Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ENTERTAINMENT IN SYDNEY
Sydney has the standard of
modern dance and rock and
pop concerts. Pub rock thrives
in the inner city and beyond;
and there are many nightspots
for jazz, dance and alternative
music. Movie buffs are well
catered for with film festivals,
art-house films and foreign titles,
as well as the latest Hollywood
blockbusters. One of the features
of harbourside living is the free outdoor
entertainment so, for children, a Sydney
visit can be especially memorable.
entertainment and nightlife
you would expect from a
cosmopolitan city. Everything
from opera and ballet at Sydney
Opera House to Shakespeare by
the sea at the Balmoral Beach
amphitheatre is on offer. Venues
such as the Capitol, Her Majesty's
Theatre and the Theatre Royal
play host to the latest musicals, while
Sydney's many smaller theatres are
home to interesting fringe theatre,
A Wharf Theatre
production poster
Many venues have
leaflets about forth-
coming attractions,
while the major
venues have infor-
mation telephone
lines and websites.
half an hour before the show.
The major agencies will take
overseas bookings.
Buying tickets from touts is
not advisable, if you are
caught with a “sold on” ticket
you will be denied access to
the event. If all else fails,
hotel concierges have a repu-
tation for being able to secure
hard-to-get tickets.
BUYING TICKETS
Some of the most
popular operas,
shows, plays and
ballets in Sydney are
sold out months in
advance. While it is better to
book ahead, many theatres do
set aside tickets to be sold at
the door on the night.
You can buy tickets from the
box office or by telephone.
Some orchestral performances
do not admit children under
seven, so check with the
box office before buying. If
you make a phone booking
using a credit card, the tickets
can be mailed to you.
Alternatively, tickets can be
collected from the box office
CHOOSING SEATS
Sydney Theatre
(see p210)
on Hickson Road,
Walsh Bay
If booking in person at either
the venue or the agency, you
will be able to look at a
seating plan. Be aware that in
the State Theatre's stalls, row
A is the back row. In Sydney,
there is not as much
difference in price between
stalls and dress circle as in
other cities.
If booking by phone with
one of the agencies, you will
only be able to get a rough
idea of where your seats are.
The computer will select the
“best” tickets.
INFORMATION
For details of events in the
city, you should check the
daily newspapers first. They
carry cinema, and often arts
and theatre, advertisements
daily. The most comprehensive
listings appear in the
Sydney
Morning Herald's
“Metro”
guide every Friday. The
Daily
Telegraph
has a gig guide on
daily, with opportunities to
win free tickets to special
events. The
Australian
's main
arts pages appear on Fridays
and all the papers review new
films in weekend editions.
Tourism NSW
information
kiosks have free guides and
the quarterly
What's on in Dar-
ling Harbour
. Kiosks are found
at Town Hall, Circular Quay
and Martin Place.
Where Maga-
zine
is available at the airport
and the Sydney Visitor Centre at
The Rocks. Hotels also offer
free guides, or try
www.
sydney.citysearch.com.au
.
Music fans are well served
by the free weekly guides
Drum Media
and
3-D World
and
Brag,
found at video and
music shops, pubs and clubs.
The annual New Mardi Gras Festival's Dog Show
(see p49)
