Things to do in Sydney today

Musicals are often a product of their time. So, it is somewhat expected that the show will reflect the sentiment, the tragedy, the conflict and the beliefs of that time. What is rare, however, is when a revival of a musical manages to find that stark relevance again, as if history is repeating itself. Off the back of the celebrated Broadway revival starring Ben Platt, this new staging of Parade arrives in Sydney following a sold-out Melbourne premiere in July 2023.  First staged in 1998, Parade is based on the true story of the 1913–1915 trial, imprisonment, and lynching of Leo Frank (Aaron Robuck – The Great Gatsby: An Immersive Theatrical Experience). A Jewish man from Brooklyn, Frank was a fish out of water amongst the residents of Atlanta, Georgia, where he worked as the superintendent of a pencil factory. When he was accused of the tragic assault and murder of a 13-year-old girl named Mary Phagan (Adeline Hunter – Urinetown), the townsfolk’s prejudices and the sensationalist media coverage of the trial stirred up a storm of antisemitic tension. Witness tampering and scapegoating by the local police force led to Frank being landed with a guilty verdict, a ruling which most modern researchers strongly disagree with. Most significantly, the historic trial spurred the formation of the Anti-Defamation League, whilst concurrently initiating the revival of the Klu Klux Klan. Despite some difficulties...this show succeeds in reminding the audience that prejudice, hate, and the

Natural wine is all the rage these days and you'll find a glass or two of low-intervention drops on most Sydney wine lists worth their salt. But it wasn’t that long ago that earthy ferments and lo-fi drops were considered 'alternative'. If you love the taste of it, then listen up. Huge Moves is one of the country’s best natural wine parties celebrating the rise of minimal intervention wines, curated by DRNKS owner Joel Amos. And it’s happening in Sydney soon. This year Huge Moves is set to take place at Ace Hotel Sydney in Surry Hills on Saturday, May 18, kicking off from noon. Spanning two levels, the event will feature more than 35 natural winemakers, grape growers and distributors, with more than 100 drops for you to taste. Chat with like-minded wine lovers and producers from all across the country and the world, including Australia’s first importer of natural wine, Andrew Guard Wine Imports; the Hunter Valley’s Harkham Wines; South Australia’s Worlds Apart Wines and Alpha Box & Dice; and Japan’s Sinking Wines, plus loads more. Taste, chat, mingle, taste again and enjoy some boozy, natural-wine fun. It wouldn't be an Ace Hotel do without some dining along with your wining, so Loam will be serving bite-sized snacks throughout the day. Think: Yamba prawn rolls, LP's Quality Meats mortadella sandos, local oysters and a killer cheese stand by sister-brother duo The Studd Siblings. DJ Levins and friends will be hitting the decks, playing groovy tunes all day. Tickets to Huge Mo

Explore extraordinary art, meet emerging artists and raise a glass (or two) to curious encounters when The Other Art Fair returns to Sydney for its autumn edition from May 16–19. Taking place for the first time at the new White Bay Cruise Terminal in Balmain, this edition of the fair promises to bring inspiration, provocation and a whole lot of fun. Aside from presenting an eclectic marketplace filled with independent artists selling take-home art for all budgets, this four-day fair invites you to enjoy unexpected performances, immersive experiences, and art giveaways. And, if you're brave enough, you can even get a stick-and-poke fine art tattoo (just like our Arts and Culture Editor, Alannah, did in 2023 – check out the video below!).  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Time Out Sydney (@timeoutsydney) Feeling nostalgic about classic carnival games? Head over to Dilara Niriella’s booth, where she has set up a classic fishing game where you can let fate decide which of her fabulous rubber-duck-inspired works will come home with you. Meanwhile, you can also strap in for live competitive painting with Art Battle, or try your hand at screenprinting. “Our new home at White Bay Cruise Terminal is a fun, light-filled venue that’s a world away from silent, intimidating art spaces,” says Fair Director Luke Potkin.  “A cultural building at the centre of plans to reinvigorate and restore Sydney’s industrial harbour, Sydney’s newest waterfront venue is the p

What’s in a name? Quite a lot, if you’re the first named character in the title of a play. Particularly when almost every other legend written about you has you named second, or not at all. This is the plight of Isolde, an Irish princess, star of many stories, but most notably Wagner’s influential opera Tristan und Isolde. Her legend is centuries old, one of the most famous involving a love potion – and now, Sport for Jove brings it to the beloved basement stage at the Old Fitz Theatre in the form of a play written (and crucially, named Isolde and Tristan) by German playwright Esther Vilar, and translated by Udo Borgert and Laura Ginters. The original legend features Tristan, a prince of Cornwall, and Isolde, the princess of Ireland, whose countries are at war. After Tristan defeats the Irish giant Morholt (the Irish King’s brother-in-law) he is tasked with traveling to Ireland to bring Isolde back to marry his uncle, the King of Cornwall. However on the journey, Tristan and Isolde fall madly into forbidden love, thanks to a love potion. Deception, punishment, and death ensue.  Vilar’s play not only switches the names, but also some of the details, and turns the legend from a sweeping and dramatic warning against being “consumed” by love into something pointier, and more complex. It’s certainly not your regular medieval romance, or even your regular opera… clever, biting, and appropriately eerie. Damien Ryan (Artistic Director of Sport for Jove) directs this production, setti

The Harbour City does a good line in immersive light experiences, and if you can’t wait until Vivid takes over the city later in May, Luna Park is here to help. The iconic attraction’s newest installation – Sonic Neon – is now open, with tickets on sale until the end of June. Housed in Crystal Palace – a building which dates all the way back to 1935 – Sonic Neon will take visitors on a journey through eight different rooms, with state-of-the-art visuals and a layered soundscape creating a transportive experience. Illuminating more than 150 metres of the historic building, the experience will feature more than 26,000 lights set to a pulsating soundtrack using state-of-the-art technology that’s never been used before in Australia. Tickets to the experience are available now, which you can purchase online or in person. Plus, save money by purchasing bundles like the Lunaverse Superpass, which includes Sonic Neon, Dream Circus and unlimited rides.  The family-friendly rave and experience will run daily from 10am. Tickets for the self-guided Sonic Neon experience (estimated to take around 30 minutes) start at $29 per person. If you’re keen to secure your tickets, you can do so over here.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more things to do, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED: Keen for more luminous fun? This immersive experience is coming to the Blue Mountains Lightscape will be taking over the Botanical Gardens