Polite Society’s February Social Diary

The Sydney Lunar Festival is one of the largest Lunar New Year celebrations outside Asia and this year’s celebrations for the Year of the Snake promise plenty of excitement. Wander Haymarket’s laneways for lights, lanterns and street performers, while the three-day dragon boat races (with 3,000 participants!) set sail from Cockle Bay with suitable noise and fanfare. Don’t miss the Lion Dancing from 6-7pm outside Sydney Town Hall. Until February 16, Sydney

Bell Shakespeare’s 2025 season is a cracker, featuring the world’s most famous war play Henry V, a rare staging of Coriolanus and the oft-performed but still wonderful Romeo & Juliet. We’re going once more into the breach by booking tickets to all three, as well as securing a spot at On Shakespeare, Power and Politics, a discussion hosted by experts from representatives from the worlds of the arts, politics, academia and media (it’s hosted in conjunction with the Guardian so we’ll doubtless see one or two of their editors on the panel). In a world that feels increasingly on edge, and a remarkably familiar solder/tyrant in Coriolanus, this is a conversation worth joining. February 11, the Seed, Wharf 2/3, Sydney

Not many of us would appreciate this service at an actual restaurant, but Fawlty Towers - The Dining Experience, at the Sydney Opera House this month, has definite appeal. Participants (because this is very much an immerse experience) are served a three-course meal, in the intimate Utzon Room, while Basil, Sybil and Manuel create exactly the kind of dining experience you’d expect. Book quickly to secure one of the last few spots at this well-reviewed show. Opera House, February 10-15

Also at the Opera House, which really is home to some extraordinary art this month: La Traviata, Verdi’s tragic opera back for an encore after its successful tour last year; and the fast-moving, Bernstein-scored Candide, starring Eddie Perfect in dual roles as narrator Voltaire and the philosopher Pangloss, whose optimistic worldview is emphatically skewered by events. This version of Bernstein’s operetta, with its burlesque costuming and excellent cast, is worth booking now. Opera House: La Traviata, until March 27; Candide, February 20-March 14

Like modern art, comedy is one of those disciplines that attracts irritating “I could do that” comments. Now, these jokers can put their confidence to the test, ahead of The Melbourne Comedy Festival, at the Stand-Up Comedy Workshop. Over five nights, budding comics will be schooled in everything from ‘finding yourself’ and generating content, to delivery, controlling a room and the all-important close. Sessions run from 6:30pm to 9:30pm so you don’t need to give up your day job (yet). Hard Knock Knocks, the Limerick Arms, Melbourne, February 23-2

Since its inception in 1978, marked by a string of arrests, Sydney’s Mardi Gras has grown into a huge, exuberant celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community and their friends. This year’s theme – Free To Be – is reflected in a varied line-up of events including pool parties, the family-friendly Fair Day (including what’s billed as the world’s campest dog show), the Mardi Gras Parade and so much more. February 14-March 2

And if all this relentless socialising leaves you feeling hungry, there are a few new spots to check out in Sydney this month. First up, the refreshing new Café Cressida in Woollahra, with a relaxed all-day menu and décor that’s very Palm Beach, is the perfect place for a Friday afternoon aperitivo; we’re also very keen to visit Eleven Barrack, housed in the historic ‘Barrack Street Bank’ building, which promises an elegant, Bentley-Group experience complete with elevated cocktails. Santé! Eleven Barrack opens on February 4