The shock of unkempt hair, the Irish brogue, the misanthropic attitude: there's no mistaking Dylan Moran for anyone else. It was true in beloved British sitcom Black Books, when his on-screen alter ego abhorred mornings, ate coasters and claimed that his oven could cook anything (even belts). And it's definitely true of the comedian's acerbically hilarious live shows. Moran is no stranger to Australia and New Zealand, but if you haven't guffawed at his bleak wit live, he's coming back in 2023 to give you another chance. As always, expect the kind of deadpan gags, wine-soaked insights and blisteringly sharp one-liners that've kept him in the spotlight since 1996, when he became the youngest-ever winner of the Edinburgh Fringe's Perrier Award. [caption id="attachment_729089" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andy Hollingworth[/caption] From mid-April to late May, Moran will tour Down Under with his latest show We Got This, bringing his grumpily lyrical musings on love, politics, misery and the everyday absurdities of life to 11 Aussie cities and four spots in NZ. Kicking off in Hobart and ending up in Auckland, this marks his first full standup show since 2019's Dr Cosmos, which also came our way — and was available to stream earlier in the pandemic, too. Given this tour's title, it's hardly surprising that Moran will be reflecting upon these chaotic times. That might sound like a standard comedy gig these days, but nothing about Moran's comedy is ever standard. "We are bruised. We are fucked up. We are all sore," he said, announcing the tour. "It's not just the pandemic. It's the times and how we've got through it." As well as his stint as the world's worst bookshop owner in Black Books, Moran has popped up in films such as Notting Hill and Shaun of the Dead, should you been keen to get watching (or rewatching) before his new gigs. Nabbing tickets early is recommended — his shows usually sell out quickly. DYLAN MORAN 'WE GOT THIS' 2023 DATES Wednesday, April 19 — Wrest Point Entertainment Centre, Hobart Thursday, April 20 — Princess Theatre, Launceston Friday, April 21 — Hamer Hall, Melbourne Tuesday, April 25 — Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide Thursday, April 27–Friday, April 28 — Canberra Theatre, Canberra Saturday, April 29 — Civic Theatre, Newcastle Tuesday, May 2 — HOTA, Home of the Arts, Gold Coast Thursday, May 4–Friday, May 5 — QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane Monday, May 8 — Perth Concert Hall, Perth Thursday, May 11 + Monday, May 15 — State Theatre, Sydney Saturday, May 13 — Town Hall, Wollongong Saturday, May 20 — Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch Monday, May 22 — Regent Theatre, Dunedin Tuesday, May 23 — St James Theatre, Wellington Thursday, May 25 — Auckland Town Hall, Auckland Dylan Moran's 'We Got This' tour will head around Australia and New Zealand in April and May 2023. Ticket pre-sales start at 11am on Thursday, October 13, with general sales from 9am on Tuesday, October 18. For more information, head to the tour website. Updated November 25.
Tasmania has firmly established itself as a go-to destination on Australia's culinary map. The island's verdant farmlands and inventive chefs produce some of the finest cuisine in the country. Plus, a budding collection of paddock-to-plate restaurants are helping visitors to better appreciate the island state's incredibly rich variety of produce. Here, we've teamed up with Tourism Tasmania to highlight a selection of incredible restaurants where almost everything you feast upon is locally grown and produced. Got a penchant for restaurants that champion sustainability and seasonality? It's time to push Tassie to the top of your travel list. [caption id="attachment_866855" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Van Bone[/caption] VAN BONE Set against the backdrop of Marion Bay's picturesque coastal landscape, Van Bone's eco-conscious philosophy ensures it stands out as a quintessentially Tasmanian fine dining experience. Led by chef Tim Hardy and his partner Laura Stucken, the venue offers seasonal and hyperlocal dishes with incredible vistas and refined architecture to match. Seating just 20 guests, the intimate venue sees diners gazing upon rolling green hills as the chefs prepare the daily degustation menu in an open kitchen. Much of the produce on offer here is grown in the kitchen garden and orchard, while nearby suppliers provide everything else. [caption id="attachment_865477" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jarrad Seng[/caption] THE AGRARIAN KITCHEN EATERY Rodney Dunn and Séverine Demanet have long been fascinated by the relationship between everyday food and the earth that provides it. After opening in 2015, The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery has helped the couple explore this dynamic further, with their spacious venue in the rural community of New Norfolk serving local, seasonal cuisine that celebrates its origins. Many of the ingredients used across the restaurant's woodfired and hot-smoked dishes are grown on a nearby farm and showcase a relaxed expression of Tasmanian cuisine focused on local, small-batch makers and producers. Soon, the duo will share their skills via a new cooking school and kitchen garden which are set to open alongside the restaurant in October this year. [caption id="attachment_865491" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nat Mendham[/caption] STILLWATER Set in a 19th-century flour mill overlooking a charming estuary in Launceston, Stillwater has been recognised as one of the country's top paddock-to-plate restaurants since its launch. Renowned for its casual fine dining, the venue boasts a highly seasonal menu with almost everything on it grown locally. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Stillwater delivers a distinctly Tasmanian dining experience that's only made better by its picturesque setting. Plus, the knowledgeable staff will be more than happy to walk you through where each ingredient is sourced, from the meat to the herbs. [caption id="attachment_868520" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Charles Hill[/caption] WATERLOO INN Overlooking the east coast of Tasmania about a 30-minute drive from Freycinet National Park, the Waterloo Inn offers simple, seasonal cuisine that reflects its stunning location in Swansea. Housed inside an unassuming hotel, Waterloo Point, the restaurant is guided by chef Zac Green's (ex-Movida) ode to cosy pubs that dot the island's often chilly coastline. Taking cues from the weather and the available local produce, the three-course Sunday set lunch changes by the week so it's best to keep an eye on the restaurant's socials for updates. Head along soon to experience this local favourite before it becomes a bona fide interstate icon. Booking are essential. [caption id="attachment_865478" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Liam Neal[/caption] FAT PIG FARM Matthew Evans and Sadie Chrestman (of Gourmet Farmer fame) have established Fat Pig Farm – a thriving working property that hosts a multi-course Friday Feast (as well as the occasional Thursday session) — on a 70-acre block in the Huon Valley. These long lunches almost exclusively showcase ingredients grown on the surrounding paddocks. Its heritage apple orchard, market garden, chooks, cows and namesake Wessex Saddleback pigs offer a communal experience for diners to explore the flavours of the Huon Valley. Matthew and Sadie even take guests on a guided tour of the farm between courses, bringing diners closer to the source of their food. [caption id="attachment_865479" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kelly Slater[/caption] TIMBRE Just a short drive from Launceston in the Tamar Valley, Timbre offers an ever-changing seasonal menu that highlights the region's very best producers and growers. Plus, you can soak up the pastoral views and serene landscapes of the grounds of adjacent Vélo Wines as you enjoy a variety of woodfired dishes. You can choose from standard or deluxe banquets or opt for a selection of tasty shared plates. Although the offering is constantly changing, some recent highlights include pork rib with fermented manzano chilli and miso caramel mousse topped with honeycomb. With exceptional wine coming from the vines outside, Timbre is a must-visit dining destination to add to your Tasmanian food itinerary. Ready to plan a trip for your tastebuds around Tasmania? To discover more, visit the website. Top image: Tourism Tasmania and Peter Whyte
In Stay of the Week, we explore some of the world's best and most unique accommodations, giving you inspiration for your next trip. In this instalment, we set the compass to regional Victoria and take a trip to Sorrento for a special stay at the newly renovated Hotel Sorrento. [caption id="attachment_899023" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Rising High Media[/caption] WHAT'S SO SPECIAL? Here, in a buzzy pocket of the Mornington Peninsula, Hotel Sorrento has sat for nearly 150 years boasting enviable bay vistas. Now, the historic sandstone building is welcoming a massive expansion including a soon-to-come 30-metre pool and rooftop yoga studio. At the moment, Hotel Sorrento boasts five separate bars, two restaurants, newly refurbished accommodation rooms as well as private dining areas. It's an all-in-one destination escape just over an hour from Melbourne's CBD. THE ROOMS There are plenty of rooms to choose from at Hotel Sorrento, starting from $325 a night. Contemporary and light-filled, rooms are accented with a variety of deep European oak, natural limestone and marble. Heritage Balcony Rooms are the crowning jewel of this hotel, boasting private balconies with exclusive vistas overlooking the bay. [caption id="attachment_899027" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Threefold Social[/caption] FOOD AND DRINK Hotel Sorrento has recently overhauled its food and drink offering, helmed by George Calombaris. "The goal is to create dishes that not only satisfy the palate but tell a story of the region and the community's rich history," George Calombaris says. Shihuishi is the newest addition to the Hotel Sorrento family, nestled in the original, grand Hotel Sorrento ballroom. Head chef Junlin (Jerry) Yi (ex-Red Spice Road) is unafraid to stray from tradition, from prawn crackers paired with crème fraîche; to spanakopita dumplings that marry whipped feta and dill. Deeper into the menu, patrons will discover Australian-Canto cuisine that nods to the Chinese restaurant that stood onsite back in the 1980s. A prawn, lap cheong and onion stir-fry is a crowd-pleaser, along with duck pancakes and black pepper beef, served on a sizzling plate. Other classics run to the likes of steamed barra with soy, ginger and spring onion, or the ever-popular pork and prawn shumai. Otherwise, if you fancy a short but sweet wander, head across the road to the Conti for a slew of venues including a public bar, beer garden, speakeasy and fine diner. Luxe speakeasy Barlow is our pick for a pre-evening tipple. Sorrento institution Stringers has also recently been revamped by The Darling Group (Higher Ground, Kettle Black, Top Paddock), turning the corner store and cafe into an all-day restaurant, pizzeria, bar and providore. THE LOCAL AREA Sorrento is a much-loved spot for both Mornington Peninsula locals and regular holiday blow-ins, due to its accessibility from Melbourne. In warmer months, swimming, snorkeling and water activities at Sorrento Beach is a must-do. If you're looking to sidestep the crowds, Diamond Bay is a popular spot for both families and couples. A range of short, all-weather walking tracks are stunning year-around, including Coppins Track which finishes at the clifftop of Diamond Bay. The cliffside Millionaires Walk is named as a nod to the lavish private residences that line this path, or try the 7km Sorrento Circuit Walk, which hits all of this town's main attractions. THE EXTRAS Hotel Sorrento is looking to install a new 30-metre pool alongside a pool-friendly bar, rooftop yoga studio and gym by the end of 2023. If you're looking for a staycation special, Hotel Sorrento's winter escape package includes overnight accommodation for two, dinner for two at Shuihuishi and a bottle of local Pinot Noir for your room. 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 in destinations all over the world. Images: supplied.
More so than any other in recent memory, this summer is going to be all about socialising. And, whether you've got a special occasion to celebrate or looking for places to have those overdue catch-ups, you can't beat a private dining room if you want to go all out. We've teamed up with Hennessy to highlight six impressive private rooms in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane for your next baller night (or day) out. Round up your crew, get the Henny flowing and your night is set.
Hoping that 2022 proves brighter than the last couple of years? Aren't we all — and, in Sydney, it's set to do exactly that in one particularly eye-catching way. After cancelling its 2020 and 2021 events due to the pandemic, Vivid will be back with its citywide celebration of creativity, innovation and technology (and luminous lights) from Friday, May 27–Sunday, June 18, and the festival has just revealed the first must-sees on its lineup. Words like dazzling, glowing, radiant and vibrant get thrown around a lot when describing Vivid, but there's a great reason for that: its installations and events — and especially its art displays and light projections — really are spectacular. 2022's bill looks to live up to the hype, too, based on the four inclusions revealed from first-time Festival Director Gill Minervini's program so far. Get ready to see plenty of Sydney in a whole new light, naturally. At The Goods Line at Central Station, Convergence will surround Sydneysiders in an immersive light-and-sound experience — all in the disused Goods Line railway tunnel, which'll be used for the first time ever. It'll actually be Vivid's largest-scale laser exhibition ever, too, if you need any more convincing. Next, over at Customs House at Circular Quay, none other than famed Aussie artist Ken Done will be joining forces with Sydney-based projection specialists Spinifex Group to deliver a work called For Sydney With Love. Yes, it's a love letter to the city, and it spans everything from Sydney's landmarks to its natural environment, which Done will bring to life. Also a highlight: Earth Deities, which'll set up at Hickson Road Reserve in The Rocks. It's the work of Western Sydney-raised artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, who is known for making large-scale sculptural forms out of compacted earth, steel and paint. Here, Nithiyendran will craft what's been dubbed as a "multi-limbed avatar", which'll come complete with animated fire and electricity. And, spanning an eight-kilometre continuous stretch from Sydney Opera House to Central Station, Future Natives will guide folks along Vivid's Light Walk. You'll find your way along thanks to sculptures along the route, including a flock of 200 Sydney bird species created by Sydney artist Chris Daniel. [caption id="attachment_843269" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Future Natives, Chris Daniel[/caption] The full Vivid 2022 lineup will be announced mid-March, but you can also look forward to spending time elsewhere in the Sydney CBD, Circular Quay, The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour, and at the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, MCA and Customs House. Can't wait? You have to, sorry, but because Wednesday, February 16 marked 100 days till Vivid 2022 kicks off, the event has also stationed countdown clocks designed by artist Elliott Routledge — who'll also feature in the full festival program — outside the Queen Victoria Building at Town Hall and at Gateway Plaza at Circular Quay. So, you'll always know how many days are left until Sydney gets brighter for a few wintry weeks. [caption id="attachment_843267" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dallas Kilponen / DestinationNSW[/caption] Vivid Sydney 2022 will run from Friday, May 27–Sunday, June 18. We'll update you with the full lineup when it's announced in mid-March — and for further information in the interim, visit the event's website. Top images: Convergence, Mandylands / Earth Deities, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, Jessica Maurer, Kane-Sullivan.
For the past few months, Netflix has been drip-feeding The Crown fans sneak peeks of the show's fourth season. By now, you've probably watched the first teaser, which gave a brief 46-second snippet of the royal drama's latest ups and downs. And you've likely also viewed the longer trailer, which sported quite the heavy mood. If you can't wait for more, however, a new glimpse at the series' next batch of episodes has just hit — just over a fortnight before you'll be able to watch the entire thing, too. Of course, it has been a huge year for The Crown all round, even before the show started dropping teasers and trailers. At the beginning of 2020, Netflix announced that it would end the royal drama after its fifth season. Then it had a change of heart, revealing it would continue the series for a sixth season. That's quite the drama — and, obviously, there's more to come on-screen. This season focuses on two showdowns. Firstly, as shown in some detail in the new trailer, Queen Elizabeth II (Oscar-winner Olivia Colman) and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (The X-Files icon Gillian Anderson) don't quite see eye to eye. Also, with Prince Charles' (God's Own Country's Josh O'Connor) marriage to Lady Diana Spencer (Pennyworth's Emma Corrin) a big plot point, the latter clashes with the entire royal establishment. When season four hits Netflix on Sunday, November 15, it'll be the last chance for fans to see the current lineup on talent. The series' fifth and sixth seasons — which are expected to follow the Queen in the 1990s and 2000s — will switch out its cast again, as it did after seasons one and two. This time, after season four, Downton Abbey, Maleficent and Paddington star Imelda Staunton will don the titular headwear, and Princess Margaret will be played by Staunton's Maleficent co-star and Phantom Thread Oscar-nominee Lesley Manville. Also, Game of Thrones and Tales from the Loop's Jonathan Pryce will step into Prince Philip's shoes and Australian Tenet, The Burnt Orange Heresy and Widows star Elizabeth Debicki will play Princess Diana. Check out The Crown's latest season four trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiXEpminPms The Crown's fourth season will hit Netflix on Sunday, November 15. Image: Ollie Upton / Netflix
Yesterday afternoon, Melbourne hosted a climate change rally and knocked it out of the park. Upwards of 60,000 people attended the march through the CBD, which according to organisers would make it the largest rally of its kind in Australian history. The demonstrators marched from the State Library to Parliament House, and were joined by the likes of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, Greens Senator Richard Di Natalie and national treasure Paul Kelly, who led the crowd in a rendition of 'From Little Things, Big Things Grow.' The People's Climate March in Melbourne was the first of many set to take place around the country this weekend, with Australian's calling on their leaders to take a strong stand against climate change ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris next week. According to the Australian Conservation Foundation, a further 10,000 people marched through Brisbane this morning, while there's a demonstration scheduled for Sydney tomorrow afternoon. Here's hoping they can amass even bigger numbers. If there was ever a time to put the ol' Sydney-Melbourne rivalry to good use, this would have to be it. To find the closest People's Climate March near you, go here. And if you want to feel good about humanity, we've gathered some of the best social media reactions from the Melbourne rally, below. "Coal- don't dig it! Leave it in the ground, it's time to get with it!" Huge crowds at Melb #peoplesclimate march! pic.twitter.com/IHRG8mLm1L — Adam Bandt (@AdamBandt) November 27, 2015 'The largest climate change rally we have ever seen in Australian history' #peoplesclimate #COP21 #melbourne https://t.co/Rcs2IjuU58 — CAHA Inc (@healthy_climate) November 27, 2015 That's a great view #Melbourne #peoplesclimate march @Peoples_Climate 50,000 pic.twitter.com/MPAXtslZgo — Samantha Dunn (@SamanthaDunnMP) November 27, 2015 Pics from the #peoplesclimate march in Melbourne this evening. Organisers think they have 30,000. #PeoplesMarch pic.twitter.com/IA1zFib0om — Melissa Davey (@MelissaLDavey) November 27, 2015 Pretty sure this guy just won #peoplesclimate (via @350Australia) pic.twitter.com/dAN3TSEjjO — GetUp! (@GetUp) November 27, 2015
As far as the team at WOHA is concerned, green cities are the future. Their latest project, Singapore's Park Royal Hotel, is evidence of how it's done. As a result of the building's construction, the site's capacity for natural growth has doubled. Comprised of twelve storeys that overlook Singapore's CBD, the Park Royal is not just a hotel, it's an oasis - not merely another building, but a kind of extension of the adjacent park. Elevated gardens, filled with palm trees, frangipanis and rambling tropical flora, extend from every fourth level. Inside, the green theme continues, with plants and water features forming an inherent part of the interior design. On the top floor, the Hotel's club lounge offers panoramic views, and on the fifth, the spa area features an expansive pool and a 300-metre long botanic 'strip'. All rooms are northward facing, looking over the elevated gardens and/or the park. Energy efficiency is prioritised throughout, with maximised natural lighting, self-shading, harvesting of rainwater, thorough recycling systems and motion-stimulated sensors. Where much of Singapore's architecture tends towards the insipid, faceless and generic, WOHA's bold, environmentally aware design represents a mighty gesture. In the view of architectural photographer and writer, Patrick Bingham-Hall, '...finally the city has a uniquely expressive landmark that reinterprets and reinvigorates its location...The Park Royal on Pickering is a purely commercial development...But as with many of WOHA's projects built throughout Asia over the last decade, the hotel performs unambiguously as a public building...proposing that commercial architecture must respond to the city as its civic duty.' Previously, WOHA has won three Green Good Design Awards from the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies - for the Sanya Intercontinental Hotel, China; the Hansar Rajdamri, Bangkok, Thailand; and the Wilkie Edge, Singapore. [Via Inhabitat]
Saint Haven opened its exclusive Collingwood wellness club in May 2023 and had sold all of its memberships before it even had the chance to open its doors. This meant that anyone wanting entry to the private club had to go on the very long waiting list — there are 15,000 people still on it. But if those still wanting a membership are happy to commute, they can now try to get access to Saint Haven's upcoming sites in Toorak and South Yarra. First off, there's the 1600sqm Toorak club, located in the recently completed St Germain building, which will house much of the same facilities found in Collingwood. There are thermal pools, a hammam, saunas, coworking spaces, a restaurant, studios hosting fitness classes, and a regular barber and hairdresser on site. Toorak members will have their own personal lockers featuring their favourite fragrances, overnight washing service and a luxe Bentley chauffeur to and from Melbourne airport. One of the biggest perks is their access to Saint Haven's wellness practitioners who run a stacked lineup of treatments. It feels very Black Mirror, with the city's mega-rich getting anti-ageing procedures (it has hyperbaric oxygen chambers and cryotherapy equipment), full body scans, diet programs, DNA testing and more. Unfortunately, most memberships have already been bought for the Toorak wellness club, with only 45 spots left, which will be held back for opening later in the year. The South Yarra site, on the other hand, is still open for pre-registration. It will have the same luxury facilities as the other two clubs, and will be located in Capitol Gran building. Saint Haven South Yarra is slated to open in August this year, and the Toorak location will open sometime in spring. For more information and to try and get a membership, head to the club's website.
When any and every film festival rolls around, plenty of numbers get mentioned. With the 2022 Sydney Film Festival now fast approaching, the Harbour City's annual cinema showcase is no different. This year will mark the fest's whopping 69th event, as well Festival Director Nashen Moodley's 11th time bringing the latest and greatest flicks to the glorious State Theatre and other Sydney picture palaces — and, if its first 22 movies are anything to go by, it's set to be another winner. There's no such thing as a bad SFF, of course, because its program always spans so far and wide — and how you watch your way through it is always dictated by personal choice. But 2022's event already has a new Aussie horror standout that proved a hit at SXSW, the latest from freshly minted Oscar-winner Jessica Chastain, multiple Sundance award recipients, and the new comedy from inimitable Berberian Sound Studio, The Duke of Burgundy and In Fabric filmmaker Peter Strickland. Yes, we're already spoiled for choice. Taking place between Wednesday, June 8–Sunday, June 19 — back in its usual timeslot after moving to November in 2021 due to lockdowns and restrictions — SFF 2022 will show some local love to Sissy, the aforementioned Australian horror film. Starring The Bold Type's Aisha Dee, it follows a successful social media influencer who gets stuck in a remote cabin with her old high-school bully. Also in the homegrown camp: street dancing documentary Keep Stepping, car-bound docudrama The Plains and the music fest-focused 6 Festivals, with the latter about three friends who decide to hit up as many live gigs as possible after one is diagnosed with brain cancer, and also featuring cameos by the likes of Bliss n Eso and Peking Duk. Hailing from further afield are the Chastain-starring The Forgiven, which also marks the latest movie by Calvary and War on Everyone's John Michael McDonagh; Strickland's Flux Gourmet, which sees the director reteam with Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie; 80s-set, Charlotte Gainsbourg-led Parisian drama The Passengers of the Night; and genderqueer musical Please Baby Please, which follows a 50s couple in Manhattan who witness a violent incident and undergo a sexual awakening. Or, there's also Sundance Film Festival-winning doco The Territory, which follows an Indigenous fightback over rainforest land seized for farming; Yuni, the latest coming-of-age tale by Indonesian The Seen and Unseen filmmaker Kamila Andini; We Met in Virtual Reality, a documentary filmed entirely inside the world of VR; and Incredible But True, a time-travel caper from Deerskin and Rubber's Quentin Dupieux. Other titles of interest include Bootlegger, which stars Reservation Dogs' Devery Jacobs; doco A House Made of Splinters, another Sundance winner that was filmed in pre-invasion Ukraine; Sirens, about the Middle East's first all-female, queer death metal band; and Gentle, which stars real-life bodybuilder Eszter Csonka. As for what'll join them — among a lineup that usually spans hundreds of films — that'll be revealed on Wednesday, May 11. You can already start getting ready to spend most of June in a cinema, though, obviously. The 2022 Sydney Film Festival will run between Wednesday, June 8–Sunday, June 19. Check out the event's just-announced titles by heading to the festival website. The full program will be released on Wednesday, May 11 — head back here then for the rundown.
A mere stroll west from the Queen Vic Market rests Willows & Wine. As well as wine, the walls are stacked with pre-loved books organised according to genre — you're welcome to pick one up while you're sipping and, if you can't put it down, all are available for purchase. A few shelves across from the bar are dedicated to a hoard of games. Hiding not so inconspicuously is an original 70s robot boxing game, the sort that hungry hippo aficionados would probably be grand at. The other book you might want to consult is the menu — it's got many chapters on wine (by the glass and bottle) and even one on cheese and charcuterie. You're also able to order food in from anywhere that delivers. This is easily a place you could visit every night of the week and not regret a thing. Chatting to bar staff will be near impossible not to do, they're wonderfully friendly and even host their own book club evenings at the bar. Sit anywhere, order a whiskey — the place is made for you and your readathon quest.
For most folks, starring in one of the best new shows of 2022 so far would be the highlight of their resume for the year. But, of course, most folks aren't Taika Waititi. After getting streaming viewers swooning over warm-hearted pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death, he's about to unleash a little movie called Thor: Love and Thunder upon cinemas. And, based on the just-dropped first teaser trailer for his second contribution to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a director, the goofy vibes, old-school rock tunes and delight that is Chris Hemsworth firmly in comedic mode are all back this time around. In fact, if you watched Thor: Ragnarok, laughed along heartily, lapped up the looser mood and instantly wanted more of Waititi's take on the MCU, you're in luck — because he also co-wrote the script for Thor: Love and Thunder with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Sweet/Vicious). In the trailer, that results in a comic look at Thor (Hemsworth, Extraction) dealing with the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame by reassessing his future and opting for retirement. But, if that was all there was to the story, it wouldn't be a Marvel movie. As shot in Australia, Thor: Love and Thunder sees its namesake come up against Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari), a galactic killer with a world-changing plan: eradicating the gods. So, Thor has to give up his search for inner peace, and call upon help from King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson, Passing) and Korg (Waititi, doing triple duty) — and his ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman, Vox Lux), who is now in possession of Mjolnir. Thor: Love and Thunder marks Portman's return to the MCU after appearing in the first Thor flick back in 2011, but sitting out the rest. Given the path her character has taken, it's easy to see why she's back. As set to the sounds of Guns 'N Roses' 'Sweet Child 'O Mine', the trailer makes the most of her new ownership of the god of thunder's magical hammer — understandably. Also popping up in the initial sneak peek for the fourth Thor flick: the Guardians of the Galaxy crew (as played and/or voiced by Chris Pratt, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel), and a lightning-bolt wielding figure who it's safe to expect is Russell Crowe (Unhinged) as Zeus. When it hits cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 7, following Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in early May, Thor: Love and Thunder will mark the 29th MCU movie overall. And, it mightn't be the last big-screen release Waititi has for us this year, either, with his documentary-to-feature adaptation of soccer story Next Goal Wins also in the pipeline. Check out the teaser trailer for Thor: Love and Thunder below: Thor: Love and Thunder opens in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, July 7.
National Reconciliation Week is here for 2022, running from Friday, May 27–Friday, June 3 — and The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation and Australian clothing label Deus Ex Machina have just the threads for the occasion. Collaborating to raise awareness about the ALNF's efforts to transform and empower First Nations communities around the country via literacy, language and education, the two organisations have teamed up on a new range of 'Literacy Is Freedom' t-shirts. And, as well as adding to your wardrobe, they'll help you support Indigenous Aussies as well. On sale from today, Friday, May 27, the limited-edition shirts come in black and white, both featuring the same 'Literacy Is Freedom' logo on the front. Printed upon 100% cotton, that design emulates the colours and format of the Aboriginal Flag. But, it's the fact that 100% of the profits from the tees are going to the ALNF's work with First Nations communities that's even more exciting. To launch the shirts, the ALNF and Deus Ex Machina have launched a campaign featuring a heap of familiar faces — including ALNF ambassadors — all decked out in the new gear. Doing the honours: everyone from AFL legends Adam Goodes and Lance Franklin through to ex-footballer and ABC News Breakfast sports reporter Tony Armstrong, plus Baker Boy, Casey Donovan, Brooke Blurton, Isaiah Firebrace and Hugo Weaving. The list goes on, with Michala Banas, Isaiah Firebrace, Benjamin Law, and Chloe Zuel and the cast of Hamilton all involved, too. And, so are Miriam Margolyes, Tim Minchin, Asher Keddie, Vincent Fantauzzo, Virginia Gay, Jesinta Franklin, Nathan McGuire, Luke Carroll, Clare Bowditch, Eddie Perfect, Zoe Norton Lodge, Alan Brough, Narelda Jacobs and Zindzi Okenyo. If you're now keen to slip on a tee and help a fantastic cause, you'll find them on sale for $59.99 from David Jones online, in-store at select David Jones locations, and in-store at Deus Ex Machina Camperdown and Good Ways Deli Redfern. "We need collaboration, bravery and commitment if we want to pave the way for a brighter future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities," said ALNF Co-Founder and Executive Director Kim Kelly, launching the shirts — and the campaign. "We are excited to be partnering with an iconic Australian brand, standing with us and supporting our goal to give every single Australian a voice through literacy, language and education. Reconciliation is everybody's responsibility, and it's an important time for us all to reflect on what we can do to be part of the change. The simple act of buying and wearing this powerful t-shirt contributes to the creation of a fairer and more just Australia," Kelly continued. Deus Ex Machina and The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation's 'Literacy Is Freedom' shirts cost $59.99, and can be purchased at David Jones online, in-store at select David Jones locations, and in-store at Deus Ex Machina Camperdown and Good Ways Deli Redfern. For more information about the ALNF, head to its website.
Jed Kurzel boasts one of the most-enviable recent resumes in Australia's film industry. It was back in 2011 that the founding member of The Mess Hall added a haunting layer to Snowtown, the first feature directed by his elder brother Justin, via its score. The pair have worked together on every one of Justin's films since. But Jed doesn't just have the sounds of stunning Shakespeare adaptation Macbeth, game-to-screen flick Assassin's Creed, the dark-but-playful True History of the Kelly Gang, the complicated Nitram and the upcoming The Order to his name. Jennifer Kent's The Babadook and The Nightingale, Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant, Dev Patel's feature directorial debut Monkey Man: he has scored them all as well. With a filmography that also hops from The Turning, All This Mayhem and Slow West to Overlord, Seberg and Encounter — plus Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities on the small screen — it might seem an impossible task to pick favourites. Even whittling down what to talk about at Kurzel's Screen Commentary session at SXSW Sydney 2024, where he's chatting through his work, might sound difficult. But ask him which of his projects stand out, as Concrete Playground did, and he has answers, even if he notes that his responses differ over time. "There's a few. But then they start to change as I go on, because I guess you learn more things, and some films follow a particular style that you might have gotten onto, or a particular thing that I've discovered and I will push that through a few films," he explains. "Snowtown for me is the one that that really stands out, I think because it's the first one and I still get offered films today that have put Snowtown in their temp music, which is the music they put in while they're editing — it's kind of crazy that's it's still being used. So that one particularly, it still pops up. Macbeth as well, I think just because it was the first real string score I've done, orchestral score, and I did it all over in the UK, so I met a lot of people that I'm still collaborating with then and I felt like we were all jumping into this thing together," Kurzel advises. "I think those two stand out for me, and The Babadook." His fruitful career composing for the screen might've come about as one could expect when your brother is a filmmaker — Justin asked him to have a go at scoring Snowtown — but working together and taking this path wasn't a long-held childhood plan. "Never. No, I don't think that we have ever spoken about it. It was just how it worked out," Kurzel notes. "We'd been working together before that, in that he'd been doing the video clips for us and all that kind of stuff. We were always doing things together. So it wasn't like it felt like an 'oh, here we go' kind of thing. It was really just one of those things where we're always a part of what the other was doing." Viewers can be thankful for sibling bonds and the route it has taken Jed down. As brilliant as everything they each splash across the screen is, Snowtown, Macbeth, Nitram, The Babadook, The Nightingale and more wouldn't be the films they are without Kurzel's scores. Ahead of his session at SXSW Sydney, we also chatted to the composer about what sparked his contributions to some of the above films, how collaborating with Justin is different to working with other filmmakers, ensuring that his music isn't commenting on the content of the movies, the influence of genre, challenges he'd like to take on and plenty more. On How Kurzel Began Composing for the Screen "I was touring around with The Mess Hall and I had some time at home. Then Justin, my brother, was doing his first film Snowtown, and he asked me if I'd like to have a go at scoring it because, outside of the things I was doing with the band, I was always messing around with stuff at home. I guess it was more in the film soundtrack kind of land, but I was just doing it for my own enjoyment. And he said 'oh, you know, some of that stuff could work well, all that kind of thing could work well'. And I said 'I've never done that before, so'. And he said 'look, it's fine if it doesn't work, I'll get someone else. But you have a go with it'. So I did and then that was kind of it, it just it snowballed from there. It wasn't something that I had set out to do really. At that point, I was really happy playing music — and playing, actually. But I was missing just being in the room and making music. We were out playing a lot, and it's very hard to make music when you're doing that. So I was missing that at that time — so it came at a perfect time, I think." On Collaborating with Justin on All of His Features So Far — and How It's Different to Working with Other Filmmakers "It is different now, because I think we've developed — I mean, we always had a shorthand, but it feels like it's become even shorter now. We almost hardly ever discuss it while we're doing it. It just happens, in a way, now. We used to take a long time. I'd start really early on his films and it would be this drawn-out process, and sometimes the process could get quite difficult as the edit changed and things like that. I think just through experience, we've started to work out an efficient way to work that is still as creatively rewarding. And the last couple of things I've done with him, like The Order, it was all very free-flowing and it came quite quickly, and it wasn't something that we laboured over. I think we've discovered that the more we labour over things, it doesn't help anything." On What Sparked the Score for a Film as Complicated as Snowtown "With that one, we always talked about that hitting the bullseye was a very slim chance in some ways, because we found that with most music that we put on it, it felt like it was commenting on it. So immediately it was like 'well, we don't want to do that' because that just wasn't what the film was doing — and it didn't want it anyway. So it became a really instinctive thing about what it wanted, and there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing of changing the edits to suit where we were taking it. So a lot of back and forth between us. And then, I always feel like if you just listen to the film, it'll eventually tell you what it wants. You throw things on it and just sort of shrug it off, and then there'll be something that starts to stick. And as soon as it starts sticking, you're on your way." On Whether Working on Films Like Snowtown, Nitram and The Nightingale Brings a Sense of Responsibility Given the Historical Details They're Diving Into — and How to Avoid a Score That Comments "I think so. But, I mean, I think with those projects, you're well-aware of that before you've even started them. There is a certain responsibility, I think, not to — I guess what it is musically, I'm always aware of not commenting, and that you're adding. I feel like you're just adding another layer and energy to the film, rather than going 'this character comes on and they've got a theme' or anything like that. It's just different, it's adding a feeling. It's what the film wants — and if you start commenting with some of these films, it just doesn't work. It just feels wrong. But on other films, you can go into those areas and the film absolutely wants to have that. I think it just depends on what you're working on. I always love to look at the film itself, and how it feels and what it looks like, and where it's set and those kind of things, because I think with music, you can actually add to that even more so. Even cinematography, I think, is really a big one for music, too, that maybe gets overlooked a little bit, because we are responding to images, so that's the first thing you're looking at." On Adding Playfulness to a Score That's Also Quite Dark, Such as True History of the Kelly Gang "That one, I'm glad you said that, because actually that's what I wanted to achieve with that score — that there was a playful quality to it. I always really loved the Sidney Nolan paintings, and I was sort of taking a cue from that. And also I love the old Hanna-Barbera cartoons and things like that. So for me, they were the influences that I was grabbing. I guess if you've got a concept or an idea that you want to launch things off of, that's always helpful." On How to Find the Score for a Shakespearean Adaptation Like Macbeth When There's So Many Past Big-Screen Versions —Including Initially Skewing Electronic "I remember doing that and both of us [Jed and Justin] feeling a lot of pressure because it's been done. There's not many times when you do a film that's like 'well, this has been actually been done before word for word'. When films are made, I think there's some directors who've got it all in their head and then they go out and make it, and what happens in the edit is the film just wants to be something else — and if you fight against that, usually you'll end up with something that's probably nowhere near your vision, and that frustrates you. Whereas if you follow what the film wants and then listen to it, and just go with where it wants rather than trying to hold onto your initial idea, then I think you can end up in really interesting places. In that case, yeah, it started out as an electronic score, that's what we wanted to do, but the film just, again, didn't want it. So we had to change tact a little bit, and we got something completely different, but I think it's the same sort of idea that we started out with. We had an initial idea, and then we just followed our gut while we were doing the edit." On How Working on Something Smaller, or More Character- or Mood-Driven, Differs From a Big-Budget Sci-Fi Sequel Like Alien: Covenant "I think there's similar pressures with both. On a smaller film, even though it's a smaller budget, there's almost more at stake because a lot of the times that might be someone's first film that they've directed. So they're kind of like someone's baby. Whereas the big-budget films, there's so many people involved, and they keep changing and they tend to have a lot more time to sit with things. The smaller budgets, the smaller films, they don't, they have to finish by a particular time because they don't have the money to keep editing or keep doing things. So I think there's different pressures with both. But in terms of scoring them, I just I think they just different hills to climb." On the Way That Genre Has an Impact on How Kurzel Approaches Scoring a Movie "We all grow up watching films, so we've all got that language. So whether you like it or not, you're aware of genres, and what those genres are and what's come before you, which I think is great because it can set benchmarks for you. If you're looking at something and going 'I want to do a horror film' and 'what are the films that I really like in this sort of genre?', you can go back and have a look, and just see the way they've been approached — which may make you go 'well, I don't want to approach it like that, I want to approach it like this'." On What Drives an Unnerving Score Such as The Babadook "That's a good question because that score, the inspiration for that — I think I wrote this in the sleeve of the vinyl — when I was scoring that, I was living in Erskineville and there was a possum on my roof or in the tree above me. And it was knocking things down through the night, and it would jump off the tree onto the roof. So I was always listening to what sounded like people throwing bodies on my roof. On top of that, it would make these strange noises, or there'd be strange noises outside. So a lot of the time, I was keeping the door open and making music, and just letting those sounds come in as well — and going 'okay, that's interesting. I could kind of do something'. So I think what I'm listening for is what's unnerving me — and particularly late at night, if I'm doing something, you can hear things. The world really is making music all the time. So the environment's always really great, if you've got your ear out, you can always hear really interesting stuff. But in terms of horror, I like to be unnerved. I'm not that much into the jump scares and things like that. I like an eerie, unnerving kind of feeling." On the Response to The Babadook — Then and Now "Even internationally, you mention it and everyone knows it, and the characters. It's pretty amazing. I'm really proud of the work we all did on that and how much Jen stuck to her guns with the film. I think it's just been re-released on screens in the US, it's doing a tour of America at the moment, which is amazing. And that was a film that if you told us that's what was happening, and most of the things that happened with that film, we would have laughed at the time because it just was not on anyone's radar. Even when it was released here, it had such a tiny release, I don't think anyone even knew it'd come out." On Being in Action Mode with Monkey Man, But Using the Score to Build an Emotional World "That was really different, because Dev already had, for a lot of the action scenes, there was already a lot of source music placed in there as music that already existed. And he had a definite thing for me, which was 'I want the film to be the emotional underground of the character'. So a lot of it, we talked a lot about memory, and the music was representing his memory of his mother. And so it was really strange, I was doing an action film but I wasn't really doing the action side. There's a few chase scenes and things like that. But in terms of that being the focus, it really wasn't, it was this whole other world that Dev was after which I found really appealing and exciting when we first spoke about the film." On the Most-Important Task for a Film Score to Achieve "I always feel like I'm there to add a layer that's almost not even music — it's another layer to the film that wasn't previously there, that if you took out, you would really notice it. A lot of people talk about watching films and not noticing the music. But I feel the other way. I want to notice it. And I want it to give me another layer on there that I know wouldn't exist otherwise — the performances wouldn't get it, the editing, it's adding something that's unique and almost impossible to describe, which is what to me that music is. It feels like some sort of magical language." On the Ultimate Challenge in Composing for the Screen That Kurzel Hasn't Taken on Yet — But Would Like To "I really don't know, because I find everything that I do, there's a new challenge and it usually rears its head pretty quickly. You get into something and you think 'oh yeah, I know how to do this' — and suddenly the film, like I said, the film starts to move into a direction and that tilts everything. Being aware of those things, I think that's the exciting part about it. If you're living in the moment and scoring things for the moment, listening out for really happy mistakes — which I call those things that you kind of go 'ohh, I'm going to try this' but something else happens that was a mistake, and you think 'that's actually better than what I was going to do. I'm going to go down that path for a while'. They're the things that I love about composing. In terms of feeling like there's something I haven't done yet, I haven't really done any romantic comedies. But I just, for some reason, I don't think I'm the go-to guy for those." [caption id="attachment_875685" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Courtesy of Netflix © 2022[/caption] Concrete Playground: "I chatted with Justin about Snowtown and he told me at the time that the next film he had in mind was a tennis rom-com." Jed: "Yeah, yeah, yeah." Concrete Playground: "So maybe if he does end up doing one, you'll get one." Jed: "I keep saying to him, because he's very funny, so I keep saying 'you need to do a comedy. That has to be your next one'." Screen Commentary: Jed Kurzel takes place at SXSW Sydney from 11am–12pm AEDT on Friday, October 18, 2024 at Fortress Sydney. Head to the SXSW Sydney website for more details.
Oxford Street in Collingwood is not exactly buzzing with decent cafes. Look a little closer, however, and you'll find South of Johnston, err, just south of Johnston Street. Here you have a converted factory that's big enough for the masses of Melburnians who have taken fancy to the place. South of Johnston is the first solo project from Stuart McKenzie, one of the owners of Mart 130 in Middle Park. With more room to move, McKenzie has created a space where you want to be. With couches out back, free Wi-Fi and many a uni student in sight, we're going to dub this one a great coffice. For those of you a little pun slow, coffee shop office is what we mean. One of our menu favourites is the French toast, which they serve with organic brioche, caramelised banana, chopped walnuts and jocks gingerbread ice cream, or with grilled bacon and real maple syrup ($14.9). We'll let you in on a little secret: you'll get the whole bottle, yes the whole bottle of maple syrup to yourself, regardless of what way you order it. Not a fan of the aforementioned sugar overdose? You can't go wrong with the corn fritters with coriander, tomato relish, sour cream and grilled bacon ($15.9). Perfect portion size and they really pack some flavour. You will also find your regular Melbourne breakfast items like Bircher muesli with poached seasonal fruit, crunchy granola and vanilla bean infused yoghurt ($9.9) and sourdough with goat's cheese, crushed avocado, parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice ($8.9). Sitting for hours on end is welcomed here, and if you find yourself there for lunch try the herbed and crumbed chicken rolled in flatbread with salad and lemon infused mayonnaise ($19.0), or if you're in the mood for something hearty try the home made potato gnocchi with porcini, field and Swiss brown mushrooms, blue cheese and roquette ($17.9). South of Johnston packs some serious cafe punch in its wholesome brekkie offerings and is an accommodating fixture in the Collingwood traps.
Don't sweat it. Just don't. That's a great sentiment, but putting it into action isn't always so easy. Humanity has long wanted to care less about all of the things that really don't matter, including since before self-help was a book genre — and since before there were books. Nothing else has quite summed up that concept quite like The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, though, even just in its title. It sits among a seemingly endless array of texts about living your best life and forgetting pointless strife, but Mark Manson's 2016 hit perfectly captured the idea that we should all devote less attention to matters that simply aren't worth it. First came the book. Then came the film version of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. Since Manson's famous tome hit shelves, he's also popped up to chat about it and offer his brutally honest self-help advice — and he's returning Down Under in November 2024 to do exactly that again. Consider heading along to this The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck live tour as the next step in pursuing the ultimate goal: giving less fucks. More than 20-million copies of the book have been sold, so you're probably familiar with Manson's take on living more contented and grounded lives already, but there's something to be said about hearing about it in person. Couldn't be arsed reading the text? Then this is another way to soak in its contents. Of course, Manson's spin isn't about never giving a fuck. Rather, he knows that it's wise to choose where to direct our fucks, what to give a crap about and what genuinely bloody matters. The book's chapter titles are as telling as its overall moniker, boasting names such as 'Don't Try', 'Happiness is a problem', 'You are not special', 'You are wrong about everything (But so am I)', 'The importance of saying no' and 'And then you die'. Also the author of Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope, Manson will be onstage exploring this train of thought on a seven-stop trip around Australia and New Zealand, including in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland. Attendees can expect a deeper dive into the principles stepped through in his book, plus practical tips and stories from real life. This is an event to give a fuck about, clearly. Here's the trailer for the film, too, if you haven't yet seen it: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Live with Mark Manson Dates: Monday, November 4 — Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, Sydney Wednesday, November 6 — Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne Thursday, November 7 — QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane Saturday, November 9 — Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra Sunday, November 10 — Festival Theatre, Adelaide Monday, November 11 — Perth Concert Hall, Perth Friday, November 15 — Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Auckland Mark Manson's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Live tour hits Australia and New Zealand in November 2024, with ticket presales from 10am local time on Wednesday, July 17 — except in Melbourne, where ticket sales start at 11am local time on Monday, July 22. Head to the tour website for more details.
Well folks, it turns out we've officially arrived at the future — someone has created the world's first holographic smartphone and it's set to hit the market in a matter of months. Dubbed the Hydrogen One, this'll be the first phone offering from camera company Red, and it's being launched by US telecommunications giants AT&T and Verizon. So what kind of magical functions does it have? According to a statement by AT&T spokesman Kevin Petersen, "when the Hydrogen One launches, you'll be able to look around, below and into your screen's image with a four-view holographic display, which is even better than 3D." Apparently, it'll have multi-dimensional surround sound and loads of expansion capabilities, making it a primo tool for anyone using their phone to create content. "This revolutionary smartphone will provide you with significant advancements in the way you create and view content on the leading network for entertainment," he said. The public will be able to get its first glance of the Hydrogen One on June 2 and 3, when it's shown off at AT&T's Shape exhibit at Warner Bros. Studio in Los Angeles. The smartphone will then be available to purchase in the USA by the end of their 2018 summer. Image: RED via PR Newswire.
Well, Sydney suggested it — and for some reason, Transport for NSW has obliged. The city's newest ferry will be named Ferry McFerryface. Proving that the bizarre legacy of Boaty McBoatface will live on for some time, the people of Sydney have decided that names of suburbs and notable Australians aren't the way to go. The government authority threw to the public for suggestions for the new fleet of ferries last year and, of the 15,000 submitted, Ferry McFerryface was one of the most popular submissions. Ferry McFerryface is the last ferry in the new fleet of six to be named, and joins other (more cordially named) vessels named after individuals who have contributed to Australian society like ophthalmologist Fred Hollows, heart surgeon Victor Chang and obstetrician Catherine Hamlin. McFerryface doesn't quite have the same reverence as its counterparts, but the internet, I guess. This new fleet will serve inner city routes and service Watsons Bay, Cockatoo Island and the new Barangaroo wharf. The new ferries will have Wi-Fi on-board, greater disability access and space for bikes. Transport for NSW also plans to acquire four more ferries to service the Parramatta River.
When Massachusetts teenager Conrad Roy was found dead in his truck in 2014, in a Kmart parking lot, it was ruled a suicide. But then the police investigating his passing discovered text messages sent to Roy by his 17-year-old girlfriend Michelle Carter, and noted the onslaught of words encouraging him to take his own life. That's the case that I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth Vs Michelle Carter delves into, splitting the details across two parts — with the first charting the prosecution's side of the story, and the second focusing on the defence. It's a tragic and complicated case, and it's also one that inspires a plethora of questions, all of which filmmaker Erin Lee Carr handles with sensitivity. That shouldn't come as a surprise, as she did the same with 2017's Mommy Dead and Dearest as well, which stepped through the now well-known murder of Dee Dee Blanchard and its links to Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night, in your cosy bed in your warm, above-ground room, and thought “There’s really not enough human remains in here. I wish I could take this doze underground to the world’s largest grave”? Macabre napper, you're in luck. Airbnb is running a competition to win a romantic night for two, deep in the catacombs of Paris. Yes the catacombs, which are currently the resting place for 6 million skeletons and presumably their angry, angry ghosts. This cosy little corner of death could be your own little getaway on the spookiest night of the year: October 31, Halloween. Airbnb are flying the winners out to Paris and putting them up for a night in the ‘combs. They’ve confirmed there will be a real mattress, so no bedding down amongst various femurs. The prize also includes dinner with a private concert, a catacombs tour, and a spooky storyteller to really lend the whole ‘night in a tomb with walls made of the dead’ experience some chilling ambiance. Next morning, you will become the only living person ever to wake up in the Paris catacombs (allegedly). Tres bien. Airbnb have reportedly paid $450,000 to rent the tunnels for the night, which kinda checks out — the tunnels are, of course, a huge tourist attraction with lines for entry frequently around the block. This isn't the first time Airbnb has tried to scare your pants clean off, between this terrifying stay at the end of a ski jump, or this luxurious, perilous night you could have spent dangling at 9000ft in a cable car. The scariest part of this particular Airbnb stay though? The listing doesn’t have internet access. OooOOooOOooOO. Enter the contest here.
Winter might be all about staying in doors, rugging up and avoiding the frosty weather, but if you want to see a trio of meteor showers this week, you'll want to head outdoors. Not one, not two, but three celestial events will be visible in Australia's skies: the Southern Delta Aquariids, Alpha Capricornids and Piscis Austrinids. Arriving in the thick of winter, the Southern Delta Aquariids may not be quite as famous or frenetic as other meteor showers, but it's still considered a strong one, with around 15–25 meteors hurtling across the heavens per hour during its peak. In good news for those Down Under, it's also typically best seen in the Southern Hemisphere. Caused by the breakup of the Machholz comet, the shower is visible each year from around July 12–August 23 — so now. But the ideal time to catch it is between July 28–July 30, aka from Thursday–Saturday this week. And, like many astronomical shows, catching an eyeful around midnight is recommended — when the moon has set and its light will not interfere. [caption id="attachment_862773" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mike Lewinski via Flickr[/caption] Also soaring through the skies at the moment: the Alpha Capricornids, which tends to run from around July 7–August 15. Yes, that means that you can peer up at night and catch a glimpse now, too, but it tends to peak around July 30–31 — so Saturday and Sunday this week. This one comes from the comet 169P/NEAT, and was discovered in 1871. It's known for its bright meteors and even fireballs, although they're infrequent, at around two-to-nine per hour. Then there's the Piscis Austrinids, giving stargazers yet another reason to look up. It usually runs between July 15–August 10, and peaks around July 28 — so on Thursday this week. As for the speed of its meteors, they're even slower than the Alpha Capricornids. For your best chances of getting a glimpse at all three, the usual advice applies. Get as far away from bright lights as possible — this could be a good excuse to head out of the city to a clear-skied camping spot — and pray for no clouds. The Delta Aquariids' name comes from the constellation from which they appear to come, Aquarius. Accordingly, that's what you'll be looking for in the sky. For the Piscis Austrinids, you're looking for the Piscis Austrinus constellation. And for Alpha Capricornids, the Capricornus constellation. To locate them all, we recommend downloading the Sky Map app — it's the easiest way to navigate the night sky, and is also a lot of fun to use even on a non-meteor shower night. The Delta Aquariids, Piscis Austrinids and Alpha Capricornids meteor showers will peak between Thursday, July 28–Sunday, July 31. Top image: Mike Lewinski via Flickr.
Uber drivers may want to start thinking about a change of career. The ridesharing giant, whose relationship with its drivers has been turbulent in recent times, may soon reach the point where it no longer has any need for them at all. After all, why spend millions settling lawsuits when you can get the cars to operate themselves? That seems to be the thinking as the company rolled out its first fleet of self-driving cars in the U.S. today. After beginning testing back in May, the fleet of modified Ford Fusion Hybrids, complete with roof-mounted cameras, radar and Uber branding, took its first official outing streets of Pittsburgh on Wednesday — beating other tech companies to the punch. At the moment Uber is still sending a safety driver along in the driver's seat, so they can intervene if anything goes awry. The idea is that eventually those safety drivers won't be needed anymore — but, safety, y'know? "This pilot is a big step forward," said the company via a statement on their website. "Real-world testing is critical to the success of this technology. And creating a viable alternative to individual car ownership is important to the future of cities." They hope that driverless technology will, eventually, help to lower the number of traffic accidents, cut congestion and free up parking space in our cities. At the moment the self-driving cars are only available to "loyal" Pittsburgh Uber riders — if one of the cars is available when they request an uberX, that's what they'll get. That's all well and good, but will these self driving cars be offering their passengers complimentary mints? Where are we on that technology, exactly? By Tom Clift and Lauren Vadnjal.
When the final season of Game of Thrones aired, it earned its fair share of detractors. So, around a million people hopped online and signed a petition asking for the show's last batch of episodes to be remade. That might seem like a silly and implausible reaction but, when it happened in 2019, that kind of fan outcry wasn't new. Just a couple of years earlier, DC Comics aficionados had tried to get Rotten Tomatoes shut down when the reviews for Suicide Squad weren't as positive as the'd like — or positive at all. They're just two examples of fan responses to either beloved properties going awry in their eyes, or not getting the treatment they think they deserve — and of entitlement-driven campaigns asking for those supposed misdeeds to be corrected or punished. Another big instance over the past few years involves fellow DC Extended Universe flick Justice League, which wasn't well-received when it first hit cinemas back in 2017, and deservedly so. The superhero team-up movie definitely isn't the best entry in its franchise. It was also plagued by struggles before it reached the screen, including the replacement of director Zack Snyder with Joss Whedon during post-production. Accordingly, there's been an online push for Snyder's version of the movie to be released — and, because that's the kind of world we live in, it's actually happening. The director also filmed new footage for what's now being called Zack Snyder's Justice League, and the four-hour end product is dropping in March. In the US, HBO Max will be streaming the film; however, given that the service isn't available Down Under, just how Australian viewers would get their chance to see the flick hadn't yet been revealed. Until now, that is, with Aussie streaming platform Binge announcing that it'll add Zack Snyder's Justice League to its catalogue at the same time that it drops in America. Whether you actually liked the original and are keen to see what's changed, you completely hated it and you've been eager for a new version, or you're just bemused and/or bewildered by the fact that the Snyder Cut — as it has long been called online — has actually come to fruition after years of internet pleading, you can head to Binge from 6pm AEDT on Thursday, March 18 to check it out. Following on from the events of 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice — including how that film ended for Superman (Henry Cavill, ) — Zack Snyder's Justice League sees Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) join forces with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) to band together DC Comics' superheroes to stop a potentially world-ending threat. As well as Batman and Wonder Woman, Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and The Flash (Ezra Miller) all make an appearance, teaming up to try to save the planet from a trio of villains. And, as the trailer shows, Jared Leto's version of the Joker also pops up. Check out the trailer for Zack Snyder's Justice League below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r_EQ_8JPyU&feature=youtu.be Zack Snyder's Justice League will be available to stream via Binge from 6pm AEDT on Thursday, March 18.
In this very galaxy, probably just a few short months away, lasers will fire up, wars will be waged, and Sydney and Melbourne's biggest Star Wars buffs will show up in force. They'll also try to use the force, obviously, at the latest pop culture-themed party heading our way. A series of wizarding brunches have been making their way around the country, and a Game of Thrones-style medieval banquet is already on Sydney's agenda — and now comes Battle Wars. If getting a new Star Wars movie every year isn't delivering enough intergalactic space opera fun for your liking, then prepare to get a very good feeling about gathering for a real-life lightsaber tournament. Or lightsaber-like weapon, more likely — but arguing about semantics would be a real C-3PO move. At yet-to-be-revealed dates and venues, groups of up to 12 people at a time will unleash their inner jedi (or rebel, or sith), with 32 groups in total competing in a knockout-style contest in each city. While everyone yells lines about being Luke Skywalker's father (we're guessing) and vies for an undisclosed grand prize, Star Wars-inspired music will play, and there'll also be 'immersive entertainment'. That sounds an awful lot like folks dressing up as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Kylo Ren, Princess Leia, Rey, Darth Maul and more to us, but let's face it — if you're going along, you'll be doing that anyway. Unsurprisingly, it's a completely unofficial event, so don't expect any actual stars, tie-ins or merchandise. You can probably expect some ironic Star Wars Kid-esque moves, though — or George Michael Bluth-style antics, if you prefer. For more information — and to sign up to hear about Melbourne and Sydney dates and venues — visit thebattlewars.com.
One of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of the 21st century, Chan Marshall — aka Cat Power — is no stranger to a cover. She's been transforming other people's work into something entirely Power-esque across her entire career, including honing the art on her 2000 album The Covers Record and 2008's Jukebox. In 2022, she again dropped a project devoted to reshaping songs originally sung by others with the aptly titled album Covers, unveiling versions of tracks by Frank Ocean, Nick Cave, Lana Del Rey and Iggy Pop. Now, Power has embarked on her most ambitious cover-based project yet, covering Bob Dylan's legendary 1996 Royal Albert Hall set in full in 2022 at the titular venue in London. Receiving rapturous praise, the show is a track-by-track recreation of a legendary set that Dylan performed on his first tour after polarising attendees at the Newport Folk Festival with his new electric sound. Sydney is lucky enough to be the second-ever city to see Power perform this set, with Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert coming to the Sydney Opera House as part of the Vivid Live program. Concrete Playground chatted with Marshall before she headed to Australia to discuss why this set is so important to her, the reaction to its debut in London and the new music she has on the way. ON WHY SHE CHOSE THIS PARTICULAR BOB DYLAN SET "I got an offer to play the Royal Albert Hall in London on Bonfire Night, Guy Fawkes Night... and I was like 'well if I play there, I only want to do Dylan's songs'. And that was just a no-brainer of which songs I would do. I felt pretty alone when I was young — when he was running around being a rockstar and stuff. I wasn't a rockstar, but just knowing that someone was kind of scuzzy, and writing his own shit and saying what he wanted to say and doing his own thing, that was that peer thing he gave people. He narrated and was able to articulate people's points of view during a time of mass confusion and that confusion is the thread of our social constructs." ON HEARING THE SET FOR THE FIRST TIME "It was the film, so it might have been [in] 91 — it was the film Don't Look Back... I just felt transported to this place that reminded me of just floating and thoughts and poetry and the absurd." ON THE TEAM SHE PULLED TOGETHER FOR THE SHOW "We had a rehearsal and I tried to figure out who would be best. Because it's really specific, the style of playing — the heartbeat of that is Bob's style — and on top of that, The Band and that movement of playing. Because I could say that it's a style but there was a certain feeling, I think, that was happening at the time. I asked my friend Henry Munson, he's playing with me. He's in Arsun's band, he has his own bands, too. But he was, no-brainer, going to be the Bob guitar. I had never heard the drummer play before or seen him play or met him, but I said 'well, tell me what kind of band he's in before I go jam with him' and [my friend] said 'oh, he's in a Grateful Dead cover band'. And I said 'okay perfect, he sounds great'. " ONE DEBUTING THE SET AT ROYAL ALBERT HALL "Oh my god. So, for me, I'm secondary to the nature of what's happening when I'm doing it — I feel secondary. My major concern is for the song itself. It's not psychological, it's like I have to do it justice. I don't know. I'm secondary, my physical being is secondary but the song is always the point of me doing what I'm doing. And, I can be very hard on myself but it's the only way that I can be. In the back of my mind, you know, my consciousness, my awake mind was like 'oh yeah, I'm fucking terrified'. I've never been inside that place. I used to walk around it. I used to stay at the Hotel Columbia across the park from there, you know, the rock 'n' roll hotel or whatever. And I'd always walk around that place. I'd never been inside, and to be able to play there, it was some kind of a magic gift or something. That's how it felt. It means something individually to me to do those songs in that venue 'cause of how much I loved Bob growing up." ON THURSTON MOORE'S REACTION TO THE LONDON SET "One thing was that, at the end, there were a bunch of friends there and Thurston Moore was in town and he said — he's gonna kill me — but he said 'Mr Tambourine Man' made him cry. Isn't that sweet?" ON THE MAGIC OF COVERING OTHER ARTISTS' WORK "I knew those songs already, as a little kid, so it was like — I don't want to say second nature because, as someone who's loved all kinds of music my whole life and different things besides music, it wasn't second nature to me — it was just familiar and just easy, because it was like being a kid and singing along. If I play Michael Jackson's song or something, play me the Thriller record, I'm going to sing backup on the whole fucking record with my own harmonies, because I've been singing that shit forever. And different singers bring different shade or colour, or smell or taste, to the same old song. And that's what speaks to a new generation or a new group of people, just different emulations of one song." ON HER CONNECTION TO THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE "I did a record of mine called Moon Pix. I think it was the 25th anniversary. [Editor's note: it was the 20th.] I did another Vivid fest, actually... I have the poster for all two of them. And I hope to get the poster for the third. The Moon Pix thing was really moving because I was alive, you know. I wasn't dead. I never thought I'd live this much and I was there and it was great and it was beautiful. I was with Mick [Turner, from Dirty Three] and Jim [White, also from Dirty Three] and we were, all three, alive. And it was beautiful, and it was real, and it was really nice." ON WHAT'S NEXT FOR CAT POWER "I'm going right back into the studio and doing my new record. There's a song called 'Brave Liar', I think it's the good one. Another home recording." Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert is coming to the Sydney Opera House for Vivid Live on Wednesday, May 31. Head to Sydney Opera House website for tickets and further details.
When Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi invited the world to experience the vampire sharehouse mockumentary genre, one of the best comedies of the decade wasn't the only result. Every film seems to spawn sequels, remakes, spinoffs and the like these days, but no one's complaining about spending more time in the What We Do in the Shadows universe. A follow-up, We're Wolves, is in the works, focusing on the undead bloodsuckers' Rhys Darby-led lycanthrope enemies. So is six-episode television spinoff Wellington Paranormal, following the movie's cops (Mike Minogue and Karen O'Leary) as they keep investigating the supernatural, and expected to air in New Zealand mid this year. Add a US TV remake of the original flick to the pile as well, but withhold any "do we really need a remake?" judgement. First revealed by Waititi last year, given a pilot order earlier in 2018 and now officially moving ahead with a 10-episode first season, the American version will be written by Clement and directed by Waititi, The Hollywood Reporter notes — and will see a documentary crew follow three vampire flatmates living in New York City, according to Variety. The series will star Toast of London's Matt Berry, Four Lions' Kayvan Novak, British stand-up comedian Natasia Demetriou and The Magicians' Harvey Guillen. It's unknown whether Clement and Waititi will reprise their on-screen roles in a guest capacity. With What We Do in the Shadows actually starting its life as a short back in 2005, the concept of flatting members of the undead arguing about bloody dishes has taken quite the journey since those early beginnings. If any idea was going to come back in multiple guises, it's this one. Of course, so have Clement and Waititi. Clement has a new Flight of the Conchords TV special airing on HBO this month, while Waititi two post-Thor: Ragnarok flicks in the works — a stop-motion animated effort called Bubbles, about Michael Jackson's chimp, and another by the name of Jojo Rabbit, set during World War II and starring Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell. As for feasting your eyes into What We Do in the Shadows' new TV version, fans will have to wait until next year. The US remake isn't set to air in America until early-to-mid 2019. Via The Hollywood Reporter / Variety. Image: Kane Skennar.
There's little doubt that we love the city, but after a long week chained to the desk, we don't blame you if you get a little lost daydreaming about something a little lusher than the office. So, when the weekend finally comes around, take some time out and go in search of something wilder. Fortunately, you don't have to travel far from Melbourne to find plenty of natural wonders that will help you unwind (and refresh) as you soak up some crisp country air. Victoria is home to a wealth of waterfalls, dotted throughout the state's many national parks and backcountry. Flowing from pristine alpine regions, they are impressive, crystal-like falls all within a few hours' drive of the city. Something to note: this year's bushfire season is particularly dangerous. Before you head on an out-of-town adventure, check the CFA and Parks Victoria websites and heed any alerts and warnings. [caption id="attachment_692502" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Lorne[/caption] ERSKINE FALLS Take a drive down the Great Ocean Road and you'll come across another 'great' location: the Great Otway National Park. Running from Torquay to Princetown, this sprawling national park is renowned for its temperate rainforest, flush with stunning scenery and a variety of waterfalls that flow all year round. One of its landmarks is Erskine Falls, which rises a towering 30-metres above the fernery below. Featuring two awesome vantage points, the spot is a far cry from the city, with the cascading water coating you in an invigorating mist. [caption id="attachment_719735" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] MACKENZIE FALLS If you want your weekend escape to reach soaring heights, then MacKenzie Falls is where you need to head. One of the largest waterfalls in Victoria, MacKenzie is located deep within the grand Grampians National Park and flows even throughout the coldest part of the year. Undoubtedly some of the most spectacular falls within touching distance of Melbourne, it pours millions of litres of fresh water from the jagged black cliffs into a deep pool below. While you're here, make the most of your visit to the Grampians and take a short walk upstream to the charming Broken Falls. [caption id="attachment_719731" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] STEAVENSON FALLS Opened to tourists in 1866, Steavenson Falls has long been a highlight for travellers touring Maryville and the surrounding foothills of the Great Dividing Range. The 84-metre drop from the top into the Steavenson River below makes for a stunning sight as several viewing platforms provide the ideal spot to get a good glimpse. The falls are one of the easiest to visit on this list at just a two-hour drive from Melbourne. Feel like a late-night nature stroll? The best part about Steavenson is that the falls are lit up by floodlights until midnight, meaning you can go along the gentle walking tracks and admire the falls in a different light (yes, literally). [caption id="attachment_719742" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Melbourne[/caption] FERNTREE FALLS Situated within Mount Buangor State Park, Ferntree Falls offers some of the wildest surrounds you can find in regional Victoria. The landscape is overrun by thick eucalypt forests and rough hillsides that offer a variety of scenic walks. As you make your way along the relatively easy 45-minute return walk to get to Ferntree Falls, you'll pass by Cascade Falls, which features spectacular views across Middle Creek. Scramble over a few rocks and twist through the fernery as you get an up-close look at this beautiful natural landmark. Meanwhile, you can carry on your out-of-town adventure by exploring the surrounding area and nearby walking tracks. [caption id="attachment_703437" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ian M Ross via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] TURPINS FALLS Just a casual 70-minute drive from Melbourne CBD, Turpins Falls is the waterfall to visit if you're looking to find a tranquil place to spend the day. The pool below, once home to the Turpins Falls swimming club back in the 1930s, invites you to relive history by taking a dip in its icy fresh waters. Surrounded on three sides by sheer rock faces, these 20-metre falls make for a wonderful view as they go crashing into the lagoon below. Located just 15 minutes away are the cafes and restaurants of Kyneton – the perfect way to round out your countryside destressin' session. Top image: Steavenson Falls, Visit Victoria.
When sisters Elle and Alanah Giuliano launched Twostyle back in 2018, they were just 22 and 19 — two Melbourne creatives with an obsession for interiors and a knack for spotting what makes a home work. Seven years later, their studio has grown into a full-scale design business with a team of 11, known for crafting spaces that balance luxury and personality in equal measure. "We believe great design should feel as good as it looks," says Elle. "It's about creating spaces people can actually live in, not just photograph." Forget sterile styling and cookie-cutter fitouts — Twostyle is all about creating homes that make you feel something. Their aesthetic blends natural tones with bold details and surprising moments of character, from playful powder rooms to perfectly layered kitchens. Every inch is considered, every finish chosen to complement both beauty and functionality. Growing up around Melbourne's property scene, the sisters developed an early eye for flow, proportion and personality. That background, paired with a strong sense of visual storytelling, shapes Twostyle's ethos today: homes that are beautiful, practical and full of heart. "At Twostyle, design is never about a formula — it's about storytelling," says Alanah. "Every project should reflect who the client is and how they live, while still carrying that unmistakable Twostyle stamp." Their approach extends from large-scale renovations to accessible Virtual Styling Sessions, which offer clients across Australia a one-on-one design consult over video call. It's an increasingly popular option for people who want expert advice — and the signature Twostyle touch — without committing to a full-service design. Their latest headline project is a Victorian home belonging to AFL star Josh Daicos and model and influencer Annalise Dalins, one of Australia's most-watched young couples. From the start, Elle and Alanah knew the design needed to capture the pair's mix of grounded warmth and modern polish. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Annalise Dalins (@annalisedalins_) "Our inspiration truly came from Josh and Annalise themselves," says Elle. "They're such a grounded, genuine couple, but also stylish, ambitious and full of life. We wanted their home to reflect all of that — a place that feels timeless yet young, elegant yet welcoming." The home's foundation is calm and organic — a neutral base layered with tactile textures and rich, unexpected details. But like all Twostyle projects, it doesn't play it too safe. "We've layered in the Twostyle signature: bold pops of colour, unexpected details and those wow-factor moments — especially in the powder room," says Alanah. "It's that perfect balance of restraint and risk, grounding and play." The design process began with mood boards and deep conversation — not just about aesthetics, but about lifestyle. "It really came to life once we got to know them on a personal level," Elle explains. "Their interests, their energy, the synergy between them — that understanding shaped everything." When Twostyle presented the first concept, they encouraged the couple to see what was possible and how far they could take their vision. "We wanted to share an elevated version of what their home could become," Elle says. "They connected with the ideas straight away, and that sense of trust and excitement set the tone for the rest of the project." From start to finish, the Twostyle process is grounded in collaboration. Clients are invited into every stage — from material selections to final styling — so the result always feels personal. "We want every client to walk into their finished space and feel like it's theirs — just better," says Alanah. Whether it's a multi-million-dollar renovation or a virtual styling session, the team approaches every project with the same level of detail and care. "It all comes down to thought and heart," says Elle. "Every project deserves the same attention." With a growing portfolio of standout projects and a strong social media following, Twostyle is quickly carving out its place among Australia's new wave of interior tastemakers — young, bold and unafraid to push design boundaries. "Homes that feel as good as they look — that's always been the goal," says Alanah. Twostyle's top tips for transforming your space? Start by editing — less clutter means more impact. Mix natural textures like timber, stone and linen for warmth and depth, and never underestimate the power of lighting. Add small bursts of colour to bring life to a neutral palette, and always anchor a room around one hero piece. As the sisters put it, "Even the smallest space can feel luxurious when every element is intentional." For more on Twostyle's interiors, styling services or upcoming projects, visit the website or follow @twostyle.interiors on Instagram. Images: Supplied.
Melbourne got its first rooftop brewery bar overlooking the city skyline in 2024, and you can thank former Aussie Rules football player David Neitz for making it happen. He established the Brewmanity brand back in 2015, alongside fellow brewery lovers Jamie Fox and Paul Hopgood, to not only bring great craft beer to Melburnians but to also raise money to fight motor neurone disease — which Neale Daniher, Neitz's friend, fellow ex-footballer and coach, has. And in March 2024, the trio behind it took things to the next level by setting up a huge three-storey, 400-person, 34-tap brewery bar in South Melbourne. The ground floor houses the beer hall, where visitors can drink the team's craft brews surrounded by stainless steel tanks in which new creations are slowly fermenting. Head up the stairs to find another bar with a large terrace overlooking the city. But when the sun is shining, we're pretty sure punters will be racing for the rooftop, where they'll find even better vistas across Melbourne's skyline. And if Melbourne decides to throw a surprise shower (which will inevitably happen), the venue has retractable awnings ready and waiting. Each level has a bar pumping out Brewmanity beers alongside some local independent wines, spirits and cocktails. Food comes courtesy of Chef Suman, who's serving up a selection of share plates and bar bites to hungry beer drinkers. This includes a beer-braised lamb shoulder that feeds up to six people, DIY taco platters, cheeseburger sliders and mushroom arancini. There'll be no need to scale the stairs to go get a feed — just order and wait for it all to come to you. "We are proud with what we have achieved so far and there is so much more to come. We have proved that you can make a good beer that does good deeds and we hope to pour out the goodness for many years to come," said Neitz.
Since 2019, Netflix's Dead to Me has contemplated endings — starting with a just-widowed woman trying to cope with losing her husband in a hit-and-run incident. Taking a few cues from 2018 film A Simple Favour, the grief-fuelled dark comedy has twisted its way through plenty of chaos from there, including via the unlikely friendship at its centre; however, the fact that everything comes to a conclusion sooner or later has always hung over the show. When it returns for season three on Thursday, November 17, that notion will remain — and Dead to Me itself will wrap up. Back in 2020, after the second season aired, it was revealed that the show would finish after a third and final run. So, get ready for your last swim through its murders, mysteries and cover-ups. The premise, if you missed Dead to Me when it premiered back in 2019: two women meet, become friends despite seemingly having very little in common, and help each other with their daily existence. From there, however, they find themselves immersed in more than a little murky business. Christina Applegate (Bad Moms 2) plays Jen Harding, whose husband has just died, while Linda Cardellini's (Hawkeye) Judy Hale is the positive-thinking free spirit that breezes into her life. They initially cross paths at a grief counselling session, sparking a definite odd-couple situation — which has evolved to feature secrets, lies, complications and cliffhangers galore across the show's two seasons to-date. Season two ended with a big car crash, in fact — and as well as announcing when Dead to Me would return to close out its story, Netflix has just dropped a teaser trailer for season three. Get ready for a glimpse of Jen and Judy in hospital and unhappy about it, as well as a recap of exactly what's brought them to this point. As for where the story will head afterwards, that'll only be revealed when Netflix drops the third season itself. If it's as easy to binge as the first two seasons, you'll know how the show ends quickly. Created by 2 Broke Girls writer Liz Feldman, Dead to Me marked Applegate's first lead TV role since 2011-12 sitcom Up All Night when it debuted. For Cardellini, it saw a return to Netflix after starring on the streaming platform's drama Bloodline — and she also featured in A Simple Favour, too. Check out the first teaser trailer for Dead to Me's third season below: Dead to Me's third season will hit Netflix on Thursday, November 17. Images: Saeed Adyani / Netflix.
Aussie brick enthusiasts, get excited. Sydney will join the likes of New York, London, Hong Kong and Copenhagen on the list of cities boasting a flagship LEGO store very, very soon. The Harbour City is set to welcome the world's largest official LEGO store to Sydney Arcade, overlooking Pitt Street Mall, on Saturday, November 11. Announced earlier this year, the massive two-storey, 900-square-metre Sydney LEGO store will officially swing open its doors at 9.30am next Saturday morning and promises to be your one-stop shop for all things colourful plastic bricks. "Every new store contributes to the LEGO Group's global mission of inspiring and developing the builders of tomorrow," Vice President and General Manager of LEGO Australia and New Zealand Troy Taylor says. LEGO fans can expect an interactive storytelling table that will give them behind-the-scenes looks at their favourite sets and designs; Australia's first Minifigure Factory, where visitors can create LEGO versions of themselves or their loved ones; and a pick-and-build wall boasting an enormous catalogue of different pieces. Official Brick Specialists will be on hand to help guide you through everything the superstore has to offer — and if you're after a challenge to get your creativity flowing, there will be in-store builds and monthly events. Basically, you'll have everything you could need to bring your wildest imagination to life. There will also be Australia-specific elements of the store with large-format sculptures of Australian and Sydney cultural touchstones decorating the new Sydney LEGO store's space. "The world's largest LEGO Store will stand as a must-see destination for LEGO fans across the globe whilst bringing a world-class retail experience to Australia," says Executive Chairman of the store's retail partner Alquemie Group Richard Facioni. The flagship Sydney LEGO store will open at Sydney Arcade, Pitt Street, Sydney on Saturday, November 11.
Since launching around the country back in 2013, the British Film Festival keeps standing out for three reasons. Yes, it ranks among Australia's most obvious cultural film fests; however, it's also a star-studded affair, and a popular one. If you're keen not only for a slice of Old Blighty, but to watch well-known talents do what they do best, then prepare to spend a few weeks staring at the big screen. 2018's lineup keeps hitting those same marks. Why mess with a good thing? Running in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra until November 14, this year's program includes Kiera Knightley's latest star turn, a four-film tribute to Michael Caine that'll blow the bloody doors off, and Star Wars' Daisy Ridley in a playful take on Hamlet — plus these, our five must-see picks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfWIfwKJ7vA ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE Anna and the Apocalypse is a zombie movie. It's a high-school comedy. It's a Christmas flick. And, it's also a musical. Just when you thought you'd seen every take on the undead available, this all-singing genre mash-up pops up to prove you wrong. A crowd-pleaser at overseas festivals, it's based on the BAFTA-winning short Zombie Musical — and, story-wise, follows the eponymous Anna (Ella Hunt) as she reacts to the rather inconvenient fact that her Scottish hometown of Little Haven is now filled with the shuffling masses hankering for brains. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qItW6evHbE8 YARDIE After coming to fame with to The Wire, Idris Elba is no stranger to sprawling crime dramas that chart the next generation's involvement in the drug trade. With Yardie, however, he's stepping behind the camera rather than appearing in front of it. The actor's feature directorial debut hops between Jamaica and London, and between the 70s and 80s, at it charts the path of Denis. As a boy (Antwayne Eccleston), he watches his brother get gunned down on the streets of Kingston. As a young man (Aml Ameen), he finds himself selling cocaine in the UK and seeking revenge. The result is a film with vibrant style, that knows what it wants to be and knows when it's hitting familiar beats. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj5h1kKjVYc PETERLOO Whenever Mike Leigh has a new film, it's reason enough to rush to the cinema. The great director has seven Oscar nominations to his name for the likes of Secrets & Lies, Vera Drake, Happy-Go-Lucky and Another Year, and tends to alternate between character-based and historical-leaning dramas. With his latest, Peterloo, he's operating in the latter camp, examining a momentous event in Britain's past. The feature is named after and explores a massacre in Manchester in 1819, when 700 working folks were injured — and 15 killed — during a peaceful pro-democracy gathering. Yes, it sounds more than a little relevant today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE5xbDTkzQQ STAN & OLLIE To the world, they were Laurel and Hardy — one lean and English, the other rotund and American, and both funnier and more famous when they were hitting the stage and screen together. Starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly, Stan & Ollie delves into the story behind the fame, when the comedians were approaching the end of their career. The film arrives in Australia fresh from premiering at the London Film Festival, and closes out BFF with the promise of laughs, love and excellent performances. Indeed, when it comes to spot-on casting, it's already a winner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8YiltlZGB0 THE HAPPY PRINCE Another blast from the past in the BFF program, another look at a well-known figure past their heyday, and another well-known actor making their filmmaking debut, too. With the dreamily tragic The Happy Prince, Rupert Everett steps into Oscar Wilde's shoes — and it's a role that he was born to bring to the screen. Writing and directing as well, Everett approaches Wilde's dying days in a rundown Parisian hotel room with both passion and sorrow, two traits that the poet and write knew well. It's a hardly a happy portrait, despite the name, which riffs on one of Wilde's works. That said, interweaving flashbacks to fonder times and co-starring Colin Firth, it does Wilde justice. The 2018 British Film Festival tours Australia until November 14, screening at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona, Palace Central and Chauvel Cinemas from October 23 to November 14; Melbourne's Palace Cinema Como, Palace Westgarth, Palace Balwyn, Palace Brighton Bay and The Astor Theatre from October 25 to November 14; Brisbane's Palace Barracks and Palace Centro from October 24 to November 14; and Perth's Cinema Paradiso, Raine Square Cinemas, Luna on SX and Windsor Cinema from October 25 to November 14. For more information and to buy tickets, visit the festival website.
Just about everyone has a friend or relative who would describe themselves as a "struggling artist". For this most beleaguered of professions, the frustrations of the world's most competitive and highly lucrative industry often turns "struggling artists" into "failed artists". Pippin Barr, one such dejected artist, has found a most unusual way of channelling his grievances and disillusionment with the art world: a part-personal, part-satirical, and entirely addictive online video game, Art Game. The monochromatic, 8-bit game takes place in the cutthroat, dog-eat-dog world of the New York City visual art scene. Players choose between three contemporary artists as their avatar: minimalist painter Cicero Sassoon (with his reference-heavy name), Russian sculptor Alexandra Tertanov, and video artists William Edge and Susan Needle. Within a style of gameplay modelled on the classic video games of Snake, Tetris, and Space Invaders, your task is then to create a piece of art worthy of display in an upcoming show at New York's legendary Museum of Modern Art. Your path to artistic glory is a far from smooth one, however, as before you can have your work showcased you must get past the deliciously snooty MoMA curator. The curator's selection of which of your artworks (if any) make the cut seems to be based on a fairly arbitrary and even random set of criteria, in a quite pointed dig at how "good art" is selected and endorsed within the art scene, with decisions handed down in a series of cliche-enriched tirades (another beautiful touch from Barr). The game is filled to the brim with knowing references to the art scene, from the inane chatter of the MoMA visitors to the stereotypical studio apartments of the artists. It is these details that transform the game from not simply being a form of light-hearted procrastination but also a very clever and totally unique piece of satire. The surprisingly heartbreaking experience of being told that your work is not up to scratch provides a fresh understanding of just how brutal and controlled the art scene can be. To see if you have what it takes to be counted amongst New York's artistic elite, click here to play Art Game. Via Hyperallergic.
For more than six decades, fans of Disney have been able to step into the Mouse House's wonders IRL, thanks to a theme park empire that started in the 1950s with Disneyland. For even longer, touring your way through Universal Studios' wares — first during lot visits, then theme parks as well — has also been a reality. While Japan's beloved Studio Ghibli joined in back in 2001 via its Ghibli Museum, now it has launched its very own theme park. Get ready to get spirited away, and to skip around a sprawling place that's both gorgeous and magical. The venue at Aichi Prefecture Expo Park has been in the works since back in 2017, and has also been through a few delays over that five-year period — but as of Tuesday, November 1, it's finally and officially open to animation lovers. If that's you, Ghibli Park is welcoming in fans to wander its 200-hectare expanse in Nagoya's Aichi Prefecture, around a three-hour train trip from Tokyo, with the space's first three stages launching on opening day. Ghibli has been dropping early glimpses at the park over the past few months — even if its recent Hayao Miyazaki-directed cat train trailer was solely animated (but still wonderful) — and there's plenty of store for visitors. Part of the first phase is a space that's been dubbed Ghibli's Great Warehouse, aka the park's main area. Think of it like a fair within the overall attraction, featuring a video exhibition room, three special exhibition rooms, plus shops and cafes all in one space. Many movie lovers' first stop should be Orionza, a cinema that sets 170 patrons and screens ten Ghibli shorts — all of which have only previously been seen at the studio's existing museum in Mitaka, a city on the western outskirts Tokyo. The easy highlight: the 13-minute-long sequel to My Neighbour Totoro, which is an absolute delight, unsurprisingly. Fancy entering one of Ghibli's films? The park also includes recreations of 13 famous scenes from the company's cinematic catalogue that you can step into, including becoming Spirited Away's Chihiro by sitting next to Kaonashi on a mysterious train by the sea. Or, another exhibition focuses on Ghibli's knack for drawing delicious-looking food, and is certain to make you hungry. And, if you're curious how Ghibli's works — such as posters, videos, music and books — appear overseas, there's an exhibition about that as well. Because you'll want souvenirs, the Ghibli's warehouse store sells Ghibli goodies galore, including items specific to the park. Expect two things: to want to purchase everything, so much so that you'll contemplate whether it's worth getting another suitcase to take home with you; and plenty of company while you're browsing and buying. For a bite or a drink, the Great Warehouse's cafe and milk stand both take their cues The Wind Rises. One slings sandwiches and pizzas, while the other focuses on sips to drink — and a sweet made of red bean paste between two pieces of castella, as seen in the movie. Yes, it all truly does resemble the Japanese animation house's glorious frames in real life — as that aforementioned Studio Ghibli museum already does as well. Also open in the first stage: gardens, including the antique shop and verandah from Whisper of the Heart, plus Satsuki and Mei's house from My Neighbour Totoro. The latter was already a part of Aichi Prefecture Expo Park, but that doesn't make it any less stunning. Indeed, there's a reason that Ghibli Park was initially described as having a My Neighbour Totoro focus. Also slated to feature across the whole park: a life-sized version of Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's home from Kiki's Delivery Service, a village area that pays tribute to Princess Mononoke, nods to the cat from Whisper of the Heart and The Cat Returns, buildings with design elements that take their cues from Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and a super-sized garden that'll make you feel like you're one of the tiny characters in Arrietty. If you're now planning a Ghibli-centric holiday, Japan reopened its borders to individual international tourists, and ditched its visa and package tour requirements, back in October — which, yes, is handy timing. A note re ticketing: like Ghibli's museum, Ghibli Park opens for bookings one day per month, working months ahead. On Monday, November 14, for instance, you'll be able to buy tickets for January visits. Ghibli Park is now open at Aichi Expo Memorial Park, 1533–1 Ibaragamama Otsu, Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture. For more information, head to the venue's website. Images: © Studio Ghibli.
Australia's touring all-inclusive music and arts festival Summer Camp is returning in December — and it's just dropped the full lineup of over 100 artists, as well as info on its new venues. Following Summer Camp's inaugural run in 2022 which combined great tunes and LGBTQIA+ pride, the blockbuster event will be hitting St Kilda Marina on Saturday, December 2 and the Wentworth Park Sports Centre in Sydney on Sunday, December 3. Leading the latest lineup announcement is viral sensation Rebecca Black who has had a major career revival since 2021, releasing a slate of acclaimed pop projects ten years after achieving global infamy for her so-bad-it's-good track 'Friday'. Heaven will be a place on earth at the Sydney edition of Summer Camp with Belinda Carlisle joining the lineup, while Ultra Naté will be exclusively hitting St Kilda with her catalogue of hits including the iconic dance cut 'Free'. [caption id="attachment_919632" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matto Lucas[/caption] Also gracing both Summer Camp lineups: Brooke Candy, Kito, Meg10, The Illustrious Blacks and Tom Aspaul alongside a stacked program of local musicians, DJs, dancers and performance artists comprising more than 100 acts. The BEAT stage will be dedicated to thumping house, disco and techno tunes. Sydney will also be treated to Club Love — a haven for cheesy singalongs and big emotions, while Melbourne's Summer Camp will host a cutting-edge Rave Cave. [caption id="attachment_919633" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matto Lucas[/caption] The huge program will be headlined by previously announced headliners Jessie Ware and Trixie Mattel. Ware teased that she was playing the festival back in May, advising that she'd be appearing on an episode of her podcast Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware before confirming her place on the lineup in July. It's been a long time between Australian visits for the UK disco-pop queen. The last time she graced our shores was for Laneway Festival all the way back in 2013. In the period since, she's released four albums, including the immensely critically acclaimed What's You Pleasure in 2020 and its equally vibrant recent follow-up That! Feels Good!. But now Ware's drought of Aussie appearances is officially coming to an end. [caption id="attachment_899478" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons.[/caption] The St Kilda edition will be taking place as part of the huge 17-day ALWAYS LIVE program that's hitting the state throughout November and December. The massive program also includes performances from Christina Aguilera, Jai Paul and Eric Prydz. As for the new location in Sydney, the festival has decided to head to an indoor-outdoor facility after facing issues with flooding at Centennial Park last year. SUMMER CAMP FESTIVAL 2023 LINEUP: Jessie Ware Trixie Mattel Brooke Candy Kito Meg10 Rebecca Black The Illustrious Blacks Tom Aspaul Sydney Only: Belinda Carlisle Abby & Tyrone Akala Newman Atomic Blond & Dutch Kiss Ballroom Australia Baschoe Charlie Villas Chic Coach Cleo Rapture Club Chrome Dads Mayo Dan Azzo Diva Cups Dyan Tai Feta James Fried Pork Chop Half Queen Jackie Daniels Jane Jason De Cox Jimi the Kween Karlee Misi King C*ntessa Lady Fur Matt Vaughan Never Enough DJs (Dunny Minogue x Estèe Louder) Rosie Rivette Melbourne Only: Ultra Naté Alex Morris Ballroom Australia Bathesba Crescendoll Daws Dilonce' Disco Daddies DJ Gay Dad Ecterera Ecterrea x Art Simone Fragile Future House of Buffet Jesse Boyd Kat Zowthabag Kween Kong Mz Risk Nick Spurway Saint Eve Sal Simple Sovblkpssy Stone Motherless Cold Sullivan The Huxleys Tilly Capulet Tyoow Vb Unicorns Yo Mafia Summer Camp will be hitting Sydney and Melbourne in December 2023. For further details or to nab tickets, head to the festival's website. Top image: Matto Lucas
Whether you're a big nature nerd or err on the indifferent side to the science of it all, chances are you've seen at least some of Sir David Attenborough's Planet Earth. The BBC nature documentary series — narrated by the man himself and accompanied by an epic score from Hans Zimmer — first aired back in 2006, and its follow-up second season, Planet Earth II, was released just two years ago. But the bits you've seen on TV or YouTube are sure to be belittled when the BBC brings the live show to Australia this April. Like the performances of Harry Potter and Star Wars we've seen in recent months, Planet Earth II Live in Concert will see the documentary screened in all its glory accompanied by a live orchestra. And it's a big sore. The music for Planet Earth II was composed by none other than Hans Zimmer (responsible for epics like The Lion King, Gladiator, The Dark Knight Rises and Inception) alongside Jacob Shea and Jasha Klebe. In Australia, the score will be performed by four of the country's leading orchestras with conductor Vanessa Scammell and, in lieu of Attenborough, Eric Bana will be narrating in real time. The show will travel around Australia from April 27 until May 4, visiting Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney for just four shows all up. Tickets go on sale next week. In the meantime, you can watch ehe first season of Planet Earth on Netflix. PLANET EARTH II LIVE IN CONCERT TOUR DATES April 27 — Perth Arena (with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra) April 29 — Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (with the Melbourne Pops Orchestra) May 1 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre (with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra) May 4 — International Convention Centre, Sydney (with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra) Planet Earth II Live in Concert will tour Australia from April 27 – May 4, 2018. Presale tickets will go on sale at 10am tomorrow, Friday, February 16. The rest will go on sale at 3pm on Tuesday, February 20. For more info, visit ticketek.com.au.
As we've all been told for centuries on the page, then on the stage, and also on the screen since the birth of film, vampires can live forever. Here's another undead fact: stories about the horror favourites definitely seem to. And, as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and What We Do in the Shadows have shown, such tales are mighty skilled at prolonging their lives. In both of the above instances, movies became TV shows — and fantastic ones at that. On the big screen, What We Do in the Shadows was delightful and hilarious. A New Zealand-shot and -set vampire sharehouse mockumentary made by and starring Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi was always going to be. On the small screen since 2019, the American TV version of What We Do in the Shadows has also proven the same. In fact, with fellow spinoff Wellington Paranormal — the NZ television show that stuck with the movie's cops (Mike Minogue and Karen O'Leary) as they keep investigating the supernatural — it's part of the best on-screen universe there is. Thankfully, the small-screen take on What We Do in the Shadows shows no signs of slowing down. Come mid-July, its fourth season will hit Australia via Binge and New Zealand via Neon, in fact. Even better: based on the two trailers so far — one dropping in early June, and the other to round out the month — fans are set for another wonderfully amusing bloodsuckers gem. For the uninitiated, this iteration of What We Do in the Shadows is set in Staten Island. No, Pete Davidson doesn't show up. Instead, the series focuses on a household where vamps Nandor (Kayvan Novak, Cruella), Laszlo (Matt Berry, Toast of London and Toast of Tinseltown) and Nadja (Natasia Demetriou, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) all live. Energy vampire Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch, The Office) and Nandor's familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillen, Werewolves Within), slayers have also staked a claim in the story. There's much, much more to the Shadows television spinoff than that — and plenty to laugh at as well. This time around, there'll also be a vampire nightclub, undead dance-offs, a vamp freestyle rap, a genie's lamp, polyamory, multiple dead wives returning at the same time, and a baby version of Colin. Given that two 'Rasputin'-soundtracked trailers can't tell the full story, as wonderful as both sneak peeks are, expect plenty more where all of that came from. Check out the latest trailer for What We Do in the Shadows season four below: What We Do in the Shadows' fourth season starts streaming in the Australia via Binge on Wednesday, July 13 and New Zealand via Neon on Thursday, July 14.
The team behind Melbourne's first pay-what-you-want pho pop-up have launched their first permanent hospitality venture, Hochi Mama. A contemporary day-to-night venue a few doors up from Rice Paper Scissors on Liverpool Street, the restaurant champions modern, Vietnamese-inspired cuisine. Although this time there's a set price for a bowl of pho. With separate lunch and dinner menus, Hochi Mama is an ideal CBD pit stop for takeaway at any time of the day or night. The dinner menu is divided into flavoursome post-work tapas and mains that are predictably designed to share. Favourites include the signature Hochi banh bao, a soft bao pillow stuffed with crispy fried chicken, spicy kimchi, fermented chilli beans and tangy creamy sauce ($8.50 each) and the beef short ribs, which are super tender and served with morning glory, beansprouts and seasonal market vegetables ($18). The Phoplings — a playful dumpling-pho hybrid — are made with steamed beef and pork mince and served with Hochi Mama's pho broth. A word of warning to spice-phobics, though: this mama packs a punch. Littered with tear-jerking red chilli, sizzling pickled vegetables and spicy sauces, these dishes have been known to make grown men (at least the ones we know) cry crocodile tears. Luckily, Hochi Mama's bar is stocked with a boutique list of local and international beers, wine and cider. Tropical, Asian-inspired cocktails similarly suit the food; the Thai Chi with double gin, Vietnamese mint and frozen young coconut juice is the perfect refresher, while the Good Morning Vietnam, a modernised espresso martini, is best for a post-meal tipple (both $18). Laidback yet intimate, Hochi Mama's interior features low, glowing lanterns and stylish aged timber. A wall mural and open kitchen completes the dynamic space. Dinner menus rotate with daily main, dessert and cocktail specials, and ravenous pairs can make a beeline for the $59 Me Hungry Now menu, which includes two starters, two mains and a side to share. Vibrant and extremely affordable, it might not be Ho Chi Minh city — but Hochi Mama is still very much worth a visit.
If you avoid glass observation decks atop high structures like the plague, then you might want to look away. Those cash-grabbing, genius high rise developers have taken our apparent insatiable desire to stand on a floor of reinforced glass at great heights to the next level and turned the standing attraction into a sliding one. Yep, a see-through glass slide has just opened on top of Los Angeles' highest skyscraper. Terrifying. The slide — aptly named Skyslide — is part of the iconic U.S. Bank Tower's new Skyspace development, which opened on Saturday, June 25. Skyspace has turned the tower's 70th floor into an impressive open-air observation deck (the highest of its kind in California), and the slide is just an extra addition for people who feel that merely looking at a view of Downtown LA from 1000 feet is not enough. That said, the slide is relatively short at about 14 metres — it only travels the length of one floor, from the 70th to the 69th. So it's a bit of a short-lived ride. But if you're scared of heights, you can at least take comfort in the fact that it'll be over before you know it. Well, we assume there's nothing quite like moving at high speed in a glass tube on the side of a building to truly appreciate the view. Even if it is only for 3.5 seconds.
Summer might be over for another year, but chasing endless sunny days, sandy spots and crashing waves is a rather easy pastime in Australia. The country is girt by sea, after all, and boasts thousands of beaches — including Western Australia's Cable Beach, which has just been named one of the best coastal spots in the world for 2023, plus the absolute top beach in the South Pacific for this year as well. The scenic Broome locale nabbed those honours thanks to Tripadvisor, which unveils a lineup of top beaches each year. Among the international plaudits, Cable Beach came in third behind Baia do Sancho in Fernando de Noronha in Brazil and Eagle Beach in Aruba in The Caribbean. It also ranked higher than spots in Iceland, Turks and Caicos, Portugal, India, Sicily, Cuba and Hawaii. Yes, that's mighty fine company to keep. [caption id="attachment_891596" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cable Beach[/caption] In the South Pacific rundown, Cable Beach beat six other Aussie locations and one from New Zealand. Also getting some love locally: Sydney's Manly Beach in second place, Emily Bay on Norfolk Island in third and Mooloolaba Beach in fourth spot. Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas and Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island adding two more Queensland locations to the list at sixth and seventh place, while Turquoise Bay in Exmouth in WA came in ninth after topping the South Pacific spots in 2022. Across the ditch, Tahunanui Beach in Nelson sits at eighth place, too. The two beaches deemed the best in the South Pacific that aren't from Down Under? Matira Beach on Society Island in Bora Bora, French Polynesia, which sits fifth and Natadola Beach in Sigatoka, Fiji, at tenth. If it's an overseas beach holiday you're after this year, you now know where to head. [caption id="attachment_891589" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Manly Beach[/caption] Back to the worldwide list, it spans 25 places, with Manly coming in 13th there ahead of locations in Grand Cayman, San Sebastian, Bali, Costa Rica, Rio de Janeiro and more. Across both the worldwide and South Pacific rankings, winners were chosen as part of Tripadvisor's Traveller's Choice awards, which is based on millions of reviews and ratings left on the online platform across 2022. [caption id="attachment_891592" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Whitehaven Beach[/caption] TOP TEN BEACHES IN THE WORLD FOR 2023: Baia do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil Eagle Beach, Aruba, The Caribbean Cable Beach, Broome, Australia Reynisfjara Beach, Vik, Iceland Grace Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos, The Caribbean Praia da Falésia, Algarve, Portugal Radhanagar Beach, Havelock Island, India Spiaggia dei Conigli, Sicily, Italy Varadero Beach, Cuba, The Caribbean Ka'anapali Beach, Maui, Hawaii TOP TEN BEACHES IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC FOR 2023: Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia, Australia Manly Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Emily Bay, Norfolk Island, Australia Mooloolaba Beach, Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia Matira Beach, Society Island, Bora Bora, French Polynesia Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Queensland, Australia Tahunanui Beach, Nelson, New Zealand Turquoise Bay, Exmouth, Western Australia, Australia Natadola Beach, Sigatoka, Fiji [caption id="attachment_891590" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matira Beach[/caption] To check out the full list of top beaches for 2023, head to Tripadvisor. Images: Getty Images / Tripadvisor. 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 autumn starts winding down, end the season with a bit of sunshine. When winter kicks in, begin it with beaming rays, too. Virgin wants you to book in a Queensland getaway across May and June 2025, so much so that it's putting on a big flight sale. Fares start at $45, and you've got three days to nab a bargain. Also, your efforts will help the Sunshine State's tourism industry after the weather hasn't been kind to it so far this year. This round of specials is available until 11.59pm AEST on Saturday, March 29 — unless sold out earlier — and covers destinations from the Gold Coast up to Cairns. You have two months to head away, between Thursday, May 1–Monday, June 30, 2025, although dates vary per route. While the sale is firmly focused on one part of the country, you still have options in terms of departure points and destinations. Within Queensland, you can leave or arrive in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Hamilton Island, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Mt Isa and Proserpine. And, around the rest of the country, flights to and from Adelaide, Alice Springs, Canberra, Darwin, Launceston, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Sydney and Uluru are available. The cheapest price, $45, will get you between Sydney and either the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast. For $55, Brisbane–Proserpine and Melbourne–Gold Coast fares are on offer. From there, $79 covers Sydney–Cairns and Sydney–Hamilton Island, while Brisbane–Hamilton Island is $85 and Melbourne–Cairns is $99 — and the list goes on. The sale has the backing of the Queensland government, to assist the Sunshine State's recovery after the weather events of the past few months — and thousands of seats have been discounted. Only select fares cover seat choice and checked baggage, however, with the airline announcing back in 2021 that it now splits its economy flights into three types. Economy Lite doesn't include checking any baggage or picking your seat, but Economy Choice does — and Economy Flex gives you extra flexibility (hence the name) if you have to change your plans later. Virgin's 72hr Queensland sale runs until 11.59pm AEST on Saturday, March 29 — or until sold out. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
If this isn't a golden ticket to a great night on the couch, then we don't know what is: the delightful Willy Wonka prequel starring Timothée Chalamet (Bones and All) and directed by the Paddington films' Paul King is now spreading its sweetness to your couch. Although it's still playing in cinemas after opening in mid-December 2023, Wonka has been fast-tracked to digital so that you can get chocolate cravings at home. And you will be have a hankering for desserts as Chalamet sings, twirls around an umbrella, and talks about making weird and wonderful treats — and as a childhood favourite gets a prequel. Our tip: choose your movie-watching snacks accordingly. Otherwise, your stomach will start grumbling amid the songs, dancing and Hugh Grant (Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves) stealing scenes as an Oompa-Loompa. Wonka hitting digital helps add to any pre-Dune: Part Two Timmy C marathons that you might be planning before the latter film reaches the big screen at the end of February. With King writing and directing, the first with co-scribe Simon Farnaby, this new stint with Roald Dahl's chocolatier gives the character an origin story starring the actor who has had his heart broken during a lusty Italian summer, romanced Saoirse Ronan in a Greta Gerwig film not once but twice, spiced up his life in a sci-fi saga and sported a taste for human flesh. Here, Chalamet croons his way through a whimsical world of sugar and pure imagination. First gracing the page almost six decades back, in 1964 when Charlie and the Chocolate Factory initially hit print, Willy Wonka has made the leap to cinemas before with Gene Wilder playing the part in 1971, then Johnny Depp in 2005. The difference this time: not just Chalamet, but a film that swirls in the details of Wonka's life before the events that've already been laid out in books and filled those two movies. The picture's main man has a dream — and, after spending the past seven years travelling the world perfect his craft, he's willing to get inventive to make it come true. Starting a chocolate business isn't easy, especially when the chocolate cartel doesn't take kindly to newcomers, selling choccies at an affordable price and sharing their wares with the masses. From there, brainwaves, optimism, determination, Wonka inventions and life-changing choices all spring, plus big vats of chocolate, chocolate that makes you fly and Willy's dedication to making the greatest chocolate shop the world has ever seen. Beyond Chalamet and Grant, Wonka's cast is as jam-packed as a lolly bag, with the pair joined by Farnaby (The Phantom of the Open), as well as Olivia Colman (Heartstopper), Sally Hawkins (The Lost King), Keegan-Michael Key (The Super Mario Bros Movie), Rowan Atkinson (Man vs Bee), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey: A New Era) and Natasha Rothwell (Sonic the Hedgehog 2). And the magical tone sprinkled throughout Wonka doesn't just fit the tale — it's exactly what King and Farnaby spun when they were celebrating a marmalade-loving bear. King helmed and penned both Paddington movies, while Farnaby also did the latter on the second (and acted in each). The duo worked together on wonderful and underseen 2009 film Bunny and the Bull as well, and on The Mighty Boosh, of which King directed 20 episodes. Check out the trailer for Wonka below: Wonka is available to stream via platforms such as YouTube Movies, iTunes and Prime Video. It's also still showing in cinemas Down Under. Read our review.
This article is part of our series on the diverse highlights of NZ's Canterbury region, from city to snow. To book your snow trip, visit the 100% Pure New Zealand website. As someone with little-to-no coordination and balance, the prospect of skiing for the first time in my life was pretty terrifying. I honestly couldn't think of a sport that’s scarier for beginners — and I tried, multiple times — or a situation where I wouldn't be hurtling down a vertical run into a tree and/or small child. That's why I’ve always thought it lucky that, for me and every other Adult Who Can't Ski, snow sports are generally pretty easy to avoid. But with the ski season ramping up — and snow weekends already being floated by my seasoned snow bunny friends — I thought it was time to see if I would sink or swim on snow. With myself as sacrifice, and some words of wisdom from Mt Hutt's media coordinator and resident snowboarder Georgie Boyd, we headed across to one of New Zealand's most renowned ski areas (and, as it turns out, biggest mountains) to find out how to slide down a slope without losing a limb — or your dignity. Don't forget your gloves Preparation is key when it comes to skiing, mostly because it involves a lot of stuff. This is no spontaneous sport. If you don't own any snow clothes and can't borrow any from a similarly sized friend (your boyfriend's oversized pants probably won’t make things any easier, just saying), you should look at hiring proper, waterproof clothing. Mt Hutt hire out snow pants and jackets as well as boots and helmets — all of which you'll probably need as a beginner. What they don't have, though, are gloves and goggles, so make sure you you've got that covered before you get up on the mountain. Freezing fingertips don’t make for fun times. Image thanks to arquera via photopin The things you think are the easiest are actually the hardest Here's the thing: no one tells you that walking in ski boots will feel like your shin is snapping in half (which it isn't, but I still have the bruises to say that it came pretty close). Those things are painful, but they say it gets better. Apparently getting on and off the lift gets less terrifying too, but maybe that comes later. And think you can sling your skis over your shoulder like they do in the movies? Think again, noob. There's a particular trick to carrying your skis out to the snow that involves sliding them together and holding onto one of the brakes, but I'll let the ski staff show you that one. Image thanks to Paxson Woelber via photopin Don't think you don't need a lesson Sure, head up to the top of the slope with your friends and be left side-stepping up the mountain while they pass you as they go up and down the run. It's enough to ruin friendships, so heed this: experienced skiers and beginners don't match. Don't underestimate the power of getting a lesson. "The action of skiing and snowboarding isn't always common sense," says Georgie. "Taking a lesson gets you on the right track straight away and will speed up the zero-to-hero process." Contrary to popular misconception, there are plenty of functioning adults who also don't know how to ski — you'll be in a class with them, not four-year-olds (who can probably ski better than you, anyway). Image thanks to Nick J Webb via photopin It's actually not that scary Only after you've strapped on your skis and are successfully standing on a flat lay of snow will you start to feel like maybe this skiing thing isn't so terrifying. Like Georgie says, the most intimidating part for learners is the fear of going too fast and the chairlifts. Once you've mastered slowing down in a lesson (it doesn't matter how long your lesson is, even an hour or two makes a difference), then you can tackle the chairlift. "There are always lifties at the top of the lift to ensure that everyone is getting off the lift safely,” Georgie says. And to make things even easier, Mt Hutt's beginner’s area even has a conveyor belt 'magic carpet', which is the pre-chairlift training to the real deal. Image thanks to Mt Hutt, NZSki Ltd. and Patrick Fallon. It's all about pizza Not the pizza pie kind (well, maybe it can be afterwards — hell, you will have deserved two pizzas by then), but the pizza slice made by the shape of your skis. That's how you stop. For snowboarders, Georgie recommends digging in your heel-side edge will slow you down and safely control an exit off a ski lift. Best you get that one down before you take off down the slopes. Image thanks to FredrikF via photopin What not to do Whatever you do, don't look down. Even though you'll want to look down and make sure your skis are doing what you want them to, it's important that you look at what’s in front of you. There are a lot of obstacles — they're called people. On the subject of people, don't use them as props. Seriously, you grab someone on the way down and no one will look at you the same again. Image thanks to radloff via photopin Any time's a good time The best thing about being a beginner is that you don’t need a lot of snow to have a good time. While all the pros are complaining about lack of snowfall, you'll have all the snow you need. So basically, any time's a good time to start skiing, so just do it already. Image thanks to laszlo-photo via photopin Remember, there is hot chocolate and/or a good story waiting at the end of it Like this one. Image thanks to PunkJr via photopin. Feature image courtesy of Mt Hutt, NZSki Ltd. and Miles Holden.
For the first time since it launched in 2000, World Pride is heading to the Southern Hemisphere. And it's not just heading anywhere — the world's largest LGBTQI+ celebration is coming to Sydney. Taking over the city's streets, bars, clubs, galleries and theatres between February and March 2023, the World Pride event will coincide with the 45th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The decision to host the international pride celebration in Sydney was announced overnight with members of InterPride — the organisers of World Pride — voting between Sydney, Montreal (Canada) and Houston (Texas). The Aussie state capital came out on top with a whopping 60 percent of the votes. Of the host city, World Pride Committee Chair Robyn Kennedy said, "InterPride has recognised how far Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has come since 1978, and now the world will march with us down Oxford Street to celebrate our community and support our region." Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2018 and this year hosted over 100 parties, shows, and late-night shindigs for the annual event. The State Government usually relaxes the lockout laws in the surrounding areas for the local Mardi Gras, but in 2023 they could be gone altogether in the CBD and on Oxford Street. Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced plans to repeal the lockout laws in those areas by the end 2019 — they will, however, remain in place in Kings Cross for now. We'll keep our fingers crossed that they'll be wound back by 2023 there, too. https://www.instagram.com/p/B31TjkcD0qZ/?igshid=x6c9d4q0ay1w As the Sydney World Pride will be also be the first in the Asia Pacific, it's expected that the celebration will also have a focus on communities and cultures from across the region. In Sydney's bid for the event, organisers said: "it's an opportunity to focus the world's attention on LGBTQI rights, communities and culture in our Asia-Pacific Region. Many of our closest neighbouring countries do not have the same level of equality and human rights as we do." While Australia finally passed a marriage equality bill in late 2017, the same rights do not exist in many countries in the surrounding region — in fact, same-sex relations are still illegal in some Asia-Pacific countries. The 2023 World Pride will help raise awareness about these issues and help fight for equality for LGBTQI+ people across the region. For the Sydney event, expect, also, the biggest, most fabulous celebration of pride the city has ever seen, with parades, parties, and more to take over the city. It's expected 25–40 percent more than the usual 1.2 million Mardi Gras visitors will be heading to Sydney for the 2023 event — so it's going to be big, loud and colourful. World Pride 2023 will take place across Sydney in February and March. Top image: Jeffrey Feng
When you step inside an IKEA superstore, it feels as though you have been transported to a different world entirely. Endless floors filled with endless shelves, filled with endless minimalistic, cost-effective products. It's planet IKEA. And now we might not be too far from the real-life version. Not long after launching fully furnished IKEA homes, IKEA has published plans to build a private neighbourhood. Set to start construction next year, the neighbourhood will cover 11 hectares of land in London to be named 'Strand East'. It will incorporate 1,200 homes and apartments, all owned by the Swedish furniture company. “We are in keeping with the IKEA philosophy: we don’t want to produce for the rich or the super-rich; we want to produce for the families, for the people,” says Harald Müller, the head of LandProp, the property-development branch of Inter IKEA, told The Globe and Mail. IKEA promises that the all-rental homes will appeal to a variety of income levels, and 40% will be large enough to house a family. The neighbourhood will be peppered by condominiums and offices, and will include a hotel as well. Underneath it all will lie an underground parking lot to avoid cars cluttering the interior streets. It all sounds rather Utopian, but does a furniture company really have what it takes to manage 6,000 residents? “We’d have a very good understanding of rubbish collection, of cleanliness, of landscape management,” Andrew Cobden, the project manager, says. “We would have a fairly firm line on undesirable activity, whatever that may be. But we also feel we can say, okay, because we’ve kept control of the management of the commercial facilities, we have a fairly strong hand in what is said in terms of the activities that are held on site.” Mr. Müller says that IKEA will act much like a municipal government to its neighbourhood, organising community events and creating a "sense of place". Looks like IKEA execs have had a lot more on the brain than "Ektorp" sofas and Swedish meatballs. Welcome to Ikea-land. [via PSFK]
Gin dreams are made of this: a sprawling distillery that doubles as an indoor/outdoor gin garden, lets spirits aficionados sip plenty of gin (obviously), and also serves up snacks made with spent gin botanicals. That's all on the menu at Four Pillars' redeveloped Healesville base, which relaunched to the gin-adoring public following a hefty $7 million makeover in April 2022. Gin fiends of Australia have been singing the brand's praises for a decade, with the beloved distillery setting up shop in 2013, then opening up its Healesville digs to the public in 2015 — and the latter's revamp only evoked more cheers. Sitting directly adjacent to the company's original home on Lilydale Road, the new 1000-square-metre space helps turn the brand's headquarters into an epic gin destination, and has almost tripled the area available to visitors. As well as the aforementioned Jude's Gin Garden — which overlooks leafy trees and has sliding floor-to-ceiling windows to let the outside in (when the weather permits) — there's multiple new event and function rooms, a dedicated Four Pillars Gin Shop, and a gleaming new copper bar. On the menu: a changing array that spans tasting paddles, gin classics and familiar cocktails, plus a snack range designed by Made From Gin's Matt Wilkinson with Caro Gray. Think: duck liver pate with Bloody Shiraz Gin jelly; bagels with olive leaf gin-cured salmon; plus gin-laced potato, zucchini and dill croquettes — all using those spent gin botanicals. Still on food, the Four Pillars Tuck Shop also opened later in 2022, serving up more substantial dishes on weekends and public holidays. Of course, a visit to this gin-swilling spot is always going to be about the spirit in question — and here it's piped into the main bar using featured copper, all so that Four Pillars can reduce its glass waste. Tonic is largely being served from kegs as well for the same reason, at a site that goes big on solar and recycling to lower the venue's carbon and environmental impact. That shouldn't come as a surprise, with Four Pillars announcing that it had gone carbon-neutral back in 2022 as well. Tubing is also a big design feature, with 1650 metres of raw copper tubing used to enclose the entire site — the OG building and the new base — in a veil. As well as looking stunning, it's designed to work as a natural heat exchange to reduce energy consumption. Melbourne's sustainability-led Breathe Architecture led the revamped spot's design, which also heroes recycled and upcycled concrete and bricks, plus pineapple 'leather' upholstery. The furniture has been sourced locally, and local natives and botanicals play a big part in the landscaping both indoors and out. And yes, many will end up in Four Pillars' gins in the future. Updating the production side of things was also part of the makeover, allowing Four Pillars to now produce more than one million bottles of gin a year as well. To the delight of your tastebuds, that means more of its award-winning range — which includes barrel-aged, bloody shiraz, rare dry, yuzu, Christmas, overproof, olive leaf and summer-inspired gins. And yes, Healesville 2.0's launch helps cap off a huge few years for the gin company. It was named the world's best gin producer for two years running, sold half of its business to beer behemoth Lion and opened a Sydney bar in the middle of the pandemic — and now, of course, this.
As a movie, it's a masterpiece. As a stage musical, it's one of the most famous there is. And when it returns to Australia for the first time in almost 20 years with Sarah Brightman starring as Norma Desmond, Sunset Boulevard is going to be big. Andrew Lloyd Webber's Tony-winner, which first took the leap from the screen to the stage in 1993 — and picked up Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical, and awards for leading actor, leading actress and featured actor for its efforts, among more — is bringing its Hollywood story Down Under again in 2024. The production will kick off its new Aussie run in Melbourne in May, debuting at the Princess Theatre, then move to the Sydney Opera House from August. As Desmond, Brightman will make her global debut in the part, taking on her first theatre role in over three decades. She'll also add to a spectacular career that includes originating the role of Christine in The Phantom of the Opera back in the 80s. Here, she's taking on a part that saw Gloria Swanson nominated for an Oscar in 1951 and Glenn Close win a Tony in 1995. Debra Byrne played the part in Australia back in 1996, while Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls is doing the same in West End right now. "I am so delighted to be returning to Australia after many years, and to be marking my return to the stage in a musical after so long. It is only fitting for it to be with such an exquisite production as Sunset Boulevard," said Brighton. "I have always admired Andrew's work on this musical and I very much look forward to exploring the incredible score and also the iconic character of Norma Desmond. Mr DeMille, I'm ready for my close up!'." As Billy Wilder's 1950 film first covered in a feature that's been influential not just in inspiring stage adaptations, but on every other movie about Tinseltown since, Sunset Boulevard follows silent star Desmond. With her career getting small with the advent of the talkies, she dreams about making a comeback. The movie famously starts with a man's body floating in a swimming pool, then flashes back to Desmond's time with screenwriter Joe Gillis, her latest attempts to reclaim her success and the events that bring about that watery end. On the stage, Sunset Boulevard will echo with tunes such as 'With One Look', 'The Perfect Year' and 'As If We Never Said Goodbye' as it tells the above tale. GWB Entertainment and Opera Australia are behind Sunset Boulevard's latest Aussie stint — and if you're wondering who'll star alongside Brightman, the casting process has just begun. For audiences outside of Melbourne and Sydney, details of possible stops in other cities are yet to be announced. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @sunsetmusicalau SUNSET BOULEVARD 2024 DATES: From May 2024 — Princess Theatre, Melbourne From August 2024 — Sydney Opera House, Sydney Sunset Boulevard will play Melbourne from May 2024 and Sydney from August 2024, with Melbourne pre sales from Tuesday, October 10 and general sales from Friday, October 13. To join the ticket waitlist and for more information, head to the musical's website. Sarah Brightman images: Simon Fowler.
The vision of a blacksmith's bar is a little rough around the edges. You'd expect sooty walls, a near-constant clang of metal on metal, a sweltering heat and probably nothing more comfortable to sit on than an anvil. Lucky that's just in your imagination, then. The real Blacksmith Bar is far from it inside its historic home on Swan Street, which is completely soot-free. Drawing a crowd with its outside seating alone, getting out of the cold means getting into a space of white stone walls and dark wooden furnishings. It's purposely Prohibition-esque, harkening back to the building's past as an actual blacksmithy in the early 1920s. That thematic dedication extends to everything from the menu to the uniforms. You might not be surprised that the cocktail menu puts classics front and centre, but there's a nice selection of house specialties to sip, too. On a hot day, don't overlook the completely customisable Summer Swizzle or Blacksmith Martini, the former of which lets you pick from four flavours and four spirits to DIY a flavour profile, while the latter uses The Botanist Gin and Indian Tonic with your pick of nine floral and fruit flavours. On the premade end, a cold day calls for the Masala Harvest (caramel-infused Havana Especial, pear juice, sugar and homemade chai soda) or the Two-Faced Bitch (Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Montenegro, blackberry syrup, orange bitters, Angostura bitters, lime and whites. Sweltering? Try Hold the Salt, an outside-the-box spin on a margarita. On the food front, gourmet bar snacks are the name of the game. Chips, dips, olives and cheese are all in rotation, but you'd best not pass on larger bites. Take the three-cheese toastie in all its crispy, gooey glory, or go full stickyfingers with a plate of pork ribs served with a sticky Stone & Wood Pacific Ale glaze.
For nearly two centuries, everyone has known the Artful Dodger's story. Charles Dickens wrote the character, aka Jack Dawkins, to life in 1838's Oliver Twist — and readers have thumbed through the pickpocket's part of the famous tale ever since. But what happened once the book's narrative ended? What if Fagin's light-fingered apprentice is on the straight and narrow 15 years later, living in 1850s Australia? What if he is a navy-trained surgeon now plying his trade while living on the other side of the world from London, and great at it? What if Fagin is still alive despite Dickens' words on the page, too? In fact, what if the thieving ringleader is the latest convict arrival to the penal colony, crossing paths with his old pal with a plan that cares little about Dodge's new upstanding reputation? If you're wondering how the Aussie-set The Artful Dodger can exist, that's how: by sinking into the above scenario. Australian-made as well, with Jeffrey Walker (The Clearing), Corrie Chen (Bad Behaviour) and Gracie Otto (Seriously Red) directing, the Disney+ series that arrived on Wednesday, November 29 is not an origin story — it's an after story. Getting caught with a silver snuff box might've wrapped up Jack's exploits for the author who created him, but the latest iteration of the figure lives on from there for The Artful Dodger creators James McNamara (also one of the show's writers), David Maher (The Commons) and David Taylor (Bloom). Their take also turns its antics in the fictional Port Victory into a riff on The Knick, plus a romance. Two decades on from Love Actually, Thomas Brodie-Sangster (The Queen's Gambit) plays the show's namesake, joining a long line of actors who've done the same — many musicians, including Davy Jones from The Monkees onstage in the 60s, earning a Tony Award nomination; Phil Collins, also in the theatre in the same era; and Rita Ora in 2021's worth-avoiding crime-drama movie Twist. As in his big Christmas-movie break, Brodie-Sangster is again concerned with affairs of the heart, with The Artful Dodger's lead casting benefiting from bringing its star's best-known role to mind. In the festive rom-com, he was a kid cutely grappling with adult emotions. Here, he spiritedly steps into the shoes of an all-grown-up figure who acted wiser than his years when he was a child, too-large attire to match. Although no one saw Brodie-Sangster as the Oliver Twist version of Dodge, imagining it is easy because remembering him as a 13-year-old is that instantaneous. Also similar from Love Actually: Brodie-Sangster's character having an older guiding hand by his side, albeit with mischief and scheming this time. David Thewlis (Landscapers) gets wily — one of his finest on-screen traits — as Jack's former mentor, who isn't willing to let their links fade away. The Artful Dodger isn't a two-hander, but its biggest international names make a lively and engaging pair. Thewlis' Fagin isn't the villain, either, with both the script and the Fargo, Macbeth and I'm Thinking of Ending Things talent's performance expanding the part beyond the scoundrel — even if much of the criminal mastermind's focus is on convincing Dodge that his illicit know-how shouldn't be retired. This eight-part series also enlists a hefty lineup of Aussies, from Damon Herriman (The Portable Door), Miranda Tapsell (Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe), Susie Porter (Mercy Road) and Tim Minchin (Upright) to Damien Garvey (Troppo), Jessica De Gouw (C*A*U*G*H*T) and Kym Gyngell (Black Snow). Chief among the homegrown cohort is Maia Mitchell (Good Trouble) as Lady Belle Fox, daughter of the Governor (Garvey) and an aspiring doctor herself — not that a female surgeon is approved of in the show's period. Familiar Australian faces aren't the only constant reminder that this is a local production. Beginning with Wolfmother's 'Joker and the Thief', the anachronistic soundtrack spins on average one Aussie track per episode, including from Spiderbait, Jet, INXS and The Living End. Playfulness abounds, then, in a series that's a caper as well. Narrative-wise, Dodge endeavours to keep on the up and up, despite a shady gambling debt to pay to crooked harbourmaster Darius Cracksworth (Minchin) on penalty of losing a hand. Given that he needs his two mitts to continue his line of work, his devotion to staying legit is quickly tested. Fagin is officially his servant, but is really the devilish force whispering in his ear — in-between ample gloating about how his pilfering instructions all that time back helped his protégé earn his new calling, teaching him the dexterity required as a cutpurse. Complicating the already chaotic situation is the ever-present Captain Gaines (Herriman), who loves nothing more than sending whoever he can to the noose. Once he becomes certain that Jack and Fagin have more than a few reasons to take the drop, he's relentless. Jack is the colony's best doctor, repeatedly besting the drunken professor (Gyngell) in charge of the hospital and his chosen successor Rainsford Sneed (Nicholas Burton, Safe Home). Accordingly, it's only in Belle that he meets his professional match. She's deeply uninterested in just finding a husband no matter what's expected of her. She's also an avid subscriber to and reader of medical journals. So springs an arrangement where her booksmarts help Jack with his patients — the very concept of germs and their role in causing infections isn't on anyone's radar until she mentions it — and he lets her put her self-taught skills to practical use. So flies sparks, too, amid an evident class clash, bloody surgeries with a live audience, Jack and Fagin trying to avoid the hangman, and a pilfering bushranger (Tapsell) drawing attention their way. As its fondness for Aussie rock makes plain, The Artful Dodger is energetically told, and also anything but an old-school period piece. Walker, Chen and Otto take the same cues visually and in the show's fast pacing, making for rollicking and always entertaining viewing. Wanting more comes swiftly, primarily thanks to Brodie-Sangster, Thewlis and Mitchell, however. While everything about the series knows that this is a lark, its key trio not only sell it but give it depth — no bait-and-switch required. Check out the trailer for The Artful Dodger below: The Artful Dodger streams via Disney+.
