All posts filed under: culture

Review: F*ckboys The Musical

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‘A haphazard guide to navigating the modern dating scene’. When my friends and I scanned the pages of the Fringe guide, this was the show we most wanted to see. As a bunch of 30-something women who ourselves, bumbled through the world of modern dating dodging time-wasters, creeps and of course plenty of the aforementioned – we were itching to get along and check out this musical for our f*ckboys 101 education. The story starts, when four women walk into a bar for their regular Wednesday night karaoke sesh. Some are single, some are not and one is horribly heartbroken to the point of shrewish cynicism. Their casual conversation is punctuated time after time by over-confident men with abnormally large egos who turn bitter and nasty each time their advances are rejected – earning them the label of, you guessed it f*ckboys. What is a f*ckboy you ask? These talented ladies take care of that through their original score of witty songs, giving everyone the lowdown on what it really takes to make it into …

Tap Dance Festival 2018

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The 7th annual Australian Tap Dance Festival takes centre stage in Melbourne this spring, 29 September – 6 October, with a world class line-up of talented Tappers arriving for Australia’s premiere celebration of Tap. The Australian Tap Dance Festival is the only festival of its kind in Australasia and offers an action-packed week of Tap and choreography, lessons and master classes, dance battles, seminars, a Gala show and special events for all ages and levels. The festival will run at Melbourne’s Ministry of Dance, a full accredited dance and training studio founded by renowned Australian dancer, choreographer, performer and presenter Jason Coleman. This year’s Festival faculty features an exceptional line up of accomplished Tap artists including American headliner Melinda Sullivan – one of the most sought after Tap soloists and choreographers in the world (The Late Late Show with James Corden, La La Land, SYTYCD USA). Other esteemed faculty include Winston Morrison (founder of Melbourne Tap Dance and Australian Tap Dance Festival Director), Tyler Knowlin (currently touring with Riverdance), Peta Anderson (currently touring with Eireborne), …

WORLD-FIRST: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S 50 GREATEST WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHS EXHIBITION

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Melbourne Zoo visitors will be the first in the world to view the very best wildlife photographs from 130 years of National Geographic magazine at an immersive exhibition launching this spring. 50 Greatest Wildlife Photographs, curated by renowned nature picture editor Kathy Moran, is a celebratory look at wildlife with captivating images from some of National Geographic’s most iconic photographers, including Michael ‘Nick’ Nichols, Steve Winter, Paul Nicklen, Beverly Joubert and David Doubilet. The pop-up exhibition will make its global debut as an outdoor installation in Melbourne Zoo’s historic Carousel Park and be accompanied by an INDE augmented reality (AR) experience, titled Air, Land & Sea. Air, Land & Sea gives viewers a unique chance to travel to an ever-changing watering hole where a diverse range of animals, from Africa to the Arctic, graze, drink and interact with the environment around them. Melbourne Zoo director Kevin Tanner said the spectacular photographs and AR experience would provide zoo visitors with an opportunity to see wildlife from around the world. “These extraordinary photographs show what some of …

Review: May Contain Traces of Reading

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Imagine a stand-up comedy show where the star doesn’t utter a single word. You could be excused for being apprehensive in anticipation of a badly executed mime, but this show is more ‘giant palm cards’ than Marcel Marceau, laced with a touch of Mr Bean. It’s an interesting navigation of Robert Mitchell’s checklist of comedy prowess through the unspoken word. The beauty of this style of show is the lack of of awkward silences, remedied by Mitchell’s arsenal of Dad jokes kept up his sleeve (or in his carefully pre-prepared folder). Supported by a sassy sidekick of the digital variety, this show is warm, expressive and performed like a well-oiled machine, and unique in that heckling is highly encouraged during the performance – if only so Robert can make excellent use of his rather large pre-prepared folder chock-full of ‘sick comedian burns’. The show fell a little short for me after a long day of reading at work, but is relatively family friendly and has definite appeal for the deaf community. “May Contain Traces of …

Korean Film Festival 2018

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The Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA) is proud to be returning down-under in 2018, bringing with it a line-up of exquisite new Korean films, from across all genres. Taking place in Melbourne from 6 to 13 September with whopping 22 films on offer. Presented by the Korean Cultural Centre Australia, KOFFIA showcases the very best of Korean culture through film. From big-budget blockbusters to intimate art-house flicks, the Festival presents a packed program of world-class cinema, plucked straight out of Korea’s booming film industry – Hallyuwood. KOFFIA Director, David Park, says, “The past year for Korean cinema has been one of the best and most accomplished in recent memory – making this a very, very special year for the Festival. With such an enormous range, audiences are able to pick out a film for whatever tickles their fancy: a comedy, a thriller, a horror, a drama – you name it!” KOFFIA is a cinematic experience for people of all tastes, ages and cultural backgrounds. As such, every film presented at theFestival screens with English subtitles. Your chance to win 1 x double pass on us here. OPENING AND CLOSING NIGHT Opening the Festival in each city is the feel-good flick Little Forest. Starring Kim Tae-ri (The Handmaiden), …

Mandela My Life: The Official Exhibition

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The highly anticipated world premiere of Mandela My Life: The Official Exhibition opens at the prestigious Melbourne Museum on Saturday 22nd September 2018. Produced by iEC Exhibitions, TEG Live and Museums Victoria, in full collaboration with The Nelson Mandela Foundation of South Africa as their only official global exhibition, this brand-new, world-class exhibition will exclusively open in Australia before commencing on a 5-year worldwide museum tour from 2019. The producers are delighted to announce the first of many original objects to be featured in Mandela My Life: The Official Exhibition to coincide the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth today. This exhibition will be a world first, with a rich collection of artifacts, documents and personal items expertly curated to share the story of Mandela’s rich and colourful life. Some of the confirmed original objects that will feature in Mandela My Life: The Official Exhibition include the boxing glove signed and gifted by Muhammad Ali to Mandela, who was an avid boxing fan and met Ali several times after 1990. The shoes and walking cane …

Lost Picnic Melbourne 2018

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Bohemian outdoor music and food experience, Lost Picnic Melbourne, has brought on board Melbourne’s finest restaurant and food vendors to create a food line up as impressive as its music. Festival goers can choose from array of pop up restaurants, food trucks and hampers from the likes of Caravan of Caviar, Annam, French Saloon, Pho Nom, Beatbox Kitchen, Naughty Frenchy and St Gerry’s – all serving up picnic-perfect fare to a backdrop of Australia’s best music talent. Lost Picnic Melbourne will be make its debut at Melbourne’s Flemington Nursery on 7 October and will feature an incredible line up including Tash Sultana, Meg Mac, Marlon Williams, Odette, Sons of the East, Big Words and Hot Potato Band. Gastronomy food fare Lost Picnic has rounded up Melbourne’s most popular food trucks to appear this year, with Beatbox Kitchen, Curry Up Now, Melbourne Paella Company, Royal Stacks, the Schnitzel Republic, Taco Truck, The Gozleme Station and The Kraken Squid set to serve up delicious street fare including paella, salt & pepper squid, gozleme, burgers and Indian. Alongside …

The Finders Keepers 2018

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Melbourne is the final stop on the Finders Keepers Autumn / Winter 2018 tour, with the festival-feel market returning to The Royal Exhibition Building over three epic days, 13-15 July. With extended shopping hours on Friday ‘day’, visitors can join the festivities from the new opening time of 12 noon on Friday 13th July and shop the day away until 9pm. Trading hours continue all weekend from 10am – 6pm Saturday 14th and 10am – 5pm Sunday 15th July. Finders Keepers managing director and co-founder Sarah Thornton said there was no doubt the Melbourne Autumn/Winter event was the highlight of the Finders Keepers year. “We love the fashion focus that comes with our Melbourne events, with so much local talent coming out of arguably Australia’s fashion capital,” Sarah Thornton said. “Slow fashion lovers will be treated to the locally-made, up-cycled garments by Good Sport Australia who use salvaged, pre-loved kimonos, as well as the new ‘ethically made, gloriously worn’ collection from East Geelong-based Frank and Dolly’s.” “Solomon Street will bring their ethical prints and textiles …

Boogie your way into Melbourne Winter

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Melbourne is set for some serious night fever with the arrival of newly launched Boogie Nights Dance, a series of disco-inspired classes and workshops from professional dancer (and disco diva) Ally McNaughton. Heavily focused on the music and moves from the halcyon days of disco, soul, boogie, funk and everything in between, all Boogie Nights Dance classes are designed to get everyone’s hips movin’ and hearts groovin’ with a few nifty manoeuvres and mini routines ideal for absolute beginners and disco aficionados alike. Professional singer, dancer and performer McNaughton encourages all her attendees ‘To let the music wrap you in it’s soulful embrace and help unleash your inner disco deity upon the world.’ Following a 6 week series of classes earlier in the year in Abbotsford, Boogie Nights Dance is getting geared up to get down again on Tuesday evenings this July – August with another 6 week series of casual classes at Dancehouse in Carlton North. Talking about the birth of Boogie Nights Dance McNaughton says the concept came about out of a deep obsession with the music …

Wild Nights at Werribee Open Range Zoo

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A must-do winter tradition, Wild Nights offers a range of awesome activities for all night owls, including dazzling fire shows, marshmallow toasting, late night animal spotting and a secret garden to discover. Explore the African Trail by torchlight and spot animals along the way.  Listen out for the calls, squeaks and hoots of the night and watch for dancing shadows as nocturnal critters wake and get ready to start their ‘day’. Head into the Bandicoot Hideout and introduce yourselves to some special, native nocturnal species, but remember to whisper – they’re just waking up! Find your way to Ranger Kids which transforms itself into the amazing Glow Zone where you will be wowed by twirling, whirling spectacular fire dancers. As the temperature drops, warm up with friends and family around a flickering camp fire toasting marshmallows or head to the Meerkat Bistro for a steaming cup of hot chocolate while mum and dad enjoy some mulled wine. For the ultimate Wild Nights experience, upgrade your experience and book in for a special Dusk Safari Tour* …