What's happening in Melbourne
The best things to do this week
Praise ABBA! The homegrown hit is here and it's not at all terrible
Watch a music documentary series narrating the stories of people from diverse backgrounds at this CBD exhibition
Rock out one last time at Cherry Bar’s ACDC Lane digs with an all-day street party
The Melbourne Planetarium is offering after-hours and adults-only access for a series of full-dome film screenings
Laugh yourself silly with headphones on as the Arbory goes quiet during the Comedy Festival
Arthur Miller's great American classic is returning to Melbourne thanks to MTC
Make sausages and celebrate your hard work with a degustation lunch and wine at this sausage-making masterclass
This mini-festival wants you to stop worrying and embrace life – because you’re going to die anyway
Satiate your appetite at this weekend lunch filled with Italian food and drink
The latest news
Competitions and announcements
The Other Art Fair returns for the weekend of May 2-5
Schweppes Signature Series cocktails plus a $150 dining voucher equals a ripper of a night
The best of Melbourne
Wondering what to do in Melbourne? Take a look at our ultimate bucket list: 50 fun things to do in Melbourne, plus what makes the city great, from the food to the festivals and everything in between.
If you're looking for a break from the inner-city grid, there's no better cure than a day trip from Melbourne.
Behold, our eat-and-destroy list – a guide to Melbourne's best restaurants, from fine dining to cheap eats
Expert tips for exploring the city's best attractions for zero dollars
Book in for the best Melbourne shows with our guide to new and upcoming theatre in Melbourne. Our theatre critics recommend the best shows to see right now, as well as the most exciting upcoming shows in Melbourne. For more Melbourne theatre information, check out our latest reviews and our guide to scoring cheap theatre tickets.
From world-beating cocktail lounges to down-and-divey saloons, here's everywhere worth drinking in Melbourne
When you think Melbourne, some of the words that come to mind surely must be 'coffee', 'laneways' and 'street art'. Street art covers almost every nook and cranny of our creative, colourful city, but there are more highly concentrated clusters than others. These are the street art hotspots that any self-respecting 'grammer should be snapping: the city's ten best street mural hotspots, in all their spray-painted laneway glory. Continue your art journey through Melbourne at these free galleries, or purchase your very own piece of art at one of these weird and wonderful shops.
Melbourne area guides
The heart of the city, home to Chinatown and some of Melbourne's best restaurants and arts institutions.
Inventive bars, geek girl boutiques and envelope-pushing eateries. Plus live music institutions.
Whether you are after great eats, a night out or a film at a Victorian-era cinema, Elsternwick is a great place to find yourself.
We should err on the side of caution when describing Williamstown as “greater Melbourne”. Not only will the locals love to tell you it’s only 20 minutes to the city (and no tolls!), but there’s a beach that’s accessible via public transport, a gorgeous pier to stroll down and stunning views towards the city and across Port Phillip Bay. As Melbourne's first seaport, Williamstown has swiftly developed into a trendy seaside suburb with a village feel. There are plenty of cafés and restaurants, you can hop on a bike and circle the water’s edge, or just find a quiet spot to sit and think about all the things you still have left to do. Looking for more fun in the west? Check out our guides to Footscray and Yarraville while you're here.
Exceptional Italian food, gelato and coffee, plus an excellent museum and theatre.
Kensington has northwest charm in spades: there are wide, tree-lined streets, plenty of public transport and green spaces aplenty.
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Red Stripe is a smooth, full bodied amber lager from the sandy beaches of Jamaica where it was first brewed, over 90 years ago. Named after the red stripe that used to run down Jamaican police uniforms, Red Stripe is an unpretentious drop that goes down nice’n’easy. Fans of the beer have the opportunity to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Jamaica in July 2019. The prize includes return economy flights, hotel accommodation in Montego Bay, and daily activities. To win one of two trips for two people, simply purchase a Red Stripe from a participating venue, take a creative photo with the Red Stripe promotional coaster that you’ll receive with your purchase, and post it to Instagram, tagging #RedStripeAus and the venue where you bought your Red Stripe. Remember to have your Instagram set to public. The two most creative posts will win. The competition is open from February 1 to May 19, 2019. The prize trip must be taken on July 17-21, 2019, and cannot be changed, transferred or redeemed for cash. Go here for more information and terms and conditions. So, where can you enjoy Red Stripe and get that promotional coaster? Here's the list: Jack and Bones Island BarJack and Bones Island Bar prides itself on being Melbourne’s “only Hawaiian bar”, but that's not its exclusive focus. Among the tiki drinks you can get yourself a taste of Jamaica’s famous brew. The Barkly HotelTucked in the corner of Barkly and Grey Street, this is a locals’ bar down on street level that does a hango
Roll out your picnic rug and don't bother with the food: The Peninsula Picnic is back. On March 30, Mornington Racecourse will be transformed as the region's biggest food, wine and music event brings the Mornington Peninsula's restaurants, wineries and producers together. Enjoy musical entertainment by the Rubens, Sarah Blasko, Tia Gostelow, Latin band San Lazaro and folk artist Fraser A. Gordon. Make the most of the country harvest atmosphere and see what the local chefs, restaurants and wineries have brought along with them by way of nibbles and tipples. Some of the region's best producers, including Jackalope’s Rare Hare, Montalto, Green Olive at Red Hill, Max’s Restaurant, Tuck’s Ridge and many more. There will be wines from T’Gallant, Prancing Horse, Quealy and Kerri Greens, beers from Wild Yak and cocktails from Pimm's (what would a summer picnic be without them?). Pack a few shopping bags before you go, as there will be a marketplace selling fresh local produce, wines, and homemade and artisan wares. The Peninsula Picnic is a family-friendly event. Tickets: $89 available from www.peninsulapicnic.com.au.
More than 500 people packed into Transport Public Bar in Federation Square on a Sunday afternoon to toast the best in the hospitality business. Hosted by the very funny Rhys Nicholson (who doesn’t love a free comedy show thrown in with an awards ceremony?), the event saw ten awards given out across a range of categories. Guests were treated to delicious drinks, great food, sweet tunes from DJ Coco Brown, with a copy of the new Time Out Bar Awards issue to take home at the end of the night. Attendees were also in the running to take home their very own crystal glassware from Waterford simply by taking a snap with the Mobsta crew in the Waterford area. The snack game was strong, with Southern fried chicken, pizzas, charcuterie and cheese platters courtesy of Transport Public Bar doing the rounds. People were sipping on free-flowing Espresso Martinis on tap, Malibu Piña Coladas, Altos Tequila cocktails, Urban Alley beers, and a bespoke cocktail from Perrier. As if that wasn't enough they also got to sample Riot Wines’ wine in a can from McLaren Vale, and ciders from Hills Cider Co. So who emerged victorious in the 2019 Time Out Bar Awards? Fitzroy cocktail bar the Everleigh was named Bar of the Year. The Everleigh is where you get the exacting standards, beautiful surrounds and whip-smart service of a high-end bar in London, but right here in the heart of Melbourne. The Everleigh is the very definition of putting our best drink forward.As well as the top gong, the Best C
Maria Bamford is a veteran of stand-up comedy, having released a whole bunch of albums and DVDs in between film and TV appearances. But she's returning to Melbourne for the first time since 2011 with an even bigger following thanks to her acclaimed Netflix series Lady Dynamite, a dark and quirky semi-autobiographical comedy about a woman trying to rebuild her life after a difficult bout of bipolar disorder. She's doing just five performances of her show, The Irrelevant Redundancy, at the Forum.
Tang Xianzu was a 16th-century Chinese dramatist who gained notoriety for his four interconnected plays known as The Four Dreams of Linchuan. He’s now affectionately known as the Shakespeare of the East, and his personal history and public work are being given new life in Tang Xianzu the Playwright in Concert. More than 100 talented musicians from the Symphony Orchestra and Opera of Shanghai Conservatory of Music (SHCM) will perform in this reimagined Chinese opera exploring different stages of Xianzu’s life, with inspiration from his four great works. The four plays, Zi chai ji (The Purple Hairpin), Nan ke ji (A Dream Under a Southern Bough), Handan Meng (Dream of Handan), and Mu Dan Ting (The Peony Pavilion), were all originally performed as traditional Chinese operas (known as Kunqu) , so this reinterpretation should provide an exciting angle for modern audiences. The first three plays are often compared to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with their surreal representation of human desires, ambition and motivations delivered through a dream-like narrative. The fourth and most famous play, The Peony Pavilion, is rooted in the reality of tragic romantic comedies and is intricately developed across 55 scenes. This enthralling story will make its way in operatic form to Melbourne for one night only at the Melbourne Recital Centre on Friday, April 5. The two-hour concert will be performed in Chinese language, with English subtitles. If you’re ready to get inside the
This is a review of the 2018 Sydney season of Single Asian Female. The play is having its Melbourne premiere as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with most of the original cast returning. Jing Xuan Chan is replacing Alex Lee as Zoe and Tatum Mottin is playing Lana. Read our interview about the play's Sydney debut with playwright Michelle Law. It’s rare to see a playwriting debut that comes with a fully-defined, genuinely funny and self-assured voice, but writer Michelle Law has leapt into the world of theatre without so much as a tremble. Single Asian Female is a gem: an essential new play about the contemporary Australian experience through the eyes of restaurant-owner Pearl Wong and her daughters Zoe and Mei. Pearl (Hsiao-Ling Tang) runs the Golden Phoenix, a Chinese restaurant, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. She’s been doing it alone since her husband left and it’s clear from the beginning that the separation was far from amicable – Pearl tells us so herself, breaking the fourth wall in the middle of a triumphant karaoke rendition of ‘I Will Survive’, a signifier of her finally-settled divorce. But there’s something troubling Pearl even now in her newfound freedom, and she just wants to talk to her daughters about it – if they can all find the time to just sit and be together. It’s hard, because life, as always, gets in the way. For Zoe (Alex Lee), that means her auditions to become the professional violinist she’s always dreamed of being – not to me
This Melbourne International Comedy Festival show shares one thing in common with the English rock band of the same name – you’re going to see someone up on stage from the motherland. New Order is a comedy show where you get to see the freshest young talent from the UK and Ireland on stage for 15 minutes a pop. Previously hosting talents like Ivo Graham and Emma Sidi, this is the show you go when you want to smugly tell your friends in a year’s time that you saw the most popular new comedian before they were famous. This year’s fantastic four is looking like a particularly strong line-up. Irish superstar Catherine Bohart is fresh off her Edinburgh debut in 2018 and she’s previously written for BBC Radio 4. She’s joined by Chris Washington, who was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Awards in 2017 thanks to his relatable and heart-warming humour. Man in a sparkly tracksuit Mawaan Rizwan combines skilful physicality and confessional stand-up to charm his audiences. Last on the bill is high energy Rosie Jones, who sold out her Edinburgh debut in 2018 and has appeared on the Last Leg and 8 Out of 10 Cats, bringing a highly anticipated set to Melbourne Town Hall. Tickets range from $27-34 with all shows at the Melbourne Town Hall, making it a really accessible gateway into the world of stand-up, or a great excuse to get bang for your buck during the Comedy Festival.
