City Hub 1 November 2018

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Challenges continue for Waterloo

by John Moyle It has been a week of mixed emotions in the Waterloo Estate with the announcement of Mission Australia as the new provider of the social housing Tenant Participation Engagement (TPCE) program, replacing two highly valued workers from local community organisations.

The week also brought news of an extension of the consultation phase for the estate’s development options.

Those options are on display at the Waterloo Connect office at the estate, constructed as three physical models of the proposed redevelopment plans accommodating between 6,500 and 7,200 units.

“There are three models that are so small, and there is no sense of human scale in the models and we have made that point,” said Geoff Turnbull, spokesperson for community group REDWatch.

The three options are named as Waterloo Estate, with a proposed 6,800 dwellings and three hectares of public space, Waterloo Village Green with up to 6,900 dwellings and 3.97 hectares of public open space and the Waterloo Park with up to 7,200 dwellings and 3.97 hectares of open public space.

The estate’s tenants have long accepted that a development will transform the area over a 20 year period, but are now arguing over the finer details such as density, overshadowing, parks and affordable housing levels.

The project’s plans to increase the density by up to three and a half times has even attracted the ire of Sydney’s Lord Mayor, Clover Moore.

“The City is alarmed that the scale of development the Government is proposing will condemn people to substandard conditions and massively impact surrounding housing, existing parks, streets and open space,” Cr Moore said.

“It seems the real focus is on maximising the financial returns from the sale of this public land rather than planning for the kind of area that people will want to live and work in over the coming decades.”

One of the many days of celebrations on Waterloo Green and three of the buildings, scheduled for eventual demolition.

Photo: Jim Anderson

Mr Turnbull said “In one sense they are prepared to speak about anything except the overall density, and it is that that has worried the City of Sydney.”

In the middle of the debate is also the ongoing tussle over the amount of affordable housing.

“We have argued for five per cent affordable housing for Aboriginal people and that is based on the way gentrification has happened in Redfern and driven out the Aboriginal community that can no longer afford to live there,” Geoff Turnbull said.

“The density has been driven by the NSW government Communities Plus policy, which dictates private developers renew social housing at no cost to the government,” said a spokesperson for City of Sydney.

“The Communities Plus policy is insensitive to locals’ circumstances or the existing density of the area.”

The window for feedback has been extended through to November 19th.

Late Tuesday afternoon Minister for Social Housing Pru Goward’s office issued a press release stating that Mission Australia would be the new provider for services to social housing tenants, replacing the 14 years’ service of Counterpoint and 23 years’ service of Inner Sydney Voice.

Gone are two of the area’s most effective public housing tenants advocates in Housing Communities Program (HCP) worker Laura Kelly and Tenants Participation Resource (TPRS) worker David White.

Both positions will conclude by December.

“This means that people no longer have a voice or pathway to speak with government departments,” Richard Weeks, chairman, Waterloo Public Housing Action Group said.

Ms Goward’s press release claims: “From

December,the TPCE program will strengthen community ties for people who are isolated in social housing, help tenants organise community groups, link tenants with support services and provide feedback to FACS on potential community improvements.”

Residents and community groups say they are skeptical of these promises given the loss of well-respected workers with long historical knowledge and high levels of trust.

“Laura Kelly would be the epitome of a community worker, while David was more behind the scenes keeping people and services connected,” said Mr Weeks.

Charmaine Jones, executive officer of community advocates Inner Sydney Voice agreed, “Knowing this history means that you approach your work in a different manner to someone who is not aware of it.”

“Tenant participation is about building the capacity of social housing tenants so that they can have a dialogue with their housing provider and others such as local council and state government.”

Michael Shreenan, an executive officer of Counterpoint which has been supplying services in the area since 1977 said, “Big organisations have the same problem that governments have with bureaucracy and it takes a long time to make decisions.

“The government has given preference to large organisations over grass roots organisations and this now seems to be the trend.”

Katrina Hines is a public housing tenant and also a member of one of Redfern’s Neighbourhood Advisory Boards who says she is concerned that the level of care currently received by tenants will be diminished by the changes.

“As a public housing tenant you often feel very screwed around by government services … when funding models change and different organisations take over we have to build rapport with a new organization, and we don’t know if they have our interests at heart.”

Beach rubbish on Rose Bay’s watch Published weekly and freely available Sydney-wide.

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By Georgia Fullerton The Rose Bay Working Group has set its sights on cleaning up Rose Bay’s polluted beaches.

At the group’s latest meeting on October 19, the area’s water quality improvement action plan was reviewed, and the group discussed improving signage and maintenance of dog poo bag dispensers along Rose Bay foreshore.

The group, which formed last year, includes Member for Vaucluse and Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Gabrielle Upton, representatives from Woollahra Council, Sydney Water, Roads and Maritime Services and residents.

The members of the group proposed asking Sydney Water to review and potentially change its sewer model and asking authorities to enforce penalties on party boat operators who allow revellers to throw rubbish into the water.

Deputy Mayor of Woollahra Council, MaryLou Jarvis, said: “We look forward to building on the positive work the Rose Bay Beach Working Party has achieved, this includes fixing sewer discharge from entering Rose Bay from the stormwater channels. Woollahra Council has undertaken additional water quality monitoring and has completed a cleanup targeted at removing broken glass.”

Rose Bay’s beach water quality, which is susceptible to stormwater pollution, was rated “poor” in the latest report from NSW waterways.

Ms Jarvis said: “Stormwater pollution is the major contributor – Rose Bay Beach takes longer to recover from stormwater pollution due to lower levels of tidal flushing”.

In 2017, water quality was impacted by

Rose Bay foreshore been kept clean by Rose Bay Working Group. Photo: WikiCommons

significant rainfall over the year including the wettest March in Sydney since 1975.

As a result of the group’s discussions Sydney Water is investigating the feasibility of raising the weir level at the Ian St overflow to reduce discharges.

Ms Jarvis emphasised the positive effects of a healthy seagrass meadow on water quality: “At our last meeting I passed on advice from Professor Bruce Thom who had alerted me to the importance of seagrasses and their potential to improve water quality.

I asked that the Council apply for funding before the December deadline to assist in the reinstatement of the seagrasses” Ms Jarvis said: “The water quality of beaches in the Woollahra Municipality have been rated ‘good’ or ‘very good’ in the recent Beachwatch Report. We look forward to building on the positive work the Rose Bay

Beach Working Party has achieved to ensure that Rose Bay Beach’s water quality becomes equivalent to the high standard of Woollahra’s other beaches.”

As well as trying to reduce stormwater waste and improve the area’s ecosystem, the group looked into the habits of locals and tourists which contribute to the poor water quality, including the failure of dog owners to pick up after their pets, and rubbish being thrown in the water from nearby party boats.

“Improved beach cleaning schedules have also been implemented, and Council has also increased patrols of the beach by its Companion Animal Officer, to help residents learn about the on and off leash dog areas and the need to clean up after their animals,” said Ms Jarvis.

“Plans have also been made to ensure dog litter bag dispensers are refilled more frequently.” city hub 1 NOVEMBER 2018

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Newtown shuts down the bus party

By Vanessa Lim Venues in Newtown have banded together against ‘party buses’ which they say bring trouble to the precinct.

Restaurants and bars along King Street and Enmore Road have banned the entry of people who arrive on party buses due to the often heavily intoxicated people’s behaviour adversely affecting the enjoyment of other clients.

The decision was taken during a Liquor Accord meeting where venue managers agreed unanimously that action was necessary.

Executive Manager of the Newtown Business Precinct Business Association Simon Shaw agreed that the ban was for the best.

“They identified a problem that was groups of individuals coming in their venues from party buses…[These] groups that had already been drinking or were potentially drinking on the bus, were already showing signs of intoxication and weren’t being let into the venue,” he said.

“They would try to get into other venues as a group or individual…so the venues got together, identified the issue that led to conversations around ensuring that party buses wouldn’t be allowed to drop their patrons off in the precinct and have entry into the venues.”

Mr Shaw said, “They would potentially cause issues including anti-social behaviour hence the stance was taken to communicate that if groups come in party buses, they won’t be allowed into venues.”

26 year old Lahiru Yapa is a hotel worker who has experienced first hand how intoxicated people can create an unsafe and unpleasant environment.

Mr Yapa said, “Each individual will act differently when they’re drunk, it also depends on how much alcohol is absorbed into their body”.

“Sometimes they will start a fight, like punching random people, you can experience these things first hand as well by going to a pub or bar on a Friday or Saturday night.”

Party buses on the nose in much of Newtown. Photo: WikiCommons

Figures released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research show that since the 2014 lockout laws shut down central Sydney, problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption in revellers previously experienced in areas like Kings Cross have simply moved west, with a dramatic increase in liquor offences recorded in Newtown in 2017.

The number of alcohol related assaults increased by 18 per cent in Newtown in 2014 then by 26 per cent in 2016 and 2017.

However, these statistics show a per capita decrease when taking into account increases in visitors to the area.

Simon Shaw said creating a better community was of the highest value to the venues involved, and the ban would allow businesses to concentrate on building relationships with locals.

“I think the decisions the businesses have made here is more in the long term interests of the precinct,” he said.

“Newtown is a very community-based precinct, most businesses in Newtown work together very well.”

“To our knowledge no other group of licenced venues has ever taken this type of action as a collective. It really speaks volumes to the long-term interests that these venues have as they care more about the community and not wanting to negatively impact the local community with these kinds of intoxicated people.”

Mr Shaw said that any short term downturn in business would be outweighed by the positives experienced in the medium to long term.

“As the Business Association, we can only see

positives from the venues taking this significant stance…it’s discouraging people engaging in antisocial behaviour from being within that precinct and annoying other people.”

Visitors to Newtown have increased threefold in the last few years according to Mr Shaw, “Since the lock outs were brought to Sydney, the CBD and Kings Cross in 2014, the venues have been consistently working together to ensure that they can minimise any issues surrounding the large increase of people who have come to Newtown”.

Despite the benefits to locals of the ban on party buses in Newtown, individuals who have previously gone on the buses have mixed views.

19 year old university student Chelsea Connor hired a party bus for her birthday this year and said she was subject to strict entry conditions when she and her fellow partygoers tried to attend the races.

She said, “If letting these people attend or near the venue compromise the laws of responsible service of alcohol it makes sense, but [the ban] does seem very extreme”.

“I believe it is very unfair when people are not let into venues when they are not intoxicated…they should just identify the ones who seem intoxicated.”

“If they’re drunk, obviously this is valid reasoning to them not being let in, but if there is no proof that they are intoxicated, it is unfair.”

Lahiru Yapa said despite his experiences working with intoxicated people, he had mixed views on the strict ban.

He said, “I feel it’s unfair if people are not allowed into the businesses if they are not intoxicated, however, if they are highly affected from alcohol then bars and clubs have the authority to deny them entry as a safety precaution.

“From my experience working in bars and hotels, if I was heavily intoxicated and was denied, I would be okay, whereas, if I wasn’t intoxicated and got denied then I would be angry.”

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Skate park insanity in Callan Park

By Michael Hitch The Inner West Council has again sought approval for the development of a skate park in Lilyfield after multiple failed attempts.

The Council has sought an urgent meeting with the NSW Ministers of Health and of Environment and Heritage to discuss principal approvals for the development of the park in Callan Park after attempting to deliver the development since 2011.

With a budget of $1.275 million the proposal also calls for the demolition of Hastings House and Palm Court adjacent to Iron Cove Bay. Independent Councillor John Stamolis said skate boarding facilities were a necessity for the community and insisted it will be Council’s responsibility to ensure this fourth attempt succeeded.

“It’s a needed amenity and that’s agreed upon through our recreational needs study and generally through our community,” he said.

“It’s recognised as a need for the community and we’ve gone through the process of identifying a number of sites and ruled out many of those.

We’ve finally decided that Callan Park may be a possible solution.

“It’s time now to ensure that we do deliver. Just don’t continue on rolling our community and skate park users through a seven-year process, it’s time for Council to make some concrete decisions to get the job done.

“This is turning into a saga, a seven-year saga, and we promised delivery on the skate parks.

We’ve spent a lot of resources, a lot of time on this.

Council should accept its responsibility for the delays.”

To date, the NSW Government has not provided owner’s consent to allow Council to proceed with the development.

A timeline of the proposal from 2011 to 2016 shows that Council had successfully conducted community consultations, approved funding,

Site of the proposed skate board park for Callan Park. Photo: Michael Hitch

completed designs for the skate park and had been given approval to lodge a development application to build the facility in Callan Park, near Balmain Road Sporting Ground.

The site boasts a number of heritage buildings, having previously hosted Rozelle Hospital, formerly known as the Callan Park Hospital for the Insane.

However, the Heritage Council of New South Wales did not support the development, saying a skate park would damage the heritage significance of the site, with the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) ultimately in agreement.

Since then, other locations have also been dismissed by the OEH due to heritage infringements or have been discarded by Council due to a lack of surveillance or proximity to public transport.

Due to the perceived need for a skate park, and given the significant delays, some other potential sites including King George Park, Leichardt Park and Rozelle Goods Yards have been identified by Council, though Callan Park remains the preferred location due to a lack of other skate parks nearby.

Inner West Councillor, Rochelle Porteous said that the development was important for the community and that while Callan Park would be the perfect location, the heritage of the area needed to be respected.

“It’s something that I think the community wants, very important for the younger community as well. Obviously, there’s an ongoing frustration with the fact that we keep looking for different locations,” she said.

“We’ve come across different impediments as we’ve gone through that process, but we’ve allocated the

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funding for it, the money is sitting there to build, and we need to move ahead to build it.

“I think getting it right in terms of heritage is vitally important for Callan Park, it’s probably the most important heritage site that we have in Leichhardt so we’ve got to get it right in terms of heritage.

“There is the right location for the skate park in Callan Park, we’ve just got to work through that process and make to work for everybody. It’s a great area and it’d be a wonderful facility for the community.”

Trent Evans, one of the founders of the Sydney Skateboard Association said that another skate park would ease existing congestion on other facilities and that the empty space in Callan Park should be used for something beneficial for the community.

“Skate Parks are getting busier because it’s not just skate boarding, there’s roller-blading and scootering, so yeah I think that the park is the perfect location for another skate park,” he said.

“One of the problems that we’re seeing at a lot of skate parks in Sydney at the moment is that there’s just too many people at each skate park. So, the more skate parks there are, the more this can spread out and at the end of the day it’s a safety issue as well.

“I get that people have maybe different thoughts about skate boarding, that there’s stereotypes and different groups of people looking down at skateboarding or something like that and I totally understand if it’s directly just a heritage thing, but it’s an area that’s not being used for really anything so if it’s dead space then something has to be done.”

Cr Stamolis said despite the support from Council and the community, the fourth attempt to get the skate park off the ground would require better communication as well as compromise between Council and the OEH to be successful.

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Inner West raises single use cups

By Sarah McLenaghan The Inner West Council has partnered with Responsible Cafes to reduce the environmental impact of disposable coffee cups.

The Responsible Cafes initiative encourages local cafes to encourage customers to bring their own reusable cups by offering discounts and other benefits.

Mayor Darcy Byrne said the priorities of Responsible Cafes are in line with Council’s ongoing commitment to reduce waste.

“We look forward to seeing more cafés in the Inner West join up, and more coffee lovers getting their caffeine fix with reusable cups,” he said.

Head of Operations at Responsible Cafes, Rachel Draper, shared her excitement over the new partnership, “We are thrilled to have Inner West Council partner with Responsible Cafes as this shows a dedication and understanding of the issue of single-use coffee cups, and is the start to creating a positive impact and reducing the use of cups amongst their residents.

“As a NFP, we rely on partnerships with Councils to…continue to work together to educate the community and businesses to empower them to make a change.”

Almost 40 cafes in the Inner West area are already participating in the initiative.

An early adopter was The Buddha Bowl Cafe, a vegan and vegetarian establishment in Newtown which has been involved in the program since it

Customers of Inner West Cafe, The Buddha Bowl, join the fight against single use cups. Photo: Adam Chalk

first opened its doors in June 2017.

The Buddha Bowl’s owner, Adam Chalk, explained why he decided to become involved in the program, “We joined Responsible Cafes right from the beginning because it represents something that we strongly believe in.

“It’s about a shift away from single use take away cups that are not entirely recyclable…this program helps us to help consumers make a more sustainable choice in regards to their daily coffee routine.”

The response from customers has been promising according to Mr Chalk,

“As Buddha Bowl Cafe is located in an office building, Flourmill Studios Newtown, we have a lot of regular coffee drinkers who work upstairs.

“We are pleased to say that these customers have embraced the concept well, with about 90% of these in-house customers regularly using a reusable cup.”

According to Mr Chalk, “The customers enjoy contributing to a good cause (reducing waste) and are happy to be rewarded with an ongoing discount each time”.

The Buddha Bowl Cafe offers a

50c discount for any hot drink in a reusable cup including coffees, teas, hot chocolates and health lattes.

This is the norm for most businesses joining Responsible Cafes who generally offer between 50c and $1 off for BYO cup users.

University of Technology Sydney student Sarah Gittoes shared her reason for making the switch, “I use a reusable cup because I’m hoping that even the little things like reusable bags and cups can make a difference for the environment.

“I know so many people believe that it’s pointless to do such tiny changes but I think every little bit helps.”

It’s attitudes like Ms Gittoes’ Responsible Cafes rely on as they try to reach their goal of keeping one billion coffee cups out of landfill by 2019.

Takeaway coffee cups end up in landfill because they are lined on the inside with a plastic film, making them notoriously difficult to recycle because most waste facilities don’t have the infrastructure to do it.

With an estimated one billion disposable coffee cups used by Australians each year, this equates to a staggering 2,700,000 paper coffee cups thrown out every day.

Ms Draper explained recyclable single use cups may not be a viable alternative, “There is a lot of confusion as to whether they are recyclable, compostable and biodegradable, so consumers and Cafes may feel they are doing the right thing by disposing

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city hub 1 NOVEMBER 2018

of their cup in kerbside recycling, or opting for a compostable option, but sadly they all have their issues and the resources that go into the production and waste management is extensive.”

It’s not only the reduction in landfill that makes reusable cups an ideal replacement.

Statistics show that over the course of a year, use of a KeepCup reduces a coffee drinker’s coffee related greenhouse gas emissions by up to 92% compared to those who use disposable cups.

Ms Draper emphasised the wide reaching implications this simple initiative can have for the future, “We have found coffee cups to be a gateway to behaviour change.

“Once consumers question and change their usage of single-use cups, we have found they are then looking into other uses of single-use plastic such as water bottles, straws and plastic bags.

“We want to help Cafes and the community look beyond coffee cups and work with like-minded initiatives and businesses to empower them to create a change.”

Greenpeace campaigner, Simon Black argued that promoting the use of reusable cups on an individual basis is part of the answer but not a complete solution in itself.

“Large companies also need to commit to using 100 percent recyclable alternatives and lessening our dependence on single use plastic across the board,” he said.

SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S JAZZ FESTIVAL

7 – 17 NOVEMBER 2018

Wed 7 Nov Helen Sung + The Sydney Women’s Jazz Collective (USA/Australia) Thur 8 Nov Andrea Keller’s Still Night: Music in Poetry, featuring Vince Jones Fri 9 Nov Helen Sung Quartet (USA/Australia) Sat 10 Nov Emma Pask Sun 11 Nov Queen Porter Stomp Mon 12 Nov Judy Bailey Trio and Freyja Garbett Quartet Tues 13 Nov Sirens Big Band presents [A]part Wed 14 Nov Kira Kira Bright Force (Japan/Australia) Thur 15 Nov Sanna Ruohoniemi (Finland/Australia) Fri 16 Nov & Sat 17 Nov Charenee Wade (USA/Australia)

city hub 1 NOVEMBER 2018

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WELCOME TO THE 2018 SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S JAZZ FESTIVAL The 2018 Sydney International Women's Jazz Festival programme features outstanding overseas jazz artists and an exceptional list of local groups. In a period when remarkable new vocal talents are emerging across the world, it is only fitting that vocalists feature prominently in the 2018 programme.

Our headline artist is the exciting vocalist Charenee Wade who, accompanied by her long time collaborator, pianist Oscar Perez, will be making her debut Australian appearance to perform her celebrated tribute to the late singer/poet Gil Scott Heron. In addition to Charenee, the festival features the inaugural Australian performance of much lauded Finnish, Sanna Ruohoniemi. Gian Slater will be performing with Andrea Keller and Vince Jones in Andrea's newest concept work “Still Night”.

We are also very pleased that Emma Pask, a great singer at the very peak of her powers will perform at this year's Festival.

Pianist/composer Helen Sung is our Artist in Residence performing with the festival band the Sydney Women's Jazz Collective - as well as with her Australian quartet. From Japan, the internationally acclaimed pianist/composer Satoko Fujii with her new project Kira Kira performs music from their debut album Bright Force.

We welcome back the Sirens Big Band who last performed in the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival in 2013 and who will perform a new work by Ellen Kirkwood which features Gian Slater, Andrea Keller and the great Sandy Evans.

We look forward to seeing you at the Festival.

Peter Rechniewski and Zoe Hauptmann Artistic Directors

FESTIVAL LINEUP ARTIST IN RESIDENCE: HELEN SUNG Helen Sung with the Sydney Women’s Jazz Collective (USA/Australia) Wednesday, 7 November - 7.30pm Foundry 616 New York pianist and Festival Artist in Residence, Helen Sung opens the 2018 Festival in a concert with the ten-piece powerhouse, the Sydney Women’s Jazz Collective. Identified

by Wynton Marsalis as an artist to watch, Helen Sung seamlessly integrates the jazz and classical worlds. This concert features a performance of the new work by trans artist Harri Harding, the 2018 Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival APRA Composer Commission winner.

“Sung’s lyricism, light touch, and classical polish … complemented by plenty of hard-chord muscle.”

– The Guardian HELEN SUNG piano HANNAH JAMES double bass ALI FOSTER drums SORCHA ALBURQUERQUE guitar FREYJA GARBETT piano ELLEN KIRKWOOD trumpet LOUISE HORWOOD trumpet ALEX SILVER trombone LAURA CORNEY tenor LORETTA PALMEIRO alto/sop/clarinet KALI GILLAN baritone Tickets $40 | $35 (Concession & SIMA Members)

Andrea Keller’s Still Night: Music in Poetry featuring Vince Jones Thursday, 8 November – 7.30pm 7.30 - 8pm Bonniesongs 8.30pm - 9.30pm Andrea Keller’s Still Night: Music in Poetry featuring Vince Jones Foundry 616

In the second concert of the 2018 Festival, “one of Australia’s most consistently interesting musical minds”, Andrea Keller performs her critically acclaimed work Still Night, a songcycle combining poetry with original music in a beautiful meditation on grief and loss.

“Both exquisitely beautiful and profoundly moving … its effect on the audience was galvanizing and palpable.” - Iain Grandage, Artistic Director, Port Fairy Spring Music Festival.

ANDREA KELLER piano VINCE JONES voice GIAN SLATER voice JULIEN WILSON tenor saxophone and bass clarinet STEPHEN MAGNUSSON guitar Support: Bonniesongs BONNIE STEWART drums & percussion & vocals FREYA SCHACK-ARNOTT cello NOAM YAFFE violin Tickets $35 | $30 (Concession & SIMA Members)

Emma Pask Saturday, 10 November – 8.30pm Foundry 616

Helen Sung Quartet (USA/Australia) Friday, 9 November – 8.00pm Foundry 616 Our 2018 Festival’s Artist in Residence, Helen Sung has worked with jazz luminaries, including the late Clark Terry, Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington and Ron Carter, and released five critically-acclaimed albums. Tonight she returns to perform in a stellar quartet of local musicians.

“Helen Sung has done it right, intertwining solo piano works in the Romantic vein with mixtures of band pieces that imbibe influences from Coltrane to Jamal … in a stirringly remarkable fashion.” - All About Jazz HELEN SUNG piano TIM FIRTH drums TOM BOTTING bass KARL LASKOWSKI saxophone Tickets $40 | $35 (Concession & SIMA Members)

Award-winning vocalist Emma Pask has firmly established herself as one of Australia’s favourite voices in jazz. Spotted as a future star at 16 by multi-instrumentalist James Morrison during one of his regular school visits, her career has maintained an upward trajectory ever since.

Emma’s many accolades include a Mo Award for Jazz Vocalist of the Year, ARIA Award nominations and invitations to perform for the late Diana Princess of Wales and Princess Mary of Denmark. “her vocal brilliance is obvious” - artsreview.com.au “the real thing!” - James Morrison EMMA PASK vocals TIM FIRTH drums KEVIN HUNT piano JONATHAN ZWARTZ double bass Tickets $35 | $30 (Concession & SIMA Members)

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city hub 1 NOVEMBER 2018

Queen Porter Stomp

Kira Kira – Bright Force (Japan/Australia)

Sunday, 11 November - 2pm Lord Wolseley Hotel

Wednesday, 14 November – 7.30pm Foundry 616 Explosive and beautiful, Kira Kira features internationally acclaimed Japanese improvisers and composers Satoko Fujii and Natsuki Tamura, and renowned Australian keyboard player and composer, Alister Spence. Kira Kira is the ongoing, ten year collaboration by these distinguished musicians, who originally met while performing at the 2008 Tokyo International Jazz Festival. Their work Bright Force is a suite in four parts that mixes piano and trumpet with electronics and drums.

“She could be the most important creative musician of our time (Satoko Fujii)” - allmusic “It's awe-inspiring music.” 4½ stars. - Karl Ackermann Allaboutjazz.com

Queen Porter Stomp uses its dirty swamp magic to shake those blues. With harmonies that seduce like a warm summer’s day, blazing horns that scream straight to your soul and a banjo that exorcises demons on the wrong side of midnight, this band get every room dancing.

Shine those shoes and undo that top button - if you’re just tapping your toes, then you’re in the wrong bar. This is Queen Porter’s joint.

CRYSTAL BARRECA vocals & ukulele LOUISE HORWOOD trumpet & vocals ROSE FOSTER trombone & vocals JULIAN CURWIN banjo ALEX MASSO drums SHANNON HARITOS double bass

array of musical genres crossing traditional and contemporary jazz, soul, classical, afro-caribbean styles, funk and reggae.

FREYJA GARBETT piano & keyboard ESMÉ BADMAN vocals NISH MANJUNATH tenor saxophone MAXIMILLIAN ALDUCA bass ALEXANDER INMAN-HISLOP drums

SATOKO FUJII piano NATSUKI TAMURA trumpet ALISTER SPENCE piano TOBY HALL drums & percussion LLOYD SWANTON double bass Support: JACHLO CHLOE KIM drums JACQUES EMERY double bass Tickets $30 | $25 (Concession & SIMA Members)

Tickets $25 | $20 (Concession & SIMA Members)

Sirens Big Band presents [A]part Tuesday, 13 November – 7.30pm Foundry 616

Free!

Judy Bailey Trio and Freyja Garbett Quartet Monday, 12 November - 7.30pm Foundry 616

Dynamic super-collective, Sirens Big Band performs an epic 1 hour suite by Ellen Kirkwood, featuring Andrea Keller (piano), Sandy Evans (saxophones) and Gian Slater (voice). Bringing new sounds to the traditional big band setting, Sirens Big Band are passionate about increasing gender diversity in jazz through their predominantly female and trans line-up.

One of the Australia’s most extraordinary artists, Judy Bailey holds a special place in our jazz history as one of this country's earliest and most prominent female jazz musicians – a pioneer performer, composer and teacher.

“A rhythm section’s dream pianist.” - John Shand, SMH JUDY BAILEY piano CRAIG SCOTT double bass TIM FIRTH drums This double-bill concert also features pianist, Freyja Garbett.

A compositional storyteller, Freyja's music weaves through a series of magical sound-scapes, heavy grooves and unforgettable melodies. Her sound combines an eclectic

This performance will launch the album recording of [A]part; Kirkwood’s ground breaking and captivating response to world issues including climate change, the refugee crisis and the omnipresence of the internet. [A]part was composed during an Australia Council-supported mentorship with renowned composer Barney McAll and was a finalist for Jazz Work of the Year in the APRA Art Music Awards. “they are one of Sydney’s – if not Australia’s – treasures” John Hardaker – australianjazz.net Support: Young Women’s Jazz Orchestra Tickets $30 | $25 (Concession & SIMA Members)

city hub 1 NOVEMBER 2018

9

Sanna Ruohoniemi (Finland/Australia)

Charenee Wade (USA/Australia)

Thursday, 15 November – 8.30pm Foundry 616

Friday, 16 November – 8.00pm Saturday, 17 November – 8.30pm Foundry 616 One of the most distinctive and bold singers in jazz today, New Yorker Charenee Wade powerfully reinterprets the music of Gil Scott-Heron. The revolution will be vocalised in this powerful reinterpretation of the soul and jazz poet's body of work. “an emotional engagement with the material that renders every word believable.” - Jazzwise Magazine “Ms Wade is a jazz singer of commanding skill, an heir to the legacies of Betty Carter and Carmen McRae.” - New York Times CHARENEE WADE vocals OSCAR PEREZ piano BRETT HIRST double bass PAUL DERRICOTT drums Tickets $55 | $50 (Concession & SIMA Members)

TICKET PRICES SIMA Members can buy at Concession prices Helen Sung with Sydney Women's Jazz Collective 7 November: $40 | $35 (Concession & SIMA Members) Andrea Keller's Still Night - 8 November: $35 | $30 Helen Sung Quartet - 9 November: $40 | $35 Emma Pask - 10 November: $35 | $30 Judy Bailey Trio and Freyja Garbette Quartet: 12 November: $25 | $20 Sirens Big Band presents [A]part: 13 November: $30 | $25 Kira Kira Bright Force - 14 November: $30 | $25 Sanna Ruohoneimi - 15 Nov: $$30 | $25 Charenee Wade - 16 November: $55 | $50 Charenee Wade - 17 November: $55 | $50

VENUES FESTIVAL HUB FOUNDRY 616 616 Harris Street, Ultimo NSW 2007 Phone 02 9211 9442 foundry616.com.au

Finnish singer and composer Sanna Ruohoniemi is the latest in a long line of strikingly individual Nordic artists who successfully melds the open-sky freedom of jazz with the rich folk traditions of their homeland. Considered among Finland’s best young singers, Sanna is known for her improvisational verve and creative risk-taking.

“Seamlessly she moves between Finnish, Norwegian, English and Swedish, and fast-flying scat singing.

Between Norwegian blues, meandering ballad stories and bebop-wallop.” - Leif Carlsson, Lira Tickets $30 | $25 (Concession & SIMA Members)

BECOME A SIMA MEMBER Sydney Improvised Music Association (SIMA) presents artists working at the highest level in Australia and as a member you receive discounted tickets to our festivals and season concerts, plus free member events.

Your membership fees support SIMA’s work in presenting the best of Australia’s contemporary jazz, including new works and rarely heard projects. It also supports our crucial work in music sector development around women’s and youth participation and pathways in jazz, through SIMA’s education programs, mentorships and performance opportunities. SIMA is a Not-For-Profit Incorporated Association and registered charity. As a Member you can attend Annual General Meetings and have a voice in how our organisation is run.

SIMA Members who are attending the Opening Night concert of Helen Sung with the Sydney Women’s Jazz Collective – please join us for drinks at 6.30pm

SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN JAZZ! Join at sima.org.au or by calling 90236 6292

BOOKINGS: siwjf.org (02) 9036 6292 Presented by Sydney International Jazz Festival and Sydney Improvised Music Association (SIMA)

Anthony and Sharon Lee Foundation

10

city hub 1 NOVEMBER 2018

THE LORD WOLSELEY HOTEL 265 Bulwara Rd Ultimo Nsw 2007 Australia Phone 02 9660 1736 lordwolseleyhotel.com.au

Julie Choo Shoes litmus test

By Peter Hehir Julie Bishop decries the rise of the populist movement worldwide but fails to see that the reason for it is clearly because of the disaffection – bordering on contempt, for mainstream political parties. Nowhere is this more evident than here in NSW. The big majority that the NSW Liberals currently hold was due in no small measure to the community backlash in response to the corruption exposed within the NSW Parliamentary Labor Party. This gave Baird and his successor Glad the Impaler the opportunity to unleash a storm of privatisation across the State, from which we may never recover.

Leaving aside their converging ideologies, both parties here are totally out of touch with their constituents and appear to be deaf and blind to the hardships that their more brutal policies inflict on those least able to defend themselves.

Not just those who’ve fled torture and persecution in their homelands and who’ve found themselves incarcerated for years for their ‘crime’, but also the traditional owners, the unemployed, disabled and our disaffected and alienated youth.

The way WestConnex was just shoved down the throats of the community is yet another example.

Miss Julie is quoted in the Guardian last Wednesday as saying “populists need to be challenged with four tests – a requirement that all options are explored before landing on a decision,

a requirement that costs be articulated, a requirement that policy be evidence based, and there is also a requirement to ask “what can possibly go wrong?”

When seeking a quote from Julie in relation to how her ‘litmus test’ would fare when applied to WestConnex, I got a brief but predictable response from Lauren Gianoli, one of her staffers: ‘WestConnex is a matter for the NSW Government.’ Well thank you Lauren.

Clearly none of these four apparently essential criteria were applied in relation to WestConnex. No other public transport options were explored. Not only were they not explored, they were specifically excluded!

Costs were not only not articulated but they were deliberately kept hidden.

This was achieved by establishing private corporations who could then juggle the figures in secret and hide behind the ‘commercial in confidence’ screen, effectively preventing accountability by shutting out the prying eyes of the public.

In relation to WestConnex, Bishop’s requirement ‘that policy be evidence based’ is farcical. All of the available evidence from those who were and are best placed to advise on the worth of WestConnex unanimously agreed it was a real dog of a proposition and predicted that it would not only not achieve its aims – but would also punish NSW taxpayers for years to come, in so very many ways.

Punishing us all with tolls that the west simply can’t afford. Many businesses relying on trucks for

Jewellery Bishop puts well heeled shoe into populist movements. Photo: WkiCommons

deliveries have indicated that they’ll instruct their drivers to just use the local road network.

No evidence has been presented anywhere that the project will achieve its aims – in fact evidence just presented at the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry strongly suggests that exactly the opposite is true.

An examination of her question ‘What could possibly go wrong?’ confirms that a great deal can, has already and will continue to go awry with this project. The acquisition of

homes at well below market value and the forced evictions are both serious concerns.

Glad’s bean counters estimate an average time saving of about 5 minutes per trip. This may get vehicles closer to the tunnel exits in Haberfield a little earlier, but only to be greeted with the inevitable tollway to local road bottleneck.

The hefty toll delivers drivers and passengers the right to sit in the tunnels, as they crawl slowly towards the exit portals. The privilege of breathing in

Opinion

the highest concentrations of polluted air – air loaded with carcinogenic diesel particles – generated by the many hundreds of vehicles who’ve just driven kilometres in the tunnels. Polluted air 50 times greater than the ambient air and 50 times above the WHO maximum dose! The cost to community health is inestimable.

Does this really sound like a fair price to pay?

How long will it be before these commuters abandon the tolled tunnels, just as they did with the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, The Lane Cove Tunnel, The Cross City Tunnel and the Clem 7 in Brisbane?

Have you wondered about the recent dramatic lane squeezing on the City West Link? The word is this is in recognition that traffic will be backed up in the tunnels and is a pathetic attempt to get these vehicles out into cleaner air before commuters are overcome with the toxic fumes.

I appreciate that WestConnex is a NSW Liberal Party project – albeit sanctioned by the NSW and Federal Labor and Liberal Parties and that this isn’t Julie’s portfolio – but she did make the statement. So she’s fair game. Along with her gifted Jimmy Choo’s shoes.

Any genuinely independent assessment would unequivocally show that WestConnex completely and utterly fails Bishop’s four pronged litmus test. The real tragedy is that it wasn’t applied well before billions of dollars were just poured into a hole in the ground…

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FEATURE

Sydney’s Degustation Menu

was something which Greeno, Wells and Best all echoed.

“Sydney’s food culture is incredibly diverse, vibrant and exciting.You can’t help but come here and be blown away by the diversity of the cultures that are represented,” said Best.

The Taste Of Sydney Collective event is not just about the food which will be served up on the plate though. As part of the event the festival has partnered with the charity R U OK? to shine a light on the issue of mental health in the kitchen, which has become a major talking point following the much publicised passing of Anthony Bourdain earlier this year.

“Young people can struggle with kitchen life, but it’s also about what they do after the shift finishes,” explained Best. “It’s important that we Photo: Supplied by Taste Of Sydney Collective Photo: Supplied by Taste Of Sydney Collective Photo: Supplied by Taste Of Sydney Collective have these types of conversation within the culinary world and more broadly.”

By Jamie Apps including Skye Gyngell of Spring (London), Louis “If somebody wants to try Clayton Wells’ food This event will allow for the chefs on the lineup, Throughout Sydney we have an abundance of Tikaram of E.P. & L.P (Los Angeles), David for example this is a great way for them to get a who wouldn’t normally have an opportunity to world class restaurants and eateries. Generally in Thompson of Long Chim (Sydney) previously of little taste of it and then maybe they’ll go to the work together, to also have the time to speak to order to experience the delights these have to Nahm (Bangkok) and Jessi Singh who is back on restaurant next time because they really enjoyed each other about their struggles and coping offer you would have to make a booking and Australian soil from the USA and soon to launch the dish here.” mechanisms. dedicate a night out to one individual venue, Don’t Tell Aunty in Sydney.

As part of the Taste Of Sydney Collective event “Obviously in the last few years everybody is next weekend though the Taste Of Sydney Right there alongside these mega internationals a daily roster of eight chefs will all come more aware of the issues and more willing to let Collective will bring together over 30 of the city’s are two phenomenal local chefs; Ben Greeno together in one kitchen to serve two dishes their guard down to talk about things,” said finest chefs under one roof for a four day food from Merivale and the Centennial in Woollahra, each, all exclusive to the event. So that means Wells. “Not everyone is always successful and celebration. and Clayton Wells from Automota and A1 Canteen. Sydneysiders will have the option of tasting 64 failures affect people, so it’s good that people Set to completely transform The Cutaway in “The festival is geared towards anyone who unique glimpses into some of the delights Sydney, feel that they’re able to talk about things. It was a Barangaroo, Taste of Sydney Collective will loves something delicious to eat,” explained Best, and the world, have to offer over the course of very hard industry in the past where people feature never-seen-before collaborations with “Obviously foodies are going to get a lot more four days. always kept things to themselves, which wasn’t world-renowned international chefs, local out of it because they know the personalities For everyone involved in the festival showcasing healthy, so it’s great that we’re moving into Sydney favourites and interstate superstars to behind the food, but at the end of the day you’re the incredible food culture of Sydney was of different times now.” create unique dishes and an electrifying going to be able to have some really incredible paramount importance.

Nov 8-11.The Cutaway, 1 Merriman St, environment for foodies who are seeking and diverse food from some of Australia’s best “The Sydney food scene is thriving,” said Barangaroo. $17-$130.03+b.f. something new. chefs.”

Clayton Wells. “It’s a great community to be in as Award-winning Sydney chef, and curator of the For Ben Greeno the lineup is the perfect entry well because everyone is very supportive of Tickets & Info: chef line-up, Mark Best has hand-picked a roster point for anybody wanting to become more each other and trying to make it even better.” www.sydney.tastefestivals.com of extraordinary homegrown international talent involved in Sydney’s food culture.

The uniqueness of the culture here in Sydney

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Heath Franklin - Bogan Jesus: The Resurrection Tour

What happens when you take one of Australia’s most controversial figures and combine them with the sensitive subject material that is religion?

This is the question Heath Franklin hopes to answer when he resurrects his portrayal of Chopper for his Bogan Jesus The Resurrection show.

Franklin’s impersonation of notorious underworld figure Mark ‘Chopper’ Reid first began to percolate after the release of the film Chopper, and has endured the test of time.Which Franklin agreed was a surprise when asked.

“It has been, especially because it

started as a dumb joke I was doing at university. So for it to be a thing that I’m still doing 10 or 15 years later is pretty incredible.”

When asked what the inspiration was behind this show Franklin said, “I wanted to take a really insensitive character and attack a really sensitive topic.” Whilst the show does encroach on potentially offensive ground Franklin explained further by saying,“I wanted to give myself the challenge of talking about things in a new and interesting way that wasn’t going to outright offend everyone, only the people with the most sensitive of sensibilities should be offended.”

Degenerate Art was the name of the infamous exhibition mounted in Nazi Germany in 1937 that displayed the priceless treasures looted by the Nazis and destroyed the reputations of many modern artists, especially Jews, Communists, abstract painters, and expressionists, among others.

In his play of the same name, writer/director Tony Schmitz explores the notion of art as seen through the prism of Fascist Germany in the mouthpieces of the twice-rejected art student Hitler (Henry Nixon) and his henchmen Goering (Giles Gartrell-Mills), Goebbels (Schmitz), Himmler (Guy Edmonds), and Speer (Septimus Caton). Reinhard Heydrich, the main architect of the Holocaust, is played by Rupert Reid.

As she takes us through the years of 1921

Photo: John Marmaras

REVIEW: Degenerate Art

to the end of the fascist regime in 1945, narrator Megan O’Connell softens the impact of the loudly aggressive men in black who harangue the audience with their extreme views.

She takes us on a trip through the status of art

To ensure that the show wasn’t simple “blasphemy” or “heresy” Franklin took a number of months developing the show via trial performances and numerous rewrites.

“I’m not trying to have the last word on religion, it’s just an hour long show full of as many funny jokes as I could put into it. I’m not trying to change the world or teach anyone a lesson, I just want people to come in and laugh so hard that their stomach hurts when they leave.” (JA) Nov 2.The Juniors, 558A Anzac Parade, Kingsford. $38+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.thejuniors.com.au

in Europe in those years, and major events like the 1936 Olympics, Kristallnacht, and the Paris World Fair, but we are always left with a feeling of menace, which culminates in one of the men in black confronting a female audience member sitting in the front row.

The claustrophobic Old Fitz Theatre provided the ideal space for the black message of this work, while the simple sets

by Maya Keys and lighting by Alexander Berlage add subtle complexity to the relentless haranguing of the fascist claque.

This is an intellectually challenging play with a strong message for present-day audiences; it is definitely not for the faint-hearted theatre-goer expecting to be pleasantly entertained. (ID) Until Nov 4. Old Fitz Theatre, 129 Dowling St, Woolloomooloo. $45-$60+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.redlineproductions.com.au

Freud’s Last Session

Audiences who enjoy intelligent and thought-provoking theatre should not miss this historicallythemed, award-winning stage-play written by Mark St. Germain, which centres on Sigmund Freud and C.S Lewis, two of the 20th Century’s greatest minds as they debate in an imagined meeting.

“This play basically brings two people with really fiercely opposing world views together under a high stakes situation, which is the announcement of war for the second time in Europe. With that as the backdrop, they talk about big subjects of life such as God, existence, sex, the meaning of life

and everything in between,” explained Yannick Lawry who plays the role of C.S Lewis.

What seems to be a highly dramatic piece is actually interspersed with comedy. “There are many real light relief moments both from Freud’s and Lewis’ side and you go from light to dark and back again. Lots to think about, lots to laugh about there’s even a five-minute fart joke section!”

When asked whether there is a winner in the debate Lawry paused momentarily. “I don’t think there is a winner, but I will say that both men represent the views that all of us have, we have

a&e

to fall somewhere on that spectrum between Freud and Lewis. I think each person’s viewpoint is brilliantly well expressed and the audience must decide - if there is such a thing as

13 STAGE 14 SCENE 15 Sounds 15 SCREEN

absolute truth, who’s telling it?”

(MMo) Until Nov 10. Seymour Centre, City Rd Chippendale. $40-$53+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.seymourcentre.com

Arts Editor: Jamie Apps For more A&E stories go to www.altmedia.net.au and don’t forget to join the conversation on Twitter at @AltMediaSydney

Spice!

A Singalong

Calling all Spice Girls fans! Tune your voices, press your Union Jack dresses and get ready to dolly up, as girl power returns to the Riverside Theatre for a special one-off Spice! A Singalong show!

“We do the entire first album Spice and a couple of their later hits and we highly recommend everybody who comes along sings along with us,” enthused Liddy Wood, one of the Spice Girls. “There’s five singers – we have five Spice Girls obviously and a three-piece band. It’s a lot of fun. We’ve done it a few times before and we love doing it.”

This show which promises to be a nostalgic fun night out was a sold-out smash hit at the Sydney Comedy Festival and at both the Adelaide and Melbourne Fringe Festivals.

“Audiences in previous shows have really got into it and we’ve had some good dress ups.We actually have a competition to show off some of the best costumes.”

Songs which fans can expect to singalong to include Stop,Who Do You Think You Are,Two Become One and Say You’ll Be There. “When we sing the song Mama I’ll go into the audience and find myself a mum and sit with her – it could be anybody!” laughed Wood.

This singalong is aimed at the late 20s or early 30s demographics, but Wood explained they’ve had older groups come through and that it’s really for anybody who enjoys their music.

And why does this girl band still have legions of fans all over the world today?

“Their message has always been so positive and forward. In the purest form they represent some form of equality. It’s a cheerful message and I think we all see that.”

Wood concluded by saying that this is a fun night out. “People may assume it’s going to be some stupid singalong but we are a real band, we’re all professional musicians and if the entire audience doesn’t singalong it’s still gonna sound nice!” (MMo) **Note** Dress ups encouraged but wearing blackface not tolerated.

Nov 3. Riverside Theatres, Church & Market Streets, Parramatta. $30-$44+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.riversideparramatta.com.au

Contributors: Emily Shen, Irina Dunn, Jade Morellini, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Olga Azar, Rita Bratovich, Sarah Pritchard, Shon Ho, Riley Hooper, Erika Echternach & Lili Sekkai, Joseph Rana, John Moyle, Angela Stevens, Will Fournier, Gabe Merkel & Lanie Tindale.

city hub 1 NOVEMBER 2018

13

THE NAKED CITY

Day Of The Dead!

With Coffin Ed We’ve just got over Halloween and this week Mexico celebrates ‘The Day Of The Dead’ – an annual festival of reverence to the dearly departed.

Perhaps it’s an appropriate time to look at the current music industry, in particular those performers who continue to strut the world stage despite both their diminishing health and talent. Phil Collins has shown some remarkable honesty and a wry sense of humour by billing his forthcoming Australian tour as “Not Dead Yet”. Phil is apparently in great health, given he’s in his late 60s and reportedly playing as well as ever.The same however can’t be said for a number of much vaunted international artists who have graced out shores in recent years.

In 2013 the Vivid Festival presented American soul legend Bobby Womack at the Sydney Opera House, much to the anticipation of his many

Australian fans. It was no secret that Womack had not been in the best of health in recent years but this being his first ever Australian visit, long time fans were not deterred and the Opera House quickly sold out two concert halls.When Womack arrived in Australia his first concert was cancelled at short notice but he did play the scheduled second show – although many thought he was just going through the motions.

Just over 12 months later and he was dead, aged 70, having suffered multiple medical conditions during his long career.

Whilst the Vivid organisers were no doubt given assurances by his US management that he was in good health and would perform accordingly, it was not the first time an international star had arrived in this country

in not only questionable health but way past their illustrious prime. If it’s either the first and or the last time local music fans get the opportunity to catch one of their idols, tickets tend to sell regardless.A farewell performance was certainly in the mind of fans when a somewhat frail B.B. King played the State Theatre in 2011, informing fans ‘’I said I was 85, but I didn’t say I was dead.”

Unlike the Womack concert fans had pretty much anticipated what to expect and if anything were there to pay homage, rather than expect the classic B.B. King of old.

Whilst the B.B. show was probably an exception there is a long list of imported artists who have been promoted with considerable hype but failed to deliver when they finally hit our

theatres and clubs.They might have been big in the 60s and 70s but decades later are but a mere shadow of their halcyon years.

There are exceptions of course and many artists, well into their twilight career, deliver with an evergreen gusto that defies any kind of ageism. On the other hand there is a devoted fan base who will flock to see their favourite artist, even if they are performing in an iron lung. Let’s face it, if Elvis were alive today, he would pack every venue in Australia, even though he would be 84 years old!

If you are shelling out $60 to $100 plus to see one of your all time favourites, playing this country for the first and possibly last time in 20 or 30 years, you need to do your homework. Check out some of their more recent performances on YouTube for starters. If their voice is shot, if they look like death warmed up or they babble on too much between each song, then maybe you are better off spending your hard earned on a bunch of their best of CDs and staging your own living room concert.

The Director

A theatre director’s job is to evoke realistic and emotional performances from his actors, but do the ends always justify the means? The Director, written by award winning playwright Nancy Hasty, explores this question, and, more broadly, the nebulous power dynamic between a director and his actors.

Somewhat ironically, the production’s director, Simon Doctor, plays the lead role of a theatre director in the play, further blurring the lines of the actordirector relationship.

Though it is set in the world of New York Theatre, Doctor believes that The Director’s message is universal. “[The Director has] much to say to Australian audiences about relationships within the theatre world but also, more broadly, about what can occur when there is a power differential between people working on a shared ambition… I think the play looks

at this issue in a truthful and subtle way.”

Good theatre is supposed to get people talking, and The Director promises to do just that. The play intentionally leaves the question of “how far is too far?” unanswered, inviting the audience to engage with the performance through conversation and thought. Doctor says: “I think that for audience members, the process of arriving at the judgement — assuming it is possible to arrive at clear answers to artistic and moral questions — is what will make the play interesting to them.”

If you’ve ever wondered what really goes on behind the scenes in putting on a play, or are just in the mood to be entertained, The Director is worth checking out.

(GM) Until Nov 10.

The Playhouse at Actors Pulse, 103 Regent Street, Redfern. $30-$38+b.f.Tickets & Info: www.activetheatreproductions.com.au

Photo: Prudence Upton

REVIEW: Julius Caesar

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This touring production of Shakespeare’s quintessential political drama by Bell Shakespeare Company is a conglomeration of misguided choices, displacing the play’s inherent intrigue with audience bewilderment over set design, costumes and gender substitution. Director, James Evans seems so intent on producing a radically different staging that the story itself becomes secondary.

The play is a more or less historically accurate retelling of Roman emperor Julius Caesar’s assassination at the hands of Roman senators led by the jealous Cassius and reluctantly joined by Brutus, Caesar’s one time buddy, who is conned into believing this is for the greater good.

As with all of Shakespeare’s work, Julius Caesar shows how uncannily prescient The Bard was in his

writing.There are eerie similarities between machinations in the Roman senate and what’s been going on in Canberra and Washington.

Evans declines to make any overt political/social references, but this omission becomes distractingly conspicuous.What’s more baffling are the “costumes” - everyday casual wear that makes it feel like you’re watching a rehearsal.An obtrusive musical score accompanies key scenes, sometimes obliterating the dialogue.

There are a number of options in Sydney at the moment to satisfy your Shakespeare craving - this one might fall short. (RB) Until Nov 25. Playhouse, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point. $35-$95+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www. sydneyoperahouse.com

Nathan Cavaleri

By Jamie Apps If you were to skim over the significant moments of Nathan Cavaleri’s musical career you could easily mistake his story as that of a

cliched child star burnout, but when you delve into the fine details it is a much more compelling tale.

Cavaleri’s musical career was strangely born out of tragedy when he

was granted a wish by the Make A Wish Foundation. After being diagnosed with leukaemia at six years old Cavaleri wished to meet and jam with Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits.

“Consequently the media covered that meeting and then from there it all snowballed,” recalled Cavaleri.

From there Cavaleri’s career went from strength to strength, and by 12 years of age he found himself at the centre of a bidding war between the labels of Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna.

By 16 he had toured with B.B. King as his guest, and played at the Kennedy Centre in front of The Clintons with Etta James and Bonnie Raitt.

The next step in the cliche tale would be for Cavaleri to let the success go to his head before the inevitable burnout.

Whilst Cavaleri’s career did burnout, it was due to anxiety and mental health issues beyond his control.

“I was one of those people who never

Sydney is once again set to be graced by some fo the greatest female jazz musicians both our country and the world has to offer thanks to the upcoming Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival.

This year’s headline artist is vocalist Charenee Wade who, accompanied by her long time collaborator, pianist Oscar Perez, will be making her debut Australian appearance to perform her celebrated tribute to the late singer/

poet Gil Scott Heron. In addition to Charenee, the festival features the inaugural Australian performance of much lauded Finnish, Sanna Ruohoniemi. Gian Slater will be performing with Andrea Keller and Vince Jones in Andrea’s newest concept work Still Night.

The action doesn’t stop there though, there is a full 10 days worth of performers worth checking out and savouring.

Charenee Wade

2018 Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival

really understood what anxiety was until I experienced it myself,” explained Cavaleri. “It felt like somebody had drugged me because I would slip into these trances where I was feeling irrational dread about the most random things. Everybody feels it in different ways, whether it be a rapidly beating heart or sweaty palms. But for me I would feel like I was out of my skin and everything would feel surreal and scary.”

These feelings of dread, when combined with insomnia, would go on to manifest themselves within Cavaleri on stage and eventually led to him collapsing mid-performance. This made Cavaleri begin to dread touring and performing and eventually led to him stepping away from music all together.

“It was self preservation at that point.”

During his time away from music though Cavaleri was able to invest in himself and learn about the

Nov 7-17.Various Venues & Prices.

Tickets & Info: www.siwjf.org

intricacies of anxiety, mental health and how to deal with the disease.

“Through that process of self discovery I reconnected with music in a similar way to what I had when I was a kid. I had no intentions of returning to music professionally because it scared the shit out of me, but I couldn’t stop the ideas in my head,” Cavaleri said.

These ideas would go on to become Cavaleri’s upcoming EP and also foster a desire to return to the stage, which he will fulfil tonight with a home town show.

“This whole tour is one big leap for me, it’s time to prove that all of the things that I’ve learned about myself have all been useful and I’’m a different person now.”

Nov 1. Venue 505, 280 Cleveland St, Surry Hills. $20-$25+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.venue505.com

Little Georgia - All The While Little Georgia’s first studio album, All The While, features a folk-rock duo in Justin Carter and Ashleigh Mannix.

The harmonisation of a talented man and woman accompanied by acoustic, folk instrumentals is absolutely stunning. The album is produced by Nick DiDia, Grammy-winning producer who has worked with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Train, and Neil Young.

Although the style is certainly folk-rock, hints of American country and alternative country are certainly present as well. All The While can remind one of Mumford and Sons just as much as Lady Antebellum. The music is perfect for a sunny car ride through the countryside, a sunset booze cruise on a boat, or even a slow dance under the stars. (WF) WWWW

Bohemian Rhapsody One of history’s most iconic bands and frontmen receive the biopic treatment with Bohemian Rhapsody. Having access to the full catalogue of hits from Queen gives this film an unfair advantage over any other film, unfortunately though this becomes the film’s crux as it eschews diving into the nuanced life of Mercury with any depth.

Rami Malek is phenomenal in his portrayal of Freddie Mercury as Bohemian Rhapsody chronicles the 15 year period between Queen’s formation and legendary performance at Wembley for Live Aid in 1985.

When Malek first appears on screen his transformation into

Mercury is initially jarring thanks to the caricature styled dental prosthetics and exaggerated accent. Once Malek dons the iconic Mercury moustache though the portrayal truely pops off the screen.

In terms of the biographical elements this film treads very lightly in regards to Mercury’s sexuality and the undoubted inner turmoil he battled through.

Overall Bohemian Rhapsody skims the surface when it comes to the inner workings of the band but thanks to its iconic soundtrack it is impossible not to enjoy this ride. (JA) WWWW

Fahrenheit 11/ 9

Michael Moore rose to prominence as a documentarian because he’s not afraid to dig deep. He knows how to show every side of very complex issues with incredible precision and attention to detail, all while keeping his audience engaged and entertained.

Fahrenheit 11/9 is a departure from Moore’s trademark precision.

Instead of zeroing in on important, overlooked issues as he has in the past, the movie sprays criticism at anything and everything that Moore takes issue with. This includes Donald Trump, the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and a host of other, often unconnected, subjects.

Setting aside the film’s too-wide scope and incoherent message, there is also a disturbing lack of fact based evidence.

Moore lets his hatred for Trump, and the status quo in general, get the better of him as he points out the obvious and then beats it to death. (GM)

WW

Goosebumps: Haunted Halloween In perfect time for the spooky season comes Goosebumps: Haunted Halloween, the sequel to 2015’s Goosebumps.The horror comedy is directed by Ari Sandel and written by Rob Lieber. Based on the children’s book series by R.L Stine, the films line-up includes Madison Iseman, Jeremy Ray Taylor,Wendi Mclendon-Covey, Caleel Harris, Ken Jeong, Chris Parnell and reprising his previous role from the first film, Jack Black.

After de-junking a creepy old house, two young friends find

a book and recite a spell accidently releasing Slappy the Dummy. Supernatural and powerful the dummy brings to life all Halloween props and costumes to join his family and wreak havoc on the town.

A good cast helps make for a good film and Haunted Halloween features a hilarious cast that gel well together.A great laugh with a few scares for the kids, not so much for the adults. (RH) WWW1/2 city hub 1 NOVEMBER 2018

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city hub 1 NOVEMBER 2018