WEBVTT
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Lee, why do we do this is hand?
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Yeah, read as record?
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Hang on? Why is red record.
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A big series?
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Is there a greed?
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What does green mean? Is it?
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I don't know there's that many chords.
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No, Lee, we are back.
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We're back, We're back, We're always back, and we're it's
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good to be back. I'm excited about some days.
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Giess, I'm I'm about to turn the table.
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What do you mean? Well, all these years, all.
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These years, this man interviews us about amateur theater, and
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now we get to turn the table, and there he is.
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We have mister Peter Gurz in the studio. Ladies and gentlemen,
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the Wow, You've had every superlative under the sun over
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the last weekend.
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So have I. I don't know, dudes, here's too good actors.
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I've never seen either of you bad. And I saw
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you as a little kid in the Bones of My Toe. Yes,
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at the Donald Horn.
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The Access Theater Company. You also awarded me Best Actor
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at the Hills Drama Festival for a play Norm Caddac.
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Did you also?
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I was in a show of yours called Eurik Stockade.
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Oh my god, the Glorious Flop.
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Yes, that's so good.
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Into that.
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It's memorable because it was such a flop. One hundred actors,
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two dogs, a sheep, and we were supposed to have
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a horse, which never arrived. And it was every night
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there were more people on stage than in the audience.
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Real guns, and they started them with they filled them
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with I think paper, and I was laying on the
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ground in a really thin piece of costume and one
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of those wads landed on me and I laid there
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like a trooper, thinking I'm doing it for my eyes.
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It's burning my skin.
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You know, although flop that it was, and I spent
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you know, every night there'd be an hour screaming match
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with the board of the theater, guirld in Union Hall
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on stage because I was trying to burn Union jacks,
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and you know, it was huge. And however, when I
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look back, and because I was banned from the theater,
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it's happened several times. I've been banned from my own theater.
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I was banned from the theater because I was I
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was smoking. I used to be very heavy smoking. I
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smoked shocking one, two three a day. Depending on that,
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I'll be.
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About you.
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I'll be buried in the flip top box flip top copper.
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I was banned from Oh that's my phone. Pardon, I'm sorry,
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sorry about that.
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I think the most important question, though, is what color
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would the box be?
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The gold it will be like a Marlborough gold white. Anyway,
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I was thrown out of the theater because I was
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in the fly gallery smoking around the pyrotechnics. So I
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was banned from my own theater. I spent the show
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at the stage door, waiting for emissaries to come out
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and tell me how it was going. I was also
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banned from the Little Theater once. I used to watch
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from the from the buyer box and.
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I one night, which is you have to go to
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really wind your way into the bow boy, saying it.
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Was a double bill. Sister Mary Ignatius explains it all
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to me that I think Michael Eustace directed, and good
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good actor, good director. I've known I've known the Useless
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since they were kids of Children's Theater company. Anyway, I
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directed The Christian Brothers with John Edge, and during system
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Marynacius explains it all, I turned around and knocked over
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this huge metal stand, and as you know the Little Theater,
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any noise from above or around just look and.
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It disturbed that I was to remember the bottles.
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The bottles every night is at the side there so
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is I've been thrown out of a few theaters.
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Well, let's start talking about your your lover theaters.
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Where where does it start, Peter?
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Do you get involved with performing or at least putting
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on a character.
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As a kid like that far back? Because I know
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you went to Flinders. So how did it first start?
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Well, it was certainly not from my family. You know.
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I was raised with love, which is the greatest gift
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anyone any of us can ever have. It was a
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very loving family. And you're a Woodville boy, I'm a
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Woodville boy. But my parents were both sports people. They
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both played various sports for the state and a long
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I come. And you know I have a fear of
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moving balls coming towards me. Contrary to popular belit.
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I fully support you in that, and I do, but
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not in all context.
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I think the worst moment of my life, apart from
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losing my parents, you know, who were killed in an
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aeroplane accident in nineteen eighty two with one hundred and
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fifty four other people, which was pretty awful, but the
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worst moment in our family life was me playing in
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the under twelves grand final of the Uniting Church Basketball League.
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And I'm sitting there on the sidelines in my little
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white shorts and little dun dunlop volley sandshoes and my
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green and gold singlet, and they put me on in
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the last sixty seconds of the game when they were
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sure they had it won. They finally put me on
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when I couldn't do anything a victory, and I looked
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over to see this look of utter contempt and confoundment
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on my father's He'd played basketball for the state and
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here I was hopeless. So it was, you know, it
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was a they eventually were. They were supportive in their
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own way.
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When did you start showing it well?
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And we had no you know, we never went to
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the theater. The first show I ever saw was Rick
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Marshall of Certainly Not Blessed Memory had a puppet company
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from Yattler Labor prison prisoners, and it was at the
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Arts Theater. You know, this would have been in the sixties,
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and I was a little kiddy, and at halftime police
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and prison wardens in evaded the auditorium and ran up
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on stage because half the prisoner puppeteers had escaped closed
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and I thought, is this what the theatre's like? You
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know its just then in.
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Nineteen seventy I loved the audacity.
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In nineteen seventy one, I saw in one week I
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saw Kiss Me Kate by the Metropolitan Light Opera Society
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as it was then at the Arts Theater. And in
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the same week I saw a production by Tyrone Guthrie,
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who was the greatest director in English director in the
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world prior to the to the nineteen fifties, a production
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of Oedipus at Beneythan Hall with an all star Australian
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cast that were in masks, which was glorious and really
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in one week I'd covered it all from you know,
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kiss Me and Oedipus. In grade five I had a
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teacher at Woodville Primary called mister Martin, and mister Martin
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stood in front of the class for the entire year,
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smoking Benson and Hedges cigarettes and drinking Coca Cola, and
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naturally he became a great role model. To this day.
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He allowed me I'd read a play version of Wind
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in the Willows called Toad of Toad Hall, and there's
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a trial scene which is very funny and the judge
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is the best part. So I don't know. I just
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had this impulse. My mother typed it out on a gastetna,
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run it off on a gastetna, and we performed this
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for parents and other students in the classroom, and I
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played the lead and directed it and produced it. So
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for one shining moment, I was the Awesome Wells of
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Grade five at Woodville Primary. Then I retired for two years.
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It was a drink and I had a wonderful teacher
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called Mick Rivers, who was a South Australia played football
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for South Adelaide. Rather than in exhorting me onto the
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football field, he said to me, you're an actor and
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put me in a little one act play called Queer Street,
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which was funny. Then two things happened at high school
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in rapid succession. In second year high school, a really
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bad thing happened. There was a company at Findon High
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a student theater company doing plays, and I went along
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as a fourteen year old kid, and I said, you know,
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what can I do? You know I would have swept
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the stage if that asked me. And they said, no,
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we don't want you to go away, and That was
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a terrible thing to happen, and it really changed my
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life in the sense that I have to this day
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never refused anyone who's come to me and said, what
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can we do? How can we be involved in this? Ever,
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because it was so hurtful to me. Then the next
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year I auditioned and got the part of the artful
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Dodger in Oliver Great role.
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Yes, I'm doing that in the moment, are you.
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Yeah, I'm playing the grandfather. I'm doing it with my kids.
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But I'm a school teacher at Victor Harbor.
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Oh you've come a long way. Yeah, that's in that
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Victor Harbor town Hall which needs ready needs work. I
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was doing a gig in Victor Harbart the library a
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couple of weeks ago, and I said, you know, pressure
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your counsel. This needs it needs, the bleacher needs everything.
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I reopened that hall in seventy eight. What it is
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now we reopened it. It was much worse. We took
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a production of Private Lives.
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Sar Harris is like she loves yeah, and she's.
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Down there talk about holes.
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In all of the crucial moment. I'm standing in the
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wings and the Dodger doesn't come on until forty five
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minutes into it, I'm standing in the wings and I'm thinking,
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this is insane. Why am I doing this. I'm just well,
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I'm just going to embarrass myself in front of you know,
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fifteen hundred people.
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In the play of the musical.
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It was the musical. And I'm thinking, I'm just going
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to turn around and walk through the wings and out
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the stage store and get on my more than.
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Stone like the Crims from nineteen sixty and.
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Ride home and they can add lib around the Dodger.
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No one will miss me, and I won't make a
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fool of myself. There's my cue, and you're on. And
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then of course you get a laugh, and then that
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your life is never the same.
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Once you get the first laugh.
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But then the next year I learned another big lesson.
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Always read the script. The same company at find and High.
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The teachers look at me. I read the whole script.
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Well, you don't read the whole script.
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At least read your whole part exactly. And she was
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doing school for scandal. Have you done that?
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Yes?
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That with and she said, you can have any male
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part you want. And I looked read the first scene,
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and Snake has every second line in the scene with
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Lady sneer Well, and I thought, this is the wonderful part.
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So no, I was surface Joseph.
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So I said, I want to play snake. And the
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teacher said, but don't you want to play Joseph surface
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or at the best part, Peter None, And I said no, no, no.
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So then because I ended up, I was in the
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first scene and the last scene four acts later. So
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I used to he emerges out of a cupboard in
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the last scene. So I used to go and get
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on my bike after the first scene and drive to
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the ride to the Woodville Methodist Church and appear in
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a concert, and then go back to the Woodville town
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Hall and do the final scene of the school for scandal.
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Wow, I'm talking to that.
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You've always got those old fashioned glasses, Josh, and your
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you look like something out of the seventies.
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I am. I don't know. I'm an old soul.
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Are you.
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Yeah?
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You're both damn good actors. Thank you. I'd like to
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work with you, but because you can't nowadays, you've got
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a book people up, Yeah, advance.
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I just I talked with your producer tonight.
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Actually which producer beck? Oh? Yes, yes, what good actor? Beck. Yes,
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and she gets you know, she gets better and every
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time you.
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See, she's amazing. Actually, yeah, she just booked me and
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she was phenomenal.
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I know. Well, the see when I you know, I
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had twenty years out of it. I did Glass when
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as at the Repertory, and I did my own shows.
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You know, I've done a thousand gigs.
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Which was that the one that you started off with
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Annie Lennox walking on Broken Glass?
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Did you do that? No, it's one of my favorite
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songs in the world.
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Well, I did a fringe show in two thousand and
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two or something, and then had the ABC and then
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two thousand and eleven years ago, I started these one
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man fringe shows. But they were from gigs that I
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was doing, you know, all over the state, and I
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had a producer. It's not and up, it's it's stories.
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And I've done a thousand gigs. And see, I had
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twenty years off when I was working nights, so I
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couldn't really work in the theater I was doing. I
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did direct some cabaret shows one play. I missed it terribly.
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But how do you deal with the itch? Well, I
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mean I was giving a performance every night, of course,
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you know, on air, So there was that, but I
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mean it was I was following the money for once
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in my life. I had a great time at the ABC,
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and I was very well cared for there, and I
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was very lucky to have that gig.
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Because you're for like twenty years in one month, is
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that correct?
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Yeah?
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Yeah, so because that was going to be one of
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my questions, like how do you because it is like
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a performance, how do you keep it sparky and fresh
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and well?
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And you see, I have an imposter syndrome, which maybe
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you do. I think there wasn't a night that I
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walked out of that studio and thought, well, maybe I
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got away with that. I really had no idea what
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I was doing. I just did it.
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I did that today.
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I was teaching physics.
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And I.
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I think I got away with that.
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And I missed eight shows from illness in twenty years.
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It's the smoking scene.
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But the funny thing happened.
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You know.
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See this business we all know this, but we don't
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think about it because we're working. But this business is
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no I did Rocky Horror at the first Saw Center,
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which was, you know, wonderful. It was a dream gig.
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I'd always wanted to play that part in the middle
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of the Craig McLaughlin episode. Yes, that's another that's a
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whole podcast. Yeah, but you know what happened was miraculous
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with the understudy Adam Randy taking over. Yes, it was
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fantastic as it happened. I'd been on air for eighteen
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months and Pamo grading an actor who's one of my
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new users. I've worked with Rob whom I've worked for
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fifty years. He's in this man who came to dinner.
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Pam McGray was a muse math a lot has been
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amuse and they were doing the Importance of being Earnest
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and they were coming in to be interviewed, and she
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said in the dressing room, oh, you know, I've worked
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with Peter a lot. And the young actors turned to
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Pam and said, oh, does he direct now? I hadn't
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been directing for eighteen months.
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Yes.
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And you it's like a pebble in a pond. You
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realize you are as soon as the ripples stopped, you
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are instantly forgotten. Because an actor's life is carved in snow.
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You know you're gone. And that was as good as
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you last exactly, And coming back I thought my ego.
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I thought, oh, well, you know, companies will be you know,
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I'll be knocking back company. Just the contrary happened. I couldn't,
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you know, if it hadn't been for Martha at Olden Street,
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where I did five shows. Yes, you know, nobody seems
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to you know, the people have been very slow to
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come to me, and now.
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You're nervous getting back into it after so long.
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No, I loved it. But and you go from being,
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you know, I kind of clastic to just old and
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old fashioned. And you know, I'm you know, I've got
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shows for next year. But I was astonished that suddenly
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you had to book people up.
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Years of crazy crazy crazy crazy. Like I was just saying,
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I've just an hour ago, just got booked for something
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in October next year.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, Well, I mean I'm doing some of the Seventeenth
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Doll next year in September, and I've had the cast.
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Now, yes, I could have done that before.
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I did it in the eighties at the theater. Girl.
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Yeah, we've done a lot.
325
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But you also studied at Flinters.
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00:17:50.839 --> 00:17:54.920
Right, Yes, but I didn't really I did, but and
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I did drama, but mainly as an academic subject. Subjects
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here in those days, you you went into into everybody
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did the same first year, and then at the end
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of first year you auditioned for the Drama Center and
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I looked around. I thought, there's thirty of us, and
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I don't think I'm going to get into the ten
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that they only took ten, and plus it was a
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very down time for Flinder's drama. Wold Cherry was not
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the academia is death to the theater. Wald Cherry was
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the you know, the awful tarib of the Australian theater.
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He came here to be professor of Drama, to create
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that dramas drama department at Flinder's and basically never directed
339
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much again.
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Well so he was a famous director, it.
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Was, and you know, it was a charming man. He
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used to if you passed me in the foyer had
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flashed this movie star smile at me and say hello, David,
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how are you? And I'd say pretty good?
345
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Wall Would you think you wouldn't get one of the teen?
346
00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:05.359
Well, you see, I had this scarring experience. We had
347
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to do a compulsory ballet class of Madame Zora Sembarova,
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who was a fierce former Czechoslovakian prima ballerina who wore
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a black sable fur coat and toque three hundred and
350
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sixty five days of the YU.
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Sounds fabulous she was, but she was terrifying tea.
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We had to be. We had to wear black tights.
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I had to buy them from this John Martin stage shop.
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It was bad enough with my father that I was
355
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trying to be an actor lett alone in tights. I
356
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had to hide them black t shirt bare feet. Will
357
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put around the drama studio on the bar in first
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position with Madame in the middle with a stick, and
359
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we're in first position, and suddenly she banged her stick
360
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on the floor and pointed it at me and said,
361
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you you are hopeless. If you leave this class and
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00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:06.480
I don't see you all year, I'll give you a
363
00:20:06.519 --> 00:20:11.559
provisional see goodbye. And I had to had to crawl out,
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00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:14.680
thinking how embarrassing, but how wonderful that I never have
365
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to come to discuss at nine o'clock on a Monday
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morning ever again, so that I'd already failed sort of dance.
367
00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:24.319
So do you reckon? She was challenging you.
368
00:20:24.359 --> 00:20:29.039
No, she wasn't, because I cannot dance. I am a
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00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:34.039
hopeless answer. But see Meanwhile, I was My mother had
370
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rather nervously incredibly found a Methodist theater company in Way
371
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Hall in Pitt Street, down the side of Her Majesty. Huh,
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And I was working there and I was already directing
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at eighteen.
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What kind of shows were they doing? Oh?
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They were plays? Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh you know we
376
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did inspect the cause I did David's Stories Home Butterflies
377
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Are Free, you know. And I was directing at eighteen
378
00:21:02.039 --> 00:21:05.079
and in show Wow. And also that was at the
379
00:21:06.759 --> 00:21:09.480
It was right opposite the stage door of Her Majesty,
380
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So i'd be across the road at all those Josey
381
00:21:12.279 --> 00:21:15.759
Williamson shows. They'd let me in and i'd meet at
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the stage door, you know, Ralph Richardson and Michael Redgrave
383
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and Avon de Carlo and you know, all these wonderful
384
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actors at the stage door. And my greatest education in
385
00:21:26.599 --> 00:21:30.519
the theater, I think, was Gypsy with Tony Lamon, which
386
00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:33.680
is my favorite musical. And I went to the opening
387
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night for seventy five cent student rush. This is seventy
388
00:21:37.400 --> 00:21:39.599
five might have been a dollar fifty.
389
00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:41.400
Your memory for dates is amazing.
390
00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:45.160
And I loved that show and I saw every performance
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bar One for three weeks. I went every single night
392
00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:54.759
matinee and evening, every way because it was brilliant and
393
00:21:54.839 --> 00:21:58.279
she was brilliant, and I learned more in that three
394
00:21:58.319 --> 00:22:02.160
hour show over three weeks that I did in eight
395
00:22:02.279 --> 00:22:03.200
years at Flinders.
396
00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:04.759
Did you ever tell her that?
397
00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:08.119
Well, see the one night I didn't go, she noticed
398
00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:11.519
I wasn't in and she said to the ushers, where's
399
00:22:11.559 --> 00:22:18.400
that strange boy floating on air? That I'd been spotted
400
00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:21.880
from this? But it was an education. So you learn
401
00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:25.799
by watching, you know, you learn, and this is you know.
402
00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:28.839
This is the same with reviewing. You know, I distrust
403
00:22:29.480 --> 00:22:34.319
critics who haven't seen everything because you know, this State
404
00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:37.759
Theater Company show or this Blue Sky show or this
405
00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:42.440
Galleon show, how does it compare to all the ones
406
00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:45.480
you've seen? There is what is the standard here? How
407
00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:48.680
does Lee Cook in this play or Josh Coldwell in
408
00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:51.720
this play? How is it compared to their other work?
409
00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:53.200
It's all relative?
410
00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:55.559
Well, how did you get into reviewing from?
411
00:22:55.720 --> 00:23:01.759
Well? I was reviewing and a reviewer was was really
412
00:23:02.039 --> 00:23:04.960
it was my It was a great one of the
413
00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:06.920
greatest things I ever did, and also one of the
414
00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:11.440
worst things I ever did. I was reviewing movies on radio.
415
00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:16.920
I ended up at SAFM for ten years nationally and
416
00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:20.160
Jason Daniel in eighty five was the art editor of
417
00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:22.079
the Advertiser and he Raymond. He said do you want
418
00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:25.160
to review theater? And I said sure? And I rang
419
00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:28.240
Harold Tiedeman, who was a great, wonderful critic, and I said,
420
00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:31.000
how do I do this? And he said, well, dear.
421
00:23:31.240 --> 00:23:32.200
Just talk about the plot.
422
00:23:32.839 --> 00:23:36.279
No no, no, no, no no. See that's a mistake.
423
00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:36.720
Sorry.
424
00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:41.160
No, you said, you put the paper and the typewriter,
425
00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:44.039
and you mentioned as many names as possible.
426
00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:45.759
I hated it.
427
00:23:45.880 --> 00:23:48.359
When they give the plot, it drives me in.
428
00:23:48.599 --> 00:23:51.119
I cleaned bloopers. You know. There was an in Daily
429
00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:57.960
Review once and of Hamlet, and it opened by saying, Hamlet,
430
00:23:58.119 --> 00:24:02.079
after four hundred years, Hamlet is still angry with his uncle.
431
00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:11.000
Or segue segue s E G W A Y, you know,
432
00:24:11.079 --> 00:24:13.359
like one of those things you write, not the segue
433
00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:17.839
of a song, wellever it's not talk about critics. But see,
434
00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:18.599
I was very.
435
00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:19.720
Do you think you were a good critic?
436
00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:23.440
Well? I was very gush or grind. People remember if
437
00:24:23.480 --> 00:24:26.680
they if they're that old, they remember, you know, my
438
00:24:27.559 --> 00:24:31.640
attacks the groaning, but they don't remember the gush.
439
00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:35.400
You know, you you're always focused on the worst.
440
00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:38.799
Thing, exactly, and the mud always sticks. Some of it
441
00:24:38.920 --> 00:24:41.920
I regret, but some of it I don't.
442
00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:45.079
Do you remember the first time you heard the term
443
00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:46.799
the critic that a athlete like.
444
00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:51.720
Yeah, well, I mean Cooper's did a campaign for a
445
00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:55.119
new beer. It was a front page and on the
446
00:24:55.200 --> 00:25:00.200
advertiser and it was someone a beer bottle being and
447
00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:03.559
then the caption was an opening even Peter Gourz would enjoy.
448
00:25:03.799 --> 00:25:08.039
Oh cool that would be and fucking they said. They
449
00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:09.559
called me to a meeting and they said this is
450
00:25:09.559 --> 00:25:11.039
what we're going to do. And I said, okay, what
451
00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:12.559
are you giving me? And they said, we don't have
452
00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:15.359
to give you anything, and we'll give you a slab
453
00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:18.000
of beer. And I had to nag them for that.
454
00:25:18.119 --> 00:25:22.480
Actually, well, I'm the voice for Lee's Hotels and he
455
00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:26.640
just gives me vouchers. Oh hey, have you used them yet?
456
00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:31.079
Because you had quite a reputation for being quite honest
457
00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:32.039
in your reviews.
458
00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:35.720
Yea, and yes, yes, I think you need to be.
459
00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:39.400
It's not the case now, you know, everybody loves everything now, but.
460
00:25:39.319 --> 00:25:40.799
That's frustrating too. Because you want to.
461
00:25:41.640 --> 00:25:45.279
I am noticing in the recent critics that I've been
462
00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:49.599
like the reviews that have been reading, people are gushing
463
00:25:49.720 --> 00:25:53.279
over stuff that I don't think needs to be gushed about.
464
00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:54.720
But I think that's what we're doing is right.
465
00:25:54.839 --> 00:25:58.839
It's an opinion and hopefully over time getting a trust opinion.
466
00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:02.400
But there's also the sense of what was it like
467
00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:06.640
being there on that night, at that moment. And it's
468
00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:09.839
a great mistake. Naturally, if it's a new play, you
469
00:26:09.960 --> 00:26:12.640
have to deal with the plot, but if it's a Hamlet,
470
00:26:13.160 --> 00:26:15.559
you don't need to do. You know, it's ridiculous, and
471
00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:18.519
there's so much. The problem is the internet. You see
472
00:26:18.759 --> 00:26:23.200
in a newspaper, you've got a tiny space and you
473
00:26:23.319 --> 00:26:27.359
have to be tight. Journalism is all about brevity. It's
474
00:26:27.400 --> 00:26:30.200
how to say in five words what everybody else needs
475
00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:32.880
fifty words, or how to say in fifty words what
476
00:26:32.920 --> 00:26:35.680
people need five hundred words to say. And see, now,
477
00:26:35.720 --> 00:26:37.960
the internet is endless. They can go on and on
478
00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:40.519
and on and on and on, and they do. And
479
00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:44.640
we're all guilty here because and I'm guilty. You know
480
00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:48.759
that people come along and you've never heard of them,
481
00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:53.880
and they review you, and they give you five stars.
482
00:26:53.519 --> 00:26:54.319
And you use it.
483
00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:57.519
Yes, yea, yeah, you know, and we're all guilty of that.
484
00:26:57.839 --> 00:26:59.880
We oh, this guy liked.
485
00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:02.039
It exactly and you have no idea who they are.
486
00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:06.960
Frank Thring said, critics are like piano players in brothels.
487
00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:09.880
They can make a nice noise or an nasty noise,
488
00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:12.319
but they've really got nothing to do with what's actually
489
00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:15.720
going on. And that's true, isn't it.
490
00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:16.759
I love that.
491
00:27:16.920 --> 00:27:20.519
My favorite of all the show business stories, my favorite
492
00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:23.119
is a Frank Thring story. He will relate to this gentleman.
493
00:27:23.400 --> 00:27:27.079
He was a you know, Frank think he was a flamboyant.
494
00:27:27.160 --> 00:27:31.559
I remember play he was in ben hur As he
495
00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:36.480
was he was Heroding Kings and he.
496
00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:40.039
Was like he was.
497
00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:41.480
But he was Melbourne Theater Company, and you know, he
498
00:27:41.599 --> 00:27:46.519
was a star, very very flamboyant. He was a very man,
499
00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:51.000
but very camp And anyway, he was in a play
500
00:27:51.079 --> 00:27:54.599
called The Kingfisher with Googie Withers and John McCallum. He
501
00:27:54.680 --> 00:27:58.920
was playing the Butler National Tour and it's a boulevard comedy.
502
00:27:59.640 --> 00:28:04.359
A lady is widowed and she recalls the love of
503
00:28:04.400 --> 00:28:07.000
her life, the man she should have married, and she
504
00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:09.640
invites him to afternoon tea. That's the sort of play it.
505
00:28:10.599 --> 00:28:14.039
Frank Thring's the butler. He's got a quiet second act.
506
00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:14.839
I can see this.
507
00:28:15.079 --> 00:28:18.240
So the stage manager calls him up in plenty of
508
00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:22.480
time from the dressing room, and he had his first
509
00:28:22.599 --> 00:28:25.519
entrance in Act two. Twenty minutes into Act two. He
510
00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:28.680
had to go on and the stage manager would feed
511
00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:31.680
him one line, and the stage manager would feed him
512
00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:35.079
the line just before he went on, and he'd say
513
00:28:35.079 --> 00:28:39.359
to Frank, cup of tea, madam. And Frank Thring would
514
00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:42.920
go on stage and say to Googy, cup of tea, madam.
515
00:28:43.400 --> 00:28:47.119
And that's it. And this day Frank had come up
516
00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:49.559
a bit early and he's chatting to the stage manager
517
00:28:49.559 --> 00:28:51.640
and the wings. He's doing a bit of a line
518
00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:55.400
with the stage manager, and suddenly the stage manager said.
519
00:28:56.960 --> 00:28:58.920
Frank said to the stage manager, what are you doing
520
00:28:58.920 --> 00:29:02.039
on the weekend? And the stage manager said, I'm going
521
00:29:02.039 --> 00:29:05.200
to Frankston And he said, there's your cue, Frank, and
522
00:29:05.240 --> 00:29:07.319
he pushed him on and Frank three went on and
523
00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:10.119
said the Googie withers, I'm going to Frankston.
524
00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:14.119
How does one recover from that?
525
00:29:14.319 --> 00:29:16.920
And Googy looked at him and said that's nice, but
526
00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:19.039
you can get us a cup of tea before you go.
527
00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:22.960
Oh it, Now I have to just ask this one
528
00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:28.039
question again, like shockingly I heard it because of a review.
529
00:29:28.119 --> 00:29:30.440
You were like attacked during a performance or something.
530
00:29:33.720 --> 00:29:38.079
Well, yes, in eighty six and only really just start
531
00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:42.799
amazing with the dates to It was the Fringe at
532
00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:45.440
the Living Arts Center there on North Terrace, the Houcion
533
00:29:45.559 --> 00:29:48.039
Years of the Fringe, and I went it was the
534
00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:52.039
last Friday night of the Fringe, I think. And was
535
00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:53.160
Wendy Harmer.
536
00:29:53.799 --> 00:29:56.039
I've never heard of it. I've heard that name before.
537
00:29:56.279 --> 00:30:00.440
She was doing a sort of sketch comedy show and
538
00:30:00.680 --> 00:30:07.200
she did children were she was. She's still on television AFC.
539
00:30:07.960 --> 00:30:14.279
She has a hair lip. And anyway, there were about
540
00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:16.319
five of us in the audience, and I was sitting
541
00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:19.519
in the front row and taking the odd note and
542
00:30:19.559 --> 00:30:21.680
she looked down and she said are you reviewing this?
543
00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:25.000
And I said yes. She said who you reviewing this for?
544
00:30:25.079 --> 00:30:27.480
And I said the Stock Journal, which got the best
545
00:30:27.799 --> 00:30:32.279
laugh of a show. And then she came down in
546
00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:35.240
the character of a cleaning lady and she took off
547
00:30:35.319 --> 00:30:40.240
my glasses and broke them and sprayed like Ajax in
548
00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:43.920
my face and on the glasses, and I reported this
549
00:30:43.960 --> 00:30:47.960
and it was page three news that you know, she
550
00:30:47.960 --> 00:30:50.960
hadn't really attacked me, but she had. You know, it
551
00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:53.960
was yack. It was those days in the fringe. There
552
00:30:53.960 --> 00:30:56.400
was an enormous amount of audience participation.
553
00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:58.839
So it wasn't because you gave her a bad review.
554
00:30:58.920 --> 00:30:58.960
No.
555
00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:05.279
Still, she's still in her autobiography, she still rails about
556
00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:07.720
the review, which was a very bad review, because it
557
00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:08.680
was a terrible show.
558
00:31:09.079 --> 00:31:11.960
Yeah, sometimes they are.
559
00:31:12.519 --> 00:31:15.920
So you're responsible to the money people are, whether they're
560
00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:19.680
paying a dollar or forty dollars or three four hundred dollars,
561
00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:24.279
you're responsible to that people are paying to see this
562
00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:25.480
and is it worth it.
563
00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:29.039
I've recently watched the show I didn't like, and I.
564
00:31:28.920 --> 00:31:31.319
Was like, but I think, also, that's what it is about, right,
565
00:31:31.400 --> 00:31:34.400
like an art. Just I know it's subjective, Like I
566
00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:35.079
look at that and.
567
00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:36.759
It doesn't speak to me at all, Like I don't
568
00:31:36.960 --> 00:31:37.160
you know?
569
00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:41.480
All right, So being a critic, being a director, being
570
00:31:41.480 --> 00:31:43.920
an actor, is there one that you prefer to do?
571
00:31:44.440 --> 00:31:47.039
Oh no, no, I haven't reviewed in it. So I'm
572
00:31:47.079 --> 00:31:50.400
still remembered as a critic. And I haven't reviewed since
573
00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:52.440
nineteen ninety five.
574
00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:54.720
Wow, I get the sense that you want to be
575
00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:55.240
an actor.
576
00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:59.799
I'm not a very good actor, but I'm a joy
577
00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:05.480
like you two. I'm a personality player. You know that.
578
00:32:05.960 --> 00:32:06.960
You can't hide me.
579
00:32:07.440 --> 00:32:07.640
You know.
580
00:32:07.640 --> 00:32:10.160
I just did Harvey, which I love doing that. I
581
00:32:10.200 --> 00:32:12.279
could have gone, I could. I could have played that
582
00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:15.079
for years. That role. I love that, I.
583
00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:17.319
Love Why did you like it so much?
584
00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:21.039
Because he was beatific? And it's a glorious part because
585
00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:24.559
he's not He's on for less than way, less than
586
00:32:24.599 --> 00:32:27.200
half the show. The sister played by beck Camp you
587
00:32:27.799 --> 00:32:30.799
had much more than me. But it's a glorious part
588
00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:32.720
because when he's not on, they're talking about it.
589
00:32:32.839 --> 00:32:33.000
Yeah.
590
00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:36.200
Perfect, And he comes in and undercuts everything and he's
591
00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:39.000
in his own world. But you see there, I was
592
00:32:39.039 --> 00:32:43.759
playing at seventy, playing a forty five year old alcoholic
593
00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:46.759
whom you never see drink, whose best friend is a
594
00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:49.359
six foot white rabbit, and everybody said, oh, it's so
595
00:32:49.599 --> 00:32:54.119
like you, Peter, and this this, this is this part
596
00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:57.720
I'm playing now is much closer to me, perhaps, but
597
00:32:57.960 --> 00:33:00.319
it doesn't matter what I do. People say, oh, so
598
00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:02.440
like you, which is a compliment in the way, but
599
00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:05.880
you see they see me and then see the character,
600
00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:09.519
whereas you two guys, they see the character then you I.
601
00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:14.440
Don't know psychopaths what that means, But that's because you're
602
00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:17.599
well known and people know you kind of yeah, yeah, well,
603
00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:18.759
I guess.
604
00:33:18.640 --> 00:33:20.960
The thing is, like, can you learn the lines and
605
00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:22.519
not bump into the furniture like I.
606
00:33:22.799 --> 00:33:27.319
Don't like I don't like method acting as a rule,
607
00:33:27.480 --> 00:33:29.319
but you are not a method actor.
608
00:33:29.400 --> 00:33:29.960
No, I'm not.
609
00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:30.119
No.
610
00:33:30.599 --> 00:33:32.880
I prefer to like, this is an operation.
611
00:33:33.559 --> 00:33:34.960
This is a military operation.
612
00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:39.119
Everyone has to line up like yeah, like, and then
613
00:33:39.160 --> 00:33:42.079
the fun comes from I've done my job. Do you
614
00:33:42.119 --> 00:33:44.599
prefer the rehearsals of the performance of performances?
615
00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:50.400
David Mehlor, who's a director. The two best directors in
616
00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:54.759
this town are David Mehlor, who I mentored. He started
617
00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:59.440
his career playing me hosting horror movies on Channel seven
618
00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:05.240
in a university review in the eighties. Now he mentors, now,
619
00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:08.559
he mentors me. Now I go to him for advice.
620
00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:11.039
And Nick Fagan is.
621
00:34:10.679 --> 00:34:13.119
The very next best or in this town.
622
00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:17.440
But a lot of successful I love directing directing as
623
00:34:17.559 --> 00:34:22.280
my Do you ever work with Bob Kimber I did. Yeah. Uh,
624
00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:27.119
I worked with his wife. I knew him. Did I
625
00:34:27.159 --> 00:34:28.760
work with him? I knew him.
626
00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:30.320
I like working with him.
627
00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:32.159
Did he teach you Yeah?
628
00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:35.519
Yeah, he was like a mentor mentor.
629
00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:39.079
Yeah. He used to run Brown's mart and Darwin. Yeah.
630
00:34:39.639 --> 00:34:41.559
What's the hardest thing about directing.
631
00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:44.320
Well, the hardest thing about directing is you have to
632
00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:49.239
see an actor worries about him or herself first and foremost,
633
00:34:49.519 --> 00:34:52.079
but the directors to worry about everybody. You know, the
634
00:34:52.119 --> 00:34:54.440
guy on the sound that, you know, the person with
635
00:34:54.519 --> 00:34:57.519
two lines, the lead everything. If you worry about the
636
00:34:57.519 --> 00:35:01.239
whole thing and see, I watch every minute of every
637
00:35:01.360 --> 00:35:03.960
show I ever do, which a lot of directors don't.
638
00:35:04.360 --> 00:35:05.039
Did you get bored of it?
639
00:35:05.039 --> 00:35:07.719
Wouldn't you know? Because that's how I learned. You learn
640
00:35:07.800 --> 00:35:10.920
by watching the backs of an audience head. How are
641
00:35:10.960 --> 00:35:14.599
they taking this? You know that? And that's how you learn.
642
00:35:15.960 --> 00:35:18.880
How is this working? Why didn't that work tonight? Why
643
00:35:18.880 --> 00:35:21.159
did that work better last night? You know? What can
644
00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:22.199
I do better? Well?
645
00:35:22.199 --> 00:35:25.199
Do you walk in with a very specific idea and
646
00:35:25.400 --> 00:35:27.960
vision of what you want you or do you work
647
00:35:27.960 --> 00:35:30.519
reorganically with the actors and kind of find that as
648
00:35:30.559 --> 00:35:31.000
you go.
649
00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:34.400
A bit of both, but mainly I know what I want, Yes, yeah,
650
00:35:34.440 --> 00:35:37.519
but no, I love directing, and you know, I'm not
651
00:35:37.679 --> 00:35:40.639
much of an actor, but I have been cast as
652
00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:44.480
in The seagull Is a wonderful director, James Harvey, who
653
00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:47.559
did Little Miss Julie and the Friend and I loved it,
654
00:35:48.199 --> 00:35:51.880
and he's cast me as Dawn the o r N
655
00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:52.920
in The Seagulls.
656
00:35:53.920 --> 00:35:57.000
I find it's a comedy, but I think everything is
657
00:35:57.039 --> 00:35:57.440
a comedy.
658
00:35:57.599 --> 00:36:00.639
Chekhov's Yeah, but I think Checkov is the comedy.
659
00:36:00.719 --> 00:36:02.360
Do you think dull and for Murder was the comedy?
660
00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:06.920
I had seen it because I couldn't. I had to
661
00:36:07.000 --> 00:36:11.239
choose between it and Taming of the Shrew. No, I
662
00:36:12.280 --> 00:36:15.280
wanted to see Thank God, Gallion. Where I'm doing this
663
00:36:15.360 --> 00:36:17.320
is some of the seventeenth old I said, I will
664
00:36:17.320 --> 00:36:20.400
not do it with tables and chairs, you know, like, no, no,
665
00:36:20.440 --> 00:36:23.599
we've exactly, We've rolled it back and they've come round
666
00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:27.679
to that. But the and see directings like health. You
667
00:36:27.760 --> 00:36:31.079
only notice if I notice that if it's bad. You know,
668
00:36:31.199 --> 00:36:34.519
good directing is seamless, you know, And it doesn't look like.
669
00:36:34.519 --> 00:36:35.920
Directs like music, isn't it?
670
00:36:36.360 --> 00:36:39.360
Well, you've directed the glass Managerie a few tive times.
671
00:36:39.480 --> 00:36:42.199
Why what about that show that draws.
672
00:36:41.880 --> 00:36:42.719
You to it so much?
673
00:36:42.840 --> 00:36:47.199
Beautiful plays? It's in many ways the perfect play.
674
00:36:47.559 --> 00:36:49.760
How do you find your actress for that?
675
00:36:50.440 --> 00:36:53.719
Well, that's key, you see, and I had see I
676
00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:58.320
directed that when I was eighteen. Then I directed it that.
677
00:36:58.519 --> 00:37:01.199
Do you have an image in your head of who
678
00:37:01.800 --> 00:37:02.880
he is going to play that role?
679
00:37:03.039 --> 00:37:06.199
Or well? You know you find see I cast. You know.
680
00:37:06.199 --> 00:37:08.800
I'm looking at you guys, and I'm thinking, well, I
681
00:37:08.800 --> 00:37:11.840
could you know what could I do with with you?
682
00:37:11.760 --> 00:37:14.559
You know, I keep someone in mind, please keep us
683
00:37:14.559 --> 00:37:17.480
in mind, and I cast you know on I was
684
00:37:17.519 --> 00:37:20.320
just saying today I work for Scale. I'm doing this,
685
00:37:20.760 --> 00:37:22.840
well this show at the Theater Guild. Are you now
686
00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:26.119
have you ever been in May? I'd have you both
687
00:37:26.159 --> 00:37:32.880
in that. It's a documentary piece about the.
688
00:37:31.559 --> 00:37:32.360
I just signed up.
689
00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:41.599
I could do both, so I cast. I've never had
690
00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:42.920
an audition, I've never.
691
00:37:44.719 --> 00:37:45.199
Padcast.
692
00:37:45.320 --> 00:37:48.400
Now well both yea. By the time the actor walks
693
00:37:48.400 --> 00:37:50.559
on to the stage and an audition, I know whether
694
00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:51.400
I want them or not.
695
00:37:51.599 --> 00:37:55.360
Have you have you got your ideal? Have you done
696
00:37:55.480 --> 00:37:58.559
the ideal version of the Glass Manager? Or are you
697
00:37:58.639 --> 00:37:59.639
still trying to work.
698
00:38:01.119 --> 00:38:03.639
Funny that play. You see when I was so young
699
00:38:03.719 --> 00:38:07.000
directing it, and you look at that plane, you think
700
00:38:07.239 --> 00:38:10.400
those poor children and that terrible money. And then as
701
00:38:10.440 --> 00:38:12.880
you grow older you know and you know I've done it,
702
00:38:13.719 --> 00:38:17.960
changes all those terrible children and that. But I did
703
00:38:17.960 --> 00:38:24.559
it in Istanbul when I was living there teaching drama. Eight. Well,
704
00:38:24.559 --> 00:38:26.840
I had a job in Ireland. But I got to Ireland.
705
00:38:26.880 --> 00:38:30.119
I didn't like it. That drizzle and the Irish are
706
00:38:30.199 --> 00:38:32.599
very perverse, and I thought.
707
00:38:33.480 --> 00:38:36.199
It's a regimented society.
708
00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:40.039
And I've been in Turkey where I'd met some actors
709
00:38:40.079 --> 00:38:43.320
in the street. Where else do you meet actors? And
710
00:38:43.360 --> 00:38:46.840
they said to me, let's do an Australian play in Turkish.
711
00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:48.480
And I said, well, I'd love to go. I'm going
712
00:38:48.519 --> 00:38:51.159
to Ireland. I've got a job there. Goodbye. And then
713
00:38:51.199 --> 00:38:53.280
when I chucked that job in and went back to
714
00:38:53.360 --> 00:38:55.400
Turkey and I found them and we did the play
715
00:38:55.440 --> 00:38:59.320
about Gallipoli called Manual of Trench Warfare, an Australian player
716
00:38:59.320 --> 00:39:03.519
about Gallipa, which we would translate in the morning for
717
00:39:03.559 --> 00:39:08.840
three hours and then rehearsed what we translated, but which
718
00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:12.400
was tricky because I didn't have much Turkish. And it
719
00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:15.559
was funny because I said to a friend of mine
720
00:39:15.559 --> 00:39:20.000
in Turkey, I said, what's the Turkish word for and
721
00:39:20.039 --> 00:39:23.119
he said, oh, it's umjik and I said, I'm not
722
00:39:23.239 --> 00:39:27.000
hearing that in the translation. And they said, we can't
723
00:39:27.039 --> 00:39:30.159
say that, you know, our parents will be there. And
724
00:39:30.199 --> 00:39:32.440
I said, what are you saying instead of you know,
725
00:39:32.519 --> 00:39:37.199
those Turks, we're saying they translated it as those those
726
00:39:37.320 --> 00:39:39.519
noble but misguided.
727
00:39:38.920 --> 00:39:47.119
Turks as if kamal at a Turk was just standing.
728
00:39:46.760 --> 00:39:52.159
There going, yeahurie that I did there. You see, you're
729
00:39:52.159 --> 00:39:54.360
never a prophet in your own land, and that my
730
00:39:54.519 --> 00:39:57.559
menagerie here had been well received, but there it was
731
00:39:57.599 --> 00:40:01.440
suddenly you know, it was a national attempt as a director,
732
00:40:01.840 --> 00:40:04.320
because you know you're new and you're you know, you're
733
00:40:04.360 --> 00:40:09.599
doing something bridging, bridging cultures exactly. I enjoyed my time
734
00:40:09.639 --> 00:40:10.480
there very much.
735
00:40:10.519 --> 00:40:11.360
How long were there for?
736
00:40:11.400 --> 00:40:13.840
Three years? Three years? But I woke up one day
737
00:40:14.679 --> 00:40:17.679
and I thought, what do I do? Do I stay
738
00:40:17.679 --> 00:40:19.800
here for the rest of my life or do I
739
00:40:19.880 --> 00:40:22.000
go home? And I was home in a week. I
740
00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:24.760
could since I was needed here, and the republic debate
741
00:40:24.960 --> 00:40:26.840
was it was on here and.
742
00:40:29.159 --> 00:40:33.440
Eight And are you a Republican? Of course yes, I
743
00:40:33.519 --> 00:40:37.519
knew that. I understands you're in safe hands.
744
00:40:37.880 --> 00:40:41.480
Yes, But will I'll die? Maybe you guys won't, But
745
00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:45.239
I'll die the subject of a foreign monarch because that
746
00:40:45.480 --> 00:40:51.760
Aboriginal referendum essentially killed referendum travesty, and so there won't
747
00:40:51.800 --> 00:40:55.079
be we won't. You might see a republic, but I won't.
748
00:40:55.480 --> 00:40:58.880
Now you have been such a I've listened a lot
749
00:40:58.920 --> 00:41:01.400
throughout the years, and you've always been very kind and
750
00:41:01.760 --> 00:41:03.440
great to me. You you actually took me to go
751
00:41:03.440 --> 00:41:05.880
and see Dame Edna and I got to meet Barry
752
00:41:05.960 --> 00:41:07.599
Humphries and that was amazing.
753
00:41:07.639 --> 00:41:09.400
And I still remember it was the wig.
754
00:41:09.679 --> 00:41:11.360
As soon as he took the wig off, it was
755
00:41:11.400 --> 00:41:11.679
he was.
756
00:41:11.800 --> 00:41:12.400
He was barried.
757
00:41:12.440 --> 00:41:13.320
I cried for a week.
758
00:41:13.360 --> 00:41:20.519
When he was forty years was the most patronized a
759
00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:22.760
lot of community theater, like he would rock up at
760
00:41:22.920 --> 00:41:24.519
strath album play well.
761
00:41:24.519 --> 00:41:27.320
He was in Rookery Nook at the John Edmund Theater
762
00:41:27.639 --> 00:41:29.920
formerly the Q Theater that I was doing and we
763
00:41:30.039 --> 00:41:33.480
had a guest part every night, Missus Posset, who came
764
00:41:33.519 --> 00:41:36.599
on and said one line, I feel sick. It's funny,
765
00:41:36.760 --> 00:41:39.400
and we said to him, would you come on as Edna,
766
00:41:39.480 --> 00:41:42.760
and he said sure, and he arrived and did it
767
00:41:42.800 --> 00:41:45.400
with us, and the word got.
768
00:41:45.280 --> 00:41:46.760
Around so supportive of.
769
00:41:48.039 --> 00:41:53.079
It was wonderful. He was a genius, genius for the
770
00:41:53.159 --> 00:41:56.639
loyalty of friendship. You know. There was never a time
771
00:41:57.119 --> 00:42:00.400
in the forty years I knew him that he would
772
00:42:00.480 --> 00:42:02.440
not if he was in town, he'd bring you and
773
00:42:02.480 --> 00:42:05.760
say I'm here, let's go to lunch, to come to
774
00:42:05.840 --> 00:42:08.000
the show, you know, and let's hang out, take me
775
00:42:08.039 --> 00:42:12.440
to bookshops and so forth. Once he arrived at the plate,
776
00:42:12.519 --> 00:42:15.280
he never stayed at the same hotel twice h Friz.
777
00:42:16.719 --> 00:42:21.239
It was a kink among many kinks. And he was
778
00:42:21.280 --> 00:42:24.239
staying at the Playford Hotel on North Terrace. He rang
779
00:42:24.280 --> 00:42:26.800
me from the airport and said, quick meet me there.
780
00:42:27.920 --> 00:42:31.320
So I rushed in and he arrived with a vast
781
00:42:31.480 --> 00:42:36.079
luggage and this very heavy case. And we went up
782
00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:38.159
to the room. I said, what's it that heavy coat?
783
00:42:38.159 --> 00:42:42.039
And I up came an industrial blender. It with a
784
00:42:42.159 --> 00:42:46.840
huge motherfucker blender. And he'd stopped at the Central Market
785
00:42:46.880 --> 00:42:50.320
and bought vast amounts of fruit and vegetable and he
786
00:42:50.320 --> 00:42:53.679
said I'm on smoothie. I'm having nothing but smoothies because
787
00:42:53.719 --> 00:42:56.559
he had he was always fighting weight because of you know,
788
00:42:56.599 --> 00:42:57.880
fitting into the frocks.
789
00:42:58.400 --> 00:42:59.679
And he wasn't a drinker either.
790
00:43:00.079 --> 00:43:03.840
He was a reformed alcoholic. And he said a lot,
791
00:43:03.880 --> 00:43:06.159
let's have a smoothie. So we chopped up all this
792
00:43:06.360 --> 00:43:09.679
fruit fast amount and he plugged it in in the
793
00:43:09.719 --> 00:43:14.920
bathroom in the in the hotel suite, switched it on
794
00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:21.960
and blacked out Hindley Street and half of the West End.
795
00:43:23.159 --> 00:43:23.519
It was a.
796
00:43:24.079 --> 00:43:27.119
Very good I can I can listen to you for
797
00:43:27.599 --> 00:43:29.960
well one, You've got the most amazing voice and again
798
00:43:30.000 --> 00:43:31.039
you're just inspired me.
799
00:43:31.519 --> 00:43:35.079
I guess that's why you had a radio show three years.
800
00:43:35.119 --> 00:43:35.960
But I don't know.
801
00:43:37.039 --> 00:43:39.679
Do you want to do a p VO questionnaire? I
802
00:43:39.679 --> 00:43:41.920
don't know. This is a he has to he's on
803
00:43:41.960 --> 00:43:42.280
the show.
804
00:43:42.440 --> 00:43:45.679
I've written answers No, no, no, okay.
805
00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:48.119
It's adapted by James Lipton.
806
00:43:48.239 --> 00:43:52.880
Now this is James Lipton's Lipton, Lips and Lipton. It
807
00:43:52.960 --> 00:43:58.880
is interesting because he he wrote a book about group
808
00:43:58.920 --> 00:44:02.880
of nouns, which is the only book on group nouns,
809
00:44:03.400 --> 00:44:06.639
and invented a lot of group nown like a flamboyance
810
00:44:06.639 --> 00:44:07.880
of Flamingo, but.
811
00:44:08.039 --> 00:44:09.760
This inconvenience of penguins.
812
00:44:10.199 --> 00:44:12.360
This play I'm doing The Man who Came to Dinner.
813
00:44:13.079 --> 00:44:18.480
In the sixties, he wrote a musical, the book and
814
00:44:18.519 --> 00:44:22.679
the lyrics to a musical called Sherry, a Broadway musical
815
00:44:22.760 --> 00:44:28.519
which played seventy two performances and flopped. And anyway, there's
816
00:44:28.639 --> 00:44:34.119
incredibly this musical was lost, and even he didn't have
817
00:44:34.400 --> 00:44:37.800
a script of it, because when a show like that flops,
818
00:44:37.880 --> 00:44:41.440
you know, it's generally the end and bang and all
819
00:44:41.480 --> 00:44:45.679
the sets are burned and all of that. And then
820
00:44:46.480 --> 00:44:49.719
people were looking for it, and someone found a script
821
00:44:49.840 --> 00:44:53.480
and a score in the Library of Congress, of all places.
822
00:44:53.880 --> 00:44:58.360
And then twenty years ago it was recorded. The songs
823
00:44:58.400 --> 00:45:02.639
were recorded with that Peter's Nathan Lane and Carol Burnett.
824
00:45:02.679 --> 00:45:06.800
Oh my god, is it still a bad show?
825
00:45:06.960 --> 00:45:07.679
Wasn't a pat show?
826
00:45:08.159 --> 00:45:10.920
Some of the songs are quite fun, right, okay? Nathan
827
00:45:11.000 --> 00:45:14.760
Lane then did it again playing my part with Gene
828
00:45:14.800 --> 00:45:17.840
Smart from Hacks about twenty years ago. That was a
829
00:45:17.880 --> 00:45:18.480
revival of that.
830
00:45:18.719 --> 00:45:19.920
She's amazing in that show.
831
00:45:19.960 --> 00:45:22.400
Do you watch her? She's great, She's sexy as as well.
832
00:45:23.239 --> 00:45:27.480
This is this is a glorious, old fashioned nineteen thirties
833
00:45:27.480 --> 00:45:30.599
comedy with it, and it's got a great cast Helen Jeffries,
834
00:45:30.679 --> 00:45:35.920
Beck Camp, Brenton Whittle, Michael Griffiths, the cabaret star is
835
00:45:37.280 --> 00:45:38.599
playing nol Card.
836
00:45:38.719 --> 00:45:39.679
So it's not a bad show.
837
00:45:39.760 --> 00:45:40.800
So what was it at fault?
838
00:45:41.239 --> 00:45:45.199
No, the musical of it was. The play was always success.
839
00:45:45.599 --> 00:45:49.119
See Michael Griffiths, he has he's such an amazing talent.
840
00:45:49.679 --> 00:45:54.800
He was the one killing scene as Noel Card Oh
841
00:45:55.000 --> 00:45:57.599
and plays the piano, sings a song. And Helen Jeffries,
842
00:45:57.599 --> 00:46:01.360
who is a marvelous actor, plays this essentially Gertrude Lawrence
843
00:46:01.840 --> 00:46:06.480
and she's Jeane Smart played that part in the Broadway revival.
844
00:46:07.880 --> 00:46:10.239
I play actor with Jeen Smart.
845
00:46:11.199 --> 00:46:14.039
Wild back, are we talking about the same Chane?
846
00:46:14.199 --> 00:46:20.719
Jeans Smart? That American not jam Walker?
847
00:46:23.280 --> 00:46:24.599
Edit out.
848
00:46:25.679 --> 00:46:32.559
I play a famous, acerbic but vaguely good hearted radio
849
00:46:32.719 --> 00:46:37.840
show star sounds exactly like you, who's on a lecture
850
00:46:37.880 --> 00:46:42.400
tour of America and he unwisely goes to some people's
851
00:46:42.440 --> 00:46:46.199
house for dinner and on leaving slips on the step
852
00:46:46.440 --> 00:46:49.639
and breaks his hip and is confined to a wheelchair,
853
00:46:49.679 --> 00:46:53.480
having to run his whole life, including the radio shows
854
00:46:53.519 --> 00:46:56.039
from these people's house.
855
00:46:56.239 --> 00:46:57.840
Well, how do you find during accents?
856
00:46:58.119 --> 00:47:00.000
Well, it's a soft American accent.
857
00:47:00.159 --> 00:47:03.239
Okay, so it's midwestern.
858
00:47:03.480 --> 00:47:08.119
He's very cultured. Death. It's a very funny, very funny place.
859
00:47:08.280 --> 00:47:10.000
We're going to come and see the bloody lie.
860
00:47:10.199 --> 00:47:13.159
Yeah. Well let's start with the pivo.
861
00:47:13.519 --> 00:47:16.519
Yeah, let's well, it's a pivot. It's a lippt in pivot.
862
00:47:16.840 --> 00:47:21.880
But Peter goes my word. I'm interviewing you. What is
863
00:47:21.920 --> 00:47:22.920
your favorite word?
864
00:47:23.079 --> 00:47:25.199
Laughter? Why?
865
00:47:25.559 --> 00:47:25.719
Oh?
866
00:47:25.960 --> 00:47:29.679
I love getting a laugh and it's nice hearing people laugh,
867
00:47:29.760 --> 00:47:30.840
like whether it's I mean.
868
00:47:30.719 --> 00:47:36.679
I love laughing. It's the only exercise I get. I'm trying,
869
00:47:37.440 --> 00:47:41.000
excuse me, I'm trying to get my steps down. My
870
00:47:41.159 --> 00:47:44.039
all time record is thirty six steps in one day,
871
00:47:44.519 --> 00:47:45.480
and I can't beat it.
872
00:47:47.440 --> 00:47:48.840
What's your least favorite word?
873
00:47:49.159 --> 00:47:50.239
Death? Oh?
874
00:47:50.320 --> 00:47:53.840
Yeah, yeah, death. That's an ugly word, isn't it.
875
00:47:54.000 --> 00:47:56.679
I'm you see, I'm of an age. I've been to
876
00:47:56.800 --> 00:48:01.039
five funerals. I've given thirty six you eulogies, mainly for
877
00:48:01.119 --> 00:48:05.480
actors at funerals over the years. See, I was one
878
00:48:05.480 --> 00:48:10.679
of the luckiest things in my life was befriending senior
879
00:48:10.960 --> 00:48:16.119
artists I've always had actors and directors, you know, sometimes
880
00:48:16.119 --> 00:48:20.159
two generations, all of them who were so good to me,
881
00:48:21.440 --> 00:48:23.239
and I've tried to help them. See only thing I'm
882
00:48:23.280 --> 00:48:25.199
proud of, you know, when I was a kid, I
883
00:48:25.239 --> 00:48:29.320
thought the way this country, unlike Europe and to a
884
00:48:29.400 --> 00:48:34.639
lesser extent, America, they value their senior artists and they
885
00:48:34.679 --> 00:48:38.320
revere them, but here they're junked. I went in the
886
00:48:38.360 --> 00:48:41.519
eighties to visit Agnes Dobson, who was a silent movie
887
00:48:41.519 --> 00:48:45.880
star in Australia and a great actor and director for years,
888
00:48:46.360 --> 00:48:50.719
and she was living in a shared nursing home ward
889
00:48:51.159 --> 00:48:54.679
on the charity of the Actors Benevolent Fund, completely forgotten.
890
00:48:55.199 --> 00:48:57.360
And this is just wrong. And it's the only thing
891
00:48:57.400 --> 00:49:00.599
I'm ever ever proud of that I have raise the
892
00:49:00.679 --> 00:49:04.880
profile of senior artists and you help them.
893
00:49:05.280 --> 00:49:07.400
Because you're passionate and you care right like that's.
894
00:49:07.239 --> 00:49:10.039
Okay, yes, And it's the only thing I'm proud of.
895
00:49:10.119 --> 00:49:15.639
Next question, Yeah, no, I love that because you always support.
896
00:49:15.519 --> 00:49:17.239
Like when we do like the cabretuore As.
897
00:49:17.280 --> 00:49:20.920
You're always there to help people that are have been
898
00:49:20.960 --> 00:49:22.880
in the industry for so many years.
899
00:49:23.039 --> 00:49:23.840
You're always there to.
900
00:49:23.840 --> 00:49:27.599
Support just like yeah, like you're there, like you just
901
00:49:27.679 --> 00:49:28.639
you drive them there?
902
00:49:28.719 --> 00:49:32.400
You I did it to a degree. It was selfish
903
00:49:32.519 --> 00:49:36.519
because I thought maybe this was calmer. If I do
904
00:49:36.559 --> 00:49:40.239
it to them, younger people might do it to me. Yeah,
905
00:49:40.280 --> 00:49:42.079
but I don't know if that's the case.
906
00:49:42.440 --> 00:49:43.719
I think they. I think they will.
907
00:49:43.760 --> 00:49:47.320
I mean the passion that you inspire for just like theater,
908
00:49:47.440 --> 00:49:50.079
but also for Adelaide and all the beautiful work that.
909
00:49:50.039 --> 00:49:53.360
You've done amazing, Yes, So leaning into that.
910
00:49:53.400 --> 00:49:58.239
What what turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
911
00:49:59.159 --> 00:50:02.280
Timing, Timing, Timing is everything.
912
00:50:02.599 --> 00:50:03.320
Explain that to me.
913
00:50:03.440 --> 00:50:07.280
That's timing. You know, timing is life that timing. You know,
914
00:50:07.280 --> 00:50:11.000
there's a lot of time. You know, timing is crucial
915
00:50:11.039 --> 00:50:14.519
in the theater, and timing is something that's innates. You
916
00:50:14.559 --> 00:50:17.480
can't You can learn it to a degree, but you've
917
00:50:17.519 --> 00:50:20.320
either got it or you haven't. It's like presence and
918
00:50:21.199 --> 00:50:25.760
you know actors with presents. You know that it's something ineffable,
919
00:50:25.840 --> 00:50:30.760
isn't it that your eye goes to someone? And timing
920
00:50:30.800 --> 00:50:31.480
is trying.
921
00:50:31.360 --> 00:50:34.079
To teach people how to do a joke if you
922
00:50:34.360 --> 00:50:37.159
just like you held it back.
923
00:50:37.840 --> 00:50:40.119
It's a combination. I think it's a combination of what
924
00:50:40.199 --> 00:50:43.920
like Peter was saying earlier, like looking and seeing and
925
00:50:44.000 --> 00:50:46.719
learning from watching other people doing it.
926
00:50:46.840 --> 00:50:49.800
Out of the square show, you know, those in the
927
00:50:49.800 --> 00:50:53.199
suburban theaters. We were doing you know stuff, and we
928
00:50:53.880 --> 00:50:56.559
ended up at the Marion Theater, the Domain Theater. You know,
929
00:50:56.639 --> 00:50:59.480
we've been at the Parks and Elizabeth and I was
930
00:50:59.480 --> 00:51:04.119
with Phil's, you know, who was the last Australian vaudevillian.
931
00:51:04.199 --> 00:51:08.159
She had worked with Mo and George Wallace and she
932
00:51:08.800 --> 00:51:11.320
I came off and She's turned to me and she said, Peter,
933
00:51:11.400 --> 00:51:14.440
your timing is good. It was like getting the Nobel prior.
934
00:51:15.679 --> 00:51:19.880
You know, it still gives me shivers. Timing is everything,
935
00:51:20.079 --> 00:51:23.719
just that hit of like timing, I've got it. And
936
00:51:23.800 --> 00:51:26.920
timing in what you're doing too is you know, there's.
937
00:51:26.679 --> 00:51:29.760
A lot timing in life right, so many times in
938
00:51:29.800 --> 00:51:32.599
life that it's you know, you're just right place, right time,
939
00:51:32.760 --> 00:51:34.000
or wrong place, wrong time.
940
00:51:34.079 --> 00:51:40.960
What turns you off? Lack of attention, Well, we know
941
00:51:41.079 --> 00:51:44.639
the lack of attention. I'm a Leo, and Leo's a
942
00:51:45.360 --> 00:51:48.199
you know, fine as long as they're the center of attention.
943
00:51:48.519 --> 00:51:51.320
But lacas are also great science. I mean most of
944
00:51:51.360 --> 00:51:54.800
my lovers have been leos there for because I'm.
945
00:51:54.639 --> 00:51:57.000
A physicist, So I don't do you teach?
946
00:51:57.079 --> 00:52:00.199
You teach physics and chemistry, So start signs an you
947
00:52:00.239 --> 00:52:05.280
think not really, you'd be so proud of me.
948
00:52:05.320 --> 00:52:07.239
The other night I went and saw what's his name,
949
00:52:07.440 --> 00:52:09.159
Bryan Cox? Bryan Cox, and I fell asleep.
950
00:52:09.199 --> 00:52:13.039
So we're going to talk about that later. What is
951
00:52:13.079 --> 00:52:19.880
your favorite curse word, Bardi? Yeah, say it out loud.
952
00:52:19.920 --> 00:52:21.079
We will take that as rare.
953
00:52:22.559 --> 00:52:24.719
What sound or noise do you love?
954
00:52:24.920 --> 00:52:27.440
Applause or laughter?
955
00:52:27.599 --> 00:52:30.000
Yes? What about booze? So I was talking to you
956
00:52:30.039 --> 00:52:30.480
about this.
957
00:52:30.920 --> 00:52:34.760
I played a villain and people were booing me and
958
00:52:34.800 --> 00:52:41.360
I felt so good about it. Yes, yeah, I just
959
00:52:41.480 --> 00:52:43.800
genuinely I was like, well, this is a new level
960
00:52:43.800 --> 00:52:44.360
of dop.
961
00:52:46.239 --> 00:52:47.480
What noise do you hate?
962
00:52:48.159 --> 00:52:53.239
The lack of laughter? Or when the joke doesn't last?
963
00:52:53.320 --> 00:52:54.119
So is it? Yeah?
964
00:52:54.159 --> 00:52:59.519
Yeah? When you die, are you seeking I've died on stage?
965
00:53:00.360 --> 00:53:01.679
Or drying?
966
00:53:02.000 --> 00:53:04.119
You know if you oh, it's terrifying.
967
00:53:04.280 --> 00:53:07.039
Two tons of actors, those who have dried and those
968
00:53:07.079 --> 00:53:08.039
who are going.
969
00:53:07.800 --> 00:53:11.280
To Yes, exactly like every I always get you out
970
00:53:11.719 --> 00:53:13.599
hang on you say, like it happens all the time.
971
00:53:13.679 --> 00:53:16.000
It doesn't, but it has been a couple of times
972
00:53:16.039 --> 00:53:18.760
where yes, and it is the most terrifying thing, and
973
00:53:18.760 --> 00:53:20.199
it feels like it goes on forever, and.
974
00:53:20.760 --> 00:53:25.320
Nine in arms and the man playing Surgis in the
975
00:53:25.360 --> 00:53:29.840
second act good part. And they stupidly decided not at
976
00:53:29.840 --> 00:53:32.360
the dress rehearsal or at rehearsals, but on the opening
977
00:53:32.480 --> 00:53:37.320
night to spray my hair black. And I'm on stage.
978
00:53:38.320 --> 00:53:41.119
I'm on stage acting. I use the word loosely in
979
00:53:41.199 --> 00:53:43.760
those to wear a lot of makeup, you.
980
00:53:43.719 --> 00:53:47.480
Know, paint, there's stoneware makeup now, red dots.
981
00:53:47.119 --> 00:53:49.480
In your eyes here, you know you've made up your
982
00:53:49.480 --> 00:53:51.920
hands the back of it. Anyway, I'm acting away, I
983
00:53:52.039 --> 00:53:56.000
use the word loosely, and suddenly I can feel the
984
00:53:56.079 --> 00:53:59.760
hair dye running down cheek like Dirk Bogard at the
985
00:53:59.840 --> 00:54:02.920
end of Death in Venice, and it's pooling in the
986
00:54:02.960 --> 00:54:08.679
collar jacket. Yes. And I looked at the actress I
987
00:54:08.719 --> 00:54:12.280
was playing with, and I had no idea. You know that,
988
00:54:12.880 --> 00:54:15.960
Drew do dry. You don't know where you are or
989
00:54:16.000 --> 00:54:19.119
what you're doing, either it's the performer or the person.
990
00:54:19.280 --> 00:54:21.800
I have had that once support and you never get
991
00:54:22.519 --> 00:54:23.159
you get out of it.
992
00:54:23.519 --> 00:54:25.800
Well, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know
993
00:54:25.920 --> 00:54:27.639
to this day how I got out of it, but
994
00:54:27.800 --> 00:54:28.440
it's terrify.
995
00:54:28.519 --> 00:54:31.039
I looked at the audience and went like just trying
996
00:54:31.039 --> 00:54:33.920
to find whites of people's eyes to be like, can
997
00:54:34.119 --> 00:54:35.760
someone bring me back into reality?
998
00:54:36.440 --> 00:54:41.239
Anyway? We got two questions. What profession other than your
999
00:54:41.360 --> 00:54:42.679
own would you like to attempt?
1000
00:54:42.840 --> 00:54:47.159
None done, asked an answer, because I think you kind
1001
00:54:47.159 --> 00:54:48.440
of nailed the one that you did.
1002
00:54:48.800 --> 00:54:50.639
You've had so many as well, like it's great.
1003
00:54:50.840 --> 00:54:51.920
What would you not like to do?
1004
00:54:52.079 --> 00:54:53.440
Cleaner? Clean?
1005
00:54:54.679 --> 00:54:55.400
Do you have a cleaner?
1006
00:54:55.480 --> 00:54:55.800
Clearly?
1007
00:54:56.480 --> 00:54:59.480
But yeah, but I live in the well. You'd be shocked.
1008
00:55:00.119 --> 00:55:02.880
Do you remember your toilet sign?
1009
00:55:04.320 --> 00:55:04.800
Beautiful?
1010
00:55:04.840 --> 00:55:07.800
You live in a library, though I do live with
1011
00:55:07.880 --> 00:55:12.599
a lot of mess artistic Yes, if I'm asking a
1012
00:55:12.599 --> 00:55:15.079
big question here and you have to use your imagination.
1013
00:55:15.960 --> 00:55:19.559
If heaven exists, what do you want to hear God
1014
00:55:19.760 --> 00:55:21.199
say when you arrive there.
1015
00:55:21.440 --> 00:55:24.360
That you were kind to senior artists, And.
1016
00:55:24.400 --> 00:55:25.079
I think you are.
1017
00:55:25.639 --> 00:55:27.840
I think you've always been a supporter of them, and
1018
00:55:27.880 --> 00:55:31.039
it's wonderful that you're here, and we really appreciate you
1019
00:55:31.119 --> 00:55:35.400
taking your time. And the big one, mister why why?
1020
00:55:36.320 --> 00:55:40.800
Because we have no choice. That's what you know, it's
1021
00:55:41.039 --> 00:55:44.079
what we must do. It's who we are, why we are.
1022
00:55:44.880 --> 00:55:48.360
And you see, work is more fun than fun.
1023
00:55:49.119 --> 00:55:49.920
You know, it takes me.
1024
00:55:50.639 --> 00:55:54.360
It takes a long time to learn that. You know,
1025
00:55:54.480 --> 00:55:59.360
we have our fuck years, so as Elvis Costello called,
1026
00:55:59.400 --> 00:56:03.199
you know, a young years, fuck years, but you spent
1027
00:56:03.280 --> 00:56:05.960
a lot of time having fun. You know, it's a
1028
00:56:05.960 --> 00:56:11.119
lot of energy having fun, whereas work is exactly that,
1029
00:56:11.360 --> 00:56:12.320
more fun than fun.
1030
00:56:12.679 --> 00:56:16.559
Well, this has been absolutely great. Ahead and listen to
1031
00:56:16.599 --> 00:56:21.599
this forever. Thank you so much for coming with that pig. Yes,
1032
00:56:22.159 --> 00:56:24.679
I'm I'm going to finish on the pick.
1033
00:56:26.400 --> 00:56:27.760
Thank you so much for having me.
1034
00:56:29.480 --> 00:56:30.880
And enjoyable.
1035
00:56:31.239 --> 00:56:32.360
Happy happy birthday.
1036
00:56:32.400 --> 00:56:35.239
By the way, I'll be seventy.
1037
00:56:36.440 --> 00:56:38.679
You had a big bash on the before.
1038
00:56:38.440 --> 00:56:41.880
Hundred of my closest friends. It was fun.
1039
00:56:41.960 --> 00:56:43.800
You deserve it. Thank you so much.
1040
00:56:43.880 --> 00:56:47.039
Thanks Peter, thank you, Josh, thank you.
1041
00:56:47.119 --> 00:56:49.239
We're off and we'll have another episode.
1042
00:56:49.239 --> 00:56:52.840
We've got one of your well, I guess a colleague
1043
00:56:52.920 --> 00:56:53.519
or a.
1044
00:56:53.400 --> 00:56:54.599
Friend of yours is coming.
1045
00:56:54.840 --> 00:56:54.960
Well.
1046
00:56:55.000 --> 00:56:59.519
Another great director and a director and a president and
1047
00:57:00.239 --> 00:57:01.800
good manager of a theater company.
1048
00:57:01.880 --> 00:57:02.800
So good actor.
1049
00:57:03.599 --> 00:57:05.199
So we're going to have Michael.
1050
00:57:04.880 --> 00:57:08.480
Eustace next on the show, and I can't aw Thank you, Peter,
1051
00:57:08.559 --> 00:57:09.880
thank you, thank you, Peter than you.
1052
00:57:10.199 --> 00:57:10.960
Really appreciate you.
1053
00:57:11.079 --> 00:57:14.519
Remember really, if you can't be a good example, be
1054
00:57:14.559 --> 00:57:15.760
a horrible warning.
1055
00:57:16.480 --> 00:57:21.199
Can you please do your farewell like your missus Calibash.
1056
00:57:21.280 --> 00:57:22.239
Wherever you are at.
1057
00:57:22.400 --> 00:57:23.280
It's Jimmy Duranti.
1058
00:57:23.400 --> 00:57:26.320
It's Jimmy. Yes, thank you, Jimmy Durandy. He didn't need
1059
00:57:26.360 --> 00:57:27.000
it anymore.
1060
00:57:27.239 --> 00:57:27.760
That's great.
1061
00:57:27.920 --> 00:57:29.360
I was going to get you to your high home
1062
00:57:29.440 --> 00:57:29.719
of that.
1063
00:57:31.239 --> 00:57:33.239
Remember this done?
1064
00:57:33.760 --> 00:57:36.239
Hello Michael, how did you close
1
00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:18.600
Lee, why do we do this is hand?
2
00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:23.399
Yeah, read as record?
3
00:00:24.199 --> 00:00:26.039
Hang on? Why is red record.
4
00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:28.839
A big series?
5
00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:29.760
Is there a greed?
6
00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:34.280
What does green mean? Is it?
7
00:00:34.679 --> 00:00:36.799
I don't know there's that many chords.
8
00:00:38.119 --> 00:00:53.679
No, Lee, we are back.
9
00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:56.439
We're back, We're back, We're always back, and we're it's
10
00:00:56.479 --> 00:00:59.479
good to be back. I'm excited about some days.
11
00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:01.320
Giess, I'm I'm about to turn the table.
12
00:01:01.880 --> 00:01:05.480
What do you mean? Well, all these years, all.
13
00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:10.439
These years, this man interviews us about amateur theater, and
14
00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:15.200
now we get to turn the table, and there he is.
15
00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:18.840
We have mister Peter Gurz in the studio. Ladies and gentlemen,
16
00:01:19.079 --> 00:01:23.879
the Wow, You've had every superlative under the sun over
17
00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:24.719
the last weekend.
18
00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:30.719
So have I. I don't know, dudes, here's too good actors.
19
00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:33.959
I've never seen either of you bad. And I saw
20
00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:37.719
you as a little kid in the Bones of My Toe. Yes,
21
00:01:38.040 --> 00:01:40.280
at the Donald Horn.
22
00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:46.079
The Access Theater Company. You also awarded me Best Actor
23
00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:48.799
at the Hills Drama Festival for a play Norm Caddac.
24
00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:50.920
Did you also?
25
00:01:51.159 --> 00:01:54.920
I was in a show of yours called Eurik Stockade.
26
00:01:55.079 --> 00:01:56.680
Oh my god, the Glorious Flop.
27
00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:57.719
Yes, that's so good.
28
00:01:57.719 --> 00:02:00.519
Into that.
29
00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:04.920
It's memorable because it was such a flop. One hundred actors,
30
00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:08.680
two dogs, a sheep, and we were supposed to have
31
00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:13.599
a horse, which never arrived. And it was every night
32
00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:15.840
there were more people on stage than in the audience.
33
00:02:17.639 --> 00:02:22.159
Real guns, and they started them with they filled them
34
00:02:22.159 --> 00:02:25.159
with I think paper, and I was laying on the
35
00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:29.039
ground in a really thin piece of costume and one
36
00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:32.159
of those wads landed on me and I laid there
37
00:02:32.199 --> 00:02:34.439
like a trooper, thinking I'm doing it for my eyes.
38
00:02:34.599 --> 00:02:35.759
It's burning my skin.
39
00:02:36.520 --> 00:02:41.560
You know, although flop that it was, and I spent
40
00:02:41.800 --> 00:02:44.599
you know, every night there'd be an hour screaming match
41
00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:46.960
with the board of the theater, guirld in Union Hall
42
00:02:47.159 --> 00:02:49.759
on stage because I was trying to burn Union jacks,
43
00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:54.039
and you know, it was huge. And however, when I
44
00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:56.159
look back, and because I was banned from the theater,
45
00:02:56.960 --> 00:02:59.879
it's happened several times. I've been banned from my own theater.
46
00:03:00.599 --> 00:03:03.240
I was banned from the theater because I was I
47
00:03:03.319 --> 00:03:05.520
was smoking. I used to be very heavy smoking. I
48
00:03:06.439 --> 00:03:09.680
smoked shocking one, two three a day. Depending on that,
49
00:03:10.919 --> 00:03:11.199
I'll be.
50
00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:13.159
About you.
51
00:03:13.560 --> 00:03:16.639
I'll be buried in the flip top box flip top copper.
52
00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:22.280
I was banned from Oh that's my phone. Pardon, I'm sorry,
53
00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:24.479
sorry about that.
54
00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:26.680
I think the most important question, though, is what color
55
00:03:26.680 --> 00:03:27.319
would the box be?
56
00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:34.080
The gold it will be like a Marlborough gold white. Anyway,
57
00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:35.879
I was thrown out of the theater because I was
58
00:03:35.879 --> 00:03:39.360
in the fly gallery smoking around the pyrotechnics. So I
59
00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:41.639
was banned from my own theater. I spent the show
60
00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:44.599
at the stage door, waiting for emissaries to come out
61
00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:46.960
and tell me how it was going. I was also
62
00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:50.159
banned from the Little Theater once. I used to watch
63
00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:53.199
from the from the buyer box and.
64
00:03:54.759 --> 00:03:58.439
I one night, which is you have to go to
65
00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:00.960
really wind your way into the bow boy, saying it.
66
00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:05.599
Was a double bill. Sister Mary Ignatius explains it all
67
00:04:05.800 --> 00:04:11.560
to me that I think Michael Eustace directed, and good
68
00:04:12.039 --> 00:04:15.240
good actor, good director. I've known I've known the Useless
69
00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:19.439
since they were kids of Children's Theater company. Anyway, I
70
00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:23.480
directed The Christian Brothers with John Edge, and during system
71
00:04:23.480 --> 00:04:26.680
Marynacius explains it all, I turned around and knocked over
72
00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:30.639
this huge metal stand, and as you know the Little Theater,
73
00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:34.120
any noise from above or around just look and.
74
00:04:34.040 --> 00:04:36.519
It disturbed that I was to remember the bottles.
75
00:04:37.160 --> 00:04:40.399
The bottles every night is at the side there so
76
00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:42.639
is I've been thrown out of a few theaters.
77
00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:45.480
Well, let's start talking about your your lover theaters.
78
00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:48.240
Where where does it start, Peter?
79
00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:54.759
Do you get involved with performing or at least putting
80
00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:55.920
on a character.
81
00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:57.360
As a kid like that far back? Because I know
82
00:04:57.399 --> 00:04:59.680
you went to Flinders. So how did it first start?
83
00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:02.519
Well, it was certainly not from my family. You know.
84
00:05:02.519 --> 00:05:05.279
I was raised with love, which is the greatest gift
85
00:05:05.480 --> 00:05:07.639
anyone any of us can ever have. It was a
86
00:05:07.720 --> 00:05:10.720
very loving family. And you're a Woodville boy, I'm a
87
00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:14.480
Woodville boy. But my parents were both sports people. They
88
00:05:14.600 --> 00:05:17.399
both played various sports for the state and a long
89
00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:19.920
I come. And you know I have a fear of
90
00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:23.920
moving balls coming towards me. Contrary to popular belit.
91
00:05:24.199 --> 00:05:27.240
I fully support you in that, and I do, but
92
00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:28.639
not in all context.
93
00:05:28.759 --> 00:05:31.199
I think the worst moment of my life, apart from
94
00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:33.600
losing my parents, you know, who were killed in an
95
00:05:33.639 --> 00:05:36.199
aeroplane accident in nineteen eighty two with one hundred and
96
00:05:36.279 --> 00:05:39.839
fifty four other people, which was pretty awful, but the
97
00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:43.839
worst moment in our family life was me playing in
98
00:05:43.879 --> 00:05:49.360
the under twelves grand final of the Uniting Church Basketball League.
99
00:05:49.480 --> 00:05:53.160
And I'm sitting there on the sidelines in my little
100
00:05:54.040 --> 00:05:57.680
white shorts and little dun dunlop volley sandshoes and my
101
00:05:57.800 --> 00:06:00.279
green and gold singlet, and they put me on in
102
00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:03.040
the last sixty seconds of the game when they were
103
00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:05.399
sure they had it won. They finally put me on
104
00:06:05.480 --> 00:06:08.800
when I couldn't do anything a victory, and I looked
105
00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:14.000
over to see this look of utter contempt and confoundment
106
00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:17.720
on my father's He'd played basketball for the state and
107
00:06:17.800 --> 00:06:21.560
here I was hopeless. So it was, you know, it
108
00:06:21.639 --> 00:06:25.800
was a they eventually were. They were supportive in their
109
00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:26.360
own way.
110
00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:28.959
When did you start showing it well?
111
00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:32.319
And we had no you know, we never went to
112
00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:37.199
the theater. The first show I ever saw was Rick
113
00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:43.519
Marshall of Certainly Not Blessed Memory had a puppet company
114
00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:47.800
from Yattler Labor prison prisoners, and it was at the
115
00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:51.199
Arts Theater. You know, this would have been in the sixties,
116
00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:56.839
and I was a little kiddy, and at halftime police
117
00:06:57.199 --> 00:07:01.800
and prison wardens in evaded the auditorium and ran up
118
00:07:01.800 --> 00:07:07.319
on stage because half the prisoner puppeteers had escaped closed
119
00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:10.319
and I thought, is this what the theatre's like? You
120
00:07:10.360 --> 00:07:11.800
know its just then in.
121
00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:13.680
Nineteen seventy I loved the audacity.
122
00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:17.480
In nineteen seventy one, I saw in one week I
123
00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:23.319
saw Kiss Me Kate by the Metropolitan Light Opera Society
124
00:07:23.319 --> 00:07:25.360
as it was then at the Arts Theater. And in
125
00:07:25.399 --> 00:07:28.160
the same week I saw a production by Tyrone Guthrie,
126
00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:32.720
who was the greatest director in English director in the
127
00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:37.439
world prior to the to the nineteen fifties, a production
128
00:07:37.480 --> 00:07:40.759
of Oedipus at Beneythan Hall with an all star Australian
129
00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:44.319
cast that were in masks, which was glorious and really
130
00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:46.920
in one week I'd covered it all from you know,
131
00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:52.120
kiss Me and Oedipus. In grade five I had a
132
00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:56.000
teacher at Woodville Primary called mister Martin, and mister Martin
133
00:07:56.040 --> 00:07:59.759
stood in front of the class for the entire year,
134
00:08:00.480 --> 00:08:03.680
smoking Benson and Hedges cigarettes and drinking Coca Cola, and
135
00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:08.040
naturally he became a great role model. To this day.
136
00:08:08.519 --> 00:08:12.800
He allowed me I'd read a play version of Wind
137
00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:16.279
in the Willows called Toad of Toad Hall, and there's
138
00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:19.879
a trial scene which is very funny and the judge
139
00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:23.000
is the best part. So I don't know. I just
140
00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:26.720
had this impulse. My mother typed it out on a gastetna,
141
00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:29.800
run it off on a gastetna, and we performed this
142
00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:33.840
for parents and other students in the classroom, and I
143
00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:37.000
played the lead and directed it and produced it. So
144
00:08:37.080 --> 00:08:39.759
for one shining moment, I was the Awesome Wells of
145
00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:44.200
Grade five at Woodville Primary. Then I retired for two years.
146
00:08:44.200 --> 00:08:47.440
It was a drink and I had a wonderful teacher
147
00:08:47.480 --> 00:08:50.519
called Mick Rivers, who was a South Australia played football
148
00:08:50.519 --> 00:08:53.639
for South Adelaide. Rather than in exhorting me onto the
149
00:08:53.639 --> 00:08:56.480
football field, he said to me, you're an actor and
150
00:08:56.519 --> 00:08:59.639
put me in a little one act play called Queer Street,
151
00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:04.840
which was funny. Then two things happened at high school
152
00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:09.000
in rapid succession. In second year high school, a really
153
00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:14.879
bad thing happened. There was a company at Findon High
154
00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:19.399
a student theater company doing plays, and I went along
155
00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:22.200
as a fourteen year old kid, and I said, you know,
156
00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:23.960
what can I do? You know I would have swept
157
00:09:23.960 --> 00:09:27.000
the stage if that asked me. And they said, no,
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we don't want you to go away, and That was
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a terrible thing to happen, and it really changed my
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life in the sense that I have to this day
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never refused anyone who's come to me and said, what
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can we do? How can we be involved in this? Ever,
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because it was so hurtful to me. Then the next
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year I auditioned and got the part of the artful
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Dodger in Oliver Great role.
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Yes, I'm doing that in the moment, are you.
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Yeah, I'm playing the grandfather. I'm doing it with my kids.
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But I'm a school teacher at Victor Harbor.
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Oh you've come a long way. Yeah, that's in that
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Victor Harbor town Hall which needs ready needs work. I
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was doing a gig in Victor Harbart the library a
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couple of weeks ago, and I said, you know, pressure
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your counsel. This needs it needs, the bleacher needs everything.
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I reopened that hall in seventy eight. What it is
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now we reopened it. It was much worse. We took
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a production of Private Lives.
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Sar Harris is like she loves yeah, and she's.
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Down there talk about holes.
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In all of the crucial moment. I'm standing in the
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wings and the Dodger doesn't come on until forty five
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minutes into it, I'm standing in the wings and I'm thinking,
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this is insane. Why am I doing this. I'm just well,
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I'm just going to embarrass myself in front of you know,
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fifteen hundred people.
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In the play of the musical.
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It was the musical. And I'm thinking, I'm just going
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to turn around and walk through the wings and out
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the stage store and get on my more than.
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Stone like the Crims from nineteen sixty and.
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Ride home and they can add lib around the Dodger.
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No one will miss me, and I won't make a
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fool of myself. There's my cue, and you're on. And
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then of course you get a laugh, and then that
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your life is never the same.
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Once you get the first laugh.
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But then the next year I learned another big lesson.
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Always read the script. The same company at find and High.
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The teachers look at me. I read the whole script.
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Well, you don't read the whole script.
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At least read your whole part exactly. And she was
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doing school for scandal. Have you done that?
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Yes?
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That with and she said, you can have any male
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part you want. And I looked read the first scene,
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and Snake has every second line in the scene with
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Lady sneer Well, and I thought, this is the wonderful part.
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So no, I was surface Joseph.
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So I said, I want to play snake. And the
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teacher said, but don't you want to play Joseph surface
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or at the best part, Peter None, And I said no, no, no.
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So then because I ended up, I was in the
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first scene and the last scene four acts later. So
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I used to he emerges out of a cupboard in
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the last scene. So I used to go and get
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on my bike after the first scene and drive to
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the ride to the Woodville Methodist Church and appear in
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a concert, and then go back to the Woodville town
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Hall and do the final scene of the school for scandal.
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Wow, I'm talking to that.
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You've always got those old fashioned glasses, Josh, and your
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you look like something out of the seventies.
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I am. I don't know. I'm an old soul.
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Are you.
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Yeah?
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You're both damn good actors. Thank you. I'd like to
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work with you, but because you can't nowadays, you've got
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a book people up, Yeah, advance.
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I just I talked with your producer tonight.
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Actually which producer beck? Oh? Yes, yes, what good actor? Beck. Yes,
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and she gets you know, she gets better and every
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time you.
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See, she's amazing. Actually, yeah, she just booked me and
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she was phenomenal.
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I know. Well, the see when I you know, I
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had twenty years out of it. I did Glass when
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as at the Repertory, and I did my own shows.
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You know, I've done a thousand gigs.
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Which was that the one that you started off with
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Annie Lennox walking on Broken Glass?
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Did you do that? No, it's one of my favorite
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songs in the world.
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Well, I did a fringe show in two thousand and
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two or something, and then had the ABC and then
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two thousand and eleven years ago, I started these one
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man fringe shows. But they were from gigs that I
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was doing, you know, all over the state, and I
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had a producer. It's not and up, it's it's stories.
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And I've done a thousand gigs. And see, I had
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twenty years off when I was working nights, so I
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couldn't really work in the theater I was doing. I
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did direct some cabaret shows one play. I missed it terribly.
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But how do you deal with the itch? Well, I
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mean I was giving a performance every night, of course,
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you know, on air, So there was that, but I
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mean it was I was following the money for once
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in my life. I had a great time at the ABC,
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and I was very well cared for there, and I
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was very lucky to have that gig.
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Because you're for like twenty years in one month, is
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that correct?
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Yeah?
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Yeah, so because that was going to be one of
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my questions, like how do you because it is like
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a performance, how do you keep it sparky and fresh
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and well?
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And you see, I have an imposter syndrome, which maybe
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you do. I think there wasn't a night that I
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walked out of that studio and thought, well, maybe I
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got away with that. I really had no idea what
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I was doing. I just did it.
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I did that today.
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I was teaching physics.
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And I.
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I think I got away with that.
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And I missed eight shows from illness in twenty years.
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It's the smoking scene.
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But the funny thing happened.
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You know.
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See this business we all know this, but we don't
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think about it because we're working. But this business is
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no I did Rocky Horror at the first Saw Center,
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which was, you know, wonderful. It was a dream gig.
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I'd always wanted to play that part in the middle
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of the Craig McLaughlin episode. Yes, that's another that's a
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whole podcast. Yeah, but you know what happened was miraculous
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with the understudy Adam Randy taking over. Yes, it was
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fantastic as it happened. I'd been on air for eighteen
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months and Pamo grading an actor who's one of my
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new users. I've worked with Rob whom I've worked for
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fifty years. He's in this man who came to dinner.
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Pam McGray was a muse math a lot has been
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amuse and they were doing the Importance of being Earnest
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and they were coming in to be interviewed, and she
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said in the dressing room, oh, you know, I've worked
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with Peter a lot. And the young actors turned to
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Pam and said, oh, does he direct now? I hadn't
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been directing for eighteen months.
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Yes.
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And you it's like a pebble in a pond. You
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realize you are as soon as the ripples stopped, you
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are instantly forgotten. Because an actor's life is carved in snow.
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You know you're gone. And that was as good as
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you last exactly, And coming back I thought my ego.
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I thought, oh, well, you know, companies will be you know,
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I'll be knocking back company. Just the contrary happened. I couldn't,
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you know, if it hadn't been for Martha at Olden Street,
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where I did five shows. Yes, you know, nobody seems
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to you know, the people have been very slow to
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come to me, and now.
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You're nervous getting back into it after so long.
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No, I loved it. But and you go from being,
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you know, I kind of clastic to just old and
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old fashioned. And you know, I'm you know, I've got
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shows for next year. But I was astonished that suddenly
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you had to book people up.
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Years of crazy crazy crazy crazy. Like I was just saying,
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I've just an hour ago, just got booked for something
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in October next year.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, Well, I mean I'm doing some of the Seventeenth
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Doll next year in September, and I've had the cast.
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Now, yes, I could have done that before.
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I did it in the eighties at the theater. Girl.
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Yeah, we've done a lot.
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But you also studied at Flinters.
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Right, Yes, but I didn't really I did, but and
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I did drama, but mainly as an academic subject. Subjects
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here in those days, you you went into into everybody
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did the same first year, and then at the end
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of first year you auditioned for the Drama Center and
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I looked around. I thought, there's thirty of us, and
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I don't think I'm going to get into the ten
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that they only took ten, and plus it was a
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very down time for Flinder's drama. Wold Cherry was not
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the academia is death to the theater. Wald Cherry was
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the you know, the awful tarib of the Australian theater.
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He came here to be professor of Drama, to create
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that dramas drama department at Flinder's and basically never directed
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much again.
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Well so he was a famous director, it.
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Was, and you know, it was a charming man. He
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used to if you passed me in the foyer had
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flashed this movie star smile at me and say hello, David,
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how are you? And I'd say pretty good?
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Wall Would you think you wouldn't get one of the teen?
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Well, you see, I had this scarring experience. We had
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to do a compulsory ballet class of Madame Zora Sembarova,
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who was a fierce former Czechoslovakian prima ballerina who wore
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a black sable fur coat and toque three hundred and
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sixty five days of the YU.
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Sounds fabulous she was, but she was terrifying tea.
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We had to be. We had to wear black tights.
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I had to buy them from this John Martin stage shop.
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It was bad enough with my father that I was
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trying to be an actor lett alone in tights. I
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had to hide them black t shirt bare feet. Will
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put around the drama studio on the bar in first
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position with Madame in the middle with a stick, and
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we're in first position, and suddenly she banged her stick
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on the floor and pointed it at me and said,
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you you are hopeless. If you leave this class and
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I don't see you all year, I'll give you a
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provisional see goodbye. And I had to had to crawl out,
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thinking how embarrassing, but how wonderful that I never have
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to come to discuss at nine o'clock on a Monday
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morning ever again, so that I'd already failed sort of dance.
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So do you reckon? She was challenging you.
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No, she wasn't, because I cannot dance. I am a
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hopeless answer. But see Meanwhile, I was My mother had
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rather nervously incredibly found a Methodist theater company in Way
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Hall in Pitt Street, down the side of Her Majesty. Huh,
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And I was working there and I was already directing
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at eighteen.
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What kind of shows were they doing? Oh?
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They were plays? Yeah, yeah, yeah, oh you know we
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did inspect the cause I did David's Stories Home Butterflies
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Are Free, you know. And I was directing at eighteen
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and in show Wow. And also that was at the
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It was right opposite the stage door of Her Majesty,
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So i'd be across the road at all those Josey
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Williamson shows. They'd let me in and i'd meet at
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the stage door, you know, Ralph Richardson and Michael Redgrave
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and Avon de Carlo and you know, all these wonderful
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actors at the stage door. And my greatest education in
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the theater, I think, was Gypsy with Tony Lamon, which
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is my favorite musical. And I went to the opening
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night for seventy five cent student rush. This is seventy
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five might have been a dollar fifty.
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Your memory for dates is amazing.
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And I loved that show and I saw every performance
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bar One for three weeks. I went every single night
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matinee and evening, every way because it was brilliant and
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she was brilliant, and I learned more in that three
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hour show over three weeks that I did in eight
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years at Flinders.
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Did you ever tell her that?
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Well, see the one night I didn't go, she noticed
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I wasn't in and she said to the ushers, where's
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that strange boy floating on air? That I'd been spotted
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from this? But it was an education. So you learn
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by watching, you know, you learn, and this is you know.
402
00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:28.839
This is the same with reviewing. You know, I distrust
403
00:22:29.480 --> 00:22:34.319
critics who haven't seen everything because you know, this State
404
00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:37.759
Theater Company show or this Blue Sky show or this
405
00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:42.440
Galleon show, how does it compare to all the ones
406
00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:45.480
you've seen? There is what is the standard here? How
407
00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:48.680
does Lee Cook in this play or Josh Coldwell in
408
00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:51.720
this play? How is it compared to their other work?
409
00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:53.200
It's all relative?
410
00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:55.559
Well, how did you get into reviewing from?
411
00:22:55.720 --> 00:23:01.759
Well? I was reviewing and a reviewer was was really
412
00:23:02.039 --> 00:23:04.960
it was my It was a great one of the
413
00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:06.920
greatest things I ever did, and also one of the
414
00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:11.440
worst things I ever did. I was reviewing movies on radio.
415
00:23:12.759 --> 00:23:16.920
I ended up at SAFM for ten years nationally and
416
00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:20.160
Jason Daniel in eighty five was the art editor of
417
00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:22.079
the Advertiser and he Raymond. He said do you want
418
00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:25.160
to review theater? And I said sure? And I rang
419
00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:28.240
Harold Tiedeman, who was a great, wonderful critic, and I said,
420
00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:31.000
how do I do this? And he said, well, dear.
421
00:23:31.240 --> 00:23:32.200
Just talk about the plot.
422
00:23:32.839 --> 00:23:36.279
No no, no, no, no no. See that's a mistake.
423
00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:36.720
Sorry.
424
00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:41.160
No, you said, you put the paper and the typewriter,
425
00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:44.039
and you mentioned as many names as possible.
426
00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:45.759
I hated it.
427
00:23:45.880 --> 00:23:48.359
When they give the plot, it drives me in.
428
00:23:48.599 --> 00:23:51.119
I cleaned bloopers. You know. There was an in Daily
429
00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:57.960
Review once and of Hamlet, and it opened by saying, Hamlet,
430
00:23:58.119 --> 00:24:02.079
after four hundred years, Hamlet is still angry with his uncle.
431
00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:11.000
Or segue segue s E G W A Y, you know,
432
00:24:11.079 --> 00:24:13.359
like one of those things you write, not the segue
433
00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:17.839
of a song, wellever it's not talk about critics. But see,
434
00:24:17.880 --> 00:24:18.599
I was very.
435
00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:19.720
Do you think you were a good critic?
436
00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:23.440
Well? I was very gush or grind. People remember if
437
00:24:23.480 --> 00:24:26.680
they if they're that old, they remember, you know, my
438
00:24:27.559 --> 00:24:31.640
attacks the groaning, but they don't remember the gush.
439
00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:35.400
You know, you you're always focused on the worst.
440
00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:38.799
Thing, exactly, and the mud always sticks. Some of it
441
00:24:38.920 --> 00:24:41.920
I regret, but some of it I don't.
442
00:24:42.079 --> 00:24:45.079
Do you remember the first time you heard the term
443
00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:46.799
the critic that a athlete like.
444
00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:51.720
Yeah, well, I mean Cooper's did a campaign for a
445
00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:55.119
new beer. It was a front page and on the
446
00:24:55.200 --> 00:25:00.200
advertiser and it was someone a beer bottle being and
447
00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:03.559
then the caption was an opening even Peter Gourz would enjoy.
448
00:25:03.799 --> 00:25:08.039
Oh cool that would be and fucking they said. They
449
00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:09.559
called me to a meeting and they said this is
450
00:25:09.559 --> 00:25:11.039
what we're going to do. And I said, okay, what
451
00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:12.559
are you giving me? And they said, we don't have
452
00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:15.359
to give you anything, and we'll give you a slab
453
00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:18.000
of beer. And I had to nag them for that.
454
00:25:18.119 --> 00:25:22.480
Actually, well, I'm the voice for Lee's Hotels and he
455
00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:26.640
just gives me vouchers. Oh hey, have you used them yet?
456
00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:31.079
Because you had quite a reputation for being quite honest
457
00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:32.039
in your reviews.
458
00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:35.720
Yea, and yes, yes, I think you need to be.
459
00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:39.400
It's not the case now, you know, everybody loves everything now, but.
460
00:25:39.319 --> 00:25:40.799
That's frustrating too. Because you want to.
461
00:25:41.640 --> 00:25:45.279
I am noticing in the recent critics that I've been
462
00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:49.599
like the reviews that have been reading, people are gushing
463
00:25:49.720 --> 00:25:53.279
over stuff that I don't think needs to be gushed about.
464
00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:54.720
But I think that's what we're doing is right.
465
00:25:54.839 --> 00:25:58.839
It's an opinion and hopefully over time getting a trust opinion.
466
00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:02.400
But there's also the sense of what was it like
467
00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:06.640
being there on that night, at that moment. And it's
468
00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:09.839
a great mistake. Naturally, if it's a new play, you
469
00:26:09.960 --> 00:26:12.640
have to deal with the plot, but if it's a Hamlet,
470
00:26:13.160 --> 00:26:15.559
you don't need to do. You know, it's ridiculous, and
471
00:26:15.599 --> 00:26:18.519
there's so much. The problem is the internet. You see
472
00:26:18.759 --> 00:26:23.200
in a newspaper, you've got a tiny space and you
473
00:26:23.319 --> 00:26:27.359
have to be tight. Journalism is all about brevity. It's
474
00:26:27.400 --> 00:26:30.200
how to say in five words what everybody else needs
475
00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:32.880
fifty words, or how to say in fifty words what
476
00:26:32.920 --> 00:26:35.680
people need five hundred words to say. And see, now,
477
00:26:35.720 --> 00:26:37.960
the internet is endless. They can go on and on
478
00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:40.519
and on and on and on, and they do. And
479
00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:44.640
we're all guilty here because and I'm guilty. You know
480
00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:48.759
that people come along and you've never heard of them,
481
00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:53.880
and they review you, and they give you five stars.
482
00:26:53.519 --> 00:26:54.319
And you use it.
483
00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:57.519
Yes, yea, yeah, you know, and we're all guilty of that.
484
00:26:57.839 --> 00:26:59.880
We oh, this guy liked.
485
00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:02.039
It exactly and you have no idea who they are.
486
00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:06.960
Frank Thring said, critics are like piano players in brothels.
487
00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:09.880
They can make a nice noise or an nasty noise,
488
00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:12.319
but they've really got nothing to do with what's actually
489
00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:15.720
going on. And that's true, isn't it.
490
00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:16.759
I love that.
491
00:27:16.920 --> 00:27:20.519
My favorite of all the show business stories, my favorite
492
00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:23.119
is a Frank Thring story. He will relate to this gentleman.
493
00:27:23.400 --> 00:27:27.079
He was a you know, Frank think he was a flamboyant.
494
00:27:27.160 --> 00:27:31.559
I remember play he was in ben hur As he
495
00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:36.480
was he was Heroding Kings and he.
496
00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:40.039
Was like he was.
497
00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:41.480
But he was Melbourne Theater Company, and you know, he
498
00:27:41.599 --> 00:27:46.519
was a star, very very flamboyant. He was a very man,
499
00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:51.000
but very camp And anyway, he was in a play
500
00:27:51.079 --> 00:27:54.599
called The Kingfisher with Googie Withers and John McCallum. He
501
00:27:54.680 --> 00:27:58.920
was playing the Butler National Tour and it's a boulevard comedy.
502
00:27:59.640 --> 00:28:04.359
A lady is widowed and she recalls the love of
503
00:28:04.400 --> 00:28:07.000
her life, the man she should have married, and she
504
00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:09.640
invites him to afternoon tea. That's the sort of play it.
505
00:28:10.599 --> 00:28:14.039
Frank Thring's the butler. He's got a quiet second act.
506
00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:14.839
I can see this.
507
00:28:15.079 --> 00:28:18.240
So the stage manager calls him up in plenty of
508
00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:22.480
time from the dressing room, and he had his first
509
00:28:22.599 --> 00:28:25.519
entrance in Act two. Twenty minutes into Act two. He
510
00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:28.680
had to go on and the stage manager would feed
511
00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:31.680
him one line, and the stage manager would feed him
512
00:28:31.680 --> 00:28:35.079
the line just before he went on, and he'd say
513
00:28:35.079 --> 00:28:39.359
to Frank, cup of tea, madam. And Frank Thring would
514
00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:42.920
go on stage and say to Googy, cup of tea, madam.
515
00:28:43.400 --> 00:28:47.119
And that's it. And this day Frank had come up
516
00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:49.559
a bit early and he's chatting to the stage manager
517
00:28:49.559 --> 00:28:51.640
and the wings. He's doing a bit of a line
518
00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:55.400
with the stage manager, and suddenly the stage manager said.
519
00:28:56.960 --> 00:28:58.920
Frank said to the stage manager, what are you doing
520
00:28:58.920 --> 00:29:02.039
on the weekend? And the stage manager said, I'm going
521
00:29:02.039 --> 00:29:05.200
to Frankston And he said, there's your cue, Frank, and
522
00:29:05.240 --> 00:29:07.319
he pushed him on and Frank three went on and
523
00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:10.119
said the Googie withers, I'm going to Frankston.
524
00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:14.119
How does one recover from that?
525
00:29:14.319 --> 00:29:16.920
And Googy looked at him and said that's nice, but
526
00:29:17.000 --> 00:29:19.039
you can get us a cup of tea before you go.
527
00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:22.960
Oh it, Now I have to just ask this one
528
00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:28.039
question again, like shockingly I heard it because of a review.
529
00:29:28.119 --> 00:29:30.440
You were like attacked during a performance or something.
530
00:29:33.720 --> 00:29:38.079
Well, yes, in eighty six and only really just start
531
00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:42.799
amazing with the dates to It was the Fringe at
532
00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:45.440
the Living Arts Center there on North Terrace, the Houcion
533
00:29:45.559 --> 00:29:48.039
Years of the Fringe, and I went it was the
534
00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:52.039
last Friday night of the Fringe, I think. And was
535
00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:53.160
Wendy Harmer.
536
00:29:53.799 --> 00:29:56.039
I've never heard of it. I've heard that name before.
537
00:29:56.279 --> 00:30:00.440
She was doing a sort of sketch comedy show and
538
00:30:00.680 --> 00:30:07.200
she did children were she was. She's still on television AFC.
539
00:30:07.960 --> 00:30:14.279
She has a hair lip. And anyway, there were about
540
00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:16.319
five of us in the audience, and I was sitting
541
00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:19.519
in the front row and taking the odd note and
542
00:30:19.559 --> 00:30:21.680
she looked down and she said are you reviewing this?
543
00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:25.000
And I said yes. She said who you reviewing this for?
544
00:30:25.079 --> 00:30:27.480
And I said the Stock Journal, which got the best
545
00:30:27.799 --> 00:30:32.279
laugh of a show. And then she came down in
546
00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:35.240
the character of a cleaning lady and she took off
547
00:30:35.319 --> 00:30:40.240
my glasses and broke them and sprayed like Ajax in
548
00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:43.920
my face and on the glasses, and I reported this
549
00:30:43.960 --> 00:30:47.960
and it was page three news that you know, she
550
00:30:47.960 --> 00:30:50.960
hadn't really attacked me, but she had. You know, it
551
00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:53.960
was yack. It was those days in the fringe. There
552
00:30:53.960 --> 00:30:56.400
was an enormous amount of audience participation.
553
00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:58.839
So it wasn't because you gave her a bad review.
554
00:30:58.920 --> 00:30:58.960
No.
555
00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:05.279
Still, she's still in her autobiography, she still rails about
556
00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:07.720
the review, which was a very bad review, because it
557
00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:08.680
was a terrible show.
558
00:31:09.079 --> 00:31:11.960
Yeah, sometimes they are.
559
00:31:12.519 --> 00:31:15.920
So you're responsible to the money people are, whether they're
560
00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:19.680
paying a dollar or forty dollars or three four hundred dollars,
561
00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:24.279
you're responsible to that people are paying to see this
562
00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:25.480
and is it worth it.
563
00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:29.039
I've recently watched the show I didn't like, and I.
564
00:31:28.920 --> 00:31:31.319
Was like, but I think, also, that's what it is about, right,
565
00:31:31.400 --> 00:31:34.400
like an art. Just I know it's subjective, Like I
566
00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:35.079
look at that and.
567
00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:36.759
It doesn't speak to me at all, Like I don't
568
00:31:36.960 --> 00:31:37.160
you know?
569
00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:41.480
All right, So being a critic, being a director, being
570
00:31:41.480 --> 00:31:43.920
an actor, is there one that you prefer to do?
571
00:31:44.440 --> 00:31:47.039
Oh no, no, I haven't reviewed in it. So I'm
572
00:31:47.079 --> 00:31:50.400
still remembered as a critic. And I haven't reviewed since
573
00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:52.440
nineteen ninety five.
574
00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:54.720
Wow, I get the sense that you want to be
575
00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:55.240
an actor.
576
00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:59.799
I'm not a very good actor, but I'm a joy
577
00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:05.480
like you two. I'm a personality player. You know that.
578
00:32:05.960 --> 00:32:06.960
You can't hide me.
579
00:32:07.440 --> 00:32:07.640
You know.
580
00:32:07.640 --> 00:32:10.160
I just did Harvey, which I love doing that. I
581
00:32:10.200 --> 00:32:12.279
could have gone, I could. I could have played that
582
00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:15.079
for years. That role. I love that, I.
583
00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:17.319
Love Why did you like it so much?
584
00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:21.039
Because he was beatific? And it's a glorious part because
585
00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:24.559
he's not He's on for less than way, less than
586
00:32:24.599 --> 00:32:27.200
half the show. The sister played by beck Camp you
587
00:32:27.799 --> 00:32:30.799
had much more than me. But it's a glorious part
588
00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:32.720
because when he's not on, they're talking about it.
589
00:32:32.839 --> 00:32:33.000
Yeah.
590
00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:36.200
Perfect, And he comes in and undercuts everything and he's
591
00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:39.000
in his own world. But you see there, I was
592
00:32:39.039 --> 00:32:43.759
playing at seventy, playing a forty five year old alcoholic
593
00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:46.759
whom you never see drink, whose best friend is a
594
00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:49.359
six foot white rabbit, and everybody said, oh, it's so
595
00:32:49.599 --> 00:32:54.119
like you, Peter, and this this, this is this part
596
00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:57.720
I'm playing now is much closer to me, perhaps, but
597
00:32:57.960 --> 00:33:00.319
it doesn't matter what I do. People say, oh, so
598
00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:02.440
like you, which is a compliment in the way, but
599
00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:05.880
you see they see me and then see the character,
600
00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:09.519
whereas you two guys, they see the character then you I.
601
00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:14.440
Don't know psychopaths what that means, But that's because you're
602
00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:17.599
well known and people know you kind of yeah, yeah, well,
603
00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:18.759
I guess.
604
00:33:18.640 --> 00:33:20.960
The thing is, like, can you learn the lines and
605
00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:22.519
not bump into the furniture like I.
606
00:33:22.799 --> 00:33:27.319
Don't like I don't like method acting as a rule,
607
00:33:27.480 --> 00:33:29.319
but you are not a method actor.
608
00:33:29.400 --> 00:33:29.960
No, I'm not.
609
00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:30.119
No.
610
00:33:30.599 --> 00:33:32.880
I prefer to like, this is an operation.
611
00:33:33.559 --> 00:33:34.960
This is a military operation.
612
00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:39.119
Everyone has to line up like yeah, like, and then
613
00:33:39.160 --> 00:33:42.079
the fun comes from I've done my job. Do you
614
00:33:42.119 --> 00:33:44.599
prefer the rehearsals of the performance of performances?
615
00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:50.400
David Mehlor, who's a director. The two best directors in
616
00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:54.759
this town are David Mehlor, who I mentored. He started
617
00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:59.440
his career playing me hosting horror movies on Channel seven
618
00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:05.240
in a university review in the eighties. Now he mentors, now,
619
00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:08.559
he mentors me. Now I go to him for advice.
620
00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:11.039
And Nick Fagan is.
621
00:34:10.679 --> 00:34:13.119
The very next best or in this town.
622
00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:17.440
But a lot of successful I love directing directing as
623
00:34:17.559 --> 00:34:22.280
my Do you ever work with Bob Kimber I did. Yeah. Uh,
624
00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:27.119
I worked with his wife. I knew him. Did I
625
00:34:27.159 --> 00:34:28.760
work with him? I knew him.
626
00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:30.320
I like working with him.
627
00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:32.159
Did he teach you Yeah?
628
00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:35.519
Yeah, he was like a mentor mentor.
629
00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:39.079
Yeah. He used to run Brown's mart and Darwin. Yeah.
630
00:34:39.639 --> 00:34:41.559
What's the hardest thing about directing.
631
00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:44.320
Well, the hardest thing about directing is you have to
632
00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:49.239
see an actor worries about him or herself first and foremost,
633
00:34:49.519 --> 00:34:52.079
but the directors to worry about everybody. You know, the
634
00:34:52.119 --> 00:34:54.440
guy on the sound that, you know, the person with
635
00:34:54.519 --> 00:34:57.519
two lines, the lead everything. If you worry about the
636
00:34:57.519 --> 00:35:01.239
whole thing and see, I watch every minute of every
637
00:35:01.360 --> 00:35:03.960
show I ever do, which a lot of directors don't.
638
00:35:04.360 --> 00:35:05.039
Did you get bored of it?
639
00:35:05.039 --> 00:35:07.719
Wouldn't you know? Because that's how I learned. You learn
640
00:35:07.800 --> 00:35:10.920
by watching the backs of an audience head. How are
641
00:35:10.960 --> 00:35:14.599
they taking this? You know that? And that's how you learn.
642
00:35:15.960 --> 00:35:18.880
How is this working? Why didn't that work tonight? Why
643
00:35:18.880 --> 00:35:21.159
did that work better last night? You know? What can
644
00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:22.199
I do better? Well?
645
00:35:22.199 --> 00:35:25.199
Do you walk in with a very specific idea and
646
00:35:25.400 --> 00:35:27.960
vision of what you want you or do you work
647
00:35:27.960 --> 00:35:30.519
reorganically with the actors and kind of find that as
648
00:35:30.559 --> 00:35:31.000
you go.
649
00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:34.400
A bit of both, but mainly I know what I want, Yes, yeah,
650
00:35:34.440 --> 00:35:37.519
but no, I love directing, and you know, I'm not
651
00:35:37.679 --> 00:35:40.639
much of an actor, but I have been cast as
652
00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:44.480
in The seagull Is a wonderful director, James Harvey, who
653
00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:47.559
did Little Miss Julie and the Friend and I loved it,
654
00:35:48.199 --> 00:35:51.880
and he's cast me as Dawn the o r N
655
00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:52.920
in The Seagulls.
656
00:35:53.920 --> 00:35:57.000
I find it's a comedy, but I think everything is
657
00:35:57.039 --> 00:35:57.440
a comedy.
658
00:35:57.599 --> 00:36:00.639
Chekhov's Yeah, but I think Checkov is the comedy.
659
00:36:00.719 --> 00:36:02.360
Do you think dull and for Murder was the comedy?
660
00:36:02.920 --> 00:36:06.920
I had seen it because I couldn't. I had to
661
00:36:07.000 --> 00:36:11.239
choose between it and Taming of the Shrew. No, I
662
00:36:12.280 --> 00:36:15.280
wanted to see Thank God, Gallion. Where I'm doing this
663
00:36:15.360 --> 00:36:17.320
is some of the seventeenth old I said, I will
664
00:36:17.320 --> 00:36:20.400
not do it with tables and chairs, you know, like, no, no,
665
00:36:20.440 --> 00:36:23.599
we've exactly, We've rolled it back and they've come round
666
00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:27.679
to that. But the and see directings like health. You
667
00:36:27.760 --> 00:36:31.079
only notice if I notice that if it's bad. You know,
668
00:36:31.199 --> 00:36:34.519
good directing is seamless, you know, And it doesn't look like.
669
00:36:34.519 --> 00:36:35.920
Directs like music, isn't it?
670
00:36:36.360 --> 00:36:39.360
Well, you've directed the glass Managerie a few tive times.
671
00:36:39.480 --> 00:36:42.199
Why what about that show that draws.
672
00:36:41.880 --> 00:36:42.719
You to it so much?
673
00:36:42.840 --> 00:36:47.199
Beautiful plays? It's in many ways the perfect play.
674
00:36:47.559 --> 00:36:49.760
How do you find your actress for that?
675
00:36:50.440 --> 00:36:53.719
Well, that's key, you see, and I had see I
676
00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:58.320
directed that when I was eighteen. Then I directed it that.
677
00:36:58.519 --> 00:37:01.199
Do you have an image in your head of who
678
00:37:01.800 --> 00:37:02.880
he is going to play that role?
679
00:37:03.039 --> 00:37:06.199
Or well? You know you find see I cast. You know.
680
00:37:06.199 --> 00:37:08.800
I'm looking at you guys, and I'm thinking, well, I
681
00:37:08.800 --> 00:37:11.840
could you know what could I do with with you?
682
00:37:11.760 --> 00:37:14.559
You know, I keep someone in mind, please keep us
683
00:37:14.559 --> 00:37:17.480
in mind, and I cast you know on I was
684
00:37:17.519 --> 00:37:20.320
just saying today I work for Scale. I'm doing this,
685
00:37:20.760 --> 00:37:22.840
well this show at the Theater Guild. Are you now
686
00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:26.119
have you ever been in May? I'd have you both
687
00:37:26.159 --> 00:37:32.880
in that. It's a documentary piece about the.
688
00:37:31.559 --> 00:37:32.360
I just signed up.
689
00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:41.599
I could do both, so I cast. I've never had
690
00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:42.920
an audition, I've never.
691
00:37:44.719 --> 00:37:45.199
Padcast.
692
00:37:45.320 --> 00:37:48.400
Now well both yea. By the time the actor walks
693
00:37:48.400 --> 00:37:50.559
on to the stage and an audition, I know whether
694
00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:51.400
I want them or not.
695
00:37:51.599 --> 00:37:55.360
Have you have you got your ideal? Have you done
696
00:37:55.480 --> 00:37:58.559
the ideal version of the Glass Manager? Or are you
697
00:37:58.639 --> 00:37:59.639
still trying to work.
698
00:38:01.119 --> 00:38:03.639
Funny that play. You see when I was so young
699
00:38:03.719 --> 00:38:07.000
directing it, and you look at that plane, you think
700
00:38:07.239 --> 00:38:10.400
those poor children and that terrible money. And then as
701
00:38:10.440 --> 00:38:12.880
you grow older you know and you know I've done it,
702
00:38:13.719 --> 00:38:17.960
changes all those terrible children and that. But I did
703
00:38:17.960 --> 00:38:24.559
it in Istanbul when I was living there teaching drama. Eight. Well,
704
00:38:24.559 --> 00:38:26.840
I had a job in Ireland. But I got to Ireland.
705
00:38:26.880 --> 00:38:30.119
I didn't like it. That drizzle and the Irish are
706
00:38:30.199 --> 00:38:32.599
very perverse, and I thought.
707
00:38:33.480 --> 00:38:36.199
It's a regimented society.
708
00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:40.039
And I've been in Turkey where I'd met some actors
709
00:38:40.079 --> 00:38:43.320
in the street. Where else do you meet actors? And
710
00:38:43.360 --> 00:38:46.840
they said to me, let's do an Australian play in Turkish.
711
00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:48.480
And I said, well, I'd love to go. I'm going
712
00:38:48.519 --> 00:38:51.159
to Ireland. I've got a job there. Goodbye. And then
713
00:38:51.199 --> 00:38:53.280
when I chucked that job in and went back to
714
00:38:53.360 --> 00:38:55.400
Turkey and I found them and we did the play
715
00:38:55.440 --> 00:38:59.320
about Gallipoli called Manual of Trench Warfare, an Australian player
716
00:38:59.320 --> 00:39:03.519
about Gallipa, which we would translate in the morning for
717
00:39:03.559 --> 00:39:08.840
three hours and then rehearsed what we translated, but which
718
00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:12.400
was tricky because I didn't have much Turkish. And it
719
00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:15.559
was funny because I said to a friend of mine
720
00:39:15.559 --> 00:39:20.000
in Turkey, I said, what's the Turkish word for and
721
00:39:20.039 --> 00:39:23.119
he said, oh, it's umjik and I said, I'm not
722
00:39:23.239 --> 00:39:27.000
hearing that in the translation. And they said, we can't
723
00:39:27.039 --> 00:39:30.159
say that, you know, our parents will be there. And
724
00:39:30.199 --> 00:39:32.440
I said, what are you saying instead of you know,
725
00:39:32.519 --> 00:39:37.199
those Turks, we're saying they translated it as those those
726
00:39:37.320 --> 00:39:39.519
noble but misguided.
727
00:39:38.920 --> 00:39:47.119
Turks as if kamal at a Turk was just standing.
728
00:39:46.760 --> 00:39:52.159
There going, yeahurie that I did there. You see, you're
729
00:39:52.159 --> 00:39:54.360
never a prophet in your own land, and that my
730
00:39:54.519 --> 00:39:57.559
menagerie here had been well received, but there it was
731
00:39:57.599 --> 00:40:01.440
suddenly you know, it was a national attempt as a director,
732
00:40:01.840 --> 00:40:04.320
because you know you're new and you're you know, you're
733
00:40:04.360 --> 00:40:09.599
doing something bridging, bridging cultures exactly. I enjoyed my time
734
00:40:09.639 --> 00:40:10.480
there very much.
735
00:40:10.519 --> 00:40:11.360
How long were there for?
736
00:40:11.400 --> 00:40:13.840
Three years? Three years? But I woke up one day
737
00:40:14.679 --> 00:40:17.679
and I thought, what do I do? Do I stay
738
00:40:17.679 --> 00:40:19.800
here for the rest of my life or do I
739
00:40:19.880 --> 00:40:22.000
go home? And I was home in a week. I
740
00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:24.760
could since I was needed here, and the republic debate
741
00:40:24.960 --> 00:40:26.840
was it was on here and.
742
00:40:29.159 --> 00:40:33.440
Eight And are you a Republican? Of course yes, I
743
00:40:33.519 --> 00:40:37.519
knew that. I understands you're in safe hands.
744
00:40:37.880 --> 00:40:41.480
Yes, But will I'll die? Maybe you guys won't, But
745
00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:45.239
I'll die the subject of a foreign monarch because that
746
00:40:45.480 --> 00:40:51.760
Aboriginal referendum essentially killed referendum travesty, and so there won't
747
00:40:51.800 --> 00:40:55.079
be we won't. You might see a republic, but I won't.
748
00:40:55.480 --> 00:40:58.880
Now you have been such a I've listened a lot
749
00:40:58.920 --> 00:41:01.400
throughout the years, and you've always been very kind and
750
00:41:01.760 --> 00:41:03.440
great to me. You you actually took me to go
751
00:41:03.440 --> 00:41:05.880
and see Dame Edna and I got to meet Barry
752
00:41:05.960 --> 00:41:07.599
Humphries and that was amazing.
753
00:41:07.639 --> 00:41:09.400
And I still remember it was the wig.
754
00:41:09.679 --> 00:41:11.360
As soon as he took the wig off, it was
755
00:41:11.400 --> 00:41:11.679
he was.
756
00:41:11.800 --> 00:41:12.400
He was barried.
757
00:41:12.440 --> 00:41:13.320
I cried for a week.
758
00:41:13.360 --> 00:41:20.519
When he was forty years was the most patronized a
759
00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:22.760
lot of community theater, like he would rock up at
760
00:41:22.920 --> 00:41:24.519
strath album play well.
761
00:41:24.519 --> 00:41:27.320
He was in Rookery Nook at the John Edmund Theater
762
00:41:27.639 --> 00:41:29.920
formerly the Q Theater that I was doing and we
763
00:41:30.039 --> 00:41:33.480
had a guest part every night, Missus Posset, who came
764
00:41:33.519 --> 00:41:36.599
on and said one line, I feel sick. It's funny,
765
00:41:36.760 --> 00:41:39.400
and we said to him, would you come on as Edna,
766
00:41:39.480 --> 00:41:42.760
and he said sure, and he arrived and did it
767
00:41:42.800 --> 00:41:45.400
with us, and the word got.
768
00:41:45.280 --> 00:41:46.760
Around so supportive of.
769
00:41:48.039 --> 00:41:53.079
It was wonderful. He was a genius, genius for the
770
00:41:53.159 --> 00:41:56.639
loyalty of friendship. You know. There was never a time
771
00:41:57.119 --> 00:42:00.400
in the forty years I knew him that he would
772
00:42:00.480 --> 00:42:02.440
not if he was in town, he'd bring you and
773
00:42:02.480 --> 00:42:05.760
say I'm here, let's go to lunch, to come to
774
00:42:05.840 --> 00:42:08.000
the show, you know, and let's hang out, take me
775
00:42:08.039 --> 00:42:12.440
to bookshops and so forth. Once he arrived at the plate,
776
00:42:12.519 --> 00:42:15.280
he never stayed at the same hotel twice h Friz.
777
00:42:16.719 --> 00:42:21.239
It was a kink among many kinks. And he was
778
00:42:21.280 --> 00:42:24.239
staying at the Playford Hotel on North Terrace. He rang
779
00:42:24.280 --> 00:42:26.800
me from the airport and said, quick meet me there.
780
00:42:27.920 --> 00:42:31.320
So I rushed in and he arrived with a vast
781
00:42:31.480 --> 00:42:36.079
luggage and this very heavy case. And we went up
782
00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:38.159
to the room. I said, what's it that heavy coat?
783
00:42:38.159 --> 00:42:42.039
And I up came an industrial blender. It with a
784
00:42:42.159 --> 00:42:46.840
huge motherfucker blender. And he'd stopped at the Central Market
785
00:42:46.880 --> 00:42:50.320
and bought vast amounts of fruit and vegetable and he
786
00:42:50.320 --> 00:42:53.679
said I'm on smoothie. I'm having nothing but smoothies because
787
00:42:53.719 --> 00:42:56.559
he had he was always fighting weight because of you know,
788
00:42:56.599 --> 00:42:57.880
fitting into the frocks.
789
00:42:58.400 --> 00:42:59.679
And he wasn't a drinker either.
790
00:43:00.079 --> 00:43:03.840
He was a reformed alcoholic. And he said a lot,
791
00:43:03.880 --> 00:43:06.159
let's have a smoothie. So we chopped up all this
792
00:43:06.360 --> 00:43:09.679
fruit fast amount and he plugged it in in the
793
00:43:09.719 --> 00:43:14.920
bathroom in the in the hotel suite, switched it on
794
00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:21.960
and blacked out Hindley Street and half of the West End.
795
00:43:23.159 --> 00:43:23.519
It was a.
796
00:43:24.079 --> 00:43:27.119
Very good I can I can listen to you for
797
00:43:27.599 --> 00:43:29.960
well one, You've got the most amazing voice and again
798
00:43:30.000 --> 00:43:31.039
you're just inspired me.
799
00:43:31.519 --> 00:43:35.079
I guess that's why you had a radio show three years.
800
00:43:35.119 --> 00:43:35.960
But I don't know.
801
00:43:37.039 --> 00:43:39.679
Do you want to do a p VO questionnaire? I
802
00:43:39.679 --> 00:43:41.920
don't know. This is a he has to he's on
803
00:43:41.960 --> 00:43:42.280
the show.
804
00:43:42.440 --> 00:43:45.679
I've written answers No, no, no, okay.
805
00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:48.119
It's adapted by James Lipton.
806
00:43:48.239 --> 00:43:52.880
Now this is James Lipton's Lipton, Lips and Lipton. It
807
00:43:52.960 --> 00:43:58.880
is interesting because he he wrote a book about group
808
00:43:58.920 --> 00:44:02.880
of nouns, which is the only book on group nouns,
809
00:44:03.400 --> 00:44:06.639
and invented a lot of group nown like a flamboyance
810
00:44:06.639 --> 00:44:07.880
of Flamingo, but.
811
00:44:08.039 --> 00:44:09.760
This inconvenience of penguins.
812
00:44:10.199 --> 00:44:12.360
This play I'm doing The Man who Came to Dinner.
813
00:44:13.079 --> 00:44:18.480
In the sixties, he wrote a musical, the book and
814
00:44:18.519 --> 00:44:22.679
the lyrics to a musical called Sherry, a Broadway musical
815
00:44:22.760 --> 00:44:28.519
which played seventy two performances and flopped. And anyway, there's
816
00:44:28.639 --> 00:44:34.119
incredibly this musical was lost, and even he didn't have
817
00:44:34.400 --> 00:44:37.800
a script of it, because when a show like that flops,
818
00:44:37.880 --> 00:44:41.440
you know, it's generally the end and bang and all
819
00:44:41.480 --> 00:44:45.679
the sets are burned and all of that. And then
820
00:44:46.480 --> 00:44:49.719
people were looking for it, and someone found a script
821
00:44:49.840 --> 00:44:53.480
and a score in the Library of Congress, of all places.
822
00:44:53.880 --> 00:44:58.360
And then twenty years ago it was recorded. The songs
823
00:44:58.400 --> 00:45:02.639
were recorded with that Peter's Nathan Lane and Carol Burnett.
824
00:45:02.679 --> 00:45:06.800
Oh my god, is it still a bad show?
825
00:45:06.960 --> 00:45:07.679
Wasn't a pat show?
826
00:45:08.159 --> 00:45:10.920
Some of the songs are quite fun, right, okay? Nathan
827
00:45:11.000 --> 00:45:14.760
Lane then did it again playing my part with Gene
828
00:45:14.800 --> 00:45:17.840
Smart from Hacks about twenty years ago. That was a
829
00:45:17.880 --> 00:45:18.480
revival of that.
830
00:45:18.719 --> 00:45:19.920
She's amazing in that show.
831
00:45:19.960 --> 00:45:22.400
Do you watch her? She's great, She's sexy as as well.
832
00:45:23.239 --> 00:45:27.480
This is this is a glorious, old fashioned nineteen thirties
833
00:45:27.480 --> 00:45:30.599
comedy with it, and it's got a great cast Helen Jeffries,
834
00:45:30.679 --> 00:45:35.920
Beck Camp, Brenton Whittle, Michael Griffiths, the cabaret star is
835
00:45:37.280 --> 00:45:38.599
playing nol Card.
836
00:45:38.719 --> 00:45:39.679
So it's not a bad show.
837
00:45:39.760 --> 00:45:40.800
So what was it at fault?
838
00:45:41.239 --> 00:45:45.199
No, the musical of it was. The play was always success.
839
00:45:45.599 --> 00:45:49.119
See Michael Griffiths, he has he's such an amazing talent.
840
00:45:49.679 --> 00:45:54.800
He was the one killing scene as Noel Card Oh
841
00:45:55.000 --> 00:45:57.599
and plays the piano, sings a song. And Helen Jeffries,
842
00:45:57.599 --> 00:46:01.360
who is a marvelous actor, plays this essentially Gertrude Lawrence
843
00:46:01.840 --> 00:46:06.480
and she's Jeane Smart played that part in the Broadway revival.
844
00:46:07.880 --> 00:46:10.239
I play actor with Jeen Smart.
845
00:46:11.199 --> 00:46:14.039
Wild back, are we talking about the same Chane?
846
00:46:14.199 --> 00:46:20.719
Jeans Smart? That American not jam Walker?
847
00:46:23.280 --> 00:46:24.599
Edit out.
848
00:46:25.679 --> 00:46:32.559
I play a famous, acerbic but vaguely good hearted radio
849
00:46:32.719 --> 00:46:37.840
show star sounds exactly like you, who's on a lecture
850
00:46:37.880 --> 00:46:42.400
tour of America and he unwisely goes to some people's
851
00:46:42.440 --> 00:46:46.199
house for dinner and on leaving slips on the step
852
00:46:46.440 --> 00:46:49.639
and breaks his hip and is confined to a wheelchair,
853
00:46:49.679 --> 00:46:53.480
having to run his whole life, including the radio shows
854
00:46:53.519 --> 00:46:56.039
from these people's house.
855
00:46:56.239 --> 00:46:57.840
Well, how do you find during accents?
856
00:46:58.119 --> 00:47:00.000
Well, it's a soft American accent.
857
00:47:00.159 --> 00:47:03.239
Okay, so it's midwestern.
858
00:47:03.480 --> 00:47:08.119
He's very cultured. Death. It's a very funny, very funny place.
859
00:47:08.280 --> 00:47:10.000
We're going to come and see the bloody lie.
860
00:47:10.199 --> 00:47:13.159
Yeah. Well let's start with the pivo.
861
00:47:13.519 --> 00:47:16.519
Yeah, let's well, it's a pivot. It's a lippt in pivot.
862
00:47:16.840 --> 00:47:21.880
But Peter goes my word. I'm interviewing you. What is
863
00:47:21.920 --> 00:47:22.920
your favorite word?
864
00:47:23.079 --> 00:47:25.199
Laughter? Why?
865
00:47:25.559 --> 00:47:25.719
Oh?
866
00:47:25.960 --> 00:47:29.679
I love getting a laugh and it's nice hearing people laugh,
867
00:47:29.760 --> 00:47:30.840
like whether it's I mean.
868
00:47:30.719 --> 00:47:36.679
I love laughing. It's the only exercise I get. I'm trying,
869
00:47:37.440 --> 00:47:41.000
excuse me, I'm trying to get my steps down. My
870
00:47:41.159 --> 00:47:44.039
all time record is thirty six steps in one day,
871
00:47:44.519 --> 00:47:45.480
and I can't beat it.
872
00:47:47.440 --> 00:47:48.840
What's your least favorite word?
873
00:47:49.159 --> 00:47:50.239
Death? Oh?
874
00:47:50.320 --> 00:47:53.840
Yeah, yeah, death. That's an ugly word, isn't it.
875
00:47:54.000 --> 00:47:56.679
I'm you see, I'm of an age. I've been to
876
00:47:56.800 --> 00:48:01.039
five funerals. I've given thirty six you eulogies, mainly for
877
00:48:01.119 --> 00:48:05.480
actors at funerals over the years. See, I was one
878
00:48:05.480 --> 00:48:10.679
of the luckiest things in my life was befriending senior
879
00:48:10.960 --> 00:48:16.119
artists I've always had actors and directors, you know, sometimes
880
00:48:16.119 --> 00:48:20.159
two generations, all of them who were so good to me,
881
00:48:21.440 --> 00:48:23.239
and I've tried to help them. See only thing I'm
882
00:48:23.280 --> 00:48:25.199
proud of, you know, when I was a kid, I
883
00:48:25.239 --> 00:48:29.320
thought the way this country, unlike Europe and to a
884
00:48:29.400 --> 00:48:34.639
lesser extent, America, they value their senior artists and they
885
00:48:34.679 --> 00:48:38.320
revere them, but here they're junked. I went in the
886
00:48:38.360 --> 00:48:41.519
eighties to visit Agnes Dobson, who was a silent movie
887
00:48:41.519 --> 00:48:45.880
star in Australia and a great actor and director for years,
888
00:48:46.360 --> 00:48:50.719
and she was living in a shared nursing home ward
889
00:48:51.159 --> 00:48:54.679
on the charity of the Actors Benevolent Fund, completely forgotten.
890
00:48:55.199 --> 00:48:57.360
And this is just wrong. And it's the only thing
891
00:48:57.400 --> 00:49:00.599
I'm ever ever proud of that I have raise the
892
00:49:00.679 --> 00:49:04.880
profile of senior artists and you help them.
893
00:49:05.280 --> 00:49:07.400
Because you're passionate and you care right like that's.
894
00:49:07.239 --> 00:49:10.039
Okay, yes, And it's the only thing I'm proud of.
895
00:49:10.119 --> 00:49:15.639
Next question, Yeah, no, I love that because you always support.
896
00:49:15.519 --> 00:49:17.239
Like when we do like the cabretuore As.
897
00:49:17.280 --> 00:49:20.920
You're always there to help people that are have been
898
00:49:20.960 --> 00:49:22.880
in the industry for so many years.
899
00:49:23.039 --> 00:49:23.840
You're always there to.
900
00:49:23.840 --> 00:49:27.599
Support just like yeah, like you're there, like you just
901
00:49:27.679 --> 00:49:28.639
you drive them there?
902
00:49:28.719 --> 00:49:32.400
You I did it to a degree. It was selfish
903
00:49:32.519 --> 00:49:36.519
because I thought maybe this was calmer. If I do
904
00:49:36.559 --> 00:49:40.239
it to them, younger people might do it to me. Yeah,
905
00:49:40.280 --> 00:49:42.079
but I don't know if that's the case.
906
00:49:42.440 --> 00:49:43.719
I think they. I think they will.
907
00:49:43.760 --> 00:49:47.320
I mean the passion that you inspire for just like theater,
908
00:49:47.440 --> 00:49:50.079
but also for Adelaide and all the beautiful work that.
909
00:49:50.039 --> 00:49:53.360
You've done amazing, Yes, So leaning into that.
910
00:49:53.400 --> 00:49:58.239
What what turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
911
00:49:59.159 --> 00:50:02.280
Timing, Timing, Timing is everything.
912
00:50:02.599 --> 00:50:03.320
Explain that to me.
913
00:50:03.440 --> 00:50:07.280
That's timing. You know, timing is life that timing. You know,
914
00:50:07.280 --> 00:50:11.000
there's a lot of time. You know, timing is crucial
915
00:50:11.039 --> 00:50:14.519
in the theater, and timing is something that's innates. You
916
00:50:14.559 --> 00:50:17.480
can't You can learn it to a degree, but you've
917
00:50:17.519 --> 00:50:20.320
either got it or you haven't. It's like presence and
918
00:50:21.199 --> 00:50:25.760
you know actors with presents. You know that it's something ineffable,
919
00:50:25.840 --> 00:50:30.760
isn't it that your eye goes to someone? And timing
920
00:50:30.800 --> 00:50:31.480
is trying.
921
00:50:31.360 --> 00:50:34.079
To teach people how to do a joke if you
922
00:50:34.360 --> 00:50:37.159
just like you held it back.
923
00:50:37.840 --> 00:50:40.119
It's a combination. I think it's a combination of what
924
00:50:40.199 --> 00:50:43.920
like Peter was saying earlier, like looking and seeing and
925
00:50:44.000 --> 00:50:46.719
learning from watching other people doing it.
926
00:50:46.840 --> 00:50:49.800
Out of the square show, you know, those in the
927
00:50:49.800 --> 00:50:53.199
suburban theaters. We were doing you know stuff, and we
928
00:50:53.880 --> 00:50:56.559
ended up at the Marion Theater, the Domain Theater. You know,
929
00:50:56.639 --> 00:50:59.480
we've been at the Parks and Elizabeth and I was
930
00:50:59.480 --> 00:51:04.119
with Phil's, you know, who was the last Australian vaudevillian.
931
00:51:04.199 --> 00:51:08.159
She had worked with Mo and George Wallace and she
932
00:51:08.800 --> 00:51:11.320
I came off and She's turned to me and she said, Peter,
933
00:51:11.400 --> 00:51:14.440
your timing is good. It was like getting the Nobel prior.
934
00:51:15.679 --> 00:51:19.880
You know, it still gives me shivers. Timing is everything,
935
00:51:20.079 --> 00:51:23.719
just that hit of like timing, I've got it. And
936
00:51:23.800 --> 00:51:26.920
timing in what you're doing too is you know, there's.
937
00:51:26.679 --> 00:51:29.760
A lot timing in life right, so many times in
938
00:51:29.800 --> 00:51:32.599
life that it's you know, you're just right place, right time,
939
00:51:32.760 --> 00:51:34.000
or wrong place, wrong time.
940
00:51:34.079 --> 00:51:40.960
What turns you off? Lack of attention, Well, we know
941
00:51:41.079 --> 00:51:44.639
the lack of attention. I'm a Leo, and Leo's a
942
00:51:45.360 --> 00:51:48.199
you know, fine as long as they're the center of attention.
943
00:51:48.519 --> 00:51:51.320
But lacas are also great science. I mean most of
944
00:51:51.360 --> 00:51:54.800
my lovers have been leos there for because I'm.
945
00:51:54.639 --> 00:51:57.000
A physicist, So I don't do you teach?
946
00:51:57.079 --> 00:52:00.199
You teach physics and chemistry, So start signs an you
947
00:52:00.239 --> 00:52:05.280
think not really, you'd be so proud of me.
948
00:52:05.320 --> 00:52:07.239
The other night I went and saw what's his name,
949
00:52:07.440 --> 00:52:09.159
Bryan Cox? Bryan Cox, and I fell asleep.
950
00:52:09.199 --> 00:52:13.039
So we're going to talk about that later. What is
951
00:52:13.079 --> 00:52:19.880
your favorite curse word, Bardi? Yeah, say it out loud.
952
00:52:19.920 --> 00:52:21.079
We will take that as rare.
953
00:52:22.559 --> 00:52:24.719
What sound or noise do you love?
954
00:52:24.920 --> 00:52:27.440
Applause or laughter?
955
00:52:27.599 --> 00:52:30.000
Yes? What about booze? So I was talking to you
956
00:52:30.039 --> 00:52:30.480
about this.
957
00:52:30.920 --> 00:52:34.760
I played a villain and people were booing me and
958
00:52:34.800 --> 00:52:41.360
I felt so good about it. Yes, yeah, I just
959
00:52:41.480 --> 00:52:43.800
genuinely I was like, well, this is a new level
960
00:52:43.800 --> 00:52:44.360
of dop.
961
00:52:46.239 --> 00:52:47.480
What noise do you hate?
962
00:52:48.159 --> 00:52:53.239
The lack of laughter? Or when the joke doesn't last?
963
00:52:53.320 --> 00:52:54.119
So is it? Yeah?
964
00:52:54.159 --> 00:52:59.519
Yeah? When you die, are you seeking I've died on stage?
965
00:53:00.360 --> 00:53:01.679
Or drying?
966
00:53:02.000 --> 00:53:04.119
You know if you oh, it's terrifying.
967
00:53:04.280 --> 00:53:07.039
Two tons of actors, those who have dried and those
968
00:53:07.079 --> 00:53:08.039
who are going.
969
00:53:07.800 --> 00:53:11.280
To Yes, exactly like every I always get you out
970
00:53:11.719 --> 00:53:13.599
hang on you say, like it happens all the time.
971
00:53:13.679 --> 00:53:16.000
It doesn't, but it has been a couple of times
972
00:53:16.039 --> 00:53:18.760
where yes, and it is the most terrifying thing, and
973
00:53:18.760 --> 00:53:20.199
it feels like it goes on forever, and.
974
00:53:20.760 --> 00:53:25.320
Nine in arms and the man playing Surgis in the
975
00:53:25.360 --> 00:53:29.840
second act good part. And they stupidly decided not at
976
00:53:29.840 --> 00:53:32.360
the dress rehearsal or at rehearsals, but on the opening
977
00:53:32.480 --> 00:53:37.320
night to spray my hair black. And I'm on stage.
978
00:53:38.320 --> 00:53:41.119
I'm on stage acting. I use the word loosely in
979
00:53:41.199 --> 00:53:43.760
those to wear a lot of makeup, you.
980
00:53:43.719 --> 00:53:47.480
Know, paint, there's stoneware makeup now, red dots.
981
00:53:47.119 --> 00:53:49.480
In your eyes here, you know you've made up your
982
00:53:49.480 --> 00:53:51.920
hands the back of it. Anyway, I'm acting away, I
983
00:53:52.039 --> 00:53:56.000
use the word loosely, and suddenly I can feel the
984
00:53:56.079 --> 00:53:59.760
hair dye running down cheek like Dirk Bogard at the
985
00:53:59.840 --> 00:54:02.920
end of Death in Venice, and it's pooling in the
986
00:54:02.960 --> 00:54:08.679
collar jacket. Yes. And I looked at the actress I
987
00:54:08.719 --> 00:54:12.280
was playing with, and I had no idea. You know that,
988
00:54:12.880 --> 00:54:15.960
Drew do dry. You don't know where you are or
989
00:54:16.000 --> 00:54:19.119
what you're doing, either it's the performer or the person.
990
00:54:19.280 --> 00:54:21.800
I have had that once support and you never get
991
00:54:22.519 --> 00:54:23.159
you get out of it.
992
00:54:23.519 --> 00:54:25.800
Well, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know
993
00:54:25.920 --> 00:54:27.639
to this day how I got out of it, but
994
00:54:27.800 --> 00:54:28.440
it's terrify.
995
00:54:28.519 --> 00:54:31.039
I looked at the audience and went like just trying
996
00:54:31.039 --> 00:54:33.920
to find whites of people's eyes to be like, can
997
00:54:34.119 --> 00:54:35.760
someone bring me back into reality?
998
00:54:36.440 --> 00:54:41.239
Anyway? We got two questions. What profession other than your
999
00:54:41.360 --> 00:54:42.679
own would you like to attempt?
1000
00:54:42.840 --> 00:54:47.159
None done, asked an answer, because I think you kind
1001
00:54:47.159 --> 00:54:48.440
of nailed the one that you did.
1002
00:54:48.800 --> 00:54:50.639
You've had so many as well, like it's great.
1003
00:54:50.840 --> 00:54:51.920
What would you not like to do?
1004
00:54:52.079 --> 00:54:53.440
Cleaner? Clean?
1005
00:54:54.679 --> 00:54:55.400
Do you have a cleaner?
1006
00:54:55.480 --> 00:54:55.800
Clearly?
1007
00:54:56.480 --> 00:54:59.480
But yeah, but I live in the well. You'd be shocked.
1008
00:55:00.119 --> 00:55:02.880
Do you remember your toilet sign?
1009
00:55:04.320 --> 00:55:04.800
Beautiful?
1010
00:55:04.840 --> 00:55:07.800
You live in a library, though I do live with
1011
00:55:07.880 --> 00:55:12.599
a lot of mess artistic Yes, if I'm asking a
1012
00:55:12.599 --> 00:55:15.079
big question here and you have to use your imagination.
1013
00:55:15.960 --> 00:55:19.559
If heaven exists, what do you want to hear God
1014
00:55:19.760 --> 00:55:21.199
say when you arrive there.
1015
00:55:21.440 --> 00:55:24.360
That you were kind to senior artists, And.
1016
00:55:24.400 --> 00:55:25.079
I think you are.
1017
00:55:25.639 --> 00:55:27.840
I think you've always been a supporter of them, and
1018
00:55:27.880 --> 00:55:31.039
it's wonderful that you're here, and we really appreciate you
1019
00:55:31.119 --> 00:55:35.400
taking your time. And the big one, mister why why?
1020
00:55:36.320 --> 00:55:40.800
Because we have no choice. That's what you know, it's
1021
00:55:41.039 --> 00:55:44.079
what we must do. It's who we are, why we are.
1022
00:55:44.880 --> 00:55:48.360
And you see, work is more fun than fun.
1023
00:55:49.119 --> 00:55:49.920
You know, it takes me.
1024
00:55:50.639 --> 00:55:54.360
It takes a long time to learn that. You know,
1025
00:55:54.480 --> 00:55:59.360
we have our fuck years, so as Elvis Costello called,
1026
00:55:59.400 --> 00:56:03.199
you know, a young years, fuck years, but you spent
1027
00:56:03.280 --> 00:56:05.960
a lot of time having fun. You know, it's a
1028
00:56:05.960 --> 00:56:11.119
lot of energy having fun, whereas work is exactly that,
1029
00:56:11.360 --> 00:56:12.320
more fun than fun.
1030
00:56:12.679 --> 00:56:16.559
Well, this has been absolutely great. Ahead and listen to
1031
00:56:16.599 --> 00:56:21.599
this forever. Thank you so much for coming with that pig. Yes,
1032
00:56:22.159 --> 00:56:24.679
I'm I'm going to finish on the pick.
1033
00:56:26.400 --> 00:56:27.760
Thank you so much for having me.
1034
00:56:29.480 --> 00:56:30.880
And enjoyable.
1035
00:56:31.239 --> 00:56:32.360
Happy happy birthday.
1036
00:56:32.400 --> 00:56:35.239
By the way, I'll be seventy.
1037
00:56:36.440 --> 00:56:38.679
You had a big bash on the before.
1038
00:56:38.440 --> 00:56:41.880
Hundred of my closest friends. It was fun.
1039
00:56:41.960 --> 00:56:43.800
You deserve it. Thank you so much.
1040
00:56:43.880 --> 00:56:47.039
Thanks Peter, thank you, Josh, thank you.
1041
00:56:47.119 --> 00:56:49.239
We're off and we'll have another episode.
1042
00:56:49.239 --> 00:56:52.840
We've got one of your well, I guess a colleague
1043
00:56:52.920 --> 00:56:53.519
or a.
1044
00:56:53.400 --> 00:56:54.599
Friend of yours is coming.
1045
00:56:54.840 --> 00:56:54.960
Well.
1046
00:56:55.000 --> 00:56:59.519
Another great director and a director and a president and
1047
00:57:00.239 --> 00:57:01.800
good manager of a theater company.
1048
00:57:01.880 --> 00:57:02.800
So good actor.
1049
00:57:03.599 --> 00:57:05.199
So we're going to have Michael.
1050
00:57:04.880 --> 00:57:08.480
Eustace next on the show, and I can't aw Thank you, Peter,
1051
00:57:08.559 --> 00:57:09.880
thank you, thank you, Peter than you.
1052
00:57:10.199 --> 00:57:10.960
Really appreciate you.
1053
00:57:11.079 --> 00:57:14.519
Remember really, if you can't be a good example, be
1054
00:57:14.559 --> 00:57:15.760
a horrible warning.
1055
00:57:16.480 --> 00:57:21.199
Can you please do your farewell like your missus Calibash.
1056
00:57:21.280 --> 00:57:22.239
Wherever you are at.
1057
00:57:22.400 --> 00:57:23.280
It's Jimmy Duranti.
1058
00:57:23.400 --> 00:57:26.320
It's Jimmy. Yes, thank you, Jimmy Durandy. He didn't need
1059
00:57:26.360 --> 00:57:27.000
it anymore.
1060
00:57:27.239 --> 00:57:27.760
That's great.
1061
00:57:27.920 --> 00:57:29.360
I was going to get you to your high home
1062
00:57:29.440 --> 00:57:29.719
of that.
1063
00:57:31.239 --> 00:57:33.239
Remember this done?
1064
00:57:33.760 --> 00:57:36.239
Hello Michael, how did you close