The Planner

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday May 17, 2008

Compiled by Kerry Coleman, Angie Schiavone

GOING, GOING ...

THE GREAT DIVIDE

See some of the Great Dividing Range's most inaccessible countryside through the brush of Peter Simpson (Afternoon From Reids Flat, pictured). Saturday, 10am-5pm, Arthouse Gallery, 66 McLachlan Avenue, Rushcutters Bay, free, 9332 1019, www.arthousegallery.com.au.

BOYS' CHOIR

Fifty boy trebles from Trinity and Sydney Grammar schools will join the Brandenburg Choir for a concert featuring the Australian premiere of Buxtehude's Heut Triumphieret Gottes Sohn. Saturday, 7pm, City Recital Hall, Angel Place, city, $24.50-$111.50, 8256 2222,

www.cityrecitalhall.com.au.

MUSICAL CHESS

The Balmain Light Opera presents Chess, a musical about the 1985 world chess championship, with music by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. Saturday, 8pm, Theatre Royal, King Street, city, $68.40, 132 849, www.ticketek.com.au.

PREQUELS AND SEQUELS

See some of Sydney's best comedians rework the endings of favourite Hollywood movies at a night of audience-directed improvisational comedy. Sunday, 8pm, Newtown Theatre, corner King and Bray streets, Newtown, $26, 9550 3666, www.ticketek.com.au.

URBAN FAIRYTALE

Sam Dunn and Anthony Phelan star in Strangers In Between, a play about a boy's coming-of-age in Kings Cross. Saturday, 2 and 8pm; Sunday, 5pm, Glen Street Theatre, Belrose, $57, 9975 1455, www.griffintheatre.com.au.

KIDS

FESTIVAL FUN

Sample gourmet gelato, fresh cakes and homemade jams and sweets at the Fort Street Festival, which will also feature carnival rides, face-painting, recycled fashion stalls, a battle of the bands, entertainment and an international food fair. Sunday, 10.30am-4pm, Fort Street High School, Petersham, free,

www.fortstreet-h.schools.nsw.edu.au.

TODDLERS' PROMS

Introduce your children to

the instruments of the orchestra at this engaging concert designed to trigger a love of music in children aged two to seven. Sunday, 9.30, 10.30 and 11.30am, Ultimo Community Centre, corner Bulwara Road and William Henry Street, Ultimo, $10, 8256 2222, www.cityrecitalhall.com.

MILLION PAWS

All dogs great and small are welcome at the annual Million Paws Walk (pictured), a family event featuring entertainment, rides, food stalls, dog washes, veterinary checks, children's workshops, doggy games and a "best in walk" costume competition.

All money raised goes to the RSPCA. Sunday, 8am, Sydney Olympic Park, $17/$8,

www.millionpawswalk.com.au.

CANOE SPRINT

See Australia's fastest outrigger canoe paddlers compete in single, double

and six-man events at the national sprint titles. Saturday, Sunday, 8am-4pm, Sydney International Regatta Centre, Castlereagh Road, Penrith, free,

www.regattacentre.nsw.gov.au.

ETCETERA

LEGAL EAGLES

From the pen of lawyer and playwright Tony Laumberg, Two Weddings And A Lawyer is a comedy about a young legal professional who gets engaged to two women, a born-again Christian and a sexy Swedish bombshell. Saturday, 7.30pm, Sunday, 4pm, TAP Gallery, 278 Palmer Street, Darlinghurst, $28, 1300 306 776, www.mca-tix.com.

EDDIE IFFT

The American comedian has worked with Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chapelle, Chris Rock and Robin Williams. He will perform the stand-up routine that took the 2008 Melbourne International Comedy Festival by storm. Saturday, 8.30pm, Sydney Comedy Store, Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, $29.50, 9357 1419, www.comedystore.com.au.

BACK TO THE '20S

Learn to swing dance, see vintage cars, join in games and make your own flapper headband or old-fashioned peg doll at Relive the Roaring '20s. Sunday, 11am-3pm, Fairfield City Museum and Gallery, corner Horsley Drive and Oxford Street, Smithfield, free, 9609 3993, www.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au.

FACE TO FACE

From two elderly men in bright blue space helmets to a pale, redheaded child (Burcak Muraben's Maya Muraben, pictured), the photographs on display in the Head On alternative portrait prize exhibition are poignant and unusual. Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm, Australian Centre for Photography, 257 Oxford Street, Paddington, free, 9332 1455, www.acp.au.com.

FREE

RETRO ROCKS

Pull on your platform shoes and disco-dance the weekend away at Retro in The Rocks (pictured), two days of free concerts by tribute band FABBA and Van the Man, The Australian Van Morrison Show.

Saturday, 12.30, 1.30 and 2.30pm; Sunday, 12.30 and 1.30pm, The Rocks Square, www.therocks.com.

FOOD FESTIVAL

Taste delicacies from Korea, China, Turkey, Thailand, Japan, South America and more at the Campsie Food Festival, featuring more than 60 stalls, a kids' cooking corner,

carnival rides, fireworks and a delegation of dignitaries from South Korea. Saturday, 10am-9pm, Anzac Mall, Beamish Street, Campsie, www.canterbury.nsw.gov.au.

THROUGH CHILDREN'S EYES

See daily life in Papua New Guinea as local children do at Through Children's Eyes, an exhibition of photographs taken by 49 children in PNG and rural Australia. Saturday, Sunday, 11am-3pm, The Sydney International Cultural Centre,

72 Erskine Street, city, www.childfund.org.au.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

Residents of Glebe and Forest Lodge will take on their counterparts from Ultimo and Pyrmont at the Wentworth Park Games, a day of sporting activity, including gumboot throwing, wine-glass racing, Beckham bending, marbles, obstacle courses and tug-of-war. Sunday, 11am-4.30pm, Wentworth Park, Wentworth Park Road, Glebe, 0409 893 047, 9552 1140, www.wentworthpark celebration.org.au.

MIDWEEK

HEAVENLY HARPS

Harpist Marshall McGuire joins the Australian String Quartet for an evening of heavenly works including Beethoven's Harp Quartet, Debussy's Quartet In G Minor and quintet works by Bax and Ross Edwards. Monday, 7pm, City Recital Hall, Angel Place, city, $61, 8256 2222,

www.cityrecitalhall.com.

WICKED COMEDY

Jackie Loeb joins an all-female line-up at the Wicked Women's Comedy Night, designed to give girls something to do on State of Origin night. Wednesday, 8pm, Roxbury Hotel, 132 St Johns Road, Glebe, $15, 9692 0822.

VERTIGO

See climbers scale some of the world's toughest peaks at the Banff Mountain Film Festival, a collection of environmental and adventure films. Monday-Thursday, 7pm, Seymour Centre, corner City Road and Cleveland Street, Chippendale, $30,

www.paddypallin.com.au.

HOUSE OF MUSES

Portraits of Nicole Kidman, Molly Meldrum and Cate Blanchett hang alongside those of Egyptian library workers at this exhibition of photographs by Susie Hagon and digital artist Darian Zam. Monday-Thursday, 9.30am-3pm, Egyptian Consulate, Level 3, 241 Commonwealth Street,

Surry Hills, free, 9281 4844.

BIGGEST MORNING TEA

Support cancer research by buying a cup of coffee and a treat at Australia's Biggest Morning Tea. Thursday, 7.30am-2pm, Wynyard Park, city, entry by donation, 1300 656 585, www.biggest morningtea.com.au.

OUT OF TOWN

MUSICAL MARATHON

Celebrate the end of the Canberra International Music Festival with a spectacular seven-hour concert, featuring the jazz clarinet player Don Byron (pictured), the vocalist Iva Bittova, the Grainger String Quartet and more. Sunday, 11am-6pm, Street Theatre, corner Childers Street and University Avenue, Acton, ACT, $25, 6230 5880, www.cimf.org.au.

HISTORY TRAIL

Discover the untold stories of the Shoalhaven. Eight historical houses and museums, including Meroogal and Bundanon, will be open for tours all weekend. Saturday, Sunday, various times and locations, free, www.hht.net.au, www.shoalhaven museums.com.au.

BROKEN HILL

Environmentalists have been trying to revegetate Broken Hill since 1936. Check their efforts at Greening The Silver City: Seeds Of Bush Regeneration, a travelling exhibition from the Powerhouse Museum. Saturday, Sunday, 10am-4pm, Mount Tomah Botanic Garden, Bells Line of Road via Bilpin, $4.40, 4567 2154,

www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au.

SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

Don your finest Elizabethan attire for a weekend of Henry IV, Hamlet and Othello and a themed fair and feast at the 10th annual Shakespeare on Avon festival. Saturday, 10am-3.30pm, Gloucester Recreation Grounds, free, 6558 1408, www.gloucester.org.au/shakespeare.

PERFORMANCE

TANGO NIGHTS

The Sydney Symphony goes Latin with a performance inspired by the music of the Buenos Aires underworld in Latin American Nights, featuring music by Ginastera, Piazzolla and Revueltas. Saturday, 8pm, Sydney Opera House, $59, 9250 7777,

www.sydneyoperahouse.com.

ROGUE TRADERS

Fresh from hosting the hit show So You Think You Can Dance, former Neighbours star Natalie Bassingthwaite and the Rogue Traders (pictured) will perform numbers including Voodoo Child and Watching You at this show for under-18s. Saturday, 4pm, Luna Park, Milsons Point, $27.50, 1300 883 622, www.ticketmaster.com.au.

THE JUNGLE

The Louis Nowra play explores the relationships between a drug addict, a corrupt cop, a Kurt Cobain fanatic, a gay businessman and a faded rock star. Saturday, 7.30pm; Sunday, 5pm, Cleveland Street Theatre, 199 Cleveland Street, city, $25, 9212 6000, www.actt.edu.au.

LES MISERABLES

Holroyd Musical and Dramatic Society is bringing Paris to Sydney in this show featuring a cast of 40 and a 16-piece orchestra. Saturday, 1.30 and 7.30pm, Redgum Centre, 2 Lane Street, Wentworthville, $30, 9632 4011, www.hmds.org.au.

LEARN

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

At this free lecture, Macleay Museum senior curator Dr Jude Philp and UNSW lecturer Diane Losche will discuss the life and times of controversial American-born anthropologist Margaret Mead, including her research in Papua New Guinea. Sunday, 2pm, Macleay Museum, University of Sydney, free, 9036 5253, www.usyd.edu.au/museums.

HMAS ADVANCE

Enjoy music, cake and a signal-flag display while learning about the fascinating history of the HMAS Advance during celebrations to mark the anniversary of the boat's commissioning into the Royal Australian Navy and its transfer to the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Saturday, Sunday, with free guided tours of the vessel from 11am-3pm, Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, free, 9298 3777, www.anmm.gov.au.

BABY EXPO

Parenting and children's health professionals will talk about pregnancy, birth, discipline, toilet training and health and safety at the Pregnancy, Babies and Children's Expo.Saturday, Sunday, 10am-5pm, Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park, $16, www.pbcexpo.com.au.

CREATIVE JOBS

Try digital animation technology or learn the basics of audio engineering and sound production at the JMC Academy Australia open day. Information sessions at 10.30am and 1.30pm will cover 3D media and other careers in creative industries. Saturday, from 10.30am, JMC Academy, 41 Holt Street, Surry Hills, free, 9281 8899, www.jmc.edu.au.

GREEKALICIOUS

Learn how to cook spicy souzoukakia meatballs, soothing lamb avgolemono soup and other Greek comfort food at this cooking class, which includes a full sit-down meal. Saturday, 10.30am, Intuitive Well Centre, 70 Bronte Road, Bondi Junction, $120, 9331 0734, 0432 954 187, www.greekalicious.com.au.

FOR THE DIARY

DINOSNORE

Tour the Australian Museum by torchlight before settling down to sleep among the dinosaurs at a sleepover for adults and children. The evening includes a pizza dinner, craft activities and watching DVDs. Friday, November 7, Australian

Museum, College Street, city, $150/$110, 9320 6225,

www.australianmuseum.net.au.

LA BOHEME

Conducted by Giovanni Reggioli, this Opera Australia production of Puccini's La Boheme tells the story of a love-at-first-sight that ends in tragedy and heartbreak.

October, 14-29, Sydney Opera House, from $67, 9250 7777, www.sydneyoperahouse.com.

LITTLE BIG SHOTS

See the world's best films for kids, about kids and by kids at Little Big Shots. The festival includes features, animations and documentaries, with sessions for two- to five-year-olds. September 17-21, Sydney Opera House, $15, 9250 7777, www.sydneyoperahouse.com.

CROSSING OVER

The psychic medium, author and TV star John Edward will conduct a seminar structured like an episode of Crossing Over. November 8, 2pm, Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park, $131.65, 132 849, www.ticketek.com.au.

MARY J. BLIGE

The Grammy Award-winning hip-hop and soul singer (pictured) will perform songs from her latest album, Growing Pains, and hits including

Family Affair and One. Friday, June 13, Sydney Entertainment Centre, 1300 883 622,

www.ticketmaster.com.au.

BOOKWORM

WRITERS' FESTIVAL

The Sydney Writers' Festival gets into full swing this week and continues until Sunday, May 25. It includes sessions with the following Herald journalists (Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, see www.swf.org.au):

MALCOLM KNOX

The author and journalist, with writers David Brooks and Virginia Duigan (pictured), will discuss "secrets and lies" in their fiction. Thursday, 1pm, Sydney Dance Company, 2/3, Walsh Bay, free.

SUSAN WYNDHAM

The Undercover columnist will discuss writing about death with authors Debra Adelaide and Virginia Lloyd. Thursday, 11.30am, Pier 2/3, $15, 9250 1988,

www.sydneytheatre.org.au.

BRUCE ELDER

Travel writer Barry Divola will discuss his book The Secret Life Of Backpackers with Herald writer and creator of the Walkabout website, Bruce Elder. Friday, 11.30am, Bangarra Theatre, Walsh Bay, free.

ANDREW RIEMER

The Herald's chief book reviewer will discuss the challenges of being both a writer and critic, with Susan Wyndham and Kevin Rabalais. Friday, 11.30am, Sydney Philharmonia Choir Studio, Pier 4/5 Walsh Bay, free.

ELIZABETH FARRELLY

The columnist will discuss her latest book, Blubberland: The Dangers Of Happiness. Friday, 10am, Sydney Dance Company, 2/3, Walsh Bay, free.

Angie Schiavone

bookworm@smh.com.au

Send listings to theplanner@smh.com.au

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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