If you're a fan of beats in this drop-loving city, you'll probably be across the names Spice, Motorik and LOST. If you're new to the build-ups and breakdowns, these crews are your go-to partymakers, constantly churning out some of Sydney's biggest (and most wonderfully chaotic) shindigs around town — from the well-known Spice Cellar to mystery warehouse spots citywide. This weekend, the three are teaming up for a space odyssey of an interstellar get-together, with some of the city's favourite beatmakers on the space-themed bill (previous themes have seen LOST on the Trans Siberian, in the Blitz and in the Underworld). For the past five years, founder Tim Kean has cranked out some pretty epic dance events after years working with Modular and Kaos Music. This Saturday, August 2 is no different, with the location still a mystery and thousands of guests guessing where the big ol' throwdown will be held. Headlining the event is ARIA award-winners Art vs. Science, with Sydney d-floor favourite Jensen Interceptor in tow. Motorik Vibe Council will front up their particular brand of beat slinging goodness, while Robbie Lowe, Cassette, Bondi House DJs, Wordlife, Sosueme DJs, Pink Lloyd, Sam Fransisco, Simo, Jericho and Obi-Wan-Keithnobi make up one hell of a pounding lineup. “People are looking for an authentic experience, something off the grid. Once they find LOST Events, they protect it, then endorse it by recommending it to people they trust in a process we call assisted discovery," says Kean. "Space is such a broad theme and we would love to say the sky is the limit, but that would be too restrictive. Anyone or anything that can be dreamt up, created, conspired or confabulated. That which exists, or could exist within the cosmos could make its way into this secret space station." Guess we'll just roll with that one. The secret Sydney location will only be revealed on the day of the event (tomorrow) and the official afterparty is happening at El Topo Basment in Bondi Junction until 4am (with free buses from the party and a first in, best dressed door policy). For more info, tickets, tips on sartorial space trends and sweet knowledge on what dancetronaunts prefer to drink at the space bar, head over here.
For Sydney's architecture buffs and design aficionados, Christmas is once again coming early. Only instead of opening presents, they'll be unwrapping some of the city's most significant architectural delights. Sydney Open returns from Saturday, November 2, to Sunday, November 3, offering a rare sneak-peek inside over 50 of Sydney's most inspiring buildings, most of which aren't usually open to the public. Punters can take in all of their favourites DIY-style with Sunday's Sydney Open Pass, or jump on one of the more in-depth Focus Tours happening on the Saturday. There's a series of after-dark tours happening, too, at the likes of the Justice and Police Museum and an 18th-century funerary railway station (where dead bodies started their final journey to Rookwood Cemetery). On this year's program there are also a heap of new buildings, which could see you unearthing secret stone mason symbols within the Castlereagh Boutique Hotel & Masonic Club, marvelling at early Australian stained glass on a backstage tour of the 150-year-old gothic Genesian Theatre at St John's Church, and even exploring the City Tattersalls Club's historic hidden bank vault. You'll also have the chance to suss out the opulent beaux-arts façade of 50 Martin Place, the heady brilliance of Sydney's oldest surviving synagogue The Great Synagogue, and the modernist splendour of the Harry Seidler-designed Steensen Varming office at 9 Castlereagh Street. Images: 50 Martin Place by Peter Bennetts, The Genesian Theatre Company, The Great Synagogue
Art in Odd Places is coming to Sydney! What started as an artist-led initiative in Atlanta in 1996 has grown into somewhat of an international phenomenon. The events aim to provoke thought in pedestrians and to encourage people to re-engage with their everyday surroundings. Three American artists will partner with twenty-three local artists to stage a series of visual and performance works on and around the Northern Beaches. Artists Terry Hardy, Rory Golden and Ed Woodham, AiOP stalwarts, will hold discussions, lead workshops and create new works exploring this year’s theme: NUMBER. AiOP will hit our fair shores on the 14th and 15th of September at Dee Why Beach and then again on the 21st and 22nd of September at The Corso, Manly. We can’t think of a better way to ring in the warmer weather than with sun, sand and some great art.
Sydney has no shortage of interesting date options year-round but, thanks to Sydney Good Food Month presented by Citi, October is going to be a particularly good month for lovers. The annual fiesta is returning once again with an agenda jam-packed with foodie events ranging from the super casual Night Noodle Markets to intimate dinners prepared by the country's best chefs. And sitting somewhere in the middle is Date Night. Happening on Friday, October 5 in the festival hub Hyde Park Palms, Date Night takes on the tried-and-tested formula: dinner and a movie. Whether this is a first date or you've been with your person for a few trips around the sun, this festival favourite has all the ingredients for a casual yet romantic night out. Let's break it down. The dinner portion of the evening will be provided by Ume Burger. You'll have your choice of one of its Japanese-inspired burgs — think chicken katsu with yuzu kosho mayo or the classic Ume burger with wagyu mince sauce. The meal is rounded out with wine, James Squire beers and gelato from Enmore favourite Cow & the Moon. Part two is, of course, the film. Because Sydney Good Food Month is celebrating its 20th birthday, its keeping things old school and screening 90s teen hit 10 Things I Hate About You. A balmy spring evening spent cosying up with delicious food and a cult classic film — if that doesn't impress your date, we're not sure what will. And because we have a (completely normal level of) vested interest in your love life, we're giving you the opportunity to win tickets for you and your boo. Riding solo? No problem. Make it a platonic mate date and swoon over Heath Ledger's dreamy smile or a brooding Julia Stiles together. To enter, see details below. [competition]681707[/competition]
Jazz. What does it even mean? Some theories say the word was derived from “jassâ€, which meant “with vigourâ€, a popular term in early 20th century America. It’s certainly come a long way, because now you’re just as likely to hear jazz in Storyville, New Orleans as you are in Vaucluse.Sunday 22nd November means the Historic Houses Trust’s annual Jazz in the Garden event, held at one of our most historic of houses, Vaucluse House. This year, performances will be by one of Australia’s leading jazz vocalists, Vince Jones, rock-bluegrass band Zoe and the Buttercups, and singer-songwriter Katie Noonan.Noonan’s latest effort, the ARIA-winning Blackbird, is a collection of jazz covers of John Lennon and Paul McCartney songs. It includes ‘Across the Universe,’ ‘Yesterday’ and ‘Norwegian Wood’. The album was recorded in New York, and features double bass from Ron Carter, a former accompanist to Miles Davis.In December, Katie Noonan will be touring Blackbird all over Australia, including some Sydney dates at the Opera House, so it’s not half bad to be able to watch her perform with a glass of wine in hand, from the comfort of your picnic rug — and learn about jazz first hand.
Don't spend the entire MoVement Sydney festival making moves to everyone else's music — learn to create some sounds of your own. At this free, two-hour master class, presented by Work-Shop, DJ Samrai will show you how to scratch. The event is designed for total newbies, so don't worry if you feel like a total ignoramus. The only thing you need is your curiosity. DJ Samrai is one of Australia's most hard working DJs. He's a three-time nominee in the Australian Dance Music Awards' Best Turntablist category and holds loads of national titles. When he's not nabbing trophies, he holds down club residencies, plays festivals and tours with big names, such as The Black Eyed Peas, Ozomatli and Method Man. Image: Kai Oberhäuser.
Having cut their teeth on the boutique strip of William Street in Paddington, Kaleidoscope Gallery is now ripping off that artist-run gallery band aid and making the move to rub shoulders with the art elite of Danks Street, Waterloo. No more sweet worker's cottage with weatherboard walls and courtyard coffees. Onwards and upwards they say! But if you live in Sydney you'll know how much moving house costs. So Kaleidoscope Gallery is hosting a seven day cash inducing bonanza with an art auction, a bake sale, market stalls, live music, wine, tea and liquid liquidity. Saturday 30 April will peak the week 'Carnival' style — all lions and tigers and bears, oh my. And if you can't manage to drag your sorry pockets anywhere near the Paddo end of town then not to worry. A click of your mouse and you can donate direct online.
The carpark of Auburn Redyard is about to be filled with the aromas from around the world, all thanks to the launch of the Spice Market street food festival. It's on this weekend from Saturday, October 20 through Sunday, October 21, from 12–8pm each day. Although the festival includes options from many different regions, there's a noticeable focus on Asian cuisines from some of Sydney best food trucks. There'll be Japanese eats from Shiso Fine, Korean fried chicken from Chicken Hustle Food Truck, deep-fried ice cream from Duo Duo, Arabic barbecue from 2 Smokin' Arabs and Filipino soul food from Pasalubongs, to name just a few. Apart from food, there's free henna, live music and all-ages activities on offer, too — with plenty of lounge areas to relax on in-between eating sessions. The weekend-long celebration coincides with the complex's recent renovation and the start of the new international films program at Reading Cinemas Auburn.
For not the first time in his career, Steven Spielberg deserves some serious credit. Lincoln is not only the director's most accomplished, audacious, and affecting film of perhaps the past 20 years but also his most surprising given the focus of the story he chose to tell. It's actually hard not to envisage the faces of the DreamWorks executives as he walked into their offices and said: "I'm ready to make another film". Jackpot. "And I want to do it about Lincoln." Double jackpot. Our most beloved president — bring on the inevitable Oscars and fortunes! "But instead of focussing on the Civil War=" ...uh-huh... "-and rather than looking at his assassination" ...yeeeeah… "-I want to spend three hours talking about the passing of some legislation by the House of Representatives." …Okay, umn…Steven, are you SURE you don't want to do it about the War? Because the War was VERY interesting…I mean there were explosions and everything. Well, screw that imaginary Dreamworks executive, because it's precisely that specificity and lack of action that makes Lincoln such an unexpectedly compelling biopic. It's also a notable counterpoint to 2011's Iron Lady in that, instead of covering the president's entire life, it essentially focuses on just a few weeks in January 1865 when Lincoln attempted to enact the 13th Amendment to the Constitution to abolish slavery. The traditional challenge for any historical narrative is that the audience already knows how it ends, meaning tension must be sought elsewhere, in the emotions rather than the events. Apollo 13 is a fine example of this. We all know Lovell and his crew made it back safely, but those final few minutes remain impossibly tense because we're so invested in the characters that didn't know. Hence the drama in Lincoln comes not from 'Would the anti-slavery bill pass?' but rather 'How did it pass, and at what cost?' The result is a beautifully nuanced film about statesmanship, quiet contemplation, and — above all else — principle. After years of devastating Civil War, Lincoln (in another mesmerising performance by Daniel Day-Lewis) finally finds himself presented with an opportunity to end the bloodshed subject only to the southern states' right to maintain slavery. With even his own children on the battlefield, the decision to make peace seems obvious, and yet, so too does equality — something deemed so obvious as to be self-evident. "We are stepped out upon the world stage now," he declares to his cabinet amid fierce opposition to the bill, "with the fate of human dignity in our hands." That he persisted and triumphed is why history reveres him, but how he did it and with whose help is why it's so worth watching.
Whether you're looking to get more into wine or already consider yourself an aficionado, North Sydney's expansive new multi-faceted restaurant RAFI is launching an exciting ongoing series that will have you tasting rare and interesting vino from around the world. Named The Drop, this wine program will cycle through a selection of bottles from the RAFI cellar, hand-selected by Applejack Hospitality's Group Sommelier Amandine Rouviere (ex-Bert's). Each week two different wines will be chosen and available to sample and purchase by the glass between 4–6pm each day, Monday–Saturday. This way you can experience new premium wines without having to break the budget on a bottle. [caption id="attachment_881619" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Steven Woodburn[/caption] There will also be The Drop supper clubs and pop-up events which you can stay on top of by signing up for the wine club mailing list. More wines are sure to be announced in the new year, so sign up to the mailing list or follow RAFI's Instagram for regular updates. And, to learn more about the wines on offer, head to the RAFI website. Top image: Steven Woodburn
Visiting a vineyard is special. But getting to a winery has been somewhat challenging this year. So, to makes things a little easier for you, we're bringing wine country to your home this month with the help of our pals at Pfeiffer Wines. This September, you can join an online wine blending workshop with the expert team from Rutherglen winery Pfeiffer Wines. Throughout the 90-minute workshop, you'll get to try four classifications of internationally renowned Rutherglen muscat and two barrel samples. Then, you'll be guided through how to make your very own muscat blend with a flavour profile tailored to your taste. To ensure you've got everything you need, you'll be sent a sampling pack filled with all the essentials. Inside the kit you'll find four 30ml bottles of Rutherglen muscat, two 300ml bottles of barrel samples, a measuring cylinder, a 200ml bottle to build your own concoction in and everything else you need to make your own blend. Just make sure you book in ahead to ensure the pack arrives in time for class. Sound like a knockout way to spend knock-off drinks? Muscat Master Blender with Pfeiffer Wines will take place at 2pm, 5pm and 7pm on Weekdays throughout September. For more information and to book yourself a spot, visit the website.
Superheroes are generally a special breed; they're physical or genetic mutants seeking revenge or protecting the world (often both). What if, however, a superhero was just the guy who has a locker a few doors down from yours, the kind of teenage dude who obsesses over internet porn and caped crusaders, the kind who doesn't have any powers per se. So opens the new film based on the comic book series by Mark Millar. Reading of the derring-do of superheroes while being beaten up by local thugs, seventeen year old Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson, last seen portraying John Lennon in Nowhere Boy) orders a wetsuit, sets up a few online accounts and hits the streets looking for action. He gets stabbed. Of course, a near-fatal stabbing doesn't keep a good superhero down, and he returns to civilisation to locate a little, lost kitten and get a dude to lay off the girl he likes. Chaos, much blood and a pint-sized female wonder named Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz) ensue. As does her superhero father Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage), a few laugh-it-up-fuzzball friends, a fauxmo/romantic subplot and a surplus of weaponry. The film crosses genres knowingly, with winks scattered throughout aimed at pop history, but has far too many nods to contemporary culture that will feel dated by the time you run out of popcorn. Kick-Ass is bloody, violent and bloody violent, as all good superhero comics are. It never quite translates to screen, however, and what feels immersive in an inked panel eventually grows tiring in the cinema. It's mostly fun, occasionally charming and sporadically funny (Johnson's scenes with Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Red Mist are particularly good). When everything is working, the film is a total thrill but this doesn't happen nearly enough; if there's a sequel it'd better be called 'Hit-Girl' because this film is already hers. https://youtube.com/watch?v=jE7y-OuYqs4
Laptop orchestras, mind-bending group improvisations, no input mixers and Australia's finest white noise specialists will all be on show at Firstdraft's celebration of experimental music: Night Depot #2. Firstdraft's second foray into live experimental music promises to be an evening dedicated to that most amorphous and malleable concept of 'sound'. Ditching the constraints that regular musical structures afford performers, Night Depot #2 is all about exploring the sonic possibilities that a group of musicians can unlock in the freedom of a live space. With the massed improvisations of The Splinter Orchestra, the nine-piece laptop ensemble Erk's Orchestra and the beeps, bleeps and buzzing of Jonathan Watts no-input mixer, it seems fair to say that this ain't your regular concert night. Throw together 30 electro artists, classical and jazz musicians and blokes who like to record the sounds of nature and you have something resembling the remarkable Splinter Orchestra. Without conductor or leader, this remarkable ensemble are able to create a soundscape of surprisingly spacey and minimalist improvisations unlike any other in Australia. On the other hand, both the Erk's Orchestra (Electronic Resonance Korps) and Jonathan Watts have rid themselves of anything resembling a standard musical instrument, instead favouring to explore the sonic stylings of computer software and the no-input mixer (as in that thing you plug your guitar into). With Firstdraft's reputation for pushing boundaries and setting the standard in artistic mindfuckery, Night Depot #2 may not always resemble what we might call 'music', but it is sure to be a fascinating and enthralling trip into the sonic unknown.
Food. Consumption. Waste. Nope, this isn't about the latest disaster from My Kitchen Rules. This is a production from PACT theatre's Ensemble team. A bunch of 18-30 year olds with a penchant for the stage has been rounded up, shaped, and then moulded by PACT, like plasticine, for a year. Or rather, they’ve undergone creative mentorship (as they call it). And now, it's their turn to show us their stuff. Julie Vulcan is the one directing these eight emerging artists in their dark comedic performance. A performance that asks, "when is one person's insane act another’s act of sanity?" While that's a tricky question, what is for certain is that it will be experiemental. It'll look at rituals. And habits. They’re calling it kinda like a supper club and it’s going to be a visual feast (yes, that’s a food pun alright).
Wollongong will be rocking its smaller-than-Sydney vibes in a big way when the Yours & Owls music festival takes over Stuart Park from September 30 through to October 1. Presented by triple j, this intimate festival is known for its impressively curated lineup combining local Aussie talent and handpicked international bands in a weekend that brings together some top alternative acts. Though the festival is still in its infancy, Yours & Owls is certainly one to check out — tickets start at a a not-exorbitant $115. The team is promising the craziest year yet, with some big name artists making their debut in The Gong, along with an eclectic mix of tunes from dance to indie to total bangers. Saturday-only passes have already sold out, but you can still nab a ticket for Sunday or the two days. Make a weekend out of it with our weekender's guide to Wollongong. YOURS & OWLS 2017 LINEUP At The Drive-In The Presets A.B. Original Alex Lahey Ali Barter Allday Andrew Jackson Jihad (AJJ) Bad//Dreems Bec Sandridge Cash Savage & The Last Drinks City Calm Down Confidence Man Cosmo's Midnight Crooked Colours Donny Benet Showband Dune Rats Electric Wire Hustle Ghost Wave Gold Class Holy Holy Horror My Friend Illy Ivan Ooze Le Butcherettes Major Leagues Montaigne Moonbase Northeast Party House Northlane The Preatures Ruby Fields SAFIA Slum Sociable Sorority Noise Tees The Orwells The Pinheads Totally Unicorn Trophy Eyes + more Image: Chris Frape.
If ever there was a dance party you could take your folks to, it's Hot Dub Time Machine. While they'll get their dose of Bill Haley and the Comets, you'll get your Swifty. Over the course of one long set, Sydney DJ Tom Loud spins, mixes and mashes his way through the story of dance music — since 1954. The catch is that the entire operation is 'powered' by energy generated by the crowd. Whether you're dancing, singing, talking or yelling, you'll be helping to keep the action rolling. But if, at any point, the people's contribution drops to a level lower than that of a "fully sick party", the Hot Dub Time Machine will come to a grinding halt, meaning you'll be stuck in time — repeatedly listening to "when-ever" you've landed. First performed at the Sydney Fringe Festival 2011, Hot Dub Time Machine has since been a hit at festivals and clubs in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. He's made several appearances at Sydney Festival, Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival and St Kilda Festival, then smashed the final set at Secret Garden Festival this year. You'd better come ready to throw shapes, because this ain't no stand-still gig.
Ah, the annual festival of all things Italian — just when I thought I was out, they dragged me back in. Sunday, October 28 marks the day of celebration for the nation that brought us Julius Caesar, Prosecco and Dario Argento. This year's incarnation of the street fair is a special one though, as it's celebrating 32 years of the iconic exultation of Mediterranean multiculturalism. As per usual though, Norton Street will be lined with food vendors ranging from nonnas to professional culinary wizards. The big communal table will be back, and the Royal Hotel's verandah will be in full swing throughout the afternoon. There'll be entertainment, beverages, fashion and the Auto Festa, with as many Ferraris and Lambos as you can shake a cannoli at.
If you’re looking for an inspiring way to celebrate the International Women’s Day 40th Anniversary, head down to Sydney College of the Arts to see this variety of artistic engagements with official records, neglected artefacts, alternate documents and intergenerational passing on of memories. The exhibition features a time capsule created 10 years ago by Jane Polkinghorne and Anne Kay, who interviewed 100 Sydney-based artists in 2005 about their understanding of their art practice, a program of pioneering films made by women in the 1970s, a series of mother-daughter interviews and a day of free artist talks to book yourself into. This timely exhibition acts as a fascinating time-capsule of Australian contemporary art and is an important acknowledgement of the women who have contributed. Image: Art Calls with Tracey Moffatt.
It seems a pretty hard task to follow Hannah Gadsby's international smash-hit show, Nanette. After all, the one-woman stand-up performance copped serious praise on its 18-month travels across Australia and the UK, even scooping the top honours at both the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It also spawned its very own Netflix special. And when Gadsby used the show to announce she was quitting comedy for good, we thought that was it. But indeed, the beloved Aussie comedian is set to give the follow-up a red hot crack when she returns to the stand-up stage with her latest work, Douglas, named after her own pet pooch. While Nanette pulled apart the concept of comedy itself, dishing up an insight into Gadsby's past, Douglas promises to deliver a serve of "very new ideas", collected during her recent travels around the planet. This show will mark Gadsby's first-ever US tour, though she'll be hitting up the Arts Centre first, for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, before returning to Australia in December for five nights of performances at the Sydney Opera House from 17–21. Hannah Gadsby: Douglas tickets will go on sale at 9am on Friday, March 29. You can sign-up for pre-sale access here. First image: Jim Lee.
As I pondered this exhibitions flyer I decided there were two things I needed to know. Assuming you share similar synapses, I have answers to our questions. Q1: Who are Jumbo and Zap? A1:Two art school graduates with artistic aliases, Zap is older than Jumbo, they both like to use public spaces to create art that aims to communicate as opposed to existing as a collectable. They have been collaborating since 2003 and their work usually brings the smarts. They are perhaps best known for a kitsch comic aesthetic with a pre-CGI sci-fi flavour. Their work, public and gallery exhibits appeal to the most cynical 'street art' critic. Q2: Is the exhibition a collection of retro action toys? A2: No. Although I'm not exactly sure what a 'dizzying array of pictures and fractured thoughts and captured moments' will look like. According to the Planetarium exhibition, 'Everything has been done. We are in a state of flux, going over the same ground, searching for meaning where it has never been.' It's hard to tell whether this search for 'meaning where it has never been' has been deemed a bad thing by Jumbo and Zap either; perhaps it is a reality that they relish. All you can say for certain is that these guys aren't afraid to include a healthy dose of smarm-free intellectualism in their art making. Gone are the days of unified public scorn for anything sprayed, rolled or written on an alleyway wall. If we truly are lacking a new frontier, retracing our steps in a quest for meaning, thank the universe for guys like Jumbo and Zap who are here to bring our walls and galleries to life.
Last autumn, the sweet fiends behind Victoria's hot chocolate and ice cream festivals launched a virtual month-long sugar extravaganza dedicated to sweet, nutty, marshmallowy rocky road. It replaced its usual Yarra Valley Rocky Road Festival, with the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery hosting online tasting sessions and shipping out giant boxes filled with 31 different flavours of rocky road. In 2021, the festival has been running physically — and, if you'd like to eat along at home, it's also doing deliveries again. With Victoria back in lockdown until 11.59pm on Thursday, June 3, ordering in a sweet treat might be just what Melburnians need at the moment. You have a few options — whether you're in Melbourne or elsewhere around the country. If you'd like to get the mammoth Ultimate Rocky Road Box delivered to your door, that'll set you back $110. Flavours include limoncello, Baileys, berry tiramisu, salted caramel macadamia, pretzel, neapolitan, rum and raisin and many, many more. You can check out all of them online. Elsewhere on the shop's delivery menu, you'll find pick-and-mix packs and a create-your-own option — where you can choose your favourite types of chocolate, nuts, extra nuts, marshmallows, jellies, extras and toppings. The boxes can be delivered anywhere within Australia for a flat rate of $15.
There must be something in the water in the Blue Mountains, or maybe it's in the fresh air, or maybe they go down to Penrif to get it? This substance either breeds talented hip hop artists or sunny and melodic popsters. Cloud Control, one such group of popsters have been doing some fantastic stuff over the course of the last few years. The single which brought them to most people's attentions was Death Cloud, a fantastically jangly and intricate gem with obscure lyrics, big hooks and harmonies. Gold Canary sees the group continuing the obscure lyrics with singer and head sonsgmith Alister Wright declaring, "I would like to to buy you a gold canary" over the top of a slow groove, while the rest of the band nah-nah-way-oh like Christians around the campfire. This tune is the forerunner to their debut album which comes out next year on Ivy League. The Cloudies are co-headlining this tour with Adelaide's Leader Cheetah who play a similar jangly pop, but lean their sound a bit more towards country, with some tasty slide guitar and singer Dan Crannitches Neil Young-esque vocal twang over the top. It should be an evening of fine tunes in the inner west.https://youtube.com/watch?v=kDULAuG8FgA
This month, award-winning theatre company My Darling Patricia will unveil the result of a three-year long partnership with Campbelltown Arts Centre in the premiere of Mantle. Artistic directors Halcyon Macleod and Clare Britton are known for their visually dramatic, inventive performances that combine the talents of interdisciplinary artists to push the boundaries of contemporary theatre. Remember the spellbinding puppetry in Africa? That was them at full flight. By partnering with the Campbelltown Arts Centre, My Darling Patricia aim to bring their work to a new local audience and this time they’ve woven movement, narration, sound and sets into a performance that crosses between poetry and theatre. Named after the geological space beneath the earth's crust, Mantle plays with memory and imagination to explore the idea of our physical and psychological links to place.
While the debate surrounding pill testing at music festivals rages on, the NSW Government has announced it'll introduce a different harm-reduction technique: amnesty bins. Premier Gladys Berejiklian today said that the State Government has okayed the use of drug amnesty bins at festivals from December 28, which will allow punters to discard any illegal drugs without fear of getting caught and facing prosecution. The decision comes after a festivalgoer died from a suspected drug overdose at Strawberry Fields Festival in country NSW last week, bringing the total number of festivalgoers who have died from drug-related deaths in NSW over the past three summers to seven. Introducing amnesty bins was one of the recommendations made in an inquest into the six festival deaths, alongside launching a pill-testing trial and removing sniffer dogs. While the NSW Government hopes the amnesty bins will help reduce the number of drug-related deaths and injuries at festivals, not everyone agrees that it will be an affective harm-minimisation technique in isolation. Emergency specialist and pill testing advocate David Caldicott told The SMH that introducing amnesty bins would have "no impact whatsoever" and Sniff Off — a Greens-backed group that has long been calling for this sort of harm-reduction measure — labelled the amnesty bins green light "a small win". "While this is a small step in the right direction, the fight's far from over," the group said in a Facebook post. "Especially when Gladys and the Liberals continues to rule out pill testing and NSW Police continue to illegally strip search people." The Premier remains firmly opposed to pill testing, reiterating her stance after the most recent festival death in a statement to The Age: "Pill testing will not solve the problem that ecstasy kills. I cannot say that in stronger words." While pill testing remains off the table for now, the NSW Government has also announced plans to expand education campaigns and improve cross-state information sharing about the toxicology of drugs found at music festivals. Amnesty bins will be rolled out at NSW festivals from December 28, 2019.
Not a single explosion features in Sylvia Rimat's play I Guess If the Stage Exploded…. In fact, the show purposefully lacks any major memorable event – and yet Bristol-based Rimat promises you'll remember her performance forever. After glowing reviews in the UK and a successful staging at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2013, Rimat brings her experimental piece to Sydney Festival. The performance plays with ideas of memory, exploring both the mental process of creating a memory and the emotional desire to be remembered. Drawing on the expertise of specialists in neuroscience, experimental psychology and hypnotherapy, Rimat aims to train the audience through memory tasks and techniques until her inventive show can truly be said to be unforgettable. For good measure, she's joined on stage by a live owl and via Skype by international guests.
As gin lovers may (or maybe don't) remember, last Christmas brought us the first-ever Four Pillars Christmas (Gin) Revue. For one giddy night, Four Pillars aficionados – and newbies – drank in the festive season with an extravaganza of gin-inspired madness, from comedy, dancing and sing-alongs to gin tastings, cocktails and canapés. Well, folks, it's back for a second round. Taking over Restaurant Hubert's Theatre Royal in the CBD, the Four Pillars Christmas (Gin) Revue 2018 will take things to the next level with the appearance of Mother's Ruin, a gin cabaret starring Sydney-based duo Maeve and Liz, which attracted much adoration at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Meanwhile, making a comeback will be Four Pillars' Stu and Cam, whose shenanigans include slapstick, power ballads and gin nerd-ism. In between soaking up the action, you'll be sipping on Four Pillars' finest gins of 2018, transformed into cocktails by master mixologist Jimmy Irvine, and feasting on canapés. Your ticket also includes a doggy bag, packed with a 700mL bottle of the 2018 Australian Christmas Gin, a jar of marmalade, a set of cocktail books and more.
FBi is descending on the Biennale's stay at Pier 2/3 in the Rocks. For Fridays during August, the Biennale Bar will be packed with entertainment via FBi Radio, the Thousands and dLux Media Arts. The bar is downstairs at the wooden nub of the art spread across the interior of the pier. Sip among Tiffany Singh's cacophonous wind chimes in Knock On The Sky Listen To The Sound, which invite the public to ring them and later take them home, or run into the Sydney Theatre Company as they invade Honore D'O's Air and Inner during earlier hours. Note: The STC's Biennale invasions have been cancelled. The Biennale bar runs 6.30-9.30 pm Fridays during August. Line-ups are now up on the Biennale site for the evenings curated by dLux (August 3), the Thousands (August 10), FBi (August 17), the Biennale team (August 24) and the Sydney Chamber Opera (August 31). Image shows Knock On The Sky Listen To The Sound by Tiffany Singh. Read the rest of Concrete Playground's Top Ten Things to See and Do at the 2012 Sydney Biennale.
There are two words that seem an almost permanent fixture in a film's opening credits these days: 'based on' (though we’d also have accepted 'Tom Hardy'). Ours is the era of adaptation and reboot, where the benchmark for originality has been whittled down to just retelling someone else's story in an original way. Be it Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, The Avengers based on the Marvel Comics, or Karate Kid based on the earlier Karate Kid, Hollywood increasingly feels like the dodgy used-car lot simply polishing its stolen wares and reselling them as new. And nothing sells better than those wares stolen from life itself under the golden banner of 'based on a true story'. It's the bewitching phrase that somehow makes the film seem more important and convinces us to not just suspend our disbelief but cast it aside completely. So for a film like Lawless, one that routinely pushes plausibility to the very extreme, you can't help but wonder just how true the 'true story' is upon which it's based. That story is 2008's The Wettest County in the World by Matt Bondurant, whose grandfather and great uncles became one of the Prohibition era's most infamous bootleggers. Inevitably for a film set in that time, Lawless (which was adapted for the screen by Nick Cave) is full of the ruthless violence and corruption that defined one of America's darkest periods; however, it departs from the norm by steering clear of Chicago and Atlantic City, focusing instead on the backwater hills of Franklin County, Virginia. There, the Bondurant boys ran a simple but effective operation distilling and distributing moonshine to both lawbreakers and lawmen alike, until the arrival of a corrupt federal officer (Guy Pearce) threatened to mire the entire region in a devastating territorial war. Leading the gang, Tom Hardy puts in another impressive and imposing performance as the taciturn yet brutal brother Forrest. He grunts more than he speaks, but combined with the actor's sheer physical presence, we need nothing more to believe he’s the born leader with unwavering mettle. Aussie actor Jason Clarke plays his enforcer brother Howard, while Shia LaBeouf rounds out the trio as Jack, the weak but smarter kid trying to prove his worth to the gang. They're supported by an amazing ensemble cast including Jessica Chastain (Tree of Life), Mia Wasikowska (Jane Eyre), and Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight); however, it's Pearce that commands most of the remaining screen time. His portrayal of the sadistic and effete federal marshal Charlie Rakes offers a performance as creepy as it is overblown, but with motivations that are never properly made clear to the audience, it’s difficult to regard him as anything but annoying. Directed by Aussie John Hillcoat (The Proposition), Lawless largely crawls along between sporadic moments of extreme violence thanks to its less-than-perfect script; however ,its fine performances, impressive cinematography and — yes — 'real-life backstory' make it still worth a look.
The Vines are a long way from their Rishikesh days. The reformed, Craig Nicholls-run, Sydney staple is back with a new double album Wicked Nature — their sixth studio album — and two new members. Drummer Lachlan West and bassist Tim John have joined Nicholls for the latest reincarnation of The Vines, a band that quite simply refuses to surrender. Wicked Nature has been released independently and was produced in part by Nicholls, indicating an authentic sound uninfluenced by commercial pressures. After a three year hiatus from any touring The Vines announced today they will return to the stage for an exclusive one off show to perform their new material — in the carpark of Enmore's Vic on the Park. Creating a bonafide ruckus over the October long weekend, The Vines will play a free show on Sunday, October 5 from 1–6pm. Considering Wicked Nature has been in the holding tank for two years, The Vines are pretty keen for fans to become acquainted with the new sound. We spoke to bass player Tim John about recording Wicked Nature, joining the band with fellow newbie Lachlan West, and what's in store for the future of The Vines. What were you and Lachlan up to before joining the Vines? Lachlan and I grew up on the Central Coast, NSW, and started playing in bands at 10 and 12. We met at a Strokes concert in 2006 and have played in a different bands together since then. Can't seem to get rid of each other. What made you decide to join The Vines and work with Craig Nicholls? We're both fans of the band, when the opportunity came up to rehearse with Craig we were both really keen to do it. The three of us have the same influences, and it just worked when we played together. https://youtube.com/watch?v=OPWeDWeedg0 What are your favourite tracks of Wicked Nature and why? 'Killin' the Planet' — This song has a cool message about the environment, and musically this was our chance to pay homage to The Beatles. 'Truth' — This song was quite minimal in rehearsals for the album and it just came to life when we were recording it. Lyrics are my favourite on the album, sound very personal and you can hear that when he sings it. Wicked Nature is an independent release and produced in part by Nicholls. Can you tell us a bit about the recording process for this double album? We started in mid-2012 rehearsing the songs, and went into the studio with Paul McKercher. We are a big fan of the albums Paul's produced and he was incredible to work with. After we finished that session, Craig had written ten new songs he was excited about; we decided to record and mix them in five days. We had no intention of it being a double album, but were happy with how it all turned out so decided to release every song we recorded. Also the first time Craig had taken on the producer hat; he did a great job. Wicked Nature was reportedly recorded in 2012, despite the fact it's just been released recently. Have you started working on your next record already? At the rate Craig writes songs we'll be back in the studio soon. We're concentrating on playing some shows and get the chance to play Wicked Nature songs live, as well as some of the favourites. Will you be touring nationally for this album? If so, when is it likely to kick off? Nothing we can announce right now, but definitely before the end of the year we'll be playing shows. Finally, how are you guys influencing the new sound of the Vines? What new direction would you like to take it in? The Vines will always be Craig's band, so we just hope to bring something new to the table. Part of the charm of Craig's songs is he's not influenced by what's happening right now, he just loves written songs, so you're either a fan or you're not. I feel that people can appreciate Craig as a songwriter now, despite everything him and The Vines has been through, he's proved how dedicated he is. Catch The Vines at Enmore's Vic on the Park on Sunday, October 5 from 1–6pm. Entry is free, first come, first served.
How does an underwater opera work? Is it through air pockets? Scuba gear? Gillyweed? All your questions will be answered and then forgotten in the majesty of Dido and Aeneas, the Sydney Festival's first big 'get' for 2014. First performed in 2005, the work is from Berlin dance-theatre guru and former Schaubuhne artistic director Sasha Waltz and her company, and has been much acclaimed in its performances across Europe. The Australian exclusive performance will mark the first time the show will have toured to the Asia-Pacific. That delay may have something to do with the stage design that definitely breaks the standard baggage allowance. The first part of the show is a dance that takes place inside a 7500L tank. The opera then unfolds in a dry-land spectacle with 60 performers that Neues Deutchsland called "in the best sense overwhelming". In the vein of last year's Semele Walk, Dido & Aeneas combines exquisite dance, costumes, singing, music and stagecraft to tell a passionate love story. By Henry Purcell, the Baroque score was described by festival director Lieven Bertels as having "topped the emo charts for almost 350 years now". It's performed on stage by renowned German chamber orchestra Akademie fur Alte Musik, who will play on rare Baroque instruments that sometimes have to be sourced locally so as to avoid the strain of travel. The Sydney Festival is your main chance in the year to see big-deal international productions, and Dido & Aeneas is one big, awe-inspiring deal. https://youtube.com/watch?v=u7nKmm7a71Q
Sydney's billion-dollar Metro North West has been affected by technical issues once again, with all trains between Chatswood and Tallawong halted for almost two on hours on the morning of Tuesday, August 13. Services in both directions on the line stopped around 5am because of an unspecified technical issue at Tallawong, with replacement buses organised. Services resumed again at around 7am, but, at time of publication, 8am, the Metro was still running at a reduced frequency with buses supplementing some services. https://twitter.com/SydneyMetro/status/1161020027820265473 Transport for NSW is advising commuters to allow for plenty of extra travel time, listen to announcements at the stations and check information displays. In late July, a "communication system issue" halted all Metro services during peak hour, causing long lines and wait times of up to an hour. The Metro North West — which promises turn-up-and-go services every four minutes (in each direction) during peak times — is just one part of the government's overall Sydney Metro project, which will, along with Metro City and Metro Southwest, see a new railway linking Rouse Hill to Chatswood, travelling under the Sydney Harbour to the city, then down to Bankstown. Sydney Metro West will link the city to Parramatta. Running on all lines will be the new driverless trains. At this point, however, the final stages of the billion-dollar project — Metro Southwest and West, specifically — are not expected to be completed until 2024. For the latest updates on the Metro North West, head to the Transport for NSW's official website and Sydney Metro Twitter account.
Where is the border of public space? Does it end as you hop onto a bus, go into a shopping mall or step up into the gravelly grounds of the Mint? As part of the build up to the Historic Houses Trust's biennial Sydney Open push to bring the private into the public domain, the Trust is running a series of Public Sydney talks Tuesday nights in August and September that examine the shifting world of the public sphere. Every Tuesday night, the program will set two speakers on stage, with themes including late-night play, marketplace meetings and a greener vision of Sydney. As a Sydneysider, you probably know your own swatch of our patchwork city pretty well, but this series might give you a better look at some of the other granny squares on offer. Image by avlxyz.
Why are we so quick to dub certain books 'unfilmable'? After dozens of so-called-unfilmable film adaptations, maybe it's time to stop doubting the ability of screenwriters and directors to translate written expression to visual. Sometimes these unfilmable films are among the most exciting cinematic adventures of all, having to be inventive in a way that defies our expectations. Among unfilmable books, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell surely takes the cake, so let's resolve to be excited rather than plain old dubious that mind-fuck virtuosos the Wachowskis (The Matrix trilogy, V for Vendetta) and Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) are tackling it. The novel is set across time, from the Colonial Pacific to a circularly primitive future, and follows the exploits of several people who have basically nothing to do with each other. It's always told in the language and point of view of the character currently in focus — among them, an intrepid reporter, a precocious composer, and a woman genetically engineered for a life in hospitality — and constantly undermines conventional narrative structure by ripping us out of a story just when it's picking up pace. It's also a completely intoxicating read that was nominated for the 2004 Booker Prize. Tykwer and the Wachowskis are clearly aiming for greatness here, but they don't make it, and that leaves the unorthodox film open to savagery from many angles, far more than it deserves. Even at three hours, it's not a difficult watch, as the thickly intercut stories are individually intriguing and easy to distinguish. The editing involved in Cloud Atlas is a real marvel, actually. I'm picturing some obsessive Gollum (actually Alexander Berner) emerging from the editing suite with scurvy and a hunchback after months of toil. It's this intricate editing that subtly pulls the film along, so that the appearance of an actor in one time cuts to their transformed face in another and the mention of a door will in the next vignette open a gate. One of the best elements of the film is how it turns the 'actor playing multiple roles' trope from a novelty into an art. Although the message of the book and film is ambiguous, the idea of recurrence and of us having traceable connections to distant times is a major theme. The filmmakers are able to give vivid expression to that idea by having actors take on several characters, often across gender and race. Some critics have accused the film of racism for its use of yellow-face, but to do so seems sensationalist when you see how much thought, awareness, and purpose has gone into the portrayal of race. It's basically the point of the movie. On top of that, the prosthetics are awe-inspiring, and it's worth watching the credits just to see which unrecognisable appearances from Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent, Ben Whishaw, Doona Bae, Hugh Grant, Keith David, Xun Zhou, and others passed you by. Some of the other mise en scene, however, is surprisingly forgettable given the filmmakers; one of their futures looks pretty much like Bladerunner. The other big problem for the film is that, as it builds to its breathless, hypercutting crescendo, it looks a bit like cloying Western mysticism, if not all-out schmaltz. Resist falling into this vortex and you might enjoy the personal reading you take out of Cloud Atlas's ambiguous melting pot. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ByehYal_cCs
Fancy a free trip to the cinema? The Access All Areas Film Festival is taking Australian film on tour this month as part of the state’s Don’t DIS my ABILITY campaign, which culminates in the celebration of the International Day of People with a Disability. Think about it, a trip to the cinema is a common pastime for most, but not so for the visually or hearing impaired, for whom most cinemas don’t cater. So in touring around the state, bringing cinema to local deaf and blind schools, this festival not only champions Australian film, but also demonstrates the cultural possibilities available to the disabled. 
Now in it’s second year, the festival will screen Scott Hick’s compassionate portrait of fatherhood, The Boys Are Back as well as Sarah Watt’s wry look at family life My Year Without Sex. Also part of the program are a series of short films for kids to enjoy, including the IF nominated animation Tin Can Heart. All screenings will be captioned for the hearing impaired, audio-described for the visually impaired and be wheelchair accessible. The festival will also round out with a panel discussion “Willing and Able â€" Making Cinema Accessible,†at the Dendy Opera Quays. So for cinephiles of all abilities, this is your chance to access all areas. https://youtube.com/watch?v=LKbklo_lqDA https://youtube.com/watch?v=DdnTibGABAE https://youtube.com/watch?v=3tWWFtAl0I8 https://youtube.com/watch?v=nR9t2ZR-5R0
It has been 13 years since Black Star Pastry's legendary Strawberry Watermelon Cake first made its way into the world, started lighting up Instagram feeds around the globe and began tempting tastebuds en masse. It's still a regular on the bakery's menu, and is available at its stores in both Sydney and Melbourne — but if you'd like to combine the multi-layered delight with a dash of romance, a limited-edition heart-shaped version is now available to order. Obviously, the special version of the cake is timed around Valentine's Day. Yes, it's almost that time of year already. This isn't the first year that Black Star has released this special take on its super-popular dessert, and it sold out in 2020, so if you're keen on sharing a few slices with your favourite person, you might want to get ordering sooner rather than later. As always, the cake contains two layers of almond dacquoise, rose-scented cream and watermelon, which is then topped with strawberries, pistachios and dried rose petals. This time around, it's just in the most romantic shape there. You can nab one for $40, with online pre-orders available now — for pickup between Friday, February 12–Sunday, February 14. If you want to chance it and order closer to the date, you do still need to give 48 hours notice. Black Star is starting 2021 with a couple of other limited-edition specials, too. For January 26, you can tuck into an Australia Day pavlova made with davidson plum in the meringue base and lemon aspen mixed into the chantilly cream, then topped with fresh, mixed berries and marigold flower petals. Orders are available for pickups between Saturday, January 23–Tuesday, January 26, with a small costing $10 and a large costing $40. Or, for Lunar New Year, you can opt for a pack of three macarons — made from almond-flavoured macaron shells, filled with red bean butter cream and mandarin compote, then dipped in strawberry and chocolate, dusted with gold and decked out with a message of good fortune. They'll set you back $12.50, and you can preorder them for pickups from Thursday, February 11–Sunday, February 21. Black Star Pastry's Valentine's Day heart-shaped Strawberry Watermelon Cake, Australia Day pavlova and Lunar New Year macarons are available to order via the bakery's website, for pickup at all Sydney and Melbourne stores.
Opportunities to marvel at the incredible architecture around Sydney have been limited this year. But, thanks to our mates at Sydney Living Museums, you can reacquaint yourself with the impressive designs dotted throughout our wonderful city when Sydney Open kicks off next month. Sydney's annual celebration of architecture, heritage and urban design has been reimagined for its 2021 instalment. This year, you'll be able to take part in in the event through a series of online and outdoor events from Friday, November 5 till Sunday, November 7. And the best part? It's completely free. The curated program will include a series of live-streamed panels featuring leading architects and artists discussing themes such as identity, heritage and sustainability. You'll also be able to tune in to podcasts, enjoy COVID-friendly outdoor experiences, take part in expert-led virtual tours and uncover some of the city's most exciting public spaces on self-guided walking tours. Just make sure you register online ahead of time to secure you spot for the panel talks. Ready to rediscover Sydney? Add Sydney Open to your list of must-do activities this spring. Sydney Open will take place from Friday, November 5 till Sunday, November 7. For more information and to register your attendance, visit the website.
Haven't yet feasted your eyes on Wes Anderson's latest flick, the stop-motion animated delight that is Isle of Dogs? Loved it and want to see it again? It was one of our picks from this year's Berlinale, where it opened the fest and won best director, so we understand. The film has just hit DVD and to celebrate Stanley's in Darlinghurst is screening it for free — and, even better, you can bring your own pupper. The screening will kick off at 7pm, and is bound to turn Stanley's heated courtyard into an isle of dogs — just without the water. And while you can always take your pooch to hang out at Stanley's, there's no better time to take them to than this. The Darlinghurst bar will also be serving up an Isle of Dogs-themed menu for the occasion, with drinks such as a tequila- and grenadine-spiked Pink Chihuahua, the Bloodhound — the bar's take on a Caesar — and Indy Loves Iggy with gin, rhubarb and kombucha. It'll be available from July 15–29. If your dog is called Spots, then you have to go. The film follows a boy's visit to the titular land mass to find his beloved Spots, after all. The adventure that follows features the voices of a host of Anderson regulars and other ace talent — think Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Bob Balaban, Greta Gerwig, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Scarlett Johansson, Edward Norton and Frances McDormand — and proves as gorgeous as you'd expect. You'd be barking mad to miss it.
Thank you, Germany, for giving us yet another reason to splurge on our favourite fermented beverage. Oktoberfest is getting an Aussie do-over for the third year running, as Oktoberwest takes over Sydney's inner west for a day of beer, live music and food truck eats. The Factory Theatre will be turned into a beer hall for the day on Saturday, October 12. Inside, you'll find Young Henrys, Willie The Boatman, Wayward, The Grifter, Batch, Stockade, Philter, Sauce and Malt Shovel Brewery all providing their best limited edition brews. All up, there will be 40 beers to try. Oh, and of course there'll be tunes. Over 20 bands and DJs will take the stage, including Melbourne's The Bennies and local psychedelic four-piece The Laurels. So you can sit back with your pint and enjoy the music, or get involved in the pool comp, beer bingo, an arcade game battle or a go in the dunk tank. In short, there's a lot to do. Luckily, pizzas, Jamaican-style burgers and jerk chicken and German sausages will keep you going throughout the day.
In March, the 22nd Biennale of Sydney unveiled more than 700 artworks by over 100 artists at various exhibition spaces across the city. Unfortunately, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, outbreak and subsequent social distancing measures, the citywide arts festival had to change its plans and people could only experience the festival via its digital program, Nirin Online. In exciting news, the Biennale has extended its program and you'll be able to visit the Biennale of Sydney at the Art Gallery of NSW, Campbelltown Arts Centre and Artspace from June 1 — and at Cockatoo Island and the Museum of Contemporary Art from June 16. Campari, official partner of the 22nd Biennale of Sydney, has collaborated with artists Eric Bridgeman and Bhenji Ra to create the Galleria Campari — a creative space on Cockatoo Island where you can chat about the festival over a Negroni or Campari Soda from June 16 to September 6. You can also explore Galleria Campari online. [caption id="attachment_771765" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bhenji Ra's 'Kamay Kalayo (Hands of Fire)'[/caption] Because not everyone will want to, or be able to, travel to Cockatoo Island, Campari has also taken its Biennale Artist Series online. It includes interviews and playlists from artists like Melbourne-based DJ MzRizk and Sydney-based rapper and drummer DOBBY. Every week a different artist will share their story. Coming up on Friday, June 5, Sydney multidisciplinary artist Bhenji Ra will be sharing her creative practice via Instagram, hosted on the Biennale Instagram page, at 8pm. In addition to hearing from the artist, you can also enter a competition to win one of her artworks (pictured above), valued at $999. Register your details before the competition closes at 5pm on Saturday, June 6. The picture is based on a physical art installation by Bhenji Ra, 'Kamay Kalayo (Hands of Fire)', which Campari will be auctioning off on Wednesday, June 10 to raise money for charity that'll support Biennale artists. Find out more, here. Images: Galleria Campari at Cockatoo Island; artist Bhenji Ra.
You've heard of bottomless brunch, Paint 'n' Sip and colourful cocktail creation workshops. But what if you could combine the light-hearted fun of clay moulding with the buzz of a boozy brunch? Here's your chance. INDU is teaming up with Sydney-based leisure brand Crock'd to host an exclusive pottery workshop, complete with bottomless drinks and an enticing grazing table for $150 per person. Come Saturday, October 14, the local Sri Lankan- and southern Indian-inspired restaurant will transform one of its spaces into INDU's Kiln Room to host a day of clay-moulding activities. Head over to Angel Place to put your pottery-making skills to the test — you'll be crafting your very own incense holders while sipping on crisp G&Ts at this two-hour workshop. Plus, the seasoned pottery kit-providing team from Crock'd will be present to keep a watchful eye over participants and offer their expertise and guidance so that you won't be thrown too far into the deep end. The underground eatery will provide a curated grazing table filled with flavour-filled bites to fuel the creatives, serving up the likes of tuna croquettes, Ceylon-spiced and Sichuan peppercorn-coated chicken, and pani puri with whipped goat cheese and a green herb chutney to pair. The moreish snacks will be available alongside free-flowing G&Ts for the duration of the workshop. To secure your spot at this bottomless pottery workshop, head over to the event's booking page.
While the typical haunted house might feel a bit cliché, Halloween wouldn't be the same without it. This year, The Taphouse is giving the tradition a new spin: the three-storey pub will be fully decked out as a ghost-filled haunted house, and the drinks menu is getting a spooky makeover too. Each floor of the Haunted Taphouse, including sour beer and natural wine bar Odd Culture, will have its own theme — and roving performers — so you can make your way up through a haunted crop field to the asylum and rooftop graveyard. Once you've finished exploring, enjoy one of ten special candy-themed beers, including a banana Chupa Chups milkshake IPA, gummy worms sour ale and pumpkin spice stout. Or, if beer isn't quite your thing, The Taphouse will be pouring and shaking Halloween cocktails — think test-tube shots, jelly eyeball shots and blood-bag cocktails. Kicking off from 6pm on Halloween night, you can catch the pub's spooky transformation until Saturday, November 2.
The Archibald is to art writers what a solar eclipse is to human vision. Without fail, it captures the attention of art journalists all over the country. Some writers quickly articulate their dislike and even distrust of the prize (perhaps there is elitism here?). Other writers are like moths to the flame, keen to interject on any controversy that prevails. This year, that controversy seems to be circulating around the number of female artists (just seven) that have been selected in the final spread. I wonder what JF Archibald envisaged of the prize way back in 1921. From the outset it has been controversial; stoushes have gone on over definitions of portraiture, subject matter and the profiles of the artists themselves. But try to ignore all that. These are artistic depictions of those deemed to be important Australians, by some of our most distinguished painters. Winning turns someone’s life on its head, and at the same time sends the price of their work through the proverbial roof. This year that person is Sam Leach (who also took out the concurrent Wynne Prize for Proposal for landscaped cosmos) with his portrait of comedian Tim Minchin, topping a list of 34 finalists whittled down from 849 entries. Go down to the AGNSW, have a look, and pick your own winner.
When Midnight Special starts, TV news reports splash Roy Tomlin's (Michael Shannon) face across the screen. He's wanted for kidnapping eight-year-old Alton Meyer (Jaeden Lieberher), with the film swiftly showing him and his accomplice Lucas (Joel Edgerton) holed up in a motel with the kid. They're about to leave, but when Roy picks up the goggle-wearing Alton to carry him outside, the boy clings to him lovingly. That's not typical abductor-captive behaviour — and this isn't your typical film. A host of questions spring up, as audiences find themselves asking who, why and what's really going on. A cult leader (Sam Shepard) gives two men four days to find Alton shortly before FBI agents interrupt his evening sermon. By the time beams of light shine from Alton's eyes, and a storm of fiery space debris showers down upon him, it's clear we're in entirely uncharted territory. That's by design. Midnight Special asks its characters and viewers alike to wonder, but refuses to flesh out too many details or offer up easy solutions. Indeed, as filmmaker Jeff Nichols tells Roy and Alton's tale — tracking their drive through America's south, picking up Alton's mother (Kirsten Dunst) along the way, and attracting the attention of NSA officer Paul Sevier (Adam Driver) — he seems to have stolen Fox Mulder's catchphrase. He wants to believe, or, more accurately, he wants to tell tales about people who place their faith in something, in the hope that audiences will too. His three previous features may appear a diverse bunch; however 2007's Shotgun Stories, 2011's Take Shelter and 2012's Mud all focused on figures who chose to trust in a force other than themselves, be it vengeance, apocalyptic dreams or the power of love. Now, with Midnight Special, he veers into science-fiction to explore the conviction that comes from a parent's bond with their child. It's an ambitious task, but if anyone is up to it, it's Nichols. With a command of visual and emotional storytelling, he crafts a film that's a road movie, chase thriller, intimate drama and otherworldly adventure all in one, yet remains united in tone and mood. Everything from the cinematography to the evocative score feels heartfelt and mysterious. And then there's the pitch-perfect performances, particularly from the filmmaker's continued main man Shannon, who provides yet another quietly haunting portrayal. Of course, Nichols' latest offering doesn't just follow in his own footsteps, even though he's clearly carving out his own niche. Courtesy of its supernatural narrative, it also conjures up thoughts of '70s and '80s sci-fi fare. Think John Carpenter's Starman and Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. A lingering sense of awe emanates from not only the writer-director's material, but from the genre greats that inspire him. It's no surprise that the movie that results proves as enigmatic as it is enchanting, delivering Nichols' fourth knockout in a row.
It's been three years since Australia's cinema scene welcomed the American Essentials Film Festival — and while a fest dedicated to US flicks might seem obvious, this event sets its sights much further than Hollywood's usual suspects. Given that mainstream, megaplex-friendly movies reach our shores every week, the Palace-run showcase instead curates a lineup of other American titles, delving into films from the US indie realm. Screening in Sydney from May 8 to 20, the 2018 fest has a particular fondness for emerging practitioners, with artistic director Richard Sowada noting "the obvious talent from some of the filmmakers in the early stages of their feature film careers," as well as "the deep and obvious respect even some of these newer filmmakers have for the traditions of storytelling in American cinema." With that in mind, this year's event kicks off with The Boy Downstairs, a Zosia Mamet-starring effort from debut feature writer-director Sophie Brooks, which proved a hit at the 2017 TriBeCa Film Festival. The opening night pick also highlights one of the festival's other trends — thanks to its focus on American cinema, it boasts plenty of familiar faces on screen. Standouts include Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair battling a murderous rage in horror-comedy Mom and Dad, Helena Bonham Carter and Hilary Swank recreating a landmark '80s case for patients' rights in 55 Steps, and war effort The Yellow Birds, featuring Solo: A Star Wars Story's Alden Ehrenreich, Ready Player One's Tye Sheridan, plus Toni Collette and Jennifer Aniston. There's also two star-studded flicks about sons and their fathers: Humour Me, which pairs up Jemaine Clement and Elliott Gould in a deadpan comedy, and Kodachrome, which takes Jason Sudeikis and Ed Harris on a road trip to a photo processing laboratory. Other notable titles range from Stuck, which brings the train-set off-Broadway musical of the same name to the cinema; to Outside In, director Lynn Shelter's latest featuring Edie Falco as an ex-high school teacher; to mob drama Gotti, starring John Travolta as the mob boss and screening in Australia just hours after its Cannes Film Festival premiere. On the documentary front, How They Got Over takes a far-reaching documentary into African-American gospel quartets in the '30s and '40s, while RBG examines the life and career of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. For the fest's retrospective section, Los Angeles is in the spotlight courtesy of classics Chinatown, Heat and Shampoo, as well as '70s masterpieces Killer of Sheep and Wattstax.
In the early hours of July 18, 1969, a car veered off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island in Massachusetts. Ted Kennedy was driving, while Mary Jo Kopechne sat in the passenger's seat. He was a US senator, and a brother of slain American president John F. Kennedy. She was a former aide to Ted's other assassinated sibling, politician and aspiring presidential nominee Robert F. Kennedy. Along with Bobby's past campaign staff plus a few friends, they'd been partying in the lead up to the Apollo 11 moon landing, with Ted on the cusp of running for the country's highest office. But then he swerved into a tidal channel — and although he managed to swim to safety as the vehicle sank into the water, he left Kopechne drowning inside the car. More than that, he fled the scene and didn't report the accident until ten hours later. Featuring Jason Clarke as the youngest Kennedy son and Kate Mara as Kopechne, Chappaquiddick explores this controversial chapter in US political history — one that, due to the fallout, would ensure that Ted never followed JFK all the way to the White House. Directed by filmmaker John Curran (Tracks), the movie presents a sombre account of a man caught between complicated extremes on several levels. Teeming with insecurity about living in his brothers' shadows, he was already trapped between his own ambitions and the expectations of his stern father (Bruce Dern). After the incident, he's torn between doing what's right and doing what's best for his career and reputation. Or is he? With the bulk of the movie focusing on the aftermath of the accident, detailing the response to the situation as the hours and days pass, Chappaquiddick doesn't paint Ted in a favourable light. The film might pitch its protagonist as a conflicted man stuck in complex circumstances, but the script is also smart enough to realise that its underlying scenario is actually rather simple. Here, a guy does the wrong thing, but doesn't want to own up to it because it'll have considerable repercussions. It's as straightforward as Curran's efficient, unassuming directorial style, with the picture visually indistinguishable from plenty of other solemn takes on true political tales. Consequently, what ultimately eventuates is less a movie that unpacks a moral quandary, and more an incisive, quietly scathing portrait of power's corrupting influence – among other subjects. Indeed, it's to the credit of Curran and first-time screenwriters Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan that the movie sets quite a number of topics in its sights, all with pertinent parallels to today. Chappaquiddick depicts the calculating cover-up instigated by the Kennedys, leaving cousin Joe Gargan (an effective against-type Ed Helms) as the lone voice of reason. Thanks to the real-life fact that Ted kept his senatorial spot until his death in 2009, it also offers a reminder that even the most serious of scandals can't completely damage someone with enough privilege and authority. Further, the movie demonstrates the forgiving nature of the constant news cycle, where today's lead story becomes tomorrow's footnote when something else comes along. In Ted's case, a small step for man and a giant leap for mankind (something that JFK helped set in motion) couldn't have come at a better time. With a poised facade that can't completely mask his struggles, Ted remains an intriguing character, largely thanks to Clarke's strong performance. Tasked with playing a figure who's neither sympathetic nor the most ruthless person in the film (an honour reserved for Dern's grimacing patriarch, and a role that's slightly overplayed), the Australian actor is saddled with a delicate balancing act. Luckily, it's one that he handles well, with his stint as a troubled local representative on the excellent, underappreciated TV series Brotherhood proving a fantastic training ground. Chappaquiddick might work best as an indictment of everything from political dynasties to impropriety among elected officials to society's short attention span — not to mention the treatment of women by the rich and powerful — but the movie also serves up a solid character study. It's no Jackie, of course, but then again, few things are. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Snmc-Gc69Fk
The Australian Museum is celebrating Aboriginal dance, art, storytelling and song for the month of March in its new exhibition Weave: Festival of Aboriginal and Pacific Cultures. The month-long program will include performances, films, talks and hands-on workshop featuring respected Elders and artisans in the Aboriginal community. The program centres on the Gadi exhibition, which explores the rich Aboriginal culture in Sydney through historical and contemporary material, along with artifacts from the museum's collections — some of which have never been displayed to the public before. The exhibition will feature master weaving and Meet the Elders workshops, the latter of which will focus on the on-site creation of a four-metre long woven canoe. Once completed, this major sculptural installation will be dedicated to Sydney's Aboriginal fisherwomen. Weave will feature the world premiere of Carriberrie, which is narrated by award-winning actor and dancer David Gulpilil. The 3D virtual reality documentary takes viewers on a journey of ceremonial dances from Uluru to Moa, through to a modern-day performance by Bangarra Dance Theatre. Visitors will also have the opportunity to join an Aboriginal meditation ceremony and attend talks which are co-presented as part of the museum's Culture Up Late series. Ticket prices vary, though many exhibitions are free with museum admission ($15). Weave is a part of Australian Museum's 2017–2020 strategy, which pledges commitment to ingrain Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, values and knowledge across the museum.
The Australian Centre for Photography is good at covering the globe — exposing us to troubled corners, far-flung heartbreak and curious cultural rituals. And this upcoming exhibition from highly esteemed photographer Gohar Dashti is likely to be no exception. Iran will be made up of selected works from two larger series. Part of the Head On Photo Festival, Dashti’s compelling photographs uncover the impact of revolution and war on the collective Persian psyche. Capturing barren landscapes that are sparsely populated, she reflects on big themes in subtle and sophisticated ways. That said, her work is not without humour. Often she constructs fictional scenarios that are imbued with wit and whimsy.
The intractable bond between mother and child is scrutinised in Ana Kokkino’s heart wrenching new film. A multi-narrative tale based on the play Who’s Afraid of the Working Class?, Blessed brings together an impressive cast of child and adult actors to weave together a confronting portrait of love, loss and the meaning of home. The film’s structural separation into two parts – The Children and The Mothers – underscores the emotional schism that divides each child from their mother. Homelessness, sex, alcohol and theft are but symptoms of this underlying malaise. Beginning with the children, Kokkino asks much of her child actors, most of whom tackle their harrowing storylines with conviction – albeit occasionally appearing a little forced. Cillian Murphy look-alike Eamon Farren is a stand out as the sexually exploited Roo, while Harrison Gilbertson lays himself emotionally bare as little-boy-lost, Daniel. Blessed moves on to more assured ground with the mothers. Deborah-Lee Furness, Miranda Otto and newcomer Victoria Haralabidou flex their fine acting muscles with impressive nuance. While William McInnes inverts his masculine gravitas as a disaffected husband, struggling to turn a blind eye. Wayne Blair and Monica Maughan deserve special mention for their affecting reminiscence on a mixed race adoption, however it is Frances O’Connor who steals the show. As the neglectful, unredeemable Rhonda, O’Conner is utterly captivating, and her climactic scene is delivered with an unforgettable, visceral power. This is obviously not a light-hearted trip to the cinema. Indeed it may well test your threshold for dysfunctionality. And yet while Kokinno is fearless in her pared down, naturalistic approach to the film, Blessed is perhaps better suited to the more intimate arena of the stage.Blessed Trailer @ Yahoo!7 Video
