While there are ample sun-soaked venues around Sydney where a quick dip or a leisurely long lunch are top of the menu, you won't find another quite like this. Situated neatly beside the iconic Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool is this cheerful eatery offering poolside dining with waterfront views. Following a hefty makeover, Oh Boy Cafe has returned for the sunny season, complete with a crowd-pleasing menu and a modern coastal-inspired space. The eatery follows the ethos of "good food, good stories, good times, by the water" and provides a fitting accompaniment for a pre- or post-dip bite. Oh Boy has a modern casual feel with white and terracotta tones pairing beautifully with the crystal blue waters of the neighbouring pool and, beyond that, the harbour. The menu is stacked with breakfast classics, including a great egg and bacon roll, an accumulation of all the fry-up favourites called the Bear Breakfast, and a chickpea breakfast bowl among the vegetarian options. For lunch, have your fill of dishes like the spaghetti and cuttlefish ragu, or opt for familiar favourites like an Angus steak sando or a crumbed chicken schnitty. For summer spritzes in the sun, Oh Boy Café also offers a boozy bottomless brunch. Available Friday–Sunday, you can enjoy two hours of free-flowing mimosas, sparkling wine and rosé alongside a selection of choice dishes from the menu for $78 per person. Plus, the cafe can easily be transformed to host private events of up to 30 people, an option which is available from 7am til 11:30pm daily. Pair the scenes of Woolloomooloo Bay with Oh Boy Cafe's playful menu, and you've secured yourself the perfect summer spot.
100 years ago, May Gibbs first graced children's libraries with her adorable bush babies. The fantastical creatures — from Gumnut and Gum-Blossom Babies to the evil Big Bad Banksia Men — were inspired by her environmentalism and love of the Australian bush. Over the next few years, she crafted beloved characters like adventurous gumnut foster brothers Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, their best friend, orphaned gum-blossom Little Ragged Blossom, and their friends Mr Lizard and Mrs Kookaburra, who often saved them from danger. She even took them on adventures under the sea, where they met the greedy and devious John Dory and their kind saviour Ann Chovy. To celebrate Gibbs' life and her extraordinary contribution to Australian art and literature (and the lives of many children), the State Library of NSW is hosting an exhibition of her work. It will feature both original and reproduced illustrations from her books as well as her other art. And in a world rapidly succumbing to environmental destruction, there is perhaps no better time to heed Gibbs' warning to "be kind to all bush creatures". Image: Illustration for Gum-Nut Babies, 1916, May Gibbs, May Gibbs Archive at the State Library of NSW, © The Northcott Society and Cerebral Palsy Alliance.
Neil Perry’s new venture, the Burger Project has set out to bring the burger from Rockpool Bar and Grill, considered one of the world's greatest to the hungry masses. He's taking the burger of the Gods and bestowing it upon the people, in other words, Neil Perry is Burger Prometheus. Designed by architect Grant Cheyne, the Burger Project's sleek modern interior compliments its World Square location. The walls are raw concrete, brushed metal and mirror, which results in a monochrome colour scheme with only low lighting and a few bold feature walls to soften the space. One would be forgiven for feeling like they're dining in some sort of futuristic Japanese carpark — but enough about the décor, it's not called the Wall Project. Let's cut to the chase. The burgers arrive on a tray in crisp white paper bags, and the first thing you'll notice is that they look super fresh. They're not those shameful late night American style burgers that are currently trending in Sydney. The Burger Project celebrates local and sustainable produce and has created the sort of burgers you wouldn't be ashamed to introduce to your parents. For the adventurous there's the spicy chicken burger ($8.90) or the caramelized pork belly burger ($9.90), both served with salted chilli, crunchy pickled slaw, and lettuce. But really, there’s no going past the classic cheeseburger ($8.90). The chefs at the Burger Project are really serious about creating the perfect burger: the patties are ground in house using a combination of whole Cape Grim grass-fed chuck and brisket steak, which has been aged for 36 months. Yes… you read correctly, these patties have been enhancing in deliciousness for the length of an undergrad degree. Said perfect patties are accompanied with crisp lettuce, sweet tomatoes, onions, pickled cucumber, secret sauce and satisfyingly melty cheese on the softest of buns. Oh, and fear not vegetarians! There’s a grilled confit mushroom burger ($12.50) with all the trimmings and top-secret sauce, which is just as delicious! As for sides, we recommend sharing the golden hand-cut chips ($4.90), which are so legit they still have their skins on. We should also mention they're thrice cooked, because why cook something twice when you can cook it thrice? Don't pass up the crispy hot wings either ($3.50 each), tenderly cloaked in crunchy batter jackets and served with Sichuan salt and pepper or classic hot sauce. To complete the experience, you can wash it all down with a classic shake ($6.50) — the salted dulce de leche was a highlight, and if you have space for dessert there’s an array ice creams ($4.00 single) which are all churned in house and a handsome list of toppings ($1 each). But if designing your own dessert masterpiece is a little overwhelming, play it safe and opt for the Lamington ($6), Valrhona chocolate ice cream served with raspberry compote and coconut, or the Rocky Road ($7), a delectable tower of chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce, salted peanuts and marshmallow. But be warned, you may have to roll home.
Take one of popular culture's biggest supervillains, throw in one of today's very best actors and add the director of The Hangover trilogy. Only a few years ago, the above sentence might've seemed like a joke. Today, it's the reality we're living in — the reality that sees a standalone Joker movie cackling its way towards cinema screens, starring Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role. Move over Cesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger and Jared Leto — it's Phoenix's time to don exaggerated clown makeup, wield a killer smile and wreak havoc on Gotham City. The just-released first trailer for Joker promises plenty of all three, as failed standup comedian Arthur Fleck turns to a life of facepaint-wearing crime (and eventually obsessing over Batman, we're guessing). As directed and co-written by Todd Phillips (Old School, Starsky & Hutch, Due Date), Joker also comes with a suitably unhinged vibe, as if Phoenix's You Were Never Really Here character stumbled into Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy. (Fittingly, the latter film plus Taxi Driver and Raging Bull have been cited as inspirations for the new DC Comics flick, and Scorsese is one of Joker's executive producers.) It also looks certain to help everyone forget that the last take on the famous villain only arrived three years ago, because who wants to remember Leto's green-haired turn in Suicide Squad? Here's hoping Phoenix will follow in the footsteps of Nicholson and Oscar-winner Ledger instead, which looks likely based on the footage so far. And, of course, his excellent body of work in general. Robert De Niro, Atlanta's Zazie Beetz and Brian Tyree Henry, and Marc Maron also feature in Joker, with the film hitting cinemas in October. Check out the first trailer below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t433PEQGErc Joker releases in Australian cinemas on October 3, 2019.
In showbusiness, nepotism is as inescapable as movies about movies. Both are accounted for in The Souvenir: Part II. But when talents as transcendent as Honor Swinton Byrne, her mother Tilda Swinton and writer/director Joanna Hogg are involved — with the latter working with the elder Swinton since her first short, her graduation piece Caprice, back in 1986 before Honor was even born — neither family ties nor filmmaking navel-gazing feel like something routine. Why this isn't a surprise with this trio is right there in the movie's name, after the initial The Souvenir proved such a devastatingly astute gem in 2019. It was also simply devastating, following an aspiring director's romance with a charismatic older man through to its traumatic end. Both in its masterful narrative and its profound impact, Part II firmly picks up where its predecessor left off. In just her third film role — first working with her mum in 2009's I Am Love before The Souvenir and now this — Swinton Byrne again plays 80s-era filmmaking student Julie Harte. But there's now a numbness to the wannabe helmer after her boyfriend Anthony's (Tom Burke, Mank) death, plus soul-wearying shock after discovering the double life he'd been living that her comfortable and cosy worldview hadn't conditioned her to ever expect. Decamping to the Norfolk countryside, to her family home and to the warm but entirely upper-middle-class, stiff-upper-lip embrace of her well-to-do parents Rosalind (Swinton, The French Dispatch) and William (James Spencer Ashworth) is only a short-term solution, however. Julie's thesis film still needs to be made — yearns to pour onto celluloid, in fact — but that's hardly a straightforward task. As the initial movie was, The Souvenir: Part II is another semi-autobiographical affair from Hogg, with Swinton Byrne slipping back into her on-screen shoes. This time, the director doesn't just dive into her formative years four decades back, but also excavates what it means to mine your own life for cinematic inspiration — aka the very thing she's been doing with this superb duo of features. That's what Julie does as well as she works on the film's film-within-a-film, sections of which play out during The Souvenir: Part II's running time and are basically The Souvenir. Accordingly, viewers have now spent two pictures watching Hogg's protagonist lives the experiences she'll then find a way to face through her art, all while Hogg moulds her two exceptional — and exceptionally intimate and thoughtful — movies out of that exact process. Julie's graduation project is also an escape, given it's patently obvious that the kindly, well-meaning but somehow both doting and reserved Rosalind and William have been pushed out of their comfort zone by her current crisis. Helping their daughter cope with her heroin-addicted lover's passing isn't something either would've considered might occur, so they natter away about Rosalind's new penchant for crafting Etruscan-style pottery instead — using small talk to connect without addressing the obvious, as all families lean on at some point or another. They provide financing for Julie's film, too, in what proves the easiest part of her concerted efforts to hop back behind the lens and lose herself in her work. Elsewhere, an array of doubt and questions spring from her all-male film-school professors, and the assistance she receives from her classmates is quickly steeped in rivalries, envy and second-guessing. More than once, queries arise about why Julie makes particular choices — and seeing how Swinton Byrne responds under Hogg's meticulous direction is one of the key reasons that The Souvenir: Part II is as powerful and compelling as it is. Like everything in the film, it's a revelation in layers, which unpeel far deeper than merely asking Swinton Byrne to be her director's on-screen surrogate. An introvert, Julie is visibly unaccustomed to the scrutiny that comes with her ambitious project, and with needing to handle her inner hurt under a spotlight. Swinton Byrne makes that plain quietly but repeatedly, all while conveying how Julie's self-hesitation slowly dissipates the longer she goes on, the more she struggles with, and the more mistakes she makes and solves. How this process echoes through her work, shaping both it and Julie herself, ripples through to a disarmingly intense degree — and with crucial aid from cinematographer David Raedeker (Swimming with Men) and production designer Stéphane Collonge (God's Own Country). There's no shaking the grief of it all, of course. As a musing on mourning, plus a perceptive glimpse at how the bereaved are expected to soldier on despite placating words offered otherwise, The Souvenir: Part II is shattering. Amid movie-within-movie sequences that'd owe thanks to David Lynch and Charlie Kaufman if they weren't so clearly diffused through Hogg's own lens — and after the other glimpse at the industry that comes via Richard Ayoade's (The Electrical Life of Louis Wain) returning Patrick, now successful, pompous AF, helming a huge movie musical and an enormous scene-stealer — the all-encompassing chaos that loss begets is laid bare. It's what drives Julie into bed with one of Patrick's stars (Charlie Heaton, Stranger Things), and sees her place perhaps too much on her own film's leading man (Harris Dickinson, The King's Man). In another of the feature's standout moments, it's also what causes her to misunderstand the sympathies of her editor (Joe Alwyn, Mary Queen of Scots) when support becomes hard to find. The Souvenir was a fated romantic tragedy. It was a vehicle for its director to work through her memories, too, and immortalise what she's now decided to keep; yes, that title is oh-so-telling. The Souvenir: Part II is a meditation upon loss, heartbreak and life's worst existential and inevitable woes, and also a way for Hogg to sift through her memories about all those memories, not to mention the new ones she conjured up when she first turned them into a movie a few years back. It's as smart, sensitive and stacked as an immensely personal piece of cinema can be, and it's also thrillingly savvy about how subjective everything it shows and interrogates needs to be by necessity. Cinema isn't short on memoirs, many of them wonderful — recent Oscar-winners Roma and Belfast, for example — but The Souvenir and its just-as-phenomenal sequel are in a bold and brilliant realm all of their own.
Crisp air, clear skies, golden leaves. It's this trifecta of soul-nourishing pleasures that makes autumn the perfect time to escape Melbourne for a short break in the regional Victorian town of Echuca. Just two hours and 45 minutes' drive north, this romantic, riverside spot is best known for its nostalgic paddle steamers. And while a ride along the Murray in 19th-century style should be on everyone's bucket list, there's a whole lot more to explore. Think cycle paths dotted with cellar doors and gourmet food stops, canoe trails through the world's biggest red river gum forest, and antique train carriages transformed into beautiful accommodation. EAT AND DRINK Even though the drive is pretty easy, you'll no doubt be hankering after a coffee as soon as you roll in. So make your first stop The Black Pudding Cafe, which also does a mighty breakfast burrito, with cheesy scrambled eggs, bacon, hash brown, black beans and barbie sauce, alongside several other generous brekkies. Meanwhile, enjoy country chic at The Sweet Meadow, where you'll find Allpress Coffee and a 100 percent vegan menu, from banana and buckwheat pancakes to beautifully presented baked donuts. Find this plant-based health bar in a 1920s corner cottage that has been revamped with pink paint and an array of Instagram-worthy florals. Come lunchtime, Henry's Bridge Hotel is the place to go for hearty pub classics, including burgers, grill and fish 'n' chips. It's the oldest pub in town, having been built in 1859 by ex-convict Henry Hopwood, and scored a $1 million revamp in 2016. From there, move on to The Mill, another glammed-up historical spot, which started out in 1881 as a five-storey flour mill. These days, it's a restaurant and bar, dotted with lounges, vintage timber and magnificent chandeliers. Enjoy a quick craft beer or local wine, or stay a while for share plates based on local produce, such as slow-braised pork belly with parsnip puree, bok choy and star anise reduction. Another champion of local farmers is Junction, perched right on the confluence of the Murray and Campaspe Rivers. The architect-designed space offers a choice of atmospheres, from an outdoor terrace overlooking gardens to a warmly lit cocktail lounge. Wherever you are, linger over beautifully composed share plates — such as Wagyu beef carpaccio with wild mushrooms and daikon remoulade — and signature cocktails, like the Ultimate G&T (Four Pillars gin, bergamot bitters, tonic, rosemary and mango). Finally, for an indulgent Italian feast, there's Ceres, where chefs Simone Di Domizio and Amanda Santurbano serve up decadent dishes informed by years of training in traditional and fine dining restaurants across Europe. Waterfront wineries are a knockout feature of the Murray region. There are two within cooee of Echuca: Morrisons Winery, to which you can travel by paddle steamer, and Cape Horn Vineyard, which sits on a lovely hill between the Murray and Goulburn Rivers, affording dreamy views. Should you fancy arriving on horseback, give Billabong Ranch a buzz. DO A good way to get your bearings around Echuca is with some exploration on foot or by bicycle. To that end, the Echuca and Moama Recreation Trails carry you through an idyllic blend of river frontage, forest and historical town streets. Along the way, have a breather at St Anne's Cellar Door, where you can sample a bunch of light whites, big reds and fortified wines perfected over three generations of wine-making, as well as Echuca Farmhouse Cheese, for irresistible triple bries, blues, tasties and more. Once you've experienced Echuca on land, you'll want to see it from the water. The classic way to do this is via paddle steamer, but for a more active adventure, consider a canoe. Echuca Boat and Canoe Hire or River Country Adventours will sort you out with a vessel, from where you can spend an hour or two splashing about on the Murray or set off on a longer voyage, such as a multi-day canoeing-camping escapade through Barmah National Park, home to the world's biggest river red gum forest. Also nearby is Edward River, a quieter alternative to the Murray. To see the area from a local perspective, book an overnight tour with Southern Side Eco Tours, who'll take you to Barmah's most remote spots, cook you dinner over a crackling campfire and pop you into a luxury bell tent for a super-comfy sleep. SLEEP Houseboats of all kinds bob about on the Murray, waiting for weekend visitors. If you're with a group of luxury-loving pals, then go with Magic Murray Houseboats, whose vessels feature slick design, or Executive Houseboats, which have the mod cons. As many as 12 can sleep aboard these boats at once, with room for everyone in the queen rooms, around the dinner table and in the spa. Loads more boat hire possibilities, whatever your budget, can be found on the Visit Victoria website. Another left-of-field stay is The Carriages Vineyard, about 20 minutes' drive west of Echuca. Here, owners David and Lyndall Johnson have been planting grapevines since 1996 and, at the same time, turned four 1890s train carriages into a gorgeous three-bedroom sleepover. Think stunning polished timber, comfy armchairs and outdoor decks surrounded by vineyards. You can even indulge in a wine tasting without leaving your station. Back in town, there's the Cock 'n' Bull, which was built in 1876 on the banks of the Campaspe River. Take your pick of five self-contained apartments, from the retro Emmylou Suite to the light, airy Henry Charles Suite overlooking the water. Last but not least, to stay as close to the Murray as possible — and without spending a cent — pack your tent. There's a bunch of pretty beach campsites near Echuca. Betts Beach is the most rustic, being facility-free, while Christies Beach gives you toilets, barbies and picnic tables, and Wills Bend, toilets only. Alternatively, let someone else do all the hard work for you and go glamping at Talo Retreat, where you'll get to snooze in a Mongolian yurt with a skylight for stargazing, plus a private spa and balcony. For more ideas on how to spend your autumn getaway to Echuca and the Murray region, check out the Wander Victoria website.
The 2011 Parklife lineup was finally revealed this morning on Triple J. The festival, which reaches Australian shores in September, is headlined by Santigold, Gossip, Lykke Li, the Naked and Famous, Digitalism and the Streets. The lineup is heavy on female and also on dubstep artists with Magnetic Man, Joker & MC Nomad and Flux Pavillion all playing this year. The full lineup for Parklife 2011 is as follows: Gossip Lykke Li Santigold Death From Above 1979 Duck Sauce Katy B The Naked and Famous Crystal Fighters Example Digitalism Adrian Lux The Streets Simian Mobile Disco Magnetic Man Nero SebastiAn Diplo Mstrkrft Sebastien Tellier Little Dragon Gold Fields Mylo Wolfgang Carter Joker & MC Nomad Feed Me Tensnake Kimbra The Aston Shuffle Flux Pavillion Yacht Club DJs Harvard Bass Tickets go on sale 12pm Thursday June 30. For pre-sale click here. The various festival dates: Melbourne on Saturday, September 25 Perth on Sunday, September 26 Brisbane - Saturday, October 1 Sydney - Sunday, October 2 Adelaide - Monday, October 3 https://youtube.com/watch?v=i8QxOEFzAXo
The charmingly titled Juniper Hall, also known as Ormond House, dates back to 1894. That's when its construction began under gin distiller Robert Cooper, who clearly inspired its more recent moniker. Unique in its design given its Old Colonial Georgian style, it features an upper balcony which looks directly onto the heart of Oxford Street. Located a stone's throw from the idyllic Paddington Reservoir, the majestic mansion was restored to its original state in 1988, when the modern shops and houses in front of it were also removed. A sight to behold alone, the Paddington site currently plays host to the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize exhibition of photographs and portraits. Here, you can take a step back in time — and out of the hustle and bustle of city life — while losing yourself in an afternoon of art, stories and imagination, and soaking in a slice of Australian history as well. Images: Kitti Smallbone
The Kooks were back in Sydney last week at the tail end of their Australian tour. We spoke with band member, Hugh Harris, about bringing in the New Year at Falls, cooking spag bol and retracing his roots in his spiritual homeland, Sydney. Hey Hugh, thanks for chatting with me today. So you have just landed in Sydney ready for the gig tonight? Well, we arrived last night but I have family in Sydney so we had dinner plans and then after dinner plans. Hopefully I will have time to have a rest today before the gig. But it is great to be in Sydney. I was down in Tassie for Falls so I saw you guys ring in the New Year! Oh, that's great, yeah, I think that was one of the best gigs we played, in Tasmania. And we managed to get the countdown right which was a bonus. Yeah, I was speaking to Alex Turner [Arctic Monkeys] the other day and he was a bit miffed that the countdown didn't really work out at Falls in Lorne when they were playing for NYE? Yeah, well I think in Tasmania it was OK because we had the big screen so it was pretty hard to mess up. In Lorne, there was no TV screen so it would've been hard for the Arctic Monkeys to count down. Have you played a summer NYE gig before? No, no summer NYE before, not on stage. I always think it is better just to have a party, then there is no pressure on anyone to provide the fun. But we have always wanted to do it and the opportunity came up so now we have. And did you get to see Pnau come on after you guys? Pnau? No. I stuck around for a bit. I had my cousins there from the countryside. My sheep shearing cousins. But it is hard you know when you are working, it is hard to know when the partying starts, but we just partied afterwards. Do you guys like playing festivals as compared to standard gigs? Yeah, I mean I think we are a festival band in a way. And it is a happier vibe. You get to play to people who aren't necessarily fans and that is an exciting prospect, you know, to gather a larger following. And you get that at festivals, everyone's drunk and they don't have a choice but to listen! You've been to Sydney a lot and having family here is there anything you really look forward to doing whilst you are here? Yeah, I have this nostalgia route that I take. We used to come here for Christmas because my grandmother was here. And one Christmas I got a skateboard and I used to take this route around Rushcutters Bay. So I will do that. On your skateboard? No, those days are past! I just walk it now. So I start at Rushcutters and then walk up the hill and go to No Frills [an offshoot of the supermarket chain Franklins that no longer exists] in the Edgecliff Centre and get a cake. It's where I used to buy my holiday cakes. And then I will head down to the Golden Sheaf and try and get a beer. And then a swim at that harbour pool. Redleaf? Yeah, Redleaf. So I will try and do that today. I think perhaps the Sheaf might have changed a bit since you were last there.. Yeah, I've heard that. What happened? Well, it is pretty much an empire now. When did you last go? Well, my Dad was here in the 1970s. Yeah, well it is not the Sheaf of the '70s! And neither of us was around then! You guys have been playing now for 7 years and you were only 18 when The Kooks signed to Virgin – did you always want to be in a band? No, absolutely not. I actually wanted to be in espionage, I always wanted to be a spy. And then second I wanted to be in a band. Well, maybe you could be a spy in your thirties? No, I think that might be too late. You know you have to do all this training, martial arts training; I think the dream is over. And maybe it will be too hard, you know needing to be inconspicuous and all? No, I'll shave my head that will be fine! And what do you guys get up to in your free time whilst you are on tour? Do you get into sightseeing or art galleries or whatever? Yeah, art galleries for sure. You hit the nail on the head. I love art galleries and try and go as much as possible. Modern art galleries. And cooking. I really love cooking, but mostly when I get home. I find it really relaxing and I cook a mean spaghetti bolognaise. Like all good boys! All boys have the staple spag bol! Yeah, but I would like to say that I think mine is better than anyone else's! You know, I leave it for a really long time, even cooking overnight, and it just comes alive. Well, not with bacteria hopefully. And other stuff? I like tennis. My favourite colour is yellow. And… Ok, just one more question. Your new clip for Is it me is particularly nostalgic with the typewriter and the 1960s primary colours – considering your musical influences how do The Kooks feel about nostalgia and looking back at the past? Yeah, we love the past. I love my past. And yeah, we are influenced by a lot of music from the past. But I think when we were young we used to go through our parents' record collections and just sift through, you know. But also I like that things from the past are spun and renewed and regurgitated. It's a blending of the past. Like with our new album, you know it is a bit of a bridge. It is The Kooks staple sound but then there are all these warm synthesisers in there so it blends the past and the present. That's what we do.
The past year and a half hasn't delivered many reasons to laugh. It hasn't seen many big-name international comedians hit our stages to try to get us giggling and guffawing, either. And, if you wanted to end 2021 by chucking at Bill Bailey, that isn't going to happen either. Back in May, the British favourite announced that he was bringing his En Route to Normal tour to our shores this October and November, which would've marked three years since he last had the country in stitches back in 2018. But those plans have just changed due to Australia's COVID-19 restrictions, so you'll need to wait until September, October and November 2022 instead. Known for everything from Have I Got News for You and QI to Spaced, Hot Fuzz and Skins — and Black Books, obviously — Bailey will be pondering some of life's big questions during his delayed En Route to Normal sets. And, while the pandemic is certain to get a mention, he actually named the show before lockdowns, social distancing and always knowing how many active cases are in your state became our current definition of normal. Bailey will still kick off the tour in Queensland, before making his way — and taking his distinctive locks — to Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Plus, in some states, he won't just be sticking to capital cities. Tickets for 2021 dates will be transferred over to their new 2022 equivalents. [caption id="attachment_812863" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Andy Hollingworth[/caption] BILL BAILEY EN ROUTE TO NORMAL TOUR 2022: September 22 — Empire Theatre , Toowoomba September 24 — The Events Centre, Caloundra September 25, 27–28 — QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane September 30 — Star Theatre, Gold Coast October 3–4 — Riverside Theatre, Perth October 6 — Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Mandurah October 9 — Wrest Point Entertainment Centre, Hobart October 10 — Princess Theatre, Launceston October 12–13 — Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide October 15 — Costa Hall, Geelong October 17–18 — Wollongong Town Hall, Wollongong October 20–22 — Palais Theatre, Melbourne October 26–28 — State Theatre, Sydney October 30–31 — Civic Theatre, Newcastle November 1 — Coliseum Theatre, Sydney November 3 — Civic Hall, Ballarat November 4 — Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo November 5 — Royal Theatre, Canberra Bill Bailey's En Route to Normal tour will make its way around the country between September–November 2022. For further information and tickets, head to the tour website. Top image: Brian Marks via Wikimedia Commons.
Short films accomplish what Hollywood blockbusters do in a fifth of the time and one squillionth of the budget. They make us laugh, cry and think. Plus they'll leave you feeling self-congratulatory for having foregone an evening with your worn-out copy of Love Actually. Tropfest is the bee's knees of short film festivals. The largest in the world, in fact. Coming into its 20th year, Tropfest seems a far cry from its humble beginnings as an informal film screening hosted by Tropicana Café, with actor and director John Polson at the reins. Tropfest is no stranger to celebrity, having seen the likes of Naomi Watts, Toni Collette, Geoffrey Rush and Baz Luhrmann on its live panel of judges (yeah, no biggie!). It has also helped launch the career of the Edgerton brothers, Sam Worthington and Elissa Down. From among 700 annual entries, only 16 are chosen. The 2012 finalists have adapted this year’s signature theme ‘Light Bulb’ to suit their ends. Expect to witness anything from a police interrogation of a clown (The Unusual Suspects), a clairvoyant photo booth (Photo Booth) to the politics of the light refreshment business (Lemonade Stand). Best of all, this event is FREE. ZERO. ZILCH. Tropfest screens in the picturesque surrounds of the Botanic Gardens, and showcases food stalls, bars and live music. Which leaves you with very little excuse not to put down Bridget Jones and join in a night of great home-grown cinema. Images: Courtesy of Tropfest Australia
Conceived in Toowoomba, Bizoo is a zine that has served to inspire the youth of regional communities, invigorating a creative spirit that goes beyond the dreary townscape of churches, nursing homes and terrible nightclubs. After five years of steadfast commitment to supporting the little guy, Bizoo is calling it a day. As a final farewell, the creators are releasing a book titled Bizoo: the best, the worst and the trash that never made it. They're also hosting a series of national launch events and sweet skills workshops. The Sydney party will take place at the Rizzeria's pop-up space in The Rocks. Breaking the mould of stale book launches, there will be live music from acoustic performer Isaac Graham, an exhibition of past Bizoo covers, and a panel discussing the DIY ethics that have mobilised zines, festivals, music and other creative initiatives to voice the unspoken. Punters can also get a copy of the retrospective book for free. Commemorating a legendary zine that went up against the big street press, it traces the history of the publication and is crammed with stacks of music news, interviews, gig photography as well as plenty of art and design.
MCA Opening by Zacha Rosen. See the gallery here. It’s back: the only reason non-tourists ever visit the rocks (besides a 2am pancake craving and home-brewed beer). The MCA, our resplendent harbour-side cultural gem (uh, the other one) reopens this weekend, showing off its shiny makeover with new exhibitions, talks and events to remind us why we love contemporary art, and especially why we love it in Sydney (the new upstairs café that offers sweeping views of the harbour for one). But as delighted as we are to have our homecoming queen back on the scene, it doesn’t mean we should forget our humbler, less glamorous members of team contemporary art. Offering up some fierce rivalry to any grand opening of any grand establishment are some of our local favourites: Anna Schwartz with Shoot from the Hip, The Tate with Dancing Words, and Serial Space with a unique approach to the concept of a lecture. There’s also no shortage of film, theatre and events that make you go hmmm, to add to your cultural calendar this week. But whatever you do, do it with the lights out. Earth hour is once again upon us, so this Saturday let’s aim for the kind of pitch black that would put a Stanley Kubrick film to shame. MCA Opening Weekend The details: Thursday, March 29 - Sunday, April 1 @ Museum of Contemporary Art After an absence of more than a year, the Museum of Contemporary Art is rebuilt, refit and ready to bring you more art than ever before. Its innards have been expanded, a white, lego-like addition fused to its northern edge and a cafe upstairs now offers you a view with your mid-art breaks. For its Opening Weekend, the MCA lights itself up to take its first contingent of new guests, with talks, art and events to keep you busy for three full days of artistic exploration. Read more La Traviata - Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour The details: Saturday, March 24 - Sunday, April 15 @ Mrs. Macquaries Point Probably the best outdoor event to ever be staged in Australia, this stunning spectacle floats in the harbour, while you sip champagne from Fleet Steps. Read more Lauren Brincat: Shoot From the Hip The details: Wednesday, March 28 - Saturday, April 21 @ Anna Schwartz Gallery Moody video cycles and triangular sculpture feature in this solo show, Lauren Brincat's first at a private gallery. Read more The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra The details: Thursday, March 29 @ Oxford Art Factory Featuring Bret McKenzie from Flight of the Conchords, here is something that could either be truly amazing or amazingly bad. Read more Message Sticks 2012 The details: Tuesday, March 27 - Sunday, April 1 @ Sydney Opera House See great Indigenous films for free, alongside a fiery array of music, talks, dance and art. Read more Earth Hour 2012 The details: Saturday, March 31 @ Sydney City Streets and Parks The Hour started in Sydney in 2007, and has become an international event in the years since. Get unplugged, as small acts lead to bigger things. Read more Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes The details: Saturday, March 31 - Sunday, June 3 @ Art Gallery of New South Wales While we can always count on this annual crowd magnet to deliver awe-inspiring celebrations of Aussie celebrity, the Archibald Prize offers especially fascinating portraiture. Read more The Hunger Games The details: Thursday, March 22 - Wednesday, April 25 @ Various cinemas An exhilarating debut from the bestselling series about teenagers engaged in a deadly bloodsport. Read more
Thanks to a plan to turn Sydney into a 24-hour city, its laneways, streets and car parks are being transformed into al fresco dining havens. Following the City of Sydney's announcement of this outdoor dining scheme, precincts around the CBD have begun spilling out onto the streets. First up was The Rocks, and now Darling Harbour has been given the al fresco treatment. This community recovery plan aims to reactivate the CBD and other local precincts by making it easier than ever for venues to offer outdoor dining, late-night trading and live music. A whopping 22 venues are participating in the al fresco dining pilot across Darling Quarter, Darling Harbour and Cockle Bay. Those include fan favourites like craft brew bar Bucket Boys, soba specialists Iiko Mazesoba, Shanghainese restaurant Lilong, ramen joint Hakata-Maru, the longstanding Pumphouse, Korean fried chicken shop Arisun and sushi spot Umi. The much-loved Dopa by Devon is getting in on the action, too, offering up half-priced dessert specials alongside its outdoor dining (weekdays 3–5pm, second dessert only). Then, over at The Gardens by Lotus, there is bottomless yum cha every weekend for $69 each. [caption id="attachment_790302" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Lilong by Dallas Kilponen[/caption] A few of the restaurants have also set up summery activations in their newly expanded outdoor spaces. At Planar, there's a picnic-style dining area, complete with a floral swing installation, cushioned bench seating and $10 pomegranate spritzes during happy hour (3–6pm daily). Cyren Bar Grill Seafood has its own summer-themed space, and Braza Churrascaria has reinstated its Brazilian dancers for outdoor entertainment. Even more live entertainment is on the docket across Cockle Bay, Darling Quarter and along the Harbour, with acts on every Thursday through Sunday from 5–9pm. To achieve this al fresco goal CBD-wide, the government bodies are working together to cut red tape for businesses to easily reclaim outdoor space. Soon enough, you'll begin to see many more parking spots, traffic lanes and footpaths turned into outdoor dining — with activations across Pitt, Barrack and Crown streets, and Tankstream Way and Wilmot Lane all currently in the works. For more information about the al fresco dining plan, head to the Darling Harbour website.
Trendy trio Kitty, Daisy and Lewis make retro-inspired soulful tunes mixed in with a dash of modern funk. Their already impressive repertoire of appearances at Falls, Meredith, Sydney Festival and the Big Day Out is being added to over the next few months with concerts in both Melbourne and Sydney before they head up to the beloved Byron Bay for Australia's largest and most renowned blues and roots festival, Bluesfest. Hailing from north-west London, the trio derive a lot of their inspiration from the swinging melodies of the '40s, '50s and '60s and have been described by NME as "the sound of yesteryear, but also a band for the future". To jump on the bandwagon and see what all the hype is about, take a look at the Kitty, Daisy and Lewis official Australian tour trailer before snapping up tickets while they're still available. https://youtube.com/watch?v=F2Litp_kgkw
The Sydney Opera House will transform into a salsa-dancing Manhattan neighbourhood for five nights this January. Part of Sydney Festival, In The Heights is a quadruple Tony Award-winning musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, Moana), which made its Sydney debut at Hayes Theatre last year. At the centre of the action is Usnavi, a bodega owner drowning in debt and dreaming about moving to the Dominican Republic. But he's not the only one yearning for change — a family is also desperate to send their daughter to a prestigious university and a woman longs to have a roof over her head. Watch their stories unravel, punctuated by plenty of salsa dancing soundtracked by a live Latino band. To celebrate the launch of the musical at the House, the Northern Foyer will host a fairy light-lit, flag-decked pop-up known as the Fiesta Bar, where you're invited to dance the night away, while sipping on margaritas and feasting on tacos and empanadas. The pop-up bar is, however, only accessible to those who have tickets to the musical. Images: Grant Leslie.
Corey McMahon directs a small cast in this funny yet serious piece about two actors who make friends with a seemingly ordinary bloke called Adam and unwittingly throw his life into chaos. It's a play about human connection, our perception of mental illness as a society and the consequences of using someone's life in the name of 'art'. "Music proves that the central character can be a fully formed person who just happens to have a mental illness," says McMahon. Music by Australian playwright Jane Bodie is having its world premiere as part of Griffin's Independent season. Since winning the 2006 Victorian Premier's Award for A Single Act, Bodie has been busy directing and writing for both television and theatre. She's also squeezed in a gig at NIDA as head of playwriting. You might have caught her play This Year's Ashes back in 2011. Music marks her return to the Griffin stage, in what looks like an interesting year ahead for the Stables. Inspired by her brother's teenage years, the play includes some of his favourite songs from the era, including 'This Charming Man' by The Smiths, 'Transmission' by Joy Division, 'Rock the Casbah' by The Clash, 'Into Temptation' by Crowded House, 'Spellbound' by Siouxsie and the Banshees, 'Fools Gold' by The Stone Roses, 'Song 2' by Blur 'Miserere Mei, Deus' as performed by the Kings College Chapel Choir. Music runs from April 2 to 26 at the SBW Stables Theatre in Kings Cross, and thanks to Griffin Theatre Company, we have three double passes to the first preview to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
Brisbanites already know the joys of living in the River City, and now the rest of the world is catching up. In 2023, the Queensland capital keeps being named among the globe's top places, first thanks to TIME magazine, then scoring the only Australian place to stay on the first-ever World's Best's 50 Hotels list and now getting the tick of approval from Frommer's. The travel guide publisher has unveiled its 'Best Places to Go in 2024' rundown, which isn't ranked but does compile Frommer's top spots to put on your itinerary next year. "This year, Frommer's selections for the 'Best Places to Go' combine our growing hunger for fresh discovery, balanced with a rising need for affordability and accessibility. Frommer's authors, researchers and staffers around the globe have selected destinations that shine in our time and are expecting rising fortunes in 2024," the publisher advised. "Whether it's forging new inroads to previously isolated attractions, marking milestones in sustainability or cultural heritage, or basking in a previously denied spotlight, each destination on our Best Places to Go list could play a pivotal role in our shifting travel sensibilities in 2024." Why yes, #Brisbane DID make our list of the top places on the planet to visit in 2024. Here's why: https://t.co/WTtkE3e1I7 pic.twitter.com/ESX5PzzMjP — Frommer's (@Frommers) October 25, 2023 Fifteen places have received the nod, with Brisbane the only Australian location on the list. It's named second in a selection that the publisher notes is "in no particular order". The city earned some love partly for converting "the river into a world-class asset, devising new ways to go over, under and around the waterway — and show it off at new entertainment districts with dazzling views". Also mentioned: everything from the upcoming Queen's Wharf precinct to the existing Howard Smith Wharves, and also K'gari and Minjerribah. And yes, the fact that Brisbane is hosting the 2023 Olympic and Paralympic Games gets a shoutout as well. "Brisbane's reputation as a generic Aussie backwater is over. It belongs to the world now," Frommer's also states. Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has been quick to celebrate the latest global tick of approval for the River City. "Brisbane residents already know our city is the best place in the world to live and now the world knows it's Australia's best place to visit," said the Mayor. "People are flocking to Brisbane in record numbers to live so it's no surprise our city is being recognised as a world-class destination to visit too." "Brisbane's suburbs are great places to live and our city's incredible climate and world-class destinations like South Bank and Howard Smith Wharves are capturing hearts across the world. Our river city is on an incredible trajectory and this is just further recognition that Brisbane just keeps getting better." Brisbane's company among Frommer's 15 picks for 2024 includes The Cook Islands, Seville in Spain, Dresden and Chemnitz in Germany, Guanajuato in Mexico, Scotland's islands, Nepal, Prince Edward Island in Canada and Panama City, Panama. America is well represented thanks to the state of Kentucky, Santa Fe in New Mexico, the Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho, Glendale in Arizona, Utqiagvik in Alaska and Maui in Hawaii. For the full Frommer's Best Places to Go in 2024 list, head to the publication's website.
If you're unable to resist the charms of Lightning Ridge and need to take a piece home with you, head to the more traditional — but no less colourful — John Murray Art Gallery. Here you'll find the exclusive home for works by the celebrated eponymous artist. Murray's works showcase the beauty and the character of the Australian outback with wit and whimsy. Stop into the gallery to see Murray's photorealistic works up close, and exit via the gift shop where you can pick up original paintings, prints, cards and souvenirs. Murray is also the creative mind behind Lightning Ridge's newest mascot, Stanley the Emu. Unveiled in 2013, Stanley is an 18-metre-tall steel emu made primarily from VW Beetle bonnets and doors, and is an unmissable sight that greets visitors just 10 kilometres out of town. [caption id="attachment_843122" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Vance Bagwell (Flickr)[/caption] Top image: John, Flickr
Warm weather, beach holidays and kicking back with a few cocktails all go hand in hand. But thanks to ever-changing border restrictions over the past few months — plus life during a pandemic in general — you mightn't have been able to enjoy this summertime routine recently. If you're the kind of person who can enjoy a few beverages and instantly feel like you're vacation, though, then you'll instantly want to add Four Pillars' latest tipple to your must-drink list. In collaboration with Melbourne venue Arbory Afloat, the highly awarded gin distillery is launching a new Beach House Gin. It comes in a cheery pink hue, and heroes citrus and fruit flavours — think lemon myrtle, grapefruit, orange, lemon peel, sweet strawberry gum, pineapple sage and davidson plums. The idea, as the name makes plain, is to make you feel like you're on holiday by the shore every time you take a sip. Melburnians will know that this isn't Four Pillars and Arbory Afloat's first joint venture, with the two pairing up in 2019 on a different – but still pink — limited-edition gin. This time around, however, the tipple won't just be available onboard at Arbory Afloat. It still will be, of course, including on tap in spritzes and mixed into G&Ts — but folks around the country can also order a bottle. If your gin shrine is screaming for a splash of colour, Beach House Gin goes on sale at 8am on Tuesday, February 9 for $90 a bottle — or you can get it with a four-pack of tonic for $100. While Melburnians can try the new gin at Arbory Afloat, bottles are only available to purchase from the venue's website. To complete the summery feel, Beach House Gin features a label from Melbourne design studio 21-19 and Finnish artist and illustrator Antti Kalevi, which uses shapes and textures to create an abstract beachy landscape. And, gin fans in Melbourne can also head to a launch party for the new drop on Thursday, February 4, with tickets costing $145, and gin cocktails, beer, wine, sparkling, oysters and canapes on the menu on Arbory Afloat's pool deck. Four Pillars x Arbory Afloat Beach House Gin is available on tap and in cocktails at Arbory Afloat, and to buy by the bottle via the venue's website from 8am on Tuesday, February 9.
With all of the festive parties and end-of-year lunches happening at the moment, we hardly need another reason to say sayonara to the summer diet. But if you're a sugar fiend looking for an excuse, this one's for you. Family-run baking business Donut Papi has packed up its market stall and opened permanent digs in Redfern. Owner Kenneth Rodrigueza started Donut Papi in 2015, enlisting the assistance of his siblings and placing his primary focus on wholesale. It quickly built up a cult following via food markets and social media — with a little help from none other than Nigella Lawson, who regrammed a photo of their product line-up on Instagram. In the current food climate, you wouldn't be blamed for thinking "does Sydney really need another dedicated doughnut store?" If the lines of customers outside Donut Papi's new Redfern Street store across opening weekend proved anything, then the answer is a resounding yes. And, not just because it was handing out free treats to the first 100 customers. Boasting distinctive flavour combinations that have been inspired by Asian ingredients, Donut Papi has carved out a unique spot in the market. Its pandan and ube custard-filled doughnuts are among its most popular creations, with black sesame, matcha and strawberry sakura also popping up on the menu on occasion. The team have also created the Redfern Velvet to pay homage to their new home. Having previously shared a commercial kitchen, which restricted the team's cooking time, Rodrigueza is hopeful that this new permanent space will provide the freedom for not only more products, but also greater creativity. "There's still a lot of ingredients I want to use for doughnut flavours... hopefully we can add more baked goods or maybe even a brunch menu." Donut Papi is open from Wednesday to Sunday at 34a Redfern Street, Redfern. Visit their website and Facebook page for further details.
If The BFG had been written in the 21st century, Swedish fashion retailer Brothers’ vintage trunk is the suitcase he’d likely have carried. Not only is it enormous, it is filled with Brothers’ newest line of clothing. Titled ‘Travel’, the line boasts a combination of modern comfort and old-fashioned elegance hitherto outside of the jet setter’s experience. The suitcase is actually a pop-up shop. Built by expert prop-maker, Jean-Louis von Dardel, it opens to look like a closet, with compartments and drawers for every type of garment imaginable. Brothers has been moving the trunk all over Sweden, from airport to airport and station to station, displaying their wares for just a few days in each place. The clothing line features suits and business shirts that are not only well cut and stylish, but also soft and stretchable – gentle enough that wearers can relax during their flight, yet formal enough that they can head to a business meeting directly after landing, without the hassle of changing mid-journey. Brothers asked filmmaker Emil Klang to document the suitcase’s creation. Given the freedom to choose his team, Klang opted for composer Ola Tappert from Underton and animator Oskar Gullstrand from Naïve. The resulting film features on the landing page of the Brothers’ site.
At beachside hotspot Coogee Pavilion, the final piece of the puzzle is about to click into place — and in a big way, too. Five years in the making, the middle level of this historic building is set to finally be unveiled in January, joining the multi-faceted ground-floor offering and much-loved Coogee Pavilion Rooftop. The hotly-anticipated Coogee Pavilion Middle Floor will actually play host to three distinct venues — cocktail bar Will's, restaurant Mimi's, and a wine and tapas bar by the name of Una Más — combining to mark one of Merivale's most ambitious projects yet. While each venue has its own personality and design DNA, the whole level is an homage to the idyllic coastal location and is guided by the same Australian-accented take on modern Mediterranean cuisine. Executive Chef Jordan Toft (Bert's, Bar Topa) is taking the reins for this lot of newcomers, just as he's helmed the rest of the building's food offerings over the years. Boasting sweeping ocean views through its large arched windows, Mimi's pairs drops off a 500-strong wine list with fresh seafood, top-quality meats and market-fresh vegetables grilled on the kitchen's josper. Don't expect any foams, gels or smokes here — Mimi's is all about letting the produce shine. "What you order from the menu is exactly what you see on the plate," said Toft in a statement. "No smoke, no mirrors, no pomp. Just great produce, an amazing setting and the slowing of time". [caption id="attachment_753879" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Dimitri Tricolas[/caption] Wine and tapas bar Una Más is the lively, playful sibling, where you'll happily spend a session straight off the beach. Fresh and fun, it's designed to be a modern locals' haunt, offering an approachable menu spiked with both Spanish and Australian influences. Toft says to expect "chilled chablis or vermouth, with an oyster just shucked, seafood off the plancha and anchovies on fresh bread". Meanwhile, cocktail bar Will's will embrace a European charm, promising good time vibes and a drinks list inspired by the Italian coast. Mimi's, Will's and Una Más are set to open on Coogee Pavilion's middle floor in January 2020. In the meantime, you can visit Coogee Pavilion and Coogee Pavilion rooftop at 169 Dolphin Street, Coogee.
Man, these guys are slaying alternative rock in Australia right now — and for all the right reasons. After a bout of intense national touring with Groovin The Moo and an unforgettable One Night Stand set earlier this year, it's clear that Australian audiences can't seem to get enough of these four guys from Mansfield, Queensland. Violent Soho's latest album, Hungry Ghost, was welcomed with open arms last year by those looking to thrash around in damp mosh pits. With anthemic tracks such as 'Covered in Chrome', 'In the Aisle' and 'Saramona Said', this headliner gig is sure to be an epic evening of sweaty enthusiasm. Over a whopping 14-date national tour (plus Splendour), Violent Soho will be joined by brothers-in-arms The Smith Street Band and Luca Brasi for various shows — either way, it's going to be well worth rocking up for the support band ahead of the main event. Just don't wear precious threads and make sure you come to Manning Bar ready to burl out a gravelly singalong. https://youtube.com/watch?v=RN9NC4iQcsA
It's been four years since Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water turned a creature feature into a love story, and won the filmmaker the Best Picture and Best Director Oscars in the process. That's four years that movie fans have had to wait for his next dance with horror — because the director behind everything from vampire flick Cronos and dark fantasy Pan's Labyrinth to kaiju-versus-machine effort Pacific Rim and gothic haunted house feature Crimson Peak sure does love twisting genre staples in his own ways. Viewers love his work for doing just that, too, and del Toro's long-awaited next film looks set to continue the trend. With Nightmare Alley, he's forgoing Mimic's bugs, The Devil's Backbone's ghosts and Blade II's bloodsuckers in favour of spinning up psychological thrills in a carnival — and, as seen in the just-dropped first teaser trailer for the film, doing so with quite the impressive cast. Here, Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born) plays carnival worker Stan Carlisle, who has a gift for using the right words to get people to do what he wants. That's a savvy — and manipulative, obviously — skill, and it proves even more so after he teams up with psychiatrist Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett, Where'd You Go, Bernadette). Adapting William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel of the same name — which was already turned into a movie back in 1947 — Nightmare Alley also features Willem Dafoe (The Lighthouse), Rooney Mara (Mary Magdalene), Toni Collette (Dream Horse), del Toro regular Ron Perlman (who starred in the director's original Hellboy movies) and The Shape of Water's Richard Jenkins. And, as the trailer shows, it's embracing its setting in a big way. Throughout his almost three-decade filmmaking career, del Toro has always given his features quite the entrancing look (see: everything mentioned above), and that doesn't seem to be changing here. Expect things to get dark, story-wise, when the movie hits cinemas Down Under in January 2022. Expect big tops, carnival rides, Dafoe spruiking attractions, blindfolds, blood, fire and plenty of brooding looks, too, based on the trailer alone. Check out the Nightmare Alley trailer below: Nightmare Alley releases in Australian cinemas on January 20, 2022.
It's safe to say that 2020 has been a strange and surreal year. In fact, as we all know, that's quite the understatement. Prefer to get your weird and wonderful fix watching the big screen, rather than reading the news? That's perfectly acceptable — and that's what Monster Fest is all about. Returning to Event Cinemas George Street from Thursday, October 29–Sunday, November 8, this fest is all about out-there cinema. In 2020, it's even taking on an apocalyptic theme. That means that film fans can expect flicks about dystopian scenarios; however, it'll also be serving up a selection of the latest and greatest genre and horror movies in general. If you're only going to add two films to your must-see list, make them Possessor and Synchronic. The former is the latest vivid and engrossing sci-fi/horror mind-bender from Brandon Cronenberg, son of iconic filmmaker David Cronenberg, and it stars Andrea Riseborough (Mandy) and Christopher Abbott (Vox Lux) in a thriller about corporate espionage via mind control. As for the latter, it's the stellar new movie from The Endless duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead, and features Anthony Mackie (Avengers: Endgame) and Jamie Dornan (Fifty Shades of Grey) as paramedics who keep being called out to cases involving a trippy, reality-shifting new drug. Also on the bill: documentary Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist, which features the legendary director talking about his big horror hit; Occupation: Rainfall, the world-premiering sequel to Australian sci-fi film Occupation; and new 4K restorations of retro favourites Total Recall and Event Horizon. The list goes on, and this year's fest comes with a difference: nothing in its program screens against each other, so you can head along to absolutely everything if you're super keen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl_kzTQvPVw
If you managed to nab a ticket to Paul Kelly's Making Gravy tour last year, then you were one of the lucky ones. If you weren't and have been lamenting ever since, you can stop. The songwriting legend has just announced that he'll be performing the show all over again this December, in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane (on Gravy Day itself, December 21). Like the song, the tour — now in its third year — is becoming a bit of an Aussie Christmas tradition. Time to start thinking about getting the tinsel and ugly jumpers out of storage. As in 2018, you can expect to hear a stack of songs from Kelly's four-decade long career. Listen out for all the hits, from 'Dumb Things', from the album Live, May 1992, to 'Love Never Runs On Time' from Wanted Man (1994). The Christmas classic 'How To Make Gravy', first released in 1996 on an eponymous EP, is on the menu, too. The tour will coincide with the release of Kelly's new greatest hits album Songs From The South (1985–2019), his collaborative avian-inspired album 13 Ways To Look At Birds and a book of poetry he's curated, called Love Is Strong As Death. Kelly won't be hitting the road alone, either — he's inviting a bunch of special guests. He'll be joined by ARIA Award-winning rocker Courtney Barnett, Aussie Eurovison finalist Kate Miller-Heidke, NZ singer Marlon Williams and Gamilaraay songstress Thelma Plum (in Sydney only). [caption id="attachment_737416" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Mia Mala McDonald[/caption] MAKING GRAVY DATES 2019 Perth — Optus Stadium, Saturday, December 7 Melbourne — Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Thursday, December 12 Sydney — The Domain, Saturday, December 14 Brisbane — Riverstage, Saturday, December 21 Paul Kelly Making Gravy pre-sale tickets will be available from midday on Tuesday, August 20 with general sales from midday on Friday, August 23. Perth, Sydney and Brisbane tickets will be available via Ticketmaster with Melbourne's via Ticketek. Top image: Cybele Malinowski
Each Sunday, Lost Paradise and the Ivy link up to throw a raging end-of-week affair filled with some of the country's and world's best DJs. Lost Sundays has become a weekly mainstay of Sydney's nightlife scene, hosting everyone from local upstarts to global superstars like Four Tet, Denis Sulta and Skream. And, if you want to lock in a boogie for March, the event series is throwing a huge block party across the Ivy precinct. Lost Sundays Block Party will bring over 30 artists to the Sydney CBD on Sunday, March 17 for a huge precinct-wide shindig. Two of Australia's most exciting dance music exports lead the lineup, with DJ Boring and CC:Disco! both throwing down sets on the day. There are also some international additions to the program including Anz, KiNK, Special Request and Sally C. Plus, you can catch Chippy Nonstop, Gabrielle Kwarteng, Gerd Janson, Job Jobse, Kessler, Labat, Matisa, Sedef Adasi, Shampain, Sherelle and Spray. Discover 12 hours of world-class, dancefloor-filling tunes from 2pm and continuing all the way until 2am. Plus, food and drinks from some of Sydney's best restaurants has been promised so you'll be able to recharge between sets. If you want to secure your spot, standard tickets are available for $123, while VIP passes will set you back $174. Images: Jordan Munns
The Ivy is celebrating all things house music with its new weekly club night Above. The late-night dance party is taking over the main room of the venue every Saturday from 9pm–4am, pulling together lineups showcasing the country and the world's premier house DJs. In charge of booking these sonic curators is a pair of dance music-loving teams, Finely Tuned (Lost Paradise, Lost Sundays) and One Hit (Boogie, Defected, Glitterbox). For Saturday, May 13's edition of Above, they've pulled together an impressive roster of DJs to take you through the night, headlined by two of Australia's most renowned producers. Viral dance floor-fillers Shouse will be heading up the night, bringing all of the energy of their global hit song 'Love Tonight' as well as their recent collaboration with David Guetta to the Ivy. Joining them will be four-time ARIA-nominee and former triple j presenter KLP, with Dan Azzo, Utopic Crew and Bella Backe rounding out the lineup. Taking inspiration from clubs like Printworks in London, the Ivy has placed significant importance on the visuals for Above. Accomplished local creative collective Babekühl has been put in charge of creating larger-than-life visual accompaniments to guide you through the night's tunes. "We view nightclubs as enormous, immersive, audiovisual experiences, a culture that will one day be immortalised in modern art galleries," said Babekühl's Pat Santamaria. "Each season, we'll collaborate with an array of creatives from our community, transforming Above's lighting design into a bespoke and ever-evolving showcase of world-class visual arts and music." Early bird tickets are available for $26.25, before they rise to $31.60 once that first release sells out.
Get those brain juices flowing and beef up your repertoire of interesting chat, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) is hosting its Conversation Starters: Truth or Dare series this weekend. Packed with over 25 free and ticketed events, the weekend-long program is the second of its kind for the museum, this year inviting visitors to explore the inexactness of truth. On September 8 and 9, your perceptions will be shaken and your inner lie detector honed, with a lineup of thought-provoking talks, interactive workshops, games, performances and dinners. The series takes cues from artist Sun Xun's work in manipulating image, sound and text, plus the current climate of 'fake news' to ignite conversations on what (and who) to trust. Start your weekend with a creative writing workshop, led by Paola Balla and then hit a free lunchtime session on learning how to tell a convincing lie (and not get caught), hosted by comedian Michael Hing, illusionist Adam Mada and author Felicity Castagna. Afterwards, ponder the question "When is it OK to lie?" at the interactive Ethics of Truth panel and 'fess up to a lie that you told your parents as a kid at the Don't Tell Mum confession booth. From 3–4.30pm, join Jay Katz and Miss Death as they discuss the credibility of certain 'otherworldly' conspiracy theories from Sasquatches to life on Mars. To end the first day, put your senses to the test with a unique three-course meal on the MCA Sculpture Terrace overlooking the harbour. Each course will involve some form of edible trickery (Heston-style) and be accompanied by a glass of wine. Meanwhile, provocateurs will spark conversations across the table about what the truth means to you. Sunday will see MCA curator Clothilde Bullen explore the truth behind fake Aboriginal art and its impacts, while Hing returns to the stage to teach you how to spot a liar with emotional intelligence expert Eleanor Shakiba. You can also take part in an interactive workshop with artist Aleks Danko which allows you to have a go at controlling and altering newspaper headlines. For more information on the program or to purchase tickets, visit the MCA website. Image 2: Kai Leishman.
Perhaps you got to really hone your Scrabble skills during lockdown, or maybe you've just always been a baller with a Draw Four Wild Card. Either way, your board game obsession is about to find its ultimate match because Australia has just scored a new trio of stays, themed around three game night classics. Meet, House of Uno, Pictionary Palace and Scrabble Shack. These very playful getaways have landed on the Sunshine Coast and in the Blue Mountains, courtesy of game company Mattel and the folks at Booking.com. Each of the homes can be booked for up to two nights and comes kitted out with a stack of themed furnishings, merch and other game-inspired gear — yep, think, Uno pyjamas, oversized Pictionary timers and Scrabble pillows. And, of course, there's an enviable board games collection, featuring not just Mattel classics, but special-edition variations. That said, these are also pretty stylish little pads, with regular features like bathrooms, fireplaces and comfy beds. [caption id="attachment_787126" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scrabble Shack[/caption] House of Uno is hidden away in the leafy Sunshine Coast hinterland, boasting treetop views, Uno-themed throw blankets and what looks like a primo living room set-up for game night. Meanwhile, in the Blue Mountains, Pictionary Palace comes complete with four bedrooms, a cute garden and an abundance of Pictionary swag. And not too far away, a beautifully restored timber cottage has been reborn as the Scrabble Shack, hidden among the trees and filled with Scrabble-themed artefacts running from wall art to letter cookies. Bookings for all three getaways have just opened, so you'll want to be speedy if you want to beat out the other board game fiends and lock in a visit. Especially with discounted stays currently on offer. For the next few days, the cost per night is being slashed to equal the cost of the game. For example, a Uno deck will set you back $10, so bookings for House of Uno are an easy $10 a night. Bookings for House of Uno, Pictionary Palace and Scrabble Shack are now open, for stays from Friday, October 23.
Is Renée Jeanne Falconetti's face the most haunting in cinema history? For almost a century, The Passion of Joan of Arc has made that case. Playing the titular role in Carl Theodor Dreyer's 1928 silent great, the French actress says everything with her eyes as she stares at the lens with deep and lingering soulfulness. Seeing the film means never being able to forget her. Watching The Passion of Joan of Arc on a big screen also usually involves being treated to a new experience each and every time. Among the silent films from almost 100 years back that keep scoring new cinema showings, this is a deservedly popular pick — and it keeps gaining new scores, too. Julia Holter is among those who've tried their hand, first performing her soundtrack for the movie in Los Angeles in 2017. In 2025, she's finally bringing it to Australia. Melbourne International Film Festival is presenting the cinema masterpiece with Holter's score played live, taking over Melbourne Recital Centre for two evenings across Monday, August 11–Tuesday, August 12. This is both an Australian premiere and Australian exclusive, with Holter taking to the stage with her band and The Consort of Melbourne choir — and with UK-based orchestrator and composer Hugh Brunt conducting. A film like no other, a performance to match, and a score by the musician that also left an imprint on the screen with her soundtrack for Never Rarely Sometimes Always: this will be a memorable movie-and-music presentation.
The acquisition of good vintage clothing can be a difficult feat. Much like the metaphoric fog, sometimes you have to sort through a whole bunch of crap until you find something legit. Fortunately for us, the dudes behind Foe, Like The Enemy have trawled through Asia and the Americas to source the best vintage clothing they could get their hands on. Now you get to reap the spoils. From July 16, Foe, Like The Enemy will be holding a pop-up store in Foveaux Street, Surry Hills. For a limited time you can walk into a real-live shop and try on vintage clothes in an actual changeroom. If you're lucky, you might even get a mirror to yourself. But someone mentioned a party? With booze, beats and threads a-flowin'? Totally doable. The FLTE guys have plenty to celebrate, so they're launching the space tonight from 6:30pm with some some very special sets from two of Sydney's best beatlovers — electropop queen Catcall and smooth electronic Nicholas Jaar-like producer duo Phondupe. That's some serious Sydney talent behind the decks for a pop-up launch, we'll take it. To gear you up for tonight, the constantly-working Phondupe have created a brand new beats-laden minimix — just the thing to make your Wednesday that little bit more top notch. The London/Sydney-based duo crank dark, jittery trip-hop via Skype correspondence and online long distance production. After recording in NYC with New York native Justin Dean Thomas, the pair have released a killer EP by the name of Greenhouse. Specially created for the Foe, Like the Enemy launch, here's Phondupe's special minimix to wrap your ears around. Word to the wise, this some crispy shiiiiiiiiihhhhh. Launch night runs from 6.30pm, Wednesday 16 July. The pop-up shop is open Wednesday 16 - Saturday 19 July at Shop 1, 50-52 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills. Words by Shannon Connellan and Natalie Freeland.
Matt Ravier is director of the Festivalists, who run Jurassic Lounge and are about to release their first Sydney Film Festival Hub into the arms of an eager Sydney Film Festival public. With a talent for getting grown-ups to go to edifying places and start playing, we thought Matt needed an interviewer who also leads adults to learning on a regular basis. Luckily, adult educator Imogen Ross agreed to quiz this current maestro of public engagement on our behalf. How did you come up with Jurassic Lounge? There's two philosophies that underpin everything we do at the Festivalists. The first one is access. We want to make our events as accessible to as many as possible, especially people who are not currently engaged with whatever we're bringing forward. That's the motive behind the Access All Areas Film Festival, for example. Seniors' film festival is the same thing. Seniors are the fastest growing segment of the Australian population, but yet a lot of the feedback we get from them is "cinemas are not designed for us". What would a festival look like that was designed for an audience over sixty? I have a lot of overweight people in my life. A film festival for people who can't fit into ordinary chairs..? ..is a really interesting idea. Because many people can't fit into cinema chairs, and they don't go out. And they don't. And that's a real loss. I always feel like it's a personal tragedy when someone misses out on film, on cinema. Especially the kind of film that I'm interested in defending. Jurassic Lounge is not film focused. Film is a part of it, but it's only of a much wider myriad of events and performances, and sounds, and experiences that are created in the museum. And I find it fascinating that you've jumped off the screen into very much a 3D world. And that leads me to that second idea that underpins what we do, which is play. Film festivals can be sometimes intimidating, or they can be a challenge in terms of audience development. For example, our Canadian film festival. There is not a huge in-built audience for Canadian cinema in Australia. So, we were faced with a challenge: how do we introduce people to Canadian cinema? We decided that it was going to be a festival like Canadians. Who are inclusive, and playful, and welcoming, and friendly. So, we started adding a lot of things to our screenings. Like parties, like performances, like live music. This play element is always the idea that a festival should be festive. And it should be film, but it's more than film. If you just want to see a film, these days you can: you don't need a festival to do that. To bring back a communal experience — and to make it vital and festive experience — we started adding live elements, expert talks, performance. We're always looking for ways to make the experience a little more rich. That playfulness was always a part of what we do. Jurassic Lounge was really a natural extension. It's really interesting. What you're describing there are the principles that underlie andragogy. Which is the new current way of approaching the way adults learn. There's the thought that children are empty vessels waiting to be filled. It's the underlying principle of our schooling system. Whereas it's acknowledged that adults are not empty vessels. They come into the room full of experience. With lots of things already. Then your festivals are not just about watching and hearing a movie, but experiencing it in lots of different ways. And I'm thinking that this is exactly the way that adults are being taught new skills. It respects... ...what they they already know. What they bring to the table. More and more people, especially 18 to 35s I would imagine, are used to being able to talk back. Anywhere online, it's a two-way conversation. They're not just passive spectators. That experience — whether it's in a museum or a film festival — of just going, being shown something, having no say in how that is interpreted during the event, and then leaving: I think that's dead, or it's dying. And part of what Jurassic Lounge does is feed back the comments into the programming in real time. Whether it's through the Twitterfall, or whether it's through photos that they take that are immediately looped back into the programming. So the audience is constantly programming along with us. Can you give me an example? It can be really prosaic. For example, we will collect data on Twitter during the night about people's reaction to food and drink. And they might complain about certain waiting times. Because there's several bars in the museum. And they might say "They queue is terrible. I can't believe it." So we will immediately put more people from the bar at that particular location. Or encourage people, through talking to them on social media, to try the bar on the third floor. It's like giving the entire audience a walkie-talkie. Pretty much. I mean, some things you have to tune out. But we try to learn as much as we can from that. And then, it's also opening a channel with the museum. Which is a whole other idea. When we've surveyed audiences a lot of the feedback we've been getting is like "Wow. The museum is actually really interesting." It's always been at their doorstep, but yet it took something like that to make it okay for them to go back inside. I think it's brilliant that the museum has actively sought this collaboration and allowed it to happen. And they have a very progressive attitude to programming Jurassic Lounge. So they are not looking to vet absolutely every detail about it in advance. They're much more about saying yes, and then finding a way to make it happen. It's really that same attitude that we have. Which is that we experiment and correct our course as we go along. In a way, the whole thing occurs like a jazz improvisation. Yeah. That's a good analogy, actually. We make sure that all the tools are there for it to happen, but it only takes place once the audience is a part of it. A performance/education mash-up. Where a little bit of everything goes in the mix. And you don't know what it's going to taste like. Exactly. And we're constantly surprised by what happens. In a good way. Interview conducted by Imogen Ross.
Fresh from a superhero stint in Eternals in 2021, Kumail Nanjiani is heading in a different direction: true crime, and a wild example of the genre at that. When a story involves murder, money and a male strip-club empire that's known the world over, it's going to take some twists and turns. In your streaming queue come November, Welcome to Chippendales will spill the details. As both the initial teaser and the just-dropped full trailer for this new Disney+ miniseries shows, Nanjiani plays Somen 'Steve' Banerjee, who was born in India, moved to the US, bought a Los Angeles nightclub and founded the striptease troupe-turned-worldwide hit that shares Welcome to Chippendales' name. Banerjee's tale involves outrageous success, but also turns into sinister territory. That's putting it mildly; however, if you don't already know the details, you'll want to discover the rest while watching. Move over Magic Mike: we've found everyone's next stripper-fuelled obsession, and new true-crime addiction as well. On-screen, the rest of the star-studded cast includes recent The White Lotus Emmy-winner Murray Bartlett, Yellowjackets' Juliette Lewis and American Crime Story's Annaleigh Ashford, as well as Dan Stevens (I'm Your Man), Andrew Rannells (Girls5eva), Nicola Peltz Beckham (Holidate), Quentin Plair (The Good Lord Bird) and Robin de Jesús (Tick, Tick... Boom!). Behind the scenes, WandaVision's Matt Shakman is in the director's chair and, if you're fond of the era, expect the appropriate soundtrack (and vibe) when the show starts streaming from Tuesday, November 22. It'll drop two episodes first up, then new instalments weekly afterwards across the eight-episode limited series' run. If this seems like an odd fit for Disney+ — and certainly different from keeping huge pop-culture franchises on our screens or ensuring that everyone's childhood favourites never fade into memory (and sometimes doing both at the same time) — just remember that the service streamed the 90s-set Pam & Tommy as well. In fact, if watching the trailers for the Welcome to Chippendales gets you thinking about that series, there's another reason for that: writer/executive producer/creator Robert Siegel is behind both. In the US, the two shows were made by the Mouse House-owned US streaming platform Hulu, which happens to be mighty fond of scandals and ripped-from-the-headlines territory. But that platform doesn't operate Down Under, hence this tale about a massive stripping-empire saga, sordid deeds driven by money and murder because of the dance floor is ending up on Disney+. Check out the full Welcome to Chippendales trailer below: Welcome to Chippendales will be available to stream via Disney+ from November 22.
UPDATE — MAY 8, 2019: Palace Cinemas has extended the Moro Spanish Film Festival to Sunday, May 12, with additional screenings of the festival's most popular films. When Australia's annual Spanish Film Festival returns this year, it'll offer cinephiles a two-for-one affair. Fancy seeing the latest and greatest movies from the European country? Keen to watch fresh flicks from Spanish-speaking Latin America too? They're both on the lineup. While Latin American cinema has received its own dedicated Aussie fest over the past three years, in 2019 the Cine Latino Film Festival will form part of the Moro Spanish Film Festival. In short: this year's April–May fest presents the best of both worlds across a 32-title program. It all gets started on Tuesday, April 16, with the Aussie premiere of applauded and acclaimed Spanish comedy Champions, which picked up this year's Goya award for best film, as well as the best new actor prize for star Jesús Vidal. The feel-good flick follows an amateur Spanish basketball team comprised of players with mental disabilities and an arrogant coach who's sentenced to community service to help them bounce their way to glory. At the other end of the event is a bona fide classic: Pedro Almodóvar's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, the 1988 black comedy is one of the movies that first helped bring Antonio Banderas to fame. Other program highlights include action-packed bank robbery drama 70 Big Ones and comedy Super Crazy, which focuses on a woman who suddenly can't stop speaking her mind. If you've ever wanted to know all there is to know about olive oil, there's also a documentary on the topic: Virgin & Extra: Jaén, The Land of the Olive Oil. And from the Cine Latino contingent, Argentinian title Rojo delves into corruption before the country's mid-70s coup, while Tremors explores a Guatemalan family's secrets. Across its full slate, the Spanish Film Festival also showcases 11 titles by female filmmakers, ranging from established talents to up-and-comers. Watch out for romance Carmen & Lola, which has proven a hit on the queer circuit; star-studded comedy-thriller Crime Wave, which stars Maribel Verdú, Javier Cámara and Luis Tosar; and the 1982-set The Good Girls, which follows the wives of wealthy Mexican men. The Moro Spanish Film Festival will screen at Sydney's Palace Norton Street, Palace Verona and Palace Central from April 16 to May 8. For more information and to book tickets, visit the website.
"The thing about acting is that you're not on every day. It's not go, go, go. You get a lot of time off, especially because my very favourite thing to do is to play supporting roles. So I'm not in there every single day. I get a lot of downtime." If you've ever wondered how Rachel House manages to pop up in nearly every film and TV show out of New Zealand, and sometimes from Australia as well, that's her secret: she's spent more than a quarter of a century on-screen, including 22 years since Whale Rider marked her first movie credit, and she loves her supporting niche. House's resume as a performer has been exploding since the 2010s, but the 18 months since the beginning of 2023 have been particularly busy. Audiences have seen the Auckland-born talent in Creamerie, Bay of Fires, Foundation, Our Flag Means Death and Heartbreak High on TV and streaming. They've heard her voice echoing from Koala Man, What If…?, Pinecone & Pony and 100% Wolf: Book of Hath, too. The cinema side of her acting resume also hasn't been neglected thanks to The Portable Door, Next Goal Wins, The Moon Is Upside Down and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. But it's The Mountain, her debut feature as a director, that defines the past couple of years for House. "It felt like a really big year last year because it was all about The Mountain, to be honest," House also tells Concrete Playground. "When all these things come out and you go 'oh, wow, did Rachel have a break?' — yes, I had many breaks. But last year I didn't. Last year was all about The Mountain. The pre-pre-production was the year before, going all the way through Christmas. And then pre-production and then production, and then post-production. It just went on and on and on, and it was good, hard, solid work. And somewhere in there I got to do a few weeks here and there doing some acting." Although The Mountain is House's initial stint behind the lens of a full-length movie, she has helming 2010 short The Winter Boy to draw on, alongside a wealth of experience on film sets. The latter has spanned not only notching up more and more supporting parts, but also working as an acting coach on projects by compatriots Jane Campion and Taika Waititi. For the first of the two Oscar-winners, she loaned her skills beyond the camera to the second season of Top of the Lake and The Power of the Dog. For the second, she built upon her appearances in Waititi's Eagle vs Shark, Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Thor: Ragnarok and Next Goal Wins. Combine decades carving out a screen career as an actor — something that House was actually told she'd never have, she explains — with helping guide performances out of other thespians, including kids, and the scene was always going to be set for an impressive first run as a feature director. With Taranaki Maunga on Aotearoa's North Island as its namesake, The Mountain tells of three children on a journey. In hospital undergoing treatment for cancer, Sam (newcomer Elizabeth Atkinson) hasn't grown up with her Māori heritage, but feels connected to it through the landmass that she's determined to climb: her mountain. Conversely, with ample time on his hands thanks to his busy dad, Bronco (fellow first-timer Terrence Daniel) considers himself a guardian of his culture. Mallory (Reuben Francis, another debutant) is the new kid initially tagging along, but appreciating more than just the chance to make friends along the way. Following its date with NZ's big screens in March, The Mountain enjoyed its Australian premiere during 2024's Sydney Film Festival, then hit Aussie cinemas in general release at the end of June. When House was showing her film to Sydney's audiences — "we got a really big crowd, and not only a big crowd, but a really receptive crowd who all really wanted to be there. So we were very, very grateful, and it was a lovely feeling in in the theatre," she shares — we spoke with her about it. Always wanting to direct a movie, what appealed about Tom Furniss' (7 Days) original script and how she reworked it, making the kind of picture out of New Zealand that she's always wanted to see, scaling mountains in multiple ways, giving Taranaki Maunga credit as a character and producer, learning from her past directors: House chatted us through all of the above and more. On Directing a Movie Always Being the Dream Back When House First Started Acting "Yes, yes — but I think it's interesting getting older. You do want to really pursue your dreams, and you want challenge yourself and all this. But, I suppose I feel — it's not less ambitious, but if I didn't direct a feature film, I would have been okay about it. I love storytelling, but I think it's because I'm in the the storytelling industry, and so I just feel very grateful to continue to tell stories in whatever way that means. I made a short film ages ago and it was a script given to me, and it was a really great lesson — because although I really loved the script and loved making the short film, it wasn't my a story that I was really connected to. And I think that was the lesson. So I've actually been sent scripts for maybe over ten years now to consider to direct, feature film scripts, and nothing appealed to me, nothing resonated to me in the same way that this this film did." On House's Initial Response to The Mountain's Original Script "Three young kids on a mission, and the possibility of the magic of that. I keep saying it but this was a real gift, actually, because the mountain, Tom [Furniss, the original screenwriter] hadn't named the mountain for whatever reason. I think his reasoning was he understands the process of filmmaking and didn't want anyone to feel locked into a location. But for me to read it, it was like 'but where are we? Where is the mountain?'. You name your mountain — you name the mountain because the mountain is going to be part of that story. It's really important. So it was a wonderful gift. And I got to talk about our Māori worldview because of being able to rework it." On the Starting Point When House Started Tinkering with the Story "To share with our country, in particular, the strength and beauty of our Indigenous knowledge. That was my intention. And to have a conversation with our country about how we see our mountains and how they shape and form us, and how they should be revered and protected." On Making the Kind of Movie That House Has Always Wanted to See Come Out of New Zealand "100%. And I think, as well, I'd love to inspire an Indigenous conversation all over the world. Mountains here in this country [Australia] all are all named and they all have beautiful, resonant, incredible stories. So let's start that conversation, let's share that Indigenous knowledge, because it's everywhere." On the Film Taking Audiences on a Journey of Finding Identity and Belonging — and Healing — in a Number of Ways "In Tom's original script, it was about three little boys and they wanted to conquer a mountain. I think that's something that seems to be so important universally, conquering — and it's gotten us all in a lot of trouble, conquering. So I wanted to really share with everybody the possibility of wanting to connect rather than conquer. It was all tied up in Sam not being raised in her culture but understanding that she was from that culture and, in the best way that she knew possible — which is Google, looking information up — she had this very, very strong belief that, even though she didn't have any evidence, that this mountain was one she belonged to. I wanted to show Bronco being from the absolute polar opposite, someone who was completely strong in in the world of Māori and really understood Sam's plight. Then I wanted to really embrace Mallory, who not only didn't understand it, but didn't believe it. I just wanted to somehow make that conversation between these three beautiful kids, and share it." On Climbing Not Only Literal But Internal Mountains in the Movie's Narrative "I was talking to somebody the other day and she described it as 'three kids who run away for different reasons but are all brought together by the power of Taranaki Maunga'. They've all got pretty clear mountainous arcs, so that was a definite intention. I suppose what I love — and maybe I would love it, I would say this — but I do love that it's Mallory who understands what's going on, that the mountain is saying 'go away. This is not good for you. This is too dangerous. I'm going to cover you in cloud. You've remembered the story of the two friends who stopped Taranaki from going into the sea and having an unhappy end.' So I love that it's Mallory who understands that it's the mountain communicating with them, and he's the one who says 'stop, we've got to stop'." On Crediting Taranaki Maunga as a Character and a Producer to Pay Tribute to Its Importance "Me and the producers and the team, we're quite a diverse bunch, the ones who make the decisions — and it just wasn't even a doubt. I don't think anyone thought that we wouldn't credit the mountain in the way that we've created the mountain. We also have made the mountain one of the producers as well, so if this film does well and we miraculously make some money, some of that money will go to the mountain, and the wellbeing and upkeep of our mountain. Otherwise, why would we make this film if we didn't believe it? But I will say that I'm so proud of our team, who, as I say, are very diverse — and it just wasn't even much of a conversation, it was just a decision that was made very easily." [caption id="attachment_965113" align="alignnone" width="1917"] Lisa Tomasetti, Netflix[/caption] On What House Makes of Her Career So Far Both On-Screen and Behind the Camera "I will say that back in the day, I'm really glad I didn't listen to some of the people who told me I couldn't do stuff, that I wouldn't be on screen. When I was at drama school, I was told I probably wouldn't do any screen work because of the way I looked. I was told by a director that directing was probably a bit beyond me. There is a kind of tall-poppy thing that we have, I think particularly with women. There is a fear of women taking up space and shining. I am of that generation that had all those beliefs — or disbeliefs, I suppose, is a better way of describing it. So I feel like my age group and up — women, I'm just talking about — I feel like we're late bloomers because of the conditioning that we had when we were younger, particularly in our country. So I suppose it's taking me a long time to enjoy it and not feel so overwhelmed by gratitude, that it puts me in a sort of constant thank you, scarcity sort of vibe. I guess I feel good about it, but I don't feel up myself about it. I just feel grateful and empowered that I didn't listen to any of those voices." On How Working with Other Filmmakers Across House's Career, Including as an Acting Coach, Helped Prepare Her for Directing Her First Feature "I've told the story a couple of times now, but I think it's a really fantastic story for anyone who's going to be working with kids, and in fact adults, all actors. Something that I learned working on Whale Rider — there's an iconic moment in Whale Rider where Keisha Castle-Hughes gets up on stage and and does this extraordinary speech to Koro, her granddad. And I was in that scene, I got to sit there in the audience and watch her over and over — and watching Niki [Caro, Whale Rider's director] and the way that Niki was going through exactly what Keisha was going through. I don't think Keisha ever felt alone. I feel like as a director, you've got to go through it with your actors emotionally. It's something that I definitely witnessed between those two. I'd see them in-between and they'd be talking, they'd be really close and talking to each other, and Niki would be crying and Keisha would be crying — and it was extraordinary to watch. And you could see that Keisha didn't feel alone. And I've seen that with Jane [Campion], with adult actors as well, actually. I just feel like she goes through it with her actors. So that was an extraordinary learning. With Taika [Waititi], he really creates a lot of fun on set, and that's incredibly important, too. I mean, you can have fun and when you need to have focus, you have focus. I feel like that's how we went about things as we were shooting The Mountain. Although, I do have to say, we were in such incredible and sometimes difficult terrain on the daily — and because we're an independent New Zealand film, we were on the move, man. So we had to go into these incredible places that took quite a lot to get there, and then we had to get out in three hours. But it was a wonderful family dynamic that we had. And that's something that I've learned throughout my whole career: the importance of family in regards to the people that you're working with." The Mountain opened in Australian cinemas on Thursday, June 27, 2024 and in New Zealand cinemas on Thursday, March 28, 2024.
Next time you're looking for a healthy lunchtime meal near Circular Quay, you'll be able to head to the MCA. Its in-house cafe, which has a lovely outdoor terrace overlooking the harbour, has just launched a new vegetarian menu in collaboration with Sydney cafe and picklery Cornersmith. In great news for CBD pickle lovers, it means that you'll be able to get your daily dose of the cafe's salty and briny vegetables (in toasties, salads and bibimbaps) without heading out to Annandale or Marrickville. The Cornersmith menu, which launched on Friday, March 1, is available from 10am–4pm every day — and till 9pm on Wednesdays (when the gallery stays open late). Its launch corresponds with the gallery's new exhibition, Janet Laurence: After Nature, which explores the environmental challenges facing the world today — from coral bleaching to deforestation — through living sculpture, photography and video. It's only fitting, then, that Cornersmith's ethos is also focused on the environment. The cafe and cooking school advocates low-waste and uses minimal meat and produce that is sourced locally and sustainably. And it's making damn tasty fare — and it's super affordable, too. Everything on the new MCA Cafe is under $20 — from the kimchi and cheddar toastie with coriander slaw ($12) to the a brown rice bibimbap with kimchi ($16) and poached egg roll with red cabbage, chilli and pickles ($10). Meat-eaters will be happy to know that they can add leg ham ($2) to the latter if they please, while vegans will find solace in the Vegan Surprise Plate ($16), which comes complete with vegan cheese. Like the MCA's new exhibition, the Cornersmith menu is around for a good time, not a long time. So if you'd like to get your city dose of Cornersmith eats, you'll need to head along before Monday, June 10, 2019. The regular MCA Cafe menu will also be available during this time. The MCA Cafe's new Cornersmith menu is available from 10am–4pm Thursday to Tuesday, and 10am–9pm on Wednesday. It's available until June 10, 2019. The MCA's Janet Lauren: After Nature exhibition is also showing at the MCA until June 10. Images: Anna Kucera.
Opened in spring 2017, Title Barangaroo is one of Sydney's newest independent bookshops. But its mothership store in Surry Hills has been around for yonks. Between them, the two offer the biggest collection of new art books in Australia. The secret to Title's success is avoiding trends. Rather than jumping on the latest hot thing, the owners are dedicated to quality. "Title is all about the art and artists that run free, the ones that don't fit into boxes, and even more, the ones that last the distance and out last time," reads the website. In addition to books, there are film and music, including a massive range of new vinyl.
Springtime in the wine world is when we start looking forward to the upcoming vintage. Wineries start releasing some of the fresher styles of white wine, bright and lighter reds and rosés ahead of new wines to be made in the beginning of 2018. Others dust off their retail shelves and push full-bodied reds to the back, making room for all the new release rieslings and other aromatic whites coming into the store, ready for the warmer months. But if don't know where to start drinking with all these new springtime releases, fear not — we've done the heavy lifting for you by combing through the Vinomofo cellars to find the best drops, regardless of the occasion, time of day or springtime locale you might find yourself in. And what's more, if you're looking to start stocking up your home cellar in preparation for the party season (yes, it's less than three months till Christmas) you can use any extra American Express reward points you have floating around to buy some vino. Here are the drops we think you should be looking to first. RIESLING In the words of Miranda Priestly, "Florals? For spring? Ground-breaking". It may not be new, but a delicious floral riesling and springtime are a classic pairing for a reason. For example, it's Friday night, you've had a long week at work and got hit with one of those days where you thought the weather was going to be mild (but ended up being a scorcher), and you wore too many layers. You're exhausted, and all you want to do is peel off your sweaty clothes and eat takeaway in front of the TV. Enter, refreshing and soul-reviving riesling. The wine style naturally hangs on to its acidity while its balanced with white florals, ripe citrus, tropical fruit (and sometimes) melon notes, so it's always going to have this lovely, invigorating quality to it. That's what makes it so perfect for food. Indian, Thai, Chinese and anything with spice, oil or fat (you know, all the necessary food groups). Always keep one in the fridge, nice and cold, like the 2017 Penna Lane Lot 5 Riesling from the Clare Valley in South Australia. It's pretty much the wine version of a first aid kit. ALBARIÑO Albariño has seen its way through a funny turn of events in the history of Australian wine. In 2009, after the CSIRO did DNA studies on winery vines, it was discovered that the vineyards in Australia that thought they had planted albariño were in fact planted with savagnin. Native to Spain, the white grape is perfect in any warm climate (not only to grow but also to drink in abundance) because of albariño's light style and bright acidity and freshness. For a perfect thirst quencher after an afternoon springtime dip in the ocean (when the water is still crisp and refreshing), splash some of the 2014 Paco Y Lola 'Lolo' Albariño in your glass and sip on the Spanish version wondering what could have been if we had it planted on our great shores. ROSÉ Picture this: a warm spring day in the park, sitting on a picnic blanket with a little Bonobo playing out of your Bluetooth speakers. What's missing? A glass of dry rosé in your hand. Rosé typically has fresh acidity alongside a natural meatiness and density in the mid-palate. This is usually paired in the wine with bright red fruits that are stereotypical of the varietal along with a dry finish to refresh the palate after each bite of food. Want to up your rosé game with something a little left of centre? Try a sparkling rosé like the NV Royal Marine Sparkling Rosé Brut. It has classic characters of raspberries, redcurrant, rose petal and gooseberries, not to mention that pretty, pale pink aesthetic that makes it a wonderful pair with a sailboat around Sydney Harbour, springtime breeze on your skin included. MALBEC There's nothing that pairs better with quintessential springtime Aussie barbecue than malbec. There's a reason why it's heralded as Argentina's 'national grape' (have you seen how much meat is piled on your plate at an Argentinian steakhouse?). Opt for one of the more fruit driven styles like the 2014 Chevalier du Lagrezette from the south of France, with a bit of spice weaving its way through the palate, and go for some huge hunks of chargrilled steak to counteract the fruitiness of the wine. Then, crank The Strokes or LCD Soundsystem in the background, and you'll be food and wine matching like a rockstar (and a crowd favourite at any springtime housewarming). TAWNY PORT What about those of you with a sweet tooth? Or those still holding onto the last dregs of winter by craving full-bodied reds? Enter fortified wines, or, specifically, tawny port. Australian vintage ports tend to be richer in style than their Portuguese ancestors. Tawny ports are blended ports (a combination of older wines mixed in with the new wine and then aged in oak barrels and casks from five to up to 100 years. Tawny ports are ready to drink when bottled as most of the maturation has already taken place in the five to 100-year period. They're perfect for romantic balcony hangs, paired with an assortment of cheeses and golden light from the setting sun. Try the Lou Miranda Estate Dark Angel Grand Tawny. It's smooth and sweet, showcasing toasted nut, toffee, spice and raisin notes. It's also full-bodied, just like the rest of your evening if all goes well. Treat yourself this spring. More and more places welcome American Express — like Vinomofo — and you can even use your reward points to pay off your purchases, so you'll feel like you're winning at life as you use all those points you've collected over winter. Images supplied by Vinomofo.
At street level, it's just another office foyer. But gaze skyward, and you'll see some stunning architecture. The podium and tower, joined by an upside down pinhead, were constructed thirty years apart. The brutalist building is split into two sections: the Sydney Masonic Centre held within the lower half and the 35-floor Civic Tower above. Inside the clandestine Masonic Centre, you'll find the Museum of Freemasonry. Within the museum, you'll learn about the enigmatic history and heritage of the Freemasons. Plus, from Monday to Friday, you can tour the museum at 11am and 2pm and peek some areas not accessible otherwise.
We love wine and we know you do too, and the quality and variety of wine being produced locally in Australia has, arguably, never been at a higher level. Now there's a new way to get your hands on delicious, drinkable, interesting drops made in our myriad wine regions — and you'll be buying direct from the source. iHeartWine is a new first-of-its-kind marketplace that connects winemakers and grape growers directly with the wine-loving public, which means you can shop bottles from Australia's best independent and boutique wineries without the markup you pay from a retailer, while putting the lion share of every sale directly back into the producer. Win-win. This idea for iHeartWine, which exists as an app, was conceived by wine writer and aficionado, Marc Malouf, as a way to support winemakers amid the knock-on effects of COVID and the tourism industry essentially bottoming out. Marc explains: "Hard working wineries who would usually be thriving from tourism, are struggling. Less people are able to visit, taste and buy wines from family-run wine producers … 2021 is set to be an abundant year for grape production and smaller winemakers need a channel to get their wine out there." The curation of the producers and winemakers included in iHeartWine's shop is very much informed by quality stuff that you can't just pluck off the shelves of your local bottle-o. "Every winery on iHeartWine makes wines from a place of truth, passion and obsession," says Marc Malouf. "These are the wineries and winemakers we should be paying attention to and celebrating... but they often suffer from the same fundamental flaw — they are somewhat invisible to wine drinkers. Unless you stumble across a wine on a restaurant list, or take a wrong turn on a trip through a wine region, chances are you will never come across these hidden gems and I think it's time we changed this." And as you load up your cart, you can feel good knowing that most of what you spend is going straight back to the producers. All wine sold on iHeartWine comes directly from the wineries themselves, which means the winery earns 90% from every bottle. We'll drink to that. The iHeartWine app is available for download here.
The Wire isn't an anthology series in the traditional sense. It focuses on the same Baltimore police detectives each season — as led by Dominic West and Wendell Pierce — but sees their investigations overlap with a different element of the city's daily life. In the first season, it peers into illegal drugs. In the second, sea freight and the ports are in the spotlight. Across subsequent seasons, the focus falls on city government, the education system and newspapers. Dense, intricate, devastatingly smart and oh-so-involving, the result is one of the best shows that HBO has ever made — and a series on par with The Sopranos in terms of its influence. It was created and primarily written by former Baltimore police reporter David Simon, so it knows its stuff. Also, among its A+ cast, keep an eye out for particularly exceptional work by Idris Elba and a very young Michael B Jordan (and for Isiah Whitlock Jr's over-extended pronunciation of "sheeeeeeeee-it".
Okay, we don't like to get preachy but if you haven't been to the Bendigo region yet, you've been missing out. Over the past few years, the region, which includes Heathcote, Castlemaine, Maldon, Maryborough, Talbot, Inglewood and Wedderburn, has further established itself as an incredible destination for all things arts, crafts and culture — not to mention its emerging foodie scene. But it's not just the urban aspects that are drawing people to the area. The region is a treasure trove of exciting outdoor activities that demand to be explored — from getting your hands dirty and (hopefully) striking gold to uncovering strange wonders like Heathcote's powdery Pink Cliffs and specially built mountain bike trails amid the foothills of Mount Alexander. With that in mind, here are nine that should add to your list right away. [caption id="attachment_730704" align="alignnone" width="1920"] David Mitchener.[/caption] CONQUER (SOME OF) THE 210-KILOMETRE GOLDFIELDS TRACK The Goldfields Track links the two cities of Bendigo and Ballarat — but you don't have to complete the whole length of the 210-kilometre trail to experience its beauty. Whether you're on a bike or just on foot, the pathway is broken into three smaller sections to make it easier to tackle. And, the Leanganook Track, between Bendigo and Castlemaine, via Harcourt, is a real knock-out. Throughout spring and summer, colourful wildflowers and orchids line the route, which passes by the historic, still-operating Coliban Water Main Channel and the ever-imposing Garfield Water Wheel. The natural wonders are just as interesting, with highlights including lush pine plantations, tempting apple orchards, Australia's first National Heritage Park and Mount Alexander's huge, picture-ready rock formations. Be sure to stop at Harcourt for lunch, cider and wine tasting. [caption id="attachment_730703" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michelle Jarni.[/caption] RACE AGAINST AN OLD STEAM TRAIN ON A TRAIL Opened in 2017, the Castlemaine to Maldon Trail is one of the newer kids on the block. From the dry forests of Maldon Historic Reserve and the open farmland of Muckleford to the historic Beehive Gold Mine and its impressive 30-metre-high chimney, there's so much to see and explore along this 17.7-kilometre trail, which can be completed as either a good hike or a beginner-friendly bike ride. Time your visit right (on a Wednesday or Sunday) and you can even have a race a heritage steam train operated by Victorian Goldfields Railway. Too tired to ride back? You can always ride the train back. WANDER OR RIDE ALONG THE O'KEEFE RAIL TRAIL The gold rush may be a legendary part of Australian history, but it may not have happened at all without construction engineer Andrew O'Keefe. The Irish migrant is considered a pioneer of the Victorian railway, and this line — which connects Bendigo to Heathcote, and is now a cycling hotspot — is named for him. The O'Keefe Rail Trail provides you with the perfect opportunity to uncover the stunning native bushland and wildlife — here's looking at you, adorable platypuses. If you're game, you can walk or ride the whole stretch. Be sure to pack a picnic for a riverside break at the Campaspe River Reserve or Lake Eppalock, before arriving in Heathcote and exploring some wineries or tucking into a well-earned pub feed. PADDLE DOWN THIS FIVE-KILOMETRE CREEK Give your legs a rest from all the walking and cycling, and let your arms take over with a canoe tour along Serpentine Creek. Canoe hire is readily available at Boort Lakes Holiday Park from just $10 an hour or $40 for a full day. You'll set off on your journey from Whytcross Road, Durham Ox and throughout the five-kilometre paddle, you'll see the historic red-brick inn, trees scarred from traditional practices of the Dja Dja Wurrung people and a diverse range of birds. You'll also find a bunch more canoe trails, plus training opportunities, over here. ZOOM AROUND A MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK Set amid the foothills of Mount Alexander, the La Larr Ba Gauwa Mountain Bike Park is a 34-kilometre network of purpose-built mountain bike trails. The tracks have been specially designed to take advantage of the area's tough granite-filled countryside. The 11 exciting trails feature jaw-dropping views of the surrounding rolling hills, boulder drop-offs and English-style oak forest. Plus, riders visiting the park won't just be treated to an incredible physical challenge. They'll also have a chance to take in some art along the way as the trail builders have created a few interesting installations along the tracks. Word of warning: if you're a beginner, stick to the green loop. The rest of the trails are all geared toward intermediate and experienced mountain bikers and feature a lot of drops, jumps and other technical features. DISCOVER THESE NATURALLY FORMED PINK PEAKS The gold rush era shaped the town of Heathcote in more ways than one. But, it was the introduction of sluicing in the 1880s that revealed one of the area's most notable sites. Known as the Pink Cliffs and located a short walk from town, the strange mini gorges rise and fall in a sporadic undulation and, like some kind of natural mood ring, change colour depending on the time of day you visit. As you wander through the geological reserve, you'll realise that these stone-like formations are actually made up of a pink clay that feels a lot like talcum powder — so watch where you sit or you'll find yourself covered with the stuff. [caption id="attachment_730707" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Michelle Jarni.[/caption] WALK OR RIDE THROUGH A EUCALYPT FOREST ON THIS HERITAGE TRAIL If you're hoping to immerse yourself in the history of the area while taking in the beauty of Victoria's countryside, then the Ballarat–Maryborough Heritage Trail is a great choice. The 91-kilometre trail is broken into four sections that flow through tall eucalypt forests, grand homesteads from times gone by and sprawling vineyards. Quick dips into quaint towns like Clunes — made famous by Ned Kelly — and Talbot will break up the journey, as do the unbeatable views of Mount Beckworth's imposing volcanic mound. The trail ends with a short journey through open grazing land and through box ironbark forest before you arrive in Maryborough. VENTURE INSIDE THE MELVILLE CAVES If you're searching for a great weekend hideout, then look no further than the Melville Caves at Kooyoora State Park. The rocky outcrop is not the dark and bat-filled cave system you might imagine, but rather a collection of granite boulders that notorious bushranger Captain Melville apparently used as a hiding place and a lookout in the 1800s — hence the name. The hike to reach the cave area takes about 20 minutes (or can be accessed more conveniently by driving to the top of the park) and winds its way through lush trees and shrubs while offering sweeping views of the park below. While you're wandering beneath the rocks, keep an eye out for something shiny. Rumour has it that Captain Melville left some treasure behind. [caption id="attachment_730705" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ewen Bell.[/caption] GO PROSPECTING ACROSS THE BENDIGO REGION Although the Bendigo region is now brimming with art galleries, cultural institutions and a calendar packed with exciting contemporary events, it's still one of the key places people visit hoping to strike gold — and for good reason. Its vast gold rush history has proven time and time again that the area is rich in the shiny mineral that has had people seeing dollar signs for decades. But you don't have to be a serious miner to have a taste of glory. The Coiltek Gold Centre runs tours for those interested in learning how to unearth a natural gold nugget or two — all you need to bring is your lunch (and a bit of luck). To start planning your trip to Bendigo — and to discover more of what's happening in the region — head to the Bendigo Regional Tourism website.
While Pyrmont's beloved Sydney Fish Markets are set to move to its new-look multimillion-dollar site by the end of 2024, the NSW Government has just unveiled plans for the future of Blackwattle Bay and the current Sydney Fish Market site in its absence. The new plans for the bay are currently on exhibition to the public. The plan includes 12 buildings with the potential to hold 2800 residents as well as commercial, retail and community spaces. Libraries, childcare facilities, community centres and a public domain building for cultural use adjacent to the Sydney Fish Market are all outlined as part of the project. The transformation will also see the waterfront precinct feature a new foreshore promenade running between Glebe Island Bridge and the new fish market, which will form part of a plan to make the fish market site more accessible. Other aspects of the proposal include a new ferry stop, public wharves and an underground car park with 417 spaces. [caption id="attachment_819574" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Artist interpretation of the new Blackwattle Bay[/caption] "Building the new Sydney Fish Market at the head of Blackwattle Bay is an incredible opportunity to transform an under-utilised area into a vibrant, accessible and attractive waterfront precinct," Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes said when more detailed plans for the fish market were revealed last year. The new-look Blackwattle Bay precinct will potentially form part of a larger foreshore project that will also see White Bay's heritage buildings and surrounding area restored and transformed into a residential and commercial precinct. Included in the proposed plan for White Bay, which is currently under consideration, is the restoration of the Glebe Island Bridge and the preservation of the Glebe Island Silos. Other elements of the planned development include affordable housing, increased employment opportunities, the maintenance of the area's maritime industry, a harbour foreshore walk and a waterfront park. [caption id="attachment_804466" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Render of White Bay[/caption] On Facebook, Sydney Lorde Mayor Clover Moore called the plan for Blackwattle Bay "shocking", claiming the project was designed with "maximum developer profits" in mind and warning the residential buildings would "re-cast the whole area as shadow land" including the new Sydney Fish Market's solar panel roof. If you want to have your say about the plan you can find out more and make a submission via the NSW Government's Planning Portal up until Sunday, August 8. The new Sydney Fish Market is slated for completion in 2024. Images courtesy of the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.
In its fleeting 70 minutes, David Gieselmann's The Pigeons will have you feeling like you've been slapped with a pickled herring. The German farce opens on an office Christmas party. It's also a ritzy living room, a restaurant and a psychiatrist's couch, among all else. The action moves with the pace of an Aaron Sorkin-orchestrated walk-and-talk — one walk-and-talking over space and time. Mercifully, the assembled players have clear, if conflicting, agendas: Business mogul Robert Bertrand (Laurence Coy) wants to orchestrate his own disappearance, his wife Gerlinde (Lyn Pierse) wants to move to Liguria, his son Helmar (Tom Stokes) wants to play Scrabble and foil his father, Holger Voss (Garth Holcombe) wants to quit his job, Natalie Voss (Ashley Ricardo) wants him to climb the career ladder (and to control her own anger), psychiatrist Dr Erich Asendorf (Fayssal Bazzi) wants to help her control her anger as well as sleep with her but not necessarily remember her name or how to tell her apart from his other patients (also mostly in the party), Heidrun Reichert (Paige Gardiner) wants to spice up the work day by emotionally tormenting Holger and sneaky Silja van der Vries (Clare Blumer) wants money and sometimes other things. This English language translation by Maja Zade (dramaturg at Berlin's Schaubuhne Theatre, who brought their Hamlet here earlier this year) has only previously been performed as a reading at London's Royal Court, making this Griffin Independent production it's first proper staging. And this is some staging. It takes a deft touch just to deliver this play with sense, and director Sarah Giles (fresh out of some assistant directorships and Red Stitch's That Face in Melbourne) has not only managed to craft an amazingly followable play, she has finished it with flourishes, smart movement and smooth visual gags. The actors — who never leave the stage yet have to insert and remove themselves constantly in the action — keep their energy high. Germans seem to be a touch defensive about their comedy (the Wikipedia entry for 'German humour' is preoccupied with explaining that Germans are actually funny — they just don't, for linguistic reasons, understand English jokes), and Gieselmann proves they have every right to be. You won't be left wanting for what's lost in translation here; The Pigeons is great fun and, in that way only the foreign can be, entirely unexpected. https://youtube.com/watch?v=n5XBMqCRbZM
Lovers of utes — or Aussie cars in general — should make tracks to Deniliquin this October, for the 21st annual Deni Ute Muster. The town sits in the southwest corner of New South Wales, making it a relatively quick 3.5-hour commute for Melburnians (it's 7.5 hours from Sydney). The 'rural-themed' camping festival attracts some 20,000 visitors, as well as utes of all models and vintages. There are so many trucks in attendance that each year the festival tries to break its own 1999 Guinness World Record for the largest parade of utes (currently 2839, if you're interested). Country music fans have their own reason to visit, with a full lineup of local and international acts taking the stage across two nights. This year's program is headlined by Tim McGraw. Driving competitions, building challenges, lawn mower races, whip cracking, wood chopping and a go-kart track are also on the docket. The $269 ticket price also covers camping, so you can bring your own tent or caravan — or simply roll out a swag in the back of your ute.
It's not often that you can take your date to the movies in Sydney without it costing you an arm and a leg — well that might be a slight exaggeration, but it's not far off. That's why we're giving away 20 double passes to a preview screening of what's anticipated to be one of the funniest films of the year: Brittany Runs a Marathon. Brittany's a party-goer, underachiever, lover of bad boys and... a potential marathon runner. Sound improbable? It is. But that's exactly the point of Brittany Runs a Marathon, an Amazon original comedy film that's coming out at the end of October. Her turning point comes when she asks a doctor for medication to manage ADHD, but, instead, she gets told to 'get healthy'. So begins her mission to run the New York City Marathon — one block at a time. Writer and director Paul Downs Colaizzo took inspiration for his debut flick from real-life best friend, Brittany O'Neill, played by Jillian Bell (22 Jump Street, Workaholics). The film also stars Michaela Watkins (Wanderlust, Transparent and SNL) and Lil Rel Howery (Get Out, Birdbox) alongside Utkarsh Ambudkar, Micah Stock, and Alice Lee. So, expect to laugh — a lot. Should you get your mitts on a double pass, you and your date/mate will be catching this hilarious film on the big screen at Dendy Opera Quays, on Tuesday, October 29 at 6.30pm. Who doesn't love a free night at the flicks? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsHlvgTG1iI If you're keen to nab some free movie tickets — which you obviously are — enter you details below to be in the running. [competition]745456[/competition] Brittany Runs a Marathon will be showing in cinemas from Thursday, October 31 and on Amazon Prime Video from Friday, November 15.
