Sake has really blown up in Australia over the last decade, with more and more bars able to access Japan's national drink. Of course, we're not sake masters — there are so many more varieties of rice wine that we haven't had the chance to experience yet. Enter Nihonshu Australia, an association of sake importers, who are aiming to change that once and for all. Presented by Nihonshu along with REVEL — who organise boozy events including Pinot Palooza and Game of Rhones — Australia's first sake festival is coming to Carriageworks on Saturday, October 28. There'll be more than 60 types of sake on offer, each representing the drink's different styles, serving temperatures and prefectures of origin in Japan. For $60, punters will get access to unlimited tastings plus a free Plumm glass valued at $35. Food will come courtesy of Paper Bird and Toko, while Déjà vu Sake's Yukino Ochia — Australia's only certified sake educator — will also be in attendance.
Thank you, Germany, for giving us yet another reason to splurge on our favourite fermented beverage. Oktoberfest is getting an Aussie do-over this year, as Oktoberwest takes over Sydney's inner west, the craft beer capital of Australia. You'll find Young Henrys, Willie The Boatman, Wayward Brewing Co., The Grifter Brewing Co., Batch Brewing Co, Sauce Brewing Co, and Malt Shovel Brewery providing the beer. Aside from the opportunity to sample limited edition brews, there'll also be food trucks, Brewery Bingo and an absolutely killer party. Oh, and of course there'll be tunes. Nostalgia cover band Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of a Tony Hawk Pro Skater Cover Band will blast the beats while you sit back with your pint, while DJ Don Benet will do his best Kraftwerk impersonation, providing some much-needed German vibes. Keep an ear out also for The Lockhearts, local band Scabz, as well as Frenzel Rhomb's Lindsey McDougall, with more to be announced.
There's no one quite like Frank, the person, and there's nothing quite like Frank, the film. The former, as played by Michael Fassbender while wearing a papier mache mask, is a soul seemingly eccentric but really just looking for the essence of creation and contentment. The latter is quirky by design but beautifully bittersweet by execution, revelling in all life's failures and flaws. Frank leads an experimental rock band with the fittingly unpronounceable name of The Soronprfbs, and that's exactly where Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) finds him. Downtrodden in his dismal everyday routine, Jon wants desperately to be a musician but lacks the opportunity and the ability to extend himself. His unlikely encounter with his new friend with the obscured face brings both, one fruitful, the other less so. As the reconfigured group ventures from the Irish wilderness to the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas in search of musical fulfilment, the solace they find comes from internal, not external, forces. Written by journalist turned screenwriter Jon Ronson (of The Men Who Stare at Goats fame), Frank is inspired by Frank Sidebottom, the comic persona of musician Chris Sievey. Read our full review here. Frank is in cinemas on June 19, and thanks to Madman Entertainment, we have ten double in-season passes to give away in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. 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 https://youtube.com/watch?v=IblHV2x64f8
It's been a tough couple of years to be in the music festival business, with the pandemic wreaking havoc on our daily lives, and COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions limits the kinds of events that have been able to take place. Wollongong's Yours and Owls knows this all too well, but back in April 2021, it was able to go ahead — becoming the first major music festival that New South Wales had seen in over a year, as well as the first to allow dancing as well. For its 2022 edition, however, the weather has gotten in the way. Due to take place this coming weekend — in Stuart Park from Saturday, April 2–Sunday, April 3 — this year's Yours and Owls has now been cancelled. Announcing the news in a statement, organisers said that "with the exciting news last month regarding restrictions lifting, we thought we had a smooth run into the 2022 festival; however, mother nature has a different plan. With total exhaustion and sadness, we announce the cancellation of Yours and Owls 2022 due to flooding." "With the amount of water that has landed on Stuart Park in the past few weeks, the flash flooding we experienced in The Gong over the weekend and the forecast for the rest of this week, we simply cannot safely execute this year's event," the statement continued. "We have been pumping water off the site, developing other management and mitigation plans, even using the SCG's famous Super Sopper, but nothing has been a match for the formidable force of La Niña. After lengthy consultation with relevant stakeholders and emergency services and no appropriate alternate event site in the area, we are left with no option other than a full cancellation." Hilltop Hoods, Benee, Bliss & Eso, Flight Facilities, The Jungle Giants, Peking Duk and Violent Soho were set to top this year's bill, giving festival-goers quite the array of big-name acts to look forward to. The hefty lineup went on, too, including Faker, Ruby Fields, San Cisco, The Meanies, Sycco and more. And, Yours and Owls' 2022 fest had moved to a bigger site as well — well, back to a familiar site — both in terms of space, and being able to accommodate more people. If you're disappointed, obviously the festival's organisers are, too. "We share your disappointment and apologise for any inconvenience caused; we would love nothing more than to be gearing up to hang with you all this weekend for Gong Christmas," the Yours and Owls team said in their statement. "The past few years have been an unprecedented shit fight of biblical proportions for the live music industry. We want to thank all our staff, contractors, suppliers, artists, industry colleagues, stakeholders, the local Gong community, and all of you who bought tickets to Yours and Owls 2022 for your continued support; it means the world to us." Ticketholders will receive full refunds, and will be contacted directly by Moshtix. Yours and Owls will no longer take place on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3 at Stuart Park, Wollongong. All ticketholders will receive refunds via Moshtix. For more information about the event, head to the festival's website.
Stealing from the rich isn't just the domain of Robin Hood. In Hustlers, it's exactly what a group of strip club employees decide to do, too. Fed up with putting up with wealthy, lecherous Wall Street types who happily rip off everyone they can, including ordinary hard-working folk, the gang of gals hatch a plan to even the score. And, they know that if they ring up extra charges on their clientele's credit cards, the fleeced men are highly unlikely to report it. It's the type of tale that can only be true, with Hustlers based on an article on The Cut about the real-life ladies who started swindling white-collar crooks between dances. It's also the kind of story that needs a killer cast to bring it to life, so the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles, Constance Wu, Cardi B and Lizzo are doing the honours. As written and directed by Lorene Scafaria (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, The Meddler), the film's stacked roster of stars also includes Riverdale's Lili Reinhart, Scream: The TV Series' Keke Palmer, The Handmaid's Tale's Madeline Brewer, Parks and Recreation's Jon Glaser, and Luke Cage's Frank Whaley. Oh, and Usher. Check out the trailer below — which, fittingly, is set to Cardi B's 'Money': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_dfc0iqmig Hustlers releases in Australian cinemas on October 10.
Oh, 2021. To be honest, we can't say we'll miss you — so let's end this traumatic year with a bang. Whether you're eager to see the back of 2021 with a few champagnes in hand, or looking to set a cheerier tone for 2022 by bouncing into it with DJ tunes and a good ol' d-floor session, a slew of Sydney bars, pubs and restaurants are happy to help. We've compiled a list of Sydney's best restaurants, rooftop bars and experiences to ring in the New Year with style — no matter your budget. And, if you've still got some fight in you, there are some sneaky kick-ons included come New Year's Day. [caption id="attachment_828769" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vic on the Park's beer garden[/caption] FREE Waywards at the Bank: Put on your dancing shoes and get ready for two jam-packed levels loaded with live bands and DJs. With a lineup like Breadclub, Dom Alessio and Adam Lewis, you won't be able to resist having a boogie. The best part? Entry will be free all night and the party won't stop until 4am. The Bearded Tit: Redfern's most eclectic and colourful arts bar is hosting a Tit's NYE Party full of performers and wondrous DJs. Hosted by Betty Grumble, you're guaranteed to be delighted and entirely entertained for the whole night. Vic On The Park: The perfect place for all punk fans — kicking off from 8pm is an impressive lineup including punk act, These New South Whales. With Itchy and the Nits and Astrodeath supporting, you won't be able to resist dancing your way into the new year. Marly Bar: One of Newtown's most beloved bars is hosting a Deuces Ball with some of Sydney's best hip hop and afrobeats DJs spinning the decks all night. Tickets aren't necessary, so there's nothing left to do but grab a seat, get comfy and order some juicy burgers, mac 'n' cheese and crinkle-cut fries. UNDER $50 The Lansdowne: With two levels of live music and a rooftop, The Lansdowne Hotel is hosting one of the biggest NYE parties in the CBD. With Bodega Collective and the Swanky Array team set to take over the venue, join the fun from 9pm till late. Harbord Hotel: From Las Vegas to Ibiza and Bali, DJ Generik has been creating waves with his energy and distinctive house music style. Generik is no stranger to the stage, and has regularly opened for Calvin Harris in the past. The party kicks off at 5pm and tickets include three drink tokens (your choice of house beer, wine or spirits) that are redeemable before 7pm. 101 George Street: Bid farewell to 2021 alfresco-style under the fireworks. Tickets include a drink on arrival and access to all the best fireworks vantage points harbourside. With DJ Nitecall spinning a sophisticated mix of obscure funk and Euro groove, good vibes are guaranteed for the entire night. UNDER $200 Cafe Freda's: Cafe Freda's is running two jam-packed sessions with live entertainment playing throughout the night. With an option of a 6pm seating or a 9:15pm until countdown seating, this will surely make for a special evening in the bright lights of the CBD. The dinner session includes a full dinner set menu and NYE cocktail on arrival, while the party session comes with a grazing snacks menu, cocktail and a glass of bubbles at midnight. NYE in the Park: With tickets still available, this is one of the best events to get the most bang for your buck. Headliners include ILLY, PNAU, Spacey Jane, The Presets and What So Not — just to name a few. The best part? You'll get to experience the full firework show without having to battle the crowds at Sydney Harbour. Wharf Bar: Enjoy front row seats for the local harbourside fireworks before Touch Sensitive takes the decks. The music marathon continues on New Year's Day with homegrown heroes Winston Surfshirt warming up the dance floor from 3pm till midnight. Butter Block Party: Sydney's most hyped dining concept, Butter, has gained a cult following for their stores which combine rare sneakers, fancy champagne and hot fried chicken. Now, they're throwing their very first exclusive outdoor, openair courtyard party to say goodbye to 2021. There are three different ticket packages (silver, gold or platinum) that include a range of goodies from a beverage on arrival to a feast of canapes. Monopole: Travel back to the 80s with a nostalgic lineup of classic snacks, vintage wines and greatest hits. Think devilled eggs, prawn cocktails and a show-stopping bombe alaska to finish. Dress to impress and dance the night away until 2am. Details here. Smoke Bar at Barangaroo House: The team at Barangaroo House have teamed up with Patrón to host a night to remember. With an all-star line-up including Late Nite Tuff Guy, Lazy Wax and Ariane, there's something for everyone. Tickets include canapes (think oysters, beef tartare tartlets and crispy chicken), live entertainment & a Paloma spritz on arrival. Frank Mac's: Calling all gin lovers – say farewell to 2021 with a boozy celebration right in the heart of The Rocks. Tickets include a drink on arrival, bubbles at midnight, and most importantly, unique access to George Street for the spectacular fireworks displays. Did we mention that the cocktail bar also serves more than 100 juniper blends sourced from all corners of the globe? You're welcome. Bookings are available here. [caption id="attachment_830236" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Taronga Zoo via DNSW[/caption] BLOWOUT Sydney Tower Eye: Arguably the best seat in the city for Sydney's iconic firework show – enjoy 360-degree views of the city as you countdown to the New Year with a truly unforgettable experience. With a glass of champagne in hand, choose one of two time slots (9pm or midnight) and decide how high you want to go. Botswana Butchery: Following in the footsteps of its popular sister restaurants in Queenstown and Auckland, Botswana Butchery is Sydney's newest premium CBD rooftop. Entry is inclusive of a premium four-hour food and beverage package full of free-flowing G.H. Mumm Champagne, beer, wine and spirits. Taronga Zoo: Don't feel like braving the crowds in the CBD? Secure a spot at one of Taronga Zoo's vantage points instead and enjoy a front-row seat of the Harbour fireworks. Guests are welcome to bring their own food and non-alcoholic drinks to the event, or alternatively, grab a bite to eat at the Food Market – there will be a variety of snacks (hot chips, homemade meat pies and sandwiches) as well as both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on offer. Hickson House: The legends at Hickson House are no stranger to a celebration, with the part working distillery and part destination cocktail bar set in the former Saatchi & Saatchi garage – the location of many infamous warehouse parties. DJs Lavida and Aidan Bega will be in charge of the tunes, with canapes and cocktails set to be served throughout the evening. And to make things more memorable, tickets also include access to view the fireworks at Campbells Cove – less than a minute's walk from Hickson House. Opera Bar: Opera Bar is back again with another iconic harbour-side party – and it's set to be better than ever. With live music and entertainment from Bermuda Social, Soulphonics, Dark Horse and Natural Selector, you'll be able to dance the night away with non-stop entertainment. Tickets are inclusive of an unlimited amount of food from multiple stalls, so grab a bite to eat as you watch the sun set behind the Opera House and count down the hours until 2022. Aria: Aria is hosting two luxurious NYE dining experiences set against one of the best views of Sydney Harbour. For $300, you can enjoy a four-course dinner from 5pm – think wagyu striploin 9+, murray cod and smoked eel parfait. The early seating gives you plenty of time to wander off to your next destination or catch the 9pm fireworks. Alternatively, Aria's NYE Main Event kicks off from 7:30pm and will set you back $1,450 per head – don't worry, you won't be having any regrets after feasting on executive chef Thomas Gorringe's six-course tasting menu. It features plenty of champagne and wine throughout the night and, most importantly, you'll get to watch the fireworks happening mere metres away.
Across the front of a quiet, dark stage, a strip of white. On it balance an ashtray, a cocktail (looking as exactly like a cocktail as one could hope) and a pair of sandals. The scene is set for a lonely holiday, an absurd isolation that is both cruel and ironic. Yet this is only the first of 10 seemingly disconnected scenes through which our protagonist, Lotte, travels in her search for peace, love and a little bit of understanding. Botho Strauss's play is anti-narrative at its best: episodic, disconnected, disorienting and almost Kafkaesque. Martin Crimp's translation strips back even further, disposing of much of the play's setting, cold war East Germany. Instead, Crimp uses this historical dead end as a jumping off point for a kind of any-place, no-place. It's a risk, leaving audiences even less to cling to, but this production manages to make that step a success. Cate Blanchett is surprising in her role as Lotte. Bizarre, intimidating, hilarious, pitiful and endearing, she fills the stage like some sort of crazed angel. To lose sight of Lotte in this would be to lose sight of the production itself, but Blanchett ensures this is entirely impossible. Not that her supporting cast isn't working hard creating some of the production's best moments. Belinda McClory is delightful as a woman destined for celebrity, trapped in a small town. We cross our fingers and hold our breath in the hope that Josh McConville, as a chess-loving nano-technician, might be Lotte's salvation. Johannes Schütz's minimal and intense stage design is another of the highlights. The familiar yet disconnected elements and their altered ratios feed directly into the thick sense of the uncanny that director Benedict Andrews has created. The feeling that the payoff is eternally out of sight while the details are overwhelming is difficult as an audience. We suspect this is the point. There are no answers, and barely even a sense of a question, to this production. It is, as it intends to be, the minutiae of life, frustratingly impossible to dismiss or alter, magnified into absurd proportions. Image: Chris Ryan and Cate Blanchett in Sydney Theatre Company’s Gross und Klein (Big and Small), photographer Lisa Tomasetti
The breakout, Australian comic (and later movie) 30 Days of Night gave you solid vampire terror for your month of entertainment. With 30 days and 30 nights, local creative hero Queen Street Studio (and many of that studio's alumni) offer double that to span its Chippendale space's farewell lunar cycle. Though less vampires. Despite the ample time-frame, this farewell offers a packed program, with performance instruction from the likes of aerial experts Strings Attached, Siren master Kate Gaul or the Fondue Set. Free how-to classes also abound, including a serving of stage combat, and a dose of jamaican dancehall dance. Not to mention a final, family show from FraserStudios' resident artists, a pop-up bar and a history of the studios' three and a half years on site. But the star of these closing weeks is its collection of performance. Thursday nights belong to freshly made performance art, while Fridays and Saturdays are wilder, $10-at-the-door ensemble pieces. The Tin Sheds are running ghostly, sleeping-bag-heavy camping tours, Double Trouble plan a night of double acts and there's a final bacchanal of the greatest group-dances ever assembled (instructions included) at the Modern Social. It's a grand program to cast your eye over, but a fitting farewell for a brief and essential piece of Sydney's creative life. Image by Leah McGirr.
HSBC Sydney 7s is returning for another year from Friday, February 1–Sunday, February 3, taking over the Spotless Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park for the first time. The three-day party weekend spans heaps of high-energy rugby matches, a live music lineup and fancy dress aplenty. This year, the tournament will feature its very own music festival, with a dedicated tent set to host live acts across the weekend. Headliners include Tkay Maidza, DJ Tigerlily, L-Fresh The Lion and Yolanda Be Cool, with heaps of supporting acts on the docket, too. As always, 20 of the world's best international men's and women's rugby sevens teams will go head-to-head to be crowned the tournament champions. The stakes are high for both Aussie teams this time — not only are they defending their 2018 titles, but also fighting for entry to the 2020 Olympics (the top four teams at the end of the HSBC World Series will be at the games in Tokyo next year). Plus, one of the best aspects of heading to a rugby 7s day is the chance to don a silly outfit. There's no theme this time round, so use it as an opportunity to show off as much team pride as you can muster. Grab your mates, start planning your get-ups and get prepared for a full on weekend of festivities. Single day passes start at $37 and two-day passes at $60. Both include entry into the stadium and festival tent. Plus, you'll get free train travel to and from the stadium all weekend — just show your ticket at the barrier. To purchase tickets, head this way.
Sometimes, you need to take a break from your city, to get out and soak up the sun somewhere new. Sydney's sun-plenty northern beaches are the perfect destination, they're bursting with, well, beaches where you can ride the waves, catch some rays and let your worries dissipate. Moreover, there's a thriving foodie scene. Come the weekend, the folks on the beaches will be set up at cafes overlooking the sand, a specialty brew in one hand and a healthy breakfast burrito in the other — and you should be, too. To help you out, we've partnered with Qantas and curated a list of the best cafes on the northern beaches, perfect for your next cuppa. Get away from everything stressful at home, relax, and make the most of your Sydney escape.
When The Fast and the Furious took Point Break's premise and swapped surfing for street racing, it seemed like one of those easy Hollywood knockoffs that would speed into cinemas and then race right out of viewers' memories. Eighteen years, seven sequels, plenty of Coronas and a whole lot of talk about family later, we all now know that wasn't the case. It's the high-octane franchise that just keeps tearing up tyres and tearing across silver screen, and it has yet another new addition. The first Fast and Furious spinoff, Hobbs & Shaw reunites two of the series' newer players: Dwayne Johnson's Luke Hobbs, the government agent who has been a F&F staple since 2011's Fast Five, and Jason Statham's Deckard Shaw, the villain from Furious 7 who starts buddying around the gang in 2017's The Fate of the Furious. Directed by John Wick and Atomic Blonde's David Leitch, it's basically an excuse to put the two action heroes in the same movie again, watch as they bicker and banter like a muscular odd couple, and throw in the usual world-saving, car-racing antics. It also sounds like box office catnip —complete with the ridiculous stunts that the franchise has become known for, this time featuring a helicopter, a long chain and a truck in one of them. After releasing a first sneak peek earlier this year, the film has now revealed an extended three-and-a-half minute trailer. Check out the new clip below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ7PAyCDwEg Because two of today's biggest stars isn't enough for this initial foray outside of the main F&F stable, Hobbs & Shaw also features Idris Elba as the flick's villain — plus Helen Mirren reprising her role as Shaw's mother, and The Crown's Vanessa Kirby joining the fold as his sister. Johnson reportedly wanted Hobbs to not only have some family as well, but to have an incredibly high-profile family member; however bringing Aquaman's Jason Momoa on board didn't work out due to scheduling conflicts. Fans of Vin Diesel and the original gang, don't worry. Ninth and tenth F&F films are due in 2020 and 2021 respectively, so Dominic Toretto and company will be back to live their lives a quarter mile at a time once more. Also on the agenda is a female-focused spinoff focused on the ladies of the franchise, because this series remains furious about stretching out its run for as long as possible. Hobbs & Shaw opens in Australian cinemas on August 1. Image: Universal Pictures
If you're a firm believer that the best cabaret shows also happen to be the most immersive, then prepare to check in to L'Hôtel. A French-themed production that's filled with burlesque, circus and aerial performances, it's taking over the Sydney Opera House this spring — and turning the venue's studio into a French hotel. Obviously, you won't be able to slumber at the iconic spot for the night. That said, you will find yourself surrounded by a dinner theatre experience that takes its theming extremely seriously. So, you'll watch, eat, drink and feel like you've been spirited away to a hotel called L'Hôtel, complete with a lobby setup and a cast of characters that call the spot home. Accordingly, as L'Hôtel works its magic, you'll dine away, with the performance taking place around you. That'll include peering behind closed doors, into the lives of the production's characters, all while sipping GH Mumm champagne and tucking into fine French food that'll be delivered by the show's wait staff ensemble. [caption id="attachment_857580" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Daniel Boud[/caption] L'Hôtel first premiered at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2021, selling out its season, and now heads to Sydney from October 12–November 13. And, it comes with quite the pedigree, with Craig Ilott directing — after doing the same on Smoke & Mirrors, which nabbed three Helpmann Awards. Among the cast, you'll recognise singer, songwriter and actor Brendan Maclean (The Great Gatsby); Parisian-based jazz singer Caroline Nin; aerialist Masha Terentieva, who has performed with Cirque du Soleil; and Belgium's Florian Brooks, a specialist in juggling and manipulation. And, there's Australians Beau Sargent, Bri Emrich and CJ Shuttleworth, too, plus American dancer, choreographer and pole artist Bentley Rebel. [caption id="attachment_857579" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Claudio Raschella[/caption] L'Hôtel will play Sydney Opera House's Studio from October 12–November 13, 2022. For more information, or to buy tickets — with pre-sales from 8am on Wednesday, June 15 and general sales from 9am on Friday, June 17 — head to the Sydney Opera House website. Top images: Claudio Raschella.
Exploring the world in person isn't on anyone's agenda at present, but that doesn't mean you can't improvise from your couch. After hitting up online tours of the planet's best museums and landmarks, then checking out a heap of travel live-streams, you can now journey around the globe via a heap of Netflix documentaries screening for free on YouTube. Viewers can watch all eight episodes of 2019 nature series Our Planet, which is narrated by Sir David Attenborough — and ventures to 50 countries to explore the huge array of different habitats present across the earth. Or, you can feast your eyes on documentary feature Chasing Coral as it follows a team's efforts to invent the first time-lapse camera that's capable of recording coral bleaching events as they happen. In total, ten different Netflix titles have made the leap to YouTube — meaning that, even if you don't have an account with the streaming platform, you can still watch. The move is part of the company's efforts to help teachers and parents find informative and educational options for children; however viewers of all ages can take advantage of the free material. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wGZc8ZjFY4 Other freebies include Ava DuVernay's Oscar-nominated documentary 13th, which explores race relations in America; Knock Down the House, about the campaigns of four women — all progressive Democrats — running for US congress; and the first season of Abstract: The Art of Design, featuring profiles of illustrators, architects, shoe designers, photographers, stage designers and more. Or, you can check out select episodes of Explained, spanning topics such as music, the world's water crisis and cricket, and Babies, which covers the obvious subject — or view three short films, including Academy Award-winner Period. End of Sentence., about access to sanitary products in India; The White Helmets, following volunteer rescue workers in Aleppo, Syria and Turkey; and Zion, about Zion Clark, a wrestler born without legs. To view Netflix's free selection of documentaries on YouTube, visit the streaming platform's YouTube channel. Top images: Our Planet, Netflix.
Australia's blistering temperatures have made it pretty darn clear — summer is far from over. But while pretty-in-pink frosé has played superficially sophisticated thirst-quencher of choice these past few months, it's now time for the garden party favourite to hand over the 'cool girl' reins to someone new. Behold, frozen Riesling, or 'freezling'. That's right, the wine slushie concept has been blasted into a whole new realm in Sydney, with Christian Blair (ex-Eau De Vie) and his Annata crew launching a collection of frozen, Reisling-based cocktails they've naturally christened The Freezling Project. Just look: Head into the Crows Nest bar and be among the first to sample this lineup of frosty, boozy treats, featuring the likes of a skin-contact Riesling blended with Nashi pear and ginger, and a Clare Valley variety dressed up with dragonfruit and elderflower. There are five of these Riesling creations to cool down with, each one priced at $12. Find Annata at 69 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest.
Now that Sydney has reopened and Christmas almost here, you're probably keen to make a splash. Yes, watching fish, turtles and plenty of other marine creatures literally splash about definitely counts. And that's exactly what's on offer at Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, all thanks to its luxe underwater festive dining experience. Available up until Wednesday, December 22, Sea Life's private dining packages will serve you up a three-course meal — and two hours of drinks — while you escape into an underwater world. You can choose from one of two locations, too, so prepare to pick between the Heart of the Reef, the venue's 360° glass tunnel that's filled with hundreds of fish, sharks and turtles; or Turtle Beach, which comes with a floor-to-ceiling viewing window into the Oceanarium. You'll tuck into grazing platters stacked with smoked salmon, marinated olives, bread and dips to start with, then move onto mains that include marmalade and nut-crusted glazed double-smoked ham, plus turkey breast with pancetta and sage stuffing — as served with steamed green beans, roast potatoes, and pumpkin. Desserts span steamed Christmas pudding with brandy custard and Christmas pavlova with mango, strawberries, passionfruit and shaved chocolate. And, beverage wise, there's sparkling, red and white wines, and beer. You'll also get after-hours access to the aquarium but, unsurprisingly, the whole experience doesn't come cheap. You'll be paying $225 per person, with a minimum of ten people required — so this is a treat yo'self kind of Christmas under the sea experience.
Lighten your run with Mizuno, then lighten your spirits at the Blackmores Recovery Village. The Sydney Running Festival is a celebration of one of the most scenic urban running routes in the world. It's also one of Australia's most comprehensive long-distance running events. A 42.195 kilometre full marathon is the headliner, with a $10,000 cash prize on offer for the first runner across the line, and $2500 going to the winner of the wheelchair division. If you think you're ready for the big one, you'd best be at the starting point (Bradfield Park, Milsons Point) when the gun goes off at 7.15am. If a half-marathon is more your speed, you need to be up even earlier, as it's scheduled to start at 6.15am. Male and female champions will be taking home $1000 each. Then there's the 9 kilometre Bridge Run, and last on the list is the three-and-a-half kilometre Sunday Telegraph Family Fun Run, which kicks off at 7.50am. Depending on how energetic you are, you'll find yourself jogging past one, or all, of Sydney's iconic landmarks, from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House to the Royal Botanic Gardens and Mrs Macquarie's Chair. Entry fees vary, from $40 for Early Bird adult entry into the Fun Run to $155 for standard entry into the marathon. The event is run by not-for-profit organisation Athletics Australia, so all proceeds go towards supporting and promoting the practice of athletics across the nation. Over $10 million dollars have been raised since the festival was inaugurated in 2001.
Petersham's The Oxford Tavern is going full sour this spring — and not just with its beers. The Rise 'N Brine festival will return for a second year, taking over the pub for three days of pickle-themed food, booze and even entertainment from Saturday, October 3 to Monday, October 5 (a public holiday). To start off, the bar will offer a few pickle-flavoured beers, which have been brewed for the day by local craft legends Batch, Yulli's Brews and the pub's own Oxford Brewing Racket. Other booze options include a pickle-y cocktail menu, which includes a slushie version of the classic pickleback — aka a shot of Jameson chased with pickle juice. And the pickling doesn't stop there, either. The pub has also created a special menu of pickle-inspired eats to tuck into — think jumbo pickle poppers, Cuban sandwiches, reuben spring rolls and pickle pops. A pickle eating competition hosted by local favourite McClure's Pickles and a pickle toss are also on the docket. With COVID-19 restrictions, the bar has limited capacity and booking are essential. Tickets will cost you $10 a pop, which includes a beer or pickleback slushie on arrival. Rise 'N Brine has sessions running from 12–2pm and 2.30–4.30pm across all three days.
Encircled with golden hula-hoops, splashed with pink neon and baring all in bikinis, The Turk in Italy (Il Turco in Italia), as directed by Simon Phillips, is opera about as bright, bold and downright funny as it gets. In 2014, the seldom-performed opera buffa celebrates its 200th anniversary, having been written by a 22-year-old rock star Rossini and debuted at La Scala, Milan in August 1814. Its last Sydney performance was 40 years ago. Phillips, in league with designer Gabriela Tylesova, transports the action to a flamboyant, stylised 1950s on the seaside. La Dolce Vita aesthetics blend with pop culture references; vintage fashion cuts take on brilliant hues and larger-than-life dimensions. Think ruffled swimsuits, fluoro inflatable mattresses, Dior-inspired dresses, snakeskin boots and Elvis lookalikes. A spectacular, skewed-angled, ice-cream cone-shaped double revolve serves as beach, house, bar, nightclub and hillside. Enter would-be poet and playwright (and barman) Prosdocimo (Samuel Dundas). On the prowl for a comic plot, he’s delighted to discover that his rather rotund, much-anguished boss Geronio (Conal Coad) is plagued by suspicion of his wife’s infidelity. The hunch is abysmally well-founded: the moment we meet Fiorilla (Emma Matthews) she is looking out to sea, binoculars in-hand, investigating the talent on an incoming Turkish ship. Captain Selim (Paolo Bordogna) presents more than she bargained for; however, their hot and heavy banter spiralling into infatuation. The catch (apart from Geronio, of course)? Selim’s first love, and one-time sex slave, Zaida (Anna Dowsley) rumbles onto the scene in her gypsy caravan. In the best possible way, Phillips squeezes every conceivable comedic moment — physical, linguistic and musical — out of the work. He goes so far as to offer a bold translation of Felice Romani’s original libretto, slipping in Aussie slang and substituting monosyllabic expletives for more poetic expressions of rage. Double entendres drive home slapstick humour; Benny Hill-style ‘tits and bums’ jokes abound. It’s silly, ridiculous, absurd at times, and utterly, utterly hilarious. It’s opera that makes you laugh. Really laugh. Out loud. Matthews steals the show. Not only is her coloratura magnificent, she plays the sexpot to give Brigitte Bardot a run for her money. She’s irresistibly fun and outrageously flirtatious. Bordogna — sufficiently suited-up, facially haired and charismatic enough to pass for Prince — meets her with his fluent baritone and ladies’ man appeal. Coad embraces Geronio’s fragility and eccentric hilarity in equal measure, while tearing through an array of technically tough bass lines. Young mezzo and member of the Moffatt Oxenbould Young Artist Program, Dowsley makes her main stage debut as Zaida. Her singing is warm and agile, and she’s magnetic to watch. It’s a performance charged with promise. Dundas — the loveable, roguish barman — displays on-the-mark comedic timing and consistently powerful, articulate vocal lines. Finally, there’s Luciano Botelho, who plays peripheral character Narciso. As marginal to the main plot as his part might be, his resounding tenor places him very much at the centre of attention when he’s in solo mode. A particularly funny scene involving wriggling into an Elvis costume while in a minute, makeshift changing room has the audience in stitches. The verdict? Go! The good news is that standing room and student rush tickets, both available on the day of each performance, are just $44.
Truck Stop by Lachlan Philpott was commissioned by Q Theatre, developed in Penrith, and is playing at the Seymour Centre in Sydney until late June. In 2011, Philpott's Silent Disco was so well received that students danced on the stage during interval in a rush of theatrical bonhomie. Truck Stop doesn't have an interval, so control yourselves. Also, it's a bit hard to jive to the theme of teenage prostitution. Philpott is tackling a brittle topic in Truck Stop, using real stories and interviews with Penrith high school students as the basis for this dramatisation. Sam (Eryn Jean Norvill), Kelly (Jessica Tovey), and Aisha (Kristy Best) are a trio of self-named SKANKS (lending their initials to the acronym) whose lives are dominated by the sexualisation of pop culture and advertising. Ringleader Sam's overt raunchiness is reflective of a wider raunch culture, also described by Ariel Levy in her book Female Chauvinist Pigs. Levy points out that now it's girls as well as boys who notch up sexual quantity in favour of quality. Sam and Kelly take this to the next level when they leave school one recess to hang out at the local truck stop. Philpott has mentioned elsewhere that he's trying to avoid a moral stance on the story, but he doesn't quite manage to do so. The piece is didactic insofar as the general structure is a psychological whodunnit — what made them do it? It searches for a cause that we can learn from and blame. Philpott's text treats the protagonists as patients rather than agents, which is thankfully counteracted by well-rounded characterisations from the cast. There's a kind of paternalism in Truck Stop that is absent in shows like Once and for All We're Gonna Tell You Who We Are so Shut Up and Listen by Ontroerend Goed, which is much more by teenagers for teenagers. That said, the piece is as entertaining as it is educational, and the performances are all together great, with the shapeshifting Elena Carapetis (who plays all the supporting roles) acting as the real binding agent for the ensemble.
If you've always wanted to climb the Harbour Bridge but thought it was a little too touristy, or that it'll always be there and there's no point in rushing, now's your chance to do it a little differently. Between January 21 and March 6 this year you can not only don the famous BridgeClimb suit and hike up the stairs, pose for a cheesy photo and enjoy the view — you can do karaoke while you're up there. Your karaoke sesh will happen at the peak of the bridge, 134m above Sydney Harbour, in a custom-made karaoke suite. The views of Sydney Harbour, the city and the Opera House will be breathtaking, the tunes, not so much. After belting out your favourite song solo (or in a group if you're a little shy), you can climb down the Bridge and relive the experience by watching an eight-second video of your performance. Tickets include one BridgeClimb that runs for around two to three hours, a group photo, one of those blue BridgeClimb caps and a free pass to the Pylon Lookout. Adult prices range between $248-373, depending on the time of day and year you decide to go. Although it's the most expensive option, we recommend you climb the Bridge at sunset in summer and belt out a tune while you're there. Karaoke at sunset. Nothing better.
Time flies when you're slurping up mussels and listening to the sounds of jazz, as the folks at South Melbourne Market well and truly know. The Coventry and Cecil corner mainstay has been celebrating both for seven years now at its annual festival. The latest will take place on March 7 and 8, with the Port Phillip Mussel & Jazz Festival returning to serve up a mollusc-focused street party. Oh, and more than six tonnes of mussels. It's free, it'll fill your stomach with locally sourced seafood, and it'll offer up a feast of other treats, including sweets, tipples and dance-worthy tunes. When it comes to enjoying the tasty sea creatures, Claypots, Köy, Paco y Lola, Simply Spanish and Bambu are just some of the eateries popping up — and whipping up an array of different mussel dishes. Seafood lovers will be able to dive into everything from mussel paella to wok-cooked drunken mussels. And you'll be eating for a good cause. The shells will be collected by Shuck Don't Chuck and used to help restore Port Phillip Bay's shellfish reefs. Taking care of the entertainment are local singer Loretta Miller, Alma Zygier, La Nuit Blanche, Margie Lou Dyer and a New Orleans-inspired seven-piece called the Horns of Leroy. Port Phillip Mussel & Jazz Festival runs from 12–10pm on Saturday and 12–8pm on Sunday. Image: Simon Shiff.
In a Carriageworks exhibition that cuts right to the core of how the art world relates to the lives of most everyday people, Branch Nebula’s ARTWORK addresses issues of unemployment, observation and exclusion. Branch Nebula is an award-winning art collective known for interactive pieces that challenge what it is that constitutes a performance. ARTWORK follows this theme, by employing people who are looking for work — found through the classifieds and untrained in performance — in an effort to question who audiences accept as a performer. The workers will be paid to engage in physical tasks, interviews and other typical workplace routines with no preparation, in front of an audience. Branch Nebula admits the piece is intended to be risky, with performers free to raise issues of racism, sexism and class, and also expects their audience to experience a level of discomfort as they reflect on what it is to employ someone to be observed. At $35 a ticket, there's also the question of which people are able to engage with the art world and how. A must-see for those questioning the relevance and elitism of the art world — if you can afford it.
MCA's tradition of after-hours schmoozing with art, music and glass of wine in hand, ARTBAR, is back for another year. They're always a fun way to spend a Friday night, thanks to the rotating cast of curators who continuously find fresh, eclectic ways for audiences to interact with what's on show. Artist Tom Polo fills the January 30 edition with an evening promising all manner of jokes, gags and lols — including a TV Tunes Dance-Off and stand-up from Dayne Rathbone. As a visual comedian of sorts, Polo's work frequently draws from vignettes of the everyday, whether its collaging hilarious tidbits from eavesdropped public transport exchanges or his paintings of abstract portraiture. Speaking of portraits, for an extra $10, visitors can also view MCA's latest exhibition on American painter Chuck Close.
To be at Jingle Jangle is to be transplanted to a different time and place. Maybe the dimly lit walk through the dingy Spanish restaurant La Campana into Good God Small Club is a portal, as you are removed from any signs of 2010 or of Sydney's vacuum of decent club nights. The music policy is strictly 1920's- 1960's and it's all about well dressed, capable dancers drinking Pimms and lemonade for refreshment before tearing up the dance floor. The gracious hosts Smokey La Beef and Smart Casual usually hold down the decks, inviting special guests to play their selections. This month sees Melbourne Garage/Rhythm and Blues rockers The Frowning Clouds tripping up The Hume to provide a live soundtrack, Owen from Straight Arrows dropping 45's, as well as the resident DJ's. So put on your dancing shoes and get down to the best portal in town.
Social media can get you anywhere, or so the story behind Marvel's latest movie and the actor playing its eponymous character demonstrates. Back in 2014, Simu Liu tweeted at the comic book company-turned-filmmaking powerhouse, asking "how about an Asian American hero?". In 2018, after Black Panther's success, he tweeted again — querying "are we gonna talk or what?" with the #ShangChi hashtag. Now, the Kim's Convenience star leads the Marvel Cinematic Universe's 25th feature, and the first to focus on a hero of Asian descent in its 13-year run to-date. He's the face of the franchise's latest step forward, both in terms of inclusion and representation, and in keeping the MCU's ongoing narrative forever hurtling onwards. Liu anchors a film about history and destiny, too — one that's about breaking free from the past and committing to the future — and he heartily embraces the occasion. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings itself flits between offering up a lively picture that strives to carve out its own space in the series, and simply serving up more of the usual Marvel template but in enticing packaging, however. Liu first graces the screen as Shaun, a San Francisco valet who's happy parking cars with his best pal Katy (Awkwafina, Breaking News in Yuba County), even though they both know they could follow other paths. While the film shows Katy's family decrying her lack of ambition, Shaun has a keener awareness of what he isn't doing — because he's really Shang-Chi, the son of centuries-old warlord Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung, The Grandmaster), who leads the shadowy Ten Rings criminal organisation and wears the mystical bracelets it's named after. Shang-Chi also has the otherworldly Jiang Li (Fala Chen, The Undoing), the former guardian of an enchanted village filled with dutiful warriors and mythical creatures, for a mother. But when she died when he was a child, his life changed. After the grief-stricken Wenwu obsessively trained him to become an assassin and see vengeance, Shang-Chi fled for the US, where he's lived since. Then, initially via a postcard from his Macau-based, underground fight club-running sister Xu Xialing (debutant Meng'er Zhang), and then thanks a violent visit from his dad's henchmen, he's forced into a family reunion that puts the fate of the universe at stake. It's telling that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings actually begins by honing in on Wenwu, laying out his backstory and pushing glorious Hong Kong cinema legend Leung — a star with seven Wong Kar-wai films, such as In the Mood for Love and 2046, to his name — firmly to the fore. Marvel has loved daddy issues since Iron Man launched the MCU in 2008. It also adores complicated histories, and stressing the idea that heroes are forged from such complexity. And, it likes anchoring its sprawling on-screen world in as much lore and as many links to the past as it can. That's all accounted for in Shang-Chi's opening move, but so is pure movie-star physics. Leung is never less than magnetic in every feature he's in, including here. He's an actor with breathtaking presence, which has seen him prove one of cinema's most commanding figures for four-plus decades. The power and texture he brings to conflicted characters improves any film and, even with Liu handling his leading role with all the charisma and energy demanded, Leung is always the biggest highlight of every scene he's in. In other words, writer/director Destin Daniel Cretton (Just Mercy, Short Term 12) has cast two essential roles devastatingly well — and maybe better than he intended in one case. Liu remains the star of the show, and the movie sets him up for more MCU appearances, of course. He crosses paths with other faces from the franchise, there's zero doubt that he'll be a key part of the saga moving forward and, based on this likeable-enough debut outing, audiences will want to spend more time in his company. But watching Leung constantly leads to yearning for more of Leung. The same applies when the great Michelle Yeoh (Gunpowder Milkshake) also pops up after Shang-Chi openly nods towards Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Marvel's decision to add a martial arts movie to its roster, and to populate it with Asian cinema superstars, can just remind viewers of all the exceptional works that the genre and those talents already made long before Hollywood blockbusters paid them notice, in fact. Shang-Chi brings other films to mind repeatedly, including via valet hijinks that ride in Ferris Bueller's Day Off's tyre treads, and a phenomenal bus scene — the movie's standout, and the beneficiary of dazzling fight choreography — that's more than a little like Speed-meets-Nobody. When a franchise spans 25 instalments and shows no signs of stopping, seeing echoes of past flicks comes with the territory as well, with Shang-Chi boasting the focus on character that makes the better MCU entries stand out, but also remaining happy to descend into the overblown CGI that's always been one of the series' worst impulses. It doesn't quite possess Black Panther's world-building flair, but it wants to. It can't exactly make its genre fit as well as Black Widow did with the spy realm, either. And, sometimes it feels like it's doing the bare minimum that Marvel thinks is necessary with this titular figure, and with committing to an Asian hero, as Captain Marvel illustrated before it with the saga's first solo female lead. When Shang-Chi soars — when Liu and especially Leung shine, the wuxia-inspired action choreography does the same and building engaging characters is the film's main motivation — it makes for vivid viewing. When it finds genuine emotion in Shang-Chi and Wenwu's thorny relationship, and celebrates the MCU's latest otherwise-overlooked sister (with Xialing joining Black Panther's Shuri and Black Widow's Yelena), it beats with heart, too. When it breaks out a sense of humour, which happens often in Cretton, Dave Callaham (Mortal Kombat) and Andrew Lanham's (Just Mercy) screenplay, it mostly mines an entertainingly goofy vibe (although it does lean a little too heavily on Awkwafina doing her Crazy Rich Asians sidekick schtick). That's the film's first two-thirds. When Shang-Chi regurgitates the standard formula, complete with a special-effects onslaught of a finale that favours pixels more than the fantasy flicks it's trying to ape, it surrenders a better movie to an average one. Here's hoping that Liu's tweets ultimately give rise to something more as the MCU keeps on keeping on.
Sydney's Australiana-themed Redfern Surf Club is turning one this week. And it's celebrating in a big way. The colourful cocktail joint is throwing an all-day bash on Saturday, August 24 with dunny tunes, tinnies and $10 cocktails and whopping $250 bar tab up for grabs. The party will kick off at noon with $6 tinnies by Young Henrys, natural wines by the South Coast's Nattie by Nature and cheeseburgers by The Lord Gladstone. Punk rock band Beerwolf and a few special guests will take the stage during the arvo, then DJs will keep the party going until late — including The Delta Riggs and Money For Nothing. The music doesn't stop at the bar, either. It also extends to the toilet, where Dude Ranch by Blink-182 will be played on repeat. While you're in there, you can also select albums for future bathroom rotation (if that's your kind of thing). And one very lucky punter will also nab a $250 bar tab — just make sure you get in before 4pm to go in the running. Redfern Surf Club First Birthday will run from midday–midnight. Images: Patrick Stevenson
Unless you're the artist, most art installations are pretty hands-off — until now that is. To celebrate the launch of its limited-edition ceramic bottle, The Kraken Black Spiced Rum is hosting a special party that'll let you get your hands dirty. For just one night, the Waterloo eatery will be transformed into a dark, art-filled den — appropriately dubbed The Kraken's Lair. Here, you can let it all out as you smash some ceramics (so make sure you wear enclosed shoes), then watch as artist Pamela Irving creates a new installation with the very ceramics you just destroyed. To reward your hard work, tuck into some canapes and enjoy four exclusive cocktails featuring Kraken Rum. Plus, you can get down with live music from DJ Jimmy Niggles and a surprise performer. With tickets at just 35 bucks, you can get some mates together or find yourself a date for an unusual — and affordable — night. Awaken the Kraken will take place on Thursday, October 10. To purchase tickets, head this way.
Ang Lee’s tribute to the 40-year anniversary of Woodstock is not quite the film you’d expect. Based on the memoirs of Elliot Tiber, Lee’s movie is much more a family drama in the vein of his previous film The Ice Storm or even Sense and Sensibility, than a nostalgic case of ‘thank you for the music’.

Instead of taking to the stage, we go behind the scenes of this historic event: to Elliot (Demetri Martin) and his cash strapped, eccentric, immigrant family who wind up hosting the hoard of hippies in their run down motel. Entirely ignorant of the extent of this cultural tsunami, Elliot and his indefatigable parents (Henry Goodman and Imelda Staunton) end up going on one far out trip. 

Shot with vibrancy and splashings of 60s split-screen flourish, Lee and cinematographer Eric Gautier display an obvious affection for their subject matter. Even the act of recording the event is captured in eager reflexivity, with reporters, photographers and film crews wandering in and out of screen; no doubt a nod to Michael Wadleigh’s Academy Award winning, epic documentary Woodstock.

Liev Schreiber is quirkily soft as a worldly transsexual, while Emile Hirsch brings a poignant humour to his Vietnam veteran. Feature film newcomer Martin evokes a hint of Dustin Hoffman in his unfulfilled everyman Elliot, and almost holds his own against Staunton’s pocket-rocket of post-war immigrant angst.

Taking Woodstock is a curious microcosm set within the transformative macrocosm of 1969 America. Those looking for a music driven, band tribute will surely come away disappointed, but audiences willing to journey behind the line up may well enjoy spending some time with the unlikely patrons of this watershed event. Taking Woodstock @ Yahoo!7 Video
Walking into Shady Pines Saloon is like being transported into a bustling dive bar in the south of the US. The warm lighting country music soundtrack and array of knick-knacks lining the walls all combine to American-themed charm of the hidden Darlinghurst venue. On Sunday, July 17 the beloved bar is leaning into the sound of Tennesee and hosting nine straight hours of country music tunes. Six local acts will take to the stage from 2.30pm, with sets from Buffalo Grass Boys, Matt Ross, James Van Cooper, Adam Pringle, and Jamey Foxton. If you're not familiar with the acts, there's no need to worry. All you need to do is don your best cowboy hat and strap in for a night of twangy guitars and heartfelt ballads. To sweeten the deal, there will also be $2 tins of beer on offer, alongside all of Shady Pines' signature cocktails and small-batch whiskey. Entry is free, as long as you can find the unassuming Foley Street entrance. [caption id="attachment_653449" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Shady Pines by Leticia Almeida[/caption]
Court is being called in northern Sydney next month, as the annual St Ives Medieval Faire returns on Saturday, September 22 and Sunday, September 23. Ladies, lords, kings, queens and knights will descend on St Ives Showground, transforming it into some sort of Game of Thrones-meets-A Knight's Tale realm — though sadly, there'll be no joust between Jamie Lannister and William Thatcher (but wouldn't that be a show). There will, however, be a feast fit for royalty and plenty of medieval theatrics —and we're giving one lucky lord or lady access to a rather noble faire experience. As the chosen winner, you will receive the royal treatment for yourself and three of your most loyal ladies- or lords-in-waiting. Upon arrival at the front gates, you'll be led by horse-drawn carriage to the Royal Court VIP marquee tent. You'll get $100 to spend at the private bar, plus a drinking horn to fill with mead or one of three brews, which Victorian craft beer legends Two Birds have custom-made for the Faire. There'll be an all-day grazing table available when you get a bit peckish, but don't go overboard on the bellytimber: a kingly, long table lunch awaits. Noble guests will feast on a buffet meal of old-world delicacies including hock and pea soup, chicken, parsnip and fig pies, spatchcock, suckling pig and cherry torte. You'll also get top-notch seating for the premier event of the day: the jousting tournament. (Yes, it's still a thing.) Jousting masters from across Australia and Europe will don full armour and compete in the only solid lance jousting competition in the Southern Hemisphere. After experiencing all the medieval gallantry, you can then meet the jousters post-match, including Lady Caroline from Sweden — the first female to take part at St Ives. Make sure to also leave time to explore the rest of the Faire to really immerse yourself in the festivities, which feature birds of prey and archery demos, markets, folk music and a Trebuchet catapult. To enter, see below. [competition]684393[/competition]
Set in an English country house in the 1920s, Noël Coward’s Hay Fever is a comedy of errors about a bunch of bohemians who play act at life. In Rosane McNamara’s production at the New Theatre, a handsome troupe of actors gives a rollicking rendition of the farce. Retired actress Judith Bliss (Alice Livingstone) deals with the dreariness of the country by turning daily life into a grand drama. Her family knows the score and graciously oblige as her supporting cast. Guests to the country house take slightly longer to comprehend the rules. There’s nothing wrong with frivolous plays — watching beautifully dressed people say witty things can be extremely enjoyable, but this production could do with a good lick more shine. The costumes fall on the gypsy side of bohemian and the set is extensive but unpolished. Similarly the accent work could be a notch tighter. In a play about surfaces, minor details become major and the casualness of the design elements in this production is immediately noticeable. You could argue that staging Hay Fever in 2013 is pertinent as a social critique of the hypocrisy and self-importance of middle class creative types, but Coward’s text doesn’t hold up to that kind of time travel. This is more of a quaint peek at a time gone by when people spoke delightfully and wore gorgeous things. That said, there’s still a lot to admire in the performances. Tess Haubrich is fantastic as the charismatic, direct Myra, guest of Judith’s son, Simon. Haubrich’s accent is polished and she effortlessly shifts gear between temptress and affronted prude during her frisson with Judith’s husband, David (James Bean). Livingstone pulls off the eccentricity of a self-involved fading beauty with a fine swag of histrionic gestures; a trembling hand here, a raised eyebrow there — she is warm and funny, though slightly too jocular at times. Hay Fever is good, entertaining drama, and with a bit of a spruce in the costume department, it could really sparkle. Image by Bob Seary.
Whichever pop culture phenomenon, figure, show, movie or bad takes your fancy, odds are there's a cookbook devoted to it. Breaking Bad, Brad Pitt's eating habits, Morrissey and Nick Cave-inspired vegan recipes, Twin Peaks pies (and doughnuts and coffee, obviously) — the list goes on. If you're keen to pair a heap of your faves with some joke-tastic dishes, however, then Pun Pantry's kitchen tome is for you. Among their recipes: 'Chicken Kebob Dylan', 'Fleetwood Mac & Cheese', 'Gin Diesel' cocktails (yes, Coronas are among the ingredients) and 'Wu-Tang Clam Chowder', plus 'The Fresh Prince of Eclaires', 'Pumpking Kong Pie', 'Cream Puff Daddy', 'Frying Nemo' and 'Obi-Wan Cannolis'. If some of them sound familiar, that's because Pun Pantry have been selling themed merchandise and showcasing their wares online for a couple of years. Now, they're running a Kickstarter campaign to put their comedic cooking creations into print. Featuring more than 20 recipes, Pun Pantry contend that the book won't just include steps for serving up hilarious and tasty dishes, but will be "an homage to pop culture, filled with stories, interactive material and original comedic flavour". The fundraising drive will also help them attend the America's Mart Novelty Gift Show in January — and with eight days left to go at the time of writing, they're nearly a third of the way to their US$10,000 goal. Via Food & Wine. Image: Pun Pantry / Nude Dude Food.
There's something magical about heading into the Art Gallery of New South Wales after dark. Every Wednesday until 10pm, you can wander the collections without fighting hectic crowds and catch a talk, performance or tour — whatever is happening that night. Each week, a series of talks, tours and workshops accompany the AGNSW's current exhibitions. At the moment they are John Olsen: The You Beaut Collection, Sydney's citywide art show The National: New Australian Art, and Australian photographer David Stephenson's Human Landscapes. The best thing about Art After Hours? Every event is free.
In 2013, 300 people danced to Kate Bush's' 'Wuthering Heights' in a field — and in 2019, the idea is back and bigger than ever. Yes, The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever is happening in Sydney on Saturday, July 13. Yes, everyone should be dressed as Kate Bush, complete with a red dress, red stockings and black belt (men, that means you as well). On the day, a clowder (that's the collective noun for Kate Bushes, just FYI) will descend upon the park and copy Bush's swaying, kicky dance in unison just for the pure joy of it. Support for this weird and wonderful outing has been widespread, and Kate Bush fans from around the world have been inspired to create events in their home cities. So get your gear together (dressmakers are usually flooded with orders for the day, check it out here) and ready yourself to roll and fall in green, out on the wily, windy moors of Sydney Park. If you need an incentive — other than the event itself, of course — it's now 41 years since the song was first released.
2019 will mark the last-ever edition of the beloved community event Newtown Festival, with organisers Newtown Neighbourhood Centre (NNC) pulling the plug on the festival after 40 years. According to a statement on NNC's website, the festival had grown too large over its final few iterations and is no longer financially viable for the not-for-profit to continue running. "Over the last 40 years, Newtown Festival has experienced significant growth, with many more businesses, sponsors and people attending the event. While this has been exciting to witness, this large-scale financial endeavour has eclipsed the resources, capabilities and purpose of NNC," the statement reads. "After years of careful consideration, which involved reviewing a number of possible funding scenarios and business cases, as well as community consultation, NNC's board has made the decision to discontinue the festival. The board did not come to this conclusion lightly and acknowledges how much the festival will be missed by residents, and NNC itself. We will instead participate in three key events led by Inner West Council to drive awareness of the services we provide." [caption id="attachment_746600" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Simpson[/caption] From humble beginnings, the festival grew to the point where it hosted hundreds of stallholders and musicians in 2019, as well as more than 40,000 punters, boasting a lineup featuring The Delta Riggs, The Buoys and a Heaps Gay karaoke closet. Over the years, up-and-coming bands cut their teeth on the free festival's stage and beloved musicians brought crowds to Camperdown Memorial Park, with the likes of The Kid LAROI, All Our Exes Live in Texas, L-FRESH the Lion, Jinja Safari, Gordi, Palms and Nooky all performing over the years. NNC will continue to push for inclusivity and the arts within the Inner West, while the spirit of Newtown Festival won't be lost, with other community events like SummerFest, Marrickville Music Festival, St.Anmoré, Fair Day, Yabun and the Beer Footy and Food Festival all going strong. [caption id="attachment_746602" align="alignnone" width="1920"] James Simpson[/caption] Head to the Newtown Community Centre website for more information on the not-for-profit and to read the statement about Newtown Festival. Top image: Kirsten Muller.
When Nigella Lawson graced our shores earlier this year, some Sydneysiders followed her (mostly culinary) adventures with the same enthusiasm as they would a royal or religious figure, proving our love for the English chef with the syrupy accent and penchant for decadent food is as strong as ever. So, really, learning that someone has created a cabaret inspired by her shouldn't be a surprise. In this comedic musical tribute, Raelene Isbester pokes fun at the radiant public persona while prodding at the all-too-human private side, too. Isbester's show is a hilarious study of the cult of Nigella and why we can't help but continue to worship her. Love Bites may not topple the deity, but it does give her pedestal a shake. Highly recommended for those of us who view a midnight trip to the fridge as an admission of defeat by a mere mortal and not just a way to spice up the closing credits. Nigella – Love Bites is showing from Thursday, July 11 to Saturday, July 13 as part of Bondi Feast 2019. For more information and to purchase tickets, head this way.
We're heading into what can be a pretty tough time of year for the old purse strings. The sun's out, and everyone you know suddenly wants to plan a catch up for the festive season. It can be pricy — and a little exhausting trying to find a spot that'll please the entire crew. Luckily, we've got you covered on both fronts. We've teamed up with Surry Hills spot SaltVine Lebanese Tapas to give away a $250 meal for you and three friends. The eatery, which opened earlier this year, is a reinvention of a classic Lebanese restaurant, combining the tapas style of eating with traditional tastes and flavours. Deconstructed old classics have been turned into fresh bites, but in no way do they stray too far from their roots — think zaatar fries, Syrian string cheese cigars and chargrilled king prawns with chilli, cardamom and lemon. The drinks also have a Middle Eastern flair — the classic whisky sour is amped up with fig, the Beirut sangria includes apricot liquor and there's a selection of Lebanese wines on offer, too. The $250 voucher is valid for four people across the entire SaltVine menu, from drinks to the banquet ($50 per person or $45 per person for the vegetarian option). If you've got some dietary requirements to consider, that's all good, too: the a la carte menu includes many options for your vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free pals. The only requirement is to take the tapas element seriously and be prepared to share (which shouldn't be a problem, as you'll want to try everything anyway). To go into the running, enter with your details below. [competition]695666[/competition]
If you're of the school of thought that food often tastes better when it's paired with booze, then we have some very good news for you. Fried chicken joint/Champagne bar/sneaker store Butter is offering up the greatest Christmas present of all: an indulgent spiked menu to feast on. Executive chef Julian Cincotta has whipped up a menu that combines his trademark chicken with a pretty darn smooth booze: Hennessy cognac. Embracing the vanilla notes, hints of apple and smooth finish of the cognac, Cincotta has designed a limited edition Hennessy barbecue sauce. The sweet and spicy sauce is paired with Butter's signature fried chicken and shoestring laces (fries), plus a Hennessy ginger mule to wash everything down. The collaboration is in honour of the new Hennessy V.S Limited Edition bottle, designed in partnership with renowned Portuguese street artist Vhils. Noting that both blending Hennessy and Vhils' murals require experimentation and risk-taking, Cincotta says, "We have the same approach at Butter. I love experimenting with different ingredients...and I find spirits have traditionally been under-utilised in cooking." Get your hands on it while you can —the special combo box is only available from now until Sunday, January 6 at both the Surry Hills and Parramatta stores.
Let's face it. Shopping at this time of year can be a form of slow torture. But we have something that'll make braving the crowds worth it. From Tuesday, December 18 to Monday, December 24 (otherwise known as 'crisis shop week'), David Jones is offering up free drink and food tastings. So, if you're in either the Market Street or Bondi Junction stores, hunt down the pop-up for free sips of Mumm Grand Cordon, Chivas 18 scotch and St Hugo shiraz. Along with the tipples, there'll be food pairings to revive you for the rest of your shopping expedition. And, while you're there, you can cross a few names off the present list. The new release Mumm Grand Cordon bottle is only available at a handful of locations around Sydney, including the little pop-up you'll be stationed at. Plus, when you purchase one of the bottles of Champagne — or whisky or wine — you can get it personalised for free with a message in calligraphy, too. This might just be the solution to the yearly question you and your siblings ask each other: what should we get mum and dad? The Champagne, Whisky and Wine Tasting Station will be open from 12–3pm daily at David Jones Market Street and Bondi Junction stores, until Monday, December 24.
What's more surprising about Bondi than its reputation as a seaside utopia is its lack of reputation as a topographical anomaly. It's basically a beach built into a cliffside. Makes it a pretty interesting place to do a walking tour, in other words. Enter Guru Dudu, a laid-back gent with loud overalls and a pair of headphones that, judging by their size, may well have been nicked from a construction site. This is your tour guide – but he's not working alone. As you stroll around, filling up on Bondi's sights, he'll tag-team with some of the greatest bands of the last half-century. With your own set of headphones (supplied) you and your compatriots will have the chance to groove down Campbell Parade, belt out the lyrics you can remember and flashmob unsuspecting picnickers. Before you know it, you will have topped a few of Bondi's most picturesque rises, borne aloft by bangers and the Guru's electrifying moves. Guru Dudu's Silent Disco Walking Tours will take place between Friday, July 12–Sunday, July 14 and Friday, July 20–Sunday, July 22 as part of Bondi Feast 2019. For more information and to purchase tickets, head this way.
It has only been three short years since Call Me By Your Name first hit cinemas; however the yearning romance instantly cemented itself as an all-time great. Adapting André Aciman's novel of the same name, every element of the film hit exactly the right note — including the tender love story, charting a summer dalliance between Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer), as well as director Luca Guadagnino's gorgeous use of the story's Italian Riveria setting. Hammer's awkward dance moves, Michael Stuhlbarg playing the dad everyone wishes they had, the use of peaches — you can remember this heartwrenching movie for any or all of the above. Actually, because there's never a bad time to revisit Call Me By Your Name, you can also re-experience it all again on the big screen on Valentine's Day. The Chauvel Cinema is doing the honours, kicking off at 6.45pm on Friday, February 14. Tickets cost $15, or $10 if you're a Palace member. If you really feel like diving in, you can also purchase peach cocktails. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9AYPxH5NTM
If you like your tunes a little off-centre, extra crisp and wholly unconventional, OutsideIn is your jam. Locked in to be held over three levels at Manning Bar in the University of Sydney, the boutique music festival cooked up by Sydney touring and management agency Astral People and record label Yes Please returns for its third instalment on Saturday, November 29. Before we get all up in three levels of OutsideIn goodness this Saturday, we checked in with the Sydney crew on the lineup for a few cruisy hangouts. These homegrown legends know their hidden parks, underground jazz dens and gaming hubs like the back of their talented hands, so we nabbed some hot tips. Which underground adventure cave does Seekae blow off steam in? Where will you find Black Vanilla defying gravity of a weekend? Which underrated park do Fishing sink a few post-work tinnies in? Here's your guide to Sydney's best hidden spots, from some of Sydney's best tune-makers around. SEEKAE by George Nicholas. Outside: Clovelly Bowling Club "Ain't nothing better than knocking a jack around the green with a couple of m8s. This is where dreams are made." In: City Hunter Internet Cafe II, Haymarket "Conveniently located just a brisk five minute walk from our Sydney studio, City Hunter II offers gaming for the refined gentleman. Combining the rustic beauty of wooden floorboards with high-tech halogen light technology, the cafe's VIP room is great spot to kick back and pwn some n00bs. It should be noted that this place is probably the reason the Seekae album took three years make." FISHING by Doug Wright. Outside: Giba Park, Pyrmont (By Night) "It's a sleepy spot perched on a cliff in deep Pyrmont. You get prime views over the water towards Balmain and the Anzac and Harbour bridges, and it's a perfect place to sink a few post-work tinnies and dream of living in the lush apartments behind you." In: MGM Spices, Cleveland Street "This Indian grocery shop is a veritable treasure chest of flavours. Our lives have become one million times more fragrant and delicious since we started coming here." BLACK VANILLA by Marcus Whale. OUTSIDE: MARRICKVILLE TENNIS CLUB, HENSON PARK "A Greek bartender will greet you curtly but with accommodation and for the price of 12 dollars an hour, you can practice your awful serve and serviceable groundstrokes on these slow, low, synthetic grass courts." IN: SKYZONE TRAMPOLINE PARK, ALEXANDRIA "Yes, it's everything you've ever dreamed of: vast fields of trampolines, guaranteed to work your core muscles and make you feel superhuman. You'll hate the regular experience of gravity for days afterwards." RETIREE by Ryan Powderly. Outdoor: Angophora Reserve, Avalon "Peacocks used to roam free all around Angophora, waking up locals with their call first thing in the morning. If you were lucky, you might witness a mating display, or even find a big pretty feather on the bush track. One morning about 15 years ago, they were all gone. Nobody knows what happened. But the reserve is still home to hundreds of sulphur-crested cockatoos, koalas and a giant dead specimen of Sydney Red Gum Angophora Costata, believed to be the largest of its species. Our friend Max lives close by and reckons he once saw a rare Corroboree Frog there. Somewhere a bit off the track we shot our EP teaser video in a cave." In: Tokyo Jazz Cafe, Bondi Junction "The Junction, like Tokyo, has a few very secret, magical surprises. Some don't have signs, some are down weird dark arcades, and some only exist if you walk through a wall, like Platform 9¾. While out looking for free Wi-Fi, I stumbled across the stairwell to Tokyo Jazz Cafe. Yes, they have free Wi-Fi, but that's not why I go back again and again. Yoriko and Peter (the owners) have created something exquisitely rare. You'll just have to go and find it to see why it's our favourite place. Live Jazz on Saturdays." OutsideIn is happening at Manning Bar, University of Sydney on November 29. General admission is $80 +bf. More for info and the full lineup, head over here. Image credits: catbagan via photopin cc; Clovelly Bowling Club via Alice Main; Jordon via photopin cc; GavinBell via photopin cc; Giba Park via Jim;; Angophora Reserve by AJG Pics.
Those hobbits will go on. In JRR Tolkien's pages, they went on perilous Middle-earth adventures. On screens big and small for decades so far (and into the future, with more movies on the way), they've trekked, ate second breakfasts and attempted to project precious jewellery. Onstage in Australia in 2025, they're also marking an eleventy-first birthday, receiving a gold ring, taking a quest to Mordor and attempting to fight evil, all in The Lord of the Rings — A Musical Tale. Dating back to 2006, just after the original live-action movie trilogy, this stage musical was revived in the UK in 2023, opened in the US in July 2024 and hit New Zealand in November 2024. After that, it's taking the hobbits to Australia from January 2025. First stop: Sydney's State Theatre. The Market Street venue's season kicks off on Tuesday, January 7. Lord of the Rings fans, take note: you'll want to go there and back again to discover what happens when Middle-earth gets melodic. Your guides for the show are the hobbits, of course, as Frodo and company celebrate Bilbo Baggins, then depart The Shire upon a life-changing journey. Thanks to Tolkien, what occurs from there has enthralled audiences for 70 years now, with The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers initially hitting bookshelves in 1954. There's been no shortage of ways to indulge your Lord of the Rings love since Peter Jackson's features — including his Hobbit trilogy — helped fan the flames of pop culture's affection for Frodo, Samwise, Pippin, Merry and the franchise's many non-underground-dwelling characters. Cinema marathons, visiting the Hobbiton movie set, staying there overnight, hitting up pop-up hobbit houses, sipping hobbit-themed beer: they've all been on the agenda. Only The Lord of the Rings — A Musical Tale is combining all things LoTR with tunes and dancing, however, in a show that sports a book and lyrics by from Shaun McKenna (Maddie, La Cava) and Matthew Warchus (Matilda the Musical, Groundhog Day the Musical), plus original music by Slumdog Millionaire Oscar-winner AR Rahman, folk band Värttinä from Finland and Matilda the Musical alum Christopher Nightingale. Images: Liz Lauren.
Time to update your reading list: it's time for the latest edition of the Sydney Writers' Festival. One year shy of its 20th anniversary, this year's festival will run from Monday, May 16 through to Sunday, May 22, and will welcome more than 450 authors to Sydney to discuss their work and ideas in panels, lectures and workshops around the city. Standout guests from abroad include feminist icon Gloria Steinem, critically acclaimed author Jonathan Franzen (Purity), novelist, rapper and poet Kate Tempest (Brand New Ancient), and North Korean defector Park Yeon-mi (In Order to Live). They'll be joined by Man Booker Prize winners Marlon James (A Brief History of Seven Killings) and Julian Barnes (The Sense of an Ending), and overnight success story Paula Hawkins (Girl on the Train). The local contingent, meanwhile, includes numerous recognisable names, including Tim Flannery, Anna Funder, Magda Szubanski, Kerry O'Brien, Andrew Denton, Peter Garrett, Stan Grant, Sarah Ferguson and Annabel Crabb. The theme of this year's festival is bibliotherapy, with a focus on reading for its therapeutic effect. "I very much like the idea of bibliotherapy and its premise that you can improve your life," said festival Artistic Director Jemma Birrell in a statement that accompanied the launch of the program. "A good literary festival, like a good book, should bring real life benefits — joy, solace and a new understanding of the world."
Ukulele manufacturers must be pretty stoked at the resurgence of the uke, heralded by the likes of Dent May, who sings melodic and whimsical tunes in keeping with the traditions laid down by dork/genius troubadours like Jonathan Richman and Jens Lekmann. Dent was outed from obscurity by Animal Collective when they signed the Mississippi local to their Paw Tracks label. His debut The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele is a collection of super sweet, heartfelt tunes with barber shop harmonies and witty, tongue in cheek lyrics. Go check out the songsmith at Spectrum; it could be the perfect twangy soundtrack to your summer.
The late BBC DJ legend John Peel famously summed up The Fall in this succinct remark: "They are always different, they are always the same." Seminal post-punk trailblazers who carved a niche out of surreality, lo-fi guitars and copious speed use, The Fall have a dedicated cult following of disgruntled blighters, punks and would-be writers. Their 28 studio albums are truly wonderful and frightening releases with their ragged guitar riffs, slangy slapback lyrics and impenitent use of hooky repetition. Mark E. Smith formed The Fall with friends after reading too much Albert Camus and dropping out of university. It's quite possible the 'E' in Mark's name stands for "eliminate" as he kicks people out of his band constantly for spurious reasons. Even during a show, he berates both band members and audience. Mark's cited The Velvet Underground, Raymond Chandler, unemployment, football, time travel and the supernatural as musical influences, and his rampant, unrepentant cynicism carries The Fall's uncompromising, raw sound. This event is surefire guaranteed to be a jauntily bilious, unforgettable experience.
You’ll laugh and you’ll cry at Tracey Moffatt’s filmic collage, Mother. It is a predictable, somewhat maudlin homage to the mother figure, and makes for a very satisfying 20 minutes of celluloid absorption. Emerging from the dark focus room at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery (with inward vows to call your own mother) you excuse yourself to one of Michael Parekowhai’s The Brothers Grimm figures for almost bumping into him. He doesn’t seem to mind; he’s unassuming and impenetrable, like all his brothers who fill the main gallery space. The three antelope figures, a buck and two doe, make an elegant and complete addition but they also seem to care little for our intrusion into their space, looking downward and beyond us. The overall feeling of Parekowhai’s Seldom is Herd is one of slick surfaces and misleading guises, with an inkling that if you spend a bit of time with them, they may just follow you home.Image: Michael Parekowhai, The Brothers Grimm, 2009, automotive paint on fibreglass, 163 x 52 x 49 cm each, courtesy the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney.
Usually, IKEA's food game is as unmistakably Scandinavian as its hard-to-pronounce furniture names — headlined, of course, by those iconic Swedish meatballs. But come Wednesday, January 22, the retailer's Tempe store is shaking things up and taking a jaunt to the other side of the globe, dishing up a Chinese street food buffet in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Alongside a program of cultural entertainment and traditional workshops, the all-you-can-eat dinner is set to run from 5.30–7.30pm, transforming the store's restaurant space into a colourful Asian feasting hall. On the menu, you'll find classic dishes like steamed dumplings, sweet and sour pork, and sweet potatoes in a teriyaki glaze. There's both combination and vegetarian hot pot soup, hoisin slow-roasted pork shoulder, and even sweet offerings like fruit platters and mango rice pudding. [caption id="attachment_757260" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Maksym Kozlenko via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Adult tickets to the buffet feast are $29.95, though IKEA Family members can nab theirs for just $25.95. And since the store's open until 9pm each night, you could even squeeze in a spot of post-dinner flatpack shopping while you're there. Images: Maksym Kozlenko via Wikimedia Commons.
Following the October long weekend, tolerance for ill-conceived built environments will suffer another crushing blow. Like it or lump it, architecture shapes every space we inhabit. Advocating the dictum ‘good architecture, good life’, the annual Architecture Festival takes place on World Architecture Day, Monday 5 October, in the some say ill-conceived hub of Customs House, Circular Quay and the Sydney Opera House. Festival organisers have programmed a stellar line-up of events including talks, walks, a gigantic Lego play station and a narrated harbour cruise to take in the architectural prowess of Sydney’s foreshore. One of the more tempting programs on offer is the Powerhouse Museum self-guided walking tour around Pyrmont and Ultimo. Able festival goers can pick-up a recorded guide by Curator Anni Turnbull and wander the surrounding neighbourhood. The highlight of the festival will be the much anticipated tète-à -tète between Pritzker prize-winning architect Glenn Murcutt AO, novelist David Malouf and academic Julianne Schultz. This trio of exceptionally well-informed minds will vouch for the value of good architecture as vital to the betterment of humans the world over, while also dabbling in a smidge of back-catalogue style discussions around their lives and work. Anne Watson will also lead a lecture on the blight of Australia’s architectural history – the replacement of Jorn Utzon by Peter Hall as the completing architect of the Sydney Opera House.Image: Angelo Candalepas, All Saints Primary School, winner of the Sulman Award this year
In March last year, within four days of announcing its doomsday-themed lineup, Sydney Writers' Festival cancelled its 2020 event due to the pandemic. This year, the beloved annual literary showcase is back and taking inspiration from the past 12 months, with the 2021 festival skewing local around the theme 'Within Reach'. More than 400 Australian-based speakers are on this year's program, which'll run from Monday, April 26–Sunday, May 2. As new Artistic Director Michael Williams explains, "we have gathered the many diverse and exciting writers who are right here, within our reach — asking questions, raising their voices and defining this culture". And, you'll largely be seeing them in-person at 231 live events; however, in keeping in line with how we've all been living over the past year, 15 guests from the small international contingent — which spans Australians based abroad and overseas authors — will join the fest via video. On opening night, for instance, Miles Franklin winners Melissa Lucashenko (Too Much Lip) and Tara June Winch (The Yield) and debut poet Evelyn Araluen (Dropbear) will chat about their experiences, influences and hopes for the future, with Winch appearing via video from France. Fellow Aussies such as True History of the Kelly Gang author Peter Carey, The Secret Chord's Geraldine Brooks and Axios reporter Jonathan Swan — who conducted that extremely viral interview with then-US President Donald Trump in 2020 — will stream in over the week, too, as will international writers such as Judy Blume, Isabel Wilkerson, Kazuo Ishiguro and Behrouz Boochani. Other highlights include Paul Kelly chatting about the words and lyrics that've shaped his career (gravy will probably be one of them); an all-star gala featuring the likes of Brooks, Tony Birch (The White Girl), Trent Dalton (All Our Shimmering Skies), Ceridwen Dovey (Life After Truth), Adam Goodes and Michael O'Loughlin (Kicking Goals), and Alison Lester (Magic Beach); and SWF's first Actors Poetry Gala, complete with performances and readings by Mia Wasikowska (Judy & Punch), Ewen Leslie (Operation Buffalo), Tim Minchin (Upright), Remy Hii (Crazy Rich Asians), Bryan Brown (Hungry Ghosts), Justine Clarke (Hungry Ghosts), Alex Lee (Single Asian Female) and Yael Stone (Orange Is the New Black). Or, you can watch local political commentators and thinkers such as Benjamin Law, Annabel Crabb and Nakkiah Lui debate the topic 'how good is Australia?'; head to Carriageworks for a heap of interesting pairings; attend the debutante ball for writers whose first books were impacted by COVID-19 last year; and listen to novelist and poet David Malouf close out the fest. SWF will be spreading the literary love around town, with events at Carriageworks, City Recital Hall, Sydney Town Hall, Riverside Theatres and Chatswood Concourse, and across 17 suburban and regional library networks via live broadcasts from the State Library of NSW. For folks outside the city — and state — the festival's main stage events at Carriageworks will also be broadcast to more than 40 community centres and libraries across the country. And, if you're watching your budget, 50-plus events will be free — but, also in line with the times, you'll need to book in for everything you're planning to attend. Sydney Writers' Festival runs at various venues across the city from Monday, April 26–Sunday, May 2. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, March 12 via www.swf.org.au. Images: Prudence Upton.
