29 October 2020

Nine things to do in Canberra this week (30 October - 5 November)

| Sharon Kelley
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Pedal power

The projector and sound are pedal-powered, will you be the one to pedal? Photo: Supplied.

There’s a lot happening again in Canberra this week, starting with a tribute for the 60th Anniversary of the film Psycho with a special screening of the thriller at the Arc Cinema on Friday.

The Electric Shadow Ride-In Cinema premiere of ‘Electric Shadows – The Story of a Cinema’ on Saturday promises to be both fun and physical, while the Murrumbateman Twilight Music Market will be fun for all the family on Saturday evening.

Also on Saturday, women recovering from breast cancer are invited to hop aboard dragon boating with Dragons Abreast, and on Sunday, try yoga classes at Gorman House to support Canberra’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service.

On Monday there’s the Balboa dance class, the ultimate swing dance experience with Jumptown Swing at the Polo in Turner. Or, you can catch the amazing Circa Peepshow at the Playhouse at the Canberra Theatre Centre from Wednesday to Friday next week.

Catch the race that stops the nation with Melbourne Cup celebrations at Magoo’s Cafe and Bar on Tuesday, followed by a live screening of the State of Origin on Wednesday.

Budding writers will enjoy workshopping their latest idea at the Underground Playhouse at the Basement on Tuesday.

Have a great week Canberra!

Friday

Psycho house

The original psychological thriller will be screened at the NFSA. Photo: Supplied.

NFSA Experience the Horror – Psycho

Where: Arc Cinema, National Film and Sound Archive, McCoy Circuit, Acton
When: 6:00 pm
Cost
: Season passPsycho + Scream + A Quiet Place. Book your Halloween triple-pass for $30/$25, single screening tickets $12.

The National Film and Sound Archive is celebrating Psycho’s 60th birthday by screening a 35 mm archive projection print from the NFSA collection.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Oscar-nominated masterpiece was a hit with audiences when it first premiered in 1960 and remains to this day one of the most memorable films, forever famous for that shower scene.

Loosely based on the novel by Robert Bloch and inspired by serial killer Ed Gein, Psycho is ultimately a film of two halves. It’s one-part morality tale, one-part classic whodunnit, created by the master of suspense.

Saturday

Dragons Abreast

Dragons Abreast is holding a ‘Come and Try’ day. Photo: Supplied.

Come and Try Dragon Boating

Where: Lotus Bay, off Alexandrina Drive, Yarralumla (next to the Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club).
When: 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Cost:
Free.

Dragon Abreast offers a supportive environment for women who have had breast cancer and are looking for help in returning to an active life. They provide a great opportunity for women to meet and connect with other women who have been through the same journey, while at the same time trying a fun activity that has proven to be beneficial post-breast cancer.

Dragons Abreast Come and Try Day will be held on Saturday, 31 October. The event is held at Lotus Bay, off Alexandrina Drive, Yarralumla, next to the Canberra Southern Cross Yacht Club. Look out for the pink marquee and banner.

The event will begin with a short welcome and some on land instruction on paddling technique. This will be followed by 30 minutes of easy paddling, with a delicious morning tea awaiting participants at the end.

Twilight Market at Murrumbateman

Head out to the Twilight Market at Murrumbateman for music and stalls. Image: Supplied

Murrumbateman Twilight Music Market

Where: Murrumbateman Recreational Grounds, South Street, Murrumbateman
When: 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Cost:
Free entry.

A great family entertainment evening is happening in Murrumbateman on Saturday, 31 October. Music from ConneXion Big Band, the Twilight reapers, The Grudgeons, Dave Neilen and more.

Entertainment starts at 4:30 pm and goes until 8:30 pm. There are Halloween activities for the kids, a range of delicious food and drink stalls plus craft stalls offering jewellery, clothing and more.

Pedal-powered projector

The projector and sound are pedal-powered, will you be the one to pedal? Photo: supplied

‘Electric Shadows – The Story of a Cinema’: a pedal-powered film event

Where: Adjacent to the Dickson Post Office, Dickson Shops, Dickson
When: 7:00 pm
Cost:
Free, tickets via Eventbrite.

A new project with links to Canberra’s cinematic past is set to illuminate Dickson with a series of free, carbon-neutral, pedal-powered film screenings.

The Electric Shadow Ride-In Cinema screenings will be human-powered by participants (possibly you?) riding a custom-made tricycle and functional artwork that derives its name from the iconic Canberra cinema complex, Electric Shadows.

Made with seats from the cinema, the Electric Shadow trike is the work of Dan Watters, also known as Nancy Porker by his fellow Rat Patrol Oz members – the Australian chapter of the global bicycle recycling artist collective Rat Patrol.

Coupled with a pedal-powered cinema unit, the trike’s rear wheels engage two electric motors for the riders to generate 12-volt power to run a sound system and data projector.

While the screenings are free, there’s a catch: someone’s got to pedal! Pedallers will be fuelled with complimentary popcorn and Jaffas.

Sunday

Gorman Arts Centre and Local Yoga

Gorman Arts Centre and Local Yoga are offering free yoga classes every Sunday morning from 1 November until March 2021. Photo: Ashley St George.

Free fundraising yoga classes

Where: Gorman Arts Centre
When: Every Sunday 9:00 am from 1 November until March 2021.
Cost: Free, donations welcome.

If ever there was a year for Canberrans to embrace the physical and mental benefits of modern yoga, it’s been the rollercoaster ride of 2020.

Local Yoga and Gorman Arts Centre are offering free fundraising yoga classes all through the upcoming summer months. Classes will be held in the tranquil courtyard gardens of Gorman Arts Centre every Sunday morning at 9:00 am, starting 1 November and running until March 2021.

While every class is offered free of charge, those who have the means are encouraged to consider a tax-deductible donation to Canberra’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service online.

No bookings required, but it is limited capacity so first-come, first-served.

Monday

Balboa classes

Balboa classes are starting at the Polish Club in Turner. Image: Supplied.

Jumptown Swing presents Balboa Classes at the Polo

Where: The Polish White Eagle Club, 38 David Street, Turner
When: 7:30 pm
Cost:
$15 per class – bookings essential. Tickets available through the Jumptown Swing website.

Balboa is another swing-era dance that took off in America in the 1920s and 1930s. It was named after the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, California. It’s a partnered social dance done to swingin’ jazz and some of its distinguishing features are its close embrace and elegant, shuffling footwork. It evolved in crowded dance halls where space was limited, and because of its neat footwork and compact nature, it’s perfect for faster tempos!

Tuesday

Magoo Cafe Bar

Celebrate Melbourne Cup and the State of Origin at Magoo’s Cafe & Bar. Photo: Michelle Taylor.

Melbourne Cup & State of Origin

Where: Magoo’s Cafe and Bar, Eastlake Parade, Kingston Foreshore
When: Tuesday, 3 November 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and Wednesday, 4 November, kick-off at 8:15 pm
Cost:
Bookings essential, call 6188 7562 or see their website for details.

There’s a huge sporting week next week at Magoo’s! On Tuesday, watch the race that stops the nation. From 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm, there’ll be great specials, fresh prawns and chilled sparkling.

Then Wednesday night is the footy game we’ve been waiting for, the 2020 State of Origin opening game.

Both events require bookings so get in fast and secure your spot.

Underground Playhouse and The Basement

Join the Underground Playhouse and The Basement as they bring your idea to life with a Writer’s Workshop. Image: Supplied

Writer’s Workshop for Stage and Screen

Where: The Basement, 2 Cohen Street, Belconnen
When: 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Cost:
Six workshops for $59.95. Tickets available from The Basement.

Join the Underground Playhouse for a six-week workshop experience to take your writing project to the next level. Tuesday evenings you will collaborate with emerging and professional writers to bring your script ideas to life. Anyone is welcome whether you have a full script or just an idea.

Wednesday

Circa's Peepshow

Circa’s Peepshow is showing at The Playhouse from 4-6 November. Image: Supplied.

Circa’s Peepshow

Where: The Playhouse at Canberra Theatre Centre
When: 4 to 6 November 2020, 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Cost:
$30 – $65 + BF, tickets available online.

Watch the human body as it playfully performs the unimaginable.

Circa’s Peepshow turns cabaret on its head, literally. Join Circa as they embark on a seductive dance through the hall of mirrors that is your imagination. Circa’s Peepshow lurches from the thrillingly acrobatic to the comically playful. Expect teetering towers of balanced bodies, extreme bending and devilishly precarious aerials.

Circa’s Peepshow combines some of the finest acrobatic talent on the planet under the direction of circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz to create a playfully exhilarating ride into the beautifully bizarre recesses of your mind.

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