Melbourne Observer. July 13, 2016

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This file photo shows a snowman scene at Mt Buffalo in the 1950s.

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Pages From The Past

Nostalgic Photos: Upwey From the extensive files of The New Free Press

● Hughes St, Upwey

● Morris Rd, Upwey

● Main Road, Upwey

● Main Road, Upwey, looking west

● The Ferntree Gully-Upwey Road

● Sports ground and bowling green, Upwey

● The Higher Elementary School, Upwey

● Church of the Holy Trinity, Morris Rd, Upwey

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Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 - Page 5

Court Roundsman

It’s All About You!

Melbourne

Young workers exploited, Observer Fair Work Ombudsman alleges In This 88-Page Edition

Passing of character actor Bill Bennett

● Bill Bennett ■ Melbourne character actor Bill Bennett The Odd Couple, Salad Days and 84 Charring Cross Road. His work as an on-air prehas passed away at the age of 97.

Bill appeared in many of the early televi- senter on community radio 88.3 FM was ension shows and commercials. Bill played nu- tertaining.

In later years Bill was part of a touring merous bit parts in shows such as Homicide, Division 4, Matlock Police, The Paul Hogan group performing at retirement villages.

Bill Bennett was a great character with a Show and A Country Practice.

He was in the 1959 film On The Beach as fabulous sense of humour and it was an honour an extra and can be seen standing beside Fred to have known him. He will be missed by his friends.

Astaire in a lounge room scene.

Our sympathy is extended to the family.

I worked with Bill Bennett in stage shows - Kevin Trask at Elwood Theatre Company which included ● Earlier report, Page 25

Collisions spike in winter

■ Insurer AAMI says collisions between vehicles and animals jump by 68 per cent in winter compared to summer months.

The hotspots in Victoria are Bendigo, Heathcote, Gisborne, Whittlesea and Woodend.

The number of animal

collisions peaks in the period between June and August, and surge in July, posing a serious danger to both drivers and animals.

“Shoter days during winter mean we’re on the roads more at times when animals are on the move, and combined with poor weather conditions and

reduced visibility, make the chances of hitting an animal more likely,” said AAMI spokesman Michael Mills.

“Colliding with an animal is a frightening and taruamatic experience, especially if the animal is injured or killed, and can result in serious damage or injury.”

■ The operator of a Melbourne burger bar is facing the Federal Circuit Court after allegedly exploiting a number of young and overseas workers.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against Todd Patrick Buzza, who owns and runs the Burger Buzz outlet on Sydney Rd, Brunswick - and formerly operated a Burger Buzz outlet on Peel St, West Melbourne.

Also facing Court is Mr Buzza’s company Rum RunnerTrading Pty Ltd. Buzza and his company allegedly breached workplace laws by failing to back-pay seven former employees who were short-changed a total of $7113 for work performed between January and April last year.

Four were overseas workers from France, the US, Britain and the Netherlands who were in Australia on working holiday visas at the time and three were Australian, including two aged just 19.

They were allegedly underpaid for short periods of work - between five days and two weeks – across the two Burger Buzz outlets.

Three of the workers were allegedly paid nothing for work performed, while four were allegedly paid only a fraction of their lawful entitlements.

The Fair Work Ombudsman investigated after workers lodged requests for assistance.

The Fair Work Ombudsman alleges Buzza and his company have breached workplace laws by failing to comply with seven Compliance Notices requesting they back-pay the seven workers amounts ranging from $452 to $1522.

Under the Fair Work Act, business operators must adhere to Compliance Notices or make a Court application for a review if they are seeking to challenge a Notice.

It is alleged that Buzza and his company also breached workplace laws by failing to comply with three Notices to Produce employment records.

Workplace laws relating to pay-slips and providing new employees with a copy of the Fair Work Information Statement were allegedly also breached.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James alleges that the lack of co-operation from Buzza left her agency with no option but to commence legal proceedings.

Ms James says it is also of concern that Buzza’s business has been the subject of a number of previous underpayment allegations from employees.

Pages From The Past: Upwey district .... Page 4 Long Shots: Farewell Grant Wilmot ........ Page 6 News: Studio launches Festival ............. Page 7 Nostalgic Photos: Monbulk region ......... Page 9 West Hollywood: Gavin Wood reports ..... Page 11 Whatever Happened: Irving Berlin ......... Page 12 Classic Books: Little Women .............. Page 13 Travel and Wine: David Elllis writes ....... Page 15 Harness Racing: Len Baker’s column ..... Page 22 Greyhounds: Latest on NSW decision .... Page 32 Observer Racing: Ted Ryan’s tips .......... Page 33 Cheryl Threadgold James Sherlock Aaron Rourke Rob Foenander

Observer Showbiz Showbiz

Latest News Flashes Around Victoria

Martyrdom note

■ A man who pleaded guilty to a terrorism plot left a chilling “martyrdom note”, in which he vowed to strike “fear into the enemies of Allah”, reports the Herald Sun.

Christmas lights

■ The City of Greater Geelong has issued three separate tenders for the provision of the Christmas centrepiece on Corio Bay, which is returning in November. The Council has budgeted $400,000 annually for the next three years, after finding it was economically viable, reports the Geelong Advertiser.

Not in Latrobe Valley

■ Latrobe Valley is ineligible for parts of a State Government fund designed to prevent bushfires, despite its history with bushfire disaster. A Boolarra South couple made the discovery after applying for the Powerline Replacement Fund, which provides grants to replace high voltage and private overhead electric lines, says the Latrobe Valley Express.

Highway potholes

■ A Colac motorist says concerns about potholes have caused a frightening hazard on the Princes Hwy near Winchelsea, months after the newly upgraded road re-opened, reports the Colac Herald.

Weather Forecast ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Today (Wed.). Partly cloudy. 6°-11° Thurs. Partly cloudy. 7°-14° Fri. Mostly sunny. 5°-16° Sat. Sunny. 6°-16° Sun. Sunny. 9°-17°

Mike McColl Jones

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Ash On Wednesday

Farewell Grant Wilmot ■ Friend, Grant Wilmot, was born four days before me in 1956. He died last week, apparently after a heart attack, attempting to make his way to the Alexandra Hospital.

Grant, 59, grew up in Montmorency, and came to prominence with his football abilities.

He played with Monty junior and seniors, 38 senior games with Preston, five senior games with Collingwood, at Heidelberg West and Preston.

He coached at Eltham, Croydon, Heidelberg and Montmorency.

I regarded him as a “man’s man” with a top set of values. In recent years, he worked with troubled youth.

Boxing career ■ Grant had an early career in boxing, and a Montmorency Football Club tribute said he was “uncompromising”.

This was code for knowing how to give (and take) a knock or two.

A service for Grant Wilmot is being held today (Wed.) at Montmorency Footy Club.

Our sincere condolences.

Melbourne’s East End

● My pic of Grant Wilmot from 1995

Long Shots

Great launch ■ The Melbourne Observer is enjoying last editor@MelbourneObserver.com.au week’s launch of another sister newspaper, The New with Ash Long, Editor Free Press.

“For the cause that lacks assistance, Last week witnessed ‘Gainst the wrongs that need resistance our first issue, which circulates in a wide areas inFor the future in the distance, cluding Belgrave and the And the good that we can do” Dandenongs, Healesville and Warburton in the Yarra Valley.

At a time when most print companies are closing newspapers, Local Media Pty Ltd is also expanding its Local Paper which covers an area north of Eltham and Mernda, reaching places including Yea and Alex- ■ “The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook.”

- William James andra.

View these papers free at www.LocalPaper.com. au and www.NewFree ■ It is easier to be wise for others than for ourselves.

Press.com.au - Francois De La Rochefoucauld

Observer Treasury

Thought For The Week

Observer Curmudgeon

Short Shots

■ Big financial cuts at ABC Classic FM. Ne ‘Aunty’ boss, Michelle Guthrie, has already closed the national broadcaster’s opinion website, The Drum.

■ Melbourne publicist Kerry O’Brien says actress Julie Andrews and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton will be presenting an on-stage conversation (in Sydney) on August 28.

Text For The Week ■ "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you'."

- Hebrews 13:5-6 (NIV) Contents of Court Lists are intended for information purposes only. The lists are extracted from Court Lists, as supplied to the public, by the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, often one week prior to publication date; for current Court lists, please contact the Court. Further details of cases are available at www.magistratescourt.vic.gov.au The Melbourne Observer shall in no event accept any liability for loss or damage suffered by any person or body due to information provided. The information is provided on the basis that persons accessing it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content.

No inference of a party’s guilt or innocence should be made by publication of their name as a defendant. Court schedules may be changed at any time for any reason, including withdrawal of the action by the Plaintiff/Applicant. E&OE.

■ A new report has found that Melbourne’s iconic East End theatres contributed over two-thirds of a billion dollars to the Victorian economy in 2014-15, demonstrating the enduring appeal of the historic venues.

In a report by Ernst and Young released this week, the East End theatres – the Princess, Her Majesty’s, Regent, Comedy, Forum and Athenaeum theatres -– also generated an economic impact of $226 million (new money entering the state), and created 3000 jobs.

The research revealed that more than one in four tickets sold in the entire Victorian performing arts industry was for an event at an East End theatre.

The district hosted 1.5 million patrons from Victoria, interstate, and internationally, at more than 1700 performances across ten performance genres.

Jason Marriner, CEO of Marriner Group, said “This is an incredible result that puts theatre on par with major events like the Australian Tennis Open, and proportionally beats Broadway and London.

“Melbourne is a city of theatre as much as it is a city of sport and food.”

The East End theatres also generated flow-on impacts to the local economy, with restaurants, hotels and retail benefitting from the influx of audiences.

The results come off the back of a successful year of musicals, with the Australian premieres of Cameron Mackintosh’s revival of Les Misérables at Her Majesty’s and Once at the Princess, and Victorian premiere and return seasons of Strictly Ballroom The Musical and The Lion King.

Drama was well represented too, with David Suchet’s starring role in The Last Confession resulting in a sold-out season at the Comedy.

Comedy and live music found significant audiences at the Forum and the Athenaeum, accounting for more than 500 performances in the last financial year.

Mike Walsh, owner of Her Majesty’s Theatre, said “Melbourne is unique in the Southern Hemisphere in having this collection of world-class theatres. And they are all private owned and funded.”

The report comes at a time when Melbourne is again flourishing with musical theatre offerings: Matilda the Musical is continuing its sold-out season at the Princess, Singin’ in the Rain has concluded a successful season at Her Majesty’s, and The Sound of Music enchants at the Regent.

Later this year comes We Will Rock You, and the Australian premiere of Kinky Boots.

The report acknowledges uncertainty around the future economic impact of the theatre district, noting that the ageing buildings, the youngest of which is 87 years old; changing patron expectations; and increased interstate competition, all present challenges in coming years.

Marriner said: “We recognise that we have significant challenges ahead.

“All the theatre managements view themselves as custodians just as much as business owners, and we’re doing all we can to ensure these beautiful buildings are around for generations to come.”

The East End Theatre District has been at the heart of Melbourne’s major events since 1990, when the restoration of the Princess Theatre and the premiere of The Phantom of the Opera spearheaded an ‘arts-led recovery’ to Victoria’s deep recession.

The success of Phantom encouraged the State Government to establish the Melbourne Major Events Company (now part of Visit Victoria), which has been central to Victoria's major events strategy for more than 25 years.

The East End Theatre District – the eastern block of Melbourne’s CBD -– is home to six historic, iconic theatres that present blockbuster musicals, drama, live music, children’s shows, comedy, festivals and special events.

The huge range of restaurants, laneway bars, and hotels has developed the East End into a vibrant and social hub of live entertainment in world’s most liveable city.

The report was commissioned by the East End Theatre District, and conducted by independently by the global business services firm Ernst andYoung.

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 - Page 7

Showbiz News

23-hour live reflection Briefs Wanted

● Tiffany Walsh ■ Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate Tiffany Walsh, 26, wanted on warrants for failing to appear to face theft charges.

Walsh is known to frequent the Echuca, Swan Hill and Bendigo areas.

Charges

■ Police have charged a teenager following aggravated burglaries in north west suburbs including Airport West and Essendon North.

Ratings ■ Philip Brady and Simon Owens continue to enjoy renewed ratings growth for their Nightline and Remember When programs on 3AW. At some points of the week, audience numbers for the weeknight show come close to 30 per cent of the available audience in Melbourne. These are some of the highest figures ever.

■ Squidsilo presents a durational live reflection in solitary confinement after combining technology, creative fiction and endurance performance at the North Melbourne Town Hall on July 30 and 31.

Squidsolo combine technology, creative fiction and endurance performance to create Rima, a 23-hour long performance and digital media installation in the confines of a two by two metre area (the average size of a solitary cell) that inhabits both the physical and virtual worlds.

Performer Julie Vulcan and media artist Ashley Scott explore strategies for survival by poetically re-framing the abject facts behind the effects of solitary confinement and isolation.

Throughout Rima and with the durational environmental changes, Vulcan’s movements will trigger sensors that dispatches a stream of text onto the walls and out to the twittersphere, while Scott combines live and pre-recorded sound that accentuate time passing and disturbs the space.

The short missives of text build over 23 hours into a fictional narrative that hovers somewhere between an indistinct present and a speculative sci-fi future.

Rima is a response to Vulcan’s autobiographical accounts and research into the psychological and physical effects of solitary confinement.

Performed, text and set design by Julie Vulcan, sound programming by Ashley Scott Season: Sat-Sun., July 30-31 Times: 1pm Sat - 12 pm Sun Duration: 23 hours (in-person viewing during opening hours only, see website for details) Artist talk: Sun. July 31, 3pm Address: North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne Tickets: Free Bookings: artshouse.com.au or 9322 3713

● Julie Vulcan in Rima

Studio launches Festival ■ Melbourne’s own Gertrude Opera, recipients of support in the latest round of Catalyst Grants, is launching the Nagambie Lakes Opera Festival for its second consecutive year after last year’s event was met with audience and critical acclaim.

An impressive line up of engaging, dramatic and humorous operas have been selected for this year’s program, which includes works by Sullivan/Offenbach, Leonard Bernstein, Jake Heggie, Mozart, award winning Australian composers Natalie Williams and Katy Abbot, and a bold reimagining of Verdi’s Macbeth - all performed in English.

Held over the Fathers’ Day weekend (September 2-4) in Nagambie, the festival brings together the local community as well as visitors from Melbourne, interstate and surrounding regions for two days of music, theatre, plus local food and wine.

Melbourne Observations

with Matt Bissett-Johnson

Gertrude Street Festival

● Gertrude Street Festival ■ From July 15 - 24, Gertrude Street will be bathed in light, courtesy of the artists behind the Gertrude Street Projection Festival.

The Festival will this year celebrate its ninth year of transforming Melbourne’s hippest street into one of our most visible, large scale, illuminated, outdoor art galleries.

Bright lights, enticing video and perfectly positioned colour-scapes will adorn 38 sites on and around Gertrude St, injecting electric splashes of colour on almost anything you can imagine.

Shop fronts, laneways, windows and footpaths will come alive with bold visions of award-winning projection artists, all exhibited for free.

Presented by the Gertrude Projection Association and helmed by Festival Director Nicky Pastore and Festival Curator Amanda Haskard, the festival will present a program that forges a connection between artwork and audience and will exhibit projections and new media works that explore the physical, social and metaphysical spaces we inhabit.

Festival Director Nicky Pastore says: “We're really excited this year to present a program that showcases the diversity of what projection art has to offer and compels our audience to reconnect to the buildings and spaces on which it’s applied.”

The Gertrude Street Projection Festival artworks will be projected from 6pm to midnight every evening during the Festival, July 15 – 24.

The event is free, excluding some special events.

Please see the website for full details: www.gspf.com.au - Cheryl Threadgold

Melbourne Briefs

● Gertrude Studio

Exhibition at Glen Eira ■ Jenny Pihan Fine Art last night (Tues.) launched Twenty Melbourne Painters Society Inc 98th Annual Exhibition at the Glen Eira Council Gallery in Caulfield.

The exhbition continues until July 31, open daily from 10am-5pm.

For further information, contact Jenny Pihan Fine Art: 0417 368 807 www.jennypihanfineart.com.au

NIDA course

■ The National Institute of Dramatic Art is now accepting applications for the 2017 intake to its popular higher education courses in the dramatic arts.

■ Sisters' Market will hold a pop up market in Melbourne Central's Link Bridge Level 2, over busy Lonsdale St, on six dates during July.

■ Emily Woods has made the permanent move to The Age, after working at the Shepparton News.

■ Jill Mansfield, widow of the late Melbourne radio broadcaster, Bruce Mansfield, made a guest appearance on 3AW last week to thank listeners for their condolence messages. She appeared with Philip Brady, Simon Owens and Peter Hitchener.

■ We Will Rock You, the worldwide smash hit musical by Queen and Ben Elton, is set to launch at the Regent Theatre, Melbourne, from August 28.

■ Actress Amanda Muggleton will appear in The Book Club which has its opening night at the Southbank Theatre on Tuesday, July 26.

■ Eltham Bookshop, in partnership with Monash Asia Institute, Monash University and Margaret River Press is tonight (Wed.) hosting author Isabelle Li in conversation with Eleanor Jackson, editor of Peril magazine.

■ Millions of people across Australia will pause to complete the 17th national Census of Population and Housing on August 9, in what could be the country’s largest online event.

■ The Victorian Artists' Society has congratulated member Betina Fauvel-Ogden from the Friday group of painters for her success of winning the prestigious Archibald Packing Room Prize with her portrait of Australian chef and restaurateur George Calombaris.

■ Christopher Gillett has joined Ten’s national current affairs program, The Project as a Producer. He was previously a journalist at the Herald Sun for six years covering general news, the city and urban affairs.

■ Derryn Hinch and Steve Price appeared on Monday’s edition of Q&A (ABC-TV).

Page 8 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016

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Pages From The Past

● Monbulk: main street.

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 - Page 9

Monbulk, The Dandenongs Nostalgia Collection

● ‘Nancye Belle’ Cafe, Monbulk

● The concrete bridge, Monbulk

● Monbulk, main road

● ‘Railway curve at Monbulk’

● ‘Mountain highway’, Monbulk

● Panorama at Monbulk

● Main road, Monbulk

g 10 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, y, July y 13,, 2016 Page

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Freemasons have ‘a night in Chicago’ Helpers for 3BA Christmas in July appeal

● Sturt-Buninyong United Lodge's Alan Glasson and Ken Jenkin help Uniting Care crisis support coordinator Naomi Bailey stock shelves.

Photo courtesy of the Ballarat Courier ■ Members of Sturt-Buninyong United Lodge have worked hard this past year to raise much needed funds for 3BA's Christmas in July Appeal.

The Freemasons Foundation stepped in soon after the figure raised was announced, and helped Sturt-Buninyong United Lodge by matching every dollar raised.

By holding sausage sizzles and fruit markets, the Lodge was able to help fill the shelves at Uniting Care full of food and household items that will help support the community through the toughest season of the year - winter.

"These shelves at Uniting Care were near-empty about three weeks ago,” Ken Jenkin said, "This makes all of the hard work worthwhile, especially when you see just how much food our donation can buy".

Uniting Care makes up food parcels for those in need, which help hundreds of people in Ballarat.

Christmas in July Appeal Director Peter Caligari said that the support from the Freemasons was a welcome boost when needed most, and when there is an escalating demand from less-fortunate families for assistance during the cold winter months.

The appeal supports the city's leading welfare organisations Uniting Care, Anglicare, the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul.

Uniting Care crisis support coordinator Naomi Bailey said the mid-year appeal helped provide supper for those in need right through until Christmas.

Without the appeal, Ms Bailey said Uniting Care would have to channel funds from other programs to help ensure they did not have to turn people away.

This is the 16th year of the 3BA Christmas in July Appeal. The Christmas Appeal, at the year's end, is approaching its 37th year of helping brighten-up the festive season.

■ Pin-stripe suits, shiny white shoes and gangster hats were back in style for Freemasons Victoria's Chicago Night last week, which saw more than 150 guests, partners and sponsors attend the Melrose Function Centre in Tullamarine.

The event, hosted by Garibaldi Lodge, The Lodge of the Golden Fleece and Melbourne St. Claire Reunion Lodge, was coordinated to raise funds for the Northern Health Foundation, and included a fantastic international Italian band, The Gentleman's Swing Band, led by Robert Severini, a live and silent auction, raffle, dancing and a wonderful five-course dinner.

Among the auction items was a dinner voucher to any of famous chef George Colombaris's restaurants to the value of $250 plus a signed copy of his latest cook-book and dinner for ten with Sardinian chef Stefano Rassu.

Also up for grabs were a signed Melbourne Victory coccer ball, Swarovski jewellery and a number of specialty wine packs totalling $2350.

Many were eyeing off the raffle prizes - a Samsung 50" television worth $1800, a La Notte Voucher valued at $500 and other great prizes totalling more than $700.

Event spokesman and member of Garibaldi Lodge, Matt Donat,o said he was thrilled with the evening, and very proud to announce the final fundraising figure.

"Tonight, we have raised $80,580," he announced. "This is a fantastic effort and will help the Northern Health Foundation to continue providing quality health services to the northern community now and into the future", he said.

Other supporters and sponsors for the event included North Link, Bully Zero Foundation, Turi Foods, Northern Centre for Health Education and Research, Gymboree, Revlon, Scoozi Restaurant and Puffing Billy.

● Garibaldi Lodge's Matt Donato and Lodge of St. Mark Lodge's Emmanuel Marabeliotakis.

Renovation works at Bairnsdale

● The foundation stone was discovered at Bairnsdale ■ Bairnsdale Masonic Centre is having a major renovation.

This isn't just a face lift.This work will ensure the Centre continues to be then Syria, Lebanon and North the vibrant meeting place that it has been for more than 125 years.

Alamein.

Sadly, his service didn't finish there.

Work is well underway with the After a short break back home when cupboard removed and the old door he married his wife, he was sent to way closed in to allow a more direct the sea-board landings in New Guinea entry into the Lodge room. where he spent a further eight months.

The supper room floor is now beThe keen musician that he was, ing replaced and the fireplaces have Bob brought his violin with him to the war. The relic is still in perfect condi- been closed over.

Concrete has now also been laid tion all but for its case, and sitting proudly in his shed which is a trea- over new stumps. sure trove of all of the pieces that make During the excavation process, the up a very full life. building's foundation stone was dis"This is where I keep my most trea- covered. The Stone was laid on Sepsured item," Bob said, as he motioned tember 9 by Frank Webb. towards an old cupboard in the shed.

According to the Victorian Heri"This is the one I wear to the footy", tage Council, the Bairnsdale Masonic he said.

Bob had pulled out two jackets. Centre was built in 1891 (added in front One, the jacket he wore as Gun Ser- of an earlier structure) to the design geant during the war, and the other, of Bairnsdale architect A. F. Kraemer. his late father's woollen overcoat.

It features a formal facade in brick Bob was awarded the British Em- and cement, flanked by pavilions conpire Medal in 1983 for his service to taining segmentally pedimented winpipe bands and the prestigious Sir dows.

Rupert Hamer Award for outstanding Today, three Freemasons Lodges service to the pipe community in 1990.

The list of awards now includes an meet at the Centre as well as six other OAM, but as Margaret, Bob's sister orders, making the Bairnsdale Masonic Centre a regular hive of activsaid: "He has been very very lucky…" ity.

Bob Semple: piper, veteran, survivor Bro. Robert (Bob) Semple, BEM (British Empire Medal), OAM A humble man who doesn't like to brag, Bob Semple said that he was surprised to learn that he had been awarded an Order of Australia Medal in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours, for service to the community through pipe and drum bands and veterans' organisations.

It's not hard to see why Bob has earned this honour, with more than 70 years under his belt playing with pipe bands across the country and overseas.

Bob has been a member of the Hawthorn City Pipe Band since 1946 and Drum Major since 1960.

He is a Life Member and Judge at the Victorian Highland Pipe Band Association and Life Member and Honorary Chieftain for Pipe Bands Australia.

He was Vice-Principal Dress and Drill for Pipe Bands Victoria for 10 years and member of the Rats of Tobruk Memorial Pipe Bands and Drums since 1997.

He has also attended the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 1997, 2001, 2005 and been Life Member since 2008.

● Bob Semple OAM

Bob is also the Vice President of the Victoria Branch of the Rats of Tobruk Association and at 96 years of age, still attends primary and secondary schools as guest speaker to educate students about The Siege of Tobruk, inwhich he was involved.

When asked where the passion for pipes and drums came from, Bob said that he always had an interest in music as a young boy and it was part of his Scottish heritage.

He also said that to this day he still enjoys the mateship that playing in a band can bring.

"There are four main principles that I have lived my life by: mateship, loyalty, integrity and respect. I have carried these values with me though the war, through work, through Freemasonry and through my bands," he said.

At just 16 years of age, in 1936, Bob enrolled as a cadet with the Scottish Regiment Cadet Corps, then served in the 18th Battalion at age 18, in 1938.

He remained in service until the war finished. He served in the Middle East as Gun Sergeant with the 2nd 12th Australian Field Regiment of the 9th Division, in the Siege of Tobruk,

To find out more about Freemasonry, how to become a member, or attend upcoming public events, please visit www.freemasonsvic.net.au Or ‘like’ our FaceBook page www.facebook.com/freemasonsvic for the most up to date information.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au Melbourne

Observer

Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 - Page 11

West Hollywood

Aussie wine makes its mark in US

■ Hi everyone, from my suite at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites comes this week's news.

Clinton wants Hamilton

Hudson Brokers sell well

■ After 18 months of selling to some of the country’s best restaurants and retailers, Hudson Wine Brokers, the boutique Australian wine importer, is opening its doors to everyone who enjoys premium Oz wines from diverse regions across the nation.

I, along with thousands of expats, am extremely happy with this development. Check out the website to see the fabulous wines that are now coming into America through Hudson Wine Brokers: www.hudsonwine.us Pictured at an Australian Consulate function are wine expert, Paul Birchell, Ramada Plaza Managing Director Alan Johnson with Henry Hudson, Director of Hudson Wine Brokers.

They are all waiting for the food to be cooked on the famous ‘Egg’ cooker that Bob Hart from 3AW always talks about.

California is huge ■ California has overtaken France as the sixth largest economy in the world as a result of good growth, large technology companies, booming agricultural and manufacturing industries and a strong US dollar.

The state's gross domestic product of $2.5 trillion grew by 4.1 percent in 2015 compared with a 2.4 percent increase in the US..

● Paul Birchell, Alan Johnson and Henry Hudson

GoT: hefty pay rises

● Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones ■ The stars of the Emmy-winning drama are in line to receive hefty salary raises for the likely eighth and potentially final season of the fantasy drama based on the books by George R.R. Martin.

Due to score sizable pay bumps are leads Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister).

They'll each earn upward of $500,000 per episode of season seven, which has already been announced and in the likely eighth season (which is all but a formality).

The raises for season seven come as part of an option HBO had with the cast as part of their last deal, signed in October 2014, that saw the five stars each become among the highest-paid actors on cable TV. The premium cable network had the option on season seven, and that has now been exercised and packaged with season eight.

While the five stars are locked in, it does not guarantee that their characters will survive through what is expected to be the end of the series.

Game of Thrones ranks as HBO's most-watched series ever and is the premium outlet's longest-running show currently on the air.

Bye Bye $10mil. pie

■ After being arrested in January on domestic violence charges, American Pie singer Don McLean has announced that he and his wife are divorcing - with Patrisha McLean landing a $10 million settlement.

Tough for guys, girls

■ New physical standards established so women can compete for combat posts in the Marine Corps have weeded out many of the female hopefuls. But they're also disqualifying some men.

In the last five months, 6 out of 7 female recruits - and 40 out of about 1500 male recruits - failed to pass the new regimen of pull-ups, ammunition-can lifts, a three-mile run and combat maneuvers required to move on in training for combat jobs, according to the data.

GavinWood

From my Suite at the Ramada Plaza Complex on Santa Monica Blvd

Finding Dory record

■ That's the biggest domestic opening ever for an animated film; Dwayne Jonson and Kevin Hart's action comedy Central Intelligence opened to a solid $34.5 million.

Good things come to those who wait - at least in the case of a forgetful blue fish named Dory.

Some 13 years after Finding Nemo first hit theatres, Pixar and Disney's seque Finding Dory made a gigantic splash at the box office, landing the biggest domestic opening of all time for an animated title with $136.2 million from 4305 theatres.

It's also the only animated movie to crack the overall list of top 20 openings, ranking No. 18.

Finding Dory's Friday haul of $55.2 million marked the largest single day ever for an animated film, eclipsing the record $47 million earned by Shrek the Third on its first Saturday.

Finding Dory kicked things off by earning $9.2 million in Thursday night previews, likewise a record for an animated pic, besting last year's Minions ($6.2 million)

www.gavinwood.us

● Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton ■ Hamilton writer and star Lin-Manuel Miranda is reportedly at the top of the Hillary Clinton campaign's wish list for desired performances at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

According to Politico, Democratic operatives have reached out to the in-demand Broadway star as part of the campaign's push to appeal to younger, more diverse demographics.

Miranda is an unlikely booking, as he is scheduled to be shooting a new Mary Poppins film in London the week of the Democratic convention.

The U.S. Presidents - Revealed.

1. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) is the only US President who was also a licensed bartender. He was co-owner of Berry and Lincoln, a saloon in Springfield, Illinois.

2. The only President to be unanimously elected was George Washington (1732-1799). He also refused to accept his presidential salary, which was $25,000 a year.

3. Because the KKK was a powerful political force, Truman was encouraged to join the organisation. According to some accounts, he was inducted, though he was "never active." Other accounts claim that though he gave the KKK a $10 membership fee, he demanded it back and was never inducted or initiated.

4. Grover Cleveland was the only President in history to hold the job of a hangman. He was once the sheriff of Erie County, New York, and twice had to spring the trap at a hanging.

5. The "S" in Harry S Truman doesn't stand for anything; therefore, there is no full stop after his middle initial.

6. Lincoln Logs are named after Abraham Lincoln and the log cabin where he was born. John Lloyd Wright, son of famous architect Francis Lloyd Wright, invented them.

7. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams once travelled to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit Shakespeare's birthplace. While there, they took a knife to one of Shakespeare's chairs so they could take home some wood chips as souvenirs.

8. James Madison and Thomas Jefferson were once arrested together for taking a carriage ride in the countryside of Vermont on a Sunday, which violated the laws of that state.

9. Andrew Johnson is the only tailor ever to be President.

As President, he would typically stop by a tailor shop to say hello. He would wear only the suits that he made himself.

10. "Teddy Bears" were so named when Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt (1858-1919) refused to shoot a small bear cub one day. The incident was reported in the news, which inspired a toy manufacture to come out with the cute stuffed animals.

11. George Washington never lived in the White House.

The capital was actually located in Philadelphia and other cities when Washington was President. He is also the only President who didn't represent a political party.

12. James Abram Garfield (1831-1881) is the first President to ever talk on the phone. When he spoke to Alexander Graham Bell, who was at the other end 13 miles away, he said: "Please speak a little more slowly."

13. Twenty-ninth president Warren Gamaliel Harding (1865-1923) repeatedly made love to a young girl, Nan Britton, in a White House closet. On one occasion, Secret Service agents had to stop his wife from beating down the closet door.

14. Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was the first president to be inaugurated in Washington, D.C. 15. After President Bush Sr. vomited on the Japanese Prime Minister, a new word entered the Japanese language.

Bushusuru means "to do the Bush thing", or to publicly vomit.

We’d love to see you

■ If you are considering a move to Los Angeles or just coming over for a holiday then I have got a special deal for you.

We would love to see you at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites, 8585 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood.

I have secured a terrific holiday deal for readers of the Melbourne Observer.

Please mention 'Melbourne Observer' when you book and you will receive the 'Special Rate of the Day'.

Please contact Joanna at info@ramadaweho.com Happy Holidays, Gavin Wood

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Page 12 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016

■ Israel Isidore Baline was born in imperial Russia in 1888. He was one of eight children and his father was a cantor.

The Jewish family immigrated to the US in 1893 and settled in New York where they lived in great poverty.

His father died when Israel was only 13 and the young boy left school to sell newspapers to help support his family.

Israel enjoyed singing in the saloons and later became a singing waiter. He taught himself to play piano but never took a lesson in his life. He could only play in F sharp and mostly used the black keys.

His surname name changed to ‘Berlin’ due to a typing error on the sheet music of his first published song Marie of Sunny Italy and as a result Israel Baline became Irving Berlin.

Irving began as a successful lyricist working in Tin Pan Alley and then on Broadway shows.

In 1911 he wrote the melody and the lyrics to Alexander's Ragtime Band. It went virtually unnoticed until the great Emma Carus performed it in her vaudeville show.

The song was included in a Broadway musical before it spread across the country and sold a million copies of sheet music.

At that time Irving could not read music - he worked out the tune in his head and hired a transcriber to write the actual sheet music.

Irving married Dorothy Goetz in 1912 but when they went on their honeymoon to Cuba,

Whatever Happened To ...

Irving Berlin

By Kevin Trask of 3AW and 96.5 Inner FM Dorothy contracted typhoid fever and died six months later.

During the First World War, Irving was drafted into the Army and wrote a musical revue which was titled Yip Yip Yaphank and the cast was made up of real soldiers.

The show was a fundraiser and it eventually went to Broadway - some of the songs included Mandy and Oh! How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning.

In 1926 Irving married Ellin Mackay and they had four children. During an absence from his wife Irving wrote one of his most popular songs Always.

There was a dark patch between 1927 and 1932 when Irving could not compose a suc-

● Irving Berlin cessful song. His career was resurrected when Rudy Vallee began singing his material and Irving was inspired to write How Deep Is The Ocean.

Irving Berlin wrote for films, stage musicals and the hit parade.

During the Second World War he wrote another Broadway show, This Is The Army, which once again starred real soldiers.

This Is The Army was made into a film with George Murphy, Joan Leslie and Ronald Reagan. Irving Berlin sings the title song in the film.

Irving wrote many other stage musicals such as The Cocoanuts (with the Marx Brothers), Annie Get Your Gun, Miss Liberty and Call Me Madam.

His hit songs included White Christmas, A Couple Of Swells, Top Hat White Tie And Tails, How About Me, Easter Parade, There's No Business Like Showbusiness and God Bless America.

Irving was given a special Tony Award in 1963 for his many years of distinguished contribution to the American musical.

Irving Berlin died in his sleep on September 22 1989 in New York City of natural causes at the age of 101.

I can't help thinking how proud his parents would have been of this man who rose from the depths of poverty to become the famous composer of the wonderful tunes that we all know and love - a genius in the world of music.

- Kevin Trask The Time Tunnel - on Remember When - Sundays at 9.10pm on 3AW That's Entertainment - 96.5FM Sundays at 12 Noon 96.5FM is streaming on the internet.

To listen, go to www.innerfm.org.au and follow the prompts.

6000 beanies go to the Outback ■ It's on again. The stupid Beanie Festival. It's the 20th anniversary of this event, and it looks like being bigger than ever.

Beanies have always annoyed me - I used to argue with Keith McGowan about this. He loved them.

It will come to a climax at the Araluen Centre- more than 6000 beanies have been shipped in from all over

the world. The theme for this year's extravaganza is "Spirit of the Land", which celebrates the ranges, the bush, the sea and the desert.

There have been workshops amongst Aboriginal communities throughout the Territory, explaining the whole concept to the inhabitants.

They often use local textiles, spun on the most ancient machine in the

world, the Pitjantjara spindle. There's Beanie Central, with the articles on sale, and then entertainment, and the announcement of the competition winners.

Jo Dixon, the festival director, said that it's hard to imagine the exhibition until you see it for yourself. I could go along with that.

Thousands of visitors are expected in town to marvel at this event - I won't be one of them.

■ Well, Pauline Hanson is at it again.

The first time she hit the headlines years ago she caused quite a stir among voters in both Queensland and further south.

I heard that about 27 per cent of Queenslanders voted for her, so obviously she was saying something which resonated with them.

And all the southern academics were up in arms that this uneducated, red neck, fish and chip lady was attracting such positive attention.

She was immediately simply branded roundly as a racist, period, and nothing more was thought about, or more investigated by them.

However, I have a few mates in the bush who were quite interested in what she had to say, and carefully read, and analysed, her speeches and her pronouncements, and didn't like the arrogance of her detractors.

One incident concerning her crossed my path. I picked up an Aboriginal friend of mine, Danny Colson, a Stolen Generation Pit elder, and a fine upstanding religious man of integrity, early one morning and we headed for the nearby opal field of Lambina, where he had an opal claim he wanted me to work with him.

My car broke down and we had to walk five kilometres into Marla for a tow truck.

"You know this Pauline Hanson," he mentioned as we wandered along, "I'm her greatest fan - she's trying to eradicate welfare dependency, which is destroying my people." Touché, I thought.

■ I've often stated that I don't like dot paintings much, but they caught the imagination of the arty public a couple of decades ago, and prices soared to record heights.

Several times each day I was approached in my shop by artists, or more likely their "cousins", to purchase

The Outback Legend

with Nick Le Souef Lightning Ridge Opals 63 Elizabeth St, Melbourne Phone 9654 4444 www.opals.net.au one of their offerings. I did find some were highly agreeable, but most of them didn't interest me at all - they were from OK to just plain awful.

It seems that the art market is finally waking up to the dubious investment nature of these works, and their value has been dropping of late.

However, what has always mystified me was the fact that the Hermansburg School paintings were ignored in all of this. These are the Namatjira style of Outback watercolours, depicting white ghost gums and the purple Macdonnell ranges in the background, with glowing orange rocky outcrops.

I've always loved them, and now artist Malcolm Arnold is suggesting a Namatjira Festival.

Fifty years ago writer Joyce Batty held an Albert Namatjira National Art Competition, and Malcolm became smitten then.

So, with luck, this may be up and running soon.

■ And then of course there are the miscreants. One driver had filled himself with alcohol and Valium and then

proceeded along the road. He collided with Emma O'Connor in October last year, and it's just come to court. He flung her off her motorbike with critical injuries, confining her permanently to a wheelchair. He was sentenced for six years for this incident.

Then another gentleman had punched and kicked and stomped on his wife, raining about 44 blows onto her. He "hit his missus the wrong way," he told Police, a lawyer labelling the assault as a "disgraceful beating with the most horrible consequences."

She succumbed about half an hour after the attack, and he was sentenced to 20 years.

Then another chap attacked his mother and father. Firstly his mother was set upon with an axe, which caused broken bones and a cut head.

Then her husband attempted to intervene to protect her, so he whacked him with a sledgehammer.

■ In 1983, in a famous, or infamous, event, a gentleman called Douglas Crabbe was drinking at the Inland Hotel at the Rock. He had driven a 25 tonne semi-trailer there, and had been in the pub all day. He was denied service, and evicted from the bar at about midnight, having been involved in an altercation.

So he walked back to his truck, and unhooked one of the trailers, and drove straight through the brick wall of the pub. Four people were killed instantly, and a fifth died later in hospital.

He jumped from his truck and fled, and was picked up and arrested 22 kms away next morning.

He is now 69, and was originally sentenced to five consecutive life sentences, with no release. Later that was reduced to 30 years without parole.

However, he is now eligible for parole in a few weeks, but one of the survivors of the crash, Lydia Hannah, is lobbying hard to prevent this occurring. She's obviously still quite bitter about the whole episode. "I would like to see him serve the sentence he was originally given for the crime. I don't think it's appropriate for mass murderers to walk out on the streets."

He's had 30 years inside, so we'll see what happens. You'd reckon that he's had enough time to reflect on the error of his ways. These days, some miscreants with more malicious intent aforethought just get an immediate parole.

Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 - Page 13

Observer Classic Books

Little Women (or Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy)

Continued From Last Week “No, you won’t!” cried Jo, hugging her close, with a frightened look. “Oh, Beth, if you should be sick I never could forgive myself! What shall we do?”

“Don’t be frightened, I guess I shan’t have it badly. I looked in Mother’s book, and saw that it begins with headache, sore throat, and queer feelings like mine, so I did take some belladonna, and I feel better,” said Beth, laying her cold hands on her hot forehead and trying to look well.

“If Mother was only at home!” exclaimed Jo, seizing the book, and feeling that Washington was an immense way off. She read a page, looked at Beth, felt her head, peeped into her throat, and then said gravely, “You’ve been over the baby every day for more than a week, and among the others who are going to have it, so I’m afraid you are going to have it, Beth. I’ll call Hannah, she knows all about sickness.”

“Don’t let Amy come. She never had it, and I should hate to give it to her. Can’t you and Meg have it over again?” asked Beth, anxiously.

“I guess not. Don’t care if I do. Serve me right, selfish pig, to let you go, and stay writing rubbish myself!” muttered Jo, as she went to consult Hannah.

The good soul was wide awake in a minute, and took the lead at once, assuring that there was no need to worry; every one had scarlet fever, and if rightly treated, nobody died, all of which Jo believed, and felt much relieved as they went up to call Meg. “Now I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” said Hannah, when she had examined and questioned Beth, “we will have Dr. Bangs, just to take a look at you, dear, and see that we start right. Then we’ll send Amy off to Aunt March’s for a spell, to keep her out of harm’s way, and one of you girls can stay at home and amuse Beth for a day or two.”

“I shall stay, of course, I’m oldest,” began Meg, looking anxious and self-reproachful.

“I shall, because it’s my fault she is sick. I told Mother I’d do the errands, and I haven’t,” said Jo decidedly.

“Which will you have, Beth? There ain’t no need of but one,” aid Hannah.

“Jo, please.” And Beth leaned her head against her sister with a contented look, which effectually settled that point.

“I’ll go and tell Amy,” said Meg, feeling a little hurt, yet rather relieved on the whole, for she did not like nursing, and Jo did.

Amy rebelled outright, and passionately declared that she had rather have the fever than go to Aunt March. Meg reasoned, pleaded, and commanded, all in vain. Amy protested that she would not go, and Meg left her in despair to ask Hannah what should be done. Before she came back, Laurie walked into the parlor to find Amy sobbing, with her head in the sofa cushions. She told her story, expecting to be consoled, but Laurie only put his hands in his pockets and walked about the room, whistling softly, as he knit his brows in deep thought. Presently he sat down beside her, and said, in his most wheedlesome tone, “Now be a sensible little woman, and do as they say. No, don’t cry, but hear what a jolly plan I’ve got. You go to Aunt March’s, and I’ll come and take you out every day, driving or walking, and we’ll have capital times. Won’t that be better than moping here?”

“I don’t wish to be sent off as if I was in the way,” began Amy, in an injured voice.

“Bless your heart, child, it’s to keep you well.

You don’t want to be sick, do you?”

“No, I’m sure I don’t, but I dare say I shall be, for I’ve been with Beth all the time.”

“That’s the very reason you ought to go away at once, so that you may escape it. Change of air and care will keep you well, I dare say, or if it does not entirely, you will have the fever more lightly. I advise you to be off as soon as you can, for scarlet fever is no joke, miss.”

“But it’s dull at Aunt March’s, and she is so cross,” said Amy, looking rather frightened.

“It won’t be dull with me popping in every day to tell you how Beth is, and take you out gallivanting. The old lady likes me, and I’ll be as sweet as possible to her, so she won’t peck at us, whatever we do.”

r

e rv se US N Ob N IO BO CT SE

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

which I’ve no doubt she will be, looks like it now. Don’t cry, child, it worries me to hear people sniff.”

Amy was on the point of crying, but Laurie slyly pulled the parrot’s tail, which caused Polly to utter an astonished croak and call out, “Bless my boots!” in such a funny way, that she laughed instead.

“What do you hear from your mother?” asked the old lady gruffly.

“Father is much better,” replied Jo, trying to keep sober.

“Oh, is he? Well, that won’t last long, I fancy.

March never had any stamina,” was the cheerful reply.

“Ha, ha! Never say die, take a pinch of snuff, goodbye, goodbye!” squalled Polly, dancing on her perch, and clawing at the old lady’s cap as Laurie tweaked him in the rear.

“Hold your tongue, you disrespectful old bird!

And, Jo, you’d better go at once. It isn’t proper to be gadding about so late with a rattlepated boy like . . . ” “Hold your tongue, you disrespectful old bird!” cried Polly, tumbling off the chair with a bounce, and running to peck the ‘rattlepated’ boy, who was shaking with laughter at the last speech.

“I don’t think I can bear it, but I’ll try,” thought Amy, as she was left alone with Aunt March.

“Get along, you fright!” screamed Polly, and at that rude speech Amy could not restrain a sniff.

Chapter Eighteen Dark Days Beth did have the fever, and was much sicker than anyone but Hannah and the doctor suspected. The girls knew nothing about illness, and Mr. Laurence was not allowed to see her, so Hannah had everything her own way, and busy Dr. Bangs did his best, but left a good deal to the excellent nurse. Meg stayed at home, lest she should infect the Kings, and kept house, feeling very anxious and a little guilty when she wrote letters in which no mention was made of Beth’s illness. She could not think it right to deceive her mother, but she had been bidden to mind Hannah, and Hannah wouldn’t hear of ‘Mrs. March bein’ told, and worried just for sech a trifle.’

Jo devoted herself to Beth day and night, not a hard task, for Beth was very patient, and bore her pain uncomplainingly as long as she could control herself. But there came a time when during the fever fits she began to talk in a hoarse, Louisa May Alcott “Will you take me out in the trotting wagon with won’t be sick long, and Hannah knows just what broken voice, to play on the coverlet as if on her Puck?” to do, and Mother said we were to mind her, so beloved little piano, and try to sing with a throat “On my honor as a gentleman.”

I suppose we must, but it doesn’t seem quite so swollen that there was no music left, a time when she did not know the familiar faces around “And come every single day?” right to me.”

“See if I don’t!”

“Hum, well, I can’t say. Suppose you ask Grand- her, but addressed them by wrong names, and called imploringly for her mother. Then Jo grew “And bring me back the minute Beth is well?” father after the doctor has been.”

“The identical minute.”

“We will. Jo, go and get Dr. Bangs at once,” frightened, Meg begged to be allowed to write “And go to the theater, truly?” commanded Meg. “We can’t decide anything the truth, and even Hannah said she ‘would think of it, though there was no danger yet’. A letter “A dozen theaters, if we may.” till he has been.”

“Well — I guess I will,” said Amy slowly.

“Stay where you are, Jo. I’m errand boy to this from Washington added to their trouble, for Mr. “Good girl! Call Meg, and tell her you’ll give establishment,” said Laurie, taking up his cap. March had had a relapse, and could not think of coming home for a long while. in,” said Laurie, with an approving pat, which “I’m afraid you are busy,” began Meg. How dark the days seemed now, how sad and annoyed Amy more than the ‘giving in’.

“No, I’ve done my lessons for the day.” lonely the house, and how heavy were the hearts Meg and Jo came running down to behold the “Do you study in vacation time?” asked Jo. miracle which had been wrought, and Amy, feel- “I follow the good example my neighbors set of the sisters as they worked and waited, while ing very precious and self-sacrificing, prom- me,” was Laurie’s answer, as he swung him- the shadow of death hovered over the once happy home. Then it was that Margaret, sitting ised to go, if the doctor said Beth was going to self out of the room. be ill.

“I have great hopes for my boy,” observed Jo, alone with tears dropping often on her work, felt “How is the little dear?” asked Laurie, for Beth watching him fly over the fence with an approv- how rich she had been in things more precious than any luxuries money could buy — in love, was his especial pet, and he felt more anxious ing smile. about her than he liked to show.

“He does very well, for a boy,” was Meg’s some- protection, peace, and health, the real blessings “She is lying down on Mother’s bed, and feels what ungracious answer, for the subject did not of life. Then it was that Jo, living in the darkened room, with that suffering little sister albetter. The baby’s death troubled her, but I dare interest her. say she has only got cold. Hannah says she Dr. Bangs came, said Beth had symptoms of the ways before her eyes and that pathetic voice thinks so, but she looks worried, and that makes fever, but he thought she would have it lightly, sounding in her ears, learned to see the beauty me fidgety,” answered Meg. though he looked sober over the Hummel story. and the sweetness of Beth’s nature, to feel how “What a trying world it is!” said Jo, rumpling up Amy was ordered off at once, and provided with deep and tender a place she filled in all hearts, her hair in a fretful way. “No sooner do we get something to ward off danger, she departed in and to acknowledge the worth of Beth’s unselfish ambition to live for others, and make home out of one trouble than down comes another. great state, with Jo and Laurie as escort.

There doesn’t seem to be anything to hold on to Aunt March received them with her usual hos- happy by that exercise of those simple virtues which all may possess, and which all should when Mother’s gone, so I’m all at sea.” pitality.

“Well, don’t make a porcupine of yourself, it “What do you want now?” she asked, looking love and value more than talent, wealth, or isn’t becoming. Settle your wig, Jo, and tell me sharply over her spectacles, while the parrot, beauty. And Amy, in her exile, longed eagerly to be at home, that she might work for Beth, feelif I shall telegraph to your mother, or do any- sitting on the back of her chair, called out . . . ing now that no service would be hard or irkthing?” asked Laurie, who never had been rec- “Go away. No boys allowed here.” onciled to the loss of his friend’s one beauty.

Laurie retired to the window, and Jo told her some, and remembering, with regretful grief, how many neglected tasks those willing hands “That is what troubles me,” said Meg. “I think story. we ought to tell her if Beth is really ill, but “No more than I expected, if you are allowed to had done for her. Laurie haunted the house like Hannah says we mustn’t, for Mother can’t leave go poking about among poor folks. Amy can a restless ghost, and Mr. Laurence locked the Continued on Page 14 Father, and it will only make them anxious. Beth stay and make herself useful if she isn’t sick,

Page 14 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016

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Observer Classic Books From Page 13 grand piano, because he could not bear to be reminded of the young neighbor who used to make the twilight pleasant for him. Everyone missed Beth. The milkman, baker, grocer, and butcher inquired how she did, poor Mrs. Hummel came to beg pardon for her thoughtlessness and to get a shroud for Minna, the neighbors sent all sorts of comforts and good wishes, and even those who knew her best were surprised to find how many friends shy little Beth had made.

Meanwhile she lay on her bed with old Joanna at her side, for even in her wanderings she did not forget her forlorn protege. She longed for her cats, but would not have them brought, lest they should get sick, and in her quiet hours she was full of anxiety about Jo. She sent loving messages to Amy, bade them tell her mother that she would write soon, and often begged for pencil and paper to try to say a word, that Father might not think she had neglected him. But soon even these intervals of consciousness ended, and she lay hour after hour, tossing to and fro, with incoherent words on her lips, or sank into a heavy sleep which brought her no refreshment.

Dr. Bangs came twice a day, Hannah sat up at night, Meg kept a telegram in her desk all ready to send off at any minute, and Jo never stirred from Beth’s side.

The first of December was a wintry day indeed to them, for a bitter wind blew, snow fell fast, and the year seemed getting ready for its death.

When Dr. Bangs came that morning, he looked long at Beth, held the hot hand in both his own for a minute, and laid it gently down, saying, in a low voice to Hannah, “If Mrs. March can leave her husband she’d better be sent for.”

Hannah nodded without speaking, for her lips twitched nervously, Meg dropped down into a chair as the strength seemed to go out of her limbs at the sound of those words, and Jo, standing with a pale face for a minute, ran to the parlor, snatched up the telegram, and throwing on her things, rushed out into the storm. She was soon back, and while noiselessly taking off her cloak, Laurie came in with a letter, saying that Mr. March was mending again. Jo read it thankfully, but the heavy weight did not seem lifted off her heart, and her face was so full of misery that Laurie asked quickly, “What is it? Is Beth worse?”

“I’ve sent for Mother,” said Jo, tugging at her rubber boots with a tragic expression.

“Good for you, Jo! Did you do it on your own responsibility?” asked Laurie, as he seated her in the hall chair and took off the rebellious boots, seeing how her hands shook.

“No. The doctor told us to.”

“Oh, Jo, it’s not so bad as that?” cried Laurie, with a startled face.

“Yes, it is. She doesn’t know us, she doesn’t even talk about the flocks of green doves, as she calls the vine leaves on the wall. She doesn’t look like my Beth, and there’s nobody to help us bear it. Mother and father both gone, and God seems so far away I can’t find Him.” As the tears streamed fast down poor Jo’s cheeks, she stretched out her hand in a helpless sort of way, as if groping in the dark, and Laurie took it in his, whispering as well as he could with a lump in his throat, “I’m here. Hold on to me, Jo, dear!”

She could not speak, but she did ‘hold on’, and the warm grasp of the friendly human hand comforted her sore heart, and seemed to lead her nearer to the Divine arm which alone could uphold her in her trouble.

Laurie longed to say something tender and comfortable, but no fitting words came to him, so he stood silent, gently stroking her bent head as her mother used to do. It was the best thing he could have done, far more soothing than the most eloquent words, for Jo felt the unspoken sympathy, and in the silence learned the sweet solace which affection administers to sorrow. Soon she dried the tears which had relieved her, and looked up with a grateful face.

“Thank you, Teddy, I’m better now. I don’t feel so forlorn, and will try to bear it if it comes.”

“Keep hoping for the best, that will help you, Jo. Soon your mother will be here, and then everything will be all right.”

“I’m so glad Father is better. Now she won’t feel so bad about leaving him. Oh, me! It does seem as if all the troubles came in a heap, and I got the heaviest part on my shoulders,” sighed Jo, spreading her wet handkerchief over her knees to dry.

“Doesn’t Meg pull fair?” asked Laurie, looking indignant.

“Oh, yes, she tries to, but she can’t love Bethy as I do, and she won’t miss her as I shall. Beth is my conscience, and I can’t give her up. I can’t!

I can’t!”

Down went Jo’s face into the wet handkerchief, and she cried despairingly, for she had kept up bravely till now and never shed a tear. Laurie drew his hand across his eyes, but could not speak till he had subdued the choky feeling in his throat and steadied his lips. It might be unmanly, but he couldn’t help it, and I am glad of it. Presently, as Jo’s sobs quieted, he said hopefully, “I don’t think she will die. She’s so good, and we all love her so much, I don’t believe God will take her away yet.”

“The good and dear people always do die,” groaned Jo, but she stopped crying, for her friend’s words cheered her up in spite of her own doubts and fears.

“Poor girl, you’re worn out. It isn’t like you to be forlorn. Stop a bit. I’ll hearten you up in a jiffy.”

Laurie went off two stairs at a time, and Jo laid her wearied head down on Beth’s little brown hood, which no one had thought of moving from the table where she left it. It must have possessed some magic, for the submissive spirit of its gentle owner seemed to enter into Jo, and when Laurie came running down with a glass of wine, she took it with a smile, and said bravely, “I drink — Health to my Beth! You are a good doctor, Teddy, and such a comfortable friend.

How can I ever pay you?” she added, as the wine refreshed her body, as the kind words had done her troubled mind.

“I’ll send my bill, by-and-by, and tonight I’ll give you something that will warm the cockles of your heart better than quarts of wine,” said Laurie, beaming at her with a face of suppressed satisfaction at something.

“What is it?” cried Jo, forgetting her woes for a minute in her wonder.

“I telegraphed to your mother yesterday, and Brooke answered she’d come at once, and she’ll be here tonight, and everything will be all right.

Aren’t you glad I did it?”

Laurie spoke very fast, and turned red and excited all in a minute, for he had kept his plot a secret, for fear of disappointing the girls or harming Beth. Jo grew quite white, flew out of her chair, and the moment he stopped speaking she electrified him by throwing her arms round his neck, and crying out, with a joyful cry, “Oh, Laurie! Oh, Mother! I am so glad!” She did not weep again, but laughed hysterically, and trembled and clung to her friend as if she was a little bewildered by the sudden news.

Laurie, though decidedly amazed, behaved with great presence of mind. He patted her back soothingly, and finding that she was recovering, followed it up by a bashful kiss or two, which brought Jo round at once. Holding on to the banisters, she put him gently away, saying breathlessly, “Oh, don’t! I didn’t mean to, it was dreadful of me, but you were such a dear to go and do it in spite of Hannah that I couldn’t help flying at you. Tell me all about it, and don’t give me wine again, it makes me act so.”

“I don’t mind,” laughed Laurie, as he settled his tie. “Why, you see I got fidgety, and so did Grandpa. We thought Hannah was overdoing the authority business, and your mother ought to know. She’d never forgive us if Beth . . . Well, if anything happened, you know. So I got grandpa to say it was high time we did something, and off I pelted to the office yesterday, for the doctor looked sober, and Hannah most took my head off when I proposed a telegram. I never can bear to be ‘lorded over’, so that settled my mind, and I did it. Your mother will come, I know, and the late train is in at two A.M. I shall go for her, and you’ve only got to bottle up your rapture, and keep Beth quiet till that blessed lady gets here.”

“Laurie, you’re an angel! How shall I ever thank you?”

“Fly at me again. I rather liked it,” said Laurie, looking mischievous, a thing he had not done for a fortnight.

“No, thank you. I’ll do it by proxy, when your grandpa comes. Don’t tease, but go home and rest, for you’ll be up half the night. Bless you, Teddy, bless you!”

Jo had backed into a corner, and as she finished her speech, she vanished precipitately into the kitchen, where she sat down upon a dresser and told the assembled cats that she was “happy, oh, so happy!” while Laurie departed, feeling that he had made a rather neat thing of it.

“That’s the interferingest chap I ever see, but I forgive him and do hope Mrs. March is coming

right away,” said Hannah, with an air of relief, when Jo told the good news.

Meg had a quiet rapture, and then brooded over the letter, while Jo set the sickroom in order, and Hannah “knocked up a couple of pies in case of company unexpected”. A breath of fresh air seemed to blow through the house, and something better than sunshine brightened the quiet rooms. Everything appeared to feel the hopeful change. Beth’s bird began to chirp again, and a half-blown rose was discovered on Amy’s bush in the window. The fires seemed to burn with unusual cheeriness, and every time the girls met, their pale faces broke into smiles as they hugged one another, whispering encouragingly, “Mother’s coming, dear! Mother’s coming!”

Every one rejoiced but Beth. She lay in that heavy stupor, alike unconscious of hope and joy, doubt and danger. It was a piteous sight, the once rosy face so changed and vacant, the once busy hands so weak and wasted, the once smiling lips quite dumb, and the once pretty, well-kept hair scattered rough and tangled on the pillow.

All day she lay so, only rousing now and then to mutter, “Water!” with lips so parched they could hardly shape the word. All day Jo and Meg hovered over her, watching, waiting, hoping, and trusting in God and Mother, and all day the snow fell, the bitter wind raged, and the hours dragged slowly by. But night came at last, and every time the clock struck, the sisters, still sitting on either side of the bed, looked at each other with brightening eyes, for each hour brought help nearer.

The doctor had been in to say that some change, for better or worse, would probably take place about midnight, at which time he would return.

Hannah, quite worn out, lay down on the sofa at the bed’s foot and fell fast asleep, Mr. Laurence marched to and fro in the parlor, feeling that he would rather face a rebel battery than Mrs. March’s countenance as she entered. Laurie lay on the rug, pretending to rest, but staring into the fire with the thoughtful look which made his black eyes beautifully soft and clear.

The girls never forgot that night, for no sleep came to them as they kept their watch, with that dreadful sense of powerlessness which comes to us in hours like those.

“If God spares Beth, I never will complain again,” whispered Meg earnestly.

“If god spares Beth, I’ll try to love and serve Him all my life,” answered Jo, with equal fervor.

“I wish I had no heart, it aches so,” sighed Meg, after a pause.

“If life is often as hard as this, I don’t see how we ever shall get through it,” added her sister despondently.

Here the clock struck twelve, and both forgot themselves in watching Beth, for they fancied a change passed over her wan face. The house was still as death, and nothing but the wailing of the wind broke the deep hush. Weary Hannah slept on, and no one but the sisters saw the pale shadow which seemed to fall upon the little bed.

An hour went by, and nothing happened except Laurie’s quiet departure for the station. Another hour, still no one came, and anxious fears of delay in the storm, or accidents by the way, or, worst of all, a great grief at Washington, haunted the girls.

It was past two, when Jo, who stood at the window thinking how dreary the world looked in its winding sheet of snow, heard a movement by the bed, and turning quickly, saw Meg kneeling before their mother’s easy chair with her face hidden. A dreadful fear passed coldly over Jo, as she thought, “Beth is dead, and Meg is afraid to tell me.”

She was back at her post in an instant, and to her excited eyes a great change seemed to have taken place. The fever flush and the look of pain were gone, and the beloved little face looked so pale and peaceful in its utter repose that Jo felt no desire to weep or to lament. Leaning low over this dearest of her sisters, she kissed the damp forehead with her heart on her lips, and softly whispered, “Good-by, my Beth. Goodby!”

As if awaked by the stir, Hannah started out of her sleep, hurried to the bed, looked at Beth, felt her hands, listened at her lips, and then, throwing her apron over her head, sat down to rock to and fro, exclaiming, under her breath, “The fever’s turned, she’s sleepin’ nat’ral, her skin’s damp, and she breathes easy. Praise be given!

Oh, my goodness me!”

Before the girls could believe the happy truth, the doctor came to confirm it. He was a homely man, but they thought his face quite heavenly

when he smiled and said, with a fatherly look at them, “Yes, my dears, I think the little girl will pull through this time. Keep the house quiet, let her sleep, and when she wakes, give her . . . ” What they were to give, neither heard, for both crept into the dark hall, and, sitting on the stairs, held each other close, rejoicing with hearts too full for words. When they went back to be kissed and cuddled by faithful Hannah, they found Beth lying, as she used to do, with her cheek pillowed on her hand, the dreadful pallor gone, and breathing quietly, as if just fallen asleep.

“If Mother would only come now!” said Jo, as the winter night began to wane.

“See,” said Meg, coming up with a white, halfopened rose, “I thought this would hardly be ready to lay in Beth’s hand tomorrow if she — went away from us. But it has blossomed in the night, and now I mean to put it in my vase here, so that when the darling wakes, the first thing she sees will be the little rose, and Mother’s face.”

Never had the sun risen so beautifully, and never had the world seemed so lovely as it did to the heavy eyes of Meg and Jo, as they looked out in the early morning, when their long, sad vigil was done.

“It looks like a fairy world,” said Meg, smiling to herself, as she stood behind the curtain, watching the dazzling sight.

“Hark!” cried Jo, starting to her feet.

Yes, there was a sound of bells at the door below, a cry from Hannah, and then Laurie’s voice saying in a joyful whisper, “Girls, she’s come!

She’s come!”

Chapter Nineteen Amy’s Will While these things were happening at home, Amy was having hard times at Aunt March’s.

She felt her exile deeply, and for the first time in her life, realized how much she was beloved and petted at home. Aunt March never petted any one; she did not approve of it, but she meant to be kind, for the well-behaved little girl pleased her very much, and Aunt March had a soft place in her old heart for her nephew’s children, though she didn’t think it proper to confess it. She really did her best to make Amy happy, but, dear me, what mistakes she made. Some old people keep young at heart in spite of wrinkles and gray hairs, can sympathize with children’s little cares and joys, make them feel at home, and can hide wise lessons under pleasant plays, giving and receiving friendship in the sweetest way. But Aunt March had not this gift, and she worried Amy very much with her rules and orders, her prim ways, and long, prosy talks. Finding the child more docile and amiable than her sister, the old lady felt it her duty to try and counteract, as far as possible, the bad effects of home freedom and indulgence. So she took Amy by the hand, and taught her as she herself had been taught sixty years ago, a process which carried dismay to Amy’s soul, and made her feel like a fly in the web of a very strict spider.

She had to wash the cups every morning, and polish up the old-fashioned spoons, the fat silver teapot, and the glasses till they shone. Then she must dust the room, and what a trying job that was. Not a speck escaped Aunt March’s eye, and all the furniture had claw legs and much carving, which was never dusted to suit. Then Polly had to be fed, the lap dog combed, and a dozen trips upstairs and down to get things or deliver orders, for the old lady was very lame and seldom left her big chair. After these tiresome labors, she must do her lessons, which was a daily trial of every virtue she possessed.

Then she was allowed one hour for exercise or play, and didn’t she enjoy it?

Laurie came every day, and wheedled Aunt March till Amy was allowed to go out with him, when they walked and rode and had capital times. After dinner, she had to read aloud, and sit still while the old lady slept, which she usually did for an hour, as she dropped off over the first page. Then patchwork or towels appeared, and Amy sewed with outward meekness and inward rebellion till dusk, when she was allowed to amuse herself as she liked till teatime. The evenings were the worst of all, for Aunt March fell to telling long stories about her youth, which were so unutterably dull that Amy was always ready to go to bed, intending to cry over her hard fate, but usually going to sleep before she had squeezed out more than a tear or two.

If it had not been for Laurie, and old Esther, the maid, she felt that she never could have got through that dreadful time. The parrot alone was

Continued on Page 23

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 - Page

Travellers’Good Buys

with David Ellis

Mike puts sparkle into English wine

■ The English winemaking industry lost a bit of its bubble last month with the passing of Mike Roberts, the man who did the unthinkable in 2005 when a drop he made at his little Ridgeview Estate in Sussex took out the title of World’s Best Sparkling Wine at the enormously prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competition.

And to prove that it wasn’t an aberration in beating the best of French Champagnes, together with bubblies from 54 other countries world-wide, five years later in 2010 he won a similar World’s Best Sparkling award with another of his English fizzes at the equally impressive Decanter World Wine Awards.

It was enough to have those across the Channel crying into their cuvees and gnashing on their Gauloises’, for not only had most probably never heard of the little village of Ditchling in East Sussex where Mike Roberts and his wife Chris had their Ridgeview Estate winery.

But they learned that Mike had actually jumped ship in mid-life from owning a successful computer business in London, to learning all about and taking-on making sparkling wine.

And when he won that first World’s Best Sparkling Wine title with his 2002 Ridgeview Merret Bloomsbury label, Mike later confided to mates that he actually rang the competition organisers four times just to make sure that he really was the winner.

● Mike and Chris share a quiet moment together with a glass of their own bubbly.

Melbourne

Observer Wines & Liqueurs

with David Ellis

Challenge of changing times ■ As long-time traditionalists who found it hard coming to grips with the idea of ditching the hot turkey at Christmas in favour of cold seafoods and salads, we’re now finding it even more challenging seeing growing numbers going back to “hot” – but in the form of roasts done outdoors on Aussie Christmas Days in covered barbecues.

Quite a number of neighbours, friends and even relatives have told us they’re doing “slow cooked” barbecue-oven roasts this year – beef butts, lamb legs or shoulders, racks, or even piles of shanks – so those who normally sweat it out in the kitchen, can spend more time enjoying the company of guests outdoors near the ice-box.

And when some of these “new age” types asked if we could suggest a good wine to go with their outdoor beef or lamb and accompanying hotbaked trimmings, we suggested splurging a little with a Voyager Estate Margaret River 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot – that would match perfectly with both the beef and the lamb.

Not the cheapest at $70, it is, however, an outstanding drop made from fruit off three exceptional vineyards mainly planted back in the mid-1990s (and some earlier still in 1978,) with wonderful fruit purity on the palate, and a richness and freshness they’ll certainly find hard to beat with those beef or lamb choices.

Great match with “new age” Christmas beef or lamb roasts in the outdoor covered barbecue.

One to note

■ The Hunter Valley’s Andrew Margan, on the other hand, is a traditionalist planning on matching this year’s family honey-baked ham on Christmas Day with his 2014 Margan Chardonnay, a very rewarding drop at a nicely-priced $18 for those of us to whom Chardonnay will always remain a favourite tipple.

2014 was particular good for Chardonnay in the Hunter, and this one is a great buy-now, drink-now wine that’ll reward at the Festive table with lovely aromas of white stone fruit, grapefruit and some oaky creaminess that all follow through nicely on the palate… ideal with Andrew’s honey-baked ham idea, and equally so if you – like us – are opting for cold seafoods and salads for this year’s family celebrations.

Or if you’re doing roast turkey, match it with Andrew’s 2013 Margan Shiraz; at $22 its peppery notes will match perfectly the turkey’s white and dark meats with a herbed stuffing.

Pictured

■ Great match with “new age” Christmas beef or lamb roasts in the outdoor covered barbecue.

■ For traditionalists, equally perfect with Christmas Day honeybaked ham or seafoods.

That win, and his other World’s Best with a 2006 Ridgeview Grosvenor Blanc de Blancs in 2010, was for Mike and Chris just as important for England as it was for themselves, their family and others working on their winery team.

For they considered themselves not anti-French – just proud Brits delighted that together with their couple of dozen or so Trophies, and two hundred-odd medals and other awards they’d won, they were putting English sparkling wine on the map as world-class and to be taken seriously.

Nonetheless Mike was always quick to acknowledge the help that colleagues in France had given him from Ridgeview’s first formative years, including getting the best of vine cuttings from Champagne, and advice whenever needed on grapegrowing and winemaking techniques.

Unlike most wineries that make red and white wines as their major source business, Mike and Chris set out from the start to concentrate solely on making sparkling wine from the fruit off their small 12ha vineyard.

A major reason for this was geographical: France’s Champagne region is renowned for the greatness of its wines because its soils are basically chalk layered over clay – and this extends out and under the English Channel, to rise again in the South Downs of Sussex around the Roberts’ little village of Ditchling.

“As well,” Mike once told me in a note, “we’re just 11km in from the sea, our winters are mild, and our summers dry – and actually quite hot.”

All making for the perfect mix for the perfect bubbly.

But if you are beginning to think that Mike and Chris are somewhat England’s pioneers of sparkling wine, think again – and take a hint from the name of that 2002 Ridgeview Merret Bloomsbury: away, way back in 1662 an Englishman named Christopher Merret gave the world its very first sparkling wine, and published a paper describing in detail how to make it… amazingly 30 years before the French made their first bubbly stuff in Champagne.

Mr Merret in typical British understatement described his drink as “a gay, brisk and sparkling wine,” whereas Dom Perignon on creating France’s first bubbly exclaimed with Gallic abandon: “I dreamt I was drinking stars!”

Mike Roberts sadly passed away after a long illness on November 14 this year, aged 71. He and Chris had founded Ridgeview Estate in 1994 and sold their first commercial bubbly in 1996; today Chris is continuing the family tradition along with their daughter Tamara who is company General Manager, Winemaker son Simon and his wife Mardi who is Sales and Marketing Manager, together with a small and dedicated local team.

Ridgeview Estate is in Fragbarrow Lane, Ditchling Common, East Sussex and open for sales and tastings 11am-4pm Mondays to Saturdays, except January and February (UK Winter) and October (vintage harvest.) Details www.ridgeview.co.uk And finally just in case you’re wondering, a bottle of premium sparkling wine like the Roberts’ Ridgeview, contains something like 250-million bubbles.

Page 16 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016

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Motoring

Homemaker

THE HAMPTONS EVERLASTING STYLE Before

After

For all your renovations, design and styling needs contact Catherine 265A Bluff Rd, Sandringham 9521 6553 m: 0421 644 070 www.thehamptonstyle.com.au

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Real Estate

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Places To Go

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Places To Go

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Observer Victorian Sport Melbourne

Racing Briefs

Dashing style ■ Border hoppers Barry and Jayson Finnis made their regular journey from Mount Gambier to Horsham on Wednesday and were successful with 4-Y-0 Courage Under Fire/Crown Of Thorns gelding Crowning Glory in the Decron Horse Care Pace for C1 class over 2200 metres.

Driven in dashing style by Jayson, Crowning Glory made a swift mid-race move to lead for the final circuit in defeating Forever And A Day and Just Call Me Mac in a rate of 2-00.6.

The pair made it a double when American Ideal/ Thorninmyside 4-Y-0 gelding Jax Navaro snared the Betta Home Living Horsham Pace for C1 class over 1700 metres in almost identical fashion, accounting for Macterra Hawk and Prince Of Zanzibar in 157.6.

Stable double news ■ "Lil" was on fire at Ballarat on Friday, chalking up a stable double with Eyrish Mist (Greg Sugars) in the 2-Y-0 Trotters Handicap and Racer (Rod Petroff) in the 1700m Flying Horse Bistro Claimer.

Eyrish Mist a Monkey Bones-Springfield Helen colt, made it two from two in Oz, leading for most of the 2200m trip from 10m to easily account for Flippin Issy which trailed by 8.6m. Rank outsider Just Oscat was third. he MR 2.06.7.

Mach Three-Reine Guinevere 6-Y-0 gelding Racer was given a cosy passage one/one from gate five, easing three wide on the final bend to register a 3.1metre margin over Major Laugh and Four Needed in 1-56.

Started solo ■ Lance Justice's strong American Ideal-Screen Idol 3-Y-0 gelding Iam Aw Sam snared the Dahlsens Pace for C1 class over 2200 metres at Ballarat in a rate of 2.01.2.

Starting solo on the second line, Iam Aw Sam settled mid-field, before making a lightning move at the bell to lead for the final circuit, defeating 11-Y-0 Tere T which trailed after leading out, with Makin Art Magic (one/one) third in an all Kiwi trifecta..

The MR 2.01.2.

This Week’s Meetings

■ Wednesday - Hamilton/Melton, Thursday Charlton/Geelong, Friday - Mildura/Kilmore, Saturday - Melton, Sunday - Shepparton, Monday Maryborough, Tuesday - Cranbourne.

Horses To Follow

■ Miss Dangerfield, Major Laugh, Mar Nein, Art I Special, Four Be Two, Four No Trumps, Braghetta, Givemtheslip, The Prince Of Opal.

Listen to Len

Listen to Len Baker on Harness Review, 8pm10pm Mondays, on 97.9 FM, streamed in 979fm.com.au

Wine Extra Big wine dining

Trevor’s big win ■ Balnarring trainer/ driver Trevor Reid scored a big victory at Warragul on Monday July 4 with 5Y-0 Village Jasper/Penny Gal mare Elteearr, taking out the Brad Hough Pace for C0 class over 1790 metres.

Taken back to the tail of the field from gate four with Jungle Jim (gate 3) leading, Elteearr circled the field in the last lap to register a 1.5 metre margin on the wire over a death-seating Takachanceonharry and Presley Castle. The mile rate 1-58.3.

Toying

Harness Racing

Melbourne

Observer

len-baker@ bigpond.com

with Len Baker

with Angus Hall-Lucky Invasion 4-Y-0 gelding Angus Invasion.

Slowly away from inside the second line, Angus Invasion got going rather quickly avoiding a number of gallopers as the starter released the field, resulting in him settling one/one as Nail It (gate five) led. Cruising to the pacemaker approaching the final bend, Angus Invasion led on turning to score by 5.5m over Nail It and Lilymaystorm in a 2.03.9 MR.

■ Six year old Modern Art/Governess entire Soho Ledger toyed with his rivals in the Des Hughes Trotters Handicap for T0 or better class over 2210 metres in a mile rate of 204.3.

Trained by the "Green Team" of Jayne Davies and partner Noel Alexander at Clyde, Soho Ledger driven by Chris Alford overcame a daunting 50 metre backmark and racing in the open for most of the trip, before scoring easily by 14.8 metres over Its Not Dark Yet and "Horse Of The Year" aspirant Fiftyshades- ■ Live Or Die-Miss ofbrown.

Sands filly Valentina Brave registered her 4th success in 12 outings when greeting the judge ■ Leading was the place in the Bendigo Tafe Pace to be at Warragul and High for C1 class over 2150 Tech Fury (Ken Browne metres. & Mick Bellman), Driven by Tina Ridis Glenhuggard (Paul Green for Maryborough trainer & Patrick Franklin), Peter Fitzpatrick, Starzzz Of Icon (Adam Valentina Brave was sent Kelly and Zac Phillips), forward from mid-field Gozo Lighting (George racing for the bell to park Batsakis & Zac Phillips) in the open for the final all led throughout, while circuit and in a slugging Tiz A Jamane (Allan finish, prevailed by a head McDonough & Chris from the leader Jialiner Alford) led for the final cir- and Flash Anatomy in cuit in their respective 1.59. races.

Greeting

At front

Success ■ Popular Huntly partowner/trainer Barry Quigley was successful at Bendigo on Tuesday with consistent 4-Y-0 Art Major/Janoela Star gelding Sixty in the Evolve Accounting Pace for C0 over 1650 metres.

Driven by Chris Alford, Sixty showed sparkling speed from outside the front line to lead all of the way, accounting for Tigers Eye and Im All Show in a rate of 1-57.6.

Settled ■ Riddell trainer Nicole Molander combined with Chris Alford to land the T0 class World's Best Hoof Oil Trotters Mobile over 2150 metres at Bendigo

Favoured

■ Brent Lilley and Josh Duggan combined to land the C2 class Gold FM Pace over 1650 metres at Bendigo with ex-New Zealander The Sparrow Hawk, a prohibitive $1.40 favourite.

Sent forward from gate five to obtain the lead from another ex-Kiwi Arden Castle, The Sparrow Hawk a Gotta Go Cullen-Starling gelding, was never headed, scoring by 3.3m over Arden Castle and Miss Livewire in 1.57.

Kiwi ■ At Shepparton on Wednesday, former enzedder John Newberry received a tonic when 4Y-0 Always A Virgin-

Sweet Maddy Lombo gelding Lombo Idle Belief brought up two wins in a row by taking the Just Me Patsy Pace for C1 class over 1690 metres at his home track.

Driven a treat by by son Matt, Lombo Idle Belief a big lump of a horse raced by the Newberry's and partners, enjoyed a sweet passage from the pole trailing the heavily backed leader That Chill Devine (gate two).

Angling away from the inside approaching the home turn, Lombo Idle Belief despite racing fiercely at times, was too strong at the finish for That Chill Devine to register a 5.2 metre margin in 1.58.3. Flick Me An Ace (one/two) was third.

John has been on the sidelines after being knocked out in a race incident a couple of weeks back.

Outing

■ Very smart Kiwi bred Rock N Roll HeavenShakeilah gelding I Will Rock You trained by David Aiken and driven by son Josh having his first outing in almost 12 months, was a convincing winner of the Shepparton BMW 3YO Pace over 2190m at Shepparton.

Beginning swiftly from gate two, I Will Rock You had no difficulty in leading, before running out a 19.2 metre victor over Combined Interest which trailed and Zhukov in rate of 1.58.6.

Flying

■ Brent Lilley and Josh Duggan scored a huge victory at TP Melton on Thursday, when 4-Y-0 Courage Under FireTrammell gelding Iceobar came from last with a flying finish out wide to snare the $25,000 Vicbred Super Series 4Y0 Entires and Geldings Silver Pace over 2240m by a runaway 1.3m in advance of Itmademyday and Modern Bliss in a MR

■ A nice big-hearted drop to enjoy this time of year with equally big-hearted wintertime dining, is Taltarni’s classic “Bordeaux Blend” that brings together Cabernet, Merlot and a splash of Petit Verdot.

Sourced entirely from Victoria’s Pyrenees, the 52 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon gives this one beautiful dark-berry fruit flavours, the 42 per cent Merlot plum and cocoa, just 6 per cent Petit Verdot balances acidity, and there are lovely tannins… making for an overall judiciously full-bodied food wine that can be bought and enjoyed now, or popped away to develop for even greater pleasure a few more years down the track.

And it’s one to also think about decanting before serving, giving it a chance to open-up and show itself off to best advantage upon pouring; just 15 or 20 minutes for the currently available 2014 vintage would be fine as it’s a still quite young drop.

Great buying at just $26. And as this is a classic French blend, think France again and put it on a winter’s table with an equally classic French panfried Steak Entrecote Marchand de Vin (ribeye with a sauce of red wine and shallots.) ★ ONE TO NOTE: Another nice big one that’ll have you quickly smacking your lips – and particularly so if you’ve reason for special-occasion dining coming up – is a Margan 2011 Aged Release Shiraz from the Hunter Valley.

Made from fruit off forty year old vines, this exceptional drop had 20 months in French oak barriques after fermentation, and was then bottle aged in Margan’s cellars for a further four years.

It means that today it’s full-bodied and smooth with varietal white pepper spiciness, and with classic ripe dark-berry, tar and cigar box characteristics of Hunter Shiraz. With its solid tannin structure you can see this one maturing beautifully over the next couple of decades… but if you want to enjoy it now (and its currently $100 a bottle,) match with a special-occasion dinner of roast duck, or venison in a red wine sauce.

Treasure hunter ■ Western Australia’s quirky-named Fifth Leg have a new addition to their range that they’ve dubbed their Treasure Hunter series, embracing within it their “new-range treasures” of a Chardonnay, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Cabernet Merlot.

For those who don’t know, the Fifth Leg label is named after the fossilised remains of a Tasmanian Tiger were found in WA’s Margaret River wine region’s Devil’s Lair Cave, together with a fifth leg – and begging the questions: how did a Tasmanian Tiger end up in a Margaret River cave, and where did that fifth leg come from?

Whatever the answers, the company’s new Treasure Hunter series is a rewarding one. In particular, try their 2015 Treasure Hunter Chardonnay that’s wonderfully full-flavoured due to low, but intensely flavoured fruit yields as a result of unkind weather during vintage that reduced vine flowering. Concentrated lemon and white nectarine are to the fore in this one, with hints of hazelnut and green apple as well.

Pay $20 and enjoy with fresh crabs, prawns or other seafoods, but if they’re not your go, match with oven-baked pork belly and a creamy sauce. ★ ONE TO NOTE: Winemaker Peter Logan brushes aside his own skills, and says it’s the high altitude cold climate and volcanic soils of the Orange region of Central Western NSW that give the elegance and purity for which his Logan Ridge of Tears Orange Shiraz is enjoying such a growing reputation.

And a new one that’s a real stand-out is his 2014 from a vintage that Peter says was “remarkably average” as regards temperatures, rainfall and sunlight hours, yet for some reason saw grape yields considerably below average. And low yields, as Peter points out, mean more concentration of flavour and texture.

With a medium-bodied palate of smooth and velvety red berry flavours, nice spiciness and a soft finish, here’s one that truly is ideal with flame-grilled lamb loin chops off the barbie; pay $45.

Treasure hunter

■ A full-of-flavour Sauv Blanc that’s currently on the shelves is Blossom Hill’s 2015 made from fruit sourced from across South Eastern Australia. All about crisp and zesty fresh citrus flavours, this one’s nicely accompanied by tropical and passionfruit aromas that make for a rewarding drop at just $13 a bottle.

- David Ellis

Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 - Page 23

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Observer Classic Books From Page 14 enough to drive her distracted, for he soon felt that she did not admire him, and revenged himself by being as mischievous as possible. He pulled her hair whenever she came near him, upset his bread and milk to plague her when she had newly cleaned his cage, made Mop bark by pecking at him while Madam dozed, called her names before company, and behaved in all respects like an reprehensible old bird. Then she could not endure the dog, a fat, cross beast who snarled and yelped at her when she made his toilet, and who lay on his back with all his legs in the air and a most idiotic expression of countenance when he wanted something to eat, which was about a dozen times a day. The cook was bad-tempered, the old coachman was deaf, and Esther the only one who ever took any notice of the young lady.

Esther was a Frenchwoman, who had lived with ‘Madame’, as she called her mistress, for many years, and who rather tyrannized over the old lady, who could not get along without her. Her real name was Estelle, but Aunt March ordered her to change it, and she obeyed, on condition that she was never asked to change her religion.

She took a fancy to Mademoiselle, and amused her very much with odd stories of her life in France, when Amy sat with her while she got up Madame’s laces. She also allowed her to roam about the great house, and examine the curious and pretty things stored away in the big wardrobes and the ancient chests, for Aunt March hoarded like a magpie. Amy’s chief delight was an Indian cabinet, full of queer drawers, little pigeonholes, and secret places, in which were kept all sorts of ornaments, some precious, some merely curious, all more or less antique. To examine and arrange these things gave Amy great satisfaction, especially the jewel cases, in which on velvet cushions reposed the ornaments which had adorned a belle forty years ago. There was the garnet set which Aunt March wore when she came out, the pearls her father gave her on her wedding day, her lover’s diamonds, the jet mourning rings and pins, the queer lockets, with portraits of dead friends and weeping willows made of hair inside, the baby bracelets her one little daughter had worn, Uncle March’s big watch, with the red seal so many childish hands had played with, and in a box all by itself lay Aunt March’s wedding ring, too small now for her fat finger, but put carefully away like the most precious jewel of them all.

“Which would Mademoiselle choose if she had her will?” asked Esther, who always sat near to watch over and lock up the valuables.

“I like the diamonds best, but there is no necklace among them, and I’m fond of necklaces, they are so becoming. I should choose this if I might,” replied Amy, looking with great admiration at a string of gold and ebony beads from which hung a heavy cross of the same.

“I, too, covet that, but not as a necklace. Ah, no!

To me it is a rosary, and as such I should use it like a good catholic,” said Esther, eyeing the handsome thing wistfully.

“Is it meant to use as you use the string of goodsmelling wooden beads hanging over your glass?” asked Amy. “Truly, yes, to pray with. It would be pleasing to the saints if one used so fine a rosary as this, instead of wearing it as a vain bijou.”

“You seem to take a great deal of comfort in your prayers, Esther, and always come down looking quiet and satisfied. I wish I could.”

“If Mademoiselle was a Catholic, she would find true comfort, but as that is not to be, it would be well if you went apart each day to meditate and pray, as did the good mistress whom I served before Madame. She had a little chapel, and in it found solacement for much trouble.”

“Would it be right for me to do so too?” asked Amy, who in her loneliness felt the need of help of some sort, and found that she was apt to forget her little book, now that Beth was not there to remind her of it.

“It would be excellent and charming, and I shall gladly arrange the little dressing room for you if you like it. Say nothing to Madame, but when she sleeps go you and sit alone a while to think good thoughts, and pray the dear God preserve your sister.”

Esther was truly pious, and quite sincere in her advice, for she had an affectionate heart, and felt much for the sisters in their anxiety. Amy liked the idea, and gave her leave to arrange the light closet next her room, hoping it would do her good.

“I wish I knew where all these pretty things would

go when Aunt March dies,” she said, as she slowly replaced the shining rosary and shut the jewel cases one by one.

“To you and your sisters. I know it, Madame confides in me. I witnessed her will, and it is to be so,” whispered Esther smiling.

“How nice! But I wish she’d let us have them now. Procrastination is not agreeable,” observed Amy, taking a last look at the diamonds.

“It is too soon yet for the young ladies to wear these things. The first one who is affianced will have the pearls, Madame has said it, and I have a fancy that the little turquoise ring will be given to you when you go, for Madame approves your good behavior and charming manners.”

“Do you think so? Oh, I’ll be a lamb, if I can only have that lovely ring! It’s ever so much prettier than Kitty Bryant’s. I do like Aunt March after all.” And Amy tried on the blue ring with a delighted face and a firm resolve to earn it.

From that day she was a model of obedience, and the old lady complacently admired the success of her training. Esther fitted up the closet with a little table, placed a footstool before it, and over it a picture taken from one of the shutup rooms. She thought it was of no great value, but, being appropriate, she borrowed it, well knowing that Madame would never know it, nor care if she did. It was, however, a very valuable copy of one of the famous pictures of the world, and Amy’s beauty-loving eyes were never tired of looking up at the sweet face of the Divine Mother, while her tender thoughts of her own were busy at her heart. On the table she laid her little testament and hymnbook, kept a vase always full of the best flowers Laurie brought her, and came every day to ‘sit alone’ thinking good thoughts, and praying the dear God to preserve her sister. Esther had given her a rosary of black beads with a silver cross, but Amy hung it up and did not use it, feeling doubtful as to its fitness for Protestant prayers.

The little girl was very sincere in all this, for being left alone outside the safe home nest, she felt the need of some kind hand to hold by so sorely that she instinctively turned to the strong and tender Friend, whose fatherly love most closely surrounds His little children. She missed her mother’s help to understand and rule herself, but having been taught where to look, she did her best to find the way and walk in it confidingly. But, Amy was a young pilgrim, and just now her burden seemed very heavy. She tried to forget herself, to keep cheerful, and be satisfied with doing right, though no one saw or praised her for it. In her first effort at being very, very good, she decided to make her will, as Aunt March had done, so that if she did fall ill and die, her possessions might be justly and generously divided. It cost her a pang even to think of giving up the little treasures which in her eyes were as precious as the old lady’s jewels.

During one of her play hours she wrote out the important document as well as she could, with some help from Esther as to certain legal terms, and when the good-natured Frenchwoman had signed her name, Amy felt relieved and laid it by to show Laurie, whom she wanted as a second witness. As it was a rainy day, she went upstairs to amuse herself in one of the large chambers, and took Polly with her for company.

In this room there was a wardrobe full of oldfashioned costumes with which Esther allowed her to play, and it was her favorite amusement to array herself in the faded brocades, and parade up and down before the long mirror, making stately curtsies, and sweeping her train about with a rustle which delighted her ears. So busy was she on this day that she did not hear Laurie’s ring nor see his face peeping in at her as she gravely promenaded to and fro, flirting her fan and tossing her head, on which she wore a great pink turban, contrasting oddly with her blue brocade dress and yellow quilted petticoat. She was obliged to walk carefully, for she had on highheeled shoes, and, as Laurie told Jo afterward, it was a comical sight to see her mince along in her gay suit, with Polly sidling and bridling just behind her, imitating her as well as he could, and occasionally stopping to laugh or exclaim, “Ain’t we fine? Get along, you fright! Hold your tongue! Kiss me, dear! Ha! Ha!” Having with difficulty restrained an explosion of merriment, lest it should offend her majesty, Laurie tapped and was graciously received.

“Sit down and rest while I put these things away, then I want to consult you about a very serious matter,” said Amy, when she had shown her splendor and driven Polly into a corner. “That bird is the trial of my life,” she continued, re-

moving the pink mountain from her head, while Laurie seated himself astride a chair.

“Yesterday, when Aunt was asleep and I was trying to be as still as a mouse, Polly began to squall and flap about in his cage, so I went to let him out, and found a big spider there. I poked it out, and it ran under the bookcase. Polly marched straight after it, stooped down and peeped under the bookcase, saying, in his funny way, with a cock of his eye, ‘Come out and take a walk, my dear.’I couldn’t help laughing, which made Poll swear, and Aunt woke up and scolded us both.”

“Did the spider accept the old fellow’s invitation?” asked Laurie, yawning.

“Yes, out it came, and away ran Polly, frightened to death, and scrambled up on Aunt’s chair, calling out, ‘Catch her! Catch her! Catch her!’ as I chased the spider.”

“That’s a lie! Oh, lor!” cried the parrot, pecking at Laurie’s toes.

“I’d wring your neck if you were mine, you old torment,” cried Laurie, shaking his fist at the bird, who put his head on one side and gravely croaked, “Allyluyer! bless your buttons, dear!”

“Now I’m ready,” said Amy, shutting the wardrobe and taking a piece of paper out of her pocket. “I want you to read that, please, and tell me if it is legal and right. I felt I ought to do it, for life is uncertain and I don’t want any ill feeling over my tomb.”

Laurie bit his lips, and turning a little from the pensive speaker, read the following document, with praiseworthy gravity, considering the spelling: MY LAST WILL AND TESTIMENT I, Amy Curtis March, being in my sane mind, go give and bequeethe all my earthly property — viz. to wit:— namely To my father, my best pictures, sketches, maps, and works of art, including frames. Also my $100, to do what he likes with.

To my mother, all my clothes, except the blue apron with pockets — also my likeness, and my medal, with much love.

To my dear sister Margaret, I give my turkquoise ring (if I get it), also my green box with the doves on it, also my piece of real lace for her neck, and my sketch of her as a memorial of her ‘little girl’.

To Jo I leave my breastpin, the one mended with sealing wax, also my bronze inkstand — she lost the cover — and my most precious plaster rabbit, because I am sorry I burned up her story.

To Beth (if she lives after me) I give my dolls and the little bureau, my fan, my linen collars and my new slippers if she can wear them being thin when she gets well. And I herewith also leave her my regret that I ever made fun of old Joanna.

To my friend and neighbor Theodore Laurence I bequeethe my paper mashay portfolio, my clay model of a horse though he did say it hadn’t any neck. Also in return for his great kindness in the hour of affliction any one of my artistic works he likes, Noter Dame is the best.

To our venerable benefactor Mr. Laurence I leave my purple box with a looking glass in the cover which will be nice for his pens and remind him of the departed girl who thanks him for his favors to her family, especially Beth.

I wish my favorite playmate Kitty Bryant to have the blue silk apron and my gold-bead ring with a kiss.

To Hannah I give the bandbox she wanted and all the patchwork I leave hoping she ‘will remember me, when it you see’.

And now having disposed of my most valuable property I hope all will be satisfied and not blame the dead. I forgive everyone, and trust we may all meet when the trump shall sound. Amen.

To this will and testiment I set my hand and seal on this 20th day of Nov. Anni Domino 1861.

Amy Curtis March Witnesses: Estelle Valnor, Theodore Laurence.

The last name was written in pencil, and Amy explained that he was to rewrite it in ink and seal it up for her properly.

“What put it into your head? Did anyone tell you about Beth’s giving away her things?” asked Laurie soberly, as Amy laid a bit of red tape, with sealing wax, a taper, and a standish before him.

She explained and then asked anxiously, “What about Beth?”

“I’m sorry I spoke, but as I did, I’ll tell you. She felt so ill one day that she told Jo she wanted to give her piano to Meg, her cats to you, and the poor old doll to Jo, who would love it for her

sake. She was sorry she had so little to give, and left locks of hair to the rest of us, and her best love to Grandpa. She never thought of a will.”

Laurie was signing and sealing as he spoke, and did not look up till a great tear dropped on the paper. Amy’s face was full of trouble, but she only said, “Don’t people put sort of postscripts to their wills, sometimes?”

“Yes, ‘codicils’, they call them.”

“Put one in mine then, that I wish all my curls cut off, and given round to my friends. I forgot it, but I want it done though it will spoil my looks.”

Laurie added it, smiling at Amy’s last and greatest sacrifice. Then he amused her for an hour, and was much interested in all her trials. But when he came to go, Amy held him back to whisper with trembling lips, “Is there really any danger about Beth?”

“I’m afraid there is, but we must hope for the best, so don’t cry, dear.” And Laurie put his arm about her with a brotherly gesture which was very comforting.

When he had gone, she went to her little chapel, and sitting in the twilight, prayed for Beth, with streaming tears and an aching heart, feeling that a million turquoise rings would not console her for the loss of her gentle little sister.

ChapterTwenty Confidential I don’t think I have any words in which to tell the meeting of the mother and daughters. Such hours are beautiful to live, but very hard to describe, so I will leave it to the imagination of my readers, merely saying that the house was full of genuine happiness, and that Meg’s tender hope was realized, for when Beth woke from that long, healing sleep, the first objects on which her eyes fell were the little rose and Mother’s face. Too weak to wonder at anything, she only smiled and nestled close in the loving arms about her, feeling that the hungry longing was satisfied at last. Then she slept again, and the girls waited upon their mother, for she would not unclasp the thin hand which clung to hers even in sleep.

Hannah had ‘dished up’ an astonishing breakfast for the traveler, finding it impossible to vent her excitement in any other way, and Meg and Jo fed their mother like dutiful young storks, while they listened to her whispered account of Father’s state, Mr. Brooke’s promise to stay and nurse him, the delays which the storm occasioned on the homeward journey, and the unspeakable comfort Laurie’s hopeful face had given her when she arrived, worn out with fatigue, anxiety, and cold.

What a strange yet pleasant day that was. So brilliant and gay without, for all the world seemed abroad to welcome the first snow. So quiet and reposeful within, for everyone slept, spent with watching, and a Sabbath stillness reigned through the house, while nodding Hannah mounted guard at the door. With a blissful sense of burdens lifted off, Meg and Jo closed their weary eyes, and lay at rest, like storm-beaten boats safe at anchor in a quiet harbor. Mrs. March would not leave Beth’s side, but rested in the big chair, waking often to look at, touch, and brood over her child, like a miser over some recovered treasure.

Laurie meanwhile posted off to comfort Amy, and told his story so well that Aunt March actually ‘sniffed’ herself, and never once said “I told you so”. Amy came out so strong on this occasion that I think the good thoughts in the little chapel really began to bear fruit. She dried her tears quickly, restrained her impatience to see her mother, and never even thought of the turquoise ring, when the old lady heartily agreed in Laurie’s opinion, that she behaved ‘like a capital little woman’. Even Polly seemed impressed, for he called her a good girl, blessed her buttons, and begged her to “come and take a walk, dear”, in his most affable tone. She would very gladly have gone out to enjoy the bright wintry weather, but discovering that Laurie was dropping with sleep in spite of manful efforts to conceal the fact, she persuaded him to rest on the sofa, while she wrote a note to her mother.

She was a long time about it, and when she returned, he was stretched out with both arms under his head, sound asleep, while Aunt March had pulled down the curtains and sat doing nothing in an unusual fit of benignity.

After a while, they began to think he was not going to wake up till night, and I’m not sure that he would, had he not been effectually roused by Amy’s cry of joy at sight of her mother. There probably were a good many happy little girls in

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Observer Classic Books From Page 23 and about the city that day, but it is my private opinion that Amy was the happiest of all, when she sat in her mother’s lap and told her trials, receiving consolation and compensation in the shape of approving smiles and fond caresses.

They were alone together in the chapel, to which her mother did not object when its purpose was explained to her.

“On the contrary, I like it very much, dear,” looking from the dusty rosary to the well-worn little book, and the lovely picture with its garland of evergreen. “It is an excellent plan to have some place where we can go to be quiet, when things vex or grieve us. There are a good many hard times in this life of ours, but we can always bear them if we ask help in the right way. I think my little girl is learning this.”

“Yes, Mother, and when I go home I mean to have a corner in the big closet to put my books and the copy of that picture which I’ve tried to make. The woman’s face is not good, it’s too beautiful for me to draw, but the baby is done better, and I love it very much. I like to think He was a little child once, for then I don’t seem so far away, and that helps me.”

As Amy pointed to the smiling Christ child on his Mother’s knee, Mrs. March saw something on the lifted hand that made her smile. She said nothing, but Amy understood the look, and after a minute’s pause, she added gravely, “I wanted to speak to you about this, but I forgot it. Aunt gave me the ring today. She called me to her and kissed me, and put it on my finger, and said I was a credit to her, and she’d like to keep me always. She gave that funny guard to keep the turquoise on, as it’s too big. I’d like to wear them Mother, can I?” “They are very pretty, but I think you’re rather too young for such ornaments, Amy,” said Mrs. March, looking at the plump little hand, with the band of sky-blue stones on the forefinger, and the quaint guard formed of two tiny golden hands clasped together.

“I’ll try not to be vain,” said Amy. “I don’t think I like it only because it’s so pretty, but I want to wear it as the girl in the story wore her bracelet, to remind me of something.”

“Do you mean Aunt March?” asked her mother, laughing.

“No, to remind me not to be selfish.” Amy looked

so earnest and sincere about it that her mother stopped laughing, and listened respectfully to the little plan.

“I’ve thought a great deal lately about my ‘bundle of naughties’, and being selfish is the largest one in it, so I’m going to try hard to cure it, if I can. Beth isn’t selfish, and that’s the reason everyone loves her and feels so bad at the thoughts of losing her. People wouldn’t feel so bad about me if I was sick, and I don’t deserve to have them, but I’d like to be loved and missed by a great many friends, so I’m going to try and be like Beth all I can. I’m apt to forget my resolutions, but if I had something always about me to remind me, I guess I should do better. May we try this way?”

“Yes, but I have more faith in the corner of the big closet. Wear your ring, dear, and do your best. I think you will prosper, for the sincere wish to be good is half the battle. Now I must go back to Beth. Keep up your heart, little daughter, and we will soon have you home again.”

That evening while Meg was writing to her father to report the traveler’s safe arrival, Jo slipped upstairs into Beth’s room, and finding her mother in her usual place, stood a minute twisting her fingers in her hair, with a worried gesture and an undecided look.

“What is it, deary?” asked Mrs. March, holding out her hand, with a face which invited confidence.

“I want to tell you something, Mother.”

“About Meg?” “How quickly you guessed! Yes, it’s about her, and though it’s a little thing, it fidgets me.”

“Beth is asleep. Speak low, and tell me all about it. That Moffat hasn’t been here, I hope?” asked Mrs. March rather sharply.

“No. I should have shut the door in his face if he had,” said Jo, settling herself on the floor at her mother’s feet. “Last summer Meg left a pair of gloves over at the Laurences’ and only one was returned. We forgot about it, till Teddy told me that Mr. Brooke owned that he liked Meg but didn’t dare say so, she was so young and he so poor. Now, isn’t it a dreadful state of things?”

“Do you think Meg cares for him?” asked Mrs. March, with an anxious look.

“Mercy me! I don’t know anything about love and such nonsense!” cried Jo, with a funny mixture of interest and contempt. “In novels, the

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girls show it by starting and blushing, fainting away, growing thin, and acting like fools. Now Meg does not do anything of the sort. She eats and drinks and sleeps like a sensible creature, she looks straight in my face when I talk about that man, and only blushes a little bit when Teddy jokes about lovers. I forbid him to do it, but he doesn’t mind me as he ought.”

“Then you fancy that Meg is not interested in John?”

“Who?” cried Jo, staring.

“Mr. Brooke. I call him ‘John’ now. We fell into the way of doing so at the hospital, and he likes it.”

“Oh, dear! I know you’ll take his part. He’s been good to Father, and you won’t send him away, but let Meg marry him, if she wants to. Mean thing! To go petting Papa and helping you, just to wheedle you into liking him.” And Jo pulled her hair again with a wrathful tweak.

“My dear, don’t get angry about it, and I will tell you how it happened. John went with me at Mr. Laurence’s request, and was so devoted to poor Father that we couldn’t help getting fond of him.

He was perfectly open and honorable about Meg, for he told us he loved her, but would earn a comfortable home before he asked her to marry him. He only wanted our leave to love her and work for her, and the right to make her love him if he could. He is a truly excellent young man, and we could not refuse to listen to him, but I will not consent to Meg’s engaging herself so young.”

“Of course not. It would be idiotic! I knew there was mischief brewing. I felt it, and now it’s worse than I imagined. I just wish I could marry Meg myself, and keep her safe in the family.”

This odd arrangement made Mrs. March smile, but she said gravely, “Jo, I confide in you and don’t wish you to say anything to Meg yet. When John comes back, and I see them together, I can judge better of her feelings toward him.”

“She’ll see those handsome eyes that she talks about, and then it will be all up with her. She’s got such a soft heart, it will melt like butter in the sun if anyone looks sentimentlly at her. She read the short reports he sent more than she did your letters, and pinched me when I spoke of it, and likes brown eyes, and doesn’t think John an ugly name, and she’ll go and fall in love, and there’s an end of peace and fun, and cozy times to-

gether. I see it all! They’ll go lovering around the house, and we shall have to dodge. Meg will be absorbed and no good to me any more.

Brooke will scratch up a fortune somehow, carry her off, and make a hole in the family, and I shall break my heart, and everything will be abominably uncomfortable. Oh, dear me! Why weren’t we all boys, then there wouldn’t be any bother.”

Jo leaned her chin on her knees in a disconsolate attitude and shook her fist at the reprehensible John. Mrs. March sighed, and Jo looked up with an air of relief.

“You don’t like it, Mother? I’m glad of it. Let’s send him about his business, and not tell Meg a word of it, but all be happy together as we always have been.”

“I did wrong to sigh, Jo. It is natural and right you should all go to homes of your own in time, but I do want to keep my girls as long as I can, and I am sorry that this happened so soon, for Meg is only seventeen and it will be some years before John can make a home for her. Your father and I have agreed that she shall not bind herself in any way, nor be married, before twenty If she and John love one another, they can wait, and test the love by doing so. She is conscientious, and I have no fear of her treating him unkindly. My pretty, tender hearted girl! I hope things will go happily with her.”

“Hadn’t you rather have her marry a rich man?” asked Jo, as her mother’s voice faltered a little over the last words.

“Money is a good and useful thing, Jo, and I hope my girls will never feel the need of it too bitterly, nor be tempted by too much. I should like to know that John was firmly established in some good business, which gave him an income large enough to keep free from debt and make Meg comfortable. I’m not ambitious for a splendid fortune, a fashionable position, or a great name for my girls. If rank and money come with love and virtue, also, I should accept them gratefully, and enjoy your good fortune, but I know, by experience, how much genuine happiness can be had in a plain little house, where the daily bread is earned, and some privations give sweetness to the few pleasures. I am content to see Meg begin humbly, for if I am not mistaken she will be rich in the possession of a good man’s heart, and that is better than a fortune.”

To Be Continued Next Issue

Observer Crossword Solution No 11 F L OP P I E R A Z U K I N CHOR T L E S E N U D I V S H E E P S N O M H AGU R EG I ME N N D N P E B B F OR E S AW I W N R N UN S T UD I E D N N N N S L I A I S I NG O R E U VO L T AGE E U L NON D E POS E D R V MO I S E NC AMP M I L L E A P L E T SGO G A R E Y R I E ME A N T N E W B A N A L T R E L A Y S X T H A I L A PO L L O O E A R I N S P L A S T E R P R R E N I MA R T I N I I P G E N I CHO L A S T O L T A OU T S I D E R S N P I S EMB A S S Y I A R MA NG I N I T I A L N L A Y E A S H Y E N A S B A D MA T U MA RGA R E T N G N E E I D E S C E ND S

E X C A V A I GU Y RO A E L MA ND E E N N H E C T L E R L EON P W F UNG HUN I L L U S T O O H E C K L E K V R A I S E T N N OUGH T N I S AM I D I E UNCOU D U U F OS U L I L L OY D E M L F I B R E T U N ODDME V S S E NME S R E A I N T R T R H E A V L E M R E P A T M C H A B I T A A I T URNO G N S CO T S

A T E E L DOR A DO T ON E D E A F H A S T E N W NOM M V O P E S N A Z A R E T H WA R B L I NG D Y L A N N S OV E R E C G L A O I NDOOR S R P R E T T Y N Y L ON O M T A S T E L H I C L GA ND E R D H A S B E E N T E N S E S T I ORD E A L O A E E R H E A T S I N I TW I T S ME A T A X E N T C N E R I R S I N A N E T R AGE D I E S S UND A E S OR B S R F M I E E B T S E T S E EGG F L I P S P S A L M U I D U O T T E R S E A RMU F F S A I R B A S E O M D M Y T OMB T T R M I A OW O V I N E L E S S E E S I P N OWN N A NGE R L V T O T EM E DGE D E M E A D OW L E E A I D E M A N T I N K I R E L A ND MOB S G N AGGE D M V P O I R CH E E P E I P L E P A L A T I A L I P L A Z A E R A I A C U S U A L R R T A T T L E S S U I T K ME A S L Y S P I N E T S N T HOU P I P L E A T WE DGE A L E A D T O I E D R S I I M I NC E C R T RUC E N E R V E U T T E R E D I P A K T ROA R E E E N T S S T A L L I NG R E A P E R S E A V E S E N I E T L I H M P A S T E RN E NG I N E E R OP E N A I R S AGS T M C E O N R ROA S T UN S C E N T E D T E E N AGE W C L R U N E S T S L A S H T MA R A UD S R E S P E C T R E L A T E D N L S T L A S S E N T N S L A C K E N CH A F F C E P A S S E E S U E T F I A NC E E T D E S I S T T BON E L K NOA H T G E V E R O I L P A I N T MA NHO L E S R A YON E N U P S I O T MA N N EG L I GE E S P A C I OU S

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 - Page 25 e urn lbo Me

Every Week in the Melbourne Observer

ver N ser O Ob TI C SE 3

Observer Showbiz

Radio: Tony Eastley retires ......................................... P age 26 Theatre: Cain Amd Abel .................................................... Page 27 Country Music: Rob Foenander’s column ................... Page 26 Jim and Aar on: Top 10 lists, best movies............................. Page 28 Aaron: Cheryl Threadgold: Local theatre, auditions, shows .......... Page 29 PL US THE LLO OVATT”S MEGA CRO PLUS CROSSSWORD

Retro Futurismus New World Vale Bill Bennett

Courage To Kill

■ Melbourne local theatre identity Bill Bennett sadly passed away on Friday (July 8) at the Maroondah Hospital, aged 97½ years.

Bill’s son Doug says that although he was looking forward to the telegram from ‘Her Maj’, Bill lived a long and healthy life right to the very last.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held early next week.

For details, please refer to the Funeral Notice in this week’s daily newspapers.

- Cheryl Threadgold

Come Away With Me

● Beth Buchanan and Heather Bolton in Come Away with Me to the End of the World.

Photo: Pia Johnson ■ An excerpt from a poem by Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini opens this new work, a collaboration devised by the members of Ranter’s Theatre.

Having known each other for over 20 years, group members mined their collective pasts to provide content.

An impressive soundscape by J David Franzke scales up and down in intensity as the actors relive events sounding out dreams and regrets with tales of negotiating the world and other people.

The climax of the piece involves the appearance of Demis Roussos singing his hit and the title of the play, ‘Come away with me to the end of the world.’

Award-winning artist, Callum Morton, has designed a fabulously quirky set of Styrofoam rocks and cardboard Alps complete with a glowing campfire.

Belinda Hellier provides some standout costumes; her wonderful tree people and an immense glittering caftan are memorable.

Actors Patrick Moffatt, Beth Buchanan and Heather Bolton travel a circuitous route via meandering conversations, only to wind up not really anywhere.

While the dialogue is often humorous and the actors are likeable, ultimately the play, rather than an exploration of the great questions of life and death as stated in the program, lacks depth.

The characters come across as self-absorbed and the subjects they begin to unpack seem trite.

Like conversations between strangers on a bus or while waiting for a plane, inane cogitations on subjects as diverse as sleepwalking, climbing, goats and bullet train travel in Japan are punctuated by musical interludes.

Director Adriano Cortese’s occasional glacial pacing slows the action to a virtual stop in parts.

The production has everything going for it – great actors and an equally great set, wacky special effects, not to mention songs and dancing girls, yet, in the ● Turn To Page 27

● Gabi Barton in Retro Futurismus New World Photo: Ponch Hawkes ■ Annie and Maude Davey join their creative forces again in version two of their 2015 hit Retro Futurismus, this time in a New World.

The Daveys combine cabaret, a touch of circus and performance art that defies conventional definition, in an eclectic and fun night of entertainment.

Opening with some badass political commentary rap about our recent federal election and the US presidential race, the show takes a decisive turn into the bizarre (oh, the irony of that statement).

Forty-five downstairs is a funky and unique space perfect for the Davey sisters’ quirky caberanza.

Joining them again are Anna Lumb, Teresa Blake and Gabi Barton.

Lumb steals the show with her attitude, acrobatics, dynamite hoop work and hilarious bubble wrap inventiveness.

Body-based performance artist Blake is provocative in her ‘post human’ exercise into the obscure.

Doe-eyed Barton likewise brings to the stage unique and peculiar performance art. From shiny slinky to a lovelorn alien form, her theatre is visual and intriguing.

Special guest artist Azaria Universe channeling something like a caterpillar, amazed with her contortions on the trapeze.

The Daveys cleverly combine a sense of sci-fi and pop culture with gravity-defying astronauts and music by iconic legends such as Gary Numan, Grace Jones and David Bowie– the Daveys do a hysterical Aussie-inspired version of Golden Years.

The sisters’ reputation for neo-burlesque, circus and avantgarde performance art is well established.

Retro Futurismus, New World does not disappoint and delivers a vaudevillian variety show that is funny, odd and perplexing at times, but above all entertaining.

Performance season: Until July 31, 7.30pm Wednesday to Friday, 7pm Saturday, 5pm Sunday.

Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Tickets: $28 to $45 Bookings: 9662 9966 or fortyfivedownstairs.com - Review by Beth Klein

● Luke Mulquiney and Stephen House in Courage to Kill Photo: Jeff Busby ■ A lengthy work by Swedish writer Lars Noren, and English translation by Marita Lindholm Gochman didn’t really become engrossing until the second half.

A slow drawn out, somewhat exasperating first half as the dysfunctionality of a father and son relationship became apparent in the son’s chilly uninviting apartment.

The widowed father, Ernst, played by Stephen House, aged and supposedly unsteady on his legs in visiting his son’s apartment delved into their family relationship and past dramas unabated, causing son Erik played by Luke Mulquiney to crumble mentally.

Childhood events and memories were continually relived by father, distressing Erik raising fear to the point of hate as we droned through to interval.

Shallow love towards despising each other emerged while expressions of acceptance of each other as a person and an individual kept us wondering.

Father’s sexual repression suddenly came to the fore as Erik accused him of intercourse of a young waitress some years earlier and despite denying the occasion the tension between father and son heightened.

The entry of Erik’s casual seductively dressed girlfriend Radka played by Tarmara Natt for dinner raised the tension even further with Erik going to bed leaving licentious father alone with Radka.

Tamara Natt’s performance as Radka with her alluring presence gave some life into what was a depressing work, difficult for characters to be constant and at times convincing.

While direction by Richard Murphet suited the confines of La Mama, the stage setting was cramped and cluttered –perhaps to highlight the depressive and regressive persona of Erik.

A final confrontation between father and son answered the question of who had the Courage to Kill.

Dates: Until July 17 Cost: $15/$25 Venue: La Mama Theatre, 205 Faraday Street Carlton Bookings: www.lamama.com.au - Review by Graeme McCoubrie

Page 26 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Observer Showbiz

LOCAL THEATRE

Radio

Brit show Dazzle here

News around Victoria

Tony retires

Country Crossroads info@country crossroads.com.au Rob Foenander

Christmas in July

■ Popular Melbourne entertainer Col Perkins will perform a series of Christmas in July shows that will include a country flavour. at local venues around the suburbs.

July 19: Powell Hotel Footscray. July 20: Seaford Hotel.

July 21: Moonee Ponds Club. July 26: Chelsea Seniors. Bookings and details at the venues.ood Friday Appeal.

■ ABC radio presenter Tony Eastley is retiring after 37 years.

He has been an ABC foreign correspondents, as well as 10 years at the helm of the AM radio current affairs program.

He was also a host of The World Today.

Eastley’s career included a stint as a TV presenter for the ABC. He told ABC News 24 presenter Kumi Taguchi that he felt as if we was leaving home.

He started his career as a print journalist on The Examiner in Tasmania, and one of his first radio jobs was at the youth station, 2JJ.

Night Owls Country

■ Marg and Neil Tingay present their Night Owls country music program every Wednesday from 9pm to Midnight on Seymour 103.9 FM. The husband-and-wife team profile a lot of Australian artists, take requests from their listeners and support the new music releases from country music performers.

Graeme’s Caravan Show

■ Multi-award winner Graeme Connors will bring his 60 Summers,The Ultimate Tour, to the Caravan Music Club, Oakleigh, on Thursday, August 25.

The show is both a celebration of Graeme's 60th birth year and his outstanding 40-year career to date, yielding 16 top-selling studio albums, 14 Golden GuitarAwards, an ARIA and two APRA awards, two Mo Awards amongst other achievements.

- Rob Foenander

More Showbiz Briefs

■ Nova 100’s Chrissie, Sam and Browny have taken their breakfast radiop show to television screens with their new TV commercial airing from this week.

■ Vodafone has announced it will demonstrate the reliability of its network with an Australian-first partnership that will see Nova’s Kate, Tim and Marty national Drive show broadcast through the Vodafone 4G network. Good luck with that.

■ Radio commentator Steve Price drew a breathless reaction from the Q&A audience (ABC-TV) on Monday night when he reacted to criticism from columnist Van Badham: "Just because you’re a woman, you’re not the only one who can get upset. Men can be just as upset,” Price said, in discussion about Sam Newman’s comments about drowning journalist Caroline Wilson.

r Obser vbeiz On This Day Show

Wednesday Thursday July 14 July 13

■ American actor Bob Crane, of Hogan’s heroes fame, was born in 1928. He died aged 49 in 1978.

English stage and film actor Patrick Stewart is 76. His best known work is Star Wars.

American actor Harrison Ford was born in Chicago in 1942.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

■ English actor TerryThomas (Thomas Terry Hoare-Stevens) was born in London in 1911. He died aged 78 in 1990.

US folk singer Woody Guthrie was born in 1912.

He died aged 55 in 1967.

Australian actor John Wood, star of Blue Heelers, was born in Melbourne in 1946 (70).

On trip

■ Jill Mansfield, widow of 3AW presenter Bruce Mansfield, says she did not tell her husband how ill he was, after he was diagnosed with cancer in Stockholm last year.

Jill appeared on Nightline last week to thank listeners who had sent condolence messages following her husband’s death in April.

She said she did not believe Bruce knew how sick he was until about a week before his death.

She said she will fulfill an obligation to go on a cruise next month to the English Isles, which was an annual arrangement with Travelrite, one of Bruce’s sponsors.

The cruise will leave from Southampton.

Hinch question

■ Fairfax newspapers last week ran with editorials questioning if radio broadcaster Derryn Hinch had the necessary integrity to be a Senator.

Hinch was elected to the Federal Upper House at the July 2 election.

The Fairfax papers rehashed Hinch’s jail sentence

● Tony Eastley for contempt of court for naming a pedophile priest.

“The broader question is whether a person with Mr Hinch’s record is fit to hold the office of a legislator whose role is to ensure that laws are enforceable and that the rule of law is obeyed,” wrote Greg Barnes.

“It is difficult to say how Mr Hinch could seriously criticise or scrutinise actions by the executive government which undermine basic freedoms given his track record.”

■ The irst production of hit British kids’ musical Dazzle! to be staged in Australia is gearing up to open in Victoria.

The children's show with West End-quality songs is being produced by Daylesford College, renowned for excellence in music and the performing arts.

It follows recent productions of Dazzle! in China, Kuwait and Malta, and more than 100 stagings across the UK. Wayne Pickering, head of drama at Daylesford and production coordinator, said: "Dazzle! is a wonderful, inspiring show, and combines an exciting story full of drama and humour with fabulous songs. We are very excited to be staging the first production in the southern hemisphere."

"It's an outstanding vehicle for our students to develop and showcase their talents, both on and off stage."

Dazzle!, penned by British composer Andrew Bailey, tells the story of a young girl called Poppy Pringle who inherits a run-down seaside funfair on Dazzle Bay. In a show packed with thrills and spills, Poppy leads the band of fairground kids to take on the bad guys and the bulldozers, to try and save the funfair and restore it to its former glory.

Weaving between the bright lights of the fun fair and Dazzle Bay's promenade, the story involves copious quantities of candy floss and has an electrifying scene in the ghost train.

Songs from the show were performed at the Royal Festival Hall in London as part of a concert of the best new children's music.

Dazzle! was a UK entry to the New York Festival of New Musicals.

Andrew Bailey said: "It's thrilling to see the show springing up in new productions, not just in the UK but internationally.

“The show was written on a family holiday, and things started to take off following release of the CD. "The musicians, singers and production team are superb, I couldn't have wished for a better rendition of the songs. It brought the show bursting into life."

He is now completing the recording of a new musical called Poptastic, based on a children's talent competition that gets out of hand. "It starts local and ends up in the stratosphere," says Andrew.

Dazzle! opens at Daylesford on September 1 with further performances on September 2, 8 and 9.

The Kills ■ Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince will be making their return to Australia and will be stopping by the Triple R Performance Space on Sunday July 24 to play an exclusive live set during Under The Sun with Jonathan Alley at 7.30pm.

Budget cuts ■ The newl.y-elected Turnbull Government’s Federal Budget, released back on May 3, contains cuts of $1.4m in funding that keeps community radio stations broadcasting on digital in five capital cities.

The stations say that if they don’t get those funds reinstated, community radio will get left behind on the AM-FM dial.

● Sarky Cutter in Dazzle!

Melbourne

Observer

Friday July 15

Saturday July 16

■ Dutch painter Rembrandt (Haremensz Van Rijn) was born in Holland in 1606. He died aged 63 in 1669.

American singer Linda Ronstadt was born in Tucson, Arizona, in 1946 (70).

Politician Peter Reith is 67 (1949).

Actress Joy Smithers is 53.

■ Actress Barbara Stanwyck (Ruby Stevens) was born in New York in 1907.

She died aged 82 in 1990.

US actress Ginger Rogers (Virginia Mcmath) was born in 1911.

She died aged 83 in 1995.

TV presenter Don Burke was born in 1947 (69).

Sunday July 17 ■ US actor James Cagney was born in New York in 1899. He died aged 86 in 1986.

Art Linkletter (Gordon Arthur Kelly) was born in Canada in 1912. He died aged 97 in 2010.

Actress Lucie Arnaz, daughter of Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy) was born in 1951 (65).

Monday July 18

■ Comedian Red Skelton was born in Indiana in 1913. He died aged 84 in 1997.

Nelson Mandela was born in South Africa in 1918.

Athlete Shirley De La Hunty (nee Strickland) was born in 1925. She died aged 78 in 2004.

Cricketer Dennis Lillee is 67 (1949).

Tuesday July 19 ■ Author A J Cronin was born in Scotland in 1896. Died aged 84 in 1981.

Brian May, guitarist with Queen, was born in London in 1947 (68).

Australian TV preseneter Catriona Rowntree is 45. She is now also a wool farmer based in Geelong.

Thanks to GREG NEWMAN of Jocks Journal for assistance with birthday and anniversary dates.

Jocks Journal is Australia’s longest running radio industry publication.

Find out more at www.jocksjournal.com

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

ShowBiz!

Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 - Page 27

Observer Showbiz

Big West retires

■ After a period of careful consideration, the Board of Big West Festival has unanimously decided the organisation will retire by December 31, following the completion of the current projects including Mobile Art Spaces and House.

Established in 1997, Big West Festival was created to address issues of geographic, cultural and social isolation of local residents, challenging perceptions of Melbourne's West as culturally impoverished by highlighting it’s rich and diverse arts scene.

The Board is extremely proud of what Big West Festival and Melbourne’s West have achieved in the past 20 years.

Kirsty Ellem, Big West Festival Chair of the Board of Directors, said: "The need for our contribution in the contemporary landscape has changed.

“We are excited that the West is evolving as an engaged, resilient and creative community, blessed with a wide range of organisations that deliver high quality, cutting-edge, multi-cultural and multi-artform programs."

"While we acknowledge that there are current arts funding challenges, this did not determine our decision,” explained Ellem.

"We would like to thank everyone who has helped shape Big West's long history of supporting innovative and inclusive community-based contemporary arts and we look forward to the next vibrant chapter of arts in Melbourne's West,” said Ellem.

Review: Titanic

■ Titanic The Musical, produced by StageART, is a chamber version of the Tony Award-winning musical exploring the lives of passengers and crew involved in the ship’s maiden disaster.

This show is a vibrant account of some of the people on board, their reason s for being there or their involvement in the ships ultimate demise. Who is to blame?

Director James Cutler and musical director Kent Ross captured well the drama of the situation using beautiful, full voices singing in harmony with a string quartet playing in view throughout.

Dramatic lighting and sound effects helped capture the frenetic feel of the boat hitting the iceberg, sinking and the panic that followed.

I felt the vibration in my feet as the boat was compromised. The talented cast maintained energy and focus throughout, all performing their different roles with conviction.

The central stage platform could have been used more effectively. A lot of action took place on the sides which made it difficult in this small theatre to watch all the action.

We had to constantly turn heads to see all that was happening. Costumes remained the same throughout with only small additions to distinguish between characters and time of day. \ Whilst this was effective. some actors were more noticeably different to others when playing dual roles which in part was due to their acting skills, partly to a lack of physical appearance.

Props were mostly cleverly mimed, which made it a bit disconcerting when in the second act a baby was represented by a life jacket, I found this distracting.

Although there was some light moments and humour this musical is about a disaster ,so do not expect a happy ending.

Rather a history lesson into many facts about the ship and some of the people whose lives were changed forever.

Well executed, but not everyone’s idea of a fun night at the theatre.

Performance Season: Until July 24 Venue: Chapel off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St., Prahran Bookings: 8290 7000. www.chapeloffchapel. com.au - Review by Elizabeth Semmel

Small Business Secrets ■ SBS is launching a new weekly television program, Small Business Secrets. The show will feature a number of small- and medium-sized Australian businesses and the stories behind their successes.

It will air on Sundays at 5pm from July 31.

TV, Radio, Theatre Latest Melbourne show business news - without fear or favour

Desire Under The Elms

● Timothy Smith, Samuel Lavery and Garikai Jani in Desire Under the Elms.

■ Ostensibly, Eugene O’Neill’s Desire the play.

Under the Elms is a Greek myth based Unfortunately, O’Neill has not neceson the story of Phaedra and Hippolytus. sarily provided the cues or the time In O’Neill’s version, the seventy year needed to truly establish the sexual tenold Ephraim Cabot (Darren Mort) takes sion that brings about the undoing of the a new young wife, Abbie Putnam (Diana family.

Brumen), having worked the previous There are also notions of isolation, two virtually to death. faith and the spiritual, in Eben’s awareTwo of his sons, Peter (Garikai Jani) ness of his departed mother, which need and Simeon (Timothy Smith), desert the to be fathomed. family farm leaving Eben (Samuel Much of this needs to exude from the Lavery), the youngest, pining for his actors as part of their psychological promother and facing the prospect of being file which can only be achieved if truly disinherited. felt.

O’Neill was known for setting his Andrei Schiller-Chan (director) has, work in rural America utilizsng the idiom perhaps, placed more emphasis on letof those scratching out a living on the ting the tragedy speak for itself – and it land. does – given the, at times, matter of fact This provides a challenge for both delivery of some of the monologues.

Australian actors and audiences to conThe staging and lighting are invensistently emulate the dialect in the former tive given the confines of the space. The and tune their ear in for the latter. remaining challenge is how to convincIt is a necessary component as the ingly articulate more fully all those eletragedy that unfolds is rooted in the com- ments of subtext that are assumed in mon man and not simply in the realm of O’Neill’s writing. the gods.

Venue: Chapel off Chapel, Prahran The possessiveness, betrayal and inPerformance Season: Until July 24 fidelity that follow are the substance of - Review by David McLean

Cain and Abel ■ The Substation and The Rabble present the Melbourne premiere of Cain and Abel from July 2030 at The Substation, Newport.

And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Genesis 4.

Directed by Emma Valente, Cain and Abel is an electrifying theatrical experience, a provocative and bloody retelling of a story that has stained the earth and our psyche for millennia.

The biblical story of Cain and Abel is the tale of the first act of violence – an act that ricocheted across time. It envisions our history as man on man, brother on brother, blood on the earth.

Well beyond its religious beginnings, it is a story that has defined our contemporary understanding of violence.

Reimagining the bloody biblical story with their trademark feminist skew, The Substation’s resident company, The Rabble, depicts the story as a female one, with two sisters at the centre of the work.

The sisters, portrayed by Mary Helen Sassman and Dana Miltins, recreate the first act of violence over and over again, a drowning, a beheading, a beating – from biblical sanctity to the spectacle of Hollywood.

Cain and Abel is the combined creative talents of Kate Davis (Co-creator/Designer), Emma Velante (Co-creator/Designer) and Dana Miltins (Performer andAssociate Artist).

Performance Season: July 21 – 23 at 7.30pm, Sun 24 July at 6pm, July 26 – 30 at 7.30pm.

Preview: July 20 at 7.30pm Venue: The Substation, Newport.

Tickets: $25 preview, $35 full, $25 concession/ unwaged/student and artists Website: www.thesubstation.org.au - Cheryl Threadgold

Teenage Dreams

Lifeboat comedy spoof

■ After a sell-out debut season at Brisbane Powerhouse, Josh RH Daveta is bringing his new cabaret, Teenage Dreams, to Melbourne.

Known as an extremely entertaining party play on pop lyrics, this show is a sixty minute satirical bedroom romp of songs and spooning adventures, with hits by Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera at the The Butterfly Club, August 3-7.

Josh takes you on a doona ride into the magical world of the super bowl half-time entertainment diva with Musical Director Luke Volker as he lives the dream and disasters of what it’s like to be a pop star … or a diva … or even both.

Expect the unexpected as he adjusts his onesie before you have the chance to even think about nodding off.

Josh RH Daveta is a singer/songwriter, recording artist and performer from Brisbane. He was a Top 100 Australian Idol contestant in 2008, which lead him to work as a singer.

In 2014, his self devised show Caramel at Best played at Brisbane Fringe, Backbone 2High Festival, Short+Sweet Festival.

Tickets on sale now via thebutterflyclub.com or 9663 8107 - Cheryl Threadgold

■ Tragedy plus time, it is said, equals comedy.

Heading inexorably towards the iceberg that will be its downfall, the RMS Titanic sails into uncharted territory in this comedy spoof.

Devised and written by comedic duo Amanda Goode and Jess Leadbetter, the production was a hit with audiences when it debuted at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and deservedly so.

In a really silly retelling of the tragic Titanic story, Goode and Leadbetter romp through a ludicrous plot almost as nonsensical as the plot in James Cameron’s epic

■ Young Australian Broadway Chorus lived up to its name when it brought a whole lot of Broadway magic to Melbourne with its season of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jnr. Featuring music by Alan Menken, and lyrics by HowardAshman and Tim Rice, Beauty and the Beast Jnr includes familiar and popular songs.

YABC’s production at the Union Theatre from July 6-9 featured a talented and energetic cast, fabulously colourful costumes and rousing big show tunes.

It’s hard to believe that this splendid 70-minute production was put together in only 10 days. Consisting of more than 70 cast members aged between five and 18, that is quite an achievement. Congratulations must go to all those involved both on and off the stage.

This classic fairytale about Belle, a beauty who dreams of so much more than what her provincial town can offer, and a cursed prince – turned into an ugly beast by an enchantress, is a story of love and loyalty.

Turn to Page 29

Come Away With Me ● From Page 25 Duration: 95 minutes (no interval) end, the audience is left musing on the Warning: Contains smoke effects point of it all. and sexual references Performance Season: Until July 24 Bookings: www.malthouse Venue: Beckett Theatre, Malthouse theatre.com.au Theatre, 113 Sturt St., Southbank - Review by Kathryn Keeble

Titanic movie.

Lifeboat is a rollicking laugh out loud ride from start to finish amongst the not do dewy-eyed fellow passengers of Rose and Jack.

Watching the proceedings below, cashed-up bogans, Val and Val, follow Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio enact their tragic love story from their first-class deck.

Meanwhile their lady’s maids, Vanity and Chastity, are busy plotting to steal Kate’s famous ‘Heart of the Ocean’ necklace.

Throw in an affair with ‘Morse Code Kevin’, a murder plot and many other kooky twists and

turns and you have a recipe for a nutty cabaret.

Played out in slapstick accompanied effortlessly

by Luke Hutton on piano, Goode and Leadbetter cavort their way through a multitude of characters amassed from above and below deck.

This show is not perfect but it is inventive and funny.

Both actors demonstrate considerable acting talent as well as impeccable timing and physical comedy skills, and they look like they are enjoying the voyage as much as the audience.

- Review by Kathryn Keeble

Beauty and Beast Jr

Page 28 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Observer Showbiz What’s Hot and What’s Not in Blu-Rays and DVDs

● John Kransinski in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Bengahzi, a compelling true story of US government betrayal.

FILM: 13 HOURS - THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI: Genre: Action/Drama/Thriller.

Cast: James Badge Dale, John Krasinski, Toby Stephens, Pablo Schreiber.

Year: 2016.

Rating: MA15+.

Length: 144 Minutes.

Stars: ***½ Verdict: During an attack first on a U.S. diplomatic compound and then a C.I. A. compound in Libya, both of which did not officially exist, a security team of six men battle to save lives, including an American ambassador, as they struggle to make sense out of the chaos. Thrilling depiction on the extraordinary events based on the actual Benghazi attack which took place on the evening of September 11, 2012. Well mounted and executed production respectfully directed by Michael Bay captures all the tension, action and confusion, on all sides. Bay smartly allows you to get to know each of the characters before unleashing the unbelievably contradictorily series of events that follow, at the same time at a well balanced pace and flow that keeps emotions and interest high, resulting in both an action-drama and thought provoking political thriller that will leave you shell shocked.

FILM: THE WITCH: Genre: Horror/Mystery.

Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Bathsheba Garnett.

Year: 2015.

Rating: MA15+.

Length: 92 Minutes.

Stars: *** Verdict: In New England in the 1630's a devout Christian family with five children homesteading on the edge of an impassable wilderness experience unexplained events when their newborn son mysteriously vanishes, their crops fail and the family begins to turn on one another, slowly being torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic, possession and their own inescapable fears and anxieties. Slow burning supernatural thriller unfolds with more menace than outright horror. First time feature writer-director Robert Eggers delivers an ominous tone of tension beneath the surface, however, the overall execution may be far too subdued for modern day horror fans to accept, also with the sometimes muddled dialect of the period. Overall, fine performances, direction and costume design do deliver an unsettling, bleak, dark and ambiguously sinister effort that requires special attention - right up to the Logan's Run conclusion.

FILM: TIME AFTER TIME: Genre: Adventure/Drama/Sci-Fi. Cast: Malcolm McDowell, Mary Steenburgen, David Warner.

Year: 1979.

Rating: M. Length: 112 Minutes.

Stars: ***½ Verdict: In 1893 London, idealistic futurist writer H.G. Wells pursues the villainous Jack the Ripper into the 20th Century to 1979 San Francisco when the serial killer uses the future writer's time machine to escape the law. Screenwriter and first time director Nicholas Meyer, a novelist who contrived the meeting of the minds of Sherlock Holmes and Sigmund Freud in The Seven Percent Solution and go on to direct the acclaimed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, has crafted a uniquely witty, energetic and entertaining suspense romp that crosses numerous genre barriers including thriller, science fiction, adventure, comedy and romance, and ultimately succeeds on every level. First rate performances from Malcolm McDowell as H.G. Wells, David Warner as Jack the Ripper and the threatened love interest of Mary Steenburgen as Amy, along with a stirring music score by veteran Miklos Rozsa, make this a ripping yarn well worth your time. Nicholas Meyer also penned: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Movies, DVDs With Jim Sherlock and Aaron Rourke

The Legend of Tarzan ■ (M). 109 minutes. Now showing in cinemas everywhere. Also screening in 3D. With so many superheroes coming from the comic book worlds of Marvel and DC, it was only a matter of time before Hollywood looked elsewhere in an attempt to discover potential box-office gold.

As such, we get a rather unexpected revisiting of Edgar Rice Burroughs' famous pulp novels, but this lavish, big budget endeavour finds it increasingly hard to maintain energy and interest.

Set in the mid 1880s, the story centres on John Clayton (Alexander Skarsgard), aka Tarzan, who is now living in London with his wife Jane (Margot Robbie), trying to fit in with civilised society.

The king of the jungle returns to Africa when American envoy George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson) informs the Lord that his old stomping ground is under threat from King Leopold of Belgium, who is using slavery to obtain valuable minerals, especially a coveted rare diamond.

In charge of the mission is Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz), who maybe luring Tarzan into a unsuspecting trap.

It's heartening to see that some effort has been made by the screenwriters to rework the Tarzan legend into a setting that is credible and relevant.

Unfortunately this solid premise isn't developed and property explored, and as the film goes on, it becomes obvious that the film-makers are relying more and more on spectacle.

That would be fine if the main characters were compelling and the plentiful visual effects convincing, but the movie fails on both counts.

Tarzan and Jane are kept as rather simple creations, not helped by Skarsgard and Robbie's dull performances, infecting the plot with an unforgivable blandness.

What is more surprising, given its nearly $200 million budget, is how substandard a lot of the CGI effects are.

At no point do the animals and surrounding environment look real enough for an audience to fully immerse themselves in the action, and the big finale comes across as particularly artificial.

Jackson, who does liven things up a little, is still hard to take in such constrained, family-orientated fare.

The Legend Of Tarzan wants to taken seriously while also delivering Saturday matinee fun, but the result is an awkward mish-mash, entertaining to a degree, but never reaching the kind of popcorn heights that Hollywood blockbusters can achieve.

RATING - ***

Maggie’s Plan (M). 98 minutes. Now showing in selected cinemas.

Lightweight to the point of threatening to float away at any moment, the new film from writer / director Rebecca Miller (Personal Velocity) is a serviceable if ultimately forgettable comedy.

Greta Gerwig stars as Maggie, a young university lecturer who wants to have a baby.

Unfortunately Maggie has trouble committing to longterm relationships, so instead she decides to go down the route of artificial insemination, choosing local pickle king Guy (Travis Fimmel) as the prime candidate.

When she meets fellow colleague John (Ethan Hawke), Maggie's life takes a sudden left turn, falling for this would-be writer who is married to Georgette (Julianne Moore), a Russian author who is regarded around campus as a self-absorbed control freak.

A baby is conceived, but not to the plan Maggie had carefully constructed.

During Maggie's Plan, I felt like I was back at a Kino cinema in the early 90s, watching something like Julia Has Two Lovers or Trust.

There is such an aggressively rigid technique on display here, one can't help but feel a little depressed thinking that independent American cinema now follows such a formulaic checklist.

Instead of stand-out creations like the early works of Hal Hartley and Steven Soderbergh, this comes across instead as mere imitation. Greta Gerwig (Greenberg / Damsels In Distress / Lola Versus / Frances Ha / Mistress America) can play this kind of role in her sleep now, and the sense of deja-vu makes one focus on her particular tics and mannerisms.

Another actor who regularly falls in to repetition is Ethan Hawke (Reality Bites / Boyhood), adding to the film's already derivative nature, within an insular, affluent, and pseudo-intellectual community that one would normally encounter in a Whit Stillman movie.

In spite of the stream of quick-witted one-liners, every character feels noticeably shallow, and as such the second half is devoid of any genuine emotional impact.

Julianne Moore (Georgette)brings measured intelligence to quite a cartoonish role.

Fimmel (in a far cry from Warcraft and Vikings) does what he can with Guy, the ultimate hipster obsessed with creating the perfect pickle, as do Bill Hader and Maya Rudolph as Maggie's predictably kooky married friends Tony and Felicia.

The cyclical story, especially its ending, is highly reminiscent of the hugely successful South Korean romantic comedy My Sassy Girl (2001), but with none of that film's dramatic involvement or moving pay-off.

Miller (daughter of famous playwright Arthur Miller) hasn't made a film since the under-rated 2009 comedy/drama The Private Lives Of Pippa Lee, so it is such a pity that this feels so insubstantial.

The presence of Wallace Shawn and Moore invites references to Louis Malle's My Dinner With Andre and Vanya On 42nd Street, but Miller's concoction can't hold a candle to those deserved classics.

While Maggie's Plan never digs all that deep into its quirky characters, all of whom seem to live in another universe, its lightness of touch and reasonable collection of amusing one-liners should keep mainstream audiences entertained.

Just don't expect to remember much by the time you get home.

RATING - *** Turn To Page 33

Top 10 Lists JULY 10 to JULY 16 THE AUSTRALIAN BOX OFFICE TOP TEN: 1. FINDING DORY. 2. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE. 3. THE BFG. 4. INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE. 5. ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE. 6. ME BEFORE YOU. 7.

HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE. 8. THE CONJURING 2.

9. WARCRAFT: THE BEGINNING. 10. NOW YOU SEE ME 2.

NEW RELEASES AND COMING SOON TO CINEMAS AROUND AUSTRALIA: JULY 7: GOLDSTONE, MAGGIE'S PLAN, MIKE AND DAVE NEED WEDDING DATES, SEPTEMBERS OF SHIRAZ, THE LEGEND OF TARZAN. JULY 14: DEMOLITION, GHOSTBUSTERS, OUR KIND OF TRAITOR, OUR LITTLE SISTER, SING STREET, SWISS ARMY MAN. THE DVD AND BLU-RAY TOP RENTALS & SALES: 1. 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE [Thriller/Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman].

2. MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 [Comedy/Romance/Nia Vardalos, Michael Constantine].

3. ZOOTOPIA [Animated/Adventure/Ginnifer Goodwin, Idris Elba, Jason Bateman].

4. THE LADY IN THE VAN [Comedy/Drama/Biography/Maggie Smith].

5. BROOKLYN [Drama/Romance/ Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent].

6. THE DANISH GIRL [Drama/Alicia Vikander, Eddie Redmayne].

7. TRUMBO [Biography/Drama/ Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren].

8. LONDON HAS FALLEN [Action/ Thriller/Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart].

9. GODS OF EGYPT [Action/ Gerard Butler, Brenton Thwaites, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau].

10. GRIMSBY [Comedy/Spy/Action/Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Strong, Rebel Wilson].

Also: DIRTY GRANDPA, 45 YEARS, SON OF SAUL, LOOKING FOR GRACE, CONCUSSION, DEADPOOL, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES, JANE GOT A GUN, ZOOLANDER 2, TRIPLE 9.

NEW RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS ON DVD THIS WEEK: THE WITCH [Horror/Ralph Ineson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Kate Dickie].

HAIL, CAESAR! [Comedy/George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson].

13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI [Action/ Drama].

CELL [Horror/John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Isabelle Fuhrman].

NEW RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK: THE WITCH [Horror/Ralph Ineson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Kate Dickie].

HAIL, CAESAR! [Comedy/George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson].

13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI [Action/ Drama].

Turn To Page 33

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 - Page 29

Observer Showbiz

Local Theatre With Cheryl Threadgold

If I Should Die Before I Wake Trinity Concert Series

● Piano keyboard accompanist Wayne Robinson ■ Guitarist Matthew Fagan and piano keyboard accompanist Wayne Robinson in his debut concert, can be seen in Concert Two of the Trinity Concert Series, Solstice, on Sunday, July 31 at 3pm at Trinity Church, 17 Black St, Brighton.

The concert features performances of recomposed master works of the classical masters Beethoven, Rodrigo, Bach, Paganini and Vivaldi with unique sounds on 10-string Spanish and Electric guitars, digital keyboards and acoustic piano.

Funds are being raised for the Regional Youth and Performing Arts Foundation (RYPAF) of which Wayne is the Director.

He is also the founder of the National Youth Jazz Academy, one of RYPAF’s flagship programs for talented young jazz musicians from around Australia.

Date: Sunday, July 31 at 3pm Venue: Trinity Church, Black St., Brighton Tickets: Concert packages available 1 concert - $25 Full - $20 Concession 2 Concerts - $45 Full - $35 Concession 3 Concerts- $65 Full - $50 Concession 4 Concerts- $85 Full - $65 Concession (Includes priority seating) Bookings: Essential: Door Sales subject to availability By phone: 0438 881 985 (Credit card payment) Online: www.trybooking.com/199799 (Credit card payment)

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JR

● From Page 27 Jessica Koncic as Belle plays the vibrant young beauty with assurance, and a voice that is both beautiful and effortless. Her beast, Lachlan Wolters, was convincing in his self-loathing and gruffness that slowly turns to tenderness.

The enchanted household objects/servants were all impressive talents and played their parts to great comic effect. Standouts included Emily Palmer (Mrs Potts)and Cody Green (Lumiere).

Sophisticated harmonies by Bethany Chadwick (Madame de la Grande Bouche) and Rachel Crossan (Babette), and the three ‘silly girls’Jessica Pascoe, Asmara Soekotjo and Tegan Vincent, were delightful.

David Duketis, the masculine and narcissist Gaston with his eye on Belle, performed with high energy and good humour.

Direction (Robert Coates), lighting (Linda Hum), music (Megan Tiedemann), set design/construction, choreography (Jacquie Green) and the sumptuous and colourful costumes (Jennifer McKenzie), reflect and demonstrate YABC’s high production standards.

This extravagant production of Beauty and the Beast Jnr was thoroughly enjoyable and perfect school holiday entertainment.

- Review by Beth Klein

SHOWS ■ Williamstown Little Theatre: If I Should Die Before I Wake (by Rebecca Lister) (Until July 16 at 2 - 4 Albert St., Williamstown.

Director: Ellis Ebell. Tickets: $25/$22. Bookings: www.wlt.org.au 9885 9678.

■ Heidelberg Theatre Company: God of Carnage (by Yasmina Reza) Until July 16 at 36 Turnham Ave., Rosanna. Director: Terese Maurici-Ryan. Bookings: 9457 4117 email htc@htc.org.au.

■ GEMCO Players: One Act Season July 15, 16, 17 at the Gemco Theatre, Kilvington Drive, Emerald. gemcoplayers@gmail.com ■ PLOS Musical Productions: Miss Saigon July 22 - 30 at the Frankston Arts Centre, Davey St., Frankston. Bookings: plos.asn.au ■ Aspect Inc: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat July 22 -30 at the Shirley Burke Theatre, 64 Parkers Rd., Parkdale.

Director: Rhylee Nowell; Choreographer: Robyn Walker; Musical Director: Malcom Huddle.

Bookings: www.aspecttheatre.org.au ■ Track Youth Theatre: No West for the Wicked (by Ed Bailey) August 19 and 20 at the Renaissance Theatre, 826 High St., East Kew. Directed by Ed Bailey. Bookings: www.trybooking or at the door.

■ Malvern Theatre Company: In the Garden (by Sarah Gmitter) August 26 - September 10 at 29a Burke Rd., Malvern. Director: George Werther. Tickets: $20. Bookings: 1300 131 552.

■ Mordialloc Theatre Company: Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks ((by Richard Alfieri) September 2 - 17 at Shirley Burke Theatre, 64 Parkers Rd., Parkdale. Director: Eric Heyes. Bookings: 9587 5141 or www.mordialloctheatre.com ■ Heidelberg Theatre Company: A Streetcar Named Desire (by Tennessee Williams) September 9 - 24 at 36 Turnham Ave., Rosanna. Director: Karen Wakeham.

■ Malvern Theatre Company: Tomfoolery (by Tom Lehrer)October 28 - November 12 at 29a Burke Rd., Malvern.

Director: Annie Blood. Tickets: $20. Bookings: 1300 131 552.

■ Mordialloc Theatre Company: Inspector Drake's Last Case (by David Tristrem) November 4 - 19 at the Shirley Burke Theatre, 64 Parkers Rd., Parkdale. Director: Jeff Saliba. Bookings: 9587 5141 or www.mordialloctheatre.com ■ Heidelberg Theatre Company: One Man Two Guvnors (by Richard Bean) November 18 - December 3 at 36 Turnham Ave., Rosanna. Director: Chris Baldock

AUDITIONS ■ Mooroolbark Theatre Group: Out of Order (by Ray Cooney) July 21 at 7.00pm. Director: Louise Woodward. Enquiries: 0416 777 356.

■ Frankston Theatre Group: 'Allo 'Allo (by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft) July 25 and July 26 at 7.30pm. Director: Rob Lister.

Enquiries: 0431 150 551.

■ Beaumaris Theatre: One for the Pot (by Ray Cooney and Tony Hilton) August 7 at 2.00pm, August 8 at 7.00pm at 82 Wells Rd., Beaumaris. Director: Keith Hutton. Audition bookings: 0430 032 332.

■ Encore Theatre: Table Manners (by Alan Ayckburn) August 7 at 2.00pm, August 8 at 2.30pm at Fleigner Hall, 31-39 Highland Avenue, Oakleigh East. Director: Deborah Febbro. Audition enquiries: 0416 141 838.

■ Wyndham Theatre Company: The Lyons (by Nicky Silver) August 14 at 9am at the Crossroads Theatre, Cnr. Synott St and Duncan's Rd., Werribee. Director: Robert Harsley. Audition enquiries and bookings: 0515 917 381.

■ Warrandyte Theatre Company: Speaking in Tongues (by Andrew Bovell) August 21 at 7pm and August 24 at 8pm at the Warrandyte Theatre Mechanics Hall, Yarra St., Warrandyte.

Director: Susan Rundle. Contact susan@psrundle.com or phone 0416 2981 36 ■ Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre: Yes, Prime Minister August 22, 25 at 7.30pm at 41 Castella St., Lilydale. Director: Alan Burrows. Audition bookings: emcarter.productions@gmail.com

AUDITIONS ■ The reviews that you read in the Melbourne Observer are written and collated by an honorary team led by Cheryl Threadgold.

The team members include: Mark Briggs, Rita Crispin, Martin Curtis, Barbara Hughes, Lyn Hurst, Kathryn Keeble Beth Klein, Deborah Marinaro, Graeme McCoubrie, Catherine McGregor, David McLean, Maggie Morrison, Jill Page, andElizabeth Semmel.

Melbourne

Observer THE MILL ON THE FLOSS ■ Theatreworks and OpticNerve present The Mill on the Floss from July 28 to August 13 at Theatre Works, St Kilda.

Written by George Eliot, and adapted by Helen Edmundson, the story tells of Maggie Tulliver growing up in a provincial English town, where her quick imagination and intelligence are stifled.

Her story spans 15 years, beginning when she is nine years old, and explores relationships with her parents, brother and various suitors, and the social norms she is forced to embrace.

Directed by Tanya Gerstle and based on Elliot’s 1860 novel, Helen Edmundson's adaptation distils the essence of Eliot's feminist novel, and reveals how Maggie is shaped by her environment and circumstances.

Both Maggie Tulliver and George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) were women ahead of their time. At the time of publishing under the pseudonym, George Eliot, no one suspected her gender because the writing was considered to be too good to be written by a woman.

In an Australian premiere, OpticNerve weaves this tale for both women, highlighting the collision of opposites and the tension between inner and outer forces.

The intense physicality of the work becomes a language of innermost thoughts and emotions where eight actors playing 17 characters promise a world of haunting resonance and mesmerizing moments.

OpticNerve is committed to theatrical research; the investigation of performance-making processes, the adapting of narratives from other media to the stage and the re-visioning of original texts.

In search of a dynamic, text-based physical theatre, its vision is to push the boundaries of theatrical form.

The performers are: Zahra Newman, Grant Cartwright, Luisa Hastings Edge, Tom Heath, Rosie Lockhart, Emma Tufrey Smith, George Lingard and James O'Connell Where: Theatre Works, 14 Acland St, St Kilda When: July 28 – August 13, Wednesday to Saturday at 7.30pm plus 1.30pm on Saturday, August 6 and 13 Previews: Thursday- Friday, July 28-29 Prices: $35 Full / $26 Conc, Under 30, Groups 8+ /$20 Preview [plus $2.50 booking fee per ticket] Bookings: theatreworks.org.au / 9534 3388

DEMENS ■ Set in the claustrophobic world of a psychiatric hospital, Demens balances extreme pathos with flashes of dark humour as it probes themes of desire, patriarchy and prejudice through the eyes of four people. Each has suffered trauma. Each is damaged, but not broken.

With echoes of a modern-day Blanche Dubois, the pensive Lilith (Louise Crawford) yearns for a lobotomy to cut away the memories that torment her.

She obsesses over the tragic figures of Anna Karenina and Emma Bovary – fellow victims of society, who, like Lilith, were also ‘punished’ for daring to break moral and social boundaries.

The manic, troubled, yet adorable Allan (Jai Luke) is fixated on tales of people disappearing at sea. Surely the only answer to these mysteries can be an inter-dimensional vortex – through which he could make his own escape from the pain of his real world?

At the core of Nurse Gabriel (Philip Cristian Claassen) lie sadism, religious obsession and a desire to manipulate. The sexuality of Lilith and Allan both excites and repulses him.

He believes he can ‘save’ them. But what are his motives?

The tortured Dr Osmond (Don Bridges) masks his sinister nature behind a very thin veneer of middle-class respectability … yet that veneer is beginning to crack.

An evocative soundscape punctuates the darks themes of this poignant yet gloriously twisted and unnerving piece of theatre.

Demens opens on July 14. Ten performances only. Bookings highly recommended.

Show Season: July 14 – 24 Time: 8pm (2pm matinee) Venue: Bluestone Church Arts Space, 10A Hyde St., Footscray Creatives: Natasha Broadstock (Director), Amedeo Astorino (Writer) Tickets: $30/$24. $25/$20 (for preview, matinees and Tuesday) Bookings: www.trybooking.com/206578

SQUIDSILO ■ Squidsilo presents a durational live reflection in solitary confinement after combining technology, creative fiction and endurance performance at the North Melbourne Town Hall on July 30 and 31. Squidsolo combine technology, creative fiction and endurance performance to create Rima, a 23-hour long performance and digital media installation in the confines of a two by two metre area.

Page g 30 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, y, g July, 13, 2016 Melbourne

Observer

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Lovatts Crossword No 11 Across

1. More droopy 6. Dig 11. Legendary gold city (2,6) 15. Having a poor ear for pitch (4-4) 20. Relations 21. Undue speed 22. Pen name, ... de plume 23. Gleefully chuckles 24. Tent supports (3,5) 25. Jesus' home town 27. Singing with trills 28. Prima donna 29. Writer, ... Thomas 31. The O of PTO 32. A wolf in ... clothing (5'1) 36. ANC hero, Nelson ...

37. Within house 38. Lovely 41. Dutch centre of govt, The ...

44. Fishing-line fibre 45. Sample 48. Way of life 49. Very busy 52. Goose & ...

56. Out-of-vogue star (3-4) 57. Small stone 58. Most uptight 61. Arduous experience 62. Foretold 63. West African nation, Sierra ...

64. Warms 65. Fools 66. Cleaver 67. Without artifice 71. Toadstools 73. Silly 75. Catastrophes 80. Ignore 82. Ice-cream desserts 83. Globes 85. Acting as go-between 86. Treat cruelly (3-3) 88. African disease fly 90. Nourishing drinks (3,5) 91. Bible song 93. Current flow rating 94. Interjectors 95. Ski headwear accessory 96. Military flying facility (3,4) 97. No part 99. Burial vault 100. Removed from power 104. Hoist (flag) 105. Cat cry 106. Of sheep 107. Leaseholders 111. Slightly wet 113. Crab's pinch 114. Have 115. Wrath 117. Pitch tent 118. Should, ... to 121. Tribal post, ... pole 122. Moved slowly 125. Field 126. Jump high 127. The ... of Capri 129. Assistant 131. Opposed to 132. Releases grip (4,2) 135. Among 136. Emerald Isle 139. Hordes 140. Scolded 144. Eagle's nest 145. Chick's call 146. Aimed 147. Disengage (train carriages) 148. Splendid (mansion)

Across

Down

149. Public square 150. Lacking originality 152. Customary 154. Baton races 157. Flying saucers (1,1,2) 158. Blabs 162. Matching outfit 163. Meagre 166. Flag down (cab) 167. Speech defect 169. Butterfly catchers 171. Biblical you 172. US moon rocket 173. Composer, Andrew ... Webber 175. Cloth fold 176. Chock 179. Culminate in (4,2) 180. Wash lightly 182. Recline, ... down 183. Repetitive strain injury (1,1,1) 184. Grind (meat) 186. Powder, ... of Paris 189. Thread 190. Peace pact 191. Sense receptor 192. Said 196. Tenant's payment 197. Bellow 198. Vermouth cocktail 199. Remnants 201. Playing for time 202. Harvesters 203. Roof overhangs 204. Last Russian tsar 205. Entangle 208. To the rear 210. Bridge designer 211. Sector 212. Outdoors (4-3) 213. Sinks in middle 215. Unfavoured horses 219. Lead-in 221. Sunday joint 223. Not perfumed 227. Juvenile 228. Ambassador's office 230. Move with effort 231. Cut wildly 232. Pillages 233. Mutilate 234. Admire 238. Delighted 239. First 240. Meal 243. Approval 246. Loosen 247. Dough ingredient 250. Corn husks 251. Out of style 253. Laughing scavengers 256. Frequent visitor 257. Female betrothed 258. Cease 262. Spy, ... Hari 263. Steak cut (1-4) 266. Ark builder 268. WA wine-growing region, ... River 269. Business income 270. Artist's medium (3,5) 271. Sewer coverings 272. Born as 273. Man-made fabric 274. Raises (the ante) 275. Climbs down 276. London/Edinburgh express, Flying ...

277. Lacy robe 278. Roomy

1. Confronts 2. Holed atmosphere layer 3. Erect (3,2) 4. ... out a living 5. Coming up (of sun) 7. Red pepper spice 8. Brutal 9. Michael Flatley's Lord of ... (3,5) 10. Simple 11. Famous volcano 12. Inclinations 13. Continually (2,3,2) 14. Phenomenal 15. Turrets 16. Actor, ... Sharif 17. Fire fragment 18. Remove from home 19. Misty 24. Pastime 26. Multitude 30. Lounges about 33. Barn dance 34. Distinguished 35. Actor, Sam ...

38. Ringing (of bell) 39. Nudged 40. Drama venue 42. Afresh 43. Unties 46. Junkies 47. Compared to 49. Cooperative 50. Top of head 51. List down 53. Non-believer in God 54. Roman moon goddess 55. Staff schedules 59. Proximity 60. Able to be rubbed out 67. Uncared-for 68. Traffic jam (5-2) 69. Undoes (envelope) 70. Sly suggestion 72. Opening 74. Telling 76. Debatable 77. Energies 78. Copy 79. Siblings 81. Until now 84. Mattress frame 87. Paint thinners 89. Called 91. Autocue 92. Insane lady 98. Fireplace shelf 101. TV host, ... Dingo 102. Egg shapes 103. Give work to 108. Stoat 109. Colloquial language 110. Inspire 112. Inventiveness 116. Feared Mongolian ruler (7,4) 119. Inattentive 120. Grotesquely 123. Small coffee cup 124. Welcoming 128. Clinging gastropods 130. Hero-worship

Down 132. Feebler 133. Fish commercially 134. Survive (3,2) 137. Turn out 138. Disgust 141. Granny Smith fruit 142. Cogwheel set 143. Personal memoirs 151. On dry land 153. Lucky charm 155. Dismiss (from college) 156. Map book 159. Desire for food 160. Tethered (4,2) 161. Pleads 164. Swiftly 165. Fluid unit 168. Laziness 170. Glimmers 173. Unused portion 174. Public referee 177. Filth 178. Coming into view 181. Water (pasture) 185. River flows 186. Allspice 187. Orange/pink shade 188. Libya's capital 193. Afternoon break 194. Vote back into office (2-5) 195. Wanted 200. Uniformity 201. Divide 206. Not either 207. Car horns 208. Takes into custody 209. Type of spanner 211. Appoints 214. Sultan's wife 216. Sissy 217. Austere 218. Disappoints 220. Hobo 222. Conscious (of fact) 224. Held tenderly 225. Subtleties of meaning 226. Infinite 229. Famous US university 232. Army dining room 235. And so forth (2,6) 236. Greek philosopher 237. Coffee drug 241. Legal trade ban 242. Lawsuits 244. Surgical blade 245. Kissing & cuddling 248. Eases off 249. Which 251. Repressed, ... up 252. Postage stickers 253. Hot & damp 254. Gains 255. Proverb 259. Moral principle 260. Eskimo hut 261. Cricket matches 262. Fix 264. Roughage 265. Midday 267. Padlock clasp

Solution on Page 24

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 - Page 31

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Page 32 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 Melbourne

Observer

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Sport Extra

Shockwaves through industry ■ Australia's racing industry is on notice after the New South Wales State Government announced last week that it would seek to ban greyhound racing in that state within 12 months.

The second largest of the state's three racing codes would be wound up by July 1 2017, a decision that has sent shockwaves through the racing industry nationwide.

Greyhound racing in NSW was suspended for one week after the shock announcement last Thursday (July 7).

A Special Commission of Inquiry set up by the NSW Government found overwhelming evidence of systematic greyhound cruelty, including mass greyhound killings and live baiting.

The report claims "that between 48,000 and 68,000 greyhounds – or at least half of all greyhounds bred to race – were killed in the past 12 years because they were deemed uncompetitive."

It has also found that up to 20 per cent of trainers engage in live baiting, and that 180 greyhounds per year receive injuries in races that result in their immediate deaths.

According to the report, Inquiry Commissioner Michael McHugh has recommended Parliament considers whether the industry had lost its “social licence” to operate and should be shut down.

If the industry continued, his alterative recommendation is extensive reform including tighter regulation, but Mr McHugh stated there was a “very real risk” that practices such as live baiting would continue.

Many in greyhound racing took

Greyhounds

with Kyle Galley social media to express their disbelief that the sport would be discontinued in NSW - despite there only being a recommendation to the Parliament to consider the sport's future.

NSW Premier Mike Baird said last Thursday that his government will announce a detailed industry shutdown plan before the end of 2016, following consultation with industry stakeholders and animal welfare groups.

A transition path for the sport's end

by July 1, 2017, would include: a welfare plan for existing greyhounds, including opportunities for re-homing; an adjustment package for industry participants; and a transition arrangement for existing Greyhound Racing NSW assets that will ensure they are used for open public space, alternative sporting facilities or other community use.

The ACT Government has also indicated they will support a ban on the sport in Canberra.

I don't believe a total ban will ultimately take place in NSW. But I do believe many questions need to be answered by the government, such as:

Just where would all of the current crop of greyhounds go once the July 1 date is reached? This includes those currently racing, and, in particular, those just being whelped which will never race. The wastage figure once racing in NSW is banned would be enormous.

Further, has the government considered the amount of money invested by individuals in the industry in NSW, and the flow on expenditure into related businesses, such as feed merchants, fuel outlets, veterinarians, vehicle registrations, casual employment etc.

A significant reduction in gambling profits and their associated taxes will also need to be borne by the state government. It will not simply be a matter of the greyhound gambling spend shifting across to the other two codes.

There has been a significant shift away from racing betting in recent years to sports wagering. Any loss of turnover to the racing industry by the removal of one code will have significant financial impacts on the other two codes.

While the three codes are rivals for the wagering dollar, they all need one another at the end of the day.

Only a fortnight ago I attended a racing conference in Sydney where a senior Australian racing official spoke of greyhound racing running the risk of losing it's "social licence", or in other words the right to operate in the eyes of the mainstream public in the wake of recent animal cruelty and live baiting headlines.

He warned the other two codes of the implications to them should greyhound racing be banned.

Ironically, the phrase "social licence" made it into the NSW State Government's press release last Thursday.

It might just become the new term on the lips of all Australian racing officials from now on.

The widespread reaction from participants, greyhound followers and others to last Thursday's decision included the following: Tabcorp Holdings said in a press release: "NSW greyhound racing represents around 5 per cent of Tabcorp's total wagering turnover.

However, Tabcorp expects a significant level of substitution will occur to other wagering product, such as thoroughbred racing, harness racing, sport and animated racing.

“Tabcorp's media business, Sky Racing, will work with other Australian and international racing industry bodies to source alternative racing product."

Top Sydney jockey Tommy Berry: "Feeling for everyone in the greyhound industry at the moment. I love my dog racing, it would be devastat toing to lose it."

Premier Sydney greyhound commentator Tim Newbold: "Devastated beyond belief for all the honest and genuine people in greyhound racing."

Veteran greyhound journalist Jeff Collerson: "A heartless decision that smacks of elitism."

RSPCA Victoria stated in their response to the NSW decision: "In circumstances where an industry is completely unwilling or unable to address welfare concerns, such as those identified in New South Wales, a total ban is the only option. RSPCA Victoria

continues to work in good faith with Greyhound Racing Victoria to influence the welfare outcomes of dogs before, during and after racing."

Victorian Racing Minister Martin Pakula: "None of the Perna, Milne or Bittar reports recommended the shut down of Victorian greyhound racing.

It is an industry that employs thousands."

Greyhound Racing Victoria Chairman Bernie Carolan: "GRV is well advanced on fundamental and unprecedented cultural and operational reform to ensure it has a sustainable future as a fair and accountable code with greyhound welfare as its overriding priority.”

The Victorian State Government issued a media release stating: "The Victorian greyhound racing industry under Bernie Carolan and Alan Clayton has taken great strides in reforming the industry. The Government has no plans to ban greyhound racing in Victoria."

Upcoming race meetings

■ Upcoming race meetings: Wednesday: The Meadows (Day), Bendigo (Twilight), Cranbourne (Night), Ballarat (N); Thursday: Shepparton (T), Sandown Park (N), Warrnambool (N); Friday: Bendigo (T), Geelong (N), Traralgon (N); Saturday: The Meadows (N); Sunday: Healesville (D), Sandown Park (D), Sale (T); Monday: Ballarat (D), Traralgon (T), Shepparton (N); Tuesday: Geelong (T), Horsham (T).

- Kyle Galley

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Observer Victorian Sport

Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, July 13, 2016 - Page 33

Melbourne

‘Pro’ back in town

■ Melbourne Cup winner, German stayer Protectionist, who claimed the big prize in easy fashion in 2014, could be back to have another crack at the big one.

After he demoralised the field in his Cup win, he was left in Australia and sent to leading Sydney trainer, Kris Lees, to race in major events here.

However the hard tracks put paid to that idea, and after a few starts showing nothing he was transferred back to his original trainer, Andreas Wohler, after his failure in last year's Caulfield Cup. His win in the 2014 Melbourne Cup was just brilliant after a great ride by international rider, Ryan Moore, who won the Cox Plate on another overseas invader, Adelaide.

Perfectionist failed to do anything in eight runs for the Lees stables and was sent back.

Since then Protectionist has really turned his form around winning two of his comeback races on tracks that had the sting out of them, preferring the softer ground of Europe's tracks.

Wohler took him to Germany he convincingly won the Group Two event at Hamburg, a race he won before his four length victory in the Melbourne Cup. When he arrived back scans revealed hot spots in the horse's fetlocks and knees.

Australian Bloodstock's Jamie Lovett, who is handling the situation, added that the stable will let the dust settle to see if he travels back to Australia for another crack at the Melbourne Cup. Protectionist may be set for the Group One in Munich, Germany, in mid-August and if he can win a Group One in Europe, it guarantees him some sort of residual value to stand at stud in Europe.

Lovett added that the owners would love to bring him back for the Melbourne Cup, but it was a big ask, and the weight allotted would be an important factor.

One must remember that he is rising seven, and it doesn't get any easier, then there is the constant worry of a hard track on Cup Day. Protectionist carried 55.5 kilos to win the 2014 Melbourne Cup and had he run in the classic last year he would have had to carry 58.5 kgs.

Racing Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter said it was too early to predict Protectionist's weight if he did run.

However he added that it would be less than 58 kilos.

I am sure all race lovers would love to see the German star back at Flemington on the big day.

Champion returns

Champion galloper, Chautauqua, has settled in well at the Hawkes stables in Sydney, after arriving back a couple of weeks ago.

He has returned to light work in Sydney, while

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STATELY HOMES AND GARDENS. GARDENS OF THE NATIONAL TRUST. SCARECROW AND MRS. KING: Season 3.

A LEGO BRICKUMENTARY. ANDRE RIEU: Welcome to My World - Part 2.

- James Sherlock

Central Intelligence

● Darren Weir. Photo: Getty Images Chautauqua's rider, Tommy Berry, didn't panic, as he was told before the race by John Hawkes, to just settle him down and he will do the rest. Did he ever: I am sure fans of the magnificent grey, like myself would like to see him in action again as soon as possible.

Ted Ryan

Sheeds sparkles

Closing in Top Victorian trainer Darren Weir is an oddson favourite to break the record for the most number of wins in a racing season running from August 1 last year until the end of this month.

Top trainer John Hawkes held the record of 334 wins in the 2002-3 season, a remarkable effort seeing he had nowhere near the horses in training than that of Darren Weir.

Weir's stable has won for their owners around $21 million over the past 12 months.

One of the most likeable blokes in racing he deserves the plaudits as he works his heart out, hardly having a break.

He is always on how he couldn't do it without the great team around him.

John Hawkes, another top man, a very humble one, said good luck to him.

Hawkes said he had about 200 horses in work all over Australia when he broke the record, but didn't have anywhere near the 2000 runners a season.

Weir wasAustralia's leading trainer last year with a career-best 297.5 winners.

Well done Darren, to you and the team.

Showbiz Extra

he prepares for a crack as possibly the International Sprint at Sha Tin in December.

Connections ruled out chasing a $1.3 million Global Sprint Series at Sha Tin in May, to concentrate on the rich plums both here and overseas.

It will be interesting to see if the stable will have a crack with Chautauqua in the Darley Sprint over the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Hawkes said he returned in good shape after his sensational win in the Group One Chairman's Sprint at Sha Tin two months ago.

Now that was one race you would love to see over again, when he seemed to be in an impossible position with about 600 metres to go, giving them at 12 lengths star.

■ One of Australia's greatest sporting personalities will be on hand for the next luncheon of the Victorian Racing Media at the Emerald Hotel in South Melbourne on Monday September 5.

None other than Kevin Sheedy, not only of football fame, but as a part- owner of leading sire and Blue Diamond Stakes winner, Bel Espirit.

Kevin and I go a long way back when he donned the boots for the Tigers in their premiership years. Oh, the memory.

The rest is history, how he changed football with his style of coaching and his promotional ability.

It was many years ago I ran into Kevin at one of his favourite places, the Olympic Hotel in Preston, part-owned by his good friend, Todd Shelton.

On one occasion he asked me about a certain youngster he was thinking of going into partnership with.

His main worry was not the breeding, being by top sire, Royal Academy, but that he had a slight imperfection to one of his right legs.

However he joined the team and bought the horse, known as Bel Espirit, a winner of a million dollars.

Every time I ask him for my sling, he just say's don't worry Tiger, your team has a fiveyear plan.

A great bloke and a great day coming up.

Good luck Sheeds.

- Ted Ryan

(M). 107 minutes. Now showing in cinemas everywhere.

Though it doesn't sink to the depths that most Hollywood comedies do nowadays, this inane action/comedy largely misses the mark, despite a set-up that could have lead to hearty laughs and well-rounded characters.

Kevin Hart stars as Calvin Joyner, a lowlevel accountant who can't help but reminisce about his high school days, when he was voted the student most likely to succeed.

With the 20th anniversary high school reunion just around the corner, Calvin is lessthan-enthused to go, but things take an unexpected turn when he receives a call from someone called Bob Stone (Dwayne Johnson).

Deciding to meet him, Calvin discovers that Bob is actually Robbie Weirdicht, a student who was formally obese and relentlessly picked-on.

What Calvin also finds out is that Bob works for the CIA, and is investigating a case that will put this everyman in constant danger.

One admires the attempt to cast both Johnson and Hart against type, and whilst it doesn't reach The Last Boy Scout levels of success, there is some chemistry between the two actors.

Hart is an acquired taste, but his relatively restrained turn is something of a blessing.

The real star though is Johnson, who continues to impress, showing impeccable comic timing and genuine screen charisma, elevating a film that doesn't quite deserve it.

What's most frustrating is that there is a real emotional thread to hook all the comedy and mayhem on, but all three screenwriters drop the ball, going for the most simplistic, surface-level treatment of what's ailing the lead duo, particularly Bob. On top of that is director Rawson Marshall Thurber's inability to stage a competent action scene, relying on cliched, Michael Bay-type tricks to hide his utter lack of imagination.

The identity of the villain is unfortunately way too easy to pick. Central Intelligence proves to be slightly better than initial expectations, but ultimately ends up a disappointment because it offers up elements that, if developed properly, could have eventuated in a more memorable, laugh-out-loud comedy.

RATING - **½ - Aaron Rourke

Page 34 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 13, 2016

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