If not for the Education Minister’s Art Award in 1994, Jemima Wyman may well be moving to LA to pursue a career in the performing arts. Instead she’s donning her best flannels and a balaclava, cashing in her lottery-winning green card, and heading to the city of angels to continue her successful practice as a contemporary visual artist. Somewhere in her busy schedule she has found time to take part in the Institute of Modern Art’s current exhibition, Feminism Never Happened, and will also take up the invitation to appear at Sydney Biennale 2010. Raised in a creative and open-minded family in Mackay, Jemima attended a state secondary school that encouraged arts and cultural studies as an entree into university studies. Continue reading ‘live dreamer - jemima wyman’
Archive for the 'Live' Category
An up-and-coming, straight, hotshot actor falls head over heels for another man, who has a newly pregnant ex-girlfriend. Throw a savvy talent agent in the mix and you have The Little Dog Laughed. Just the right mix of naughty, funny and glossy Hollywood drama, this Queensland Theatre Company production keeps nothing in the closet. The Little Dog Laughed is a clever commentary on our society’s obsession with celebrity and QTC artistic director Michael Gow says the Hollywood jabs and insights are “cutting but never cruel”. See for yourself if this little dog is barking up the right tree, with tickets available through QPAC.
Many young actors aspire to be famous and to indulge in the spoils of celebrity life. But 68-year-old Australian actress Penny Everingham never wanted to be famous – she simply wanted to act in the theatre. As a graduate of NIDA, accomplished puppeteer, board member for the Queensland Theatre Company (QTC), and currently starring in QTC’s rendition of Arthur Miller’s iconic work The Crucible, Penny’s versatility and stamina throughout her career have been astounding. As is the case with many arts-related professions, sticking with what you feel so passionately about is hindered by the lack of employment opportunities and the inability to remain creatively inspired. It takes persistence, courage and wisdom to keep auditioning and perfecting your craft. From part-time jobs, temporary contracts and motherhood, Penny has faced many challenges that could have easily made her abandon, or simply never start, her acting career. But had she let these challenges get in her way, or had she listened to those around her when she embarked on her nonconforming journey, she might never have become the revered leader in Queensland’s acting community that she is today. Continue reading ‘live dreamer – penny everingham’
“it’s eargasmic!”
Here is an orchestra that specifically states “no snobs allowed”. Deep Blue Orchestra last night unleashed upon ears and eyes their latest show “The Dream”. If you go in expecting a traditional classical performance, you’re in for a sizzling surprise. You won’t need to turn your phone off during the performance; in fact, they want you to keep mobiles on, and sms them your thoughts and dreams during the show! One such sms from their opening night was: “it’s eargasmic!”. Watch ABC’s Stateline at 7:30pm today for a story on these revolutionary musicians. “The Dream” will be showing at La Boite Roundhouse Theatre, Kelvin Grove until 17 October 2009.
Quan Yeomans’ childhood dream was to be an astronaut or a fireman. “I never thought of being a rock star,” Quan admits. “I never posed in front of mirrors with guitars, which is why I looked awkward on stage for most of my career.” Since Quan’s Brisbane-born band, Regurgitator, started out in 1994 – splashing colour, rebellion and plenty of ‘Blubber Boy’ fever over the Australian music scene – he has continued to experiment in the music and animation space. Most recently, he has relocated to Hong Kong and is flying solo with his debut album, The Amateur, released in November last year. Next for the ‘Gurge’ is Rock Show – a music and dance collaboration with gutsy Queensland choreographer, Gavin Webber. The turbo-charged concert plays at QPAC from November 26–29 and promises to be an assault of the senses. Continue reading ‘live dreamer – quan yeomans’
Peter Greenaway’s aesthetic is famously innovative and often contentious. The internationally acclaimed artist, curator, composer, publisher and filmmaker believes cinema is dead, thinks artists should be arrogant, and doubts that anything is truly new these days. In conversation, Peter is utterly intriguing and infectiously passionate about the potential of film to captivate audiences when matched with whiz-bang technologies and contemporary sensibilities. Brisbane audiences will experience his true genius when he presents his famed Tulse Luper VJ Performance and Rembrandt Fascination Lecture at GoMA as part of Brisbane Festival in September. Expect a state-of-the-art interplay of images, lighting, music, voices and sound. Continue reading ‘live dreamer – peter greenaway’
Once upon a time, I bought a brand new bed. I was naively wooed by the readymade boudoirs set up in the bed factory and thrilled by the different-shaped pieces that were delivered to my door. The heady lure of bubble wrap sent me into a domestic frenzy. I was also mildly giddy with the vision I had of myself effortlessly erecting my bed over a blissful bottle of red while listening to Radio National.
Yet four hours in, on a balmy November evening, unable to risk benefiting from a ceiling fan for fear of an accidental clash with my bedhead; I was now more than flummoxed with the task before me. The instructions were blatantly wrong; the flimsy chipboard was cumbersome at best for one to negotiate solo; and the salesman downright lied when he said you didn’t need any tools to assemble my new nest. Continue reading ‘the mirage of the pret-a-porter life’
With long, straight, silky champagne-blonde hair, a willowy figure, and tug-at-your-heart ice-blue eyes, Aimee Mann is a striking sight to behold. On the phone the American pop songstress comes across as calm, considered and quietly witty. Having spent more than half her life in the music industry – she started out playing punk rock at age 17 and shared the spotlight with other iconic children of the eighties, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper – at 49 she’s managed to maintain her musical prowess and creative integrity, dodging many classic music-industry booby traps along the way. She visits Australia for the first time in September and kicks off her tour at the Brisbane Powerhouse on September 3 with a soulful set including songs from her seventh pop album, @#%&* Smilers. Continue reading ‘live dreamer – aimee mann’
Some of you may remember her as Kath Walker and others as Oodgeroo Noonuccal – an incredible Aboriginal-rights activist, campaigner, poet, artist, writer and educator. In 1974, a BOAC aircraft was hijacked in Dubai by Palestinian terrorists. The aircraft was flown to Tunisia and held on the tarmac for three days. Oodgeroo was on that plane. See her story played out in a new production at La Boite that shows her time as an activist and a mother to two sons, as well as the untold tensions that tore the fabric of one of Australia’s most prominent families.
Fleur Elise Noble. It’s the kind of dreamy name that inspires perfume labels. After an animated phone conversation with Fleur, 24, I decide her signature scent would splash words like ‘ethereal’ and playful’, ‘real and honest’ all over the perfumery floor. Take a peek at her filmic theatre work (www.fleurelisenoble.com) and you’ll see for yourself these characteristics in her puppets, sketches, performances and projections. Last year Fleur was awarded ‘Best in Show’ in Brisbane Festival’s Under the Radar program – a curated fringe-theatre festival that celebrates new work by emerging, mid-career and experimental artists (www.brisbanefestival.com.au/undertheradar). Now, with a busy program of festival shows and a world tour newly on the cards, she thinks she just might be living her greatest achievement at this very moment …
Spunk Records have certainly outdone themselves in recent years, picking up a myriad of outstanding breakthrough Australian acts like Leader Cheetah, Firekites and most recently The Middle East. All six members of The Middle East reside in regional Townsville, and together produce lush songs that are warm enough to wrap around you and keep you toasty on brisk Autumn evenings. The lyrics are devastatingly beautiful, conveying themes of death and identity, framed by a euphoric cohesion of acoustic guitars, percussion and angelic harmonies. The Middle East release their debut EP at The Old Museum on Thursday June 4, a body of work that includes the triple j-supported single ‘Blood.’
Given the opportunity, there are some minds that you couldn’t resist but explore. What is it that occupies the greatest imaginative depths of a mind that has created hundreds of songs, plays and literary works? Rarely are we given such insight. For Nick Cave, when approached by the Melbourne Arts Centre to archive the boxes of ephemera he had accumulated throughout his rock career, it was a chance to find a purpose for the stuff that lay in storage – a result of years of “wiping the top of his desk clean into a box”. But for curator Janine Barrand, it was the chance to capture a glimpse of what makes one of rock music’s most intriguing characters tick. Through original lyrics, notebooks, artwork, photography, books, objects and other paraphernalia Nick had accumulated over the years, Janine wove together an exhibition comprising more than 800 items. Currently on show at QPAC’s Tony Gould Gallery, Nick Cave – The Exhibition is a fascinating journey through the twist and turns of the mind of a musical master. And it is a journey that, much to his own surprise, has given Nick Cave an intriguing insight into the inner workings of his own mind.
the beez kneez
The stylish yet haphazard composition of The Beez band (wild outfits, toylike instruments and a seemingly random and wacky repertoire) may indicate a lackadaisical approach to music-making. But to the contrary, their skill and creativity as musicians is obvious from the moment they swarm to the stage, producing tightly crafted, imaginative takes on old and new songs. And this impression was echoed in the hive of activity and buzz of excitement of my fellow audience members. Continue reading ‘the beez kneez’
As the day slowly slid into evening, a teenage Polly Stenham watched the lights of the theatre blink on. With her father by her side, she joined the parade of people who passed through the entrance and into the warm interior of the grand old theatre. Clutching her ticket, she was drawn into another world, where she laughed, cried and got lost in the magical milieu. Little did she know, this semi-regular ritual between father and daughter would play a huge part in Polly’s future career. Fast-forward six years and now, still only 22, Polly has caught the world’s attention with the dramatic debut of her first play, That Face, which enjoyed sell-out success in London. In the midst of transforming her play for the big screen, Polly is also excitedly preparing to fly to Australia from London to witness Queensland Theatre Company’s Australian debut of her play, which opens this month. Continue reading ‘live dreamer – polly stenham’
Cadbury chocolate comes from Ghana? Apparently it has sourced the beans from the Ghanaian Theobroma cacao for the last 100 years. And now in an encouraging move, the ‘glass and a half’ multi-national has announced it is going Fair Trade. The company has released an understated site, communicating its intentions and inviting feedback. The glass is half full indeed.
In an effort to provide the public with a greater insight into contemporary dance, Anything Is Valid Dance Theatre (AIVDT) was founded in 2006 on the streets of Perth, Western Australia. Graduates of the nationally recognised Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Serena Chalker and Quindell Orton have set alive their passion for dance into the public through the use of improvisation. Continually reminded that “anything is valid”, these talented young dancers take their inspiration to contemporary dancer and performer Olivia Millard. Working on and around the Perth CBD, AIVDT draw in passers-by and support from building structures to create their performances. Continue reading ‘taking it to the streets’
Hearing Grayson Millwood’s plans for 2009 provides some clues as to why he is wedded to dance as a career. The Aussie expat’s tour schedule reads like an ultimate honeymoon escape: Bordeaux, Havana, Zurich, Paris, Montreal, Seoul, Freiburg, and many other interludes including two trips to home soil, first to re-stage his acclaimed dance-theatre piece, lawn, with Splintergroup at Brisbane Powerhouse in February, followed by a screening of a new film he starred in, The Rape of the Sabine Women, at the Melbourne International Arts Festival in October. Needless to say, Grayson considers himself successful for the sole reason he can survive financially by doing what he loves. But, he admits, it wasn’t love from the first dance …
