The Waifs still up after 20 years of Up All Night

The Waifs set out on their extensive Australia tour in June and they’ll be calling in to The Art House Wyong in August for an unforgettable performance before they move on and wrap-up the tour in September.

It’s a celebration of the 20th anniversary of their groundbreaking album Up All Night.

The band will play the album in full as well as a sprinkling of fan favourites and they’ll be joined by special guest musicians Josh Pyke, Mick Thomas, Jeff Lang, Liz Stringer and Felicity Urquhart who each have had their own impact on The Waifs’ career over the years.

It all started in 1992 when sisters Vikki Thorn (harmonica, guitar, vocals) and Donna Simpson (guitar, vocals) teamed up with Josh Cunningham (guitar, vocals).

They traversed Australia playing every small town with a local paper, a local radio station, a pub or hall that would host live music, and anyone willing to listen to their folk rock.

Constant touring laid a broad foundation, musical chemistry, and an approachable relatability through their lyrics, which built a solid lifelong and dedicated fan base.

The Waifs, original independent avant-garde folk heroes, released three LPs –self-titled The Waifs in 1996, Shelter Me in 1998 and Sink or Swim in 2000.

In July 2002 everything changed thanks to their breakthrough single London Still which caught the ears of mainstream and youth radio triple J who threw it on to high rotation and paved the way for the following singles, Fisherman’ Daughter, Lighthouse, Highway One and ultimately their 2003 LP Up All Night.

It debuted at number 3 on the ARIA charts and won four ARIA awards for Best Blues and Roots Album, Best Independent Album, Engineer of the Year and Producer of the Year for Chris Thompson.

The single London Still was voted number 3 on the triple J Hottest 100 and the album Up All Night reached double platinum certification.

2003 was an unforgettable year for the band with sold-out

Twelfth Night at The Art House

Bell Shakespeare returns to The Art House Wyong on August 5 with a fresh retelling of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy Twelfth Night as it embarks on a national tour.

Celebrating the 400th anniversary of the play’s publication as part of Shakespeare’s First Folio, this new production is an innovative reiteration of the original, offering a dark collision of love – requited and unrequited.

The performance follows Bell Shakespeare’s bright, bold 70s-inspired rendition of The Comedy of Errors that played at The Art House in September 2022.

Twelfth Night tells the tale of Viola, who arrives in the city of Illyria following a shipwreck that she believes claimed the life of her identical twin Sebastian.

Disguised as a man, Viola goes to work for Duke Orsino and falls in love with him.

The Duke, however, is in love with Countess Olivia; but unbeknown to them both, Olivia has found herself smitten with the disguised Viola.

Things only get more complicated when Sebastian miraculously reappears amid some matchmaking and hijinks from Olivia’s servants. Exploring obsession, longing, disguise and cruelty, at its core

Twelfth Night is a play about love and how it affects us. Written around 1601–1602, it is one of Shakespeare’s most notably musical plays, an aspect amplified in this new work from Bell Shakespeare, through original music by Sarah Blasko.

Leaning into the gender fluid antics of the plot, Director Heather Fairbairn said a diverse and talented cast had been assembled to bring Twelfth Night to life.

“I’m delighted to be working with such a stellar cast of actors, who each bring something unique to their role,” Fairbairn said.

“The production will subvert standard casting approaches in regard to gender, with the character of Malvolio transformed to Malvolia, played by the wonderful Jane Montgomery Griffiths, and the

Fun holiday workshops at Westfield

Westfield Tuggerah is set to host two fun activities during the second week of the school holidays.

Kids Science Lab Workshops will be held from Monday to Thursday, July 10-13.

This will be an exciting and educational event that will take children’s love for science to the next level.

The school holiday Kids Science Lab Workshops are the perfect way to engage your children in the fascinating world of science.

The 45-minute sessions will be held between 10am and

2pm daily.

On Saturday and Sunday, July 15 and 16, children will have the chance to make their own sushi rolls at the Sushi Making Classes.

The 45-minute sessions will be held between 10am and 3pm each day.

The children will create the rolls using fresh ingredients including seaweed, sushi rice, cucumber, chicken and more. For more information, go to www.westfield.com.au/ tuggerah

Source: Westfield

The Central Coast Weekday Walkers have a schedule of interesting adventures lined-up throughout July and August.

On Tuesday, July 11, they’ll be venturing into Wyrrabalong National Park North to explore international headline tours, being the first Australian band to play New Orleans Jazz Festival, touring with Bob Dylan in Australia and the USA, and being named in Rolling Stone’s ‘Moments that Changed the History of Rock and Roll’ story that cited their independence and mainstream success as a game-changer for musicians in the future.

The Waifs continue to forge a proudly independent path 30 years on and show no sign of slowing down.

The Waifs’ Up All Night concert will be on stage at The Art HouseWyong onWednesday, August 9.

Sue Murray

lead female role of Viola played by Alfie Gledhill; the result will offer a timely exploration of the fluidity of gender and sexuality.”

Keith Agius, Isabel Burton, Amy Hack, Garth Holcombe, Mike Howlett, Tomáš Kantor, Chrissy Mae and Ursula Mills star alongside Gledhill and Montgomery Griffiths.

Bell Shakespeare is Australia’s national theatre company specialising in the works of William Shakespeare and his contemporaries.

It was founded in 1990 with the dream of sharing these plays in a way that was relevant and exciting to all Australians.

Kids Science Lab Workshops will instill a love of science in the children Sushi Making classes will be held on July 15 and 16