Could the violence of Kings Cross be jumping ship over to Newtown? Could this be a direct result of the lockouts? Are LGBTQI Sydneysiders losing their safe haven of diversity? Transgender musician Stephanie McCarthy has reason to believe in all of the above, fronting a 300-strong rally on Monday after she was brutally bashed at Newtown's Town Hall Hotel on Friday night. Hundreds of supporters rallied in Newtown on Monday, against alcohol-fuelled violence, transphobia, prejudice and discrimination against transgender people, after McCarthy was allegedly attacked by four men before her own show at the Townie on Friday night. According to McCarthy's statement, her hair was pulled, she was called a 'f****t' and was left bloody and bruised with a black eye. A few snaps from #Newtown #protest. Brave @tallpunksteph & organiser Ingrid. End #transphobia. Boycott the Townie. pic.twitter.com/duHuAVMSu8 — James of Social Work (@james_scwk) June 8, 2015 "I know that the physical scars will heal, but this is going to take so long to heal," McCarthy told the Sydney Morning Herald. "This isn't the first time I've been assaulted and sadly I know it won't be the last ... I'm just one in a long line of people who've been assaulted in Newtown in the last few years, for no reason at all, just for who you are." McCarthy directly blames the lockout laws for the rise in assaults in Newtown. “I’ve heard stories of gay bashings, racist attacks, women getting hit,” she said. “I personally believe it's down to the lockout. There are people coming out on Friday and Saturday nights that never used to go out in Newtown, and they’re just here to bash people ... They’re just here to get loaded on drinks and drugs and fight. "This used to be one of the best places in Australia for all kinds of people. The diversity was special and now we have people who prey on that. This area is getting destroyed." A crowd of supporters with #transgender musician Stephanie McCarthy in #Newtown. (Pic: @ElizaJBarr) pic.twitter.com/daHZN2yTFs — Inner West Courier (@InnerWestNews) June 8, 2015 So has the level of violence in Newtown risen since the lockout laws were instated in February 2014? Police are yet to deliver official statistics, but McCarthy is sure the incidence of violent assaults in the suburb has gone up since the lockouts, telling Fairfax that she and her LGBTQI friends had experienced significantly more attacks and abuse in the last year. The last numbers we've seen are in this review by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, done in April 2015. The report found that the number of non-domestic violence related assaults in Sydney's central areas (Kings Cross, Oxford Street, George Street and The Rocks in particular) had gone down since the lockouts. It didn't record a rise in assaults in surrounding, non-lockout suburbs like Surry Hills, Pyrmont, Bondi and Newtown. But if incidents are indeed rising as McCarthy and her friends suggest, this could possibly be attributed to a lack of reported incidents — a tendency with many LGBTQI people who've been harassed — or it could be that incidents have indeed gone unchanged. McCarthy's not just pointing fingers, she's seen the effect of lockout laws on surrounding suburbs firsthand — she grew up in Newcastle, where the same happened to fringe suburbs after lockouts were rolled out. McCarthy says she moved to Newtown because it was a safe space for LGBTQI people, celebrating diversity without threat or judgement. Now, McCarthy's not so optimistic for the future of the suburb. "It’s just so upsetting knowing that this special area is getting destroyed, because of a law that’s meant to protect people from violence. It might well make Kings Cross safer, but it’s destroying Newtown." Via SMH. Top image: Paul McCarthy, Wikimedia Commons.
When Sydney Theatre Company's version of The Picture of Dorian Gray premiered in 2020, it didn't just give Oscar Wilde's gothic-literature masterpiece a fresh spin; it turned it into a brand-new stage sensation. The show features just one performer playing all 26 characters. To make that happen, the production uses video to help. It's the work of writer/director Kip Williams, it's groundbreaking, and it's been understandably earning audiences raves and winning awards. Next stop: the big screen, possibly. Deadline reports that the film rights to the theatre smash have been picked up by none other than Cate Blanchett, via the Tár and Nightmare Alley star's production company Dirty Films. Now, playwright, screenwriter — and Dirty Films partner, plus Blanchett's partner — Andrew Upton is working with Williams on a treatment. When a movie version of The Picture of Dorian Gray might eventuate, who'll star, who'll direct the film: none of that has been announced so far. But behind the scenes, producers Rachel Gardner and Jo Porter from Curio Pictures are also involved. Dirty Films has the Blanchett-led The New Boy, plus fellow flicks such as Fingernails and Shayda, on its recent slate. Curio Pictures has TV productions High Country, The Artful Dodger and the upcoming The Narrow Road to the Deep North to its name of late. After it debuted in Sydney starring Eryn Jean Norvill, The Picture of Dorian Gray also hit theatres in Melbourne and Adelaide. From there, since earlier in 2024, it made the jump to London with Succession's Sarah Snook taking on every single onstage part, winning a 2024 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress for her efforts. On the page, The Picture of Dorian Gray is exceptional, as well as astute and unnerving, as it follows the selling of its namesake's soul in order to keep indulging every corporeal whim, urge and desire. There's a reason that it just keeps getting adapted for the screen and in theatres, after all. But there's never been a version like Sydney Theatre Company's, which filmgoers might now get to experience. Check out a trailer for the West End season of The Picture of Dorian Gray below: There's no word yet on when The Picture of Dorian Gray could reach screens — we'll update you when more details are announced. The Picture of Dorian Gray is playing The Theatre Royal Haymarket, 18 Suffolk Street, London until Saturday, May 11, 2024 — for more information and tickets, head to the play's website. Via Deadline. Images: Marc Brenner / Dan Boud.
Beginning as Dustin Payseur's bedroom pop project, Brooklyn's Beach Fossils showed an immediate knack for jangly lo-fi gems, with 2010's 'Daydream' delivering them instant hype band status. Since then, they've continued to knock out slacker pop gems and have expanded their lineup to include four touring members. This year's Clash the Truth was their second full-length and saw them ditch the bedroom for a high-end studio, and producer Ben Greenberg was enlisted to give the songs a new sheen. Beach Fossils have managed to evolve without losing what initially set them apart. While the production values are better than before, that familiar reverb-drenched sound and Payseur's distinctive laconic vocals remains their stock-in-trade, and Payseur's ability to write unassuming but incessantly catchy songs remains undiminished. In their first Australian headline shows, fans can expect Clash the Truth highlights like 'Careless' and 'Shallow' in a live show noted for its energy. https://youtube.com/watch?v=iOEqwcdrjOY
UPDATE: MARCH 17, 2020 — Due to concerns surrounding COVID-19, Sydney Writers' Festival has cancelled its 2020 program. In a statement, organisers said the cancellation will have a "significant impact on the literary community" and is encouraging the pubic to support the authors who were scheduled to attend the festival and to visit local booksellers. Ticket holders will be contacted for reimbursement. At the start of the Cold War in 1947, a group of scientists created the Doomsday Clock. An internationally recognised indicator of how close we are to a global catastrophe — caused by nuclear weapons, climate change or other disruptive technologies — it was initially set at 11.53pm. Fast forward to 2020, and we're a mere 100 seconds from midnight. In light of this, Sydney Writers' Festival has announced its timely theme for 2020: Almost Midnight. More than 400 writers from across the globe are set to descend on the city from Monday, April 27–Sunday, May 3 to discuss Donald Trump, political movements, surveillance, bushfires, First Nations' connection to land and how we can reverse the clock's movement. Heading the lineup is 2019 Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo and author of Girl, Women, Other. Evaristo's award-winning novel appeared on Concrete Playground's — and Barack Obama's — favourite books of 2019 list, alongside Salt by Bruce Pascoe, another author who'll be making an appearance at SWF. Pascoe, a Yuin, Bunurong and Tasmanian man, is known for his ground-breaking works exploring country, nature and identity. Lisa Taddeo, author of the much-talked-about 2019 hit Three Women; acclaimed American novelist Siri Hustvedt; Uncanny Valley's Anna Wiener; writer of seminal 85 novel In the Cut, Susanna Moore; and Strange Hotel's Eimear McBride are five more international big-names flying into Sydney for the festival. [caption id="attachment_764742" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bernardine Evaristo by Getty[/caption] Elsewhere on the program, Umbrella Movement founder and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Joshua Wong will appear via video link, and Nichole Perkins and Bim Adewunmi of Slate's hilarious Thirst Aid Kit will record an episode of the podcast live. Lively panels discussing everything from Clive James to the Christchurch mosque shootings and why there may be method in Donald Trump's madness are also on the lineup, as is a large contingent of Australian authors. Christos Tsiolkas, Clare Bowditch, Shaun Micallef, Bob Brown, Paul Kelly, Archie Roach and Charlotte Wood are some of the 100-plus locals that'll be taking to the stage at Carriageworks, The Seymour Centre, Town Hall, City Recital Hall, Parramatta Riverside Theatre and Chatswood Concourse Theatre. While the writers prepare to discuss global catastrophes, the world is in the midst of one: the COVID-19 pandemic. Many events have already been cancelled, including SXSW, Coachella and Dark Mofo, but SWF has decided to cautiously proceed. In the case of any cancellations, however, it is promising a full refund. Sydney Writers' Festival runs at various venues across the city from Monday, April 27–Sunday, May 3. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, March 13 via www.swf.org.au. Top images: Prudence Upton
UPDATE, JANUARY 6, 2023: New year, new Moonlight Cinema program, with the outdoor venue's January lineup also filled with highlights. Catch sneak peeks of the Margot Robbie-starring Babylon and British rom-com What's Love Got To Do With It — or check out new Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Tom Hanks getting cantankerous in A Man Called Otto and the wild true tale that is The Lost King. Plus, January's retro programming includes Twilight, The Princess Diaries, Con Air, Clueless, Magic Mike and the OG Top Gun. So, that's sparkly vampires, 90s greats, royal hijinks, Nicolas Cage, barely clad men and a need for speed taken care of. If nothing says Christmas to you like catching a festive film under the stars, ideally while kicking back on bean beds and eating a picnic, then Moonlight Cinema's November and December 2022 program has you firmly in its sights. The beloved Australian outdoor movie-viewing setup is back for another summer, and it's kicking off with a heap of recent big-name flicks — plus a couple of weeks of the merriest pictures that it can find. Fresh from revealing its dates for the summer 2022–23, Moonlight Cinema has now locked in its first titles, with the openair picture palace heading to Sydney's Centennial Park from Thursday, November 24–Sunday, March 26. The lineup kicks off with Don't Worry Darling, and also includes Top Gun: Maverick, Smile and Ticket to Paradise — plus Elvis, Where the Crawdads Sing, Bros, Bullet Train, Thor: Love and Thunder and Minions: The Rise of Gru. Yes, there's a throwback session of Grease in the first part of the program as well – because retro flicks are always a big part of this event — and then the festive fun begins. Yes, Elf, Home Alone, The Holiday and How the Grinch Stole Christmas are on the lineup. So is Die Hard twice and Love Actually a whopping three times. To wrap up December, there's also a preview session of Steven Spielberg's new release The Fabelmans, culinary thrills with The Menu and a preview of Australian drama Blueback — plus the family-friendly Lyle, Lyle Crocodile and Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance with Somebody. The rest of the Moonlight lineup will drop month by month. Nosh-wise, Moonlight Cinema will again let you BYO movie snacks and drinks, but the unorganised can also enjoy a plethora of bites to eat from food trucks — perfect, messy treats made for reclining on bean beds. There'll be a VIP section for an extra-luxe openair movie experience, a beauty cart handing out samples, and dogs are welcome at — there's even special doggo bean beds, and a snack menu for pooches.
Just as hearts will go on, so will everyone's fascination with the Titanic: the ill-fated vessel and the film of the same name. Where the latter is concerned, it has been two decades since Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet stepped onboard James Cameron's Oscar-winning behemoth, danced, flirted, fell in love and fell afoul of an iceberg, but cinemas aren't done with the box-office hit yet. To be fair, however, the movie's latest outing isn't exactly in your usual picture palace. In November, Beyond Cinema will screen Titanic in the way you never thought you'd see it: on a ship in Sydney Harbour as part of a live event that not only lets you pretend you're on the real thing, but re-enacts the feature. They're calling it a unique cinema experience designed to take you into the movie, aka Titanic cosplay. If you're a fan, you'd best hold onto your necklaces and maybe bring your own door to use as a raft. The Titanic Experience is the maiden voyage in a planned series of similar events, with screening The Shawshank Redemption in a jail one of the next on the agenda according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Of course, they're not the first to jump into the immersive, interactive cinema space — Underground Cinema and World Movies Secret Cinema are just some of the organisations that have done the same thing, and Brisbane has had its own pop-up prison cinema as well. Still, Titanic on a boat sounds like a watery treat. Information regarding specific dates and prices is also yet to be announced; however anyone interested in pretending they're the king of the world can sign up for pre-release details on the Beyond Cinema website. Beyond Cinema's Titanic screening will take place in November. For more details, keep an eye on their website and Facebook page. Via The Sydney Morning Herald.
If you experienced lauded director Barry Jenkins' last film Moonlight, then you would know that he's able to load his movies up with an emotional punch like no one else can. And if you believe the early reviews for his latest production If Beale Street Could Talk, this time around could possibly be even more powerful. Starring Kiki Layne as Tish and Stephan James as Fonny, this adaptation of James Baldwin's acclaimed novel is a love story set within the bustling world of 1970s New York. As the leading couple fall in love and come to expect their first child, their promising future is left in tatters when Fonny is arrested for a crime he didn't commit. Elegantly adapting Baldwin's celebrated portrayal of black America, the three-time Academy Award-nominated Jenkins offers up a cinematically stunning masterpiece that considers the power of love and family alongside a razor-sharp social commentary. Currently sitting at a 94% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it seems like Jenkins has produced yet another massive success. You can catch his latest flick nationwide from Thursday, February 14 — be sure to check out the trailer here beforehand. But if you can't wait until Thursday, we've got our hands on a bunch of double passes to the preview screening at Palace Central Cinemas on Wednesday, February 13. To be in with a chance, enter with your details below. [competition]707652[/competition]
Last week we told you about Endulj, a brand new Melbourne food service replicating and delivering dishes from some of the swankiest restaurants in town. Well, if Endulj is the equivalent of dinner at a high-end restaurant, then FoodByUs would surely be a comforting home-cooked meal. In fact, that's literally what they're all about, connecting hungry Australians with talented home chefs. Because why bother borrowing a half-dozen eggs from your neighbour when you can get them to make the whole omelette for you? Described as "a vibrant local community of food buyers and sellers", the online portal and app has been operating in Sydney back in August, and launches in Melbourne this week. Users can chose from culinary creations — ranging from Egyptian tangines to vegan treats and incredible cakes — made by dozens of different professional and amateur chefs for pick-up or delivery. It's like UberEats at community level — a place where it's perfectly acceptable to ask someone else's nonna to cook you dinner. "It's an opportunity to meet your [food] maker and have really authentic food that is homemade and that is really hard to find anywhere else," co-founder Ben Lipschitz told SBS earlier this year. "It's about having that authentic experience." Alternatively, you can try your hand at making and selling dishes of your own. Have your friends ever told you your cupcakes are so good you could charge people for them? Well, here's your chance to put that to the test. For more information and to try it for yourself visit foodbyus.com.au. The app can be found on Google Play and in the Apple App Store.
The Cleaners is an interactive art piece from Shock Therapy Productions, and it starts life as a three-walled plain white living room, seven metres in the air. "Starts" is the operative word here though; throughout the installation's run, creators Hayden Jones and Sam Foster undertake the Sisyphean task of trying to keep the room pristine — yet there's a supply of paint-filled balloons and a catapult at ground level. Uh oh! What follows, and what we all learn in the process, is anyone's guess. Whatever happens, everyone's going to love chucking a load of paint at two blokes in cleaning uniforms.
Anyone in Sydney who considers themselves a Sider knows the The Sun-Herald City2Surf presented by Westpac. What with it being the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, attracting over 85,000 participants from elite athletes to fun-run-loving locals last year alone, this charity fundraiser/epic test of stamina and virtue is hard to miss even on the laziest of radars. Wholly owned and organised by The Sun-Herald since its humble beginnings 42 years ago, this ain't a casual saunter through the park. As the name suggests, this is 14km of walking, jogging and hardcore PB-busting running as partakers make their way from the CBD to the sands of Bondi via the winding roads and hills of the eastern suburbs. Last year $4,173,915 was raised for charities across Australia and the day saw six marriage proposals, 17 Spidermen and one naked dude's bits flap about to name just a few memorable moments. Followed, of course, by plenty of forgettable ones, after heaps of well-earned boozing by the beach.
Disney has its own. Apple has one too. And so does Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn. If you're fond of documentaries, you have not one but two local choices. The same applies if you're eager to get viewing for free, especially if you can handle retro flicks and titles that you've never heard of before. And if you're eager to support Australian content, there's one for that as well. We're talking about streaming platforms, of course. Throw in Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime Video, SBS On Demand and ABC iView, and Aussies can't say there isn't anything to watch. That's not an exhaustive list either, because this space just keeps growing — with a new service dedicated to British television shows about to join the fold this year. Already operational in the USA, Canada and, of course, the United Kingdom, Britbox is a joint collaboration between two English TV networks: the BBC and ITV. They both have a hefty stable of programs up their sleeves — and while exactly what'll be available on the Aussie version of the service hasn't been announced, you can expect retro and recent series such as Absolutely Fabulous, The Office, Blackadder, Harlots and A Confession, based on the titles showcased on the current local website. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2DCExerOsA Britbox will focus on box sets of UK shows, which means full seasons all there at once ready for audiences to stream. You'll be able to do so via mobile devices, tablets, connected TVs and Chromecast — and via the online site. Just when Britbox will start streaming in Australia is yet to be revealed, other than than sometime in 2020. Nor has a price as yet, if you're eager to add another platform to your subscriptions. Britbox is set to launch in Australia sometime in 2020. Visit the streaming service's website to sign up for further updates.
Flickering across a cinema screen, even the greatest of movies only inherently activate two senses: sight and hearing. Audiences can feel the seats they nestle into in their favourite picture palaces, and savour both the scent and flavour of popcorn while they watch, but no one can touch, taste or smell films themselves as they're playing — even if adding scratch-and-sniff aromas to the experience has become a cult-favourite gimmick. British director Peter Strickland knows all of the above. And, he hasn't ever released a feature in Smell-o-Vision, Smell-O-Rama or Odorama. But his work still conjures up sensations that viewers know they can't genuinely be having, such as running your fingers over an alluring dress with In Fabric, detecting the flutter of insect wings against your skin via The Duke of Burgundy and, courtesy of his latest movie Flux Gourmet, relishing the fragrances and tastes whipped up by a culinary collective that turns cooking and eating into performance art. If you've seen his features before, Flux Gourmet instantly sounds like something that only Strickland could make — and from its first frame till its last, it proves that with every moment. While spinning this innately sensory tale, which he both helmed and penned, it does indeed literally sound like something that only Strickland could've come up with, in fact. As the acoustics-focused Berberian Sound Studio demonstrated, the filmmaker's audioscapes are always a thing of wonder, too. His movies may manage to magically engage senses that cinema's sound-and-vision combination intrinsically shouldn't, but they also make the utmost use of every echo. The same applies to each image; unsurprisingly due to his strong and distinctive sense of style and mood, everything about Flux Gourmet looks and feels like pure Strickland. His films can't actually be injected into anyone's veins, but the director's devotees will instantly want this delirious farce pumping through their system. The setting: The Sonic Catering Institute, a conservatory specialising in blending sound and cuisine, as its name makes plain. The "institute devoted to culinary and alimentary performance" is overseen by the couture-coveting Jan Stevens (Gwendoline Christie, Game of Thrones), and regularly welcomes in different groups to undertake residencies. Those visiting artists collaborate, percolate and come up with eye-catching blends of food, bodies and creativity. Hosting OTT dinners, role-playing a trip to the supermarket, getting scatalogical and turning a live colonoscopy into a show: they're just some of the menu items that Jan's latest guests cook up. In Elle di Elle (Strickland regular Fatma Mohamed), Lamina Propria (Ariane Labed, The Souvenir: Part II) and Billy Rubin's (Asa Butterfield, Sex Education) case, however, that unique kind of kitchen virtuosity only springs when they're not broiling in messy bickering. Chaos bubbles through and troubles the trio's troupe, who stir up mayhem among themselves as heartily as any chef stirs their dishes. But Elle, Lamina and Billy aren't the Institute's only current visitors. Watching and chronicling is journalist Stones (Makis Papadimitriou, Beckett), who is also suffering from gastrointestinal struggles that he worries might be something more. As his subjects keep riffing on the human digestive system, or trying to, he can't control his own. Endeavouring to withhold his flatulence 24/7 is his constant struggle. Somehow, keeping a straight face as everything gets absurd around him is a far easier task, but Flux Gourmet's viewers shouldn't want to share that achievement with him; this purposefully strange, silly and surreal film is far too deliciously hilarious. Let Stones' struggle sink in again: to fart or not to fart, that is his question. Yes, one of Flux Gourmet's key plot points revolves around letting it rip. Yes, Strickland masterfully finds empathy in that toilet humour, understanding that we all break wind as a normal bodily function, and pairs it with a savvy takedown of art-world and showbusiness pretension. As a satire, his film dips its spoons into smug attitudes, exclusionary conventions, and all the pompousness and ceremony that's stereotypically ascribed to every art form's upper echelons, then delights in gobbling down biting parody after biting parody. Thanks to Stones and his questions, Flux Gourmet is a spin on This Is Spinal Tap, too, complete with The Sonic Catering Institute's version of rockstar behaviour. Elle, Lamina and Billy play instruments, after all, even if they're often egg whisks, blenders and saucepans. They have post-show orgies. Tempers boil, even before Billy ends up in bed with Jan, their residency version of a manager — and an argument about a flanger threatens to tear everything apart. That heated disagreement, and the key scene that sees Jan and Elle face off about the amusingly named audio-effects equipment — and say the word "flanger" again and again — screams everything about Flux Gourmet. It's ridiculous and riotous, never stops simmering, and proves entertaining as a piece of farce and a statement on the domain and personalities that Strickland is skewering. Crucially, it also owes as much to its leads as it does to its director. Strickland has Billy and Jan's relationship, Elle and Lamina's tension, and vengeful attacks by a rival sonic catering group called The Mangrove Snacks (who applied for the same stint but missed out) among the plot's courses, but his film not only gleams brightest but bounces around at its liveliest when neither the magnetic Mohamed nor Christie at her uproariously domineering best hold back. Every recipe hinges upon its ingredients and Flux Gourmet is no exception. Its cast is committed, all playing characters attempting to control something, everything or both, and each peppering in their own seasoning — including the affable Papadimitriou as the seemingly sanest of the lot. Cinematographer Tim Sidell (I Hate Suzie) lenses the raucousness with verve and pop, and also like he's peering at a dream that's as intimate and visceral as a medical procedure, and yet as out-there as our brain's nocturnal imaginings come. Strickland's own hyper-stylised flair naturally flavours the whole meal, and saying that Flux Gourmet stands out even among his inimitable work is saying something. Wild, warm, witty, weird, wonderfully its own curious concoction: that's this delectable affair, which only falters in its slightly overindulgent pacing. That said, when a cinematic feast is this nourishing in so many ways — and to so many senses — who doesn't want it to go on?
Bernard Yu and Yen Yee of Melbourne's LuxBite and Anna Polyviou of the Sydney Shangri-La have at least two things in common. One is that they are quickly developing an international reputation for being outrageously talented pastry masterminds. The other is that they're offering to whip you up five courses of eastern sweet treats at their 2013 Asian Dessert Degustation. When renowned dessert heavyweights like LuxBite and Polyviou collide, we can hardly imagine the deliciousness that must ensue. One thing we do know is that you will walk away with a slice of Bernard Yu's 'Lolly Bag Cake', made famous on this season of Masterchef and featuring no less than seven layers of scrumptious lolly-inspired goodness (mere mention of the mandarin Jaffa ganache, musk-mallow and freckles crunch layers have us floating away on a sugar high). With a glass of sparkling, delectable canapes and those five whimsical courses of Asian desserts, not a sweet tooth in this city will want to miss this candy collaboration. The Asian Dessert Degustation is on at the Shangri-La Hotel (176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks) on August 7 and 8 at 6.30pm. Tickets are $125. For bookings call Bonnie on (02) 9250 6247.
There are two ways that you can add some extra flavour to your next boozy beverage. Mix your drink of choice with a heap of other ingredients and you've got yourself a cocktail, of course — or, you can opt for one of the many varieties of spirits that don't just stick to the usual recipe. Australia's newest vodka falls into the second category. And if you like lamingtons, which everyone should, then you're going to want to add a bottle to your liquor cabinet. Made by Gold Coast-based distillery Wildflower Gin, the limited-edition lamington-flavoured tipple appears as crystal clear as every other vodka. But it's made using local strawberries, cocoa and coconut, so you'll taste all of the above while you're sipping. Obviously, if you'd like to pair it with an actual lamington as well, that's encouraged. And if you're just keen on knocking back drinks that taste like dessert, that's fine as well. The strawberries, cocoa and coconut are all distilled with water from Tamborine Mountain, to help create a smooth beverage — which you can then drink neat by itself, pair with some soda water or add to a cocktail. If you're keen, you'll need to get in fast, because only 200 bottles are available online and at the distillery's Varsity Lakes home. Wildflower Gin's lamington vodka is available to order online for $75 — or, if you're near the Gold Coast, you can pick up a bottle at the distillery at 2/486 Scottsdale Drive, Varsity Lakes.
The Sydney Opera House's contemporary music program is all about breaking down barriers. Once upon a time the Concert Hall was pretty much exclusively dedicated to the classical genre, but these days the likes of Paul Kelly, Sharon Jones and Nick Cave can be found gracing the stage. Later this month, Sarah Blasko will make her Opera House debut when she and the Sydney International Orchestra perform her boundary-obliterating fourth album, I Awake. Blasko has never been one to rest on her creative laurels and her new LP is no exception. Last year, she travelled to Sweden and Bulgaria, where she hooked up with the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra to record twelve tracks. Featuring rich string arrangements and a vocal performance that producer/musician Robert Cranny has described as her recorded "best", I Awake has been inspiring four and five star reviews from the critics. If you're under twenty or hold a Healthcare card, you can book a standing room ticket for just $20 (Note: these tickets are only available in person at the Sydney Opera House Box Office – you can't buy them online). https://youtube.com/watch?v=LD137cd7Cw0
They say one a day keeps the doctor away — so you're sure to be some sort of medical miracle once you attend the City of Ryde's beloved Granny Smith Festival this spring. After two years of COVID cancellations and online offerings, the festival dedicated to Australia's favourite apple is making its hotly anticipated comeback on Saturday, October 15. Why all the apple hullabaloo? It's because the first known crop of Granny Smith apples was accidentally grown by Ryde local Maria Ann 'Granny' Smith back in 1868. Subsequently, since 1985 Eastwood has celebrated the discovery with a giant free and family-friendly festival of market stalls, food trucks, rides and live entertainment — which quickly became one of the largest festivals in Sydney. Of course, the last couple of years have been a little lacking, so the 2022 iteration will be making up for lost time. Head in nice and early when festivities kick off at 9am to fuel up for the day with some delicious apple goods, including toffee apples, apple pies, caramel apples, apple juice, and of course, freshies for the purists. Then secure your spot to watch the festival highlight: the traditional 2,000-strong Grand Street Parade marching through the city streets. Kicking off at 9.30am, the parade includes bands, dancers and a giant festival float with a celebrity guest (Granny Smith herself). While away the subsequent hours by browsing the market stalls (there'll be over 250 of them) to check out some of the apple-inspired products including handmade jewellery, clothing and homewares. Pop by the animal farm to say hi to some furry pals, and don't miss the family-friendly entertainment going down across five stages — including cultural performances, a singing competition and even a meet-and-greet with some Paw Patrol stars. If you need something to break up the sweet offerings, come lunchtime hit up the food stalls and trucks to feast on delicious delights — Italian pork and apple rolls from Bella Porcetta; prawn and chorizo rolls from Mojo Picon; Dutch poffertjes (tiny pancakes); teriyaki pork ribs (with apple sauce of course) and more. And don't forget to stop by the pop-up Batlow Cider Bar on the oval, where you'll get free cider samples, as well as apple seltzers and local brews. Closing out the day with a literal bang is X Factor Australia winner and Eurovision alum Dami Im, who is taking to the stage for an especially exciting performance before a spectacular fireworks finale at 8pm. The City of Ryde Granny Smith Festival will run on Saturday, October 15, from 9am–8pm. Check out the rest of the Granny Smith Festival program and plan out your festival journey over here.
We've compiled a list of delicious Greek food in Sydney for you, and we've done it at great risk to ourselves — the last guy who swiped secrets about Greek dishes wound up trapped in a puddle for eternity. It's said that Tantalus was invited for dinner with Zeus on Mount Olympus and liked the gods' ambrosia and nectar so much he pocketed some to take home and share with friends. Zeus was so mad, he made Tantalus stand forever in a still pool of water, just unable to reach a branch laden with fruit drooping down overhead. So if we do get busted for bringing you this list, at least come visit and bring a souvlaki, okay koukla mou? The Corinthian The skeletal lamb heads, glaring sightless out from the lit-up window bain-marie, are the first things you'll see and the last thing I want to think about. This place has presided over Marrickville since the '80s and has all the old wood-panelling, plastic tablecloths, faded photos and over-it attitude to prove it. The staff are actually from ancient Greece. Go here for the chill, old-school charm and hearty, veteran versions of all the classics. Lunch Tues - Sun, Dinner Tues - Sun; 283 Marrickville Road, Marrickville; (02) 9569 7084 Anatoli This new kid, by contrast, is brimming with imagination and energy. Really — I could not, in good conscience, send you to The Eastern otherwise. Anatoli is one of a swag of new spots recently opened in the Bondi Junction club and has convinced now-me to revisit what teenage-me left behind. The whole place has been reinvented and the Anatoli fit-out is totally glam; there are no sheep skulls oozing up this marble bar top. There's a mouthwatering range of meat and fish, and the vegetarian options not only exist but look delicious; a whole roast artichoke comes sitting on lemon butter, while charred okra holds up against ballsy garlic and anchovies. Lunch Fri - Sun; Dinner Tues - Sun; 500 Oxford Street, Bondi; (02) 9387 7828; anatolirestaurant.com.au The Animal If Dionysus was propping up any bar in Sydney, it'd probably be this one at Keystone's tricked-up Newtown Hotel. They actually serve wine on tap here, and I imagine the god of that grape juice would be pulling up a chair. If you don't eat no meat, the coal roast suckling lamb is literally the best thing ever. There's a different meat roast every day (goat on Thursdays!) and they go all-out for Sunday with all the trimmings. The dessert list stretches a bit beyond baklava, too. I'd pop in for a wine and a cheese plate with fig jam and pickled carrots. Lunch Sat - Sun; Dinner Mon - Sun; 174 King St, Newtown; (02) 9557 6399; newtownhotel.com.au Steki Taverna This low-lit charmer has been tucked down a Newtown side street for around three decades now, and it's earned its regulars. Those who go, go often. There are no surprises on the menu; it's full of usual suspects, and they're usually done damn well. There's live, loud Greek music on Friday and Saturday nights and lots of dancing, which is the sort of thing I would not want anything to do with if everyone didn't look like they were having just so much fun. Dinner Wed - Sun; 2 O'Connell St, Newtown; (02) 9516 2191; www.stekitaverna.com.au The Apollo The Apollo is tucked away down in Potts Point, and it's nice to stroll down Macleay Street to get there considering you'll be ordering two of everything on the menu (you shouldn't order that much, I'm kidding) (but you should). Jonathan Barthelmess (Manly Pavilion) and Sam Christie (Longrain) have teamed up to deliver a bright little neighbourhood favourite with food that feels both classic and contemporary. Go the saganaki cheese with honey and oregano, the taramasalata dip sprinkled with fresh mullet roe, the rich moussaka (and everything else) (twice). Finish up with fresh chunks of watermelon marinated in ouzo and topped with lemon granita and make plans to return. Lunch Fri - Sun; Dinner Mon - Sun; 44 Macleay Street, Potts Point; (02) 8354 0888; www.theapollo.com.au Xanthi They had me at 'ouzo trolley'. The aniseed spirit is actually way too strong for me, but I am all about unusual alcohol delivery methods (see: wine on tap; my enthusiasm for, above). There are 20 varieties available on the pimped-out little cart if you are ready for that jelly. Xanthi owner David Tsirekas earned a lot of fans in Petersham with Perama before setting up shop above all the heels and handbags in Westfield Sydney. Say yiasou to the peppered figs in warm honey, the pork belly baklava and the rabbit stifado — flaky strips of meat spiked with red wine and cinnamon, wrapped up in crinkly house-made filo pastry. Lunch and dinner Mon - Sun; Level 6, Westfield Sydney, cnr Pitt Street Mall and Market Street, CBD; (02) 9232 8535; www.xanthi.com.au Parea This place, more than any other on this list, nails the atmosphere I've experienced at big, fat gatherings of Greek family friends: fun, friendly and loud. Your parea is your extended family — old friends you round up with whom to laugh, argue, unwind and, most importantly, eat yourself stupid. This suburban favourite gets so packed later in the week they've extended into a takeaway joint over the road. Back in the original you can watch through a big window as the cooks carve the juicy meat up over hot coals, and shout as loud as you want to your friends; you won’t hear them otherwise, in here. You know what you'll find on the menu, and I know it's really good. Lunch Sat - Sun; Dinner Tues - Sun; 46 Rocky Point Road, Kogarah; (02) 9588 7887; www.parea.com.au The Yeeros Shop Don't be fooled by the shop's name, or the ostensible topic of this article: this place is just about the hot chips. Maybe they do some Greek food, I don't know, juicy, fresh kebabs with chilli and tangy tzatziki and whatever. You can order that if you still have room after eating all the chips. I like them salty and a bit squishy, but you can ask the guys behind the counter to fry them to a crisp if you want. I can understand Zeus not wanting to share. Lunch Tues - Sun, Dinner Tues - Sun; 431 Illawarra Road, Marrickville; (02) 9559 1167 Top image: Anatoli. By Jacqueline Breen and Roslyn Helper.
Sydney cinephiles, we now know just what you'll be viewing across a certain 12-day block in June. After releasing a sneak peek last month, Sydney Film Festival has unveiled its massive lineup in full for its 64th year, and it comes with 288 films from 59 countries, including 37 world premieres. Oh, it features Aussie legend Ben Mendelsohn chatting about his career too. In exciting news for fans of the ace local actor and his recent rise through Hollywood's ranks (The Dark Knight Rises, Girls, Bloodline, Rogue One — the list goes on), Mendo will be in town for an in conversation session, as well as a screening of his latest flick Una. The latter also features Rooney Mara and his Star Wars co-star Riz Ahmed, and marks the filmmaking debut of Australian theatre director Benedict Andrews. Staying on the homegrown front, festival director Nashen Moodley is once again opening SFF with a locally-relevant title for the sixth time in a row. This year, the new effort from Samson and Delilah's Warwick Thornton is doing the honours. Enjoying its world premiere at the fest, We Don't Need a Map explores the significance of the Southern Cross as a symbol within Australian culture. Other Aussie fare includes two films from Red Dog filmmaker Kriv Stenders: a look at our diverse society in the Bryan Brown-starring Australia Day, and a chronicle the career of one of Brisbane's greatest bands in The Go-Betweens: Right Here. Actor David Wenham turns director for the first time with Ellipsis, which is being called a Sydney-set Before Sunrise. Ali's Wedding offers up the country's first Muslim rom-com, while ecological doco Blue examines the destruction of marine life happening off of our coastline, and Otherlife serves up some sci-fi from the director of Wasted on the Young. Given that one of SFF's main attractions is its official competition, it's hardly surprising that the festival has stacked the lineup of titles vying for its $60,000 prize with must-see flicks. We Don't Need a Map and Una are in the running, and they have plenty of company. Coming fresh from Cannes is Sofia Coppola's American Civil War thriller The Beguiled, starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning, as well as the long-awaited return of Austrian auteur Michael Haneke courtesy of his Isabelle Huppert-led Happy End. Berlinale's Golden Bear winner On Body and Soul, and other trophy recipients Félicité and The Other Side of Hope also feature. Those looking for familiar faces can catch Michael Fassbender, Ryan Gosling, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman and Mara again in Terrence Malick's Austin music scene-set love story Song to Song, plus Aubrey Plaza being hilarious in both social media satire Ingrid Goes West and nun comedy The Little Hours, and Armie Hammer smouldering up the screen in the swoon-worthy Call Me By Your Name, too. Or, get some starry monster action with closing night's Okja, with The Host and Snowpiercer helmer Bong Joon-ho taking Jake Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton and Paul Dano into creature feature territory. Other general standouts include gripping transgender drama A Fantastic Woman, vintage clothing store horror flick Fashionista, and rap-focused Sundance hit Patti Cake$, as well as Julian Assange doco Risk, Johnny Rotten profile The Public Image is Rotten, and a look inside the world of competitive poultry breeding — yes, really — in Chicken People. Horror fans can get scared when a board game goes wrong in Game of Death, and see some slasher action in the Portuguese woods in The Forest of Lost Souls. Plus, SFF will shine the spotlight on female filmmakers in Europe for the second year. Scouring through the greats of the past as well as the ace flicks of today, restorations of Aussie classics The Year My Voice Broke and The Well, erotic French drama Belle de Jour and Abbas Kiarostami's Taste of Cherry will also grace SFF's screens, alongside an already-announced retrospective of Japanese master Akira Kurosawa's works. Sydney female filmmakers from the '70s and '80s get their own sidebar, as does a showcase of modern Canadian cinema and a celebration of essential punk rock cinema.
Belvoir has brushed off everyone caught up in the bog of the adaptations versus original writing in theatre debate, putting on not one but two versions of Greek tragedy Oedipus in their freshly announced 2014 season. Seeing as the shows resemble each other about as much as a Friesian cow resembles the internet, we are forced to conclude that they are, in fact, originals. First up is Oedipus Schmoedipus, a comedy epic from local legends post that will play as part of the Sydney Festival and is billed as "by post after aeschylus, anon, artaud, behn, brecht, büchner, Chekhov, Coward, Fo, Genet, Havel, Ibsen, Marlowe, Molière, O’neill, Plautus, Racine, Seneca, Shakespeare, Shaw, Sophocles, Strindberg, Wedekind, Wilde et al". The other Oedipus, Oedipus Rex, by Belvoir resident director Adena Jacobs (Persona), will be a rather more intense affair in the Downstairs Theatre. Of course, there are another eleven shows that each have something special going on. "This year we introduce two new resident directors, Adena Jacobs and Anne-Louise Sarks," says artistic director Ralph Myers. "They join associate director Eamon Flack and literary manager and all-rounder Anthea Williams to round out what has to be the hottest team of theatre-makers this side of The Globe. Plus, we’ve invited a swag of freelance artists into the tent to weave their magic." In the Upstairs Theatre, Jacobs is also directing a must-see Hedda Gabler with Ash Flanders in the title role. The actor's capacity for subtleness has always shone through in the high-camp melodrama we're used to seeing him in, and he'll no doubt bring a new dimension to Hedda. Ibsen is also looked to in resident director Anne-Louise Sarks' Nora, which she is developing with Kit Brookman. It's partly adaptation, partly spin-off of A Doll's House, in that it follows the character Nora after she's walked out on her family and off the page of the original. Also featuring upstairs is Once in Royal David's City, a new work by Australian playwright Michael Gow, starring Brendan Cowell and directed by Eamon Flack (Angels in America). Belvoir is calling it an "astonishing act of theatrical invention". Winner of the Balnaves Foundation Indigenous Playwright’s Award Jada Alberts has her Brothers Wreck, directed by Leah Purcell, on Upstairs, while Indigenous performers also lead the truly vibrant experiment that is Twenty Questions, a cabaret/talkshow hosted by Wesley Enoch and playing on Monday nights from April through to August. Rounding out the Upstairs shows is a Simon Stone-led Philadelphia Story (that's the 1940 screwball/romantic comedy, yes, but apparently he's got something radical planned), an Eamon Flack-helmed Glass Menagerie featuring Luke Mullins and Pamela Rabe, and a version of A Christmas Carol you can see on Christmas Eve. Downstairs, we're poaching Melbourne's much-loved THE RABBLE, who'll present Cain and Abel and take their powerful, gender-aware to the stories of the Bible. Post's Zoe Coombs Marr (winner of FBi SMAC for Best on Stage) explores the life of a stand-up comedian (in non-one-man-show form) with Is This Thing On?, while Matthew Whittet and Belvoir literary manager Anthea Williams do Cinderella in an adults-only kind of way. It appears that apart from the four shows, the Downstairs Theatre will be going dark for the rest of the year. For more information and to get a subscription, visit the Belvoir website.
Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan) is a man with such a proficient ability to inject even the most banal of situations with toe-curling awkwardness that it borders on being a talent. A much-loved character that fans have followed over a range of TV series, specials, radio plays and his I, Partridge autobiography, this latest instalment (and the first big-screen outing for the character) is an unusually high-concept affair which makes the most of its delicious conceit. Having schemed desperately (but unsuccessfully) for his old TV hosting job, Partridge is still clinging onto his local celebrity status, revelling in the soul-crushingly inane show where he tackle questions such as "What's the worst kind of monger? Fish, Rumour, Iron or War?". When the station is taken over by a corporation intent on rebranding the backwater North Norfolk Digital as a vibrant youth station, he barely survives the cull. The upheaval sees the ageing Pat (Colm Meaney) axed, a decision he responds to by returning to a station party with a gun and taking the staff hostage. By dumb luck, Alan finds himself outside the station as the siege begins, and as the only one Pat trusts, he finds himself pushed into being the go-between between Pat and the police tasked with ending the siege. Simultaneously fearful and puffed up with importance, he soon starts to think that being the face of the siege (or "siege face" in his words) could be just the tonic his forever ailing career needs. Among those trapped at the station are the hapless Sidekick Simon (the hilarious Tim Key) and Angela (Monica Dolan), a co-worker so socially inept and desperate that she seems a plausible love interest for Alan. It also wouldn't be a Partridge show without Alan's long-suffering assistant Lynn (Felicity Montagu), who is on hand to massage Alan's fragile ego and generally be bossed around and underappreciated. It's interesting to see how the character of Partridge has softened over the years. Initially a misanthropic buffoon with the soul of a parking station, Partridge now seems completely eccentric and devoid of self-awareness but an essentially sympathetic figure who you actually cheer for as he finds himself in way over his head. The lighter tone hasn't led to a lack of laughs though — whether singing along to Roachford, back-announcing his soft rock favourites with baffling non-sequiturs, losing his trousers while managing to lock himself out of the under-siege building or completely misjudging every single conversation he enters, the painfully funny Partridge remains exhibit A in the argument for Coogan's status as a comic genius. While the pitch-perfect slice-of-life series Mid-Morning Matters with Alan Partridge remains the high water mark of the now sprawling Partridge oeuvre, Alpha Papa is a beautifully written and performed work, likely to delight both long-term fans and introduce a broader audience to one of British comedy's most inspired creations. https://youtube.com/watch?v=qywG2-FC6x0
Plenty can happen in six years. Since the last time that Hans Zimmer performed in Australia, his score for Dune won him his second Academy Award and his work on Dune: Part Two earned him his fifth Grammy, for instance. Over that period, the iconic composer has also given everything from No Time to Die, Wonder Woman 1984, Top Gun: Maverick and The Creator to Prehistoric Planet and Planet Earth III their tunes. One of the biggest names in big-screen music, he's clearly been busy — but he's not too busy to add a three-city Aussie tour to his 2025 calendar. Zimmer will head Down Under for the first time since 2019, including two dates in Sydney. If you've seen him live before, you'll know that this is quite the sonic experience, especially for movie lovers. And if you haven't caught him yet, you'll want to fix that at his Saturday, April 26–Sunday, April 27 gigs at Qudos Bank Arena. For more than four decades now, Zimmer has given screens big and small a distinctive sound. The German composer helped put the bounce in The Lion King's score and the droning in Inception's memorable tunes, and has loaned his talents to everything from Thelma & Louise to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy to Blade Runner 2049. It's an impressive list that just keeps going and growing — see: above — and it sounds even more impressive when played live and accompanied by an orchestra. [caption id="attachment_990221" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Suzanne Teresa[/caption] The latest trip Down Under for the man who has worked his music magic on a wealth of titles — Hidden Figures, The Boss Baby, Dunkirk, Widows, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, The Lion King remake and The Crown are just a few more of his recent-ish credits — comes not only after his 2019 visit, but after he toured his Hans Zimmer Revealed concert series in 2017, including to Australia. His 2025 shows see the return of his Hans Zimmer Live gigs, complete with a 19-piece live band and full orchestra, as well as a huge stage production that features a luminous light show and other eye-catching visuals. While the Oscar, Golden Globe, Grammy and Tony-winner obviously isn't going to perform every single one of his iconic film scores, expect to hear plenty of your favourites from a newly arranged lineup of tunes that includes Dune, Gladiator, Interstellar, The Dark Knight, The Lion King, The Last Samurai and Pirates of the Caribbean. Onstage, Zimmer will have Australian singer Lisa Gerrard for company, with some of the songs that she co-penned with him featuring in the set — so, tracks from Mission: Impossible, King Arthur, Black Hawk Down, Tears of the Sun and more. [caption id="attachment_990220" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Suzanne Teresa[/caption] Top images: Lee Kirby / Frank Embacher Photography / Suzanne Teresa.
Think you’d be okay in The Walking Dead? Pretty sure you’d keep your cool in the American Horror Story house? Do you chortle at freakiest bits in Insidious? Then Running Scared might be for you. Basically, Running Scared is a fun run. At night. Through an obstacle course. Filled with terrifying sights, sounds and what-the-hell-is-that creatures leaping out from the shadows. What’s not to love? It’s 8km long, and you’ll run, jump, climb, swim and generally freak out. It’s a full-on workout, similar to Tough Mudder or the Color Run, except those don’t promise to make you fear for your life. As well as the obstacle course lifted straight out of an Argento film, there’s a dress-up competition for the most weirdly dressed competitor, though organisers stress you don’t wear your brand spankin’ new Nikes, because you’re going to get dirty. Registration is essential, so get in quicker than your favourite jump scare for a freaky night of frightful fitness.
Sydney's in lockdown once again, with stay-at-home orders in place and hospitality venues closed to dine-in customers. While this inevitably means that drinks at your local will have to wait, in the meantime, you can enjoy the next best thing at home. Whether you're after wine, tinnies or freshly shaken cocktails, a stack of Sydney bars are ensuring you don't go thirsty while social distancing. Better yet, by ordering from these guys, you'll be supporting small, local businesses. So, if it looks like you need to restock your liquor cabinet, here are seven of the best boozy delivery deals (and takeaway options) around town. If you choose to pick up these drinks rather than have them delivered, have a look at the latest COVID-19 advice.
There are many works of fiction set in a future metropolis, but what about a school-scape specifically? Keeping with the fascination for dystopian futures, Out Of Line proposes a hellish schoolyard setting where rules are enforced rigorously and self-expression is unheard of. Imagine a world where sameness is not just common, but normal. Young people, both with and without disability, from the Shopfront Bodylines Ensemble, Autism Spectrum Australia and Kogarah High School will come to together to present this full-length live performance work at the Australian Theatre for Young People. Directed by Flinders University Drama Centre alum Margot Politis, the work promises to be a provoking exploration of the overriding themes of rules, bullying and resilience through movement.
David Attenborough may have turned 94 in 2020; however the acclaimed broadcaster and natural historian isn't slowing down anytime soon. Fresh from narrating and presenting two new TV series last year — Our Planet and Seven Worlds, One Planet — and even appearing at Glastonbury to promote the latter, he's now bringing his latest movie-length documentary to cinemas. Called David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, the film sees Attenborough look back on his more than nine decades on earth, the sights he has seen and the changes he has witnessed. Specifically, he reflects upon humanity's enormous and damaging impact on the natural world. Produced by wildlife filmmakers Silverback Films and global environmental organisation WWF, the resulting doco us described as "a powerful message of hope for future generations". In the film's trailer, Attenborough doesn't hold back. "The living world is a unique and spectacular marvel, yet the way we humans live on earth is sending it into a decline," he comments — before further noting that "human beings have overrun the world". He calls the film his "witness statement" and his "vision for the future", exploring humankind's actions over its existence and how moves can be made to address the planet's current environmental state. Naturally, Attenborough's wise words are combined with striking footage — as you'd expect of anything that the broadcaster is involved in. Originally due to hit the silver screen for one night only, A Life On Our Planet was slated to show in cinemas Down Under in April — but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its release was postponed. It'll now premiere on Monday, September 28 and stick around for a longer cinema season, with the film paired with an exclusive cinema-only conversation between Attenborough and Sir Michael Palin. There's nothing quite like seeing stunning nature footage on a big screen; however if you miss out or can't make it along, the documentary will also head to Netflix before spring is out. Check out the trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLVkqjHrAzw&feature=youtu.be David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet will screen in Australian and New Zealand cinemas from Monday, September 28, before hitting Netflix before spring is out. Top image: WWF; Joe Fereday, Silverback Films.
Between Saturday, November 24, 2018 and Sunday, April 28, 2019, the Gallery of Modern Art and Queensland Art Gallery are bringing the Asia Pacific to Brisbane for the ninth time. Every three years since 1993, the city's major art institutions celebrate the vast creativity brightening up the region as part of the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art. At the 2018 event — the fifth since GOMA opened, and one that's free as usual — more than 80 individuals, collectives and group projects will grace the walls of the two galleries, representing over 30 countries. Understandably, the highlights are many. View a major site-specific work by leading Chinese artist Qiu Zhijie, see Singapore-based artists Donna Ong andRobert Zhao Renhui turn QAG's Watermall into a new landscape filled with artificial plants, or dive into the water with separate video works by Martha Atienza and Monira Al Qadiri — with the latter not only making the gallery feel like an aquarium, but also being projected onto the William Jolly Bridge for five days. When you enter the exhibition, you'll walk beneath towering sculptures created from nassa shells from Papua New Guinea, while APT9 also features the largest contingent of First Nation artists in its history, including Australian Indigenous art. The massive showcase kicks off with a weekend filled with events across Friday, November 23 and Sunday, November 25, complete with an opening party, talks and performances, with plenty more events scheduled for the exhibition's entire run. Accompanying cinema programs will look at film from the region, and there's also a secret jacaranda garden-like piece called Purple Reign. Sure, the burst of brightness is designed for children, but bigger kids are welcome. Image: Martha Atienza. The Philippines b.1981. Our Islands 11°16'58.4"N 123°45'07.0"E (still). 2017. Single channel HD video (01:12:00 min. loop), no audio. Image courtesy: The artist and Silverlens Galleries, The Philippines.
UPDATE: MARCH 21, 2020 — The Sydney Opera House has announced an extension to its cancellation of all public performances, with everything now shuttered until at least June 17. "We will re-evaluate this position based on health advice or updated government orders, as required," management announced in a statement. Ticket holders will receive a full refund. SOH has also suspended guided tours during this period; however some of onsite bars and restaurants remain open. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. The COVID-19 situation in Australia is changing every day, with the federal government first implementing a ban on non-essential events with more than 500 people and then mandating that everyone arriving from overseas self-isolate for 14 days. On Monday, March 16, Melbourne's major art and cultural institutions — including Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks, Arts Centre Melbourne, the NGV and State Library of Victoria — temporarily closed their doors. Now, in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19, some of Sydney's big cultural venues are following suit. The Sydney Opera House today, Tuesday, March 17, today announced that it has cancelled all public performances until at least March 29, when it will reevaluate the situation. While only the Joan Sutherland, Forecourt and Drama Theatre have capacities larger than 500, it's taking precautionary measures and cancelling performances in all venues, including the smaller Playhouse, Studio and Utzon Room. The Sydney Opera House's largest venue, the Concert Hall, which has a capacity for more than 2000, is currently closed for a two-year renovation, slated to open in late-2021. [caption id="attachment_720214" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sydney Opera House studio party by Tim Da-Rin[/caption] While it has suspended physical performances, Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron AM says they 're looking at ways to engage with the community on digital platforms. "In difficult times, people look to the arts for inspiration and strength," Herron said in a statement. "We will be focusing our programming efforts on how we can continue to inspire and uplift our audiences through digital and other means while our physical stages are not in use." The Sydney Opera House's public areas, restaurants, bars and eateries and retail outlets will remain open for now, and tours will continue, too. Which means, you can still visit Peter Gilmore's stunning fine diner Bennelong and popular harbourside spot Opera Bar. Elsewhere in Sydney, Opera Australia has cancelled its Handa Opera season, the Sydney Jewish Museum has closed until the end of March, and the AGNSW has suspended its public program of events. The citywide 22nd Biennale of Sydney, however, is going ahead for now. The Sydney Opera House has suspended all public performances until March 29. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Hamilton Lund
Need a bit of extra motivation to exercise? Would the chance to dress up and step back in time make you more eager to burn some calories? If so, jog along to Retrosweat — a series of three themed workouts inspired by the '70s, '80s and '90s hosted by Work-Shop and led by Shannon Dooley of Physique Aerobics, who says she's aiming to inject a lot more fun (and eye shadow) into exercising. First session up on Thursday, 29 August, celebrates the glorious music and dance moves of the '80s. Think Prince, Michael Jackson and Madonna pre-Popeye biceps. Sessions are a non-intimidating 50 minutes long and all experience levels are welcome, so don't rule yourself out if you think you have two left feet. And as to the dress code "G string leotards are encouraged, scrunchies and sweatbands compulsory". Dates for the '70s and '90s classes are TBA.
If you're a bit of a Halloween buff and relish those carved pumpkins and creepy costumes, we've found the fright-filled event of your nightmares (or should we say dreams?). Over five terrifying nights, Luna Park will host the ultimate hair-raising Halloween extravaganza. As always, it's sure to be a screaming success and we've managed to get our hands on ten double passes to give away to you Halloween fiends. During Halloscream 6: The Rise of the Cursed Carnival, the park will transform into a spooky scare-fair with horror-themed mazes, haunted houses and blood-curdling rides. There's a Goosebumps-themed slime slide, an Alien Crash Landing where guests can traverse a UFO crash site searching for aliens and a terrifying Toyshop of Terrors maze. The carnival will start this Friday, October 26 and run until Saturday, November 3. Enter with your details below, and we'll see you and your creepy costume there for a screaming good time. [competition]694478[/competition]
For the second year in a row, Bluefest won't unleash a lineup of blues and roots tunes upon Byron Bay. After its 2021 event was originally cancelled just days out from its usual Easter slot, and then later postponed to October, the long-running fest has announced that it's now abandoning plans to go ahead this year. Instead, it'll return in 2022 — three years after its last festival, given that its 2020 event was also scrapped due to the pandemic — and will once again settle into its traditional Easter long weekend period. "It is obvious that we cannot present Bluesfest in a safe manner in October — the safety and protection of our loyal Bluesfesters, our festival staff, our performers, our volunteers, stallholders and suppliers is paramount," said festival organisers in a statement. "So, we have re-scheduled to our usual timing with dates over the Easter long weekend next year in April 2022 — by this time, we expect things to have returned much more back to normal.... There is confidence that, by the end of this year, Australia will have achieved at least a 70–80 percent vaccination rate and will have achieved at least 'stage three' in the plan to open up the whole country. Lockdowns will be consigned to history. Perhaps we may even see international artists returning — if they can come, we will be presenting them." Music lovers and festival-goers, mark Friday, April 15–Monday, April 18 in your diaries, with Bluesfest 2022 set to be a four-day event. Once again, it'll take over Byron Events Farm (formerly Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm) just outside Byron Bay. And, on-stage, it won't be lacking in company. Bluesfest Byron Bay returns Easter Long Weekend 2022 with headliners @MidnightOilBand, @PaulKelly, @JimmyBarnes... and the newly added @FatFreddysDrop1! Plus more headliners to be announced! 👉 https://t.co/r1HzgvcPM7 pic.twitter.com/jonipE8ArR — Bluesfest Byron Bay (@BluesfestByron) August 17, 2021 Bluesfest has confirmed a number of artists on its 2022 lineup, including a range of names that were meant to grace the stage this year. Midnight Oil, Paul Kelly and Jimmy Barnes will still lead the bill, with John Butler, Xavier Rudd, Pete Murray, Ian Moss, Mark Seymour & The Undertow, Kate Ceberano, Kasey Chambers, The Waifs, The Church, Briggs and Kate Miller-Heidke among the other names still locked in for the next fest. And, a selection of new acts have jumped onto the roster so far, including Fat Freddy's Drop, Josh Teskey and Ash Grunwald, John Williamson, CW Stoneking and Rockwiz Live. More are set to be announced in the months leading up to the fest. Bluesfest joins a long list of major events affected by the pandemic two years running, including Vivid Sydney, the Sydney Film Festival, the Melbourne International Film Festival, the Ekka in Brisbane and the Royal Melbourne Show. Folks with tickets for the now-cancelled October festival will still be able to use them at the 2022 event. BLUESFEST 2022 LINEUP: Midnight Oil Paul Kelly Jimmy Barnes Fat Freddy's Drop John Butler Xavier Rudd Pete Murray Ian Moss Kate Ceberano Kasey Chambers The Waifs The Church Jon Stevens The Living End Mark Seymour & The Undertow The Angels Russell Morris Kate Miller-Heidke Vika & Linda All Our Exes Live in Texas Ross Wilson and The Peaceniks John Williamson Troy Cassar-Daley Briggs Tex Perkins The Man In Black Josh Teskey and Ash Grunwald CW Stoneking Rockwiz Live Bluesfest 2021 has been cancelled, and Bluesfest 2022 will take place from Friday, April 15–Monday, April 18. Tickets are on sale now — for further information, head to the Bluesfest website. Top image: Joseph Mayers.
Does the idea of living it up in a modern apartment with access to a gym, yoga studio, community herb garden and cinema sound like the wholesome life you want to live? How about a fully equipped co-working space so you no longer have to work from your kitchen table? To make sure it's exactly the living situation you imagine in your head, we've teamed up with LIV Indigo — Sydney Olympic Park's new renters only apartment block — to let you try it out for a weekend. You and a mate (or date) could be spending the night at LIV Indigo with a package that boasts all the trimmings. Kicking off with a welcome pack, your weekend will include full access to LIV's first-class services and amenities, a chef's dinner for six on the penthouse deck, a private yoga class in the LIV Indigo yoga studio and breakfast at a local café in the morning. The only tricky part will be deciding who gets to stay overnight with you. LIV Indigo is the first building of its kind in Australia providing residents with the freedom to live how they want. Pets? Painting and decorating to make it yours? Resident events? An on-site team to help you seven days a week? Yep, it's all there — and you don't have to fork out for a bond or deal with real estate agents either. Want to make it yours? Enter your details below to go in the running. [competition]818085[/competition]
The US south is the home of American-style barbecue and waking up in the middle of the night to check on your meat smoking away. If you throw your brisket into the smoker haphazardly, you've just committed a crime against barbecue. Don't do it. So what better time to learn the best grilling, smoking and barbecuing techniques than while eating the finest examples of such? The Erko is teaming up with another inner westie favourite, Young Henrys, to transport you to the Deep South and make its lessons stick. You'll enjoy five courses of the likes of wagyu beef brisket, NZ beef short rib and cedar plank salmon while engaging in some lively debate about the merits of smoking your brisket in butcher paper. American barbecue specialist David Sprigg will lead the event and teach you how to barbecue responsibly.
If umami is the fifth taste, smoke should be the sixth. And Ardbeg, being one of the smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts, is a peat lover's dream. Not only does it deliver palate-smacking smoky goodness but also sumptuous sweet notes — a winning combination which fans describe as 'the peaty paradox'. Well, peaty pals, listen up. In honour of this top spirit, Ardbeg is holding a special event and Argentinian grill masters Porteño are along for the smoke-filled ride. On Friday, November 23, Porteño will host a three-course culinary journey through the different stages of fire — smoke for starters, fire for main and coal for dessert — all accompanied by whisky drinks. The dinner will be held at Porteño Events, its former restaurant space on Cleveland Street. It is the last event in The Ardbeg Smokehouse, a series of venue takeovers featuring tastings, cocktails, smoke-infused eats and live entertainment which will test your capacity to handle this complex flavour. If you've been to Porteño before, you'll be familiar with the intoxicating meaty aromas that waft from the open grill. This South American-style grill delivers succulent charcoal-roasted meats, while a custom-built, woodfire oven roasts veggies to perfection. This dinner and its accompanying tipples are not about flavour restraint. In term's of cocktails, you'll start off strong with an Ardbeg served neat alongside your first course, followed by two custom cocktails to match your main and dessert. With a delicious smokiness running through each course, we can't imagine a more fitting venue to deliver this tribute to fire and smoke. The Ardbeg Smokehouse Porteño takeover will take place on Friday, November 23 from 7pm. Tickets cost $120 per person and can be purchased here.
The 16 pieces of the BMW Art Car Collection have been individually displayed in museums across the world, most notably in famous art venues such as New York's Guggenheim Museum and Paris' Louvre. At least one piece of the collection, however, has always remained within the familiar walls of the BMW Museum in Munich, Germany, where the collection began in 1975. The classic cars are painted by artists such as Calder, Warhol, Hockney and Lichtenstein. Each car is a canvas for uniquely vibrant interpretations of BMW's value of automotive performance and the pure joy that the company believes comes with driving. In 1979 Warhol even painted his entire BMW for the collection in only 23 minutes in order to convey a sense of speed, using quick brushstrokes and colors that appeared to blur together. Two of the cars have an Australian connection, with car seven painted by aboriginal artist Michael Jagamara Nelson, and car eight emblazoned in Ken Done's trademark bright colours. This year the Art Car Collection is celebrating 35 years of creating exquisite "rolling masterpieces" by welcoming home the entire set of painted cars to Munich. For the first time, all of the pieces are together under one roof in the BMW Museum for the special anniversary exhibition and are on display until September 30.
Whoever said a person only needs one good pair of jeans? At this William Street boutique, staff will have you prepped with denim for every occasion and every fit. No matter your preference, you'll have choices — from a broad range of tight to loose fits along with waist and length sizes suited to your body. The store aims for a truly tailored experience. Once you have your new-season denim, there is also a collection of graphic tees, sweatshirts, knits and jackets to coordinate with your jeans. The store also has accessories like ribbed beanies, leather wallets and belts to complete the look.
Thought football and art didn’t mix? That's not the opinion of Local FC, a Sydney initiative that aims to explore and encourage the ways football inspires people. Creative people. During the inescapably present FIFA World Cup, Local FC is teaming up with Golden Age Cinema in Surry Hills to bring you World Cup Wednesdays, a series of four football-related films that prove Bend It Like Beckham isn't the only good thing about football and film. (No, it won't be featuring. Tear.) This is the World Cup event for people who don't get that into the actual games but still want to capitalise on the buzz. Local FC and Golden Age will be screening the films every Wednesday evening during the World Cup, starting 18 June. Golden Age's bar will keep you sufficiently hydrated, and each screening will be preceded by a World Cup Wrap Up, to ensure you're up to speed on everything that's going down in Brazil. (As though you haven't been up all hours cheering from your armchair.) The first three films on the schedule are docos featuring some of the game's biggest and most infamous personalities, like the impressively ambitious Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, which follows the legendary Frenchman over the course of one single game, documenting his every staggeringly genius thought and movement. He's not called an artist for nothing. The final film, screening on 9 July, is super top secret so you know there's something good in store. The only information on the website is a quote from Camus. Art and football. Who knew?
Wine aficionados of Double Bay, we’d like to introduce you to a new friend. Meet MISTELLE, a just-opened wine bar on Kiaora Lane. Envision a Parisian bistro re-imagined as a cool New York bar, and you’ve got the general idea. The most impressive feature about the bar, however, is the drinks list, where you’ll discover hard-to-find drops from all over the planet. You’re encouraged to order by the glass. Firstly, so you can try more than one. Secondly, so you can get some excellent matches happening with the Mediterranean-inspired menu, which has been created by head chef Frederick Booms. Everything is premium quality, from the grass-fed and locally-cured meats and sustainably-caught seafood to the seasonal veggies. The genius behind this operation is Alicia Wadsworth. After fourteen years in the hospitality biz, she's decided to combine her “particular fondness for French culture and their appreciation of quality food and wine” with the “slick modern ways of New York’s food scene” to create MISTELLE. Wadsworth brings an impressive stack of study to her new baby, including a stints at Gastronomicom wine school in the Languedoc, France, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, and the Sydney Wine Academy. She’s also part of Commanderie du Bordeaux, an organisation dedicated to bringing Bordeaux wines to the wider world. Meanwhile, Nina Maya has taken care of the slick interior. There’s seating for 100, with varied indoor and outdoor arrangements catering to solo travellers, pairs and groups. MISTELLE is located at 16 Kiaora Lane, Double Bay. It’s open Tuesday to Friday, 11am - midnight, Saturday 9am - midnight, and Sunday 9am - 10pm.
Foodies love Pepe Saya’s cultured butter. It’s those wheels of butter with the rather cultured-looking man on the front. If you haven’t tried it before, this is your chance — the Last Supper. For four gloriously buttery weeks, Pepe Saya is having a dedicated pop-up butter store at Alexandria’s Bitton. It’ll be a dairy smorgasbord there. You can pick up different wheels of butter like their famous cultured, the seaweed or smoked. How about some mascarpone or ghee? That’s not all. You can also get a single origin loaf from Brasserie Bread and some golden trout caviar for your butter. Check in-store for the whole range of artisanal products on offer and don’t forget to pick up a handy butter knife. Pepe’s products will also be showcased in a special daily menu at Bitton and through Chef David Bitton’s special three-course 'Last Supper' dinners every Tuesday for the duration of the pop-up. Our bodies are ready. Pepe Saya’s pop-up store will be open Wednesday – Monday 8am-4pm, Tuesday 8am-9pm. For dinner bookings, call (02) 9519 5111 or email bookings@bittongourmet.com.au. Image: Pepe Saya/Facebook.
Can't make time among your summer plans for Falls Festival this year? Won't be able to see out 2022 and welcome in 2023 at Lost Paradise, either? In ace news for Sydneysiders, headliner Lil Nas X is coming to you. Falls Festival has just dropped its lineup of upcoming sideshows, and the 'Old Town Road' artist leads the bill — playing his first-ever Sydney gig, in fact, in January. You'll want to take your horse — or your usual form of transport — to Hordern Pavilion, with Lil Nas X's Long Live Montero tour stopping by the venue on Wednesday, January 4. Now that's how you make the most of holiday season, even if it looks like Lil Nas X's teamup with The Wiggles won't be on the bill at his standalone concert. You'll still hear everything from 'Old Town Road' to 'Rodeo' and 'Holiday', though, plus 'Panini', 'Montero (Call Me By Your Name)', 'Industry Baby' and 'That's What I Want', too. It's obviously been a huge few years for the artist, with his breakout single becoming the longest-running number-one song on America's Billboard Hot 100 since 1958, when the chart debuted. Also on the Falls Festival sideshow list is British singer, songwriter and producer PinkPantheress, who'll hit Sydney's Roundhouse on the same date — Wednesday, January 4 — to bust out 'Pain', 'Passion', 'Break It Off', 'Just for Me' and more. And, Florida synth-pop duo Magdalena Bay are heading to Oxford Art Factory on Thursday, January 5, fresh from supporting Flume, Porter Robinson and Charli XCX before playing Falls. Pre-sale tickets for all three shows go on sale at 9am AEST on Monday, September 5, with general sales from 9am AEST on Tuesday, September 6. FALLS FESTIVAL 2022/23 SIDESHOWS: Lil Nas X's Long Live Montero Tour: Wednesday, January 4, 2023 at Hordern Pavilion, Sydney PinkPantheress: Wednesday, January 4, 2023 at Roundhouse, Sydney Magdalena Bay: Thursday, January 5, 2023 at Oxford Art Factory, Sydney Falls Festival's 2022/23 sideshows will hit Sydney in early January 2023. Pre-sale tickets for all three shows go on sale at 9am AEST on Monday, September 5, with general sales from 9am AEST on Tuesday, September 6. For more info and to buy tickets, head to the Secret Sounds website.
"No touching" isn't a warning you'll be given at Sydney's newest interactive experience. UNSW Galleries staff won't tell you to keep your mitts to yourself and wall signs won't recommend polite behaviour. Here, getting hands-on isn't just encouraged — it's imperative. So is taking off your shoes and letting your feet get in on the action as well. Welcome to Snoösphere, a two-month-long sensory environment that forms part of The Big Anxiety Festival. There's nothing like running your fingers and toes over all manner of surfaces to help de-stress, after all. Here, you'll roam, touch, see, smell, snooze and sit, with everything within the dark, silent space responding in some way. Want to stroll over things? Sit inside them? Stand in a silver curtain that smells like chocolate? As well as different lighting and textile sensations, they're all on offer. Designed by Lull Studios, created with collaborators that include autistic artists, and arising from research and workshops with autistic young people and adults in Sydney and Singapore, Snoösphere endeavours to engage all of the senses in a playful, smart, inventive and meditative ways. Dubbed a sensory wonderland, it's a simultaneously calming and engaging experience — and one that'll make you think differently about life's perceptual interactions.
The latest effort from RoboCop, Showgirls and Starship Troopers director Paul Verhoeven, Elle is a rape-revenge film — or a rape-anti-revenge film, perhaps. It's also a movie calculated to conjure some laughter, as surprising as that may seem given the topic at hand. The narrative's focus on a sexual assault victim's behaviour after her attack, and the incredulous reaction audiences may have thanks to more than a few awkwardly comedic moments, are closely linked. Bringing the aptly named novel Oh... to the screen, Verhoeven not only unpacks unpleasant experiences, but makes viewers confront the urges such experiences can awaken, and the instant, often inappropriate responses that come with them. It's an ambitious aim, particularly in a thriller steeped in sexual exploits both forceful and consensual, not to mention one heavily reliant upon perfecting the right mood and tone. Peppered with the kind of chuckles that sometimes spring from nerves and discomfort, it's one that the movie achieves on an intellectual rather than an emotional level. Elle will get you thinking and reacting, but not always feeling. And while that might be fitting given the psychological realm the movie willingly plays in, it's also unintentionally distancing. The film's title refers to Michèle (Isabelle Huppert), an executive at a video game company readying a new erotically violent release. After an intruder forces himself upon her and then flees, Michèle goes about the rest of her day. When the subject of her attack comes up, she steadfastly, matter-of-factly refuses to go to the police. Being plunged into the depths of physical assault, however, leaves her intrigued and even somewhat emboldened as she embarks on a mission to track down the perpetrator. While Elle isn't as violently or sexually excessive as some of Verhoeven's earlier efforts — and definitely proves more restrained in its visual style — the Dutch filmmaker has sly fun with subverting the expected in his first French-language feature. From the moment the movie opens with heated grunts that could just stem from energetic lovemaking (though they don't), he toys with content, with convention and with his audience. It's not quite a case of nothing being as it seems. Instead, everything that happens inspires many, many questions. That includes Michèle's behaviour and backstory, the several other complicated relationships involving her friends, her son and her ex-husband, and Verhoeven's ability to combine nuance in some moments with a sledgehammer lack of subtlety in others. Huppert clearly relishes the loaded territory she's playing in, and proves the real reason Elle demands attention. Although the film itself often lets its interesting perspective do the heavy lifting, its star is an absolute revelation. Or she would be, were it not for the five decade's worth of incredible performances in her ledger already. Still, operating at her absolute best, she's the complex, commanding core of a movie that's purposefully challenging in a number of senses — sometimes successful, sometimes not.
Across November, New South Wales is hosting 1000 gigs at more than 300 venues, all thanks to the State Government-run Great Southern Nights. The event is helping to restart the state's live music scene after this year's lockdowns and restrictions, and it has just gained a huge new addition — especially in terms of crowd size. While you might've already filled your calendar with smaller shows both in Sydney and across the rest of NSW, make room for The Great Southern Nights series, which'll take place on Saturday, November 28 and Saturday, December 5. Not only will the two gigs hit up Qudos Bank Arena — marking the first big indoor arena shows in Australia since the beginning of the pandemic — but they'll host just over 5000 punters at each gig. That's just a fraction of the venue's 21,000 total capacity, but it still covers a hefty number of music lovers in a year that's been mostly devoid of listening to live tunes en masse. It'll all be held in a COVID-19-safe manner, of course — and, across the two shows, it's expected that crowd numbers will near 12,000 in total. As for the lineup, the first evening will see Ocean Alley, Jack River, Ruby Fields and Jack Botts doing their thing on stage — while the second gig will feature Bernard Fanning, Matt Corby and Merci Mercy. The Great Southern Nights series will take place as NSW's events calendar is slowly filling up, and as venues are being given the go-ahead to welcome in bigger crowds. The state's outdoor stadiums can have up to 10,000 fans in the stands; theatres, concert halls and cinemas can host events of up to 1000 people, and country shows of up to 5000 people will be allowed to happen this summer. The Great Southern Nights takes place on Saturday, November 28 and Saturday, December 5 at Qudos Bank Arena. For more information, or to buy tickets — from 10am ADST on Monday, November 9 for the first gig and at the same time on Tuesday, November 10 for the second — head to the Ticketek website. Top image: Ocean Alley, Neegzistuoja via Wikimedia Commons.
If you have ever been walking around the Queen Victoria Building and heard a gentle cascade of piano music falling from the upper levels, you've already heard Sablier play. Born in France, she studied at world-famous conservatoires in Lyon and Paris before moving to Australia a few years ago, and her own compositions sit somewhere between old-world French Romanticism and a decidedly modern Australian attitude. There are elements of Ravel and Debussy, to be sure, but it really belongs to the modern minimalism of the likes of Yann Tiersen, Philip Glass, Michael Nyman or Ludovico Einaudi. Her recently released debut album, Vertigo, is an enchanting, hypnotic album of tremendous beauty. Playing alongside her are two mainstays of the Australian classical community in Andrew Haggar and David Holmes, both of whom have featured on a number of much-loved recordings as well as having toured the world in various ensembles. If you find yourself burnt out by summer's heat, or perhaps just overstimulated from all the parties and sugar, this show will be an absolute oasis of calm and beauty. https://youtube.com/watch?v=U6-3j4_bfIo
Sneak in a Sydney Writers' Festival fix before the official launch of the 2011 program on April 1 with an exceptional double bill: Andrew O'Hagan and Annie Proulx. Booker Prize nominated O'Hagan's new novel is the 'memoir' of the Maltese terrier owned by Marilyn Monroe — intrigued yet? — and Pulitzer Prize winner Proulx has written Bird Cloud, a personal study of the stories that comprise a life. Both authors are concerned with genealogies of family or place and the relationship between memory and physical space. O'Hagan insists that The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog, and of His Friend Marilyn Monroe is not just an act of canine ventriloquism, but a study of modern celebrity and of the American century. Proulx's memoir of building a "poemlike" house examines coolly her own peripatetic nature and the rich history of the Wyoming wetlands and prairie. Turn your mind inward and your ears outward as two brilliant minds discuss our obsessive search for a place in the world on March 10.
Trent & Henry is a new design workshop and gallery in the heart of Sydney's oldest and most sandstoney district, and this week they're inviting people to come check them out for their official opening. Trent & Henry began as part of The Rocks Pop Up Project. By virtue of being regarded by most Sydney-siders as a bit of a tourist trap, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and Arts NSW attempted to mix it up and draw the locals back by launching the project earlier this year. The Rocks Pop Up project allowed emerging designers and creative groups to have short-term access to vacant sandstone buildings in The Rocks as pop-up shops, galleries and workspaces. Now, though, Trent & Henry have been given a longer lease and a free hand to create a unique platform from which to draw people into their creative process. Housed in an old sandstone warehouse at 47 George Street, the space has been transformed into a design workspace much like those in Berlin, where the culture of open studios encourages the public to go in, have a look around and check out the artisans at work. In addition, the studio will also be used as event space. If you feel like checking it out RSVP to info@trentjansen.com
"This interactive waterfall swing won’t make you wish you’re a kid again, it will make you forget you’re an adult,” wrote Techly earlier this year, after Dash 7 Design's Waterfall Swing made waves in Rockefeller Plaza and across the US and Europe. And we wouldn't be Concrete Playground if we didn't get a bit excited by a souped-up piece of play equipment in the middle of the city. Waterfall Swing sends you flying towards a curtain of water that, thanks to the work of sensors, parts just before you hit it. Magic.
Kick off your New Year's resolution to see more art with a visit to this massive Margaret Olley exhibition. Being held at S.H. Ervin Gallery from until March 26, it's a celebration of her 60-plus-year career, with a focus on her influences, inspirations and legacy. Guest curator Renee Porter has selected more than 80 works. You'll get to see Olley's paintings alongside those of her mentors Caroline Barker and Jean Bellette, and those of her closest friends, including Mitty Lee-Brown, Margaret Cilento, William Dobell, Russell Drysdale, Moya Dyring, Donald Friend, Jeffrey Smart, David Strachan and Anne Weinholt. There's also a bunch of pieces by younger artists to whom Olley gave her passionate support. Among them are Robert Barnes, Criss Canning, Cressida Campbell, Nicholas Harding and Ben Quilty. "Margaret was a frequent visitor and supporter of the Gallery and in this show we wanted to present the spirit and vigour of this grand woman in Australian art," said Jane Watters, director at S.H. Ervin. "In many ways the show completes the circle of her championing the talents of her peers and friends which she undertook with such vivacity throughout her life." Margaret Olley: painter, peer, mentor, muse is the first exhibition in the three-show Margaret Olley Series, supported by the Margaret Olley Art Trust. Image: Margaret Olley, Portrait in the mirror (1948), oil on canvas, AGNSW.
Every corner of every city comes with its own history — and on Cockatoo Island, that's especially true. The tiny patch of land has been home to a prison, ship-building facilities, a reform school and a wartime boat repair port over the years, all in the middle of Sydney Harbour. Depending on what you believe, it's also apparently home to a few ghosts too. Indeed, plenty of mysteries and stories surround the island, which the returning Haunted History Night Tours will help you uncover. Running nearly every Saturday up until the end of the year, the popular sessions will take you on a 90-minute stroll through the atmospheric site, visiting the convict workshops and gaol, the grain silos, dry docks and more. Tours kick off at 7pm, with bookings required. $25 gets you a spooky guided walk and a trip into the city's past, and wearing comfy shoes is recommended — as is bringing a torch. Updated: August 29, 2019.
If you’ve ever daydreamed about the days when gents wore three-piece suits and ladies dolled up in flapper finery, the upcoming Gangster’s Ball may be for you. Hosted by the Metro Theatre during Sydney Fringe, the ball offers a chance to get gussied up in your vintage best for what sounds like a memorable night out. Embracing the entertainment of the 1920s-'50s, the evening includes live magic, vaudeville, cabaret and a turn from NSW’s reigning burlesque queen, Kelly Ann Doll. Should you need a break from being a spectator, you can get all gangster and try your luck in the gambling den (pinstripes and spats compulsory) or pamper your inner-moll at the vintage styling parlour. Cocktails and a spot of drunken swing dancing are optional. Can’t make the 7th? Catch a sideshow at Factory Theatre on Friday 20th featuring 10-piece swing band The Velvet Set and The Pretty Things Peepshow.
