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Master Arnhem Land artist Margaret Rarru Garrawurra wins top prize in 2022 NATSIAA’s with sweeping woven sail

A sweeping, large-scale woven sail, once used on fishing boats between Arnhem Land and Indonesia prior to colonization, has won first prize in the prestigious National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.

Six other artists have won category prizes including bark painting and multi-media works, picked from 63 finalists from over 200 entries.

This year the NATSIAA’s became the richest art award in the country, with $190,000 in the overall prize pool and a doubling of the top prize to $100,000.

These are the winners.

Telstra Art Award

Women sitting beside a large woven artwork.
Margaret Rarru Garrawurra with her winning work.(ABC News: Pete Garnish)

The major prize this year went to senior Yolngu artist Margaret Rarru Garrawurra for Dhomala (pandanus sail).

Ms Garrawurra, who lives in Milingimbi in north east Arnhem Land, recreated the type of sail used on Macassan fishing by boats, which came to trade with Yolngu in north east Arnhem Land prior to colonisation.

A photograph of an orange and black woven sail

The weaving style used in the piece was taught to her by her father, who was taught by his father.

The work features the rich black plant dye Ms Garrawurra has become renowned for, which she gathers and prepares herself.

Friend and sister Helen Ganalmirriwuy, who helped interpret for Ms Garrawurra, said that of all the mediums her sister works in, weaving is “her favorite in her heart”.

General Painting Award

An intricate painting of white markings scrawled across a black canvas.
Ngangkari Ngura, by Betty Muffler.(Supplied: MAGNT)

Indulkana artist Betty Muffler won the General Painting Award with a piece titled Ngangkari Ngura (Healing Country).

Bark Painting Award

A woman stands next to a bark painting featuring cream-coloured water spirit figures and a red and pink sea.
Yirrkala elder Meriki Ganambarr-Stubbs with the late D Yunupingu’s winning work Yunupiŋu —The Rock.(Supplied: MAGNT)
wider d yunupingu work
D Yunupingu’s work among other finalists.(Supplied: MAGNT)

The Bark Painting Award this year recognized a work titled Yunupingu (the rock) by D Yunupingu from Yirrkala, who died in 2021.

Works on Paper Award

A black and white photo of a man, with a collage of flowers edited into the background.
Detail of Gary Lee’s winning piece for Works on Paper Award, titled Nagi.(Supplied: MAGNT)
A man sitting in front of a black-and-white portrait handing on a wall in a gallery.  He wears a pearl necklace.

Larrakia man Gary Lee, from Garramilla/Darwin, won the Works on Paper Award with a pastel, pencil and digital print work titled Nagi.

Wadjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award

Two elderly women in an art gallery, sitting in front of a large woven fish trap suspended behind them.
Bonnie Burangarra and Freda Ali Wayartja with their work that won the Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award.
A picture of the inside of a woven basket.
A large cylindrical thatched artwork hangs from the ceiling of an art gallery.

A joint work by Bonnie Burangarra and Freda Ali Wayartja from Yilan in the Northern Territory won this year’s Wandjuk Marika Memorial 3D Award. The work is titled An-gujechiya.

Multimedia Award

artwork by Jimmy Thaiday
A still from Jimmy Thaiday’s winning work for the Multimedia Award, Beyond the Lines.(Supplied: MAGNT)
Three people sitting on a settee watching a video on a large screen, inside a dark room inside an art gallery.

A video work by Jimmy John Thaiday from Erub in the Torres Strait,titled Beyond the Lineswon this year’s Multimedia Award.

Emerging Artist Award

A beaming woman standing in front of a large artwork hung on a black wall with her hands on her hips.
Louise Malarvie with her winning work.(Supplied: MAGNT)

The Emerging Artist Award, given to an artist in the first five years in their practice, this year went to Louise Malarvie from Kununurra, for a work titled Pamar Yara.

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Kuon Omakase review Sydney Review 2022

shop 20 2 Little Hay St
sydney,
NSW
2000

view map

opening hours Lunch Thu-Sat; dinner Tue-Sat
Features Licensed, Accepts bookings, Tasting
Prices Expensive (mains over $40)
payments eft pos, Visa, Mastercard

Quick, pinch my napkin. Is this real? Have we made it? Am I actually here? After months of trying to land a booking at one of Sydney’s most popular omakase restaurants, it is finally time to experience a level of seafood that can cause fellow food critics to cry in fatty tuna rapture: “Blessed are we for this sliver of moderately dry -aged fish!”

Kuon Omakase opened two years ago in Haymarket’s neon-tinged Darling Square which, depending on who you talk to, is either a soul-sucking boil on the rear end of Chinatown or a family-friendly precinct for bubble tea and Pancakes on the Rocks.

To plonk your own rear end on one of Kuon’s nine seats you need to be hovering over its website at midday on the first (but sometimes fourth) Tuesday of each month when reservations open a few weeks in advance. Refresh, refresh, refresh. Click, click, click. Refresh. Click. Refresh. Click. Throw laptop at wall.

Go-to dish: Blue fin tuna otoro.

Go-to dish: Blue fin tuna otoro. Photo: Wolter Peeters



Infuriating booking systems are a hallmark of Japanese omakase restaurants, which have been popping up like mushrooms after a downpour over the past two years. The set-menu format – usually about 20 small fishy things for north of $150 – is a smart way to lock in customer spend and staffing requirements. It’s also a fun and mindful way to eat.

After more than a year of failed attempts, I managed to secure a Tuesday night spot at Kuon’s elegant, blond-wood counter. It’s a calming, sparsely decorated room that says, “You’re here to pay attention to the chef hand-molding each piece of sushi.” One very attentive waiter clears plates, pours wine and shows guests to the loo across the laneway.

Before nine mouthfuls of nigiri (raw fish served on vinegared rice), there’s a procession of free-form creations that showcase head chef Jun Miyauchi’s skill at assembling pretty things on nice plates. Seared scampi is a highlight; sweet and delicate and served with perilla leaf and a hunk of avocado, it requires a Certificate IV in Chopsticks to pick up on your first go.

Chawanmushi with dried scallop, sweet corn, lily flower root, potato and edamame.

Chawanmushi with dried scallop, sweet corn, lily flower root, potato and edamame. Photo: Wolter Peeters



Steamed chawanmushi custard is a warming lucky dip of dried scallop, turnip-like lily root, edamame and corn; ponzu butter adds luster to a jumbo Pacific oyster served in a shell that looks like a souvenir ashtray; wagyu tenderloin with fatty monkfish liver – the foie gras of the sea – is enhanced by a lick of red vinegar-based sauce. Is it delicious? Oh yeah.

I’m taken less with the optional $25 course of tempura sea-urchin gonads. While I’ve had the occasional spiritual moment with sea urchin when it’s served fresh from deep waters, much of the stuff served in restaurants seems to be chefs having a laugh: “Hey, let’s see how much we can charge for this kraken snot that tastes like a fishmonger’s armpit.”

Then it happens. Thealpha. Theomega. The emperor nigiri. Crowned with a daub of salted kelp, it’s a moment of balance and harmony and pure essence of the ocean, the buttery New Zealand fish firm and sweet against each al dente grain of rice. The heavens open and Gabriel’s trumpet blasts. Lo and behold, this perfect piece of sushi.

Akami zuke (marinated ruby-red prickly pear) nigiri.

Akami zuke (marinated ruby-red prickly pear) nigiri. Photo: Wolter Peeters



If you’re into this sort of thing, these 10 seconds of bliss really help to justify the $230 price tag.

Unfortunately, the imperador was absent from the menu a week later when I sent a photographer as Kuon only uses the best seasonal catch of the day, et cetera, et cetera. Bermagui-caught bluefin tuna is a little more consistent though, and almost as wonderful.

Miyauchi serves three cuts of the noble fish on my visit: marinated ruby-red akami (lean meat from the tuna’s back); luscious, highly marbled otoro (from the fattiest part of the belly) and chutoro, a pale-pink, medium-fatty cut with a flavor that pings every pleasure receptor.

Wagyu tenderloin, monkfish liver, truffle and red vinegar sauce.

Wagyu tenderloin, monkfish liver, truffle and red vinegar sauce. Photo: Wolter Peeters



There’s also pearly-white southern calamari dotted with caviar, meaty scallops that melt on the tongue, and the sweetest of prawns from New Caledonia.

Many of the jewel-box morsels are seasoned with Nikiri, a secret soy blend brushed just before serving.

Qualms, I have a few. The only white wine by the glass is a dry and textural 2019 Grace Koshu Toriibira from Japan and it’s $27. Sake is better value, but still far from a bargain.

But, well on my way to becoming one of Sydney’s many omakase fanatics chasing seasonal fish and signature specials, I will absolutely return.

How does Kuon stand up to Yoshii’s Omakase at Crown which is – wait for it – $350 per person? I’ll have to let you know when I’ve landed a bloody booking.

Vibes: Revered sushi temple for delicious moments of zen

Go to dish: Bluefin tuna otoro (as part of a set menu)

Drinks: Short and pricey list of mostly French whites, one red and lots of sake

Cost: $230 per person for a 20-course omakase menu

Kuon Omakase in Sydney

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Prey release date and time: How to watch Predator prequel online

Predator fans will watch Prey online on Hulu with mixed expectations. While the trailer looks great, recent Predator sequels have left fans underwhelmed to put it nicely. So, we’re happy to see that Prey looks to deliver a simple approach to its storytelling, giving us a glimpse at a Predator attack on Earth that took place 300 years ago.

Prey release date and time

Prey premieres on Friday (August 5) at 12 am ET on Hulu (opens in new tab).

Naru (Amber Midthunder) is a young Comanche warrior, who is concerned and on the hunt after seeing a very ominous set of clouds that looked electric. After one encounter with a bear, she’s given more reason to be concerned, as that bear is levitated into the air.

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Chrissy Teigen announces she’s expecting fourth baby almost two years after the stillbirth of son Jack

Musician John Legend and his model wife Chrissy Teigen have announced they are expecting a baby, two years after the devastating stillbirth of their son.

Teigen made the unexpected announcement to her 38 million followers, showing off her growing baby bump in a cropped t-shirt and lace underwear.

“The last few years have been a blur of emotions to say the least, but joy has filled our home and hearts again. 1 billion shots later (in the leg lately, as u can see!) we have another on the way,” she wrote.

The 36-year-old, who hasn’t disclosed how far along she is in her pregnancy, said it took her some time to announce the news publicly after losing her son Jack in 2020.

Chrissy Teigen shows off her growing bump.
Camera IconChrissy Teigen shows off her growing bump. Credit: Instagram

“Every appointment I’ve said to myself, ‘ok if it’s healthy today I’ll announce’ but then I breathe a sigh of relief to hear a heartbeat and decide I’m just too nervous still,” she wrote.

“I don’t think I’ll ever walk out of an appointment with more excitement than nerves but so far, everything is perfect and beautiful and I’m feeling hopeful and amazing. Ok phew it’s been very hard keeping this in for so long!”

Famous friends, including Emmy-nominated actor Lily James, model Irina Shayk, and West Australian model Nicole Trunfio were among the first to congratulate the model.

Legend shared a screenshot of her post with heart emojis to her fans.

Chrissy Teigen and John Legend miscarriage.  Caption: We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about, the kind of pain we've never felt before.  We were never able to stop the bleeding and give our baby the fluids he needed, despite bags and bags of blood transfusions.  It just wasn't enough.  .  .  We never decide on our babies' names until the last possible moment after they're born, just before we leave the hospital.  But we, for some reason, had started to call this little guy in my belly Jack.  So he will always be Jack to us.  Jack worked so hard to be apart of our little family, and he will be, forever.  .  .  To our Jack - I'm so sorry that the first few moments of your life were met with so many complications, that we couldn't give you the home you needed to survive.  We will always love you.  .  .  Thank you to everyone who has been sending us positive energy, thoughts and prayers.  We feel all of your love and truly appreciate you.  .  .  We are so grateful for the life we ​​have, for our wonderful babies Luna and Miles, for all the amazing things we've been able to experience.  But everyday can't be full of sunshine.  On this darkest of days, we will grieve, we will cry our eyes out.  But we will hug and love each other harder and get through it.  Source: @chrissyteigen/Instagram
Camera IconChrissy Teigen and John Legend after the heartbreaking stillbirth of their son Jack. Credit: @chrissyteigen/Instagram/@chrissyteigen/Instagram

The news comes months after the author posted on Instagram that she had begun IVF treatment and told fans to stop asking her if she was pregnant.

In March, she told Entertainment Tonight that she had completed a round of IVF treatment.

In October 2020, the couple, who met on set of Legend’s music video for Stereo, shared their heartbreak of losing their son.

Chrissy Teigen and John Legend miscarriage.  Caption: We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about, the kind of pain we've never felt before.  We were never able to stop the bleeding and give our baby the fluids he needed, despite bags and bags of blood transfusions.  It just wasn't enough.  .  .  We never decide on our babies' names until the last possible moment after they're born, just before we leave the hospital.  But we, for some reason, had started to call this little guy in my belly Jack.  So he will always be Jack to us.  Jack worked so hard to be apart of our little family, and he will be, forever.  .  .  To our Jack - I'm so sorry that the first few moments of your life were met with so many complications, that we couldn't give you the home you needed to survive.  We will always love you.  .  .  Thank you to everyone who has been sending us positive energy, thoughts and prayers.  We feel all of your love and truly appreciate you.  .  .  We are so grateful for the life we ​​have, for our wonderful babies Luna and Miles, for all the amazing things we've been able to experience.  But everyday can't be full of sunshine.  On this darkest of days, we will grieve, we will cry our eyes out.  But we will hug and love each other harder and get through it.  Source: @chrissyteigen/Instagram
Camera IconChrissy Teigen shared heartbreaking pics of her stillbirth. Credit: @chrissyteigen/Instagram/@chrissyteigen/Instagram

She wrote a blog about her experience and revealed she had to deliver the son they had planned to name Jack, knowing that he would not survive.

“My mom, John and I each held him and said our own private goodbyes, mom sobbing through Thai prayer,” she wrote.

“I asked the nurses to show me his hands and feet and I kissed them over and over and over again. I have no idea when I stopped. It could have been 10 minutes or an hour.”

Chrissy Teigen, left, and John Legend attend City Harvest's 35th Anniversary Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, in New York.  (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Camera IconChrissy Teigen and John Legend in 2018. Credit: Andy Cropa/Andy Kropa/Invision/AP

In May 2021, Teigen took time away from the spotlight after she faced backlash after she was accused of bullying other celebrities.

The new arrival with be a sibling for Legend and Teigen’s children Luna, 6, and Miles, 4.

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Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu: ‘I was bullied for gaining weight’

Winner of Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu gained weight after her December win, and while she didn’t mind, she says she cannot stand the online harassment.

In an exclusive interview with PeopleSandhu said she is perfectly comfortable with her weight gain, but other people’s comments are now becoming a problem.

“I was bullied for gaining weight,” she said. “It was kind of uncomfortable and really surprising for me to see how people started having their opinions, which should not really matter.”

miss universe 2021 crowned
Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu won the 2021 Miss Universe competition. (dpa/picture alliance via Getty I)

READMORE: Royals send warm wishes to Meghan for her 41st birthday

“It’s not about how you look, it’s about who you are from inside and how you treat people and what you believe in.”

she told People she severely restricted her diet and increased exercise in an attempt to increase her chances to win Miss Universe.

“I was really focused towards my goal and I was [not] thinking about my health,” said the Indian-born model, “The whole time we were working out, doing so many activities…”

Sandhu said she started gaining a little weight after the competition because she finally had time to relax.

“During that time, I actually didn’t work out, and I was just eating and just enjoying that time with my family… I never realized that it would start showing on my body.”

READMORE: Bride receives praise for meticulous bridal planning survey

In addition to the barely perceptible weight gain, Sandhu was feeling unwell at the time and was diagnosed with several new allergies due to her reaction to gluten, coconuts, and soy products.

With the weight gain, and potential physical impacts from the model’s once-unknown allergies, cruel comments came quickly.

Many were so rude and mean that Sandhu was brought to tears.

“I definitely broke down so many times.”

READMORE: Concerns over TV host’s bizarre marriage claim

“Sometimes in the most unexpected times,” she said. “I’m just about to go on stage or something and this whole thing comes in my mind. It’s really sad.”

Over the last few months, Sandhu has become better at processing her emotions and needlessly ignoring cruel comments.

“I’ve gone through that phase of my life where I used to feel bad about everything,” she said. “Now, I started loving everything. It’s OK to cry. It’s OK to feel sad.”

Leona Lewis gives birth to first child, daughter Carmel Allegra with husband Dennis Jauch

Leona Lewis gives birth to first child: ‘Our little Carmen Allegra’

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Mom renovating Marilyn Monroe’s final house with Joe DiMaggio makes shocking discovery in ceiling: ‘Truly remarkable’

A mom changing a lightbulb in her historic Hollywood home made a shocking find in her ceiling, and Marilyn Monroe fans are stunned.

Impersonator and TikTok star Jasmine Chiswell (@jasminechiswell) moved into the final home of Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio in 2019. Since then, she and her husband have documented many odd occurrences in the LA mansion — but nothing quite as shocking as the artifacts they came across while renovating.

Now, much like the couple who made a chilling discovery in the attic of their 108-year-old home, Jasmine’s renovation discovery is going viral.

With Marilyn making headlines to this day — both for the new biopic “Blonde” starring Ana de Armas, and for the 60th anniversary of her tragic death — it’s no surprise that Jasmine’s findings are causing a stir on TikTok.

The house, built in 1938, was the final home of baseball star Joe DiMaggio and Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe.

According to Jasmine’s house tour vids, the house maintains many original features that Joe and Marilyn picked out — such as light fixtures, art, bathtubs, tiling and even towels.

As Jasmine documents in her videos, living in Marilyn Monroe’s former home is a surreal experience — and sometimes, a paranormal one as well.

In a now-viral video (featuring Jasmine’s little boy, Midnight), the family revealed to their TikTok followers that they believe their home is haunted by the spirit of Marilyn Monroe.

According to Mansion Global, 1954 was a “whirlwind” year for Marilyn — as was her relationship with former Yankees star Joe DiMaggio.

“In January [1954], she married DiMaggio; in September she began filming Billy Wilder’s ‘The Seven Year Itch,’ which includes the star-defining scene of her standing on a Manhattan subway grate as the steam blows up her billowy white dress; and in October, only nine months after they vowed never to separate, she filed for divorce from DiMaggio. Two years later, Monroe walked down the aisle with playwright Arthur Miller. When that relationship ended in 1961, she began seeing DiMaggio again.”

But potentially lingering spirits didn’t scare off Jasmine and her family. Instead, it seemed to endear them to the property even more.

According to the Zillow listing for the home, the couple purchased the 3,620-square-foot property for $2.7 million. Since then, the two have lovingly restored the home to its former Hollywood glory, right down to the original accents on the staircase.

But while renovating and settling into the home, Scotland-born Jasmine and her husband have made some shocking discoveries — findings which have taken TikTok by storm.

TikTokers were shocked by Jasmine’s discoveries in the home, detailed in her now-viral TikTok — and some credit her love for Marilyn Monroe for leading her to the items.

Photo courtesy of Jasmine Chiswell (@jasminechiswell)

“I honestly think she’s letting you find this stuff as a thank you for continuing to celebrate her legacy 😭🤩,” one user wrote in the comments.

“I love that you live in her home, there’s nobody better fit to take care of and watch over one of Marilyn’s home 🧞‍♀️💞,” another user commented.

“The magazines and signature are truly remarkable finds! 💞💕,” commented another user.

“Oh my gosh that must’ve been so exciting to find!!! I am so jealous😍,” one user wrote.

It seems that even beyond the serious, Marilyn and Joe are still making headlines and causing a stir — and hopefully, Jasmine will continue to keep TikTok posted on all their spooky Hollywood encounters.

In The Know is now available on Apple News — follow us here!

If you enjoyed this story, check out this mom who modeled her baby’s nursery after the 1960s hit show, “The Addams Family.”

More from In The Know:

‘Did my 2-year-old just remember how he died in a former life?’: Toddler shocks mom with eerie details of being an adult

‘Princess Diana reincarnated?’: Toddler eerily speaks in full British accent despite being American

Abercrombie’s Semi-Annual Denim Event is on, and you can score 30% off all jeans

This Amazon best-selling ‘blackhead vacuum’ could help you unclog your pores — and it’s currently 50% off

Listen to the latest episode of our pop culture podcast, We Should Talk:

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RNB Fridays are back with a brand new name and an epic line-up including Macklemore, Shaggy and TLC

Perth’s drought of being cut off from international music acts during the pandemic is well and truly over with the announcement that 10 massive hip hop and RNB stars are set to hit the city for a one-night-only gig.

After a two-year hiatus RNB Friday’s are back with a brand new name, Fridayz Live, and will be touring around the country later this year.

Macklemore.
Camera IconMacklemore. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

But even more epic is the news of the event’s bumper line-up, which includes Macklemore, TLC, Akon, Craig David, Ashanti, Shaggy, Jay Sean, Dru Hill, Lumidee, Havana Brown and Resident DJ Yo! Mafia, who are all set to light up HBF Park on Saturday November 5.

Get ready to jump back in time and dance along to party hits from way back in the 90s to now, as everyone’s favorite Gemini Abbie Chatfield teams up with Fatman Scoop to host.

Fridayz Live organizers have promised to “continue our legacy for presenting the sleekest production, insatiable visual candy, and pyro for days”.

So whatever your Flava, don’t be Foolish and be the one left saying It Wasn’t Me when your friends ask why you all missed out on tickets because you forgot to book.

Pre-sale begins on Monday morning, before general public tickets go on sale next Friday, August 12. Tickets will be available from frontiertouring.com/fridayzlive

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Sir Cameron Mackintosh, billionaire impressario, on how he turned Mary Poppins and Phantom of the Opera into megahits

As one West End producer summed up: “In the world of musical theatre, Cameron Mackintosh is god.”

It’s time to order and we both choose scallops with Aleppo pepper and a main course of roasted fish (bass groper for him, John Dory for me), with seasonal vegetables.

The sommelier takes us around the country in search of an unwooded chardonnay. We somehow settle on the Adelaide Hills, via another Mackintosh story (about “Janet” [Holmes a Court], owner of the Vasse Felix winery and one-time owner of a bunch of London theaters that, in the dark days after her husband’s unexpected death in the early ’90s, kept the bankers at bay thanks to Mackintosh’s successful musicals). I’m struggling to keep up.

version of Phantom about to open in Sydney is quite different to the one that has been wowing audiences for years, and I’m keen to know why Mackintosh chose to change a winning formula.

“Actually, with every single one of my shows, and I think I’m the only producer in history that’s ever done this, I’ve redone them after 25 years,” he says. “The only show of mine that sort of hasn’t been redone is cats“That could be on the agenda, though.

Mackintosh says that as they get older, all shows need to be refreshed to stay relevant. But many originators can’t bring themselves to do it. He is, it seems, more hard-headed when it comes to getting bums on seats.

Mackintosh says that from the time he saw his first musical – Salad Days – at age 8, he wanted to be a producer. “I like to know how things work,” he says. “It was the gift God gave me.”

Cats opened at the Theater Royal in Sydney in 1985. Mackintosh’s shows ran consecutively in the theater for more than a decade in the 1980s and ’90s. Bruce Milton Miller

“I get involved in absolutely every element of the theatre, from the writing to the composing, to the orchestrating, to the lighting,” he says, before acknowledging his details guy reputation by adding “to how you’re going to lay out the copy for this piece …

“You know, it’s not that I come up with the new idea of ​​the next show or anything like that. But I’m very good at spotting something that’s special, and then seeing if I’m the one who’s best for actually nurturing it and making it as good as it can be. and that [approach] covers everything I do.”

But, I ask, how do you get the balance right between being across all the detail and being an actual control freak and a nightmare to work for? Mackintosh seems surprised by the question.

“I don’t really know,” he begins, before considering it more carefully. “I just want to get the show right. So, my greatest pleasure is finding something that I think sounds original and then working with others to develop it.” (Later he will speak at length on how all his successes de él have been original ideas based on excellent writing, and why he is always wary of the formulaic.) He backs up the claim with the story of his decade-long effort to bring Mary Poppins to the stage, which involved persuading the two rights holders – author Pamela Travers for the story and Disney for the songs – to get over their many differences.

“Look, I’m sure it can be very irritating that I never stop. But the fact is most of the key people in the theater have continued to work with me over the years.” He says his staff know what he wants and typically do n’t call him in until a production is on his feet and at the fine-tuning stage.

“I couldn’t possibly run my huge empire and keep it personal if I didn’t have 95 per cent of the work done by other people.”

The Australian season of Mary Poppins is a case in point. When Cassel’s casting team made Stefanie Jones her first choice for her to play Mary, Mackintosh could n’t make it to Sydney and was n’t prepared to see the final audition of such a key character over Zoom. Instead, he flew her from her and Jack Chambers, who plays Bert, to London for her final approval. That is, I suppose, staying across the detail.

Stefanie Jones as Mary Poppins in this year’s Australian production. Kate Geraghty

We tuck into the scallops and the Aleppo pepper makes an impact. When the waiter clears the plates Mackintosh politely offers some feedback. “I would just say to the chef that it could do with a little less of the chilli because the poor scallop is fighting for its identity.” I imagine that’s the sort of feedback he’d offer when the lighting or staging or choreography isn’t quite right. Polite, but insistent.

Mackintosh professes three times over lunch that he doesn’t care about money. “To be honest, I never did anything for the money even when I had none,” he says. I have no reason to disbelieve him, but it does get us onto the subject of his businesses from him.

Since the early ’90s, Mackintosh has diversified across the three main lines of musical theatre. After helping create the shows, he can stage them in the eight theaters he owns in London’s West End. “As well as buying them I’ve spent a quarter of a billion pounds doing them up, so they’ll be there for another 100 years,” he says, illustrated with colorful anecdotes about the recently rebuilt Sondheim Theatre. Architecture, he says, is one of his two passions outside theatre, alongside cooking – both pursuits well suited to his eye for detail.

“If you have good ingredients you can always knock something up. I mean, I don’t let any leftovers leave the fridge unless they do so on their own accord. I like to reuse everything.”

The third act in Mackintosh’s empire is Musical Theater International, the world’s largest licensor of musicals. Been to a school musical recently? Chances are the scripts, scores, programs, logos, staging guide, sound effects, right down to recordings of the individual instruments missing from your school orchestra have been licensed from MTI.

Mackintosh says he’s “not really” in the game of creating new shows any more, but he is able to nurture young talent by supporting them through MTI. “We go to all the workshops and treat the newcomer who’s written a new show with the same passion as we do Stephen Sondheim. We want them to feel that MTI is their hope.”

Each part of the business is equally important, he says, and revenue-wise they are worth about a third each. And unlike most other entertainment companies, he has no investors.

“They are wholly owned, I own everything. So when the shit hits the fan, there’s a lot of shit, and it’s all on me.”

Our fish mains come and go, and the restaurant is clearing out. As we opt for double espressos over more wine, Mackintosh turns to the fallout from the pandemic.

Phantom of the Opera is finally coming to the Sydney Opera House. Opera Australia

While the initial rush back to live shows in theaters has settled, the reluctance to commit has not.

“There is no doubt that people are now looking for shows much later,” Mackintosh says. “They don’t book until two to three weeks out. There’s a sense of ‘All right, that show’s on. I feel like doing something so let’s do it.’ But they won’t book four or five months out like before.”

He says the prolonged pandemic theater shutdown and the corresponding boom in streamed television prompted a lot of theater professionals to leave the industry, something that is showing no sign of being resolved.

But Mackintosh thinks there are bigger, more serious problems that will take longer to sort out.

“I think people are losing sight of the benefits of work, and of going to work.” He says that will hurt companies of all descriptions because the “magic spark that makes a particular company have its outlook happens out of that conversation” you have at work.

“All these people who are thinking ‘I’ve got the best of both worlds. I can live at home and only have to go to work two or three days a week’, what are you going to do with the rest of that time? If half the world is not actually working properly, you can’t get up to the cafe, you can’t go to your Italian favorite because they can’t afford to open.

“In most restaurants, you’re lucky if you get the things you ordered [for dinner] before breakfast the next day. I’m in one of Sydney’s top hotels and I can’t get a f—ing drink after 9.30 unless I sit in my room.”

Eventually, he says, cafes, bars and restaurants will get sick of waiting for staff to show up and turn to robots and AI to do the work.

“I think over the next three to four years all of that is going to come home to roost as the economic pincer does its work.”

When I ask how he manages his money, Mackintosh genuinely seems not to know. “I’m not the right person to ask,” he says, before explaining that he does not like debt so he always has a large amount of money available in the bank. “When I say I’m not interested, I just, I’ve never been driven by money. I just want good people to look after it and do something sensible. But I certainly don’t have a lot of money in the stock market. On the whole I’m fairly risk averse when it comes to investment.”

“I take a salary out every five years, to live through the next five years. I take a lump sum. I put some into my foundation. And all the rest of my money I loan back to my company. So I keep it in there and just draw it down, pay the tax.

“Because also, it’s my wish – I don’t have any children – but I will leave everything I’ve got to my foundation, so I’m going to be worth a lot more dead than alive.”

Not that he’s expecting to shuffle off any time soon. He shows me a picture of his 104-year-old mother, a snappily dressed woman with a sparkle in her eye who looks like she could easily pass as a spritely 80-year-old.

He intends to keep on bringing shows to Australia, but those hoping for another run of Les Miserables will have to wait “til after my 80th birthday”. He is, however, expecting to bring the concert version “home to Sydney”, where it debuted in The Domain during the Bicentennial celebrations of 1988. “That would be special.”

Mackintosh and his partner of 40 years, Australian theater photographer Michael Le Poer Trench, spend most of their time on their working dairy farm in Somerset. He also has an apartment in New York, a house in Malta, where his mother is from and where he keeps his 67-year-old Benetti motor yacht, and an estate in Scotland he inherited from his aunt. All have been painfully restored.

“Now most of the key people in my life are in their mid-30s to mid-40s,” he says, describing it as a conscious effort. “So I’ve recalibrated, and that should see me out. And they’ll think ‘well, I think Cameron would have done this’ when I’m no longer here to do it.”

However long he lives, it looks like Cameron Mackintosh will be across the detail to the end – and beyond.

Rockpool Bar and Grill
66 Hunter St, Sydney
2 sparkling water $18
2 scallops with Aleppo pepper and orange $68
1 roast John Dory $52
1 roasted Bass Groper with Corn, Chorizo ​​and Oregano $49
1 wintergreen $16
1 baby carrot $18
1 Shaw & Smith Lenswood Vineyard $220
3 espressos $15
Total $456

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Entertainment

Abbie Chatfield stuns fans with new look

Media personality Abbie Chatfield has debuted a new look, stunning fans.

The Masked Singer panellist has been known for her blonde locks since stepping into the spotlight on TheBachelor.

But, on Friday, Abbie unveiled a new look and shared her hair was now brunette.

“Surprise!!!!! My hair has been barely holding on for a few months because of daily heat styling and way more regular bleaching so @danewakefieldhair at @tomhairstudios took me back to (an elevated version of) my natural color. We love,” she captioned an Instagram image.

Fans rushed to compliment Abbie, who in the past has contemplated going back to brunette on social media.

“Brunette Abbie is too powerful,” one person commented on the post.

Another added: “Wow how is it possible I can crush even harder.”

A third said: “With your blue eyes!!! ICONIC.”

It comes just days after Abbie gave fans a glimpse at the new range from her fashion line Verbose The Label.

the Hot Nights with Abbie Chatfield star announced her clothing line Verbose the Label in May this year with five pieces, such as a wrap dress, in bold colours.

Now, she has given fans a behind-the-scenes look at the new collection after she listened to customer feedback on what direction they would like the brand to head to next.

“We’re here at the Verbose shoot, Walter is here as well,” Abbie said during an Instagram story.

“We have our new range – reveal vibes – we are finally doing an all black range.

“Everyone was like ‘all we want is black, it’s all we want and all we need’.

“So, we decided to do it, it’s a real basics vibe.”

She gave people the opportunity to ask questions, with facts such as the trousers in this range are the same fit as the initial drop, being revealed.

The range features a skirt, a pair of trousers, a dress and at least three different shirt designs.

Prices range from $89.95 to $129.95 with sizes between a 6 and a 26 available to shoppers.

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Categories
Entertainment

Relationship advice: When its time to forget your ex and focus on yourself, ‘Living well is the best revenge’

If you’re finding it difficult to move on after your divorce, or you’re upset that your ex seems to be living their best life while you struggle, you’re far from alone.

It’s a conversation I see a lot in the support program I run, Women’s Divorce Academyfrom women who feel betrayed and abandoned by the partner who had promised to love and honor them till death do they part.

But, while it’s natural to have feelings you need to work through in the months after your separation, it’s not good for you to get stuck for years in that cycle of: Where did it all go wrong? How could they do this to me? And, worse, how dare they look so happy when I’m still finding it so hard?

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If you’re upset that your ex seems to be living their best life while you struggle, you’re far from alone. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

It’s this sort of mindset we saw playing out publicly when Ioan Gruffudd and his partner Bianca Wallace were granted a three-year restraining order against Gruffudd’s ex-wife Alice Evans this week.

In his submission to the court, Gruffudd claimed Evans “has used her social media accounts to continue to harass, threaten, and disturb the peace of both me and my girlfriend.”

Evans had shared private text messages, criticized her ex-husband and made claims about him cheating on her while they were married – all in the most public way.

Whether there was truth in Evans’ claims is besides the point. Divorce is never easy and nobody is their best self when they’re going through a painful time, but it’s also important to place your focus where it belongs: on your own wellbeing and that of your children.

Ioan Gruffudd files for divorce from Alice Evans.
Ioan Gruffudd and his estranged ex-wife Alice Evans. (instagram)

Keeping your focus on what you can do to recover and keep your children feeling secure and loved by both parents is the gold standard of a ‘good’ divorce. It’s by no means easy, but it’s something we can all strive for.

READMORE: Bride receives praise for meticulous bridal planning survey

Trying to convince your ex, or anyone else for that matter, that you have been treated unfairly – or punishing them for what has gone on between you – only traps you in a cycle of negativity and victimhood. It could also get you in trouble with the law.

Depending on the state you live in, your former partner (or current partner) can apply for a domestic violence order against you if you are stalking them, sending excessive text messages or emails, making threats, making insulting comments, calling them names, blackmailing them, preventing contact with family or friends, or putting them down – with or without your children present.

Whether your situation gets that far, or if you’re just feeling stuck and unable to move forward, it can help to talk to a therapist who can help you work through your feelings of hurt, betrayal and anger, and start to focus on your own happiness.

READMORE: Concerns over TV host’s bizarre marriage claim

divorce diaries
Making someone else miserable won’t actually make you happier on the long run. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

They say living well is the best revenge, but beyond that, it’s also just a much more fun way to be. Making someone else miserable won’t actually make you happier in the long run, but there are some things that will:

  • Go cold turkey on checking your ex’s social media feeds, as well as any of their friends. You don’t need to know.

  • Minimize contact as much as possible, and when you do need to talk, keep it in writing and 100 per cent business: times, places, etc.

  • Don’t ask your children to dish any dirt or put them in the middle of anything, no matter how your ex is behaving. Take the high road and make your home a conflict-free zone.

  • Be prepared to sit with feelings of grief, loss and anger. It’s hard, but really feeling those feelings means they will fade faster.

  • Write your ex a letter about all the ways you feel hurt, and don’t hold back or keep it polite. Don’t send it, but read it out loud to yourself daily for a week or two, and it will take the wind out of those feelings. Some therapists then suggest you burn the letter, or pee on it, or tear it to shreds. You can also just throw it away – your choice! Repeat as often as you need.

  • Take some time to get to know yourself again as a single person. Who are you and what do you like now? Learn something new or join a new community that doesn’t know you from your former life.

  • Make plans for the future that excite you. The plans you had together may be gone, but now you get the opportunity to create a whole new future, exactly the way you want it.

  • Give yourself a break. Whatever has happened up to this point can’t be changed, but you have the chance to decide what happens next.

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