News & Opinion | The Barefoot Review

Opinion: History rests on the brink as SA Museum faces extinction event

2024-04-12T15:09:28+09:30

"Reimagine."

This word set all my cultural alarm bells off into strident chimes of incredulity.

The new administration plans to “reimagine” our stately old SA Museum.

They find it tired. They think the Egyptian Room is old hat. All very yesterday.

Silly old me.

I have spent my life believing that museums are where you keep old hats. Dated old hats with dates recorded on them, so to speak. Museums are all about things dated.

Carbon dated!

If anything is old and tired, surely it must be all those ancient rocks our museum has so expertly collected. They don’t do much. They just sit there. But, their millions of years of survival telling the fossil record of evolution makes the 60 thousand years of Aboriginal artefacts and history seem Johnny Come Lately.

In the vast scheme of things, this is so.

The museum’s collections shows us exactly how it is so.

Our museum’s Ediacaran collection has led to that geological period here scoring what they call a “Golden Spike” in the planet’s timeline. That’s a bit on the big deal side.

I’m an old lady now but my knowledge base from childhood has been underscored by what I have seen and learnt to understand in our museum.

I’ve always loved it, although some of the concepts it explores have scared me.

Many things have been heartbreaking. Extinction, for instance.

The loss of Aboriginal heritage and language.

The rise of recognition of this is uplifting. We are learning how much we have to learn.

But without the museum’s showcase of our pasts, bad and good, it would be hard to teach our young and young to come.

The importance of the museum and the knowledge it represents is so fundamental that it feels a bit ridiculous to be enumerating it.

“Seeing with your own eyes” is what museums give us.

That “outdated” Egyptology room has been imprinted on my memory since childhood. It led to years of learning and even to a small degree of collecting antiquities. It was a springboard for knowledge. Yes, it is fusty. But it could do with more, not less.

As for the insect collection. It fed my fascination, too. Had I not fallen into journalism, becoming an entomologist was high on career choices. In my London years, I had the privilege of breeding insects for the living collection: cockroaches and stick insects. To this day, I study and worry about the insect and arachnid world. The drop in their population is a terrifying signal in our growing climate crisis.

The museum is there to explain these things, its researchers to devise reasons and strategies. Sometimes, nuances in science lead to major world-changing developments.

Research is a core business. Knowledge is everything.

The idea of slashing research in a crucible of discovery is sickeningly regressive.

As for “reimagining”. What an insulting concept.

History tries to represent the past with integrity. It often leaves a record. Museums keep the record. It helps us to imagine what and where and how of the past, to see history in the mind’s eye. But “re-imagine”? Re-contexualise? I can think of a few “re”-words, since “re” sings of a different sort of backwards. Repress, retard, regress….

It makes me think of those American museums where religious anti-evolutionists had forced the change of exhibit labels to “theory”. Ignorance is on the rise.

So it comes to pass that the people of this state have risen to the cause. We’re furious. We’re a crowd of signatories of letters and Tweets and memes. Suddenly, from all sides of politics, from all ages and demographics, we are angry activists.

See you on the steps of Parliament House on Saturday 13th April.

Samela Harris

Story: Womadelaide 2024

2024-02-18T20:15:42+10:30

From the bustling streets of Paris to the serene landscapes of Tibet, from the rhythmic beats of Senegal to the vibrant sounds of Australia's Aboriginal roots, Womadelaide 2024 promises a journey through a diverse tapestry of global music and culture. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Botanic Park, or Tainmuntilla, in Adelaide, this iconic festival invites music enthusiasts to immerse themselves in an unparalleled celebration of creativity, diversity, and artistic expression.

As the sun sets over the lush Moreton Bay Fig trees, festival-goers will be treated to an eclectic lineup of artists hailing from every corner of the globe. Among the headliners gracing the stages of Womadelaide this year is Baaba Maal (Senegal). Renowned as one of Africa's most celebrated musicians, Maal's mesmerizing blend of traditional Senegalese rhythms with contemporary influences has captivated audiences worldwide. With his soul-stirring vocals and infectious grooves, Maal promises to deliver an electrifying performance that transcends borders and unites cultures.

Hailing from Lahore, Arooj Aftab (USA/Pakistan) is a trailblazing vocalist and composer whose music seamlessly blends elements of classical Pakistani music with avant-garde sensibilities. Drawing inspiration from Sufi poetry and modern jazz, Aftab's ethereal soundscapes will evoke a sense of transcendence and spiritual awakening.

The pulsating rhythms of Ibibio Sound Machine (United Kingdom) will also be on show this year. Fronted by the charismatic Eno Williams, this London-based collective channels the vibrant energy of West Africa, blending traditional Nigerian rhythms with modern funk and disco grooves.

From the infectious grooves of Ibibio Sound Machine to the more introspective tones of Emel Mathlouthi (Tunisia), her haunting vocals and poignant lyrics will speak to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Moonlight Benjamin (Haiti/France) electrifying performances are also a testament to resilience, as well as the vitality of the Haitian culture. Combining the rich musical traditions of Haiti with the contemporary sounds of French rock and blues her powerful vocals and soulful lyrics will invite audiences to embark on a journey of introspection and liberation.

From the sultry sounds of Haiti, the music will take a fiery turn when Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 (Nigeria) take the stage. Hailing from the bustling streets of Lagos, Nigeria, Kuti carries on the legacy of his legendary father, Fela Kuti, with his explosive blend of Afrobeat rhythms and fiery political commentary. Backed by the legendary Egypt 80 band, Kuti's electrifying performances are a call to action, a rallying cry for justice and equality in a world plagued by oppression and injustice.

In a fusion of their rich musical traditions, Pongo (Angola/Portugal) and Tenzin Choegyal (Australia/Tibet) will both have audiences considering the intersection of tradition and modernity. Pongo, a force to be reckoned with in the world of Afro-Portuguese music, fuses elements of kuduro, semba, and electronic beats. Their infectious rhythms and fierce rhymes celebrate the vibrant spirit of Afro-diasporic communities around the world. Where Choegyal, a masterful musician whose music transcends cultural boundaries, will bridge the gap between his Tibetan heritage and his Australian upbringing with his haunting melodies and heartfelt lyrics.

Comprising a diverse group of musicians from across the Pacific Islands, Wantok Sing Sing (Oceania) is a celebration of Oceania's rich cultural heritage. From the rhythms of Fiji to the melodies of Vanuatu, this supergroup's dynamic performances showcase the beauty and diversity of Pacific Island music.

Each artist will bring their own unique blend of sounds and influences to the stage. From the soulful ballads of Corinne Bailey Rae (United Kingdom) to the infectious grooves of Cymande (United Kingdom), from the hypnotic beats of DakhaBrakha (Ukraine) a Ukrainian quartet known for their avant-garde approach to traditional folk music, to the soul-stirring melodies of Gilberto Gil (Brazil), the Brazilian musical icon whose songs carry the spirit of resistance and resilience, each artist offers a unique perspective on the world and its rich tapestry of cultures that make up our global community.

The enchanting sounds of José González (Sweden) will also echo through the park on Saturday night. Hailing from the serene landscapes of Sweden, Gonzalez's gentle vocals and intricate guitar work create an atmosphere of serenity and introspection that will set the stage for an evening of musical exploration.

Elephants Laugh (South Korea) will also captivate audiences with their mesmerizing performance titled "Muljil". Hailing from South Korea, Elephants Laugh brings a unique fusion of traditional Korean music and contemporary artistry to the stage. Through their innovative use of instruments and visual storytelling, they invite spectators on a journey of discovery and wonder, exploring themes of heritage, identity, and the human experience.

Not all of the action takes place on the stages however, with roving performances and aerial acts to excite and entertain. Handspring Puppet Company (South Africa) will enchant audiences with their spellbinding puppetry and theatrical storytelling. Renowned for its groundbreaking productions that blur the lines between puppetry, dance, and visual art their masterful manipulation of puppets and evocative narratives will create a world of imagination and wonder that transcends language and culture.

Gratte Ciel (France), the French performance artists who "dance in the air", return for the 3^rd time to defy gravity and ignite the sky with their breathtaking aerial acrobatics. Their graceful movements and daring feats push the boundaries of what is possible captivating audiences with their awe-inspiring agility, and artistry. Finally, Streb Extreme Action (USA) will thrill audiences with their adrenaline-fueled stunts and gravity-defying feats of athleticism. Known for their daring combination of dance, acrobatics, and extreme sports their high-flying aerial manoeuvres and jaw-dropping stunts will push the limits of the human body.

These performance acts, along with the diverse lineup of musicians, artists, speakers, and worldly selections of food and drink promise to transport audiences to a world of imagination, creativity, and cultural exploration. It is 4 days and nights not to be missed from the 8th to the 11th of March at Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla.

Paul Rodda

When: 8 to 11 Mar

Where: Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla

Bookings: womadelaide.com.au

Opinion: David O’Brien’s 2023 Top Ten

2023-12-24T20:35:34+10:30

Sociopolitical theatre/dance loomed large in mind through nationally and locally produced work in 2023. Something there’s not been much of for some time.

The year of the referendum to include Indigenous Australians in the constitution saw Australian Dance Theatre and Bangarra Dance Theatre and Marrugeku present three profoundly significant works. Works exploring historic experiences of dispossession and struggle on the individual and collective level.

Then there’s extraordinary productions by Theatre Republic, Lina Limosani and Famous Last Words tackling the personal-is-political thing from a grand baroque historical context to the nitty gritty of strata corporation politics.

So here’s the Top 10! (My version is as many as I like.) Get into it!

11) Music for Other Worlds – Alex Frayne and Paul Grabowsky/Adelaide Festival. Adelaide’s most renowned photographer’s works were screened to on-the-spot jazz improvisation by the great pianist Paul Grabowsky. A unique, stunning experience, as Frayne’s meticulous photo essays merged and flowed in six phrases. Grabowsky responded to them in the moment. The ear saw as much as the eyes heard. This work opened up a new angle on visual and musical narrative more particular to the language of film.

10) The River That Ran Up Hill – Slingsby/Big Dream Festival. Edgell Junior’s story of surviving Vanuatu’s Category 5 Cyclone Pam in 2015 was a significant work of community building and awareness. Relying on the magic inherent in simple stripped back design, direct storytelling and very clever lighting effects. Andy Packer and Clara Solly-Slades’ production addressed a big environmental issue in a beautiful and profound way.

9) Tracker – Austrian Dance Theatre/Adelaide Festival. A very personal work. The story of ADT’s Daniel Riley’s Great Great Uncle Alec ‘Tracker’ Riley. A personal history delving into an indigenous man’s life between two worlds. White Australia. Black Australia. Where does identity and loyalty lie? To the land you are made of and from, or the white boss benefiting from your knowledge of your land he has taken? A sharply focused work on the nexus of being skilfully coopted by an occupying force.

8) Jurrungu Ngan-ga (Straight Talk) - Marrugeku/Adelaide Festival. Australia’s history since colonisation has been that of an island prison camp. Choreographer Dalisa Pigram and Director Rachael Swain’s production explored this very central historical fact with direct brutality in context of indigenous experience. An explosive, unapologetic and gripping expose.

7) Yuldea – Bangarra Dance Theatre. A Great Victorian Desert/South Australian story told, at last, from perspective and firsthand experience of indigenous people who lived and suffered decades of decimation by industrialisation and impact of the Maralinga atomic bomb tests. Frances Rings’ production focused every creative element of the work on the dancers’ bodies. They were the land, the people, the spirituality, the history as never seen or understood by White Australia before.

6) Bàrbaros - Lina Limosani. Nightmare baroque, come Gothic dive into the darkest heart of human civilisation since primeval slime crawled onto land and evolved/devolved into a multi millennia parade of subjugations and oppressions. Starkest, most brutal and enthrallingly beautiful choreographic work tackling barbarism at its dark human core.

5) Future Present – Theatre Republic. In its second iteration, the one night only project in which short new works on a theme are written, directed, rehearsed, designed, teched and performed in mere days (if not shorter than that) once again proved its incredible value. Democracy was the theme. From inner battles of family needs a female Minister mother and wife is forced to confront, what a name means in body corporate strata politics in securing a home to risking, or not, family connection when international politics is a source of danger. Pressure cooker stuff all round producing work tackling democracy from unique ‘never considered that’ angles. Showed off acting smarts at the sharp end of the scale. Last year’s event provided Emily Steel inspiration for her work The Garden. This is a very important, hugely valuable project.

4) Night, Mother – Holden Street Theatre Company. Powerful, profoundly shattering, deeply troubling and insightful production. When a down and out divorced daughter tells her mother she will kill herself in hours, what can be said or done? Martha Lott, Kathryn Fisher and director Peter Goers went where they probably didn’t want, but had to in delivering a deeply truthful work, not a mawkish apologia.

3) The Garden – Theatre Republic. Brilliant, thought provoking, darkly funny and very uncomfortable check-your-privilege work from playwright Emily Steel. Australia has a refugee perception problem, and Steel’s work tackled it head on, utilising innate judgemental preconceptions and self-satisfied moral superiority of middle Australia with gleefully deadly comic effect through Elizabeth Hay and Rashidi Edward’s performances.

2) Looped – Holden Street Theatre Company. Debut new company smash hit production, directed with sublime panache by Peter Goers and rolling with utterly pace perfect performances from Martha Lott, Chris Asimos and Robert Cusenza. A work which ever so steadily inched towards three significant words uttered by Lotts’s stunning characterisation of Tallulah Bankhead, on which premise the whole drama is turned on its head.

1) Proud – Famous Last Words. Understanding, and successfully communicating what this far right Proud Boys thing infiltrating Australian male circles is, was a tour de force achievement from Director/playwright James Watson and actor Henry Cooper. Watson’s writing had gravitas and down to earth sensibility needed to explore and explain, at the most basic human level, a dangerously unsettling movement. Cooper’s performance kept it real, simple, allowing us to see how easy the allure of belonging when in a disenfranchised state of being such extremes become.

Hot New Artist to Watch – James Watson

One years’ worth of work by Director/writer James Watson with company Famous Last Words pretty much convinced myself and Adelaide Critics Circle colleagues he was worthy of our 2023 Emerging Artist Award. But this year’s work comes off the back of a very long period of training. Most significantly, studying the playwright’s craft under Stephen Sewell, Australia’s most significant writer of political theatre at NIDA, after graduating from Flinders Drama Centre.

Watson’s writing and deft directorial calls on four projects proved remarkable demonstration of a maturity coming into its own. Follow everything he does. He is unafraid to walk outside the box.

David O’Brien

Opinion: David O’Brien’s 2022 Top Ten

2022-12-26T22:48:11+10:30

This year 10 just wasn’t enough; the 2022 Top Ten contains 11. Yes, there could be 50 in this list. In reverse order counting down to 1, read on!

11) After All This – Rumpus/Wickedly Good Productions – Playwright Marcel Dorney scored a 2012 Melbourne Green Room award for After All This. Wickedly Good Productions did a brilliant job with the text. Using Rumpus’s building as base, the audience was enveloped and confronted with a history of beliefs in a journey that wound through the building bending from childhood reminisce to death cult apologist affirmation. Never once was being judgemental involved. A huge achievement. An absorbing experience.

10) Di, Viv and Rose – Rumpus/The Corseted Rabbits – This trio of women seek to champion women’s issues. Their first chosen work couldn’t have been more perfect. Amelia Bullmore’s play offered Director Rachel Burke and cast everything, all the issues. 40 years of history. Pop culture of the 80s era onwards. Gender politics in evolution. They delivered a sensational interpretation, rich in its challenges to the present day, illuminative of the past they spring from.

9) Love on the Left Bank – Adelaide Cabaret Festival/Louise Blackwell – French chanteuse Juliet Greco; who would dare play her life onstage? Louise Blackwell. Francophile of long standing, Blackwell’s chosen creative collaborators delivered with her, a career highlight as champions of French musical culture. Blackwell’s performance was properly beyond mere replication of Greco. It seethed with a truth not to be denied.

8) Whatever Happened to Mary Jane? – Freefall Productions – Anorexia. Can it be tackled onstage? Yes! 25 years ago renowned comedian Wendy Harmer wrote a script extolling the experience of NIDA graduate Sancia Robinson. In 2022, Stefanie Rossi took it on under superlative direction from Tony Knight. It was a performance of painfully deep, illuminating, emotional and intellectually aware intensity.

7) The Boy and The Ball – The PaperBoats – Sheer innocence and simple technical prowess. Abetted by generous vulnerability and simple cardboard plus tennis balls, made this production an exemplar of how to reach a very young audience in such a way they are both engaged and deeply enthralled.

6) Exposed – Restless Dance Theatre – Such beautiful work, helmed by Geoff Cobham’s grand, profoundly considered lighting and set design. Here was exploration and expression of the fear and hope people with disability experience day to day, exquisitely underscored by Hilary Kleinig’s delicate sound composition.

5) A Streetcar Named Desire – The Bakehouse – The final production within the hallowed walls of Adelaide’s most famous, beloved black box theatre. Director Michael Baldwin offered a scintillating production. A richly layered treatment of Tennessee Williams’ text, the very poetry of it sidled along perfectly with an equal savagery burning deep within the language. It was given living expression by a cast more than up to the challenge.

4) Happy Go Wrong – Under The Microscope/Adelaide Festival Centre/Andi Snelling – The oft quoted aphorism ‘the personal is political’ totally applies to this profoundly, wickedly funny, dark, exhilarating, one hander production. Andi Snelling’s rich, gleeful discombobulating exploration of her battle with Lyme disease is a physical theatre clown class, unfailingly pulling an audience in.

3) Something Big – Rumpus/CRAM Collective – Few theatrical debuts by a young company hit heights of shatteringly powerful, sophisticated maturity on all levels of production. Here was a bunch of barely-out-of-drama-school grads tackling an extremely complex text and profoundly dark subject matter worthy of actors a good 10 years into their careers. They pulled it off in a fashion leaving this writer breathless!

2) Girl From The North Country – GWB Entertainment/Sydney Festival/Damian Hewitt & Trafalgar Entertainment Group/Runaway Entertainment/State Theatre Company South Australia – An extraordinarily reimagined take on Bob Dylan’s oeuvre within a theatrical structure challenging how his music can be arranged, and his writing expressed. Possibly the best outside-the-box creative programming/investment decision State Theatre Company South Australia has ever made.

1) Oleanna – Flying Penguin Productions –Words are weapons, poorly deployed. The early 21^st Century has become such a linguistic battleground, taking David Mamet’s #metoo text beyond that. Director David Mealor understood and realised this powerfully in play. It was a vicious yet introspective production; a power game in which the ugliness of the game was as fascinating as the deplorable players of it.

Hot New Artist to Watch – Georgia Laity

Georgia Laity’s performance in Di, Viv and Rose convinced me she could totally take on David Mamet’s Oleanna under David Mealor’s direction, pairing her with the formidably gifted Renato Mussolino her former teacher at Flinders Drama Centre.

Why? Something about her playing Viv’s line “she’s annoying,” totally got my attention.

Not played as a throw away phrase, but uttered with heady, implacable declaration of immutable opposition to Di which, nonetheless, offered a sliver of questioning doubt; doubt battling with a sense of as yet, growing superiority – false or real?

Laity took this sophisticated, subtle capability to a whole new level in Oleanna.

The distance between the two productions and characters is vast.

What Laity brought to both was exceptional comprehension of, and capacity to articulate, truths as naive, ugly, painful and disturbing as much as placid. Unravelling the complex with profound assurance.

Georgia Laity is going to really fire stages up in her career.

David O’Brien

Story: Artists Petition SA Government to increase Fringe Funding

2022-02-19T21:21:12+10:30

An unprecedented groundswell of pressure has erupted from the direction Fringe artists, summoning politicians to recognise the wisdom and economic benefits of investing in the Fringe.

Stirred up by one of Australia’s most exciting new choreographic talents, one Lewis Major, it calls on politicians of all persuasions, in or out of power, to support Fringe director Heather Croall and get moving to increase Fringe funding.

The letter was penned before the headline Fringe media event where Croall wept with frustration at the state of arts funding. It had been doing the rounds accumulating signatures.

Major says he had no experience in political activism. But he didn’t have to look far for support.

“I just reached out to all the artists who have been supported by fringe grants in the last year,” he declares.

He was stirred to action “witnessing firsthand across so many years just how hard the fringe works to support artists and especially South Australian artists.

"They are a huge reason why so many local artists who would normally look to greener pastures - either into state or overseas - end up settling in Adelaide.

"To then see how much benefit the fringe brings to other sectors in our state through such a relatively small amount of funding and watch how much of that funding actually makes it into the hands of artists and art venues.” It seemed something needed to be done.

Sure, politicians can promise anything when an election is looming.

But, Adelaide artists and practitioners want to hold them accountable.

So far the petition has been signed by over 100 artists and arts producers.

Here is the historic petition:

An Open Letter to all MPs

We, the undersigned, write this letter to wholeheartedly voice our support for the Adelaide Fringe under the courageous leadership of Heather Croall and the Fringe team and we call on all state MPs to implement the recommendation in the PwC report and increase Adelaide Fringe’s annual funding from the State Government.

The PwC report is clear in its findings in relation to the cost-benefit analysis of funding to our biggest and most successful festival: the gross expenditure given back to our state by the Adelaide Fringe is over 40 times the funding that it receives from the state government.

As artists, we are not in the habit of making solely economic arguments for increased support to the arts, although when speaking about the Adelaide Fringe the extraordinary return on investment to the state is impossible to ignore. The benefit of supporting Adelaide Fringe, however, is more far-reaching than the mere numbers that are added to the State’s bottom line at the end of March.

Fringe continues to support all levels of creative practice throughout the year and ensures that our sector continues to thrive outside of the actual Festival season itself. Thanks to the tireless work from the Fringe staff, programs such as the Fringe grants, professional development pathways, and mentorships are delivered at an enormous scale.

As our families, colleagues, communities, industry, and nation come to terms with the uncertainty, isolation, and social and economic disruption of the world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Adelaide Fringe stands as a beacon of all that is good about the arts sector in our state. The Adelaide Fringe is much more than a month-long festival that brings in tourism dollars and a sense of excitement to our city – it is an organisation through which artists are connected to each other, and are supported and inspired by each other… and together, find hope for the future.

We urge all SA political parties to commit, as an election promise, to increasing the annual funding to Adelaide Fringe as set out in the PwC report. The return on investment that the Fringe delivers to SA is enormous but it is not just about economics; the Fringe offers great opportunities for creative practitioners, brings immense joy to everyone and uplifts us all.

The Fringe is culturally an important part of life in South Australia.

Please look after it. Don’t take it for granted.

Russell Starke OAM

2022-02-14T22:11:50+10:30

Russell Starke OAM.

He was one of our own, an early member of the Adelaide Critics Circle and a very fine critic.

He stepped away from the Circle when he was no longer reviewing for the media and, despite entreaties from the other critics who admired his deep knowledge of theatre and his eloquent bonhomie at meetings, he said that he felt that unless one was reviewing, one no longer was qualified to be in the Circle. Ethics, dearies.

Russell’s death has left Circle members reeling. He was 82, but still in the verve of life until leukaemia struck suddenly and swiftly.

Russell Starke was a man of many incarnations. Critic was just one string to his bow.

He was a Solomontown boy and, at school in Whyalla, his irrepressible thespian inclinations shone through from early on. He was born to perform.

Arriving in Adelaide aged 22, he became a window dresser and soon head of display at the charming old Miller Anderson department store. His talents as an actor were swiftly recognised and mid 1960s he was to get his very first rave mainstream review from none other than a member of this Circle. He had portrayed Biff in Death of a Salesman, a performance so spellbinding that, as theatre critic on The News, this writer could barely contain her effusion. “It was a performance one could not forget,” I was to reflect many decades later when the remarkable Russell gave another such performance, this time playing Biff’s father, Willy Loman, in that same timeless Miller play.

Russell's flair for art and design manifested itself throughout his career. He was very good with costumes and he went on to be a high-profile master bonsai exponent.

He could turn his hand to anything.

He also had a high-profile media career not only as a publicist and promotor but also as a radio and television presenter. Many remember his times presenting horror movies on TV.

Horror came to him in 1981 when, crossing Light Square, he was hit by a truck and suffered traumatic injuries from which only true grit and some hard years brought him back to full strength.

But, through his love for art and jewellery and his association with gallery owner Veda Swain, he moved into a whole new incarnation by taking over Greenhill Gallery in 1997. He ran the gallery until 2013 with A-lister opening nights and rousing hospitality. He hosted the Critics Circle’s Awards ceremonies there on a number of occasions.

Russell was always being urged to get back on the boards as the consummate actor he was. He did so a few more times. But, closer to his heart in latter years, apart from the joys of gardening, there was Shakespeare and sonnets. His last official incarnation was as The Passionate Poet.

He produced Shakespeare at Star Theatres and gave poetry performances around the town; to enthusiastic acclaim. He did these performances with his usual heart-and-soul expertise. He was able to evoke the full gamut of emotions from his audiences: from laughter to tears, with sighs and smiles in between.

Meanwhile, offstage Russell Starke always had that thing called “panache”. He was a stylish, handsome man with exquisite, albeit often flamboyant taste. His clothes were ever strikingly elegant and invariably deliciously tactile. He wore spectacular jewellery and never lost an opportunity to support those who designed and created such artworks. Kindness and generosity were among his innate characteristics and Adelaide is crowded with charities and individuals who have, in one way or another, been recipients of his magnanimity.

Russell Starke was a rare example of a true “Renaissance man”.

He adorned Adelaide with his often extroverted affability. He was never afraid of a good drink or a convivial companion.

He knew everything about everyone.

He claimed to have had many associations in this world but, after his marriage to the talented writer and academic Ruth, he was never seen to have a sole partner, just myriad friends and, perchance, frissons.

What gave him the most profound of all pleasures was the fruit of that interesting marriage. His daughters, Petra and Miranda, were truly the light of his life. He was boundlessly proud of them.

And then he became a grandfather!

Not that he put “family man” at the forefront of his public persona.

He was ever outgoing and interested in everyone around him. He carried his life scars and private world with quiet dignity and was never seen to indulge self-pity or braggadocio.

Or so it seems to this old friend of his.

Coming to write about him, I realise all the things I did not know.

Thus does this tribute barely touch the surface of Russell Starke, OAM, decorated for his generous contribution to the visual arts and young artists.

But, these words echo the sentiments of so very many - that our Russell was an exceptionally fun, fearless, cheeky, kind, talented, caring, and erudite soul and a valued member of our society. We salute him and, oh yes, we mourn his passing.

Vale Russell Starke.

Words by Samela Harris

Story: Claire Della and the Moon prepares to Launch

2020-09-14T16:59:13+09:30

Move over Little Prince. Claire Della is coming to the sky.

She’s using a ladder and she is only going as far as the moon, but it promises a serene escape from the stresses of life here on earth.

Or so she hopes.

Even children suffer stress and depression from the complicated lives on this troubled planet.

That is the understanding of Ellen Graham and Jamie Hornsby who sought consultation with Simon Andrews, principal psychologist of OK Psychology and in a partnership with the mental health outfit, Headspace, to tap into the mental health issues confronting today’s children.

Claire Della and the Moon is the result, not only of these professional investigations but also of the vivid imaginations of the two theatre-makers. And, they have flavoured their creative juices with the talents of others, most particularly the renowned puppet designer, Stephanie Fisher, whose puppet oeuvre includes, of all things, the famous Babadook’s giant wings as well as the masks for Windmill’s Girl Asleep and even the baby crows for The Crows. Here, for Claire Della, she has created Laika, the dog on the moon.

According to Jamie Hornsby, the plan for a new children’s show of poetry, puppetry, and mime has been brewing away for a couple of years, And, now it is realised through Claire Della as an uplifting work which may empower children in the dark world of anxiety and depression.

Scoring the inaugural Hall of Possibility Artist Residence program at Slingsby Theatre Company was a key to getting it off the ground - quite serendipitous really since, says Hornsby, Claire Della and the Moon was inspired by Slingsby’s acclaimed production of The Young King.

Being artists in residence gave Graham and Hornsby an opportunity to work with the Slingsby professional facilities.

"We are starving artists so we snuck in at night and worked for all hours,” says Hornsby.

They might be starving artists but Ellen Graham and Jamie Hornsby are very well regarded in the Adelaide arts. Singly and together, they have been acclaimed as exciting emerging artists. They now go by the joint name of Madness of Two, under that name, they launched onto the public with an entirely zany Fringe production at the chic new theatre venue Rumpus at Bowden. The show was called Dead Gorgeous: A True Crime Clown Show.

It showcased some of Hornsby’s diverse talents, particularly on the musical front.

As a graduate of the Adelaide College of the Arts, Hornsby has shone as a playwright, actor, musician and composer. He has won awards as best new playwright and best young playwright and you-name-it. Graham, meanwhile, is recognised as an actor, model, and theatre maker. Together they are hoping that their new theatre company will make a strong impression on the future of children’s theatre in South Australia, albeit they have no plans to abandon the avant garde adult theatre works for which they are becoming known.

Last year the couple gained a state pass to attend the ASSITEJ gathering in Norway. This is extremely significant in the world of theatre for the young. The International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People holds major expositions of international performance and, to Horsby’s delight, Madness of Two was exposed to a wealth of the latest new works and ideas in the world of theatre for the young. Claire Della fits very neatly into that scheme of new thinking.

Claire Dells is a child of “now".

“She is a little girl who doesn’t fit in on earth,” explains Hornsby.

“She’s obsessed with the idea of living on the moon where it is quiet and safe.”

The expression of feeling different, he says, is a metaphorical interpretation of depression and anxiety.

The production has been coming together at The Parks community theatres venue, one of the best theatres in the State. It has been invaluable to the company to be able rehearse in the venue itself, thanks to venue manager Kerry Hutton.

Its season with both schools and public performances will open on September 23, and because of the theatre’s sophisticated design, even with Covid-safe seating, about 100 audience members can attend performances. The show targets ages 6 plus and it is hoped that it also will be able to tour schools.

Claire Della and the Moon is presented with the support of the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Samela Harris

When: 23 Sep to 4 Oct

Where: Parks Theatre

Bookings: trybooking.com

School bookings can be made via email at Jamie@madnessoftwo.com.au

Story: COVID Theatre Sees S.A. Lead The Way

2020-08-23T22:01:04+09:30

South Australia leads the way - again.

From a world of confused, demoralised, and struggling theatre people at the height of a terrifying pandemic, arises an enterprise of absolute genius - Decameron - 2.0.

No arts crowd anywhere in the world has managed to create anything as ingenious and ambitious in response to the pandemic which has closed theatres and put the arts industry out to pasture in penury.

The State Theatre Company of SA and ActNow Theatre found their inspiration in the distant past, in the idea of what others had done in similar fearful lockdown generations ago.

The Decameron was created by 14th Century Italian writer Giovanni Bocaccio in response to the 1348 Black Death epidemic which scoured and terrified Europe, just as Covid-19 is doing to the world in 2020. People tried to escape it by hiding away, just as we have done. Boccacio invented a group of 10 people locked down in a villa outside Florence. To pass the time, he had them tell each other stories; a hundred in all.

Boccacio’s book has survived the centuries. For a long time, back in the bad old days of Australian literary censorship, it was banned. It was way too naughty and raunchy for the wowser era. It was sold illegally under the counter at bookshops right up until 1973.

While Boccacio created the Decameron alone, our theatricals have used his concept to rope in, employ, and give exposure to the bright and brave talents of the Adelaide arts world.

There is a vast array of people who have been employed in the cause of this emancipated enterprise: writers, actors, directors, camera people, and designers.

These many Adelaide arts workers have been working like crazy. From the concept to the realisation, it has been a pressure cooker, everyone working to order on the weekly themes of Decameron 2: love, loss, ambition, and duplicity. Ten weeks of ten self-contained works. A hundred highly individual, highly relevant monologues.

Monologues and solo performances have been the name of the game in this Covid time. The Zoom application has been the ideal solution to social distancing, giving everyone the ability to perform from home.

Musicians in lockdown took to Zoom with seeming relish, coming up with huge, multi-windowed orchestral performances, incorporating classical musicians from all over the world.

On the theatre front things were a little slower. Theatricals were at first paralysed by the loss of their stage, not to mention the chemistry of a live audience. Their cries of pain resounded around the Western world: dark theatres, cancellations, no touring shows, no programmed blockbusters, no repertory seasons, and ticket refunds. These have been seemingly mortal wounds. Thespians and audiences worldwide simply froze in dismay.

International theatre companies tried to feed their starving 2020 audiences by releasing their fabulous filmed archives of splendid productions. These provided a welcome fix of great theatre with opportunities to see international shows one never would have been able to see; wonderful plays and musicals, many of them superbly filmed, intense and intimate to watch. Most offered these viewings for free. Some asked for donations to keep theatre companies extant in the pandemic. Some went for ticket prices. The issue of support for theatre companies has been as critical as it has been delicate. Those which asked for donations have been easiest to support.

Then, Zoom Theatre turned up from England with the absolute essence of western theatre, Shakespeare. On Zoom. And, with actors from all over the world, each in their living rooms, studies, or even kitchens, they played Macbeth, expertly and well-rehearsed, in a moveable feast of separate windows. They worked the technology very nicely. They found ways in which to make it seem as if they could share or proffer a prop from window to window.

An American company, The Public, which produced What Do We Need to Talk About, was swift to adopt this new genre, if one may call it that, and it was first to make reference to The Decameron within its lock-downed online storytelling. Written by Richard Nelson as part of an ongoing project of minimalist plays, What Do We Need to Talk About depicts the Apple family in the US, separated by self-isolation but gathering, by default, on Zoom. There, in their separate Zoom windows, they catch up and argue, as siblings do, and tell each other stories to fill the air time. It is a splendid work and worth watching.

Cancelled is somewhere between theatre, film and reality TV. Quick-thinking Australian filmmaker Luke Eve applied for funding with the idea of filming the lockdown predicament he was facing with his fiancée, the actress Maria Albiñana, and his mum, Karen Eve. That funding enabled a ten-episode series recorded entirely on iPhones in isolation to be sent in email packages to composers, a colourist, and an editor to be groomed up into quite a slick production. Luke’s mother had arrived in Spain to stay with the bride and groom in their Valencia apartment when they realised that the imminent wedding had to be cancelled. Mum could not return to Australia under newly-imposed Covid travel restrictions and none of them could go outside. Thus, trapped together in the apartment with not only the wedding cancelled but their careers as well, Luke and Maria scripted the experience and the three of them performed it. It is the only verite lockdown production of which one has heard. It is a very touching and sometimes funny work, quite raw in its honesty. The hapless mum, Karen from Perth, rises quietly amid the domestic tensions and, in some ways, becomes cult star of the show.

Meanwhile, back on the ground in Adelaide, South Australia, with live theatre indefinitely out of action, State Theatre and ActNow brainstormed to brilliance the Decameron 2.0 production.

And so it comes to pass that we may claim to have led the word in new, original Covid online theatre.

Not only but also, in its ambitious scale, in this time of covhideous arts darkness, with the support of the State Government of SA’s Covid-19 Grants Support program, it has employed actors, playwrights, directors, camera people, and design creatives on a grand scale.

Some are just emerging onto the arts scene and some are well established. All, most particularly the producers, ActNow, and State Theatre, have had to work with an extremely swift turn-around to get ten, fresh, original pieces up each week. Very many of them are really strong little works.

The pieces are brief monologues which, of course, are the absolute test of an actor as well as of a writer. Alone, performing in camera close-up, is profoundly demanding for an actor. But here they have directors to add nuance and support the interpretation of the pieces. Some of the writers perform their own pieces. Each week has a theme and the writers find ways, often quite laterally, to embody the themes: “Those who come to know themselves”; “Those who play tricks”; “Those who seek justice”; “Those who find love”. These subjects have been realised as domestic violence, love and loss, First-Nations issues, childhood dilemmas, and even political parody. A 15+ age category has been recommended for audiences.

We of the Decameron 2.0 audience quickly became addicts, hanging out for the next instalment.

It never disappointed. It has just grown better and better.

And, one may dare to predict that it is has a future.

Decameron 2.0 might have been evolved from the Covid lockdown of 2020 because people could not go to the theatre, but one can envisage it staged as a Festival event, perhaps as a theatre epic.

What is certain is that it is a highly significant achievement and an absolute credit to the two artistic directors, Mitchell Butel and Edwin Kemp Atrill, with Yasmin Gurreeboo, Anthony Nicola and Alexis West and the wealth of skilled souls they have rounded up. To name just a few, there are writers such as Alex Vickery-Howe, Ben Brooker, Manal Younos, Emily Steel, Sally Hardy, Jamie Hornsby, and Kyron Weetra. The actors include Trevor Jamieson, Chrissy Page, Martha Lott, Rory Walker, Rebecca Mayo, Kate Cheel, Jacqy Phillips, Matt Crook, Ezra Juanta, Miranda Daughtry, Carmel Johnson, Caroline Mignone, Elaine Crombie, and Anna Steen. There have been notable contributions from many directors and a seasoned technical team for lighting, cameras, sets, and co-ordination.

It is impossible to name everyone but the credits are there on the website.

The performed pieces thereafter pop up beautifully on YouTube.

https://statetheatrecompany.com.au/decameron-2-0/

The series is available for free online and it is rapturously highly recommended.

It is as historic as it is engrossing. Out of the 2020 negative, it soars as a shining positive and a superb achievement of which South Australia may glow with pride.

Samela Harris

Story Links:

Cancelled: https://www.facebook.com/cancelledtheseries/

What do we need to talk about - on Zoom https://publictheater.org/news-items/buckets/conversations/what-do-we-need-to-talk-about/

Zoom Theatre’s Shakespeare https://zoomtheatre.com/index.php

Decameron 2.0 https://statetheatrecompany.com.au/decameron-2-0/

Story: Her Majesty's Theatre; Stunningly New, Resplendently Vacant

2020-06-29T23:02:31+09:30

Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide’s new triumph of the arts, has been one of the great victims of the pandemic.

Its gala opening concert is on indefinite hold.

Years of fundraising and an extraordinary execution of design and construction end with a few privileged media reveals and more waiting.

As a scribe for this fine online arts website as well as resident critic of the ABC’s Sunday Smart Arts program, I scored alongside Peter Goers, an invitation from Festival Centre CEO, Douglas Gautier, to be among those first people to have a private tour of the new theatre.

No, it is not a “revamp” as people keep saying. This is $66m of completely new state-of-the-art theatre. All that remains of the old Her Maj is the gracious Grote Street facade and the Pitt Street wall. Even the stage door has moved down Pitt Street, as I discovered when I went to meet our guide.

What lies within is a whizz-bang contemporary wonderland, a modern theatre which will be the envy of the world.

Of course, theatre history sings its way into the 2020 entity. Her Maj was once called The Tivoli, The Prince of Wales, The Opera Theatre…

Hence, the first thing one encounters once through the Stage Door, is a magnificent Signature Wall. On the bricks lovingly rescued from the demolition are the autographs of performers who graced the stage of the old theatre. It is a thrill of beautifully-salvaged nostalgia, a century of memories with bricks aplenty for the future stars to sign their names as the years roll on.

The new stage is breathtaking. It is a massive expanse, much bigger than the old one.

Technicians working on all the new facilities have been responding with enthusiasm. Excellent, they say.

And there, as one stands above the orchestra pit, the splendour of the auditorium is revealed, a sea of svelte red seats. Above the stalls, a dress circle and grand circle arc elegantly. We used to call the upper circle “the gods” because one is close to heaven when one is in them, so perilously high do they feel. Of course, they are also what’s known as "the cheap seats” and many of us in our frugal student days had our nascent J.C. Williamson's experiences up there. We wax lyrical with nostalgia.

I had felt somewhat concerned when I heard that there would be no centre aisle in the stalls of the new theatre. I like a centre aisle. As a professional audience member, I am well known for highly defined preferences and ease of egress is at the top of the list. “A quick exit is a good exit,” say I.

My reservations evaporate the moment I walk through the auditorium. The gentle curve of front stalls not only has leg room even for tall people but also room to walk in front of said tall people. No standing up to let people pass. Oh, it is so generous and civilized.

Not only but also, every seat has a handsome circular plate beneath it. These are air vents which enable the air conditioning to circulate freely, for each and every audience member to have their own source of air. This is my idea of bliss. No foetid old-school people-soup air for this grand new venue. The best technology has been employed. It is state-of-the-art.

There are two good, broad aisles at the back area of the stalls and, I realise with joy as I try sitting at different vantage points, there is not a bad seat in the house. The sight-lines are superb.

Even the handrails along the auditorium walls are gorgeous. There is a lot of wood in this theatre, magnificently crafted and designed. Wherever one looks, there are thoughtful details. Some are reiterations of old Edwardian theatre designs and some are subtly innovative. There’s a period pressed-tin ceiling, for instance.
There are also lifts, because no matter how handsome the stairs may be, it is still a long climb up there to the gods.

There are bars and foyers with luscious red banquettes on all the floors. There are brass celebrity tiles embedded in the floors, again recalling those who have been part of the theatre’s history.

And way up at the very top of the building, the only part as yet unfinished, is the gallery and formal home space planned for the state’s Performing Arts Collection and special exhibitions.

Douglas leads us into a perilous no-man’s land, the high eyries of the lighting and flying technology.
“Hope you’re not scared of heights,” he says. I fake nonchalance. It is scary up there.

Of course the performers also score very nice new digs. Backstage on two floors are snappy new dressing rooms; big for the chorus and small for the principals. The piece de resistance backstage is the most utterly superb rehearsal room. It is a vast space with mirrored walls, a barre for dancers and a sleek polished-wood sprung floor.
“This meets the size requirements of the biggest Disney-style touring shows,” says Douglas. And maybe acts as its own separate performance space? “Indeed,” says Douglas. One begins to imagine cabaret festival shows therein.

The main foyer is now at the western side of the theatre.
The neighbouring Grote street building was purchased for this purpose.
It is now new, tall, glass-fronted and geometrically handsome. Sophisticated bars, tall drinks tables, and fancy seating features are on the different floors. The higher the floor, the better are the city views out over the old market. One can imagine standing with a glass of champagne, looking out across the night lights.

And, that is what we are waiting for - the nights of champagne, of laughter and applause.
They will come.
When they do, Her Maj will be able to welcome 1500 of us at a time.

For the moment there has been just one little “soft opening” with a Slingsby youth production; small audience and social distancing. More small shows are on the cards. But, come hell or high water there will be a big show and then another and then another. It is just a matter of time.

And we can’t wait!

Samela Harris

Photography by Samela Harris

{gallery}hermaj{/gallery}