this weekend in melbourne
The stage
Singin’ in the Rain @ Her Majesty’s – Adam Garcia takes a two hour long shower on stage *front row seats please*.
Straight White Men @MTC – ‘Strayas favourite kind of person.
La Boheme @ Arts Centre (3-28 May) – the cast of Rent try opera.
The Pearlfishers @ Arts Centre – (7-28) – the fishers of pearls try opera.
The Phantom of the Opera @ Frankston Arts Centre (6 May) – presented as a radio play, recreating the days before television, Franga is showing us how to be cultured.
Events
Geelong After Dark @ Geelong (6 May only) – an event for night Cats.
Henry Talbot: 1960s Fashion Photographer @ NGV (7 May – 21 Aug) – they’re bringing 60s back.. YEAH.
Aussie Wine Month @ MP – the one month a year when it is socially acceptable – nay, encouraged – to drink Pinot for breakfast.
Festivals
Great Trentham Spud Festival @ Trentham (7 May) – a festival celebrating Ireland’s national treasure, The Corrs.
The Indonesian Satay Festival 2016 @ Box Hill Town Hall (8 May only) – bring 1) the mother 2) the appetite 3) the epi-pens.
Harvest Festival @ Chelsea (7 May) – food, sustainable workshops, bluegrass music and rockabilly artists. I am confused because it sounds like it will be hipster but there are no food trucks and.. it is Bayside?
The Wicked Chocolate Festival @ Prahan Market (7 May) – Glinda, Elphaba and Rob Mills perform on the Wonka set.
Strategem Bendigo Winemakers Festival @ Rosalind Park, Bendigo (7 May) – meet the people who are responsible for your bad decisions in the evenings, and your Hungdog Millionaire status the next day.
Art
Mountain to Mouth Extreme Arts Walk @ YouYangs/Bellarine (6-7 May) – IS an 80km long art exhibition walk from the You Yangs to the ocean. IS NOT a new kind of foodie experience.
‘Wild Lands’ Exhibition Opening @ Linden New Art (5 May -17 July) – ah, this is where the wild things are.
Markets
Welcome to Thornbury Twilight Market @ Northcote (11 May only) – featuring homewares, handmade jewellery, food trucks and pug tuxedoes this is the most hipster things I have ever typed.
Markit @ Fed Square (8 May only) – handmade bespoke colourful things that you have lived without for so long, but simply cannot do without now.
Cool stuff
Underground Cinema @ it is a secret (until 7 May) – live the movie before you see it, at this totally immersive secret cinematic experience. Literally one of the kewlest things I have ever done in this town. GET TICKETS MEOW.
Enterprize Tall Ship Sailing Mornington to Docklands @ Docklands/Mornington (6 – 7 May) – be like Matthew Flinders and sail the high seas of Port Phillip Bay for a night. No Prisoners this time. Unless you’ve downloaded it.
Eat & drink by the sprink
Le Bon Ton @ 51 Gipps St, Collingwood – it was a dark, cold night and I had just spent an evening at the opening of a gallery/cafe space surrounded by ludicrously handsome men who were so well dressed they could have easily been homeless. I was parched and in desperate need of a warm, low key drinking hole, one that would welcome me with a cosy corner then serve me food until 5am just because it gives a damn. The American Southern-style menu was indeed pleasing and I ordered, then sat back slowly drinking my whiskey-double, taking in the crowd who were sharing the dim front bar, with it’s gleaming copper roof winking seductively in the candle light. Couples, old friends, new acquaintances, memories to be made. A cast of actors arrived celebrating a wrap with ‘cheapest beers on tap’ and it seemed right that we were all here together. The waitress delivered me my chilli covered fish tacos and fried chicken wings which I ate too fast, too furiously but it was good. Too good. I finished up the meal with dessert noting to myself that it was possibly one of the best sweet dishes I had had since that night.. no. I shook my head. Memories are for tomorrow. The clock struck 2am. I tucked my head in my coat, dipped my hat and disappeared into the night.
next weekend in melbourne
The Sound of Music @ Regent Theatre (12 May – 26 June) – a free-spirited ranga with a bowl cut is hand-balled by her boss nun to live with a grumpy but handsome rich man, who has 100 children all of whom he ignores. She dresses them in drapes and wins his heart then Mr Handsome sings about flowers, thingy’s sell-out boyfriend chases her in a circle, Max drinks pink lemonade, there is a goat and then they all flick Hitler the bird as they go climbing erry mountain. Literally, a true story.
Heathers the Musical @ Arts Centre (11 – 22 May) – a musical about sociopathic teenage heart-throb murderers. Then one becomes a shoplifter IRL. What’s your damage?
High Country Harvest @ High Country (13-22 May) – recreate the Old Spice ad in the High Country. Get on a horse.
From Market to Paddock to Plate @ Bendigo (Saturdays only: 9 April – 9 Jul) – to market to market, to paddock to paddock, to plate to plate, to belly to food coma.
Great Ocean Road Marathon @ GOR (14 – 15 May) – run for your life along one of the best drives in the world.
Max’s May Mushroom Meander @ Mornington Peninsula (14 – 29 May) – join Chef Max Paganoni in a mushroom hunt, gather and taste at the autumn coloured Red Hill. Leave the blue ones unless you’re planning to visit Alice.