City Hub 9 January 2020

Flickerfest Screening now! c i t y h u b sy d n e y. c o m . a u

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Regurgitator’s Pogogo Show lights up the Sydney Festival Our guide, page 12

Creative Cacophony

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city hub 9 JANUARY 2020

HubNEWS

What is the Navy doing in Potts Point?

(See p. 8)

Water restrictions in force

HubARTS “this is theatre at its most exciting… it’s full of tears and laughter.”

(See p. 13)

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Severe water restrictions are now in place across Sydney, Illawarra and the Blue Mountains. Photo: Alec Smart

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by ALEC SMART evere water restrictions are now in place across NSW to deal with the ongoing drought, and these affect both personal and business use.

Businesses in Sydney, Illawarra and the Blue Mountains that need to use drinking water outside must apply for a Level 2 Water Exemption permit by 31 January.

S

Cartoonist: Sam Mcnair Arts Editor: Jamie Apps Contributors: Erika Echternach, Irina Dunn, Madison Behringer, Mark Morellini, Olga Azar, Renee Lou Dallow, Rita Bratovich, Olga Sedneva Advertising Manager: Georgina Pengelly Cover Photo: Savannah van der Niet (2).

Regurgitator’s Pogogo Designer: Nadia Kalinitcheva Advertising: sales@altmedia.net.au Mail: PO Box 843 Broadway 2007 Email: news@altmedia.net.au, arts@altmedia.net.au Ph: 9212 5677 Fax: 9212 5633 Website: cityhubsydney.com.au If you have a story, or any comments you’d like to share with us: news@altmedia.net.au @CityHubSydney

Businesses or individuals

found to be violating the rules will face fines: $550 per business, $220 per person! Thereafter, any businesses or individuals found to be violating the rules will face fines: $550 per business, $220 per person.

There are also indoor-water uses that are subject to the same restrictions, and these include fountains in shopping malls, pools in swimming centres and gyms, and car-washing operations in shopping centre car parks.

Water excluded from the restrictions includes ‘grey water’ (recycled bath, laundry or dishwashing water), rain

water (so long as the tank doesn’t draw supplementary drinking water when it runs low), bore water and recycled water (supplied in some parts of Sydney through purple pipes).

Home restrictions:

• Gardens can only be watered before 10am and after 4pm with a watering can or bucket.

• Automated irrigation systems, ranging from sprinklers to those with soil moisture sensors, can only be employed for 15 minutes before 10am and after 4pm.

• Hosing hard surfaces is not permitted, unless in an emergency or for health and safety reasons (such as dampening dust).

• You will need a permit before filling a pool over 500 litres.

• Cars can only be washed with a bucket of water or at a commercial car wash that has a legal exemption.

Permitted under level 2 water restrictions: Commercial car washes

• Wash vehicles using a bucket and sponge less than 100 litres of drinking water for each vehicle washed.

Public lawns and gardens

• Water lawns and gardens before 10 am and after 4 pm for a maximum of 30 minutes a week per area, using a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle or sprinklers and smart watering systems.

Construction and property maintenance

• Use water to spot clean for health, safety or emergency reasons using a bucket or watering can, a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle or high-pressure cleaning equipment.

• Wash garbage bins using a bucket or a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle.

• Wash windows or other glass surfaces with a bucket or engage a window cleaner with an exemption permit • Use a hose to suppress dust but only where no other water source is available.

• Use water to mix, apply and clean construction materials where no alternative source is available, using a bucket, hand-held hose with a trigger nozzle or an automated batch mixing plant. You must not leave hoses unattended at any time. city hub 9 JANUARY 2020

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HubNEWS

The case for more injection centers

By JOHN MOYLE recent coronial inquest into the overdose death of a young man in the toilets of Liverpool Hospital has called for a medically supervised injecting centre to be established in the area.

The report by Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame said, “There is clear evidence arising from this inquest which supports a recommendation for an immediate feasibility study in relation to the establishment of a medically supervised injecting centre [in the area].”

needle exchange program and is a supporter of increasing the number of injecting centres across Australia.

“We don’t need them on every corner but we need them in areas that satisfy two criteria,” he said. “Firstly, they should be in areas where there are overdose hotspots, and also, critically, they have to be in areas where residents and local businesses support the establishment of medically supervised injecting centres.”

A

Around 20 injecting centres are needed across the country to service demand by drug users The death being investigated is one of four from heroin overdoses in public hospital toilets since 2015.

“It is a coroner making a recommendation on how best to keep the people of NSW safe,” Dr Marianne Jauncey, Medical Director, Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, Kings Cross said.

Servicing demand saves lives

Opium den in Peking, China, 1896. Under British rule, opioid use was encouraged. Photo: WikimediaCommons

Harm minimisation approach

Australia currently has two medically supervised injecting centres: one in Kings Cross and one in North Richmond, Victoria.

Alex Greenwich, independent member for Sydney, said, “We need a comprehensive harm minimisation approach based on the evidence in line with the Deputy State Coroner’s recommendations to introduce pill testing, decriminalise personal drug

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use, overhaul strip searches and drug dog operations, and hold another drug summit.”

The NSW government, however, is rejecting the coroner’s report, on the grounds that the governing law allows only the one current injecting facility license.

Dr Alex Wodak, President of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, is a pioneer in Australian drug law reform who helped establish the first

Dr Wodak envisages that around 20 centres across the country would be needed to service the demand by injecting drug users.

Liverpool Hospital, where the fatal overdose took place, issues clean needles and some counselling but does not have the capacity to deal with or monitor how these are used.

Stressing that drug law reform and the injecting centre has support from both sides of politics Dr Jauncey added, “The Liberal Party has always allowed a conscience vote in relation to the legislation that allows us to operate legally.”

city hub 9 JANUARY 2020 PAD0590 - CNY_2020_CITYHUB_FA.indd 1

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HubNEWS

Opinion

The political endorsement of extinction

by MERRILL WITT o you recall Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s business-as-usual approach in response to last September’s School Strike 4 Climate rallies?

The protests attracting record-breaking crowds across the nation. Morrison’s response was to complain that the student strikers were responsible for creating “needless anxiety” in children.

Needless anxiety is certainly not how you would describe the current mood of most Australians. Thousands of holidaying families spent New Year’s Eve huddled on town beaches along the NSW and Victorian coasts trying to escape massive bushfires raging nearby.

People have looked on in dismay as the PM continues to downplay climate change as a contributing factor to the prolonged drought and extended heatwaves, which experts believe have precipitated the current crisis.

the government no longer needs to worry about the risks of too little land clearing. But the ongoing loss of native vegetation, coupled with the bushfire devastation of irreplaceable old-growth forests, are likely to exacerbate the effects of climate change.

D

Land clearance

Regrettably, if recent government policy decisions are any guide, the business-asusual approach looks only set to continue.

The political endorsement of extinction

An estimated 500 million mammals, birds and reptiles have perished in bushfires since Sept 2019. Photo: Susan Wrigley

On Boxing Day, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud called for a new inquiry into land-clearing and controlled burn-offs.

Much like the last one, this inquiry is partly in response to the Queensland Government’s strengthening of native vegetation land-clearing rules in 2018.

The new laws were designed to curb huge spikes in land clearing rates that occurred when the previous Liberal National Party Government relaxed

tighter rules introduced in 2009 by the former Labor Government.

The Prime Minister’s own position on Queensland’s tougher stance on landclearing is clear. “The Queensland state government is negligent when it comes to how they are handling these native vegetation laws,” he told Macquarie Radio on 6 December 2019.

So far, an estimated five million hectares and counting have been destroyed by the bushfires, so perhaps

“The political endorsement of extinction” was a phrase coined by Rachel Walmsley, Policy & Law Reform Director EDO NSW, to describe the federal government’s accreditation of the NSW Government’s biodiversity offsets policy for major projects “despite concerns that it failed to meet national environmental standards.”

Ecologists from the University of Sydney now estimate that 500 million mammals, birds and reptiles have been lost since September, a staggering statistic that keeps rising by the day. How much more destruction will we be forced to witness before the government admits that its business-as-usual approach to our climate emergency is no longer working?

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HubNEWS

Opinion

What is the Navy doing in Potts Point?

by ANDREW WOODHOUSE was the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse”, says the 19th century poem. Yet outside people’s homes and at the letter boxes of number 20 Wylde Street, Potts Point, our Australian Defence Department was secreting a Notice to neighbours telling them a massive industrial electrical transformer substation will be built within weeks right under their bedroom windows.

“T

The apartment, where Dame Joan Sutherland lived, was built before Dept Defence expanded Garden Island The notice gives no hint about the size, height or description of the structure. No justification for bulldozing two majestic, significant fig trees, no view loss analysis or acoustic report, heritage impact statement, electro-magnetic radiation field (EMF) emissions assessment or fixed timeline for construction were provided.

A transformer converts high-energy

Electro-magnetic field radiation (EMF) emissions are linked to cancer-causing leukaemia. Cartoon: Mark Lynch

electricity to low-energy useable power via a magnetic core. It’s part of the mega-billion Garden Island Naval Defence upgrade. But why can’t it go underground, as they do overseas?

These are our taxes at work!

This project is now a major public safety hazard.

EMF linked to cancer-causing leukaemia

High-level electro-magnetic field radiation emissions (EMF) from transformers are linked to cancer-causing leukaemia. A 1991 panel on EMF established by the Victorian Government examined powerlines, which are low-frequency EMFs, not

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transformers. And yet despite limiting their field of study, its report recommended prudent avoidance to avert potentially harmful effects.

The American Cancer Society says highlevels of EMF “can damage the DNA inside cells, which can lead to mutations and the uncontrolled cell growth we know as cancer.”

Tom Kelly, resident of 20 Wylde Street and secretary of its strata committee, said “The occupiers of Garden View at number 20 are very disappointed that Defence are behaving in such an unneighbourly manner. Until now we have enjoyed a good and workable relationship.

“Defence is not subject to the normal legal processes of making a development application. But to only provide notice the Friday before Christmas, when everyone is starting their holidays, is both underhand and arrogant.

“It is very frustrating not knowing the size, precise placement, or the environmental effects of this structure with construction due to commence immediately.

“We request that no work proceed until we meet with the Department of Defence to discuss our concerns,” Mr Kelly said.

HubNEWS

Opinion

From ScoMo to Scummo in a week

by JOHN MOYLE week is a long time in politics, they say; last week must have seemed an eternity for Prime Minister Scott Morrison—that is, if Morrison has any ability to reflect at all on his actions that have seen him go from ScoMo the affable to Scummo the slippery.

A

Where the bloody hell is our PM?

The emergency began in mid-December as the bushfires now covered much of seaboard from northern NSW to the outskirts of Melbourne.

No longer Scotty from Marketing or Scomo the affable but Scummo the slippery Scott Morrison and his family took this opportunity to take a holiday, destination unknown. No explanation was given for his absence and his office refused to issue the press any news on his whereabouts.

For once even the Murdoch press smelt something awry. The story soon became,

ScoMo’s Hawaiian holiday during devastating bushfires is one of his many blunders. Graphic: Alec Smart

“Where the bloody hell are you ScoMo?” Eventually a news photographer found him sitting alone in a cafe in Hawaii. Suddenly the tropical idyll turned into a “Blue Hawaii” nightmare as the media called for his return to take control of a looming emergency as extensive bushfire warnings and record heat-wave conditions were predicted.

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Returning just one day earlier than originally planned, ScoMo cited family reasons for his break and said that the fires “still had a time to run yet.”

Shaken, but stirred

Fast-forward to the fire-devastated small town of Cobargo on the NSW southern coast where Zoe Salucci McDermot, who

had lost everything, refused to shake Morrison’s hand after he failed to listen to her plight.

Suddenly Scotty from Marketing took over and Morrison seized her hand and shook it for a photo opportunity being coordinated by a former Liberal mayor of the shire.

In an instant Morrison went from ScoMo to Scummo.

By now questions were being asked about why the Australian Defence Force was not nvolved. Scummo said were state issues and not in his domain. We now saw the southern coast of NSW devastated with the loss of lives and no end in sight as towns lost power, communications and began to run out of food and water.

At last Morrison moved to bring in the Navy and 3,000 ADF reservists to undertake the largest humanitarian movement of people in Australia since Cyclone Tracy in 1974.

Much of the most productive part of the country is already burned to a cinder, we have lost an enormous amount of native and plantation forests, local economies are in ruin, wildlife will take decades to recover, the drought continues and we have to put our futures into the hands of someone who has been found wanting at every turn.

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HubNEWS

Opinion

Clover calls off Potts Point redo W

Locals hope ‘cancelled’ does not mean ‘postponement until after the elections’ Councillor Angela Vithoulkas, founder of the Small Business Party and a City of Sydney Councillor for two terms has texted: “it’s cancelled … I believe it was from inside pressure applied from a couple of councillors and the local community.”

Her own Vivo Café on George Street was subject to horrendous noise

and disruption due to the infamous George Street light rail demolition and alterations. Legal action ensued.

So, Santa has delivered a welcome Christmas gift to local residents and businesses.

They can breathe easier knowing the street won’t become an archaeological dig with pneumatic drills and back hoes from 7am blocking entrance ways and reducing foot traffic for 12 months.

Love your work, Santa.

Upbraiding the upgrade

Warren Fahey, co-administrator of a lobby group called the Potts Pointers has claimed in local media that “I can assure readers that the long-overdue program to improve this important street has strong community support.”

But this now seems unconvincing and in any event hasn’t persuaded council or the community he refers to, apparently. He claims that the council plans “salute the street’s unique heritage.” But how? With over-sized, commercial tacky banners, hot, hard, black granite pavers, sterile bus stop shelters, and removing the right-turn

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by ANDREW WOODHOUSE ho dared whisper that Santa Claus is not real? After Sydney Council community meetings, plans and counter plans, discussions, arguments and accusations, Clover Moore’s public panacea for Macleay Street in Potts Point is now forgotten. All so-called “upgrade” plans have come to nothing. The much-maligned “vision” concept has been quietly cancelled on Christmas Eve during a slow news period. No official announcement has been made.

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Macleay Street saved by Santa’s sleigh bell. Photo: Supplied

into Greenknowe Avenue from Macleay Street? Not likely.

Clearly, council does not have its finger on the community pulse. It might also be looking at potential legal action or the Saturday 20th September 2020 council election day, when locals will be having their say at the ballot box about

this council’s top-down arrogance, ignorance and negligence.

Locals say the plans were misconceived and welcome the news of the “upgrade” cancellation. They hope “cancelled” does not mean postponement until after the elections. They are alert, alarmed and all lawyered-up.

Coffin Ed’s NAKED CITY

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WHAT A QUOKKA SHITE?

iming can be everything when it comes to publicity campaigns.

Get it wrong and months of planning and creative flair can fall horribly flat not to mention the outlay of a considerable amount of money.

The decision by Tourism Australia to spend $15 million on a TV campaign in the UK, launched just before Christmas, might have originally seemed like a good one. After all, it is winter there - cold, wet and bleak and what better time to lure sun-seeking Brits to our golden shores.

Unfortunately for the advertising gurus, the campaign has been completely overshadowed by the grim reality of the current bushfires, which have received major coverage in the UK. A country ablaze and the choking smoke that has enveloped all the major cities and towns is hardly an incentive for British tourists to pack their bags and head south.

Bushfires aside, the three minute TV advert was met with a mixed reception here, many labelling it cringe-worthy. Is there a much stronger word than that, because personally I found it about as nauseous as the notorious 2006 Where The Bloody Hell Are Ya fiasco featuring Lara Bingle. It’s no secret that it was Scott Morrison, Australian Tourism Minister at the time, who signed off on that $150 million debacle. Ironically that supposedly catchy slogan has come back to haunt him as many questioned “Where The Bloody Hell Are Ya Scott”

THAT SNEAKY RABBIT

when he was holidaying in Hawaii whilst the country burned.

The current UK commercial features Kylie Minogue, who one can only guess received a substantial slab of the $15 million budget for her appearance.

You might remember ABC senior management here were negotiating with Kylie back in 2008 to produce a singing commercial extolling the virtues of the national broadcaster. A payment of some $750,000 was widely rumoured though never confirmed by management.

Also featured is another Aussie expat Adam Hills, well known to UK TV audiences with his show The Last Leg

and the ubiquitous Shane Warne, both of whom were no doubt well rewarded for their inclusion in the promo. Thank God Rolf Harris is still in disgrace!

Rather than trot out the usual cuddly fauna of koalas, wombats and rock wallabies, the producers went for a lesser-known marsupial in the quokka. It is, after all, an all-singing commercial so the latter is easier to rhyme, hence part of the song which goes, “Negotiating tricky trade deals is a shocker, but look there’s a quokka.” Enough said!

I honestly feel a much cheaper and decidedly more appealing version of the commercial could have been produced

By Sam Mcnair

#thatsneakyrabbit

with all the luminaries donating their services in the interests of promoting this great tourist destination. We begin with a panoramic shot of Bondi Beach, shrouded in bushfire smoke but quickly emerging from the surf, a resilient Tony Abbott, clad of course in a body-hugging pair of speedos.

“Nothing to worry about with the smoke,” he calmly reassures. “Climate change is bullshit and we’ll all be back to normal by the time you get here.”

“The only smoke you’ll have to worry is from the barbie,” chimes in shock jock Alan Jones along with Ian Plimer, Malcolm Roberts and Rowan Dean, as we drop in on a typical all Aussie celebration at Pauline Hanson’s farm.

Draped in a massive Australian flag, Pauline soon bursts into a rousing version of I Am, You Are, We Are Australian.

“Come on over Brits,” she enthuses, “but Muslims leave those burqas at home.”

“Australia, don’t you just love it,” shouts Scott Morrison, enjoying a pineapple mocktail on the beach along with his good mate Brian Houston. Filmed of course during his holiday in Hawaii but a bit of clever CGI quickly converts Waikiki to a stretch of South Cronulla.

And to top it all, you might have guessed, there is a quokka included – but not just any old macropod. This one sings, with a voice like Alvin in the Chipmunks, and as all the cast gathers in the Fox After Dark studios, it breaks out in a stirring rendition of Kylie’s Lucky, Lucky, Lucky.

Finally, there’s a light-hearted voiceover from somebody who sounds a lot like the Federal member for Kennedy, Bob Katter.

“Okay you bloody Brits, if you’re not coming out here to pick fruit, then bugger off to Benidorm.” It’s a gag of course but hey, we Aussies love a laugh. city hub 9 JANUARY 2020

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By Jamie Apps

Creative Cacophony

Sydney Festival 2020 is set to bring the city to life with shows, exhibitions, concerts, etc at venues scattered around town MAGIC MIRRORS SPIEGELTENT Regurgitator’s Pogogo Show One of Australia’s favourite alt-rock bands of the 90s is making a comeback, especially for the Sydney Festival.

The upcoming Pogogo Show by Regurgitator will see the group performing a number of their hits in a wacky, fun and silly musical concert for kids.

Join Ben, Quan and Pete – and the irrepressible Koko Wallace from Planet Rainbow – for a sugar-coated playground of hits such as Farting Is A Part Of Life and Games On My Computer.

Jan 10-12. $29+b.f.

Life - The Show From Strut & Fret, the mad-genius creatives behind past Sydney Festival favourites, LIMBO and Cantina, comes a joyful celebration of what it means to be alive.

With a cast of international stars and deviants, Life -The Show will take audiences on a hedonistic theatrical anarchy imbued journey.

Be warned: this show contains drug references, fullfrontal nudity, attempted pyrokinesis and adult concepts (so basically, exactly what you’re expecting).

Until Jan 26. $70-$89+b.f.

CITY RECITAL HALL Iron In The Blood Sydneysiders can experience a stunning musical production inspired by the famous Robert Hughes book The Fatal Shore.

Incorporating elements of jazz orchestra with visual projections and narration from acclaimed actors William Zappa and Patrick Dickson this show is going to be one that lingers in your memory.

Jan 23. $45-55+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.cityrecitalhall.com

Archie Roach: Tell Me Why Legendary songwriter and ‘voice of the Stolen Generations’ Archie Roach is set to bring his life story to the stage as part of the Sydney Festival.

Tell Me Why is a spectacular live concert celebrating Roach’s eponymous memoir and latest album.

Hear seminal songs from Roach’s back catalogue alongside influential music from his youth and three new autobiographical songs written since completing his memoir.

Jan 24. $60-$80+b.f.

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE Cirque Stratosphere The visionary minds behind Circus 1903 are bringing a new spectacular show to the Sydney Opera House. Cirque Stratosphere represents an evolution of traditional circus, catapulting it into the future. In an immersive, cosmic universe, a selection of the world’s greatest acrobats and gymnasts will defy gravity and challenge notions of physics and possibility.

Jan 14-19. $39-$119+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.sydneyoperahouse.com

Black Cockatoo Inspired by the true story of legendary First Nations cricketer Johnny Mullagh and Australia’s first-ever international sporting team, this is not just about cricket.

This is a story of strength, resilience, hope and possibility.

A collaboration between iconic Australian writer Geoffrey

I’m A Phoenix, Bitch Bryony Kimmings’ offbeat, deeply funny and sharply heartbreaking feminist musical about the worst year of her life, when she lost her mind, her partner, her house and nearly lost her child.

I’m A Phoenix, Bitch asks how we turn trauma into power; how we learn to fly from tragedy, not drown.

Jan 14-17. $49-$59+b.f.

ENSEMBLE THEATRE Atherden and Sydney Festival Artistic Director Wesley Enoch Black Cockatoo could easily be the standout show of the entire festival program.

Until Feb 8. $28-$79+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.ensemble.com.au

CARRIAGEWORKS Two Crews Contemporary dance innovator Nick Power’s brandnew collaboration brings together two leading dance crews for an exhilarating immersion into global hip hop dance culture.

In one corner you have the all-female Parisian crew, Lady Rocks, who specialise in intricately choreographed and combative battle sets. In the other, will be Sydney group, Riddim Nation, who blend Pacifika, African and Asian influences into their eclectic and cheeky style.

Until Jan 12. $39-$45+b.f.

Rebecca Baumann: Radiant Flux Radiant Flux is artist Rebecca Baumann’s sitespecific response to the unique light, space and architecture of the Carriageworks building.

This exhibition/installation will immerse Carriageworks into a kaleidoscopic world of colour and light that responds continuously to the environmental conditions around it.

No two encounters with Radiant Flux will ever be the same, so you’ll have to come back again and again.

Until Jun 14. FREE

Unless otherwise stated all tickets can be purchased at www.sydneyfestival.org.au 12

city hub 9 JANUARY2020

HubARTS

(See p.15)

Shades Of Light

S

am Cosentino describes his new play, Shades Of Light, as “a combination of naturalistic and humanistic theatre and film.”

“I scripted it as a short story probably about three years ago, and then I wanted it to grow organically and flesh it out through actors,” he explains.

His play is minimalistic in presentation but complex and rich in terms of meaning and emotional depth. It revolves around four very different people who find themselves thrown together by circumstance in an undisclosed location.

“We not only believe that all the characters have a message to deliver, but we hope that the combination of the four characters, when they cross paths, creates this

Photo: Paul Fioretto

sort of provoking question: Where are they? Why are they here? Why do they belong in this…sort of a war-torn environment?” says Cosentino.

The characters - and actors

- come from different ethnic backgrounds, and variously during the play there are four different languages spoken.

Sometimes the words are translated, sometimes not.

Cosentino has deliberately

kept the language obscure around one of the characters as a way of depicting alienation.

The four actors have real-life stories that help inform their characters and their performance.

In some cases, they’ve had to persevere in very difficult circumstances.

This play represents a new experience in many ways.

“I’m incredibly honoured and proud that I have two actors who have never spoken English on stage before,” explains Cosentino.

Each performance will be followed by a Q&A. (RB) Jan 10-12. The Hellenic Art Theatre, Addison Road Community Centre, 142 Addison Rd, Marrickville. $20-$30+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.trybooking.com

Tim & Eric Mandatory Attendance World Tour Photo: Rickett + Sones

Sam Mendes’ 1917 uses an especially impressive technical feat.

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Every Brilliant Thing

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elvoir is reprising its hit from last year, with Steve Rodgers in the role he took over from Kate Mulvany when she dropped out to pursue an offer from Amazon Prime in the US.

Rodgers has surrendered his directorial role in this year’s production to Kate Champion, so we should see an interesting spin on his character, that of a child trying to deal with his

mother’s mental illness by listing all the good things in life he can think of.

Rodgers says playwright Duncan Macmillan wanted to “tell a story about depression

and suicide that is both personal and universal in the most hilarious, heartbreaking way and by doing so meet those issues head-on.”

Rodgers says “this is theatre at its most exciting. It’s pure storytelling, almost stand-up, there’s audience interaction, improvisation, and it’s full of tears and laughter. It’s unique.”

He says he “loves being involved in the discussion about the creation of the work as an actor, writer or codirecting,” but in this case, he emphasises, “I let Kate direct me. She’s the boss.”

Rodgers loves the reaction he gets in this production.

“Audiences really dig it. It’s an amazing night! Like rock and roll!” (ID) Jan 10-26. Belvoir Street Theatre, 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills. $33-$89+b.f.

Tickets & Info: www.belvoir.com.au

merican comedy duo Tim and Eric will return to Australia this year with their newest show, the Mandatory Attendance World Tour. The duo is comprised of comedians and artists Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, founders of the Adult Swim television series Tom Goes To The Mayor; Tim And Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!; Check It Out! With Dr Steve Brule; and Tim & Eric’s Bedtime Stories.

Tim and Eric guarantee fans are in for a life-changing experience. Eric Wareheim spoke with City Hub about the upcoming tour, saying: “The Mandatory Attendance Tour is a brand new Tim and Eric experience that we’re doing for 2020. It has new levels of comedy, I guarantee that anyone who comes to see this show will be moved, almost in a spiritual way, like you see in a lot of religious experiences.” Eric went on to say, “you might even be levitated off of your seat, it’s going to be beautiful and powerful, there may be some tears, it’s going to be awesome.”

The Mandatory Attendance Tour is a show not for the faint-hearted and Eric guarantees a full-on visceral experience.

(MB) Jan 15. Enmore Theatre, 118-132 Enmore Rd, Newtown. $79.90$136.60+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.enmoretheatre.com.au city hub 9 JANUARY 2020

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resented for the first time globally, 1984! The Musical! will premiere this January at New Theatre in Newtown. This newly written work adapts the dystopic world of Orwell’s novel 1984 and presents it in a whole new musical form with dark comedy, song and dance.

Written by Diana Reid and Tom Davidson McLeod, the production is possibly the first comedic adaptation of Orwell’s novel. Tailored for modern audiences, 1984! The Musical! features a mostly female cast and is adapted to reflect today’s political and social climate.

Writer Diana Reid shared the tone that herself and co-writer Tom Davidson McLeod were going for when writing the piece saying, “the joke is very much in the disjuncture between the dystopic world that the characters experience and then the fact they sort of have to sing and dance through it.”

1984! The Musical!

The mostly female cast was a specific creative choice.

“Having most of the cast consisting of female actors sort of came about

FOMO - Ninajirachi

By Jamie Apps n Saturday 19-year-old musician and producer Ninajirachi will step onto the stage of FOMO Festival, alongside many artists who have inspired her, and perform to perhaps the biggest audience in her career.

FOMO Festival is a one day, one stage music festival designed by music lovers for music lovers. It is for this exact reason that Nina explained to us that she is so excited about this opportunity.

“They [FOMO Festival] have the freshest lineup every year… It’s like they can predict which artists will be cool, so if they think I’m good enough to be on the lineup then that’s a massive compliment.”

Ninajirachi embodies this ethos of fresh, new, future stars. At just 19 Nina has already been a finalist in Triple J’s Unearthed competition twice. An accolade which came completely out of the blue the first time.

“That was really crazy. The first one especially,” recalled Nina before continuing, “By the second year I’d had some radio play and people knew my music a little bit. The first time though I had nothing, I was just putting beats on Soundcloud, so it was really unexpected.”

Off the back of the exposure Unearthed provided Nina has been able to play on a few different festivals, such as

organically as we were re-reading the book… I noticed that the main female character in the book, Julia, is sort of a very 1940s heroin. We then took it upon ourselves to take the opportunity to make the text appeal to modern audiences.

We’ve cross cast a few of the male characters in the book that we felt didn’t necessarily need to be male.”

Diana is keen to present 1984! The Musical! to Sydney audiences for the first time, saying: “I think that our main aim is that audiences find a renewed passion for 1984 and a renewed understanding of the potency of the messages in the book. I think the beauty of doing it as a comedy, it makes something that is often filled with dread and delivers it in a palatable way.” (MB) Until Jan 25. New Theatre, 542 King Street, Newtown. $20-$30+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.newtheatre.org.au

Poppy I Disagree

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Splendour In The Grass. But FOMO was always one she specifically wanted.

“I’ve wanted to go to FOMO every year, but for the last two years the Sydney date has clashed with my Dad’s birthday. This year I can kind of get out of it though by saying ‘Dad I’m working’ which is kind of funny.”

Being selected to perform at FOMO is not just special because now Nina can finally attend but it also places her alongside artists who have inspired her. In particular Nina is excited to see Madeon perform live.

“He’s an artist that actually got me

deeper into producing. He’s one of the reasons I started using FL Studio because I saw that he used it. I’ve literally been so inspired by him since I was 13 years old so I’m really excited to see him live solo.”

Looking ahead to the remainder of 2020 Nina is hoping to release “a lot of new music”, which fans may get a sneak peek at during her FOMO performance.

Jan 11. Parramatta Park, Pitt St &, Macquarie St, Parramatta. $129.90-199.90+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.fomofestival.com.au

uch like the artist herself Poppy’s latest record I Disagree is an incredibly hard one to nail down and describe.

Throughout the 10 track offering there’s a smattering of different genres. For example, there are beautiful melodies and ballads sitting right alongside uptempo electro tracks, and then out of nowhere she’ll drop an aggressive rock number into the mix.

Despite this constant genre switching Poppy does an admirable job with each, although her ballads are the true standouts.

Due to the vast array of genres thrust upon the listener this is a hard record to recommend. If you are a fan of Poppy you’ll certainly love this record. If you’ve never heard her before this may not be the best place to start.

I Disagree is certainly a unique artistic offering. (JA)

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BarbeCURE 2020 W ith summer certainly in full swing that means BBQ season. And what better way to improve the humble backyard barbie than by using it to raise funds for a great cause.

This is where the BarbeCURE campaign comes into action. Cure Cancer together with some of Australia’s finest culinary ambassadors and chefs are coming together to raise funds for cancer research. This year BarbeCURE is aiming to raise $450,000 to help support earlycareer cancer researchers with their life-saving work.

Some of this year’s ambassadors include Lyndey Milan, Aaron Harvie, Michele Chevalley Hedge, Chef Adam Moore, Steve Flood, Kim Terakes, Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Julie Goodwin, and Janelle Bloom. All of whom will be working hard to create dishes that will inspire many more of your own BarbeCURE’s throughout summer with your friends, family and colleagues.

To register your BarbeCURE head to www.barbecure.com.au

Back - Kim Terakes, Chef Adam Moore, Steve Flood, Aaron Harvie Front Lyndey Milan OAM, Michele Chevalley-Hedge

Illawarra Folk Festival 2020

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erennial favourite Eric Bogle heads a great lineup of around 150 international, national and local acts as the Illawarra Folk Festival celebrates its 35th anniversary later this month.

The annual four-day event, which is the State’s largest folk festival, will be held at Bulli Showground and begins next week.

The Illawarra Folk Festival is just a few weeks after the iconic Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland, and international acts that appeared at Woodford including Brighde Chaimbeul, Elephant Sessions

and Siobhan Miller (Scotland), The Brother Brothers (US), Teatro Matita (Slovenia) and The Barleyshakes Trio (Ireland) will be playing at Bulli.

International acts exclusive to the Illawarra Folk Festival include the Dirty Stay Out Skifflers, Grayscale ContraBand. SONiA disappear fear and Ken Field’s Hoot Band (US), Mo Kenney and the Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra (Canada) and English singer Christine Collister, teaming with Australian guitar maestro Michael Fix. Artistic Director David De Santi said the lineup was particularly strong,

with top international, national and local acts and one of the largest contingents of young performers in the event’s history.

Scottish-born singer-songwriter Bogle, whose anti-war song And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda is an international classic, first played at the festival in 1988, and returned in 2012, 2014 and 2018.

He and the visiting Scottish acts will feature in the festival’s contribution to the Year of Scotland in Australia 2020 – a nationwide celebration of Scottish music, culture, food and drink.

Eric Bogle

Jan 16-19. Bulli Showground, Grevillea Park Rd, Bulli. $10-$220+b.f. Tickets & Info: www.illawarrafolkfestival.com.au

Flickerfest 2020 Bronwyn Kidd

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am Mendes’ 1917 is an especially impressive technical feat that creates the illusion of having been filmed in one continuous shot.

Set during the midst of World War I in northern France this film follows two young soldiers, Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George MacKay), as they are tasked with delivering a message across no-man’s land and enemy territory to another

battalion in order to stop them from walking into an ambush.

Throughout the film, the men bare witness to the untold, gruesome horrors of war during their incredibly tense journey.

With the direction of Mendes combined with the gripping performances of Chapman and MacKay 1917 is a gripping portrait of an often underrepresented war.

Truly a great film! (JA) WWWWW

eturning to Bondi for its 29th year, international short film festival Flickerfest will run from January 10 to 19 at Bondi Pavilion this month. Short films featured at the festival are selected from over 3000 entries and are entered into Academy qualifying and BAFTA recognised competitions for 2020. Flickerfest offers a range of prestigious prizes including Flickerfest Award for Best International Short Film, the Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animation, the Flickerfest Award for Best Australian Short Film and the Flickerfest Award for Best Documentary.

Festival director Bronwyn Kidd is excited to present another year of hand-selected short films for the festival’s 2020 audience.

“The thing for me that I’ve really noticed coming through this year across our Australian and International entries is just the diversity really, an incredible

diversity of voices,” said Bronwyn, going on to say, “It’s 10 days of an incredibly diverse selection of short films over 27 different programs.”

Flickerfest aims to promote a supportive, exciting and inclusive environment with Bronwyn saying, “It’s really a place for discovery…

Flickerfest is always very warm, it’s a great community vibe, it’s all about having the opportunity to network and hang out with the filmmakers. It’s all about celebrating fresh new stories.”

(MB) Jan 10-19. Bondi Pavillion, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach. From $18. Tickets & Info: www.flickerfest.com.au city hub 9 JANUARY 2020

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