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DAREBIN: Leonardo, 91, missing from Northcote

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing Northcote man Leonardo. The 91-year-old was last seen on Victoria Rd, Northcote about 2.30pm on Tues. (Jan. 28) riding his bicycle. Leonardo failed to return home. Police and family have concerns for his welfare due to his age and the length of time he has…

Police News

BRIMBANK: Credit card deception at St Albans

Police are appealing for information following a theft and deception in St Albans. It is understood the offenders have scammed a woman via an online payment app. The offenders then attended the victim’s address in St Albans and stole the credit card on December 3. Ongoing enquiries revealed $41,000 was spent on the stolen credit…

Observer

OBSERVER: The Arts with Peter Kemp

YAYOI KUSAMA RETROSPECTIVE AT NGVYayoi KusamaFrom polka dots to pumpkins and more: Australia’s largest Yayoi Kusama retrospective exhibition opens exclusively in Melbourne with new, world-premiere work.The NGV celebrates the illustrious career of iconic artist Yayoi Kusama with a world-premiere blockbuster exhibition spanning her eight-decade practice, including the global unveiling of the artists most recent immersive…

Observer

OBSERVER: John O’Keefe’s column

The Fonz is coming to townLogie winner (1976) Henry Winkler is coming to Hamer Hall for a one- man show, February 15. Best known for his performances in the long running ‘Happy Days’, Henry will discuss all manner of topics about difficulties growing up, then acting , through to his very own family and kids….

Observer

OBSERVER: Grand Tour

Portuguese director Miguel Gomes’s wistful and melancholic film Grand Tour, for which he won the Best Director prize at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, is a strange meld of cinematic styles, part 1930s old Hollywood, part present-day documentary.Loosely based on a Somerset Maughan story, the film’s first half follows Edward (Gonçalo Waddington), a British civil…

Observer

OBSERVER: Spark

As part of this year’s Midsumma Festival, Frenzy Theatre Company in conjunction with Theatre Works produced Spark, an exploration of a gay man’s search for ‘Mr Right’ in today’s world of apps and online dating.In brief, Simon (played by Ryan Henry) is nearing 30 and desperately searching for love. To help him, he uses Iris…

Observer

OBSERVER: The Seed of the Sacred Fig

In 2022, Iranian student Mahsa Amini was arrested and beaten to death for improperly wearing her hijab.Set against the spontaneous protests that erupted following her death, Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig begins as a tense family drama in which an emerging generation gap threatens the family dynamic.Where prosecutor Iman (Misagh Zare) sees…

Observer

OBSERVER: Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen

“I’m 36, I’m a comedian, and I’m about to kill my boyfriend”, is in fact, a killer opening line from Samuel Barnett, portraying a single, neurotic, gay, stand-up comedian.The celebrity-scattered Opening Night audience at the Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, was with Barnett all the way, laughing heartily – though silenced by moments of pathos…

Observer

OBSERVER: Billy Elliot

Regional Victoria can claim a Billy Elliot the Musical record of having two brothers alternate as Billy during their 12-performance season at the Geelong Arts Centre.Footlight Productions assembled a truly talented cast and support team that without doubt would rank among the many professional companies in the world.I say this as I have seen the…

Observer

OBSERVER: Tantrum for 6

Pictured: From left: Harrison Ritchie-Jones, Michaela Tancheff, Anika De Ruyter, Rebecca Jensen and Oliver Savariego in Tantrum for 6.Photo: Jo Duck Darebin Arts Speakeasy presents Tantrum for 6 by Harrison Ritchie-Jones from February 12-22 at the Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre.A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, choreographer Harrison Ritchie-Jones will use his…