Category: Review

Review

Good, not bad; charming not tedious

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“It is absurd to divide people into good or bad. People are either charming or tedious.” Oscar Wilde

A couple of weeks ago I shuffled off to Hervey Bay’s Z-Pac theatre in Zephyr Street, to see its production of  The Importance of Being Earnest.

I have to admit to practically being a local theatre virgin, vaguely recalling a play I saw in my hometown of Maryborough back in my school days, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. My fellow theatre-goer and I decided we shouldn’t be too judgemental and I (quite possibly) set the what-will-I-think-of-this bar quite low.

And was I surprised!?! (Hint: it’s a rhetorical question!)

The two male leads were superb. Bradley Chapman, the play’s director, was excellently annoying as Algernon Moncrieff… one of the play’s two E(a)rnests. His performance and Wilde’s words resulting in much chuckling and guffawing. Michael Ware as John Worthing was also excellent and his frustrated E(a)rnest was convincing. My personal fave was probably Tamara Bailey’s Lady Bracknell (Algernon’s aunt and mother to John’s love interest). Her haughty and comedic delivery was perfect.

Taylor Dunn and Tayla Harding were great as Gwendolyn and Cecily and I was mightily impressed by Jonathon Dunn’s changing accents in his dual roles. In fact, I was quite shocked that the cast maintained their English accents for the entire play. No easy feat I assume.

And as for the script / dialogue…. how they could memorise those lines is beyond me. I can barely remember my own phone number! *Insert slight pause while I try to test this assertion!*

The production was polished, sets simple but effective and costumes good. I particularly liked the segway between the first two acts and the move from London to Herfortshire… it was very smooth in its unashamed obviousness (Dunn’s dual character physically changing – jacket, boots and hat – from Algernon’s supercilious butler to John’s ummm… more-common manservant).

All in all it was an excellent start to my local theatre-going adventures and I’ll certainly be back for more. In fact… I even downloaded a Z-Pac application form wondering if I could be of some use behind the scenes!

*Photograph compliments of The Fraser Coast Chronicle.

Family Fun Day

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I am living in an absolutely beautiful part of the world right now. Kilometres of pristine beach for swimming, fishing, snorkelling, diving, windsurfing, stand-up paddle-boarding (I really need to try this one), kite-surfing*, windsurfing, kayaking** and sailing. There are two great bike paths, a more direct one that runs through the centre of town (that I use most often) and a meandering but more scenic one with stunning views out over the Pacific Ocean.

And while there are loads of activities and events, there seems to be little effective communication. There are three local papers, but they often seem to report what already happened this week – and I often think “Pickle and I would have liked to have done that”. With that in mind, I have plugged into various Facebook pages, websites and e-newsletters with the hope of keeping on top of events that both Pickle and I would enjoy, and will share them here in the endeavor to get the word out, and maybe even make some more friends in the community.

The next free event that I’ve come across is the Family Fun Day put on by the Hervey Bay Community Centre.

It sounds like a blast with loads of games and activities planned: jumping castle, face painting, music, dance, market stalls and a sausage sizzle.  Hope to see some of you there!

Location: Hervey Bay Community Centre, 22 Charles Street, Pialba

Date: Saturday, 11th May 2013
Time: 10am to 3pm

I’ll keep you posted with upcoming events. There will likely be a focus on kid-friendly and foodie events (where my obvious interests lie), and while not all of them will be free, they will be budget-conscious.

Are there any types of events in particular that you’d like to know more about in advance?

Cheers, KangaRue 🙂

*does it count that I held on to the back of my friend doing this, and only let go when we really started to fly?
**planned for the near future – if it’s not too embarrassing, I may blog about it. Actually, if it’s really embarrassing, I’ll probably blog about it sooner!

This is not a sponsored post. 

The Bayswater – bar and bistro

The Bayswater Hotel, in the busy Peppers precinct at Urangan in Hervey Bay is currently in receivership. Fortunately for we locals however, the popular bar and restaurant has continued to trade during the five months since receivers PriceWaterhouseCoopers took the reins.

As a newcomer to Hervey Bay I was shocked at the news, given that the popular pub seems to host a steady flow of drinkers and diners alike during the tourist season as well as the seasonal ‘down-times’.

I have to admit, in a larger city I’d probably steer clear of a place like The Bayswater – bright and family friendly – it’s normally not my sort of place.

But, here in Hervey Bay it’s my local and – quite frankly – it’s nicer than most of the other ‘pubs-come-restaurants’ around.

I’ve now dined there on a number of occasions and every time – without fail – my fellow diners are all happy with the meals served. I’m coeliac, so delighted that the staff can always tell me what I can and can’t have and – in all honesty – I’m almost always happy with the rib fillet steak, garlic sauce and chippies (yes, it’s true I have a v.discerning palate :-)!).

Just over a week ago I dined there with my family on a Tuesday (pizza and pasta night). My niece had a pizza and my mother had one of the specials, a Lamb Rogan Josh, but the remainder of us ordered off the extensive menu. The oven-roasted Moroccan chicken breast was succulent and lamb back strap delicious from all accounts.

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A couple of the wines on the wine list weren’t available but my (fussier-than-I) dining companions easily found a cabernet sauvignon to their taste.

A few months ago I went with friends and they were delighted at the kids meals on offer and the fact that colouring in paper and pencils were available if required… clear evidence that a venue is child-friendly.

Although there are regular specials as well as Pizza & Pasta Night and Steak Nights, the a la carte menu isn’t terribly cheap if you’re on a tight budget. But, to date anyway, it’s offered value for money in my case.

The regular live music is always popular but I’m yet to venture there on a Sunday afternoon which is most certainly on my to-do list.

The only disappointment I’ve suffered so far was when a friend and I hit the pub during Friday post-work happy hour hoping that a bevy of handsome (mid-late 30s-40s) men would be attendance. Sadly we were rather disappointed.

But… as far as pubs and restaurants go, The Bayswater’s definitely a place for the ‘must-visit’ list.

Dinner to die for

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The first thing I thought when I saw the bar / restaurant Coast was that it brings a bit of big city chic to the Fraser Coast. Its environs and atmosphere most-certainly rival that of the trendiest cafes in Melbourne, Sydney or Noosa.

IMG_5237I’ve been there a few times for drinks and the service is always stellar.

And as for the Sunday afternoon sessions: listening to some fabulous acoustic music on a warm summer’s day with champagne in hand… well, it doesn’t get much better.

Everyone – locals and visitors alike – RAVE about the menu and food, something I hadn’t experienced until recently.

Last Friday I found myself there enjoying a pleasant glass of champagne or three when my fellow drinkers decided they’d love to stay on and dine.

It was my first evening there and I was pleasantly surprised that the place was just pumpin’ (in a good way). Lots of nicely dressed diners were arriving and I realised it is most certainly one of THE places (if not THE place) to go in Hervey Bay.

As a coeliac I often struggle to find suitable options. The team at Coast however advised they could adapt recipes to suit my needs as required.

Which meant that my main dilemma when it came to the food at Coast (and many other restaurants) is that… I don’t eat shellfish. In fact I have a bizarre aversion to any food which looks like it did when alive. Even eating meat off a bone is problematic if you’re slightly screwy in the head – which it seems I am.

Given my fussiness and gluten-consumption issues, we decided on one of Coast’s famous shared plates; going for the slow-roasted shoulder of lamb with sides of crushed chat potatoes and a kale, corn, spring onion and chilli mayonnaise dish.

And… Oh. My. God. I forgave the lamb its bone. The more culinary-gifted of my friends went to carve the meat and it just fell off the bone.

It was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The potatoes were great, I’m not sold on kale, even though it was part of a very tasty combination of flavours, but I did try some (there’s a first time for everything!).

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We stuffed ourselves beyond full, though after a short respite my friends decided to share a dessert.

I was horrified when they went for the ‘banana split’ imagining some American diner version of the popular dish. No sirree… this banana split was infused with all sorts of stuff and well, was apparently just amazing. I was offered a taste but turned it down, thinking of my waistline. Well, that and the fact that I don’t actually eat fruit. (Yes, yes… I know…)

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People rave about Coast’s Sunday afternoon $10 buckets of prawns ; or the Friday Happy Hour $3 pork buns; but I am well and truly a convert to the shared meat dishes and will certainly be going back for more! In fact, I should probably peruse the menu now to decide what I’ll have next time…