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Arts Review: Sad Digger Mad Mary

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Digger, a shell-shocked soldier, sent back from the war for reasons which become clearer as the story progresses, lives hermit-style in a gum leaf shanty in the Australian bush with his little mate Bluey (expertly played by a toy dog on a skateboard), trying to escape the war, his personal persecution and memories which haunt him about a man he once loved.

Before going into this one-man show, you’d be forgiven for thinking it might just contain some pretty heavy content, but then suddenly, the story takes a colorful, unexpected twist in the way that all fringe theatre productions do.

Enter Mary Poppins, a character dreamed up by Digger’s tormented madness, to save him from himself. But a Mary Poppins interpreted as you’ve never seen her before… meaner, nastier, shinier, better, more interesting, hilarious.

Through Mary’s tough-love guidance, inter-space and time travel, Digger is able to finally find his true self, and free himself from the shackles imposed by an earlier time, emerging as a strong, proud individual

Sad Digger Mad Mary is weird, but only in the way that the best shows are. It takes you on tangents here there and everywhere, punctuated with fabulous singing, smart quips and brilliant character transition, as Tom Halls moves effortlessly between them all.

Tom, who also wrote this piece is nothing short of awesome in this role.

Mary Poppins meets, Gallipoli, with a tiny bit of influence from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, Sad Digger Proud Mary is a show for anyone and everyone with a sense of humor who doesn’t take themselves too seriously.

When: This show has now closed.
Where: La Mama Courthouse, 349 Drummond Street, Carlton
More Information: Check out their website.

Summer Seafood Sensation

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Originally a Queenslander, I have to say, I’m pretty into seafood, I could shell prawns before I knew my times tables, in my family… if you didn’t peel your own prawns, you didn’t get any, so you learned pretty quickly the art of the perfectly peeled prawn.

So, with the herald of this ripper summer weather in Melbourne (warm sunny nights, daylight savings, two dinners…) its pretty exciting for us to see a fresh new offering in Shark Bay Summer Seafood Sensations, running at Southbank restaurant, Left Bank from 5 February until 22 March.

Imagine sitting back, drinking a gorgeous, crisp glass of white, matched with fresh, Shark Bay prawns and blue swimmer crab sliders by the banks of the Yarra on a glorious Melbourne night… that’s what we did recently when invited to taste this special limited edition menu.

Stand outs for us were without a doubt the fresh prawn cocktail, and marinated king prawns on bamboo skewers. The skewers came in four flavours, but the bourbon, chili honey was the real star of the show. We were very guilty of going back for thirds and fourths of these.

Shark Bay, a heritage listed, well-protected area, around 900km north of Perth is the source for the seafood on this menu. The bay itself is home to a large sea grass bed which filters the water, infusing it with nutrients and gives the seafood a unique, flavor and excellent texture. Basically, it tastes like great, quality seafood, not the frozen stuff. Sublime.

The offering is available on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights at various times and a different signature dish each day of the week.

Where: Left Bank Melbourne, 1 Southbank Blvd, Southbank
When: Sunday 5 Feb – Wed 22 March 2017
More information: Check their website

Free Asia Pop Courtyard

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Be a part of Asia TOPA (Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts) this February at the Immigration Museum.

Every Friday evenings this February from 5pm – 9pm, the courtyard area will come to life with free Asia Pop, food, drinks and general fun. The event will feature DJ Japandaman and Sihouette d’Amore, The Pink Tiles, K-pop Melbourne dancers, a karaoke lounge and Kung Fu motion installation. The bonus, you can enter all of these exhibitions for free!

Definitely a fun way to explore cultures from over 200 countries and be inspired by their stories at the Immigration Museum, and a great alternative to the usual Friday night drinks.

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Where: 400 Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000
When: Friday evenings, this February from 5pm – 9pm
More information: Check their website.

Women in Film: The Fits

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She Speaks First is a series of film screenings that focus on women. Films made by women, for women to empower women – and in each screening, the audience are then invited to engage in conversations which focus on the female contribution  to the cinema space.

This February, She Speaks First brings ‘The Fits‘ to the screen

Eleven-year-old tomboy Toni, played by a young, but powerful Royalty Hightower, is entranced by the tight-knit dance team she sees practicing in the same Cincinnati gymnasium where she boxes. Enamored by the power and confidence of the strong community of girls, Toni spends less and less time boxing with her older brother, and instead eagerly absorbs the dance routines and masters drills from a distance, and even pierces her own ears in an effort to fit in. But when a mysterious outbreak of fainting spells plagues the team, Toni’s desire for acceptance becomes more complicated. Gorgeously shot and with a mesmerizing score, THE FITS is a transformative experience and a marvelous portrait of adolescence. (72 min, Unrated).

Following this exclusive screening, this the audience will then be joined in open conversation by Holly Durant (choreographer/dancer) and Clare Rae (artist/photographer).

We Know Melbourne is giving away at double pass to see this film on Saturday 11 February, 5.20pm. Simply tell us in 25 words or less, which women inspires you and why. Competition closes 12 noon on Thursday 9th of February. (Full T&Cs available here).

When: Saturday 11 February 2017, 5.20pm – 8.00pm
Where: Chunky Move, 111 Sturt Street, Southbank
More information / tickets: Check out their website here

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‘The Fits’ T&C’s

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PRIVACY: We are committed to the privacy of your information. We do not, and will not, distribute, disclose or sell any of your personal information to third parties, other than as required by law or as necessary to process a payment.

By entering the contest, you agree to release the Competition Entities, Instagram and Facebook and Twitter from all responsibility or liability for damages, losses or injuries of any kind resulting from participation in the Competition or any prize-related activities, if any, or any awarding, possession, use and/or misuse of prize(s), if any, awarded herein. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. You are providing your information to ErdiGroup Hotel Collection and not to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The Promoter is ErdiGroup Hotel Collection (ABN 58 328 593 784 & 50 693 006 965)  of 195 Swanston Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000. Information on how to enter and prizes forms part of the terms of entry. Entry into the competition is deemed acceptance of these terms and conditions.

WHO CAN ENTER

This contest is open to all current or new subscribers to the We Know Melbourne Marketing Database (and any affiliates marketing databases) who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry and live in Victoria.

Employees of ErdiGroup Hotel Collection (the Sponsor) its affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion and internet agencies and their immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of each are not eligible. Immediate family includes the following: spouse, ex-spouse, defacto spouse, child or step child (whether natural or by adoption), parent, step parent, grandparent, step grandparent, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, brother, sister, step brother, step sister or first cousin. Void where prohibited by law.

All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply to this competition. If you cannot or will not comply with these Official Rules, you should not participate in the competition.

By entering this competition, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and to waive any right to claim any ambiguity or error in these Official Rules or the competitions itself. You also agree to be bound by all decisions of the Sponsor or its designees, whose decisions are final and binding.

Entrants must be 18 years of age or older as at the date of entry in order to be eligible to enter the competition.

Entrants under 18 years of age must obtain the prior permission of their parent or legal guardian in order to be able to enter. If the competition winner is under 18 years of age, the prize will be awarded to the winner’s parent or legal guardian.

The Promoter reserves the right to request winners to provide proof of identity, proof of residency at the nominated prize delivery address and/or proof of entry validity in order to claim a prize. Proof of identification, residency and entry considered suitable for verification is at the discretion of the Promoter. In the event that a winner cannot provide suitable proof, the winner will forfeit the prize in whole and no substitute will be offered.

HOW TO ENTER

Beginning 31 January 2017, 1.30pm EST follow the instructions to enter the competition by either;

Becoming a new subscriber to receive We Know Melbourne (Erdigroup) electronic mail marketing communication; and

Tell us in 25 words or less which women inspires you and why?

WHEN TO ENTER

The competition commences on 31 January 2017 EST and concludes on 9 February 2017 12:01pm EST. Entries must be received by the Promoter prior to the competition close date and time.

The time of entry will in each case be the time the online entry is received by the Promoter’s database, not at the time of transmission by the entrant.

The Promoter accepts no responsibility for any late, lost or misdirected entries not received by the Promoter or delays in the delivery of the SMS message due to technical disruptions, network congestion or for any other reason.

Entrants may enter as many times as they like, but only one prize will be awarded per person.

PRIZE ON OFFER

One winner will receive 1 x double pass to the exclusive screening of The Fits on 11 February, 2017 (valued at $44). Winner will have their name put on the door for entry to the event.

Prizes cannot be transferred, exchanged or redeemed for cash.

It is a condition of accepting the prize that the winner must comply with all the conditions of use of the prize and the prize supplier’s requirements. It is the responsibility of the winner to confirm such conditions with the prize supplier or other relevant third parties.

In the event a winner does not collect the prize, then the entire prize will be forfeited by the winner and cash will not be awarded in lieu of the prize.

Winners or any travel companions under 18 years of age must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian at all times.

Note that the redemption of the prize is subject to availability.

Acceptance of a prize constitutes permission for Sponsor to use winner’s name, photos and likeness for advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation unless prohibited by law.

No substitution or transfer of prize by winner permitted, except that Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value in the event that the advertised prize is unavailable. All applicable income taxes are the sole responsibility of winner.

By entering, entrants and their respective parents or legal guardians release, discharge and hold harmless Sponsor, its subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability or any injuries, loss, or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this competition or any prize won

DRAW AND NOTIFICATION OF WINNER

The prize winners will be the selected in accordance with these terms and conditions that is drawn by a representative of the hotel at 195 Swanston Street, Melbourne, Victoria to be selected at random at 4pm, on February 9, 2017.

The Promoter’s decision is final and the Promoter will not enter into correspondence regarding the competition result or any other decisions the Promoter makes in connection with the Promotion.

The winner will be notified by telephone or email immediately. The winner may also be announced via the official @WeKnowMelbourne Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts

No purchase necessary. Buying will not help you win. Your chances of winning without making a purchase are the same as the chances of someone who purchases something. It is illegal to give any advantage to buyers in this competition.

Return of any prize notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner.

FURTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Any attempt by an individual to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of this promotion is a violation of criminal and civil laws, and should such an attempt be made, sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such individual to the fullest extent permitted by law. Promoter is not responsible for faulty, incorrect or mis-transcribed phone/e-mail transmissions, incorrect announcements of any kind, technical hardware or software failures of any kind including any injury or damage to any person’s computer related to or resulting from participating in or experiencing any materials in connection with the promotion, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmission that may limit a user’s ability to participate in the promotion.

Promoter reserves the right to cancel or modify the promotion if fraud, misconduct or technical failures destroy the integrity of the program; or if a computer virus, bug, or other technical problem corrupts the administration or security of the program as determined by Sponsor/judging agency/administrator, in their sole discretion. In the event of termination, a notice will be posted online and the competition will be conducted from among all eligible entries received prior to termination. Any damage made to the Site will be the responsibility of the authorised e-mail account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry.

Proof of submitting entries will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Promoter. Any entries which are suspected of being fraudulent (including those using robotic, automatic, programmed or similar methods of participation) will be disqualified, based on determinations made solely by Promoter. Promoter reserves the right to prohibit the participation of an individual if fraud or tampering is suspected or if the account holder fails to comply with any requirement of participation as stated herein or with any provision in these Official Rules.

All entries become the property of The Promoter. All opt-in entries will be entered into a database and The Promoter may use the entrant’s names, addresses and telephone numbers for future promotional, marketing and publicity purposes in any media worldwide without notice and without any fee being paid unless otherwise advised by the entrant. By opting-in, entrants confirm that they allow their details to be used for this purpose. If entrants no longer consent to their details being used for future marketing purposes, the entrant should contact The Promoter. Any request to update, modify or delete the entrant’s details should be directed to The Promoter.

The Promoter’s privacy policy can be viewed at http://www.theswanstonhotel.com.au/contact/privacy  To request access to, or to update, personal information the Promoter holds about them, entrants can contact the Erdigroup Privacy Officer at 195 Swanston St, Melbourne , VIC 3000 on (03) 8662 1301.

Happy Chinese New Year

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Chinese new year is all about gathering with family, eating lots of delicious food, playing with firecrackers, buying new clothes and the giving and receiving of red envelopes. It is a time for families to be together. Melbourne offers you a 17 day Chinese New Year festival with activities located from Queensbridge Square, Queen Victoria Market, Chinatown, the Chinese Museum, Melbourne Zoo, Eureka Skydeck and Southgate, through to Docklands and DFO South Wharf.

Things you can do while staying with us at The Swanston Grand Mercure
and Mercure Welcome –

  • Experience “God of Prosperity’s visit” at Emporium Melbourne
  • Enjoy a Chinese New Year’s Eve Feast sponsored by Secret Kitchen, located at the corners of Exhibition and Little Bourke Street.
  • Be memorized by the dragons at the Dragon Parade Day throughout Chinatown on 29th of Jan, Sunday.
  • Buy a lantern and hang it on The Lantern Wishing Tree at Cohen Place
  • Watch Asian short films, also at Cohen Place

For more activities and festival info visit
http://www.cnymelbourne.com.au/home/
http://melbournechinesenewyear.com

Midsumma Review: The Happy Prince

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Many are already familiar with the sweet but sad story of Oscar Wilde’s Happy Prince. A beautifully adorned statue stands high over a city, eyes of sapphires, skin of gold leaf and a ruby in his dagger, saddened by the injustice of life as a poor citizen in a Victorian era.

A young swallow, bound for the warmer climate to avoid the impending winter chill is separated from his flock and takes temporary shelter within the golden folds of the Prince’s cloak. The two become inseparable companions and over several nights the Prince teaches the Swallow the meaning of true happiness, all the while the two slowly make the ultimate sacrifice, and join each other in eternity through death.

Heavy right?

Originally penned as a children’s tale, Little Ones Theatre reimagines this classic tale for the adult audience, turning the traditional male roles into strong female characters who take companionship further into the realms of love between two women.

The fresh approach to the original story aligns perfectly with the theatre company’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of gender and queer aesthetics, and makes for brilliant, thoughtful entertainment during this Midsumma season.

Set amongst the packed out, highly intimate La Mama theatre, it was easy as an audience member to feel as though you were a part of the story. The chemistry between the two characters was evident, and the new evolution of the story flowed beautifully, the addition of modern and cheeky references and jokes were well timed and easy to interpret.

Janine Watson as the Prince, portrayed the character with poised grace and sad beauty, which was a perfectly matched contrast to Catherine Davies sassy, modern hipster Swallow.

A sweet, quirky interpretation of a classic Oscar Wilde piece, tickets are only $25 each and it’s located right near Lygon Street’s dining precinct, a perfect night out.

Image Credit: Pia Johnson

Where: La Mama Theatre, 205 Faraday Street, Carlton
When: Until 29 January 2017
More information: Check out the Midsumma website.

Melbourne Comedy Festival – 2017

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The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is returning in 2017 with a spectacular line up of local and international performers in over 500 shows – running for four, hilariously entertaining weeks.

With ticket prices averaging at $28 each, you’ll be able to see all of your favorites, plus maybe try a few new shows to broaden your comedy experience.

Larger name Comedy Festival favourite likes Arj Barker, Jason Byrne, Ruby Wax, Jimeoin, Bob Franklin, Cal Wilson, Claire Hooper, Frank Woodley, Judith Lucy and Denise Scott and Rove McManus headline, but for a full experience – we recommend checking out some of the independent shows in and around Melbourne’s smaller venues.

For Harry Potter fans, you can watch a performance of ‘Completely Improvised Potter’, or for all the single ladies (or those with a  wicked sense of humor) we recommend ‘Desperettes – A Guide to being a Wingman’ and for some awkward but fun humor try Barry Morgan (remember Barry Morgan from the World of Organs on Spicks and Specks…. check out this sweet medley to refresh your memory – but there is a huge list of shows to choose from.

Aside from the shows, there are also a few major events which are set to be a fantastic addition to the festival, these include the Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow at the Regent Theatre on 29th March, the RAW Comedy National Grand Final at the prestigious Town Hall on 16th April and Upfront, an all-lady comedy supershow on 19th April, also at Town Hall.

Where: Various locations in and around Melbourne
When: 29th March – 23rd April 2017
More information: Checkout their website.

Image: from Comedy Festival website.

Tea-infused cocktails: a refreshing summer alternative

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If you are sick of the usual stock standard cocktail lists this summer, and looking to to change up your usual Espresso Martini order, pack up your favourite people and check out Melbourne Public’s brand new selection of Tea-se Me, Tea-se Me’ iced-tea cocktails launching on 20th January, and available until the close of February, when Summer sadly ends.

An awesome accompaniment to a hot summer day, and beautifully aligned as an old-fashioned after-event complement to a day spent at the Australian Open, some of the new flavors include ‘The Earl of Grey’, ‘Min-Tea Mojito’ and ‘Keep Calm & Drink Tequila’ all with a different tea twist, perfectly matched with alcohol (of course).

We Know Melbourne tip: head along to the official launch on Friday 20th January, and you can taste these little beauties for only $5 each!

Where: Melbourne Public, 11 Dukes Walk, South Wharf
When: 20th January – 28th February 2017
More information: Checkout their website.