The Phantom Of The Opera, Sin At Eden: What’s On In Queer Melbourne

From this summer’s must-watch musical to a clothing-optional rave, queer Melbourne delivers this weekend.

cavemxn

Spanning five years and three continents, the lives of five friends intersect through “hook-ups, raves, saunas and each other”.

Described as a “queer Australian epic about love, sex and loneliness”, this play by Angus Cameron, stars Patrick Livesey, Harvey Zielinski, Joss McLelland and Yuchen Wang. 

Catch cavemxn before the end of its current run at Chapel off Chapel this weekend. To mark the 40th anniversary of the first diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in Australia, the team has announced that one dollar of every ticket sold will be donated to Thorne Harbour Health. 

Where: Chapel Off Chapel – The Loft Theatre, 12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran
When: Till December 4
Tickets: $45 Full, $35 Concession

The Phantom of the Opera

The hottest ticket this summer is to The Phantom of the Opera, playing at the State Theatre. After a successful run at the Sydney Opera House, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, produced by Cameron Mackintosh and directed by Laurence Connor arrived in Melbourne last month. 

Amy Manford is Christine Daaé, the object of desire of two men – the Raoul Vicomte de Chagny played by Blake Bowden, and the titular Phantom, played superbly by Josh Piterman, who haunts the Paris Opera. 

The story of a tragic, doomed romance set in 1881, is one of the longest-running and most successful shows on Broadway. The spectacular Australian production does it justice, whether it is the costumes, the 27-piece orchestra supervised by Guy Simpson or the impressive rotating sets. 

The aforementioned rotating sets are a character in their own right. The stairs appear as if magically, leading the characters and the audience on an adventurous and claustrophobic descent into the Phantom’s lair, deep in the bowels of the Opera.

The star of this musical is, rightly, the hit music – ‘Music of the Night’, ‘Think of Me’, ‘All I Ask of You’ and the dazzling visual spectacle of  ‘Masquerade‘ that kicks off the second act. The powerful vocals from the lead stars and the supporting cast, make this spectacular production a must-watch.

Where: State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
When: Until February 5, 2023
Tickets:  From $59 – $ 169

Sunday Sizzle 

Sunday Sizzle returns to the Victorian Pride Centre, this time to celebrate 50 years of Gay Liberation. Head to Australia’s first LGBTQI community hub in St Kilda, for an afternoon of celebration, with music, drinks, Gay Stuff Markets and queer anthems. 

The event kicks off with a Rainbow flag-raising ceremony with Gay Libbers. The dress code specifies that you wear your favourite 70s’ activism t-shirt. 

Where: Victorian Pride Centre, 79-81 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
When: Sunday, December 4, 1 pm to 6 pm
Tickets: Free

Sin At Eden

UBQ – a former pan-Asian restaurant turned queer bar on Smith Street hosts this kink-friendly, clothing-optional rave. As the clock strikes 9.30, a hidden underground magical space opens up, inviting patrons in with the promise of a dark cruise, dance floor, and pumping techno music. 

The DJ Line-up features NUR  and Jack Hardmën.

Where: UBQ, 108 Smith St, Collingwood
When: Sunday, December 4, 8 pm to 1 am
Tickets: $10-$20