British musician Mike Oldfield was still in his teens when he recorded his first studio album, the iconic number one chart topper Tubular Bells. It was the first release on Richard Branson’s fledgling label Virgin Records and went on to sell tens of millions of copies. Sales surged when Tubular Bells’ opening theme was used in the…
The sensitive and affecting film Adam takes a close up look at two women from a poor Casablanca neighbourhood caught in an emotional maelstrom. Abla (Lubna Azabal) is a dour widowed mother who can’t get over the untimely death of her husband. Meanwhile, Samia (Nisrin Erradi) faces the imminent birth of a child alone and…
Don a black cape and an exotic mask and be led on a journey of discovery through darkened hallways, up and down stairs and into a series of rooms. So is the immersive, small group experience that mixes the provocative and hedonistic with the celestial and cerebral. This is theatre with a decided difference, in which…
The Arab Film Festival offers a selection of some of the best contemporary cinema from Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and Iraq. The Festival commences screenings from July 21 in Sydney. The opening night attraction is the romantic comedy Halal Love. We spoke to festival director Fadia Abboud about this year’s lineup of films. Last year the…
Wolves of Winter is the second book in Dan Jones historical Essex Dogs trilogy which is following a crew of English soldiers in the early days of what was to become known as the Hundred Years War. The first volume, Essex Dogs, took the men from their landing in France to the battle of Crécy…
Two US soldiers are literally in the firing line in the unrelenting psychological thriller The Wall. The pair are Sergeant Isaac (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), an army ranger who serves as spotter; and his sniper partner, Sergeant Matthews (John Cena). They’re pinned down by an Iraqi sniper. But the fight becomes as much a battle of wills and…
You might not have heard of Charlotte Mclean, but chances are you soon will. The Brisbane-based jazz singer is emerging as one of Australia’s most captivating and original young vocalists. Having completed her Bachelor of Jazz Music in Voice at Brisbane’s renowned Jazz Music Institute, (affiliated with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center…
– Saxo Scandinavian Spanish Film Festival – In Palace Cinemas nationally until 9 August 2023 We have 5 double passes to a session at the Festival (excluding special events) Note: tickets are digital *(Tickets valid in Australia only)* Watch the trailer HERE Now a much-anticipated fixture on the Festival calendar, the Scandinavian Film Festival showcases…
After having done giant robot on robot action in his Themis Files trilogy, Sylvain Neuvel embarks on something a little different in his new book A History of What Comes Next. Set between the dying days of the Second World War and the launch of the first man into space, this is not so much…
Creative excellence and supreme artistry are the hallmarks of three short works that constitute The Australian Ballet’s new production, Prism. The trio is decidedly modern, starting with Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces. It starts with urgency, as people wearing striking pops of colour criss-cross one another, as they walk purposefully across the stage. Interspersed with that…
