Melbourne Observer. April 18, 2018

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Vol 50 No 1698

ISSN 1447 4611

Ph 1800 231 311 Fx 1800 231 312

Port Melbourne

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2018

DEATH OF TV PIONEER RON BLASKETT $2.95

■ Australian actor Colin Friels will star in British playwright Justin Butcher’s one-man play Scaramouche Jones at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Fairfax Studio from August 15-25.

This will be the first time Friels has performed a solo theatre piece in his long and celebrated career.

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“Directed by Alkinos Tsilimidos, Scaramouche Jones is the tale of an ancient clown who, after his last performance at 11pm on Millennium Eve, retires to his dressing room to wait alone for the stroke of midnight and his own centenary.

Reflecting on the extraordinary fortunes of his life, his journey spans the furthest reaches of crumbling empires and the darkest episodes of the 20th century in his quest for a father and a homeland.

He strips away his seven comic masks and reveals the heart buried deep within: his final confession.

By turns bizarre, comic, epic, tragic - laced with the consummate wit of the circus clown his tale unfolds as an enchanting fable of poignancy and laughter.

Colin Friels is known for his award-winning work in theatre, television and film.

His accolades include Best Actor awards (Film Critics Circle of Australia and Lexus IF) for the film Tom White, a Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in the Sydney Theatre Company production of Copenhagen, and a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor in television series Water Rats.

Turn To Page 11

or ring 1800 629 179

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● Colin Friels will star in the one-man play Scaramouche Jones

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Showbiz News

It’s All About You!

Melbourne

Bosom Buddies at Clocktower Observer Nancye Hayes, Todd McKenney at Moonee Ponds

■ Nancye Hayes (Sweet Charity and Chicago) and Todd McKenney (The Boy from Oz and Dancing with the Stars) are set to join forces on the Clocktower stage, Moonee Ponds, May 18 – 19 for their brand new and entertaining show, Bosom Buddies.

With Nancye regarded as Australia’s leading lady of musical theatre, and Todd as Australia’s favourite song and dance man, these two stars will shine brightly together on stage.

Stories of their lives on and off the stage not previously told will be shared as they sing, dance, and show video footage that has never been seen.

Nancye and Todd first graced the stage together almost 30 years ago in the production of 42nd Street, and have since been in a number of shows together including Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks and Annie.

In their new show Bosom Buddies, the audience are invited to ask the questions they have always wanted to ask, with answers guaranteed.

A performance not to be missed with two of Australia’s most talented stars.

Performance Details: Friday, May 18 at 8pm, Saturday, May 19 at 8pm Venue: Clocktower Centre, 750 Mt Alexander Rd, Moonee Ponds Bookings: 9243 9191 or www.clocktower centre.com.au - Cheryl Threadgold

In This Edition

Matt Bissett-Johnson, Cartoonist Kevin Trask, Whatever Happened David Ellis, ‘Struth’ travel column John Rozentals, Wine Mike McColl Jones, Top 5 Cheryl Threadgold, Local Theatre James Sherlock, Top 10 Lists Aaron Rourke, Movie Reviews Rob Foenander, Country Music John O’Keefe, ‘Ok’ column Len Baker, Harness Racing Country Music Local Theatre Movies, DVDs Mega X-Word

Observer Showbiz

Latest News AroundVictoria

Flinders La assault

● Nancye Hayes and Todd McKenney star in Bosom Buddies

Almost Face To Face

Maritime Exhibition ■ The Victorian Artists' Society annual Maritime Exhibition is a must for people who appreciate boats, sailing and the spirit of the seas.

The Exhibition, filling the three upstairs galleries, will feature Thomas Somescales Trophy for the winning work.

Featuring some of the Victorian Artists' Society’s most experienced and talented artists, this is an exhibition which captures the mood of the sea and boats at anchor to the spirit of the many bays and inlets from dusk to dawn.

For collectors of maritime art this is an exhibition to enjoy.

The Thomas Somescales Trophy is presented at the official opening of the Maritime Exhibition to the winning artist.

The opening is Thursday (Apr. 19) at 7pm.

Exhibition from Thursday, April 19, to Tuesday, May 1.

Weekdays 10am - 4pm. Weekends 1pm 4pm during exhibitions.

Victorian Artists Society 430 Albert St, East Melbourne - Peter Kemp

■ Melbourne Crime Investigation Unit detectives are appealing for public help after a man was assaulted on Flinders Lane in Melbourne’s CBD on Friday morning.Police have been told the 23year-old man had left a Kings St venue when he became involved in a verbal argument with an unknown man about 6.10am. The man has grabbed the Altona Meadows man, placed him in a headlock and punched him to the face. The man was knocked unconscious and fell backwards onto the concrete.

Jail term appeal

■ A man has appealed a five-month jail sentence after he failed to comply with intervention orders and made a threat to kill a former partner.

The 42-year-old man appeared at Colac Magistrates’ Court last week on charges including contravening a family violence order, threatening to kill and breaching an intervention order, reports the Colac Herald.

Maffra home raid

■ Maffra police arrested a 27-year-old man who is well known to them in relation to alleged drug, firearms and theft offences, reports The Gippsland Times.

Forecast ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Today (Wed.). Mostly sunny. 10°-23° Thurs. Partly cloudy. 10°-34° Fri. Sunny. 13°-28° Sat. Partly cloudy. 14°-23° Sun. Mostly sunny. 16°-24°

Mike McColl Jones ● Stephen House in Almost Face to Face.

■ Almost Face to Face will be presented by time, completely lose myself in hidden worlds Stephen House from May 8 -12 at The But- and then write about them.” terfly Club.

Almost Face To Face is the second monoWritten and performed by Stephen House logue in a series of three.

(Green Room Award nominee for Best IndeHouse has seen his work presented nationpendent Performer), and directed by Peter ally and internationally. In 2017 he won the Green, Almost Face to Face takes a risky jour- Rhonda Jancovic Poetry Award for Social ney into a hidden Dublin world as it plunges Justice, and was nominated for Overland’s into an off-beat artist’s process, his unusual Fair Australia Fiction Prize. wandering life and the bizarre characters that Almost Face to Face will tour to Brisbane, share his world.

Darwin and Adelaide after the Melbourne seaThis new work about indulgent creative son. chaos and lives on-the-very-edge, asks – is it Performance Dates: May 8 -12 at 6pm. ever too late to face up to what you have beVenue: The Butterfly Club, Melbourne, 5 come?

Carson Place, Melbourne.

The play was well received at La Mama Time: 6pm and 7pm shows (see link) for Fringe in 2014, with a Green Room nomiCost: $34-$27 nation, has been presented in Sydney, and in Tickets: thebutterflyclub.com 2017 House performed in the show at Kampot thebutterflyclub.com/show/almost-face-toReaders’ and Writers’ Festival in Cambodia. face House says: “I roam around most of the - Cheryl Threadgold

Top 5

THE TTOP OP 5 TWEET S WE MIGHT TWEETS HA VE SEEN IF SOCIAL MEDIA HAD HAVE EXIS TED MANY YEARS A GO EXISTED AGO 5. #Joan D'Arc. "Does anyone know if today is a total fire-ban?"

4. #Gaius Longinus. "Someone warn Caesar Brutus was in the local Wiltshire knife shop.”

3. #Anne Boleyn."Mother,Henry said he can curemy headaches.”

2. #vangogh. "Hey everyone. I think I've just invented Mono.”

1. #Maidmarion."Robin ...in future, NEVER introduce Friar Tuck after you've had a few.”

Page 10 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

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Observer Green Room Awards inc orpor a ting the Melbourne A d vvertiser ertiser, incorpor orpora Ad Melbourne T ict orian Rur al Ne ws Trr ader ader,, V Vict ictorian Rural New and Melbourne Seniors News News..

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TAURUS: (April 21- May 20) Lucky Colour: Blue Lucky Day: Wednesday Racing Numbers: 8.9.5.6.

Lotto Numbers: 8.9.34.42.33.5.

Not a good period for confidences something you did not want to be known could surface anyway. Romantic notions could spoil your good start in your business affairs.

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with Kerry Kulkens ARIES: (March 21-April 20) Lucky Colour: Yellow Lucky Day: Tuesday Racing Numbers: 2.4.5.6.

Lotto Numbers: 2.14.34.42.22.1.

Family life could give you some problems during this period. Rushing around without too much thought is not getting you anywhere stop and think and plan. Not a good time for business decisions.

Contact Us

Editor: Ash Long Features Editor: Peter Mac Columnists: Len Baker (harness racing), Matt Bissett-Johnson (cartoonist), David Ellis (wine and travel), Rob Foenander (country music), Kerry Kulkens (astrology), Nick Le Souef (outback Australia), Mike McColl Jones (life), Greg Ne wman (r adio ), T erry Radf or d ((C C ourt ewman (radio adio), Terry Radfor ord roundsman), Aaron Rourke (movies), Ted Ry an (r acing), Jim Sherlock Ryan (racing), (movies, DVDs), Cheryl Threadgold (local thea e ), K e vin T sho wbiz), theatt rre Ke Trrask ((sho showbiz), Wood (Hollyw Veritas, G avin W ood (Holly w ood).

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Your Stars

GEMINI: (May 21- June 21) Lucky Colour: Cream Lucky Day: Thursday Racing Numbers: 7,8,9,3, Lotto Numbers: 1,14,23,34,45,22, You could be asked to help someone but tread very carefully in peoples personal affairs. Your judgement might not be up to par so decisions should be left until a later date.

■ The 2018 Green Room Awards were held at The Comedy Theatre on Monday last week (Apr. 9). Special congratulations to Rawcus in association with Theatre Works for their Independent Theatre production of Song For A Weary Throat which won three awards. The show won Best Production, Best Ensemble, Best Music, Composition and Sound Design in the Independent Theatre category.

- Kevin Trask ■ Hosted by MCs Anni Davey and Maude Davey and featuring a dynamic array of performances from Yummy, the Victorian Opera Youth Chorus Ensemble, and the Chasing Smoke ensemble from BLAKflip (the First Nations program at Circus Oz) this years' Green Room Awards were presented.

Jethro Woodward was awarded $10 000 to assist with further professional development and future work.

Lifetime Achievement Award winner Sue Giles also received a monetary prize of $5000 towards future endeavours.

The Geoffrey Milne Memorial Award this year was presented to Candy Bowers for her stellar, ongoing work championing diversity and inclusivity in the arts.

CABARET Artiste: Gillian Cosgriff - 8 Songs in 8 Weeks (Gillian Cosgriff, The Butterfly Club as part of MICF) Ensemble: YUMMY - Valerie Hex, Karen From Finance, Tanzer, James Andrews, Beni Lola, Hannie Heldsen, Benjamin Hancock and Zelia Rose (YUMMY, Melba Spiegeltent as part of MICF) Writing: Gillian Cosgriff - 8 Songs in 8 Weeks (Gillian Cosgriff, The Butterfly Club as part of MICF) Original Songs: Jude Perl - Roommates: The Musical and Let's Hang Out (Hot Mess Productions, The Butterfly Club, The Coopers Malthouse as part of MICF) Musical Direction: Mark Jones - Cyrens (Melissa Langton, Amanda Harrison and Chelsea Gibb, Chapel Off Chapel as part of Melbourne Cabaret Festival) Production: YUMMY (YUMMY, Melba Spiegeltent as part of MICF) Outstanding Contribution To Cabaret: Ron and Margaret Dobell CONTEMPORARY& EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE Performer or Ensemble: wãni Le Frère Tales of an Afronaut (Arts House) Sound Performance: Between 8 and 9 (Chengdu Teahouse Project) - Chamber Made Opera and Sichuan Conservatory of Music, copresented by Castlemaine State Festival and Melbourne Recital Centre for Asia TOPA Design: Emily Barrie, Michael Carmody, Jethro Woodward and Richard Vabre - For The Ones Who Walk Away (Nadja Kostich and St Martins) Curatorial Contribution: Asia TOPA - AsiaPacific Triennial of Performing Arts Curatorial Contribution: Yirramboi - First Nations Arts Festival Contemporary Circus: Chasing Smoke Natano Fa'anana - Director (Circus Oz/BLAKflip)

Community Collaboration: Body of Work Congress, The Coming Back Out Ball and Fun Run (All The Queens Men) Puppetry: Life is a Carousel (Sanctum Theatre and Magic Lantern Studio) Work for Young Audiences: Junk (Flying Fruit Fly Circus) Production: We All Know What's Happening (Samara Hersch and Lara Thoms) DANCE Female Performer: Lilian Steiner - Body of Work Male Performer: Kimball Wong - Be Your Self (Australian Dance Theatre) Ensemble, Duo or Trio: Split (Lucy Guerin Inc) Visual Design: Fausto Brusamolino, Boris Morris Bagattini, Clare Britton, Victoria Hunt, Annemaree Dalziel and Justine Shih Pearson TANGI WAI...The Cry of Water (Victoria Hunt) Music Composition and Sound Design: Senyawa (Rully Shabara and Wukir Suryadi) Attractor (Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc.) Shirley McKechnie Award for Choreography: Lucy Guerin - Split (Lucy Guerin Inc) Concept and Realisation: Split (Lucy Guerin Inc) INDEPENDENTTHEATRE Performer: Dushan Philips - Angels in America (Cameron Lukey and Dirty Pretty Theatre in association with fortyfivedownstairs) Performer: Jennifer Vuletic - Merciless Gods (Little Ones Theatre in association with Darebin Arts Speakeasy) Ensemble: Song For a Weary Throat (Rawcus in association with Theatre Works) Lighting Design: Amelia Lever-Davidson Looking Glass (New Working Group in association fortyfivedownstairs) Set and Costume Design: Eugyeene Teh The Happy Prince (Little Ones Theatre in association with La Mama) Music Composition and Sound Design: Song For a Weary Throat - Jethro Woodward and Gian Slater - (Rawcus in association with Theatre Works) Writing: Merciless Gods - Dan Giovannoni after Christos Tsiolkas (Little Ones Theatre in association with DarebinArts Speakeasy) Direction: Stephen Nicolazzo - The Happy Prince (Little Ones Theatre in association with La Mama) Production: Song For a Weary Throat (Rawcus in association with Theatre Works) MUSICTHEATRE Female Lead: Christie Whelan Browne Vigil (Arts Centre Melbourne) Male Lead: Charles Edwards - My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost) Turn To Page 42

CANCER: (June 22- July 22) Lucky Colour: Violet Lucky Day: Tuesday Racing Numbers: 7,9,2,4, Lotto Numbers: 1,15,23,34,41,22, There could be some mix up with your recreational or social plans.You might have to postpone your travel until later. There should be a happy surprise soon.

LEO: (July 23-August 22) Lucky Colour: Brown Lucky Day: Sunday Racing Numbers: 1,4,2,1 Lotto Numbers: 1,12,23,34,37,45, This should be a very prosperous period in business affairs. Make sure you read the fine print and consult your legal advisor if in doubt. Improvements in your love life.

VIRGO: (August 23- September 23) Lucky Colour: Orange Lucky Day: Monday Racing Numbers: 5,7,6,2, Lotto Numbers: 1,16,26,39,41,3, If planning travel or moves make sure you recheck all appointments and reservations. Some beneficial information from a distance could help you in your business ventures.

LIBRA: (September 24- October 23) Lucky Colour: Silver Lucky Day: Monday Racing Numbers: 2,6,7,9, Lotto Numbers: 1,6,23,37,7,22, Loved ones should be a source of much happiness during this period. Do not let anyone sway you from your chosen path. Extra care should be taken when travelling.

SCORPIO: (October 24- November 22) Lucky Colour: Lemon Lucky Day: Saturday Racing Numbers: 7,9,2,4, Lotto Numbers: 1,6,23,38,36,30, Business and career problems should be easier to cope with and better times are ahead. Official and legal documents should be taken good care of and not signed if in doubt.

SAGITTARIUS: (November23- December20) Lucky Colour: Cream Lucky Day: Friday Racing Numbers: 1,4,1,7, Lotto Numbers: 1,17,23,38,36,5, A period in which you should be only dealing with factsintuition might not be right. If your loved ones are willing you could mix business with pleasure successfully.

CAPRICORN: (December 21- January 19) Lucky Colour: Green Lucky Day: Thursday Racing Numbers: 5,7,9,3, Lotto Numbers: 1,4,23,28,33,3, Socialising with new found friends might not be successful best to stick with the ones you know. Make sure all your business dealings are above board and keep away from risky deals.

AQUARIUS: (January 20- February 19) Lucky Colour: Apricot Lucky Day: Friday Racing Numbers: 4,7,8,9, Lotto Numbers: 1,16,23,35,45,11, You could need to be very tactful to manage domestic and business affairs in harmony. Good planning is the best for successful results and handle each problem as it comes.

PISCES: (February 20- March 20) Lucky Colour: Fawn Lucky Day: Wednesday Racing Numbers: 4,7,2,4, Lotto Numbers: 1,16,23,36,41,9, A very romantic period and someone special could delight you with their presence.Tackling issues with some positive thought will help you to get good results.

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Melbourne Arts Family Affair

■ The Melbourne Musicians present works on Sunday (Apr. 29) by JS Bach and Sons with two outstanding soloists.

Swiss-Australian flautist Bridget Bolliger will play CPE Bach's Flute concerto in A major.. She has been hailed by Fanfare as " the very essence of what flute sound should be".

She has been Principal Flute and soloist with several European, South American and Australian orchestras and in 2017 she celebrated her 10th Anniversary as Artistic Director and Founder of the Sydney Chamber Music Festival.

Soprano Sarah Lobegeiger de Rodriguez attained the level of Master of Opera from Bulgaria where she has sung principal roles in several operas and performed in important national and international festivals.

She has recently established a following by singing opera in the Block Arcade in central Melbourne.

Sarah will sing two arias from Bach's much-loved Coffee Cantata. The first aria includes a flute obbligato (played by Bridget) which depicts the aroma of coffee wafting in the air.

The program includes a quirky symphony by the black sheep of the family, wilful Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, a surprisingly passionate sinfonia by the least known son Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach, and a delightfully mozartian sinfonietta by the youngest son, Johann Christian Bach.

Venue: St Johns Southgate 20 CityRd, Southgate Date: Sundaym, April 29 Times: 3pm to 4:45pm Event: 9682 4995 .

Actors wanted

■ LOTS Theatre Inc. requires two young male actors to improvise in the sixth series of Legends of the Skies, to be presented later in the year at the Australian National Aviation Museum, Moorabbin Airport.

Auditions in May. Email Maggie Morrison at maggie07@bigpond.net.au for further details.

- Cheryl Threadgold

Recital Centre Music of Leonard Bernstein The Australian Academy of Music, led by José Luis Gomez, perform the life-affirming music of Leonard Bernstein this month.

Leonard Bernstein's music, as with his life and as with his conducting, is extravagant and impassioned, emotive, and joyful.

It sweeps and soars, dips and dives, but always ends up by being quintessentially Bernstein.

Hear the ANAM Orchestra perform a selection of works by Bernstein, including his rowdy and raucous downtown Divertimento and glorious Candide Suite. Also hear American classics that Bernstein championed: Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man and Barber's Adagio for Strings.

Season: Friday April 27. Venue: Elizabeth Murdoch Hall Sturt St. Southbank.

- Peter Kemp

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - Page 11

Observer office closed on Friday ■ The office of the Melbourne Observer will be closed this Friday (Apr. 20).

Advertisers are asked to submit their bookings and copy for the next issue by 5pm Thursday (Apr. 19), although late bookings and copy will be able to be lodged on Monday (Apr. 23).

It is expected that the ANZAC Day issue of the Melbourne Observer will be published as normal on Wednesday, April 25.

Melbourne

Observer

Neopolitan flavours

● Josh Webb (RAW Comedy National Finalist 2017), Aurelia St Clair (RAW State Finalist 2017), and Mathew Hespe (Guerilla Comedy Comedian of the Year 2017) ■ Sample three distinct flavours of stand-up Competition semi-finalist Mathew Hespe. from some of Melbourne's up-and-coming coPerformance Details:Until April 22 at 6.15pm medic talent as they present their best material.

Venue: Tasma Terrace, 6 Parliament Place, Featuring RAW Comedy 2017 National Fi- East Melbourne nalist Josh Webb and State Finalist Aurélia St Bookings: www.comedyfestival.com.au Clair, as well as North Melbourne Comedy - Cheryl Threadgold

MUST’s Vinegar Tom ■ Monash Uni Student Theatre (MUST) presents Vinegar Tom by Caryl Churchill, from May 10-19 at the MUST Space, Monash University, Clayton.

17th Century England is no place for strange behaviour. Rising Puritan extremism and a resurgence of plague-era isolationism has created an air of tension and fear.

Caryl Churchill’s Vinegar Tom is directed

by Gina Dickson, with composition and musical direction by Morgan Heenan. The show features music inspired by some of the works of Brecht.

It’s a witty, but ultimately dark piece, that examines the interplay of gender and power.

No woman is safe. Hide your hats, hide your cats, lest you be named a witch.

Performance Season: May 10 - 19 .Thurs.

May 10 - Sat 12 and Tues. May 15 - Sat. May 19 at 7.30pm Duration: 80 mins without interval Venue: The MUST Space, Ground Floor West, Campus Centre, 21 Chancellors Walk, Monash University, Clayton.

Please note this piece contains strong violence and sexual themes.

Recommended for mature audiences (14+) Bookings: Visit msa.monash.edu/must - Cheryl Threadgold

Melbourne Observations

with Matt Bissett-Johnson

Showbiz News

What’s On Regional Centre for Culture

■ The creativity and culture of Central Victoria is being celebrated with the first ever Regional Centre For Culture, a year-long program of more than 1000 events.

Across 2018, RCC presents specially commissioned artworks from Victoria's finest artists, grass-roots community projects, surprise performances in farmers markets, tiny town hosting giant visual arts installations, urban centres premiering new works, massed pipe and brass band events, an art installation at a flour mill and an all-singing town hall crawl.

Everyday places will be transformed through music, dance, projections, art, festivals podcasts and more.

An initiative of the Victorian Government, the RCC is delivered in partnership the Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation, the City of Greater Bendigo and the Shires of Central Goldfields, Hepburn and Mount Alexander.

The program has been 'built' around the six seasonal times observed by the Dja Warrung and Taungurung peoples.

April is Murnong (Yam Daisy) and Nagaari (Black Duck) Time, May and June is Datimdatim (Boomerang) and Wai-kalk (Wattle ) Time.

■ July and August :- Wanyarra (Water) and Gurri (Kangaroo) Time, ■ September and October - Boyn (Bread) and Lawan (Mallee Fowl) Time ■ November to December - Giranul (Percvh) and Wirrap Time.

All seasons offer idyllic opportunities for locals and visitors to the region with a number of 'meander' itineraries created for each season.

In April Murnong (Yam Daisy) and Nagaari (Black Duck) Time, enjoy the glorious weather typical of Central Victoria and some special and diverse experiences.

Highlights include The Tine Towns Art Track (April 21, 22, 28, 29.) in 10 towns across Central Goldfields including Dunolly, where work by acclaimed mosaic artist Deborah Halpern, and in Clunes with its circus-based commentary on how we value things with a price tag, Ghost Tours of Castlemaine's Jail, or The Blues Tram in Bendigo offering music on a restored vintage W Class tram.

Following free workshops across the region, Big Dance (April 29) is a participatory dance event celebrating dance for all ages and ability across Australia with a performance hub in Castlemaine.

- Peter Kemp

A Quiet Place

● Aleeah Gabriel.

Photo: Sarah Walker

Colin Friels in Scaramouche Jones From Page One

■ Friels also won AFI Awards for 1986

cult film Malcolm and television series Halifax f.p.: Hard Corps.

Recently he performed in the Belvoir St Theatre production Faith Healer and appeared in the Australian drama series The Secret Daughter.

Director Tsilimidos says: “If it takes 50 years to make a clown, and another 50 to be a clown, I believe the same is true of an actor. That makes Colin just ripe for this” Scaramouche Jones will be presented by Arts Centre Melbourne and Wander Productions.

Performance Season: August 15 - 25 - Cheryl Threadgold

■ A Quiet Place is a horror film in which John Krasinski gets credits for director, lead and co-writing the screenplay.

Michael Bay, the prolific filmmaker, was one of the producers and is well known for his work on Armageddon, the Transformers series and Pearl Harbor.

Bay co-owns the production house that turned out A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Friday the 13th.

A Quiet Place is just that. In what appears to be a post-Armageddon world a father, Lee Abbott (Krasinski), and his wife Evelyn (who is also his real-life wife Emily Blunt) struggle to protect themselves and their kids from creatures which hunt them.

Deaf actress Millicent Simmons plays their daughter Regan.

She provides the logic for why the family can use sign language, that helps overcome the problem of the predators which are blind but hunt by sound. If they hear you, they hunt you.

Helping to ramp up the drama, Evelyn is pregnant and about to give birth. A need for quiet and a new born baby. Right. You just know things are going to get worse.

The music by Marco Beltrani is sensibly subdued and never overwhelms the basic that humans must stay silent to stay alive.

There is a nice touch of redemption in the film which is rated M. It runs 90 minutes. 4 out of 5 stars.

Paramount Pictures.

- Review by Greg Every

Page 12 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

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123A Thompsons Rd. BUNDOORA. Bundoora Centre Newsagency. Shop 3, 39 Plenty Rd. BURNLEY. Burnley Newsagency. 375 Burnley St. BURWOOD EAST. East Burwood Newsagency. 16 Burwood Hwy. CAMBERWELL. Burwood Newsagency.

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CHARLTON. Charlton Newsagency. 69 High St. CHELSEA. Chelsea Newsagency. 403 Nepean Hwy. CHELTENHAM. Cheltenham Newsagency. 332 Charman Rd. CLAYTON. Clayton Newsagency. 345 Clayton Rd. CLIFTON HILL. Clifton Hill Newsagency.

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Craigieburn Central. 340 Craigieburn Rd CRANBOURNE. Cranbourne Newsagency. 105 High St. CROYDON. Burnt Bridge Newsagency. 434 Maroondah Hwy. CROYDON. Croydon Newsagency. 166 Main St. CROYDON NORTH. Croydon North Newsagency. 5 Exeter Rd. CROYDON SOUTH. Eastfield Newsagency. 7 The Mall.

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45 Vincent St. DELACOMBE. Ballarat Authorised Newsagency. 1 Laidlaw Drive.

DENILIQUIN. Deniliquin Newsagency and Bookstore. 14 Napier St. DIAMOND CREEK. Diamond Creek Newsagency. 62A Hurstbridge Rd. DINGLEY. Dingley Newsagency. Shop 2, Dingley Village.

DOVETON. Doveton News & Lotto. 37 Autumn Place.

DROMANA. Dromana Newsagency. 177 Point Nepean Hwy. DROUIN. MVH News. 93 Princes Way. DRYSDALE. Drysdale Newsagency. 14 High St. EAGLEMONT. Eaglemont Lucky Lotto News and Post. 60 Silverdale Rd. EDITHVALE. Edithvale Newsagency. 253 Nepean Hwy. ELSTERNWICK. Elsternwick News & Lotto. 444 Glenhuntly Rd. ELTHAM. Eltham Newsagency and Toyworld. Shop 2, 963 Main Rd. EMERALD. Emerald Newsagency. Main St. ESSENDON. Essendon Newsagency. 15a Rose St. ESSENDON. Roundabout Newsagency. 85 Fletcher St. ESSENDON NORTH. North Essendon Newsagency. 1085 Mt Alexander Rd. FAIRFIELD. Fairfield Newsagency. 99 Station St. FAWKNER. Fawkner Newsagency. 54 Bonwick St. FAWKNER NORTH. Moomba Park Newsagency. 89 Anderson Rd. FITZROY. Fitzroy Newsaagency. Cnr Brunswick and Johnston Sts. FOREST HILL. Brentford Square Newsagency. 29-31 Brentford Square.

FOREST HILL. Forest Hill Newsagency.

Shop 215, Forest Hill Chase.

GARDENVALE. Gardenvale Newsagency.

168 Martin St. GEELONG.. Geelong Newsagency and Lotto. 140 Moorabool St. GEELONG WEST. Murphy's Newsagency.

198 Pakington St.

GISBORNE. Gisborne Newsagency. Shop 20, Village Shopping Centre.

GLENFERRIE. Glenferrie Newsagency.

660 Glenferrie Rd GLEN WAVERLEY. Kingsway Newsagency. Shop 4, 39 Kingsway.

GLEN WAVERLEY. Syndal Newsagency.

238 Blackburn Rd. GLEN WAVERLEY. The Glen Newsagency. Shop 2, 065 The Glen Shopping Centre.

GLENROY. Glenroy Newsagency. 773 Pascoe Vale Rd. GRANTVILLE. Grantville Newsagency.

1509 Bass Hwy. GREENSBOROUGH. Plaza News. Shop 4/5, Greensborough Plaza.

GREYTHORN. Greythorn Newsagency.

272 Doncaster Rd. HADFIELD. Hadfield Newsagency. 120 West St HAMPTON. Hampton Newsagency. 345347 Hampton St. HAMPTON EAST. Hampton East Newsagency. 412 Bluff Rd. HAMPTON PARK. Hampton Park Newsagency. Shop 3, Shopping Centre HAWTHORN . Glenferrie South Newsagency. 546 Glenferried Rd HAWTHORN. Hawthorn News & Lotto. 89 Burwood Rd. HAWTHORN EAST. Auburn Newsagency.

119 Auburn Rd. HAWTHORN EAST. Auburn South Newsagency. 289 Auburn Rd. HEIDELBERG. Heidelberg Heights Newsagency. 35 Southern Rd. HEIDELBERG. Heidelberg Newsagency.

124 Burgundy St. HEIDELBERG WEST. The Mall Newsagency. Shop 18 The Mall.

HOLMESGLEN. Holmesglen Newsagency. 637 Warrigal Rd. HUNTINGDALE. Huntingdale Newsagency. 290 Huntingdale Rd. INDENTED HEADS. Intended Heads Newsagency. 13 The Esplanade.

KEILOR. Keilor Newsagency. 700 Old Calder Hwy. KEW. Cotham Newsagency. 97 Cotham Rd. KEW. Kew Newsagency. 175 High St. KEW NORTH. North Kew Newsagency. 93 Willsmere St. KINGSVILLE. Kingsville Newsagency.

339 Somerville Rd. KNOX CITY. Knox City Newsagency, Wantirna South.

KNOXFIELD. Knoxfield Newsagency.

1597 Ferntree Gully Rd. KOOYONG. Kooyong Newsagency. 483 Glenferrie Rd. KYABRAM. Kyabram Newsagency. 117 Allan St. KYNETON. Collins Newsagency. 95 Mollison St. LANGWARRIN SOUTH. Langwarrin South Newsagency. 1/143-149 Warrandyte Rd LARA. Lara Newsagency. 44 The Centreway.

LILYDALE. Lilydale Newsagency. 237 Main St. LOWER PLENTY. Lower Plenty Newsagency. 95 Main Rd. MALVERN. Lucky Malvern Lotto. 167 Glenferrie Rd. MALVERN. Malvern Newsagency. 114 Glenferrie Rd. MALVERN. Malvern Village Newsagency.

1352 Malvern Rd. MALVERN EAST. Central Park Newsagency. 393 Wattletree Rd. MALVERN EAST NEWSAGENCY. Waverley Road Newsagency. 336 Waverley Rd. McKINNON. McKinnon Newsagency. 163 McKinnon Rd MELBOURNE. Domain Newsagency.

Shop 6, 401 St Kilda Rd. MELBOURNE. Flinders Street Newsagency. 65 Flinders St. MELTON. Newsxpress Melton.

MENTONE. Mentone Newsagency. 24 Como Pde. MERLYNSTON. Merlynston Newsagency.

17 Merlyn St. MIDDLE PARK. Middle Park Newsagency. 16 Armstrong St. MILDURA. Klemm's Mildura Newsagency.

53 Langtree Mall.

MILDURA. Mildura Newsagency and Lotto. 71 Langtree Ave. MILL PARK. Mill Park Newsagency. 4 Stables Shopping Centre.

MITCHAM. Mitcham Newsagency. 503 Whitehorse Rd. MITCHAM NORTH. Mitcham North Newsagency. 228 Mitcham Rd MOOROOPNA. Mooroopna Newsagency.

84 McLennan St. MORDIALLOC. Warren Village Newsagency. 87 Warren Rd. MORNINGTON. Mornington Newsagency. 97 Main St. MORWELL. Morwell Newsagency. 176 Commercial Rd. MOUNT ELIZA. Mount Eliza Newsagency.

102 Mount Eliza Way.

MOUNT GAMBIER. Posters Newsagency.

79 Commercial St East.

MOUNT MARTHA. Mount Martha Newsagency. 2 Lochiel Ave. MOUNT WAVERLEY. Pinewood Newsagency. Shop 59, Centreway Shopping Centre.

MOUNTAIN GATE. Mountain Gate Newsagency. Shop 9B, Mountain Gate Shopping Centre.

MULGRAVE. Northvale Newsagency. 901 Springvale Rd. MULGRAVE. Waverley Gardens Newsagency. Shop 44, Waverley Gardens.

MURRUMBEENA. Murrumbeena Newsagency. 456 Neerim Rd. NARRE WARREN. Narre Warren Newsagency. Shop 1, Narre Warren.

NEWBOROUGH. Newborough Newsagency. 30 Rutherglen St. NEWMARKET. Newmarket Newsagency.

292 Racecourse Rd NOBLE PARK. Noble Park Newsagency.

422 Douglas St. NORTHCOTE. Newsplaza Newsagency, Northcote Plaza.

NORTHCOTE. Northcote Newsagency.

335 High St. NORTH MELBOURNE. Ledermans Newsagency. 234-244 Macauley Rd. NUNAWADING. Mountainview Newsagency. 293A Springfield Rd. PARKDALE. Parkdale Newsagency. 238 Como Pde. West.

PASCOE VALE SOUTH. Coonans Hill Newsagency. 67 Coonans Rd. PASCOE VALE SOUTH. Paper N Post.

372-380 Bell St. PRESTON. Preston N’agency. 377 High St. PRESTON. Preston Town Hall Newsagency. 247-249 Murray Rd. PRINCES HILL. Princes Hill Newsagency.

607 Lygon St RESERVOIR. Broadway Newsagency.

279 Broadway.

RICHMOND. Swan St Newsagency. 108 Swan St. RICHMOND. Vernons Newsagency. 308A Bridge Rd. RINGWOOD EAST. Ringwood East Newsagency. 52 Railway Ave. RINGWOOD NORTH. North Ringwood Newsagency. 182 Warrandyte Rd. ROBINVALE. Robinvale Newsagency. 67 Perrin St. ROSANNA. Rosanna Newsagency. 135 Lower Plenty Rd. ROSEBUD. Rosebud Newsagency. 1083 Point Nepean Rd. RYE. Rye Newsagency. 2371 Pt Nepean Rd. SALE. Sale Newsagency. 310 Raymond St. SANDRINGHAM. Sandringham Newsagency. Shop 5, 18-34 Station St. SCORESBY. Scoresby Newsagency. 14 Darryl St. SEAFORD. Seaford Newsagency. 124 Nepean Hwy. SEBASTOPOL. Sebastopol Newsagency.

Shop 3, 'Safeway Complex'.

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Shop 24, Plaza, Eramosa Rd. SOUTH MELBOURNE. Clarendon Newsagency. 9 Thistlewaite St. SPRINGVALE. Springvale Newsagency.

321 Springvale Rd. STRATHFIELDSAYE. Strathfieldsaye News and Lotto. Shop 5, 939 Wellington St. TARWIN LOWER. Tarwin Lower Newsagency. 45 River Drive.

TATURA. Tatura N’agency. 138 Hogan St. TEMPLESTOWE. Macedon News and Lotto.

THORNBURY. Normanby News and Lotto. 25 Macedon Rd TOORADIN. Tooradin Newsagency. 92 South Gippsland Hwy. TOORAK. Toorak Village Newsagency.

479 Toorak Rd. TORQUAY. Torquay Newsagency. 20 Gilbert St. TRARALGON. Seymour Street Newsagency. 83 Seymour St. TRARALGON. Traralgon News and Lotto.

51-53 Franklin St. TULLAMARINE. Tullamarine Newsagency. 2/191 Melrose Dr. VERMONT. Vermont Authorised Newsagency. 600 Canterbury Rd. VERMONT SOUTH. Vermont South Newsagency. Shop 14, 495 Burwood Hwy. WANTIRNA SOUTH. Wantirna South Newsagency. 223 Stud Rd. WARRAGUL. Warragul Newsagency. 43 Victoria St. WARRNAMBOOL. Reinheimers Newsagency. 145 Koroit St. WATSONIA. Watsonia Newsagency.

Watsonia Rd. WHEELERS HILL. Wheelers Hill Newsagency.

WODONGA. Mahon's Newsagency. 168 High St. YARRAVILLE. Yarraville Newsagency. 59 Anderson St.

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - Page 13

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Page 14 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - Page 15

Quantity Surveyors

Property depreciation services Just Depreciation is always going the extra mile to help all our clients whenever we can. We have decided to answer some of our frequently asked questions to help give you some advice and get a better understanding of our services to save you time and money.

If, for any reason, there are still questions you would like to ask us about our property depreciation services then don’t hesitate to call our friendly team who would be only too happy to help.

My property is old is it worthwhile getting a report prepared?

Yes, all properties regardless of age have some form of depreciation. The fixtures and fittings in the property must be valued at the date that you first make the property available for rental. Just Depreciation recommend reports for all residential properties no matter how old the building may be.

I have owned the property for a number of years and not claimed any depreciation, have I missed out?

No, we will start your report from the first date of rental and your accountant can apply to the Taxation Office to get previous returns adjusted. It’s never too late to claim any property depreciation.

How long does the report last for?

Our reports have 10 years of detailed information and enough detail for your accountant to expand on the individual items after this date so you won't have to arrange for a another report unless you carry out major renovations or improvements.

Do you guarantee your report will be worthwhile?

Yes of course, and we guarantee that if you do not receive a deduction that is twice the amount of our fee in the first year, then the report will be free. We believe this is the fairest and best possible outcome either way for our clients.

What is the process? Do I have to make appointments?

No, we make the appointments on your behalf via your rental manager and liaise with tenants for a suitable time for the property inspection so you need not worry about a thing.

What happens at the inspection?

We measure the property, take photos, take note of all depreciable items and any capital building write off deductions that may apply and then return to the office to calculate and process the report.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Page 16 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Rural News

AUTUMN IS HERE, ORDER YOUR TANK NOW

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - Page 17

Observer Magazine

Stateside with Gavin Wood in West Hollywood

‘The Real Thing’ in WeHo ■ Hi everyone, from my suite at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites comes this week's news.

New Fleetwood Mac ■ Fleetwood Mac has fired Lindsey Buckingham after a disagreement over the band's upcoming tour, Rolling Stone has confirmed. The band has announced that Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, and Neil Finn of Crowded House will replace him.

Kicks on Route 66 ■ Thousands of Aussies come and stay at the fabulous Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites all through the year.

You never know who you might bump into in the hotel reception area.

Last week it was The Footy Show’s Sam Newman, and this week it was Russell Morris.

I am sure Russell Morris has sung that song many times and he was grateful to be on Route 66 where the Ramada is located on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.

Route 66 came out of Chicago and wound its way down Santa Monica Boulevard, past the Ramada, to end up at the Santa Monica Pier.

Collecting US income tax ■ The US Federal Government collected a record $736,274,000,000 in individual income taxes through the first six months of fiscal 2018 (Oct. 1, 2017 through the end of March), according to the Monthly Treasury Statement just released.

The approximately $736,274,000,000 in individual income taxes that the Treasury collected in October through March of this fiscal year was $24,473,780,000 more than the $711,800,220,000 (in constant March 2018 dollars) that the Treasury collected in the first six months of fiscal 2017.

While the Federal Government was collecting record individual income taxes in the first half of this fiscal year, both payroll taxes and corporate income taxes declined compared to last year.

Apple and Facebook

● in front of the official 'Route 66' sign is the Managing Director of the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites, Alan Johnson, with multi-award winner and 'the real 'thing' Russell Morris.

Piece of music history ■ A piece of Beatles memorabilia is going up for sale for $375,000 lyrics handwritten by Paul McCartney for the 1968 classic Hey Jude at a recording session.

The same lyrics are seen being used by John Lennon in a videotaped recording, hung from a mike stand. The song is credited to Lennon and McCartney and adapted from a ballad McCartney wrote for Lennon's son Julian, originally called Hey Jules. Moments in Time dealer Gary Zimet, who is selling the item, said, "This rare lyric sheet was seen being used

by Lennon in a filmed recording session and is written all in McCartney's hand."

Stan Lee fights back ■ Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee has slammed reports that he's a victim of elder abuse.

"Hi, this is Stan Lee, and I'm calling on behalf of myself and my friend Keya Morgan. Now you people have been publishing the most hateful, harmful material about me and about my friend Keya and some others," the 95-year-old Spider-Man creator said.

"Material which is totally incorrect, totally based on slander, totally the type of thing that I'm going to sue your ass off when I get a chance," he explained.

The Hollywood Reporter published a story insinuating that no one surrounding Lee appeared to have his best interests at heart since the death of his wife last year.

Mariah has disorder

■ The co-founder of Apple Computers, Steve Wozniak, has said he's leaving Facebook over the data-harvesting scandal that has rocked the company.

On his now-deactivated account, Wozniak wrote: "I am in the process of leaving Facebook. It's brought me more negatives than positives. Apple has more secure ways to share things about yourself. I can still deal with old-school email and text messages."

He praised Apple's respect for privacy and later told USA Today: "Apple makes its money off of good products, not off of you. As they say, with Facebook, you are the product." The Apple co-founder explained that he's deactivated his account but didn't delete so he can hold on to his SteveWoz username.

Eighty-seven million Facebook users will find out if their data was shared with Cambridge Analytica to predict and influence their political opinions, and gain access to a new tool to see what apps they use and what information has been shared about them.

GavinWood

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

Out and About ■ Anna Wintour at a preview of My Fair Lady at Lincoln Center in NYC. ■ Pink taking daughter Willow Sage Hart, 6, to The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway in NYC. ■ Steven Van Zandt and Chris Nothseeing singer Eddie Brigati at the Cutting Room in NYC. Jennie Garth, Candace Cameron Bure and Randy Jackson at the Yardbird Southern Table & Bar in LA. Heidi Klum and her new boyfriend, rocker Tom Kaulitz, are the definition of hot and heavy. On Sunday, 44-year-old Klum was photographed topless alongside her 28-year-old beau at their Cabo San Lucas, Mexico villa. She was spotted strutting around in nothing but black bikini bottoms, mirrored sunshades and dainty necklaces.

■ Mariah Carey hopes that being candid about her battle with bipolar disorder will ease the stigma associated with mental illness.

"Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me," Carey, 48, told People magazine "It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn't do that anymore.

“I sought and received treatment, I put positive people around me and I got back to doing what I love writing songs and making music."

Carey suffers from bipolar II disorder, the symptoms of which include periods of both depression and hypomania, a type of mania that's less severe than that associated with bipolar I disorder, but that can still cause insomnia, hyperactivity, irritability and feelings of elation.

Periods of hypomania are typically shorter than manic periods.

● Mariah Carey

Legends leave us

Mention the ‘Observer’

■ Bob Dylan has recorded a song for a compilation of samesex wedding anthems. The legendary musician covered the classic She's Funny That Way, originally a hit for Gene Austin in 1929, and later performed by Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Like the numerous female artists to have recorded the song, including Billie Holiday, Etta James and Liza Minnelli, Dylan altered the lyrics to sing "He's Funny That Way" instead. Speaking about Dylan's contribution to Universal Love, producer Rob Kaplan told The New York Times: "It wasn't just 'Yes, I'll do this'. It was 'Hey, I have an idea for a song.'

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

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

I have secured a terrific holiday deal for readers of the Melbourne Observer and The Local Paper.

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

■ Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is set on reforming his nation, was feted at a Hollywood dinner hosted by power producer and director Brian Grazer and wife Veronica, plus Endeavor boss Ari Emanuel.

Guests at the feast at Grazer's home included Jeff Bezos, Disney's Bob Iger, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Ron Howard, Snapchat's Evan Spiegel, and Kobe Bryant, who we're told the prince had specifically requested to meet.

■ R.I.P. Yvonne Staples, who provided background vocals for her family's hit-making pop and soul group, the Staple Singers, while taking the lead in managing its business affairs, died at her home in Chicago. She was 80. The cause was colon cancer, said Bill Carpenter, a family friend.

■ Comedy Store founder and owner Mitzi Shore died last week.

She was 87. "It is with great sadness and very heavy hearts that we report the passing of Mitzi Shore," the influential store said in a statement posted to Instagram last Wednesday, accompanied by a picture of a the owner. Mitzi was comedian Pauly Shore's mother.

Dylan’s wedding songs

www.gavinwood.us

Saudi goes to movies

Page 18 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 Melbourne

Observer

SPECIAL FEATURE

Opinion

Global Alliance says Plain Packaging should go

■ Australia's five year-old tobacco Plain Packaging policy is not just a failure, it's an attack on economic freedom and intellectual property rights that should be abandoned says Lorenzo Montanari, of the Property Rights Alliance Since Australia imposed plain packaging, an extreme anti-intellectual property rights policy to reduce the smoking rate, the two-decade steady decline in smoking stopped.

That's according to the government's own records.

There are now more smokers and more seizures of illicit cigarettes in Australia than there were five years ago when plain packaging started.

However, even if the policy were effective it should still be repealed: It is a direct attack on economic freedom and should never have gone into practice.

International treaties at the UN and the WTO protect intellectual property rights including the ability of producers to differentiate their products with their brands.

Yet the World Health Organization continues to promote the policy despite its failure and international legal objections.

The policy prevents companies from using their trademarks on their packaging.

It currently applies to tobacco products in various countries including Australia, and in the UK, is being mooted for sugary drinks; fast foods and alcoholic beverage sectors.

Governments have never denied intellectual property rights in this way before, and steep unintended consequences were expected by those of us concerned with property rights.

Without trademarks, consumers are easily fooled into buying illicit packs and companies find it increasingly difficult to compete on reputation.

Therefore, Property Rights Alliance, has written directly to new World Health Organization Director General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus requesting that the organisation he leads stop infringing on intellectual property rights with plain

● Lorenzo Montanari is Executive Director of Property Rights Alliance, a Washington D.C.-based, global advocacy policy group in charge of publishing the International Property Rights Index.

In this role he analyses the crossroads on how rule of law, intellectual property rights and international relations impact the global economy.

About Property Rights Alliance Property Rights Alliance is an international coalition of 110 think tanks, advocacy groups and civil-society organizations that have been critical of plain packaging for any product.

Australian members of the Alliance include the Australian Taxpayers' Alliance, Mannkal Economic Education Foundation Australia and MyChoice Australia.

packaging policies.

Intellectual properties like inventions, artistic works, and trademarks represent work and hold value.

The ability to use and exchange these properties can't be discarded to meet policy goals.

Nor should the freedom to speak freely, choose one's religion, or assemble.

Brand usage rights are not just about ownership.

As an asset that holds value any regulation restricting use would also have an economic impact.

International brand valuation consultancy, Brand Finance assessed the loss of brand value of only eight of the largest food and beverage companies targeted by plain packaging.

Their ultimate calculation: a $187 billion implied loss to the world economy, or an amount equal to the GDP of New Zealand.

Of course, that doesn't count the downstream impact on jobs or equity markets.

Trademark-intensive industries in the U.S. and the EU together employ more than 87 million people, more than any of the other IP-intensive industries and pay higher wages than their non-IP-intensive counterparts.

This group includes some of the largest companies in the world. Brand Finance estimated the implied loss to the world beverage industry would be $293 billion, the GDP of Singapore.

Despite the obvious lack of success plain packaging has in dissuading consumers from the product they wish to buy, WHO continues to push the policy on other governments and support health activists who hope to extend the strategy.

Australia's failure should be evidence enough that a loss of attractiveness does not equate to reduced consumption.

The availability of price changes and substitutes in the real world has connected plain packaging to the rise of illicit tobacco brands in Australia, France, and the UK. France has been able to admit the failure of

plain packaging at the highest levels. Recently, Agnès Buzyn, the Minister of Health, stated in the National Assembly the "official sales of cigarettes increased in France, the neutral package did not reduce the official sale of tobacco … [we] do not know if the neutral package has been effective in keeping young people out of smoking."

This failure is particularly acute in France, due to the fact that it is the largest consumer of contraband and counterfeit cigarettes in Europe, and illicit trade there is responsible for funding jihadists to travel to Syria and Iraq, as well as financing some of the most gruesome attacks in la République itself.

Property Rights Alliance hopes that under its new leadership, WHO will rethink its backing of the plain packaging policy.

Other countries have been able to reduce smoking prevalence without experimenting with this extreme measure.

The United States, for instance, has seen one of the largest drops in prevalence from 42 per cent of adults in 1965 to 16.8per cent in 2014.

Last year the U.S. also consumed more bottled water than carbonated beverages for the first time.

Other organisations have also started to endorse e-cigarettes as a harm-reducing substitute to cigarettes to aid in accelerating the reduction in smoking.

Given the extraordinary costs for a policy that consistently returns dismal results the WHO really has no choice but to call for repeal of plain packaging of tobacco and discourage it being applied to any other product.

Then, WHO should ensure protection of IP rights and focus on finding solutions that in the first instance, actually work to reduce smoking prevalence.

● Lorenzo Montanari is Executive Director of Property Rights Alliance, a Washington D.C.-based, global advocacy policy group in charge of publishing the International Property Rights Index.

Open letter to World Health Organization OPEN LETTER TO Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization December 1, 2017, marked the fiveyear anniversary of the full implementation of plain packaging in Australia.

The removal of brands and trademarks from packaging remains a gross violation of intellectual property rights and has failed to achieve its intended goal.

As a global coalition of sixty-two think tanks, advocacy groups and civil-society organizations that have been critical of plain packaging for any product, we write in response to pro- posed plain packaging tobacco control measures and to the announcements by several countries of their interest in pursuing these policies.

Intellectual property rights are human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Article 17, the right to ownership; Article 19, the right to freedom of expression; and Article 27, the right to protection of ma- terial interests.

In this regard, even if plain packaging is effective, it should still be repealed, as rights are inalienable and should not be discarded for political purposes.

International trade law, the UNDHR, and historic international treaties are designed to protect intellectual property for this very purpose. The innovation incentive created by trademarks fuels competition and produces amazing products

demanded by consumers like affordable medical advances that save lives. Obviously, any loophole should be closed, not exploited.

Plain packaging in Australia has been a complete failure and has not met its overall policy objective to reduce smoking incidence.

The latest independent research on the impact of plain packaging in Australia, using data paid for by the Commonwealth government, finds “no statistically significant difference in effectiveness of the graphic health warning as a result of the policy being introduced—if anything that effectiveness declined.”

Moreover, the Australian government collects data on national smoking behavior every three years as part of its National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS).

The most recent batch of data is from 2016, and for the first time in 23 years, it reports no statistically significant decline in the overall daily smoking rate between 2013 (12.8%) and 2016 (12.2%).

Plain packaging continues to offer evidence that it will never achieve its intended goal; it is time to end five years of failure. Instead, protecting intellectual property, the right to brand products and earn a reputation in the marketplace must remain paramount.

Other solutions exist that do not infringe on intellectual property rights and are closely linked to a marked reduction in the adult smoking rate.

In the United Kingdom, for instance, after e-cigarettes became main

stream, the rate dropped from 20.4% in 2012 to 15.8% in 2016.

In fact, the Royal College of Physicians reassured and encouraged smokers there to use the products, finding their associated harm unlikely to exceed 5% of the harm associated with smoking tobacco.

On the other hand, plain packaging itself is associated with significant unintended consequences that continue to plague Australia and other countries that have adopted the measure.

Branded packaging is an essential product component that allows consumers to differentiate between legal and non-legal tobacco. When all packs look alike, consumers become less aware of brand differences.

This is known as ‘commoditization,’ which often results in consumers prioritizing price over other quality concerns. This plays directly into the hands of the illegal tobacco trade which does not pay taxes or maintain quality standards and can thus charge significantly lower prices for cigarettes. The growth of the illegal tobacco market undermines public health, as its cheaper products encourage initiation and consumption while its sellers do not restrict their sales to adult consumers.

In Australia, it is estimated that the level of illegal tobacco consumption has increased over the last five years, reaching 13.9% of total consumption in 2016 and representing an excise loss of 1.6 billion AUS. The Australian government has been

criticized for not tasking an agency to focus on the illicit market or to produce a report on the size and growth the industry despite it being a clear national security threat.

Illicit tobacco is linked to the funding of terrorist groups and criminal syndicates.In France, the largest consumer of contraband and counterfeit cigarettes in Europe, the estimated excise loss to the French Government was approximately 2 billion Euros in 2016. This illicit trade has been linked to a large proportion of jihadists travelling to Syria and Iraq, as well as terrorist attacks in France. Counterfeit cigarettes remain the most investigated IP-crime in the UK and are linked directly to criminal organizations. Authorities there recently identified the first counterfeit plain-packaged packs.

The destructive global implications don’t stop there. Australia is facing a dispute resolution panel at the WTO for implementing plain packaging.

The panel has yet to draw their conclusion. However, the perambulatory text in the WTO Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement declares its purpose is to “to reduce distortions and impediments to international trade.... and to ensure that measures and procedures to enforce intellectual property rights do not themselves become barriers to legitimate trade.”

Requiring packaging to be void of ownership marks in order to dissuade consumers is a prime example of regulations acting to distort, impede, and prevent trade.

The United States, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Japan standout in international indexes for their protection of intellectual property rights.

It is no coincidence that these countries have either never entertained the measure or rejected it entirely when it was proposed. IP-intensive industries drive these knowledgebased economies.

According to the USPTO IP and the U.S. Economy 2016 update, 30% of total employment, 45.5 million jobs, are tied to IP-intensive industries. The largest share, 23.7 million jobs, are directly tied to trademark-intensive industries. The EUIPO 2016 report on IP and the EU economy finds similar results: 38% of total employment, 82 million jobs, are tied to IP-intensive industries; trademark-intensive industries also represent the largest share employing 45 million directly and 19.6 million indirectly. In 2014, these jobs produced more than 42% of the EU’s GDP and 38% in the U.S. Together they accounted for 18.5% of the world’s total production.

After Australia implemented the policy, other industries have been targeted around the world: alcohol, sugary beverages, fatty foods, even toys.

These industries employ millions and any regulation that would deny key IP assets would have a devastating global economic impact. The trademark value alone of only twelve companies associated with these sectors is estimated to be more than $1.8 trillion.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - Page 19

Lorenzo Montanari Executive Director Property Rights Alliance Washington DC

Axel Kaiser Executive Director Fundacio´n para El Progreso Chile

Besart Kardia Executive Director Foundation for Economic Freedom Albania

Ahmed Ragab Mohamed Executive Director The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies Egypt

Manuel Solanet Public Policy Director Libertad y Progreso Argentina Barbara Kolm Director Austrian Economics Center Austria Troy Lanigan President Canadian Taxpayers Federation Canada

Ashok Kaul Professor of Economics and Research Director Institute for Policy Evaluation Germany Guillermo Pen~a Panting Executive Director Fundacio´n Ele´utera Honduras Pietro Paganini Member of Board of Directors Campagne Liberali. Italy

Jan Levora Director Czech Association for Branded Products Czech Republic

Ernesto Edwards Director of Legal Research Fundacio´n Libertad Argentina

Pierre Garello President Institute for Economic Studies-Europe France

Satyajeet Marar Director My Choice Australia Australia

Franklin Cudjoe President Imani Center for Policy and Education Ghana Rainer Heufers Executive Director Center for Indonesian Policy Studies. Indonesia Martin Simonetta Executive Director Fundacio´n Atlas para una Socidad Libre Argentina Graham Young Executive Director Australian Institute for Progress Australia Richard Zundritsch Board of Directors Hayek Institute Austria Bruce Cran President Consumer Association of Canada Canada

Paulo Alfonso Pereira President PAP Propriedade Intelectual Brazil Zoran Low Executive Manager Lipa, Croatian Taxpayers Association. Croatia Eudes Baufreton Director Contribuables Associe´s France Michael Jaeger Secretary General Taxpayers Association of Europe Germany Raymond Ho Man Kit Convenor Momentum 107 Hong Kong (SAR) Masaru Uchiyama President Japanese for Tax Reform Japan

Martin Panek Deputy Director Libera´lni´ institute. Czech Republic

Yuya Watase President Pacific Alliance Institute Japan

Paata Sheshelidze President New Economic School- Georgia Georgia

Raza Ullah President Alternate Solutions Institute of Pakistan Pakistan

Alexander Skouras President Center for Liberty Studies- Markos Dragoumis (KEFiM) Greece

Milos Nikolic´ President Libertarian Club Libek Serbia

Eamon Delaney Executive Director Hibernia Forum. Ireland

Javier Santacruz Cano Head of Research Think Tank Civismo. Spain

Frederico N. Fernandez President Fundacio´n Internacional Bases Argentina

Maryan Zablotskyy President Ukraine Economic Freedoms Foundation Ukraine

Tim Andrews Executive Director Australian Taxpayers' Alliance. Australia Javier Hurtado Mira Chairman Democratic Youth Community of Europe Belgium

David Williams President Taxpayers Protection Alliance. USA Ali Salman Acting CEO Director of Research IDEAS institute for democracy and economic affairs. Malaysia Ayesha Bilal Chief Operating Officer Policy Research Institute of Market Economy (PRIME). Pakistan Tanja Porcnik President Visio Institut. Slovenia Juan Pina, President Unio´n de Contribuyentes. Spain Christopher Snowdon Head of Lifestyle Economics Institute for Economic Affairs United Kingdom Thomas A. Schatz President, Citizens Against Government Waste. USA Andrew Langer President Institute for Liberty. USA Rocio Guijarro Executive Director Centro de Divulgacio´n del Conocimiento Econo´mico para la Libertad (CEDICE). Venezuela Slobodon Franeta Chairman The Lucha Institute. Montenegro Bienvenido Oplas, Jr. President Minimal Government Thinkers Philippines Jasson Urbach Director Free Market Foundation South Africa Pierre Bessard President Liberales Institute. Switzerland Ben Harris-Quinney Chairman The Bow Group. United Kingdom Mathew Kandrach President Consumer Action for a Strong Economy. USA Pete Sepp President National Taxpayers Union. USA Jordan Williams Executive Director New Zealand Taxpayers' Union New Zealand Tomasz Wro´blewski President Warsaw Enterprise Institute Poland Roxana Nicula Chairwoman Fundacio´n para el Avance de la Libertad. Spain Ozlem Caglar-Yilmaz General Coordinator Association for Liberal Thinking Turkey

Grover Norquist President Americans for Tax Reform. USA

Daniel Schneider Executive Director American Conservative Union USA

George Landrith President Frontiers of Freedom USA

Mike Ridgway Director Consumer Packaging Manufacturers Alliance. UK

Melbourne Arts $3000 of the prize money will be Heide Museum awarded by a special guest judge to Art Workshop: What Makes a Good Portrait?

Artist Siri Hayes leads this handson photographic workshop that utilises both traditional and more contemporary approaches to portraits.

Participants will have the opportunity to use an old-fashioned large format camera to produce a Polaroid image, in addition to their own camera or device.

Sunday April 22 at 1pm- 4pm.

Cost : Adults $145. Member/concession $140. ( BYO camera or device) Heide Museum of Modern art 7 Templestowe Rd., Bulleen - Peter Kemp

Opera Aust.

Opera Australia opens its Melbourne season with Verdi's La Traviata.

Violetta wears velvet and lace and drinks the very best champagne from crystal glasses.

Her parties are legendary, her company desired. She's free and free-spirited, living outside society's bounds, and for this courtesan, it seems like the party will never end.

Could a little love really change everything?

The season opened on April 17 and is on April 21, 23, 30. May 2, 4, 8,11.

Evenings at 7.30pm. Saturday matinee April 28 at 1pm.

Opera Australia Arts Centre St. Kilda Rd., Melbourne - Peter Kemp

Victorian Opera Victorian Opera's first co-commission and co-production with Royal Opera House, Convent Garden, an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's much-loved novella Coraline, has opened to a raft of four-stare reviews and a sold-out season at London's Barbican Centre.

The new opera will be staged in Melbourne as part of Victorian Opera's 2019 season.

Highlighting Victorian Opera's expanding horizons and ongoing commitment to making new opera, Coraline marks the company's first co-production in Europe, between Royal Opera House, Convent Garden, (UK), Folkoperan (Sweden) , Opéra de Lille (France) and Theater Freiberg (Ge3rmany).

Victorian Opera has a proud history of creating new opera, and opera created specifically for children and families.

The opera Coraline is composed

by Mark Anthony Turnage, one of today's leading composers, acclaimed internationally for works including Greek, The Silver Tassie and Anna Nicole.

Coraline marksTurnage's second Convent Garden commission and reunites him with Aletta Collins, who also directed Naan Nicole.

- Peter Kemp

Emerging Artist Fortyfivedownstairs and Future Leaders are inviting submissions from emerging Australian visual artists for the Emerging Artists Award 2018.

With broader selection criteria than ever before, we are looking for artworks that exemplify innovation and originality across a range of media from cutting-edge artistic practices to new takes on traditional styles.

A selection of works will be chosen for a two-week exhibition from

the two submissions that best align with the award criteria.

The Award is a proven catalyst for ongoing recognition and professional development and allows audiences the privilege of accessing early-career works by exciting young artists.

At fortyfivedownstairs we showcase independent, experimental and thought-provoking visual art.

The Emerging ArtistAward 2018 is an opportunity to examine developing trends in the contemporary art scene while allowing emerging artists to gain exposure in a professional setting and kick-start their careers.

For more information visit fortyfivedownstairs.com Exhibition enquiries: Briar Holt, 9662 9966 Submission deadlines: Monday May 21 at 5pm.

Exhibition Dates: Tuesday June 19 - Saturday June 30.

Gallery hours: Tuesday to Friday.

11am-5pm fortyfivedownstairs 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne - Peter Kemp

Green Room

Opera Australia was a big winner at the 35th annual Green Room Awards held Monday, April 9, at the Melbourne Comedy Theatre.

OperaAustralia'sCEO Rory Jeffes said: "That this is an outstanding result for the Company and wonderful recognition of the incredibly hard work from across the organisation that goes into staging each and every production throughout the year."

Opera Australia's production of Karol Szymanowski's King Roger won seven awards, including Best Production, Best Female Lead for Lorina Gore and Best Male Lead for Michael Honeyman.

Camiano Michielettowon Best Direction for Cavaliena / Pagliacci, with Cominic Matthews taking the award for Female in a Supporting Role.

In the Music Theatre category Opera Australia and John Frost's revival of My Fair Lady won five awards including acting awards for Charles Edwards, Robyn Nevin and Reg Livermore.

Established in 1982, the Green Room Awards recognise the outstanding achievement of performers and technicians in the professional performing arts in Melbourne across theatre, music theatre, opera, dance and cabaret.

- Peter Kemp

Magic Pudding

Take one true-blue Australian classic add deliciously playful costumes with a measure of musical magic, mix in a generous helping of young talent and discover the perfect recipe for a delightful family opera.

Celebrating the centenary of Norman Lindsay's The Magic Pudding, Victorian Opera brings its much-loved adaptation to Regional Victoria, with a cast of brilliant emerging talent and local community choruses.

Join Albert, the walking, talking, never-ending Pudding and his friends - penguin Sam Sawnoff, sailor Bill Barnacle and koala Bunyip Bluegum - as we celebrate a Australian family favourite with this witty and adorable production.

Following the scent of pudding Bunyip Bluegum, the kala, comes across Bill Barnacle the sailor, and Sam Sawnoff the penguin.

Season: Friday April 27.

Venue: Ulumbarra Theatre 10 Gaol Rd. Bendigo Bookings: 5434 6100

Page 20 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Observer Magazine

■ Richard Wayne ‘Dick’ Van Dyke was born in 1925 in West Plains, Missouri. He is a mix of Dutch and Scottish descent.

Dick grew up in Illinois and his elder brother Jerry Van Dyke was also an actor.

In fact, I can remember Jerry appearing as a guest on Graham Kennedy's In Melbourne Tonight. Sadly, Jerry passed earlier this year.

Dick married Margie Willett on a television show, Bride and Groom, because the prizes on the show were wedding rings, a honeymoon and household appliances.

Dick was a struggling actor and work was hard to find.

I am a big fan of Dick Van Dyke and I can recall the first time I saw him on television in an episode of The Phil Silvers Show.

Sgt. Bilko discovered they had an outstanding baseball player in the platoon - played by Dick.

His big break came in 1960 when he was cast in the Broadway stage musical Bye Bye Birdie.

The following year he won the Tony Award and then reprised his role in the film version.

In 1961 he beat Johnny Carson for the lead role in a television situation comedy which was later renamed The Dick Van Dyke Show.

He played Rob Petrie opposite Mary Tyler Moore and they had the number one television show in America. Dick won three Emmy Awards for his role.

Whatever Happened To ...

Dick Van Dyke

By Kevin Trask of 3AW and 96.5 Inner FM

The series is currently on Netflix and I have been watching it and having a good laugh at this classic comedy series.

In 1964 Dick was cast opposite Julie Andrews in the Walt Disney classic Mary Poppins.

He gave us the worst cockney accent of all time but he was just outstanding as ‘Bert’ the Chimney Sweep.

His other film roles included Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, What a Way to Go and Fitzwilly.

Dick overcame alcoholism in the 1970s.

He appeared in other television series and guest roles over the years. In 1980 he played The Music Man onstage. Margie and Dick were divorced in 1984.

His return to a successful television series

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

sion series Murder 101 for two years. He appeared in both of the Night at the Museum films and is still working hard.

Last year he completed two TV movies The Dick Van Dyke Show: Now in Living Colour where he reprised his character of ‘Rob Petrie’ from the 1960's television series.

Dick plays a role in the film Mary Poppins Returns which will be released next January.

These days Dick has four children, four grandchildren and a great granddaughter.

He loves working on computer graphics and sings in an a cappella quartet. They have sung on Larry King Live.

Their CD Dick Van Dyke and The Vantastix is available at www.accapellanews.com Dick has also written five successful books.

Dicknever came to Australiabut Philip Brady had the pleasure of meeting him in California during the 1960s.

Dick Van Dyke is an outstanding performer and has won many awards during his career.

He was once quoted as saying, "I've retired so many times now it's getting to be a habit."

Dick Van Dyke will be 93 in December.

Kevin Trask Kevin can be heard on 3AW The Time Tunnel - on Remember When Sundays at 9.10pm And on 96.5 FM ● Dick Van Dyke That's Entertainment - Sundays came in 1993 with Diagnosis Murder which was at 12 Noon in production till 2001. He starred in the televi-

Be assured, elephants, truly, never forget ■ They called him the ‘Elephant Whisperer’, a man who could confront an angry six-tonne African bush elephant and by standing still and talking softly and calmly, get it to lower an enraged trunk and tusks, calm, and eventually turn and wander back off into the bush…

And more extraordinarily, when Lawrence Anthony, the ‘Elephant Whisperer’, died at his home deep in the KwaZulu bush in March of 2012, some 31 wild elephants walked from two different reserves over 12 hours away, to stand in mourning for two days outside his home.

They did not eat or drink during that time, and on the third day simply turned and walked off as mysteriously as they had walked in … leaving animal behavioural experts still mystified to this day as to how the beasts on separate reserves so far away would sense the ‘Elephant Whisperer’ was dead, and make their way together to his home.

Lawrence Anthony was born in South Africa, and loving its wildlife bought the Thula Thula Game Reserve in the mid-1990s.

It was soon after, that nine wild elephants escaped their enclosure and as they wreaked havoc on farms and in villages, owners demanded their shooting.

But Anthony objected and bravely confronted the matriarch of the herd that he had often “spoken” with as he sought to tame the wild beasts, its 30 followers shuffling agitatedly behind it.

He wrote in his book, The Elephant Whisperer, how he had stood as calmly as possible, saying softly “don’t do it, Nana. This is your home now, please don’t do it, girl, they will kill you if you break out”.

He talked softly, calmly for what seemed hours, and eventually Nana lowered her trunk, relaxed her body muscles and, in Anthony’s own words “turned and melted into the bush,” her herd following loyally behind.

The Elephant Whisperer had been created.

Cruisers

■ Aussies it seems just can’t get enough of ocean cruising, with 1.28million of us spending 12-million days

OK. With John O’Keefe Athol, what a Guy!

■ Athol Guy is still as active as ever with a million, and more memories of The Seekers to tell.

Currently he is in the home straight of preparing his autobiography and one of the stories likely to get a mention is the day a young Lou Reed arrived at a barbecue hosted by Athol.

Reed took counsel from the Seekers legend and went onto become an international star.

A date to remember is May 6. Athol will perform in Athol Guy and Friends – The Seekers Story Show at the Lorne Hotel. Ring the pub for bookings. ● More than 30 elephants walked 12 hours from their reserves to stand outside the home of the 'Elephant Whisperer' to mourn his death, not eating or drinking for two days before turning and wandering 12 hours back to their reserves.

19 of us taking an ocean cruise holiday in 2016, it did not include the many thousands more who took local river, lake or estuary cruise holidays.

An actual increase of a whopping 220,000 on Australian ocean cruisegoers in 2015, the figure was the largest ever for a single year as Aussie cruise holidaymakers streamed aboard the vessels of some nine lines operating here either permanently or seasonally, joined others visiting as part of Asian or world cruises, or flew off overseas to join yet other oceangoers at international cruise ports.

And according to the Cruise Lines International Association of Australasia , an amazing 76.7 per cent of Australian ocean cruise-goers actually stayed local, choosing to cruise into the South Pacific (the majority,) to New Zealand, or sticking purely to with David Ellis Australian waters.

And CLIA says the way we’re goat sea in 2016, and our ocean cruising industry growing at a faster rate ing, it looks like two million of us will be enjoying either a local or internathan anywhere else in the world.

And while that 1.28-million ocean tional ocean cruise holiday annually cruise-goers was a staggering 21.4 by 2020.

- David Ellis per cent more than in 2015, or one in

Struth

The Wild One

■ Following his departure from hosting Weekend Sunrise, Andrew O’Keefe (no relation) has been busy writing two new stage plays.

One play projects the life and times of Australia’s greatest rocker, Johnny O’Keefe. Johnny is Andrew’s uncle and the show will debut at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival coinciding with the 4 th anniversary when Johnny burst onto the showbiz scene .

10cc: coming to Melbourne

■ Fans of 10CC rock group are in for a great treat when the band plays at Palms at Crown on May 11.

Rekindle those glory days of the 70s when 10CC topped the charts with rocking good hits like The Things We Do For Love.

Tickets from Leonard Promotions, Melbourne.

Welcome back Billy

■ After a 10-year absence Billy Elliot –the Musical is making a comeback in Melbourne and the curtain rises in 2020. I t’s worth the wait as the stage show and its cast of talented kids has been playing to packed houses in London.

The musical score is by Sir Elton John and will have you moving and grooving in no time.

Return of Good ol’ Days

■ Full marks to local cinema tragic Gus Berger who spent his hard earned to convert a 1920’ auto garage into an old world cinema complete with a cosy cocktail bar .

The 57-seat cinema is located at 802 High St, Thornbury, and screens golden oldies most days of the week . It is sure to be a hit with Melbourne hipsters and a favourite Death in Brunswick will be screened of a Sunday.

Details: thepicturehouse.com.au

Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - Page 21

Observer Classic Books

Hard Times - by Charles Dickens

Making his pace at once much quicker and much softer, he darted on until he was very near this figure, then fell into his former walk, and called ‘Rachael!’

She turned, being then in the brightness of a lamp; and raising her hood a little, showed a quiet oval face, dark and rather delicate, irradiated by a pair of very gentle eyes, and further set off by the perfect order of her shining black hair. It was not a face in its first bloom; she was a woman five and thirty years of age.

‘Ah, lad! ’Tis thou?’ When she had said this, with a smile which would have been quite expressed, though nothing of her had been seen but her pleasant eyes, she replaced her hood again, and they went on together.

‘I thought thou wast ahind me, Rachael?’

‘No.’ ‘Early t’night, lass?’ ‘‘Times I’m a little early, Stephen! ‘times a little late. I’m never to be counted on, going home.’

‘Nor going t’other way, neither, ‘t seems to me, Rachael?’

‘No, Stephen.’

He looked at her with some disappointment in his face, but with a respectful and patient conviction that she must be right in whatever she did. The expression was not lost upon her; she laid her hand lightly on his arm a moment as if to thank him for it.

‘We are such true friends, lad, and such old friends, and getting to be such old folk, now.’

‘No, Rachael, thou’rt as young as ever thou wast.’

‘One of us would be puzzled how to get old, Stephen, without ‘t other getting so too, both being alive,’ she answered, laughing; ‘but, anyways, we’re such old friends, and t’ hide a word of honest truth fro’ one another would be a sin and a pity. ’Tis better not to walk too much together. ‘Times, yes! ‘Twould be hard, indeed, if ‘twas not to be at all,’ she said, with a cheerfulness she sought to communicate to him. ‘’Tis hard, anyways, Rachael.’

‘Try to think not; and ‘twill seem better.’

‘I’ve tried a long time, and ‘ta’nt got better. But thou’rt right; ‘t might mak fok talk, even of thee.

Thou hast been that to me, Rachael, through so many year: thou hast done me so much good, and heartened of me in that cheering way, that thy word is a law to me. Ah, lass, and a bright good law! Better than some real ones.’

‘Never fret about them, Stephen,’ she answered quickly, and not without an anxious glance at his face. ‘Let the laws be.’

‘Yes,’ he said, with a slow nod or two. ‘Let ’em be. Let everything be. Let all sorts alone. ’Tis a muddle, and that’s aw.’

‘Always a muddle?’ said Rachael, with another gentle touch upon his arm, as if to recall him out of the thoughtfulness, in which he was biting the long ends of his loose neckerchief as he walked along. The touch had its instantaneous effect.

He let them fall, turned a smiling face upon her, and said, as he broke into a good-humoured laugh, ‘Ay, Rachael, lass, awlus a muddle. That’s where I stick. I come to the muddle many times and agen, and I never get beyond it.’

They had walked some distance, and were near their own homes. The woman’s was the first reached. It was in one of the many small streets for which the favourite undertaker (who turned a handsome sum out of the one poor ghastly pomp of the neighbourhood) kept a black ladder, in order that those who had done their daily groping up and down the narrow stairs might slide out of this working world by the windows.

She stopped at the corner, and putting her hand in his, wished him good night.

‘Good night, dear lass; good night!’

She went, with her neat figure and her sober womanly step, down the dark street, and he stood looking after her until she turned into one of the small houses. There was not a flutter of her coarse shawl, perhaps, but had its interest in this man’s eyes; not a tone of her voice but had its echo in his innermost heart.

When she was lost to his view, he pursued his homeward way, glancing up sometimes at the sky, where the clouds were sailing fast and wildly.

But, they were broken now, and the rain had ceased, and the moon shone, — looking down the high chimneys of Coketown on the deep furnaces below, and casting Titanic shadows of

r

e rv se US N Ob N IO BO CT SE

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Chapter XI No Way Out THE Fairy palaces burst into illumination, before pale morning showed the monstrous serpents of smoke trailing themselves over Coketown. A clattering of clogs upon the pavement; a rapid ringing of bells; and all the melancholy mad elephants, polished and oiled up for the day’s monotony, were at their heavy exercise again.

Stephen bent over his loom, quiet, watchful, and steady. A special contrast, as every man was in the forest of looms where Stephen worked, to the crashing, smashing, tearing piece of mechanism at which he laboured. Never fear, good people of an anxious turn of mind, that Art will consign Nature to oblivion. Set anywhere, side by side, the work of GOD and the work of man; and the former, even though it be a troop of Hands of very small account, will gain in dignity from the comparison.

So many hundred Hands in this Mill; so many hundred horse Steam Power. It is known, to the force of a single pound weight, what the engine will do; but, not all the calculators of the National Debt can tell me the capacity for good or evil, for love or hatred, for patriotism or discontent, for the decomposition of virtue into vice, or the reverse, at any single moment in the soul of one of these its quiet servants, with the composed faces and the regulated actions. There is no mystery in it; there is an unfathomable mystery in the meanest of them, for ever. — Supposing we were to reverse our arithmetic for material objects, and to govern these awful unknown quantities by other means!

The day grew strong, and showed itself outside, even against the flaming lights within. The lights were turned out, and the work went on. The rain fell, and the Smoke-serpents, submissive to the curse of all that tribe, trailed themselves upon the earth. In the waste-yard outside, the steam from the escape pipe, the litter of barrels and old iron, the shining heaps of coals, the ashes everywhere, were shrouded in a veil of mist and rain.

The work went on, until the noon-bell rang. More clattering upon the pavements. The looms, and wheels, and Hands all out of gear for an hour.

Stephen came out of the hot mill into the damp wind and cold wet streets, haggard and worn.

He turned from his own class and his own quarter, taking nothing but a little bread as he walked Charles Dickens along, towards the hill on which his principal the steam-engines at rest, upon the walls where ful thing even to see her. employer lived, in a red house with black outthey were lodged. The man seemed to have After an impatient oath or two, and some stupid side shutters, green inside blinds, a black street brightened with the night, as he went on. clawing of herself with the hand not necessary door, up two white steps, BOUNDERBY (in letHis home, in such another street as the first, to her support, she got her hair away from her ters very like himself) upon a brazen plate, and saving that it was narrower, was over a little eyes sufficiently to obtain a sight of him. Then a round brazen door-handle underneath it, like a shop. How it came to pass that any people found she sat swaying her body to and fro, and making brazen full-stop. it worth their while to sell or buy the wretched gestures with her unnerved arm, which seemed Mr. Bounderby was at his lunch. So Stephen little toys, mixed up in its window with cheap intended as the accompaniment to a fit of laugh- had expected. Would his servant say that one of newspapers and pork (there was a leg to be ter, though her face was stolid and drowsy. the Hands begged leave to speak to him? Mesraffled for to-morrow-night), matters not here. ‘Eigh, lad? What, yo’r there?’ Some hoarse sage in return, requiring name of such Hand.

He took his end of candle from a shelf, lighted it sounds meant for this, came mockingly out of Stephen Blackpool. There was nothing troubleat another end of candle on the counter, without her at last; and her head dropped forward on her some against Stephen Blackpool; yes, he might disturbing the mistress of the shop who was breast. come in. asleep in her little room, and went upstairs into ‘Back agen?’ she screeched, after some min- Stephen Blackpool in the parlour. Mr. Bounderby his lodging. (whom he just knew by sight), at lunch on chop It was a room, not unacquainted with the black utes, as if he had that moment said it. ‘Yes! And and sherry. Mrs. Sparsit netting at the fireside, back agen.

Back agen ever and ever so often. ladder under various tenants; but as neat, at in a side-saddle attitude, with one foot in a cotpresent, as such a room could be. A few books Back? Yes, back. Why not?’ ton stirrup. It was a part, at once of Mrs. Sparsit’s Roused by the unmeaning violence with which and writings were on an old bureau in a corner, dignity and service, not to lunch. She supervised the furniture was decent and sufficient, and, she cried it out, she scrambled up, and stood the meal officially, but implied that in her own supporting herself with her shoulders against the though the atmosphere was tainted, the room wall; dangling in one hand by the string, a dung- stately person she considered lunch a weakness. was clean.

‘Now, Stephen,’ said Mr. Bounderby, ‘what’s the Going to the hearth to set the candle down upon hill-fragment of a bonnet, and trying to look scorn- matter with you?’ a round three-legged table standing there, he fully at him.

Stephen made a bow. Not a servile one — these stumbled against something. As he recoiled, ‘I’ll sell thee off again, and I’ll sell thee off again, Hands will never do that! Lord bless you, sir, looking down at it, it raised itself up into the and I’ll sell thee off a score of times!’ she cried, you’ll never catch them at that, if they have been with something between a furious menace and with you twenty years! — and, as a complimenform of a woman in a sitting attitude.

‘Heaven’s mercy, woman!’ he cried, falling far- an effort at a defiant dance. ‘Come awa’ from tary toilet for Mrs. Sparsit, tucked his neckerther off from the figure. ‘Hast thou come back th’ bed!’ He was sitting on the side of it, with his chief ends into his waistcoat. face hidden in his hands. ‘Come awa! from ‘t. ‘Now, you know,’ said Mr. Bounderby, taking again!’

Such a woman! A disabled, drunken creature, ’Tis mine, and I’ve a right to t’!’ some sherry, ‘we have never had any difficulty barely able to preserve her sitting posture by As she staggered to it, he avoided her with a with you, and you have never been one of the steadying herself with one begrimed hand on shudder, and passed — his face still hidden — unreasonable ones. You don’t expect to be set the floor, while the other was so purposeless in to the opposite end of the room. She threw her- up in a coach and six, and to be fed on turtle trying to push away her tangled hair from her self upon the bed heavily, and soon was snoring soup and venison, with a gold spoon, as a good face, that it only blinded her the more with the hard. He sunk into a chair, and moved but once many of ’em do!’ Mr. Bounderby always repredirt upon it. A creature so foul to look at, in her all that night. It was to throw a covering over sented this to be the sole, immediate, and direct tatters, stains and splashes, but so much fouler her; as if his hands were not enough to hide her, object of any Hand who was not entirely satisthan that in her moral infamy, that it was a even in the darkness.

Continued on Page 22

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From Page 21 fied; ‘and therefore I know already that you have not come here to make a complaint. Now, you know, I am certain of that, beforehand.’

‘No, sir, sure I ha’ not coom for nowt o’ th’ kind.’

Mr. Bounderby seemed agreeably surprised, notwithstanding his previous strong conviction.

‘Very well,’ he returned. ‘You’re a steady Hand, and I was not mistaken. Now, let me hear what it’s all about. As it’s not that, let me hear what it is. What have you got to say? Out with it, lad!’

Stephen happened to glance towards Mrs. Sparsit. ‘I can go, Mr. Bounderby, if you wish it,’ said that self-sacrificing lady, making a feint of taking her foot out of the stirrup.

Mr. Bounderby stayed her, by holding a mouthful of chop in suspension before swallowing it, and putting out his left hand. Then, withdrawing his hand and swallowing his mouthful of chop, he said to Stephen: ‘Now you know, this good lady is a born lady, a high lady. You are not to suppose because she keeps my house for me, that she hasn’t been very high up the tree — ah, up at the top of the tree! Now, if you have got anything to say that can’t be said before a born lady, this lady will leave the room. If what you have got to say can be said before a born lady, this lady will stay where she is.’

‘Sir, I hope I never had nowt to say, not fitten for a born lady to year, sin’ I were born mysen’,’ was the reply, accompanied with a slight flush.

‘Very well,’ said Mr. Bounderby, pushing away his plate, and leaning back. ‘Fire away!’

‘I ha’ coom,’ Stephen began, raising his eyes from the floor, after a moment’s consideration, ‘to ask yo yor advice. I need ‘t overmuch. I were married on Eas’r Monday nineteen year sin, long and dree. She were a young lass — pretty enow — wi’ good accounts of herseln.

Well! She went bad — soon. Not along of me.

Gonnows I were not a unkind husband to her.’

‘I have heard all this before,’ said Mr. Bounderby.

‘She took to drinking, left off working, sold the furniture, pawned the clothes, and played old Gooseberry.’

‘I were patient wi’ her.’ (‘The more fool you, I think,’ said Mr. Bounderby, in confidence to his wine-glass.)

‘I were very patient wi’ her. I tried to wean her fra ‘t ower and ower agen. I tried this, I tried that, I tried t’other. I ha’ gone home, many’s the time, and found all vanished as I had in the world, and her without a sense left to bless herseln lying on bare ground. I ha’ dun ‘t not once, not twice — twenty time!’

Every line in his face deepened as he said it, and put in its affecting evidence of the suffering he had undergone.

‘From bad to worse, from worse to worsen. She left me. She disgraced herseln everyways, bitter and bad. She coom back, she coom back, she coom back. What could I do t’ hinder her? I ha’ walked the streets nights long, ere ever I’d go home. I ha’ gone t’ th’ brigg, minded to fling myseln ower, and ha’ no more on’t. I ha’ bore that much, that I were owd when I were young.’

Mrs. Sparsit, easily ambling along with her netting-needles, raised the Coriolanian eyebrows and shook her head, as much as to say, ‘The great know trouble as well as the small. Please to turn your humble eye in My direction.’

‘I ha’ paid her to keep awa’ fra’ me. These five year I ha’ paid her. I ha’ gotten decent fewtrils about me agen. I ha’ lived hard and sad, but not ashamed and fearfo’ a’ the minnits o’ my life.

Last night, I went home. There she lay upon my har-stone! There she is!’

In the strength of his misfortune, and the energy of his distress, he fired for the moment like a proud man. In another moment, he stood as he had stood all the time — his usual stoop upon him; his pondering face addressed to Mr. Bounderby, with a curious expression on it, half shrewd, half perplexed, as if his mind were set upon unravelling something very difficult; his hat held tight in his left hand, which rested on his hip; his right arm, with a rugged propriety and force of action, very earnestly emphasizing what he said: not least so when it always paused, a little bent, but not withdrawn, as he paused.

‘I was acquainted with all this, you know,’said Mr. Bounderby, ‘except the last clause, long ago.

It’s a bad job; that’s what it is. You had better have been satisfied as you were, and not have got married. However, it’s too late to say that.’

‘Was it an unequal marriage, sir, in point of years?’ asked Mrs. Sparsit.

‘You hear what this lady asks. Was it an unequal marriage in point of years, this unlucky

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Observer Classic Books job of yours?’ said Mr. Bounderby.

‘Not e’en so. I were one-and-twenty myseln; she were twenty nighbut.’

‘Indeed, sir?’ said Mrs. Sparsit to her Chief, with great placidity. ‘I inferred, from its being so miserable a marriage, that it was probably an unequal one in point of years.’

Mr. Bounderby looked very hard at the good lady in a side-long way that had an odd sheepishness about it. He fortified himself with a little more sherry.

‘Well? Why don’t you go on?’ he then asked, turning rather irritably on Stephen Blackpool.

‘I ha’ coom to ask yo, sir, how I am to be ridded o’ this woman.’ Stephen infused a yet deeper gravity into the mixed expression of his attentive face. Mrs. Sparsit uttered a gentle ejaculation, as having received a moral shock.

‘What do you mean?’ said Bounderby, getting up to lean his back against the chimney-piece.

‘What are you talking about? You took her for better for worse.’

‘I mun’ be ridden o’ her. I cannot bear ‘t nommore. I ha’ lived under ‘t so long, for that I ha’ had’n the pity and comforting words o’ th’ best lass living or dead. Haply, but for her, I should ha’ gone battering mad.’

‘He wishes to be free, to marry the female of whom he speaks, I fear, sir,’ observed Mrs. Sparsit in an undertone, and much dejected by the immorality of the people.

‘I do. The lady says what’s right. I do. I were a coming to ‘t. I ha’ read i’ th’ papers that great folk (fair faw ’em a’! I wishes ’em no hurt!) are not bonded together for better for worst so fast, but that they can be set free fro’ their misfortnet marriages, an’ marry ower agen. When they dunnot agree, for that their tempers is ill-sorted, they has rooms o’ one kind an’ another in their houses, above a bit, and they can live asunders.

We fok ha’ only one room, and we can’t. When that won’t do, they ha’ gowd an’ other cash, an’ they can say “This for yo’ an’ that for me,” an’ they can go their separate ways. We can’t. Spite o’ all that, they can be set free for smaller wrongs than mine. So, I mun be ridden o’ this woman, and I want t’ know how?’

‘No how,’returned Mr. Bounderby.

‘If I do her any hurt, sir, there’s a law to punish me?’

‘Of course there is.’

‘If I flee from her, there’s a law to punish me?’

‘Of course there is.’

‘If I marry t’oother dear lass, there’s a law to punish me?’

‘Of course there is.’

‘If I was to live wi’ her an’ not marry her — saying such a thing could be, which it never could or would, an’ her so good — there’s a law to punish me, in every innocent child belonging to me?’

‘Of course there is.’

‘Now, a’ God’s name,’ said Stephen Blackpool, ‘show me the law to help me!’

‘Hem! There’s a sanctity in this relation of life,’ said Mr. Bounderby, ‘and — and — it must be kept up.’

‘No no, dunnot say that, sir. ‘Tan’t kep’ up that way. Not that way. ’Tis kep’ down that way. I’m a weaver, I were in a fact’ry when a chilt, but I ha’ gotten een to see wi’ and eern to year wi’. I read in th’ papers every ‘Sizes, every Sessions — and you read too — I know it! — with dismay — how th’ supposed unpossibility o’ ever getting unchained from one another, at any price, on any terms, brings blood upon this land, and brings many common married fok to battle, murder, and sudden death. Let us ha’ this, right understood. Mine’s a grievous case, an’ I want — if yo will be so good — t’ know the law that helps me.’

‘Now, I tell you what!’ said Mr. Bounderby, putting his hands in his pockets. ‘There is such a law.’

Stephen, subsiding into his quiet manner, and never wandering in his attention, gave a nod.

‘But it’s not for you at all. It costs money. It costs a mint of money.’

‘How much might that be?’ Stephen calmly asked.

‘Why, you’d have to go to Doctors’ Commons with a suit, and you’d have to go to a court of Common Law with a suit, and you’d have to go to the House of Lords with a suit, and you’d have to get an Act of Parliament to enable you to marry again, and it would cost you (if it was a case of very plain sailing), I suppose from a thousand to fifteen hundred pound,’ said Mr. Bounderby. ‘Perhaps twice the money.’

‘There’s no other law?’

‘Certainly not.’

‘Why then, sir,’ said Stephen, turning white, and motioning with that right hand of his, as if he gave everything to the four winds, ‘’tis a muddle. ’Tis just a muddle a’toogether, an’ the sooner I am dead, the better.’

(Mrs. Sparsit again dejected by the impiety of the people.)

‘Pooh, pooh! Don’t you talk nonsense, my good fellow,’ said Mr. Bounderby, ‘about things you don’t understand; and don’t you call the Institutions of your country a muddle, or you’ll get yourself into a real muddle one of these fine mornings. The institutions of your country are not your piece-work, and the only thing you have got to do, is, to mind your piece-work. You didn’t take your wife for fast and for loose; but for better for worse. If she has turned out worse — why, all we have got to say is, she might have turned out better.’ ‘’Tis a muddle,’ said Stephen, shaking his head as he moved to the door. ‘’Tis a’ a muddle!’

‘Now, I’ll tell you what!’ Mr. Bounderby resumed, as a valedictory address. ‘With what I shall call your unhallowed opinions, you have been quite shocking this lady: who, as I have already told you, is a born lady, and who, as I have not already told you, has had her own marriage misfortunes to the tune of tens of thousands of pounds — tens of Thousands of Pounds!’ (he repeated it with great relish). ‘Now, you have always been a steady Hand hitherto; but my opinion is, and so I tell you plainly, that you are turning into the wrong road. You have been listening to some mischievous stranger or other — they’re always about — and the best thing you can do is, to come out of that. Now you know;’ here his countenance expressed marvellous acuteness; ‘I can see as far into a grindstone as another man; farther than a good many, perhaps, because I had my nose well kept to it when I was young. I see traces of the turtle soup, and venison, and gold spoon in this. Yes, I do!’ cried Mr. Bounderby, shaking his head with obstinate cunning. ‘By the Lord Harry, I do!’

With a very different shake of the head and deep sigh, Stephen said, ‘Thank you, sir, I wish you good day.’ So he left Mr. Bounderby swelling at his own portrait on the wall, as if he were going to explode himself into it; and Mrs. Sparsit still ambling on with her foot in her stirrup, looking quite cast down by the popular vices.

Chapter XII The Old Woman OLD STEPHEN descended the two white steps, shutting the black door with the brazen door-plate, by the aid of the brazen full-stop, to which he gave a parting polish with the sleeve of his coat, observing that his hot hand clouded it. He crossed the street with his eyes bent upon the ground, and thus was walking sorrowfully away, when he felt a touch upon his arm.

It was not the touch he needed most at such a moment — the touch that could calm the wild waters of his soul, as the uplifted hand of the sublimest love and patience could abate the raging of the sea — yet it was a woman’s hand too.

It was an old woman, tall and shapely still, though withered by time, on whom his eyes fell when he stopped and turned. She was very cleanly and plainly dressed, had country mud upon her shoes, and was newly come from a journey.

The flutter of her manner, in the unwonted noise of the streets; the spare shawl, carried unfolded on her arm; the heavy umbrella, and little basket; the loose long-fingered gloves, to which her hands were unused; all bespoke an old woman from the country, in her plain holiday clothes, come into Coketown on an expedition of rare occurrence. Remarking this at a glance, with the quick observation of his class, Stephen Blackpool bent his attentive face — his face, which, like the faces of many of his order, by dint of long working with eyes and hands in the midst of a prodigious noise, had acquired the concentrated look with which we are familiar in the countenances of the deaf — the better to hear what she asked him.

‘Pray, sir,’ said the old woman, ‘didn’t I see you come out of that gentleman’s house?’pointing back to Mr. Bounderby’s. ‘I believe it was you, unless I have had the bad luck to mistake the person in following?’

‘Yes, missus,’ returned Stephen, ‘it were me.’

‘Have you — you’ll excuse an old woman’s curiosity — have you seen the gentleman?’

‘Yes, missus.’

‘And how did he look, sir? Was he portly, bold, outspoken, and hearty?’ As she straightened her own figure, and held up her head in adapting her

action to her words, the idea crossed Stephen that he had seen this old woman before, and had not quite liked her.

‘O yes,’ he returned, observing her more attentively, ‘he were all that.’

‘And healthy,’said the old woman, ‘as the fresh wind?’

‘Yes,’ returned Stephen. ‘He were ett’n and drinking — as large and as loud as a Hummobee.’

‘Thank you!’ said the old woman, with infinite content. ‘Thank you!’

He certainly never had seen this old woman before. Yet there was a vague remembrance in his mind, as if he had more than once dreamed of some old woman like her.

She walked along at his side, and, gently accommodating himself to her humour, he said Coketown was a busy place, was it not? To which she answered ‘Eigh sure! Dreadful busy!’ Then he said, she came from the country, he saw? To which she answered in the affirmative.

‘By Parliamentary, this morning. I came forty mile by Parliamentary this morning, and I’m going back the same forty mile this afternoon. I walked nine mile to the station this morning, and if I find nobody on the road to give me a lift, I shall walk the nine mile back to-night. That’s pretty well, sir, at my age!’ said the chatty old woman, her eye brightening with exultation. ‘‘Deed ’tis. Don’t do’t too often, missus.’

‘No, no. Once a year,’ she answered, shaking her head. ‘I spend my savings so, once every year. I come regular, to tramp about the streets, and see the gentlemen.’

‘Only to see ’em?’ returned Stephen.

‘That’s enough for me,’ she replied, with great earnestness and interest of manner. ‘I ask no more! I have been standing about, on this side of the way, to see that gentleman,’ turning her head back towards Mr. Bounderby’s again, ‘come out. But, he’s late this year, and I have not seen him. You came out instead. Now, if I am obliged to go back without a glimpse of him — I only want a glimpse — well! I have seen you, and you have seen him, and I must make that do.’ Saying this, she looked at Stephen as if to fix his features in her mind, and her eye was not so bright as it had been.

With a large allowance for difference of tastes, and with all submission to the patricians of Coketown, this seemed so extraordinary a source of interest to take so much trouble about, that it perplexed him. But they were passing the church now, and as his eye caught the clock, he quickened his pace.

He was going to his work? the old woman said, quickening hers, too, quite easily. Yes, time was nearly out. On his telling her where he worked, the old woman became a more singular old woman than before.

‘An’t you happy?’ she asked him.

‘Why — there’s awmost nobbody but has their troubles, missus.’ He answered evasively, because the old woman appeared to take it for granted that he would be very happy indeed, and he had not the heart to disappoint her. He knew that there was trouble enough in the world; and if the old woman had lived so long, and could count upon his having so little, why so much the better for her, and none the worse for him.

‘Ay, ay! You have your troubles at home, you mean?’ she said.

‘Times. Just now and then,’ he answered, slightly.

‘But, working under such a gentleman, they don’t follow you to the Factory?’

No, no; they didn’t follow him there, said Stephen. All correct there. Everything accordant there. (He did not go so far as to say, for her pleasure, that there was a sort of Divine Right there; but, I have heard claims almost as magnificent of late years.)

They were now in the black by-road near the place, and the Hands were crowding in. The bell was ringing, and the Serpent was a Serpent of many coils, and the Elephant was getting ready. The strange old woman was delighted with the very bell. It was the beautifullest bell she had ever heard, she said, and sounded grand!

She asked him, when he stopped good-naturedly to shake hands with her before going in, how long he had worked there?

‘A dozen year,’ he told her.

‘I must kiss the hand,’ said she, ‘that has worked in this fine factory for a dozen year!’ And she lifted it, though he would have prevented her, and put it to her lips.

To Be Continued Next Issue

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Homemaker

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Best Places

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Best Places

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Best Places

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Port Melbourne

This magnificent property is for sale as a going concern or a private house

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MARKETING FEATURE

Deck-Doc

Local company chosen as best in the world

For many years Deck-Doc has been supplying retailers throughout Australia with their premium range of timber and decking oils.

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Church

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Best Places

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Best Places

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Every cottage has a dining and living area.

Cottages 2, 3 and 4 have a dining and living area with an 81cm LCD TV, DVD player and reverse cycle air-conditioning. Kitchens are equipped with stoves, microwaves, refrigerators, crockery, cutlery and cooking utensils.

Cottages 2, 3 and 4 have a washing machine, clothes line and dryer. Linen and towels for hire or BYO. Blankets and pillows are provided. New wooden deck with pergola and outdoor furniture.

We are Pet Friendly - well behaved, clean and brushed dogs allowed.

Page 38 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

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Best Places

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - Page 39

Observer Crossword Solution No 30 C C A B B K I N E O W E L E R D G E E A R T S H M K O V S E W R A L L L O M W A T D E R U N A L I L L Y L J U U D A G E N D A M I K N G

H K E M S W I O N M A N N I C S E S R D R O A M R A T M I E C N A M C E G D E N M O C D I D E K I N N D Y L I N E S H T A T R E E D

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

A T E L L E A C A E S I T R E R P W I L E D L E L A N

E S W E D L E S T E M R E L S A Y O O Y O T S A C E K S T

C A L A U D D E R D N I E N T A R A Z I E S E P A R K S H A E R R A E E D O N W H I N G O E B E R I O N S D J E A G E N S N G U E I C R E T

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

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

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

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

S G L S

R A

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

K E E N A T N H E G A S T A S U V A N T G E I O N S

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

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S T R E T C H E R

A Y N E E D L E S D S

L E A P Y E A R S

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Church

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Page 40 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Observer Victorian Sport

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Melbourne

One act affair at Mildura Pacing Cup ■ David and Josh Aiken’s 6Y0 Major In ArtGolden Navajo gelding Im The Boss made a one act affair of last Saturday’s $50,000 (Group 2) Park Douglas Printing Mildura Pacing Cup for M0 or better class over 2600 metres.

Driven by Scandinavian Kima Frenning who has made Victoria her home, Im The Boss raced by the Stokie Racing Group who had already been involved in previous winners Hectorjayjay and Five Star Anvil, Im The Boss led easily from the pole and after being rated to perfection, strolled to the wire 2.9 metres in advance of Shakahari which trailed the winner from the pole, with rank outsider Kotare Roland (three back the markers) 4.3 metres back in third place.

In quarters of 30.9, 30, 28.3 and 28.4 for the final mile, Im The Boss returned a mile rate of 1-59.1 for the journey. Kima Frenning was all praise for local Nichols Point duo Ian and Mary Campbell who accommodated her whilst in Mildura.

Pounced on lead

■ Extremely talented 4Y0 Safari-Machabella gelding Emain Macha who almost died after last year’s carnival, was a 2.7 metre victor of the $25,000 Mark Gurry & Associates Cup Final over 2190 metres, part-owned and trained

by Naracoorte’s Greg Scholefield, Emain Macha driven by Greg Sugars pounced on the lead from gate two and after dictating terms to suit, scored as he liked from Islandspecialmajor which followed from the pole in a rate of 1-58.

Winkanditsover was third 6 metres back from mid-field.

Exciting race

■ The $14,000 2190 metre Tankard Dental Mildura Guineas was the most exciting race of the night, going to quality Blissful Hall-Janbob gelding Little Peanut for Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars in 1-59.9.

Settling four back in the moving line, Little Peanut was sent forward mid-race only to be trapped three wide for the remainder of the journey with the exception of a short breather approaching the home turn. Easing wide on turning, Little Peanut scored by a neck from Tin Roof Raider which flashed late.

Tam Major was a half head away in third place after racing in the open outside the pacemaker Justice Served.

It’s Lucky Phil

■ Bacchus Marsh trainer Phil Chircop will long remember with glee his first ever visit to Mildura after bringing two horses to compete at Thursday night's mid week fixture - 4Y0 The Warp Drive-Montesian gelding Armchair Drive in the Victorian Square Trotters Association Trotters Handicap for T0 to T4 class over 2190 metres and smart 4Y0 Bettors Delight-The System Ace mare Delightful System in the VHRSC Vicbred Platinum Mares Sprint Championship (19th heat) for C1 to C3 class over 1790 metres, both convincing winners in track record time for Melton reinsman John Caldow.

Armchair Drive began brilliantly from 30 metres to take over from Als Law early in the piece and after being rated to perfection, greeted the judge by a head in advance of 40 metre backmarker Ymbro Wasted which moved to race outside him at the bell. Prosthesis after a slow beginning was third 9.2 metres away after a slow start and following the runner up home.

The mile rate 2-03.8.

Delightful System a speedy beginner, crossed to lead from gate five in the back straight on the first occasion, running her rivals ragged to register an easy 21.2 metre victor in 1-56.7 over Moreliner which trailed after leading out, with Nomi Malone 1.2 metres back in third place after racing in the open.

The highlight of the meeting was the $12,000 Seelite Windows & Doors Mildura Trotters Cup for T5 or better class (Discretionary Handicapped) over 2600 metres taken out by the Damien Burns (Snake Valley) trained 6Y0 Straphanger-Betts gelding Belts.

Harness Racing

Melbourne

Observer

len-baker@ bigpond.com

with Len Baker Driven by Melton based Anthony Butt, Belts jumped straight to the front from the pole as the tapes released and was always going to be hard to beat. Turning with a handy margin, Belts had 1.7 metres to spare on the wire, defeating South Australian visitor Rocknroll Baby who's effort was outstanding after galloping away from barrier two. Ararat Cup winner Kyvalley Boomerang (10 metres) ran on late from the tail to finish third 3.1 metres away. The mile rate 2-06.9.

Dynamic fashion

■ The Mildura Pacing Cup carnival commenced in dynamic fashion on Tuesday April 10 with two outstanding heats of the cup, plus two heats of the Mark Gurry & Associates Cup, along with a great support program.

There are not enough accolades to describe 6Y0 Major In Art-Golden Navajo gelding Im The Boss' victory in the second heat of the Cup for M0 or better class over 2600 metres.

Trapped three wide from outside the front line, Im The Boss trained at Avenel by David Aiken and driven by Kima Frenning, eventually settled outside the leader - Ouyen cup victor Perspective.

Surging past the leader in the last lap, Im The Boss dashed away to register a brilliant 2.4 metre margin in a mile rate of 1-57.1 over Hickstead (one/three) which trailed the disappointing third placegetter Brallos Pass home three wide in the final circuit. Im The Boss has been a revelation since being claimed for a moderate sum in the "Battle Of The Claimers" at Tabcorp Park in September last year.

The first heat of the cup went the way of Tell All-Onedins Pocket 5Y0 gelding Sams The Master for Myrniong husband and wife Greg Sugars and Jess Tubbs. Leading from gate three, Sams The Master was given an easy time before kicking clear on the home turn, scoring by 1.2 metres in a much slower rate of 2-02.1 from a death-seating Rockstar Angel. Shakahari and Messini dead-heated for third.

The two 2190 metre Mark Gurry heats for C4 to C6 class saw the Emma Stewart (Ballarat) trained Our Little General (Chris Alford) and Bolinda trainer Brent Lilley's Islandspecialmajor (Josh Duggan) victorious. Our Little General did it tough, but did it well, proving too strong for the leader Glenferrie Punter and Emain Macha in 1-57.2, while Islandspecialmajor led throughout, defying all challengers to score from Carload and Winkanditsover in 1-59.7.

Strong victory

■ At Yarra Valley on Monday April 9, Bolinda trainer/driver Lisa Miles scored a strong victory with very honest 4Y0 Courage Under Fire-Soho Bordeaux gelding Persimmon in the C2 class Robot Building Supplies Pace over 2150 metres.

Going forward from gate four, Persimmon was unable to cross the polemarker Somedreamsomewhere leaving him to race exposed for the majority of the trip.

Showing a great will to win, Persimmon despite being tackled strongly on turning, kept on giving to prevail by 1.2 metres from Rocknroll Delight (one/one) and Forever And A Day from near last, returning a mile rate of 1-58.5.

Led most of way

■ Geelong raced on Wednesday and Melton part-owner/trainer Dianne Giles combined with partner Lance Justice to snare the Golden Plains Equine Lethbridge Pace for C1 class over 1609 metres with 5Y0 Bettors Delight-Tactical Dream Maker mare Bettor Back Betty in a rate of 157.5 after leading most of the way from gate six, accounting for Katsina which led out momentarily and Greenough (one/two). The margins 3.2 metres X 1.1 metres.

Stepped cleanly

■ Kyneton breeder/owner/trainer Linsay Potter was successful at Geelong with beautifully bred Majestic Son-Kellybrooke gelding Sonny Brooke, taking the Flying Brick Original Cider 3Y0 Trotters Handicap over 2100 metres at Supertab odds of $64.60.

Driven by Chris Alford, Sonny Brooke stepped cleanly from barrier four to lead, before handing over to the short priced favourite La Grange. After enjoying a sweet passage, Sonny Brooke was taken wide on turning and finished too well for the leader, scoring by 3.1 metres in a rate of 2-06.6, with Reils 1.3 metres away in third place after moving to face the open at the bell.

Biding his time

■ Bendigo raced on Thursday afternoon and highly promising 4Y0 Bad Boy Truscott-Left One Eye Out gelding Garshaway brought up two wins in a row by taking the 1st heat of the VSTA Trotters Handicap for T1 or better class over 2150 metres.

Driven once again by Kerryn Manning for Myola trainer Graham McDermott, Garshaway was a trifle slow to begin from 10 metres, settling at the tail of the field as Skyeski crossed Opia shortly after the start. Biding his time until the last lap, Garshaway joined in on straightening to score by 2.4 metres over Skyeski, with Arrested 6 metres away in third place after racing uncovered. The mile rate 2-03.6.

Without cover

■ Local trainer/driver Chris Svanosio's Lawman Hands Of A Star 4Y0 mare Margaret Jen chalked up her 6th success in 22 outings by winning the 2nd heat. Coming from 10 metres, Margaret Jean raced without cover throughout, proving too strong for the leader Tenno Sho by two metres giving Bendigo the quinella. Knocked Off Early was third 6.7 metres back after trailing the leader. The mile rate 2-03.3.

Sulky Snippets This Week

■ Wednesday - Ballarat, Thursday Cobram/Cranbourne, Friday - Bendigo, Saturday - Melton, Sunday - Horsham (Cup), Monday - Kilmore, Tuesday - Geelong.

Horses to follow

■ Lunchwitharthur, Winkanditsover, Roll With Rocky, The Big Show, Tough Call, Arden Castle, Amelia Holmes, Glenferrie Bunter, Villareal.

Border hopper

■ At Hamilton of Friday, Mount Gambier border-hopper Bee Gees Bandit was a strong winner of the 1660 metre Red Cross Recognition Pace for C1 class.

Trained by Barry Finnis, Bee Gees Bandi taking a concession for local reinswoman Jackie Barker was quickly away from a solo second line draw to settle a fair way off the leader Turing Express (gate three) which was taken on in the early stages by Whos Your Buddy (gate five). Facing the open for the final circuit, Bee Gees Bandit had too much quality for a game Turing Express, scoring by 4.8 metres in a slick 1-55.5. Live Atom was 1.2 metres back in third place. A gelded son of BGS Folly and Towelling, Bee Gees Bandid recorded his 14th victory in 30 outings.

Crossed poleline

■ Ex-Kiwi 5Y0 Washington VC-Aces Win gelding All Jokers Todaright trained and driven

by Terang's Mattie Craven snared the Country Fire Brigade Recognition Pace for C2 & C3 class at Hamilton over 2160 metres. Trapped three wide from gate three, All Jokers Todaright was able to cross the poleline leader Mighty Regal when Saint Davids Field outside him wen off stride running into the first turn. Allowed to bowl, All Jokers Todaright careered away approaching the final bend to score by 14.1 metres in a rate of 1-59.3 from a death-seating The Big Show and Tommaso (one/one last lap).

- Len Baker

$300,000 penalties and back pay ■ The operators of a Melbourne health services company that a Judge said showed a “flagrant disregard” for its first aid responder staff has been penalised $300,000 in the Federal Circuit Court, following legal action brought by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Melbourne man Paul Tempany has been penalised $50,000 and his company Acute Health Pty Ltd an additional $250,000 for underpaying staff, many of whom were university students.

Tempany and Acute Health underpaid six employees, one aged just 21, a total of $13,715 between March 2014 and December 2015. The workers were engaged as medical first responders on a casual basis to provide first aid services at events and functions in Victoria and NSW. In addition to the penalties, the Court also imposed orders for workers to be fully backpaid.

The $300,000 penalties are the second largest secured by the Fair Work Ombudsman in a case involving work in Victoria, and the third largest in a case involving work in NSW. Underpayments were partly the result of a failure to pay employees for all work performed. One employee was paid nothing for more than 30 hours of work.

Acute Health largely engaged the employees on flat hourly rates of $25, which was insufficient to meet required penalty and overtime rates at the time of up to $48.53 per hour on public holidays and $38.82 for overtime.

The result was underpayment of employees’ minimum hourly rates, casual loadings and penalty rates for overtime and public holiday work. Tempany and his company also failed to provide minimum shift pay and a laundry allowance, failed to reimburse travel expenses, and made unlawful deductions from wages to cover a uniform bond.

Individual underpayments ranged from $404 to $3517. Underpayments represented between 33 and 100 per cent of each worker’s entitlement. Tempany and Acute Health also contravened workplace laws by failing to comply with six Notices to Produce issued by a FWO inspector and by providing an inspector with false pay records.

Judge Alister McNab said the court evidence displayed a “pattern of conduct” by Tempany and his company.

“It seems to be a well-practised methodology that the respondents have used with these employees and there is a flagrant disregard for the rights of those employees,” Judge McNab said.

Every Week in the Melbourne Observer

e urn lbo Me

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - Page 41

ver N ser IO Ob T C SE 3

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Theatre: Let’s Get Practical ........................................ Page 42 Arts: Green Room Awards ................................................. Page 42 Country Music: Mic Conway’s 50th ................................ Page 42 Jim and Aaron: Dwayne Johnson in Rampage ............... Page 44 Cheryl Threadgold: Local theatre shows, auditions ........... Page 49 PL US THE LLO OVATT”S MEGA CRO PLUS CROSS SWORD

VALE RON BLASKETT

● Ron Blaskett, flanked by Gerry Gee and Sandra Simpkins. Photo taken one year ago of Ron’s 95th birthday by Observer Editor Ash Long ■ Australian television pioneer Ron Blaskett died on Saturday, just hours after his 96th birthday.

Ventriloquist Blaskett was best known for his television partnership with GTV-9 mascot Gerry Gee who featured in The Tarax Show and In Melbourne Tonight.

But Ron Blaskett’s career involved much more. He was an entertainer with the Australian Army during World War II, worked the vaudeville circuit, and pioneered the early days of radio and television in Australia, particularly Melbourne but also Perth.

He developed the ‘Gerry Gee’ character to launch Channel 9 in Melbourne, and with wife Merle, and their characters, appeared in GTV9’s test transmissions in 1956 from the station’s transmitter at Mount Dandenong.

As well as appearing in both childrren’s and adult TV programs, he worked as an executive and production manager behind-the-scenes.

He was a popular entertainer on the club and pub circuit around Victoria.

The Gerry Gee character was popular, spawning a variety of merchandise, including a range of Gerry Gee Junior dolls.

Blaskett also starred in spin-off programs The Adventures of Gerry Gee and Do You Trust Your Wife.

In 2009, a retrospective DVD was released You, Me and Gerry Gee, following on from the book of the same name.

A family graveside private service is being held this week. A memorial service to which the public will be invited will be held at a Bulleen ● Gerry Gee and Ron Blaskett ● Ron Blaskett Jnr with his entertainer father, Ron Blaskett location in weeks to come. in Tarax Show days

TV pioneer dies at the age of 96

Page 42 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Observer Showbiz

Country Music, Radio, Theatre, Almanac Country Crossroads

By Rob Foenander info@countrycrossroads.com.au

Dusty Millers

■ Melbourne family combo, The Dusty Millers, will play a special Mothers Day show on Sunday, May 13, at the Memo Music Hall, St Kilda.

Lisa Miller, Tracey Miller and Loretta Miller will be joined on stage by additional musicians and are sure to deliver an entertaining show.

The group is renowned for giving classic songs a beautiful twist and breathing new life into some of Lisa and Tracey's original songs.

Tickets at the Memo.ood Friday Appeal.

Mic’s 50th

■ Legendary Australian entertainer Mic Conway is celebrating 50 years of showmanship and silliness with a national tour.

The ARIAAward-winning, singer, musician, song writer, fire eater, magician, tap dancer, juggler, comedian and multi-instrumentalist from Captain Matchbox and Circus Oz will be performing at The Skylark Room, Upwey, on Thursday, May 17.

Frankston 2018 ■ The annual Frankston Music Festival will be held from April 26 -29.

A multitude of different artists with varying musical genres will perform throughout the city at local venues over the four days.

More info at. frankstonmusicfestival.org - Rob Foenander

r Observbei z Show

■ The Melbourne French Theatre presents the French comedy cult play Le Père Noël est une Ordure from May 2 to May 5 inclusive at their new venue at Library at the Dock, Docklands.

Le Père Noël est une Ordure centres on a life-line agency for distressed Parisians at Christmas whose aid leads to more bad than good. In one night, a visit from an abject transvestite and a largely pregnant woman ends with a corpse needing to be disposed of.

The time is now. The location is every city.

Specifically, a lifeline agency, a place of refuge for those lost and without hope. It is Christmas Eve … and the mayhem begins.

Directed by Bruce Cochrane, the play is performed entirely in French with English surtitles,

like movie subtitles but in real life. This enables those with no knowledge of French to enjoy the performance and immerse themselves in French culture.

Performance Season: May 2 – 5 at 8.00pm (Six performances) Duration: Approximately 90 minutes with no interval.

New venue: Library at the Dock, Second Floor Performance Space, 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade, Docklands.

Tickets: Prices include drinks [Dominique Portet wines, La Sirène Beer and more] and food before show, arrive 30 minutes before show starts. $37 Public, $33 Concessions Bookings: melbournefrenchtheatre.org.au - Cheryl Threadgold

Green Room Awards From Page 10 Female in a Supporting Role: Robyn Nevin My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost) Male in a Supporting Role: Reg Livermore My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost) Lighting Design: Natasha Katz - Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions) Set Design: Bob Crowley - Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions) Costume Design: Gregg Barnes - Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions) Sound Design: Michael Waters - My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost) Music Direction/Supervision: Guy Simpson - My Fair Lady (Opera Australia & John Frost) Betty Pounder Award for Excellence in Choreography: Casey Nicholaw - Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions) Direction: Gary Young - Hello Dolly! (The Production Company) Direction: Tyran Parke - Ordinary Days (Pursued by Bear) Production: Aladdin The Musical (Disney Theatrical Productions) OPERA Female Lead: Loreni Gore - King Roger (Opera Australia) Male Lead: Michael Honeyman - King Roger (Opera Australia) Female in a Supporting Role: Dominica Matthews - Cavalleria Rusticana (Opera Australia) Male in a Supporting Role: James Egglestone - King Roger (Opera Australia) Conductor: Andrea Molino - King Roger (Opera Australia) Lighting Design: Jon Clark - King Roger (Opera Australia) Set and Costume Design: Steffen Aarfing King Roger (Opera Australia)

On This Day Friday Wednesday Thursday April 19 April 20 April 18 ■ British actress Hayley Mills was born in London in 1946.

Canadian comic actor Rick Moranis was born in 1953 (65).

US TV host and comedian Conan O’Brien was born in 1963 (55).

US actress Barbara Hale, who played Della Street in Perry Mason, was born in 1922.

Let’s Get Practical

French comedy cult play

■ Actress Jayne Mansfield was born in 1933.

She died aged 34 in 1967.

Comic actor and musician Dudley Moore was born in London in 1935.

He died aged 66 in 2002.

Australian radio and TV presenter Graham Webb is 82. He hosted Blind Date.

■ English actor Leslie Phillips was born in 1924.

Australian Olympic thlete Betty Cuthbert was born in Sydney in 1938.

US actor Ryan O’Neal was born in Los Angeles in 1941.

Actress Jessica Lange was born in Minnesota in 1949.

Melbourne Arts Direction: Damiano Michieletto - Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci (Opera Australia) Production: King Roger (Opera Australia) THEATRE COMPANIES Female Performer: Kate Mulvany - Richard 3 (Bell Shakespeare) Male Performer: Paul Blackwell - Faith Healer (Melbourne Theatre Company and Belvoir) Ensemble: Wild Bore (Malthouse Theatre) Lighting Design: Paul Jackson - Away (Malthouse Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company) and Testament of Mary (Malthouse Theatre) Set and Costume Design: Dale Ferguson Away (Malthouse Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company) Music Composition and Sound Design: J. David Franzke - Away (Malthouse Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company) New Writing/Adaptation for the Australian Stage: Nathan Maynard - The Season (Tasmania Performs) Direction: Isaac Drandic - The Season (Tasmania Performs) Production: The Season (Tasmania Performs) Geoffrey Milne Memorial Award: Candy Bowers Technical Achievement Award proudly sponsored by ARUP: Jethro Woodward Lifetime Achievement Award: Sue Giles

● Elliot Gee in Let’s Get Practical!

Live. Photo: Sarah Walker ■ It is not likely you will find another theatre company or ensemble performing in the way The Very Good Looking Initiative award winning group of trolls have in “singing out in a carefree jovial manner” that appeared unscripted in a mishmash of performance.

At the outset the audience were asked to note down on a card a short sentence of what worried them most, then to screw the card up and throw it to the stage, so surrounding the host for the evening Elliott Gee. With an expectation that the card would be used in Let’s Get Practical, billed as Australia’s most popular talk show, that didn’t happen. They were swept aside by the ensemble who then executed a vibrant dance sequence.

What followed was Live Television with suntanned alluring host, Elliott Gee together with Honor Wolff and Patrick Durnan Silva taking us on a ride of heterogeneous and very mixed potions of absurdist humour with arousals of anxiety and much uncertainty as to what happens next.

Sequences of Patrick Durnan Silva's Aussie outback ‘ocker and Honor Wolff's sensuous cabaret act were highlights while Elliot Gee, in delivering a monologue froze to the point of rushing back stage, leaving it empty and darkened for a lengthy period giving rise to and an expression of, male depression.

At times high energy, at times pointless, but interspersed with dark and light humour while the very scantily clad ensemble with their several exuberant and energetic dance sequences brought us back to reality.

Good props supported by Tom Backhaus’s sound and lighting added to the mystic of the production.

Dare I say that Patrick Duran Silva’s effervescent performance rose above the rest with Honor Wolff a close second.

Performance dates: Until April 22 Time: 9.30pm Venue: The Tower – Coopers Malthouse, 113 Sturt Street Southbank - Review by Graeme McCoubrie Melbourne

Observer

Saturday April 21 ■ Actor Anthony Quinn was born in Mexico in 1915. He died aged 86 in 2001.

US singer Iggy Pop was born as James Osterberg in 1947 US actor Tony Danza was born in New York in 1951.

Actress Andie McDowall was born in South Carolina in 1958.

Sunday April 22 ■ Actor Eddie Albert (Heimberger) was born in 1906. He died aged 99 in 2005. He starred in Green Acres.

Producer Aaron Spelling was born in 1923. He died aged 83 English actor George Cole, who played Arthur Daley in Minder, was born in London in 1925.

Monday April 23 ■ William Shakespeare was born at Stratfordupon-Avon in 1564. He died at the age of 52.

Actress Shirley Temple was born in 1928.

Singer-songwriter Roy Orbison was born in 1936.

He died aged 52 The famed American actress Sandra Dee was born in 1942. She died in 2005

Tuesday April 24 ■ American actress Shirley Maclaine was born in 1934.

Actress, singer, director Barbra Streisand was born in New York in 1942 (76).

UK TV producer Paula Yates was born in Wales in 1960. She died in 2000.

Singer Kelly Clarkson is 36 today.

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

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

■ Melbourne Find out more at www.jocksjournal.com

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - Page 43

Observer Showbiz

Tribute to Ron Blaskett

● Gerry Gee and Ron Blaskett

● Merle Blaskett with Sandra Simpkins dolls

● With Happy Hammond in the early days at GTV-9

● Ron Blaskett was always in the headlines

● Ron Blaskett and Gerry Gee in portrait

● Gerry Gee and Ron Blaskett at GTV-9

● With Joff Ellen at Channel 9

● With Happy Hammond at GTV-9

Page 44 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Observer Showbiz

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Movies, DVDs with Jim Sherlock, Aaron Rourke What’s Hot and What’s Not in Blu-Rays and DVDs FILM: PADDINGTON 2: Genre: Comedy/Adventure.

Cast: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant, Peter Capaldi, Brendan Gleeson, Joanna Lumley.

Year: 2017.

Rating: G. Length: 103 Minutes.

Stars: ****½ Verdict: Paddington is happily settled with the Brown family in Windsor Gardens, where he has become a popular member of the community, and while searching for the perfect present for his beloved Aunt Lucy's birthday, Paddington spots a unique pop-up book in Mr. Gruber's antique shop, and embarks upon a series of odd jobs to buy it.

But when the book is stolen, he is blamed and is thrown into prison for the crime he did not commit, it's up to Paddington, the Browns and a few fellow inmates to unmask the thief.

Originally inspired by the much loved character from the classic children's books by Michael Bond, who first appeared in "A Bear Called Paddington" in 1958, writer-director Paul King (Paddington/ 2014) has created colourful, energetic and hugely entertaining romp.

The familiar faces return, Hugh Bonneville and Sally Hawkins as the head of the Brown family, Julie Walters as Mrs. Bird, Peter Capaldi as Mr. Curry, along with Jim Broadbent as the antique shop owner, however, the scene-stealing belongs to veteran Brendan Gleeson as Nuckles McGinty, a safecracker and the prison cook, and Hugh Grant as a faded and narcissistic actor and the main antagonist, and Paddington's Uncle (Michael Gambon), Aunt Lucy (Imelda Staunton) and a host of delightfully engaging characters.

Even superior to its acclaimed 2014 predecessor (Paddington) this live-action-animated-adventure-comedy follow is charming, heartwarming and funny, and is the perfect family treat for the entire family for any time of the year!

FILM: MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS: G e n r e : Crime/Drama/Mystery.

Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penelope Cruz, Olivia Colman, Johnny Depp, Dame Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, Willem Dafoe.

Year: 2017.

Rating: M. Length: 114 Minutes.

Stars: ***½ Summary: Based on the classic novel by Agatha Christie, a train ride on the famed Orient Express becomes a murder-mystery that tells of thirteen stranded strangers following an avalanche, and one man's race against time, the legendary sleuth Hercule Poirot, to solve the puzzle before the murderer strikes again.

Previously filmed for the big screen by Sidney Lumet in 1974 with a breathtaking all-star-cast the includes Sean Connery, Albert Finney, Ingrid Bergman, Jacqueline Bisset, Anthony Perkins, Martin Balsam, Vanessa Redgrave, Rachel Roberts, Michael York, Lauren Bacall and Richard Widmark, among others, this 21st century version for the new generation of modern viewers has plenty to offer.

Director and star Kenneth Branagh is wildly wonderful as super sleuth Hercule Poirot, and more faithful in looks and characterization to Christie's literary counterpart, and a stellar cast, though no match for the original Sidney Lumet version, do a solid job on this overall enjoyable and entertaining journey.

Superb pacing, period detail, set design, 70MM cinematography and one of the most spectacular trains ever to grace the screen, they all combine to add a deliciously devilish atmosphere and charm, and even if you know who-did-it in this classic who-done-it, and not many don't, this is a ride well worth taking .... then do yourself a big favour and watch the 1974 version, and be even more excited and stimulated all over again. Good fun!

Previously filmed in 1974 (Sidney Lumet), 2001 (TV Movie) with Alfred Molina and Leslie Caron, 2010: TV/Agatha Christies's POIROT with David Suchet, 2015: (TV Mini-Series/Japan).

FILM: WONDER WHEEL: Genre: Drama.

Cast: Kate Winslet, Jim Belushi, Justin Timberlake, Juno Temple, Tony Sirico, Steve Schirripa.

Year: 2017.

Rating: M. Length: 101 Minutes.

Stars: ***½ Verdict: Woody Allen ensemble drama set in the early 1950s at New York's legendary Coney Island amusement park that follows the beleaguered wife of a middle-aged carousel operator, her husband's estranged daughter with a dark past, a lifeguard who has interest in both, and the mob who are after the daughter.

Writer-director Woody Allen returns to the childhood home of his alter ego Alvy Singer from the Oscar winning "Annie Hall," where he grew up in a small ramshackle house under the Coney Island roller coaster on the beach with an open view of the ocean.

In "Wonder Wheel," the view of the ocean from the home is obscured by a looming Ferris Wheel, here symbolically narrowing almost unreachable horizons for the characters constantly saturated deep in expressionistic orange, red and blue from the wheel, highlighting the claustrophobic dilapidated and inescapable surroundings and its seemingly trapped melancholic world weary tenants.

Though Coney Island exteriors are plentiful, long monologues, minimal editing and the claustrophobic location setting add to the tension and emotional flow and grip of theatricality with great effect, a reflection of previous isolated theatrical-to-cinematic transformations as Tennessee Williams (A Streetcar Named Desire) and Eugene O'Neill (Long Day's Journey Into Night).

Kate Winslet delivers an emotionally intense and compelling tourde-force performance as the lowly and frustrated Blanche DuBoisesque wife, followed with stellar performances by Jim Belushi as the abrasive husband, Juno Temple as the step-daughter on the run, and Justin Timberlake as the lifeguard and narrator.

In a delightful cameo, "The Sopranos" co-stars Tony Sirico and Steve Schirripa appear as the two mobsters in search of the daughter.

However, it is "Apocalypse Now," "Reds," "The Last Emperor" and "Dick Tracy" multi-Oscar-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro who excels with undeniably breathtaking results, creating a visually striking multi-layered tapestry and texture of uniquely individual human emotions through light and colour that dominates throughout.

Master filmmaker Woody Allen has created a strikingly beautiful, vibrant, intense, melancholic, touching and ultimately entertaining reflection of a unique time and place that is well worth a visit, and is definitely worthy of a place high on the list in an extraordinary body of work.

Rourke’s Reviews

● Dwayne Johnson stars in the action/FX extravaganza Rampage, based on the video game from the 1980s.

Performances are okay, but the characters aren't developed enough ■ (M). 107 minutes. Now show- to elicit complete audience sympathy. ing in cinemas.

It is not as good as the far supeBased on an 80's video game, this latest adaptation of something rior It Comes At Night (which is from that format unfortunately suf- available on Blu-ray and DVD).

RATING - *** fers a similar fate; a bloated, empty exercise that relies on a premise that can't sustain a feature film.

Dwayne Johnson plays Davis, an ex-special forces soldier who now works with animals at an ex- (MA). 93 minutes. Available now pansive wildlife reserve. on DVD. When one part of some satellite Having remained on the redebris, containing secret research nowned Black List since 2012, the samples, crashes in the immediate China Brothers (Benjamin and area, Davis' beloved gorilla George Paul) finally saw their script crafted is infected, as is a wolf and an alli- for the big screen in 2017, and the gator in other locations. wait was definitely worth it.

These animals grow to enorA typical mix of dirty secrets and mous size, and begin making their bad decisions that fill a small way to Chicago, as the evil com- American town, the smartly woven pany who funded the research are material is manoeuvred in intelliemitting a high frequency signal to gent fashion by director Jamie M. attract their mutated bounty, and of Dagg, who thankfully underplays course massive destruction is everything, wanting nuance to overcaused along the way. take the familiar.

Rampage could have been more Jon Bernthal (Fury, Marvel's fun if it went a brisk, brief 85-90 The Punisher) is refreshingly cast minutes, but everything is need- against type as Sam, while Chrislessly protracted, and director Brad topher Abbott (It Comes At Night, Peyton (San Andreas) helms the A Most Violent Year) is convincingly large-scale chaos in a lifeless, rou- unpredictable as the stranger Sam tine manner. befriends.

RATING - ** With echoes of the Coen Brothers and Carl Franklin's One False Move, Sweet Virginia is a small scale American film worth seeking (M). 90 minutes. Now showing in out. cinemas.

RATING - ***½ A huge hit with audiences in the US, A Quiet Place tries to emulate the stripped-down atmospherics of horror films from the 70s and 80s, but the film-makers' ambitions don't fully materialise during execution.

Set in a near future where the (M). 130 minutes. Available now world has been overwhelmed by a on DVD. ferocious, largely unseen force, the Movingly told, gorgeously anistory centres on a young family, mated film, which follows newly made up of Evelyn (Emily Blunt), married teenager Suzu from Lee (John Krasinski), and their Hiroshima to the small town of , two children Regan (Millicent focusing on the civilians she enSimmonds) and Marcus (Noah counters, along with events she witJupe). nesses, before the dropping of the Forced to use sign language, as Atomic Bomb on August 6, 1945. the entities are attracted to sound, Set between 1933 and 1946, this the group, who are holed up at a is a touching, patiently detailed, and farmhouse, must try to survive in a eventually harrowing film that sadly world where the slightest noise can looks like it is as relevant today as mean the end. the period in which the strongCo-star/co-writer/director willed Suzu lives.

Krasinski (best known from the US Not as emotionally draining as version of The Office) crafts the Children Of Hiroshima (1952), The production well enough, but frus- Grave Of The Fireflies (1988) and tratingly falls into formula quite of- Black Rain (1989), but is still highly ten, and telegraphs every plot point recommended viewing. and scare, making it easy to stay RATING - **** ahead of proceedings.

- Aaron Rourke

Rampage

Sweet Virginia

A Quiet Place

In This Corner of the World

Top 10 Lists APRIL 15-21 THE AUSTRALIAN BOX OFFICE TOP TEN: 1. PETER RABBIT. 2. READY PLAYER ONE. 3. A QUIET PLACE. 4. BLOCKERS. 5. LOVE, SIMON. 6. SHERLOCK GNOMES. 7. A WRINKLE IN TIME. 8. PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING. 9. BLACK PANTHER. 10. THE DEATH OF STALIN. NEW RELEASES AND COMING SOON TO CINEMAS AROUND AUSTRALIA: APRIL 12: ISLE OF DOGS, RAMPAGE, THE PARTY, TRUTH OR DARE. APRIL 19: I FEEL PRETTY, SUPER TROOPERS 2, THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY, THE LITTLE VAMPIRE, THE SONG KEEPERS. THE DVD AND BLU-RAY TOP RENTALS & SALES: 1. JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE [Adventure/Fantasy/Dwayne Johnson].

2. CALL ME BY YOUR NAME [Drama/ Timothee Chalamet, Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg].

3. DOWNSIZING [Comedy/Fantasy/ Drama/Matt Damon, Cristoph Waltz, Hong Chau].

4. STAR WARS: The Last Jedi [Action/ Fantasy/Adventure/Daisy Ridley, Carrie Fisher].

5. COCO [Animated/Adventure/Music/ Comedy/Anthony Gonzalez, Benjamin Bratt].

6. PADDINGTON 2 [Family/Comedy/Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Hugh Grant].

7. ROMAN J. ISRAEL, ESQ [Crime/ Drama/Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell].

8. THE DISASTER ARTIST [Biography/ Comedy/James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen].

9. WONDER WHEEL [Comedy/Drama/Kate Winslet, Jim Belushi, Justin Timberlake].

Also: THOR RAGNAROK, THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS, FERDINAND, JUSTICE LEAGUE, SWEET VIRGINIA, ONLY THE BRAVE, TULIP FEVER, WONDER, DADDY'S HOME 2, THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER. NEW HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK: ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD [Drama/ Christopher Plummer, Michelle Williams].

NUT JOB 2: Nutty By Nature [Animated/ Adventure/Comedy/Katherine Heigl, Jackie Chan].

DARKEST HOUR [War/Drama/Gary Oldman, Lily James, Kristin Scott Thomas].

PITCH PERFECT 3 [Comedy/Music/Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld].

THE SECRET SCRIPTURE [Drama/Rooney Mara, Eric Bana, Vanessa Redgrave].

THE FLORIDA PROJECT [Drama/Willem Dafoe, Christopher Rivera, Bria Vinaite].

THE JUNGLE BUNCH [Animated/Adventure/Comedy/Celine Montsarrat].

NEW & RE-RELEASE CLASSIC MOVIES HIGHLIGHTS: ICE COLD IN ALEX [War/Drama/John Mills, Harry Andrews, Sylvia Syms].

THE CRUEL SEA [War/Drama/Jack Hawkins, Denholm Elliott, Virginia McKenna].

THE FUNHOUSE [Horror/Elizabeth Berridge, Shawn Carson].

NEW RELEASE TELEVISION, DOCUMENTARY AND MUSIC DVD HIGHLIGHTS: WALK WITH ME. PHILIP K. DICK'S: ELECTRIC DREAMS Season 1.

MRS. BROWN'S BOYS: LIVE - Nice Big Box. KILLJOY: Season 3.

FOR THE LOVE OF MRS. BROWN. RAILROAD AUSTRALIA: Season 2.

THE LIBRARIANS: Season 4.

ELEMENTARY: Season 5.

- James Sherlock

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - Page 45

Page 46 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - Page 49

Observer Showbiz

Local Theatre with Cheryl Threadgold and team HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU, SQUID

● Joe Shaffer ■ While amiable and affable, Joe Shaffer’s contribution to the Melbourne Comedy Festival lacks bite.

Ostensibly, he utilises animals as a source of comedy even providing screen shots of cute creatures to evoke the requisite ‘ahs’ from the audience.

But in venturing further, he relies on the usual innuendo that is associated with pussies, beavers and tits. In so doing, he doesn’t transcend what is common school boy humour.

Telling the small audience in the compact room of Tasma Terrace that Australians can eat their national emblems, the emu and kangaroo, is relying on common knowledge but he fails to develop the concept into anything more unique, diverting or funny.

The comparisons between his birth state of Texas and Queensland had potential but, overall, the routine lacked a structure that might have given it some coherence and the reliance on animals as a focus was hardly insightful.

His style was personable but a more distinctive comic attitude and perspective is needed to distinguish one from the crowd.

Performance Dates: Until April 22 at 8.15pm Venue: Tasma Terrace, Melbourne Tickets: $20-$25 Bookings: comedyfestival.com.au - Review by David McLean

BEN VOLCHOK PRESENTS

● Ben Volchok ■ Ben’s talent has been previously recognised in being a winner of the Melbourne University Campus Comedy Competition joining such luminaries as Hamish Blake and Sammy J. His offering as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival at Tasma House confirmed his ability by bringing to the stage two original Radio Plays in the true tradition of bygone days, With little else other than a paper script, twin microphones and a plethora of sound effects (be they on a lap top) he presented his own works in two dramatic episodes.

Firstly in the 1970’s in Central London, Mysteries of an Uncanny Nature, private detective Errol Street faces the daunting task of find a missing girl, Miss Sing, a singer and dancer.

He has help from his brother Neville Street a regular policeman as they encounter poison, murder and with several trips to the morgue to track down missing buttocks.

Continued at top of far right column

For Love Or Money

● Rebecca Moore (left), Danielle O'Malley, Jane Patterson and Laura Burzacott in Ginger and Tonic’s For Love or Money. Photo: Pier Carthew. See below, at right

Latest shows, auditions SHOWS

■ The 1812 Theatre: Constellations (by Nick Payne) until April 28 at 7.30pm at 3-5 Rose St., Upper Ferntree Gully. Director: Justin Stephenson. Bookings: 9758 3964.

■ Williamstown Little Theatre: Stones in his Pockets (by Marie Jones), April 19 - May 5 at 2 Albert St., Williamstown. Director: Trevor Handcock. Bookings: 0447 340 665 www.wlt.org.au ■ Frankston Theatre Group: The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery (by David McGillivray and Walter Zetlin Jr.) April 20 - 29 at Mt Eliza Community Centre, Canadian Bay Rd., Mt Eliza. Director: Annie Laureson. Bookings: 1300 665 377.

■ Mordialloc Theatre Company: All Things Considered (by Ben Brown) April 20 - May 5 at Shirley Burke Theatre, 64 Parkers Rd., Parkdale.

Director: Deborah Fabbro. Bookings: 9587 5141.

■ Malvern Theatre Company: Our Town (by Thornton Wilder) April 20 - May 5 at 29a Burke Rd., East Malvern. Director: Peter Newling.

Bookings: 1300 131 552.

■ Encore Theatre: Away (by Michael Gow) April 20 - May 5 at Clayton Community Centre, Cooke St., Clayton. Director: Tim Scott. Bookings: www.encoretheatre.com.au ■ Geelong Repertory Theatre Company: The Resistable Rise of Arturo ui (by Bertolt Brecht, adapted by George Tabori). April 20 - May 5 at 15 Coronation St., Geelong. Director: Greg Shawcross. Bookings: GPAC 5225 1200.

■ Peridot Theatre: Three One Act Plays April 26 - 29 at Unicorn Theatre, Mt Waverley Secondary College, Lechte Rd., Mt Waverley. Play 1: English Made Simple (by David Ives), Director Emma Barber. Play 2: On the Edge (by Kylie Rackham), Director Stephanie King; Play 3: A Little Box of Oblivion (by Stephen Bean), Director George Benca. Bookings: 9808 0770.

■ Bright Alpine Players: It's My Party (And I'll Die if I Want to) (by Elizabeth Coleman) April 26 - May 5 at Bright Courthouse, Park St., Bright. Director: Phyl Swindley. Bookings: trybooking.com ■ Foster Arts Music and Drama Association (FAMDA): The Web (by Kate Mulvany) April 27 - May 5 at 79 Main St., Foster. Director: Sue Lindsay. Bookings: 5682 2077.

■ Heidelberg Theatre Company: The House of Bernarda Alba (by Federico Garcia Lorca) April 27 - May 12 at 36 Turnham Ave., Rosanna.

SHOWS Director: Joan Moriarty. Bookings: www.htc.org.au ■ Melbourne French Theatre: Le Pere Noel est une Ordure May 2 - 5 at Library on the Dock, 107 Victoria Harbour Promenade, Docklands; Director: Bruce Cochrane, Bookings: 9349 2250.

■ Phoenix Theatre Company: Ghosts May 11 - 19 at the Doncaster Playhouse. Director: Renee Maloney; Musical Director; Ben Heels. Tickets: $30. Bookings: 9012 5897.

■ CLOC Musical Theatre: Strictly Ballroom May 11 - 26 at the National Theatre, St Kilda.

Director: Richard Perdriau; Musical Director: Daniel Heskett; Choreographer: David Harford.

Bookings: www.cloc.org.au 1300 362 547 ■ Nova Music Theatre: Guys and Dolls May 12 - 26 at The Whitehorse Centre, Whitehorse Road, Nunawading. Co-Directors: Noel Browne and Wayne Robinson; Musical Director: John Clancy; Choreographer: Dean Robinson. Bookings: 1300 304 433.

■ Williamstown Musical Theatre Company: Hot Mikado May 18 - 26 at the new location Centenary Theatre, 71 Railway Place, Williamstown. Bookings: www.wmtc.org.au or 1300 881 545.

■ MLOC Productions: Spring Awakening May 25 - June 2 at Shirley Burke Theatre, 64 Parkers Rd., Parkdale. Director/Choreographer: Angela Phillips; Musical Director; Malcom Huddle.

Bookings; www.mloc.org.au.

AUDITIONS ■ Williamstown Little Theatre Inc: Under Milk Wood (by Dylan Thomas) April 22 and 23 at 7.30pm at 2 Albert St., Williamstown. Director: Sandy Green.

Enquiries: sandramarygreen22@gmail.com ■ Beaumaris Theatre: Echoes April 22 from 2.30pm and April 24 from 7.00pm at Beaumaris Theatre, 82 Wells Road, Beaumaris. Director: Barbara Crawford. Enquiries: 0414 881 844.

■ Williamstown Little Theatre Inc: Silent Sky (by Lauren Gunderson) May 6 at 2.00pm, May 7 at 7.00pm at 2 Albert St., Williamstown. Director: Ellis Ebell. Enquiries: 0417 393 296 or ellis@pagebell.com ■ MLOC Productions: The Boy From Oz June 12, 14, 15 (singing and acting), June 17 (dancing). Mentone and Mordialloc area. Director/ Choreographer: Rhylee Nowell; Musical Director: Matthew Hadgraft. For audition bookings visit www.mloc.org.au

BEN VOLCHOK PRESENTS ● From far left column, this page The many characters all portrayed admirably by Ben along the way, some helpful, others not, all led Errol Street to solve the case.

The second episode took us to the Aussie outback where maverick Pru Blue, Outback Spy Hunter, with her inept assistant Les Mistons needed to find the source of counterfeit notes and the spy who had infiltrated the CSIRO to be able to find how to create the new plastic notes.

Once again crazy situations, silly puns, all fast delivered in Ben’s inimitable style. So fast that at times the characters were not so identifiable immediately while some sound effects lacked volume.

Ben Volchok captured the true quintessence of those past iconic Radio Plays, the likes of The Goon Show and Hancock’s Half Hour, with absurdity, much wordplay all being very, very silly.

Performance dates: Until 22 April Time: 7pm Venue: Tasma House, 6 Parliament Place East Melbourne Tickets: micf.tickets.red61.com - Review by Graeme McCoubrie

GINGER AND TONIC ■ For Love or Money is performed by the phenomenal a capella group Ginger and Tonic at MICF in cabaret at The Melba Spiegeltent.

The group members are Laura (Burzie) Burzacott, Rebecca (Bec) Moore, Jane Patterson and Danielle (Dani) O'Malley.

They excite with exceptional harmonies, vocal gymnastics and accompanying skilful beat box percussion.

They hip-hop, pump and glide as a cohesive, well-oiled choreographic machine. Individual costume, cleverly accessorised with leopard skin, unifies their appearance.

This parody tells of the group’s hunger for success in business and love: each member has a badass business enterprise to launch.

Stories are told through their original songs including fresh renditions of songs by Miley Cyrus, Pussycat Dolls, Meatloaf and many others Burzie presents as the most badass, hardnosed, business bitch with language and movement to match.

With partner, Gary, she is seizing the world of matrimonial events management.

Closer scrutiny reveals one half an event so far. Her signature song, Marry Me Gary, may indicate her primary life focus.

Inveterate marketer, Bec, demonstrates her active-wear range on-stage while her initial hyped claims to a newfound, hot lover, fade to luke-warm.

Jane’s business venture, inspired by guru, Oprah Winfrey, is to revolutionise love-making through some product vaguely to do with balls. We suspect her obsession with Shannon Bennett over-rides her business acumen.

Toughest of them all is Dani. She reminds her career-minded friends of the likelihood of missing the ‘biological boat’ and the need to take out insurance, especially of the eggharvesting type. Her ovary-freezing business has all the answers.

In For Love or Money these women might want it all in life but Ginger and Tonic have got it all on stage. A stand-out performance.

Venue: The Melba Spiegeltent 35 Johnston Street, Collingwood Season: Until April 22 at 8.30pm Time: 60 minutes Bookings: www.comedyfestival.com.au - Review by Sherryn Danaher

MEDIA FLASHES ■ Erin Pearson has started her new role as Crime Reporter at The Age. She joins the publication from the Geelong Advertiser where she had been Police Reporter since 2012.

Prior to this, Erin was a Journalist at Geelong Independent.

- Telum Australia

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Page 50 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 Melbourne

Observer

Lovatts Crossword No 30 Across

2. Sleeps through winter 7. Waterproof fabric 11. Greatly delighted 17. Baked treat 18. Sharp humour 19. Boxer, Muhammad ...

20. Terrible tsar 21. Rissole 22. Timetable 23. Differentiate 26. New Zealander 28. Marvel 29. Windpipe 31. Alien spacecraft (1,1,2) 34. Of newborn 36. Get to feet 39. Stagger 41. Decisive trial (4,4) 43. Most peculiar 46. Artist's naked models 47. Annul 49. Took (baby) off bottle 51. Lists articles 52. Show on screen 53. Nap 54. Lieu 55. Guitarist, ... Clapton 56. Comic verse 61. Sightseers 64. Electrode material 65. Lout 66. Nomadic beggars 67. Fire warming shelf 69. Gaggle birds 71. Boat launching ramp 74. River Jordan lake (4,3) 76. Case-harden 78. Tip of grain 79. Assail 81. Baronet's title 83. Faithful 84. Huge marine mammal 86. Renovated 89. Actress, ... Dukakis 90. ... Syne (4,4) 93. Group of fish 94. Releases grip (4,2) 97. Designer, ... Laurent (4,2) 100. Pause punctuation mark 101. Bewitching 103. Promote product 106. Et cetera (3,2,2) 108. Islam text 109. Speared 110. Swaddle 111. Effeminate 112. Dock 113. Match before final 115. Weathermen 118. Wears overly-fine attire 121. Paradise 124. Ruin 128. Idolise 129. Atlantic or Indian 130. Futility 134. Utilisation 135. Alpaca relative 136. Viper

Across

Down

137. Typeface 138. Burn with steam 139. Put pressure (on) 140. Citizenship 143. Greeting word 144. Last Greek letter 147. Annoy 150. Walk in water 151. Avoidable 155. Graveyard areas 157. Periods 158. Animal welfare group (1,1,1,1,1) 159. Discharge from army 162. More work-shy 164. Scrubbing stone 167. Troubled 168. Cowhands 169. Memphis is there 172. Headache tablet 173. Unfastened 174. Hooded jackets 177. Extreme limit 180. Relaxes 181. Destroy 183. Salary list 184. Butt receptacles 186. Inaccuracy 187. Reproductive gland 188. Sort 191. Dodging (duty) 195. Actors Gibson or Brooks 197. Untruthful 198. Incited (5,2) 200. Carved picture design 202. Selected 203. Chaps 205. Verify 206. Supplement, ... out 208. Singer, ... Garland 209. Stowing away 212. Confused rush 215. Shocked inhalation 217. Copper alloy 220. Small & delicate 222. Deficiency disease 224. Oily medicinal cream 226. Local 228. Stoneworkers 229. About-face (1-4) 230. Australia/New Zealand sea 232. Completely envelop 235. Songbird, ... wren 236. Arab land 238. Major celebrity 241. Scientific information 242. Distance travelled 243. Try 244. In present condition (2,2) 246. Mixing with others 252. White wine grape 253. Applicable 254. Respectfully, on bended ...

255. Irish movement (1,1,1) 256. Recline 257. Red-skinned cheese 258. Hidden past (4,6) 259. Cleaver 260. Assumptions

1. Taxi-driver 2. Confines (4,2) 3. Bird's mouth 4. Putting together again 5. TV broadcast 6. Stockholm natives 7. Singer, ... Redding 8. Jeans pioneer, ... Strauss 9. Martial art, ... fu 10. German WWII fascist 11. Seventh, ..., ninth 12. Remodels 13. Fab Four group (3,7) 14. Utter defeat 15. Become extinct (3,3) 16. Pity-arousing quality 24. Metric tons 25. Unexpended 26. Enlightenment 27. Seducer 28. Former Chinese leader, ... Zedong 30. One-spot card 32. Fierce 33. First aid bed 35. Yes vote 37. Identical sibling 38. Sweeping receptacles 39. Not to mention (3,5) 40. Ship's staff 42. Lion's lair 44. Dublin republic 45. Humanitarian, Mother ...

47. Actress, ... Kidman 48. Apparel 50. Dead as a ...

53. Mediocre (2-2) 57. Of childbirth 58. Six-stringed instrument 59. Ill will (3,5) 60. Get a word in ...

62. Infuse 63. Unappreciated 65. Longbow timber 68. ... & brace 70. Soil excavator (5,5) 72. Playwright, Oscar ...

73. Spinning toys (2-3) 74. Duck's mate 75. Regions 77. Circus director 80. Undying 82. Theatrical 85. Suffered torment (over decision) 87. Panache 88. Singer, ... Fitzgerald 91. Salt Lake City state 92. Corporals, sergeants etc (1,1,2) 95. Nails 96. Small devices 98. Arteries, blood ...

99. Sedate (character) 102. Otherwise 104. Oaths 105. News 107. Sydney's state (3,5,5) 113. Drink down 114. Intimidated 116. Outdoors (4-3) 117. Magic lamp owner 119. Reincarnation 120. Sent via Internet 122. Titled widow

Down 123. Aggravates 125. Gumtree marsupial 126. Trial showings 127. Scientist, ... Newton 128. Greek fable teller 130. Hot water dispenser 131. Consume 132. Famous record label (1,1,1) 133. Secret agent 141. Canadian province 142. Brass instrument 145. In a motherly way 146. Ethnic extermination 148. Weirdness 149. Cards between sweethearts 152. Struggler 153. Julia Roberts' film, ... Brockovich 154. Came into view 155. Sedans & coupes 156. Relief brooch 160. Be an omen of 161. Repugnant 163. Egyptian snakes 165. Tabbies or Siamese 166. Threw into disorder 167. Breezy 170. Coffee style 171. Extol 175. Onward 176. Danish novelist, ... Blixen 178. Cat cry 179. Authority (3-2) 182. Mental pictures 185. Vehicle's wheel cover 188. Injudicious (3-6) 189. Most considerate 190. Club's yearly meeting (1,1,1) 192. Briskness 193. Unreal 194. Diamonds 195. Puritans 196. 366-day cycles (4,5) 199. Proprietors 201. Beginning 204. Glimpse 207. Eager 210. Armoured US animals 211. Vagrant 213. Door rugs 214. Bivouac site 216. Woodwind instrument 217. Asian sultanate 218. Tendons 219. Eyelid swelling 221. Sticky coal by-product 223. Put at risk 225. Chatted 227. Cry of discovery 228. Close-mouthed 231. Mesh trap 233. Nominating 234. Great loathing 235. Missionary priest 237. Henpecked 239. Fries lightly 240. Car safety cushion (3,3) 245. Pub drink 247. Cease talking, ... up 248. Your school, ... mater 249. Des Moines is there 250. Indolent 251. Pudding starch

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018 - Page y g 51

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Page 52 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Observer Victorian Sport Melbourne

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Wine Column Top end of market

Cracker All Aged Stakes

■ Top Sydney three-year old Trapeze Artist is taking all before in recent starts and early markets for the All Aged Stakes this Saturday proved he could be the one to beat in the classic.

In the care of leading trainer, Gerald Ryan, he has had 13starts for five wins and two seconds.

He proved too good for the horses labelled as the sprinter in the world, Redzel, in the TJ.Smith Stakes, after putting the writing on the wall after running a great third to Kementari in the Randwick Guineas.

Prior to that, he ran a good fourth again to Kementari in the Hobartville Stakes.

The Darren Weir-trained galloper, Brave Smash, who disappointed when seventh to Trapeze Artist, has to be given another chance as he is better than that.

Go on his narrow defeat by Redkirk Warrior in the Newmarket, and prior to that he won the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield.

On the next line is versatile Hartnell from the Godolphin camp, in the care of James Cummings, but I feel they will be too nippy over this trip.

Redkirk Warrior, the winner of a Lightning Stakes, and the last two Newmarket Handicaps at Flemington, is stepping up in distance.

However he is in the powerful HayesDabernig stable and they are pretty well spot on.

The Gai Waterhouse-Andrew Bot mare English, I feel, has been disappointing in recent starts, although a little bit unlucky in the Galaxy when second to another good mare, In Her Time.

She is not one of mine in this.

The Kris Lees-trained Le Romain showed some improvement when fourth to Trapeze Artist in the T.J.Smith over 1200 metres.

On his day he is pretty smart, but it is a top class field.

Five year-old mare In Her Time is smart and was a good third in the T.J.Smith, after winning the Galaxy, and I feel at the odds of $9 is good value.

A race steeped in tradition, the All Aged Stakes once again will be a bottler.

At Deniliquin

■ I am looking forward to working for the Deniliquin Racing Club come ANZAC Day on April 25.

I unfortunately missed the meeting last year due to ill health, but I have fond memories of ANZAC Day with the Club running their, Diggers Cup Meeting.

I travel up with Nigel Killip, who calls the races, along with his wife Caroline and son Jake.

It takes about four hours to get to the picturesque track.

As in previous years the Club will run a five event meeting with the main race being the Diggers Cup, in respect of ANZAC Day. Nigel was kind enough on behalf of the Club for me to do the P.A. My job on the day is let racegoers know what we have planned for the big day.

I interview all our sponsors before each race and interview the winning jockey.

I keep the public informed throughout the day as what is on.

Items such as the popular Fashions on the Field, and the Punters Club, run by Nigel's wife, Caroline, with Nigel doing the tipping.

The Club has come up with a novel way as in recent years of having a new wheelbarrow full of goodies the value of around $300, for which they run a raffle with the proceeds going to the RSL. Also they cater for people wishing to come to and from the track from town at a small cost of $2 per person.

As usual the popular two-up will be held in the betting ring after the last with proceeds going to the RSL. Bookies will field on races in Melbourne and interstate and the Deniliquin meeting.

The Tote on course will be open for betting across Australia.

There will most likely be a prize given to the

● Brave Smash wins the Futurity. Racing Photos. person with the Lucky Racebook. I am looking for a great day at Deniliquin, come Wednesday April 25, in respect of ANZAC Day.

Ted Ryan

Racing Mass

■ Although down in numbers a number of horse racing Catholics enjoyed the 61st day of Reflection at St Leonard's in Glen Waverley.

Although down in numbers; all had a great day. A couple of notable absentees, regulars, former bookmaker, Eric Tymms, who is in hospital, and another satchel swinger, Graeme Sam Samperi, who was having an operation.

Among those present were the former Racing Editor of the Truth newspaper, Ron Taylor, and the Vice-Chairman of the Melbourne Racing Club, Peter Le Grande, The day was highlighted by our Guest Speaker, Father Kevin Davine, the former Rector of Mazenod College, while the Racing Chaplain, Father Brendan Dillon, participated in proceedings including the Mass after lunch.

Since our last Day of Reflection back in February last year and number of our racing fraternity have passed away.

Among them, former Collingwood captain Lou Richards, jockey Joe Gilmore, another rider Roger Booth, Fitzroy footballer, John Bahen, Albert Millson, and greyhound stalwart, George Schofield.

The day is open for all forse racing lovers not only for members of the Catholic faith.

In all as mentioned own in numbers, Peter James and Neil Thomas, his assistant, did a good job again organising the day.

The morning tea and lunch was organised by the ladies connected with the Church, and was very palatable.

- Ted Ryan

● Redkirk Warrior gets home. Racing Photos

● Rebecca Willson, winemaker at Bremerton … has come up with the goods at the top end of the market.

■ Excellent wines … but John Rozentals is surprised at Bremerton's choice of closure for a couple of premium reds.

I had the opportunity during the week to try a couple of new vintages of extremely high-quality, interesting South Australian reds from Bremerton, in South Australia's Langhorne Creek district.

The Bremerton 2013 Walter's Cabernet Sauvignon and Bremerton 2014 Old Adam Shiraz each carries the pretty hefty price tag of $56 so they are definitely special-occasion wines.

Thankfully, winemaker Rebecca Willson has come up with the goods, delivering a couple of fine, rich, multi-layered dry reds that would grace any dining table on any occasion.

What really surprised me, though, was that they had been sealed with cork and sent me scurrying through my top drawer searching for a little-any-longer-used corkscrew - and inevitably on the search also for a hint of cork taint or some sign of random oxidation.

I certainly found no sign of the former, but the latter is a pretty insidious beast at low levels and, unless you've been privy to the wine in tank and barrel, you're always a bit unsure about whether you're drinking the wine in exactly the condition that the winemaker intended.

To me, the closures represented a retrograde step that harked of the notion that screwcaps were fine for your average wine, but that cork should be set aside for the very best wines.

That belief, I think, is nonsense.

WINE REVIEWS Robert Stein 2017 Semillon Riesling Gewurztraminer ($18): Gewurztraminer was included in one of the winery's traditional blends to add some zip, and the move has worked for winemaker Jacob Stein.

The wine is crisp and refreshing, and great for Asian-style food, but still retains plenty of complex texture from wild-yeast fermentation of unclarified juice.

Robert Stein 2017 Shiraz Nouveau ($30): When a Mudgee producer talks about producing a slightly lighter style of red, do remember that he or she is starting from a heftier baseline than most. I do like the way that the traditional tannins have been softened, though, while retaining much of the variety's charming flavour.

WINE OF THE WEEK Bremerton 2014 Old Adam Shiraz ($56): Langhorne Creek, near the mouth of the once-great Murray River, continues to often fly under the radar when it comes to considering South Australian red wine, but as Wolf Blass discovered many years ago, the area can produce some very handy stuff indeed.

This has everything you'd expect for the price - rich concentrated fruit flavours, classy oak and, above all, balance. Reserve it for some very good beef.

- John Rozentals

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