Slowpoke Espresso- 157 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

As I strolled through the back streets of the city this morning, breathing in the cool frosty air and watching the new buds on trees bloom, I found myself once again gravitating towards my favourite haunt- Brunswick St.

After noticing I had been walking for a while, I also realised that I was starving, and as I’m always on the hunt for something new, I remembered a friend’s recommendation of a place that had recently opened up at the city end of Brunswick Street, away from the hustle and bustle that I am used to.

So wanting a bit of a change, I set off in search of Slowpoke.

As I entered, I was greeted with a warm and friendly smile, which made me feel like I was a regular, I felt right at home.

As I glanced at the breakfast/brunch menu written up on a chalk board, I became a little worried, although everything looked delicious, it was heavily laden with bakery treats. There I stood, a gluten intolerant member of society, so eager to participate in this cozy cafe. Could a place that looks so organic friendly forget about people like me?

With an unsure smile I asked, “Do you have anything gluten free?” to which the barista replied- “Of course, we can do pretty much everything on the menu gluten free!”

HOORAH!! relief-

Like Willy Wonka opening the doors to the “Chocolate room” a whole new delectable world had opened up to me!

What shall I have? I pondered. The olive toast with roasted cherry tomatoes, ricotta and herbs?  Fruit toast with jam/honey and ricotta? Grilled cheese, cream corn and smoked paprika on toast? Or how about a googie egg with soldier fingers?

After much deliberation, I decided to try their avocado and fetta mash on gluten free walnut toast with herbs and chilli for only $10! As it was such a bargain, I decided to add a soft boiled egg for $2.50 and an organic ginger beer.

Talk about cheap eats and deliciousness!?! It was actually amazing- perfectly seasoned and a slice of lemon to zest it up!

I sat at the breakfast bar in the window, watching Brunswick St pass by, enjoying my gluten free, organic goodies and sighed a happy sigh of content.

Slowpoke uses organic and locally sourced produce as much as possible. Their meat and eggs are organic, biodynamic or free range.

This new business shines with its fantastic service, immaculate presentation (the espresso cups for salt and pepper are especially cute) and accommodating staff.

Slowpoke Cafe, my friends, is a winner-with a fresh white coat of paint, light and dark contrasting wooden panels- long shared dining tables as well as intimate separate tables, a courtyard and gorgeous country feel and it’s extensive breakfast and brunch menu any diner will have a fabulous experience.

Do yourself a favour and experience a “Slowpoke” today!

*Slowpoke is open every day except Mondays from 7am-3:30pm with a liquor licence pending- which will hopefully mean longer hours!

Kismet- The Production Company 2011

The Production Company launched it’s latest creation “Kismet” last night at the State Theatre to rapturous applause. Kismet follows the love story shared between Josh Piterman (West Side Story) and Janet Todd (The Magic Flute) as a tale of love and mistaken identity set in the Bazaar’s and green gardens of Bagdad. This desert tale set in the time of “The Arabian Nights” follows the story of two would be lovers. Kismet meaning ‘“Fate” twists and turns surrounding the character “Marsinah’s Father/Hajj” who is the victim of mistaken identity. Really a poet, the man momentarily takes the place of a beggar, He is mistaken for the real “Hajj” and is taken away to undo a curse “Hajj” put onto a criminal many years earlier. He soon turns the mistaken identity to his favor and assumes the role of mystical wizard for much needed profit. After a few twists of fate and lucky timing he becomes advisor to the Wazir magically cursing and un-cursing at will. Meanwhile, his daughter falls unknowingly in love with the Caliph. Kismet is a rags to riches tale reminiscent of a reverse Aladdin-Where a poor girl falls in love with a prince. To be honest, some of the story was lost on me- I felt that some songs could be cut and the story line developed a little more throughly as some of the relationships between characters were poorly explained. Ensemble were great, the show was slick, costuming was vibrant and the singing was infallible, however I fear that with most Production Company shows it’s more of a”blue rinse” crowd who would really enjoy the piece. Personally I thought the star of the show was Mitchell Butel (Avenue Q, The Mikado) who gives the audience much needed comic relief with his character the Wazir. His comic timing and fantastic delivery, for me, was really what made Kismet an enjoyable piece. Winning a Tony Award in 1954 for Best Musical and several revivals across the globe- Kismet is sure to please the whole family- Grandparents and Children especially! Kismet is playing at the State theatre with a limited 6 shows only! From the 17th through to the 21st of August. Book here online for tickets and show times. 

Spring Awakening- Melbourne Premiere…

As the crowd settled on Thursday night, little did they know what they were getting in to…

Spring Awakening (based on a Frank Wedekind play written in 1891) A controversial piece originally banned, explores taboo subjects including teen sex, abortion, suicide and rape and the consequences of a close minded society on young adults coming of age, eager for truth, knowledge and guidance.

These kind of topics are not usually known for a fun or entertaining night out-

However…

The house lights go down and the dimly lit stage is dotted with young actors ready to tackle the piece. As Shannen Chin-Quan (Wendler) opens with the stirring “Mamma who bore me”  it is clear that this young teen has a bright future. She sings with impeccable precision and pitch and has to do so little to make a connection with the audience. Aleksa Kurbalija also shines as the Male lead (Melchior) who approaches the role with maturity and professionalism. The subject matter is hard to deal with whatever your age but the teenage cast (aged 16-19) embrace the piece with open minds and open hearts.

Although I knew what themes the musical dealt with, I really had no idea that the first act would be so comical. There were a lot of hilarious moments which had been transformed from private and awkward moments in a teens life to comical and exaggerated insights to the teenage mind.

At times I found it hard to understand some characters as the sound was not fantastic and diction was also at times lacking. The choreography (Stephen Agisilaou) was exceptional and breathed beautiful new life into the rock musical and gave it a slick and contemporary feel. I think that the choreography would have been more appreciated though if we could see it!!! The lighting was great at creating a warm and intimate feel however at times I found it hard to see the actors and connect with the scene as they were in virtual darkness.

I also think that it would have done the intimate musical more justice in a smaller space, it is such a beautiful and layered production and it feels to me like the space is all wrong- the stage is designed to be intimate and the lighting design aids with the close relationship created within the cast but unfortunately the theatre is so wide and deep that majority of the audience is seated far away from the stage that it is easy to lose the connection with the performers and story.

Apart from the space, Spring Awakening is a strong production with an amazing cast of young, talented performers, who should all be proud to be a part of this daring production. Don’t be put off by the adult themes of the show- the music makes it such a beautiful piece to watch, the direction is at times fantastic and completely honest, The acting and singing are both performed well with strength.  I think the cast have done an amazing job considering their age- the great and unique thing about this production is that all the actors are (if not close to) the age of the characters they are playing.

Though is does touch on some hard-hitting subjects, especially when it’s dealing with teens, the cast manages to pull it off outstandingly, with grace and poignancy which makes this one performance not to be missed!

Spring Awakening is playing at the National Theatre from 27th of Jan through to  5th of Feb 2011.

Book your tickets to Spring Awakening here

Meanwhile in Manhattan…

Now I know that I have been quite slack with my blogging of late, but I have been quite busy and soon you will see why…

I have spent time in New York, Sydney, The Coast aswell as seeing Heaps of Shows and heading to bars and cafes so I thought I would pick up where I left off and take my mind and yours back to NEW YORK CITY!!!

I have travelled extensively throughout the world- however, there are few places which have captured my heart. The Big Apple was definitely a place where I felt at home. You arrive to the sound of Car horns, the screech of tires, sirens and are blinded by the flashy billboards and the glittering lights of the concrete jungle. As soon as I stepped out of my big yellow taxi, I felt home.

A lot of friends have been traveling there lately and have been asking my opinion of what to see and where to go etc- So I thought that instead of sharing it with a few, I would share my tips with the world and hopefully help you out OR inspire you to head to this amazing city, I know you are going to love it!!!

Things to do-

BARS:
I would go to Bar Vintage-. Great bar on 51st and 9th- cheap and strong cocktails and just a cool place to go- always a plus- It was recommended to me by a friend and I’m glad they did, so please take my advice and have a cheeky cocktail on me!

Amazing Jazz Bar

Birdland- 315 West 44th St (between 8th and 9th Ave) FAB Jazz bar, makes you feel like you are back in the 30′s and amazing bands, vocalists etc. You can go any night of the week and there will be fab music on. I went on a monday night where anyone (by anyone I mean professional singers and musicians- I don’t mean a dodgy karaoke style performance) can get up and sing. Amazing. I think there is a 10 or 15 US Cover charge but you can eat there and great get great cocktails once again.

W Hotel in Times Sq. A lot of celebs stay here when they need to be in the vicinity of Times Sq. Great bar and fantastic atmosphere, catch the elevator to the top and the bar is there- You can find the Hotel you will see the PURPLE “W” from Times square, however the entrance is around the corner.

The Pizza Pub, 294 Third Ave., nr. 23rd St – A pizza and a pint for $5. Enough said.

Blind tiger ale house 281 Bleecker St., New York, NY 10014 at Jones St. – voted 7th best beer bar in USA – they have a really great selection of beers and the menu isn’t too bad either.(Try the smutty nose scotch ale or their bloody beer – a version of a Bloody Mary with beer!)

BROADWAY:
IF you wanted to go to see a show- which no trip to NY is complete without! there are big stairs now built in Times Square and under those stairs is a booth called TKTS- (tickets)- basically it opens at 3pm- so people start queuing around 2:30pm and they sell discounted tickets- they are usually around 65 bucks- (around 40% off) or you can go directly to the theatre and see what they can offer you on a price. It is definitely worth it and so much better than paying full price- this way you can see more shows for less!

Loved the Show!!

I would recommend seeing HAIR or NEXT TO NORMAL (Definitely a MUST see) or IN THE HEIGHTS- all good, maybe even the LION KING- but in regards to LION KING and WICKED you have to go straight to the theatre to get the tickets. Always check what is on the TKTS board-located on either side of the booth as you don’t want to get up to the booth and find they don’t have tickets to what you want. ALWAYS HAVE A BACK UP SHOW UP YOUR SLEEVE!

CENTRAL PARK:
Go for a bike ride through Central Park- you can hire bikes from people around the area for like 10 bucks an hour and it is fun- or you can always go for a boat ride on the lake, the boats are hired from 10AM to dusk and you have to leave a $20 deposit-$12 for the first hour and $10 for every hour after. An afternoon row is always nice but by hiring a bike you can travel around the whole park without a worry- believe me it is HUGE and you will not be able to see it all on foot in one day. It goes for more than 40 blocks length wise and 2 massive blocks width. You can get lost in there, which is nice but on a bike you can always follow the tracks back to the outside of the park and get your bearings there.

TIP:

IF you wanted to go for a carriage ride around Central Park (I did- so I know first hand) DO NOT GO ON A SUNDAY!!!!!!

There will be protestors there, screaming at you and your cruelty of getting a carriage ride “TWO STUPID PEOPLE” TWO MEAN TOURISTS” ETC ETC… If you do not want this embarrassment I suggest to go during the week.

There are also heaps of artists around the park, sculpting, painting drawing etc, I got a caricature done of myself and the two friends I travelled with (see below) if you’ve got the time, hang around and see which style you like and go for the one you like the best.

Hilarious.

SUBWAY:
Another tip I would give is to buy a 7 day subway pass- $28 bucks- great value for money if you are going to be going into other areas (which no doubt you will be) always take cash to the subway to pay for tickets as they wont work with an AUSTRALIAN CC.

SIGHT SEEING/PLACES OF INTEREST:

WTC-

To be honest, there is not much to see at the World Trade Centre- but it is a personal choice- I went, however there is  scaffolding around the perimeter obstructing any view of the site but there is a small museum-which is quite moving but apart from that, there is really not much else there as it is the business district and there are just buildings and that’s about it.

Another cool thing to do is catch the Train over to Brooklyn, get off at the first stop in Brooklyn and walk back over Brooklyn Bridge into New York City.

Gorgeous Day for a stroll into town...

 

Beautiful walk, gorgeous weather and a spectacular view of the whole of the island. It will take around 35 minutes to do the walk, and you end up in NY around SOHO.

SHOPPING:
Speaking of SOHO-definitely head to SOHO for shopping- everything is so cheap- and great.

I would go to Sephora for cologne/aftershave/make-up/perfume/beauty products SEPHORA is cheaper than MACY’S.
Macy’s is pretty crappy. Yes it is the biggest superstore, but it is full of cheap crappy stuff. The clothing is terrible and shoes are mediocre.

I suggest you BUY UP BIG on things like, make-up, perfume and beauty products as the are SOOOOOO much cheaper than in Australia- example: Clinique 3 step (toner, cleanser etc)- Australia= $230 exact same product =$39!!!!. What a sick joke. Sneakers are also really cheap, NIKE etc, Tiffany’s on 5th Ave is also a lot cheaper than here because we pay tax on everything.

Tiffany & Co. 727 5th Ave, New York– Need I say any more? no trip to NYC is complete without a visit to Tiffs.

H&M – They are everywhere. They have hot stuff for guys and gals here - they’re across the states but you can NOT beat them for value – they have really cool stuff from everyday wear to going out to beach to whatever tickles your fancy! Fingers crossed for H&M to come to Australia soooooon!!

Abercrombie & Fitch – 720 Fifth Avenue. Inside is like a nightclub, music pumping,sales assistants right off the cat walk. It’s drool-fest from go-to-woah! This is the flagship store – but there are other A&F’s around.My favorite thing were the models/shop assistants who are employed to stand at the top of the stairs and simply greet every shopper with “What’s Up?”

Victoria’s Secret- A.MA.ZING- this is heaven for women (and men) all over- they have an extensive range of the comfiest and most delicious bra’s, panties, p.j’s, cosmetics, perfumes etc…

Best thing to do is (as a woman) get properly fitted by one of the very friendly assistants, they will give you your correct size so you can be sure that every bra in that size will fit you no problems- then when you get home you can shop online and be guaranteed your bras will fit!

American Apparel- Much cheaper in New York than the stores here- bigger range also, I bought a huge bag for my carry on luggage on the way home and it was only around $60 US- I have taken it on every trip since- I just love it.

Zara –689 Fifth Avenue – The fashion here is literally off the pages of Vogue & GQ with a Target price tag. Really nice shirts, skirts. Zara is also set to come to Australia in the near future!!!

TIP:

If you are going to buy from tourist shops for t-shirts etc- DO NOT GO TO THE BIG ONE IN TIMES SQUARE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM McDONALDS!!!

- It is run by assholes who will try to rip you off and they are just generally rude- after you pay for your items they will claim that you haven’t as wer not concentrating on you-the customer- as they were too busy talking to their asshole mate- In short-not give them any business!!! 

Make sure you shop around for your tourist trinkets as you can find the same stuff for cheaper in some stores.

OTHER THINGS TO DO:

Visit the Hershey’s and M&M’s factories in Times Square. You can’t miss them – plus you get free chocolate when you walk in the door.

Every Colour m&m's!!! My fave-BLACK

Rockefeller Centre – In winter it is an Ice Skating rink and a real piece of US history – this is where “Top of the Rock” is located and you can grab a drink at the cocktail bar which looks across the ice skating rink. In the summer months the ice rink is transformed into cafes and bars, still a great place to sit and drink in the city.

Empire state/Rockerfella debate- I would go to the Top of the Rock as you then get to see the Empire State Building. Much better veiw.

Statue of Liberty- IF you go, get on the Ferry and stand on the RIGHT hand side of the ferry- Best view will be from this side- stand outside on the way over and bring a hat or jacket with a hood as it gets very windy, I didn’t get off and visit the actual statue- pretty small to be honest and not worth it- but you will have to get off the ferry at the end, then get back on the next one- sit inside, no need to see it.

If you want ASIAN FOOD- It can be a little hard to find, BUT the asian food district is on 8th and 9th Ave- so if you walk around there- you will be sure to find some noodles, dim sum, yum cha etc!! 

There are Sbarro’s all around the place- where you can get, Pizza, pasta, roast chicken, salads, etc- BUT be careful as they willl charge by WEIGHT of your food- not the single product.

Starbucks-Get into the swing of being a real New Yorker and start each day with coffee made your way! The best breakfast combo is a toasted bagel with cream cheese and a dirty big mocha grande to get your juices flowing!

Great Breakfast combo

ONE LAST THING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO- WITHOUT QUESTION!!!

Get your name in lights and your face on a billboard!!

The American Eagle store in Times Square have a fun promotion- where with any purchase in the store (no matter how small) you can get your photo taken which then gets uploaded onto a massive billboard in the middle of Times Square for all New York to see!! It is so much fun and everyone gets a real kick out of it! DO IT!!! And get your 15 seconds of fame!

NYC- YOU.DON'T.KNOW.

 

Enjoy New York and discover all of its hidden gems!

This is one city you truly cannot miss!

Meanwhile in NYC…

So I have decided to take a trip with two of my friends to New York- I am currently in an internet cafe and can see Times Squares M&M world from my window. So whilst I am here I will be taking notes of what’s hot and what’s not if you are planning to travel to the city that never sleeps- or hopefully after the next couple of entries, it will inspire you to come- flights are cheap at the mo and lining up to get 50% off theater tickets are definitely worth it. As we were so delirious with tiredness we took a stroll down Broadway and went to the Singing diner- where the waiters sing whilst they serve – hilarious as we were so tired and there has also already been one bomb threat- not so hilarious. Starbucks breakfast this morning consisted of a multigrain bagel with cream cheese- (Am I lying) and a hot choc. The.Best.

BUT for the next few weeks, Meanwhile in Melbourne will become- Meanwhile in Manhattan…Stay tuned for updates and tips on the fine city of New York!

FAME THE MUSICAL- Melbourne Opening Night…

FAME mania has finally struck Melbourne with Opening night kicking off the 8 week season at the Regent theatre on Wednesday-21/04/10

The theatre was at capacity with celebrities, producers, directors and other theatre folk adorning the audience. The overall energy was great however, the opening song “Pray” was a little over done vocally with performers trying to show off their vocal acrobatics a little too much, too soon. Chris Durling- ”Nick Piazza” has improved since his appearance in the ill fated- High School Musical and Catherine Shepherd is endearing as “Serena Katz” with two tricky songs to win over the audience in “Lets play a love scene” and “Think of Meryl Streep”. The dancing is absolutely amazing, with many of the ensemble being ex “So You Think You Can Dance” cast members and the band pumps out revamped tracks which really gets you dancing in your seat. The entire muscial-in fact- has been totally revamped in all aspects- music, dancing, singing, lighting and staging-that definitely lifts the somewhat lagging story line.

FAME is really going for an 80′s feel-with the costumes and interval house music playing tracks including “The power of Love”, “Respectable” and other 80′s classics, however the choreography is very ”today” especially the funk numbers with “Tyrone” played by TimOMatic in the lead, which at times also faces sound balance issues. Much of the chorey by Kelly Abbey looks like it has come straight off the set of the latest ep of SYTYCD- which creates genre confusion. Also the opening of Act 2 looks has a “Burn the floor”feeling to it. *Watch the dancers constantly RUN around the stage, they run on stage, off stage AROUND the stage- it is quite hilarious. 

 Principal dancer Talia Fowler was flawless in the ballerina role-”Iris Kelly” and Sam Ludeman ”Joe Vegas”  manages to pull off the awkward song of “Can’t Keep It Down”-however, the standout performance for me was Jazz Flowers in the role of “Mabel Washington” with her rendition of “Mabel’s Prayer” bringing down the house. Another honorable mention goes to Darlene Love-with the soon to be 70-year-old vocally smashing the “Teachers argument”.

If they manage to sort out the sound balance and lighting issues it will actually be a great show which will appeal to many. The dancing is fab, the singing is good and it has had an all round, much-needed face-lift. I have to be honest- I was ready to can it before I even sat down- BUT I actually really enjoyed it.

FAME THE MUSICAL- is playing at the Regent Theatre now for a strictly limited season of 8 weeks. It opens in Brisbane on June 19 and hits Sydney sometime after that. -BOOK NOW TO AVOID DISAPOINTMENT- bookings are to be made through http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=FAME10 or by calling 1300 795 012

*TIP*- When booking tickets, try to get tickets in the dress circle. I found the show to be much more enjoyable from up there with more room, comfy chairs and a better view in general of the dance plots and stage. Others who sat in the stall said that they couldn’t see as well as the seats are more squished together.

Jess Harlen- Album Launch

 

Jess Harlen celebrated the long-awaited album launch of Neon Hearthache last night amongst friends, record peeps, muso’s and fans.

The sold out gig was held at the Northcote Social  Club with her full band finally being revealed. Jess has had a quick turn around from being signed by Obese Records in November to completing her first solo album-Neon Heartache. Her style is uniquely soulful with a bit of reggae and funky beats thrown in for good measure. You may not know who she is now,  but you may recognise her tracks as her latest release “I GO” is currently being played on the Sportsgirl website, Rage and also recently heard on City Homicide. You will start to see her popping up all over the place with many reviewers scrambling to get a taste of this emerging artist. 

The gig, even though it was at capacity felt strangely intimate- Jess Harlen has a way of making everyone welcome and like she has just picked up the guitar and is playing just for you, She draws you in and is an easy performer to watch. The band I feel could be better as they sometimes come across as disinterested which in my opinion is not good enough for her talent,  they tend to fade into the background- lacking stage presence and spunk. I would prefer an acoustic set and I know that as it is the album launch they need everyone- but if you are going to be there- at least make me appreciate you and give me something!  The drinks-as always-were over priced- with a friend paying $9 dollars for a 9 cm short glass of vodka and apple juice- thats $2 dollars a sip!

A highlight was definitely her encore performance which consisted of her first single “I watch the water” and her amazing acoustic and soulful take on “The Nanny named Fran”.

The album is available at JB HI FI- or online from iTunes- get on it.

Jess Harlen is a rare talent who I feel will be a force to be reckoned with in the next year. Now that you have had your eyes and ears opened to her- I can guarantee that she will creep into your life- with her distinct style  popping up here and there in sometimes the most random of places.

22 Apr 2010 8:00 P	MELBOURNE ALBUM LAUNCH: Northcote Social Club	Melbourne, Victoria
29 Apr 2010 8:00 P	NEON HEARTACHE TOUR: The Step Inn	Brisbane, Queensland
30 Apr 2010 6:00 P	NEON HEARTACHE TOUR: The Beach Hotel	Byron Bay, New South Wales
6 May 2010 5:00 P	NEON HEARTACHE TOUR: The Supper Club	Sydney, New South Wales
7 May 2010 8:00 P	NEON HEARTACHE TOUR: The Gearin Hotel	Katoomba, New South Wales
20 May 2010 8:00 P	NEON HEARTACHE TOUR: The Republic Bar	Hobart, Tasmania
23 May 2010 8:00 P	Greenroom Festival: BKB	Tokyo
25 May 2010 8:00 P	Shibuya: BKB	Tokyo

Tim Vine- Never have I laughed so hard…

Quite clearly, The Melbourne International comedy festival is one of my favorite times of year. I have been uber busy seeing HEAPS of shows and hence the lack of blogs-no time! But I have to say,out of all the shows I have seen this year, I have never laughed so hard than at Tim Vine, playing at the Melbourne Town Hall.

Tim Vine is known as the “King of Puns” and the “Punslinger” and his latest show- the Joke-amotive-has been no let down. It was a solid hour of hilarity- puns, a couple of groan worthy jokes and a musical act all rolled into one. He is a fast paced comedian with honestly thousands and thousands of jokes on hand. He adapts to the audience, constantly adapting to what is making them laugh and what is not and his little black bag full of props are sure to bring a chuckle or two.  His facial expressions and little jumps he does when he is proud of his pun, also add to the hilarity. Tim Vine is by far the funniest comedian I have seen this year, at one point I was laughing so hard, I could not see or breathe.  If you are laughing so hard from a joke that you miss one, no worries, the next thigh slapper will only be 0.3 seconds away- ZING!

Some classic Tim Vine quotes include:

“I bought some new velcro the other day…what a rip off!”

“I was at sea the other day and loads of meat floated past. It was a bit choppy.”

“So I was getting into my car, and this bloke says to me “Can you give me a lift?” I said “Sure, you look great, the world’s your oyster, go for it.’”

He has such great comedic timing and years and years of material, new songs, audience participation, and new props at each gig, so you are sure to get a great show whenever you see him.

He is the king of one liners- prop gags and musical comedy. If you get a chance to see him ANYTIME slash ANYWHERE- I can highly recommend it. You will be slapping your thighs and be wondering for days, how he can remember all those jokes to reel them off one after another. Tim Vine- Meanwhile in Melbourne’s top pick for this years fest!

 Check out more Tim Vine below:

The Room-Tommy Wiseau-Nova Cinema

The Room. Written, Directed and starring the one and only Tommy Wiseau.

This cult classic made in 2003 has made its way to the Nova Cinema for a special screening time of 11pm each Saturday night. Now the late session might not appeal to everyone, but for those who love a bad script, bad direction, appalling acting, terrible use of green screen and a movie that constantly goes in and out of focus then, The Room is a movie for you. 

On the way into the theatre you have a chance to pick up the rules on how to watch the movie and as many SPOONS as you can carry.  The basic premise of the film is “Johnny” played by Tommy Wiseau and his “future wife” - “Lisa” are having relationship troubles. Lisa is in love with Johnny’s best  friend “Mark”. There is a character called Denny, played by an actor who looks at least 26 who is supposed to be at high school and numerous other randoms that are constantly popping up out of nowhere with unrelated lines that in no way add to the plot or the flow of the story. 

SOME OF THE RULES: (the more prepared you are the better the experience)

• There is numerous obvious stock footage of San Fransisco which prompts the audience to call out “WHERE ARE WE?”
• You chant “GO! GO! GO! GO!” when they show a panning shot of the  Golden Gate Bridge and hope that it makes it all the way across the screen.  This happens at least 8 times throughout the film- if it doesn’t make it across, you definitely vocally show your disappointment.
• When they show the houses that either are or look like the ones from “Full House”- everyone starts singing the theme song.
• “WHO ARE YOU?”- as many randoms will appear in the film- feel free at any point to shout out “WHO ARE YOU?” “WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?” or “WHO CARES!”
• FOCUS/UN-FOCUS- Because the movie was filmed in both high-definition video and 35 mm film, it  is constantly going in and out of focus. People are constantly calling out “FOCUS”, then when the numerous 7 minute long, gratuitous  sex scenes come on “UN-FOCUS” is sure to be heard.
• SPOONS!- some of the art work placed around the house is framed spoons- whenever you see a spoon you throw as many spoons as you can at the screen.
• “HI DENNY!/ BYE DENNY!”- this is one of my favorites, the random character Denny- is constantly popping in and out of scenes- whenever he arrives you say “Hi Denny!” and when he leaves, “Bye Denny!”- Simple yet effective as this will happen potentially 43 times throughout the film.
•  Johnny’s laugh- he practically laughs after every terribly acted line- you are expected to mock his maniacal laugh at any chance you get.
• The films obvious misogynistic vibe is fueled by people calling out “BECAUSE YOU’RE A WOMAN!’ after every hideous line.
• Counting how many times Mark references to being Johnny’s best friend.

Basically- anything you find funny- feel free to call out/throw things at the screen and really enjoy the hideousness of ”The Room”.  Get ready to enjoy some of the best movie quotes of all time with jems like: Lisa-  ”Did you get your promotion” Johnny: “Nah”….Lisa (after a good 20 seconds of silence)- “you didn’t get it did you?”

If you like audience participation and being in a constant state of shock at how this film got made- treat yourself to a night out with -THE ROOM-

Silent Disco- Hi-Fi Bar…Good Friday turned Great.

Last.Night.

So, as I am quite the fan of the International Comedy Festival, each year I hang out to scour the guide and see what’s new, what’s old and what’s a little different. As I was perusing the guide last week, I stumble across an ad for Silent Disco, I figure that it’s something that I have never been to before, get a group together and book some tickets.

The premise is simple but oh so fun! when you arrive you receive a pair of yellow headphones, there are 2 channels/dj’s to choose from and even your own volume control. The DJ’s are set up on a stage, each with their own microphone- the music is pumped straight from their computers and into your ears- you don’t like the track you are listening to? SWITCH! The headphones are wireless so you are free to roam around, head to the bar and dance unrestricted till your heart’s content!

It is one of the most bizarre and hilarious experiences I have had on a dance floor. You might be grooving to an RnB track, turn around and see your friend raving to a dance anthem! Be singing to a cult classic then see your mate doing an irish dance so you SWITCH! The best part of the night is when you take your headphones off for a while and watch the mix match of dancing that is going on and the hilarious wrong lyrics that you would usually be able to get away with should the music be blaring. With a few random claps and woo’s cutting through the silence along the way and with different music styles, genre’s and dance beats to suit everyone-Silent Disco ensures a great night out.

It is fun with a group and good for comedian spotting with some getting up on stage and calling out to the dance floor. Tom Green was the example of this last night with his answer and reply style crowd pleaser.  It is fun to pick who is listening to your channel just by watching their dancing and finding the next great song and telling everyone to SWITCH!

I recommend you get down to the  Hi-Fi this weekend- ONLY TWO SHOWS LEFT-3rd and 4th of April- and experience the hilarity that  is- Silent Disco. There are tickets available at the door or you can book online to avoid disappointment.

Do not miss this event- Silent Disco is the way of the future- Plug in and join the boogie!