Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, September 28, 2011 - Page 47
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Radio Confidential: Caro wins top award ..... Page 48 Veritas: Writers’ Guild ward winners ................. Page 49 The Spoiler: Next week’s ‘soaps’ plotlines ............ Page 49 Jim and Aaron: Best DVD-film selections ................. Page 50 Cheryl Threadgold: Community Theatre - it’s a wrap ...... Page 51 PLUS THE LOVATT”S MEGA CROSSWORD
ST KILDA’S ‘SITE UNSEEN’ Aspects Of Love
Yes, Prime Minister
● Philip Quast (left) is Sir Humphrey and Mark Owen-Taylor the Prime Mnister, Jim Hacker, in the stage play of the BBC series, Yes, Prime Minister, to be staged at the Comedy Theatre from January 31. ■ Written by Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay, the creators of the classic BBC comedy that was compulsory viewing for millions worldwide, Yes , Prime Minister was a sell out in London’s West End, went on a triumphant tour of the UK, and is now back for a return London season. “Yes , Prime Minister won the West End Best New Comedy award,’ says Andrew Guild, joint producer with Simon Bryce, Tim Woods and UK partners Yes, Prime Minister (International) Ltd. Andrew promises that the West End hit is witty, fast paced, clever and unpredictable “It’s guaranteed to have audiences walking out whistling the tunes: global warming, government cynicism and manipulation, the role of the media, and asylum seekers. “Yes , Prime Minister is an absorbing, very contemporary comedy that forces us at the same time to confront real moral issues, but never preaches. We leave laughing – and we’ve got enough material for water cooler conversations to last for weeks.”
Media Flashes ■ The Australian Press Council has upheld a complaint lodged against the Herald Sun about a headline that was said to have implied that the behaviour of a minority of Muslims outside a Court should be regarded as typical of the religion itself and its followers. Dr Zachariah Matthews from Just Media Advocacy said that this implication conveyed an inaccurate and unfairly negative stereotype of Islam and Muslims. ■ The Press Council has upheld some aspects of a complaint by John Barnes against the Ballarat Courier. Mr Barnes said the newspaper misinterpreted Victoria Police statistics in a Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development report.
■ The City of Port Phillip, the Port Phillip Community Group, Many Moons Group and Sacred Heart Mission present the world premiere of Site UnSeen from October 6-22 as part of the Melbourne Festival. Venture into the underworld of Site UnSeen where social exclusion and homelessness collide with mirth, satire, beauty and grim reality. An interactive multimedia theatre piece, Site UnSeen literally walks its audience through the darkened streets of St Kilda, crafting with dark humour and wit, the sensate moments that constitute a life of homelessness. Created by art and theatre workers collaborating with communities of people who have experienced homelessness, Site UnSeen utilises iconic locations around St Kilda to present the reality of those who are most invisible, and has been co-created by people who have been there. From the initial Circus of Exclusion to the final Kaleidoscope of Multiple Exits, the show discards the veils surrounding invisible people and places, to take you on an extraordinary journey where the usual codes of behaviour do not apply … or help you survive. Principal art-makers Graham Pitts and Robyn Szechtman have worked in a close collaboration with more than twenty key community members for over twelve months. Together they have created this unique, site-specific narrative ‘documentary’ where audience members are sometimes observers and the observed - the act of seeing and being a strong element of the work. Venue: Various, commencing at the St Kilda Lower Esplanade Carpark (St Kilda Triangle Site, next to the The Palais Theatre, St Kilda), Alfred Square and Theatre Works, 14 Acland Street, St Kilda. Dates: October 6 – 22 Times: Thu Oct 6 - 4pm and 6pm; Mon – Fri at 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 6pm, 8pm; Sat – Sun @ 4pm, 6pm, 8pm Duration: 1hr 20mins – no interval Tickets: $35 full price $15 Concession, Vic Carer’s Card Holders Free. Schools book through ATOM (Australian Teachers of Media) Bookings: Ticketmaster, Theatre works, ATOM - Cheryl Threadgold
● Sam McPartlan and Britt Lewis are in CLOC's Aspects of Love. Jessica Cornish’s review from opening night is on Page 49. Photo: Richard Crompton
Beccy’s new CD
TALKING SET-TOP BOX FOR SIGHT IMPAIRED ■ Vision Australia, the Australian Government and industry are celebrating the commercial release of a product that is set to revolutionise the way Australians who are blind or have low vision access TV. Using text to speech technology, the Talking Set-Top Box is designed to assist with the navigation of electronic program guides, on-screen menus and TV settings. Vision Australia worked with the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy to carry out a trial of the talking set top box as part of the Household Assistance Scheme rollout in regional Victoria. The Household Assistance Scheme provides free help for maximum rate pensioners to switch to digital TV. To find out more about the Household Assistance Scheme and the switchover in your area visit www.digitalready.gov.au or call 1-800 20 10 13.
● Beccy Cole is releasing a new CD, Songs and Pictures. Rob Foenander has all the details on Page 48.