Strictly Ballroom the Musical to blitz Melbourne

PREPARE to bask in the glow of one of the world’s biggest disco balls.

Strictly Ballroom the Musical is coming to Melbourne and will open at Her Majesty’s Theatre in January.

The glitzy stage version of Baz Luhrmann’s feel-good film will transfer from Sydney’s Lyric Theatre, where the world premiere in April evoked an instant standing ovation.

The date for Melbourne’s opening night is yet to be confirmed, but it will likely be mid-January before the show runs for a limited season.

Producer Carmen Pavlovic, of Global Creatures, said she hoped the show would follow the well-worn musical path of a national tour and then a stint in Asia.

Opening night of “Strictly Ballroom the Musical” in Sydney. Picture: James Morgan Source: Supplied

“There’s no doubt audiences are loving the show. It feels like a rock concert most nights I go in,” Pavlovic said. “I think the comment we’re most hearing is that it makes you feel good and just really puts a smile on your face.”

The stage show unites Strictly Ballroom’s original creative team, with Luhrmann as director and his Academy Award-winning wife Catherine Martin the creative brains behind the dazzling sets and costumes.

Two previously little-known performers, Thomas Lacey and Phoebe Panaretos, lead of cast of 43 which includes Bob Baines, Drew Forsythe, Natalie Gamsu and Robert Grubb.

The musical’s Sydney opening received mixed reviews from critics, some of whom praised the visual spectacle but were less impressed with the show’s emotional engagement.

Pavlovic — whose company also brought us King Kong and How to Train Your Dragon: Live Spectacular — said Strictly Ballroom got off to a solid start.

“I thought the reviews overall were good. They were mixed in some ways; some of that’s fair, some of it we’re working on as we go along,” she said.

“But that’s all part and parcel of creating a new show. It’s a very dynamic process. You have to remember that we’re creating new work here, unlike a lot of shows that come from the West End or Broadway, have been mounted several times and have all their kinks ironed out.”

Strictly Ballroom combines Broadway dazzle and kitch Aussie fun to tell the inspiring story of a champion dancer who breaks the rules to follow his heart.

There is no doubting the show’s eye-popping design, which extends to bright, sparkly covers on all the chairs in the theatre.
“The idea of Catherine’s design is that it really draws the audience into the performance and that ethos will be carried over into Melbourne,” Pavlovic said.

“Something the show does very well is invite the audience in and permit them to really feel part of it. I think that invitation is extended to audiences from the minute they step into the auditorium, right through to the end of show when the last people to take a bow at the end of the night are the audience.”

Tickets for the Melbourne season will go on sale on July 21 from Ticketek.

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/arts/strictly-ballroom-the-musical-to-blitz-melbourne/story-fni0fcgk-1226955888143


Coming to Melbourne for Strictly Ballroom the Musical?

Book your next stay at Metro Apartments on Bank Place: www.metrohotels.com.au/hotels/victoria/metro-apartments-on-bank-place

These serviced boutique apartments in the Mebourne CBD are located within easy reach to public transport.

It is just a walk out the front door to a large variety of restaurants, bars and coffee shops and is in walking distance to Melbourne's famous Bourke Street Mall, the Southgate complex, Crown Casino and Southbank Promenade. Major Sporting venues including Etihad Stadium, the MCG and the Rod Laver Arena are just a short tram ride away.

Stop by reception and our friendly staff will be glad to give you tram and shuttle information to get you to the South Melbourne Market, Bridge Road Richmond, Chapel Street South Yarra, Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne Aquarium, Imax Theatre and Melbourne Museum, The Arts Centre, Old Melbourne Goal, Immigration Museum and many more cultural and entertainment attractions in the city.

Enjoy a short break this Winter at Metro Apartments on Bank Place

Winter is the perfect time to book a short break in Melbourne with its labyrinth of hidden laneways lined with boutique shops and European style cafes, and its choice of art galleries, museums, cultural and sporting events, and restaurants.

Melbourne has a well-earned reputation as the cultural and sporting capital of Australia, and this Winter is no exception.  Melbourne will play host to a number of exciting sporting events, including the AFL Finals Series, commencing September 5 and culminating in the AFL Grand Final on September 27, a number of NRL games, and USA and Canada will battle it out in an exhibition Ice Hockey match in Melbourne on July 25.

There is also a whole range of cultural events taking place this Winter in Melbourne, including the Melbourne International Film Festival (July 31- August 17), Melbourne Writers Festival (August 21 - 31), and Melbourne Cabaret Festival (June 19 – July 6). Throughout August and September, major international artists are scheduled to perform in venues throughout Melbourne, including George Benson (August 21), Lady Gaga (August 23), Queen & Adam Lambert (August 29), Kanye West (September 9), Robbie Williams (September 16), and Justin Timberlake (September 18 & 19).

Reed Gift Fair, the biggest gift and homewares trade show in the Southern Hemisphere, will run from August 2 – 6, and the National 4X4 & Outdoors Show and Fishing & Boating Expo will return to the Melbourne Showgrounds from August 22 – 24.

Metro Apartments on Bank Place, in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, is the ideal accommodation choice for those attending Melbourne’s myriad of sporting events, cultural festivals and concerts. Metro Apartments on Bank Place offers inner city apartment style accommodation that lives up to the city’s European charm. Tucked away down a cobbled laneway, the surrounding heritage-listed piazza introduces you to Melbourne’s charming lanes and city precinct with its range of cafes, restaurants and enticing shopping.

Bustling by day and alive with al fresco dining by night, Bank Place is situated a short stroll away from all of Melbourne’s sought after attractions: Bourke Street Mall, Federation Square, Southgate Centre and Crown Casino. Hop on one of Melbourne’s famous trams to spend the day at the MCG or the National Gallery of Victoria, and take in a show at the Victorian Arts Centre – only a short ride away by taxi or tram.

The property offers 46 apartments, a choice of either studio or one-bedroom suites, as well as a split level, two bedroom penthouse. All suites include a kitchenette and laundry facilities.

To book your stay with Metro Apartments on Bank Place, visit our website http://www.metrohotels.com.au/hotels/victoria/metro-apartments-on-bank-place/welcome/, or call 1800 004 321.

Studio accommodation at Metro Apartments on Bank Place

Our comfortable and convenient Studio Apartments  feature a kitchenette and modern amenities such as complimentary Wi-Fi and Foxtel. With easy access to the business end of Melbourne with the ASX, Melbourne law courts, and the financial district a quick walk away. Some of Melbourne’s most popular shopping and attractions including Southbank, Bourke Street Mall, and Crown Casino are also within easy reach.

With one queen bed, this room is suitable for up to 2 guests.

Amenities:

• Complimentary Wi-Fi access
• Kitchenette
• Air Conditioning
• Alarm Clock/Radio
• Cable TV (Foxtel)
• Coffee/tea making facilities
• Flat screen TV
• Direct dial telephone
• Hair Dryer
• Iron/Ironing Board
• Small refrigerator
• Work desk with lamp

View this room at: http://www.metrohotels.com.au/hotels/victoria/metro-apartments-on-bank-place/accommodation/studio/

Sorry Australia: Sydney's the only city anyone cares about

Another day, another survey. This time it’s PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ ranking of the world’s most attractive cities – and Sydney managed to come in ninth, despite having worse transport and infrastructure than Mumbai and Rio De Janeiro.

But why isn’t Melbourne in the top 10? And where do the likes of Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide feature? Unfortunately, we’ll never know – the people doing the survey simply didn’t bother to look at any other Australian cities.

This is hardly unusual. If a global study needs a selection of 40 or 50 cities, it’s often the case that Sydney will be the only one from Oz making the cut. It’s the biggest city in Australia, and barring a few quibbles, it acts as a decent proxy for the country as a whole. The other cities? Well, they’re kinda expendable.

Australia is not the only country where this is the case. The good folk of Manchester or Birmingham in England spit feathers when London is used as the sole urban representative of the UK. Lyon and Marseille get overlooked in favour of Paris. And good luck finding surveys of Mexico, Argentina and Thailand that are prepared to go beyond Mexico City, Buenos Aires and Bangkok.

For similar reasons, if there’s a breaking news story in Australia or the Pacific region, international newspapers and TV stations will probably get their correspondent in Sydney to cover it. That the story may be happening thousands of kilometres away from Sydney is irrelevant – they’ve only got budget for one correspondent in the region, and Sydney is the logical base for them.

This is all reflective of a fairly uncomfortable truth – for most foreigners, Sydney is the only Australian city that matters.

This is partly because, by global standards let alone local ones, Sydney is exceptional. Arguably only the likes of Cape Town, Vancouver and Rio De Janeiro can rival it for natural setting. We can argue about relative merits of cultural scenes, dining options and lifestyle until the cows come home, but in the eyes of a visitor prepared to fly half way across the world to visit Australia, looks give Sydney a monstrous head start.
Tourism Australia’s own figures show that people don’t really come to Australia for city life. Even the Chinese market, which is generally associated with preferring urban environments, puts visiting Aussie cities well down the list of priorities. Given a list of 19 aspects of Australia, such as “local culture and art” or “the laidback Australian lifestyle”, “the major Australian cities” was ranked as the 16th most appealing option. Just 25 per cent liked the sound of it.

The same survey for the UK market gave a list of 12 destinations, and asked which ones appealed. Sydney came top, with 43 per cent. The next city was Melbourne, way back in joint fifth with 25 per cent and level with Tasmania. Just 17 per cent liked the sound of Adelaide, and that’s partly because it was phrased as “Adelaide and surrounds”, so it’s fair to assume a fair chunk of that is down to the neighbouring wine regions. Perth and Brisbane? They weren’t even given as options.

Ploughing through the stats, it’s fairly easy to reach a conclusion that can be reached through a bit of soul searching and common sense. People aren’t going to spend their limited holiday time flying 18 hours to a city that’s quite nice, but is perhaps less interesting than several much closer to home. Sydney stands out because it has the natural wonders that people will fly such distances for – that it’s a city as well is a handy bonus.
So before grumbling about Sydney getting all the limelight, it’s probably worth putting local pride and petty parochiality aside for a second to ask yourself one question: If a friend from overseas had three weeks to spend in Australia, where would you suggest they go?

Personally, I’d check roughly what they’re into, drill the idea of not trying to do too much in, then settle on something fairly predictable. Sydney, a bit of beach and bush, the Great Barrier Reef, and a taste of the Outback – probably in the Top End. If they’re really, really into cities, then I’d suggest Melbourne too. Now it has toned down the insanely pointless “most European city in Australia” nonsense and has the confidence not to resort to comparisons, it’s a strong enough primary destination in its own right.

Darwin, at least, has a distinctive vibe and character not really found anywhere else – although it is still best used as a base. Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Hobart? All places where you can have a perfectly enjoyable few days, but would leave you with a hefty dose of “is that it?” if spending a fortune and a year’s annual leave to go there.

Is this something Australians should be up in arms about or embarrassed by? Not really. Many countries don’t have a single city worth going so far out of the way for. Others have one or two. For a nation of under 24 million people and a considerable geographical disadvantage to have one undisputed urban draw card and another debatable one is pretty good going. Sydney may be the only Australian city foreigners care about – but that still represents a country punching above its weight.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-essentials/travel-news/sorry-australia-sydneys-the-only-city-anyone-cares-about-20140523-38r6s.html

Victoria trials GST refund reforms for tourists departing Australia

Refunding GST to tourists when they leave the country will make Australia more attractive to big spenders, travel agents say.

Victoria has been chosen to trial reforms to the present refund model, which travel agents say is too complicated.

Victorian Treasurer Michael O'Brien said tourists were entitled to a refund on retail purchases over certain thresholds.

"It is frankly a bit embarrassing when you see how difficult it is for tourists to get GST refunds," Mr O'Brien told a leadership forum in Melbourne on Tuesday.

"This is something which I think is not currently working nearly as well as it might."

Australian Federation of Travel Agents chief executive Jayson Westbury said many Australians would be familiar with how the system worked in Britain and other countries.

"From a tourism point of view, it is a no brainer because it puts us in the league of being competitive," Mr Westbury said.

Mr Westbury said private operators ran the system overseas, taking a small fee from the GST refund.
He said tourists shopping in Australia would be more likely to stay around if they knew they were getting money back when they left.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-essentials/travel-news/victoria-trials-gst-refund-reforms-for-tourists-departing-australia-20140604-39hu2.html

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