Swan Magazine

y a d i l o H r e m Sum l a i c e p S g n i d Rea 1

IN THIS ISSUE FEATURES

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Books and Writing

Bookworm’s Corner 5 Bronze Quill Results 10 Chance to Tell a WA Story 11 For Valour 8 Just Out 3 Poetry Scuffed Shoes 10 Uniting 41 Summer Season at KSP 7 The Mystery of the Empty Bird-Hide 16 The Noble Recreation 48 Your Voice Matters 6 Business

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Community

Annie’s Collective Wonderland 28 Federal Notes 24 Flinders University News 62 Guildford’s Twilight Market is Back! 9 SAFE 63 SVRN COS Strategic Community Plan 56 Lotterywest Helps 56 Millhouse Road Closed 57

PAGE Welcome to the Swan Valley 57 The Compassionate Friends 64 What’s On 28 Entertainment

2019 in Review 34 Film 22 Reviews: A Beautiful Day 32 Cats 30 The Ideal Palace 31 Footnote People in History 60 Perth Fringe World 46 Swan Stage 30 Reviews Farndale’s Christmas Carol 40 The Boobytrap 39 The Ghost Train 38 Theatre Companies Garrick Theatre Club 43/45 Stirling Players 44 TV with Chris 36 Leisure

House and Garden

Midland Junction Arts Centre Perth Summer League Sugar Gum Results

12 59 58 59

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DISCLAIMER The information in this publication is of a general nature. The articles contained herein are not intended to provide a complete discussion on each subject and or issues canvassed. Swan Magazine does not accept any liability for any statements or any opinion, or for any errors or omissions contained herein.

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BOOKS AND WRITING JUST OUT Title: Author: Publisher: ISBN:

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waiting for me to order anything.’

An anonymous tip-off regarding the death of a restaurant owner sends Maigret into the world of Parisian nightlife, a notorious criminal gang and a man known as ‘the Flea’.

This novel has been pubished in a previous translation as Maigret and the Flea.

Script for Scandal Renee Patrick Seven House Publishers 9781 4483 0349 6

leuthing duo Lillian Frost and Edith Head investigate a behind-thescenes scandal in this delightful Golden Age of Hollywood mystery.

1939, Los Angeles. Lillian Frost is shocked when her friend, glamorous costume designer Edith Head, hands her the script to a new film that’s about to start shooting.

Streetlight Story is based on a true crime: the California Republic bank robbery of 1936.

Lillian’s beau, LAPD detective Gene Morrow, was one of the officers on the case; his partner, Teddy, was tragically shot dead.

It seems the scriptwriter has put Gene at the centre of a scandal, twisting fact with fiction - or has he? With Gene reluctant to talk about the case, the movie quickly becoming the hottest ticket in town, a suspicious death on the Paramount studio lot and the police reopening the investigation into Teddy’s death, Lillian is determined to find answers.

Can Lillian and Edith uncover the truth of what happened that fateful day and clear Gene’s name?

About the Author Georges Simenon was born in Liège, Belgium, in 1903. He is best known in Britain as the author of the Maigret novels and his prolific output of over 400 novels and short stories have made him a household name in continental Europe.

He died in 1989 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he had lived for the latter part of his life. ~oOo~ Title: Author: Publisher: ISBN:

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nvestigator Arkady Renko, described as ‘one of the most compelling figures in modern fiction’ by USA Today, finds himself travelling deep into Siberia when journalist Tatiana Petrovna disappears on a case.

Journalist Tatiana Petrovna has disappeared. Arkady Renko, iconic Moscow investigator and Tatiana’s on-off lover, hasn’t seen her since she left on a case over a month ago.

No one else thinks Renko should be worried – Tatiana is known to disappear during deep assignments – but he knows her enemies all too well and the criminal lengths they will go to keep her quiet.

Given the opportunity to interrogate a suspected assassin in Irkutsk, Renko embarks on a dangerous journey to Siberia to find Tatiana and bring her back.

Renko finds Siberia to be a land of shamans and brutally cold nights, oligarchs wealthy on northern oil and sea monsters that are said to prowl the deepest lake in the world.

With these forces at work against him, Renko will need all his wits about him to get Tatiana out alive.

From the revered author of crime classic Gorky Park comes this, the brilliant ninth novel featuring the iconic investigator Arkady Renko.

About the Author

Renee Patrick is the pseudonym for married authors Rosemarie and Vince Keenan. Rosemarie is a research administrator and a poet. Vince is a screenwriter and a journalist. Both native New Yorkers, they currently live in Seattle, Washington. Script for Scandal is the third in the Frost and Head detective duo series. The previous two were Design for Dying and Dangerous to Know. ~oOo~ Title: Author: Translator: Publisher: ISBN:

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The Siberian Dilemma Martin Cruz Smith Simon and Shuster UK 9781 8498 3821 4

Maigret and the Informer Georges Simenon William Hobson Penguin Books Ltd 9780 2413 0439 6

he body of a well-known Parisian restaurateur turns up on Avenue Junot in Montmartre, seemingly having been killed elsewhere. Inspector Maigret is on the case, and soon discovers that the murder may be gang-related after a colleague working in the red-light district receives a tip from an anonymous informer.

‘You see, I mainly work at night. I’ve ended up getting to know everybody. They’re used to me in Pigalle, I exchange a few words with this person or that person. I go into the bars and cabarets where they give me a quarter bottle of Vichy without 3

of a small California town, Spenser will need to watch his step.

In Hollywood, all that glitters isn’t gold. And not all those who wander are lost.

About the Author

Martin Cruz Smith (born Martin William Smith), American novelist, received his BA in Creative Writing from the University of Pennsylvania in 1964. He worked as a journalist from 1965 to 1969 before turning his hand to fiction. His first mystery (Gypsy in Amber – 1971) features NY gypsy art dealer Roman Grey and was nominated for an Edgar Award. Nightwing was his breakthrough novel and was made into a movie.

Smith is best known for his series of novels featuring Russian investigator Arkady Renko.

Gorky Park, published in 1981, was the first of these and was called “thriller of the ‘80s” by Time Magazine.

It became a bestseller and won the Gold Dagger Award from the British Crime Writers’ Association. Renko has also appeared in Polar Star, Red Square, Havana Bay, Wolves Eat Dogs, Stalin’s Ghost, and Three Stations.

In the 1970s, Smith wrote The Inquisitor Series under the pseudonym Simon Quinn and penned two Slocum adult action westerns as Jake Logan. He also wrote the Nick Carter: Killmaster series under the alias Nick Carter with Mike Avallone and others.

Martin Cruz Smith now lives in San Rafael, California with his wife and three children. ~oOo~ Title: Author: Publisher: ISBN:

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About the Author

New York Times Bestselling author Ace Atkins has been nominated for every major award in crime fiction, including the Edgar three times, twice for novels about former U.S. Army Ranger Quinn Colson.

He has written nine books in the Colson series and continued Robert B. Parker’s iconic Spenser character after Parker’s death in 2010. A former newspaper reporter and SEC football player, Ace also writes essays and investigative pieces for several national magazines including Time, Outside and Garden & Gun.

He lives in Oxford, Mississippi with his family, where he’s friend to many dogs and several bartenders.

Angel Eyes is his eighth novel continuing and featuring Robert B Parker’s Spencer. ~oOo~ Title: Author: Publisher: ISBN:

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Dying in Discord Judith Cutler Severn House Publishers 9781 4483 0379 3

ophie Rivers is studying for a degree at the University of the West Midlands. When she joins the university choir, Sophie finds that her young colleagues treat her as an honorary aunt, pouring their neuroses onto her shoulders instead turning to their tutors.

But the teaching staff have enough of their own problems – particularly when one of them makes an unexpected posthumous appearance at a prestigious post-concert reception. Then two of the students disappear...

Sophie’s anxiety for her young friends, combined with her insatiable thirst for adventure, soon takes her to the heart of a world of bribery and corruption, and her life is soon in grave danger. Dying in Discord is the ninth mystery featuring Sophie Rivers.

Robert B Parker’s Angel Eyes Ace Atkins No Exit Press 9780 8573 0387 5

n the latest thriller featuring the legendary Boston PI, Spenser heads to the City of Angels to meet old friends and new enemies in a baffling missing person case that might shake Tinseltown to its core.

Gabby Leggett left her Boston family with big dreams of making it as a model/ actress in Hollywood. Two years later, she disappears from her apartment. Her family, former boyfriend, friends--and the police--have no idea where she is and no leads. Leggett’s mother hires Spenser to find her, with help of his former apprentice, Zebulon Sixkill, now an L.A. private eye.

Spenser barely has time to unpack before the trail leads to a powerful movie studio boss, the Armenian mob, and a shadowy empowerment group some say might be a dangerous cult.

It’s soon clear that Spenser and Sixkill may be outgunned this time, and series favorites Chollo and Bobby Horse ride to the rescue to provide backup.

From the mansions of Beverly Hills to the lawless streets

About the Author

Judith Cutler was born and bred in the Midlands, and revels in using her birthplace, with its rich cultural life, as a background for her novels.

After a long stint as an English lecturer at a run-down college of further education, Judith, a prize-winning short-story writer, has taught Creative Writing at Birmingham University, has run occasional writing course elsewhere (from a maximum security prison to an idyltic Greek island) and serves as Secretary of the Crime Writers’ Association.

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BOOKWORM’S CORNER paperback’. This size is usually reserved for literary novels as opposed to genre fiction.

C-Format: This is the largest sized book of 135 mm × 216 mm (5 3⁄8 inches × 8 1⁄2 inches) and is also known as a ‘Trade Paperback’, ‘Trade Paper Edition’ or simply a ‘Trade’. Trade Paberbacks are usually the hardcover version/edition reprinted with a soft cover.

The paper tends to be of better quality and most importantly the pagination is the same as the hardcover edition, so references can be made interchangeably.

Advance copies sent for review are almost always in Trade Paperback format.

ALL THINGS BOOKS AND BIBLIOPHILE

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e are very pleased to announce a new regular feature for the Swan Magazine - our Bookworm’s Corner - a column on and about books, book-lovers and miscellaneous facts, fallacies and fancies related to the printed word from inculabula to rare editions , collectables and mass-produced paperbacks.

We also have a ‘Ask Bookworm’ section for those questions you can’t ask your friends and family - a sort of Everything you wanted to know about books, but didn’t want to ask.

We begin the first column with a chat about book sizes.

EPISTOLARY FICTION

WHAT’S A-FORMAT?

Epistolary fiction is a popular genre where the narrative is told via a series of documents. You have almost certainly read one of these books. Letters are the most common basis for epistolary novels but diary entries are also popular. The word epistolary comes from Latin where epistola means a letter.

In the days before emails and text messages, letters were an essential part of everyday life and it was only natural for authors to embrace this form of communication.

This genre became very popular in the 18th century. Samuel Richardson wrote two successful epistolary novels – Pamela in 1740 and Clarissa in 1749. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s The Sorrows of Young Werther is another important example in 1774.

Epistolary fiction become so widespread that Henry Fielding parodied Pamela with a novel called Shamela in 1741.

Some authors use correspondence or documents for the entire text while others, like Herzog by Saul Bellow, use them for particular sections.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is perhaps the most successful novel of all time to be written in this format but others include Stephen King’s first published novel, Carrie, Jean Webster’s Daddy-LongLegs and Bridget Jones’ Diary.

The wonderful 84 Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff is non-fiction but must be mentioned. The book is a twenty year correspondence between the author and an antiquarian bookseller, but reads like fiction.

Even in the past ten years, there has been a steady stream of epistolary literature. Notable examples include World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks and We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver.

Often, as we browse through eBay or ABE books, we see terms like ‘Trade Paperback’, ‘A-Format’, ‘B-Format’ and so on.

What do these terms actually mean and are they universally applied?

Well, there is no simple answer, unfortunately, and the position is complicated by the fact that the UK and the USA have differing standards.

When developing machinery and industry combined with a greater demand for books in the middle of the nineteeth century British publishers such as Routledge and Sons and Ward and Lock started to produce paper-bound books at a fraction of the cost of the traditional editions.

These were known as ‘yellowbacks’ and were smaller in size 110mm by 178mm (roughly 4 3⁄8 inches by 7 inches) and were immensely and immediately popular.

The United States was slower in to introduce paperbacks. In 1939 Robert de Graaf parnered with Simon and Shuster to create ‘Pocket Books’. A variety of sizes and formats has loosely ended up with the following formats.

A-Format: This is the usual, most common, size and the original size published at 110 mm × 178 mm (4 3⁄8 inches × 7 inches).

What most readers think of as ‘a paperback’. This size is known in the US as a ‘mass-market paperback’. This size is for cheaper versions produced after the hardback edition or ‘instead of’ for new authors.

B-Format: This is a rather larger size book of 129 mm × 198 mm (5 1⁄8 in × 7 3⁄4 in). This size is known in the US as a ‘smaller trade 5

BOOKS AND WRITING YOUR VOICE MATTERS SHERENE STRAHAN

Choose your preferred space and keep it set up with tools (computer, headphones, pen and notebook) and supports (drink, snack, a view, a comfortable seat).

It's about giving your brain the signal to switch into creator mode as soon as you get into this space. Your space. ~oOo~

When you sit down to write, you want it to flow - right?

Hello again:

Time squeeze is pretty much the problem of our times.

Whenever I run a survey, it’s the number one challenge for content creators.

Plenty of ideas - not enough time to action them.

So when you do commit the time, getting into the flow quickly and easily is so important.

Flow helps to:

Be clear about what you’re doing.

Start straight away.

Stay focused.

Produce something worthy of your efforts.

So we’re busy, busy doing Christmas on the outside, while inside there’s a nagging feeling that the year got away from us and there’s a list of unmet goals. Again.

We mark our internal report card with, ‘Could do better’ and pledge next year will be different.

I read a post on Facebook last week from a woman bravely acknowledging all the goals she’d set and missed this year. She pledged that 2020 would be different. There was a jaunty, positive tone to her post but it left me feeling sad.

My suggestion to her - and to us - is to be kinder to ourselves. We need to look back over the year with clear eyes and remember when there have been unforeseen challenges and busyness. Only then can we put those unmet goals into perspective and realise we did our best.

Sometimes the sands shift underneath us making it nigh on impossible to do the things we thought we would.

I started this year calling time on my New Year’s Resolution addiction, instead focusing on what I’d actually done and appreciating myself for that.

Somehow it freed me to do what I’d wanted to do for years - write and publish every week.

Now I’m ending 2019 with an emerging body of work, a growing realisation of how I can serve an audience and some markers to aim for in 2020.

I’ve got peace of mind about what I’ll achieve next year.

What will be, will be.

Until next time, Shep and I wish you peace.

When you’re pressed for time, the last thing you want is to stare at a blank screen. There are a lot of ways to get into the flow.

You might not know this.

Listening to music helps us relax and being relaxed can bring on flow. It’s got to be music we enjoy. Being in a better mood likely means that we try that little bit harder and are willing to stick with challenging tasks.

It can’t be too wordy, too loud, too fast or it’s a distraction.

They say introverts are less likely to benefit from listening to music but I’m an introvert and just putting in my headphones flips me into writing mode. I usually listen to Focus@Will, a music service based on neuroscience for productivity.

You might not know this either.

The most important part of writing is what you do before.

Setting up ideas, concepts and projects so they're easy to work on.

My approach looks like this: • Keep notes of anything interesting and when possible, create an outline with draft title, most important points and the key message.

• Sort the ideas into categories. Mine are Mindset (encourage people to write brilliantly and authentically) and Behaviours (show ways to improve writing and communicating).

• Use highlighting to show what's ready for writing and what needs work.

• Create a schedule to work on the top three.

• After each session, list what’s next. Do it clearly so I can see what to do next time I come to write.

You probably know this - but do you do it?

Maintaining an effective writing environment is crucial.

Psychologist Benjamin Hardy writes about environment as one of the ‘hidden keys to success’ in Willpower Doesn’t Work.

He says we can structure our environment for focus and productivity.

What do you need?

A quiet place? A bustling, noisy spot? A desk, a table, laptop on your knees with feet propped up? There’s no right but there are wrongs - such as trying to make do in a space that's not the best for you.

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BOOKS AND WRITING SUMMER SEASON AT KSP SHANNON COYLE

HOLIDAY HUB: For young writers Thursday 16 January 9.30am to 11.30am

Summer’s certainly here with a sunny vengeance, and so too are the school holidays! KSP invites young writers aged twelve and up to attend a special Holiday Hub writing workshop on from, which will uncover the ins and outs and what it takes to write a book from two Aussie authors who’ve done it (insider secrets included).

The workshop is hosted by special guest award-winning young adult authors, Eleni Hale and Hayley Lawrence, who are visiting the Centre all the way from the East Coast of Australia and are ready to inspire Perth’s next generation of young writers.

Tickets from $20.

can’t find the time. There’s washing to do, lunches to make, a house to clean, kids sport and dancing and homework….and your own job…ahhhhh!!!

Come along to this workshop to meet KSP Fellow-inResidence Tabetha Rogers Beggs and find ways around the Mum/ Writing juggle with tried-and-true strategies.

We will have open and candid conversation about the difficulties of juggling your everyday life with your creative one, and do a bit of writing as well.

Tickets from $20.

To book or for more details on any of these activities please visit the KSP website www.kspwriterscentre.com or phone the office on 9294 1872.

MEMOIR: For adult writers Sunday 12 January 1:00pm to 4:00pm

We are running a workshop on writing memoir from another special guest author from Victoria, Lee Kofman. You will learn some of the basics of this popular writing genre: how to find the right theme to focus on, how to structure your life story so that it makes for an engaging reading, how to turn yourself and the people in your life into compelling characters and how to seduce your readers by describing your experiences vividly.

We will also discuss the role of emotional honesty in writing about ourselves.

Tickets from $35.

THE WRITING JUGGLE: For women writers Saturday 15 February 1:00pm to 4:00pm

You want to write, but just 7

WRITING FOR VALOUR SHANNON COYLE

17 November 1933 Perth, Western Australia n the second last day of his life, before cocking the barrel of an army-issued pistol on the balcony of his Greenmount home, four years after the Wall Street Crash and two months since a grand entrepreneurial rodeo drained the last drop of his resources, Hugo Throssell walks into a pawn shop.

“What’ll you give me for this?” Hugo reaches into his pocket and places the contents on the countertop with a clink. A squat man — Fred, says his name plate — overweight and smelling oddly of steamed cabbage, peers close, the folds of his sweaty face creasing in concentration.

“You a digger?” Fred asks, picking up the medal.

“10th Light Horse.”

“Well,” Fred pauses, eyes remaining downcast, “Good man.

Couldn’t get there myself. Too short, they reckoned.”

Lucky bugger.

“So, what’s this then?” Finally looks up.

“Victoria Cross.”

“Not much call for bronze these days.” Fred’s voice carries a carefully trained air of distaste. He turns his gaze back to the medal, holding it up to the light. Roughly tugs the crumpled maroon ribbon once proffered by the King at Buckingham Palace.

Murmurs in uncertainty. Strikes the medal against the bench, thut thut, bronze cast from Russian cannons captured during the Crimean War. Inspects the inscription: For Valour.

“Tell you what, soldier, out of respect for your valour, I’ll give you ten shillings. That’s more than anyone else’d offer, believe you me. Old soldiers are two-a-penny. It’s got your bloody name on it, you know. Who wants someone else’s medal? So, other than bein’ a keepsake, which means nothing if ya ain’t family, what else can you do with it? Melt it down? All you’d yield is a bloody outhouse key!”

Hugo stares. Closes his eyes.

The bombs are returning.

Gallipoli, heading to their brothers in the front-line trench.

That patch of scrub looks familiar.

A hand. The men halt, simultaneously, as precise as a ballet troupe, waiting in anticipation.

The night is quiet. Stray leaves gather in a hot whirlwhind across the sandy path. Standing in front, the Commander’s gaze is furiously scanning the horizon.

Hand goes down. Quick nod. The group recommences their march.

The men don’t know it, but their Commander is lost. Worn out and suffering from a cold, his heart is pounding as he contemplates the strange land in front of him, knowing they cannot turn back — he wouldn’t know how.

Under the moonlight, in the open country, the sky alights with machine gun fire.

The men start to fall. Those who remain standing scramble to position their firearms and shoot back in the direction of the sound, but it is too late. By the time they hoist their guns from their shoulders, an Ottoman bullet has already struck them down.

All seventy-five soldiers lose their lives, their blood seeping into the white sands beneath them, turning it into an earthy red sea. Residual gun-smoke rises from the summit above, and with it comes the faint sound of cheering.

From his dugout, Birchwood is not deterred.

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29 August 1915 Hill 60 (Kaiajik Aghala) Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey

Moonlight falls across the scrub, the sharp spiky leaves glinting like stars as they wave gently in the night breeze. Craggy sand stretches out to the horizon, guttered by miles upon miles of sandbags and darkened gullies, snaking their way across the hilly slopes like highway roads. Barbed wire lurks in every shadow.

Night has fallen but the soldiers have not been given leave to sleep. There is more work to be done to claim Hill 60. Fewer men to do the job, however, since the fighting commenced, but now is not the time to reflect on the dead.

Nor to move them. The soldiers wake up to the stench of decay and a stark reminder of being far, far from home. In those moments they will miss their mother’s freshly baked cinnamon muffins, the warmth of their wife’s kiss; they will keep their eyes closed for as long as they possibly can, trying to blanket themselves in the fading memories of what mornings used to be.

A few weeks ago. “We need reinforcements,” said Lieutenant-General Birchwood from headquarters, a dugout etched into the peninsula.

Members of the 9th Light Horse are sent in. A wave of seventy-five soldiers march slowly across the darkened sands of

Hogo Throssell VC 8

“We will take Hill 60,” he mutters to himself.

He sends in more battalions. Death follows, like a metronome.

Death.

Death.

Death.

Birchwood is not about to concede defeat. “We need more reinforcements.” His voice is shaky but loud. “Send in the 10th Light Horse.”

embedding itself deep in his heart, he will understand that the Great War was not the thrilling adventure he thought it would be.

After the War Greenmount, Western Australia

Hugo will go home to Australia a changed man. He will publicly declare that war has made him a socialist. He will shock his home-town with this statement. They want to drink with a hero, feel exultant, victorious. They don’t want to hear his story, those vignettes of slaughter. Hugo will tolerate silently the angry stares in his presence, the hands that do not stretch out to meet his own.

In these moments he will remember bombardment and decaying bodies. He will tell himself that these people have not seen what he has seen, and he will keep walking.

He will put his Victoria Cross in a bedside drawer and not look at it for over ten years. It will sit there in a leather case and be smothered by his wife’s meagre jewellery and spare buttons.

It would not be as easy to hide his war-time memories. They sit inside his mind and beat at his skull, like gorillas in a cage, unrelenting, violent.

One day, with a £10,000 debt hanging over his head and £10 in his bank account, with the knowledge of having a family to support, he takes out the medal and travels on the train to the city, and finds the nearest pawn shop.

It is spring. Season of new beginnings. A time for hope.

Two sleepless nights later on 19 November 1933, with the unwanted medal returned to the bedside drawer, Hugo will scrawl a suicide note, walk out to the balcony, and finally quiet the sounds in his head.

1am

Lieutenant Hugo Throssell leads the Light Horse forward with bombs and rifle fire — within minutes they have seized a few dozen meters of Turkish trench.

No time to celebrate.

Hugo stands guard as his fellow men build a sandbag barricade on the newly claimed land, his rifle aimed into the night. He sees a moving shadow and shoots; five times he hits his target, taking down an enemy soldier.

Not too many Australian casualties. It has been a successful few hours.

Now, to hold.

From the other side of the summit, the determined opposing troops gather, regroup, hatch a new plan.

The sky fills with falling stars.

Falling stars, with lit torches.

Parts of Hugo’s trench explode, taking with it parts of his friends. More than 3,000 bombs fall through the remaining hours of the night. If they haven’t exploded in the trench, the Australians jump on them, hurl them back, like some grotesque game of hot potato.

Shots are fired and soldiers are ripped apart.

The air cracks, minute after minute, hour after hour, into the next day and into the next night, with shellfire, screams, explosions.

The dead pile upon the dead. They lay in the trenches, bloodied, with the surviving soldiers having no choice but to trample them underfoot as they dodge the incessant cascade of bombs and bullets.

Among it all, Hugo’s voice, shouting encouragement.

As light breaks over the flat sands in between the warring trenches, the Turks make a loud rush forward. Hugo leads the defence with bayonet in hand, bullet wound to his shoulder and bomb splinters in his head.

“Stick it, boys! Stick it!”

The soldiers charge with their leader, reassured by his confidence. The Turks fall, and retreat.

Twice more they charge in the early hours of 30 August; twice more Hugo and his team succeed in pushing them back.

Casualties have been heavy but the battle is finally over.

The Australians have taken Hill 60.

With the deed done and not a minute before, Hugo finally agrees to leave the trenches. He is evacuated to England for medical attention and sleeps for fifteen hours straight in the crisp, clean cotton sheets of a ship’s bed.

Hugo will return to battle following recovery from bullet wounds and meningitis, a promotion to Captain and the awarding of a Victoria Cross.

He will lose his brother Ric in Gaza. He will call for him across the battle-field, whistling the tune they sang together in childhood, and he will never see him again. He will lose more friends; he will kill more Turkish soldiers. With a realisation that rises through his body like a noxious weed,

For Valour: The facts Nine Australians were awarded a Victoria Cross at Gallipoli for acts of bravery during World War I (1914-1918), including Hugo Vivien Hope Throssell for offensive action at Hill 60. Hugo was the first Western Australian and only light horseman to receive this highest honour.

In 2006, Australia's last privately-owned VC awarded at Gallipoli sold at auction for $1,000,000.00 — a far cry from the measly ten shillings once offered to Hugo for his own.

He became a socialist before committing suicide in 1933, two days after visiting a pawn shop.

His Victoria Cross is now owned by the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

This piece, written by the Director of the Katherine Susannah Pritchard Writers’ Centre won Highly Commended in the Stringybark Publishing 2019 Times Past Award.

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BOOKS AND WRITING BRONZE QUILL RESULTS HELEN ILES

F

orty-three people attended the annual Bronze Quill Luncheon, hosted by The Society of Women Writers WA. Special guests included the Society's Patron, Ruth Reid AM Cit WA and Lennie McCall, Chairperson of the Royal Western Australian Historical Society Inc.

Professor Terri-ann White, writer and editor and Director of UWA Publishing, judged this year’s entries for the Bronze Quill Literary Competition for short stories. The results of the competition are: 1st Prize: Elizabeth Pappas of Burswood for Judas At Their Table Runner-up: Stella Hewson of South Guildford for Antique Roses Highly Commended: Stella Hewson of South Guildford for Gold Highly Commended: Stella Hewson of South Guildford for Looking Back Commended: Astra Warren of Albany for The Man Who Wanted to Disappear Commended: Elizabeth Pappas of Burswood for The Fat Piggy

L to R: Prof White, Seated, Ruth Reid, Elizabeth Pappas and her daughter

The identity of the competition winners were only revealed to Professor White at the

The full judge's report is posted on the Society's website: luncheon. She expressed surprise that two authors had won five www.swwofwa.com.au of the six award categories, stating that she would never had guessed the same authors had written such diverse stories.

In giving her insightful judge's report on the entries, Professor White said, “Opportunities such as I’ve had in reading these works provide a great privilege to get a taste of what women are writing about, to test the pulse of the now in the literary form I love the most, the short story.”

KELLY VAN NELSON

Professor White said of the winning entry: “Judas At Their Table is a startling story of a death, and of superstition and the lbow in the ribs myths we live by. It has an entry point into Greek Orthodox rituals hurts pride and bruises smooth skin and is told from the perspective of a narrator who could be a beneath faded school visitor to the village in Corfu or an adolescent in the same village just beginning to learn about ritual. blazer with frayed cuffs.

“I love that ambiguity because it focuses us on the events Hand-me-downs suck for poor third themselves: the arrival in a storm of an owl, the death of a invisible child grandmother. The prose is spare as well as being poetic. There is a great act of unwitting violence at the gravesite that is the who hangs head during climax of this wonderful story - very short in wordcount but rich in recess to avoid trouble. content and its artistry.”

I once stood in those

Winner of the Bronze Quill Trophy, Elizabeth Pappas, said, “I’m overwhelmed and very humbled to win this award. This is scuffed lace-ups, feeling one of the happiest days of my life! I am extremely moved by the ridiculed until Dad scored love and support the Society has shown on my writing journey cushy new job. Phew! and I encourage others to write because each and every one of us has a story worth sharing. It is true that after we have gone, our Inclusion’s easy words remain. Let them be a gift to others.” for kids with money. ‘Hello’,

Stella Hewson said, “Such a big thrill to win a hat trick in I say. She smiles back short stories, which is my special love and follows the old edict of ‘Say what you want to say and then shut up!’ Goes to show that persistence certainly pays off, in writing as well as all of life.”

POETRY

SCUFFED SHOES

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10

BOOKS AND WRITING CHANCE TO TELL A WA STORY THERESE EDMONDS

The 2020 South-West Shorts play writing competition is now open. here’s so much more to Western Australia than snapping a selfie with a quokka. Edge Performance Writers are calling for South-West and Perth writers to write an original short play that tells a story drawn from life in the south-west of Australia.

We should be hearing more stories from our own backyard.

This is a rare opportunity for a local writer to create a short play specifically about our own State.

Three entries from the South-West and three from Perth will be chosen as finalists to be performed and the scripts published in the South-West Shorts 2020 anthology. The six finalists will meet and workshop their scripts with each other and the producer prior to submitting their final scripts for performance and publication.

This is the only competition like this in WA and one of the very few places where playwrights can get together with their colleagues to further develop their work before having it performed and published. Edge Performance Writers are proud to be part of creating new local writing - and giving audiences the chance to see it.

There are no age, experience or style restrictions. Writers at any stage of their career are encouraged to enter. Every entrant will receive feedback on their script from one of the judges.

We get such a broad range of entries each year, it’s always exciting to see who’s out there, maybe writing in isolation and looking for a way to have their work seen and heard. We love giving writers that opportunity. We’d like to hear your story of life in WA.

A copy of each of the previous three anthologies is held in the National Library in Canberra, contributing our WA writers’ stories to Australia’s collected cultural heritage. The anthologies can be ordered on the Edge website or look for them in the State or Battye libraries.

Entries close at midnight on Sunday 23rd February 2020. See the website for details: www.edgeperformancewriters.com.au/ south-west-shorts

South-West Shorts is an initiative of Edge Performance Writers to foster relationships between Perth and South-West writers and to create an opportunity for original West Australian work to be heard.

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THE 2020 THEME: Look on the Funny Side Entries that do not meet this theme will be disqualified.

DURATION:

8 - 11 minutes

CONDITIONS: • Entrants must be a permanent resident of Perth or the South-West region of Western Australia.

• Please read the Terms and Conditions before submitting, and the Guidelines for a summary.

The best way to see what the judges have enjoyed is to buy the anthology from previous years. We look forward to hearing your story about life in our wonderful State.

COMPETITION CLOSES: 10.00pm on Sunday 23rd February 2020.

ENTRY FEE: Entry is $20 for non-members or $10 for Edge members, students and the unwaged.

THE WORKSHOP: The six winning authors have the opportunity to develop their scripts with the producer before submitting their performance script.

THE PERFORMANCE: All six plays will be performed by local actors at the new HEART black box theatre in Margaret River.

THE AWARDS Judge’s Award: the script chosen by the three judges prior to the performance People’s Choice Award: the audience will be invited to vote for their favourite play after the performance.

Best Performance Award: chosen by a judge on the night of the performance.

THE COMPETITION

Perth and WA’s South-West writers are invited to submit a monologue or duologue about life in WA’s south-west. A panel of independent judges will choose the best three scripts from Perth plus the best three from the South-West region.

WRITE ABOUT: Life in the south-west region of Australia.

You are welcome to write on any subject, in any setting and with any character/s you choose but your play must make reference to and include something about life in the south-west of Western Australia, which includes Perth.

That can be about our history, a current topic, our quirks, an in joke only people from this region will get, a place setting - let your imagination run. Just make sure you include an aspect of life that’s particular to this region.

Entries that meet this criteria will be favoured.

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HOUSE AND GARDEN NATIVE FLOWERING GARDENS - 4 MARION LOGIE

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PLANT IN SQUARE HOLES

ompleting our series of flowering native plants suitable for Perth’s sand based gardens.

So what are some plants that work well in Perth?

Conventional wisdom has it that the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago - the second best time is right now. So we should all plant a tree for the sake of our souls, the sake of the planet and for the future.

But we need to give those expensive trees the best possible chance to survive and thrive.

9. SWAN RIVER PEA – GASTROLOBIUM CELSIANUM

The Swan River Pea grows to one metre high with a spread of around three metres. With red flowers that have a distinctive long and curving keel, the plant blooms between August and November and has ovate leaves that are a glossy green on top with silver below.

The plant enjoys sandy soils and performs best in full sun, but does require good drainage. It works well as a groundcover or as part of a trellis.

PLANTING IN ROUND HOLES

Traditionally, when people plant trees, they make a round hole, put the tree inside then fill the hole with lots of rich compost and fertilizer. However, there are a few reasons why planting the tree in a round hole is terrible for the tree’s roots and growth process.

At first, your tree will have great success as the little sapling rapidly grows new roots that spread out into the fertile and fluffy soil. But once the roots hit the poorer and more compact ground at the perimeter of the hole, the roots won’t like it, and they will turn and snake along the edge of the border in search of better conditions.

When the roots do this, they create a spiraling action around the edge of the hole, developing a circular root system. You could imagine how this would look if you’ve seen a plant growing in a container.

The roots will thicken and harden into a tight ring as they mature, creating a girdle that chokes the plant, and in some cases, resulting in severe stunting or death of your tree.

This condition, called in containers, ‘pot bound’ can also occur in free-planted trees.

10. MOTTLECAH – EUCALYPTUS MACROCARPA

This evergreen shrub had a plant spread of ten metres and grows as high as four metres. Noted for its large, magnificent red, pink or cream flowers, it forms a striking display in early spring to

PLANTING IN SQUARE HOLES

The chances of your tree surviving will increase dramatically by merely digging a square hole instead of a round one when you plant the sapling. The roots won’t develop a circular root system because, as systematic planting trials have shown, the roots are not good at growing around corners.

When the roots hit the ninety-degree angle of a square hole, rather than snaking around to create a spiral, they spread out of the planting hole to colonize the surrounding native soil.

Not only does the tree have a better chance of survival, but the speed of growth will drastically increase, and the tree will become more resistant to environmental challenges, like droughts.

Planting a tree is one of the easiest ways you can make a lasting difference to your local environment and, depending on the species, enjoy decades of flowers, fruit and autumn colour – all in return for a modest outlay and a few minutes’ work.

This has been shown consistently to speed up tree establishment and make the specimens more resistant to environmental challenges, such as drought.

Considering that spade blades are flat, digging a square hole seems far easier than cutting a perfectly circular one.

summer and again in late autumn to early winter.

The flowers are followed by large bowl-shaped gumnuts covered in a whitish bloom. Use for accents or as a shade tree and cut back to ground level periodically to stimulate growth.

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Want to boost your chances of success further still? Instead of incorporating loads of rich organic matter and fertiliser in the hole, simply backfill the hole with the soil that you have dug out of it. This will further reduce the “container effect” on the roots’ behaviour.

While you are at it, prune any twisted or matted roots from the edge of the root ball before you plant the sapling. Despite feeling a bit brutal, this sort of root pruning actually triggers the production of compounds that actively stimulate root growth.

It seems counter-intuitive, but in truth has been known and suggested for more than a hundred and fifty years:

“There is a difference of opinion as to whether the holes should be made square or round, “We much prefer the square form. In the first place, a larger hole can be sooner made; but there is a point of still greater importance.

“Although the ground may have been well dug, yet, when the (roots) come to the side of the hole, they have to penetrate a

f irmer medium than that of the more recently loosened soil the limits of the hole, whether this be round or square.

In the former case, however, resistance is more direct.” wrote horticulturist Robert Thompson in his six volume The Gardener’s Assistant, Practical and Scientific. A Guide to the Formation and Management of the Kitchen, Fruit, and Flower Gardens, and the Cultivation of Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers; with Select Descriptive Lists of the Best Varieties in Each Department, And a Copious Calendar of Garden Operations; New Edition, Revised and Extended (1859).

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14

COMMUNITY GUILFORD’S TWILIGHT MARKET IS BACK! BROMWYN FACER

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unday, November 17th sees the return of the Guildford Twilight Market to the picturesque grounds of Stirling Square for yet another fabulous season.

Aptly named, the Twilight Markets run from 5:00pm as the sun sets through the golden hours until 9:00pm, when the day draws to a close.

Getting the season off to a rockin’ start with live music is The Perfect Storm Duo along with The Straymen With Kathy Carver who’ll get your feet tapping so don’t forget your dancing shoes.

The Holden Car Club of WA will be holding their annual Show & Shine with a range of vehicles on display for everyone to appreciate.

Relax, enjoy a bite to eat from the Food Hub where you’ll find some of Perth’s finest Street Food Vendors serving up traditional tastes from all corners of the globe including, Brazilian, Indian, Vietnamese, Italian, Hungarian and Mexican With Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten Free options in plenty, there is something for everyone.

You’ll find Market Stalls to browse packed with locally handcrafted artisan products, home décor, locally produced gourmet food, fashion and accessories along with recycled, upcycled and re-purposed wares and a touch of vintage.

With loads of free Children’s Activities including, Face Painting, Totem Tennis, Giant Games, and Bouncy Castle fun. There truly is something for the whole family to enjoy when you visit the Guildford Twilight Market.

Dogs on leashes at all times are welcome.

More details can be found by visiting the markets’ Facebook page: www. facebook.com/guilfgotftwilightmarket

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FICTION THE MYSTERY OF THE EMPTY BIRD-HIDE JAMES FORTE

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o Jane Hensley, it would always be the mystery of the empty bird-hide. To Detective Inspector Baird it was the impossibility at the Jacaranda Tearoom. To Celine Davies it was the abduction that went off script. And to Cathy Morris it would be remembered as her worst nightmare. ~oOo~

The gravel pathway, from the car park through the thick bushes, had been raked smooth ready for the ceremony.

Everything was pristine. Except for the single set of footprints going towards the hide. A woman’s prints, judging by the size. As an amateur birdwatcher, Jane quietly followed the path down to the river. She wanted to avoid disturbing any birds.

The wooden hut came into view. Its freshly sawn walls and flat roof would soon blend into the surroundings. Its observation slit stared over ten metres of mud down to the river.

Jane unlatched the door and peered into the gloom. Her short apology for the intrusion and an inquiry about interesting species remained unspoken. She was quite astonished to find the birdhide empty, except for a mobile phone and a pair of expensive binoculars on the shelf beneath the viewing slit.

She looked around. There were no footprints going back up the path to the car. The Melaleuca bushes were far too thick for someone to have gone elsewhere. The recent rain meant that the riverbank was muddy, but there were no prints to indicate that someone had left the hide that way. There was no one on the roof and no trees to hide in for two hundred metres in any direction.

The birdwatcher had vanished.

Anyone who has run a boarding school is wary of practical jokes. Her students knew Jane exercised along here every morning. Would it be possible for one of them to have walked down the path, left the items, then returned using stilts or something? A careful examination of the scene convinced Jane that something sinister had occurred. She walked back to the car

At fifty-three, Dr Jane Hensley was a lady of some influence.

Proud of her achievements, she was a leader in the community – active in tennis, fencing and bridge circles. She was also the headmistress of Duckmanton College for girls. It occupied the grandest building in the Avon Valley with fine views over the surrounding wheat fields.

It was her custom to start the day with a brisk march along the path that followed the gently-flowing river. She regularly left her house in the school grounds an hour after dawn. The July morning was a little chilly but the overnight rain had washed the air clean and the sky was a flawless blue.

The horizon was defined by a line of such clarity that one could only be in the southern hemisphere. It was a perfect day for the ceremony. It was a day when nothing bad could happen.

Two kilometres north of town, Jane passed the recently finished car park. It contained a Hyundai with probationary plates and a local registration. Clearly someone was using the new bird-hide. It had been constructed to help with bird counts along this stretch of the Avon. She would be back here at eleven when it was to be opened by the local MP.

Duckmanton College for Girls, Avon Valley 16

park, pulled out her phone and called the police.

Senior constable Trish Riley was going to be responsible for security at the ceremony later that morning. Not that keeping an eye on a crowd of ten - dignitaries, birdwatchers and journalists was likely to be particularly onerous.

However, if there was something funny going on at the bird-hide, she needed to know about it. She met Jane ten minutes after the call. A careful examination convinced her that, indeed, something strange had happened – but at this point she was inclined to attribute it to a prank. A woman had been alone at the bird-hide and had left by means unknown.

Trish surmised: maybe she had been scared by a snake?

But in July? Perhaps she had hidden and, as Jane searched, had kept the hut between them, thus remaining out of sight.

Or approached the hut raking the gravel behind her and then returned to the car park walking backwards - leaving just a single set of tracks going towards the hide? All these seemed plausible.

Jane stared at the policewoman. “So she walked backwards to her car. Then what did she do? Evaporate?”

Trish looked embarrassed and said she didn’t believe it either. But, she pointed out, there was no sign of any accident or violent incident. No blood. No one else had been present. She was sure there was some mundane explanation. She checked the registration of the car and learnt that the Hyundai belonged to a Cathy Morris.

This information reassured Jane somewhat. Cathy had graduated from Duckmanton the previous year – a totally reliable girl who was quiet, attractive and intelligent. More than that, she knew where Cathy worked. It was at AVOCET – the Avon Valley Operations Centre for Ecological Testing – a not-for-profit group responsible for environmental protection in the region.

Most recently it had received funding for the construction of the new bird-hides.

In country towns everyone knows everyone else. AVOCET was run by Hilda Spencer, who had once taught biology at Duckmanton. When Hilda set up the Centre, she had had no difficulty recruiting Jane to chair the Board. And when sufficient funds had become available, Jane had encouraged Cathy Morris to apply for a junior position.

Cathy had probably been cleaning and tidying this first bird-hide, ready for the morning’s event. However, that did not explain her disappearance nor the abandoned phone and binoculars.

The next step was to phone Cathy’s parents. Her mother answered. She confirmed that Cathy was at work. When told that

her daughter’s car was at the bird-hide, there was no surprise at all. Cathy was a fanatical birdwatcher. She was hoping to see a bittern. Jane kept her voice as light as possible. Had anything been troubling Cathy lately? She was assured that Cathy was enjoying every second of her work.

Jane jumped into Trish’s police car and they drove to the AVOCET offices.

Hilda Spencer was a handsome woman in her mid forties.

She dressed to suit her main task: negotiating with funding agencies. She was already at her desk, struggling through a heap of paperwork. She confirmed that the binoculars belonged to Cathy. She thought for a moment. “I know. She’s gone shopping.

Biscuits and cakes for after the opening.”

“Leaving her stuff in the hide?”

Hilda shrugged. “She’ll turn up.” ~oOo~

By a quarter to eleven, about a dozen people had assembled at the car park near the bird-hide. A couple of town councilors, Jessica Smith reporting for The Avon Messenger, someone from Birdlife Australia, some local birdwatchers, constable Trish Riley, Dr Jane Hensley and the staff of AVOCET.

There was still no sign of Cathy Morris.

AVOCET comprised four full-time researchers. Hilda Spencer was the director and a biologist. Second in charge was Penny Bates, known to be a bit of a party animal and in her late twenties. She was a biochemist who spent most of her time coordinating the sampling and testing of soil, water and air quality.

Bernard Goulding, about the same age, was an expert in computer modeling and served as the education officer. Cathy Morris, fresh out of school, completed the team. She had hopes of doing an environmental engineering degree and had impressed everyone with her bubbly enthusiasm and energy.

The local member in the Legislative Assembly of the West Australian State Parliament drove up promptly at eleven with her personal assistant and a man from media liaison. She made an excellent speech about the importance of the work done by agencies like AVOCET.

She touched on the substantial and long-term funding for scientific studies along the river – facilitating precise counts of the numbers and species of birds in the area. Then she unveiled a small plaque on a large rock next to the hide. She spent ten minutes inside the hut being photographed looking at birds.

Then warm congratulations to all concerned, a wave of the hand and she was gone.

Hilda thanked everyone for attending and invited them all back to the AVOCET offices in town, where tea, coffee and sandwiches awaited them.

Jane found herself standing next to the reporter, Jessica Smith. Jessica was a tall, plain woman with an encyclopedic knowledge of the Avon Valley. She had been a student at Duckmanton, although that had been before Jane became headmistress.

The two had first met when Jessica was writing an article on haunted buildings and included the College on the list. Their paths had crossed again when she reported on the shooting of three Duckmanton girls in the middle of the night.

Jane opened with: “I think we might have another mystery on our hands.”

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Jessica, who looked sick of reporting political pronouncements, brightened. “What kind of mystery?”

“One of my students was here this morning, bird-watching.

She’s vanished.”

“Fowl play? Sorry – pardon the pun.”

“No sign of anyone else. But she left her phone behind.”

“Girls and phones are inseparable.”

Jane frowned. “I’m quite worried.” She gave Jessica a quick account of what she had found on her morning walk. “I’m going to ask the police to start a full search.”

They walked over to talk to Trish Riley. The policewoman was also becoming concerned. She phoned the station to organize a search along the riverbank.

Jessica suggested calling Celine Davies. Another of Jane’s ex-students, Celine was two years older than Cathy and had already become something of a legend. She was short and rather thin and looked like she could be blown away in a light breeze. But she had a knack for solving complex puzzles.

She had saved Duckmanton from closure after the student shootings. Perhaps she could shed some light on Cathy’s whereabouts.

Celine was studying mathematics in Perth. But when Jessica rang she discovered that Celine was much closer. It was the university mid-year break and Celine had found a job analysing agricultural data at the Avondale research station. Jane smiled at their conversation.

“Isn’t Avondale very close to Beverley?” Jessica asked.

“Mmm,” Celine agreed.

“Doesn’t Arthur live in Beverly?”

“You know he does.”

“This a coincidence?”

“What d’you think?”

“I think I have an excellent mystery for you.”

“You at York?”

“Yup. I’ll be at the AVOCET office.”

“I’ll take the afternoon off. See you soon.” ~oOo~

She was wearing neat slacks but no jacket or sweater; her shirt was half undone and off one shoulder. There was a dark bruise on her left cheek and a trickle of blood from a small cut at the right temple. She was struggling and clearly hysterical. The camera was roaming over her body and zooming in on the places where two ropes bit into her flesh.

She steadied herself and started pleading. Obviously she was being restricted to reading from a notice placed next to the camera. “Please help me. I’m OK so far… but if you don’t do what they want, they’ll kill me…”

She paused, looked directly at the camera and appeared to be straying from the script as she sobbed. “Mum, Dad. If you see this… I love you… remember… I love you so much.” Then she suddenly shrieked: “They’ve got this big gallows here. I’ve seen it. With a noose. They’re going to hang me.”

Her head recoiled in terror from some gesture made by the camera operator. She had improvised too much and somebody was not pleased.

There were tears streaming down her cheeks as she sucked in a huge breath and returned to reading the prepared notice. “No police. You must not call the police.

Put a hundred thousand dollars in a sealed AVOCET samples box. Leave it on the table next to the pillar in the Jacaranda Tearoom. Before five o’clock this afternoon.”

The script showed a certain irony: “If you want to send a message, put it in the Donations Section of the AVOCET web page.” She gasped some more air between sobs. “Would you like to see… see them cut off one of my ears?” Then she was no longer reading. She was screaming “NO! NO!” as the video stopped.

Everyone was pale. Penny had her face in her hands, shaking.

Jane was insistent. “We must call the police. I don’t care if she says not to. They’re already looking for her, down at the river.”

Hilda nodded. “But not a word about this to anyone else.

That includes you, Jessica. You can publish it when she’s back safe.” She picked up the phone.

Jessica had to confess. “Already told Celine Davies. She’ll be here soon.”

Hilda scowled. “Bloody Hell. No. OK. No one else.”

Jessica nodded. “Why Cathy? She’s just a kid. Her family doesn’t have money.”

Bernard explained. “It’s us. We’ve just had a couple of large grants.”

Hilda spoke to Trish Riley and was advised to call Detective Inspector Baird in Northam. Then she brought up the AVOCET web page and typed in a message pleading with the kidnappers not to harm Cathy. In large letters it emphasised that the ransom was being arranged and would be at the Tearoom that afternoon.

As chairman of the board, Jane countersigned Hilda’s withdrawal note to the bank. Then she drove over to the Morris farm to break the news to Cathy’s parents. She found Trish Riley already there, doing a professional job of keeping them calm and setting up communications. Their phones, mail, e-mails and social media were all to be monitored.

Jane assured everyone that Cathy was fine. The kidnappers had demanded a ransom which her employer was paying. Cathy would be free in no time.

After a decent interval and a cup of tea, Jane excused

AVOCET was located in a converted house at the northern end of town. By noon, with the refreshments exhausted, people started drifting away. Jane stayed on, hoping to hear something from the police search. Jessica hung around too. Her journalist’s antennae told her something was going on. She was wondering whether she could cope with a third cup of instant coffee when Penny entered with the morning mail.

There was one item, in a plain envelope. It was not addressed and must have been hand-delivered. It was marked URGENT – OPEN IMMEDIATELY AND WATCH. All that was inside was a USB thumb drive. Hilda strode into her office and switched on the computer.

Bernard was nervous. “Careful – it might have a virus.”

Hilda was terse. “I’ll risk it.”

There were two files – apparently the same video in different formats. They pulled up five chairs around the computer screen.

The picture was horrifying. Cathy Morris was sitting in front of a plain wall. She was lashed to a chair. Her hair was a mess.

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herself, phoned the college to say she would be out all afternoon and then drove back to AVOCET.

Hilda had gone to the bank. Jessica was monitoring the phone and putting together a draft newspaper article. She did not know where Bernard and Penny were.

At this point, Detective Inspector Baird turned up. He had a police team in two unmarked cars which they parked around the back. Jane was skeptical that they had arrived unobserved. She kept getting mental flashes of the video with Cathy begging: “No police”.

Jane remembered Baird from the shootings. She had not had much faith in him then. He still looked gaunt and rather tatty. It was as if he needed to cultivate a Los Angeles hard cop image and wearing a worn-out suit helped. She took the police to Hilda’s office, passed them a staff photo of Cathy and related the events since finding the empty bird-hide that morning. She was about to start the video when Celine arrived.

There had been considerable antipathy between Baird and Celine when Jane had last seen them – together in the Jacaranda Tearoom after the shootings. Clearly something had changed.

Baird didn’t question her presence; he nodded to her as a fellow professional when she walked in.

Celine gave him a wave and a “Hi Inspector”. Then a more formal “Hello Doctor Hensley”.

“Please. Call me Jane.”

Celine looked horrified. “I can’t do that. You were my headmistress. You’ll always be Doctor Hensley.”

The briefing was resumed. Jane played the video. At the conclusion, Celine was pale and silent. She was, no doubt, imagining herself in Cathy’s position – a terrifying thought.

Baird was of the opinion that paying the ransom was futile.

There would be further demands for money before Cathy was released. Or once they had the money, the kidnappers could just kill her. When told that AVOCET had the funds and were prepared to pay, he shrugged and went off to talk to Hilda Spencer at the bank. The police team brought in their own communications gear and took over monitoring the phones.

Jane, Jessica and Celine retired to the lunchroom. Celine was particularly interested in how Cathy had been grabbed from the bird-hide.

“We don’t know; she was the only one there,” said Jane.

Celine looked doubtful. “But she left her things behind. Her phone.”

Jane agreed. “According to Hilda, the binoculars were special to her. An eighteenth birthday present.”

“We have to look at that bird-hide.”

Jessica elected to stay at AVOCET. She wanted to be where things were most likely to happen.

Jane was thinking aloud as she drove Celine to the river.

“There must have been two kidnappers. But no sign of them at the hide.”

“When she stopped reading from the script, she said ‘they’.

At least two.” Celine agreed. “And someone lecherous was operating that camera.”

Celine went over the bird-hide bit by bit. The footprints. The bushes. The muddy bank. The hut. She used the viewing slit as a step and clambered up onto the roof. She found nothing new.

There was no evidence anyone else had been present. And no indication of how Cathy had been removed from the scene.

They reluctantly agreed. Cathy did not go back to the car park, nor did she go to the river across the mud, nor through the thick bushes. She had not been sucked into the earth. There were no trees to climb. Maybe she flew away.

Celine giggled despairingly. “Any sightings of huge eagles?

Any sound of helicopters this morning? Drones? Any chance of

hot air balloons?”

Jane was not amused and snapped back: “Of course not: I’d have heard them.”

“A fine mystery.” Celine thought she could see a gleam in the water. “Any men around?” She removed socks, shoes and her jeans and handed them to Jane. Then the small girl waded into the river until the water was up to her thighs. “Hell – it’s cold.

Aha!” She stooped forward and examined something just below the surface.

Jane watched her trying to pull something out. “What is it?”

“There’s this great metal pipe – copper or brass maybe – coming up out of the river bed.”

“Is it relevant?”

“Don’t know.” She returned and, drying herself as best she could with her denim jacket, dragged her jeans back on. “I need a towel and a hot drink.” ~oOo~

It was just after two in the afternoon at the AVOCET office, when Celine’s hot chocolate was interrupted by the return of Hilda and Baird from the bank. They confirmed that the manager was putting together the ransom in one-hundred-dollar notes.

Jessica was reporting no further communication from the kidnappers when a taxi driver arrived with a strange story. He had received a text message asking him to check the letterbox of a house – that was up for rent and currently unoccupied. There he had found a fifty-dollar note and a package addressed to AVOCET.

Jane shuddered. It was another plain envelope marked URGENT – OPEN IMMEDIATELY AND WATCH. Inside was yet another USB thumb drive. She could not control her hand from trembling as she handed it to Hilda. They all gathered around to watch the video.

It was a different featureless room. The view was from a bit further back than last time – in order to accommodate two chairs.

To which were bound two disheveled characters: Penny Bates and Bernard Goulding. The camera stared at them. They stared back at the camera. There had clearly been some considerable violence.

Again there must have been a notice set up next to the camera. Bernard had to read it because Penny was too distressed.

She was slumped in her chair, supported by the ropes. The bright party dress she had worn for the ceremony that morning was now crumpled and stained. With blood? All she could do was whisper: “Please, please” repeatedly.

Bernard tried to look brave as he slowly worked his way through the long message.

We are the Crime Re-Action Group. CRAG. This video is for the slime who took Cathy Morris. We are not the police. We do not use police methods. We are coming to get you. When we find you, we will kill you. How slowly depends on how we feel at the time.

With a little encouragement, these two poor bunnies have told us what you did. We know all about you. We know you snatched Cathy from the bird-hide. We know about the ransom and how the money is to be delivered. Except it isn’t going to be.

We have three demands. These are not requests. You will do this or suffer the consequences.

First, Cathy Morris is to be released. Right now. We say again. Right now. If there’s no message on the web page by four o’clock this afternoon – saying she’s safe – then these bunnies die.

If she’s set free then we will let them go.

Second, the ransom is not to be paid to scum like you. It is to be paid to us. It’s to be put in the bird-hide tonight and we will take it, just as you did with Cathy.

Third, this complete video is to be put up onto AVOCET’s web 19

page – right now.

If you get any money, or Cathy is hurt in any way, then these two die and then you die. Some friendly advice. Start running.

We are hunting you. We know all about you. You know nothing about us.

To Hilda Spencer at AVOCET, if you do not cooperate with us and carry out these instructions, these two will have their heads cut off. On camera. Screaming your name.

Bernard stopped reading. He looked at someone behind the camera. “Was that what you wanted?”

The video went black.

Jane was horrified. Every one of her principles on civilized behaviour had just been turned upside down. “It’s like some ghastly exercise in ethical dilemmas. If we give the money to Cathy’s abductors, some people die. If we give it to CRAG, someone else dies.”

Hilda collapsed in a chair. All three of her staff were now being held by psychopaths.

Baird was speechless. Clearly, in all his reading of police manuals and crime fiction, he had never heard of such a situation. One group of kidnappers threatening to execute innocent people if another group did not cooperate.

Jessica was scribbling notes. “Some kind of auction. A totally weird auction. The Cathynappers have just been outbid. They’re only offering one person for our money. CRAG is offering two.”

Jane glared at the journalist. “These are peoples’ lives you’re talking about.”

Hilda butted in with a further thought: “Now the first lot will have to take more people so as to outbid CRAG.”

Only Celine appeared calm. “We’re thinking of it as an either-or. Either we give the money to Cathy’s ratbags – and Penny and Bernard… suffer the consequences. Or we do as we’re told and give the money to CRAG – and Cathy… doesn’t make it home.” She took a deep breath. “But there’s a logical loophole. We can secretly give the money to the first group. Get Cathy back. Tell the world she’s safe. Then give another box of cash to the second group.

Get Penny and Bernard back. All conditions met.”

“Do we have two boxes of money?” Jessica asked.

Celine shook her head. “After that video I doubt the kidnappers will take it. Particularly if the police are watching.

They have nothing to gain and everything to lose if they hurt Cathy. We offered the money in good faith. Not our fault if they’re too scared to pick it up.”

Hilda was enthusiastic. “That’ll work. After we get Cathy back, we can put the money in the hide. Bet CRAG won’t take it either. Not if there are loads of police around.”

Baird agreed. “We’ll be watching the whole thing. I want those bastards behind bars.”

Hilda put the video up onto the AVOCET web page. With a message that everyone should stay calm; that she was following instructions and wanted all her staff back safely.

Jessica continued writing her story. If the three hostages were released tonight she wanted to be ready with the text.

Celine was writing logic symbols all over a large sheet of paper.

Within ten minutes, Jessica had a call from Douglas Cromarty, the editor of The Avon Messenger. “Where the hell is my chief reporter?”

Jessica told him she was onto a big crime story – currently embargoed. Douglas countered with the news that he had something bigger. A farmer, who had been at this morning’s

ceremony, had just decided to make a donation to AVOCET.

He had gone to its web page and found weird material about hostages and ransoms. So he had rung the police – who said it was all a harmless prank and not to worry about it. So he had rung Douglas. Who had checked the web page too. And now wanted Jessica to look into it. Where the hell was she anyway?

Jessica laughed. “At AVOCET. And Celine’s here.”

“Well thank God for that.” Douglas rang off.

Hilda asked Jane and Baird to go with her to the bank to pick up the ransom. She took an AVOCET samples box to hold it. Jane left Celine and Jessica watching the videos for a second time, looking for clues. Celine was muttering about needing another hot chocolate. The best drinks in town were at the Jacaranda Tearoom. They would meet there in half an hour. ~oOo~

At the bank, Jane, Hilda and Baird watched as the samples box was filled with money. It was then sealed and carried out to the AVOCET Range Rover. Baird demanded to sit in the back with his hand on the box.

The Jacaranda Tearoom is a French patisserie posing as a genteel English café. Old wooden tables and chairs are scattered

around the large room and out onto the patio. Between the terrace and the street were the two large trees which gave the tearoom its name.

July was far too early for their mass of purple flowers but the wide branches provided shade to the outside tables. It was a quiet afternoon. A retired couple having tea and crepes. Three girls with milkshakes.

The inspector personally carried the box in and placed it on the table next to the central pillar. Then he retired with Hilda to a bench near the door to wait.

Jane joined Jessica and Celine in their corner and ordered a pot of tea. At the back she noticed Trish Riley and a paramedic – ready to look after Cathy, if and when she was freed.

Celine excused herself and went for a tour of the car park.

Jane was curious and watched her from the door. She was walking around and peering into the AVOCET four-wheel drive.

As she returned to their table, Jane looked a question. Celine smiled and frivolously commented that Hilda had a fabulous tartan picnic rug.

And they waited. Chef Pierre Dubois was intrigued by all these people ordering drinks and then sipping them oh so slowly.

He wandered over to say hello to Celine, who gave him a huge grin and a small shake of the head. With a shrug, he slipped back into his kitchen.

Jane remembered how Celine had had a reputation at school for being perpetually poor and hungry. Assuming that 20

somebody else would be paying, she had started working her way through the cakes in the display counter. However, she was still on her first plate – some Battenberg – when Cathy Morris limped in.

Cathy looked exhausted. Jane and Hilda were with her in an instant and helped her to a chair. While Celine brought a glass of water, the paramedic started a physical examination.

“I’m OK,” she insisted as she pushed him away.

“We’ll get you to hospital,” Jane said.

Cathy refused. “I want to go home. To sleep. They didn’t hurt me.”

Jane peered at her face. “The bruise, the cut?”

Celine answered for Cathy. “Just make up. There’re no marks on her wrists either. The ropes ’round her were for show.”

“They made me put my hands behind me. They never tied me up.”

Jane took charge. “I’ll drive you home. Celine, you can come and help.”

“Yes, Doctor Hensley,” from both girls.

Trish Riley inserted herself into the party. Jessica was taking pictures and Hilda was already on her way back to the office – to put a ‘CATHY MORRIS IS SAFE – WE WILL GIVE CRAG THE RANSOM’ message on the web site. Inspector Baird remained to watch the box of money.

Celine sat in the back of the car and held Cathy’s hand. “Can you tell us anything about the men? What they were wearing?”

“They had new shoes and overalls and gloves. Father Christmas masks. When I went in the hide, they jumped down off the roof. At the door. I was trapped. I screamed and screamed.

They were calm. Spoke in soft voices. They said they didn’t want to hurt me. Didn’t want to tie me up. Showed me a bottle. Said it was chloroform. They waved a lot of rope at me. If I did as they said… I’d be home in bed, tonight. So I… cooperated.”

Trish tried to be diplomatic. “They didn’t… interfere with you?”

“No.” Cathy shuddered at the thought. “They didn’t touch me or knock me out or tie me up. Had to wear a hood – couldn’t see; then they pushed me up onto the roof. Then… a weird feeling…”

“You flew,” Celine filled in.

“How’d you know?” Cathy asked.

“There was no other way of leaving the hide. No tracks.

Nothing.”

“They guided my foot into a stirrup. Gave me a rope, a wet rope, to hold onto. I was flying, then floating.” After a moment she added: “One of them… I think he was pretending… was vicious. Kept telling me all the things he could do to me. The other kept reassuring me. Telling me I’d be alright. It was only after they gave me the make up… to make me look like I’d been punched… I thought I might be OK. It was an act.”

Jane looked at her in the driving mirror. “You were very convincing.”

“I said I’d go along with it – as long as they didn’t hurt me.

Everyone agreed. No violence. They said they’d let me go at five o’clock.”

“But they let you go early,” Celine said.

“They saw something on the computer. Vicious said I was going home right away. They must have got the money. Gave me the hood to put on.”

They drove onto the Morris farm and her parents came running. Cathy burst into tears of relief in her mother’s arms.

Trish said she would stay and take a statement after Cathy had had a sleep. Jane and Celine headed back to town.

At the Tearoom, Jessica and Baird were waiting for news.

The inspector had his hand on the box. “Now we can pay that CRAG mob. Catch them. Get the other two back.”

Celine interrupted, “You might want to check the money.”

Baird suddenly looked worried. “What? Why?”

Jane explained. “Celine is merely applying logic. The abductors demanded money before releasing Cathy. They’ve released Cathy. Therefore they must have the money.”

Baird shook his head. “Not possible. I’ve been watching it.

There’s no way they could have got it.” He grabbed some scissors from the counter and sliced open the box. Then he swore. “That’s impossible.” The box contained nothing but newspapers.

Jessica caught his expression with a photograph.

Celine was peering out the window. “Don’t think you’ll need it. Here’s Penny and Bernard now.”

The paramedic sat Penny and Bernard down and started examining them. Like Cathy, they appeared to be totally unharmed. No bruises or rope burns.

Jane knew she was floundering – hopelessly out of her depth. She glanced at Celine who looked as if everything now made sense.

Celine touched her arm. “It’s alright. We have a solution”. ~oOo~

The Jacaranda Tearoom settled down, with the ambulance man continuing his examinations. Jessica was calling Douglas to tell him that all hostages had been released, and that she considered the press embargo to have been lifted.

Celine turned to Penny and Bernard. “You weren’t really kidnapped at all, were you?”

Penny kept quiet and drank the tea that had just come.

Bernard looked mildly embarrassed. “We kidnapped ourselves. When we saw Cathy on that video… She was hysterical.

Poor kid. Couldn’t sit around doing nothing. She’s the life of the office. We all love her. Decided to up the stakes. We went to an empty house that Penny knew. Used my phone to make the ransom video. We were so angry. It was easy to write the script.

Then we made it look like we were tied to chairs.”

Celine commented. “It was too much a copy of the Cathy video. Only you couldn’t make the camera move. There was no one else there.”

“Was it that obvious?” inquired Penny.

Jane reassured them. “You did a marvelous job. In such a short time. It was a terrifying movie. It worked on the men who took Cathy. They let her go, the moment they saw it.”

Jessica needed more details for her story. “So how did Cathy leave the bird-hide?”

Celine sat down with the remains of her Battenberg and signaled to the waitress for a fresh hot chocolate. “We have four questions.”

Inspector Baird interrupted her. “What I want to know is: ‘How was $100,000 removed from a box, in this tearoom, in full view of everybody?’ That’s what I want to know.”

“That’s question number four!” Celine teased.

“First: How was Cathy taken without a trace? Not through a tunnel. Not along the path or through the bush or down to the river. There are no trees to climb. She had to fly. In silence. It was carefully planned. There were to be no traces of the kidnappers.

They sank a large metal tube into the riverbed.

Then they brought their own ‘tree’. From Cathy’s comment, a large wooden gallows. Something that would float and could be towed behind a small boat. With a noose to put your foot in. The rope or the horizontal bar to hold on to. Mounted in the tube, they could swing ashore, onto the roof of the hut.”

Jane passed Celine her fresh drink. “So simple.”

“They took her out the same way. She wore a hood. That must have been so scary. One of them would have gone back to the boat first. Caught her as the other swung her out. Then removed the gallows upright. The tube was stuck in the riverbed.

21

22

BADMINTON PRE KINDY PRE KINDY ART CLASS (ROY) QUILTING AND CRAFT

WED

Craft Circle: Bring along a project and share a cuppa & a chat , as you craft with friends.

10 weeks 10 weeks 10 weeks 5 weeks 10 weeks 10 weeks 10 weeks

- 9 weeks - 9 weeks - weekly - 9 weeks

5 Feb - 10 weeks 5 Feb - 10 weeks 5 Feb - 10 weeks 15 Jan - weekly 5Feb - continuous

4 Feb 4 Feb 4 Feb 4 Feb 4 Feb 4 Feb 4 Feb

3 Feb 3 Feb 13 Jan 3 Feb

TERM 2 START

9:00am - 12:00pm 9:30am - 11:30am 12pm - 2.00pm 12:30pm - 2:30pm 7:00pm - 9:00pm

9:00am - 9:45am 9:45am - 10:20am 10:20 - 10:55am 11:00 - 11:45 am 9:00am - 12:30pm 9.30am - 11.30am 12:15pm - 2:15pm

9:00am - 12:00pm 9:00am - 12:00pm 12:30pm - 2:30pm 7:00pm - 9:30pm

TIME

MOSAICS PLAYGROUP UNIQUE PAPER CRAFT* SCRAPBOOKING SING AUSTRALIA ART CLASS (ROY) 7 Feb - 10 weeks 7 Feb - 10 weeks TO BE ADVISED TO BE ADVISED 7 Feb - 10 weeks 17 Jan weekly 9:00am - 12:00pm 9:00am - 11:15am 9:30am - 12:00pm 9:00am - 12:00pm 9:00am - 12:00pm 12:30pm - 2:30pm

Unique Paper Craft: Make lovely cards, boxes, bags & more with Jennie. Term 1: Feb 22 & March 22

N/A $200 $200 N/A N/A (+ins)

(+$15 kit) (+$15 kit) $8.00 $10.00

$5.00

$5.00 On enquiry

$5.00 N/A N/A $10.00 $5.00

Mosaics - Make pieces for yourself and family to beautify you home, indoors or out.

dedicated to Home Schooler kids.

**** LEGEND ****

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK Swan Valley Community Centre Swan Valley Pre Kindy

Art Class: Learn the basic principles of painting with step by step techniques.

Playgroup - Meet other mums and children in your area. Secure grounds with great playground. Insurance required $30/pa to Playgroup WA.

Badminton: Fun and fitness. Experienced players will enjoy.

Call Alma 92961637

Spinners & Knitters: Swan Valley Spinners meet every fortnight.

Lovely social morning, bring your project, big or small. All welcome.

Coffee & Craft: Bring along any project - sewing, paper craft etc. Plenty of space, power, WIFI, crèche.

Annual membership fee : $2.00

You may enrol by e-mail, or phone in your details and class requirements. Alternatively you may enrol as you attend the first day of class.

* Extra costs for kits & materials.

Please note: most classes have flat fee of $5.00 - this means: NO discount for seniors and NO penalty for casual payers.

 

To be advised!

TERM 1 EVENTS - 2020

Sing Australia - Vibrant and enthusiastic choir in the Swan Valley. Social singing for your own enjoyment as well as regular demonstrations.

ACT BELONG COMMIT

Proud partner with

$50.00 $25 (+ins) $5.00 $5:00 N/A N/A

Music/Piano - Play immediately songs, chords, blues, classical etc. using Simply Music method. Class

Pre Kindy - for children starting school in 2018. A fun introduction to independent learning through songs, play and socialising. Limited places.

Textiles - Quilting, textile making, machine or hand sewing; bring your ideas along. Creating beauty with colour & texture of fabrics.

email: enquiries@swanvalleycommunitycentre.com

website: www.swanvalleycommunitycentre.com

FRI

$5.00 $5.00 $10.00 $8.00

CASUAL

$180 N/A $180 N/A $180 N/A $90 (half term) N/A $50 $5.00 $30 (+ins) $5.00 $200 N/A

$45 $45 N/A N/A

COST/TERM

THURS HOMESCHOOL PLAYGROUP 13 Feb - 9 Weeks 9:00am -11:15am $25 SPINNERS & KNITTERS 16 Jan - fortnightly 9:00am - 1:00 pm

SIMPLY MUSIC CLASS 1 SIMPLY MUSIC CLASS 2 SIMPLY MUSIC CLASS 3 HOMESCHOOL MUSIC QUILTING AND CRAFT PLAYGROUP PRE KINDY

ART GROUP COFFEE & CRAFT ART CLASS (ROY) SING AUSTRALIA

MON

TUES

CLASS

DAY

Art Group: Gilly can help with your masterpiece, all mediums welcome.

An instructional art class is also running Term 4. Crèche available.

OFFICE HOURS: MON & TUES 9am - 12pm

PH: 9296 1976 0419 922 791 .......

PO BOX 2568 ELLENBROOK 6069

BASKERVILLE HALL MEMORIAL AVE BASKERVILLE

MON 3 FEB - THUR 9 APRIL 2020

TERM 1 DATES:

ABN 96 485 991 546

SWAN VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE INC.

SWAN VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE - TERM 1 2020

They had to leave it.”

“They left no tracks on the roof?” Jane wondered.

“The floor of the hide had been swept – for the ceremony.

They probably swept the roof as they left.”

“Then where did they go?” Jessica asked.

“To some secluded house. Cathy was not to be hurt in any way. They only had to tell her what they could do to her to get her compliance. Sat her down in a chair with some ropes around her. She put her hands over the back where we couldn’t see them.

Read from a placard next to the camera.”

Jane expressed what they all thought. “She had courage.

Putting in the bit about the gallows. She’ll have nightmares for months.”

Celine nodded. “So will the kidnappers. This was supposed to be an easy job with no violence. They would have been monitoring the AVOCET web pages. Saw the CRAG speech.

Decided the ransom no longer mattered. Took them no time at all to drop Cathy off – just out the back. Told her not to take the hood off while she counted to fifty. They’ll be long gone by now.”

Everyone was nodding. Jane related the next bit. “I assume the second question is about Penny and Bernard. We know about that. What a neat idea. A counter-abduction. An auction of hostages. Kicked the whole plot somewhere it wasn’t supposed to go.”

Baird felt compelled to interrupt. “It worked this time.

We’re lucky Cathy Morris wasn’t killed.”

Celine sipped her chocolate. “Third. What was the motive?

Money. But! The problem with a cash ransom is you have to collect it somehow. After the abduction everybody will be watching. Including the police. But here someone was very clever. The kidnappers would not have to pick up the money. It’d

be stolen from us before the victim was released. They’d get their share later.”

“Stolen? How?” Baird wanted to know.

“Question four. By the boss. But who is the boss? Someone who set Cathy up by suggesting she could clean up the hut and do some bird-watching at dawn. Someone who controlled communications through the AVOCET web site. Someone who insisted that her girl not be harmed. Someone who emphatically supported me when I suggested we pay the ransom – even when CRAG demanded that we did not.”

It was obvious, Jane realized. “Hilda Spencer. But how?”

“You, the inspector and Hilda went to the bank to pick up the money. In Hilda’s car. There was a picnic rug in the back seat. I checked. It’s an easy trick. The money was in an AVOCET samples box.

“Get an identical box and fill it with newspapers and seal it and put it on the back seat with the rug over it. When you come out the bank, you get the inspector to put the box onto the back seat next to the rug – then walk around and get in the other side – to sit next to it. While he’s walking around, you flip the rug over the moneybox. He rests his hand on the box with the newspapers.”

“It would have fooled any of us,” Jane consoled the inspector.

Celine continued. “She always intended to take the money that way. Before the second kidnapping fouled everything up.

The men had been told to release Cathy at five o’clock.”

Baird looked ferocious. “Where is she?”

“Back at the office,” Jane said.

Celine continued. “She could be half way to Perth. But I think Doctor Hensley is right. I’ve a theory. The government would replace the ransom money in the AVOCET accounts – and Hilda would have a private slush fund of a hundred thou to spend on other projects. The money will be hidden in her office somewhere.”

Baird stormed off to organize Hilda’s arrest.

Jessica gave a thumbs up to Celine and headed off to the newspaper offices. Apart from the Messenger, this story would attract big fees from the mainstream media, radio, TV and Internet.

Jane paid the tearoom account with her AVOCET credit card and invited Celine back to her house at Duckmanton College for dinner.

As they walked, Celine was thinking aloud.

“There’s this guy in Beverley.

Arthur. He’s a pilot.

D’you think if I got myself kidnapped…?”

Jane stopped and looked severely down at her ex-student. No words were necessary.

The End 23

FEDERAL NOTES HASLUCK HAPPENINGS

F

Bowling Club said the funding will enable the club to undertake much needed maintenance of the clubrooms and realise the vision of activating the clubrooms full potential.

“Established in 1897, the Swan Bowling Club has been around for 123 years, and our current clubroom, being built in the 50’s requires some much needed maintenance,” Ms Bacon said.

“This grant will enable us to restore the clubrooms to their full potential, doubling our capacity to hold events and cater for larger groups.

“We are truly grateful to Ken Wyatt for his advocacy on our behalf, and securing funding to provide these much needed upgrades at the Swan Bowling Club.”

This grant is part of the Morrison Government’s commitment to ensure communities have the facilities they need to enjoy sport and recreational activities.

“Our local sports clubs are the heart of our local community and I know this project by the Swan Bowling Club will benefit our community now and into the future,” Mr Wyatt said

DARLINGTON SKATE PARK & COMMUNITY GARDEN REDEVELOPMENT

ederal Member for Hasluck, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP announced that the Morrison Government is supporting sporting infrastructure projects in Hasluck, which will help keep the community active.

Mr Wyatt said that the Darlington Skate Park and Community Garden redevelopment will be supported by $340,000 in federal funding, which is great success for the Darlington Community.

“This investment means the Darlington Community Recreation Advisory Group can now put their plans into action,” Mr Wyatt said.

“Great sports infrastructure encourages people to get active and stay active.”

“I’m sure Darlington Community Recreation Advisory Group is as keen as the local community to see this project take shape.”

Patricia Cook, Chair of the Darlington Community Recreation Advisory Group said that the funding will help the community realise its vision of sharing a beautiful recreational park right in the heart of Darlington.

“We can now embark on building our vision of extending the skatepark that caters for all wheeled sports of varying ages and abilities,” Ms Cook said.

“The adjacent community garden will provide shade and feature an area for community groups to grow fresh produce, along with acting as a community hub for the surrounding residents.”

“The redevelopment will transform the skatepark and community garden into a place where older members of the community can connect with younger people, and share their wisdoms, hopefully inspiring young people to look after their community facility.”

This grant is part of the Morrison Government’s commitment to ensure communities have the facilities they need to enjoy sport and recreational activities.

“Our local sports clubs are the heart of our local community and I know this project by the Darlington Community Recreation Advisory Group will benefit our community now and into the future,” Mr Wyatt said.

VOLUNTEER GRANTS ROUND NOW OPEN IN HASLUCK

Federal Member for Hasluck, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP urges community groups in Hasluck to submit expressions of interest to recognise their local volunteers through the 2019-20 Volunteers Grant program.

Community groups can apply for between $1,000 and $5,000 which can be used to buy small equipment for volunteers or for the reimbursement of volunteer fuel, transport or training costs.

“Volunteering is part of the Australian way of life,” Mr Wyatt said. “It has many social and economic benefits such as increased confidence, reduced marginalisation and skill development.

“The grants form part of the Morrison Government’s commitment to supporting organisations whose volunteers assist our communities and encourage the inclusion of vulnerable people in our society.”

Each Federal Member of Parliament is able to nominate organisations to apply for funding in their electorate between now and Friday 7 February 2020. The Department of Social Services will then send an application form to nominated organisations to apply for funding in March 2020. Successful applicants will be announced in June 2020.

For more information and to download an expression of interest form visit his website at www.kenwyatt.com.au/ volunteer-grants.

SPORTS PROJECT FOR HASLUCK GETS UNDERWAY

Federal Member for Hasluck, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP announced that the Morrison Government is supporting sporting infrastructure projects in Hasluck, which will help keep the community active.

Mr Wyatt said that the Swan Bowling Club Clubroom upgrades will be supported by $40,000 in federal funding, which is a great success for the Swan Community.

“This investment means the Swan Bowling Club can now put their plans into action. Great sports infrastructure encourages people to get active and stay active.

“I’m sure Swan Bowling Club is as keen as the local community to see this project take shape.”

Jilian Bacon, Secretary of the Swan 24

VOLUNTEER GRANTS Expressions of Interest Expressions of Interest are now open and close Friday, 7 February 2019 Grants of between $1,000 and $5,000 are available to help community organisations buy equipment such as laptops, pay fuel costs, or assist with volunteer training costs.

For more information please get in touch on 9359 0322.

KEN WYATT am mp Your FEDERAL MEMBER FOR HASLUCK

Shop 10-12, Hawaiian’s Forrestfield, 80 Hale Road, Forrestfield WA 6058 08 9359 0322 kenwyatt.com.au

ken.wyatt.mp@aph.gov.au KenWyattMP

teamkenwyatt

Authorised by Ken Wyatt MP, Liberal Party of Australia, Shop 10-12 Hawaiian’s Forrestfield, 80 Hale Road, Forrestfield WA 6058.

25

WHAT’S ON IF YOU WOULD LIKE AN EVENT LISTED IN THIS COLUMN RING our office on 0418 934 850 Entries for non-profit entities are free.

SWAN VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS - Glen Forrest Group Every Monday evening We meet at 7.00pm at the Glen Forrest Uniting Church, Mc Glew Rd, Glen Forrest. Call Dermot 0488 905 211 or John 0448 074 536 or the Perth Office (all hours) 9325 3566.

Monday Mornings The Art Group meets at Baskerville Hall from 9am – 12pm for just $5.00 per session.

Group leader Gilly can help and advise with most media. Feel free to come and have a look and meet our local artists – they are a very friendly lot, new members welcome!

For more information call 9296 1976 or enquiries@swanvalleycommunitycentre.com www.swanvalleycommunitycentre.com

AUSTRALIAN BREASTFEEDING ASSOC. Discussion groups, guest speakers, morning tea. Free breastfeeding counselling. Expectant mothers, mothers, babies and children welcome. National Breastfeeding Helpline 1800 686 2686 is a 24 hour 7 days a week service.

EASTERN DISTRICTS MACHINE KNITTERS

Friday - second and fourth We meet from 9:00am to noon at 10 Brockman Road, Midland.

Feel welcome to join us for morning tea and see how easy it is to make your own garments.

For more information contact Pat 9309 3260; Liz 9572 7074 or Pat 9295 2793.

Swan/Mundaring Group meets every Monday, 9:30-11:30am at the Gumnuts Family Centre, 8 Mudalla Way, Koongamia. A qualified ABA counsellor is present at each meeting to give confidential information and support on breastfeeding issues.

Contact Natalie 9572 4971.

Kalamunda Group meets fortnighly on a Thursday, 9:3011:30am at the Maida Vale Baptist Church, Edney Road, High Wycombe. Contact Jenny 9252 1996.

SWAN HARMONY SINGERS

Wednesdays Come and sing with us! Swan Harmony Singers is a community choir that meets, 7-9pm, to sing music ranging from jazz to pop, plus the occasional classic. No auditions.

Join us at the Salvation Army Church Hall, 371 Morrison Rd, (opposite Swan View Primary School), Swan View. Enquiries: call Anna on 9299 7249, or Chris on 9298 9529 or 0435 062 728.

Northam Group meets each second Tuesday of the month at the Bridgeley Community Centre, Wellington Street, Northam 10am to Noon.

Fourth Tuesday each month at Toodyay Playgroup, Stirling Terrace, Toodyay. Noon to 2pm. Please phone Louisa 9574 0229.

TALKING HORSES

ELLENBROOK COMMUNITY WEIGHT LOSS CLUB

Wednesday evenings 6:00pm The WA Horse Council equestrian radio program is now in its seventh year. The programme is broadcast on the Community Radio Station 91.3 SportFM. To ensure that your club, event, breed or business gets coverage, call Diane Bennit 0409 083 617.

Every Tuesday evening We meet from 6.45pm to 8.00pm at the Woodlake Community Hall, Meeting room 1 Highpoint Blvd, Ellenbrook. Friendly support group at low cost. Male and females of all ages welcome.

Contact Shirley 9276 7938 shirleysardelich@aapt.net.au.

THE ZONTA CLUB OF SWAN HILLS

HILLS CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT GROUP

Dinner meeting 3rd Wednesday February – November Meets Swan Mundaring area. ( venue to be advised ) Zonta International envisions a world in which women’s rights are recognized as human rights and every woman is able to achieve her full potential.

In such a world, women have access to all resources and are represented in decision making positions on an equal basis with men.

In such a world, no woman lives in fear of violence.

Guests are welcome to join us please contact Ruth 08 92729442 or ruth@amsaustralia.com.

1st Wednesday of each month Hilltop Grove Estate, 1645 Jacoby Street, Mahogany Creek.

Morning tea provided, between 10.30 - 12.00 noon.

Enquiries Terina 9572 1655.

MORRIS DANCING

All welcome. It’s like bush dancing, with sticks and bells. It’s aerobic exercise and great fun!

Tuesdays 7-9pm practice, Guildford Town Hall, cnr James St and Meadow St, Guildford. And drinks later at the Woodbridge Hotel with live Irish music For more information please contact: Christine Hogan: 9279 8778 Email: madtattersmorris@iinet.Net.Au Website: madtattersmorris.myclub.org.au

SWAN WOODTURNERS GROUP

The group meets in the rear hall of The Senior Citizens’ Centre, The Avenue, Midland, at 1-00pm. on 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Tuesday, and at 7-00pm. on 2nd Tuesday of each month. A demonstration and cuppa are the norm. Men and Women are welcome. Enquiries to Ted 9295 4438.

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WHAT’S ON JUST A PIECE - TEXTILE KINSHIP Fortnightly Fridays This textile art group meets every fortnight Fridays 9.30 to 12.00 at Just Add Passion on Richardson Rd Stoneville. $5 per session, everyone welcome Check us out on Facebook or text Janette on 0407 633 771.

ELLENBROOK AND DISTRICT MENS SHED INC.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday We are open at 4 Transit Way Ellenbrook from 10.00am to 3.00pm. Potential members can turn up on those days and there will be someone to explain what we do and give membership details. Annual fees are low and members can do their own thing, participate in projects for the community or simply just come in for a chat and a cuppa.

We are considering extending our days to include Saturdays or evenings if there is enough interest.

MUSTARD SEED - DISCOVERING COMPUTERS

Mustard Seed is a nineteen year old non-profit organisation and teaches all aspects of everyday computing. Ability levels from beginners onwards.

Want help with Windows 10? In need of instruction with your Mac computer? Have an iPad or Android tablet and don’t know what it will do? We can help. Cost is $2 per session.

Classes are held at 56 McGlew Road, Glen Forrest. To gain a place enrol now by phoning 0491 044 805 or emailing: mustardcomputers@gmail.com W: noodlebytes.com

age of sixteen to join us. We sing a range of sacred and secular music in four parts.

Please phone Margie on 9295 6103, email the thehillschoir@ gmail.com or visit their website www.hillschoir.org.au.

SING AUSTRALIA SWAN VALLEY Monday nights We are a community singing group in the Swan Valley and welcome anyone who loves to sing.

There are no auditions or expectations on ability. We welcome absolute beginners and experienced singers.

Singing has enormous health and wellbeing benefits which helps promote joy and positivity in people’s lives.

Come along, give it a go and bring a friend for a great night of singing. The group meets 7.30 to 9.30pm in Baskerville Hall, 129 Memorial Ave, Baskerville.

Call us on 0407 888 759 or email: singaustraliaswanvalley@outlook.com for inquiries.

THE HILLS CHOIR

Monday Evenings Do you enjoy singing and joining with others to make beautiful music? Come and join the Hills Choir. We meet from 7.30 to 9.30pm at the Uniting Church on Stoneville Road, Mundaring.

Contact Margie on 9295 6103 for further information.

SWAN VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE SWAN VALLEY HOMESCHOOL FAMILY PLAYGROUP

Thursday mornings 9:15am to 11:15am Older siblings welcome to join playgroup in a rural setting in the Swan Valley. Normal playgroup guidelines apply for children zero to five years old.

Baskerville Hall, 129 Memorial Drive, Baskerville. For more information ring 0419 922 792 or email enquiries@ swanvalleycommunitycentre.com

MIDLAND MEN’S SHED

Every Tuesday morning We meet socially every Tuesday morning from 9.30am to 11.30am in the Bellevue Baptist Church Hall and our usual attendance is around fifty-five. At least once a month we have a guest speaker on a range of topics.

We also go on excursions to various places of interest (e.g. HMAS Stirling, Aviation Museum, Fremantle Ports, ALCOA, etc.).

Our workshop with wood working and metal working is in Midvale and for the opening hours and further details please contact Brian Beer on 0411 833 055. Also in operation is our music group – the Rockin’ Shedders which is going from strength to strength and their repertoire of songs increases each week.

For more information on the Shed please contact Kevin Buckland on 0417 961 971 or email: kebinsv@tpg.com.au.

THE HILLS CHOIR Mondays We practice on Mondays from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the Uniting Church in Stoneville Road, Mundaring. We are looking for Sopranos, Altos, Tenors and Basses over the 27

COMMUNITY ANNIE’S COLLECTIVE WONDERLAND DOUGLAS SUTHERLAND-BRUCE

s you drive around the UK, if you’re at all interested Aeverywhere in old, antique and vintage you will see just about ‘Antique Centre - 60 Dealers. Places like Leominster (pronounced ‘Lem-stir’) seem to have huge buildings convered into collective antique stores with the dealers taking turns to man the counters or even hiring a manager.

This means that you can see specialist collections and dealers, rents are shared, and dealers have time to source new (old) material while business continues.

We don’t seem to have the same concept here in Australia yet. Or we didn’t until Annie had a very bright idea when Swan Settlers Markets was floated as a concept.

If you love vintage, retro, antique, flea markets, shabby chic and just plain quirky, I expect you already know about Annie’s shop at Taylor’s Art House Annie’s Vintage Wonderland. If you don’t, immediately put it on your ‘To Visit’ list.

But the shop at Taylor’s, even with knocking into the next building is too small for Annie’s wonderland of wonders, so she has joined up with Swan Settlers Markets and rented a huge area in it, acting as a collective with a number of other dealers and suppliers.

She even has her eye on an expansion within the markets, which would double the area and dealers’ spaces available.

Annie has moved some of the more portable items from Taylor’s, raiding her large stock from the warehouse and buying in new old stock. ‘New’ seems like an odd word to use, but ‘old’ seems less accurate - perhaps ‘odds and ends’ might be better. A sampling of her goods might include, vintage jewellery and clothing, collectable stamps, matchbooks and boxes, suitcases, tins, Australiana, toys, books, walking sticks, 50’s furniture and she is one of only five Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint stockists in Western Australia.

Annie is a real person, unlike Betty Crocker, and is on hand to talk, deal and her happy cheerfulness is a huge asset to her shop.

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COMMUNITY

The collective is open from Thursday to Sunday, plus Public Holidays from 10:00am to 3:30pm, but if you ‘like’ her on Facebook - facebook.com/AnniesVintageWonderland/ you can shop on her ‘Annie’s Vintage Wonderland Online Wonders’ pretty much all the time as treasures are photographed and posted in batches.

Prices are open to negotiation, so now’s the time to call in and have a browse, make an offer and collect something you’ve been seeking for ages - be it a 1963 Beano comic, a matchbook from the Playboy Club, a plastic soldier originally found in a Cornflakes packet, a street name or a dresser in peppermint green with orange trim.

Whatever it might be - Annie may well have it, will get it, or knows where there is one.

And while you’re there, you can browse the vast range of other stallholders at Swan Settlers Market - the newest addition to tourism in the Swan Valley.

If you’re a dealer looking to open a low-rent shopfront, talk to Annie - she can probably help.

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FILM REVIEWS Film: Director: Reviewer:

along with sidekick Bombalurina (Taylor Swift).

New cat Victoria (Francesca Hayward) is shown the way of the Jellicles and finds the heart in exiled Grizabella (Jennifer Hudson).

The CGI cat features are hit and miss, however once you get used to the human/cat combination, this is not a major issue.

There are some cats with claws and fur and others with human hands which doesn’t make much sense but really a minor issue.

The most confronting moment comes when Idris Elba’s Macavity is revealed in all his glory! The champions of this film

Cats Tom Hooper Chris McRae

CGI, Dench, McKellen and MacCavity irst things first. Tom Hooper’s Cats has received some very bad press since its release on Boxing Day.

This stems from the backlash upon release of the first trailer mid last year. Many said the CGI was creepy and this was set to be a disaster.

Based on the classic Andrew Lloyd Webber stage musical and depicting the shenanigans of a group of felines known as the Jellicle Cats, this musical spectacle is not perfect.

For non musical fans it will prove confusing, weird and bizarre. But for those who appreciate good music, dance sequences and spectacle, Cats will be a entertaining watch which will make you laugh and smile.

With the simple premise of the Jellicle Cats each taking a turn to showcase what makes them special in order to be selected by Old Deuteronomy (Judi Dench) as the Jellicle Choice and journey to Heaviside Layer to receive a new Jellicle life. Each Cat has it’s own personality and talents.

There is the magical Mr Mistoffelees (Laurie Davidson), the food loving Bustopher Jones (James Corden), theatre veteran Gus (Ian McKellan), the vain Rum Tum Tugger (Jason Derulo), Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat (Steven McRae), house cat Jennyanydots (Rebel Wilson) and the wicked Macavity (Idris Elba)

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are the impressive song and dance numbers.

Originally a ballet and completely sung-through on stage, the film version inserts several lines of spoken dialogue but the majority of the film is sung. Newcomer Francesca Hayward is clearly a talented dancer, having acted as the principal ballerina with the Royal Ballet School. She is also a talented singer with new song Beautiful Ghosts a highlight.

The all star cast all have their moments to shine. Ian McKellan is particularly good as Gus the Theatre Cat and Jennifer Hudson has a memorable moment with the iconic Memory which is left as the climax. Judi Dench is charming as Old Deuteronomy although her singing skills leave something to be desired. James Corden and Rebel Wilson make a good comedic pair.

Overall, this film is entertaining but only to viewers who are willing to suspend disbelief and appreciate the style and energy of musical theatre.

Those who either don’t know the original musical or who aren’t willing to commit to the fantastically weird world of the Jellicles will find themselves scratching their heads.

For me, a musical theatre lover, it was two hours of escapism and although it had some hit and miss elements, it was great fun to watch with some fantastic music, dance and colour. ~oOo~ 30

Film: Director: Reviewer:

The Ideal Palace Nils Taverner James Forte

Awesome Architecture s this a period drama, a documentary, a love story, a profound examination of the meaning of life? The Ideal Palace defies any definition of genre.

It is what it is – a remarkable film.

It closely follows the true story of Ferdinand Cheval. In 1879 in the Drôme valley in the south of France, Cheval is a facteur,

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a postman whose daily delivery round takes him over thirty kilometres on foot from village to village. He dreams of travel, as he delivers postcards from places like French Indo-China (today’s Viet-Nam).

One day his delivery route is extended and in a new village Cheval (played by Jacques Gamblin) meets Philomena (Laetitia Casta). It is a hot day and she offers him a drink of water.

Very soon they are married with a baby daughter, Alice.

And soon after that, on his daily round he trips over a curiously shaped stone. It becomes the basis for a large mansion he will build for Alice: The Ideal Palace – fit for a princess. It takes him thirty-three years, working in the evenings collecting and cementing the stones together.

He has no architectural training and the style has been labeled ‘naïve’.

The ornate decoration certainly looks Indo-Chinese and Hindu. It is a wonderful madness.

Writers Laurent Bertoni and Fanny Desmares and director Nils Taverner have excelled in portraying the places

and customs of the time. The acting, the portrayal of Cheval and his wife, is nigh on perfect. It is a completely satisfying film and a welcome alternative to action thrillers.

Immerse yourself in his project. As a philosophy, our lives might be thought meaningful if we can achieve just one great thing. Without expectation (or receipt) of any reward, Cheval did.

The French have declared his palace a national historic monument. You can see it at Hauterives in the Auvergne region.

Or look up Ferdinand Cheval on Wikipedia.

The Ideal Palace was shown in the 2019 French Film Festival and had an extended run at Luna Cinemas in December. It is in French with English subtitles. Watch out for further cinema re-

showings or a viewing on SBS.

Highly recommended. Five stars. ~oOo~

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Film: Director: Reviewer:

10,000-word article entitled Can You Say…Hero? That article was used as the basis for the film.

A large number of the elements of the TV show (the puppets, the music, the entrance of Rogers changing his cardigan and shoes, his speech and mannerisms) are faithfully incorporated in the film. Particularly attractive was the use of the models of the neighborhood to represent Vogel’s travels.

There is an advance screening of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood on 15th January at the Windsor and it opens at Luna cinemas on 23rd January.

Recommended, Four stars.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood Marielle Heller James Forte

Forrest Gump – the sequel?

This is another film which is difficult to classify. Because it stars Tom Hanks and is heart-warming (it is so sweet it feels like you are punching fairy floss) and because it has a tenuous grasp on reality, this film might be labeled Forrest Gump the sequel.

However, although that is true, it would be doing the film a gross injustice.

There are two other similarities. Just as with Forrest Gump, one does not quite know what to expect when first seeing this film. The trailer video does not give much of a clue. And to the credit of the writer (Micah Fitzerman-Blue), director (Marielle Heller) and star (Hanks) the film manages to rise above initial impressions – in this case a look at a children’s TV programme: Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

We do not seem to have an Australian equivalent of the daily American pre-school children’s show designed around the iconic Fred Rogers.

Perhaps the ABC’s Play School comes closest – at least for longevity. Rogers’ programme started in 1968 and ran for thirtythree years [Editor - the same length of time a French postman could take to build a palace out of pebbles]. He died in 2003. A key difference is that Rogers included a fair amount of moral philosophy and American idealism in his content.

The plot is fairly straightforward. Lloyd Vogel (played by Matthew Rhys) is a journalist with a troubled domestic life. His editor directs him to write 400 words about American heroes specifically Rogers (Tom Hanks).

Vogel is captivated by Rogers’ dedication to the show and his ability to empathize with all he meets – bringing out the best in people. In real life, the assignment was given to Esquire magazine journalist Tom Junot in 1998 - who returned with a 32

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ENTERTAINMENT 2019 IN REVIEW CHRIS MCRAE

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nother decade has wrapped and 2019 saw films and television series’ that will long be remembered and cherished. We take a look back at the top ten film and television highlights of 2019.

memorable setting, this sharply scripted crime epic is extremely well written and directed and a terrific entry from the master of crime.

4. Yesterday Director: Danny Boyle Starring: Himish Patel, Lily James and Ed Sheeran

A highly original concept driven by some of the world’s greatest pop music. There is nothing you cannot love about this feel good dreamed about a young musician who, after a worldwide blackout, is the only one who can remember the music of the Beatles.

A tribute to the band themselves and the power of well written music, powerful lyrics and the uplifting nature of music itself. Truly entertaining.

TOP 10 FILMS OF 2019 1. Once Upon A Time..In Hollywood Director: Quentin Tarantino Starring: Leonardo Di Caprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie

A love letter to Hollywood through the eyes of Quentin Tarantino in the notorious year that was 1969. This exquisitely crafted ten combines the iconic sights and sounds of tinsel town, award worthy performances and trademark Tarantino flair.

For Tarantino purists, this is a joy. It is rich in character, is an incredible tribute to a golden age and is scripted to perfection.

It is an absolute thrill to watch and a wildly enjoyable ride. QT is back and boy is it fun!!

5. Mary Poppins Returns Director: Rob Marshall Starring: Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ben Whishaw

With huge shoes to fill, Emily Blunt picks up the umbrella and steps into the iconic role of Mary Poppins more than fifty years after the original. What results is an absolute delight of musical, family friendly fun.

With new musical numbers, the talent of Lin Manuel Miranda and a beautifully pure story of family and magic, this is set to become a family favourite for a long time to come.

2. Avengers: Endgame Directors: Anthony and Joe Russo Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth

The ultimate assembly of superheroes provides an action packed finale not to be missed. The spectacle and storytelling that has made the Avengers series so popular is delivered in spades as each character has their moment to shine. Epic scale, high level entertainment and moments of humour all combine to create one of the ultimate cinematic spectacles!

3. The Irishman Director: Martin Scorsese Starring: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci

Scorsese returns to his crime gangster roots with this intelligent and gripping drama with an all star cast. Combining some terrific performances from three iconic leads in De Niro, Pacino and Pesci, some clever use of ageing technology and a 34

6. Spiderman: Far From Home Director: Jon Watts Starring: Tom Holland, Samuel L Jackson and Jake Gyllenhaal

Picking up ‘post-Endgame’, Tom Holland’s Spiderman franchise continues to provide high quality entertainment. In this globe trotting entry, Jake Gyllenhaal is introduced as Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio, as mysterious attacks by forces known as the Elementals threaten the world. Holland is the ever loveable Peter Parker and the entertainment value in ‘Far From Home’ is top notch!

7. Klaus Directors: Sergio Pablos and Carlos MartinezLopez Starring: Jason Schwartzman, J.K Simmons and Rashida Jones

Hands down the best Christmas Movie this season, this stunning animation centred around the origins of Santa Claus is a contemporary gem. With the simple message that a true selfless act always sparks another, this beautiful story is destined to become a Christmas classic!

Eleven (Millie Bobbie Brown) in all three seasons of Stranger Things terrifyingly real account of the horrific events of the 1986 nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl Power Plant in the Ukranian city of Pripyat.

8. Downton Abbey

Chernobyl is not an easy watch but it is important and Director: Michael Engler riveting viewing unlike anything seen before. The best series this Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery and Maggie Smith year and will definitely be in line for some major awards.

The film event of the year for fans of the beloved series and the latest small screen favourite to receive the film treatment.

2. Stranger Things ~ Season 3 A charming film which not only captures the strengths of the series but expands the characters and story into unexpected and Creators: Matt and Ross Duffer Starring: Millie Bobby Brown, Winona Ryder and David Harbour delightful territory. This film will prove to be an absolute joy for Again, Stranger Things delivers on a big scale. The neon fans of the television series and will delight Downton fans from wonder of the Starcourt Mall makes it appear like an amusement start to finish. park and provides a pivotal location in the Season Three story arc. This is coupled with some iconic 80’s fashion and another 9. Ophelia killer soundtrack. There are moments of laugh our loud comedy Director: Claire McCarthy and absolute terror which will have you squirming in your seat.

Starring: Daisy Ridley, George MacKay and Naomi Watts Stranger Things is back and better than ever!

A visionary re-telling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet told from the female perspective. Beautifully shot and presented in a 3. Game of Thrones ~ The Final Season contemporary voice, Ophelia cleverly merges elements of the original story with plot points which morph the story into a whole Creators: David Benioff and D.B Weiss Starring: Kit Harrington, Emilia Clarke and Peter Dinklage new light from Ophelia’s perspective.

After eight years, eight seasons and seventy-three gigantic

Some great performances anchor a very entertaining film which pays tribute to the original story whilst cleverly reinventing episodes, television’s biggest and boldest event series Game of Thrones has come to a fiery end. After moments which wowed, gender roles for a contemporary audience! shocked and thrilled audiences around the world, Westeros is now in the rear view mirror.

10. The Front Runner

There will be nothing like Game of Thrones again. It has Director: Jason Reitman been a wild ride and will remain an iconic smash that will not be Starring: Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga and J.K Simmons rivalled for a long time to come.

A razor sharp script and an underrated political drama from director Jason Reitman, The Front Runner is an entertaining 4. A Series of Unfortunate Events ~ Season 3 drama anchored by a sensational turn from Hugh Jackman as Creators: Mark Hudis and Barry Sonnefeld disgraced US Senator and former presidential candidate Gary Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Warburton and K. Todd Hart. A terrific political drama which very much flew under the Freeman radar. Very well executed and acted!

The darkly comedic gothic fantasy series comes to a fitting and ultimately satisfying close as the Baudelaire orphans search TOP 10 TELEVISION SERIES’ OF 2019 for elusive happiness amongst a seemingly endless stream of hopeless guardians.

1. Chernobyl

Neil Patrick Harris is his brilliant best as the theatrical and Director: Johan Renck supremely evil Count Olaf and fans of the book series will be Starring: Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgard and Emily Watson thrilled with this final series which rounds off a wonderful and

Chernobyl manages to pull off in five episodes what many fantastical achievement.

Concluded on page 37 ... series’ cannot over multiple seasons of content. A visceral, 35

TV WITH CHRIS JANUARY 2020 WHAT’S COMING UP

throws caution to the wind and serves up some truly remarkable fantasy which combines thrilling action, sensuous romance and black magic which will surprise many.

In a fantastical world where violence and terror reign, Geralt must learn to face his own destiny which comes in a surprising form. Complicating things is Jennifer of Vengerbeg whose transformation throws an ambitious and power hungry character into the fray.

This first season is straight up ambitious and does not shy away from the violent nature of the time period and the dark nature of the subject material. Be glad it doesn’t as it is a phenomenal first season of a series which has mountains of source material to work with over future seasons.

Toss a coin to your witcher. I predict this one is here to stay! ~oOo~

f we look back on the past decade, the Ipersonal biggest development in the way we consume entertainment would have to be the

rise of streaming platforms.

Netflix, Stan and most recently Disney + have transformed the television landscape. Netflix alone racked up seventeen nominations in this month’s Golden Globe Awards between original films and series’.

To celebrate the new year, we take a look this month at some of the newest Netflix original series’ to land this month.

Title: THE WITCHER SEASON 1 Network: Netflix With Game of Thrones in the rear view mirror, the throne for the next dominant medieval fantasy series is vacant and the bold adaptation of Polish book series and later video game saga The Witcher has got tongues wagging in its first impressive season.

Following the exploits of brooding monster hunter Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), the aesthetically impressive first season

Title: SPINNING OUT Network: Netflix

Kaya Scodelario has been making quite a name for herself in recent years, far removed from the role of Effie in Channel 4’s cult teenage sex comedy Skins.

Since then she has appeared in key roles in Pirates of the Caribbean, The Maze Runner and Zac Efron’s Ted Bundy flick Extremely Wicked and Shockingly Vile. In this sharp (no pun intended) and entertaining drama, Scodelario plays Kat Baker, a young figure skater who, after a horiffic on-ice accident, is mentally scarred and struggles to get back to her brilliant best.

She battles mental demons as well as a troubled family and personal life, all with the pressure of overcoming her challenges on the ice. In a world where winning is everything and losing means losing more than figure skating competitions, Kat must balance her on and off ice lives as her fragility threatens to tear everything apart.

A very well acted drama series which is highly watchable and anchored by a well rounded performance from Scodelario. With shades of I Tonya, the world of competitive figure skating is always an excellent backdrop for drama due to the nature of the beast.

The skating action is impressive as is the intimate nature of the way the series is shot. If you are 36

a fan of winter sports and great drama, then this is the one for you. ~oOo~

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5. Living With Yourself ~ Season 1 Creator: Timothy Greenberg Starring: Paul Rudd, Aisling Bea and Desmin Borges

In a world of reboots, remakes and sequels, fresh original content is always welcomed and Netflix has struck indie comedy gold with the latest from the always reliable Paul Rudd.

With moments of black comedy, poignancy and drama, this is a unique look at the elements of life which make us happy and how investing time in your own wellbeing and relationships is one of the most important routes to happiness.

6. All American ~ Season 2 Creator: April Blair Starring: Daniel Erza, Taye Diggs and Bre-Z

Based on a true story, the series has just the right amount of well pitched familial drama combined with some excellent football sequences and the contrast of the glitz of Beverley Hills and the urban jungle of Crenshaw is starkly shot for maximum effect. All American is a great combination of well written drama and exciting football action.

7. The Witcher ~ Season 1 Creator: Lauren Schmidt Starring: Henry Cavill, Freya Allen and Anya Chalotra

Pitching itself as Game of Thrones with sorcery thrown into the mix, this lavish series based on the book series and resulting video game franchise is aesthetically stunning.

Henry Cavill is perfectly cast as the titular Geralt of Rivia. A new medieval fantasy with a gripping story, stunning cinematography and memorable elements. Fantastic for filling the Game of Thrones shaped hole.

Title: VIRGIN RIVER Network: Netflix

On the surface, this little known series is set up in the same vein as American favourite Hart of Dixie. It follows Melinda Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge) who leaves behind the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, answering an ad for a small town nurse practitioner in the small mountain Californian town of Virgin River.

There she joins local doctor Doc Mullins (Tim Matheson, who ironically plays a very similar role in Hart of Dixie) who gives her a prickly welcome to local life. Soon, a personal tragedy reveals Melinda’s struggle to cope and her desire to get away from her old life.

With less comedic moments than the southern set Hart of Dixie, Virigin River has a darker, more personal feel to it, tackling some more challenging themes.

Breckenridge is believable as the traumatised Melinda and a strong supporting cast makes this yet another strong entry for Netflix.

A small town medical drama with great performances and a stunning setting.

8. The End of the F**king World ~ Season 2 Creators: Charlie Covell and Charles S. Forsman Starring: Jessica Barden, Alex Lather and Naomi Ackle

This darkly comedic indie series is back to its brilliant best after a scintillating first season. Moody Alyssa (Barden) is seemingly lost after the supposed death of James (Lawther).

But a mysteriouss stranger connected to the grisly events of season one arrives to turn things on their head and what results is dark, hilarious and ultimately entertaining. A brilliant black comedy continues its successful road.

9. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina ~ Part 2 Creator: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Starring: Kieran Shipka, Ross Lynch and Miranda Otto

The second instalment of the dark reinvention of everyone’s favourite witch is possibly even more chilling than the first as Sabrina (Shipka) continues to navigate her life between the supernatural and mortal worlds. Dark, violent and ultimately chilling, expanding the story and world established so well in part one.

10. Sex Education ~ Season 1 Creator: Laurie Nunn Starring: Asa Butterfield, Ncuti Gatwa and Emma Mackey

Sex Education is not only funny and very clever. It provides moments which provide important social messages and looks at how sex is portrayed in society, all through the lens of awkward teenagers just trying to fit in like everyone else.

What Skins did for the noughties generation, this latest Netflix original knocks out of the park for the current young adult audience.

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REVIEWS

Alan Briscoe.

The grubby room had cream painted walls and scuffed wooden panels. The rear wall had a central exit door leading to the platform, with cobweb covered windows on each side. A coal fire was burning in an authentic grate. To the left of the stage was a door to a storeroom and office and a ticket window with a sliding shutter.

The decor was painted by Brian and Phil, with the artistic touches and signage by Melissa Bassett.

The room had a collection of basic wooden school benches – even fifty years later there were no chairs in these rooms.

Rob Tagliaferri and Vanessa Gudgeon’s lighting and sound designs were complex, with several multilayered episodes of sound. Vanessa had selected several pieces of spooky music with ghost train themes – I did not know there were any.

Rob produced a convincing visual impression of a passing train. The script also called for dramatic weather effects, with the booming thunder shaking the auditorium; the two operators were perfectly synced with their speciality effects. Well done.

Stage manager Shaun Griffin was assisted by Bjorn Speicher and Jamie Lang controlled the trains’ steam effects.

Another quality programme from Nicola Bond and Docuprint.

Production: The Ghost Train Producer: Harbour Theatre Reviewer: Gordon the Optom

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he Ghost Train is a modern classic, written in 1927 by Arnold Ridley; the play was updated and revised two or three times, with this adaptation being from 1976.

Ridley was better known as doddery Private Godfrey in TV’s Dad’s Army. Arnold was seventy-two years of age when the series began and eighty-one when the eighty episodes finished.

[Ed: Fun fact - the actress Daisy Ridley of Star Wars is Arnold’s great-niece.]

This ten performance season has been an instant success with VERY few tickets left. This mind stretching drama has curtain up each evening at 7.30. There was a Charity Performance on Thursday 5th December. So, hurry along to the Harbour Theatre production in the Mosman Park Memorial Hall (aka Camelot Theatre), 16 Lochee Street on the corner of Solomon Street in Mosman Park.

As the Cornish stationmaster, Saul (Tom Rees – in a part originally played by the author) is clearing up the waiting room when a thirty year old couple enter; they are Richard Winthrop (Rob Jackson) who is constantly arguing with Elsie (Andrea O’Donnell) his deeply unhappy wife.

The scene: a remote and haunted Cornish railway station in the 1920s.

The set: Peter Kirkwood’s design brought to life this highly realistic grotty, dirty and miserable British Rail waiting room that was always a frightening place.

The fabulous set was built by Brian Mahoney, Phil Redding, Matt Cuccovia, David Eggleston, Shaun Griffin, Tina Barker and

At the same time a stern old spinster, Miss Bourne (Tina Barker – wonderful) who is travelling alone, enters

The Ghost Train in performance 38

officer (Jamie Lang) arrive on the scene.

A further walk-on part was played by Bjorn Speicher and Jo Sterkenburg who proved that she is ‘a tough old bird’.

The delightful 1920’s costumes were supplied by the cast, with the extra trimmings and adornments supervised by Nyree Hughes and Ann Speicher.

Director, Ann Speicher has been blessed with a fabulous cast. The author created several very different characters and by working with each actor individually, a rich depth to each person has been created. With clever interaction the teamwork was impeccable.

Ben Lowther gave us the most annoying human on the planet, a few of the audience felt that if he was not dead at the end of the play, they would personally tie him to the railway line.

Everyone kept their secrets with no hint of how the play would end. An all-round great production that deserves its massive success ~oOo~ Production: The Boobytrap Producer: Rockingham Theatre Company Reviewer: Gordon the Optom he Boobytrap’ was written by UK playwright, actor and director Jane Hilliard, who lives in Dorset on the south coast of England. Jane has produced believable characters and naturally flowing dialogue.

I saw this well-structured, two-hour play at 8.00 pm on Saturday 7th December, the final evening of its three-week season.

This very funny comedy / farce had good twists and a couple of surprises; it was presented by the Rockingham Theatre Company at the Rockingham Castle Theatre, 8 Attwood Way in Rockingham.

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carrying her parrot in a cage. A honeymoon couple Charles Murdoch (Liam Crevola) and his young wife of only twelve hours, Peggy (Solonje Burns) sweep in and unashamedly embrace.

A smarmy, loud-mouthed and self-obsessed Englishman, Teddy (Ben Lowther) who is wearing plus-fours and a garish tie, mocks the lovebirds before picking on each of the people present one at a time. The stationmaster starts to lock up the buildings intending to set off for home on his bike. When the passenger refuse to leave the minimal warmth of the waiting room, Saul tells the group about a train – two years ago – that passed through the station in the middle of the night, when he knew for a fact that there were no trains in the area.

The scene: is present day in the lounge of the Caunfield’s Tudor style, country home.

The set: was designed and solidly constructed by David Heckingbottom, Danny Joyce and Callon Leam.

The lounge room had cream walls with oak beams and a dark wood floor. The studded burgundy leather suite sat on the large green Indian rug. On the rear wall was a drinks bar and patio doors, showing the garden beyond.

Centre of the back wall was a window with a leafy hedge outside. A great set but the pink curtains did not work. On one side of the room was a door leading to the kitchen and on the

After a few minutes an emotional, glamourous woman in a ballgown arrives, she is Julia Price (Meredith Hunter).

Dripping with jewellery, she seems to be a mystic or medium and her husband Herbert (Marcus McGavock) is equally as strange. After a health issue, another passenger, Dr Sterling (Paul Cook) attends the patient.

Before the final curtain Jackson (Shaun Griffin) and a police

The cast and crew of The Boobytrap 39

Reviewer:

Gordon the Optom

F

arndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society’s production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ must be one of the longest play titles ever.*

This is one of David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin’s ‘Farndale’ series based around an untalented local amateur theatrical group. Both authors were British; Walter was a barrister who died of cancer at the young age of fifty-one. David?

Well he was a script writer for comedian Julian Clary – and a couple porn films.

This two-hour madcap production comes courtesy of the Stirling Players (thankfully nothing like the Farndale mob), the show is at the Stirling Theatre in Morris Place, Innaloo each evening at 8.00 until Saturday 7th December.

The scene: Christmas time 1850 in snow covered England.

The set: designed by Carole Wilson. No major flats assemblies, but instead a dozen large props such as a bed and staircase bannisters. Items like the front door, graves and bed were painted by Ursula Kotara.

John Woolrych’s lighting design – because of the genre – was colourful but undemanding.

The beautiful and appropriate backdrop projection was by Ian Wilson, who was also responsible for the complex soundscape with various voiceovers – or play interruptions – by crossed lines or radio inference.

The voices heard were Controller – Paul Anderson, Driver – Steve Sherwood, Police – Carole Wilson and Michael Stronach, Radio presenter – Jane Sherwood and Radio Caller – Claire Westheafer.

Very clear and colourful programme from Carole Wilson and Fran Gordon.

Stage management was by Richard Norman who was aided

The cast of Boobytrap other side a door to the cellar.

The stage management was by the father and daughter team of Danny and Tegan Breann Joyce. The lighting and sound were both smoothly teched by Jacki Hiscox.

Whinging MP Gerald Caunfield (Robert Walker) is having a quiet weekend with his wife Debbie (Kirstie Francis) at their country retreat.

Debbie’s best friend, randy Flora (Cherry Allen) has called around to borrow some wine, when the Caunfields learn that their student son is arriving soon with his latest girlfriend, voluptuous Chrissie (Kimberley Barry).

With fine wine and good food on the agenda, the gardener Sam (Kris Davis) can smell a free drink at 100 metres, but with his formidable wife, Clara (Miranda Santalucia) his whisky drinking is limited.

When a set of prudish parents High Court judge, Cyril (Ian Butcher) and his pedantic wife, Margery (Sally Payne) arrive the family is thrown into panic mode.

The director Alison Gibson is well known for both her excellent farce direction and comedy character portrayal. In this show she has taken Callon Leam under her wing. Callon has shown in a brief couple of years how he has conquered the skills as a technician, then a comedy actor and is now being guided into the task of directing.

His team have selected a few of the talented regulars and encouraged new blood by bringing back two or three actors who have been ‘resting’ – due to age or childbirth.

Kirstie is always tuned in and has an especially good comedic delivery. After ten years, Kimba came back giving an abundance of laughs.

As always, a warm welcome and a fun night out. ~oOo~ Production: Farndale’s Christmas Carol Producer: Stirling Players 40

by Peter Neaves. The cast did most of the scene changes.

The delightful narrator Mrs Reece (Jenny Wren) is seated on a chair with side table to the left stage apron. With a large tome in her hand, Mrs Reece starts to relate the story of ‘Christmas Carol’. Realising that the cast’s bus has not arrived, oozing charm she searches for volunteers.

POETRY UNITING SERPENTINE JOE

Just as an audience member has been selected for the lead, Thelma, who is playing Scrooge (Lis Hoffman) arrives with her dizzy friends.

T

In Scrooge’s office the accountant, Bob Cratchit (Nikki Di Camillo) played by Mercedes, is preparing for his only day off in the year. He will spend it with his family. Maureen, (Fran Gordon) one of the group’s senior members ended up with the youngest part – Tiny Tim, the disabled child.

Jagged tiles fallen in disarray forlorn lambs from somewhere stray shepherdless from a hillside flock through a doorway no one can lock

Being short of men in their ladies’ group, general handyman Gordon (Peter Neaves) has been allotted several parts including Scrooge’s partner Marley, but he is generally disinterested in the whole production.

pots and pans lie there within associating with an old jam tin sobbing children wander by no longer hopeful as they cry

Shy Joyce (Melissa Skeffington) appears as the Ghost of the Future putting terror into the heart of miserable Scrooge.

They wonder why this came about still hear in their ears the shout which warned them only yesterday of the disaster heading their way

With great jealousy in the Club, Felicity, the only truly talented actor in the Farndale Club (Kaitlin Okely – brilliant) has been given all the trivial parts, which she then builds up to Star status.

When the local Vicar (Richard Norman) arrives to see their show, the women’s eyes glaze over and they fall into raptures. However, will the play ever be presented in its entirety?

The musical director Fran Gordon has selected a couple of singalong Christmas carols and a few musical frivolities.

The smart costumes by Alison Goodwin and Fran Gordon range from a high quality black and burgundy ballgown, to a comical snowman’s pillowslip suit.

To play bungling or incompetent idiots takes skill. Every Farndale play that I have seen (from the ten in the collection) has taken until the interval for the audience to get into the feel of the genre. After the narrator’s intro, the lack of laughs in this first Act suggests that the audience were too embarrassed to laugh at the ‘poor’ cast’s mistakes.

Director Carole Wilson has selected an exceptional cast, all of whom have been nominated for or won major acting awards to convey the incompetence of the Farndale cast.

The actors grasped the genre perfectly and gave the show their all; Lis had tremendous energy, Fran warmth, poor disabled Nikki whose pain was palpable, Peter’s disinterest, with Melissa and Richard’s strong input the performances glowed.

Sadly, despite good pace and strong performances, like every other Farndale play much of the script’s puerile humour failed to hit the mark.

Congratulations to all concerned.

he lonely terrace across the street where once the rustics used to meet a shambles now of broken bricks rafters lay like strewn sticks

The walls which had been so hard now lay smashed around the yard that once had been their happy place now saw no smiling face A year goes by and two or three and they meet around the tree that survived just like them and now they’re all little men

*Editor: Not even close - The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performedby the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton under the Direction of theMarquis de Sade by Peter Weiss takes the biscuit.

41

OLD MILL THEATRE

42

GARRICK THEATRE CLUB INC AUDITION NOTICE ~ THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES The Hound of the Baskervilles: A Comic Thriller Starring Shirley Holmes and Jennie Watson Adapted by Kent R Brown Inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's immortal novel Directed by Rodney Stickells-Palmer and Gail Lusted Auditions: Sunday 19th January, 2020 from 11:00am to 2:30pm with a short break for lunch.

We will be workshopping the play and doing cold reads, therefore you will be needed the whole time, unless you’ve informed us otherwise.

Performance Dates.

April: Evening (8:00pm) 30th May: Evenings (8:00pm) 1st, 2nd,7th, 8th, 9th, 14th, 15th, 16th

Matinees (2:00pm) 3rd, 9th, 10th Garrick Theatre Club’s second season is going to be a cracker! We want as many people to be a part of this show, as can fit on the stage… beginners, experienced, and in-between and all ages.

All you need is an imagination and enthusiasm.

The directors only ask for full commitment to the show. Rehearsal days have yet to be set but we will be rehearsing through School holidays and opening in the first week of the second term.

Inspired by the classic story, The Hound of the Baskervilles, this two act production follows the nieces of the legendary characters as they go from house sitting at 221B Baker Street, to the brooding Baskerville Hall, to the Murky Moors, exploring one of the best mysteries ever.

Ages are open, depending on who is cast. The Chorus/Extras will also be the 'backstage/onstage’ crew; be prepared for lots of costume changes and running on and off stage.

NAMED CHARACTERS Jennie Watson ~ The niece of John Watson, studying medicine, Methodical, loyal and courages Shirley Holmes ~ The niece of Sherlock Holmes.

Studying law and philosophy. Keen, quick witted, determined to make her Uncle proud.

Dr Maxine Mortimer ~ A country doctor. Trustee executrix of Sir Charles will.

Sir Henry Baskerville ~ A distant relative from North America who recently inherited the Baskerville fortune.

John Stapleton. ~ A naturalist living on the moor.

Dorothea Stapleton ~ John Stapletons sister.... or maybe not Barrymore ~ Old family retainer of the Baskerville mansion Mrs Barrymore ~ Barrymore's wife Hugo Baskerville ~ The family scoundrel Sir Charles Baskerville ~ A well meaning philanthropist Selden ~ Mrs Barrymore's brother. A lunatic Laura Lyons ~ A young woman with a checkered past Victoria Lestrade ~ An eager young Slueth Chorus/Extras ~ up to 40 people, mixed ages and genders.

Preparation - be familiar with the original story and the play synopsis.

Please email gail at glusted@westnet.com.au, to confirm your attendance. Thank you.

Garrick Theatre Club (inc) Proudly Presents the Teens at Garrick season of

The Hound of the Baskervilles A Comic Thriller starring Shirley Holmes and Jennie Watson Adapted and dramatized by Kent R Brown Inspired by the novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Directed by: Rodney Stickells-Palmer & Gail Lusted by special arrangement with the Dramatic Publishing Company

Apr/ May

Thu 30 7 14

Fri 1 8 15

Sat 2 9¶ 16

Sun 3* 10*

Curtain Up Evenings: 8:00pm Matinées: 2:00pm ¶ Matinée and Evening * Matinées only

Tickets: Adults - $25 Concession - $22 Members - $20 Children 12 & under - $15 Booking: Elaine: 9378 1990 or www.TryBooking.com bookings@garricktheatre.asn.au

30th April to 16th May, 2020 43

STIRLING PLAYERS THE ACTRESS

S

tirling Theatre is starting its fiftieth year with a performance about a farewell performance, in the play The Actress, with a famous stage performer deciding to retire.

Written by Peter Quilter and directed by Carryn McLean, the touching comedy is set in a dressing room with the family of theatre star Lydia Martin – including her ex-husband, theatre colleagues and fiancé – wanting to wish her well.

Humour and biting comments come thick and fast but, despite Lydia’s determination to retire, she realises she still has a few issues to sort through in her mind.

Playwright Quilter is known for his Broadway play End of the Rainbow, adapted into the 2019 Renée Zellweger film Judy.

“I have read a couple of his scripts including Glorious! and Curtain Up and I like The Actress. L to R: David Young, Carole Wilson, Jane the fact Quilter’s characters are real and have Sherwood, Lara Brunini, Karin Staflund and Claire Westheafer. depth,” McLean said.

“He exposes their vulnerabilities as well as their humour.” at Stirling Theatre is on Morris Place, Innaloo.

After joining Patch Theatre in 1967, McLean became a

Tickets are $22 ($20 concession) and may be booked from founding member of Stirling Theatre in 1970 and has appeared in Morris News on 9446 9120 or at www.trybooking.com/BFNMJ. numerous plays with the company over the years.

Carryn McLean was made a life member in 2000 and has also directed No Time On, Saving Ardley, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Two Weeks with the Queen and It’s A Wonderful Life.

With Limelight Theatre, McLean has stagemanaged several shows including 42nd Street, Crazy for You, Half a Sixpence, Sunset Boulevard and Gaslight, as well as directing The Darling Buds of May in 2015.

In 2017, she received the Susan Hayward Award for Best Director of a Play for her production of Moonlight and Magnolias at the annual Finley Awards.

McLean’s latest show is providing various challenges, mainly due to a split set – one section is Lydia’s dressing room and the other is the stage set for Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, Lydia’s ultimate performance.

“Trying to place the furniture so audiences can see the action in both sections, through the various pieces on the dressing room set, has been a case of musical chairs,” she said.

“Stirling Theatre has a reasonable stage area but the wings are about a metre wide so we’re really at our limit on the stage area.

“Three of the main actors also appear in two scenes from The Cherry Orchard – switching from modern to Russian characters while needing to present them as different roles is going to be interesting.

“I have a very talented and experienced cast and am enjoying working with them during our rehearsals.”

The Actress runs from at 8pm on February 7th to the 22nd with 2pm matinees on February 9th and 16th 44

GARRICK THEATRE CLUB INC BETTE AND JOAN DOUGLAS SUTHERLAND-BRUCE

A

nton Burge is a writer, actor and playwright, specialising in writing for women, focusing on celebrated women of the 19th and 20th centuries.

His celebrated play Bette & Joan opened in the West End in 2011 starring Greta Scacchi as Bette Davis and Anita Dobson as Joan Crawford.

He is also at work on a biography of Bette Davis: A Life Lived in Melodrama and his most recent play Mrs. Pat opened at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, starring Dame Penelope Keith.

But it is his Bette and Joan which is making it’s Western Australian debut at Garrick Theatre Club (inc) this February directed by Lynne Devenish and featuring two powerhouses of the WA community stage Siobhan Vincent as Bette Davis and Sarah House as Joan Crawford.

When it comes to considering the great stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, two of the most glittering names were those of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. Both movie actressess were of similar stature, both were commumate masters of their craft and both had whims of iron and wills of steel.

Despite their many similarities the two were often rivals for the same part and darlings of the tabloid Hollywood Harpies, Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons.

In 1962 Bette was fifty-four and Joan (born Lucille LaSeur) was fifty-eight, both moving out of the desirable age for actressess in 1960s Hollywood.

Bette has gone back to her theatrical roots, appearing on Broadway, when she is approached by Joan with the script for Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

The two agree to make the film and the whole action of the play takes place during the filming of this horror thriller. We see the two passing the time between takes - Joan drinking her Pepsi laced with vodka while signing photographs for her fans and Bette drawing viciously on countless cigarettes and musing on her life, loves and career intermingles with filming, and the interaction between the two.

Anton Burge has written a brilliant and viciously funny script. A challenging play of rich humour, deep insight and an exploration of the pschyes of these two Grande Dames of drama.

Bette and Joan runs from 8:00pm February 13th to the 29th, with three matinees at 2:00pm staged at Garrick Theatre, 16 Meadow Street, Guildford.

Tickets cost $25 (Adult), (Concession $22) and may be booked by ringing Elaine on 9378 1990, emailing: bookings@garricktheatre.asn.au on online at www.trybooking.com/BHERU.

Bette and Joan is not suitable for children.

Contains coarse language.

45

PERTH FRINGE WORLD FRINGE IS BACK FOR 2020!

F

ringe is back for 2020 in all it madcap glory!

Good, bad, ecellent, excerable, the shows in their hundreds are there for all to see, experience, learn new things from and above all, enjoy.

One of the chief joys of a Fringe of any kind is that the cheapness of the tickets make it possible to sample a wide range of theatrical and entertainment styles outside of your usual experience and sometime well outside of your comfort zone.

It is a chance for young and experimental performers to hone their craft in a way the old Working Mens’ Clubs used to offer but no longer do.

It’s a place where almost no show is longer than an hour so patrons can sample two, three and even four shows a night dashing from one to the other grabbing abite from a street vendor on the way, or dining at any one of the hundreds of excellent eateries scattered across Northbridge.

Thai, Mexican, sausage inna bun, Subway, kebabs, Chinese, Mongolian, Texan, French and pub after pub, after pub.

The very air tingles with excitement when Fringe is on as the crowds surge back and forth between venues and attractions.

And music, music, music - indigineous, imported, Blue, light, clasical, heavy, Jazzy, Broadway, a capella and more, performed on banjoes, digeridoos, kazoos, Peruvian nose flutes, grand pianos, not so grand pianos and downright scruffy honky tonk pianos alongside Bechseins and combs with tissue paper.

Fringe starts on the 17th January and runs until the 16th February - spilling over many more venues than ever before as the huge event takes on a life of its own. There are the traditional venues such as the Woodside Pleasure Garden, the Ice Cream Factory, Fringe Central, Rosie O’Grady’s and so on, but this year Fringe has spread far and wide.

Senset Verandah is on Scarborough Breach, Subilicious is a new Fringe World hub in Subiaco spreading from the Regal to the Arts Centre via Rokeby Road.

The Maj and The Ellington Jazz Club remain the stalwarts they always are, but we welcome Wonderland at Wonderrealm at Bassendene, Midland, Fremantle and the Outer Fringe taking the festival to Perth’s outer metro and Western Australian regional towns. There’s special events happening in independent venues in Margaret River, Boulder, Mandurah, Merredin and Ellenbrook.

There’s no way to cover all that’s on offer, so we’ve selected a few random samples of the shows on offer and encourage you to go to www.fringeworld.com.au and browse - you’re sure to find something to your taste.

And there is certainly something for everyone. Last year Swan Magazine made a concerted effort to see as much as possible.

We saw over seventy shows in the four weeks - less than ten percent of what was on offer.

Whatever is your choice is available - Blues or Jazz? My goodness yes! Stand-up Comedy? More than you could shake a tickling stick at; improvisation? You couldn’t make this stuff up (including some of the world’s very best - Perth’s own Sense and Spontenaity); Drag Queens on roller skates performing Agatha Christie’s Murder at the Vicarage? Very probably.

Six Minutes 6 Ways

There are countless moments in life. Some never seen by others. Some too sad to remember. Some too painful to forget. Six minutes 6 Ways is a raw and intimate insight into the relationship 46

of two people who share six minutes of their day in compelling and complex ways.

Familiar and repetitive moments that change with every breath they take.

Tonight he holds her in his arms for the very first time.

Tomorrow she cries in fear. Yesterday she remembers the way he used to touch her; and for now... for now there is only six minutes for them to both exist.

Six Minutes 6 Ways

Produced by Sally Newman, the creative director behind Lyrical Infusion.

She is an accomplished writer and producer and has won many awards in her short play write career.

Winner of the 2016 Blak Yak 24 hour Stage Challenge; Best Producer for International Focus on Ability Film Festival; 2018 Rotary Shine on award for Community Arts. Newman had also been nominated for Best Community Event at Fringe World.

Lyrical Infusion has presented three original theatre shows in recent Fringe World seasons to sold out audiences.

Six Minutes 6 Ways runs at the Irish Club on the 24th and 25th at 6:30pm and 8:00pm both nights. Tickets cost $20 and may be booked on www.fringeworld.com. au.

Sense & Spontaneity: The Musical! new sixty-minute comedic performance in the style of Jane Austen each night.

The two play a multitude of characters, transforming with the help of bonnets, top hats and a healthy dose of the imagination.

This year they will follow on from the success of their 2018 Christmas Special, and 2019 Adelaide Fringe season, by bringing their musical format to Fringe World for the first time. Adelaide Fringe darling Emma Knights, and local Peter Lane Townsend will be accompanying on piano.

Sense & Spontaneity: The Musical runs at The Libary, Perth Girls School in East Perth from the 3rd to the 16th of February, 2020.

Tickets prices range from $15-$25 and can be purchased online (www.fringeworld.com. au) or at a Fringe World box office.

By a Thread

By a Thread is an ensemble circus creation exploring the relationship between trust and risk. Long spools of white rope run through pulley sheaves and wrap around bodies, explicitly connecting movements above and on the ground.

Like the booms and sheets of a sailing ship, performers are hoisted and swung by one another to create striking tableaux and breath-taking dynamics. The actions of one acrobat affect the movements of others in a mesmerising negotiation of cause and effect.

Produced by One Fell Swoop Circus, a contemporary circus company that aims to re-examine the dynamics of acrobatic ensemble work and the relationships within it. One Fell Swoop creates work that combines a high level of circus skill with rich dramatic perspectives.

By a Thread runs at the Girls School Hub, Wellington Street from the 21st January to February 9th at various times and prices see website: www.fringeworld.com.au.

Sense & Spontaneity: The Musical!

Sense and Spontaneity Perth’s own Jane Austen inspired “recurring improvisational wonder” is back sillier and more spectacular than ever.

Fall in love with this charming all-ages adventure of bonnets, balls, romance, and ridiculousness. Completely unscripted and improvised, no two shows are alike - you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll bring your mum, she’ll thank you!

Performers Jessica Messenger and Esther Longhurst improvise a completely 47

NON - FICTION THE NOBLE RECREATION

DOUGLAS SUTHERLAND-BRUCE “The detective-story is the normal recreation of noble minds.” Philip Guedalla

SHERLOCK HOLMES THE MYTH

W

e have seen that Holmes captured the imagination of the reading public, to the extent that they became invested in their hero and his survival.

However, they knew he was a fictional character, the creation of Conan Doyle. They wrote him letters, begging him to fix/solve/finance things but they were in the majority, addressed to the author.

An exception was one addressed to ‘Sherlock Holmes, England’ which, incredibly found its way to Sir Arthur - try that today and it would almost certainly be delivered to the Abbey National Building Society (which owns 221 Baker Street).

While the Victorians may have known the difference, many people now do not - and that, I think, is due to the myth which has grown up about the man and the stories in a way which has not happened to any other detective in any way.

Certainly there are fan clubs for Hercule Poirot, Nero Wolfe and so on - but none have taken hold in the same way. Some reasons have been briefly discussed, the fact that he ages, the stories are written almost entirely contemporaneously and so on, but the Myth persists and in my opinion the reasons for this are two-fold - the theatrical versions (stage and screen) and the writings about the writings, which Sherlockians call the Canon, for reasons which will become obvious.

THE WRITINGS

In order for the next bit to be clear, we need to step back briefly and look at ‘higher criticism’. ‘Higher criticism’ is the branch of literary analysis that investigates the origins of a text.

‘Higher’ criticism is used by contrast with ‘Lower’ criticism (or textual criticism), whose goal is to determine the original form of a text from among the variants.

Higher criticism treats the Bible as a text created by human beings at a particular historical time and for various human motives, in contrast with the treatment of the Bible as the unfailing word of God.

As a form of literary investigation it began in Germany during the mid-eighteenth century, spread to England during the nineteenth and pretty much died out during the early part of the twentieth.

It was considered divisive in that it made the assumption that the Bible was the work of man, not God.

In 1911 a certain Ronald Knox, who had been mulling the higher criticism over in his mind unfavourably, decided to do something about it.

Ronald Knox became a prominent English Churchman, a convert to Catholicism and a member of a highly gifted family.

His father was Edmund Knox (Anglican Bishop of Manchester), and among his siblings were Edmund George Knox (known as Evoe), editor of Punch magazine; Winifred Knox who became a popular writer under the name of Winifred Peck; Alfred Knox (known as Dilly) a classical scholar and a notable code-breaker in both world wars and Wilfred Knox, an Anglican priest.

In 1911 Ronald was twenty-three and he addressed the Gryphon Club at Trinity College, where he had been made a

Ronald Knox in 1928 Fellow the previous year.

The subject of his talk was Studies in the Literature of Sherlock Holmes and was intended as a satirical mocking of the higher criticism by applying the same methodology to the Holmes stories as was applied to the Bible. The address, which was later re-worked and published in The Blue Book magazine was couched in a heavily jocular and facetious style with ‘quotes’ from such authorities as ‘Backnecke’, ‘Piff-Pouff’ and ‘Souwosch’ (‘Hog-wash’). This highly trying style aside the text attempted to draw deductions from stated facts.

For example, Knox tried to deduce which university Holmes had attended. He is clearly stated to have been to one, and for an Englishman of his class and background there were only two possibilities - Oxford or Cambridge.

In one story Holmes is mentioned as having been attacked by a bull-terrier while on his way down to Chapel, which lead Knox to deduce Holmes went to Oxford, since Cambridge does not permit dogs in the quadrangle.

(On the other hand, Oxford does not have a quadrangle, but Cambridge does, so ...)

As has happened before, many a time, the satire failed miserably in it’s target. Instead of the higher criticism being the subject, the Sherlock Holmes stories became the focus because it turned out that there was an awful lot that could be puzzled out 48

from the few biographical clues dropped by Conan Doyle on his literary way.

Dr Watson’s first statement on the first pages gives his name as ‘John H Watson’. But, in the second book, his wife Mary calls him ‘James’. Why? Pet name? Hardly, that would be ‘Jack’. Did he lie about his name, perhaps? It remained a mystery for many years until Dorothy L Sayers provided the final and definitive answer now widely accepted - the ‘H’ stands for Hamish, which is the Scottish form of ‘James.

This sort of fun can be mined almost endlessly from the stories and became a literary phenomenon. Knox very quickly thought the whole concept had gone too far, and by 1937 publicly stated it had become tiresome and should be ended. But by that time things had gone too far to be stopped, too entrenched to not to continue.

Three years earlier, in 1934, the Sherlock Holmes Society of London had been founded and still flourishes today with several hundred members, publishing a quarterly magazine of mockscholarship on Sherlockian interest, such as the dating of the stories, articles of bee-keeping, the exact location of Dr Watson’s wound(s) and his wife or wives - which, depending on theory, number between one or five.

Directly as a result of Knox’s lecture Doyle’s sixty long and short stories are collectively known by Sherlockians as the ‘Sacred Writings’ or the ‘Canon’.

Knox himself was ordained the year after his lecture in 1912 and became Chaplain of Trinity College. He served in Military Intelligence during the war, but in 1917 he converted to Roman Catholicism, being cut out of his father’s will as a result.

A year later he was ordained as a Catholic Priest and became a schoolmaster.

By the early 20s Knox wrote and broadcast on Christianity and other subjects. While Roman Catholic chaplain at the University of Oxford (1926–1939) and after his elevation to a monsignor in 1936, he wrote classic detective stories.

In 1929 he codified the rules for detective stories into a “decalogue” of ten commandments. He was one of the founding members of the Detection Club and wrote several works of detective fiction, including six novels and a short story.

Both The Sherlock Holmes Society of London and the Baker Street Irregulars, in New York, were both founded in 1934.

Both are still active (though the Sherlock Holmes Society was dissolved in 1937 to be resuscitated only in 1951).

The London-based society is one of many worldwide who arrange visits to the scenes of the Sherlock Holmes adventures, such as the Reichenbach Falls in the Swiss Alps.

These two initial societies were followed by many more, first of all in America (where they are called “scion societies” -offshoots of the Baker Street Irregulars), then in England and Denmark.

Nowadays, there are Holmesian societies in many countries like Australia, India and Japan.

All the societies have one thing in common, and they number into the hundreds, is the professed belief that Holmes and Watson were real people, who lived and adventured as relayed by Conan Doyle, who changed some details to protect the innocent and guilty alike.

They (we) get around the fact the author on the books is given as ‘Arthur Conan Doyle, by saying, with typical cunning, that Dr Watson couldn’t find a publisher for his stories, so he went to a medical colleague (Dr Doyle) who published historical fiction and asked for his help. Thus, to the societies Conan Doyle is known as the ‘Literary Agent’.

With this proviso in mind, a good deal of innocent fun may be had. aspects of the Canon which have intrigued scholars from time to time are: the exact location of 221B Baker Street,

William Gillett in 1918 (it was only thirty-four houses long in 1881); the arrangement of the furniture at 221B,; the genealogy of Sherlock Holmes; the sex of Dr Watson; the nationality of either or both of our heroes; whether or not either or both visited Australia or America; Sherlock Holmes’ horoscope; if Holmes has ever been a professional actor and, endlessly, the exact relationship of Holmes and ‘the woman’ Irene Adler.

The lengths to which some of the students of Sherlock Holmes will go is quite astounding. Many distinguished men have spent hours going through dusty meteorological records of London in the 1880s in order seek a clue to dating one of the stories.

If Watson says ‘It was a blusterous rainy day in early October’ some academician will spend hours going through records to find how many days in early October of a particular year were particularly blusterous or rainy.

ON STAGE

It was as early as 1899 that the first Sherlock Holmes play came into being. Following a unsuccessful attempt as writing a play himself Conan Doyle allowed an American playwright, director and actor, William Gillett, to use the characters to create a play.

Conan Doyle and Gillette had never met so once the two finally arranged a meeting. When the train carrying Gillette came to a halt and Gillett , dressed as Sherlock Holmes himself stepped onto the platform, complete with deerstalker cap and gray ulster.

Sitting in his landau, Conan Doyle contemplated the 49

replied, “You may marry him, murder him, or do anything you like to him.”

The play was an immediate and immense hit, running for a year on Broadway and within a short time having touring companies touring Australia, South Africa and all over the United States.

One company went to Britain and performed before the King, Edward VII. When the play transferred to London the role of Billy the page boy was played by a young Charlie Chaplin in his first role in the legitimate theatre.

As was to happen again later the role subsumed the actor and he continued to play Holmes on stage, screen and radio until his death at eighty-two in 1937.

In his lifetime, Gillette presented Sherlock Holmes approximately 1,300 times (third in the historical stagerecord), before American and English audiences.

Sherlock Holmes was revived with Gillett in 1905, 1906, 1910, 1915 and 1929. He was the star of a filmed version of the play in 1916 - long thought to be lost, but a copy was found in France and restored in 2014.

In addition to appearing on stage, Gillett influenced the print media as well. Gillette was the model for pictures by the artist Frederic Dorr Steele, which were featured in Collier’s Weekly then and reproduced by American media.

Steele contributed to Conan Doyle’s book-covers, widely printed throughout the USA, with either Steele’s illustrations or photographs of Gillette on stage.

So, as Paget was the British Homes, Gillett became the USA public’s vision of Sherlock Holmes.

William Gillett in character as Sherlock Holmes apparition with open-mouthed awe until the actor whipped out a magnifying lens, examined Doyle’s face closely, and declared: “Unquestionably an author!” Conan Doyle broke into a hearty laugh and the partnership was sealed. The two men became lifelong friends.

The play, Sherlock Holmes, debuted in 1899 when Gillett was forty-six.

The play used elements of three Holmes stores and added a love interest for Holmes. Doyle related how he got a cable from Gillette inquiring, “May I marry Holmes?”, to which Conan Doyle

A Dorr Steele illustration with Gillett as model

ON SCREEN

It has been estimated that Sherlock Holmes is the most prolific screen character in the history of cinema. The first known film featuring Holmes is Sherlock Holmes Baffled, a one-reel film running less than a minute, made in 1900. This was followed by a 1905 Vitagraph film Adventures of Sherlock Holmes; or, Held for Ransom.

Many similar films were made in the early years of the twentieth century, most notably the thirteen one- and two50

Ellie Norwood as Sherlock Holmes

Arthur Wontner as Holmes (centre)

reel silent films produced by the Danish Nordisk Film Company between 1908 and 1911. The only extant film is Sherlock Holmes i Bondefangerkløer, produced in 1910.

Holmes was originally played by Viggo Larsen. In 1911 the American Biograph company produced a series of eleven short comedies based on the Holmes character with Mack Sennett (of Keystone Kops fame) in the title role.

By 1916, Harry Arthur Saintsbury, who had played Holmes on stage hundreds of times in Gillette’s play, reprised the role in the 1916 film The Valley of Fear.

The next significant cycle of Holmes films were produced by the Stoll Pictures company in Britain. Between 1921 and 1923 they produced a total of forty-seven two-reelers, all featuring noted West End actor Ellie Norwood in the lead with Hubert Willis as Watson.

John Barrymore played the role in a 1922 movie entitled Sherlock Holmes, with Roland Young as Watson and William Powell in his first screen appearance. This Goldwyn film is the first Holmes movie made with high production values and a major star.

Clive Brook played Sherlock Holmes three times: The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1929), as part of an anthology film, Paramount on Parade (1930), and Sherlock Holmes (1932).

In 1931 Raymond Massey played Sherlock Holmes in his screen debut, The Speckled Band, while Arthur Wontner played Holmes in five British films from 1931 to 1937.

Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce played Holmes and Watson in The Hound of the Baskervilles, which launched a film series of fourteen. Rathbone was a fine Shakespearean actor and is regarded by many as the Holmes of his generation.

In 1970 the film The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes had Sherlock Holmes portrayed by Robert Stephens, Dr. John H. Watson by Colin Blakely and Mycroft Holmes by Christopher Lee (who in total played both Holmes brothers plus Sir Henry Baskerville)

In 1986 Walt Disney, released an animated animal film The Great Mouse Detective which was based on the tradition of Sherlock Holmes.

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law portray Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson respectively in the film directed by Guy Ritchie in 2009, having a sequel called Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, released in 2011.

ON TELEVISION

Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce

One of the earliest television appearances was the 1951 BBC mini series Sherlock Holmes starring Alan Wheatley as Holmes and Raymond Francis as Watson.

Three years later, the first American adaptation of Holmes and Watson, Sherlock Holmes was produced by Sheldon Reynolds in 1954, and starred Ronald Howard as Holmes and Howard MarionCrawford as Doctor Watson.

In the 1960s, there was a BBC TV series entitled Sherlock Holmes with Douglas Wilmer and Nigel Stock. Peter Cushing, who had earlier played the detective in the Hammer version of The Hound of the Baskervilles, later took over from Wilmer in the lead role.

A twenty-four part series Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson (1979–1980) starred Geoffrey Whitehead as Holmes and Donald Pickering as Watson.

In 1982, Granada Television aired an eight-part series entitled Young Sherlock: 51

adaptation screened from 1984 to 1994, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, with first David Burke and subsequently Edward Hardwicke as Watson. All but eighteen of the Conan Doyle stories were filmed before the death of Jeremy Brett in 1995.

Between 1984 and 1994, thirty-six episodes and five films were produced over six series. For that generation Brett was the definitive Sherlock.

In 2009, the BBC began making Sherlock, created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss. Three seasons of three ninety minute episodes each were broadcast, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock and Martin Freeman as John.

Moriarty appears as a recurring villain. In the series the setting is moved to modern times and a good deal of fun may be had looking for hidden and subtle references to the original Canon.

TV MOVIES

In the 1976 The Return of the World’s Greatest Detective policemen Sherman Holmes suffers from a blow to the head resulting in him thinking he is Sherlock Holmes.

John Cleese starred as Holmes’ grandson - Arthur Sherlock Holmes - in the comic TV special The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It (1977). Arthur Lowe played Dr. William Watson, the original doctor’s grandson.

Between 1979 and 1986, Soviet television produced a series of five television films at the Lenfilm movie studio, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. The series were split into eleven episodes and starred Vasily Livanov as Holmes. Livanov earned honorary membership to the Order of the British Empire for a performance described as “one of the best I’ve ever seen”.

In 1983, Ian Richardson portrayed Sherlock Holmes in The Sign of Four with David Healy as Dr. John H. Watson.

Later that same year, Richardson again played Holmes in yet another version of The Hound of the Baskervilles with Donald Churchill as his Watson.

The contemporarily-set 1987 television movie The Return of Sherlock Holmes starred Michael Pennington as the detective and Margaret Colin as Dr. Watson’s granddaughter, Jane, after following directions written by her grandfather years ago, finds out that she has thawed Holmes who had been cryogenically frozen by Dr. Watson for eighty-eight years due to Bubonic plague. They become a team to solve a case that combines elements of The Sign of the Four with elements from the celebrated news story of a plane hijacked for ransom by D. B. Cooper.

The 1991-92 series Sherlock Holmes

Jeremy Brett The Mystery of the Manor House which told the story of Holmes’ youth. The show starred Guy Henry as Sherlock Holmes.

Also in 1982, the BBC produced an adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles, starring Tom Baker as the detective.

Jeremy Brett, another classically trained actor in the Rathbone tradition starred as Holmes in a Granada Television ADVERTISEMENT

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Tom Baker as Holmes

the Golden Years consisted of two TV films, in which Sherlock Holmes (played by Christopher Lee) and Dr. Watson (played by Patrick Macnee) are older adults who continue investigating cases. The two films were Incident at Victoria Falls and Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady.

In 1991, Charlton Heston played Holmes in the production of Paul Giovanni’s play The Crucifer of Blood.

Charlton Heston in The Crucifer of Blood

From 2000 to 2002, Muse Entertainment Enterprises produced four television films, starring Matt Frewer as Holmes and Kenneth Welsh as Dr Watson, in The Hound of the Baskervilles (2000), The Royal Scandal (2001), The Sign of Four (2001) and The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire (2002).

Critic and Holmesian Jonathan Morris had this to say: “My choice for worst Sherlock Holmes film or series would be, without a doubt, these four awful TV movies which starred Matt Frewer as Holmes ... Each of the films are just terrible, cheaply produced, written in forced and obvious fashion, and just horrendously acted.”

2002 saw a new version of The Hound of the Baskervilles featuring Richard Roxburgh. Ian Hart played Dr. Watson then and also in the 2004 BBC airing of Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking, alternatively billed as The Return of Sherlock Holmes. Rupert Everett plays the Great Detective.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of films even of those in the Canon, and completely ignoring those from original material, such as The Seven Per Cent Solution, with a cocaineaddicted Holmes consulting Sigmund Freud (Nicol Williamson as a very creditable Holmes); Without a Clue starring Michael Caine as a drunken actor (Reginald Kincaid) hired by Dr Watson (Sir Ben Kingsley) to play a fictional character he has created.

Murder by Decree (Holmes versus Jack the Ripper) has Christopher Plummer as Holmes and James Mason as Watson; Sherlock Holmes in New York has Roger Moore as Holmes and, arguably the very worst Holmes movie ever made - Sherlock: A Case of Evil, in which Holmes is presented as a womanizing, violent, egomaniacal punk who bears nearly no relationship to his literary antecedent, and Moriarty a drug lord who gets Sherlock addicted to heroin.

Just about as bad as it sounds.

Of these a large number played with the time line and moved the period either just a bit or all the way up to the present.

The biggest, and most significant change was the Rathbone / Bruce duo. Strictly, the first two were straight films of the books Hound of the Baskervilles and another of Holmes stories called The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

The two fine actors were very convincing and engaging and when the remaining twelve films were updated to ‘modern times’ then the 1940s, the public accepted it and having Holmes fighting

the Nazis and the contemporary forces of evil made a huge impact on the public consciousness and hammered home that Holmes was real, present and accessible.

Thia had a fillip when, in1951, the Festival of Britain had a display which lovingly re-created Holmes and Watson’s sitting room and which attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors.

When the Abbey National Building Society (now Santander) built the premises in Baker Street in 1932 which included 221 it also took on the task of replying to letters addressed to Sherlock Holmes at 221b Baker Street which began to arrive at Abbey House almost as soon as the building opened for business. They even decided that there should be a secretary to Sherlock Holmes to ensure that correspondents would not be disappointed.

Rather than sending a stock reply on bank stationary explaining that Sherlock Holmes wasn’t real, this secretary would write back explaining that Holmes had retired to go live in the country and raise bees on a farm in South Downs in Sussex and enclose a photograph of the Festival of Britain exhibit.

The letters continue to arrive from all over the world, as many as thirty every month, with a diverse range of requests.

Some simply write to express their admiration for the great detective, while others ask quite specific questions about Holmes: “Why did you never marry?”, “What type of tobacco do you smoke?” or “Would you care to give me some advice on setting up in practice as a consulting detective?”

Many of these are written for the reply, of course, but enough remain to convince a reader of the book Letters to Sherlock Holmes, which published a selection of the better ones that many people think he still exists.

Secretary of the London Society was once asked, while standing in the museum if he thought Holmes was real or fictional. He replied, ‘Standing here, in this place, I would have to say “yes”’.

Next time we shall be looking at the rivals of Sherlock Holmes in the Silver Age.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock 53

WE HAVE MOVED

Now Open

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SWAN VALLEY

SWEET TEMPTATIONS

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handcrafted artisan produce

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SWAN VALLEY AND REGIONAL NETWORK LOTTERYWEST HELPS GRETA JASIAK

for the outdoor youth space and children's play area, across both stage one and two of the public open space construction.

Stage one is currently under construction and includes a grassed kick about area and a dedicated youth zone including shade sails, a climbing wall, basketball goals, public art and landscaping.

Stage two is scheduled to commence construction in 2020-21, and will complete the play area with cubby houses, a slide tower, wetland play area, climbing equipment and toddler's corral.

The play area will reflect elements of the classic Australian backyard - a place to tell stories, catch up with friends and play.

The draft concept is based on the habitats of 11 insects unique to Western Australia, and designed to inspire play, discovery and curiosity.

Giovanni Stefanelli, Minister McGurk, Mayor Kevin Bailey,

The design has recently been refined Deputy Mayor David Lucas through a community consultation process.

The wider public open space is inister for Community Services Simone McGurk MLA has designed to support and encourage community events and family officially presented a $1.3m Lotterywest grant to the City of gatherings through the inclusion of seating, lighting, a small Swan for its New Junction Project. grandstand and public amenities.

City of Swan Mayor Kevin Bailey accepted the grant

For more information about the New Junction project, visit certificate this morning at a meeting on site. www.newjunction.com.au.

"This generous support from Lotterywest will go towards important facilities for our young generations to enjoy, including an outdoor youth space and children's play area," he said.

"The City is grateful for the WA Government’s support of the New Junction project, which will revitalise Midland's CBD with a diverse range of residential and business development together MATTHEW HUNT with outstanding new public and community spaces."

In June, the City also accepted a $1 million contribution he City of Swan is undertaking a review of its Strategic from the Stefanelli family towards a new children’s playground in Community Plan (SCP). This is the principal strategy and the New Junction precinct. planning document guiding the development of all other plans

Minister McGurk said the WA Government, through and activity that the City of Swan undertakes.

Lotterywest, is proud to support community projects like New

It is a long term plan (ten years) outlining vision, aspirations Junction, helping to build a better WA together. and priorities, based on research and considering community

“It’s so important that children and young people have input. places in their community where they can connect and engage in

The City’s consultation page www.swan.wa.gov.au/ creative play and physical activity.

Your-Community/Have-your-say/Community-consultations/

“While we have always known the value of community Strategic-Community-Plan-Major-Review. spaces, there is a growing body of scientific evidence indicating

You can also pop into one of the Community Hubs and speak just how crucial physical activity is in the early years for a child’s with members of the Place Team and or collect a Hard Copy learning, development and wellbeing. survey and reply paid envelope if you wish.

“This grant also recognises the importance of families

Following this broad consultation a community panel will having places to connect and come together in their local be convened. communities.”

The panel will consist of around thirty randomly selected

The Lotterywest funding is for infrastructure and equipment community representatives from all walks of life, who will work together over two days and consider the results of the broad consultation and other research to develop some recommendations which they will present to Council.

Please can I ask that you have you say and complete the survey, as well as posting an sharing the opportunity to all of your networks, pin up boards etc.

This will ensure our community is well represented.

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CITY OF SWAN STRATEGIC COMMUNITY PLAN

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SWAN VALLEY AND REGIONAL NETWORK WELCOME TO THE SWAN VALLEY NIKOLA ESTATE

SWAN VALLEY BREWERY

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he new Swan Valley Brewery and Cafe is committed to producing fine handcrafted beer and wholesome, delicious food.

Their focus is on traditional Irish and English style ales. All the beers are made from the highest quality malts, hops and yeast using the full mash-in process.

No malt extracts, chemicals, preservatives or artificial flavourings are used in any of the brewing processes. Our beers are not filtered they are simply made with patience, allowing time for the beer to settle-out prior to kegging or bottling.

The cafe offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and is situated at 518 Great Northern Highway, Middle Swan, Perth over the road from Taylor’s Art House and diagonally from Oakover Estate.

At least one notable early Swan Valley patron was impressed - Sue Hurt, wrote this testimonial:

First time visiting Swan Valley Brewery with friend for lunch.

Delicious - We both decided our meals were a taste sensation – great service, good prices, relaxing atmosphere, and plenting of parking under trees.

For many this could be your new local! Cakes were very nice – so if a beer is not on the cards , drop in for your café hit.

Note: There is a playground for children (still being installed) however currently a safe grassed area for the kids (all ages from toddlers to the aged )

Swan Valley Brewery and Café, welcome to the Valley.

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ven with the challenges in launching a new wine brand, our third generation WA owners, the Yukich Family, have realised a long-held dream by returning the heritage listed grounds and winery of Swan Location 11 (originally listed in 1829 and renamed Houghtons in 1936), back to WA hands.

By christening our winery and grounds in tribute to our Grandfather Nikola, we continue our family’s passion and dedication for elegant premium wines and delicious foods.

Nikola would proud of the Estate and of the brand; showing him ploughing his Swan Valley lands under three generations of our heritage listed Jacaranda trees.

With considerable experience and an innovative mid-set, Nikola Estate is perfectly positioned, both in the heart of the Swan Valley, and our local community.

To stay true to our integrity and aspiration, we deliver products and services that demonstrate our commitment to genuine West Australian hospitality.

Surrounded by some of Western Australia’s oldest vines, Nikola Estate hosts a cellar door, restaurant, function spaces, museum and grounds for you to explore, relax and indulge yourself.

We look forward to welcoming you to our family.

MILLHOUSE ROAD CLOSED

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SPORT AND LEISURE PERTH SUMMER LEAGUE CHRIS MCRAE

DECEMBER WRAP

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ith the Moose dominating in the first quarter of the season, things have tightened up in the Perth Summer League Ice Hockey Competition with the Moose dropping three games prior to the Christmas break and the Elk making a push as the second half of the season approaches.

The Elk nabbed some big wins in late December to push themselves three points clear of the third placed Wolves who still have a couple of games to make up. The Elk posted some big goal numbers and sit on twenty-five points through eighteen games bringing their goal differential to an impressive plus twenty-seven.

The Moose still remain on top of the standings having played seventeen games and have tallied a huge plus fifty-two goal differential with 104 goals scored. Their buffer on top has dropped to just three points so the first few weeks of January games will prove interesting for these top teams.

The Wolves sit just one win ahead of the Wheat Kings who have nabbed some handy wins as the first half of the season went on. The Wolves and Wheat Kings have posted the same number of wins (eight) and the Wolves’ two ties put them a couple of points up on the Kings.

The Grizzlords and Crusaders sit just behind locked on twelve points each, separated by just goal differential and the Outlaws round out the standings on seven points.

So as we enter the second half of the season what will be

each team’s X Factor as playoffs approach? For the Moose, they have speed and the ability to score goals and quickly. The Elk, in much the same manner have some top level players and good depth of scoring.

For the third and fourth placed Wolves, they have the benefit of having squads who know how each other play.

The Wolves are a tight unit and the Wheat Kings players know each other’s playing styles very well. This will come in handy as we head towards the business end.

For the Grizzlords and Crusaders, they know how to grind out wins in close games and the Outlaws have some championship pedigree on their roster. It is set to be a thrilling run to the playoffs in Season 2019/20.

Perth Summer League games are free for spectators and are played on Wednesday and Thursday nights at 6:30 and 7:45pm and Sunday nights at 5:30 and 6:45pm at Perth Ice Arena in Malaga.

Come on down to cool off this summer and see some great ice hockey action!

[Results and Standings Current as of 3rd January 2020] 58

ART AND LEISURE SUGAR GUM RESULTS

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uildford Primary’s Isha Menon was the overall winner of the Living Memories – Guildford Sugar Gum Poetry and Art Competition for primary school children.

Isha, in pre-primary, impressed the judges with her painting Sugar Gums at Night.

Around two hundred people, including forty finalists and their families, attended the awards presentations at Guildford Grammar School’s foundation pavilion on October 20.

Four local schools participated, with a total of a hundred and ninety-two entries.

The competition marked the twentieth anniversary of the Guildford community’s agreement with the City of Swan to preserve the historic sugar gums, planted in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee year.

Guildford Association president Barbara Dundas congratulated the students and described it as an important event passing over the knowledge and story to a new generation of “sugar gum guardians”.

“History has to be known and valued by the local community and what better way than celebrating through the educational curriculum,” she said.

“We are very proud of our young local people. Twenty years ago, these beautiful trees faced removal and it was only through the concerted efforts of community that they were saved.

“The story must be passed to new generations.”

The competition was sponsored by the City of Swan, the National Trust of WA, Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council, Guildford Potters and the Guildford Association.

Isha Menon with her prize entry (Photograph by Sheldon Levis)

MIDLAND JUNCTION ARTS CENTRE

S

heridan's is a new body of work by Emma Jolley exploring local Western Australian history through relics from Sheridan's Badges & Engraving – one of the longest family run businesses in the state.

On display at Midland Junction Arts Centre from 15th February – 11th April, the exhibition presents a series of prints produced from repurposed plates and dies from the now closed Sheridan’s factory.

The Sheridan's factory became a record of Western Australian history through the many plates and dies produced for local organisations ranging from sporting clubs, to WA businesses and government departments.

A series of plates and dies from the factory were collected

by Jolley’s father when production was winding down and the end of the factory was near. Historically significant pieces, including those from World War II have also been collected by the Western Australian Museum. The original home and factory in West Perth were eventually demolished in October 2018.

Interested in experiences of place and the suburban condition, the gentrification of the West Perth site and many other locations across Perth represents to Jolley a profound

loss of accumulated local histories. With access to a large quantity of plates representing a diverse range of departments, clubs and organisations, Jolley was inspired to respond to these objects with a view to bringing this rich cultural history back into public view.

Predominantly based in print media, Jolley's practice also encompasses collage, painting, drawing and photography. Jolley received a Bachelor of Art with Honours from Curtin University in 2009 and went on to complete a residency with Trevor Bly at Megalo Print Studio & Gallery in Canberra in 2010.

She has held solo shows at OK Gallery (2011 and 2013) and Pig Melon (2019) and has presented work in group exhibitions in both Perth and across Australia.

Her work is held in the City of Fremantle Art Collection as well as numerous private collections.

Sheridan’s considers the importance of local production, craftsmanship, skill sharing and community connection fostered by longstanding local businesses.

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FOOTNOTE PEOPLE IN HISTORY FERDINAND CHEVAL (1836 - 1924)

F

rom small acorns grow might oaks; and from a single stone grew one of the strangest, most astonishing works of art and architecture ever to emerge in western Europe.

Ferdinand Cheval (19 April 1836 – 19 August 1924) was a French postman who spent thirty-three years of his life building Le Palais idéal in Hauterives. The Palace is regarded as an extraordinary example of naïve art architecture.

Joseph Ferdinand Cheval, also known as Facteur (Postman) Cheval was born in Charmes-sur-l'Herbasse into a poor farming family. He left school at the age of thirteen to become a baker's apprentice, but eventually became a postman at the age of thirty-one in 1867. He was appointed to Romans City’s office and the Bourg de Péage.

In 1858, Cheval married his first wife, Rosaline Revol.

Together they had two sons, Victorin who died in infancy, and Ferdinand. Rosaline Cheval died in 1873.

In 1878 he received his final transfer as a rural postman at the Hauterives ’office for Tersanne’s round. Each day he walked a round of some twenty-eight kilometres. A few months later he met Claire-Philomène Richaud to whom he gets married.

Her dowry included some land, the land on which the Palais Idéal now stands.

The nineteenth century was an age of revolutions, falling monarchies, rising Empires and industrial change illustrated in very widely-read periodicals of that time, the Magasin Pittoresque or La Revue Illustrée to which was added the appearance of the first picture postcards.

In April 1879 when Cheval was forty-three and their daughter Alice-Marie-Philomène was born the postman had an artistic epiphany on his round. A routine existence which had long been unremarkable was about to become a life less ordinary:

“I was walking very fast when my foot caught on something that sent me stumbling a few meters away, I wanted to know the cause. In a dream I had built a palace, a castle or caves, I cannot express it well... I told no one about it for fear of being ridiculed and I felt ridiculous myself.

“Then fifteen years later, when I had almost forgotten my dream, when I wasn't thinking of it at all, my foot reminded me of it. My foot tripped on a stone that almost made me fall. I wanted to know what it was... It was a stone of such a strange shape that I put it in my pocket to admire it at my ease.

“The next day, I went back to the same place. I found more stones, even more beautiful, I gathered them together on the spot and was overcome with delight... It's a sandstone shaped by water and hardened by the power of time. It becomes as hard as pebbles. It represents a sculpture so strange that it is impossible for man to imitate, it represents any kind of animal, any kind of caricature.

I said to myself: since Nature is willing to do the sculpture, I will do the masonry and the architecture"

For the next thirty-three years, Cheval picked up stones during his daily mail round and carried them home to build the Palais idéal. (ideal palace).

He spent the first twenty years building the outer walls.

At first, he carried the stones in his pockets, then switched to a basket. Eventually, he used a wheelbarrow. He would think nothing of adding twenty kilometres on to his daily route in search of the right material. He often worked at night, by the light of an oil lamp. He bound the stones together with lime, mortar

and cement.

The palace materials mainly consist of stones (river washed), pebbles, porous tufa and fossils of many different shapes and sizes. When a visitor first comes up on the palace, the first face they see is the southern facade spanning nearly thirty metres long and fourteen high.

The decoration resembles aspects of both the Brighton Pavilion and Gaudí’s Sagrada Família. Cheval never travelled, so even though the qualities resemble those pieces of architecture, he had never seen them in life, but perhaps only on the front of postcards.

Giant stones each with doll-like faces standing close to twelve metres high serve not only as decoration but as a support system for the Barbary Tower, with an elegant spiral staircase lined with swans made of cement leading up to it.

The north face exhibits a long path dotted with large openings to provide lots of light leading into the heart of the palace itself. This facade is very forest-like with walls coated in moss and massive seaweed. The ceiling, swirling patterns of pebbles and shells that outline the chandeliers. Upper walls are lined with horizontal bands with animals carved into them in an Egyptian-like style. Other animals on the north face facade include two ostriches (presumably mother and father) and an ostrich chick, a camel, flamingos, octopi, lions, dragons, and a polar bear.

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The east facade took the longest to build, an amazing twenty years. This face includes ‘The Temple of Nature’, an Egyptian style temple-like structure supported by large, thick sandstone columns. It includes two waterfalls called the Source of Life and the Source of Wisdom.

The Palais is a mix of different styles with inspirations from Christianity to Hinduism.

The palace is sprinkled with short quotes and poems handcarved by Cheval himself. Examples being "If you look for gold you will find it in elbow grease.", "The Pantheon of an obscure hero." “The work of one man,” “The ecstasy of a beautiful dream and the prize of effort,” “Dream of a peasant.”

Perhaps the most telling phrase he inscribed on the wall reads “1879-1912 10,000 days, 93,000 hours, 33 years of struggle.

Let those who think they can do better try."

Meanwhile, the ongoing project started to attract

attention. The first national press article appeared in La Vie Illustrée in 1905 and two years later, Cheval hired a local woman, Julia Micoud. When a photographer began selling postcards of his work, he successfully sued to retain the monopoly and issued his own postcards.

Finally, in 1912 Cheval declared his labour of love completed. Twenty six metres in length and twelve metres high, Le Palais represents a mix of different styles. Gaudi and Dali’s works are often cited in comparison for guidance, but even they are not quite adequate preparation.

On its western side, a medieval castle, Swiss chalet and Algerian-inspired house can be found, together with a mosquetype feature in the south-western corner, giving access to the building’s terrace. The northern and southern facades celebrate nature rather than humankind, featuring animal and plant designs.

He had hoped he could be buried inside his creation, but when permission for this was denied by the authorities in 1914 he went back on the road with his trusty wheelbarrow to start

work on a mausoleum, the Tomb of Silence and Endless Peace completed eight years later in 1922, two years before his death, aged eighty-eight, after which he was laid to rest inside it.

Before his death, and despite his lack of training and to the bemusement of neighbours his work had been discovered and embraced by some of the era’s most highly-regarded artists, recognition from luminaries like André Breton, the founding father of surrealism and Pablo Picasso. After admiring Cheval’s work, Picasso filled a notebook with twelve sketches telling a narrative, in a cartoon fashion, which is now recognized as Facteur Cheval sketchbook.

The Palais featured in the New York Museum of Modern

Art’s 1936 exhibition Fantastic Art, Dada, Surrealism and is now regarded as one of the finest examples of naïve art and listed as one of France’s historic monuments.

British writer Lawrence Durrell, who had arrived expecting to find be amused by the untrained arwork, found himself moved by it.

In 1994 the then owner, Alice, one of Cheval’s granddaughters had no children and so gave the town of Hauterives ownership of the Palais idéal.

In 2017 The Palace welcomed 175,000 visitors from all over the world. It is open to visitors every day except Christmas Day, New Year's Day and the 15th to the 31st January.

In 1986, the postman received the ultimate professional honour – his picture on a stamp.

Facteur Cheval may not be one of the world’s most famous builders – or even most famous postmen – but he was one with an imagination like no other, who produced a building like no other, and perhaps deserves to share the epitaph of one of the craft’s greats, Sir Christopher Wren: “If you seek his monument, look around you.”

Cheval wanted his Palais Ideal to be his tomb. Instead, it has kept the name and memory of its creator alive forever.

Editor: See page 31 for a review of the new film about the Palace.

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FLINDERS UNIVERSITY NEWS MEGAFAUNA MYSTERY SOLVED

T

he mystery of the role of people and climate in the fate of Australian megafauna might have been solved in a breakthrough study published recently by Dr Frédérik Saltré and others.

'Megafauna', giant beasts that once roamed the continent — including wombat-like creatures as big as cars, birds more than two metres tall, and lizards more than seven metres long — became extinct about 42,000 years ago. But the role of people in their demise has been hotly debated for decades.

The new study, led by a team of researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH), analysed fossil data, climate reconstructions, and archaeological information describing patterns in human migration across southeastern Australia. .

For the first time, the research suggests a combination of climate change and the impact of people sealed the fate of megafauna, at least in south-eastern Australia. And that distribution of freshwater — a precious commodity for animals and people alike as the climate warmed — can explain regional differences in the timing at which megafauna died out.

"There has been much debate among scientists about what conditions led to this extinction event," said lead author Dr Frédérik Saltré, Research Fellow and Coordinator of the Global Ecology Lab at Flinders University.

"Resolving this question is important because it is one of the oldest such extinction events anywhere after modern human beings evolved and left Africa", he added.

The findings, published in Nature Communications, are the result of analysis and complex modelling based on data

including more than 10,000 fossils and archaeological records.

“The regional patterns in extinction are best explained by the hypothesis that people migrated across Australia, exploiting lakes and other sources of drinking water connecting the drier regions in between,” said coinvestigator Professor Corey Bradshaw of the Global Ecology Lab at Flinders University.

DISCLAIMER The information in this publication is of a general nature.

The articles contained herein are not intended to provide a complete discussion on each subject and or issues canvassed.

Palorchestes azeal, sometimes referred to as the ‘marsupial tapir’. It was a cow-sized beast, which probably weighed about 500 kg. It was one of the many species of marsupial megafauna that went extinct sometime in the Pleistocene, probably during the last glacial cycle.

(Illustration by Gabriel Ugueto) 62

Swan Magazine does not accept any liability for any statements or any opinion, or for any errors or omissions contained herein.

63

COMMUNITY he Compassionate Friends of Western Australia Tregardless strives to support families who have lost a child, of that child’s age throughout WA.

We are a non-profit, non-government funded charity that provide peer call support, group meetings, a drop in centre, sending out quarterly newsletters, Anniversary Cards, we hold Walk of remembrance and a candlelight service (non-religious) at Christmas.

We are run by volunteers and bereaved parents that are further along in their grief and wish to help others who have suffered this tragedy.

Although everybody’s grief is different it helps to talk to someone who has actually had this tragedy happen to them.

They WON”T say “I know how you feel” as no one can, but they will say “I don’t know exactly what you are feeling but this is how I felt when my child died”.

WALK OF REMEMBRANCE HELD IN MARCH EACH YEAR Events like these above give the bereaved some hope of a life after the death of their child. They connect with others that have been through the same tragic experience.

In doing so its helps them to feel that they are not alone in their grief, that there is a worldwide connection to other suffering the same.

DONATIONS Donations allow us to purchase stamps so we can send our booklets and other information to the newly bereaved, community groups, doctors surgeries and hospital throughout Western Australia.

They help us cover advertising cost in newspapers throughout Western Australia, pay for our office and utilities allowing us to have Peer Support Workers come in and contact to bereaved that wish to have contact.

The Compassionate Friends of WA Inc. receives no Government funding in any way.

We raise funds by holding events, charity drives and donation from our members and outside bodies.

Although this is fantastic, we still struggle with the cost of keeping our doors open so any suggestion on fundraising or donations are gratefully accepted.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED We are always looking for volunteers to help man Sausage Sizzles, Charity Shopping Centre Drives and other events along with peer support volunteers (bereaved parents) for telephone support and group meeting facilitation.

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