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JOHN MAWURNDJUL
GET YOUR FLIX FIX
KATE CEBERANO
I am the old and the new
Last chance to catch Flix in the Wet
Aussie music legend up close and personal
MARCH
20 21
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o, here we are. 2021. It’s crazy to think back to what was ahead of us 12 months ago when the pandemic was really starting to take hold. Despite the disruption of events in 2020, we’ve certainly had some silver linings. Showcasing, appreciating and supporting our Top End talent has been one of them, our incredible creatives continuing to chip away to share their stories and art with us. This is a special shout out to you.
F R OM T H E
r o t i d E
So, dear reader (can you tell I binged the entire season of Bridgerton during the break?) without further ado, let’s sink our teeth into the year ahead. Gracing the cover of this edition is an incredible work by master bark painter, John Mawurndjul. This is especially exciting. It’s the first time 50 of his works spanning his 40-year career have been showcased together in the Northern Territory. I encourage you to take a moment to appreciate the magnitude of his exhibition, I am the old and the new, coming to town.
along to CDU Art Gallery to admire this incredible survey of his work.
AROUND TOWn | 5 BOOKS & FILM | 8 Visual Arts | 12 Food & Drink | 14 Performing ARTS | 15 Music | 17 calendaR | PULL-OUT
If you’re yet to cash in your Territory tourism vouchers, do we have some hot tips for you! DoubleTree by Hilton has recently reopened, offering up staycation packages that’ll have you poolside sipping on martinis in no time. Darwin Gourmet Tours has curated some special lunch and dinner tours, showcasing local flavours from specially selected restaurants, with a dash of Darwin history on the side.
TWICE THE LUCK OF THE IRISH | 5
And music, sweet, sweet music is coming thick and fast to your ears this month. Catch Kate Ceberano Up Close and Personal, the sounds of young and old in Tiwi Strong Women’s Group, and join Arafura Music Collective for a special International Women’s Day concert. Whatever you decide to do this month, I just hope you have a good ol' time. We look forward to sharing with you special events, incredible art and local personalities over the year.
GO GOURMET | 14
Bring it on, 2021 – we're ready for you!
Revered internationally, Mawurndjul has earned his stripes as a master of his craft. I urge you to head
HIGHWAY OF LOST HEARTS | 15 OTL is proudly supported by Tierney White Managing Editor and Development Manager
Anna Dowd & Tamara Howie Writers
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Off The Leash Inc. acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
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Winner, 2019 & 2020 NT Media Awards, Best Magazine or Lift Out
Our lucky double pass winner @jennie.redbirdd and friend enjoying Washington's show!
JOHN MAWURNDJUL
GET YOUR FLIX FIX
KATE CEBERANO
I am the old and the new
Last chance to catch Flix in the Wet
Aussie music legend up close and personal
MARCH
20 21
@theprecincttavern_darwin
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Although Although all care is taken to ensure information Off The Leash correct, it is subject to change. We recommend checking offtheleash.net.au updates. all care is taken to ensureininformation in is Off The Leash is correct, it is subject to change. We recommend checking for offtheleash.net.au for updates.
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@mrs.beach.eat.repeat at @darwinlaksafest
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John Mawurndjul, 'Ngalyod' (detail), 2012, earth pigments on Stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta). Museum of Contemporary Art, purchased with funds provided by the MCA Foundation, 2015. © John Mawurndjul / Copyright Agency, 2020. Photo: Jessica Maurer.
As a not-for-profit organisation, Off The Leash relies on advertising revenue to underpin printing costs each month. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, printing a hard copy edition of OTL will be assessed on a month-by-month basis. March 2021
3
FEATURE
By Anna Dowd
WHEN AT INFO
SAT 13 MAR – SAT 29 MAY PUBLIC FLOOR TALK, SAT 13 MAR, 10.30-11.30AM CDU ART GALLERY cdu.edu.au/artgallery | johnmawurndjul.com
JOHN
Photo: Tristan Derátz
MAWURNDJUL
I am the old and the new
“The old ways of doing things have changed into the new ways. The new generation does things differently. But me, I have two ways. I am the old and the new.” John Mawurndjul
nternationally renowned artist John Mawurndjul AM of western Arnhem Land is one of Australia’s greatest living contemporary artists. This month, CDU Art Gallery opens a landmark survey exhibition of the Kuninjku master bark painter, including over 50 works spanning 40 years of prolific practice. Developed and co-presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) and Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) in association with Maningrida Arts & Culture, the show has toured regionally, with an award-winning website, video, and catalogue. AGSA curator Nici Cumpston OAM says it was a three-and-half-year process of learning deeply about the work by Mawurndjul to get to the point of being ready to exhibit. “We asked if he’d be interested and he said ‘yes’, and so we said, ‘let’s see how many of your works we can find, we’ll bring them back to you, and you can decide what you want in the show.’” Coming back with photos of over 700 works from collections around the world, Cumpston says going through them was like an emotional reunion with old friends for the artist, and he led the process from there. “At that first sitting he said, ‘I need to take you to the kunred, to the sacred sites.’ So we started the journeys out to his country [in west Arnhem Land], to feel it and understand it, so we could do justice presenting it through the works.” Cumpston says the exhibition is a rare opportunity to feel the depth of the artist’s connection to place, as well as the ways in which Mawurndjul is an innovator within his technique of rrark, the traditional cross-hatching style of painting. “You can feel that country through the way he applies those sacred colours, the ochre painted onto the bark. So the energy of that country is embedded within the works of art, quite literally.” After launching in Sydney and Adelaide to great acclaim, a scaled down version of the show has toured regionally over the past two years, a process that MCA curator Clothilde Bullen says was critical. “He’s an internationally renowned artist, so given the gravitas and impact of his work, the MCA felt that’s what it deserved,” she says. “We also know people in regional areas don’t get to experience this kind of show, a major survey, often, so this was our chance to bring something really special.”
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John Mawurndjul, 'Milmilngkan', 2007, earth pigments and on Stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta), Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. Gift of Susan Armitage through the Art Gallery of South Australia Foundation, 2016. Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program © John Mawurndjul/Copyright Agency, 2020. Photo: Saul Steed.
Darwin is the last stop on the tour, and after needing to postpone during a time of health pandemic restrictions, CDU Art Gallery Curator Dr Joanna Barrkman says they are delighted to be hosting the exhibition in 2021. “The MCA worked so hard – there was a lot that had to go on behind-thescenes to extend the loans, and get it up here,” says Barrkman. “This is the closest the exhibition will travel to where Mawurndjul lives, so with so many more of his extended family being able to visit the exhibition, this is going to be a real celebration of this great artist and his extraordinary accomplishments.”
AROUND TOWN WIN! WIN! WIN!
For your chance to score a one-night stay and brekkie for two at DoubleTree by Hilton, simply email your name and one sentence explaining why you deserve a staycation to win@offtheleash.net.au. Entries close midday Fri 19 Mar and winner notified by email. T&Cs apply. Good luck!
00Seven Jetski Adventures
YES WAY, STAYCAY AH, TRAVEL. Put your hand up if you miss being able to jump on a plane to lands far away? Yep, us too.
ing staycation packages for locals, and you have yourself options, friends. Great options at that.
But if there’s been one silver lining over the past year, it’s that we’ve been able to explore our very own magical backyard – gifted, if you’ve been quick enough, with travel vouchers to traipse across the Territory.
In exciting news, after almost one year of closure, DoubleTree by Hilton Esplanade Darwin has flung open its doors, accepting guests keen to relax by the esplanade.
Add to this hotels and motels craft-
As part of the travel voucher initiative, they’re offering a onenight stay, a full buffet breakfast for
two adults, and a credit voucher of $100 to be spent at one of five local establishments such as Hanuman, Sea Darwin and 00Seven Jetski Adventures. Nice. So if you deserve a little break, without having to jump on a plane or combat jet lag, a stay by the sea could be just the ticket. INFO facebook.com/double treebyhiltonhotelsdarwin hilton.com
TWICE THE LUCK OF THE IRISH THE TIME HAS COME to don your green threads, drink dark ale and get merry with the Top End’s thriving Irish community with not one, but two fun days of celebration. St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Wednesday this year, and you’re invited to Fiddlers Green and The Precinct for live music, Irish dancing and a jolly
Sea Darwin
International Women’s Day LET’S HEAR IT for the ladies! Each year, the 8th of March is the global day for celebrating women’s achievements and working towards greater equality.
old time. Back it up on the following Saturday for an afternoon of fun for the whole family. The little ones will love the Lil’ Leprechaun Best Dressed Competition, hunting for a pot of gold, shamrock face painting and photo booths. And everyone can enjoy live music and Irish dancing as you move between
Fiddlers Green and The Precinct. Keen to double your luck this St Patty’s Day? That’s the craic!
St Patrick’s Day at The Waterfront WHEN WED 17 MAR, 12PM-LATE
SAT 20 MAR, 4-7PM
AT
DARWIN WATERFRONT
INFO
waterfront.nt.gov.au
The 2021 theme for International Women’s Day (IWD) is Choose to Challenge. It presents the opportunity to speak out against gender bias and inequality, and seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. This year, Choose to Challenge, and help create and contribute to an inclusive world. There's a bunch of events running nationally online, and be sure to check out Arafura Music Collective's performance of In Her Footsteps this month, showcasing the music of female composers - more on pg 18.
WHEN MON 8 MAR INFO internationalwomensday.com | #choosetochallenge
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LISTINGS
Chess & Cocktails
Channel your inner Queen’s Gambit and hit up Dom’s for a night of chess and cocktails, with casual chess games and tournaments held monthly throughout the year. There’s a bunch of chess boards set up, ready for your skill, but given chess is the newest hottest oldest thing right now, we recommend you book a table!
WHEN WED 10 MAR | 6PM AT DOM’S BAR & LOUNGE COST FREE (SMALL FEE FOR TOURNAMENTS) INFO facebook.com/domsbardarwin
In Focus: Paul McCann Sunglasses Aboriginal Bush Traders, located in the historic Lyons Cottage on Darwin’s Esplanade, is a 100% notfor-profit organisation committed to selling ethically sourced and sustainable products that directly support local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This month, they focus on Paul McCann’s custom-designed L.Eyes sunglasses. Come on down and get your pair before they walk out the door!
Tension Release Exercises Tension and Trauma release exercises are a simple set of exercises that release muscle tension and relax the mind. The body’s innate movements of shaking and stretching help to regulate the nervous system to create more calmness, focus and joy. Head along and learn an easy way to de-stress the mind and body.
WHEN MON – FRI | 10AM-3PM AT ABORIGINAL BUSH TRADERS INFO aboriginalbushtraders.com
of rescue pets and humans in an effort to help break the cycle of pet homelessness in Australia.
WHEN SAT 13 MAR | 10AM-2PM AT PETSTOCK BERRIMAH INFO petstock.com.au
Get Job Ready Come along to these free sessions, where you can use the library’s laptops to create or update your resume, search and apply for jobs.
LET’S DANCE Salsa Classes WHEN TUE 2, 9 & 16 MAR
MEETING ROOM
COST $12 INFO nebula.net.au
Remember the days when the post office was king? Drawing on the national archival collection, Signed, Sealed, Delivered revisits an era when post offices touched everyone’s lives.
WHEN MON-FRI | 9.30AM-4.30PM AT NORTHERN TERRITORY
ARCHIVES CENTRE
INFO naa.gov.au The Five Habits of Happy People Each week in this livestreamed course, participants are guided to uplifting states of mind, mental stillness and resilience. Learn to become a happy person regardless of life’s difficulties, and an inspiring force for the people around you. WHEN MON 1 MAR | 6-7.25PM AT ONLINE COST $10 | FREE MEMB INFO kadampa.live
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WHEN EVERY TUE | 6-7.30PM AT ONLINE COST $10 | FREE MEMB INFO kadampa.live International Women's Day Skate Get out and get down the park for International Women's Day! Skateboard, roller/inline skates, bmx and scooters welcome. Feeling a bit out of practice, or fresh to the scene? Sign up for a free workshop! The workshop is for ages 14-25 and designed for people who have some basic skate skills already. Learn about skating in a park space, meet others and have a shred. WHEN SAT 13 MAR | 9-11AM AT LEANYER SKATE PARK COST FREE INFO launchdarwin.com.au PETstock Assist’s National Pet Adoption Day Throughout March, PETstock Assist is celebrating with their inaugural National Pet Adoption Month, created to help change the lives
Ceramic Design and Wheel Throwing
Car Boot Sale
WHEN EVERY WED | 7.15PM AT CASUARINA LIBRARY
Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully Join Buddhist monk Gen Dornying, and learn to make each day meaningful. Become free from trivial worries and concerns, help others who are grieving, and support those who are dying with a peaceful death process.
tactilearts.org.au
WHEN EVERY WED | 2-4PM COST FREE
6.30-9.30PM
AT
DANCE WORLD STUDIO,
WOOLNER
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
TACTILE ARTS WORKSHOPS
Darwin Trailer Boat Club’s monthly car boot sale is back! One person’s trash is another’s treasure, and this is your chance to have a good clear out and make some coin, or pick up a bargain or two. No registration fees or sign up is required, just head over to the club car park to set up before 8.30am. Nice!
COST $20 INFO salsitadarwin.com.au Movement Medicine WHEN EVERY SUN | 10-11.30AM AT NIGHTCLIFF COMMUNITY CENTRE
COST $15 CASH INFO movement.magic@yahoo.com
Learn the basics of wheel throwing, trimming, design and glaze decoration with Sophia Golavanevskaya. Intermediate or returning students are challenged with new ideas and forms, providing the opportunity to refine your work. Functional and sculptural designs are welcome – bring your ideas and the Tactile Arts creative team will help you realise them!
WHEN EVERY THU, 25 FEB – 1 APR WHEN SAT 27 MAR | 8.30AM AT DARWIN TRAILER BOAT CLUB INFO dtbc.com.au
PALMERSTON LIBRARY palmerston.nt.gov.au/library
Gadgets and Games Club Learning plus games equals fun! If your child is aged 5-12 years and enjoys hands-on, problem based learning activities, this is for them. WHEN EVERY TUE | 3.30-4.30PM COST FREE Storytime Sing, dance, listen to stories and engage with puppets at these fun and interactive sessions. Suitable for children aged 1-5 years. WHEN EVERY TUE & THU 10-10.45AM
COST FREE
Come and Try Clogging If you’ve ever wanted to give the unique dance style of clogging a go, these classes are for you! Originating in the Appalachian Mountains of America, clogging is a form of folk dance. The word clog is Gaelic for time. Enjoy these weekly beginners classes every Sunday, with options in the morning or the afternoon, and are suitable for all ages and abilities. No previous dance experience is required and the first class is free!
6-9PM
COST $440 | $405 MEMB Silver Jewellery Making
CENTRE
Students learn the basic techniques of silver jewellery making in this six-week workshop with Marianne Eichenberg. Create simple pieces such as a ring, pendant, or other design of your own, using sterling silver. Suitable for beginners or students with prior knowledge.
COST $10 | FREE FIRST CLASS INFO CHRISTINE - 0439613574
7-10PM
WHEN EVERY SUN | 10-11AM AT ZUCCOLI PLAZA WHEN EVERY SUN | 1.30-2.30PM AT MALAK COMMUNITY
WHEN EVERY TUE, 30 MAR – 4 MAY COST $450 | $410 MEMB
ART I HOMEWARES BUSHFOODS | TEXTILES CAFE I FASHION I BOOKS
Carnival of the Animals
Lyons Cottage, 74 The Esplanade Weekdays: Café–7:30AM-3PM Gallery & Store–10AM-3PM Sat & SUN: CLOSED ABORIGINALBUSHTRADERS.COM (08) 8931 6650
An enchanting orchestral adventure through the animal kingdom Sat 27 March
//
Mook Moook by Dale Austin, Dingo Cockatoo Aboriginal Culture
6.30pm
The Playhouse, Darwin Entertainment Centre
TICKETS $20 – $60 BOOK NOW: yourcentre.com.au // 08 8980 3333
Presenting Partner
• • • • •
TOP END TRAVEL AND INFORMATION CENTRE
10th
Variety of Chefs
Gourmet Dinner Saturday, 6pm
10 April 2021 Special Guest Karen Doyle
President of the Australian Culinary Federation
Master of Ceremonies Shalom Kaa
Variety NT Ambassador
Join us for an amazing dining experience with local culinary legends followed by Bernie Bremond and the Lost & Found who will have you dancing the night away
Martin Bouchier
Jimmy Shu
Danny Yeum
William Wicking
Book Now for the Variety of Chefs Gourmet Dinner
Mindil Beach Casino & Resort Beachside Pavilion https://darwintickets.com.au/event/12617 www.variety.org.au/nt | (08) 8981 2544
7
&
Get Your
Flix Fix March is your last chance to catch some cinematic gems programmed by the Darwin Film Society on the big screen at Darwin Entertainment Centre. AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $8-$16 INFO yourcentre.com.au flixinthewet.com
High Ground Set against the stunning landscapes of 1930s Arnhem Land, High Ground chronicles young Aboriginal man Gutjuk, who in a bid to save the last of his family, teams up with ex-soldier Travis to track down Baywara – the most dangerous warrior in the Territory, also his uncle. WHEN SUN 21 MAR | 5.30PM
Savage Inspired by stories from New Zealand’s boys’ homes and the early history of our gangs, Savage follows Danny across three different ages at important junctures that push and pull him towards and away from gang life. Each chapter of Danny’s life is a complete short story set in a defining time for NZ gangs.
Martin Eden A stunning Italian epic, shot entirely on beautiful 16mm film. Martin Eden is a reimagining of Jack London’s classic novel set in pre-war Italy. Winner of multiple awards, including Best Actor at the Venice International Film Festival for Luca Marinelli.
WHEN SUN 7 MAR | 3PM
A Night at The Louvre: Leonardo da Vinci 10 years in the making, shot on the final night of the smash-hit sell-out exhibition, this immersive private tour of the Leonardo da Vinci’s Louvre masterpieces is a unique opportunity to contemplate the painter’s most beautiful works up close.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco Enjoy the NT premiere of The Last Black Man in San Francisco. This Sundance hit has never had a theatrical release in the Northern Territory. A wistful odyssey populated by skaters, squatters, street preachers, playwrights, and other locals on the margins, The Last Black Man in San Francisco is a poignant and sweeping story of hometowns and how they’re made – and kept alive – by the people who love them.
WHEN SUN 14 MAR | 5PM
WHEN SUN 7 MAR, 5PM SUN 21 MAR, 3PM
WHEN SUN 14 MAR | 3PM
NT RED CARPET PREMIERE OF HIGH GROUND
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Photos: Paz Tassone
NT WRITERS' PRESENTS
INFO newsouthbooks.com.au
facebook.com/
alicespringseleanorhogan
ADULT SHORT COURSES YOU'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MISSED......
1 Nemarluk Drive Ludmilla NT, 0820
A R T S
S E W I N G
C O O K I N G
C O M P U T E R
L A N G U A G E
D E S I G N
www.adultshortcourses.com
M U S I C
H E A L T H
Darwin Adult Short Courses 0452 135 400
Eleanor Hogan ELEANOR HOGAN IS a literary non-fiction writer who draws on her experience of living and working in Central Australia. Her latest book, Into the Loneliness: The Unholy Alliance of Ernestine Hill and Daisy Bates, is out this month. NT Writers’ Centre caught up with her for a chat. Congratulations on your latest book! Can you tell us a bit more about it? In 1932, journalist Ernestine Hill travelled to Ooldea on the Eastern side of the Nullarbor to visit Daisy Bates, an anthropologist camping with Aboriginal people. Sensing the potential of Bates’ story, Hill coaxed her down to Adelaide where they collaborated on what became the controversial bestseller, The Passing of the Aborigines. Into the Loneliness reflects on these women’s lives, legacies, and writing about Aboriginal people through a road trip I undertook to retrace their travels across the Nullarbor. What was the inspiration behind it? Seven years ago, I stumbled across Ernestine Hill’s The Great Australian Loneliness, which was based on her journalistic wanderings across the country in the 1930s. I was fascinated by her dedication to conveying the richness and diversity of the outback to the urban south. Hill herself was intriguing, knocking about remote Australia in a broadbrimmed hat, shorts and boots, at a time when it was considered dangerous for a woman to travel alone.
While researching in the archives, I stumbled across a bundle of letters from Daisy Bates summoning Ernestine Hill to collaborate on an anthropological work. I had no idea that Hill was a friend of the notorious Bates, and I was struck by the unusualness of two women discussing anthropology together, not to mention their sense of a mandate to record Aboriginal – and also settler – life during this era.
Are you currently working on any other books or writing projects? I’m currently tinkering with a podcast series, Outlandia, about Central Australian books, history and ideas, for 8CCC. Mid-year, I’m returning to Yalata to record the senior women’s stories. I have an idea for another biography, but I don’t envisage tackling it for several years as I found this one was as much work as my PhD!
What were the challenges and rewarding aspects of writing a biography? Being honest to what I found through my research, rather than what I expected to find, was both challenging and rewarding. That goes for research generally, but it’s more challenging in biography where the subject matter can be personal and other people are often involved. Technically speaking, a major challenge was integrating the three narrative threads of Hill’s, Bates’ and my stories across different time periods.
If we were to take a look on your bookshelf, what kinds of books would we find there? You’d find my bookshelves are subdivided into alphabetised sections — fiction, theory, biography, literary nonfiction, poetry, kids’ books, etc. Fiction is my largest section with a mixture of books by contemporary and ‘classical’ literary authors. My favourite shelves at the moment house a collection of early editions of books by ‘vast open space’ writers and Australian anthropologists.
Receiving funding support from Australia Council for the Arts and the Peter Blazey and Hazel Rowley fellowships was a great boon, as it also enabled me to retrace some of Bates and Hill’s journeys, and to visit Anangu who’d camped with Bates and their descendants at Yalata. The generosity and warm welcome I received from Yalata community members, who took me to visit the remains of Bates’ camp at Ooldea Soak, was a major highlight of the whole project.
Any Territory writers you’re enjoying at the moment? I’m enjoying NPY Women’s Council’s Tjanimaku Tjukurpa: How One Young Man Came Good. Next on the list is Evan Reece’s We Sat Where They Sat about his father Laurie Reece’s camel trip into Warlpiri country in 1944. Other recent highlights for me were Dani Powell’s Return to Dust and Tess Lea’s Wild Policy.
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17 Wed
Tue
5 St Patrick’s Day at The Waterfront 6 Tension Release Exercises 6 Get Job Ready 15 Highway of Lost Hearts
23 Mon
6 Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully 6 Gadgets and Games Club 6 Storytime 15 Highway of Lost Hearts 19 Jam Nights
29 16 Bluey’s Big Play
18 Thu
Wed
6 Storytime 6 Ceramic Design and Wheel Throwing 15 Peter Williams Medium Searching Spirit Tour 15 Highway of Lost Hearts 19 Thursday Live @ Dom’s
24 6 Tension Release Exercises 6 Get Job Ready 15 Highway of Lost Hearts
See Performing Arts 16
19 Fri
Thu
5 WIN a Staycation closes! 13 Shared by Three (last chance) 15 Highway of Lost Hearts 18 Tiwi Strong Women’s Group: Yoi! Ngarukuruwala 19 Darryl Barba 19 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s
25 Tue
6 Storytime 6 Ceramic Design and Wheel Throwing 15 Highway of Lost Hearts 19 Thursday Live @ Dom’s
30
6 Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully 6 Gadgets and Games Club 6 Storytime 6 Silver Jewellery Making 19 Jam Nights
See Performing Arts 15
26
Fri
15 Highway of Lost Hearts 19 Darryl Barba 19 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s
See Visual Arts 13
Sat
21
Sun
8 High Ground
20 15 Highway of Lost Hearts
Sat
See Books & Film 8
28
Sun
19 Last Sunday Jam
6 Come and Try Clogging 6 Movement Medicine 6 Come and Try Clogging 14 Breakfast at DTBC 16 Bluey’s Big Play 19 Last Sunday Jam
offtheleash.net.au
AROUND TOWn Books & fILM Performing Arts YOUTH Visual Arts Food & Drink Music FESTIVALS
6 Car Boot Sale 14 Breakfast at DTBC 14 Poolside Saturdays @ Cossies 14 The Earth Hour Vegan Wine Dinner 15 Highway of Lost Hearts 18 Carnival of the Animals
12 Nyangulya – Katie Nalgood (last chance)
27
6 Movement Medicine 6 Come and Try Clogging 8 Martin Eden 12 Reef (last chance) 14 Breakfast at DTBC
Wed
5 St Patrick’s Day at The Waterfront 14 Breakfast at DTBC 14 Poolside Saturdays @ Cossies
See Visual Arts 12
31
13 Marnie Jay Art 3rd Birthday (last chance)
6 Tension Release Exercises 6 Get Job Ready
22
See Music 19
Mon
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Although all care is taken to ensure information in Off The Leash is correct, it is subject to change. Not all events can be listed on this calendar, so we recommend checking offtheleash.net.au for updates.
Mon
Tue
Mon
Fri
15 Highway of Lost Hearts 19 Darryl Barba 19 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s
12
5 International Women’s Day
8
6 Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully 6 Gadgets and Games Club 6 Storytime 6 Salsa Classes 19 Jam Nights
2
Calendar
1 6 The Five Habits of Happy People 13 Marnie Jay Art 3rd Birthday (opens)
Thu
See Around Town 5
11 6 Storytime 6 Ceramic Design and Wheel Throwing 19 Thursday Live @ Dom’s
3 Wed
6 Tension Release Exercises 6 Get Job Ready
See Feature 4
4 Thu
6 Storytime 6 Ceramic Design and Wheel Throwing 19 Thursday Live @ Dom’s
5 Fri
13 Shared by Three (opening) 14 Gin Tasting 19 Kathryn and the Overbytes 19 Darryl Barba 19 Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s
20
Sun
MAR 21
Sat
8 A Night at The Louvre: Leonardo da Vinci
14 4 John Mawurndjul – I am the old and the new (opens)
6 Movement Medicine 6 Come and Try Clogging 8 The Last Black Man in San Francisco 14 Breakfast at DTBC 19 You Gotta See It To Be It 19 Steamy Jazz Sessions
13
6 International Women’s Day Skate 6 Petstock Assist’s National Pet Adoption Day 15 Highway of Lost Hearts 16 Burlesque Idol Darwin 19 The Ultimate Eagles Experience
See Music 17
See Visual Arts 12
See Books & Film 8
6
9
Sat
17 Kate Ceberano Up Close and Personal
12 Nyangulya – Katie Nalgood (opens) 14 5-Course Rare Irish Whiskey Dinner 14 Poolside Saturdays @ Cossies
Tue
Mon
6 Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully 6 Gadgets and Games Club 6 Storytime 6 Salsa Classes 19 Jam Nights
15
7
Sun
Wed
6 Movement Medicine 6 Come and Try Clogging 8 Savage 8 Martin Eden 18 In Her Footsteps 19 First Sunday Blues
10
Tue
6 Chess & Cocktails 6 Tension Release Exercises 6 Get Job Ready 13 A Little Bit of Justice The Drawings of Charlie Flannigan (opening)
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6 Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully 6 Gadgets and Games Club 6 Storytime 6 Salsa Classes 15 Highway of Lost Hearts 19 Jam Nights
VISUAL ARTS PAUL JOHNSTONE GALLERY
Harriet Place, Darwin | 8941 2220 | pauljohnstonegallery.com.au WED–FRI 10AM-5PM | TUE & SAT 10AM–2PM
INFO
darwincommunityarts.
org.au | facebook.com/
darwincommarts instagram.com/ darwincommunityarts_ untitled
NYANGULYA
Katie Nalgood
Intermingle
SINCE JULY LAST year, Darwin Community Arts (DCA) has run the Intermingle workshop program, organised by Georgia Glen and facilitated by a variety of Darwin artists.
Foreshore. The wonderful Wet meant artists took cover inside, and they look forward to observing and exploring more of Darwin’s outdoor scenery with a plein-air drawing program planned for mid-2021.
In line with DCA’s mission of ‘making art in a fragile world’, the focus has been on been making art that is inspired by nature, either in the materials used or the themes explored.
Some previous workshop activities have included whittling wood to create butter knives, spoons and forks with Forest Peters, and cyanotype printing and bird nest weaving with Aly de Groot. Emma Lupin guided a sensory walk through the Coconut Grove mangroves, where participants learnt about and experimented with natural dyes, and Graeme Gillespie inspired and
The Dry season saw participants getting outdoors as much as possible, enjoying the sea breeze and shady trees along the Nightcliff
Katie’s portraits of birds nest within the boundaries of cultural engagement and pure respect. They are her feathered guides that bring news from afar, yet simultaneously give delight with their behaviour and colours. It is this delicate balance that enables Katie to render whimsical portraits that convey such depth of character and personality. Kingfishers, finches, parrots and pelicans are some of the wonderful menagerie that adorns the walls of many households across Australia.
WHEN SAT 6 MAR – SAT 27 MAR
assisted the creation of DCA’s very own vertical wall garden.
Other projects that make up the Intermingle program include tropical still life drawings with Tisha Teeja, the author and illustrator of a pocket handbook to local market produce, and nature inspired drawings used as stencil prints with Tarzan Jungle Queen at Untitled Gallery + Studio. If the Intermingle workshop program sounds like your cup of tea, be sure to check Darwin Community Arts out online.
Katie Nalgood, 'Red Capped Parrot', 2020, acrylic on canvas, 61x71cm
TACTILE ARTS
19 Conacher Street, Fannie Bay | 8981 6616 | tactilearts.org.au TUE-SUN 10AM-4PM
REEF Tactile Arts Members’ Exhibition HERE IN THE TOP END , we live smack-bang in the middle of three of the worlds’ most beautiful and diverse reef areas – the Coral Triangle, the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef. Given the threats to these beautiful ecosystems, Tactile Arts members think that’s worth drawing attention to – and celebrating! Dive into 2021 with Tactile Arts and revel in local artists’ interpretations of all things reef dwelling, imagined in ceramics, painting, jewellery, glass, textiles and much more.
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UNTIL SUN 21 MAR
Mathew ‘Blue’ Selwyn, 'Fin', 2020, watercolor and gouache
Katie Nalgood, 'Finches Hanging Out' (detail) 2020, acrylic on canvas, 91x122cm
CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY
MARRAWUDDI GALLERY
WED–FRI 10AM-4PM | SAT 10AM-2PM
MON-FRI 8.30AM-4PM, SAT & SUN 8-2PM
Building Orange 12, CDU Casuarina Campus | 8946 6621 | cdu.edu.au/artgallery
2 Gregory Place, Jabiru, | 8979 2777 | gallery@marrawuddi.com.au
of
Cockatoo’s
John
Kakadu
Mawurndjul
I Am The Old and The New
Irene Henry and Harold Goodman, 'Karnamarr' (Red Tailed Black Cockatoo) & 'Ngarradj' (Sulphur Crested Cockatoo)
From Kakadu outstation, Mamukala, Irene Henry and Harold Goodman’s collaborative Cockatoo’s are a popular attraction at Marrawuddi. Goodman carves the designs, and Henry paints them in a style that speaks to her family connections on the Tiwi Islands. “My cousin brother used to make birds, Roy’s dad used to make the Jabiru bird. Then Harold got the idea of doing cockatoo. The black cockatoo plays an important role in Tiwi ceremony…” - Irene Henry CDU Art Gallery is delighted to present a survey exhibition by one of Australia’s leading contemporary artists – master bark painter John Mawurndjul AM – a Kuninjku artist from Milmilngkan, Arnhem Land.
UNTITLED GALLERY+STUDIO Unit 3/1 Clocktower Caryota Crt, Coconut Grove darwincommunityarts.org
WED-FRI 11AM-4PM | SAT 10AM–2PM | CLOSED PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Developed and co-presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art and Art Gallery of South Australia, in association with Maningrida Arts & Culture, this landmark touring exhibition includes over 50 works, spanning 40 years of the artist’s practice.
Shared by Three: Tara Darcy, Donovan Mota & Jim Simpson Shared by Three features a selection of works by Tara Darcy, Donovan Mota & Jim Simpson from the Free Space Studio archives. The exhibition represents a diverse cross section of each artist's practice as they have moved through various mediums and subjects during their time at the studio.
WHEN SAT 13 MAR – SAT 29 MAY
John Mawurndjul, 'Ancestral Spirit Beings Collecting Honey', (1985–87), earth pigments on Stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta), Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and Maningrida Arts & Culture with financial assistance from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Board of the Australia Council, 1994 © John Mawurndjul / Copyright Agency, 2020, Photo: Jessica Maurer.
Donovan Mota, 'Tucan' (2019), acrylic, water colour & pastel, 60x40cm
NORTHERN TERRITORY LIBRARY
WHEN FRI 5 MAR – FRI 19 MAR
OPENING FRI 5 MAR, 6-8PM
Parliament House | Cnr. Bennett and Mitchell Street, Darwin | ntl.nt.gov.au TUE, THU, FRI 10AM-5PM | WED 10AM-8PM | SAT & SUN 1-5PM
MARNIE JAY ART
Coolalinga Central, 425 Stuart Highway, Coolalinga | marniejay.com THU 11AM-5.30PM | FRI 11AM-5.30PM | SAT 10AM-5PM | SUN 10AM-3PM
A LITTLE BIT OF JUSTICE The Drawings of Charlie Flannigan
This unique exhibition highlights the story of Aboriginal prisoner Charlie Flannigan – the first person to be executed in the Northern Territory at Darwin’s Fannie Bay Gaol in 1893. The exhibition features 22 of his drawings depicting various scenes from his life, all carried out whilst in solitary confinement.
WHEN WED 10 MAR – SUN 27 JUN Charlie Flannigan, ‘Horseman leaping from a cliff’, 1892, facsimile (original, pencil on paper). Courtesy of South Australian Museum
OPENING WED 10 MAR, 5.30PM
MARNIE JAY ART 3RD BIRTHDAY Three years have passed since local artist Marnie Jay opened up shop at Coolalinga Central. During those years, she’s met many incredible and inspiring people from all walks of life who share a passion for art, wildlife and nature. “The positive response has boosted my confidence to be proud of who I am, what I stand for and that I’m on the right track and doing what I was always meant to do.” Pay her a visit in March to help celebrate her third birthday and check out her new range of prints!
WHEN MON 1 – WED 31 MAR
Marnie Jay, 'Star Gazer', 2020, mixed media on wood, 30x50cm
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&
DRINK LISTINGS
FOOD
Beach. Brekkie. Brunch. TREATING YOURSELF TO a fancy breakfast is one of life’s greatest joys. The bacon, the eggs, the cooked veggies – the coffee! There’s nothing quite like starting your weekend with a nice hot fry up. And what could be better than a breakfast spread with all of the trimmings? Why, a breakfast spread with a view of course. And what better view in town than the Arafura Sea? In very exciting news, that’s
exactly what you’re in for every Saturday and Sunday morning at Darwin Trailer Boat Club. Sit by the sea and tuck in to breakfast rolls and breakfast bowls, smashed avo and pancakes, all kinds of bennies, and an extra special house-smoked ocean trout dish.
cheeky morning tipple – indulge in their breakfast cocktail list and kick your day off with a bang. We’re talking mimosas, espresso martinis and bloody Marys. Yes – puh-lease.
Breakfast @ DTBC WHEN EVERY SAT & SUN FROM
Wash it down with juice, tea and coffee, or – if you don’t mind a
SAT 13 MAR | 8-11AM
AT DARWIN TRAILER BOAT CLUB INFO dtbc.com.au
Gin Tasting No matter where you are on your gin journey, you’re invited to deepen your knowledge and experience of this popular spirit, with various selections from two revered gin brands, Ki No Bi and Monkey 47. Check out the new Palm Court Bar & Lounge as you treat your taste buds to a cheeky tipple and some light nibbles. But tickets are limited, so book now to reserve your spot!
WHEN SAT 6 MAR | 6.30-9.30PM AT PEPPERBERRY RESTAURANT COST $139 INFO darwintickets.com.au Poolside Saturdays @ Cossies Spend your Saturdays kicking back and catching some rays – cocktail in hand – around the lagoon pool at Cossies Poolside Bar and Bistro. With all day cocktail specials, a tantalising poolside food menu and cool water to take a dip in, it’s the perfect way to spend a lazy Saturday WHEN EVERY SAT | 11AM-6PM AT COSSIES POOLSIDE BAR
AND BISTRO
COST FREE | $10 COCKTAILS INFO facebook.com/ cossiespoolside
WHEN FRI 5 MAR | 6-7.30PM AT PALM COURT BAR & LOUNGE COST $59 INFO darwintickets.com.au 5-Course Rare Irish Whiskey Dinner Indulge in this special and spirited night, providing a unique opportunity to taste some rare Irish whiskeys. We’re talking Jameson Black Barrel, Green Spot, Method & Madness Single Malt, and more. If that wasn’t enough to tickle your fancy, you’re also treated to a fancy five-course dinner. Seats are limited – don’t miss out.
The Earth Hour Vegan Wine Dinner Enjoy an environmentally conscious food and wine tasting experience for vegans or the vegan-curious alike in celebration of Earth Hour. Experience the depth of vegan flavours with each course, meticulously paired with select organic boutique wines. That’s cheers for a cause! WHEN SAT 27 MAR | 6.30-9.30PM AT PEPPERBERRY RESTAURANT COST $129 INFO darwintickets.com.au
INFO darwingourmettours.com
GO GOURMET THERE’S NO DENYING the foodie scene in the Top End has upped the ante over the past few years, with cafés, restaurants and food trucks popping up about the place, much to the delight of food-lovin’ Top Enders and visitors alike. So what could be better than feasting on delicious feeds from a swag of local restaurants whilst also sampling the beautiful sights of Darwin? Cue new culinary tourism biz, Darwin Gourmet Tours. Inspired by a trip to Cambodia, this exciting new offering is thanks to husband-and-wife team, Darrel Trueman and Claire Bartlett.
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“A few years ago, my wife and I went on a trip to Cambodia and took a food tour and were quite impressed by it. Looking around, I saw there
were food tours around the world – you go to Melbourne, there’s food tours, you go to London, there’s food tours – but there weren’t any really in Darwin,” Darrel says. “I thought, well, the food scene in Darwin has really improved over the last decade in terms of fine dining, and that it would be a good idea for Darwin. Despite the downturn in tourism, it has turned out to be good for Darwinites – so many people from the Top End have been taking advantage of the tourism vouchers. “There’s a sense that people are bursting at the seams a bit. Aussies really love to travel, and they haven’t been able to do that. We’ve been saying ‘let your tastebuds do the travelling!’”
And travel they will… Over the course of three hours, guests can tuck into a specially curated lunch or dinner menu from a selection of local restaurants from the likes of Hanuman, Phat Mango, Moorish, Wharf One and Chow, just to name a few. With a focus on local flavours, each restaurant has been selected quite on purpose. Seafood is caught locally, Asian greens grown locally, and spices foraged locally – even the tour guides are locals. Indigenous ingredients that have been used in cooking by Top End Aboriginal people over hundreds of years are also championed, with paperbark, lemon myrtle, river mint, rosella and kangaroo popping up on the menu. As you move from one restaurant
to the next, tour guides chat you through significant Darwin landmarks, such as the Old Town Hall, Parliament House and Survivor’s Lookout. Over the course of the tour, guests can expect to cover about a kilometre – not a bad way to burn off some of that tucker you’ve been enjoying so much! (Hot tip: wear comfy kicks.) There’s also an exciting Sunday brunch experience at Roma Bar and a couple of pre-dinner drinks and nibbles options on offer. Private party? No problem. You can book a session out entirely for you and your crew. “It gives our guests the opportunity to try a number of different restaurants in a short amount of time, and the opportunity to try local ingredients that you might not be
able to try at other restaurants. And with some cultural and historical highlights, we bring to light some things that even locals might not know about Darwin,” Darrel says. “People really make connections with other people on the tour that were strangers before. One of the icebreakers we use is that we ask people to talk food and their experiences growing up, their favourite dishes, and everybody shares some of that – by the tour there’s a real congeniality between everyone. It’s the language of food!” If you’re in the mood for a stroll with some good company, culinary conversation and an amazing spread of local food, this is the tour for you.
PERFORMING ARTS By Tamara Howie “IN THE MOST basic sense, I speak to dead people,” says psychic medium, author and speaker, Peter Williams, admitting it’s a bit of a crude way to phrase what is usually a healing and spiritual experience.
SEARCHING FOR SPIRITS
Williams developed his clairvoyant skills in his teen years, and saw them flourish when he moved to Japan in his early 20s. Since then, Williams has been a medium between the living and the dead across the world, helping many to find closure, healing, and lots of love. Now, it’s the Top End’s turn to reach out to the other side, as Williams offers his otherworldly services at Darwin Entertainment Centre this month. “My job is to help bring that loved one back to life. By doing so it allows the healing and the love to flow. Whatever the reason for the connection, it can be confronting, eye opening, but most of them are healing and to help bring peace to both sides,” he says. When on stage or working privately, Williams describes talking to those who have passed over as like trying to communicate with someone who is deaf and mute. “What people forget is that their loved one is no longer human. They do not have a voice box on the other side!” he says.
Often, he is bombarded with a flurry of information – physical descriptions, health issues, cause of death, personality, work, family names and important dates for the family – thus it’s important for audience members to come to the show prepared with some family knowledge. “The best thing to do is to come with an open mind and heart, prepared with your family knowledge, but have no expectations. If you come in with any preconceived ideas about who you want to come through, you will find that you will not enjoy the show as much,” he says. While it may be hard to face loved ones that have been lost, Williams endeavours to make sure everyone has a positive experience. “I like to keep it real, fresh and funny. As much as we are there for the connections to our loved ones, I also do my best to pass on the messages that Spirit has for all of us,” he says.
Peter Williams Medium Searching Spirit Tour WHEN THU 18 MAR | 7PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE COST $45 | $40 MEMB INFO yourcentre.com.au
HIGHWAY
of LOST HEARTS A WOMAN. A DOG. A CAMPERVAN. And 4,500km of wide-open road. Mot wakes up one morning to find that her heart is missing from her chest. She can breathe – she has a pulse – but she feels nothing. So, she decides to go and look for it. With her dog enlisted as co-pilot, Mot heads down the Highway of Lost Hearts, into the deepest core of the Australian outback, navigating red dirt landscapes, fire and flood, vast salt lakes, age-old mountains and murky waters filled with lost souls. The further Mot drives into the deepest heart of Australia, the more she realises that everyone around
her also seems to be missing some vital part of themselves. Penned by local award-winning playwright Mary Anne Butler, and directed by the Ciella Williams, Highway of Lost Hearts kicks off Browns Mart Theatre’s 2021 theatre program, also the first production in the educational Program.
things returning to normal,” he says. “It’s also really exciting that, for the first time, the educational program kicks off with a work by a Territory writer. It’s the first time students can experience a work written by one of their own – something close to home, and reflective of their community.”
Brown’s Mart Theatre Artistic Director Sean Pardy says the year is shaping up despite setbacks from 2020.
So head along to experience this local gem, by a local gem, in a local gem.
“It’s super important that we’re able to launch full season in 2021, and also that we are going to 100% capacity – it gives people a sense of
WHEN FRI 12 – SAT 27 MAR (EXC. SUN & MON) | 7PM
AT BROWN’S MART THEATRE COST $35 | $25 CONC | $15 STUD INFO brownsmart.com.au
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LISTINGS
THE G.O AT CORRO
Meet Zoe! LEADING ONE OF Australia’s premier youth arts organisations is a huge undertaking, but luckily Corrugated Iron Youth Arts (CIYA) has found the perfect person. Introducing new Executive Producer, Zoe Scrogings. Corro’s Johanna Hayes got the scoop for us! You’re already pretty well known in arts and business circles around Darwin, but how did you get to be the multi-talented arts legend you are today? In a previous life before I moved to Darwin, in a failed attempt of leaving the arts, I was lucky enough to work in some of the most amazing places as a community engaged artist – from the slums of Kolkata, the hills of Thailand and Myanmar, Islamic schools in Jakarta to the streets of Dili and Cambodia, and now Darwin where I hope to stay for a very long time.
Development for the Yothu Yindi Foundation and Garma Festival and Darwin Festival. I’ve also been on the Corrugated Iron board for the last four years – so that should help too! You forgot to mention your adventures in a punk band… Ah yes, of course, Crankshaft. We had some major Courtney Love vibes going on. It was the year grunge broke! So what do a youth arts organisation and a punk band have in common? Both come from a desire to be independent, DIY, avant-garde, and to embrace community where individuality is valued and you can try new things without judgement. The punk ethos is essentially about identity and belonging.
I’ve always been motivated by social justice and providing opportunities for young people to have their voices heard. I really loved my time working in youth arts in Queensland as Executive Director of Backbone and Artistic Director/CEO of Contact Inc, where I produced hip hop theatre projects. I also found out that I was really good at fundraising!
Darwin has this spirit in bucket loads – it’s Australia’s best-kept secret! It’s this tropical paradise that’s made up of so many generous and interesting people from really diverse backgrounds. We are so lucky to live in a place that has such a rich First Nations’ history – there are so many vitally important stories to be told up here.
Since moving to the Top End, I’ve had the best jobs ever and have been working in Business
What does a typical Darwin weekend look like for you? It would start with a visit to Parap
Markets – chicken laksa for me and a Nutella crepe for my daughter, Alizé. Of course, you’ve got to wander around and look at all the stalls with a juice in hand… Can’t beat a classic lime, ginger and honey blend. I usually somehow end up taking home a bunch of tropical blooms and then relax by the pool with some friends. If I can, I’ll try to catch a show later. Now that you’ve given us some inspiration for our weekend plans, what are your plans for CIYA in the future? I’m blown away by the incredible reach that CIYA has across so many Top End communities, and hope to continue to provide transformative artistic experiences for children and young people in urban, regional and remote communities. While I take my job very seriously, I also think it’s important to be serious about having fun. I’m a good listener, and I think it’s all about listening to what the community wants and seeing how we can ensure everyone has access to incredible arts opportunities. So please feel free to drop in and say hi! Whether you have a question, the next big idea, or just want to catch up, my door is always open and I love to meet new faces.
INFO corrugatediron.org.au
Burlesque Idol Darwin Get ready for feathers to fly at Australia’s only Choose Your Own Adventure burlesque competition. Seven rising stars tease, shake, shimmy and tassel-twirl their way to in the hopes of winning over the judges, including the most important judge – you!
WHEN SUN 28 MAR, 2.30PM, 4.30PM
WHEN SAT 13 MAR | 8PM AT DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB COST $35 | $250 GROUPS 10 INFO burlesqueidolaustralia.com
& 6.30PM | MON 29 MAR,
10AM & 12PM
AT
DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT
CENTRE
COST $45.90 | $41.90 GROUPS 4+ INFO yourcentre.com.au
COMICS'
CORNER SHOWCASING TOP END COMICS AND LOCAL STAND-UP PERFORMERS
A COMEDY RENAISSANCE is taking place in the Top End, and 2021 is shaping up to be an exciting time to catch comedy. Will Crawford’s put together this handy form guide with some tips on local gems.
her dry, biting and sassy comedy styling. Always guaranteed to keep you entertained, Mel is an endurance specialist, so settle in, grab your fourth glass of red and enjoy the show.
Amy Hetherington The Makybe Diva of Darwin comedy. undisputed three-time champ. A loveable, thoroughbred observational comic, who will surely win your hearts.
James Parfitt James is everyone’s fun uncle, with a heart as big as Phar Lap’s. A former gym junky – but judging by his recent form, his favourite gym machine is now the vending machine.
Brent Watkinson A likeable and cheeky stand-up, that always gets his audience to the finish line with a smile. An excessively hairy, wombat-like creature, reminiscent of a Hobbit. It’s lucky he works in radio. Danica Jenner An emerging comedy superstar. Jenner looks so young, she’s still not allowed to ride the blue tube at Leanyer Water Park unaccompanied yet. Danielle Andrews A versatile stayer and a storytelling and improvisational powerhouse. A triple threat – comedian, children’s performer and Darwin’s number one Cher impersonator.
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Bluey’s Big Play See Bluey, Bingo, Mum and Dad as you’ve never seen them before! Join The Heelers in their first live theatre show with puppetry, live actors and iconic Australian sets. It’s a little bit different and a little bit beautiful.
Mel Little A mature mare that has held the comic glue factory at bay with
Paul Seden An emerging comedy colt and monumental talent. My biggest tip to hit the big time in 2021. With Norm McDonald-esque story-telling and virtuoso jokes, you’ll think you’re in his backyard – mainly because Paul wears his stubby shorts at every gig. Richard Fejo Snr A Darwin comedic treasure. This funny, warm comedian is one of the most loved blokes in local comedy. Just don’t tell his wife. Enjoy monthly gigs at Happy Yess on the first and third Thursdays of the month, Lucky Bat on the last Wednesday, Landmark on the last Thursdays, and at the Buff Club on Saturdays. Keep your eyes peeled for a funny night out with these superstars of Darwin comedy.
MUSIC Kate Ceberano Up Close and Personal
WHEN SAT 6 MAR | 7PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT
CENTRE COST $65 INFO yourcentre.com.au
Kate Ceberano’s Sweet Inspiration espite the events of 2020, ARIA award winning singer Kate Ceberano created her 28th album, Sweet Inspiration, released last month. After a year of reimagined (aka streamed) performances, plus a relocation from Melbourne to a seaside shack with her family in New South Wales, she’s joining us in the NT. We caught up with the bona fide national treasure for a chat. Congratulations on your new album. Number 28! Incredible! Oh, thank you. My husband and I worked out the other day that this’ll be the fifth decade of my life that I’ve had a top 10 album. I reckon there’s a small handful of us in Australia that’ve had that. I think there’s Kylie, Midnight Oil, AC/DC and probably Barnesy, so I’m like, I’m in great company! You sure are! And Sweet Inspiration’s debuted at number five on the ARIA charts – how does it feel to still be doing what you love after more than three decades? I’ll be honest, it wasn’t through
planning, and I didn’t have any great visions for my future [laughs] I really didn’t! But the beauty of Australian music – and this really is the beauty of Australian music – in the end, it’s not really about you, it’s about the people who discover you along the way. I’ve found my joy from hearing how I was the soundtrack to people’s youth, people’s weddings, people coming out, you know? Even babies being born. And these days, I sort of feel like I’ve been a comfort for COVID. Anyway, winner winner, chicken dinner – it’s all good! Yes, COVID. The entertainment industry has taken a huge hit over the last year – putting out an album was pretty ballsy... It’s no mean feat, but I’ve got to thank COVID for something. I think Australian music’s never been as important than it is today. We’ve got a tiny little break in the weather – international touring is basically closed down, which is sad, but it means we don’t have global heavy weights competing with our own people, and so maybe we can discover our own sense of
Australian industry again? I think it’s proof that music is an essential service, that’s for sure.
suddenly thrust out in space and broadcasting from a space capsule [laughs].
How was your experience through the pandemic? The day it all kind of hit, we had two years’ work fall off overnight. Everyone retracted their support, all gigs cancelled, and I do understand that, but it was sad to me because there was no way to catch up, to recover. I’m certainly not putting this above anyone else’s needs because there are people out there still without jobs.
Was it strange to rework your craft and the way you’ve delivered it for so long? You’ve got to be nimble! And we actually developed different physiological characteristics… I know I have my Zoom eyes – do you get that? Where you’ve got to focus on a small black circle in the space of a black mirror, and you’re not allowed to look at yourself? [laughs]
But I thought about my dad. He’s a very famous martial artist, one of the highest ranked in the world… his form of self-defence is to use the power coming at you from and attacker and turn it around to use that power to defend yourself. I used that concept, turned to my family and said, “okay kids, we’ve got to get really clever about this!” My husband’s a director and my daughter just knows how we roll, so we started broadcasting from home, delivering concerts every Friday night. We were teaching ourselves how to survive if we were
Anyway, it’s crazy, but moving forward I got a bit of confidence in my production skills to make a record in this time, and we ended up getting the band together for three days after the last lockdown. We practiced every song and did as many takes as it took, and laid down the exact one that was perfect for all of us on the record. We did it without editing, which was really nice. Despite the COVID chaos, people have been clutching onto their silver linings. What are yours? I’ve been connected with my family
– the three little bears have been really, really tight! My daughter just turned 17 during the lockdown, and I wrote the original track ‘Hold On’ because I was seated downstairs, thinking of her upstairs, isolated from friends, not going to school. I thought to myself, to my knowledge, that this is a girl who may not have done a lot of firsts – first kiss, first dance, you know what I mean? What are we going to do? It was breaking my heart. I’ve been able to do a lot in my life – I’ve travelled, I’ve sung for kings and queens, and then there’s my beautiful daughter upstairs waiting to live her life. That was a silver lining, to have her be able to work on this project and feel a part of something. It wasn’t just about her mum – or me – it was about us. In fact, we had to relocate from Melbourne to News South Wales just to work. We live in a cute but modest little beach shack, and we’re all working together. It’s beautiful.
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By Tamara Howie
Photo: Prudence Upton
Tiwi Strong Women’s Group
Yoi! Ngarukuruwala YOUNG AND OLD join forces when the Tiwi Strong Women’s Group heads to Darwin to share song, dance and culture in Yoi! Ngarukuruwala. It’s the first time Darwin audiences are treated to the younger generation joining the stalwarts of the group on stage. The show’s title, Yoi, comes from a Tiwi word meaning to dance, but encompasses the song and totem that accompanies the dance. “The idea to call it Yoi came from
the old ladies who wanted to get across the fact that what they sing and what they dance is who they are,” says Genevieve Campbell, who has worked with the group for 13 years. Campbell says the show has been a long time in the making – not just because the pandemic postponed the show by 12 months. “For quite some years, the old ladies have been encouraging young people to be involved.
DSO PRESENTS
Every time we do something, they always say ‘let’s get the young girls involved’,” she says. “This, more than any of our performances, is really about old people and young people together.” The show features several special numbers, including a performance by four Portaminni sisters with a special tribute to their late mother, who was one of the core members of the group.
“Her four daughters, who all have her beautiful voice, have finally decided they’re going to come together and sing one of their mum’s songs. It will be really exciting.” The show opens with Calista Kantilla, who has recently turned 80, singing her traditional Kulama song about Murntankala – the old woman who created the two islands. This is followed by the young women, who have created
a new version of the old song and story. “We’re seeing the first half as culture with a bit of storytelling from the Tiwi legends and then, as it moves on to the second half, it’s becoming Tiwi meets the future,” Campbell says. WHEN FRI 19 MAR | 7PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
COST $45 | $39 CONC INFO yourcentre.com.au
By Tamara Howie
INTO THE WILD DARWIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (DSO) is preparing for a wild adventure into the animal kingdom for its first show of the year, A Carnival of Animals. The enchanting concert is a treat for the whole family, featuring performances of Camille Saint-Saëns’ ‘The Carnival of the Animals’, Vaughan Williams’ ‘The Lark Ascending’, and other animal-themed orchestral favourites. Local favourite Shalom Kaa is hosting the big event – we caught up with him for a quick chat. Tell us everything we need to know about the show. It’s going to be a virtual visit to the zoo! Carnival of the Animals is such a cool piece of music where the orchestra cleverly replicates the sounds of the wild. You’ll hear the orchestra replicate the march of the lion, the sounds of an aquarium, and even a tortoise doing a very, very slow version of The Can-Can!
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What animals could seamlessly join the orchestra? Birds on flute and elephants on trumpets? I feel like crocodiles could be quite percussive, and yes, flamingos on flutes would be lovely. Baboons on
French horn, bald eagles on crash cymbals and swans on violin. So, if you were an animal, what would you be and what instrument would you play? I’d be a cat. I’m so unmotivated at times. And I’d play the giant symbol, ‘cause I’d only have one job! Have you got a favourite musical piece in the show? I’m looking forward to being taken back to the movies when the DSO performs the highlights from Jurassic Park. I can’t believe the first film was almost 30 years ago. Sounds amazing! Anything else we should prepare ourselves for? The show is going to be immersive. At times, you may want to sit back and imagine yourself in the jungle, and at other times you’ll see the adventure of the wild in the physicality of the players. Such theatre!
Carnival of the Animals WHEN SAT 27 MAR | 6.30PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
COST $20 - $60 | $130 FAM INFO yourcentrecom.au
dso.org.au
Cathy Applegate
IN HER FOOTSTEPS
TO CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day, Arafura Music Collective invites you to take in the gorgeous surrounds of the George Brown Botanical Gardens as you are delighted, engaged and moved by the rich intimacy of chamber music, all penned by women.
aware of – issues some still face today.
Famous composers featured include Hildegard von Bingen, Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre and Grażyna Bacewicz, and a light is shone on local ladies including Nora Lewis and Netanela Mizrahi.
“During the Romantic period [19th century] it was thought that women who practiced the art of composition suffered from mental illness. Men in particular believed that women’s brains were different from men’s, and that women couldn’t do the work of a composer.
Arafura Collective Artistic Director Claire Kilgariff says International Women’s Day presents the perfect opportunity to raise awareness on the challenges female composers have faced that people may not be
“International Women’s Day is a great opportunity to feature the innovation and creativity of women through a full concert of chamber music by women.” she says.
“Today, Australia is represented almost equally by women as men composers, but even so, it’s not easy for them. During the performance, Territory-based composer
Cathy Applegate provides insight into the creative life and challenges of being a female composer.” Illuminating the courage and creativity of women composers across time, genre, and place, the performance includes works from the Middle Ages, from baroque and romantic to contemporary Australian. From ethereal beauty to downright quirky, this display of female talent is diverse, clever, and beautiful.
WHEN SUN 7 MAR | 4.30PM DOORS,
5PM PERFORMANCE
AT
GEORGE BROWN BOTANIC
GARDENS
COST $42 | $35 CONC | $12 12-17
FREE U12
INFO facebook.com/ arafuraensemble
MARCH By Zoya Godoroja-Prieckaerts
DOWN
GIG
OTL's quick and essential guide to live music in the Top End. To find out more, head to offtheleash.net.au
/offtheleashmag
@OTLmag
#OTLmag
HAPPENINGS IN THE RED CENTRE
Steamy Jazz Sessions - Brazos Grandes Rumba Latin Jazz Head along to Dinah Beach Yacht Club on a drizzly Sunday evening and enjoy the sounds of a new jazz or jazz blues band each month during the Wet. Latin jazz royalty Frances Diatschenko teams up with a talented cluster of musicians performing under the new name, Bravos Grandes. Delicious aural flavours of rumba Latin and gypsy jazz complement the nearing end of another glorious Wet season weekend. WHEN SUN 14 MAR | 5-8PM AT DINAH BEACH YACHT CLUB COST FREE INFO dbcya.com.au
Kathryn and the Overbytes Debut Single Launch Join local emerging Darwin rock band Kathryn and the Overbytes for their debut single launch, supported by Edith Falls and Danger Den. WHEN FRI 5 MAR | 9PM AT HAPPY YESS AT
all the classic Eagles hits including ‘Desperado’, ‘Take It Easy’, ‘New Kid in Town’, ‘Heartache Tonight’ and the legendary ‘Hotel California’, plus many more.
CENTRE
BROWN’S MART
COST $10 PRESALE | $15 DOOR INFO trybooking.com Darryl Barba Enjoy the acoustic sounds of local muso Darryl Barba on Friday evenings as he plays some favourites of classic rock, country and blues, as well as some new original tunes. WHEN EVERY FRI | 6-9PM AT THE FORESHORE
RESTAURANT & CAFÉ
DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE yourcentre.com.au
Kate Ceberano Up Close and Personal WHEN SAT 6 MAR | 7PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT
WHEN SAT 13 MAR | 7.30PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT COST $69 | $63 MEMB/CONC You Gotta See It To Be It Join the team at MusicNT as they launch the first ever strategic plan for NT women in music and celebrate International Women's Day. Head along to the Railway Club for the Darwin launch and enjoy performances by local female identified artists. WHEN SUN 14 MAR | 4PM AT DARWIN RAILWAY CLUB COST FREE INFO musicnt.com.au Tiwi Strong Women’s Group Yoi! Ngarukuruwala WHEN FRI 19 MAR | 7PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
COST $45 | $39 MEMB/CONC
CENTRE
COST $65 The Ultimate Eagles Experience
Carnival of the Animals WHEN SAT 27 MAR | 6.30-8.30PM AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
COST $20-$60
DOM’S BAR & LOUNGE facebook.com/domsbardarwin
The Ultimate Eagles Experience is a tribute show that delivers a captivating concert, recreating the synonymous country rock sound of the Eagles. Performing
Thursday Live @ Dom’s See what all the Thursday buzz is all about in Nightcliff and come kick it with Dom. Enjoy live local music acts or catch a story or two with one of Dom’s famous cocktails in hand. Cheers.
WHEN EVERY THU | 6PM COST FREE – SOME EVENTS TICKETED
Friday Knock Offs @ Dom’s Kick back with a cocktail and beats from a live DJ, and bring in your weekend in Nightcliff. You can even try the 2020 Mango Cup award-winning cocktail, the Territori-tini. WHEN EVERY FRI | 4PM COST FREE
JAM NIGHTS AND OPEN MIC
Enjoy a couple of cold drinks and embrace the atmosphere of local live music at the new home of First Sunday Blues, Tracy Village Social and Sports Club. WHEN SUN 7 MAR | 2-5PM AT TRACY VILLAGE COST GOLD COIN DONATION INFO facebook.com/ firstsundayblues
Jam Nights Head down to the open mic night every Tuesday and jump on stage or sit back and enjoy the music. WHEN EVERY TUE | 9PM AT NIRVANA COST FREE INFO nirvanadarwin.com.au
Last Sunday Jam Head along the Dinah Beach Yacht Club on the last Sunday of the month for live music by the sea. WHEN SUN 28 MAR | 3-6PM AT DINAH BEACH YACHT CLUB COST FREE INFO facebook.com/dbcya
A Song Like Alice – Songwriting Workshops
ALICE SPRINGS AND Tennant Creek’s community radio station, 8CCC, is so much more than just what you hear through your stereo. Each year, they continue to impress with creative ideas and community spirit, partnering with other like minded organisations to get the best results. And 2021 is no exception. Already, they have launched their new website, using innovative technology allowing listeners to see every track broadcast by local artists – of which 8CCC has a noteworthy ratio of one-third local and two-thirds national – plus access to on-demand content, which is very handy when you miss your favourite show! What’s more, the technology reports every track played directly to APRA AMCOS, which means licence fees are paid directly to local artists. This is a particularly important feature, as it encourages musicians to register to APRA and access their entitlements, whilst creating systems to recognise artists’ achievements and build the Central Australian music industry. It ticks so many boxes. This month, 8CCC has partnered with the International Women’s Day event, equipped with their fancy new PA system for a live outside broadcast. We’ll hear from Zimbabwean Outback Melodies, Bambadino and past NT Battle of the Bands winner, Ceenah, who 8CCC’s Benjamin Erin aptly describes as a “hip-hop, soul, powerhouse”.
Photo courtesy 8CCC
guide
The Track
Another behind-the-scenes project sees 8CCC running their third Song Writing Workshop, partnering with MusicNT to support creative and collaborative artistic development. They’ve also partnered with them for the launch of the Women In Music Report, offering a great night of local live music and conversation. The report is based on the organisation’s in-depth consultation with stakeholders throughout the Territory, and essentially lays down the foundation for what we need to support women and women-identifying musicians. As MusicNT’s Liz Archer so perfectly exclaims, “let’s get gender diverse and inclusive stuff happening and support what already is!”. 8CCC, you really do continue to bring us the goods we need to keep our mind, soul and community pumping. It’s going to be a good year on the airwaves.
A Song Like Alice – Songwriting Workshops INFO www.8ccc.com.au/ asonglikealice International Women’s Day Fair WHEN SAT 6 MAR | 5-8PM AT WOMEN’S MUSEUM
OF AUSTRALIA
COST FREE INFO facebook.com/npwhf
Women In Music Report Launch WHEN SUN 7 MAR | 4-8PM AT MONTE’S LOUNGE COST FREE INFO facebook.com/musicnt
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BY M A c t e d RY ANN E BU by C TLE iella A wo Will R iam m s A nd an . A d 4 500 og . A km o c f w id amp er v “. . .T H a e op E BE en r n . ST P oad IECE Nico O I’ VE F le Be S E E N T H E AT R yer, T hea tre N IN Y E A E e t wo R BRO rk Au S ” WNS s tra lia Mar MART ch 1 TH b r o w 2 - 2 7, E A T R E nsm 7:00 p ar t. com m .au Dire
CELEBRATE ST PAT'S AT FIDDLERS GREEN & THE PRECINCT WEDNESDAY 17 MARCH | 12PM-TIL LATE
LIVE MUSIC | IRISH DANCING | GUINNESS ON TAP
DOUBLE YOUR IRISH LUCK SATURDAY 20 MARCH | 4PM-7PM
LIVE MUSIC | IRISH DANCING | GUINNESS ON TAP | LIL' LEPRACHAUN BEST DRESSED COMP | HUNT FOR THE POT OF GOLD | SHAMROCK FACE PAINTING | PHOTO BOOTHS | FIDDLERS GREEN BEER GARDEN
SCREENING IN MARCH
FLIX WET IN
THE A Night at the Louvre: Leonardo da Vinci
High Ground
Sun 14 Mar, 3.00pm
Sun 21 Mar, 5.30pm
CTC
Savage Sun 7 Mar, 3.00pm
Martin Eden CTC
Sun 7 Mar, 5.00pm Sun 21 Mar, 3.00pm
M
The Last Black Man in San Francisco MA15+
Sun 14 Mar, 5.00pm
M
SUNDAY MOVIES IN THE AIRCON Tickets & info: yourcentre.com.au
Presented by the Darwin Film Society and Darwin Entertainment Centre