The Diary
This month’s top events, plus a sneak peek at what’s on in June.
This month’s top events
VIC MUSICAL Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Until 24 June Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne beautifulmusical.com.au Melburnians have until late June to catch Esther Hannaford make the earth move in her role as Carole King before the Grammy Awardwinning show heads to Brisbane.
OPERA Don Quichotte
3-12 May Arts Centre Melbourne opera.org.au World-renowned bass Ferruccio Furlanetto is set to turn heads as the eccentric knight-errant after a well-received season in Sydney. French composer Jules Massenet’s score will be conducted by his countryman Guillaume Tourniaire.
MUSIC Angus & Julia Stone
19-20 May Various venues, Melbourne angusandjuliastone.com The Aussie brother-sister folkindie duo is touring the country to play tracks from their new album Snow, which peaked at No. 2 on the ARIA charts.
MUSICAL The Wizard of Oz
12 May-15 July Regent Theatre, Melbourne wizardofozthemusical.com Shine your ruby slippers. The Wizard
of Oz stops in Melbourne, with a great cast led by Anthony Warlow.
ART Robert Hunter
Until 26 August National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne ngv.vic. gov.au This exhibition of Australian minimalist Robert Hunter’s work coincides with the 50th anniversary of his first solo show.
NEXT MONTH State of Origin
6 June Melbourne Cricket Ground nrl.com The MCG hosts the first game of the 2018 State of Origin series. Is this the year that NSW breaks Queensland’s winning streak to claim glory?
NSW FESTIVAL Vivid Sydney
25 May-16 June Various venues, Sydney vividsydney.com The annual festival returns to light up the city skyline, bringing with it music, performances, stalls and crowds aplenty. Head to the harbour and behold the illuminated Sydney Opera House, Museum of Contemporary Art and, of course, Sydney Harbour Bridge.
TALK An Evening with Hillary Rodham Clinton
11 May ICC Sydney thegrowthfaculty.com The former US presidential candidate, senator and secretary of state will offer insights into her political career, following the success of her bestselling autobiography, What Happened.
EXHIBITION Reigning Men: Fashion in Menswear, 1715-2015
2 May-14 October Powerhouse Museum, Sydney maas.museum Featuring pieces by Yves Saint Laurent, Burberry, Chanel and Gucci, this exhibition explores the colourful history of men’s fashion and visits Sydney direct from the world-famous Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
BALLET The Merry Widow
Until 19 May Sydney Opera House australianballet.com.au The Australian Ballet was the first to perform the ballet adaptation of Victor Léon and Leo Stein’s operetta back in 1975. Now, 43 years later, the company will take it to the stage once more.
MUSICAL Priscilla Queen of the Desert
15 May-19 July Capitol Theatre, Sydney priscillathemusical.com.au After a critically acclaimed season in Melbourne, Priscilla is making a pit stop in Sydney on its 10th anniversary tour around Australia, bringing 500 glittering costumes and a modest selection of headdresses ( just 200) along for the ride.
NEXT MONTH Wallabies vs Ireland
23 June Allianz Stadium, Sydney rugby.com.au Our mighty Wallabies welcome the reigning Six Nations champions when Australia hosts Ireland for the first time since 2010. Other games are being played in Brisbane on 9 June and Melbourne on 16 June.
ACT ART The National Picture
12 May-29 July National Gallery of Australia, Canberra nga.gov.au Artworks depicting key moments in Tasmania’s tumultuous history from 1828 to 1851 form part of this exhibition, which includes works by colonial artist Benjamin Duterrau. Also on show are pieces from 1920 to the present day that depict aspects of the island’s past.
NEXT MONTH Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow
16 June Canberra Theatre Centre comedyfestival.com.au After entertaining thousands in Melbourne, Australia’s largest comedy festival hits the road with a stellar line-up of larrikins, including Andy Saunders, Bev Killick and Daniel Fernandes. SA
THEATRE Sense and Sensibility
4-26 May Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide statetheatrecompany.com.au Playwright Kate Hamill’s muchlauded adaptation of the Jane Austen classic brings the Dashwood sisters and their suitors to life for a new generation, as the girls work through romance and heartbreak while gossip swirls around them.
COMEDY Anh Do
31 May-1 June Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide anhdo.com.au The much-loved comedian and artist brings his bestselling book to the stage, combining real-life stories with the stand-up comedy that made him a household name.
NEXT MONTH Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic
22-24 June Adelaide Entertainment Centre disneyonice.com This family favourite skates into Adelaide with more than 30 classic Disney songs from the likes of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and, yes, Frozen.
WA FESTIVAL Ord Valley Muster
11-20 May Various venues, Kununurra ordvalleymuster.com.au Held over 10 days, the Ord Valley Muster transforms the Kimberley with a rodeo, dégustation dinners, comedy acts and a musical line-up headlined by Lee Kernaghan.
NEXT MONTH Joel Creasey
8- 9 June Astor Theatre, Perth joelcreasey.com.au Fresh from his commentating gig at Eurovision in Lisbon, the Perth native is home for two nights of unmissable stand-up.
QLD PERFORMANCE Barry Humphries
10 May QPAC, Brisbane qpac.com.au Get tickets while you can, possums. One of Australia’s most enduring performers will take to the stage with The Man Behind the Mask, an evening of stories about his long and colourful career.
MUSIC Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert
19 May Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre qso.com.au Continuing the trend of marrying movies and live music, the score for the third in the Harry Potter series will be performed by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra as the enchanting film plays on the big screen. Magic.
FESTIVAL Blues on Broadbeach
17-20 May Various venues, Broadbeach bluesonbroadbeach.com One of the nation’s largest free music festivals returns for its 17th year, showcasing Australian and international talent, including former Noiseworks frontman Jon Stevens, the Robert Cray Band and The Screaming Jets.
NEXT MONTH The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
12-24 June QPAC, Brisbane curiousincident.com.au The National Theatre of Great Britain’s acclaimed production of Mark Haddon’s bestselling novel takes to the stage in Brisbane during its tour of Australia.
NT FESTIVAL Northern Territory Travelling Film Festival
25 May-21 July Various venues, Northern Territory nttravellingfilmfestival.com The festival’s program showcases the region’s talented filmmakers, with screenings turning some of the Northern Territory’s most remote locations, including Nhulunbuy on the Gove Peninsula and Kakadu National Park, into outdoor movie theatres.
FESTIVAL Bass in the Grass
19 May George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens bassinthegrass.com.au The 12-hour music festival’s line-up is led by Paul Kelly and includes performances by Vera Blue, Illy and Client Liaison. TAS
THEATRE George’s Marvellous Medicine
31 May-2 June Theatre Royal, Hobart theatreroyal.com.au Adapted from Roald Dahl’s book about a young boy who teaches his mean granny a lesson, George’s
Marvellous Medicine bounds off the page in a live show that will entertain the whole family.
MUSIC Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony
19 May Federation Concert Hall, Hobart tso.com.au Conducted by Rory Macdonald, the talented musicians of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra will tackle the most famous symphony in the world as part of the 2018 Master series.
ART Horizon
Until 1 July Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery tmag.tas. gov.au This exhibit features 23 works by Australian artists, including Rick Amor, William Robinson and Imants Tillers, for the first time since they were donated to the gallery from a private collection last year.
NEXT MONTH Dark Mofo
15-24 June Various venues, Hobart darkmofo.net.au The Museum of Old and New Art’s winter festival transforms Hobart with major exhibitions and musical and food events.