Looking for new threads? Sure, you can head to plenty of markets around town and trawl through food, homeware and other objects, or you can mosey along to Sydney's dedicated ladies fashion get-together. Round She Goes does one thing, and it does it well. If it's clothing, accessories and jewellery you're after, you'll find it here. Filled with preloved designer and vintage fare, the one-day happening will take over Marrickville Town Hall from 10am on May 19, August 18 and October 20. These editions will boast 60 stalls, all specially curated by organisers to deliver reasonably priced, high-quality bits and pieces, and ranging from beloved brands to handmade items to fashion clear-outs. Entry costs $2, and when you're finding that shiny gold coin to get you in the door, make sure you did up some other cash as well. Cold, hard currency is preferred here, and parting with it will be worth it. Your wardrobe will thank you for it.
One thing that's very helpful (and it could be argued, entirely necessary) to a successful creative career is the support of a creative community. This 28 September, the Australian Centre for Photography is hosting an excellent opportunity for photographers of all stripes to tap into such a community: a free Open Day. What's on offer for both the budding and experienced photographer? If you've scoped out the Centre's many technical courses and are considering enrolling in a class to master new photo skills (lighting, filmmaking, Lightroom and many other topics are on offer), this is your chance to learn more in person, get to know the tutors, see the facilities available to you and also peep at the current Spring Season exhibition featuring work by Emmanuel Angelicas, Rowan Conroy and Robert Besanko. After visiting the Funbooth, there's a lot of other thrilling stuff to sample. Included on the Open Day sched are a Blurb table to help you create your own fancypants photo books, a photo retouch demonstration, fun with pinhole cameras, talks by the currently exhibiting artists and, one of the best things you can do to advance your photography career, a portfolio review. A review requires booking and costs $120, giving you access to the expert eye and opinion of a seasoned professional photographer who can help identify the strengths and weaknesses in your work. Between them, press photographer Dean Lewins, artist Tim Silver, artist/academic David Haines and ACP curator Tony Nolan have plenty of wisdom and experience to go around, so take advantage and book a review. Image by Fiona Wolf.
People have been saying that Amaya Laucirica is amayazing. Well, she was named one of the ten exciting new female voices in Australian music by Rolling Stone magazine in 2011. And she was nominated as female artist of the year at The Age EG Awards. That's pretty amazing. In the lead-up to the release of the singer-songwriter's third studio album, Sway, Amaya will be launching its first single, 'Found Some Secret' (available on iTunes and at her online store). Known for her intriguing blend of country, folk, rock, pop and psychedelia, Amaya will be playing King Street's The Vanguard on Friday, November 8. https://youtube.com/watch?v=4Q-Pd78Ajmw
There's never been a better time to head out on a road trip and explore everything Australia has to offer. Lockdowns are ending, borders are reopening, live music is taking over regional NSW, and country towns need visitors more than ever after a year void of tourism and the fallout from the devastating 2019/20 bushfires. If you are heading out on the road you may want to bring your pet, after all, what good is a holiday if your four-legged best friend can't come with you. It's also completely fair to have some nervousness about travelling with your pets. Nobody wants to deal with a car-sick pup, or get to their lavish coastal accommodation to find it's not pet-friendly. We talked to veterinarian and Snooza Pet Products ambassador Dr Katrina Warren to ask all the questions you may have before you're joined by your favourite furry buddy on a week away to a pet-friendly stay. To help, we've also rounded up some of our favourite dog-friendly hotels around Australia. What's the best way to find pet-friendly accommodation? "These days, most booking websites have an option to search for pet-friendly accommodation, but just because a property says it accepts pets doesn't mean that it's well set up for pets. It is important to check individual house rules, such as whether the property is fenced and if pets are allowed inside." How often do dogs get car sick and what should I do if my dog does get car sick? "It is quite common for puppies and young dogs to get car sick, but they usually grow out of this. This is because the ear structures that are used for balance are not fully developed yet. Make sure you don't feed them before you start driving and stop frequently for breaks. Like us humans, it can help to have a window open to circulate fresh air and keep the car cool. Some adult dogs can still get car sick, which is when it's best to consult your vet about an effective plan, as there are some medications that can help." How often should we stop for water and toilet breaks for my pet? "I recommend stopping every couple of hours. Always make sure you have your dog on a leash when you bring them out of the car as dogs can panic in new environments and may run. Pack a portable dog bowl and clean water so you always have easy access to cool water." Is there a way I can test if my pet is well suited to travelling before we leave? "Most people have an idea of their pet's personality. A pet that does not enjoy car travel or gets anxious when they go to a new environment would probably be happier to stay home with someone caring for them. Crate training your puppy or adult dog can be extremely helpful, ensuring they are more comfortable when confined to their crate no matter where they are." Are pets likely to be stressed about sleeping in a new environment? How can I help comfort them if they are? "It really depends on the individual pet, but some pets may be anxious when away from their home base. I recommend packing your pet's own bedding so they have something familiar to sleep on. Some beds are easier to travel with than others — I love the Snooza Futon because it's warm in winter and cool in summer. The cover is removable and easy to wash and it doesn't take up a lot of space in the car. Anxious dogs may enjoy snuggling into the Snooza Calming Cuddler Bed." Should I get any specific vaccinations or tick/flea treatments before we leave? "You should make sure your pet's vaccination, worming and flea treatments are all up to date before you travel. If you are travelling to coastal areas of Victoria, NSW or Queensland you should also use a paralysis tick preventative. If you're unsure if there are paralysis ticks in the area you are visiting, I suggest calling ahead to the local vet in the area to ask." Any tips on how to keep pets happy and calm in the car? "While it may be tempting to cuddle your dog on your lap during a car trip, dogs should be restrained when travelling in the car. Keeping them secured behind a grill, in a crate, wearing a harness or dog seat belt are great ways to keep your pets safe, all of which are easiest to teach from when they are a puppy. Using a crate for small dogs and puppies helps keep them safe and comfortable. The Snooza Road Tripper is a handy way to keep your pets secured if they're travelling in the backseat, looking after your dog and your car interior in case they get dirty during walks throughout your trip."
Not all street festivals are held in the inner west. Sure, it's got Marrickville Festival and Leichhardt's Italian Festa, but the lower north shore has Crown Nest Fest. And it's no small affair — each year, the one-day festival brings in over 50,000 punters. This year — its big 3-0 — will see Willoughby Road lined with over 200 stallholders hawking food, drinks and other goodies. You'll find pasta in a cheese wheel from Fratelli Fresh, gelato from Bravo Trattoria and Filipino street food from Pasalubongs. You can expect local haunts like The Hayberry, Johnny Bird and Double Cross to get involved, too. Bands will play throughout the day across two stages, there'll be dancing on another and a cooking stage will see local chefs hosting demonstrations and workshops. Crows Nest Festival runs from 10am–5pm.
If you're just a hunk, a hunk of burning love for the one and only Elvis Presley, and you live in Australia, you've been having quite the few years. A massive exhibition dedicated to the king of rock 'n' roll came our way, Baz Luhrmann's AACTA-winning and Oscar-nominated biopic Elvis wowed fans, and Sofia Coppola's Cailee Spaeny-starring Priscilla has also hit the big screen. Also on offer: a new Presley-focused stage musical that debuted in Sydney last year — and is coming back from Sunday, February 4. Called Elvis: A Musical Revolution, this production features more than 40 of the singer's hits, because there's just that many songs to include. All of the expected favourites are worked into the biographical musical, which means everything from 'Jailhouse Rock', 'Hound Dog', 'That's All Right' and 'All Shook Up' through to 'Suspicious Minds', 'Heartbreak Hotel', 'Burning Love' and 'Blue Suede Shoes'. 'Good Rockin' Tonight', 'Earth Angel', 'Don't Be Cruel' and 'Are You Lonesome' get a whirl as well, as do 'Blue Moon of Kentucky', 'See See Rider', 'Can't Help Falling in Love' and 'A Little Less Conversation'. That's what the show's audience hears. As for what everyone sees — what makes the musical one for the money, naturally — the production's story tells Elvis' tale from his childhood in Tupelo, Mississippi through to his triumphant '68 Comeback Special. If you've seen the aforementioned Elvis, none of it will be new news, but Elvis: A Musical Revolution works its hip-swinging magic anyway. In Sydney, Elvis will be in the building at the State Theatre again. Starring Rob Mallett (House Husbands, Singin' in the Rain), Elvis: A Musical Revolution hails from David Venn Enterprises, which has also been behind Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical, The Wedding Singer and Bring It On: The Musical — and arrives via a partnership with Authentic Brands Group, the owner of Elvis Presley Enterprises. Also behind the scenes, the musical's book comes courtesy of David Abbinanti and Sean Cercone — who have Saturday Night Fever: The Musical and Ghost: The Musical on their resumes — with Abbinanti also composing the orchestrations, arrangements, and additional musical and lyrics. Images: Ken Leanfore / Daniel Boud.
We're never going to suggest that you completely cancel your Netflix subscription, god forbid. But there's something special about live music that a night in simply cannot compete with. In a new one-off performance by the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra you can combine your love of blockbusters and the live concert experience in Gala — Heroes of Hollywood. Head to Chatswood's Concert Hall at The Concourse on Saturday, February 18 or Sunday, February 19, and you'll be glad you did. Because for these performances you can relive the magic of your favourite movies with tunes you know and love from bona fide cinema classics like Jurassic Park, Jaws, ET: The Extra-Terrestrial, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Superman, Spiderman, Batman, Forrest Gump, Rocky and Gladiator. Chief conductor and artistic director, Dr Nicholas Milton AM, has supported some of the most iconic orchestras in the world — including concerts in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, England, Hungary, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Asia — so your senses will be in the hands of experts. While some of these films might be more familiar to millennials, Gen Z audience members can take advantage of much cheaper tickets ($26 for under 26, $15.30 for under 16). Willoughby Symphony Orchestra's performance of Gala — Heroes of Hollywood will run for one weekend only, so be sure to grab your tickets before they sell out.
Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland) directs How I Live Now, a film adapted from Meg Rosoff's 2004 novel of the same name by a team of writers including talented British playwright Penelope Skinner. Startlingly mature Irish actress Saoirse Ronan (Atonement, The Way Back) stars as Daisy, a strong-willed New York teenager sent to stay with English relatives one summer. Just as she's settling in and falling in love with her cousin Edmond (George MacKay), a nuclear bomb is detonated in London by an anarchist group and all hell breaks loose. The boys are conscripted into the army; the girls are taken to an evacuation camp, which is soon attacked by "the enemy". Forced to flee, Daisy faces an arduous journey to survive, get home and be reunited with Edmond. Featuring a largely young cast of up-and-comers, How I Live Now sounds a little bit like John Marsden's Tomorrow, When the War Began series, albeit set in England and with a much bigger budget. If you like your films on the adventurous side with a splash of romance and an impressively resilient heroine, then this could be right up your alley. How I Live Now is in cinemas on November 28, and thanks to Madman Films, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au
After more than two years of severe drought — including Australia's driest year on record — the recent thunderstorms have added much needed liquid to our dams. February's heavy rainfall has seen Greater Sydney's water supply levels increase to 81.5 percent up from 41.7 percent on February 6. As a result, Sydney Water has this week announced the current level two water restrictions will likely drop back to level one on March 1. The NSW Government introduced level one water restrictions in June, before increasing those restrictions to level two in December due to a "rapid rate of decline" in dam levels throughout 2019. https://twitter.com/SydneyWaterNews/status/1229936726853869568 The last time level two water restrictions were enforced in Sydney was in 2004 (with restrictions lasting till 2009) during the Millennium Drought. At one point during the 2000s drought, Sydney's total water supply dropped to a historic low of 33.9 percent. So what does this mean for Sydneysiders day-to-day? At the level one restriction level, you'll once again be able to use a hose to water your garden before 10am or after 4pm, just make sure you use a trigger nozzle. You'll also be able to use that same trigger nozzle hose to clean your car or garbage bins. Sprinklers, leaving a hose unattended and using a hose to clean pathways, driveways or other paved areas (unless it's an emergency) are still off limits. But, remember, level two restrictions are still in place at the moment. Here's the full list of what you can and can't do. Fines for not following restrictions (including current restrictions) range from $220–550. While Sydney sees an easing of conditions, some areas in regional NSW are still experiencing the worst of the drought. One of these is Orange, where level five water restrictions have been in place since October. For Orange residents, this means showering for a maximum of three minutes and watering gardens for one hour, once a week. Level two water restrictions are still in place for Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Illawarra, though are expected to be dropped to level one on March 1, 2020. To find out more about what you can and can't do, head to the Sydney Water website. To stay up-to-date with the state's dam levels and the ongoing drought, keep an eye on WaterNSW website and Twitter.
Packing the car and heading out on a road trip to a regional festival is a joy that's been missing from our lives for far too long. Whether it's Groovin the Moo, Bluesfest or Splendour in the Grass, the out-of-town festival is always a stellar excuse for a weekend away and a banging road trip playlist. Luckily, a new festival has appeared on the 2021 events calendar, promising all this and a line-up of buzzed-about local talent across four regional NSW cities. Next Exit Festival will take place across two weekends in May, popping up in Tamworth, Gosford, Batemans Bay and Mudgee. Heading out on the state-wide tour is Triple J favourites Ocean Alley and Spacey Jane, pop-punk four-piece Dear Seattle, local pop gem Merci, Mercy and indie duo Clews. The festival was originally conceived to help bushfire-affected towns by bringing a tourism boost to the area and hiring local suppliers. Although these plans were pushed back due to the pandemic, the four-date festival run will no doubt be a boost for the regional towns involved. The event has been designed around current gathering restrictions on events and will go ahead thanks to a Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) grant. RISE is a Federal Government initiative that has helped fund other COVID-safe music events including Fresh Produce and Summer Sounds. Tickets for the festival will go on sale at midday on Tuesday, March 9 via touring company MJR Presents' website. You can find the full list of dates below. [caption id="attachment_801821" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Spacey Jane by Daniel Hilderbrand[/caption] NEXT EXIT FESTIVAL 2021 DATES Friday, May 21 – Bicentennial Park, Tamworth Sunday, May 23 – Entertainment Grounds, Gosford Friday, May 28 – Mackay Park, Batemans Bay Saturday, May 29 – Mudgee Showground, Mudgee Next Exit Festival will take place across two weekends between Friday, May 21 and Saturday, May 29. Tickets for the festival are available from 12pm on Tuesday, March 9 via MJR Presents. Top image: Ocean Alley by Neegzistuoja via Wikimedia Commons
Ikea have posted an interactive app on YouTube which takes all your personal information from Facebook, should you allow it to, to create a personalised 3D mock-up of your new bedroom kitted out entirely in durable and inexpensive Swedish design. Starting off like an everyday advertisement for Ikea, the video gets taken over by the app which accesses information about your life and tailors it to the smallest details, including photos from your Facebook albums hanging in the picture frames. As a nice touch they build the walls out of your wall posts, before they paint them over in solid colour and a solemn British voice accounces that the products are the definitive ones which will help you go 'happy to bed.' The app is part of Ikea's UK campaign, but it's open to anybody with a Facebook account, and is designed specifically to reflect the person's personality, lifestyle and interests. Now, having recently invested in a new bed, bedside table and bookshelf from Ikea, I was particularly intrigued to find out whether it would all match up with the predictive magic of the internet. But, sadly no. They chucked in the bed I decided against, rather than the one I bought, a narrow desk which doesn't account for the amount of junk I frequently have lying around, and they framed pictures which are nearly all of me pulling my 'I am unhappy about being photographed face.' And they forgot a bookshelf, which comprises a full wall of my room at the moment. But my complaining aside, if you always wanted confirmation that your chest of drawers were perfectly aligned to your personality, you now have an easy way to find out. https://youtube.com/watch?v=hQYe7OMoJNA [Via PSFK]
Perched on the edge of a nature reserve, this small-scale organic farm powers an on-site cafe and pottery centre. Here, you can master the potter's wheel, create adorable pinch pots or become a dab hand at glazing in tailored workshops. There are a number of accommodation options for overnight stays, including unpowered campsites, but it'd be hard to pass up a night in the old schoolhouse. This enchanting octagonal structure sits above the ground on stilts carved from local timber. It's filled with handcrafted furniture and carefully sculpted fixtures that create an almost cartoonish fairytale atmosphere. Include a farm tour with barnyard animal encounters or a bird watching tour in your trip for the full family holiday among the gumtrees experience. Or, if you want to level up, opt for a helicopter tour to get a bird's eye view of Warrumbungle National Park and Pilliga Nature Reserve.
Like karaoke? Fond of singing along to well-known songs, especially with a drink in your hand? Happy to belt out a tune in a crowd? If you answered yes to all of the above questions, then it's time to up your crooning game during Pub Choir's new Australian tour — aka the boozy sing-along that's all about giving your lungs a workout between sips. Since early 2017 in Brisbane, Pub Choir has been amassing brew-loving music fans in venues around the Queensland city. The regular event asks its attendees to learn a particular song in three-part harmonies, with talented professionals on hand each time to show everyone the ropes and lead the way. Every evening then culminates in a big boozy singing session, with the event making its way to bigger Brissie locations over the years, as well venturing around the country. Now, it's hitting up every Aussie capital across January and February 2022. The vibe: a far more organised version of exactly what happens whenever someone puts 'Wonderwall' or 'Weather With You' on the pub jukebox. And, now that communal singing in public is back after all the various pandemic-related restrictions that've come our way over the past two years, you can expect this tour to feel particularly celebratory, too. Pub Choir was a big hit during lockdowns, and as life started to return to normal as well; you might've taken part in Couch Choir in 2020, or watched the Australia's Biggest Singalong special on SBS earlier in 2021. Run by Astrid Jorgensen and Waveney Yasso, its IRL events are mighty popular, too — unsurprisingly — with tickets getting snapped up very quickly each time. So if you're keen to sing and drink with a theatre full of people, you'll want to book asap. PUB CHOIR CHEAP THERAPY 2022 TOUR: Tuesday, January 11 — The Kambri Precinct, Canberra Wednesday, January 12 — Enmore Theatre, Sydney Monday, January 17 — Astor Theatre, Perth Tuesday, January 18 — Freo Social, Fremantle Wednesday, January 19 — Adelaide Town Hall, Adelaide Thursday, January 20 — Darwin Entertainment Centre, Darwin Tuesday, January 25 — Odeon Theatre, Hobart Thursday, January 27 — The Palais Theatre, Melbourne Tuesday, February 1–Wednesday, February 2 — The Tivoli, Brisbane Pub Choir's Cheap Therapy tour runs from January 11–February 2, 2022. For further details or to book tickets, head to the Pub Choir website. Top image: Jacob Morrison.
The Sydney Comedy Festival is back for its ninth year with a program chock-a-block full of artists ready to leave you rolling on the floor laughing. This year's festival, running from Monday, April 22, until Saturday, May 11, features more than 150 side-splitting shows. This has been made possible by the addition of new venues including Harold Park Hotel, the Concourse Theatre and a Container room at the popular Factory Theatre. Filling all this space is an eclectic arrangement of solo shows and showcases that dish up an extra large serving of both international and local acts. Gracing our shores for the first time is Tracy Morgan, star of Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, who will be at the Enmore for one night only. Also premiering at the festival are Jarred Christmas, Alex Williamson of YouTube fame, and the masked Mexican wrestling marvel El Jaguar who will try to (metaphorically) powerbomb you into laughter. Sons of Singapore, Singapore's best new comics, continue the celebration of comedy from around the world and feature alongside Two & A Half Lebs and a multicultural lineup at the Ethnic Comedy All-Stars. Australians abound, with the Pajama Men bringing their unique physical comedy to the Seymour Centre in Pajama Men: Just the Two of Each of Us. Everyone’s favourite purple comedian Randy will be gracing the festival, this time sans Sammy J, in his first Sydney solo show. Our festival favourites are also back, with musical wizards the Axis of Awesome, handlebar-moustache-toting comedian Chopper, Canada's comedy crusader Arj Barker, and the dapper Stephen K. Amos all returning. The ever-popular showcases including the literal laugh a minute Sixty in 60, and Cracker Night is back, as is the Yalumba Wine Bar in the Enmore Theatre, a place where you can casually bump into your favourite acts and tell them that great joke you have. There are always hidden gems amongst the headliners as well, and that is the case once again this year. Steen Raskopoulus is ready to take this year's festival by storm, appearing in his excellently titled solo show Bruce SpringSTEEN Live in Concert as well as in The Bear Pack. MotherFather, the reigning Cranston Cup Champions, present their debut show PartyDinner whilst also competing for the TheatreSports National Championships, and Tom Ballard puts a face to the Triple J voice we all know in Tom Ballard: My Ego Is Better Than Your Ego. Gen Fricker is also back with her guitar and Michael Hing continues to storm up the comedy ladder with Michael Hing: Occupy White People. The laughs are back Sydney. Get your happy faces ready and check out the full program at the Sydney Comedy Festival website.
From family classics like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to hard-hitting documentaries in the league of Camp 14 – Total Control Zone to black comedies such as Invasion, this year's Audi Festival of German Film promises the bravest, brashest and most bizarre in German film. All in all, the event will include 45 movies (presented via 234 screenings) and 54 events. There'll be panel discussions, Q&As, special cultural programs and parties. The selection for opening night, Georg Maas' Two Lives, makes it clear the festival is seeking the cutting edge, new generation of German filmmaking. It's a 2012 post-Berlin wall spy thriller about the exercise of state control over individual identities. With over 20,000 people expected to attend, representing a 37 percent growth in popularity over the past six years, this year's festival is set to be the biggest on record. Here are our picks of the top five films to see at te festival. 1. Camp 14 - Total Control Zone Described as "one of the most confronting documentaries you'll ever see", Camp 14 - Total Control Zone focuses on Shin Dong-Hyuk, who was born in a North Korean concentration camp. Until escaping at the age of 23, he knew nothing else of life apart from unimaginable deprivation and cruelty. This is his story, recorded on camera for the first time by Marc Wiese. 2. This Ain't California Winner of Best Documentary at Cannes 2012, This Ain't California explores the development of skateboard culture in East Germany during the 1970s and 1980s. 3. Invasion In this thriller, director Dito Tsintsadze brilliantly blends character-driven drama and black comedy with bouts of paranoia. It's definitely one for film connoisseurs who like to be kept on the edge of their seats. When widower Josef Mendel receives a surprise visit from his wife's cousin (who he never knew existed) and her rather peculiar relations, his life takes a bizarre series of twists and turns. 4. Forgotten This psychological horror flick, director Alex Schmidt's debut feature, is one of the only genre films on the festival program. Upon reuniting after 25 years, childhood friends Hanna and Clarissa decide to visit a holiday house where they spent time as children, unleashing a host of forgotten memories and terrifying spectres. Not recommended for the faint-hearted. 5. Two Lives A contemplative spy thriller set in the dying days of the Berlin Wall. What's not to dig?
When Timothy Conigrave wrote Holding the Man, it was clearly a work of great personal significance. The year was 1994, he was 34, and his memory was fading as a result of HIV-related complications. The narrative he committed to paper wasn't just his own memoir, but his way of recalling his life-long lover, John Caleo. Alas, Conigrave would succumb to his condition before his book was published, but his words, their romance and their plight have persevered to touch the hearts of many. In fact, after more than two decades of reader devotion plus several stagings of theatre productions based on the text, Holding the Man comes to cinemas with the weight of considerable history. Others, including Walking on Water director and Conigrave's friend Tony Ayres, have previously tried and failed to bring the tale to the screen. That filmmaker Neil Armfield and writer Tommy Murphy — who also wrote the play — succeed is no mean feat. That they do the story and their subjects justice in a tender and touching film isn't, either. Conigrave (Ryan Corr) and Caleo (Craig Stott) first met as Melbourne schoolboys in the late '70s, the former an aspiring actor treading the boards in a class version of Romeo and Juliet, the latter running around football fields as an emerging Aussie Rules star, and both raising more than a few eyebrows for pursuing their relationship. Weathering the many storms wrought by the disapproval of their respective parents (played by Guy Pearce and Kerry Fox, and Anthony LaPaglia and Camilla Ah Kin), Australian society's intolerant attitudes, and the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic, theirs was not an easy romance, but until health issues cut short their time together, it was an enduring one. Making his first film since 2006's Candy, Armfield doesn't take the linear approach to Conigrave and Caleo's love as he flits from their early to later years. He jumps between important moments with the affectionate recollection of someone assembling their thoughts — which is how Conigrave's experience is framed. Sometimes the feature is clumsy and clunky as a result, particularly in trying to relate teenage antics and in spouting dialogue that sounds a little too theatrical. Sometimes, it hits the mark perfectly; just witness the hospital-set scenes, and try to keep your eyes from misting over. Of course, much of the emotion springs not from the warm colours the movie is painted in or from the period-appropriate rock soundtrack — both often overdone — but from the two lead performances. Even though they struggle with selling the characters' younger guises, Corr and Stott shine in conveying their opposites-attract pairing, as well as in showing the necessary growth and change as they traverse the trials, tribulations and troubles of being gay men in the 1980s. Indeed, the central duo's efforts in embodying the real-life figures they play with authenticity and intimacy is what makes the film linger long after viewing. Holding the Man's outcome might be known, but its lasting impact in telling one of Australia's great tragedies still offers many a surprise, perhaps none more so than its heartbreaking combination of the sweet and the sorrowful.
It's the ethos of the Urban Theatre Projects to breathe a new and unique life into Australian stories, and Home Country promises to be no different. Director Rosie Dennis presents this story of identity and place in a triptych, spread out across three levels of a car park in Blacktown. The play is a collaborative effort between Urban Theatre Projects and Blacktown Arts Centre, bringing the issues of home faced in a multicultural society to fore, all set against the sunset over the Blue Mountains. This is one of 15 next-level events to see at Sydney Festival. Check out the whole list.
David O. Russell clearly knows when he's onto a good thing. Over the last few years, the writer/director has found a formula that works and it seems like he's sticking with it. He casts actors Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro, tells stories of ordinary folks trying to escape dysfunction and chase better lives; and adopts a tone that shifts between harsh reality and fairytale. First Silver Linings Playbook. Then American Hustle. Now, his latest effort, Joy. This time around, Russell offers up a fictionalised account of the rise of a real-life home shopping network star. In the early 1990s, Joy Mangano (Lawrence) was a Long Island divorcee coping with caring for her two young children while living in a house with her daytime TV-loving mother (Virginia Madsen), ailing grandmother (Diane Ladd), singer ex-husband (Edgar Ramirez) and thrice-married father (De Niro). Then, while cleaning up spilled wine, she came up with the idea for the first-ever self-wringing mop. Enter an Italian investor (Isabella Rossellini), and, eventually, a television executive (Cooper). Yes, Joy is a rags-to-riches tale of a battler trying to improve herself and her situation; however it's also something more. It wrestles Russell's current patterns and preferences into a canny character study, watching on as a woman fights for agency and control, despite constantly being told that she should take care of others and reign in her go-getting ways. Weaving in surreal soap opera segments — and at its best when it's following its protagonist on the small screen or in the studio — the film becomes an astute and engaging dissection of the power of selling a fantasy. Of course, the latter works so well because that's exactly what the movie does, with Joy's success never in doubt (the film notes at the outset that it's inspired by stories of brave women, including one in particular). Indeed, Joy sells its namesake's journey from domestic unhappiness to business domination by making everything seem equally authentic and fanciful. The movie casts a dream-like sheen over crumbling interiors, proceeds at a lively pace through tough moments, and favours an upbeat soundtrack, all to create a purposefully wavering mood. In doing so, it manages to remain sincere, not satirical. That's where Lawrence proves pivotal too. When the going gets tough, she's determined rather than defeated; when everything appears to be coming together, she never patches over Joy's struggles. Her co-stars mightn't all fare as well, particularly De Niro's disapproving dad. Still, Madsen and Rossellini have their comic moments, and Ramirez and Cooper benefit from less chaotic roles. Besides, such a mix of performances feels fitting. Joy pairs a filmmaker's usual tricks and tendencies with a mostly-true tale of tenacity, serving up amusement and insight in the process.
If you've ever been stuck with the job of throwing away perfectly good food at the end of a hospitality shift, it probably won't shock you that Australian retailers are turfing over three million tonnes of food each year. Or that 80 percent of it is being chucked out simply because it wasn't sold. Thankfully, folks across the country are tackling the issue of unnecessary food waste head-on, with groups like OzHarvest and SecondBite built around the concept of redistributing unused food to the needy. And now, you can help fight the issue and save money on grub simultaneously, thanks to a new locally born app called Y Waste. Currently operating in Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, the app helps you locate businesses in your area that have surplus food to offload at the end of the day. You can then purchase it at a discounted price, paying via your smartphone and picking it up from the venue at the allocated time. Depending on which city you're searching in, you might find sandwiches and salads from the local cafe, unsold pastries from that nearby bakery, or even freshly made pizzas, all going cheap. The only restriction is that you have to take what's left — so if you're a picky eater or have dietary restrictions, this may not be for you. Sydney's offering includes Newtown's The Pie Tin, which is serving up a box of unsold pies for $2.90, Sol Coffee Bar in Campsie, serving up a mix of sandwiches and salads for $4, and Neutral Bay's Tonic Lane, which has mixed bags of cold and hot dishes going for $5. In Melbourne, you'll find venues like Coburg's Falafel House, serving up two falafels for $7, and Richmond's Fruscolino Pizza, with a large pizza going for only $9.90, in the lineup. In Brisbane, you can snag $5 pizzas at South Brisbane's Presto Pizza and $2.75 breads, sandwiches and muffins from 3Js Cafe in Woody Point. Now you can nab a budget-friendly feed and feel good about your efforts. The Y Waste app is available to for iOS and Android. Image: The Pie Tin, Newtown
Uber, you sly geniuses. In a bold marketing move, Uber have launched UberKITTENS, a service with actually brings kittens to your office for 15 minutes of cuddles. Launching today around Australia in six locations (Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane included), you'll be able to front up $40 and Uber will drive a rescue kitten to your home or office as part of an Australia-wide fundraiser. GET GOING. NOW. Uber posted on their blog today: "Following the huge success of UberKITTENS in the US, we were inundated with requests from riders and some amazing local shelters to bring it to our shores so we could share the kitten love and spread the word about the importance of finding much needed homes for our furry friends." How can has kitten? 1. Download the Uber app. 2. Request the 'KITTENS' option in the app TODAY between 12pm and 4pm within the Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane CBD and surrounding suburbs. 3. If kittens are available, you will get to enjoy 15 minutes of furry cuteness delivered to your office, your sweetheart, or even your favourite cat lady. 4. Pro Tip: Demand for #UberKITTENS will be off the charts so please be patient in your quest for kitten playtime. All the funds go to the participating shelter and you can even adopt the little guy. Looks like cat lovers have a lot to celebrate after yesterday's announcement for Sydney's very first cat cafe. Via Mumbrella.
If you've ever sat down to play Mario Kart on any of the various devices that the beloved game has popped up on over the years — Google Maps, mobile phones and reality also included — then you've likely learned two things. Firstly, rainbow roads are truly something else. Secondly, you can never have too much Mario in your life. The folks at Universal Studios clearly agree on the second point, as everyone should, and they gave us an IRL Nintendo-themed amusement park in 2022 to prove it. Open for the past year, the globe's first Super Nintendo World is part of Universal Studios in Osaka, and it looks glorious — thanks to life-sized recreations of both Bowser's Castle (complete with spiked fences and heavy iron doors) and Peach's Castle, plus Mario Kart rides as well. [caption id="attachment_804547" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Nintendo and Universal Studios[/caption] Super Nintendo World was never going to be an Osaka exclusive, though. The Japanese theme park isn't losing its latest attraction, but more were always planned for Universal Studios in Hollywood, Orlando and Singapore. And, come 2023, you'll definitely be able to live out your IRL Mario Kart dreams in Tinseltown, because that's when and where the next Super Nintendo World is opening. Exactly what Universal Studios Hollywood's version will include hasn't yet been confirmed, and neither has an exact opening date — but if a trip to the US is on your agenda next year, it now has a new stop. In a press release announcing the 2023 launch, Universal Studios advised that the new Super Nintendo World will be "a visual spectacle of vibrant colours and architectural ingenuity located within a newly expanded area of the theme park, featuring a groundbreaking ride and interactive areas, to be enjoyed by the whole family", although that's obviously still quite vague. Unsurprisingly, themed shopping and dining will be a big part of the experience, of course. #SuperNintendoWorld is opening in 2023 at Universal Studios Hollywood! Level up with exclusive merch at the Feature Presentation store, opening soon. pic.twitter.com/4qh0bDACGN — Universal Studios Hollywood (@UniStudios) March 10, 2022 If you'd like to try to glean some clues from Osaka's Super Nintendo World, it lets you enter via a warp pipe — naturally — and there's simply no mistaking its Nintendo-themed space for anywhere else. And, Osaka's Mario Kart fix comes courtesy of Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge, where patrons race through familiar Mario Kart courses that've been brought to life. Yes, as you steer your way along the track, you're surrounded by characters such as Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach. You can also throw shells to take out your opponents, because it wouldn't be Mario Kart without them. If you're wondering how it all works, it's a blend of physical sets, augmented reality, projection mapping and screen projection, all designed to make you feel like you're really in the game. Also a highlight in Osaka: Yoshi's Adventure, which lets you climb on Yoshi's back; the world's first Mario cafe, as kitted out with a red and green colour scheme; and wearable wrist bands, called Power Up Bands, which connect to a special app and allow patrons to interact with the site using their arms, hands and bodies (and enable you to collect coins just like Mario does in the Super Mario games). Fingers crossed that they all make the leap to Hollywood, too. Super Nintendo World will open at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2023. For more information, keep an eye on the theme park's website. Top image: Nintendo and Universal Studios.
After the craziness of the festive season, your calendar is probably looking fairly clear now. But the Art Gallery of NSW is determined to fill it, for the next week at least, with a slew of Lunar New Year-related events. Head there after work on Wednesday, February 6 to catch a traditional lion dance at 6pm before writer-raconteur Benjamin Law chews the fat with foodie Adam Liaw about art, travel and cuisine for an in-conversation event at 6.30pm. Later in the evening, kick back with a drink while you listen to singer-songwriter Sophie Koh's jazzy pop tunes inspired by Chinese poetry. There'll also be calligraphy demonstrations (make sure to pick up an auspicious phrase to take home for good luck), and you can catch gallery's new blockbuster exhibition Heaven and Earth in Chinese Art: Treasures from the National Palace Museum, Taipei. But that's definitely not all. You can also celebrate the Year of the Pig with a special dinner on Friday, February 8 ($220 per person), take in a traditional Chinese tea ceremony on Saturday, February 9 or dress in your brightest duds and go on an auspicious symbols tour — where you'll learn about the words and symbols that will bring good fortune, prosperity, happiness and longevity — on Sunday, February 17. And, if you're there on Sunday morning, keep an eye out for Caishen, the god of prosperity, who'll be roaming around and giving out red packets filled with auspcious messages for the year ahead. We're guessing that calendar is looking a little busier now, right? For more information on the Art Gallery of NSW's Lunar New Year program, visit the website.
If American bourbon is your drink of choice, one of the finest distillers in the business, Maker's Mark, is giving you a feel-good reason to raise a glass until Sunday, August 31, 2025. The Kentuckian bourbon distiller has collaborated with Australian honey producers Beechworth Honey for a delicious rendition of The Gold Rush: a cocktail that celebrates the brilliant flavour pairing of honey and bourbon served with freshly squeezed lemon juice — a sweet and sour combo served on ice that can brighten up any cool evening. In addition to a focus on craft, sustainability is one of the pillars of the Maker's Mark brand. In fact, it is the largest distillery in the world to achieve B Corp certification. And in a bid to further its efforts to make bourbon that's better for the world, Maker's Mark is teaming up with some of Sydney's best bars to donate $2 from every Gold Rush cocktail sold to the Wheen Bee Foundation. Next time you're heading out for cocktails, make your way to one of these venues and order a Gold Rush, and you'll be making a contribution to a foundation dedicated to protecting and conserving the Australian honey bee simply by enjoying a very good drink. Participating venues: Fortunate Son in Newtown Palomino Lounge in Enmore Old Mates Place in the CBD The Roosevelt in Potts Point The Duke of Clarence in the CBD Earl's Juke Joint in Newtown Double Deuce Lounge in the CBD Charlie Parker's in Paddington Bar Demo in Newtown J&M in the CBD Chuck & Sons in St Peters The Cumberland in Manly If you're down in Canberra, you can hit up Hippo Co, or if you're in Wollongong, Howlin' Wolf, La La La's and Black Cockatoo Bar are also participating
If all you wanted for an early Christmas gift this year was for the Matildas to put on a spectacular show at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, Australia's national women's soccer team didn't disappoint. If all you're now hoping for this actual festive season is to hear three of the squad's stars chat about their experiences — and their careers in general, as well as what's brought them to this point — then the first-ever Open Air Live event is going to deliver there, too. Taking place at 5pm on Thursday, December 21 at Sydney's Commbank Stadium, Open Air Live will feature Matildas goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, forward Mary Fowler and defender Alanna Kennedy, who'll be back in Australia to get talking. All three impressed on the pitch in July and August, and cemented their place as Aussie sporting heroes, even if the semi-final loss to England meant that the Matildas didn't end up with the ultimate prize. On offer as well: a live masterclass where Arnold, Fowler and Kennedy will show off their skills; and a match-day vibe thanks to four stages and ample use of the stadium screens. "I'm excited to be part of the Open Air Live event in Sydney this December. Mackenzie, Alanna and I will be taking the field at CommBank stadium for a huge night of entertainment; you won't want to miss this!" said Fowler. "I can't wait to join Mackenzie and Mary on the pitch for an incredible night of entertainment. Everyone is welcome, and we look forward to putting on a great show," added Kennedy. "Bring your families along and join Alanna, Mary and I in sharing our stories. It will be a great night of entertainment. We can't wait to see you there," advised Arnold. There's obviously plenty for the three Matildas players to discuss. Their Women's World Cup efforts enraptured the entire nation, including breaking viewing records to become the most-watched program on Aussie TV since 2001 when current records began, and likely ever. They had Nikki Webster sing to them in Brisbane afterwards, and are getting a team statue in the Queensland capital. And, of course, the campaign was the result of years of hard work both as a squad and on the individual level to get the Tillies to this point. Arnold, Fowler and Kennedy will be back in Australia for the event from the UK, where all the trio play in the Women's Super League. Arnold is West Ham United's captain, while Fowler and Kennedy remain on the same team at Manchester City. The full Matildas squad will also return to home turf for three games at the end of October and beginning of November, for Olympic qualifying matches in Perth. They play Iran on Thursday, October 26; The Philippines on Sunday, October 29; and Chinese Taipei on Wednesday, November 1. Open Air Live with Mackenzie Arnold, Mary Fowler and Alanna Kennedy will take place at 5pm on Thursday, December 21 at Sydney's Commbank Stadium, 11–13 O'Connell St, Parramatta — head to the ticketing website for more details and tickets.
Break out the waffles: Amy Poehler is coming to Australia. If you're a Parks and Recreation fan, nothing less than eating breakfast foods non-stop between now and the end of May will do to celebrate. The actor behind Leslie Knope — and Saturday Night Live legend, and voice of Joy in both Inside Out and Inside Out 2 — has a date with Vivid Sydney, heading to the Harbour City for an in-conversation event that'll see her chat through her career. Inside Out 2 releases in cinemas in mid-June, so it'll receive plenty of focus when Poehler gets talking — so much so that the Sydney Opera House evening that'll be moderated by Zan Rowe will include a 30-minute first-look at the film. But her work spans far and wide beyond the animated Pixar franchise, including to films such as Baby Mama and Sisters, writing the hilarious Yes Please and unforgettable Golden Globe hosting gigs with Tina Fey. [caption id="attachment_793108" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC[/caption] Poehler's session will take place on Monday, May 27, making it one of the early highlights of the festival. It comes after 2023's Vivid Sydney also featured a massive screen-focused in-conversation session, welcoming The White Lotus' Jennifer Coolidge and Mike White.
Back in 2010, Ryan Gosling starred in a crime drama called All Good Things, playing a real estate heir suspected to be behind his wife's disappearance, as well as other murders. It isn't a highlight on his resume, but you'll see the feature very differently once you've watched six-part HBO docuseries The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst — because Gosling's character is based on Durst, and because filmmaker Andrew Jarecki directed both the movie and the series. True crime isn't a new genre, but The Jinx proved one of its big hitters when it was initially released in 2015. While it was originally airing, Durst was arrested on murder charges, with the criminal proceedings still ongoing to this day. Jarecki's series draws upon more than 20 hours of interviews with Durst, conducted over a number of years, and it'll drop you right into the middle of a twisty case. The minutiae is best experienced by watching, but the show's finale isn't easily forgotten.
It was a year of gun-toting racoons, talking Lego and trying desperately to catch a glimpse of Ben Affleck’s junk in the shower. Yes, the last 12 months saw the release of some truly terrific movies, from Hollywood hits that dominated the box-office to startling foreign and indie films that only a handful of people bothered to see. But enough about the past. January is already well underway, and a whole crop of new releases are on the horizon. This promises to be another huge year for cinema, with the latest instalments in blockbuster franchises including The Fast and the Furious 7, Mission: Impossible 5 and The Hunger Games Part 3B, not to mention perhaps the most hotly anticipated sequel of them all: Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. Of course the above titles only scratch the surface. Presented in the order they’re due to be released, here’s our list of the 12 motion pictures we’re most looking forward to in 2015. You’ll be pleased to note that there isn’t a single Hobbit movie to be found. FOXCATCHER The latest film from Moneyball director Bennett Miller tells the unsettling true story of reclusive millionaire John DuPont, whose sponsorship of the US Olympic wrestling team coincided with a spiral into madness. A cast that includes Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo is enough to pique our interest, but it’s comedian Steve Carell who has been kicking up Oscar buzz for his against-type dramatic performance as DuPont. Out January 29 ROSEWATER Comedian Jon Stewart took time out from hosting The Daily Show in order to shoot this film about Maziar Bahari, a Canadian-Iranian journalist imprisoned by the Iranian regime. Not exactly the barrel of laughs you might expect from Stewart’s directorial debut. Then again, it’s only fitting that he be the one to tell the story, given that the “evidence” the Iranians used to justify Bahari’s detention included an interview he gave on Stewart’s show. Out February 19 TOP FIVE Speaking of comedians in the director’s chair, Chris Rock’s Top Five sees the funny-man working three jobs as writer, director and star. In a foul-mouthed takedown of the media and entertainment industries, Rock plays Andre Allen, a popular movie comedian who wants to be taken seriously. The film looks hilarious, and has a seriously stacked cast — including Rosario Dawson, Tracey Morgan and Kevin Hart — as well as cameos from Whoopi Goldberg, Adam Sandler and Jerry Seinfeld. Out March 5 INHERENT VICE Joaquin Phoenix heads a host of enviable Hollywood talent in Paul Thomas Anderson’s strange adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel. A stoner crime thriller, Inherent Vice looks like the spiritual cousin to The Big Lebowski, and not at all like Anderson’s previous films, which include The Master and There Will Be Blood. Reviews out of the States have been divided, which really only makes us want to see it more. Out March 12 MOMMY The best film of last year’s festival circuit, this masterpiece of melodrama from Quebecois wunderkind Xavier Dolan is a movie you can’t afford to miss. An emotional roller coaster presented in 1:1 aspect ratio, the story follows a brassy single mother whose teenage son suffers from violent mood swings as well as ADHD. Seriously, if this film doesn’t make you cry buckets, you flat out haven’t got a heart. Out March 26 AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Avengers assemble! The red-hot sequel to Marvel’s superhero phenomenon reunites all your favourite costumed heroes, including Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and Thor. The most important returnee, however, is writer-director Joss Whedon, whose witty dialogue and knack for ensemble character dynamics was a huge part of why the first film was so great. Out April 23 MAD MAX: FURY ROAD Australia’s most iconic action hero is back for round four. Tom Hardy replaces Mel Gibson as Road Warrior Max Rockatansky in this sequel-cum-reboot 30-odd years in the making. From the insane visuals in the trailer, it would appear that original director George Miller hasn’t lost his touch. Hard to believe this is the same guy who made Happy Feet. Out May 14 INSIDE OUT The latest film from the geniuses at Disney Pixar looks like one of their most original yet. Directed by Pete Docter of Up and Monsters Inc. fame, Inside Out takes place inside the mind of young girl, as Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear and Sadness steer her through life as best they can. Out June 18 SPECTRE Daniel Craig returns as Britain’s most deadly secret agent, with a supporting cast that includes Monica Belluci, Dave Bautista and Christoph Waltz. If the title is anything to go by, the latest Bond film will see 007 go up against his most notorious enemy, the international crime syndicate SPECTRE. We’re calling it now: Waltz is playing Blofeld. Out November 19 STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Yes, we’ve been burnt with new Star Wars films before. But come on, how can you not be excited, or at least curious, by the prospect of returning to a galaxy far, far away? And without the influence of George Lucas, we’re hopeful that The Force Awakens might actually be good, or at least not bogged down by the politics of trade negations. Now excuse us while we re-watch the trailer for the 5000th time. Out December 18 THE HATEFUL EIGHT Two words: Quentin Tarantino. The script for his latest Western leaked online last year, leading to fears that he’d scrap the project altogether. Thankfully QT got over his little temper tantrum and is moving ahead with production. The Hateful Eight is being shot on glorious 70mm film with a cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Michael Madsen and Bruce Dern. Release Date TBA MACBETH Australian director Justin Kurzel made serious waves with his debut film Snowtown. For his follow-up, he’s put together a lavish adaptation of Shakespeare’s iconic play, with Michael Fassbender starring as the ambitious Scottish soldier and Marion Cotillard as his conniving lady wife. Release Date TBA
Rise up, Hamilton fans — whether you're a Sydneysider counting down the days until the biggest musical of the past decade finally makes its way to our shores, or you're an aficionado elsewhere in the country that's been spending the past couple of months streaming the filmed version on Disney+. Whichever category you fall into, you won't want to throw away your shot at glory at Totally F*ct Trivia's Hamilton night. You don't need to be young, scrappy and hungry to succeed at this trivia evening. You don't need to have seen oceans rise and empires fall, either. You will need to know plenty about Hamilton, though, of course. And, there are two ways to get some skin in the game: by heading along in-person and taking part in the room where it happens, or by live-streaming the fun when push comes to shove. As hosted by The Chaser's Julian Morrow, Totally F*ct Trivia: Hamilton Edition will next take over the Giant Dwarf Theatre in Redfern from 6.30pm on Tuesday, October 20. Yes, it was a such a hit when it last took place in September that it's coming back — like that oh-so-catchy King George III song told us. Tickets to attend physically cost $20, or $30 with two drinks included. Connect virtually for $10 for one person, $15 for a couple and $20 for a group of three or more if you want to get involved from home. And if you need a refresher, check out the Hamilton Disney+ trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSCKfXpAGHc Totally F*ct Trivia: 'Hamilton' Edition takes place from 6.30pm on Tuesday, September 8 — live at the Giant Dwarf Theatre in Redfern, or you can play along via live-stream from around the country as well. Top image: Hamilton filmed version courtesy Disney+. Updated September 26.
Same-day succulent delivery service Little Succers is bringing back its build-your-own terrarium bar in Chippendale for a the Queen's Birthday long weekend. Book in for a morning, afternoon or night session between Friday, June 8 and Monday, June 11 and you'll be given the tools to build the terrarium of your dreams. The pop-up will stock a variety of succulents and plants of all shapes and sizes ready for you to take home. With custom-made pots and soil, crystals and other decorations, you'll have everything you need to create a masterpiece — and, aside from the $20 booking fee (which goes towards your materials), you'll be charged only for what you use. This time round there will be night sessions from 6–9pm on the Friday and Saturday, which will include an added bonus of free drinks (for you, not your green baby).
Small businesses are doing it tough in Sydney right now. As the city's latest COVID-19 lockdown rolls on, many businesses have been forced to close and sole traders have lost work. Last week, the NSW Government rolled out support for small businesses that have experienced a decline in revenue by 30 percent or more as a result of the current lockdown. But, COVID grants are only available to businesses with a turnover of more than $75,000 per financial year. This has left some of the city's smallest businesses and sole traders without support. In response, a petition started by Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Scully has been submitted to the NSW Government to lower the threshold for these grants and to include businesses that have been operating for less than 12 months. The petition states that many businesses in the creative sector and sole traders including musicians, lighting and sound technicians, fitness instructors, caterers and photographers, "live from gig-to-gig on freelance contracts or earn client-to-client, and many commonly earn below the $75,000 threshold, but they are essential contributors to the NSW economy" often with no paid leave entitlements and without an ability to work from home. It also states that, "in the City of Sydney local government area alone there are around 20,000 businesses with a turnover of $50,000 per annum or less". We talked to two Sydney creatives who have lost work due to the lockdown but are unable to access government grants. Huck Hastings is a self-funded musician who supports himself and his art mainly through touring. Hastings has had to cancel a series of headline shows, his first tour of Melbourne and his band Hacky Sack's debut show due to the latest COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent restrictions and lockdown. "I've felt the lockdown pretty significantly, but it feels a bit like just the latest in a series of blows," says Hastings. "You see a lot of artists and musicians giving up at the moment. It's a really tough environment for everybody, but I think often pursuing a career in the arts is seen as a frivolous endeavour and as a result it isn't given the same support as a lot of other industries." "I have spent so much time and money on my small business and since Jobkeeper ended it's a scary feeling trying to navigate how I might be able to keep it afloat," he says. [caption id="attachment_818451" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Huck Hastings and Sachin Burns of Hacky Sack[/caption] Zoe Hyland is a photographer and videographer who doesn't qualify for the grant but has lost the majority of her work because of lockdown. "I've had cancellations up to November," Hyland says. "The threshold should be lowered to include the smallest businesses, and definitely an industry that has taken the biggest hit — the events industry." Hyland, who qualified for her permanent residency last September, also believes support should be offered to Sydneysiders on temporary visas. "I was one of the lucky ones," she says, "[there are] lots of people now heavily in debt as they were trapped in Australia with visas that did not qualify them for help". While Concrete Playground isn't known for taking sides (unless it's about the west vs. east), this is an issue that involves the industries, businesses and individuals that are crucial to the culture of our cities. They inspire the stories, events and venues that we cover every day. So, we're encouraging you to take a second to sign the petition and get the state government to help these industries hang on during what continues to be a time of uncertainty. Head to the Parliament of New South Wales website to find the 'Lower the threshold for the Small Business COVID-19 Support Grant' petition. Top image: The Buoys by April Josie.
If you're a fictional movie or TV character facing a towering kaiju, any amount of Godzilla is usually too much Godzilla. If you're a creature-feature fan, however, there's no such thing as too much Godzilla. And, with Japanese film Godzilla Minus One and American streaming series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters both on their way, screens big and small are embracing that idea right now. There's no such thing as too many Godzilla-related trailers at the moment, too, with the first Japanese Godzilla feature in seven years dropping its sneak peek and now Monsterverse series following in its giant footsteps. The latter ties in with 2014's Godzilla, 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters and 2021's Godzilla vs Kong, plus 2024's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, a sequel to the latter. Expect Monarch: Legacy of Monsters to stampede onto Apple TV+ from Friday, November 17. Yes, everything is a pop-culture universe these days. Yes, spreading from cinemas to television is all part of the process (see: Star Wars and Marvel, and also upcoming The Conjuring and Harry Potter shows). In this case, the Monsterverse is going the episodic route via a story set across generations and 50 years, and also with Kurt Russell (Fast and Furious 9) and Wyatt Russell (Under the Banner of Heaven) playing older and younger versions of the same figure. The father-son pair take on the role of army officer Lee Shaw, who is drawn into the series by a couple of siblings attempting to keep up their dad's work after events between Godzilla and the Titans in San Francisco in the aforementioned 2014 film. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also involves unpacking family links to clandestine outfit Monarch, events back in the 50s and how what Shaw knows threatens the organisation. So, there'll be monsters and rampages, and also secrets, lies and revelations. Giving audiences two Russells in one series is dream casting, as the just-dropped first teaser shows. Also appearing on-screen: Anna Sawai (Pachinko), Kiersey Clemons (The Flash), Ren Watabe (461 Days of Bento), Mari Yamamoto (also Pachinko), Anders Holm (Inventing Anna), Joe Tippett (The Morning Show), Elisa Lasowski (Hill of Vision) and John Goodman (The Righteous Gemstones). Behind the scenes, Chris Black (Severance) and Matt Fraction (Da Vinci's Demons) have co-developed Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, while Matt Shakman (The Consultant, Welcome to Chippendales) helms the opening pair of episodes — and all three are among the series' executive producers. Check out the first trailer for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters below: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will start streaming via Apple TV+ from Friday, November 17, 2023.
Fall in love with movies Italian style, at the latest glamorous edition of the Lavazza Italian Film Festival. Hosted once again in Palace Cinemas around the country, this year's festival features more than 30 features and docos, plus a breathtaking restoration of one of Italy's all-time classics. The 2014 festival opens with Marina, a light biopic about singer, songwriter and world-famous accordion player Rocco Granata, produced by Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne. Other exciting titles include impressionistic Cannes Jury Prize winner The Wonders and Asia Argento's semi-autobiographical new film Incompresa. But the best of the fest will be saved until last. This year's closing night film is none other Marriage Italian Style, beautifully restored in time for its 50th anniversary. Sophia Loren is dazzling as the mistress of a wealthy Italian businessman determined to lock down a marriage proposal. A quintessential comedy about the battle of the sexes, it puts most modern-day rom-coms to shame. The Lavazza Italian Film Festival is on in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in September and October, and thanks to the festival, we have ten double passes to give away (valid at any festival session of your choice) in each city. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.auMelbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=IeD7rBVAQQo
Move over Hamilton, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Come From Away, Jagged Little Pill the Musical, The Phantom of the Opera and Girl From the North Country — another huge hit musical has just announced an Australian run. This time, it's Broadway and West End smash An American in Paris that's heading our way, with the four-time Tony-winner kicking off its Aussie shows in Brisbane in January 2022. From there, An American in Paris will sing and dance its way to Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, bringing its vibrant adaptation of the 1951 film of the same name to Australian stages. Yes, if you're a fan of classic movies — and classic big-screen musicals starring none other than the inimitable Gene Kelly at that — then that's why the show's name sounds familiar. Story-wise, the musical follows an American soldier in Paris — because its moniker is that straightforward. Set at the end of the Second World War, it charts US GI's Jerry Mulligan's exploits as he falls for a French woman. Well, he is celebrating the end of the combat in the notably romantic city, after all. Bringing the Oscar-winning 70-year-old film to the stage, this version of An American in Paris is directed by acclaimed contemporary ballet choreographer Christopher Wheeldon — and adapted for theatre and choreographed by him, too. The Aussie run is also being staged in collaboration with the Australian Ballet, so expect to see some of their dancers helping to bring the musical to life. George and Ira Gershwin's songs make the leap to the theatre as well, including 'I Got Rhythm', 'S Wonderful', 'But Not For Me' and 'They Can't Take That Away From Me'. Initially, An American in Paris debuted in Paris — where else? — in 2014, before hitting Broadway, Boston and West End. [caption id="attachment_828888" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Johan Persson[/caption] 'AN AMERICAN IN PARIS' AUSTRALIAN TOUR 2022: January 8–30 — QPAC Lyric Theatre, Brisbane From February, dates TBC — Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide From February, dates TBC — Crown Theatre, Perth From March, dates TBC — State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne From April, dates TBC — Theatre Royal, Sydney An American in Paris will tour Australia from January 8, 2022. For more information or to register for the ticket waitlist, head to the musical's website. Top images: Tristram Kenton.
The only two things I love in this world more than my iPhone are Post-it Notes and nice watches. Doriane Favre has taken these two separately awesome things and created the Post-It Watch. The Post-It Watch is shaped like a watch and can quickly be written on at the drop of a hat, thought or idea, then strapped around your wrist for easy reminding later on. It is a wonderful solution and much more adult alternative to writing notes on your hand - something not everyone can fully grow out of. The Post-It Watch comes in pads of 100 sheets and can be purchased online from the Parisien boutique, PA Design. [via PSFK]
Over the past decade, Sydney Film Festival's opening-night movies have included Goldstone, The New Boy and We Don't Need a Map, all Australian titles from Indigenous directors. It's too early to say what 2024's fest will launch with to mark the cinema celebration's 71st year; however, First Nations filmmaking will firmly be in the spotlight via a brand-new cash prize that joins the event's slate of awards. SFF will now be home to the world's largest cash accolade for Indigenous cinema: the $35,000 First Nations Award. Set to debut at the 2024 festival, which runs from Wednesday, June 5–Sunday, June 16, the prize will be handed out in Sydney but is open to films from around the world — shorts as well — as long as it is featured in Sydney Film Festival's annual First Nations program strand. "The First Nations Award is more than a celebration of unique storytelling; it's a crucial investment in the future of Indigenous cinema. By offering this level of support, we hope to encourage more First Nations filmmakers to share their stories, enriching the film industry with diverse perspectives and voices," said SFF's long-running Festival Director Nashen Moodley. "This award aligns seamlessly with Sydney Film Festival's long-standing commitment to fostering cultural diversity and amplifying Indigenous narratives." "It is entirely fitting that the Sydney Film Festival, which for so long has been a champion of First Nations stories and storytellers from around the world, now offers the largest single cash prize for First Nations film globally," added SFF Chair Darren Dale. "This prize will inspire, motivate and reward established and emerging First Nations filmmakers with the promise that their art is important, is valued and will be seen." The First Nations Award is supported by Australian production company Truant Pictures, and joins SFF's annual gongs alongside the annual $60,000 Sydney Film Prize, the $40,000 Sustainable Future Award, the $20,000 Documentary Australia Award and the range of Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films. If you're a First Nations filmmaker with a movie that you'd love to be considered to screen at this year's SFF, and to go in the running for the new award, you have until Friday, March 1 to submit. Sydney Film Festival 2024 takes place from Wednesday, June 5–Sunday, June 16 at various cinemas and venues around Sydney. For more information, head to the festival's website. Images: Tim Levy / Luke Latty.
Sydney cinephiles, February 14 in 2024 doesn't just mean watching romantic movies. If you'd like to show your love for one of the city's favourite picture palaces for one of the last times, that's also on this year's agenda. The cinema: Palace Verona, which is shutting up shop after almost three decades, and celebrating one of its final evenings with a closing event on multiple screens featuring delightful Finnish comedy romance Fallen Leaves. Back in 2023, Palace Cinemas announced that it'd say goodbye to its Oxford Street digs this year, with the company's lease on the site finishing and the building that the theatre is in is then set to be redeveloped. The venue's projectors will stop whirring towards the end of February, on Wednesday, February 21 — but the special event that will include a glass of sparkling, a heart-shaped chocolate and a Palace Verona tote bag as part of the ticket, plus an invite to a free screening at Palace's next venture, is its big last hurrah. While Verona is calling cut on its time showing arthouse films, Palace Moore Park will open on Tuesday, March 5. Accordingly, Sydney movie lovers are swapping Paddington for Entertainment Quarter. If you'd like to think of this as a relocation — or a reboot, if you prefer — you can. Entertainment Quarter already has Hoyts onsite, but Palace's venue will be solely devoted to arthouse and international cinema, rather than blockbusters. Indeed, Palace Moore Park is launching with this year's Alliance Française French Film Festival. "As we bid farewell to Palace Verona, we want to express our sincere appreciation to all of our patrons who have shared in the magic of cinema within its iconic walls. The passion and enthusiasm you have shown over the years have truly made Palace Verona a cherished community landmark," said Palace Cinemas CEO Benjamin Zeccola when Verona's closing was first announced. "We are committed to preserving the arthouse ethos that Palace Verona is renowned for and having that live on at Palace Moore Park," Zeccola continued. "Moviegoers can expect an enhanced experience with an expanded range of films, more immersive events and, of course, our unwavering commitment to excellent hospitality". The Verona building will fall under new management once Palace departs. Over at EQ, the chain names parking and public transport options among the new drawcards — and dining options as well. Find Palace Verona at 17 Oxford Street, Paddington until Wednesday, February 21, 2024, and Palace Moore Park at Entertainment Quarter from Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
If you've noticed a shortage of high-cut, neon leotards around the vintage shops of Sydney of late, here's your answer: Retrosweat — an aerobic workout taking the music, moves and fashion of the '80s as its inspiration — has been rising up the ranks of the city's most popular niche exercise sessions, and its fans have been hogging the best lycra. Like something of an antidote to all that CrossFit, Retrosweat encourages laughter, levity, your flailing attempts at co-ordination and a fat-burning, bun-firming workout. Founder Shannon Dooley studied at the Fitness Institute Australia but also NIDA (where she learnt from, among others, Baz Luhrmann's official choreographer, John 'Cha Cha' O'Connell), so she knows how to wield a bit of drama in her hour of power. Taking Jane Fonda as her spirit animal, she started Retrosweat three years ago in the rustic mirrored dance hall of Redfern PCYC, where the class still runs — only now it's bigger and twice weekly (Tuesdays and Thursdays). It also makes appearances around town at institutions such as Work-Shop and the Bondi Feast festival, where it includes a special cocktails-and-canapes post-sweat package. We asked Dooley for her favourite places in Sydney that provide her with inspiration both retro and sweaty, and learnt about some surprising new spots. "I love theatrical places, places that let you feel like you're on a little holiday," she says. "Even if only for an hour!" Waverley Cemetery As morbid as this may seem, it's so beautiful to see the angels casting their shadows in the late afternoon, and the waves below crashing on the headland. It's so peaceful. I go there to get some perspective. I love the ocean and am pretty happy to stay living in Clovelly until the end of my days — for eternity if I can get a plot at the cemetery! Yeah Hair Baby on Illawarra Road, Marrickville Not enough people know that the greatest hairdresser in Sydney is Teri Richards. As the name suggests, the interior of her salon looks like a tangerine 1970s acid trip. You enter Yeah Hair Baby and just feel happy. She's an amazing colourist and boy does she cut a rad mullet! Bus Stop Cafe on Clovelly Road, Randwick I live at this cafe. The coffee is so good, so are the smoothies. I'm gluten intolerant and they are one of the gluten-free friendliest places in Sydney! Jose, Gus and the rest of the crew know every customer's name and it almost feels like you're in an episode of Cheers when you're in there. The same friendly faces are always in there having a laugh. It doesn't get much local than at the Bus Stop. The Lord Dudley Pub, Paddington I only found this place a month ago! I've lived in Sydney for ten years, that's how hidden it is. It's the cosiest place in winter, it feels like you are suddenly in England in the 1800s. There's a big fireplace, and the menu is all about simple comfort food — chicken pies, eton mess, steak frites. They have board games, too. You can really settle in here for hours. There's an elderly man who loves to sing Barbara Streisand songs at you if you're lucky enough to run into him at the bar. I love a good serenade. The Seagull Room at the Bondi Pavilion With its arched windows, it looks like a set from one of Jane Fonda's VHS workouts. I walk in the room and can feel the ghosts of freestyle aerobics past. There's nothing like walking into an empty space and just feeling the possibilities. This one is definitely magical. If I'm ever alone in there I just leap from wall to wall and corner to corner like a four year old. Retrosweat is on at the Seagull Room during Bondi Feast on Saturday, July 11.
"Will there be kangaroos?" That's Liv's (Jessica Henwick, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery) main question when she's offered a job in the Australian outback with her best friend Hanna (Julia Garner, Ozark). They're Americans backpacking Down Under, they've run out of cash and, yes, they make the stereotypical query about heading to a mining town for a live-in gig at a pub. After the pair make their temporary move, parched landscape as far as the eye can see awaits, plus drinking goon and serving copious amounts of brews to the locale's mostly male population. That's the tale that The Royal Hotel tells — and, if you've seen documentary Hotel Coolgardie, which inspired this thriller, you'll know that Liv and Hanna aren't in for a blissful time. In the just-dropped trailer for The Royal Hotel, weathering the blazing heat is nothing compared to dealing with the bar's men. Among their new acquaintances is a host of of familiar Aussie faces, including Hugo Weaving (Love Me) as the watering hole's owner, plus Ursula Yovich (Irreverent), Toby Wallace (Babyteeth), Daniel Henshall (Mystery Road: Origin) and James Frecheville (The Dry). The storyline, the real-life basis, the cast, the fact that this is the latest film from Australian director Kitty Green: thanks to all of the above, The Royal Hotel should already be high on your must-see list. The trailer only amplifies that anticipation, with the filmmaker in tense and unsettling mode as she explores gender dynamics and Australia's drinking culture. This is the Casting JonBenet helmer's second movie in a row with Garner, her current go-to star. Both turned in a stunner in with The Assistant — another picture about power imbalances, the everyday threats that loom over women and problematic workplaces. Green's second fictional feature and fourth full-length effort overall, The Royal Hotel premiered at the 2023 Telluride Film Festival on the way to making its Aussie debut at SXSW Sydney in October. How do you open the first-ever SXSW Screen Festival Down Under (and outside of Austin)? With this homegrown effort. Next stop after that: launching the 2023 Adelaide Film Festival just days later. The Royal Hotel doesn't yet have a general release date, but expect it in cinemas afterwards. Check out the trailer for The Royal Hotel below: The Royal Hotel will open 2023's SXSW Sydney on Sunday, October 15 and Adelaide Film Festival on Wednesday October 18, but doesn't yet have a release date Down Under otherwise. Images: Neon / See-Saw Films. If you're keen to make the most of Australia's first SXSW, take advantage of our special reader offer. Purchase your SXSW Sydney 2023 Official Badge via Concrete Playground Trips and you'll score a $150 credit to use on your choice of Sydney accommodation. Book now via the website.
A perfectly made cocktail is one of life's simple pleasures, though the process of whipping up creative beverages is far from simple. A moment on the lips is the result of minutes of hard work at a minimum, not to mention the time spent concocting recipes, perfecting them and shopping for ingredients. In short, unless you're a professional mixologist, it's not always something you can replicate at home. Enter The Mixery, the new Australian service that knows we all like drinking cocktails, and that we all often have the plonk, but not the rest of the requirements or the know-how. Delivering everywhere across the country, the subscription-based outfit brings monthly boxes to your door, filled with almost everything you'll need to mix up 12 delicious beverages. We say almost, because they're stocking you up with the items you won't have — including three recipes, plus enough bits and pieces for four drinks of each — while relying upon you to provide your own alcohol. To make things simple, each delivery focuses on one type of tipple, with The Mixery's first box showering the love on gin. Cocktails such as the spicy Earl the Grey, herb-infused The Basilisk and refreshingly floral Rosed Up on the menu, aka stellar spring drinks. Those eager to imbibe can order boxes on a one-off basis, or sign up for an ongoing shipment for $40 per month plus a $5 monthly delivery fee. A party box is also on offer, with prices starting at $70. It features a big enough stash of ingredients to make either eight or 15 of each cocktail — as well as an 'easy mix' option, which means you can just throw everything into a jug, add booze and stir. For more information about The Mixery, visit their website.
Nearly one-third of the artists scheduled to exhibit in the 19th Biennale of Sydney have written an open letter to the board of directors, urging them to "act in the interests of asylum seekers" by withdrawing from "the current sponsorship arrangement with Transfield". Transwho? Detainees who've been dodging bullets and knives on Manus Island know the name all too well. It's an "operations, maintenance and construction services business" that, in the 2013-14 financial year, made millions out its involvement with the Nauru Regional Processing Centre. Since early February, Transfield has taken over welfare responsibilities on both Nauru and Manus from the Salvation Army (because a construction company is just so well-equipped to provide education, recreational facilities and emotional support to traumatised individuals). Though the 28 artists acknowledge that the increasing dependence of public institutions on private funding is complex, they are clear, that "in this particular case", their involvement risks "adding value" and "cultural capital" to the Transfield brand. The letter states, "We appeal you to work alongside us to send a message to Transfield, and in turn the Australian Government and the public: that we will not accept the mandatory detention of asylum seekers, because it is ethically indefensible and in breach of human rights; and that, as a network of artists, arts workers and a leading cultural organisation, we do not want to be associated with these practices." The problem is that Transfield isn't just another name on the sponsorship list. Transfield Holdings actually established the event in 1973, and Transfield Foundation board member Luca Belgiorno Netti is the Biennale's current chairman. While the open letter does not overtly threaten boycott, a separate statement hints at the possibility. "We are taking this very seriously," spokesperson Gabrielle de Vietri said. “Some artists are reconsidering their participation, and others organising different forms of protest from within ... Still other artists have proposed to join with the Biennale team in an effort to develop alternative modes of fundraising." A Boycott the 19th Sydney Biennale Facebook page is gathering support. With the Biennale due to open on March 21, the board members, the 90 participating artists and Sydney's art-loving public have some quick decision-making to do. Here's the full text of their open letter: An open letter to the Board of Directors, Biennale of Sydney 19 February 2014 To the Board of Directors of the Biennale of Sydney, We are a group of artists Gabrielle de Vietri, Bianca Hester, Charlie Sofo, Nathan Gray, Deborah Kelly, Matt Hinkley, Benjamin Armstrong, Libia Castro, Ólafur Ólafsson, Sasha Huber, Sonia Leber, David Chesworth, Daniel McKewen, Angelica Mesiti, Ahmet Ö?üt, Meriç Algün Ringborg, Joseph Griffiths, Sol Archer, Tamas Kaszas, Krisztina Erdei, Nathan Coley, Corin Sworn, Ross Manning, Martin Boyce, Callum Morton, Emily Roysdon, Søren Thilo Funder, Mikhail Karikis all participants in the 19th Biennale of Sydney. We are writing to you about our concerns with the Biennale’s sponsorship arrangement with Transfield.1 We would like to begin with an affirmation and recognition of the Biennale staff, other sponsors and donors, and our fellow artists. We maintain the utmost respect for Juliana Engberg’s artistic vision and acknowledge the support and energy that the Biennale staff have put into the creation of our projects and this exhibition. We acknowledge that this issue places the Biennale team in a difficult situation. However, we want to emphasise that this issue has presented us with an opportunity to become aware of, and to acknowledge, responsibility for our own participation in a chain of connections that links to human suffering; in this case, that is caused by Australia’s policy of mandatory detention. We trust that you understand the implications of Transfield’s recent move to secure new contracts to take over garrison and welfare services in Australia’s offshore immigration detention centres on Manus Island and in Nauru. We have attached for your information, a document that outlines our understanding of the links between the Biennale, Transfield and Australia’s asylum seeker policy. We appeal to you to work alongside us to send a message to Transfield, and in turn the Australian Government and the public: that we will not accept the mandatory detention of asylum seekers, because it is ethically indefensible and in breach of human rights; and that, as a network of artists, arts workers and a leading cultural organisation, we do not want to be associated with these practices. Our current circumstances are complex: public institutions are increasingly reliant on private finance, and less on public funding, and this can create ongoing difficulties. We are aware of these complexities and do not believe that there is one easy answer to the larger situation. However, in this particular case, we regard our role in the Biennale, under the current sponsorship arrangements, as adding value to the Transfield brand. Participation is an active endorsement, providing cultural capital for Transfield. In light of all this, we ask the Board: what will you do? We urge you to act in the interests of asylum seekers. As part of this we request the Biennale withdraw from the current sponsorship arrangements with Transfield and seek to develop new ones. This will set an important precedent for Australian and international arts institutions, compelling them to exercise a greater degree of ethical awareness and transparency regarding their funding sources. We are asking you, respectfully, to respond with urgency. Our interests as artists don’t merely concern our individual moral positions. We are concerned too with the ways cultural institutions deal with urgent social responsibilities. We expect the Biennale to acknowledge the voice of its audience and the artist community that is calling on the institution to act powerfully and immediately for justice by cutting its ties with Transfield. We believe that artists and artworkers can—and should—create an environment that empowers individuals and groups to act on conscience, opening up other pathways to develop more sustainable, and in turn sustaining, forms of cultural production. We want to extend this discussion to a range of people and organisations, in order to bring to light the various forces shaping our current situation, and to work towards imagining other possibilities into being. In our current political circumstances we believe this to be one of the most crucial challenges that we are compelled to engage with, and we invite you into this process of engagement. We look forward to hearing your response and given the urgency of this issue, hope that we can receive it by the end of this week. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Gabrielle de Vietri, Bianca Hester, Charlie Sofo, Nathan Gray, Deborah Kelly, Matt Hinkley, Benjamin Armstrong, Libia Castro, Ólafur Ólafsson, Sasha Huber, Sonia Leber, David Chesworth, Daniel McKewen, Angelica Mesiti, Ahmet Ö?üt, Meriç Algün Ringborg, Joseph Griffiths, Sol Archer, Tamas Kaszas, Krisztina Erdei, Nathan Coley, Corin Sworn, Ross Manning, Martin Boyce, Callum Morton, Emily Roysdon, Søren Thilo Funder, Mikhail Karikis NOTES 1. Please note that in this document we use the name Transfield to refer to three branches of the Transfield brand: Transfield Holdings, Services and Foundation. Please refer to our information sheet for our understanding of how these are linked. Image: Henna-Riikka Halonen, Moderate Manipulations, 2012 (video still).
When Taika Waititi directed both Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder, he brought a touch of New Zealand's sense of humour to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now Marvel is bringing an exhibition showcasing its hefty history to Aotearoa. Making its public debut, the brand-new Marvel: Earth's Mightiest Exhibition will world-premiere in Wellington in December. MCU fans of NZ and Australia: if you're keen, you'll need to head to Te Whanganui-a-Tara this summer and autumn. On offer across a huge five-month stint is a big celebration of Marvel's 85-year run so far, from its days on the page only to its current big- and small-screen domination. Running from Thursday, December 14, 2023–Sunday, April 28, 2024, this is the type of showcase that's bound to be filled with costumes — on the walls and on attendees. If you live and breathe all things superhero, a visit is a must. If this sounds familiar, Australia hosted its a massive Marvel exhibition, Brisbane's Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, back in 2017 — but Marvel: Earth's Mightiest Exhibition is its own new thing. It'll display at Tākina, Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre for its first-ever unveiling, and as an exclusive. If there'll be any future stops down the line hasn't been announced. MCU aficionados can look forward to a hefty array of original comic art, props from the films and rare artifacts. Designs, memorabilia, those costumes: they're all included as well. So are behind-the-scenes glimpses that'll span space, New York City and everywhere in-between, plus chances to get up close to Marvel's characters — although exactly what the latter means also hasn't been revealed. Whatever you're looking at while wandering through Marvel: Earth's Mightiest Exhibition, you'll be surveying more than eight decades of caped crusaders — and, because the exhibition arrives after The Marvels will hit cinemas, the MCU's 33-movies-and-counting run to-date, too. "We are very excited to welcome comic fans and film buffs to the capital," said Warrick Dent, tourism body WellingtonNZ's General Manager for Events and Experiences. "Our small but mighty city is home to a thriving film industry that's behind some of the biggest-ever movie blockbusters; the countdown is on until the world's newest Marvel exhibition opens its doors." Marvel: Earth's Mightiest Exhibition will run from Thursday, December 14, 2023–Sunday, April 28, 2024 at Tākina, Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, 50 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington, New Zealand — head to the venue's website for further details and tickets.
You probably took it once. Headed for the Powerhouse Museum on a single rail loop, careening across Pyrmont Bridge and taking in some shitty elevator-style 'Girl From Ipanema'-stylin' on the crackly speakers. I remember my last monorail trip, I really do. I jubilantly boarded a Star Wars-themed monorail toward the 2002 exhibition Star Wars: The Magic of Myth, cranking the 'Imperial March' through Haymarket. The days. But those transport times are over. The Monorail is long gone from Sydney's mid-skyline, closed in June 2013, now with only abandoned stations to trigger the probably vague and halfhearted nostalgia Sydneysiders have for the thing. But you could drive the Sydney Monorail back into your life, with a few measly G's. According to Junkee, the Sydney monorail is up for sale on Gumtree (of all places). Advertised just a few days ago, the monorail carriages are apparently being sold for an extremely doable fee. Guessing that means $3000 per carriage. Here's the inventory and they've even created a promo vid: Whether this is a Real Thing or not remains to be seen, but if you're one of those people throwing $3000 down the pokies every week, why not take a different kind of gamble? The gamble that could pay off in obsolete travel devices and sweet, sweet nostalgia. Here's the description by seller Harry Tsoukalas, which absolutely doesn't look like the kind of copy written by one Mr A. Nonymous, 123 Fake Street, Notting Here. Via Junkee. Image: Hpeterswald, CC BY-SA 3.0.
A lacklustre vehicle for two fine actors, Diane Keaton and Brendan Gleeson are wasted in Joel Hopkins' Hampstead, a light-on-charm plod-along which harbours not much more than a giggle every now and then, some pretty scenery, and a particularly nice looking veggie patch. Keaton is Emily, a recently widowed woman who lives in an upmarket block of apartments in London's Hampstead, neighboured mostly by other rich women her age. Her days involve throwing her hands up in the air about her debts while wandering around with her peers signing petitions and having brunch. Unsurprisingly, she feels as though something is missing from her life. Enter Gleeson as Donald, a gruff Irishman who lives in a ramshackle hut on the heath, in perfect binocular-spying distance from Emily's attic. He grows his own food and fishes in the lake. One thing leads to another, there's some perfunctory plot development, and the two meet and strike up a romance. The only problem is that there's so little chemistry between the two that at one point, during a scene where they're kissing in bed, I found myself wondering whether it would rain tomorrow and if I had washing to put on at home. The two actors do their best with the cloying, Richard Curtis-wannabe script, which aims for whimsical and lands on limp. Turns out Donald has built a cottage on the Heath without permission, doesn't pay rent or taxes, and is being evicted by the council who plan to build apartment blocks in place of him, leaving him homeless without any relatives to rely on. Emily, on the other hand, is worried about whether she's going to have to sell her super lush apartment because she's bad at accounting. Naturally the two bond over their "similar" circumstances. Based on the true tale of Harry Hallowes, who did actually live on Hampstead Heath in a DIY shack, the story itself is quite interesting. But the romantic comedy angle feels as though it's being squeezed out of a nearly-dry sponge. Hampstead isn't bad. It just isn't, in the grand scheme of things, particularly good either. If you want to feel warm and fuzzy, there are plenty of better, sweeter and more charming British films worth watching. Also, if fishing and cheese picnics are someone's idea of "trampy" dates, then line me up. I'd swipe right on that any day of the week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsJv_bJBHSY
Having enough clean drinking water may not be an issue that plagues you day-to-day. But it is an issue that plagues billions of people around the world and has been at the forefront of news with Cape Town, South Africa, reaching its final 90 days of water. In a scientific breakthrough, Australian scientists have just discovered a way to easily purify water using an ingredient found in vegetable oil — and they tested it using the iconic Sydney Harbour. CSIRO scientists created a small filtration device, a tiny membrane dubbed Graphair, that can quickly purify water in a single step. As it's made from soybean oil, it's also cheap to make. To test the effectiveness of the device, the group of scientists purified water from the Sydney Harbour (which, while known for its beauty, certainly isn't known for its cleanliness). And it worked so well, the resulting water was safe to drink. The scientists published their results overnight in Nature Communications, an open-access journal, and plan to take the product overseas to developing countries next year. Source and image: CSIRO
Is your aesthetic still stuck in the pastels and neons of summer? Well, you should hotfoot it to Precinct 75 — its upcoming design fair will help you transition into winter. On Saturday, July 7, the fair takes over the St Peters creative precinct to celebrate local independent labels. Both Precinct 75 tenants and guests will be there, including The Society Inc, Design Twins, Inartisan, Watertiger, Quercus & Co, Garlands Florist and Burgg. The event is pairing up with the local foodies and farmers markets to keep you fed, while Rice Pantry, Sample Roasters, Willey the Boatman Brewery and Buttercream Bakery will be serving up their wares as well. And, if you want to take something green home with you, The Jungle Collective will be onsite with its latest pop-up plant sale — and you know they always popular. Plus, with free entry for you, your mates and the pooch — yes, pets are welcome — you'll have plenty of money to spend on some new wares.
Food trucks have taken over Sydney in a big way. Redefining culinary culture, food trucks combine quality food with decent prices in a portable automobile of fun. Inside these trucks sit total legends who said hell no to paying exorbitant rents, cooks who enjoy mixing up their menus and entrepreneurial types who refuse to stare at the same scenery every day. Eat Art Truck is one of Sydney's most sought-after food trucks. Inspired by the food truck culture in the States, the team saw a gap in the Australian market for portable American street food. More than just tasty, tasty food (we'll be making and devouring their blue cheese sauce in just a few moments), the team have also provided a blank slate for local artists to decorate one side of the EAT truck. With the demand for food trucks like EAT increasing, entire food festivals dedicated to the humble food truck popping up as well as apps to locate these portable feasts in your area, it was only a matter of time until someone compiled a book dedicated to them. That someone is Erika Budiman, a photographer and graphic designer from Melbourne who understands the simple joy of the food truck. She has sought to translate this joy into a book of recipes, photos and stories from the diverse array of food trucks making their way around Australia. "For me, food trucks make total sense here. They suit our outdoorsy lifestyle, our climate and our landscape," she says, citing their omnipresence as changing not only her eating habits, but also those of the Melbourne community. "If the weather is good, we can spontaneously get together with family and friends, grab a picnic blanket, some drinks and games and head to the nearest truck jam for an easy and guaranteed delicious picnic. And with several trucks to choose from, everyone's tastes and sizes of hunger can easily be catered for." Hungry now? Let's get cookin'. Tender Chicken Bites with Blue Cheese Sauce Recipe Serves 4 1 kg free range chicken thighs Marinade: 850g red onions, sliced 280g garlic, crushed 580g jalapenos 580g shallots 50g fresh ginger 25g fresh thyme 50g ground cinnamon 10g salt 100g chilli paste 6 cups pineapple juice 1 cup buttermilk Light blue cheese sauce: 250ml (1 cup) buttermilk 50g white pepper 50g (1/4 cup) caster sugar 300g blue cheese 300g egg-based mayonnaise Flour mixture: 500g readymade pancake mix (that's right, pancake mix) 500g rice flour 50g white pepper 50g salt Remove the excess fat from the chicken thighs and dice them into approximately 2 cm × 2 cm cubes. Rest in the refrigerator in a container or on a plate covered with plastic wrap. To prepare the marinade, place all the ingredients, except for the pineapple juice and buttermilk, in a blender or food processor. At a low speed, blend until well combined. In a separate bowl add the pineapple juice, buttermilk and the blended mixture. With a whisk mix them together until they are all well combined. Add the chicken thighs and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. To make the light blue cheese sauce mix the buttermilk, white pepper and sugar in a bowl until well combined. Use your hands to crumble the blue cheese into the mix. Add the mayonnaise and mix with a spatula, folding carefully (don’t blend the mixture or mix it too vigorously because the mayonnaise will heat up and may split). Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Strain it to remove the excess marinade. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and coat well with the flour mixture. Preheat oil to 180ºC in a pot or deep-fryer and fry the chicken in small batches to avoid cooling down the oil. Serve warm, with the blue cheese sauce on top. Via Food Truck Feasts, published by Explore Australia Publishing, RRP $34.95, www.exploreaustralia.net.au.
Sydneysiders get short-changed when it comes to winter. Sure, its perfectly pleasant, but we miss out on actual winter, when temperatures plummet into the minuses. Waking up to a blanket of fresh white snow outside your window. Strolling around quaint European Christmas markets, clutching a comforting mug of gluhwein to your chest as you try to absorb all the heat that you can get. There's something special about feeling so cold that you're not entirely sure if your toes are still attached to your feet. Now we can have the best of both worlds with the Sydney Winter Festival at Darling Harbour. As of June 13, we can appreciate all that is winter without having to worry about the potential frostbitten feet that accompany it. Options are numerous. The event is a smidge bigger than winter festivals past — there's an ice-skating rink, food stalls from the likes of Eat Art Truck, an après skate lounge and beer garden, a giant inflatable 'Thredbo snow' slide and floating Lindt zorb balls. Finally, a way to eat all the Lindt chocolate you can handle and then float around in a giant plastic bubble in Darling Harbour. So, fellow winter enthusiasts, don your warmest beanie, down a gluhwein (or three) and go wrest Darling Harbour back from the tourists.
Wearable technology has been around for a few years now, but hasn't really taken off. Google Glass tried to get everyone to stick a computer on their face, while the Apple Watch attempted to move smartphones onto everyone's wrists; however, as cool and suitably futuristic as both are, they're hardly must-have gadgets. Enter Snapchat, their first foray into the hardware realm, and the pair of sunnies everyone's going to want. We'll let you ponder that concept for a few moments, because sunglasses that record 10-second bursts of video sound both amazing and familiar, and not just because there's been a rumour that Snapchat has been working on something like this floating around for a while now. Called Spectacles and revealed by The Wall Street Journal in an interview with Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, they're basically a cheaper version of Google's eyewear with one specific function; but hey, letting everyone do something they already could in a slightly different way has worked out pretty well for them so far, hasn't it? As well as turning the act of taking photos into a mostly hands-free task (unless you can press buttons with your mind, you're still going to have to lift a finger to the frames to start each clip, sadly), Spectacles boast two major drawcards. Firstly, they look like regular glasses, rather than Robocop-like attire, complete with black, teal and coral styles. And even better, they're going to be affordable, at US$130 a pair. Other features include a 115-degree lens designed to mimic the human field of vision, as well as the ability to capture circular images to approximate our natural perspective. And yes, everything you record with your new toy will then upload to your Snapchat account, after connecting to your phone via wifi. No word as yet regarding an Aussie release date, but a limited number are due out in the US sometime over the next couple of months. Via The Wall Street Journal. Image: Business Insider.
