City Hub 16 January 2020 by Alt Media

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HOW YOU CAN HELP Following the catastrophic NSW fires, the truly hard recovery process begins

Page 10 & 11

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CITY HUB 16 JANUARY 2020

HubNEWS

Can desalination solve our water problems? (See p. 8)

Dendy’s leaving Opera Quays

HubARTS “With everything that’s going on right now in Australia we’re desperate to get out there and provide some sort of relief for people. (See p. 14)

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Group Editor & Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons News Editor: Alec Smart Contributors: Alec Smart, Max Tillman Cartoonist: Sam Mcnair Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Contributors: Erika Echternach, Irina Dunn, Kirsta Cheung, Madison Behringer, Mark Morellini,Olga Azar, Renee Lou Dallow, Rita Bratovich,Olga Sedneva Advertising Manager: Georgina Pengelly Cover Photo: Savannah van der Niet (2). Regurgitator’s Pogogo Designer: Nadia Kalinitcheva Advertising: sales@altmedia.net.au Mail: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Email: news@altmedia.net.au, arts@altmedia.net.au Ph: 9212 5677 Fax: 9212 5633 Website: cityhubsydney.com.au If you have a story, or any comments you’d like to share with us: news@altmedia.net.au @CityHubSydney

Dendy’s Cinema is vacating Opera Quays on 26 February after 20 years. Photo: Alec Smart

by MAX TILLMAN endy Cinemas is giving up its Opera Quays location after twenty years, as the company’s lease on the property won’t be renewed from March 2019. Their last screening will be on Weds 26 Feb. With panoramic views of Sydney Harbour, the site will reopen under new management by larger independent, United Cinemas Australia.

Cinema attendance rates

are now higher than the mid-80’s slump, following the upsurge in video hire United manage eight cinemas, including Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, three on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and one each in Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland, as well two restaurants. In a statement on the company’s Facebook page, Dendy Australia expressed the news “with great sadness,” stating that the cinema will “be closing its doors on February 26th, 2020. “We’d like to personally thank you for your patronage over the last 20 years and we hope to welcome you at our sister cinema in Newtown.” The Opera Quay’s location has been run by the

popular independent since 1999, and with its closure now leaves the company’s Newtown premises, opened in 1994, as their last remaining NSW cinema (although they have two in Queensland and one in Canberra). No Loss of Independence The building’s new tenants, United Cinemas, plan to upgrade the current venue, but in the meantime will reopen on the 27 Feb, only a day after Dendy’s lease expires. In a statement, the cinema chain, independently owned by Australian-Italian businessman Roy Mustaca, outlined their plans for a “Grand Lux cinema experience.” The facelift of the current site will include the current three cinemas being completely refurbished, as well as the addition of three new screens. In the company’s official statement announcing the move, United Cinema’s cited the “World Class location” as providing “Sydney’s finest cinema experience in the CBD.” For Scott Seddon, President of Independent Cinemas Australia, the changing of the guard at the Opera Quays location between two Australian owned cinema chains is a good sign for moviegoers. “Independent cinemas represent around about a quarter of the Australian market,” Mr. Seddon said. “The

thing that is more appropriate to independence is that they’re more able to respond to their particular area’s needs.” Indies Going Strong Under Dendy Cinema’s lease, the Opera Quay location hosted screenings for a number of the city’s film festivals, including the annual Sydney Film festival each June. Dendy Cinemas is also the sponsor for Sydney Film Festival’s longrunning Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films. Screen Australia’s 2018 Cinema Trends show that the proportion of Australians attending the cinema at least once per year has averaged 69 percent since the year 2000, with the average Australian attending seven times a year. Attendance rates are now equal, or higher than, rates before the mid-80’s slump, following the upsurge in the popularity of video hire. While online streaming services loom large over conventional theatres, the Australian independent cinema industry is still going strong. “One independent operator is leaving the premises, and another is moving in,” Mr. Seddon said, “I think it will be fairly seamless. And just something slightly different for the people.” CITY HUB 16 JANUARY 2020

HubNEWS

Bushfires bring out the best by ALEC SMART he apocalyptic bushfires raging across Australia, incinerating millions of hectares of forest and decimating an estimated 1.5 billion animals, are bringing out the best and, unfortunately, the worst in Australians as we work together to solve the crisis. Over $35million has been donated to the Red Cross Disaster Response and Recovery

 The very best of all -

the fireys, the volunteers, and you Fund since the start of 2020, just one of many charities dealing with the ongoing emergency. However, the NSW Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has requested an end to unsolicited donations of toys, clothes and furniture. OEM spokesman Jeremy Hillman says the scale of the donations are such they can no longer be processed.

Cooperation and philanthropy draws communities together to respond to the bushfire crisis. Photo: Alec Smart

“Unfortunately, what usually happens is local communities become overwhelmed very quickly with donated goods,” he said. “Individuals think that that’s the best way to help, to fill up a car or a truck or a shipping container with clothes, furniture and toys, but the reality is hundreds, if not thousands of people start to do that and then converge on these impacted areas. “We do not need any more food; we do

not need any more clothes. “Give money,” he pleaded. “Support the local businesses and the communities.” Unfortunately, despite communities rallying to aid others throughout this national crisis, and high-profile personalities and companies donating millions to bushfire charities, there have been cynics and fear-mongers who have capitalised on the disaster to prey on others for their own nefarious gains.

The worst of the worst are surely the looters, some allegedly impersonating NSW Police officers, targeting towns like Batemans Bay, where residents fleeing advancing bushfires have returned home later to find their homes burgled, with children’s bicycles, household items, jewellery and personal effects stolen. Other cynical opportunists include the politicians spreading the dubious allegations that the Green Party are responsible for allowing fuel to build up by preventing backburns and locking the gates of national parks to deny fire officers access – falsehoods repeatedly dismissed by fire chiefs and forest management experts. And of course the climate change deniers, who after initially blaming exploding horse poo and other ridiculous causes, continue to assert that most of the fires are the result of arsonists. Of 183 people charged with breaching fire bans, only 24 have been charged with deliberately lighting fires. Contin’d on P05

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HubNEWS

and worst - of Australians Contin’d limate change deniers are unable to accept that the prolonged drought and record temperatures associated with global warming, backed by scientific consensus and tens of thousands of expert analytics, don’t

 The worst include looters -

and, sad to say, our prime minister deserve merit and dismiss them as a left-wing conspiracy. ScoMo, our dim-witted Prime Minister, took his third holiday in a year even as bushfires accelerated to catastrophic levels. He has since blundered from one photo opportunity to another making illinformed and insensitive statements. After delivering a small Woolworths’ shopping bag of groceries – reportedly

containing a few energy drinks - as his personal bushfire relief donation, he reached a new low by grabbing the arms of angry victims and exhausted firefighters who tried to avoid him, in order to force them to shake his hand, then turned his back on the volunteer firefighters pleading for help. Special mention must also go to conspiracy theorists who’ve spouted delusional assertions that the federal government deliberately lit

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the bushfires in order to destroy rural towns and drive everyone into cities. Apparently this policy of ethnic cleansing was launched to facilitate construction of ‘smart cities’ on firecleared vacant wasteland, linked by a new high-speed rail network. The fact that this requires colossal levels of organisation from a government unable to manage a picnic on Parliament House lawn, whilst thousands of participating

public servants keep the secret without whispering it to journalists waving wallets full of cash, is beyond the overactive imaginations of the flatEarthers and chemtrail conspiracists fuelling this daft rumour. But it’s not all gloomy doommongering. The wonderful spirit of cooperation and philanthropy for which Australians are renowned has drawn diverse communities together in this time of national crisis. From kids running cake stalls, to bands playing benefit concerts, to communities organising fundraisers, to celebrities gifting donations, to workers sharing their time, people have come together to raise money that provides valuable aid to volunteer fire fighters and fire-relief charities like the Red Cross, Salvation Army, St Vincent’s, and animal welfare groups. Would you like to help? Check out our feature story in this issue, page TKTKT, to see a list of the many fundraisers in the works.

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HubNEWS

The future of water: Desalination? by ALEC SMART he NSW Government Water Minister, Melinda Pavey, has directed the operators of Sydney’s desalination plant to expand the premises as soon as possible to cope with the ongoing drought. The plant, near Captain Cook’s landing place in Kurnell on the southern side of Botany Bay, will double in size and output to provide more than 30% of Sydney’s drinking water.

 If water conservation had

been imposed it’s possible we wouldn’t need to use desalination per cent, a level not seen since 2004 during the Millennium Drought. The Millennium Drought, believed to be the worst since European settlement of Australia, commenced with low rainfall in 1997 and was not reversed until La Niña weather conditions in 2010 brought intense rains and some localised flooding to parts of Australia. The NSW Govt’s 2006 Metropolitan Water Plan identified desalination of seawater as the best means of ensuring

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“The expansion of the plant should be undertaken as quickly as practicable and in a prudent and efficient manner to deliver at least an additional 250 megalitres of drinking water per day averaged over a 12-month period,” Pavey said. DROUGHTS Currently Sydney’s primary drinking water supply comes from Warragamba Dam south-west of Sydney. However, water levels in the dam have depleted to 43.1

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water security. “Having the capacity to draw on desalination means that the Government will not need to impose drought restrictions on water use that are more stringent than those imposed when dams levels reached 40% in June 2005,” the report stated. The last time Warragamba Dam reached 100 per cent capacity was 1998, although the lowest level recorded was 33.8 per cent in Feb 2007. The Millennium Drought led to

the creation of six major seawater desalination plants around Australia. The Kurnell plant, opened in Jan 2010 and powered by a wind farm in Bungendore, near Queanbeyan, is the only one in NSW and is jointly owned by a private consortium of three: Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board of Canada, Utilities Trust of Australia (Morrison & Co.) and The Infrastructure Fund (Gardior Pty Ltd). WATER EFFICIENCY Independent NSW MP Justin Field is critical of the NSW Govt’s economic rationale for enlarging the desalination plant, which will likely see an increase in water rates to pay for the expansion. In Dec 2019 he declared “Sydney Water’s 2019 Water Conservation Report shows the failure of the NSW Coalition Government to take Sydney’s water crisis seriously… “Since 2011 overall and per person, water use is higher, water recycling is lower, leakage rates are higher and now represent 9% of all water used in Sydney. We’re in the middle of the worst drought on record and the NSW Government is still not taking water efficiency and recycling seriously.”

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COFFIN ED’S NAKED CITY

TYRANNOPHOBICS REJOICE!

ombing the many phobias listed on the internet, I’ve been unable to find one that specifically defines a fear or dislike of royalty – the kind of regal pomp, pomposity and subsidised privilege we associate with the British royal family. The closest I could manage was the word, tyrannophobia, generally used to describe a fear of tyrants and autocracy. Can we extend its meaning to include not only a pathological dislike of royalty but the tyranny of the media in serving up such endless drivel about their shallow and anachronistic existence? In Australia, there’s seldom an evening TV news program these days that does not include some totally inconsequential story about the British royals – most of it carefully generated by the Palace’s own PR department. Add to that the mass of print space they constantly occupy in the gossip and women’s mags as well as a tsunami of internet clickbait, and the saturation is unavoidable. If you are a monarchist or simply somebody attracted to the Royal soap opera, you no doubt delight in this coverage. Even the scandal associated with a sleazebag like Prince Andrew offers a kind of gratuitous thrill, balanced of course by the goodliness of the Queen and the arrival of yet another Royal baby. On the other hand, if you are a Republican or somebody who believes

THAT SNEAKY RABBIT

CITY HUB 16 JANUARY 2020

in an egalitarian society, then the British Royal family is an anathema – particularly from an Australian perspective. So for tyrannaophobics like myself, any scandal, illegality, disruption or dysfunction associated with the Royal family is griss to the classless mill. We stamp our commoner feet in joy as Prince Andrew is verbally disembowelled in a BBC News Night interview and exposed as the arrogant twat that he really is – even though we know justice, in this case, will probably never be served. When the ageing Duke trashes his Land Rover and injures two women, we know only too well

he will never be charged with dangerous driving. That he is back behind the wheel a few days later only emphasises what Royal privilege really is. You would think that it would take something of extraordinary significance to push the horrific bushfires off the front page of our daily newspapers. That was not the case with the Daily Telegraph last week who could not resist the “MEGXIT” banner, in announcing Harry and Meghan would be distancing themselves from the Royal circus. Our own national tragedy took second fiddle to the full page announcement that two of the Palace’s

By Sam Mcnair

#thatsneakyrabbit

star performers would be opting for a more private lifestyle. Such a terrible sense of betrayal, not only from the Royal family itself, but from the myriad of professional royal watchers, commentators, sycophants and tabloid rags who have built an industry around the couple. Not to mention the anguish suffered by the millions of Australian Harry and Meghan fans who are now left with only the adulterous and buffoonish Prince Charles, the balding and way too serious Prince William, the disgraced Prince Andrew and the increasingly disenchanted Queen to provide their daily feed of regal forage. No doubt those with a vested interest in maintaining and profiting from media coverage of the Royals will look to quickly fill the vacuum left by “Megxit”, if in fact Harry and Meghan can effectively insulate themselves from constant tabloid surveillance. For true tyrannophobics, any disruption of this kind is welcome news. Firstly it encourages public debate as to just what the role and obligations of the Royals are, given that much of their lifestyle and security are taxpayer-funded. It questions the whole relevance of the Royal family today, obviously more so in the UK, but certainly for Australia as well. Britain has chosen to hang on to its aristocrats, its monarchs, its lords, its knights and dames and other vestiges of a class defined society. Here in Australia we still seem partly subservient to that tradition – albeit in a strangely voyeuristic way. Finally, I suggest the more militant tyrannophobics would agree - you have to hand it to the French. They had the enviable foresight to decapitate their aristocracy when that kind of barbarism was still acceptable.

CITY HUB 16 JANUARY 2020

RISING FROM THE ASHES:

HOW WE CAN HELP

BY JAMIE APPS hankfully last week brought with it some much-needed rain, albeit only a small amount. With that rain came an easing of the catastrophic fire danger that has plagued New South Wales for the past month. As the danger now eases we’re beginning to bear witness to the devastating impact these fires have had on individuals, families, communities and our wildlife. Now the hard part begins. Rebuilding our lives and communities. Over the last few weeks the rebuilding process has a seen Sydneysiders, and Australians as a whole, donating incredibly generously. Since the beginning of the year the Red Cross Disaster Response And Recovery Fund alone has received over $35 million in donations. Alongside this financial support the NSW Office Of Emergency Management (OEM) has received such an influx of physical donations they have had to ask for donations to cease as they are simply unable to process or store any more physical goods. Whilst the fire wrought an unprecedented toll there has also been subsequent flow-on effects for many communities. Many of the hardest-hit communities typically rely on an influx of tourist dollars during the summer holiday to help sustain local business throughout the year. With these fires isolating large swaths of the State these dollars haven’t flowed in, as usual, this year. Hence the creation of a wonderful campaign, #GoWithEmptyEskys. This campaign calls on Sydneysiders to travel to these small communities, whether it be for a simple day trip or a longer weekend stay with nothing more than an empty esky. By doing this you will then be more likely to purchase food, drinks and various other small items at small business along the way. Every dollar spent at these local stores will directly help support a local family. As a small example of how a simple day trip to the south coast could help multiple small business Sydneysiders could; • Stop in at the famous Berry Donut Van - while not directly impacted by the fire this business is reliant on tourist dollars. And you’ll get a delicious treat along the way.

CITY HUB 16 JANUARY2020

• Play a round of golf at any of the picturesque golf courses dotted along the coast • Have lunch/dinner at a local family restaurant/take-away • Take surfing lessons • Get a haircut at one of the great local salons If you enjoy your time so much you want to stay a little longer, book a night at local Bed & Breakfast As an added benefit to this journey you’ll get to witness not only the expensive nature of the destruction from these fires, but also the beauty of nature as it springs back to live from within the ashes. However, if you can’t make your way out of the city there are still a number of fantastic ways you can support the relief efforts here in Sydney.

The Original Wiggles Reunion Show For Bushfire Relief Jan 17-18. Castle Hill RSL, 77 Castle St, Castle Hill. $35+b.f. Tickets & Info: www. castlehillrsl.com.au Out Of Bounds Fire Relief Festival Jan 18. Campbelltown Athletics Centre, Cnr of Rose Payten Dr &, Pembroke Rd, Leumeah. $69+b.f. Tickets & Info: www. frontiertouring.com/outofbounds Jam Jam Jam (Comedy Night) Jan 18. The Newsagency, 74-76 Pyrmont Bridge Rd, Annandale. $16.50+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.stickytickets.com.au Football For Firies Jan 18. Ian McLennan Park, 50 Wyllie Rd, Kembla Grange. $2

BENEFITS

Inner West Music Fest

Fire Relief Fund For First Nations Communities & WIRES Jan 16. The Bearded Tit, 183 Regent St, Redfern.

Jan 19. Pratten Park Bowling Club, 42 Arthur St, Ashfield. $5-$10 at the door FireAid 2020

Jan 24. Bong Bong Picnic Racecourse, 460 Kangaloon Rd, East Bowral. $20$250+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.premier. ticketek.com.au Fire Fundraiser Featuring Hockey Dad & Dune Rats Jan 24. North Wollongong Hotel. 3 Flinders St, North Wollongong. $60$100+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.moshtix. com.au Ryan’s Rocks For Red Cross Jan 24. Ryan’s Hotel, 138 Phillip St, Thirroul. FREE MoshPit Bushfire Fundraiser Jan 24. MoshPit, 642A King St, Erskineville. Entry by donation (plus $1 from drink sold will be donated) Taronga Zoo - Twilight At Taronga Concerts Jan 31-Mar 7. Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman. $67.15-$144+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.twilightattaronga. org.au

Bushfire Relief Dance Party Jan 31. Annadale Creative Arts Centre, 81 Johnston St, Annandale. Entry by donation ($20 suggested) Friendlyjordies present John Howard Really Sucked Jan 31. Paddo RSL, 220/232 Oxford St, Paddington. Punk/Hardcore Fundraiser For Victims Of Recent Bushfires Feb 1. Moshpit, 642A King St, Erskineville. $10 Bushfire Benefit Dinner Feb 1. Bopp & Tone, 60 Carrington St, Wynyard Park. $150-$900+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.boppandtone.com.au Sydney Sings For Hope Feb 2. Bowman Hall, 35 Campbell St, Blacktown. $25 at the door. Bushfire Benefit Show Feb 8. The Cambridge Hotel, 789 Hunter St, Newcastle West. $20+b.f. Tickets & Info: www. thecambridgehotel.com.au Swingin’ For The Rain Feb 15. Bondi Bowling Club, 1 Warners Ave, North Bondi. $40+b.f Tickets & Info: www.eventbrite.com Fire Fight Australia, National Concert for Bushfire Relief Hosted by Celeste Barber and featuring Queen + Adam Lambert, Alice Cooper, Delta Goodrem, and many more Feb 16. ANZ Stadium, Edwin Flack Ave, Sydney Olympic Park. $70-$100+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.firefightaustralia. com

with them tagged and the following hashtag, #PLBUSHFIRESUPPORT

Nations’ communities affected by the fires - www.gofundme.com

Cadbury Donating 100% of proceeds from the sales of Freddo, Caramello Koala and Furry Friends products until Jan 17

Finally if any of our readers encounter any distressed or displaced wildlife the NSW National Parks And Wildlife Service have a few helpful tips.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Donating 100% of the proceeds from sales of a special download pack, entitled ‘Outback Relief’, until Jan 31 CHARITIES Red Cross - www.redcross.org.au Salvation Army - www.salvationarmy. org.au St Vincent de Paul - www.donate. vinnies.org.au Rural Fire Service (RFS) - www.rfs. nsw.gov.au County Fire Service Foundation (CFS) - www.cfsfoundation.org.au WIRES - www.wires.org.au RSPCA - www.rspcansw.org.au Koalas In Care - www.koalasincare. org.au Indigenous - GoFundMe for First

1. Provide a safe, wild-life friendly watering area, which should include; I. Clean, fresh water (changed daily) II. Strong, stable containers to avoid them tipping over or collapsing III. A cleared area with shade to allow nervous wildlife to watch out for predators and keep cool IV. Should be away from children and pets 2. If you find injured wildlife please contact you local rescue group or vet. However, if that’s not possible take the following actions; I. Remove threats from the animal including small children, cats and dogs. II. Cover and contain the animal in a box lined with a towel. III. Don’t give food or water unless instructed by a trained wildlife rescue volunteer or a vet. IV. Keep the animal inside in a quiet place, allowing it to rest with no disturbance.

PLACE PIC

Comedy Steps Up for Bushfire Relief - Tim Minchin, Arj Barker, Kitty Flanagan, Joel Creasy, Julia Morris, and more Mar 16. Sydney Opera House Forecourt, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $149.90-$1999.90+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com Band Together 2020 Concert For Southern Highlands Mar 28. Venue TBA, Picton. Pepper Lunch Donating 10c for every photo posted CITY HUB 16 JANUARY 2020

Cats and kittens available for adoption Discounted feline health services Information and advice Specialist cat boutique

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osal.

TELSTRA IS PLANNING TO RELOCATE A PAYPHONE

It is proposed that a coin and card payphone be removed from: Outside 26 Alison Road, Randwick NSW 2031 (Payphone ID: 02939825X2)

It is proposed that a coin and card payphone be removed from: Botany Street corner of Alison Road, Randwick, NSW 2031 (Payphone ID: 02939821X2)

And a coin and card payphone be installed: Outside 32 Alison Road, Randwick, NSW 2031

And a coin and card payphone be installed: Outside 149 Alison Road near Elizabeth Street, Randwick, NSW 2031

The relocated payphone will be located approximately 20 metres away from the payphone that is proposed to be removed.

The relocated payphone will be located approximately 108 metres away from the payphone that is proposed to be removed.

Currently, the next nearest payphone is located outside: 20 Abbotford Road, Kensington NSW 2033 (Payphone ID: 02931397X2)

Currently, the next nearest payphone is located outside: 13 Silver Street, Randwick, NSW 2031 (Payphone ID: 02939829X2)

Reference Number 42691

Reference Number 42699

Telstra intends making a final decision on this proposal by:

4th March 2020

To assist us in making a final decision, we invite your comments on this proposal. Please send us your comments in writing to:

Telstra Payphone Siting Manager Locked Bag 4850 Melbourne Vic 3001 or by calling us on 1800 011 433 selection Option 2 or by email to Payphones@team.telstra.com

For more information on payphone services (including, any applicable payphone consultation document) see: www.telstra.com.au/consumer-advice/payphones

CITY HUB 16 JANUARY 2020

HubARTS

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes “With everything that’s going on right now in Australia we’re desperate to get out there and provide some sort of relief for people.” (See p.14)

Photo - Georges Antoni

BLACK COCKATOO

eoffrey Atherden has a great ear for dialogue and an ability to tell a story that extends beyond the written page. Black Cockatoo recounts the little known history of an Aboriginal Australian cricket team, put together by a wily white manager, Charles Lawrence (Colin Smith), who took them on tour through England in the 1860s. Ostensibly a sporting tour to pit the skills of the black cricketers against the legendary English teams, it was in fact, a sideshow. Lawrence asked the team to throw boomerangs, wear ridiculously inauthentic costumes, and basically “perform” for the crowds. Despite this, the cricketers themselves proved to be formidable players, earning respect and plaudits from the English that were glaringly

Photo - Prudence Upton

absent in their own country. Johnny Mullagh (Aaron McGrath) in particular, was said to have talent comparable to any cricketing legends known today. The play is predominantly set in two time frames: the

1860s during the tour, and the present day where four young black activists have broken into a museum to protest its name. It’s a simple set with the back wall made up of wire shelving filled with

black archive boxes. Time is established by the characters and costumes. Much of the cast play dual roles and all are excellent. In addition to the above named, they are; Joseph Althouse, Luke Carroll, Chenoa Deemal, Dubs Yunupingu. It’s an entertaining if challenging piece, peppered with humour and making a clear statement without being didactic. McGrath is particularly powerful as Mullagh, evincing empathy and admiration. Director Wesley Enoch has found the right mix of abrasiveness and sensitivity in this wonderful, timely piece of work. (RB)

important part in his work. “I think it’s absolutely vital to be vulnerable with audiences because it shows a sort of generosity. Vulnerability is a very important part of communication, it shows that you have the same worries and anxiety as the audience. It also shows that you worry about what they think.” Grayson is excited to get his audience thinking as part of the Them & Us tour, saying: “I like to catch people out and make them think about the things that they don’t know they need to think about.” (MB)

rguably one of the most popular operas in any reper toire, Bizet’s Carmen is an easy pleaser due to its hit af ter hit collection of familiar tunes and its easy to follow stor yline. But, because of this, in the wrong hands it can suf fer the banality of cliches and same ol’ same ol’ design. Not this production. John Bell’s return staging of Carmen feels every bit as fresh and exciting as when it first debuted. The story of a feisty, rebellious, fatally attractive cigarette-factory girl who immediately usurps the heart of any man who ventures too close, is sexy, energetic and passionate. Bell has relocated the action from Seville in the late 1800s to somewhere that resembles Cuba in a modern time frame that embodies 1920s gangster, 1940s sass, and 1950s colour and youthful vitality. The costumes are vivid and elegant, while also giving a sense of street chic. These are contrasted against a stark, colourless set consisting of run-down, concrete buildings. There are some wonderful dance sequences, including some impressive displays by a troupe of young kids. All the leads are exceptional and each receives resounding applause after their respective limelight arias. If you love opera you will love this production, and if you don’t or are not sure if you do, this will conver t you. (RB)

Jan 16. State Theatre, 49 Market St, Sydney. $89$119+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.statetheatre.com.au

Until Mar 26. Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $40$369+b.f. Tickets & Info: www. sydneyoperahouse.com

Until Feb 8. The Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall St, Kirribilli. $38-$79+b.f. Tickets & Info: www. ensemble.com.au

GRAYSON PERRY: THEM & US

nglish contemporary artist Grayson Perry is the master of many art forms including ceramics, photography and

embroidery, and this week he will bring his newest live show, Them & Us, to Sydney audiences. Grayson is a Turner prizewinning artist and BAFTA-winning TV presenter, whose upcoming live show will explore cultural divisions amongst the world’s current climate. Grayson shared how his personal interest in how sociology plays a part in creating content for his live shows saying, “I suppose it comes out of…I’m a kind

of an amateur sociologist and I look at the world and I kind of see a lot of social, political and cultural issues now. We’re more and more polarized, probably because of the internet more than anything.” As an artist, Grayson seeks to create content that both he and his audience will relate to. “I think whatever interests and amuses me, I’m the same as my audience, you know I’m not special. I think my audience are the same kind of people as me.” Regardless of the medium, Grayson’s art reflects vulnerability and an insight into his thought process as an artist, and this vulnerability plays an

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ased on Australian historical events, The Visitors is set on the shores of Gadigal land in January 1788. The play explores the perspective of the Aboriginal elders before the arrival of the First Fleet. Muruwari Australian playwright, Jane Harrison who had previously written Stolen and Rainbow’s End, adds a modern twist to her new play, The Visitors. Harrison had previously explored in her plays, the struggles facing generations of Aboriginal women and children in being accepted into white Australian society. However, unlike her other plays, Harrison had demonstrated an interesting representation of Aboriginal history, told from the perspectives of the elders. The elders are portrayed as educated lawmakers, dressed in suits, rather than in the traditional indigenous outfits that you would expect.

The play primarily revolves around a comedic dialogue between seven Aboriginal elders as they meet to decide whether the strangers should be welcomed or encouraged to leave. It is an important play, a play that acknowledges that there needs to be a greater representation of Indigenous Australian voices in Australian fiction in order to understand the possible ways to move forward. This is a must-see in 2020! (KC) January 22- 26. Bay 20, Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh. $39$45+b.f. Tickets & Info: www. moogahlin.org

FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES BY JAMIE APPS or the fourth time in just over two years UK punk rockers Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes will make their way down under. This time around the band will be commemorating the release of their third album, End Of Suffering. Which is somewhat fitting given the recent bushfire tragedies which have befallen our beautiful country. When speaking with Carter ahead of the tour he was incredibly saddened by the news coming out of Australia. “With everything that’s going on right now in Australia we’re desperate to get out there and provide some sort of relief for people. I know we can’t bring any level of normalcy but at least we will come, play out hearts out and you can come have a moment of catharsis with us.” It is statements like that one, along with his Carter’s longstanding push to ensure Rattlesnakes gigs are safe for everybody which prove he, and the band, have incredibly big hearts. During every Rattlesnakes performance, Carter and the band make a point of ensuring women feel safe at their gigs. In order to do this, the band sets aside one song early in their set which opens the dance floor up to the women in the audience only. “Unfortunately rock environments, in particular, can be very testosterone-

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Photo - Daniel Alexander Harris

heavy, so we felt like we had to make a change,” Carter explained, “It’s not about the gesture or a small token of giving women one song. That one song early on in the set turns the entire atmosphere into one of love, protection, friendship, unity and equality. Quite often what happens afterwards is all you see for the rest of the night is girls crowd surfing or moshing in the pit, and you see the guys protecting that space.” By implementing these small changes into their live performances the band hope to see their fans carry this into their everyday life. Therefore making society in general much more inclusive. Something which Carter says he has set a personal deadline on seeing happen. “I’ve given myself a deadline of 15 years from now. When my daughter

is 20 and playing/going to shows I want her to do so without feeling uncomfortable. If we’re still having this conversation then, I’ll be very disappointed in myself.” Looking ahead, Carter says people ideally shouldn’t head into the upcoming show in Sydney with any expectations. But, if they do “come with an open mind and open heart ready to have a great fucking time because you’re probably about to see your new favourite band in action for the first time.” Jan 18. Roundhouse, University Of New South Wales, Anzac Parade, Kensington. $60+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.arc.unsw.edu.au

GABRIELLE APLIN DEAR HAPPY

abrielle Aplin is ringing in the new year with the release of her latest album Dear Happy. Aplin shows off her versatility throughout the album from upbeat tunes like So Far So Good to sombre songs like Just One of Those Days. At times, Aplin sounds eerily similar to Selena Gomez, with the same velvety voice and smooth background instrumentals. Every song on Dear Happy is a hit, and the album even features a stellar Aplin duet with JP Cooper called Losing Me. Notably, Kintsugi stands out as one of the album’s best singles, not only for its brilliant musical sound but also for its nod to the Japanese art kintsugi that treats breaks as part of an object’s history. (EE) WWWWW

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KIDS & KITTENS

hese school holidays the Cat Protection Society will be opening their doors and allowing kids to interact with some very cute kittens and cats. If you’re hunting for free school holiday entertainment, look no further. “Kids love animals, so we thought that we would help out families this school holidays by opening our doors and providing a completely free experience where kids can interact with our gorgeous felines. On the day, kids will learn how to create quirky kitty toys, how to safely handle cats and best of all receive cuddle therapy,” said Kristina Vesk, CEO of Cat Protection Society NSW. Not only is this a fantastic free

event, which will get the kids out of the house but there are four other great benefits to the program. Every child who participates in these open sessions will learn creative skills as they create cad friendly toys for the yet to be adopted felines. Kids will also receive priceless “cuddle therapy” as they are taught how to pick up on signs of stress, anxiety or annoyance in our feline friends as they give them as many cuddles as they wish. During the sessions you can also be assured that your children will be spending some time away from the screen, even if only for a short part of the overall holiday period. And finally, but perhaps the best benefit of all, the kids may make

a friend for life.If you are thinking of or are just sick of your kids pestering you to purchase a cat, this is the perfect chance to see how a cat could fit into your family and test whether your child is equipped to care for a new

addition to the family. Until Jan 22. Cat Protection Society of NSW, 103 Enmore Road Newtown. FREE. Bookings are essential and can be made by calling 02 9519 7201

TRUE HISTORY OF

THE KELLY GANG

efore the entertainment world was rocked by the Harvey Weinstein scandal and subsequent #MeToo movement a bombshell was dropped on the news media, in particular, Fox News. Docudrama Bombshell explores this first wave of sexual harassment revelations. The film revolves around allegations pegged towards the then Fox News CEO Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) by news anchors/hosts Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) and Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron). The final piece of the puzzle in Bombshell is fictional character Kayla Pospisil (Margot Robbie), who is an amalgamation of a number of other Ailes victims.

By splitting the film into three distinct, but overlapping, arches Bombshell quickly represents how disposable and replaceable Ailes felt his female employees were. This shines a bright and jarring light on the culture of harassment which seemingly pervaded Fox News and numerous other entrainment mediums. Throughout the film each actor provides a compelling and believable portrayal of their character/real-life counterpart. Bombshell is a stark reminder of the horrid events which can occur behind closed doors when ambition precedes human decency. (JA) WWW1/2

rue History Of The Kelly Gang is a unique interpretation of the story of Ned Kelly, infamous bushranger of the 1800s. Featuring a stellar lineup of award-winning Australian and international stars, including Russell Crowe, Nicholas Hoult, Essie Davis, Claudia Karvan and Charlie Hunnam, the acting is faultless. Unfortunately, it’s the plot and dialogue that is the film’s downfall. Starting on fairly safe ground with Ned Kelly’s childhood, it descends into a dreamlike, hallucinatory sequence later, which fails to grab the audience’s attention and hold

it. Focus on the cross-dressing element of the Kelly Gang (which was not actually based on known facts) diverts attention from what’s really going on. Essie Davis is particularly good as Ned Kelly’s mother – an incredibly hard woman with a vulnerable centre, worn down by life. Nicholas Hoult is also very believable, bringing a sensuous playfulness but also madness to the role of Constable Fitzpatrick. True History Of The Kelly Gang plays well as an art piece. As a mainstream release however, it fails to hit the mark. (LS) WW

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