Commit No Nuisance
Now where is the fun in that? I spotted this sign as I
wandered through Melbourne’s Chinatown area, and couldn’t resist taking a
photo. One has to wonder at just how much of a nuisance visitors have caused to
force some authority to feel the need to paint this directly onto the wall. I
have no idea if it is successful, or why it appears on this wall and on no
another. I have yet to see similar signs elsewhere in Chinatown, or anywhere
else around the Melbourne CBD for that matter.
Fireworks Underfoot
On January 29, I headed into the Chinatown section of
Melbourne to catch some of the festivities taking place there as part of the
Year of The Dragon celebrations. I watched two ceremonies take place at which
long strings of fireworks were set off in front of Chinese restaurants, in an
age old tradition meant to bring the owners good fortune and much luck
throughout the coming year. The carpet of red that you see in this image has
been created by the remains of hundreds of exploded fireworks.
Can This Be The Wall…?
Just down the road from the house I am staying in, locals
have painted this sign on their house wall. While the sentiments may be
admirable, it seems to me that the targets, the ‘coal barons’, are pretty much
long gone, although there are probably some still around. Now a days, I suspect
the coal barons have moved on to much richer pastures and are busy exploiting
other natural resources like coal seam gas, uranium, iron ore and such like.
Reg Livermore has been
entertaining Australian audiences for over 50 years. Sadly, I have missed the
majority of the many, many shows he has appeared in – either as part of an
ensemble cast or in his one man shows – because Reg lives and performs mostly
along the eastern seaboard of Australia, and rarely it seems, does he make it
to Adelaide.
However, I count myself lucky to have at least seen him in
his seminal one man shows Betty Blokk Buster Follies in 1976, and Sacred
Cow II in 1981. I also saw his production of Ned Kelly when it toured to
Adelaide in 1978, a show for which Reg was writer, director, and designer.
So I was absolutely delighted to see that the Arts Centre
Melbourne, was staging an exhibition celebrating his extraordinary career, and
that my visit to Melbourne coincided with the exhibition, which as of this
writing I have already visited three times.
Reg Livermore – Take A Bow, showcases his
groundbreaking solo shows that began with Betty Blokk Buster Follies,
and features some of the many stage costumes worn during that, and other shows.
Also on display is material from his personal archive, including show posters,
manuscripts, interviews, and awards, all of which allow the visitor a rare
glimpse into the creative talent of a true Australian theatre legend.
The centre piece of the exhibition features a giant screen
replaying songs from Betty Blokk Buster Follies. And it is these songs
and performances that have drawn me back to the exhibition several times
already.
Betty Blokk Buster Follies DVD
Here is the promotional video for the Betty Blokk Buster
Follies DVD:
Some of the costumes on display include those of the
characters Tara The Incredible, Carmen Marahuana, Allison Diesel, Captain Jack,
Joan of Arcadia, Vaseline Amalnitrate, and the immortal Betty Blokk Buster
herself.
As an occasional performer myself, I have always been drawn
to other singers and actors who are not afraid to completely inhabit the
characters they play and give them full expression. Reg Livermore not only does
that but he has never been afraid to tread where many other performers are afraid
to tread. In recognition for his many years in theatre, Livermore was honoured
as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1996, and in a special ceremony
at Melbourne’s Docklands in 2006, Livermore was named one of 100 Australian
Entertainers of the Century.
His latest show and tour Turns (with another legend
of the Australian theatre Nancye Hayes), took place in 2011. At 73. Reg
Livermore doesn’t look like he is ready to stop performing anytime soon, and Turns
was just the latest in a long career that began in 1957 with Around The
Loop, and has gone on to included television (as an actor and presenter),
and appearances in more than 100 theatre and television shows.
Apart from his one person shows, and the dozens of other
theatre performances he has been in, Reg Livermore has appeared in some of
Australia’s biggest theatre productions including Hair, Jesus Christ
Superstar, The Rocky Horror Show, Barnum, Iolanthe, The Producers, and My
Fair Lady.
I was delighted to see that a collection of songs from the Betty
Blokk Buster Follies show is now available on CD and DVD, and these can be
bought via Possum Records. Reg has
also written an autobiography, Chapters and Chances a coffee table style
photographic history, published in 2003, and he is currently completing a
second volume, There Are Things I Haven't Told You. Chapters and
Chances can be bought directly from Reg Livermore via his website, and I note that he is more than happy
to sign copies of the book if you request it.
Both the book and the DVD can also be purchased at the Arts Centre Melbourne during the exhibition.
"On of the most
extraordinary events in Australian theatre history - A brilliant star"
~ The National Times
on Betty Blokk Buster Follies
I have made my own humble tribute to Reg Livermore using
footage from the Take a Bow exhibition, edited to his beautiful
performance of the Charles Aznavour song, What Makes a Man?
More information:
Reg Livermore – Take A Bow at Arts Centre Melbourne,
Gallery 1
November.5, 2011 – February 23, 2012.
In 1996, Reg Livermore appeared on The Midday Show, and was
interviewed by the shows host Kerri-Anne about his career, his Officer of the
Order of Australia (AO) award, and other topics. You can see that interview
here:
Just one movie for you today, and it’s great as it is
bizarre, surreal, and funny.
In 2009, Vimeo developer Casey Pugh had a dream: to
create an entire remake of the original Star Wars: A New Hope using only 15
second fan-made clips; they could recreate the scenes whichever way they
wanted, whether using action figures, beer bottles, animation or dogs. Now, a
2010 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Creative Achievement In Interactive Media
later, the entire crowd-sourced project has been completed.
You can see the completed fan-made Star Wars Uncut:
Director's Cut,below. The two hour film includes animation, live
action, puppets, Lego figures, and the weirdest collection of 15 second clips
ever assembled into one delightful pastiche that pays tribute to George Lucas’s
groundbreaking film.
Thanks to Gothamist for bringing
this to my attention.
