SANTA'S SANDLAND IN FRANKSTON NEW press release by Glen Wilson website
Santa`s Sand Lands Sand Sculpting Australia Frankston Foreshore.
Santa`s Sand Lands is a spectacular exhibit held at the Frankston Foreshore.
This was my first visit to sand sculptures, and not quite what I expected !!! Having visions of sandcastles like we made as kids… I was totally amazed at the size and detail of these amazing life size sculptures.
The Sculptures are made entirely of sand, taking 20 Sculptors over 5000 hours to create.
The display includes Alice in Wonderland, Pirates, Dragons & Dinosaurs, Santa’s Workshop and, the feature piece an amazing 8.5 meter castle which has to be seen to believe.
As you wander around the display, have a look at the intricate detail that has gone in to every piece.
There is an activity center for the kids where they can create their own colored sands bottle & make sand art paintings. There is face painting, Children’s entertainment and of course a visit from Santa.
Santa`s Sand Land is defiantly worth a visit to see these amazing works of art.
Glen GW Photography
AUSTRALIAN DANCESPORT CHAMPIONSHIP 2016 NEW website press release by Glen Wilson
71st Australian DanceSport Championship Hisense Arena Melbourne
The Australian Dancing Society`s 71st annual Dancesport Championship Held at Hisense Arena is a 3 day competition, featuring a range of dance styles ranging from Waltz, foxtrot and Latin. Competitors dance off in front of a selection of judges to advance through heats – ultimately to the finals.
Dancesport is fast paced and great to watch. I attended Sundays session which featured junior dancers and was incredibly impressed with the standard of dance from some very young dancers. If you have never attended a dancesport competition and love dance, go along I’m sure you will be impressed. A huge thank you to Julie at Cavanagh PR for the opportunity to come along.
ST PETERSBURG BALLET: SWAN LAKE NEW website press release by Glen Wilson
A Day With The St Petersburg Ballet
For a photographer with a passion for dance, a media call to The St Petersburg ballet is an event not to be misses.
We began with a shoot with 4 girls Valerlya Andropova, Arlsa Hashimoto, Olga Naumova & Anastasia Chava. The girls were happy to pose for the camera with some traditional ballet images then off for some fun shots.
Our shoot was brief as the dancers run on a tight schedule – their day includes Dance classes followed by Rehearsals and an evening performance. I was privileged to be able to sit in on rehearsals to really gain an understanding of the hard work and dedication these performers put into being one of the world’s premier ballet companies. A huge thank you to the following people for making this possible.
Michael Wilkie at Make a Difference PR Theresa Mavros at theatretours.com.au Natasha Marchev at Bohemian Rhapsody Club & Online Magazine.
The Performance:
Tchaikovsky`s Swan Lake The Plenary, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Center. The St Petersburg Ballet deliver a commanding performance of this classic ballet.
Prima Ballerina Irina Kolesnikova in the lead role of Odette & Odile is stunning in her technique and character portrayal. Dimitri Akulinin portrayal of Prince Siefried is also a brilliant performance.
Both Irina & Dimitri work extremely well together complementing each other thought the entire performance. Yurii Baryshnikov - gives a great performance of Rothbart – the evil sorcerer Perhaps the most demanding and technical role “The Jester” is performed by Seiyu Ogasawara and gave a dazzling performance. Danse des petits cygnes – the famous cygnet dance from act 2 gets a special mention with flawless technique.
The Pas de trios are Saadi Imankulov, Arisa Hashimoto & Valeriya Andropova The Sets are absolutely stunning, lighting is perfect and beautiful costumes compliment the dancers performance. Overall an outstanding production, and a must see. A little hint for newcomers to Ballet -read story line first to make it a truly enjoyable experience, and what better introduction to the ballet than Swan Lake….
LADIES IN BLACK NEW website review by Jeanette Russel
Thank you for the great opportunity to attend the special launch event promoting the encore season in Melbourne of Ladies in Black. We were treated to a wonderful atmosphere, songs and delicious traditional high tea. Tim Finn was there from Crowded House and Split Ends fame. He spoke about the musical that he wrote the music and lyrics for. Tim was first inspired to write the music for the production while on a flight from Brisbane. Looking for a book to read he had purchased Madeleine St John's novel, Women in Black. Inspiration began on the flight where he initially put pen to paper to write the music for the stage musical. Simon Phillips ( director ) received a call from Finn to put out the idea for the work. Carolyn Burns was enlisted as the playwright. She adapted the original novel by St John, to write the stage musical theatre production of Ladies in Black. The show Ladies in Black incorporates 20 songs written by Tim Finn, and a wealth of custom designed dresses and suits. Sarah Morrison plays the leading lady Lisa. Lisa is a young studious girl who has just left school and takes a job temporarily, in sales in a department store called F.G. Goodes in the heart of Sydney 1959. Her father wants Lisa to become a secretary, Lisa however has other ideas. Her hearts desire is to go to university. Over the summer Lisa becomes friends with an assortment of women who work in the store with her. During the Christmas season and the busy times in the sales she gets to know Fay ( Ellen Simpson ) and Patty ( Madeleine Jones ) .Magda ( Natalie Gamsu ) takes Lisa under her wing. Captivating Magda is a European refugee, together with other women they band together and transform, learning various life lessons in each others company. The regent theatre first opened it's doors in 1929.Being gutted by fire in 1945 it was reconstructed in 1947. The exterior of the building is renaissance revival in its architecture style and the interior was fully renovated in the 1990s and is Rococo in style. Showcasing mainly musical theatre it is a magnificent, and beautiful building. Ladies in Black will run at the theatre from the 25th of Feb. to March 18. 2017. This encore season will be delightful with lovely songs, colourful costumes, humour, and the wonderful and very talented cast and crew. It makes for a must see musical theatre show. Along with the delicious morning tea the guests were privy to a song by Tim Finn channelling his inner Magda, which was quite comical, and a charming performance by Sarah Morrison as Lisa. At the end of their performances, a couple of us had an informative interview with Sarah who told us that she loves the Australian brand of humour and the colloquial nature of the musical. She appreciates it when the audience. To see them really smile and enjoy themselves, is something she relishes . The Australian story and the familiarity of the production really appeals to her and is a joy to play. Sarah reported that she has discovered so many ladies of the era who can relate to Lisa's story of a young girl not being supported to continue her education. The fact that girls can be hero's too, as portrayed in the musical, really pleased Sarah . The morning was I feel a great success as well as being enlightening and intriguing to hear about this clever and wonderful production.
ZELMAN SYMPHONY ORCHSTRA NEW website review by Sylvester Kroyherr
REVIEW OF CONCERT BY THE ZELMAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – ‘SCANDINAVIAN MASTERPIECES’
Given at: XAVIER COLLEGE, Barkers Road, Kew on 3/12/2016. Conductor: Mark Shiell, Associate Conductor: Jenny Going, Soloists: Stefan Cassomenos (Piano), Kat Tsyrlin (Violin and Viola). Venue: Eldon Hogan Performing Arts Centre.
Following a brief and informative pre-concert introduction by Mark Shiell, the enthusiastic audience welcomed Jenny Going to conduct the short but delightful Peer Gynt Suite No.1 by the Norwegian Edvard Grieg. The Orchestra set the ‘Morning Mood’ beautifully with rounded balance and sweet flute solos. This was followed by the sombre and sensitive ‘The Death of Ase’ that was plaintive, ending perfectly prior to ‘Anita’s Dance’ that featured bouncing rhythms, smooth and harmonious interplay of strings and wonderful pizzicato passages. ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ was the last movement. The gentle oboe start gave way to an exciting crescendo, led by the strings in great style. Taking the helm to introduce May Lyon - the composer of Nornir Cocerto for Viola and Violin, Mark Shiell introduced Kat Tsyrlin to perform the Nordic mythological inspired piece. Kat began the first movement on the viola, exploring ‘the past’ with cryptic discords and harmonics giving a feeling of uncertainty and fear through some squeaky passages. In the next movement Kat changed to the violin, giving ‘the future’ a mystic feel through high harmonics fusing disharmony and tension with the driving exploration of the brass. The third movement fused the life force of the present with Kat displaying great dexterity and skill. Grieg’s much loved Piano Concerto in A minor followed. Stefan took instant command of the first movement with expressive musicality, immersing himself in the music shown further through his body language. The audience lapped up the well articulated and sensitive cadenza that was completed by a powerful ending, helped by the vigilant orchestra. With a gentle introduction by the Orchestra, the energy of Stefan gave the slow pace a lively feel with a beautiful finish. The bubbly third movement followed with great drive broken by a gentle bridge section embellished by the flutes. With the excitement continuing, the piece finished with playful flurry and an impressive finale. (No wonder Franz Liszt liked this Concerto! Maybe he was listening in as well.) The audience roared with appreciation and passion! The mighty Symphony No.2 by Sibelius followed after the interval. Embracing the first movement, the Orchestra displayed some nice work from the strings, including some colourful pizzicato passages, ending gently and peacefully. The plaintive and dark second movement followed, highlighting the crisp pizzicato passages from the double bass and cellos, ending with a powerful surge. With a rocketing start from the strings the third movement flowed with excitement making way for the connected final movement, capturing more melodious and gripping passages. The final climax gave the Orchestra a chance to shine and deliver a fitting end to the evening. Full marks to Mark Shiell, Jenny Going, the soloists and the Zelman Symphony Orchestra, as we look forward to future events in 2017. A most enjoyable and enriching concert – congratulations to everyone, including all the volunteers! SYLVESTER KROYHERR (Singer/Musician/Architect) 7 December 2016
VIVA, SUMMER CONCERT FEATURING RADA TOCHALNA NEW website review by Mahsan Ahmadi
That was my greatest pleasure to be invited to a Russian opera concert. The concert was devoted to the start of Australian warmest part of the year: SUMMER and took place on the 3rd December at 7:30pm at the Richmond Uniting Church. Many music lovers in Melbourne and interstate perhaps know that Rada Tochalna, the leading soprano opera singer is the finalist of "The Talent" on 3MBS singer. In the concert hall as most likely the majority of the people present I couldn't understand even a word in Russian but I guess the music and the singing are beyong the language barriers and I simply enjoyed the sensational sound surronded me for this hour. The chamber ensemble performed is called TRIO CON BRIO. It consists of Melbourne most admirable talents: Tamara Vasilevitsky (piano), Sasha Shamrak (violin) and Yury Frolov (cello). They bewitched the audience with their magical, brilliant and vibrant performance of international level! The opera singer or as I called her "The lady in pink" was such a beautiful and stunning talent with brilliant taste in choosing the right music piece - all I could hear wa total harmony of her performance that resonated in my soul like a perfect sound of the Universe itself. We had a pleasure to hear "Nocturne" by Babadzhanyan, "Gypsy song" by Petrov, "Love is like a dream" by Krutoy, "Libertango" by Piazzola and other popular favourites. The stage was decorated with the pink flowers that were matching Rada's fabusous dress which created an atmosphere of warm summer that finally entered the city of Melbourne with the very nice harmony. The sound of Rada's voice was admirable as the applause went on and on. The refreshments and gelato were included in the tickets price for all the guests and were served outside the church in a summer lush blooming garden, The icecream was very yummy flavoured. We also admired the solo exhibition by the Ukrainian artist, Just for information: Olga Pasechnikova. Olga is finalist in numerous nationally recognised Art Prizes including The Mortimore Prize Touring Exhibition of 2014 & Xstrata Percival Award in 2012 & The Alice Bale Art Awards of 2015/2010/2008. Her art is absolutely stuninng and inspiring. This was a remarkable musical concert featuring Russian, Italian, Spanish and Gypsy music and songs. it also cevered a range of different musical styles and was nice blend that went on very well together. There were very memorable and enjoyable moments I experienced that will stay with me as the Melbourne summer will continue to its blossoming hights. I am very grateful t the organisers of the concert and for the opportunity to cover this event. I add to this that the tickets were all sold out to this concert. My photos are attached. Thank you!
Summer certainly kicked in as the 2016 TPFF series SWIM + RESORT SERIES Fashion Runway started with some amazing food and wine being served at Bathers Beach House against the backdrop of Iconic Fremantle Beach , Perth A listers from all over Australia enjoyed an array of drinks and wine served. VIP guests present were some of the most prominent figures in the fashion industry, Including delegates from famous Perth based brand Morrison and Empire rose.
Australia's one and only indigenous super model Samantha Harris was also present at the event connecting with other fashionista.
Swim and resort runway featured some amazing swim and resort fashion. Seems vibrant colours such as orange , yellow and blue taking the trend. Models from Chadwick Agency presented some amazing creative styling. However talk of the show were these little kid models who looked super cute and owned the runway with style.
TRAVELLING MELBOURNE, VICTORIA NEW
SANTA'S CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR NEW website press release by Glen Wilson and Camilla Wilson
Diving into the world of imagination and make believe, was the incredible presentation of Santa’s Christmas Spectacular. Held at the ......... under the southern star, we were privileged to be invited to enjoy the show and experience the magic that makes Christmas, come alive.
The show consisted of a head elf, two mischievous elves, Rudolph, snow princess, and Rag doll. Not to mention a special visit from the Man Himself!
Santa’s Christmas Spectacular is a huge hit, keeping audiences enthralled both children and adults alike. This delightful pantomime will appeal to all ages. The characters are lively, engaging and keep you wanting more. My children and I were sad when it was time to say goodbye.
There was an opportunity to meet Santa, receive a gift and have a photo taken with him. All in all it was most definitely a magical afternoon and one that I would highly recommend to all. But don’t just take my word for it, so see for yourselves.
Camilla Wilson
THE MELBOURNE FAIR NEW website photos: Ina Parakhina review: Irina Ivanova
This Thursday we were visiting the Opening Night of the exhibition of all things antique and vintage. The Inaugural Melbourne Fair is being held from 24th to 27th of November at the Concourse level of the Caulfield Racecourse, and it is an amazing, not-to-be-missed event for all the fine art lovers. There are over 40 dealers from Australia and overseas offering furniture, jewelry, art, prints, books, ceramics, sculpture, lighting, clocks, silver, glass, and vintage couture from all eras – antique to 20th century. The presented showpieces are for sale, so visitors have a great opportunity to purchase something new for their collections.
The selection of luxury goods was simply stunning. In the close-knit community of antique and vintage experts, the excitement filled the air. There were thousands of treasures to be found. Moorabool Antique Galleries presented a sumptuous collection of porcelain tableware. Antiquarian boasted a marvelous variety of skillfully carved ivory figurines. Shawbrook Antiques showed off their mesmerizing crystal jugs and glassware. Circa Collectables presented some quaint Italian made statues of bulls and cats from 1950s. Fossil Vintage amazed the crowd with ridiculously enormous glass vases and pleased the eye with their beautiful rustic homewares. Artedeco beautifully represented Gatsby’s era in the posters, couture and interior pieces.
Being a fashion-lover I especially liked the vintage couture stands, such as Audrey Scarlett Vintage and Coutura Vintage, offering a large variety of dresses, furs and accessories from the Victorian era to the 1980's. Those vivid colours, appetizing prints and glittering beads and sequins were a wonderful treat for all the fashionistas. The ladies’ urge for diamonds and other precious stones were fully satisfied by the sparkly collections of vintage jewelry dealers, such as Albion Antiques and Christine’s Collection.
As a part of the fair there was a special exhibition illustrating the story of “The Little Black Dress”. It was tracing its origins from Coco Chanel in the 1920s, through the decades and different takes by famous designers, such as Dior, Balenciaga, Givenchy and Gaultier, to the modern days.
For me the most extravagant part of the fair was the collection of taxidermy masters by the Woodshed Antiques. The stuffed animals looked as if they were alive, in their natural poses (well, maybe not true for the two dancing hears). Our attention was also captivated by the moving figure of a “Male Calling Card Automata” – a classic 1890’s advertising machine, presented by Grange Antiques from Latrobe, Tasmania. We just thought it could become a great prop for a horror movie, cause they quite often have some spooky looking dolls to thrill the viewers.
There was something for everyone at the Melbourne Fair. Visitors of different tastes and budgets were adventurously browsing the marvelous exhibits, absorbedly discussing them with enthusiastic sellers, making deals, drinking champagne, listening to the enchanting music performers and generally having good time.
review by Jessica-Lee Murphy
The Melbourne Fair Review by Jessica-Lee Murphy.
What a great range of history in one space. Antique, Art Deco, Vintage; an afternoon delight stepping back in time. The Melbourne Fair proved to be a great success this year with more than 40 Australian and international exhibitors who displayed their amazing range of furniture, lighting, art and decorative objects.
There was also some gorgeous and unique jewelry, and vintage fashion on display which brought back memories of the stars of yesteryear. In fact I found a beautiful and rare diamond ring that stood the test of time which I wanted to buy for myself. But when I went to fetch my partner to see what he thought of it, it was sadly already sold upon our return two minutes later. I’m sure it went to a good home…
This fair is gorgeous and unique. It’s not the sort of stuff you will see shopping at Myer or David Jones, and I am looking forward to an even bigger Melbourne Fair next year !
SANTA'S MAGICAL KINGDOM NEW website press release by Glen Wilson
Joy, Delight, wonder, amazement were the words that were bursting forth into the forefront of my mind as I entered the gates of Santa’s Magical Kingdom.
Children roaming around , squealing with delight and awe. Wow! I thought, This place is what children’s dreams are made of , this is going to be an incredible experience.
My children and I were lucky enough to be invited to visit this wonderland, where “real” snow falls, Mrs clause greats you, inviting you to post a letter to her husband, the Man himself.
Giant roaming gingerbread men shake your hand, toy soldiers are ready with a smile. Frosty the snow man poses for a happy snap under the snow storm, and the snow queen, is ready with a wave.
This is a night that will not be forgotten, with an outstanding circus, including, cute clever dogs, dare devil acrobatics, and tricycle tricks that are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. There is more than enough to keep you mesmerised and entertained all night long. There are carnival games, rides and food galore.
This is certainly one Christmas event not to be missed. Mark it in your diary now.
Camilla Wilson
TASTE OF MELBOURNE NEW website press release by Glen Wilson at GW Photography and Bryanna Reynolds at Reynolds Sister Productions
The Taste of Melbourne Festival was an excellent opportunity to spend time with your family and loved ones in the great outdoors.
Being a Melbournian foodie I have always wanted to attend the festival but never had the chance to attend. I am pleased to announce that It did not disappoint in the slightest.
There were food and drink options for everyone even if you are like me and in need of gluten free treats and goodies.
This year the Festival was held near the Albert Park Lake in St Kilda. The location was beautiful and there was a cool breeze sweeping across the lake providing gorgeous scenery to sit by and relax during the day.
Every which way you turned there were opportunities to get involved with lots of yummy treat tastings including a sneaky beverage tasting. One could get by on just the tastings available alone.
I would definitely recommend going on an empty stomach and taking advantage of all the opportunities to try new foodie trends on the day.
The Festival as a whole is suitable for all and is the perfect excuse to catch up with friends and family and sit back and relax whilst indulging.
Make sure you do not miss the Festival next year as it is certain to delight you and all your foodie obsessions. review by Bryanna Reybolds
Taste of Melbourne 2016
Taste of Melbourne is a Foodies haven! With food representatives from all over Melbourne, this is a festival not to be missed, and is guaranteed not to disappoint.
There is ample parking, just a short stroll to the festival, or a short tram ride if you are heading into the city. You purchase your food via “tokens”, each item of food cost a different number of tokens.
These can be purchased from the event and “topped” up during the night as the need arises. Taste of Melbourne features a large variety of food to sample, some sweet, savoury and some spicy.
There are selections of cheeses, teas, coffees and alcohol and even cherries and chocolates. There is definitely something for everyone. A suggestion, however, is that I would like to see vegetarian food more widely catered for, the selection to choose from was very limited indeed, and not being a meat eater, my husband was left with little options.
Alcohol also seemed to feature far more significantly this year which may or may not be a good thing, depending on your point of view J .
All in all I really love taste of Melbourne and am looking forward to 2017 already. review by Camilla Wilson
NICA NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CIRCUS ARTS: THE LANDSCAPES PROJECT NEW website press release and video by Bryanna Reynolds
MELBOURNE MUSICIANS: AH, VIENNA NEW website review by Yulya Kolosova
I had a pleasure to listen to "Ah, Vienna" concert on November 14 2016. I am still under a remarkable impression after this concert where the selected music from European composers was played by the musicians of world class. The orchestra conductor, Frank Pam was leading the program informing the listeners about the history of each music piece to be performed, the story of its creation and about their role in the times and for the generations passed. The audience was listening to Frank's fine references to the past with genuine interest. The concert hall was full and this musical journey finale had a standing ovation. Only at the very end of the concert when Frank received so many flowers and gifts I found out that the maestro had a birthday and anniversary on the same day of the concert. I had a rare chance to greet Frank too and congratulate him personally. I also had a great joy to be photographed next to him which makes my heart sing. I met friends among the players of the orchestra, the people fro my country-land. I was very proud and felt even more connected to be honest to see them play in Frank's team of musicians. Thank you again, Frank and your musicians, for your music!
TRAVELLING: MELBOURNE AND VICTORIA
PAX PENNY ARCADE EXPO GAMES AUSTRALIA NEW website review by Glen Madden
Each year at PAX Australia the scope of the event, or at least what I get out of it, seems to grow markedly. Previous years I've been fascinated by the technology on show, or cheered along with the crowds for the Omegathon, or been humbled by the incredible creativity and skill of the cosplayers. And all those elements were there in abundance this year as well, but this time around I was particularly struck by the level of quality on display in the Indie Games section, and the enthusiasm of the game creators who were present.
PAX is a thoroughly engrossing experience, albeit an unpredictable one — there's far too much on offer to try to see everything. So this year I decided to spend the bulk of my time chatting with the individuals and small teams presenting their original and ingenious creations. Like the 4-player Birdsketball selling copies on spray-painted 5¼-inch floppy disks, or Return of the Obra Dinn, a 3D mystery game with old-school 1-bit rendering, reminiscent of classic Mac games like Shufflepuck Cafe. Local Melbourne teams were well represented, too: Loveshack presented the sequel to their incredibly inventive Framed, and Samurai Punk's satirical VR experience The American Dream (where you solve everyday problems by firing guns at things) was a huge hit.
And so this year I saw a different side of PAX. There's so many people engrossed in one section of it, be it the board games or the e-sports or the vintage consoles, but I'd never really stayed in one spot in previous years. But this year I gave that a try, and I deeply enjoyed the experience. Already looking forward to next year.
ONE ENCHANTED MORNING website review by Jeanette Russel
I am very excited about this season and was very lucky to be at the launch of the 1st musical theatre festival.
It was officially opened and launched on November 9th. Music theatre will be a delight for children and adults alike during the month of January 2017. Equally the experience of live musical theatre seems wonderful and magical. The Athenaeum Theater where the production will take place is a beautiful historic building. that was opening in 1839. I also believe that there is such a creative and marvelous idea to have a summer festival of musical theatre.
The opening on the 9th of November began with a speech and then we were treated to a superb rendition of one Enchanted Evening, and there was much comic relief involved in the morning. First rate piano playing was also part of the launch. A vibrant atmosphere ensued in the sensational historical building that is the Athenaeam. The season will kick off with Some Enchanted Evening a collection of compositions and songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein with the hits from some glorious musicals including The King and I , Oklahoma and The Sound of music . This beaut collection of great songs, sung by talented artists begins on the 6th of January till January the 28th.
Chriss Crossed is a premiere of a new Australian musical comedy. The second in the line up its about a man due to be wed soon who is a cross dresser. This unique comedy has the man Chriss in a dilemma, as to whether he will come clean to his future bride, about this secret. Chriss Crossed aptly named starts January 20 and runs till the 28th bound to be a lighthearted thoroughly enjoyable evening of viewing.
The next theatre nights involve A Fractured Fairytale. These hilarious pieces of musical theatre are story/tales that can include the whole family and are comic tales of characters from many fairy tales coming together and intermixing to make for an action packed night of fun and laughs. There are three Fractured Fairytales: the first being Hansel and Gretel A Fractured Fairytale which shows (9-14 th of January ) followed by Snow White: A Further Fractured Fairytale starts January 16th - 21st. Red Riding Hood: A Third Fractured Fairytale. runs 23-28th of January. The final musical in the season is Peter Pan: A Croc Rock Musical. This is an energetic spin on a production of the original story of Pan. Bringing music and theatre together to make for a unique encounter with the story and characters of the Peter Pan tale.
I am expressing my special thanks for the amazing experience of the launch and taste of this brilliant Summer Season Festival of Melbourne Musical Theatre . I very much look forward to seeing Some Enchanted evening, in January.
SEMINAR NEW PRODUCTION AT CHAPEL OFF CHAPEL website review by Jessica-Lee Murphy
Seminar: A Comedy by Theresa Rebeck.
What a wonderful, fearless and joyful experience!! We all love comedy, but this play is brilliant. Chapel off Chapel is the venue of so many unique performances. One could describe “Seminar” as a dark comedy about brilliant people. The cast complement each other nicely. Dion Mills, Ra Chapman, Cazz Bainbridge, Darcy Kent, and Mark Yeates. I have no doubt in my mind that this perfectly orchestrated performance will boost all their individual careers, and you will see a lot more of them. I, Jessica-Lee Murphy and my partner Michael Kuzilny have seen many plays. Some make you look at the time, to see how much longer you have to sit there; others capture every moment of your attention, and take you through the rainbow of your emotions. This is one of those plays. And ask yourself; when was the last time you had a really good belly laugh to get those endorphins fired up. If you need one of those great belly laughs, this play has all the right ingredients. Big laughs, sex, recklessness and a rush of pleasure. So sit back and enjoy the ride…..
EMIRATES MELBOURNE CUP CARNIVAL AT FLEMINGTON BY VICTORIA RACING CLUB website press release by Stuart Buchanan
Melbourne did not roll out its best weather for Melbourne Cup day. Cool weather, rain squalls and wind gusts kept race goers on their toes and with their wet weather gear close at hand. Umbrellas or a run to covered areas were the most favoured forms of avoiding the rain. Some hardier people were ready with ponchos to keep the rain off.
Apparently 100,000 people attended the cup. It certainly felt that way. It was difficult to move around, and there were queues for everything.
The atmosphere in the crowd for the Cup was electric with a strong crush on the rails. Some people who had clearly arrived very early to stake out their piece of the rails had to work hard to maintain their space and view.
AAMI DERBY DAY AT FLEMINGTON BY VICTORIA RACING CLUB website press release by Stuart Buchanan
Melbourne produced beautiful sunny weather for Derby Day.
Arriving on the train was a great unfussed way to get to Flemmington Racecourse. The view from the train was very colourful with beautiful rose beds and a large colourful crowd. The racecourse looked massive.
The crowd was happy, friendly and having a good time. Everyone was well dressed and enjoying what felt like a large party. There were clearly a few racing lovers, but in the main the races appeared to be a side interest of most of the attendees.
A great day in the sun.
THE MET OPERA: TRISTAN UND ISOLDE website review by Nadia Pleshkova
For opera lovers and particularly the powerful Richard Wagner, "Tristan und Isolde" is a must to see and listen. It is his short opera with length of over four hours, compared to the longest ever "Ring Cycle" one of 18 hours in length. Wagner himself called his "Tristan und Isolde" the best of his operas. Influenced by Celtic legend, the tale made its way to our modern times from the 12th century and the emotions reflected in music considered to be the personal experience of Wagner in love suffering with impossible progress after all. Thus, the personal experience prompted the search for musical and emotional expression of the love that was untrammeled by social standards. The story narrates the idea of romantic love between the Cornish night and hero Tristan and a beautiful Irish princess Isolde. Wagner creates the great mix of drama, poetry and the tonality in music that makes the whole composition simply sensual, spiritual, erotic and intelligent. The music seem to take you out of this place into the space where no time exists. Perhaps because of this effect as well as the use of non standard, brand new combination of the notes in the chord titles "Tristan und Isolde" as the most influential and powerful opera of all times. Live in HV production is made possible by a generous grant from The Neubauer Family Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies. It was a debut by Stuart Skelton, who absolutely loved working with Nina Stemme, playing Isolde. The interviews after or before each acts were fascinating and very educational too. Brilliant voices. I loved them:) I thought they matched each other really well from voices point of view as well as physically.
EMIRATES STAKES DAY AT FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE BY VICTORIA RACING CLUB website press release by Ivan Lubkov
Melbourne Cup Carnival 2016 – Emirates Stake day The Melbourne Cup Carnival 2016 is a memorable, cultural event which is watched throughout Australia and is talked about throughout the whole wold. This year The Flemington race course had a grand expansion to the general access area “The park”. The massive addition almost doubled the visitor territory. It is located on the hill and holds a great amount of entertainment ranging from Myer fashion booths, L’Oreal Paris Powder room, carousels, ferret wheel and several new places to buy alcohol. The week of entertainment concluded with a grand day “Emirates Stakes day” which was tailored for all age groups with a slogan “No Height Restrictions”. The General access territory transformed into a unique children-friendly entertainment area. Throughout the whole day the stage area had live music by famous music artists, comedy shows and face paint stalls for youngsters. The security teams made sure that no patrons exceed acceptable level of alcohol consumption. The Park area had a lot of places selling alcohol without any queues. Visitors were able to purchase beverages without having to step away from the fun the and not having to wait in queues. As a result of the hard work and planning done by the Flemington Racecourse administration the Melbourne Cup turned into a family event which would be interesting not only for racing enthusiasts but also for anyone wishing to get entertainment for the young.
CROWN OAKS DAY AT FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE BY VICTORIA RACING CLUB website press release y Mike Chang
Oak's Day Fashion on the field. Shot straight centre behind of the judges for pretty much the entire day. Was a day of fantastic fashion and colorful minilary designs. Started with 16 heats for the Women Racewear for Victoria. The winner of that went on to compete with all the winners from the different Sprint Racing carnivals from this year to determine the over all Victorian finalists. This was followed by the competition for Lady of Leisure Minilnary competition. Winner received a trip for 2 to London as well as cash prizes. The final Women Racewear competition was held between the different states. South Australia took the honour for this year. Was a great day with fun had by all.
SPRING MUSIC IN MACEDON website press release by Jasna Duronjic
The concert was absolutely amazing. It was first time for me to attend Spring Music Festival in Macedon and I have to say it was a marvelous musical journey for me and my friend. I am not from a music background myself but we both were very impressed with this beautiful harmony and the skilss of the musicians. The programme of music was most enjoyable and entertaining. The concert took place in the most gorgeous environment of a private and looked well after garden. More to that: the host made an excellent contribution to the enjoyment of the afternoon and the icing on the cake was some yummy food and catering service and very tasty wine. If you love high class entertainment with the best musicians in town this elite concerts of Australian and international musicians are just for you and your taste! I am looking forward for the next event and new experiences.
GANGSTERS AND FLAPPERS BALL 2016 review by Ivan Lubkov photos: Anna Beregr
Pop-Up Events organised a luxurious ball at the Victorian Dance Hall in Fitzroy. The evening was themed in the in the appealing 1920-s period when crime was one of the key factors that shaped the society in America during that time. The crime syndicates had a very complex structure where the Gangsters were the most dangerous and wealthy. Even until now the gangsters are the inspiration for countless films and TV shows and are highly valued by the world community as they symbolize an era of endless possibility, freedom, and lavish lifestyle. The Dance Hall is sufficiently spacious to allow perfect siting of 340 guests and to leave enough room for dancing. The event was catered with an extensive list of beverages ranging from Beer, wine, and hard spirits. The entertainment program was amusing for people of all age groups starting from 20 and up to way over 50 years old. The show started off by giving each visitor a card which was used multiple times to play out various games and quizzes. The entertainment included cabaret dancing, fire shows, live acoustic music and wonderful opera singing. The guests had plenty of opportunities to take and print out photos within a specialized photo booth. The acoustic music allowed dances with a variety of styles and rhythms. Overall the event was a great success, every visitor went home with a smile, a lot of photos and wonderful memories that would last for years. The ball left a pleasant impression and anyone interested in luxury or themed entertainment should definitely keep watch for future social parties brought by Pop-Up Events.
press release by Stuart Buchanan (Third Life Photography)
The Inaugural Gangsters and Frappers pop up ball was held at St Bridgets Hall in Fitzroy. The hall added wonderfully to the ambicience of the 1920;s style ball. There was a great turnout. People were friendly and mingled easily. The MC ensured interaction and meeting of new people through a number of games. One of the features of these games was a card that was handed out on entry to the hall. The entertainment was good and got people up and dancing.
The three popup bars provided a wide range of drinks and cocktails to keep the party swinging.
I would definitely recommend that you attend in 2017 if you get the chance.
SANTA'S MAGICAL KINGDOM website press release: photos and review by Chandra Madanagopal
Santa’s Magical Kingdom Morning Tea Review
This year’s Santa’s Magical Kingdom will be at the Caulfield racecourse starting from November the 18th with new and exciting activities and characters for Melbournians. On 22nd October a special morning tea event was organized for a sneak peak for Santa’s Magical Kingdom. This event offered various activities for kids such as painting, story telling and meeting some of the favorite characters such as The Snow Queen herself, Branch and Poppy (The Trolls). The event started with some story telling by the slow queen, meet and greet which was followed by some delicious food and beverages followed. Then the kids were all in for a surprise guests Branch and Poppy who entertained the kids for sometime and happily posed for photos. Then the kids painting activities started as the Snow queen went around and interacted with the guests with her warm smile. The two-hour event showed the invited guests a small glimpse of what they could expect from the forth-coming mega event and one of the most awaited fun fair of the year at the Caulfield racecourse on the 18th of November. It’s always going to be fun around Santa’s Magical Kingdom, which cannot be missed at any cost.
ARCHIBALD PRIZE EXHIBITION AT BALLARAT ART GALLERY website review and photos by Jeanette Russel
The spectacular event began on October the 14th and runs until the 27th of November and is well worth consideration. The Archibald Prize exhibits portraits of some unique and extraordinary Australians that are notable. Bringing together a remarkable display of art of which its subjects range from sporting personalities, artists, politicians and celebrities to name a few, who have certainly excelled in their various fields of expertise. I highly recommend the viewing at the Art Gallery of Ballarat. Being the largest and oldest regional art gallery in Australia it is very impressive. A lovely building heritage listed and registered by the National Trust of Victoria.
Taking the Prize this year is Louise Hearman's portrait of international celebrity Barry Humphries. Louise has said that she has been enchanted by stories of Humphries for years and relished the occasion to paint this winner named,"Barry".
Other delightful exhibits, just to mention a few I felt were There's "No humour in darkness", a portrait of Garry McDonald by Kirsty Neilson, "Double reality" (self portrait) by Imants Tillers fascinated me. Put together using 64 canvas boards where he is featured twice. Tillers represent an artwork of mind and a visual poem..Striking I found, was Guan Wei's self portrait called " Plastic surgery ", depicted over 4 canvases. Explored is his experience of struggle to find his place as an immigrant in Australia. Lucy Cullition's "Lucy and Fans" captured my eye. It is a self portrait of herself being surrounded by her own fantail pigeons.
All the paintings were breathtaking and wonderful. I found them all to be individual, and amazing. Attached are the pictures of the above mentioned paintings in order.
THE WOMAN IN BLACK website review by Irina Ivanova photos; Irina Parakhina at Photoverita
The Woman in Black The Alex's Theater, St Kilda
With Halloween celebrations not far away, we’ve got all the chills and thrills from watching the goosebumps-provoking production of The Woman in Black last Friday night. It is a play based on the horror novella with the same name, which was written by Susan Hill in 1983, and a few years later adapted for the stage by playwright Stephen Mallatratt. The Woman in Black has been shown in London’s West End for 28 years, with over 7 million people having seen it. Guardian newspaper has dubbed it as "One of the British theatre’s biggest – and scariest – hits”. We are lucky to have it coming to Melbourne now!
Produced by Redfox3 Theater and its Artistic director Justin Stephens, this spooky story was brought to life by Chris McLean and Kieran Tracey – greatly talented actors, both well known to theater-goers, though both new to this genre. The name of the main silent heroine was understandably left behind the scenes.
The stage production of The Woman in Black is a play within a play, which means it doesn’t require a large cast of actors, as the two men can perform a handful of characters with a little change of costumes and demeanor.
The play starts in total darkness with gloomy haze spreading from the stage into the rows of the thrilled audience. Elderly Arthur Kipps tells a scary story to a young actor in hope to get it out of his mind and exorcise the ghost that has hunted him for 30 years. The actor’s aim is to help Arthur present the story to his future audience. So he takes up the role of young Kipps, a junior solicitor, who is sent to visit a mysterious Eel Marsh House near remote town of Crythin Gifford to finish up affairs of a recently deceased client. Meanwhile the older Kipps plays about half a dozen characters, swiftly changing from one supporting personage to another.
Coming to the client’s funeral Arthur sees a woman with wasted face, who is dressed in all black. When Arthur tries to speak about her to other citizens of the little town, he discovers the terrible reasons why people avoid mentioning her.
With the use of simple theatrical tricks the actors created the total illusion of submerging into the story: bouncing on a large basket as if they were riding a horse carriage or rocking on chairs imitating a train motion. A special applause goes to the sound effects accompanying the play. All the heartbreaking screams and excruciating noises made people jump off their seats. The stage was set with a few household props and an enigmatic closed round door that caused a lot of scares later in the play.
The woman in black was emerging suddenly, out of nowhere. It was pretty amazing how silently the actress changed her location across the stage. I could not fight the thought that the creepy lady can appear anywhere next time, she might even walk between the rows of seats! Truly terrifying story, excellent production, thought-through staging, and brilliant acting made The Woman in Black an experience to remember.