If you've booked your holiday to Sydney, you're in luck! There are many major events taking place this August that are sure to make your holiday into something magical. Here are some top events to check out while you're there:
The Lion King Stage Show
This stage show of epic proportions is on at Capitol Theatre in Sydney for a limited time only. The popular Disney film has been re-imagined and injected with life for the theatre adaptation.
The story is one you're sure to be familiar with. It begins in the majestic Serengeti Plains and tells the tale of Simba and the fate of the savannah. On stage, the story comes through in vivid colours and special effects.
The songs you know and love, from the Circle of Life to Hukuna Matata will be as you've never heard them, with the combined effort of a live orchestra and the melodious voices of the cast.
Julie Taymor, acclaimed director, is at the helm of the grand spectacle that more than 70 million people have witnessed. It has also won more than 70 major theatre awards around the world.
The show runs from July 17 through until the end of August. Pick your tickets up now before they all disappear!
The Effect
Taking place at Wharf Theatre, this stage performance is said to be rich and rewarding, intelligent and deep. Presented by Sydney Theatre Company and Commonwealth Bank, the show displays the various symptoms of love. Psychology student, Connie, and drifter, Tristan, sign up to a clinical trial for a new super-drug antidepressant and as their dose gets stronger, so does their attraction for one another. However, as time goes it becomes less and less clear if their feelings are real or ignited by chemicals.
The show, from the brilliant mind of Lucy Prebble, is run by a talented creative team. Director Sarah Goodes has teamed up with designer Renee Mulder, composer and sound designer, Guy Webster and lighting designer Ben Hughes.
It has received rave reviews from a number of publications. The Daily Telegraph stated it was "An engaging and though-provoking piece" while the Sydney Morning Herald stated, "There's no shortage of things to think about in British playwright Lucy Prebble's The Effect. By interval, your mind is buzzing.
The show started on July 10 and runs until August 16. Tickets are available on the Sydney Theatre website.
Theatre of dreams, theatre of play
For the next few months, the Art Gallery of New South Wales presents Theatre of dreams, theatre of play. This exhibition looks back through 600 years of Japanese noh and kyogen theatre.
No, or noh, has a rich history and is Japan's oldest and most complex form of theatre. With no drama, music or dance, the graceful plays are full of symbolism and legend. The dramatic plays are often referred to as Japanese opera.
Noh plays are interwoven with kyogen or skits, which are short spoken dramas that depict folk tales and daily life. These are meant to be light-hearted comedic moments that break up the drama of noh.
The splendour and tradition of this art form is highlighted in the exhibit. You'll see 165 works that have been handed down through the generations. These works include stunning costumes, finely crafted instruments and masks and paintings. No expense was spared in creating these shows, and the incredible skill of these artists is obvious in the meticulous beauty.
This is an exciting opportunity, as these works, drawn from prestigious Japanese collections, haven't been exhibited outside of Japan before.
Catch the exhibition between July 13 and September 14. Buy your tickets today from Qtix, through the Art Gallery of NSW website.