All posts tagged: melbourne

Velvet

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After dazzling audiences around the globe, VELVET arrives at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival! Continuing to defy expectations with an electrifying trip to a world of glamour & abandon. A raucous & seductive fusion of disco, dance, burlesque & circus. It shocks, surprises & scintillates at every turn. It’s a party, it’s dangerous, it’s a showcase fuelled by an exhilarating disco soundtrack that never lets up from the opening moments. Channeling the Studio 54 nightclub vibe, this circus/cabaret show is one not to be missed. When: Until 17 April Where: Merlyn Theatre, The Coopers Malthouse Visit the website here.

Quiz in My Pants: Hardcore Trivia – MICF Review

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Everyone loves a little bit of a Trivia night. It brings out the best and worst of people. Mate against mate, even date against date – unleashing the competitive streak in all of us. So when invited along to check out ‘Quiz in My Pants’ as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, we jumped at the chance to put our mad trivia skills to the test.   This was not your traditional pub trivia, and certainly not a show for the prudish (or under 18), but it was light, sparkly and had just the right amount of audience interaction, helped along by it’s later time slot by which point many audience members had had a chance to have a wine or two and loosen up.  On entry groups are given their quiz answer sheet and team name – we’re talking clever pun names like ‘Shaving Ryan’s Privates’ and ‘Inspect Her Gadget’, and that set the scene for the rest of the show as Quiz Mistress ‘Quizzie’ and her sidekick ‘Rusty’ (Cassie Vagliviello and Brendan Ewing) …

Matilda The Musical

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Matilda The Musical has arrived in Melbourne! Following rave reviews in Sydney, London’s West End and Broadway, is a multi-award winning musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company, inspired by the genius of Roald Dahl. Based on his 1998 children’s novel, the story follows five year-old Matilda Wormwood (Ingrid Torelli), a child prodigy who armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny. Co-written by  Australia’s own Tim Minchin, the show is currently playing at the Princess Theatre. When: From March 13 Where: Princess Theatre, 163 Spring St Visit the website here.

200 Years of Australian Fashion at NGV

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Walk through the history of Australian Fashion at the NGV’s latest exhibition: 200 Years of Australian Fashion. Featuring over 120 works from more than ninety designers, this is the first major survey of Australian fashion to be undertaken in this country. From the early dressmaking establishments of Brisbane to the mid-century salons of Collins Street, to the contemporary studios by Bondi’s beaches, 200 Years of Australian Fashion traverses over two centuries of fashion design in Australia. Take a walk through four galleries featuring the best of the best Australian fashion design including Dion Lee, Ellery, Romance Was Born and Toni Maticevski alongside key designs from the past 200 years, including exquisite examples of historic design. When: 5 March – 31 July 2016 Where: Ian Potter Centre, National Gallery of Victoria Visit the website here. Want to find out more about what’s happening in Melbourne? Sign up to the We Know Melbourne mailing list here to stay in the loop.

Get Messy at House of Crabs

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Tucked away under the Newmarket Hotel, House of Crabs St Kilda is a blink and you almost miss it, hidden gem in the southside. Originally from Sydney, the crab shack’s rockabilly pub style vibe with band on stage is a stark contrast to the more modern, clean, upmarket restaurant upstairs. The menu is a mix of Southen-style seafood “boils” in delicious sauces (think crabs, mussels and prawns) alongside meats such as chicken and ribs on the grill, and side snacks to go with it. To wash down your seafood feast, there’s also the most delicious and mouthwatering traditional cocktails you can get your hands on. We tried the lageritas, peach cobblers and Alabama Slammas and we can guarantee you that they’re some of the most interesting cocktails we’ve tried in Melbourne. And in case you were wondering, if it’s a go-to date venue –  The answer is yes! To soak up that crab splatter, you’ll get a bib (and gloves) to wear, which is a grade A talking point for when things get awkward on a …

Art Party for Teens

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The NGV International are throwing a special under 18’s Art Party these school holidays! After last year’s success, this year’s event will once again  be filled with  music, a silent disco, food, fashion, art-making  workshops plus exclusive access to the popular  Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei  exhibition. Entertainment will come from Melbourne chanteuse Ella Thompson, who will take to the stage in the Great Hall, performing songs from her highly-praised debut solo album Janus, released in 2015. Thompson fronts the band Dorsal Fins and is half of the electronic duo GL, in addition to her solo work. Music blog Purple Sneakers has called her, “one of the most exciting acts in Australia at the moment”. Acclaimed local artist Esther Olsson, known for her vibrant abstract paintings incorporating hip-hop iconography and everyday objects,  will be leading the art workshops, where teens will be able to add and interact with a series of colourful artworks created especially for Art Party.   Guests can also enjoy a contemporary dance performance by Left Leg Studio, a boutique training studio specialising in …

Eleanor’s Story: An American Girl in Hitler’s Germany (Review)

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Going into this show, we wondered how heavy the content would be as the storyline centered entirely around a young German / American girl and her traumatic experience in Hitler’s Germany, during World War II. We needn’t have worried.  Before the performance began, a gentleman came out and addressed the audience… “despite the serious nature of this piece, it’s important to know that some parts will, in fact be lighthearted in nature – and we encourage you to laugh, it’s actually ok.” This announcement set the tone perfectly for what we found to be an entertaining, fast-paced and emotional account of the true story of Eleanor Ramrath Garner between the age of 9 to 16, when her family, filled with promises of a more secure future, packed up and left America for Berlin in 1939. No sooner than they had boarded their ship – than war was declared and they were trapped in Germany – thus setting the tone for this incredible tale of strength, survival, and optimism during one of the most harrowing times …

Jurassic World Exhibition

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Go back in time to when dinosaurs still ruled the land at the Jurassic World Exhibition. The exhibition will immerse audiences of all ages in scenes inspired by the giant blockbuster, Jurassic World.  The world premiere event will open on 19 March 2016 and runs for a limited time only, before travelling on to the rest of the world. “Created in close collaboration with renowned paleontologist Jack Horner, the Exhibition is infused with interactive educational elements—drawn from the real-world science of dinosaur DNA that allowed Jurassic World to come to life. Visitors of all ages can now learn all about these incredible prehistoric creatures.” Whether you’re a T-rex lover, or more  of a Jurassic World geek, there’s something for everyone! Purchase a VIP pass and travel to Isla Nublar as a VIP guest and explore Jurassic World. Come face-to-face with a Pachyrhinosaurus; visit The Hammond Creation Lab; stare in wonder at a towering Brachiosaurus; get a rare up-close look at the most vicious dinosaur of them all, Tyrannosaurus rex; and learn all about top-secret projects …

The F-Word

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Celebrating International Women’s Day in true form, The F-word kicked off with a panel of inspiring high-profile feminist: Jane Gilmore – editor of Women’s Agenda, Melba Marginson – Executive Director of the Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Coalition, Clementine Ford – a freelance writer, broadcaster and public speaker, well-known for her public opinion pieces on feminism, pop culture and social issues, and actor / writer Tammy Anderson. Each woman represented a distinctly different take on what their view of feminism was, which resonated with much of audience on an individual level and the Q&A that followed allowed us to gain a little deeper insight into the mind of these proud, passionate women. The show was a sell-out, Howler – a great location for this panel / performance was packed to the rafters with about 95% ladies – with a few supportive men dotted throughout. At the conclusion of the panel session, Melbourne Playback Theatre took centre stage for their improvisational piece – performed by an entirely female ensemble of actors and musicians for a powerful out of the box piece …

Doggy Drive-In

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Don’t want to leave your dog home alone again?  This weekend Village Cinemas Australia and the RSPCA Victoria are partnering together at the Drive-in so you’ll never have to leave your best friend at home again! This weekend eekend, Coburg Cinemas are launching their Doggy Drive-In. Bring along your pooches and watch  an advance screening of Disney’s Zootopia! The Coburg Doggy Drive-In will give guests more than just a regular day with plenty of activities to keep every family member occupied. There will be competitions for the pups, as well as raffles and door prizes, while the RSPCA will provide educational services including vets, a dog groomer and information on pet adoption.  Cuddle up to your pooch at the Drive-Ins!  When: Sunday, March 13 Where: Coburg Drive-In Visit the website here.