Things to do in Sydney this week

I last watched the film adaptation of The Talented Mr Ripley in the summer of 2023 – the summer that Saltburn hit our screens and mesmerised us all with its intoxicating, messed-up depiction of a complex, envy-ridden friendship. Saltburn director Emerald Fennell came under a lot of flak for what many people viewed as a barefaced rip-off of Patricia Highsmith’s beloved 1950s novel. And though the people wielding that claim have a point (Saltburn seems to borrow a lot from Ripley: the dynamic between the protagonists, the complexity and nuance of a minor class divide, even the sexy bathtub scene), the more I watch both, the more I’m reminded that this is a story as old as time. In both Saltburn and The Talented Mr Ripley, we see a starry-eyed boy driven to the furthest extremes by a toxic curdle of admiration, lust, and hatred. It’s a story that’s played out in literature forever, with characters in Greek mythology, Roman comedy, and Shakespearean tragedy all following similar journeys of envy, deceit, and attempts at stolen identity. In Sydney Theatre Company’s new production of The Talented Mr Ripley, the story is executed with masterful comic brilliance and a chilling, sociopathic undertone. As an audience, you’re carried on an all-consuming journey by characters you learn to hate but root for all the same.  What’s the premise of The Talented Mr Ripley? The play follows the slightly awkward, desperately socially unsatisfied Tom Ripley (whose status anxiety is perfectly...

There’s nothing quite like witnessing a great composer’s work come to life through the expertise of a conductor who has lived and breathed their work for 30 years. Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Chief Conductor, the immensely talented Simone Young, is considered one of the leading interpreters of Strauss around the globe, and this September, she’s bringing his work to life at the Sydney Opera House with four spectacular performances.  The occasion marks Young’s highly-anticipated return to Sydney and she’s joined by the artistry of internationally-renowned pianist Andrea Lam. Lam shines in ‘Burleske’, a colourful piano concerto from Strauss’ earlier era. On the other end of his career, ‘Metamorphosen’ turns attention to 23 of the orchestra’s string players as a reflective ode to the losses of WWII.  And of course, it isn’t a Strauss concert without a rendition of ‘Thus Spoke Zarathustra’. The piece has firmly marked itself in pop culture, still famous more than a hundred years after it was written thanks to its inclusion on the soundtrack of ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ and later ‘Toy Story 2’, ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘Barbie’.  Simone Young is considered one of the Sydney Symphony’s ‘Architects of Sound’, designing and shaping the jaw-dropping power and intensity of this extraordinary orchestra. Watch her conduct Richard Strauss from September 3 to 6. Purchase your tickets here.

Most people know a Suntory beverage. Maybe it’s the mega popular Minus 196 cans, the ultimate to-go Boss Coffee, the refined Roku Gin or premium Japanese whiskies. What we guarantee you *don’t* know is just how many popular labels it owns: think everything from Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark to Canadian Club. And now, you can experience more than 125 years of Suntory’s history and innovation all in one place – for the next three months. Say hello to Sydney’s new Suntory Bar. The Japanese spirit company has chosen the city’s only Japanese culture and dining precinct, Prefecture 48 on Sussex Street, as host for the residency. The moody Whisky Thief bar with gorgeous historic artwork and marbletop counters is the place to be when you clock off. Choose between timeless highballs, signature serves, special cocktails, RTDs, The Premium Malt beer and whisky flights crafted by the team at Prefecture 48 in collaboration with Suntory.  The must-try tipple of the affair is the Highball. While it’ll be dished up with a range of Suntory whiskies (it’s what Suntory’s known for in Japan), we say try the spotlight cocktail, the Hakushu Highball, first. Not only is it a refreshing mix of Hakushu Distiller’s Reserve, soda and mint, but it’s been paired with an exclusive snack from the genius Michelin Star chef Tetsuya Wakuda (you know, from *the* Tetsuya’s). Now’s the chance to sample Wakuda’s cuisine since his eminent Sydney restaurant closed last year – that’s a golden opportunity if we ever...

At the northern tip of Australia, in north-east Arnhem Land, lies Yirrkala  – it’s an internationally renowned arts community whose work has shaped history and challenged convention. The good news? You don’t need a plane ticket or a 4WD to experience its power. From now until October, Yolŋu power: the art of Yirrkala brings the beauty and brilliance of Yirrkala’s art to Sydney.  Featuring nearly 300 works by 98 artists, the exhibition spans bark paintings and wooden sculptures to video art and digital installations. Each piece speaks to the deep cultural, political and social histories from which it emerged – revealing tradition not as static, but as a living force of innovation and resistance. Our hack? Explore the exhibition on a Wednesday night at Art After Hours – not only will it feel like you’re making the most of your week, but you can score two-for-one tickets* from 5pm to 10pm.  Catch Yolŋu power: the art of Yirrkala at the Art Gallery of New South Wales until October 6. Tickets start from $13 for youth (free for children under 12) and $20 for members. Book yours here.  Yolŋu power: the art of Yirrkala is supported proudly by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. The exhibition is presented in partnership with the Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre. *Terms and Conditions apply, head to artgallery.nsw.gov.au for details.

As I’m on my way to Sydney's Capitol Theatre for the new Australian production of The Book of Mormon, my friend tells me it’s the very first musical a lot of people see. Created by South Park duo Trey Parker and Matt Stone (with Robert Lopez), the show’s reputation for extremely irreverent jabs at religion draws a non-traditional theatre crowd. What I now realise my friend didn’t mean was, “it’s often the first musical kids see”. When I say the musical is extremely irreverent, I mean it. The humour is crass, verging on grotesque (some things I wouldn’t dare repeat). So it’s probably questionable that I’ve brought along my 13-year-old son with me. That said, he loves it.  Some of the humour is classic teen boy (i.e. a regular exclamation from one of the Ugandan characters that he has “maggots in my scrotum”). Very South Park. My son laughs loudly with the rest of the audience – and when the jokes go too far, he cringes, glancing around with a “should I be laughing at this?” look. Although the shock value is high, it’s nice seeing a Gen Alpha-ite who’s been raised on Youtube and other screen-based entertainment bopping along in his seat to the song and dance of a stage show.    What’s the premise of The Book of Mormon? The Book of Mormon tells the story of two young Mormon missionaries sent to a small village in Uganda. Although the story centres on Mormonism, Parker and Stone have been known to refer to the show as an “atheist’s love letter to religion” – a wink and a jab...

In musical theatre circles, Cats is the show that everyone loves to hate, dismissing it as “weird” and “uncool”. So let me begin this review by stating that I love Cats. I listened to the cast recording over and over as a child, I met my best friend on a Cats mailing list (remember those?) when I was sixteen, and there's probably still some old Cats fanfiction floating around out there that I wrote in my teens. This much maligned show doesn't deserve the hate it gets.  When Cats was first performed in the early 1980s, it was hailed as groundbreaking, bridging the gap between concept musicals and mega musicals in a way no show had done before. It won both Olivier and Tony awards for best musical, and ran for decades on the West End and Broadway. These days, it’s viewed more as a “guilty pleasure” – the show you secretly enjoy but are supposed to pretend you don’t, lest you be seen as uncultured. But why? Concept musicals based around a theme rather than a traditional narrative have existed since the 1950s, with notable examples including Cabaret, Hair and Company. Dance-heavy musicals are also not a unique concept. Cats isn't even the only show to combine these two elements. But while shows like A Chorus Line and Pippin are hailed as iconic, Cats – which is essentially A Chorus Line with tails – is not shown the same love.  Cats may not be too heavy on the plot, but it’s a show for people who love the little details Much of the criticism surrounding Cats comes from wanting...

Need a new profile pic? We’ve got you.  One of the world’s biggest immersive experiences has just landed in the Harbour City – serving up a fun, surreal backdrop for your Instagram grid glow-up . Bubble Planet: An Immersive Experience is open now at Paddington Pavilion, Sydney Olympic Park, offering Sydneysiders a transporting, ultra-Instagrammable experience. Already experienced by more than two million visitors around the world, with sell-out runs in Milan, Los Angeles, London and Brussels, Bubble Planet is a fantastical world of optical illusions, cutting-edge virtual reality experiences, giant bubbles, and next-level immersive projections. Visitors to the Sydney site can expect to embark on a dreamlike journey through more than 10 otherworldly rooms, home to giant bubble domes, LED underwater-style wonderlands, selfie hubs and VR dreamscapes.  Almost 10,000 tickets were sold ahead of the official opening, so we expect this one will be another sell-out run for the people who brought the incredible immersive Van Gogh experience to Sydney back in 2020. Session at this bizarre immersive world run for between 60-90 minutes, and the experience is suitable for people of all ages – with kids under four welcomed in for free. Keen? You can learn more and snap up tickets over here.    Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, things to do and travel inspo, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED: Want more activity inspo? Here’s what’s on in...

Jazz lovers and New Orleans dreamers, this one’s for you. This year, a super immersive live music experience is landing in Sydney – brought to life by Fever, the team behind Sydney’s much-loved Candlelight concerts. ‘The Jazz Room: A Journey to the Heart of New Orleans’ is swinging into town after wowing audiences across Europe, the UK, and the US – here’s what you need to know. Fittingly, the shows will be held at the glamorous Albert Palais, a beautifully restored heritage-listed 1920s Art Deco venue in Leichhardt. The soul-stirring musical performances will transport you back to 1920s’ New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz.  A talented lineup of musicians will perform so many of the iconic jazz, rhythm and blues’ classics you’ll recognise including Hello Dolly (Louis Armstrong), On the Sunny Side of the Street (Jimmy McHugh) and When The Saints Go Marching In (Jazz Standard). Think jazz is all about the riff? You're not wrong, and the artists will be breaking into spontaneous improvisation (the hallmark of the genre) throughout.  Ready to travel back in time? Book some tickets, grab a cocktail, and settle in for an evening of toe-tapping rhythm, ragtime vibes, and all that jazz. ‘The Jazz Room: A Journey to the Heart of New Orleans’ will run on various Friday nights from August through December, with two seatings (one at 6.30pm and one at 8.30pm) every evening. Tickets start at $49, and you can snap up yours over here.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out...

If you can’t quite hack the requisite international airfare and/or annual leave to explore the Amazon, meet polar bears, or go deep sea diving right now, there is another method for getting up close and personal with some of the world’s most incredible animals.  For the 60th year in a row, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will arrive in Sydney on loan from London’s Natural History Museum. Taking root at the National Maritime Museum, this stunning collection of photographs will be on show in Sydney from Thursday, May 15 until Sunday, October 19.  This incredibly prestigious photography event is centred on drawing attention to the wild beauty and fragility of the natural world. This year, judges had to look at a baffling 59,228 entries from photographers of all ages and experience levels from 117 countries and territories, and were faced with the near-impossible task of whittling these down to just over 100 photo finalists. The images that made this year’s exhibition captures mesmerising snapshots of fascinating animal behaviour and stunning secret moments in the hearts of the world’s most unreachable places.The prestigious Grand Title this year went to Canadian Marine Conservation Photojournalist, Shane Gross, for his incredible underwater image of a community of western toad tadpoles. The award for Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year went to German photographer Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas for his up-close image Life Under Dead Wood. Of the talented Aussie...

It’s imperative that you do not eat before you visit the Carriageworks Farmers Markets. You’ll want to save maximum belly space for your personal version of The Bachelorette where you decide who gets your dollars and what delicious produce gets to come home with you. Maybe you like something soupy and savoury first thing? In that case head to Bar Pho for a traditional Vietnamese start to the day. On the veggie train? Hit up Keppos St Kitchen for a falafel breakfast, or head to Food Farm for a classic bacon and egg roll.Once the hounds of your hunger have been quieted it’s time to prepare for your next meal, or seven. Stock up on artisan cheese from Leaning Oak, smoked salmon from Brilliant Foods and Sydney’s favourite sourdough from AP Bakery and brunch is sorted. You can spend a whole lot of money if you want to here, but equally you could just grab a kombucha on tap from Herbs of Life and find a chair for some of the best dog-watching in the city.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel tips and city insights, straight to your inbox. Hungry for more? Look at our list of the best markets in Sydney – produce or otherwise.