The best things to do in Melbourne this weekend

Melbourne’s stages have seen a slew of jukebox musicals tread the boards over the past few years. They’ve ranged from the powerful (Tina – The Tina Turner Musical) to the cheesy-yet-crowd-pleasing (Mamma Mia! The Musical) and the glossed-over tributes (MJ the Musical). Thankfully, at a time when it feels more important than ever to encourage people to get out and support the local arts industry, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical arrives at the Princess Theatre full of razzle-dazzle, an abundance of infectious energy and a stacked setlist guaranteed to appeal to the masses. What is A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical about?  Written by Anthony McCarten, directed by Michael Mayer and created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, A Beautiful Noise opens on a dour therapy session between an older Diamond (played with commanding gravitas by Terence Crawford) and his doctor (Monica Sayers). It’s an unflinchingly sharp first introduction to the musical legend – all the more surprising given the heavy involvement of Diamond and his wife Katie – who is being particularly stubborn about revealing anything about the “clouds” that darken his demeanour. Enter the doc whipping out a book of all his lyrics, and suddenly, in true musical theatre fashion, the songs are quite literally spilling onto the stage in the form of the ensemble singing a teasing medley of hits to come.   From there we’re transported back in time as a young Diamond (Will Swenson) gets his big...

When Western Sydney playwright S Shakthidharan first invited us into Counting and Cracking, his collective and poetic reckoning with Sri Lanka’s devastating civil war (1983 to 2009) and the persecution of the Tamil peoples, its simple staging made way for magnetic storytelling driven by character.There was little need for bells and whistles with a voice as strong as his. Instead, the drama spun out in a dusty courtyard. The actors’ magnificent performances were enough, aided with simple props, signposts, musicians on stage and a heart of dance. Co-written and directed with Belvoir lead Eamon Flack, The Jungle and the Sea, now playing at MTC’s Southbank Theatre, looks very similar at first glance.  Once again, the transportation relies on the bare bones of a tall-walled courtyard. But there’s a huge difference in Dale Ferguson’s set design: here, there is no door, and the stone is pocked with bullet holes. So is The Jungle and the Sea spinning a similar story? Yes and no. While Counting and Cracking spent more time in Sydney, turning on its wounded heel to look back at the desperate race to escape war, here we mostly live through that horror, with a brief glimpse at a brighter future in the Harbour City.We see waves of fear and loathing crash over the island nation as the Sinhalese government brutally clamps down on the Tamil Tiger insurgency, with all-too devastating echoes of Israel’s merciless destruction of Gaza and its repeated declaration of ‘safe’ zones, only to...

This is not the Amazon. Neither the jungle, nor the multinational behemoth set on destroying any semblance of local community in our bonfire, AI-driven destiny of poisoned skies, blazing fires and toxic slop waters.  But Break of Day’s giant revolve on the Malthouse’s mighty Merlyn stage allows us a diorama cut-through of an analogous production line packing facility where Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? star Kat Stewart’s put-upon Pamela works like a dog all night long just to make nowhere near enough money to get by.  Like many of us, she feels thoroughly invisible in a system that’s designed to crush her into dust. We love Kat Stewart! We do! Savage River playwright Steve Rodgers has crafted a very specific character in the magnificent Stewart’s Pamela. One that’s all-too recognisable in our late capitalist death-spiral that purposefully crushes the human spirit. A worn-thin single mum, she’s trying to keep food on the table and is forced to share a bed with her teenage daughter, the academically-minded Rae (Sherry-Lee Watson), in their poky one-bedroom rental.But as strong as Pamela is on the page, with her pin-drop monologues about walking the estate in an outer city suburb somewhere in Australia, it’s Stewart who nails the bone weariness of Break of Day. As directed with urgent authority by Sarah Goodes, Stewart’s an empathy machine you can’t take your eyes or ears off. What’s Break of Day all about?  The working class. An increasingly amorphous group too-rarely...

Mark your calendars and gather your appetites as one of the largest and longest-running food industry trade shows lands in Melbourne. Fine Food Australia will take over the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from August 31 to September 3, with a stellar ensemble of the country's top chefs and leading food brands. Whether you drop by for one hour or come back every day, there’s no limit to how much you can pack in.  Start your sensory adventure in the Fine Food Australia exhibition hall, where more than 900 brands from across 30 countries will be sharing everything from natural and organic foods to specialty drinks, sustainable seafood and quality dairy. The stalls go beyond just food and drink, too, showcasing the most innovative catering equipment, retail technology, design services, packaging and more.  With so much information to soak up, we suggest filling your program with expert-run seminars and inspiring talks from industry leaders. You can discover an incredible line-up of chef-led demonstrations over at the Culinary Kitchen; gain insights from leading pastry chefs, chocolatiers and bakers at the Artisanal Bakehouse; learn how digital tools can streamline operations at the Talking Tech stage; hear the latest ideas shaping the industry at Talking Trends; and watch competitions like the Offical Great Aussie Pie contest.  This traders-only showcase is free to enter with pre-registration. A $45 fee applies to anyone who registers during the show days, online or...

The Mornington Peninsula, Great Ocean Road and Yarra Valley Chocolateries are famous for their month-long festival dedicated to hot chocolate in all its irresistible forms, and this year’s no different. A total of 31 limited-edition flavours will be available to try throughout August, with decadent options loaded with everything from giant marshmallows to golden syrup dumplings. Some of the flavours already revealed include Tipsy Lemon, which features a white chocolate cup filled with Limoncello ganache, piped meringue and a side of fresh biscotti; and Dot Cake, a take on the viral foodie trend complete with a polka dot-covered vanilla and white chocolate disc atop a milk chocolate hot chocolate. Heaven!  “This year’s Hot Chocolate Festival flavours are next level – we’ve been inspired to create adults-only ways to whisk with boozy accompaniments and extra decadent ingredients for melting, as well as whimsical ways to delight the kids with cute additions to dunk and slurp,” said head chocolatier, Allan Grandjean.  Can’t decide on just one hot choccie? Then the tasting sessions have your name on it. At $28 per person, it’s an opportunity to sample eight different flavours. You'll also get the chance to flex your culinary chops by choosing from different ingredients to make three bespoke creations. Throughout the festival, there’ll be a range of exclusive products available for purchase online, including DIY kits to recreate the hot chocolate magic at home. And you can also...

Melbourne’s cool and quirky winter festival of art, ideas, sound and technology is back from August 19–30. Across 12 days, more than 250 local and international artists will take over iconic venues and public spaces as part of Now or Never. This year’s theme, ‘A Whole New World’, explores how AI, immersive technology and digital storytelling are reshaping the way we see, hear and experience the world. Translation: expect plenty of things that make you stop and stare. The Royal Exhibition Building is at the heart of the action, with the particularly dreamy Somnia inviting audiences to spend the night beneath its famous dome. The overnight sleep concert features ambient pioneer William Basinski and Norwegian saxophonist Bendik Giske, so you can literally lie down and let the music wash over you. There’s a major celebration of American composer Philip Glass, with Orchestra Victoria performing In the Upper Room and concert pianist Maki Namekawa bringing his Piano Etudes 1–10 to life. You can also enjoy a breathwork and soundbath experience with First Nations artists David and Daniel Wilfred. Down by the Yarra River there will be free, large-scale light installations that transform the waterfront after dark. Look out for Taiwanese artist AKA Chang’s monumental laser work Multimmersion Upside Down V2 and Emily Parsons-Lord’s The Falls Before Us, which makes the Evan Walker Bridge appear to dissolve into mist. Meanwhile, Melbourne Town Hall gets a spectacular makeover, with...

NGV Friday Nights is back to kick-start your weekend with a glamorous glow-up. Taking place every Friday night until October 2, the National Gallery of Victoria will become the ultimate after-dark destination with the arrival of Cartier, the 2026 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition – yes, that's the same French luxury brand known for its designer jewellery and watches. Adding to the experience, ticket holders will also get access to Ragnar Kjartansson: Mercy, a new exhibition showcasing eight distinct video and film works from the Icelandic artist. NGV Friday Nights is your chance to wander through the gallery and enjoy a rotating line-up of live music, film screenings, food and, of course, Champagne. Each Friday brings a completely different vibe, with music residencies hosted by some of Melbourne’s biggest cultural names including the MSO, Melbourne International Jazz Festival and Wax Museum Records. Expect everything from jazz and soul to classical performances and DJs, with artists including Marley Del Prete, Yunior Terry Quartet, Raleigh Williams, Plexus and the MSO Cello Quartet taking the stage. Opera lovers are also in for a treat. On July 24 and September 11, Melbourne Opera will present Diamonds for the Diva – a special tribute to legendary Australian soprano Dame Nellie Melba GBE, who was one of Cartier’s early clients. Some of Melba’s Cartier jewels and memorabilia are also featured in the exhibition. Adding to the glamour are film screenings of classics...

If you thought history class was boring, Six the Musical is here to change your mind. Created by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, this high-energy musical returns to Australia and will be at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre from July 24. In this foot-tapping show, the six wives of King Henry VIII are reimagined as modern-day pop stars out to reclaim their stories. One by one, Catherine of Aragon (Sarah Murr), Anne Boleyn (Mia Paris Scalise), Jane Seymour (Cara Bessey), Anna of Cleves (Kadesa Honeyhill), Katherine Howard (Angela Brischetto) and Catherine Parr (Lorinda May Merrypor) take the mic, wowing you with their power ballads and rock anthems. Since its breakout debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017, the show has become a global sensation thanks to its infectious songs, sharp wit and empowering message. It’s making a triumphant return to Australia, so get ready to say “Yasss Queen”. For more info and to secure your tickets, head to the website.  Read on for our five-star review of Six the Musical from 2024. *** Divorced, beheaded… live? This unconventional pop rock musical takes a dry historical topic and turns it into a rowdy 80-minute concert to rival the Spice Girls themselves. Everyone knows that King Henry VIII had not four, not five, but six wives – enough to require a mnemonic technique to keep track. History has reduced the legacies of these ladies to little more than singular words in a rhyme detailing their fearsome fates, but what if we carved out space to...

There’s something so comforting about a pie. What’s not to love about the flaky, flavour-packed pocket of joy, warmed to perfection and slathered in tomato sauce? It’s little wonder, then, that one of the region’s most beloved winter drawcards is all about the hearty pastry. Returning for its fourth year this August 1-31, Ballarat’s Best Pie will see 30 bakeries, cafes, restaurants and pubs battle it out for the coveted title.  Take your pick from savoury and sweet (or both), with twists on traditional favourites and brand-new creations competing for the crown. This year’s line-up might be the most inventive yet, featuring everything from a chicken parma pie to a cheeseburger pie and an ice-cream pie inspired by Wagon Wheels.  Judging will take place on August 1, with a panel awarding winners across six categories before the full line-up is made available to the public, who have the entire month of August to try them out and vote for the People’s Choice. Better still, anyone who casts a vote will go in the draw to win a getaway to Ballarat.  Whether you’re a pie connoisseur or simply looking for a foodie getaway, there’s plenty to do in Ballarat this winter as the city warms up with a jam-packed program worth rugging up for. From a short film festival to a jousting championship, it's easy to see why Ballarat was recently named Australia’s happiest place with so much fun to be had. You can view the map of participating venues and follow the pie trail here.

In a world where misinformation travels faster than facts, photojournalism is the need of the hour. A powerful photograph bears witness, challenges perceptions and captures history in a unique, compelling way. The World Press Photo exhibition is coming to Victoria for the first time in a decade, with the Art Gallery of Ballarat presenting the acclaimed showcase at the Ballarat Mining Exchange from August 8 to September 20. And, yes, entry is completely free. Run by the World Press Photo Foundation, this year's showcase features work selected from an astonishing 57,376 photographs submitted by 3,747 photographers across 141 countries. The 42 winning images range from defining global news events to stories that have flown under the radar. From conflict and courage, resilience and resistance, climate change and conservation, gender politics and human rights – the photos offer an unflinching snapshot of our times. Australian audiences will also find a local story among the winners. Sydney Morning Herald photographer Edwina Pickles is recognised for her powerful image documenting last year's Bondi Beach terror attacks, while fellow Sydney Morning Herald photographer Nicky Catley serves as one of this year's judges. The exhibition travels to more than 60 cities across the globe and this is a chance for Victorians to experience it in all its guts and glory. The World Press Photo exhibition runs from August 8 to September 20 at the Ballarat Mining Exchange. Entry is free, and you...