Events You Need to Know About This November
All the top events across Australia in November 2018.
VIC
La Bohème
 7-24 November | State Theatre, Melbourne 
Breathing new life into the 122-year-old story, director Gale Edwards has set this stunning production in 1930s Berlin. The audience meets four aesthetes on a bitterly cold Christmas Eve and falls headfirst into Puccini’s tragic love story.
Cake Bake & Sweets Show
30 November-2 December | Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre 
The sweetest show around is rolling into town with a slate of local and international talent leading special workshops for baking aficionados.
The Catherine Tate Show Live
15-17 November | Palais Theatre, Melbourne 
Are you bovvered? The British comedian, famous for characters such as foul-mouthed “Nan” Taylor and argumentative teen Lauren Cooper, is touring Australia for the first time, bringing some of her best-known personas with her.
Queenscliff Music Festival
 23-25 November | Various venues, Queenscliff 
Kasey Chambers and Courtney Barnett are among the musicians performing in the seaside town of Queenscliff at this beloved annual event now in its 21st year.
A Modern Life
Until 27 January | National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
This exhibition of tablewares from the 1930s to 1980s is a fascinating glimpse into the social changes that transformed postwar dining rooms and kitchens↓
NSW
Sam Smith
14, 16, 17 November | Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney 
After playing packed arenas in Melbourne and Brisbane, the British Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer-songwriter brings his Thrill of It All World Tour to Sydney before finishing up in Perth.
Primavera 2018
9 November-3 February | Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
Turning the spotlight on some of Australia’s up-and-coming art talent, Primavera is a multimedia glimpse into our artistic future. Works this year ask, “Why is identity important today?”
Spartacus
9-24 November | Sydney Opera House 
With choreographer Lucas Jervies at the helm, this tutu-free ballet tells the story of the gladiator who led a rebellion of slaves against the Roman Empire.
Just for Laughs
19-25 November | Various venues, Sydney
Returning for its eighth year, the festival features some of the world’s top comedians, including Bill Bailey and Reggie Watts, with the week culminating in the All-Star Gala at the Opera House hosted by Dave Hughes.
Salient: Contemporary Artists at the Western Front
Until 17 February | Anzac Memorial, Sydney 
Twelve Australian artists travelled to World War I’s Western Front in 2017. What emerged is this collection of pieces reflecting the impact of the conflict on those who served, as well as society.
ACT
Heath Ledger: A Life in Pictures
Until 10 February | National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra
Celebrating the life of one of Australia’s most treasured acting talents, this special exhibition, put together in association with his family, features the performer’s research journals, the Academy Award and costume from his turn as the Joker in The Dark Knight and his own photographic work.
Image credit: Karin Catt
Memorial Remembrance Day
11 November | Australian War Memorial, Canberra 
Marking 100 years since the gunfire of World War I fell silent, the Centenary of Armistice is commemorated with a moving ceremony at 10.30am.
SA
ODI: Australia vs South Africa
9 November | Adelaide Oval
Our national team faces the South African visitors in the second match of the 2018 One Day International series before heading to Hobart for game three.
Australian International 3 Day Event
15-18 November | East Parklands, Adelaide 
Watch some of the Southern Hemisphere’s most accomplished equestrians battle it out at this Olympic-level competition that includes dressage, showjumping and cross-country.
WA
Shania Twain
30 November | RAC Arena, Perth
Touring the nation for the first time in almost 20 years, the country-pop star kicks off her Australian tour entertaining legions of loyal fans in Perth before moving on to Adelaide, Brisbane, NSW’s Hunter Valley, Melbourne and Sydney.
Tour of Margaret River
8-11 November | Margaret River
Wannabe peloton riders, this is the event for you. Get your cycling team together and compete against pro tour racers in a series of stages wheeling through 259 kilometres of Western Australia’s most scenic landscape.
QLD
The Designers’ Guide: Easton Pearson Archive
23 November-22 April | Museum of Brisbane 
The renowned Australian fashion designers have hand-picked more than 200 items from the museum’s Easton Pearson Archive to be put on display, showcasing the label’s 27-year history.
John Williamson
15 and 16 November | Townsville Civic Theatre; Brothers Leagues Club, Cairns 
Taking his latest album, Butcherbird, on the road, the Aussie music icon plays new tracks and the hits that have made him a household name.
Bill Murray, Jan Vogler and Friends: New Worlds
16 November | QPAC, Brisbane
The legendary comedic actor tours with German cellist Jan Vogler, pianist Vanessa Perez and violinist Mira Wang for an eclectic evening of American literature (think Mark Twain and Lucille Clifton) combined with classical music (Bach, Saint-Saëns) and a side of Murrayisms that won’t be lost in translation.
Image credit: Peter Rigaud
NT
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards
Until 11 November | Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
November is your last chance to see some of the best Indigenous artworks, in both traditional and modern media, from around the country, including 2018’s winning piece, Buyku, by Gunybi Ganambarr.
Anh Do: The Happiest Refugee Live
16 and 17 November | Darwin Entertainment Centre; Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs 
The comedian, author and artist continues his tour, having reached some of the most remote parts of the country, telling audiences the compelling story of his journey to Australia in 1980 on an eight-metre-long boat with 47 other Vietnamese refugees.
TAS
Effervescence Tasmania
11-18 November | Various venues, Hobart and Launceston
Lovers of bubbly, take note: Tassie is toasting the sparkling stuff with some of the state’s top wine and food producers, including House of Arras and Bruny Island Cheese Co., holding tastings, masterclasses and dégustations.
The Nutcracker
22 November | Federation Concert Hall, Hobart 
Heralding the beginning of the Christmas season, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra performs the suite from Tchaikovsky’s timeless work, which includes Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Toby Ziegler: Your Shadow Rising
4 November-25 March | Mona, Berriedale 
Mona hosts Toby Ziegler’s first Australian solo exhibition. The British contemporary artist’s multidisciplinary works include a three-metre-tall sculpture of a hand suspended from the ceiling.
