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A flurry of text messages had been flying around. “Did you hear some playwrights have decided to hold their own night on Monday? Are you going?” “Are you going to the playwright’s thing?” “How do I RSVP?” In the past few weeks, I had been casually thumbing through newspapers at cafes when waiting for my coffee, to see if and when and how the topic of the absence of a play shortlist for the 2010 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards had been noted. Not really… one article from Bryce Hallet:
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/playwrights-snubbed-by-award-judges-20100516-v6aa.html and this one from Marc McEvoy http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/playlist-for-judges-in-search-of-a-premier-shortlist-20100412-s413.html
No response from Kristina…
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It was opening night of Stories from the 428 when James Waites pressed a signed copy of his hot-off-the-press platform paper into my hand. I had seen chapters develop over the previous 5 months- heard of the interviews as they were taking place- and watching/listening as the story was unfolding. He pressed it into my hand, like a nervous teenage boy gives a love letter to the one he loves- nonchalantly, yet with the type of urgent tenderness that says “I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams…” and he said, don’t read it in bits. Sit down over easter with some chocolate and read it in one go…
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![Belinda-McClory-Colin-Moody-Love-Me-Tender-web-319x480[1]](http://augustasupple.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Belinda-McClory-Colin-Moody-Love-Me-Tender-web-319x4801.jpg "Belinda-McClory-Colin-Moody-Love-Me-Tender-web-319x480[1]")
In the dizzying haze of Stories from the 428- I didn’t get out much to other theatres- I spent alot of my time with a laptop on my lap top or gesticultating wildly at actors (and occasionally chasing them around rehearsal rooms)… and so was mildly shut off from my regular review circuit. During that time, however, one play was mentioned to me in passing by people who had access to “the outside world” as I remembered it- and that play was none other than Tom Holloway’s Love Me Tender. more…
Week 1 Cast
Week 1 of Stories from the 428 was a really amazing experience… and I was amazed primarilly at the dedication and ability of so many people to step up and make things happen- to push through all the incidental disappointments, and momentary lapses of memory and awkwardness and to keep going- after all… the show must go on.
For anyone who understands an opening night deadline- this was a doozy! more…
Stories from the 428 launched last night- with the help from our friends at the Coopers Hotel in Newtown, Marrickville Council, ACTT and Queen Street Studio- writers, directors, designers, crew came together to have a few drinks, to meet the people who they will be working with in the next 3-4 weeks. This launch was for the participants… United by a love of theatre, new Australian Playwriting and buses- nearly 100 local artists are starting rehearsals this week.
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The view from the 428- it's a sign
It was May last year when I starting thinking about Sidetrack Theatre. I took a half day off from my day job to meet with Don Mamouney and to ask him about the theatre. A couple of weeks prior I had gone to the theatre with Jonathan Wald to see Wayne Tunks’ latest production. Sidetrack had remained a “venue for hire” after it’s funding was cut- and seemed to have occasional shows on- but nothing that splashed loudly in the print media or on the web. It is the theatre which I am geographically closest to. If Belvoir is Mr Waites’ “local”, then “Sidetrack” is certainly mine.
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I’ve always felt that being a theatre director is one of the loneliest jobs you could ever have…. that and a lighthouse keeper… there is a perceived social-ness about directing- you talk to people all the time- to crew, producers, actors, writers… and if you are smart you listen in equal measure (if not more) than you speak. more…
Sydney Arts Journo- I’ll miss you!
There’s alot of change at the moment- well- I am sure there is always alot of change- its just I have the time to notice it at the moment. There are movements in the theatre sector- Artistic directors announced, seasons launched, programs developed and changes- the theatre, the biological microcosm that it is- is expanding, dying off, burning, growing epicormic shoots, and its all in the natural course of things- natural selection.
It would be terribly amiss of me not to acknowledge one significant change I will feel the loss of and that is the ceasing of the regular (and not so regular) writings of Nicholas Pickard aka Sydney Arts Journo. more…