This is a review of the 2012 run of Masterclass at 107 Projects. The show returns to kick off the year at the Old Fitzroy Theatre in 2015. Masterclass, a two-man pantomime by Gareth Davies and Charlie Garber, was first shown as part of the Imperial Panda Festival in 2011. For reasons unknown (popular demand? to stimulate cash flow? conquer boredom?), they're back, this time performing at 107 Projects in Redfern. 107 Projects is a fantastic new space comprised of a theatre, six artist studios, a small vintage stall and exhibition space that is non-for-profit, so all proceeds are poured back into the space. The opening night was packed with a raucous crowd drinking longies in the foyer (it's BYO). We file into the theatre to the sound of a blaring punk pop song that is paused intermittently for a voice to instruct the audience to "not crinkle chip packets too loudly" and to "please refrain from coughing". Garber and Davies walk on stage and proceed to set up a keyboard and berate the lighting guy, ignoring the presence of the audience. Thus begins the masterclass, an acting seminar that draws on the past of the greatest of all actors, Davies, who was quite literally born into the theatre. He now lives in a Dream Forge, where he has the ability to look through a telescope back into the past. He takes us to the time of his birth, when his mother was a chorus member in Les Mis; Davies was cast as a baby and stayed in the production until he was 21. The rest of the play follows his ascension as an actor and the cataclysmic event that caused him to quit. There is a carefully preserved sense of mystery in the play, so I won't give away too much. Let's just say Garber and Davies are intrinsically connected through theatre, a relationship far deeper than anyone else could ever hope to experience. The absurdity, wordplay, and slightly hysterical drama make this play knee-slappingly funny. Never have I heard such a wide variety of startlingly loud, foghorn laughs. It almost had an air of improvisation, as if the two of them were mucking around together one day, kept the joke going for an hour, and presented it on stage the next day. Full of uncontained energy and wit, this show is best after a few drinks on a Friday night — you will leave feeling refreshed and smiling rather than contemplative and slightly depressed. Masterclass can laugh at itself and laugh at you while you're laughing at it, all at the same, disorderly, time.
Water Polo by the Sea, a highlight of the sporting/social/summer calendar, will return to Bondi Icebergs this January. Come watch our Aussie Sharks — including Olympians Rhys Howden, Richie Campbell, Billy Miller and Johnno Cotterill and Aaron Younger — as they take on the International All Stars in what’s sure to be a fantastic match. This is no normal sporting game. The event is an opportunity to meet the players, mingle with VIPs, extend the summer holiday vibe and sip cocktails (served by shirtless athletes) against the stunning backdrop of Bondi Icebergs. Gates open at 4.30pm, and the game is on from 5.20pm. The marquee stays open until 7pm.
Spookyland is set to wrap up their December residency at the Lansdowne on Christmas Eve. Over the course of four Wednesday-night concerts, the four-piece has established a reputation for killer live shows. Led by 22-year-old frontman Marcus Gordon, who's joined by his brother Liam on guitar, drummer Nath Mansfield and bassist Nic Malouf, Spookyland play what they call "solipsist rock and roll" — which means either they perform entirely self-centred songs, or they're taking the piss. In a recent interview with Jefferson Laufer of Rock Bands of LA, Marcus Gordon explained, "If there is an element for all the lyrics, it's childhood imagination plagued by adult misanthropic concepts." Laufer sees Spookyland's music as "urban gutter rock". "[Gordon] has channelled the spirit of Lou Reed to become a rock and roll animal of current time," he writes. You can check out his assessment by downloading Spookyland's debut EP, Rock and Roll Weakling.
Take your cricket skills beyond your fence this Boxing Day at The Greens, North Sydney. From midday to 4pm, the 125-year-old bowling green will be transformed into one big public pitch, where backyard rules will apply. In between bats and bowls, you'll be able to contemplate your next strategy while gazing out over the venue's cracking harbour views. If you're keen to stick to the sidelines, or you need some refreshments to give your play the edge, there'll be $40 antipasto baskets and bottles of Chandon Summer Brut on offer. The Greens' regular menu is also good for sampling, featuring some pretty exotic sharing plates, such as oxtail croquettes with sweet pimento dipping sauce ($11) and house cured ocean trout with housemade pickled cucumbers, caper berries, quail eggs, and lemon creme fraiche ($14). For drinks, the bespoke cocktail menu includes yuzu daiquiris and tequila and chamomile sours (served with chamomile flowers on the side).
Sydneysiders will get a taste of old Hollywood glamour and charm when Academy Award-winning silent flick The Artist screens in spectacular style, accompanied by the soaring sounds of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. It's a trip to the picture palace, as imagined by the Sydney Festival 2015. The Artist lights up the Opera House's iconic Concert Hall across two nights. Set during the late 1920s, director Michel Hazanavicius's outstanding piece of contemporary cinema is a clear nod to the film industry at a pivotal point of transformation. If the thought of 100 minutes of silent cinema seems utterly exhausting, fear not. With a stellar cast plus five Oscars under its belt, this love story will leave you gasping and giggling all the way to the very end.
Dig out those once-a-year novelty gumboots, Groovin the Moo is back for another year of out-of-the-city footstomping. Taking the large-scale music festival out of CBDs and into regional centres for another year, GTM will kick things off on the ANZAC Day long weekend and travel through Oakbank, Bunbury, Bendigo, Canberra, Maitland, and Townsville. This year's lineup sees syper-hyped internationals like the legendary Peaches, 'Boom Clap'-per Charli XCX, A$AP Mob's A$AP Ferg US trap king RL Grime, UK indie-gazers Peace and NZ festival favourites Broods alongside one of the most Aussie-heavy lineups GTM has seen in recent years. High-fiveworthy locals like Flight Facilities, The Preatures, Sticky Fingers, Hermitude, DMAs, Tkay Maidza, Ball Park Music, Meg Mac and more will also make their way to the Moo. So enough lowing, here's that lineup you're after. GROOVIN THE MOO 2015 LINEUP: A$AP FERG (USA) BALL PARK MUSIC BROODS (NZ) CARMADA CHARLI XCX (UK) THE DELTA RIGGS DMAs FLIGHT FACILITIES HERMITUDE HILLTOP HOODS HOT DUB TIME MACHINE MEG MAC NORTHLANE ONE DAY PEACHES (CAN) PEACE (UK) THE PREATURES RL GRIME (USA) SAN CISCO SASKWATCH STICKY FINGERS TKAY MAIDZA WOLFMOTHER YOU ME AT SIX (UK) GROOVIN THE MOO 2015 DATES & VENUES: Saturday, April 25 – Oakbank Sunday, April 26 – Bunbury Saturday, May 2 – Bendigo Sunday, May 3 – Canberra Saturday, May 9 – Maitland Sunday, May 10 – Townsville For more info, head to GTM's website. Image: Joseph Mayers, GTM.
The Robin Hood Hotel is launching the first in a series of film director-focused events, starting with he of the exactly symmetrical compositions, Wes Anderson. It will be an evening of art and cocktails dedicated to the prolific indie filmmaker. The evening's sponsored by Campari (who's up for one on the rocks a la Steve Zissou?) and All In Brewing Co, who'll be offering exclusive tastings of their new Bill Fucking Murray Malt Liquor at the event. "We’re inviting everyone to get dressed up for the event and come along to enjoy a few of our new cocktails while taking in some art," says licensee Luke Prou. The only fault that we can find in this otherwise perfectly valid excuse to make like Margot Tenenbaum and pair a Lacoste polo dress with a fur coat (fake, of course) is that the whole thing has to fall in the middle of summer. Extra ice with that Campari?
Still buzzing after a whizz-bang national tour promoting latest single 'Medicine', Sydney-based DJ and triple j House Party host KLP (aka Kristy Lee Peters) is set to give back this Christmas with a gig/dance party to raise money for Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy. Every single cent raised will go the charity's way. And even if you're not into the whole pudding-bauble-Santa-hat thing, you can rest assured that there'll be plenty of non-Christmassy content. In fact, KLP has curated a lineup of some of her favourite artists and beatmakers to raise a holiday toast with. Festive pals set to crank out a few sets include Cassian, DCup, Yolanda Be Cool, triple j buds Matt & Alex, Elizabeth Rose, Joyride and Lindsay 'The Doctor' McDougall, to name just a few. There'll also be a special mystery live act, who is yet to be announced. Doors for the KLP Kristmas shindig will open at 8pm, with the tunes, tinsel and lights continuing till late. Tickets are on sale from December 1.
From the creators of the nationally successful Polo in the City series comes the more summery Polo by the Sea, set to ride into Palm Beach on Saturday, January 10 at Hitchcock Park. Celebrating nine years of PITC, the team now count more than 15,000 in attendance over their mostly sold-out events — and we'd like to hope less dramatic horse thieving than a Gossip Girl Vanderbilt charity polo match. Having raised significant thousands for various charities, creator Janek Gazecki's polo matches took out a few Best State Event trophies at the Australian Event Awards last year. Seems the offhand comment 'polo is the new racing' might have some weight to it. The oceanic version of the city polo 'do, Polo by the Sea was first staged on the Gold Coast in 2013 with the aim to replicate the success of PITC in coastal towns and holiday destinations. The last two events attracted some big name guests — apparently even some royal faces. This time around, Palm Beach PBTS has wrangled some of Australia's best polo players to team up on the day — while you avoid dropping the Grange on your beige chinos. With a front row beer garden dubbed the 'Polo Lounge', live music and everyone's favourite 'fashion on the field', knowing the actual rules to polo isn't really that necessary (just make new buds with those in the know). Importantly, polo days mean superbly executed opulence; we're talking seaplane transfers from Rose Bay to Careel Bay, front row VIP tables, designer-briefed social photographers. Yep, your paycheck might be entirely going on this excursion, but guys, there'll be horsies. If you're wondering what to wear, it's this and only this:
Swapping the Californian coast for the sweltering Aussie summer, The Growlers are heading our way for a string of nationwide shows. Showcasing tracks fresh from their latest record Chinese Fountain, the Cali-based fivesome will be making their way from Melbourne to Maroochydore for fans this January. Blending garage rock rhythms with spaced-out gravely vocals, The Growlers are no strangers to our shores. Selling out four headline shows in March last year, the band will be putting on 14 ripper gigs in cities and regional spots across the east coast. With five studio albums and countless had-to-be-there shows dotted throughout their career, 2015 is set to be another standout year for The Growlers. Renowned for putting on a smashing live set, the band's beachside upbringing guarantees these to be some psychedelic, high-energy performances. A tad theatrical and a whole lot of fun, gear up for a night of 'beach goth' vibes to get your summer going.
Come one, come all! Roll into the Courthouse this Australia Day in your best bogan attire and thongs for a celebration befitting Australia's national holiday, featuring a Bogan Pageant hosted by Dinni and followed by the very competitive Thong Toss Competition. As if this event could be any more Aussie, the Courthouse will be streaming Triple J's Hottest 100 all day long, and will also feature (what else?) an Aussie BBQ. Representing Australia's best side, throughout the day $1 from every VB Tinnie purchased will go towards supporting beyondblue.
Drag your wig, feather boas and heels out of the closet this Australia Day and feel like royalty alongside your favourite queen, Priscilla, with a special 21st birthday screening of The Adventures of Pricilla, Queen of the Desert at St George Openair Cinema at Mrs Macquaries Point. With Sydney Harbour as a backdrop, this is a quieter, more chilled way to celebrate Australia Day, enjoying a film and a landscape that make our country stand out. Wine and dine at the pop-up precinct as the sun sets, before settling in as the enormous 350 square metre screen rises from the water.
When a film bears the name American Sniper – and the memoir it adapts includes The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in US Military History in its title – certain things are unsurprising. To judge a movie by its moniker and a book by its cover, patriotism is expected, as are ample scenes seen through the crosshairs of a riflescope. Clint Eastwood’s latest feature delivers both. The true tale inspiring jingoistic fervour is that of Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper), a Texan rodeo cowboy turned Navy SEAL. In four tours of Iraq post-9/11, he was credited with 160 confirmed kills. His fellow soldiers anointed him with the nickname 'Legend', continually proffering their thanks and idolatry. With each deployment, the worries of his wife, Taya (Sienna Miller), grew, as did the distance in their marriage. As the man who played Dirty Harry, Eastwood is no stranger to portrayals of men steeped in violence, or to positioning their deeds as those of necessity. Symbolism torn from many a western and war movie included, he takes to the story with passion and without subtlety. With his protagonist pledging allegiance to “God, country and family”, in that order, he paints Kyle as a hero, and shapes the feature as a tribute. Treading the fine line between condoning certain actions and representing reality is a tricky task, and one Eastwood’s feature does show signs of struggling with. Only slivers are glimpsed of a more complex and conflicted train of thought than the feature’s primary narrative. Shadows of martial discontent flicker over supporting characters, but the enemy is not within, in American Sniper's case, as an insurgent enemy sniper threatens the unit. It's a dramatic tension that's technically well-executed but thematically questionable. Similarly, Kyle’s difficulties on the home front are tinged with the weight his work bears on his conscience, explained as regret over the lives he couldn’t save, rather than any troubles with what he did and saw. And then there's the Iraqi problem. Whenever the viewpoint of the other side threatens to interject, such as with the plight of a local family forced to inform against a villain, empathy is absent. American Sniper presents one perspective only, so the occupied people of Iraq remain strangers. While Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers did the same, here there’s no Letters from Iwo Jima to offer balance. Performance-wise, the duty-bound feature isn’t helped by Cooper’s lead turn, even if an Academy Award nomination seems to indicate otherwise. He looks the part, complete with a hulking swagger and an aversion to his usual charm, but his rendering of Kyle is as one-note as the bulk of the storyline. Similarly, Miller plays the stereotypical neglected wife in a paint-by-numbers performance. Of course, countless films – war and otherwise – spin one-sided yarns of good-versus-evil and even do so well; however, American Sniper is never anything less than uneasy. The sand-swept action that clouds the frame, the unwavering conviction and the sentiment of the ending are predictably blatant and sometimes brutal – and so is the accompanying discomfort.
In wrestling – of the competitive rather than staged variety – combatants trade in proximity, physicality and supremacy. They come in close, sizing up each other’s strengths through grabbing and grappling, and then exploiting weaknesses for their own glory. Sudden moves may be made, but little happens quickly. It takes time to push and shove into positions of power, and to feel out avenues for domination. Telling a tale of violence and sought-after victory that can only be ripped from reality, Foxcatcher mimics the sport at its centre, progressing slowly yet never relenting from its atmosphere of tension. Three men jostle for the spotlight: the Olympic Gold medal-winning Schultz brothers Mark (Channing Tatum) and Dave (Mark Ruffalo), and wealthy and eccentric wrestling aficionado John E. du Pont (Steve Carell). Though both siblings shared success at the Los Angeles games in 1984, the awkward, lonely Mark remains in the shadow of charismatic family man Dave, their training sessions the highlights of his daily routine. Du Pont’s unexpected offer to finance his – and the American wrestling team’s – repeat shot at the top spot is the opportunity Mark has been waiting for, but his second chance serves his benefactor’s ego, not his own dreams. As Dave asks when Mark tries to convince him to come along at du Pont’s urging, “What does he get out of all this?” The outcome is the stuff crime reenactments are made of; however, 2014 Cannes Film Festival best director recipient Bennett Miller heightens the simmering anxiety of clashing personalities and motivations over the sensationalist result. Those familiar with the filmmaker’s previous two efforts, fellow true crime feature Capote and the baseball-oriented Moneyball, will be well versed in his approach. Once more, Miller’s film is studied and sparse on the surface but explosive underneath; inspired by history but unafraid to shape events to fit its own statement on masculinity, capitalism and America; and coloured by the purposefully unsettling shades of a chilly, blue visual look. Patient pacing — particularly in long shots framing each of the trio against the surroundings of busy training room, claustrophobic apartment and expansive country estate — allows the pressure to build, though what really blossoms is the Foxcatcher’s troika of obsession and aggression-laced character studies. Details are drip-fed horror-style, not only in the script’s unraveling of psychological unease, but in the intensity of the performances. With Oscar nominations apiece, Carell and Ruffalo command attention, albeit in vastly different ways. The affectations of the former, perfecting the control of the privileged yet paranoid, clash with the naturalistic caution of the ever-agreeable latter. It is Tatum, however, who steals every scene, lumbering, vulnerable, and always with the air of the loser even when Schultz is winning. His character might be an innocent initially easily manipulated, but his layered, internalised portrayal ascends to the apex of the against-type cast. Perhaps it is fitting that he has been eclipsed in the awards chatter — overlooked once again as life imitates art depicting real-life circumstances.
With the festival season in full swing, tickets for this summer's super sustainable Mountain Sounds festival are flying out fast. Pinned to be one of the must-attend events of early 2015, the Mountain Sounds crew is gearing up this weekend to give festivalgoers a taste of what's to come. Those unable to make it to the Central Coast festivities, fear not. Oxford Art Factory will play host to the second in a series of launch parties this Friday night, with the likes of East, Olympic Ayres, Hockey Dad and I Know Leopard providing audiences with some sweet summer tunes. Kicking off with the dynamic surf-rock duo Hockey Dad, fresh from their EP launch and recent gigs playing alongside Japanese Wallpaper, this party brings together some of Sydney's most promising up-and-coming live music acts. Packed with live art installations and an array of secret surprises to be revealed on the night, tickets to this launch will be well worth the money.
Get ready for solid dose of intoxicating dance beats. Melbourne's electronic disco outfit World's End Press are hitting stages across the east coast this week to wrap up their 'Spirals' tour, geared up to bring their hypnotic mix to Goodgod. Off the back of their debut self-titled album release in 2013, World's End Press will be bringing their one-of-a-kind dance mixes to audiences along the East Coast this December. Offering irresistibly rhythmic melodies with every single, WEP is one highly underrated live act rumoured to dominate this summer festival season. Playing alongside electronic legends Phoenix and Architecture in Helsinki earlier this year, the band will wrap up 2014 in style with these East Coast shows. Fans will know the kind of energetic antics to expect from these guys. For those looking to start the weekend right, you won't go wrong nabbing tickets to this ripper electronic mini-rave. Supported by TEES + Francis Xavier (DJ set).
Christmas markets are always excellent for those of us who tend to leave gift purchasing until the last minute — and, thankfully, Etsy is setting up their markets all over Australia in the final weekend of November. Etsy Made Local is a grassroots initiative that celebrates crafters, collectors and artisans in local communities, and provides them with the opportunity to sell their creations both online and in a physical space. So whether you're on the hunt for handmade wares or vintage goods, these guys have got you covered. The markets will be held in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. Because each market focuses on the best local talent, each market will be filled with different stallholders and unique creations. Supporting creative small businesses and scoring a killer Christmas gift is a win for everyone involved, so head to the Seymour Centre on Saturday, November 28 and get your festive shopping done early, for once.
It's not every restaurant that casually nabs a hat in their first year, but Saké Double Bay have raised many a celebratory sake since opening in December 2014. Now, they're gearing up to ring in their first birthday with a special culinary escapade on Wednesday, January 27 — with seven courses of wildly contemporary Japanese cuisine. The work of Urban Purveyor Group (the team behind Ananas Bar and Brasserie, Bavarian Bier Cafe, The Cut Bar and Grill), Saké has been kicking goals at 33 Cross Street, beneath the InterContinental Hotel for a year now. This stunningly-designed Double Bay establishment has been serving the contemporary Japanese cuisine and cocktails Saké is already celebrated for — joining sister venues in The Rocks (six-times hatted) and Brisbane, alongside its Melbourne counterpart. We're talking 'gramworthy new-style sushi to significantly impress your date. Saké's first birthday celebrations are the perfect chance to meet new executive chef Wayne Brown (formerly of Saké Hamer Hall), who's created a special seven-course dinner shared menu with matched beverages for a cheeky $150pp. Kicking off at 7pm, you'll be treated to the likes of Aylesbury Duck tataki with puffed skin, nashi pear, mustard seed and ume caramel; Petuna ocean trout confit with pakchoy, citrus ponzu gel and nori rice chip and a spectacular dessert from the Sake collection dubbed 'White Nitro', with frosted milk, white chocolate and stone fruit. Each dish will be paired with handpicked wines and sake from Japan, Spain, France, Hungary and the Canberra District.
Everybody loves a good procedural. Meticulously charting the steps of an investigation can be as immersive as it is thrilling; there's a reason that serial killer flicks and cop shows prefer the approach, after all. Truth applies the style to a tale of media troubles, tracking a group of US journalists trying to cover a story of national significance. Unfortunately, while the film sticks to the formula of chasing leads and piecing together a puzzle, it does so in a standard and heavy-handed fashion. It's a disappointing outcome, and surprising for two reasons. The first is that the real-life circumstances that inform the feature — the incident that ended the careers of seasoned news producer Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett) and veteran news anchor Dan Rather (Robert Redford) — are both complicated and compelling. The second is that although filmmaker James Vanderbilt is sitting in the director's chair for the first time, he previously wrote the script for David Fincher's Zodiac, one of the best procedural efforts ever made. With Truth, he offers an account of a controversial report about then-President George W. Bush's military record, which aired on American TV's 60 Minutes in 2004. Mapes, Rather and their team (played by the likes of Topher Grace, Dennis Quaid and Elisabeth Moss) burrowed into rumours and leaked memos surrounding the President's service with the Texas Air National Guard in the 1970s and the preferential treatment he might have received, only to be subjected to accusations of factual inaccuracy and political bias in the aftermath of the broadcast. Much of the enjoyment of procedurals stems from the journey on which they take the audience, letting us watch as details are discovered and dots are joined together. Alas, in adapting Mapes' memoir Truth and Duty: The Press, the President and the Privilege of Power, Vanderbilt renders Truth an exercise in telling rather than showing. Everything of importance is spelled out multiple times, and speeches about the downfall of the media are given more weight and emphasis than the minutiae of the investigation. The underlying situation remains fascinating, as does the statement the film makes, but the former too often feels like a tool for the latter. Thank goodness for Blanchett, who channels both the vulnerability of her Oscar-winning portrayal in Blue Jasmine and the steeliness of her performance in Elizabeth. The crusading film she's in might largely go through the motions, but the same could never be said for her. Redford, too, is expectedly strong, playing Rather with weariness and wisdom. Sadly, the rest of the cast is relegated to sidekick roles and bit parts, a symptom of Vanderbilt's blunt focus. That said, Noni Hazlehurst stands out among a bunch of local talent that also includes Rachael Blake, Andrew McFarlane, Steve Bastoni, Martin Sacks and Nicholas Hope. Turns out the movie was actually shot in Sydney: the biggest surprise in a movie that lacks them otherwise.
No longer do we have to imagine things like rainbow-coloured horses running through our streets — instead, American artist Nick Cave is making this vision a reality with HEARD·SYD. Set to live music and percussion, HEARD·SYD will be a welcome disruption to the daily activity of the mundane commute with an exuberant and surreal explosion of equestrian activity. 30 colourful soundsuits fuelled by 60 dancers and musicians, will bring Sydney's streets to life, highlighting the beauty and joy of nature reimagined in contemporary art as part of the Carriageworks and City of Sydney's Art & About programs. The suits themselves are constructed from coloured raffia, and other found materials, to produce a distinctive sound when activated, building to a riotous, ritualistic rumpus. The work has taken over spaces in Dallas and Detroit as well as NYC's Grand Central Station, and its Sydney iteration will be performed across a public space in the CBD and at Carriageworks over two days in November 2016. HEARD·SYD encourages an almost pastoral dream-like state and offers an escapist response to the bustle of the city, its architecture, parks and urban spaces. It's a dynamic performance that must be seen — and heard.
Want to experience a slice of Jamaica in Sydney? Either way, there's a rum-fuelled adventure happening in Sydney over November and December you should lock into your diary. Fine purveyors and makers of rum for over 265 years, Appleton Estate have launched The Appleton Trail in Sydney, three weekends of rum-tasting, storytelling and celebration of Jamaica's long-loved spirit. After Paddington's Village Inn and Kings Cross's Sweethearts Rooftop Barbecue, the final stop of The Appleton Trail will be at Taylor’s Rooftop, located above the Republic Hotel in CBD. Like the other stops on the Trail, expect a Jamaican-themed pop-up hideaway with reggae tunes, specially-created rum cocktails, paired with Jamaican food, and hosted by a Jamaican dancer — all to make you feel like you’re finally on that well-deserved island holiday. You'll be able to try the Appleton Estate Signature Blend – the original Appleton Estate rum — alongside the Reserve Blend, Rare Blend 12 Year Old, 21 Year Old Jamaica Rum and 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum – the world’s oldest barrel-aged rum. Plus, Appleton have taken it upon themselves to create four signature cocktails for the event. If you’re looking for something to take a the sting out of a little too much sun, try the From Jamaica With Love, comprised of Appleton Estate Signature Blend, passionfruit, fresh citrus and pineapple. If you love a good Dark 'n' Stormy, try the Appleton rendition, the Jamaican Stormy (Appleton Estate Signature Blend, fresh lime and ginger beer). As well as the cocktails, Taylor’s will also have some additions to their menu just for the occasion — think jerk chicken pineapple salsa and jerk prawns for those looking for a jerk-fuelled feast. What better way to celebrate the first weekend of summer with a rum cocktail, jerk chicken and Jamaican beats as the sun sets over Sydney's CBD?
In By the Sea, a couple retreats to a scenic ocean-side spot, their motivation as apparent as their baggage. Roland (Brad Pitt) is a writer struggling to put pen to paper, while Vanessa (Angelina Jolie Pitt) is a former dancer bearing emotional wounds from a past tragedy. Their individual troubles feed into a larger, common issue: the inertia in their marriage. The couple continue to look the part, but they're just going through the motions. He wears partially unbuttoned shirts, wanders around with a drink constantly in his hand, and spends more time with a local barkeep (Niels Arestrup) than with his wife. She smokes behind oversized sunglasses, stretches out on their balcony, and speaks as little as possible. They're not confronting their woes — they're avoiding them. Stepping behind the lens for her third stint as a director, Jolie Pitt explores the struggling state of a stale relationship in a script of her own making — and that she's taking on a starring role, alongside her actual husband, is by no means insignificant. Just don't expect an insight into the personal lives of one of the most famous couples on the planet. Instead, Jolie Pitt toys with the concept of being watched – something the real-life duo is no doubt familiar with, both on-screen and off. Vanessa finds a peephole into an adjacent room, discovers that she enjoys peering into the lusty bliss of a honeymooning couple (Melvil Poupaud and Mélanie Laurent), and eventually shares the experience with Roland. They gaze at the private moments of others, the audience observes them in turn, and more is seen than said. By the Sea convincingly conveys the unspoken elements of voyeurism; the forbidden becomes thrilling, whether spying on a neighbour or reading accounts of celebrity relationships. The film also shows how becoming invested in the life of someone else from afar can both mask and amplify the problems of those doing the looking, such as unhappiness and alienation. Indeed, while this may be the first time the couple have shared the screen since 2005's Mr. and Mrs. Smith, it's not just a case of lovers jetting off to a picturesque setting and sulking around a nice hotel. Jolie Pitt's feature is astute and incisive in its examination of the ebbs and flows of long-term bonds, and owes a debt to big screen melodrama and minimalism. The ghosts of great '70s European cinema – of character-based theatrics allowed to unfold slowly, and of pain rippling beyond composed faces and lavish surroundings – can be felt in every frame. Director of photography Christian Berger, a veteran of Michael Haneke's films such as Cache and The White Ribbon, certainly assists in evoking a throwback vibe and a sense of closeness. Nevertheless, it's the two leads who remain the true stars of the show. They weather some trying dialogue as well as an unsatisfying late revelation, and help the movie's repetition and tension become rhythmic and immersive. Their performances are also the reason that, even when the feature doesn't quite come together, it still remains hard to forget. In presenting a tale of intimacy and scrutiny, they're a pair no one can tear their eyes away from.
Fancy a boogie, but not the overpriced cover charge? Not to worry, we’ve found a way to make your wistful dreams a damn fine reality. VICE’s electro music and culture channel THUMP is answering the call, throwing yet another set of dance parties in both Melbourne and Sydney over the next two weeks. The best part: it's all free. The THUMP crew knows how to put on a mighty fine show, and these nights are bound to be no exception. Melburnians will enjoy the likes of Sleep D, Strict Face and DJ sets from Null and Simona, while Sydneysiders can expect Cliques, Strict Face, Thomas William and Unit to move you long into the night. Image: Voena.
Rootstock Sydney, now in its third year, is a two-day celebration of sustainability and fresh produce. Winemakers, chefs, somms and writers from all over will converge on Carriageworks for a weekend to share their philosophies with you, from November 28-29. Rootstock isn't a one-trick pony, it's a multifaceted event split into a wine festival, a food market, and a series of talks. The wine festival is held over four sessions and will allow you to try over 200 natural wines from a range of international and Australian wine artisans. You can also browse the six different pavilions that make up the food markets. Each pavilion has a different focus, ranging from aboriginal agriculture and native foods to coffee and artisan cheese. If you're keen to learn something new, listen to a talk on the art of distillation or breakfast with superchef Magnus Nilsson from Sweden's Fäviken. It's all about finding your roots, learning about roots, eating roots. Are you hungry yet? Ticket prices to sessions will vary, check them here.
If you've been lamenting Kings Cross's uncertain future, here's your ticket to leaving your worries behind — for one night, at least. Elizabeth Bay House presents Mayhem, a party that will take you back to 1945, when the Second World War came to an end and the streets went completely crazy. Sydney Swing Katz's James Star will be on-hand, teaching you how to jitterbug, while a mad catwalk will remind you of which fashions dominated the 1940s. Speaking of which, turn up in your own, glammed-up '40s outfit, and you'll be in the running to win the best-dressed comp. (Even if you don't triumph, you can Instagram yourself to bits in the photo booth). Meanwhile, downstairs, the house's underground cellars will transform into an 'illegal' gambling den. Bring whatever you have and see if you can trade it for something better on the black market — though do be wary of deals that might not turn out to be as fabulous as they seem. Ever wandered how Sydneysiders felt when Japan launched its submarine attacks? Listen to a retelling of how it looked from Elizabeth Bay House's upstairs morning room. And hear about how the war felt on the frontline, with live letter readings by The Jetpack Collective. Your ticket includes supper and a welcome drink to get you well on your time warp, and covers all entertainment on the night.
The plight of India's poverty-stricken conveyed through a quest for pizza? Yes, you read that correctly. Tamil language film The Crow's Egg endeavours to journey through the harsh lives of two young brothers by sending them in search of a slice of a fast food staple, and aims to present a combination of social realism and upbeat fable. If it sounds like an awkward combination, that's because it is. It's also clumsy in packaging weighty considerations within kid-focused shenanigans, unconvincing when it attempts to work farcical aspects into the mix, and falls on the wrong side of all things cute and enthusiastic as a result. The statements director M. Manikandan tries to make about the vast chasms between the haves and the have-nots, corporations and individuals, and the western and developing worlds are certainly sound, but they're hardly helped by his preference for slightness and sweetness over subtlety. What The Crow's Egg does have, however, is ample amounts of spirit – which is to be expected when a movie charts a couple of pint-sized characters on a mission. Here, the children in question are known only as Big Crow's Egg and Little Crow's Egg (Ramesh and J. Vignesh). The reason for their untraditional names is simple: that’s what the Chennai slum-dwelling siblings usually eat. As their main source of food illustrates more than their attitudes, life is tough for the twosome. Their mother (Iyshwarya Rajesh) works in a factory to amass enough money for their imprisoned father's legal fees, leaving the pair to spend their days scouring for fallen coal along the railway tracks that they can then swap for a handful of rupees. They dream of better things, including the meals served by the new eatery in their neighbourhood. Italian cuisine seems as exotic as it does appetising, and they desperately want a taste. Following their efforts and spending time with their cheeky personalities is endearing enough, as are the many musical montages, even if they're peppered throughout quite loudly and repetitively. Alas, the seesawing into darker territory is much less convincing. Of course, the overall disjointedness the movie suffers from could be said to mimic the excited minds of protagonists as they cycle through one adventure after another; however that might be a case of being too kind to a film that's clearly well-meaning, but just as clearly a bit too messy in bringing its intentions to fruition. Besides, the engaging duo of child actors at the centre of The Crow's Egg achieve that sense of exuberance all by themselves – which is why they're the feature's strongest element. Well that, and the relatable yearning for a piece of pizza.
After 1000 piled into Mojo by Luke Mangan for the very first Sensasian party, the team have decided to give it another run. A showcase of Asian-inspired creations conjured by Mangan, Sensasian is like a warehouse party with an Asian street market vibe, cocktails and great food — and it's coming back on Thursday, November 19. One of the main events at Sens-Asian is dessert — and Sydney's got some hectic sweet tooths. This time around, expect goodies from gelato connoisseurs N2 gelato, watermelon cake legends Black Star Pastry, 17-year-old Instagram sensation Sweet High Desserts, Instagram cake wizard Cakes by Cliff and MAKMAK Macarons. On the savoury side, Mangan and MOJO head chef Wayne Lee will be doing mashups — think mini hot dogs with kim chi, 'salt 'n' pepa' prawns, Peking duck rolls, Taiwanese fried chicken. Food starts at $15. Wash it all down with a few Singapore Slings and Asahi beer and you're home and hosed.
If you love, distribute, market, produce or work with beats, your Christmas has come weeks early. Since 2012, Sydney's drop-driven answer to New York City's CMJ, the annual Electronic Music Conference (EMC), has been Asia-Pacific's premier dance music industry event. Speakers, delegates, artists, producers, DJs and industry leaders get together for a big ol' bender — of panels, talks, masterclasses, round table discussions and showcases of the latest in dance and electronic music. Held at Carriageworks in the past, the conference is moving to heart of the beats action this year: Kings Cross and Darlinghurst. Three key venues play host to EMC the Eternity Playhouse Theatre, Upstairs at The Beresford and The Standard Hotel on Wednesday December 3 and Thursday December 4. But cahmaaaahn, this is a dance music conference — where the party at? The live (less industry-focused, more party, party, party) part of EMC, EMC Play, will take over Kings Cross venues on Wednesday and Thursday night with showcases from Australia's leading electronic labels and party-starting collectives. The showcase venues this year include Soho Bar, X54 Studios and the Kings Cross Hotel. The lineup is pretty damn huge, including Peking Duk, Motez, Will Sparks, Cassian, Fishing, Touch Sensitive, Basenji, SAFIA, Wave Racer, Yolanda Be Cool, Cassian, KLP, Ivan Gough, Wordlife, Cosmo's Midnight, Rainbow Chan, Simon Caldwell, Tigerlilly, Slice N Dice, Kilter, Sable, Gold Fields, L D R U, Yahtzel and more. Check out the EMC Play site for the showcase lineups. If you're really focused on getting that industry knowledge and rubbing shoulders with the main movers and shakers, shell out for an EMC delegate pass for $449 ($229 for students) — this includes free access to all of EMC Play. But if you're just up for the parties, you can buy tickets to EMC Play for $49 +BF.
Featuring over 800 shoes from the 16th century to now, Recollect: Shoes will showcase its diverse collection at the Powerhouse Museum this November. From the first elastic-sided boots in the world (worn by Queen Victoria) to a pair of Charles Jourdan heels worn by Nicole Kidman in the film Moulin Rouge, a pair of cricket boots signed by Sir Donald Bradman and designer names such as Louboutin, Yves Saint Laurent and Prada, this event is one design lovers, fashionistas, artists, shoe fetishists and history buffs alike won't want to miss. But shoes don't just make themselves. The exhibition comes full circle without a range of shoemaking equipment, including an early 20th century clicking press, shoe lasts and patterns to demonstrate the process of making bespoke shoes, in addition to a collection of recent acquisitions, fashion photographs and an special exhibit about caring for shoes. DIY types will want to attend the shoemaking drop-in sessions by designer Jodie Morrison (10 January and 18 April).
Silk Cut is a brand of cigarettes that was known for its minimalist design. Cut Silk is not that. Although they may share similar silky smooth textures and subtle tones of elegance, the Cut Silk Dance Band will not cause harm to you or those around you and they can be advertised legally. For the final time this year, the Cut Silk band — made up of members from Moon Holiday, Canyons, Motorik and Touch Sensitive — team up at Freda's to bring you a repertoire of early disco house covers. Resident selector Wild Sunset will be curating the evening's playlist with intentions to change the perspective of live performance from the artist and audience relationship, to a party atmosphere in celebration of music and dance.
If your semi-accidental clashing prints weren't enough to attract an invite to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week earlier in the year, or if you missed Vogue's Fashion Night Out, fear not! Fashion's most mollycoddled month isn't over yet. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival is your chance to surround yourself with some of the styles and designs that will be in every fashion retailer's front window this Spring/Summer season. Experience a fashion week vibe with over ten ticketed shows across four days exhibiting the best Australian designers and slickest runway collections. The daily Mercedes-Benz Presents Australian Style showcase highlights a never-ending list of local designers, including Alex Perry, Alice McCall, Bec & Bridge, Camilla, Ginger & Smart and Romance Was Born, to name a few. If you're fashion-inclined, there's a front row seat somewhere with your name on it. For all the glitzy eveningwear you can goggle at, there's Red Carpet Runway, and if you want to show your respects to the original innovators of style, Lavazza Presents From Italy with Passion, a school in style. The closing event courtesy of Australian Fashion Labels will give style-savvy individuals the opportunity to take a sneak peek at the annual collections for their five popular labels: Cameo, Finders Keepers, Keepsake, Jagger and The Fifth.
Taking its title from the French euphemism for orgasm, The Little Death wears its risque approach as a badge of honour. Erotic fetishes furnish six slight vignettes, purporting to normalise types of between-the-sheets behaviour; as the saying goes, everyone's doing it. Alas, more than parodying private peccadillos is needed to turn apparently twisted trysts into a smart sex comedy. Edginess doesn't equal astuteness, nor does painting with sitcom-style strokes cover ill-explored content. Any Questions for Ben? and House of Lies' Josh Lawson writes, directs and stars in an effort destined to be labelled a physicality fuelled Love Actually. Four couples monopolise the anthology feature, each with relationship issues. Maeve (Bojana Novakovic) wants Paul (Lawson) to fulfil her rape fantasies. Rowena (Kate Box) finds herself aroused whenever husband Richard (Patrick Brammall) cries. Phil (Alan Dukes) finds Maureen (Lisa McCune) at her most attractive when she is sleeping. Dan (Damon Herriman) and Evie (Kate Mulvany) make a foray into roleplaying that backfires. As the linking device between the tales, a new neighbour (Kim Gyngell) makes visits to disclose he's a registered sex offender. A final segment tackles phone sex and disability, as the hearing-impaired Sam (T.J. Power) places a call aided by operator Monica (Erin James). Finding farce in intimacy is far from a new conceit; however, it isn't enough to simply bring up taboo topics in contrived circumstances, especially in a superficial manner devoid of depth, discussion or development. Courting controversy and causing a reaction appears the film's only ambition, not thoughtfully examining sources of sexual satisfaction rarely addressed, or contemplating the human core of our deepest desires. Indeed, in pursuing broad and easy amusement, characterisation is absent — particularly regarding women. Unacceptable categorisations and implausible choices prevail, rendering female protagonists naive, cruel, selfish or complaining, whilst attempts to place Maeve and Rowena in charge of their destinies are undone by one-note personalities. Men, contrastingly, are presented with sympathy, even when potentially crossing the line. Consider Paul planning an elaborate rape upon request, and Phil drugging his wife to escape her nagging, the feature skirting around the latter's creepy consequences. The last standalone story may boast sincerity and sweetness otherwise lacking, followed by awkwardly offering comeuppance, but a late burst of heart and consequences can't overcome the bulk of the film's horrific skewering of kinkiness in rom-com confines. Though the ensemble cast toils valiantly and Lawson helms competently, each is poorly served by sketches neither dark nor different. Alas, The Little Death is not the subversive work it intends, instead just gratifying a too-neat account of the same offensive, over-used stereotypes of middle-class sex and romance. https://youtube.com/watch?v=BnnhesQ8Rxc
Homegrown pop rock crew Ball Park Music are making the rounds in Australia (and probably shouting a few rounds along the way) with their wonderfully-named, national Trippin The Light Fantastic Tour. If you've never seen these Brisbanites live, you're missing out on one heck of a party. A longtime triple j favourite, BPM took home Unearthed Artist of the Year in 2011 and have been frequently nominated in the Hottest 100 countdown — most recently in 2012 with tunes 'Coming Down' and 'Surrender'. The past two years have seen the five-piece delight crowds at Aussie music festivals including Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival, Southbound, Homebake and Big Day Out, not to mention some pretty kickass US appearances. Hailing from Brisbane, BPM cite the success of their third album Puddinghead (released in April this year) to "twelve months sitting naked before a pedestal fan in a lucid, humid fantasy," having spent one year recording in a cheap tiny shack in the northern suburbs of Brisbane (which they lovingly refer to as a proverbial sauna). Ball Park Music will hit Sydney on September 26 at the Enmore Theatre with old favourites, latest singles 'Trippin' the Light Fantastic' and 'She Only Loves Me When I'm There' and dance moves you can only dream of. Counting Millions and Pluto Jonze as supports, BPM are set to crank out their energetic tunes with unpretentious gusto. A breath of fresh air in an often tightly-wound industry, this is music that doesn't take itself too seriously — especially from a band that cites its interests as "pizza and yelling at farm animals". Supported by Millions + Pluto Jonze. https://youtube.com/watch?v=aNZ6Tr3cTT0
Have you ever heard two words that fit so neatly together? Bar. Week. A wonderful celebration of cocktails and small bars — two arenas that Sydney rather excels in these days. From September 27-30 (we are fully aware that this does not constitute a week — why fight it?), 2014 will be the third year that Sydney Bar Week will open its doors to the public, giving us the opportunity to meander over to the other side of the bar counter and learn the tricks of the trade from the best in the business. Specifically, there's The Barbershop's Made in Britain seminar, which will chart the journey of gin cocktails in Britain — from the bathtub gin era until now, the much-more-pleasant bottled gin era. What's more, you can get 50 percent off of a haircut while you're there. Another internationally renowned beverage will be explored in the Mezcal Masterclass at Bondi Beach's Mr Moustache. Master bartender Mike Tomasic will shed some light on the unique and often underrated mezcal, the beverage that has always stood in the shadow of another agave based spirit, tequila. For more details and to check out the full program of events, head to the Sydney Bar Week website.
As the spirit of insurrection and a brilliant cast threaten to set the Opera House alight, it’s hard not to wonder whether there’s a revolution or two taking place in Maxim Gorky’s grave. Children of the Sun (directed by Kip Williams and adapted by Andrew Upton) was originally penned in 1905 by Russian author Gorky, a Bolshevik sympathiser before it was cool, a prolific writer and a man thoroughly unafraid to ruffle bureaucratic feathers (rumour has it that Stalin had him poisoned). Set in 1862, during a cholera epidemic, the play explores class tensions and the wider plight of Russia through the eyes of an ensemble of naive middle-class characters. Armed with this knowledge, I expected (completely illogically) to be met by a wall of grey punctuated by the odd widow wailing next to an open grave. What I got, for the most part, was a wonderfully acted, skilfully directed romantic comedy in which everybody, in true Russian fashion, ends up dead. Children of the Sun is a play of failed revolutions. It takes place in the house of Protasov (Toby Truslove), a scientist seemingly on the verge of a major breakthrough whose only tangible offering is a series of worsening smells. While he's oblivious to everything outside of his laboratory, including the advances of the desperately daft Melaniya (a hilarious Helen Thomson), his wife, Yelena (Justine Clarke), is courted by Vageen (Hamish Michael), a ridiculous chap in the throes of an artistic revolution that has failed to find any followers. Meanwhile, it is only Protasov’s sister, Liza (Jacqueline McKenzie), who has noticed the growing unrest in the world outside. Her warnings about the need for reform are trampled by the officious maidservant Nanny (Valerie Bader) and the proposals of Boris (Chris Ryan), Protasov’s best friend. A few undisguised flats make up the house, with the cluttered sitting room and courtyard revolving to provide occasional glimpses of a dingy laboratory and servants’ quarters. Despite a relatively small cast, Williams’ direction brings the house alive, filling the large space with a bustling energy and momentum. One of the only drawbacks is the text itself. Williams and Upton both mention the way in which Gorky’s play speaks to contemporary audiences, but the imposition of a relentlessly modern vernacular on the piece robs it of the chance. It's steeped in anachronism and jarring humour. This made it no less entertaining, but as I left the theatre, I did so with the sneaking suspicion that much of Gorky’s original intent had been thrown out the window. In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Upton remarked that the play is “first and foremost about love”. It’s virtually impossible to see how Gorky, writing from a prison cell in response to a failed revolution in which scores of his countrymen died, could have arrived at the same conclusion.
The unrelenting spirit of subversiveness filters through We Are the Best! as limits are pushed, energy is exuded and emotional wounds are exposed. Three teen girls in Stockholm circa 1980 traverse the troubles of their young years, finding solace in a sound deemed uncool by their peers. When everyone else is embracing the new wave, Bobo (Mira Barkhammar) and her best friend Klara (Mira Grosin) only have ears for punk. Swiftly, they enlist the shy Hedvig (Liv LeMoyne) in their cause. In an astute and involving rendering of the female coming-of-age experience, Lukas Moodysson's latest film understands the unease of being an outsider at such a formative age, as well the comfort that comes from escaping into an all-consuming but unpopular passion. The writer/director's effort radiates the same distinctive combination of awkwardness and relief as it crafts a joyous ode to accepting difference whilst navigating the difficulties of adolescence. A can-do attitude and a thumping soundtrack complete the charmingly determined package. Adapting the graphic novel Never Goodnight, a semi-autobiographical effort by Lukas' wife Coco Moodysson, We Are the Best! accordingly charts the awakening that eventuates when Bobo, Klara and Hedvig endeavour to start their own band, much to the dismay of all around them. They chant "hate the sport" in response to disagreements over rehearsal space, they swoon over local boys who share the same interests, and they cycle through the standard rites of passage of their life stage, from drinking to dating to going wherever the moment takes them. Helming his first feature since 2009's English-language outing Mammoth, Moodysson recaptures the verve and perceptiveness that helped him make his name with previous films Show Me Love, Together and Lilya 4-ever, as well as the same empathy for his characters. We Are the Best! is no teen fantasy nor a youth morality play, with the trials and tribulations of growing up devoid of sugarcoating or messaging. His proto-feminist protagonists are plagued by problems and imperfections, but their failings are facts rather than issues to be remedied as they persevere through his jumpy, enthusiastic frames. Excellent casting caps off the earnest journey through turbulent times that We Are the Best! becomes, with performances ripped from reality. That the central trio hails from the same age group amplifies the authenticity that already teems through the film courtesy of its source material, but Barkhammar, Grosin and LeMoyne add their own spin in delicate evocations of both excitement and uncertainty. Theirs are portrayals both genuine and relatable, evoking the complexity of youthful friendship that echoes beyond the screen. These girls just want to have fun as they eke out their senses of selves, an aim and an outcome that the film gleefully copies. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Xtd5A9hnjaU
In 2003, Aaron Eckhart starred in a film called Paycheck. That's not even a joke, it actually happened. It's pretty much the acting equivalent of ending a relationship and then sleeping with someone whose name is literally 'Rebound'. But then came Thank You for Smoking, followed by Batman Begins. All of a sudden, Eckhart was credible. He was bankable. He was Harvey Dent — the very best of us. Symbolically, if he were to fail, what hope was there for anyone else? Well, having just seen I, Frankenstein, the answer is apparently 'none'. So give up now. The Joker won. It's hopeless. It's...it's all just so hopeless. Here's the story. We pick up the action where Mary Shelley saw fit to end it: with Frankenstein dead and his monster wandering the countryside lonely and without purpose. Then some demons try to capture him, whereupon some gargoyles come to life and save him. As it turns out, that little back and forth was just round #45,678,001,235 in one of those 'secret wars that's been fought for millennia without man's knowledge yet could very well decide the fate of all mankind' kind of things. And now Frankenstein's monster is caught right in the middle of it: still lonely, still angry and almost certainly itchy from all those stitches. And that's the story. Good versus evil. Statue versus demon. Miranda Otto versus Bill Nighy. At one point, Otto has to deliver the line "I am Queen of the Gargoyle League", immediately capturing the 'je ne sais quoi' of paycheck movies and prompting memories of a theme-park-river-stoned Lisa Simpson. As Frankenstein's monster, Eckhart looks suitably buff and menacing, though his performance is so drab and monotone it robs the film of any semblance of fun. Nighy, at least, remains a delight to watch as the Satan-esque villain Naberius, whilst Aussie actor Jai Courtney phones in a 'hey, check out my guns' performance as Otto's bodyguard Gideon. The action is the only thing that keeps I, Frankenstein rolling along with any pace, but even that's just one CGI light show after another, and none aside from the first are of any real note. Ultimately, this is an animated corpse of a film about a reanimated one, so either save your money or buy a turkey, sew a vibrator inside of it and watch that roll around for 90 minutes instead. https://youtube.com/watch?v=pxOSPfUw3qw
Established almost three decades ago, world-renowned Australian new music ensemble Elision are coming to Carriageworks in March for two rare shows. Regularly delivering compositions both authoritative and virtuosic, the experimental ensemble of 20 has become a leading force in contemporary music. They focus on groundbreaking works from contemporary composers who take 'classical' music way beyond what's classic. On Tuesday, March 18, hear works from the likes of Liza Lim, Timothy McCormack, Aaron Cassidy and Richard Barrett, conducted by Carl Rosman. Then back it up the following night, with music by Dmitri Kourliandski, Ann Cleare and Luke Paulding. With three world premiere works on the bill, Elision will prove exactly why they have established themselves as not only Australia's but some of the world's finest. Image: Mario Popham.
Step inside White Rabbit Gallery for their 10th milestone exhibition, Reformation, and you'll undoubtedly spend a good slab of time staring up at the spectacular Salon Hang in the foyer. From Bingyi's I Watch Myself Dying, throbbing with Frida Kahlo-esque torment, to Chen Chun Hao's meticulous landscape of glittering nails, it's a glorious quilt of past favourites, stretching from floor to ceiling. Although, do make sure you tear yourself away eventually, because the upper floors are crammed with more marvellous acquisitions. Reformation is a meditation on the cultural explosion that has burst forth from the ‘opening up’ of China. These works are full of wild experimentation and daring new directions. However, there is also an emphasis on painterly craft, which is perhaps residual of the rigour of Soviet art training. In this way, it’s interesting to see how traditional techniques and subversive ideologies coalesce to produce dramatic results. There is a current of optical trickery that courses through this exhibition. Take for example, Zhou Xiaohu’s silicon business men frozen in mid-conversation. These arrestingly realistic sculptures are partnered with ‘mirrors’ that reflect animated paintings of their facial expressions. I have to say, this illusion achieved its full effect on opening night amid swarms of people. There's also Dong Yuan’s scrupulous reproductions of domestic interiors by European masters. However, the twist is that she divides the painted subjects from their backgrounds, pegging them up like freshly laundered canvas clothing. It is as if she is cleansing and cataloguing the content according to her personal preference. However, if these works delve into double takes, He Yunchang's epic of self-torture is frighteningly real. According to the artist, physical torment generates the ‘intensity’ needed to transform ordinary experiences into art. In One Metre of Democracy, a group votes on whether a surgeon will make a one metre cut from He Yuchang’s shoulder to his knee without anaesthetic. As you can imagine, the gruesome result is squeamish and deeply guilt-inducing. It seems everyone associated with the process carries some level of responsibility for the artist's agony. There are also notions of sin and seduction running throughout Reformation. On level two, you’ll be struck by the fetishistic centrepiece of the exhibition. Play 201301 by Madeln Company is a cathedral of genuine and artificial leather. Adorned with BDSM accessories, this castle of kink is embedded with both contemporary and medieval understandings of ‘gothic.’ Also, the conspicuous overlap of sex and religion provokes some pretty interesting questions regarding lust, pleasure and guilt. Neighbouring this work is Zhao Bo's Circulation which has a similar theme of excess. Reminiscent of Goya and Daumier, the lushness of Bo's painterly style is disturbed by the depiction of a giant, godly toad, whilst slaves toil tirelessly in the foreground. It comes across as a kind of dystopian fairytale with an element of shock eroticism. You don't whether to laugh or cringe. I would also add the sinister soundtrack bleeding into the gallery space from Yi Lian’s video work,Undercurrent instils an ominous atmosphere that compliments the sadistic potential of the other works quite nicely. Whether you're absorbed by the hypnotic rotations of Shyu Ruey-Shiann's Eight Drunken Immortals or Tu Wei Cheng's antiquated image-makers, there’s just so much to see at Reformation. Another wonderful work that deserves a mention is Hu Weiyi's poignant photography series, documenting the temporary tattoos of clothing marks on skin. Whilst there’s obviously a strong Chinese core, there’s an increasingly global tenor to many of these works. Delivering the blockbuster exhibition that we all expected, White Rabbit Gallery remains a remarkably well-run and accessible treasure trove, offering up art that is visually and conceptually enthralling. Follow You (2013) by Wang Qingsong.
In 1961, Hannah Arendt (Barbara Sukowa) was one of the world's leading academic writers and thinkers, a rock star figure at the university she taught and a fiery leading light amongst the Manhattan intelligentsia. Having escaped from her native Germany as the persecution of Jewish people began though, the spectre of the Holocaust was never far from her thoughts. An opportunity to return to her homeland arises when the New Yorker commissions her to travel to Germany and cover the trial of Adolf Eichmann. Known as the 'architect of the Holocaust', Eichmann was a high-ranking Nazi lieutenant responsible for transporting Jewish people to concentration camps. After the fall of Berlin, he had escaped to South America before being rounded up by Mossad agents and returned to Europe for the 'trial of the century'. Instead of being struck by his coldness or inhumanity at the trial, however, Arendt instead finds Eichmann an "unimpressive" and "unremarkable" figure, who presents himself as a bureaucrat who merely followed orders. Her reaction was not the one she expected, nor one many people wanted to hear, but her bafflement at Eichmann's approach to the trial went on to inform a work which helped readers understand how an almost unfathomably dark chapter in human history had unfolded. The process of writing has long been a difficult one to capture on screen and Hannah Arendt is not immune to this problem, settling for ho-hum shots of Sukowa sitting at a typewriter, endlessly smoking cigarettes, or looking deep in thought as her magazine editors pound the phones, eager for the elusive first draft. The film's main focus, however, is not the process of thinking through the trial and writing the controversial article (it was later expanded into a book) but the fallout after it was published. Many thought it a betrayal of her own Jewish heritage or a slanderous, self-serving provocation. The university where she once received gooey-eyed affection from her adoring students asks her to justify her continued employment there and social schisms spring up as former friends and allies turn against her. Directed in solid, determinedly no-frills style by Margarethe Von Trotta, Hannah Arendt is a reminder that a work which is now almost universally accepted as a key insight into the horrors of the Holocaust and the operation of a genocidal machine was considered incendiary and worse at the time of publication. Still, it's not until a late scene where Arendt faces a hostile crowd at a public speaking engagement that this seems to really get to the heart of what made her such a vital figure. For a film centred on a fearless, headstrong character who many saw as arrogant, there's something just too polite about Von Trotta's biopic, a film likely to inspire but not really satisfy, further curiosity in Arendt's work. https://youtube.com/watch?v=WTQNWgZVctM
The original 300 was a divisive film; a pantomime of hyper violence and fascist doctrine with as much historical accuracy as a university freshman piecing together his O-Week. Still, it was also wildly entertaining and, visually, one of the first to follow in the wake of the Sin City graphic novel framing and design mould. Fast forward seven years and we're presented with the somewhat unexpected sequel; unexpected because 99.3 percent of all characters in the first film were killed off, and not in any sort of ambiguous 'daytime soap, did he really drown?' kind of way. It was more beheadings, dissections and Spartans skewered on spears like 6'2 devils on horseback. Instead, Israeli director Noam Murro's sequel is, much like The Bourne Legacy, a concurrent tale with the focus on the Athenian response to the same Persian threat that felled the infamous 300. Leading the Greek defence is Themistocles (played by Aussie actor Sullivan Stapleton), a war hero and politician whose actions during the Battle of Marathon both earned him fame and set in motion the eventual Persian invasion by the demigod Xerxes and his naval commander, Artemisia (Eva Green). Green is the standout in 300: Rise of an Empire. Adorned in a series of full-length gothic gowns-come-battle armour, her fearsome stare and contemptuous smirk command the focus in every scene she inhabits, to say nothing of that sumptuous Franco-British accent that makes a word like 'sword' an aural blanket in which to wrap yourself. With a backstory so bleak you scarcely judge her for tearing off a man's head and then kissing him, Green's Artemisia out-menaces Xerxes entirely, rendering the gold-painted God a mere passenger sporting an (at best) conservative Mardi Gras outfit. Stylistically, the film faithfully adheres to Zack Snyder's original monochromatic approach, and employs so much slow-motion that without it, 300: Rise of an Empire would just be a four-and-a-half minute ab workout video. Every flesh-tearing strike is luxuriated in with three-dimensional, Dolby-enhanced ecstasy, an orgiastic fountain of blood sprayed across the battleground as though each combatant were a warrior Pro Hart festooning his rug. The action's so video-gamey at times, you feel yourself ghost-thumbing 'Up Up Down Up Y' just to help the hero navigate the chaos, and yet the whole affair remains an entrancing visual style that should more than satisfy the fans of the original. https://youtube.com/watch?v=2zqy21Z29ps
Shuffling through a prestige university in a single file isn't particularly rock, but the Sydney Rock 'n' Roll & Alternative Market wants you to do it anyway. Set over February 8 and 9, the markets are back in 2014 for their Big Weekender with more than 80 stallholders selling alternative and vintage clothing, jewellery, accessories, vinyl, posters, cult DVDs, comics, art, homewares, collectables and, could you believe it, more. But with The Rechords, Mojo Juju, The Milky Bar Kids and tonnes more scoring your day, it isn't just a market this time around. There'll even be retro hair and make-up stylists, a traditional barber, and vintage and classic vehicle displays from Reel Wheels and Sydney Cafe Racers & the Ardly Normal Scooter Crew. Spread over three levels and across two courtyards at the University of Sydney's Manning Bar, the Sydney Rock 'n' Roll & Alternative Market has grown since its humble beginnings in Tempe. With $5 entry, even those who've emptied their purses on a Buick LeSabre can afford to pay a visit.
Nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, family drama The Past is writer-director Asghar Farhadi's first film since 2011 release A Separation, one of the most critically lauded films of the past decade. It begins with Ahmad (Ali Mosaffa) arriving in Paris from Tehran to finalise divorce proceedings with Marie (Berenice Bejo). He wanted her to book him a hotel — she hasn't, the first crack in the veneer of politeness. Temporarily back at his former home after a four-year absence, he finds Marie is now living with Samir (Tahar Rahim). The home is a mess of wet paint and half-finished renovations, as though in the process of removing any trace of Ahmad's time there. Ahmad has to share a room with Samir's eight-year-old son, Fouad (Elyes Aguis), who is acting out because of his confusion about the divorce. Ahmad snipes at Marie about this arrangement and the ensuing bickering bothers Samir, who senses there is something too familiar about their disagreements, that the feuds have the tone of a couple with unfinished business. Meanwhile, Ahmad's teenage daughter, Lucie (Pauline Burlet), has become unhappy and is often absent from home, largely because of the circumstances of Samir's split with his wife and his new relationship with her mother, as well as her own guilt at a train of events she believes she has set in motion. The Past starts off being about the final dissolution of Ahmad and Marie's relationship and the messy, unsatisfying experience of formally ending their marriage, but the story soon spirals off into something else entirely. Just when one strand seems to have exhausted itself, another complication arises, adding to the tragic mess these characters find themselves in. Yet while it is a film of revelations, there is never hint of melodrama and the story unfolds with complete, compelling realism. The small details are incredibly well-observed: one scene where Samir asks Lucie to pass him a kettle and she holds it so he has to scald his hands on the hot surface speaks volumes of their relationship, as does his almost comically stoic refusal to acknowledge what is happening. Another scene places Ahmad and Samir at a table together and watches as their silence and awkward refusal to engage with each other grows into something almost painful. Berenice Bejo won the Best Actress award at Cannes for her committed performance here, but The Past is a true ensemble piece with Burlet exceptional as the shell-shocked, troubled Lucie and Rahim having some brilliant moments as his Samir develops from being a sullen figure annoyed by the arrival of his lover's ex-husband into something much more layered and complex. A film that is rarely less than compelling for its entire running time, The Past gets even better in its wrenching unforgettable final scene, which is all the more emotionally powerful for unfolding at a glacial pace. Acting as both a haunting coda to proceedings and shedding new light on the motivations of its characters, it is an overwhelming last gasp of a truly great film. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Z2-_lt4kwXE
What do women really want? Sydney is about to find out — with All About Women returning in 2014. Entering into its second year, this is a whole-day festival, presented by Ideas at the House and Daily Life and devoted, solely, to the ladies. Roping in international names and local personalities, the festival speaks to a diverse range of ideas important to women of the millennial, from modern parenting and workplace issues to illuminating perspectives on the goings on in Egypt and Somalia. Featuring talks with the likes of Alison Bechdel (inventor of the 'Bechdel test' for movies and writer of comic Dykes to Watch Out For) and British environmentalist Lucy Siegle, All About Women will also feature panel discussions and a clothes swap, while home-grown heroes Annabel Crabb, Cassandra Kelly and Kaz Cooke conduct 'how to' sessions. In a year where we've been led to reflect women's experience in public life, All About Women provides a safe, dynamic and inclusive platform to get roaring (think Helen Reddy circa 1970 and not that terrible karaoke scene in Sex and the City 2). Tickets are on sale from February 3.
Daniel Boyd is a re-maker of Australian history. Through artistic methods of satire and appropriation, he deconstructs narratives of British imperialism and confronts the dark undercurrents that whitewash our sense of national identity and culture. Drawing upon 18th and 19th century paintings, he subtly inverts heroic depictions of colonial conquest into portraits of invasion, rampant with buccaneers and profiteers. In a slight change of pace, Boyd’s current exhibition, Pineapples in the Pacific, revolves around Pentecost Island in the South Pacific, the birthplace of his paternal great great grandfather. Based on photographs taken during a series of Anglican Melansian missions in 1906, Boyd approaches these images with contemporary candour and an eye for satire, amplifying their residual flavours of exoticism and ‘otherness’. As well as stitching and unstitching the flexible fabric of history, Boyd also reworks the traditional aesthetic of Aboriginal dot painting, merging together abstraction and figuration. His series of untitled paintings are veiled by glossy, translucent dots of archival glue. These dots, whilst adding brilliant textural complexity, are allowed to converge like raindrops. They appear to function as miniature lenses that distort and magnify the content. This masking and manipulation of perspective means you have to dig deep to discern the details. Like subjective histories, Boyd is perhaps emphasising subjective modes of seeing. Upon entering the gallery space, a picturesque coastal landscape looms large. Coloured with luminous blues and greens, it teems with tropical allure. Whilst the work is a postcard perfect capturing of foreign beauty, with the elevated viewpoint and the historical context, there is a creeping sense that we are seeing through the possessive lust of the coloniser. Interesting also is Boyd’s curiously isolated pineapple. It is as if he is harnessing this well-worn icon of lush utopia and using it as an ironic statement, implying that it masks a set of derogatory racial and cultural assumptions. Boyd’s re-worked portraits are more obviously rooted in archival photography. In his shadowy representations of indigenous figures, an elder man is dressed in ceremonial garb and weaponry, whilst in another work, there is a faint echo of Gauguin’s Tahitian muse, summoning up the notion of ‘exotic beauty’. You get the feeling that the original photography was guided by the antiquated stock character of ‘the noble savage’; however, Boyd’s elusive and monochromatic reproduction of them suggests that this romantic notion is a blurry memory — that there is something intangible and out of reach about this identity. The locale may be different, but Boyd's magnified and reworked reproductions continue to be subtle provocations of Western colonialism and their shifting approaches to 'otherness'. It's one case where a pineapple is most definitely not just a pineapple.
Welcome, everybody, to the wild, wild west. Oh wait, it's just the Art Gallery of New South Wales on a Wednesday night. Yup, for one night only the AGNSW will turn all things American western, in celebration of the gallery's current hit America: painting a nation. A journey through 200 years of American art and history, the major summer exhibition has been wowing Sydney crowds since November. But now it's time to have some good ol' fashioned American fun — with a special Art After Hours to be held on Wednesday, January 29. The night will feature performances from talented spoken-word artist Miles Merrill and one man band Trevor Brown, mixing live beats with American literary classics. Then, catch the screening of American classic To Kill a Mockingbird, try your luck at perfecting an all-'merican accent with specialist Paige Walker and get your picture taken in one of the themed photo booths — all this set against the rollicking tunes of the Green Mohair Suits. Boot-scooting made you hungry? Grab sliders, pulled pork and fries from the all-American diner, then wet your whistle in the pop-up bar, located at the entrance court. As always on a Wednesday night, the gallery will be open till 10, with complementary shuttle buses running every 15 minutes to various points in the city. Those keen to see the exhibition on the night will also receive a special two-for-one deal (available from 5pm).
To feel perplexed is to feel completely baffled by something complicated or unaccountable. Aptly titled, Perplex, is a fantastically absurdist German play by Marius von Mayenburg that delves into all the bourgeois contemporary problems a Sydney Theatre Company audience could ask for. Paying bills, dealing with stifling relationships, exploring sexuality, quitting work, renting holiday apartments, employing au pairs and cleaning ladies, being a bit racist and dealing with weird friends at parties is all subject matter ripe for farcical unpicking, and Mayenburg digs in with no holds barred. Directed deftly by Sarah Giles (Mrs Warren's Profession), this is theatre beyond theatre — a highly self-conscious meta work with existentialist philosophy centre stage, wreaking havoc for the four actors and dishing out humour as if it were going out of style. It's a laugh a minute. Nobody and nowhere is what you thought it was, is or will be. Is anything even here or there or anywhere at all? The performances, particularly Andrea Demetriades' realness (even in an outrageous volcano costume) are a highlight. Glenn Hazeldine is also hilarious as a tantrum-throwing 11-year-old-turned-Nazi. The hour and a half is packed with good old-fashioned slapstick, full frontal nudity, fancy dress costumes, a mysterious smell and an unopened package. The setting is a simply furnished apartment living room, which serves as a generic background for the overlapping scenes. The actors keep their same names throughout, though slip into different characters and situations at the seemingly skittish whim of the writer. One character is often left momentarily in the previous scene, a sort of glitch that incites confused questions of identity and truth before he or she adapts to the new truths insisted upon by the newly transformed characters. Tiny fragments — from props to phrases — are woven through the work, another tactic to prompt the residual feeling that everything is, in the end, all the same as everything else. By and large, the writing is intelligent, quick-paced and unpredictable. At its best, the dialogue is sharp and minimal. But this drops off towards the end as the fourth wall breaks down and the actors descend into long, heavy-handed existential musings that kill off a bit of the charm and slow it down. It's saved again though, by the sheer weirdness of the ending. And after all that, you can't help but laugh. Image by Lisa Tomasetti.
When we caught up with Whole Larder Love author Rohan Anderson, we became immediate fans. We love that not only does he talk green, he gets right in on the action. So the prospect of spending an afternoon in his company, discussing his often unconventional philosophies and picking up some tips for living off the land has us excited. Anderson will be making an exclusive Sydney appearance at Stories from the Cellar, organised by Sydney Living Museums and Wildwon Projects and to be held at Elizabeth Bay House on Sunday, February 23. Leading a journey into the dwelling's secret cellars, he'll be explaining how he went from part-time graphic designer to full-time gardener, forager, hunter and "family cook" in rural Victoria. Plus, there'll be demonstrations of some of his finer skills, like skinning rabbits and preparing game. Several Sydney food experts are also lending their expertise on the day. Turophiles will love artisan cheesemaker Kristen Allan, who'll be showing how to make labna, ricotta and assorted dairy delights from scratch. If you're partial to a dose of Italian seasonal goodness at Berta, you won't want to miss an opportunity to meet head chef O Tama Carey, who'll be conjuring up quick pickles and chatting about raising pigs for charcuterie. For fans of Fish Place, head smoker Steve de Launay will be engaging with all things sustainable and aquatic. Working up an appetite just reading about it? The good news is that the five-hour session will involve not only watching and preparing food but trying it out too. There'll be various samplings, as well as a long, lingering supper, created by Dan the Man Cooking and sponsored by Salumi, with drinks provided by Murray's Craft Brewing Co and live music from harpist and composer extraordinaire Jake Meadows of the Myall High Club.
Feel like experiencing live performance on your own terms? Day for Night is a durational work boasting a killer lineup of Australia's most intrepid queer artists and put on by Performance Space. Then, at sunset on February 15, Day for Night will transform into an electrifying dance party. Set against a score produced by leading electronic musicians Stereogamous (Paul Mac and Jonny Seymour), audiences will experience each work in an inspired new context. Part performance, part exhibition, part dance partay, Day for Night is a fusion of dance, sweat and sound, and one of the key cultural events of this years Mardi Gras Festival. Want more Mardi Gras events? Check out our top ten picks of the festival.
Maybe your local park is your exercise zone, maybe it’s part of your dog-walking routine, maybe it’s your favourite spot for a beery picnic... or maybe you walk past it every night after work without giving it a second thought. Whatever the case, this week is Parks Week, a national celebration of all the fun our green spaces bring us. It's the perfect time to commune with nature a li'l bit and get involved in some of the free activities on offer. For the fitness freaks there's free personal training sessions, swim assessments and a biathlon. Those who more inclined to gentler exercise can take a guided tour of Hyde Park or Glebe foreshore, with City Parks staff at hand to point out some cool stuff. To check out the full list of activities head to the official site. For most things you can just rock up on the day, but a few require you to register in advance.
