The Diary
This month’s top events, plus a sneak peek at what’s on in January.
VIC Boxing Day Test SPORT
26-30 December MCG, Melbourne cricket.com.au
Cricket fans will be scrambling to get their hands on tickets to the clash between the Australian and Indian teams at the ’G, with this tour marking the Men in Blue’s first appearance Down Under since 2016.
Falls Festival FESTIVAL
28-31 December 985 Erskine Falls Road, Lorne fallsfestival.com
Get ready to bless the rains down in Lorne – ’80s rockers Toto join Vance Joy, Hilltop Hoods and Chvrches for the Victorian leg of the musical extravaganza.
ART Escher x Nendo: Between Two Worlds
2 December-7 April National Gallery of Victoria ngv.vic.gov.au
The artistic might of two creative titans – Dutch master of optical illusion M.C. Escher and famed Japanese design firm Nendo – is revealed in this groundbreaking collaborative exhibition.
TALK An Evening with Malala Yousafzai
11 December Melbourne Convention Centre thegrowthfaculty.com
The world’s youngest Nobel Laureate and United Nations Messenger of Peace shares her insights and personal stories in what promises to be an inspiring and empowering evening.
Evita MUSICAL
From 5 December Arts Centre Melbourne evitathemusical.com.au
The stellar revival of this all-time favourite features Hal Prince’s original Broadway direction, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s soul-stirring compositions and Tina Arena in one of the best performances of her career.
NEXT MONTH Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
From 16 January Princess Theatre, Melbourne harrypottertheplay.com
Wands at the ready! Having sold out runs and recently sweeping the Tony and Olivier awards, the play will leave Harry Potter fans saying, “Accio tickets!” as the eighth story in the series about the boy wizard comes to the stage.
NSW Cinderella BALLET
Until 19 December Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
australianballet.com.au
Choreographer and MacArthur “genius” grant winner Alexei Ratmansky brings the beloved fairytale to life with a fantastical set design and dazzling costumes by Jérôme Kaplan.
Carols in the Domain MUSIC
22 December The Domain, Sydney carolsinthedomain.com
Join 50,000 revellers and kick off the festive season at this familyfriendly event, which includes a visit from a jolly special guest.
ART Compass: MCA Collection
Until 3 February Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
mca.com.au
Drawn from the MCA’s collections, these works by Indigenous and non-Indigenous female artists spark a dialogue about what it means for them to be women in Australia.
DANCE Dubboo: Life of a Songman
6-8 December Carriageworks, Sydney bangarra.com.au
Celebrating the life of the dance company’s revolutionary musical director and resident composer, the late David Page, this production features a series of performances by artists such as Archie Roach. M.C. Escher’s Drawing Hands (1948) is on show as part of the Escher x Nendo:
Between Two Worlds exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria
OPERA New Year’s Eve with Opera Australia
31 December Sydney Opera House opera.org.au
Enjoy a gala dinner with some of the best views in the city before heading into either a performance of La Bohème or a concert of opera’s greatest hits. At the interval, make your way out to catch the 9pm fireworks. Later, join a midnight party to usher in 2019 in style.
NEXT MONTH Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
From 5 January Capitol Theatre, Sydney charliethemusical.com.au
Have you found your golden ticket? Follow young Charlie Bucket through Willy Wonka’s wondrous factory, complete with OompaLoompas, wacky inventions and plenty of the sweet stuff.
WA FESTIVAL Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival
8 December Various venues, Manjimup cherryfestival.com.au
Heads up, cherry lovers! This festival pips the rest with a full day of food and entertainment, including wood-chopping competitions and a long-table lunch in a cherry orchard.
Hopman Cup SPORT
29 December-5 January RAC Arena, Perth hopmancup.com
This is what tennis fans dream of: the pick of the eight-day draw will see defending Hopman Cup victors
Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic take on 23-time Grand Slam champ Serena Williams and Frances Tiafoe in the mixed-team match-up on New Year’s Day.
NEXT MONTH Florence + The Machine
12 January RAC Arena, Perth florenceandthemachine.net
The 2017 Ivor Novello Award winner is touring around the nation with her band in support of their new album, High as Hope, starting out in Perth before heading to Adelaide, Melbourne, Geelong, Brisbane and Sydney.
SA
SPORT Polo in the City
14 December Victoria Park, Adelaide polointhecity.com
Bringing spectators closer to the action than your traditional polo match, the contemporary summer favourite gallops back to Adelaide on the last stop of its five-city tour of the country.
ART John Mawurndjul: I Am the Old and the New
Until 28 January Art Gallery of South Australia artgallery.sa.gov.au
Held as part of the annual South Australian contemporary art festival Tarnanthi, the exhibition of more than 160 paintings and sculptures from Indigenous artist Mawurndjul’s pioneering body of work showcases timeless Kuninjku culture and history.
Phil Collins NEXT MONTH
25 January Adelaide Oval philcollins.com
It’s another day in paradise as the eight-time Grammy winner brings his Not Dead Yet tour, named after his 2016 autobiography, to the City of Churches.
QLD
Bon Jovi MUSIC
6 December Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane bonjovi.com
Fans have been livin’ on a prayer that the hard rock idols would visit again. Five years after their last tour, they’re storming across the country in support of their 13th album, This House Is Not for Sale, and playing huge hits such as You Give Love a Bad Name and Wanted Dead or Alive.
MUSIC Paul Kelly: Making Gravy
21 December Riverstage, Brisbane paulkelly.com.au
It’s the 21st of December and Paul and his friends are ringing the last bell. Joined by Angus & Julia Stone among others, the Australian music legend will welcome the festive season with songs including his Christmas classic, How to Make Gravy.
FESTIVAL Woodford Folk Festival
27 December-1 January Woodfordia, Woodford woodfordfolkfestival.com
The Cat Empire, Kimbra, The Waifs and Dan Sultan are among the extensive line-up of musicians, speakers, comedians and dancers at this year’s event, coming to entertain – and inform – more than 100,000 like-minded revellers over six days.
Jersey Boys NEXT MONTH
From 2 January QPAC, Brisbane jerseyboys.com.au
The classic jukebox musical arrives in the Sunshine State, recounting the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and belting out their biggest hits, including Walk Like a Man and Can’t Take My Eyes off You.
ACT
ART Love & Desire: PreRaphaelite Masterpieces from the Tate
14 December-28 April National Gallery of Australia, Canberra nga.gov.au
Forty Pre-Raphaelite works from the Tate, including John Everett Millais’ Ophelia and William Holman Hunt’s The Awakening Conscience, plus 40 paintings from other collections combine for this survey of the 19th-century art movement.
EXHIBITION Rome: City and Empire
Until 3 February National Museum of Australia, Canberra nma.gov.au
What did the Romans ever do for us? Find out at this exclusive exhibition of more than 200 objects, including medallions, helmets and statues, direct from the British Museum.
NT
Out of the Dark EXHIBITION
Until 17 February Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory magnt.net.au
Specimens, including megafauna fossils, selected from the gallery’s 400,000-strong natural-sciences collection and 21,000 cultural objects and artworks are on display in this special exhibition.
MUSIC Master Series IV: All I Want for Christmas
8 December Darwin Convention Centre dso.org.au
The talented Darwin Symphony Orchestra will be heralding in the silly season, performing a selection of your yuletide favourites.
TAS
FESTIVAL The Taste of Tasmania
28 December-3 January Various venues, Hobart thetasteoftasmania.com.au
The beloved event returns for its 30th birthday, taking thousands of visitors on a food and wine journey through the best the state has to offer, with cooking classes, workshops, tastings, a community breakfast and plenty of free entertainment.
SPORT Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
26 December-1 January Sydney Harbour to Constitution Dock, Hobart rolexsydneyhobart.com
To tackle the iconic race’s 628 nautical miles of treacherous ocean, yacht crews will head out of Sydney Harbour, cross the fearsome Bass Strait and loop around Tasman Island to reach the cheering crowds at Constitution Dock.
ART The Unmanned: Part Two
Until 4 February Mona, Berriedale mona.net.au
A 24-hour live performance, set in the year 7231 and staged at the museum, will be at the centre of this exhibition, which will feature a series of sculptures as well as a film of the live show.
Barnbougle Polo NEXT MONTH
20 January Barnbougle, Bridport barnbougle.com.au
The world-class links golf course on Tasmania’s north-eastern coast welcomes the pounding of hooves as hundreds of fashionably dressed spectators gather to watch international polo players take to the saddle against Australia’s finest.