Sam Downing as Agent Smog was delighted when she heard that one audience member had asked, “Who was on the door? She was such a bitch!”
Job well done Sam!!
Tim gave us the brief to be casual and dismissive in our authority as customs agents, interrogating and searching immigrants to the Wealth of Nations Nut Economy by Sanctum Theatre.
Of course Tim has the expertise as Sergeant Blank from the Watch-house. He knows all about tormenting people who refuse to acknowledge his authority or try to play funny games.
Nice to be directed by a master of his craft.
i’ve never been a big fan of Clint Eastwood, but i must now admit he is a genius. Went to see Gran Torino with michael on the weekend, and i was in floods of tears.
Can’t write too much about it here because i don’t have any way to conceal the spoiler effect .. but the grumpy old man character arc i found astonishing, refreshing, touching!
And yes, when i thought the movie would be about a car, because i kept mispronouncing it Torana .. turns out i was right about that.
So i’m off to the Movie Reel in Westgarth to stock up on Clint’s back stories.
Have you seen the movie, and did it make you cry?
Some days are just brilliant. The Melbourne theatre scene is alive and well.
i was lucky enough to have a sneak preview of Roundangle‘s latest – “in the dark” – which promises to be very enjoyable and innovative. (Part of the Art of Difference festival.)
It was an early dress rehearsal, so Jodie would say things like, “You have to imagine a long screen here. You can’t see those people.” .. and “Okay now it’s a complete blackout, so close your eyes please.”
Later that night Zeena and i headed to the recently rescued La Mama in Carlton for a fabulous evening with Moira and Yumi’s “Salon de Dance“.
Gritty, sexy, horrific in places .. as you’d expect from those hellish dancers; and romantic in an old-school kind of way.
This show opened with a priest stripping down to his red-crucifixed knickers. Hilarious! and raunchy.
Yumi wrestling with her jacket, a couple of young Town Bikes apprentices dancing out an actual wrestling match, Moira slow-dancing with a cigarette on Highway 66. All fun.
The centre-piece was Moira and Yumi playing out a Gothic feast, beginning with the tall one eerily peering through the window .. and ending with an outrageous red wine splash-o-rama.
Gorgeous.
Nathan has been camping out here at the Barkly St .. not only has he been an angel to live with, and inducted me into the world of Nintendo Wii, but also shared crazy stories like the Zombie Street Sign Hacker of Texas .. and this video he made with his hilarious friends.
i recommend you watch it.
Who ate the cheese?
Somewhere, there must be a link to more videos like this .. yes, here: Justin Juswah has a youTube channel.
Nearly finished Deadwood and Life on Mars, so i was definitely in need of a new DVD obsession. Fortunately the strange futuristic evolutionary tales of “Heroes” were filling the gap nicely.
Similar to the genetically-modified characters of Dark Angel, the mutants of X-men, and also the returned “altered” people in the world of the 4400. This one concerns people who are developing new skills and talents .. the next step in human evolution. In the future, everyone will be Superman, Spidergirl .. Catwoman; able to use their own special powers for good .. or evil.
If i could have a superpower, i would definitely be able to fly. Save so much hassle at airports, and cut down on carbon footprint too.
Or maybe radiate peace and love from my heart into the world around me, so that people around me experience balance and a deep sense of personal safety. That would be cool.
Give me comment please: What would your superhuman power be?
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PS: when i came to Phnom Penh, all i really wanted to see was the rest of Season One. Fortunately Katie discovered the series and shared my fascination. We got through the whole 23 episodes in 3 days!! How outrageously self-indulgent.
Just a few loose threads in the plot at the end of it all ..
photo credit: TCM Hitchhiker photo credit: Randy Son Of Robert
Spent a Saturday last week indulging whims.
Started off watching films at the HRAAF festival (Human Rights) ..about disappearing islands in the Pacific (eg the Carteret Islands off Bougainville). One of Georgie’s films was featured.. her NGO Pacific Black Box got young people to make films about the local effects of climate change. (Mentioned this on my work blog.)
The session was called: “Reel Change”
Really good films that could have an impact. There was a woman from Tuvalu and a man from the MakePovertyHistory campaign. They held a forum and spoke after the film.
Anyway i felt i needed to make a change, and stimulate the economy .. ok i just went therapy shopping. And came back with the latest in
Must Read Now.
Not only that but when i arrive home, i remember that there are many new CD’s in my bag from recent CD launches. eg
gray taylor was magnificent at the Qua / Mountains in Sky album launch, supported by the Stars of the Night Pikelet. i would have bought the Qua CD too but they’d run out.
i go now .. i Prepare 2Listen.
ooo.
What a great fringe festival! i’ve only been to three or four events but i’m sure i chose the best ones:
oh the Town Bikes .. how ever did the world manage without them, way back in the 20th century?? That’s right, we had the Butt Funky troupe of mischief-makers. Along with their buddies .. the magical dj marieke, the hot slush puppies and more, they roused the crowd into a wet and wild state of krumpy frenzy. Yum.
( What’s this video .. a Town Bikes showreel? They are fun. i love them. )
Deceased Estate was insanely wonderful. Many old stories from the history of an East Brunswick house. Blindfolded sessions, of course, down the side of the house. Shadow theatre, hot milo and monsters in the backyard, a neighbourly dinner party in the front yard with the original family back in 1946.
Harry pours scotch for the gents and tells us he’s delighted that Chifley’s at the helm. The 1940’s couple freeze, as we flash forward to a teenager climbing out the window and listening to Joy Division on her walkman.
.. the live event at 3RRR was a thoroughly weird adventure. Pikelet and Qua were on the bill, so i’d thought it would be fun. Bum Creek started off the action with their bizarre journey into sound .. and the night looked promising. One guy had invented an instrument made out of old coils and springs .. he was hilarious and i wish i’d gotten a photograph.
Ah Melbourne – joy and delight and wonderful weirdness at every turn!
i’ve had such a good run of great theatre!
..and now, The Burlesque Hour. Finally after four years of waiting i have seen the show. Very delightful, and completely insane. We love our theatre insane. Moira Finucane pouring milk all over herself has to be seen. Azaria Universe doing a Zombie routine on the trapeze. Yumi Umiumare’s Japanese schoolgirl is such a funny way to start the show, and her kimono striptease was extraordinary and touching.
Oooh i love it.
Annie and i agreed that The Town Bikes could have been given two appearances really .. they are so good. Look at this if you haven’t seen them:
i am a huge fan of Roundangle theatre .. the multi-sensory works of Will and Jodie. eg Source/Sauce which was so good that it won many awards.
So it was a buzz to be drawn into their blindfolded conga line at hi vibes.
“Hey Will, how are you?” i said. “Do you want to join our conga line?” he replied, “.. just put on this blindfold.”
The experience was pretty much my highlight of the day. Several people blindfolded, walking through that enormous crowd, joined only at the shoulders. Will sent directions from the back via hand-on-shoulder touch: stop, go, left or right. Crowds swarmed around us, murmuring and shouting ..
How could i resist booking a ticket for closing night of the play, Deceased Estate .. this saturday.
Here’s Jodie talking about the Source/Sauce experience.
Well, Clem Bastow from Defamer has posted his / her round up of the first week for the top twelve, and i must say i agree entirely with his perspective. Everyone i texted after the session agreed that Madame took the evening. i’d say we’re in for a really good season.
Is Clem a boy’s name? it is, isn’t it. i wonder if Clem is related to Nick and Polly.
Defamer seems to write a thousand posts a day .. i don’t know who they are or how they do it, but there’s nothing like an unhealthy obsession with trash culture to keep you going sometimes.
