Melbourne Observer. July 25, 2018

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2018

VICTORIA’S INDEPENDENT WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

49TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION $2.95

S TATE EDITION Vol 50 No 1708 SERVING VICTORIA SINCE 1969

OUT OF THIS WORLD including GST

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FRANCSHISEES WANTED URGENTLY Melbourne Metro and Country Vic Options available; Some territories already trading; Some leads provided Low cost entry

● Fleur Blum and Alexandra Fraser are Out of This World at The Butterfly Club from September 17-23. Details inside.

● See Page 74

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Page 2 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

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Showbiz News

What’s On West Side Story

‘Contest’ at Speakeasy

■ Darebin Arts Speakeasy presents Contest from July 26 – August 4 at the Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre, Main Hall.

Written by award winning playwright Emilie Collyer, Contest is set around Australia’s iconic female sport, netball.

Directed by Prue Clark with movement direction by Nat Cursio and Alice Dixon, Contest is described by Collyer as a ‘netball dreamscape … a sweaty play about the petty and the profound, the mundane and the mythic.’

Drawing on the myth of Cassandra, the play is set at a suburban netball court where a new player has joined the team.

Cass is an outsider with the gift of prophecy that others cannot or will not hear. The other women try to manipulate, coerce and bully her into conforming and still she refuses.

The production begs the question, how might we interact with each other if competition is not part of the game.

Emily Tomlims plays Cassandra . Emily was nominated for a Green Room Award for her performance in Collyer’s 2015 production, Dream Home.

Emily is also the co-founder and Co-Artistic Director of award-winning independent theatre company, Elbow Room.

Her stage credits include Niche, We Get It (Elbow Room/MTC Neon), You and Me and the Space Between (Terapin Puppet Theatre/ Darwin Festival), Cyrano de Bergerac (Sydney Theatre Company) and Edward Gant’s Amaz

● Kate Hood can be seen in Contest.

Photo: Julie Millowick. ng Feats of Loneliness (Sydney Theatre Company/La Boite).

Emily is joined on stage by Alice Ansara (Sydney Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre Company and Bell Shakespeare and TV credits Bogan Pride and Legally Brown); Green Room Award recipient and HelpmannAward nominee Natasha Herbert (STC/MTC’s The

Father as well as Away, Anti-Hamlet, National Theatre’s Warhouse, The Misconception of Oedipus) and Sonya Suares, whose credits span Pinter, Puccini, Shakespeare and new Australian work across stage and film.

Rounding out the cast is actor Kate Hood, who is a wheelchair user and has experienced moving from being an able-bodied person to a person with disability, playing a character with a similar trajectory.

Kate’s 20-year career across stage and television has seen her perform in everything from classics to musicals including Prisoner, Gordon Frost Productions ofBig River and MTC’S Diving for Pearls.

She became a wheelchair user a decade ago and reinvented herself as a writer, director and theatre maker with disability.

Performance Season: July 26 – August 4 Times: Wed – Sat 8pm, Sunday 6pm plus Sat matinee August 4 at 2pm (relaxed performance) Auslan interpreted performance 8pm, Thursday, August 2 Venue: Northcote town Hall Arts Centre, Main Hall Times: Wed - Sat 8pm, Sunday 6pm plus Sat matinee August 4 2pm (relaxed performance*) Auslan Interpreted Performance: 8pm, Thursday 2 August Tickets: Full $33, Conc/Student $28, Preview $25. Duration: 75 mins Bookings: http://www.darebinarts.com.au/ whats-on/contest-written-by-emilie-collyer/

May Contain Traces of Reading

■ Melbourne’s own Mitchell E Roberts has decided to perform his stand-up comedy show May Contain Traces of Reading all without speaking a single word. The show can be seen from August 20 – 25 at The Butterfly Club.

After a two-year hiatus off the stage, Roberts introduces his alter ego Robert Mitchell, a man bound by his circumstances (as ridiculous as they are silly) which he takes very seriously.

It follows the journey through the perils and perks of his life, using a combination of physical comedy, dad jokes, and the crossroads of the absurd and the dead serious.

Rather than reading between the lines the audience actually just gets to read them, which means it’s accessible to the deaf community and of course anyone who can read ... or at least anyone who hasn’t forgot to wear their glasses that night!

No stranger to the stage Roberts is a trained musical theatre performer and has appeared in many musicals over the years including the Australian Shakespeare's season of The Wind in the Willows playing Badger.

Roberts says he’s the kind of person never finds himself satisfied doing one thing at a time and over the years has found himself working in all sides of the theatrical process including stage management, writing, and directing.

“The idea came to me in one golden moment and I spent the next four weeks trying to work out if it was funny or just silly,” says Roberts, who at just 24 was influenced by the minds of comedians such as Lano and Woodley, Monty Python and Rowan Atkinson.

Performance Season: August 20 – 25 at 7pm Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne Cost: $27 - $34 Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com .

Just Briefly Led balloon ■ The highly anticipated Lez Zeppelin Australian tour, scheduled for July and August 2018, has been postponed due to the ill health of the tour promoter.

RMP Aria Final ■ The 2018 RMPAria Competition Final, followed by a performance of Carissimi’s Historia di Jephte will be held at Deakin Edge, Federation Square at 7pm on Sunday, August 19.

At Collingwood

● Mitchell Roberts

Wintringham Art Exhibition The exhibited art is a celebration of work from clients and residents who live or are supported by Wintringham. You'll be delighted with the visual d pleasures on display.

Ranging from varying degrees of flare, ability and mediums.

This show is a testament to the support Wintringham provides to people who have experienced disadvantage and homelessness.

Ending homelessness can be about creating new life and a permanent solution to secure housing and everything that comes with creating a home. This includes a safe place for expression without fear, having the space and environment to create something new.

Art. Closes August 8.

Collingwood Gallery 292 Smith St, Collingwood - Peter Kemp

Lorne Festival of Performing Arts

■ Lorne’s Festival of Performing Arts has announced its first release of acts for its return Thursday August 30 through to Sunday September 2.

Headlined by award-winning comedian Sammy J, the festival will feature comedy, cabaret, magic, music and roving entertainment.

One act is piano bar entertainment, including Trevor Jones who has thrilled audiences around the world with his encyclopedic repertoire of songs, and Matthew Hadgraft will share his catalogue of distinctly Australian songs.

Tickets from $10. All tickets are available for sale at www.fopa.com.au

■ West Side Story will play limited seasons at Arts Centre Melbourne and Sydney Opera House in 2019.

Opera Australia and GWB Entertainment have announced that the acclaimed BB Group production of West Side Story will play in two of Australia’s most iconic theatres in 2019.

Audition submissions are now open to find Australia’s most exciting young talent to play dream roles in this timeless classic, which features Jerome Robbins’ ground-breaking choreography.

A modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet; this tragic love story tells the tale of two young people whose happiness is destroyed by the hate of two enemy camps in New York City’s urban jungle.

The ‘Jets’, sons of previous immigrants to America, battle the new arrivals from Puerto Rico, the ‘Sharks’, for domination of the streets.

BB Group CEO and Producer Ralf Kokemullersaid “We are thrilled to be bringing this production for an eagerly awaited return to Australia.

The dramatic story, spectacular dancing and unforgettable songs have captivated theatregoers for decades and audiences in Melbourne and Sydney are going to love it.”

When the original West Side Story opened on Broadway in 1957, musical theatre changed forever as the most complex and challenging unity of music, dance, book and lyrics was realised in a way which has been rarely matched since.

The genius of its four creators, a remarkable collaboration between Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Jerome Robbins, produced a masterpiece whose artistic quality remains unquestioned to this day.

Now former pupil of Jerome Robbins, Joey McKneely’s new stage production returns to Australia after acclaim world-wide.

Since the first world tour in 2003, there have been more than 1500 performances of McKneely’s award-winning production of West Side Story.

Joey McKneely is a two-time Tony Award nominated choreographer whose Broadway credits include Smokey Joe’s Café, The Life, Twelfth Night, The Wild Party and The Boy From Oz. Auditions commence in Sydney from Tuesday August 21 and in Melbourne from August 28.

For more information on the audition process visit www.westsidestory.com.au - Cheryl Threadgold

Cat Lovers Show

■ Kitty-krazed Victorians will be feline fine when the inaugural Cat Lovers Show opens at the Royal Exhibition Building on Saturday- Sunday, September 8-9.

- Terry Radford

Mike McColl Jones

Top 5

THE T OP 5 CHANGES T O TOP TO AFL FOO TY THA T FOOTY THAT WOULDN'T SURPRISE 5. Every player on the ground to have his own umpire.

4. A game to be played on the planet Mars (naming rights sponsor).

3. A forensic area to replace the goal umpires.

2. Many more different coloured jumpers,just to confuse fans.

1. Arrange for 90,000 chooks to attend the MCG and to conduct a 'human raffle".

Page 10 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

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● From Page One ■ Fleur and Alexandra are Out of This World at The Butterfly Club from September 17 – 23 as hapless heroes.

They are employed by the Sun to collect solar usage records and planetary taxes. When they reach Earth, Gaia tells them that the World Turtle is missing and asks them to recover it.

They must return the World Turtle before the Earth drops out of orbit and creates chaos in the universe.

Along the way they are assisted by the planets, who happen to be Gods as well.

Fleur and Alexandra met at work. Their first show together was for the 2016 Melbourne Fringe Festival, Fleur and Alexandra Save the World. This year they’re goingOut of This World.

This will be Alexandra Fraser's sixth Melbourne Fringe Festival. She has performed both solo, most recently in "The Alexandra Technique", and in collaborations.

She has written plays, sitcoms and exhibited in two art exhibitions. Fleur Blüm writes fiction, poetry, blogs, and she's in a band.

“In an attempt to distract ourselves from the realities of life as we know it, Fleur and Alexandra say they want to make us laugh, at them, usually.

“To justify the time and effort we put into the show we want to inflict … uh, perform our creation for the wider public.”

They say, ‘If Discworld met Rick and Morty in space maybe you’d have something like Fleur and Alexandra are Out of This World.’

Dates: September 17, 19-23 at 7pm (55min) Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Pl, Melbourne Tickets: $34 full, $30 concession, $27 groups, $25 early bird Bookings: Visit thebutterflyclub.com.au or call 9660 9666.

- Cheryl Threadgold

Shakespeare

■ The Athenaeum Theatre Melbourne was the venue for Masters of Choreography's production of Shakespeare & Comedies by Dance.

with Kerry Kulkens ARIES: (March 21-April 20) Lucky Colour: White Lucky Day: Monday Racing Numbers: 1.3.2.5.

Lotto Numbers: 1.12.15.26.34.45.

There could be a need to re organise your daily routine on the future. Emotions could get out of hand and you might not be able to rely on some people in the long run.

TAURUS: (April 21- May 20) Lucky Colour: Blue Lucky Day:Wednesday Racing Numbers: 5.6.2.1.

Lotto Numbers: 5.12.24.40.33.39.

Your romantic affairs could be developing into a relationship that could surprise you . do not push your way of thinking on everyone as gently coaxing will achieve better results.

GEMINI: (May 21- June 21) Lucky Colour: Violet Lucky Day: Thursday Racing Numbers: 9.8.5.4.

Lotto Numbers: 9.15.8.7.44.40.

This is a period in which you have to carefully weigh every word you say or you could be misunderstood. Planning for your future in health and dental hygiene is vital now.

CANCER: (June 22- July 22) Lucky Colour: Yellow Lucky Day: Tuesday Racing Numbers: 5.6.5.1.

Lotto Numbers: 5.12.26.36.30.22.

Some surprising moments in your career affairs and something you have been waiting for will eventuate. Do not let your emotions get the better of you and stay calm in all situations.

LEO: (July 23-August 22) Lucky Colour: Cream Lucky Day: Monday Racing Numbers: 8.6.2.1.

Lotto Numbers: 8.12.29.24.40.11.

Someone close could be needing a little space and finds it hard to communicate. Your imagination could be getting the better of you so get the facts before you make up your mind.

VIRGO: (August 23- September 23) Lucky Colour: Blue Lucky Day:Wednesday Racing Numbers: 8.6.2.1 Lotto Numbers: 8.12.26.34.40.22.

You could be kept quite busy with some unexpected tasks and someone new could be entering your life. Try not to take things too seriously as some fun must also be included in your life.

The Season

■ Theatre and comedy fans are invited to the award-winning production The Season which starts its Australian tour at Monash University’s Alexander Theatre on August 2, 3 and 4 at 7.30pm.

At this year’s Green Room Awards, The Season won Best Production, Best Direction, and Best New Writing.

Presented by MLIVE, The Season is a comedy about an Aboriginal family which comes together each year for the traditional Mutton Bird Harvest on Tasmania’s Dog Island.

Somewhere between mainland Australia and its southern-most mate, Tassie, lies Dog Island.

For six weeks every year, that's where the Duncans meet, a mob as funny as they are unforgettable.

They come back to roost for mutton-bird season and have done for as long as anyone can remember. Amid the threat of snakes and Pop’s explosive temper, the family reunites with a country and culture still very much alive.

But their long memories mean it’s not just the birds sticking their beaks where they’re not welcome.

Old secrets are dug from their burrows and fledgling rivalries begin to take flight - it might all fall apart if it wasn't for the fierce love that holds this bunch together.

Nathan Maynard has crafted this portrait of a singular corner of our world. Directed by Isaac Drandic and featuring a cast including Matthew Cooper, Trevor Jamieson, James Sleeand Lisa Maza, this national tour of the original acclaimed production is raucous and rowdy celebration of tradition and the bonds that unite us.

Performance Details: August 2, 3, 4 at 7.30pm Venue: Alexander Theatre, Monash University, Clayton Campus Cost: $15-$49 Bookings: www.monash.edu/mlive/whatson/events/the-season - Cheryl Threadgold

Your Stars

● Trevor Jamieson is in The Season.

Photo: Simon Pynt themselves as an authority in the dance world arenas.

Their company and productions have featured throughout Australia, Europe and the UK with highlight seasons in London's West End. The Melbourne production gave 12 choreographers the chance to bring their talents to the audiences.

A different interpretation of Shakespeare with the opening number Hamlet choreographed by Nc Maguire. A classical ballet version exquisitely performed.

The Taming of the Shrew is choreographed

by Kirra Sibel as a musical theatre version.

The Merchant of Venice, an urban version, is choreographed by Poppy Donaldson.

Twelfth Night was danced as a contemporary version choreographed by Gulcan Gulan.

Much Ado About Nothing was choreographed as a contemporary version by Sarah Carinci.

Antony & Cleopatra wasalso a contemporary version choreographed by Casey Chellew.

Romeo & Juliet waschoreographed as a jazz and classical version by Kelly Aykers.

King Lear interpreted as a street dance version by Deana Bogdanovic.

A Midsummer Night's Dream was presented as a neo-classical version by Claire Riley.

Othello was done as Hip Hop by Dante Taurima.

MacBeth was choreographed as a contemporary version by Josephine Maglioli.

Julius Caesar was another Hip Hop version choreographed by Karen Jehodo and Lorenzo Tuputala.

At least 20 dancers were on stage at any one time. The stage projection, the high standard and timing were amazing.

The costumes were spot on for each production and the varying chorography suited the play they were designed for.

The dancers' enthusiasm was catching with the audience enthralled by the evening of such an interpretation of Shakespeare.

- Peter Kemp

LIBRA: (September 24- October 23) Lucky Colour: Pink Lucky Day: Friday Racing Numbers: 8.3.2.1.

Lotto Numbers: 8.12.26.34.45.44.

Travel is something you must carefully consider as during this period it could affect your future plans.Also more than usual social life is bound to take its toll of your energies.

SCORPIO: (October 24- November 22) Lucky Colour: Orange Lucky Day: Tuesday Racing Numbers: 1.3.2.5.

Lotto Numbers: 1.12.26.25.20.22.

Your judgement might not be up to par so leave important decisions till a later date. Make sure your loved ones do not feel left out as you enter into a new phase of your career matters.

SAGITTARIUS: (November23- December 20) Lucky Colour: Silver Lucky Day: Monday Racing Numbers: 1.3.2.1.

Lotto Numbers: 1.12.15.9.22.27.

Very hectic period in your social life and you could be kept on your toes with personal relationship problems.

Rewards from past efforts seem a little slow in coming but persist.

CAPRICORN: (December 21- January 19) Lucky Colour: Cream Lucky Day: Sunday Racing Numbers: 5.6.2.3.

Lotto Numbers: 2.13.26.36.38.7.

Use your energy to push your luck in career matters and take what is offered and you will soon be able to choose.

Romance and social life could take a turn for the better.

AQUARIUS: (January 20- February 19) Lucky Colour: Green Lucky Day: Saturday Racing Numbers: 2.3.6.5.

Lotto Numbers: 2.13.25.24.21.11.

Nothing should stop you now from achieving your ambitions in career and business matters. Someone from a distance could be instrumental in changing your mind about someone close.

PISCES: (February 20- March 20) Lucky Colour: Fawn Lucky Day:Wednesday Racing Numbers: 5.6.2.3.

Lotto Numbers: 1.12.15.26.36.3.

Success could be gained by following your hunches during this period. No good just trying to change things if you do not have the co operation of loved ones who matter most.

KERRY KULKENS PS YCHIC LINE 190 2 240 051 or 1800 727 727 CALL COST: $5.50 INC G.S.T. PER MIN. MOB/PAY EXTR A. VISIT KERR Y KULKENS MAGIC SHOP AT 1 693 BURW OOD HWY BELG RAVE PH/FAX (0 3) 9754 4587 W WW .KERRY KULKENS.C OM.AU Like us on Facebook

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Melbourne Arts Town Hall Gallery Poetry of Place Brings together five local artists who created works inspired by landscapes and nature. The selected artists work across a range of different media, including paintings, photography, glass work and etchings> Featuring Kathey Fahey, Stephanie Gabor, Liz Johnson, Deborah Neruker and Grace Turner.

Exhibition: July 31 - August 26.

Boroondara Arts. Town Hall Gallery 360 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn - Peter Kemp

Soft-Butch Show Queen

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 11 Melbourne

Observer

Showbiz News

Yiddish story at Theatre Works ■ Dybbuks, a new Chamber Made work conceived and directed by Samara Hersch will be co-presented with Theatre Works from August 14 – 26.

Hersch’s re-visioning of S. Ansky’s iconic Yiddish story (The Dybbuk) is created for two performers, a vocalist, three musicians and a choir of intergenerational Yiddish speaking women.

Performance Details: August 14 – 26 Times: 8pm Wed – Sat, 5pm Sun, 2pm and 8pm August 25 Venue: Theatre Works, 14 Acland st., St Kilda Tickets: $37 - $45, $33 preview (Aug 14, 15) Bookings: www.chambermade.org

Moments in Time

● Mark J. Wilson ■ Performance artist and independent producer Mark J Wilson (Welcome to Woop Woop, Blue Heelers) and developed in conjunction withWill Conyers (Green Room lifetime award recipient) and Steve Christie (UK music producer) Soft-Butch Show Queen, is a new production that dissects the story of a gay man who self-produces ‘identity’ on dating apps.

Presented on July 26 and 27 in the Arts precinct at Southbank, the show fuses musical parody, hyper-masculinity and Krispy Kreme doughnuts to explore gay identity on dating apps.

Mark says he is particularly interested in what is said and who people are online, and is wondering if that the same as the person that we actually are.

“I’m not talking about an abstract concept, it’s more literal, our privilege affords an opportunity to invent personas online”, he says.

“Using mainstream material, Soft-Butch brings together these popular songs, to tell the story of a guy who wants love – its autobiographical” But what does Krispy Kreme have to do with hyper-masculinity and faking an online identity?

“Well it’s about being real and using songs to reveal who I am, which is lots of things”, says Mark.

Performance Details: Thursday, July 26, Friday, July 27 at 7pm Venue: Testing Grounds, 1 City Rd. in the Southbank arts precinct.

Bookings: http://www.testinggrounds.com.au/upcoming-calendar/

■ Part of me is in awe, admiration and surprise the other part of me is confused and determined to know how Josh Stalely fooled us.

Did he switch cards,? When? Moments In Time, part of the Melbourne Magic Festival sets out to help each member of the audience create their own memorable moment.

Those involved with the ’magic’ directly (as helpers)he said would always remember their personal experience of the night I have no doubt this is true.

Others of us would find our own moment to remember and tell others, there were plenty.

Stalely is a story teller, a comedian primarily though an experienced competent mesmerizing ‘sleight of hander’.

The venue was a secret room - called The Secret Room, did not quite suit this show. There were times it was difficult to see what was happening due to poor lighting or staging.

Despite that, this full house laughed, clapped, ‘oohed’ as objects (mostly cards) seem to appear from nowhere.

There was some sarcasm in the comedy which was potentially alienating the young audience members it was directed at, but this artist is more polished as a magician than comedian.

Overall Stalely comes across as an approachable down to earth performer who obviously has had years of practise in magic.

Look as hard as you like (I did), be prepared though for a full hour of entertaining bewilderment.

Moments in Time was presented by Josh Staley at the Secret Room at 35 Johnston St, Collingwood.

- Review by Elizabeth Semmel

Melbourne Observations

with Matt Bissett-Johnson

Cinderella

■ Wonderland Theatre’s Cinderella season in Elwood was a heap of fun for everyone.

The cast kept the little ones on the edge of their seats and received very positive response from parents, grandparents and teachers.

Every show was unique, depending on how the children reacted, which kept cast and crew on their toes.

The company also hit a record of visitor posts

● Aviva Endean in Dybbuks.

Photo: Pier Carthew. on their Facebook page with families sharing their photos with the cast after the show.

Preparations for the next productions in September have already begun, Alice in Pantoland.

Wonderland Theatre endeavours to entertain and educate young audiences with traditional pantomimes based on classic fairy-tale stories, filled with music, magic and comedy.

For further details, contact www.wonderland theatre.com.au - Cheryl Threadgold

Overture

■ Jo Lloyd’s new dance work Overture is premiering at Arts House, North Melbourne from August 14 – 19.

Overture is a choreographic overture that gestures to the unrequited and unattainable, as four dancers invoke lost heroes through their shared fictions.

When Jo Lloyd was young she would pretend to interview famous people she’d like to meet. Overture is an extension of that. It’s a dance that considers the unrequited, the unattainable; an attempt to connect with particular beings of interest/obsession, including each other.

Creating shared fictions, Overture’s dancers reconstruct and invoke lost heroes in order to play out impossible scenarios.

Fabrication is the engine for endless desire as they transcend barriers to be with one another. As Lloyd’s choreography moves on the precipices of the possible and unthinkable, Overture reminds us that what is in the frame is not always what was in the picture.

Jo Lloyd is an a Melbourne dance artist working with choreography as a social encounter, revealing behaviour over particular durations and circumstances.

A dance graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, she has presented work in New York, Japan, Hong Kong and locally in Dance Massive, Next Wave, the Biennale of Sydney, Liveworks and Dark MOFO. Performance Season: Aug 14-19 Times: 7pm Tue. – Sat., 5pm Sun. Duration: 60 minutes Location: Arts House, 521 Queensberry St, North Melbourne Tickets: $25 – $35 (plus transaction fee) Bookings: artshouse.com.au or 9322 3720

● Shian Law, Rebecca Jensen, Jo Lloyd and Deanne Butterwork in Overture. Photo: Peter Rosetzky

Just Briefly Fallen

■ Fallen is being presented at fortyfivedownstairs from August 15 – 26.

Written by Seanna van Helten and directed

by Penny Harpham, Fallen is inspired by the history of a home for fallen women (founded

by Charles Dickens).

Fallen is an imaginative new Australian work that examines what happens when the promise of a clean slate is built on silencing your past.

Set in 1848, London, six women have been promised a fresh start on the other side of the world, in the new colonies ofAustralia.

Sealed off from the outside world they cook, clean, sing, and sew, and practice the art of being female while they wait for their new lives to begin.

But as the date of departure draws near, they begin to wonder what reinvention will cost them. What will such promises make them do? And what about the fall yet to come - the unknown tumble down the edge of the world to a far-away continent… \ “The 'home' in which our play is set is a microcosm of the British Empire in the Victorian era,” explains Director and She Said Theatre Co-AD Penny Harpham.

“It was a time of rapid change and industrialisation, technology, expedition, poverty, and expansion. As someone living in Australia, examining this era of British history is vital in examining what we’ve inherited.”

Fallen drives into the complexity of what it means to a be a woman living under the roof of the patriarchy in 1840s London, but it speaks as urgently and truthfully to what it means to be a woman living under the roof of the patriarchy in 2018 Melbourne, too.”

Currently based in Melbourne, She Said Theatre was founded in 2006 by co-Artistic Directors Penny Harpham and Seanna van Helten.

Founded as a direct response to the lack of creative leadership opportunities for women in theatre, they aim to create more active roles for women and other under-represented artists, and to bring to life their skills in acting, directing, writing, production, and design.

After a highly successful Australian premiere season at Sydney's Seymour Centre, She Said Theatre now bring their new work to the Melbourne stage.

Directed by Penny Harpham. Written by Seanna van Helten. Performers include Zoe Boesen, Gemma Bird Matthews, Jing-Xuan Chan, Tahlee Fereday, and Artemis Ioannides. Set and Costume Design by Chloe Greave. Composition and Sound Design by Clemence Williams. Lighting Design by Rachel Lee. Performance Dates: August 15-26.

Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Tickets: $43 Full, $33 Concession, $38 Groups 6, $25 Preview Bookings: www.shesaidtheatre.com and 9662 9966.

- Cheryl Threadgold

I Am Not A Monster

■ Melbourne writer, director and producer James Seamark presents his theatre piece I am Not a Monster on August 11, 18 and 25 at The Butterfly Club.

Playing with themes that are dark, confronting and taboo, audiences meet James their tormented hero, scribbling alone in his room. The Devil (Stephanie Daniel) appears one night to take him on a tour of her Freak show, and James will come face to face with his own personal demons and learn the power they hold over his mental state of ind.

James’s real life struggles are shared with audiences, who it is said may even learn something about themselves.

This is one man’s battles with the monsters in his head, a tale of both sorrow and growth, which holds a mirror to the viewer’s face to reveal what lies beneath.

Performance Details: August 11, 19 and 25 at 8pm Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carlson Place, Melbourne.

Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com

Page 12 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 13

Observer Magazine

Stateside with Gavin Wood in West Hollywood

Aussie funny man rides again

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

Out and About

Fighting Global Boring

Maccas still No 1

■ It was a very intimate gathering of the Australians who live in Los Angeles who love Kevin 'Bloody' Wilson.

Kevin wanted to do a warm-up show as he was in Nashville recording his outrageous upcoming Christmas album and hadn't done a show for a few weeks, so my brief was to get a few blokes together to have some fun last Saturday night.

The impromptu show was held in the media room of the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites in front of the Jamie Cooper painting of the Australian Artists of the Century which was commissioned by the Variety Club Tent 77 in Victoria.

Endless spending

■ The US Federal Government collected a record $1,305,490,000,000 in individual income taxes through the first nine months of fiscal 2018 (October 2017 through June 2018), according to the Monthly Treasury Statement released.

Despite the record individual income tax collections, the Federal Government still ran a deficit of $607,099,000,000 over those same nine months, according to the Treasury statement.

The approximately $1,305,490,000,000 in individual income taxes that the Treasury collected in October through June of this fiscal year was $71,815,310,000 more (in constant June 2018 dollars) than the $1,233,674,690,000 (in constant June 2018 dollars) in individual income taxes that the Treasury collected in October through June of fiscal 2017-which was the previous record. Would be nice to have those numbers in Australia.

● Pictured after his hilarious performance Kevin 'Bloody' Wilson with the Managing Director Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites, Alan Johnson.

Mum gets inked

Restrooms get smaller

■ If the restroom on your next flight seems a bit snug, don't assume you've picked up a few pounds. US Airlines increasingly are putting smaller lavatories on their planes -- and the economcs of the decision means they're probably here to stay.

As labor costs rise and fuel prices surge, airlines are taking advantage of robust travel demand to squeeze as many passengers as possible into planes.

Knee-bashing reductions to legroom and elbow-crunching cuts to seat size are well-known tactics. The latest method is to retrofit old aircraft and order new ones with svelte lavatories that allow for an extra row of seats.

Airlines say the new restrooms are just a few inches smaller than what passengers are used to.

You’re So Vain riddle

■ It has been said that You're So Vain was written about Warren Beatty, Cat Stevens and Mick Jagger but the last piece of the puzzle has now been uncovered. In the song Carly sings, Well I hear you went to Saratoga and your horse finally, won.

It can now be revealed that last weekend David Cassidy's ashes were spread over the Saratoga racetrack where he attended frequently and owned horses and raced them there in Florida.

David Cassidy lived in Fort Lauderdale and spend all of his time when not performing or recording at Saratoga Race track. A sad demise of a career, in the latter years, he had several drink driving offences and owed money to solicitors and a horse racing stable partner. After all the success in his career he died in debt.

GavinWood

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

■ Even though she never approved of her son's ink, Anthony Bourdain's mum will soon be sporting a tattoo in his memory.

A few weeks after the renowned international food guru took his own life. Gladys Bourdain said she'll be getting her late son's nickname, ‘Tony’, inked on the inside of her wrist.

Anthony Bourdain did not have narcotics in his body when he died this month, a French judicial official said. Mr. Bourdain, a New York chef, author and television correspondent whose death shook fans across the world, was found dead on June 8 in a hotel bathroom in Kaysersberg, a small village in the Alsace region of France. Police at the time ruled his death a suicide by hanging.

About an US obsession 5 Fun Facts about Americans obsession with coffee: ■ Legend has it a 9th-century Ethiopian goat herder discovered coffee by accident when he noticed how crazy the beans were making his goats.

■ New Yorkers drink almost seven times more coffee than other cities in the US. ■ Coffee is a psychoactive. And at high doses it can make you see things. It can also kill you...

■ The lethal dose of caffeine is roughly 100 cups of coffee.

■ Unlike the hip 20-something Baristas in the US, in Italy the average Barista age is 48, and it is a very respected profession.

Hot Dog! ■ According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, (yes, there is such a business.) Hollywood starlet Jayne Mansfield was named National Hot Dog Girl, early in her career. The trivia is part of a quiz hot dog lovers take on their website at hot-dog.org. The Hollywood starlet died in a tragic automobile accident 51 years ago on June 29, 1967.

US people get older

■ The median age of the U.S. population hit an all-time high of 38.0 in 2017, according to data released by the Census Bureau.

The number of people in the United States who were 100 years old or older also hit a record in 2017, according to the Census Bureau data, climbing to 86,248.

The Census Bureau each year publishes estimates of the median age and year-by-year ages of the U.S. population as of July 1 of the previous year.

"The nation as a whole experienced a median age increase from 37.2 years to 38.0 years during the period from 2010 to 2017," the Census Bureau said in a press release.

■ McDonald's has sold well over 100 billion hamburgers.

■ McDonald's serves up over 30 million chickens in Great Britain alone every year. Of this total, 60 per cen t of the chicken is important frozen from Brazil, 9 per cent comes from Thailand, and 30 per cent from Holland. Just 1 per cent of the McDonald's chicken in Great Britain comes from Great Britain.

■ In the United States alone, people eat over one billion pounds of beef at McDonald's in a year, which is 5½ million head of cattle.

■ McDonald's Corporation sells over one billion cups of coffee each year around the world. It sells 500 million cups a day in the U.S. alone.

■ McDonald's opens a new restaurant every four hours.

■ McDonald's is the nation's largest purchaser of beef, pork, and potatoes. It is the second largest purchaser of chicken.

■ Since 1948, McDonald's has sold over four trillion fries.

McDonald's serves about nine million pounds of fries globally per day.

■ McDonald's Corporation is the largest owner of retail property in the world. The company earns most of its profits not from selling food, but by collecting rent.

■ The smallest McDonald's restaurant is only 492 square feet. It is in Tokyo, Japan.

■ The largest McDonald's restaurant is over 28,000 square feet and is located in Beijing.

Come and visit us

● Carly Simon

www.gavinwood.us

■ 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

Page 14 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Victorian History

150 years of St Luke’s Church, Yea ■ St Luke’sAnglican Church, Yea, in 2018 celebrates its 150 years.

A history booklet was published 50 years ago as part of the ‘Centenary Observance Sunday’ service held on October 20, 1968.

That special day saw a 9am Thanksgiving Eucharist with preacher Rev. Graham Farrell of Dimboola; a similar service at 10.30am with the Rt. Rev. T.B. McCall, Bishop of Wangaratta; and a 7.30pm service with confimation, led by the Bishop.

Church officers of 1968 were: ■ Rector: The Rev. T.H. Pickburn, ■ Wardens: John Keenan, Eric Aldous (Secretary since 1951), and Gordon Homewood (Synod representative), ■ Vestry: Harold Purcell (Treasurer), Jack Tull (Murrindindi), Stan Cummins (Murrindindi), Bill Jeff-ery (Molesworth), Rod Simon (Synod representative), Arch Hodson, Kern Tobias, Alf Miller, Eric Jowett and David Evans, ■ Organists: Miss F. Aldous, Mrs T.H. Pickburn, ■ Guild: Mrs T. Pickburn (President), Kath Homewood (Secretary), Mrs Stan Cummins (Treasurer), ■ Centenary Committee: Gordon Homewood, Kath Homewood, John Keenan, Mrs Pickburn, Harold Bamford and Eric Aldous.

The Parish of Yea was combined with the Parish of Alexandra from 1868 to 1881.

Rectors of the Yea parish was lsted, as at the centenary, as: ■ 1881: A. Toomath, ■ 1883: A.R. Stackhouse, ■ 1889: C.H. Barnes, ■ 1895: A.R. Raymond, ■ 1898: J.T. Baglin, ■ 1901: R. Peck, ■ 1905: N. Blackham, ■ 1907: H.M.R. Rupp, ■ 1909: T. Tinniswood, ■ 1913: R.A. Scott, ■ 1918: A. Falconer, ■ 1919: G. Brammall, ■ 1921: J.S. Bullough, ■ 1923: W.P. Daunt, ■ 1926: J.K. Taylor, ■ 1928: W. Redhead, ■ 1930: G. Tavare, ■ 1931: S.J. Muxworthy, ■ 1939: T.B. McCall, ■ 1941: W.A. Wilson, ■ 1941: T.B. McCall, ■ 1944: A.R. May, ■ 1947: G.L. Perry, ■ 1952: W. Beasley, ■ 1953: W. McSpedden, ■ 1958: R. Nicholls, ■ 1960: T.H. Pickburn.

Some documents from the time of the foundation of the Protestant Church in Yea were quoted in the centenary booklet.

The following is an excerpt from a Report on the Muddy Creek Mission, signed by William L. Kerand John MacFarlane, Trustees: “The preaching of the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the stated Ministry of the Word” had long been a subject of anxious consideration by many of the residents of the Muddy Creek District (the original names for the Yea River) but owing to the somewhat limited population and the difficulty of obtaining an ordained clergyman of any Evangelical Denomination, nothing was done for many years.

“At length in January, 857, arrangements were entered into with Mr Ashe, a lay reader of the Church of England, to occupy the Muddy

● The Rev. William Singleton was the first Anglican Minister at the Kilmore Parish (849-1865) which took in the region of Yea. He performed all of the Anglican services around Yea. Photos: thanks to Alan Thorley Creek District and to preach at the ■ William L. Ker, Killingworth, different stations on the Upper ■ Alexander Miller, Murrindindi, ■ James Webster, Beaumonto, Goulburn.

“He commenced his duties at the ■ Miss de Burgh, Killingworth, beginning of 1857 and continued his ■ Duncan McLeish, Glenmore, ■ Daniel McLeish, work until October, 1859.

“When the Gentleman arrived ■ Peter Snodgrass, with his family there was neither ■ John Pollock, and house nor tent for his accommoda- ■ William Ferguson.

In a letter to her eldest son, tion.

“Steps were therefore taken for Charles, Mrs W.L. Ker gives us a the immediate erection of a dwell- more detailed picture: “At the very fisrt all denominaing and in the meantime the Messrs MacFarlane genrously invited them tions joined to build a woode Church and Parsonage in one. to be their guests.

“The large end room opened with “A Committee was formed to carry out the work and it was re- a door next to the fence, where the solved to the effect that the land and carriages pulled up .... this large buildings thereon should be the prop- room was the Church, opening with erty of the people of the Muddy another door into the Parsonage.

“The first man that went up was Creek District and that it should be used for the Propagation of Evan- Mr Ashe, very good and indefatigelical Christianity without respect gable in visiting, once swimming the to the minor differences existing Goulburn in a flood tio get to the among the Protest Evangelical Maxwells at Casthkin; his horse hit a log and he was thrown off; he Churches.

“Permission was later given for seized hold of the log and, seeing his part of the building to be used a horse swimming bym, sprang off the log and onto the horse and got safe to school room.

“The first Trustees were Messrs shore.

“The Maxwells were on the bank Miller and MacFarklane, Baptists, looking on and always told the story and Mr Ker, Presbyterian.

“To graitfy those who make take in fitsb of laughter.

“Mrs Ashe had three children, I an interest in such matters and as a relique for our children to ponder over think, and died in confinement.

“Mr Macfarlane came into yea in after years the Subscribers Names and got a great shock to hear that are appended.”

Some of the original subscribers Mrs Ashe was dying, and went to

● St Luke’s Anglican Church, Yea, as pictured in the Centenary Observance booklet published in 1968. see her. He said: “I’m afraid, Mrs the building of a Parish Hall after Ashe, I shall never see you again.” serving the Church fathfully for “Mrs Ashe replied, “O yes you many years. will. We will meet in Heaven.” Then It is worthy of note that his grandthey shook hands and Mr Mac- son, Mr Harold Purcell, was treaFarlane departed. surer of St Luke’s in the centenary “Before we built the wooden Par- year, and descendants of the Ker, sonage and Church in one, we had McLeish and Miller families were services in Grace McLeish’s Kitchen still worshipping there. and even earlier services were held It is very interesting to note from in the open air, a bullock dray serv- an old letter of Mrs Ker’s that she ing as a pulpit - as when Bishop herself set out with “little Jeanie” on Perry came to Yea and by Mr Sing- foot to ask for donations towards the leton of Kilmore when he came. cost of the new church.

“After mr Ashe, Mr Cramer, anThe very first list read: other Church of England Lay Miss Watton, 16/-. Mrs Ker, £20.

Reader was engaged for a year, af- Mr Geo. McKenzie, £20. Mr Jas. ter which Mr McPherson, a licensed Webster, £20. Captain G. Airey, £20. preacher of the Free Church of Scot“There were many gifts. Each land was expected. £100 I raised I received £100 from “At a meeting held in 1861, how- State Aid. ever, it was unanimously agreed that “If we had been a little later in as Mr Cramer had laboured so ac- building we should have lost this as ceptably among us ... he should be State Aid was later done away!” requested to remain. The request And so on March 10, the Founwas duly made and favourably en- dation Stone of St Luke’s church, tertained by that Gentleman.

Yea, was laid by Mrs W.L. Ker. “Then, I think, Mr Murdoch, a B The well-preserved trowel used came up. But people were wishing on the big occasion is at present in for a decided Church (sic). Mrs the possession of Mr Rupert de Ker, Miller, who had built a brick, very of Henderside, Yea, and was placed plain chruch, wanted this to be a on the altar for the Centenary ObBaptist Church and everyone to servance Services. support it.

“Mr Murdock left and Mr “But no one would have this as Toomath came to the English the Baptists require their people to church,” reads an old record. be immersed ... so the PresbyteriThe Sunday School started many ans bought Mrs Millers Church and years before, continued to flourish. your Papa said to me, “build the One of the pupils was Jessie Mills, English Church!” whose father preached at the Scotch “It was a large order, but I was Church. delighted.

At the examinations in Mel“I have been given 16/- by Miss bourne held by the Sunday School Watton for the building of the Union, Jessie Mills was presented Church of England,” said Miss with the first prize.

Flora de Burgh to her sister, Mrs Bishop Moorhouse said: “It was W.L. Ker, “what will I do with it?” wonderful to see so young a child “Add to it,” replied her sister, and from the bush districts to receive a add to ity they did! first prize among the Melbourne “They collected donations from scholars.” friends and neighbours until, six Towards the end of the century, years later, the building of the present Mr Eustace Wade became stipenChurch was commenced amd in four diary Reader to the Rev. J. Baglin. months completed at a cost of £600 He writes: “I lived at the Vicarplus £200 for essential furnishings. age. In those days the Vicar, in addi“Thanks to State Aid of £ for £ tion to Yea, took services at Molesthen available for the building of worth, Murrindindi and HomeChurches and Schools, when the wood. work was completed.

“He used to drive around in a two “St Luke’s Church was opened wheeled Jinker. I looked after Kerrisfree of debt. ale, Strath Creek and Spring Valley The furnishings of the Church on one Sunday and Gobur (near were completed by the generosity of Yarck), Kanumbra and Spring Mr E.S. Purcell and family, who be- Creek on the next. tween them gave the font, the lec“I started a service at Glenburn, tern, lamps, prayer desk, carpeting which I worked along with Spring and fencing,.

Valley.

Mr Purcell also left £50 towards Continued Next Page

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 15

Local History ● From previous page “Nearly all my travelling was done on horseback.

“At Strath Creek the service was in the hall where a fine Methodist family, the Lades, was tower of cstrength.

“We had our own Church at Kanumbra, now worked from Alexandra.

“I see by the Year Book that a Fox is still Hon. Secretary. In my time, the Fox family was “a host in themselves”.

In 1890 services at Homewood were begun and held in Mona vale Homestead, the home of Thomas and Jane Gill.

Their daughter, Margaret Gill started a Sunday School there and alec Gill became a Lay Reader in 1910 at the age of 79.

At the age on nine, Mona Gill, a daughter of Thomas and Jane, began to play hymns for both Anglican and Presbyetrian services, which were later held in the Homewood Hall, and continued to play for 50 years.

After many years this centre was closed, the advent of the motor car making it easier for residents of the district to attend services in Yea. St John’sd Church, Murrindindi, was built in 194, on land which was given by the late Mr John Nash.

Miss O’Connor was organist for about 30 years and the late Mr W. Watts, father of Mrs Ev. Sundblom, was secretary for nearly 20 years.

The late Mr and Mrs George Tull were the first to be married in the church and a grand-child of Mr John Nash was the first to be baptised in the new building.

Two plaques in the Church commemorated the memory of Mrs George Bryant (nee Lucy Tull) and Mr Desailly.

Families who worshipped in the Church originally were Tull, Nash, Watts, Cummins, Pulford, O’Connor, Airey, Murphy, McDonald, Gellibrandm, Desailly, Creed and Holdsorth.

Second and third generations of some of the original familieswere still attending St John’s, as at 1968.

The chair and reading desk in the Church were given by the Rev. Scott, who later became Canon Scott.

Christ Church, Molesworth, was opened for worship in the year 1899 and was dedicated for that purpose

● The Rev. Andrew Toomath (at Yea, 1873-1892) was also stationed at Kilmore Parish (1849-1865) which took in the Parish of Yea. Photos: thanks Alan Thorley by the ten Bishop of Melbourne, the from the decline in population which Rt. Rev. Field Flowers Goe. became evident in many districts.

Much damage was done to the Among the early records relating Church by successive floods and to the Church is a Confirmation valuable books and records were Certificate, signed by the Rev. destroyed.

Charles Barnes, and given to Mr To protect the organ a special Charles William Ridd who was condais was built and during later floods firmed in St Luke’s on Sunday, April the organ remained high and dry.

25, 1895.

The Weaver family gave the There cannot be many such in Bishop’s chair in the sanctuary and existence. the baptisdmal shell by a foundation The words on the card are most member of the Church, Mrs Coles. appropriate - “My dear Friend, I give This shell was later set in a pine you this card as a Memorial of your log, in the churchayrd by the Rector, Confirmation. the Rev. S.J. Muxworthy.

“May it put you in mind of your In 1949 the church celebrated its solemn view to continue a faithful Jubilee when the Rev. L. Perry was soldier and servant of Jesus Christ.

Rector and according to a report pub“May God bless and keep you lished by the local newspaper an in- His.” spiring occasion it proved to be.

Charles Ridd was indeed a faithThe Bishop, the late Rt. Rev. T. ful servant of Jesus Christ to the end Armour and a gathering of 71 people of his long life. was present. ★ Later, a social evening was held Glenburn - For many years serin the hall. vice were held at the centre in the It is interesting to note that not so public hall. long ago there were two hotels in No record are available to tell the Molesworth, two stores, a cheese story of the early days of the Church factorya the local school had two here, but there wa a time when the teachers and a sewing mistress. congregation was numerically Like many other country centres, strong.

Molesworth suffered considerably In later years, however, the numbers began to decline until a continuance of services became impossible.

A good road now connects Glenburn with Yea and Anglicans of this centre can quite easily attend St Luke’s. ★ The Centenary Observance booklet from 1968 continues: In the course of time much proigress has been made. Two major steps taken were the addition of the sanctuary and vestry to the original church.

No details can be given of this undertaking although the building was completed in the year 1907 when the jubilee of the parish was celebrated.

It is unfortunate that the minute book of vestry meetings from the beginning of the century to 906 is missing so we are unable to glean anu of the interesting information which moust have been available at that time.

Several mentions in 1906 are made as to the urgent need of a parish hall and the matter came before various meetings right up to the year 1914.

We then learn “it waws decided to postpone any further action until after the war”.

Once again, missing documents ● The Rev. Alfred Stackhouse was at St Luke’s, Yea, prevent us from learning the full 1883-89. Photos: thanks Alan Thorley

story of this project and we can only assume that the hall was built in the early 1920s Evidently working bees were not very popular in those far off days. At a meeting of the vestry in the year 1906 it was sxolemnly moved that Mr Blank be paid 10/- to clean the drain behind the church and cut down the scrub around the building.

Many valuable memorials have been place in St Luke’s and the building is noted and admired particularly r the beauty its stained glass windows.

These windows perpette the memory of the Christians of bygone years as do many other memorials inside and outside the Church.

Only one window now remains to be replaced th stained glass and when this is done the beauty of the interior of the churcxh will be fully enhanced.

In the year 1957, during the incumbency of the late Rev. W.E. McSpedden, the centenary of the establishment of the Anglican Church in the Yea district was celebrated.

This event no doubt will still be remembered by many in the parish today.

1961 saw the parish hall completely renovated, thus increasing the floor space, and today the hall is much used by church and secular organisations.

The church and rectory grounds present an entirely differenty picture to that presented in earlier years.

Many beautiful trees have been planted and now flourish over the whole area - as a result the hillside makes an attractive and colourful scene at any time of the year.

In 1964, a fine improvement was effected by the removal of the old wooden toilets, which were replaced by a modern septic system block.

The generosity of Mr John Davis of Switzerland, in giving the bricks, and of Mr Lionel Aldous who gave the tank and fittings, made this great improvement possible.

About the same time, to complete the area, a new fence was given and erected by Mr Ron Aldous and his sons. These generous gifts have made a substantial contribution towards the overall attractive appearance of the church property.

The biggest achievement of the parish in recent years has been the building of a modern rectory in a most attractive setting high up on the hillside.

For a parish the size of Yea, this achievement is an outstanding one and fullest credit must go to those who first envisaged it and then had the courage to translate that vision into brick and mortar.

The rectory is in a commanding situation and the view from the front balcony is one that excites the admiration of all who see it.

The house was blessed and opened by the late Bishop of the diocese, the Rt. Rev. T. Armour, in April 1959.

In the year 1967, St Luke’s was thoroughly cleaned and renovated inside and out. As is common with old buildings cement rendereed, the damp problem has been acute for many years and staining of the interior walls most apparent.

It is hoped that some day this problem will be overcome permanently and the interior of the church present the fresh and clean appearance that it should.

Some valuable and acceptable gifts were given to mark the Centenary Year.

Miss Lyra Lee Gow, of Yea, presented the chuirch with a most attractive outside notice board and this was erected in time for the 1968 services.

Mr and Mrs Roy Bett, of Alexandra, gave a Visitors’ Book to be kept in the church, signed by all in attendance at the Centenary Services.

Mr and Mrs Arthur Bett also presented the church with a suitable table, especially purchased, on which the Visitors’ Book could be kept.

The gifts were greatly appreciated and all were to serve a most useful purpose.

“It is good to know that there are those who desire to express their feelings for the church at such a time as this in a most practical fashion,” remarked the authors of the Centenary Observance Service booklet.

Why is it called ‘St Luke’s’?

■ It would be interesting to know why those who established the Church in Yea chose St Luke as their Patron Saint. We have no way of finding out, of course, but may it not have been in answer to some deep need in the lives of folk in those far off days?

Life could not have been easy, as we know, and there was an urgent need at the time for knowledge both spiritual and secular, and for the ministry of healing.

In his life, st Luke exemplified those deeply felt needws, for he was both scholar and physician. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that he was chosen for this reason and we tday rejoice in the discrimination of those early Anglicans.

By a happy co-incidence we remember St Luke especially on Friday, October 18 (1968) two days before the Centenary Observance.

We know little of Luke - he was apparently not a Jew, nor was he was a dsciple of Jesus. He joined St Paul at Tross on his second missionary journey, and was evidently left behind at Phillipi, where St Paul picked him up again on his third journey.

He then accompanied Paul to Rome and was with him during part of his first imprisonment.

In his letter to the Colossians, “Luke, the beloved physician is with me” is recorde, and in the epistle to Philemon, Luke is alluded to as being of Paul’s fellow labourers.

In his second letter to Timothy, written in prison not long before his execution, Paul wrote: “only Luke is with me”.

Luke has always been regarded as the author as the Acts of the Apostles, as well as the gospel that bears his name.

A very ancient writer says of him, that after serving his Master blamelessly, “having neither wife nor child”, he died in Bithynia at the age of 74. As well as being a physician, tradition covers him with considerable ability as a painter.

Such is our Patron Saint - a great lover of the Christ, teacher, writer, missionary, artist and physician.

- Centenary Observance Booklet

Page 16 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Observer Magazine

■ Strange as it may seem, I did like a song in the 1960s titled I Like It. It was a fun song and during my life time I was lucky enough to meet the man who sang it and the man who wrote it.

Gerry Marsden was born in September 1942 in Liverpool, England, during the blitz (I am 19 days older than Gerry) and found fame as the lead singer in a rock group called Gerry and the Pacemakers.

The composer of the song is my dentist's brother-in-law, Mitch Murray.

Gerry Marsden grew up with an interest in music and worked in bands from an early age.

During his teenage years he used to buy rock and roll records from Brian Epstein at Brian's father’s furniture shop.

Brian found out that Gerry was playing at a venue called The Cavern in Hamburg and went there especially to see Gerry's group play.

He spotted The Beatles playing at The Cavern and fell in love with them.

Brian went to London and negotiated a recording contract for both groups.

Gerry and the Pacemakers recorded their first hit song, How Do You Do It, after it was initially rejected by The Beatles.

Their second No 1 hit was the song I mentioned earlier, I Like It, written by Mitch Murray.

Gerry and the Pacemakers were producing ‘The Mersey Beat’ and were a huge part of the British Invasion of popular music into America

Whatever Happened To ...

Gerry Marsden

By Kevin Trask of 3AW and 96.5 Inner FM

during the early 1960s. They recorded a string of hit songs which included - You'll Never Walk Alone, It's Gonna Be Alright, I'm The One, Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying and Ferry Cross The Mersey.

Gerry's first tour of Australia was in 1964 with Dusty Springfield, Brian Poole and Gene Pitney - Gerry has performed in more than 20 tours in Australia since then.

He starred in the film Ferry Across The Mersey and the band continued to perform in concerts for about 10 years.

In 1965 Gerry married Pauline Behan and they have two daughters, Yvette and Victoria.

After the band broke up in the late 1960s, Gerry turned to the West End stage and ap-

● Gerry Marsden

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peared in shows such as Charlie Girl with Derek Nimmo and Dame Anna Neagle.

He returned to Gerry and the Pacemakers after five years of stage work. Gerry received letters from all over the world asking him to reform the group and tour again.

The Liverpool Football Clubadopted Gerry's version of You'll Never Walk Alone as their anthem and he sang an emotional version of the song at a match shortly after the Hillsborough Disaster in 1989.

He also was on the children's television program, The Sooty Show, for nine years.

In 1993 Gerry launched his autobiography I'll Never Walk Alone.

In 2003 he was awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to charity.

Gerry and the Pacemakers have been one of the great surviving Mersey beat groups of the 1960s, I hope Gerry Marsden finds time to come back to Australia for another tour. I would love to see him sing I Like It, just one more time.

Kevin Trask Kevin can be heard on 3AW The Time Tunnel - on Remember When Sundays at 9.10pm With Philip Brady and Simon Owens.

And on 96.5 FM That's Entertainment - Sundays at 12 Noon

Think it’s cold? How about this?

Struth ● Oymyakon in Siberia where the temperature can average -50°C every day of winter, meaning there’s little purpose in washing the car.

with David Ellis

■ Next time you’re having a little whinge about just how cold you’ve been this winter, give thought to the folk in the village of Oymyakon in Siberia, where in their winter there are only three hours of daylight a day, and the temperature averages minus-50C day after day after day.

And where on one day in 2013 the mercury fell to a bizarre minus 98C. It means that car engines often have to be kept running 24/7 or they’ll freeze and crack, ballpoint and ink pens freeze and won’t write, and those who don’t protect their faces when going outside can find their eyelashes freezing and breaking off.

And when someone dies it takes three days to dig a grave in ground that’s frozen-solid, a succession of bonfires being lit in the hole to soften that ground because the deeper it’s dug, the more densely frozen-solid it is.

But at least the kids love this cold: when temps drop below minus 52C, they don’t have to go to school.

Oymyakon is deep in Siberia, and was first put on the map by farmers who walked their herds of cattle and reindeer to drink from its amazing warm mineral-water springs, and later Russian Czars and law court judges decided that with its miserable climate and isolation, it was just the place for exiling enemies of the State and others needing to be taught a lesson.

And strangely many of those who survived their Siberian punishment in the State-owned nickel mines and forests that fed government-run furniture factories, hung on around Oymyakon at the end of their terms, with their descendants still living there today having married into Siberia’s Yakut indigenous community.

There are around 500 hardy souls now live permanently in Oymyakon despite its isolation, its weather and the fact it has no hotels, restaurants, theatres, supermarkets, churches or clubs, buses or trains, and just one “general store” that sells basic needs.

And they’ve developed a unique diet that includes frozen raw sliced salmon, horse liver that’s also eaten frozen, and a favourite main course of macaroni infused with cubes of frozen horse blood.

Such is life in Oymyakon, officially recognised as the coldest permanently inhabited place on earth.

OK. With John O’Keefe

● Barry Hall

Advertisers abandon MMM

■ The fall out from the disgusting on-air remarks by Barry Hall on Triple M has resulted in at least two sponsors pulling the plug on sizeable contracts.

Another eight advertisers are weighing up their options. The incident could cost Triple M tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

Not happy, Barry.

Cutbacks at the ABC

■ One of the slash and burn programs at the ABC is The Checkout. The seventh season will not be proceeding which is a bummer as the program was most informative with segments delivered in a most entertaining way .

Shannon off his trolley

■ Shannon Noll lost his cool when a patron tossed a can at Noll while he was on stage performing at The Duck Creek Picnic Races.

The tirade that followed from Noll is unprintable, and considerably worse than anything that has ever emerged from Barry Hall's mouth.

Noll has since apologised to his Duck Creek fans.

O’Keefe clan sticks together

■ The O'Keefe clan sticks together. Versatile entertainer Andrew O'Keefe is soon to perform a tribute show to his uncle Johnny O'Keefe.

Andrew's show is a 'must see' at The Palms at Crown, August 19-20.

Andrew describes his uncle as “the wildest person in my life”.

Elvis Costello OK

■ Rumour has it that Elvis Costello has cancelled scheduled concerts in UK and Europe in order to have treatment to remove a cancer.

We're told the cancer is in remission, and Elvis will bounce back after a well earned rest.

- John O’Keefe

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Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 17

Antiques and Collectables

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After 30 years of trading in Sandringham we have moved to a new showroom, jam packed with interesting quality items, and constantly changing items including lots of antiques and modern furniture, bronze, clocks, vases, displays, French, leadlight, lots of colourful art, etc.

We always buy anything of quality.

368 Reserve Rd, Cheltenham Ring Jack on 9583 7099, 0419 303 861

Page 18 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 19

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Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 21

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Best Places

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 31

Observer Classic Books

Hard Times - by Charles Dickens

Wet through and through: with her feet squelching and squashing in her shoes whenever she moved; with a rash of rain upon her classical visage; with a bonnet like an over-ripe fig; with all her clothes spoiled; with damp impressions of every button, string, and hook-and-eye she wore, printed off upon her highly connected back; with a stagnant verdure on her general exterior, such as accumulates on an old park fence in a mouldy lane; Mrs. Sparsit had no resource but to burst into tears of bitterness and say, ‘I have lost her!’

Chapter XII— Down THE national dustmen, after entertaining one another with a great many noisy little fights among themselves, had dispersed for the present, and Mr. Gradgrind was at home for the vacation.

He sat writing in the room with the deadly statistical clock, proving something no doubt — probably, in the main, that the Good Samaritan was a Bad Economist. The noise of the rain did not disturb him much; but it attracted his attention sufficiently to make him raise his head sometimes, as if he were rather remonstrating with the elements. When it thundered very loudly, he glanced towards Coketown, having it in his mind that some of the tall chimneys might be struck by lightning.

The thunder was rolling into distance, and the rain was pouring down like a deluge, when the door of his room opened. He looked round the lamp upon his table, and saw, with amazement, his eldest daughter.

‘Louisa!’

‘Father, I want to speak to you.’

‘What is the matter? How strange you look! And good Heaven,’ said Mr. Gradgrind, wondering more and more, ‘have you come here exposed to this storm?’

She put her hands to her dress, as if she hardly knew. ‘Yes.’ Then she uncovered her head, and letting her cloak and hood fall where they might, stood looking at him: so colourless, so dishevelled, so defiant and despairing, that he was afraid of her.

‘What is it? I conjure you, Louisa, tell me what is the matter.’

She dropped into a chair before him, and put her cold hand on his arm.

‘Father, you have trained me from my cradle?’

‘Yes, Louisa.’

‘I curse the hour in which I was born to such a destiny.’

He looked at her in doubt and dread, vacantly repeating: ‘Curse the hour? Curse the hour?’

‘How could you give me life, and take from me all the inappreciable things that raise it from the state of conscious death? Where are the graces of my soul? Where are the sentiments of my heart? What have you done, O father, what have you done, with the garden that should have bloomed once, in this great wilderness here!’

She struck herself with both her hands upon her bosom.

‘If it had ever been here, its ashes alone would save me from the void in which my whole life sinks. I did not mean to say this; but, father, you remember the last time we conversed in this room?’

He had been so wholly unprepared for what he heard now, that it was with difficulty he answered, ‘Yes, Louisa.’

‘What has risen to my lips now, would have risen to my lips then, if you had given me a moment’s help. I don’t reproach you, father.

What you have never nurtured in me, you have never nurtured in yourself; but O! if you had only done so long ago, or if you had only neglected me, what a much better and much happier creature I should have been this day!’

On hearing this, after all his care, he bowed his head upon his hand and groaned aloud.

‘Father, if you had known, when we were last together here, what even I feared while I strove against it — as it has been my task from infancy to strive against every natural prompting that has arisen in my heart; if you had known that there lingered in my breast, sensibilities, affections, weaknesses capable of being cherished into strength, defying all the calculations ever made by man, and no more known to his arithmetic than his Creator is, — would you have

Charles Dickens given me to the husband whom I am now sure that I hate?’

He said, ‘No. No, my poor child.’

‘Would you have doomed me, at any time, to the frost and blight that have hardened and spoiled me? Would you have robbed me — for no one’s enrichment — only for the greater desolation of this world — of the immaterial part of my life, the spring and summer of my belief, my refuge from what is sordid and bad in the real things around me, my school in which I should have learned to be more humble and more trusting with them, and to hope in my little sphere to make them better?’

‘O no, no. No, Louisa.’

‘Yet, father, if I had been stone blind; if I had groped my way by my sense of touch, and had been free, while I knew the shapes and surfaces of things, to exercise my fancy somewhat, in regard to them; I should have been a million times wiser, happier, more loving, more contented, more innocent and human in all good respects, than I am with the eyes I have. Now, hear what I have come to say.’

He moved, to support her with his arm. She rising as he did so, they stood close together: she, with a hand upon his shoulder, looking fixedly in his face.

‘With a hunger and thirst upon me, father, which have never been for a moment appeased; with an ardent impulse towards some region where rules, and figures, and definitions were not quite absolute; I have grown up, battling every inch of my way.’

‘I never knew you were unhappy, my child.’

‘Father, I always knew it. In this strife I have almost repulsed and crushed my better angel into a demon. What I have learned has left me doubting, misbelieving, despising, regretting,

what I have not learned; and my dismal resource has been to think that life would soon go by, and that nothing in it could be worth the pain and trouble of a contest.’

‘And you so young, Louisa!’ he said with pity.

‘And I so young. In this condition, father — for I show you now, without fear or favour, the ordinary deadened state of my mind as I know it — you proposed my husband to me. I took him. I never made a pretence to him or you that I loved him. I knew, and, father, you knew, and he knew, that I never did. I was not wholly indifferent, for I had a hope of being pleasant and useful to Tom. I made that wild escape into something visionary, and have slowly found out how wild it was. But Tom had been the subject of all the little tenderness of my life; perhaps he became so because I knew so well how to pity him. It matters little now, except as it may dispose you to think more leniently of his errors.’

As her father held her in his arms, she put her other hand upon his other shoulder, and still looking fixedly in his face, went on.

‘When I was irrevocably married, there rose up into rebellion against the tie, the old strife, made fiercer by all those causes of disparity which arise out of our two individual natures, and which no general laws shall ever rule or state for me, father, until they shall be able to direct the anatomist where to strike his knife into the secrets of my soul.’

‘Louisa!’ he said, and said imploringly; for he well remembered what had passed between them in their former interview.

‘I do not reproach you, father, I make no complaint. I am here with another object.’

‘What can I do, child? Ask me what you will.’

‘I am coming to it. Father, chance then threw into my way a new acquaintance; a man such

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as I had had no experience of; used to the world; light, polished, easy; making no pretences; avowing the low estimate of everything, that I was half afraid to form in secret; conveying to me almost immediately, though I don’t know how or by what degrees, that he understood me, and read my thoughts. I could not find that he was worse than I. There seemed to be a near affinity between us. I only wondered it should be worth his while, who cared for nothing else, to care so much for me.’

‘For you, Louisa!’

Her father might instinctively have loosened his hold, but that he felt her strength departing from her, and saw a wild dilating fire in the eyes steadfastly regarding him.

‘I say nothing of his plea for claiming my confidence. It matters very little how he gained it.

Father, he did gain it. What you know of the story of my marriage, he soon knew, just as well.’

Her father’s face was ashy white, and he held her in both his arms.

‘I have done no worse, I have not disgraced you. But if you ask me whether I have loved him, or do love him, I tell you plainly, father, that it may be so. I don’t know.’

She took her hands suddenly from his shoulders, and pressed them both upon her side; while in her face, not like itself — and in her figure, drawn up, resolute to finish by a last effort what she had to say — the feelings long suppressed broke loose.

‘This night, my husband being away, he has been with me, declaring himself my lover. This minute he expects me, for I could release myself of his presence by no other means. I do not know that I am sorry, I do not know that I am ashamed, I do not know that I am degraded in my own esteem. All that I know is, your philosophy and your teaching will not save me. Now, father, you have brought me to this. Save me by some other means!’

He tightened his hold in time to prevent her sinking on the floor, but she cried out in a terrible voice, ‘I shall die if you hold me! Let me fall upon the ground!’ And he laid her down there, and saw the pride of his heart and the triumph of his system, lying, an insensible heap, at his feet.

End of the Second Book ★ Book the Third — Garnering Chapter I— Another Thing Needful LOUISA awoke from a torpor, and her eyes languidly opened on her old bed at home, and her old room. It seemed, at first, as if all that had happened since the days when these objects were familiar to her were the shadows of a dream, but gradually, as the objects became more real to her sight, the events became more real to her mind.

She could scarcely move her head for pain and heaviness, her eyes were strained and sore, and she was very weak. A curious passive inattention had such possession of her, that the presence of her little sister in the room did not attract her notice for some time. Even when their eyes had met, and her sister had approached the bed, Louisa lay for minutes looking at her in silence, and suffering her timidly to hold her passive hand, before she asked: ‘When was I brought to this room?’

‘Last night, Louisa.’

‘Who brought me here?’

‘Sissy, I believe.’

‘Why do you believe so?’

‘Because I found her here this morning. She didn’t come to my bedside to wake me, as she always does; and I went to look for her. She was not in her own room either; and I went looking for her all over the house, until I found her here taking care of you and cooling your head. Will you see father? Sissy said I was to tell him when you woke.’

‘What a beaming face you have, Jane!’ said Louisa, as her young sister — timidly still — bent down to kiss her.

‘Have I? I am very glad you think so. I am sure it must be Sissy’s doing.’

The arm Louisa had begun to twine around her neck, unbent itself. ‘You can tell father if you will.’ Then, staying her for a moment, she said, ‘It was you who made my room so cheerful,

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Observer Classic Books From Page 31 and gave it this look of welcome?’

‘Oh no, Louisa, it was done before I came. It was — ’ Louisa turned upon her pillow, and heard no more. When her sister had withdrawn, she turned her head back again, and lay with her face towards the door, until it opened and her father entered.

He had a jaded anxious look upon him, and his hand, usually steady, trembled in hers. He sat down at the side of the bed, tenderly asking how she was, and dwelling on the necessity of her keeping very quiet after her agitation and exposure to the weather last night. He spoke in a subdued and troubled voice, very different from his usual dictatorial manner; and was often at a loss for words.

‘My dear Louisa. My poor daughter.’ He was so much at a loss at that place, that he stopped altogether. He tried again.

‘My unfortunate child.’ The place was so difficult to get over, that he tried again.

‘It would be hopeless for me, Louisa, to endeavour to tell you how overwhelmed I have been, and still am, by what broke upon me last night. The ground on which I stand has ceased to be solid under my feet. The only support on which I leaned, and the strength of which it seemed, and still does seem, impossible to question, has given way in an instant. I am stunned by these discoveries. I have no selfish meaning in what I say; but I find the shock of what broke upon me last night, to be very heavy indeed.’

She could give him no comfort herein. She had suffered the wreck of her whole life upon the rock.

‘I will not say, Louisa, that if you had by any happy chance undeceived me some time ago, it would have been better for us both; better for your peace, and better for mine. For I am sensible that it may not have been a part of my system to invite any confidence of that kind. I had proved my — my system to myself, and I have rigidly administered it; and I must bear the responsibility of its failures. I only entreat you to believe, my favourite child, that I have meant to do right.’

He said it earnestly, and to do him justice he had. In gauging fathomless deeps with his little mean excise-rod, and in staggering over the universe with his rusty stiff-legged compasses, he had meant to do great things. Within the limits of his short tether he had tumbled about, annihilating the flowers of existence with greater singleness of purpose than many of the blatant personages whose company he kept.

‘I am well assured of what you say, father. I know I have been your favourite child. I know you have intended to make me happy. I have never blamed you, and I never shall.’

He took her outstretched hand, and retained it in his.

‘My dear, I have remained all night at my table, pondering again and again on what has so painfully passed between us. When I consider your character; when I consider that what has been known to me for hours, has been concealed by you for years; when I consider under what immediate pressure it has been forced from you at last; I come to the conclusion that I cannot but mistrust myself.’

He might have added more than all, when he saw the face now looking at him. He did add it in effect, perhaps, as he softly moved her scattered hair from her forehead with his hand. Such little actions, slight in another man, were very noticeable in him; and his daughter received them as if they had been words of contrition.

‘But,’ said Mr. Gradgrind, slowly, and with hesitation, as well as with a wretched sense of happiness, ‘if I see reason to mistrust myself for the past, Louisa, I should also mistrust myself for the present and the future. To speak unreservedly to you, I do. I am far from feeling convinced now, however differently I might have felt only this time yesterday, that I am fit for the trust you repose in me; that I know how to respond to the appeal you have come home to make to me; that I have the right instinct — supposing it for the moment to be some quality of that nature — how to help you, and to set you right, my child.’

She had turned upon her pillow, and lay with her face upon her arm, so that he could not see it.

All her wildness and passion had subsided; but, though softened, she was not in tears. Her father was changed in nothing so much as in the respect that he would have been glad to see her in tears.

‘Some persons hold,’ he pursued, still hesitating, ‘that there is a wisdom of the Head, and that there is a wisdom of the Heart. I have not supposed so; but, as I have said, I mistrust myself now. I have supposed the head to be all-sufficient. It may not be all-sufficient; how can I venture this morning to say it is! If that other kind of wisdom should be what I have neglected, and should be the instinct that is wanted, Louisa —’ He suggested it very doubtfully, as if he were half unwilling to admit it even now. She made him no answer, lying before him on her bed, still half-dressed, much as he had seen her lying on the floor of his room last night.

‘Louisa,’ and his hand rested on her hair again, ‘I have been absent from here, my dear, a good deal of late; and though your sister’s training has been pursued according to — the system,’ he appeared to come to that word with great reluctance always, ‘it has necessarily been modified by daily associations begun, in her case, at an early age. I ask you — ignorantly and humbly, my daughter — for the better, do you think?’

‘Father,’ she replied, without stirring, ‘if any harmony has been awakened in her young breast that was mute in mine until it turned to discord, let her thank Heaven for it, and go upon her happier way, taking it as her greatest blessing that she has avoided my way.’

‘O my child, my child!’ he said, in a forlorn manner, ‘I am an unhappy man to see you thus!

What avails it to me that you do not reproach me, if I so bitterly reproach myself!’ He bent his head, and spoke low to her. ‘Louisa, I have a misgiving that some change may have been slowly working about me in this house, by mere love and gratitude: that what the Head had left undone and could not do, the Heart may have been doing silently. Can it be so?’

She made him no reply.

‘I am not too proud to believe it, Louisa. How could I be arrogant, and you before me! Can it be so? Is it so, my dear?’ He looked upon her once more, lying cast away there; and without another word went out of the room. He had not been long gone, when she heard a light tread near the door, and knew that some one stood beside her.

She did not raise her head. A dull anger that she should be seen in her distress, and that the involuntary look she had so resented should come to this fulfilment, smouldered within her like an unwholesome fire. All closely imprisoned forces rend and destroy. The air that would be healthful to the earth, the water that would enrich it, the heat that would ripen it, tear it when caged up. So in her bosom even now; the strongest qualities she possessed, long turned upon themselves, became a heap of obduracy, that rose against a friend.

It was well that soft touch came upon her neck, and that she understood herself to be supposed to have fallen asleep. The sympathetic hand did not claim her resentment. Let it lie there, let it lie.

It lay there, warming into life a crowd of gentler thoughts; and she rested. As she softened with the quiet, and the consciousness of being so watched, some tears made their way into her eyes. The face touched hers, and she knew that there were tears upon it too, and she the cause of them.

As Louisa feigned to rouse herself, and sat up, Sissy retired, so that she stood placidly near the bedside.

‘I hope I have not disturbed you. I have come to ask if you would let me stay with you?’

‘Why should you stay with me? My sister will miss you. You are everything to her.’

‘Am I?’ returned Sissy, shaking her head. ‘I would be something to you, if I might.’

‘What?’ said Louisa, almost sternly.

‘Whatever you want most, if I could be that. At all events, I would like to try to be as near it as I can. And however far off that may be, I will never tire of trying. Will you let me?’

‘My father sent you to ask me.’

‘No indeed,’ replied Sissy. ‘He told me that I might come in now, but he sent me away from the room this morning — or at least — ’ She hesitated and stopped.

‘At least, what?’ said Louisa, with her searching eyes upon her.

‘I thought it best myself that I should be sent away, for I felt very uncertain whether you would like to find me here.’

‘Have I always hated you so much?’

‘I hope not, for I have always loved you, and have always wished that you should know it.

But you changed to me a little, shortly before you left home. Not that I wondered at it. You knew so much, and I knew so little, and it was so natural in many ways, going as you were among other friends, that I had nothing to complain of, and was not at all hurt.’

Her colour rose as she said it modestly and hurriedly. Louisa understood the loving pretence, and her heart smote her.

‘May I try?’ said Sissy, emboldened to raise her hand to the neck that was insensibly drooping towards her.

Louisa, taking down the hand that would have embraced her in another moment, held it in one of hers, and answered: ‘First, Sissy, do you know what I am? I am so proud and so hardened, so confused and troubled, so resentful and unjust to every one and to myself, that everything is stormy, dark, and wicked to me. Does not that repel you?’

‘No!’ ‘I am so unhappy, and all that should have made me otherwise is so laid waste, that if I had been bereft of sense to this hour, and instead of being as learned as you think me, had to begin to acquire the simplest truths, I could not want a guide to peace, contentment, honour, all the good of which I am quite devoid, more abjectly than I do. Does not that repel you?’

‘No!’ In the innocence of her brave affection, and the brimming up of her old devoted spirit, the once deserted girl shone like a beautiful light upon the darkness of the other.

Louisa raised the hand that it might clasp her neck and join its fellow there. She fell upon her knees, and clinging to this stroller’s child looked up at her almost with veneration.

‘Forgive me, pity me, help me! Have compassion on my great need, and let me lay this head of mine upon a loving heart!’

‘O lay it here!’ cried Sissy. ‘Lay it here, my dear.’

Chapter II— Very Ridiculous Mr. James Harthouse passed a whole night and a day in a state of so much hurry, that the World, with its best glass in his eye, would scarcely have recognized him during that insane interval, as the brother Jem of the honourable and jocular member. He was positively agitated. He several times spoke with an emphasis, similar to the vulgar manner. He went in and went out in an unaccountable way, like a man without an object. He rode like a highwayman. In a word, he was so horribly bored by existing circumstances, that he forgot to go in for boredom in the manner prescribed by the authorities.

After putting his horse at Coketown through the storm, as if it were a leap, he waited up all night: from time to time ringing his bell with the greatest fury, charging the porter who kept watch with delinquency in withholding letters or messages that could not fail to have been entrusted to him, and demanding restitution on the spot. The dawn coming, the morning coming, and the day coming, and neither message nor letter coming with either, he went down to the country house. There, the report was, Mr. Bounderby away, and Mrs. Bounderby in town. Left for town suddenly last evening. Not even known to be gone until receipt of message, importing that her return was not to be expected for the present.

In these circumstances he had nothing for it but to follow her to town. He went to the house in town. Mrs. Bounderby not there. He looked in at the Bank. Mr. Bounderby away and Mrs. Sparsit away. Mrs. Sparsit away? Who could have been reduced to sudden extremity for the company of that griffin!

‘Well! I don’t know,’ said Tom, who had his own reasons for being uneasy about it. ‘She was off somewhere at daybreak this morning. She’s always full of mystery; I hate her. So I do that white chap; he’s always got his blinking eyes upon a fellow.’

‘Where were you last night, Tom?’ ‘Where was I last night!’ said Tom. ‘Come! I like that. I was waiting for you, Mr. Harthouse, till it came down as I never saw it come down before. Where was I too! Where were you, you mean.’

‘I was prevented from coming — detained.’

‘Detained!’ murmured Tom. ‘Two of us were detained. I was detained looking for you, till I lost every train but the mail. It would have been a pleasant job to go down by that on such a night, and have to walk home through a pond. I was obliged to sleep in town after all.’

‘Where?’

‘Where? Why, in my own bed at Bounderby’s.’

‘Did you see your sister?’

‘How the deuce,’ returned Tom, staring, ‘could I see my sister when she was fifteen miles off?’

Cursing these quick retorts of the young gentleman to whom he was so true a friend, Mr. Harthouse disembarrassed himself of that interview with the smallest conceivable amount of ceremony, and debated for the hundredth time what all this could mean? He made only one thing clear. It was, that whether she was in town or out of town, whether he had been premature with her who was so hard to comprehend, or she had lost courage, or they were discovered, or some mischance or mistake, at present incomprehensible, had occurred, he must remain to confront his fortune, whatever it was. The hotel where he was known to live when condemned to that region of blackness, was the stake to which he was tied. As to all the rest — What will be, will be.

‘So, whether I am waiting for a hostile message, or an assignation, or a penitent remonstrance, or an impromptu wrestle with my friend Bounderby in the Lancashire manner — which would seem as likely as anything else in the present state of affairs — I’ll dine,’ said Mr. James Harthouse. ‘Bounderby has the advantage in point of weight; and if anything of a British nature is to come off between us, it may be as well to be in training.’

Therefore he rang the bell, and tossing himself negligently on a sofa, ordered ‘Some dinner at six — with a beefsteak in it,’ and got through the intervening time as well as he could. That was not particularly well; for he remained in the greatest perplexity, and, as the hours went on, and no kind of explanation offered itself, his perplexity augmented at compound interest.

However, he took affairs as coolly as it was in human nature to do, and entertained himself with the facetious idea of the training more than once.

‘It wouldn’t be bad,’ he yawned at one time, ‘to give the waiter five shillings, and throw him.’At another time it occurred to him, ‘Or a fellow of about thirteen or fourteen stone might be hired by the hour.’ But these jests did not tell materially on the afternoon, or his suspense; and, sooth to say, they both lagged fearfully.

It was impossible, even before dinner, to avoid often walking about in the pattern of the carpet, looking out of the window, listening at the door for footsteps, and occasionally becoming rather hot when any steps approached that room. But, after dinner, when the day turned to twilight, and the twilight turned to night, and still no communication was made to him, it began to be as he expressed it, ‘like the Holy Office and slow torture.’ However, still true to his conviction that indifference was the genuine high-breeding (the only conviction he had), he seized this crisis as the opportunity for ordering candles and a newspaper.

He had been trying in vain, for half an hour, to read this newspaper, when the waiter appeared and said, at once mysteriously and apologetically: ‘Beg your pardon, sir. You’re wanted, sir, if you please.’

A general recollection that this was the kind of thing the Police said to the swell mob, caused Mr. Harthouse to ask the waiter in return, with bristling indignation, what the Devil he meant by ‘wanted’?

‘Beg your pardon, sir. Young lady outside, sir, wishes to see you.’

‘Outside? Where?’

‘Outside this door, sir.’

Giving the waiter to the personage before mentioned, as a block-head duly qualified for that consignment, Mr. Harthouse hurried into the gallery. A young woman whom he had never seen stood there. Plainly dressed, very quiet, very pretty. As he conducted her into the room and placed a chair for her, he observed, by the light of the candles, that she was even prettier than he had at first believed. Her face was innocent and youthful, and its expression remarkably pleasant. She was not afraid of him, or in any way disconcerted; she seemed to have her mind entirely preoccupied with the occasion of her visit, and to have substituted that consideration for herself.

‘I speak to Mr. Harthouse?’ she said, when they were alone.

‘To Mr. Harthouse.’ He added in his mind, ‘And you speak to him with the most confiding eyes I ever saw, and the most earnest voice (though so quiet) I ever heard.’

To Be Continued Next Issue

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Observer Victorian Sport Melbourne

Rough result for punters

■ Even though it was a rough result for punters, nobody would begrudge the victory of 6Y0 Pegasus Spur-Desert Chase mare Desert Flyer in the Yabby Dam Racing Trotters Mobile for T3 or better class over 2240 metres for two of harness racing's "good guys" - Little River cotrainers Danny and Gill Norris at Tabcorp Park Melton on Wednesday July 18.

Driven by Gordon based Darby McGuigan who has certainly come of age this season, Desert Flyer ($31.40) was taken back at the start to settle at the tail of the field as French import Destinee Jenilou flew across the field to lead from outside the front line.

Latching to the back of Zhenya three wide in the last lap, Desert Flyer was too strong at the finish for Zhenya to gain the day by a half head in a mile rate of 2-00.1.

Kyvalley Topcat was third 6.8 metres away after trailing the leader.

Easily accounted

■ Beautifully bred Angus Hall-Lunar Landing filly Illawong Luna snared the TAB Multiplier 2Y0 Trotters Mobile for 1720 metres at Melton when making her race debut.

Bred and raced by long time participant Dr Martin Hartnett, Illawong Luna trained and driven by Parwan's Jodi Quinlan led throughout to easily account for Oneoftheclanwhich faced the open by 6.6 metres, with Imsettogo 1.1 metres back third from mid-field. The mile rate 2-02.2.

At his leisure

■ Local trainer Danny Mullen's much travelled Kiwi bred Imperial Count-Stargo Whiz gelding Imperial Whiz brought up victory number four from 47 starts when greeting the judge in the Swift Signs 3Y0 Trotters Mobile over 2240 metres at Melton.

Allowed to bowl round at his leisure from gate three with Gavin Lang in the sulky, Imperial Whiz led all of the way to defeat the red-hot favourite La Grange which trailed using the sprint lane no avail, going down by 2.7 metres in a rate of 2-02.8. Whizzbang Dan (one/one at bell) was third a nose away.

Virtually untouched

■ Maryborough was the venue for Monday racing and Bendigo trainer Shaun McNaulty's smart Rock N Roll Heaven-Colada Belle filly Dixirosalie chalked up three wins in succession by winning the 1690 metre Carbine Chemicals Support Redwood Pace for C1 & C2 class.

Driven by another Bendigonian Chris Svanosio, Dixirosalie despite racing uncovered had too much quality for her rivals, winning virtually untouched from Valentina Brave (one/one) by 1.6 metres in rate of 1-57.3. The pacemaker Juliustigres was third a nose away third.

Dictated terms

■ A most impressive winner at Maryborough was first starter Glamors Symbol in the Skyvalley Sprint Lane Pace for C0 class over 1690 metres. A 4Y0 daughter of Artesian and Glamazon trained just outside Stawell by Owen Martin, Glamors Symbol driven by son-in-law Michael Sullivan was heavily supported to start a $2.10 favourite, beginning very fast to lead from gate two.

Dictating terms to perfection, Glamors Symbol left her rivals standing on straightening to record a 10.9 metre margin in advance of One For Granny (three back the markers) and Yeah which trailed the winner to finish a half neck back in third place. The mile rate 1-59.6.

Off and running

■ New Lancefield resident Steve Cleave provided his first winner since re-locating when highly promising home bred Shadow Play-Maximum Joy gelding Mirakuru landed the Pennant Products Support Redwood 3Y0 Pace over 2190 metres at Maryborough.

Harness Racing

Melbourne

Observer

len-baker@ bigpond.com

with Len Baker Starting from gate four on the second line, Mirakura making his fifth race appearance was off and running shortly after the start to park in the open outside The Whole Package driven by come-back reinsman Jason (Bunsen) Robertson.

Driven with plenty of confidence, Mirakura was too tough at the finish for the leader who refused to give in, scoring by 3.6 metres, with Edwin Bromac 2.4 metres away in third place third after trailing the runner-up. The mile rate two minutes even.

Plenty of ability

■ At Shepparton on Tuesday, Ardmona duo Donna Castles (trainer) and Doc Wilson (driver) snared the Central Tyre Service Trotters Handicap for T1 or better class over 2190 metres with 5Y0 Straphanger-Golden Antigone mare Antiope, paying Supertab odds of $21.60. Given a perfect passage from the pole following the leader Lucky Pats Son, Antiope trotted to perfection on this occasion and when eased off the back of the pacemaker on turning, finished strongly to score by a neck from Opia along the sprint lane after a one/one trip, with Plumbers Petty Cash (one/two - three wide home turn) 9.9 metres away in third place after galloping away.

The mile rate 2-06.6.

The victory was no surprise as Antiope has always shown plenty of ability but has trouble putting it all together.

Galloped a bit

■ The feature race at Stawell on Thursday was the $14,000 Maori Legend for Two Year Old Trotters over 2180 metres - a prelude to The Redwood to be held at Maryborough on Sunday August 5 over 2180 metres with the winner being Bolinda trainer Alison Alford's DjarmbroSafely Sally filly Sleepee in a respectable mile rate of 2-05.7.

With husband Chris in the sulky, Sleepee (gate three) was eased at the start before going forward entering the straight on the first occasion to slot in behind the leader Archleo (gate five) after Majestic Sunrise galloped.

Given a sweet passage for the rest of the race, Alford pushed out under Majestuoso which ran past her looking a major threat running into the final bend, but galloped under pressure.

In a two horse battle all the way up the running, Sleepee prevailed by a neck, with Majestuoso 10 metres back in third place after galloping several times.

17th victory

■ Evergreen "iron" mare Its Not Dark Yet chalked up her 17th victory in 222 outings when successful in the Yabby Dam Racing Trotters Handicap for T0 & T1 class over 2100 metres at Geelong on Thursday, giving Rockbank based trainer Brian Kiesey a welcome change of luck.

Driven by Gavin Lang who wasted no time in sending the 9Y0 daughter of Pegasus Spur and Agincourt forward from 10 metres to park outside the leader Tarara Jill, It was vintage Lang who nursed her throughout asking for a supreme effort on turning as Melpark Magic made a swift

move forward three wide from three back in the running line. Holding a slender margin approaching the judge, Its Not Dark Yet had 1.9 metres to spare at the finish over Melpark Major, with Tarara Jill 1.1 metres away in third place. The mile rate a leisurely 2-08.8.

It's interesting to note that had the race been handicapped on wins, Its Not Dark Yet would have had to give her rivals up to 150 metre start, but owing to the regulations that horses now receive a lift after not winning in 10 starts, it enabled her to keep dropping a class since her last victory at Cranbourne in January.

Never to be beaten

■ Champion reinsman Chris Alford established a record that will in all probability never be beaten after driving his 390th winner (Elteearr) at Geelong trots on Thursday. Earlier in the night, "The Puppet" had overtaken Daryl Douglas' all time record of 388 in season 2007/08 when successful aboard Deplendlebury in the C5 & C6 class Flying Brick Original Cider Pace, before bringing up success number 390 when Elteearr a stablemate of Dependlebury scored in the last race of the evening.

Just for the record, Alford added another winner to his tally when Braeview Bondi scored at Bendigo on Friday.

Stepped clearly

■ Highly talented Bad Boy Truscott-Left One Eye Out 4Y0 gelding Garshaway notched up his seventh victory (5 this season) when greeting the judge in the Smartline Mortgage Advisors Trotters Handicap for T2 or better class over 2150 metres at Lord's Raceway Bendigo on Friday.

Sulky Snippets This Week

■ Wednesday - Hamilton/Kilmore, Thursday - Maryborough/Mildura, Friday - Ballarat, Saturday - Melton, Sunday - Cobram, Monday - Melton, Tuesday - Kilmore.

Horses to follow

■ Meadow Valley Sky, Springfield Tattoo, The Whole Package, Ranes, Do Ball, Presidential Grin, Lets Went.

Trained at Myola by Graham McDermott, Garshaway driven on this occasion by Greg Sugars stepped cleanly from 20 metres but didn't muster, settling well back in the field as Downtown Miss going for a hat-trick crossed Girls Go First to lead.

Gradually making ground to be handy racing for the bell, Garshaway commenced a forward move in the last lap and quickly joined the leaders. Although tackled strongly by the roughie Columbias Glory on turning, Garshaway held a margin to the wire, scoring by 1.1 metres in a rate of 2-03.4.

Fifty metre backmarker I Am I Cried was a meritorious third 5.2 metres away.

- Len Baker

Melbourne Arts with Peter Kemp Polyphony I-IV Well-respected Melbourne contemporary artist and sculptor :Louise Paramor has created a suite of four sculptures entitled Polyphony I-IV, which can be seen in the Arts Centre Melbourne Café Vic. Courtyard until January 28.

In a career spanning over three decades, Paramor has established herself at the forefront of contemporary Australian art particularly in creating public artworks.

Those who travel along Eastlink motorway will recognise her Panorama Station as part of the Peninsula Link Freeway.

Paramor's sculptures are part of the Contemporary Art Project, which is a new program of temporary art works and installations that utilise and respond to Arts Centre Melbourne's site and wider arts precinct.

With the vision to make Melbourne more vibrant and creative, the hree metre tall works will invigorate Arts Centre Melbourne, and allow foodies to take in the sculptures over a delicious meal. Paramor's established presence in the contemporary art sector.

Arts Centre Melbourne 100 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne

MuMa Time Crystals Robert Smithson: Time Crystals is the first exhibition in Australia dedicated to the work of American artist Robert Smithson (1938 23).

Best known for his radical land art of the 1960s and early 1970s, Smithson is now widely recognised as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.

Inspired by ideas of crystalline geometry and non-biological time, he redefined abstraction and challenged art history, declaring that Nature gives way to the incalculable cycles on nonduration.

Featuring new research on the artist's practice, Time Crystals presents sculpture, photography, film, drawings and texts borrowed from major Australian and international collections.

It also includes the most extensive display

of Smithson's manuscript and archival material to date from the Robert Smithson and Nancy Holt Papers at the Smithsonian Institutions Archives of American art.

Exhibition: July 21 - September 22.

Monash University Museum of Art Ground Floor, Building F Monash University . Caulfield Campus.

Dandenong Rd., Caulfield

Mildura Arts Centre Mildura Arts Centre & Opera Australia present Madame Butterfly.

A Man enchanted by the beauty of the east.

A woman in love with the promise of the West.

Separated by a vast ocean and many years, what will become of their love.

Madame Butterfly is a love story that reaches across cultures, across oceans, across time.

U.S. Naval Officer B.F. Pinkerton is ashore in Japan and enchanted with its beauty and freedoms.

He decides to take a wife, and when the gorgeous geisha Butterfly arrives, he is transfixed by her charms.

She falls hopelessly in love, and a passionate marriage begins.

Year later, Pinkerton has returned home.

Abandoned by her family, Butterfly waits faithfully for her husband to return, Dawn breaks on a ship in the harbour.

What will become of her great hope?

Puccini's popular opera inspired the musical Miss Saigon.

It's filled with gorgeous music from the lovers; first rapturous embrace to the intense finale.

It features the famous aria One Fine Day and the Humming Chorus, along with Japanese and American musical themes.

Season: Tuesday July 31. At 7.30pm MilduraArts Centre 199 Cureton Ave, Mildura - Peter Kemp

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Best Places

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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 61

Every Week in the Melbourne Observer

e urn lbo Me

Observer Showbiz

ver N ser IO Ob T C SE 3

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Theatre: Calendar Girls ............................................... Page 62 Arts: Workshops, talks at Heide .................................... Page 62 On Stage: State Schools Spectacular ............................... Page 63 Jim and Aar on: Latest ‘Top 10’ Lists ...................................... Page 64 Aaron: Cheryl Threadgold: Local theatre reviews ............................. Page 65 PL US THE LLO OVATT”S MEGA CRO PLUS CROSS SWORD

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Polygraph

● Grant Cartwright and Emily Thomas in Polygraph. Photo: Pier Carthew ■ Polygraph is the theatrical exploration of a real life murder that was later made the subject of a film.

The creators of this world renowned piece, Robert Lepage and Marie Brassard, challenged audiences to question their own sense of certainty by juxtaposing timelines, by teasing the audience and by offering potential clues but, ultimately, by having us doubt the very foundations by which we establish the truth.

Francoise (Lachlan Woods) was once suspected of murdering a woman. His neighbor, Lucie (Emily Thomas), is playing that murdered character in a new film.

And Lucie’s lover, David (Grant Cartwright), was the criminologist who conducted the polygraph test without ever exonerating Francois despite the findings.

The very physicality of the performance - the opening is a silent street scene - is counterpointed with an autopsy that runs simultaneously with the carving up of post war Berlin.

The metaphor speaks to the bureaucratic and to individual lives being mirrored in the political. The use of a Russian babushka doll given as a gift later in the play is also redolent of the multiple layers in people’s lives.

And establishing a presence instantaneously for a camera despite one’s better judgment undermines our ability to read what someone is actually experiencing.

As such, can we ever know the truth especially when individuals resort to kinky sex or allow personal experiences to taint their civic responsibility?

The physical presence of the performers, the crafting of movement and the ability to adopt other characters and the moments when only French is spoken (this was originally a French/Canadian play) have all been carefully interwoven by director, Tanya Gerstle.

The stage is mostly barren but for chairs that can be moved on and off stage, a moveable blackboard and a fixed scaffold wall that is used to represent a barrier between people, ideas and situations.

This is exciting theatre. The essential corporeal presence of the actors is captivating as is the mental anguish and associated agendas of their characters.

The audience must engage as we sort through the clues and the seemingly disassociated scenes plunging as we might into a murder mystery.

The answer is, in many ways, unexpected as we question motives and the very notion of what is real and what determines the truth.

OpticNerve and Theatre Works 14 Acland St, St Kilda Until July 29.

- Review by David McLean

● The Phantom of the Opera (Mitchell Stewart) observes the chandelier in his theatre. Photo: Gina Goss.

■ An exciting, visually stunning production of The Phantom of the Opera is playing at the Frankston Arts Centre until July 28.

Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Charles Hart would surely be delighted at this wonderful interpretation presented by PLOS Musical Productions.

Based on the 1910 horror novel by Gaston Leroux, the show ■ Some 14 Australian instrumentalists, the all-female tells of the legendary, musically gifted Phantom (Mitchell SPIRE ensemble, will step into the spotlight alongside reStewart) who, with a facial deformity, shuns society by living nowned guest artists in a one-night only performance, Stand beneath a Parisian opera house. He falls in love when coaching

By Your Woman, on September 16 at Arts Centre promising soprano Christine (Emily Wilkinson), but becomes Melbourne’s Hamer Hall. enraged and terrorises the opera house when she becomes roFrom vocalists to producers, studio techs to managemantically involved with Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny (Tom ment, women are involved in every corner of the AustraGreen). lian music industry. To celebrate the female musicians who Director Brad Fischer and his team create theatrical magic keep the scene alive, the SPIRE ensemble will be joined by with the Phantom’s unpredictable mode of appearances and guest artists from varying musical genres, spanning opera his disruptive powers. The sense of his encompassing presence to hip-hop. in the theatre is particularly evident when “I’m here!” roars Lending their vocal talents to this powerhouse squad of from different angles throughout the venue, thanks to Marcello women and showing their support for equality in the Aussie Lo Ricco’s great sound design. music industry is a carefully curated line-up of special guest Pyrotechnic and other special effects, the spectacular fall of artists including the iconic Kate Ceberano; one of Australia's the chandelier, Daniel Gosling’s superb lighting design, Cathy most popular rappers Mantra; indie songstress Clare Conway’s innovative costume design and Michael Brasser’s Bowditch; genre-defying urban music star Mojo Juju ; scenic concept, all contribute to the awesome aesthetics. much-loved singer/songwriter Rebecca Barnard; musical Fischer skilfully balances technical wizardry with the tradicomedy legends Tripod; Wiradjuri Soprano Shauntai tional musical theatre elements of this seamlessly staged show.

Batzke; Zimbabwean-born R&B songstress Thando; Nathan Firmin’s orchestra renders the score beautifully, and Nkechi Anele, the lead singer for Saskwatch; and PowderSuzie Ryrie’s well-rehearsed choreography is visually interestfinger guitarist and singer/songwriter Darren Middleton. ing.

The SPIRE ensemble includes Xani Kolac (Music DiThe terrific vocally talented principal and female and male rector and violin), Sarah Curro (violin), Biddy Connor ensemble cast is complemented by a cohesive six-member (viola), Anita Quayle (cello), Charlie Woods (trumpet), corps de ballet.

Ellie Lamb (trombone), Cheryl Durongpisitkul (alto saxoRich vocals deliver the challenging musical score, particuphone), Savannah Blount (tenor saxophone), Kathleen larly from Mitchell Stewart in his powerful, poignant portrayal Halloran (guitar), Clio Renner (keys),Claire Cross of The Phantom of the Opera, Emily Wilkinson as an exquisite (bass),Alex Roper (drums),Olivia Nathan (backing vocals) Christine Daae, and Tom Green as personable Raoul. Both and Jacinta Caruana (backing vocals).

Christine and Raoul share lovely, believable romantic chemistry.

Acclaimed Melbourne music director, singer and vioPerformances are also enjoyed from Courtney Smyth (Malinist Xani Kolac created the Stand By Your Woman condame Giry), Felicity Eastwood (formidable Carlotta Giudicelli). cert to support and showcase the multitude of talented muBrett O’Meara and Andrew Wild (entertaining Messieurs Gilles sicians in Melbourne.

Andre and Richard Firmin), Amy Browne (delightful Meg Giry) “There's a myth that the Australian music industry is and Othon Charalambous (Ubaldo Piangi). run by men, when the reality is that women are in every Wow what a show! Hearty congratulations to PLOS Musicorner of this vast creative enterprise,’’ says Kolac. cal Productions.

“Stand By Your Woman is about placing more emphasis Show Details: Until July 28 on the female instrumentalists thriving in this city who can Venue: Frankston Arts Centre act as role models for young aspiring instrumentalists.”

Tickets: $55/$50 U16 yrs. $30.

Performance Date: September 6 Duration: 150 minutes including interval Venue: Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall Bookings: www.plos.asn.au Book: artscentremelbourne.com.au or 1300 182 183 - Review by Cheryl Threadgold

Stand By Your Woman

Page 62 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

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Country Music, Radio, Theatre, Almanac

Calendar Girls ■ Historical events are a wonderful source of playwriting and Calendar Girls is no exception.

Taken from the true story of when a husband dies of leukaemia in the Yorkshire Dales small Knapely Village back in 1998, where his wife with the help of the local Women’s Institute set about honouring his name.

His wife Annie played by Carol McCoy with the help of close friend Chris played by Jill Donnelly set about engaging the ladies of the Institute thinking of ways to raise money to buy a commemorative couch for use at the local hospital.

With many meetings at the Church Hall over a year the close knit group of ladies find it difficult to agree on just what fund raising they would do, be it jams, cakes, knitting and more.

How best to honour John played by David Dodd was beginning to divide the six close friends until the ever forceful Chris with some effort persuades the middle-aged ladies that instead of publishing the expected Women’s Institute calendar with photos of local bridges, they should throw caution, and their underwear, to the winds for a nude calendar.

From here it developed with the individual ladies bringing out their true characters as they agreed to pose nude as opposed to being naked. Cora played by Clare Andrews was the life of the group, as a singer and pianist she was delightful, Jessie played by Lynn Guihenneuc, a retired school teacher wise and thoughtful, gave stability with her performance while Celia played by Michelle Zintschenko, a regular golfer contributed well.

Carol McCoy as Annie focused too much to the floor and appeared to find the role difficult. Other cameo roles were played adequately although I dare mention the script is laborious and much of it is padding that did take away from the continuity of the performance.

The large expensive stage could have been tightened by the set designed by Mark Christie which while pleasing in its concept did keep the cast upstage a lot of the time and away from the audience.

Properties Co-ordinator Daniel Neilson did an extraordinary job with the plethora of stage and hand props as did the Costume Coordinator Annette Neilson.

Not an easy play to stage but well worth seeing for all its glory and to witness the hysteria of worldwide acclaim of six nude Calendar Girls.

Performance Details: Thurs. July 26. Fri. July 27, Sat. July 28 at 8pm, Sun. July 29 at 1pm Venue: Cranbourne Community Theatre, Cranbourne Secondary College, Brunt St Cranbourne Bookings: www.batstheatre.org.au - Review by Graeme McCoubrie

r Observbei z Show

Workshops, talks at Heide Heide Drawing Workshop: Modern Methods.

Heide Museum of Modern Art 7 Templestowe Rd, Bulleen This series of workshops is designed specifically for those new to drawing, lapsed drawers, or those wishing to improve their skill set.

In each class you will study the drawings of a renowned artist of the Heide circle and facets of the drawing process, enabling you to unlock your artistic potential.

Saturday July 28: 1pm - 4pm.Sunday August 25: 1pm- 4pm.

Cost: Adult $25. Concession $22. Member $20 includes museum admission and wine. ★ Art Performance: Evelyn Morris.

Heide Museum of Modern Art 7 Templestowe Rd, Bulleen Experimental musician Morris responds to Eurovision with a live performance or improvised piano piece set amongst the artworks in Heide II. In conjunction with Melbourne Art Week.

Cost: Adult $25. Concession $22. Member $20. Includes museum admission and wine. ★ Gallery Funaki Heide 4 Crossley St. Melbourne Katie Scott, Director of Gallery Funaki, and artist Blanche Tilden discuss Blanche's recent investigations into the social, material and visual aspects of mid-century modernist design, Blanche's ongoing research into the work of Grant Featherstone underpins an emerging body of jewellery in glass and metal.

Cost: Adult $38. Concession: $32. Member $30. Includes museum admission, wine and cheese. ★ Art talk: Dean Angelucci Angelucci 20th centur.

113 Smith St, Fitzroy Collecting, picking and dealing mid-Century furniture since the early 1990s, Dean Angelucci developed a passion that would grow and evolve into a 25-year business.

Join Dean for a conversation about his appreciation for early giants including Featherstone, Krimper and Meadmore at a time when beige and pine furniture adorned our interiors.

Cost: Adult $32. Concession: $28 Members $24. Includes museum admission, wine and cheese.

- Peter Kemp

Go Have A Look ■ Go Have a Look is a collaborative artwork by inclusive and experimental arts studio Art Day South.

Showbiz Extra to move. For the past 10 years, Jasna has been Guest artist living between Los Angeles and Melbourne,

■ Internationally acclaimed conductor Simon Halsey has been confirmed as Gondwana National Choral School Guest Artist for 2019. The trusted adviser on choral singing to the world’s greatest conductors, orchestras and choruses, Halsey is an inspirational teacher and ambassador for choral singing.

Bernie Heard, Executive Director of Gondwana Choirs says that students at the 2019 School (which runs from January 7-20) will appreciate the privilege of learning from such a globally revered figure of choral music.

Express yourself ■ One of Australia’s most versatile film and television choreographers, Jasna Harris who has worked with such International celebrities as Pierce Brosnan, Kaya Scodelario, Teresa Palmer, Michiel Huisman and the pinnacle, Australia’s favorite Mr. G (aka Chris Lilley), has just returned home to inspire Aussie women

working in choreography, movement design and direction in big budget movies, commercials, music videos, fashion parades, corporate branding events and yes, even for our very own Logies.

With rave reviews, Jasna has just landed back in Australia to launch a new wave of dance workshops, exclusively for women.

Her message to Aussie women is simple, to “dance like no one is watching”.

Based at her new workshop series ‘Honour Code’ in Melbourne’s Bayside www.honour code.com.au, Jasna’s classes are not your average workout or traditional dance lesson - you can forget intimidating dance techniques or expectations - Jasna encourages women to just move in whatever way that feels right for them, or, as Madonna once said, to just “Express yourself”.

Melbourne Opera ■ Melbourne Opera is presenting the comic\

Melbourne Arts with Peter Kemp Using sound and video recording green screen, cardboard sets, paint, music, fashion, and performance, the artists have constructed a world that changes and evolves before your eyes, Go Have A Look will continue its transformation throughout the exhibition whereby the rtists will build, recycle, reconfigure and activate the artwork not different forms and experiences.

Exhibition: Thursday, August 16 - Saturday, September 15.

Kingston Arts 979 - 985 Nepean Hwy, Moorabbin - Peter Kemp

Burrinja Gallery Women Painting Women Realistic portrait painting by Australian female artists.

Women Painting Women is a major exhibition of portraiture oil painting and features recent works by Sally Ryan (NSW), Megan Roodenrys (SA), Dagmar Cyrulla, Vicki Sullivan, Fiona Bilbrough, Raelene Sharp and Heather Ellis (all Vic.).

Giving insights into the relationships between the artists and their sitters (among these Yorta Yorta soprano Deborah Cheetham, actress Sigrid Thornton, domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty and Labor Senator Penny Wong).

The works touch on a variety of contemporary themes while revealing personal stories of reward and loss.

Taking its inspiration from the realistic painting movement in the United States, the exhibition celebrates the talent of the female portrait artists and the women who sit for them, and is the second instalment at Burrinja after its successful show on 2016.

Exhibition closes August 19.

Burrinja Gallery 351 Glenfern Rd, Upwey - Peter Kemp

Colossus ■ Australia’s leading choreographer Stephanie Lake’s Colossus can be seen from September 26- 30 at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Fairfax Studio.

The new immersive dance work is compelling and visionary, comprising 50 dance students and emerging dance artists. To create a work of this scale has been a long-held ambition for Lake but a monumental achievement.

“It is a huge logistical undertaking to coordinate a cast of this size. I needed the backing of a big institution like Arts Centre Melbourne to make it happen. It's through their support along with the Victorian College of the Arts and Transit Dance that we're able to make the show a reality,” Lake said.

Lake is known for her robust yet intricate works, but what continually allows her to connect with audiences are the key messages she weaves throughout her pieces.

Colossus is no different where Lake taps into the human desire to, on one hand, be part of the mass and to share in a communal experience, and on the other hand to assert individuality.

“Colossus looks at how we create and follow icons and the subsequent rejection of those leaders - whether they be ideological, political or even celebrity.

“We tend to want something to believe in and would prefer to follow than to exert individual agency.

“Giving over to outside influence can absolve us from responsibility and that can be of comfort. I want to look at the beauty and ugliness of that tendency,” she said.

The mass of dancing bodies will move in complex unison and wild individuality. They will jostle and coexist in perfect imperfection, illustrating the push and pull of humanity and the exquisite patterning found in the natural world.

The 50 dancers will shift in and out of allegiances, couplings, micro-societies and also isolation using a dance language that is ballistic, original and intimate.

The Take Over! project is a unique partnership between Arts Centre Melbourne and Melbourne Fringe that enables an independent artist, company or collective to develop a creative idea ready for presentation in the 2018 Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Arts Centre Melbourne in association with Melbourne Fringe presents Colossus by Stephanie Lake Company Dates and times: September 26-30 at 7.30pm, 5pm (Sunday, September 30.) September 27, Opening Night Arts Centre Melbourne, Fairfax Studio Book at artscentremelbourne.com.au or 1300 182 183.

- Cheryl Threadgold Melbourne

Observer opera, Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier.

Set in Vienna in 1740 among the revels of aristocracy where it centres on four main characters, the Marschallin, a 30 something aristocrat trapped in an unhappy marriage, the 17year-old Count Octavian with whom she is having a secret affair, her dim-witted cousin Baron Ochs and Ochs' fiancée, the young and beautiful Sophie.

In the world of opera it is the tradition for a suitor to employ a young man to resent a silver engagement rose to a young lady n his behalf.

To this end Count Octavian finds himself in Och's employ.

Inevitably falling head -over- heels for Sophie and her for him, together they must find a way to outwit the baron, will they succeed and will the Marschallin be able to yield Octavian to the younger woman?

Season: Thursday August 9. Saturday August 11. Wednesday August 15 and Friday August 17. Venue: Athenaeum Theatre Collins. St. Melbourne.

- Peter Kemp

Arts Centre

Earth's Prehistoric Aquarium From the team that brought you internationally acclaimed Dinosaur Zoo comes a show that invites children to travel to the depths of the seven seas and meet some of the world's most amazing marine reptiles.

Earth's Prehistoric Aquarium is an actionpacked performance that will take kids on a quest to the bottom of the ocean.

Earth's Prehistoric Aquarium connects young audiences to the real science behind palaeontology and ask questions like what does a Plesiosaurs skin really feel like? How big are Krontosaurus teeth? And do Kimberella even wear shoes?

Children will be able to answer these questions by getting up close and personal in this unique and interactive theatre experience.

Season: September 8 - 9. Venue: Fairfax Theatre Arts Centre Melbourne.

Arts Centre Melbourne

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 63

Observer Showbiz

TV, Radio, Theatre

Sputnik concert

● Pianist Roman Salyutov ■ World-renown pianist, Roman Salyutov, will give his only Australian performance on Sunday, August 12, 4 pm at South Melbourne Town Hall.

It is the 16th concert to be presented by Sputnik Russian Cultural and Television which has produced more than 2000 Russian-language Sputnik television programs on Channel 31 over the past 23 years.

Salyutov, who will be on his way back to Germany from Wellington, has performed in Russia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Lithuania, Israel, USA, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.

For the Sputnik concert, he will perform works by Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt, Mozart, Chopin and Ravel.

Born in Leningrad in 1984, Salyutov was educated at the St Petersburg State Conservatory and has a doctorate from the University of Paderborn.

His family emigrated to Germany because it offered him a better future as a musician.

“It is a free and modern society with huge possibilities for self-realisation. Germany is also the heart of the European musical culture – there is a great musical tradition, well supported by regional and federal government as well as sponsored by numerous foundations and societies.

“It is a free music market, and if you have enough energy, fresh ideas and strong will to reach something, you can get it,” Salyutov said.

Since 2013, Salyutov has also been the Chief Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Bergisch Gladbach, near Cologne.

Salyutov is of Jewish descent and recently became involved in a musical partnership with Israel and Israeli musicians through the Yachad Chamber Orchestra. It had its first tour of Israel in June.

“This is the first German-Israeli orchestra under its own name. Our goal is to build bridges between Israel, Germany and other countries, develop relationships, promote cultural exchange, and help counter anti-B,” he said.

The concert will be recorded for broadcast on Sputnik. Channel 31 and other community TV stations have had another reprieve from the Federal Government – this time until July 1, 2020.

Tickets: Section1 $35/$30 (concession); Section 2 $30/$25 (concession).

Bookings: www.trybooking.com/381575 or phone 9593 8137/0411 560 880 - Cheryl Threadgold

Schools Spectacular

● The Victorian State Schools Spectacular will be staged on September 15.

■ The 2018 Victorian State Schools Spectacu- video production, stage management, costume, lar will showcase 3000 young performers from make-up, marketing and photography. more than 200 schools across Victoria for two The annual performance will see 33 secondshows on Saturday September 15 at Hisense ary students and 90 tertiary/TAFE students learnArena. ing and working across these platforms in 2018.

This year’s production With The Beat exThis year the VSSS will be saying goodbye plores ideas of belonging and identity. to some of the long-standing students who are The journey of exploration will see Hisense coming to the end of their secondary education.

Arena transformed into a mystical Venetian Imogen Spendlove has been part of the VSSS masquerade ball and a wondrous Steam Punk for the past nine years where she has had the Fairground in a cornucopia of new and old opportunity to perform over 30 songs as a princimixed together. pal vocalist.

For the first time the VSSS Pacifica Choir Imogen says she has found “Spec to be a will perform, taking inspiration from the movie space to learn and explore the art of perforMoana, and the audience will be immersed mance”. viewing one of the most powerful forms of culVSSS also welcomes 116 new students in tural dance, a Haka; specifically written for the 2018 who will be involved in behind the scenes show. as well as on stage.

Taking inspiration from the Grimm’s BrothWith The Beat is a creative vision of industry ers folk tale – The Goose Girl, a famous story of professionals including Creative Director Neill lost identity, will feature a puppet designed by Gladwin, Musical Director Chong Lim, Dance Philip Millar of Creature Technology Company Director Deon Nuku, and Associate Dance bringing another performing dimension to the Director Yvette Lee. stage.

The Spectacular has a long-term partnership Adding that extra bit of ‘magic’ will be stu- with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, prodent Tim Mason, an international award-win- viding tutoring and mentoring to student string ning magician who will delight audiences of all musicians. ages with his masterful showmanship far beSuccess and achievement in the arts is one yond his years. of the key targets for the Education State, as This year’s extravaganza will feature a 75- Victorian students learn to think critically and piece orchestra, 31 principal vocalists, 16 prin- find creative solutions. cipal dancers, 20 principal ensemble dancers, Venue: Hisense Arena nine backing vocalists, 44 Victorian State Date: Saturday, September 15 Schools Choir members, 55 specialist dancers / Times: 1pm and 6:30pm singers, a magician, a puppeteer, a 1300 voice Tickets: Adult: Full Price: $40.00 + BF, Conchoir and 1125 mass dancers. cession: $30 + BF, Junior (U15): $20 + BF Taking part in the Spectacular provides a Bookings: Ticketek : www.ticketek.com.au/ unique training opportunity for students onstage, spectacular or call 132 849. as well as behind the scenes in audio, lighting, - Cheryl Threadgold

PETER KEMP: INCINERATOR GALLERY Printing as Process The process of print-making is revealed at Incinerator Gallery.

The Incinerator Gallery will be opening its newest exhibition Printing as Process, featuring more than 60 prints from Editions, Tremblay (Qld), Larry Rawling Print Workshop (Vic.) Megalo Print Studio and Gallery (ACT), Lancaster Press (Vic.) and Sunshine Print Art Space (Vic.)

Printing as Process explores the collaborative nature of art production in the printmaking studio and highlights the social impact of artmaking.

In addition to stunning works by Brook Andrew, John Coburn, Juan Davila, Glen Mackie and more than 50 other artists, the exhibition will feature especially commissioned interviews with master printers and print studio directors; printmaking ephemera; and a

makeshift print studio, complete with presses, screens and lithography stones.

There will also be a printmaking studio visit of the Sunshine Print Artspace that everyone is welcome to attend.

Patrons are invited to explore this new artistic hub featuring a printmaking studio and foundry, set up by artists Phillip DogettWilliams and Adrian Spurr.

Exhibition: August 11 - September 30.

Incinerator Gallery 180HolmesRd,MooneePonds

The New Hip

● Steve Blackburn ■ Australian musician and comedian Steve Blackburn (Fast Forward/Full Frontal) returns to The Butterfly Club with his debut solo show The New Hip from July 30 -August 4.

The New Hip comprises Steve’s recent songs, described as dark, twisted, hilarious, and charming.

Steve uses his songs to muse on things in life, such as travelling to Thailand for a nose job; beta-males; Gina Rinehart; piano-playing poodles; digging up Australia; and the concrete bollards popping up all over Melbourne.

The songs are connected by his meanderings that will veer from astute and poignant to witty and absurd.

Steve Blackburn is a re-emerging solo artist having worked with household names such as Eric Bana, Magda Szubanski, Gina Riley, Jane Turner, Rod Quantock and Jimeon, to produce both music and sketches for hallmark Australian comedies including Full Frontal and Fast Forward.

The New Hip runs for a four-performance season. Bookings recommended.

Performance Details: July 30, August 1, 2, 4 at 7pm Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne Tickets: $25-34 Bookings: thebutterflyclub.com - Cheryl Threadgold

Bi-Cycle

● Sam Anderson in Bi-Cycle.

■ Sam Anderson (Underbelly, Netflix's Drown) presents his 50-minute show Bi-Cycle from August 6-11 at 8.30pm at The Butterfly Club.

Bi-Cycle is billed as ‘a ridiculously theatrical spin on spin classes, sexuality and sweat, set on a stationary indoor exercise bike.’

The show has enjoyed two hit seasons across Sydney and Adelaide Fringes 2018 and is coming to Melbourne for its first season.

Sam says: “It’s for the cardio obsessed and couch potatoes, it’s for humans who are trying to find what they are looking for.”

Performance Season: August 6-11 at 8.30pm Cost: $25-$32 Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne Bookings: www.thebutterflyclub.com - Cheryl Threadgold

Page 64 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 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: A QUIET PLACE: Cast: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Noah Jupe.

G e n r e : Drama/Horror/Thriller.

Year: 2018.

Rating: MA15+ Length: 90 Minutes.

Stars: ***½ Verdict: A family of four must live their lives on a remote farm in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt purely by sound.

Slow burning post-apocalyptic outing will require patience along with respectful and devoted attention in this thriller created to make the audience an active participant in this cat & mouse game as the tension and horror slowly unfolds through silence.

Executed with simplicity and tightness, stars, real life husband and wife John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, wring a lot of blood, sweat and tears out of this effectively bound and grounded, ambitious and highly ambiguous nail-biting low budget fright fest with chilling creatures.

However, not without its flaws, even though co-star, co-writer and director John Krasinski covers an all-too familiar premise, surroundings and trappings with effective results, it relies too heavily on the repetitious jump scares as a safety net.

For older audience members and sci-fi-horror fans, "A Quiet Place" drips with ghostly reflections of Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone" numerous 50s, 60s and 70's offerings, as well as such filmmakers as George A. Romero, both George Pal and Steven Spielberg's variation of "War of the Worlds," Tim Burton's "Mars Attacks" and Ridley Scott's "Alien," to name a few.

As a nod or homage to the classic creature-features of the past, any predictability or cliché is a must, no contest, so for some this will pass the test with flying colours, yet, make no mistake, it will divide others dramatically.

More on offer than not, what a more accomplished director and larger budget could have created or achieved is anyone's guess, but like the all-too-many and much loved low budget classics that have already taught us, leave it alone, and decide for yourself.

FILM: DIE HARD - 30th Anniversary Edition: Genre: Action/Thriller.

Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald ValJohnson, William Atherton.

Year: 1988.

Rating: M. Length: 132 Minutes.

Stars: ***** Verdict: Bruce Willis as New York cop John McClane visits his wife at her work at the Nakatomi Plaza building in Los Angeles for the Christmas party, however, the staff and guests of the corporation are interrupted and taken hostage by a bunch of high profile crooks, unaware that McClane is about to make things difficult for the as he goes all out to save his wife and others.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary with an all new 4K UHD remastered release, Bruce Willis is still a knockout in his star-making role as NYPD cop John McClane, as the thrills comes thick and fast in not only the best action film of the 80s,' but without doubt the quintessential American action movie, and one of the greatest action films of all time!

Landmark action blockbuster, along with "Aliens" (1986), brimming with humour, tension, excitement and jaw-dropping pyrotechnics, director John McTiernan keeps it tight, lean, tough, brisk, fresh and tension high from the opening frame to the last, all aided by a thrilling music score by Michael Kamen!

In addition, British actor Alan Rickman makes an electrifying big screen debut in a scene-stealing standout as the head villain, Hans Gruber, a character and performance that has gone on to become one of the great villains in cinema history. A knockout!

Footnote: The acclaimed 1968 thriller "The Detective" starring Frank Sinatra has an important place in both cinema and literary history.

Based on the bestseller by of the same name by Roderick Thorp, the sequel to the book of "The Detective" titled "Nobody Lasts Forever" 20 years later became the source novel for the 1988 action blockbuster, "Die Hard."

FILM: RAMPAGE: Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Malin Akerman.

Genre: Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi. Year: 2018.

Rating: M. Length: 107 Minutes.

Stars: ** Verdict: A primatologist shares an unshakable bond with George, an extraordinarily intelligent gorilla who has been in his care since birth, but a rogue genetic experiment gone awry transforms this gentle ape, a wolf and an alligator into raging monsters, and as they tear across North America, destroying everything in their path, he teams with a discredited genetic engineer to secure an antidote, as he fighting his way through a battlefield, not only to halt a global catastrophe but to save the fearsome creature that was once his friend.

If it isn't superheroes, aliens or giant robots, it's giant creatures running amuck leaving trails of destruction in their path, and the latest is this, based on the 1986 video game, a big, dumb, loud, sloppy, REDICULOUS and unintelligent CGI mess, there are things to like, but in equal parts cringe.

The performances and characters are wooden, the dialogue is as corny as it can get, the CGI in some parts shoddy, and unlike the more impressionable and inspirational efforts of such past schlock filmmakers and Roger Corman, the King Brothers and William Castle, among others, the major issue here is oversaturation and the lack of any form of emotion or real threat.

Like Andy Serkis as "King Kong" and the "Planet of the Apes" series, If there is any real acting to be credited it is Jason Lyles motion capture performance by as the giant ape, George All that said, creature-features have been a healthy diet and impressionable treat for cinemagoers since the beginning of film, and those many from the beginning and through to the1950s and 1960s Cold-War creature feature era's such as "King Kong," "Mighty Joe Young," "Godzilla," "Gorgo," "The Lost World," "Mysterious Island," "Tarantula," "It Came From Beneath The Sea" and "Them!," to name a few, and they have gone on to inspire generations in their path.

It's not the worst of the decades old genre, and it's certainly not the best, it's just plain dull, but then again, there's nothing wrong with a guilty pleasure, and as far as they go, the recent "Kong: Skull Island" still rocks!

Rourke’s Reviews Beirut

■ (M). 110 minutes. Opens in selected cinemas July 26.

Smartly written by Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton) and directed with knowing efficiency and style

by Brad Anderson (Transsiberian), this absorbing thriller harks back to the types of films made in the 1980s, and its old-fashioned attitude is a breath of fresh air.

Jon Hamm plays Mason Skiles, a former US Diplomat whose life fell apart after a tragic incident in 1972, which occurred in the title city.

Ten years later, the despondent, alcoholic Mason is suddenly called back to Beirut, as his friend and ex-colleague Cal (Mark Pellegrino) has been kidnapped by a splinter faction of the PLO, and have specifically asked for him to head the negotiation.

A heady group of intelligence agents are put on the case, but the only one Mason can really trust is CIA handler Sandy Crowder (Rosamund Pike).

As real agendas are slowly revealed, Mason will begin to wonder who exactly the good guys are.

Beirut thankfully places character interplay and plot intricacies over loud explosions, and Gilroy gives Hamm his best big screen role since The Town (2010).

RATING - ***½

See You Up There

■ (MA). 117 minutes. Now showing at Cinema Nova.

Lavishly mounted and dramatically affecting, this large-scale French production is superb, deservedly receiving thirteen nominations (and winning five) at this year's Cesar Awards.

Opening during the last days of WWI, the story focuses on three characters; ground soldiers Edouard Pericourt (Nahuel Perez Biscayart, who co-starred in the outstanding BPM) and Albert Maillard (Albert Dupontel, also on board as writer and director), and their superior, Lieutenant Henri Pradelle (Laurent Lafitte).

A fateful decision made during these final hours leads to long-lasting consequences, especially for Pericourt, who is facially disfigured.

Back home, the two soldiers, along with many other scarred survivors, are swept under the carpet by both the government and public, while Pradelle enjoys the comforts of wealth and position, coldly profiteering off the war dead.

Pericourt and Maillard concoct a scheme involving fake memorials, which will illicit much-needed funds for people who should have gotten such support to begin with.

The acting is terrific, and Dupontel balances the flamboyant with the heartfelt beautifully. Try and catch this masterwork before it disappears from cinemas.

RATING - ****½

Accidental Detective In Action ■ (M). 116 minutes. Now showing at selected cinemas.

Despite a cast that aims to please, this somewhat lacklustre sequel to the 2015 success doesn't hit the same entertaining notes as its predecessor, and prolongs a story that stumbles in attaining complete audience interest.

Comic store owner Dae-man (Kwon Sang-woo) and veteran law enforcer Tae-su (Sung Dong-il) are back, but the detective agency they have set-up has yet to attract a customer.

When one does finally arrive, offering both a handsome financial reward and a seemingly cut-anddried case, the duo instead uncover illegal activity that will eventually put their own lives in danger.

Kwon and Sung are once again likeable, but the strained screenplay mutes the natural chemistry they had first time around, and the humour doesn't really click until the arrival of shady computer hacker Yeo-chi (Lee Kwang-soo), who contributes an amusing (if broad) performance.

RATING - **½

Equalizer 2

■ (MA). 121 minutes. Now showing in cinemas.

With an acting career that now spans just over forty years, two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington has finally starred in his first big screen sequel.

What a pity then that the debut follow-up he picks is The Equalizer 2, a cumbersome, lead-footed misfire that wallows in cliches and heavy-handed preaching.

Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) is back, now working as an Uber driver, still offering his services to those who are oppressed or threatened.

Matters become complicated when old friend Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo) arrives on his doorstep, bringing with her a case involving international assassins, and it isn't long before McCall is entangled among all the blood and mayhem.

The screenplay by returning writer Richard Wenk is terrible, and Antoine Fuqua, who helmed the original, needlessly protracts everything out, only showing interest when capturing moments of physical violence.

The first film wasn't great, but it looks a lot better when compared to this dull, dated mess.

RATING - *½

Last Chance ■ Screening as part of the Scandinavian Film Festival, try and see Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurosson's dark, brooding drama Under The Tree (MA) (****), which is screen ing at the Brighton Bay on July 28 at 6.15pm.

Go to the Palace Cinemas website for further details.

- Aaron Rourke

Top 10 Lists JULY 22-28, 2018

THE AUSTRALIAN BOX OFFICE TOP TEN: 1. ANT-MAN AND THE WASP. 2. INCREDIBLES 2.

3. HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: A MONSTER VACATION. 4. SKYSCRAPER. 5. JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM. 6. OCEAN'S 8.

7. SHOW DOGS. 8. ADRIFT. 9. SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO. 10. SANJU. NEW RELEASES AND COMING SOON TO CINEMAS AROUND AUSTRALIA: JULY 19: MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN, SEE YOU UP THERE, THE ESCAPE, THE ACCIDENTAL DETECTIVE 2, THE EQUALIZER 2.

JULY 26: BEIRUT, DETECTIVE DEE: THE FOUR HEAVENLY KINGS, FUNNY COW, HERSTORY, IP MAN LEGACY - MASTER Z, MAYA THE BEE: THE HONEY GAMES, RBG, THE BREAKER UPPERERS, WHITNEY. THE DVD AND BLU-RAY TOP RENTALS & SALES: 1. A QUIET PLACE [Horror/Thriller/Drama/ Emily Blunt, John Krasinski].

2. RAMPAGE [Action/Sci-Fi/Adventure/ Dwayne Johnson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Naomie Harris].

3. READY PLAYER ONE [Sci-Fi/Action/ Adventure/Tye Sheridan, Ben Mendelsohn].

4. LOVE, SIMON [Romance/Comedy/ Drama/Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Garner, Nick Robinson].

5. FILM STARS DON'T DIE IN LIVERPOOL [Biography/Drama/Annette Bening, Jamie Bell].

6. SHERLOCK GNOMES [Animated/ Adventure/Comedy/Johnny Depp, Emily Blunt].

7. EARLY MAN [Animated/Comedy/ Adventure/Timothy Spall, Tom Hiddleston].

8. PETER RABBIT [Comedy/Family/ Adventure/Domhnall Gleeson, Rose Byrne, James Corden].. 9.PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST [Drama/History/Jim Caviezel, Joanne Whalley].

Also: WALKING OUT, THE YELLOW BIRDS, TOMB RAIDER, PACIFIC RIM-UPRISING, BLOCKERS, THE MERCY, LADY BIRD, THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI, RED SPARROW. NEW HOME ENTERTAINMENT RELEASE HIGHLIGHTS THIS WEEK: ISLE OF DOGS [Animated/Adventure/ Comedy/Drama/Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray].

THE PIRATES OF SOMALIA [Drama/ Barkhad Abdi, Al Pacino, Evan Peters, Melanie Griffith].

THE HUMANITY BUREAU [Action/Sci-Fi/ Nicolas Cage, Sarah Lind].

DVD AND/OR BLU-RAY NEW & RE-RELEASE CLASSIC MOVIES HIGHLIGHTS: CATCH 22 [War/Comedy/Satire/Drama/ Alan Arkin, Orson Welles, Martin Sheen, Buck Henry].

NEW RELEASE TELEVISION, DOCUMENTARY AND MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS: SALEM: Season 2.

SALEM: Season 3.

- James Sherlock

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 65

Observer Showbiz

Local Theatre with Cheryl Threadgold and team CRACKED SMILES

Phantom at Frankston ■ PLOS Musical Productions presents The Phantom of the Opera until July 28 at the Frankston Arts Centre.

This is the 30th year of performances worldwide for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic musical which tells of the masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House.

He falls in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her strong talents..

The familiar songs include Think of Me, All I Ask of You, Music of the Night, Masquerade’ and the iconic The Phantom of the Opera.

Performance Dates and Times: July 25, 26, 27 at 7.30pm, July 28 at 1.30pm

● Psychopath Malcolm (Aaron James Campbell) and nurse Minty/ Luna (Emma Jevons) in Cracked Smiles.

■ Kieran Gould-Dowen’s plays challenge audiences to think beyond boundaries, to consider the darker side of life, and be reminded of societal and human imperfections.

Gould-Dowen’s latest play, Cracked Smiles, staged at Chapel off Chapel, is no exception.

Presented by Thatchers Boy Theatre and co-directed by Jacinta Scadden and Gemma Flannery, the setting is the recreational area of a psychiatric institution.

As the audience walks through the set to their seats, all appears peaceful.

Two young women, Holly (Rebecca Brigden) and Kimmy (Shamita Sivabalan), relax on a couch, business-like Michelle (Emma Cox) plays cards at a table, Nigel (Seb Muirhead) paints at an easel and Hammurabi (David Macrae) shares playing chess with smartly jacketed Malcolm (Aaron James Campbell) and Bill (Patrick Gibson).

Normality as we know it, gradually changes. These people are psychopaths who, having committed dastardly crimes, survive in their own normal. chaotic environment.

This includes poker chips as unaffordable currency, sexual favours, lies, secrets and a chess game only played by the powerful.

The arrival of Marty (Joel Rosario Alicea) threatens the power-holders. A death in the name of peace causes manipulated, kind nurse Minty/Luna (Emma Jevons) and others to realise changes can be made to dictatorship, discrimination and corruption.

Gould-Dowen sees the interactions between these characters as representing cracks in our society, inviting us to question our own worlds and to seek a better alternative.

An excellent cast has been assembled for this show, with fine performances delivered by all players.

Particularly impressive was Seb Muirhead’s portrayal of twitchy, resentful Nigel, and Emma Jevon’s well-sustained performance as Luna.

I admire and enjoy Kieran GouldDowen’s writing, but this play is drawn out and would have greater impact at 70 – 90 minutes’ duration with no interval, which fragments narrative momentum.

Tightening dialogue, pace and use of music would strengthen conveying the script’s powerful message.

Congratulations to Thatchers Boy Theatre for the courageous and successful staging of plays in Melbourne in recent years. May there be many more.

- Review by Cheryl Threadgold

● Mitchell Stewart (The Phantom of the Opera), Emily Wilkinson (Christine Daae) and Tom Green (Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny) in The Phantom of the Opera. Photo: Gina Goss

Latest shows, auditions SHOWS

SHOWS

■ BATS Theatre: Calendar Girls (by Tim Firth) Until July 29 at the Cranbourne Community Theatre. Bookings: https://www.batstheatre. org.au/ ■ Encore Theatre: The Weekend (by Michael Palin) Until July 28 at Clayton Community Centre, Cooke St., Clayton. Director: Dexter Bourke.

Bookings: 1300 739 099. Or www.encore theatre.com.au ■ PLOS Musical Productions: The Phantom of the Opera Until July 28 at the Frankston Arts Centre. Full $55, Conc $50, U16yrs $30. 150 minutes including interval. www.plos.asn.au ■ The 1812 Theatre: Dial M for Murder (Frederick Knott) July 26 - August 18 at 3-5 Rose Street, Upper Ferntree Gully. Director: Chris Procter. Bookings: 9758 3964.

■ Frankston Theatre Group: Albert Nobbs (by Gordon Steel) July 27 - August 5 at the Frankston Mechanics' Institute, 1A Plowman Place, Frankston. Director: Rob Lister. Bookings: 1300 665 377.

■ Aspect Incorporated: Beauty and the Beast Until July 28 t the Shirley Burke Theatre, 64 Parkers rd., Parkdale. Director: Lyn Laister; Choreographer: Ju-H n Soon; Musical Director: William Yates. Bookings: www.aspect theatre.org.au ■ Williamstown Musical Theatre Company: Elf Jr the Musical August 10 - 19 at the Centenary Theatre, Williamstown. Bookings: 1300 881 545.

■ Strathmore TheatricalArts Group (STAG): 27 Wagons Full of Cotton and Something Unspoken (a double bill by Tennessee Williams) August 16 - 26 at the Strathmore Community Centre, Cnr Loeman and Napier Sts., Strathmore. Director: Marti Ibrahim. Tickets: $20/$15. 9382 6284 or www.stagtheatre.org/reservations ■ Beaumaris Theatre: Echoes (by Alistair Faulkner) August 17 - 30 at 82 Wells rd., Beaumaris. Director: Barbara Crawford. Tickets: $27/$24. Bookings: www.beaumaris theatre.com.au ■ Peridot Theatre Company: The Shoe Horn Sonata (by John Misto) August 10 - 25 at the Unicorn Theatre, Lechte Rd., Mt Waverley. Director: Alison Knight. Bookings: 9808 0770.

■ The Basin Theatre Group: Burke's Company (by Bill Reed) August 10 - September 1 at The Basin Theatre, Doongalla Rd., The Basin.

Director: Graham Fly. Tickets: $27/$22. Bookings: 1300 784 668.

■ Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Company: Moonlight and Magnolias (by Ron Hutchinson) August 16 - September 1 at 39 - 41 Castella St., Lilydale. Director: Alan Burrows. Bookings: 1300 752126.

■ Brighton Theatre Company: Other Desert Cities (by Jon Robin Baitz) August 16 - September 1 at Brighton Arts and Cultural Centre, Cnr Wilson and Carpenter Sts., Brighton. Director: George Werther. Bookings: 1300 752 126.

■ Essendon Theatre Company: An Unseasonable Fall of Snow (by Gary Henderson) August 23 - September 1 at the Bradshaw St Community Hall, Bradshaw St, Essendon West. Director: Div Collins. Bookings: 0422 029 483.

■ Malvern Theatre Company: Dead Man's Cell Phone (by Sarah Ruhl) August 24 - September 6 at 29a Burke Rd., Malvern East. Director: Bruce Cochrane. Bookings: 1300 131 552.

■ Track Youth Theatre: Oh What a Knight! (by Hayley Lawson Smith August 31 - September 1 at the Renaissance Theatre, 826 High St., kew East. Director: Breanna Dioguardi. Bookings: 0424 523 222.

■ Warrandyte Theatre Company: Vere (by John Doyle) August 31 - September 8 at Cnr Yarra St. and Mitchell Ave., Warrandyte. Director: Ruth Richter. Bookings: https:// www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=400949 ■ Phoenix Theatre Company: Chicago September 7 - 15 at the Doncaster Playhouse, 679 Doncaster Rd., Doncaster. Director: Craig Maloney; Musical Director: Peter Verhagen; choreographer: Renee Maloney. All Tickets $30.

Bookings: 9012 5897 or phoenix@phoenixtheatrecompany.org ■ Williamstown Musical Theatre Company: Side Show November 9 - 17 at the Centenary theatre, Williamstown. Bookings: 1300 881 545. (by Joe Orton)

AUDITIONS ■ Peridot Theatre: Sylvia (by A R Gurney) July 23, 25 at 7.30pm at Unicorn Theatre, Lechte Rd., Mt Waverley. Director: Susan Rundle. Enquiries: 0416 298 136.

■ Beaumaris Theatre: Snoopy: The Musical August 7 - 10, Callbacks August 12. Director: Danny Forward; Musical Director: Tim Verdon; Choreographer: Kristy Griffin. Further details: wwwbeaumaristheatre.com.au Bookings and enquiries: 0424 333 222.

■ Strathmore Theatrical Arts Group (STAG) Lamb of God August 19 at 7pm and August 20 at 7pm at the Strathmore Community Centre, Cnr Loeman and Napier Sts., Strathmore. Director: George Benca. No appointment necessary.

■ The Basin Theatre Group: Bombshells (by Joanna Murray Smith) August 19 and 20 at 7pm at The Basin Theatre, Doongalla Rd., The Basin. Director: Sharon Maine. Enquiries: 0419

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

● Bradley Marshall (Beast) at left, Stephanie Collins (Belle), Josh Pratt (Lumiere) and Melissa Cox (Mrs Potts) rehearse for Beauty and the Beast in Parkdale.

Photo: Tim Semmens ■ Aspect Theatre presents Beauty and the Beast until July 28 at the Shirley Burke Theatre, Parkdale.

Based on the 1991 Disney movie and dating back to a late 18th-century classic French fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast is directed

by Lyn Laister, with musical direction by William Yates and choreography by Ju-Han Soon.

The show’s story tells of Belle, a beautiful and intelligent young woman who feels out of place in her provincial French village.

When her father is imprisoned in a mysterious castle, Belle’s attempt to rescue him leads to her capture by the Beast, a grisly and fearsome monster, who was long ago trapped in his gruesome form by an enchantress.

The only way for the Beast to become human once again is if he learns to love and be loved in return.

There is a time limit, too: once a magical rose loses all of its petals, all hope will be lost and he will stay a Beast forever.

The Beast’s enchanted household - populated by such beloved characters as Mrs Potts, Lumiere, Cogsworth and Chip - watch anxiously as Belle and the Beast grow to understand and befriend one another.

Their feelings grow ever deeper as the clock ticks and petals continue to fall off the enchanted rose--will they confess their love for one another before it is too late?

Performance Details: July 26, 27 and 28 at 8pm, July 22 at 4pm, July 21 and 28 at 2pm.

Venue: Shirley Burke Theatre, 64 Parkers Rd, Parkdale.

Tickets: $35/$30.

Bookings: www.aspecttheatre.org.au

NIGHTSONGS

● Claire Nicholls, Jai Luke and Lara Vocisan in Nightsongs.

■ La Mama, Carlton, presents Nightsongs from August 167-19 , a song-cycle of evocative and lyrical jazz-based songs that explore the stories created by the mind when we’re alone, at night, without distractions.

Nightsongs is written and composed by Natasha Moszenin, vocals by Jai Luke, Claire Nicholls and Lara Vocisano, piano by Natasha Moszenin and lighting design by Kate Kelly.

It’s impossible to stop thinking, not even meditation or medication can silence the relentless chattering that generates a whirlwind of thoughts, memories, feelings and emotions in a never-ending stream of consciousness.

Even amongst the anxiety and sleeplessness there’s always time to consider a detox diet and even yearn for connection on social media too!

Performance Dates: August 16, 18 at 6.30pm, August 17 at 8.30pm and August 19 at 2pm and 4.30pm Venue: La Mama, Rathdowne St., Carlton Bookings: lamama.com.au/2018-winterprogram/nightsongs-aug-8-12

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Page July 25, 2018 g 66 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, y y Melbourne

Observer

Lovatts Crossword No 7 Across

1. Portion 5. Appliance, ... cleaner 8. Gluttony 11. Coloured-tile design 14. Nit-picker 18. On the sick list 19. The U of IOU 20. Zigzag pattern 23. Chef's garment 24. Scandalous 27. Entice 28. Beeped (horn) 29. Debates 31. Fuzzy leather 32. Crush (fly) 34. Roof edges 36. Fantasise 37. Not even once 38. Toddlers 39. More unfriendly 41. Ardent 44. Certainly 47. Dance 49. Equally balanced 50. Gazed fixedly 52. Bill 54. Recess 56. Restaurant list 58. Throw out of house 60. Most awful 62. Young dogs 64. Rain heavily 66. Egyptian snakes 67. Avoided 70. Measuring rod 71. In control, at the ...

72. Singing voices 73. Finished 74. Cupid's shaft 75. Climbing vegetable 77. Armoured vehicle 79. Dominate (market) 83. Pummelled 85. Unusually 87. Exhaust (supply) 89. Wandering 91. Gratifying 94. Stressed 97. Declare 98. Scenes 99. Questionable 100. Court fine 103. Column 105. Custodian 107. General pardon 110. Pork cut, ... ribs 111. Relaxes 114. Renovate (ship) 116. Frosty 118. Exclusive 120. Expressing contempt 122. Hue 124. Screen collie 126. Vibrated noisily 129. Divides 132. Castle entrance 136. Borders 139. Falsify 140. Quantity of paper 142. Fracas 145. Edit (text) 146. Splendid sight 148. Halt 150. Chopped down 152. Outlook 154. Remain

Across

Down

Down

156. Ticket remnant 157. Become septic 159. Hand-make (jumper) 161. Eiffel Tower city 164. Surplus 167. Essential 169. Slightest 171. Canoodle 173. Happen 174. Periodic 177. Socially excluded 180. Anglican parish priest 183. In an unspecified way 187. Leaps over 190. Pencil rubber 192. Constant 194. Book publicity hype196. Ever 197. Of the sun 198. Musical pace 200. Peace offering, ... branch 201. Male sibling 203. Root vegetable 205. Sport, Rugby ...

207. Willingly 209. Drain 211. Improper 213. Undergarment 215. Powered bike 217. Ambience 220. Portable light 222. Lockjaw 224. Nobleman 227. Recognition 228. Welcoming 232. Kitchen flooring 234. Circuit-breaker 237. Leather strap 239. Golf club 240. Goodbye 241. Warm & cosy 242. Port style 244. Considering 245. Small religious group 247. Booming 250. Stimulates 251. Adversary 252. Type of bee 253. Depart 255. Packing boxes 257. Shattered 260. Skin eruptions 264. Comfort 266. Affixed with spikes 267. Judas' payment, ... pieces of silver 270. Astonish 273. Principles 274. Jetty 275. Craze 277. Not drunk 279. Treadle 281. Seethe 283. In force (of license) 285. Ledger entry 286. Annul 287. Dreary 290. Dries up 291. Follow 292. Salad dressing 293. Mongrel 294. Pose for artist 295. Loathes 296. Paper hanky 297. Sloop or ketch 298. Ice-cream dessert 299. Topic

1. Covering for feet 2. Pained expression 3. Orient 4. Duration of presidency 5. Long narrow prospect 6. Greatest 7. Glove 8. Cheer 9. Ghostly 10. Charismatic 11. Assaulted & robbed 12. Tranquil 13. Bring about 14. Price of passage 15. Aromatic herb 16. Advocate 17. Walrus teeth 21. Body's building blocks 22. Phantom Of The ...

25. Engine booster 26. Befuddle 28. Gently 30. Calming drug 33. Language 35. Compete 38. Toughen (steel) 40. Moral 42. Utter (cry) 43. Location 45. Tidings 46. Wheat tips 48. Guacamole ingredient 49. Furthest limits 51. Dashes 53. Mulish 55. Well-behaved child, little ...

57. Unmoved 59. Relinquish (land) 61. Ready for business 62. Pluto or Earth 63. Suggestion 65. Planned movement 66. * symbol 68. Hard Italian cheese 69. Dentist's tools 76. Likely 78. Much ... About Nothing 80. Fleur-de-lis 81. Jittery 82. Dog, cocker ...

84. Water tank 85. Matures 86. Dozes 88. Wicked 90. Approachable 92. Meeting schedule 93. Diaper 95. Rock or jazz 96. Scope 101. Rainbow shapes 102. Determined individual 103. District 104. Zone 106. Acting sovereign 108. North American deer 109. Prince Edward, ... of Wessex 110. Sluggish 112. TV studio filming area 113. Feminine pronoun 115. Excursion 117. Secretes 119. Pine or palm 121. Notion 123. Unnerve 124. Beach rescuer 125. Caustic 127. Docile 128. High hits 130. The same 131. Cheek whiskers 133. Wonderment 134. Nags 135. Grass colour 137. Deadly poison 138. Fury

141. Keenly perceptive 143. Raise (children) 144. Belonging to whom?

147. Hopeless wish, ... in the sky 149. Mountains 151. Labours 153. Is able to 155. Lovable 157. Room base 158. Bladder 160. Decorate with pictures 162. Tiny particle 163. Creep (towards) 165. Beast of burden 166. Here ..., gone tomorrow 168. French brandy 170. Additionally 172. Loose hood 175. Hanker after 176. Hatchets 178. Slothful 179. Dodge 181. Plant seed 182. Written material 184. Elect 185. Deciduous tree 186. Woodwind instrument 188. Second-hand 189. Suit-maker 191. Regal 193. Speaking to crowd 195. Fixed procedure 196. Ward off 199. Copious 202. Legacy 204. Traitor 206. Female relative 208. Hunger 209. Wound mark 210. Bombard 212. Residences 213. Beat up 214. Current units 215. Interim 216. Camera stand 218. Arm joints 219. Each person 221. Sped on foot 223. Flightless bird 225. Bore diameter 226. On fire 229. Lungs & liver 230. Plagiarised 231. Home (duties) 233. Single thing 235. Acidic 236. Civilian wartime prisoner 238. Honey drink 243. Heavenly spirits 245. Half 246. Blister-like pouch 248. Gambling chances 249. Extinct bird 254. Inaccurate 255. Free from blame 256. Allow in 258. Enigma 259. Serious-minded 261. State further 262. Undulating 263. Four-door car 265. Straddling 268. Pester 269. Minimise 271. Hosiery garment 272. Improvement (in economy) 274. Beg 276. Skilled 278. Fundamental 280. Die down 282. Flour cereal 283. Promises 284. Schoolboys 288. Geological eras 289. Handle

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 67

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Page 68 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Observer Victorian Sport Melbourne

Melb. Cup contest begins

■ The international invasion on this year's Spring Racing Carnival has swung into action with confirmation that top-class Japanese gallopers, Chestnut Coat and Sole Impact, will tackle the cream of our stayers in the big cups.

Both have been entered for the $5 million Stella Artois Caulfield Cup over 2400 metres, and the $7.3 million Melbourne Cup over 3200 metres on the first Tuesday in November.

The duo, between them, have won four stakes races in their native Japan, and connections will be hoping to emulate the achievements of Delta Blues who won the Melbourne Cup in 2006, and Admire Rakti, the Caulfield Cup. They are the the only Japanese horses to have claimed the classics.

The news was hot on the trail after the big Godolphin team, accepted the Moonee Valley Racing Club's invitation to compete in the $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate over 2040 metres with their star, Benbati, making it increasingly likely that all three of the spring's Carnival major races will feature International representation this year.

That is since the great Irish stayer, Vintage Crop, paved the way for overseas raiders with his ground breaking win in the 1993 Melbourne Cup, becoming the first international to score in our great race.

Since then a total of 227 internationallytrained horses have competed at the Spring Racing Carnival winning 14 Group-One races between them.

Just by their impressive performances on home soil, Chestnut Coat and Sole Impacttrained respectively by top trainers, Yoshiti Yahagi, and Hirofumi Toda - look capable of enhancing that record.

Chestnut Coat ,one of the early favorites for the Melbourne Cup, has won four races from 17 starts, including two stakes placings earlier this year.

The Northern Hemisphere four year-old narrowly missed out on victory in the Group 2 Nikkei Sho over 2500 metres in March, finishing three quarters of a length behind the winner.

Since then he has won over more than the Melbourne Cup distance of 3200 metres in good style.

His trainer, Yoshiti Yahagi, is a renowned horseman, whose stable includes, Mozu Mascot, one of the four Japanese horses invited to run in this year's Cox Plate in late October.

Sole Impact, who was sired by the world's most valuable stallion, Deep Impact, has four wins from his 37 starts, all in top class company.

The Northern Hemisphere six year-old has been placed at Group level over the past six months and finished a good fifth in the recent Meguro Kinen over 2500 metres, a Caulfield Cup ballot exemption race.

Ryusei Sakai, one of Japan's leading apprentices, has been provisionally booked as the rider of Sole Impact in the Caulfield Cup to be run on Saturday October 20.

The 21 year-old is currently serving his apprenticeship under leading South Australian trainer, Ryan Balfour, having been previously on loan to Leon and Troy Corstens at Flemington.

Multiple Group One winning jockey Yuichi Fukunaga has been earmarked for the Melbourne Cup ride on Sole Impact, whilst Chestnut Coat's connections have identified experienced Yuga Kawada, who came to Australia in 2006 to help prepare the runner-up Pop Rock, ridden by Damien Oliver on that occasion.

For the first time, the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup will all carry record prizemoney.

Better late ...

■ The 2016 and 2017 Breeder's Trophies have finally reached the connections of the Melbourne Cup winners from those two years, when the Victoria Racing Club Chairman, Amanda Elliott, presented them to the winning breeders at Newmarket's July Cup meeting in the United Kingdom.

● Might and Power

Ted Ryan

Living legends ■ The current Melbourne Cup tour has included a must for horse lovers by passing by the way of the Living Legends come August 1.

Living Legends CEO and Veterinary Director, Andrew Clarke, has been kind enough to tell us all about the big day.

The day will be a double celebration as it also the horse's official birthday.

Cup winners on hand will be the 1997 winner, Might and Power, Rogan Josh who won in 1999, Brew in 2000, Efficient 2007, and Prince of Penzance, who scored three years ago.

Might and Power will officially turn 25 on the big day.

The day will kick off at 11am with a Mayoral welcome of the 2018 Melbourne Cup. This will be followed by Devonshire Tea and a Parade of the Cup winners listed earlier prior to the cutting of the Horse's Birthday carrot cake.

Tour Ambassadors and local racing identities will provide insights into the Melbourne Cup prior to a light lunch.

It will be a special day of celebration of the Lexus Melbourne Cup, the horse's birthday and Living Legends celebrating its first 12 years.

I had a chat with Andrew, who, said they have a big day planned and I am looking forward to see all the action on the day.

Living Legends is off Oaklands Road just past the TullamarineAirport, turn into Oaklands Road and they are just on the right.

Any enquiries contact on email: events@livinglegends.org.au

Changing of guard The Honourable Peter Stanley accepted the iconic miniature three-handle trophy to the owners of Gestut Schlenderhan, the German stud farm, where the 2016 winner, Almandin, was foaled on March 27, 2010.

The breeders of last year's winner Rekindling, Wendy and Andrew Pocock, were also on hand for the special presentation.

Having bred thoroughbreds for over 40 years, Andrew Pocock said it was wonderful to be recognised by the VRC. As part of the Lexus Melbourne Cup tour, the $200,000 trophy will stop in at the Pocock family's Stringston Farm in the UK to visit the birthplace of Rekindling and his close relatives who reside there.

Born in Germany, but purchased by leviathan owner, Lloyd Williams in 2014 for an Australian syndicate, Almandin was trained when successful in the 20i6 Melbourne Cup by Robert Hickmott.

Conversely, Rekindling was born in the UK and raced in the care of young Irish trainer, Joseph O'Brien, the son Irish legendary trainer, Aidan O'Brien, iving Ireland a third win in Australia's greatest staying race.

■ The Melbourne Club have a change at the top with their Chairman, Mike Symons, deciding to call it a day to concentrate on his family and other business interests.

Mike has been a great leader of the team at MRC, for the past eight years; he was ViceChairman and Treasurer for two years prior, and a member of the MRC Committee for a total of 15 years.

In my time in the media he was always good to work with and we wish him all the best.

The title of Chairman now moves onto the former Vice-Chairman, Peter Le Grand, a friend and former workmate in radio for many years.

Peter has been a member of the MRC since 1994, joining the Committee in 2005, before assuming the role of Vice-Chairman. This is a role he has had since 2010.

He is a Justice of the Peace and formerly the City of Waverley's youngest ever Mayor.

He is a member of the AFL, and the Melbourne Cricket Club.

He is also a proud member of the Football Media Hall of Fame, having spent 33 years as a sports broadcaster, on 3UZ with Don Hyde and later for many years with the great Ted Whitten on 3GL. For a number of years I worked with Peter and Ted on 3GL, and they were great times.

Well done Peter, thoroughly deserved.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Wine Column Oak has no place in Hunter semillon ■ John Rozentals recalls the Hunter semillon philosophy of the late, great Len Evans - oak has no place in the style..

The late great Australian wine man Len Evans was a passionate champion - probably in ascending order - of Australian wine, Hunter Valley wine, and dry white Hunter Valley wine made from semillon.

I well remember Len, some years ago as the highly respected Chairman of Judges at the Hunter Valley Wine Show, firmly laying down the law to fellow judges about how he saw Hunter semillon.

If a wine showed any sign of oak it was to be rejected.

It didn't matter how good it was. Oak was just not part of the Hunter semillon style the way he - and many others - saw it.

I do wish that more Chairmen of Australian wine shows were as forthright in protecting the nation's vinous heritage.

Aged Hunter semillon is a style of wine that regular readers of this column know that I'm particularly partial to.

I remember the late Melbourne wine writer Mark Shield pondering how something that started life so 'mean and squintyeyed' could blossom into something so complex, rich and charming.

And aged Hunter semillon certainly is all of those things and more.

It's a uniquely Australian wine style and is should be preserved, even if technology has made it less 'mean and squinty-eyed' in its youth.

Perhaps it's a result of the valley's winemakers making a virtue of the necessity to often pick their grapes early in a climate where prospective high rainfall, warmth and humidity make viticulture marginal.

Maybe that's true, but so be it then. The wines are wonderful.

Andrew Margan, one of the gun winemakers in the Broke-Fordwich sub-region of the Hunter Valley, has taken Len Evans' philosophy to heart and regularly released aged semillons - not to mention a very good batch of other wines to boot.

WINE REVIEWS Margan 2018 Breaking Ground Albarino ($30): This fairly new-to-Australia white variety hails from the Iberian Peninsula, and I imagine that its late-ripening habit make for many sleepless Hunter Valley nights as the weather threatens to close it. As Andrew says, this wine is all about texture and structure, which I think makes it a great food wine rather than something just for tasting.

Margan 2013 White Label Shiraz ($40): Shiraz has traditionally been semillon's red partner in the Hunter. Like the area's best reds it's medium-bodied and earthy rather than being a 'blockbuster' like shiraz from areas such as the Barossa or McLaren Vale can be.

I think that's a good thing because it makes the wine more adaptable to food. In most parts of Australia I'd be trying it a hearty winter stew.

WINE OF THE WEEK Margan 2013 Aged-Release Semillon ($50): This is only part of the way to maturity and is just beginning to hit its straps of complexity and richness, but I'm sure that will develop the full gamut of toasty, nutty flavours with another few years in the cellar.

A lovely, well balanced dry white with a pleasing backbone of acidity. Match it with a full-flavoured fish dish, such as baked salmon.

- John Rozentals

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 69

Page 70 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

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 reno vations 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 depre ciable 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

Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 71

Page 72 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

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Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 73

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.

For the past three years, Deck-Doc has been predominantly selling their products online to service the whole of Australia as well as international customers.

Deck-Doc was recently chosen over other companies to supply their oils to an international company and is in the process of sealing an agency agreement for exclusive distribution and selling rights in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Deck-Doc timber oil is environmentally friendly and the business has been manufacturing unique, lanolin-based timber oil in Geelong for 15 years.

The formula was developed by Robert Hylands to preserve the natural oils and tannins in the timber.

The timbers oils and tannins determine the colour of the timber.

If the tannins dry out, the timber will lose its own natural colour.

The formula is made up of many different plant oils, waxes and lanolin and designed to stay soft and pliable when absorbed into the surface layers of the timber, therefore will not solidify and form a hard membrane of the surface.

It will move with the timber during all weather conditions preventing water absorption and drying out of the tannins.

Mr Hylands first developed the timber oil when he noticed there was nothing on the market that preserved the timber and protected the timber’s natural colour.

Before his time at Deck-Doc, he gained experience when he owned a factory making hand carved, handpainted wooden decoy ducks for duck hunters.

The timber used for the ducks had to maintain its natural colour and stay on the water without absorbing moisture.

After extensive research, he found lanolin (wool grease) gave excellent water repellency as well as UV protection.

Mr Hylands developed lanolin-based timber protection oil and found the water-repellent protection and preservative way far superior and says lanolin is “Nature’s natural UV protection”.

Lanolin comes from the wool of sheep and is extracted from the fleece.

It is a substance that waterproofs, insulates, and protects sheep from the cold, wind, rain and harmful CV sun rays.

Deck-Doc uses the best merino wool to extract lanolin.

Throughout history ancient mariners such as the Vikings used lanolin to protect, waterproof and preserve the wooden boards on their ships.

Many of the ships were away from their home bases for many years and their ships were subjected to wild storms at sea.

They survived thanks to the protection of Lanolin.

Deck-Doc invites all to visit their showroom in Moolap for free advice in a number of important issues concerning timber care.

There is a large selection of timber types that have been exposed to severe weather conditions, enabling people to understand the importance of choosing a suitable timber type. for the right application.

Also know what happens to the different types of decking stains and coatings, how they weather, and the maintenance required.

The friendly staff have useful hints for anyone preparing to build a new deck.

Page 74 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Rural News

WINTER IS HERE, ORDER YOUR TANK NOW

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Obser ver - Wednesday, July 25, 2018 - Page 75

Page 76 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, July 25, 2018

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Learning to Ride

Balance Bikes from Ivanhoe Cycles Balance Bikes (also called training bikes) are pedalless bikes designed to provide fun and exercise and to teach the basic skills of steering, balance and co-ordination.

They are suited to a child from 2 to 5 years of age.

The child simply sits astride the balance bike and "walks" while steering with the handlebars.

It effectively allows them to learn balance without having to learn to pedal at the same time. It cuts the learning "gradient" down. They are also called pre bikes or first bikes.

Balance bikes are becoming increasingly popular, as it is so much easier to learn to ride. Learning to ride can be achieved at their own pace. A less confident child can “walk� it around for as long as they like, then

when ready, they can gradually lift their feet and scoot along until they are ready to simply push off and just roll along.

More confident kids will be flying around with huge smiles in no time at all.

Because they have a sturdy aluminium or steel frame and well constructed wheels they are virtually trouble free, and can be passed down from child to child.

BYK E250L PURPLE $219

GIANT PRE BIKE - RED $199

Mongoose Lilgoose WNR Girls Balance Bike 12 Inch $179

Byk E250L Purple - Girls 14inch Balance Bike

12 inch boys balance bike that is a perfect gradient for learning to ride a real bike

The low stand-over height makes it very easy to get on and off the bike,

LIL ZOOMER BALANCE BIKE - GREEN $99

BYK E200L $189

Little Zoomer Balance Bike in any colour. A fun way to teach balance and coordination! Suitable 2-4 years.

Byk E200L. Balance Bikes make it so much easier for your child to learn to ride.

MONGOOSE LILGOOSE WNR BOYS BALANCE BIKE 12 INCH $179 The Mongoose Lilgoose Balance bike is not only one of the cutest designs we've seen on a training bike.