HM the Queen

Just for the hell of it.

Elizabeth - Almost by Chance a Woman

I am so pleased with myself that I have chosen yet another great evening at the theatre. Last Night at the Powerhouse I saw the QueenslandTheatre Company's production of 'Elizabeth:Almost by Chance a Woman' which is a high camp, obscene, raucously funny, absurdist piece of modern anarchy in the form of Commedia dell'arte. Highly improvised by the quick witted cast to fit local politics, today's news and filthy puns depending on the flow of the evening and the type, age and mood of the audience. Constant references to the Bastard Bard and his plays added to the fascinating multiple layers that kept even the most seasoned theatre goer on their toes as they attempted to glean every bit of the complex stimulating wit. It is no mere slapstick and as one baby-boomer audience member said, it was one of the best fun evenings he had had at the theatre in ages.

We were treated to a wonderful cast with Carol Burns as the dramatic, hilarious, peeing Elizabeth, both funny and sad, Eugene Gilfedder who plays characters from Shakespeare to most notably Grosslady is an invention of pure obscene gibberish, Jason Klarwein as Egerton who does wonderful references to Othello, an assasin and a brilliant diatribe on modern warfare/politics that would do a Modern Major General proud. Sarah Kennedy as Martha and the wonderful voice of Dash Kruck as the fool Thomas, who can really sing and managed to show us his bare bottom as well.

Mention has to be made of the sixth member of the cast who was the musical director, improvising musician and Mr Byrd  - John Rodgers. He too played with what ever themes he felt appropriate on the evening with reference to pop, pomp and circumstance and any musical joke worth having.

A special surprise treat was that after the show many of us stayed behind for a Q&A with the full cast, director and stage manager. It was fascinating to get the background to how they plotted the evening each night and how they reacted with amazing talent to the reactions of the audience and added comments about topical matters while keeping the rhythm of the play. The director said that even he was surprised with the inventive differences that emerged each performance.

Directed by:- Wesley Enoch

Designed by:- Simone Romaniuk

Adapted from the Italian by:- Louise Fox and Luke Denenish

Written by:-

Dario Fo (born 24th March 1926) wrote this in 1984 and he also received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1997. Fo is a sharp tongued subversive Italian playwright, satirist, actor, director and composer. He and his wife Franca Rame played Grosslady and Elizabeth in the original production.

Footnote:- The adaptor of this brilliant piece of theatre, Louise Fox was a recipient of The Queensland Premier's Literary Award as was the writer of another great play I saw recently, A Hoax by Rick Viede.

The new red-neck LNP government elected here recently under the premiership of one Campbell Newman  has already done away with this award (mentioned scathingly in the play) along with their push to send human rights back to the dark ages with their reversal of legal gains made by the previous government and the gay community in Queensland. I bet Dario Fo would join us in condemning such Neanderthal behaviour.

P.S.

A great interview with one of the dashing cast - Dash Kruck talking about theatre, his boyfriend and he sings as well.
https://www.facebook.com/dashkruck

Part one of a publicity video

The Diamond Celebration

Royal Jubilee

The celebration of a Royal Jubilee seems to date back to Namer, the first Pharaoh of a united Ancient Egypt some 5,200 years ago. Known as the Heb-Sed it was generally declared after 30 years on the throne and then every 3 years, but this was not always so and varied according to political necessity. The Mace Head of Namer shown below apparently records the Jubilee celebration. Beside this is Pharaoh Pepi I dressed to celebrate his Heb-Seb in 2362 BCE. (note Pepi is the name of my blog although I am thinking of his son Pepi II and my dog of course) To replace a tendency to possible assassination of a Pharaoh thought too old to rule, the festival, which often involved physical feats and running, was meant to rejuvenate the Pharaoh's strength, stamina and virility. 

Although the extensive tours this year will see a test of stamina for The Queen I do not expect to see her racing down the Mall although Queens such as Hatshetsup, who took on the garb and false beard of a king, is shown running with the sacred Apis Bull at her Heb-Sed.

The Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

It is now 60 years since Princess Elizabeth heard of the death of her father King George VI on the 6th February 1952  while she was on a visit to Kenya. At this moment she became Queen of Britain and all her considerable realms. She returned immediately to The United Kingdom and was met at the airport by her first Prime Minister Winston Churchill. It was not until the 2nd. June the following year 1953, that she was finally crowned. To date she has had 12 UK and 12 Australian Prime Ministers and in that time there have been 12 US Presidents. She met all except LBJ. Her length and quality of service are outstanding by any reckoning.

This would brighten up the Guard of Honour for Her Majesty.

Give her a present of a real inspection of her fit troops for the Jubilee.

Other pages here on this blog relating to The Queen:-

Her Majesty The Queen

The Queen In Queensland

also on Wikipedia

The huge List of Titles and Honours Of Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen in Queensland

Once again I have stood in the sun to see HM Queen Elizabeth II. My first sighting was in 1954 just after her coronation in 1953. That 2 month visit was the largest event in Australian history as between 6 to 8 million of the entire population of 9 million saw the Queen in person. It is not surprising therefore that I was there. Since then I guess I have participated every visit here over the last 57 years and one accidental sighting in London. There have also been a few visits by other royals that I attended as well. There were hot days in the arena of the Royal Show-Grounds as schools were herded together, twice on the river as she arrived on the Royal Yacht Britannia, some street walks and a cold rainy midnight in front of my flat when she was returning from a function. In that occasion HRH Prince Philip had to nudge her in the ribs to wake the sleeping Queen so she would give a wave to a solitary bunch drunk fans with their noses pressed against the royal car window. That flat was a great royal spotting place as it was on the route between the airport and Government House. Prince Charles waved up at me while I was watering my plants one day and I also got a wave from Princess Alexandra as I sat in my window sill on another occasion. Today here in Brisbane tens of thousands gathered along the river as she journeyed up the river on a yacht to the Southbank Parklands and Cultural Centre where she reopened a rainforest destroyed during the devastating floods earlier this year. The cute small boy in the photo with the uniform and gloves was a big hit with the crowd as everyone was taking photos of him saluting and making the Royal wave. He was just opposite from where I stood.
The Royal YouTube Channel

Her Majesty The Queen

I just felt like recording that I am and have always been a monarchist. 

This beautiful portrait has hung on my wall for decades.

I bought a print at The National Portrait Gallery in London in the 70's.

Some Royal Sightings

HM Queen Elizabeth: From the first visit in 1954 when I was 5 and when I saw her in Toowoomba I then recall standing in the sun as thousands of school kids were assembled in the Show Grounds in the 60's a great midnight in the late 70's when all dressed up (in ballet tights etc.) and rather drunk, I and a group of friends went out into the dark and the rain to watch her drive past. She looked asleep in the back of the slowed car until Prince Philip nudged her in the ribs so she could acknowledge a lone bunch of dedicated fans with their noses pressed against the window. She sat up and gave us a wave. That was the closest encounter. It is a wonder we weren't tackled by the escort police. That flat I lived in for several years was a great place to receive accidental Royal waves. Princess Alexandra once waved as I sat in the window of my flat and Prince Charles stuck his head out the window and waved up at me while I was watering plants in my front sun room on the second floor. Walking through London one day I saw her Majesty drive past. No one else noticed so I waved of course. A lovely day on a boat on the river with lots of Champagne in the early 80's as the Royal Yacht Britannica sailed in to Brisbane and the Queen stood on the deck watching us and the hundreds of other parties on the river. We made a photo in the social pages with champagne glasses held high for that one

The spectacular arrangement of 'God Save The Queen' by Benjamin Britten. My absolute favourite version. Performed at the 2010 'Last night of the Proms' at the Royal Albert Hall, London.