Melbourne Observer. May 31, 2017

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■ Nurse Ratched and Randle McMurphy, played by Catherine Glavicic and Michael Robins, star in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, opening tomorrow (Thurs., June 1) at the Lawler Theatre, Southbank. Inset: Eddie Muliaumaseali’I at the Chief. Report on Page 11.

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Page 2 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017

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Travel

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Observer reader spies new series

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Page 7 Melbourne

Observer

Showbiz Latest

It’s All About You!

Melbourne

Uneven mix of Observer dialogue falls short In This Edition

● Martin Clunes as Doc Martin Photo: Barry Lockett ■ One of our Melbourne Observer readers, Barry Lockett, was in Port Isaac, Cornwall, last week and watched the filming of the new series of the popular television show Doc Martin.

This will be the second last season and the show is tipped to finish in 2018.

Barry spoke to some of the crew who said they loved working on the series and it was always a happy experience.

The regular actors were on the set and some of the former stars of Downtown Abbey are playing guest roles.

Barry took the photo of Martin Clunes who was enjoying playing with the dog that Doc Martin despises and frequently throws him out of the medical centre.

The new series of Doc Martin will be shown on ABC television hopefully later this year.

- Kevin Trask

Matt Bissett-Johnson: Cartoonist Peter Kemp: The Arts Gavin Wood: West Hollywoood Nick Le Souef: Outback Legend Kevin Trask: Whatever Happened Mark Twain: Observer Classic Books Len Baker: Sulky Snippets Ted Ryan: Observer Racing Rob Foenander: Country Music Jim Sherlock: Movies, DVDs Aaron Rourke: Film Reviews Radio Country Music Local Theatre The Arts

Observer Showbiz

Latest News AroundVictoria

Body located

■ Police investigated the finding of a ● Ally Fowler in Shrine at Fortyfivedownstairs man’s body in a bin in Preston at the week■ Tim Winton’s Shrine builds a narrative posing the raw wood underneath its white paint, end. A man emptying bins located the body around a symbolic, homemade white cross; a a plinth that acts as both fire and funeral pyre at the intersection of Young and Butler temporary roadside monument to lost youth.

Streets. and Kris Chainey’s ghostly lighting sets the mood Jack Mansfield (Christian Taylor) has lost for this story of trauma and tragedy. his life in a car crash.

Jack is ever-present as the narrative flashes Leon Salom’s starkly unadorned set, one side forward and back recounting the circumstances ■ Former basketball star and one-time of the proscenium arch with a rough gouge ex- surrounding his death.

Geelong Supercat Shane Heal has apMarcel Dorney directs a great cast. Chris peared in court on charges of $750,000 Bunworth is more than believable as the grievfraud involving Philadelphia 76ers coach ing father Adam, unable to comprehend the loss Brett Brown, reports the Geelong Adverof his son. tiser.

Ally Fowler brings much emotion to Mary, Jack’s mother. Tenielle Thompson is excellent as June, Jack’s fleeting last love; the holder of the key to the mystery surrounding Jack’s death.

■ Bushfires and more discoveries of Keith Brockett and Nick Clark, as Jack’s Leadbeater's possum are likely to cut nastereotypical ‘frat boy’ mates Ben and Will, are tive forest wood supply to Gippsland timsuitably obnoxious. ber mills by another 25 to 35 per cent over What then is so dissatisfying about this play? the next 20 years, according to a major Winton’s strength is at its best during scenes report published in the Gippsland Times. where characters are able to interact.

In the main though, actors are hamstrung by the static and emotional impotence of the constant soliloquies directed at the audience. When ■ A magistrate told a Colac man that he we do get to see emotion, it is cut short. will “roll the dice” when he appears at In one memorable scene as an example, the County Court to appeal a six-week Mary’s grief-stricken torment at the untimely jail sentence. Magistrate Michael Coghlan death of her son is likened to the howling sound sentenced the man to six weeks in prison of a cow calving. when he faced burglary charges and The format, an uneven mix of dialogue and warned him he could receive a longer jail monologue, falls short by ignoring playwriting’s sentence. cardinal rule: show, don’t tell.

Dates: Until June 18 Times: Tues-Sat 8pm, sun 5pm Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, ■ Today (Wed.). Partly cloudy. 5°-14° Melbourne ■ Thurs. Mostly sunny. 5°-15° Tickets: $30 - $45 ■ Fri. Sunny. 4°-15° Bookings: 9662 9966 ■ Sat. Mostly sunny. 6°-16° - Review by Kathryn Keeble ● Rehearsing for The Mikado are Steven Edwards (left) (Ko Ko), Jenny Wakefield (Katisha), and Nick Durbridge, (The Mikado).

■ The Diamond Valley Singers open with lovely company and this prod team that I The Mikado, on July 9 at the newly refur- adore, and lots of good friends and an interbished Warrandyte High School, under the esting interpretation of it,” said Kristen. direction of Tam Smith.

The Diamond Valley Singers have a focus The Mikado is one of the most famous and on giving: not only from the stage to a supportbest-loved of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operet- ive audience, but to charities as well. tas. Since its premiere in 1885 at the Savoy Angela Hennel, the President of Diamond Theatre in London, the show has become Valley Singers, says the company will be actone of the most-performed pieces of musical ing locally and thinking globally. theatre in history.

“Diamond Valley Singers will donate proDirector Tam Smith says: “This produc- ceeds from the performances to International tion will not be a portrayed traditionally. Tak- Needs Australia, Open House in Ivanhoe, and ing the show out of Japan, and letting the story the Elizabeth Nursery School in Malawi,” she come forward in a new setting will allow au- said. diences to enjoy the music they know and Diamond Valley Singers’ focus on charilove, while still enjoying something new.” table donations is another reason why Ms For soprano Kristen Ryan, cast as the lead Kristen Ryan returned to the company.

5.“Mr President, don't call him Frank.” role of ‘Yum-Yum’, the new interpretation was “I love that. We need more of that in the 4. “It's not a hand-bag and it's not on fire. one aspect of the show that piqued her inter- world.” est.

All performances are at the fully refurIt's incense burning.”

Her second show with the company, it was bished Warrandyte High School Theatre, 3. "If you really want to go to confession, take a cut-lunch also a good opportunity to further her ambition Alexander Rd, Warrandyte, at 8 pm on July of working her way through the Gilbert and 7, 8, 12, 14, 15, and at 2pm July 8, 9 and 15. and a sleeping bag".

Sullivan canon.

Bookings on: 9439 7843 or visit http:// 2. "If you play golf with him, don't cheat. He'll know!"

“It was like, ‘I’m going to play ‘Yum-Yum’ www.dvsingers.org 1. "There is no Mrs Pope!" some day, so I might as well do it with this - Cheryl Threadgold

Fraud alleged

The Mikado at W’dyte

Possum power

Rolling the dice

Forecast

Mike McColl Jones

Top 5

THE T OP 5 PIE CES OF AD VICE TOP PIECES ADVICE GIVEN T O DONALD TRUMP TO BEFORE HE MET THE POPE.

Page 8 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

People

● Russell Wealands and David Anderson

Wetlands Gala Dinner at Beaufort Manor, Yea

■ Some 80 guests raised $12,500 at the Yea Wetlands Trust Gala 2017 Fund Raiser Dinner at Beaufort Manor on Saturday (May 27). There were generous donations of venue, catering expertise, wine and food.

Trust Chairman Russell Wealands said: “The support shown and funds raised will provide important leverage for the Trustees to seek additional funds necessary to engage specialist environmental learning services and support the growing range of learning programs at the Y Water Centre."

MC for the night David Anderson, Chair of the Y Water Centre Association, said, "This was a wonderful community night. Many of the guests, several who are relatively new to Yea and the surrounding district, thoroughly enjoyed the night and now have a better appreciation of the Y Water Centre, Yea Wetlands and the volunteer effort that has, and continues to be invested in it."

Guests enjoyed local belly dancers Tina Brunt and Kate Toogood before enjoying a Moroccan themed meal prepared

by Cindy Mackay and the fine wines donated by Sedona Estate, Murrindindi.

Russell acknowledged the generosity of Reddrop's Foodworks Yea, Sedona Estate, Cindy Mackay and Grant Oppy and Beaufort Manor.

● Richard and Janet Forde

● Ron Litjens and Fr Thomas Leslie

● Kaillie Nott and Michael Chesworth

● Clayton and Christina Thomas

● Dan and Gidget Knight

● Carol Hogg, David Ngo inspect auction lots

● Eric and Faye Lording

● John and Merrin Tulloch

● Catherine and Charles Rattray

● Marla Swift, of chamber music group 'Winded'

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Arts Common Threads

■ Hear from the artists behind the popular exhibition Common Threads by Joe Roszlowski and Juliet D. Collins.

The artists will talk through ideas, concepts and processes behind their works, including their insights into successfully collaborating as friends and professional artists.

This is a free event with light refreshments.

Saturday (June 3), 2pm.- 3.30pm.

Kingston Gallery Artspace, 64 Parkers Rd, Parkdale.

■ Nabadoon. Presented in partnership with the Somali Cultural Association, this group exhibition celebrates Refugee Week 2017 by exploring te culture, landscape and nomadic lives of Somalis through contemporary paintings and ancient artefacts.

Exhibition: Monday June 19 - Saturday August 5. Opening Friday June 30, 6pm - 8pm.

Kingston Arts Centre, 979 Nepean Hwy, Moorabbin.

Town Hall Gallery, Hawthorn

■ Materiality focuses in the moments when materials play the lead within artistic process, entangling their audiences in a web of connections and meanings. It investigates the role of materiality in art and attempts to expand notions of process, time and place.

The four artists selected all use materials and processes in a variety of ways. Many use laborious and handmade processes where the work is imbued with a strong sense of meaning and memory.

Materiality allows the materials to take centre stage and highlights their importance in the art making process.

Artists: John Brooks, Anna Farago, Nicolas Jones, Georgia MacGuire, Emma Peters and more. Runs until Sunday, July 2 at Town Hall Gallery, Hawthorn.

National Gallery

■ The Myth of the Troubled Genius. Often seen as the most famous example of the tortured yet brilliant artist, what was the relationship between Van Gogh's mental illness and his artistic creativity?

Van Gogh's struggles with mental illness are well documented, but what does current research in psychiatry reveal?

Debunk the myths surrounding Van Gogh and uncover facts surrounding his diagnosis as guests discuss the development of psychiatry and the understanding, or misunderstanding of mental illness during the artist's lifetime.

Tuesday June 13 at 6.30pm includes exhibition viewing from 5.30pm Moderator: Lyne Malcolm, presenter of All in the Mind of ABC National Radio.

Speakers: Professor Michael Berk, Alfred Deakin Professor of Psychiatry and Director IMPACT (Centre for Innovation in Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Treatment) Deakin University; Dr. Anthony White, Senior Lecturer, School of Culture and Communication, The University of Melbourne.

Bookings required at 8662 1555 - Peter Kemp

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Page 9

Dixie Swim Club delights

● Tania Maxwell (Sheree), Clare Hayes (Lexie) and Gabby Llewellyn Slater (Dinah) in The Dixie Swim Club. Photo: Kris Weber.

■ Strathmore Theatrical Arts weekends, with several de- and these annual catch-ups Group (STAG) presents a de- cades in between. with the rule ‘no kids, no men lightful production of The Dixie The contrasting characters, and no work’ are not just great Swim Club until June 4 at the so cleverly written to sustain fun, but therapeutic as issues Strathmore Community The- audience interest, include team are shared and frankly disatre. captain Sheree (Tania Max- cussed.

Award-winning director well), Dinah (Gabby Llewellyn Weber’s actors portray their Kris Weber has assembled a Slater) the sophisticated career characters beautifully, and the cast of five uniquely individual, lawyer. vivacious, multi-di- gradual ageing process over experienced female actors to vorced Lexie (Clare Hayes), the decades is skilfully represent the Southern friends charming former nun Jeri achieved. who meet every August in the (Eleni Miller), and cheery acCongratulations to those resame beach cottage, on the cident-prone Vernadette sponsible for wardrobe coorOuter Banks of North Caro- (Dawn Hinrichsen). dination (there is no lina.

Life is not perfect for any acknowledgement in the proWritten by Jessie Jones, of the women, even Sheree, gram). The terrific outfits are Nicholas Hope and Jamie and these annual catch-ups appropriately colourful or unWooten and based on lasting with the rule ‘no kids, no men der-toned to suit each friendship, the play takes place Life is not perfect for any character’s personality and in the beach house over four of the women, even Sheree, age.

Turn To Page 33 Melbourne

Observer

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

■ The Athenaeum Theatre Lilydale presents One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest until June 10 at 39 -41 Castella St, Lilydale, under the direction of Catherine Garside.

This dramatic comedy by Dale Wasserman, adapted from the novel by Ken Kesey, tells of convicted felon Randle McMurphy charm his way onto a psych ward thinking it’s surely the easy way to serve out a six-month prison term.

He encounters Nurse Ratched, a disciplined and extremely focused agent of authority.

Randle uses his charisma and humour to breathe life into the ward and lead the other patients into open rebellion.

But McMurphy’s revolution against Nurse Ratched and everything she stands for, quickly turns from sport to a fierce power struggle, with shattering results.

Performance details: Until June 10, evening performances at 8.15pm, matinees at 2.15pm.

Pre-show sherries served 30 minutes prior to performance.

Tickets: Adult $25, Concession $23.

Venue: Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre, 39 – 41 Castella St, Lilydale.

Bookings: 9735 1777 Tea, coffee, soft drinks and biscuits served at interval time. At the end of the show meet the cast and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine or a soft drink accompanied by savoury nibbles.

Melbourne Observations

with Matt Bissett-Johnson

Showbiz News

● Chris Shaw and Neil McColl in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest in Lilydale.

Lee Simon at Showbiz lunch ■ The May luncheon of the Australian Marquee Entertainment Luncheon being held today (Wed.) will feature man Lee Simon.

Convenor Jeff Joseph says the membersonly luncheon will draw people from Lee’s earlier radio days at both 1420 3XY and EONFM (MMM-FM).

“It’s going to one of those ‘I know that face’ type events,” Mr Joseph says.

“If you come from a radio background, or know someone who has, make sure they know about this special lunch, as I’m sure many would like to attend.” elmroad@bigpond.com

Just Briefly Maroondah Access Gallery

■ The latest exhibition is Nadrasca 17 which celebrates the fresh and highly individual visions of eight artists from the dynamic Nadrasca Community Art Program.

Artists exhibiting are Antonia Antoniou, Dean Grundy, Louisa Hanna, Elroy Hendricks, Andrea Marchetti, Janette McDonald, Mark Meehan and June Patterson.

The exhibition opens June 9 and runs until July 28. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm.

At Burrinja Contemporary Australian Landscape Ebony Flick, Jonathan Michael and Vicki Moritz.

Landscape photography plays a key role in defining who we are as well as a nation, and how we see ourselves in relation to the environment we inhabit.

Australia is a vast and unforgiving land still largely uninhabited. The landscape seems charged with spiritual presence and a stark emptiness that haunts our suburbs and extends across deserts to the deep sea in each side.

Across these dusty plains and rocky grounds, flora and fauna astoundingly flourish from the wildflower to the Australian Brumby. The idea of struggle is deeply entrenched in our national psyche. Even in the harshest environments life beckons to understand our history and surroundings.

This exhibition draws together three Victoria-based contemporary photographers to continue this dialogue with the surrounding land. The exhibition runs till June 18. ★ Arlpwe Arts - The Colour of the Desert.

Experience the work of artists from Arlpwe Arts in All Curung. Located in the Spinifex country four hours north of Alice Springs in Northern Territory. Burrinja presents new paintings by members of the four language groups who reside in All Curung (Warlpiri.

Waruungu, Kaiditch and Alyewarra).

The exhibition runs till June 18. ★ Skin Side Out, Renate Crow.

Burrinja Kids Stay and Play free family activity by local artist Renate Crow.

You are invited to look at some shapes we make with our bodies. Where does that bit go in between when we connect with someone, when we thumb wrestle or Hi Five? That bit in between, see inside this hidden place imprinted on silicone pieces, look closely at the textures. | What patterns do our bodies have, match up the pieces, where are they from? See if you can find the belly button.

Capture yourself, what impression will you leave in the sand?

Draw your hand shape on the community canvas and see how many we get in three months.

(Parents are encouraged to photograph the impressions in the sand and canvas to take home). Season: May, June and July. ★ WHAT THE F***!?

Growing Pains Initiative launches its first exhibition. What the F***!? Showcasing six young emerging artists exploring the uncertainty of being in the early stages of their careers, with many using processes where the results are unknown at the beginning.

The works in this exhibition show that exploration and experimentation are part of figuring out who we are as creative people.

What the F***!? also accurately describes how the three Growing Pains Initiative Gallery founders feel on a day by day basis as they guess their way through the gallery management world.

The exhibition runs till June 4. at Burrinja Level 1.

- Peter Kemp

Page 10 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Melbourne

Observer

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

West Hollywood

30 years of WeHo hospitality

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

Together for 3 decades

■ It was 1987 after a North Melbourne-Sydney Swans match in Sydney that changed Alan Johnson's life.

The CEO and Managing Director of Hoteliers Corporation was informed about a under performing hotel in West Hollywood.

Always ready to jump at opportunities, Alan Johnson was on the first plane to West Hollywood. The rest is hotel history. The Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites has won numerous local and international awards for its performance.

Some staff has been there all those years including a very young William Karpiak pictured with the new Managing Director of the Ramada Plaza in West Hollywood back in 1987.

The other picture is 30 years on in 2017 and they are still a formidable force in the West Hollywood and Los Angeles accommodation markets.

Congratulations must go to Alan and William for 30 wonderful years of giving service to Australian travellers, American travellers. and tourists from all around the world that have stayed at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites. How are those apples?

ABC shuffles the deck

● Alan Johnson and Bill Karpiak, three deacdes together at the Ramda Plaza Hotel and Suites

■ Superheroes, a rapping mayor, a celebrity kids version of Dancing With the Starsand more are all coming to a reshuffling ABC (US) network.

Ahead of its upfront presentation to advertisers at Lincoln Center in New York, the Alphabet Net revealed its 2017-18 prime time lineup, which included a clutch of new shows and time-slot switches for several returning series.

The new shows - seven dramas, three comedies and two reality shows premiering both later in the year - include Marvel's Inhumans, The Mayor and Dancing With the Stars Junior.

Also touted in the release are two live musical event specials, The Wonderful World of Disney: The Little Mermaid Live! and Rolling Stone 50 and another new alternative series, The Bachelor Winter Games.

The network also announced that Jimmy Kimmel will return as the host of the Academy Awards in 2018.

Premiere dates, including for the return of American Idol, will be announced at a later time.

Man sues date over texts

■ According to the Austin American-Statesman, 37-year-old Brandon Vezmar of Austin is suing a Round Rock woman for texting during their movie date last week.

He's seeking $17.31, the price of a ticket to a 3D screening of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Describing the outing as "a first date from hell," Vezmar told the newspaper that his date began texting about 15 minutes into the movie.

According to a petition filed in small claims court, Vezmar's date "activated her phone at least 10-20 times" until he asked her to stop.

When he suggested she go outside to text, the woman departed the theatre altogether and left Vezmar without a ride home, he said.

Vezmar said the woman subsequently refused to reimburse him for the ticket, and his petition described her behaviour as "a threat to civilisd society."

Reached by the American-Statesman, the woman asked not to be identified by name and said she wasn't aware of the claim against her. "Oh my God," she said. "This is crazy."

Heave-ho for ‘bad’ people

■ Illegal immigration arrests shot up 38 pe rcent in the first three months of the Trump administration compared with the same period last year, one of the first clear indications that the president's hard-line policies are being carried out on a grand scale.

While President Trump's more attention-grabbing ideas have been blocked or stalled, like building a border wall and temporarily stopping travel from some Muslim-majority countries, the statistics released by Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement suggested that the more street-level aspects of his immigration agenda have achieved significant results, and quickly.

From January 22 to April 29, ICE officers arrested 41,318 people, at a rate of more than 400 people per day, compared with 30,028 over roughly the same period in 2016, the data showed.

● Alan Johnson and Bill Karpiak, 30 years ago

Girls are rockin’ ■ Miley Cyrus is once again atop the pop charts, doing a hoedown dance on the beach in her new music video for Malibu, a whimsical song showing off the softer side of a singer who for several years projected an image that was anything but soft.

Gone are the nipple pasties, naked wrecking ball riding, and that infamous masturbating foam finger from the 2013 Video Music Awards.

Instead, we now see a turtleneck sweater, floating balloons and the manicured fingers of a 24-year-old pop star who has reinvented herself by going back to the mainstream roots that made her a Disney darling in the mid-to-late 2000s.

Selena Gomez has just released the single Bad Liar after teasing the track for days on social media.

The Instagram queen posted lyrics and clips to get her fans around the world hyped up for the highly anticipated single and she definitely didn't disappoint.

Acclaimed jazz singer Sarah Partridge's performance at the legendary ‘Bitter End’ in NYC was sold-out and reviewed with raves. Partridge and her six-piece band debuted their new album, which is a tribute to legendary singer - songwriter Janis Ian.

GavinWood

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

Lots of WeHo fun ■ West Hollywood (aka "WeHo") is one of LA's top neighbourhoods,:from famed streets like Sunset and Robertson Boulevards to its vibrant gay community. The Sunset Strip has it all, including entertainment venues like the House of Blues and the Comedy Store, the lively Saddle Ranch Chop House and fine dining at Herringbone. Robertson Boulevard is famous for its high-end fashion boutiques. The Schindler House is located on Kings Road and considered to be the first house built in the modern style. WeHo is home to Southern California's largest LGBT community, and is the site of the annual Gay Pride parade in June, and the Halloween Costume Carnaval, which attracts hundreds of thousands of partiers. The Abbey is the most famous of WeHo's numerous bars and clubs, mainly located on Santa Monica Boulevard.

Browse the top West Hollywood hotels and experience this endlessly entertaining region.

Special Holiday Offer

● Miley Cyrus

www.gavinwood.us

■ If you are considering a move to Los Angeles or just coming over for a fun 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

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Page 11

Melbourne

Confidential Talk is cheap, gossip is priceless

Arts Extra Blindside Gallery

Now You've Done It. James Parkinson: Now You've Done It presents a series of humorous sculptures and paintings that investigate the politics of privatisation and the indoctrinating systems of capitalism.

By thinking through the arbitrariness of suburban values and capitalist structures, Parkinson creates an absurd portrait of our commodified world.

In foregrounding the child within his imagery, Parkinson uses the figure of the child as one who is helplessly subject to various types of indoctrination.

At the centre of the paintings is the simple trope of a child losing a ball over a fence, which Parkinson literally places as a dividing wall in the gallery space.

Now You've Done It uses this story to think about systems of blame and the child's first introduction to the concepts of sovereign rule and private ownership.

The idea put forth is that the child is expected to behave according to formulated cultural etiquettes and policies; mistakes are discouraged and suburban values are promoted through effective social cohesion.

Parents and guardians are positioned as reinforcing their values, while the subjectivity of the child becomes restrained through these systems. ★ Thanks For Having Me. Clare Longley: Thanks For Having Me brings together a mixture of performance and painting. The show draws from recognised visual artifices and stimulations known to arouse a sense of pleasure.

Longley explores the idea that over time humans have developed powerful emotional responses, which guide our actions and ultimately improve our chances of reproduction and survival.

Focussing on the theatrical and corporeal, Thanks For Having Me explores how universal bedrocks or attractiveness influence the way we design and are drawn to images and spaces that delight and give pleasure.

How do broader processes such as natural and sexual selection inform the way we respond to and create spaces in which to live, entertain and seduce?

- Peter Kemp

Night of Dark Intent

● Loreta Murphy in A Night of Dark Intent. Photo: Pietro Giordano ■ Beaumaris Theatre presents A Night of Dark Intent until June 10 at 82 Wells Rd, Beaumaris.

Written by L. Don Swartz and directed by Lyn Laister, this thriller tells of six women who must race against the clock to solve a murder and to save their own lives.

Performances: Until June 10 at 8 pm, June 4 at 5 pm Venue: Beaumaris Theatre, 82 Wells Rd., Beaumaris Tickets: $27 and $24 concession Bookings:www.beaumaristheatre.com.au - Cheryl Threadgold

Trio banned from managing companies

■ The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has disqualified Nathan Tinkler, Donna Dennis and Troy Palmer from managing companies for between three and four years for alleged multiple serious failures in their duty as directors.

Tinkler's threeyears and ninemonths disqualification follows the appointment of liquidators to 11 companies he managed: ■ Ocean Street

Holdings Pty Ltd ■ Tinkler Group Pty Ltd ■ Tinkler Group Holdings Administration ■ Monegeetta Holdings Pty Ltd ■ Patinack Farm Holdings No 4 Pty Ltd ■ Patinack Farm

Hats Off ■ It is commendable that an amateur theatre company would include a new work by an unheralded, local Australian playwright in its 2017 season.

After 41 years in the community, Brighton Theatre Company can take risks knowing its audience of regulars is appreciative of its efforts.

Hats Off by Alison Campbell Rate centres on a reunion of five women who all shared the same digs in their university days.

Harriet (Judite Smits), Trinity (Bronwyn Cameron), Gabi (Kerry Godfrey), Cassie (Janis Schneider) and Michelle (Philippa Bain) discuss their lives, loves, losses and longings as they look back over the years.

Much of what they talk about would figure in the consciousness of the mature audience that frequent Brighton’s 84-seat theatre.

It is a cosy and intimate environment and talk of family Christmases gone wrong and frustrated professional careers would resonate.

The challenge for Rate, however, is to accentuate the dramatic tension, for which there is potential, rather than indulge in reminiscences.

The misunderstandings and long held grievances between the parties is the more compelling source of drama.

Among the cast, Cameron, set the standard for confidence in both character consistency and delivery. It takes time to bed down the dialogue between five independent women all vying to be part of a conversation and it is an indulgence that director, Denise Wellington, may not have had; time to drill dialogue so that it was seemingly effortless.

Most of the performers in the amateur world would be maintaining their day time career and night time love of theatre simultaneously.

As usual, the volunteer back stage and front of house crew have done a sterling job. The set was a plausible holiday home and the sherry aperitif before the curtain and the sandwiches after are a feature of many amateur companies.

I also notice that, amongst the established playwrights being performed, Brighton is also opening up its final production of the year to young adults in the community to write, direct and perform a work of their own making.

A lot is happening in Brighton.

Brighton Theatre Company, cnr Wilson and Carpenter Streets, Brighton. Until June 3 - Review by David McLean

Holdings No 8 Pty Ltd ■ Thoroughbred Administration Pty Ltd ■ Aston Metals Limited ■ Patinack Farm Administration Pty Ltd ■ Mulsanne Resources Pty Ltd ■ Supercar International Holdings Ltd Ms Dennis's threeyear disqualification follows the appointment of liquidators to nine companies she managed.

Mr Palmer's threeyears and ninemonths disqualification follows the appointment of liquidators to nine companies he managed.

As a result of information contained in reports provided by the liquidators of the

failed companies, ASIC was concerned Tinkler, Dennis and Palmer had: ■ failed to prevent the companies from trading while insolvent; ■ failed to ensure the companies paid their taxes; ■ failed to discharge their duties as a director; and ■ allowed one of the companies to deliberately operate at a loss.

Tinkler and Palmer were each disqualified from managing companies for three years and nine months, effective from May 18 and May 12 respectively.

Dennis has been disqualified from managing corporations for three years, effective from May 22.

Rumour Mill

Hear It Here First

An yhow* ■ Paul Hogan has paid ‘tens of millions of dollars’ to the Australian Tax Office as he settled his protracted battle with the organisation, reports the Herald Sun. A Senate committee hearing heard Hogan paid back a significant sum of the reportedly $150 million he owed.

● Paul Hogan Hogan reportedly owed around $150 million in tax and penalties.

No licence

■ The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has cancelled the Australian financial service licence of Gallop International Group Pty Ltd, formerly known as Weather Pro Exchange Pty Ltd

Countdown ■ There are only 28 more Melbourne Observers until Christmas.

E-Mail: Confidential@MelbourneObserver.com.au

Snippets One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

■ One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest has left an indelible mark on literature, theatre and film. It is a boisterous, ribald and ultimately devastating story of a mental hospital and its inhabitants.

In a world where sanity means conformity and following the rules is the only way to survive; One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a powerful exploration of the beauty and the danger of being an original.

Dale Wasserman adapted One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest from the novel by Ken Kesey; the play opened on Broadway in 1963 with Kirk Douglas as McMurphy, Ed Ames as the Chief and Gene Wilder as Billy.

After opening on Broadway, The New York Times called the play "scarifying and powerful," while the New York Daily News called it "funny, touching, and exciting."

In 1975, a film version was released and it won OscarsforJack Nicholson asMcMurphy and Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ratched.

It was also the first film to win Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay since It Happened One Night in 1934. It remains one of only three films to have swept the top five categories at the Oscars.

Ken Kesey published One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest to great critical and commercial success. The novel combines the personal and professional experiences of Ken Kesey and reflects the culture in which it was written.

Kesey developed the novel while a graduate student in Stanford University's Creative Writing Program.

The novel was partly inspired by his parttime job as an orderly in the Palo Alto Menlo Park Veterans' Hospital.

Kesey also had begun participating in experiments involving LSD and other substances for Stanford's Psychology Department.

Speaking to patients under the influence of LSD, Kesey began to perceive that society had turned functional people insane instead of allowing them to find their way back to functioning in society.

Kesey's use of LSD also prompted him to have hallucinations while working as an orderly. He often imagined seeing a large Indian mopping the floors of the hospital, prompting him to later add the character of Chief Bromden as the novel's narrator.

Venue: Southbank Theatre - The Lawler, 140 Southbank Blvd, Southbank Dates: May 31-June 11 Times: Tue.-Sat. 7.30pm, Sat. 3.30pm and Sun 2pm (June 11 only) Bookings: 8688 0800 or mtc.com.au | Ticket price: $40 - $50

Just Briefly ■ Oz Comic-Con will be at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, July 1-2.

■ Master artist and portrait painter Fu Hong's opening night will be held from 6pm on Friday (June 2) at Malvern Artists Society Galleries, 1297-1299 High St, Malvern.

■ Velvert, starring Marcia Hines, opens on Friday, June 9, at the Palms at Crown.

The Melbourne Observer is printed under contract by Streamline Press Pty Ltd, 155 Johns ton S t, Fitzr o y, ffor or the publisher St, Fitzro publisher,, Local Media Pty Ltd. ABN 67 096 680 063, of the registered office, 30 Glen Gully Rd, Eltham, Vic 3095. Distributed by All Day Distribution. Responsibility for election and referendum comment is accepted by Ash Long.

C op yright © 20 1 7 ocal Media P ty L opyright 7,, L Local Pty Ltt d.

Page 12 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017

■ Henderson Rowntree was born in Hartlepool, England, in 1912.

His parents were Richard and Hanna Henderson. Hanna used to call him ‘Chick' because he was her youngest of eight children and also the smallest.

The nickname stuck throughout his life.

Chick loved to sing and joined the local church choir.

He was heard by bandleader Harry Leader (who later discovered Matt Monroe) and given an audition.

Harry was impressed with the young vocalist and signed him up for the Eclipse Label in 1935.

Chick made three recordings and his first was Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart.

He sang on the BBC and was heard by another bandleader, Joe Loss, who invited Chick to join his band.

He made recordings with Joe Loss such as Wyoming in the Gloaming and The General's Fast Asleep.

Chick and Joe Loss went on to record over 250 songs in the next five years. He also continued to make recordings with Harry Leader and Harry Roy. The interesting thing was that Chick did not have his name on the label of the 78rpm records, only the name of the orchestra was printed.

Chick was a handsome young man and became well known when his photo was used on

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Whatever Happened To ...

Chick Henderson

By Kevin Trask of 3AW and 96.5 Inner FM

postcards and magazine covers. In July 1939, he recorded with the Joe Loss Orchestra what would become his biggest-selling song.

Begin The Beguine was composed by Cole Porter and originally written for the Broadway musical Jubilee.

The song had already been made popular by Artie Shaw and his Orchestra. Chick's version sold over a million copies and it was the only recording by a 1930s vocalist to achieve such a triumph.

He only received £4 for the recording session. I love playing the Chick Henderson version on radio.

Chick was a good friend of Al Bowlly and they both had wonderful success with their re-

● Chick Henderson cordings. In 1940 Chick married Pamela Stevenson at Paddington and they had a daughter the following year.

Chick joined the Merchant Navy and survived two torpedo attacks on his ships.

The circumstances of his tragic death have been disputed over the years. This version of the event was told by his biographer Frank Wappat.

A lone German pilot got through the radar and attacked the Royal Pier Hotel in Southsea Terrace.

German intelligence might well have known that naval officers were using the hotel as a billet. On June 24, 1944, and coming in at low

level, the pilot machine-gunned the front of the hotel killing just one officer, Sub-Lieutenant Henderson. He was in his room on the top floor and as the fighter pilot strafed the building, Chick was hit.

His wife, Pamela, said she received a letter from Navalchaplain, the Rev. C.B .Taylor RNVR the very next day, but he told a different story He said that he, along with Chick, were on their way to a shelter and could hear the sound of the V1 in the sky.

All of a sudden Chick fell and seemed to be unconscious. Carried into the warmth of the hotel, a doctor was called.

A splinter from an exploding shell or some other outside agent pierced his side. He did no regain consciousness and the chaplain goes on to say it was a quick, painless death.

But sadly, Chick Henderson did die that day at the age of 31.

He is buried at the Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery. Thankfully we can still enjoy listening to the wonderful recordings of that fabulous voice from the swing era.

- Kevin Trask Kevin can be heard on radio 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

In search of the black panther ■ In Alice Springs it's not unusual to see Members of Parliament just wandering around the streets, or in pubs or restaurants.

I've often bumped into them at tourism functions, and we've chatted amiably away.

One of my mates, Paul, told me how he and one of the ministers in a long-ago government sat down and drafted some legislation on reducing the amount of alcohol drunk by a Territorians.

This was in Krafty's Steakhouse a couple of hours over several bottles of red.

One individual, however, although he tried, didn't quite make it.

Jackson Anni was, according to his lawyer, an intelligent and well educated man.

He was a qualified accountant and had completed most of a law degree at Murdoch University with distinctions and credits.

And he ran a business in Darwin.

He began a political party - the Foundation for the Digetestation of Rural Australia, - and attempted to gain a seat in Parliament. Unfortunately for him he dipped out.

He is a Nigerian-born Aussie, and he wants to become a lawyer when he completes his degree.

However, there's been a glitch along the way - he was recently arrested, and pleaded guilty to stealing about $16,000 from innocent NT residents, running sly grog, and fabricating evidence.

Quite a set-back.

Then the raids allegedly started: one at Coles, and another in the CBD, and another in Whitaker St. The worst was said to be when the Hilux demolished the front of a petrol station in a ram raid.

The mind boggles.

■ There's a group in Alice Springs called Bush Mob. It's been formed by some Aboriginal Elders to offer tribal and social guidance to young people, to try and get them on a narrow, positive path, away from the temptations of drugs and alcohol, violence and petrol sniffing.

However there were a few escapes last month, and one of them has been allegedly involved in recent crime spree, and another 14-year-old is "assisting with inquiries".

And, in the same spree, another 14year-old girl, and a 15- and 16-yearold, and a 12-year-old boy were allegedly involved.

They initially entered a store and allegedly stole five bicycles, then into another business, apparently escaping with a Holden Commodore and a Hilux.

■ Even though I get a waft of petrol aroma from the nozzle every time I fill my car, I have never given this brew an actual deliberate sniff, even though it's not altogether unpleasant.

Sadly, there are plenty in the NT who do.

They're primarily just children who indulge thus. Apparently the fumes attack some portion of the brain, which causes a degree of pleasant intoxication.

The participants are mainly Aboriginal youngsters - they steal standard petrol from unguarded cars, and just sniff away.

Not only do the chemicals cause an instant high, but there's permanent serious damage to the brain.

There was a recent case before the courts. An inquest heard that a young

The Outback Legend

Now there's been another one seen witnesses, so what are they? in the NT. Are they panthers escaped from a A Queensland tourist, John zoo or circus, a native, but elusive cat, Kennedy, spotted one south of or what? Maybe just giant moggies.

Tennant Creek last week.

And some have been reported to And this creature was about six feet have sported pouches, so they may long, black, with a long tail - just the be marsupials - maybe even description of every other such sight- Thylacoleo Carnefax, a marsupial lion ing I have ever read about.

There was a photo published in the supposedly extinct for 20,000 years.

There are always the sceptics, but local press a couple of years ago showing two similar creatures on the gorillas were regarded as being mythiroadside in the Territory - just the cal creatures until relatively recent times.

■ Having more than a few friends same description.

- Nick Le Souef These things have been sighted all who have more than a passing inter‘The Outback Legend’ est in animals and birds, I do, on oc- over Australia by many and varied casion, discuss supposedly missing or extinct birds and animals.

Of course there's the Thylacine, whose existence is still highly questionable; and another one which has recently emerged from supposed ex■ Series 2 of Hard Quiz on ABC-TV is soon to be produced, but first they tinction is the Night Parrot.

There were always reported need contestants. A casting call is out for contestants who are experts in a sightings of this shy and mysterious specific subject. Let your fingers do the walking to www.mycastingnet.com bird from the Outback, where it al- and you could be coming face to face with presenter Tom Gleeson. Hard. ways dwelt.

Local bushies in the Centre would always claim to have seen them in their wanderings. It didn't fly around ■ The interest in live entertainment on tv was exemplified by the sell-out much, and lived under Spinifex attendence at the recent screening of Graham Kennedy: The King of TV. clumps. This in itself has meant that The hilarious sketches by Kennedy and crew coupled with comments from people don't roam around hunting into Patti Newton, Pete Smith, Philip Brady and Mike McColl Jones was a package of laughs long to be remembered. Bring back live entertainment on this prickly layer.

Over the past few years it's been TV. located and sighted in Western Australia and north Queensland.

And now a couple of zoologists, Chris Watson and Mark Carter claim ■ Crocmedia, best known for their footy productions have jumped out of their comfort zone by developing a half-hour radio series discussing wines to have located in the NT. But they haven't actually seen one. and craft beers.

Hosted by Nick Bennett, The Drinks Review will be heard of a Thursday They have recorded the distinctive call of a suspect, and compared this with night on Macquarie Media's Lifestyle stations in capital cities along the east the call of a known specimen. Hap- coast . Dan Murphy Liquor has signed on as major sponsor.

Im another move Ross Stevenson and Kate Stevenson of 3AW brekky pily, a match.

So it looks as though not only has fame have signed with Channel 7 to present a local show reviewing local food, bars and travel. the night parrot been found in the NT, but its territory has now been extended.

The last NT, unsuccessful, search was in 1924.

■ Some listeners maybe thankful, while others annoyed, but the glitches in Steve Price's evening radio show on 3AW (Macquarie) are littered with ■ Another mystery animal which when the talk show lapses into silent mode half way through a supposedly roams the Australian bush incidents sentence. is the elusive "black panther", which I Pretty pathetic when you consider all the technology on hand. Silence is have previously mentioned. not golden, it's a turn off and a signal to start dial twisting.

There have been countless sightings since Federation and many a photo, but nary a beast for capture, or even a corpse.

■ He of bulging muscles fame , simger, Peter Andre is soon to return A few years ago a hunter in Victoria home for a one-night stand at the Forum Theatre, November 25. It's been shot one and strung it up for a photo. 20 years since Pete visited Oz. In the meantime he married and divorced Its face was mangled, so no taxidermy, Katie Price, and nowdays calls Lomdon home . so he discarded it. A pity, a few of us - John O’Keefe thought. man who had spent more than half his life sniffing petrol should have been forced into our rehab.

‘Mr. Laurie’ started at 10, and was 24 when he died.

He fitted into a habit - he would clean himself up in jail, or a mental health unit, and then upon release, dice his medication and back to the petrol.

"One of the most difficult cases we've met," Police said.

So no more sniffing for Mr Laurie.

OK. With John O’Keefe Tom Gleeson. Hard.

with Nick Le Souef Lightning Ridge Opals 63 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne Phone 9654 4444 www.opals.net.au

Bring back Gra Gra

Radio folk turn to TV

How to silence Steve Price

Six-pack Pete

Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Page 13

Observer Classic Books

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn And so for three days and nights. No difference — just the same thing. But the next day I went exploring around down through the island. I was boss of it; it all belonged to me, so to say, and I wanted to know all about it; but mainly I wanted to put in the time. I found plenty strawberries, ripe and prime; and green summer grapes, and green razberries; and the green blackberries was just beginning to show. They would all come handy by and by, I judged.

Well, I went fooling along in the deep woods till I judged I warn’t far from the foot of the island.

I had my gun along, but I hadn’t shot nothing; it was for protection; thought I would kill some game nigh home. About this time I mighty near stepped on a good-sized snake, and it went sliding off through the grass and flowers, and I after it, trying to get a shot at it. I clipped along, and all of a sudden I bounded right on to the ashes of a camp fire that was still smoking.

My heart jumped up amongst my lungs. I never waited for to look further, but uncocked my gun and went sneaking back on my tiptoes as fast as ever I could. Every now and then I stopped a second amongst the thick leaves and listened, but my breath come so hard I couldn’t hear nothing else. I slunk along another piece further, then listened again; and so on, and so on. If I see a stump, I took it for a man; if I trod on a stick and broke it, it made me feel like a person had cut one of my breaths in two and I only got half, and the short half, too.

When I got to camp I warn’t feeling very brash, there warn’t much sand in my craw; but I says, this ain’t no time to be fooling around. So I got all my traps into my canoe again so as to have them out of sight, and I put out the fire and scattered the ashes around to look like an old last year’s camp, and then clumb a tree.

I reckon I was up in the tree two hours; but I didn’t see nothing, I didn’t hear nothing — I only THOUGHT I heard and seen as much as a thousand things. Well, I couldn’t stay up there forever; so at last I got down, but I kept in the thick woods and on the lookout all the time. All I could get to eat was berries and what was left over from breakfast.

By the time it was night I was pretty hungry. So when it was good and dark I slid out from shore before moonrise and paddled over to the Illinois bank — about a quarter of a mile. I went out in the woods and cooked a supper, and I had about made up my mind I would stay there all night when I hear a PLUNKETY-PLUNK, PLUNKETY-PLUNK, and says to myself, horses coming; and next I hear people’s voices.

I got everything into the canoe as quick as I could, and then went creeping through the woods to see what I could find out. I hadn’t got far when I hear a man say: “We better camp here if we can find a good place; the horses is about beat out. Let’s look around.”

I didn’t wait, but shoved out and paddled away easy. I tied up in the old place, and reckoned I would sleep in the canoe.

I didn’t sleep much. I couldn’t, somehow, for thinking. And every time I waked up I thought somebody had me by the neck. So the sleep didn’t do me no good. By and by I says to myself, I can’t live this way; I’m a-going to find out who it is that’s here on the island with me; I’ll find it out or bust. Well, I felt better right off.

So I took my paddle and slid out from shore just a step or two, and then let the canoe drop along down amongst the shadows. The moon was shining, and outside of the shadows it made it most as light as day. I poked along well on to an hour, everything still as rocks and sound asleep. Well, by this time I was most down to the foot of the island. A little ripply, cool breeze begun to blow, and that was as good as saying the night was about done. I give her a turn with the paddle and brung her nose to shore; then I got my gun and slipped out and into the edge of the woods. I sat down there on a log, and looked out through the leaves. I see the moon go off watch, and the darkness begin to blanket the river. But in a little while I see a pale streak over the treetops, and knowed the day was coming. So I took my gun and slipped off towards where I had run across that camp fire, stopping every minute or two to listen. But I hadn’t no luck somehow; I couldn’t

r

e rv se US N Ob N IO BO CT SE

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“Blamed if I would, Jim.” “Well, I b’lieve you, Huck. I— I RUN OFF.” “Jim!” “But mind, you said you wouldn’ tell — you know you said you wouldn’ tell, Huck.”

“Well, I did. I said I wouldn’t, and I’ll stick to it.

Honest INJUN, I will. People would call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum — but that don’t make no difference. I ain’t a-going to tell, and I ain’t a-going back there, anyways. So, now, le’s know all about it.”

“Well, you see, it ’uz dis way. Ole missus — dat’s Miss Watson — she pecks on me all de time, en treats me pooty rough, but she awluz said she wouldn’ sell me down to Orleans. But I noticed dey wuz a nigger trader roun’ de place considable lately, en I begin to git oneasy. Well, one night I creeps to de do’ pooty late, en de do’ warn’t quite shet, en I hear old missus tell de widder she gwyne to sell me down to Orleans, but she didn’ want to, but she could git eight hund’d dollars for me, en it ’uz sich a big stack o’ money she couldn’ resis’. De widder she try to git her to say she wouldn’ do it, but I never waited to hear de res’. I lit out mighty quick, I tell you.

“I tuck out en shin down de hill, en ’spec to steal a skift ’long de sho’ som’ers ’bove de town, but dey wuz people a-stirring yit, so I hid in de ole tumble-down cooper-shop on de bank to wait for everybody to go ’way. Well, I wuz dah all night. Dey wuz somebody roun’ all de time. ’Long ’bout six in de mawnin’ skifts begin to go by, en ’bout eight er nine every skift dat went ’long wuz talkin’ ’bout how yo’ pap come over to de town en say you’s killed. Dese las’skifts wuz full o’ ladies en genlmen a-goin’ over for to see de place. Sometimes dey’d pull up at de sho’ en take a res’ b’fo’ dey started acrost, so by de talk I got to know all ’bout de killin’. I ’uz powerful sorry you’s killed, Huck, but I ain’t no mo’ now.

“I laid dah under de shavin’s all day. I ’uz hungry, but I warn’t afeard; bekase I knowed ole missus en de widder wuz goin’ to start to de camp-meet’n’ right arter breakfas’ en be gone all day, en dey knows I goes off wid de cattle ’bout daylight, so dey wouldn’ ’spec to see me roun’ de place, en so dey wouldn’ miss me tell arter dark in de evenin’. De yuther servants wouldn’ miss me, kase dey’d shin out en take holiday soon as de ole folks ’uz out’n de way.

“Well, when it come dark I tuck out up de river Mark Twai road, en went ’bout two mile er more to whah seem to find the place. But by and by, sure “What, all that time?” dey warn’t no houses. I’d made up my mine enough, I catched a glimpse of fire away through “Yes — indeedy.” ’bout what I’s agwyne to do. You see, ef I kep’ the trees. I went for it, cautious and slow. By “And ain’t you had nothing but that kind of on tryin’ to git away afoot, de dogs ’ud track me; and by I was close enough to have a look, and rubbage to eat?” ef I stole a skift to cross over, dey’d miss dat there laid a man on the ground. It most give me “No, sah — nuffn else.” skift, you see, en dey’d know ’bout whah I’d the fantods. He had a blanket around his head, “Well, you must be most starved, ain’t you?” lan’ on de yuther side, en whah to pick up my and his head was nearly in the fire. I set there “I reck’n I could eat a hoss. I think I could. How track. So I says, a raff is what I’s arter; it doan’ behind a clump of bushes in about six foot of long you ben on de islan’?”

MAKE no track. him, and kept my eyes on him steady. It was “Since the night I got killed.”

“I see a light a-comin’ roun’ de p’int bymeby, so getting gray daylight now. Pretty soon he gapped “No! W’y, what has you lived on? But you got a I wade’ in en shove’ a log ahead o’ me en swum and stretched himself and hove off the blanket, gun. Oh, yes, you got a gun. Dat’s good. Now more’n half way acrost de river, en got in and it was Miss Watson’s Jim! I bet I was glad you kill sumfn en I’ll make up de fire.” ’mongst de drift-wood, en kep’ my head down to see him. I says: So we went over to where the canoe was, and low, en kinder swum agin de current tell de raff “Hello, Jim!” and skipped out. while he built a fire in a grassy open place come along. Den I swum to de stern uv it en He bounced up and stared at me wild. Then he amongst the trees, I fetched meal and bacon tuck a-holt. It clouded up en ’uz pooty dark for a drops down on his knees, and puts his hands and coffee, and coffee-pot and frying-pan, and little while. So I clumb up en laid down on de together and says: sugar and tin cups, and the nigger was set back planks. De men ’uz all ’way yonder in de middle, “Doan’ hurt me — don’t! I hain’t ever done no considerable, because he reckoned it was all whah de lantern wuz. De river wuz a-risin’, en harm to a ghos’. I alwuz liked dead people, en done with witchcraft. I catched a good big cat- dey wuz a good current; so I reck’n’d ’at by fo’ done all I could for ’em. You go en git in de fish, too, and Jim cleaned him with his knife, in de mawnin’ I’d be twenty-five mile down de river agin, whah you b’longs, en doan’ do nuffn and fried him. river, en den I’d slip in jis b’fo’ daylight en swim to Ole Jim, ’at ’uz awluz yo’ fren’.”

When breakfast was ready we lolled on the grass asho’, en take to de woods on de Illinois side.

Well, I warn’t long making him understand I and eat it smoking hot. Jim laid it in with all his “But I didn’ have no luck. When we ’uz mos’ warn’t dead. I was ever so glad to see Jim. I might, for he was most about starved. Then when down to de head er de islan’ a man begin to warn’t lonesome now. I told him I warn’t afraid we had got pretty well stuffed, we laid off and come aft wid de lantern, I see it warn’t no use of HIM telling the people where I was. I talked lazied. By and by Jim says: fer to wait, so I slid overboard en struck out fer along, but he only set there and looked at me; “But looky here, Huck, who wuz it dat ’uz killed de islan’. Well, I had a notion I could lan’ mos’ never said nothing. Then I says: in dat shanty ef it warn’t you?” anywhers, but I couldn’t — bank too bluff. I ’uz “It’s good daylight. Le’s get breakfast. Make Then I told him the whole thing, and he said it mos’ to de foot er de islan’ b’fo’ I found’ a good up your camp fire good.” was smart. He said Tom Sawyer couldn’t get up place. I went into de woods en jedged I wouldn’ “What’s de use er makin’ up de camp fire to no better plan than what I had. Then I says: fool wid raffs no mo’, long as dey move de lancook strawbries en sich truck? But you got a “How do you come to be here, Jim, and how’d tern roun’ so. I had my pipe en a plug er dog-leg, gun, hain’t you? Den we kin git sumfn better you get here?” en some matches in my cap, en dey warn’t wet, den strawbries.”

He looked pretty uneasy, and didn’t say nothing so I ’uz all right.”

“Strawberries and such truck,” I says. “Is that for a minute. Then he says: “And so you ain’t had no meat nor bread to eat what you live on?”

“Maybe I better not tell.” all this time? Why didn’t you get mud-turkles?”

“I couldn’ git nuffn else,” he says.

“Why, Jim?” “How you gwyne to git ’m? You can’t slip up on “Why, how long you been on the island, Jim?” “Well, dey’s reasons. But you wouldn’ tell on um en grab um; en how’s a body gwyne to hit “I come heah de night arter you’s killed.” me ef I uz to tell you, would you, Huck?”

Continued on Page 14

Page 14 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Observer Classic Books From Page 13 um wid a rock? How could a body do it in de night? En I warn’t gwyne to show mysef on de bank in de daytime.”

“Well, that’s so. You’ve had to keep in the woods all the time, of course. Did you hear ’em shooting the cannon?”

“Oh, yes. I knowed dey was arter you. I see um go by heah — watched um thoo de bushes.”

Some young birds come along, flying a yard or two at a time and lighting. Jim said it was a sign it was going to rain. He said it was a sign when young chickens flew that way, and so he reckoned it was the same way when young birds done it. I was going to catch some of them, but Jim wouldn’t let me. He said it was death. He said his father laid mighty sick once, and some of them catched a bird, and his old granny said his father would die, and he did.

And Jim said you mustn’t count the things you are going to cook for dinner, because that would bring bad luck. The same if you shook the tablecloth after sundown. And he said if a man owned a beehive and that man died, the bees must be told about it before sun-up next morning, or else the bees would all weaken down and quit work and die. Jim said bees wouldn’t sting idiots; but I didn’t believe that, because I had tried them lots of times myself, and they wouldn’t sting me.

I had heard about some of these things before, but not all of them. Jim knowed all kinds of signs.

He said he knowed most everything. I said it looked to me like all the signs was about bad luck, and so I asked him if there warn’t any good-luck signs. He says: “Mighty few — an’ DEY ain’t no use to a body.

What you want to know when good luck’s acomin’ for? Want to keep it off?” And he said: “Ef you’s got hairy arms en a hairy breas’, it’s a sign dat you’s agwyne to be rich. Well, dey’s some use in a sign like dat, ’kase it’s so fur ahead. You see, maybe you’s got to be po’ a long time fust, en so you might git discourage’ en kill yo’sef ’f you didn’ know by de sign dat you gwyne to be rich bymeby.”

“Have you got hairy arms and a hairy breast, Jim?” “What’s de use to ax dat question? Don’t you see I has?”

“Well, are you rich?”

“No, but I ben rich wunst, and gwyne to be rich agin. Wunst I had foteen dollars, but I tuck to specalat’n’, en got busted out.”

“What did you speculate in, Jim?” “Well, fust I tackled stock.”

“What kind of stock?”

“Why, live stock — cattle, you know. I put ten dollars in a cow. But I ain’ gwyne to resk no mo’ money in stock. De cow up ’n’ died on my han’s.”

“So you lost the ten dollars.”

“No, I didn’t lose it all. I on’y los’ ’bout nine of it.

I sole de hide en taller for a dollar en ten cents.”

“You had five dollars and ten cents left. Did you speculate any more?”

“Yes. You know that one-laigged nigger dat b’longs to old Misto Bradish? Well, he sot up a bank, en say anybody dat put in a dollar would git fo’ dollars mo’ at de en’ er de year. Well, all de niggers went in, but dey didn’t have much. I wuz de on’y one dat had much. So I stuck out for mo’ dan fo’ dollars, en I said ’f I didn’ git it I’d start a bank mysef. Well, o’ course dat nigger want’ to keep me out er de business, bekase he says dey warn’t business ’nough for two banks, so he say I could put in my five dollars en he pay me thirty-five at de en’ er de year.

“So I done it. Den I reck’n’d I’d inves’ de thirtyfive dollars right off en keep things a-movin’.

Dey wuz a nigger name’ Bob, dat had ketched a wood-flat, en his marster didn’ know it; en I bought it off’n him en told him to take de thirtyfive dollars when de en’ er de year come; but somebody stole de wood-flat dat night, en nex day de one-laigged nigger say de bank’s busted.

So dey didn’ none uv us git no money.”

“What did you do with the ten cents, Jim?” “Well, I ’uz gwyne to spen’ it, but I had a dream, en de dream tole me to give it to a nigger name’ Balum — Balum’s Ass dey call him for short; he’s one er dem chuckleheads, you know. But he’s lucky, dey say, en I see I warn’t lucky. De dream say let Balum inves’ de ten cents en he’d make a raise for me. Well, Balum he tuck de money, en when he wuz in church he hear de preacher say dat whoever give to de po’ len’ to de Lord, en boun’ to git his money back a hund’d times. So Balum he tuck en give de ten cents to de po’, en laid low to see what wuz gwyne to come of it.”

“Well, what did come of it, Jim?” “Nuffn never come of it. I couldn’ manage to k’leck dat money no way; en Balum he couldn’.

I ain’ gwyne to len’ no mo’ money ’dout I see de security. Boun’ to git yo’ money back a hund’d times, de preacher says! Ef I could git de ten CENTS back, I’d call it squah, en be glad er de chanst.”

“Well, it’s all right anyway, Jim, long as you’re going to be rich again some time or other.”

“Yes; en I’s rich now, come to look at it. I owns mysef, en I’s wuth eight hund’d dollars. I wisht I had de money, I wouldn’ want no mo’.”

Chapter IX. I WANTED to go and look at a place right about the middle of the island that I’d found when I was exploring; so we started and soon got to it, because the island was only three miles long and a quarter of a mile wide.

This place was a tolerable long, steep hill or ridge about forty foot high. We had a rough time getting to the top, the sides was so steep and the bushes so thick. We tramped and clumb around all over it, and by and by found a good big cavern in the rock, most up to the top on the side towards Illinois. The cavern was as big as two or three rooms bunched together, and Jim could stand up straight in it. It was cool in there. Jim was for putting our traps in there right away, but I said we didn’t want to be climbing up and down there all the time.

Jim said if we had the canoe hid in a good place, and had all the traps in the cavern, we could rush there if anybody was to come to the island, and they would never find us without dogs. And, besides, he said them little birds had said it was going to rain, and did I want the things to get wet?

So we went back and got the canoe, and paddled up abreast the cavern, and lugged all the traps up there. Then we hunted up a place close by to hide the canoe in, amongst the thick willows.

We took some fish off of the lines and set them again, and begun to get ready for dinner.

The door of the cavern was big enough to roll a hogshead in, and on one side of the door the floor stuck out a little bit, and was flat and a good place to build a fire on. So we built it there and cooked dinner.

We spread the blankets inside for a carpet, and eat our dinner in there. We put all the other things handy at the back of the cavern. Pretty soon it darkened up, and begun to thunder and lighten; so the birds was right about it. Directly it begun to rain, and it rained like all fury, too, and I never see the wind blow so. It was one of these regular summer storms. It would get so dark that it looked all blue-black outside, and lovely; and the rain would thrash along by so thick that the trees off a little ways looked dim and spiderwebby; and here would come a blast of wind that would bend the trees down and turn up the pale under side of the leaves; and then a perfect ripper of a gust would follow along and set the branches to tossing their arms as if they was just wild; and next, when it was just about the bluest and blackest — FST! it was as bright as glory, and you’d have a little glimpse of tree-tops aplunging about away off yonder in the storm, hundreds of yards further than you could see before; dark as sin again in a second, and now you’d hear the thunder let go with an awful crash, and then go rumbling, grumbling, tumbling, down the sky towards the under side of the world, like rolling empty barrels down stairs — where it’s long stairs and they bounce a good deal, you know.

“Jim, this is nice,” I says. “I wouldn’t want to be nowhere else but here. Pass me along another hunk of fish and some hot corn-bread.”

“Well, you wouldn’t a ben here ’f it hadn’t a ben for Jim. You’d a ben down dah in de woods widout any dinner, en gittn’ mos’ drownded, too; dat you would, honey. Chickens knows when it’s gwyne to rain, en so do de birds, chile.”

The river went on raising and raising for ten or twelve days, till at last it was over the banks.

The water was three or four foot deep on the island in the low places and on the Illinois bottom. On that side it was a good many miles wide, but on the Missouri side it was the same old distance across — a half a mile — because the Missouri shore was just a wall of high bluffs.

Daytimes we paddled all over the island in the canoe, It was mighty cool and shady in the deep woods, even if the sun was blazing outside. We went winding in and out amongst the trees, and sometimes the vines hung so thick we had to back away and go some other way. Well, on every old broken-down tree you could see rab-

bits and snakes and such things; and when the island had been overflowed a day or two they got so tame, on account of being hungry, that you could paddle right up and put your hand on them if you wanted to; but not the snakes and turtles — they would slide off in the water. The ridge our cavern was in was full of them. We could a had pets enough if we’d wanted them.

One night we catched a little section of a lumber raft — nice pine planks. It was twelve foot wide and about fifteen or sixteen foot long, and the top stood above water six or seven inches — a solid, level floor. We could see saw-logs go by in the daylight sometimes, but we let them go; we didn’t show ourselves in daylight.

Another night when we was up at the head of the island, just before daylight, here comes a frame-house down, on the west side. She was a two-story, and tilted over considerable. We paddled out and got aboard — clumb in at an upstairs window. But it was too dark to see yet, so we made the canoe fast and set in her to wait for daylight.

The light begun to come before we got to the foot of the island. Then we looked in at the window. We could make out a bed, and a table, and two old chairs, and lots of things around about on the floor, and there was clothes hanging against the wall. There was something laying on the floor in the far corner that looked like a man. So Jim says: “Hello, you!”

But it didn’t budge. So I hollered again, and then Jim says: “De man ain’t asleep — he’s dead. You hold still — I’ll go en see.”

He went, and bent down and looked, and says: “It’s a dead man. Yes, indeedy; naked, too. He’s ben shot in de back. I reck’n he’s ben dead two er three days. Come in, Huck, but doan’ look at his face — it’s too gashly.”

I didn’t look at him at all. Jim throwed some old rags over him, but he needn’t done it; I didn’t want to see him. There was heaps of old greasy cards scattered around over the floor, and old whisky bottles, and a couple of masks made out of black cloth; and all over the walls was the ignorantest kind of words and pictures made with charcoal. There was two old dirty calico dresses, and a sun-bonnet, and some women’s underclothes hanging against the wall, and some men’s clothing, too. We put the lot into the canoe — it might come good. There was a boy’s old speckled straw hat on the floor; I took that, too.

And there was a bottle that had had milk in it, and it had a rag stopper for a baby to suck. We would a took the bottle, but it was broke. There was a seedy old chest, and an old hair trunk with the hinges broke. They stood open, but there warn’t nothing left in them that was any account.

The way things was scattered about we reckoned the people left in a hurry, and warn’t fixed so as to carry off most of their stuff.

We got an old tin lantern, and a butcher-knife without any handle, and a bran-new Barlow knife worth two bits in any store, and a lot of tallow candles, and a tin candlestick, and a gourd, and a tin cup, and a ratty old bedquilt off the bed, and a reticule with needles and pins and beeswax and buttons and thread and all such truck in it, and a hatchet and some nails, and a fishline as thick as my little finger with some monstrous hooks on it, and a roll of buckskin, and a leather dog-collar, and a horseshoe, and some vials of medicine that didn’t have no label on them; and just as we was leaving I found a tolerable good curry-comb, and Jim he found a ratty old fiddlebow, and a wooden leg. The straps was broke off of it, but, barring that, it was a good enough leg, though it was too long for me and not long enough for Jim, and we couldn’t find the other one, though we hunted all around.

And so, take it all around, we made a good haul.

When we was ready to shove off we was a quarter of a mile below the island, and it was pretty broad day; so I made Jim lay down in the canoe and cover up with the quilt, because if he set up people could tell he was a nigger a good ways off. I paddled over to the Illinois shore, and drifted down most a half a mile doing it. I crept up the dead water under the bank, and hadn’t no accidents and didn’t see nobody. We got home all safe.

Chapter X. AFTER breakfast I wanted to talk about the dead man and guess out how he come to be killed, but Jim didn’t want to. He said it would fetch bad luck; and besides, he said, he might come and ha’nt us; he said a man that warn’t buried was more likely to go a-ha’nting around than one

that was planted and comfortable. That sounded pretty reasonable, so I didn’t say no more; but I couldn’t keep from studying over it and wishing I knowed who shot the man, and what they done it for.

We rummaged the clothes we’d got, and found eight dollars in silver sewed up in the lining of an old blanket overcoat. Jim said he reckoned the people in that house stole the coat, because if they’d a knowed the money was there they wouldn’t a left it. I said I reckoned they killed him, too; but Jim didn’t want to talk about that. I says: “Now you think it’s bad luck; but what did you say when I fetched in the snake-skin that I found on the top of the ridge day before yesterday?

You said it was the worst bad luck in the world to touch a snake-skin with my hands. Well, here’s your bad luck! We’ve raked in all this truck and eight dollars besides. I wish we could have some bad luck like this every day, Jim.” “Never you mind, honey, never you mind. Don’t you git too peart. It’s a-comin’. Mind I tell you, it’s a-comin’.”

It did come, too. It was a Tuesday that we had that talk. Well, after dinner Friday we was laying around in the grass at the upper end of the ridge, and got out of tobacco. I went to the cavern to get some, and found a rattlesnake in there.

I killed him, and curled him up on the foot of Jim’s blanket, ever so natural, thinking there’d be some fun when Jim found him there. Well, by night I forgot all about the snake, and when Jim flung himself down on the blanket while I struck a light the snake’s mate was there, and bit him.

He jumped up yelling, and the first thing the light showed was the varmint curled up and ready for another spring. I laid him out in a second with a stick, and Jim grabbed pap’s whiskyjug and begun to pour it down.

He was barefooted, and the snake bit him right on the heel. That all comes of my being such a fool as to not remember that wherever you leave a dead snake its mate always comes there and curls around it. Jim told me to chop off the snake’s head and throw it away, and then skin the body and roast a piece of it. I done it, and he eat it and said it would help cure him. He made me take off the rattles and tie them around his wrist, too. He said that that would help. Then I slid out quiet and throwed the snakes clear away amongst the bushes; for I warn’t going to let Jim find out it was all my fault, not if I could help it.

Jim sucked and sucked at the jug, and now and then he got out of his head and pitched around and yelled; but every time he come to himself he went to sucking at the jug again. His foot swelled up pretty big, and so did his leg; but by and by the drunk begun to come, and so I judged he was all right; but I’d druther been bit with a snake than pap’s whisky.

Jim was laid up for four days and nights. Then the swelling was all gone and he was around again. I made up my mind I wouldn’t ever take a-holt of a snake-skin again with my hands, now that I see what had come of it. Jim said he reckoned I would believe him next time. And he said that handling a snake-skin was such awful bad luck that maybe we hadn’t got to the end of it yet. He said he druther see the new moon over his left shoulder as much as a thousand times than take up a snake-skin in his hand. Well, I was getting to feel that way myself, though I’ve always reckoned that looking at the new moon over your left shoulder is one of the carelessest and foolishest things a body can do. Old Hank Bunker done it once, and bragged about it; and in less than two years he got drunk and fell off of the shot-tower, and spread himself out so that he was just a kind of a layer, as you may say; and they slid him edgeways between two barn doors for a coffin, and buried him so, so they say, but I didn’t see it. Pap told me. But anyway it all come of looking at the moon that way, like a fool.

Well, the days went along, and the river went down between its banks again; and about the first thing we done was to bait one of the big hooks with a skinned rabbit and set it and catch a catfish that was as big as a man, being six foot two inches long, and weighed over two hundred pounds. We couldn’t handle him, of course; he would a flung us into Illinois. We just set there and watched him rip and tear around till he drownded. We found a brass button in his stomach and a round ball, and lots of rubbage. We split the ball open with the hatchet, and there was a spool in it. Jim said he’d had it there a

Continued on Page 27

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Observer Classic Books From Page 14 long time, to coat it over so and make a ball of it.

It was as big a fish as was ever catched in the Mississippi, I reckon. Jim said he hadn’t ever seen a bigger one. He would a been worth a good deal over at the village. They peddle out such a fish as that by the pound in the markethouse there; everybody buys some of him; his meat’s as white as snow and makes a good fry.

Next morning I said it was getting slow and dull, and I wanted to get a stirring up some way. I said I reckoned I would slip over the river and find out what was going on. Jim liked that notion; but he said I must go in the dark and look sharp. Then he studied it over and said, couldn’t I put on some of them old things and dress up like a girl? That was a good notion, too. So we shortened up one of the calico gowns, and I turned up my trouser-legs to my knees and got into it. Jim hitched it behind with the hooks, and it was a fair fit. I put on the sun-bonnet and tied it under my chin, and then for a body to look in and see my face was like looking down a joint of stove-pipe. Jim said nobody would know me, even in the daytime, hardly. I practiced around all day to get the hang of the things, and by and

by I could do pretty well in them, only Jim said I didn’t walk like a girl; and he said I must quit pulling up my gown to get at my britches-pocket.

I took notice, and done better.

I started up the Illinois shore in the canoe just after dark.

I started across to the town from a little below the ferry-landing, and the drift of the current fetched me in at the bottom of the town. I tied up and started along the bank. There was a light burning in a little shanty that hadn’t been lived in for a long time, and I wondered who had took up quarters there. I slipped up and peeped in at the window. There was a woman about forty year old in there knitting by a candle that was on a pine table. I didn’t know her face; she was a stranger, for you couldn’t start a face in that town that I didn’t know. Now this was lucky, because I was weakening; I was getting afraid I had come; people might know my voice and find me out. But if this woman had been in such a little town two days she could tell me all I wanted to know; so I knocked at the door, and made up my mind I wouldn’t forget I was a girl

Melbourne

.Chapter XI. “COME in,” says the woman, and I did. She says: “Take a cheer.”

I done it. She looked me all over with her little shiny eyes, and says: “What might your name be?”

“Sarah Williams.”

“Where ’bouts do you live? In this neighborhood?’

“No’m. In Hookerville, seven mile below. I’ve walked all the way and I’m all tired out.”

“Hungry, too, I reckon. I’ll find you something.”

“No’m, I ain’t hungry. I was so hungry I had to stop two miles below here at a farm; so I ain’t hungry no more. It’s what makes me so late. My mother’s down sick, and out of money and everything, and I come to tell my uncle Abner Moore. He lives at the upper end of the town, she says. I hain’t ever been here before. Do you know him?”

“No; but I don’t know everybody yet. I haven’t lived here quite two weeks. It’s a considerable ways to the upper end of the town. You better stay here all night. Take off your bonnet.”

“No,” I says; “I’ll rest a while, I reckon, and go on. I ain’t afeared of the dark.”

She said she wouldn’t let me go by myself, but her husband would be in by and by, maybe in a hour and a half, and she’d send him along with me. Then she got to talking about her husband, and about her relations up the river, and her relations down the river, and about how much better off they used to was, and how they didn’t know but they’d made a mistake coming to our town, instead of letting well alone — and so on and so on, till I was afeard I had made a mistake coming to her to find out what was going on in the town; but by and by she dropped on to pap and the murder, and then I was pretty willing to let her clatter right along. She told about me and Tom Sawyer finding the six thousand dollars (only she got it ten) and all about pap and what a hard lot he was, and what a hard lot I was, and at last she got down to where I was murdered. I says: “Who done it? We’ve heard considerable about these goings on down in Hookerville, but we don’t know who ’twas that killed Huck Finn.”

“Well, I reckon there’s a right smart chance of people HERE that’d like to know who killed him. Some think old Finn done it himself.”

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“No — is that so?”

“Most everybody thought it at first. He’ll never know how nigh he come to getting lynched. But before night they changed around and judged it was done by a runaway nigger named Jim.” “Why HE—” I stopped. I reckoned I better keep still. She run on, and never noticed I had put in at all: “The nigger run off the very night Huck Finn was killed. So there’s a reward out for him — three hundred dollars. And there’s a reward out for old Finn, too — two hundred dollars. You see, he come to town the morning after the murder, and told about it, and was out with ’em on the ferryboat hunt, and right away after he up and left. Before night they wanted to lynch him, but he was gone, you see. Well, next day they found out the nigger was gone; they found out he hadn’t ben seen sence ten o’clock the night the murder was done. So then they put it on him, you see; and while they was full of it, next day, back comes old Finn, and went boo-hooing to Judge Thatcher to get money to hunt for the nigger all over Illinois with. The judge gave him some, and that evening he got drunk, and was around till after midnight with a couple of mighty hard-looking strangers, and then went off with them. Well, he hain’t come back sence, and they ain’t looking for him back till this thing blows over a little, for people thinks now that he killed his boy and fixed things so folks would think robbers done it, and then he’d get Huck’s money without having to bother a long time with a lawsuit. People do say he warn’t any too good to do it. Oh, he’s sly, I reckon. If he don’t come back for a year he’ll be all right. You can’t prove anything on him, you know; everything will be quieted down then, and he’ll walk in Huck’s money as easy as nothing.”

“Yes, I reckon so, ’m. I don’t see nothing in the way of it. Has everybody quit thinking the nigger done it?”

“Oh, no, not everybody. A good many thinks he done it. But they’ll get the nigger pretty soon now, and maybe they can scare it out of him.”

“Why, are they after him yet?”

“Well, you’re innocent, ain’t you! Does three hundred dollars lay around every day for people to pick up? Some folks think the nigger ain’t far from here. I’m one of them — but I hain’t talked it around. A few days ago I was talking with an

old couple that lives next door in the log shanty and they happened to say hardly anybody ever goes to that island over yonder that they call Jackson’s Island. Don’t anybody live there? says I. No, nobody, says they. I didn’t say any more, but I done some thinking. I was pretty near certain I’d seen smoke over there, about the head of the island, a day or two before that, so I says to myself, like as not that nigger’s hiding over there; anyway, says I, it’s worth the trouble to give the place a hunt. I hain’t seen any smoke sence, so I reckon maybe he’s gone, if it was him; but husband’s going over to see — him and another man. He was gone up the river; but he got back to-day, and I told him as soon as he got here two hours ago.”

I had got so uneasy I couldn’t set still. I had to do something with my hands; so I took up a needle off of the table and went to threading it. My hands shook, and I was making a bad job of it.

When the woman stopped talking I looked up, and she was looking at me pretty curious and smiling a little. I put down the needle and thread, and let on to be interested — and I was, too — and says: “Three hundred dollars is a power of money. I wish my mother could get it. Is your husband going over there to-night?”

“Oh, yes. He went up-town with the man I was telling you of, to get a boat and see if they could borrow another gun. They’ll go over after midnight.”

“Couldn’t they see better if they was to wait till daytime?”

“Yes. And couldn’t the nigger see better, too?

After midnight he’ll likely be asleep, and they can slip around through the woods and hunt up his camp fire all the better for the dark, if he’s got one.”

“I didn’t think of that.”

The woman kept looking at me pretty curious, and I didn’t feel a bit comfortable. Pretty soon she says” “What did you say your name was, honey?”

“M— Mary Williams.”

Somehow it didn’t seem to me that I said it was Mary before, so I didn’t look up — seemed to me I said it was Sarah; so I felt sort of cornered, and was afeared maybe I was looking it, too. I wished the woman would say something more; the longer she set still the uneasier I was. But now she says: “Honey, I thought you said it was Sarah when you first come in?”

To Be Continued Next Issue

Observer Crossword Solution No 32 S S P O T V O I N B R O A T O I O W N A T C T H F F U L B L L Y O O B M E L D O N A G W C I N D M E I D S N I O M O E R E S I G H S T Y

M A R H Y I D T E E M P I S S I N E G F L R O R S E N O C R E D E S R E C D O M R E D V I E S T O L U C E H I N E S T T E M P Y E R

A N A G E O R E A D A C H V M I L R N E T U L A Y T E D O E M I S U M E N N R N I C S O L C A A V E N D W N E S C U E D E S P H A I R S L I M E A N T B D E L E A V E T M C M A D O R E C P E L O U S L M S C A P I N N A C M S H E A H O E T A S B E R U E S S R M I S R A I N R E P G S R E S S U E E E S I S T

R I D H E N I T I O F P Y T S A K E N T E R A Y R L I

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S T R E A W A R F S T O N N A L C H O T O E E M O D E S M X I D A T L D S E T V S T O S I K P E E K S U S R M R O V E P N R E T A H A N C E

C A L L I E A L W E L A N C W A T A N R R A B M I D S Y S T E S I S P R E A A S C A T A E E N M I R A Y E G U N D E R P E A P F A M I S T S E P S T R O N O L A N T A L L R I L Y C A O D O S B N E A S Y C S T L R E B U H O D C A M E I A S T I C K Y A M F R A A B O O X R O A I L A N G E C E S S U A U B G S E A L

S I N I O L G E H O L I R M A R E A T S R E S P A D Y U E D I N G E T R R H U N G E S E A P A S S I U E D N S I D T E O M E R W M I S I N T E U N W U R P S O H A I R S T I L T A V R O N U B S O U T T L I L A E A G L S T M T E X A S I T A T D C E M A A N E

R E G U L A E A L A D E C L C G I T E E N A G S T A B R O N T R A Y S O B L R S O L O I S O C U N C L E A L R A C L E X E M E E K R N E D U E P I N D O N E E N E S T R E E R T S O R E A R O M A G P T I E I A R R A N T I G R D E A L E B Y L A R V E L A L C A A I L A R I M M A D N E S T O M O U R N E N E X E E Y E P D A F T E S S D I N H E R I E M T S A B D I T K O A S S I G N

T I N I N S E W A E M U T S Y E R A N N E I S T E T W A D D L E D I S P E N S E R

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A S I S A U R G O G O O T L V D C A T E N S M E N T

C V A R A I F N E E P I T N O E S E S A S T I A F I R I A C C A H I V E V I E L L D I T L E R A P T L E A T A I T E U D E E N W R L A P

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Page 28 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Observer Victorian Sport Melbourne

Hot favourite not disgraced Neighbour’s drive

■ Monday May 22 saw Gippsland harness racing take place at Warragul and Darraweit trainer Charlene Gusman was successful with 4Y0 Four Starzzz Shark-Shes Norma Jean mare All My Savings in the Ken Miller Memorial Pace for C0 class over 2210 metres in a mile rate of 1-59.2..

Driven by neighbour Lisa Miles, All My Savings began swiftly from gate three to lead and after being rated to perfection, held a slender margin of a half head on the wire to defeat Ravello Rock which raced outside her, with Maximum Jolt (three back the markers) third.

Tremendous job

■ At Maryborough on Wednesday, Longlea trainer Glenn Sharp who does a tremendous job with his team of trotters, landed the Ian Smith Life Member Trotters Mobile for T4 to T9 class over 1690 metres with Tenno Dance, a 6Y0 gelded son of Tennotrump and Disco Dance. Spearing away from gate three to lead, Tenno Dance was never headed, scoring by a big 13.4 metre margin in advance of Argyle Melody which trailed in a rate of 1-59.9.

Tiroroa Tom a stablemate of the winner was third 3.7 metres away after following the pair. It was Tenno Dance's 14th victory in 53 outings.

Three-wide trail

■ Lawman-Pocket Fantasy filly Garston Girl was responsible for an unbelievable performance to capture the Seelite Windows & Doors Trots Oaks Trial over 2190 metres at Maryborough. Trained at Great Western by Peter Manning and driven by Ararat freelance Michael Bellman, Garston Girl galloped away wildly from gate six appearing to put herself completely out of business, eventually settling a long last as Kyvalley Kirie strode to an early lead from gate five.

Gaining a three wide trail running into the final bend on the back of Margaret Ruth (one/ one), after making up plenty of ground through the middle stages, Garston Girl dashed through a narrow opening inbetween runners halfway up the running to record a 1.6 metre margin over Margaret Ruth and Saxon Rose (one/ two) in a mile rate of 2-00.4.

Paid back ■ Six year old Art Major-Finest gelding Big Bang Leonard claimed from a race at Kilmore on May5, gave connections an almost re-payment when successful at Terang on Wednesday. Now in the care of Tony Chisholm at Camperdown, Big Bang Leonard with Jason Lee in the sulky, led throughout from gate five in the Murfett & Whiting Electrical Contractors Pace for C2 & C3 class over 2180 metres, racing clear over the concluding stages to record an easy 7,7 metre margin from the hot favourite Kimani in 1-59.4, with If The Mood Suits 11.8 metres away in third place.

Number of wins ■ Local trainer Emma Stewart almost snared six winners at the Ballarat fixture on Friday. Those to greet the judge were : Celebrity Guest (Sidney Van Den Brande) in the C1 class, Miss Graceland (C2-C3 class), Solid As A Rock C1 class), Delight Me (C8 or better class) and Poster Boy (2C1-2C5 class) all with Gavin Lang in the sulky. Ironically 3Y0 colt Our Little General which looked to be almost a good thing in the feature Three Year Old Pace, was beaten into third place by Star Of Memphis and Rocknroll Icon.

■ Another great night of racing was held at Tabcorp Park Melton on Saturday, two of the highlights being the victory of Kiwi My Field Marshall in the Golden Reign Free For All over 2240 metres and much travelled South Australian Adam Cartwright in the Fuel Fast Pace for M1 & M2 class over the same distance.

Art Major-Foreal 5Y0 gelding My Field Marshall coming off a brilliant victory in the four and five year old Championship a week earlier, finished full of running from mid-field on straightening to blouse Maximan by a head in 1-54.5 for trainer Tim Butt and brother reinsman Anthony.

The hot favourite Major Crocker was not discraced in finishing third after racing in the open.

Adam Cartwright a striking grey 8Y0 gelded son of Oinder and Lombo Regalia was outstanding in his victory.

Trained by Greg Norman and driven by Greg Sugars, Adam Cartwright appeared hopeless at the bell when bottled up four back along the markers as Menin Gate piloted the field. Extricated to be five wide on the final bend, Adam Cartwright motored home at 100 miles an hour to record a runaway 8.3 metres margin in advance of Stay And Play and Menin Gate, returning a mile rate of 1-55.6.

Long trip ■ Terang based trio Marg Lee, son Jason and nephew Glen Craven made the long trip form Terang to Swan Hill a happy one last Tuesday after winning two races at the Swan Hill Trots program.

Marg provided first starter Jilliby Madonna to land the HR Products 2YO Pace over 1750 metres and 3Y0 gelding Jilliby Bandit the Toro Australia Group Pace for C2 class over 2240 metres.

Art Major-Jilliby Magic filly Jilliby Madonna (Jason Lee) was given a cosy passage from gate two trailing well supported stablemate Jilliby Galwaygirl (Glen Craven) also on debut from the pole, before using the sprint lane to prevail by 1.1 metres in a mile rate of 1.58.7 giving the stable the quinella. Im Monica (one/one) was third 3.5 metres away.

Jilliby Bandit a well performed son of Rock N Roll Heaven and Keppel Bay driven by Glen, pushed through from a solo second line draw to lob just off the speed, before letting rip shortly after to unsuccessfully tackle leader Swaggerlikejagger, leaving him parked in the open.

Gaining the upper hand halfway up the running, Jilliby Bandit just held on to score by a nose over the Pyramid Hill trained track specialist Nuggetpan (one/one - three wide home turn), with Swaggerlikejagger holding down third 3.7 metres away. The mile rate 2.01.8.

Great spectacle ■ The trotting races are always a terrific spectacle at Swan Hill and the Rivulis Irrigation Trotters Handicap for T0 or better class over 2240 metres was no exception, going the way of Harness Racing Hall Of Famer - veteran Elmore trainer/driver Neville Welsh's ever reliable 5Y0 Skyvalley-Aldebaran Sunset mare Aldebaran Midnite in a rate of 2.04.9.

Coming from 20 metres, Aldebaran Midnite (Haydon Gray) possied one/one as Lofty Success piloted the field after beginning swiftly from 10 metres, with Plumbers Petty Cash going forward from 10 metres to race exposed.

Taking care of the leader on the home turn, Plumbers Petty Cash dashed away, with Aldebaran Midnite in hot pursuit to gain the day by 1.8 metres from the fast finishing 40 metres backmarker Sunofatrump which must have been five wide on the final bend from last, with Jaden Gil flashing late from knowhere to be a half neck away in third place.

Victory at Swan Hill ■ Melton duo Kate Hargreaves (trainer) and partner Alex Ashwood (driver) had a big victory

Harness Racing

Baker’s Delight This Week

■ Wednesday- Horsham/Echuca, Thursday - Thursday - Maryborough/Geelong, Friday Mildura/Kilmore, Saturdayn - Melton, Bendigo, Monday - Warragul, Tuesday Shepparton.

Ballarat events Melbourne

Observer

len-baker@ bigpond.com

with Len Baker at Swan Hill withAlways AVirgin-Lady Armiss Lombo colt Are You With Me in the Think Water Swan Hill 3Y0 Pace over 1759 metres.

Exploding away from gate five to lead,Are You With Me had his rivals off the bit and chasing a long way out. Bounding away on the final bend, Are You With Me was most impressive, scoring by 5.6 metres in 1.57.2 from Ozzie Bogan (three back the markers) and Aunty Rita from last.

Started from pole ■ Wallan based mother and son - Ruth and Chris Shinn were successful with 4Y0 home bred American Ideal-Aleutian mare Alemeria in the Great Northern Super Crisp Pace for C0 class over 1690 metres at their home track last Thursday.

Trained by Chris, Alemeria bred and raced

by Kilmore Cup winning reinsman Noel Shinn settled three back along the markers from inside the second line following first starter Moreliner which started from the pole as Athlone led from gate three.

Extricated into the clear prior to the final bend, Alemieia finished full of running down the centre of the track to record a head victory over death-seating Moremi Miss, with Athlone a half head away third in a thrilling finish. The mile rate 1.57.7.

Led throughout

■ Very consistent 5Y0 Major In Art-Golden Navajo gelding Im The Boss brought up his 10th victory at start number 51, when leading throughout for reinsman Ian Attard in the concessional reinspersons 1690 metre Jet Roofing Pace for C1 class at Kilmore.

It was only Ian's second race drive and Im The Boss trained by grandfather Charlie began brilliantly from gate four, running his rivals ragged to score by 7.3 metres in 1.56.5 over Winkanditsover from mid-field. Smile Lyle which trailed the winner was a neck away in third place.

Trip from inside ■ The fast class event of the evening at Kilmore - the Melbourne Cup Sweep @ Trackside Pace for C6 or better class over 2180 metres went the way of 6Y0 Extreme ThreeDiamond Cove gelding Diamond Ace for Burnbartha (Shepparton) father and son John and Matt Newberry.

Enjoying a beaut trip from inside the second line trailing the heavily supported poleline favourite Party Boy, Diamond Ace used the sprint lane to perfection, winning by 1.3 metres from Party Boy, with No Bettertime 5.8 metres away in third place after following the pair. The mile rate 1-59.7.

Horses To Follow

■ Girls Go First, Winkanditsover, She Keeps Coming, Kelsrockndownunder, Christian Major, Gipsy Blue, Times A Bonus, Ourgirlbillielee, Moonlight Dream.

■ The main event on the Ballarat program was the $30,000 (Group 2) John Slack Memorial Trotters Cup for TM0 or better class over 2200 metres which went the way of the Kari Males (Bolinda) trained 4Y0 Yanco Paco-Karaka Tooth mare Red Hot Tooth in a rate of 1-58.7.

Driven by regular reinsman Zac Phillips, Red Hot Tooth pounced on the lead from gate two and after being rated a treat, just lasted by a head from the in-form Clover Mac (one/ one), with Our Dream Lover 13.2 metres back in third place after following the winner.

- Len Baker

Best Wines ■ It would be easy to dismiss Chester Osborn as simply an extrovert - as someone who wears the loudest of shirts and has shown the flamboyance to match that of his famous father d'Arry and come out at least equal on the personality front.

And he's certainly done that, while at the same time presiding over the creation of one ofAustralia's broadest range of wine labels and definitely the most lavishly named.

Think the Stephanie the Gnome with Rose-Tinted Glasses Shiraz Sangiovese or The Witches Berry Chardonnay or The Broken Fishplate Sauvignon Blanc, and you'll get my drift.

But in doing and being all that, Chester has also shown himself to be a highly skilled and sensitive winemaker.

In just over 30 years, he has taken a lineup of mostly average full-bodied dry reds and turned it into a portfolio of elegant wines - red, white and sparkling - that can stand tall among those anywhere in the world. And, believe me, that's quite an achievement.

Chester has just released the 2014 vintages of his three Icon series wines - the Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon, the Dead Arm Shiraz and the Ironstone Pressings Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre.

Some people will quibble and their $65 price tags, and many won't be able to afford them, but who can afford a Roller or a topof-the-line Merc? They're at prices that are quite normal for top quality in today's wine world.

WINE REVIEWS D'Arenberg 2014 The Dead Arm Shiraz ($65)- This is my favourite of the three new vintages of the Icons. The lovely, rich berryfruit flavours have a delightfully earthy, old-vine edge to them. Think ripe berries, foot-crushed autumn leaves and stewing mushrooms. Then bring on the heartiest of winter beef stews.

D'Arenberg 2014 The Ironstone Pressings Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre ($65) - There's a reason why these three red varieties are planted together in places such as France's Rhone Valley and Australia's McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley. And that's because, in Mediterranean-style climates, they blend into soft, heavenly complexity.

WINE OF THE WEEK D'Arenberg 2014 d'Arry's Original Shiraz Grenache ($18) - For mine, still far better value than any of the three wines in the Icon series. This red carries its familiar red diagonal slash of warning with pride and was first released in the 1960s. It's soft, it's fullflavoured, it's complex, it's beguiling … OK, it's just more-ish.

- John Rozentals

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Page 29 e urn lbo Me

Every Week in the Melbourne Observer

ver N ser O Ob TI C SE 3

Observer Showbiz

Radio: 3 ...................... Page 30 Theatre: La Mama’s 50th - details ................................. Page 31 Country Music: Bella Union to close .............................. Page 32 Jim and Aar on: \Hounds of Love, Top 10 list ................... Page 36 Aaron: Cheryl Threadgold: Auditions, latest local shows ............. Page 33 PL US THE LLO OVATT”S MEGA CRO PLUS CROSSSWORD

HURLY BURLY PLAYERS Crush at Owl and Cat

● Anthony Scundi (left), Kostas Ilias, Erin Marshall, William Prescott, Nicole Melloy, Will Atkinson and Amelia Bishop. Photo: Ben Johnson ■ The hurlyburly world of the apartment of two Hollywood ‘players’ is portrayed in David Rabe’s play of the same title: Hurlyburly.

Produced by Q44 Theatre in Richmond, directed by the artistic director Gabriella Rose- Carter this production has a cast of seven, with the leads all being men.

The women in Hurlyburly are there for the amusement of these men, ‘playthings’ to be used by all, with little power, respect or it seemed intelligence. One reason why I question the company’s choice of play.

Whilst I found the play too long with constant, repetitive dialogue that by curtain call had not said enough to warrant three hours, it did have its merits with much to admire.

Q44 always creates a unique, elaborate space, this set is no exception. There are creative minds at work within this company creating a different location in the same room every time.

It is worth going to see how the space will be used.

The energy of the cast was admirable, most noticeably Anthony Scundi in the role of Eddie, he along with William Prescott and Will Atkinson literally bounce off the walls at times.

Not only does Scundi learn three hours worth of non- stop dialogue, he speaks with a convincing US accent and creates a character not dissimilar to Di Caprio in The Wolf of Wall St, drug fuelled and high spirited from beginning to end. Engaging and interesting.

Although not my taste, well done Q44 for another polished, ● Dusty Limits presents Grin. professional production.

■ Grin is a cabaret concert of original songs by Dusty - Review by Elizabeth Semmel Limits (lyricist) and Michael Roulston (composer), written under the influence of Weill, Waits, Coward, Porter and Schubert.

These songs explore themes ranging from the joys of ■ The Queen’s Birthday long weekend is being celebrated drinking and the moral poverty of wealth, to the warm emby the Fitzroy Street Queen’s Birthday Street Party on brace of death, all strung together with observations on life, Sunday June 11. love and the ghastly state of the world.

From 3pm-6pm, the Fitzroy Street celebrations will Dusty Limits with his three-octave voice, has been percommence with the grand arrival of ‘Her Majesty the Queen’ forming in London cabaret for over a decade, having aphailing on a horse and carriage travelling from St Kilda peared everywhere from Joe's Pub in New York to Sea Baths to Fitzroy St. backroom bars in Berlin.

Along the famous strip will be roving street entertainHe has shared the stage with Meow Meow, Amanda ment including musicians, fire twirlers, circus acts and Palmer, Tina C, Ali McGregorand Geraldine Quinn. drag queens, plus an honourable salute from the Royal After performing in the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Dusty British Guards, bagpipes, stilt walkers and a special apLimits: Grin opens at The Butterfly Club on June 21. pearance from Her Majesty (Australian impersonator, of Performance Details: June 21-25 at 7 pm course).

Tickets: $25-$32 More information can be found by visiting Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne www.fitzroystreetstkilda.com.au Tickets: thebutterflycub.com - Cheryl Threadgold - Cheryl Threadgold

Dusty Limits in ‘Grin’

● Fiona Scarlett in Crush at the Owl and Cat Theatre.

■ The mythical Melbourne Sentinel newspaper office is the setting for UK writer Rob Young’s laborious play Crush.

It is said the Young researched this play over his 10 years in an office, and in doing so he has captured the bitchiness and venomous atmosphere between the official office bitch Celia played by Mardi Edge and lascivious office temp Laura played by Fiona Scarlett.

At the centre desk of three was Johnny played by Seb Muirhead who has a crush for Celia despite not finding her attractive but because “she is angry at everything” .

Celia resists him as she is already having dalliances with Nudds, the unseen the marketing guy with the sun tan and range rover.

The story that will put the Sentinel on the map pales to insignificance as the tempo between all three heightens with underlying sexual subtext switching from monologues to dialogues in relating their personal human relationships quoting that “Everything they tell you is a lie”.

Johnny is seen to be left out in the cold but when Laura arrives his interest changes to the point where he literally takes a deep breath in daring Laura to reveal all.

Mardi Edge as Celia was all that you would expect, sarcastic at times, biting and aloof while not everything went her way.

Not all of Fiona Scarlett’s dialogue as Laura was audible although her presence was strong and certainly the exchanges with Celia were quite lively.

With his strong Scottish accent Seb Muirhead as Johnny needed to slow his general delivery and allow stronger emphasis when delivering comedic lines.

Maybe it was in the direction but lighting needs to be adjusted so that the actors are lit when delivering dialogue.

Directorial debutant Isobel Summers would have gained experience from delivering Crush.

Venue: The Owl and Cat Theatre, 34 Swan St, Cremorne Season: Until June 2 Information and bookings: admin@owlandcat.com.au - Review by Graeme McCoubrie

In honour of Queen

Page 30 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Observer Showbiz Country Crossroads

By Rob Foenander info@countrycrossroads.com.au

Bella to close ■ The iconic and much loved Trades Hall venue Bella Union will close after 12 years of showcasing local and international events.

The historic Carlton building has played host to numerous musical genres and also SBS broadcasts over this time. It is soon to embark on a $10 million renovation.od

The Big Drift ■ Melbourne-based folk outfit Davies West will launch their album The Big Drift on June 10.

The father -daughter ensemble combined with long-time friends will take to the stage at the Bella Union Carlton for one of the few remaining shows at the iconic venue before its closure.

The Big Drift explores the journey and experiences that shape a lifetime says their media release.

More info: www.davieswest.com - Rob Foenander

Media Flashes

■ Bruce Belsham, Head of Current Affairs, will be retiring from the ABC at the end of June.

■ Richo, with Graham Richardson, will return to Sky News on Wednesday nights at 8pm.

■ Credlin - Keneally will go into recess at Sky News as Kristina Keneally anchors live coverage from Canberra during sitting weeks.

■ Samantha Hutchinson is now Victorian State Political Writer for The Australian.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

News around Victoria

Axe swings at ABC ■ The ABC again has swung the redundancy axe, making nine radio staff positions redundant, as well as three in television and two in the regional division, reports Greg Newman of Jocks Journal.

“Other staff in support divisions have also been told their positions would be made redundant.

“It’s the next phase in ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie’s plans to axe up to 200 staff jobs, part of her reshaping of the ABC into a flatter management structure announced on March 7.

“In Radio National three content directors will be made redundant. The vacant roll of manager of capital city radio will not be filled.”

Looking for a quid

■ Rob Ross Foenander Stevenson, 3AW’s top-rating breakfast presenter, is earning an extra quid with some extra on-air roles.

As well as the 5.30am-8.30am weekday show, Ross co-hosts A Moving Feast with Kate Stevenson (no relation), on Saturdays.

Stevenson has also been heard presenting on-air commercials for clients including Nature Bee. The two Stevensons are also fronting a Sunday lifestyle program for the Seven Network.

Radio jobs

■ Melbourne-based AIR News is advertising for an on-air person to work3.5 hours, MondayFriday.

■ 3AW wants to hire a Senior Producer for the Drive program presented by Tom Elliott.

■ Triple M/Fox wants to hire a journalist for a a full-time role which will involve on- and offair duties during weekdays. Some weekend work may be required.

No live announcers

■ EON Sports, the digital 24-7 sports radio network once backed by Glenn Wheatley, closed on Friday (May 26). The network had been under considerable financial strain for some time and despite a change in ownership - Wheatley left the business months ago - it was unable to secure enough sponsorship to survive. EON Sports Radio will continue to broadcast online and across its digital radio channels, however, it will no longer have any local announcers.

More on-air time

■ AIR News evening presenter Natalie Livingstone is swinging into four afternoons a week, whilst owner Artie Stevens is overseas.

r Obser vbeiz On This Day Show

Wednesday Thursday June 1 May 31 ■ US actor-director Clint Eastwood was born in San Francisco in 1930 (87).

Guitarist Tommy Emmanuel was born in 1955 (62).

Former politician Justin Madden is 56.

Entertainer and dancer Todd McKenney was born in Perth in 1965 (52).

Four Play Quartet

Radio

■ Actress Marilyn Monroe was born in 1926.

She died aged 36 in 1962.

American actor Andy Griffith was born in 1926.

US singer and actor Pat Boone was born in Florida in 1924.

Actor Morgan Freeman was born in Memphis in 1937 (80).

Melb. Talk Radio ■ Sydney executives have re-introduced the trade name ‘Melbourne Talk Radio’. the branding is being used for 3AW. ‘Melbourne Talk Radio’ was the name for the talk station featuring Steve Price, which unsuccessfully challenged 3AW for market share.

The radio experiment lasted for two years between 2010-2012, losing up to $15 million for Macquarie Radio.

Radiothon at 3CR

■ Regular programmimg wil be interrupted at the original Melbourne community station 3CR conducts its fund-raising Radiothon in June.

Fine music station 3MBS has recently conducted its own radiothon.

Blunt at Smooth ■ Singer-songwriter James Blunt has joined Smooth FM's weekend line-up to host a Sunday afternoons program. He can be heard until June 18 in the 4pm timeslot.

Survivors to meet ■ The Survivors group of showbiz veterans encompassing TV, radio and the recording industry - will meet for the first of their twice-ayear luncheons at South Melbourne on Saturday, June 17.

■ Australian string quartet, FourPlay is back from London and New York to take over the historic Hawthorn Arts Centre for one night only, on Friday, June 30.

The quartet will play classics and new hits from their highly-anticipated album Time Machine.

FourPlay is far from one-dimensional, boasting a classical approach to indie rock.

The band will play covers from Leonard Cohen to Radiohead.

The Australian quartet uses two violas, which along with their devotion to playing away from any one genre, contribute to the group’s unique sound.

The ensemble is made up of friends from the Australian Broadway Orchestra who all found that their progressive sound has not held them back but rather created a cult like following.

The quartet has played at some of the world’s most prestigious venues, recently returning from sold out performances at Carnegie Hall in New York and the Barbican Centre in London.

The show will combine a cabaret-style atmosphere with the added indulgence of beer, wine and gourmet cheese platers on offer, creating an intimate and decadent experience at Hawthorn Arts Centre.

Hawthorn Arts Centre presents an exciting and varied arts program and is home to performance, exhibition, workshop and events spaces. Visitors can enjoy refreshments at the Events Bar or explore Hawthorn and discover the area’s culinary delights.

Performance Date: Friday, June 30 at 8pm Venue: Hawthorn Arts Centre, 360 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn Tickets: $40 Tickets, $34 Concession www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/fourplaystring-quartet - Cheryl Threadgold

Hero’s Guide to Save Planet ■ Flying, dancing and saving the planet is all in a day’s work for Captain Eco and The Green Defender, they're the heroes in Wit Incorporated’s new comedy, A Hero’s Guide to Saving the Planet.

This July school holidays Wit Incorporated presents a new adventure story for all ages. A Hero's Guide to Saving the Planet plays at Bluestone Church Arts Space from July 1 to 15.

Last year’s Fairy Tale News took Comedy Festival audiences by storm, and wit incorporated is delighted to bring another hilarious script to local audiences.

Created by Artistic Director Belinda Campbell, A Hero’s Guide to Saving the Planet is an environmental superhero story for all ages. It brings all the fun of cartoons and comic books to the stage, with bright colours, silly jokes and sight gags throughout.

As Captain Eco and her sidekick The Green Defender race against time to discover

who has been covering the streets of Footscray with litter, super-villain, The Waster continues her plot to cover the world with trash.

With the help of the superheroes and their guide book, audiences learn about recycling, reusing, reducing and what happens (or doesn’t happen) to plastic after we’ve finished with it.

“Our planet is in serious trouble,” Belinda says.

“We have to make changes now, for the sake of our children and our planet’s future.

These superheroes are here to inspire audiences to change their behaviour, without feeling overwhelmed by the tasks ahead.

“But most importantly, this is a fun show for the whole family.”

Performance Dates: July 1 – 15, 10am and 1pm Venue: Bluestone Church Arts Space, Footscray.

Tickets $25 at www.witinc.com.au (All tickets at concession prices) Melbourne

Observer

Friday June 2

Saturday June 3

■ Johnny Weissmuller, US actor (Tarzan) and Olympic swimmer, was born in 1904. He died aged 79 in 1983.

Actress Sally Kellerman, of MASH the movie fame, is 80.

US pianist Marvin Hamlisch is 73.

Jerry Mathers, actor known as ‘The Beaver’, is 69 (1948).

■ English comic actor Patrick Cargill was born in 1918. He died aged 77 in 1996.

Actor Tony Curtis was born in 1925. He died aged 85 in 2010.

Rock singer Suzi Quatro is 67 (1950).

Singer Dan Hill was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1954.

He is 63 today.

Sunday June 4

■ US actor Dennis Weaver, of Gunsmoke, was born in 1924. He died aged 81 in 2006.

US Tex-Mex singer Freddy Fender was born in 1937. He died aged 69 in 2006.

Rob E G (Robert Porter), Australian musician is 75.

Actress Angelique Jolie is 42 (1975).

Monday June 5

Tuesday June 6

■ US actor Bill Hayes (Days Of Our Lives) is 91 (1926).

Nutritionist Rose-mary Stanton was born in 1944 (73).

Actress Joanna Lockwod was born on this day.

Musician Kenny G is 61 (1956).

Aussie actress Toni Pearon is 45.

■ English cricketer Frank Tyson was born in 1930 (87).

Businessman Rene Rivkin was born in China in 1944.

He died aged 60 in 2005.

Actor Andrew McFarlane was born in Albany, WA, in 1951.

Footy reporter Caroline Wilson is 57.

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!

Observer Showbiz

Rising Stars

■ After sold-out shows, Melbourne Comedy’s Rising Stars returns on June 3 at 10 pm at The Butterfly Club.

Hosted by Michael Shafar (Jewish-ish, SBS's RAW Comedy, writer for Channel 10's The Project), the line-up includes award winners Danielle Walker (RAW Comedy 2016), Angus Gordon (Melbourne International Comedy Festival Best Newcomer 2017), Laura Davis (Comedy Channel Moosehead Award 2016) and more.

The secret to the show’s success lies in its curation. Melbourne Comedy’s Rising Stars is dedicated to introducing comedians who are on their way up. These are comics who have performed to sell-out crowds internationally, all over the country and at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Bookings are highly recommended.

Show Details: Melbourne Comedy’s Rising Stars Dates and Times: Saturday June 3, 10pm.

Cost: $25-32 Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne Tickets: thebutterflyclub.com/show/ melbourne-comedys-rising-stars-2017 - Cheryl Threadgold

Roola Boola

■ The City of Stonnington presents the Roola Boola Children’s Arts Festival from July 4-14 at Chapel off Chapel in Prahran.

This is the Festival’s eighth year, presenting a program packed full of intimate performances, workshops and unique activities.

Cr Jami Klisaris said: “City of Stonnington is proud to host this incredible arts focused event during the winter school holidays.

“We have curated a program with some of Australia’s best performers and a range of workshops and activities spanning music, dance, circus and magic to keep the whole family entertained.

“And best of all, we aim to keep it as affordable as possible, with all tickets $15 and many free activities’.

Other 2017 festival performances include the Melbourne City Ballet performing Once Upon A Time, winner of ‘Best Kids’ show, Melbourne Fringe 2016 The Adventures of Broer and Zus (suitable for the deaf and hard of hearing community), and a circus, magic, and dance experience that is out of this world.

Try your hand at juggling, plate spinning, hoola hooping and more with the National Institute of Circus Acts, chop up the beat with Mzuri Dance and Drum, take the Roola Boola Magic Class or learn the latest Hip Hop Moves with The Space Dance and Arts.

Use your stories, voices and movements in theatrical exercises to create exciting, new imaginary worlds in Drama Play with St Martins Youth.

For the crafty ones in the family, book in for one of the special craft activities on offer.

Make your own mini terrarium, design a Superhero Mask with your parent/guardian or create a one-of-a-kind, working puppet, made completely out of recycled and reused materials with the Trash Puppets.

Dates: Tuesday-Friday, July 4-14 Venue: Chapel off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran.

Tickets: $15 Bookings: roolaboola.com.au or phone 8290 7000 - Cheryl Threadgold

Changes at ABC ■ The ABC has announced the creation of ABC Audio Studios, with the aim of bringing together ABC Radio’s podcast content creation teams and the long-form radio features team.

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Page 31

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

Blanc de Blanc at St Kilda

● Blanc de Blanc cast ■ Strut and Fret Production House presents MAP 57 is presented by The Gardeners of Blanc de Blanc from June 15-July 30 at the Unearthly Delights. For 17 years, The GardenAurora Spiegeltent in MAP 57 , located in St ers (Buxton Walker Pty Ltd and Strut and Fret Kilda’s Winter Garden (next to the Palais The- Production House) have presented Australia’s atre). biggest independent live arts carnival, the award Having performed at the Sydney Opera winning Garden of Unearthly Delights in House, Brisbane Festival, Adelaide Fringe and Adelaide.

London’s West End, circus show Blanc de The Garden has inspired like events across Blanc will headline MAP 57’s program, featur- the globe including The Assembly Gardens in ing cabaret and acrobatic talent from around the Edinburgh and the Underbelly Festival world.

London.

Blanc de Blanc director and creator Scott Southbank The Box, a second performance space within Maidment says: “I wanted to create a new circus show, which I like to call a ‘champagne MAP 57, will present a program of music, comcabaret’ that transports the audience into a heady, edy and family friendly entertainment across the school holidays. bubble filled, overflowing, crazy party.

Season Dates: June 15- July 30 “Every act in the show is inspired by chamVenue: MAP 57 - St Kilda’s Winter Garden pagne, with giant bubbles, foam, a human champagne fountain and lots more surprises which I Jacka Boulevard (next to The Palais Theatre) Tickets: From $38 don’t want to give away!”

Bookings: map57.com / blancshow.com The production is choreographed by Kevin Duration: 120 minutes including interval Maher (who has choreographed for the likes of For further details: www.blancshow.com Justin Bieber, Britney Spears and Madonna) with costumes by James Browne (All Saints, www.map57.com - Cheryl Threadgold Australian Idol).

Tiger Lillies in Melb.

■ Direct from the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, The Tiger Lillies are presenting a one-off Melbourne show on Sunday, June 18 at the MEMO Music Hall, St Kilda.

Led by the accordion-wielding Martyn Jacques, the cult musical three-piece from London plan to present a show featuring the greatest and worst songs of their 27-year career.

Formed in 1989, the Olivier Award winners say they will weave together the ‘macabre magic’ of pre-war Berlin, opera and gypsy music, echoing the voices of Bertolt Brecht, Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf and the savage edge of punk.

Date: Sunday, June 18, 8pm Venue: MEMO Music Hall, 88 Acland St, St Kilda, (entrance at the rear of the RSL, via Albert St) Time: Doors Open: 7pm, Showtime 8 pm (with intermission).

Tickets: www.trybooking. com/book/event?eid=274089 Cost: Reserved Seats: $55 +bf, General Admin: $38 +bf, At the Door: $40 (if still available)

● The Tiger Lillies More information: www.memomusichall.com.au

Karen finishes at 7

■ Karen O’Sullivan finished last Thursday (May 25) as Senior Health Reporter for Seven News Melbourne. Karen has held the role for more than 13 years.

She was the first female journalist to work in a job share arrangement in commercial TV when News Director Steve Carey offered her the position in 2004, sharing the role with Emma Power.

In addition to working permanently part-time, she is VicePresident of the Kyneton Football Netball Club. Karen started in media as a Journalist for 3AW and has also been a reporter for Ten and Nine.

La Mama’s 50th ■ La Mama presents a Mini-Fest as part of their one year long 50th anniversary celebration from July 10 – August 13.

Artistic director Liz Jones has invited La Mama artists to present short seasons of work. There will be new gems, old favourites, and everything inbetween.

Working with a diverse group of acclaimed artists across both La Mama and La Mama Courthouse, works will be presented by: Maude and Anni Davey, James Clayden, Susie Dee and Patricia Cornelius, Barry Dickins and Mary Helen Sassman/ Daniel Schlusser, Lloyd Jones, Laurence Strangio. Tes Lyssiotis. The Rabble. Sandy MacGregor, John Romerill. Mic Smith.

Nicola Gunn. Peter Finlay, Caroline Lee. Mammad Aidani, Jill O’Callaghan. Dennis Coard. Sofia Chapman and Ella Filar The Festival will finish the festival with a two-week season of David Williamson’s new play Credentials, directed by Tom Gutteridge.

For details visit www.lamama.com.au/50

NICA workshop

■ The National Institute of Circus Arts is presenting a pre-audition workshop on July 29, offering specialist circus training for aspiring artists who may be interested to audition for NICA in 2018.

The session will run from 9 am – 5 pm at the NICA National Circus Centre, 39 – 59 Green St, Prahran. Cost is $120. Applications close at 5 pm, July 14. Contact 9214 8975 or email info@nica.com.au NICA also invites training professionals from around Australia to take part on July 29 in a collaborative workshop on training pedagogy and ways to enhance your approach to skills and drills.

It will also cover NICA specific audition requirements, foundations skills, strengthening and act preparation.

The workshop will coincide with our annual pre-audition workshop where trainers will observe and engage with participants in our workshop.

More information: www.nica.com.au - Cheryl Threadgold

My Perogative

■ Boutique Theatre presents the Australian premiere of My Prerogative from May 31 – June 4 at The Butterfly Club.

Written and performed by Josh R.H. Daveta, and accompanied by Stacey-Louise Camilleri , My Prerogative is inspired by and features songs from 90s favourites from Mariah Carey to R. Kelly to Ginuwine.

“This show uses RnB classics from the 90s to tell all about life, love and relationships - and will probably reveal a thing or two about the audiences’ music tastes,” says Josh.

Artistic Director Emma Caldwell said: “This is a hugely exciting collaboration for Boutique Theatre with our first work presented at the Butterfly Club and we’re sure that audiences will find Josh’s voice and stage presence as captivating and hilarious as we do!”

Boutique Theatre is a Melbourne-based independent theatre company that creates work that is inventive, local, relevant, and disruptive.

The company launched in 2012 and has since gone on to produce 13 international and Australian works, whilst building an ensemble and developing a Writers’ Program and Workshop Program.

Performance Season: May 31 – June 4 at 7 pm Venue: The Butterfly Club, Carson Place, Melbourne.

Tickets: $32 Full, $28 Concession, $25 Grps 6+, $26 Bookings: www.boutiquetheatre.com.au Enquiries: boxoffice@boutiquetheatre. com.au - Cheryl Threadgold

Page 32 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Observer Showbiz What’s Hot and What’s Not in Blu-Rays and DVDs FILM: A STREET CAT NAMED BOB: Genre: Biography/Comedy/Drama.

Cast: Luke Treadaway, Ruta Gedmintas, Joanne Froggatt and Bob the Cat. Year: 2016.

Rating: PG. Length: 103 Minutes.

Stars: ***½ Verdict: Heart warming story of busker and recovering drug addict, James Bowen, who is running low on his luck. With the aid of his support worker, Val (Joanne Froggatt from Downton Abbey), he is given his own flat to live in. Whilst in the bath one day, he hears a break-in and finds an injured ginger tabby cat in his kitchen eating his corn flakes. He sets out to find the owner but with no luck concluding that it must be a stray. James discovers an infected wound on the cat. He takes the cat to be treated by a charity vet and from that point onwards, the two lives become inseparably entwined. Bob follows him one day and while busking they become the toast of London. This beautifully executed film, based on a true story, of an unlikely friendship and redemption grabs the heart without ignoring the bleak side of homelessness and recovery from drug addiction. Well made and supremely directed by veteran Roger Spottiswoode (Under Fire, Turner & Hooch), A Street Cat Named Bob is one for the whole family. And watch out for Bob himself.

Based on the book by James Bowen and Garry Jenkins. Highly recommended!

FILM: LION - 2 Disc Extended Australian Edition: Genre: Biographical-Drama.

Cast: Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, David Wenham, Rooney Mara, Sunny Pawar.

Year: 2016.

Rating: PG. Length: 118 Minutes.

Stars: **** Verdict: Beginning in 1986, this is the story of Saroo, a five-yearold boy in India of a poor family, and on a trip with his brother, Saroo soon finds himself alone and trapped in a moving out-ofservice passenger train that takes him to Calcutta, 1500 miles away from home. Now totally lost in an alien urban environment, Saroo struggles to survive as a street child, and he is sent to an orphanage, then is selected to be adopted into a family in Tasmania, where he grows up in a loving home. However, Saroo finds himself plagued by his memories of his lost family in his adulthood and sets out on an odyssey to find them. Even though the plot has a predictability about it, this is genuinely a very intelligent, sincere and respectable journey driven by with a firm yet beautifully balanced and sensitive touch, with exemplary performances all round, most notably Sunny Pawar as the young Saroo. This is a profoundly touching, compelling and thought provoking story that excels without cliché ... and bring the tissues. Adapted from the book "A Long Way Home" by Saroo Brierley, this is a startling feature film debut from Australian Garth Davis, and beautifully filmed by Australian cinematographer Greig Fraser (Foxcatcher, Rogue One, Zero Dark Thirty. Highly recommended!

FILM: xXx - THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE: Genre: Action/Adventure/Thriller.

Cast: Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen, Deepika Padukone, Toni Collette, Samuel L. Jackson.

Year: 2017.

Rating: MA15+ Length: 116 Minutes.

Stars: **1/2 Verdict: Government operative and all-out action-man Xander Cage comes out of self-imposed exile, thought to be dead, and goes up against deadly alpha warrior (Donnie Yen) and his team in a race to recover a weapon known as Pandora's Box. And recruiting an allnew group of thrill-seekers, Xander finds himself in a deadly conspiracy that points to collusion at the highest levels of world governments. Following xXx (2002) and xXx: State of the Union (2005), Vin Diesel is back, with an ego to match, as the all-out action-man Xander Cage, and nothing gets in the way of him and his team.Everything here is BIG, FAST and STUPID! Even though we've seen it all, this ridiculously absurd popcorn spectacle still offers plenty of fast paced action and thrills to enjoy. No acting honours here be assured, but if there is a scene-stealer, it is Asian action actor Donnie Yen who goes up against beef-cake Diesel and comes out trumps. The egos, guns, girls, car chases, pyrotechnics, special effects, stunts, sound, outlandish plot, silly dialogue, unintentional laughs and rapid fire editing all clash and combine to make it an energetically fun ride worth taking, but only just!

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Movies, DVDs With Jim Sherlock and Aaron Rourke

Hounds of Love

● Evelyn and John White (Emma Booth and Stephen Curry) discuss what to do with their latest victim in the intense Australian thriller Hounds Of Love.

■ (MA). Opens in selected cin- nastiness around various areas of emas on June 1. the frame, wanting atmosphere and To say that the Australian film character to deliver the body blows industry is hit-and-miss is a giant to audience members, rather than understatement, and after a cellu- merely relying on graphic gore and loid drought that seems to have sensationalism. lasted forever (2009's Last Ride and On top of being a nerve-wrackThe Loved Ones were the last ing thriller, it also touches upon the Aussie flicks I genuinely loved), we topic of women trying to assert a have a new local movie that re- sense of personal empowerment in minds audiences that Australia can a largely patriarchal society. produce great cinema.

The lives of Vicki, Maggie and Set in Perth in 1987, the story Evelyn are cleverly explored, subintroduces us to John and Evelyn tly detailing their journeys of past, White (Stephen Curry and Emma present, and unsure futures.

Booth), an ordinary-looking couple It judiciously constructs these who prey on teenage girls, abduct- small details through the way these ing and brutalising them at their people interact, rather than have suburban home. them lazily blurt out each personSoon to be their latest victim is ality trait or quirk.

Vicki Maloney (Ashleigh Huge praise must also go to the Cummings), a 17-year-old student technical crew, who make this gritty who is spending the weekend with story look absolutely mesmerising. her mother Maggie (Susie Porter), Michael McDermot'scinematograwho has recently left her rich hus- phy is outstanding, which includes band Trevor (Damian de standout use of ultra slow-motion, Montemas). and vividly recreates Australia Siding with her father, Vicki dis- circa 1987. plays openly hateful feelings toAdding to that perfect period wards her mother, believing she look is the production design by has put herself above the needs of Clayton Jauncey (Paper Planes), her own daughter, and as such Louise Brady's (Summer Coda) art doesn't want to spend a minute with direction, and Terri Lamera's (Son her.

Of A Gun) gloriously spot-on cosSneaking out that night to go to a tume design. party, this is where she meets the Plaudits must also go out to ediWhites, who soon have her tor Merlin Eden (Last Train To drugged, gagged, and chained in Freo), who never lets the film break their well-fortified home. its delicate rhythm for a second, With things looking bleak, Vicki and Dan Luscombe (Jindabyne), has to find a way to escape, before who composes an effectively John and Evelyn perform horrific moody score. acts upon her.

Finally, the performances are Hounds Of Love is tense, har- perfectly pitched and understated, rowing viewing, employing its making the whole ghoulish situaslow-burn pacing to maximum ef- tion seem all the more believable. fect.

Maloney is excellent, walking a What is extraordinary here is line between unruly teenager that this intelligent, beautifully con- fine and terrified hostage, while Porter trolled piece of suburban horror is generates both the feature film debut of writer/di- spect as Maggie.sympathy and rerector Ben Young. again shows what a fearThere is a vision and maturity lessBooth actor is, fully immersing embodied by Young that many sea- herself in ashe character that becomes soned directors lack, and the pre- more complex as the story unfolds. cise manner in which he presents The real revelation here is this grim material is exemplary.

With Australian film and TV no- Curry, predominately known ticeably obsessed with crime sto- throughout the country as a lightries in recent years, Hounds Of hearted comedian and actor.

Like Adam Sandler in P.T. Love looked like it would be just Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love, another generic entry off the assembly line, but again this is where Curry's particular persona is skilfully subverted, with that laconic the movie surprises.

Young could have easily surface hiding something dark and patched together another exploit- violent.

Hounds Of Love is a genuine ative crime thriller that revels in disreputable torture porn, but instead eye-opener, and the kind of film that he carefully orchestrates what the the Australian film industry can be audience will see and what will be genuinely proud of.

Let's hope it starts a trend, one left to the imagination.

More akin to Fernando that will revive that golden era that Meirelles's Blindness (2008), and ran from the mid-1970s to the late also key moments of Sean Byrne's 1980s.

RATING - **** cult favourite The Loved Ones - Aaron Rourke (2009), Young artfully places the

Top 10 Lists MAY 28 to JUNE 3 THE AUSTRALIAN BOX OFFICE TOP TEN: 1. KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD. 2. ALIEN: COVENANT. 3. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2.

4. JOHN WICK: CHAPTER TWO. 5. SNATCHED. 6. A DOG'S PURPOSE. 7. VICEROY'S HOUSE. 8. GET OUT. 9. THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS. 10. THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE. NEW RELEASES AND COMING SOON TO CINEMAS AROUND AUSTRALIA: MAY 25: 29+1, HANDSOME DEVIL, NERUDA, NORMAN: THE MODERATE RISE AND TRAGIC FALL OF A NEW YORK FIXER, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES, SACHIN: A BILLION DREAMS, THE SENSE OF AN ENDING, THE SHACK, WILSON. JUNE 1: 20TH CENTURY WOMEN, BAYWATCH, HOUNDS OF LOVE, WONDER WOMAN. THE DVD AND BLU-RAY TOP RENTALS & SALES: 1. XXX: RETURN OF XANDER CAGE [Action/Vin Diesel, Toni Collette].

2. MANCHESTER BY THE SEA [Drama/Casey Affleck, Kyle Chandler, Michelle Williams].

3. FIFTY SHADES DARKER [Drama/Romance/Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Kim Basinger].

4. LION: 2 Disc Extended Australian Edition [Drama/Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara].

5. FENCES [Drama/Denzel Washington, Viola Davis].

6. RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER [Fantasy/Action/Horror/Milla Jovoich].

7. SLEEPLESS [Action/Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan].

8. PATRIOT'S DAY [Drama/Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons].

9. SPLIT [Thriller/Horror/James McAvoy, Haley Lu Richardson - Dir: M. Night Shyamalan].

Also: AQUARIUS, MOONLIGHT, A UNITED KINGDOM, A STREET CAT NAMED BOB, ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, LIVE

BY NIGHT, COLLATERAL BEAUTY, JACKIE, PASSENGERS, ASSASSINS CREED. NEW RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS ON DVD THIS WEEK: HIDDEN FIGURES [Drama/Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monae, Octavia Spencer].

GOLD [Drama/Matthew McConaughey, Bryce Dallas Howard].

THE GREAT WALL [Action/Matt Damon, Willem Dafoe].

FIST FIGHT [Comedy/Ice Cube, Tracy Morgan, Charlie Day].

ARMY OF ONE [Action/Comedy/Russell Brand, Nicolas Cage].

RINGS [Horror/Johnny Galecki, Matilda Lutz, Vincent D'Onofrio].

100 STREETS [Drama/Idris Elba, Gemma Arterton].

NEW RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK: HIDDEN FIGURES [Drama/Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monae, Octavia Spencer].

GOLD [Drama/Matthew McConaughey, Bryce Dallas Howard].

THE GREAT WALL [Action/Matt Damon, Willem Dafoe].

THE GREAT WALL 3D + 2D Blu-ray [Action/Matt Damon, Willem Dafoe].

FIST FIGHT [Comedy/Ice Cube, Tracy Morgan, Charlie Day].

RINGS [Horror/Johnny Galecki, Matilda Lutz, Vincent D'Onofrio].

NEW & RE-RELEASE AND CLASSIC MOVIES ON DVD HIGHLIGHTS: THE RING (2002), THE RING TWO (2005), RINGS (2017).

NEW RELEASE TELEVISION, DOCUMENTARY AND MUSIC DVD HIGHLIGHTS: SO COSMO: Season 1.

BLOODLINE: Season 2.

THE HALCYON: Season 1.

DOCTOR WHO: Season 10 - Part 1.

SUITS: Season 6 - Part 2.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Page 33

Observer Showbiz Portfolio Review ■ The Ballarat International Foto Biennale is now calling for Portfolio Review registrations, a long-standing tradition of BIFB, which invites budding photographers and artists from all over the world to participate.

This year, Portfolio Reviews will be split into three different streams: Artist, Professional and Student with respected photographers, art world experts and knowledgeable academics confirmed to visit this year’s highly-anticipated event.

Experts - specially selected International and Australian curators, directors, gallery owners, publishers, arts writers, artists, lecturers and photography professionals – include international guests Bonnie Rubenstein, Artistic Director of CONTACT Photography Festival (Canada); Karen McQuaid, Senior Curator at The Photographers’ Gallery (London); and Bridget Coaker, Senior Picture Editor at The Guardian (London).

These experts can provide any budding photographer or artist with indispensable insight and advice for their future.

Notable Australian reviewers include David Pance De Leon, Executive Creative Director of Ogilvy Australia; Shaune Lakin, Senior Curator of Photography at the National Gallery of Australia; and Cherie McNair, Director and CEO of the Australian Centre for Photography, Sydney.

Participants are offered 15-minute faceto-face portfolio reviews with four different reviewers from one of the three available categories - Artist, Professional or Student.

For more information and to apply for a session please visit www.ballaratfoto.org/ portfolio-review BIFB is a month-long celebration of international and Australian photography from August 19-September 17, set in the historic surrounds of Ballarat.

Iconic photographer David LaChapelle will headline the month-long event.

DISGUST

● Julian Dibley-Hall and Lelda Kapsis in Disgust.

■ A new one-act play that deals with the underlying subtext of long term relationships, and issues of mental health, set in an immersive domestic space at the Abbotsford Convent.

Disgust deals with the underlying subtext of long-term relationships, and issues of mental health, set in an immersive domestic space at the Abbotsford Convent.

Ben and Em, a couple, have just returned home from a dinner party. They try to recount the surreal events of the night - what actually happened? What did they just experience? As the truth surfaces, so too will the secrets and cracks in their relationship become revealed.

Dates: Preview, May 31. Season, June 1 - 4 Location: Bishop's Parlour, Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers St, Abbotsford Bookings: www.facebook.com/events/ 1891585597790425/

Our reviewers

■ Cheryl Threadgold heads our team of honorary reviewers including Mark Briggs, Rita Crispin, Martin Curtis, Sherryn Danaher, Barbara Hughes, Lyn Hurst, Kathryn Keeble, Beth Klein, Deborah Marinaro, Graeme McCoubrie, Catherine, McGregor, David McLean, Maggie Morrison, Jill Page, Kylie Rackham, Elizabeth Semmel.

Local Theatre With Cheryl Threadgold

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang SHOWS

SHOWS

■ Babirra Music Theatre: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang June 3 - 17 at the Whitehorse Centre, Nunawading. Director: Alan Burrows; Musical Director: Ben Hudson; Choreographer: Di Crough. Bookings: www.babirra.org.au ■ Beaumaris Theatre: A Night of Dark Intent (by Don Swartz) Until June 10 at 82 Wells Rd., Beaumaris. Director: Lyn Laister. Tickets: $27/ $24. Bookings: www.beaumaristheatre.com.au ■ Peridot Theatre: The Female of the Species (by Joanna-Murray Smith) June 9 - 24 at the Unicorn Theatre, Mt Waverley Secondary College, Lechte Rd., mt Waverley. Director: Natasha Boyd. Bookings: 9808 0770 or www.peridot.com.au ■ Frankston Theatre Group: Twelve Angry Men (by Reginald Rose), Until June 3 at the Frankston Mechanics Institute, 1A Plowman Place, Frankston. Seating in the round. Director: Connor McRae. Bookings:www.trybooking. com/OXMT ■ Brighton Theatre Company: Hats Off! (by Alison Campbell-Rate) Until June 3 at Bayside Cultural Centre, Cnr. Wilson and Carpenter Sts., Brighton. Director: Denise Wellington. Bookings: 1300 752 126.

■ The Basin Theatre Group: Forget Me Knot (by David Tristram) Until June 10 at The Basin Theatre, Doongalla Rd., The Basin. Director: Gregor McGibbon. Bookings: 1300 784 668.

■ Strathmore Theatrical Arts Group (STAG): The Dixie Swim Club(by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten) Until June 4 at Strathmore Community Theatre, Cnr. Loeman and Napier Sts., Strathmore. Bookings: 9382 6284 or www.stagtheatre.org ■ Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre: One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (by Dale Wasserman) Until June 10 at the Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre, 39-41 Castella St., Lilydale. Director: Catherine Garside. Bookings:9735 1777.

■ Cathouse Players: Steel Magnolias (by Robert Harling) Until June 3 at Kyneton Masonic Centre, 7-9 Yaldwyn St. West, Kyneton. Director: Bette Sartore. Bookings: www.trybooking .com/book/event?eid=249841.

■ The Mount Players: True West (by Sam Shepard) Until June 10 at The Mountview Theatre, 56 Smith St., Mt Macedon. Director: Travis Handcock. Bookings: www.themount players.com or 5426 1892.

■ SLAMS: Broadway Roulette Until June 3 at the Knox Community centre, Cnr Mountain Highway and Scoresby Rd., Bayswater. Table seating, bYO food only, drinks available at bar.

Tickets: $25/$15. Bookings: 0720 3205 https:// www.trybooking.com/245860 ■ Williamstown Musical Theatre Company: Seussical Jr June 9 - 25 at the Williamstown Mechanics Institute, Cnr Electra and Melbourne Sts., Williamstown. Bookings: www.wmtc.org.ai or call 1300 881 545.

AUDITIONS ■ Melbourne French Theatre: Every Trick in the Book! (Le Systeme Ribadier) by Georges Feydeau, Saturday, June 17 at 2.00pm, and Monday, June 19 at 7.00pm at La Maison de Maitre Building", 203-205 Canning Street, Carlton [corner Canning & Neill Streets], Director: Alec Gilbert, Producer: Michael Buba, Audition bookings on website www.mftinc.org or 03 9349 2250 ■ Essendon Theatre Company: Baby with the Bathwater (by Christopher Durang), June 25 at 6.00pm, June 29 at 7.30pm at the Bradshaw Street Community Hall, Bradshaw St., West Essendon (enter off Buckley St). Director: Drew Mason. Audition bookings: drew.mason@ optusnet.com.au or 9382 6284 ● From Page 7

Dixie Swim Club Positioning the actors downstage for much of the play is also very effective, ensuring the audience gets to know the characters and become immersed in their stories.

From a critical perspective, on opening night there was occasional lack of clarity in dialogue, no doubt due to the Southern accents. Full marks to Clare Hayes (Lexie) whose dialogue was loud and clear throughout.

The play could be regarded as ideal for a girls’ night out, but male patrons could be heard laughing at funny lines and obviously enjoying it too.

The bond of friendship is generic, as is experiencing life’s ups and downs.

Go see The Dixie Swim Club in the cosy Strathmore Theatre before it finishes on June 4.

Congratulations to STAG. Season: Until June 4 Venue: Strathmore Community Theatre, Cnr Loeman and Napier Sts, Strathmore.

Bookings: 9382 6284 or www.stagtheatre. org - Cheryl Threadgold

One Fell Swoop Circus ■ Returning to Gasworks from July 12-16, One Fell Swoop Circus proudly presents a revamped and re-invigorated season of their much lauded production, By A Thread.

An ensemble circus creation exploring the relationship between trust and play, By A Thread sees long spools of white rope run through pulley sheaves and wrapped around bodies, explicitly connecting movements above and on the ground.

Like the booms and sheets of a sailing ship, performers are hoisted and swung by one another to create striking tableaux and breath-taking dynamics.

The actions of one acrobat affect the movements of others in a mesmerising negotiation of cause and effect.

By A Thread offers rich vi-

suals of inventive aerial acrobatics and skills from some of Australia’s finest emerging circus artists.

With intense training in a breadth of contemporary circus disciplines, these performers have pooled their knowledge and skills and then shattered traditional boundaries.

By A Thread has been created as a show where classic techniques are used in expansive ways and new skills are made possible.

Runners-up in the 2016 Gasworks Arts Park Circus Showdown, One Fell Swoop Circus is a powerhouse young ensemble of circus artists from Melbourne’s renowned National Institute of Circus Arts.

Directed by Charice Rust and Jonathan Morgan. Performed by Jonathan Morgan,

Charice Rust, Ryan Darwin, Ela Bartilomo, Piri Goodman, Sarah Berrell, and Luke Thomas. Dramaturgy by Zebastian Hunter. Lighting Design by After Dark Theatre.

Costume Design by Emily Barrie Performance Season: July 12 – 16 at 7.30pm, Saturday, July 15 at 1.30pm Venue: Gasworks Theatre, 21 Graham St, Albert Park Running Time: Approx50 minutes Warnings: Constant haze Subscriptions: Full $30 per show (min 3 shows). Concession $25 per show (min 3 shows) Ticket prices: Full $45, Concession $40, Under 30 $40, Group (6+) $35 Bookings: gasworks.org.au - Cheryl Threadgold

Melbourne

Observer BALLET LAB AWARD ■ Phillip Adams BalletLab (PABL) and Dr Marcus McMahon announce the inaugural BalletLab McMahon Contemporary Art Award and 2017 shortlisted artists.

The invitation-only BalletLab McMahon ContemporaryArt Award, established last year will be presented to a contemporary artist who demonstrates a commitment to brave, innovative and transitional practice that contests the boundaries of contemporary art in new and impactful ways.

The winner will receive a cash prize of $12,000 and have access to Temperance Hall for a period of up to four weeks prior to the exhibition of their winning artwork.

The 2017 BMCAA shortlisted artists are Chris Bond, Lane Cormick, Eric Demetriou, Ruth O’Leary and Lisa Radford (working with collaborator Sam George).

These artists have been invited to propose a work that draws on BalletLab’s evolution to its new premises at Temperance Hall to reflect conceptual concerns underpinning their practice.

The 2017 BMCAA shortlist have been selected by a respected group of industry professionals including Serena Bentley (Assistant Curator, Australian Centre for the Moving Image); Michael Brennan (independent curator and artist); Hannah Mathews (curator, Monash University Museum of Art); Patrice Sharkey (Director, Westspace); and PABL Artistic Director, Phillip Adams with philanthropist, Dr Marcus McMahon who share a committee seat.

Max Delaney, Director of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, is the inaugural BMCAA judge and will select the winner from this shortlist of five outstanding Victorian artists.

“Phillip Adams BalletLab has a rich history of collaboration with artists from a broad range of artistic disciplines making them, the perfect partner for an Award such as this,” said Dr McMahon.

“I am hopeful that the BalletLab McMahon Contemporary Art Award will help to foster the development of an amazing contemporary artist, and in doing so, support the next generation of artists that will be the lifeblood of our artistic community for years to come.”

“The BMCAA is a highly original contemporary art award honouring local visual artists work at the cutting edge of practice.

“The BMCAA represents a shift away from traditional art awards by providing an opportunity for visual arts to engage with performative and interdisciplinary experimentation.

“BMCAA offers an alternative to institutional curated contemporary art awards by commissioning a new work that crosses art form and direction. We are setting a benchmark for visual arts curation at Temperance Hall,” said Temperance Hall and BalletLab Artistic Director, Phillip Adams Artists working across all media are eligible, from traditional and contemporary art forms to new media and including but not limited to performance, sound based work, installation, sculpture, photography, painting and hybrid practices.

Marking the establishment of PABL at Temperance Hall, the BMCAA contributes to a program of ambitious and dynamic multidisciplinary arts events honouring PABL’s vision to be the leading interdisciplinary space for contemporary arts practice, where the body is central.

BalletLab McMahon Contemporary Art Award winning artist will present their work at Temperance Hall in August. The winner of the Award and exhibition dates will be announced shortly.

The BalletLab McMahon Contemporary Art Award has been enabled by the support of Dr Marcus McMahon, philanthropists and founding member of the Temperance Hall Society.

Phillip Adams BalletLab, Temperance Hall, 199 Napier St, South Melbourne. www.balletlab.com

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Page 34 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017 Melbourne

Observer

Lovatts Crossword No 32 Across

2. Supervisory (position) 7. Pays brief visit (5,2) 11. Rule 17. Yacht pole 18. Untruth 19. Spanish cheer 20. Ellipse 21. Hangover symptom 22. Decreased 23. Woeful 26. Unfilled space 28. Citizen soldiers 29. Adolescent 31. Existence 34. World computer link 36. Archfiend 39. Female equines 41. Roused 43. Suspension of workers (3-3) 46. Morocco's capital 47. Writer, Emily ...

49. Frolicked 51. Pharaohs' tombs 52. Repaints (car) 53. Short-sighted 54. Lieu 55. Flip in air 56. Ill-treatment 61. Featured musicians 64. Nautical speed unit 65. Fellows 66. Extending 67. ... or nay 69. Possessor 71. US coins 74. Not apparent 76. Penny-pincher 78. Elderly horse 79. Phlegm condition 81. Anti-terrorist squad (1,1,1) 83. Wigwam 84. Aunt's husband 86. Scented purple flower 89. Desert illusions 90. Humility 93. Roll (dice) 94. Sailor's yes (3,3) 97. Made (wage) 100. From India or China 101. Saviour 103. Subway 106. Long letter 108. Short-circuited 109. Mistake (4-2) 110. Untied 111. Islamic governors 112. Renowned 113. Power group 115. Salon worker (4,7) 118. Minor roads (4,7) 121. Be without 124. Early harps 128. Hickory tree nut 129. Aimed 130. Cosmos scientists 134. Brings up (child) 135. Excessively fat 136. Overshadow 137. Fragrance 138. Existing

Across 139. Abandon 140. Alluring 143. Natural disaster, ... wave 144. Vote in 147. Film 150. Extinct bird 151. White flower (7,4) 155. Not justified 157. Chime 158. Smell 159. Concur 162. Snapshots 164. Harrowing trial 167. Doctor 168. Rid of lice 169. Comfy seat (4,5) 172. Journalists' credits (2-5) 173. Polite 174. Unassuming 177. Deprive of food 180. Islands 181. Flight from reality 183. Reconstructed 184. Notorious gangster (2,6) 186. Potato variety 187. In vain, to no ...

188. Fulfilled (demand) 191. Actress, ... Diaz 195. See next page (1,1,1) 197. Megastars 198. Earphones 200. Idiocy 202. Middle-distance runner 203. Weeding implement 205. Protrudes (6,3) 206. ... de Cologne 208. Pleasant 209. Fireproof material 212. Funeral guests 215. US Mormon state 217. Feeble 220. Capital of Iowa, Des ...

222. Hiding game 224. Close watch (5,3) 226. Fries lightly 228. Wife, the ...

229. Bake (meat) 230. Crazier 232. Check 235. La Scala city 236. Dallas is there 238. Well-meaning person (2-6) 241. Spot 242. Admonish 243. Gain through will 244. Singer, ... Horne 246. Require 252. Mental stress 253. Renounce throne 254. Eyelid swelling 255. Focal point 256. Rug 257. East European 258. Opposition 259. Shipping route (3,4) 260. School project

Down

Down

1. Right on target (4-2) 2. Dr Jekyll's alter ego (2,4) 3. Ark builder 4. Moves (towards) 5. Recognise 6. Peru beasts 7. Battery segment 8. Grass 9. Weary sound 10. Xmas 11. Responds 12. Contraptions 13. Crocodile relatives 14. Taverns 15. Small lump 16. Wine jug 24. Trophies 25. Addressed crowd 26. Shaking motion 27. Listing articles 28. Actors Gibson or Brooks 30. Lamb's mother 32. Lack of aptitude 33. Instructors 35. Lament 37. Defence force 38. Beastliest 39. Raider 40. Glimpse 42. Map guide 44. Chooses 45. Thrifty 47. Long-snouted monkey 48. Ice-free Norwegian port 50. Rounded roof 53. Ponder 57. Freedom from guilt 58. Bare 59. Rocket ship crew 60. Talks keenly 62. Mountaineer's tool (3,3) 63. Oppress 65. Judi Dench stars in ... Henderson Presents 68. Aviator, ... Johnson 70. Vigilantly 72. Admission 73. Old photo colour 74. Open sore 75. Dessert, ... caramel 77. Kenya & Tanzania region (4,6) 80. Letter jumbles 82. Italian city 85. Come together 87. Daunted 88. Prince Edward, ... of Wessex 91. Biblical garden 92. Auction 95. Containing nothing 96. Upwardly mobile young people 98. Ripped apart, torn ...

99. Naked models 102. Group loyalty (6,2,5) 104. Nimble-fingered 105. Helps 107. Piercingly 113. Flowered 114. Requested from menu 116. US cotton state 117. Betrayal crime 119. Cavalryman 120. Codswallop 122. Accomplish 123. US motorbike stuntman, Evel ...

125. Extract (metal) 126. In the Arctic Circle 127. Specifically (2,3) 128. Sacred song 130. Astern

131. Weight unit 132. Record label (1,1,1) 133. Droop 141. Pseudonyms 142. US Rhode Island resort 145. Lengthy (4-6) 146. Droll plays 148. Totally preoccupies 149. Unable to read and write 152. Behaved 153. Louts 154. Finish 155. Great Bear constellation, ... Major 156. Jockey 160. Congers or morays 161. Native American tribespeople 163. Stitched garment edges 165. Cain & ...

166. Vending machine 167. Hitler book, ... Kampf 170. Vile act 171. Largest Turkish city 175. Leaves out 176. Praise highly 178. Panic 179. Current (permit) 182. Prison occupant 185. Progressed (4,2) 188. Names used wrongly 189. Most easily offended 190. Cigar dust 192. Almond biscuit 193. Most corroded 194. Flightless bird 195. Trite remark 196. Band 199. Induces 201. Made amends 204. Rowing aids 207. In present condition (2,2) 210. Companies 211. Samples (wine) 213. Coral bank 214. Safari 216. Large yacht 217. Scavenge 218. Tardiest 219. Your school, ... mater 221. Slip up 223. German or Greek 225. Eastern veils 227. In the past, long ...

228. Russian space station 231. Putrefy 233. Four score 234. Toughen (steel) 235. Liqueur, crème de ...

237. Afternoon nap 239. Most senior 240. Enfold 245. Urges on, ... up 247. Junior Scouts 248. Epic tale 249. Notion 250. Highest point 251. Windmill arm

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Page 35

Solution on Page 26

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Page 36 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Observer Victorian Sport Melbourne

Egg Tart not ‘yoking’

■ Classy filly Egg Tart looks the one to beat in the Queensland Oaks over 2400 metres at Eagle Farm this Saturday (June 3).

Since her triumph in the Auckland Racing Club Trophy after joining the powerful Chris Waller stable in Sydney, she is taking all before her.

She recently beat Victorian filly Kenedna narrowly but well in the Schweppes South Australian Oaks, and will stay as long as your mother-in-law.

Egg Tart in the early nominations is just over each way odds.

Kenedna in the Weir stable is doing everything right, winning the Magic Million Roses at Doomben at her last start, surviving a protest.

She is good and will be hard to beat.

On the next line is another Victorian filly, Ana Royale, who won the South Australian fillies classic in good style over this distance of 2500 metres.

She is in the care of astute trainer, Stuart Webb, who trains out of Caulfield.

Another of Chris Waller's, Dawn Wall, unplaced in the Magic Millions Roses, will go around again.

Yet another Chris Waller entrant, Oklahoma Girl, will butter up after a good second to Kenedna, protesting over the last 300 metres.

She is one to watch; as she is an improver.

The Pinnacle, with the strong Peter and Paul Snowden team, although unplaced in the Roses can improve.

The Victorian filly, Harlow Gold, although not racing at her best, was placed in the Victorian Oaks over this trip last November.

Big ask?

■ News that James Cummings, the grandson of the late and great Bart Cummings, was appointed the number one trainer for the powerful Godolphin stable caught a few of us by surprise, feeling that at the young age of 29, it is a big ask.

His only major winner to date since he took over the stables of his grandfather was with Prized Icon, winning the Group One Victoria Derby.

Henry Plumptre, the Managing Director of the Godolphin team in Australia, gave him the nod, and it is a great feather in his cap.

When you look at the fact that the Godolphin team has around 400 horses in Australia to look after, it can be a battle royal as former trainer John O'Shea found out.

I hope it works out for the young man; he undoubtedly has the talent to succeed, but as I said it is a big ask for one so young in the training field. I wish him well.

Poor no-show

■ I agree with colleague, Matty Stewart of the Herald Sun, that Racing.Com, the main TVArm of Racing Victoria, didn't cover the recent Hall of Fame awards at Crown.

It was a night of nights for those who had done so much for racing over many years, such as owner Lloyd Williams who has spent millions setting horses to win five Melbourne Cups going back to 1981 when he won his first Melbourne Cup with Just a Dash.

He again saluted with Almandin last year; jockeys like Perth rider John Miller were honoured with many others.

Yet Racing.Com decided to cover an ordinary night meeting at Cranbourne, where they could have had someone at the Hall of Fame awards for crosses.

Heaven forbid they have a ton of on-air staff to cover the awards.

Spot on Matty, I agree with you.

Showbiz Extra Hummingbirds

■ The Hummingbirds June Luncheon will be held at 12 Non on Wednesday, June 21 at the Sofitel on Collins, La Trobe Ballroom , supporting the work of the O’Brien Institute in clinical and experimental medical research.

Tammy van Wisse, marathon swimmer, will be guest speaker, swimming 65,000 kilometres and setting six world records.

Suade, a male Acappella Group, will entertain.

Emerging Artists

● Egg Tart wins stylishly at Flemington. Racing Photos mount eight times before the 100 metres, three more than allowed.

He pleaded guilty and said he hardly touched Sense of Occasion in the last 100 metres and then the horse bolted.

This is not a difficult task for Racing Victoria.

Take out the "did it or didn't it effect the result’.

Brown suggested they ban the whip in the last 200 metres, saying he barely used it up the straight.

Most jockeys don't or don't need to.

Whipping is most noticeable in the straight.

Allow the jockeys as many strokes as they like before the 200 metre mark, with one proviso: be sensible or we will whack you for being an idiot.

Ted Ryan

Deniliquin dash ■ Hopefully we will be off to Deniliquin this Saturday for the meeting abandoned on ANZAC Day due to the weather.

I travel with up race caller Nigel Killip, his wife Caroline and son Jake for the big day.

Let's hope we race, relying on a good day.

The Club does a great job and it was sad that we couldn't race on ANZAC Day to honour the occasion.

The Club will still run the Diggers Cup on their five-event program with plenty of entertainment for the family, Fashions on the Fields and all races over Australia broadcast on course.

I will be handling the PA on the day and I am looking forward to working for the Club again.

- Ted Ryan

Whips away

■ Another bone of contention is the use of the whip over the final stages of races.

Top jockey Corey Brown, who won the Doomben Cup on Sense of Occasion, was suspended for over use of the whip after striking his

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

● Kenedna takes out the TAB Vanity. Racing Photos

■ Fortyfivedownstairs and Future Leaders announce the third annual Emerging Artist Award 2017.

Featuring a dynamic and diverse selection of ground-breaking new works, the Emerging Artist Award 2017 brings together the best emerging artists from across Australia for a two-week exhibition in the Fortyfivedownstairs gallery.

Special guest judge Kent Wilson will award $3000 of prize money to the two submissions that best align with the award criteria.

Kent Wilson is a contemporary art curator, artist, writer and exhibition-maker working in Melbourne, Kyneton and Bendigo.

He is the Senior Curator at La Trobe Art Institute; is founder and Co-Director of Kyneton Contemporary Inc; and produces freelance arts projects across various venues.

Working across a variety of media, Kent has exhibited his own artwork at commercial galleries, artist-run-spaces and public galleries.

He is a writer published in The Article, Artist Profile magazine, Das Platforms and artinfo.com.au; he maintains an arts blog with reviews, articles and interviews called the subMachine; and writes exhibition essays for group shows and artists.

With a growing community of Fortyfivedownstairs Emerging Artist Award alumni experiencing industry success, the EAA17 is a proven catalyst for ongoing recognition and professional development and allows audiences the privilege of accessing earlycareer works by exciting young artists.

Bakery Gallery

■ The 1812 Theatre, located in Upper Fern Tree Gully, has for decades entertained the community with high quality theatrical productions.

Art exhibitions are also hosted in The Bakery Gallery alongside each of the 1812's performances in the Lowe Auditorium. These theatrical events always attract audiences in the hundreds, providing an excellent boost to the attendance of gallery events, where audiences observe the Gallery before and after shows and during intermission.

Late last year Knox Council provided the 1812 with a special grant to hire a Curator so that exhibitions could be organised to a new professional standard, promoting talented artists and bringing the Theatre new clientele.

Bakery Noir: The Bakery Gallery is exhibiting the work of photographer Christopher Shiels and illustrator Jeremy Swan. Both artists have created for the viewer their own series of stunning images, completed predominately in black and white, which presented together highlight the creative value of illustration and the strong impact that can be made with the effective use of varying tones and chiaroscuro.

Shiels, working primarily with black and white digital photography, has created a visual signature for himself of depicting people, objects and places that are united in complex montages.

Swan, winner of the 2016 Immense Young Artists Prize, enjoys using graphite. Preferred because of its portability, Jeremy enjoys using graphite to record transient moments and impressions in his current series of sketches.

The exhibition is held simultaneously with the 1812 Theatre production of Beyond Reasonable Doubt, May 25 - June 17. Exhibition available to view during all theatre performances.

- Peter Kemp

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Page 37

Real Estate

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Page 38 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017 - Page 39

Page 40- Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, May 31, 2017

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