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Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014 - Page 7

Showbiz News

It’s All About You!

Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendour Return of the Pop Princess

Supergirly plays havoc at Chapel Off Chapel until this weekend ● Writer-performer Lulu McClatchy in Supergirly: Return of the Pop Princess ■ Making comedy is hard. Making musical "storytime", between spontaneous eruptions comedy is harder. You've got to be able to of song, and a variety of pop pals who drop by sing, the music's got to swing, and your lyrics for a song and dance, cue Lyall in a variety of have to hang together in a much tighter way hilarious guises. than the average goopy love song.

Never a dull moment, there are a lot of Enter Supergirly, comic pop monster tot- truly uproarious moments (Lorde's Royals tering on metallic platform boots and squeezed comes to mind) and both McClatchy and into a sparkling pixie-gone-mad psycho-bal- Brooks perform with effortless comedy. lerina dress with bling.

The banter between them and the barbed Any worries that this will be awful and asides are perfectly timed. Brooks' impresawkward are immediately dispelled as our sive and uninhibited physical antics, (should I leading lady bursts into song. call it dancing?) had the audience in stiches.

Following an expletive-laden introduction has an impressive and powerwith enough attitude to sink a flotilla of super- fulMcClatchy voice.

Brooks is also vocally impressive stars' yachts, the pop parody begins in ear- and the duets, besides being funny, (you won't nest. want to miss Gotye), are performed well.

Her targets? Well, Lady Gaga cops a pastAs well as starring in Neighbours, ing early on, as do Madonna, Miley Cyrus and Britney Spears. Elton John is an obvious McClatchy has played this character before, one, the Pet Shop Boys less so with a disturb- selling out West End shows and doing her ingly accurate version of their hit West End schtick at private parties for some of the people Girls, the lyrics mangled to make fun of the she mocks, such as Sir Elton.

Performance season: Until June 8, Tuesanonymous keyboard player (his name is day to Saturday 8pm, Saturday and Sunday Chris Lowe, Supergirly).

The set is Supergirly's luscioius red lounge Matinee 4pm Venue: Chapel off chapel, 12 Little Chapel room, complete with chaise lounge, Morticia chair, cocktail bar and man-servant Bradley St, Prahran.

Tickets: $39/$30 Cooper (played by the charming multi-Green Bookings: chapel@stonnington.vic.gov.au Room Award nominee Lyall Brooks).

Over the course of the evening we get to or 8290 7000 - Review by Beth Klein learn about Supergirly's rise to fame in ● Di Rolle has more on Supergirly. See Page 10

■ Babirra Music Theatre is celebrating its 100th show with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera at Whitehorse Centre, Nunawading.

Directed by Neil Goodwin with musical direction under the baton of Phil Osborne and choreography by Di Crough, Phantom is based on the 1911 novel by Gaston Leroux.

The opening is on the stage of the Paris Opera House where old theatre props are being sold. Lot 666 is a shattered chandelier that the auctioneer explains has a connection to “the strange affair of the Phantom of the opera”.

As the chandelier is uncovered, it bursts into life. As it slowly ascends from the stage, the years roll back and the opera returns to its 1860s grandeur.

Neil Goodwin’s direction of this production is absolutely stunning. He has a wonderful cast with each and every one putting in 110 per cent.

The vocals of all the leads were absolutely perfect with Paul Batey as the Phantom who gave an excellent performance; Georgia Wilkinson, as Chistine Daae, performance was outstanding and what a lovely singing voice; Andrew Baker as Raoul, Viconte de Chagny along with Nikol Mc Kail as Carlotta Giudicelli, Sarah Pascall as Madame Giry and all other leads were excellent.

The ensemble, along with the ballet, gave performances that would stand up in any musical theatre.

The Phantom of the Opera is a show that is full of surprises with expert lighting and pyrotechnics design by Jason Bovaird, sound design by Greg Ginger and Phil Osborne’s orchestra and the lovely choreography by Di Crough all contributed to another wonderful evening of musical theatre.

The capacity audience on opening night certainly appreciated all the work the company put in to present a first class show. Congratulations to all and especially Babirra Music Theatre.

The Phantom of the Opera is at the Whitehorse Centre, 397 Whitehorse Rd, Nunawading and continues each Wednesday to Saturday until June 14 at 8pm with matinees on June 7, 8 and 14at 2pm.

Bookings are available by contacting the booking office on 9262 6555 Monday to Friday from 10am until 4pm or online at www.babirra.org.au . This is a show worth going along to see.

- Review by Brian Amos Radio Eastern 98.1

Melbourne

Observer In This 108-Page Edition

Mark Richardson: Lovely weather .......... Page 4 Ash Long: Ooh la la, hen’s night ........... Page 8 Comment: ‘Fair Go Fairfax’ fairy tales .... Page 9 Di Rolle: Hamlet, murder most foul ...... Page 10 Melb. Confidential: Gay erotica flop ...... Page 11 Long Shots: The Editor’s column .......... Page 12 Been And Seen: Eat Street at Sofitel .... Page 13 West Hollywood: Gavin Wood reports .... Page 15 Travel and Wine: David Ellis reports ..... Page 16 Yvonne Lawrence: Going cold turkey .... Page 17 Kevin Trask: Randolph Scott profile ...... Page 18 Theatre Reviews Movies, DVDs Top 10 Lists Arts, TV, Radio

Observer Showbiz

Latest News Flashes Around Victoria

Bakery crook chase ■ Police followed crumbs to charge a man with damaging a Wodonga bakery. Wodonga Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged a 26-year-old after the business was damaged at the weekend..

Blew .16, say Police ■ A California Gully man, 37, has been arrested for drink driving after driving past a Bendigo Police van on Saturday morning. he was unaware he was driving around on a bare rim. He allegedly recorded a blood alcohol level of 0.16, reports the Bendigo Advertiser.

Racial footy taunt ■ Darley (Bacchus Marsh) Football Club President Grant Wright says the supporter who racially abused respected Aboriginal elder Ted Lovett at the football will "definitely be suspended" from Devils' matches, reports the Ballarat Courier.

Attack on disabled ■ A Norlane woman, 57, on a mobility scooter has fought off teenage robbers with her walking stick. Three youths verbally harassed the woman, reports the Geelong Advertiser. The trio had stolen the safety flag from her scooter and tried to steal her handbag

Weather Forecast ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Today (Wed.). Chance of rain. 9°-16° Thurs. Partly cloudy. 5°-15° Fri. Clear. 7°-16° Sat. Chance of rain. 7°-14° Sun. Clear. 7°-16°

Mike McColl Jones

Top 5 THE T OP 5 THINGS THE TOP SEARCH FOR FLIGHT MH 370 HA SA CTU ALL Y DISC OVERED HAS ACTU CTUALL ALLY DISCO 5. One of Dirk Hartog’s old boots.

4. A hammock that turned out to be a bikini-top from Maria Venuti.

3. A Ping from a game of Ping Pong being played on board a Chinese freighter.

2. An old surf-ski with a hiring debt of $1.4 million.

1. Harold Holt’s wet suit.

Page 8 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014

John is in care

● John Connell ■ Prominent Victorian, Dr John Connell, 100, has been admitted to a care centre at Templestowe after suffering several falls at his Ivanhoe home.

He was the founder of John Connell Consulting Engineering Group, now known as Connell Wagner.

He has been Chairman of Allthill Beef Enterprises; Director of the Gas and Fuel Corporation Victoria, Overseas Projects Corporation Victoria; Vice-President and later board member of the Austin Hospital; President of the Freemasons Hospital; Member of Faculty of Engineering at the University of Melbourne; Scientific Associate of the Zoological Board of Victoria; Life Governor of Ivanhoe Grammar School; and Elder of the Presbyterian Church.

Awards call ■ The 34th Australian Songwriters’ Association contest is now open, with opportunities for a broad range of musical genres to be entered, along with instrumental pieces and stand-alone lyrics.

There are cash and prizes worth more than $20,000 to be won. There is $3000 cash from APRA for the Songwriter of the Year Award, and an ASA member will score a Maton guitar for the Rudy Brandsma Award.

Entries close on Saturday, June 14. asanational office@asai.org.au or callClare on (02) 9519 3978.

Art works

Norm talks ■ Entertainer Normie Rowe will be guest speaker at the original Marquee Luncheon Club event at Marquee Restaurant, Toorak on Wednesday June 11.

Past speakers have included Bill Armstrong, Ron Tudor, Rhonda Burchmore, Derryn Hinch and Molly Meldum.

Bookings are now open through Garry Spry.

Time: 12:30pm - 3:30pm Cost: $45 per person.

Venue: Marquee Restaurant, Trak Centre, 445 Toorak Rd, Toorak

Diva and reader

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Ash The Melbourne Observer Editor Ash Long is heard: ● 8.45am Wed., with Ron Burke, 3NRG-FM Sunbury ● 10am Wed., with Denis Scanlan, Pulse 94.7 Geelong ● 9.15am Thu., with Bob and Judy Phillips, 3RPP Peninsula

Feisty chat

■ Forgotten Rebels of Eureka, a book by Clare Wright, was discussed in a conversation with Gideon Haigh last night (Tues.) at The Common Restaurant, Eltham.

Wright is an historian who has worked as a political speechwriter, university lecturer, historical consultant and radio and television broadcaster.

She researched, wrote and presented the ABC television documentary Utopia Girls and is currently writing a four-part series to commemorate the centenary of WWI for ABC1.

Hadj brothers meet PM Tony

● Soloist Sally Anne Russell was introduced at Saturday’s Victoria Chorale event by narrator (and Melbourne Observer columnist) Julie Houghton.

Photo: Frances Elizabeth Lawrence

Anthony Callea tours

PHOTO: ANTHONY HADJ/ FACEBOOK

● Brothers Dr Anthony Hadj (left) and Andrew Hadj (right) met Prime Minister Tony Abbott at the Olympic Room of the MCG before the the Essendon-Richmond clash on Saturday night.

Judy’s 5-hour surgery

■ Entertainer Judy Banks Phillips has endured five hours surgery on her back late last week at the Royal Melbourne Private Hospital.

Judy co-hosts the propular Sugar and Spice radio program, 9am-11am Thursdays, on Mornington Peninsula radio station, 3RPP 98.7 and 98.3.

Her husband, Bob, said: “She had the full theatre, as she would expect. She is still in intensive care with oxygen, but the prognosis seems good.” ● Anthony Callea will be touring nationally, performing Ladies and Gentlemen, The Songs of George Michael. He will ne travelling to Perth, then onto Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney before an encore Melbourne performance in Melbourne on October 4.

Ooh La La! ● Judy Banks Phillips

‘Twelve Angry Men’ at Lilydale ■ Contemporary artist Warren Lane will answer questions about his new solo exhibition Continuum on Saturday, June 14 at the Bundoora Homestead Art Centre. The free artist talk starts at 2pm.

Visitors will also be treated to a guided tour of the exhibition by Cassie May, curator of Continum. Cassie is a freelance arts curator, museum professional and passionate Lane enthusiast.

Bookings are essential

by Friday, June 13. Phone 9496 1060 to secure a spot.

This highly humorous exhibition continues until July 12.

Bundoorahomestead.com

PHOTOS: PENELOPE PERRIN/ FACEBOOK

● Phillip Stevenson, David Dodd and Ian Johnson in Twelve Angry Men, playing in Lilydale until June 14. More details on Page 43.

Photo: Kevin Trask

● Penelope Perrin enjoyed her hen’s night at Toorak on Friday. The backing vocalist and lead singer is soon to marry entertainer Normie Rowe (inset).

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014 - Page 9

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au Melbourne

Observer

Court Roundsman

Tile co. ordered to make repairs The Can-Do man

Briefs Denial

■ Former Preston Mayor Alan Continho-Hogan, now of Belgrave, is to contest allegations that he called for a 26-yearold woman to be sexually assaulted. He told Court that he does not know the woman. A contested hearing is due to be held at Ringwood Court on July 4.

Probe ■ The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is being asked to investigate the collapse of grain trader Sapphire (SA) Pty Ltd. Creditors are asking ASIC to investigate administration of the business.

■ Melbourne firm, Designer Tile Company Pty Ltd, has been ordered to remove and replace floor tiles, after customer Bruno Carnevale complained that a $15,000 job at Rowville was unsatisfactory.

Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Senior Member Alan Vassie oredered that the company rip up floor tiles, if the customer requested, by June 30, and replace them. The order is limited to a maximum of 10 tiles.

If any requested work is not completed in accordnace with the order, Carnevale may request the VCAT principal registrar to renew the proceeding to claim compensation.

Carnevale told the Tribunal that he and his wife were dissatisfied with the Fresco Ivory Nano polished porcelain tiles which he purchased from Designer Tile Company Pty Ltd. Carnevale said they received an assurance from the company’s salesman, Jim Muratore, that the tiles would not exhibit any optical hazing.

“No, signora, this is like a mirror,” Muratore is alleged to have said. The floor till looked dirty after it was mopped, VCAT was told. The family wanted tiles that would give a shiny surface after cleaning.

Store manager Luciano Mezio and director Paul Cannizzaro visited the home to inspect the tiles, and admitted there was some optical hazing in some lighting conitions.

The delivery docket contained the words: “Item is subject to optical hazing as explaimed.” Mr Vassie described the evidence as “crious”.

Mr Vassie made an inspection and said there was a “noticebale patchiness in the appearance of the tiled area” Mr Vassie said he found that some of times “were and are not of acceptable quality”.

concert stars soprano Lee Abrahmsen, a Herald Sun Aria winner, in a special chamber version of the beautiful Four Last Songs by Richard Strauss, who would be celebrating his own 150th anniversary of birth.

Next cab off the musical rank is violist Sally Clarke who is returning from Germany for a concert with the Melbourne Musicans on July 24 in a new arrangement for string orchestra of Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata.

● Frank Pam

Best of Melbourne Observations with Matt Bissett-Johnson

‘Never pick a fight with a man who buys ink by the barrel and paper by the ton.’

‘Fair Go Fairfax’ fairy tales

● Jonathan Welch ■ Jonathon Welch is the original can-do man with a heart that embraces all those who are down on their luck and need a helping hand.

Some years ago he made a left turn in his own successful career as an opera singer to bring music to those on the streets, leading to the television documentary Choir of Hard Knocks, which in turn led to Jonathon creating the Choir of Hope and Inspiration.

Jonathon's latest creation is a moving world premiere called Street Requiem, to honour all those who have died on the streets, like Wayne 'Mouse' Perry whose tragic death some months ago affected many Melburnians.

Jonathon is concerned at the rise of the fatal 'coward punch' deaths, and targeted street bombings around the world.

Turn to Page 18

40 years of achievement ■ To keep an arts group going for 40 years is a major achievement. And to be the founder and be able to guide an orchestra through four decades is an even bigger one.

Such an achievement is that of Frank Pam, founder and artistic director of Melbourne Musicians, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary season with the 2014 concert season that begins on June 15.

Held at their usual home of St John's Southgate, the June 15

THE BARREL

Melbourne Musicians to stage anniversary concert season at St John’s August 24 brings popular duo Chamber Mélange, otherwise known as Ivana Tomaskova (violin) and Tamara Smolyar (piano) in an Australian premiere of the Concertino for Violin and Piano by Russian composer Alla Pavlova, now resident in New York.

Spring brings young

Italian cellist, Matteo Tabbia, and pianist Giovanni Miglietta playing much-loved concertos

by Haydn and Mozart.

Final concert of the season on November 23 stars pianist David Soo with Australian composer John Carmichael's Concerto Folklorico.

To book tickets for a varied but delightful season, and help the Melbourne Musicians celebrate their 40th birthday, visit www. melbournerecital.com.au - Julie Houghton

Golden Days CD released ■ Melbourne Observer readers can win a copy of the new Golden Memories Volume 5 CD, just released by Golden Days Radio.

An entry form will be published on the Observer Readers Club page in next week’s issue.

The new CD has 25 tracks which includes the works of musicians including Louis Armstrong, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Ron Goodwin, Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, Frankie Lane, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jnr, Russ Morgan, Vera Lynn, Jerry Lewis, Graham Coyle, Frank Rich, Smacka Fitzgibbon, Jimmy Dorsey, Mario Lanza, Jack Hylton and Denis Gibbons. goldendaysradio.com

■ Whingeing journalists and photographers have collected a petition with about 10,000 signatures about staff cuts at the Fairfax Media organisation.

That is not many signatories in a computer era where petition-signing websites such as change.org. au can quickly collect more than 100,000 electronic autographs for worthwhile causes.

The allegedly intelligent scribbler s and snappers are living in Noddyland if they think Fairfax board members are going to give a moment’s notice to a petition from people they are about to sack.

The campaign seems half-hearted. The website - fairgofairfax.org.au - is blank. The most powerful protest the protesters could assemble on Friday was to wear casual clothes.

Fairfax continues to add to its list of 1900 sacked employees because it has faced the impossible task of running left-wing daily newspapers at a profit.

Not enough people buy the newspapers - in print or online. Not enough people advertise in the papers. Fairfax just isn’t very good at doing lots of things.

And not all journalists are singing from the same songt sheet. Journalist Jason Whittaker asked: "What’s the point of saving Fairfax if its publications lead with news of Geoffrey Edelsten’s new girlfriend?"

Others questioned Age Editor-in-Chief Andrew Holden’s decision to allow a four-page wrap-around the Saturday edition promoting Fairfax’s sale of reproductions of the works of artist Jeffrey Smart.

Former Age journalist Eric Beecher is also having a fair crack at chasing the ‘leftie’ readership. His Crikey online newsletter sent out a subscription-chasing e-mail to potential readers last week, pretending it was from Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Beecher also has an interest in the online New Daily left-leaning newsletter, which found its multimillion dollar funding from the superannuation industry led by former Victorian Labor Premier Steve Bracks.

It is the same Eric Beecher who sold his Text Media group to Fairfax to more than $60 million.

It makes The Barrel wonder why the Labor Party is even bothering to try and crank-up the Labor Herald as a daily online newspaper. Especially when The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review, Crikey and New Daily are all prepared to do it without charge.

■ Meanwhile, the Fairfax Media board is still denying a board seat to its biggest shareholder, Gina Rinehart. She is a shareholder who has actual experience in running newspapers. Her family ran the Sunday Independent in Perth for several decades.

● Gina Rinehart

Page 10 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

To

Sofitel’s big night at awards

Di For

For the love of Mike

● Mike Larkan and Gorgi Coghlan ■ The talk of the town certainly was Eat Street at Sofitel. In its 15th year this fabulous annual gourmet charity event hosted by Sofitel Melbourne On Collins is the crème de la crème of foodie extravaganzas. It has raised more than $1 million for children’s charities.

Almost 700 guests indulged their senses in this year’s theme, French Elegance, while raising vital funds for the national charity Redkite, which supports children and young people with cancer.

The event brings together 30 of Melbourne’s best restaurants and chefs, and 25 of Australia’s premium wine and beverage companies, all serving their own unique entrée-sized signature dishes at a hawker style Parisian market.

Restaurants taking party this year included Coda, Estelle Bar and Kitchen, Saint Crispin, Hellenic Republic, Ezard, Le Grand Cirque, Huxtable, Pei Modern, The Point and Cumulus Inc. ★★★ With a terrific line up of guests and familiar faces, included in the room was Mike Larkan. One of my favourite media men about town is Channel 10’s charming weather presenter Mike Larkan.

Mike always adds personality and heaps of fun and energy to his nightly weather report on Ten’s Eyewitness News.

I really love that he takes his report on the road, filming his weather updates from different events and locations around Melbourne.

He not only knows what is going on in the clouds, he also is up-todate with the parties, openings and happenings in our wonderful city.

Mike has been busy this past week, filming his reports from the Eat Street gourmet charity gala at Sofitel Melbourne On Collins, MasterChef headquarters, and St Margaret’s Kindergarten in Malvern.

On top of all this he is also a marriage celebrant who rain, hail or shine, forecasts fine weather ahead for all his brides and grooms.

Fine weather, fun and romance, what a great combination! Keep up the great work Mike.

Bob Dylan heads to St Kilda

● Bob Dylan ■ I have my Bob Dylan tickets and am eager and waiting for his arrival. Yes, Bob Dylan is coming to St Kilda.

He will perform at the Palais Theatre, Monday-Tuesday, August 18-19. Tickets are on sale now. www.ticketmaster.com.au or phone 136 100.

An opportunity to see Bob Dylan live in concert is an opportunity to share an encounter with one of the few pan-generational icons.

I will be there.

I love my job! with leading Melbourne publicist DI ROLLE

● Elizabeth Hains and Martin Horsley ■ Melbourne is blessed with some fabulous hotels. We really are an incredibly lucky city. The cream of the crop was recognised at the Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) State Awards for Excellence which were held at the Grand Hyatt last week and hosted with great style and class by Crown’s PR dynamo Ann Peacock.

Sofitel Melbourne On Collins had a big night, winning Deluxe Restaurant of The Year for its restaurant No35, and Best Environmental and Energy Efficiency Practice.

Sofitel’s Reservation Sales Manager, Michael Brennan, was named Hotel Industry Rising Star.

Other winners included Peter Crinis from Crown Resorts who was recognised for his outstanding contribution to the industry, the Langham Hotel which won Hotel Bar of the Year for its Aria Lounge, and the Park Hyatt which was named Deluxe Accommodation Hotel of the Year.

The Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) State Awards for Excellence celebrate the leading hotels in metropolitan and regional Victoria. Congratulations to all the winners.

Hamlet: murder most foul ■ I have always loved Hamlet and always been interested in the actors that take on the role.

Hamlet represents the mid-period of the growth of Shakespeare’s genius, when comedy and history ceased to be adequate for the expression of his deeper thoughts and sadder feelings about life.

He was entering upon his great series of tragic writings, so wrote Edward Dowden in a fabulous essay about Hamlet originally published in The World’s best Essays from the Earliest Period to the Present time, one of my favourite reads.

A lot of fabulous actors have played Hamlet. Sir John Gielgud is among my memorable portrayals.

I only ever saw this on film and read a great deal about it, He became the Hamlet by which 20th century performances were judged.

He played the role more than 500 times, in six productions at 26 and at 44 in London, in Elsinore, and on Broadway where he triumphed.

At the end of the Second World War he performed for troops in the Far East.

He directed Richard Burton in 1964 on stage. A 1941 radio recording demonstrated his wonderful power, capturing not only the mellifluousness for which was famous, but a choked up ferocity.

He was brilliant.

Jonathan Pryce was terrific and his performance soared.

David Tennant was so graceful in his performance that at times he seemed to

almost dance across the stage. The wonderful British actor David Warner spoke the verse conversationally. He slouched as only he could. He was stunning.

So I was very excited to read that Australia’s longest running outdoor theatre company is introducing an indoor studio season from June 10-28.

They are launching the series is a new production of Shakespeare’s most unforgettable tragedy and one of the most celebrated plays ever written: Hamlet.

For the past 27 summers, Melburnians have been entertained by large-

scale Australian Shakespeare Company productions under the stars.

Director Glenn Elston is looking forward to the challenge of a smaller indoor setting.

Hamlet delves into all forms of love and conflict, exploring their deepest depths and farthest limits.

This will be an excellent production I can tell, It will take Melbourne audiences on the journey through this unforgettable story.

Hugh Sexton is relish ing the chance to play Hamlet.

June 10-28. Athenaeum Theatre Two. 188 Collins St, Melbourne.

- Di Rolle

Vinyl makes comeback ■ Thomas’ Music, at The Windsor end of Bourke St, continues to be - I consider - the best music store in Melbourne.

They sell a wide variety of classical music, opera music, ballets and musicals on CD and DVD, and now LPs. Vinyl is back and the listings at Thomas’ are well worth a visit to have a look at. In the last few years there has been a resurgence of interest in the LP – now familiarly known as ‘vinyl’.

There is no clear reason for this revival of affection for the turntable; many say it is because of the warmth of the analogue sound.

Another reason might be the satisfyingly ‘tea ceremony’ – like ritual of maintaining and using the plinth, arm, and stylus.

Of course, this being 2014, the new LPs that they stock are mostly pressed on high definition premium Virgin vinyl of 140 or 180 gram, a huge improvement on the vinyl of the seventies.

New albums are being added all the time, including, recently, Lou Reed, Sun Ra, Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, Patti Smith, Harry Nilsson and Miles Davis.

They also have a great selection of art house and foreign films, jazz and world music, and lots of other styles that I have never found in mainstream music stores.

I find I can browse in the store, or buy on line. The specialist staff are so easy to chat with that the historic store is a delight to step in to. A stroll up Bourke St to their store or visit them on line www.thomasmusic.com is well worth it.

Lulu is ‘Supergirly’

● Supergirly ■ I quite liked the SBS comedy musical Bogan Pride. One of the most memorable roles I recall was of the politically incorrect ‘Cassandra Downie’.

Played by Lulu McClatchy, Australian actress, singer and comedian, she is known around the globe for her larger than life alter ego ‘Supergirly’.

This is the role that Lulu acknowledges gave her the big break on to the international stage.

She took her show to the Edinburgh Festival and it took off by storm. She then went off on a string of UK tours including a stint in the West End where she was a sell-out, night after night.

She has performed in Montreal alongside Megan Mullally (Karen from Will and Grace).

Elton John requested for her to support him on the Australian leg of the 2002 world tour.

She had her own BBC sitcom called Lulu, she ended up on Neighbours, Blue Heelers and Spicks and Specks.

Featuring new material written by Lulu, SuperGirly: Return of the Pop Princess marks her debut theatre season in Australia.

She hits out at the world of pop music and is guaranteed to make people laugh.

Joined by Green Room Award nominated actor and singer Lyall Brooks adding some extra spice to the show, SuperGirly sounds like a lot of fun.

The Sunday Times (London) said of her: “rude, crude and wickedly funny”.

She is performing at The Loft Theatre, Chapel Off Chapel. 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran.

Her season finishes Sunday (June 8).

Bookings www.chapeloffchapel.com.au or phone 8290 7000.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014 - Page 11

Confidential Melbourne

Talk is cheap, gossip is priceless

Gay erotica play fails to excite reviewers

Bitch Melbourne’s Secrets

Really Smooth stuff

● Amanda Smits and Vicky Rose presnted with the Smooth FM cheque ■ Bitch does not quite understand how Victoria Rose is pictured as the Smooth FM listener competition winner on both the Smooth 91.5 (Melbourne) ... and Smooth 95.3 (Sydney) ... websites.

Mitchell looks tired

■ Teleny, a gay erotica play which debuted late last week at Chapel Off Chapel in Prahran, has been savaged by Melbourne theatre critics.

One reviewer said she thought the production was so woeful that she had decided to not publish her review.

“I decided not to print my review of a show I saw this week ... but I do think that when you deliver something abysmal you should not blame the audience and critics for not understanding your art, or belittle other theatre companies but, rather, adopt some degree of self awareness,” the scribe told her social media friends. ● Teleny is a 150-minute production with interval So, now that I am pissed off, here “The endless sex scenes in this is my review ( it's short) without by the nudity and sex. Because it ‘pork fest’ are utterly crude yet rewas boring and unprovocative.” naming the play.

The third critic said they also left markably sexless.

"This review is brought to you by “A notable chunk of the audience the letter P. Poorly-written play; pe- early, and were asked not to publish wisely left at intermission, a stagnises, pornography, piano ... ponder- their review. ous, pretentious, passionless, point- \ A fourth critic, Rebecca gering two hours in,” said The Age less, painful.”

Harkins-Cross of The Age, said reviewer.

Just last month, Melbourne ObSeveral Melbourne ireviewers Teleny fell flat. She said the “bloated left at interval. production” ran for more than 3½- server reviewer Ash Long also left at interval from another Chapel Off Said another critic: "Thank good- hours. ness we got out of there at 10.10pm Harkins-Cross said there was Chapel production, An Audience and were not still suffering through “flaccid genitalia flopping around in With Billie Holliday, presented by it when it finally ended at 11.40pm!” the most unflattering (and unerotic) transgender artist Mama Alto (Benny Dimas).

A third said: “I was challenged fashion”. ● Cenarth Fox reviews Teleny for the Melbourne Observer. Turn to Page 37

■ Latrobe Valley Funeral Services Pty Ltd has requested a Melbourne Magistrates’ Court hearing time on Wednesday next week (June 11) where it is due to allege a civil claim against Nicolas Telehus for “services rendered”.

Rumour Mill

● Neil Mitchell, 3AW morning show host Inset: with Andrew Demetriou Photos: 3AW.com.au ■ Melbourne morning radio host Neil Mitchell looked decidely bored in a publicity photo released by his station, 3AW, to mark the retirement of AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou.

Demetriou was given a cake to cut when he made his final appearance on the Fairfax Media talk radio station late last week.

Mitchell is running behind 774 ABC’s Jon Faine in the ratings. Like the listeners, perhaps Mitchell is also finding his program a bit tired.

■ One Melbourne media woman is succeeding in her hopes of looking like Sophia Loren. Ms Loren is aged 79.

■ Total House, 170–190 Russell St, City, has been officially listed as a “heritage place”.

■ Domenic’s Restaurant, Balwyn North, and ToWoo Korean Charcoal Barbecue Restaurant have each won local polls to allow them to serve liquor.

‘Resigns’

● Dermot O’Brien ■ Long-time Channel Ten News Director Dermot O'Brien has 'resigned'. He has been a close friend of Derryn Hinch over the years.

O’Brien, 61, leaves on July 4.

To Court

■ Beaconhills Christian College Ltd is asking for a Registrars’ Hearing at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court at 11am today (Wed.) when it is due to allege a civil claim against Ian Atkinson for “services rendered”.

Apology

Southbank case falls over at VCAT ■ Devorah Rosen has failed to find success in a case taken to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal over the Hanover Welfare Services facility for homeless people.

Rosen asked VCAT member Anne Moon to hear a case about the supported crisis accommodation facility for homeless people with levels of need.

Ms Moon said that VCAT could not hear the matter because the premises were not a rooming house as defined under the Residential Tenancies Act. Ms Rosen, the tenant, had previously won an order that allowed her to resume residency of her room at the Haig St address.

That interim was subsequently dismissed.

Hanover, established in 1964, said that it was not providing rooming house accommodation, as it ofered substantial drug and alcohol support assistance, mental health support, job support, and was not available to the general public.

No potential or existing client is turned away from Hanover Southbank simply because of an inability to pay rent, Ms Moon said.

Some 1296 crisis ‘clients’ were assisted over 116 beds over a year. Just less than one-quarter of the clients are aged under 18.

Ms Moon said that Ms Rosen’s alleged treatment by staff at Hanover Southbank when she sought to resume occupancy was unfortunate, but did not change the fact that VCAT did not have the power thohear the submission.

Whispers

Hear It Here First

Vic teacher struck off ■ Gregory Thomas Gorton has been strick off the Victorian teacher’s register after last month being found guilty and convicted of two counts of sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16.

Gorton was disqualified by the Victorian Institute of Teaching from teaching and his registration as a teacher in Victoria was cancelled.

Melburnians can type their own address into the helixpersons.com.au website and be given a personalised profile that discusses character, income, ambitions and likely future.

The demographic profiling uses publicly-available information by Roy Morgan Research and Map-Data Services.

Peninsula Health is the gun for outsourcing fundraising from 5000 local people. Rosebud West resident Lynette Hunter says she felt presuured to give money to the appeal.

Seaford Beach Cabin Park residents have won a short reprieve before being evicted.

■ The Good Shepherd Sisters have again apologised to former residents of StAidan’s Orphanage, Bendigo, for harsh treatment they may have received as children.

Allegations have been published in the Bendigo Weekly newspaper.

Charges

★ ★ ★

Better never late ■ One Melbourne theatre critic was delayed in traffic last week, finding the doors locked when they eventually arrived at the venue. It can happen to the best of us ... even Melbourne Observer scribes!

E-Mail: Confidential@MelbourneObserver.com.au

■ Former Banyule District Netball Association secretary and founder Christine Melnikas is facing more than 50 charges of theft and fraud totalling more than $1 million.

She is expected to contest the charges. She is due to appear at a committal mention at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court next month.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Page 12 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Melbourne

Observer

Victoria’s Independent Newspaper First Published September 14, 1969 Every Wednesday

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Contact Us Director: Fleur Publisher and Long Editor: Ash Long Production Editor: AshLong Long Media Director: Fleur Features Editor: Editor: Peter Features Peter Mac Mac Columnists: Len Len Baker, Baker, Harry HarryBeitzel, Beitzel,Matt Matt Columnists: Bissett-Johnson,David DavidEllis, Ellis,Rob RobFoenander, Foenander, Bissett-Johnson, Kyle Galley, Christina Cross, Julie Houghton, Christina La Cross, JulieLaHoughton, Yvonne Yvonne Lawrence, Nick LeMike Souef, Mike McColl Lawrence, Nick Le Souef, McColl Jones, John Jones, TerryTerry Radford, Mark Richardson, Di Rolle, Pasquarelli, Radford, Mark Richardson, Di Aaron Aaron Rourke, Ted Ryan, Jim Sherlock, Cheryl Rolle, Rourke, Ted Ryan, Jim Sherlock, Threadgold, Kevin Kevin Trask,Trask, Veritas, Gavin Wood.

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Melbourne

Observer

Ash On Wednesday

Well done Gav-Pa ■ Our man in West Hollywood, Gavin Wood, has just become a grandfather.

Gavin’s daughter Angela and her husband Brian this week announced the arrival of Jackson Cole (pictured at right).

Congratulations Grand-Dad from all your colleagues at the Melbourne Observer.

Back Copies BACK COPIES -- ARCHIVES BACK ARCHIVES BBack a c k copies C o p i efor s f2012-14 o r 2 0 1 2editions - 1 3 e dof i t i the ons of the Melbourne Observer all available at ourat our Melbourne Observerareare all available 1969-82, 2002-11 may website. Back copies for 1969-89, may be inspected by appointment at State the State be inspected by appointment at the Library Library, 328 328 Swanston St, Melbourne. of Victoria, Swanston St, Melbourne.

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with K enneth Mulholland Kenneth

Brumby Innes

Lil’ Shots ■ Long Shots knows that Rocky Horror is a fun musical ... but did the woman in front of us have to wear her big party hat for the duration of the show at the weekend?

■ On Monday night this week,Twitter correspondent Simon The Scribbler wrote “What a sad sour jealous tired old bore Bruce Mansfield is.”

Pronto, radio producer Simon Owens replied: “Hey! Bruce objects to being called ‘Sad’”

● Jackson Cole

Long Shots

Boy from the Stars

editor@melbourneobserver.com.au

with Ash Long “For the cause that lacks assistance, ‘Gainst the wrongs that need resistance For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do”

Available Across The World MELBOURNE OBSERVER ONLINE 2.1 MILLION HITS ANNUALLY ON THE WEB: www.MelbourneObserver.com.au You can read our paper free on the Internet.

Contact details for all our advertisers are also available at our website.

Melbourne TV Memories

● Jim Keays ■ Gee, it’s a few years now since Melbourne raconteur Tony Healey organised a planeload of us to visit Norfolk Island on a quick 36-hour trip.

On board were his mates including footy legend Ron Barassi, celebrity John-Michael Howson, newsman Alan Howe, and a music trio called Cotton, Keays and Morris.

I knew already Darryl Cotton through our mutual connection with the host of the 3AW Overnighters program, the late Keith McGowan.

The whistle-stop tour provided a great opportunity to sit and have a yarn or two with Russell Morris and Jim Keays. Mighty blokes.

So, we are particularly saddened now to hear that Jim Keays, 67, is back in hospital, in intensive care, suffering from complications related to his battle with Multiple Myeloma, which he has battled for seven years.

Keays was admitted to hospital the day after performing at Crown for the Masters Of Rock concert, a fundraising event for the Myeloma Foundation of Australia.

Be well Jim.

Observer Treasury Thought For The Week ■ “My mate says I’m so gullible if I looked in the dictionary under gullible there’d be a picfure of me. I checked and he’s totally wrong.”

- Marty Fields ■ “There’s a service, similar to Dial-A-Prayer, called Dial-A-Dount. It’s for atheists who aren’t sure.”

- The Buloke Times

Observer Curmudgeon ■ “Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows out.”

- Franz Kafka ■ “The old fashioned mnother who used to have prunes every morning, now has a grand-daughter who has dates every night.”

Text For The Week ■ “"One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent."

- Acts 18:9 Contents of Court Lists are intended for information purposes only.

The lists are extracted from Court Lists, as supplied to the public, by the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, often one week prior to publication date; for current Court lists, please contact the Court.

Further details of cases are available at www.magistratescourt.vic.gov.au The Melbourne Observer shall in no event accept any liability for loss or damage suffered by any person or body due to information provided. The information is provided on the basis that persons accessing it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content.

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

● Katherine Susannah Prichard A stage play shot on videotape.

Frank Wadds was a product of himself. He was inventing himself almost before our eyes. I'm pretty sure that his background was theatre before he started work on staging at Channel 0.

Somewhat flamboyant even then, he tended to dress in black roll-necks and sported a devilish goatee and a huge gold door-knocker suspended on a chain against his chest.

When he became a floor manager he upped the ante, calling everyone 'Darling' and enlarging the theatrical flourishes.

Pretty soon he'd convinced a number of people that a three-act play written by Katharine Susannah Prichard called Brumby Innes could be adapted as a television one-off drama.

Now, here is my story of the events of 1973, those of 1927, and further musings right now in 2014.

A kind of article in three acts in itself.

Act Two. 1973. (Not chronologically speaking, but from my point of view.)

And so, one early morning at 7.30am, Phil Bowler, Simon Hellings and I strolled into Studio B having been rostered on to something called Brumby Innes.

We had no idea of what it was about. We were confronted by a large black backdrop that covered a major area of the northern wall, and there, gathered in front of it were about a dozen aboriginals in tribal costume.

To the right of this area stood a three-dimensional structure, a small, rude outback homestead, complete with front veranda. It seemed that the carpenter's workshop had created a fair facsimile of an early abode of white settlers.

Geoff Grant was the director, Frank Wadds was, I suppose, the producer, the floor manager I can't remember, Frank? Or maybe Wayne Fosternelli?

What I do recall vaguely was the first act that took place in front of the backdrop and was a ceremonial corroboree.

The second and third acts were shot in and around the homestead. What I do recall is that we were all out of our depth. I doubt that Geoff had ever directed anything like this and basically relied on Phil Bowler, and to a lesser extent Simon and me, to find inventive camera angles that covered the action.

Inventive, they may have been, but ill-conceived on the spur of the moment, without knowing what we were actually doing.

This was a production that would have suited a film crew with an experienced D.O.P. and director.

Here I stress that transposing stage to screen requires planning. Which screen? The little one in the living room, or the big one in the film halls?

The way we, on that day, approached this production was off-handed, to say the least. How it was ever edited, and even if it got to air, I don't know.

Although, researching, there are mentions of a 'film' in 1973.

The cast list was Dennis Miller, Lynette Curran, Vic Marsh and Peter Cummins.

At the time a bell rang in my head re Dennis Miller. In truth it was a Bellbird but, apart from the fact that this guy was very much a 'pro' and only rehearsed because the director and cameras needed to see the action, I didn't think anything more.

When we had completed what we had to get done, and whether that took more than a day I can't remember, we of the studio crew simply moved on to the next assignment. That was it.

Turn toPage 17

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014 - Page 13

Victoria Pictorial

Historic Photo Collection

● Main street, Portsea. 1914.

● View at Sorrento. 1914.

● ‘Australian aboriginals, Lake Tyers’.

● The Twelve Apostles, Port Campbell

● The Monbulk road, Belgrave.

● Bourke Street, Melbourne. 1948.

● Princes Bridge, Melbourne. Approx. 1940.

● Swanston Street, Melbourne. Early 1930s.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Page 14 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Face changing miracles Hanging up its spurs

● Norm Mathiske presents the curator of the Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement, Rob Pilgrim. with the collars of office.

■ When the historic and highly respected Heartbeat Galen Lodge found it necessary to return its Warrant to Grand Lodge in December last year, but finding a final resting place for the much loved regalia and jewels of the Lodge posed a significant problem. Effectively the Lodge was 'hanging up the spurs' after 77 years of magnificent service.

The Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement provided the answer.

During the centenary year of the United Grand Lodge of Victoria in 1989 members of Swan Hill sourced, transported and traditionally refurbished a Lodge Room as part of the century old Horseshoe Bend settlement. To visit the Pioneer Settlement is an absolute delight.

From the walls of the timber-clad Lodge room, significant portraits of some of the early Masters of Murray Lodge No. 142, (itself also consecrated in 1889), gaze down onto the chequered pavement in a sombre contemplation so characteristic of the Victorian era but, whilst the lodge-room was properly furnished with historic furniture and beautifully dressed display cases, it lacked the colour and grandeur of regalia.

The collars of Heartbeat Galen Lodge had been only recently purchased so, at the May meeting of the now combined Lodges of Swan Hill, these were presented to the Master of the Lodge, Bill King, and the following day, the older and more appropriate collars and attached jewels of office of Murray Lodge were presented to the Curator of the Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement, Rob Pilgrim, by the Senior Warden of Swan Hill Lodge, Norm Mathiske.

A party of eight from Heartbeat Galen Lodge led by Peter Atkin, spent several days in Swan Hill visiting the 16-unit Freemasons Homes with their magnificent gardens, the Men's Shed at Nyah in premises that once were home to the Nyah Lodge, the National Catalina Museum at Lake Boga as well as the Swan Hill Lodge and the Pioneer Settlement - a wonderful way for a Lodge to 'hang up its spurs'.

- Jim Mitchell

■ Most people are generally aware that the health of a mother prior to and during pregnancy can have a great effect on the health of the child.

It is perhaps not so well known that inadequate nutrition, stress and environmental factors may also result in children being born with deficiencies of which cheiloschisis is common, otherwise known as a Cleft Lip and/or Palate.

In the womb, the upper lip develops from three parts and the palate develops in two halves, which then join in the middle. The Cleft Palate is the result when the two halves fail to join normally.

The process of the joining of the gum and lip begins behind the gum at about six weeks after conception. If it does not happen, there is a complete cleft of the lip and gum. Sometimes, if the process of joining begins and is not completed, the gum may not be affected.

In Australia, between one in every 600-700 children is born with a cleft and one in 25 is born with a birth defect of some type. The figure is higher in some parts of Asia and appears to be highest in the poorer countries such as the Philippines. It is estimated that 250,000 babies throughout the world are born each year with a cleft.

Freemasons Victoria met with WBro. Graeme Wallace OAM of Hearts of Oak Lodge No. 681, who has been researching the birth anomaly for the last eight years as part of his thesis with Southern Cross University.

"I have been researching the issues relating to how a cleft develops and the way young adults and their families have dealt with the associated problems. While the medical profession have advocated for many years that women should take folate prior to becoming pregnant this alone cannot guarantee a successful outcome.

“Sometimes no matter how much planning takes place, environmental factors, other medications and physical and emotional stress can impact on the health of an unborn baby,” Graeme said.

Graeme explained that from his research it appeared that an important nutrient that women need to 'top up' prior to pregnancy is zinc, and a variety of other anti-oxidants, which are available in most of the commercial pre-conception supplements. In thirdworld countries these nutrients may not be available or are absent in the normal diet resulting in a higher prevalence of babies being born with a Cleft.

Such is the case in the Philippines.

Graeme said that his research involved the testing of hair, blood and urine but as you can imagine, it's very hard to get these samples and it costs a lot of money, but thanks to support from Healthscope Pathology $80,000 worth of laboratory time was provided to conduct the research.

The research Graeme conducted

● One of the amazing transformations performed by the wonderful team of surgeons in the Philippines - before and after. indicated that factors impacting on the mother prior to pregnancy were possibly the main reasons for the formation of a Cleft, as well as lifestyle and culture.

Graeme was a founding Director and now Patron of Operation Rainbow Australia Ltd. (ORAL).

This organisation sends two teams of surgeons up to twice a year to the Philippines to correct the faces of children living in poverty who were born with a cleft.

"To date 4000 Filipino children have had face-changing surgery,” Graeme said. ● Graeme Walker If the Clefts are not rectified, the Joel was Foundation President for baby can have difficulty breathing, sucking and swallowing, and the child the organisation and he and his wife can have a speech impediment. En- Ruth still maintain close contact with suring that these children do not face the CleftPals Victoria committee.

It is worth noting that RWBro. Joel a life time of issues, funds to enable the continuing research and support was awarded his Order of Australia for the families of children with clefts medal for service to the community, is paramount. for his commitment to CleftPals In 2010 Graeme won $3000 at the Victoria.

Bayside District Charity Challenge, CleftPals Victoria provides inforand Hearts of Oak Lodge No. 681 mation, knowledge and understandraised a further $4000 for the family ing about the Cleft condition. support group CleftPals in that same They are a volunteer organisation year. If you would like to help or you made up of mainly parents and cleftwould like further information please affected adults to provide support to contact Graeme on 0418 248 983.

Graeme is also a life member of the parents of Cleft affected children.

There is no other support group of CleftPals Victoria, a support group for this kind in Victoria. For more inforfamilies which was initially established in Victoria by RWBro. Joel mation about CleftPals visit: www. cleftpalsvic.com/ Solomon, OAM, PJGW.

All abilities, all completed ■ The next time you're travelling through Bairnsdale take a break to check out the new $1.5 million dollar All Abilities Playground situated on the highway just as you pass by the last set of shops.

This fantastic facility was conceived and built by the state government and shire council combining their resources with local commerce which played a substantially supportive role.

As the name suggests, there are all sorts of themed play areas for children of any age but especially catering for those that may have a disability.

With barbecue, picnic and stateof-the-art toilet amenities, it makes the perfect place for families to drop in and spend some time.

Recognising the value of this project to the community, the three lodges that meet in Bairnsdale; Union Lodge of North Gippsland No. 62, Mitchell River Lodge No. 742 and Bairnsdale Daylight Lodge No. 877, decided to combine their charitable efforts.

Well known as the Bairnsdale Freemasons, over six months, they

● From left: Allan Somerville, John Goodman, Phil King, David Provan, Stan Collins and Bob Mallows.

raised $5000 through a mega raffle, selling tickets at the local Sunday markets and other community events.

The Freemasons Victoria Board of Benevolence generously matched that amount dollar for dollar and a cheque was presented to the All Abilities Playground Committee for $10,000 to assist with the purchase of playground equipment.

A huge 'walk of fame' paving area with names and logos was constructed at the entrance, acknowledging the contributions and support of the many individuals, local businesses and organisations involved.

If you look closely amongst the McDonalds and Lions, you may just spot the familiar square and compasses appropriately etched in stone for all the many future visitors to discover.

● To find out more about Freemasonry, how to become a member, or attend upcoming public events, please visit www.freemasonsvic.net.au or ’Like’ our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/freemasonsvic for the most up to date information. ● Don't miss Series 2 of Freemasons: The Inside Story, airing Monday nights at 8:30pm on Channel 31, or visit www.C31.org.au to watch it online.

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014 - Page 15

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au Melbourne

Observer

West Hollywood

Gavin, Alan and Frank: The Three Amigos From my suite at the Ramada Plaza Hotel comes this week's news.

‘Maleficent’ about to blow the box office to pieces

Just like the 1986 movie

■ Movie maker, producer, writer and showman, Frank Howson; Ramada Plaza Managing Director Alan Johnson; and myself have been together over the many years on both sides of the big pond, the Pacific Ocean.

The picture, at right, is at Alan Johnson's birthday at the prestigious Melbourne Club. The insert shows a very relaxed, casual Californian shot at the Ramada Hotel and Suites on Santa Monica Boulevard outside Starbucks, the number one store in the US. Our friendship goes back many years and all through the ups and downs of our professional career we have remained the very best of friends.

Not too many people know this but it was Frank who started the ball rolling with the G'Day USA franchise.

Frank was never credited with that and it was taken from him and big Government took over. Frank is getting set to take on the world of live theatre on Broadway and I wish him all the success in the world.

● Gavin, Alan and Frank - Melbourne

Hot news: Cirque du Soleil

● James Cameron ■ It's the first time Cirque du Soleil has done a show based on a movie. James Cameron and Cirque du Soleil are partnering to produce a live arena show inspired by the Avatar universe, the filmmaker and Cirque President-CEO Daniel Lamarre announced this week.

The touring show is expected to debut in late 2015 and will travel the globe ahead of the next film in Cameron's Avatar franchise, which is tentatively set to hit theatres in December 2016.

Twentieth Century Fox, which is distributing and financing the Avatar movies, is also a partner on the arena event.

Cirque du Soleil will develop the live experience in association with Cameron and Jon Landau's Lightstorm Entertainment.

Cameron, Lamarre and 20th Century Fox Film ChairmanCEO Jim Gianopulos made the announcement in Monreal at the C2MTL-Commerce and Creativity Conference.

Cirque du Soleil and Cameron are hardly strangers. The filmmaker was one of the producers of the 2012 3D documentary Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away.

James Cameron says that the next three Avatar scripts will be finished in six weeks.

"Over the years, I have discovered the extraordinary talents and imaginations of both the artists and the creative forces behind Cirque du Soleil," Cameron, who is currently in pre-production on the three Avatar sequels, said: "I know we share the common goal of bringing audiences to another level of entertainment experiences. I look forward to doing just that on this project."

Added Gianopulos: "As Jim Cameron prepares to take us to even greater heights with three new Avatar films, we're thrilled with the innovative experience he's developing in this groundbreaking agreement with Cirque de Soleil."

Lightstorm and Cirque du Soleil are expected to announce a dedicated creative team at a later date.

● Syre and Fresko

GavinWood

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

● Angelina Jolie ■ Angelina Jolie's live-action fairy tale did double the business of Oz the Great and Powerful on its opening day.

Disney's female-skewing fairy tale Maleficent cast a powerful spell on the UK and Irish box office, where it opened to a stellar $2.5 million.

That's ahead of the first-day earnings of fellow Disney release Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and marks the biggest opening day ever for Angelina Jolie in those markets, as well as in Italy and the Philippines.

Even more promising, Maleficent did more than double the business of Oz the Great and Powerful in the UK and Ireland.

Maleficent opened in every major territory except for China and Japan, as well as in North America, where it is expected to top the chart with a debut in the $60 million range.

Box-office observers believe Maleficent featuring Jolie as the infamous sorceress from Sleeping Beauty will benefit greatly from targeting girls and mums, as well as families, considering the glut of male-skewing movies in the marketplace (Days of Future Past, Godzilla and The Amazing Spider-Man 2).

Elle Fanning plays Princess Aurora in the 3D movie, which taps into the same fan base that turned Disney's Frozen into a global goliath and marks Jolie's first appearance in theatres in four years.

Maleficent is not a cheap proposition, having cost $175 million to produce after reshoots.

All in the family

Meet Syre and Fresko ■ What better way to celebrate the Chinese New Year than to bring in Syre and Fresko. That's what the folks in Beijing decided when they had Syre and Freskoentertain more than 600 million viewers as the New Year rolled in.

Continuing the theme of hard work Syre and Fresko returned from China and went straight back into the studio to create their new album which is due to drop October 17.

They are also building on the Beijing success with a soonto-be-announced live show to reach out to their army of new fans.

Syre and Fresko have more than 100 live shows behind them. The new show will be a chance to present the cream of the great songs they have written (more than 50 at last count) and also to introduce the progression they have made overall.

Along with the daring experimentation they are becoming known for, the duo that has captured what some are now calling a new advancement in sound. Syre and Fresko have never sounded tighter.

For an unsigned act, Syre and Fresko have an amazing depth and musical range. Very early on they agreed they would not accept any label offers until their music was of a quality that; allowed their ultimate message to shine through, challenged contemporary song writing and would appeal to audiences both domestic and international.

Apart from their current studio work they are also in development with a new media project. They are documenting the roller coaster ride of an Aussie indie band with an increasingly prominent music life. No prizes for guessing who is starring in the series.

The new Syre and Freskoalbum due in October, with original songs written entirely by Syre and Fresko, along with the web series and the upcoming live show the rest of the year promises to be a very rewarding and successful time for one of the most exciting new acts in some time.

This year is the Syre and Fresko year. www.syreandfresko.com Exclusive Management: Gavin Wood.

CMP Management Company (A division of Countdown Motion Pictures LLC.) Contact: info@cmpmanagementcompany.com

www.gavinwood.us

■ My daughter, Angela has delivered my first grandson, Jackson Cole, and I am over the moon with happiness. Mother and baby are fit and healthy.

My son, Jordan, jas just became one of Victoria's finest last week. I am very proud of him becoming a Victoria Police officer.

He was dedicated and he now has a wonderful career ahead of him.

I can't wait to get back to Australia to see everyone.

Special Holiday Offer

■ If you want to hang out on Sunset Boulevard or Santa Monica Boulevard have I got a special holiday offer for you.

I have managed to secure a terrific holiday deal for all readers of the Melbourne Observer.

When planning your trip to Los Angeles, come and stay at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites, 8585 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood.

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, See you at the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Suites, Gavin Wood

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Page g 16 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, y, June 4,, 2014

Melbourne

Observer

Travellers’Good Buys

with David Ellis

Keeping a Czech on 5-star dining ■ Czech-born Ondrej Havlicek gives whole new meaning to “being good on the tooth”.

Because like so many youngsters finishing high school, he wasn’t quite sure just what direction he wanted his life to take him, and while tossing-up on a choice of careers was told on good advice that his country had a shortage of dentists – and more importantly that the job paid very well indeed.

So he put himself through university, qualified as a dentist and for four years plugged away, so to speak, at his new-found career.

But deep down he wasn’t enjoying himself and one day in 1996 walked out of the surgery, went down to the wharves of his country’s capital, Prague and signed up as a junior officer on a Polish cargo ship.

To this day he’s not quite sure why he decided to go to sea, but says that from Day 1 he found the ocean was in his blood. “Yet while I loved the sea and travelling to far-flung destinations, there was still something that was missing,” he says.

And it turned out to be food.

“I had done some part-time work along the way in hotels and enjoyed preparing and presenting food,” Ondrej adds. “Although I don’t know where this came from, as there have never been any professional chefs in my family.”

● ExcutiveE Chef on SeaDream I, Ondrej Havlicek.

Melbourne

Observer Wines & Liqueurs

with David Ellis

Five generations, still going strong ■ Side by side is an interesting new label from Brothers in Arms at Langhorne Creek in South Australia, and whose Metala Vineyard is one of the oldest in Australia – William Formby buying the property 130-odd years ago, and first planting grapes there in 1891.

Today his great, great grandson, Guy Adams is the fifth generation to live on and work Metala – side by side with his wife Liz, with the farm still side by side with the vineyard, and the vineyard in turn side by side with the winery.

Little wonder they chose the name for their new label, recently releasing under it a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Shiraz and a Malbec, all nicely priced at $27 a bottle each.

Their 2012 Malbec is a beauty, reflecting why Malbec is grown more in Langhorne Creek than any other Australian wine region.

Fruit for this one came off vines planted 12 years ago, the resultant wine a lovely floral and fragrant style, and which, as Liz says, is simply made for foods, chargrilled meats being particularly suited to it.

One to note ■ Lerida Estate in the Canberra District’s Lake George has released a ripper 2012 Chardonnay from a vintage that owner Jim Lumbers sums up as “simply magnificent,” with perfect dry and cool conditions supplemented by plenty of days of bright sunshine.

And as bizarrely as it does, Lake George – despite the dry – mysteriously filled with water for the first time in a decade in 2012, continuing to confound the locals.

This 2012 Lerida Chardonnay is a wonderfully fruit-filled, crisp and mouth-filling wine that epitomises just why Chardonnay is the world’s most-appreciated white wine when it comes to easy matching with food – and in this case one that reflects the contradictory nature of cool-climate Chardonnay by boasting both fruit and minerality.

Pay $24.50 and match it with roast chicken with a rosemary stuffing, pan-fried pork spare ribs or white fish.

Pictured ■ Simply made for food – in particular chargrilled meats.

■ Chardonnay is an easy match, particularly with roast chicken, pork spare ribs or white fish.

And so as to fulfil his desire, he changed direction once more, this time heading inland to the Swiss capital of Zurich for culinary training before, in 2001, graduating and heading back to sea… this time in the galleys of cruise ships sailing the Caribbean and Alaska.

“But it was a bit like a production line in a factory, chefs rarely got the chance to create something personal and unique,” he says.

He did, however, make himself stand out on one particular cruise, catching the attention of a rich American who was so impressed he offered him a job as personal chef on his private yacht.

Then another mega-millionaire lured him even further afield, this time to a palatial vessel in the Persian Gulf.

“I was well paid and the job came with an unwritten understanding that there would be ultimate discretion,” he says. “It was a case of cooking for my boss and his family, and their crew, and for occasional guest dinner parties at which I was able to let-loose my creativity.”

Enjoyable as it was, Ondrej missed the rapport he had shared with cruise vessel passengers.

So in April 2011 he joined SeaDream Yacht Club that has two identical 5-star mega motor-cruiser yachts, SeaDream I and SeaDream II. With a maximum just-112 guests and 95 crew each, they’re rated world’s best for dining, service and value thanks to the likes of 36-yearold Ondrej and his galley staff.

“SeaDream are so different to the mega-liners with those liner’s thousands of passengers,” he says the-now 5-star chef. “Aboard those big one’s everything is prepared in bulk, and portioned out onto the plates. It is the same repetitive task for those in the galley each and every night.

“On SeaDream there is no precooking, everything is prepared a la minute and everything is fresh: I can go off at any port we visit and buy what fruit and vegetables are available, planning that night’s menu accordingly. What I buy at the markets in the morning, is on the passengers’ plates that evening.

“Of course, menus are planned in advance depending on the mix of passengers for each sailing, and we bring on board some 3000 kilos of the finest produce at the start of each voyage.

Alaskan crab-claws. New Zealand lamb. Lobsters from Maine. There is such a variety that if a passenger wants something special we are able to prepare a gourmet dish for him or her personally.”

And often Ondrej, who is Executive Chef on SeaDream I, will take passengers on a tour of one of the markets, his favourite being St Tropez on the Mediterranean coast of France.

“The passengers see why I buy certain vegetables, and get to taste – complimentary – several local Rosés, cheeses, breads and a traditional local onion tart. It is one of the most popular of our shore excursions.”

See why we reckon he gives new meaning to being good on the tooth?

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au Melbourne

Observer

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014 - Page 17

Melbourne TV Memories

By Kenneth Mulholland

The making of ‘Brumby Innes’ at Ch. 0 From Page 12 Act One. In 1927 Brumby Innes won the 'Triad' prize for an Australian threeact play.

Written by Katharine Susannah Prichard, 1883-1969.

She was an Australian author who flourished from 1915 to 1932. During that period she wrote novels and plays, several of which rocked Australian society of the time because of her daring portrayals of relationships between white and black peoples and the crossovers of cultures and sex, compounded by the dreadful atrocities against the indigenous peoples.

Brumby Innes was composed against a background of 'white dismissal' of a people soon to die out.

It was a production that held up that premise as shameful.

And ruefully, played it out to the detriment of The First Australians Its subject matter encompassed isolation, violence and rape.

Innes is a tough, rather nasty character, who does all the bad things to those around him ... and gets away with it.

Written as a companion piece to her novel Coonardoo.

It was dusted off as a theatre play in 1971 for its production by the Australian Performing Group and Nindethana Theatre at The Pram Factory.

Act Three. 2014.

The Pram Factory. This, now that I come to think of it, might have been where Frank had worked. And now in real time, a number of other things begin to occur to me.

Of course later in the seventies I

realised that Dennis Miller was, at the time of our studio production of Brumby Innes married to Elspeth Ballantyne (1968-1977).

And also that they had both appeared in the long-running ABC series Bellbird.

During the years of Prisoner, Elly and I talked together about a lot of our past personal history.

Now, in consideration of my recent research, my opinion of Frank Wadds has altered slightly: perhaps he wasn't the vacuous theatre flame promulgating 'Art darling!'

My 'ratting about' tells me that, not only did The Pram Factory breathe new life into the play, also the play transformed itself into a film.

Not a TV program, but a 75 minute movie. The distributor is listed as ATV Ten.

And further, I suspect that the set of the homestead was in fact the same stage set used in that Pram Factory production, loaded up and delivered out to 0 through Frank's influence.

Possibly also Dennis Miller's as well.

The cost for 0 of producing the play as a video movie would have been kept to a minimum.

Even the cast, including the Nindethana players, if they were involved, would probably have been at the lower end of the scale.

0 only had to provide crew and facilities, so it would have been a relatively cheap venture. If it ever aired on 0/Ten or in movie theatres I don't know.

What I do know is that after this somewhat unorthodox exercise it was

not much later that Frank resigned.

He told me that he had been offered the position of Cruise Entertainment Officer on an ocean liner.

He left with little fanfare. Was Frank Wadds simply an opportunist who gambled on a lucky break from his play-house buddies to make it in the big television world, or a man who genuinely believed in Katharine Susanna Pritchard's work?

Where ever you are now Frank, if you are still with us, thank you for your endeavour.

Perhaps some people might care to take a look at this long ago author, and her legacy.

Oh, and Frank ... you still have my copy of Robert Ruark's The Old Man and the Boy. I'd be obliged if you would return.

- Kenneth Mulholland

Melbourne

Observer Life & Style

Giving up the fags, cold turkey ■ Who thought up the cockamamie idea to ban smoking anywhere in the CBD? Now before my readers wonder why I’m suggesting that it was a ridiculous idea when I’m a non-smoker and I discourage smoking wherever I can, let me tell you, I feel for those people who find it almost impossible to give up.

Some members of the community who have never smoked, and feel very self-righteous treat these people like pariahs.

Being a smoker for many years I was heeding the warnings, but continued to smoke.

I enjoyed smoking and I confess, was very good at it. I was a heavy smoker.

Why I started is easy: I thought it was sophistication plus. It went well with the desert boots and duffle coat. It was de rigueur in my salad days – especially the black cigarettes with the gold tip.

Voice failed ■ Getting the cigs past Mum was a lot harder.

However I argued well and all her arguments went out of the window when I reminded her that I had photographic evidence she smoked when she holidayed overseas.

Mind you, from the photographs she did use a long and very elegant cigarette holder.

The reason I decided to quit the habit was simple. I went on air one day, and when I opened the microphone to say say hello my voice failed me: no sound issued forth.

Went to a commercial and threw a lozenge into my mouth and the voice returned, although slightly in the baritone range.

However, I took heed of the warning and made an appointment to see a throat specialist as soon as possible.

Smoking was allowed in the studios those days, so I could smoke my head off. It never occurred to me that a guest would like a smoke free zone. Just about everyone smoked.

I saw the specialist, then waiting for the test results was the worst. Very stressful, and I prayed that it wasn’t too late.

The result came back. No cancer, but I did have polyps on my vocal cords.

Didn’t work for me ■ To a smoker who is reading this you will know how hard it is to go cold turkey. I tried.

Success was mine for a few days, but as soon as something threw me into a bit of stress.

I’d grab a cigarette telling myself that smoking calmed the nerves.

An appointment was made to see a hypnotherapist.

John Blackman had been successful in quitting and gave me the name of his therapist. Thirty minutes in the chair and I handed over his fee.

Yvonne’s Column

with Yvonne Lawrence yvonne.lawrence@bigpond.com

I got into my car and before starting the ignition I had put a cigarette in my mouth. Half way home I realised I was smoking and knew that it didn’t work for me.

Worth a go ■ There was something about hypnotist number two that made me very uncomfortable.

When he asked me how long did I think I’d been in the chair, I told him, down to the minute.

He returned my money and said I was one of those people who couldn’t be hypnotised.

So I opened a packet and I was puffing away like an old grampus in no time. The policeman in my head had gone off duty.

My husband had given up many years before and encouraged me to have one more try.

By chance we were talking in the lunchroom at 3AW and a couple of the girls said that they’d been to see a clinical hypnotist and hadn’t smoked since. It was worth a go.

The entire listening audience of 3AW knew of my success with Dr Smith, and indeed, I gave his number out night every night.

Quick puff ■ Peter had hidden a packet of cigarettes in case I came home and desperate for a cigarette started tearing the place apart looking for a fix.

But I’m happy to say that I had smoked my last cigarette before I went in to see Dr Smith.

And now it’s 17 years since I smoked the dreaded weed.

And I wished I’d never started.

But that doesn’t mean that sometimes I think that a quick puff would be good.

I remember him telling me, and it was all I can remember him telling me, was that if I put a cigarette in my mouth, I was giving myself permission to smoke again.

No matter how many times friends offered me a smoke; I always remembered what he had said.

I’m telling you this because I know how hard it was to give up the weed, particularly when I enjoyed smoking. Peter had bought me a Dunhill lighter and I didn’t want to give it up. So what to do with it.

Easy. I gave it to a dear friend who smoked.

Can you believe it was a doctor?

‘Slide nights thankfully are a thing of the past’ tour by doing lots and lots of research. He made it his top priority in life. Took many hours, but it paid off.

He’ll have so much to tell his listeners on WYN 88.8FM when he returns.

And it will be pleasurable to go out to dinner with him and hear him tell us all about his wonderful experiences and the amazing sights he has seen.

Smoke-free CBD

Slide nights

■ He has now quit, and I often wonder who has inherited my gold Dunhill.

Now it has been mooted that the entire CBD become smoke free.

Smoking is still legal. And really, no Councilor has the right to suggest that no one will be permitted to smoke in his/her domain.

I’d have more respect if it were debated that smoking be declared illegal.

Keep in mind that it would be an uphill battle to balance the budget if the huge tax the Government received from tobacco came to an end.

And now, if you please, the Whitehorse Council is considering banning smoking at outdoor eating venues.

The shopkeepers pay the Councils a high rent to have those tables and chairs on the footpath. I bet it was a non-smoker who suggested the ban without thinking it through.

I hate the smell of smoke when I pass someone smoking, but I hold my breath.

It is a cockamamie idea, and I’d like the Councils to do a bit of de Bono thinking how to get people to want to think about their health.

I have to say, that I didn’t get off Scotfree when I smoked. I have a lung complaint, not serious, just annoying, as a result of my smoking days.

■ Remember when slide nights were the order of the day?

Peter’s uncle and aunt returned from a world tour and decided that all their friends and family would be interested in seeing every minute of their nine-month tour with slides.

They had an enormous garage, which when it was turned into a theatre for the night worked well. Too well.

I’ve never been so bored in all my life.

It went on for hours and some friends were overcome with fits of the giggles. Even the thought of going into the family room in the house for a slap-up supper couldn’t reawaken my interested.

I’m glad; slide nights thankfully are a thing of the past.

It was too hard trying to make up excuses as to why we couldn’t make it when invited to watch special viewings of friends’ overseas trips without offending.

Rob’s world tour ■ I wanted to discuss bullying, and in particular, Judge Judy Sheindlin and how she has perfected the way to humiliate, bully, and at best confuse those who appear before her.

So before I go off in an absolute rant about this woman, I’ll leave it until next week.

It was so disappointing to come home and hear the tail end of a message on my answering machine from Rob Richardson, phoning form Barcelona.

However, he is keeping me up to speed with his world tour with the most amazing photo shots.

Rob went about getting the best from this

Coins in fountain ■ Of course, sometimes you came unstuck, and the returning traveller said that they would hold their travelogue on another night for you, or worse, would lob at your home and set up the slide paraphernalia.

Well, that won’t happen with Rob. He has sat through too many of these nights to inflict one on any of his friends. Besides he is being very selective with what he shoots with his video camera.

Rob has already thrown three coins in the Trevi fountain in Rome and made his wish. And on the way back, will throw another three coins into the fountain for me.

He’s a good friend and I look forward to his return.

Good karma - Yvonne Contact: Editor, Melbourne Observer P.O. Box 1278, Research, 3095.

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Page 18 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014

■ Randolph Scott was in more than 100 films during his career. He starred in comedies, musicals, dramas and westerns. He is best remembered for his roles in westerns where he played handsome, laconic, honest and heroic cowboy characters. I have been a fan of his work for many years.

George Randolph Scott was born in Orange County, Virginia, in 1898. He was the second born of six children and came from a wealthy family. George was educated in private schools and enjoyed being an athlete.

In 1917 he joined the United States Army and served in France during World War One. After the war George went to California to become an actor and joined The Pasadena Playhouse where he performed in plays.

In 1928 he was cast in his first film Sharp Shooters. This was a silent film and George had changed his name to Randolph, but he was uncredited - as was Boris Karloff who also played a small role in the film.

In 1932 he signed a seven-year contract with Paramount Pictures. His first western film was Heritage Of The Desert where he starred as the hero opposite Loretta Young's sister, Sally Blane.

Randolph shared a beach house with Cary Grant for almost 10 years. He was cast with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in two RKO musicals Roberta and Follow The Fleet.

In 1936 Randolph married Mariana duPont

Whatever Happened To ...

Randolph Scott

By Kevin Trask of 3AW and 96.5 Inner FM Somerville but they divorced three years later.

His films included Western Union, Virginia City, The Spoilers, Belle Starr, Jesse James and Return Of The Bad Men. Randolph Scott made two films with Shirley Temple, Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm and Susannah Of The Mounties.

He tried to enlist during World War Two but was rejected because of a back injury.

He raised money for the war effort in a comedy act with Joe DeRita who later became the second ‘Curly’ in The Three Stooges.

He married Patricia Stillman in 1944 and they had two adopted children Christopher and Sandra.

In an interview he once said of western pic-

● Randolph Scott

tures: They have been the mainstay of the industry ever since its beginning. And they have been good to me. Westerns are a type of picture which everybody can see and enjoy. Westerns always make money. And they always increase a star's fan following.

During the 1950s Randolph Scott mainly worked in western films for the Columbia and Warner Brothers Studios. From 1950-53 he was among Hollywood's Top 10 box office stars.

In 1962 he starred opposite Joel McCrae in his final film Ride The High Country which was regarded as one of his best films.

When Randolph Scott retired at the age of 64 he was a very wealthy man and also deeply religious.

The Statler Brothers had a hit song titled Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott in 1974.

The song mentions many of the popular western heroes such as Gene Autry, Lash La Rue, Tim Holt and Johnny Mack Brown.

Randolph Scott passed away in 1987 from heart and lung ailments at the age of 89. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery, Charlotte, North Carolina.

- Kevin Trask The Time Tunnel - with Bruce & PhilSundays at 8.20pm on 3AW That's Entertainment - 96.5FM Sundays at 12Noon 96.5FM is streaming on the internet.

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

Jonesie turns three score and 10 ■ My mate Jonesie turned 70 last week, and, with a few other oldies but goodies, I trotted along to celebrate this milestone.

Whilst most of his mates were mutual, there were nevertheless some which I hadn't seen for 40 years or so.

There were a few: "Jeez, he's lookin' a bit older!" (Of course he is he's about bloody 70 now!) and towards

myself as well, I've no doubt. I reflected on our lives together - meeting at Blairgowrie when we were school kids.

Then, as rockers, we went to see JO'K at the West Melbourne Stadium; then we became jazzers, husbands, fathers and now grandfathers.

At one stage he and his mate Hutchie were off overseas, and de-

Pith And Point Roast game

Hall of Fame

■ Owners Jenny and Frank Facciolo are hosting a roast game night at The Fat Penguin Cafe, East Kew tonight (Wed.) to celebrate its includion and the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival Roast Collection.

Special guest is Willy Lunn.

■ The Australian Football Hall of Fame induction dinner is being held tonight (Wed.) at the Palladium at Crown.

Legends attending include Ron Barassi, Kevin Bartlett, Peter Hudson, Leigh Matthews, Kevin Murray and Bob Skilton.

Hall of Fame members include Malcolm Blight, Francis Burke, Craig Bradley, Wayne Carey, Graham Cornes, Carl Ditterich, Robert Flower, Ken Fraser, Ross Glendinning, Doug Hawkins, Gerard Healy, Glen Jakovich, Neil Kerley and Peter Knights.

Fund raiser ■ Artists For Orphans will hold a fundraiser at Kyneton Toyota showroom on Saturday, June 28, with impersonator Mark Andrew appearing. For tickets, contact Rini Wildeboer, phone 0424 938 931.

‘Can Do Man’ Jonathan Welch ● From Page 9 ■ Street Requiem is a new choral work that aims to bring a sense of peace, remembrance and hope to many communities that struggle to come to terms with street violence and a loss of safety on our streets.

Jonathon co-wrote Street Requiem with Dr Kathleen McGuire, who has recently returned from the USA after creating the Singers of the Street in San Francisco, and Director of Curriculum for the School of Hard Knocks, Andy Payne.

"I really feel that we have lost such a sense of innocence and safety on our streets. I wanted to write a musical work that would help us as a community to honor and remember all those who have died homeless, nameless or innocent of our streets of around the world" Jonathon said.

Street Requiem is a contemporary setting of the traditional sung Requiem with additional English, Afri-

can and Persian lyrics and a modern setting of the Latin text.

Street Requiem is an essentially optimistic work that features music that reflects the multi-cultural and multi-faith traditions of multi-city living utilizing gospel, Celtic, romantic, indigenous and contemporary musical genres and instrumentation to spectacular effect.

It will feature contralto Liane Keegan, a massed choir of 350 voices combining the forces of Choir of Hope & Inspiration, 'THE CHO!R', members of Voices Without Borders asylum seeker choir and the School of Hard Knocks ‘Absolutely Everybody’ choir program from the cities of Latrobe Valley, Sunshine and Casey.

Jonathon Welch and Kathleen McGuire will conduct the world première of Street Requiem at Melbourne Recital Centre on Saturday (June 7) at 8pm. melbournerecital.com.au - Julie Houghton

cided to set up an opal exporting business. So I supplied them with some loose stones, and they headed for the US, where they went from city to city, peddling their wares.

This, whilst not setting the world on fire, did produce some positive results - then, as now, Americans always loved our opals.

One particular customer I recall was a Marvin M. McNutt from Texas.

One stone I sent over was a large rare harlequin black opal from Lightning Ridge, which they sold in New York for $15,000.

Today, 50 years later, that would be a tidy sum.

■ Then, a few years hence, we teamed up, and decided that an opal shop in Hawaii would be a great idea.

So I popped over and checked it out, and booked a spot in the International Marketplace in Waikiki with the manager of the complex.

Shortly thereafter Jonesie flew across, armed with a bag of opals, and presented himself to the manager with whom I had struck the agreement.

"Oh…" was his response - he had forgotten about it!

However after much scuttling around, a spot was found for him to set up. Not a prime location on the first floor, but at least we were there.

We had organized a mate of mine from Lightning Ridge, John Stott, to go over as manager of the outlet when Jonesie returned.

For several reasons it didn't work, so we closed it after a couple of years.

Our position in the marketplace wasn't ideal, and the first oil crisis had just hit, where oil went from $2.50 to $5 a barrel.

Tourism to Hawaii declined dramatically, and our custom was duly affected.

However it afforded me a few trips over there, and Jonesie lived there for a while.

Of course Honolulu is awash with dusky maidens and Jonesie, ever noted for his adventures and liaisons with local damsels, was in his element.

At one stage I figured out that about 80 per cent of our phone calls, which of course were supposed to be about business as legitimate deductions, actually were detailed descriptions of his perpetual amorous exploits.

■ Several times previously I have noted the open speed limit in the NT,

with Nick Le Souef Lightning Ridge Opals 175 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Phone 9654 4444 www.opals.net.au

■ There are a couple of things which are taken as "given".

One is that you don't lie down and go to sleep in the middle of the road.

Yet, remarkably, this happens frequently in the Territory, and results in not infrequent fatalities.

In fact on Imparja TV there was a paid advertisement actually advising people not to do this.

A few years ago a couple of cyclists were riding their way through the Outback, and decided to camp for the night.

Instead of retiring to the roadside, they rolled their sleeping bags out on to the warm smooth bitumen.

Later in the night an approaching road train had no chance of stopping when he saw them.

The second is that it's not wise to go to sleep in a dumpster.

Yet, last week in Darwin, a 30 year old gentleman was collected by a waste disposal truck at 7am one morning.

Two more loads of rubbish were dumped on him before he was discovered by the driver, who heard some noises in the back Just missed being compacted.

to its restriction down to 130kmh, to its now impending de-restriction once more, beginning with the 200 km stretch to Barrow Creek.

Now, Dr. Rosalie Schultz, president of the NT branch of the Public Health Association of Australia, has come out in opposition: "We think that removing speed limits on a remote stretch of road far from help is a recipe for disaster".

I beg to differ.

I've often driven in excess of the normal Victorian limit of 100 kms, and with the vast NT distances, and the safe empty roads, this is a blessing. Mostly drivers would sit on about 130 or so - it was only very occasionally that this would be breached.

I reckon that most fatalities in the NT are the result of factors other than speed.

Contradictorily, Dr. Shultz notes, "if you have an older vehicle, are a young driver, or an Aboriginal person, you are statistically more likely to die in a road crash." Voila! And she didn't even mention booze!

That's it in a nutshell - little to do with speed.

■ I've never made any secret of my dislike of cats, and this is a view shared by many bush dwellers, who know the havoc which they cause to our native wildlife.

There's a gentleman in Darwin who shares my distaste, but takes it to more of an extreme than I do - I just run them over when I can out on the desert highway, and shot them at every opportunity when it was OK to carry a .22 around.

This chappie apparently pretends to be a cat lover.

"He poses as a really genuine caring person looking for a furry loving family member for him and his wife," claims one victim.

However, he's a taxidermist!

For some obscure, bizarre and mysterious reason, he then kills them and stuffs them.

Some cat lovers have shared their own individual and independant stories about him, and the penny has dropped, and they're after him. Even a $15,000 reward.

Difficult to imagine any joy from a house full of stuffed cats.

- Nick Le Souef ‘The Outback Legend’

The Outback Legend

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014 - Page 19

Page 20 - Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Victoria Pictorial

www.MelbourneObserver.com.au

Hurstbridge For our nostalgia collection

● Hurstbridge. From Thorn’s Hill. Circa 1914.

● ‘School’s out’ at Hurstbridge. 1950.

● Hurst’s Bridge

● Old inn, Hurstbridge. 1979.

● The Bridge, Hurstbridge.

● Railway gangers shifting sleepers. Circa 19101918.

● Group of children with teachers

● Cricket team, Hurstbridge-Diamond Creek area. Circa 1910-18.