Page 144 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

142  SY DNEY
ENTERTAINMENT IN SYDNEY

Sydney has the standard of entertainment Sydney’s many smaller theatres stage fringe
and nightlife you would expect from a productions, modern dance and musical
cosmopolitan city. Everything from opera events. Pub rock thrives in the inner city and
and ballet at Sydney Opera House to beyond; and there are nightspots for comedy,
outdoor productions in the Royal Botanic dance and alternative music. Movie buffs are
Gardens is on offer. The ICC at Darling well catered for with film festivals, art-house
Harbour and large venues at Homebush films and foreign titles, as well as the latest
host major concerts. Venues such as the Hollywood blockbusters. Free outdoor
Capitol, the Lyric Theatre and the Theatre entertainment is popular, especially in
Royal host the latest musicals, while the summer.

Tickets can be mailed to you,
sent to your phone, or emailed
to print yourself. Tickets can also
be collected from the box office
half an hour before the show.
Buying tickets from touts is
not advisable, as you could be
denied access to the event. It is
legal, though, as long as tickets
are not sold for more than the
original cost. Try second-hand
marketplace www.gumtree.
com.au if events are sold out.
The Sydney Theatre on Hickson Road, Walsh Bay Be wary of electronic tickets,
though, since unscrupulous
Information venues have information and touts can sell the same e-ticket
For details of events in the event listings on their websites. to multiple customers.
city, check the online listings
calendars provided by the City Buying Tickets Choosing Seats
of Sydney via Tourism NSW,
as well as the online versions Some of the most popular If booking online, you will
of major news outlets. Daily shows in Sydney can sell out be able to look at a seating
newspapers also carry cinema, months in advance. While it is plan and choose your seat.
and often arts and theatre, better to book ahead, it is still Matinees and weekday
advertisements. The most worth calling or checking performances are often
comprehensive listings appear websites to see if tickets cheaper than weekends
in the Sydney Morning Herald’s are available on the day. and evenings.
“Spectrum” section every You can buy tickets from the You can generally select the
Saturday. The Daily Telegraph box office, online or by phone. price category or seating area;
has good entertainment Buying online, either through some events give you the
coverage most days. major ticket agencies or from option to choose your seat,
Tourism NSW information the venue’s own website, is the while others offer you the
kiosks have free guides and the easiest way to purchase tickets. best available at the time.
quarterly What’s on in Darling
Harbour. Kiosks are found at
Town Hall, Circular Quay and
Martin Place. Where Magazine
is available at the airport and
the Sydney Visitor Centre at
The Rocks. You can also try
whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.
au or timeout.com/sydney.
Music fans are well served by
free online guides, including
www.themusic.com.au, www.
thebrag.com and www.
inthemix.com.au. Many venues
have leaflets about forthcoming
attractions, while the major The annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival’s dog show(see p46)