Three Australian choreographers have joined forces on the Australian Ballet's newest Sydney show, Verve. Powered by explosive movement and intense emotion, it's a journey from light to darkness — from sublime calm to unbridled anger — accompanied by a soundtrack that swings from Tchaikovsky to German electronica. The first act is Constant Variants, the creation of fellow resident choreographer Stephen Baynes. This strikingly contrasting piece travels into a world of beauty and tranquility. Expect to be carried away by a neoclassical dance of extraordinary grace and poise, set to Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme, which features a breathtaking solo cello section. Next up is Aurum, a new work by Alice Topp, who debuted on the mainstage in 2016 with Little Atlas, and has choreographed for Megan Washington and Ben Folds. Aurum takes its inspiration from the Japanese art of kintsugi — repairing cracked pottery with precious metals — and encourages audiences to understand the beauty of imperfection. Filigree and Shadow, the work of resident choreographer Tim Harbour, rounds out the performance. Harbour carries the audience into a dark, uncertain world, driven by animal aggression. Think sudden moves, shadowy lighting, an architect-designed set and a score by German collective 48nord, who mix experimental and new music with post-pop and neo-rock. An all-Australian team is behind every aspect of Verve's set design and lighting. It includes resident lighting designer Jon Buswell (Constant Variants) and legendary lighting designer Benjamin Cisterne (Filigree and Shadow), as well as multi-award winning set and costume designer Michael Pearce (Constant Variants) and renowned architect Kelvin Ho (Filigree and Shadow). Verve will run from Friday, April 5 to Thursday, April 25 at the Sydney Opera House. To purchase tickets, head this way. The Australian Ballet is also hosting a one-time lunchtime performance of Alice Topp's Aurum on Wednesday, April 17 at 12.30pm. Images: Jeff Busby and David Kelly.
It's time for another food-focused celebratory day, with fried chicken in the spotlight. At its Macquarie store in Sydney, NeNe Chicken is naturally celebrating its main culinary attraction. Not only is it giving away freebies, however — it's also giving away gold-dusted poultry pieces. Head on down from midday on Saturday, July 6, and a free serving of Korean-style original-flavoured wingettes and drumettes will be waiting if you're one of the first 100 people through the door. If you like fried chook and free lunches, you'll want to be one of them. And honestly, who doesn't love both? By nabbing a serving, you'll also go in the draw to receive a free dish of pieces coasted in edible 23-karat gold. Yes, really. That said, you will need to hang around until 12.30pm to see if you're one of the five winners — and if your National Fried Chicken Day will be extra shiny.
If your pup's been trying to sad-eye his or her way into your Easter celebrations, but without much chocolatey success, here's a solution for you both. From midday on Saturday, April 13, Mad Paws, an Aussie pet-sitting network, is bringing its annual Dog Easter Egg Hunt back to Sydney. For two furry hours, your drooling, slobbering one will be the focus of all attention. More than that — it'll get to scour Glebe Foreshore Parks for dog-friendly Easter treats. The pupper who finds the most will also win prizes, so your cute pooch could enjoy a very indulgent day indeed. While the main attraction is part of a country-wide push to hold the world's biggest dog easter egg hunt (with simultaneous events happening in Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra and Darwin), there'll also be games, dog trainers offering advice and plenty of four-legged cuties everywhere you look. Last year's festivities featured agility courses, best-dressed comps, pupcakes and massages — here's hoping they all make it back this year.
Pints of freshly brewed beer and some of Sydney's best Mexican fare will join forces this weekend in Marrickville. Rosa Cienfuegos, a tamaleria and Mexican deli in Dulwich hill, is packing up its tasty tacos and tamales and bringing them over to Sauce Brewing Co for four days. And the best part? It's open every damn day. Peckish after you knock off work (early, maybe) on Thursday? Head on over to Mitchell Street. Need an icy cold pint of IPA on Good Friday afternoon? Sauce has got you. Wake up with a hangover only tacos and a hair of the dog can fix on Sunday? Rosa's food will be thy saviour. You get the idea. Every. Day. While it's not yet been announced what exactly will be on the menu, you can expect Rosa's Oaxaca-style hot tamales — packed with mole and pineapple pork, perhaps — and tacos topped with the likes of slow-cooked brisket, lamb barbacoa and spicy cactus salad. To drink, Sauce will be serving up its usual fresh brews, which include the Pazy Hale (a hazy pale ale) and a tart and refreshing passionfruit berliner weisse. If you're looking for more beers and tacos this long weekend, Rosa will also be popping up at Young Henrys and Grifter. You can check out all the details here. Rosa Cienfuegos at Sauce will be open from 4–10pm on Thursday, 12–10pm on Friday and Saturday, and 12–8pm on Sunday and Monday. Images: Rosa Cienfuegos by Trent van der Jagt.
Keen to escape the festivities in a cinema over the Easter long weekend, but your wallet doesn't want to play ball? Call Dendy Cinemas' latest special a case of great timing, then. For the five days between Thursday, April 18 to Monday, April 22, the chain offering up discount tickets that'll solve your problem — whether you purchase online or at the box office, you'll only pay $10 for your movie of choice at Newtown and Opera Quays. Or movies. With everything from Shazam! and Captain Marvel to Us and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part currently screening, too — plus The Aftermath, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, Hellboy, The Curse of the Weeping Woman and more — there's plenty to watch if you're keen to spend as much time in a darkened room as possible. The special isn't available for special events, Dendy Arts sessions or preview screenings, but you're certain to find something to watch regardless. And if you're buying online, there's a $1.50 booking fee, too.
Why drink at one watering hole, when you can head to two, three, six or more? That's always been the motivation behind everyone's favourite boozy journey, aka a pub crawl. And, it's the exact same type of thinking behind the Urban Wine Walk. Taking another wander around Sydney, it's the bar-hopping excuse every vino lover needs — if you need an excuse, that is. From midday until 4.30pm on Saturday, February 9, you'll saunter around Surry Hills and Darlinghurst — and between the likes of This Must Be The Place, The Dolphin Hotel, Black Bottle, Mister Pocket, Della Hyde and more — sampling wines and having a mighty fine time. As for the tipples, they'll be taken care of by New South Wales' Slow Wine Co, South Australia's La Prova, Western Australia's Mr Barval and others. Tickets cost $64 and places are limited. This moving cellar door will not only serve up wine tastings, but also your own tasting glass — plus a voucher for another beverage, and a guide to help you plan your mosey between bars.
Godhood's a hard thing to come by in any profession. But over the course of roughly half a century, Stephen Sondheim, the composer and lyricist responsible for penning all of the songs your musical theatre friends refuse to stop singing in public places (including those from Into the Woods, West Side Story and Sweeney Todd), has toddled on up the road to full-blown deity status. With a pool room that contains virtually every award, Sondheim is most revered for managing to bottle the unique sound and style of New York in the late-20th century. In February, however, City Recital Hall is looking to focus on his stratospheric achievements as a gay artist. Originally presented as part of Brisbane Powerhouse's Melt 2017: Festival of Queer Arts and Culture, Boys of Sondheim is a five-man cabaret that takes some of Sondheim's greatest hits and explores them in the context of same-sex relationships. Featuring a herd of showstoppers from Assassins, Follies, Gypsy and Company, Boys of Sondheim is a celebration of both the work and the gentleman who produced it. Godhood may be difficult to improve upon, but be sure to book if you want to see what the master looks like from a slightly different angle. Boys of Sondheim is a 2019 Mardi Gras Festival Premier Event and will be presented on Friday, February 22 at City Recital Hall. Tickets start from $40 for under 30s and can be purchased here.
If you want to learn something this Sydney Festival, head to the Sydney Observatory and soak in some stars while expanding your vocabulary. During the one-hour Bayala language class, Durag woman Aunty Jacinta Tobin and Gadigal man Joel Davison will be teaching participants one of Sydney's native Indigenous languages. Attendees will learn Indigenous names for locations around Sydney, a few anatomical terms, basic phrases and a short song. This is the third year the classes have run, and each time the convenors have been blown away by the response. In fact, there are a few additional three-day sessions for those who are returning and want to take things up a notch. The classes will run over two weekends — the first at Prince Alfred Square in Parramatta and the second at the Observatory. They're free, but if you're interested, book early — registration opens at 9am on November 30. You'd be surprised how many linguists will pose as amateur astronomers just to steal your seat.
Let's get right to it, if the idea of audience participation tickles your fancy — hello, extraverts — One Infinity is the show for you at Sydney Festival 2019. Together with musicians Genevieve Lacey and Wang Peng and composer Max de Wardener, Gideon Obarzanek, director, choreographer and founder of Chunky Move will create a singular work every night of the show's run as he explores Chinese music and contemporary movement in One Infinity. The guqin, which is kind of like a guitar-violin hybrid and the recorder — you remember that from school, right? — will form the musical basis for the piece, then audience members will be invited to join in. Whether it's for the sheer delight of losing yourself to dance or a sneaky attempt to pad out your resume as a SydFest performer, One Infinity is your chance to see a new work come together from where you kinda always wished to be — the stage. One Infinity is part of Sydney Festival's dramatic and diverse 2019 program. Check out the full lineup here.
Why drink at one watering hole, when you can head to two, three, six or more? That's always been the motivation behind everyone's favourite boozy journey, aka a pub crawl. And, it's the exact same type of thinking behind the Urban Wine Walk. Taking another wander around Sydney, it's the bar-hopping excuse every vino lover needs — if you need an excuse, that is. From midday until 4.30pm on Saturday, May 18 you'll saunter around Manly — and between the likes of Cured Manly, Manly Pavilion, Peanut Butter Jelly, The Nook, Havana Beach and more — sampling wines and having a mighty fine time. As for the tipples, they'll be taken care of by a range of local and national producers. Tickets cost $65 and places are limited. This moving cellar door will not only serve up more than 30 wine tastings, but also your own tasting glass — plus a voucher for another beverage, and a guide to help you plan your mosey between bars. Image: Manly Pavilion
There's something oh-so-relaxing about staring at the sea; however, despite Sydney's glorious sunshine most the of year around, we can't always all hang out on the beach. Or by the harbour, near rivers or in pools for that matter — but you can head to the Ocean Film Festival World Tour. On Wednesday, April 3, it'll unleash a cinematic feast of water-focused wonders onto the big screen. And, it'll do so in the Royal National Park. This night of movie magic is happening at the Audley Dance Hall, so you can sink into one type of nature while surrounded by another. Film-wise, viewers will spend time both above and below the ocean's surface thanks to a compilation of shorts from around the world. Expect to chase big waves, explore a range of sea life and get a hefty ocean rush, plus a heap of other sea adventures. The program is united by a love of the ocean, an appreciation of the creatures who dwell in its waters and a curiosity to explore the substance that comprises more than two-thirds of the earth. It's the next best thing to diving in, all without getting wet. Image: Travis Burke.
Already this year, Australia's won big on the pizza front, with Philadelphia's Pizzeria Beddia popping up at Bondi Beach Public Bar and New York icon Di Fara hosting a stint in the kitchen at Melbourne's Harley & Rose. But just in case that wasn't enough to sate your lust for international pizza royalty, another big-name USA favourite is set to hit our shores next week. Taking over Firedoor's acclaimed Surry Hills kitchen for a one-off Fire 'n' Slice pizza party on Sunday, December 9, is none other than Brooklyn institution Roberta's — a cult pizza destination that counts Beyonce, Jay Z and the Clintons among its many fans. Roberta's Owner and Head Chef Carlo Mirarchi will be joining forces with the Firedoor crew for an all-day, no-reservations food fiesta, bringing along his 'mother' dough starter and putting the kitchen's woodfired oven through its paces. A special menu of Neapolitan-style slices and grilled dishes will embrace the best of each venue, while the gelato experts at Messina will be dishing up an array of sweet treats for dessert. Amping up the party vibes, there'll be exclusive cocktails crafted on Belvedere, big beats across the afternoon, and limited-edition merchandise up for grabs, including a t-shirt designed by tattoo artist JED. Fire 'n' Slice is not taking reservations. Doors open at 1pm and close when the dough runs out. Prepare to line up. Roberta's images: Eyal Yassky. Firedoor images: Nikki To.
The natural wine trend is bigger than ever, but getting into these rare drops can be a pricey endeavour. If you're looking for a bang-for-your-buck way to explore the world of funky wines, head to Annandale Cellars on Saturday, March 16 from 1–5pm. The family-owned bottle-o is hosting the Artisan Wine Fair, and it's offering up over 50 tastings of small-batch bottles for just $20 bucks. Like the bottle shop, the festival is all about independently-operated small producers. They'll be slinging the whole range of those natural styles that seem to be everywhere nowadays. Expect plenty of organic, skin contact, orange, pét-nat, wild, minimal intervention and bio-dynamic wines up for grabs. Both Australian and international winemakers are on the docket, and many of the producers will be on hand for a chat. These include Adelaide Hills' BK Wines and Leko, Tasmania's Two Tonne, Hunter Valley's Thomas Wines and Margaret River's Dormilona. Hailing from Europe, there's cider from Switzerland's Ciderie du Vulcain and raw wines from France's Fond Cypres, whose secluded vineyard is set in the Escales region. There's also quite a few drops from France's Jura wine region — which is known for its out-there varieties — including Domaines des Marnes Blanches, Tony Bornard and Michel Gahier. And this is to name just a very few. Apart from all the tastings, your incredibly well-priced ticket also includes a complimentary Riedel tasting glass to take home and access to an all-day grazing table provided by The Grazing Co — think charcuterie, cheese, olives and pickles to snack on while you sip. The event will take place under the marquees just outside the cellars, so be there rain or shine.
When it comes to space, there's never a bad night to peer at the heavens; however this July might just be a better time than most. Unless you've been trapped under a lunar rock, you'll know that this month marks 50 years since the Apollo 11 mission landed on the moon, heralding humanity's first small steps and giant leaps on the Earth's only natural satellite. To celebrate — and to just get Sydneysiders staring at the sky anyway — Australian Geographic is hosting stargazing nights at various stores. When you're done with the 9–5 grind on Thursday, July 11, just head to Westfield Warringah Mall, Penrith or Miranda, or Rouse Hill Town Centre, and prepare to look up. Prefer to mosey along Thursday, July 18? Then Hurstville has you sorted. Some stores require bookings. Otherwise, simply make your way to your closest spot, take a gander through a few telescopes, chat to experts, and learn more about everything from space photography to star guides. Times and locations vary at each shopping centre — you'll be staring up from a site outside, obviously, including from the rooftop if you're going to Miranda.
Dust off your best flapper dress or pinstriped suit, because a monthly prohibition party is headed to Sydney shores. The Blind Barber is a speakeasy-style pop-up by the Beyond Cinema folk — who also brought The Greatest Showman circus soirée to a secret Sydney location, an extravagant Great Gatsby party to a mansion in northern Sydney, the Mad Hatter's tea party to the Botanic Gardens and recreated Titanic on Sydney Harbour. Now, the group will throw its first non-film-inspired party, and it'll go down every month starting on Friday, November 1. There will be casino tables to gamble at, bootleg cocktails to sip on and dancing all night long — with live bands playing jazz and throwback 1920s hits. And you can expect to bump into some of the period's most notorious characters, gangsters and crooks while you're at it. As with all Beyond Cinema events, lavish dress-ups are a must — for this one, think flapper dresses, bob hairdos, feather boas, pinstriped suits and suspenders. While the party's exact location will be kept under wraps (as usual), we do know that it'll be near North Sydney in an underground space, with plenty of secret rooms and tunnels to explore. Entry is $30 per person, or you can nab a spot at a three-course feast at secret underground chamber for $100. The November edition of the Blind Barber will be the first in a monthly series of these secret parties.
Autumn might be mushroom season, but we bet you've never seen fungi quite like the ones that have just sprouted at Cockle Bay Wharf. The towering three-to-six metre tall 'shrooms are glowing in all colours of the rainbow. The 12 LED structures are the work of Aussie light sculpture artists Amigo & Amigo — a crew with a penchant for infusing public spaces with their playful, colourful creations. The monstrous mushies are gracing Darling Harbour as part of this year's Vivid festivities, and while you can't eat them, you will find a special menu of glowing cocktails to enjoy while you're there exploring. There are ten limited-edition drinks to choose from, each clocking in at $12 and served in a keepsake LED martini glass. Try Blackbird Cafe's peach, raspberry and elderflower Blue Heart Bliss, the triple-rum Smoked Zombie from Hunter & Barrel, or maybe Pontoon Bar's Star Wars-inspired take on the Sex On The Beach, the R2D2. The mushrooms light up from 6pm each night and the majority of bars are open from 11am–11pm. To check individual opening times, head to the Cockle Bay Wharf website.
With winter starting to set in, you'll probably be searching for ways to ward off the chills on a night out. Well, how does eating and drinking your way through four courses of gourmet eats and top-notch whisky sound? That's what Glenmorangie had in mind for its collaboration with Kingsleys Woolloomooloo. The special set menu, Grain to Glass, will take you on a culinary journey — with a harbourside view to boot. The special menu, which kicked off on May 18 (International Whisky Day) and will run until the end of June, begins with the mellow original Glenmorangie whisky served with tonic. You'll then make your way through four dishes — each paired with a signature Glenmorangie drop. Every course represents a stage of the whisky making process, from malt — think 12-year-old Quinta Ruben alongside Sydney Rock oysters with Ovaltine sauce — to distillation, with caramelised brioche, date ice cream and hazelnut brittle with the world's first whisky made from a unique 'chocolate' barley malt. The Grain to Glass menu costs $130 per person. To make a reservation, visit the website. Images: Jasper Avenue.
A Christmas-themed bar is setting up shop in The Rocks this month when the Christmas in July Village rolls into town. Here, you'll be able to sip boozy hot chocolates, karaoke to Christmas classics and dance to electro takes on carols from Thursday, July 11 through Sunday, July 14. The hot chocolate cocktails will include the Mont Blanc (white chocolate spiked with vodka and topped with whipped cream and candy) and the Gingerbread (milk chocolate and Grand Marnier topped with cream and gingerbread crumble). Mulled wine will also be up for grabs (of course). Every night from 6–8pm, 'Santa' will be on the decks spinning electronic takes on Christmas tunes. And, from 8–10pm, the bar will turn into a karaoke den, with all of your favourite Christmas carols to choose from. The pop-up bar will be located on Atherden Street — right next to the Christmas in July Village, so you can head over to eat freshly roasted chestnuts and heart-warming snacks when you're done. Santa's House pop-up bar will be open from Thursday–Saturday 11am–11pm and Sunday 11am–9pm.
Once a year, Alliance Française brings the best of French cinema to Sydney — the latest and greatest, the flicks that won't make it to our shores otherwise, and a smattering of classic fare as well. If you're particularly keen on the latter, it also runs a second festival, too, which is completely devoted to stellar movies from years gone by. Returning for its fourth year, the 2018 Alliance Française Classic Film Festival will hone its focus on the inimitable Jeanne Moreau. A shining light of French cinema since the 1950s, she starred in such as Louis Malle's Elevator to the Gallows, Luis Buñuel's Diary of a Chambermaid and Joseph Losey's Eva — and the iconic Jules and Jim by Francois Truffaut. With Moreau sadly passing away in 2017 at the age of 89, the festival will showcase six of her best features across its four-day Sydney program, with French New Wave highlight Moderato Cantabile also on the lineup, alongside The Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea from her work in the 90s. The fest hits Palace Norton Street and the Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace at Cremorne between Thursday, September 6 and Sunday, September 9.
When the end of October rolls around, the Hayden Orpheum will be asking quite the iconic question: do you like scary movies? And, if you don't, don't worry. They'll also be pondering another query: if frightening flicks aren't for you, do you like like horror-themed comedies? From the sinister and unnerving to the amusing and quirky, the northside cinema's Halloween lineup has everyone covered, even those that aren't fond of jumps and bumps. Across three days in the lead up to the spookiest time of year, they'll be unleashing an anarchic zombie sequel, an unsettling 60s classic and an amusing 80s great as part of their Halloween Special. Army of Darkness gets things started with a chainsaw and some comedy on October 26, for those keen on some Evil Dead fun 25 years after this third instalment's initial release. Then October 28 sees Rosemary's Baby hit the big screen again, fifty years after it first premiered. Finally, rounding it al out on All Hallow's Eve itself is the zany antics of Beetlejuice in a 30th anniversary session. Hitting up all three nights is a nostalgic movie buff's idea of Halloween heaven.
Thanks to the advent of the mighty Internet, talented people all over the planet are turning their gifts into jobs. But, even if you're the cleverest cookie the world's ever seen, you'll struggle to succeed without a decent dose of business nous. These days, that means understanding a bunch of new and rapidly evolving mechanisms — from coding and design to UX (user experience) and content marketing. That's why Samsung has put together Days of Note, a month-long series of free (yes, completely free) workshops dedicated to you. All in all, you can benefit from more than 130 hours of instruction from experts and industry leaders, without paying a cent. In partnership with General Assembly, the initiative is organised in three stages. Week one covers beginnings, with sessions like Success in the Digital Age and Design Thinking 101. In week two, you'll kick into gear with workshops that take you from Problem to Prototype and show you How to Win at UX. Come week three, you'll be ready to dive into selling your idea with a Content Marketing Workshop and an Introduction to Coding. Along with the free workshops, there's also a free event series. On Thursday, September 20, get tips to boost your mobile productivity from the likes of Fingerprint for Success CEO Michelle Duval and Dropbox Head of Sales APAC Dean Swan. A week later, prepare to scale and grow your business, thanks to advice from The Iconic co-founder Adam Jacobs and Finder.com co-founder Fred Schebesta, among others. Online registration is essential for all workshops and events — head here to sign up.
Sydney's famous late-night venue Cheers Bar is the perfect spot for sports of every kind. Along with huge daily discounts on food and drink, Cheers offers an upstairs mezzanine area with loads of pool tables, high tables and lounge seating. It all makes for a killer bookable venue for functions and events. Cheers Bar has gone through many interpretations over its storied history. Originally a single-level bistro in the basement of the Westminster House Building, the Harvey family purchased the upper two levels (then an amusement parlour) to create the current venue. In 1997 with the Sydney Olympics on the horizon, its identity as a premier sports bar was cemented – providing the impetus for Cheers to live up to its motto: "Where Good Sports Meet". The sports venue remembers its bistro days with its versatile menu featuring modern Australian classics alongside Asian fusion dishes. Think pan-seared salmon with Asian greens, nasi goreng, pizzas and, pork bangers and mash. Keep an eye out for the daily specials. Never a day goes by without some sports on the schedule. From international leagues to local sports matches, there's always action on the massive screens throughout the venue.
There's no need to try to understand it: John Farnham's 1986 anthem 'You're the Voice' is an instant barnstormer of a tune. An earworm then, now and for eternity, it was the Australian song of the 80s. With its layered beats, swelling force and rousing emotion, all recorded in a garage studio, it's as much of a delight when it's soundtracking comedy films like the Andy Samberg-starring Hot Rod and the Steve Coogan-led Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa as it is echoing out of every Aussie pub's jukebox. Making a noise and making it clear, 'You're the Voice' is also one of the reasons that Farnham's 1986 album Whispering Jack remains the best-selling homegrown release ever nearing four decades since it first dropped. But, as John Farnham: Finding the Voice tells, this iconic match of track and talent — this career-catapulting hit for a singer who'd initially tasted fame as a teen pop idol two decades prior — almost didn't happen. Whispering Jack also almost didn't come to fruition at all, a revelation so immense that imagining Australia without that album is like entering Back to the Future Part II's alternative 80s. Writer/director Poppy Stockwell (Scrum, Nepal Quake: Terror on Everest) and her co-scribe Paul Clarke (a co-creator of Spicks and Specks) know this, smartly dedicating a significant portion of Finding the Voice to that record and its first single. The titbits and behind-the-scenes anecdotes flow, giving context to a song almost every Aussie alive since it arrived knows in their bones. Gaynor Wheatley, the wife of Farnham's late best friend and manager Glenn, talks about how they mortgaged their house to fund the release when no label would touch the former 'Sadie (The Cleaning Lady)' crooner. Chris Thompson, the English-born, New Zealand-raised Manfred Mann's Earth Band musician who co-penned 'You're the Voice', chats about initially declining Farnham's request to turn the tune into a single after the latter fell for it via a demo. A whole documentary about 'You're the Voice' might've been indulgent even for the biggest Farnham fans — a short doco about its role in the aforementioned Hot Rod needs to be made ASAP, however — but that's not Finding the Voice from start to finish. Stockwell and Clarke take the birth-to-now approach, although they're really building towards Farnham finding that smash, and exploring why it was such a jolt of lightning for the musician's life and legacy. With editors Scott Gray (Mortal Kombat) and Steven Robinson (The Endangered Generation?) stitching together a wealth of archival material, the journey begins in earnest with the plumber's apprentice with the impressive pipes, the novelty track he was never all that fond of, and the immediate success and screaming girls that followed. Pop music history is littered with teenage sensations who didn't enjoy more than one hit song or two, which might've been Farnham's fate; through several pivots and comeback attempts, it did indeed appear his destiny. Finding the Voice doesn't take the pressure down, or avoid the lows before the highs: the singles that charted but couldn't shake the 'Sadie' vibes, the mismanagement before Wheatley, the RSL gigs with bandmates who couldn't play, the lack of interest in the UK and the frequent rejection at home. It doesn't avoid the frustrations before 'You're the Voice' and Whispering Jack gave Farnham more than a touch of music stardom paradise, either, or the yearning to be something other than 'The Cleaning Lady' guy. The film weaves in the then-Johnny's time doing stage musicals, including 1971's Charlie Girl, which started his romance with dancer and his now wife-of-five-decades Jill. It steps through his Little River Band era, and the passion and statement of intent resonating in their Farnham-sparked tune 'Playing to Win'. In addition to its ode to its namesake, Finding the Voice was always going to double as a trip through Aussie rock history as well as a homage to former The Masters Apprentices bassist Glenn Wheatley, who died in 2022 due to COVID-19 complications ‚ and it's a balancing act that's handled expertly. Many a music biodoc has mined untold treasures from bygone footage and the shared memories that go with them, a format that Finding the Voice doesn't challenge. The unearthed clips also survey a glorious range of hairstyles — the famous golden flowing 80s mullet is merely one, the five-time TV Week King of Pop era gifting others — while context comes via family, friends, colleagues and admirers offering their thoughts and recollections. After Glenn's passing, Gaynor proves a key source, also illuminating her role in both Farnham and her husband's careers. Jill Farnham and sons Robert and James assist with fleshing out the man behind the mane and music, with Farnham's children noting how sheltered they were from his tough times. And singing his praises? Jimmy Barnes and Daryl Braithwaite, neither voicing any envy — yes, this is briefly a Farnsy-and-Barnsey flick — plus everyone from Celine Dion and Robbie Williams to Richard Marx and Olivia Newton-John. The one that Farnham always wanted professionally — and wanted to emulate the Grease star's overseas triumphs — Newton-John joins Finding the Voice's chorus via voiceover only. Given her death in 2022 as well, the documentary is also a tribute her way without stealing the spotlight from its main figure. With Farnham's own recent health battles with cancer and a respiratory infection well-documented, he too is only heard recently and seen via materials from across his career. That might've left a gaping hole at the movie's middle, but Stockwell ensures that it never feels like a lost opportunity. Cannily, not pointing the camera the 'Age of Reason', 'Two Strong Hearts', 'Chain Reaction' and 'Burn for You' singer's way helps the filmmaker be judicious with her talking-head interviews, and find freedom beyond merely making a hagiography or a glossily authorised bio. It also reinforces two core contrasts: that great music is eternal, but even superstars are only flesh and blood; and that the tunes that last seem like easy hits, but so often spring from a lifetime of hard work. Accompanying the blast-from-the-past visuals, the adoring-but-never-fawning discussions and the exhaustive then-till-now chronicle is the expected stacked roster of Farnsy hits. Finding the Voice was never going to sit in silence, and nor has anyone who has ever heard 'You're the Voice'. Among its astute choices, the film also veers into concert footage — and seeing the power ballad performed by a leather pants-clad, sleeveless tank-wearing, unmistakably sweaty Farnham in pre-unification West Germany, one of the two countries beyond Australia where it reached number one on the charts (the other: Sweden), is a pure seeing-is-feeling moment. How long can we appreciate this Aussie icon? Always, as long as we're all someone's daughters and sons, as the triumphant and insightful Finding the Voice understands.
Put on your dancing shoes — it's time to tear up the floor. The Abercrombie is hosting a huge celebration for the trendsetters, trend chasers, music buffs, and simply for those who like to party. As part of Vivid Sydney, the renowned venue and the perpetually fresh record label NLV Records are teaming up to bring you a proper all-nighter. From 9pm til 5am on Saturday June 10, the Abercrombie will be pumping with back-to-back sets by NLV Records' artists, from recent signees to ones who know and love the stage. Founded by producer and DJ Nina Las Vegas, the aim of the exciting event is to promote the voices of marginalised voices, providing them with a platform to succeed. As one of the homesteads of hyperpop, the record label has been recognised as a trailblazing imprint since its initiation onto the scene in 2015 with a focus on diversity and inclusivity of artists. This year, the scope of genres and tunes is widening with Afrobeats, dancehall and forward-thinking rap all making an appearance. The stacked lineup will feature the likes of Anna Lunoe, FOURA, Big Skeez, Kota Banks and the event founder and curator herself: Nina Las Vegas. The full program of artists is yet to be announced so stay tuned. Stay up to date with any extra details or grab your tickets from the event's page.
Making his latest body-horror spectacle an eat-the-rich sci-fi satire as well, Brandon Cronenberg couldn't have given Infinity Pool a better title. Teardowns of the wealthy and entitled now seem to flow on forever, glistening endlessly against the film and television horizon; however, the characters in this particularly savage addition to the genre might wish they were in The White Lotus or Succession instead. In those two hits, having more money than sense doesn't mean witnessing your own bloody execution but still living to tell the tale. It doesn't see anyone caught up in cloning at its most vicious and macabre, either. And, it doesn't involve dipping into a purgatory that sports the Antiviral and Possessor filmmaker's penchant for futuristic corporeal terrors, as clearly influenced by his father David Cronenberg (see: Crimes of the Future, Videodrome and The Fly), while also creating a surreal hellscape that'd do Twin Peaks great David Lynch, Climax's Gaspar Noe and The Neon Demon's Nicolas Winding Refn proud. Succession veteran Alexander Skarsgård plunges into Infinity Pool's torments playing another member of the one percent, this time solely by marriage. "Where are we?", author James Foster asks his wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman, Dopesick) while surveying the gleaming surfaces, palatial villas and scenic beaches on the fictional island nation of Li Tolqa — a question that keeps silently pulsating throughout the movie, and also comes tinged with the reality that James once knew a life far more routine than this cashed-up extravagance. Cronenberg lets his query linger from the get-go, with help from returning Possessor cinematographer Karim Hussain. Within minutes, the feature visually inverts its stroll through its lavish setting, the camera circling and lurching. As rafters spin into view, then tumble into the pristine sky, no one in this film's frames is in Kansas anymore. The couple's temporary home away from home boasts luxury extending as far as the eye can see, but affluent holidaymakers are fenced in by barbed wire and armed guards from the surrounding country. They're deep-pocketed westerners in an exclusive resort haven in an otherwise poor, religious and conservative country, and local protesters aren't afraid to interrupt their paid-for idyll. Still, James and Em are vacationing to hopefully cure his six-year stint of writer's block, after he's struggled to back up his debut novel The Variable Sheath — and that text, which was published thanks to Em's media-tycoon father, struggled to make a literary impact at all. Amid their languid stay, and as Em can barely tell if James is awake or asleep, neither are expecting fellow guest Gabi (Mia Goth, Pearl) to gush praise; "I loved your book," the outgoing stranger and actor tells him, then invites them to dinner with her husband Alban (Jalil Lespert, Beasts), then for an illicit drive and picnic beyond the gates the following day. An unsettling sensation hangs in the air as Gabi pushes her new pals to share her company, relishes being the centre of attention and steals an explicit moment with James on their forbidden jaunt. Writing as well as directing, Cronenberg mists uncertainty and menace in the air earlier, when the hotel hosts a festival celebrating the upcoming monsoon season — an event where masks resembling melted faces are a key costume choice. There's feeling unconvinced about another traveller, hesitant about diving into uncharted waters and anxious about breaking the rules in a foreign land, though, and then there's the ordeal that soon springs from a tragic accident, arrest, death sentence and wild get-out-of-jail-free situation. In Li Tolqa's criminal justice system, the well-to-do can pay to have doubles created to face their punishments. The two caveats: these doppelgängers will have the same memories and their originals must watch their grisly end. "Where are we?" isn't the only line of enquiry splashing through Infinity Pool; "what would you do?", "what will people resort to for self-preservation?", "how cheap is someone else's life?", "why does death frighten us?" and "what happens when there's truly no consequences for anything?" rain down just as heavily. So does the obvious: in this scenario, how does anyone ever know if they're the OG version of themselves or the copy? Em is shaken and can't wait to leave, but the smirk that spreads slowly across James' face while he's witnessing his likeness' demise betrays his intrigue. The movie itself is curious, too — and it, like its audience, knows that humanity's worst impulses are about to pour out. Indeed, in kaleidoscopic and hypnotic sequences overflowing with sex, drugs and violence, as body parts intermingle and bodily fluids flow freely, and while unthinkable cruelty becomes a tourism experience for those who can afford it, the younger Cronenberg showers his film in a sometimes-psychedelic, often-gruesome onslaught of can't-look-away chaos. In pictures both brilliant and brutal — and literally filled with pictures earning the same description — the uncompromising Cronenberg keeps bleakly cosying up to futility. When famous flesh is not just the pinnacle of a society but consumed ravenously and incessantly, as seen in Antiviral, how can existence be meaningful? When bodies are hijacked to do someone else's bidding, as Possessor explored, that same query is inescapable. And when the powerful and privileged treat living and dying as a game dictated by their wallets, what about humanity matters? Getting terrifying with the blood and guts of being alive is clearly in Cronenberg's genes, but his specific mutation also repeatedly ponders existing as a meat market. He isn't subtle about his off-screen parallels, but he doesn't need to be; his ideas and imagery have proven visceral, piercing and haunting not once, not twice, but three glorious times now, including in this dread- and tension-dripping feature that brings a twisted mix of The Prestige, The Forgiven, Dual, Triangle of Sadness, Battle Royal and The Purge to mind. Skarsgård is no newcomer to on-screen mayhem, with 2022's The Northman instantly cementing itself as one of his best-ever performance and films. He's equally magnetic as an initially unwitting participant in Infinity Pool's feast of carnal and primal desires, and more than one iteration of James at that; surrendering with bewilderment to hedonistic madness suits him, as does playing awkward, unsure and tentative alongside that. Fresh from such stunning work in X and Pearl, and with that slasher trilogy's third effort MaXXXine on the way, Goth's casting is just as crucial. If Gabi wasn't as mysterious and seductive as she is ominous — so, if she wasn't an alluring but sinister femme fatale — the whole movie would threaten to wash away. And, if she couldn't flip from enticing to merciless so suddenly and seamlessly, Infinity Pool wouldn't be the entrancing nightmare about soulless sound, fury, sex, bodies, life and death signifying nothing that it so deeply and intoxicatingly is.
Sydney film buffs, you're in for a treat with the launch of the first-ever Inner West Film Fest. Held across multiple days from Marrickville to Newtown, Enmore to Leichhardt, film lovers will be spoiled for choice with this cinematic reflection of the Inner West community. The three-day festival lineup is jam-packed with documentaries, award-winning Australian films, international film premieres, a movie poster exhibition and much more. One of the many highlights is the 35mm retro screening of the Aussie gem Erskineville Kings at Dendy Newtown. Shot on location in Erskineville, Newtown and surrounds, it features of one the first silver screen performances of national treasure Hugh Jackman. The opener? A free outdoor screening of the Australian film Sweet As at the Marrickville Golf Club. This flick tells the story of Murra (Shantae Barnes-Cowan), a 16-year-old Indigenous girl, as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Palace Norton Street will play host to a short film competition and showcase, where many of the films have been created by Inner West residents and shot in the area — promising a reflection of the vibrant community. Love a talent contest or fancy yourself the director of the next film classic? Submit your film pitch for a chance to be a part of the "Australian Idol for filmmakers" — hosted by Australian production company Breathless Films. You could even walk away with a two-month residency at the Newtown studio. Grab your popcorn and choc top and celebrate the artistry of Aussie film at the inaugural Inner West Film Fest. Inner West Film Fest hits various locations from Friday, March 31 until Sunday, April 2. For more information, head to the website.
If you're a fan of art that gives back, this is the event for you. Barnardos Australia — an organisation dedicated to brightening the futures of Aussie kids — is hosting a fundraising art show in Darlinghurst, and all of its proceeds will be donated to safety and prevention programs for children. Taking place at the National Art School's Cell Block Theatre from 6–10pm on Thursday, May 16, the mixed-media event is set to feature never-before-seen artworks from up-and-coming local artists and established creatives, with a lineup that includes Liz Payne, Sindy Sinn, Kitiya Palaskas, Mikael Lindeberg and Gemma O'Brien. [caption id="attachment_953139" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fearless, oil on canvas, Nat Anderson.[/caption] The theme of the show is 'Fearlessly Optimistic', in relation to the work that Barnardos does to contribute to the future happiness of Australian children, and how we are all able to make an impact for the better. Expect to find sculptures, photography, painted canvas and prints among the pieces on display at the fundraiser, as well as performances by musical group Zaki Duo and a live artwork by artist Claudia Akole, which will be completed throughout the event. Tickets are priced at $50, which will include entry, canapes, beverages and live entertainment, and are available at the website. As for the artwork itself, if you're looking to purchase any of the exclusive pieces appearing at the art show, they'll be auctioned online. Bidding will open on Thursday, May 9 and will close at 10pm on Thursday, May 16. [caption id="attachment_953140" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Stars, Liz Payne.[/caption]
If you're a devourer of books and words, you can look forward to feasting on a hefty lineup of talks, workshops, panels and other literature-loving events when the Emerging Writers' Festival returns for 2023. While the days of all-digital instalments are behind us, the fest won't just be hosting a jam-packed program of IRL sessions — handily, especially for folks outside of Melbourne, a stack of them will also be accessible online. Running from Wednesday, June 14–Saturday, June 24, this year's edition has events for all varieties of lit-lover and writing enthusiast. Opening night features a session on truth telling by Naarm's Sofii Belling-Harding, Yaraan Bundle, Lay Maloney, Patrick Mercer and Elijah Money; the return of the National Writers' Conference will deliver a day of panels, workshops and pitching sessions; Voiceworks will celebrate its latest issue; and a dinner at Willows and Wine will get you sharing erotica prose and poetry. For fans of all things spooky, Scream Scenes will tell eerie tales with matching cinema projections at Thornbury Picture House. Sports writing, spoken word, writing TV, intergenerational stories, radical memoirs, the intersection of hip hop and literature: they all get their time to shine, too. You can also up your own writing skills with an array of masterclasses and workshops — and, for the online crowd, learn about digital ecologies, the ethics of drawing from real life, pitching, researching fiction, genre fiction and more.
The annual Sydney Whisky Fair is back pouring exclusive drams from September 8–9 2023 at the historic Australian Hall in Sydney's CBD. Hosted by independent purveyors of your favourite natural wines, whiskies and craft beers, The Oak Barrel, it's a chance for whisky enthusiasts to meet head distillers, whisky experts and spirit savants from Australia and abroad. The Oak Barrel, founded in 1956, was one of the first bottle shops in Australia to embrace premium whiskies. Today it focuses on top-notch tasting events, premium and rare whisk(e)y and wines as well as craft beers. Conceived in 2010, its Sydney Whisky Fair has grown in both popularity and size. This is its biggest year yet with over 30 exhibitors showcasing more than 200 whiskies from Australia, Scotland and around the world. Expect a focus on small batch, single cask and rare expressions — including whiskies that will only be available at the fair, specially procured from distilleries across the world. Not content to just pour epic drams, the Whisky Fair will also offer tastings of rums, armagnac, gin and absinthe. In addition to the tastings, there will also be masterclasses and seminars from the whisky experts themselves. Plus, attendees will also be able to purchase bottles at the event at discounted prices at a pop-up shop. There will also be an Old & Rare Whisky Bar pouring legendary whiskies at break-even prices. There will be plenty of tasty grub to go along with the whiskies with Smok'n Blues catering the fair. Every ticket includes a burger — choose between the brisket burger (16-hour chopped smoked brisket glazed in garlic butter served with grilled onions, pickles and herb mayo in a milk bun) or the smoked mushroom burger (button mushrooms smoked and glazed in barbecue sauce with crispy kale and slaw served in a milk bun). So if you love a dram and are keen to experience the spirits world — without having to pay the airfare to hop over to Scotland for a taste — get yourself a ticket before they sell out. Discover the wonders of whisky at Oak Barrel's Sydney Whisky Fair 2023 from September 8–9 2023 at the Australian Hall. With over 200 whiskies on pour, there's something for everyone. Purchase your ticket on the website.
If you're getting a tad sick of the winter chill in the air — then you're in luck, as the Museum of Contemporary Art is cranking up the heat in the form of Hustle Harder — a new choreographic piece by Berlin-based Australian artist Adam Linder. Running until Sunday, August 20, Hustle Harder explores how people prepare for the camera in a museum space, using art and architecture as their backdrop. Linder's choreography brings attention to a societal trend of constant image creation through a movement style he calls "virtuosic angling." The performance setup is influenced by the museum itself, with movable partitions resembling the museum's features. This setup shows how everything in the museum, from lighting to signs, affects how visitors behave. The performance runs all day with different dancers and contributors, highlighting how the exhibition's style merges with the interactive and collaborative aspects of live performance. Imagine dancers gracefully navigating through crowds and mirrors as they interact with invisible narratives, attempting to capture the essence of living in the modern world where we are not just observers, but content producers — by virtue of the magic rectangle we all carry with us. Expect a dazzling symphony of motion and technology, where bodies become conduits of storytelling. Linder's choreography takes full advantage of the space afforded at MCA. Unlike a theatre's fixed vantage point, here, viewers are active participants in crafting their experience. Every moment creates a unique tapestry, blending intricate dance with the ebb, flow, and unpredictability of an unmoored audience as Linder turns the museum itself into a canvas. In an age where images are all around us, Hustle Harder delves into how we interact with them, and in turn, modify our own behaviour. Hustle Harder is perfect for all who are interested in exploring the connection between art, technology and personal experience. Performances will run from 10am–5pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays; 1–8pm Fridays and 10am–5pm across the weekend. Images: MCA, supplied.
Handheld camerawork can be a gimmick. It can be distracting, too. When imagery seems restless for no particular reason other than making the audience restless, it drags down entire films. But at its best, roving, jittery and jumpy frames provide one of the clearest windows there is into the souls that inhabit the silver screen in 90-minute blocks or so, and also prove a wonderful way of conveying how they feel in the world. That's how Compartment No. 6's cinematography plays, and it couldn't be a more crucial move; this is a deeply thoughtful movie about two people who are genuinely restless themselves, after all. Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen (The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki) wants what all of the most perceptive filmmakers do — to ensure his viewers feel like they know his characters as well as they know themselves — and in his latest cinematic delight, he knows how to get it. How Kuosmanen evokes that sense of intimacy and understanding visually is just one of Compartment No. 6's highlights, but it's worthy of a train full of praise. With the helmer's returning director of photography Jani-Petteri Passi behind the lens, the film gets close to Finnish student Laura (Seidi Haarla, Force of Habit) and Russian miner Ljoha (Yuriy Borisov, The Red Ghost). It peers intently but unobtrusively their way, like an attentive lifelong friend. It jostles gently with the locomotive that the movie's central pair meets on, and where they spend the bulk of their time together. It ebbs and flows like it's breathing with them. It rarely ventures far from their faces in such cramped, stark, 90s-era Russian surroundings, lingering with them, carefully observing them, and genuinely spying how they react and cope in big and small moments alike. Pivotally — and at every moment as well — it truly sees its key duo. With their almost-matching names, Laura and Ljoha meet on a train ride charting the lengthy expanse from Moscow to Murmansk. She's taking the journey to see the Kanozero petroglyphs, ancient rock drawings that date back the 2nd and 3rd millennium BC, and were only discovered in 1997; he's heading up for work. Laura is also meant to be travelling with Irina (Dinara Drukarova, The Bureau), her Russian girlfriend, but the latter opted out suddenly after an intellectual-filled house party where mocking the former for her accent — and claiming she's just a lodger — threw a pall of awkwardness over their relationship. Making the jaunt solo is still sitting uneasily with Laura, though. Calls along the way, answered with busy indifference, don't help. And neither does finding herself sharing compartment number six, obviously, with the tough- and rough-around-the edges Ljoha. It's been 71 years now since Alfred Hitchcock gave cinema the noir thriller Strangers on a Train. It's been 27 years since Richard Linklater also had two unacquainted folks meeting while riding the rails in Before Sunrise, which started a terrific romance trilogy starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Accordingly, the idea behind Compartment No. 6 is instantly familiar. Here, two strangers meet on a train, a connection sparks and drama ensues. Kuosmanen, who nabbed an award at Cannes for The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki and then earned the 2021 competition Grand Prix, which comes second only to the prestigious Palme d'Or, for this, is clearly working with a well-used setup. But even though this isn't a movie that's big on surprises, it's still a stellar film. It's also a reminder that a feature that's personal and raw, also attuned to all the tiny details of life in its performances, mood and style, and firmly character-driven, can make even the most recognisable narrative feel new. Laura and Ljoha are a chalk-and-cheese pair. He gets drunk almost instantly; is crude and rude to his unimpressed fellow compartment dweller from the get-go; and his hunched, agitated, me-against-the-world posture seethes with boorish anger. But the duo are also virtually trapped in close confines — wandering the train's corridors and using its bathrooms are hardly escapes, even for a few minutes, on a trip that takes several days. They're both lost, lonely and yearning, too, in their own fashions but also in a more similar manner than they each initially expect. So, they rub each other the wrong way at first, then settle into chilly animosity, then begin to thaw. Schnapps plays a part, as does the dining car. Pitstops along the way, stolen possessions and language trickery do as well. Needing love and companionship, even just fleetingly, has the biggest influence. Kuosmanen cowrote Compartment No. 6's screenplay with Andris Feldmanis and Livia Ulman, co-scribes themselves on Estonian TV show Kättemaksukontor — and adapts Rosa Liksom's novel of the same name. In the process, the director and his collaborators move the story by around a decade from the end of the USSR to the end of Boris Yeltsin's time in power. That means that Laura and Ljoha follow in Before Sunrise's Celine and Jesse's footsteps by mere years on-screen (Titanic gets a mention, helping anchor the movie in time), but they're always roaming and locomoting through their own film. Compartment No. 6 is that lived in, that astutely drawn and that naturalistically played, as aided immensely by its meticulous production design. Just as the handheld camera places viewers in the characters' headspace with precision, the immaculate like-you're-there touches that fill every frame are equally as immersive. It's easy to see Hollywood wanting to hop on Compartment No. 6's tracks, riding its way to an English-language remake. If that happens — probably more like when — good luck to whoever's behind it in repeating such casting perfection. All of the expertly and expressively deployed cinematography in the world, or even just across a 35-hour-plus trip to the top of Russia, can't bond an audience to fictional characters if they don't already feel so real that you could be them; the latter springs from extraordinary performances, of course, which Kuosmanen guides out of Haarla and Borisov. In their time together, Laura and Ljoha shift, ruminate and open up, including to themselves. That's a delicate journey, as relatable as it is, and also immensely complex to portray with emotional resonance, honesty and nuance. Compartment No. 6's untethered imagery sees that. It revels in it. That's what two strangers on a train enjoying an unexpected bond en route do with each other's company, eventually — and, again, this unconventional love story has everyone watching share the same sensation.
After a sell-out season in 2014, Lachlan Philpott's shimmering odyssey M.Rock returns for a strictly limited 2022 season at the Australian Theatre for Young People. The harbourside venue welcomes Valerie Bader as the titular Mabel Mudge — AKA M.Rock (a character inspired by the true story of Mamy Rock, DJ Ruth Flowers). After her impulsive granddaughter Tracey (Milena Barraclough Nesic) embarks on a soul-searching Euro-trip and fails to return home as planned, the settled suburban granny adventures out to find her. Through Philpott's uplifting script and Fraser Corfield's fast-paced direction, the warm and heartfelt production examines intergenerational bias, the beauty and importance of new experiences (no matter your age) and the danger of a grass-is-always-greener mentality. Don't consider yourself thespian? Don't write M.Rock off (read: deny yourself a joy-inducing, thought-provoking, inspiring night out). The hard-hitting production delivers charismatic Berlin-based DJs, a set that'll transport you across the seas and live music courtesy of Sydney-based DJ Venus Guy Trap. Which, along with brilliant performances from the ensemble of three (who play over 20 characters), makes for an exceptional culture trip — and the start of a lifelong love of the theatre if you're new to the scene. 'M.Rock' is showing at The Rebel Theatre until Wednesday, July 20. Head to the website to secure your tickets. Images: Tracey Schramm
If you want to expand your knowledge of local wines in the most efficient way, Surry Hills bistro Porteño is here to help with a huge winter wine fair taking over the venue on Sunday, July 10. For just $52, guests will have the opportunity to taste their way through 50 different wines from around Australia. The Porteño team has pulled together a range of Australian winemakers who will be supplying top-quality drops for you to taste on Sunday — with makers, suppliers and industry professionals in attendance to walk you through what you're tasting each step of the way. The fair will kick off at midday and run until 4.30pm. Each attendee will be gifted a Riedel glass to use as you explore the vinos on offer and to take home at the end of the day. Also included in your ticket is the opportunity to taste all 50 wines. You can try as many or as little as you want, depending on how big a finish to your weekend you're plotting. [caption id="attachment_700879" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Porteño's Christmas Market[/caption]
Call this 'The One with Familiar But Still Exciting News': Friends! The Musical Parody is bringing its comedic, song-filled take on a certain 90s sitcom to Sydney in 2022. Yes, this announcement has been made before, and more than once. The show has even opened its umbrellas in some parts of the country already. But we all know how the past two years have turned out — so the fact that the production is doing the rounds again should still make your day, week, month and even this year. This time around, Friends! The Musical Parody will be there for audiences at Riverside Theatres in Parramatta from Friday, June 10–Saturday, June 18. So, get ready to spend time with the show's versions of Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey and Phoebe — hanging out at their beloved Central Perk, of course, and sitting on an orange couch, no doubt. The musical starts with caffeinated catch-ups, but then a runaway bride shakes up the gang's day. From there, you'll get to giggle through a loving, laugh-filled lampoon that both makes good-natured fun of and celebrates the iconic sitcom. Yes, no one told you that being obsessed with the Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer-starring show about six New Yorkers would turn out this way — with on-stage skits and gags, recreations of some of the series' best-known moments, and songs with titles such as 'How you Doin?' and 'We'll Always Be There For You'. And no, no one told us that being a Friends aficionado would continue to serve up so many chances to indulge our fandom 17 years after it finished airing, either.
Five Sydneysiders are in for a treat each Wednesday this month, with Hendrick's Gin's new Cucumber Concierge hotline helping juniper enthusiasts craft a cucumber-garnished gin and tonic at home. On each Wednesday in March between 4–5pm, gin lovers in one Sydney area can call the hotline — 1800 HG CUKE — for their shot at Hendrick's latest giveaway. The first five callers will speak with Hendrick's Chief Cucumber Officer (yes, that's a thing) and receive a free crate of cucumbers and Henrick's Gin delivered to their location. Hendrick's Gin hopes that their first ever end-of-summer Gin O'Clock promotion will help Sydney residents craft their own gin and tonics at home complete with a garnish of fresh cucumber, which they say is imperative to sipping Hendrick's Gin. The program began on Wednesday, March 9, and will continue on March 16 for Sydneysiders from Milsons Point to Oxford Falls, Dee Why and Manly. Gin O'Clock will then move to the northwest suburbs (from Ryde to Davidson and Hunters Hill) on March 23, and finally end with areas within Pyrmont, over to Earlwood, North Strathfield and Balmain, on March 30.
Summer is here and despite the wetter than usual weather, there are still plenty of sunny afternoons primed for soaking up some rays with a refreshing beverage in hand. All of the above combines at the latest iteration of Opera Bar's Rose All Day Festival, returning after a few years off and running until March 6. Throughout the now-extended festival, the harbourside bar with an incredible view of the Bridge will be thinking and drinking pink. Expect frosé, spritzes, pét-nat, cocktails and rosé still and sparkling, with varieties from Provence's AIX, Mojo, Days & Daze, Bandini and Nick Spencer all on offer. Opera Bar's seafood and pizza-focused menu will be on offer to pair with your pink fizzy beverages, and live music will be popping up across the ten days. Tickets cost $30, and include three pink drinks for you to claim at any point. After that, you'll have to purchase your drinks as you go.
What's more believable — and plot twists follow: a pre-teen playing a 33-year-old woman pretending to be a nine-year-old orphan, with a hormone disorder explaining the character's eerily youthful appearance; or an adult playing a 31-year-old woman pretending to be a lost child returned at age nine, again with that medical condition making everyone else oblivious? For viewers of 2009's Orphan and its 13-years-later follow-up Orphan: First Kill, which is a prequel, neither are particularly credible to witness. But the first film delivered its age trickery as an off-kilter final-act reveal, as paired with a phenomenal performance by then 12-year-old Isabelle Fuhrman in the pivotal role. Audiences bought the big shift — or remembered it, at least — because Fuhrman was so creepy and so committed to the bit, and because it suited the OTT horror-thriller. This time, that wild revelation is old news, but that doesn't stop Orphan: First Kill from leaning on the same two key pillars: an out-there turn of events and fervent portrayals. Fuhrman (The Novice) returns as Esther, the Estonian adult who posed as a parentless Russian girl in the initial feature. In Orphan: First Kill, she's introduced as Leena Klammer, the most dangerous resident at the Saarne Institute mental hospital. The prequel's first sighted kill comes early, as a means of escape. The second follows swiftly, because the film needs to get its central figure to the US. Fans of the previous picture will recall that Esther already had a troubled history when she was adopted and started wreaking the movie's main havoc, involving the family that brought her to America — and her time with that brood, aka wealthy Connecticut-based artist Allen Albright (Rossif Sutherland, Possessor), his gala-hosting wife Tricia (Julia Stiles, Hustlers) and their teen son Gunnar (Matthew Finlan, My Fake Boyfriend), is this flick's focus. Like their counterparts in Orphan, the Albrights have suffered a loss and are struggling to move on. When Leena poses as their missing daughter Esther, Allen especially seems like his old self again. As also happened in Orphan, however, the pigtail- and ribbon-wearing new addition to their home doesn't settle in smoothly. Orphan: First Kill repeats the original movie's greatest hits, including the arty doting dad, the wary brother, taunts labelling Esther a freak and a thorny relationship with her mum. Also covered: suspicious external parties, bathroom tantrums, swearing to get attention and spying on her parents having sex. And yes, anyone who has seen Orphan knows how this all turns out, and that it leads to the above again in Orphan, too. Thankfully, that's only part of Orphan: First Kill's narrative. Twists can be curious narrative tools; sometimes they're inspired, sometimes they're a crutch propping up a flimsy screenplay, and sometimes they seesaw between both. Orphan: First Kill tumbles gleefully into the latter category, thanks to a revelation midway that's patently ridiculous — although no more ridiculous than Orphan earning a follow-up in the first place — and also among the best things about the movie. It's a big risk, making a film that's initially so laughably formulaic that it just seems lazy, then letting a sudden switch completely change the game, the tone and the audience's perception of what's transpired so far. That proved a charm for the thoroughly unrelated Malignant in 2021, and it's a gamble that filmmaker William Brent Bell (The Boy and Brahms: The Boy II) and screenwriter David Coggeshall (Scream: The TV Series) take. Working with a story by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) and Alex Mace (who earned the same credit on the original), it's one of their savviest choices. Another crucial decision that would've shattered the film had it gone the other way: getting Fuhrman back. Given she's now definitely an adult, it's downright preposterous to buy her as passing for nine, Lizzie Borden dresses and all — but with the jig already up for viewers before this flick even begins, that visible discrepancy adds another sinister layer to everything Esther gets up to. Yes, Bell and cinematographer Karim Hussain (Firestarter) are toying with everyone watching just like their evil protagonist does, not only with the Albrights but with unconvinced Detective Donnan (Hiro Kanagawa, Pachinko) and doubtful Dr Segar (Samantha Walkes, Murdoch Mysteries) as well. Fuhrman makes you want to go along with the gambit; she's again a force to be reckoned with as the malevolent, manipulative miniature psychopath, playing her part with equal parts steely determination and calm-faced derangement, and with the help of camera angles and practical effects to keep up the act. Bell knows that Orphan's twist is now as familiar as those in The Sixth Sense, The Planet of the Apes and Soylent Green. He also knows that Orphan is more famous for how it ends than being a genre standout otherwise, which it isn't. And, he knows that viewers are aware that Fuhrman is now an adult portraying an adult impersonating a child, rather than a child portraying a woman professing to be a kid. That also works emotionally for Orphan: First Kill, laying the groundwork for its own change of direction. In Orphan, Esther always resembles a brattish girl, even when she drops her disguise, and sympathising with her adoptive mother's anguish comes easily. Here, she's clearly an adult, and wondering why her ruse seems to work so smoothly also comes with the territory. Orphan didn't just boast one big performance, of course, and neither does Orphan: First Kill. More Julia Stiles in all things is always welcome, including when she's dealing with demonic tykes as she also did in The Omen remake. The twist she's saddled with here is inescapably silly, but Stiles has a glorious amount of fun with it — and helps answer the question that hangs over the film's first half (that'd be "why is Julia Stiles in this?"). She isn't quite enough to justify Orphan: First Kill's existence, and nor is Fuhrman repeating her first big success, the new surprise development that the whole picture hinges on, all the callbacks or the whole origin-story vibe. The world didn't really need to know why Esther likes blacklight paintings or where she first got her ribbons, which adds zero depth to the franchise. Attempting to evoke empathy for the murder-happy figure doesn't strike the chord it's meant to, either. But that revelation is still worth discovering, and Fuhrman and Stiles' performances are still worth watching, in a movie that knows it's a lurid and needless second effort — and happily leans in.
It's hard to pick which is more horrifying in Happening: the graphic scenes where 23-year-old literature student Anne Duchesne (Anamaria Vartolomei, How to Be a Good Wife) takes the only steps she can to try to regain control of her life, or the times she's repeatedly told by others, typically men, to accept a fate that only ever awaits her gender. Both hit like a punch, by design. Both are wrenching, heart and gut alike, and neither are surprising for a second. Also leaving a mark: that few care that Anne's future is now threatened in this 2021 Venice Film Festival Golden Lion-winner, because that's simply a consequence of having sex for women in France in 1963, the movie's setting. There's another truth that lingers over this adaptation of author Annie Ernaux's 2001 memoir of the same name, which uses her own experiences at the same age, time and in the same situation: that in parts of the world where pro-life perspectives are entrenched in law or regaining prominence, Happening's scenario isn't a relic of the past. Late in the movie, Anne describes her circumstances as "that illness that turns French women into housewives". It's a blunt turn of phrase, but it's accurate. It also speaks to how writer/director Audrey Diwan (Losing It) and co-scribe Marcia Romano (Bye Bye Morons) approach the film with the clearest of eyes, declining to indulge the idea that forcing unwanted motherhood upon young women is a gift or simply a duty, and likewise refusing to flinch from showing the reality when the personal freedom to choose is stripped away. This is a feature made with the fullest of hearts, too, compassion evident in every boxed-in Academy ratio frame that rarely leaves Anne's face. It spies the appalling options before her, and sees the society that's okay with stealing her choices. And, it stares deeply at both the pain and determination that've understandably taken up residence in Anne's gaze. The second of Ernaux's works to hit screens of late after the also candid and moving Simple Passion, Happening begins with hope, with Anne and her Angoulême college dormmates Hélène (Luàna Bajrami, The Hill Where Lionesses Roar) and Brigitte (Louise Orry-Diquéro, Occidental) getting ready for a dance. They're filled with the excitement that comes with believing anything could happen — there's fun to be had, men to meet and lives to be changed — but, once there, it's obvious that these kinds of nights always follow the same pattern. Their university's resident mean girls glare on in judgement when Anne even talks to a guy, but she doesn't let that stop her. She isn't one to weather their bullying, gossip and slut-shaming, including once she discovers she's expecting three weeks after a casual fling. The only thing that terrifies the ambitious and bright working-class student: losing the ability to live the life that she's been working towards. The alternative is highly illegal, so much so that securing help from medical professionals, friends and family is overwhelmingly difficult. Delivering the surprising pregnancy news, Anne's family doctor (Fabrizio Rongione, Azor) is sympathetic to the stark scenario facing his patient, knowing the stigma that'll come her way for being an unwed single mother, and that her dreams of teaching will be derailed. Still, given that prison is the punishment for illicit terminations, he shuts down any notion of lending a hand. Even chatting about abortion hypothetically with Hélène and Brigitte before they know she's with child earns the same dismissive response. The baby's father (Julien Frison, Lover for a Day), a visiting student, just wants the situation handled, and asking a flirtatious classmate (Kacey Mottet Klein, Farewell to the Night) for assistance just ends with him hitting on Anne; she's already pregnant so he figures she'll be up for it and there'll be no consequences. Diwan's film is patient and precise as it marks the passing time with text on-screen, each successive week making Anne's situation more precarious and her hopes of avoiding parenthood less likely. It's a straightforward touch, but such overt tracking helps achieve Happening's key aim: immersing viewers in Anne's distressing emotional, physical and psychological rollercoaster ride. She knows what she wants, and what she definitely doesn't. As weeks flit by, though, and every potential avenue for support either crumbles or deepens her struggle, the ordeal takes its toll. Anne persists, searching for acquaintances of friends of friends who can guide her in the right direction in whispers, and Happening is committed to depicting the loneliness, hurt and despair that follows. Whether involving injections, knitting needles, secret procedures and stifled anguished cries, or just the grim tenor of her words and posture, the result is harrowing and unsettling. Vartolomei's on-screen credits date back more than a decade, but this is a career-catapulting performance — and film-defining. She's saddled with a mammoth task, with cinematographer Laurent Tangy (OSS 117: From Africa with Love) rarely peering elsewhere, and she ensures that every feeling coursing through Anne's veins reverberates through the lens. Vartolomei is furious, agitated and panicked all at once. She's resolute and resourceful as well, and also frightened and exhausted. Her inner state gets its own echo in the mood-setting score by Evgueni and Sacha Galperine, who also made 2021 TV miniseries Scenes From a Marriage sting with tension, but she'd leave the same heartbreaking impression if Happening didn't feature a note of music. And while her portrayal is all her own, it's as instinctual as the last exceptional performance in the last phenomenal award-winning drama about abortion, aka Sidney Flanigan's in 2020's Never Rarely Sometimes Always. It doesn't escape attention that Diwan almost plays it coy with period details; if you didn't know going in that Happening is set in the 60s, it isn't quick to point it out. The fashion nods that way — in having Anne frequently seen in the same dusty red top, the film also uses costuming to convey her modest background and urgent focus on much more important things than clothing — and there's a clear lack of phones, of course. Expressing that this type of tale still rings true today is another of the movie's objectives, however, and it's as compelling a move as Diwan makes. Happening is haunting and shattering, immaculately crafted, unwavering in its honesty, and as confronting as it needs to be, and it wields all of the above with passion and purpose. And yes, picking what's more horrendous — Anne's many physical traumas, or the contempt that women are held in for having uteruses, liking sex and seeking agency over their futures — is impossible.
When Australia's last Blockbuster store closed its doors back in 2019, it marked the end of an era — especially if you spent your childhood and teenage years trawling through racks of VHS tapes, renting as big a stack as you could carry, then gluing your eyes to the TV every weekend. Every Aussie city also has its own stories about losing beloved independent video shops and, if you're still a fan of physical media in the streaming era, you might even have a few ex-rental bargains from closed-down stores sitting on your shelves at home. It's these fond feelings for a part of life that's now gone that live cinema performance Coil aims to tap into, all while paying tribute to all the long-lost spots that once celebrated and nurtured cinephilia. Video stores were more than just places to rent tapes — they were havens of filmic discovery, sources of inspiration and thriving local communities — and that's all baked into this production. Coil made its world premiere at this year's Mona Foma, then hit up PACT in Erskineville in February — and now it's playing the Sydney Opera House. Head along from Wednesday, June 8–Saturday, June 11 to see the latest work from re:group, a collective of artists based between Hobart, Wollongong and Sydney, with Coil staging its show in a set that recreates a 90s-era video shop. The focus: telling a tale of nostalgia, loneliness, friendship and viability that pays homage to those gone-but-not-forgotten spaces and celebrates the communities forged within them. It's a performance designed to ponder questions — including what we've lost now that we browse online sites for flicks instead of physically walking the aisles. And if you're wondering how a live cinema performance with a one-person cast works, Coil takes place live on stage before its audience, but deploys video design that lets its lone performer play every character in cinematic scenes. You'll be watching all of that happen, with the show combining verbatim interview material with real-time filmmaking — all to make the kind of performance that you definitely won't see on streaming. Images: Rosie Hastie.
From a feminism-inspired ceramic car to a parcel made of pottery, The Powerhouse Museum's Clay Dynasty will show you all you need to know about Australia's recent ceramic history. Featuring over 400 objects by 160 different artists, the Powerhouse Museum's Clay Dynasty exhibition is a comprehensive look at the museum's extensive ceramics collection. The first major exhibition to celebrate the evolution of Australian studio ceramics, the exhibit features contemporary pieces, as well as works from more than 50 years of pottery history. This exhibition includes 70 new works of Australian pottery, including for the first time ever a collection of pottery made by Indigenous makers in the late 1960s at the Bagot pottery in Darwin. There are no bookings required and the exhibit is free to explore. Clay Dynasty sits alongside other Powerhouse offerings like Eucalyptusdom, which creatively examines Australia's relationship and history with Eucalyptus, and the museum's Electric Keys exhibit showcasing their 22-instrument strong keyboard collection. Clay Dynasty is running at the Powerhouse for the entirety of 2022, with the pottery being packed away on January 29, 2023.
Cinephiles of Sydney, choose your soundtrack: at the 11th Antenna Documentary Film Festival, are you going to get Australian punk tunes stuck in your head or Italo disco? Docos about both are on the bill, as part of a wide-ranging lineup that spans 52 titles, all showcasing the possibilities of factual filmmaking. Antenna has already held a festival in 2022, its tenth back in February; however, usually it's an October affair. Because the past couple of years have thrown that schedule out of balance with lockdowns, restrictions and the like, the event is doubling up to get back on schedule. Yes, homegrown doco Age of Rage: The Australian Punk Revolution, plus the Aussie premiere of Italo Disco: the Sparkling Sound of the 80s, are among the highlights. There's no shortage of viewing options between Friday, October 14–Sunday, October 23 — or places to get the fest experience, with Antenna popping up at Dendy Newtown, Palace Chauvel, Palace Verona, MCA Australia, Powerhouse Museum, the Ritz in Randwick and Event Cinemas Parramatta. The fest is also bringing back its day-long industry chat about the medium, which'll cover topics such as streaming's impact upon feature-length documentaries and the use of deep-fake technology. The overall theme, as it is in every iteration of the fest: that there's really nothing quite like a true story, whether it's a wild, chaotic, so-strange-it-can-only-be-true kind of tale or an informative, eye-opening yarn. For this festival run, Antenna is making that plain with titles such as opening night's Retrograde, which hails from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land, City of Ghosts) and captures the situation on the ground in Afghanistan as American troops pull out. Or, there's Fairytale by Russian Ark filmmaker Alexander Sokurov, which uses deepfake archival footage to imagines a reunion in purgatory between Hitler, Stalin, Churchill and Mussolini. Other standouts include Chilean effort My Imaginary Country, which looks at the Santiago uprising of 2019; Outside, about Roma, who became the poster boy of the Ukrainian revolution as a 13 year old; McEnroe, with the tennis player himself stepping through his career; and 107 Mothers, which tells the tales of 107 incarcerated women. Or, there's Senses of Cinema, about film movements challenging the mainstream in Australia's history; Riotsville USA, focusing on the fictional town built by the US military back in the 60s to use a training ground; Last Stop Before Chocolate Mountain, which surveys California's Bombay Beach; and How to Save a Dead Friend, about teens in Russia. Plus, The Hole heads into the Bifurto Abyss in Southern Italy, which was once considered the deepest cave on Earth, and Blue Island explores Hong Kong after its 2020 national security law. And, likely not for the squeamish, De Humani Corporis Fabrica sees filmmakers Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Verena Paravel (Caniba, Leviathan) use microscopic cameras, X-rays, ultrasounds and endoscopic images to take a deep look inside the human body.
If you're a fan of basketball, talented Aussies shooting hoops and one of the biggest local names in the game in the 21st century, then this one's a slam dunk: Patty Mills is coming home to chat about his career. The Brooklyn Nets point guard returns to Australia for the first time since helping score the Boomers their first-ever Olympic medal — and shooting 42 points himself in the crucial bronze-winning match — to tour the nation throughout September. Keen to hear the man himself discuss his success, life, learnings and everything in-between in the flesh? The four-time Olympian will be taking to the stage in Sydney, at ARA Darling Quarter Theatre on Sunday, September 11, for an in-conversation session. If you know some budding basketballers who are eager to follow in the Indigenous Aussie's footsteps, he's also hosting basketball camps while he's back Down Under — but for players aged between 12–17. At the onstage component of Mills' tour, the star player will speak from the heart about his journey — which has taken the Kokatha, Naghiralgal, Duaureb-Meriam man from growing up in Canberra to rising through the basketball ranks, and also becoming Australia's first Indigenous Olympics flag bearer. "It's been a huge couple of years and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to go back to my roots to deliver an immersive experience to be felt and enjoyed both on and off the court," said Mills. "It was also important that this tour allowed me to share parts of me that I've never been able to share before. Getting up close and personal with my own hopes, challenges and achievements has allowed me to embrace opportunity to the fullest and by sharing my own journey, I hope to inspire others out there, especially our youth, who are on their own path of self-discovery." Tickets go on sale on Thursday, September 8. Top image: Erik Drost via Flickr.
Fancy a trip to Japan without heading to Japan? Well, Sydneysiders, Maho Magic Bar has you covered. Part of the upcoming Sydney Festival — and courtesy of the creative folks at Broad Encounters — the Japanese-inspired bar and performance space is bringing its dazzling show to Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour from Friday, January 6, 2023 till Sunday, January 29, 2023. The best bit? The magic happens tableside, with mind-bending magicians — straight from Japan's magic bars — roving the room as you sip. What else can you expect? Well, it's a bar, performance space and show all in one. Bright lights set the mood, cherry blossoms hover above, and sake and shōchū lead the drinks menu (though there's beer, wine and booze-free options, too). Designed to replicate a night out in Shinjuku, your experience will be one of hedonistic wonder. [caption id="attachment_854729" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Nathanial Mason[/caption] The ace thing about the setup: whether you adore magic or don't think it's your thing, you'll still in for a ripper night. The atmosphere (and the drinks and those lights) are a massive part of the allure, though prepare to have your mind swayed by the roll call of stand-out magicians. Busting out illusions: the "princess of illusion" Kaori Kitazawa, daring close-up magician Sarito, the bearded Jonio, smooth operator Shirayuri and your host for the evening, Sho. If you're ready to immerse yourself in the magic of Japan (literally), you'd better be quick to grab your tickets. 'Maho Magic Bar' is on from Friday, January 6 till Sunday, January 29, 2023. For more information and to grab your tickets, head to the website. Top images: Kate Prendergast (first), Trentino Priori (second) and Nathanial Mason (last three).
With its sweeping Sydney views and good times vibes, Opera Bar remains a firm favourite among tourists and locals alike. And, now that the warm weather has (mostly) returned, the harbourside venue is giving you even more to love with the launch of In Bloom. Available till November 3, it's a new drinks menu dedicated to alcoholic soft serve and gin spritzes. Start off perusing the menu of five different Bombay Sapphire spritzes (all $18), served all day and late into the night. Varieties include the Summer Blush (cherry blossom and grapefruit), the Violet Fizz (white vermouth, violet and orange blossom) and the Tea Dreams (chai tea, hibiscus, ginger and lime). If you're feeling peckish, you can order something off the all-day bar menu, with snacks including Sydney rock oysters, tiger prawns, pizzas and fried chicken with jalapeño mayo. Dessert-wise, the new Bombay Sapphire-based frozen treats are the real drawcard. The gin soft serves are available in two flavours: tonic with lemon and cherry violet. They'll set you back $12 a pop and are the equivalent to about one standard drink. And, at sunset each day, live acts will take the stage to serenade you into the night. Opera Bay is open from Monday–Thursday, 10am–midnight; Friday, 10am–1am; Saturday, 9am–1am; and Sunday, 9am–midnight.
Everyone loves digging into a bowl of hearty, cheesy, carby pasta. And who doesn't like pizza? Not to mention gelato, particularly when Sydney starts warming up. That's why Fratelli Fresh is ringing in spring with a fresh — and extremely tasty — offering: Festa Italiana. So, you and your mates can kick back — with a spritz in hand — and tuck into an Italian feast. Available every Friday through Sunday, Festa Italiana is the perfect excuse to get the group together. For $79 per person, you'll be enjoying a three-course share-style menu. Better yet, the deal gets you two hours of espresso martinis, wine, beer and Aperol spritzes, too. Once you've worked your way through Fratelli's signature antipasti board loaded with tomato bruschetta, olives, buffalo mozzarella, focaccia and cured meats, you can tuck into a selection of classic pizzas and pasta dishes. Think the likes of margherita pizza, lamb ragu with penne, tagliatelle with Sicilian mussels and gnocchi served with pancetta, peas, spinach and creamy goats cheese. To top it off, you'll also get two scoops of house-made gelato, with flavours such as chocolate, raspberry, creamy vanilla and more on offer. If you're looking to get a bunch of mates together, then Fratelli Fresh is just the spot for your next big do. You'll be sipping and eating to your heart's content — without breaking into the piggy bank. Plus, with six locations across Sydney, you won't have to go out of your way to make your next reservation. Find your local here.
Sydneysiders, it's time to crack open your piggy bank, fumble for coins in your wallet and look for loose change under your couch. That's all you'll need to nab yourself a chicken schnitzel on Wednesday, October 30, with Rashays serving them up for $1. Available all day for one day only, the special includes a hand-crumbed schnitty, a serving of chips and plenty of mushroom sauce — a dish that's been on the Australian chain's menu since it opened 21 years ago. A few caveats apply, as tends to be the case with these kinds of deals. You can only order one schnitzel meal per person, they're only available for folks dining in, and you'll have to walk in and try your luck because the eatery won't be taking bookings. You can't order through a third-party app, such as UberEats, and the schnittys are only available while stocks last. To get your fix, you'll need to head to one of Rashays' 23 NSW stores, including ones in the western suburbs — such as Liverpool and Penrith — further north in Dee Why and Top Ryde, and one near the CBD in the Harbourside Shopping Centre. All proceeds from your schnitz fix will go to a good cause, too, with Rashays donating funds from the day to Miracle Babies — a foundation that helps premature and sick newborns, their families and the hospitals that look after them.
Halloween is just around the corner, and with it comes the perfect excuse to don a costume and have a spooky time. And, if you're looking for a night of downright scares, Luna Park has got you sorted. Once again, Halloscream has taken over Luna Park with five nights of frightening scares — and it's definitely not for the faint of heart. This year's theme, Hell on the Harbour, has new and returning attractions to get your heart racing. Make your way through the four mazes — escape from Aussie bandits in Outlaw or look for a missing girl in the mirror-filled Séance maze — explore the horror-filled Mystery Manor, and keep an eye out for the devil and his demons performing a Satanic Possession Ritual. Facing fears is sure to build up an appetite, so pick up some Halloween-themed eats and drinks for a well-deserved break. While the haunting kicked off last weekend, there's still time to get to Luna Park from Thursday, October 31–Saturday, November 2. Tickets for Halloscream come with unlimited rides, so prepare your vocal chords for a cracking night.
Wake in Fright and Mad Max 2 have a lot to answer for. While one remains a flat-out Australian masterpiece after almost half a century and the other belongs to our best dystopian action franchise, they've spawned more than their fair share of imitators. Many Aussie films have aped their visions of broken, isolated, male-dominated worlds. Quite a few have also used their shooting location, Broken Hill. It's easy to understand why: examining toxic masculinity's extremes is a juicy subject, and the outback town on the far-western edge of New South Wales' dusty expanse cuts a striking sight on the big screen. When layered one over the other, the seemingly endless array of scrubby nothingness that encircles the remote spot appears to pulsate with oppressive desolation. The third film in four years from director Heath Davis (after 2016's Broke and 2018's Book Week), grimy crime thriller Locusts is happy to trot out the above template once again. There's another thoroughly recognisable element at play as well, one that also pops up in Wake in Fright and other Aussie flicks like The Cars That Ate Paris and Welcome to Woop Woop: the outsider wandering across this desert landscape and discovering its hostility for himself. Here, that task falls to slick technology bigwig. Ryan Black (Ben Geurens), who returns to the drought-stricken ex-mining town of Serenity Crossing after the death of his estranged dad. Complete with a far-from-cosy reunion with his brother (Nathaniel Dean) and the old girlfriend-turned-single mum and stripper (Jessica McNamee) he long left behind, everything about this scenario ticks a heap of familiar boxes. Thugs, drugs, broken dreams, family secrets — throw in Cold Chisel on the pub radio (they sang about Broken Hill, aka the Silver City, in 'Khe Sanh'), and Locusts always plays out as expected. When a group of inhospitable locals make it clear that Ryan isn't welcome, but still demands he settle his father's debts, it seems as if first-time screenwriter Angus Watts is stamping squares on a generic movie bingo card. The more twists and turns that pop up, the more that this feels true, with Locusts' various plot developments wavering between convenient and flimsy. Flashes of a man yelling at a kid with a gun earn the same description, although they're clearly designed to ramp up the tension. And as for a hefty late revelation that tries to keep things topical, it feels tacked-on rather than meaningful. Why do films continually wade through such well-worn terrain? It makes for easy, B-movie-style genre fare and, in Australia, we sure do have the backdrop for it. In Locusts and Heath Davis' case, the movie also taps into a theme that the director keeps pondering across his career. While they're set in vastly different circumstances and brandish incredibly different tones, Broke and Book Week also follow men thrown out of their depth by the vagaries of life, then scrambling to recover. Locusts is his least convincing example to-date, however. That said, Geurens' somewhat dull lead performance aside, the film does overflow with suitably scruffy, stern, grizzled men (including Peter Phelps, Broke's Steve Le Marquand, Book Week's Alan Dukes and late actor Damian Hill in one of his final screen performances) who look and feel as rough and tough as all the dirt and bush that's constantly in sight. Filling the movie with sun-dappled shades of earthy reds, murky browns and parched yellows, cinematographer Chris Bland (another Broke and Book Week alum) not only has Locusts' best job, but does Locusts' best job. While Broken Hill doesn't look anywhere near as captivating in real life as it frequently does on the screen, it's hard to point a camera at its rusty vistas without finding a fittingly moody shot. So, Bland does this often. Once again, this fits the picture's contemplation of struggling men laid bare in forbidding surroundings, but the heavy emphasis on the landscape does stand out. For the film's characters, the town's post-apocalyptic scenery is a barrier that stops them from moving on. For the film itself, it's yet another crutch used by an inescapably familiar feature that repeatedly leans on obvious elements. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD_gvewa9JU&feature=youtu.be
You know that feeling of unbridled joy and energy you get in the opening scene of The Lion King when you scream "naaaants een-vwen-yaaaaaaa ma-ba-gee-chi-ba-va" (or some variation thereof) as baby Simba is hoisted up by Rafiki? That's why you should pay to see the Spice World: The Movie at the cinema. Even though you've seen it a million times, you have it on DVD and blu-ray (for some reason), and on a USB drive that's permanently in the TV, you should still buy a ticket. The sheer thrill that you'll feel when a cinema full of adult women all scream "you gotta, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM" will be an experience like no other. The joy of sharing, nostalgia, sing-screaming, and choc tops are all rolled into one event for this sing-along screening of Spice World. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmSBtOHzGPM It all takes place at the Hayden Orpheum at 8.45pm on Friday, April 24, so snap up a ticket while you can.
All of the pizza, none of the animal products — that's what's on the menu at Salt Meats Cheese. If you're a vegan and you usually find yourself holding back at all-you-can-eat pizza evenings, the Italian chain of eateries has you covered. Next occurring on Tuesday, February 11, SMC's regular bottomless vegan pizza feast is in full swing again for 2020 — and as in previous years, it includes unlimited vegan pasta as well. All you need to do is book a table in advance for the Broadway, Circular Quay, Dee Why and Cronulla stores, with sittings available from 5pm. The pizza and pasta free-for-all will set you back a highly affordable $25, and while you'll also have to buy a drink, you can choose from both boozy and non-alcoholic options. For an extra $5, you can also opt for all-you-can-eat gluten-free vegan pizza too. Finding decent slices that cater to dietary requirements is hard enough, let alone devouring as many as you feel like in one sitting, so expect this to be popular.
