Front view of club houseThe boardwalk / promenade for drinks
I was invited to cover the new MCC Kew Sports Club Inaugural Ball Saturday night on the 19th and I can confidently say it was a GREAT night had by all.
I’ve been to a few sports and bowling clubs around the traps but this one is in a league of its own. Very reminiscent of the grandeur associated with “country clubs”.
MCC Kew boasts ultra modern facilities with all 21st century technology in place … just to make life more comfortable.
For 6 months Angus MacIsaac, Club Chairman. had been orchestrating renovations and final touches ensuring the night went as smooth as their new greens (two being a punch carpet and the third a tiff dwarf) and I have the pictures to prove just that.
The 150 members and guests started rolling in on cue, giving me the opportunity to immortalise each couple on their maiden walk across the “green carpet”.
Welcomed by the chairman they preceded past the Trinity Grammar String Quartet, who added a fine touch to this salubrious room and then onto the outdoor promenade for drinks overlooking an amazing view.
After the salutary speeches and the unveiling of the cormmerative plaque by MCC president Paul Sheahan and Federal MP Josh Frydenberg, the impeccable staff served a delicious two course dinner to a serenade by The Valaries who featured as the nights entertainment. After dinner the girls turned up the tempo compelling the vibrant crowd to hit the dance floor and that is where they stayed until stumps.
The new MCC Kew Sports Club definitely adds value to our fair city and is a welcoming ‘go to’ destination for any occasion.
With a motto “There is always something to do at MCC Kew” this outstanding club is awash with sporting activities and social services. Including Bowls, Tennis, Bridge, Cycling and Group Fitness that includes Yoga!
If you are not a member I highly recommend you join and be part of this year’s summer program which include the “Barefoot Bowls Xmas Events” Melbourne’s Finest Barefoot Bowls Experience. For more details about what’s available go to www.mcckew.com.au
Ex president Ron Makin and friendTable set to impress looking towards the barMCC president Paul Sheahan, Member for Kooyong Josh Frydenberg. Chairman MCC KEW Angus MacIsaacThe party getting started in the main dining roomThe Valaries in full flightTennis Coach Bill Madafferi kicks up his heels with wife Carmen to the swinging sound of the ValariesSimon Collett and a friend
I would like to introduce you to Reuben Stone an inspired and inspiring young musician, songwriter, singer and performing artist.
I first encountered Reuben performing on the streets of Melbourne. His music stopped me in my tracks and after listening to one song I purchased one of his CD’s titled Spacing Memories. I am listening to that CD as I am writing this story.
Spacing Memories takes us on a journey throughout the ages, awakening rich emotional landscapes that draw us to the centre of our hearts. Reuben is a story teller. At 24 years old he is a seasoned artist with the need to release and share his enormous creativity and talent. He is a profound solo artist whose music and lyrics transcend time and space. Very refreshing.
Personally, I do not know much more about Reuben other than he is another really gifted New Zealander born and bred, and my research tells me he was raised on a diet of drums and bass.
I do recognise he is very charismatic with great talent and I know he is on the rise.
His latest EP titled Spy Plans, where Reuben composed, sung, played all musical instruments as well as designing his CD cover is now available for your listening pleasure.
The Shadow King is a story of power and vanity, fuelled by the disfiguring sense of entitlement, that is played out within a contemporary indigenous family dynasty in Arnhem land.
This compelling and confronting adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear, four years in the making, is the brainchild of director Michael Kantor and Tom E Lewis. It is inspired by the often tragic and desperate circumstances in current day Katherine, Tom’s home base.
This story illuminates human frailties. Exposing destructive internal forces that fuel greed, jealousy, ambition and politics. Forces that can distort and manipulate perceptions resulting in dire consequences.
All his life King Lear has been a major land owner and patriarch to his family and community. Now old and lacking wisdom he is lost in hedonism. His vanity craves the love and loyalty of his three daughters to support him in his twilight years. In deciding to divide his land between his three daughters, he ignites a sense of injustice.
Edmund, played by Jimi Bani, is deemed a bastard child by his community. He decides to turn the tables for himself, schemes to take down his legitimate brother and to secure wealth and power endears himself with Lear’s daughters played by Jada Alberts,Rarriway Hick and Natasha Wanganeen. He stops at nothing to achieve his goal.
One of the most absorbing and compelling ingredients of the story is the intoxicating use of indigenous language that appears to spring from the earth itself. We are drawn into a deeper understanding of human complexities and our ultimate desire for wisdom and humility. This is most poignantly revealed by Frances Djulbing when she is singing her song of sorrow and loss, a song composed by her.
Performing musicians Bart Willoughby from the legendary band No Fixed Address, Selwyn Burns and Djakapurra Munyarryun did not miss a beat in keeping the audience pinned to the stage in anticipation of the next scene. The magical scene transitions were subtly delivered by ingeniously multi layered staging. For me it was a much anticipated show and I loved it.
Co-Creators Michael Kantor & Tom E. Lewis
Director Michael Kantor Lighting Design Paul Jackson Set Design Paul Jackson, Michael Kantor & David Miller Sound Design Kelly Ryall Props & Costume Design Ruby Langton-Batty Music Consultant Iain Grandage Musical Arrangements John Rodgers Dramaturg Marion Potts Film Natasha Gadd, Rhys Graham & Murray Lui Performers Jada Alberts, Jimi Bani, Frances Djulibing, Damion Hunter, Rarriwuy Hick, Kamahi Djordan King, Tom E. Lewis, Natasha Wanganeen Band Selwyn Burns, Djakapurra Munyarryun, Bart Willoughby
An exuberant Michael Kantor, Frances Djuilbing and Bart Willoughby after the show
MC Marty Fields set the bar high for the evening with his dry, caustic humour and the vibe remained on the rise resulting in explosions of laughter from start to finish.
Tina Del Twist aka Wes Snelling was next to glide onto the stage and hold us spell bound with her cool jazz / blues vocals, laced with a hint of Boy George and just a pinch of Edna Everidge, looking absolutely glamorous in her stunning attire. Pure class.
The Great Condos (Daniel Oldaker and Rani Huszar) who specialise in circus and magic and are also well known to reflect “A peak of physical comedy”. Well, I got to say, that is an understatement and yes, that is the beautiful Rani folded up into that little box. And yes, the lid was shut and Daniel stood on top of it for our viewing pleasure.
Next on the bill was the acclaimed award winning comedian Asher Treleaven whipping up a sexual storm with his erotic manoeuvres.
The night climaxed with Chris “The Bloke” Franklin relating about the pros and cons of being a new age Aussie bloke. He ended this hilarious evening by singing his number one platinum hit on the ARIA charts “Bloke” and it hasn’t left my head since..wow Chris.
Finally, I would like to give Mitchell Faircloth extra special thanks and recognition in appreciation for his creation of the CRIMSON GOAT COMIC BOOK.
Tina del Twist
The Great CondosThe Great CondosAsher Treleaven getting everyone hot and bothered with his “interpretative” sexy manoeuvresChris “the bloke” Franklin standing his groundLes Twentyman AO and long time friend Ian from Off Beat MusicTT editor Mick Pacholli aka bro and host Jack Levy aka Elliot GobletMitchell Faircloth aka Slim Whittle debuting his creation CRIMSON GOAT COMIC BOOK
There is a huge part of me that loves Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, cabarets, crooners and all the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas. It was my parent’s heyday when those two iconic stars rose to fame and the “Rat Pack” reigned supreme. By the time I was switched on to this resonating wave of comedic influence it was the 1970’s and Elvis and Las Vegas were synonymous – and of course, I loved Elvis too.
I was tickled pink to have the chance to meet Tony Lewis recently and discover that the magic of Martin and Lewis lives on.
To begin this story I would like to take you back in history to retrace a couple of key events.
WW2 officially ended on the 2 September,1945 and by Boxing Day the next year Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel’s iconic Flamingo Hotel had opened for business, paving the way for the future direction of Las Vegas.
The times were buzzing with high voltage energy. Explosions of talent rose to feed a war-torn world starving for positivity, creative expression and a fresh brand of humour, and on July 25, 1946 Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis teamed up to launch their comedy duo in Atlantic City’s 500 Club, triggering a powerfully transformative wave of hope and enthusiasm. Their humour tapped into a sense of innocence, romance and cheeky bravado that helped re-align the shattered psyche of a world seemingly hell bent on destruction for “the greater good” … and that’s no mean feat!
Now, flash forward 68 years and the world has produced two of the greatest tribute performers in Tony Lewis and Tom Stevens whose Martin and Lewis Tribute Show is offering a window and a fresh view into those dynamic times.
For 29 years comedian, writer and actor Tony Lewis has been delighting Australian audiences with engaging and diverse cabaret style shows. With a repertoire consisting of over 70 voices and characters he pays tribute to the greats such as Elvis Presley, Tom Jones and Neil Diamond to name a few. But it is his uncanny resemblance to Jerry Lewis that makes him the quintessential Jerry Lewis tribute artist. To quote Tony “I have a mind like a zerox machine”.
On the other side of the world American comedian, writer and actor Tom Stevens has been a successful cabaret performer for 30 years, with over 500 live Dean Martin Tribute performances in Las Vegas over the last 11 years alone. He is undoubtedly “The best Dean Martin tribute artist ever”.
You can imagine how these guys felt when they finally saw each others’ acts via cyberspace last year! Together they have created the greatest Martin and Lewis Tribute Show of all time and it is playing to sell out audiences in LAS VEGAS.
They re-create much loved original Martin and Lewis skits from the 40”s and 50′s as well as successfully weaving their own written material and contemporary themes into the original comedic formula created by Lewis and Martin. The positive vibe and success of their shows have built a momentum that is growing with every performance.
Die hard fans and the uninitiated alike can enjoy the DVD of the recent Martin and Lewis Tribute Show telecast in early October 2013 before a live audience hosted by Las Vegas Rocks on the Tony Sacca Show.
The Martin and Lewis Tribute Show debuted in Australia last October leading to sell out live and telecast shows in Las Vegas. There is talk of a return Aussie tour in 2014, so stay tuned …
To find out more about Tony Lewis and his amazing career past, present and future, and to catch the tail end of his 2013 Australian tour dates check out https://www.facebook.com/tony.lewis.946
Melbourne readers: absolutely do not miss out on joining the incredibly talented and funny Tony Lewis for his final show of 2013, in his home town of Melbourne. Performing live at the Thornbury Theatre on the 29 November.
I’ll leave you with a couple of quotes from the great Jerry Lewis himself:
“I get paid for what most kids get punished for.”
“When I was a kid I said to my Father one afternoon, Will you take me to the zoo? He answered, If the zoo wants you, let them come and get you.”
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