The New Garrick Gazette Issue 577 July 2020
Garrick Theatre Club (Inc) www.garricktheatre.asn.au 16 Meadow Street, Guildford PO Box 122, Guildford WA 6935 Editor: Douglas Sutherland-Bruce In this issue:
N O O S G N I M O C
The New Garrick Gazette Published by: Printed by: ISSN (Print edition): ISSN (Online edition)
The Garrick Theatre Club (Inc) Docuprint 2652-4678 2652-4686 Copyright 2020 1
2020 Calendar
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Auditions
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Editorial
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Meet the Members
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Message
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The Committee
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There have been times lately when I dearly wished that I could change the past. Well, I can’t, but I can change the present so that when it becomes the past it will turn out to be a past worth having. - Sir Terry Pratchett
EDITORIAL WELL, PRUDENCE, CAUTION AND lock-down seem to have achieved the desired effect. As I sit writing this there are a scant four active cases of Covid-19 in Western Australia, all of whom are currently receiving treatment in quarantine. Consequently, the State Government has begun a process of a graduated return to normalcy, with a very large leap taking place in just over a week on the 18th July seeing the start of Stage 4. This is not inevitable, of course, and depends entirely on the commonsense of the WA population and no sudden worsening of the health situation as we have seen, alas, in Victoria, who have had to re-impose restrictions. But, barring unexpected events on the 18th July the theatre can re-open for business. Our first order of business will naturally be, as promised and much delayed, the joint TAG/Garrick production of The Hound of the Baskervilles. The company have been in touch, figuratively, over the lock-down period with Zoom and socially distanced meetings, but they will now be able to rehearse under the same regulations that allow contact sports such as rugby and hockey - I make no comment on the irony. The next production after that will be Oscar Wilde’s light classic, The Importance of Being Earnest which should take place roughly when it was originally scheduled which means in effect we need only re-schedule Our Gang and Managing Carmen into the 2021 season and we’ll have caught up on our plans. I am sure the President and Executive Committee join with me in thanking you all - casts, crews and audience for hanging in there with us as we went through this dark period together, not into bright, sunlit uplands, unfortunately, but into an uncertain, misty future where the only certainty is uncertainty, the only foundations hope and courage. Until we next see each other on the green ...
Douglas Sutherland-Bruce, Editor.
Any views expressed in this editorial are those of Dr Sutherland-Bruce alone and may not reflect those of the President and Executive Committee
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AUDITIONS FOLLOWING THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES our next production will be the classic, described and generally agreed as one of the funniest in the English language - The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde. We do not have exact performance dates as yet but it will likely go up in the middle/late of November until the first or second week of December. We may hope for the originally planned dates of 26th November to 12th December.
The roles up for audition are: (Ages are stage ages, not actual ages) Lane, valet to Mr Moncrieff - age flexible, but nominally early 30s. Earnest Worthing, wealthy landowner - age 30-40 Algernon Moncrieff, penurious layabout - age 25-35 Gwendoline Fairfax, Earnest’s love interest - age 22-26 Lane, Mr Worthing’s butler - age, elderly Milly, Mr Worthing’s maid - age 18 - 25 Tilly, Mr Worthing’s maid - age 18 - 25 Cecily Cardew, Mr Worthing’s ward - age 18 (but admitting to 20 at evening parties) Canon Chasuble, the local divine - age 55 upwards
All roles will require English accents, and Earnest, Algernon, Gwendolene and Cecily will be required to speak Standard English.
The production will be the play as written - set in 1895.
Auditions are on the 8th August 10am to 5pm with odd spots and /or call backs on the 9th of August. Please ring and book a spot with the director, Douglas Sutherland-Bruce, on 0418-934-850. There will be a cold reading and you may prepare a short audition piece. 2020 CALENDAR FOR GARRICK THEATRE CLUB (INC): July 18th Garrick Theatre re-opens th July 25 TAG Workshop 11:00am to 2:00pm th July 25 Winter Warmer Social Night - Pot Luck Dinner. Bring a dish and have a catch-up with other members. th/ th August 8 9 Auditions ~ The Importance of Being Earnest. th August 29 TAG Workshop 11:00am to 2:00pm th September 12 TAG Workshop 11:00am to 2:00pm th September 12 Play Reading Night. TBA Opening of The Hound of the Baskervilles, is a comedy thriller inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, adapted by Kent R Brown. Directed by Rodney Stickells-Palmer and Gail Lusted. A joint TAG production. th October 24 TAG Workshop 11:00am to 2:00pm st October 31 Halloween Party. th November 13 Annual General Meeting. th November 14 TAG Workshop 11:00am to 2:00pm TBA Opening of The Importance of Being Earnest, a trivial comedy for serious people, written by Oscar Wilde, directed by Douglas Sutherland-Bruce. th December 19 The ‘Davids’ Awards Night celebrating 2020 and Christmas Party. 3
MEET THE MEMBERS TERRY AND BARBARA BROWN keen on theatre and joined the Patch Theatre under the direction of David Crann. She also worked on a casual basis for about five years with the Channel 7 Workshop, singing/dancing group. The group supported interstate artists on regular live productions, including Miss West Coast. She went on to perform in several Gilbert and Sullivan Society and Playhouse Theatre productions. The rest is History – performing in popular productions at Garrick, including Brigadoon, Dracula, Wait Until Dark, Showboat, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady and Cabaret and won an Outstanding Actress Award for her performance in the Garrick production of The Leather Jacket at a Stirling Players Drama Festival.
Continuing our series about the members so we can get to know them a bit better. TERRY AND BARBARA MET at a Garrick Annual General Meeting in the late seventies and coincidentally met again sometime later while working at the University of Western Australia in different departments. Terry had just joined Garrick after returning from a two-year period of traveling and working in London. Barbara joined Garrick several years before Terry and had been involved in a number of productions. Barbara originally joined Garrick at the invitation of the then current President, Paul Brown (Terry’s brother). Barbara and Paul worked together in the same department at the ABC for many years. The first production Terry and Barbara were involved in together onstage was Born Yesterday directed by Lee Doyle. Terry had been asked to step into a role that had become vacant. This was the first of several productions that they appeared in together, including a comedy Accommodations directed by Garrick icon Ken Smith, Garden Party directed by Paul Brown and Showboat directed by Betty Prendergast. Barbara was Garrick Committee Secretary and Newsletter Editor for many years and Terry joined the Committee in 1980 and soon became Treasurer, a role he has held on and off over many years and full time since 2007. Barbara and Terry were married in the early eighties and had two children – Andrew and Belinda, who spent many of their younger years at Garrick sitting in the audience at rehearsals and occasionally taking part in productions. Although too young to read, Andrew had a habit of remembering lines while watching rehearsals and explaining to his parents where errors in lines were occurring. Barbara as a teenager was very 4
1990’s. As well as those mentioned earlier, these included Man Alive, Wait Until Dark and Why Not Stay for Breakfast, all directed by Ken Smith and Pack of Lies and Away, both directed by Joey Leonard, the latter at Marloo Theatre. He also appeared in his brother Paul’s production of Edgar Metcalfe’s Garden Party, again opposite Barbara. In more recent times he was seen in Silhouette directed by Fred Petersen and Bone Chiller directed by Lynne Devenish. His main involvement during the last few years was Stage Manager for Cocky’s Crossing and Puss in Boots. In the mid-eighties Terry and Barbara were both heavily involved in a touring Old Time Music Hall, The Good Companions, directed by Ken Smith. This involved a number of other Garrick and Limelight members including Max Harvey, Lynne Devenish, Murray Dearle, Gwen Browning and Marion Lane. Barbara was also a founding member of Oliver’s Music Hall performing for several years in Midland. In recent years Barbara and Terry have mainly contributed as members of the Garrick Committee and are both very honoured to have been awarded Life Membership of the Garrick Theatre.
Her most recent performances have been in musicals – Garrick Salutes Gallipoli, Cocky’s Crossing and last year’s pantomime Puss in Boots directed by Douglas SutherlandBruce. Terry performed in many productions at Garrick, mainly during the 1980’s and early
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MESSAGE FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT THE AFL THE HON MARK MCGOWAN MLA
I WANT TO TAKE a moment to clear up a few things about WA’s upcoming AFL hub. The WA footy hub will look and feel very different to what is currently occurring over east. In fact, other States like Queensland and South Australia have recently announced that they will be following our lead. From the outset, we said we would never compromise our hard border arrangement. This position has not changed. We would only facilitate a footy hub on our terms, and based on the best health advice. As a result the AFL initially walked away from the WA model because it was too difficult, however they have now changed their tune and are now accepting of our conditions. This is how it would work in WA: - Our two WA teams will return from Queensland soon and be required to selfquarantine for 14 days, under strict rules, that will allow them to train and only play against each other during this 14-day period. - Any Victorian team that comes to WA will be sent directly to a quarantine hub. - Victorian teams will be forced to spend 14 days in the quarantine hub, under strict protocols where they will have no contact with the general public. - During those 14 days in the quarantine hub, Victorian teams will only be allowed to play other Victorian teams – no exemptions will be allowed. - There will be strict protocols and regular testing systems in place for the teams, based
on expert health advice. It’s also important to note that the AFL will continue to conduct regular testing of players to minimise any risk of potential infection. These arrangements are approved by WA’s Chief Health Officer and Police Commissioner. They have not changed. These measures will be strictly monitored and enforced by WA Police. No changes have been made to WA’s hard border controls. Simply, I won’t risk the health and safety of Western Australians. We are in an fortunate position here in WA, with no evidence of community spread and our hard border still in place, we can continue on our roadmap. This means we can carefully and responsibly get back to normal, open up our economy inside WA and get Western Australians back to work. Under Phase 5, expected to start on the 18th of July, large crowds will be able to return to Optus Stadium. With major events getting underway, including AFL games, this means hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs opening up for Western Australians. Whether it be stadium officials, ticketing jobs, security and hospitality at the events, or the hundreds of local businesses that benefit from the crowds before and after those events – it’s good news for our State and makes sure we continue to recover from the pandemic. But I remind everyone, we can’t get complacent and we should always follow the health advice. Stay home if you are unwell, keep up good personal hygiene and avoid unnecessary physical contact. We all have a personal responsibility to do the right thing, as we get back to normal.
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The Executive Committee President
Dale James
0407 426 957
Dalejames911@iinet.net
Vice President
Rodney Palmer
0478 410 330
Rodpickels@gmail.com
TAG liaison
Rodney Palmer
0478 410 330
Rodpickels@gmail.com
Treasurer
Terry Brown
Secretary Kerry Goode kerrygoode@iinet.net.au Production Manager Rodney Palmer
Production Kerry Goode
0478 410 330
Rodpickels@gmail.com
Siobhan Vincent
Douglas Sutherland-Bruce
Gail Lusted Ray Egan Jordan D’Arcy Archivist Tom Goode kerrygoode@iinet.net.au Bookings
Elaine Gilberthorpe 9378 1990
Bookings@garricktheatre.asn.au
Minute Secretary
Barbara Brown
9275 5281
Bar Manager
Rodney Palmer
0478 410 330
Rodpickels@gmail.com
Wardrobe
Colleen Bradford
0414 579 752
Colleenbradford@iinet.net.au
Technical
Caileb Hombergen-Crute
Front of House
Yvonne Starr
Set Supervisor
James Nailen
Shed Supervisor
Alan Shaw
Publicity
Douglas Sutherland-Bruce 0418 934 850 Publicity@GarrickTheatre.asn.au
Editor
Douglas Sutherland-Bruce 0418 934 850 Publicity@GarrickTheatre.asn.au
Social Convenor
2020 Adjudicators Dee Howells David Young Christopher Churchouse Yvette Wall
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The New Garrick Gazette Garrick Theatre Club (Inc) P O Box 122, Guildford Western Australia 6935 Print Post Approved 100002309
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STAY SAFE! Please: Stay home - the life you save may be your own. If you have to leave the house for essential reasons, please practice social distancing wash your hands
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