Prepare to exclaim "yeah, science!" like Jesse Pinkman — and to see a whole lot more of Aaron Paul's Breaking Bad character. The acclaimed series is making a comeback, cooking up a movie that serves as a sequel to the show's finale. In the spotlight: Walter White's former student and protégé, who happens to be in a spot of trouble (again). When we last saw Pinkman in Breaking Bad's final episode six years ago, he had just escaped captivity, all thanks to Walt (Bryan Cranston). The latter was injured in the process, but when he asked his former meth cooking partner to kill him, Pinkman couldn't bring himself to do it. So, Pinkman ran, and Walt lost consciousness just a cop arrived. And, that's how the series ended. As happens when every great show comes to a conclusion, we've all wondered what happened next. Come October 11 — that's in just over two weeks — fans can find out. First revealed last year, and initially given the working title of Greenbriar, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie will continue Pinkman's tale in a thriller written and directed by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. Although this follow-up will span a single package rather than run across multiple episodes, it is still coming to a small screen near you thanks to Netflix. Dropping the debut teaser in August, and another one during this week's Emmy awards, the streaming service has, finally, blessed us with a full-length trailer today. The film is set "in the wake of his dramatic escape from captivity", with Pinkman being forced to "come to terms with his past in order to forge some kind of future", according to the official synopsis. In the trailer, you see him hiding from police, digging holes in the desert and instantly ageing after showering and shaving — all dropping small clues to what you can expect next month. Whether Cranston will show up in El Camino is still the subject of rumour, but the trailer does reveal a couple of familiar faces, with Pinkman seeking shelter with Skinny Pete (Charles Barker) and Badger (Matt Jones). And, right at the end, an unidentified voice asks Pinkman, "you ready?". Could it be Walt? Ed the Disappearer (Robert Forster)? We'll find out very soon. Check out the El Camino trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JLUn2DFW4w El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie hits Netflix on October 11.
At a time when we've all been spending more of our minutes, hours, days and months on home turf, Instagram has just launched a new feature to help you make the most of it — and to help throw some love towards all of the small businesses in your area. Hitting the social media platform from today, Tuesday, September 14, the new 'Map Search' function lets you use Instagram to find restaurants, bars, shops and venues near you. Can't decide where to grab lunch? Looking for a hair salon in your vicinity? This'll assist. How does it work? Map Search uses a map (obviously) that highlights popular tagged locations. You might've seen these spots pop up in your feed anyway, and you could've even tagged some yourself. And, you can access the new function in a few different ways. You'll see an icon in Instagram's Explore feature, which is where you can hit up the map, and even filter locations by fields such as salons and restaurants. You'll also now see maps pop up whenever you search for particular hashtags — the very pandemic-appropriate #takeaway, for instance — which'll then highlight the relevant places that fit the hashtag near you. The aim: to support small businesses, and to help Instagram users do the same. Thinking local has been one of the mantras of the past 18 months or so, due to lockdowns, restrictions and border closures — and we all know that the hospitality industry, and small businesses in general, have been doing it tough during the pandemic. Map Search also helps give small businesses a boost on a platform plenty of them are using, and that many of us are using to find them anyway. So, the proprietors of restaurants, bars and shops get another way to be seen by potential customers, and patrons get another way to discover their local haunts. Fancy looking further afield? While Map Search definitely lets you find places immediately around you, users can also search anywhere they like. Either pinch and drag the map to wherever you're interested in, click on an Instagram geotag — which'll bring up the map, so you can start searching from there — or just type wherever you're looking for into Explore. For more information about Instagram's new Map Search function, head to the social media platform's website.
How would you like to be in pictures? Screen Australia and YouTube have teamed up to map the Australian summer, and need your films and footage to do it. You can submit footage of your Aussie summer to the YouTube Map My Summer channel but it must have been filmed since December 1 2010. Inspired by Ridley Scott's Life in a Day project, Screen Australia have selected Dr George Miller, of Mad Max, Babe and Happy Feet fame, and short film maker Amy Gebhardt to create a film that captures the essence of Australian summer from all the public submissions. Gebhardt won the right to work alongside Miller thanks to her film Into the Sun, a dreamy, symbolic expression of our relationship with summer. Given the summer Australia has just had, the finished work could end up being anything from a disaster movie to a Jaws remake. Five contributors whose footage is used in the final film will be invited to attend the Sydney Film Festival premiere in June, where the crowd-sourced film will be screened, so get your summery, sub-three-minute video uploaded by the end of March and be a part of it! https://youtube.com/watch?v=QlIfgRqTB7M
Looking to be a little more mindful this year? Perhaps a get a bit more spiritual? Make tracks to Bendigo's impressive Buddhist structure, The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion (which also happens to the largest stupa in the southern hemisphere) in May. The annual appreciation for Buddha and his life, known as Illumin8, will take place across Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18. If Buddha is your jam and light installations and fireworks are your peanut butter, then roll on up. Illumin8 2019 will incorporate light sculptures in The Great Stupa's Peace Park, roaming performances and vegetarian and vegan food and market stalls. Be sure to visit the giant Jade Buddha while you're there, too (it's his day after all). The centrepiece of the whole shebang is a light projection show each night telling the story of Buddha's life, topped off by fireworks. Open your mind and let the light in (just don't get too close to the fireworks). Illumin8 2019 will run from 4–8pm on Friday, May 17 and 10am–8pm on Saturday, May 18. To purchase tickets, head to The Great Stupa's website.
Can you think of a better way to spend a muggy, summer night than heading down to St Kilda for an outdoor movie? From November 29 to December 21, American Express is letting you do just that when it brings its outdoor cinema to Melbourne. Movies on the big screen include new hits like Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born, Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong in First Man and the latest Harry Potter instalment Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. All the Christmas classics will be playing, too, including Love Actually, Dirty Dancing and Elf. Fitzroy's Ladro will once again be slinging its woodfired pizza, and a bar, serving 4 Pines beer, Giesen wines, Pimm's and Black Devil Cider, will keep your thirst quenched all night long. In addition, there will be 23 events across the installation, including live music performances, DJs, trivia and a craft area with masterclasses in knitting and macrame. Oh, and it's a dog-friendly space, so you don't need to leave part of your family at home. Plus if you're an Amex user you'll get 15 percent off select tickets, plus a lounger and bites for the movie.
From November to March each year, the turtle nesting and hatching period kicks into gear along Queensland's coastline. First, the shell-wearing critters lay their eggs. Then, they wait for their young to emerge. If you're a fan of the animals, it's prime turtle-spotting season. Located within the Mon Repos Conservation Park and home to the largest population of nesting marine loggerhead turtles in the South Pacific, the Mon Repos Turtle Centre has long hosted tours during breeding season, letting turtle lovers watch nature in action. When the 2019 period commences, visitors will not only be able to see the sea-dwelling creatures come home to lay their eggs, watch their babies hatch and witness the cute infants make their first journey out to sea — they'll also be able to roam around a revamped facility. Launching in November along with this year's tours, Mon Repos Turtle Centre will unveil its $22 million renovation, with $17 million of that funding provided by the Queensland Government. While it'll get plenty of traffic during peak turtle-viewing season, the aim is to entice visitors all-year-round. To help, the refreshed centre will boast an immersive theatre room that recreates the turtle nesting experience. Attendees will take off their shoes, step onto sand and watch the process, regardless of whether they're heading on a nightly tour or just stopping by in the off-season. Other new additions include a cafe, touch screen TVs and new displays. The revamped facility will also be decked out with new interpretive signage, welcoming visitors to the region by its First Nation tribes — the Gooreng Gooreng, Gurang, Tarebilang and Byellee peoples. Find the Mon Repos Turtle Centre at 141 Mon Repos Road, Mon Repos from Saturday, November 9. For further details or to book tickets, visit the centre's website.
If you're feeling in the need for a refreshing, summer-friendly art experience, head along to the Monash Art Gallery for a squiz at their new exhibition, Life Aquatic. Taking the fact that a whole lot of a) the earth, and b) our bodies are made up of water as a starting point, the exhibition will explore the omnipotence of water through photography as a meeting of science and art. Showcasing a number of underwater landscapes from three different photographers — Narelle Autio, Ruth Maddison and Catherine Nelson — Life Aquatic will remind you that there is life below sea level — and lots of it. Check out the photos, then go for a wander in the Underwater Garden installation at the gallery by Poppies For Grace. Image: Red Nails, Narelle Autio (2006).
Deadly Ponies is a permanent fixture in the fashion landscape, and it's clear to see why — boundary-pushing designs, carbon-zero certification from Toitū Environcare and a commitment to both creativity and transparency. With over 15 years in the market, the Aotearoan leather accessories label — fronted by designer Liam Bowden — has seen success the world over, regularly held in the crook of a celebrity or fashion-stalwart's arm, including their homegrown talent Lorde. A classic crossbody in a fashion-forward colourway (like 'coconut ice')? Maybe an impossibly soft yet chic shearling tote? If you're looking for luxe mixed with an unwillingness to compromise on sustainability, Deadly Ponies delivers in troves. Now, dear Melburnians, it's time to peruse in person, with the addition of a bricks and mortar standalone on Armadale's High Street, as well as a dedicated Deadly Ponies Concept Space on Little Bourke Street in the CBD. Both stores were conceptualised by long-time collaborator and celebrated interior designer Katie Lockhart. The delivered spaces are natural extensions of the creatives behind the brand, with pared-back tones and textures, and carefully scattered trinkets and treasures. It's a clever pairing of new and vintage, reminiscent of homely, lived-in comfort — though not lacking a lick in design-centric styling, with the flagship's staggering window display and soft metallic accents catching eyes, and the concept space (which is within Myer) delivering yellow and blue hues via a rug hailing from 1940s France. Taking the stance of innovation when faced with the social and environmental cost of its wares is just one of the core practices that makes Deadly Ponies — and its coveted bags — so worthy of the attention and accolades it's afforded. With the annual Recycle collection, crafted completely from offcuts, and an in-store amnesty program for returning your Deadly Ponies once they're all loved out, circularity is never an afterthought. Consciously created high fashion accessories — what's not to love? Head in-store to discover the Deadly Ponies experience for yourself.
Eleven is a peculiar age: no longer rugrats, not quite teenagers (but please don’t call them tweens), today 11-year-olds are privy to more knowledge and information than any generation before them, incidentally making them fascinating fodder for documentary filmmaking. In 2005 Melbourne director Genevieve Bailey embarked on a six-year journey that spanned 15 countries on a mission to capture something of the lives of 11-year-olds around the world. The fruit of her labour is the now internationally acclaimed cinematic portrait of adolescence that is I Am Eleven, which since opening at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2011 has screened in the US, UK, Brazil, France, Sweden, Canada and Spain, winning numerous awards along the way. At once cute, hilarious, deeply touching, intriguing and heartbreaking, Bailey's film transports the viewer back to a time in life when romance looked like a Disney movie, becoming an adult was marked by "your voice changing" and anything seemed possible. Kids say the darndest things. To celebrate the launch of the DVD, Genevieve Bailey will be joined by some of the now nearly full-grown cast of I Am Eleven for a discussion at Readings Carlton this Wednesday. We can only hope little French genius Remi will be there and is still single. Image credit I Am Eleven.
Weekend brunch is set to score a sweet-toothed makeover when two Melbourne favourites join forces to deliver one very indulgent feast. On Sunday, March 22, doughnut doyen Morgan Hipworth (Bistro Morgan) descends on The Smith to co-host a special edition of the bar's weekly bottomless brunch. Guests will tuck into one of the dishes from the collaborative menu, which features plenty of doughnuts. Choose from the likes of a fried chicken french toast crafted with Hipworth's signature dough, a maple bacon doughnut number and a doughnut smashed pav with meringue, lemon curd and white chocolate. It's sweet meets savoury, in the best way possible. The real star of the show, however, will be the stunning doughnut tree, popping up on site exclusively for the occasion. Its branches will be hung with limited-edition cherry blossom doughnuts, ready for punters to pick themselves. And to drink, The Smith bar has dreamt up a special dessert-themed cocktail — topped with a doughnut, of course. Brunchers will score one on arrival, before settling into two hours of free-flowing spritzes and prosecco (from a fountain, no less) with their feast. All of this will set you back $60. The Smith x Bistro Morgan brunch pop-up runs across two sittings: 11am–1pm and 2–4pm.
Come with us on now, on a journey through time and space, to the world of Behind The Boosh. You may not hear those words spoken aloud when you walk into the exhibition celebrating British comedy troupe The Mighty Boosh, but fans will think them. When you're peering at behind-the-scenes peeks into Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding's hilarious and surreal creation, as snapped by fellow group member Dave Brown, that's the very first thing that should come to mind. A part of all things Boosh since the troupe was first formed in the 90s, Brown played Bollo the Gorilla, Naan bread, Black Frost and Australian zookeeper Joey Moose. He's also taken care of tour posters, DVDs, set graphics and merchandise; compiled and designed The Mighty Book of Boosh; and had a hand in Boosh music and choreography. And, he's been snapping away with his camera — the results of which are gracing this photography showcase. There aren't enough elbow patches in the world for this exhibition, or shoes filled with Baileys. Whether or nor you can find either — or the black hair dye and strong hairspray needed to get Vince Noir-style locks, green Old Gregg-esque body paint or 60s-era suits that look like they've been taken straight from Howard Moon's wardrobe — heading to Melbourne's North Gallery from Wednesday, August 2–Sunday, August 6 means getting a glimpse into the minds behind The Mighty Boosh's stage shows and radio series, and obviously the three-season TV gem also called The Mighty Boosh. Brown's two decades of images traverse a history that saw The Boosh become a live smash at the Edinburgh and Melbourne Comedy Festivals, then a 00s cult hit on the small screen. These days, Fielding might co-present The Great British Bake Off and do team captain duties on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, while Barratt has been playing a part in The Great, but they'll always been known for The Boosh. Brown is also in Australia with the exhibition, and doing an artist talk to chat through his work — and being part of a troupe, plus their various onstage and on-screen shows, where anything could happen — on Saturday, August 19. Images: Dave Brown.
Frustrated at the distant Australian release date for The Great Gatsby? Forget the flamboyance and pizzazz of Baz Luhrmann's film, because the best way to get lost in the decadent world of The Great Gatsby is through this 8-bit video game. Okay, maybe we're exaggerating a pinch, and maybe this isn't the best bit of Gatsby paraphernalia going around. But the Great Gatsby video game is undoubtedly the best Friday afternoon procrastination that we have stumbled across in a very long time. https://youtube.com/watch?v=yqTUKgQ_Cz4 The story behind the making of the game is a Gatsby-esque rags-to-riches tale in itself. Having come across the 8-bit Nintendo game at a yard sale and forking out a whopping 50c for it, the developers thought it deserved some time in the sun and transformed it into an open-source online game. For all the Gatsby fans out there, the thrill of playing as a butler-and-showgirl-killing Nick Carraway in search of both your fortune and the mysterious Gatsby himself is only matched by the games plethora of references, some of which we loved (like that deliciously smug gentleman reading a book and dishing out directions), and some which I imagine flew right over our heads. If nothing else, the game may just be one more thing to get us in the mood for Luhrmann's film, which by now we're busting to see. Via Fast Co.Create.
Just how many finished cigarettes have been stamped out on the footpath, or casually flicked into the gutter? According to Greenbutts, no less than 4.5 trillion annually. And while these trillions of cigarette butts (typically made from cellulose acetate) are technically biodegradable, they take between 10 and 15 years to decompose. In 2006, cigarette butts amassed to 24.7% of the rubbish collected during the International Coastal Cleanup. Greenbutts has introduced a 100% natural alternative to traditional, chemical-laden cigarettes. Greenbutts' cigarette filters are composed of plant seeds, natural flax, cotton and de-gummed hemp, all bound together by natural starch and water. When covered by a thin layer of soil, discarded Greenbutts will sprout into flowers: a much lovelier and eco-friendly sight than a squashed butt. [Via Lost At E Minor]
Wonder Woman. Ghostbusters. Annihilation. Hollywood has come a long way since the film days of yore, when female characters were under-represented and over-sexualised. Hasn't it? Well, maybe not quite. The costuming in this year's Tomb Raider reboot isn't quite as pervy as in the 2001 original, but outside of that there isn't much improvement. Certainly, things aren't different enough to really warrant a remake – or to catch the franchise up with the momentum of progressive feminism. This new film sees a young, broke Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander, replacing Angelina Jolie) follow in the footsteps of her mysteriously deceased adventurer father, crossing land and sea to find out what happened to him. Vikander does her best as the butt-kicking, braid-flicking protagonist – her guts and grizzle were enough to make me ponder my own laughable levels of fitness. That said, the fact I found myself thinking "grrrl you are ripped" about a zillion times gives you an indication of how little else there is to latch onto. Turns out a kick-ass heroine isn't enough to counteract crap writing. The dialogue in Tomb Raider is horribly stilted, so much so that the film's villain sounds like a parody of himself. If you had a dollar for every cliché out of his mouth – or for every time someone says something along the lines of "that's not the type of Croft I am – you'd easily have enough to cover the cost of your ticket. Despite what the writers might think, you can't just take a sub-par line of dialogue and repeat it until it becomes a zinger. The film's plotting, meanwhile, plays like a lazy mix of tropes from Raiders of The Lost Ark and The Hunger Games, with the moody origin story vibes of Batman Begins thrown in. Director Roar Uthaug doesn't manage any of it particularly well, although there are – spoiler alert – a lot of scenes where Vikander struggles in bodies of water, and they're all convincingly shot (I wrote the word "STRESSFUL" several times in my notes). The film also fails to take advantage of its strong supporting cast. Kristin Scott Thomas is chronically underused, while Nick Frost shows up all too briefly to deliver one of the movie's only genuinely funny moments (as opposed to its many unintentionally funny ones). At least the producers thought to cast someone other than a generic Hollywood white guy as Lara's partner in crime. Sadly, Daniel Wu's Lu Ren is relegated to the background in no time, and only pops up when required by the plot. The best bit of the entire Tomb Raider ordeal? To be honest, it was the very attractive promo men swinging around ropes in the foyer before the media screening. When that's the case you know you've got a dud on your hands. Our advice: give this flick a miss. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ndhidEmUbI
More than a decade after making its off-Broadway debut, critically-acclaimed play The Exonerated will have its first ever Australian performance, courtesy of an independent Melbourne theatre company driven by an honourable cause. Written by husband-and-wife duo Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, the play consists of six harrowing tales of death row inmates convicted of crimes they didn’t commit. It's grim stuff, particularly when you consider that all six stories were based on actual cases, whittled down from more than 40. The Melbourne show, at Chapel Off Chapel, is the latest production by The Sol III Company — a group which raises money for prison programs and to help overturn wrongful convictions in both Australia and the US. Money made from ticket sales will be donated to Innocence International and Liberation Prison Yoga. The Exonerated runs from May 20 to June 7. For more information, head over here.
If you thought Melbourne getting a George Costanza bar was cool (or maybe you're just more of a Beetlejuice fan), you'll be pretty impressed by New York City's latest attempt to one-up itself when it comes to themed establishments. Set to open early next month is a Tim Burton-inspired bar and restaurant, very aptly named Beetle House. Millennium made. The Manhattan bar comes from the same team who thought (and were indeed correct in doing so) that the island needed a Will Ferrell-themed bar, which opened in October last year. Beetle House, however, promises to recreate Halloween all year-long with "an atmosphere and menu inspired by the works of Tim Burton". Perfect for the regular Edward Scissorhands or ghosts stuck haunting the East Village. Potions will include the likes of the This Is Halloween (a concoction of pumpkin, cinnamon and apple liqueurs, ginger beer and apple cider) and the We Come In Peace, which is a questionable mix of salted caramel vodka, RumChata, cream and a caramel swirl salted rim. Other well-named sips include the likes of Edward's Lemonade, It's Showtime and Beetlejuice (naturally). Drink at your own peril. To eat, you can choose from the likes of Beetle Bread bruschetta, the Victor Van Pork burger and the Sweeney Beef steak. Beetle House is located in the East Village at 308 East 6th Street. If you've got a trip planned to NYC anytime soon, we suggest booking a table in advance lest you have to go to an unthemed restaurant instead.
It's not like you need an excuse to get stuck into some hummus, but this week, Bar Saracen Head Chef Tom Sarafian is giving you a few extra reasons to load up on his restaurant's famed chickpea dish anyway. The kitchen has been quiet at the Punch Lane venue for the past few weeks, with the doors closed to both dine-in guests and takeaway orders during this current stretch of restrictions. Which has left Sarafian with a little extra time up his sleeve. And that time's now being used to whip up batches of signature hummus to raise much-needed funds for those impacted by last week's devastating Beirut explosion. The Lebanese capital holds a special place in the chef's heart and has been the catalyst for some of his best work. "I honestly wouldn't have learnt to make this hummus (or a lot of my dishes) and share it with Melbourne if it wasn't for my trips to Beirut, and the hospitality and generosity of its people," said Sarafian in a statement. https://www.instagram.com/p/CDpx6bxjH3E/ So now, for the first time in a little while, you'll be able to get your mitts on Bar Saracen hummus by the tub, all for an excellent cause. The 300-gram serves come paired with sumac pita crisps, clocking in at $20, with all proceeds going to Lebanese Red Cross. If you live within ten kilometres of the CBD venue, you can have a tub dropped to your door for free, with complimentary home deliveries running Sunday, August 16, and Monday, August 17. Can't wait that long and live within five kilometres of the restaurant? You can swing past Bar Saracen between noon and 3pm this Thursday to Saturday, to nab some fundraiser hummus straight from the source. If that's not in your allowed radius, thankfully a stack of other venues will also be selling the hummus tubs (for $15 with no crisps) this weekend, including Baker Bleu, All Are Welcome, Wild Life Bakery, Meatsmith, Falco Bakery, Spring Street Grocer and Park Street Pasta & Wine. Check in with your closest to see when they're open and whether they've got stock. Hummus le Beirut is available to buy online now, and can be picked up from Bar Saracen from 12–3pm, August 13–15 or home-delivered from August 16–17.
You've probably heard all about the power of blockchain, but we bet you didn't know cryptocurrency could get you free burgers and gelato. Well, it can (kind of). To celebrate the launch of Liven Coin (LVN), the world's first digital currency for food, Liven has teamed up with Gelato Messina and 8bit to bring you a whole month of crypto-inspired dishes. And if you're a new Liven user, you can get your hands on them for free — or discounted if you're an existing user. Available in Sydney and Melbourne until Monday, November 19, the limited-edition dishes are both creative and innovative. It allows you the opportunity to invest in LVN coin just by dining at your favourite restaurants and rewards you every time you eat out. 8bit will be serving up the Insert Coin burger with a beef patty, american cheese, smashed avo, feta and the much-loved 8bit sauce. New users can score it for free while existing users will get $5 off. Meanwhile, Gelato Messina will sling scoops of ChipOCurrency, a decadent peanut butter gelato with white chocolate and potato chips. New users can get two scoops for free and existing users get one. If one month of freebies is not enough, Liven is also giving one lucky person free gelato and burgers for 12 beautiful months — all you have to do is enter with a quick comment on this Facebook post. Good luck and happy feasting.
This is what cheese dreams are made of: Flinders Street favourite Arbory Bar is hosting daily three-cheese fondue until the end of August. Running throughout winter, indulge in a hot, buttery combination of Swiss Gruyere, San Rocco La Fontella and Truffle Pecorino at one of Melbourne's best bars. The hot cheese will set you back $20 per person and is available for pairs to up to groups of four. "Alongside the molten fondue, you'll find sliced French baguette, truffle potato rosti, pretzels and pickles, for all your dipping pleasures. There's something for everyone," Executive Chef James Gibson says. If you're really looking to ward off Melbourne's dipping temperatures, you can add a selection of cured meats to the table for an additional $20. The Arbory team has promised a rotating selection along the lines of capocollo, bresaola and prosciutto, so you'll have an excuse to visit a couple of times this winter. Images: supplied.
Have you ever felt overshadowed by a more successful sibling? Chin up. Odds are you never felt it as bad as poor old Edmund Shakespeare. A struggling actor fifteen years the junior of his rather more successful older brother, little is known about the youngest Shakespeare boy — well, other than the fact that he may have been the inspiration for the villainous bastard Edmund in his brother's play King Lear. Ouch. Now, some four centuries later, another playwright will draw his inspirations from the life of anonymous Edmund, along with a multitude of other characters both historical and imagined. Edmund. The Beginning is the new one-man show from veteran theatre maker Brian Lipson, who'll take the stage for a limited season at Arts House in North Melbourne. It's Lipson's first solo outing since his acclaimed show A Large Attendance in the Antechamber won a pair of Green Room Awards back in 2000.
Since 1999, Teage Ezard's eponymous fine diner has lived on Flinders Lane. But now it is no more, with Ezard this week announcing the permanent closure of the CBD spot. Together with Ezard's other more casual restaurant Gingerboy — and much of Melbourne's hospitality scene — Ezard temporarily closed in late March due to COVID-19 restrictions. That closure was switched to a more long-term decision on Thursday, June 4, when the acclaimed chef announced on social media that the restaurant would not be reopening. "Today we announce the end of an era," Ezard said in the post. "As we work towards exciting new beginnings, we have decided to close Ezard restaurants." Ezard's Yarra Valley restaurant, Ezard at Levantine Hill, has also shut up shop, with the winery announcing it will be offering 'an exciting new wine and food offer' when it reopens to the public on June 25, 2020. https://www.instagram.com/p/CA_m4S5jtIa/ As for Ezard, he says new projects (yes, plural) are in the works for 2021. "For many months, we have been evaluating, reshaping and planning for exciting new projects to come in 2021. As a company, we're exploring casual dining and experiential ventures," Ezard said. The chef's hawker-style CBD spot Gingerboy remains open and continues to be takeaway-only for the time being. Both pick up and delivery are available at present, with the restaurant offering its dumplings, curries and bottled Korean barbecue sauce to-go. Ezard is now closed. We'll let you know when more information about Teage Ezard's new ventures are announced.
Shop pre-loved bric-a-brac, clothing, accessories, antiques and collectibles, records and more at the Geelong Vintage Market. The impressive indoor market is open seven days a week and there are over 60 stalls to browse, so make sure you dedicate a good couple of hours to take a look around. Got some extra things you want to offload? The market takes donations and can also buy your second-hand goods — it offers top dollar for good quality vinyl, CDs and CD singles (remember those?). If you need to refuel, pop next door to The Pickers Union for a great brunch and coffee. Images: Julia Sansone
Originally scheduled to run in April as part of the now postponed Wominjeka Festival's tenth anniversary edition, this thought-provoking exhibition will instead kick off from Tuesday, August 4. As with all of the festival's parties, workshops and events, Blak to the Future III is a project helmed by First Nations peoples — this one's been put together by artist and curator Rosie Kalina. Showing for free at the Footscray Community Arts Centre's Roslyn Smorgon Gallery, the exhibition features works from a dynamic group of young creatives, offering a collective peek at a decolonised Aussie future. Emerging Indigenous talent including Soju Gang, Kyle Taylor, Caleb Thaiday, Tre Turner and Kalina herself deliver a broad mix of visual art works and textile pieces designed to get you thinking. And don't miss the sprawling collaborative mural, which is set to take pride of place within the exhibition space. Image: Gianna Rizzo
Sweet tooths, assemble. Pastry chef Pierre Roelofs and his team of wicked enablers have packed up their summer soft serve pop-up and resurrected their legendary Dessert Evenings, shattering our halfhearted plans to cut down on the sweet stuff like the ears on all those chocolate Easter bunnies we devoured over the weekend. Oops. After five years at Cafe Rosamond in Fitzroy and a short stint at Adriano Zumbo's Fancy Nance in South Yarra last year, Roelofs' dessert extravaganzas are making the move to a new home: Milkwood in Brunswick East. Hosted every Thursday night at the cosy Nicholson Street cafe, diners can expect a four-course degustation — the catch being that all four courses are dessert. The menu is top secret and changes every time. We can tell you that previous evenings have involved ridiculous concoctions of mascarpone, strawberry, honey, orange, cardamom and speculaas, as well as a deconstructed bread and butter pudding served in one of Roelofs' famed dessert test tubes. The first dessert evening will kick off next week on Thursday, April 7 with sittings at 7pm, 8.20pm and 9.40pm. You'll need to book in advance — so for the love of the dessert Gods, do so right away. Pierre Roelofs' Dessert Evenings will be held every Thursday evening at Milkwood, 120 Nicholson Street, Brunswick East. The four-course degustation will cost $55, and you can book here.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas across the country. After months spent empty, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, Australian picture palaces are back in business — spanning both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, comedies, music documentaries, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T4GIqEYyNk&feature=youtu.be RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON Featuring a vibrant animated spectacle that heroes vivid green and blue hues, a rousing central figure who is never a stock-standard Disney princess and lively voice work from an all-star cast, Raya and the Last Dragon boasts plenty of highlights. Directed by Don Hall (Big Hero 6) and Carlos López Estrada (Blindspotting), co-directed by Paul Briggs and John Ripa (both Disney art and animation department veterans), and penned by Qui Nguyen (Dispatches From Elsewhere) and Adele Lim (Crazy Rich Asians), the Mouse House's new all-ages-friendly release also embraces southeast Asian culture with the same warm hug that Moana gave Polynesia and Pixar's Coco sent Mexico's way — and it's always detailed, organic, inclusive and thoughtful, and never tokenistic. But perhaps its biggest strength, other than the pitch-perfect vocal stylings of Awkwafina as the playful, mystical half of the film's title, is its timing. Disney first announced the feature back in August 2019, so the company can't have known what the world would suffer through from early 2020 onwards, of course. But a hopeful movie about a planet ravaged by a destructive plague and blighted by tribalism — and a feature that champions the importance of banding together to make things right, too — really couldn't arrive at a more opportune moment. COVID-19 has no place in Raya and the Last Dragon; however, as the picture's introductory preamble explains, a virus-like wave of critters called the Druun has wreaked havoc. Five hundred years earlier, the world of Kumandra was filled with humans and dragons living together in harmony, until the sinister force hit. Now, only the realm's two-legged inhabitants remain — after their furry friends used their magic to create the dragon gem, which saved everyone except themselves. That's the only status quo that Raya (voiced by Star Wars' Kelly Marie Tran) has ever known. Her entire existence has also been lived out in a divided Kumandra, with different groups staking a claim to various areas. With her father Benja (Daniel Dae Kim, Always Be My Maybe), she hails from the most prosperous region, Heart, and the duo hold out hope that they can reunite the warring lands. Alas, when they bring together their fellow leaders for a peaceful summit, Raya's eagerness to trust Namaari (Gemma Chan, Captain Marvel), the daughter of a rival chief, ends with the Druun on the rampage once again. A movie about believing not just in yourself, but in others, Raya and the Last Dragon doesn't shy away from the reality that putting faith in anyone comes with the chance of peril and pain — especially in fraught times where the world has taken on an every-person-for-themselves mentality and folks are dying (or being turned to stone, which is the Druun's modus operandi). If the narrative hadn't been willing to make this plain again and again, including when it picks up six years later as Raya tries to reverse the devastation caused by Namaari's actions, Raya and the Last Dragon wouldn't feel as genuinely affecting. Raya and the Dragon is screening in Australian cinemas from Thursday, March 4, and will also be available to view via Disney+ with Premier Access (so you'll pay $34.99 extra for it, on top of your usual subscription fee) from Friday, March 5. It'll hit Disney+ without any extra fee on June 4. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSFpK34lfv0 NOMADLAND Frances McDormand is a gift of an actor. Point a camera her way, and a performance so rich that it feels not just believable but tangible floats across the screen. That's true whether she's playing overt or understated characters, or balancing those two extremes. In Fargo, the first film that earned her an Oscar, McDormand is distinctive but grounded, spouting midwestern phrases like "you betcha" but inhabiting her part with texture and sincerity. In Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, her next Academy Award-winning role, she's an impassioned mother crusading for justice and vengeance, and she ripples with deep-seated sorrow mixed with anger so fiery that it may as well be burning away her insides. Now, in Nomadland, McDormand feels stripped bare and still a commanding force to be reckoned with. She's tasked with a plucky but struggling part — defiant and determined, too; knocked around by life's ups and downs, noticeably; and, crucially, cognisant that valuing the small pleasures is the hardest but most rewarding feat. It'll earn her another Oscar nomination. It could see her nab a third shiny statuette just three years after her last. Along with the attention the movie received at the Golden Globes, both are highly deserved outcomes because hers is an exceptional performance, and this was easily 2020's best film. Here, leading a cast that also includes real people experiencing the existence that's fictionalised within the narrative, she plays the widowed, van-dwelling Fern — a woman who takes to the road, and to the nomad life, after the small middle-America spot where she spent her married years turns into a ghost town when the local mine is shuttered due to the global financial crisis. A slab of on-screen text explains her predicament, with the film then jumping into the aftermath. Following her travels over the course of more than a year, this humanist drama serves up an observational portrait of those that society happily overlooks. It's both deeply intimate and almost disarmingly empathetic in the process, as every movie made by Chloe Zhao is. This is only the writer/director's third, slotting in after 2015's Songs My Brothers Taught Me and 2017's The Rider but before 2021's Marvel flick Eternals, but it's a feature of contemplative and authentic insights into the concepts of home, identity and community. Meticulously crafted, shot and performed, it truly sees everyone in its frames, be they fictional or real. Nomandland understands their plights, and ensures its audience understands them as well. It's exquisitely layered, because its protagonist, those around her and their lives earn the same term — and Zhao never forgets that, or lets her viewers either. Nomadland screened in Australian cinemas during a two-week preview season in 2020, starting Saturday, December 26. From Thursday, March 4, 2021, it's back on the big screen for its general release season. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ICPoXlmTO0 CHAOS WALKING Adapted from the book series of the same name, Chaos Walking has weathered a difficult path to cinemas. The tedious and generic space western releases ten years after the rights to turn Patrick Ness' novels into films were first acquired, four years since the movie was originally shot and two years after major reshoots following unfavourable test screenings. It went through a plethora of rewrites, too, with I'm Thinking of Ending Things' Charlie Kaufman on scripting duties at one point, and Ness (A Monster Calls) and Spider-Man: Homecoming's Christopher Ford getting the final credit. Navigating such a mess rarely bodes well for a movie, so the fact that Chaos Walking proves dull and derivative shouldn't come as a surprise. Even with its cast filled with impressive talent, and with Edge of Tomorrow filmmaker Doug Liman begin the lens, it's hard to see how it might've fared better, with its premise an instant struggle. Set in 2257, the film follows colonists from earth on a planet called New World, who are plagued by a strange phenomenon. A multi-coloured haze hovers around men's heads — and only men — showing their every thought. The sensation has been dubbed 'the noise', and experiencing it while watching sure is rackety. Indeed, 'noise' is the absolute right word for the entire movie. In his pioneer village, teenager Todd (Tom Holland, The Devil All the Time) can rarely control his noise. While the Mayor (Mads Mikkelsen, Another Round) is able to filter the words and images that project from his mind — and also rock a furry red coat and wide-brimmed hat far better than anyone should — few others have the same ability. Seeing what everyone is thinking is a tricky way to live at the best of times, and it applies to the entire population, because women have been wiped out in a war attributed to the planet's original inhabitants. But Todd's troubles multiply when he discovers a spaceship, as well as Viola (Daisy Ridley, Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker), its sole surviving occupant. The mayor and his followers don't take kindly to the first female in their midst for years; however, supported by his adoptive fathers Ben (Demian Bichir, The Midnight Sky) and Cillian (Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter), Todd isn't willing to surrender the only girl he's ever seen to an angry mob. Cue a tale of toxic masculinity that dates back to 2008, when first instalment The Knife of Never Letting Go hit bookshelves, and feels timely in the current social, political and cultural climate. That said, this isn't a complex, layered or thoughtful film. Instead, it's content to stress its themes in such a broad and easy manner that getting Holland to hold up a sign saying "the patriarchy is bad" would've been more subtle. Indeed, Chaos Walking really just uses these notions as a backdrop for a predictable and formulaic dystopian story, and as a handy reason to motivate its conflicts, in a movie that plays like a hodgepodge of far better sci-fi and western fare. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCvQzzKdgV4 ABOUT ENDLESSNESS The latest feature from acclaimed and always distinctive Swedish auteur Roy Andersson (Songs From the Second Floor, You, the Living, A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence), About Endlessness plays like the filmmaker's response to an oft-used — and overused — piece of worldly wisdom. Relishing the little things has become a greeting card-level piece of advice that's trotted out far too frequently and easily, but this vignette-fuelled drama contentedly peers at and contemplates everyday occurrences, flitting from one snippet of story to another across its brief 78-minute duration. It sees the happy moments, and the bleak ones. It has time for inconsequential instances, for clear flights of fancy and for real-life events that changed the shape of history. It spies the magical, the mundane, the merciful and the menacing, gives them all their time in the spotlight, and weaves them into a moving catalogue of the human condition. And, although the writer/director remains in his comfort zone, he crafts this latest treatise on merely existing into a movie that cuts deeply and feels bold rather than familiar. With Andersson's renowned eye for the sublime and the absurd, the film sees the juxtaposition at the heart of living. It knows that, in some shape or form, life is bound to continue on forever. It's also aware that individual lives are inescapably finite. When pondering mortality, these two truths can be hard to reconcile, especially given that the minutiae that makes up each and every day lulls us into a false sense of feeling as if it'll never end — and About Endlessness embraces all of this thorniness and complexity in its own way. Via poetic parcels of narration that declare "I saw a man begging to be spared", "I saw a woman who had a problem with her shoes" and "I saw a man who wanted to save the honour of his family, then regretted it" — plus other such short descriptions — About Endlessness works through instance after instance of people searching for meaning, happiness, and a reason to see their existence as anything more than a parade of breaths and heartbeats. The voice offering such narration is female, proves choosy about which scenes she decides to comment on, but is clearly affected by everything that plays about before her all-seeing vision. When it comes to anything approaching an explanation, though, Andersson remains sparse and careful. And yet, this is a detailed film that overflows with intricacy, intimacy and emotion, and with glorious artistry in every single frame. Every shot looks both naturalistic and staged, as is the filmmaker's custom, which evokes the feeling that you're stealing glimpses of life that are equally rich and routine in tandem. Whether a dictator, a man of faith or someone crying on public transport takes temporary pride of place (or, in the latter's case, if a fellow passenger is asking why he can't just be sad at home like everyone else), these short moments have a cumulative effect that's striking and profoundly insightful. Take, for example, an oh-so-short clip of young women spontaneously dancing outside a cafe, which is delightful, instantly touching and speaks firmly to the fact that life is as consistent in its joys as it is in its woes. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on November 5, November 12, November 19 and November 26; and December 3, December 10, December 17, December 26; and January 1, January 7, January 14, January 21 and January 28; February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as The Craft: Legacy, Radioactive, Brazen Hussies, Freaky, Mank, Monsoon, Ellie and Abbie (and Ellie's Dead Aunt), American Utopia, Possessor, Misbehaviour, Happiest Season, The Prom, Sound of Metal, The Witches, The Midnight Sky, The Furnace, Wonder Woman 1984, Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles, Nomadland, Pieces of a Woman, The Dry, Promising Young Woman, Summerland, Ammonite, The Dig, The White Tiger, Only the Animals, Malcolm & Marie, News of the World, High Ground, Earwig and the Witch, The Nest, Assassins, Synchronic, Another Round, Minari, Firestarter — The Story of Bangarra, The Truffle Hunters and The Little Things.
From March to September each year, Aussie Rules football is Melbourne's favourite sport. From Wednesday, April 3, 2024, via a sprawling showcase that marks the NBA's first official global touring exhibition, basketball wants to join in as well. The NBA Exhibition celebrates hoop dreams and all things b-ball, and is making its first-ever visit to the Victorian capital. After premiering in Warsaw, Poland in 2021, The NBA Exhibition bounced into Brisbane in November 2023. Now, at The District Docklands, it's Melbourne's turn, bounding through basketball history at the same time. Catnip for fans of Air and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, this sports-focused affair is big in scope and size, surveying the culture of hopping onto the court and the lifestyle that goes with basketball, too. Visitors can traverse 1100 square metres and make their way through 20 themed sections. Created with the National Basketball Association, The NBA Exhibition aims to lure in b-ball diehards, casual followers and folks that haven't thought about the sport since their school PE lessons alike — and attendees of all ages. Looking at basketball memorabilia is part of the presentation, but so is throwing a ball around yourself and, thanks to the virtual and augmented reality aspect of the showcase, taking snaps with your favourite NBA players. So, you can get a photo with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, too — aka the coveted prize that each year's NBA Finals' winner receives — and shoot hoops, see how far you can jump and test your reflexes as well. Fancy a picture showing that you can slam dunk, even if you can't? There's a section of The NBA Exhibition for that. Eager to watch NBA highlights using VR goggles? That's also on the agenda. Keen to get surrounded by iconic NBA moments? That's what the infinity room is for. With names like Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal obviously featuring — and Kobe Bryant, Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird as well — other elements of The NBA Exhibition include a heap of balls and shoes on display; footwear and hand prints from past and present players; art that was commissioned for a pop-up NBA Gallery exhibit in Sydney in 2022, featuring Australian and First Nations artists; and celebrating NBA players that've made the jump from Australia, which is likely to feature Patty Mills, Ben Simmons, Luc Longley, Andrew Gaze and more. Images: Muse Marketing and Entertainment.
A favourite at this year's Sundance and on our critics' best list from last month's Sydney Film Festival, you may have heard about A Ghost Story — the film where Casey Affleck stands around underneath a sheet. Reuniting this year's Manchester by the Sea best actor Oscar winner with his Ain't Them Bodies Saints co-star Rooney Mara and writer/director David Lowery (also of Pete's Dragon), Affleck's character dons the sheet after he is killed — but, despite that, it's still one of the best movies of the year so far. Moody and minimalistic (as a costume anyone could make gives away), the film breathes new (after)life into the idea of haunted houses in a thoughtful and emotion-filled manner. As Affleck's ghost lurks, the movie offers up an astute understanding of how mourning and memories linger over time, and remain forever intertwined with certain places. https://youtu.be/ui92Scs8Mns [competition]630133[/competition]
It's the kind of music event every pet-lover dreams of, and it's back for another year of cute puppies and pumping sounds. That'd be Dogapalooza, of course. Yep, it does have a rather excellent name — and that merry moniker is just the beginning. After wowing crowds with their first fest last year, the dog-friendly shenanigans are bound to get tales wagging again at Richmond's Burnley Park. Expect everything from ethical eating options (including Dogapalooza's own in-house vegan BBQ) to boutique dog product vendors. Even though the music lineup isn't announced until August 26, we're betting that won't find the likes of Bow Wow and Snoop Dog on the bill, as on-theme as they would've been. That said, we're sure that the roster of acts will get your toes tapping regardless — and the paws of your furry best friend, of course. Dogapalooza isn't just about a day of music-oriented bliss in the sun with your pet pooch, though. All proceeds go raised will go towards helping canines in need via Oscar's Law and Melbourne's dog rescue groups Stafford Rescue Victoria, Melbourne Animal Rescue and Puppy Tails Rescue. Dogapalooza takes place at 11am on October 9 at Burnley Park, Richmond. Tickets are on sale now, and check out the festival's Facebook page for more information.
Scienceworks' new exhibition Museum of the Moon takes a close-up look at the moon. It features a seven-metre sculpture of the celestial body, complete with NASA imagery on its surface. While it's technically designed for teenagers, you'll still find it fun if you're into the cool stuff that science Even more adult-friendly is the accompanying Party Beyond event that is happening on Saturday, April 27. With Scienceworks open late and the event only open to those over the age of 18, attendees can get a hit of adult science along with their glass of adult drinks (suck it, kids). Food and drinks will be available to purchase, and you won't be mulling over whatever you've just learnt about the moon — performances by singer and activist Mama Alto, afro-futurist Cumbia Cosmonauts, electro-pop artist Geryon and keyboardist Waterfall Person will be featured throughout the six exhibition spaces. Take a look at the unseen (like gravitational waves) in the Beyond Perception installation while Rebel Yell performs her industrial techno tunes — or party inside the Planetarium with multi-instrumental musician Synthotronica. Plus, DJ Biscotti will be spinning everything from 70s French boogie to Nigerian disco at the Admissions counter. Image: Museums Victoria/Benjamin Healley.
Melbourne's getting another alcohol-fuelled brunch, and this one has a dress code — of leotards, lycra, spandex, leg warmers, and anything glittery, sparkly, shiny and neon. While you're channelling a thoroughly 80s vibe, teased hair won't go astray. Perhaps it'll even make you more aerodynamic on the roller rink. On Saturday, August 24, it's time to dress up in all of the above and strap on a pair of roller skates. You can't dance around a Roller Disco Brunch without them. The rink will pop up at Seaworks in Williamstown, running in conjunction with the 1.5-kilometre Pac-Man-inspired maze — so you can do both in one day if you do choose. When you're not busting out your smooth retro moves to plenty of the era's hits — yes, Cyndi Lauper songs will be given a spin by the DJ — you'll be tucking into bottomless mimosas and pizza slices. There will be three 90-minute brunch sessions: at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. These will set you back $75.23 and include your food, booze and skate hire. If you just want to get your skate on, there'll be four more sessions on the Saturday — at 5pm, 6.30pm, 8pm and 9.30pm — as well as three on the Friday night. These just include a turn on the skates and are $39.55 each. Peachy keen, jelly bean? You can buy tickets now. UPDATE: MAY 28, 2019 — This article previously stated that the Roller Disco Brunch would be held on June 29, 2019. This has now been changed to August 31, and the above has been edited to reflect the new date.
The astroturf has been rolled out and the deck chairs have been prepped for balmy summer nights for South Wharf's annual outdoor cinema. The cinema at outdoor bar Common Man has launched again, offering a program of hard-to-dislike films such as La La Land, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Dirty Dancing and Pretty Woman on a 6x3-metre screen while you wash down that choc top with an espresso martini. Yes, the garden bar will be serving up cocktails, frosé, beer and wine in a can. And if you're hoping not to get out of your seat during the movie, you can also purchase cheese plates and fried chicken beforehand. The cinema will run on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday nights March 31, and tickets are just $14.
You know Melbourne winter has hit when two things arrive: mulled wine and fondue. Transit Bar is following suit and breaking out the molten cheese this winter with a $15 fondue deal, running all-day every Wednesday and Thursday. $15 gets you your choice of fondue, and you can also load up with dessert ($15) or one of Transit's signature cocktails (also $15). There are three different fondues to choose from, and each one comes with a crispy potato rosti, Campari onions and a cress salad. There's the traditional, gooey raclette and Chardonnay fondue; a herby variant with caviar, chives and crème fraiche; or a sinfully sweet black pepper, dark chocolate and raspberry. Take your pick. For dessert, Transit are serving up some freshly piped and fried cinnamon churros with hot chocolate sauce. Bonus points if you order chocolate fondue followed by chocolate churros. Last but not least, Transit is also running half-price oysters between 6pm and 7pm, Friday to Sunday. You know where to go this winter. Images: supplied.
Based on the philosophy, "books are not commodities, they are works of art", My Bookshop by Corrie Perkin was launched in 2009 and has since grown to become one of Melbourne's most-loved hangouts for writers and bookworms of all ages. Founded by prominent journalist Corrie Perkin, the bookstore offers a huge variety of texts to dive into, with the latest novels, biographies and striking coffee table books all up for grabs. Situated amid the bustling local shopping destination of Hawksburn Village, this bookshop is the perfect place to spend an afternoon on the hunt for something new to read. Images: Parker Blain.
Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and a panther circle around a film, and each other. Who will come out alive? That’s the crux of Serena, a romantic melodrama tantalisingly bleak, though too beholden to its too-obvious symbolism. It strives for the emotional complexity of times and films long since passed, but can only offer a shaky — albeit pretty — approximation. Starting in North Carolina’s golden-hued Smoky Mountains in 1929, a wilful woman and a wild cat enter the life of a Depression-era logger; of course, for all their sleek allure, they’re both omens of worsening times. She is the titular Serena, determined to become involved in a waning timber empire beyond the bounds normally expected of her gender. He is George Pemberton, in love not only with his new wife but with making as much money from his woodland as he can. The feline threatens their livelihood, but no more so than their own vices. Adapting Ron Rash’s 2008 novel of the same name, Serena charts the troubles and tragedies that spring in their wake: feuds, premonitions, medical emergencies and illegitimate children among them. Tangled up in the drama are a jealous business partner (David Dencik), interfering sheriff (Toby Jones), single mother (Ana Ularu), and loyal enforcer (Rhys Ifans). If that sounds over the top and outlandish, that’s because it is. A host of problems and people test the lovers’ fates well into the realm of contrivance and convenience. Serena aims to hark back to features of the Golden Age, where spirited femmes headlined tales of moral corruption as fully realised figures. Here, as the catalyst for drama, the central sultry dame is only ever painted as brash or unhinged. As a love interest, she is only ever idolised or maligned. Starkly absent is the nuance needed to render the film a throwback in anything more than superficial terms — and the insistence upon linking Serena’s untamed nature with the creature stalking through the trees certainly doesn’t help matters. With 2010 foreign-language Oscar winner In a Better World among her output, director Susanne Bier is no stranger to heightened circumstances and the quandaries that arise as a result, though her pedigree amounts for little. A clumsy script proves her undoing, alongside an approach favouring slow reveals at the expense of tension. Plot machinations aplenty aren’t the same as a genuinely involving narrative. Reunited after Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, both Lawrence and Cooper are effective, suffering as they are from the same over-stretched material. Too often, they are reduced to smouldering separately or sliding through a series of sex scenes, always looking the part but never really fitting in. Alas, that’s the attractively shot and staged Serena from start to finish, lumbering along and constantly felling any source of interest. As everything builds towards the inevitable finale, audiences will strain to care just who lasts the length of the feature’s running time.
Winter might still be months away, but the final series of Game of Thrones is set to air on April 14. If the show's comeback will have you spiralling into an all-consuming GoT hole, then you will probably want to get in on Melbourne's latest themed event. Call your banners and get ready for an immersive medieval-style banquet reminiscent of the series. Prepare for a meal that not only replicates the fascinating and often terrifying world of GoT that so many have come to depend on for meaning in life, but will include a brunch feast, lots of ale, and some murderous entertainment. Many details of the event are still shrouded in mystery (much like the eventual outcome of the series), including the date and price. The location hasn't been announced, but will be somewhere in the inner city. But we can guess the specific theme. Taking its cues from a particularly notorious episode of HBO's hit series, this immersive banquet will surely be styled after the Red Wedding. Yes, you can assume there'll be some recreations of scenes from George R. R. Martin's saga — although here's hoping there's no regicide at this one. If, like Jon Snow, you know nothing, then you're in for an entertaining feast. Costumes are welcome, but no pretend (or real) weaponry. The banquet will happen in Melbourne later this year. Further details — and tickets — will be released soon via email. We'll let you know when they are.
When it was first published in 2011, A Discovery of Witches swiftly became a bestseller. Thankfully for readers instantly enamoured with Deborah Harkness' supernatural novel, there was more where that came from. The book was just the first instalment in the All Souls trilogy, with its follow-ups arriving in 2012 and 2014 — and, since 2018, fans have been able to watch a TV adaptation starring Australian actor Teresa Palmer as a Yale University historian and witch, as well as Downton Abbey's Matthew Goode as a biochemistry professor and vampire. Palmer plays Diana Bishop, with A Discovery of Witches chronicling her story after she finds a bewitched manuscript and gets reluctantly drawn back into the magical world. Where the show's first season charted her initial efforts to protect the enchanted text, known as Ashmole 782, the currently screening second season kicks off with a jump back to London more than four centuries ago.
As attempts to combat COVID-19 ramp up around the globe, venues and organisations everywhere are temporarily shutting down. New York's Metropolitan Opera is one of them; however, it's not letting its fans spend their self-isolating days without their beloved artform, announcing nightly live-streamed opera performances from its collection. From Monday, March 16 US time (Tuesday, March 17, Down Under), the NY institution is streaming a different opera each evening. Called Nightly Met Opera Streams, the program kicked off with high-profile shows such as Bizet's Carmen, Puccini's La Boheme, Verdi's Il Trovatore and La Traviata, Donizetti's La Fille du Régiment and Lucia di Lammermoor, and Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin — streaming each for 23 hours from 7.30pm New York time each night. Other highlights included, Nico Muhly's Marnie, Verdi's Aida and Borodin's Prince Igor. On Monday, May 4, Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro is streaming, followed by Thomas's Hamlet on May 5, Saariaho's L'Amour de Loin on May 6 and Strauss's Capriccio, plus a double bill on Sunday, May 10 featuring Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. And, if you missed Puccini's celebrated La Boheme, you can catch it again on Friday, May 8. https://youtu.be/afhAqMeeQJk Even better — Nightly Met Opera Streams is free, so you can enjoy world-class opera recorded live (and streamed in HD) without either paying a cent or leaving your couch. Nightly Met Opera Streams commence on Tuesday, March 17, Australian and New Zealand time, with a new show live-streamed every day and available for 23 hours afterwards. For further details, visit the Met Opera website. Top image: Bengt Nyman via Wikimedia Commons. Updated May 5.
"International in flavour, cosmopolitan in style." It seems this nostalgic pop duo know exactly how to describe themselves. Harvey Miller and Monte Morgan may come across as a tongue-in-cheek late '80s novelty band, but it would be a mistake not to take them seriously. Their single from last year, 'Feeling', is some seriously sweet synth-pop that is full of heart, and the latest track 'Free of Fear' summons you to the dance floor — pastel suit and over-sized aviators optional. Client Liaison have built their fan base from their live shows, and they've sold out their last two gigs in Melbourne. If you need further convincing, their music is only currently available as a digital download or vinyl, so if you want to hear everything they've got to offer, get down to the Northcote Social Club. Go on — put it on the Diners Club Card, cash in those Ansett frequent flyer points and party like it's 1989. https://youtube.com/watch?v=oo5VopP64Mk
On most weekends, somewhere in Melbourne is hosting a beer festival. They might not happen every single weekend, but they definitely pop up with frequency. Only one is called the Great Australasian Beer Spectapular, however, and dedicates itself to weird, wild, wonderful and inventive varieties that are made exclusively for the booze-fuelled party. And that very fest has locked in its dates for 2023. If you're a newcomer to GABS, as the festival is known, it started off as a Melbourne-only celebration of ales, lagers, ciders and more. Then, it started spreading along Australia's east coast capitals, as well as to New Zealand. Now, its 2023 plans will see it return for its homegrown event from Friday, May 19–Sunday, May 21 at the Royal Exhibition Building. While only dates and venues have been confirmed so far, and not brewers heading along or the beers they'll be whipping up, attendees can look forward to an event that's considered to be one of the best craft beer and cider festivals in the Asia Pacific region. And, you can grab tickets from the GABS website from 3pm on Friday, March 3. One big reason: it'll pour at least 1200 kegs — which in past years have been inspired by breakfast foods, savoury snacks, desserts, cocktails and more — from 240 taps. In 2022, peanut butter, coffee, earl grey tea, chicken salt, pizza, fairy floss, bubblegum and sour gummy bears all got a whirl. The event surveys both Australian and New Zealand breweries, plus folks from the US and UK, with more than 120 set to be pouring their wares this year. Also on the bill: other types of tipples, including non-alcoholic beers, seltzers, whiskey, gin, cocktails and wines. In fact, Archie Rose, Monkey Shoulder Whisky and Yellow Tail Wines will all be making their GABS debuts. GABS is known for dishing up a hefty lineup of activities to accompanying all that sipping, too, which'll span a silent disco, roaming bands, circus and sideshow performers, games and panels with industry leaders in 2023, as well as local food trucks and vendors to line your stomach. Yes, that includes the Mountain Goat air guitar championship, the Balter tins of glory, the Atomic wheel of pourtune and the Black Flag skate ramp. Updated March 3.
By this stage, most of us have come to terms with the fact that jetting off to USA or Europe is a seriously long slog, made worse by unavoidable (sometimes long, always painful) stopovers. But that European or American trip could soon become a whole lot more bearable, with Qantas not only working towards launching direct flights between the east coast and both London and New York by 2022, but beginning to run trial journeys this year. In October, November and December, the airline will pilot three ultra long-haul research flights, using new Boeing 787-9s. The aircraft will simulate two routes that are at the heart of Qantas' proposed new non-stop plan, which is called Project Sunrise, flying from New York and London to Sydney. That New York trip will mark the first world's first flight by a commercial airline direct from the Big Apple to Sydney, while the London jaunt will be the second time such a journey has been made. The last time the latter happened was back in 1989, when Qantas made the trek on a Boeing 747-400 with just 23 people on board. Don't go packing your bags, though — the aim is to gather data about inflight passenger and crew health and wellbeing, with only around 40 people making the trip. They'll be comprised of crew and Qantas employees, and they'll be fitted with wearable technology devices to monitor their monitor sleep patterns, food and beverage consumption, physical movement and use of the entertainment system during the flights. The results will then be assessed by scientists and medical experts from the Charles Perkins Centre. Pilots will also take part, working with Monash University researchers to record their melatonin levels before, during and after the flights, as well as their brain wave patterns and alertness — to help ascertain the best work and rest pattern when they're commanding those long-haul services. While spending nearly a day on one single plane is better than jumping on and off different vessels multiple times, it's not without its physical, mental and emotional toll — as anyone who has made the trip with Qantas from Perth to London knows, which is what makes this testing so important. Announcing the trial, Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce explained that, "for customers, the key will be minimising jet lag and creating an environment where they are looking forward to a restful, enjoyable flight. For crew, it's about using scientific research to determine the best opportunities to promote alertness when they are on duty and maximise rest during their down time." Back in 2017, Qantas first revealed that it was exploring non-stop routes from Sydney — routes that would eclipse those direct flights between Perth and London, which launched in March 2018. Since then, the airline has been pursuing the idea enthusiastically, putting out a call for aircraft that can handle the trip and widening their plan to include departures to and from Brisbane as well. In numbers, the planes will need to be able to handle more than 19 hours in the air (around 20 hours and 20 minutes between Sydney and London, and 18-hours and seven minutes from Sydney to New York). The airline has done its homework, analysing a decade's worth of wind and weather data to confirm the lengthy routes are actually possible. Now it just needs the aircraft, with Airbus and Boeing both pitching vessels (A350 and 777X) that are capable of doing the job. Qantas is expected to announce their decision, including whether the whole project will progress to making commercial flights, by the end of December 2019. Right now, the world's longest direct flight clocks in at over 19 hours, with Singapore Airlines flying 15,322-kilometres along its Singapore-to-New York route. Previously, the journey from Doha and Auckland earned that honour, taking around 18 hours to travel 14,529 kilometres.
Festival season is well and truly upon us, with the Woodford Folk Festival the latest event to announce its program. If you fancy seeing out 2019 and welcoming in 2020 while catching a heap of bands, wandering between arts performances and getting a little muddy across a grassy patch of southeast Queensland, the fest has you covered for its whopping 34th year. Taking place at Woodfordia about 90 minutes north of Brisbane, this year's event will be held for six days between Friday, December 27, 2019 and Wednesday, January 1, 2020 — with Amanda Palmer, Lior, Horrorshow, The Herd, Kate Miller-Heidke, Electric Fields, Emma Louise, Archie Roach with Paul Grabrowsky, and Kasey Chambers among its high-profile talent. In total, over 2,000 artists will put on more than 1600 shows across the festival's 25 stages, all in venues that range from a 25,000-seat amphitheatre to chilled-out hangout spots. With the lineup featuring everything from music, art, circus and cabaret to yoga, dance and comedy, there's plenty of other highlights — including a spoken word, comedy and performance program that tasks American Gods and Stardust author Neil Gaiman with reading from his work as the sun sets on the first day of the new year. Elsewhere, Woodford's 2019–20 bill spans arts, dance and meditation workshops, plus a heap of circus and cabaret shows. And, if you're bringing littlies, the event's Children's Festival within the broader fest is also returning. Or, you can explore Woodfordia's rainforest plants on a guided tour, eat a feast of bush foods, play a real-life fantasy game and soak in the flames at the fest's annual closing fire ceremony. Fancy celebrating New Year's Eve with an Elton John sing-along? Woodford won't go breaking your heart, because that's on the agenda also. While the annual Queensland festival has weathered an uncertain future in recent years, it remains a staple of the state's end-of-year calendar — and visit will also boast a whole heap of stalls around the grounds (195 in 2018–19), turning the site into a mini-village for its duration. That includes everything from bars, cafes and restaurants, to an on-site doctor's surgery and two general stores. As always, camping is available at one of the fest's multiple campgrounds, or you can nab a ticket just for the day. Either way, expect to have company, as around 132,000 people attend each year. The 2019–20 Woodford Folk Festival runs from Friday, December 27, 2018 and Wednesday, January 1, 2019 at Woodfordia on the Sunshine Coast. To view the program and buy tickets, head to woodfordfolkfestival.com Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
With the FIFA World Cup kicking off shortly, Nike Football has released part three of its #riskeverything campaign. The film – "The Last Game" – is a five-minute animated feature starring some of the world's greatest footballers, on a mission to save football from the hands of a villainous mastermind, The Scientist. Let the games begin.
Listen to Autre Ne Veut's album Anxiety and you will quickly understand the hype surrounding this young American R&B artist. If you don't have time, just take in 'Play By Play'. Have your credit card handy whilst doing so as by the end of the first chorus you will be reaching for it to secure yourself a ticket to hear that falsetto live as it sends everyone into a dancing frenzy (who would have thought a falsetto could do such a thing?). Join me there. If you would prefer to go with your friends you already know, then that is fine too, just make sure you do not miss Autre Ne Veut, else you'll miss out on the opportunity to say 'I saw him when' five years down the track. https://youtube.com/watch?v=j9uE46sMugw
UPDATE: Tuesday, January 20 — With a majority of the Melbourne Music Week events selling out, this year's extended program has been expanded again with six new events being added. Punk rockers Skeggs and Ruby Fields will be taking to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Saturday, February 20 for Live at the Bowl, artists and musicians Atong Atem, Adolfo Aranjuez, Birdz and more will be taking over the Immigration Museum on Friday, February 26 and indie-rock groups Primo! and Floodlights will be performing across the city. Check out the full extended program here. With venues closing, gigs cancelling and festivals postponing, Melbourne's live music industry took a big hit during COVID-19. But, when restrictions slowly started easing, the City of Melbourne announced that the annual Melbourne Music Week is still going ahead — and that it will take place over three whole months. Originally set to take place in November (before Victoria's second round of restrictions), the aural celebration will now run from Wednesday, December 9–Sunday, February 28. As always, expect plenty of gigs in unusual Melbourne venues. Expect lots of local talent as well. The numbers paint an impressive picture — with more than 330 artists playing at more than 35 locations and venues, tallying up over 200 events and sessions. And that's just from the first program announcement, with more artists and gigs due to be revealed in January 2021. So, who can you see? In MMW's 11th year, the event will kick off with Wominjeka (MMW Welcome) — featuring a Welcome to Country and citywide smoking ceremony curated by Kee'ahn, a performance by Aboriginal dance group Dijirri Dijirri, additional live programming at four different city locations, and a show at Section 8. Also on opening night, the Music Victoria Awards will take over the Melbourne Recital Centre, which you can also watch via livestream. That's how it all starts — but, as for how MMW means to go on, there'll be shows by Baker Boy, Adalita, Cable Ties and High Tension, plus an audio-visual performance by Melbourne producers Ara Koufax and iconic DJ and academic Simona Castricum. Also on the bill: Blake Scott, Banoffee, Mick Harvey, Private Function and Allysha Joy. And, you can play techno bingo (which'll be seated, but otherwise it's exactly what it sounds like), take a tai chi class or learn how to vogue with Kiki Dévine. Venue-wise, you'll be hitting up the Capitol Theatre, The Forum, Max Watts, Colour, Cherry Bar, Curtin and more — and, unsurprisingly, outdoor gigs are a big part of the lineup as well. Can't make it to everything? Streaming is here to stay, and will help you check out plenty of MMW's shows. Updated December 2.
Drop into almost any fitness class you feel like, without worrying about gym contracts? That's the idea behind Esquared, a new app that lets you find and book your chosen workout session regardless of where it's held (and, crucially, regardless of whether you're a member at the venue in question). Aiming to add some extra flexibility to your fitness routine, Esquared is all about hooking you up with the right class in the right place, giving you control of when and where you work out. Need to go for a spin on one side of the city one day, and hit the barre on the other side over the weekend? Not sure where your schedule will take you, but still keen to fit in a training session when and where you can? Esquared has you covered. Drawing upon a range of participating gyms, the app allows you to pick the session, timeslot and venue that suits you, pay in advance and then walk right in. And, with data displayed in real time, you can select classes on the same day, the next day or any time in the next 30 days. Founded in the UK by former accountant turned pro-athlete Eleni Plakitsi, Esquared will jump from London to Sydney on Monday, September 3, with more than 50 partner gyms already onboard — spanning everywhere from CBD and Surry Hills spots, to the likes of Bondi, Manly, Double Bay, Newtown and North Sydney as well. It's offering a $40 credit to everyone that signs up in advance and, once it's up and running in Australia, will give users access to classes and gym floors across its participating venues. The no-strings-attached, on-demand approach to heading to the gym is also slated to roll out in Melbourne and Brisbane later in the year, with dates yet to be announced. For more information, keep an eye on www.esq2.com.au.
Krimper is an odd name for a cafe. It immediately conjures images of bad '90s hairstyles and large crimping tools. However, nothing about this venue is outdated. Delve down Guildford Lane, just off Queen Street, and you may think you're lost. Look for the small pink sign among the mess — you've found it. As you walk in, you'll be hit with the somewhat familiar warehouse vibe of the Melbourne laneway cafe scene. This gem, however, is complete with Macklemore singing 'Thrift Shop' on the speakers, bike racks for your portable transportation and a cute little bar down the back. Krimper derives its name from its history. Once a sawmill, the warehouse was more recently the workshop of 20th-century furniture maker Schulim Krimper. After deliberating on what to do with the space, owner and architect Mun Soon felt it was only fitting to turn it into a cafe. Now, ready and open for business, Proud Mary coffee is on the machines and Matthew Sinclair is behind the stove. When it comes to the menu, there is a nice deviance from the expected Melbourne brunch menu. For something sweet try the organic soy and brown rice pudding with agave syrup and fresh fruit ($7.50) or the orange blossom spelt waffles with blueberries, banana, ricotta and maple syrup ($14). For those hankering for savoury try the silver beet and saffron potato omelette served with toast ($14.50), or, if they are on the specials board, go for the corn fritters with gravalax salmon, cream cheese and poached eggs ($18). Lunch regulars include crab and avocado salad with coriander and toasted flatbread ($22) and the New York pastrami sandwich with sauerkraut and mustard on rye ($12). When the afternoon hits and coffee just isn't hitting the spot anymore, Krimper also serve up wine and beer from their small drinks list and are open until 9pm Friday nights for after-work drinks. We'll meet you in the laneway.
Whether you like your bubble tea alcoholic, vegan or filled with creamy cheese, you'll want to make a bee line to Melbourne's newest festival. Taking over Melbourne Central, the inaugural Bubble Tea Festival will see six of the city's best bubble tea makers come together for four very-tasty days. Coinciding with Lunar New Year, the festival will run from Friday, January 24–Sunday, January 27. During that time, the CBD shopping centre's bubble tea retailers will be serving up weird and wonderful limited-edition flavours. You'll find honeydew frozen tea at Chatime, sakura lychee tea at Gotcha, taro smoothie at Gong Cha, strawberry cheese tea at Heekcha and an alcoholic lychee number at B. Lucky & Sons. [caption id="attachment_758003" align="alignnone" width="1920"] B Lucky & Sons[/caption] Joining the party is a pop-up Nuttea store — a Taiwanese vegan nut mylk tea store, which'll be serving up a ruby black tea made with plant-based cream — and a Bubble Tea Mart filled with adorable merch. To get your hands on the merch, you'll need to first buy a drinkable bubble tea from one of Melbourne Central's eight retailers and grab a Boba Token. You can then exchange this token for bubble tea-themed cups, keyrings, totes, straws, earring, Airpod cases and more. To round out the fun, there'll also be free tunes from the likes of Eurovision contender Jaguar Jonze, DJ Jade Zoe and DJ Small Fry. Images: Gotcha
Already boasting zip rides, bridge climbs, tower walks and bungy experiences, there's an endless number of reasons why Queenstown is dubbed the 'adventure capital of New Zealand'. Now there's one more, with the introduction of a human catapult that reaches speeds of almost 100 kilometres per hour in 1.5 seconds. Launched by the leaders of adventure tourism in New Zealand, AJ Hackett Bungy, the world-first Nevis Catapult is found in the Nevis Valley. The attraction, which has been called the "biggest and most extreme catapult in the world", sees thrill seekers shoot 150 metres out across a ravine before dropping towards the valley floor and experiencing a series of vertical bounces. From release to recovery the experience takes between three to four minutes. Only accessible by 4WD bus and housed in a pod alongside the Nevis Swing, the catapult is a combination of height, flight and speed using a winch system developed over years of research. The technology for the multi-million-dollar catapult was developed with the company's research team before being built in a testing facility in Christchurch. Testing has been conducted over the past nine months — beginning with weighted barrels, before moving on to a test dummy phase and finally human testing. Co-founder Henry van Asch says he first came up with the idea when travelling around France during the 1980s with Bungy co-founder, AJ Hackett. "I played around with the idea by riding my mountain bike with a Bungy cord attached, off bridges." he says. Adult tickets for the Nevis Catapult ring up at NZD$255. For more information, visit bungy.co.nz. Image: James Morgan Photography.
Sunny al fresco spaces are hot property coming out of lockdown, so there's never been a better time for waterfront pop-up Pétanque Social to make its anticipated return for 2021–22. Joining Crown Melbourne's riverside precinct from November 5 till the end of autumn, the open-air bar is inspired by the Tuscan countryside this year. While there'll be none of the namesake pétanque as part of this new incarnation, there will be lots of red cushioned day beds to unwind on, plenty of terracotta hues and a striking mural by local artist Melina McGough. Here, you can kick back on cushy communal lounges and pretend you've been whisked far from home, as you sip summery cocktails and ice-cold brews, and listen to the roster of live DJs. Meanwhile, snacks rule the food offering, which celebrates some of Crown's best-loved kitchens — expect everything from Nobu's wagyu taco to 400 Gradi's famed pizza. The bar's also showing off a renewed focus on sustainability this year, with an onsite kitchen garden, a rainwater collection system, solar panels and a series of 'energy bikes' that allow guests to charge their phone batteries using pedal power. Pétanque Social will launch on Friday, November 5, opening from 4–11pm Thursdays, and 12–11pm Friday–Sunday.
Everyone's favourite 'candy man' hit Aussie shores in January, with the smash-hit musical production of Charlie And the Chocolate Factory landing in Sydney. And now, it's Melbourne's turn, with the announcement that the show will do a season at Her Majesty's Theatre from this August. Roald Dahl's classic sugar-dusted tale is being brought to life in its Australian debut by a collaboration between theatre producers John Frost, Craig Donnell, Langley Park Productions, Neal Street Productions and Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures. Following the worldwide popularity of both the original book and the 1971 Gene Wilder film of the same name, the musical has been confirmed a sweet success internationally, scoring rave reviews during its stint on Broadway last year and selling out a heap of shows in Sydney. With original songs like The Candy Man and I've Got a Golden Ticket featured alongside new tunes from the songwriters of Hairspray, this confection of a show promises to lure audiences of all ages into, shall we say, a land of pure imagination. It's directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien, with music by Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner Marc Shaiman, lyrics courtesy of Grammy and Tony Award winners Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, and choreography by Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's Melbourne season will kick off on August 9, 2019, with performances running on Wednesday to Sunday. Top image: Joan Marcus, the original Broadway cast 2017.
