Medea

10th June 2015

La Boite

Great theatre just never ceases in Brisbane. Last night I had the great pleasure of seeing one of our most outstanding actors Christen O'Leary giving her powerful all as the tragic Medea. Driven to murder as she is cornered by the immature machinations of the not terribly heroic Jason, she is for me, always a character more pitied than scorned for the horrors she enacts. 

Does she have a choice when all is lost. Jealousy certainly leads to the death of Glauce, but who's fault is it that this abandoned woman sacrifices the children. In this production I felt all fingers point to Jason. Anyway Christen is phenomenal as she always is and this year I see her twice more in 'The Seagull' being re worked by the amazing Daniel Evans and then in the musical 'Ladies in Black' music by Tim Finn.

 I just loved the wax dripped set and the enormous Candelabra centre stage which for me harked to the tree on which the Golden Fleece had hung and which was the central cause of all this misery. This was further emphasised for me when the nurse climbed into the tree to model the glittery cloak soon to be infused with poison. 

One great stroke of genius was the addition of a commenting Chorus of brilliant singing voices. After the show I was able to shake hands with Annika Hinrichs whom I had just recently seen and heard her strong beautiful voice in the Con production of 'The Coronation of Poppea' and I also had a brief chat with young brilliant baritone and composer Connor D'Netto. Connor by the way just won the  7th Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition. I just loved the music for Medea composed by Gordon Hamilton. Looking through the credits I found the lighting done by the always perfect Ben Hughes and there was costume maker Leigh Alexander Buchanan. Leaving the theatre another surprise thrill was a chat with the other two stars Helen Christinson and Damien Cassidy who played Glauce/Nurse and Jason respectively as well as the lovely Mark Sheppard who introduced the Q&A. One day I will actually be able to congratulate Christen in person. Always something to look forward to.

 A little more on Medea productions I have seen.

one With Dame Diana Rigg London 1993.

http://pepisymposium.blogspot.com.au/2010/09/ancient-greece.html

also Medea - Euripides of Sorts

Wednesday 30th October 2014 Judith Wright Centre

Students of ACPA - The Aboriginal Centre For The Performing Arts. 

That is a friend Tibian Christopha Wyles who has moved on to almost full time acting career with two extensive National tours and other works since graduating.

There arew also the Lars Von Trier film, the Pasolini film with Maria Callas, the Opera witrh Callas and a modern opera with Max Cencic all in my collection

Friends doing it solo. Josh, Dash and Matthew

Josh RH Daveta

17th April

Powerhouse Visy Theatre

I have seen Josh in Boy & Girl twice, met him in foyers at his shows and others and he is a force of nature. Charismatic, talented and a star.

 Put a boy in a fluffy pink onesie, add oodles of stage presence, charm, a touch of naughty and a truly remarkable voice and you have the uber talented Josh R H Daveta. Last night his show Teenage Dreams was a celebration of the pop diva as channeled by Josh and his brilliant accompanist, friend and backup singer Luke Volker who can really play with that piano. There is more to do in that bed and doona than just dream. 

Great to see some surprise appearances which I will keep secret because I don't want to spoil the fun for those going to the final show tonight. Do rush along. Once again a fabulous show brought to us by Troy Armstrong. I seem to be going to them all.
 

I Might Take My Shirt Off

Dash Kruck

14 February 2015

Powerhouse Theatre

Melt Festival

 Dash has been extraordinary in so many productions I have seen and in this he let loose  his one man show.

From the promos: -

It’s Lionel’s first time. You won’t be too rough, will you?

From the mischievous mind of one of Queensland’s favourite actors, Dash Kruck (A Tribute of Sorts), this is the story of Lionel and the reluctant world-premiere of his debut cabaret show; a musical evening of sex, booze, boys and mythical beasts.

Matthew Mitcham

Twist and Turns

6th February 2015

Powerhouse Theatre 

Melt Festival

From  http://www.twistsandturns.com.au/

Matthew Mitcham's

Twists & Turns

On the 23 August 2008, a young Australian athlete made Olympic history. Coming from 30 points behind, and on his final dive, he scored 112.10 to shock himself and the diving world and rob the Chinese of a full sweep of Olympic diving gold medals. 

On that day Matthew Mitcham OAM became Australia's first male diving Olympic gold medallist since 1924, and the only diver ever in Olympic history, to produce a perfect 10 point score from all judges – winning the 2008 Beijing Olympics 10m platform title.

Grinning with pride from front pages around the world, there was no hint of the personal demons that had led this supremely talented young dynamo to quit diving less than two years before his famous win at Beijing.

Joyously out and proud as an openly gay man, Matthew was a role model for his courage both in and out of the pool. Yet the crippling self-doubt and shadow of depression that had plagued him all his life forced him into premature retirement, at one point reduced to circus diving to earn money. 

Even after Beijing and being ranked No 1 in the world, those closest to Matthew could not guess that beneath that cheeky, fun-loving, exterior he was painfully aware of how easily it could unravel.

Matthew has recently released his autobiography Twists and Turns, which reveals a life behind the international spotlight that has been plagued by low self-esteem, anxiety and depression, panic attacks and repeated self-harm as a teenager, leading on to drug abuse. He has also struggled with issues relating to his sexuality, being one of few Olympians to compete at the event as openly gay.

Based on his book of the same name, and told with the honesty and courage he is admired for, this live production of Twists and Turns is an inspiring story of a true champion – in and out of the pool.

Away from the diving pool Matthew is a talented singer and musician, who invites you to share the highs and lows of his incredible life through theatre and song, along with a few surprises, a bit of foot tapping and loads of inspiration, in his first solo show.

Commissioned and produced by the Melbourne Cabaret Festival and directed and co-created by Nigel Turner-Carroll, this extraordinary cabaret show has been scripted by multi-award winning London cabaret star Spanky under the musical direction of Jeremy Brennan (Jersey Boys).

After meeting Matt for the first time.

Holding The Man

Friday 1st March at La Boite Theatre
Directed again by David Berthold 
With the brilliant designs of Tony Award winning Brian Thomson

From the book 'Holding The Man' by Timothy Conigrave about the 15 year love affair between himself and John Caleo until John's death on Australia Day 1992 and Tim's own death in 1994. The book was published in 1995 and won for Tim The UN Human Rights Award for Non Fiction. It becomes one of the top selling books in Australia and has been translated into other languages and is now published by Penguin Classics. In 2006 it was turned into a play by Tommy Murphy and won several awards and is being presented all over the country on repeated occasions and internationally in San Francisco New Zealand and London. On its second presentation in Brisbane with a new cast it has already received rave reviews, standing ovations along with the laughter and tears.
The two wonderful leads were Alec Snow as Tim and Jerome Meyer as John. I recall Alec as a stand out performer in As You Like It last year. This boy has stage presence. Jerome is an instantly sympathetic and adorable actor. The rest of the cast were led by the multi roles of the brilliant veteran Eugene Gilfedder whom I recall first seeing in a play many years ago and so often since. The beautiful newcomer Jai Higgs, stage and screen actress Lauren Jackson and multi-talented Londoner Helen Howard also take on the demands of up to a dozen roles each.

They first met at school in 1972

By 1976 they Fall in Love

Through University and NIDA there are Family and Friends

The Joy and Laughter on the scene.

The Pain and Sadness of HIV/AIDS

The Original Boys

Click to buy the book

A rare old video with Tim Conigrave (the one in his undies at the end)

Never Grow Up

J M Barrie's 'Peter Pan' 

and the Five Llewelyn Davies Boys

There is an innate appeal of remaining a child and never growing up, a yearning to do as we please and to hell with the consequences, to have fun and ignore responsibilities. It was this childlike mischievous attitude J M Barrie saw in the young boys of the Llewelyn Davies family that made him feel the joy of being like a child and moved him to write the stories of the boy who never grew up. He said they were like sticks rubbed together that ignited the flame that was Peter Pan who was the essence of them all.

Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet was born in Scotland on the 9th May 1860. Barrie was a mere 5ft 3 1/2 inches. Becoming an author and playwright, he first created Peter Pan in the collection 'The Little White Bird' in 1902. Peter was inspired by the Llewelyn boys whom he had met in 1897 and was about a baby boy who had magical adventures in Kensington Gardens. In 1904 came the play 'Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up.' In it the character Wendy (a seldom used male name in Britain and virtually invented as a female name by Barrie) had been inspired by Margaret Henley the daughter of a friend who could not pronounce her R's and called him 'fwiendy wendy'. In 1894 he married Mary Ansell, but it was unconsumated and she eventually had an affair so they divorced in 1909. He died of pneumonia on the 19th June 1937 and had left the Peter Pan works to the Great Ormond Street Hospital or Hospital for Sick Children. His first work was in 1888 and his last was a film treatment in 1936 for 'As You Like It', the first Shakespearean film of Lawrence Olivier.

J M Barrie and favourite Michael Llewelyn Davies

Michael Llewelyn Davies dressed as Peter Pan

Arthur Llewelyn Davies married Sylvia du Maurier. The couple initially had had three sons: George, John, and Peter. When Peter was still a baby in 1897 they met the 37 year old Scottish writer James Matthew Barrie in Kensington Gardens. Barrie quickly created a strong bond with the little boys and was known to the Llewelyn Davies family as "Uncle Jim". In 1900, Michael Llewelyn Davies was born and Nicholas in 1903. Peter Pan was first introduced to the world in the 1902 novel The Little White Bird.

All the Peter Pan stories were inspired by the five Llewelyn Davies boys.

Llewelyn Davies boys photographed by J M Barrie

George Llewelyn Davies (1893-1915) killed age 22.

George was born on July 20, 1893. He was four years old when he met Barrie and he formed a strong bond with him that would last until his untimely death. Barrie, reportedly, named the character of George Darling after him and also modelled his early Peter Pan after the 10 year old boy.  George went to Eton, he began developing his acting talent but these were cut short by World War I. George joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps and died of a head wound on March 15, 1915.

John "Jack" Llewelyn Davies (1894-1959) died age 65

John or "Jack" Llewelyn Davies was never close to Barrie thinking that Barrie tried to replace his father who died in 1907. At the age of 16, John joined the Royal Navy. His mother died soon after and Barrie became guardian of the family. John married Geraldine Gibb without the approval of Barrie, but Barrie maintained a relationship with the couple and gave them the Llewelyn Davies home. John died on September 17, 1959 at the age of 65. The character John Darling was named after him.

Peter Llewelyn Davies (1897-1960) suicide age 63

Peter Llewelyn Davies is sometimes known as "The Original Peter Pan". Peter volunteered for the War with his brother George. He survived, but the trauma affected the rest of his life. In 1917, Peter got involved in a relationship with Hungarian artist Vera Willoughby 27 years his senior. The ‘scandal’  separated him from Barrie and his family for several years. After the war, Peter founded the Peter Davies Ltd. publishing house. He grew to hate the past and the association with the Peter Pan. He developed severe depression, probably aggravated by his drinking and on April 5, 1960, Peter threw himself in front of an oncoming train.

Michael Llewelyn Davies (1900-1921) drowned age 20

Michael was, supposedly, Barrie's favourite. Along with his brother George, he was able to get closer to Barrie than any of the other Llewelyn Davies boys. Michael was very wild and very bright. After he went away to Eton, he and Barrie wrote letters to each other every day. Michael later attended Christ Church, Oxford. It was there that he met the artistic Rupert Buxton (right). The two became inseparable friends at college and also on holidays and were presumed certain to have been lovers. On May 19, 1921, Michael (almost 21) and Rupert (just 21) were found drowned and clasped in each other’s arms in the notoriously dangerous Sandford Lock on the River Thames. It has never been determined whether or not their deaths were accidental or a suicide pact. Rupert was, reportedly, very suicidal and it was a well known that the Sandford Lock had claimed the lives of three young men during the 19th century.

According to Baron (Robert) Boothby, while at Oxford, Michael also had a short sexual relationship with Roger Senhouse (below) a member of the Bloomsbury group.

Nicholas "Nico" Llewelyn Davies(1903-1980) died age 77

Nicholas, the youngest, was the only Llewelyn Davies boy who had a thoroughly happy life. However, because he outlived all his brothers, he had to witness all the sorrows. Not much is known about Nicholas' relationship with Barrie. After he graduated from college, he settled down with his wife, Mary James. Nicholas did maintain a relationship with Barrie until the latter's death in 1937. Nicholas died in 1980 at the age of 77. (photo 1975 above) In his later life he had spoken about his brother Michael, describing him as "the cleverest of us, the most original, the potential genius"

Faces of Peter Pan

 My Peter Pan Films

2003                                    2011                                      1991

2004                                 2003                                  1978
Finally from a Rock Musical version of Peter Pan

The numerous statues around the world

Peter Pan Nudes by Vittorio Carvelli

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The Death of Peter Pan in Melbourne - an acclaimed Play by Barry Lowe directed by a friend, the sensational Robert Chuter.

The Queensland Ballet 'Peter Pan' 2015

http://pepisymposium.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/peter-pan.html