Who's the Bossk?

I'm tempted to declare Madame Tussauds (sic) at Darling Harbour a rip-off. Adult admission is $35, for the privilege of strolling through a roughly linear series of displays that take about 20 minutes to view. While the wax figures are amazingly lifelike, there is the odd inclusion that, in my opinion, fails to truly capture its subject, e.g. Shane Warne. (Then again, even Shane Warne doesn't look like Shane Warne these days.) A tourist attraction like this is obviously all about the photo opportunities. I strongly disagree, however, with the amount of props made available. In practice, it means you're repeatedly waiting for everyone in a group to try on the same hat...while being jolted by the noise of some dullard abusing the sporting equipment. Props are the too-easy option when insufficient attention has been paid to the actual settings. Layne Beachley gets a wave, a few famous folks like Obama have desks, and Barnesy and Farnsy are shoehorned into a band scene, but there's nothing spectacular. Worse, the only figure I'd have liked to snap myself alongside - the incomparable Cate Blanchett - is in a room with awful clashing lights. So is it a rip-off? If you've got kids who are into celebrities, they'll likely have a blast at Madame Tussauds due to the high interaction factor alone. Grumpy oldsters are advised to seek out World Press Photo 2012 at the State Library instead - infinitely more rewarding, and it's free.