Top 10 Melbourne Culture On this week 12/01/2020
Don’t worry about a thing. Apocalyptic climatic conditions become far less viscerally threatening with a couple of litres of wine in your system.
10) War Horse
12th January-12th April
What: Experience an unforgettable journey when the National Theatre of Great Britain’s internationally acclaimed production of War Horse comes to Australia from January, direct from a sell-out London Season with a new UK company. Based on the beloved novel by Michael Morpurgo, War Horse features a 34 strong cast and more than 20 puppets. It is the most successful play in the National Theatre’s history, has won more than 25 international awards and has now been seen by over 8 million people worldwide, in 98 cities across 12 countries. It even has Her Majesty the Queen’s seal of approval! A remarkable story of courage, loyalty and friendship, it tells the story of a young boy called Albert and his horse Joey, set against the backdrop of the First World War.
Why: Considering the things that have historically had the Queen’s seal of approval, this one seems responsible for the fewest amount of sex crimes.
https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=6177ad90-300e-11ea-bd3a-87e544f47372
9) Not Home: Exhibition Opening
18th January
What: ‘Not Home’ features works by artists responding to an open-ended provocation of ‘home’. Home, or the idea of home, comprises a set of beliefs or myths that reflect both personal and cultural influences. The slightest disturbance to our attachment of home challenges security and stability. ‘Not Home’ presents seven artworks by artists expressing this dislocation and the creative processing of issues that betray the promise of home. Activated by social, political and spiritual thinking, and the application of diverse mediums; the works shown generate a dialogue between each unique voice, engaging the commitment of art-making and what it is to be an artist.
Why: These are contemporary artists. So you know that when they say “the slightest disturbance to our attachment of home challenges security and stability”, they’re speaking from experience tapped right from the heart of their parents’ garage-cum-studio.
https://on.com.au/search/events/Not-Home:-Exhibition-Opening/ab9b41a0-333a-11ea-bd3a-87e544f47372
8) Luke Howard: All That Is Not Solid
13th January
What: Australian composer Luke Howard presents a concert of improvised music for solo piano. “Sound may not excel in certainty until shaped with precision in certain forms of music, but both possess, in their different ways, sublime attributes as metaphors or representations of all that is not solid: emotions, atmosphere, sensuality, passions of all kinds, the passage of time, abstract mathematics, memory, loss and mourning, nostalgia, the metaphysical, supernatural, spectral, unseen, unknown and uncanny.” – David Toop.
Why: Nothing more, nothing less than anecdotal intellectual cachet.
7) Come From Away
12th January-22nd February
What: Come From Away tells the remarkable true story of thousands of stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland, Canada that welcomed them. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Don’t miss this breathtaking new musical written by Tony and Grammy nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein.
Why: We have to admit, we’re warming to this new trend of post-political scandal musicals. A poetic, jazzy refrain is a much more enjoyable ear-worm than ‘SNC-Lavalin’ or ‘incomprehensible tweet no. 8300’.
https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=59fcfc90-ae41-11e9-b14f-a713526e5192
6) Chicago the Musical
12th January-23rd February
What: Don’t miss Chicago starring Natalie Bassingthwaighte as Roxie Hart, Alinta Chidzey as Velma Kelly and Casey Donovan as Matron ‘Mama’ Morton’. Created by the musical theatre talents of John Kander, Fred Ebb and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, CHICAGO’s sexy, sassy score includes “All That Jazz” and “Razzle Dazzle”.
Why: Remember those times when media savvy and fame would excuse rampant criminality? Good thing we’ve matured as a society.
https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=9127b0a0-9476-11e9-b14f-a713526e5192
5) Shakespeare Under The Stars: Hamlet
12th January-9th February
What: Hamlet is Shakespeare’s masterpiece and arguably the greatest tragedy in the English language. The Australian Shakespeare Company is renowned for presenting top class, innovative and accessible productions featuring the country’s finest actors. This summer Hamlet will provide thrilling entertainment as the court of Denmark spirals from order to chaos.
Why: Enjoy the violent, tragic descent of a small boy into madness and a psychologically complex homicide ending with an entire extended family dead in a mass pool of blood…under the stars.
https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=e39e1b80-2d1e-11ea-bd3a-87e544f47372
4) My Dad Wrote A Porno
15th & 16th January
What: Reading never-before heard material from the mind of the legendary Rocky Flintstone, join Jamie with best mates James and Alice, as he delves deeper into his father’s Belinda Blinked erotic saga. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry but you will not be aroused. With surprises, interactive elements and a massive party atmosphere, you do not want to miss this hilarious and outrageous comedy event as Team Porno bring more of the best/worst erotica ever written to the world.
Why: A folksier rendition of the time when you were twelve and your father got drunk and started reminiscing about his life in the seventies.
https://on.com.au/search/search?parentId=d773c970-3009-11ea-bd3a-87e544f47372
3) Wine Relief
18th January
What: In light of the current bushfire crisis in Australia, the hospitality community is coming together for a wine tasting event at Lulie Tavern to raise much needed funds for those affected. 100% of ticket sales will be donated to selected charities. From 6pm onwards, a selection of the wines tasted will be available for purchase over the bar with the profits of these sales also being donated.
Why: In deference to the people that have lost their lives, shorten yours a good ten years.
https://on.com.au/search/events/Wine-Relief/81bc74c0-333b-11ea-bd3a-87e544f47372
2) Bob Marley Day
18th January
What: This years’ Bob Marley Day celebration will be jam packed with the best of the best reggae artists including Etana, The Refugees, Monkey Marc, Shottaz, Stick Mareebo, Pupa Dalton and Zare Demus. The festival will be complemented with authentic Jamaican food trucks, a full bar and market stalls.
Why: The one instance in which people might be inwardly thankful for the thick blanket of bushfire haze.
https://on.com.au/search/events/Bob-Marley-Day-2020/9dd1f090-333b-11ea-bd3a-87e544f47372
1) The Animal People (Premiere Screening)
14th January
What: A new documentary with executive producer Joaquin Phoenix, The Animal People, is a chilling portrait of what happens when activism rattles the institutions of power. Six young Americans find themselves targeted as terrorists by the US government for their involvement in a controversial campaign against the worlds’ largest animal testing laboratory. This terrifying but inspiring David vs Goliath battle raises powerful fundamental questions about free speech, social change and corporate power that have never been more urgently relevant in our world.
Why: Nothing says ‘screw the corrupt institutions of power’ like an endorsement from a multi-millionaire celebrity.
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