Visiting the Butterfly club

So can you take a 15-year-old boy out for a night of Cabaret?

In our case obviously you can and he can have a good time.

Jon Jackson has re-emerged for a short season of cabaret at the Butterfly club and Mr 15 had a great time. He is in awe of Jon's vocal range and his rapport with the crowd.

From a room not much bigger than your lounge room Jon took us somewhere much bigger. and it was a fun filled night.

Admitting that he doesn't normal do songs from Musicals, we then were treated to the full cast production of "Rhythm of Life".

This was after 58 audience members provided the backing vocals to Walk on the Wild side.

On the trip home Mr 15 compared Jon with Paul Capsis . The general agreement is that there is no comparison. Paul channels female vocalists. Jon just uses his range to hit the right notes. Mr 15 having seen performances by both is currently leaning towards Jon's treatment.

The last time I saw Jon perform was at the opening night of The Regent and frankly his performance was a lot more fun and enjoyable than the reception happening next door at the plaza. We could have listened all night.

I am glad he has chosen to tread the boards again.

Meantime I think we are about to enjoy a Shirley Maclean movie revival in our house. I might draw the line after the third viewing of Sweet Charity.

As for the Butterfly club, onwards and upwards please but if you do, change don't go mainstream. The venues like this need to keep supporting artists like Jon. And venues like that need the support of the audience.

More on Reg

Now that we must admit that we have lost the wonderful Reg Evans to the fires I have one more comment to make.

Speaking with an friend who is currently agentless he said he had seen the news and was wondering if that meant he should contact Reg's agent because there could now be an opening.
Sure it is in bad taste but I can't help but think that Reg would have appreciated the sentiment and probably would have bought the next round.

Hobsons Bay Season ready to Roll

The team at Hobsons Bay Venues have just released their fliers for this years season "Arts at Your Doorstep"
The art work is great and the roll of performances looks like a wonderful opportunity to experience shows around that side of town.

The season opens with Fiona Scott Norman's wonderful tribute to Vinyl. "The Needle and the Damage Done" running for three nights at the very atmospheric Williamstown Mechanics Institute.

For anybody who missed Fiona in her Melbourne Season here is a local opportunity to see her close to home.

If you think nothing happens in the west, have a look at the "Get Involved" page which will take you to the web sites of the three major companies over the bridge.

Williamstown Musical Theatre Company has a great line-up of shows this year. IN just a few short years since its reformation it has created a great following for terrific shows with lots of energy. The committee can be very proud of what they have manged to create there.

And closer to Melbourne there is also the very active Footscray Community Arts Centre which is running at full tilt with work about to get under way on its new theatre.

I notice Williams McInnes has managed to get his photo on their site. He is a worthy successor to the unstoppable Bill Hunter as "The Actor who manages to be seen Everywhere."

Talking TelevisionAU: Reg Evans

Talking TelevisionAU: Reg Evans

Bye Reg and Brian

The bushfires have left many of us with heavy hearts.
As the news started to come out about the loss of life around the state Sunday night was spent ringing many people to find out how they were fairing.
This is a regular activity during these times but this time the calls were going out across the state.

Finally on Monday night the news was not good. Many families had been lost and Entertainment Industry Stalwarts and their partners were gone.

Brian Naylor and his wife Moiree were the first bad news with the announcement that they had died fighting to save their home.

I remember Mr Naylor from the Days of first "Swallows Juniors" and later "Brian and the Juniors". Brian and the Juniors showed us that the song not the puffery is what matters. He was always able to acknowledge a young kid off camera just there to watch his big sister sing.

He also maintained the gravitas of the serious newsreader when he took over the chair in the newsroom from Eric Pearce.

Reg Evans and Angela were next announced missing. Reg was a great performer and all round good guy. There was no artifice you always got Reg. I last saw him at Fortyfive downstairs where he was playing in a Russian piece. He was full of life then as always.

Angela had been apparently recently talking about an exhibition of her work at Fortyfive.

Since starting on my list, Reg was one of the people who called to me last Friday and I had been puzzling since then on the correct aphorism that helped show the man.

The closest I could come was the following:

Reg is like the acting equivalent of Grange, a bit cheeky and tart when young but showing a fuller body with greater and more compex undertones when properly bottle aged and decanted sensitively. Although enjoyable now still has the potential for more enjoyment later.

Sadly we will never now realise what this classic might have become.
Even Variety this week has noted the passing of these two older statesmen of the industry although it strikes me as a somewhat backhanded tribute. Read the headline and you will see what I mean. The more I read it the more shallow I find the American Entertainment media to be.

Vale Reg and Brian and Moiree and Angela.

And Vale all the others who were just getting on with their lives at home on the wrong day. You will all be missed and words are useless at this time.

And to those who chose to risk their lives to fight this monster and to all those who have supported them during this time congratulations.

Next in line at 45

I spent the day at fortyfive downstairs yesterday doing a few chores.
As usual the pace was running full-on.
The gallery has an exhibition around the Darfur tragedy. Walking in the door at 11.15 to a gallery buzzing with people was an amazing feeling Many Wednesday mornings are dead quiet until the lunch time crowd moves in.

This exhibition deserves to be visited.

The performing arts arena was a buzz too with a set up happening downstairs and plans afoot for a musical performance next Monday - the proceeds of which will go to the bushfire appeal. In the meantime postcards for John Stanton's performance " And When He Falls: " had arrived.

This looks to be an inspiring presentation with John performing pieces from Marlow and Shakespeare on the Plantagenet Kings. A bit of Royal blood letting never hurt any good Democracy. Music is by Tony Gould.
The season runs from 11th to 29th March. Tickets at www.fortyfivedownstairs.com

The team at 45 is changing with the wonderful Alex in Marketing moving on to a position at the VCA. She has has been replaced by Abby who looks like she will become yet another great ingredient of the 45 Hotpot.