I had never seen Cats The Musical. Even though it seems everyone else in the civilised world has, the show had never really been on my agenda.
Considering that I’m a musical theatre graduate from way back, this is one of those oversights that you don’t readily admit. I enjoyed Andrew Lloyd Webber’s much lesser known Aspects of Love so much that I still recall the words to almost every number, and may even be known to perform these in an unprompted karaoke fashion. But no Cats.
Now, following its triumphant season in London’s West End, the revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical CATS has come to Australia for a strictly limited season.
Our big night out in Melbourne was a wonderful opportunity to take my two girls to their first Red Carpet premiere, and what an occasion it was! It required an entire day of outfit planning, shoe shopping (and subsequent bedazzlement), many snacks and an explanation of the cues for the ladies room in theatres.
I was impressed with the number of children attending the opening, all wide eyed and excited.
Here is what my two thought of their big night out-
“I loved the costumes, they clearly spent a lot of time getting ready. When they came out into the aisles I felt more involved in the story and it was funny. I liked Delta Goodrem (Grizabella) when she sang ‘Memories’, that was my favourite part of the whole act. There was lots of different cats, Magician Cats, Pirate Cats, black and white cats, fat cats….. I had trouble following the story but it was fun to watch”. – Miss 11
“I really liked the girl big fat cat and it was really funny because she kept on walking around but her belly kept on going up and down! The Magician Cat was cool because it did really cool tricks. Then the beautiful white fluffy cat had all the pirate cat type guys followed her around everywhere, but she kept on moving away. The best part was when the old grey girl cat had all the cats trusting her and they hugged her. Because before they were scared to touch her and now they all became friends.
And the best bit was when the robber cats came and scared all the other ones away and one cat had to sit on the other cat in a box. Oh and then the gold bits that shooted down on everyone out of a cannon!!”– Miss 8
All in all, Cats The Musical is an excellent first show to introduce your kids to the joys of musical theatre.
For me the highlight of the show was Delta Goodrem as Grizabella. The moment she lifted her voice the entire audience was entranced. Her vocal power and clarity transcended the rest of the score, bringing the audience to its feet and uproarious applause.
After in Melbourne on 18 December 2015, the show then tours to Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Dates and ticket information for Cats The Musical can be found here
The Dressmaker costume exhibition at Barwon Park Mansion is a must see for anyone with an appreciation for couture fashion.
Love, Revenge and Haute Couture
– an utterly intriguing and accurate synopsis of this visually stunning film.
Adapted from Rosalie Ham’s bestselling book and featuring over 50 pieces of the costume design work of Marion Boyce and Margot Wilson, this exhibition is a stand-alone highlight of Australian design talent.
Featuring a hand picked wardrobe of pieces worn by Kate Winslet and the cast, this showcase shines a spotlight on the transformative power of fashion as well as the integral process of costume design in character development.
Stepping onto the pebbled driveway, the vision of Barwon Park Manor instantly transports you to another world. Set amongst a golden pastoral landscape and cushioned by elderly pines, the bluestone walls open into a vision of Tilly Dunnage’s country Australia.
Behind it’s double doors, the residents of 1950’s Dungatar come alive in each flutter of chiffon and rustle of moiré silk. We are treated to an up close and personal experience with the fabrics, the processes, the sheer magic of these costumes and their secrets.
Both the film and the exhibition take you on a transformative journey, setting the luxurious designs and opulent fabrics against the dusty Australian landscape.
Artfully staged, the story line of each character can be seen in every stitch, letting you lose yourself in the world of Parisian glamour and dream of what such garments might do for your own story.
Vintage Current talked to costume designer Marion Boyce about her challenges and triumphs working on The Dressmaker.
Starring Kate Winslet and Liam Hemsworth, The Dressmaker Costume Exhibition hosted by the National Trust, is on now at the Barwon Park Mansion in Winchelsea, Victoria.
Make a day of it and treat your friends to a mini road trip of fabulous fashion and style inspiration. Imogen, Anne and I had the most fantastic day complete with Devonshire tea in the converted stables.
Keep an eye out for the Sunday Style session, a 1950s style garden party day, (details TBA) and the perfect opportunity to frock up!
Only 40 minutes from Geelong or1 hr 20 mins from Melbourne, Barwon Park’s 42 room heritage beauty is the perfect setting to truly experience this remarkable showcase of re-created 1950’s Parisian influenced couture.
The Dressmaker costume exhibition is not to be missed!
Over the last six months you’ve been sending me your considered feedback on what you’d like to learn, helping you make each day more stylish, more affordable and faster to achieve. You’ve told me about how little time you have for yourself each day, how when a special occasion comes around your excited, but not sure how to pull it off. You’ve told me that you want to shop smarter, use your wardrobe better and create impressive hairstyles with the flick of a wrist. I listened, and together you and I have put together the outline for our brand new workshop series!
July 25th in Doncaster, Melbourne will be your opportunity to join us for this experience. Our workshops are like nothing you’ve done before, we make hands on, lasting knowledge the foundation of our sessions. Sure it’s a fun day out, but this is serious stuff.
Think about how much do you usually spend at the salon every month? Around $150-300 if you’re like the average Australian woman. Styling your hair and wardrobe can be expensive, time consuming and intimidating. It doesn’t have to be that way!
I know from your feedback that most women would love to manage their own styling, both hair and fashion, but don’t know where to turn for trustworthy and affordable styling advice in a real and effective sense. And that’s exactly why we developed these brand-new styling workshops; with input from our top styling clients of all ages.
For a game-changing day of style and glamour training, we invite you to join us at our newest workshops …
[dt_button size=”big” animation=”none” icon=”” icon_align=”left” color=”” link=”http://events.vintagecurrent.com.au/workshops-july-2015″ target_blank=”true”]Heck yeah I want more details![/dt_button]
The memories I have of growing up are still crisp and fresh in my mind, thanks in large part to the small mementos and slide nights we’d have as a family. (If you don’t know what “slides” are, Google it!)
With Mother’s Day fast approaching, I’m keenly aware just how those small things play such a large part in shaping who we are. The traditional “Mother’s Day stall” at school was where we’d seek out the perfect gift, a treasured paper note gripped tightly in small hands waiting to find the perfect token of our love.
There is something inherently special about having the perfect gift crafted just for your Mum; something as unique as she is. Adding the personal touch of bringing your memory into that gift is something I really wanted to find for my Mum this year, so I turned to the talented community of sellers.
I’m already an verified addict in supporting my vintage shopping habit, and I’ve had some outstanding success in working with crafts people to custom make pieces for other loved ones. So I sat down to think about just what it was I wanted to capture in my Mother’s Day surprise this year and I remembered something.
My Mum hates dusting, but she loves to create little displays on cabinets and counter tops.
When I was little, maybe 7, I remember trying to help her with her dusting chores. She would turn it into one big activity and take everything off the shelves and onto the table. The family heirloom china, the smiling photos, the knick knacks, everything. I’d always ask her about each piece and where they had come from, so over time I learnt the story and significance behind each piece.
One day I got to dust a little china statue of a yellow bird on a twig, one that had come from my great grandmother. It slipped and fell from my hands, breaking into pieces. I was utterly devastated. It felt like I had somehow broken the memory and that was unforgivable.
Mum was so kind, picking up the pieces and assuring me that it could be fixed. I could see that she was sad, but the fact that I understood the sentimentality and importance behind those little yellow fragments, was even more important.
A little love and glue means that every time I see his slightly crazed, yellow glaze I remember that the value isn’t in the object itself, but the love and memories they hold. Now our story has become a part of the narrative of a little yellow bird.
As I wandered around the virtual art galleries and stores on Etsy’s pages, I came across Senkki. The mid century styling of their designs was the first thing to catch my eye, and as I delved further into the catalogue of their creations, I realized just how perfect they would be to create something special for my Mum.
Made locally in South Australia, these simple and elegant shelves form the perfect combination of my own stylistic love and a piece that will provide the perfect showcase for my Mum’s collections.
The Senkii style is a beautiful collection of Mid Century Modern inspired pieces, giving me the opportunity to select a piece I can add to over time, customizing dimensions to fit my space (or Mum’s), and know that I can continue to support high quality, local makers.
The sheer variety of hand made and vintage goods available on means that you’ll always be able to explore and find the perfect thing for your Mum. The range of pieces at all kinds of price points makes Etsy the perfect choice for everyone. All you need to do is sit down with a hot chocolate, your photo album, put on your thinking cap and let the creative people at Etsy do the rest.
This Mother’s Day Etsy is giving you the chance to win a $500 Etsy Gift Card by sharing your special memory on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram with the hashtag #EverydayMum. Simply upload a photo with your Mum and share a special memory (25 words or less) for your chance to win.
Hawkeye Vintage is not your usual vintage fashion retailer. Founded by global traveller and savvy business chick, Danielle Goodwin; Hawkeye Vintage sources a unique and cleverly curated collection of high-end vintage garments.
While living in Japan, Danielle developed a keen eye for mixing and matching her designer vintage pieces for a cutting edge, modern look. The Japanese notion of conscious and creative dressing forms the backbone of the Hawkeye Vintage look.
Unlike many retailers in the vintage space, Hawkeye takes a very eclectic and accessible approach to their wares. While it seems more and more vintage retailers are increasing prices in the Australian market, Hawkeye provides exceptional quality pieces that make a top-notch investment of your cash.
The labels you know, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Pucci and Missoni, can all be found in abundance. With the superb detail and construction synonymous with these labels, Hawkeye’s selection of lesser-known labels are right at home. Each garment is chosen for its inherent beauty, quality and unique style.
The Hawkeye aesthetic inspires the regular sourcing trips throughout Europe and Japan, searching for the noteworthy, the collectable and the statements pieces that every wardrobe need. Danielle’s distinctive flair for matching high-end glamour with utilitarian street ware, is the heart behind this brand.
This month’s pop up designer vintage sale focuses strongly on Japanese and German vintage from 1960’s – 1990’s, with pieces starting as low as $40.
As a first timer seeing any of the work of Cirque Du Soleil, my first visit to see Totem in Melbourne, was the type you remember forever.
Under the big top at Flemington Racecourse, the Cirque Du Soleil team created the most astonishing wonderland! To be asked which was my favourite act at the end of the evening, was an unanswerable question. The feats of strength, wonder, athleticism and engineering was more than my mind could handle. Utterly mesmerising is the only accurate description.
What made my evening however, was the opportunity to spend time with the cast and crew backstage after the show for a tantalising look into the world of circus folk.
Chatting with the “human mirror ball” about the construction and weight of his costume was utterly fascinating. Each piece has been carefully calculated to ensure maximum reflective surface with a minimal weight rating; something they are continually perfecting. Even the choice of glue must give the right strength of adhesion but not add too much weight to the overall piece. As an inventive fashionista with a penchant for the hot glue gun, I found this whole thought process enthralling.
The closest I was able to come to selecting a favourite act, was these two ladies. Twins from Eastern Europe who’s costumes were so stunning I was mentally sketching out replicas for myself during their act! To me they appeared as gorgeous, mermaid like creatures with fin like crowns and reflective scales. Each costume is (naturally) hand made to their exact specifications and commercially worth $30,000 USD each!! Of course I had to ask the question of how they were cleaned, especially given just how difficult and expensive I know it is to clean my vintage pieces. The ladies have two costumes each, one for the performance and a clean one for the finale. These are each cleaned daily with hand washing and air drying; the process of which is done immediately on site in a bank of washing machines and high powered air dryers for each performer.
The fabrics, trim and other embellishments are all kept in highly organised filling drawers within the costume department. If any repairs or replacements are needed while on tour, it is essential that the correct pieces are quickly and easily accessible. While Cirque Du Soleil have the largest costume workshop in North America, the tour wardrobe and makeup department was nothing short of “system porn” for me.
As an addict of labelling, sorting by colour and finding smarter ways to operate, the set up for the performers and the precision to which it is adhered, was heaven to me.
The sheer attention to detail in these costumes is staggering! The custom printed lycra, appliquéd treatments, individually moulded latex monkey face masks, each of which has had the hair attached strand by strand. Not one detail is over looked, no corner cut and no wardrobe malfunctions that will not be pre-empted and swiftly remedied.
As a makeup artist, I had to know, did each performer complete their own look and if so, how long was the process? For these ladies the process was an “easy” 45 minutes now that they were well practiced. They did state, however, that theirs was the most simplistic of all the makeup applications! So not only do the performers need to be incredible at their own craft, they must also be quick studies in the art of stage makeup and dab hands at arduous daily application.
In order to direct the performers, the makeup designer had prepared extensive proof and instructions sheets. Having prepared these on many occasions myself for models to follow, I can tell you it is no easy task ensuring that the finished product looks remotely like your sketches!
MAC is an official sponsor of and supplier to, Cirque Du Solei. This huge (perfectly labelled) filling cabinet holds enough product to put and entire sorority house into dead faint! Gleaming tubes of glitter gloss, pots of paint, liner, crayons and lashes were lined up like candy. Ben Nye products completed the cabinet of lust (as I like to call it), and had my hand reaching for my credit card on auto pilot.
This small post-it with the stubs of liner pencils brought home to me the true magic of what Cirque Du Soleil really is. One huge talented family, travelling the globe to share their miraculous world and reawaken our own sense of wonder.
Cirque Du Soleil Totem is in Melbourne until March 28th. Be mesmerised!
