There are some standout performances in White Box’s production of Blackrock, now playing at Sydney’s Seymour Centre, but they’re not enough to lift it to the heights this play deserves. At a time when violence against women remains high in our nation’s consciousness, we need plays like Nick Enright’s Blackrock to hit us where it…
When we think of an “Australian story” the ones that typically spring to mind are predominantly about the country, bush or the past. So what is a reader to do when they want something that reflects their own modern life in the Western suburbs of Sydney? Thankfully, Peter Polites has answered this in his debut…
Bram Stoker’s gothic masterpiece Dracula is set to swoop the country and will visit Riverside Theatres in Parramatta from 1st to 4th April for a strictly limited season. Created and adapted by one of Australia’s leading contemporary theatre companies, shake & stir theatre co, this critically acclaimed adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 horror-classic is every…
The Australian Premiere of Big Fish is coming to Hayes Theatre Co from 18 April to 14 May 2017. Based on the celebrated novel by Daniel Wallace and the acclaimed film directed by Tim Burton, Big Fish centres on a travelling salesman whose larger-than-life stories thrill everyone around him. But their son Will, about to…
After huge success with its first ever Brisbane based run in 2016, the World Science Festival will once again host a series of events in the River City. Organised by the Queensland Museum Network, a selection of events at this year’s festival will celebrate the relationship between art and science. Traditionally recognised as two very…
He runs one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the world, Istanbul’s Mikla (currently number 56 in world’s 50 best restaurants), and for one night only he’ll be joining Sydney’s Somer Sivrioglu at Balmain eatery Effendy. For a one-off collaboration dinner Sivrioglu has invited his good friend Mehmet Gürs to fly in and give guests…
You know Messina Eats right? That delicious foodie series created last year by Gelato Messina in which the dessert empire invites all sorts of savoury champions to their Rosebery HQ in Sydney to put together a carpark feast. It’s back this weekend, and this time Messina have tapped into one of their young chefs, Tom,…
Since opening last year, Darlinghurst restaurant Brick Lane has proven to be a growing force for Sydney’s casual dining scene. Standing on the increasingly busy Stanley Street, the experimental Indian kitchen run by Head Chef Joey Ingram has gained a large local following with interesting twists on the cuisine alongside fresh-focused classics inspired by other…
How has Sydney gone this long without Chicago-style deep dish pizza? The famous mid-west style of pizza has long been an indulgent fantasy for Sydney diners returning from vacation in the States, but up until now it’s been hard to come across. That’s going to change with the opening of Johnny Fontane’s, a new venue…
Step into Danks Street Produce Merchants in Waterloo and you’ll be greeted by fresh produce, artisan goods, and an Italian dining experience housed in the the building where Fratelli Fresh once dwelled. Brought to you by the team behind Fourth Village Providore in Mosman, Danks Street Produce Merchants and the restaurant above it, Mezzanino Ristorante,…
Gale Edward’s acclaimed production of Bizet’s Carmen will return to Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour in 2017, but there’s a new flavour coming to the experience this time. Fresh Catering have returned as dining partners to help shape the atmosphere, food and drink towards the performance. Five different restaurant and bar areas on-site will serve a range of foods featuring…
When Mara (Jessica Kaye) returns to her childhood home of Belize bringing her lover Aaron (Daniel Ahearn) with the hope to reconnect with her estranged father and brother who live there. After landing, she is met with the heart-breaking news that her father has just passed away, shortly before his 70th birthday. Mara is distraught but does…
Best known for his contribution to Japanese horror, director Kiyoshi Kurosawa brings an interesting take on a ghost story. Daguerrotype (Le Secret de la Chambre Noire) follows a Parisian named Jean (Tahar Rahim) who is hired to be an assistant to the elusive photographer Stéphane (Olivier Gourmet). With Jean’s help, they create heart-stopping daguerreotypes, an old form of permanent…
It’s hard not to feel a large sense of relief after reaching the end of Mark Webber‘s latest directorial piece that is Flesh and Blood. Not because the film was a tough watch (which in a way, it is), but rather because you are given the chance to leave the cinema and return to what…
As Donald Trump continues promoting his idea of building a wall between the US and Mexico it’s heartening to see that there are some people taking a different approach. Through The Repellent Fence: A Land Art Film is a documentary about a land art installation that attempted to reinforce the notion that borders are an…
A strong taste of the old is present in Planetarium, as Natalie Portman leads a dual-language spoken film about not only the ghosts of the supernatural around us, but also those which come from within before the dawning of a new war era. Directed and written by French filmmaker Rebecca Zlotowski (Grand Central) the film follows two…
Porn is a big business. In just six years the planet has watched over a million years’ worth of videos and 100 billion pages are visited and streamed annually. But is there a dark side to the industry? Ovidie, a French journalist and former porn-star attempts to answer this question in her documentary film, Pornocracy,…
Inside The Kirketon Hotel in Sydney lies a cocktail bar that will excite every sense of your body, leaving little wonder as to why it’s remained one of the most respected and referenced cocktail bars in the city’s history. From smoking beechwood, to liquid nitrogen, to adding sea salt and citrus aromas in the form…
Bacon Festival returns for its third instalment from 14 March at Newtown’s Cuckoo Callay. Running for 12 weeks, the festival features nine bacon-focused dishes alongside the usual menu. Paying homage to film festivals, the naming of the dishes has been inspired by iconic films. Cuckoo Callay sources produce from NSW farms that follow sustainable and…
Situated along the Yarra River, in the heart of Southbank’s busy hospitality precinct, Hopscotch is Melbourne’s newest downbeat bar with a strong focus on a wide range of locally brewed and imported craft beer (30 on tap and 20 in bottles, to be precise). The first thing you’ll notice upon entering Hopscotch are the colourful…
Thousands of Sydneysiders turned out last year for The Hemp Health & Innovation (HHI) Expo & Symposium, which was held at Rosehill Gardens and aimed at providing a diverse showcase of all things hemp. It was a success by any measure, spreading in-depth information and awareness around the benefits of the almighty Hemp plant, and…
Sydney’s beloved Kitchen by Mike has officially opened in the new City View precinct at Sydney Airport’s T1 International. It’s the final eatery to help refresh the airport, joining already opened businesses like The Bistro by Wolfgang Puck, Benny Burger by Shannon Bennett, Joe & The Juice and Heineken House by Heineken. With this iteration of…
It’s no grand overstatement – the House of Vans parties at SXSW are legendary. You stand the chance of seeing the likes of Erykah Badu play the intimate outdoor stage alongside Kelela and Grouplove. Inside, the party continues while the drinks flow. Mohawk plays the perfect host and has been one of our favourite haunts…
Spotify, in partnership with Live Nation have launched an exciting new initiative – Music Happens Here. Presented by Hilton Honors, Music Happens Here, is a combined music and travel video series which focuses specifically on celebrating the impact of the geographical muse across the globe. Music Happens Here, presents as a chance for music lovers to…
Oh how I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when a young Pete Rock lifted that immortal saxophone sample from Tom Scott‘s version of “Today”. The peerless beatmaker used that second-long loop to create what is arguably the greatest rap production of all time, that which became “They Reminisce Over You…
Last Tuesday, indie-folk legends Fleet Foxes announced their new album, Crack-Up, will be released June 16th. Crack-up follows up the Grammy award nominated Helplessness Blues (2011) and will be accompanied by an extensive international tour, including four very special shows at the Sydney Opera House. It may have been six years since we last swooned over Fleet…
More juicy showcases are being revealed for SXSW, with Pandora’s updated showcases featuring Jimmy Eat World, Future Islands, and Australia’s Tkay Maidza. The music discovery platform Pandora has lined up four days of superb showcases, which they will be livestreaming, along with artist interviews, on the Pandora at SXSW station. Tune in from March 13-16th to get the lowdown,…
As the 28th annual Alliance Francaise French Film Festival makes its way across the major Australian states through March and April, the toast of French cinema will be at the ready for audiences seeking a sense of European style. One film sure to hold interest throughout the festival is Planetarium, a lush pre-war drama starring…
Al Capone ruled Chicago with absolute power. No one could touch him. No one could stop him. Until Eliot Ness and a small force of men swore they’d bring him down. On March 17th, Event Cinemas George St in Sydney will present a special screening of The Untouchables, Brian De Palma’s all-star cast gangster classic with Kevin…
Assuredly disturbing and revelling in its ability to flip the conventions of the serial killer genre, Ben Young‘s debut feature Hounds of Love is one for those that appreciate their stories without gloss. Counterbalancing its Christmas setting with a tale unflinching in its disturbing nature, this Australian thriller manages to escape the confinements of the “torture porn”…
