A group of entrepreneurs and creative thinkers will come together for The 8 Percent Festival, which will hold its inaugural two-day event this October at the Plaza Ballroom in Melbourne. The keynote speakers include journalist and news presenter for ABC's Late Edition and SBS's World News Tonight Indira Naidoo, South Sudanese refugee and law graduate Deng Thiak Adut — who you might recognise from Western Sydney University's 'unlimited' marketing campaign — and undefeated martial artist Nadine Champion, who has given a TEDX talk on courage. The festival will combine keynote speeches, think tank panels and breakout workshops across two days, and includes a third Creative Inspiration Day for those willing to fork out $2500 for VIP tickets. Panellists and guests will together discuss diverse industries such as health, film, media, education and business, and will be encouraged to contribute to a new business model to solve issues in one industry. General tickets are a little pricey at $997, but you can get a much more affordable voyeur ticket for $197, which allows you to watch the keynotes and panels over both days, but not participate. [competition]590147[/competition]
Locking gazes across the room, staring intently with a deep fascination that feels fated, seeing oneself in the sparkle of another's eyes: when these moments happen in a movie, it's typically to fuel the first flushes of romance. When they occur early in Passing, however, it's because former childhood friends Irene (Tessa Thompson, Westworld) and Clare (Ruth Negga, Ad Astra) have spied each other in a swanky Manhattan hotel. The pair peer back and forth, intrigued and attentive. That said, it isn't until Clare approaches Irene — and calls her Reenie, a nickname she hasn't heard in years — that the latter realises who she's been looking at. It's the immaculately styled blonde bob that fools Irene, as it's meant to fool the world. As becomes clear in a politely toned but horrendously blunt conversation with Clare's racist husband John (Alexander Skarsgård, Godzilla vs Kong) shortly afterwards, Irene's long-lost pal has built an entire life and marriage around being seen as white. Passing's eponymous term comes loaded not just with meaning, but with history; adapted from Nella Larsen's 1929 novel of the same name, it's set in America's Jim Crow era. This introductory scene between Irene and Clare comes layered with multiple sources of tension, too, with Irene only in the hotel because she's decided to flirt with visiting a white establishment. Still, she's shocked by her pal's subterfuge. When she initially spots Clare, the film adopts Irene's perspective — and its frames bristle with a mix of nervousness, uncertainty and familiarity. Irene rediscovers an old friend in a new guise, and also comes face to face with the lengths some are willing to go to in the name of survival and an easier life. Friendships can be rewarding and challenging, fraught and nourishing, and demanding and essential, including all at once, as Passing repeatedly demonstrates from this point onwards. Irene can't completely move past Clare's choices and can't shake her fears about what'd happen if the vile John ever learned Clare's secret; however, she's also quick to defend her to others — to her doctor husband Brian (André Holland, The Eddy), who swiftly warms to Clare anyway; and to acclaimed white novelist Hugh Wentworth (Bill Camp, News of the World), who's her own entry point into an artier realm. Indeed, in household where talk of lynchings is common dinner conversation, Irene recognises far more in Clare's decision than she'll vocally admit. Almost everyone she knows is pretending to be something else as well, after all, including Irene in her own ways. Largely confined to Irene and Brian's well-appointed Harlem home and other parties in the neighbourhood — after that first hotel rendezvous, that is — Passing is an economical yet complicated film. It may seem straightforward in charting Irene and Clare's rekindled acquaintance, but it's exacting and precise as it interrogates both societally enforced and self-inflicted pain. Its Black characters live in a world that pushes them aside and worse merely for existing, with its central pair each internalising that reality. Their every careful move reacts to it, in fact, a bleak truth that actor-turned-filmmaker Rebecca Hall (The Night House) never allows to fade. That's one of the reasons she's chosen to shoot this striking directorial debut in elegant, crisp and devastatingly telling monochrome hues: both everything and nothing here is black and white. Hall doesn't appear on-screen here herself, but she still gifts Passing the same intensity and nuance that's always been part of her performances. In the film's lingering frames, intimate close-ups of Thompson and Negga, and all-round eagerness to see the space that surrounds them — that often separates them, too — she proves as astute a director as she is an actor. It helps that she has enlisted two leads who exude the same traits, and Passing couldn't be more perfectly cast as a result. Thanks to Sylvie's Love and Loving, both of the movie's stars have grappled with race relations in America already in their careers. They've done so to affecting and astonishing effect, too. Here, while never repeating themselves, both Thompson and Negga are just as exceptional as they've ever been. It was always going to take intricate, complex and sensitive portrayals to tell this story, and Passing's talented leads just keep delivering. The whirlwind of emotions that flickers through Irene again and again, as evident in her gaze, posture and tone far more than she's openly trying to convey, is nothing short of masterful on Thompson's part. And the determination and sorrow fighting inside Clare — the yearning to connect with the background she shunned out of what she felt was necessity, and the unwillingness to be judged for her choices as well — echoes through a hypnotic turn by Negga. Showy yet thoughtful, it's the kind of performance might've just stuck to the confident and ostentatious character's Roaring Twenties flapper-style surface notes in other hands. With meticulous assistance from cinematographer Eduard Grau (The Way Back) and editor Sabine Hoffman (Juliet, Naked), Hall also turns Passing into an exercise in looking; this is a feature about perception and authenticity, and it repeatedly pushes those concepts to the fore in every image. It observes quietly and intently, giving Irene and Clare the type of unfettered, unguarded and earnest attention that they're clearly so rarely able to enjoy as they wrestle with racial identity in their daily existence. It truly sees them, including their strengths, struggles, dreams, desires and flaws. And, it refuses to redirect its gaze when the tragedy it has always been building towards makes its presence known — an outcome that shocks and feels inevitable at the same time. The jazzy score might play things gently, but Passing uses its polish, poise and patience, and its superb performances, to pack probing and pain into every delicately rendered moment. Passing screens in select Melbourne cinemas from Friday, October 29, and streams via Netflix from Wednesday, November 10.
Naming the sequel to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel probably didn’t cause any headaches or sleepless nights. There’s no unsightly numeral at the end, but the film’s follow-up status is still made clear, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel saying everything a movie title needs to say. It's the same older folks getting up to the same old tricks. The film opens in the United States, the perpetually cranky Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith) and always-eager Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) trying to convince an American company to fund their expansion plans; however, that’s just window dressing. Soon they return to Jaipur, to their home away from home for more mature travellers, and to the recognisable faces of their long-term residents. Everyone’s problems may be new, be it a job offer, romantic entanglements, health ailments, impressing a hotel inspector, fending off rivals or preparing for impending nuptials, but there’s nothing different about the dynamic. Indeed, anyone who has seen the first movie — or anything any of the high-profile ensemble cast have ever been in — already knows exactly how everyone behaves, and how everything plays out. As will-they-or-won’t-they couple Evelyn and Douglas, Judi Dench is wise and cautious, and Bill Nighy is equal parts charming and sweet, their relationship never in doubt. Lust drives Celia Imrie’s Madge and Ronald Pickup’s Norman into their own silly side-character subplots steeped in matters of the heart. When Richard Gere arrives as the visitor assumed to hold the fate of the new hotel in his hands, he’s as suave and dreamy as he’s ever been on film, and there’s a woman nearby to fall under his spell. These soap-like, sitcom-style antics, and Sonny’s in coping with the competing demands of running a growing business and getting married, ensure much of The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel plays out like a subcontinent-set episode of Fawlty Towers. Sadly, missing is the wit and satire that made the TV series such a comedy gem. Instead, the laughs here come from familiarity and predictability, rather than any real comic impulses by returning director John Madden and second-time scribe Ol Parker. Part of what endeared The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel to audiences — old more so than young — was the late-stage coming-of-age story mixed with an elderly-but-not-out attitude. Both came dripping with sentimentality and packaged as a glossy travelogue, but the movie struck a chord more often than not, and not just because of its immensely pleasant performers. That’s exactly what The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel attempts, but the feel-good strengths of the first film just don’t stretch that far. Instead, cheesiness and cliches fill in the gaps, including the obligatory dance sequences, lest viewers forget there’s an Indian wedding thrown in as well.
Doughnut fiends, drop everything and run — don't walk — to Windsor. For one week only between September 18 and 25, 190 High Street is playing host to the first-ever Bistro Morgan doughnut pop-up. If you've tried their delectable orbs of pastry, you'll know why we're encouraging you to rush there as quickly as possible. Did we mention that chef Morgan Hipworth makes a Golden Gaytime doughnut? We can hear your stomach grumbling from here. You'll also find Ferrero Rocher, Fairy Floss, Fruit Loops, peanut butter and jelly, and Bounty bar concoctions among his ever-growing range of handmade deliciousness, with each stacked with toppings, brandishing a sauce-filled syringe or both. Of course, it's not just Hipworth's mouth-watering creations that have caused a buzz over the last 18 months, and caused eager doughnut lovers to flock to the cafes that stock them each and every weekend — it's also the chef himself. He's been called Melbourne's doughnut prince, and it's a label that fits. The 15-year-old whips up his tasty treats when he's not at high school, after all. Yes, really. Hipworth taught himself to cook when he was seven, after being inspired by Masterchef (and provided perhaps the best endorsement of reality television he ever could in the process). Cooking up three-course dinners for his parents and grandparents then turned into Bistro Morgan. He still runs things from home around his classes, but he eventually wants to open his own cafes and restaurants. For now, we'll all be more than happy with a week-long pop-up serving his damn fine doughnuts. Find Bistro Morgan's pop-up store at 190 High Street, Windsor from September 18 to 25. Check out their website and Facebook page for more information.
Melbourne's forecast is looking extra radiant to start 2023 — and much of that is thanks to the good vibes set to be served up by iconic LGBTQIA+ arts and cultural celebration Midsumma Festival, which returns for its 34th edition this summer. Hitting your calendars from Saturday, January 21–Sunday, February 12, the fest will once again be one-upping its previous efforts to deliver its biggest program yet, with this year's lineup featuring more than 200 events. Held across eight major festival hubs and many more smaller venues, you can expect a jam-packed offering of live music, performances, exhibitions, theatre, visual arts, cabaret, parties and more — all championing queer arts and culture. It kicks off in all its explosive glory on Sunday, January 22 with the legendary Midsumma Carnival at Alexandra Gardens. Then, on Sunday, February 5, the Midsumma Pride March will descend on Fitzroy Street for its annual roving celebration starring marchers in their thousands. Plus, the full-day Victoria's Pride fiesta will wrap things up on Sunday, February 12, marking more than four decades since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Victoria. [caption id="attachment_883994" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Midsumma Carnival[/caption] In between, you'll catch a diverse array of events, including the debut of A Safe(R) Space — a program of works unpacking the concept of the 'safe space', and what that means for different artists and creatives. Expect illuminating performances, perception-bending exhibitions and a whole lotta self-love. Meanwhile, Midsumma Presents is back with another specially curated lineup championing the unheard voices of this era's queer intersectional communities. It'll serve up panel chats, theatre works, art exhibitions, a Nocturnal dance party and a whole lot in between. Elsewhere, comedian Joel Creasey and RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under legend Kween Kong will take over the Sidney Myer Music Bowl for the star-studded fiesta that is Midsumma Extravaganza. Head along to catch comedians including Nina Oyama, Rhys Nicholson and Scout Boxall, as well as a sparkling cast of musical talent such as Courtney Act, Tina Del Twist, Kira Puru and Dolly Diamond. Then, there's the swag of happenings hosted at the Victorian Pride Centre, a new festival hub. Along with a free exhibition delving into a century of Victoria's LGBTQIA+ history and the creation of the centre itself, the site will dish up events like a giant gender-diverse clothes swap, drag-led creative workshops, a queer comedy showcase, and a pop-up piano bar complete with song requests and special guests. Highlights across the other hubs include a First Nations drag festival and a star-studded drag bingo party at Pride of Our Footscray; a citywide collection of interactive installations for Midsumma x Ignite Melbourne; rope bondage workshops and cabarets about composting over at Abbotsford Convent; dance-friendly al fresco gigs in the Theatre Works garden; a stacked program of performances at Gasworks Arts Park and the Butterfly Club; and much, much more. [caption id="attachment_883999" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nocturnal x Midsumma[/caption] Midsumma Festival 2023 runs from Saturday, January 21–Sunday, February 12 at hubs and venues across Melbourne. For the full program and to book tickets, see the website.
It's safe to say Gami Chicken and Beer has secured its status as one of Australia's go-to fried chicken joints, slinging its signature Korean-style chook from 29 locations across the country. To celebrate the opening of its latest outpost in Windsor, Gami is giving Melburnians a very good reasons to jump on board, handing out a whopping 1000 boxes of fried chicken — for free. These fried chicken morsels — RSPCA-approved and rocking Gami's signature blend of 17 herbs and spices — will be up for grabs from 3.30–4pm and again from 5.30–6pm on Thursday, April 29 at the new location. And, come Friday, April 30, they'll be available from 5.30–6pm and 8.30–9pm, too. There will only be 250 free boxes available at each session — so you should head in early if you want a freebie. Once you're hooked, you're probably going to want to schedule a return visit pretty quick, to try other Gami favourites like the chicken spare ribs or the aptly named Potato Heaven, featuring three layers of cheesy potato goodness, as well as chilled Gun:bae lagers from Brunswick's Thunder Road Brewery. And if you can't make it down for a free piece, the Windsor store is already open for lunch and dinner daily.
If you can find New Gold Mountain it's a reward in itself – if you're beneath the bike on the wall, you're there. The drinks here are identified only by number, which can make things tricky (read: fun surprises) after you've had a few of them, and they're talking points in themselves. We only wish we could remember the number of divine cocktail that came in two glasses, designed to be consumed in alternating sips, but by that point an entire algebra problem had been downed.
This autumn, online vintage treasure trove Hawkeye Vintage will let you into its covetable closet — and everything will be up for grabs. You'll be able to get a feel of a Gucci cashmere coat, try on a Dior evening gown and fight over Chanel bags as a whopping 30,000 (yes, 30,000) items take pride of place in a Fitzroy Warehouse from Wednesday, May 15 until Sunday, May 19. The pieces on offer will run from the affordable right up to the super expensive — but all will be going at a reduced price. There'll be over 10,000 items priced between $10–20, while some of the vintage designer brands — such as Valentina, Gucci, Chanel, Hermes and YSL — will be going for upwards of $250 a pop. As well as the well-known designer labels, there'll be a heap of unworn vintage pieces from the 70s, 80s and 90s , which will range from silk scarves and sunglasses to denim, bum bags and leather belts. Entry to the massive sale is free, but you will need to reserve a spot here. We also suggest getting there early to snag the good stuff. The Hawkeye Vintage Super Sale will run from 9am–5pm.
Even the most adventurous of foodies have their limits, don't they? New documentary Bugs aims to put that idea to the test — and to make audiences squirm in the process. You don't make a film about two researchers from René Redzepi's experimental Nordic Food Lab exploring the culinary value and environmental benefits of eating insects without causing a reaction, after all. The eye-opening doco is one of 10 titles set to screen at the Antenna Documentary Film Festival when it tours to Melbourne from November 2-6. Regardless of how experimental your eating habits are, the flicks unveiled should whet the appetite of factual cinema fans thanks to a wealth of thought-provoking content. When the fest isn't trying to get viewers pondering their next meal, it'll be inspiring discussions about everything from a ladies man living with HIV to the impact of nuclear waste in a small Russian town. The former comes courtesy of moving opening night film The Charro of Toluquilla, while the latter informs documentary City 40, which examines the people trying to survive in one of the most contaminated places on earth. Aussie effort A Mother and A Gun, which has its world premiere at the festival, is also certain to get attendees talking as it explores the life of Shelly Rubin, the woman who fell in love with the leader of the Jewish Defense League. Elsewhere, environmental effort The Islands and the Whales and the latest chronicle of Bobby Sands and his famous hunger strike — as previously brought to the screen in Steve McQueen-Michael Fassbender collaboration Hunger — also feature among Antenna's list of films. The fest's 2016 lineup looks as varied as it is interesting. Images: Lloyd Dirks, Tom Truong.
Located in Avoca, Blue Pyrenees Estate boasts a hefty history, dating back to 1963. A pioneer in cool-climate viticulture since it first started out, it's long been one of the area's mainstays — with its 150-hectare property featuring plenty of vines, eye-catching gardens and a lake, and surrounded by a forest and mountains. Blue Pyrenees not only grows and picks its own grapes, but also makes its wine solely from said fruit, then packages it and sells it onsite. Taking a few cues from French-style vino, its range spans reds, whites, sparkling and rosé. Can't choose? Blue Pyrenees Estate's cabernet sauvignon was a double gold medal-winner at the 2020 China Wine and Spirits Awards, and features blackberry, leafy and oaky tastes. For those in the region, Blue Pyrenees' cellar door does tastings for $5, serves up quite the view and also lets patrons borrow a complimentary picnic rug. And, you can grab lunch, coffee or dessert from the cafe as well.
Belles Hot Chicken has flirted with all sorts of chook-centric creations over the years, but there's one classic Aussie chicken dish that it's left untouched. Until now. Head chef and co-founder Morgan McGlone has just gone and dropped the group's first ever chicken parma sandwich, as part of Belles' new limited-edition Italian menu, Parma di Bella. This star sanga ($13) teams a garlic-brushed Italian bun with crumbed chicken tenders, rich napoli sauce, melted pecorino and a shaved fennel and rocket slaw. And it's got a worthy accompaniment in the new chicken skin mac 'n' cheese ($6), featuring McGlone's classic macaroni side topped with crispy fried chicken skin, smoked paprika and a dusting of Italian seasoning. On offer at all Belles outposts from May 29 to June 19, the pop-up menu also showcases a couple of fittingly Italian booze matches. You'll find crisp tinnies of Peroni Red ($6), along with a special pull from the cellar: the unique Sicilian red, Frank Cornelissen Contadino ($16 a glass). Parma di Bella is available at Belles Hot Chicken Fitzroy, Collins Square and Elizabeth Street.
Take a trip along the Frankston line to the McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery, where the curators have locked in a pair of summer exhibitions. Housed in the gallery from December 13 through to February 21, Uncommon Australians and Talking to Shadows both present work by prominent Australian artists – albeit in very different forms. Arriving in Victoria courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, Uncommon Australians: The Vision of Gordon and Marilyn Darling pays tribute to the couple whose generosity and foresight helped bring the aforementioned gallery into being. The exhibition will feature portraits of various Australian icons, from Nick Cave to Elisabeth Murdoch. Running in tandem, Talking to Shadow showcases the material work from sculpture Tim Silver. The latest in a career that spans two plus decades, the exhibition consists of a video piece alongside steel and bronze sculptures cast from trees ravaged by bushfires in Tasmania.
UPDATE, October 2, 2020: Official Secrets is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube Movies and iTunes. When Keira Knightley came to fame kicking a soccer ball in Bend It Like Beckham, her steely determination played a considerable part. The English actor does purposeful and plucky with aplomb — earning Oscar nominations in Pride & Prejudice and The Imitation Game — and they're traits that keep serving her well nearly two decades after her big break. In fact, they're perfect for her latest role. Stepping into Katharine Gun's shoes in Official Secrets, Knightley is the epitome of dedicated and purposeful, as a British security services agent-turned-whistleblower needs to be. That focus keeps shining, too, as her version of Gun weathers the personal, professional and legal repercussions for her actions in trying to thwart the 2003 invasion of Iraq, including breaching the United Kingdom's Official Secrets Act. Yes, there's no doubting where Official Secrets found its title. Even if you weren't across this fairly recent incident, there's no guessing where the film is headed, either. But, working in the same tense mode as he did with 2015's Eye in the Sky, director/co-writer Gavin Hood still treats Gun's rousing true tale like a thriller with good reason — the ins and outs are stirring and gripping. His clear-eyed procedural also proves riveting because it remains immensely relevant, as do the reasons behind Gun's leak of classified documents to start with. While it was once rightfully considered scandalous, politicians, governments and leaders routinely lying to the public has become a regular part of life today; but daring to speak truth to power — and to force those in power to speak the truth — is still rare. It's an ordinary day for Gun when, during her usual translation and analysis duties for British intelligence, she receives an extraordinary email. Sent from a National Security Agency chief, the communication requests help gathering information about United Nations diplomats, in the hope of convincing the seven non-permanent members of the UN Security Council to vote for military action. Her superiors say that nothing is amiss, but using blackmail to send the world to war doesn't sit well with Gun. Once she sends the document to a friend, who then passes it on to a journalist, it doesn't sit well with Observer reporter Martin Bright (Matt Smith) either. After his front-page story hits newsstands, global outrage naturally follows. So does a spiteful investigation by Britain's powers-that-be, who'd rather attack Gun than admit any wrongdoing. As pieced together with workmanlike precision by Hood, who clearly understands the significance of the story, Gun's plight has many moving parts. Her Turkish husband Yasar (Adam Bakri) is seeking asylum in England, something that's unsurprisingly used against her. After she enlists a veteran human rights lawyer (Ralph Fiennes), she's told that she's not allowed to discuss her work with anyone, including legal counsel, or she'll face further charges. When Bright convinces his pro-war Observer editors to run with the story, an innocent internal error gets conspiracy theorists on the attack as well. Gun is an average Brit calling out wrongdoing in her workplace — wrongdoing with worldwide consequences — and she faces her government's wrath for doing so, but she's steadfast in standing by her actions. Gun is tenacious, courageous and committed — and yet, crucially, she's just a regular person. That's another reason that Official Secrets resonates so strongly. The film's subject is employed by British security services to gather intelligence, so on paper she's a spy, but she's really just someone sitting behind a computer, doing her job, and daring to challenge the status quo when it conflicts with her sense of right and wrong. Indeed, for all of Knightley's skill at playing insistent, dogged and earnest, she also captures this truth, as does Hood's polished yet never slick direction (a Bourne or Bond-style flick, this isn't). Official Secrets lurks in nondescript offices and watches everyday folks go about their work, while managing a delicate balancing act in the process, ensuring that Gun is a flesh-and-blood figure rather than a simplified martyr. This is also a movie with a clear outcome in mind and an overt emotional path, although that comes both with the territory and with telling this tale today. Many of the film's supporting players are tasked with underscoring the story's importance — Smith, Fiennes, Matthew Goodes and Rhys Ifans as other journalists, and Jeremy Northam as the public prosecutor eager to put Gun in her place — however Knightley utters the line that couldn't sum up Official Secrets better. Her character is yelling at the TV while watching the news and, yes, it feels relatable as it sounds. "Just because you're the Prime Minister, it doesn't mean you get to make up your own facts," she notes as Tony Blair talks about Iraq. Try not to injure yourself nodding forcefully in agreement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IVuxnXFrl8
North Geelong is home to this Palm Springs-inspired local favourite. Helmed by friendly owners Bek and Sev, this spot in the Geelong Vintage Markets serves up colourful and clever brunch plates with a focus on local produce. Sweet tooths will love the vegan and gluten-free breakfast panna cotta ($17) with housemade granola, poached rhubarb, seasonal berries, candied orange and milk of choice. The Pickers Union might also do one of the best breakfast burgers ($16) in town, which sees bacon, avo, crumbed feta, spinach, cheese and a free-range fried egg sandwiched in a bun from excellent local bakery La Madre. Coffee lovers will be impressed with the Cartel Coffee made in the cafe's Slayer Steam X machine, as well as the selection of house-label beans, available to purchase by the bag. Images: Julia Sansone.
Calling all companions, Whovians and Time Lords: the TARDIS has materialised in Melbourne. Again Thats right, a Totally Awesome Radical Doctor Who Impromptu Shop has opened up on Little Collins Street, allowing you to purchase all of your favourite Doctor Who memorabilia and necessities to fight Daleks. The pop-up shop is touring this time to promote the new Doctor, Peter Capaldi, and the launch of series eight on ABC TV in August. It will allow Australians to purchase exclusive merchandise never before made available to them. This includes replica props and coats from the UK and Canada, as well as the Doctor Who Home range, allowing you to pour your tea from a TARDIS themed pot and pour your emotions over the deaths of past and present companions into a Dalek-themed diary. Traditional merch items will also be on sale, including DVDs, books and toys. Oh, by the way, you can get your photo taken in-store in the TARDIS photo booth. The store is open 9am-6pm daily (except Friday when it's open 9am-9pm, Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 11am-4pm).
Before he’d even set foot in Australia, Tim Crouch’s work had played to rapturous audiences throughout the country, from Belvoir Street to the Perth, Melbourne and Sydney Festivals. Crouch is an internationally acclaimed theatremaker based in the UK, where he creates his own work as well as directing for the Royal Shakespeare Company, and it’s Shakespeare that’s the subject of his latest show. In his one-man piece at Arts Centre, I, Malvolio, Crouch drags the “notoriously wronged” steward from Twelfth Night out into the limelight. When I, Malvolio first opened in a Brighton school as part of that city’s festival, Crouch was also asked to make an “adult” version of the same work — now he adapts the piece on the fly in every show, depending on who’s in the house. “If there’s lots of adults the level of interaction becomes more mature and complex, with a younger audience the text changes slightly," he says. "There’s quite a lot of improvisation in this piece, but there’s also quite a lot of strictly scripted words, and it’s in the spaces where the improvisation exists that the piece changes depending on the audience.” His plays for older audiences typically have a strong ideological bent, pushing against the boundaries of theatre’s capabilities. But he’s found that younger audiences are often more attuned, present and receptive. In this respect, he characterises children and teenagers in a similar way to audiences at festivals, where most if not all of his international work is produced. “Festivals are melting pots,” says Crouch, “They are meeting points, because work from around the world gathers in those places. Everyone is much more porous — the audience come back at you more deeply.” I, Malvolio is the fourth in a sequence of five works that began in 2003 with I, Caliban, but Crouch never set out to make a “series”. In these pieces, he liberates characters like Caliban, Banquo and Cinna from the margins of Shakespeare’s plots, letting them take centre stage in their own fluid, transfigured adaptations. He’s keenly aware of the responsibility these works owe to their “host plays”, but each one is still a freestanding work in its own right. “It’s important that they don’t sit in the shadow of the Shakespeare play they come from; they have to be pieces with their own integrity.” Crouch believes that this kind of balance allows an Elizabethan playwright’s distinctive voice to resonate with a modern audience, invoking Harold Bloom’s belief in Shakespeare as the inventor of understanding of what it means to be human. “A character like Malvolio is still an archetype that exists in contemporary consciousness,” he says, “and it’s good for a young audience to understand there’s a continuum from that time to now, and how we think about ourselves as human beings. We can still trace our way back.”
You might not be able to jet off on a trip to the states anytime soon...but your tastebuds can. For this year's edition of Good Beer Week, the southside's own US-accented watering hole, Silverlake Social, invites you on a beery road trip through five different American states, stopping off at some of their leading breweries. Across three sessions (5pm, 7pm and 9pm) on Friday, May 21, the bar will host its USA Road Trip tasting adventure which will see you sampling top-notch beers from five breweries out of Oregon, California, Texas, New York and Massachusetts. Brewery representatives will be on hand to talk you through the night's diverse lineup of drops, including rare brews and even a few craft sips never before seen in Australia. Tickets come in at $79 per person, which includes beer tastings from all five breweries. If all that road-tripping leaves you feeling peckish, the kitchen will be dishing up its signature menu of Cali-inspired eats, from buffalo wings and baby back ribs, to the double-cheese Golden State Burger. [caption id="attachment_612833" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Hugh Davies[/caption] Top image: Hugh Davies
Bunjil Place in Melbourne's southeast might be the newest arts centre kid on the block, but it's certainly a new kid that's pulling its weight. The Narre Warren cultural precinct opened in 2017, and incorporates an 800-seat theatre, exhibition and function spaces, a gallery, a library and a civic centre as well as offices. And it has already won awards, taking out the Architecture of the Year prize at the 2017 International Design Awards. Major players in the Melbourne dance, opera and theatre scene will head to Bunjil Place this July, including the Narre Warren venue in their touring sights. No longer just the domain of those who live in the inner city, Bunjil Place will host performances from The Australian Ballet, Opera Australia and Bell Shakespeare. Opera Australia will perform heartbreaker Madame Butterfly, Puccini's epic operatic love story between a US Navy sailor and a Japanese woman, on Saturday, July 17. Directed by John Bell, the performance will include a children's choir partly drawn from Berwick's Melbourne Youth Chorale. The Australian Ballet's regional touring company will include Bunjil Place on its tour on Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July 21, presenting Coppélia, the story of an enchanted doll and the poor sucker who falls in love with her, thinking she's real. For serious theatre-goers, there's good news here too: Bell Shakespeare will perform Shakespeare's treacherous Julius Caesar, on Tuesday, July 31. Broken hearts and bodies all around.
Well, it looks like Brunswick Street has more than a few surprises up its sleeve for punters this season. First, the long-standing Provincial Hotel unveiled its sunny new rooftop bar, and now the team behind cocktail-slinging stalwart Polly has announced plans for a new addition to the strip: a soon-to-open bar named The Roy. Of course, this new watering hole is a whole lot less of a surprise for owner Casey Gordon and manager Chris Hinds, who've put in a solid two-year stint of renovations, shaping an unused nook at the back of Polly into a cosy drinking den. The result is what the pair describe as a laidback 'local's local', accessed via a rear laneway, decked out with a big screen for watching sport, and with a vibe that's a few notches more casual than its older sister. But that's not to say you won't find the same attention to detail and boozy prowess. Polly's years of expertise shine through in The Roy's drinks offering, which features a six-strong tap rotation running from the classic to the crafty, a broad lineup of wines by the glass, and a hefty spirits collection to top it all off. There's no word yet on an official opening date, but we'll keep you posted. The Roy is slated to open soon at the rear of 401 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. For more information, visit theroy.com.au.
A culinary collaboration is making its debut for one weekend only this month. Black Star Pastry and Hugo's Deli have teamed up to create a limited-edition watermelon combo, which will be available at the sandwich deli's location in Richmond. The combo features a watermelon katsu sandwich curated by Hugo's Deli. This sandwich includes a thick slice of watermelon marinated in soy, mirin, molasses and ponzu, paired with negi miso and charred cabbage yuzu slaw, all nestled between two pieces of shokupan bread. For dessert, customers can refresh their palette with Black Star Pastry's popular strawberry watermelon cake made of almond dacquoise, rose-scented cream, watermelon, strawberries, pistachios and dried rose petals. The famed patisserie will also unveil its new strawberry matcha latte, blending colours and flavours for a velvety refreshment. For those craving something extra, their latest carrot cake creation – made with walnuts, crushed pineapple, warm spices and cream cheese frosting – and yuzu streaks will be served at the event. The Black Star Pastry x Hugo's Deli Watermelon Combo will only be available from Saturday, April 6–Sunday, April 7, starting from 10.30am.
As with most DC universe superhero stories, Wonder Woman isn't aiming for lofty heights. Which is probably a good thing, because it hits right in the middle. We saw the superheroine appear briefly in Batman vs. Superman, where she was far and away the best part of the film. Now, in her origin movie, we get to see where she came from. Wonder Woman, Diana Prince, or Princess Diana of Themyscira (Gal Gadot), is raised on the secret island of Themyscira, home of the Amazons. When American soldier Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) washes up on their island, Diana defies her mother Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) by freeing him, before setting out to help humanity escape from, what she infers must be, the wicked influence of Ares the God of War (the Amazons are supposedly tasked with protecting humanity from Ares, although they seem to mostly just chill on their island). Diana and Steve sail to London in a dinghy, and travel to the front of World War I to find the wellspring of evil and end the war. Rollicking adventures soon ensue. As a narrative, Wonder Woman leaves plenty to be desired; a standard hero's quest but without elegance or depth. Words like 'love' and 'innocent lives' and 'protect humanity' are thrown around until they lose all meaning – although apparently, German soldiers do not count as humanity since the film sees them slaughtered in droves. The horrific trench warfare of WW1 is once again co-opted as gritty texture in an otherwise textureless film. Director Patty Jenkins manages to tick all the boxes of the worn out genre: fast-paced fight scenes, goodies versus baddies, a smattering of humour and a dramatic final showdown. If you're into caped crusaders, Wonder Woman is still probably worth your time. It's also good to see a superhero film with a strong female cohort – Gadot in front of camera, Jenkins behind, an island full of Amazonian warriors, and Elena Anaya playing the wicked Doctor Poison. And yet it's still basically impossible to call Wonder Woman a feminist film. For all the buzz about female empowerment, the movie falls prey to the same tired, sexist tropes that define all male-dominated movie franchises. We're talking blatant objectification, lack of agency, and outdated stereotypes. Diana is superhuman, with a whip that compels truthfulness and magic wrist guards that deflect bullets. She speaks over a hundred languages and has literally been raised from birth on an island surrounded by fierce fighting women. And yet everywhere she goes, she's greeted with comments about how smokin' hot she is. Can you imagine anyone doing that to Batman? Steve Trevor helps her off a boat and steers her through the streets of London with a possessive hand on her arm. He bosses her around. The men in her ragtag gang see her destroy a church and flip over a tank, but they don't quite believe she knows what she's talking about when it comes to strategy. They simply refuse to let her infiltrate the gala seething with German high command. At the end of the day, the woman is saddled with the same old shit – just as a protagonist and not a one-dimensional narrative device. At the end of the day, if you're just looking for another superhero flick, Wonder Woman should suit you just fine. But if you were hoping to see something revolutionary in terms of the representation of women, prepare to be bitterly disappointed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q8fG0TtVAY
Two gigantic Australian billboards were hijacked this week, now sporting seriously gnarly tatts. Located in Sydney's George Street and Melbourne's St Kilda Junction, the 16m x 6m billboards have been emblazoned with giant tattooed lions by longtime team-up Aussie artists The Yok and Sheryo in collaboration with LYNX. The two artists were invited to use their own unique styles and expression to transform the men's brand's latest outdoor campaign. Marking phase one of LYNX's brand new 'Expression Series', the billboards were completed over four days; with a limited run of t-shirts and posters available through Facebook. This isn't the first time the pair have worked together; The Yok and Sheryo have exhibited and painted their fantastical creatures everywhere from Mexico to NY, Atlanta, LA, Miami, Africa, Belgium, London, Europe, Seoul, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and Cambodia. So why the massive lions? The Yok has seen his fair share of expression-fuelling travel, moving to Africa from Australia and finding an addictive freshness in his newfound environment (lions included). "I moved to Kenya when I was 25 and I lived there for a year and a half; I think that had a real dramatic effect, it was a really rewarding experience" says The Yok in the behind-the-scenes video. "I really value that feeling, so maybe I'm always trying to chase that feeling again. It's kind of like being a kid and everything's new. "I remember when I saw my first lion in Kenya. Such an amazing animal to see close up; they're just so powerful-looking. I can't really describe what it is to look at a lion in the face, but they're an amazing creature." https://youtube.com/watch?v=zNQyWPUqdF0 LYNX aren't stopping at two gigantic billboards; the next phase of the 'Expressions Series' will see typographer Luca Ionescu and a photographer collaborate on a mystery project to be announced later in the year. LYNX's project aims to help Australian guys express themselves authentically, supporting creators who stay true to their vision but might not always have the opportunity to do so. Check out LYNX's 'Expression Series' over here and stay tuned for the next project announcement later this year.
It's cold in Norway during winter. That shouldn't come as a surprise — and, given that it's both set and shot in the Scandinavian nation, neither should the thoroughly frosty look of The Snowman. From the film's opening image, nearly every frame is dusted with the kind of iciness that only comes from particularly chilly climes. And yet, when a cop connects a series of seemingly random murders, her big discovery stems from the fact that it's snowing when each death occurred. Viewers can be forgiven for groaning loudly when this revelation is made. Faced with a screen full of white flakes for two long hours, if you find yourself thinking "isn't it snowing almost constantly?" then you certainly won't be alone. If you also start to wonder how observing the weather passes for smart police work in the world of the movie, or who thought that'd make an interesting plot point, that's understandable too. Then again, the hero of The Snowman goes by the name of Harry Hole, so perhaps it's best not to expect too much of the movie around him. Spied sleeping in the snow more than once, Harry (Michael Fassbender) is the type of grizzled drunk of a detective that gets away with being intoxicated and unreliable because he's supposedly brilliant — not that The Snowman dedicates any time to explaining why that is. After his latest bender, he partners up with aforementioned snow-spotter Katrine (Rebecca Ferguson) to investigate the slayings of a spate of Oslo women. When the duo aren't piecing together obvious clues, Harry is wading through his snowstorm of a personal life, involving his kindly ex (Charlotte Gainsbourg), her teenage son (Michael Yates) and her new plastic surgeon boyfriend (Jonas Karlsson). Bad storytelling, bad monikers, bland characterisation, by-the-numbers backstory, barely interesting procedural drama: there's an avalanche brewing in The Snowman, and it's of the generic and cliched kind. Indeed, the Nordic noir does come with its own intriguing case to solve, though it has nothing to do with the on-screen narrative. Rather, the mystery surrounds how such a dull flick sprang from such promising pedigree. Directed by Tomas Alfredson (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), scripted by Peter Straughan (Frank), Hossein Amini (Drive) and Søren Sveistrup (The Killing), and based on a best-selling book by Jo Nesbø (Headhunters), it's not as though the production is short on talent. A whole series of Nesbø's novels actually revolve around the unfortunately named Harry, although don't expect a whole series of films to follow suit. With Scandinavian crime a hit on the page, on TV and in cinemas, The Snowman is clearly designed to start a new detective franchise, but the final product will surely cause those hopes to melt. At least Fassbender proves suitably frosty, playing his part with a solemn demeanour and never threatening to thaw out. Alas, it's still not nearly enough to make audiences actually care about his character or anything that he does against the icy Norwegian scenery. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jBaPtX6NYY
Whey isn't just something that's mentioned in nursery rhymes. It's part of the cheesemaking process, and can be used to produce whey cheeses, too. So, it's essential to make ricotta — which you might want to keep in mind while you're attending the That's Amore Cheese Ricotta Festival. For one day, from 10am–3pm on Sunday, May 1, the Thomastown spot is going creamy with delight over all things ricotta. As you walk in, you'll get a hot serving of ricotta calda straight from the vat. Then, enjoy live music as you discover the versatility of ricotta with a menu of four-cheese ricotta gnocchi, ravioli, porchetta rolls, fresh cannoli, antipasto and more cheesy delights to feast on. Plus, there'll also be a range of local produce available for you to take home. If your stomach is already rumbling (and understandably so), you have two ticket choices. For $12, you'll get access to the festival, plus a hot ricotta on entry — and then you'll pay for whatever else you'd like to eat and drink. Or, for $40, you'll also receive servings of gnocchi, salsiccia, and a Cannoleria cannolo.
In a week that's already revealed the closure of The Commune Group's short-lived Alter Dining and celebrated fine diner Estelle by Scott Pickett, another Melbourne restaurant has announced its farewell. The latest news sees Andrew McConnell's St Kilda eatery Supernormal Canteen up for sale, 12 months after the chef transformed the space from its previous incarnation as Luxembourg. McConnell has had the Fitzroy Street site for seven years, since launching his first solo venture Golden Fields there back in 2011. Now, it's on the market as the owner moves to focus his attentions on the rest of his hefty restaurant stable. A Supernormal spokesperson confirmed the news, saying, "After seven years in St Kilda, we have decided to consolidate our focus on existing venues and projects." At this stage, no closing date has been set and the venue will kick on as usual, at least until a new buyer snaps up the site. The restaurant's CBD sibling, Supernormal will continue operating as usual. Pay Supernormal Canteen a visit while you still can, at 157 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda. Image credit: Nikki To
Need some inspiration to live a more sustainable lifestyle? You'll find plenty of it at Fed Square's RESET festival, which returns for another month of markets, film screenings, talks and art installations. From Sunday, September 1–Sunday, October 6, this celebration of planet-friendly living will feature a vegan market (September 7), a Zero Waste Festival (September 14) and a Big Toy Swap (October 2). The Plant Based Paradise vegan market will feature cruelty-free fashion, beauty products and home goods. There'll be plenty of food and coffee vendors slinging their wares as well, so visitors are encouraged to bring their reusable cups and containers. Stalls will also be offering reusable plates, cleaned onsite by the folks from Green My Plate. Expect to find panel discussions, installations and fun activations during the Zero Waste Festival, all designed to get you hooked on the idea of a waste-free future. You'll hear passionate zero-waste innovators chat tips, tricks and key topics, plus you can even join a guided tour of Fed Square's rooftop beehives. [caption id="attachment_970906" align="alignnone" width="2048"] The Slow Art Collective[/caption] There'll also be free outdoor film screenings from September 17–19, with each film celebrating and questioning society's relationship with the natural world. On Wednesday, October 2, towards the end of RESET, families can visit Fed Square to swap some of their lightly used toys, games and books with others — giving them another life. Other events throughout the festival include a two-day performance challenging the fast fashion industry (September 11 and 13) and an interactive art installation that the public will help create (September 23–October 6). Entry is free, but you can register online for certain events and talks. [caption id="attachment_866711" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Liam Neal[/caption] Top Image: Damien Raggatt
At the top of Uptown Jazz Cafe's unassuming set of stairs you'll find an iconic Melbourne live jazz experience. The venue has a jam-packed lineup of local and international talent every week, so sit yourself down and enjoy the tunes that come from some of the world's most talented jazz musicians. A perfect accompaniment to the evening — and one of the most-loved partnerships on the north side — is stand-out Japanese fare from downstairs neighbour Akari, who serves up delicious gyoza, okonomiyaki and sushi alongside beer and saké.
The yearly collection of dinners, film screenings, music and dance workshops that is Melbourne's Cultural Diversity Week is one-upping itself for 2017 by closing with a free music festival. A new event for 2017, Culture Waves will showcase young artists from diverse backgrounds that happen to be some of Australia's most talented up-and-comers. Following sold-out headline tours, Melbourne's own young gun lyricist Remi will perform his brand of soulful rapid-fire hip hop alongside producer and percussionist, Sensible J. Expect to hear tracks from his second album, Divas and Demons, which dropped last year. Gearing up for a massive 2017 with a new album and national tour, electronic R&B artist Yeo will also feature. With the release of his killer LP, Ganbaru, last year to acclaim from triple j, this funk, 'lo-fi disco' and K-pop-inspired set promises be every bit as upbeat and fun as it sounds. On top of this, keyboardist and composer Billy Davis will be joined by the Good Lords, and spoken word artist Sukhjit Kaur Kalsa will be emceeing the night.
Melbourne's no stranger to the boozy brunch concept, though this one does it a little differently to most. At modern Japanese restaurant Tokyo Tina, the ever-popular weekend brunch sessions come matched with a fun side of bingo, as hosted by the hilarious Valerie Hex. This big-energy brunch setup promises to fire up your Saturday with one of two weekly sittings — 12–2pm and 2.15–4.15pm. For $79, you'll spend two hours sipping bottomless tap beer, bubbly and Aperol spritzes, while feasting on your table's choice of five dishes from the brunch menu. Expect plates like miso-baked cauliflower, yuzu potato salad, five-spice chicken karaage, kingfish tataki with white ponzu and fennel, and the crispy avocado bao. There's complimentary kimchi rice and edamame to match. And if you're only in for the eats and entertainment, a drinks-less option comes in at just $49. The bingo itself promises a bit of raucous fun, especially those crowned bingo king or queen. Who knows — you could end this Saturday session with a sweet prize and serious bragging rights to your name. Either way, this is not the kind your nan plays. Just be sure to book online to nab a table. [caption id="attachment_848176" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Leah Traecey[/caption] Images: Leah Traecey
While Messina's main jam is crafting supremely scoffable gelato varieties, the brand's love of food extends far beyond the freezer — as it has proven plenty of times over the past few years. Sometimes, it likes to team up with other culinary hotshots. Sometimes, it just likes to whip out a creative dessert. Either way, your tastebuds always benefit. And this month, you're really in luck because from 12pm on Friday, July 9 and Saturday, July 10, Messina is busting out one of its specials. If you've sampled its famous mango pancakes before — yep, those treats that starred at its yum cha sessions — you'll already be hungry. The crepes come stuffed with mango sorbet and whipped cream, and they've proven immensely popular every other time they've popped up. After getting its hands on a new pancake machine last month, the cult gelato chain even hosted a dedicated mango pancake party at its Sydney HQ. And now, it's bringing this tasty occasion to Melbourne. The whole thing will go down at Messina's Fitzroy store, with pancakes on offer until sold out each day — so getting in early is recommended. A pair of pancakes clocks in at $12.
Zipping around the city running errands can be difficult without a bicycle accessory to hold all your belongings — backpacks get heavy and bags hanging off handlebars get caught in wheels. So counter this, Yeong Keun Jeong and Aareum Jong have created Reel, an invention that attaches to your bike frame using woven elastic and adhesive silicone buttons. This simple yet effective design comes in two parts: one long piece of elastic and a sheet of clear plastic buttons. By attaching the buttons evenly along the bike frame, Reel stops the elastic from sliding to the bottom of the frame by looping the elastic in a diamond shape. Acting as a woven basket, the elastic holds your items in place along the triangle frame so you can ride off into the sunset or down the street with whatever tickles your fancy in tow.
Still looking for that perfect romantic gift to satisfy your lover’s expectations this Valentine’s Day? Don’t sweat it - Instructables.com has the perfect solution for those who are in a creative drought. DIY beef jerky briefs are sure to provide a deliciously amusing experience this 14th of February. Forget about gag-candy underwear. These hand-made meaty undergarments are packed with protein and are guaranteed to cause some heat in the bedroom. Fun- Check. Sexy – Check. Practical – Check. All you need is some ground beef, a few flavourings to taste, a dehydrator and a little time, effort and love and voila – Valentine’s Day sorted. For vegetarians, or those unwilling to jeopardise their sex life today it’s probably best to stick to the old roses and chocolates combo.
This week marks the return of a much-loved St Kilda local, as Prince Public Bar reopens its doors and shows off the results of an extensive nine-month makeover. It's the latest piece of a multi-faceted overhaul for Acland Street's historic Prince of Wales Hotel — now just The Prince Hotel — which also included the closure of Circa and opening of fine-diner Prince Dining Room. The sprawling ground floor space has been reimagined at the hands of IF Architecture's Iva Foschia, while still respecting the building's Art Deco roots. Expect a series of light-filled, spacious zones, with a hefty oval bar taking pride of place at the heart and a staircase offering access to the hotel lobby and Prince Dining Room above. While it's best known as a spot for sinking beers, a kitchen expansion means Prince Public Bar now has those appetites sorted as well, serving breakfast through dinner daily. Roll in from 7am to fuel up with the likes of chilli and cheese scrambled eggs, mushroom shakshuka, or perhaps the honeycomb and vanilla hotcakes teamed with vanilla mascarpone and lemon balm. A range of Niccolo coffee, superfood smoothies and fresh juices paints a very different picture to the late-night visits of old. [caption id="attachment_758268" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kristoffer Paulsen[/caption] Elsewhere, the kitchen's slinging a hefty offering of bar snacks — think, sweet and sour fried cauliflower, or homemade sausage rolls — and classic counter meals including the likes of chicken schnitzel and wagyu sausages on polenta. A woodfired grill and rotisserie turns out dishes like a share-size crispy pork knuckle and a slew of steaks, while the signature roast series offers a different cut of meat or seafood for $26, Monday to Friday. Of course, the booze situation hasn't taken a backseat — you'll find a diverse spread of brews on tap, classic cocktails like negronis and old fashioneds, and a largely Aussie wine list featuring plenty of options by the glass. Happy hour runs from 5–7pm weeknights, delivering $8 schooners, basics and glasses of wine. And February will see the last piece of the puzzle fall into place, as wine bar and underground cellar Little Prince Wine opens in the space next door. Find Prince Public Bar at 2 Acland Street, St Kilda. It's open daily from 7am. Images: Kristoffer Paulsen
Rooftop bars are having a moment in Melbourne's hospitality scene, seemingly undeterred by the chill of colder months and spurred on by a promising start to spring. The latest indoor-outdoor space to join this new wave of drinking destinations is Sardine, boasting sky-high views in Melbourne's east. Announced as part of Chadstone's new $70-million entertainment hub, The Social Quarter, Sardine will form the second level of the new White + Wong's. Nestled on the upper level of the 750 square-metre restaurant, the standalone bar is home to uninterrupted views of Melbourne's city skyline and can accommodate up to 95 patrons. The drinks menu runs to the likes of local beers, wine, mocktails and cocktails. Standouts include the Moon Rabbit which mixes Drambuie, Lustao Amontillado Jerez and Demerara black tea with fresh lemon. Spice-lovers should beeline towards The La, which heroes chilli mango, lime, cranberry and maraschino with vodka. Peckish patrons can access the full White + Wong's menu from downstairs, but the bites and snacks section is particularly suited for the openair courtyard space. Peruse through fresh and tempura oysters, the latter served with a fresh nahm jim and kaffir lime mayonnaise. A summer-ready kingfish sashimi is served with Fijian-inspired heirloom tomatoes, chilli, lime, coconut cream and coriander. Crowd-pleasing dumplings range from a modern duck and chive xiao long bao, to traditional crystal skin prawn dumplings. Vegetarians can look towards gochujang wontons with Chinese cabbage, shiitake and tofu, or a Korean glass noodle salad. Sardine is open from 11am until late, 7 days a week at White + Wong's, Chadstone. Head to the White + Wong's website for more info. Images: Arianna Leggiero
Footy and classical music don't normally go together, but at Hamer Hall this Thursday that's all about to change. Inspired by one of the most memorable AFL games of the modern era — the drawn 2010 Grand Final between Collingwood and St Kilda — composer Tamil Rogeon has created a new original symphony, one befitting the heart-stopping drama of that fateful September day. Co-presented by the Arts Centre and the AFL, The Draw will be performed live by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra while the thrilling match unfolds on the big screen behind them. Every kick, every tackle, every roar from the crowd will be punctuated by the orchestra's performance, in what the bill describes as "a truly unique collision of two of Melbourne's greatest loves". Bring your tux, but don't forget your beanie. No word yet on whether they'll be serving hot pies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8isRkjvX36A
If you haven't yet had a chance to check out Gelato Messina's Creative Department — its pop-up restaurant serving up gelato-led degustations — then this July is the perfect time to do so. The gelato fiends are adding truffles to all their dishes for a series of special, seasonal dinners. In conjunction with Parksbourne Produce and Oakfield Truffles, Messina's Creative Department is crafting a special seven-course gelato-meets-gourmet mushrooms degustation running for just ten days, held in a private room behind the Messina Windsor store. So what kind of truffle-gelato goodness have the masterminds come up with this time around? Expect truffle oil with grapefruit and ginger granita; truffles with Kiwi kosho sorbet and oyster snow; truffle mousse with eucalyptus jelly and berry pepper sorbet; and cured duck egg yolk gelato with shiitake, celeriac and truffle foam. You'll also be trying the black truffle gelato with potato and parmesan risotto, which comes with truffle oil-infused oolong tea — plus the caramelised oak gelato with truffle and passionfruit souffle. Tickets are $160 per person and, based off how quick these things sell out around the country, you'll want to grab your tickets ASAP.
At age 30, Michelle Ryan, one of Australia's most celebrated dancers, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Intimacy is a reflection, of sorts, on Ryan's life since diagnosis. It offers a fictional stage for her experiences and delves into her most private thoughts and feelings. The show is a collaborative work between Torque Show, Michelle Ryan herself and Lavender Vs Rose, who play their original score live. Performers Michelle Ryan, Vincent Crowley, Emma Bathgate and Simon Eszeky explore real-life experiences with a sense of humour, dignity and sensitivity. Fans of Ryan's work as a choreographer, dancer, artistic director and advocate should definitely check this intimate dance piece out, and newcomers should prepare to get intimately acquainted. Intimacy plays as part of the Helium season of independent works, risk-taking stuff that is given a stage and resources through Malthouse. You can also catch the YouTube Comment Orchestra, Applespiel Make a Band and Take on the Recording Industry and META, a multisensory nightmare riffing on Kafka's Metamorphosis.
If you've spent the past few days puzzling over the weather and regretting your choice to stick that fan back in the garage, you're well within reason. As it turns out, parts of the state have this week smashed seasonal records, with an unusual autumn warm spell clocking some of the highest April temperatures we've seen in decades. On Tuesday night, Cape Otway took the cake, sweating through its highest April minimum in a whole 156 years. https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1118298566835998722 Around Melbourne Airport, the average maximum temperature usually sits around 20.4 degrees in April, though this week, the city hit 30.3 degrees on Tuesday and 30 on Wednesday. As the Bureau of Meteorology told The Age, the last time time we scored two consecutive days over 30 so late in April, was way back in 1922 — a whopping 97 years ago. The balmy temperatures look like they'll be sticking around for Easter, too, with BOM forecasting a warm start to the long weekend. After a cooler top of just 18 degrees today, Melbourne's looking at a sunny 22-degree maximum on Good Friday and 28 degrees on Saturday. Showers might threaten some of those Easter egg hunt plans on Sunday, though, when a cloudy 25 degrees is on the cards with 30-percent chance of rain. https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1118654549781360640 Top image: St Kilda by Visit Victoria.
Frances Ha is like a Woody Allen comedy, with Greta Gerwig as Woody Allen. She wrote this script together with director (and love friend) Noah Baumbach (Greenberg). Even if you really, really can't stand films/TV/books about self-involved, twenty-something-year-old white people trying to figure their lives out, this one is poised to charm. Larger than life, socially awkward and totally "undatable", Frances Halladay is one of the most loveable characters you'll meet this year. Her 28th year ends up being a difficult one, as her best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner) drifts away and she misses out on a position at the dance company she's been training with, but she remains the optimist. Filmed in dreamy black-and-white and also starring Girls' Adam Driver, Frances Ha is full of a scruffy joy that will have you dancing to Bowie's 'Modern Love' for days and days. Frances Ha is in cinemas on August 15 and thanks to Transmission Films, we have ten double passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already), then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Peonies sure are pretty, but Melbourne's lasting cold and rain mean you won't catch them in bloom for long. However, it's easy to make the most of their fleeting season with the return of Hello Blooms' annual Peony Party. Back for a ninth edition from 10am on Saturday, November 29, the team's Northcote HQ is offering pristine peonies for seriously good prices. Head along in person to score single bunches for $12 each until sold out, with hundreds up for grabs. Plus, this dog-friendly event is ramping up the fun with a host of games, giveaways and photo-ops. At the top of the list is Footscray's Kisume Canvas, who'll be on site inking flower-lovers with fine line blossom tattoos for $79 and $99. With past instalments of this popular peony extravaganza attracting a massive crowd, expect Hello Blooms' warehouse to be bursting with activity. So, make sure you get in early to round out spring with a rare flourish that smells oh-so-sweet.
Every format, medium and type of technology has its day. Some persist, but many pass by in blink-or-you'll-miss-it fashion. If you've got a landline handset clogging up your cupboard or an old cathode ray tube television in your spare room, then you know what we're talking about. Others enjoy revival years after their initial heyday, or are adapted for a new purpose. Take the risograph, for example. The 80s high-speed digital machine was designed and marketed as a cheaper photocopier, then received a second lease on life when it became the duplication and printing method of choice of zine publishers and artists. If it sounds like the type of format quite a few of the folks who frequent The Old Bar would use. In fact, the Fitzroy bar is paying tribute to the humble riso from 8pm on Friday, September 14, with 24 artists unleashing their interpretations of and experimentations with dying media. The exhibition isn't called Dead Format II for no reason. If the exhibition inspires you, you can head to a risograph workshop run by zine publisher Helio Press. They book out quickly, so keep an eye on the website for more dates.
Thinking of hibernating this winter? Think again — the City of Melbourne and the Victorian Government have teamed up to offer a swag of freebies and giveaways over the coming weeks, aimed at enticing locals to get back out and about post-lockdown. The new FOMO Freebies program will run from June 21–July 18, with a stack of retail, accommodation, tourism and entertainment giveaways up for grabs. Craving an urban escape? The Westin Melbourne and The Sofitel Melbourne on Collins are each offering 200 overnight staycations. Keen to catch a show? Wrangle one of 200 tickets to Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, or one of 200 tickets to Frozen The Musical. You could also score double passes to the NGV's Friday Night series, to see the fish at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium and to explore the city on Discovera's Hidden Bars & History Tour. Queen Victoria Market vouchers and tickets to Docklands' immersive playground Imaginaria are a few of the other goodies available. To get involved, stay tuned to the What's On Melbourne Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts. That's where details of each of the giveaways will be announced in advance over the next month. [caption id="attachment_791885" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Imaginaria, by William Hamilton Coates[/caption]
With the sunny season knocking on our door, what better time to celebrate some of the best new drops from Australia's natural wine scene? Especially when those drops are teamed with a blissed-out soundtrack and some sweet, summery Sunday arvo vibes. The folks at Abbotsford's Lulie Tavern are hosting a trio of daytime tasting parties, with natural vino and pét-nats the stars of the show. Each party will showcasing a different winery, with Adelaide Hill's Limus kickstarting the series (Nov 11), followed by Heathcote's Little Reddie (Nov 25) and Gladysdale's Amble rounding things out (Dec 2). Roll in from 4pm to try juicy, just-released pét-nats, and other nattys, with samples available by the glass, carafe or bottle. The winemakers will be around for a chat, too. You'll be able to do all this while kicking back to tunes from Liam McGorry & Friends (Dorsal Fins/Saskwatch) and making the most of Lulie's cracking new courtyard.
Nothing clears your head like an escape to the country, and Healesville Sanctuary is offering an opportunity to get back to nature while listening to live tunes and sipping on fine wines. Running from 12–4pm across four days, Acoustic Afternoons will see the wildlife centre's lawns filled with live music, snacks and a pop-up bar. Roll out your picnic blanket and listen to the likes of The Tuck Shop Ladies (on February 15 and 16) and Anita George (on February 22 and 23) while surrounded by gorgeous bushland. The bar will be serving local wine, beers and ciders, and cocktails starring Four Pillars gin, with charcuterie and a BBQ available to buy and eat, too. When you're not listening to the music — or visiting the sanctuary's many koalas, platypuses, dingos and other native animals — you can play giant lawn games. The live music afternoon is free with entry to the sanctuary, which you can book online in advance. Images: Zoos Victoria
As Australia reflects on the Gallipoli centenary and considers the countless global conflicts that have sprung up in the hundred years since, a free exhibition at the Hawthorn Arts Centre examines the relationship between art and warfare head on. With works across a range of different media including sculpture, photography, print, painting, video and installation, Conflicted: Adversaries in Art explores humankind's propensity for violence; with a particular focus on young people caught up in the cycle of conflict. A number of pieces in the show touch on the idea of childhood and loss of innocence, from Michael Peck’s beautiful oil paintings of a young boy wielding a bow and arrow, to photographs by Siri Hayes of her son making weapons in their backyard. Conflict: Adversaries in Art runs until May 31 at the Town Hall Gallery inside the Hawthorn Arts Centre. There'll also be a series of talks with the artists in the show, in which they’ll delve further into their artwork and ideas. For more information, visit the Town Hall Gallery website. Image: Michael Peck
In showbusiness, nepotism is as inescapable as movies about movies. Both are accounted for in The Souvenir: Part II. But when talents as transcendent as Honor Swinton Byrne, her mother Tilda Swinton and writer/director Joanna Hogg are involved — with the latter working with the elder Swinton since her first short, her graduation piece Caprice, back in 1986 before Honor was even born — neither family ties nor filmmaking navel-gazing feel like something routine. Why this isn't a surprise with this trio is right there in the movie's name, after the initial The Souvenir proved such a devastatingly astute gem in 2019. It was also simply devastating, following an aspiring director's romance with a charismatic older man through to its traumatic end. Both in its masterful narrative and its profound impact, Part II firmly picks up where its predecessor left off. In just her third film role — first working with her mum in 2009's I Am Love before The Souvenir and now this — Swinton Byrne again plays 80s-era filmmaking student Julie Harte. But there's now a numbness to the wannabe helmer after her boyfriend Anthony's (Tom Burke, Mank) death, plus soul-wearying shock after discovering the double life he'd been living that her comfortable and cosy worldview hadn't conditioned her to ever expect. Decamping to the Norfolk countryside, to her family home and to the warm but entirely upper-middle-class, stiff-upper-lip embrace of her well-to-do parents Rosalind (Swinton, The French Dispatch) and William (James Spencer Ashworth) is only a short-term solution, however. Julie's thesis film still needs to be made — yearns to pour onto celluloid, in fact — but that's hardly a straightforward task. As the initial movie was, The Souvenir: Part II is another semi-autobiographical affair from Hogg, with Swinton Byrne slipping back into her on-screen shoes. This time, the director doesn't just dive into her formative years four decades back, but also excavates what it means to mine your own life for cinematic inspiration — aka the very thing she's been doing with this superb duo of features. That's what Julie does as well as she works on the film's film-within-a-film, sections of which play out during The Souvenir: Part II's running time and are basically The Souvenir. Accordingly, viewers have now spent two pictures watching Hogg's protagonist lives the experiences she'll then find a way to face through her art, all while Hogg moulds her two exceptional — and exceptionally intimate and thoughtful — movies out of that exact process. Julie's graduation project is also an escape, given it's patently obvious that the kindly, well-meaning but somehow both doting and reserved Rosalind and William have been pushed out of their comfort zone by her current crisis. Helping their daughter cope with her heroin-addicted lover's passing isn't something either would've considered might occur, so they natter away about Rosalind's new penchant for crafting Etruscan-style pottery instead — using small talk to connect without addressing the obvious, as all families lean on at some point or another. They provide financing for Julie's film, too, in what proves the easiest part of her concerted efforts to hop back behind the lens and lose herself in her work. Elsewhere, an array of doubt and questions spring from her all-male film-school professors, and the assistance she receives from her classmates is quickly steeped in rivalries, envy and second-guessing. More than once, queries arise about why Julie makes particular choices — and seeing how Swinton Byrne responds under Hogg's meticulous direction is one of the key reasons that The Souvenir: Part II is as powerful and compelling as it is. Like everything in the film, it's a revelation in layers, which unpeel far deeper than merely asking Swinton Byrne to be her director's on-screen surrogate. An introvert, Julie is visibly unaccustomed to the scrutiny that comes with her ambitious project, and with needing to handle her inner hurt under a spotlight. Swinton Byrne makes that plain quietly but repeatedly, all while conveying how Julie's self-hesitation slowly dissipates the longer she goes on, the more she struggles with, and the more mistakes she makes and solves. How this process echoes through her work, shaping both it and Julie herself, ripples through to a disarmingly intense degree — and with crucial aid from cinematographer David Raedeker (Swimming with Men) and production designer Stéphane Collonge (God's Own Country). There's no shaking the grief of it all, of course. As a musing on mourning, plus a perceptive glimpse at how the bereaved are expected to soldier on despite placating words offered otherwise, The Souvenir: Part II is shattering. Amid movie-within-movie sequences that'd owe thanks to David Lynch and Charlie Kaufman if they weren't so clearly diffused through Hogg's own lens — and after the other glimpse at the industry that comes via Richard Ayoade's (The Electrical Life of Louis Wain) returning Patrick, now successful, pompous AF, helming a huge movie musical and an enormous scene-stealer — the all-encompassing chaos that loss begets is laid bare. It's what drives Julie into bed with one of Patrick's stars (Charlie Heaton, Stranger Things), and sees her place perhaps too much on her own film's leading man (Harris Dickinson, The King's Man). In another of the feature's standout moments, it's also what causes her to misunderstand the sympathies of her editor (Joe Alwyn, Mary Queen of Scots) when support becomes hard to find. The Souvenir was a fated romantic tragedy. It was a vehicle for its director to work through her memories, too, and immortalise what she's now decided to keep; yes, that title is oh-so-telling. The Souvenir: Part II is a meditation upon loss, heartbreak and life's worst existential and inevitable woes, and also a way for Hogg to sift through her memories about all those memories, not to mention the new ones she conjured up when she first turned them into a movie a few years back. It's as smart, sensitive and stacked as an immensely personal piece of cinema can be, and it's also thrillingly savvy about how subjective everything it shows and interrogates needs to be by necessity. Cinema isn't short on memoirs, many of them wonderful — recent Oscar-winners Roma and Belfast, for example — but The Souvenir and its just-as-phenomenal sequel are in a bold and brilliant realm all of their own.
Anytime's a good time for oysters, but there's only one occasion where it's perfectly acceptable to gorge on them to the point of no return: the Oyster Frenzy. It's not the Oyster Frenzy — the city's longest running all-you-can-eat oyster festival, held in Circa in St Kilda — but it's a similarly serious seafood celebration. And it has bottomless booze and molluscs, too. Oyster Frenzy is going down at the McKinnon Hotel on Thursday, September 20 from 6.30pm. As well as all-you-can-eat freshly shucked oysters — yes, all-you-can-eat — there will also be other fancy seafood canapés (which you also have unlimited access to) and bottomless booze. To help wash down all those oysters, you'll be able sip on unlimited bubbles, wine and beer. So, maybe, try and get Friday off work.
Hip Hop Hooray, it's nearly 2015 and to celebrate another year of trials, tribulations and triumph, the Prince is throwing a block party. Performing on the night will be a mix of up-and-coming as well as established hip hop acts from all over Australia, including The Funkoars, Briggs, Vents, Joelistics, K21, Daily Meds, Mathas and hosted by Reason. At $44.90 it's one of the cheaper NYE options, and perfect if you prefer live entertainment over DJs spitting out the latest club banger.
