City Hub 22 March 2018

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city hub 22 MARCH 2018

Good Lords Outcome for Leichhardt

BY JOHN MOYLE After more than four years of struggle, the Inner West celebrated a win last week to save a stretch of light industrial land from a developer’s wrecking ball.

The disputed land at 67-73 Lords Road, Leichhardt, near Market Place, currently houses 17 businesses employing 62 full time workers, with an additional 100 employed on part-time or contract.

Describing the background for the battle with property developer Platino, Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne said “ We were fighting this at the former Leichhardt Council for years, we’ve done our analysis and have worked out that we can’t afford to loose another inch of industrial land that provides jobs and services.”

Platino, in conjunction with development planners Mecone ,envisaged removing the tenants and buildings and that have serviced the area for years and gifting them with a eight-storey block housing 315 apartments.

Leichhardt Council, now part of the Inner West Council amalgamation, first resolved to not support the development in August 2014, resulting in the developer approaching the Department of Planning and Environment (DoPE), and the battle was on.

“I was away on holidays when one of my students forwarded me a letter from Council about the rezoning,” Jennifer McNamara, owner, Art Est Art School said.

As a long tern tenant and having Platino as my landlord, I was concerned, so I contacted them about the project, and they denied it.”

“It went to Council and they refused it, saying that they believed that the area was important to protect, and they then went to the Sydney Planning Panel, the so-called independent panel that the Liberals established to make decisions on these issues,” Jamie Parker, MP Balmain said.

The Planning Panel seven months ago said that it shouldn’t proceed as it would affect employment and a range of other issues. The Department of Planning then sat on it for seven

Art Est art school managers Jennifer and Sam with centre users Julia, Aiida, Javier, and Pablo the dog. Photo: Alec Smart

months and we were outraged that a so-called independent panel can make a decision and they were trying to overturn it.”

The State Government has appointed the Joint Regional Planning Panel to oversee proposals for rezoning land from light industrial to medium density residential.

“We thought that we had been victorious last year when the Planning Panel had refused the proposal and were shocked and outraged that it became clear that the Department of Planning were seeking a back door approach,” Mayor Byrne said.

“The Department of Planning has become the consent authority of choice for developers right across Sydney, and they are skipping local councils knowing that they will get a more favourable hearing from the Department.”

Last week the combination of resident, Council and local MP action brought the development to its knees.

Inner West Council objections included

the argument that the Draft Greater Sydney Region Plan and the Eastern City District Plan state that industrial land must be protected from rezoning and support creative industries.

Leichhardt has already lost six per cent of its industrial land, and the employment and services that comes with it, and will face increasing pressure in the near future from development applications already in the pipeline.

“Even in just the Inner West there are over a dozen proposals like this where developers outside of the normal planning controls have lodged applications for rezoning,” Jamie Parker said.

We know that these fights have just started, and this win demonstrates the importance of employment zones, and I predict that a lot of developers will be disappointed that the potential of hundreds of millions of dollars in profits with just a stroke of a pen won’t come because they won’t want to fight a living community.”

The Valuer General says that in 2016 industrial land in the Inner West has increased by an overall 18 per cent, while industrial real estate agents Colliers say that Sydney could run out of industrial land by 2023.

“There was a calculation done by Council that this development would have an uplift in the value of $90 million just by rezoning, so its no wonder that that developers are throwing everything at lobbying and experts to try and overturn sound decisions.”

Business diversity across the Lords Road light industrial hub ranges from the art school to a busy tae kwon-do school with over 300 students, carpentry workshop, fashion label, and a mechanic.

For Jennifer McNamara the fight was one for her very existence as a local business woman, and to remain relevant she had to stay local.

“Many of my students live locally, and Leichhardt has always been a creative hub and I think that we have contributed to the local landscape,” Ms McNamara said.

We provide a community service and it’s really important that we can run businesses like this where the services and the customers are local, and we couldn’t survive if we had to relocate elsewhere.”

The forces that have pitted residents, councils and a politician against a developer will continue to be played out across Sydney, but Lords Road proves that community that fights can win.

“We have a proud record in the Inner West of taking on governments that make bad decision and in this instance praise has to go to the local residents and businesses that planned and fought the campaign,” Mayor Byrne said.

Jamie Parker says there is more pressure from developers to come and “Residents have to remain vigilant and they need to engage and participate as an active community is a well protected community.

While developers always hope for a quick profit, they can be slow to get the message,.

As the City Hub went to press, project planners Mecone still lists Lords Road on their website as a project in progress.

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BY STATON WHALEY Woollahra Council’s recent revisitation of a proposal for a youth recreation facility at Rushcutters Bay Park has reignited the long term opposition from residents, while local councillors and skateboarders argue it is a positive and necessary addition to the area.

The proposed youth recreation facility will have a basketball court, ping pong tables, and a skatepark, which has seemed to draw the most flak from residents. “I think there’s a lot of misinformation; it’s not going to be a skatepark like Bondi. It’s basically a playground for older kids.” Councillor Megan McEwan, Greens, Woollahra said.

According to Woollahra Liberal councillor Anthony Marano, the decision to re-propose the recreational facility came from a new council made up of quite a few young mothers as well as pressure from residents. “Once the kids outgrow the playgrounds, there’s nowhere for them to go other than the footpaths.”

Cr McEwan assures local residents that “the location has been taken into account from those comments by moving it to a very busy road that has thousands of cars on it every day that generates far more noise than any playground could ever generate.”

Cr Marano describes opponents’ objections listing graffiti and illicit substances and an aesthetically displeasing facility in an otherwise green park as a ‘nonsense scare campaign’. . “The facility will blend into the environment as there’s lots of green around it.

It won’t just be dumped into the middle of the park,” Cr Marano said.

Youth are fighting for the skate park. Photo: supplied.

Eastern suburbs skaters often travel to Bondi skatepark, often a considerable distance away.

After a skate session in the Bondi area, thirteen-year-old Lucas Gillibrand, who has

been skating for three years, said the potential new facility in Rushcutters Bay Park is “a good look for the area.” “Skating is a popular sport right now,” he continued, “and it keeps people out of doing worse things with their time. There’s not that many parks in the area right now, so having one up there is good for the kids who can’t get to Bondi so easily.”

“If there’s no waves and there wasn’t a skatepark, I’d probably just be at home playing video games.”

Cody Riley, a skater from Waterloo, works at STM skate shop in Bondi Junction. Riley skates on the streets of Waterloo and the Redfern skate park, but would “definitely skate at a park in Rushcutters Bay Park.

There’s a lot of people in the city who skate as well, who I’m sure would go there.”

Riley hopes to see a park purpose built for skaters of all levels that will be more conducive to training than current Sydney spots.

At the parks nearby, like Bondi, “there’s no little stuff. It’s all rather long and big so they need to make more of just gradual steps up.

There’s nothing to learn on. There needs to be sections so kids can learn and bigger kids can skate in a different part.”

“For sure it’s a positive thing for the community. I see all the kids come into the shop and hangout here and watch them skate out front, so they could definitely use another place to skate, especially being only a train ride away for a lot of them.”

Currently an online petition Vote YES for Youth Recreational Facilities in Rushcutters Bay Park is gathering support, having reached 2,103 e-signatures out of their 2,500 goal. city hub 22 MARCH 2018

3

Kiwis drive locals out of work

BY JADE MORELLENI First the opposition lost in the fight against bus privatisation in the Inner West, now the new private operators are dividing the city with their decision to recruit drivers from New Zealand.

In February, Transit Systems won the Government contract to operate the Region 6 network and this means they have the power to hire and fire staff as they wish, giving them more flexibility in cutting bus workers’ wages and conditions.

“They’re only privatising initially the four Inner West depots – Leichardt, Burwood, Tempe and Kingsgrove. A lot of the bus drivers from those depots don’t want to work for a private owner, so a lot of them are transferring to other depots,” transport commentator Jefferson Lee, STOP Group Convener, said. “Moving from public to private sector, the conditions are worse. Under the public sector they get an extra week’s holiday pay for a start.”

Many fear that by hiring workers from New Zealand, it could mean young Sydneysiders looking for work may miss out.

Labor leader Luke Foley said, “I can reveal today that the very first act of the new private operator of Sydney buses across dozens of Sydney suburbs is to recruit staff from overseas. Transit Systems Australia, which has been issued the contract for region 6 will have bus drivers coming from overseas.”

The advertisement from Transit Systems Australia called bus drivers from New Zealand to apply, promising to provide extensive training and to cover the costs.

“I’m angry, why is it that our essential public services can’t be operated by our own citizens, by people who live in NSW? I think it ought to be mandatory that when it comes to an occupation like driving a bus in NSW, that we recruit from our own citizens,” Foley said.

Shadow Minister for Transport, Jodi McKay told

Shadow Minister of Transport, Jodi McKay standing up against Bus Privatisation. Photo: Supplied.

the City Hub, “In the ad they actually said that there would be training provided free and relocation costs would be paid for and this would have been fabulous for people in rural or regional NSW.” If workers are hired from overseas, they will need to be taught everything from scratch.

A bus driver of 30 years, Ron Watson said, “A problem with hiring from overseas would be that more comprehensive and longer periods of training would be required due to the simple fact that many of these drivers would not be familiar with Sydney traffic conditions/laws and/or road configurations.”

Youth unemployment continues to be an issue in Sydney, so the opposition is questioning why young Sydneysiders aren’t being targeted in the advertisement.

“There is chronically high youth unemployment in many parts of the state. Why on earth are they issuing a contract to someone who’s first act is to recruit foreigners when frankly they should be recruiting from areas such as the Hunter and Illawarra and North Coast, the areas with chronically high youth unemployment stuck in the double digits,” Foley continued.

Jodi McKay agreed, “There are a lot of people I would think that would want to take on a job as a bus driver when you look at the number of young people we have who don’t have a job, particularly in rural and regional areas.”

With the concerns of many being noted by Transport for NSW, a spokesperson replied, “Transit Systems West is recruiting drivers to

ensure there are sufficient drivers to deliver all Region 6 services reliably from day one and is recruiting 300 drivers in total.”

Transport NSW promised to prioritise recruitment from Australia before New Zealand.

“Transit Systems West has a staged driver recruitment strategy which starts with targeted recruitment in Sydney. The other elements of the recruitment drive include recruitment in NSW and other states, and recruitment in New Zealand. This is a mitigation strategy and relatively few drivers are expected to be recruited from New Zealand. Local drivers will be hired in preference to New Zealand drivers. It also costs less to recruit locally.”

Watson understands their struggle to fill 300 vacant driver spots, “There are simply not enough drivers available for existing positions as it is. The industry as a whole is very short on drivers due to the expansion of the bus networks by the current government to cater to growing passenger demand.”

“We’ve said from the beginning that this will have an impact on the delivery of inner west buses, we believe that there will be job losses and services that will be impacted. There’s nothing we can do, the government has given the contract to inner west buses to transit systems, it’s a private operator and has a contract for more than five years to run those buses so we fought a good fight but lost,” McKay said.

Local of the Inner West and Contributor of Sparks Magazine, Mark McGuire said, “There is going to be a big crisis in the bus operations and staffing, the information we have received is that they are not receiving many takers from New Zealand. The answer to improving bus services is not for the government to wash their hands of the matter and secretly sell them off. If the government was seriously seeking to improve services, they wouldn’t be trying to shift the blame, but would deliver an extended network of priority lanes, traffic light priority for buses and additional bus services.”

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5

The Almost-Occupants of the Abandoned Ultimo Depot Site

BY ADDIE MORTON Australia’s most densely populated suburb is about to lose its last large site owned by the ratepayers of Sydney as it currently goes to market.

The highest bidder will take over the Ultimo Depot site, located at 14-26 Wattle St, which has sat idle for decades. The City of Sydney has made it a condition of sale that new owner must build an 80-place childcare centre and a two-court indoor recreational centre as part of the redevelopment of the contaminated depot site.

It is anticipated that the site will be sold to developers who will build apartments, bringing thousands of people to the already densely populated area.

“There are many, many more families living in this area than planners predicted, and children and young people in this area need places to play,” Mary Mortimer, Convenor of Friends of Pyrmont Community Centre said. “There simply will not be enough sporting facilities to cater for all of the needs of the area.”

“It is public land and should remain in public hands,” Mortimer said.

The redevelopment of the Sydney Fish Market, which sits less than 200 metres from the depot site, is also expected to bring in many more new residents.

When the Market is moved, the current site will be home to around 2,760 new apartments. With the development of the Bays Precinct, the NSW Treasury has estimated that the area could see 16,000 new residents.

Increased population means greater pressure on the already crowded facilities. Children in the area will be pushed onto Wentworth Park for sporting activities, which is already heavily used.

Fig Street. Photo: Supplied

In order to prevent overcrowded facilities, Mortimer believes the Ultimo Depot should be retained for public use. She says negotiation should continue with the Department of Education, the Department of Sport and Recreation and the City of Sydney to work up some way of providing more education and sport facilities on that site.

Elizabeth Elenius, Convenor of the Pyrmont Action, believes it would have made sense to delay putting the Depot on the market until drafts for the Bays Market District are released later this year.

“At the moment no one knows [exactly] how many new residents will come to Pyrmont when the Fish Markets move, and there is a current shortfall in local amenities, which will only be exacerbated when the Bays developments are constructed,” Elenius said.

Pyrmont Action asked for a delay from Council to allow community consultation on options for

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use of the site for community benefit, including for the current and future residents of Pyrmont and Ultimo, but was denied.

Now that the site is on the market, Pyrmont Action is focused on getting early consultation with the buyer of the property to ensure that the height and other features of the development do not exceed those imposed by the Local Environment Plan and the Development Control Plan. This includes zoning and parameters such as height, building footprint and floor space ratios.

“We are very much on our guard to make sure the Council does not go against those conditions,” Elenius said.

Following the redevelopment of the site, the developer will transfer ownership of the public facilities back to the City, allowing for these services to be delivered for the local community.

Any sandstone found at the site must be harvested for future use in repairing heritage buildings around the city “We have waited a long time for something to happen on the Fig/Wattle St depot site. We were badly let down when negotiations for the sale of the site to the Department of Education broke down,” Elenius said.

Back in 2014, the contaminated depot site was on track to become the grounds of the new Ultimo Public School. Although the City and State Government agreed on the value of the land and were finalizing negotiations on the outstanding issues of remediation costs, the NSW Treasury decided the site did not represent a value property.

The plan was revisited in December 2014, but once again an agreement could not be reached on the cost of remediation. The Department of Education walked away in June 2015 from a deal to buy the site for $74 million. The department claimed that with remediation costs, the site would cost up to $177 million.

To keep up with the growing population, it was thought that a new childcare centre and sports recreation centre would support the local community well. In 2016, the City’s Open Space, Sport and Recreation Needs Study recommended more in-door multi-purpose courts for inner-city areas, including Pyrmont.

“We’re getting a child care centre, which we’ve wanted for many, many years and we’re getting two full-sized courts. We currently do not have any full-sized courts in Pyrmont and Ultimo, and hopefully we’ll enable the development of sports clubs in the younger people which is a great thing for social cohesion,” Elenius said.

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7

Renters to enter app bidding war

BY JOSHUA KINDL Sydney’s already overcrowded property market is set to become even more daunting for Australian rentors, as a number of controversial rental-auction apps have launched into the Australian property market.

United States-based Rentberry, as well as Australia-based LiveOffer and Rentwolf, are set to launch throughout Australia, beginning in Australia’s largest cities.

Member for Sydney, Alex Greenwich, says these apps pose a considerable threat to rent affordability in Sydney, especially amongst an environment of rising rent prices.

“Rent-bidding apps risk further eroding affordability in Sydney’s already dire rental market.

“The average household spends nearly 30 per cent of income on rent and lower income households are being squeezed to the fringes of the city where there are fewer services and transport and job options,” Mr Greenwich said.

Much has been made of housing affordability in Sydney, with the Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey, released earlier this year, finding that Sydney was the “second least affordable [housing] market’ in the world, trailing only Hong Kong.

The report also found that housing prices in Sydney were almost 13 times higher than median household incomes in the city. As a result, buying and renting in Sydney has become considerably more difficult and expensive, with no letup in sight.

And now, with traditional Australian rental systems seemingly in jeopardy, some are concerned that rent-bidding actions encouraged by these apps will contribute negatively to rental affordability within the nation’s largest cities.

Tenants Union for NSW Senior Policy Officer, Leo Patterson, says an environment of rising rents in Sydney makes it a fertile one for rent-bidding apps such as these to negatively affect further inflationary pressures.

Gazumped. Photo: Supplied

“We should be aware that landlords and real estate agents are already setting rents at the highest rate they think that potential renters will pay for that property.

“Rent-bidding apps effectively formalise a process which we know happens informally when there is intense competition for homes as desperate applicants either offer higher rent than the listed price,” Mr L. Patterson said.

Data accumulated by the Domain Group in early 2017 found that weekly rents in Sydney rose by approximately $25 from 2016-17, with indications that inflation was likely to continue.

This data comes on the heels of a 2016 report into Australian rental conditions, with researchers finding that almost half of all long-term renters in Australia found it difficult to consistently pay their rent due to a lack of funds.

Not to mention recent reports showing that Sydney

homelessness levels have increased to almost 5000 people, which Mission Australia CEO James Toomey partly blamed on a NSW housing market that has “seen some of the most significant price rises.”

Darren Patterson, Executive Director and CEO of Property Connect, which owns and administers LiveOffer, discounts this perception that rents throughout Sydney are currently rising.

“I don’t think rents are rising at all.

“I think it’s the great urban myth of today”, he said.

Mr D Patterson added that the benefits of rentbidding programs, such as LiveOffer, offer consumers a more efficient and more transparent renting process than is available through traditional real-estate agents. “[Agents] don’t tell you where your application is in the process, there’s no visibility of what the rentor is thinking… [LiveOffer] gives you control over that process,” he said.

However, Mr L Patterson disagrees with the assessment that greater transparency is what’s needed in today’s rental marketplace.

“Is knowing how badly you are getting done over really a good thing?”

Instead, Mr L Patterson says that greater regulation of technologies such as LiveOffer will be crucial in maintaining sensible rental-rates throughout Sydney and wider Australia.

“If we are going to have rent-bidding apps, then they really need sensible regulation.

“Current laws around property auctions won’t apply, and while it won’t work to simply add rent auctions to those current laws, there are protections against poor behaviour for buyers which should be considered,” he said.

MP for Sydney, Alex Greenwich, agreed with this sentiment and stated that the state government would be held to task over rental regulation matters.

“I understand rent-bidding apps are being regulated in Victoria and I have asked questions in parliament about the need for reform here,” he said.

Property Connect recently announced that the LiveOffer service has been on-boarded by Melbourne-based real estate agent Direct Property Group, following similar recent transactions with Sydney-based McGrath and Western Australian offices of Century 21.

This comes following news that the United States city of Seattle had placed a one-year ban on rentbidding apps throughout the city, citing fears that the programs could lead to a jump in housing prices.

Mr Greenwich believes the possible implications of further proliferation of these rent-bidding apps could be costly for an already desperate renting public, both in Sydney and the rest of the nation.

“Rent-bidding apps could add to housing stress with many renters forced to bid beyond their means in order to secure a home,” he said.

Representatives from Rentberry did not respond to request for comment.

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9

Commuters’ data could be swiped

Trying out the new contactless payment system. Photo: Gabriela Szymanowska

on the Manly to Circular Quay ferry which allowed commuters to use their credit or debit cards for a single fare ride. The system

was integrated in hopes of making it easier for tourists, who make up 40 per cent of the passengers.

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“The integration of contactless transport payments into the Opal ticketing scheme is about choice and convenience. We want to continue to provide a convenient solution to those who may not have an Opal alternative card, whether they’re tourists or simply infrequent public transport users,” a spokesperson from Transport for NSW said.

The system has been extended to all ferries and the Inner West light rail, so commuters can conveniently use their credit cards or a device that is linked to a card to purchase single Opal fares.

Sasha Miles, a tourist from Singapore, said it was her first time venturing out into the city and that using the transportation in Sydney was easier to navigate compared to New York City.

“It’s pretty straight forward. The people at the station helped,” Ms. Miles said.

Peter and Katarina Zahradnik, tourists from the United Kingdom, said that the system is like the Oyster card in England and that they had no trouble finding stores where they could top off their cards.

The new method will not include the benefits that exist with current Opal cards, which are designed to reward commuters who use transportation daily.

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Contactless payment has not yet been extended to buses or trains but should be extended to all modes of transportation by the end of the year.

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By Gabriela Szymanowska Recent developments for the Opal card means NSW commuters will be able to use alternative methods of payment for travel such as smartphone,tablets, smartwatches and credit cards.

The alternative payment issues have been introduced to overcome issues including queues for topping up cards and convenience for interstate and overseas visitors , but these conveniences may come with a security risk say industry experts.

Ahmed Khanji, Chief Executive Officer of Gridware, explained how contactless payments opens more risks for commuters. Gridware is an Australian cybersecurity company that focuses on securing business information and preventing cyber-attacks.

“When you are checked at your received station, the guards can identify if you are the owner of that Opal card, whereas if you pay with contactless payment you can use essentially any card. You’re not provided with a receipt on the spot, so there’s essentially no way to track exactly who and what used what card at what time,” Mr. Khanji said.

Opal cards use the near-field communication technology or NFC, that allows for two-way communication between the chip in the card and a card reader, the same technology used in credit and debit cards.

Mr. Khanji said that contactless payments present opportunities for people to implement a relay attack, which manipulates the reading between the NFC tag and the reader by using a card emulator on top of the original card reader.

These fake readers can either manipulate the transaction or collect people’s authentication keys, which can later be replicated.

In 2017, Transport for NSW started a trial

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Penthouse vs Darlinghurst

by John Moyle Sydney’s inner city Darlinghurst is the scene of a culture war as residents say ‘no’ to men’s magazine Penthouse’s proposal to open a small licensed bar in their office headquarters at 210212 Crown Street.

The $1.5 million bar is to be called ‘Gucciones’ after Penthouse magazine founder Bob Guccione, and will boast a crystal bar and a rose-gold quilted ceiling.

Seeing red, and not the roses, residents raised 12 objections to the City of Sydney when Penthouse lodged their DA. “The proposal was categorised as a low impact premises, assessed on its individual merits and found to satisfy planning requirements,” City of Sydney spokesperson said.

The DA is for licensed premises with a limit of 50 patrons trading between 12pm and 10pm, with a one-year trial of midnight closing, conditional that the venue does not detrimentally impact on residential neighbours.

“The residents don’t believe that it is an operation that will add anything to the community and neighbourhood, and it is an intensification of an entertainment venue in a place that was not previously an entertainment venue,” Jane Anderson, secretary, East Sydney Neighbourhood Association said.

Adelaide born publisher of the Australian edition of Penthouse said “There are a lot of small bars and coffee shops in the area that is zoned residential, and we are zoned a mixed use premises, but I wasn’t surprised when residents came out against us.”

When asked how many licensed bars are in the area, Ms Anderson replied, “I don’t know.”

The nearest pubs to the club’s corner site are the East Village on Palmer Street and the Lord

Publisher of Penthouse Magazine, Damien Costas.

Photo: supplied

Roberts on Stanley Street, both a few hundred metres from the location of the proposed bar.

Crown Street and Riley Street have a number of small bars that have been operating for years without major incidents.

Meanwhile, residents cite a childcare centre located some 100 metres from the club as another reason for objecting, but it is unlikely that club patrons are going to impact on children who are at home by 4pm watching Dora the Explorer.

“It will add to noise, to traffic and to

garbage, it is not a positive thing to add,” Jane Anderson said.

“We went through an excruciating process to get the approvals and the residents need to take that into account,” Damien Costas said.

It must be noted that all of these issues have been addressed in the DA to the City of Sydney.

“They might have met all the DA requirements on paper, but we will have to wait until they start trading to see if they meet them in practice,” Jane Anderson said.

The Darlinghurst area of Sydney has already undergone many changes in the last twenty or so years, with many residential buildings being repurposed into restaurants and small bars, or the more recent trend, hipster hairdressings shops.

This bar proposal is just another low impact use of a space that has probably drawn as much attention for its name as anything else “I’ll be popping in myself to see the rosequilted ceiling and crystal bar,” Jane Anderson said.

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city hub 22 MARCH 2018

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FEATURE

The Art Of Bullying Photo supplied

by The Bully Project

Chris, Tom & Yasmin.

Photo: Vikki Foord

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city hub 22 MARCH 2018

situations and more, the answers to which will ultimately form a theatre piece.

Artistic Director of the theatre, Chris Dunstan, says it’s interesting to observe how the group dynamic shifts over time. At first, people tend to only interact with others their own age, but gradually they relax and mingle until “a 13 year old in the group feels like they can have a conversation with a 50 year old in the group and, you know, ask each other about their weeks.”

Older people are naturally more comfortable expressing themselves and sharing their stories and that becomes infectious.

“I think young people hearing those stories - it gave them the confidence to do the same and not be afraid to share something with this group, whom they’ve only known for a month and a half,” explains Dunstan. “It felt like a really safe space for those young people to be themselves and actually share more than I think a lot of them would at school or with their peer groups.”

It’s a genuinely enriching experience for both age groups; each gains new perspectives and find a way to communicate across a demographic divide.

Dunstan says all sorts of issues including bullying of bullying incidence in a number of schools hashtag #BlindEyesOpen prompts young people have been raised within the group and he is across America. It’s raw and confronting yet and adults to stop turning a blind eye to often impressed at how candidly they share and relatable, and it has been shown in schools malignant bullying and make it more visible. support each other. Without a script or other throughout the States and Australia. Barry Another interactive program is The Bully Project constraint, kids can freely express themselves believes the film is effective because “it has a Mural, a platform created by Adobe that allows they open up and become very creative and captive audience for 90 minutes, and what Lee participants to upload photos, artworks, video, honest. has done and what many film makers and artists stories or any creative response to their “I’ve seen a number of kids really come out of have an ability to do is use that captive audience experience of bullying. their shells and in terms of ideas, they can throw and create an emotional connection.”

There are numerous programs and resources out all these fantastic ideas with confidence,” The film profiles five bullied students and their available on their website. Barry believes a says Dunstan. families, each with a unique story and outcomes multi-faceted, communal approach is needed to Dealing with bullying culture is not just an that include bringing a gun onto the school bus, combat bullying. exercise in ethical responsibility; the costs to being forced to leave town and committing “It’s not going to take just policy change… that’s society are many, varied and tangible. A recent suicide. not enough, we need to change human behaviour study commissioned by the Alannah & Madeline “It’s really shocking, but all Lee has done with and a whole culture here,” she says.

Foundation found that the economic cost of that is put up on a big screen what is actually Some organisations are tackling bullying dealing with bullying exceeds $500 million per happening to young people,” says Barry. She indirectly by building self-esteem and year. The emotional and psychological costs to explains that one of the traits that is common encouraging open, honest expression in young individuals and communities is equally high and among bullies is a lack of empathy. That’s where people. The Spark Youth Theatre, an Inner West ultimately contributes to the financial toll. film and other media can help provide context Council initiative, runs workshops and programs Dealing with the problem is imperative; dealing to evoke that empathy. in which young people share ideas, improvise with it creatively seems like a good place to On the flip side, access to certain media can together and create works, helping them start. magnify the problem exponentially, a fact improve their social and personal skills. One www.sgervay.com evidenced by a surge in reported cases of severe program currently running is Say Something, Do www.thebullyproject.com.au bullying.

Something, described as ’an intergenerational www.sparkyouththeatre.com “It’s probably worse now than when the film performance about the potential for words, If this article raised any concerns came out because social media has just exploded actions and theatre to change the world.’ for you please contact: over the last five years. So cyber bullying is a The program brings together high-school aged

Kids Helpline - 1800 55 1800 massive, massive problem now,” explains Barry, kids and seniors aged 55 and over. In a group,

Beyond Blue - 1300 224636 reiterating the fact that secrecy and invisibility they are each asked questions about world Lifeline - 13 11 14 are the arsenal of bullies. The Bully Project’s issues, their personal history, hypothetical Susanne Gervey reads I Am Jack to students. Photo: Supplied

More Info:

BY Rita Bratovich When author, Susanne Gervay discovered that her 11 year old son was being bullied at school, she was shocked and heartbroken. Despite being qualified in child growth and development, she’d missed all the signs: sick days, decline in academic performance, isolation. Notwithstanding her son’s protests, she immediately went to his school and, together with teachers and other parents, managed to resolve the issue. The experience however, made her realise there were limited resources for kids to help them deal with being bullied, and so, with her son’s permission, she wrote a book based on his story.

“He said ‘Yeah Mum, do it. I don’t want anyone else to be in my position. I don’t want other kids to be bullied,’” Gervay says, describing her son’s response. And so, I Am Jack (published 2000) was written and almost immediately became a resource in school anti-bullying programs nationally.

One of the key things she identified is how hard it is for kids in this situation to communicate.

“They can’t speak anymore - they lose their voice,” she explains. “Because, what bullying is all about is silence…secrecy… all the bullying occurs when there’s no authority there, no adult, no teacher.”

As a children’s author and prodigious book lover, Gervay understands the enormous power of literature and believes books can provide guidance and be a safe haven, without dictating behaviour or prescribing answers.

“Through story kids can suddenly understand ‘Oh, is that what I should do!…It gives [them] a platform and protection to talk about the core issues of their own life within the protection of another character…Literature can make them feel they’ve got a friend, they’re not alone.”

In 2008, Monkey Baa Theatre adapted it into a one-man show that toured nationally and went to the United States. When the play toured remote, mostly indigenous communities in outback NSW, the adaptation helped break through an illiteracy wall.

“Indigenous kids are storytellers, they learn through the oral tradition. So this play - they could identify, they got it… there was no challenge or barrier of literacy, of reading. It was just respectful ideas and characters that they could engage with.”

Katie Barry from The Bully Project (Australia) agrees that arts media can be very effective in getting a message across difficult territory. Her organisation is a hub of resources, information and workshops using as its entry point the American documentary, Bully (2012) by Lee Hirsch. The film is a fly-on-the-wall observation

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

It’s hard to believe there were only ever 12 episodes made of the classic BBC comedy, Fawlty Towers, although it does explain why fans can readily quote any line from any scene from any episode. This affectionate knowledge of the series is part of what has made Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience such a phenomenal success worldwide.

The immersive dinner show recreates the one and a half star service of the eponymous hotel run by Basil and Sybil Fawlty with little help from their hapless Spanish waiter/porter/ whatever, Manuel. With the performance being around 70% improvised and audience participation actively encouraged, what ensues is “organised chaos!” according to Anthony Sottile who is Production Assistant and has played Manuel for the last eight years.

There are 10 actors for each character and they perform together based on availability. So how do they keep characterisations consistent across different teams?

“The main thing is that Fawlty Towers the series becomes your bible,” says Rhian McLean who plays Sybil. Each actor knows their character so thoroughly, they can react naturally to whatever the audience throws at

them - and audience members do like to test them.

“You’ve got to be careful… because you can break the illusion,” explains Luke Gibney who plays Basil.

The premise for this show is that the three characters are actually running the restaurant in which the audience is dining (it does not use dialogue or scenes from the BBC series). They greet you at the door, serve food, and may occasionally throw things, yell and stand on the table.

“It’s quite universal,” says Sottile. “We all experience bad hospitality.” (RB) Until Mar 25. Sydney Opera House, Utzon Room, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $149-$179+b.f. (includes 3 course meal by Aria).Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui Bertolt Brecht’s 1941 classic The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is returning to the Sydney Theatre Company’s stage to present a modern twist on the rise of dangerous forces.

Officially telling the story of the rise of Hitler and fascism, they have adapted the story so audiences of today can relate.

Actor, Mitchell Butel said, “This current version is set now, so it’s about the rise of dangerous forces, a bit about Trump dare I say - when you let people who have very flamboyant and persuasive voices and who don’t really have the best of intentions and bad forces start to rise.”

Photo courtesy Opera Australia, San Diego Opera and Ken Howard

Brecht’s aim in all his plays was to make the audience consider what they were watching and this play confronts audiences with the issues of politics.

“The main issue in this play is that we all have corruption in our life and we all have a responsibility to try and do the right thing in every situation,” Butel said. “It’s teaching us a lesson but at the same time it does so in a very entertaining, scary and comic way which is cool.”

Butel will be embodying two characters – a theatre director who is silly and a corrupt business man.

“Arturo is from the wrong side

of the track and wants to learn how to talk properly, so he gets this actor/director in to train him, kind of like how politicians today have voice coaches or performance coaches, so that’s quite a funny scene. The other character is a corrupt business man in beautiful suits, so it’s good I get to wear quite a few hats in this one.”

“The play itself is good, we have great actors and a great director, but the style of it is true to Brecht but also incredibly suspenseful and incredibly unique which will be good for our audiences.” Butel concluded. (JM)

Photo: Rene Vaile

Anthony Sottile

Until Apr 28. Roslyn Packer Theatre, 22 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay. $83.00+b.f.

Tickets & info: www.sydneytheatre.com.au

REVIEW: Massenet - Don Quichotte Reviewed by Lawrence Gibbons The classic tale of Don Quixote, the demented Spanish knight who tilts at windmills, is brought to life fantastically by Opera Australia.

Originally written by Miguel Cervantes in the early seventeenth century, the famously absurd novel was transformed into an opera in 1909 by the French Romantic composer Jules Massenet when he was 67, just three years before his death.

At 68, the world famous Italian bass Feruccio Furlanetto brings the role of the bungling, senile knight to life with comic compassion. Over the latter half of the twentieth century Massenet’s opera was rarely

a&e

performed. In recent years Don Quichotte (the French spelling) has undergone a renaissance, thanks in large part to Furlanetto, who has performed the role to critical acclaim across Europe and North America. Furlanetto’s vocal powers are formidable and his ability to capture the tragicomic pathos of the Man of La Mancha is mesmerising.

Dulcinee, the object of Quixote’s affection, is performed to perfection by the Russian Soprano Elena Maximova.The chemistry between the two international stars is palpable.

The Don’s chubby offsider, Sancho Panza is performed by the Australian baritone Warwick Fyfe.

Having played Leporello in Don

13 STAGE 14 SCENE 15 Sounds 15 SCREEN

Giovanni as well as Verdi’s Falstaff, Fyfe has mastered the role of the servant /sidekick.

Opera Australia has brought the San Diego Opera Company’s Spanish costumes and stunning period set complete with whirling windmills across the Pacific. The dance sequences at the start of the first and fourth acts choreographed by the Australian flamenco performer Tomas Dietz provide boundless energy and a powerful start to a spectacular night at the opera.

Until Mar 28. Sydney Opera House, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Bennelong Point, Sydney. $46-$348+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.opera.org.au

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 @CityHubSyd

A Pacifists Guide To The War On Cancer

Bryony Kimmings. Photo: Christa Holka

Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience

Cancer has had such an adverse effect on the lives of countless millions of people globally over years that it’s hard to believe that this is the first theatre production of its kind. With six performers on stage this incredibly successful show from the UK delves into everything about The Big C which people always wanted to know about but were too afraid to ask. The pain and diagnosis, the treatment cycles and the hairlessness resulting from these treatments and ultimately death are just a few of the topics explored in this poignant yet strangely funny stage show.

“This is certainly a very unique show. I’ve never seen a stage production about cancer. It’s absolutely not a traditional musical and I would call it a performance piece like nothing you’ve ever seen before,” explained director Kirsty Housley.

“It’s a difficult subject but the show has comical elements and I really hope that audiences will laugh, especially in the finale which serves as an emotional release.”

The incidence of cancer seems to be increasing at an alarming rate worldwide and the forecast is that one in three people in the UK alone will be diagnosed with cancer.

“I don’t think the purpose of this show is to educate, but more importantly for audiences to have a collective experience about cancer.”

But should theatregoers who are living with cancer attend this show? “That depends entirely on the individual’s experience. For some it may be raw and painful and may be a trigger for an emotional upset. Ultimately it’s an individual choice as people will know where they’re at emotionally with the disease.” (MMo) Mar 22-29. Seymour Centre, Cnr City Rd & Cleveland St, Chippendale. $62-$69+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.seymourcentre.com

Contributors: Barbara Karpinski, Craig Coventry, Emily Shen, Greg Webster, Irina Dunn, Jade Morellini, Joseph Rana, Leann Richards, Lisa Seltzer, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Olga Azar, Rita Bratovich, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Sarah Pritchard, Shon Ho, Jade Morellini, Alex Eugene, Manuel Gonzalez, Tommy Boutros, Riley Hooper, Mohsen Dezaki, Daniel Jaramillo, Georgia Fullerton, Gary Nunn.

city hub 22 MARCH 2017

13

Alison Benstead & Ash Sakha

REVIEW: One Way Mirror The new play by Paul Gilchrist, One Way Mirror, is a confounding wonder of theatremaking, and nearly bursting with ideas, questions and confrontations. As Gilchrist, who also directs, confesses in the program notes, he’s not sure that in the ten years of plays with company Subtlenuance (of which he is a co-founder) has ever answered any questions. Which is just as well, as One Way Mirror brings up many, all challenging and urgent to our times, but begins to feel like a bombardment of Psychology 101 with detours into the philosophy department.

Set in the 1960s of American prestige

universities, a series of psychological experiments places scientists, subjects and actors in a rat labyrinth of social examination.

In this setting, researchers are intent on discovering the motivations – or lack of such – to explain how Nazism came to be. To this end, the actors play out seminal experiments of the era, including the infamous experiment in which volunteers applied increasing fake electric shocks to people deemed to have supplied incorrect answers to a dull quiz.

Supported by a dedicated cast, One Way Mirror is carried by it from start to finish.

Each actor brings tremendous energy to the

show, and creates an excitement apart from the story. Staged within the intimate confines of the backroom area of the World Bar, they need to be good to escape what might have been an overblown and unnecessary contemplation of too many questions and no answers. Not an unworthy pursuit, of course, but a bit of trimming would not be out of place. The actors Gilchrist has gathered are up to the work, and worth a look. (OA) Until Mar 24. Blood Moon Theatre, The World Bar, 24 Bayswater Road, Potts Point. $20-$30+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.subtlenuance.com

THE NAKED CITY With Coffin Ed In the 50s and 60s, for a child growing up in Australia, space and the cosmos were a magical engagement. Our vision of the galaxy was largely defined by comics, toys, B-grade movies and some rudimentary science teaching at school. Long before the moon landing in 1969, the spaceships of Hollywood travelled to distant planets and encountered weird alien civilisations. Most involved a triumph on the part of the invading earthlings with a few notable exceptions.The 1956 production of Forbidden Planet, still one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time, was a freaky and at times highly disturbing encounter for any starry eyed youngster with its psychological confrontation with the Id. Flash forward to 2018 and Elon Musk is announcing his back up plan for a world in which nuclear war and artificial intelligence have devastated the planet. His Plan B society would see a million people settling on Mars with the Space X boss stating: “We want to make sure there’s enough of a seed of civilisation somewhere else to bring civilisation back and perhaps shorten the length of the dark ages. I think that’s why it’s important to get a self-sustaining base, ideally on Mars, because it’s more likely to survive than a moon base.”

In almost the same week as Musk announced his humanity rescue package, Donald Trump told a group of marines in California that the US should have a ‘space force’ – the reason being that many future wars might be fought in space. Nixon killed a similar idea in

Geoffrey Robertson.

Photo: Ella Egidy

An Evening With Geoffrey Robertson

An Evening With Geoffrey Robertson will give audiences the unique chance to glimpse inside the mind of one of the world’s leading and celebrated human rights lawyers.

For one night Mr Robertson will reflect on his numerous high-profile and sometimes controversial cases, throughout his fifty year career as a lawyer, distinguished author and broadcaster.

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city hub 22 MARCH 2018

the 60s but Trump stated at first he wasn’t serious when he floated the concept, but “then I said what a great idea, maybe we’ll have to do that.”

Just how the US Battleship Galactica would navigate through the half million plus pieces of space junk that now orbit the earth, whilst vaporising their Chinese and Russian counterparts remains to be seen, but at least the trillion dollar American armaments industry would be salivating.

Ironically in the same week that Musk and Trump made their radical predictions the world lost one of its greatest scientific

Born in Sydney, Mr Robertson was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford university, where he went on to found and head Doughty Street Chambers, Europe’s largest human rights practice. His impressive list of work has included fighting for lives on death row, shaping public debate at The Vatican and defending Australia’s highest profile fugitive, Julian Assange.

During his public appearances, Mr Robertson is well-known for his wit, eloquence and speaking openly and passionately about human rights. An Evening With Geoffrey Robertson comes on the back of his latest memoir, Rather His Own Man, which chronicles the journey from his days at High School, to momentous legal battles in the UK Supreme Court, European Court of Human Rights and the appeal courts of Trinidad and Mauritius. (GF) Mar 26. City Recital Hall, 2 Angel Pl, Sydney. $25-$45+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.cityrecitalhall.com

minds in Stephen Hawking. Whilst Hawking was very much a realist when it came to the madness of world affairs and geopolitics, his vision of space was always one of wonder, amazement and the possibility of alien civilisations – not a battleground for US and Russian space tanks.

Maybe George Lucas has a lot to answer for with the seemingly endless Star Wars franchise. Jedi philosophy aside, his cinematic version of future space is one of conflict, merely duplicating the inevitable argy bargy of war and destruction that has defined mankind from the year dot.

We have trashed the planet and the stratosphere and surrounded ourselves with a massive orbiting rubbish dump. Space is a bit like what Antarctica was two hundred years ago, pristine and relatively unaffected by the indiscretions of mankind. Whilst our footprint there might still seem small, the ice shelves are melting and pressure is building to open the landscape for mining.

Does it seem only a matter of time before we screw up the South Pole?

In the meantime let’s aim for a blanket ban on all movies and TV shows that promote conflict in outer space. There’s probably more chance of Trump reading a book from beginning to end (for the first time ever) than the US Space Force ever getting off the ground within the next decade or so, likewise a thriving community on Mars. In the meantime time to revisit Mork & Mindy, My Favourite Martian and even 2001 A Space Odyssey and the decidedly less violent side of the universe of which we are just a grain of sand.

Peter Alexander x Moccona What could possibly be better than waking up in the morning with Peter Alexander pyjamas and a nice hot mug of classic Moccona coffee?

Waking up to the new limitededition Peter Alexander x Moccona coffee jars, of course!

The King of Pyjamas has united with Moccona coffee to design four personalised coffee jars which will add a fun and personalised experience to everyone’s usual morning routine.

For all the dog lovers out there, those with a sweet tooth, the hopeless romantics and lovers of all things floral – there is a reusable jar designed to satisfy all.

At the launch of their collaboration, Peter Alexander said, “Go and purchase these beautiful Peter Alexander x Moccona coffee jars that are reusable and will make great vases and all sorts of things.”

Not only do these jars have the classic, much loved Moccona

coffee inside, but they can each be upcycled as a memory jar, vase, candle holder or herb garden to name a few.

To celebrate the launch of their collaboration, they held an exquisite breakfast and had a fivemetre high Moccona coffee jar at Circular Quay where the public received free cupcakes, free limited-edition Peter Alexander PJs and coffee, as well as some cute pups to play with.

“All proceeds I am making from this beautiful collaboration will be

going to a charity close to my heart – the RSPCA. This is the second year I’ve worked with Moccona coffee and we’re raising a lot of money for the RSPCA.” This brilliant collaboration is sure to help many animals out there – while helping all coffee lovers to wake up in style.

The limited-edition jars are available at Woolworths, Coles and selected retailers nationwide until sold out. (JM) More info: www.moccona.com.au/range

Live Music Guide LIVE WIRE Sydney

By Jamie Apps

Breabach: This Scottish five-piece deliver a thrilling and unique brand of contemporary folk music that has earned them international recognition in the world and roots music scene as one of the UK’s most dynamic and exciting bands.

Check them out live in Sydney tonight.

Thu, Mar 22, Django Bar Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Since their debut release in 2001, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club have made a name for themselves on a global scale. By fusing together elements of the psych, space rock, noisepop and classic rock and roll their live shows have often been hailed as events rather than mere gigs; a dynamic showcase of dark, brooding rock mixed with an energetic show you can’t take your eyes off.

Fri, Mar 23, Enmore Theatre Frances Madden & Band: One of Australia’s classiest performers and most talented young song writers, will return to the Basement this weekend. Frances captivates her audiences with a combination of her genuinely warm stage presence together with a voice and style that are uniquely hers.

Sat, Mar 24, The Basement The Smith Street Band: This will be The Smith Street Band’s first Australian headline tour since the release of More Scared Of You Than You Are Of Me, which debuted at #3 on the ARIA Album chart. This year is going to be massive for the band and will likely see them rarely performing in Sydney so see them this weekend while you can.

Sat, Mar 24, Enmore Theatre

LANY: Riding high on an unstoppable wave of recent success LA’s finest purveyors of intergenerational alternative music return to Sydney this Sunday to showcase their new self-titled album.

Sun, Mar 25, Big Top Luna Park Neighbourhood Watch: A free family-friendly, daytime carpark party, curated by hip-hop collective One Day will see the likes of Spit Syndicate’s Nick Lupi, Levins FlexMami and Bad Bitch Choir taking to the stage.

Sun, Mar 25, Public House Petersham Chase Atlantic: Since forming in 2011, Chase Atlantic have packed multiple headline tours across Australia, released two successful independent EPs, and scored the viral single Friends, which has received over eight million Spotify plays.

The group will return to Sydney on Monday as support for Sleeping With Sirens.

Mon, Mar 26, Hordern Pavillion Rag’n’Bone Man: Arriving in Australia as part of the massive Bluesfest line-up, English singer-songwriter Rag’n’Bone Man will be arriving in Sydney on Tuesday to perform tracks from his multi-platinum selling album Human.

Tue, Mar 27, Enmore Theatre Elephant Sessions: A musical powerhouse, welding weapons grade grooves and guitar attack with quicksilver fiddle/mandolin melodies. The group fuses rich folk and traditional influences with funk, rock and electronica in an instantly captivating, progressive, visceral blend.

Wed, Mar 28, The Leadbelly

Tomb Raider

Newton Faulkner

By Jamie Apps With his sixth studio album, Hit The Ground Running, Newton Faulkner rediscovered his passion for writing music solo whilst simultaneously realising the importance of experimenting creatively in other mediums.

Many of Faulkner’s previous albums were co-written with his brother, so when Newtown took his first pitch for the album to him he was shocked when his brother flat out said ‘no’.

“He was thinking that he had watched me kind of forget how to write on my own so he wanted me to regain that skill,” Newton explained.

If writing solo wasn’t already tough enough Newton also wanted to push his voice more than ever on Hit On The Ground Running, which added yet another layer of complexity to the writing process.

“I spent a lot of time working on my voice through training and felt like I had reached a point where I could safely push it to see what I could do,” Faulkner said.“There is

stuff, which I don’t think has ever happened to anyone and genuinely shocked me every time.”

In just over a week Faulkner will return to Australia for the first time since 2013 and says he “can’t wait to reconnecting with Australia again.”

Despite the incredible response to Hit The Ground Running for this show Faulkner won’t just be playing new material but rather a mixture of tracks off his extended catalogue because as he explained,“I’m not the kind of guy to come out and just play new stuff because I think that’s mean.”

Apr 1. Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Rd, Marrickville. $62+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.factorytheatre.com.au

Fan Girl - Elephant Room Melbourne six-piece Fan Girl’s debut album Elephant Room is a clean, sharp Australian take on British pop-rock which will have you rocking out, even if you’re listening alone.

Throughout the 10 track offering Fan Girl offer up tasty morsels of music which will entice the tastebuds for fans of groups such as the Arctic Monkeys. The music on offer is rock but it’s a subdued, interesting take on the genre which won’t be harsh on anybody’s ears.

Lara Croft returns to the big screen in a new story based off the popular 2013 video game by Crystal Dynamics, Tomb Raider. The action adventure film stars Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft, alongside Dominic West,Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu and Kristen Scott Thomas.The film is directed by Roar Uthaug, with the screenplay by Geneva RobertsonDworet and Alastair Siddons.

Years after her father goes missing, Lara is just a young girl with not a lot of ambition or purpose.After being advised to move forward with her life she is given a Japanese puzzle box that leads to the discovery of her father’s hidden hobby. Going against his final wishes, Lara embarks on an adventure to a mythical island to find what really happened to her father.

The film featured doses of intense action overcome with suspense while keeping the pace throughout. An exciting addition to the Tomb Raider franchise that will leave you hanging out for the next one. (RH) WWWW

no way I would have been able to sing stuff like Hit The Ground even three years ago.”

This sense of experimentation and boundary pushing was awakened within Faulkner immediately before sitting down to write this record when he stepped outside the purely music realm by partaking in theatre productions and also writing music for films.

According to Faulkner working in these new artistic mediums influenced Hit The Ground Running in two major ways.

“It massively influenced the record even just in terms of my own confidence. I think because I was being challenged outside my comfort zone quite dramatically in two different ways it opened up parts of my brain that wouldn’t have been ready without those challenges.”

Once taking these new experimental songs on the road to live shows Faulkner was once again “genuinely shocked” by the response from audiences.

“There were instances on tour where I was being heckled to play more new

Production wise Elephant Room could easily have become a cluttered mess with six musicians performing but thankfully each element has a purpose and place which creates a full and satisfying sound.

Standout tracks are the openers NoLita and Small Town, both closely followed by a late sleeper in I Knew You Before.

(JA) WWW1/2

Mary Magdalene

Jesus takes the back seat in this film of the greatest story ever told, as the narrative swirls around a female character who was instrumental in the final years of the messiah’s life.

Mary Magdalene who was thought to be a prostitute, was disenchanted with her life until she met and became a follower of Jesus, being affectionately known as the ‘apostle of the apostles’. This film examines the devout love she had for Jesus and her presence at his crucifixion and eventual resurrection.

Rooney Mara delivers an admirable performance in the titular role. Audiences will will be captivated by her portrayal and the emotion and love which she unleashes upon meeting Jesus. Joaquin Phoenix’s casting as Jesus is somewhat questionable however, as his rugged appearance and mannerisms may be contrary to the image Christians have of Jesus.

Insipid at times, the uninspiring costuming of the Roman soldiers is also quite ludicrous. This film sadly lacks that mandatory religious intensity which resonates that today’s filmmakers cannot replicate the biblical epics of the 1950s. (MMo) WW1/2

Peter Rabbit Based off the character created by Beatrix Potter, Peter Rabbit has received a 3D live-action lift. The computer animated children’s comedy is directed

by Will Gluck, who wrote the screenplay with Rob Lieber. The film features an awesome line-up of cast including, Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson and Sam Niell, with voices by James Corden, Margot Robbie, Daisy Ridley and Elizabeth Debicki.

Peter Rabbit, the rebellious rascal is back at it again, trying to steal the delicious vegetation from Mr. McGregor’s yard while being protected by the

warm-hearted next door neighbour Bea. After senior Mr. McGregor passes, his city loving nephew moves in. Unknowingly jealous of the growing affection between the new neighbours, Peter with the help of his animal friends embarks on an adventure of sabotage and fun.

Visually stunning! Animal Logic did an immensely impressive job of bringing the characters to life in the real world. A hilarious and charming film for everyone. (RH) WWWWW city hub 22 MARCH 2017

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