Things to do in Melbourne this weekend

My first encounter with the viridescent power of Wicked was through the sliding door of a suburban dance studio. Face pressed against the glass, I strained to hear the optimistic refrains of ‘One Short Day’, eyes bulging and dopamine levels skyrocketing. So widespread is the pop-cultural impact of this fan favourite musical, that half of Melbourne likely has a similar memory of discovering Wicked.  This faithful revival of the bewitching blockbuster sees the show fly into Melbourne for the third time in 15 years with an abundance of pine-hued pizazz, after celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Broadway premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. It’s also worth noting that the Gregory Maguire novel that forms the basis of the plot was published back in 1995. After all this time, it’s only fair to check in and ask: does Wicked remain evergreen? The costumes, choreography and sets are as slick as they come, which is exactly what’s expected from a show that’s had this many chances to get it ‘right’. This version of Wicked is not reinventing the wheel – instead it’s the cast who keep the cogs turning in a fresh way.   There’s no mistaking that these performers are magical. While Melbourne always loves to get a show before Sydney, our advantage here is that the cast has had time to fully take command of their characters – and they’re flourishing.  Courtney Monsma’s G(a)linda is slap-your-knees, let-out-a-squeal funny. She re-shapes the virtue-signalling mean girl role and makes Glinda

The “Matilda for grown-ups” comparisons are true: this Australian premiere burrows all the way down into the depths of despair and climbs triumphantly back out again, all within two snappy acts.  As per the classic 1993 film starring Bill Murray, Groundhog Day takes place on a very big day in a very small Pennsylvanian town. Each year on February 2, a large rodent emerges from his burrow to predict when winter will end. The Olivier Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated Andy Karl stars as Phil Connors, the jaded weatherman who gets sucked into a time loop covering the perky celebration over and over (and over) again.  A musical adaptation of a film about becoming a better person runs the risk of feeling twee. However, Tim Minchin’s zingingly clever lyrics and Danny Rubin’s gutsy book take the essence of the film and wring out considerably more depth and grit to give the musical its own more mature personality. What would you really do if you were trapped repeating the same average-at-best day forever? Groundhog Day takes this premise and stretches it to all its thorny extremes, and isn’t afraid to get dark as hell in the process. This is a musical that fully embraces its format, combining unabashed theatrics with some A-grade scumbag antics and moments of heart wrenching depression from Phil. Each scene takes things a step further than expected, whether that be into malarkey or melancholia, and is all the better for it. Andy Karl’s performance as Phil is nothing short of supe

Are you ready to laugh so hard it hurts? One of the largest comedy festivals in the world, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) returns next month with a program that promises to be as entertaining as it is expansive.  Since being launched in 1987 by Barry Humphries and Peter Cook, the festival has since grown to become Australia's largest cultural ticketed event offering both family entertainment and show-stopping adult performances. After Montreal's Just for Laughs and the Edinburgh Fringe, MICF is the third-largest comedy festival in the world and attracts the crème de la crème of comedians from across Australia and around the globe.  In 2024, you can expect a mammoth line-up of international performers such as Atsuko Okatsuka (USA), Carl Donnelly (UK), David O’Doherty (Ireland), Fern Brady (Scotland), Larry Dean (Scotland), Chloe Petts (UK), Julia Masli (Estonia), Lara Ricote (Mexico), John Hastings (Canada), Arj Barker (USA), Jason Leong (Malaysia), Melanie Bracewell (NZ), Jimeoin (Ireland), Spankie Jackzon (NZ), Urzila Carlson (NZ) and more.  As for local acts, you can see the likes of Aaron Chen, Ali McGregor, Anna Piper Scott, Anne Edmonds, Aurelia St Clair, Celia Pacquola, Christian Hull, Claire Hooper, Dave Hughes, Fergus Neal, Gen Fricker, Geraldine Hickey, Gillian Cosgriff, Hannah Gadsby, Joel Creasey, Jon Walpole, Julian O’Shea, Lizzy Hoo, Lou Wall, Mel and Sam, Nazeem Hussain, Nina Oyama, Prue Blake, Reuben Kaye, Rhys Nicholson, Scout Boxall, Sez,

Italian polymath, painter, inventor and astounding genius Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most celebrated artists and scientists of all time, yet seeing his works is typically out of reach for the average Aussie. Well, all that’s about to change thanks to the Lume Melbourne’s new immersive experience opening on March 16.  Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius will feature massive projections of some of the world’s most famous works of art, including the ‘Mona Lisa’ and ‘The Last Supper’. These four-storey high projections showcase da Vinci’s breathtaking Renaissance paintings in a way that’s much more accessible than a trip to the Louvre.  Alongside da Vinci’s visually stunning artworks, this exhibition will also focus on his excellence as an inventor with ideas far beyond his era. His pioneering work in architecture and engineering laid the foundation for the technology we enjoy today. That’s why alongside his art, the exhibition will also feature groundbreaking inventions from his notebooks recreated to scale by Italian artisans, including flying machine concepts that predate human flight by more than 400 years.  As if that wasn’t exciting enough, for the first time in history, original pages of da Vinci’s sketches and writings will touch down in Australia. The Codex Atlanticus is a 500-year-old collection of Leonardo’s innermost workings, previously displayed in the likes of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Louvre. Now, Melburnians and visitors alike will be able t

Grab your wands and your Hogwarts house tie, because a brand new magical experience that is every Potterhead's dream is coming to Melbourne. Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience is apparating to the Mornington Peninsula in 2024, with a mystical encounter that will have you living out your witch or wizard fantasies in the muggle world. Follow in the daring footsteps of Harry himself through the infamous Forbidden Forest, where you'll meet hippogriffs and unicorns, as well as cast powerful spells. The outdoor trail adventure will lead you on a fully immersive journey, finishing with a Potter-themed village that has food, drink and merch on offer. Warner Bros is bringing this exciting experience Down Under after whirlwind success in the US, UK and Europe, with the Forbidden Forest making its Australian debut deep in the woods of Mt Martha next April.  Suitable for fans of all ages, tickets for this magical experience are on sale now. You can find out more on the website here.  Looking for more fun things to do in Melbourne? Check out what's on this week here. 

The world's most extensive and authentic exhibition about the famed (and doomed) Titanic will sail into Melbourne Museum this December. Coming directly from a sold-out run in Paris, Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition will transport visitors inside the famous ship more than a century after its demise via an intricate recreation of its hallowed halls that feature real relics.  Melburnians will have the chance to step back in time to the year 1912, collecting a boarding pass to relive the historic day when the Titanic embarked on its ill-fated maiden voyage. Inside the exhibition are meticulous recreations of the ship’s interiors, including the grand staircase, first-class parlour suite and verandah café. For fans of the beloved James Cameron film, this is a chance to be immersed in the settings that inspired some truly iconic cinematic moments.  The landmark exhibition will also include more than 200 genuine artefacts retrieved from the site of the shipwreck in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, many of them possessions of the passengers and crew onboard. Visitors will be able to dive into the human stories of the people who took the fateful voyage, exposing the eye-opening reality of the infamous tragedy. It's sure to provide an incredible insight into the harsh truth of the Titanic – but unfortunately, it won’t give any further intel as to whether both Jack and Rose could have fit on the door.  'Titanic: The Artefact Exhibition' opened exclusively at Melbourne Museum on December

Last year was a bloody great one for award-winning comedian, writer and composer Lou Wall. They received a prestigious Moosehead Award, their Melbourne International Comedy Festival show was well-received, and they scored a sweet TV gig on the ABC. The only problem is their personal life went to shit in pretty much every way imaginable (yes, we really mean that).  If you’re thinking the title of Wall’s latest show, The Bisexual’s Lament, is starting to look quite literal, you’d be exactly right. This show is the definition of making some (distinctly horrific) lemons into lemonade, and that lemonade tastes quirky, acidic in its anarchy and just a little sweet.  Always equal parts chaotic queer and comedic powerhouse, Wall first takes a ride on an audience member’s scooter, before lamenting the burden of being the first comedian ever to go through a breakup. They then launch into a list of things that made them laugh during a “c**t of a year”. An early 2000s-style PowerPoint, rapid-fire anecdotes and intermittent singing ensues, as Wall puts all their faith in the old adage ‘tragedy plus time equals comedy’ and comes out swinging.  Slideshow comedy seems to be especially popular at this year’s festival, but we can confidently assert that no one does it quite like Wall, who is a true master. This is no dull presentation, but rather a mile-a-minute lesson in multimedia storytelling, with memes and selfies zipping by faster than you could swipe your TikTok feed.  From the nightmar

Update December 4, 2023: Due to popular demand, the dates for the BBC Earth Experience have been extended until April. Also, new session types have been introduced, including adults-only time slots every Thursday night and special seniors sessions, scheduled every second Friday. There will also be selected dates for relaxed, sensory-friendly sessions and pram sessions. These new sessions will begin in February, 2024. Plus, the experience is introducing children's activities with new Kids Passports, with children able to earn passport stamps by completing tasks. Find out more on the website.  There are few voices more recognisable and beloved than that of Sir David Attenborough's. For decades now, the famous British biologist's dulcet tones have accompanied countless incredible documentaries showcasing the wonders of the planet we call home.   A new immersive audiovisual experience from BBC Earth will transport you inside one of those documentaries at the Melbourne Convention Centre this year. Stepping in, you'll be surrounded by massive multi-angle screens playing a documentary from one of BBC Studios' award-winning natural history series, Seven Worlds, One Planet. Of course, it'll be accompanied by the voice of Sir Attenborough, who'll guide you on a 360-degree journey to far-off places across the globe, unveiling the intricacies of the natural world. You'll see up-close visions of all kinds of animals, from fireflies and monkeys to cassowaries and so much more.  The world-f

For most of us, Lego is a nostalgic hobby from bygone childhood years, but there are an exceptional few who took these tiny building blocks from a fun pastime to the next level. Lego artist Nathan Sawaya is one of these talented individuals who is showcasing his fascinating sculptures with a new exhibition that has to be seen to be believed.  The Art of the Brick Immersive Experience exhibition features more than 100 contemporary artworks, all crafted using more than one million Lego bricks to make large-scale, life-like creations.  After a sold-out season back in 2011, it's returning to our city as part of a huge world tour with brand new pieces, having already visited 100 cities across 24 countries. Sawaya is the only person in the world who has the double title of Lego Master Model Builder and Lego Certified Professional. Whoa.  Some of the works showcased in the exhibition include a giant version of Sawaya's most famous sculpture, 'Yellow', which stands at more than six feet tall, plus an installation with 250 kinetic Lego skulls, a piece called 'Infinity Rainbow' that features seven life-sized sculptures, the 30-foot long 'Big Swimmer', dazzling 360-degree digital projections and lots more. The Art of the Brick Immersive Experience opens on April 14 at the Melbourne Showgrounds. Tickets go on sale on March 21 at 7pm, and you can sign up for the waitlist here. Find out more about the exhibition at the website.  Looking for more things to do? Check out our guide to what's

There has been a disappointing run of big name shows underserved by low-key production design of late, with both the revivals of Rocky Horror and Grease seriously lacking in the razzle-dazzle department. So why does a similarly stripped-back staging of musical maestro Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb’s Chicago pull it off, like so many of the cast’s silken mesh costume changes? Perhaps something in the bare bones of this deceptively dark comedy, set in the Windy City in the fast and loose 1920s, lends itself to simplicity? Delivered via a sassy brawl between warring molls Velma Kelly (Zoë Ventoura) and Roxie Hart (Lucy Maunder), it’s a broken bottle-sharp commentary on an America that values celebrity crime most malignant over justice and the good of heart, that cuts even deeper now we’re staring down the barrel of a possible second Trump term. That swirling, prophetic darkness lends itself well to scenic designer John Lee Beatty’s darkened stage flanked by cabaret chairs and dominated by a bandstand atop which gamely charismatic musical director James Simpson leads a brass-heavy band through John Kander’s razzmatazz music.  “Give ‘em an act with lots of flash in it, and the reaction will be passionate … What if your hinges all are rusting? What if, in fact, you’re just disgusting?”The contradiction is inherent in the work. And so when Roxie opens the show by shooting dead the beefy but not bright Fred Casely (Devon Braithwaite, a stand-out in a spectacular ensemble) because he had the