One Day as a Curator

I spent some time following artist/curator Xanthia as she works to set up a creative space for artists in North Melbourne at 'Scratch Warehouse'. The behind-the-scenes work in the art world is far beyond the bright paints and creative performances shown to the public. Xanthia, along with the team at Scratch Warehouse, work together to physically build art spaces, handle enquires and paperwork, run a bar and entertainment venue as well as work on their own creative projects. 

This photo essay attempts to tell Xanthia's story by reflecting her hard work, determination and yet playful nature during her day-to-day work at Scratch Warehouse.

 

 

 

 

Duos Push Boundaries at MICF

The Chasers Andrew Hansen and Chris Taylor make their Melbourne International Comedy Festival debut (Photo: James Brickwood)

Chris Taylor and Andrew Hansen from the ABC’s satirical comedy The Chaser, step out of their usual television format at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) with their show In Conversation with Lionel Corn.

Unlike the classic stand-up set up of a sole performer and microphone, the stage at Flinders Street’s Forum Theatre is constructed as a mock-interview.

Taylor plays a self-assured failed co-author questioning the bewildered yet snappy author Lionel Corn (Hansen), closely modelled on real-life Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin.

As the interview unfolds, frustrating fake audience questions, like incomprehensible seven-part questions, are followed by equally stupid and snappy responses from the dynamic duo.

In typical Chaser fashion, many fall victim to witty and satirical remarks. Pretentious professors, under-qualified-over-opinionated tweeters and relentless advertisers like Bunnings Warehouse are among the targets.

Fans of the popular television shows Game of Thrones and Q and A are sure to be impressed with Taylor and Hansen’s clever references and dissection of popular culture.

This innovative mock-interview style of comedy hits the nail on the head, in particular with the impersonations of ordinary people who ‘love the sound of their own voice’.

An awkward misplaced homoerotic scene and a couple of tasteless fart jokes were the only low points in the performance.

The duo put on an inventive and hilariously engaging show and will be one to watch as they learn and continue to develop their live acts.

3.5/5 stars

Colin Lane and David Collins give a wild makeover to Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado (Photo: Melbourne International Comedy Festival)

Unlike Taylor and Hansen, the MICF isn’t new for comic veterans Colin Lane (Lano and Woodley) and David Collins (Umbilical Brothers) however it’s their first time working together and performing their show The 3 Mikados.

The intimate and quirky Famous Spiegeltent is the perfect location for this modern comic rendition of the Gilbert and Sullivan classic Japanese love story, The Mikado.

Joined by the delightful Ester Hannaford (King Kong), the comedians fumble their way through a seriously condensed Mikado, chaotically managing the roles of a 26-member cast between three people.

The 70-minute show rapidly jumps between frenzied Mikado scenes, off-screen heated arguments about characters and talented musical numbers carried by Hannaford’s exceptional voice.

Collins and Hannaford’s retaliations to always centre-of-attention Lane hijacking all the major roles and dictating himself ‘head of the whole show’ result in a side-splitting scene of comic chaos.

As The Mikado falls apart, the new duo become even more enthralling and entertaining as you wonder if they will ever pull it back together.

The nervous energy and crazed atmosphere of the performance made parts of The Mikado difficult to follow, but this adds to the routines chaotic charm.

Collins’ eccentric remake of Gilbert and Sullivan’s I’ve Got a Little List is simply brilliant and the duo’s use of emotionally exaggerated slow motion speech will have you in tears.

These comic veterans have it right. If you’re looking for something way off the beaten track from the usual stand-up, The 3 Mikados is the best option.

4.5/5 stars

Both In Conversation with Lionel Corn and The 3 Mikados bring exciting new duos and unique styles of satirical and theatrical comedy to this year’s comedy festival.

Lane and Collins' experience in live comedy is overwhelmingly clear in their gripping show, but Hansen and Taylor are not to be missed for subtler satire.

Sunday Morning Portraits

I'm often out walking past the best of Melbourne’s vibrant buskers, kicking myself for leaving my camera at home. On assignment and armed with my new Canon 6D and 50mm portrait lens, it just wouldn’t be me to not get side tracked and let these Melbourne characters distract me. 

 

Light Breakfast Treats Tastebuds at Tan

Thousands of Victorians took a step in a healthier direction, ditching the Sunday morning fried food for a light breakfast on the go at Diabetes Australia’s Breakfast around the Tan.

Five breakfast stations scattered around the Tan, catered for health enthusiasts, vegetarians and the four per cent of Victorians living with diabetes.

The event, catered by HealthyBYTe catering, was a lighter addition to the indulgent Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. 

 

Fresh produce sprawled across one of five breakfast stations 

From a spongy sweet potato frittata, to a fresh, crisp pear, the breakfast was a welcome relief from sugar and salt filled breakfast regulars.

The yogurt and muesli was bitter compared to what is normally on the breakfast table. But the light crunch of muesli, creamy texture of yogurt and hint of vanilla and cinnamon flavour brought this breakfast favourite to life.

HealthyBYTe’s signature fresh spinach and roma tomato ‘Breakkie Burrito’ featured a thick herb infused omelette folded inside a light barley wrap. Combined with zesty lime and pepper avocado puree and subtle chilli coriander salsa, this dish had my taste buds watering from first bite.

Some food stations were less appetising. The vinegar-drenched ‘marinated mushrooms’ clashed with the paprika and cayenne pepper spices in the ‘Boston baked beans’. And the sickly sweet reconstituted orange and carrot juice overpowered the softer flavours of the sweet potato frittata.

Redeeming the pre-packed juice was the ‘Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Ruby Cabernet’, which had the right combination of bitter, sweet and bubbly.

Despite huge crowds swarming through the Tan, lines moved quickly and staff were helpful in directing people the right way with a smile.

Hats off to HealthyBYTe for presentation. Keeping food together while on the go is a difficult task, but the finely bound burrito wrap and conveniently sized recyclable containers made the process easy.

It wasn’t all about food at the Tan. The breakfast came with a side of morning yoga, talented musicians and a sea of lycra dressed joggers and cyclists. 

 

A human mushroom joins in yoga and stretches to kick off the breakfast 

Walking between food stations was a friendly reminder that healthy food should be accompanied with regular exercise. With a friend by my side and buoyant buskers begging for my attention, I hardly felt I had walked the 3.8km Tan at all.

At $35, the breakfast was in budget for your average Melbournian.

It was a morning of fun, food and friends; and with five percent of proceeds going to Diabetes Australia, there was little to feel bad about.