Today
Brack bolts, Whiteley sinks on a tough night for art sales
A John Brack with a fabulous backstory was a rare highlight at Bonhams, as Leonard Joel wheels out the big contemporary names for its Centum sale.
- Elizabeth Fortescue
Famous, poor and gay, she scandalised her class, and country
Lawyer Constance Debré left her husband for women. Denied custody of her son, she turned the story into a book that shocked France.
- Claire Allfree
How Kim Jong-un’s propaganda song conquered TikTok
“Friendly Father” is the first North Korean composition about the leader to go viral for its musicality.
- Harriet Barber
What Shane MacGowan told this rebellious folk band
Like a more political Pogues, Dundalk’s The Mary Wallopers have won acclaim for a rousing live show they bring to Australia this month.
- Michael Bailey
This Month
Australian Brandenburg Orchestra proves good things come in twos
A program heavy on duets, inspired by the twin mirrors of a kaleidoscope, was a thing of aural wonder.
- Michael Bailey
Like a chicken or a baboon – just how smart was T. rex?
If the long-extinct giant wasn’t scary enough, imagine if it was as clever as a primate – but not every zoologist is on board with the idea.
- Will Dunham
‘I loved’ my old accounting job – surprise confession from opera star
Baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes is nostalgic about his days working with spreadsheets before he quit the world of finance to fulfil his musical ambitions.
- Simon Evans
Think you know this week’s news? Answer these 10 questions
Have you been paying attention this week? Test your knowledge across politics, business and world news.
- Ingrid Fuary-Wagner and Daniel Arbon
Why this actress is now the chief Gen Z torchbearer of cool
Zendaya’s films have earned $US2.6 billion so far, making the 27-year-old former Disney star a multimillionaire – and a social media favourite.
- Stephen Armstrong
Bad timing for biopic about an Israeli prime minister
Golda looks at the stakes of high-powered confrontation in the Middle East, and Fremont is a subtle, bittersweet, wryly humorous film.
- John McDonald
Australia’s best art auction result in 17 years
Bullish bidders dropped $17 million on Impressionists, Whiteleys and others at the strongest result for a mixed vendor sale since the heady pre-GFC days of 2007.
- Elizabeth Fortescue
There hasn’t been a series this complex – and funny – in a long time
One of the bigger gags in this Vietnam War tale, is the casting of Robert Downey jnr in several make-up-heavy roles.
- Jordan Hoffman
April
These researchers are training native wildlife to fear feral cats
If Australia’s vulnerable species are to survive, they need to learn how to spot danger.
- Emily Anthes
Power play: Creator of The Crown crosses over to the Kremlin
Peter Morgan’s new work follows Vladimir Putin’s rise to the presidency and the Russian high-fliers who mistakenly thought he’d be their puppet.
- Maureen Dowd
How ‘Clean Toks’ can help you benefit from someone else’s clean home
A study from Cambridge University says when it comes to cleaning, you don’t have to lift a finger to lower your stress levels.
- Theo Chapman
Think you know this week’s news? Answer these 10 questions
Have you been paying attention this week? Test your knowledge across politics, business and world news.
- Ingrid Fuary-Wagner and Daniel Arbon
Seven must-see shows in May
From the musical “Rent” to ballet with a tropical backdrop, here are performances you don’t want to miss this month.
- Michael Bailey
- Opinion
- Gender
In today’s porn-warped culture, no wonder girls identify as non-binary
Teens today are growing up in the most hyper-sexualised environment ever. Deciding not to be a young woman feels like a sensible, self-protective alternative.
- Eleanor Mills
This might be the most explosive tennis movie ever made
Challengers packs a punch with breathless action while Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist builds slowly and silently.
- John McDonald
This writer packs a lot into her weekends and still finds time to work
Lauren Groff is an athlete, a mother, a best-selling writer and she’s taking on the censors in her home state of Florida. She describes her typical Saturday and Sunday.
- Lauren Sams