as those in The Sixth Sense, The Planet of the Apes and Soylent Green. He also knows that Orphan is more famous for how it ends than being a genre standout otherwise, which it isn't. And, he knows that viewers are aware that Fuhrman is now an adult portraying an adult impersonating a child, rather than a child portraying a woman professing to be a kid. That also works emotionally for Orphan: First Kill, laying the groundwork for its own change of direction. In Orphan, Esther always resembles a brattish girl, even when she drops her disguise, and sympathising with her adoptive mother's anguish comes easily. Here, she's clearly an adult, and wondering why her ruse seems to work so smoothly also comes with the territory. Orphan didn't just boast one big performance, of course, and neither does Orphan: First Kill. More Julia Stiles in all things is always welcome, including when she's dealing with demonic tykes as she also did in The Omen remake. The twist she's saddled with here is inescapably silly, but Stiles has a glorious amount of fun with it — and helps answer the question that hangs over the film's first half (that'd be "why is Julia Stiles in this?"). She isn't quite enough to justify Orphan: First Kill's existence, and nor is Fuhrman repeating her first big success, the new surprise development that the whole picture hinges on, all the callbacks or the whole origin-story vibe. The world didn't really need to know why Esther likes blacklight paintings or where she first got her ribbons, which adds zero depth to the franchise. Attempting to evoke empathy for the murder-happy figure doesn't strike the chord it's meant to, either. But that revelation is still worth discovering, and Fuhrman and Stiles' performances are still worth watching, in a movie that knows it's a lurid and needless second effort — and happily leans in.
Forget all other music rivalries; since the 1960s, nothing has eclipsed The Beatles versus The Rolling Stones. One seemed like the friendly guys next door, the other like edgy bad boys - and while the iconic groups themselves largely played nice, their fans have argued for supremacy over the past five decades. For the second instalment of their 'Choose Your Weapon' series, The New Globe wants to resolve the issue once and for all. To do so, four bands will showcase their takes on a catalogue of classics, on this hard day’s night where it’s only rock ’n' roll. All Hawkmoon and Drawn From Bees need is love to strut their stuff, though they might get by with a little help from their friends. Switchblade Suzie and Stone Majesty are certain to have sympathy for the devil as they start things up and paint it black. Of course, the real winner is you, the audience, gifted with a night of legendary tunes interpreted by great local acts. Those in the Stones camp might want to arrive early for something extra special — infamous tour documentary Gimme Shelter screens at 6.30pm, before the bands start battling it out.
Gift giving can be stressful business. Finding that perfect gift that ticks all the boxes of convenience, affordability, and, most importantly, thoughtfulness can become a mission. Lucky for us that perfect gift is simply a click away thanks to the hundreds of boutiques popping up on the net. Here are eight of the most quirky, inspiring, and fun online boutiques for gift shopping. Prepare to waste many, many hours bookmarking from these sites. And while you're at it, go on buy yourself a little present, too. Bodega Deluxe Sometime in 2011 Bodega Deluxe popped onto the radar. Frustrated with Australian shopping and too impatient to wait weeks for items to deliver, the folks at Bodega Deluxe took matters into their own hands and set up shop. Inspired by New York's local neighbourhood convenience stores, 'bodegas', the boutique sources the most quirky and fantastically random gifts and titbits that won't break the bank. Think Japanese anime DVDs (Totoro, anyone?), paint-your-own babushka dolls, and cinnamon mint flavoured toothpaste sourced from Italy. Despite the relatively small range, Bodega Deluxe's mix of tongue-in-cheek gifts and spiffed-up everyday items makes it a fuss-free, stress-free shopping zone. http://www.bodegadeluxe.com/ Culture Label Hailing from the motherland, Culture Label should be your go-to site when you’re looking for a gift that's just a little bit fancy. The site describes itself as the "crossroads of the cultural world; where art, design, style, heritage and emerging talent meet". Or in other words, so trendy it hurts. If you're stuck for ideas of what to buy the guy/girl who has everything, Culture Label will sort you out. There are hundreds of luxury or unusual gifts that ooze quirky British humour, such as vintage posters (a la Attack of the 50 Foot Woman), a Shakespeare's Hamlet-inspired Kindle cover, and a lips telephone. Bonus features such as personalised currency converter, giftware guides, and limited edition items give Culture Label the tick of approval. As the site acts as a hub for individual vendors, keep in mind that different postal costs apply depending on what you order. http://www.culturelabel.com/ Hello Polly Well, Hello there Polly. This young gun may have only been established for a year, but it feels like home, sweet home. It’s no surprise that, coming from an art background, founder Sarah Kelk has filled this cute-as-a-button boutique with crafty knickknacks for the home, graphic artwork, and bright accessories. It's the perfect online shopping destination to source gifts for the hostesses, decorators, and little ones in your life. You’ll find offbeat products like a breadboard shaped as a button or cardboard convertible toys by Flatout Frankie that will certainly prompt a squeal of delight from the lucky gift receiver. https://hellopolly.com.au/ Lark Sorry boys, this one's for the ladies. Hailing from Daylesford, Australia to the worldwide web, Lark is all quirky, cute, and girly. Think an '80s chick-flick in web form. This family-run boutique certainly lives up to its motto, 'live a beautiful life'. You'll find smile-inducing items such as a classic Etch A Sketch, brightly coloured metal signs spelling 'don't worry be happy', and, just in time for the silly season, that neon Christmas tree you always dreamed off. You'll have to spend over $120 to get the free shipping deal, but frankly, your mum, best friend, and niece will thank you for bulk buying their presents. http://www.larkmade.com.au/ Pigeonhole In five short years Pigeonhole has gone from being a one-man show in an old arcade in Perth to a five-store-strong, cafe-touting, and online extravaganza. For those not living on the west side, Pigeonhole online brings the best of their fashion and gift ranges to the masses. As far as gift shops go, Pigeonhole sits nicely in the all-rounder corner with something for every family member or friend. Shopping for a keen photog? Buy them the Impossible Project From Polaroid to Impossible book. Your mum’s a caffeine fiend? Show her you care with a heart-shaped espresso cup. Is your boyfriend always running late? Give him a hint and a 100 percent natural wood watch. http://www.pigeonhole.com/ Society 6 One of the best parts about gift giving is that it doesn’t have to be something the recipient needs but something they want (or don't yet know they want). This is where Society 6 comes in. Society 6 sources artwork in the form of prints, iPhone cases, T-shirts, and more from thousands of artists worldwide. If you want to buy someone special something very personal and unique, you can't go past this site. Prepare to waste many hours agonising over whether to buy one of the dozens of Batman prints, a stormwalker (moonwalking stormtrooper) laptop case, or a skull sprouting flowers tote bag. http://society6.com/ Think Geek Whether it’s Star Wars or superheros, Think Geek takes your fandom seriously. This online shopping site wholeheartedly celebrates all things tech, sci-fi, and fantasy with its range of gadgets and pop culture memorabilia. You can even shop by category and, yes, as we go to print there are almost a hundred products in the Zombies & Bacon category. It's a great place to find a gift for your mate that shows you care but won't have you breaking open the piggy bank. How about Star Wars Chop Sabers ('eat sushi, defend the galaxy') ora cupcake-shaped stress ball? Keep in mind that shipping depends on what you are ordering, how much you are ordering, and where it is shipping. http://www.thinkgeek.com/ Top 3 by design Top 3 by design live by the motto less is more. This online boutique stocks up to three products per category. This thorough editing process means each product really lives up to its potential. The range of functional, original, and clever products has an industrial rather than handcrafted edge. You'll find classic designs that have withstood the test of time, such as Josef Hartwig for Naef's Bauhaus chess set and board alongside modern innovations such as Andreas Engevik's Menu Pin Table (an outdoor table that literally can be pushed into the grass like a pin). Be warned that designer gifts come with designer prices, so save this site for when gift-buying for a special occasion or pool in with others. http://www.top3.com.au/index.html Main image: Hello Polly.
When the 2020 Emmy Awards handed out its gongs, a big upset hit the Lead Actress in a Drama category. Zendaya got the nod, and became its youngest-ever winner in the process. Of course, anyone who has watched Euphoria wasn't shocked at all. Playing Rue Bennett, a high schooler who has long tried to self-medicate her way out of her struggles, she's fantastic. She's also a major reason that the show's eight-episode first season quickly proved such a hit — and that the series will not only return for a second season, but is also dropping two specials in the interim. A sex-, drug-, lust- and love-fuelled teen drama mightn't sound like HBO's usual wheelhouse; however, fans of the US network already know one key truth: that it rarely puts a foot wrong. Not only is Euphoria vivid, energetic and dazzling to look at, but it's unflinchingly honest, raw and authentic as it follows Rue and her friends as they navigate their turbulence of being teenagers.
If you thought the Suitcase Rummage markets couldn’t get any better then I have some news for you. The best market in town just got better! Hard to believe, but it’s all true. Suitcase Rummage is taking part in the new creative community event The Home Festival, and is delivering a brand spankin’ new market, appropriately named ‘The Wardrobe Markets.’ The Wardrobe Markets will be just like the regular rummage markets were you can buy the best vintage, hand made and second hand goods Brisbane has to offer, but now instead of rummaging through suitcases the markets will be set up like a giant wardrobe. This means tables, clothing racks, lamps, rugs and other homely displays to make your shopping experience just that little bit more unique. The Home Festival has created different 'rooms' for people to visit throughout the day, (a lounge room, kitchen, study, garage etc) and the Suitcase Rummage stall holders will be setting up the scene of the rooms with their wares. PLUS there will be other events happening including live bands, workshops, zine making and outdoor screenings. The Home Festival's got it all baby. So this month you get double the market intake with the regular Suitcase Rummage on April 3 and the new Wardrobe Markets on April 9. Huzzah! Image by Jono Robert
With international travel on the back burner for the foreseeable future, we're really leaning into the idea of holidaying a lot closer to home this year. With its pristine beaches, idyllic islands and lush rainforests, Queensland has much to offer — and there's never been a better excuse to explore it. But let's face it, the state is huge. If the thought of spending hours driving doesn't exactly sound like a holiday, why not take advantage of the myriad other ways to explore the Sunshine State? We've teamed up with P&O Cruises to get you out from behind the wheel and find your inner adventurer. Because life's too short to spend hours in the car. [caption id="attachment_804261" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] GO ON A WHALE WATCHING TOUR Summer might be over, but things are starting to heat up in Queensland in other ways. From autumn through to spring, humpback whales migrate to the Queensland coast, providing locals and visitors with ample opportunity to catch a rare glimpse of the majestic mammals. There are plenty of dedicated whale watching tours that operate from Brisbane as well as from the Gold Coast, Hervey Bay, The Whitsundays and the Tropical North. [caption id="attachment_804262" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Manta Ray Bay, Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] HIRE A BOAT AND EXPLORE THE STUNNING WHITSUNDAYS Prefer to choose your own adventure? The islands off the North Queensland coast are definitely having a moment right now — you've probably seen them popping up all over your Instagram feed. Just a quick one-and-a-half hour flight from Brisbane, The Whitsundays is home to a whopping 74 tropical islands. And with so many to choose from, why not hire a boat so you can visit as many as you can? Take your pick from a number of operators offering charter vessels to explore the region at your leisure. While Hamilton, Hayman and Daydream are the most notable of the islands, and a great spot to base yourself, lesser-known gems like Haslewood and Hook Islands are definitely worth stop. SET SAIL ON A P&O CRUISE Always wanted to get better acquainted with the Great Barrier Reef? P&O's Barrier Reef Discovery cruise (from $749 per person) is the best way to do just that. The week-long adventure, which begins and ends in Brisbane, provides the perfect launching pad to discover our very own world-famous natural wonder, with stops at Airlie Beach, Cairns and Willis Island along the way. While onboard, you can enjoy the full suite of P&O's A-class amenities, including plush accommodation, seriously good dining options and indulgent spa treatments. [caption id="attachment_720261" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tamborine National Park, Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] TAKE A STROLL THROUGH ONE OF OUR MANY NATIONAL PARKS We're blessed with beautiful natural landscapes all over Australia, but we Queenslanders are particularly lucky. Brisbane itself is surrounded by national parks, each one more beautiful than the next. Gheebulum Coonungai (Moreton Island) National Park is teeming with sweeping views of the Coral Sea, as well as sandy beaches, clear waters and wild marine life. If lush rainforest is more your scene, Lamington National Park should be right up your alley, with its ancient treescapes, majestic waterfalls and over 160 kilometres of walking trails. Elsewhere, Tamborine National Park, Queensland's first national park, offers relatively easy walking trails and a diverse range of wildlife in its natural habitat. [caption id="attachment_798103" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tangalooma Wrecks, Tourism and Events Queensland[/caption] SNORKEL AMONG SHIPWRECKS AT TANGALOOMA It sounds like something out of a Disney movie — 15 shipwrecks anchored to the bottom of the ocean floor, ready to be explored. Set amongst the national and marine parks of beautiful Moreton Island, Tangalooma is an adventure seeker's playground. In addition to the underwater vessels, a trip to Tangalooma can include feeding dolphins at dusk, quad biking sand dunes and parasailing over crystal clear waters and beautiful beaches. Getting there couldn't be more simple — it's just a 75-minute ferry ride from Brisbane. For more information about P&O Cruises, head to the company's website. Top image: Whitsundays Coral Beach, Gareth McGuigan
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the latest installment from the empire of J.K. Rowling. It's the first in a series of prequels to the Harry Potter films, that start in New York City in 1926. The film relies on the classic Pandora's box trope to drive the superficial layer of narrative. A magical trunk full of beasts is released upon New York and, in this case, Pandora is Newt Scamander, an eccentric British wizard played by Eddie Redmayne. Scamander, just in case you aren't as obsessed with the Potterverse as we are, is referenced throughout the Harry Potter series as the author of a foundational Hogwart's text book titled, you guessed it, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". Written by Rowling herself, the crust of the plot is a little bit slapstick. Essentially, after a series of bumbles in a muggle bank (or a 'no-maj' bank, as the Yanks would say), Scamander's trunk is swapped with the trunk of Jacob Kowalski, a typical, goofy muggle and aspirational baker played beautifully by Dan Fogler. When Kowalski unwittingly releases the cheeky beasties from the trunk, Scamander must team up with Porpentina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), a low-level Magical Congress employee scheming to get her Auror stripes back. This is where we dip down into the mantle of the plot and things get a bit more complicated. Turns out there are a faction of individuals in the community who believe magical beings are superior to muggles and that wizards should come out of hiding to enslave them. Without giving too much away, as the good guys race around New York collecting up their escaped creatures, Colin Farrell's character Percival Graves is lurking in the wings, trying to collect power. Also a church of fanatical, witch-hating muggles are seeking to expose magic. Also, a malevolent force is tearing around NYC ripping up side walks. Also, the evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald is on the loose. Fantastic Beasts' goblet truly runneth over with plot and this might not be a good thing. The difficulty with this particular film franchise is that it has to be ambitious, since they've slated another four films at least. So this first installment labours to lay the foundations for the series. But the audience has no road map as to what is and isn't significant. There are numerous scenes, and indeed entire subplots, that could have been cut, seemingly without compromising any of the story arcs. Perhaps they'll bear fruit in later editions, but until then they're just kind of...there. Fortunately, the film makes up for its pacing problems with cauldron-loads of charm. From the overtures of friendship between Scamander and Kowalski to the soft-core romance blossoming every-damn-where; from the timely Ron Weasley-esque notes of comedy to the practical use of magic, everything in this film is just so damn whimsical. Untethered from any pre-existing book, this film takes magic use to it's logical conclusion: domestic automation. For some unknown reason, Hogwarts students learned how to turn each other into teapots but never seemed to learn any practical spells that would make their lives any easier. This film rectifies that annoyance completely and for Potter fans it's immensely satisfying. Also, we can't leave without mentioning the beasts, which as the film's title suggests are truly fantastic. The strongest part of the movie are Scamander's creatures and their various quirks – it's a handy plot device that the protagonist carries around a trunk full of talented beasts, and the script uses them to it's full advantage. And ultimately, that's the key to the film's success. At times it does feel as though the cheesiness of the Potterverse doesn't quite translate into this rather more adult world. Nevertheless, the magic that's powered Rowling's creations until now remains as palpable as ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vso5o11LuGU
