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city hub 9 MARCH 2017
Heritage trains derailed by Eveleigh makeover By Jessica Hill Sydney’s transport heritage is at risk as Transport for NSW threatens the survival of vintage train tour operator 3801 Ltd. The not for profit organisation was locked out of their operational base in the Large Erecting Shop (LES) at Eveleigh Railway Yards on February 1. This comes after the 2016 announcement by UrbanGrowth NSW that the Australian Technology Park (ATP) had been sold to real estate investment company Mirvac. Mirvac plans to redevelop the site to build a technology hub, including a new Commonweath Bank headquarters. There are concerns the LES will be destroyed as part of the re-development of the ATP. A 3801 Ltd spokesperson said they haven’t been able to run their vintage train tours since they were locked out. “All of our equipment, our carriages, our engines are still in the LES. We have nowhere to put them,” said the spokesperson. A Transport for NSW spokesperson said they need 3801 Ltd to remove their assets to complete work required to make the LES a shared user facility. “We are exploring options for the LES that would allow heritage organisations to use the facility for short term stabling and provisioning for tourist train trips operating out of Central and other metropolitan stations,” said the spokesperson. “3801 Ltd would be welcome to use the facility under these terms however, the work required to the LES to make it a shared user facility cannot happen until 3801 Ltd’s assets are removed.” The 2013 independent report, All Aboard! A Fresh Start for Transport Heritage in NSW, recommended the LES be made available to all rail heritage operators. The 2013 report also marked the LES as a site for potential redevelopment.
3801 Ltd vintage train tours leave from Central Station, Sydney. Photo: Thomas Durber
The report stated it was an option for the LES to be divided into two parts, with one part being allocated to the running of trains and the other to tourism activities. “The front could be available to any rail operator on a level playing field basis, for maintenance and restoration of engines and carriages of heritage significance; the back part, which backs on to the Australian Technology Park, could be developed into a little Ipswich, with miniature train rides, Creative Corners, rail displays, hands-on installations, and a cafeteria for Mum and Dad,” the report stated. David Shoebridge, Greens MP and heritage spokesperson, said the entire site at Eveleigh should be protected. “It should be seen as one site not sliced and diced to fit in cafes or development yield,” he said. Mr Shoebridge said providing vintage locomotives
access to the Eveleigh yards is essential in ensuring NSW rail heritage. “That’s where many of these locomotives were built and or, have been maintained for decades and that connection is essential,” he said. “There is an undeniable charm to historic railway carriages and historic locomotives. When you’re travelling in them you’ve taken this real step back into the past and you’re reliving it. It’s essential that we keep that.” Local Greens MP, Jenny Leong has also jumped on board to address this issue by taking questions to NSW Parliament. “We have raised questions with the Government because the Eveleigh site is an important part of our rail heritage. It should be maintained as a site with a strong connection to that history,” she said. “It would be unacceptable if the Eveleigh site
was redeveloped to suit the vested interests of big developers and corporate tenants, in a way that destroyed or diminished heritage assets and community access. “The heritage of our local area should be preserved and promoted. Community groups taking an active interest in that heritage need to be supported, not tossed aside to make way for development.” A Transport for NSW spokesperson said they’ve offered support to assist 3801 Ltd to relocate to another site. “However, as with other private businesses, the overall responsibility for relocating to another site lies with 3801 Ltd,” the spokesperson said. The 3801 Ltd spokesperson said Transport for NSW offered them another site to operate out of but said it didn’t meet safety standards. “Transport Heritage said we could use number 7 road to run our trains out of. Now number 7 road is an open compound fenced outside the LES but there are no pits or anything there where you can work in safety or do repairs to the trains, such as train brakes and the authorised people to give certificate of fitness – so we had to decline that offer due to safety reasons” the spokesperson said. “Our train runs out of Central Station, so you don’t want to go far away from central to run a train otherwise forget about it.” Mr Shoebridge said the focus should be on putting trains on tracks. “What really frustrates the public is where you have pointless organisation churn rather than sticking with a well respected organisation that puts trains on tracks and gets people out enjoying themselves. That should be the focus,” he said. The Minister for Transport and Infrastructure is due to answer Jenny Leong’s questions on the 23rd March.
Netanyahu’s visit Down Under revisited
Opinion
Published weekly and freely available Sydney-wide. Copies are also distributed to serviced apartments, hotels, convenience stores and newsagents throughout the city. Distribution enquiries call 9212 5677. Published by Altmedia Pty Ltd. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of content, takes no responsibility for inadvertent errors or omissions. ABN 52 600 903 348 Group Publisher: Lawrence Gibbons Group Editor: Jessica Hill, Stephanie Tiller Contributors: Jessica Hill, Stephanie Tiller, Vivienne Porzsolt, Andrew Woodhouse. Arts Editors: Jamie Apps, Alannah Maher Advertising Managers: Mark Barnes, Randall Markarian and Karl Krticka Cover Photo: By Billy Zammit - Mario Kharrat 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: altmedia.net.au
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By Vivienne Porzsolt The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, rolled into town a couple of weeks ago. He was flanked by heavy security, wallto-wall reporting in the media and secrecy surrounding his schedule. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had his audience ...spellbound in Sydney’s Central Synagogue,” cooed the right-wing online Jewish news service J-Wire. But outside the Synagogue stood a small group of young, Jewish protesters. ‘Bibi Doesn’t Speak for Me,’ said one placard. ‘Jews Say No to Israeli Apartheid,’ said another. This generation of young Jews don’t necessarily share their elders’ identification with Israel. The reality they see on the ground in Israel/Palestine doesn’t match their liberal values. There’s a gaping disconnect between these values and the ongoing illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. Their elders sing a different tune. For them, Israel is a cornerstone of their identity as Jews, a guarantee of existential security after the horrors of the Holocaust. And Netanyahu, representative and symbol of what they consider their homeland, has to be feted, no matter what horrors and injustices he presides over. Netanyahu’s sojourn Down Under was an important pageant to rally the faithful and shore up the rapidly shrinking base of support for Israel world-wide. Australia remains one of Israel’s few faithful international allies. Turnbull, in his sycophancy, made no mention of the problem posed by the illegal Jewish ‘settlements’, for any possibility of an independent viable Palestinian state. Even Trump mentioned them ever so gently when he told Netanyahu to “Hold off on the settlements for a while, buddy.” Even this political landscape is shifting. The speech by Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten was no ‘me too’ rhetorical piece echoing Turnbull’s gushing enthusiasm. Mindful of the growing opposition within the Australian Labor Party to the hitherto bi-partisan, pro-
Young Jews hold protest vigil outside Central Synagogue in Bellevue Hill. Photo: Peter Boyle
Israel stance, Shorten said he told Netanyahu “very clearly and unambiguously that where settlements and their expansion are a roadblock to peace, that’s damaging to the peace process.” Calls from former ALP ministers and leaders Bob Hawke, Kevin Rudd, Bob Carr and Gareth Evans for recognition of the State of Palestine provide a powerful impetus for a change in ALP policy and Shorten’s message left him plenty of wiggle room for a change in tack. There was significant opposition to Netanyahu’s visit in the broader community. More than 60 prominent Australians, signed a statement opposing Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Australia because of his government’s policies towards Palestinians. There were rallies in major cities. The media gave the opposition good coverage, dubbing the Netanyahu visit ‘controversial’. It would be hard to assert the first visit of a Prime Minister of the State of Israel was an unalloyed success from the point of view of advancing Israel’s agenda to continue in the denial of the Palestinians’ national, civil and human rights. But it gave the solidarity movement for those rights a modest but positive boost. city hub 9 MARCH 2017
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Bondi homeless face uncertain future The redevelopment of Bondi Pavilion is slated to start in 2018. Photo: Supplied
By Jessica Hill The fate of the homeless group using Bondi Pavilion for shelter is up in the air as the redevelopment of the building moves closer. Aden Devine, 60, has been living at the Bondi Pavilion for the last 9 months. He hopes he’ll be allowed to stay there despite the plans for redevelopment. “I don’t know where I’d go if they told me to move on. Go sit under a tree?” said Aden. Waverley Greens Councillor, Dominic Wy Kanak said the situation of the sleeping rough and homeless people at the Bondi Pavilion is fairly unique because of the legal action taken in the past.
“We need to be aware that the homeless people have tested their legal rights in past court cases. We also need to be courtesan of the fact that Bondi is a wealthy area and part of our social responsibility is to look after the vulnerable and homeless whenever we can. “Waverley Council has a homeless persons protocol that would operate to assist the situation of the homeless people at Bondi Pavilion in any redevelopment caused them to be relocated,” he said. In March 2010, a group of nine men living at Bondi Pavilion had their case dismissed by the Supreme Court. It was
ruled the group had no right to continue sleeping there, despite some of them calling the area home for up to 8 years. “The use of any part of the reserve for sleeping rough accommodation for the homeless, however worthy in itself, is not a purpose or function of [Bondi Park],” the judgement said. Mark Gould, member of the Save Bondi Pavilion Group, said the group recognise this is a complex problem. “We have had some discussion amongst ourselves and our attitude is that this is not a Bondi Pavilion problem. It is the problem for the three levels of government. “I don’t think (Waverley Council) have been compassionate enough. I think like a lot of government services and agencies, the homeless people are in the too hard basket and no one really know what to do so it’s left to the churches and other social service organisations,” he said. The Development Application for Stage 1 works at Bondi Pavilion are to be submitted by Waverley Council in late March. Construction of Stage 1 is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2018. City Hub made attempts to contact the acting General Manager of Waverley Council, Catherine Henderson however she did not respond before this publication went to print.
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Inner West Council confronts housing crisis By Stephanie Tiller Sydney’s Inner West Council is leading the pack when it comes to providing affordable housing after the introduction of below market housing in Lewisham. The current project includes four council owned properties at 78 Old Canterbury Road, available for rent to applicants who meet strict household income limits. The successful applicants must be permanently working within the Inner West Council area or have a family connection to the area. Andrew McAnulty, CEO of Link Housing, is currently managing the affordable housing project at Lewisham in association with the Inner West Council. Mr McAnulty said the strong demand for affordable housing in the Inner West is encouraging below market housing development in the area. “When we’ve advertised properties over the last year we’ve had hundreds of calls to our office and dozens of applications, so what it shows is the demand is huge and there needs to be more done by local and state government and by community housing providers. “With the Inner West being so close to transport, employment and infrastructure developments on Parramatta Road and the new light rail project, it’s critical that we provide more affordable housing in the area,” he said. The Inner West Council has also introduced a fifteen percent affordable housing target, which has been praised by peak housing groups.
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Andrew Potts, National Convenor of the Affordable Housing Party, believes an affordable housing target of 15 percent is too low. “The Mayor of London City set a target of 50 percent and that’s been difficult to achieve but they have managed to get to 35 percent. “I think community groups in NSW have been pushing for 30 percent as a target, whether that’s achievable or not in the current environment is a different thing, but I think as close to 30 as we can get I think would be ideal,” he said. Wendy Hayhurst, CEO of the New South Wales Housing Federation, said that although a higher target would be preferable, it would be hard to achieve. “I support that the Inner West Council is leading the way in affordable housing and it’s not just because they’ve come up with a high target, the crucial thing is that they’ve done the background work. “It’s easy to say ‘let’s have higher affordable housing targets’ but if you don’t do the work to show that it’s needed, when it comes to trying to achieve it you’re going to have a lot of difficulty,” she said. Mr Potts also questioned whether the project in Lewisham provided real value for money as an affordable housing project. “If we look at what is currently available on the Council’s website there’s only four council owned properties that are available. “The cheapest of those is a studio for $330 a week, even for a single, low wage person that’s going to take up a huge amount of their income. To me $330 for a studio apartment in
Lewisham affordable housing units. Photo: Supplied
Lewisham doesn’t really seem that much lower than normal market rent,” he said. Mr McAnulty said Link Housing and the Inner West Council have plans to develop more affordable housing in the area due to the success of the Lewisham project. “Through expressions of interest last year we were successful and selected to work with the Inner West Council on a proposal for a beautiful affordable housing development in Leichhardt. “We’re hoping in the next few months we’ll be in a position to submit a planning application,” he said. Richard Pearson, Administrator of the Inner West Council, said the Affordable Housing Policy will be formally adopted at the next council meeting on March 28. “The policy supports Council to acquire a fair share of the increase in land values resulting
from rezonings and other planning decisions, to increase the stock of affordable rental housing. “As well as our 15 per cent affordable housing target on large private developments, we are advocating for 30 percent on government owned land in urban renewal areas such as The Bays Precinct,” he said. Greens MP for Newtown, Jenny Leong, said she will continue to support affordable housing initiatives in Sydney’s Inner West. “These units in Lewisham are a community asset and will remain as affordable housing, providing security of tenure for tenants which we know is really important to renters. “The Greens will continue to advocate at all levels of government for more affordable housing in our city to ensure that Sydney doesn’t just become a place where the super rich can afford to live,” she said.
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Opinion
Elizabethan tragedy looms By Andrew Woodhouse Sydney Harbour was first attacked by Japanese midget submarines during World War II. At midnight on 31st May, 1942, it became a war zone. Twenty one sailors were sent to a watery grave in the Kuttabul ferry where they’d been sleeping. Now our landmark harbour, and the jewel in Sydney’s crown, is under attack again; this time from within. In 2011, the Jones Bay marina expansion tripled its size to berth 73 vessels, causing outrage. Ms Stuart, President of the Pyrmont Community Group, said: “The over-use of the harbour is now out of control… we would like to see views to and from the harbour preserved.” In 2012, community anger boiled over amidst a controversial $25 million expansion plan for a ‘super-yacht marina’ in Rozelle Bay. It was feared the area could turn into a largescale entertainment hub. Glebe Resident, Mark Dent said: “They’ve renamed it a yacht club; it really is an entertainment centre … to be used for live bands and entertainment … open until midnight every night, with live music … outdoors every day until 8pm before heading indoors.” In 2013, the Rose Bay marina DA for 46 new vessels was rejected by the Land and Environment Court. It was opposed by locals on the basis of loss of public vistas and public access, and increased maritime and vehicle traffic. In 2015 the City Hub reported that, “A decision on the future lease of the Elizabeth Bay Marina has been further delayed after Supreme Court proceedings… (the lessee) was evicted late last year and is suspected to have business links to father and son duo, Eddie and Moses Obeid, found corrupt in ICAC findings.” Sydney MP, Alex Greenwich called for a transparent process and said: “Elizabeth Bay
Elizabeth Bay Marina, the site for proposed redevelopment. Photo: RMS
Marina is a public asset, and should be leased for community benefit.” Now Road and Maritime Services (RMS) has lodged their own proposal over which they are the decisions-makers, creating obvious conflicts of interests. Three options were proposed. They say Option 2 was preferred, although exact voting details are murky. Its latest mega-version on exhibition, over 1,000 pages of baffling banter said it must go ahead. Doesn’t RMS really stand for Rape My Suburb? Loss of public vistas and breezeways; increased traffic problems because the marina has no direct public access; noise, rumours of a wedding reception centre and nightclub; and
Captain Cook Cruiser wharf are all magically waved away in its report. The design looks like a school shelter shed but, surprise, surprise, does not show its full height in tricky photo montages. The RMS claims paradoxically this “subtle design” will have minimal impacts, cause no adverse heritage impacts, with the scheme “maintaining a scale similar to the current facility.” However, closer examination shows there will be a new marina five times its current size in total and more than twice the current height at 6.1 metres high - entirely “unsubtle” I say. But wait, there’s more: new king-size berths for three 12 metre-boats; four new 15-metre superyachts boats; and four new 20-metre cruisers.
Captain Cook Cruisers are 22 metres and hold 120 passengers each, an inconvenient truth and alternative fact. The proposed chandlery is vast alongside a 45-square metre party pad and cafe holding 60 people. So now a new, additional floating pontoon wharf is also proposed in the plans to handle all this waterway confusion. No 3-D model is provided. Tell ‘em they’re dreaming, I say. Even their own heritage expert noted “changes may affect how the area is accessed.” You betcha. He adds: “The site has … local social and historical significance.” Kay Papapadopolous, Convenor, Elizabeth Bay Residents’ Society, is more strident: “It will bring high volumes of traffic and people into a quiet residential area. The parking is unsatisfactory… the present marina fits in with the small and intimate surroundings, which is also surrounded by heritage sites. It is not clear where facilities for repairs will be.” So just how is complete demolition of the heritage, wharf with its barnacle encrusted original wooden pylons, justified if only minimal maintenance is required? You decide. Community consultation sessions will be held: Saturday 11 March from 10am–1pm Beare
Park, Ithaca Road, Elizabeth Bay (or Reginald Murphy Centre if wet). Wednesday 15 March from 6pm–9pm Reginald Murphy Centre, 19 Greenknowe Ave, Elizabeth Bay or phone 13 12 36 or email elizabethbay@rms.nsw.gov.au Plans can be viewed at Sydney Council’s Neighbourhood Centre 55 Darlinghurst Road Kings Cross or online http://www.rms.nsw. gov.au/projects/sydney-inner/elizabeth-bay/ Alex Greenwich MP: Sydney@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Andrew Woodhouse is President, Potts Point & Kings Cross Heritage & Residents’ Society
Showing residents the money trail By Stephanie Tiller City of Sydney Labor councillor, Linda Scott is calling for real-time reporting of councillor expenses to ensure public confidence in how ratepayer money is spent. The motion put forward by Ms Scott, at a City of Sydney Council meeting on Monday 27th February, was carried with an amendment at the request of Deputy Lord Mayor, Professor Kerryn Phelps. The amendment requested that councillor expenditure be reported quarterly as opposed to online in real-time. However, Ms Scott is now pushing to have her original motion implemented after an investigation ordered by the NSW Local Government Minister, Gabrielle Upton, found deficiencies in how the council reported its expenses. Ms Scott said real-time reporting of councillor expenses is more vital now than ever. “I continue to strongly support a system of realtime online publishing of councillor expenditure, it is fundamental for public confidence in government. “At the moment expenses are published in a very bulk form in the annual report with not a lot of detail, they publish the absolute minimum amount required by law and I think we need much greater transparency around these things. “There are caps in state law on spending whereas in local government there aren’t, so around this whole area there needs to be a lot more reform,” she said. The Office of Local Government launched the review into the City of Sydney Council after plans to expand entitlements for councillors were laid out in its 2016/2017 Draft Councillors Expenses and Facilities Policy. “In the draft policy, the Lord Mayor proposes 6
city hub 9 MARCH 2017
signing off her own expenses, which is unusual and shows a lack of proper governance. “This is a concern to me and I am sure to many of the council’s ratepayers,” she says. The investigation also found anomalies in the council’s annual reports and has since given them three weeks to respond. “Wasting ratepayers’ funds is unacceptable. I asked the Office of Local Government to look into the issue and they have found deficiencies in how the City of Sydney deals with expenses. “The result of the investigation is a timely reminder to all Council’s that ratepayers’ funds must be properly spent and appropriately oversighted,” she said. Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore took to Facebook to respond to the investigation findings. “In reviewing Council’s expenses policy, the Office of Local Government picked up some minor reporting issues they’ve asked the City to change – which of course we’ll do. “We have always worked to fully comply with regulations imposed by the Office of Local Government and we have been independently audited for over a decade with no significant issues,” she said. Ms Scott said City of Sydney community members want to see immediate action on better disclosure methods of councillor expenditure. “Given the recent public outcry about the level of entitlements available to City of Sydney councillors, it is our job as responsible elected representatives to work to ensure public confidence in how the Council operates.” Andrew Woodhouse, President of the Potts Point and Kings Cross Heritage and Residents’ Society, said real-time reporting of councillor expenses is long overdue.
Linda Scott has called for greater transparency of councillor expenses. Photo: Supplied
“It’s an excellent idea and should’ve come in years ago. Ratepayers are entitled to know where their money is going as it disappears out the door. “Clover Moore gives new meaning to the word disposable income,” he said. Ms Scott said she will put forward her original motion for real-time reporting with council in the coming months. “The rules are that you can’t raise an issue for three months after you have first raised it with council, so I will continue to try and push this issue in every way that I can before and after this
time has passed,” she said. City of Sydney Liberal councillor, Christine Forster said she will support Ms Scott’s motion if it is reintroduced to Council. “I supported Councillor Scott’s original motion at the last Council meeting as well as the final amended version that was carried unanimously. “I’ve got nothing to hide in terms of my own expenses and I’d be very happy for all Councillor expenses to be scrutinised to any extent required,” she said.
FEATURE
Art Month 2017
BY DANIEL JARAMILLO The month of March brings the start of an annual contemporary art festival in Sydney known as Art Month.Art galleries around the suburbs of Redfern, Chippendale and Surry Hills band together to showcase up-and-coming visual artists and it’s great fun for people who are interested in exploring the more creative side of Sydney.There are 15 art galleries that are hosting Art Month this year with the festival bringing talks, tours, exhibitions, sales of collectors items and family activities throughout the venues. Art Month kicked off very successfully last week by hosting the Art At Night program, which allows the public to explore galleries between 6-8pm with walking tours, drinks, live music and performances. This however is only just the beginning of a month long festival which attracts thousands of people to the city to enjoy the creative spirit and adventure of art and culture. Hosting a month of art-centric events also disproves the assumption that Sydney doesn’t embrace the arts as much as that other place down south; clearly there are many talented artists and gallery owners in Sydney who are enthusiastic to get their work shown and showcase great art in public spaces. One of the galleries hosting Art Month is Galerie Pompom in Chippendale which is putting on several shows including solo exhibitions by Chris Dolman (painting and ceramics), and Genevieve Felix Reynolds (painting) which continue until Sunday March 12. Both artists will also give talks at the gallery this Saturday from 3pm. In the following weeks from Thursday March 16 two further solo exhibitions by Mason Kimber and Adam Norton will encapsulate the space with these artists also giving talks on Sunday March 19 at 12pm. When asked what galleries can do to peak public interested in original works of art Galerie Pompom manager Samantha Ferris said,“Galleries can be more approachable and educate the public about how to
East Sydney Art at Night Art Bar. Photo: James Ambrose
start collecting, by finding where the emerging early and mid-career artists are showing the artworks are more affordable and contemporary.” Art has an ancient history but it also has a present-day story and as a contemporary art festival,Art Month draws attention to the fact that the meaning of modern art is always changing and evolving. Ferris calls modern art “the vibrancy of the new” which is a philosophy Galerie Pompom embraced from the beginning in 2012. Galerie Pompom have always chosen artists at the beginning of their careers which Ferris justified by saying “by letting people know where an artist’s career begins, the public can then take an interest in and become involved in watching the growth of an artist’s career.” For young and up-and-coming artists festivals like Art Month can be a great chance to take their careers to the next level.This is where aMBUSH Gallery’s newest project comes to the forefront.
aMBUSH Gallery as part of Australia’s Harmony Day (International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, an initiative by The United Nations) is hosting an art project called Harmony Art Collective, a collaboration between aMBUSH Gallery, SBS and the department of social services.The idea being to showcase the artistic work of over 300 migrants aged between 15-24 years of age who have created their own murals to tell their stories. Bill Dimas director of aMBUSH Gallery said, “We pitched the idea for creating something new for Harmony Day by engaging with first generation Australians and recently resettled migrants to engage them in workshops mentored by four of Australia’s top street artists.” One of the main themes explored in this humanitarian project is identity, as the artists are encouraged to open themselves up to express their views and experiences. Most of the young migrants
involved in the project come from war torn countries such as Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan and The Congo and their murals subsequently portray images of war, destruction, conflict and human separation. “Using art as therapy is giving them new skills and exploring ideas in their minds that can be brought to light through the expression of art” says Dimas. With the Australian population gaining a distasteful apathy towards humanitarian causes this project is an attempt to bring the human element back into our collective consciousness and see these migrants and refugees as human beings rather than an economic cost. In The Harmony Art Collective project the art is a visual language that expresses people’s past and present with a vision of peace and harmony for the future. The art also educates its audience about the places young migrants come from and the gratitude they feel to be living in Australia, while simultaneously not forgetting the realities of displacement and their experiences growing up in war torn countries. If you want to find some inspiration or just have a good time exploring the art world of Sydney do yourself a favour and visit one of the 15 galleries hosting Art Month events or exhibitions between now and the end of March.
Art Month Sydney
runs until Mar 31 with detailed information available at www.artmonthsydney.com.au CITY HUB’s HIGHLIGHTS: Galerie Pompom 39 Abercrombie St, Chippendale. Harmony Art Collective OPEN at Darling Quarter, 1 Harbour Street, Sydney. FREE. Official Opening Mar 14. Monkey Baa Theatre, Terrace 3, 1-25 Harbour St, Sydney.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Australia’s First
The Bays Market District, Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment – Invitation to Register an Interest
IndIAn RestAuRAnt
On behalf of Urban Growth, Artefact Heritage is undertaking an Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment of The Bays Market District (Pyrmont and Glebe), in advance of a proposed redevelopment. The proponent’s contact details are: Tim Hutchinson, UrbanGrowth NSW, Level 12, MLC Centre/19 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000. We are inviting registrations of interest in the project from Aboriginal groups and individuals who hold cultural knowledge relevant to determining the significance of Aboriginal objects and/or places in the locality. The purpose of the community consultation is to assist the proponent in the preparation of an AHIP application for the proposed development of the property, and to assist OEH in determination of the application.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT The Bookbinder
If you’ve ever wanted to take your whole family to see a play then consider taking them to see The Bookbinder, a compelling production created by the award winning New Zealand company Trick of the Light Theatre. The Bookbinder takes you to the magical and mysterious world of bookbinding; a fascinating one-man show that uses shadow play, paper art, puppetry and music in an original fairy tale. The story takes place in an old-fashioned bookshop staged with a mesmerizing gothic backdrop where a young apprentice finds himself in a creepy environment learning to bind books. Whilst it may sound simplistic in its narrative it actually takes the audience on an epic journey.The Bookbinder had a sold out run of shows at the
Superhal
2015 and 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Festival whilst also receiving several awards from around the world. The play is written and performed by Ralph McCubbin Howel and directed and designed by Hannah Smith.The writing is just pure wittiness and invention, to give you an example here’s a line from the play:“They say you can get lost in a good book. But it’s worse to get lost in a bad one.” The Bookbinder will be enjoyable for children and adults alike, especially if you enjoy humour and have an exploratory mind with a love for fairy tales. (DJ) Mar 14-15, varied performance times.The Riverside Theatre, Corner of Church and Market Streets, Parramatta. $25-$80. Tickets & Info: www.riversideparramatta.com.au or (02) 8839 3399
Adventure Time LIVE Australian fans of Jeremy Adventure Time are Shada invited to explore the “Land Of Ooo” as Adventure Time LIVE, an immersive audiovisual celebration, heads down under this weekend with a special stop in Sydney. Gathering fans of every age bracket and diaspora imaginable since premiering in 2010, the Cartoon Network animated series revolves around the adventures of Finn the Human and Jake the (shapeshifting) Dog in a post-apocalyptic world where magic resides. Jeremy Shada, the voice of Finn, caught up with the City Hub ahead of hitting the stage with his fellow cast mates including John DiMaggio (Jake), Hynden Walch (Princess Bubblegum) and Olivia Olson (Marceline the Vampire Queen). Shada attributes the success of the show to two main factors: the art scheme (“[the Land of Ooo is] very bright and vibrant, so that kind of draws you in, it makes it very enjoyable to watch”), and the narrative (“the writing, the
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story and the characters are all very fleshed out”). Fitting with the sheer variety of its fans, Adventure Time LIVE won’t be your average Disney On Ice-type spectacle. Shada said audiences can expect meet and greets, live readings and Q&A sessions in addition to live music, art galleries, cosplay competitions and a recently announced world exclusive new episode premiere. He even hinted at a potential collaboration between himself and fellow cast musician Olson (Marceline). Adventure Time LIVE will also be a farewell tour of sorts with the show scheduled to wrap up at the conclusion of the next season, which will be its ninth. So c’mon, grab your friends. To quote Lemongrab, missing this chance would be absolutely “UNACCEPTABLE!” (AM) Mar 11, 7.30pm.The Big Top, Luna Park, Milsons Point. $54.94-$202.77.Tickets & info: www.adventuretimelive.com.au
a&e city hub 9 MARCH 2017
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Superhal sees classic literature combined with pop culture in a unique and spectacular way. It takes a very famous story and boils it down to its essence, creating something that is accessible to people through superheroes. What we have is 400 year old Shakespeare interpreted for our times. Superhal is based on three different Shakespeare plays that have all been edited together into a single story, Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2 and Henry V. It’s the story of a prince called Hal, (Richard Hilliar) who is heir to the throne but doesn’t really do what a prince should. Hal hangs out in the pub because he’s rebelling against his father. When there’s a civil war he joins his father against the rebels and they win. Unfortunately Hal’s father passes away and he becomes king and has to decide what type of a king he is to be. “We set Superhal in alternate England, in the near future, where there are super people like in the comic books, people who can manipulate fire, water and lightning, people who have technological wizardry, people with giant sound cannons - all these kinds of crazy powers,”
Amanda Maple-Brown. Photo: Bree Elton
explained John Galea, Superhal’s writer/director, “There’s a lot of stage magic, pyrotechnics and visual sumptuousness in the production, a big, epic, exciting thing for people to watch and get lost in” “We haven’t changed the language, it’s still Shakespeare but we’ve cut a lot of it out. The archetypes are already there, we’ve just translated them into something more contemporary,” added Galea. (MS) Until Mar 18, varied performance times. NIDA Parade Theatre, 215 Anzac Parade, Kensington. $35.65-$45.85. Tickets & Info: www.thepuzzle.com.au
REVIEW: The Mystery Of Love & Sex Funny, relevant and with a lot of heart. The Mystery of Love and Sex is 2017’s rom-com with added bite. Directed by Anthony Skuse, the play is currently showing at Eternity Playhouse in Darlinghurst, and coincides with this year’s Mardi Gras. Written by Boardwalk Empire’s Bathsheba Doran, The Mystery of Love and Sex is a quirky, millennial-esque tale of relationships. When best friends Charlotte (Contessa Treffone) and Johnny (Thuso Lekwape) start college, Charlotte finds herself attracted to women, while Johnny begins sleeping with men. As they navigate their way throughout some of life’s biggest moments, their friendship is put to the ultimate test. Deborah Galanos and Nicholas Papademetriou round out the small cast of four, playing Charlotte’s parents. As they try their best to understand their daughter, their own relationship becomes placed on the back burner as Charlotte’s mother admits to sleeping with another person. Papademetriou is a stand-out. His De-Niro-style New York accent is flawless, as is his delivery of some of the play’s funniest moments. Galanos’ performance was also strong, her struggle between being a good mother and wife
Arts Editors: Jamie Apps - Alannah Maher For more A&E stories go to www.altmedia.net.au and don’t forget to join the conversation on Twitter at @AltMediaSydney
Thuso Lekwape & Contessa Treffone. Photo: Helen White
refreshingly honest, saturated in laugh-outloud moments with sentiment. Although the play has its few moments of slow drag, it’s overall a clever piece of theatre, very much in touch with the real issues in today’s relationships. Full of surprising one-liners, it’s altogether a fun, thoughtful and compassionate night out. (CW) Until Mar 12, varied performance times. Eternity Playhouse, 39 Burton Street, Darlinghurst. $38-$54. Tickets & info: www.darlinghursttheatre.com
Contributors: Carmen Cita, Craig Coventry, Greg Webster, Alicia Sim, Peter Urquhart, James Harkness, Leann Richards, Lisa Seltzer, Mark Morellini, Mel Somerville, Rocio Belinda Mendez, Sarah Pritchard, Athina Mallis, Leigh Livingstone, Joseph Rana, Shon Ho, Jacqui Rothwell, Emily Shen, Andrew Hodgson, Irina Dunn, Caitlin Burns, Zeiya Speede, Rita Bratovich, Chantal Walsh, Raffaele Piccolo, Barbara Karpinski, Taylah Felice, Georgia Fullerton, Bobby Stephenson, Olga Azar, Kaiti Haviland, Daniel Jaramillo, Nina Beeston.
Lost & Found
Ted Swab. Photo: Suzi Dougherty
Lost & Found is a collection of true encounters, revealing monologues and striking scenes, performed by senior members of the Kings Cross Actors. In the six years since this acting class/troupe of actors over 65 years old came together a
number of members have gone on to perform at the Sydney Opera House, in international films and also on Australian television. This week however, following two successful productions the members of the Kings Cross Seniors Acting Class will again be teaming up with director and actor Suzi Dougherty (Home and Away, The Kettering Incident) and writer Katie Pollock (The Hansard Monologues, A Quiet Night in Rangoon), to create a performance work that investigates and celebrates the joys we can find in the face of loss. The hope is that with Lost & Found the group can demonstrate the skills within us all to present stories in both entertaining and engaging ways. As such hosting these shows in The Wayside Chapel was a no brainer as the venue itself is a beacon for fostering an awareness and acceptance of different worlds that surround us all every day. (JA) Mar 12-13, 2pm. The Wayside Chapel, 29 Hughes St, Potts Point. FREE.
Live Music Guide LIVE WIRE Sydney By Jamie Apps
Shag Rock: The end to 2016 was amazing for Shag Rock with their single “Sunbleached Girl” picking up over 250,000 Spotify streams and becoming a pre-party anthem for youngsters all over the globe. Now the Brisbane four piece are continuing their momentum into 2017 with the release of a new record, a rowdy new video and a tour stop in Sydney tonight. Thu, Mar 9, The Corso Hotel Frightened Rabbit: The Glaswegian-based five-piece are set to play a cheeky run of east-coast dates, stopping in Sydney tomorrow. This show will be the first opportunity for Australian audiences to see the band performing tracks from the album live. Fri, Mar 10, Oxford Art Factory Tubular Bells For Two: This show is amazing!…. two Musicians juggling over 20 instruments. The multi-award winning performance has been a sell-out hit at festivals around the world and is truly spellbinding – as they say, a work out with instruments! Sat, Mar 11, Seymour Centre CREO: Building a reputation for being an incredible live act, CREO’s ability to translate their meticulously textured indie-rock sound into a ferociously loud and energetic free-for-all is one of the key elements that made people sit up and take notice.
REVIEW: Mark Colvin’s Kidney
Tonight they perform the second show in their month long residency at Bald Faced Stag. Sat, Mar 11, Bald Faced Stag Martha Wainwright: Returns to Australia for an extensive ten stop tour with her three-piece band, comprising drums, piano and bass. This full show setup will build upon the beguiling vocals and guitar of Wainwright for a fantastic show. Sun, Mar 12, Oxford Art Factory Maggie Ferguson Tango & Friends: Presenting an evening of exceptional tango beauty. Be introduced to the sultry beauty of the tangos of the golden age (1940s) to the brilliance of Tango Nuevo (post 1955), including the Four Seasons of Buenos Aires by Astor Piazzolla, played by the quintet line up for which he wrote them. Sun, Mar 12, Camelot Lounge Nicolas Jaar: Chilean-American electronic composer, Nicolas Jaar will perform his only headline performance outside of the Golden Plains festival this coming Monday. Jaar’s live show is characterized by its minimal production; his electronic performance art stands on its own, enhanced by strategically placed lights and occasional clouds of smoke across sprawling fluid sets. Nicolas Jaar creates dance music that bridges the space between high art and the club; an artist in the truest sense of the word. Mon, Mar 13, Metro Theatre
By Jamie Apps Listening to the music of The Cruisin’ Deuces you would be hard pressed to guess that the members of the band were born and raised in the heartland of Sydney’s inner west. In just over two years the band have built a solid reputation for themselves within the emerging hipster subculture of this particular genre. Obviously the biggest question anybody has when they hear The Cruisin’ Deuces is, where did this love and passion for rockabilly come from? As frontman Zane Banks explained the Americana, rockabilly and honky-tonk influences were slowly impregnating the souls of both himself and his brother Jy-Perry Banks from a very young age. “Our parents were music teachers and very into American music from the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. So that meant when we were growing up Elvis, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash,
Would you donate your kidney to someone you met over Twitter? Tommy Murphy and David Berthold explore this conundrum in Belvoir’s latest offering, Mark Colvin’s Kidney, based on an absurdly true tale of friendship triggered by the 2011 News of the World hacking scandal. Mary-Ellen Fields is Elle Macpherson’s business advisor in London, accused of leaking confidential information to the press. Sent away to rehab, she is misdiagnosed as an alcoholic and consequently loses her job and reputation.Years later, it is revealed that the leaks were a result of the nowinfamous hacking scandal and esteemed Australian journalist, Mark Colvin, reaches out to Fields for an interview.This leads to a pen palesque friendship which results in Fields offering Colvin her kidney when he becomes desperately ill. Sarah Peirse and John Howard do remarkable jobs as Fields and Colvin respectively, effectively weaving a believable friendship across Twitter, text, phone and email. Supporting cast, Peter Carroll, Kit
Esuruoso, Chris Stollery and Helen Thomson, all offer rich performances with Carroll a particularly delightful addition whose non-verbal acting over a plate of linguini left the audience in stitches. Though heartwarming for the altruistic gesture of the organ transplant, the play itself misses the emotional gravitas it aspires to evoke.Text running across digital screens allow the actors to leap between time and place but the abrupt sound and lighting transitions paired with the peculiar pacing of dialogue undermine the potential dramatic impact. (ES) Until Apr 2, varied performance times, Belvoir St Theatre, 18-25 Belvoir Street, Surry Hills. $49-$72. Tickets & info: www.belvoir.com.au
The Cruisin’ Deuces
The Beatles and a lot of those other rockabilly musicians like Chuck Berry, Little Richard were just played and became the soundtrack to our adolescents.” reflected Zane. Fortunately for both Zane and Jy-Perry being from a major capital city provided them with the opportunity to pursue their passion as a career.“I’ve noticed that there is a healthy following in most western cities because rockabilly is a very
Sorority Noise - You’re Not As ___ As You Think
John Howard
Listening to the third full length album from Sorority Noise on a wet, dark weekend could not have been more fitting. Throughout the 10 track offering they are certainly not afraid to explore dark, emotional and uncomfortable thoughts and topics. Some of the topics which the band explore are suicide, anxiety, anger and mental health. These topics sit perfectly within the pop-punk, emo genre of music as the instrumentation highlights and adds depth to these stories. The only drawback for the record though is that occasionally the vocal work is the weak link, especially on the odd occasion where it feels disjointed from the instrumentation. This doesn’t happen often but when it does it is incredibly obvious and jarring. (JA) WWW1/2
passionate subculture,” explained Zane,“we’re really fortunate to live in Sydney though simply because the size of the scene means we can perform quite a bit and we have a really loyal bunch of followers.” Earlier this year The Cruisin’ Deuces continued to take major steps in order to build this following even more, in particular outside of Sydney, by heading to the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Due to the
way the Tamworth festival is organised the demographics tend to be incredibly varied in terms of age, tastes and hometowns. “The best thing about it is that hardly anyone you play for is actually from Tamworth so you can play to a thousand people over the course of the day and most of those people go back to their hometowns which means you have a following should you tour in the future.” Returning home now to perform at the Seymour Centre as part of the Courtyard Sessions series is a “wonderful honour” for The Cruisin’ Deuces who simply ask Sydneysiders to don their finest “frock or Hawaiian shirt, come down and just hear some good old classic American music.” Mar 10, 6-9pm. Seymour Centre, Corner of City Rd & Cleveland St, Chippendale. FREE. Info: www.seymourcentre.com
PVT - New Spirit
Throughout their career PVT have built a reputation for pushing boundaries and experimenting with electronic production techniques. With their latest record New Spirit PVT take this to the extreme. Whilst fans of the band will certainly recognise elements of previous records here, for new listeners this may be a difficult jumping off point. During many of the tracks on New Spirit it can be incredibly difficult for new listeners to settle into a groove as PVT will suddenly and unexpectedly splash in a new element or switch up the groove entirely. Unfortunately this record was simply not to my liking but if you’re looking to sample a few tracks before diving in head first City Hub recommends, Salt Lake Heart and the nine minute opus Morning Mist, Rock Island Bend. (JA) WW city hub 9 MARCH 2017
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THE NAKED CITY
FORGOTTEN SYDNEY
With Coffin Ed You might have seen some of the historic photographs of Sydney from the late 1800s and early 1900s that currently decorate building sites around the city.There are some great old shots of our earliest trams on a construction site on the corner of Liverpool and George Streets - a real back to the future moment with the nearby light rail mayhem. And at the top end of Cathedral Street in the Loo, opposite the Old Fitzroy Hotel, there’s a splendid collection of 20s and 30s pics from the East Sydney area. It’s a welcome initiative by the City Of Sydney Council and a refreshing change from building hoardings that are usually plastered with posters for the latest rock touring act or dance party. But what about those long forgotten Sydney cafes, bars, restaurants and fast food outlets, demolished decades ago with hardly a single happy snap to be found. Let’s wallow in a cesspool of nostalgia as we recall some of those remarkable urban gems, like the… THE BAD TASTE RESTAURANT: Situated on the first floor of the Agincourt Hotel at Central (circa 1970s) this short lived venture invited patrons to sit at dinky tables with Mickey Mouse place mats and be gently abused by theatrically rude staff. The food was cheap and average but the attraction was the atmosphere, the complete antithesis of fine dining. Any older readers ever eat there?
THE YUMMY YUMMY FOOD BAR: Synonymous with late nights at the Manzil Room (the Cross’s most famous music venue in the 1980s), the ‘Yummy’ was the chosen destination of many a 3.00am inebriate, bent on the consumption of any UFO (‘unidentified frying object’) there to satisfy a juice induced craving. Strategically placed in almost the middle of Darlinghurst Rd it was a magnet for all fast food junkies.
Leon Fernandes – Krishna in Erskinville
Newtown-based artist Leon Fernandes’ newest exhibition of embroidered artworks is an ecstatic and visually stupefying exploration of Hindi gods running amuck in Australia. In the titular artwork Fernandes portrays Krishna – the Hindu god of love, sex, and beauty – gleefully dancing out the front of Erskinville’s
iconic queer venue The Imperial Hotel, smoking from an ice pipe. “Krishna has a background of being a little bit flirty and a little bit naughty…there’s something in his version of insanity that I absolutely relate to,” Fernandes told the City Hub. Fernandes explained that Krishna in Erskinville draws strongly on his own identity, his mixed Indian and white Australian heritage and “my relationship to my father, my relationship to drugs, my relationship with gayness and sexuality”. The embroidery is quite literally embedded with personal history, incorporating some of his father’s ties from the 70s. Fernandes’ sensibility and background as an oil painter echoes through subtle embellishments, such as the “gentle skin tones on Krishna” or the “glint of the ice pipe”. While he admits that the drug of choice may be different, Fernandes is confident that his representation of Hindi gods isn’t a threat to how they are traditionally portrayed: “they can have the same attributes as humans, both positive and negative… including intoxication.” Until Mar 20 (Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm). ESD Gallery, 102 Burton St, Darlinghurst. Info: www.mardigras.org.au
THE FLIGHT DECK BAR: Hidden away beneath the old Menzies Hotel at Wynyard Station the Flight Deck Bar featured airline style seats and all the atmosphere of a cool international flight. It was the fun plane that never got off the ground. I can’t remember whether the bar staff were dressed accordingly or whether there were barf bags in the back of the seats, but it sure was a hoot. THE MARS BAR: Neither can I recall when the Mars Bar coffee shop opened and for that matter when it closed, but remember it well from the 70s and 80s, tucked away in Sydney’s Pitt Street. Decked out like a galactic wonderland you took a trip into outer space every time you entered its somewhat dimly lit interior. Magic! SUZIE WONGS: Imagine a CBD coffee shop, secreted in a bland city arcade that featured live rock bands like Ray Hoff & The Offbeats on a Saturday afternoon.Yes that was Sydney in the 60s where fourteen and fifteen year olds could mix it safely, alcohol free with the older crowd to dig those crazy sounds! So much of this city’s historic past from the 60s onwards has been lost as very little remains in the way of photographs, let alone film or video. Ironically today, with cameras everywhere, the 2000s are bound to leave an abundant archive of visual records, especially strewn through social media. Oh for a camera phone back in the 1980s at the Mars Bar!
Barangaroo Ngangamay Barangaroo Reserve, fast becoming another iconic Sydney landmark, will celebrate local Aboriginal culture with a new multi-media work featuring technologies old and new. “Barangaroo Ngangamay” launches March 11 with daylong activities and will run through the year. If you haven’t yet been, this a great reason to experience Barangaroo’s beauty and cultural history together. The result of collaboration between artists and members of Sydney and neighbouring clans, the work incorporates modern, traditionally carved rock engravings (petroglyphs), with short films about the sun, moon and women. When approaching a petroglyph, the geo-location app will play the corresponding film. “Barangaroo Ngangamay honours and brings to life the teachings of the Old Lady Barangaroo. She is a beacon of strength and culture for all Aboriginal people, and our aim with this work is to show visitors the deep and ongoing connections Aboriginal women of Sydney have to this place,” said Amanda Jane Reynolds, Aboriginal artist and co-curator, along with artist Genevieve Grieves.
The day will end with a twilight ceremony on Stargazer Lawn, which is one of the most stunning examples of Sydney’s harbourside havens. March 11 coincides with the first autumn Blak Markets at Barangaroo, also on Stargazer lawn, with arts and crafts, bushfood and more. “Aboriginal culture is strong and vibrant – and this work gives everyone who visits Barangaroo a chance to know something of its importance to Aboriginal people,” said Grieves. (OA) Mar 11, 2-8pm. Barangaroo Reserve, Sydney. For the app and more information, visit www.barangaroo.sydney.
David Stratton: A Cinematic Life David Stratton has spent a lifetime reviewing and critiquing cinema from all around the world but his story is very Australian and his passion for movies has seen a new documentary being made about his life. Stratton who is best known as the host of the ABC program At The Movies and SBS’s predecessor The Movie Show with Margaret Pomeranz saw them together on television for 28 years until 2014 when they announced their final goodbyes. The documentary however reveals a lot more about Stratton’s earlier beginnings from working as the director of the Sydney Film Festival to writing reviews for Variety Magazine. He has also made 10
city hub 9 MARCH 2017
friends and enemies amongst the Australian film directors fraternity, most of whom now appear in the documentary praising Stratton for his contribution to a lifetime of film reviewing. Whatever you think of the man, this is a charming documentary with stellar appearances from Sam Neill, Geoffrey Rush, George Miller and Nicole Kidman amongst many, but what audiences will take away from it is not just entertaining stories about Stratton, the man behind some of the most provocative criticism but the stories of Australian cinema as a whole. (DJ) WWWW
A Few Less Men
Miss Sloane The sequel to 2011’s A Few Best Men quintessentially demonstrates the extreme level of difficulty in maintaining freshness and hilarity in a comedy. The film follows the continuing misadventures of David (Xavier Samuel), Tom (Kris Marshall) and Graham (Kevin Bishop), as they attempt to transport the corpse of their friend Luke to London. Crudeness prevails as an overload of toilet humour, genuinely unfunny gags and ludicrous scenarios are unleashed upon unsuspecting audiences. The laughs diminish quickly as the comedy flatlines and sinks into uncharted depths of idiocy with deplorable storylines which involve an encounter with an oversexed elderly lady and a cross-dressing
tea party where the corpse is dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard Of Oz! Acting careers are not strengthened by roles in such films and appearances by Jeremy Sims, Deborah Mailman and Ryan Core in supporting roles could not save this train wreck. There’s a sugar-sweet message delivered in the finale that true friends must accept each other for what they are, but ultimately this was too little too late. This lamentable and shameless ploy to cash in on the success of the original film should never have been produced and has rightfully earned its place in the hall of shame. (MMo) W1/2
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In light of current American politics, it would be almost too easy to stay clear of Miss Sloane. Centred around the US’s gun laws and a female Washington lobbyist (Jessica Chastain) taking on the boys club rallying to loosen restrictions, it could be easily pushed aside as a cheesy Hollywood stance on gun control. However, that is not the case. After disagreeing on her organisation’s view on the issue, Sloane forms her own group, and so begins the classic tale of the underdog, that in this case, manages to entertain. Jessica Chastain is ruthless in her role as Sloane. Fiery and relentless in her plight to win her case, the Zero Dark Thirty star beautifully
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portrays Sloane’s gradual unravelling.There are moments of real emotional turmoil for the character, which Chastain manages to honestly execute, gaining her unlikeable character moments of viewer sympathy.Although the film’s script is clever and the plot full of unexpected delights, it’s Chastain who undoubtedly holds the film together. Unfortunately, the film falls short of being the next great political thriller by just minutes, thanks to its disappointing, overdramatised finale.That aside, the film is still worth a watch, and if anything, leverages Chastain’s position as Hollywood’s new leading lady. (CW) WWW
T2:
Trainspotting A sequel to the 1996 cult classic film of the same name revisiting the original characters as older men and surprise, surprise, they have not changed their criminal tendencies or their addiction to heroine. Danny Boyle is again directing for the sequel and he takes the same indie film approach revealing Edinburgh, Scotland warts and all. The only difference between the two films is how the characters seem to have fully embraced 21st century developments such as social media and hence Ewan McGregor’s Renton wittily updates, the famous line Choose Life to Choose Facebook, Instagram and
Twitter. Trainspotting didn’t really need to have a sequel and T2 seems to be just an exercise in appeasing the nostalgic hardcore fans of the original film. It’s the same hideous characters and the same seedy underworld of crime and despair that these four guys don’t seem to have been able to escape from. T2 Trainspotting really could have gone in a different direction and explored genuine character development, so it was disappointing that it chose to rehash a lot of the same old predicaments of the same old bunch of losers from the same old film. (DJ) WW
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city hub 9 MARCH 2017