16 August 2018

Nine things to do around Canberra this weekend (17–19 Aug)

| Zoe Pleasants
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Calamity, chaos, and catastrophe! Calamity Jane is on this weekend at the Canberra Theatre. Photo: John McRae.

If musicals are your thing, Calamity Jane is playing at the Canberra Theatre this weekend and Limelight cinemas are celebrating 40 years of Grease with a sing-a-long screening of the film on Friday night. For something more cerebral, the Stronger Than Fiction documentary film festival is showing encore screenings of some of its more popular docos at Palace Electric this weekend and Radford College’s Dirrum Festival is on this Saturday afternoon with a line-up of interesting and inspiring speakers including Gillian Triggs and Peter Greste. Science week continues with a time travel walk at the Botanic Gardens and a spider walk at the Jerrabomberra Wetlands.

All weekend

Moving Climates

Where: Ralph Wilson Theatre, Gorman Arts Centre
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 6 pm
Rebus Theatre is having a ‘creative development’ showing of its latest show Moving Climates this weekend at Gorman Arts Centre. The show is a collaboration between an actor, a dancer, a digital artist and a composer and responds to the answers of climate scientists to the questions: how does it feel to spend your working life dealing with the data of disaster? How does it change you? And how do others perceive you? The show runs for half an hour, followed by a 20 minute Q & A session to discuss the issues the show raises and give feedback to the artists on how they might develop the show. Tickets are $11, book here.

Circus Oz—Model Citizens

Where: Canberra Theatre
When: Friday 7:30 pm & Saturday 1:30 pm & 7:30 pm
Circus Oz returns to Canberra this weekend with its first show under the stewardship of its new Artistic Director, Rob Tannion. The show explores what it means to be a ‘model’ Australian citizen. Expect awesome physicality, biting satire and highly skilled acrobatics. The show features a new ensemble of performers including aerialists, acrobats, jugglers and hula hoopers, a thumping live band and a set that challenges scale and perspective—the show is set inside a model-kit world with giant scissors and cotton reels, peg springboards and hammock-sized undies on a line. Tickets from $55 for adult, $50 for concession and $45 for under 27, book here.

Calamity Jane

Where: Canberra Theatre
When: Friday 8 pm, Saturday 2 pm & 8 pm, Sunday 1 pm & 7 pm
The classic musical Calamity Jane is playing at the Canberra Theatre this weekend. Starring Virginia Gay in the title role and a ragtag band of comedic actors and musicians, this musical features the timeless songs The Deadwood Stage, Just Blew in from the Windy City, Black Hills of Dakota and Secret Love. Head to the Golden Garter Saloon in the Wild West and if you’re lucky you may get a seat at one of the onstage saloon tables and really become a part of the action! Tickets from $59 for adults, $49 for concession and $39 for under 27, book here.

ACT Antiques & Collectables Fair

Where: Albert Hall
When: Friday 6–9 pm, Saturday 10 am – 5 pm & Sunday 10 am – 4 pm
The twice-yearly ACT Antique and Collectables Fair is on this weekend with 23 antique dealers exhibiting and selling furniture, maps, prints, jewellery, dolls, fine books, china, pottery, clocks, watches, glassware and bric-a-brac. Light lunches and refreshments will also be available at the fair. Entry is $10 for adults, $8 for concession and kids under 14 are free. Proceeds from the fair will go to the local chapter of the charity CanTeen, that supports young people aged 12 to 25 years living with cancer.

Friday

40th Anniversary Grease Sing-a-long

Where: Limelight Cinema
When: 6:30 pm for a 7 pm start
Limelight Cinema is celebrating 40 years of Grease this Friday with a sing-a-long screening of the movie. Feel those chills multiplying! It is a licenced event and there will be pizza and ice-cream deals on the night. Dressing up is encouraged! Tickets are $15, book here.

Saturday

Time Travel Walks—Science Week

Where: Australian National Botanic Garden
When: 11:30 am
The Botanic Gardens invite you to step back 3 billion years in time this Science Week to look at the origin of plants. A guide will explain major events in plant evolution using living plants to illustrate each event. Understand the development of plants from their humble beginnings to the amazing diversity of Australian flora present today. This is a free event but you need to book.

Arachnid Adventures

Where: Jerrabomberra Wetlands
When: 3 – 5 pm
Discover all the different spiders that live at the Jerrabomberra Wetlands! Join a spider expert for a walk through the Wetlands to learn fun spider facts and to see how many spiders you can find. Meet at the Jerrabomberra Wetlands Offices, 2 Dairy Rd Fyshwick. This event is suitable for ages 5 and above, tickets are $15, book here.

Dirrum Festival

Where: Mackinnon Senior School Building, Radford College, Bruce
When: 2 pm start
The Dirrum Festival is run by students at Radford College and features a line-up of passionate and inspiring speakers. On the line-up this year is Gillian Triggs, former President of the Human Rights Commission, journalist Peter Greste who spent 400 days in an Egyptian prison, Kristy Windeyer, Emma Adams, Mathew Stocks, Steph Gabriel and Ellen Jacobsen. The festival organisers hope these speakers will provoke and challenge audience members and incite great conversations. In addition to the speakers, there will be a mini-market of local businesses, ethical fashion stalls, live music, dancing, food and coffee. Tickets for the theatre seating are sold out but a live stream will be provided in the adjoining room and you can still attend the stalls.

Sunday

Drawn in: Rhythm Syndicate

Where: National Portrait Gallery
When: 1 – 3 pm
Local choir, Rhythm Syndicate will be performing jazz songs at the Portrait Gallery this Sunday afternoon. There will be drawing materials available to encourage you to while away the afternoon being creative.

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