Things to do in Sydney today

You’d never, surely, describe Romeo and Juliet as one of William Shakespeare’s funnier plays. However, Bell Shakespeare’s latest production highlights the humour in the famous tragedy, before bringing the hammer down in the back half. It’s an interesting approach that could, in other hands, undermine the play’s central thematic concerns – but here, the contrast works wonders. Of course, this is not director Peter Evan’s first at-bat with R&J – he mounted a lavish production in 2016 when he first took up the reins as artistic director of Bell Shakespeare. This production, however, is a more streamlined, minimalist affair. Set and costume designer Anna Tregloan dresses Bell’s new HQ, The Neilson Nutshell, with a couple of raised platforms and a scattering of carpets and wooden stools. The cast is dressed in stylish but functional black, the addition of brighter accessories marking the crucial Capulet ball scene when our star-cross’d lovers first meet. ...hearing this old song sung in a new register is nothing less than exhilarating Jacob Warner’s Romeo here is capricious, charming, and more than a little blind to the consequences of his actions. More than a little ink has been spilled on the notion that Romeo is the OG fuckboi (most prominently in the pop musical & Juliet, currently playing in Melbourne to great fanfare), his dalliance with Juliet more of a passing obsession than true love, and Warner leans into that ambiguity. Warner drops lines such as “Shall I hear more, or

Sunshine, beer and gyozas – it’s all happening down at Manly this winter and, in particular, at the local’s favourite 4 Pines Brewing Co, which is transforming their downstairs tavern Block’s Bar into a vibey izakaya bar. And we reckon you should come check it out. For six glorious months, expect to find a stacked line-up of killer food and drink deals, entertainment, live music and karaoke. And a space decked out to look like the buzzing and vibrant bars in Tokyo.  4 Pines Block’s Bar events include: Wednesday - $14 curry night from 5pm Thursday - $1 gyozas from 5pm Friday - live music from 6-9pm Saturday - $15 Yuzu Slushies from 5pm Sunday - free edamame with any jug from 4pm Executive chef Joji Shikama has also created a brand-new menu for the pop-up, with dishes including sashimi tartare, pork katsu, teriyaki ribs, Japanese curries, fried chicken and spicy slaw. There’ll be 12 taps pouring rotating 4 Pines core and limited release beers, as well as the Brookvale Union favourites. Plus, sake, spirits and fun cocktails. It’s all going down to celebrate the launch of 4 Pine’s new Japanese Style Larger.  The izakaya pop-up at 4 Pines is on now, for the next six weeks. You can find out more info here. Here are some other fun stories: Wander through fluffy cherry blossoms and eat Japanese street food at Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival Yay! Sydney is ranked the fourth most liveable city in the world Drool: World-famous croissanterie Lune is opening a second Sydney store

Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé’s bangers may still be in hibernation for a few more months, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get into the Christmas spirit a little early this year. Sydney’s innovative and approachable fine-diner Nel is hosting Christmas in July – and you and your mates are invited. Chuck on your favourite Christmas jumper, come on down to the Surry Hills’ spot and get stuck into a festive feast, which kicks off with five snacks and fresh bread, followed by a share-style slow-cooked lamb Christmas roast with all the trimmings. You’ll finish up with ‘Granny’s Melting Christmas Pudding’ and some elusively named 'winter bombs'. Head chef Nelly Robinson is renowned for his creative and delicious menu concepts – in fact, his magical  Disney-themed degustation is still available to book – and we reckon his Christmas in July feast will blow your santa hat off. Christmas in July at Nel costs $95 per person, and you can make a booking here. The festivities will be running every Sunday for lunch in July. The team can cater for pescatarians too. Round up your gang. Recommended: Check out the best places to eat and drink in Surry Hills The Sydney Opera House turns 50 this year and is throwing an epic birthday bash to celebrate A Sydney bartender has been crowned Australian World Class Bartender of the Year

Reuben Kaye has been described as “the evil love child of Liza Minnelli and Jim Carrey”, and that’s possibly the best way you can wrap up everything about this entertainer in a nutshell. He’s brutally funny, politically engaged, always fabulously dressed, and he has a wit as intimidating as his lashes are large. Yet behind the “eight pounds of caustic lead-based cosmetics” is a person who wants to leave the world a better, less conservative place than he found it. This multi-award-winning Australian comedian and cabaret sensation has, inextricably, managed to harness the spirit of old-school vaudevillian cabaret and make it feel entirely modern and exciting. Along the way, ruffling feathers and gaining fans for his television appearances, including his recent spot on the panel of ABC TV's Q&A. Not everyone needs a bachelor's degree in gender studies... we just need to talk to each other He brings his show The Butch is Back to the Enmore Theatre on Saturday, July 1, for one of his final Australian performances before he jets back off overseas. After the success of the show in 2021, Kaye has developed an encore version. Expect bedazzling costumes, fierce makeup and a stage festooned by the sparkling remnants of a glitter cannon barrage. Arts and culture editor Alannah Le Cross recently caught up with Kaye to spill all the tea. Read on for our chat:  According to Reuben Kaye, what is the essence of good cabaret? Because cabaret has no rules and it's a lawless art form, it's at

Beauty and the Beast the Musical revives Disney’s 1991 animation in a theatrical masterpiece that captures a tale as old as time, through the panorama of a multi-sensory spectacle in this two-and-a-half hour production. Before you see anything, it’s what you hear that captivates your attention. The orchestration by Danny Troob and sound design of John Shivers completely shifts the atmosphere in each scene, accentuating that gravitas of emotional range of the characters and their circumstances. The presence and influence of the music and orchestration is truly felt in the few moments of its absence. In an artform where too much music can easily become overkill, the sound design shifts seamlessly between diegetic and non-diegetic to support transitions between dialogue and musical scores.  Shubshri Kandiah, who plays Belle (and who also played princesses in Disney’s Aladdin, Roger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Belvoir St Theatre’s Into The Woods), has become Australia’s go-to princess, and deservedly so. Kandiah’s performance carries the youthfulness and animation of a Disney cartoon while exuding the elegance of a woman born to be royalty. While Belle’s disdain for Gaston (Jackson Head) falters in the pair’s duet, ‘Me’, this oversight is beyond compensated for in her timbre and melody throughout the rest of the performance.  Head plays the repugnant role of Gaston delightfully. His performance elicits a tug-of-war of admiration for his execution but also an unease at the sl