The physical and comedic talents of a dynamic cast smash through the language barrier in this Russian adaptation of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure. Combined with powerful design and masterful direction, Cheek by Jowl’s production is a treat for theatre fans and a highlight of the 2017 Sydney Festival lineup. Measure for Measure is a Shakespearean…
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During the parting moments of 2016, a year already marked by the deaths of so many luminaries and childhood favourites, actress Carrie Fisher suffered a cardiac arrest during a transatlantic flight, causing her death four days later on the 27th of December. Her mother, actress and performer Debbie Reynolds, passed the very next day, reportedly leaving with…
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Based on the novel The Women in Black, by Madeline St John, Ladies in Black is that all too rare thing: an entirely new Australian musical. There is no mistaking the country in which this show is set – from the home-grown accents to the local suburbs referenced in the text, this is a musical…
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The FOMO Festival begins its 2017 run in Adelaide at the historic site of the Adelaide Gaol tonight but make no mistake, this isn’t an event that will remain any type of locked up. With the likes of Desiigner, Peking Duk, Flosstradamus and more set to hit the stage, crowds down the east coast are in for one hell of…
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Eight. That’s how old I was when The Avalanches changed recorded music history with their debut album Since I Left You. I’m now 24 and having grown out of the music I was listening to as an eight year old (So Fresh Hits of Summer anyone?), I was definitely looking forward to seeing The Avalanches…
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We take our annual look back at the best movies of the year, rounding out the 21 best films released in Australian cinemas between January 1st and December 31st, 2016: 21. Captain Fantastic “(Matt) Ross has created a piece that, despite its subtle flaws, is dazzling in its achievements but still beautiful in its imperfections.”…
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The Confirmation plays out like a Sherlock Holmes tale set in a scarce stretch of rural America, with weekend dad Walt (Clive Owen) and his precocious son Anthony (Jaeden Lieberher) spending a murky 24 hours chasing down a stolen tool kit. In the directorial debut from Nebraska writer Bob Nelson, the role of Sherlock and…
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Tomorrow the Sydney Festival officially kicks off – with some events, including the Meriton Festival Village in Hyde Park, launching today. Among the incredible three weeks of entertainment are a slew of totally free arts events and performances. Here are our picks of just a few of them… THE HAIR SALON The Hair Salon is…
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Part of the Meriton Festival Village, which opens tomorrow night (Sydney Festival Eve!) in Hyde Park, is The Village Stage presented by China Southern Airlines. The stage will feature a fantastic – and totally free – music program through the length of the festival, with a curated mix of disco, funk and Latin as part…
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The NYE Festival Sideshows are coming through the capital cities hard and fast this week, and last night Sydney was treated to UK artist Jamie T, fresh from Falls Festival, supported in style by locals Hockey Dad and Polish Club. Polish Club rocked the venue in their opening slot, comfortably setting the stage for duo…
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There are certain things you can rely on from a gigantic tech show like CES — hilariously large TV’s, lavishly appointed electric cars that malfunction onstage, long segments of glitzy big brand press conferences trying to make washing machines seem cool. And then, every year, there’s The Homer. This year, Razer have gone above and…
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Bioware general manager Aaryn Flynn took the stage during Nvidia’s press conference during CES 2017 today to debut the latest look at the hotly anticipated sci-fi RPG, Mass Effect: Andromeda. You can check out the new trailer, running on Nvidia’s very latest GTX graphics hardware, after the jump.
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Right from the opening credits, A Series of Unfortunate Events consistently reminds you this tale is not for the fainthearted. Author Lemony Snicket (Patrick Warburton) reiterates as the narrator of the series that the story is dreadful, melancholy and not for those looking for a happy narrative – but for Netflix, the self-aware entertainment bodes a mysterious and…
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Welcome to Burger Watch, where we acknowledge the constant creativity bursting from all sides of the epic burger wave that sweeps Australia every week. The highest of high demand is reserved for this timeless food staple and just about every interpretation of it, whether it to be an over-the-top glutton-fest or a focus on simple…
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Well, damn. Talk about a 24 hours for festival line ups. First we had Coachella break in their 2017 lineup and now, New York’s Governors Ball has done the same thing with unveiling their round of artists set to hit Randall’s Island Park in June. Tool, Chance The Rapper, Phoenix and Childish Gambino lead the top billing spots for the June…
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Coachella has dropped its 2017 lineup this morning, confirming its headliner rumours and solidifying one of its most diverse and impressive lineups in its history. From its headliners – Beyoncé, Radiohead and Kendrick Lamar – to a supporting cast that includes the likes of NZ act Broods, Aussies King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Bon…
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Ahead of their appearance at Nvidia’s keynote address at CES 2017 today, Bioware and Electronic Arts have unveiled the official release date for their upcoming sci-fi RPG Mass Effect: Andromeda.
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The Iris have been lucky enough to speak with a great many composers in the past and Leo Birenberg is a notch above most. His rising star status comes from being a man of many flavours. Along with his great friend and mentor Composer Christophe Beck, he tries not to be glued down to one…
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Take Down (aka Billionaire Ransom) is what you would get if you made cardboard cut-outs characters and put them in a world that was like Brat Camp-meets-The Hunger Games. The film is a thriller that is short on character development and suspense. It means that what ensues feels rather slow, tedious and contrived. The story…
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Teenage films have always been a cinematic staple for me. Whether they are quality films (like Heathers, Stand By Me), plain fun (Mean Girls, Easy A, Say Anything) or just plain silliness (Porky’s, American Pie), I’ve always found enjoyment in both entertainment value and nostalgia. But the past few years, the portrayal of teenagers in film…
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Following their massive 160-stall deep Christmas markets the good folk at Carriageworks have announced that they will be hosting a Chinese New Year market curated by Kylie Kwong in partnership with Sydney Festival. And the renowned chef has gone all out for her part in the market, bringing in over 50 stallholders from Neil Perry’s…
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There was something different about the Falls Music & Arts Festival in 2016. Even now, a few days on from New Year’s Eve, I can’t put my finger on it. Following the Victorian event’s temporary relocation to Mt. Duneed Estate last year, we returned to the hallowed and lush surrounds of the Great Otway National Park in Lorne and…
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With the Winter Wonderland holiday event now firmly in the rear-view mirror, Blizzard Entertainment have moved on to Overwatch‘s next big thing. Oasis, a Control-style map set in the Arabian Desert has finally made the jump from the Public Test Realm to the main game and you can play it right now.
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Ready the tea and make sure you’ve got your shock blanket handy because BBC Sherlock is back and here to emotionally ruin you all over again with a brand new series. Thanks to streaming service provider Stan, Australia gets each episode of Season 4 within hours of it airing in the UK. Obviously this review…
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The popular Surry Hills restaurant and bar, Salaryman, quickly became known for seasonal left-centre takes on traditional ramen when it first opened in 2015. Glowing reviews and booming business sustained the concept for a year, but as a strong following built it became clear that a focus on ramen just wasn’t enough, hence a thorough…
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Prahran’s The Cullen Hotel, a member of the acclaimed Art Series Hotel Group, is regularly referenced as one of Melbourne’s very best and brightest properties. For years now, the youthful hotel has thriving on not only a high standard of boutique accommodation, but in-house dining as well, an aspect which has taken a recent leap…
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The first week of 2017 in the City of Churches starts strong with the debut of Gold Fusion, a brand new music event set to showcase some fantastic local talent and visitors from interstate. Held at the Published Arthouse on January 6th, the likes of Oscar Key Sung, I Know Leopard and Ali Barter will…
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The final day and night at Falls Festival Lorne went quicker than the previous three, with the New Year’s Eve party vibes kicking in early. Throughout the chilly afternoon crowds up at the Grand Theatre were treated to performances by the likes of Hælos (on their debut Australian tour), Marlon Williams and Baro – a…
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A welcoming sun of the stinking hot variety greeted us for these next two days at Woodfordia. This was to be expected, but it was essentially a nice little bit of festival-ness in a festival that is invariably unique. Thursday was a slow but sure start with a little bit of lantern making for the…
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