The famous Victorian writer Louisa May Alcott once said, "life is my college. May I graduate well, and earn some honors!" Well Vaucluse House is offering you the chance to earn some by taking a trip back in time to experience life in the Victorian era at Vintage Sundays — Victorian. No 19th century stone is being left unturned, with authentic activities of the time available for enjoyment throughout the day including the slapstick puppet classic Punch and Judy, skittles and croquet on the lawn for Victorian sport aficionados, and waltz classes for anyone wanting to just feel as opulent as Queen Victoria herself. There will also be historical tours and discussions held across the property and live soprano and piano performances will aptly soundtrack the day, so you really can take your pick of what to do. Whatever you do though, make sure to try the hot cider punch being brewed on the day in the kitchens. The event is part of Vintage Sundays, which are held at different historical sites around Sydney on selected Sundays.
There are a few theories floating around about alt-pop Sydney singer-songwriter Andy Bull. The first (now proven) is that the shorter his hair gets, the more attractive he becomes. The man truly is a sort of mythical anti-Samson. The second is this: the reason Andy Bull hasn't become a household name in Australia has less to do with Andy Bull and more to do with the inhabitants of Australian households. You see, we don't quite know what to do with him. He's not shiny enough for our pop tastes; he's not weird enough for our alternative tastes. He's a little Regina Spektor/Ben Folds, but he's also just a little Justin Timberlake. The man refuses to be pigeonholed. But international superstars have ridden the Bull and concluded that it is an experience to be had. Music critics have done the same. He's been invited on the road with the likes of Joss Stone, Tim Finn and Duffy. When he wasn't busy touring with international superstars, he was releasing killer singles like 'Small Town Girl' and 'Young Man'. Then, upon dropping his debut album, We're Too Young, in 2009, Bull was showered with a Cyclone Zane of critical acclaim — including a 4-star review from Rolling Stone. Your chance comes on June 8. After 18 months off the road, Andy Bull returns to promote his newest Triple-J-dominating single, 'Keep on Running'. https://youtube.com/watch?v=JSGUxRWR_r8
The Tamarama Rock Surfers, formerly of Old Fitz fame, are one of the few truly local, truly committed to emerging work and artists, truly theatrical theatre companies out there, and just to prove it, they have given us Cut & Paste. A bi-monthly get-together of artists, attention seekers, actors and writers, these are the kind of nights that friendships are based on. There are no guarantees of what will end up stage; you could escape with a terribly civilised play reading or find yourself playing tonsil hockey with Bron Batten. What is guaranteed is a chance for smaller names to get some stage time, test out new works and showcase where they have been putting their blood, sweat and tears for $15 a ticket. Not a bad deal and they throw in a view — it's at Bondi Pavilion — free of charge. Photo by Lucy Parakhina.
What do Gertrude Stein, J.K. Rowling, Jack Kerouac, Rudyard Kipling, Sylvia Plath and Colonel Sanders have in common? On top of collectively penning a notable portion of the most memorable and well-known literature ever (the king of KFC came up with that song about Kentucky fried chicken and a pizza hut, right?) they are all familiar with the harsh sting of rejection, each having had their unpublished manuscripts rejected by people whose names no one remembers now. If only these seminal thinkers had been familiar with premier print-on-demand publishing company Blurb they could have cut out the middleman and saved themselves the heartache. The creative platform allows anyone with a computer (aka anyone with a pulse) to create, promote and flog his or her own seriously schmick looking book, photo book, magazine or e-book. This weekend Blurb hosts a series of free masterclasses and workshops run by photographers Daniel Milnor and Garry Trinh, who wax lyrical on the bookmaking process, the future of print and advancements in modern storytelling. Book now to avoid the kind of disappointment experienced by Stein, Rowling, Kerouac and co. Image Garry Trinh via Blurb
Put simply, In Possible Worlds is a fantastic exhibition. The show brings together recent works by Elly Kent, Claudia Nicholson, and Tianli Zu, three artists who work in unique blends of traditional and contemporary styles. The trio were chosen by Carriageworks CEO Lisa Havilah and 4A Director Aaron Seeto as part of 4A’s early career artists initiative. The exhibition "encourages us to think of our acceptance of commonplace understandings not as a fixed reality, but as a constant process of exchange and negotiation that opens up possibilities of seeing the world in different ways". And it does so beautifully. Tianli Zu’s works are the highlight. She cuts intricate patterns into sheets of paper, then projects light and "sound animations" onto them. Sort of like the paper cut outs you made as an 8 year old, only way better. The filigree designs cast dark shadows onto the ground. It’s a hypnotic effect. The artist is strongly influenced by Chinese philosophy and the dynamics between dark and light are a central focus in her work. Canberra-based printmaker Elly Kent creates works on paper that incorporate everyday objects found in her home. Her art is heavily inspired by Indonesian Batik techniques, a traditional form of fabric patterning that’s conceptually derived from Javanese understandings of the universe. She blends this with a contemporary approach and the finished product is gorgeous: colourful, almost sculptural works that rise out from the wall. Claudia Nicholson is a Colombian-born, Australian-raised artist. Adopted as a child, her video works are preoccupied with ideas of kinship, cultural dislocation and the construction of a lost identity. They’re filled with a strong sense of nostalgia but the effect is very unsettling. I loved them. 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art is a non-profit organisation that supports contemporary Asian and Australian art, encouraging an active dialogue between the two cultures. 4A collaborates with a bunch of organisations internationally to champion the work of Australian and Asian artists. Their programs are consistently thought-provoking, engaging and just plain great. The mix of cultures, media and styles of In Possible Worlds is awesome. This is one exhibition you really shouldn’t miss. Image: Plunge by Elly Kent.
Whisked from her idyllic farm with the promise of a job cooking for a high-level government official, it is only when Hortense Laborie (Catherine Frot) gets to Paris that she learns the position will actually involve being the private chef for French president Francois Mitterand. She has a moment of faint surprise, but only a moment. The job offer is a bolt from the blue, but she knows she's up for it. Based on the true story of the first woman to be the president's chef, Haute Cuisine alternates between Hortense's time in the palace and a later spell as the inscrutable but beloved head chef on an Antarctic research station. In a clunky plot device at odds with the rest of the film's unhurried feel, an Australian journalist (Arly Jover, doing a deplorable accent) is making a documentary about the station and tries to unravel the enigma of Hortense, including why she left her high-profile role for such an unlikely and isolated outpost. Not unlike last year's similarly foodie-friendly Step Up to the Plate, Haute Cuisine is almost defiantly low-key, offering little in the way of revelation but instead opting for a detailed, quiet character study and a wealth of lovingly filmed food preparation scenes. Initially feeling isolated in her position, Hortense finds herself ill at ease in the rarified surrounds of the Elysse palace, all cavernous rooms and chilly stylishness. She is unsure of the tastes of who she is cooking for, is eyed suspiciously from the chefs in the much larger public kitchen and has running battles with bean-counting bureaucrats who can't understand the time and money she pours into sourcing the finest truffles and foie gras. Eventually she does meet Mitterand (played with sparkly eyed verve by Jean d'Ormesson, making his film debut at age 86) and the pair bond over the heartfelt, rustic food of his childhood. Working with the timid but capable sous chef Nicholas (Arthur Dupont) she becomes a favourite of the ageing president, only increasing the jealousy of her male counterparts. Haute Cuisine is a small story but it is an interesting historical vignette, and it is to the film's credit that it does not overstay its welcome a minute.
Lets face it, almost all of us are attached to our phones. We text, tweet, share, play and occasionally call at all hours of the day from all locations. That is the modern technological world for you where we are connected all the time, everywhere, even the theatre thanks to Blindscape, an innovative new piece of theatre presented by PACT that combines circus, performance and app technology. Whilst most theatre shows would give you the greasiest of glares for even looking at your phone, Blindscape is only possible to participate in by using a provided iPhone, pre-loaded with the specially designed Blindscape app. This app provides the primary illumination for the show, permitting the performers to infiltrate the virtual world this light source creates. It offers the audience fleeting fragments of circus which ultimately question our relationship with our personal technologies via exploitation of that affiliation. This first of its kind circus show can only house thirty a performance so bookings are pretty essential for this one.
"Abbe May plays a scorching guitar — she is the f***ing s**t!" -Nic Harcout, MTV USA Still riding high after the tremendous success of 2011's Design Desire, one of Australia's most criminally under-appreciated artists is back with a brand-new album. And she's launching it by way of a national tour, heading to every state to seduce you firsthand. Or maybe punch you in the face. Or maybe even seduce you by punching you in the face. Abbe May might come from a tiny coastal town in the very southwest of WA, but over the course of four records she has built herself up to the precipice of world domination. Her last album was nominated for the Australian Music Prize and was roundly praised by nearly every person with ears who heard it, its dark, gnarly guitars oozing sultriness, her voice shining in the darkness like a switchblade at midnight. But May promises surprises on her new album, abandoning the '70s-psych influence of Design Desire in favour of "synth-driven doom pop". As May herself declares, "Kiss My Apocalypse is unashamedly sexual and would almost be romantic if it weren't for the vitriol." "Pop is sexy when done well and it's incredibly difficult to do it well if you try too hard," she says. "We wanted to get away from music that took itself too seriously. I'm so tired of this whole shoe gaze, it-cost-a-lot-of-money-to get-a-haircut-that-looks-like-I-haven't-brushed-my-hair-in-months type shit. 'Artists' in denial that they are basically just entertainers. Being an entertainer is more meaningful if you ask me. It's not such a selfish pursuit." For almost any other artist, a major shift in sound away from the most successful album of your career would be a death sentence, crippling you just as you were poised to make a real splash. But Abbe May isn't just any artist. And when you consider that her first two albums drew heavily from (a) Deep South devil blues, then (b) Hawaiian-inspired rockabilly, a fourth major shift on her fourth album could be just what we were all waiting for. https://youtube.com/watch?v=bDJx-yLk3d0
Almost ten years ago, Slashdot gushed about the alternate reality game promo experimenting with games that cross the boundaries of internet and reality. More recently, we’ve gotten excited about augmented reality overlays onto real life cities, from literary adventures to popup art. Troy Innocent’s addition to the 19thInternational Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA) conference (huddling under Vivid Ideas umbrella) will be a giant, competitive public treasure hunt, with a sideline some minor civil rearrangement. Zydnei divides its players into three factions — Codex, Oeknos and Dæmon — fighting to repurpose our city’s streets to a greater plan of their own. Volunteers will place coded tags around the city, before players track them down, take them off the walls and claim the tag for their own team. The game is free and runs eight weeks, with new tags added all the time. In Melbourne the winning team regrew the city to their own plan. How will you help reshape Sydney, if you can? Zydnei is free, but you'll need to register here.
It is always great when emerging artists are giving a platform to share their work. And when that platform is one of the best stages in the country? Well, that's even better. Last year, a bunch of independent artists and small-to-medium arts companies got to perform to crowds as part of Sydney Opera House's UnWrapped series. It was such a success that UnWrapped has been upgraded to Festival status for 2019. In May, five more indie theatre gems will take to Sydney Opera House's various stages. William Yang's PARTY (verb) hauls us back into the heyday of Sydney's queer underground scene, while My Urrwai is a very personal retracing of Torres Strait Islander artist Ghenoa Gela's family and political history. Ali McGregor's Yma Sumac: The Peruvian Songbird uses cabaret to resurrect a wild Peruvian soprano and The Director gives us a humorous peek under the coffin-lid of today's funeral industry, courtesy of Scott Turnbull and Lara Thoms. Finally, PYT Fairfield's Playlist blasts pop hits to propel us through the experiences of five young women from western Sydney. Alongside the performances, there'll be a pop-up bar serving show-inspired cocktails throughout the festival season and meet and greet sessions with the artists. Plus, on Saturday, May 18, the artists will gather for a panel discussion on how their life experiences impact their performances. Festival UnWrapped not only gives you the chance to support independent theatre, it gives you the chance to watch it in one of the city's most iconic buildings. Catch these shows while they're at the Opera House so you don't need to find them in the wild. Festival UnWrapped will run from Friday, May 3 to Sunday, May 19. For more information on the program and to book tickets, head this way. Images: My Urrwai, supplied; PARTY (verb), William Yang; Playlist, supplied; The Director, Bryony Jackson; Yma Sumac, Rich Hardcastle.
Summer always brings hot days to Sydney — and it brings more than a few must-see exhibitions to town, too. The MCA and Art Gallery of NSW have rolled out their blockbusters (David Goldblatt and art from the Hermitage, respectively), and, with Sydney Festival, a huge Star Wars showcase at the Powerhouse and a slew of great shows at smaller galleries, you really have a lot to see before the season is out. Hop to it.
If you're a dog person, being surrounded by wagging tails and beaming pooch faces is one of the happiest feelings in the world. Here's another: doing your part to assist animals in need. Each year — a pandemic hiatus aside — the RSPCA's Million Paws Walk combines the two, asking Sydneysiders and their puppers to go for a stroll to help raise funds for an obviously extremely worth cause. Come Sunday, May 26, this endorphin-sparking mosey returns for 2024, taking over Cathy Freeman Park within Sydney Olympic Park. Whether you're keen to dress up for the occasion — in a matching outfit to your four-legged bestie, of course — or just pop on your sneakers and usual workout attire, you can choose between a two- and four-kilometre walk from 10am. Tickets costs $15 for adults and $7.50 for concessions, with the money raised going towards RSPCA NSW's work rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals. In addition to the exercise, you and Rover can browse a heap stalls afterwards, and enter raffles, shop for RSPCA merch, listen to live tunes and score prizes. Can't make it to Sydney Olympic Park? Check out the full list of venues around NSW. Images: Call of the Wild Pet Photography.
Unleash your inner badass by tagging local walls, sans spray paint or legal consequences. Wallit is a new app that allows users to leave their digital mark wherever they may be. This 'graffiti' exists only in the virtual world, but the wall in question is connected with an actual, physical location. It's the self-proclaimed "only geo-social app connecting people to places through one-of-a-kind multimedia messages on augmented reality walls." Equipped with location awareness, Wallit lets you record a 'tag' (including text, or video or audio clips) on the virtual version of the actual place you left it. The tag is only visible to other app users when they arrive at the location themselves. With the upgraded 1.1 "super walls" version of the app, tags may also be visible to other users in a similar area; for instance, if you tag a McDonald's, other users will be able to see it as they munch on their burger at another McDonald's. Other users may choose to respond to your original tag, sparking interaction, or, in true street artist style, leave their own two cents to outdo yours. [via Fast Company]
If you've ever wondered what it would be like to wake up next to George Gershwin, this show just might be the sweet relief you've been waiting for. Set in the roaring 20s and the probably-would-also-be-roaring-if-not-for-the-Depression 30s, Good Morning, Mr. Gershwin is a beautiful production that mixes tap, ballet, hip hop and contemporary dance against a backdrop of Gershwin's beloved Broadway classics and his opera Porgy and Bess. These guys think they can dance, and they are correct in thinking that. The company is Laurence Olivier Award–winning Compagnie Montalvo-Hervieu. These people aren't only amazing dancers, they're also French! Choreography is by José Montalvo and Dominique Hervieu, with music, obviously, by Georgie G. The Financial Times described Good Morning, Mr. Gershwin as "life-enhancing"; I don't know about you but I can really use some life-enhancement, especially if all it takes is to sit quietly in a dark room for a few hours and clap every once in a while, not a downward dog in sight. “Good Morning, Mr. Gershwin! Enhance away.”
Still trying to get your head around Tracey Moffatt's bold, brave (and sometimes obscure) art legacy? The good folks at the Art Gallery of New South Wales are giving you a helping hand this winter. And they're not charging you a cent for the pleasure. As the holders of the largest collection of Tracey Moffatt pieces in Australia, the Gallery has handpicked some of the legendary Australian artist's key works for display, in an exhibition titled Laudanum and other works. The selected artworks — on show until September 4 — will explore Moffatt's interest in melodrama and cinema through both her still and moving image works. Even though Laudanum (1998) and Plantation (2009) were created more than 11 years apart, their exploration of fear, desire and high drama is linked through the motif of colonial architecture. In between working on them, she joined forces with Gary Hillberg to come up with video montages Love (2003) and Other (2009). The former follows the turbulent journey from romantic love to cruelty, while the second records powerful chemistry erupting between races, sexes and genders.
Tucked away in The Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park, The Gallery is known for its lavish high teas. While we were all trapped inside last year, the venue provided some much-needed at-home indulgence with a lockdown-friendly high tea, and now that we're all back out in the world, it's serving up in-person extravagance with a regularly changing menu. Right now, the current limited-time menu is a truffle-heavy feast. The Truffle and Chocolate High Tea is available 10am–4pm, seven days a week until Sunday, August 7. The treat-filled feast will set back each guest $89, which includes savoury dishes like black truffle and mushroom panna cotta, chicken with truffle rillettes and a salmon and truffle leek tart. Of course, no high tea is complete without a fair share of sweets. Dark chocolate and orange jaffa tart, white chocolate cannoli and mascarpone and chocolate cake are all included in the tea, plus your choice of coffee or tea. Those that want to add a glass of Vranken Diamant Brut NV champagne on arrival can for an extra $20. Head to The Gallery website to reserve your spot. Images: Yusuke Oba
Every actor has one, albeit in various shades, lengths and textures, but sometimes one single hairstyle says everything about a film. Wildly careening in whichever direction it seems to feel like at any point, yet also strikingly sculptural, the towering reddish stack of curly locks atop Penélope Cruz's head in Official Competition is one such statement-making coiffure. It's a stunning sight, with full credit to the movie's hairstylists. These tremendous tresses are both unruly and immaculate; they draw the eye in immediately, demanding the utmost attention. And, yes, Cruz's crowning glory shares those traits with this delightful Spanish Argentine farce about filmmaking — a picture directed and co-written by Mariano Cohn and Gastуn Duprat (The Distinguished Citizen), and also starring Antonio Banderas (Uncharted) and Oscar Martínez (Wild Tales), that it's simply impossible to look away from. Phenomenal hair is just the beginning for Cruz here. Playing filmmaker Lola Cuevas — a Palme d'Or-winning arthouse darling helming an ego-stroking prestige picture for rich octogenarian businessman Humberto Suárez (José Luis Gómez, Truman) — she's downright exceptional as well. Humberto decides to throw some cash into making a movie in the hope of leaving a legacy that lasts, and enlisting Lola to work her magic with a Nobel Prize-winning novel called Rivalry is quite the coup. So is securing the talents of flashy global star Félix Rivero (Banderas) and serious theatre actor Iván Torres (Martínez), a chalk-and-cheese pair who'll work together for the first time, stepping into the shoes of feuding brothers. But before the feature can cement its backer's name in history, its three key creatives have to survive an exacting rehearsal process. Lola believes in rigorous preparation, and in testing and stretching her leading men, with each technique she springs on them more outlandish and stressful than the last. As Lola, Cruz is a 'find yourself someone who can do both'-kind of marvel. She's clearly starring in a comedy, and her timing, rhythms and line delivery are as fine-tuned as any acting great who has ever tried to amuse an audience — and serve up a hefty reminder that viewers rarely get to see her in such a role — but she perfects the drama of the situation, too. The latter stems from Lola's male leads, who are caught up in a clash of egos, and from the director herself as she keeps eagerly but purposefully pulling their strings. Light, fluid, sharp, smart: they all fit this savvily portrayed character, and never for a second does Cruz feel like she's seesawing too easily, needlessly or temperamentally from comic to serious and back. Earlier in 2022, she was nominated for an Oscar for her sublime performance in Parallel Mothers — an award she deserved to win, but didn't — and although Official Competition couldn't be a more different film, she's just as much of a force to be reckoned with within its frames. Cohn and Duprat might have a little of Lola in them, as well as conjuring her up with fellow scribe Andrés Duprat (My Masterpiece). The Argentine filmmaking duo's rehearsal methods aren't part of the movie, obviously, and it's likely that they didn't wrap their cast in cling wrap as their protagonist hilariously does — but, whatever mechanisms they deployed, they obtain outstanding performances from their key players. This is Cruz's film, but Banderas revels in the chance to cleverly and cannily satirise his profession and industry as much as she does, with the two teaming up yet again after featuring side by side in plenty of Pedro Almodóvar's movies (see: Pain and Glory most recently). The playful teasing is ramped up a level, and there's a greater emphasis on his killer stare, which can flip from brooding to charming to pouting in an instant; however, the result remains remarkable. Martínez plays it relatively straight in-between his co-stars, but is no less compelling; Iván has his own ego battles. Getting Cruz, Bandereas and Martínez bouncing off of each other was always bound to spark something special. They're acting in the service of unpacking acting, and their pitch-perfect portrayals perceptively probe and parody in tandem. The arrogance that comes with fame, the quest for constant validation, the ridiculousness of being a celebrity — they're all targets for laughs, as is the gaping chasm between acting megastardom and everything else. None of these spark new revelations, but Official Competition isn't merely content to get three top talents turning in ace performances to merely state the blatant. Cohn and Duprat's work relies upon acting, and they clearly treasure it as an artform, even as they poke fun at it. The jokes land, but their film also has time to appreciate the emotional toll that goes into a dynamite performance and the sincerity summoned up by the best of the best, all as Lola wrings everything she can out of Félix and Iván. Her tactics, unfurled across their nine-day pre-shoot period, and designed to get the two men to discard their senses of self and become one with their characters, would do Wile E Coyote proud. They're more mischievous than torturous, though — and they're also shrewd and very funny. In one, Félix and Iván argue beneath a giant rock, suspended precariously above them, heightening their anxiety while Lola is thoroughly nonplussed. Another gets them practicing their kissing techniques in front of a bank of microphones so that every sound can be heard and critiqued, with their director ruthless in her scrutiny. In yet another, getting wrapped in plastic together, which both Félix and Iván unsurprisingly abhor, is part of a bold and drastic plan to get the pair to relinquish their reliance upon external approval. What images these three scenarios, and others like them, spark — capturing Cruz and that hairdo, naturally, and so much more. Plenty about Official Competition sounds surreal, and it's certainly how this spectacularly staged and shot feature looks at every moment. Eccentric and meticulous are words that describe Lola and, of course, her coif; they couldn't sum up the movie's production design or cinematography better, too. Here's another that fits: magnificent. Director of photography Arnau Valls Colomer (Lost Transmissions) operates on a Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul level of visual precision, spanning where the camera is placed, the angles it peers on from, the painterly composition of each and every image, and what that level of detail says about an industry that's all about detail. Like the gem it is, everything about this film gleams.
Get ready to go another round with your favourite pansexual, wise-cracking, mass-murdering mercenary. To celebrate the release of Deadpool on Blu-ray on May 25, Fox Home Entertainment are throwing a massive party at The Standard Bowl complete with bowling, DJs and chimi-fucking-changas. It all goes down on the evening of Sunday, May 22 from 6pm. It's invite only and there'll be food and booze, as well as Deadpool-themed giveaways, plus everyone will get a copy of the Blu-ray to call their own. In the words of the man himself, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. [competition]573058[/competition] Image: Fox.
Lightning Ridge might be best known for its enduring opal mining history, but the community's collection of bizarre museums is definitely a close second. Bottle House Museum is one such structure, constructed from 5800 bottles and featuring a wide variety of curiosities for sale inside. A short drive away, the Astronomers Monument is another kooky landmark dedicated to scientists like Copernicus, while the colourful Beer Can House does what it says on the proverbial tinnie. If you love off-the-wall antiques and unusual souvenirs, don't miss the Kangaroo Hill Complex. Perhaps the most emblematic of the town's unusual art spaces is Amigo's Castle. This 15-metre-tall structure, based on Italian ruins, was hand-built with ironstone boulders in the 1980s, and is home to a small gallery, underground cellars, a corner turret and no roof, while the grounds surrounding the castle contain all sorts of tongue-in-cheek oddities. Image: John, Flickr
Take Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and add it to the rare list of sequels that transcend their predecessors. Picking up the story around ten years after Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the opening titles paint a bleak picture of a world brought to the brink of extinction via the so-called 'Simian Flu'. Brink of extinction for humanity, that is, because the apes, by contrast, have flourished. Under the strict yet compassionate leadership of Caesar (once again made inconceivably lifelike thanks to Andy Serkis's performance and the remarkable team at WETA), the apes have now adopted a number of human traits and habits: communication through sign language, horse riding, spear wielding and even the establishment of some rudimentary written rules — chief amongst which is: APE NOT KILL APE. Given the descent into murderous anarchy by the scattered human survivors of the virus, that proclamation is intended as a critical point of difference for Caesar, a mark of pride and proof of primate primacy. It's also, unfortunately, delusory, and it is in that realm of 'innocence lost' that Dawn spends most of its time. With rivalries and jealousies brewing between both father and son and leader and lieutenant, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is something of a modern-day Richard III. What makes it so compelling is that none of the villains — ape or human — are without their justifiable reservations and prejudices. Koba, for example, is Caesar's unfailingly loyal friend and bodyguard, yet he bares the scars of cruel human testing and holds no affection for the survivors. On the human side, the leader of the survivors' colony (Gary Oldman) sees only the faces of his dead wife and children whenever confronted by apes, and his determination to restore power to the city has no room for the kind of simian compassion shown by his lieutenant (Jason Clarke). Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is smaller in both scale and ambition than Rise yet feels so much bigger and more satisfying. It's an 'us and them' tale, a prelude to war where neither side is as unified as they might think. The direction by Matt Reeves (Cloverfield) is technical and delicate, aided by sumptuous cinematography and special effects that are nothing short of exquisite, with even the most intense closeup failing to betray even the tiniest flaw in design. If anything, the CGI apes outperform the humans in almost every scene in which screen time is shared. Tender, tense, intelligent and morally complex, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is an outstanding film and a genuine contender for blockbuster of the year. https://youtube.com/watch?v=3sHMCRaS3ao
What's better than one happy hour? How about two? That's exactly what the Paski Vineria Popolare crew is offering up daily. And with Paski's close proximity to Darlinghurst Theatre Company and Oxford Art Factory, this is the perfect opportunity to grab dinner and a drink pre- or post-theatre shows and gigs. Head into the downstairs bar from Monday, September 4 and you'll stumble upon a set of exciting deals curated by Paski's chef Enrico Tomelleri and the Oxford Street pasta and wine joint's co-owners Giorgio De Maria and Mattia Dicati. But what exactly is on offer? Well, there are two options available. From 5–6:30pm, the Salatino happy hour reigns supreme, celebrating salty, crunchy Italian pastry snacks. Take your pick from $4 pesto-layered pastries and umami-forward anchovies and mortadella — or enjoy a mix for $10. Alongside the snacks, you'll find a selection of affordable drink deals that pair perfectly with the snacks on offer — like Paski's vermouth of the week for $10, a $12 glass of sparkling wine or an exclusive sake cocktail collaboration with Newtown's Ante called A Sicilian in Tokyo Fizz, on offer for $14. The second option, the Aglio e Olio late-night happy hour, will feature its namesake pasta from 9–11pm. The pasta is available for $15 and can be paired with an Amaro Rubino Sour ($10) or a mystery glass of wine hand-selected by the Paski team ($9). Plus, you can end your night with a scooping of tiramisu for just $8. The happy hours were inspired by the Italian tradition where guests are served a savoury snack alongside paired sips during the early evening before they proceed to cook a hearty pasta dish to curb those late-night cravings.
Feeling a little frosty? Can't find the motivation to leave your couch? Huddled under every blanket in your house? No, you're not just particularly susceptible to the wintry season — the mercury is plummeting, and Australia's east coast capitals look set to endure their coldest weekend of 2018. In fact, according to Weatherzone, Sydney hit just 6.2 degrees early today — which is the frostiest morning it has had so far this year. Suburbs such as Richmond and Penrith dropped even further, down to -2.2 degrees and 0.4 degrees. In other parts of New South Wales, records that have stood for decades are falling, with Dubbo's low of -5.8 marking the regional town's coldest night for a whopping 78 years. In Queensland, it's a similar situation. Brisbane Times reports that Brisbane has indeed just shivered through its coldest morning of 2018, with temperatures dipping to 6.7 degrees. That's just chillier than the previous coldest morning of the year, with the city hitting 6.9 degrees back on June 16. Elsewhere across the state, areas such as Applethorpe, Amberley and Toowoomba experienced their iciest climes in several years. For Victoria, widespread frost was predicted across the state by the Bureau of Meteorology, with temperatures dropping to 4.4 degrees in Melbourne and 2.4 degrees at the airport. The city didn't reach the low of three degrees that was forecast, however, which would've made it the coldest morning of the year. Alas, the colder temperatures aren't going anywhere for a few days — News.com.au reports that the east coast will be rather chilly until Monday. BOM's forecasts have Sydney hitting lows of five degrees on Sunday morning and then four degrees on Monday (with maximums of 17 and 18 respectively); Melbourne wavering between five and 13 on Sunday; and Brisbane will get down to six degrees again on Sunday as well. Via news.com.au / Brisbane Times / Weatherzone.
The recent fad for tilt shift photography meets its antithesis in Mirage by Anna Carey. Where tilt-shift made the real look miniature, Carey makes the miniature look real. At first seeming to be a series of photos of abandoned Gold Coast beach buildings, the buildings are in fact each miniature models photographed in situ by Carey. Just as Eugene Agtet documented Parisian buildings scheduled for demolition, Carey's art here gets interested in the Vegas-like rapid turnover of architecture on the Gold Coast. Though her buildings aren’t models of real places, they still feel real and adding location backdrops completes the illusion. The stilted house of Golden Palms is a green study of Queensland winds and shaggy heat. Sea Mist’s lonely, blue weatherboard building seems to sag, windows lolling open with humidity. Not unlike David Hockney’s Los Angeles paintings, which were real images polished to became portraits of a dream city, Carey has skipped ahead to land at the end of this same architectural dream, four decades later. The show also includes the original models used in Stardust, Crystal Pacific and Pacific Moon. Getting close to these cardboard and toothpick-wooden models, you can appreciate how much work went into the design of a rotten door or faded rail. And doubly so how much more work lay in covering up what flaws remained in photographic circles of confusion as Mirage manages to transfer dream to reality, documenting an older incarnation of the Gold Coast slowly making way for a newer version of same. Photo Star Dust by Anna Carey.
When you get right down to it, successful parenting is governed by one rule: try and make a better life for your kid than the one you had. So when are you allowed to make the call on whether you succeeded? And what do you tell your kids when they show an interest in pursuing the same career that morally bankrupted you? Sorting Out Rachel is David Williamson's latest play, in which he asks whether it's possible to dry clean a stained legacy. Bruce (John Howard) is a businessman at the end of a successful career. He has ushered through a few mergers, cut a couple of throats and kept his nearest and dearest fed and watered. But his daughter (Natalie Saleeba) isn't happy. Her husband (Glenn Hazeldine) is obsessed with their social status and his granddaughter Rachel (Jenna Owen) is veering closer to the sort of life Bruce is beginning to regret. Bruce knows how to fix these problems, but that would involve coughing up a secret he's been guarding for long time now. Thinking of starting a family? Liking the sound of a career in business? Head to the Ensemble Theatre and let one of Australia's most lauded social commentators explain why you haven't thought it through properly. Images: Heidrun Löhr
Sydney's FBi Radio are about to throw down a whole lot of beats, with their brand new digital station FBi Click set to launch on June 25. Showcasing the sweatiest, fuzziest and catchiest new dance and electronic music, the brand new offshoot station will broadcast beats, drops and build-ups 24 hours a day. "Dance music has always been an integral part of the FBi sound, and we’re stoked to be bringing together the scenes and communities we’ve been collaborating with for 10 years," say the FBi team. The digital sidearm was hinted at earlier this year, as the pet project of longtime legend and General Manager of Music, Dan Zilber. On the menu for FBi Click are ten new flagship programs hosted by some of Australia's favourite dance connoisseurs. Shows from the likes of Astral People, THUMP (by Vice), Good God Small Club, Sweat It Out, Purple Sneakers, Picnic, Halfway Crooks, Motorik, Body Promise (Mealo & Amelia Jenner), Sequence (Stuart Buchanan), Lazy Radio (Tony Chill) and Bare Necessities (Klue) will form the program schedule for the new FBi branch. Fans of FBi Radio's nightly Sunsets program will appreciate the beloved independent Sydney station's savvy with electronic music. FBi Click will see exclusive mixes from the existing roster of DJs and presenters including Simon Caldwell, Stolen Records with Shantan Wantan Ichiban and Mike Who, Kato & Bad Ezzy, Low Motion with Max Gosford, James Taylor & Murat Kilic and Future Classic DJs and more. If you've got a digital radio, FBi Click wil replace the current simulcast of FBi 94.5 on DAB+. Otherwise you can listen online at fbiradio.com/click from Wednesday June 25. For more information on the individual shows on FBi Click and for details on the official launch party at Good God Small Club, head to FBi's website over here. Party on dudes. Via FBi Radio. Image by Erik Bergan.
Following the release of their debut album, Howlin', earlier in 2013, Jagwar Ma have been on some kind of rampage of touring across Europe, playing all the biggest festivals and establishing themselves as a live act that you simply have to see. Their last Australian shows were at Splendour in the Grass in July, but reports out of the northern hemisphere suggest that this band has gone to a whole other level in just a few short months. And summer in Sydney is the perfect setting for their highly danceable tunes, full of great grooves and an irresistible energy. https://youtube.com/watch?v=K8KCPw9kYpo
Sydney trio Little May could be Australia's answer to folk warblers First Aid Kit. They've certainly been compared to the Swedish duo, and to New Zealand's Tiny Ruins, but at the moment they are carving out their own path. They've recently put out their debut, self-titled EP and are wrapping up an Australian tour with the legendary Rodriguez. But there's no rest for the wicked (or the wickedly charming, in this case). The Little May ladies are about to embark on a 12-date national headline tour to promote the EP. The group's sound has been described as 'ghost folk' — and it does indeed brim with haunting melodies and unapologetically personal and nostalgic lyrics. Watch the strange video for their track 'Dust' to get a sense of their style. It seems to be working. Hype is following Little May wherever they go — from appearances at Splendour and Laneway, to an intimate showcase in London, a string of shows at CMJ in New York, and now this tour back home. Tickets are selling fast (one Melbourne show has already sold out), so get on this. https://youtube.com/watch?v=HwV2GCooJlg
4:48 Psychosis is the last play penned by British playwright Sarah Kane before her suicide in 1999. That the manuscript was left in an envelope with her suicide note probably gives you a fair idea of what you're in for here. Variously described by critics as 'a deeply personal howl of pain' and 'written in the almost certain knowledge that it would be performed posthumously', Kane's final work, one imagines, is as difficult to stage as it is to watch. The script is a puzzle, with no setting, no characters and no delineations for dialogue. When the Royal Court first staged the play a year after her death, they had several different groups of actors gather for readings in an attempt to assign voices to certain segments. Regardless of how Red Line Productions choose to stage it, this is difficult material. One interpretation of the script paints a consciousness (with or without a body is unclear) in turmoil, raging against uncomprehending medical staff and itself in equal measure. But many reviews of past productions have also written of the playfulness of the text and a surprising humour. Kane never flinched from the grit and unpleasantness of existence, but almost two decades after being written, 4:48 Psychosis also burns with energy and ferocity. This one'll be hard going, but the rewards are there for those who can tough it out. Image: Marmaras Shoots.
Megan Washington redefines the act of wearing your heart on your sleeve. The Melburnian artist is performing for one night only at Oxford Art Factory as part of an intimate national mini-tour kicked off in Melbourne and finishing up in Brisbane. Crediting her time in London for reigniting the ol' songwriting flame, Washington will be promoting her first singles in two years, the recently released 'Who Are You' and 'Limitless', as well as snippets from her upcoming new album There There (due September). The 28-year-old's shows have a rep for selling out fast, so get in quick if you want to catch the multi award-winning artist belting out her heartfelt, brutally honest tunes. Since winning triple j's unearthed competition way back in 2008, Washington has gained a truly loyal following and massive critical acclaim thanks to her witty, sometimes acerbic lyrics sweetened by upbeat, compulsive, play-me-over-and-over pop. Her 2010 debut album I Believe You Liar was a colossal hit and casually went multi-platinum. Next month sees the release of her highly anticipated, second full-length album, with longtime Washington fans super curious to see how her recent collaboration with bigwig producer Samuel Dixon (think Sia, think Adele) has influenced her style. https://youtube.com/watch?v=R8LsswiDj_o
We hope the trend of hotels opening up their rooftop bars to the public is one that is long-lived indeed. The jaw-dropping vistas seen from the Intercontinental poolside bar are the same as those enjoyed by Princess Diana, George W. Bush (and his entourage of 300) and Sir Elton John, in its former life as the Ritz Carlton. Well, if it's good enough for those guys. And here's a sneaky tip – if you can't wait until sundown for a sip, they're doing Moet & Chandon brunches through the summer. Did someone say staycation?
We're called Concrete Playground; how could we not endorse a bit of childhood regression? Camp Super Happy Sunshine Fun is setting up at Newtown Neighbourhood Centre to help you shed the baggage of adulthood and get silly with games, arts and crafts, a 'Potato Olympics' and friendship circles. Camp director Maya Sebestyen has actually worked at US summer camps, so authenticity is a given. Read the rest of our top ten picks of the Sydney Fringe Festival 2013.
The man behind two of the smartest, sweariest shows on television will open this year's Sydney Writers' Festival with a talk about spin and satire in the world of modern day politics. Armando Iannucci is best known as the creator of two of the funniest political comedies in living memory: the BBC's The Thick of It and HBO's Veep. Both shows have been lauded for their uncomfortably accurate portrayal of contemporary politics. In fact, they're so accurate that Malcolm Turnbull even accidentally adopted one of Selina Myer's slogans during last year's federal election campaign. Whoops! Both shows also beloved among fans for having some of the most entertaining profanity ever uttered on television… and for very good reason. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUky4_A7Zw4 Iannucci will be at the Sydney Town Hall on the evening of Tuesday, May 2 with local journalist and screenwriter Benjamin Law, for a conversation that has been appropriately titled 'Swearing In'. Tickets are available now, and are $30 for students and pensioners, and $45 for adults. The full Sydney Writers' Festival program will be announced on April 6. The festival runs from May 22-28.
The last known Tasmanian Tiger (or thylacine) died almost exactly 80 years ago — on September 7, 1936 — at Hobart Zoo. Although many Aussie species have been driven to extinction since then, none has lingered in our collective imagination with quite as much power. A new play from Human Animal Exchange takes this phenomenon as its dramatic starting point. Titled They Saw A Thylacine and showing at Q Theatre on April 23, the two-woman work stars Sarah Hamilton and Justine Hamilton. Taking on the roles of a thylacine tracker and a zookeeper's daughter, the two conjure up the Tasmanian Tiger's ghost out of death and darkness. Along the way, they reimagine the creature's vanished history, explore the meanings and ramifications of extinction, and reflect on humanity's survival. Following a highly successful run at Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre, They Saw A Thylacine is the first production in this year's Brave New Work, an annual season of new and innovative Australian theatre, presented at The Joan, Penrith. Image: Pia Johnson.
Whether you're battling a hangover or looking to refuel for the rest of a big weekend, Chin Chin's new limited-edition yum cha series is worth a spot on your activities radar. After all, what better pick-me-up than a flavour-packed dumpling feast, enjoyed with your mates by your side? Kicking off on October 5 in the restaurant's Gogo Bar, then happening every Saturday and Sunday throughout the month, the new series has all the makings of a weekend winner. For just $39.50 per person, you'll get to chow down on a parade of southeast Asian-inspired plates, including Chin Chin favourites like steamed mud crab dumplings with its 'hellfire' chilli oil, mixed mushroom fried rice and crisp prawn spring rolls. Of course, this being Chin Chin, you can expect plenty more good vibes in the form of lively disco tunes, courtesy of a weekly rotation of resident DJs. And, as an added bonus for long weekenders, Chin Chin's yum cha offering will even be available on the Labour Day holiday, next Monday, October 7. It's recommended that you book ahead of time, but you can try your luck and walk in on the day. Food images: Steven Woodburn.
iPhone users in Sydney got a strange surprise from their weather app this morning, with the built-in iOS weatherman predicting a downfall of sleet and snow. But don’t start stockpiling tinned food just yet. As bad as the weather has been lately, this isn’t The Day After Tomorrow. Your iPhone just got it wrong. Turns out the Apple weather app is powered by the American-owned company The Weather Channel, which means it’s not always particularly reliable for those of us on the other side of the world. “They've obviously got a lower quality data source for Australia than a local provider,” Weatherzone meteorologist Alex Zadnik told The Sydney Morning Herald, adding that “there's no chance of snow and sleet with temperatures above five degrees. It's wrong on many many levels.” Screencaps of the dodgy forecast were plastered across social media before Apple had time to correct the mistake. For the record, the app is now back to predicting the same thing it has been for days: rain, wind and thunderstorms. In their latest severe weather warning this morning, the Bureau of Meteorology likewise warned residents of the Metropolitan and Illawarra districts to prepare for more torrential rainfall and damaging winds, as the city continues to be battered by some of the heaviest storms in close to twenty years. So yeah, you won’t be sledding down George St anytime soon. White water rafting, on the other hand, might actually be a possibility. Via SMH. Image: Miniskirts in a snowstorm, NYC 1969. Historic NWS Collection, Wikimedia Commons.
Calling all foodies: Bankstown's annual celebration of local cuisine — from just-baked brownies slathered in peanut butter to freshly made rotis sopping up rich curries — is back. On Saturday, July 27, you can taste your way around the suburb on a curated culinary tour taking in 28 Bankstown venues. Olympic Parade and Griffith Park will also be transformed into an international food court, with more than 30 stalls serving dishes from around the world. Among the must-taste treats visitors can sample will be succulent Greek souvlakis, traditional Macanese desserts, Nepalese street eats and more. For hungry Sydneysiders who want to get hands-on, the fest's cookery masterclasses and interactive demos are a must. Celebrity pastry chef and Family Food Fight judge Anna Polyviou will team up with her mum, Eugina, to share family recipes for Greek favourites like spanakopita, keftedes and loukoumades, while demonstrations by the Barbeque Cooking School will reveal the secrets to the perfect backyard cookout. Visitors can also learn how to make Italian crowd-pleasers like tiramisu, bruschetta, and from-scratch pasta from the folks at Humanity Matters. [caption id="attachment_966688" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Anna and Eugina Polyviou[/caption] In between mouthfuls, be sure to check out the live performances by the emerging artists supported by the Bankstown Talent Advancement program. Phat Brass will be dropping electrifying brass beats and the Around the World Dance Group will be shimmying up a storm with a dazzling mix of Latin American, Irish, Spanish, Greek, Asian, and Bollywood choreography. This family-friendly event has plenty to keep little ones entertained, with face painting, kitchen workshops and heaps of free activities on offer at Bites Corner. And it's not just the rugrats who can get in on the fun and games. The Bites Backyard will feature a chill-out zone where visitors can enjoy a free round of barefoot bowls as well as other classic backyard activities.
Ever wanted to start an art collection but remembered you’re too poor? Yeah, us too. Thankfully, Art Pharmacy has the remedy for our woes. In their one-off exhibition, Stimulate/Sedate, over 100 pieces from 20 artists will be available for purchase starting at just $70, no prescription necessary. As suggested by its name, the exhibition is an artistic exploration of "moments of complete invigoration and tranquillity that unravel into mystery and transform the mundane”. Mediums range from watercolour to oil, so there is something for nearly every taste. For those looking to satisfy their actual palate, the Veggie Patch Van will be there with their signature vegetarian specialties. Beverages from Rutherglen Wines, Nudie Juices, Elk Cider and Mountain Goat will also be available. To spice things up even more, live performances will be put on during the event. These include an art show by four of the Art Pharmacy’s talented artists, as well as musical acts Tristan Grassik, Burn Antares and Letters to Lions. Stimulate/Sedate is the final exhibition of the year for aMBUSH Gallery, and an exhilarating show to bring 2013 to a close for both it and Art Pharmacy.
Unsurprisingly, the Vic Hotel is promising one of the Queen’s birthday’s biggest, longest and most energetic shindigs: the Jake Stone Breakdance Spectacular. Yes, it’s that Jake Stone, of Bluejuice and assorted fame, and he’s putting together an eight-hour-long affair. You’ll be treated to non-stop dance moves, a revolving program of special guest DJs, a smokehouse barbecue straight out of the United States of America, and beverages from the Batch Brewing Company, served in a beer shack in the car park. It’s pretty much the ideal mid-long weekend event, in the sense that, if you’re exhausted following Friday and Saturday’s excesse, you’ll be able to kick back and let the action entertain you. But if you’re full of beans, there’ll be nothing stopping you demonstrating your baddest moves on the breakdance floor.
Part installation, part interactive art, Mathieu Briand's ][SYS*11.MIE>ABE/SOS\][SYS*10][][ — aka The Spiral — is the music experience you didn't know you were dying to be a part of. You won't just become immersed in the French artist's endless loop of samples — you'll tinker with them and help turn them into something new and unique. The process is simple: it starts with five turntables cycling through a series of sounds. As they rotate over and over again, Briand invites you to approach the mixing table and unleash your inner DJ. Yep, it's up to you to intervene and arrange the records however you see fit. Plus, your efforts will be cut to vinyl while you scratch and spin, courtesy of an etching machine that's part of the setup. A fusion of hands-on sculpture and sonic chaos is the end result, in a piece that has previously electrified London's Tate Modern. Presented by Carriageworks and Hobart's MONA, The Spiral will also make an appearance at January's MONA FOMA festival, along with Briand's exhibition, Et In Libertalia Ego, Vol. II. So this June event is the ideal way to soothe your envy if you aren't able to make it down to Tasmania.
When a business celebrates a birthday in a big way, its customers might be lucky enough to receive a present themselves. That's the case with cinema chain Hoyts, which is hitting 115 years old with two days — an entire weekend, in fact — of cheap movie tickets. Book in a big-screen date across Saturday, October 12–Sunday, October 13 to score $8 general-admission tickets. The special is open to everyone and you don't need to sign up for a membership; however, as there always is with these kinds of deals, there are a few caveats. If you reserve your $8 ticket are online, there'll also be a booking fee. And again, the deal applies just to standard sessions, not Hoyts LUX and special events — but you can pay extra to sit in a D-BOX motion recliner, for a lounge or daybed, or to get the Xtremescreen experience. If you want to head to Hoyts LUX, that'll cost you $25. Movie-wise, your viewing options include supervillain sequel Joker: Folie à Deux, more comic book-inspired antics with Hellboy: The Crooked Man, Sebastian Stan (Dumb Money)-starring Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice, gore aplenty thanks to Terrifier 3, and all-ages-friendly animation with The Wild Robot and Transformers One.
If you want to stand out in Sydney's bottomless brunch scene, you have to up the ante. Well, Untied in Barangaroo has done just that (again). You've heard us sing the praises of its vegan bottomless brunch already — and now the rooftop bar is kicking off another weekly brunch series with more stellar food, more bottomless booze, plus its very own gospel choir. Hallelujah, Brunch with Soul is here. The menu is heavenly — think spiced granola with roasted peach and honey yoghurt, croissants and 'nduja eggs benedict. There's also a vegan option available featuring southern fried tofu benedict and beignets (deep-fried choux pastry) with coconut whip and vegan caramel. For drinks, you can expect refreshing mint and watermelon kombucha and a selection of free-flowing spritzes including the classic Aperol spritz, the Rogue Rose (rouge vermouth, fresh strawberries and lemon), the Elderflower Bisou with lavender and the Sloe Death with vanilla and blueberry puree. The best part? The roaming gospel choir will sing out your favourite tunes while you tuck into the sumptuous spread. Looks like Saturday sessions are sorted, team. Bottoms up. Brunch with Soul takes place every Saturday across two sessions — 11am and 2pm — until May 18. The brunch costs $65 per person. To make a booking, head to Untied's website.
Belvoir has taken up its mantle as Sydney's 'other' major theatre company with gusto, announcing a 2015 season featuring elderly luminaries playing 17-year-olds, a clickbaity double bill of rom-coms themed around The Dog / The Cat and more cheeky, bold theatrical adventures. In particular, there's plenty of the collaboratively developed adaptations and exciting new Indigenous works the company has become known for. It's artistic director Ralph Myers' fifth and final season with the company, and one that shows Belvoir has really come into its own. "I have been enormously proud of the burst of creative energy that has accompanied my time here as artistic director," says Myers. "I feel a new generation of artists has really blossomed and that we’ll be seeing the fruits of that labour for many years to come on stages here and around the world." Here are 12 reasons to get into Belvoir in 2015 (i.e. it's the 12 shows they've programmed for us.) There's a mini Sapphires reunion in Radiance (3 January – 8 February, Upstairs Theatre) This classic of Australian cinema actually had its premiere at Belvoir in 1993. Now its kickstarting 2015, with Leah Purcell directing and starring and The Sapphires' Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell joining her on stage as three sisters reuniting for their mother's funeral in the heat of far north Queensland. Inimitable playwright Nakkiah Lui will play herself in Kill the Messenger (14 February – 8 March, Upstairs Theatre) Director Anthea Williams just couldn't imagine anyone else in the role. We loved Lui's debut full-length play and are waiting for the sharp stab of heartache and anger sure to come with this one, a very personal story of institutionalised racism. Nick Coyle's gay alien Blue Wizard goes (nearly) main-stage (19 February – 15 March, Downstairs Theatre) Everyone who saw Blue Wizard at last year's Tiny Stadiums festival has this sweet, lonely, earth-visiting, jizz-and-diamonds-eating character burned into their brains. Perfectly, the show is on at Mardi Gras time. Elektra / Orestes could be Belvoir's ultimate epic adaptation (14 March – 26 April, Upstairs Theatre) Mundane life becomes Greek tragedy in the hands of Anne-Louise Sarks, who did child-murder tale Medea from the point of view of the kids in 2013. In 2015 she teams up with Jada Alberts (Brothers Wreck) to take on the whole House of Atreus schemozzle. Not the wonderful Wizard of Oz (2 May – 31 May, Upstairs Theatre) When you think about it, L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz is the story of a young girl dealing with having just killed a person. Director Adena Jacobs (Hedda Gabler) explores this darker, visual-driven version of the familiar tale with a dream team including THE RABBLE's Kate Davis and Emma Valente on costume and lights. Puberty Blues' Ashleigh Cummings in coming-of-age story Samson (7 – 31 May, Downstairs Theatre) To be honest, Samson and its writer, first-timer Julia-Rose Lewis, are something of an unknown quantity. But the Belvoir team love it, so we're all ears. Robyn Nevin is Mother Courage (6 June – 26 July, Upstairs Theatre) Holy moly. It's like the Sydney Theatre Company and Belvoir are having a competition over who can most spectacularly cast Robyn Nevin. Here she's got a notoriously difficult role as a wily woman surviving and profiting from war. Angels in America's Eamon Flack directs and Michael Gow translates this new adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s masterpiece. There's a play about a dog and a play about a cat, what else do you need? (18 June – 12 July, Downstairs Theatre) Animals are better than people, so this double header is as good as sold out. Brendan Cowell has written The Dog, about the love triangle created when two men share a dog, and Lally Katz has created The Cat, about sharing a talking, smart-arse cat with your ex. Two plays, one night, funny, furry. Book it. Five Australian leading lights are 17 again in Seventeen (1 August – 13 September, Upstairs Theatre) Writer Matthew Whittet has drawn on the memories of actors Barry Otto, John Gaden, Peter Carroll, Maggie Dence and Judi Farr to capture all the joys and pains of coming of age as a group of friends prepares to move on from high school. The bit where they fumble through their 'first kiss' will be something to see. The trash-tastic Sisters Grimm celebrate and skewer La Traviata (27 August – 20 September, Downstairs Theatre) Yes, you can do both at once, as Sisters Grimm's Ash Flanders and Declan Greene have shown in so-wrong-it's-right Summertime in the Garden of Eden. Who knows if there'll be singing here, but so far this is described as "part opera, part protest, part drag show — a freewheeling satire that shadows Verdi's plot via the sweatshops of Mumbai". Another possible best adaptation in the form of Chekhov's Ivanov (19 September – 1 November, Upstairs Theatre) Ewen Leslie will play Nikolai Ivanov, a man stranded moneyless but rich in distractions on his old family farm. Eamon Flack directs (and will hopefully take great liberties with) this classic, as they aim "to put Australia on stage". Angela Betzien and Leticia Cáceres reunite for Mortido and we're scared already (7 November – 23 December, Upstairs Theatre) The last time this writer and director worked together at Belvoir, it was enough to make us quietly cry in fear and anxiety. This time they're presenting a world-travelling thriller connected by cocaine, with Colin Friels in the grizzled detective role. To explore the program and book subscription packages, visit the Belvoir website.
Located in a terrace house on Bourke Street, Home@735 allows art aficionados to get up close and personal with the exhibitions. The gallery, curated by Madeleine Preston, focuses on promoting Australian artists and supporting emerging talent. The art is displayed throughout Anthony Bautovich's terrace home creating a more intimate experience than that of a commercial gallery. Visitors can visualise how pieces could look in their own home, building a stronger appreciation for the practice of art collection. Image: Ashley Barber
When Sydney's first Harry Potter-themed boozy brunches were announced, the city couldn't get on their broomsticks fast enough, with the first set of events selling out quickly. Now, another lot of event-organising HP diehards are bring back the magic for another themed feast — and this time it's for Christmas Expect things to get festive. A historic building in Western Sydney will become the Great Hall for a hearty Christmas spread. Expect a roast with all the trimmings — trimmings here being potato, peas and the requisite pumpkin pasties — wizardy bevs like pumpkin juice and magical cocktails. There'll also be games (hopefully quidditch) and activities (fingers crossed for a bit of divination) and prizes (a snitch, please). If you have been looking for an unconventional way to celebrate Christmas, well, this is it. Tickets are currently on sale for both the lunch and dinner sittings for 79 galleons a head. You better get your robes ready.
The times they are a-changin' down in Potts Points' Lankelly Place, where Waterman's Lobster Co. has just revamped as Dear Sainte Eloise and Joseph Hyde has taken up residence in the old Wilbur Place digs. Named for Joseph Hyde Potts, who founded Potts Point in 1830, the community-minded cafe boasts some serious coffees and a menu for any dietary need. The space is owned and operated by Louise Hunt (previous owner of Surry Hill's Orto Trading Co and Redfern's Baffi & Mo), who just returned from sabbatical and snatched up this epic laneway space once the Wilmer pop-up ceased to be. "I love this laneway, it screams Melbourne for me and I like the fact that it's a bit of a hidden gem," says Hunt. "There are a lot of other little food outlets here, and I loved the fitout of Wilbur Place and used to have drinks down at the old Waterman's, so it's exciting to now be a part of this little laneway community." Joseph Hyde is the fourth business for Hunt and the locally sourced, weekly menu is an evolution from her previous operations with some twists on old favourites — think the Croque and Jack, a twist on the croque madame which uses free range, double smoked ham, topped with Monterrey jack cheese and a duck egg, all atop Sonoma sourdough ($15). The succinct menu also includes cheekily named dishes like the Get Laid, a.k.a organic eggs on toast ($11), and the Honey Dijon, which is named after the New York house DJ and is a combination of fried free range chicken, slaw and served with chipotle mayo ($18). "The most important thing for me was to make sure we could feed everyone so we've taken a lot of time and effort to make sure our menu can accommodate any dietary requirement," says Hunt. To this end, they'll happily accommodate special orders or swapping of ingredients, having already worked multiple protein options into a few dishes — including The Stack, which can come vegetarian with avocado and asparagus ($14), ham and mushroom ($18), or cured trout ($20.5). In the next few weeks, Joseph Hyde will also open for dinner Thursday through Sunday, turning into a wine bar by night with light menu including pork belly bites, prawn toast and scotch egg. In the meantime, they are currently licensed and are all about boozy weekend brunches. Joseph Hyde is now open at 36 Llankelly Place, Potts Point. Open Monday through Friday from 7am to 3pm and Saturday through Sunday from 8am to 3pm, and for private hire. Dinner hours will start in the next few weeks from Thursday through Sunday. Keep an eye on this space for the official dinner launch.
There's no denying that moving your body is a surefire way to improve the way you feel. Whether it's on a dance floor, in an exercise class or cruising 'round your neighbourhood listening to your favourite podcast, there's no shortage of ways to get active in a way that works for you. On Tuesday, October 4, Fitbit is making it even easier to get yourself moving via its one-night-only immersive Club Fitbit event in Sydney. And after your sweat sesh? Sparkling kombuchas, Fitbit goodies and more than a few health tonics. Plus, you can check out Fitbit's latest product innovations while you're there. At one of two sessions (5.30pm or 7pm), you and your crew can get involved in a 60-minute class that will see you power through three stellar workouts — for free. The sessions have all been designed around reducing stress, increasing movement and getting better sleep. In your sweat sesh, you'll get groovy at a dance fitness class with Sheron Sultan, the founder of Afro Step; dive deep in a breathwork workshop with Johannes Egberts; and experience a Himalayan salt yoga session led by renowned yoga and pilates instructor Leah Simmons. Bliss. While the event is free to attend, spaces are limited. So, make sure you book in advance to secure your spot. Keen to check it out? Club Fitbit will take place at 3 Danks in Waterloo on Tuesday, October 4. For more information and to reserve a spot at one of the two sessions, visit the website.
Eternal award-winner Maybe Sammy is about to add an exciting new venue to its impressive roster of Sydney bars, launching the team's first Mexican-inspired haunt in the form of El Primo Sanchez. The Paddington opening will join the likes of the original Maybe Sammy, as well as Dean & Nancy on 22, Sammy Junior and Maybe Frank, as part of The Maybe Group when it opens on Oxford Street in December. El Primo Sanchez will take over the ground floor of The Rose Hotel, bringing a heavy dose of agave, mezcal and tequila to Maybe Sammy's world-renowned cocktails. At the street-level bar, these cocktails will highlight Mexican and Latin American produce, and will be served in traditional handmade clay jarrito jugs. "You can still expect the same high level of hospitality, playful energy, brilliant cocktails and attention to detail as our other bars. It will just be wrapped up into a Mexican environment with more of a laidback pub vibe than a high-end cocktail bar," says The Maybe Group co-founder Vince Lombardo. Complimenting the cocktails will be an array of contemporary Mexican eats. While the menu is yet to be revealed, there will be options for a range of different occasions. If you're popping in for a catch-up over a drink, you can opt for bar snacks and lighter dishes like tacos, or if you're arriving on an empty stomach, heartier lunch and dinner choices will be available. The bar comes in collaboration with Public Hospitality, who recently opened Paddington's new boutique hotel, restaurant and bar Oxford House just down the road from The Rose Hotel. "We are excited to begin our journey with The Maybe Group in our beloved Rose Hotel in Paddington. The Maybe team have developed world acclaimed products which we have admired for some time. El Primo Sanchez will complement our newly opened lifestyle hotel, Oxford House and add further energy to Oxford Street," says Anna Touhy, Group General Manager F&B for Public Hospitality. Maybe Sammy was recently named in The World's 50 Best Bars list for 2022 for the fourth year in a row. The innovative bar in The Rocks took out 29th place in the list, a drop from 2021 when it came in 22nd, and from 2020's 11th spot, but higher than in 2019 when it sat at 43rd. El Primo Sanchez will open at 27–33 Oxford Street, Paddington. It will initially be open five nights and two days a week. We'll update you when an exact opening date is announced.
The slam-dunkers in Sydney's arts, music, food and culture realms are about to get a shiny assembly award for their awesomeness — FBi Radio have announced their nominees for the 2015 SMAC Awards. Celebrating the top tier of Sydney Music Art and Culture (SMAC), the awards have been running since 2008 and have given ups to young whippersnappers like Flume, Seeake, The Preatures, Hermitude, artists Beastman and Tony Albert and more, who've obviously gone on to be bigwigs. This year, the SMACs have a new bunch of go-getters on the table, all vying for the shiny SMAC in January. Across 11 categories, Sydney artists, restaurants, bars, musicians, performers, event planners and producers have been handpicked by the FBi team and their industry mates. Public voting opens today (November 10) and runs until 5pm December 18. Winners will be announced at a schwanko ceremony on January 12, broadcast broadcast live on FBi 94.5FM — and remember, you can celebrate the history of the SMACs at the giant festival FBi are putting together for Sydney Festival on January 10. Enough chatskies, here's the nominees. FBi RADIO 2015 SMAC AWARD NOMINEES: RECORD OF THE YEAR Hermitude - Dark Night Sweet Light Little May - For The Company Sampa The Great - The Great Mixtape Royal Headache - High Tuka - Life Death Time Eternal Gang of Youths - The Positions NEXT BIG THING B Wise Gordi Sampa The Great Vallis Alps World Champion REMIX THE CITY Bankstown Live Lovebombs Motion Pictures Perfect Match Raising the Bar Sydney BEST ON STAGE The Battle of Waterloo - Sydney Theatre Company The Bleeding Tree - Griffin Theatre Nothing to Lose - Force Majeure The Wizard of Oz - Belvoir Tangi Wai - Performance Space BEST LIVE ACT – presented by Coopers Alex Cameron Flowertruck George Maple Jack Ladder and The Dreamlanders Royal Headache FBi CLICK BEST PRODUCER – presented by V MoVement Alba Cassius Select Corin Moonbase Commander Wave Racer BEST MUSIC EVENT FCX: 10 Years of Future Classic House of Mince Mates Repressed Records at Vivid LIVE Volumes 2015 BEST SONG – presented by APRA AMCOS Angie - Down For The Count Shining Bird - River Mouth Gordi - Taken Blame Cosmo’s Midnight ft Kucka - Walk With Me Big White - You Know I Love You BEST ARTS PROGRAM 48HR Incident Little Baghdad Marina Ambramovic: In Residence Underbelly Arts 2015 Yellamundie BEST ARTIST – presented by the Keir Foundation Abdul Abdullah Bhenji Ra Haines and Hinterding Latai Taumpoepeau Rosie Deacon BEST EATS – presented by Cake Wines ACME Andy Bowdy Pastry Automata Dead Ringer Scout’s Honour Vote at FBi Radio's website. Image: Andy Bowdy.
