Twice a year, the Sydney-based Queer Screen team puts together a film festival — because condensing the year's best LGBTIQ+ into just one event is a tricky feat. The first, the Mardi Gras Film Festival, happened earlier in 2020. Now, in this new pandemic-afflicted world, the crew's second fest for the year is heading to your screens. That'd be Queer Screen Film Fest, which runs from Thursday, September 17–Sunday, September 27 — and, adapting to this chaotic year, will largely be held virtually. If you're located outside of Sydney, that's particularly excellent news, as the festival is going national in 2020, too. On the bill: more than 40 feature films, documentaries and shorts, with the majority streaming to your chosen device during the fest period. That means that you can curl up on the couch and watch everything from queer German coming-of-age film Cocoon and Japan-set drama Moonlit Winter to New Zealand rom-com Same But Different: A True New Zealand Love Story — plus cross-cultural romance Breaking Fast, documentary Steelers: The World's First Gay Rugby Club and a heap of shorts as well. For Sydneysiders keen for a night out, that is still an option — at the Skyline Drive-In and the Chauvel Cinema. Hop in your car to see the Jacki Weaver-starring Stage Mother or Aussie classic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert under the stars, or get cosy in the theatre to check out acclaimed doco Welcome to Chechnya. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N0bzQ-qzCg The 2020 Queer Screen Film Fest runs from Thursday, September 17–Sunday, September 27 , with most of its program available online nationally. It's also hosting physical events on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20 at the Chauvel Cinema, and on Saturday, September 26 at the Skyline Drive-In.
Up-and-coming craft brewery Fury & Son is getting ready to launch its latest creation, opening the doors to its onsite taproom next Friday, February 2. It's a much-anticipated move for the label, which set up shop in Keilor Park back in 2016, and has been winning fans and busting onto beer lists ever since. Now, punters will be able to get an insight into the team behind the brews, as they sample beers like the pale ale and the IPA fresh from the source. From next week, the brewery will be open every Friday, the eight-strong tap list featuring six house creations alongside a couple of rotating guest beers. It'll also be the number one spot for fans to get their hands on Fury & Son's special-edition releases, with the first keg of any new seasonal beer pouring here for free. Taking care of the food side of things will be the team from Houston's BBQ, armed with a rotating menu of treats cooked low 'n' slow. To kick things off, there'll be proper US-style hot dogs, chicken wings and pulled pork burgers, plus veggie dishes like smoked cauliflower and capsicum. Working to the motto of "welcome to the family", it's the kind of joint that'll feel like coming home. Find Fury & Son's brewery and taproom at 46 Concorde Drive, Keilor Park. Visit their website and Facebook page for further details.
Melbourne's renowned wining and dining scene copped some big hits over the last two years, and lockdowns left us punters all well out of practice. But now, one new initiative is encouraging us to get right back on that horse and spread some love for the city we call home. From Chris Lucas, the name behind Chin Chin, Baby Pizza, Yakimono and co, comes Lucas Loves Melbourne — a four-week offering of specials, dollar-saving deals, music and masterclasses designed to reignite our passion for Melbourne's hospitality scene. From Tuesday, February 15 to Tuesday, March 15, each Lucas Group venue is serving up its own slew of goodies. For example, nab a sweet 30-percent rebate voucher when you dine at any of the restaurants between 11am–5pm Monday to Thursday, and enjoy free parking as a customer on tickets up to $18. From 4–6pm daily, a multi-venue happy hour deal will see you quaffing $11 Piper-Heidsieck champagne, $11 Yakimono cocktails, $6.50 spritzes at Baby and $16 signature sips from the Society bar, amongst others. Also on the program are special Kisume Chef's Table masterclasses, cook-along sessions with Chin Chin's Benjamin Cooper, and a curated weekend DJ program at Hawker Hall, Chin Chin and Lillian Terrace. A stack of prizes are up for grabs, too. [caption id="attachment_843533" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Champagne at Lillian Terrace[/caption] Updated: Tuesday, March 29
Scarf, the non-profit empowering young hospitality professionals from diverse backgrounds, has announced their 'Do More Than Dine' fundraising gala dinner set to take place on Thursday, April 18. Co-hosted by food writer Dani Valent and esteemed chef, author, and social entrepreneur Hamed Allahyari, this event will offer a five-course culinary journey with guest chefs such as Gourmet Traveller Chef of the Year Thi Le, Pipi's Kiosk's Jordan Clay, and Lilac Wine's Kyle Nicol. Guests can expect betel leaf with fragrant chicken and cashews, Gỏi Cuốn (fresh rice paper rolls) with pork and herbs, and fried tempeh Miang Kham with coconut relish from Le. Meanwhile, Clay will serve his innovative seafood dishes in the first course, and Nicol will showcase his French bistro-inspired fare. Elsewhere, Tarts Anon and Maker & Monger will conclude the final two courses. In addition, Scarf's graduates will serve and share their stories about the program's impact. The evening will culminate in a 'Money Can't Buy' auction led by Matt Preston and Gowan Stubbings, featuring unique experiences like progressive dining and rare vintage wines. An exclusive auction highlight is an 'investment barrel' of single-malt whisky donated by Wayne Bourke. The winner will craft their whisky at Bathtub Gin Co, resulting in 150 personalised bottles. Only 90 seats are available, so secure your tickets to savour culinary delights while supporting Scarf's culinary excellence and social impact mission.
If we have to have more superhero movies, and it would seem we've no say in the matter, let's just hope they at least try to be as disruptive and refreshing as Shazam! After early misfires in the shape of Justice League and Man of Steel, DC, at long last, have got another one right. Full of life, laughs and (thank God) light, Shazam! is the kind of carefree superhero film that reinvigorates the fantasy of actually being a superhero. For so long now, the "with great power comes great responsibility" mantra has sucked the enjoyment right out of the genre (at least on the DC side), making the very idea of having extraordinary powers seem like a complete drag. Here, though, thanks to the wide-eyed, goofy-grinning performance by leading man Zachary Levi, it seems like an absolute blast. Levi plays Shazam (Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury all rolled into one), a muscle-bound, invulnerable and electricity-enhanced hero whose magical powers lie within his alter-ego, 14-year-old foster kid Billy Batson (Asher Angel). Batson is given his powers by an old wizard in a last-gasp effort to stave off the impending attack from a gang of demons known as the Seven Deadly Sins, who take up residence within the deliciously-evil Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong). Where Shazam! departs from most other films of this genre is how long it spends with Batson and his foster-care brother Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) as they explore the possibilities and powers stemming from the sudden discovery of superhuman abilities. Can Shazam fly? Is he bulletproof, or is it just his suit? And, most important of all, can they buy beer now that one of them looks like an adult? It may feel a little childish at times, but that's actually a testament to writer Henry Gayden and director David F. Sandberg (Annabelle: Creation), since children is precisely what Billy and Freddy are. Perhaps even more critical to Shazam!'s appeal, though, is its heartfelt relationships. It's a family film about family – the search for a missing mother, the sting of a father's rejection and the love from a family united not by blood but by circumstance. Led by foster parents Victor and Rosa Vasquez (Cooper Andrews and Marta Milans), Billy's new foster home brings together an impossibly endearing gang of multicultural misfits: Mary (Grace Fulton), Pedro (Jovan Armand), Eugene (Ian Chen), and Darla (Faithe Herman). Orphans are just about the superhero genre's most consistent trope, but here it's explored in an entirely new way, and the foster family scenes are amongst the film's best. A word of warning, though: whilst Shazam! is a big bunch of laughs and a whole lot of silliness, there's definitely enough to spook younger viewers. The Sins, for example, are like the red-eyed Gozer dominions from Ghostbusters, and their nightmarish takedown of a company board meeting in the film's opening stages isn't without a heady dose of horror. Still, the rest of the movie offers mostly light fare, and some of its greatest gags are also those most closely linked to the superhero staples (Strong's villainous speech during the film's climax being the best of the bunch). In all, Shazam! is like Superman's goofball cousin; a casual, crazy and cheeky take on the childhood fantasy of being bigger, faster, stronger and, above all, wanted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go6GEIrcvFY
UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 8, 2020 — Yarra Valley Chocolaterie's 31-flavour hot chocolate boxes will now be available to order in September until the end of lockdown. Victoria's Hot Chocolate Festival is back again this August. And, this time, it's bringing the decadence to you. To save Melburnians from these blustery days, Yarra Valley Chocolaterie is churning out boxes filled with 31 hot chocolate flavours. Fan favourite flavours like Tim Tam Slam and Golden Nutella Spoon will be included in the box, along with the more adventurous likes of If You Like Piña Colada, Zingy Chilli, Cherry Matcha and Movie Night, which comes with choc-coated popcorn and marshmallow choc top. You can check out all 31 flavours here. All limited-edition hot chocolates come with an extra shot of hot couverture chocolate and handcrafted marshmallow, too. Plus, some of the highlights arrivewith exploding marshmallows, melting chocolate discs and truffle balls. If the 31-flavour pack is a little much (or a little too expensive, at $160), you can also order a pick-and-mix 16-flavour box ($92) and individual varieties for $6.50 a pop. The boxes are available to order until the end of lockdown and there's a flat-rate shipping fee of $15 to anywhere in Australia.
For a month-long event, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival always seems to go by in a flash. You catch the Gala on TV, intend to book tickets, forget, get flustered when young comedians approach you outside Town Hall with flyers, then miss it all completely. To keep you in the loop, our team is out every night catching the best acts of the festival. Check in and see what's happening — we'll be updating regularly. Colin Lane: Presents Melbourne Town Hall, 8.30pm, $22-$28 Speaking as someone who saw an awful lot of MICF, this was easily one of the best shows at this year's festival. As his first in four years, Colin Lane Presents is less a traditional stand-up routine and more of a dynamic and self-reflexive character piece. Nervous and moody, Lane takes the stage as an experienced but jaded performer — a perfectly played version of himself. Sweating under the house lights, he runs though awkward audience banter, small musical pieces and pitch-perfect dad jokes all in an effort to reignite his career. Lane tells his audience he's been inspired by the immortal words of Gwen Stefani: "Take a chance, you stupid ho". It's a concept that's equal parts heartwarming and cringeworthy in a show that teeters on the knife edge of hilarious and unbearably awkward. All in all, a perfect demonstration that Lane doesn't need Frank Woodley by his side to get some decent laughs. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor Stephen K Amos: What Does the K Stand For? Athenaeum Theatre, 7.20pm, $40-$49 For a headlining international act, Stephen K Amos is one of the most familiar faces on the MICF circuit. No stranger to our shores, Amos has found his comedic niche in our niggling self-deprecating Australianisms and it doesn't look like he's letting up any time soon. In his latest show we see familiar forays into our accent, our bogan pub life and our "casual racism"— seriously, did everyone else know Chicko packets feature a black baby with one tooth nailed to a piece of wood? The sell-out crowd is clearly full of faithful fans and even small quips get a roaring reception. He's not shy about a bit of audience participation either, and the audience get decent mileage out of unsuspecting young art students while he's at it. All in all, it's not a new show but it's not a bad one either — it delivers the same comforting belly laughs you might get from your dad at Christmas dinner. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor FanFiction Comedy Melbourne Town Hall, Performing at various times, $18-$24 Fan fiction, for those that aren’t sure, is when stories are created using existing fictional characters and settings, but their original creators do not write them. In other words, Harry Potter can end up with Hermoine (or Draco) or — in tonight’s case — Sherlock Holmes can solve mysteries with Steve from Blues Clues. This is FanFictionComedy’s third year at MICF, and it appeared there were many in the audience who had seen them before. The show is presented by Wil Anderson who was not present this evening, but guest star Tom Ballard was, and he did an excellent job of describing in magnificent detail what Charmed: The Movie might look like if it ever gets the green light. Other fictional characters to make an appearance this evening were Iron Man and Thomas the Tank Engine — not in the same story, but certainly as you’ve never seen them before. It's astounding to think these stories will not be repeated again during the festival — every night that this talented troupe performs they bring with them a new story. Everyone who participated tonight was a creative storyteller who had perfect comedic timing and inflection as they read out their twisted tales. If you want to see some obsessively nerdy imagination translate into some vivid and hilarious stories, get onto FanFiction Comedy. - Hannah Valmadre, writer Late Night Letters and Numbers Melbourne Town Hall, Mondays, 9:45pm, $17 Beloved by word nerds, numbers wizards and my parents, the short-lived SBS game show Letters and Numbers gets a low-rent revival at the Melbourne Town Hall, as some of the brightest stars of this year’s comedy fest put their dignity on the line. With what appears to be only a vague grasp of the original program’s rules, host Nick Caddaye tries in vain to keep his contestants on track through seventy minutes of word jumbles and maths problems, while a pair of dictionary wielding assistants chime in with helpful definitions to words like “slut” and “bath-poop.” A decidedly laid-back affair, Late Night Letters and Numbers is the perfect show for punters after something a little bit different, as well as anyone who enjoys the smug feeling of solving anagrams faster than the guy next to you. On once a week, with a rotating roster of competitors, no two editions will be the same. Audience members can also win free tickets to other shows at the festival by out-spelling the comedians on stage. - Tom Clift, writer Frank Woodley: Fool's Gold Melbourne Town Hall, 8.20pm, $28 - $39.50 There's no denying that Frank Woodley is funny. His charming dopiness has become a trademark to the point that it's even mentioned in the show. "People often describe me as pathetic," he says. His physical comedy is endearing and well-timed, but his newest outing Fool's Gold won't deliver much more than the familiar schtick. There are definite highlights in the form of musical "whimsy" and a makeshift play performed by two audience members (pick your seat wisely). Surreal stories about the end of the world and his best friend — a horse with a human hand — also provide definite chuckles, but the show overall lacks a consistent theme or pace to make it memorable in its own right. Fool's Gold will satisfy punters that want to witness Woodley's brilliant character comedy in the flesh, but not those that want much else. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor David O'Doherty: David O'Doherty Will Try To Fix Everything The Forum, 9pm, $28.50 - $39 David O'Doherty has been a fixture of the MICF for the better part of the last decade and his work is only getting better with age. Even though the title of his latest show outwardly sets the bar pretty high, this loveable Irishman definitely makes good on his promise; David O'Doherty Will Try To Fix Everything is a surefire cure for any type of impending winter blues, and a perfect example of simply joyous stand-up (or sit-down) comedy. Exploring the pursuit of happiness through the small pleasures and problems of life, O'Doherty is consistently inventive, compassionate and earnest in both his confessions and advice. Songs about why Lance Armstrong is a douchebag are in fact cautionary tales about worshipping false prophets; a story about finding the perfect noise-cancelling headphones or internet provider is really a deterrent to investing happiness in material goods. Of course, O'Doherty himself is humble and no morals are plainly stated, but the messages still stand. This is a must-see show for both lovers of Casiotone keyboards and anyone having a tough week at work. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor Cal Wilson: It Could Have Been Me Melbourne Town Hall, 7.15pm, $26 - $32 Cal Wilson has recently turned 43, and it appears she’s been pondering her life decisions. What if she had done things a little differently? Her incredibly overactive imagination (a good quality to have if your line of work is stand-up comedy) ran wild and the show tells the story of her potential alter egos. What if she was a really misogynistic man who lived in London and wrote (fantastically graphic) erotic science fiction? Or if she became a safety obsessed children’s entertainer called Fairy Robot Sparkle? Thankfully the Cal Wilson we have today is just a straight-up sweetheart. Her show was enjoyable, creative, and cute in an occasionally disturbing way. - Hannah Valmadre, writer Tom Ballard: Un-Australian(ish) Melbourne Town Hall, 8.30pm, $22 - $28 Tom Ballard has made the grand leap to pursue comedy full-time after leaving his radio gig at Triple J late last year, so it’s just as well that he was bloody awesome! Tom took us on an outback adventure, telling the story of his three-month family trip around Australia during his primary school years. Original diary entries from both his and his brother Gavin’s workbooks helped set the scene, which were both adorable and mortifying. That being said, it wouldn’t be a Tom Ballard gig without digging into the sorry state of Australian politics, and true to form, he doesn’t hold back. Tom’s vivid storytelling and fearless social commentary always make him a pleasure to watch. - Hannah Valmadre, writer Celia Pacquola: Let Me Know How It All Works Out Swiss Club, 8.15pm, $25 - $30 What does the future hold for me? Will everything be okay, or will it turn to shit? Is there a fated, master plan behind everything we do, or are we just bags of bones making bad decision after bad decision? Everyone asks these questions, but rarely does anyone have answers to them that are even remotely funny. Thankfully, Celia Pacquola does. What starts as a story about visiting a palm reader in a field at a hipster arts festival continues through hilarious bits about break ups, reinventing yourself, adult decisions and drunk emailing. The biggest laughs of the night probably came from jokes about the heatwave — a peculiar, relatable, subset of Melbourne-based humour. You will come out of this excellent show wanting Celia Pacquola to be your best friend, even though she’s a little bit terrifying. She may not have all the answers to the above questions, but the ones she does have are hilarious. - Jess O'Callaghan, writer Matt Okine: Happiness Not Included Swiss Club, 7.15pm, $19 - $29 While Matt Okine's been on the festival circuit for a few years, his recent appointment as Triple J breakfast co-host replacing Tom Ballard has definitely shot him up onto the national stage. Happiness Not Included, his first show since joining Triple J, sees Okine in a period of flux. He's reaching the end of his 20s and is examining his life with an all too familiar judiciousness. All the cups in his house are mismatched, he can never offer guests a clean towel, and the best his Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) has gotten him is a bit in a McDonald's ad grunting "Chicken!". If you're a 20-something who doesn't have their shit together (please say that's all of us), the show is relatable to say the least. However, and I know it's an ironic criticism, but the structure of the show seems a little aimless. Some stories are wandered into almost accidentally for little payoff, and the really big laughs only come when he's getting worked up over things in a manner reminiscent of Jerry Seinfeld. "What is up with those utensils in the second drawer down?" Ultimately this is what makes him great on radio, so I'm sure we'll see more of it in the years to come. Besides, being likened to this guy can hardly be a bad thing. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor Lewis Hobba: Backs to the Wall Fort Delta, 6.30pm, $15 - $20 It must be difficult to do a show about people who complain too much without coming across as a major league whinger yourself. Thankfully, Lewis’ self-deprecating nature steers the show out of this potential danger zone. Lewis is speaking directly to his generation for most of the show, discussing Facebook complaints, Upworthy, hipsters and the atrocity that is Tough Mudder. He is at his best when discussing his "hippy parents" and his childhood, from eating carob easter eggs to rocking up to the first day of school in a tutu. This is Lewis’ first solo comedy show, and I think he’s off to a strong start. - Hannah Valmadre, writer 2014: When We Were Idiots Meet at the corner of Collins & Swanston Street, various times, $10 - $20 A historical walking tour of the CBD hosted by a giant, talking, anthropomorphic penguin, Xavier Toby’s When We Were Idiots probably isn’t the funniest show you’ll see this festival season, but scores major points for thinking outside the box. After handing out high-vis safety vests, the guide launches into his pitch: the year is 2114 — an enlightened era in which everything is recycled and all tools of warfare have been replaced with hilarious alternatives. The one exception to this global utopia is Melbourne, lost a century prior beneath a mountain of coffee-cups and hipsters. Uncovered by future archaeologists, the city exists now only as a testament to the stupidity of the past. Punters are treated to morsels of popular trivia about Melbourne’s original settlement, along with outlandish anecdotes from the twenty-second century and jabs at contemporary politics and pop-culture. Unfortunately, even more so than in a regular live show, there are certain factors outside of Toby’s control. These might include but are not limited to: noisy streets, the B.O. and/or chain-smoking habits of your fellow festival-goers, or, worst of all, someone in the audience who thinks they’re the comedian (shout out to 'Damo': you’re a total fucking wanker). Nevertheless, for those looking to for less traditional options this Comedy Festival, When We Were Idiots is a thoroughly entertaining experience. There’s also a free beer coaster in it for you at the end, so really, how could you go wrong? - Tom Clift, writer Hannah Gadsby: The Exhibitionist Melbourne Town Hall, 7pm, $28 - $37.50 Hannah Gadsby’s latest show The Exhibitionist is an exploration of art history and selfies, and where the two worlds meet. And, while the thought of going through a comedian's childhood photos and selfie experimentation is admittedly not an appealing exercise in theory, in reality it was downright hilarious. When a facial expression in one of Gadsby’s press photos is self-described as "shelving a wasabi pea" you know that all self-consciousness has gone out the window. In short, The Exhibitionist makes art history fun. It proves that vanity has been around for centuries, and Justin Beiber and Valdimir Putin have more in common than you might think. - Hannah Valmadre, writer Sam Simmons: Death of a Sails-man The Famous Spiegeltent, 8.30pm, $24 - $32 "It's like this for the next hour, so you may as well get into it." Sam Simmons — dressed in wetsuit, wig and bumbag — is being humped in the head by a cardboard dolphin and understandably not all the audience are into it. While most comedians will describe themselves as polarising because they have strong political opinions, Simmons can really lay claim to the title when half the crowd see him as a crazed sex pest, and the other deem him a comic visionary. Either way, this show perfectly enables Sam to do his thing, and fans of his work will leave totally satisfied (if not a little violated). Unlike its Pulitzer Prize winning namesake, Death of a Sails-Man follows a muesli bar entrepreneur's descent into madness while lost at sea. In what is essentially a one man show (if we exclude the beleaguered stagehand who holds up cardboard cut-outs of Vin Diesel), Simmons truly shines. As he battles a sadistic internal monologue and frequently bursts into songs about lime jellyfish and space grandmas, the show is a surreal playground of the kind you won't find in any other MICF show. Whether that's a good or bad thing, just depends who you're talking to. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor "Oh wait... this isn't Red Symons." The couple in front of me must have had a weird time at @samsimmonss last night. #MICF — Meg Watson (@msmegwatson) March 30, 2014 Doc Brown: Of Mic and Men Victoria Hotel, 8.15pm, $27 - $35 Doc Brown has had massive success in his native UK, supporting Ricky Gervais and winning praise for his unique brand of incisive stand-up and hip-hop. It's the songs which intersperse his Melbourne show that make it shine. An early highlight sees Brown skewering the cookie-cutter nature of modern rap, imagining lyrics available by mail order, complete with square brackets for you to fill in your name. But as hilarious and inventive as his perversion of rap's arrogance and chauvinism can be, he's at his best in his passionate and breathless meditations on race and racism. Drawing on his upbringing by Jamaican and Irish parents in Kilburn, he explores and savages the misconceptions he's faced because of his "caramel" complexion. - Eric Gardiner, writer Headliners Melbourne Town Hall, 9.45pm, $26.50 - $35.50 If a sampling plate of North America’s tastiest up-and-coming comedic talent sounds enticing to you, then Headliners is going to be your jam this Comedy Fest. The show has eight comedians participating overall, but each night only four perform, so it’s a bit of a lucky dip who you will get to see. First cab off the rank for us was Jen Kirkman, with her husky voice and a genuine concern for the idiots who walk among us. Interestingly, she covered topics like divorce and dating a younger man without bitterness or gloating; she was a brilliant start to the night. Dave Hill was next and his comedic timing was a thing of beauty. He certainly made an entrance by snapping the microphone stand before he’d even uttered a word, and he left us giggling at his erotic short stories. Brooke Van Poppelen followed with one disaster story after another; she got my laughs and my sympathy. Highlight of the night was closing act Seaton Smith who was bursting with energy, excitedly telling us about his new love and trying to grasp how Australian politics works. The collection who performed were all very strong performers with incredibly different styles to their comedy. I am tempted to go later in the festival to see what the other Headliners comedians have to offer. - Hannah Valmadre, writer Wil Anderson: Wiluminati Comedy Theatre, 9pm, $30 - $49.90 Wiluminati is aggressively Australian. In this latest offering from the comedy stalwart, Anderson steers away from his once political roots and latches on to the 'Aussie larakin’ image we might expect from his ex-Glasshouse co-host Dave Hughes. Though Wil is the master of familiarising himself with an audience and making us feel like old friends laughing over a pint (though in this case I just sat there thirsty as he downed three), this change in style ultimately limited his ability to show intelligence or depth and the comedy fell a bit flat. There are moments of well-spun storytelling, rapid-fire audience interaction and endearing jokes about Anderson’s arthritis, sex life and a run in with Matt Damon. But where it would have been good to hear some harder hitting topical humour, he plays it safe. The show finds its strength in the moments of personal honesty but these are often short lived among outlandish and forced impersonations of Australian life. - Bonnie Leigh-Dodds, writer Max and Ivan: The Reunion Melbourne Town Hall, 8.30pm, $26 - $33 Friendless, shy and allergic to everything under the sun, Brian Bollingsworth is the unlikely hero in The Reunion, a hilariously staged two man show from UK comedians Max and Ivan. When the performance begins, Brian is headed to his 10-year high school reunion, where he hopes to be reunited with his old crush Jessica. Instead, he finds himself faced with her arrogant Swedish boyfriend Cal (“spelled with a K…instead of the A”), who’s on the verge of popping the question. Max (tall, gangly and clean shaven) and Ivan (the opposite – he’s told at one point he looks like “a chubby Hitler”) nail the show’s physical comedy, running around the stage playing dozens of different characters across subplots, flashbacks, fantasy sequences, fight scenes, a geography-themed seduction and one brilliant moment of audience participation. An appropriate level of daggy self-awareness runs through the entire production, which is buoyed by an unassuming sweetness. You’ll fall in love with Brian and Jessica before the end, as will you their madcap comic creators. - Tom Clift, writer That moment your boyfriend becomes the subject of a heterosexuality test at a Paul Foot show... #frontrow #micf — Meg Watson (@msmegwatson) March 28, 2014 Paul Foot: Words The Hi-Fi, 8.15pm, $26.50 - $35.50 "Don't worry, Paul Foot's not the kind of comedian who calls on the audience." I reassure my boyfriend of this as we take a seat in the front row. It's not until the eccentric Brit is off the stage, straddling my date and stroking his face that I realise my mistake — Paul Foot's stand-up is anything but predictable. Yes, he has a signature crazed walk and a constantly cheeky look in his eye, but the general thrust of his shows are difficult to decipher even after sitting through one. And, frankly that's what's so great. Words — a self-conscious journey through "disturbances", "madness", and "rookery-based humour" — is a testament to the artistry of Foot's skill as both writer and performer. While he gets deserved laughs through more conventional and cerebral set-ups about homosexuality and bigotry, he also seems to stumble across accidental comedy by declaring nonsensical statements about "horse jesus" or grabbing his foot at a 90 degree angle for no particular reason. Straddling the boundaries of political, physical and surrealist humour Foot is undoubtedly one of the most unique and talented comedians at the festival. Just maybe steer clear of the front row. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor Wolf Creek The Musical Trades Hall, 9.30pm, $15 - $22 If songs about wristies, murder and rape sheds don't strike your fancy, this isn't the show for you. I realise that's a strange way to start a review, but it's also entirely necessary to state. This low-budget re-make of the classic Australian horror film, Wolf Creek, is a total pisstake (in the best way possible). Pushing both genre and character into the absolute absurd, the show offers up deadpan black humour with perfect timing and original writing that hits every mark. Written by comedian James McCann and RAW Comedy winner Demi Lardner, this is a show for those that appreciate the unconventional. It's like the best primary school play you've ever seen (assuming all the children involved had serious social and behavioural problems). - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor Umbilical Brothers: Kidshow (Not Suitable For Children) Arts Centre, 7pm, $34 - $39 As the lights go down, a French woman behind me says something to her companion. “These men, they do the physical very well, not so much the talking.” But as the much-loved comedians launch into (what they think) is a show for kids, their trademark brand of warp-speed slapstick is matched by whipcrack writing and dialogue. (The French woman ended up talking enough for the two of them throughout the show – “Who is this Tony Abbott?” — she’ll be joining the guys who colourised Citizen Kane in a special circle of Art Hell). The brothers are utterly committed to performing their show for a young audience, even as they start to have doubts about the "bearded 5-year-olds” in the front row. When they realise that there’s only one group of adults who would all come to a kids’ show, they try and appeal to the pervert market with an inspired sketch that sees them wreaking Tarantino-style ultraviolence on each member of an incestuous Brady Bunch: “Don’t worry Greg, I’m not your real mother!” All in all, it's a brilliant show, one that manages to weave together a complex meta-narrative with unadulterated laughs, all delivered at a frantic pace. - Eric Gardiner, writer Khaled Khallafalla: Fresh Trades Hall, 9.30pm, $15 - $20 It’s clear from the get go that no topic is too taboo for Khaled. From stoner escapades to accumulating outrageous financial debt to impressions of other races we’re not sure we should have laughed at — he goes there. Yes, Khaled brought his political incorrectness to the table, but he brought a whole lot of heart with it too. He also has some newly acquired rap skills that he’s pretty keen to bust out. Above all, it's Khaled’s endearing personality and boyish charm that makes him so engaging and extremely likeable. If he keeps that up, he can get away with pretty much anything. - Hannah Valmadre, writer Bryony Kimmings: Sex Idiot Melbourne Town Hall, 10.45pm, $25 Five minutes into Sex Idiot I had to put my pad and pen away — halfway through scribbling the immortal lines “pre-cum doesn’t count”. Bryony Kimmings has brought Melbourne a show that’s so tender, sly and warm that it’s impossible to look away. It’s a deceptively simple premise: Kimmings gets an STI test, discovers a common sexual disease and gets in contact with her former partners. On the surface it might sound like a familiar formula, but Kimmings stretches the stale traditions of stand-up in every direction at once, making a work that straddles (and grinds) the line between comedy and her background in performance art. For instance, while most comedians like a bit of audience involvement, Kimmings leaves them all for dead in Sex Idiot’s inevitable climax. After inviting audience members to harvest their pubic hairs, she gathers them all up and sticks them to her face as a moustache. See? Impossible to look away. - Eric Gardiner, writer Simon Taylor: Funny Imperial Hotel, 9.15pm, $20 Our first night of the festival was not spent amongst the confetti and champagne of the Allstars Supershow, but in a cosy upstairs room at the Imperial with a pint of beer. It's raining, and we're perched at the top end of Bourke Street with a comedian we don't know much about. Simon Taylor popped up at last year's Fringe, and has been in the US working as a writer for The Tonight Show, but somehow he's not that well-known on the local comedy circuit. Because of this, you may think the name of his show sets expectations too high. It doesn't. Though Funny doesn't have a cohesive plot or theme, Taylor's tightly scripted jokes about Aussie accents and rambling stories of failed romance are somehow tied together by the fact he's just so downright likeable. His observational jokes are as sharp and smart as you expect from a writer on the late-night circuit, and his storytelling is relaxed and relatable — exactly the kind of thing you want from a rainy weeknight spent in the back room of a city pub. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor Five Things You Didn't Know About Comedian Paul Foot You wouldn't think a comedian who bases his act around shire horses, cheese, and the etiquette of eating cake would find a big audience in Australia. But Paul Foot, one of Britain's quirkiest, and most loyally followed comedians, is on his way down to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival for his fourth consecutive year. With his distinctive haircut, frenetic stage presence and impressive collection of neckties, there's definitely a madness to Foot's style of comedy. We had a chat to him ahead of his MICF show, Words, to see if there's a method to it. - Hannah Valmadre, writer The Ten Best Things to See at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2014 The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is one of those truly democratic moments in our city's cultural calendar. While the Melbourne Festival always seems a little high-end, and Melbourne Music Week is just a bit too hip, MICF is a place for all — from bogans watching Dave Hughes to hipsters hanging out at the Festival Club waiting to catch the latest show you totally haven't even heard about yet. This year's lineup is a strange one. Big international names have been replaced by a cast of familiar regulars and there's a much larger focus on local talent. This is a welcome move for an industry that doesn't get much love over the rest of the year, but a devastating blow for those of us who are still waiting for the likes of Louis CK to come down under. Regardless, check out our picks of the litter. From the most innovative internationals to the stuff that downright defies classification. - Meg Watson, Arts & Culture editor
One of the beacons of light on Melbourne's event calendar in a fairly glum cold weather stretch is the Queen Victoria Market's Winter Night Market. And now it's set to return — and with the program just announced, it's bigger and gutsier than ever before. Kicking off on Wednesday, June 7 the market will pull together a global array of eats, a plethora of live entertainment, huge lighting installations and roaring open fires. Centred around the theme of 'fire and lights', this year's market promises to brighten up your winter Wednesday nights like nothing else, thanks to a collection of stunning light displays by creative studio John Fish. As usual, the 30-strong lineup of food stalls will send punters trekking across the world, this year featuring the likes of Austrian-style cheese delights from The Fondue Corner, Taiwanese pancakes from the folks at Butterlake, a debut appearance by MoVida's Paco's Tacos, and That's Amore's legendary pastas, which are tossed in a parmesan wheel before landing on your plate. Of course, there'll be mulled wine from ReWine and steaming hot cider from Coldstream to warm your belly and hands as you browse over 50 carefully curated design and specialty stalls. Top all that off with a dollop of live music and roving entertainment, and you've got one hell of a cosy winter situation. The Queen Victoria Market's Winter Night Market will run from 5-10pm each Wednesday, from June 7 until August 30. For more information, visit thenightmarket.com.au.
2020 gave us Normal People, the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney's beloved second novel. 2021 saw the Irish author's third book, Beautiful World, Where Are You, hit shelves. So now that a new year is here, Rooney fans need something new to obsess over — and the Conversations with Friends streaming series, which has just unveiled its first teaser trailer, definitely fits the mould. Based on Rooney's 2017 debut novel, the show itself won't reach eyeballs until May, which is when it'll premiere in the US on Hulu and in the UK on BBC Three — and hopefully Down Under via Amazon Prime Video at around the same time. But the initial sneak peek, while brief, teases plenty to look forward to, including a stacked cast that features newcomer Alison Oliver as Frances, The Favourite and Mary Queen of Scots' Joe Alwyn as Nick, American Honey's Sasha Lane as Bobbi, and Girls and Sex Education's Jemima Kirke as Melissa. If you've read the book, you'll know that Conversations with Friends follows Dublin college students Frances and Bobbi, as well as married couple Nick and Melissa. Frances and Bobbi used to date, but are now best friends; however, everything shifts when they meet their new pals — with Frances and Nick having an affair, Melissa and Bobbi drawn to each other, and Frances and Bobbi's friendship put under threat. The 12-part Conversations with Friends miniseries' first trailer is brief, but firmly sets the mood — and quickly conjures up memories of Normal People. There's a reason for that beyond the shared Rooney-penned source material, with Normal People co-director Lenny Abrahamson and co-screenwriter Alice Birch leading the charge behind the scenes here. When Conversations with Friends was first published five years back, it launched Rooney's career and sent award nominations her way, with Hulu and BBC Three announcing their plans to bring it to the screen after the Normal People adaptation proved such a hit. And yes, if you can't wait for Conversations with Friends to land in your streaming queue, you can obviously try to fill your time rebinging Normal People. Check out the teaser trailer for Conversations with Friends below: Conversations with Friends will start streaming in the US in May, and is set to stream Down Under via Amazon Prime Video — we'll update you with a specific date when one is announced. Images: Alison Oliver (Frances), Sasha Lane (Bobbi), Joe Alwyn (Nick) and Jemima Kirke (Melissa) in Conversations with Friends, Element Pictures. Photographer: Enda Bowe.
If beers and burritos are what you're craving this summer, Thornbury's temple to craft brews Carwyn Cellars is answering the call. The bar, bottle shop and beer garden has welcomed the folks from nearby Mexican eatery Little Tienda for a summertime pop-up full of all your favourite things. Open Friday to Sunday through the balmy months (with some adjustments over Christmas and New Year's), Burrito Heaven is slinging a tight menu of Mexican street eats to enjoy alongside those cold crafties. Pull up a seat in the sunny, dog-friendly courtyard and down on a range of street tacos, cheesy quesadillas, corn chips with guacamole and house-made chipotle sauce, and traditional elote — corn on the cob finished with cream cheese, Valentina hot sauce and a kaffir lime chilli dusting. Little Tienda's signature pork and vegan burritos are making an appearance, too, alongside a new jerk chicken option exclusive to the pop-up. And if you're lucky, there'll also be tamales on the specials lineup, stuffed with either jerk chicken, pulled pork or spiced mushrooms. Burrito Heaven is open from 4–9.30pm Friday, 2–9.30pm Saturday and 1–8pm Sunday.
The Coachella lineup has landed. Over the course of two autumnal weekends — April 11-13 and 18-20 — California's music-loving valley will welcome some of the world's most original, inventive and popular acts into the fold. There's a major headliner scheduled for each day — the long-rumoured and at last reunited Outkast on Friday; England's rebellious, alt-rockers Muse on Saturday; and Canada's indie favourites Arcade Fire on Sunday. While Muse just finished up an Aussie tour, Arcade Fire will soon be packing their suncream and surfboards —l they’ll be headlining Big Day Out on January 19. We Antipodeans are getting quite a look-in at Coachella, too. As you might've guessed, New Zealand teenager and singing, songwriting phenomenon Lorde is on the program. She'll be joined by fellow Kiwis The Naked and Famous. Australia has abundant representation in the form of electro duo Empire of the Sun; Sydney rockers The Preatures; multi-instrumentalist, producer and DJ Flume; psychedelic specialists Jagwar Ma; dance music trailblazer Anna Lunoe; and indie DJs Flight Facilities. As for the rest of the planet, the list includes The Replacements, Broken Bells, Queens of the Stone Age, The Knife, Pharrell Williams, Beck, Lana del Rey, Motorhead, Skrillex and Sleigh Bells. Tix go on sale this Friday at 10am (California time) at www.coachella.com/festival-passes
You may know the Grampians as home to sandstone mountains, abundant wildlife, spectacular waterfalls and plenty of walking tracks. But this rugged landscape has more than meets the eye. Dotted among the vineyards and wondrous vistas are some pretty out-there experiences that set it aside from other parts of regional Victoria — and make it a great place to escape to when you want to get out of the city. Read on for ten things you mightn't expect from a trip to the Grampians. From pristine beaches and bountiful wine regions to alpine hideaways and bustling country towns, Australia has a wealth of places to explore at any time of year. We've partnered with Tourism Australia to help you plan your road trips, weekend detours and summer getaways so that when you're ready to hit the road you can Holiday Here This Year. Some of the places mentioned below may be operating differently due to COVID-19 restrictions. Please check the relevant websites before making any plans. GO ON A LANTERN GHOST TOUR AT A CRIMINAL ASYLUM Located in the former gold-mining town of Ararat is a former gaol-turned-asylum for the criminally insane. J Ward once housed some of Victoria's most troubled and dangerous men — including Chopper Read, Garry David (Webb) and Bill Wallace — under the highest security and in fairly horrific conditions. It's a pretty bone-chilling place. Closed in 1991, the defunct building now contains a museum, with tours running most days. But, if you want the full shake-in-your-boots experience, wander the halls at night on a lantern ghost tour. Kicking off at 9.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays, the two-hour tour lets you explore the hangman's gallows, governor's bathroom, the original kitchen, shower block, grave sites, west wing, exercise yards and, of course, the J Ward block. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, J Ward at night is sure to get you a little spooked. [caption id="attachment_681276" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nicole Reed[/caption] SEE LARGE-SCALE MURALS AT AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST OUTDOOR GALLERY Running through a stretch of western Victoria is Australia's largest outdoor gallery — the Silo Art Trail. The 200-kilometre gallery showcases portraits depicted on old grain silos, celebrating the region and its people — sort of like a rural (and much larger) version of the Archibald Prize. Running from Rupanyup to Patchewollock, the Silo Art Trail is a partnership between the local council, the Victorian Government, the Australian Government, international street art agency Juddy Roller and GrainCorp, plus a host of local and international street artists. Rupanyup should be your first stop. The silo, located a 30-minute drive from Horsham (or 3.5 hours from Melbourne), boasts a double portrait of two young sport players, capturing the town's community spirit and an accurate depiction of rural youth culture. Venture a little further to Sheep Hills and you'll come across Melbourne-based artist Adnate's mural, which depicts the region's Indigenous peoples, their stories and their native lands. A little further along, you'll find Brim. This mural (pictured) was the first silo artwork in Victoria and depicts four farmers in tribute to the local community's strength. WALK THROUGH A WINERY'S HISTORIC UNDERGROUND TUNNELS Best's Great Western is one of the oldest and continuously family owned and operated wineries in the country, making it one of the best vineyards to stop by while you're in the Grampians. Kick off your visit to this old spot (it's over 150 years old) with a Concongella Cellar Walk, where you can see the 1860s-built, hand-dug tunnels and explore the cobwebbed passages. Although it was renovated in the 1940s for white wine maturation and bottling, the underground cellar sections are still a great insight into the winery's heritage. After your brief history lesson, head back up into the cosy cellar door (if it's cool, the wood fire will be crackling away in the corner) and enjoy a relaxed tasting of what's on offer for the day. SLEEP AMONG THE VINES Another historic winery in the region is Seppelt. Established in 1863, Seppelt is the birthplace of Australian sparkling shiraz and is basically synonymous with Victorian viticulture. Boasting heritage-listed cellars, a cafe, a cellar door and 105 hectares of rolling vineyard, Seppelt produces some top-notch cool-climate wines. And you can actually rest your noggin right here in the vineyard. Run by Wanderlust Glamping, the accommodation here is a great option for those wanting to experience the great outdoors with the comfort of an Airbnb — plus, have the bonus of wines galore right next door. There are three tents — one designed for couples, one designed for three people, and another to share between four mates. Optional extras include hampers, a bottle of bubbly on arrival and electric blankets if you're visiting in winter. PICNIC AT A VINEYARD At Mount Langi Ghiran, you can sip on the sweet nectar of the gods and look out across some stunning countryside as you snack. Its Picnic Idyll weekends are currently on pause, but when the weekend events are up and running again you can bring your own feast and set up a spread under the chestnut orchard, with sweeping views of Mount Cole. For those keen to sit inside, the cellar door is open for seated tastings daily (10am–5pm) and you can sample your way through five of Mount Langi Giran's vinos. When social restrictions are lifted, we're hoping the vineyard brings back its bocce and bikes for hire, too. [caption id="attachment_773157" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] GET A HIGH-FLYING FEED AT A RESTAURANT WITH A 28,000-STRONG WINE CELLAR Found in the foothills of the Grampians National Park, the Royal Mail Hotel, with its restaurant Wickens, is Dunkeld's headline dining destination. Home to Australia's largest working restaurant kitchen garden and a sprawling cellar that houses 28,000 high-quality bottles of wine, the Royal Mail Hotel is a countryside dream for gastronomes. The menu shifts with the seasons and is a five-course ($190) degustation. If you can stretch the wallet as much as your stomachs, there are pairings of cellar or French wines available, too. Considering the restaurant's grand cellar, it'd be rude not to. [caption id="attachment_726920" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] CATCH AMAZING SUNSETS AT THE BALCONIES With its own namesake national park, the Grampians is a natural paradise with plenty of hikes and sites to keep you busy. Home to impressive sandstone mountains and Victoria's largest waterfall — MacKenzie Falls — the Grampians National Park boasts natural beauty by the bucketload. Even more so come sundown. Just a quick, one-kilometre walk will get you to a unique rock formation called the Balconies. Here, you'll catch sweeping views across Victoria Valley with Mount Victory standing proudly in the distance. Start from Reed Lookout car park and walk along the relatively easy track through native shrub and rocky paths to get to the panoramic lookout point. If it's a clear evening, the sunset over the valley will be worth the trek. Just remember to pack your camera and a torch for the walk back. [caption id="attachment_726813" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Visit Victoria[/caption] TAKE A HIKE AND WALK ALONG THE NEW GRAMPIANS PEAKS TRAIL One of the Walk Victoria's Icons' long-distance trails, the Grampians Peaks Trail, once completed, will be a 160-kilometre trail like no other. When it's open (planned for December 2020), it'll be a 13-day, 12-night walk. Right now you can trample 36 kilometres of it in a three-day, two-night trek departing from Halls Gap. First up, you'll pass the Venus Baths track, which you can take a short and easy detour to in order to see the deep, sandstone rock pools. Proceed to Splitters Falls, then through a rocky gully to the ancient rock formations of the Grand Canyon. From here, you'll approach Pinnacle Lookout, with spectacular views over Mount William, Halls Gap and Fyans Valley. Continue along Grampians Peaks Trail to your campsite for the night at Bugiga. Day two brings an ascent to Mount Rosea summit and, at 991 metres elevation, you'll cop 360-degree views over the Serra and Mount William Ranges, before settling in at Borough Hut Campground for your second night's stay. Round off the trek with a six-hour amble back to Halls Gap. LEARN HOW TO FLY A PLANE IN A GLAMPING TENT Sure, you've likely heard of glamping, but have you ever heard of aero-glamping? Fair, it's pretty weird. At Halls Gap Lakeside Tourist Park, you'll find plenty of campsites, cabins, caravans and stock-standard safari tents, but you'll also find a glamper with an attached flight simulator. The aero glamper really takes glamping to new heights. Inside the canvas walls is a decked out timber-clad pad with all the amenities. Equipped with a bed, kitchenette and full bathroom, it's got everything, including the kitchen sink and a fully functional 737 flight simulator. Priced at $149 per night, the aero glamper includes one complimentary hour of fly time, with additional hours available for purchase at $50 an hour. MAKE SNOW ANGELS ON MOUNT WILLIAM Mount William is the highest peak in the Grampians National Park. It stands 1167 metres tall and provides panoramic views of the surrounding mountain ranges. Although the valley rarely gets blanketed in snow, Mount William is a winter wonderland almost every chilly season. Perfect for building snowmen, making snow angels or having a cheeky snowball battle, Mount William should be at the top of your list if you want a little winter jaunt in the Grampians. Plus, it will make stopping into one of the many wineries for a full-bodied, cool-climate shiraz even sweeter. Whether you're planning to travel for a couple of nights or a couple of weeks, Holiday Here This Year and you'll be supporting Australian businesses while you explore the best of our country's diverse landscapes and attractions. Top image: Mount William by Robert Blackburn, Visit Victoria.
This is your once-a-year opportunity to show your ma how much she means to you. And there's no better way to do that than with an unexpected adventure. Ditch your usual local on Sunday, May 12 and take Mum somewhere she's never been before — whether that's a boozy brunch in St Kilda, a day exploring the NGV or a ceramics class. All kinds of mums — from artists, foodies and vegans to feminists and fashion lovers — are covered on this list, as is the entire spectrum of budgets. Organising Mother's Day doesn't get any easier. HEAD TO A BOOZY 'SPA DAY' AT THE PUB This year, Mother's Day just happens to fall on Good Beer Week, and the CBD's Whitehart is treating your mum right. It's collaborated with Sydney's Batch Brewing and Poor Toms Gin to bring you Mumosa Day — during which the duo will create boozy concoctions inspired by the mimosa. Each ticket includes a beer, cocktail and woodfired pizza for lunch from Northcote's Primo. Plus, mums will be able to indulge in massages and manicures, and get a goody bag to take home. Live music by local act Let's Vibe will be rocking throughout the day, too. Tickets are $45 a pop, with $5 going toward St Kilda Mums charity, which helps mothers in need. [caption id="attachment_648610" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jared Sluyter[/caption] LEARN TO MAKE CLAY POTTERY TOGETHER If you reckon it's about time your mum started exploring her arty side, then accompany her to this ceramics workshop at the Work-Shop Melbourne on May 11 and 12. The two of you will get an introduction to the basics of ceramic hand building, including the tools and skills to create three pieces from scratch. Leading the class is Tina Thorburn, who owns her own ceramics practice, Clay by Tina. Tickets, at $140 a pop, include three hours of play and all materials, plus added decorating skills like painting underglaze and pattern carving. [caption id="attachment_719907" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gareth Sobey[/caption] SIP COCKTAILS AND LISTEN TO JAZZ IN FITZROY The classiest of mums deserve a jazz-age evening at Fitzroy's The Everleigh. The hidden cocktail den is offering a $49 set menu for Mother's Day that includes three gin cocktails and a special strawberries and mascarpone dessert. There will also be live jazz on throughout the evening, starting from 5pm. Bookings are only required for groups of seven or more, and bigger groups can also reserve the Starling Room. It's a fine evening of cocktail sipping and live music listening that won't break the bank, either. GO OUT FOR A VEGAN DEGUSTATION Lavish mum with health-conscious affection at Serotonin Eatery's Mother's Day degustation dinner. From 6pm on Mother's Day evening, the paleo and vegan Richmond cafe is hosting a mum-inspired feast, including a high-tryptophan menu, free of gluten, sugar and dairy — all designed to boost moods and make diners feel pretty darn good. Each ticket includes drinks, the venue's signature vegan cheese platter, a main meal and dessert. Tickets are around $80 per head, with tables available for up to six people. Book in for a solo evening with just Mum, or bring the whole family. DRINK BOTTOMLESS ESPRESSO MARTINIS AT THIS ST KILDA PUB What says "I love you" and "thanks for putting up with me" better than a boozy brunch session with the family? Show Mum you care and treat her to a hard-earned tipple, at the Mother's Day edition of The Newmarket's weekly martini brunch. For $54 each, you'll enjoy a dish from the brunch menu along with two hours of bottomless frosé, sangria, espresso martinis, mimosas and bellinis, plus beers and wines. Enjoy a feast, spend some quality time with mum and avoid the washing up, all at once. CELEBRATE ALL THINGS FEMALE AT TWO BIRDS' FEMPOCALYPSE We don't doubt that your mum's one of the strongest people you know — so there's no better place to spend Mother's Day than at Fempocalypse. Hailing from Sydney's Wayward Brewing, the female-led event is making its way down to Two Birds Brewing for the second time for this year's Good Beer Week. It celebrates female leaders in industries such as brewing, entertainment, food, artisan goods and music. The day kicks off at noon with brews from Two Birds — Australia's first female owned brewery — along with a full lineup of female and non-binary DJs and live acts, all curated by Footscray's Love Shack Studios. There'll be plenty of food and local makers stalls around too, plus 'brewtoonist' Em Sauter will be in the house. Tickets are only 15 bucks online — a real bang-for-your-buck gift for mum. [caption id="attachment_710223" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tom Ross[/caption] SPEND THE DAY AT THE NGV Chances are your mum has been to the National Gallery of Victoria before, but this is your chance to really make a day of it. If your mum likes fashion, start with the The Krystyna Campbell-Pretty Fashion Gift — it features over 150 haute couture pieces from some of the world's most iconic fashion houses. Think Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and Alexander McQueen. Then check out the fresh new collection of contemporary Chinese art from Sydney's White Rabbit Gallery, which features neon, immersive and poignant works from established and emerging artists. When you ned a break, slide yourselves over to the NGV Tea Room for sandwiches and a cuppa. HEAD TO A BOOZY DEVONSHIRE TEA If your mum's the kind that loves a good brew, she'll be pretty stoked to know that she can enjoy one with some scones this Mother's Day. And she's bound to get a kick out of an invite to The Cherry Tree Hotel's Mum-worthy Beer-Vonshire Tea. This one's a beery riff on the classic Devonshire Tea, where the scones are infused with beer and matched to a lineup of Victoria's top ales and lagers. You'll be handed a rose petal brew on arrival before tucking into unlimited scones with locally made condiments. The afternoon event will run from 1–4.30pm and tickets are $30 a pop. Top image: NGV by Eugene Hyland.
If you're Irish, St Patrick's Day is your time to let loose. And even if you're not Irish, there's still plenty of beer to drink and potatoes to eat. And, no, we're not falling back on stereotypes — Melbourne food truck park The Ascot Lot is hosting a Potato Cake and Spud Fest in honour of the national day. The festival will include free (yes that's right, free) potato cakes, as well as many a potato-slinging food truck. The lineup includes a breakfasty potato cake served with smashed avocado and haloumi, and poutine from Mama Van. If potato isn't enough to get you there along, there will be drinks specials, including $8 pints of Guinness, $10 espresso martinis and $5 alcoholic popsicles. Go and carb-load this Saturday while singing along with the classic Irish fiddle tunes. Admission is free and you can bring your dog as well.
Groovin' the Moo has announced its 2013 line-up a day early after a Music Feeds source discovered a leak via Moshtix. And after reading through the list of acts appearing at this year’s festival, it's little wonder those involved got so prematurely excited. International acts hit double digits this year, with USA heavyweights The Bronx and The Amity Affliction, the UK's Frightened Rabbit and The Kooks and Canadian twins Tegan and Sara all set to strap on their gumboots and distribute their fresh sonic goods across five regional locations. Local heavyweights on the bill include Tama Impala, Flume, Hungry Kids of Hungary, Blue Mountains beatmaker Urthboy, Melbourne sextet Alpine, electronic trio Midnight Juggernauts and the awesomely named Yolanda Be Cool. Even dubstep gets a repping courtesy of Shockone. Besides music, the festival will provide local food stalls with fresh produce of the culinary variety, markets filled with knickknacks, licensed bar facilities, slingshot rides, and plenty of spacious chill-out areas. Presale tickets go on sale Thursday, January 31, at 9am via Moshtix with the presale ticket code Haystack #GTM2013 (also revealed today). Groovin' the Moo 2013 Line-up: Alison Wonderland Alpine The Amity Affliction The Bronx (USA) DZ Deathrays (DJ Set) Example (UK) Flume Frightened Rabbit (UK) Hungry Kids Of Hungary The Kooks (UK) Last Dinosaurs Matt And Kim (USA) Midnight Juggernauts Pez Regurgitator Seth Sentry Shockone Tame Impala Tegan And Sara (Canada) The Temper Trap They Might Be Giants (USA) Tuka with Ellesquire Urthboy DJ Woody’s Big Phat 90?S Mixtape (UK) Yacht (USA) Yolanda Be Cool Groovin' the Moo 2013 Dates: Saturday, April 27 Maitland Showground Blomfield St, Maitland NSW 2320 Sunday, April 28 University of Canberra Kirinari St Bruce ACT 2617 Saturday, May 4 Bendigo’s Prince of Wales Showground 42 – 72 Holmes Rd, Bendigo VIC 3550 Sunday, May 5 Murray Sports Complex – Townsville Cricket Grounds Mervyn Crossman Dr & Murray Lyons Cres, Idalia QLD 4811 Saturday, May 11 Hay Park (off) Parade Rd Bunbury WA 6230
December is a time for reflection. A time to look back on the year that was, read round-ups to check up on what you've missed and put together best-of lists (indeed, we've just launched our own). Earlier this week Time Magazine announced Donald Trump as their Person of the Year, which, if you needed reminding, is pretty indicative of how this insane year has played out. How to deal with it all? With green, apparently. Greenery (PANTONE 15-0343) has just been named as Pantone's 2017 Colour of the Year. The inoffensive neutral shade was chosen by Pantone's colour experts not only because it's a "fresh and zesty yellow-green shade" but because of the role it plays in our modern society as a connection to nature and vitality. Referencing the year that was, Pantone executive director Leatrice Eisemen says that Greenery provides "us with the reassurance we yearn for amid a tumultuous social and political environment...it symbolises the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose." It's also symbolic of new beginnings — but perhaps that's being a bit too optimistic. At least Pantone was able to settle on just one colour this time. Last year, for the first time, it chose two colours to receive the title: Rose Quartz and Serenity.
The April holidays are nearly upon us. And with the Easter long weekend and ANZAC Day landing on consecutive weeks this year, there's no better time to book a trip out of town. Might we suggest you land on Sydney? The city has so much going on this autumn, including highly lauded markets, blockbuster performances, massive new exhibitions and brand new venues to discover, plus all of the Easter treats and ANZAC Day specials in between. Here's our guide on how to make the most of your holidays this season in Sydney. [caption id="attachment_698137" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Grounds of Alexandria.[/caption] HUNT FOR EXCELLENT EASTER TREATS Throughout the month of April, Sydney's best chocolatiers turn out some delectable, hard-to-pass-up Easter treats. These include a larger-than-life Easter egg at The Grounds of Alexandria, which annually constructs a three-metre-tall egg stuffed with over 500 kilograms of chocolate. The 'community cracking' takes place on Easter Sunday — and there are no bookings, pre-orders or payments necessary to participate. There's also a sweets-filled family high tea and a free Easter egg hunt on the Saturday. For some over-the-top treats, head to Gelato Messina for a very indulgent Easter dessert. This year, expect the Hot Cross Bun Egg — that's hot cross bun gelato mixed with toasted hot cross bun pieces and an oozing dulce de leche 'yolk', all with a milk chocolate coating. The Messina concoctions sell out each year, so sign up here to be the first to order. Darlinghurst's Kakawa is across Easter, too, offering more hot cross bun-flavoured chocolates, chocolate-filled eggs and bunny pops. Other sweets to hunt down include the raw vegan choc eggs at Alexandria's Pana Chocolate and the range of luxe Easter treats at Haigh's in the CBD. [caption id="attachment_708768" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eliza Food and Wine.[/caption] VISIT ONE OF SYDNEY'S NEWEST VENUES While you're in town for a visit, be sure to check out a few of Sydney's newest openings. For a top-notch bar, head to the city's first dedicated mezcal bar, Cantina OK. The 20-person venue can be found hidden down a laneway in the heart of the CBD. But if Sydney's sunny skies are calling you outdoors, it's Chippendale's new rooftop Spritz Bar you should consider. It offers a whole menu of spritzes, along with Sicilian-style bar snacks and Mediterranean vibes. And for a real locals' haunt, make tracks to Newton to sip Scandinavian aquavit cocktails in the courtyard at the Danish-influenced Tandem Bar. For eats, check out RaRa Ramen, Redfern's new izakaya-style joint that's slinging some seriously authentic bowls of ramen, including a regularly sold-out vegan version. Finer fare can be found at Darlinghurst's Eliza Food and Wine, an eatery focused on local produce and brought to you by Michelin-trained chef Jeremy Bentley. And for a bit of both, don't look past the drinks and eats at Pyrmont's new natural wine bar and European-style eatery Bar Clementine — it's slinging funky drops, aperitif-style cocktails and European share plates to boot. [caption id="attachment_664206" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Australian Heritage Hotel.[/caption] GO FOR $5 ON HEADS AT A GAME OF TWO-UP If you're in Sydney over ANZAC Day, it's a given to take advantage of this beloved 'sport' — especially if you've never played before (we're looking at you Melbourne). What is it? A betting game of heads or tails that was played by the ANZACs during WWI. How should you prep? Take some cash out so you have notes (you'll want some fivers unless you're planning to play hard) and find a good pub where you can watch those sacred two-up coins fall. While there are many venues to choose from, hitting up one of Sydney's best pubs ensures a spirited crowd — and often discounted brews. Our go-to is The Bank in Newtown, where the sunken beer garden is transformed for the occasion with stadium seating, a tinny bar and pub grub — and it's all hosted by legendary local drag queen Tora Hymen. More wild two-up rings pop-up nearby in the leafy beer garden at The Courthouse and in the massive dining room at Darlinghurst's Dolphin Hotel. We also dig the Australiana-vibes at Paddington's The Unicorn and the historic feels at The Rocks' Australian Heritage Hotel. [caption id="attachment_712879" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lu Yang: Electromagnetic Brainology.[/caption] HOP THROUGH THESE NEW ART EXHIBITIONS Sydney has a lot of must-see exhibitions on during April. There's the massive The National 2019, a huge exhibition that features work from 65 contemporary Australian artists and spans the Art Gallery NSW, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Carriageworks. Also showing at the MCA is Janet Lawrence: After Nature — the first exhibition chronicling the Sydney-based artist's 30-year career. It explores 'the link between all living creatures' and includes environmentally charged sculpture, installation, photography and video. Another show-stopping exhibition on at the moment is Hot Blood at Chippendale's free White Rabbit gallery. Expect a showcase of emerging, post-'Great Firewall' Chinese artists who are out to disable our idea of traditional Chinese art. And if you are after traditional Chinese art, then kick on post-The National viewing at AGNSW for Heaven and Earth in Chinese Art. The exhibition features treasures from Taipei's National Palace Museum on display in the southern hemisphere for the first time. It features 87 masterworks, including a jasper stone that resembles a juicy piece of pork belly. VISIT SOME OF THE CITY'S FAVOURITE MARKETS If you're looking to hit the market scene, you can't go past one of Sydney's most lauded farmer's market, which takes place every Saturday within Carriageworks. Over 70 stallholders join forces to offer some of the city's best produce, and it's all curated by acclaimed chef Mike McEnearney. Located on the other side of Sydney's inner west is Tramsheds, a former tram depot-turned-shopping precinct, which holds a Growers Market every Sunday from 8am–2pm, including on Easter Sunday. Expect sustainably grown produce alongside workshops, masterclasses and live entertainment. Plus, heaps of the precinct's eateries will be open throughout the Easter long weekend and on ANZAC Day — including Spanish-style tapas bar Bodega 1904, fresh pasta spot Flour Eggs Water and Egyptian diner Bekya. If you're in town earlier in April, catch the monthly Brewery Markets at Yulli's Brews vegan taproom on Sunday, April 14. There'll be indoor plants, eco-friendly clothing and jarred preserves up for grabs, along with craft brews and restaurant signatures. [caption id="attachment_714401" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Handa Opera: West Side Story. Photo by Hamilton Lund.[/caption] CATCH A LIVE SHOW From Broadway hits and Opera House exclusives to local gigs and free jazz, Sydney has it all. One of the most impressive shows on at the moment is West Side Story, which is performed on a floating stage on Sydney Harbour and backdropped by some of the city's most impressive views. Within the Opera House, you'll find Basement Jaxx Vs The Metropolitan Orchestra, which will see the famed British electronic music duo perform with a live orchestra. And for something more specific to the Easter theme, there's the musical production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on at the Capitol Theatre till Sunday, April 14. And for more local (and budget-friendly) options, you can catch multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Little Green's jazz, folk and blues for just $15 on Friday, April 26 at 107 Projects. And, for a real bargain, there's free jazz at legendary Venue 505 every Monday through Wednesday. Plus, you can catch Drag and Dine at Priscillas any night of the week from 7.30pm. Forgo the tourist traps and traverse the great City of Sydney like a local instead. Discover more around the city here.
If you can't wait to get out and make the most of Melbourne's nightlife once again, then make tracks to Bourke Street karaoke and rooftop bar Heroes. The fun-loving spot will play host to a bottomless cocktails session that'll pull you out of any post-iso funk. Starting from Friday, October 30, the socially distanced parties will be happening every Friday and Saturday up until Christmas. For $42 per person, punters will get to enjoy two hours of catching up with friends over unlimited beer, wine and cocktails. The drinks lineup promises to have you spoilt for choice, featuring sips like tap beer and cider, sparkling by Zilzie Wines, Mr Mick tempranillo and a riff on the espresso martini Heroes is calling the Kopi-Kabana. As a 25-kilometre travel bubble is still in place until Monday, November 9, bookings are limited to those who live within a 25-kilometre radius of the bar. From there on out, though, all are invited. Book online now to secure your spot as sessions are limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. Images: Eugene Hyland
The Blackhearts & Sparrows crew only recently opened their new Smith Street event space Perry's, but already the site's calendar is filling fast with exciting, flavour-packed happenings. Not least of which is the upcoming feast headlined by George Wintle. Who's George Wintle, you ask? Well, he's only the rising star young-gun and Attica chef that was recently named among Victoria's Young Chef of the Year Award finalists for 2022. And on Sunday, March 20, you'll have the chance to taste just what this up-and-comer can do, at a four-course wine-matched long lunch. From 1pm, Wintle will descend on Perry's for a Sicilian-inspired feast, nodding to his own Nonna's influence with classic dishes like porchetta, tortellini en brodo and tiramisu. And of course, the food will be paired with a careful curation of wines courtesy of the Blackhearts team. Tickets for this one come in at $140, with a portion of proceeds going towards the chef's mental health-focused social initiative, Eat the Issue. [caption id="attachment_845519" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Perry's[/caption]
Has anyone had a better year so far than Taika Waititi? Likely not. 2022 hasn't even officially hit its halfway point yet and he's already been everywhere, doing everything, and has more to come. He was the subject of the Archibald's Packing Room Prize-winner, with his likeness now an award-worthy piece of art. He has that little Marvel movie called Thor: Love and Thunder in the works, set to hit cinemas in early July. Oh, and he went and co-starred in one of the best new TV shows of the year so far — and that series, Our Flag Means Death, has just been renewed for a second run. No, Taika's time playing a pirate isn't over yet, in supremely welcome news for everyone who sailed through Our Flag Means Death's glorious first season. His latest team-up with fellow New Zealand comedian Rhys Darby (after also working together on Flight of the Conchords, What We Do in the Shadows, Wellington Paranormal and Hunt for the Wilderpeople), it's a swashbuckling comedy that satirises the buccaneering times of the 18th century. As its first season unfurled, Our Flag Means Death also proved to be a sweet and warmhearted romance, as well as essential viewing. HBO clearly agrees, greenlighting the show's second season for its streaming service HBO Max. Exactly when it'll return has yet to be revealed, but fingers crossed that it'll cruise back into your queue — via Binge and in New Zealand via Neon — sometime in 2023. "We felt the show was special while we were making it, but fans' open-armed embrace of the inhabitants of the Revenge makes heading into a second season all the more sweet," said writer, showrunner and executive producer David Jenkins (People of Earth), who conjured up Our Flag Means Death. Based on its concept and cast alone, his series was always going to cement its spot on streaming must-see lists — and speed into comedy-lovers' hearts — and now it'll make a return voyage. If you haven't hopped aboard already, Our Flag Means Death stars Darby stars as Stede Bonnet, a self-styled 'gentleman pirate', a great approximation of Flight of the Conchords' Murray if he'd existed centuries earlier, and a man determined to bring a bit of kindness and elegancy to the whole swashbuckling game. He's based on an IRL figure, who abandoned his cosy life for a seafaring existence. The show is a loose adaptation of Bonnet's tale, though. As for Waititi, he dons leather, dark hues aplenty, an air of bloodthirsty melancholy and a glorious head of greying hair as Edward Teach — the marauder better known to the world as Blackbeard. Also featuring among the show's impressive lineup of supporting characters: Lucius (Nathan Foad, Bloods), Bonnet's righthand man and official scribe; Buttons (Ewen Bremner, First Cow), a seasoned seafarer and source of advice; Black Pete (Matthew Maher, Marriage Story), who constantly claims to have worked with Blackbeard; the fire-obsessed Wee John Feeny (Kristian Nairn, aka Game of Thrones' Hodor); and the initially secretive Oluwande (Samson Kayo, Truth Seekers) and Jim (Vico Ortiz, The Sex Lives of College Girls). Check out the full trailer for Our Flag Means Death below: Our Flag Means Death will return for a second season, with a release date yet to be announced. Our Flag Means Death's first season is available to in Australia via Binge and in New Zealand via Neon. Read our full review. Images: Aaron Epstein/HBO Max.
One of the defining faces of American independent cinema is lighting up the big screen at ACMI. From her breakout role in Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused to her hysterical turn in Christopher Guest's Best in Show, Parker Posey has inhabited some of the most memorable film and television characters of the past few decades. Running for two weeks starting Sunday March 13, In Praise of Parker Posey looks back at her fascinating career. In addition to the aforementioned, titles on the program include Zoe Cassavetes' Broken English, Rebecca Miller's Personal Velocity and Woody Allen's Irrational Man, as well as all three films in Hal Hartley's Henry Fool trilogy. The retrospective season also includes a panel discussion on Posey's work in television, featuring journalists Penny Modra, Sinead Stubbins, Bhakthi Puvanenthiran and Luke Buckmaster. For the full program, go here.
Having launched cafes in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and, most recently, Sydney's Surry Hills, Veneziano Coffee Roasters now has a treat for its local fans, opening its original Richmond headquarters to the public from next week. A bright, new 80-seat dining space now sits alongside the River Street roastery and barista training studio, allowing guests to sip their morning macchiato while watching — and smelling — those beautiful beans roasting. There's a cupping lab, too, for those wanting to get up close and personal with their brew, and an interactive micro-roastery where you'll be able to see the magic unfold. Opening Monday, July 30, the brew bar is set to showcase the label's signature Bond St blend, with a selection of microlots (sourced from one small area of a plot) also on rotation. To match, the kitchen is plating up a modern cafe menu for both breakfast and lunch, designed around local, seasonal ingredients. True coffee aficionados can also get excited for a beefed-up range of barista courses offered in the onsite training studio. "It presents the perfect opportunity to showcase the brand as an end-to-end specialty experience for coffee lovers and those keen to learn more," said Veneziano Managing Director Craig Dickson. Find Veneziano's new Melbourne cafe at 16 River Street, Richmond, from Monday, July 30. It will be open daily from 7am–4pm.
After a sold-out season in Sydney last year, Muriel's Wedding The Musical is coming to Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre for a limited season in 2019. A co-production between Sydney Theatre Company and Global Creatures, the musical adaptation of Muriel's Wedding is like a perfect high school reunion — maximum 80s nostalgia without having to tell any of your old friends you're in HR now. When Muriel Heslop realises that the small town of Porpoise Spit has nothing in store but grim futures, she decides to take off, with only her parents' chequebook, a couple of ABBA albums memorised note for note and a vague sense that the wider world has something that she is hungry for. PJ Hogan, who wrote and directed Muriel's cinematic adventure, has adapted and updated the script for the stage, while Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall have built the music around ABBA's towering back catalogue. There's a real buzz around Muriel. Sure, it's a chance to re-immerse yourself in the unadulterated joy of Muriel's hijinks, but it's also because Muriel hasn't stopped holding the mirror up to our desperate, fame-hungry society since she first hit the screen. As director Simon Phillips points out: "Muriel's governing delusion is becoming a celebrity and becoming famously married. The world has caught up with Muriel." The Melbourne season comes after the show won a slew of awards at 2018's Helpmann Awards, Australia's annual awards for live entertainment and performing arts. Muriel's Wedding The Musical picked up five gongs across the two nights of awards, including Best Original Score, Best Music Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Design and Best Choreography in a Musical. It will run a limited Melbourne season between Tuesday, March 12 and Sunday, May 19 before heading back to Sydney for a month in June. Image: Christine Messinesi.
Infographics. So hot right now. It seems that facts don't count any more unless they're dressed up in just the right colour and an on-trend font. Having taken over mainstream media, the infographic is now coming after you. Vizualize.Me is a yet-to-be-launched site that will take your LinkedIn profile and turn it into an infographic. Given the dull and drab traditions of CV writing, something with a judicious use of colour and, of course, an appropriate font, could set your CV apart and help you land that job. Also, if you're a graphics or font nerd, no doubt it will allow for many more hours of CV writing procrastination as you try and get it looking just so. The site isn't infographicising anything yet — the image above is a prototype — but you can register for the invite list and hopefully score one of the free premium accounts being given out to the first 10,000 sign ups. [via PSFK]
Open House Melbourne Weekend feeds the same nosiness that sees us snooping around our neighbours' homes before they go to auction or peering over fences into the gardens of luxury properties. Our curiosity gets the best of us in these moments. But there's no need to be ashamed of these very human urges during Open House Melbourne Weekend 2024. In fact, on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28, you're strongly encouraged to feed the beast by hitting up some of the 170-plus experiences that have been organised for curious folks just like you. The team behind the weekend of events is calling for Melburnians to "re/discover their city" by exploring new and old buildings in a range of unique ways. You can walk across the rooftop of Collingwood Yards, join tours of ten architecturally significant private homes, run around AAMI Park's pitch like the Matildas, step inside heritage buildings that aren't usually open to the public and even explore ArtBank's collection of over 14,000 artworks. [caption id="attachment_963212" align="alignnone" width="1920"] AAMI Park[/caption] But there's a lot more to Open House Melbourne Weekend 2024 than simply exploring properties that are usually closed off to the public — for starters, 27 exhibitions are also running throughout the weekend, while 14 self-guided tours are also on the program. You can also expand your understanding of the city by joining some of the 28 talks by designers, architects and artists. There's even an opportunity to go on a scooter tour of the CBD with caseworkers from Launch Housing. They'll give firsthand perspectives from people working with those experiencing homelessness. "Open House Melbourne Weekend is a chance for the curious at heart and lovers of architecture to discover new places and spaces in their city, to re-examine what they have perhaps overlooked and reconnect with beloved favourites," shared Executive Director and Chief Curator Dr Tania Davidge. [caption id="attachment_963217" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Eyes Open Ride[/caption]
Aussie art royalty is headed our way this spring, with one of Australia's best-known contemporary art galleries revealing it's opening a Melbourne outpost from October. Founded in Sydney in 2005, Sullivan+Strumpf has earned a huge name for itself both here and internationally, even becoming the first Aussie gallery to establish a permanent presence in Asia when it expanded to Singapore in 2015. Now, it's Melbourne's turn, as Ursula Sullivan and Joanna Strumpf gear up to open a 300-square-metre Flack Studio-designed gallery in Collingwood. It'll launch with a major solo exhibition by renowned multidisciplinary artist Tony Albert, off the back of his smash-hit 2021 show, Conversations with Margaret Preston. Moving forward, the new gallery will be tapping into Sullivan+Strumpf's impressive lineup of contemporary artists from across Australia and the Asia Pacific, showcasing works from names like Lindy Lee, Yvette Coppersmith, Polly Borland, Dawn Ng, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran and Darren Sylvester. [caption id="attachment_867230" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dawn Ng in her Singapore studio, photo by Sean Lee.[/caption] "We look forward to building on the valued relationships we have established in Melbourne over the years, to developing new ones," the founders said. "And to providing an exciting new platform for our artists and contemporary art in Australia." The Sydney gallery currently hosts over 25 live exhibitions each year and its new Melbourne sibling is set to follow suit, with a year-round program of shows, talks and events on the cards. Last year, Sullivan+Strumpf oversaw the largest single living artist commission in the history of the National Gallery of Australia with Lindy Lee's $14 million sculptural installation Ouroboros, while in 2022 it's facilitating the history-making Art Gallery of NSW commission of Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens. [caption id="attachment_867232" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Yvette Coppersmith in her studio working on 'Presage', photo by Mel Savage.[/caption] Find Sullivan+Strumpf's new Melbourne gallery in Collingwood from October. We'll share more details as they drop. Top Image: Sullivan+Strumpf directors Ursula Sullivan & Joanna Strumpf, photo by Anna Kucera.
This article is part of our series profiling the perfect Brisbane weekends of the city’s creative personalities. Brisbane is home to some amazingly talented folks. Whether it’s home by adoption or birth, the creatives that make their mark in Brisbane are inevitably drawn to the natural wonders of the south-east corner — the sun, surf and greenery. This week we continue the series with Mel Stringer, the artist extraordinaire. You probably know Mel from her prolific art Instagram, her on-point Etsy store Girlie Pains or through her cute and cutting zines. Or maybe you’ve seen her famous pug Grover zipping around a ball pit and being the most fashionable pug to ever live. Mel is a character illustrator, drawing pastel portraits inspired by life and real women. You might have already been papped by Mel and not even know it yet. And though she is originally from the Northern Territory, Mel calls Brissie home for the same reasons many others do. "Sometimes I've felt really isolated living somewhere too large," she says. "I think Brisbane is just right. It's not as intimidating as Sydney or Melbourne, and its subtropical climate appeals to me as well”. Aside from her life as an artist and crafter, Mel has her finger on the pulse and is one to listen to for the best tips on kawaii cafes and unfished vintage havens. It’s all part and parcel of her distinct aesthetic and all inspired by the streets and people of Brisbane. “Everything here inspires my art in one way or another," she says. "Though subtle, the lifestyle and kinds of people inspire me. I can't really pinpoint one specific thing, but I love going to the city, the beach or the countryside — there's always something that sparks inspiration in me”. Here are Mel's five steps to the perfect Brisbane weekend. To experience them for yourself, head to the Visit Brisbane website and get booking. BREAKFAST AT THE LOW ROAD “Wake up early and drag your best mate to go and chew on a yum breakfast and sip on some coffee from The Low Road in Windsor,” Mel says. “The kitsch paradise has a front garden adorned with hot pink flamingoes and palm trees, so you can't miss it. Their breakfast salad with lemony haloumi has also made many a friend.” The Low Road is worth a visit not only for the sumptuous food and drinks menu but for the quality chalk board messages like “Oh my god Becky, look at their café” and (inexplicably) “Hail Ants”. TREASURE HUNTING AT THE WOOLLOONGABBA ANTIQUE CENTRE “Check out any treasures that may be hidden at Woolloongabba Antique Centre. There are so many dealers here pedalling furniture, crockery and knick-knacks from yesteryear,” Mel says “If you pop in on a Saturday afternoon, you might catch their in-house jazz band.” The Antique Centre also brags of an in-house '50s style cafe that offers a mean milkshake and will transport you back to the American sitcoms we all know and love. OP SHOPPING IN WEST END West End is the hub for all vintage rummaging in Brisbane and has recently been injected with fresh blood in the form of SWOP and the Boundary Street night markets. Mel agrees. “Explore a few op shops in West End,” she says. “There are some good ones on and around Vulture Street. St Veronica on Hardgrave Road is wonderfully cluttered and full of rewards for those prepared to go rummaging.” But remember: rummaging is the key. Image via Swop. HAVE A KADOYA BENTO BOX LUNCH After a strenuous morning of shopping, you’ll need a decent lunch eaten from a beautifully crafted bento box (you’re worth it). “Next up: go and cry over how beautiful a bento box meal at Kadoya in the CBD is, then eat it,” Mel says “Each comes with a vegetable croquette, spring roll, Japanese pickles and rice — sometimes salad and deep-fried tofu too. The casual and pocket-sized restaurant feels like it really could be in Japan.” Image via Forever Craving. SIP A LYCHEE BOBA FROM LITTLE SINGAPORE AND GO FOR A WANDER A boba, for the uninitiated, is another term for a bubble tea — a pastel, picturesque milk tea with tapioca pearls that is almost too cute to drink. Mel recommends the boba from Little Singapore on Charlotte Street in the CBD. “Ask for the watermelon iced drink with lychee boba,” she says. “They offer a pretty extensive menu of bubble teas in plastic-topped takeaway cups. Head home while sipping it, go through all the treasures you found that day and have a nap.” Book your own Queensland weekender at the Visit Brisbane website or follow them through the Visit Brisbane Facebook page or Twitter at @VisitBrisbane and hashtag #brisbaneanyday.
Whisky lovers, you're going to want to sit down for this. Beloved, accolade-winning and straight-up cocktail monarchs Eau de Vie are opening a brand new bar in Melbourne's CBD — with 700 whiskies behind the bar. Seven hundy. Dubbed Boilermaker House, Eau de Vie's second Melbourne venue will take over 209-211 Lonsdale Street in the CBD. If the name didn't already clue you in, Boilermaker House will be home to those 700 whiskies, ten tap beers and 70 bottled beers — you'll be spoiled for choice to craft your perfect Boilermaker combo. With plans to open doors by early April, Eau de Vie are adding Boilermaker House to their existing EDV venues in Sydney and Melbourne, following the opening of Sydney's Eau de Vie Apothecary last year. Via Australian Bartender.
The only two things I love in this world more than my iPhone are Post-it Notes and nice watches. Doriane Favre has taken these two separately awesome things and created the Post-It Watch. The Post-It Watch is shaped like a watch and can quickly be written on at the drop of a hat, thought or idea, then strapped around your wrist for easy reminding later on. It is a wonderful solution and much more adult alternative to writing notes on your hand - something not everyone can fully grow out of. The Post-It Watch comes in pads of 100 sheets and can be purchased online from the Parisien boutique, PA Design. [via PSFK]
When Anchovy co-owners Jia-Yen Lee and Thi Le first started slinging khao jee pâté — the Lao cousin of the Vietnamese banh mi — during last year's lockdown, it was never meant to become a permanent venture. But as lockdowns and restrictions continued, and the duo's street food offering earned itself a loyal following, it became clear the Ca Com pop-up was here to stay. Now, it's set to spawn its own standalone shopfront next door. Named after the Vietnamese words for 'anchovy', Ca Com first made an appearance at the front window of Anchovy in May 2020. The restaurateurs were keen to keep busy while Anchovy was closed to dine-ins, and a rotating menu of banh mi was exactly the kind of accessible, lockdown-friendly fare the neighbourhood needed. The pair have been running the pop-up on and off ever since, using a hibachi on the window sill to barbecue proteins and ramping up opening hours whenever Melbourne goes into a snap lockdown. The concise banh mi menu changes regularly depending on the availability of meat cuts and other ingredients, giving the team a chance to flex their creativity and test out new flavour combinations for its dedicated Melbourne fans. Wood-grilled elements are the stars of this show, with recent creations featuring the likes of barbecued turmeric chicken, Manchurian-spiced roast pumpkin, crumbed garfish stuffed with prawn mousse, and a jungle spice pork sausage. [caption id="attachment_526726" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Anchovy Restaurant[/caption] These days, you'll normally find the Ca Com window in action from 11am Wednesdays through Saturdays, though during lockdown that expands to almost daily — keep an eye on Instagram for the most up-to-date details. Ca Com's future home will be a standalone shopfront complete with a massive hearth, set to launch in the coming weeks. If all goes to plan, it'll be grilling up a storm six days a week, serving a lunchtime-friendly offering of banh mi, noodle bowls and salads. For now, find Ca Com at 338 Bridge Road, Richmond. We'll share details about the new store next door at 336 Bridge Road, Richmond, closer to its launch.
When you think about Melbourne hamburger joints, odds are that Huxtaburger is one of the first to spring to mind. Originally a spin-off of Huxtable Diner, this no-frills American-style hamburger grill got its start in Collingwood and now boasts four additional venues in Prahran, Hawthorn, Ringwood and the CBD. As a rule, the team behind the counter like to keep things simple: sweet brioche buns wrapped around a wagyu beef patty with tomato, cheese, lettuce and pickles, or southern fried chicken with jalapeño mayo and slaw. Round out your meal with crinkle cut chips and an ice cold can of beer, and try not to think too hard about the fact that your lunch is named after a character from The Cosby Show.
Lesbian hustlers, homophobic smartphones and the grandfather of gay porn. These are just a few of the colourful characters you’ll meet at this year’s Melbourne Queer Film Festival, as it dives head first into its vibrant 25th year. One of the oldest queer film fests anywhere in the world, the latest edition of MQFF features more than 180 features, docos and shorts, plus parties, panels and a whole lot more. The festival begins on Thursday, March 19, with Brazilian coming-of-age drama The Way He Looks. It’s a recurrent theme on this year’s program, with several other standouts — including Boys and Blackbird — tackling questions of sexuality and youth. More genre-centric titles include Lyle, a lesbian horror flick starring Girls’ Gaby Hoffman, and In Hiding, a Polish psychological thriller set during WWII. There’s also a contingent of Australian titles, including the confronting beachside drama Drown and high-energy crime caper All About E. The film program is complemented by an array of extracurricular activities. This year’s panel discussions will cover everything from Australian queer cinema to gay gaming culture, while tickets to the always popular speed dating sessions are already selling fast.
The City of Melbourne has today launched a brand new Urban Forest Fund, which will fuel a variety of greening initiatives on both public and private property. Announced today by Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, the fund will be put to a variety of uses, including the creation of parks, the planting of street trees and the construction of green walls, roofs and facades on buildings around town. The City of Melbourne will allocate $1.2 million to the fund to kick things off. Moreover, the council will partner with philanthropists, property developers, community groups and other Government organisations on further greening projects, while matching private investment in the new fund dollar for dollar. "Green infrastructure is fundamental to help cities respond to the challenges of climate change, urban heat, flooding and population growth," said Doyle. "As well as protecting us from extreme heat, our trees and parks are a major contributor to Melbourne's liveability." The City of Melbourne will place particular emphasis on supporting projects on private property. They've gone so far as to create a new online tool that maps rooftops in the municipality, to see if they have the potential to be transformed into green, cool or solar roofs. The announcement is the latest in a series of new green projects in Melbourne. Southbank Boulevard and the south end of Elizabeth Street are both getting a significant facelift, while a number of the city's laneways are also going green. Next year we're also getting our very first elevated park directly opposite Southern Cross Station. Image: City of Melbourne.
There's never been a shortage of reasons to adore Better Call Saul. It's one of the best shows of the past decade, it's a rare spinoff that's as exceptional as the series it hails from — and, frequently it's even better — and its lets Breaking Bad fans spend even more time with Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk, Nobody) and Mike Ehrmantrout (Jonathan Banks, The Commuter), for starters. It also boasts the phenomenal Rhea Seehorn (Veep) as Saul/Jimmy McGill's girlfriend, never makes an obvious move even though we all know what's coming for its titular character, and continually proves television's greatest tragedy for the same reason. After a two-year break, Better Call Saul will finally return this month to start its sixth and final season — and, from the trailer, it's set to keep ticking all of the above boxes. That said, it is about to do something viewers knew would have to happen one day: bringing Walter White (Bryan Cranston, Your Honor) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul, Westworld) into the story. Better Call Saul showrunner and executive producer Peter Gould confirmed the news at a panel session held at PaleyFest LA, saying "I don't want to spoil things for the audience, but I will say the first question we had when we started the show was, 'are we gonna see Walt and Jesse on the show?' Instead of evading, I'll just say yeah." He continued: "how or the circumstances or anything, you'll just have to discover that for yourself, but I have to say that's one of many things that I think you'll discover this season." Of course, it's worth remembering Mike's words in the season six trailer right now: "whatever happens next, it's not gonna go down the way you think it is," he utters in his inimitable gravelly voice towards the end of this first sneak peek at the new season. So, while we all know now that the thing the show was always heading towards will occur, trust in this outstanding series — and in creator Vince Gilligan — to still deliver oh-so-many surprises. The same is bound to prove true of Jimmy-slash-Saul breaking bad and embracing his "s'all good, man" new persona as a criminal lawyer (and not just because he represents criminals) in Better Call Saul's final season. Again, that doesn't mean that we know exactly how the season will play out. The sixth season will arrive in two parts — with the first seven episodes airing from Tuesday, April 19 in Australia, and the final six arriving from Tuesday, July 12. We'll also see more of post-Breaking Bad Saul's story, where he's known as Gene. Best break out the cinnamon scrolls, obviously, amid all that Pinkman-inspired cheering about science and magnets. Check out the Better Call Saul season six trailer below: Better Call Saul's sixth season starts streaming in Australia via Stan and New Zealand via Neon from Tuesday, April 19. Images: Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television.
One of the country's premier film events, the Melbourne International Film Festival, has released a sneak peak of 2013's programming. Artistic director Michelle Carey admits that she is "especially excited about the MIFF 2013", and after a glance we can see why. Three years ago Wentworth Miller's Stoker was voted one of 2010's best unproduced screenplays, and now the rest of us finally have a chance to see what all the fuss is about. The unnerving tale is centered on 18-year-old India, who, fresh from burying her father, meets the mysterious uncle her mother has invited into the family home to fill their void. The cast includes a trifecta of Australian talent, with Nicole Kidman, Jacki Weaver and Mia Wasikowska breathing life into the Stoker family. To add to the hype, it is also the English language debut of celebrated South Korean director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy). Other movies on the radar include Tim Winton's The Turning (starring Cate Blanchett); festival patron Geoffrey Rush's turn as an eccentric art auctioneer in Italian box-office smash The Best Offer; Shane Carruth's highly anticipated follow-up to cult time-travel puzzler Primer, titled Upstream Color; and US gore-fest of a horror flick You're Next. The documentary contingent looks set to more than hold its own this year as Australia's almost-rock legend Jeremy Oxley's battle with schizophrenia and alcoholism takes centrestage in The Sunnyboy, and UK director Ken Loach looks to the England of old in The Spirit of '45. Loach's exploration of British domestic policy pre- and post-Thatcher is a rallying call to UK politicians to reject austerity and remember that great 20th-century experiment, the welfare state. What would a film festival be without something to call the next Woody Allen? MIFF fills that category with the black-and-white comedy Frances Ha. Star Greta Gerwig (To Rome with Love) co-wrote the film with director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale). It contains dialogue like this: Guy: What do you do? Frances: It's kind of hard to explain. Guy: Why, is what you do really complicated? Frances: Because, I don't really do it. So it looks like they are onto a good thing. An annual event, the MIFF runs from July 25 to August 11. For more information, head to the website and keep an eye out for the full program, which will be released on July 2. Image: Festival patron Geoffrey Rush as Virgil Oldman in The Best Offer
Think exceptional wine regions and Bordeaux, the Napa Valley and Bilbao likely come to mind. Lausanne in Switzerland, Portugal's Porto, Mendoza in Argentina and Adelaide right here in Australia might as well. So should New Zealand's Hawke's Bay, your next must-visit destination for a vino getaway, with the Aotearoa locale just earning a massive honour: being named the 12th Great Wine Capital of the world. The global program celebrates spots responsible for top-notch drops, and it's a prestigious list. All of the above places have received Great Wine Capital status already, and so have Cape Town's Cape Winelands in South Africa, Mainz and the Rheinhessen wine region in Germany, Valparaíso Casablanca Valley in Chile and fair Verona in Italy. Joining the ranks isn't easy, involving a tough selection process that examines the region's winegrowing industry and vino tourism alongside its history, educational opportunities and more. Hawke's Bay has been recognised for its 200-plus vineyards, 125 wine producers and more than 30 cellar doors — and growing more than 40,000 tonnes of grapes in 2022 alone. The North Island region's variety of tourism experiences also boosted its fortunes, as well as its popularity with both NZ and international travellers. Visitors to the area can enjoy everything from bike tours between cellar doors and long vineyard lunches to picnics and picking parties, plus ample opportunities to pair a glass or bottle with something to eat. The worldwide kudos comes as Hawke's Bay continues to recover from Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023, offering a much-needed piece of good news in a tough year. "Cyclone Gabrielle may have dealt us a blow, but this recognition shows that Hawke's Bay is still the top-quality wine destination it always was," said Hawke's Bay Tourism CEO Hamish Saxton, announcing the Great Wine Capital status. "Hawke's Bay's inclusion as one of just 12 Great Wine Capitals of the world is of regional and national significance. It is recognition that Hawke's Bay wines are among the world's best, and that our nation's wine growing industry, while still young, offers quality to rival the world's oldest," he continued. "We have long known that Hawke's Bay, as New Zealand's Food and Wine Country, stood out for its winemaking. This new achievement gives Hawke's Bay a unique positioning in New Zealand and the world. The climate, unique soils and the innovation of so many talented individuals, have come together to deliver an accolade the region wholeheartedly deserves. It is a true legacy for the region and will continue to deliver benefits to industry, education, business and tourism for the years to come." The Great Wine Capitals Global Network dates back to 1999, was unsurprisingly started in Bordeaux to showcase and support the very best wine-producing regions, including helping foster collaborations between them. Now that Hawke's Bay has gotten the nod — after first trying back in 2009 — it's Aotearoa's one and only inclusion, because each country can only grace the list with a single location. Find out more about the Great Wine Capitals of world over at the program's website. 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 you've ever seen Nick Cave play live, you'll know he's not just a musician — he's a storyteller. And a powerful one. His shows have always given fans a glimpse into the highs and lows of his life — including the suffering that came with 2016 album The Skeleton Tree — with performances that are moving, intense and masterful. So it's not hard to see how the Aussie music legend created his newest show: Conversations with Nick Cave. Performing without his band the Bad Seeds (with which he's produced 16 albums), Cave will take the stage for an intimate show of conversation and pared-back solos of his most prolific songs on the piano. Ever wanted to ask him a question? These shows will give you the chance. Cave says that the conversational nature of the shows enables people to open up easily. "The audience tends to ask more challenging, revealing, playful and ultimately serious questions," he says. "You never know what you are going to get. They can be fearless and they can go deep." It's already toured the US and Ireland and will make its way around smallish venues in Australian and New Zealand throughout January next year. The show will start in rural Victoria before making its way down to Hobart, up to the Sydney Opera House (for his first show there since 2013) and then the Gold Coast and Brisbane. It'll then finish off the national tour with stops in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. CONVERSATIONS WITH NICK CAVE 2019 TOUR DATES Saturday, January 5 — Performing Arts Centre, Wangaratta Sunday, January 6 — Odeon Theatre, Hobart Tuesday, January 8 — Sydney Opera House, Sydney Friday, January 11 — HOTA, Gold Coast Saturday, January 12 — Brisbane City Hall, Brisbane Saturday, January 19 — Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne Tuesday, January 11 — Adelaide Town Hall, Adelaide Wednesday, January 23 — Perth Concert Hall, Perth Conversations with Nick Cave will tour Australia in January 2019. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday, October 18 (Sydney here and everywhere else here). Image: Christie Goodwin.
Us Melburnians do love our bottomless food and booze. And now, thanks to Richmond's buzzing cocktail bar, Fargo and Co, we can add bottomless fried chook to our weekday must-eat lists. Head down to the vibrant Swan Street spot on Wednesdays, from 4–6pm, and you'll be settling in for two hours of all-you-can-eat succulent, fried chicken — for just $25. Or, if you and your mates are vego or vegan, you can tuck into crispy buffalo broccoli instead. If you're feeling a little thirsty and want to take it up a notch, you can upgrade to a package that includes free-flowing booze, too. We're talking all the beer and bubbles you can sip in a two-hour sitting, while you munch on your fried feed. And, it'll only cost you an additional $20. To book your spot — which we suggest you do soon — head here.
As summer sets in, you won't find a much better setting for a long lunch than at a table overlooking the rolling green vines of Mornington Peninsula wine country. That's especially true at Avani Wines' latest lunch series, which follows a similar pattern to its spring lunch sessions that ran earlier in 2023. For three weeks — from Tuesday, December 26–Sunday, January 14 — a rotating selection of chefs will take over the cellar door's kitchen, each creating a bespoke four-course set menu. For the first pop-up, couple Saavni and Aditya from Saadi (who are usually based at Manzé and Neighbourhood Wine) will bring South Indian flavours to Avani Wines. Handmade dosas and spicy fried lamb will accompany vineyard views for five days. This will be followed by Tom Sarafian, a master of modern Middle Eastern cooking, who has dreamt up a Lebanese- and Iranian-inspired set menu that'll include barbecued calamari with harissa, and lamb and koussa kebabs. For a fifth year, Harry Mangat and Sandy Soerjadhi from Biji Dining will then return to Avani Wines. For this Summer Dining Pop-Up Session, diners can expect dishes that blend native Aussie ingredients with traditional Indian flavours and techniques. This will feature kangaroo seekh kebabs and an epic ghee chicken roast served with lemon myrtle basmati pulao and purslane raita. Ending on a high note, the Summer Series' final lunch will see Biji Dining and Kyle Niccol, head chef of Lilac Wine Bar, join forces to create a fusion feast. For one day only, Niccol's French bistro sensibilities will combine with Biji Dining's Indian Australian flavours — a combo you'll unlikely come across again. And, of course, to go with all of this fabulous food, there'll be loads of wine on offer throughout the summer lunch series. Images: Parker Blaine.
Similar mechanics, new skin: when It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day branched out from their cult-hit sitcom back in 2020, that was the approach. Co-creating what was then known as Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet alongside fellow It's Always Sunny writer Megan Ganz — and with McElhenney also starring — they took a comedy formula they knew, loved and excelled at, then swapped out the specifics. If this Apple TV+ series was a video game, rather than being set in the industry that creates them, it'd be the latest workplace-comedy expansion pack. Whether watching The Office, Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine or Mythic Quest's platform stablemates Ted Lasso and Loot, laughing at the ups and downs of working life means spotting familiar elements, after all, because much about nine-to-five grind is universal. Now streaming its third season, with new episodes dropping weekly since mid-November — and also going by a shortened name since season two — Mythic Quest slots smoothly into its genre. Far more conventional than It's Always Sunny, which smartly and savagely satirises despicable behaviour in, around and tangentially related to a Philly bar, McElhenney and Day's second series unpacks its gaming-industry setting and the attitudes that come with it. Still, the Mythic Quest crew isn't afraid to blow things up and respawn, as it virtually has between season two and three. At the end of 2021's batch of episodes, the eponymous studio fractured, with guru-like founder Ian Grimm (McElhenney) and his Australian lead engineer Poppy Li (Charlotte Nicdao, Content) chasing new challenges by starting another company. Since episode one, Ian has been Mythic Quest's visionary, with Poppy as his righthand woman. And, since the first season charted their troubles with the latest expansion pack for their massively multiplayer online role-playing hit, that relationship has ebbed and flowed. Sometimes, Mythic Quest HQ's general mayhem has been the cause, including the pressures of keeping their popular game profitable and its fans happy. Sometimes, it's been a battle of egos, wills and personalities between Ian, Poppy and their colleagues. In its first few episodes, the show took time to find its groove, but it has kept shining and brightly since it did. The key, including through season two, is that central dynamic. McElhenney plays Grimm as someone drunk on his own idea of himself, not to mention the celebrity and status that's come with his game, as well as the adoration and power. Meanwhile, Nicdao's Poppy barely manages to cope, especially with her confidence in such a male-dominated industry. By sending the pair out on their own at GrimPop, where they're now endeavouring to launch a new title called Hera that's Poppy's creation rather than Ian's, season three doubles down on that contrast between the duo — and, in the process, on the struggle for women in gaming to be given the room they deserve to thrive, lead and shatter the glass ceiling. A gifted coder, as well as the technical force behind Mythic Quest the game, Poppy has always wanted recognition and respect. That's been a running theme in Nicdao's roles over the past few years, in fact, given that the also-excellent ABC iView short-form series Content had the Aussie talent playing a wannabe influencer who desperately hoped her online antics would bring her fame. Nicdao's career dates back almost two decades now, including past roles on The Slap, Please Like Me and Get Krack!n, but she's certainly catapulted to stardom herself after her #Flipgirl days thanks to Mythic Quest. On-screen, though, Poppy's version of seeking the spotlight involves having her own success rather than just always being stuck in Ian's shadow. So, branching away from the title that made their careers but still remaining together, the pair are now meant to be in a true 50/50 partnership. Thanks to that big season-two finale move — which could've doubled as an overall farewell if the show wasn't renewed for both a third and a fourth season — Mythic Quest's current stint contemplates breaking out of comfort zones, embracing new challenges and welcoming fresh voices. Like most of the series' comic stylings, that thematic thread aims to call out the insular nature of gaming and its many imbalances, widening its scope to examine getting something new off the ground rather than toiling for an existing hit. Within the storyline, though, Ian and Poppy are just on a different floor of the same building as Mythic Quest's regular crew. Encounters with neurotic executive producer David Brittlesbee (David Hornsby, Good Girls), his brusk assistant Jo (Jessie Ennis, The Flight Attendant), disgraced ex-finance head (Danny Pudi, Community), and former testers Dana (Imani Hakim, Cam) and Rachel (prolific voice actor Ashly Burch) are still a regular part of their days, and a source of chaos. While a new level awaits for Mythic Quest's characters — including goodbyes to some — the series itself isn't completely in the same situation in season three. It shakes things up in a narrative sense, but understands what has always made the show power up: its well-written and wonderfully cast characters. Indeed, by focusing on Ian and Poppy's relationship, as well as plenty of other pairings within the series, McElhenney, Day and McElhenney still keep finding new depths to explore. Unlikely couples are an old workplace-comedy favourite, and not just because it's easy to wring humour out of stranding opposites together. In a genre already so steeped in the everyday regardless of the kind of business its on-screen figures get their paycheque from, navigating clashing personalities isn't just relatable — it's reality. Rounding up a motley crew, watching them bounce around, seeing how they change and grow — if the characters in It's Always Sunny were actually capable of significant change and growth (and if it suited the show for them to evolve and mature, which it doesn't), then McElhenney and Day's two series would have plenty in common. They still do, of course, including an incisive ability to parody and play around with the whole workplace setup. As Mythic Quest keeps going, it too gets sharper and funnier, and more aware of the flaws that make all of us who we are. It mightn't end up breaking records as the longest-running live-action sitcom ever made, as It's Always Sunny has after 15 seasons (and counting), but pressing play for another astute and amusing round keeps proving easy. Check out the trailer for Mythic Quest below: Mythic Quest streams via Apple TV+.
What does Brisbane have in common with music superstars Beyoncé, Björk, Lady Gaga and Rihanna, and also Oscar-winners Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton? An appreciation for fashion designer Iris van Herpen. The avant-garde Dutch talent has dressed them all, including creating the breathtaking Heliosphere dress that proved a showstopper on Beyoncé's Renaissance tour. The latter gigs haven't made it Down Under, but the Australian-exclusive Sculpting the Senses exhibition at the Queensland capital's Gallery of Modern Art will take you into the world of the haute couture figure who played a part in it. Fashion lovers have until Monday, October 7, 2024 to explore one of GOMA's big showcases for 2024, which continues to plunge the South Brisbane site into an enchanting and ethereal realm after Fairy Tales, its huge summer exhibition, did the same. Pieces by van Herpen can't be mistaken for designs by anyone else, sitting at the intersection of couture, art and design, while also exploring technological advancements such as 3D printing. In that field, she's widely considered the first to make a garment this way. From gowns to accessories, a massive 130 of van Herpen's pieces are now on display in the River City. Across nine chapters — some nodding to the dreamlike sheen that accompanies the designer's pieces, others focusing on skeletal structures, inspirations, and how the sea and the cosmos are an influence — Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses steps through the work of a creative who boasts stints alongside Alexander McQueen and Claudy Jongstra on her resume. It was almost two decades back, in 2007, that the Maison Iris van Herpen came to life in Amsterdam. Evoking her studio, complete with a cabinet of curiosities, is also part of GOMA's celebration. In this section of the exhibition, attendees will also see a space dedicated to fashion shows and unpack the various development stages of a dress. [caption id="attachment_966403" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Installation view of 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses'. Iris van Herpen / Netherlands b.1984 / Daniel Widrig (Collaborator) / United Kingdom b.1977 / Materialise (Collaborator) / Belguim est.1990 / Crystallization top and skirt, from the 'Capriole' collection 2011 / 3D-printed polyamide using selective laser sintering, eco-leather, cotton, nylon thread / Purchased thanks to the patronage of Doctor and Madam Léon Crivain, 2018 / Collection: Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. Courtney Mattison / United States b.1985 / Malum Geminos 2019 / Glazed stoneware and porcelain / Courtesy: The artist. Iris van Herpen / Netherlands b.1984 / Nicholas Koscinski (Collaborator)/ United States b.1992 / Futurama gown, from the 'Meta Morphism' collection 2022 / 3D-printed Bluesint (upcycled polyamide) using selective laser sintering, silver, silk, organza, tulle / Courtesy: Iris van Herpen atelier. © The artists / Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA.[/caption] Hitting Brisbane after a run in Paris, co-organised by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and boasting the organisation's Dr Cloé Pitiot and Louise Curtis on curatorial duties alongside QAGOMA's Nina Miall and Jacinta Giles, Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses takes its name seriously. This is a feast for the eyes, clearly, but also comes paired with a soundscape by Dutch sound artist Salvador Breed — not just a collaborator of van Herpen's, but her partner — to enhance the experience. Among the specific fashion gems featured, the exhibition draws from 2010's water-themed 'Crystallization' collection, which took its cues from water being splashed at models; 2020's 'Sensory Seas', with hydrozoa such as the bluebottle an influence; and 2012's 'Micro' and 'Hybrid Holism', each teeming with microscopic detail that mimics the natural world — just for starters. Elsewhere, van Herpen's designs use X-rays, MRIs, neuroscience, mythology, alchemy, biotech, NASA's James Webb space telescope and more as guides. Visitors will equally spy a range of complementary pieces surrounding van Herpen's designs, weaving in Yayoi Kusama, Cai Guo-Qiang, Japanese art collective Mé and Kohei Nawa, for instance. Megan Cope, Philip Beesley, Anne Noble, Damien Jalet, Casey Curran, Rogan Brown, Ren Ri and Courtney Mattison also have works in Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses, as does the Living Architecture Systems Group. Natural history objects add yet another layer. The dramatic staging, especially when van Herpen's work is set against a black background, achieves the same. Similarly featuring: installations, videos and photographs. [caption id="attachment_966407" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Installation view of 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses'. (l) Iris van Herpen / Netherlands b.1984 / Water dress, special project 2010 / Heat-moulded PETG / Collection: Groninger Museum, Netherlands / © Iris van Herpen. (r) David Spriggs / Canada b.1978 / Origins 2018 / PET film, acrylic Plexiglas, LED, acrylic paint, metal / Collection: Dr Pierre Miron / © David Spriggs. Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA.[/caption] Top images: Installation view of 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses' including (front l-r) Symbiotic asymmetric dress, from the 'Shift Souls' collection 2019 by Iris van Herpen; Fractal Flows dress, from the 'Sensory Seas' collection 2020 by Iris van Herpen with collaborator Perry Hall; and Cosmica gown, from the 'Shift Souls' collection 2019 by Iris van Herpen with collaborator Kim Keever / © Iris van Herpen / Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA. Installation view of the Cabinet of Curiosities in 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses', Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane / © Iris van Herpen / Photograph: J Ruckli © QAGOMA. Iris van Herpen: Runway films 2017-23 (installation view, 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses') / Video, colour, sound, 57:51 minutes (total, looped) / Editor: Simona Gol / Music selection: Salvador Breed / Courtesy: Iris van Herpen Atelier / © Iris van Herpen / Photograph: C Callistemon © QAGOMA.
The first rule of making a movie about a high-school lesbian fight club is that there are no rules, other than embracing the concept and giving it your all. So punches Bottoms, a film where the gleefully cartoonish energy is always as important as the plot, and a feature that knows it's entering a big-screen ring that wouldn't even exist if Heathers, Clueless, Bring It On, Mean Girls, But I'm a Cheerleader, Easy A and Booksmart hadn't hopped over the ropes first. Three years after Shiva Baby, writer/director Emma Seligman and actor Rachel Sennott (Bodies Bodies Bodies) reunite, with the pair collaborating on the script this time around. Also crucial: bringing in The Bear's Ayo Edebiri, a friend from the duo's student days, to co-star. In a picture that values being stronger together, Seligman, Sennott and Edebiri make a knockout team. Bottoms' vibe could only spring from IRL pals, too, playing it loose and ridiculous like this crew is simply hanging out. The setup: Sennott and Edebiri are PJ and Josie, who return to Rockbridge Falls High School after summer break keen to finally turn their love for popular cheerleaders Isabel (Havana Rose Liu, No Exit) and Brittany (Kaia Gerber, Babylon) into sex and romance. The best friends know that their social standing is anything but high — "gay, untalented and ugly" is how they describe themselves — but two queer girls can dream that this is their moment, then do their utmost to make their fantasies a reality. So, when the semester starts with PJ and Josie still stuck as outcasts, they conjure up a plan. Their gymnasium-based group is officially known as a women's self-defense class and is sold to their teachers as an act of female solidarity; however, no matter what they tell the principal (Wayne Pére, Your Honor), as well as the history teacher (Marshawn Lynch, Westworld) that they convince to be their advisor, there's really only one aim: not feminism and support, but getting laid. The initial mission of PJ and Josie's new extra-curricular obsession is scoring Isabel and Brittany's attention, then. The second: keeping up its founders' new tough rep. In that desperate-to-impress way that every awkward, anxious teen has, Bottoms' protagonists aren't above saying whatever they think will make them look cooler to the objects of their affection. So, PJ and Josie have a rumour that they went to juvie to uphold as long as they think that Isabel and Brittany care. Thanks to an accidental carpark altercation with star quarterback Jeff (Nicholas Galitzine, Red, White & Royal Blue), they also have form throwing around their might — or so they're happy to let their classmates think. Two things neither counts on, though: their gambit proving a hit with other campus outsiders such as Hazel (Ruby Cruz, Mare of Easttown) and, blow by blow, the group actually bringing its members together. Bottoms' premise is pure inspiration, switching out the usual Can't Hardly Wait-, American Pie- and Superbad-esque pining boys lovesick over long-term crushes or just yearning losing their virginity in general, taking Fight Club to high school, and getting sillier and more surreal than teen comedies normally dare. Bottoms as a movie also demonstrates Seligman's knack for her chosen genre at opposite ends of the spectrum — because the filmmaker's sharp and layered cringe-inducing debut feature is in a whole other comic clique to her sophomore effort. Cue subversion with plenty to say and off-kilter absurdity combined, especially in interrogating allyship. Cue a willingness to go for broke with weird, warped and wild swings as well. And, cue a film that's always doing what PJ and Josie themselves are to score their dream dates: relentlessly trying. The characters go with throwdowns in an endeavour to aid their horny hopes, while the flick itself opts for an everything-it-can-throw-in audacity. Tonal ducks, bobs and weaves are part of the Bottoms experience, unsurprisingly — and not every gag, line, goof, throwaway, swerve and drop of Wet Hot American Summer-style energy works. Accordingly, rivalries within Rockbridge Falls High and with another school, plus attempts to get serious, aren't always a bullseye. But Seligman and Sennott's devotion to their first rule means that a flat joke, piece of dialogue, idea or moment doesn't last long, then something else enters the comedic fray with gusto. The ping-ponging from Avril Lavigne's 'Complicated' to Bonnie Tyler's 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' amid a score co-composed by Charli XCX illustrates much about that bouncing-around relish. So does the script's contentedness to keep most of its on-screen figures as stock types not out of laziness, but to heighten the idiosyncrasies splashed around, insecurities examined and impact of the chaos around them. There's nothing standard about Sennott and Edebiri, not that Bottoms tells viewers anything that they don't already know from each actor's past work. The respective The Idol and Theater Camp talents previously collaborated on 2020's three-episode Comedy Central miniseries Ayo and Rachel Are Single, also pondering affairs of the heart — modern dating, to be specific, and also hilariously. The lived-in air that they bring to PJ and Josie's friendship isn't just an act, then. In fact, it's what every bit, jab, OTT jump and heartfelt emotion relies on. Sennott does charmingly forceful and unconstrained like she's breathing for it, while Edebiri has already shown how stellar she is at reacting on The Bear. Together, whether taking turns monologuing or diving into a bloodbath, they're unhinged magic. Also excellent: the supporting cast, from Gerber and Galitzine to Cruz and Lynch. The first makes good on casting a supermodel — and daughter of a supermodel, thanks to mum Cindy Crawford, who she couldn't more resemble — as the epitome of hotness, and makes her part shrewdly amusing. The second does the vain and overly dramatic himbo role to perfection. Cruz screams to be cast alongside Aubrey Plaza (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off) in a future project, and Lynch is progressing well on the Carl Weathers (The Mandalorian)- and Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)-led path of NFL players who've become actors. If one of the key tenets of any association, fists flying or not, is to have the best members, then Bottoms rises to the top while having a helluva raucously entertaining time.
After pledging to introduce a container deposit scheme by 2023, and to ban single-use plastics by the same year, the Victorian Government has announced its next big eco-conscious policy. This time, it's tackling climate change by committing to reduce the state's carbon emissions — and it has set ambitious targets for the next four, nine and 29 years. By 2025, the government plans to slash carbon emissions by up to a third (28–33 percent, to be exact). When 2030 rolls around, it's aiming to have cut them by half (or between 45–50 percent). And, after that, it has set a zero net emissions goal for 2050. The new emissions plan was revealed this week as part of the current Labor government's climate change strategy, which also highlights some of the strategies in place to meet those targets. On the cards: putting more than $100 million towards transforming the transport sector, working towards zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) comprising 50 percent of all new car sales by 2030, and giving Victorians who buy ZEVs up to $3000. The latter was announced on Saturday, May 1, and has already come into effect — and will cover more than 20,000 new ZEVs initially. The government has also outlined its intention to invest around $20 million in the agriculture sector — to work with farmers to make their farms more sustainable, and to research and trial new feed options to reduce emissions from livestock. It's putting another $15.3 million towards helping farmers store more carbon in shelterbelt trees, and to engage in agroforestry as well. By 2025, the government's own operations — which includes schools, hospitals, police stations and metro trains — will be powered with 100 percent renewable electricity. It's also aiming to have 40 percent of the entire state do the same by the same year, and 50 percent of the state by 2030. The government's targets are based on 2005 levels, with the state already cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by 24.8 over the past 16 years. For more information about the Victorian Government's climate change strategy, head to its website.
You've seen the films, or at least some of them. You know that a whole lot of celebrities worked their famous magic to help get Andrea Riseborough a still-deserved Best Actress nomination. You've heard Austin Butler use his Elvis accent long after the movie wrapped. And you have thoughts — oh-so-many thoughts — about Top Gun: Maverick's beach scene. Whatever applies to you from that above list, that's how prepared you now are for Hollywood's night of nights — because today, Monday, March 13 Down Under, the 95th Oscars are here. Before evening hits, a heap of upcoming movies will be redoing their trailers to include the words "Academy Award-winner" next to their stars or director. Oh, and a bunch of talented folks will get the biggest cinema-industry recognition there is for one of their recent gigs. Your job for a few hours: watching, enjoying the film world's version of whichever sporting event takes your fancy and, if you're partial to a beverage or several, taking part in our Oscars drinking game. Depending on how you feel about the Academy Awards, it'll make a glorious celebration better or an overlong stint of back-patting bearable. Always drink responsibly, of course. If you're keen on perusing the nominees list, checking out who will and should win, and finding out where you can watch this year's nominees in Australia and New Zealand, we've put all of that together for you as well. A SMALL SIP: DRINK LIKE YOU'LL BE FEELING THE NEED FOR SPEED TOMORROW A winner gets played off. Austin Butler busts out his Elvis accent. Someone mentions Chris Rock, Will Smith and/or 2022's incident. We're all told that Tom Cruise or Top Gun: Maverick saved cinema. The words "need for speed" are mentioned. The Brenaissance gets a shoutout. Rihanna rubs her baby bump. Someone mentions nepo babies. Jamie Lee Curtis calls herself a nepo baby. Steven Spielberg gets a standing ovation. Someone mentions the multiverse. The words "movie magic" or "magic of the movies" get a mention. Babylon and jazz are mentioned in the same breath. Someone uses their speech — or presenting gig — to angle for their next job. A BIG GULP: DRINK LIKE YOUR BEST FRIEND WON'T TALK TO YOU ANYMORE Jimmy Kimmel pretends to go to sleep like he did at the 2022 Emmys. Someone comments that they forgot that Colin Farrell is Irish. The audience giggles when My Year of Dicks' name is read out among the Best Animated Short nominees. Jimmy Kimmel feuds with Matt Damon. Cate Blanchett tears into awards season. You hear an Australian or New Zealand accent. Paul Mescal leaves someone speechless because he's Paul Mescal. Andrea Riseborough brings one of the celebrities who campaigned for her nomination as her date. Pedro Pascal presents an award with Nicolas Cage. Meryl Streep wins without being nominated. Triangle of Sadness gets compared to Titanic. Someone makes up a new category. A FEW MOUTHFULS: DRINK LIKE YOU'RE CRUISING ON A LUXURY YACHT Someone reads out the wrong winner. Nicole Kidman forgets how to clap again. If you leap up out of your chair at home during the performance of 'Naatu Naatu'. Pedro Pascal presents an award with Grogu. The Daniels announce that their Swiss Army Man star Daniel Radcliffe is joining their directing team as the third Daniel. Triangle of Sadness filmmaker Ruben Östlund brings his two Palme d'Ors. David Byrne wears an oversized suit. Lady Gaga shows up in costume as Harley Quinn. James Cameron calls himself the king of the world again. Whenever there's a donkey. There's a cocaine bear. AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE: DRINK LIKE IT'S JAZZ-AGE HOLLYWOOD An Australian or New Zealander wins an Oscar. Australian Elvis cinematographer Mandy Walker makes history as the first-ever woman to win Best Cinematography. During Ke Huy Quan's Best Supporting Actor speech for Everything Everywhere All At Once. The Academy's terrible track record with nominating female filmmakers is called out — or this year's lack of women in the Best Director category. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway read out the wrong winner. Top Gun: Maverick's beach scene is recreated live. Chris Rock presents an award. Will Smith turns up despite his ten-year ban after 2022's ceremony. Chris Rock and Will Smith take to the stage together. We get through the entire ceremony without anyone mentioning Chris Rock, Will Smith or 2022's incident. Tommy Wiseau shows up. The 95th Academy Awards take place on Monday, March 13, Australian and New Zealand time.
For five days in October, the Queen Victoria Market will become the cheesiest place in Melbourne, all thanks to its new Holey Cheese Festival. Running on Tuesday, October 23 and again between Thursday, October 25 and Sunday, October 28, this is the type fest that'll fill your stomach with all of things fromage — so if you're not fond of dairy, consider yourself warned. A good cheese fest is all about the tastings, and this one promises samples of the state's best hard, soft, blue, white, fresh and aged rinds from both regular market traders and local producers. When you're not nabbing a bite of gouda, camembert or raclette, you can tuck into cheesy meals from food trucks, pop-up eateries — including a 140-cheese pizza from 400 Gradi (just ten cheese's shy of its record-breaking pizza) — Melbourne chefs and, once again, the market's regulars. Throw in live music, a bar serving up wine, beer and cider, and cooking demonstrations — hopefully showing you how to whip up the cheesiest possible dishes at home — and you'll be having cheese dreams for days.
Always wanted to be part of a show but felt too nervous about being seen on stage? Well The Confidence Man may be just the ticket. This crime thriller from Side Pony Productions offers a one-of-a-kind participatory theatrical experience. The story is one of skulduggery in the suburbs, in which an ordinary family get drawn into a series of tragic events by the arrival of a bag containing a large sum of money. Each night, several audience members are invited to play characters in the tale. Anonymous inside large cushiony masks, the co-opted actors listen to an audio stream including instructions for their performance by headphones, providing an experience that, while unfolding publicly, is also intensely personal. Whether from within a mask, or watching and listening in from the audience seats, it is sure to an unusual, intimate and perhaps even chilling experience. https://youtube.com/watch?v=JmYM8Sb3FLo
Across its stable of renowned Italian eateries, mozzarella bars and delis, the DOC Group (including DOC Pizza & Mozzarella Bar Carlton and Sydney, plus DOC Espresso Carlton) has earned a solid reputation for many things. That includes its signature pizzas and top-quality salumi selection; however, those classics are taking a backseat at the team's latest addition — a new restaurant dedicated entirely to plant-based and gluten-free eats. Bio by DOC has taken over the Carlton site once home to The Town Mouse, where long-time collaborators Studio Strom have added a refresh. Think: locally made custom furniture, a new green-coloured bar, a leafy back courtyard and some clever splashes of neon. In the kitchen, veteran DOC Group chef Tomaso Bartoli is steering the new culinary concept, carefully intertwining the brand's trademark Italian sensibilities with a focus on vegan and vegetarian ingredients. Not only is it a reminder that meat needn't be the cornerstone of a great food offering, but impressively, the entire menu is also gluten-free. Snacks include the likes of mini eggplant parmigiana matched with burrata and a black cabbage pesto, plus a vegan-friendly tartare of grilled vegetables finished with capers, mustard and truffle paste. You can get your pasta fix with plates like the charcoal spaghetti; a beetroot casarecce finished with mushrooms and truffle paste; and a vegan lasagne layered with spinach pasta sheets, lentil ragu and bechamel. There's more plant-based fun to be had over on the dessert list, too — expect dishes like a classic tiramisu reworked with cashew cream, and sweet potato pancakes with popcorn ice cream. From the drinks lineup, the vegan cocktail offering features sips like a Japanese twist on the negroni, plus the Oasis — which uses rum, coconut water and a pineapple shrub. There's also a considered wine selection, showcasing both Italian vino and locally-grown varietals from the likes of Merli and Heathcote's Vinea Marson. Find Bio by DOC at 312 Drummond Street, Carlton. It's open 5pm–late Tuesday–Thursday, and 12–3pm and 5pm– ate Friday and Saturday.
No one usually knows what they want to do for their 32nd birthday. For most of us, it isn't a big milestone. But when you're the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and you have a whole new array of LGBTIQA+ movies to show, every go-around is worth celebrating. On the just-announced lineup for 2022's MQFF: Billy Eichner-starring gay Hollywood rom-com Bros, a Pink Flamingos 50th-anniversary showing and a spotlight on Brazil — and that's just the beginning. In total, over its 12-day run from Thursday, November 10–Monday, November 21, the fest will screen 49 features and 12 short film packages, including 35 Australian premieres. Taking place at ACMI, Village Cinemas Jam Factory and Cinema Nova, and with eight screenings taking place on the Victorian Pride Centre rooftop for the first time, the 2022 program arrives after a couple of years of pandemic-fuelled chaos — including back in 2020, its 30th year, when COVID-19 meant that festivities couldn't go as planned. MQFF has has run online and in hybrid formats since, and popped up with a mini fest as well; however, 2022's main event is all in-person. A virtual lineup will follow, but there's nothing like the physical MQFF experience. Other highlights include the Brazilian titles both launching and wrapping up the fest: opening night's Private Desert, about a genderfluid blue-collar worker in an online relationship who goes missing; and closing night's Uýra: The Rising Forest, focusing on trans-indigenous artist Uýra. The latter will take one of the rooftop slots, as will MQFF's official Australian feature of the year The Longest Weekend, about three siblings in Sydney's Inner West. Or, movie lovers can look forward to Blitzed!, about the eponymous London nightclub, with Boy George, Princess Julia and Spandau Ballet sharing their memories; Black as U R, a documentary about the lack of attention paid to the black queer community; and Mini-Zlatan and Uncle Darling, 2022's Rainbow Families session for MQFF-goers of all ages. Plus, Finland's Oscar submission Girl Picture focuses on three young women and Icelandic comedy Cop Secret charts a police officer falling for his partner — while Youtopia explores the inadvertent formation of a hipster cult, In From the Side is about an affair between two members of a fictional South London gay rugby club, and My Emptiness and I hones in on a young trans call-centre worker. And in the retro category, alongside John Waters Divine-starring Pink Flamingos, is iconic 90s flick But I'm a Cheerleader — the director's cut, and one of Natasha Lyonne's (Russian Doll) best-ever roles. The 2022 Melbourne Queer Film Festival runs from Thursday, November 10–Monday, November 21 at ACMI, Village Cinemas Jam Factory, Cinema Nova and the Victorian Pride Centre Rooftop. For more information or to buy tickets — with members tickets on sale from Thursday, October 13 and general sales from Saturday, October 15, head to the festival website.
