Alannah Maher

There are shows of all varieties heating things up around the city, from ball-busting musicals to indie theatre gems and stunning dramas on the city's largest stages. Fancy some art? Check out the best exhibitions in Sydney this month.

Having astounded audiences and critics alike with his bold take on Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Sydney Theatre Company’s artistic director Kip Williams and the creative team behind Dorian, including leading video technology and production company TDC, return to the realm of Victorian supernatural literature with his latest directorial offering, Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Whereas Dorian Gray was a one-performer affair, with actor Eryn Jean Norvill playing 26 different characters and interacting with video recordings of herself in various guises in real time, Jekyll and Hyde splits two actors across three roles between them: Ewen Leslie, reuniting with Williams after their impressive recent staging of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, and Matthew Backer, who appeared in Williams’ Cloud Nine. Between them, the pair play the saintly Jekyll; the sinister Hyde; and Utterson, Jekyll’s friend and confidante, and the point of view character in Robert Louis Stevenson’s source novella (exactly who plays who is left for audiences to discover). Williams will again employ the innovative cine-theatre live video techniques that have become synonymous with his work, and which made Dorian Gray into a nationally (and soon to be internationally) touring hit (next stop: Broadway). Many theatregoers are wondering, how is he going to top it?  Photograph: STC/Daniel Boud “I've always been fascinated by the novella,” Williams explains. “And I was struck by how different the no

Art is powerful. It can change things: perspectives, politics, people. Humans have an inherent need to be creative, to express themselves beyond the practical; we have an inherent right to be creative. No one understands that more than the people behind Milk Crate Theatre. For 23 years, this unique performing arts organisation has been returning the right to be creative to those in our community who have been disenfranchised.  Milk Crate Theatre is a leader in the practice of using art to help people dealing with homelessness, mental health issues, and disability regain confidence and their sense of self, and actively participate in society.  Margot Politis is the artistic director of Milk Create Theatre and has been with the organisation for seven years. Her core practice is around arts in disability. Prior to joining Milk Crate she had been a performer with Restless Dance Theatre in Adelaide (for dancers with or without a disability), and Shopfront Theatre, Sydney’s only cross-art form organisation dedicated to the artistry of young people. Politis is a true believer in the power of art to change people.  Photograph: Anna Kucera | The cast of 'Dust' “When I see [a participant] work through this creative process and that fear drops away, week by week or month by month –  and then they’re on stage and you can just see physically, spiritually, in someone’s eyes… They might be standing taller, their vision is more direct, you know, there’s a real strength in their presence and

The chilly season is well and truly here, but Sydney's art world is far from frozen over. While the city's major winter arts festivals are back in hibernation, there are plenty more arty happenings to spice up your days – and also your nights, take the Art Gallery of NSW's Art After Hours happenings. Read on for our must-see list of the coolest art shows to have a gander at. Recommended: Our guide to what's happening in Sydney this week. 

When most people think of professional wrestling, they think of WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). What you might not know however is that Sydney is fast becoming a hotbed for wrestling, with a plethora of promotions and some of the world's best talent calling the Harbour City home. In fact, if you watch any of the major global wrestling promotions – be that WWE, All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Impact Wrestling, or New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) – you are likely to see at least one or two Australians making their mark. In WWE, Australia is represented by the likes of Rhea Ripley from Adelaide, Indi Hartwell from Melbourne, Grayson Waller from Sydney and Xyonn Quinn from Brisbane. Across in AEW the green and gold flag is being flown by Toni Storm from the Gold Coast and Buddy Murphy from Melbourne. In Impact, Tenille Dashwood continues to pave the way for Australian wrestlers on a global stage. And over in Japan, the great southern land is represented in the NJPW by Jonah from Adelaide, Mikey Nicholls from Perth and Sydney's own Robbie Eagles. Shazza McKenzie and Robbie Eagles With such a wealth of Australian talent excelling on the global stage, you might be beginning to wonder just how this came to be. Well, for years, all of these talented individuals have been busting their butts putting on amazing wrestling spectacles in obscure community spaces and high school halls to small audiences of hardcore fans. However, over the past decade the Australian wrestling scene has been ev

Thinking of starting or adding to your collection of house plants? These plant shops, nurseries and foliage delivery services have everything you need from on-trend indoor foliage and low-maintenance greenery to nourishing soil and pots that double as decoration. If you've got a case of the black thumb, the knowledgeable staff at these nurseries are your best resource for plant care know-how. Also, if you can't get out and about to buy them for yourself, we've found out which one of these do delivery so you don't have to.  If you want to skip the gardening altogether and decorate with blooms from the best flower delivery services in Sydney. If this has got you in the mood for some plants 'in the wild' why not check out the best public gardens you can visit in and around Sydney. Want to green up your life, without stress? Check out these seven low-maintenance indoor plants that you probably won't kill.

What do we have here, eh? A couple of showgirls? A whole clown bar cavalcade of drag superstars? You bet your bottom dollarydoo! Half of the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under's second season are regular mugs on the Sydney scene. So let's get to know what they're packin'.  RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under is streaming exclusively on Stan from July 30, 2022.  The library is open: learn the lingo with a beginner's guide to throwing shade, according to Sydney drag superstars. Find Sydney tough to crack? Here's how one queer Sydneysider found his people.

The second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under is about to drop, and Melbourne’s hopes for taking out the crown rest solely on the petite shoulders of one Aubrey Haive (@aubreyhaive). If you haven’t seen this 25-year-old drag queen working it at a local bar, that might be because you haven’t hit the town since we were allowed out of the house. After dabbling during Melbourne’s lockdowns, Haive has seen a meteoric rise in the local scene. Originally hailing from Timaru, New Zealand, Haive studied over in Perth and has been settled in Melbourne for a good while since.  Time Out caught up with this tall poppy to find out more about Melbourne’s most successful new drag queen, and what she makes of the local scene.  Love Drag Race? Check out more of the amazing local contenders this year, including our Sydney competition. Who’s that girl?  Who is Aubrey Haive in a nutshell? Aubrey Haive is a ’60s dream girl who is very campy, but glamorous at the same time. She’s like an actress who can play any role that you've ever wanted. What influences your drag? A huge influence is obviously Austin Powers, given my name, and the really over the top impro that they had in the movies. That sort of silly humour that is taking the piss out of itself a little bit. That's pretty much where I draw my drag. Photograph: Instagram/@aubreyhaive | Yes, that is a dress made of Myki cards. How did your drag career get started? I started in the first lockdown in Melbourne and I have had plenty of time

The city of churches is no shrinking daisy. Adelaide is quickly coming for Sydney and Melbourne’s accepted status as the year-round cultural capitals of Australia. Adelaide Fringe Festival has long drawn culture vultures in from near and far, and now the Adelaideans are putting on the ritz in winter with their own light-centric festival to rival the likes of Vivid Sydney.  Not only are the light installations some of the most moving and gorgeous we’ve ever been immersed in, but there are also plenty of other delightful cultural offerings. And they don’t call Adelaide the 20-minute city for nothing. Stay in the CBD and most things you want to see, do and eat are within a five- to 15-minute walk – there’s also a proliferation of rideshare scooters for hire on the city streets, which can be a fun and speedy way to give your trotters a rest.  In just one day you can kick things off with brekkie on one of the many Rundle Street cafés on the main drag; check out the exhibitions in the Art Gallery of South Australia, the South Australian Museum, and the gorgeous State Library of South Australia (all conveniently located on the same street); have a bougie long lunch somewhere like Fish Bank, which is housed in a stunning former bank building; walk the streets to take in the light installations when the sun goes down; book in for an immersive experience; follow it up with an underground gig; and top it all off by boogying into the night at Mary’s Poppin, the local gay bar and former s

Make it Alanis Morissette’s ballbusting musical I don’t think I can overstate how happy it makes me that Jagged Little Pill the Musical is back in Sydney. Seeing Maggie McKenna tear out their heart and their throat for a rousing rendition of ‘You Oughta Know’ will send shivers down my spine no matter how many times I see it. And seeing our Nat Bass evoking some rock-infused ‘Voodoo Child’ era vocals in her portrayal of a pill-popping, soul-cycling uptight suburban mother on a trauma regression. And that beautifully diverse company pulling off some wild dance formations while hauntingly singing to the chorus of ‘Hands Clean’, while seething around in a storm of adolescent rage and outfits ripped straight from a Dangerfield catalogue. Ugh! The list goes on. I am rarely this enraptured by the so often surface-level nature of the jukebox musical. But Alanis Morissette’s music lends itself to a much richer narrative in Jagged, and each song feels as if it could have been written to tell that particular story in that particular moment. And no, this musical isn’t about Morissette’s life, but rather, it follows an American family coming apart at the seams, weaving in a tapestry of urgent social issues. Many have accused this show of biting off more than it could chew. However I believe the patchwork of issues that intersect in Jagged are reflective of everyday life, where we rarely have time to sit still with any one problem or experience before we are spun out by another. If you en

Sydney is Mixed Race – and I don’t just mean that this city is multicultural (although that is also true). Sydney is Mixed Raced in the sense that it continues to live in a complex rhythm of navigating different identities simultaneously. It’s equally as artsy and vibrant as it is corporate and barren. Beautiful and lush yet also comprised of ugly ‘Ikea-kit’ high rises and vacant office squares. It’s brand new whilst also being on the land of the oldest continuing cultures on Earth. Sydney – it’s a complicated city. But being complicated is something I can relate to as someone who is also Mixed Race. Well, multiracial but who’s counting (me, I’m counting). To explain, my heritage is British, Indian, Chinese, South African and Jamaican. I was born in London, which you can tell because people have a habit of hearing my accent and then regurgitating the following line: “YoU sOunD liKe yOu’Re fRom LoNdOn”. Trust, it never gets old. If you’re wondering how one human ends up with all those cultural legacies, the simple answer is colonialism. I suppose in some twisted way I owe my existence to colonisers (geez, I really should book my next therapy session). My whole journey through life has been spent frantically darting between cultures, societal pulls and overwhelming imposter syndrome. This is why, when I moved to Sydney officially in 2015, I could relate to its “complicated” nature. Photograph: Katje Ford At first, I encountered Sydney’s barren side. Two years after the rollout

Winter is here folks, and with it, the July school holidays. A time of cold noses, windy walks and oodles of chilly and cosy fun times. This year, we can get out and at 'em’, with the bad old days of lockdown-spiced holidays thankfully very far behind us. Now, there is so much for kids (and their chosen adult companions) to do, with Sydney turning it’s family-friendly winter magic on to an all time, enchanted high. We've also got some indoor fun in the mix for those wet weather days. Whether it’s getting up close with Santa in Christmas in July, watching the Twits on stage or learning circus skills, this year’s winter holidays look like a good time for everyone – no matter how big – or, how small.  Want to stay fresh on what's happening in Sydney right now? Check out our list of the very best things for you, and your kids to do this weekend.

The OG ‘Whodunnit?’ story is heading for the Sydney stage. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the world’s longest running play, the genre-defining murder mystery from the best-selling novelist of all time, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap is coming to Sydney.  After a local woman is murdered, the guests and staff at Monkswell Manor, a Victorian era estate that has recently been converted into a guest house, find themselves stranded during a snowstorm. It soon becomes clear that the killer is among them, and the seven strangers grow increasingly suspicious of one another. When a second murder takes place, tensions and fears escalate. This record-breaking murder mystery features a brilliant surprise finish, and audiences are still sworn to secrecy on leaving the theatre. International theatre star Anna O’Byrne (My Fair Lady, Love Never Dies) will play Mollie Ralston, the young owner of Monkswell Manor. Helpmann Award winner Alex Rathgeber (Anything Goes, The Phantom of the Opera) will play Giles Ralston, Mollie’s husband of one year. Laurence Boxhall (As You Like It, Jumpy) will be Christopher Wren, a flighty and neurotic young guest. As the seriously unpleasant retired magistrate Mrs Boyle, Geraldine Turner (Present Laughter, Don's Party) returns to the stage, alongside Adam Murphy (Shakespeare in Love, Aladdin) as retired British military officer Major Metcalf. In her professional stage debut, Charlotte Friels will play Miss Casewell, who remains mysteriously aloof from the

The OG ‘Whodunnit?’ story is heading for the Melbourne stage. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the world’s longest running play, the genre-defining murder mystery from the best-selling novelist of all time, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap is coming to the Comedy Theatre in February 2023.  After a local woman is murdered, the guests and staff at Monkswell Manor, a Victorian era estate that has recently been converted into a guest house, find themselves stranded during a snowstorm. It soon becomes clear that the killer is among them, and the seven strangers grow increasingly suspicious of one another. When a second murder takes place, tensions and fears escalate. This record-breaking murder mystery features a brilliant surprise finish, and audiences are still sworn to secrecy on leaving the theatre. International theatre star Anna O’Byrne (My Fair Lady, Love Never Dies) will play Mollie Ralston, the young owner of Monkswell Manor. Helpmann Award winner Alex Rathgeber (Anything Goes, The Phantom of the Opera) will play Giles Ralston, Mollie’s husband of one year. Laurence Boxhall (As You Like It, Jumpy) will be Christopher Wren, a flighty and neurotic young guest. As the seriously unpleasant retired magistrate Mrs Boyle, Geraldine Turner (Present Laughter, Don's Party) returns to the stage, alongside Adam Murphy (Shakespeare in Love, Aladdin) as retired British military officer Major Metcalf. In her professional stage debut, Charlotte Friels will play Miss Casewell, who rem

Overflow is a hilarious and devastating exploration of women’s bathrooms, who is allowed in, and who is kept out. Rosie is a young trans woman who distracts herself with memories of bathroom encounters – drunken heart-to-hearts by dirty sinks, and friendships forged in front of crowded mirrors.  There has been a lot of conversation and debate around the rights that gender-non-conforming people have to move through public spaces, especially bathrooms. But rarely are the perspectives of trans people given the spotlight. This show flips the script on that.  In the Australian premiere of Travis Alabanza’s critically acclaimed play at Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Rosie will be brought to life by actor, writer and social activist Janet Anderson. In a first for Australian mainstage theatre, an all trans and gender-diverse team has been assembled. Director Dino Dimitriadis says: “I can’t tell you what it means to be able to arrive at this moment; for trans people to be in the driving seat, telling these remarkable new stories on our terms, with our lived experiences.” A non-binary and trans director and interdisciplinary creative producer and curator, Dimitriadis was creative director of Apocalypse (2009-2012), an engine room for relevant and responsive theatre and live art projects. Recent theatre directing credits include Cleansed and Sydney Theatre Award-winning Angels in America Parts I and II at the Old Fitz, Lady Tabouli at the National Theatre of Parramatta, and De Profundis

Dancer Rodney Bell Ngāti Maniapoto (Aotearoa) performs award-winning multi-artform performance work Meremere at the Sydney Opera House for four shows only. Drawing on Bell’s Maori culture, this richly layered work marries spoken word, music, dance, and audio visual technology. Known for his physically integrated performance, Bell was paralysed from the chest down following a motorbike accident 31 years ago, and then took to the stage where his wheelchair became a fluid extension of his body. Bell reveals his journey from principal dancer in California’s AXIS Dance Company, to a devastating period of homelessness on the streets of San Francisco. Meremere was developed in collaboration with director Malia Johnston’s performance design company Movement of the Human (MOTH).  The term ‘meremere’ is a short weapon, often of stone or greenstone – upon returning to New Zealand, Bell was given a block of black maire (NZ native hardwood) by his brother, and carved a meremere from it. This process of ‘sacrificing’ the wood brought up the great sacrifices he himself went through to pursue his love of dance. Outside of dance, Bell is an advocate of stronger integration and voice for people with diverse requirements and backgrounds through the Enabling Good Lives Leadership Group and Mahi Tika - Equity in Employment. There will be an AUSLAN interpreted performance at 6pm on Friday, August 26 and the performance on Saturday, August 27 at 2pm will be relaxed. Want more? Check out the best sh

Led by Danielle Cormack (Wentworth, The Secret She Keeps) and Nicole da Silva (Wentworth, Carmen), this original new Australian stage play was penned by one of Australia’s leading queer screenwriters, Sarah Walker (recent credits include The Twelve and The Secrets She Keeps). Two urban gay couples come home from a double-date at the theatre to see Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, trying to decide if they want to have a baby together. What ensues is a funny, rapid-fire, chaotic “party” in which the couples vie for who will donate the sperm and who will carry the child. As bushfires and climate disasters rage in the outside world, politics, relationships and personal ethics are raging inside the house. Through alcohol-fuelled sex, dancing and witty repartee, four flawed but relatable human beings wrestle with what it takes to become a family in these complex, uncharted times.  Who’s Afraid is presented by Four One One productions, the creative brainchild of Danielle Cormack and Nicole da Silva, on a mission to disrupt the narrative both on and off screen. You can catch its world premiere at Belvoir Street 25A downstairs from August 24 to September 11. Snatch tickets here. Want more? Check out the best shows to see in Sydney this month.

The year is 1978. Wall Street has been taken over by a new generation. The flood of petrodollars has elevated US banking to an indomitable position. Luxury hotel rooms, fine dining and attractive company is the life of those who jet around the globe selling loans to developing countries eager to borrow, and there are plenty. But the writing on the wall tells a different tale. It tells of the overwhelming recklessness of the banks, of countries struggling to repay their debts. And before long, an unthinkable nightmare starts to be made reality. Dream Plane Productions – the team behind Fuente Ovejuna! and Ditch – bring you another chilling Australian premiere from the mind of award-winning writer, Beth Steel. Labyrinth is directed by rising star Margaret Thanos (artistic director of Meraki). As sharp-tongued as Succession but with a Lynchian descent into madness – Labyrinth is a surreal financial thriller that tries to make sense of one of the most catastrophic economic crises of modern history – the Latin American Debt Crisis – which melted down banks, brought the world economy to the brink and unleashed devastation to an entire continent that lasted decades. You can see Labyrinth at Marrickville’s humble Flight Path Theatre from August 17 to September 3, 2022. Grab tickets here. Want more? Check out the best shows to see in Sydney this month.

Edge is a series of weekend-long arts festivals in Inner West neighbourhoods – and in August, the cool-kid creative enclaves of Sydenham and Marrickville get their turn under the spotlight. Expect edgy art and performance, underground and indie venues, live music and late-night parties, all presented by local collectives. Over the weekend of August 13 and 14, you can follow the Creative Trails self-guided map, book a guided tour on a vintage bus, or a workshop to explore an underground world of makers, machines, warehouses buzzing with artist spaces, studios, performers, and producers. Learn how creatives experiment, share stories, invent, and produce new products, bringing ideas and inspiration to our homes, streets, and public spaces.  On Saturday, August 20, bring along friends and family for a free day and night showcase of all that the area has to offer at Edge Celebrate Postcode 2044 at Sydenham Green. Featuring the Soul Movers, Dorothy the Dinosaur (now an international cultural export, Dorothy was conceived locally), loads of live music, local produce, and delicious food. Learn physical theatre with Legs On the Wall, to skate, or paint your own skateboard. Or join in creating bold public art installations. Later, from 4pm, you can explore Tortuga Studios' dystopian night playground – Glitch: a playground of the apocalypse. With its fractured light, warped sound and large-scale installations, this multimedia event features some of Sydney's leading industrial artists, p

If your mum is a Packed to the Rafters fan who can't stop humming 'Sweet Caroline', she'll love you for buying her tickets to this.  Neil Diamond has a singular place in the pantheon of popular music. His story is one of how an introspective kid from Brooklyn went from struggling songwriter to multi-platinum global superstar, both as songwriter and entertainer. Aussies can’t seem to get enough of him. His 1972 double concert album, Hot August Night, was a phenomenon here, spending 224 weeks on the Australian charts, and is thought to be part of the musical collection of one in five Australian homes. If you’re aching for some live Diamond action, this might be the closest you’ll get. Australia’s two finest concert halls will host Hugh Sheridan (Packed to the Rafters, INXS: Never Tear Us Apart) in this live concert accompanied by a handpicked band featuring 19 of Australia’s finest musicians. Apparently, Sheridan didn’t know a great deal about Neil Diamond when he was first approached about this show, but as he immersed himself in Diamond’s catalogue, he quickly fell in love with the songs, relating to many of the lyrics as well as the tunes. “My whole experience with Neil has just been falling in love with the man and his music. These songs run deep in my soul and that’s what drives me here ... I am musically and personally invested in this but what is so special about Solitary Man is that I am not playing or acting as Neil Diamond. I am bringing myself and my heart and my int

Following the chandelier-smashing five-star success of Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour, Opera Australia is bringing back the operatic classic Madama Butterfly for the 2023 iteration of Handa Opera on the Harbour.  The production premiered to great acclaim in 2014, and visitors to Sydney in March and April next year will have the opportunity to see it return to the stunning over-water stage at Mrs Macquaries Point – with harbour views, world-class performances and nightly fireworks to boot. Audiences will also see a giant moon and rising sun float in the harbour. One of the most powerful of all he-done-her-wrong tales, Madama Butterfly tells the tale of a former geisha who marries a philandering American naval officer who callously abandons her. Recognised as one of the world’s most-loved operas, Puccini’s 1904 work features beautiful melodies and operatic bangers, including ‘Un bel dì vedremo’ (One Beautiful Day) and ‘The Humming Chorus’, and is based on the same heartbreaking tale as hit musical Miss Saigon and the 1987 Hollywood phenomenon Fatal Attraction.  More than 500,000 people from across the globe have attended Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour since its inaugural season in 2012. Attendance at the 2014 premiere season of Madama Butterfly exceeded 42,500, breaking all the previous box office sales. Presale tickets for the 2023 season are available until August 15, and general release tickets are on sale from August 16. Join the presale waitlist and get first access

The most exciting new gallery worth your next day trip from Sydney has been filled to the brim with an explosion of colour created by two of Australia’s most vibrant artists, Ken Done and Rosie Deacon.  Both artists are known for their bold colour palettes and ability to capture the quintessential Australian experience, and Spring Collection offers a rare encounter of two colliding worlds, featuring a new series of never-before-seen works by Done alongside a major new installation by Deacon. Commissioned by Ngununggula gallery to create a work inspired by Done, Deacon’s immersive installation grows and stretches from the gallery walls, floors and ceiling, allowing the viewer to feel like they are essentially walking inside a painting.  “I’ve known Rosie for several years and knew of the impact Ken has had on her work,” says director of Ngununggula Megan Monte. “When the opportunity came up to introduce them and suggest an exhibition, it felt meant to be, and such a natural pairing. The way they see the world is very similar, while upon first look their works speak to colour, fashion and tourism notions, they are underpinned by more serious matters of mortality, asking us to look beyond the playful surface.” You have no doubt seen Ken Done’s signature style splashed across a tea towel or one of your mum’s favourite chunky jumpers from the ’80s. Time Out recently spoke with the 81-year-old artist about his recognisable art style and his enduring muse, Sydney. We feel this quote

Today you might not feel like doing anything, but this October, you will want to do more than lay in your bed. Global hit machine Bruno Mars is ready to funk you up when he opens the brand-new Allianz Stadium with two massive shows – exclusive to Sydney. Presented by TEG Dainty and taking place over two big nights on October 14 and 15, these will be the first major international concerts to christen the newly refurbished Allianz Stadium in Moore Park. Bruno Mars is a major coup for the Harbour City’s box-fresh stadium. A 14-time Grammy Award winner, Mars is a celebrated singer, songwriter, producer and musician who has sold over 200 million singles worldwide. In Australia alone, Mars has amassed over 773 million streams and has completed three sold-out tours. These forthcoming tours will be Mars’ first time Down Under since 2018. Get ready to get funky to hits including recent Song Of The Year winner ‘Leave The Door Open’ and other infectious hits like ‘The Lazy Song’, ‘Uptown Funk’ and tear jerkers like ‘When I Was Your Man’.  The world-class Allianz Stadium houses 42,500 seats, and the seating bowl has been transformed into an elaborate artwork conceived by award-winning Indigenous artist Tony Albert, created to the theme of ‘Two Worlds Colliding’.  Telstra Plus pre-sale commences at 1pm on Monday, August 8 to 1pm Wednesday, August 10. General public tickets go on sale from 1pm Thursday, August 11. Head to tegdainty.com for all ticketing information.  What are you up to? Ch

Be whisked away on a mystical journey through the constellations at this intoxicating spectacle. Following a sold out tour to Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, Oracle comes to the Sydney Opera House in August for a limited season. Tales of love and lust, of bravery and sacrifice are explored. Legends of monsters, of mermaids and other mythical creatures, of powerful goddesses and vengeful gods, of heroes and beautiful maidens. Show creator Bass Fam (Matador) draws on his own Egyptian heritage in the inspiration for Oracle, interweaving other ancient myths that have inspired him from a young age.  Your guide through these prophecies and myths is a maiden – a warrior, a saviour and an empath. A beauty robbed of sight but blessed with vision, she is Oracle, played with a hauntingly beautiful presence and a powerful singing voice to match by Jazmin Varlet (The Voice, The X Factor).  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Time Out Sydney (@timeoutsydney) Oracle guides you through the 12 zodiac myths, explored thematically through live vocals, world class circus acts, mesmerising aerials and steamy burlesque numbers, interlaced with ballet and contemporary dance. The worldclass cast of 18 performers are dressed in elaborately embellished handmade costumes, all designed to celebrate the gorgeous variety of the human form. They perform stunts on specially made apparatuses – including a giant oscillating hourglass and an untethered pole dancing routine.  The ep

For the first time in its 42-year history, Griffin Theatre Company will own its own home: the SBW Stables Theatre in Kings Cross. The purchase of the iconic theatre has been made possible by a multi-million dollar donation from The Neilson Foundation, the largest single philanthropic gift in Griffin’s history. The $5 million gift from millionaire philanthropist Kerr Neilson and his daughters Paris and Beau also paves the way for a recently announced $10 million transformation of the Stables, designed by the award-winning Tim Greer of Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects. The NSW Government has announced further funding of $5 million, which will be supported by the company’s own capital fundraising campaign for the redevelopment of the space. The new theatre’s capacity will be 44 per cent larger and fully accessible, with an improved dressing room and a brand-new rehearsal space. This will be a huge boost to the quaint 105-seat theatre with its kite-shaped stage, in a building that once housed horse stables.  Photograph: Supplied/Griffin Theatre | Artists’ impression of upcoming renovations to SBW Stables Theatre With a dedication to new Australian writing, Griffin plays “a vital role in the Australian cultural ecology,” said Griffin chair Bruce Meagher.  Meagher also said: “The story of Griffin is one of generous philanthropic support. It started when Dr Rodney Seaborn saved the Stables in 1986 to make a home for Griffin, continued when great supporters such as the Girgensohn Fo

If you've ever flown out of Sydney Airport, you can likely relate to anxiously hoping you won't be hit with the trifecta of bad traffic en route to the airport, departure delays and flight cancellations. It's not great, but as the numbers show us, the situation is worse than you may have thought. According to data compiled for CNN Travel from flight tracking site FlightAware, Kingsford Smith International Airport cracks the top ten of the world’s worst airports. It came in at number nine in the world for most delays (between May 26 to July 19, 34.2 per cent of flights were delayed) and number six for most cancellations (5.9 per cent of flights were cancelled). Major airports in Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, London and Canada also broke into the list of the ten worst performers. Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada, topped the list, with 52.5 per cent of flights delayed.  My friend in the security queue at Sydney Airport this morning. Can’t even get into the building 😬. pic.twitter.com/HYaJZJPvVv — Tanya Selak (@GongGasGirl) July 24, 2022 Meanwhile, according to another set of data from the OAG Flight Database, Melbourne Airport takes the title of the country’s worst. In the month of June, only 45.6 per cent of departing flights from Melbourne Airport took off on time, and 8.1 per cent were cancelled. Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport narrowly scrapes in ahead of Melbourne – with 54.5 per cent of flights departing on time and 7.1 per cent being cancelled in the mo

Sydney, we can hear the bells and they bring good news: the nicest kids in town will be here when the original Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Hairspray opens in the Harbour City in early 2023.  Long-admired director Jack O’Brien (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots) will lead a Broadway creative team, with Shane Jacobson (Kenny, Oddball, Guys and Dolls) fulfilling a lifelong dream by starring as beloved housewife Edna Turnblad. The role was originated by drag superstar Divine in John Waters' original cult 1988 film, before going on to be played by the legendary Harvey Fierstein on Broadway and by John Travolta in the 2007 film remake. Jacobson joins Aussie stars Todd McKenney, Rhonda Burchmore, and Rob Mills in the stacked cast lineup. After watching the first workshop reading of the music in 2001, leading producer John Frost invested heavily to secure the Australian rights and became co-producer of the Broadway production. The Australian tour is launching in Melbourne in August 2022, with a stint in Adelaide in December before it lays roots in Sydney.  Photograph: Jeff Busby “I am thrilled the original Broadway version of Hairspray is finally coming to Australia. It is an irresistibly feel-good and hilarious production for people of all ages to enjoy,” said Frost. Set in 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland, Hairspray tells the story of dance-loving teenager Tracy Turnblad whose ultimate dream is to dance on The Corny Collins

The brand new Aussie cast for the upcoming tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is here! It has been more than 30 years since Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much-loved musical was performed in Australia, so we reckon it's well past time to revisit this classic show. Especially when it is starring Aussie musical theatre darlings Euan Fistrovic Doidge and former Australian Idol, Paulini. Joseph will open in Melbourne in November, which will be the first staging of this newly reimagined production outside of the UK. Euan Fistrovic Doidge will be stepping into the shoes (or rather, the colourful coat) of Joseph. Currently grabbing attention in the national tour of Cruel Intentions: the ’90s Musical, now touring Sydney after a hugely popular Melbourne run, Doidge is well known to Australian audiences having starred as Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever, Felicia in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and as Marius in Les Misérables. Fijian-born songstress Paulini needs no introduction to anyone who saw her soar to the final four in the first season of Australian Idol and top the charts with both her solo career and time with pop group the Young Divas. She has proven herself a powerful presence in musical theatre too, starring in The Bodyguard Musical, Saturday Night Fever, the 50th Anniversary of Hair the Musical. She will star as the Narrator in Joseph. “Euan and Paulini blew us away with their auditions for the show.  They are both incredibly talented and I cannot wait to see

It has been more than 30 years since Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was performed in Australia, so we reckon it's well past time to revisit this classic show. Especially when it is starring Aussie musical theatre darlings Euan Fistrovic Doidge and Paulini. Following the news that the dazzling new hit production that has been lighting up the West End is heading Down Under, we can now confirm that a Sydney season has been added, commencing at the Capitol Theatre from February 11, 2023. Prior to the Sydney season, Joseph will open in Melbourne in November, which will be the first staging of this newly reimagined production outside of the UK. Euan Fistrovic Doidge will be stepping into the shoes (or rather, the colourful coat) of Joseph. Currently stealing the show in the national tour of Cruel Intentions: the ’90s Musical, Doidge is well known to Australian audiences having starred as Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever, Felicia in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and as Marius in Les Misérables. Fijian-born songstress Paulini needs no introduction to anyone who saw her soar to the final four in the first season of Australian Idol and top the charts with her solo career and time with pop group the Young Divas. She has proven herself a powerful presence in musical theatre too, starring in The Bodyguard Musical, Saturday Night Fever, the 50th Anniversary of Hair the Musical. She will star as the Narrator in Joseph. “Euan and Paulini blew us away w

After six years on The Golden Mile, Kings Cross Theatre (KXT) has outgrown its home venue and is moving into the heart of the city to create a brand new theatre destination at 181 Broadway. This heritage site in Ultimo is a grand old 1890 sandstone bank sitting on the corner of Broadway and Mountain Street. Over the coming weeks KXT is being rebuilt on the ground floor, surrounded by vaulted ceilings and arched windows, complete with Juliet balcony. KXT is also taking over the downstairs level – the old bank vault – which will be a home for year-round artist support programs, community engagement and showcases. Run by Bakehouse Theatre Company and sandwiched between six levels of revelry at the Kings Cross Hotel, KXT has long been a hub for cutting edge theatre makers. As Time Out writer Kate Prendergast said in a five-star review of a show at KXT earlier this year: “I cannot tell you what a joy it is knowing audacious and irreverent independent theatre like this is being made and performed in Australia." While the existing venue was designed to meet the needs of the room and the pub, the new location will allow the team to meet the needs of the artists and the audience. Don’t fear though, they’ll still be hanging onto all the quirks that are loved about KXT: the traverse stage layout (where the audience sits on either side of the stage, facing each other), 80 seats, funky foyer, art gallery, even the old wooden chairs. But they’re adding in high ceilings and new cabling, lev

For two years, that nasty Ms Rona had kicked the official Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade off its original path down Oxford Street and into the Sydney Cricket Ground for a ticketed spectacle. But that detour is set to be corrected in 2023, with the news that the Parade will return to its physical and spiritual home on Sydney’s Pink Mile in time for Sydney World Pride. Some 12,000 marchers and 200 floats will adorn Oxford Street for the first time since 2020. Expect all your Parade favourites, such as the famous rumble of the Dykes on Bikes. We can practically smell the fumes! Just like the good old days, there will be lots of free viewing areas where you can witness all the sparkle and colours without spending a cent (unless you count the exorbitant entry fees most of the clubs charge on Parade night). In addition, there will be premium viewing spaces with access to exclusive food, drinks and bathrooms. The news was announced on June 24 on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, where over 1,000 Sydneysiders wearing bright colours converged to create a giant human progress pride flag. The date marks the 44th anniversary of the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in 1978 – a pride demonstration that ended in brutality.  When Sydney Mardi Gras joins forces with the much anticipated Sydney World Pride in the new year (Feb 17-Mar 5), more than 500,000 locals and visitors are expected to participate, making it the biggest event in Sydney since the 2000 Olympics.  In addi

Whisperings about a second season of the Antipodean leg of RuPaul’s international reality drag competition series have been swirling for the better part of a year. Just recently, it was finally confirmed that RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under Season 2 will be dropping on Australian streaming service Stan from July 30, 2022. And now, we can finally spill the tea on which Aussie and Kiwi queens have been selected by Mama Ru herself to sashay onto our screens – and although the Sydney girls are out in force, we can reveal that Aubrey Haive is the one we have all our Melburnian hopes pinned on! Melbourne-based New Zealand-hailing queen Aubrey Haive (@aubreyhaive) will take the solo weight of Victoria's hopes in the fabulous State of Origin that is Drag Race Down Under. Haive is a drag newbie and originally hails from Timaru, New Zealand. After dabbling during the pandemic, Haive has seen a meteoric rise in the local scene, now looking to make drag a full time job. And with this new announcement, that's surely a shoe in. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aubrey Haive (@aubreyhaive)   Meanwhile, from Sydney, we have a huge run of talent. Leading the cavalcade of entertainers is the nicest queen on the local scene, the bubbly Hannah Conda (@hannahcondaofficial). An award-winning entertainer and one of the most well-known stars of Oxford Street, Hannah co-founded Drag Storytime in 2016. It’s an initiative where Hannah and other queens read to young childre

Whisperings about a second season of the Antipodean leg of RuPaul’s international reality drag competition series have been swirling for the better part of a year. Just recently, it was finally confirmed that RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under Season 2 will be dropping on Australian streaming service Stan from July 30, 2022. And now, we can finally spill the tea on which Aussie and Kiwi queens have been selected by Mama Ru herself to sashay onto our screens – and oh honey, the Sydney girls are out in force! Leading the cavalcade of entertainers is the nicest queen on the local scene, the bubbly Hannah Conda (@hannahcondaofficial). An award-winning entertainer and one of the most well-known stars of Oxford Street, Hannah co-founded Drag Storytime in 2016. It’s an initiative where Hannah and other queens read to young children while in drag, and helps to educate them about inclusion, acceptance and love. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hannah Conda (@hannahcondaofficial) Another Oxford Street regular on the cast is Faúx Fúr (@fauxfur_official), a regular face, and the loudest voice, on the Sydney drag scene for the last seven years. This queen is proud of her Asian heritage and uses her platform to uplift other Asian and POC queer performers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Faúx Fúr (@fauxfur_official) A true matriarch of the local drag scene, 49-year-old Minnie Cooper (@theminniecooper) also joins the cast. You might h

Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, the premier arts and culture hub home to nine of the nation’s foremost performing arts companies, has received awards in four categories at the 2022 NSW Architecture Awards, the state’s most celebrated architectural honours presented by the Australian Institute of Architects.  Selected by a jury led by former NSW government architect Peter Mould, the Precinct received the state’s top award, the NSW Architecture Medallion, for the transformation of Pier 2/3 and Wharf 4/5 undertaken by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects. The Precinct also received the awards for Public Architecture, Greenway Award for Heritage and a commendation for Interior Architecture. Photograph: Supplied/Nic Walker Walsh Bay Arts Precinct was unveiled earlier this year following the completion of major redevelopment works on the historically significant former cargo wharves. The Precinct also recently won in the Adaptive Reuse category at the National Trust Heritage Awards 2022. With state-of-the-art new theatres and rehearsal spaces with views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and heritage-sensitive design that honours the site’s industrial past, the newly revamped Precinct is something special. Arts companies including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Theatre for Young People now have their first permanent homes in Pier 2/3, alongside Bell Shakespeare and a 1,800 square metre event and commercial space which has been activated by the Biennale of Sydney over decades. Ne

The winners have been announced for the 69th Sydney Film Festival, which lit up cinemas this June, the first full-scale iteration after three years of disruptions. Coming out on top of the 12 films in official competition, out of over 200 flicks in the program, the prestigious Sydney Film Prize was awarded to Close by Belgian filmmaker Lukas Dhont, a beautiful examination of boyhood friendship which also recently won the Grand Prix at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. The $60,000 cash prize recognises the most ‘audacious, cutting-edge and courageous' film, and was selected by a prestigious international jury headed by David Wenham. At the Closing Night Gala yesterday, Dhont said: “We wanted to make a film about friendship and connection after a moment in time where we all understood its necessity and power. I decided to use cinema as my way to connect to the world. And tonight I feel incredibly close and connected to all of you.” Australian filmmaker Luke Cornish was presented with the Documentary Australia Award’s $10,000 cash prize for Keep Stepping, about two remarkable female performers training for Australia’s biggest street dance competition. Other winners include the animated short Donkey, directed by Jonathan Daw and Tjunkaya Tapaya, which won the AFTRS Craft Award (a $7,000 cash prize) in the Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films, as well as the $5,000 Yoram Gross Animation Award. In the short, three Anangu women of different generations tell the story of how donkeys

Wendy Whiteley, the wife of one of Australia’s most prolific artists, the late Brett Whiteley, has just committed to making a massive cultural gift to the state of NSW. After her death, Ms Whiteley’s collection of nearly 2000 artworks by her late husband will be divided equally between the Art Gallery of NSW and the Brett Whiteley Foundation, and her Lavender Bay home will be sold.  The promised Wendy and Arkie Whiteley Bequest, currently valued at over $100 million, will be one of the largest single donations in the Art Gallery’s 151-year history and among the most valuable collections of artworks donated to an Australian public art museum.  The bequest pays tribute to Wendy and Brett’s daughter Arkie, who died in 2001 aged just 37. With the passing of Arkie, Wendy became the sole custodian of the collection and her former husband’s legacy. Ms Whiteley said: “It's my great wish that the bequest provides incentives for people to have a go at a creative life. I want to encourage our young people and contemporary artists to think deeply and creatively, to be inspired by art history and to travel and see the world. Artists make people’s lives more interesting!”  Photograph: Supplied/AGNSW | Brett Whiteley, 'The balcony 2', 1975 The bequest’s artworks are drawn from across the breadth of Brett Whiteley’s celebrated career and reflect the depth of his practice. The bequest includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, collage and ceramics, many of which have never been on publ