For those of us who don't remember what photography looked like before the selfie, the Art Gallery of NSW is giving us a reminder in the most beautiful of ways. The gallery's newest exhibition, the brainchild of senior curator of photographs Judy Annear, turns the camera lens back onto itself to explore how photography, as a medium, has shaped and influenced the identity of Australia. The Photograph and Australia will be the biggest exhibition of Australian photography seen in 25 years, showcasing more than 400 photos taken by more than 120 artists around the country and dating back to the 1840s. Work by big wigs Morton Allport, Richard Daintree and Olive Cotton (just to name a few) will sit side by side with the photos of lesser known artists as well as cool pieces of photographic history such as domestic albums and some of Australia's earliest X-rays. From daguerreotypes to digital, this exhibition explores the evolution of photography and the development of a nation with a beautiful collection that celebrates them both. It's like the picture book of Australian history we never saw.
For 12 days in June, the Sydney Film Festival wants you to watch as many movies as possible — as the massive event does every year. For more than nine hours on Saturday, June 8, it specifically wants you to stay in one cinema and catch flicks all night. Love films? Hate sleep? Then make a date with SFF's All Night Cine-Love In. Movie marathons that take you from one day to the next are rarity on the fest's program, so this all-night affair is already something special. And then there are the four films that'll be keeping your eyelids open: David Lynch's sublime, surreal and stranger directorial debut Eraserhead; controversial Japanese erotic drama In The Realm of the Senses; O Lucky Man!, starring Malcolm McDowell and directed by Lindsay Anderson; and a whole heap of John Waters-helmed fun with Female Trouble. Each of the above flicks was picked by SFF's Programs Manager Jenny Neighbour, with the Cine-Love In marking her 30th year at the festival. To celebrate the occasion, she has chosen movies that shaped and changed her perspective on cinema — and she's hoping they'll do the same to yours. Break out the caffeine and order a whole heap of popcorn, because buying a ticket to this event — for $49 — means booking into all four films. The marathon kicks off at 10pm at Dendy Newtown, running through until 7.30am the next day.
Dancing in a crowded room while tunes are piped directly into everyone's ears via wireless headphones? That's yesterday's news. Today, it's all about skating on ice while doing the same. Or, at Sydney's first Silent Disco Ice Skating Festival, it will be from September 23 to 29. Taking place at Central Park Mall's Chippendale Green, the event really shouldn't need much explanation — but here goes. You'll glide around on the ice pretending that you're in Blades of Glory, Ice Princess or the three-strong The Cutting Edge film series, all while two live DJs play everything from old school classics to newly released tracks, and you listen in via your own personal head-set. While ice skating at the pop-up venue is an all-day affair, with the rink opening at 10am daily, the space doesn't turn into a silent disco until 4pm each afternoon. The 45-minute sessions are limited to 45 participants at any one time, and kick off on the hour, every hour. Oh, and they're free, so expect them to be rather busy. Generations in the future, we'll tell our kids about a time when people moved in public to music that even passersby could hear, and they won't believe us. Other than offering a whole lotta fun, the Silent Disco Ice Skating Festival might also answer the question we know you're now pondering: if you fall over at a silent ice skating fest, can anyone hear you scream? The Silent Disco Ice Skating Festival takes place from September 23 to 29 at Chippendale Green, Central Park Mall, 28 Broadway, Chippendale. For more information, visit the event website.
There's nothing overtly amusing about Daniel Day-Lewis' performance in Phantom Thread. As '50s-era London dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock, he's tenacious in his attitude but delicate in his approach, inhabiting the demanding, obsessive and fastidious figure to absolute perfection. And yet, there's a joke behind his character that says much about this meticulous, mesmerising melodrama. In trying to find a name for the protagonist in their second big screen collaboration, Day-Lewis and There Will Be Blood writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson were simply trying to make each other chuckle. Mission: accomplished. Similarly, Phantom Thread isn't a film that drips with laugh-out-loud humour, but the comic origins of Woodcock's moniker — and their contrast with the movie's tense and refined air — really couldn't be more appropriate. Far removed from his last wander through the ups and downs of romance in Punch-Drunk Love, here Anderson plunges into the depths of a dark, difficult and devious love story. That said, given the story concerns a volatile couple who turn power plays and tussles for control into an intense form of foreplay, it's only fitting that he imbues proceedings with a sly, mischievous streak. When Woodcock first encounters Alma (Vicky Krieps) in a countryside restaurant, it seems a simple case of sophisticated man meets shy young woman; of opposites attracting in familiar circumstances. While he usually only has room in his life for his work, his no-nonsense sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) and his dead but never forgotten mother, Woodcock is drawn to the clumsy waitress, as she is to him. But it soon becomes clear that his designs on their relationship aren't the same as hers. Though he's fond of having a live-in muse, dress model and sometime lover, despite appearances she's not the type to meekly bend to his moody whims. With Cyril ever-present, the House of Woodcock soon starts to unravel — something that'd never happen to one of the high-end frocks his ceaselessly fusses over, obviously. Every textile metaphor you can think of applies to Phantom Thread. It's a film that's carefully woven from the fabric of human urges, teeming with hidden layers and positively bursting at the seams with emotional detail. It's also one made by the finest possible craftspeople, with Anderson and his three stars fashioning the cinematic equivalent of haute couture. In a role he says will be his last, three-time Oscar-winner Day-Lewis shows just why that's such utterly devastating news for audiences and the acting profession alike. Matching him immaculately are Krieps and Manville. Think of the former as the intricate beading that attracts the eye on an already breathtaking gown, and the latter as the painstaking stitching attentively holding everything together. As for Anderson, the filmmaker behind Boogie Nights, Magnolia and The Master sews another unique patch into his filmography. Making a movie about a perfectionist dressmaker, he's as exacting as Reynolds — and possesses the same eye for exquisite beauty in a film he shot on 35mm himself. Marvel at the way he infuses the household's breakfast routine with palpable tension over something as routine as buttering toast, and try to tear your gaze away from his stunningly framed images and the exceptional frocks within them. Even the ornate wallpaper manages to captivate. Anderson again finds his musical match in Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, who provides the equally effective, darkly seductive score. Sensuous, evocative and completely entrancing, if the end result was a garment, you wouldn't want to take it off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCYB28iknIM
We Australians love our cheese. We have everything from fromageries and festivals dedicated to the dairy foodstuff to cheese wheels filled with pasta and bottomless raclette sessions to prove it. Our stomachs are working overtime to digest all the lactose and, honestly, we've never been happier. The love affair only continues with this cheesy annual event. Bon Fromage — a festival specifically celebrating European cheese — is returning for a 2024 run, popping back up with a full in-person festival following a couple of disrupted years. The whole thing will be taking place from Friday, May 31 until Sunday, June 2, coinciding with the city's favourite light and arts festival, Vivid. With the festival taking over the Overseas Passenger Terminal's Cargo Hall, you'll be able to enjoy samples of cheese and wine as you take in the view of the lit-up Sydney Opera House during Vivid. Across the weekend, one tonne of cheese will be given out, with a huge cheese buffet of brie, camembert, triple-crème, Fourme d'Ambert, Langres and mimolette being set up as the centrepiece of the festival. Plus, it'll be taking inspiration from the four seasons as part of its 2024 edition, so expect to be met with cheese spreads themed around summer, autumn, winter and spring. There will also be a market where ten of the country's top cheesemongers and chefs will be exhibiting and selling cheeses; pop-up culinary experiences from the likes of Masterchef alumni Jimmy Wong and Marani Deli's Alex Grenouillier; craft beer and spirits; live music gigs from violinist Daniele Montarulo, Anna Waving Collective, and DJ Frans; and cheese-based masterclasses. Best of all, entry to the festival, all of the cheese tastings and the masterclasses are all free.
Calling all boating buddies, tinny hooners, fishing fans, weekend sailors and water racing pros – the most exhilarating sailing event in the world is coming back to Sydney Harbour. But fair warning, it's a bit of an upgrade from what you might be used to. We're not talking about high-grade yachts or roaring speedboats. We're talking about lightning-fast F50 catamarans and the KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix Sydney. The global touring series takes national teams of elite sailors from around the world and pits them against each other in boats capable of moving up to 100km per hour. The third season has seen action in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, North and Arabian seas throughout 2022. Now, in 2023, they're competing in four remaining events across the Pacific. [caption id="attachment_882905" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Bob Martin for SailGP[/caption] The third weekend of February will welcome the event to Sydney Harbour for the fourth time in the championship's history and there are loads of ways to stay close to the action, both on and off the water. Get front-row seats on Genesis Island, watch from up close on an Official Spectator Boat, explore the SailGP Village in Barangaroo and peek behind the scenes in Team Base Tours. The KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix Sydney runs from Saturday, February 18, to Sunday, February 19. For more information and to grab tickets, visit the website. Header images: Brett Costello and David Callow for SailGP
Did you know you can buy plants straight out of the Royal Botanic Gardens? The Growing Friends Nursery sells plants that have been propagated using living collections from the gardens, the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan and the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden Mount Tomah. Not only does this nursery offer a range of native, exotic, rare, hard-to-find and endangered plants, but the money you spend here goes straight to supporting Botanic Gardens projects, which are largely run by volunteers. And it's open six days per week, with plants starting at just five bucks.
Ever wanted to own an artwork from Nicholas Hardin in your home? What about Abdul Abdullah, Ben Quilty, Laura Jones or Reg Mombassa? Artworks from all these artists and hundreds more are on sale this weekend for just $100 as part of a new art auction raising money for Studio A, a Sydney-based arts company assisting with the professional development of artists with learning disabilities. The Incognito Art Show is presenting more than 1000 A5-sized artworks from artists big and small on this Saturday, June 5. The twist is, the identity of each artwork's artist is hidden until the piece is purchased. From former Archibald Prize winners to amateur painters, each artist's work is presented without credit and every single one is available for $100. You can examine the collection online and hone in which artwork you have your eye on before the day. Then all you have to do is head to Verona Studio #1 and pick up your favourite piece. All art will be sold on a first-come-first-serve basis, so while the art show is on all day Saturday, and Sunday morning pending stock, it's highly recommended you get down early to ensure you get your hands on any pieces you have in mind. The auction opens at 8am and each buyer is limited to three pieces per person. Browse the artworks and head along to support a great cause. [caption id="attachment_814771" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Studio A[/caption]
Stepping into Kittyhawk has always been a little bit like stepping back in time. The cocktail bar in the CBD takes its cue from the Liberation of Paris at the tail-end of WWII, and it's got the drinks list and the decor to match. Next step? The music. Every Thursday night from 6pm, Kittyhawk plays host to Cass & The Ragin Cajuns, bringing a blend of jazz, soul and blues, as you party like it's 1944. Of course, while you're there, you'll want to take advantage of Kitty's famed libations and Parisian plates like French gnocchi, steak frites and a truffle croque monsieur.
Janet Laurence has been recognised globally as a leading voice on the environment but, surprisingly, she has never seen a major survey of her work take place. But that all changes now, as the Museum of Contemporary Art celebrates Laurence's 30-year career in a new exhibition. You might remember the 'water bar' that popped up in Paddington a few years back. That was Lawrence. While the bar doesn't make a comeback, After Nature goes down a similar path. The survey features numerous of the Sydney-based artist's key works across environmentally charged sculpture, installation, photography and video, which, when taken as a whole, explores the link between all living creations from animal to plants and minerals. Perhaps now, more so than ever before, Laurence's work has taken on profound importance with its study of Australia's fragile natural world, and how we might respond to the impact of climate change. Highlights include many of Laurence's early lightbox works combining metal plates, minerals and organic substances, while her more recent installations present new perspectives on plant and animal specimens. Meanwhile, the centrepiece of this exhibition is a newly produced commission for the MCA, Theatre of Trees, which applies the last decade of Laurence's research into plant life and its medicinal properties. Image 1: Janet Laurence, Forest (Theatre of Trees), 2018–19. Images 2–4: Janet Laurence, Deep Breathing: Resuscitation for the Reef, 2015–16. Image 5: Janet Laurence, Cellular Gardens (Where Breathing Begins), 2005. Image 6: Janet Laurence, Heartshock (After Nature), 2008. All images by Jacquie Manning and courtesy of the artist.
Cinema has a great propensity to diminish any differences that occur between peoples. Something magic happens when the lights are dimmed and the projectors start rolling (they probably don’t roll any more; I’m sure the process is more hi-tech now). Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times opens the Alfred Stieglitz film program at the Art Gallery of NSW, which then takes a divergent turn with Robert Rossen’s Body and soul. Stieglitz, who was one of the 20th century's greatest photographers, was only alive to see one of the films shown in this series, although I imagine he would have championed the cause of the others, especially the directors' intents to present audiences with issues that were relevant to them. These films are centered on male protagonists about whom we cannot help but feel ambiguous. Perhaps a metaphor for politics of the time (and relevant for now, too?) we see characters with good intentions, unfortunately acquiescing to commit immoral acts — ultimately to their demise. With no end in sight to this irksome rain, there is no better way to spend a couple of hours than in the basement of the AGNSW with some good black and white action of the Waterfront kind. And I forgot to mention: Put your wallets away, because these screenings are free. Films are shown at 2pm and 7.15pm on Wednesdays and at 2pm on Sundays. Wednesday 16 June 2pm & 7.15pm / Sunday 20 June 2pm Force of evil Dir: Abraham Polonsky (1948) Wednesday 23 June 2pm & 7.15pm / Sunday 27 June 2pm Marty Dir: Delbert Mann (1955) Wednesday 30 June 2pm & 7.15pm / Sunday 4 July 2pm On the waterfront Dir: Elia Kazan (1954) Wednesday 7 July 2pm & 7.15pm / Sunday 11 July 2pm Sweet Smell of Success Dir: Alexander Mackendrik (1957) Wednesday 14 July 2pm & 7.15pm / Sunday 18 July 2pm Rear window Dir: Alfred Hitchcock (1954)
Being 'cultured' and visiting art galleries feels like one of those fancy adult activities you do on those rare weekends when you're not laying in bed binge watching Netflix, but in reality, accessing art doesn't have to be difficult nor expensive. Sydney is teeming with incredible installations, public paintings and sculptures craftily hidden away in side streets, tucked into alleyways and suspended above our heads — you just need to make the time to seek them out. There's plenty of places to eat and drink along the way, too. So set aside a day — or maybe a couple of cheeky long lunch breaks — and discover some of the hidden art this city has to offer. Let's walk. MORNING IN THE CBD, STARTING POINT: FORGOTTEN SONGS Forgotten Songs by Michael Thomas Hill — Angel Place Armed with a Mecca coffee from their shop on King Street, begin your art pilgrimage by strolling to Angel Place, where if you look up, you'll spot a canopy of bird cages that make up Michael Thomas Hill's aerial work, Forgotten Songs. This installation commemorates the fifty unique bird songs that could once be heard echoing through central Sydney before they were slowly forced out as a result of European settlement. Spend a moment, reflecting on how this bustling lane filled with restaurants and busy commuters was once home to a multitude of bird species that are now formally extinct or threatened with extinction. [caption id="attachment_625332" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Bodhi Liggett.[/caption] The Grounds of the City — 500 George Street If thinking about birds makes you peckish, continue up George Street to The Grounds of the City for some grade A breakfast treats — don't be put off by the lines, it's worth the (sometimes) lengthy wait for the coffee alone. This sibling of the OG Grounds in Alexandria is a 1920s style coffee house complete with old timey shoe shines and a coffee sommelier. So, if you've got a hankering for getting arty and documenting your food, rest assured; this place is an Instagrammer's dream. In Between Two Worlds by Jason Wing — Factory Street, Hay Street and Kimber Lane After your hot injection of avo smash, mosey up to Jason Wing's In Between Two Worlds which spans across Factory Street, Hay Street and Kimber Lane in Haymarket. The beguiling work references both Indigenous and Chinese motifs for wind, water, fire and earth, which are believed to each have their own spirits. By day, you'll spot the cloud murals painted on the floor and silver otherworldly figures suspended in the sky. Be sure to return in the evening — perhaps en route to a Chinatown dumpling feast — and witness those once silvery figures glowing blue in all their neon glory. AFTERNOON IN CHIPPENDALE AND REDFERN, STARTING POINT: HENRY LEES Henry Lees, 16 Eveleigh Street Pass through the Eveleigh rail yards, and stop by Henry Lees for lunch. Reminiscent of the sort of space you picture when you imagine what your 'adult house' will look like, Henry Lees prides itself on serving up sustainable produce in innovative ways and supporting the local creative community. Which means there is now more than one reason to feel good about ordering a second serving of their signature braised beef cheeks. United We Stand, Divided We Fail the Future by Bronwyn Bancroft and Dale Jones-Evans, Hugo and Vine Street Reserve Roll your post lunch body down the hill into the heart of Redfern, making sure to pass by Bronwyn Bancroft and Dale Jones-Evans collaborative mural, United We Stand, Divided We Fail The Future. Honouring the spirits of the land that protect the people, this large scale work was created with input from the community, including the local children who helped paint the spirits depicted. Welcome to Redfern by Reko Rennie, Redfern Community Centre Continue past Redfern station, across the block and spend some time in the sun admiring the renowned, Welcome to Redfern mural by Reko Rennie. Answering the community's call for a spot where young locals and artists could go to create, Welcome to Redfern was developed by Rennie and a group of local young Aboriginal artists. The artists held workshops to help nurture the young talents, and in turn, have them participate in creating a public work. The piece envelopes an entire terrace house in the heart of the suburb, and has become an important landmark representing Aboriginal art, culture, history and community. EVENING IN SURRY HILLS AND DARLINGHURST, STARTING POINT: GELATO MESSINA Gelato Messina, 389 Crown Street Start your evening tour at Gelato Messina. Here, grab some of the cold stuff to go with a double scoop of whatever fanciful flavour has made their blackboard list that week. WE ARE HERE by Dylan Demarchi, The Dirt, Gui Andrade and Sarah Howell, Foley Street When you hit Oxford Street, gaze upwards at the incredible 15 by 75-metre mural, WE ARE HERE, running along the facade of Foley Street. The work is the product of the artist dream team, Dylan Demarchi, The Dirt, Gui Andrade and Sarah Howell, and explores the colourful history of the area; how it evolved from a humble bush track-to-path for anti-war protests to a cosmopolitan boulevard and the route for Sydney's Mardi Gras parade. The impressive work spans a number of mediums — including paste ups, stencils, paint and photography — to visually represent the binaries and polarities that characterise the area, contrasting the dark and violent history with the now amazingly colourful community. Lamp for Mary by Mikala Dwyer, Mary Place Turn off Bourke Street, onto Mary Place, and you'll be confronted by Mikala Dwyer's somber work, Lamp for Mary. The large lamp spills pink light onto the street below, which serves to create a safe passage for the community, as well as memorialise victims of domestic violence. Be sure to spend a few introspective moments reading the powerful text on the nearby wall: "This is a lane with a name and a lamp in memory of the woman who survived being beaten and raped here. She happened to be a lesbian. When the sun sets this lamp keeps vigil along with you who read this in silent meditation." S(w)ing by Turpin and Crawford Studio, East Sydney Community and Arts Centre As the sun sets, check out S(w)ing in the East Sydney Community and Arts Centre, a new work by Turpin and Crawford Studio. The installation is comprised of three huge illuminated disks that swing like a pendulum. Controlled by strings, the undulating disks can be made to, well, swing by passers pulling below. It's kind of like ringing church bells, if you're keen to get your Quasimodo on. Big Poppa's, 96 Oxford Street Swing back up to Oxford Street and pop into Big Poppa's for a glass of Italian wine and their ultra creamy burrata served with heirloom tomatoes, toasted farro and smoked salt. Stay for a few hip hop beats, and once you've had you're fill, head back out and up Oxford Street towards Taylor Square for the last stop of your tour. Always was always will be by Reko Rennie, Taylor Square Finish your art tour by reflecting on Reko Rennie's unmissable work, Always was always will be, a bold technicolour mural which became an instant icon. An eclectic mix of contemporary imagery and traditional techniques, the work highlights the contrast between the artist's connections to north-western NSW and the traditional markings of the Kamilaroi people. The building at 1-5 Flinders Street used to be a unmemorable shade of blue, but is now remarkable with fluorescent pink, black and blue patterns. Elevating the heritage building to landmark status, the neon text that proudly sits across the building's facade reads, "Always was, always will be", reminding commuters, clubbers, passersby and tourists that this was Gadigal country and always will be Gadigal country. Follow our walking art tour, or create your own using the City of Sydney's Culture Walks app, featuring curated art and history walks to help you explore the city even more.
Sure, dates are fun, but racking up an expensive bill on oysters and champagne is a rather unsustainable habit. While it's fun to treat your long-term or prospective partner to a night of nature's indulgence, oysters aren't exactly conducive to budgeting — even if you've come across a good oyster deal. Thankfully, you don't need to splash cash to have a memorable meet cute. In fact, when it comes to a good date, it's all about the human connection — the chemistry, the banter, the cutesy giggles and alluring glances. Yes, that can happen over dozens of oysters, but that spark can equally transpire doing an activity that's completely free. A good date can cost you zero dollars if you choose the right activity. To help you out, we've pulled together some of the best free date ideas for wooing your beloved, even if you're on a super-tight budget, while our friends at CommBank have rounded up some handy money tips for when you're dating or coupled up. Here are five no-cost activities to check out this spring — keep those oysters for a special occasion. Spender? Saver? See CommBank's tips on how to understand your and your date's financial similarities and differences. PERUSE THE FREE EXHIBITIONS AT THE AGNSW Stunning art wasn't always freely available to the public. The idea of art being safeguarded by the government as a public good rather than cloistered away in private collections was a relatively recent development — so you can thank former British MP John Wilkes for making that a reality as you head to The Art Gallery of NSW for your next date. AGNSW is open late on Wednesdays and while special exhibitions are ticketed, admission is totally free to the permanent galleries and most temporary exhibitions, as well as some special events. Wrap up your evening with a stroll through the gardens of The Domain down to the Sydney Opera House to debrief on your favourite pieces. MEANDER THROUGH SYDNEY'S BEST MARKETS Head to one of Sydney's many market offerings for a low-key weekend date. Markets are fun and high energy without being too overwhelming, making them a solid choice for getting the conversation flowing in a bustling setting and, of course, for people watching. Grab a coffee (okay, so that's about $3.50–4 each) and comb through the second-hand and vintage clothes stalls at Saturday's Glebe markets or Surry Hills' monthly market, then make your way to the Carriageworks Farmers Markets for freshly baked bread. You can also check out the fresh produce at Marrickville Organic Markets on a Sunday and relax in the sun with your special someone. TAKE A WALK BY THE WATER'S EDGE Walking and talking is a prime date concept that's free, active and outdoors. But to pull it off you have to make sure your walk of choice is a cut above your average stroll down King Street. So, why not take your date to see the epic cliff faces along the recently opened Western Escarpment Walking Track in the Malabar Headland National Park? The walk follows a beautiful 1.15-kilometre path that connects Arthur Byrne Reserve in South Maroubra to Pioneers Park in Malabar. Another plus is that unlike parking near the popular Bondi to Bronte walk, Maroubra has plenty of free parking options. It's a win-win. ENJOY A PICNIC WITH HARBOUR VIEWS Roll pooch time and date night into one wholesome event for the perfect low-budget date. Throw a cheeky sunset into the mix, and you'll have yourself a romantic evening for three — you, your date, and of course, your most-trusted mate. Organise a picnic on the lawns of Observatory Hill Park to take in beautiful views of Sydney Harbour and let your very good dog run off leash. If nothing else, your date's compatibility with your pup is a tried-and-true test for whether or not the relationship is going to work in the long run. [caption id="attachment_693157" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jason Baker.[/caption] EXPLORE THE FLOATING FOREST IN HOMEBUSH Floating off the coast of Homebush Bay lies a forest growing inside, wait for it, a hundred-year-old shipwreck. Quite frankly, it's a spectacular sight to behold. While it's not technically floating as it's firmly stuck in the mud, it looks as though it's floating and that's what counts. For a unique date, take a ferry to Sydney Olympic Park Wharf, then stroll 20 minutes to see this intriguing landmark. Who knows, the notion of new life growing in an unexpected, broken place could end up being the perfect metaphor for your burgeoning new romance. Or, maybe, the floating forest is just a cool thing to check out with your cutie. Either way — it's free. Don't spend a cent on your next date with the above recommendations, or, even better, enter our comp and let us pick up the bill.
If you've got a thing for falafel, you likely find it hard stopping at just a few of those very moreish, deep-fried chickpea nuggets. So Barzaaari's new bottomless falafel offering should come in handy next time that craving hits. From 5–7pm, Tuesday to Friday nights throughout winter, the Chippendale restaurant is dishing up something of a falafel frenzy, starring Chef Darryl Martin's made-to-order traditional Middle Eastern delights. For $20 a head, you'll enjoy an all-you-can-eat plate of golden falafel balls, alongside a parade of house-made dips, toum (garlic sauce), pickles and that all-important pita bread, served hot from the woodfire oven. Keen to make a real feast of it? The falafel deal just so happens to sync up with Barzaari's happy hour offer, which features $10 wines and $10 house cocktails, including spritzes and a couple of hot toddy-inspired concoctions. Images: Nikki To
The Hayden Orpheum is about to become the most magical place in Sydney, as all eight movies in the Harry Potter franchise light up the screen over two spectacular days. Split into two parts — so you won't need a time turner to stay awake — the marathon kicks off at 11am on Saturday, November 25 with Harry's first four years at Hogwarts. They'll pick back up again at the same time the next day, when the battle against You Know Who begins in earnest. With no new Potter-related films due until the Fantastic Beasts sequel next year, this should help you get your big screen spellbinding fix — and, let's face it, you've already watched your DVDs hundreds of times. Accio popcorn! By Sarah Ward and Tom Clift
There are few topics more polarising than contemporary art, and so the fiery debate rages on. For the Love of God: Is Contemporary Art a Joke? provides the perfect forum for experts to sound off about competing scales of value when it comes to judging the creative work of our peers and contemporaries. The relevance of the ready-made, Damien Hirst, and the fundamental question of whether any of it has any meaning are all fair game, and even hecklers will be indulged. This illuminating ideas throwdown will be adjudicated by artist Frances Barrett, and the well-appointed debaters include arts writer and curator Chrisoula Lionis, writer and performer Eddie Sharp, art critic Andrew Frost, artist and Firstdraft Depot co-founder Connie Anthes, COFA lecturer Dr David McNeill, and performance artist Matte Rochford. 'For the Love of God: Is Contemporary Art a Joke?' is part of Art Month 2013. Check out our guide to the festival's ten best events here.
As part of Carriageworks' huge Vivid Food program, the highly-anticipated Warakirri dinner is returning for a 2024 run. Over two nights, this celebration of Indigenous Australian ingredients will kick off the food festivities on Friday, May 31, with a second dinner on Saturday, June 1. Secure tickets to either the Friday or Saturday session and you'll book yourself in for a dining experience unlike any other. With chef and Ngemba Weilwan woman, and the founder of Mudgee's Indigiearth, Sharon Winsor at the helm, you'll journey through a five-course spread that blends native ingredients from Gadigal land with gorgeous First Nations storytelling. Each dish is created using a fusion of traditional and modern culinary methods, and will be accompanied by music and dance, along with personal anecdotes and storytelling from the First Nations chef herself. Tickets to this one-of-a-kind dining experience are priced at $275 per person, plus an additional booking fee.
Sydney's most famous zoo is now extending its after-dark offerings with an exclusive adults-only stay that will get you up close with the animals while you drink wine. Taronga Zoo's brand-new after-dark adventure is an 18+ edition of the zoo's existing Roar and Snore experience, which leads visitors on a tour of the zoo led by its experts and includes a harbourside dinner with an overnight stay in the zoo's luxury Wildlife Retreat. Running for just two nights — Wednesday, November 29, and Wednesday, December 13 — the Wine Safari will add a special wine tasting led by an award-winning sommelier from onsite restaurant Me-Gal to an itinerary that includes a buffet-style dinner, canapés and the chance to get up close and personal with Taronga's big ticket residents. For those willing to splash some cash, this limited-edition experience is a genuine one-off way to spend one of your summer nights. It will set you back $570 or more per person or from $870 for two guests. You can find further details about the 'Adult-Only Roar and Snore: Wine Safari Experience' at the event's page.
For a long time, it's felt like the city's nightlife has been in limbo. After stricter liquor and lockout laws were implemented by the State Government back in 2014, forcing a 1.30am lockout on venues in the CBD and its surrounds, many have felt the pumping soundtrack of the city dwindle — or at least heard it move out of areas like Kings Cross and the CBD and subsequently relegated to a few concentrated areas, like King Street in Newtown. But a new push to end the lockouts from the Shooters, Farmers and Fishers Party last month has reignited some hope that maybe the city won't be stuck in this limbo forever. And now, the City of Sydney has released an extensive new plan for Sydney's nightlife that will update and somewhat loosen the council's planning controls for the first time in ten years. Many of the proposed new changes would allow businesses in the CBD and surrounding villages — that includes bars, restaurants, shops, galleries and cultural institutions — to extend their opening hours through a process of application and proven good behaviour. These would be in line with how the city has grown and changed both geographically and culturally over the last decade. The plan is a result of feedback submitted by over 10,000 Sydneysiders the recommendations of the Nightlife and Creative Sector Advisory Panel, a 16-member panel that was put together by the city last year. Here are a few things Lord Mayor Clover Moore and the City of Sydney are proposing. Businesses in the CBD would be able to operate 24 hours a day (currently most can trade until 5am). This would ideally spread out the number of 24-hour businesses as, at the moment, they're all crowded around George Street and The Rocks. Outside of the CBD, small 'low impact' business along main drags — like Glebe Point Road, Crown Street and Redfern Street — would have their opening hours extended from midnight till 2am. Some live music venues and theatres would score an extra hour of trading on the nights they have a gig or performance on. Even non-licensed venues like shops and hairdressers would be encouraged to stay open later to create a more diverse late-night economy. Note that these proposals wouldn't change the venue's liquor licensing restrictions — bars that fall under the lockout laws will still have to abide by the State Government's licensing and lockout laws. In addition to this, the City is also hoping to establish a brand new 24-hour cultural precinct in the industrial part of Alexandria on the corner of McEvoy and Wyndham streets. This would house creatives and host exhibitions, parties and gigs, and service the growing population around Alexandria and Green Square. Of course, the City of Sydney can't change the lockout laws — that's the job of the NSW Government — but these proposed control changes will allow businesses to gain at least a few more freedoms within the state's restrictions. The city hopes that, with these proposals, it can safeguard Sydney's nightlife culture for the future, whether the lockout laws stay in place or not, but it's hard to see real change coming about without the State Government willing to step down on the lockouts or introduce other late-night infrastructure, like 24-hour transport on weekends. The proposals will go to council on Monday, November 19. If they're approved, they'll then go on public display until February where you can submit your thoughts and concerns. We'll let you know what happens next.
There's something momentous about opening a bottle of sparkling — unwiring the muselet, anticipating the dramatic pop and then the subsequent hiss as the bubbles start to fizz to the top — it signals celebration. We toast with it on New Year's Eve; crack it open to celebrate promotions, birthdays and engagements — but you needn't wait for one of these situations to pop the bubbly. Sometimes it suffices to just toast the sunny days ahead. We've partnered with Henkell, purveyors of quality bubbles, and rustled up five summer occasions to pair with a glass of sparkling. From celebrating the Sydney arts scene and LGBTQI+ community to honouring your love on Valentine's Day — these events require you to raise a glass of the good stuff. Yep, we've just given you five more reasons to crack the bubbly. You're welcome. [caption id="attachment_694972" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Pigalle, Sydney Festival.[/caption] SYDNEY FESTIVAL: JANUARY 9–27 Since 1977, Sydney Festival has fed our city with critical ideas, cutting-edge art and compelling performance. From January 9–27, the three-week festival is pulling no punches with a diverse program that showcases the best and brightest in the arts community. You can enjoy a raucous night of music and cabaret at Pigalle, partake in a silent disco at the State Library, experience the weightlessness of space on earth via the Moon Drop installation at Barangaroo, or check out powerful new theatre and art by First Nations artists in Blak Out. Once you've got your culture fix, grab a glass of Henkell Blanc de Blancs and debrief with your festival buddy. TROPFEST: FEBRUARY 9 Tropfest — the world's largest short film festival — is back this summer, with 16 incredible finalist films premiering underneath the stars at the picturesque Parramatta Park on February 9. The festival promises an electric atmosphere, bursting with film-loving Sydneysiders, along with some cracking cinema. The best part? Tropfest is a completely free event with BYO permitted. So, pack a gourmet picnic — a selection of charcuterie and cured meats, perhaps — and a bottle of Henkell Trocken to toast the new wave of Aussie filmmakers. As always, films can be about anything but must include the Tropfest Signature Item, which for 2019 is 'candle'. Be sure to keep an eye out for wax and wicks. VALENTINE'S DAY: FEBRUARY 14 Whether you believe Hallmark invented the holiday or not, Valentine's Day is still a good opportunity to show how much you appreciate your partner and crack a bottle of bubbly. It's a win-win. Forgo that passé Italian restaurant with those crazy V-Day crowds and inflated prices, and plan a romantic picnic instead. Cheese and sparkling is the quickest way to the heart, right? Well, at least we think so. Single? No dramas. Treat your ride-or-die bestie to the aforementioned spread and make them feel suitably special. Don't forget to pick up a kitsch Valentines card of the "I choo- choo- choose you" ilk, for a bit of a laugh. [caption id="attachment_701467" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW.[/caption] MARDI GRAS: FEBRUARY 15 TO MARCH 3 You might think Mardi Gras is already sparkly enough — sequins, glitter, rhinestones, what more do you need? — but there's always room for more sparkles, darling. Pop a bottle of Henkell Blanc de Blancs then head along to one of the many Mardi Gras events and celebrate the LGBTQI+ community in the lead up to the main parade. The program covers everything from interactive cabaret banquets to queer burlesque and contemporary art shows; there's thought-provoking work which challenges the status quo and light-hearted art designed to make you laugh. More broadly, Mardi Gras gives Australians a chance to be free, have fun and advocate for diversity simultaneously. Now that's something to celebrate. MOONLIGHT CINEMA: NOVEMBER 29 TO MARCH 31 Summer's balmy nights are certainly worth celebrating, and, there's no better way to do that than by spending a night at the Moonlight Cinema, sparkling in hand. This year's program is stacked with new and old cinematic gems — everything from Dirty Dancing to Bohemian Rhapsody will grace the silver screen. But even if the movie is a drag, the idyllic backdrop of Centennial Park (plus that aforementioned bubbly) will keep you entertained. While there are food trucks and a licensed bar onsite, Moonlight also allows BYO, which means you can go as cheap and cheerful or upscale as you like. Summer is here and it's time to pop the bubbly. Pick up a bottle of Henkell Blanc de Blancs or Henkell Trocken for your next sparkling occasion.
Multi-level spaces can be a thing of wonder, because after all, why have one venue when you can have four? Bar Mammoni, the newest venture to join the team behind Hinchcliff House, is a 30-seat all-day venue hidden away in a laneway behind the team's flagship multi-storey venue in Circular Quay. Offering coffees in the morning, cocktails until late and snacks throughout the day, Bar Mammoni is set to be an all-day winner. Tucked away on Loftus Lane, Bar Mammoni offers a more casual spot to sample pastries from Grana Bakery or the cocktail creations cooked up over at Apollonia. In charge of the pastries is Jonny Pisanelli of Adelaide's acclaimed bakery Abbots and Kinney, while Head Chef Jason Duncan (ex-Charlie Parker's) has pulled together the wider food menu with help from Pisanelli. Items like gelato millefoglie and croissant cubes are baked overnight at Grana Bakery and walked across to the laneway venue each morning where they're offered alongside breakfast options like fruit or granola bowls, morning sandwiches and toast made with Grana's signature bread. Grana and all of the Hinchcliff House venues offer up sourdough milled in-house using the building's combi mill. Once the morning dew has settled, the lunchtime menu features pizza by the slice. The enticing toppings including pork, king prawn, octopus and roast fennel; or garlic-smoked stracciatella with truffle honey are placed on top of 72-hour fermented pizza dough that also takes advantage of Hinchcliff House's mill. Alongside the pizza, you'll find daily salads and a whole heap of snacks. Think whipped ricotta dip, garlic scallops, meatball spiedini and crumbed chicken wings. All the available eats are on offer for takeaway, or to be enjoyed with a drink on-site. Three spritzes head up the drinks menu with a passito, a strawberry and a rosemary option. There are also negronis, americanos, sbagliatos, Hinchcliff's house-made sparkling and Bondi Small Batch pale ales. Bar Mammoni is located at shop 3, Loftus Lane, Sydney. It's open 7am until late, Tuesday–Saturday. Images: Steven Woodburn
Head to mainstay Waterloo pub The George this weekend and you'll find that things are a little different. Well, you might not notice at first. There are still locals sitting around the bar in high-vis vests knocking back pints of Resch's and VB. The courtyard is still filled with cacti. And there's still a well worn pool table. But, sitting next to VB longnecks ($15) in the fridge, you'll see bottles of skin-contact wines and pét-nats, and beers from local breweries Young Henrys and Grifter are also available on tap. The cacti in the courtyard have been joined by a glowing al pastor fountain, and a pond filled with eels, and the adjoining kitchen is turning out tacos and tostadas instead of American-style barbecue. And where the pool table once sat — it's been moved to the front bar — is a fully stocked wine shop courtesy of natural wine retailer Drnks. The new-look George successfully combines the old and the new — joining the rapid gentrification of the surrounding suburbs — and it's all thanks to its new owners, who aren't new to epic revamps. Co-owners James Wirth and Michael Delany previously bought and made over The Norfolk, The Flinders, The Carrington and The Oxford Tavern, before selling them all in 2016. Most recently, they overhauled the The Duke on Enmore Road. The George, on the other hand, had never been renovated. "I had my eye on [The George] for over a decade — I always liked the kind of ugly look of it, it's almost like a Commonwealth Bank from the outside" says Wirth. "It's a rare pub because it was built in the 60s, unlike the typical 1800s or 1920s era you see in Sydney." To keep some of the pub's history in-tact, the team focused on reupholstering and repurposing the pub's original features — including vintage wood panelling found in the basement, which now adorns the walls. For this venue, Wirth and Delany got chef Toby Wilson (Bad Hombres, Ghostboy Cantina) and Drnks founder Joel Amos on board as co-owners, too. Amos heads up the aforementioned bottle shop — which is stocked with everything from a salty white peach beer from NZ's Garage Project to coveted magnums of wine by Gabrio Bini — and the pub's fun and funky drinks list. For food, Wilson has created a new concept, Taco King. At the centre of the food offering is the al pastor — an actual al pastor, not a fountain — a Mexican specialty that's based on the Lebanese immigrant version of shawarma spit-grilled meat. The pork coming off the al pastor is served atop tortillas — painstakingly hand-pressed one by one — with onion and salsa. Other specialties include spicy kingfish ceviche tostada ($7.5), quesadillas with chorizo ($9) and thick churros ($8) served with dulce de leche. We're hoping to see eel tacos pop up on the menu sometime soon, too. To go with the food, is a cocktail list with a distinctly South American edge. There's the Mexican French Martini ($18) made with tequila, the Brazilian-style caipirinha ($16) and the michelada ($14), made with Mexican beer, clamato (clam and tomato) juice and lime. While not strictly South American, you'll find Reverse Cowboys ($7 each) on the menu, too — shots of Baileys and Agavero tequila served in mini glass cowboy boots. The new-look George is only throwing open its doors for the first time today, Friday, April 5, but we think it might just become your new favourite watering hole. Find The George at 760 Elizabeth Street, Waterloo. It's open from 11am–11pm Monday to Thursday, 11am–3am Friday–Saturday and 11am–10pm on Sunday. Images: Kimberley Low.
If you think you need to travel all the way to Far North Queensland to paddleboard across crystal clear waters, think again. The aqua blue waters of Shoal Bay provide the same relaxing and aesthetically pleasing experience without the pricey airfare. Shoal Bay SUP is based right on the beach at Shoal Bay about 100 metres from the boat ramp. Hire costs $25 for an hour and includes a quick lesson before you set out to leisurely explore the bay. This section of the bay is quite shallow — between four and eight metres — so keep an eye out for marine life. Shoal Bay SUP also runs early morning guided tours at 7.45am. An instructor will either take you west towards Halifax Park or east towards Tomaree Headland depending on weather conditions. The tour costs $35 per person and runs for about an hour. Images: Destination NSW
A genuine cultural phenomenon in Japan and a growing influence on animation worldwide, anime enjoys a strong cult following in Australia. Fans will lap up the films on offer at this year's Reel Anime festival, which includes two reboots of legendary anime series. Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not Redo) is part three of the reinvention of the legendary Neon Genesis Evangelion series, while Ghost in the Shell: Arise is the first instalment of the mega-popular Ghost in the Shell's new series and takes place in the near future as the world recovers from World War IV. Ghost in the Shell screens with writer director Makoto Shinkai's The Garden of Words, a melancholy story of a teen who dreams of becoming a shoemaker and an unlikely friendship he forms with an older woman. Then there's A Letter to Momo, which was seven years in the making and has drawn comparisons to the phenomenal Studio Ghibli, producers of masterpieces like Princess Monokone and Arriety. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ie6T0tk5Vvc
If you're a dweller of the lower north shore, don't mind some Vivid lights in your life but also struggle to bring yourself over the bridge, this year's festival of light, music and ideas has a few spectaculars for you. But really, even if you aren't lower north shore-based, you should listen up, too. For the first time, Luna Park has joined the festival program, expanding the LNS offering. Along with this new light precinct (which includes projecting your face onto the Luna Park face), Chatswood returns with a Brazil-inspired light market and Taronga Zoo's animals are immortalised in glowing larger-than-life installations. Every night of Vivid from 6pm, the waterfront amusement park transforms into an otherworldly kingdom of dazzling images. And entry, as always, is free. To help you get out and explore the new (and returning) Vivid sights, we've created a guide of some top installations and things to do at the autumnal light fest. EXPLORE A NEW VIVID PRECINCT In all of Vivid, there's only one installation you can ride and that's Phantasos. This artwork, which engulfs the Ferris wheel in light, colour and music, gets its name from the Ancient Greek god of surreal dreams. Meanwhile, Coney Island will provide the setting for the Spirit of Fun, a massive projection exploring Luna Park's history and possible future. As you wander around, keep an eye out for street performers, who'll be twirling and whirling about in illuminated costumes. Bus, train or ferry is the easiest way to travel, but, if you need to drive, then parking's available for a $10 flat rate, from 6pm, Sunday to Thursday. DANCE IT OUT AT A SILENT DISCO Add a little boogie to your Vivid adventures with an evening at the Quiet Riot Neon Boombox Truck, which you'll find on the midway at Luna Park. Every night from 6pm, a silent disco will kick off, organised by Playground Sounds and hosted by Luna Park's resident DJs. Prepare your shapes, pop on a set of noise-cancelling headphones and get ready for a deluge of singalong and dancefloor classics. Whatever your tastes, you should find tunes to suit them — there are several channels to choose from. The Silent Disco is free with an Unlimited Rides Pass. SATE YOUR HUNGER WITH EATS AND VIEWS When all the Vivid excitement starts to make you peckish, refuel at Luna Park's various eateries. For old-school carny fast food, head to Helter Skelter to feast on hot dogs, dagwood dog and American-style burgers. Or, for fresh seafood, salads and pizza, take a seat in the Hungry Horse Diner. If you've got cash to splash, then treat yourself to a fancy feed — and dramatic Sydney Harbour views — at The Deck. Up the ante even more, and combine your meal and views with a ride on Phantasos with this Dine 'n' Ride package. [caption id="attachment_671534" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Destination NSW.[/caption] LIGHT-SEE AWAY FROM THE CROWDS Right next to Luna Park, there's a lovely, roomy stretch of grass known as Bradfield Park. It's an excellent place to park yourself for an evening and spend a few hours gazing across the water at Vivid's installations — rather than racing from one to another, battling crowds. The Harbour Bridge is visible, up-close, from both its eastern and western sides. Further in the distance, you'll see Metamathemagical projected on the Opera House sails and backdropped by some more vibrant Circular Quay lights. Don't forget your picnic blanket, snacks and even your pooch, who's just as welcome to light-see from the park as you are. WANDER A LIGHT MARKET Chatswood Mall has been taken over by the Light Market, a complex of stalls made with recycled materials and inspired by both shanty towns and Star Wars. Over 20 vendors are peddling an array of international foods, including Sydney staples Black Star Pastry and Mary's. Along with the glowing market, Chatswood is host to light installations including Crank Zappa, a jellyfish made entirely of single-use plastic items that electrify when touched, and Future Scape, which has transformed The Concourse into an immersive solar system. Whether you're lower north shore-based or not, head to the area for a different view of Vivid. Check out all that's going on at Luna Park here.
Irish playwright Mark O’Rowes Crestfall is made up of three monologues for women. The trio of intersecting stories all take pace on the same day, based around the site of a messy abattoir known as "The Bonelands". The themes are as dark as you could expect. Prostitution, drug addiction, beastiality and domestic violence all feature heavily. However the play's language is as strange and flowery as T.S. Elliott's Jaberwocky. Sometimes it works, becoming beautifully, evocative and tragi-comic: "His big belly bouncing, feel it on my flanks there, grinding, trying to find his rhythm." And sometimes it trips up on it’s own self consciousness. “Submission is all he knows, the sissy. Surrender. Self-pity.” This kind of dialogue would be a challenge for any actor, especially delivered solo in 30 minute chunks, but the three leads all handle it admirably. Young actress Sarah Snook is great as the town tart, although she does seem a little buckled by the language. Georgina Symes is mesmerising as a drug addicted prostitute. But it’s Eliza Logan who is the play's standout as a prim neighbour. It’s a confident and pared back production directed by Shannon Murphy. As accomplished as the show is I was left wondering why so many plays from the Griffin are like this: unrelentingly bleak European dirges. As though suffering and darkness were automatically a mark of quality. Plus the playwright's views of women are alarmingly one-eyed and sexist. A lot of male writers get accused of suffering from a Madonna/Whore complex, and O’Rowe does nothing to counter the cliché. Photo by Ella Condon.
CBD dancefloor citadel Goodgood Small Club have announced Taiwanese street food aficionados Belly Bao as the next residents to take up their canteen space. Started by head chef Sylvia Tran in December 2013 as a market stall in Paddington and Glebe Markets, Belly Bao is geared up to take things four-walled for the very first time, opening for business on Wednesday, January 7. Following the hot dog lovin' team at Andrew Levins' original eatery The Dip and the Caribbean jerk chickeners of the most residency, Jonkanoo Jerk House, Belly Bao is set to follow the canteen-like stylings of its predecessors — but with more love for the Bao. A grassroots Taiwanese street food staple, a 'Gua Bao' is a handcrafted, taco-shaped steamed bun folded around braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens, crushed peanuts and coriander. But every GG canteen staple needs some creative interpretations, and Tran's restaurateur family background and years of eating her way through Asia have made some slight adjustments to tradition. Belly Bao have six-signature savoury Baos with fillings such as roast pork belly crackling, soft shell crab and Panko-crumbed chicken breast in mind, served with sweet potato fries and Asian slaw. Yep, perfect for noshing between epic dance sessions. Second round, there's more South East Asian tastiness where that came from. Belly Bao will also be serving up street food staple BBC Fried Chicken — served crunchy, sticky or spicy in wings, half or whole chicken. Sweet tooths have something to look forward to as well, with Belly Bao's own special creation: Baoana and Strawbelly Bao (brioche-like golden fried Baos, filled with ice cream, topped with condensed milk and fruit). With Tran and Belly Bao celebrating their very first permanent kitchen, and Goodgod raising a cocktail to its newfound housemates, 2015's looking pretty tasty for the CBD basement bar. Belly Bao opens Wednesday, January 7, 2015 at Goodgod Small Club, 53 – 55 Liverpool Street, Chinatown. Opening hours are Wednesday - Thursday 5 – 10pm, Saturday 6 – 10pm. To book a table email bookings@bellybao.com.au. Image credit: Fiona Vuong
The Griffin Theatre Company is stepping out from its beloved SBW Stables Theatre to kickstart its 2014 season. The Serpent's Table is a feast of food and storytelling that will take place within an installation at Carriageworks and involve the talents of popular chefs Adam Liaw and Pauline Nguyen. On in January as part of the Sydney Festival for intimate audiences of 30, the event will be a step in a more experimental, multidisciplinary direction for Griffin — here working together with Performance 4a — and knowing Sydney's colossal appetite for foodie culture, it won't fail to find an audience. The rest of season 2014 sees Griffin pursuing its established strengths in new Australian playwriting, with just one classic and one recent international work sneaking in. "Our 2014 season is a shameless celebration of the depth and breadth of Australian playwriting culture," says artistic director Lee Lewis. "Breadth in terms of the diversity of voices and stories, combined with remarkable depth of quality." The Main season starts with the winner of this year's Griffin Award for an outstanding new script, Jump for Jordan by Donna Abela, a culture-clash dramedy that speaks in particular to the experience of second-generation Australians. Next is Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography (wahey!), eye-catching for both its name and the talent involved (Declan Greene of the fantastic Sisters Grimm writing, Lewis herself directing and the loveable Steve Rodgers performing). Lewis will also direct David Williamson's hit '80s play Emerald City, while Malthouse Theatre's artistic director Marion Potts will take the reins of Ugly Mugs, a compelling look at the culture of abuse we don't usually acknowledge. Writer Peta Brady was inspired by the stories of violence against women that took hold of Melbourne last year. The parallel Independent season, meanwhile, features work from pantsguys, Stories Like These, Siren Theatre Co and White Box Theatre. Director Anthony Skuse reunites with the team from Punk Rock (winner of the Best Independent Production 2012 at the Sydney Theatre Awards) for what's sure to be another shattering Simon Stephens play, On the Shore of the Wide World. Kate Gaul (The New Electric Ballroom) will tackle Tasmanian playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer's The Violent Outburst That Drew Me To You, about a rage-prone teenager left alone in the forest, while Jane Bodie's Music brings a light touch to the subject of mental illness and Campion Decent's Unholy Ghosts goes for laughter at a funeral. Finally, there's the school holiday event The Witches, a one-man telling of the Roald Dahl classic. If what we've heard of its transfixing first run at NIDA is anything to go by, there'd better be plenty of adult-friendly show times, too. Griffin Theatre 2014 subscriptions go on sale on 3 September. There's a limited Earlybird offer, whereby subscribers can purchase the four Main Season shows for $120, or all eight Main and Independent shows for $220 until 23 September. Griffin subscribers also have exclusive access to an allocation of tickets to The Serpent’s Table before they go on sale to the public through Sydney Festival.
Vegetarians don't often have the luxury of choice when it comes to dining out. Typically, restaurant menus offer a lone vego option, or a couple at most. To rescue Sydneysiders from this plight, Concrete Playground has compiled a list of the top seven vegetarian restaurants in and around the city. And there's no need to stress if you're a carnivore; these places may not offer meat, but they certainly don't skimp on taste. 1. Yulli's Bar and Restaurant Where: 417 Crown Street, Surry Hills Combine tasty vegetarian fare and a thorough beer list of NSW microbrews, and you have Yulli's. An unpretentious atmosphere and laid-back staff contribute to the consistent crowd who come to Yulli's for quality vego food. Stop in for artichoke and goats' curd arancini, a Viking IPA from Mt. Kuringai, or perhaps both. Read more 2. Green Gourmet Where: 115-117 King Street, Newtown Featuring a variety of well-disguised faux-meats, Green Gourmet is an entirely vegetarian venue that will satisfy your carnivore friends as well. Try the 'Steamed BBQ Not Pork Bun'; it's close enough to the real deal to make a meat-eater smile, but filled with hoi sin sauce-marinated wheat protein and water chestnuts. Read more 3. Bodhi Where: 2-4 College Street, Sydney Full of tasty pan-Asian vegan offerings, Bodhi's charm is derived from it's quiet and stylish location on the lower levels of the Cook and Phillip Complex. Sample the hearty black bean tofu or the vegan custard, made with palm sugar, coconut, and mint pea sorbet. Read more 4. Laurie's Vegetarian Take-Away Where: 236 Bondi Road, Bondi Beach Any vegetarian or vegan can tell you just how difficult it can be to find affordable, convenient, and delicious food to fit their diet. Laurie's ticks off all of those boxes, earning it a near-cult following in Bondi. The menu consistently features six hot dishes and five salads, which you can mix-and-match to take away or to dine on at one of the limited in-house tables. Read more 5. Govinda's Restaurant and Cinema Where: 112 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst Attached to its in-house quirky movie room, Govinda's restaurant offers a vegetarian buffet of Indian delights. Kofta balls in creamy tomato sauce and large veggie samosas are sure to fill you up for cheap, just in time to catch your film. Read more 6. Mother Chu's Vegetarian Kitchen Where: 367 Pitt Street, Sydney 90-something-year-old Mama Chu built her restaurant on the principle of freshness. Each Taiwanese dish on their rich and varied menu is indeed fresh, and particularly tasty as well. Be tempted by the crispy gluten, or spice it up with sze chaun spicy hot eggplant dish. Read more 7. Nourishing Quarter Where: 315 Cleveland Street, Redfern Nourishing Quarter's goals are farther reaching then filling your rumbling stomach: the owner and staff hope to bring awareness to the importance of healthy eating to one's general well-being. Their method? Exceptional tasting and high-quality fare. The quinoa noodle salad or 'sweet angel' rice paper rolls won't disappoint. Read more Which are your favourite vegetarian restaurants in Sydney? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
This Friday and Saturday Volumes, one of Sydney's most diverse and exciting music festivals, takes over multiple venues around Oxford Street. After killing it with their debut last year, the event — touted (by us) as a mini South by Southwest-style festival — will this year span two days, showcasing some of Australia's premier artists, bands, DJs and, importantly, live music venues. As well as being a feat in event organisation, there's a lot to get your ears around — so Concrete Playground spoke to Volumes organiser James Spink to get the low down on what to expect from the festival, and how we should tackle the two-day event. THE LINEUP IS FULL OF UP-AND-COMERS 2016 will be Volumes' sophomore year, after launching in 2015 with a lineup that included the likes of Methyl Ethel, You Beauty, Shining Bird and Jack Ladder & the Dreamlanders. It's no coincidence that these bands have gone on to do great things in the last 12 months – Volumes prides itself in being able to hunt down some of Australia's next up-and-comers. "Volumes is meticulously curated — many hours are spent enjoying listening to music and going to shows and pondering what bands we'd love to see play together," says Spink. "This is easily the most enjoyable part of the event. The lineup is not defined by genre or style, but instead we aim to create a program that moves and flows in a particular way and creates a certain mood. Most acts are booked with a specific idea for a slot or stage to create a certain vibe and direction for that space and time." IT'S UNLIKE ANY OTHER FESTIVAL IN SYDNEY Following the same multi-venue format as last year, Volumes team will again jam some of Sydney's most exciting emerging artists into the city's premier music venues — but this time it will run over two days instead of just one. Oxford Art Factory, Brighton Up Bar and The Cliff Dive will once again participate, joined this year by The Burdekin. "With Volumes we wanted to create an experience-based concept that challenged an audience's expectation or perception of a live music event," says Spink. "Basically we're just working to create that 'wooaahh!' experience for the audience. Something that they'll remember and talk about until next year." "We've added a ton of new musical elements and visual experiences that I can't divulge too much of, or it may adversely effect that aforementioned 'wooaahh!' reaction at the event." Spink does however confirm that there'll be collaborations between artists: artistically, musically and merch-wise. Rollas Jeans have collaborated with some of the acts on the 2016 Volumes bill to create a range of extremely limited edition pieces. IT'S BEEN PROGRAMMED TO FIT WITH THE LOCKOUTS Volumes has never known a lockout-free Sydney, so, when planning the festival, Spink has taken into account how the lockout laws will effect the punter's experience. "We have created certain parts of the event with the lockouts in the back of the mind — like having dual headline slots across the event, with an earlier headliner around 7pm and then shifting the direction towards another headline act later in the evening." But despite the effect the lockouts have had on Sydney's live music industry, Spink is optimistic about the future for the Sydney arts and culture scene. "The Volumes 2016 lineup is testament to so many amazing new artists coming out of Sydney in the last two years," he says. "You only need to look at venues like Brighton Up Bar, Oxford Art Factory and Oxford Circus — all hosting amazing sold out shows each week — to know that there is still a great music scene in Sydney. I feel like the current positive momentum is leading towards some changes soon. Fingers crossed with the review of the laws due very soon we may just see some good things in the not too distant future." SO WHO SHOULD WE MAKE A BEELINE TO SEE? With such a diverse lineup, we wanted to get the hot tip on who we should lock into our Volumes 2016 timetable. Spink gave us a (kind of huge) list that consisted of California Girls, Christopher Port, Habits, Mall Grab, Nicholas Allbrook, Mossy, Orb, SilentJay & Jace XL, Xanga, Koi Child, 30/70 and Donny Benet. That's not the complete list of gigs, but we're going to trust a guy who makes his living discovering the best new bands in Sydney. Volumes 2016 takes place on Friday, August 26 and Saturday, August 27 at various venues in Darlinghurst. For more info and to buy tickets, go to volumes2016.com.
Something delightful has been happening in cinemas in some parts of the country. After numerous periods spent empty during the pandemic, with projectors silent, theatres bare and the smell of popcorn fading, picture palaces in many Australian regions are back in business — including both big chains and smaller independent sites in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. During COVID-19 lockdowns, no one was short on things to watch, of course. In fact, you probably feel like you've streamed every movie ever made, including new releases, Studio Ghibli's animated fare and Nicolas Cage-starring flicks. But, even if you've spent all your time of late glued to your small screen, we're betting you just can't wait to sit in a darkened room and soak up the splendour of the bigger version. Thankfully, plenty of new films are hitting cinemas so that you can do just that — and we've rounded up, watched and reviewed everything on offer this week. DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA The movies have come to Downton Abbey and Violet Crawley, the acid-tongued Dowager Countess of Grantham so delightfully played by Maggie Smith (The Lady in the Van) since 2010, is none too fussed about it. "Hard same," all but the most devoted fans of the upstairs-downstairs TV drama may find themselves thinking as she expresses that sentiment — at least where Downton Abbey: A New Era, an exercise in extending the series/raking in more box-office cash, is concerned. Violet, as only she can, declares she'd "rather eat pebbles" than watch a film crew at work within the extravagant walls of her family's home. The rest of us mightn't be quite so venomous, but that's not the same as being entertained. The storyline involving said film crew is actually one of the most engaging parts of A New Era; however, the fact that much of it is clearly ripped off from cinematic classic Singin' in the Rain speaks volumes, and gratingly. When the first Downton Abbey flick brought its Yorkshire mansion-set shenanigans to cinemas back in 2019, it felt unnecessary, too, but also offered what appeared to be a last hurrah and a final chance to spend time with beloved characters. Now, the repeat effort feels like keeping calm and soldiering on because there's more pounds to be made. Don't believe the title: while A New Era proclaims that change is afoot, and some of its narrative dramas nod to the evolving world when the 1920s were coming to a close, the movie itself is happy doing what Downton Abbey always has — and in a weaker version. There's zero reason other than financial gain for this film to unspool its tale in theatres rather than as three TV episodes, which is what it may as well have tacked together. Well, perhaps there's one: having Lady Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery, Anatomy of a Scandal) proclaim that "we have to be able to enter the 1930s with our heads held high" and set the expectation that more features will probably follow. A New Era begins with a wedding, picking up where its predecessor left off as former chauffeur Tom Branson (Allen Leech, Bohemian Rhapsody) marries Lucy Smith (Tuppence Middleton, Mank) with everyone expected — the well-to-do Crawleys and their relatives, plus their maids, butlers, cooks, footmen and other servants — in attendance. But the film really starts with two revelations that disrupt the Downton status quo. Firstly, Violet receives word that she's inherited a villa in the south of France from an ex-paramour, who has recently passed away. His surviving wife (Nathalie Baye, Call My Agent!) is displeased with the arrangement, threatening lawsuits, but his son (Jonathan Zaccaï, The White Crow) invites the Crawleys to visit to hash out the details. Secondly, a movie production wants to use Downton for a shoot, which the pragmatic Mary talks the family into because — paralleling the powers-that-be behind A New Era itself — the aristocratic brood would like the money. With Violet's health waning, she stays home while son Robert (Hugh Bonneville, Paddington 2) and his wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern, The Commuter) journey to the Riviera — as part of a cohort that also includes retired butler Mr Carson (Jim Carter, Swimming with Men), who's determined to teach his French counterparts British standards. And, as the Dowager Countess remains in Yorkshire exclaiming she'd "rather earn a living down a mine" than make movies, potential family secrets are bubbling up abroad. That subplot takes a cue or two from Mamma Mia!; Downton Abbey creator and writer Julian Fellowes must've watched several musicals while scripting. Violet also notes that she "thought the best thing about films is that I couldn't hear them", because the production helmed by Jack Barber (Hugh Dancy, Late Night), and led by stars Guy Dexter (Dominic West, The Pursuit of Love) and Myrna Dalgleish (Laura Haddock, Transformers: The Last Knight), has hit a period-appropriate snag: talkies are the new hot thing, but their flick is silent. Read our full review. AFTER YANG What flickers in a robot's circuitry in its idle moments has fascinated the world for decades, famously so in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049 — and in After Yang, one machine appears to long for everything humans do. The titular Yang (Justin H Min, The Umbrella Academy) was bought to give Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith, Queen & Slim) and Jake's (Colin Farrell, The Batman) adopted Chinese daughter Mika (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, iCarly) a technosapien brother, babysitter, companion and purveyor of "fun facts" about her heritage. He dotes amid his duties, perennially calm and loving, and clearly an essential part of the family. What concerns his wiring beyond his assigned tasks doesn't interest anyone, though, until he stops operating. Mika is distressed, and Kyra and Jake merely inconvenienced initially, but the latter pledges to figure out how to fix Yang — which is where his desires factor in. Yang is unresponsive and unable to play his usual part as the household's robotic fourth member. If Jake can't get him up and running quickly, he'll also experience the "cultural techno" version of dying, his humanoid skin even decomposing. That puts a deadline on a solution, which isn't straightforward, particularly given that Yang was bought from a now-shuttered reseller secondhand, rather than from the manufacturer anew, is one roadblock. Tinkering with the android's black box is also illegal, although Jake is convinced to anyway by a repairman (Ritchie Coster, The Flight Attendant). He acquiesces not only because it's what Mika desperately wants, but because he's told that Yang might possess spyware — aka recordings of the family — that'd otherwise become corporate property. Before all that, there's a stunning dance — a synchronised contest where families around the globe bust out smooth moves in front of their televisions, competing to emerge victorious. The dazzling scene comes during After Yang's opening credits and is a marvel to watch, with writer/director/editor Kogonada (TV series Pachinko) conveying a wealth of meaning visually, thematically, philosophically and emotionally in minutes. To look at, the sequence brings to mind Ex Machina's, aka the Oscar Isaac-led scene that launched a thousand gifs. In what it says about After Yang's vision of an unspecified but not-too-distant future, it's reminiscent of Black Mirror, with engrained surveillance technology eerily tracking participants' every move. It's here, too, amid the joy of the family progressing further than they ever have before, that the fact that Yang is malfunctioning becomes apparent, turning a techno dream in more ways than one into a potential source of heartbreak. When a feature so easily recalls other films and television shows, and so emphatically, it isn't typically a positive sign. That isn't the case with After Yang. Adapting Alexander Weinstein's short story Saying Goodbye to Yang, Kogonada crafts a movie that resembles a dream for the overwhelming bulk of its running time — it's softly shot like one, and tightly to focus on interiors rather than backgrounds — and that makes it feel like a happily slumbering brain filtering through and reinterpreting its wide array of influences. Another picture that leaves an imprint: Kogonada's own Columbus, his 2017 wonder that also featured Haley Lu Richardson (The Edge of Seventeen), who pops up here as a friend of Yang's that Jake, Kyra and Mika know nothing about. It isn't the shared casting that lingers, but the look and mood and texture, plus the idea that what we see, what we choose to revel in aesthetically and what makes us tick mentally are intertwined; yes, even for androids. Read our full review. WHEEL OF FORTUNE AND FANTASY To watch films written and directed by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi is to watch people playing a part — in multiple ways. That's one of the key truths to features not only by the Japanese filmmaker, but by anyone helming a movie that relies upon actors. It's so obvious that it doesn't usually need mentioning, in fact. Nonetheless, the notion is as essential to Hamaguchi's pictures as cameras to capture the drama. He bakes the idea into his films via as many methods as he can, pondering what it means to step into all the posts that life demands: friend, lover, spouse, ex, sibling, child, employee, student, classmate and the like. Hamaguchi loves contemplating the overt act of performance, too — his Best International Feature Oscar-winning Drive My Car, which also nabbed its helmer a Best Director nomination at this year's Academy Awards, hones in on a play and the rehearsals for it in dilligent detail — but the auteur who's also behind Happy Hour and Asako I and II has long been aware that the art of portrayal isn't just limited to thespians. Shakespeare said it centuries back, of course. To be precise, he had As You Like It's Jaques utter it: "all the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players". Hamaguchi's Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, his second film to reach cinemas in mere months, definitely isn't a French-set comedy; however, it lives and breathes the Bard's famous words anyway. Here, three tales about romance, desire and fate get a spin. This trio of stories all muse on chance, choice, identity, regret and inescapable echoes as well, and focus on complex women reacting to the vagaries of life and everyday relationships. They're about sliding into roles in daily existence, and making choices regarding how to behave, which way to present yourself and who you decide to be depending upon the company you're in. While Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy mightn't ultimately mimic Drive My Car's Oscars success, it's equally masterful. In the first part, model Meiko (Kotone Furukawa, 21st Century Girl) discovers that her best friend Tsugumi (Hyunri, Wife of a Spy) has just started seeing her ex-boyfriend Kazuaki (Ayumu Nakajima, Saturday Fiction), and grapples with her complicated feelings while pondering what could eventuate. Next, college student Nao (Katsuki Mori, Sea Opening) is enlisted to seduce Professor Sagawa (Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Tezuka's Barbara) as part of a revenge plan by her lover Sasaki (Shouma Kai, Signal 100). Finally, in a world where the internet has been eradicated due to a virus, Natsuko (Fusako Urabe, Voices in the Wind) and Nana (Aoba Kawai, Marriage with a Large Age Gap) cross paths — thinking that they went to school together decades ago. Hamaguchi's resume is littered with other obsessions beyond the fictions people spin to get through their days — to themselves and to each other, and willingly and unthinkingly alike — many of which also pop up in Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy. Coincidence has a role in each of the movie's trio of intelligently and painstakingly plotted narratives, and destiny and fortune as well (as the name makes plain). The tangled web that romance weaves, and the sticky strands that represent alluring exes, also leave a firm imprint. So does seduction, and not always in its usual and most apparent form. All three of the picture's sections could stand alone, but each could've been fleshed out to feature length as well; as they exist, they leave viewers wanting more time with their lead characters. Commonalities ebb and flow between them, though, because this is a smart, astute and savvily layered triptych that's brought to the screen with everything that makes Hamaguchi's work so empathetic, warmly intimate and also entrancing. Read our full review. HELMUT NEWTON: THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL One of the great treats in Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful stems from perhaps the film's simplest move: letting viewers peer at the often-provocative photographer's works in such a large format. Being able to do just that is the reason why the Exhibition On Screen series of movies exists, surveying showcases dedicated to artists such as Vincent van Gogh, David Hockney and Frida Kahlo over the years — and this documentary isn't part of that, but it understands the same idea. There's nothing like staring at an artist's work to understand what makes them tick. Writer/director Gero von Boehm (Henry Miller: Prophet of Desire) fills The Bad and the Beautiful with plenty more, from archival footage to recent interviews, but it'd all ring empty without seeing the imagery captured by Newton's lens firsthand. Every word that's said about the German photographer, or by him, is deepened by roving your eyes across the frequently contentious snaps that he sent Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Playboy and other magazines' ways. Those photos aren't run-of-the-mill fashion pics. Largely, the highly stylised images are of naked women — naked famous women, if not then then now, such as Isabella Rossellini, Charlotte Rampling, Grace Jones and Claudia Schiffer — and they're as fetishistic as the artform gets. They're the kinds of snaps that saw Susan Sontag call Newton out for being a misogynist to his face, as seen in a French TV clip featured in the film. The Bad and the Beautiful is an affectionate doco, but it also dives headfirst into the trains of thought that his work has sparked for decades. Anna Wintour explains that when someone books Newton, "you're not going to get a pretty girl on a beach". Women who posed for him, including the aforementioned stars, plus Marianne Faithfull, Arja Toyryla, Nadja Auermann and Hanna Schygulla, all talk through their differing experiences as well — and the portrait painted is varied. As a result, The Bad and the Beautiful is both a biography and a conversation. It covers the birth-to-death details, such as Newton's upbringing in Berlin, fleeing the Nazis in the late 1930s, and his time in Australia, where he met his wife June. It chronicles his stint in Singapore before heading Down Under, and his jaunts in London and Paris afterwards — and the fact that Monte Carlo and Los Angeles were both considered his homes when he passed away in 2004. The film is an easy primer on his life, complete with the requisite Wikipedia-style information, but it's an engrossing watch because of how eagerly it engages with the plethora of views that his images have and continue to inspire. (Admittedly, even a documentary that's clearly an authorised exploration of its subject couldn't justify really existing if it had left all traces of anything controversial out.) Don't go expecting answers, though. That isn't The Bad and the Beautiful's remit, unsurprisingly. That isn't necessarily a criticism; von Boehm's still-fascinating film presents the debate that's raged around Newton's works — are they sexist, art, both or neither? — and unpacks perspectives on either side, although the fact that this is a fond examination of his life, career, impact and legacy is never in doubt. A doco can be candid, probing, hagiographic and happy to let its viewers make their own calls, however, as this one clearly is. It can offer insider tidbits, conflicting views, comparisons and simply the change to look on in-depth as well, as is similarly the case here. And, it can let its images keep fuelling and furthering questions, which everything that Newton shot likely always will. If you're wondering what else is currently screening in Australian cinemas — or has been lately — check out our rundown of new films released in Australia on January 1, January 6, January 13, January 20 and January 27; February 3, February 10, February 17 and February 24; and March 3, March 10, March 17, March 24 and March 31; and April 7, April 14 and April 21. You can also read our full reviews of a heap of recent movies, such as Ghostbusters: Afterlife, House of Gucci, The King's Man, Red Rocket, Scream, The 355, Gold, King Richard, Limbo, Spencer, Nightmare Alley, Belle, Parallel Mothers, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Belfast, Here Out West, Jackass Forever, Benedetta, Drive My Car, Death on the Nile, C'mon C'mon, Flee, Uncharted, Quo Vadis, Aida?, Cyrano, Hive, Studio 666, The Batman, Blind Ambition, Bergman Island, Wash My Soul in the River's Flow, The Souvenir: Part II, Dog, Anonymous Club, X, River, Nowhere Special, RRR, Morbius, The Duke and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Fantastic Beasts and the Secrets of Dumbledore, Ambulance, Memoria, The Lost City, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Happening, The Good Boss, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman and Ithaka.
At the moment, you can't go down to your local, order yourself a pint and chat with the bartender, but that doesn't mean you have to go thirsty. While you're at home, it could be a good chance to shake things up, sample new liquors, brews or wines instead of your go-to VB and even maybe brush up on your cocktail making skills. The only thing holding you back will be your supply — and right now, after a few weeks of staying at home more, we're betting it's looking a little lacklustre. One way of making sure your liquor cabinet is always well-stocked is signing up to an online subscription service — and in Australia there are many. Whether you're after wine, tinnies or whisky, a number of local booze subscription services are ensuring you don't go thirsty while social distancing. Here are eight of the best. CRAFT BREWS AND NATTY WINES FROM GOOD BOOZE PROJECT (MR WEST) Mr West is known for many things, but its bottle shop packed with craft beers and minimal-intervention wines is a standout. Previously, you had to visit the Melbourne bar to get said tipples, but now you can have them delivered with its subscription service, the Good Booze Project. Its mission is simple: deliver incredible booze to your door. So, expect to be sipping top-notch tipples from independent producers from around the globe. You can opt for boxes of three, six or 12 wines and six or 12 beers delivered to your door every month. There's the Explorer, Lover or Buff subscription levels for both wine and beer — and you can upgrade anytime. The Good Booze Project delivers across Australia and your box will arrive chilled every month, too, so you can crack open a cold one as soon as it hits your front porch. Right now, new members can nab a free Mr West crystal wine or beer glass pack (valued at $35), too — just enter SIGNMEUP at checkout. Plus, if you want something a little stronger to see you through iso, you can add on an order of Mr West's 1.5-litre 'bagnums' of negroni and espresso martini. For more information on the subscription levels and to sign up, head here. ARTISANAL GINS FROM GIN SOCIETY If you're a G&T person or a lover of a dry gin martini, look no further than Gin Society, which treats its subscribers to a full-sized bottle of a small-batch gin every two months. The company launched back in 2018 and features a range of local and international gins, with a focus on drops you won't find at your local bottle shop. Each time one of these hand-picked, premium gins lands at your doorstep, it'll be accompanied by an edition of Gin Journal magazine, too, featuring expert tasting notes, suggested cocktail recipes, bartender profiles, reviews and details about the gin's origins. Everything you need to ensure you enjoy that bottle of artisan booze to its fullest. So if you're not a gin whiz yet, you will be soon. The subscription will set you back $95 bimonthly, which includes a full-sized bottle of gin, the magazine, exclusive invitations to future Gin Society events and cost of delivery, no matter where you live in the country. Sign up for your bimonthly gin fix here. [caption id="attachment_765523" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Naked Wines[/caption] BOUTIQUE LOCAL VINOS FROM NAKED WINES Online cellar door Naked Wines launched in 2012 with the aim of connecting at-home wine drinkers with winemakers across Australia and New Zealand. Since then it's grown to include more than 53 winemakers, including the likes of Enfant Terrible from Adelaide Hills, Le Petit Mort from Queensland's Granite Belt and Hilltops, NSW, plus Blindside from Margaret River. So, if you're looking to stockpile your cellar, you could be doing it with some top-notch drops from around the country. Its subscription service is a little different to others, and instead of signing up for a delivery every so often, you become a 'wine angel' for $40 a month. The money will go into your Naked Wines account and you can spend it how you wish, plus get a stack of discounts, exclusive wines and a free bottle once a month, which you'll receive with your next purchase. You can get cases of six, 12 or 15 bottles delivered to your doorstep. And right now you can nab a $100-voucher to spend on a case if you're a first-time Naked Wines customer (and over 18). Just head here to make your purchase. If you're based in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth, your Naked Wines could be winging their way to you by the next working day. For Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra, delivery is within two-to-four business days. It's also free delivery for members if you're in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, however there are delivery costs of up to $20 outside of those cities. To order your first box — and get $100 to spend on it — head here, then sign up to become a wine angel. HARD-TO-FIND AND NEW-WORLD WHISKIES FROM WHISKY LOOT Keeping you suitably soused while you're stuck at home is Whisky Loot. And while it mightn't be new, there's never been a better time to get small-batch and hard-to-find whiskies delivered straight to your door. The monthly subscription service delivers a box of three 60-millilitre bottles, with a different theme every time, so you'll never drink the same tipple twice. The aim is to expand your palate and educate you along the way. So, if you're just entering the world of whisky or looking to sample something other than your go-to firewater, this is for you. As well as three tasty ambers, you'll receive expert tasting notes and a tasting journal (with your first box), both of which will help take you from whisky novice to aficionado. And although it's a subscription service, you can do it month-to-month, with no lock-ins. Best of all, Whisky Loot is offering $10 off your first order if you opt for the subscription, making it just $49 for your first round, which includes free standard shipping across Australia. All you have to do is enter SUPPORT5 at checkout. Plus, it'll be donating $5 from each box to Hospo Voice in support of the hospitality industry, which is doing it pretty tough right now. So, you can cheers to a good cause. For more information about Whisky Look and to sign up, head here. WINES PICKED BY TOP SOMMELIERS FROM THE BOROUGH BOX Pick this and you'll pretty much be getting the cream of the crop of natural wines, with Lo-Fi Wine directors James Audas (Noma) and Tom Sheer (Love, Tilly Devine) behind every box. This monthly vino subscription has just launched and features a range of sustainable, organic and biodynamic wines from every corner of the globe, with a particular focus on small-batch producers. So, expect Aussie favourites such as Good Intentions Wine Co, Das Juice, and Jauma alongside European wines, including Matassa (France), Lammidia (Italy), and Gut Oggau (Austria). Every box will contain six wines and contain one or two whites, one skin contact, one rosé, a couple of reds and occasionally a sparkling — though the ratios will vary. Plus, every bottle will come with information on where its from, who made it, what's in it and some tasting notes. You'll be spending $180 a month, but if you're a lover of minimal-intervention drops — and hate deciding which ones to buy — it's worth it. In April, deliveries will happen every Monday, then from May, you'll get your box on the first Monday of the month. Currently, The Borough Box is only available for delivery across Sydney and Melbourne. Keen to try some top-notch natty drops — every month? Head here to sign up. DIY COCKTAIL KITS FROM COCKTAIL PORTER Trying to up your bartending game? Enter Cocktail Porter. Founded Sydney's Cameron Northway (co-owner of Rocker), this at-home cocktail making subscription is sure to deliver the goods. The subscription works similarly to most DIY food delivery services, except with booze — and is available nationwide. You'll get fixings for a different seasonal drink delivered to your door, along with a recipe card, pre-measured ingredient and premium spirits, for $135, which may seem a lot to fork up at once but it'll make 14–18 cocktails (about a tenner each). Each month will feature a different cocktail, curated by world-class bartenders and based on "global drinking trends". In past months, there's been the likes of a treacle old fashioned with sweet Italian vermouth, burnt orange-vanilla syrup and cacao-macadamia bitters; a classic gin martini with your choice of flavoured vermouth; and a bloody mary with turmeric vinegar. If you're not ready to commit, Cocktail Porter also has a heap of one-of cocktail box options, includes a mini espresso martini kit for $69.95. If you're keen to get shaking and stirring, sign up here. WINE (YES, MORE!) FROM VINOMOFO Vinomofo has made a name for its not-so-snobby, fun approach to wine nerdery, since starting life in a tiny Adelaide garage back in 2011. Its sprawling online wine selection now caters to over 500,000 members worldwide. So it's safe to say it knows what it's doing when it comes to grape juice. There are two subscription packages to choose from — The Black Market ($139) and The Mofo Club ($179) — and you can opt to get them dropped off every one, two or three months. Each includes 12 wines, which is a bargain compared to some of others. While both packs are mixed, The Black Market features more reds; The Mofo is a mix or white and red wines, plus you'll get a link to some tasting notes so you can up your vino game as you sip away. It delivers across the country — and we mention you can get $25 off your first order if you sign up now? No? Just click here and you'll see. To sign up — and get $25 off your first order — head to Vinomofo's website. NEW-RELEASE AND CRAFT BREWS FROM BEER CARTEL Sydney-based beer haven Beer Cartel knows a thing or two about the big wide world of ales and lagers. And its not just a bricks-and-mortar bottle-o either, with its online store stocking over 1000 craft beers, handpicked from top breweries across Australia and overseas. And, if you're after regular beer deliveries, you can sign up to its Beer Club, which first began in a Kennards storage unit in 2009 and claims to be 'Australia's longest running beer subscription'. A The Bootlegger six-pack subscription deal will set you back $39.99 per month and will include three new releases and three of Beer Cartel's core range. The Speak Easy (12 beers) costs $69.99, with six new and six of the Cartel's go-to brews, while The Black Market pack features 12 new and super limited-release brews, which will cost $89.99. It ships Australia-wide, too, so if you can't make it down to the shops to stock up, these guys have got you covered. To join the club, head here. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
There are a multitude of plays out there, but few you'd call 'macho'. Jez Butterworth's early play Mojo is balls-out macho. It's so macho that Guy Ritchie is said to have 'borrowed' from it to make Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and his subsequent macho movie empire. It's a frou-frou of filth, cursing and rock 'n' roll, and it's pretty damn delightful. Set in 1958, the play peers into a nightclub where a bunch of small-time crooks down uppers and try to clamber up to the big time. There's Potts (Josh McConville); his bestie, Sweets (Ben O'Toole); and the much put-upon Skinny (Eamon Farren). They're excited to have engineered a meeting between the club's fresh rock 'n' roll idol, Silver Johnny (The Snowdroppers' Jeremy Davidson), their boss Ezra and mysterious gangster/music magnate Sam Ross. The night of carousing that follows comes to an abrupt end when group elder Mickey (Tony Martin) enters with the news that Ezra is dead and Johnny is missing; the boys' meeting was not the victory they'd anticipated. It's panic stations as they await the next move in Ross's siege, and their land — the club — seems under threat. What makes any of this compelling is the sixth presence, Baby (Lindsay Farris). The both neglected and abused son of Ezra, Baby is a psychopath who at any given moment could act in any number of unpredictable ways. When he's on stage, the tension goes up to 11. He has the innocent face of Alex from A Clockwork Orange and a weightless walk akin to Buffy the Vampire Slayer's creepiest villain, the Gentlemen. That Farris could nail this role so completely within a couple of weeks (after original Baby Sam Haft had to bow out due to illness) is a huge achievement. In fact, there are great performances all round. McConville has transformed yet again, and his nervy energy drives the show. (Seriously, have you ever seen anyone grind their teeth so intensely it's visible in the nosebleed section? This is your one chance.) Farren manages to earn both our sympathies and our annoyance as the complicated Skinny, and Martin shines as the no-nonsense father figure of Mickey. The accents are spot on; so thick they're hard to understand at first but ultimately transporting. Live music by drummer Alon Ilsar, and Snowdropper Paul Kilpinen fits in well. Basically every aspect of the production, corralled by director Ian Sinclair, is immaculate. It's a great looking piece of theatre, so the fact that costume designer David Fleischer has curated a '50s inspired 'ready-to-wear' collection is a nice touch. The energy of the whole show doesn't quite match the fire each individual brings to it, but it's strong nonetheless. Image by Brett Boardman.
Shopping at this time of the year can be a lot — a lot of people, a lot of running around and a lot of money spent. You deserve a sip of something special while you're out and about this holiday season. David Jones and Veuve Clicquot have teamed up to help you treat yourself amongst all the madness this summer with an in-store pop-up champagne bar. Running till January 5, the bar has popped up at David Jones Elizabeth Street Level 7 Designer Shoes. It's offering glasses of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label, Veuve Clicquot Rosé and gourmet cheeses, allowing you to feel extra fancy as you browse some luxury footwear. So, if you're planning on heading to the CBD store to grab some last minute gifts or wanting to hit up the sales in the new year, make a beeline to the bar and sip fine French bubbles. For $60, you'll get a cheese platter and champagne for two. Otherwise, its $25 for a glass and $12.95 for just the cheese. The Veuve Clicquot Champagne Pop-Up Bar at David Jones Elizabeth Street Level 7 Designer Shoes will be open at various times until January 5. It'll be closed Christmas Day. Images: Esteban La Tessa.
So you didn't have the time or money to hop the pond over to Palm Springs to experience the epic Coachella music festival? Not a problem, YouTube has got it covered. Literally. The massive video library has created its own live-stream channel, appropriately named YouTube Live, and Coachella was the first partner to offer to broadcast live content for the channel from April 15 to 17 (US time). Among the lineup of over 100 performers include top acts The Strokes, Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons, Kanye West, Cee-Lo Green, Kings of Leon and Duran Duran. If you aren't already in-flight to take part of the madness first-hand, just sit back and watch it all go down on the Coachella live webcast for all three days of the festival. Although YouTube isn't the first site to introduce a live-stream channel, they certainly will have the most advanced webcast program, one that will cater to individual users based on their interests online and undoubtedly be sought after by big-name events worldwide. https://youtube.com/watch?v=8heZuMZLqRI
As one of the world's largest collections of 21st-century Chinese art, White Rabbit Gallery has made a name for itself in the Sydney art scene for consistently exhibiting unique, compelling shows — and we can expect more high-calibre work from Commune, a new exhibition curated in time for the gallery's fifth birthday. The show will draw on works with a personal rather than political message, offering us an intimate look at the small-scale social ties that bind China's 1.3 billion-strong population. Ideas of family, friendship and community will be expressed through a diverse range of mediums, including multimedia installation, painting and sculpture.
Could the violence of Kings Cross be jumping ship over to Newtown? Could this be a direct result of the lockouts? Are LGBTQI Sydneysiders losing their safe haven of diversity? Transgender musician Stephanie McCarthy has reason to believe in all of the above, fronting a 300-strong rally on Monday after she was brutally bashed at Newtown's Town Hall Hotel on Friday night. Hundreds of supporters rallied in Newtown on Monday, against alcohol-fuelled violence, transphobia, prejudice and discrimination against transgender people, after McCarthy was allegedly attacked by four men before her own show at the Townie on Friday night. According to McCarthy's statement, her hair was pulled, she was called a 'f****t' and was left bloody and bruised with a black eye. A few snaps from #Newtown #protest. Brave @tallpunksteph & organiser Ingrid. End #transphobia. Boycott the Townie. pic.twitter.com/duHuAVMSu8 — James of Social Work (@james_scwk) June 8, 2015 "I know that the physical scars will heal, but this is going to take so long to heal," McCarthy told the Sydney Morning Herald. "This isn't the first time I've been assaulted and sadly I know it won't be the last ... I'm just one in a long line of people who've been assaulted in Newtown in the last few years, for no reason at all, just for who you are." McCarthy directly blames the lockout laws for the rise in assaults in Newtown. “I’ve heard stories of gay bashings, racist attacks, women getting hit,” she said. “I personally believe it's down to the lockout. There are people coming out on Friday and Saturday nights that never used to go out in Newtown, and they’re just here to bash people ... They’re just here to get loaded on drinks and drugs and fight. "This used to be one of the best places in Australia for all kinds of people. The diversity was special and now we have people who prey on that. This area is getting destroyed." A crowd of supporters with #transgender musician Stephanie McCarthy in #Newtown. (Pic: @ElizaJBarr) pic.twitter.com/daHZN2yTFs — Inner West Courier (@InnerWestNews) June 8, 2015 So has the level of violence in Newtown risen since the lockout laws were instated in February 2014? Police are yet to deliver official statistics, but McCarthy is sure the incidence of violent assaults in the suburb has gone up since the lockouts, telling Fairfax that she and her LGBTQI friends had experienced significantly more attacks and abuse in the last year. The last numbers we've seen are in this review by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, done in April 2015. The report found that the number of non-domestic violence related assaults in Sydney's central areas (Kings Cross, Oxford Street, George Street and The Rocks in particular) had gone down since the lockouts. It didn't record a rise in assaults in surrounding, non-lockout suburbs like Surry Hills, Pyrmont, Bondi and Newtown. But if incidents are indeed rising as McCarthy and her friends suggest, this could possibly be attributed to a lack of reported incidents — a tendency with many LGBTQI people who've been harassed — or it could be that incidents have indeed gone unchanged. McCarthy's not just pointing fingers, she's seen the effect of lockout laws on surrounding suburbs firsthand — she grew up in Newcastle, where the same happened to fringe suburbs after lockouts were rolled out. McCarthy says she moved to Newtown because it was a safe space for LGBTQI people, celebrating diversity without threat or judgement. Now, McCarthy's not so optimistic for the future of the suburb. "It’s just so upsetting knowing that this special area is getting destroyed, because of a law that’s meant to protect people from violence. It might well make Kings Cross safer, but it’s destroying Newtown." Via SMH. Top image: Paul McCarthy, Wikimedia Commons.
Looking for an evening of action, intensity and unexpected heroics? You could spend your Saturday night curled up on the couch catching up on the newest Netflix melodrama. Or, you can grab a couple of tickets to the last NRL Preliminary Final of 2022 and watch the drama unfold in real life. With four main characters (okay, technically teams) vying for the last two spots in next week's grand final, the race is on to secure a spot in the Rugby League spotlight. And here's how the script is currently playing out. Opening scene: Curtains rise with kickoff at 7.50pm at Accor Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday 24 September for the final NRL Preliminary Final of the year. Scene 2: Reigning premiers the Penrith Panthers take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs in a scintillating Grand Final rematch. Scene 3: With tensions soaring and much at stake, will Penrith's master halfback Nathan Cleary guide his team to back-to-back Grand Final appearances? Or will the Rabbitohs' superstar fullback Latrell Mitchell (supported by Cameron Murray and Cody Walker) find redemption for his team? Scene 4: In what promises to be an evening of amazing on-field performances, after an 80-minute battle one team will be ultimately crowned the winner with its supporters basking in glory and the other drinking from the bitter cup of defeat. Closing scene: To be confirmed on Saturday night. Excited? Get onboard the footy finals bandwagon (as well as the literal train to the stadium — which is free for all ticket holders) for an evening of theatre that even Shakespeare himself couldn't script — or at the very least some piping hot pies and icy cold beers. Snap up your tickets at ticketek.com.au (starting at $35 for adults and $20 for kids) before they sell out.
Opened in early 2024 to much fervour, Casa Esquina's innovative Argentinian fare has meant its first trip around the sun has been a successful one. Situated in a revamped Victorian mansion on the corner of Balmain's Elliott and Darling Streets, the spirit of shared meals and cutting-edge dining emanates through the place from top to bottom. Yet the restaurant isn't holding back as we enter 2025. Held across six weeks until February 28, Casa Esquina is hosting a Summer Bottomless Menu every Saturday and Sunday in partnership with St Germain. Inspired by the growing popularity of the hugo spritz – a refreshing cocktail made with prosecco, elderflower syrup, seltzer and fresh mint – there's more to this event than just a few tasty drinks. From your table nestled on the restaurant's tranquil outdoor terrace, you'll enjoy a hugo on arrival before dining on a three-course selection of Argentinian bites, such as pulled lamb croquetas with paprika mayo, and flame-roasted chicken with salsa chambota. With seatings running from 12pm to 2.30pm, you'll also get two hours of bottomless sparkling and rosé. With Casa Esquina led by the same bright-minded team behind two of Sydney's best Mexican restaurants – Tequila Mockingbird and Esteban – if you're saving a bottomless feast for a special occasion, now might be the best time to shoot your shot. The experience costs $99 per person, with a minimum of two guests required.
What do you get when you assemble 24 international artists who are famously unafraid of taking risks and pushing the envelope? The result looks something like Hot Blood — an unapologetically bold exhibition set to hit White Rabbit Gallery in March. Championing the raw and the dramatic, and reminding us that art's not always easy to digest, this contemporary artistic lineup promises not to pull any punches. The likes of Sydney-based emerging artist Cindy Yuen-Zhe Chen and Macau multimedia artist Peng Yun will be among those showcasing their penchant for the subversive, through works that completely smash concepts of gender, age and identity. Expect to dive right into the deep end with this one, exploring concepts ranging from sexual desire and bodily frailty to psychedelia and spiritual ecstasy. Check out our top five works to see at the exhibition. Top image: Electromagnetic Brainology (2017).
Still: motionless, placid, calm, unruffled. Still: a denudation of impossibly complex human relationships, where true desires and needs are explored to a depth beyond the quotidian and lives become overturned by the wild emotions that spring from deep romantic involvement. Independent theatre company Mad March Hare Theatre presents this play by Jane Bodie (This Year's Ashes) at the bohemian warehouse space of the Old 505 Theatre inside Hibernian House. In a series of eight monologues, a motif is made of the idea of wanting, and all the baggage that it carries: sexual tension, anxiety and sheer agony. From the personal humiliation of a failed sexual conquest to the painful state of denial that bumping into your ex-lover and his new partner in the supermarket causes, Still exposes the harsh truth and bloody mess of relationships with searing wit and empathy. This collaborative project is realised through the thinking hats of five established and versatile female directors working collectively on the gritty urban set: Lara Kerestes, Fiona Hallenan-Barker, Cathy Hunt, Scarlet McGlynn and Jessica Tuckwell. Still won its British, Sydney-based playwright the Green Room Award for Best Writing in 2002. Now Head of Playwriting at NIDA, Bodie claimed in 2003 she was a "hopeless romantic" — a debatable claim owing to her nettlesome storylines. Still may have you a little ruffled after all.
68 feature films from 19 different countries make up the program at this year's Jewish International Film Festival. Screening at select cinemas around Australia — and in Auckland, too! — the 27th annual edition of this celebrated festival will showcase films that explore every angle of Jewish history and identity through critically acclaimed dramas, side-splitting comedies, mind-blowing documentaries and more. JIFF 2016 will be bookended by a pair of films about one of the darkest moments in human history. Opening night film Denial stars Rachel Weisz as Professor Deborah Lipstadt, who in 1996 was sued for defamation by English holocaust denier David Irving (Timothy Spall). Closing night, meanwhile, will screen the provocative documentary The Last Laugh, featuring the likes of Sarah Silverman, Mel Brooks and Louis C.K. as they ponder how far comedy can go when tackling such a sensitive topic. Other standout titles include a new German adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank that premiered to critical acclaim at this year's Berlin Film Festival, as well as Jerry Lewis: The Man Behind the Clown, a documentary about the titular comedian's remarkable decades-long career. The Sydney leg of the festival will run from October 26 until November 23 at Event Cinemas Bondi Junction and the Hayden Orpheum in Cremorne. For the full JIFF 2016 program, go here.
If Malala Yousafzai's name sounds familiar, that's because she hasn't strayed far from the headlines in recent years. The Pakistani teenager turned best-selling author dared to speak out about life under Taliban rule, and to campaign for something they oppose: the education of women. In 2012, she was shot in the head aboard her school bus. However an assassination attempt didn't dampen her drive, and in 2014 she became the youngest-ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Filmed over an 18-month period and featuring interviews with Malala and her family, as well as a routine assembly of media clips, recreations and animation, He Named Me Malala tells her story. As even a brief run-through of her life and achievements indicate, hers is quite the tale. Malala hasn't just triumphed over adversity; she has refused to be terrorised into abandoning her ideals, and turned a traumatic experience into a platform for advocacy. Alas, in the hands of An Inconvenient Truth director Davis Guggenheim, an extraordinary person inspires a merely average film . His feature finds its power in its subject, whose status and strong beliefs always remain evident. Yet even though the movie tries to peer behind everything that has already been reported, attempting to get to know Malala as a person rather than a symbol, the portrait it paints stays in standard biographical doc territory. Accordingly, He Named Me Malala seesaws from the somewhat illuminating to the already known and oft repeated (even within the documentary itself). Much is made of her father's influence over her determined mindset and her love of learning — but while behind this impassioned crusader stands a parent who has nurtured and encouraged her, Malala is, of course, the real point of interest. She charms as much with her confident speeches to the United Nations as she does when she's explaining why she can't just go on a date. Those charms only grow over the film's 88 minutes — again, through her presence, energy and focus, rather than through Guggenheim's filmmaking skills. He recognises the need to keep her front and centre, yet his film also plays it safe, keeping its distance and never wavering from its adoring position. And as much as the documentary might aim to show the real Malala, the most candid it ever gets is in glimpsing her looking at pictures of attractive male sportsmen. As a result, as a fleshed-out account of a remarkable young woman, He Named Me Malala feels like it barely scratches the surface. As a functional portrait of a crucial campaign and its self-appointed spokeswoman, it fares better. Either way, one thing is certain: this won't be the last time Malala's accomplishments are memorialised and celebrated on film.
Somewhere between painting, sculpture and architecture is the work of Anish Kapoor. This is the first major Australian exhibition of the British artist, and it presents a wide, retrospective range of pieces preoccupied with the nature of visual perception in relation to physical space. The artist is a magician and Sky Mirror, on the MCA front lawn, is his best kind of magic. The convex curvature of the huge stainless steel circle creates an inverted image of the environment around it, bringing the sky down to the ground. As you walk around the mirror, it reflects a moving image of the clouds - almost a type of lo-fi, real-time video art. It’s nothing short of extraordinary, and dynamic in a way that public sculpture rarely is. The harbour setting adds another, new dimension to Sky Mirror, as the work forms a conversation with Sydney’s successful objects of scale: the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. By bending light, colour and form, Kapoor manipulates the air itself around his works. True proportions are hidden, visual perception is twisted, holes are created in space and, to quote Karl Marx, “all that is solid melts into air”. Some works, like the stainless steel S Curve, hold a Coney Island-like ability to distort the viewer’s body. There is something quite compelling about seeing yourself reflected in a work, and it is this reflection that animates the sculptures. Kapoor’s art needs an audience to be complete, so for all their industrial materials, they are strangely human works. Other works are auto-generated objects that appear to manifest without the artist’s involvement. The pigment and wax sculpture My Red Homeland is formed and reformed by a massive, motorised steel arm that rotates hourly. Its gigantic scale belies its vulnerability; the wax is in a constant state of gravitational collapse. Memory is just as awe-inspiring. Squeezed into the corners of the gallery space, it’s an oversized, bomb-like torpedo on the outside, and a boundless void of negative space on the inside. We are unable to see the object as a whole, and must roam around it, piecing together our memories of its planes and forms. The distinct, earthy smell of the steel and the illusory limitlessness of its interior makes Memory an oddly emotional and very beautiful experience. This is what sculpture is asking artists to do: create inclusive, inviting and intimate works that are not distinct from the viewer, and that solve the problem of scale. Beyond creating big objects, Anish Kapoor makes people in galleries play, engage and talk to each other — they are not spectators but participants. This is a staggering exhibition, by a major artist.
After the two lockdown-filled years Aussies have just lived through, we've all got a renewed appreciation for escapism. Not to mention, good old-fashioned fun. Thankfully, a unique reality-blurring dining concept kicking off this December offers both of these, promising to help you shake off the mundanity of all that time cooped up at home. The ever-imaginative minds at PlayStation have dreamed up the ultimate immersive food experience, fusing the virtual sphere with real life for PlayStation to Plate. Building on Aussies' renewed relationships with both food and gaming, they've joined forces with the chefs behind some of Sydney and Melbourne's best-known restaurants to bring to life virtual dishes from the PlayStation universe. Pixels have been swapped for plates and graphics replaced by garnishes, bringing new meaning to the idea of playing with your food. [caption id="attachment_835418" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Morgan Hipworth, of Bistro Morgan[/caption] Between hero dishes depicted on screen and the culinary-focused plots woven through various storylines, food has long been a big part of video game culture. And if you've ever wondered what those virtual food elements actually taste like, this is your chance. Blending food and gaming culture into one, and pushing the boundaries of play into new dimensions, this innovative dining concept promises to transport you beyond the screen. Running from Friday, December 3–Sunday, December 12, PlayStation to Plate sees three Aussie eateries each create a limited-edition menu item that reimagines an iconic video game dish IRL. The restaurants will be serving up their signature creations across all ten days of the pop-up, but you can also have any of the dishes dropped to your door courtesy of Deliveroo. [caption id="attachment_835428" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mary's[/caption] So who's involved in bringing this game-to-reality experience to life — and what dishes can you get your mitts on while PlayStation to Plate is in town? The burger-flipping legends at Mary's have leaned into their expertise of sandwiching tasty things between buns to deliver a real-life take on Ellie's Steak Sandwich. Players who've ventured into the post-apocalyptic world of The Last of Us Part II will recognise this hero dish from at the start of the game. Mary's founders Kenny Graham and Jake Smyth say the virtual venue that serves the sandwich spoke to them for its representation as a safe harbour in the game's storyline. Meanwhile, fellow Sydney restaurant The Italian Bowl has pulled its inspiration from critically acclaimed action-adventure title Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. The chefs here have recreated the Thief's Pasta, which main characters Nate and Elena are seen enjoying together on the couch after a long day. This one's a warm, nonna-approved nod to the way in which we all bond over the sharing of food. [caption id="attachment_835422" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Italian Bowl's Thief's Pasta[/caption] In Melbourne, young gun baker Morgan Hipworth is out to tempt your sweet tooth with his rendition of the Sirangian Honey Mousse. The colourful dessert stars in intergalactic adventure game Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, as one of Chef Tulio's signature creations. Hipworth will be slinging this layered sweet delight at his namesake bakery Bistro Morgan. Catch PlayStation to Plate from December 3–12, in Sydney and Melbourne. You'll find each dish featured on the menu at its respective venue, as well as being available for takeaway via Deliveroo. Update 2022: Valorant Mobile Release Date
Country music's ballsy blonde is now reading kid's books online and, in this time of uncertainty, it's pretty heartwarming. Through her charity Imagination Library, Dolly Parton is hosting a weekly bedtime story series: Goodnight with Dolly. So, if you've ever wanted Dolly to lull you to sleep, this is for you. Imagination Library is a book-gifting program for young children that runs in the US, Australia, the UK, Republic of Ireland and Canada. As of February this year, the charity has donated over 133 million books since its inception in 1990. Now, Goodnight with Dolly will see the 'Jolene' and '9 to 5' singer read books from the Imagination Library. Sure, it may be aimed at kids, but we're all in a bit of bedtime comfort right now. The ten-week series will feature books such as Watty Piper's classic The Little Engine that Could, Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama Red Pajama, Floyd Cooper's Max & The Tag-Along Moon and even Dolly's own titles Coat of Many Colors and I Am a Rainbow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ia-ozHDaLs&feature=youtu.be Goodnight with Dolly premieres at 10am AEDT (12pm NZDT) on Friday, April 3 and will take place at 10am AEST (12pm NZST) every week after for ten weeks. You can watch via YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
If you're looking for a weekend dose of laughter, take a trip up past the Coke sign to Kings Cross' new comedy club, which is opening on Friday, November 20 with a star-studded lineup. Located on the third level of the Kings Cross Hotel, the Kings Cross Comedy Club is the latest offering from the team behind Happy Endings Comedy Club. This new venue will be showcasing the best stand-up comedy Sydney has to offer every Friday and Saturday night from 8pm. Kicking things off will be the club's opening night comedy gala featuring the one-and-only Akmal as well as a slew of other local comedians including Steve Philp, Simon Kennedy, Julia Wilson, Lizzy Hoo and Stephanie Broadbridge. The venue will provide a new stage for talented local comedians to perform and a boost to Kings Cross, as the area slowly builds back its nightlife after the fallout from the lockout laws. Tickets for the opening night gala and following nights' shows are on sale now for just $30. [caption id="attachment_790225" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lizzy Hoo[/caption]
Vampires can be slain by staking them in the heart. Werewolves aren't fond of silver bullets. But Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's addition to the undead world can't and won't be killed — not that anyone would want that outcome. First, What We Do in the Shadows jumped from a short film to a hilarious feature-length comedy. Next, it not only inspired a US television remake, which has been renewed for a season season, but New Zealand television spinoff Wellington Paranormal. And in the latter's case, following an exceptionally amusing six-episode first season, it's returning to Australian screens for its 13-episode second season this month. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: trust a mockumentary about the undead to keep coming back in new guises. The Cops-style spinoff follows police officers Karen O'Leary and Mike Minogue, who WWDITS fans might remember came knocking at the vampire share house's door. With the help of Sergeant Maaka (Maaka Pohatu), the cop duo keep trying to keep the city safe from supernatural happenings — including not only bloodsuckers and lycanthropes, but ghosts, aliens and more. Wellington Paranormal's second season once again explores the spate of paranormal phenomena popping up in the city, with a whole heap of new spooky occurrences attracting O'Leary, Minogue and Maaka's attention. The season starts with sea monsters — and a very high-profile cameo from Clarke Gaylord, partner of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern — and stays in strange but funny and silly territory from there. In Australia, Wellington Paranormal's first batch of episodes screened on SBS Viceland and was available to stream on SBS On Demand, and that's the case again this year. Episodes will drop weekly on both the free-to-air channel and the online platform from Thursday, November 28. For those following What We Do in the Shadows' continued evolution, Wellington Paranormal's success shouldn't come as a surprise. When the show was first revealed, Waititi described it as "Mulder & Scully but in a country where nothing happens" on Twitter, after all. Wellington Paranormal's second season starts screening on SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand from Thursday, November 28.
Remember The Matrix Revolutions? It’s okay if you don’t. The final instalment of the Wachowskis’ groundbreaking trilogy possessed a litany of problems, chief among them being a Matrix film featuring little to no Matrix. It was like setting The Wizard of Oz entirely in Kansas, or Waterworld on land, or Policy Academy on a holiday in Miami (see: Police Academy 5: Assignment in Miami). In the same vein, the most disappointing aspect of Tomorrowland is that it spends the lion’s share of its 107 minutes in Todayland. Under Australian consumer protection law, you might call that ‘misleading and deceptive conduct’. Under film law, you’d just call it a giant shame. If the name ‘Tomorrowland’ sounds familiar, you’ve probably been to Disneyland. Like Pirates of the Caribbean, this is a movie based on a theme park attraction, and while that’s not quite the nadir of creative inception (Battleship surely holds that ignominy), it’s not much of an improvement either. Theoretically, the land of tomorrow is a creative utopia; an alternate universe where all the dreamers — be they artists, inventors, musicians or scientists — can actually change the world free from the negative influences of politics and greed. If it sounds good, it looks even better: a sort of shiny retro future not unlike the one envisaged by The Jetsons. The question, of course, is how do you get there? This forms the basis of much of the film. A young Frank Walker (George Clooney in his later years, Thomas Robinson as the child) attends the 1964 World’s Fair to pitch his homemade jet pack. The judge (a curmudgeonly Hugh Laurie) sends him packing, but his daughter Athena (newcomer Raffey Cassidy) takes a liking to Frank and sneaks him into Tomorrowland. The story then jumps to the present day, where an apparently ageless Athena has turned her attention to the rebellious yet unfailingly optimistic Casey Newton (Britt Robertson). Athena slips Casey a magical pin that grants her a vision of Tomorrowland, fleeting in its duration yet enticing enough to send her on a quest to get there. Standing in her way are some spectacularly unexplained automaton villains and the gruff older Frank, who’s been exiled from Tomorrowland. There’s a sense Tomorrowland needs Casey, but nobody's prepared to say how or why. On the production front, Tomorrowland boasts an impressive team: a Disney vehicle written by Damon Lindelof (Lost) and directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol). No surprise, then, that it looks spectacular and maintains a rollicking pace throughout, with the action sequences offering a terrific blend of thrills and imaginative visuals. The performances, too, are mostly strong, with two-thirds of the leading trio coming in the form of intelligent, capable and determined young women. What lets Tomorrowland down is the heavy-handed messaging, repeatedly ramming its ‘we’re harming the planet’ line down our throats without a trace of subtlety, save for the one amusing Laurie gem: “We have simultaneous epidemics of obesity and famine. How does THAT happen!?" Tomorrowland's other significant problem is the violence. The action sequences contain a surprising level of graphic savagery, including multiple beheadings, innocent bystanders frequently being vaporised and Casey at one point going full Pesci on an automaton with an old baseball bat. Coupled with the clumsy environmentalism, Tomorrowland finds itself too preachy for adults yet too confronting for children. All the ingredients are there for an excellent adventure, and it routinely offers moments of genuine brilliance, but the overall result is something less. The constant product placement, Disney branding and clear merchandising take their collective toll, crippling the Lindelof/Bird creative utopia with the very corporate influences it sought to denounce.
