Things to do in Sydney in May

Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer-winning 1949 play has lost none of its potency in the last 75 years. Indeed, in our current terrible moment of economic anxiety, the heaviest weight on Willy Loman’s back – the need to make his mortgage payments even as he’s rendered obsolete – will be familiar to many audience members, although perhaps one step removed. Director Neil Armfield and resident director Therésa Borg anchor this production in the period of the play’s genesis, but the themes remain timeless – beautifully and excruciatingly so. Anthony LaPaglia is our Willy Loman, making his Sydney stage debut at the Theatre Royal in the role that earned him standing ovations when this production debuted in Melbourne. Weighed down by years, responsibilities, and his own bulk, LaPagia’s Loman prowls the stage muttering, half lost in memories, pinning all his hopes on the illusory successes of his adult sons: wastrel womaniser Happy (Ben O’Toole) and former golden boy Biff (Josh Helman), high school football star turned frustrated drifter. Willy’s wife, the long-suffering Linda (Alison Whyte) dutifully dithers around her husband and boys, until she too fractures under the weight of Willy’s unrealised ambitions.  LaPaglia makes for an incredibly obstinate and frustratingly obtuse Willy, his crippling insecurities masked by a thick armour cast from bluster and bravado. Yes, it’s all about the American Dream and the failures thereof – but it’s worth noting that the American Dream has always been A

If you’ve ever heard talk of secret tunnels and winding labyrinths from World War II that lie forgotten beneath Sydney city, you’re not alone. Well, it turns out, the rumours are true. And the best bit? We can see them with our own eyes – illuminated by a wild light show, laser beams and electronic music. Yes. This is real life. After a successful debut last year, ‘Dark Spectrum’ has taken this historical subterranean network again as part of Vivid Sydney 2024. (Check out our ultimate guide to Vivid 2024 over here.) The entrance to this secret tunnel is hidden in plain sight in one of Sydney’s busiest train station thoroughfares. If you’ve ever grabbed something from the Wynyard Coles, you may not have ever paid too much attention to the emergency access door that’s situated right next to it. Unbeknownst to most of us, this nondescript door has long been the entrance to a series of secret tunnels that lie beneath Wynyard Station. For the last century, these tunnels were the abandoned relics of a city engineer’s grand plans to build a train line between Mosman and the Northern Beaches, but (as it is with many things), this plan fell to the wayside, and into decades of obscurity.  Running until June 15, this wild and immersive light show will take visitors through 1km of the tunnel system, where they will be taken through eight underground rooms that will each be decked out in a vibrant variety of lights, robots, animations and laser shows that have to be seen to be believed. 

Winter in Sydney can be pretty darn sparkly, with major thanks to Vivid – the annual multidisciplinary festival that lights up the city for a few weeks every year. One particularly glittery feature of the Vivid Sydney 2024 program is Lightscape – an immersive light show that is illuminating the Royal Botanic Garden until June 15. (Lightscape is a paid-entry event, and we reckon the ticket price is well worth it, but if you're looking for free things to do at Vivid, head over here.)Originally created by a group of artists more than a decade ago, Lightscape has transformed spaces around the world into sell-out immersive experiences. And though some Sydneysiders were up in arms about having to pay to access the Botanic Garden (generally a free-to-access public space) during last year's season, once you’ve experienced Lightscape in the flesh, you’ll understand the reasoning. As the sun begins to set over Sydney Harbour, you'll wander under larger-than-life flowers, and tree canopies will come alive with light. Follow the 1.8km illuminated trail as your surroundings morph from one luminous delight into another. Food and drinks are available to purchase along the route, or you can hold out and head to one of the many excellent restaurants that Circular Quay has to offer. Tickets start at $30 for adults ($18 for kids aged 3-12), and the entrance for Lightscape is located at the Queen Elizabeth II Gates, which are right next to the Sydney Opera House forecourt. You can book your tick

What do you get when you combine a neon-lit bar that looks like it’s been plucked straight out of Tokyo with five Japanese master magicians? Enter Maho Magic Bar. Part show, part bar. And 100 per cent awe-inspiring.A dazzling 60-minute immersive experience where you can enjoy a drink and a show (but not as you know it), Maho Magic Bar thrilled Sydneysiders when it popped up last year as a part of Sydney Festival. Now, it's returning to the Emerald City – popping up in a specially decorated neon-lit space at Pyrmont Bay Park with limited sessions until June 16.Created by Broad Encounters, the folks behind the award-winning immersive show A Midnight Visit, Maho Magic Bar features an impressive pop-up bar and entertainment venue, inspired by Japan’s electric nightlife scene. Bring along friends, order some drinks – a fun cocktail; sake from three different regions; whisky or shochu perhaps – and get comfortable as you sit back and watch as Maho’s sleight-of-hand superstars delight and surprise with extraordinary magic shows right in front of you, at your table. Think multi-sensory, interactive and just plain jaw-dropping. So, who will be showing you their tricks at Maho Magic Bar? Well, there’s Shirayuri, whose captivating tricks come with a storytelling twist; Kaori Kitazawa, the princess of illusion who’s carving her own space in the industry that’s traditionally ruled by men; renowned infamous daredevil, Sarito, whose repertoire includes needles and gaffer tape; the graceful

Are you ready to chase artistic escapades around the city? The Biennale of Sydney is back for its 24th edition from March 9 to June 10, 2024. Whether you’re a dedicated arts fanatic or a casual culture buff, you’ll find something to inspire and provoke you along this epic art trail. The largest contemporary art event of its kind in Australia, the Biennale is taking over six different locations with awe-inspiring installations and intriguing exhibitions. Titled Ten Thousand Suns, this year the festival explores a multiplicity of global cultures, taking on a transgressive spirit as it leans into the origins of Carnivale. As always, the Biennale is free for everyone to visit for a total of 16 weeks.   Of all the locations, White Bay Power Station is absolutely the main character of the Biennale’s 50th year anniversary (and 24th iteration – it takes place every second year). This is the first time the revitalised industrial site will officially open its doors to the public in more than 100 years – and what they’ve accomplished is pretty spectacular. Years of accumulated pigeon poop has been cleared out of the enormous factory spaces, making way for art installations that tower multiple storeys high, and more works hidden in various nooks and crannies. Pop-up bars and brand new bathrooms also set the stage for a packed program of live performances and music curated by Phoenix Central Park. Think of White Bay as a replacement for the role that Cockatoo Island has played in Sydney’s

This is it, we have found the yassification of Shakespeare. Fuelled by a playlist of certified pop hits, this jukebox romp billed as “the greatest love story ever remixed” poses a simple but provocative question: What if, instead of joining Romeo in eternal slumber, Juliet decided to live? A contagiously joyous musical spectacular, & Juliet has finally landed at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre after being met with critical acclaim on Broadway and the West End, not to mention the rapturously received Australian debut in Melbourne.  Filled with sing-a-long-able chart-topping bangers made famous by the likes of Britney Spears, The Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry and more from the songbook of Grammy-winning Swedish songwriter/producer Max Martin, the Aussie cast is overflowing with talent in this feel-good, flashy production. & Juliet is Shakespeare remixed for the girls, the gays and the theys... [but does it] really cut it as the feminist reclamation that we are promised? Will you be entertained? Absolutely. Does & Juliet set a new standard for jukebox musicals? Yes. Will you see one of the most diverse and charismatic casts of triple-threats ever assembled on an Australian stage? Heck yeah. Does the story deliver on the feminist retribution we are promised? Not quite. “What if Juliet didn’t kill herself?” Anne Hathaway (played by the enthralling Amy Lehpamer) posits to her husband, William Shakespeare (the ever-charming Rob Mills). “She’s only ever had one boyfriend, and frankly, the endi

When an entire teen choir is suddenly killed in a tragic roller coaster accident, they awaken to find themselves in a strange carnie limbo. Greeted by an ominous robotic fortune teller, these misfits are invited to compete for the chance to return to the land of the living. This is the premise of Ride The Cyclone – the exciting, modern, TikTok-viral Canadian musical that is now playing its Aussie premiere season at Sydney’s intimate Hayes Theatre. Dark yet camp, nihilistic yet strangely life affirming, this show is full of surprises and just as brilliantly bonkers as it sounds.  Corralled and narrated by the legendary Pamela Rabe as the (studio-recorded) voice of The Amazing Karnak, a fresh young cast has been assembled to take on some of the most compelling characters in modern musical theatre, and there’s not a weak link among them (if only the same could be said for the fateful carnival ride on which their characters meet their untimely demise). Melding with the production’s other-worldly audio-visual elements, Rabe’s inimitable voice is the perfect pick for the mysterious fortune-telling automaton, lending a certain gravitas with a vaguely threatening, strangely alluring mythical quality – like a Matrix villain procreated with a wise wizard matriarch.  In Ride The Cyclone, modern, relevant and youthful references fit comfortably and casually within the musical theatre form, and this accomplishment is certainly key to the show’s popularity with Gen Z. The characters dreamt

We love Sydney, we really do. But that’s not to say that our beloved city isn’t without her flaws. With so many locals and tourists going in and out of the city every day, a lot of resources get used up. Energy, water and other commodities are becoming increasingly precious, so to keep our city functioning the best it can, none other than Sydney institution the Powerhouse Museum is specially re-opening its doors during Vivid Sydney. Yes – you read that correctly! The legendary Ultimo museum closed in February for an extensive three-year renovation period, however the Powerhouse has granted special permission for folks to be allowed back onto the premesis for this fascinating exhibition, dubbed A New Normal, inside the temporary Vivid hub. Led by urban leader, former Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney and Time Out Future Shaper Jess Miller, this intriguing exhibition featuring prototypes, light displays and more concepts will be open to visit every night between 6pm and 10pm, for three weeks from May 24 – and it's totally free to visit.  Architects, designers, developers and tech specialists have banded together to produce an exhibition full of sustainable solutions for the city-slicking lifestyle. More than 20 brilliant concepts will be on display, including a beer made from recycled waste-water in partnership with Heaps Normal called ‘The Last Beer on Earth’; a coat hanger-eating robot; a bio-processor being built on Cockatoo Island to transform the massive amounts of bio waste (a

Spend a leisurely Sunday morning in France without the jet lag at these fabulous French markets in Sydney’s north. Le Marché is the only fortnightly French market in the whole of Australia, popping up every second and fourth Sunday of each month at Laurelbank Cottage in Willoughby. Here, you can say bonjour to more than 45 talented Frenchies selling everything from raclette and rillettes to choux buns and Champagne.   Start your morning in Le Marché’s culinary corner, which channels the vibes of a mini French supermarket. Fill your reusable baskets with farm-fresh eggs, truffles, saucisson, duck confit and of course, all the French cheeses your heart desires. Thirsty? Take a detour to sample fine French wines and locally brewed gin, or skip straight to the Champagne bar for a bubbly start to your day.  Experience the lively spirit of a French village market by chatting with Le Marché’s passionate line-up of artisans selling striped Breton t-shirts, colourful berets, linen tablecloths, straw baskets and more. Take a leisurely browse through the stalls, and when it's time to refuel, hit up the hot food stalls serving everything from buttery escargots and boeuf bourguignon to raclette and truffle-infused rotisserie chicken. Seal the deal on your market rendezvous with a flaky croissant, creamy eclair or delicate choux bun. Bring a taste of the markets home too by buying a freshly baked baguette or colourful box of bite-sized macarons.  RECOMMENDED: Hungry for more? Look at our

Just as winter begins to rear its head in the Emerald City, the annual festival of lights, music, ideas and more rolls around: lighting up the city with a multidisciplinary program that gets bigger and brighter every season. Vivid Sydney 2024 is no exception, with a glittering program of lights, music, food and ideas that’s not only sparkly, but surprisingly subversive. Inspired by the theme of Humanity, Vivid Sydney 2024 will use art and experience to interrogate and expand our understanding of the human condition. From Friday, May 24 until Saturday, June 15 2024, expect the city to be transformed into a glittering wonderland of art, inspiration and ideas – with Vivid’s signature light displays acting as a vehicle to usher in a boundary-pushing series of events. This year’s program features thought-provoking discussions, insightful film screenings, immersive street kitchens, interactive artworks and so much more. While many events on the Vivid Sydney 2024 lights program are yet to be announced, we’re happy to confirm that firm favourites from previous years will be back and better than ever. These include the immersive illuminated walk through Sydney’s Botanic Gardens, the spectacular experience hidden in the abandoned tunnels beneath Wynyard Station, and the incredible drone show that lit up the sky above Sydney last year with mesmerising moving images. Plus, the artwork of Julia Gutman (one of Time Out Sydney's Future Shapers for 2024) will be projected onto the sails of t