First The Basics, now Tex Perkins — this legend of the Australian music scene best known for his work with The Cruel Sea is making a bid for state parliament. Though The Basics have strong feelings about education and welfare as well as local music restrictions, Perkins has one specific goal in mind. He wants to save the Palais Theatre. Since August this year, major doubts have been cast over the future of this iconic beachside venue. Despite consistently pulling big name acts including the great Bob Dylan, the Palais has been facing irreconcilable infrastructure problems. Once these impending renovations costs were estimated to be between $25-40 million, the Port Philip Council began lobbying the state government for funding. In the past month the Council has pledged $7.5 million for repairs if the state front the remainder. And, frankly, it doesn't look great. To remedy this and potentially save the regal old St Kilda venue, Perkins plans to run as an independent candidate for the seat of Albert Park. "The neglect of such an iconic performance venue, along with all the buck-passing from both sides of politics — it's just not good enough," Perkins said in a statement. "The Palais is a state-owned heritage building and there are policies for how you maintain these buildings." Though the problem of the decaying Palais hasn't made the same headlines or drawn the same amount of protest as the potential demolishment of the Palace Theatre in the CBD, support is growing quickly. I Love My Palais is gaining traction on social media, and even Mick Jagger came out in support of the campaign this week. While playing at Rod Laver Arena, Jagger urged his audience to "give generously". "I'd just like to tell you, we played at the Palais Theatre about 50 years ago," he said. This is good news for both Perkins and the Palais. Government is unlikely to affect change without significant community outrage. "The depth of voter disillusionment presents a frightening possibility," Perkins told The Age. "I might win." Via ABC and The Age. The Victorian state election will take place on November 29.
Rounding out a couple of huge weeks for Melbourne transport proposals in the lead up November's state election, the Victorian Government has now dropped a detailed design for its monster road project, the proposed $15.8 billion North East Link. The plans, which now have the support of both major political parties, would created a more seamless traffic light-free link between the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen Road and the M80 Ring Road where it connects with the Greensborough Bypass. The proposal would see the existing Eastern Freeway junction at Doncaster Road widened to around 94 metres, making way for 14 regular lanes, four emergency lanes, two bus lanes and on- and off-ramps. This could see the existing Eastern Freeway beefed up to incorporate as many as 20 lanes at one point — that's enough to rival some of the widest thoroughfares in the world. The North East Link would also feature five kilometres of six-lane tunnels, including a large section running from Lower Plenty Road in Rosanna, linking to the Eastern at Bulleen Road. This is meant to separate local and freeway traffic and cause minimal disturbance to homes and parks in the area. All up, the road's expected to be used by around 130,000 vehicles daily and give good access to Rosanna, Bulleen and surrounding suburbs. The Andrews Labor Government has also highlighted the plans' wealth of open space and 'green bridges', and 25 kilometres of new or upgraded cycling and walking paths that will run parallel with the Eastern Freeway. The North East Link will no doubt be welcomed by those who find themselves sitting in traffic on Rosanna, Greensborough and Lower Plenty roads on a regular basis, but some Victorians have expressed frustration that there is still no viable option to link the Eastern Freeway with CityLink and the Westgate Freeway. The Liberal Party's controversial East West Link plan was shot down in 2014, but it's apparent that Opposition Leader Matthew Guy plans to propose a new East West Link to be built at the same time as the North East Link. But, if it is Labor that gets re-elected in November, it has promised the project would go out to tender within 100 days, with construction starting in 2020 and scheduled for completion some time in 2027.
There's so much art in Melbourne, both inside and out, that getting around to see everything you should've by now is pretty much impossible. Frankly, as the days become increasingly wintery, it can be tempting to just hide away in bed. But instead, we're encouraging you to seize the chilly nights with the new Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+ and make use of their brilliant low light camera — perfect for when the only lighting you have for your shot is but a single street light. Whether it's making up for lost time with NGV Friday Night's after-hours access or exploring the must-see street art of Melbourne's dimly lit alleyways, here's five artworks that you have to go out and capture for yourself. KEITH HARING'S MURAL ON JOHNSTON STREET, COLLINGWOOD Surrounded by trendy bars, cafes and restaurants, Keith Haring's Collingwood mural is one of the city's most well-known and loved examples of public art. Painted on the side of the former Collingwood Technical College right next to Circus Oz's quirky Melba Spiegeltent, the iconic figures appeared when the acclaimed New York artist arrived in Australia in 1984 to paint and speak on behalf of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. Snap some photos of this cherished mural and then find a warm bar nearby and grab yourself a drink. THIS SIDE IS THE OTHER SIDE BY SUBODH GUPTA AT NGV At first glance, This Side Is the Other Side by Indian artist Subodh Gupta can be viewed with all the wanderlust of a good ol' dusty road journey. And while travel is one of the key themes, the fact that Gupta was born and raised in India's poorest province of Bihar, it may not be the leisure travel your mind first jumped to. That said, his Hindu heritage places the divine in all objects, which explains the gold sheen over this humble, motor scooter hung with milk pails. This Side Is the Other Side is but one of the photogenic pieces in this thoughtful exhibition, aptly named Everyday Divine. INDIGENOUS BOY BY ADNATE ON HOSIER LANE, CBD Hosier Lane is famous for its graffiti and street art – and while most works get tagged and painted over with clockwork predictability, one piece stands out above all the others. Painted by admired Melbourne street artist Adnate, 'Indigenous Boy' is a 23-metre tall mural set against the rear of McDonald House. Drawing attention to the original Indigenous owners of the land that the Melbourne CBD is built upon, the photorealistic portrait is seen looking out towards Birrarung Marr. Head down after dark to photograph Adnate's massive artwork – and while you're there you might catch Melbourne's nocturnal graffiti artists hard at work. PIXCELL RED DEER BY KOHEI NAWA AT NGV Born in Kyoto in 1975, Japanese artist Kohei Nawa's work embodies numerous worldly influences. Drawing on everything from the symbolism of Buddhism and Japanese Shintoism, to the works of British and European sculptures he was exposed to while studying at London's Royal College of Art, Nawa is one of Japan's leading young artists. And lucky for us, the NGV was able to acquire one of Nawa's 'PixCell' works back in 2013. Coined by the artist himself, PixCell is the process of combining organic cells with minute digital pixels. With deer appearing throughout Nawa's work, this is a special piece in Nawa's collection and one you have to see in person to fully appreciate (but don't let that stop you taking a few snaps). FINTAN MAGEE'S MURAL ON AC/DC LANE, CBD Growing up in Brisbane, Fintan Magee has travelled the world painting massive murals and hosting exhibitions for his smaller-scale works. From London and Las Vegas to Tunisia and Turkey, Magee's brand of street art has earned him fans wherever he goes. Often creating work around the environment, climate change and the global refugee crisis, Magee's works make you reflect on the world around you. Tucked away down the end of the CBD's AC/DC Lane, hidden amongst the surviving dive bars and newcomer cafes, his Melbourne mural towers high above the streets, showing a man carrying a tree trunk through the densely urban landscape. It's a little less crowded than Hosier Lane too, so you'll be able to get plenty of snaps without the random strangers. Instead of spending your winter nights on the couch, discover all the after-dark happenings in your city here — and don't forget to document it all on the new Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, designed especially for low light so you can capture your best moments no matter what. Images: Cole Bennetts.
Lockdown number six has been underway across Melbourne since Thursday, August 5 — and it'll remain in place throughout the city until at least 11.59pm on Thursday, August 19. Although regional Victoria was released from stay-at-home conditions on Monday, August 9, COVID-19 numbers still remain high in the state's capital. Accordingly, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has advised that the lockdown won't end after a week as initially planned, as another seven days at home is currently needed. At Victoria's daily coronavirus press conference today, Wednesday, August 11, the Premier said that he'd "love to be standing here announcing that we're coming out of lockdown this coming Thursday, but that is simply not possible. We need to go until next Thursday — that is public health advice." He continued: "there are too many cases, and too many cases the origins of which are not clear to us — too many unanswered questions, too many mysteries, for us to safely come out of lockdown now. This is working, though." Due to the current level of community transmission of coronavirus in Victoria from the recent NSW incursions, the CHO has declared that the current lockdown across Melbourne will be extended until at least 11.59pm 19 Aug, to stamp out this Delta variant and keep Victorians safe. pic.twitter.com/KWzMWWK3ZT — Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) August 11, 2021 As a result, Melbourne will remain under the same rules that've been in place again for the past six days, with the city's residents only permitted to leave home for five reasons: shopping for what you need, when you need it; caregiving and compassionate reasons; essential work or permitted eduction that can't be done from home; exercise; and getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Exercise must be limited to two hours a day with your household members, your intimate partner or one other person who is not from your household or your partner. Victorians must also stay within five kilometres of their homes, unless you're leaving for permitted work or shopping for essentials if there are no shops in your radius. Masks are mandatory everywhere outside of your home — and private gatherings are banned, as are public gatherings. While you can't have any visitors enter your home in general, there are single bubbles, and intimate partner visits are allowed. So, if you live alone, you can form a bubble with another person or see your other half. Weddings are not permitted, unless on compassionate grounds, while funerals are limited to ten. Hairdressing and beauty services, indoor physical recreation and sport venues, swimming pools, community facilities including libraries, entertainment venues and non-essential retail venues remain closed — and hospitality venues have reverted back to takeaway-only. Supermarkets, bottle shops and pharmacies are still open, however. Reported yesterday: 20 new local cases and no new cases acquired overseas. - 23,811 vaccine doses were administered - 41,571 test results were received More later: https://t.co/lIUrl1hf3W#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData [1/2] pic.twitter.com/yKBkbFxvRB — VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) August 10, 2021 Victoria currently has 118 active COVID-19 cases, including 20 new locally acquired cases identified in the 24 hours to midnight last night. There's also nearly 300 exposure sites around Greater Melbourne, and more than 12,000 active primary close contacts. As always, Melburnians can keep an eye on the local list of exposure sites at the Department of Health website — it will keep being updated if and when more sites are identified. For those looking to get tested, you can find a list of testing sites including regularly updated waiting times also on the Department of Health website. And, has remained the case throughout the pandemic, Melburnians should be looking out for coughs, fever, sore or scratchy throat, shortness of breath, or loss of smell or taste, symptoms-wise. Victoria will remain in lockdown until at least 11.59pm on Thursday, August 19. For more information about the rules in place at the moment, head to the Victorian Department of Health website.
Back in January, it was announced that Patricia Piccinini's fantastical Skywhale, the 34-metre-long inflatable art piece that has repeatedly captured the attention and the hearts of Australians, would be joined by a new floating companion. Skywhalepapa, Piccinini's new other-worldly creation, stands as tall as a ten-storey building and was unveiled to the public in the early hours of Sunday, February 7. Both Skywhale and Skywhalepapa were scheduled to take off from the National Gallery of Australia on Saturday, February 6 as part of the Skywhales: Every Heart Sings exhibition, however, that date was postponed to Sunday in hopes of better flying conditions. Unfortunately, come Sunday, weather conditions hadn't improved enough to allow the Skywhales to fly. Despite being unable to take off over Canberra, the pair of fantastical hot air balloons were inflated and able to float tethered in front of the gallery. The Skywhales will have future opportunity to fly in the sky on Monday, March 8 and Saturday, April 3, too, with free tickets to the second and third flights set to be released in coming weeks. These flights are running concurrently with a multimedia exhibition at the NGA that includes Piccinini's new children's book Every Heart Sings, which tells the story of the Skywhale family. Skywhale-inspired croissants made by Three Mills Bakery, an open-source Skywhale knitting pattern and a Skywhale song titled 'We Are the Skywhales' were also created alongside the exhibition. Following the March and April flights, the Skywhales are scheduled to go on tour, floating across the skies of Australia throughout 2021 and 22. The tour will kick off in Albury, NSW sometime in mid-April and will make it's way around to several states, providing more Australians with the opportunity to marvel at the enormous art projects. Skywhalepapa was created using 3.6 kilometres of fabric and features nine baby Skywhales, safely tucked beneath their father's fins. To learn more about the Skywhale family, you can purchase the book Every Heart Sings from the NGA website. Skywhales: Every Heart Sings will take place at the National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes, ACT on Monday, March 8 and Saturday, April 3. For more information on the exhibition, visit the NGA website and follow the NGA on Twitter for regular updates on the Skywhales and on tickets to future events. Images: Skywhale 2013, Skywhalepapa 2020, Patricia Piccinini. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Copyright the artist.
Instagram favourites The Inspired Unemployed are pretty used to bringing Aussies joy via their side-splitting satirical videos. From lockdown habits and fitness instructors to tradies and bouncers — Jack Steele and Matt Ford will take aspects of stereotypical Aussie culture, then flip the script to poke a bit of fun. Now, the self-dubbed battlers are looking to bring Australians a new kind of happiness ahead of summer — with a beer launched in collaboration with Victorian favourite, Torquay Beverage Company. Better Beer is a zero-carb, zero-sugar lager that clocks in at 87 calories per can, which Ford quips is "healthier than broccoli". Explaining the decision to make Better Beer zero-carb, Steele says: "As loose as we can be at times, we're actually pretty healthy people. So we decided, let's make a beer that's healthier and still tastes great, one that doesn't make you feel heavy in the morning and rough around the edges." "We've had a lot of opportunities to do bigger stuff and beer was on our mind for a while," Steele explains to Concrete Playground. "But the thing is — when we start something, we don't want to start it and go half-hearted. We either make it the best thing ever or don't do it at all." On social media, the pair of mates are all about hyperboles. But, that's far from the case in this instance — Better Beer is the product of 12 months of work, which included an (unintended) four-month stint in New Zealand and COVID-friendly collaboration sessions with their business partner in crime, Torquay Beverage Company founder Nick Cogger. "I couldn't tell you how many hours we've spent on Zoom," Steele says. Cogger is a long-time partner of The Inspired Unemployed, commissioning them back in late 2019 when the pair had just 12,000 followers. "Nick was actually one of the first people to ever give us a job in this industry," Ford says. "He was one of the first people to reach out, he gave us a job to go to a music festival and..." "...get drunk!" Steele jokes. The pair initially called Cogger for advice on the beer brand, before deciding to create Better Beer together. "And then next thing you know, here we are talking to you." As for the taste, the boys have reportedly heard it described as "smooth like Michael Jackson" and "the breakfast of champions". "All our mates have tasted it and they love it. Obviously, they're our mates, so you'd think they'd have to say that — but it was a genuine reaction!" Ford says. If you're after a cold one, Better Beer will be available at your local Dan Murphy's, BWS and independent bottleshops from Friday, November 12. You can keep up to date with Better Beer, including limited-edition merch drops, via the website. New Better Beer products are also expected to drop in March 2022.
It is rare that we're given an opportunity to be fashion conscious and socially aware at the same time. But it looks like that will change with the launch of Bloodless, the Sydney fashion label raising awareness, funds and hope for social causes. Co-creator Nishan David is stoked to be getting the project off the ground. "The idea of Bloodless is a cult streetwear label which gives rebels a cause, using T-shirts to start conversations and raise funds for social causes, in a more organic and hopeful manner than regular non-for-profits," he says. With co-funder and creative lead Christine Inkley — as well as a huge team of friends and volunteers — David is encouraging us to do something a little different with our money and our desire for social justice. The strategy? Each month Bloodless will share and fund the story of a new cause, through the sale of a different line of T-shirts. Once the shirts are sold out, the money will be donated to a project happening in the developing world (South Africa, Kenya and Papua New Guinea), with social 'changemakers' like month one's Charles Irai directly receiving the funding needed to get a particular organisation off the ground. In his hometown in Papua New Guinea, Charles is launching One Step Closer, which teaches entrepreneurial skills to local kids, 70 percent of whom drop out of high school. "Really what we're trying to do is take something that every young Australian is already engaged with and channel these habits for social good," says David. "Rather then complaining about what is wrong let's make an actual option." On average, each Australian spends $44 per week on fashion. So shouldn't it always have been a no-brainer to provide an on-trend, hemp-free way for us to engage with social issues? "I think the mistake the non-profit sector has often made is not speaking to young people in their own language. Gen Y are very used to making our own rules, describing things for ourselves, telling things the way they resonate with us … We need to conceptualise how we talk about social justice, because in a way it hasn't worked." The limited edition Bloodless tees are designed in Sydney, made with 100 percent pure cotton and will be on sale for $50. David and Inkley's aim is to have six different organisations launched by the end of summer. "There is that dichotomy in Australia that if you walk into any store and you grab something off the shelf, either of two things are going to be true about it," says David. "Either it's going to be something that you know is ethically made, or it's going to be something you'd actually wear. "We want Bloodless to be fashion-first and I think that's very different to most other people who have ever done fundraising tees. A lot of the time it is assumed that people will have good hearts and buy the product to support the cause, instead of just making great products. We don't want any guilt-tripping, we want to make the product stand on its own two feet. That is our foundation." At the same time, you're getting a personal item that really means something. "There's this one t-shirt I have, and it's just got this square print photograph of a homeless guy and he's holding a sign that says 'I just want my childhood back'," David continues. "Whenever I wear that shirt people are always wondering what the story is behind it, and I always wish I was able to say 'yeah, half the profits of this shirt went to lifting people out of homelessness in inner-city New York.' But I can't. It is just a shirt." Bloodless launched their Pozible campaign on Tuesday, November 5. Check it out for more info and to pre-order your shirt. You can also follow them via their Facebook, Instagram and website.
The National Gallery of Victoria's 2019 program continues to pull in the big guns, with an ever-growing lineup of internationally acclaimed artists — including Keith Haring and Jean-Michael Basquiat — heading to the gallery. And from Friday, September 20, that list will include Brooklyn-based Kaws (aka Brian Donnelly), who's bringing his instantly recognisable pop-culture sculptures to Aus. Kaws is best known for his large-scale sculptures, vivid murals and distinctive, pop culture-inspired characters. You're probably familiar with his reinterpretations of iconic figures like Mickey Mouse, Snoopy and The Smurfs, all reworked with those signature Xs over the eyes. While it's a stable of work that's laced with a healthy dose of humour, this NGV exhibition, entitled Kaws: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness, is set to focus on the rest of those underlying emotions. You'll get a glimpse at how KAWS celebrates generosity and explores our need for companionship, offering up an antidote to the world's current 'Age of Loneliness'. [caption id="attachment_725831" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kaws, ALONG THE WAY (2013) photo by Jonty Wilde.[/caption] Off the back of solo exhibitions at the Yuz Museum Shanghai and the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis in 2017, as well as the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Foundation earlier this year, Kaws' NGV presentation promises plenty of never-before-seen goodies. It'll feature a sprawling collection of his pop culture reworkings, human-size figures and collaborative pieces, while a newly commissioned monumental work will be the artist's largest bronze sculpture to date. The main event will be backed by KAWS: Playtime – an interactive, touch-focused installation centred around KAWS' bright blue BFF character, complete with soft sculptures and a hands-on multimedia game. While it's created for 'children', we'll sure you'll find a few kidults exploring it, too. Kaws: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness will run from September 20 2019–March 1 2020 at the NGV International, Melbourne. Top images: Kaws, CLEAN SLATE (2015) and SURVIVAL MACHINE (2015) photo by Jonty Wilde; Kaws, NEW MORNING (2012).
Mobile phone technology follows a pretty straight path - get smaller and get smarter. Over the past year we've seen the newest incarnations of the iPhone and Blackberry, with producers playing to the strengths of their models; Blackberries got more business-focused and iPhones got more fun. But what is the next progression? Can a phone really get any more compact? The answer, apparently, is an enthusiastic yes. Introducing the PaperPhone: an extremely light weight and, as the name suggests, paper-thin smart phone. Its creators are taking inspiration from its pliable form and running with it. When taking a call you can bend it into a cell phone, turn the pages on your e-book by flipping the corner, and write on it with a pen and have your words translated into text. The inventor, Dr. Roel Vertegaal, the director of Queen's University Human Media Lab in Ontario, Canada, states "The computer looks, feels and operates like a small sheet of interactive paper, meaning that when users are reading they don't feel like they're holding a sheet of glass or metal." This has ramifications for office set-ups, with Dr. Vertegaal predicting "everything can now be stored digitally...you can place these computers on top of each other just like a stack of paper." https://youtube.com/watch?v=Rl-qygUEE2c [via DailyMail]
With gathering and venue restrictions in place following Victoria's recent almost two-week lockdown, and Greater Sydney and southeast Queensland both currently in lockdown, it's currently a tricky time to host Australia's biggest film festival. The Melbourne International Film Festival kicks off on Thursday, August 5, and announced its full 2021 program back in mid-July; however, responding to the reality both in the city and nationwide at present, it's making some considerable changes to its format. In 2020, the event was forced to go digital due to the pandemic — a development that's part of this year's lineup, too, but in conjunction with physical screenings in Melbourne and Victorian cinemas. Initially, in-person sessions were set to span the festival's first week or so, before the event closed up online. Now, MIFF has announced that it's flipping that order and expanding its virtual component. Accordingly, for the full duration of the festival, MIFF will screen more than 90 features and a range of short films via its online platform MIFF Play. They'll be available to not only to Melbourne viewers, but to cinephiles Australia-wide, which'll make for handy viewing for those under stay-at-home conditions. Last year's jump to digital resulted in MIFF's biggest festival yet, audience-wise, in fact — and this year's online selection will now start the fest with 2021 Sundance hit CODA, a coming-of-age story about the daughter of adults who are deaf, which is also an English-language remake of French feature The Bélier Family. Which other movies will be added to the online lineup haven't yet been revealed, but MIFF has announced a number of new titles that'll screen in cinemas between Thursday, August 12–Sunday, August 22. That's when Melburnians will be able to see this year's Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or -winner Titane, which saw French filmmaker Julia Ducournau (Raw) become only the second female filmmaker to win the coveted prize. Also headed to MIFF straight from the prestigious fest: romantic-comedy The Worst Person in the World from director Joachim Trier (Thelma, Oslo, August 31st); JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass, a Donald Sutherland- and Whoopi Goldberg-narrated documentary from Oliver Stone; and Abdullah Mohammad Saad's Rehana Maryam Noor, the first film from Bangladesh to officially screen at Cannes. During the physical portion of the program, Leah Purcell's exceptional The Drover's Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson will still take the opening night slot, just on Thursday, August 12. Due to gathering limits, MIFF will also screen the feature at a range of other venues, including The Astor Theatre, The Sun Theatre, Pentridge Cinema, Lido Cinema and CBD venues. The fest's already-announced lineup still remains in place, which means that Melburnians can also look forward to seeing Adam Driver-starring musical Annette; Memoria, which features Tilda Swinton in Cemetery of Splendour filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul's English-language debut; and Bergman Island, the Tim Roth and Mia Wasikowska-starring latest title from Mia Hansen-Løve (Things to Come). Other highlights include No Sudden Move, Steven Soderbergh's crime flick with Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro and Jon Hamm, and Pig, which sees Nicolas Cage play a truffle hunter (yes, really). The 2021 Melbourne International Film Festival runs from Thursday, August 5–Sunday, August 22 — screening online for the festival's entire duration, and playing at a variety of venues around Melbourne from Thursday, August 12–Sunday, August 22. For further details, visit the MIFF website.
When it was published in 2005, Dead Europe, the novel by Christos Tsiolkas, was pronounced both brilliant and completely unfilmable. Tony Krawitz, whose previous films include Jewboy and The Tall Man, took on the challenge and has produced what is at once a deeply beautiful and also one of the most viscerally disturbing films to have emerged from Australia in recent years. The film follows Isaac, played by Ewen Leslie, who returns to Greece after the death of his father to scatter his ashes. Isaac is gradually drawn deeper into the horror of the diseased underbelly of Europe, all the while pursued by the ghosts of family history. Very kindly, Tony Krawitz sat down one lovely afternoon to have a chat about what is a truly remarkable film with a girl who'd spent the past month writing on the novel. What was it that made you want to make Dead Europe into a film? Because some said it was unfilmable. Well, obviously I never felt that. The book, as it is, is unfilmable because it's so dense and beautiful and goes in so many directions. But it felt like the contemporary story had a road movie type of structure. I always knew it would be challenging but I didn't think it would be unfilmable. Did Tsiolkas have a lot of input or did he let you just run free with it? He was really free with us. He said, "I saw Jewboy, and I really like it, and I trust you. Go for it," which is freeing and also terrifying. I think he read the last two drafts, and was really encouraging, and then helped us through pre-production and acted almost as a consultant. And he's seen the finished film and he's really happy with it. I think it's because he loves film so much and he understands how different the adaptation needed to be. They're like companion pieces. The way he described it to me is that he kind of got lost in the film and forgot about the book, which is really nice to hear from the author. The film takes the curse of the book and gives it to the father's side of the family instead of the mother's, which reminded me of the connection between the absent father and the son in Jewboy. Why was it that you decided to place the family story at the centre of the film? The family curse is central to the book, and that's the main narrative. Folding them together helped to make it more streamlined. What it also did, which I really liked, is it made it more biblical — the sins of the father. The father was someone who said he was a rationalist, who didn't believe in religion, but felt that he was cursed, and Isaac is a rationalist who goes "I don't believe in any of that shit" but finds out that he does. Would I be right in saying that the protest scenes in the film were the real ones happening in Athens? Was that part of you wanting to try and engage with the reality of Europe, as a sort of documentary? Yes, that's what I loved about the book. It was such a prescient title. The stuff Christos was seeing seven years ago in the book have come to fruition now in difficult and unexpected ways. With the protests we were looking to update the book and ask, what are the issues now? The response some readers had to the book was almost one of possession, and I think the film has a similar effect. You feel possessed by it. It makes you feel before you can intellectualise anything. Was that your intention? Exactly. What we were trying to do as filmmakers was to get the audience past their intellect, to make it visceral. Some people will love that, some people will really hate that and come out going "but that isn't how I think about that, how dare you put that on screen." The reason we were doing that is because that's what happens to Isaac. He's saying, "I am in my intellect, I understand the world, I know what Europe is, I know what suffering is, I know what war is," but he's a sheltered boy from Melbourne. Did having to deal with such intense themes have an effect on the cast? Yeah it did. We filmed mostly in sequence, so especially for Ewen, as we got more tired and more run down we were getting to the more intense scenes. I think it was great for him as an actor to be able to go on that journey. What were your motivations in changing the ending? It's hard to talk about for people who haven't seen the film yet; I don't want to spoil it. But it changed. It took a lot of conversations to get to that hotel room scene. It does end with more hope than the book, and I like that because the story, for me, is about the forgotten people of Europe. It's about the victims of the past, whether they're Holocaust victims or victims in Yugoslavia or victims today in Syria. Christos is so passionate about human rights and it's like the book was a primal scream about those issues. The way it seemed to me was that there's this official version of history, which we're constantly curating, but the film is interested in exposing these other histories that we don't acknowledge, but which still exist and still haunt us. And what's so powerful about the film is it's putting up a mirror and saying, "you're implicated in this." Yes, because we're actually taught that it's other people who do that, and we have no agency or responsibility. And I think that's what's uncomfortable for people, because they want to go watch a film which says "everything's fine", while this is much more unsettling, which people will either really love, or hate. https://youtube.com/watch?v=XrNnofw8CQw Read our review of Dead Europe here. Image 1: Ewen Leslie as Isaac in Dead Europe. Image 2: Tony Krawitz with producer Liz Watts.
Here's your latest excuse to pretend that it's the late 90s and 00s: The Offspring and Simple Plan are teaming up for a heap of 2025 Australian shows. After playing an Aussie gig late in 2024 as part of Victoria's Always Live music season — their only concert on that trip, which sold out in 30 seconds — the band is returning to hit up arenas in four cities. In Melbourne, they have two dates with Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday, May 7–Thursday, May 8. It's been a quarter of a century since The Offspring earned a claim to fame that every music fan Down Under should know: topping Triple J's Hottest 100 with 'Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)', a win that still ranks as the annual countdown's most-controversial result to date. 2024 marked four decades since the band first formed in the early 80s, and more than 30 years since it came to mainstream attention with hits like 'Come Out and Play' and 'Self Esteem' — and the Californian outfit isn't done belting out its catchy brand of punk just yet. While the band released albums Let the Bad Times Roll and Supercharged in 2021 and 2024, respectively, you can still expect to hear their famous tracks — including 'Gotta Get Away', 'Why Don't You Get a Job?', 'The Kids Aren't Alright' and the song that's forever cemented in Australian radio history, obviously. Still led by frontman and guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland — the group's only remaining member from its initial 1984 lineup, so you can definitely call him the original prankster — The Offspring will have company in the form of Canada's Simple Plan. From The Offspring alone, you'll get the words "gunter glieben glauchen globen" stuck in your head for another couple of decades. Images: Daveed Benito.
What starts with a progress pride flag-raising ceremony, officially opens with Kylie Minogue and Charli XCX, features Kelly Rowland leading a Domain Dance Party, and ends with MUNA and G Flip? What features the long-awaited return of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade to Oxford Street (with new viewing areas), more than 45 rainbow artworks all around town and a monumental pride march with 50,000-plus people walking across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, too? In other words, what'll make Sydney the centre of the queer universe from Friday, February 17–Sunday, March 5, and make history in the process? Sydney WorldPride, the first WorldPride ever held in the southern hemisphere, and basically a mega Mardi Gras — and your unmissable reason to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community in the New South Wales capital. The above events are just a taste of this massive event's vivid lineup. In total, more than 300 shows, gigs, exhibitions, parties and more are taking over Sydney over 17 days, making Sydney WorldPride the largest-ever LGBTQIA+ festival ever held in the region. Still on numbers, that hefty total includes 19 official major events, 68 WorldPride Arts experiences, 17 WorldPride Sports events and 192 Pride Amplified community events. That's quite the lineup to sift through, so here's the short version: wherever you are in Sydney during WorldPride, expect the festival to be in the vicinity. Other standouts include the Bondi Beach Party, which will turn the famed stretch of sand into an openair club for a casual 12,000 people, complete with dancing to Nicole Scherzinger by the water from dusk; the return of Queer Art After Hours at the Art Gallery of New South Wales and its new building; the Mardi Gras Film Festival hosting its 30th fest, including an online program; and the Queer Formal. There's also the gigs at Sydney WorldPride's at Marri Madung Butbut (Many Brave Hearts): the First Nations Gathering Space — such as the Klub Village party and performance, the Miss First Nation drag contest, and exhibition Bloodlines, which honours artists lost to HIV/AIDS. And, addd lesbian divorce comedy Blessed Union, the Australian premiere of Choir Boy by Moonlight co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney, and installation Eulogy for the Dyke Bar — which will indeed operate as a bar — to your list as well. Throw in a 24-hour dance piece, a comedy night hosted by Ru Paul's Drag Race Down Under's Coco Jumbo, and Powerhouse Museum's showcase of Sydney's leading LGBTQIA+ artists, designers, makers and performers as well, and there's just one word for it: stunning.
Chances are you've had your day in the sun with vodka at some point, whether it's past or present: discovering it as a freshly legal drinker in your late teens, all the way to pairing it with some classy lime and soda and kicking back when the kids have gone to bed. There's surely been a point in your life where you've developed your own personal relationship with the spirit, but how much do you really know about it? To accompany the release of Belvedere Vodka's Single Estate Rye Series, we thought we'd whip up a bit of a guide for you as you sip away — call it a guide for the bluffers among you, those who don't know too much about what you drink, where it's from or why it tastes the way it tastes (here's a spoiler: the last two are closely linked). Read on for a brief vodka-tasting stroll around the European history of the spirit, its variations and flavours and of course, some handy party facts to pull out next time you're sipping a vodka tonic. [caption id="attachment_676552" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rye at Lake Bartężek in Poland.[/caption] WHERE IS VODKA ACTUALLY FROM? Contrary to popular belief, vodka didn't originate in Russia. And though it is its national drink (and that of Poland and Ukraine), it's Poland who lays claim to creating the first version of the spirit, having cooked up the first batch during the Middle Ages (potentially as early as the eighth century). Though it's all a little vague, and there is stiff Russian competition when it comes to claiming it as a national symbol, we do know that the name for vodka is thought to come from the Slavic word for water: voda. [caption id="attachment_595919" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] CAN YOU TASTE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHEAP AND EXPENSIVE? Like any drink, yes. Even if you had the worst palate in the world, chances are you could pick a $20 glass of riesling from a slosh from a box of goon. However with vodka, it's a little different — the spirit is meant to be colourless and not have a very strong odour, making the taste test more of an experiential one. Vodka made from rye, like Belvedere's Smogóry Forest and Lake Bartężek, is generally more refined and smoother than other cereal grain or potato-based versions. Lesser quality vodka will often have raw materials in them that weren't removed by the distillation process, and these leftovers are indicative of a less pure, cheaper spirit. (It's those distillation leftovers that also create that vodka burn you can sometimes feel.) But again, like any drink, a lot of it comes down to personal preference, and what your tastebuds tell you they enjoy and what they don't. [caption id="attachment_676553" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rye field in Forest.[/caption] SO, WHAT IS RYE VODKA EXACTLY? Rye vodka is made by distilling fermented rye grain instead of another base carbohydrate like potato, corn, rice, wheat or molasses. In terms of taste, rye vodka is similar to rye whisky with spicy, peppery notes added by the grain. Though these notes appear more subtly than in the whisky that's been barrel-aged, rye vodka helps break down the idea that vodka is flavourless. Vodka as a whole can vary in taste dramatically due to a number of different factors like the grain or carbohydrate base, as well as the type of still used, whether the spirit was filtered or unfiltered and its terroir (more on that later). VODKA'S COMEBACK In the face of the speciality gin trend (see: pink gin) and the rise of aromatics and brown spirits, vodka is certainly holding its own, but perhaps not as you know it. The new face of vodka is one that debunks the myth that it's tasteless; hence the rise of rye vodka and its varying flavour profiles. Gone is the perception that the spirit is a flavourless drop to get you in a party mood quickly or to be paired with mixers that mask its taste; vodka is increasingly regaining its status as a spirit to enjoy in a considered way. WHAT'S TRENDING? With rye vodkas seeing this rise in popularity, the way we consume the spirit is also changing. This could be because of a key concept in its production: terroir. In terms of rye vodka production, terroir is the theory that soil, climate and topography affect the taste of the rye used. So the vodka from a certain location has its own specific complexity, character and, of course, taste. Look at Belvedere's two Single Estate Rye vodkas from Smogóry Forest and Lake Bartężek. Smogóry Forest is vast, has short, mild winters and a lot of fertile soil; Lake Bartężek in the north, on the other hand, is cold, with long winters and glacial lakes. These environments impact rye's growth and play an important role in the profile of each. Smogóry Forest vodka, for example, is sweet with notes of salted caramel, honey and white pepper, while Lake Bartężek is fuller, more floral and grassy, with notes of spearmint and toasted nuts. HOW TO DRINK VODKA So now that we've established that vodka isn't the flavourless, colourless liquid you may have once considered it to be, what's the best way to drink it? Well, if you really want to become an expert (or at least learn to taste the differences between different types), down the hatch isn't your best bet. Belvedere recommends trying its Single Estate Rye vodkas neat or on the rocks, sipping slowly to bring out the characteristics of each (just like wine). If you're keen on a mixed drink, however, go for the classic martini or try something with a twist like a vodka old fashioned or rye sour. Experience rye vodka and its array of flavours with Belvedere's Single Estate Rye vodkas from Smogóry Forest and Lake Bartężek. Top image: Brook James.
As Brisbane's annual LGBTQIA+ celebration, Melt Festival has seen Sophie Ellis-Bextor grace its stage, and Chappell Roan as well. It has also hosted Spencer Tunick's nude photography works, including shutting down the Story Bridge for one installation. They're just some of the event's highlights from recent years, but it's about to add another in 2025: a Brisbane-only show by Broadway icon Bernadette Peters. In New York's famous theatre district, she originated the role of The Witch in Into the Woods, and of Dot in Sunday in the Park with George. She has two Tonys, for Song and Dance and Annie Get Your Gun. She won a Golden Globe for Pennies From Heaven on the big screen, and featured in The Jerk and Annie as well. On TV, she boasts Smash, Mozart in the Jungle, The Good Fight, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist and High Desert on her resume. Now, Peters is doing an Australian-exclusive performance in the Queensland capital — and it's her first Aussie gig in more than a decade. An Evening with Bernadette Peters has a date with the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday, October 24 — and is also the first event announced for Melt Festival, which runs from Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9. The star kickstarts the lineup not just as a Broadway legend, but as an icon of the LGBTQIA+ community, including thanks to her work with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS to raise funds for AIDS patients and research. How will a talent with six decades of performing to draw upon — including the current Broadway season of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends — whittle that down into one Brisbane show? You'll need to head along to find out. [caption id="attachment_998044" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Drama League via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Melt takes place in spring, and returns in 2025 after being reborn in 2024 as a fringe-style celebration of queer arts and culture that not only fills Brisbane Powerhouse, but spreads across the city. Last year, more than 120 events popped up in 70-plus venues across southeast Queensland, complete with a Wicked-themed Halloween ball, a pool party and plenty more. In her Brisbane performance, Peters boasts support by Camerata — Queensland's Chamber Orchestra. [caption id="attachment_716453" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dylan Evans[/caption] An Evening with Bernadette Peters will take place on Friday, October 24, 2025 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre as part of Melt Festival 2025. Head to the festival website for more information, and to join the waitlist for tickets. Melt Festival 2025 runs from Wednesday, October 22–Sunday, November 9. Hit up the festival website for more details. Top image: Drama League via Wikimedia Commons.
When Studio Ghibli opened its own theme park outside of Tokyo at the beginning of November, it took a leaf out of Disney's book, gifting the world the new happiest place on earth. Now, it's actually joining forces with the Mouse House on a surprise collaboration. If you've ever wondered what the cutest figure in a galaxy far, far away might look like if it was given the hand-drawn Ghibli treatment — complete with Spirited Away's susuwatari in tow — then wonder no more, because short film Zen — Grogu and Dust Bunnies has the answers. Two pop culture favourites, one epic collaboration, and your delightful weekend viewing all sorted: that's the recipe here. Zen — Grogu and Dust Bunnies will drop on Saturday, November 12 in the US — which usually means 6pm AEST/7pm AEDT in Australia and 9pm in New Zealand — all to celebrate three years since The Mandalorian first hit screens. pic.twitter.com/RZ74q04w7J — スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) November 10, 2022 pic.twitter.com/31jDkRIXTL — スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) November 11, 2022 The just-announced news comes after a few days of teasing on social media, including Studio Ghibli posting a short video featuring both the Lucasfilm and Ghibli logos — and another image featuring a statue of Baby Yoda, aka Grogu, with Studio Ghibli icon and founder Hayao Miyazaki in the background. Zen — Grogu and Dust Bunnies hails from director Katsuya Kondo (an animator on Earwig and the Witch, When Marnie Was There, The Wind Rises and more), and will feature music by Oscar- and Emmy-winning composer Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian). Further details, other than the fact that you'll need to head to Disney's streaming service Disney+ to see it, haven't been revealed. The anniversary also marks three years of Disney+ itself, and the short precedes the long-awaited third season of The Mandalorian — which dropped a trailer back in September, but won't hit streaming until sometime in 2023. Of course, Andor is filling the Star Wars TV gap quite nicely in the interim — and now Zen — Grogu and Dust Bunnies, aka a dream team-up, will help as well. Discover Zen - Grogu and Dust Bunnies, a hand-drawn animation by Studio Ghibli, is streaming tomorrow on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/ODqHrgIwnB — Disney+ (@DisneyPlus) November 12, 2022 Zen — Grogu and Dust Bunnies will be available to stream via Disney+ from Saturday, November 12.
A beloved vintage motor show is returning to Melbourne this spring. From October 7 to October 9, the Royal Exhibition Building will be hosting Motorclassica 2022. It's a motorhead's dream, with over 160 vintage cars and motorcycles on display across an impressive events program. In a Motorclassica first, the showcase will not only be limited to classic vehicles — there will also be modern supercars on display, including Lamborghini, Veyron and Ferrari models you would normally never see in the same room. You can also play (to win) the latest VR racing simulators against other guests for epic prizes, enjoy live panel stories and talks, get a meal from Melbourne's finest food trucks and take home new merch. Ferrari aficionados won't want to miss the Saturday of the event for a special celebration of 75 years of the legendary manufacturer, which will be the country's biggest tribute to the Italian carmaker. Motorclassica 2022 opens from Friday, October 7 to Sunday, October 9, 9am-9pm every day except Sunday, which closes at 4pm. Tickets are $49 for adults and $20 for kids, multi-day passes are available. See the website for more information.
An exploration of an exiled poet. The Australian premiere of legendary filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky's latest feature. An effort that's being called Peru's first bona fide horror movie. They're just three of the films in first-ever Cine Latino Film Festival lineup, as Australia's first national fest dedicated to showcasing the best in Latin American cinema tours the country in August. While the complete program features more than 30 movies from Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Cuba, Uruguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Guatemala and Puerto Rico, there's a reason that the first of the flicks mentioned above, the Pablo Larraín-directed, Gael García Bernal-starring Neruda, has been plucked straight from Cannes to open the festival. The last time the filmmaker and actor worked together, the excellent No was the end result, so expect another insightful look at Chilean politics from their second collaboration. Jodorowsky's Endless Poetry should rank among the festival's just-as-eagerly-anticipated titles, especially by fans of the director's '70s cult classics El Topo and The Holy Mountain and his most recent effort The Dance of Reality — or anyone who marvelled at what could've been when they watched the entertaining documentary Jodorowsky's Dune. And while The Womb doesn't come with quite the same pedigree, it does boast a chilling storyline involving one of the horror genre's favourite topics: motherhood. Elsewhere, a chronicle of the pop star known as the 'Mexican Madonna', an insight into current state of a formerly luxurious Havana hotel, and more than a couple of soccer-themed efforts all feature among the feast of Spanish and Portuguese-language fare, as do Peruvian road movie Solos and Venezuelan beauty queen black comedy 3 Beauties. Just perusing the program is enough to make you want to jump on a plane for Latin America, however for those who can't enjoy an overseas holiday at the moment, immersing yourself in the films of the region really is the next best thing. [competition]583085[/competition]
Up there on the list of good things to have come out of this crazy year is Andrew McConnell's (Cumulus Inc, Builders Arms Hotel, Cutler & Co) latest Fitzroy project: Morning Market. It started out in the early pandemic days as Marion Grocer — a temporary pop-up bakery taking over the site of his much-loved wine bar Marion — but the concept has proved such a hit that it's now getting a proper run, reborn as Morning Market with a new permanent home a few doors down Gertrude Street. In its new format, the venue takes its cues from that of a Euro-style food market, offering a tight lineup of largely local goodies. Expect a considered selection of pantry staples, seasonal fruit and veg, dairy products and specialty groceries, along with freshly cut flowers and even a tidy range of homewares. As a bonus, the fridges are also stocked with a lineup of gourmet meals for home, with options like lasagne and tiramisu saving you from the nightly kitchen slog. [caption id="attachment_786910" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jo McGann[/caption] Grab-and-go options also abound, running to the likes of Single O coffee, fresh salads, pizza slices and loaded sandwiches — like the Fitzroy Continental, sporting a mix of salami, ham, mortadella, 'nduja, provolone, mustard and pickles. And, of course, the Baker Bleu breads and pastries that stole hearts during Morning Market's first iteration get top billing once again. You'll find signature loaves, bagels, buns and a range of pastries that includes everything from buttery croissants to plump escargot. Other sweet treats might feature fan favourites like rich chocolate brownies, basque cheesecake, canelé and raspberry tarts. With picnic season in full swing and boasting a handy location near Carlton Gardens, Morning Market has got those park eats sorted, too. It's slinging curated picnic baskets for two, featuring bites like sourdough with cultured butter, roast Bannockburn chicken with tarragon mayo, and local buffalo burrata finished with a caper and parsley salsa. Prices start from $56. Find Morning Market at 59 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy. It's open 8am–3pm Tuesday–Sunday. Images: Jo McGann
If you've ever wondered where popular restaurants such as Attica, Tokyo Tina and Vue De Monde get their Japanese tableware — Made in Japan is the answer. For the last 25 years, the small, family-run business has been working directly with Japanese ceramicists to bring quality plates, bowls, sauce dishes and chopstick holders to our shores, while also cutting out the excess cost of middlemen and unnecessary packaging. And it's not just restaurants they supply, as Made in Japan's South Melbourne showroom showcases an assortment of contemporary ceramics, so you can take your home tableware game to the next level.
After a run of successful kitsch Disco Yoga events — Michael Jackson and Woodstock themed — pink-haired Disco Yoga Queen Nickie Harding is holding a Halloween-themed yoga night sporting her unique blend of novelty, Vinyasa flow and dance. It’s like a party, but rather than boozing you get amazing core strength. If you like your yoga classes silent, conservative and you like to hide in the corner, probably give this one a miss. If your idea of a good time is dressing up and finding your inner peace to the soothing sounds of ‘ The Monster Mash’, ‘Time Warp,’ and ‘Thriller' then this one's for you. In a recent Queen Victoria Market Week Disco Yoga event, Nickie encouraged strangers to hug, hold hands and support each other through poses. Massive balls bounced around the marketplace and a live DJ played Top 40 and classic dance tracks. Expect more of that in this two-hour event surrounded by zombies, witches and vampires on Saturday, October 31.
Every year, Japan comes to Australia — or, as far as movies are concerned, it does the next best thing. Since starting with three free film screenings back in 1997, the Japanese Film Festival has kept bringing the nation's many cinematic delights down under. Of course, they're going to do so again for their 20th birthday. Travelling around the country with a hefty lineup of movies so new, many are coming straight from the Tokyo International Film Festival this month, JFF embraces the vast array of big screen treats Japan's filmmakers have to offer. Sometimes, that means a poignant drama about a family banding together as a typhoon bears down. Sometimes, live-action adaptations of popular manga series are part of the equation. In fact, the 2016 lineup has both — and so does our list of the five must-see movies in the program. AFTER THE STORM Get the tissues out, Hirokazu Koreeda's new film is here. As previous efforts such as I Wish and Like Father, Like Son have proven, his dramas are tear-jerkers in the best kind of way, unpacking the ties that bind (or sometimes break) families, and understanding that the notions of love, loss, loyalty, sacrifice and struggling he depicts are absolutely universal. After the Storm promises all of the above as a separated husband and wife are thrown together during a typhoon. And yes, the filmmaker proves gifted at directing kids once again. Quite simply, he's in his own classic territory. CREEPY Everyone thinks of themselves as a good neighbour, however given the number of horror and thriller flicks that pop up on the subject, perhaps that's not quite accurate. There's something about exploring the very relatable scenario of trouble with the folks next door that keeps fascinating filmmakers and audiences alike, with Creepy the latest effort on the topic. Here, a just-quit detective moves to a new area after a traumatic incident, only to face a different kind of tension. As well as demonstrating society's collective obsession with neighbours, the film also plays with another staple: sometimes the quietest things can be the most unnerving. THE MAGNIFICENT NINE Not to one-up a certain iconic western that was only literally just remade with Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt, but a magnificent posse of nine folks is better than one with two fewer. Don't worry, there's not really already another take on the tale that actually first started with Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Instead, The Magnificent Nine goes comedic in feudal samurai times as a group of merchants hatch a secret plan to outwit their lord's harsh tax regime, as based on historical accounts. KAMPAI! FOR THE LOVE OF SAKE Sit down for a meal in almost any restaurant in Japan, and you'll find sake on the menu. The traditional rice wine is the nation's favourite alcoholic beverage, and Kampai! For the Love of Sake attempts to explain why. No, the documentary doesn't just throw a title card saying "Hey, it's just really, really tasty," onto the screen and then roll the credits. Rather, it takes the personal approach by focusing on three specific people and their link to the drink. It's guaranteed to make you want to sip the stuff while you're watching. TERRAFORMARS You've gotta love Takashi Miike, who ranks as possibly the most prolific and eclectic of contemporary Japanese filmmakers. First, consider a few of his most recent directorial credits: a violent, unhinged yakuza vampire flick, a drama about a doctor volunteering to help child soldiers, a high school-set, game-playing horror/thriller, and an adaptation of a manga about cockroaches evolving on Mars later this century. It's the latter that's his latest, and like almost everything Miike makes, it's probably destined for cult status. Talk about not making the same thing twice, even when you've got 100 directorial credits on your resume across less than three decades. The Japanese Film Festival tours the country, screening at Brisbane's Event Cinemas Myer Centre from October 26 to 30, Sydney's Event Cinemas George Street Sydney and Art Gallery of New South Wales from November 17 to 27, and Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image and Hoyts Melbourne Central from November 24 to December4. For more information, visit the festival website.
Spritzn' in piazzas under sunny skies trumps being in the office, but it can still be a tad overwhelming. Europe in summer is a melting pot of experiences and adventures, but sometimes these aren't as effortless as they seem on Instagram. Seemingly spontaneous trips perhaps require a bit more planning. Whether you're in a capital city or a charming regional town, it can be hard not to fall into the same obvious touristy routine, especially when it comes to food. To help you get that authentic European experience, we've rounded up some culinary adventures that leave it to the locals and pros to show you the ropes. From truffle hunting in regional France to oyster farming on the Croatian peninsula, we've got you covered. You'll eat well and have a fine old time if you're lucky enough to be trotting around Europe this summer. FOOD AND WINE TOUR WITH A SOMMELIER — BARCELONA, SPAIN Home to architectural marvels, beautiful beaches, and energetic nightlife, Barcelona also has an incredible food and wine scene to explore. If you want to dig a bit deeper and dine like a local, then embark on a Food and Wine Tour. A certified sommelier will take you around the city's coolest hidden gems, from cosy restaurants to hip wine bars. The expert will talk you through a range of delicious local tapas paired perfectly with an assortment of excellent wines from different Spanish regions. This tour will take you away from the city crowds into charming local neighbourhoods where the modern Spanish hospitality scene is thriving. You'll also be taken through the historical Sant Antoni Market, where the locals come to buy their produce. BOOK IT NOW. DISCOVER THE WORLD OF TRUFFLES AND TASTING — MAREY-LÈS-FUSSEY, FRANCE Burgundy isn't known only for its succulent wines. Another delicacy awaits your discovery: the Burgundy truffle. In the charming village of Marey-lès-Fussey, you'll find Mille Truffes House, run by the father-son duo Thierry and Yan. Let the human and canine experts take you through a specialty truffle experience, where you'll experience a truffle hunt with the ultimate pro, Julio the dog. After digging up your treasures, it's time to sample their delicate flavours with a tasting. There's no better way to embrace that old-school regional French charm while learning about a truly fascinating delicacy. Plus, it's a great way to break up all that wine-tasting and give your palate a bit of time to replenish. BOOK IT NOW. SEAFOOD TOUR — STON, CROATIA Ston and Mali Ston are charming coastal towns linked by one of the longest city walls in the world. The area is known for its blue waters and picturesque fishing villages. But most of all it's known for having some of the best oysters in Europe (and the world). Dive into the best Croatian cuisine has to offer by booking a Ston Gastro Tour on the Pelješac Peninsula. Discover the peninsula by boat and sail through the bay to see oyster farms up close. Be sure to try your fresh oysters paired with local wine. Back on land, walk through the historical town and discover local gems — choose fresh mussels or fish risotto for an authentic Croatian lunch. BOOK IT NOW. EXERCISE YOUR CHEESE GEEK — PARIS, FRANCE Whether you know your brie from your camembert or don't normally venture beyond the classic block of cheddar, a trip to Paris is not complete without a deep dive into the wonderful world of French cheese. The Become a Cheese Geek Tasting is highly rated, so we know you'll leave geekier than ever. Discover a plethora of flavours at La Cheese Room in Belleville, where you will warm up the senses with some blind tastings. Then, move on to a tasting of six farmhouse cheeses from around France, accompanied by paired beverages. Let the experts tell you all about the cheesemaking process and serving tips so you can impress while entertaining back home. You will walk out full of cheese and knowledge. BOOK IT NOW. FOOD AND WINE TOUR WITH A LOCAL CHEF — BOLOGNA, ITALY Bologna is known as the food capital of Italy, and for very good reason. This medieval city in the Emilia-Romagna region is the birthplace of balsamic vinegar and parmigiano reggiano cheese (among many other delicacies). With endless trattorias, markets and wares, it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. Luckily, Chef Fred's Bologna Food & Wine Tour will help you make the most of your culinary journey. Avoid the tourist spots and embrace the experience of eating like a true Bolognese local at hidden downtown venues. Venture to the oldest markets, savour a traditional tigella sandwich, relish a slice of bolognese pizza or indulge in local cake. Then wash it all down with a wine tasting and finish with some gelato. Fred has a treasure trove of local secrets to share, guiding you to the very best the city has to offer. Just make sure you arrive hungry. BOOK IT NOW. VESTERBRO CULTURAL TOUR AND BEER TASTING — COPENHAGEN, DENMARK Copenhagen has been a pioneer in the hospitality and culinary scene for quite some time now. The city boasts trendy cafe spots, Michelin-starred dining, natural wine bars, and, of course, beer. Danish beer and pubs stand out as the most approachable and time-honoured expressions of Copenhagen's hospo-scene, reflecting the city's cultural landscape. At the heart of this captivating culture lies the Vesterbro neighbourhood. Once a red-light district, it is currently acknowledged by Lonely Planet as one of the coolest in the world. To truly grasp the essence of this vibrant area, embark on a Cultural Tour with Beer Tasting. You'll spend an afternoon exploring the town with locals, delving into its distinctive history and indulging in some golden Vesterbro brews at locally adored pubs and bars. BOOK IT NOW. BOGOVE WATERFALL AND WINE TASTING — BERAT, ALBANIA We've been seeing Albania, with its ridiculously beautiful scenery, pop up more and more on our feeds. This small country is gaining popularity with tourists, and rightly so. Along with its stunning nature, rich history and warm hospitality, Albania's rich terrains also make it any wine lover's dream. So, if you find yourself in Albanian paradise, be sure to experience the best of both nature and wine with a Bogove Waterfall and Wine Tasting Tour. Located in the stunning seaside city of Berat, you will find the Bogovë National Park, where the iconic Sleeping Pearl waterfall practically begs you to jump into its crystal-clear waters. The tour takes you through the idyllic park with a scenic hike and swim, plus a visit to the historical Poliçan (the 'city of weapons'). After a healthy dose of nature and history, end the day at Pupa winery. It's the perfect place to taste wine made with local grapes alongside traditional Albanian snacks. BOOK IT NOW. WINE AND TAPAS TASTING — LISBON, PORTUGAL Portugal's largest city is a global favourite, and overflowing with charm and culinary delights. If you are lucky enough to travel to Lisbon, make the most of it by embracing the rich wine and tapas culture. Let the local pros guide you with a premium two-hour wine and tapas tasting. Discover the diversity of Portuguese wine with glasses from small producers. Your drops will be accompanied by local cheeses, meats and more. The legendary Pata Negra ham will be sure to make an appearance (the most awarded ham in the world) and a selection of Portuguese extra-virgin olive oil. Your guide will tell you all the ins and outs of the local wine and produce, so you will end the day filled with delicious delicacies and knowledge to flex back at home. BOOK IT NOW. SAILING AND GASTRONOMY AROUND ATHENS — ATHENS, GREECE Greece is a must for Euro-summer travellers for a reason. Not only does it offer insane views, beautiful beaches, great nightlife and a fascinating ancient history, it also has some seriously good food on offer. And if you're stopping off in Athens on your holiday, you can taste all of it with a Sailing & Gastronomy Tour. Pick from a number of packages and enjoy a day on the sea. Gaze at turquoise blue waters and a unique view of the city while enjoying a feast prepared by a private chef. Expect a traditional menu with a variety of Greek delicacies, plus a well-chosen selection of Greek wine, beer and liquor to wash it all down. There is nothing quite like enjoying fresh Greek food under blue skies with the sea breeze ruffling your hair. BOOK IT NOW. Feeling inspired to book a truly unique getaway? Head to Concrete Playground Trips to explore a range of holidays curated by our editorial team. We've teamed up with all the best providers of flights, stays and experiences to bring you a series of unforgettable trips to destinations all over the world.
As a drama series, Squid Game might've been the 2021 success that no one knew was coming, but everything that's followed the Netflix hit's popularity doesn't fall into the same category. Of course a second season was greenlit. Of course a television show about 456 people competing to win big was going to spawn a reality TV version that riffed on the concept, but without the death. And of course that IRL take, aka Squid Game: The Challenge, was going to score a second go-around itself. Squid Game: The Challenge arrived for season one in mid-November, dropping its ten episodes in three batches. Ahead of the finale releasing, Netflix has revealed that more is on the way. Keen to take part next time? The streaming platform has also opened the signup process for green tracksuit aficionados. So, let the games begin for a second time, with Squid Game: The Challenge still getting its 456 players competing for a huge cash prize while wearing the appropriate attire, being overseen by red-clad figures, and playing hopscotch, marbles, sugar honeycombs and tug of war. Again, there's no murder, but much otherwise takes its cues, look and feel from its inspiration. If you're one of the hordes of viewers who watched Squid Game when it instantly became one of the best new TV programs of 2021, as we all are, then you'll understand how Squid Game: The Challenge plays out even without the compete-to-the-death angle. The outfits, the games, the decor, the music and, yes, the notorious Red Light, Green Light doll: they're all accounted for. And the prize? $4.56 million, aka the biggest cash prize in reality-show history, which will be the case again in season two. How does it work? Again, you already know the details. Those 456 folks — all ordinary people, and not actors — try to score the $4.56 million by playing a series of games inspired by the extremely fictional South Korean thriller, as well as a few new additions. Also, competitors are eliminated as the games go on, and forming strategies and alliances plays a huge part. So, Squid Game: The Challenge is clearly designed to get as close to the OG Squid Game as possible, just without the body count. It's all overseen by a Front Man, too, because of course it is. Netflix has dubbed it "the biggest reality competition series ever" — and it certainly has the biggest cast. Making a gripping and brutal TV show that satirises capitalism, then bringing its games into real life does sound like something that might happen in Squid Game itself if the show was getting meta. Check out the trailer for the first season of Squid Game: The Challenge: Squid Game: The Challenge streams via Netflix. Season two doesn't yet have a release date, but we'll update you when it does. Squid Game's first season is available to stream via Netflix . Images: Netflix.
Australia doesn't have many famous figures that are referred to by their first names alone, but Margaret and David are definitely two of them. Yes, they have full names — Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton — but when you're on TV together for almost three decades, and you're as entertaining to watch as this pair, those surnames just fall away. It has been six years since their second film review series, the ABC's At the Movies, finished up in 2014. It started in 2004, and followed their previous program, The Movie Show, which aired on SBS from 1986–2004. Both Margaret and David have still been active as film critics since, but not together — until satirical news site The Shovel asked them to reunite on-screen to share their thoughts on the past 12 months as part of the Chaser-produced digital War on 2020. No, they don't review movies from the past year, although Christopher Nolan's Tenet gets a mention. Rather, they use their familiar style — including their bickering and bantering — to discuss just how ridiculous 2020 has been. David is disappointed all round, noting how little sense it all makes, while Margaret finds it quite humorous. So, as fans of the pair will know, it's classic Margaret and David, right down to the contrasting star ratings. That's the point, of course, but it's still very amusing to watch. You can view the clip below — and here's hoping that if Margaret and David repeat the feat in 2021, they have something brighter to argue about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJHUxHQxI9A
When Arelhe Urrperle walks the earth, people will take notice. Spying a six-metre-tall puppet that weighs 600 kilograms wandering around is bound to draw attention. Seeing it mosey through Alice Springs Desert Park, sharing Arrernte stories and language, will be a main attraction at 2024's Parrtjima — A Festival in Light, in fact — and just one of the reasons that this Indigenous arts festival should be on your itinerary this autumn as well. Erth, which has also brought dinosaurs and sharks to life around the country in the past — and held prehistoric picnics featuring puppets — is behind Arelhe Urrperle. In New South Wales, Marri Dyin, which also reaches six metres in height, has taken a stroll at Vivid Sydney 2018 and 2019, plus at the Nights on Crown Festival in Wollongong in 2019. Arelhe Urrperle will be specific to the Red Centre, however, and see Erth's puppeteers train local Indigenous performers to operate the roving puppet for Parrtjima's 2024 run. The dates to head along: Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 21. Representing Arelhe matriarchs, Arelhe Urrperle is one of this year's signature installations — and a new addition to Parrtjima for 2024. Fancy feasting your eyes on illuminated cars that form a collage of work celebrating Eastern, Western and Central language groups? Walking through an immersive passageway that pays tribute to late Arrernte leader Dr MK Turner? Thanks to fellow installations Arrernte and Honouring, they're also on the festival's just-announced program. One of the Northern Territory's annual highlights — and one of its dazzling sights, alongside natural features Uluru, the Tjoritja gorges and Kings Canyon, plus nightly light show Wintjiri Wiru, as well as Bruce Munro's Field of Light and Light Towers — this First Nations arts, culture and storytelling festival takes place against the 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges. Comine that setting with art, music, talks, workshops and more, and a unique festival awaits. 2024 marks the ninth Parrtjima, with its ten-night lineup focusing on the importance of interconnectedness across First Nations culture for this year. That'll partly happen through two things that are always on the bill: two of the festival's regular annual attractions, aka a huge artwork that transforms a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic ranges, showering it with light each night of the festival; and Grounded, the installation projected over the red dirt at tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park. The Ranges Light Show will take over additional projection space in 2024, while Grounded will become more interactive. From there, the program includes a three-night marketplace for the first time in the fest's history. The Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NTIBN) Buy Blak Market will feature both food and other products from local Aboriginal businesses. On the music roster, Troy Cassar-Daley, Shellie Morris, Miiesha and Mulga Bore Hard Rock will take to the stage. Cassar-Daley and Morris are also on the talks lineup, alongside Floyd Doyle and Dr Josie Douglas. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light will return from Friday, April 12–Sunday, April 21, 2024, at venues around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Images: Parrtjima – A Festival in Light / Arelhe Urrperle images by Steven Woodburn. 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.
When an actor adds new movies to their resume quickly — popping up in new flicks every couple of months or so — there's a chance they might run out of worthy on-screen opportunities. The one actor that'll never apply to: Nicolas Cage. He's prolific, he stars in far too many terrible films, and yet he always has something interesting around the corner. Across his now four-decade on-screen career, the inimitable actor has made many a must-see. Sometimes his films are simply excellent all round, or he's flat-out fantastic in them. Sometimes his movies are pure cinematic chaos, and his performances as well, but they nonetheless demand to be seen. But one of the next flicks on his slate really does promise to plunge him into new territory — because he'll be playing and parodying himself. By now, we've seen Cage break out of Alcatraz, sing Elvis songs, run around the streets convinced that he's a vampire and let his long hair flap in the wind. We've watched him voice a version of Spider-Man, drive fast cars, swap faces, fight space ninjas steal babies, too. In just the past six months, he's shouted expletives from Netflix, battled demonic animatronics and teamed up with one of Japan's most out-there filmmakers. Sometime in the near future, viewers will learn what happens when he dons Joe Exotic's blonde mullet. Staying in his own shoes stands out, though. The film in question: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Due to hit the cinemas in America on April 22, 2022 — with release details Down Under yet to be confirmed — the movie will follow the on-screen, fictionalised Cage as he accepts an offer to attend a super fan's birthday. He needs the money, but he's also recruited by the CIA along the way. Yep, that sounds about right. As well as Cage playing Cage — not to be confused with his work in Adaptation, where he played two characters — The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent will feature Pedro Pascal (Wonder Woman 1984) as the aforementioned Cage devotee, Tiffany Haddish (Like a Boss) as the CIA operative, and also Sharon Horgan (This Way Up) and Neil Patrick Harris (It's a Sin). Are We Officially Dating? filmmaker Tom Gormican sits in the director's chair, because if there's anything this story needs, it's the director of a Zac Efron and Michael B Jordan-starring rom-com pivoting to total Cage worship. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent doesn't have a trailer as yet but, in the interim, here's the Adaptation trailer if you'd like to see twice as much Cage as usual in one frame: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is set to release in the US on April 22, 2022. Australian release details haven't yet been revealed — we'll update you when they are. Via: Deadline. Top image: Wild At Heart
Charles Entertainment Cheese is heading Down Under, ready to delight kids, families and Australian adults who've always wanted the Chuck E Cheese experience. Adding to the growing list of US food chains that have already brought or are set to bring their wares to our shores — such as Taco Bell, Wahlburgers, Five Guys and Wendy's — the American restaurant-slash-entertainment centre brand has announced plans for Aussie eateries. Where and when is yet to be revealed, but the children's birthday-party go-to is indeed coming. Royale Hospitality Group has signed a master franchise partnership for Australia's Chuck E Cheese venture, adding to a stable that also includes Outback Jack's and Milky Lane. It'll help extend the brand as it closes in on five decades of existence — launching in 1977 — and as Asia and Europe also become a global focus. On offer: the place to eat slices, play games and watch animatronics that's been parodied in the likes of Five Nights at Freddy's and Willy's Wonderland, but obviously without the horror. And yes, that spans the company's characters. Yes, Charles Entertainment Cheese is Chuck E Cheese's mouse mascot's full name. "We are thrilled to bring the magic of Chuck E Cheese to Australia and to collaborate with the Royale Hospitality Group, a partner that shares our commitment to delivering exceptional family experiences," said Chuck E Cheese International Chief Operating Officer Mario Centola, announcing the Aussie expansion. "We look forward to crafting the Chuck E Cheese brand for the Australian market. This is a momentous step towards establishing Chuck E Cheese as the premier destination for families seeking an unparalleled kid-centric entertainment and dining experience," added Royale Hospitality Managing Director Ray Strauss. "I am thrilled, along with my dedicated team, to embark on this exciting journey, taking Chuck E Cheese to the next level throughout all of Australia." Your nieces and nephews, who we're betting you'll want to take to Chuck E Cheese when it opens locally, will also be thrilled. Chuck E Cheese is set to open in Australia, but exactly when and where hasn't yet been revealed — keep an eye on the chain's website, and we'll update you with more details when they're announced.
If furniture could talk, the couch from Friends would have plenty to say. For a decade up until 2004, the orange-hued lounge played a pivotal part on everyone's favourite 90s sitcom, as Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe whiled away the hours in Central Perk, reclined upon the sofa's comfortable-looking cushions, drank copious amounts of coffee and nattered non-stop about their lives. As far as on-screen seats go, it's up there with the most famous. And, almost two decades since the show went off the air, it's coming to Australia. The Friends Experience is bringing that bright-coloured sofa Down Under, finally hitting our shores after stops in New York City, Long Beach, Detroit, Birmingham and Brussels. This isn't the actual couch that Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer plonked their butts on for ten seasons, but it is a replica — as is much at The Friends Experience. That includes a version of Central Perk itself, as well as the fountain, Monica's kitchen, and Chandler and Joey's recliners. Why? Nostalgia and all those snaps everyone is going to take, obviously. Keen to sit where your TV besties once did (or on a settee that resembles the one they sat on, to be precise)? Then you can do just that from Friday, September 1 at The District Docklands in Melbourne, where The Friends Experience will make its Aussie debut. We can't promise that the sofa will always be empty, like it magically was whenever Monica, Rachel and the gang wanted to grab a caffeine hit, but you will be able to see and touch the replica either way. Yes, a version of the couch has done the rounds Down Under before, but that's not going to stop Friends diehards from heading along. Also, this is an official dive into the Friends world, complete not just with set recreations, but costumes and props, plus a gift shop filled with merchandise if you need a souvenir. There's no word yet if The Friends Experience will tour to other Australian cities, but cross your fingers — and get whichever five folks you'd like to hang out with at Central Perk to as well. Could you all be any more excited? The Friends Experience hits The District Docklands Level 1, Corner Star Crescent and Studio Lane, Docklands, Melbourne from Friday, September 1, with tickets on sale from 10am on Thursday, July 27 — join the waitlist now. Images: Original X Productions.
Throw a stone in any Australian city, and it's likely to land near a burger joint. We're a country of meat-and-bread lovers, and we have the eateries upon eateries to prove it. When you're a burg-slinging place among many, and you've already expanded from your Gold Coast beginnings to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane offshoots in just two years, what comes next? In Brooklyn Depot's case, they've given their American-themed menu a non-burger makeover. Known for their stacked towers of beef and cheese, alcohol-infused shakes and hefty list of wings, rings, strings and things, Brooklyn Depot has upped their game when it comes to other types of US-style food, thinking beyond the tried-and-tested burgs that have served them so well. Hungry customers can now munch their way through plates of lobster mac and cheese, homemade cheeseburger empanadas, shrimp and grits tacos, loaded pastrami on rye sandwiches and more. Other new inclusions range from French toast grilled cheese to corn beef hash egg rolls to chilli cheddar biscuits with chorizo sausage gravy, giving your use of American food terms a workout as well as your tastebuds. There's also the strange and wonderful combo that is chicken and waffles, made bubble-style with red velvet batter, plus French dip sandwiches (if you've ever wanted one of 30 Rock's sandwich day sangas with dipping sauce, this is the next best thing). The new menu came about after a number of research trips to the US, aka the job we'd all like to have. "We visited over 100 venues including rooftop bars, food trucks, fine dining restaurants and old classic diners," explains Brooklyn Depot co-owner Michael Rose. "It was the ultimate research mission to explore the best of Brooklyn and bring it home." With a fresh range also comes a fresh name, although it's a case of tweaking rather than changing their full moniker — from Brooklyn Depot Burgers & Brew to Brooklyn Depot Kitchen & Brew. Find Brooklyn Depot Sydney store at 65 Holt Street, Surry Hills; Melbourne digs at 399 Lonsdale Street; and Brisbane eatery at 168 Grey Street, South Bank. For more information, head to their website.
The summer of 2021–22 is shaping up to be the summer of travel, as Australia's borders start to reopen. That'll apply internationally, much to the delight of everyone who has long been dreaming of an overseas holiday — and it'll also kick in domestically, too, as Aussie states and territories begin to reopen up to each other. Queensland has recently announced when it'll welcome in residents from other parts of the country — specifically states who've just weathered big outbreaks and lockdowns, such as New South Wales and Victoria. And, for the past week, those latter two states have been revealing their plans with each other. The big news: from Monday, November 1, double-jabbed folks from both NSW and Victoria can travel between the two states without quarantining. On Thursday, October 21, NSW Health advised that the current public health orders requiring 14 days quarantine for Victorian arrivals are still in place, but will lift when next month hits — just for the double-vaxxed. If you haven't had both jabs and you've been in Victoria from that date onwards, you won't actually be permitted to enter NSW for a holiday or recreation at all. That announcement follows Victoria's similar revelation last week, on Friday, October 15, that it was changing its border permit system for double-vaccinated NSW residents. All Aussies need a permit to enter Victoria under its traffic light-style setup; however, since 11.59pm on Tuesday, October 19, those hailing from places deemed 'red zones' in NSW — including folks who aren't Victorian residents — have been able to head to the southern state without quarantining. [caption id="attachment_776506" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mulwala Bridge by Yun Huang Yong via Flickr.[/caption] In Victoria, you do still need to get a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of your arrival if you're coming in from a NSW red zone — and, after entering the state, you need to get tested again within 72 hours, and isolate until that comes back negative. If you aren't double-jabbed and you're heading to Victoria from a NSW red zone, you also have to do 14 days quarantine in addition to those tests. Those arriving from NSW orange zones who are double-vaxxed don't need to do any of the testing. NSW hasn't yet revealed if there'll be testing requirements for those heading north, with more detail expected before Monday, November 1 hits. Still, whether you're a Victorian eager to visit Sydney or a NSW resident keen for a trip to Melbourne — for a holiday, to see loved ones, or for any other reason — you can now start planning. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in NSW, head to the NSW Health website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Victoria, head over to the Victorian Government's website.
When a musician announces a big Australian and New Zealand leg of their world tour, then postpones just two weeks out, then doesn't set new dates, you can be forgiven for wondering if they'll be making it Down Under at all. In the case of Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye, the answer is no for now. His Aussie and NZ trip has been cancelled for the moment, with ticketholders to receive refunds. The artist was due to hit the stage across both countries in November and December 2023, but rescheduled at the beginning of November without revealing when he'd arrive instead. Since then, there's been no news until now. If you have a ticket, you'll get your funds back in full automatically via whichever method you used to pay. "The Weeknd After Hours Til Dawn Tour for Australia and New Zealand is still in process of being rescheduled," says the statement on the Ticketek website, leaving hope that the tour might be announced again in the future. "Whilst we continue to work through the rescheduling process with the artist, tickets for the existing 2023 tour will be cancelled. All purchased tickets will receive a full refund," the message continues. Back in November, Australia and Aotearoa was advised that the postponement was "due to unforeseen circumstances", in an announcement credited as a statement from The Weeknd to his fans. "New dates will be announced next year and current tickets will be valid for the new shows," said the message at the time. "Refunds will be available for those unable to attend the new dates. Deeply disappointed but can't wait to be there with you!" it went on. The Canadian singer-songwriter and The Idol star was due to play two shows at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, then head to Sydney for three gigs at Accor Stadium. After that, he had four shows locked in for Marvel Stadium in Melbourne — and then it was meant to Eden Park in Auckland's turn. An arena spectacular, The Weeknd's global tour has notched up soldout shows far and wide when it has been taking place. In the UK, The Weekend saw 160,000 folks head to London Stadium across two nights, smashing the venue's attendance record. And in Milan, he became the first artist to sell out the Ippodromo La Maura for two nights. Those feats are just the beginning. In Paris, the 'Starboy', 'I Feel It Coming', 'Can't Feel My Face', 'The Hills' and 'Blinding Lights' artist scored Stade de France's biggest sales this year — and in Nice, the 70,000 tickets sold across his two shows are the most in the city's history. The reason for the whole tour, other than just because, was to celebrate The Weeknd's 2020 record After Hours and its 2022 followup Dawn FM. Obviously, he has been playing tracks from 2013's Kiss Land, 2015's Beauty Behind the Madness and 2016's Starboy as well. The Weeknd's 'After Hours Til Dawn Tour' 2023 — Cancelled Dates: Monday, November 20–Tuesday, November 21 — Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Friday, November 24–Saturday, November 25 + Monday, November 27 — Accor Stadium, Sydney Friday, December 1–Saturday, December 2 + Monday, December 4–Tuesday, December 5 — Marvel Stadium, Melbourne Friday, December 8–Saturday, December 9 — Eden Park, Auckland The Weeknd is no longer touring Australia and New Zealand. The shows have been cancelled, with refunds set to be issued — head to the tour ticketing website for more information.
Dust off your petticoat and get your doublets out of the attic, because London's historic Globe Theatre is popping up in Melbourne later this year — well, sort of. Pop-Up Globe is the world's first, full-scale replica of the historic theatre, which was built by Shakespeare's playing company and housed his greatest works. Melbourne's version will set up shop at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl from September 21 until November 12 this year. History buffs and Shakespeare enthusiasts alike will have the opportunity to soak in plays As You Like It, Henry V, Othello, Much Ado About Nothing, and a special performance titled Around the Globe in 60 Minutes, which details the theatre's colourful history (it famously burned down in 1613 and was reconstructed a year later). It will be the first time the Pop-Up Globe has travelled outside of Auckland. With the round, 900-seat, three-storey venue, no member of the audience will ever be more than 15 metres from the stage, and all performances will be conducted without the use of mics, just as it was in 1614. Also keeping with tradition, tickets will offer the "groundling" option – standing room only, directly in front of the stage for only $20 a pop. Organisers promise that Pop-Up Globe won't host 'dusty' versions of Shakespeare — rather, performances will be more like a party. Pop-Up Globe will be at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl from September 21 till November 21, 2017. For more info and to buy tickets, visit popupglobe.com.au.
Remember being bored? Filling your time with TikTok challenges, cruising from beach to beach on a road trip, or gliding along a promenade in your favourite pair of skates? Those peak summer vibes are what we're craving now that autumn has kicked into gear and we've swapped slides for sensible shoes. But, you don't have to live in the moment. At least not all day. Together with our friends at TikTok, we've picked out five sunshine-filled videos that capture that endless summer feeling so you can tap into it anytime you like. Go on, have a taste. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@teigan_nash/video/6785796678071979270[/embed] Former Saturday Disney host Teigan Nash has been keeping busy over summer with a couple of pals in the pool. Here she's taking on The Avengers pool challenge and totally nailing it. If you're wondering, Teigan is second from the front. Follow @teigan_nash for more wholesome, Australia-loving content. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@zulfiyeah/video/6892730698013216002[/embed] Effortlessly gliding through a Victorian car park, Zülfiye here is the boss of eight-wheeling through summer. She can waltz, shoot hoops, strut and 'Buss It', too. Most of all, she's crushing it on a pair of skates at every rink, wharf and promenade in Melbourne. And we're here for those feel-good vibes. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@aimeemassie/video/6894703521560579330[/embed] Newcastle-born pro skater Aimee Massie has serious board skills, as any#skatergirl would already know. Here, she's proving something we already knew: we don't need skater bois and we certainly don't need the everyday sexism Aimee is calling out in her TikTok videos. We see you Massie and we're loving your work. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@pnuks/video/6784646050956332294[/embed] If we could bottle up "Almost there. Almost there. Have a break" from Paniora Nukunuku we'd use it as daily inspo in the office. The Sydney-based social influencer is a youth worker and advocate for giving people a fair go. Here, @pnuks gives us a joyful take on having a fake leg on a spicy hot summer's day at the beach. We can almost feel the heat. [embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@pachalight/video/6901777782364310786[/embed] Is there anything better than a dunk in the ocean? How about doing it with a great big grin on your face because you've found a job you love and you live it every day? That's the vibe we're picking up from Aussie surfer Pacha Light. The emerging pro is based on the Gold Coast and here she's channelling pure summertime happiness. We love it. Download TikTok to watch more summer-loving videos. Top image: Pexels; Larry Snickers
We're a long way from New York City's Lower East Side, but it'll feel a whole lot closer (for at least one night) when celebrated speakeasy-style cocktail bar Death & Co hits Down Under. The NYC team will be visiting three much-loved venues across Australia for a series of cocktail-fuelled dinners. Out to offer locals a taste of their contemporary drinks mastery, Death & Co's David Kaplan and Alex Day are swinging past Perth's Wolf Lane on January 29 and 30, before heading east to hit The Winery in Sydney on Sunday, February 2. They'll wrap things up with two dates at Melbourne laneway bar Trinket: a sold out session on February 5 and a newly added one on Tuesday, February 4. Launched in 2006, the NYC bar is considered something of a pioneer in the world of modern cocktail bars, having scored a slew of big-time awards, played host to a roll-call of bartending legends and birthed its share of now-iconic cocktail creations. Each of the Aussie dinners will see the team showcase five crafty concoctions, matched with five courses from the host venue. The tour's a collaboration with US label Aviation Gin, which just so happens to be owned by your good mate Ryan Reynolds, so you can expect lots of gin. There will be sips like the Have At It welcome shot, blending Dry Sack Sherry, gin, lemon juice and grapefruit, and the Trust Fall: a fusion of Aviation gin, pisco and vermouth, finished with lychee liqueur, raspberry, absinthe and Peychaud's Bitters. At The Winery, the booze is carefully paired with dishes like 'drunk mussels' done with gin, absinthe and tomato, spanner crab toast with stracciatella and caviar, and a deep-fried carrot cake to finish. While, at Trinket's dinner, you'll find the booze carefully paired with dishes like a wallaby tartare with Davison plum and gin jam, fried quail with Yarra Valley caviar, and a lamington-inspired take on a Magnum ice cream for dessert. Tickets to each event clock in at $95 per person (or $145 if you also want a signed copy of Death & Co's own book, Cocktail Codex). All that should leave you feeling pretty inspired to try out some drinks wizardry in your own home bar. Death & Co hits Wolf Lane at 321 Murray Street, Perth on January 29 and 30. Tickets are on sale now here. The Winery at 285a Crown Street, Surry Hills, on February 2. You can grab those tickets here. The pop-up ventures to Trinket at 87 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, on February 4 and 5. Tickets here.
It has been 21 years since The Offspring topped Triple J's Hottest 100 with 'Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)', a win that still ranks as the annual countdown's most controversial result to date. It has also been nearly four decades since the band first formed in the early 80s, and almost 30 years since it came to mainstream attention with hits like 'Come Out and Play' and 'Self Esteem' — but the Californian outfit isn't done belting out its catchy brand of punk just yet. Offering music fans their latest huge blast from the past, The Offspring is heading to Australia and New Zealand for a massive tour in 2020. No, it won't be doing that brand new thing, but rather playing all of its famous tracks — including 'Gotta Get Away', 'Why Don't You Get a Job?', 'The Kids Aren't Alright' and the song that's forever cemented in Australian radio history, obviously. Still led by frontman and guitarist Bryan "Dexter" Holland — the band's only remaining member from its initial 1984 lineup, so you can definitely call him the original prankster — The Offspring will hit up Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland in April. And, because one old-school band isn't enough, it'll have company in the form of Canada's Sum 41. Basically, this big tour is your excuse to pretend its the late 90s and early 00s, bust out the appropriate attire — retro sneakers are a must — and get the words "gunter glieben glauchen globen" stuck in your head for another couple of decades. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AltMeuPkWRs THE OFFSPRING 2020 AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES Perth — Sunday, April 19, HBF Stadium Adelaide — Tuesday, April 21, Entertainment Centre Theatre Melbourne — Thursday, April 23, Margaret Court Arena Sydney — Friday, April 24, Horden Pavilion Brisbane — Saturday, April 25, Riverstage Auckland — Tuesday, April 28, Spark Arena Early bird tickets for The Offspring and Sum 41's Australian and New Zealand shows go on sale from 9am local time on Friday, January 31, with general tickets on sale at 9am local time on Monday, February 3. Visit the tour mailing list to sign up for further details. Top image: Sum 41 via Selbymay for Wiki Commons.
Horse Bazaar knows what you need this winter, maybe even before you knew it yourself: dumplings and massage. If you haven't thought about pairing those two things together before, think again, because there's nothin' like dumpling time while someone massages the knots out of your shoulders, right? If your answer is "sure, I guess", then you'll be pleased to know Horse Bazaar runs this successful little syndicate each Tuesday night from 6pm. You'll pay $15 for a ten-minute massage (by an actual masseuse, not just the bar staff) and a three-piece dumpling snack. Choose from pork, vegan, crispy fried cheese, an egg/bacon/Vegemite package, or a sweet Nutella option. You'll probably want more than three — if so, it's $5 per extra serve of dumplings and $10 for an extra ten minutes of massage. You'll need to call or email ahead to pre-book your massage time — if stressful things are happening at work on Tuesday, this might be a blessing for you (both the massage and the dumplings).
It's not every comedian who would take a nonchalant detour from her LA stand-up set to announce to the audience she'd just been diagnosed with breast cancer. That day. "With humour, the equation is tragedy plus time equals comedy," said Tig Notaro that night. "I am just at tragedy right now." A brave, matter of fact Grammy-nominee who did something instantly legendary in 2012, Notaro has just announced she's coming back to Australia. One of the US's biggest stand-up comedians, Notaro is heading to our shores from December 6 – 13 for a limited run of dates presented by Melbourne International. Stopping by Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, Notaro's Boyish Girl Interrupted tour is sure sell out venues within an inch of their capacity — having sold out her wildly successful Edinburg Fringe run last year and sold a casual 100,000+ copies of her Grammy-nominated, second comedy album Live, the follow up to her 2011 debut Good One. Notaro's blend of humour and real life truth bombs have earned her serious high fives from some significantly kickass people — Louis CK tweeted after her LA show, "In my 27 years doing this I have seen a handful of truly masterful performances. One was Tig Notaro last night." Then This American Life's Ira Glass went and praised his frequent TAL contributor, "Tig is now in the heads of hundreds of thousands of people who don’t see her as a comic, she’s now their favourite person." Throw in some kickass guest appearances on The Office, The Sarah Silverman Program, Inside Amy Schumer and Community and you've got yourself one truly applauseworthy comedian. Tig Notaro's Boyish Girl Interrupted 2014 Dates: Perth: Saturday 6 Dec, 8pm — Regal Theatre. Tickets via Ticketek. Melbourne: Tuesday 9 Dec, 8pm — Athenaeum Theatre. Tickets via Ticketek. Brisbane: Thursday 11 Dec, 8pm — Tivoli Theatre. Tickets via Ticketmaster. Sydney: Saturday 13 Dec, 8pm — Enmore Theatre. Tickets via Ticketek. Tickets on sale on Wednesday 17 September. Image: Ruthie Watt.
Been spending the first few months of 2020 pondering the future? Given the current state of affairs, that's only natural. This week, however, you might want to look to the skies as well — and feast your eyes on a luminous lunar sight. For folks located Down Under, Wednesday, April 8 is when you'll want to be peering upwards. That's when you'll see the second of 2020's super full moons, with this one named the 'super pink moon'. And while super full moons aren't particularly rare — two usually happen each year — after this, the next one isn't due to occur until April 2021. WHAT IS IT? If you're more familiar with The Mighty Boosh's take on the moon than actual lunar terms, here's what you need to know. As we all learned back in November 2016, a supermoon is a new moon or full moon that occurs when the moon reaches the closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit, making it particularly bright. They're not all that uncommon — but because April 2020's supermoon is a full moon (and not a new moon), that's why it's called a super full moon. It's also a pink moon, too, which doesn't refer to its colour but to the time of year. In the northern hemisphere, April and spring go hand-in-hand — which means the April full moon usually arrives with the onset of the year's floral blooms, and with the first flowers from the pink-hued wild ground phlox specifically. Of course, it's currently autumn in the southern hemisphere, and the wild ground phlox are native to North America — but the name still sticks. WHEN CAN I SEE IT? If you're keen to catch a glimpse, you'll want to peek outside on Wednesday, April 8 — and while timeanddate.com notes that the super pink moon is expected to be at its peak at 12.35pm that day in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, it's still worth looking up for. If you're eager to take some pictures — and see if you can outdo previous supermoon snaps — the ABC recommends directing your eyeballs upwards at around 11pm that night, which is when the super pink moon will be highest in the sky. WHERE CAN I SEE IT? Usually, when a spectacular moon beams down from above, we'd advise city-dwellers to get as far away from light pollution as possible to get the best view. That's not possible given the current COVID-19 restrictions in place, so you'd best take a gander from your backyard or balcony. Typically, clouds and showers are predicted for Wednesday along the east coast, which could present problems in terms of visibility. If you can't get a clear view, The Virtual Telescope Project will be live streaming the moon online from Rome on Wednesday, April 8, starting at 3am AEST, too. Via timeanddate.com / space.com / ABC. Image: Andrew C.
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations — giving you a little inspiration for your text trip. In this instalment, we take you to Hanging Gardens of Bali where guests stay in luxury villas overlooking some of Indonesia's untamed jungle. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? This Balinese resort sits far away from the crowds, up in the lush rainforest surrounded by local wildlife and charming rice terraces. Hanging Gardens of Bali has also won so many international accommodation awards thanks to the breathtaking views, super luxurious villas and gracious service. THE ROOMS This high-end resort is made up of 44 private villas, each perched high atop wooden pillars overlooking the valley below. Wake up and enjoy this view from your extra-large canopy bed before rolling out into your own private plunge pool — it's paradise on stilts. And each villa is full of character. The villas combine contemporary and Balinese décor with signature hand-crafted furniture, exotic fabrics, open-air dining areas and epic master bathrooms. We see no reason why you'd ever need to leave your villa. FOOD AND DRINK Keeping with the 'never leave your villa' life, these guys will make and deliver an enormous breakfast to your room, made to be eaten in your private pool. It's all served in a bespoke wooden boat that sits out in the water with you. A dining experience that, due to your location, is quite literally next-level. But, if you do want to get out of your villa for dining, they have stacks of other options available. Either head to the main pool area for cocktails and snacks or dine in their Three Elements Restaurant. The restaurant has won separate awards for their cuisine and dining experience so shouldn't be missed. And that's just the start. Hanging Gardens of Bali also offers a wide range of other dining experiences. Spread throughout the valley are a series of cosy private dining spaces. Have a gourmet picnic on their riverside Bale, be served a romantic dinner within an ancient temple and eat some traditional afternoon tea around the rice fields. [caption id="attachment_872752" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Niklas Weiss (Unsplash)[/caption] THE LOCAL AREA This luxury resort is located near Payangan, a small village north of Ubud. Zip around the winding roads of the area on a quad bike (or just get a taxi if you dare not undertake this feat) to explore the nearby temples, holistic centres, yoga studios, rice fields and stacks of local markets. Explore this area to see why Bali is still on the top of so many people's travel bucket list destinations. You can also visit Canggu and Uluwatu to find the best surf or temporarily leave the serenity and hit Kuta and Seminyak for those famous Bali party vibes. Choose your own Bali adventure — it's all pretty easy to do from this location. THE EXTRAS Now we've already mentioned all of the extra dining options available at Hanging Gardens of Bali, but these guys don't stop there. The team here has created an impressive smorgasbord of additional pampering activities. First off, there is the spa — yes, this has won a handful of awards too. It's truly luxurious treatments combine natural, local ingredients and ancient techniques, to create beauty therapies and treatments that soothe the mind, rejuvenate the body and energise that poor old soul of yours. Of course, these treatments also come with a view of the Balinese jungle so you'll feel surrounded by nature even when you're technically inside. We are also big fans of their guided morning walks. Take off on a journey through the local villages, led by their resort guide before reaching one of the local rice fields. Here, the guide will serve a few refreshing drinks while talking a little bit about rural life in this part of Indonesia. It's a really delightful way to start the day. Get 30% off your stay at The Hanging Gardens of Bali here (with daily breakfast, sunset yoga and a couple's massage included). 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.
UPDATE, March 12, 2021: She Dies Tomorrow is also now available to stream via Stan. When She Dies Tomorrow splashes Kate Lyn Sheil's face across the screen, then bathes it in neon flashes of pink, blue, red and purple, it isn't easily forgotten. It's a vivid, visceral, even psychedelic sight, which filmmaker Amy Seimetz lingers on, forcing her audience to do the same as well. Viewers aren't just soaking in trippy lights and colours, though. They're staring at the expression beneath the multi-hued glow, which seethes with harrowing levels of shock, fright, distress and anxiety. That's understandable; this is the look of someone who has just had the most unnerving realisation there is: that she is going to die tomorrow. In her second stint directing a feature after 2012's Sun Don't Shine, Pet Sematary, Lean on Pete and Alien: Covenant actor Seimetz does indeed serve up a straightforward concept that's all there in the title. In She Dies Tomorrow, her protagonist — who is also called Amy (Kate Plays Christine's Sheil) — believes that her life will end the next day, plain and simple. But it's how the on-screen Amy copes with the apocalyptic news, and how it also spreads virally from person to person, that fuels the movie. Initially, she responds by searching for urns, researching how leather jackets are made and roaming aimlessly around the new home she has recently purchased, and by brushing off her worried but sceptical friend Jane (Twin Peaks' Jane Adams). If Amy is merely being paranoid, that persecution-driven delusion soon proves contagious, with the feature's cast also including Katie Aselton (Bombshell), Chris Messina (Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)), Josh Lucas (Ford vs Ferrari), Tunde Adebimpe (Marriage Story) and Jennifer Kim (Mozart in the Jungle). Among of the joys of She Dies Tomorrow is that it's never one for obvious or easy answers, or for explaining any more than it needs to. Indeed, how it morphs from exploring one woman's fears to cataloguing a shared nightmare that spreads like a pandemic is best discovered by watching; however Seimetz crafts a gloriously smart and unsettling thriller that toys with surreal Lynchian moments yet always feels disarmingly astute. The film was made prior to COVID-19 and was originally slated to premiere at this year's cancelled SXSW, so it pre-dates our coronavirus-afflicted world — but it's hard not to think of the real-life parallels. Earning ample buzz when it surfaced in the US in July, currently available to stream in Australia until Sunday, August 23 as a late addition to this year's online Melbourne International Film Festival, and hitting local video-on-demand platforms on Wednesday, September 2, She Dies Tomorrow isn't afraid to think big, tackle a difficult topic or do so in a thoroughly disquieting manner. Interrogating the messy horror that comes with knowing you'll die isn't easy, after all, and the film evocatively conveys that sensation. This is a movie that doesn't just want its audience to passively peer on as characters grapple with the possibility that their life is about to be cut short, but one determined to ensure that viewers feel as uncertain, anguished and chaotic as everyone on-screen. With her tension-dripping images, and a score by Mondo Boys that's equally bold, operatic and needling, Seimetz wholeheartedly achieves that aim. In the process, the writer/director ponders humanity's reaction to life-shattering news both on an individual and collective basis, the way that panic and doubt spreads oh-so-quickly, and how one idea can soon overtake entire communities. They're all very relevant notions at present, as is the idea of living every day as if there is no future, which the feature overtly, cleverly and even humorously toys with. But most perceptive here is how She Dies Tomorrow reflects the recognisable reality of passing each and every second with the knowledge that one day you'll no longer be alive. That's a situation we're all in, and that we all generally do our best to overlook as much as we can — and it's downright impossible to ignore here. She Dies Tomorrow also doubles as a moving exploration of confronting your mortality on a tangible and immediate level, too; forget the weepy schmaltz of stereotypical terminal illnesses dramas, because this haunting film couldn't be steeped any deeper in existential terror. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNZQ2GG833o She Dies Tomorrow is currently available to stream online in Australia as part of MIFF 68 1/2, the Melbourne International Film Festival's 2020 online festival, until Sunday, August 23. It'll also be available to watch digitally via iTunes, Google Play, YouTube Movies, Amazon and other video-on-demand platforms from Wednesday, September 2, and via DVD then as well.
On Bram Stoker's pages, as penned into gothic horror history 128 years ago, Count Dracula travels to the UK. It's fitting, then, that Sydney Theatre Company's cine-theatre take on the all-time classic vampire novel is following the same voyage. While pop culture's most-famous bloodsucker ventured from the Carpathian Mountains to London, Kip Williams' inventive interpretation of Dracula is making the trip from Australia — as the theatre-maker's fellow one-actor horror adaptation The Picture of Dorian Gray similarly did. Also shared by Williams' iterations of Dracula and The Picture of Dorian Gray: a big-name actor with international clout stepping into the production's sole role. Sarah Snook (Memoir of a Snail) did the honours for the director's Oscar Wilde adaptation, won an Olivier Award for it, then moved to Broadway with the show and is now nominated for a Tony. Taking the lead for Sydney Theatre Company's dance with the undead: Cynthia Erivo (Poker Face). [caption id="attachment_1004199" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mark Seliger[/caption] Erivo's West End stint in Dracula will start on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, playing the Noël Coward Theatre — and if you're wondering whether she'll add to her trophy cabinet for the production, any awards for her efforts here will join the stacked lineup of accolades that she's already collected. For 2016's The Colour Purple, she won a Tony. For that musical's album, she won a Grammy. And for performing from it on America's Today Show, she won an Emmy. This year, Erivo was also an Oscar-nominee thanks to Wicked, joining her two past nominations for Harriet. Dracula marks her return to the stage, premiering in London after Wicked: For Good hits cinemas globally in November 2025. Erivo will portray all 23 characters in Stoker's story. Yes, that means Count Dracula, obviously, but also spans vampire hunter Van Helsing, solicitor Jonathan Harker, his fiancée Mina Murray and her friend Lucy Westenra, among other figures. "Returning to the stage feels like a homecoming, one that I've been craving for a long time. To do so with a story as rich, complex and haunting as Dracula offers a beautiful opportunity to delve into character, into myth and into the heart of what makes us human," said Erivo. "From the moment I was asked, I could not get the role out of my mind. Kip's vision is thrilling, terrifying and deeply resonant, offering a chance to sit with not only the darkness in the world, but also the light we fight to hold onto. It's a rare gift for an actor to inhabit so many voices and perspectives in one piece, and I'm honoured to do it for West End audiences in this extraordinary production. The prospect of doing this show scares me and I know it will be a huge challenge. This show will ask everything of me — and I'm ready to give it." Added Williams: "I am thrilled to be returning to the West End to direct my adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula and to collaborate with the extraordinary Cynthia Erivo, as she brings to life the many iconic characters of this much-adored tale." "Our production expands upon Stoker's exploration of the tension between fear and desire, offering a contemporary perspective on the vampire as a monster that lurks not beyond, but within. I am excited to reunite with many of my Dorian Gray collaborators on this project, and it is an immense privilege to have such a singularly gifted artist as Cynthia at the heart of it. I can't wait to share this piece with London audiences, especially in the West End, a place where Bram spent so much of his creative life." Dracula is the third instalment in Williams' trilogy for Sydney Theatre Company, following not only The Picture of Dorian Gray but also The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. In Australia, Zahra Newman portrayed every part in this bite of spectacular theatre. Given how popular its namesake, or versions of him, is in cinemas (see: Nosferatu, Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter and Renfield just in the past two years), don't be surprised if Williams' Dracula also gets picked to make a stage-to-screen leap, as The Picture of Dorian Gray has. Dracula will play the Noël Coward Theatre, 85–88 St Martin's Lane, London, from Wednesday, February 4, 2026 — for more information and tickets, head to the production's website. Dracula images: Zahra Newman and camera operator Lucy Parakhina in Sydney Theatre Company's Dracula, 2024, Daniel Boud ©.
Another vaccination milestone, another loosening of COVID-19 rules: that's becoming an end-of-week tradition in Victoria. The metropolitan Melbourne region just came out of lockdown a couple of days back, at 11.59pm on Thursday, October 21, after the state hit the 70-percent double-vaccinated mark — and now, with the 80-percent double-jabbed threshold set to be reached in the coming days, more rules will ease across Victoria at 6pm on Friday, October 29. All those restrictions you've been abiding by for the past few days? Yes, they're about to change. And while Victoria has an existing roadmap for easing back to the pandemic version of normality, the new requirements that'll kick in at the 80-percent double-vaxxed mark have been fleshed out in further detail. Also, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews advised what's in store when the state hits 90-percent double-vaxxed among those aged 12 and over, too. "Thanks to the hard work of millions of Victorians who turned out to get vaccinated in recent months, the Victorian Government has today been able to outline what life will be like as we hit our 80 per cent and 90 per cent double dose targets," said the Premier in a statement. "Victoria will reach its 80-percent double-dose vaccination milestone almost a week ahead of schedule, on Friday 29 October. When we reach our 90-percent double-dose milestone — predicted to be as early as 24 November — a significant easing of all major restrictions will occur," Andrews continued. Victoria will hit 80% double dosed this week, and the Chief Health Officer determined that at 6pm on Friday 29 October more restrictions will be eased - and Victoria will all come together under the same restrictions. pic.twitter.com/XJvxbPel2n — Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) October 24, 2021 Accordingly, when 6pm arrives on Friday, October 29, public outdoor gatherings will go up to 30 people (including dependents). At-home limits won't change, however, so that remains at up to ten people (including dependents) per day. With both, vaccination is listed as "strongly recommended" by the government. Retail can reopen, and gyms as well — both to double-jabbed folks. In most indoor settings in public — which includes restaurants, pubs, retail, gyms, hairdressers and beauty services — there'll be no set limit on the number of people if all staff and patrons are double-vaccinated, although the one person per four-square-metre rule will still apply. And outdoors in these same types of locations, there'll be a 500-person cap up to one person per two-square-metres if all staff and patrons are double-jabbed. Plus, these rules will also apply to weddings, funerals and religious gatherings, again if everyone is double-vaxxed. In great news for everyone sick of their streaming queues, indoor entertainment venues can finally reopen. With seated venues — with spans cinemas and theatres — there's a 75-percent capacity limit, or the one person per four-square-metre rule up to a 1000-person cap, but only if both staff and patrons are double-jabbed. Non-seated non-seated indoor entertainment venues won't have to abide by a set number, but the one person per four-square-metre requirement applies, again if everyone is double-vaccinated. [caption id="attachment_788042" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Google Maps[/caption] Outdoors, both seated and non-seated entertainment venues — so stadiums, zoos and tourism attractions — can open with the one person per two-square-metres restriction up to 5000 if staff and patrons are double-vaxxed. Also, events such as music festivals can also hit the 5000-attendee mark, but there might be other restrictions depending on the venue. The new rules state that the Chief Health Officer can allow larger crowds "for significant events and venues under the Public Events Framework, " too. The requirements around masks are changing as well, and will only be mandated indoors — not outdoors. That said, it's still highly recommended that Victorians keep masking up outside in busy streets, outdoor markets or anywhere you can't physically distance from other people. Plus, you can get ready to mosey around all of Victoria again. The entire state will be under the same rules at the 80-percent double-vaxxed mark, which means that travelling from metropolitan Melbourne to regional Victoria will be permitted. Interstate travel will be allowed as well, although that obviously depends on other states' border rules. Still, Victoria has already dropped its quarantine requirement for double-vaccinated folks entering the state from places deemed 'red zones'. Also, as previously announced, there'll be no quarantine for double-jabbed travellers returning from overseas from Monday, November 1, either. [caption id="attachment_818582" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Le Bajo, Julia Sansone[/caption] Then, at the 90-percent double-jabbed threshold — so around Wednesday, November 24, with the exact date obviously yet to be confirmed depending on vaccination numbers over the next month — even more rules will relax. The Premier said that this stage would see "all major restrictions will ease and we'll get back to something resembling our pre-COVID lives." So, this is when all caps and density quotients will be ditched — covering everywhere, including at-home, outdoors and at venues. Indeed, there'll be no restrictions for indoor and outdoor events at all, as long as they stick to COVID-safe rules, which includes vax requirements. At this stage, you'll also only have to mask up in a few high-risk settings indoors. So, your face will only need to be covered in places such as hospitals, aged care and public transport. Yes, after enduring the city's sixth lockdown of the pandemic, the next few months in Melbourne are now looking a whole lot different. Today's announcement comes as 1935 new local COVID-19 cases were reported. Victoria's COVID-19 restrictions will relax again at 6pm on Friday, October 29. For further information about Victoria's reopening roadmap, head to the Victorian Government website. For more information about the status of COVID-19 and the current restrictions, head over to the Department of Health website. Top image: Josie Withers, Visit Victoria.
You may have thought your days of hanging out in car parks were over, but this Melbourne music event aims to change that. Play On brings a unique combination of live classical and electronic music to the underground car park at the Collingwood Housing Estate and, after three successful seasons, it's back for three Friday nights on March 9, 16 and 23. The event presents classical music outside of traditional performance venues, making it both an accessible and pretty magical experience in a space that welcomes music lovers from all walks of life. The events will see the likes of Beethoven and Debussy played by the Play On Collective, followed by sets from local DJs, including Noise in My Head. Tickets are $20 presale or $25 on the door. Images: Alan Wheedon.
The first of Harvest's headline shows has now been announced, following the festival's cancellation last week. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will tour in November, playing Billboard in Melbourne, The Hi-Fi in Brisbane and Sydney and the Metro Fremantle. After weeks of speculation, AJ Maddah announced the official cancellation of Harvest 2013 on September 16. "I am very sad to confirm that Harvest 2013 is cancelled. All tickets will be 100% refunded (incl. all charges) by Oztix in the next week," the promoter tweeted. Later he mentioned that his partner, Jo Ward, had had "a nervous breakdown" over it. The event was scheduled to happen in mid-November in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. With Massive Attack and Franz Ferdinand already established as headliners, the festival announced the addition of Volcano Choir just a fortnight ago. Maddah did manage to offer some relief to devastated ticket holders when he stated that most of the (now ex-) Harvest artists would perform their own headline shows. "Will be announcing headline shows by most of the Harvest artists in the next 10 days," he tweeted. "Those who have purchased Harvest tickets will be given priority access to these headline shows. Please stay tuned for details." According to theMusic.com.au, "industry sources have confirmed" that the outspoken promoter, who was named the most powerful person in the music industry earlier this year, has purchased Ken West's sizeable share of the Big Day Out (the rest of which is owned by US promoters C3 Presents). Watch this space for more news of Harvest artists' headline shows. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Wednesday, November 13 – Metro Fremantle, Perth Friday, November 15 – Billboard, Melbourne Saturday, November 16 – The Hi-Fi, Sydney Sunday, November 17 – The Hi-Fi, Brisbane
It'll look like Christmas in a big way around Melbourne when the city's annual festival celebrating the jolliest time of the year returns for 2023. No matter whether you like staring at luminous lights and dazzling sights, hitting up every single festive market around town or soaking in as many Christmas-themed activities as you can find — including Christmas rollerskating, a Christmas maze and a Christmas cinema — that'll all be on the agenda from Friday, November 24. Once again, the city will have an array of methods to get merry this festive season, with the annual Melbourne Christmas Festival running for an entire month until Monday, December 25. If you weren't aware before, you will be now: Christmas in this city doesn't just mean buying gifts and roasting turkeys. Accordingly, from the end of November, you can make a date with spectacular projections and a whole heap of excuses to get shopping, among other festivities. Those nightly Christmas lights are a clear drawcard, and they'll beam across Melbourne Town Hall and and the State Library of Victoria. You'll also be bathed in seasonal vibes when you hang out at Federation Square's Christmas Square, where a 17.5-metre LED Christmas tree will take pride of place. And, a new river show will get Southbank all aglow ever evening. Other standouts around town include the Christmas-themed roller-skating rink making a comeback Carlton's Argyle Square; the Christmas maze at Docklands, which is also a returning favourite; and an 11-day Christmas carnival at Birrarung Marr with dodgems and a ferris wheel. Like Christmas movies? The Capitol Theatre is joining in with screenings of Elf, The Polar Express, The Grinch, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, and The Santa Clause — all for $5 each. Or, Fed Square is showing movies for free outdoors, with Elf, The Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street and It's a Wonderful Life on its lineup. Elsewhere, you'll be able to take part in Christmas scavenger hunt and a treasure hunt, mosey along a festive walk that's all about knowing how best to mark the occasion in Melbourne, enjoy a comedic holiday pantomime show, see lights and lasers illuminate the Yarra, hear choirs sing carols and go cruising on a busking boat. If all the merriment makes you hungry and thirsty, you can also partake in a packed stocking's worth of food- and booze-focused Chrissie events. One highlight: Christmas on Afloat. Another: Chinatown's Christmas festival. Ice skating — not just roller skating — is on offer as well. And if nothing says Christmas to you like getting a snap of your pet all dressed up for the occasion, pictures with Santa are also part of the fun. Plus, from a clearly heaving lineup, market and festival devotees can take their pick, with boho, vegan, makers, German, Korean, Japanese and wine options. There's also the Koorie Krismas Market, selling arts and crafts from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. 'Tis the season to spend a month feeling the Christmas spirit all throughout the City of Melbourne, obviously, because there's more where all of the above came from, too.
