bentenlaughing

This interview was done a wee while back in March 2020 when Beverly was visiting Australia. Our world was beginning to change with COVID 19 and since this short but insightful interview we have each faced many limitations. Nonetheless I would like to leave the transcript as is for you to enjoy. Thank you for visiting my blog and reading and wishing each and everyone of you a year where health, freedom of movement and the joy of close companionship is once more a given. Janice Janice: Beverly, you are currently in Australia, visiting your family. I'm interested to know if working in Australia has had any lasting influence (or not) on the directions you've since taken? Beverly: Working in Australia was life changing for me. I came from a very hierarchical theatre world in German speaking countries. Not only was the director GOD, even the director of the Christmas Panto...., most of us actors waited to be told what to do on stage. Meeting all these irreverent perf...

  Janice:  Margaret, you recently were in Vietnam working with students of theatre.  Can you share some of your experience with us? Margaret: This was my second visit as Guest Lecturer at the Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema working on plays by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov with third year acting students.  In 2018 we worked on The Seagull and in 2019 Three Sisters.  These intensive classes form part of a semester on Western Theatre in which the students also explore texts by Moliere and Shakespeare. The Chekhov texts are difficult for acting students around the world because the style of naturalism requires detailed study of the text for clues about what motivates the characters. The Vietnamese style of acting is much more presentational - big on physicality and powerful gestures - with less emphasis on the tiny moment by moment shifts and inter-personal relationships that playing Chekhov requires. Als...

Sadly, many of us are saying farewell to one of Australia's most gracious and gifted actor/singers, Michelle Fawdon.... Michell'es stellar performance as Mary Magdalene in Jim Sharman's 'Jesus Christ Superstar' (1972)  will never be forgotten by those who saw her. She received acclaim for roles in both film and television, including receiving two AFI Awards. Michelle was equally celebrated for her roles in Australian Theatre. Photo: In friendship: janice slater, evie pikler & michelle fawdon (1980's ) Michelle played an important  part in so many of our lives. Not only through sharing her artistry but through her beautiful qualities & friendship. She was a great advocate of the arts in Australia and directly influenced my own life through inviting me to participate in The Women & Theatre Project (1980). We will never forget  you Michelle. Journey well...om mani padma hum om mani padma hum om mani padma hum... The exuberance displ...