A trinity of treats from the VoxInbox: a beloved musical returns to Melbourne, Eastgardens goes all swank on us, and a legendary mum’s quilted exquisiteries will be explained by her son.
MELBOURNE
AWARD WINNING MUSICAL WICKED will launch a limited encore season in Melbourne’s Regent Theatre on Saturday, May 10, 2014, before touring to Sydney and Brisbane. Lucy Durack, currently singing Elle Woods in the Melbourne production of Legally Blonde, will head the cast as Glinda the Good. Steve Danielsen, a bit player on Australian TV including Offspring and Neighbours, is tipped as “One to watch” and will also graduate from Legally Blonde to his first lead role as Wicked’s Fiyero. Veteren Maggie Kirkpatrick is also in the main cast with Glen Hogstrom, Emily Cascarino and Edward Grey supported by ensemblers Justin Anderson, Daniel Assetta, Dion Bilios, Rachel Cole, Danielle Cook, Daniel Downing, Danielle Evrat, Mitch Fistrovic, Tom Handley, Emma Hawthorne, Matt Holly, Angela Lumicisi, Katie McKee, Kassie Martin, John O’Hara, Deanna O’Leary, Joseph O’Sullivan, Justine Puy, Chris Scalzo, Pharic Scott, Ryan Sheppard, Ellen Sutton, Monica Swayne and Sophie Wright. “WICKED is a phenomenon, the most beloved musical of the past decade,” says Australia co-producer John Frost. “(it) appeals to everyone from 8 to 80. People love it for so many different reasons – some come for the engrossing story, some for the astonishing sets and costumes, some for the soaring ballads, some for the deeper messages, and some to see the life-affirming friendship between the two girls who grow up to be Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.” The limited Australian season is part of the musical’s 10th anniversary world tour. More than 36 million people have seen Wicked productions across the US, Europe and Asia. It has grossed more than $US2.9million, won a swag of Grammy, Tony, Helpmann and other awards and been variously described as “the defining musical of the decade” and “the most successful musical on Broadway”. Tickets, from $69.90 (plus fees) for the Melbourne leg of the Australian tour go on sale next week, July 22, at ticketmaster.com.au, 1300 111 011, www.wickedthemusical.com.au.
SYDNEY
WESTFIELD EASTGARDENS WILL HOST FIVE DAYS OF FREE ENTERTAINMENT , fashion shows and celebrity appearances to trumpet draw-card tenants in its first stage of re-development including Cue, Swarovski, Nike, Country Road, Bardot, Cotton On, Sportscraft, Michael Hill and Wanted Shoes. The centre, on Bunnerong Road, Eastgardens, is just 10 minutes from Sydney’s CBD and five from the airport with potential to be an easy-access first-choice destination for legions of mall-fashion shoppers (otherwise known as mall-fashers). Next Thursday, July 18, festivities kick off with a performance by singer Prinnie Stephens and a Myer fashion show hosted by the store’s ambassadors Laura Dundovic and Kris Smith.From Friday, the line-up includes appearances, performances and workshops by Westfield stylists Donny Galella and Livia Tassanyi, fashion designer Charlie Brown, Wanted Shoes ambassador Cheyenne Tozzi, singer Samantha Jade, Celebrity chefs Pete Evans and Julie Goodwin and for kidlets, The Wiggles. The first stage of Eastgardens’ redevelopment includes marble floors and sophisticated fittings and furnishings with a second stage planned to ramp up the glamour even more. A restaurant precinct will open before the end of the year with Bondi Pizza, San Churro, Ribs & Burgers, Langsuan Thai and Sedap (Malaysian cuisine) among the earliest confirmed tenants. www.westfield.com.au/eastgardens
Prinnie Stephens
IT’S SWITCHING TIME – WINTER TO SPRING and, after two months of slashing, we’re down to the wire. Sixty per cent, 75 per cent, even 90 per cent off; any price to purge fashion’s racks and storerooms and warehouses. Voxfrock can hear the gunshot cracks of a thousand fashion manufacturers hearts cracking, can’t you?. We commiserate (how could you not, with giants Lisa Ho and Kirrily Johnston so recently joining the ranks of the fallen?) However. There is no denying these are bitter-silvery times for everyday Voxfrockians. Shopping for Australian fashion exquisitries is a thrill-a-trip treasure hunt with “Sale” banners lighting the way. We won’t, in the interests of taste and space, run the dozens of eye-popping sale notices currently clogging our inbox. We suspect you have a clog of your own. But, we will mention our favorite gob-smackers from time to time, and cross our fingers, legs and eyes this tiny, Voxfrocky contribution helps clear a rack or 20.Nicola Finetti’s end of season ware house sale for example, is likely to be a queue-for-all at suite 12, 617 Elizabeth Street in Redfern next Thursday and Friday, July 18 and 19 from 10 am. to 7 pm., and Sunday, July 20 from 10 am. to 6 pm. The Finetti exquisitries from current (retail) winter and previous seasons (Nicola Finetti, we declare here, is a particular favorite of Voxfrock’s younger, female interns) will go off for up to 85 per cent discounted prices, with samples, unique pieces and cocktail dresses starting from a paltry $20. Best get a wiggle on then, eh?, www.nicolafinetti.com, (02) 9698 6497 (Main picture, top, Nicola Finetti curved godet coffee dress was $555, now $194.25.)
Nicola Finetti’s block
panel shift was $410 in its fresh-racked hey-day , now you can snaffle it for $143.50.
BRISBANE
QUILTS CRAFTED BY ARTIST RUTH STONELEY will be exhibited at Queensland Art Gallery from Saturday, July 13 to October 7. “Ruth Stoneley: A Stitch in Time” is a local compliment to the gallery’s “Quilts 1700 – 1945”, an exhibition from London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. Ruth Stoneley was born in 1940 and died in 2007 after a rich and long career as an artist and mentor. She exhibited her quilts, described as “vibrant and expressive” around the world and is regarded as a legend by many quiltmakers. A Stitch in Time is free and follows Stoneley’s early experiments with classic techniques, through to her free and abstract flights of colour, texture and pattern. The works include the red and cream cotton, “It’s not all sweetness and light, 1983,” from the gallery’s permanent collection and a striking series of black quilts including “Mystery 1984” on loan from the Tamworth Regional Gallery and “Starting over 1991”, one of many loans from Mrs. Stoneley’s family. Next Thursday, July 18, Mrs. Stoneley’s son Adam, will share insights into his mother’s life and work with exhibition curator Bree Richards at 2.30 pm. in the gallery lecture theatre. At 3.30 pm. freelance textile conservator Dr. Michael Marendy will discuss how to store and hang precious quilts at home. Both events are free, and no bookings required, www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/stoneley
Ruth Stoneley photographed in front of Starting Over 1991, from the ‘Dreams and Realities’ exhibition, Roz MacAllan Gallery, Brisbane, 7 March 1991 Photograph: Richard Stringer
Among Queensland Art Gallery’s forthcoming exhibitions, ‘California Design 1930-1965: Living in a Modern Way’, November 2 until February 9, 2014, explores the sun-soaked US state’s part in shaping material culture around the world. Organised by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), it will exhibit 250 objects of furniture, ceramics, metalwork, fashion and textiles, industrial and graphic design.From November 23 to April 2014, ‘Cai Guo-Qiang: Falling Back to Earth’ in the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) is an exhibition of new works by Chinese-American contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang including his signature 2006 work Head On, an installation of 99 replica wolves crashing through a glass wall. Heritage is another spectacular installation of 99 life-size plus 10 per cent sculptures of giraffes, elephants, pandas, lions, tigers, wombats and kangaroos posed around a white sand lake. www.qagoma.qld.gov.au
Compiled by Terry Carruthers with Candice Burke intern@voxfrock.com.au
