Sydney Festival 2015 - The Kitchen Show

Photo credit: KR Vinayan

Sydney Festival 2015
From the creator of the MANGANIYAR SEDUCTION, we welcome THE KITCHEN

A show about the healing power of cooking, The Kitchen is a sumptuous, multi-sensory spectacle of arresting sights, smells and sounds, culminating in something for your taste buds too.

In The Kitchen, a man and woman connect in a wordless drama exploring the ritual of cooking. As the couple prepares payasam, a traditional Indian dessert, letting the fragrant aromas waft over you, 12 drummers provide a vigorous soundtrack on copper mizhavu drums. As this trance-inducing meditation reaches an intoxicating boiling point, it’s your turn to take part in the performance.

In 2010, Indian director Roysten Abel wowed Sydney with The Manganiyar Seduction. Experience his return to Sydney Festival with this flavoursome fusion of folk traditions and theatrical celebration.

Commissioned by Sydney Festival, Auckland Festival and Holland Festival.

Duration: 75mins no interval
Where: Seymour Centre York Theatre
Address: Corner City Road and Cleveland Street, Chippendale
Tickets: Sydney Festival Online Bookings or call 1300 856 876

Source: http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2015/the-kitchen?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=websiteclicks&utm_campaign=kitchen

Swan Lake 2015 - The Australian Ballet @ Capitol Theatre Sydney

After standing ovations in New York, London, Paris and Tokyo, The Australian Ballet returns with its most popular ever production. Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake is a classic reimagined for the 21st century, charged with sensuality and heartbreak. Murphy sets the passionate love triangle of Odette, Prince Siegfried and the Baroness von Rothbart against Kristian Fredrikson’s magnificent designs – massed swans, a darkly sparkling lake, regal ballrooms – and Tchaikovsky’s achingly beautiful score. An overwhelming emotional experience and a dazzling feast on stage, this is Swan Lake as you’ve never seen it before.

After a sell-out season in Melbourne in 2013, this powerful production returns to Sydney for the first time since 2008. This is the company’s most popular and most loved production in history and has elevated the company to international acclaim.

“The Australian Ballet puts fire into the Lake.” - Le Figaro, Paris

• Running Time: 2 hours and 50 minutes including 2 intervals. *All times are approximate and subject to change.
• Playing from: 20 – 28 February 2015 only at the Capitol Theatre Sydney
• Address: 13 Campbell St, Haymarket NSW 2000
• Tickets: http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/The-Australian-Ballet-tickets/artist/1057476?tm_link=edp_Artist_Name

Giant LEGO Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony - Sydney

Let it LEGO, let it LEGO, let it LEGO

For this year's festive season a magical LEGO Christmas Tree – built entirely out of LEGO bricks – will come to life outside Westfield Sydney in Pitt Street Mall from 27 November – 27 December 2014.

December is fast approaching and the upcoming LEGO Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is set to get you into the holiday spirit and bring out your inner child. Standing taller than a two-storey house and wider than a family car, the tree at Westfield Sydney is created especially by Australia's only LEGO Certified Professional, Ryan McNaught. The gigantic plastic evergreen will contain half a million LEGO bricks and set the record for the largest tree the Southern Hemisphere has ever seen.



The LEGO Christmas Tree also features a Santa and sleigh built out of LEGO bricks, along with a special reindeer designed by competition winner and LEGO Club Member, 10-year old Luke Francis. Together, these colourful models will make up a stunning LEGO Christmas themed set, bound to delight pedestrian shoppers and LEGO fans of all ages.

To add a touch of sparkle, the LEGO Christmas Tree will be lit every night with a light show set to Christmas carols from approximately 8pm.



The LEGO Christmas Tree is officially launched at 7.45 pm on Thursday, 27 November, with 400 singers from the Sydney Philharmonic Choir performing carols around the LEGO Christmas tree as part of the citywide celebrations. So come along and be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime Christmas experience and be inspired to build your own LEGO Christmas!

When: Official launch, 7.45pm on 27 November - after date tree will still be on display
Where: Westfield Sydney, Pitt Street Mall, Sydney NSW 2000
Cost: Free!

Source: http://www.weekendnotes.com/lego-christmas-tree-lighting-ceremony/?sb=1&i=1&j=1&k=3&wemid=45724&wuid=557219&ap=AJU2GQkXOY

Need accommodation in Sydney this Christmas?

Metro Hotels have four conveniently located hotels and serviced apartments throughout Sydney CBD, here are our latest accommodation deals:

• Aspire Hotel Sydney (Ultimo): 

Deluxe Package

• Metro Hotel Sydney Central:

Wicked Family Package

• Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour

Free Upgrade Package

• Metro Hotel on Pitt

2 Night Stay Deal

Octonauts Live! Operation Reef Sheild

Developed from a special new episode of the worldwide hit children’s animation series The OCTONAUTS (ABC For Kids), OCTONAUTS LIVE! OPERATION REEF SHIELD is a live adventure musical touring Australia’s premier theatres.

The OCTONAUTS are an eight person team of quirky and courageous undersea adventurers who are always ready to dive into action! It is their mission to explore new underwater worlds, rescue amazing sea creatures and protect the ocean. 

They are led by valiant polar bear Captain Barnacles, Lieutenant Kwazii the daring cat, and Medic Peso the big-hearted penguin. The beloved animated characters have been reimagined for the live stage and transformed into impressive lifelike walkaround costumes of the pedigree that has made Life Like Touring Australia’s leading producer of family theatre.

Entirely created and produced in Australia, OCTONAUTS LIVE! OPERATION REEF SHIELD! is written and directed by Life Like Touring’s Theresa Borg, who wrote and directed acclaimed internationally touring productions Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries, which toured to Australia, North America, Middle East and Europe, and Sesame Street Presents Elmo’s World Tour which toured Australia and Asia.

In OCTONAUTS LIVE! OPERATION REEF SHIELD, Captain Barnacles and his trusty crew join forces with a host of colourful Australian reef dwellers on a mission to save the Great Barrier Reef! When the Octonauts deploy a new undersea medical station designed to keep the reef clean and healthy, they discover a problem that threatens the reef dwellers and their home. 

An outbreak of spiky and very hungry Crown of Thorns Starfish are on their way to eat the reef! It will take all the Octonauts, their Gups, and a rag-tag crew of sea creatures to ward off the advancing starfish and save the Great Barrier Reef! Don’t miss this all new musical adventure live on stage for the first time in 2015.

Running Time: Approximately 75 minutes total (including 15 minute interval)
Performance Dates: Friday 6th & Saturday 7th March

Event Location: Capitol Theatre Sydney

Get tickets NOW

Nearby accommodation at Metro Hotel Sydney Central

Brazouka Touring Australia

Narrated by comedian turned Brazilian dance lover Billy Connolly and performed by Brazil's most thrilling new dance troupe, Brazouka is the inspirational story of Braz Dos Santos’ journey from a small Brazilian village to the international stage - it was dance or die for the best freestyle Lambada and Lambazouk dancer in the world.

This must see production is sure to have "the entire audience on their feet, laughing and dancing" (The West Australian) as the striking performers play with the illustrious martial arts dance - Capoeira, Afro-contemporary, Rio Zouk, the cheeky partner dances of the Samba.  They present the most impressive display of the sensual dance languages of Lambada, Lambazouk, mixed with the bouncy Forro style that Australian audiences may ever see.

Off the back of impressive runs in Edinburgh, London and Johannesburg, Brazouka is already stunning Australian audiences, being touted by The West Australian as an "astonishing”, and “seductive spectacle".  Don’t miss your chance to experience the passion of Brazilian dance – limited runs across Australia.

Tour Dates:
- Ticketek is selling for the following venues only -

• Thu 23 - Sun 26 Oct @ Regal Theatre, Perth
• Thu 13 - Sun 16 Nov @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney
• Wed 19 - Sun 30 Nov @ The Palms at Crown, Melbourne

Tickets: http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=BRAZOUKA14#prX1QS4XeR4ZU0jl.99

NELLY plus Lupe Fiasco and B.O.B 2015 Australian Tour

Presented by: Epic Entertainment

Tickets On Sale: Thursday 30th October 10:00am at Ticketek: http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=NELLYBOB15

Three of the world’s biggest names in hip-hop have confirmed that they will be embarking on an arena tour at the start of 2015. Double Grammy award-winning rapper, Nelly will join Lupe Fiasco and B.o.B for a show-stopping concert brought to you by Epic Entertainment. The power-house tour will see each artist play a collection of their greatest hits, both old and new this summer, with concerts in; Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland and Perth.

With over 21 million albums sold, the tour marks Nelly’s first visit to Australia in four years, and his first ever arena tour. Joined by Lupe Fiasco and B.o.B, the trio will perform global smash hits including; ‘Ride With Me’, ‘Hot in Here’, ‘Super Star’ and ‘So Good’ across Australia and New Zealand.

Since jumping on the scene with his infectious debut single, ‘Country Grammar’, Nelly has made a resounding impact in music that can still be felt to this day. Most recently, the multi-platinum, Grammy award–winning rap superstar released his seventh full-length album, M.O., featuring guest appearances by Nicki Minaj, Pharrell, Future, T.I. and 2 Chainz. However, his talent goes beyond music, expanding his brand into other arenas, including acting, fashion and even his own line of energy drinks.

Entrepreneurial rapper, songwriter and producer Lupe Fiasco joins the powerhouse trio on tour. Since blasting onto the scene in 1999, Lupe can be credited for global hits including ‘Superstar’ and ‘The Show Goes On’, whist racking up an impressive 12 Grammy nominations and countless other awards.

Breaking musical barriers, B.o.B redefines the term rapper with an impressive blend of lyrics, vocals and memorable hits; including one of 2012’s biggest hits ‘So Good’, which dominated the charts globally. He has collaborations with some of the biggest names in music, including Chris Brown, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Eminem, Bruno Mars and even our very own Potbelleez.

Tour details: http://www.qantascreditunionarena.com.au/Events/Events%20Detail/Nelly.aspx
Presenter website: www.epicpresents.com.au

David Byrne’s Musical About Imelda Marcos to Debut at Barangaroo

David Byrne was in Sydney to promote his musical Here Lies Love for the 2015 Vivid festival.Source: News Corp Australia

Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne announced in Sydney today that his musical Here Lies Love, about the life of former first lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos, will make its Australian debut at a purpose-built venue in the city’s Barangaroo development next May.

Byrne, who is in Australia for casting of the production, first performed the songs from the musical in Adelaide in 2006, but since then the show has developed into an interactive stage production and is currently showing in London and New York.

“I would never have started on this project if I’d known how long it was going to take,” said Byrne, who co-wrote the musical with English artist Fatboy Slim. The show is set in a disco/nightclub environment, to tell the Marcos story in song.

Byrne was inspired by the idea that the first lady frequented dance venues and had a nightclub in her New York apartment and at her palace in the Philippines. “I’m old enough to remember that she was a larger than life figure,” he said.

“I’m very excited about the show being here and I think Australians are going to enjoy it.”

The show, which will be staged inside a construction made from freight containers called the Millennium, is part of next year’s Vivid Festival in Sydney.