Presented by Australian Institute of Comedy In association with the Alex Theatre
Open Media team had the opportunity to film and photograph renowned comedic archeologist Professor Beverly Attenborough outside an actual dig site, situated in the bowels of the Espy Hotel in St Kilda.
Extraordinarily well-preserved fossils have been excavated and will be on show at the Alex Theatre 1/135 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda on the 29th February 2020 at 7pm.
Melbourne’s beloved all rounder Brian Nankervis will host this comedic event, the rarest in Australian history.
Other legendary comics include Flacco, Raymond J Bartholomeuz, Ethel Chop, Con Marasco, Elliot Goblet, Elle McFeast, Slim Whittle, Pate Biscuit, Bev Killick and special guest Professor Beverly Attenborough.
I am not an actor, professional or otherwise nor aspire to become one. None-the-less tonight I found myself attending the first night of Peter Kalos’s weekend long acting workshop Understand the Methodat the Alex Theatre.
I first met Peter Kalos a few short months ago while working with colleagues who set up shop within the Alex Theatre arts hub. I was instantly refreshed by Peter’s presence and his desire for honest connection and to cut to the chase. This I like. Among my endeavours, I create media content and as he had not long moved his acting school Actor’s Lab and theatre company Lab Theatre into the Alex, this is exactly what he wanted. We immediately had a common thread.
A couple of days later he seized the opportunity and invited me into one of his method acting classes being held in Theatre One, the biggest theatre. There were about 30 of his students draped around the theatre in various configurations. Peter was feverishly pacing up and down the aisle continuously guiding his devoted congregation. They had their eyes shut and appeared to be in their own zones. They were to enact his seemingly random and often contrary suggested scenarios. He quickly ran up the aisle to where myself and a colleague were observing and eyeballing me, a few inches from my face, said ‘watch this’. With a particularly emotive suggestion the sound of authentic and hysterical wailing women and men started filling the room. He turned to us and winked. I felt the goose bumps and immediately saw the potential of a reality show on the drawing board. I thought this guy is an ultimate trip master.
Some say the mark of a true creative is to have the ability to inspire others. Peter is a true creative.
“All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players.” Act-II, Scene-VII of the play As You Like It by William Shakespeare. Never truer words.
So tonight we had a similar scenario going on but in a different studio setting with the same dedication and iron clad resolve from the 20 plus students. Eyes shut, in the zone. I started doing what I do, which is welding the camera, spying on others doing what they do. I’m watching these individuals being guided to other dimensions. All the time Peter was fuelling this collective flight with his seemingly irresistible words. The allure got the better of me and I put the camera down and joined the multiverse. We were even guided to the moon at one point.
What is fuelling this incredible communion? I am not entirely sure but tonight Peter shared some very interesting stories about his personal experiences with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio as a cameraman during the auditions for Gilbert Grape in LA, and what he witnessed on the set between Robert de Niro and Sharon Stone during the filming of Casino. Gripping and tantalising stories which are seemingly never ending.
Peter Kalos knows his business, every which way and is gifted with an insatiable ability to share it with his students. All are welcome to come along to experience the extraordinary world of Method Acting.
A never before published exclusive, intimate and very insightful interview with psychic medium John Edward produced by Open Media as a prelude to his 2019 appearances at the Alex Theatre on 25, 26 & 27 October, 25 & 30 November and 1 December.
The Evening will begin with Q & A, John will then connect with the other side delivering messages to the audience from loved ones who have crossed over.
VIP ticket holders get seats closest to the stage, they stay for a special Q & A and then meet and greet with a photo of them and John. In addition to that, they will receive a one-year membership to Evolve. (No welcome package is included)
Produced by Open Media
Interview by Lucy Gale
Sound by Alexander Stuart Black
Original music ‘Psychic Kiss’ by David Morris
Special thanks to John Edward and Dianna O’Neill Publicity
Some years back we had the opportunity to interview world renown Psychic Medium John Edward.
In this informative & compelling interview John has answered questions about what it means to be a psychic medium and how he shares this gift with the world.
As a prelude to his forthcoming 2019 tour at the Alex Theatre in St Kilda we decided to publish this interview in three parts in PODCAST format for your listening pleasure.
Sound by Alexander Stuart Black and original music by David Morris
The Evening will begin with Q & A, John will then connect with the other side delivering messages to the audience from loved ones who have crossed over.
VIP ticket holders get seats closest to the stage, they stay for a special Q & A and then meet and greet with a photo of them and John. In addition to that, they will receive a one-year membership to Evolve. (No welcome package is included)
Review by Marian Webb / photographs by Kerrie Pacholli
Daniel Schepisi and Katharine Innes performing in Fifty Words by Michael Weller
FIFTY WORDS by American dramatist MICHAEL WELLER premiered Off Broadway in 2008. Now, Lab Theatre, under the masterful direction of PETER KALOS, has brought the two-hander to the Alex in St Kilda.
Talented stage and screen performers KATHARINE INNES and DANIEL SCHEPISI portray Jan and Adam, a couple whose marriage reaches crisis over the course of a night when their nine-year-old son Greg is away on a sleep-over. The actors have both trained under Kalos in the American ‘method’ tradition pioneered by Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York and brought home by Kalos after a 20-year sojourn in the US.
Method is highly suitable to cinematic acting as it allows actors to tap the depths of their own psychology to give naturalistic, nuanced expression to the characters they portray. This kind of cinematic realism was on display in the stag performance I witnessed on Thursday night (25 July). There was genuine intimacy between the actors, who performed much of the play’s first act facing each other in profile to the audience, a positioning which rendered audible projection of dialogue somewhat difficult without the aid of cinematic microphones. Added to this challenge, Lab Theatre has only recently taken up residence at the Alex, which boasts an auditorium presumably larger than the ‘black box’ in Brunswick where in 2017 Lab Theatre began. Levels improved after intermission, however, when dialogue was perfectly audible.
Katharine Innes gave an assured, high-key performance as the overworked, overwrought Jan, a ballerina turned mother-cum-data-analyst. Daniel Schepisi gave a truthful rendition of Adam, Jan’s loving husband bemused by her increasingly frantic outbursts. There was much to love in his performance, although layers of deceitfulness and cynicism in Adam’s character seemed alien to the promising young actor.
The set, credited to Lab Theatre producers DENNIS MANAHAN, SKYE YOUNG and NATALIA NESPECA, is extraordinary; it presents an entirely liveable apartment complete with functioning kitchen, tasteful dining room, windows backdropped with nocturnal cityscape, and a translucent upstairs bedroom. A projected digital clock indicates the passage of time through the all-night action of the play.
The play’s title – Fifty Words – refers to a wish voiced by Jan for as many words in English for love as there are Eskimo words for snow. This is a love story about a crisis in intimacy that besets a marriage suddenly released from the blanketing burden of child-rearing.
Lab Theatre is to be congratulated for a nuanced and engaging piece of stage craft. The company is a welcome addition to the artistic life of St Kilda and well-placed to become a magnetic centre of excellence.
WHERE:
Alex Theatre – Level 1, 135 Fitzroy Street, St. Kilda
Performance Dates – Fifty Words
Wednesday 24 July (Preview): 8PM
Thursday 25 July (Media &VIP)
Friday 26 July (Opening): 8PM
Saturday 27 July: 8PM
Sunday 28th of July: 5PM
Thursday 1st of August: 8PM
Friday 2nd of August: 8PM
Saturday 3rd of August (CLOSING NIGHT) 8PM
THE TELEGRAPH
“Psychologically compelling.”
TIME OUT ****
Fifty Words, by playwright Michael Weller, produced by Lab Theatre is opening this week at the Alex Theatre in St Kilda.
This is a powerful play of love, anger and betrayal with two of the most promising Australian actors in Katharine Innes and Daniel Schepisi.
Directed by Peter Kalos, the story is about Adam and Jan who are finally alone together for the first time in almost 10 years. Without the buffer of their nine-year-old son (who is away at his first-ever sleepover) Adam’s attempt to seduce his wife before he leaves on business the next day begins a suspenseful nightlong roller-coaster ride of revelation, rancour, passion and humour that explores a modern-day marriage on the verge of either a breakup or deepening love…
This smoothly scripted multi-layered play reveals how closely love and hate can be linked in marriage; with each problem experienced as parents, another subsequent layer revealed shows yet another problem in their relationship. The play is an incisive close-up of the emotional battleground of contemporary relationships and the lengths to which a couple will go to save it.
“The play is a bruising back and forth of power games, recriminations, seemingly innocent putdowns and ugly confessions, but it’s the evidence of inextinguishable love and desire that makes this 21st century George and Martha fascinating.” – David Rooney, Variety
This May saw the Sunshine Print Artspace SPA host it’s 2019 annual Fundraiser Art Auction.
Under the same roof as the prestigious Fundere Fine Art Foundry, SPA presented 96 works of art for auction by 64 contributing artists from all over Melbourne with most works going under the hammer as SOLD.
Unlike most fundraising art auctions, contributing artists are given the option of receiving a percentage of sale of their artwork.
SPA is a non-for profit creative hub, established by Adrian Spurr and his long time colleague Phillip Doggett-Williams. It is an open space providing self-expression and creativity, dedicated to fostering, promoting and facilitating excellence and innovation in artistic practice by providing an access printmaking studio for established and emerging artists and members of our community.
The entire two hour event was filmed by Henry Greener producer of THE SHTICK
The Macnamara Candidates’ Forum was held on the 30 April 2019 in the heartlands of St Kilda at Memo Music Hall and there was standing room only.
Produced and organised by Serge Thomann of unChain Inc. and sponsored by Memo Music Hall and the Vineyard the proceedings started at 7pm sharp and the race was on.
Local candidates’ Steph Hodgins-May (Greens), Kate Ashmor (Liberals) and Josh Burns (ALP) had an initial ‘timed’ four minutes to share their prospective party’s Policies on many issues across the board.
Moderator for the night, John Daley captained a well oiled and rhythmic flow which made for a fast paced delivery from our three Macnamara Candidates for this coming Federal Election on the 18 May 2019.
The pressure was on and all three candidates held their positions; perhaps breaking a little sweat at times, as they were succintly probed by a couple of highly distinguished keynote speakers.
Professor Michelle Foster inaugural director of the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness at the Melbourne Law School lead the charge; raising the bar from the get go about respective party policies on refugees and social-economic rights. The Greens call for a “Charter of Human Rights”, The Liberals were more about growing “The Pie” to allow small business to accommodate and Labor assured us that Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs will be all about sorting out the mistakes from the past and pushing for a closure of Naru.
Next keynote speaker was Lyn Allison the last former federal parliamentary leader of the Australian Democrats. She delivered pointed questions on policies around corruption, secrecy and accountability. Stating that Policies across the board are usually decided by a hand full of long time colleagues and it is not good enough. There needs to be Indigenous representation and protection of the natural environment. She is calling for a National Integrity Commission. All parties did there best, however the Greens shown bright with enthusiasm aligning themselves toward Labor, maintaining a cautious eye on accountability.
We then heard from four independents in Stephen Armstrong for the Sustainable Australia Party.
Ruby O’Rourke for children’s rights. Helen Paton from the United Australia Party and Independent Chris Wallis proudly single and all for sustainability and easing traffic congestion.
Staying on schedule, there was an equally fast paced Q & A from the audience to the candidates via Slido.com through the evenings Moderator.
In summary the ALP want to stop politics of fear and move toward innovation and collaboration. The Greens see fossil fuels as ‘got to go’, wanting to move toward 100% renewables. The Liberals are wanting to continue to grow “The Pie” through standard support to private enterprise and small to large business.
Henry Greener from The Shtick filmed the entire two hour event. You will have the opportunity to hear from the main Candidates but also from a few of the unprecedented Independents bidding for a seat and voice at the Policy table. He all also be interviewing organiser Serge Thomann on THE SHTICK.
Open Media has been employed to film and report on the Macnamara Candidates’ Forum on climate change & energy held at St Kilda Town Hall on April 3rd, 2019.
One of the organisers, artist Anselm von Rood from Stop Adani and partner documentary film maker Nicole Ma are strongly opposed to the Adani / Wilmar / Carmichael’s earth shattering mining scheme being set up at the Galilee Basin in Queensland. A hot topic of debate in politics as it threatens The Australian Great Barrier Reef as well as earth’s atmosphere in general.
I had a not so informed awareness of the name Adani and threats to The Great Barrier Reef, but like many, I am prone to wearing blinkers when it comes to issues that I feel I have little control over. So I mustered the courage and googled Adani Australia.
I discovered on the Adani Wilmar website they proudly state:
‘…At Adani Wilmar, we are committed towards working for a healthy growing India…’
Adani Australia is a company privately owned by Gautam Shantilal Adani, an Indian billionaire industrialist who is the chairman and founder of the Adani Group.
Their partners for the Carmichael Mine and The Great Barrier Reef mining threat is the Singapore based company Wilmar owned by Vinod Adani, sole director of a number of Singapore-registered companies that control the Australian rail and port assets and are in turn owned first in the Cayman Islands and then in the British Virgin Islands.
Filmed by Tim Barnett / Edited by Simon Barnett. Produced by Open Media
Adani Australia website states it is an energy and infrastructure company, dedicated to delivering energy solutions for an advancing world. One question that springs to mind is advancing into what…
I found it interesting that the Adani Australia website spearheaded their message to the world by showcasing Adani Renewables Australia first.
So far, one solar farm called Rugby Run near Morenbah became fully operational in early 2019. Apparently, there is another solar farm on the drawing board earmarked for Whyalla.
I learned that Adani / Wilmar / Carmichael conglomerant has mined coal in Australia for over 30 years and there is little doubt in anyone’s mind that Adani are good at employing people to mine coal and transport coal around the world.
I discovered that Adani Australia is keen to deliver power to the millions of Indian’s who have lived without coal driven electricity and that Adani have a power purchase agreement signed to sell 80% of energy generated.
I learned that Adani boasts owning the largest and most effective earth shattering dredging equipment. That this multi-dimensional energy and infrastructure conglomerate has acquired ownership of endless ports and rail transport networks around Australia and the rest of the globe.
“… At peak capacity the Carmichael mine would produce 60 million tonnes of coal a year, much of it “low quality, high ash…”
Perhaps Adani will conquer the world, literally, with their coal driven electricity trajectory.
The question beggars, are there other ways of creating electricity and energy and employing people in Australia and around the world in an eco friendly way? At the Macnamara Candidates’ Forum on climate change & energy I discovered there are other ways to power and employ in eco friendly, progressive ways, that will allow future generations of humans, plants and animals live.
Open Media is working with Port Phillip EcoCentre, Australian Conservation Foundation, PPAS (Port Phillip Alliance for Sustainability. Stop Adani, CAPP (Community Alliance of Port Phillip. LIVE (Locals into Victoria’s Environment, unChained and AYCC (Australian Youth Climate Coalition.
We will be continuing our coverage with extended film footage of the complete forum very soon as we head towards the Federal Elections on the 18 May 2019, so stay posted for other angles to this debate.
Tickets: Adults $36.85, Concession $34.40. Artist Passes welcome
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019 has tapped into our Australian larakin laughter mechanism once again, by that I am referring to Australian’s ability to laugh at themselves.
And for those of you who love a little theatre with their laughs then look no further, as the production of UgLeigh at The Alex Theatre (Fitzroy Street, St. Kilda) is sure to shock and entertain you.
UgLeigh is a humorous and confronting look at the added pressures we all contend with in current life; brought about by the seemingly never ending technology allowing us to change ourselves physically to suit the fashion of the day, to be enhanced, and more appealing to ourselves, and our perception of what other’s may want to see in us – at least on the outside.
UgLeigh sets a good pace from the outset and, for the most part, continues this throughout the production with laughter attained within the first few lines.
The ensemble cast deliver Charlotte Watson and Shamita Sivabalan collaborative work ‘UgLeigh’; not only did these two capable women write UgLeigh, they also produced and directed its’ production.
The lead actor, Maia Absberg’s portrayal of the ugly duckling ‘Leigh’ was passionate; humorous; confronting; and believable, right down to genuine tears, snot, and dribble. And Ben Lindsay, Nikki Nespeca, and Andrew Burns all delivered hilariously and animated characters husband, boss and surgeon of Beauty respectively.
This multimedia production of clever design, wit and craft is minimalist and punchy and performed to a Full-House at The Alex Theatre last night, which was the opening night for UgLeigh.
I recommend you get in quickly for this production as there are only four nights left of it’s run ( Thu. 11th April through to Sun. 14th April ) at The Alex Theatre, St. Kilda, where this production takes bold strides on the intimate stage at 8:00pm .
UgLeigh is akin to ‘Selfies and Botox meets The Rocky Horror Show’…
The Alex Theatre, 135 Fitroy Street, St. Kilda is easily accessed by the Light Rail and Trams, with ample parking at the primary school car park and surrounds.
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