Film In Preview

John Ford, director of ‘How Green Was My Valley’ and many other great westerns, once said, “It is easier to get an actor to be a cowboy than to get a cowboy to be an actor.”

Well when one considers that quote in regards to Mr. Buck Brannaman it may seem a contradiction of terms; Buck was a primary influence on Robert Redford’s 1998 film ‘The Horse Whisperer’ and he is now the focus of newly released documentary simply titled ‘Buck’. Is Brannaman an actor/ cowboy that John Ford spoke of? No, with a soft drawl he explained, “you know, I don’t have any fake ideas about this. Doing the film was fun, I get to travel and meet a lot of people, but I know that in a year or so most of the people will forget who I am, and I’ll just go back to my life.  And that’s ok with me.”

Brannaman is one of the world’s most revered horse trainers, travelling 40 weeks per year to run clinics across North America and the globe. ‘Buck’ follows Brannaman as he travels hundreds of miles away from his family to the clinics, in quiet solitude.

The film traverses landscapes that echo of Annie Proulx or Jim Harrison’s stories — mountainous and docile. It is easy to resign yourself to the old cliché and “judge a book by its cover” because, as a documentary film about horses, it seems easy to bypass. However, as far as stories go, Buck’s is one of the most intriguing and humbling that you may ever encounter. 

Early in life, Brannaman and his biological brother were at the hands of physical abuse from their father and moved to a foster family, the Shirleys (and on a side note, the Shirley family raised over 20 foster sons and deserve a film of their own!)  Now, as Brannaman has healed himself and regained the trust that was lost in his youth, he acknowledged his ability to heal horses, “I do the best I can.  It’s just as much about the horses as it is about the people.” 

Buck’s ‘best’ happens to encourage an honest reassessment of who you are, where you come from and where you’re going.  It’s easy to see that Brannaman’s heart easily outweighs his body; every interview is glowing — from ranch owners to family members to Robert Redford, who aptly states, “he’s the real deal.” 

At the conclusion of the film we are introduced to a troubled young colt, orphaned as a baby and now grown into an aggressive animal and “a danger to the owner and all who were around him.” 

The colt’s story is not a happy one, despite the “super human powers” that many believe Buck has, he is just a man doing his best. “I can’t fix something that’s broken. The owner brought a lot of baggage to the table and I couldn’t heal them. Obviously it made me quite sad but I can’t keep holding on to that, I have to just keep going. I can’t get mad at her or the horse. How they were didn’t happen overnight.”

And there we are,  turned to face ourselves at the hand of this man who has so much to offer, not just horses and animal-lovers, but all humans. As the interview concludes it seems that Buck may have well outstripped the success of many other men with one quote; “I love this and I don’t plan on retiring, I am already doing what I love and I will still be roping when I am 90.”

‘Buck’ will be in cinemas in early February.

Young At Heart

To the outsider, La Boite Theatre Company can best be described as this: a progressive and whimsical free-spirit that whirls around Brisbane, martini in hand, shocking and thrilling all who cross their path. Perhaps like a tasteful Lady Gaga, or a young Dame Edna. And while doing all of this, La Boite casts a vibrant spotlight over the Brisbane theatre scene.

The unveiling of La Boite’s 2012 season shows how conspicuously aware and adventurous the company is. Along with the release of the 2012 program, the Artistic Director of La Boite, David Berthold attached a vivacious open letter stating: “we've rhymed some Shakespearean joy with summery Scottish charm, layered a mischievous hoax with a mesmerising puppet, and crowned it with melting verses of tender napalm”.

David is refreshingly passionate about theatre; theatre that takes chances, loves, hates, questions and can ignite at an audience’s feet. “I love what this theatre can do. Live theatre produces the most intimate and sensual experiences between actors and audiences that I can imagine.”

Throughout its life, La Boite has fostered an incredible reputation among Brisbane theatre attendees. The company has been active since 1925, making it one of the oldest theatre companies in Australia. The 2011 season was met with luminous reviews with productions ranging from ‘The Gruffalo’ to the most recent, ‘Ruben Guthrie’. But one of the outstanding and inexplicitly complicated talents of La Boite is the ability to convert the attendees to the theatre.

This ability is one of David’s most appreciated facets of working for the company. He recalls that after a performance he: “spoke to a man who had never attended theatre and he was overjoyed. He was saying how incredible it was, like, ‘I could see them spit!’ For me, that change in people, and the direct experience theatre can provide, that is something I feel so privileged to be involved in.”

The 2012 line-up of ten productions includes five mainstage productions and five La Boite indie productions. The season opens with Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’, Helen Howard and Thomas Larkin leading the talented and experienced cast. Shakespeare is the cornerstone of theatrical endeavors and any chance to see an interpretation of his work should be taken. “It’s a privilege, Shakespeare’s work provides such a fantastic prism for theatre. He asks questions about politics, family and love. Always love! I love being able to grapple those questions and ‘As You Like It’ asks so many questions about love and people,” David says of the modern interpretation, which is armed to open the season in February.

April at La Boite will joyfully present the Traverse Theatre's ‘Midsummer (A Play With Songs)’, direct from Edinburgh, Scotland. The Guardian’s review of the production says it best: ‘You float out laughing as if you’ve just swallowed sunshine on a spoon.’ The show is about the great lost weekend we all dream about, while using the intricate architecture of the venue to play with the drama. “La Boite’s space and the roundstage that we have to work with will be a joy for this production.  At La Boite the actors have to act with their backs, they are always being watched from every angle.”

Although La Boite has the opportunity to showcase international acts, such as ‘Midsummer’, David is “always watching out for local works”. Later on in the year will see the company exploring the Australian performing arts, as they team up with Sydney's Griffin Theatre Company for the world premiere of ‘A Hoax’, directed by Lee Lewis. Following in August is another Australian production, the Dead Puppet Society's ‘The Harbinger’; an amalgamation of the theatrically surreal, mixed media and elaborate puppetry. “I saw the show and I thought, ‘this show has legs. I want to support this.’ So we worked on it, and it is going to be incredible; it will only get bigger and better,” David says. 

During the Brisbane Festival next September, La Boite will bring the vibrant and whimsical ‘Tender Napalm’ to the stage. “Philip [Ridley] is undoubtedly one of the world's most sensational playwrights. I've directed two of his plays and see in this, his latest, the most beautiful and acute distillation of his incredible art.” The play is about young love growing in an “exciting, buoyant and energised way”.

In addition to the main productions, ‘The Truth About Kookaburras’, ‘I Only Came To Use The Phone’, ‘Home’, ‘A Tribute Of Sorts’ and ‘Children Of War’ will feature as part of La Boite Indie. The La Boite Indie venture is an opportunity to showcase the rising talent in the Brisbane performing arts community. The productions are prime examples of the culture that’s blooming within the city. “Brisbane is a young city and that’s our audience; 15 to 25 year olds. What happens in our productions comes organically, but we encourage the vivacity, energy and playfulness that I see in Brisbane.”

This sense of playfulness is something that truly sets La Boite apart and is something that leaves the audiences returning again, and again. One of my first experiences with La Boite was during the run of ‘The Attack Of the Attacking Attackers’, a production that left me ecstatic and my theatre-virgin companion, a convert. That’s how La Boite gets you; the productions grab you by the hands and swing you around the room. You have to watch. You have to come back. This is what theatre is meant to do!
“Playing is what it’s all about, we want to do new things, we want our audience to feel energised and invigorated. It’s not what you expect in theatre. I mean, we let our audiences drink; we’re one of the only places that still lets you do that!”

To that, La Boite, I say “Cheers” and “Congratulations” on what is sure to be 2012’s example of the cultural extravaganza that is La Boite Theatre Company.

Ticket packages for La Boite 2012 are currently available — the new ‘Flexi-Pass’ even allows you to choose plays and dates later; not a hint, but they make great Christmas gifts! laboite.com.au

Comedy in Preview

Go to this show. If I could write two thousand words about Jamie Kilstein, I would. And I will — it just won’t fit in the magazine you’re reading today.  When I spoke to Jamie he was “occupying Wall St” and getting a tattoo, “so if you hear a needle buzzing, that’s why.” I hadn’t heard very much about Jamie before this interview but when I found out that he is a vegan-gay-rights-activist-left-wing-journalist-comedian-intelligent-American, I was instantly rapturous! Holy shit, this guy is awesome!

Occupy Wall Street has grown into a contemporary protest of epic proportions and has now spread to over fifteen hundred cities across the globe. Jamie and his wife have been involved since the early days of the remonstration. “At first, my wife said she was going and, to me, it sounded like a dumb thing for bored college students. They were like ‘Yay! There’ll be protest yoga, fight the power face painting!’

And I said, ‘I am going to kill everyone, this is awful,’ because it’s such a big message, you know? And at first it was like that with the face painting and the gimmicky stuff. Then that went away and now it’s teachers, activists, people who have lost their job. So I went down a week or two ago and I knew I was going to be impressed. But I went down there and was blown the fuck away.”

Jamie’s style of comedy is sharp-tongued, passionate and political; his balls to the wall stand-up centers on capitalism, animal rights and “me being an asshole.” Sure, the immediate relevance to an Australian audience may be slightly obscured by distance, but philosophically Jamie has a message we should all be open to hearing. “It’s not America bashing, it’s global; it’s about so much that is relevant to humanity and it’s stuff that’s not in the news. I am talking about things that Australians feel too, except I always get up and go, “I’m Liberal!” and all of my hippy Australian friends look so sad.”

Come to this if this sounds like the kind of hypocrisy-slamming, equality-loving show you would like. And, when asked to decide between some tragic comedy-clichés, “‘laugh yourself silly’ is the worst! But fuck it, I pick that.” My opinion: you’re crazy not to.

Jamie Kilstein is in Brisbane on Oct 22 performing at the Brisbane Powerhouse.

Director Interview – ‘The Hunter’

“Who needs acclaim, awards and love! Travelling with the film is my reward.” A film like ‘The Hunter’ comes along very rarely; an Australian film with a stellar cast, picturesque cinematography and a script with depth. Daniel Nettheim, director of the film, has a lot to be proud of when touring for his second feature film, which will be screening across the globe.

Australia’s version of “Showbiz” is perfectly realized in Daniel Nettheim. I arrive to an interview, very unprepared for the formalities of the hotel and publicists but when greeted by the smiling, talkative Daniel, I was reminded of something that is so brilliant about the Australian film industry. 

Daniel has a strong history in television directing, he said, “my past experience was invaluable for my confidence on ‘The Hunter’.  But people were biased against my televsion experience; people weren’t willing to give the ‘TV guy’ a chance.  But I wanted to use the cinematic themes to the fullest. I pushed myself harder because I did work on TV.”

‘The Hunter’ is based on the novel by Julia Leigh and when prompted to “never judge a book by its movie,” Daniel said, “I think we were true to the key elements of the book, the tone in particular. And, of course, the book itself is a very internal journey so we had to bring that drama to screen. Externalize the drama.”

Daniel said that his attraction to the idea was immediate, “I was attracted to the landscape - the idea of this intimate human story playing out against this spectacularly beautiful location. And I knew Tasmania a bit from having been there as a kid and a teenager.

“We wanted to make a film with a fresh, unique perspective and I think we’ve done it,” Daniel said, “who needs acclaim, awards and love! I am interested in seeing how the story translates internationally but I am nervous about how people are going to respond.”

Daniel’s personality brings so much to his work, you can see the care he has put into the film and the excitement about its upcoming release. He said, “people are going to look at me and say, ‘Hey, you’re the director of course you’re going to sing its praises!’ But speak to people who’ve seen it and come along! Bring your family – force them to all buy tickets.”

‘The Hunter’ is in cinemas now.

Burlesque in Preview

Burlesque is the performance genre that probably conjures up the image of sequins, Von Teese and tassles on certain body parts. Acclaimed burlesque performer, Coppelia Jane, is set to sizzle at ‘The Cannon Ball - A Rock ‘N’ Roll Pirate Masque,’ coming to Brisbane in October.

Described by many as ‘the latest dance craze sweeping the globe’, in Coppelia Jane’s opinion, burlesque is “a performance form that celebrates happiness and femininity.” But she believes it is the ability to portray specific messages that sets burlesque apart. “In each of my performances I aim to say something important and I think that’s what makes all the difference. I want to say something when I am performing and I try to surprise my audience every time I get on stage.”

When asked if she would be surprising the ball-goers she said, “it’s going to be a night of ‘burlesque with heart.’ The night is pirate themed and I am going to be performing as a widow of the sea.  There will be poignant performances like mine and some funny performances ranging to the likes of The Bertie Page Clinic.”  Having previously been the winner of Miss Burlesque Queensland, Coppelia Jane is now a heavyweight in the Australian burlesque scene. When I was set to interview the dancer I was expecting a husky-voiced siren, but what I was met with was a well spoken, bubbly and incredibly sweet lady.                                          
           
It is easy to see how Coppelia could fascinate and excite her audience; she is opinionated, confident and funny. But with burlesque being undeniably sexy, something that I find difficult to confront without a fit of giggles, I had to ask how this sweet doll could embrace her inner ‘vixen’. Coppelia answered with, “I don’t feel sexy when I dance, it’s more about body confidence and feeling good about yourself.
The media gives a strange message out and as women, we go through certain times where we lose confidence and its then that burlesque does what it’s there for – it brings it back to you.”

She continues, “I mean, I haven’t always been happy with my body and I need to get up there in the skimpy outfits. But now I know that my legs are strong from years of dancing and I can do so much with my body like circus, ballet and fire-eating. Why would I be disappointed with that?” And she’s right, who can deny a woman with the ability to climb a pole in a corset and heels?  Not me. Coppelia has been training for years to be so adept on the stage and it’s clear when you see her perform; moving with poise and giving a polished routine with all of her heart. And just in case you needed another talent to add to her nearing-ridiculous list, Coppelia just happens to be an avid self-taught costumer with skills in corsetry and millenary, resulting in each of her beautiful outfits being handcrafted and specialty made.                                                               

When I asked about ‘The Cannon Ball’, Coppelia was thrilled and encouraged me to “… dress up! That’s where the fun is! I hope I see you there, I’m so excited. As soon as you’re dressed up you’ll have a good time!” The organizers of the Masquerade Ball encourage guests to, “dress in their best pirate/ wench ensemble. When buccaneers and wenches don their masks, there’s no telling what escapades may ensue.” All profits from the night go to Sea Shepherd to support their work in protecting the world’s ocean life. The incredibly low cost of a ticket and the fact that talented performers will be gracing the stage all night, makes for an enticing Saturday night option. Coppelia will be collaborating with ‘Bertie Page Clinic’, Sydney’s ‘Contraban’, ‘The Ragtag Band’ and a selection of “delicious circus and burlesque treats including Lena Marlene and BB Lebuff.”             
                                                 
Even if you aren’t sure about burlesque you are still encouraged to come along; the night will be unlike anything you can regularly find in Brisbane and will be a brilliant experience for all who attend. In Coppelia’s words, “you are going to be left feeling something whether it’s a reaction to a dramatic 80’s revival burlesque clip or laughing yourself silly. It’s the burlesque scene that I want to be in, it’s got heart.”

‘The Cannon Ball - A Rock ‘N’ Roll Pirate Masque’ is on Saturday October 8 at the SYC Studios from 8pm.

Theatre in Preview

Australia has a lot to be proud of when we look to our performers; the talent to be found is undeniable and revered across the globe.  With great Australian productions consistently touring, we are indeed the ‘lucky country’ in that you don’t need to search very far to find an admirable example of the quality on offer.

Sunshine Coast resident and veteran performer John Jarratt (‘Wolf Creek’, ‘McLeod’s Daughters’, ‘Australia’, ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’) is one of these exceptionally capable actors currently making his way around the country. Jarratt himself describes Australian performers as “some of the most, if not, the best and most professional in the entertainment industry”. He is currently touring in the classic Australian play ‘The Sum of Us’, written by David Stevens and directed by Denis Moore. 

Personally, my first experience with ‘The Sum of Us’ came as a symptom of a Russell Crowe fixation I had throughout my teenage years (phone throwing and all, this still lingers on).  In the 1994 film, a very young Crowe plays Jeff who is living with his widowed father, Harry. Together the two men grind through life in suburban Australia in the wake of the untimely death of their wife and mother. 

The small family support each other through the sometimes trivial, and more often extraordinary, situations within which the family seems to find themselves. When watching ‘The Sum of Us’, you cannot help but experience the pleasurable familiarity of characters you feel you may have lived with and loved for your entire life.  I was lucky enough to speak with Mr Jarratt about his role as Harry in ‘The Sum of Us’, which is coming to QUT Gardens Theatre from September 15 - 17. 

John describes the play simply as “a play about love - love and family,” he said. “It’s a really nice piece about unconditional love.” Jarratt explained that the plot of the heartfelt comedy involves its audience in confronting some remarkable themes when, after the death of his wife, Harry is left coping with reintegration into the dating world and searching for his ‘Miss Right’ while, his son Jeff (Patrick Harvey) is searching for his ‘Mr Right’.  However, the play’s relationship between a father and his gay son (described as “a butch queen” by Jarratt), is “not the all-important theme.” 

The relationship between Jeff and Harry has a comedic streak running throughout, which is something that John Jarratt believes to contribute to the sellout crowds. “There are a lot of laughs, the theatre is packed every night and the crowds are fantastic. The play is very funny and the audience gets the humour, they laugh along to everything that’s happening on stage.”

There is no doubt that Australians love comedy; all you need to do is mention ‘The Castle’ or ‘Muriel’s Wedding’ and it seems as if the entire script can be quoted from memory by any fan.  In this ‘The Sum of Us’ is no exception, it is often referenced with a notorious quote from the script such as, “I'm tired of living in sin with my own right hand.”  However, Jarratt warns the audience to prepare for more than laughs because “although they laugh, they also cry.  It’s a very moving play.”

Famous for his characterisation of Mick Taylor in ‘Wolf Creek’, John Jarratt may not seem synonymous with ‘accepting, working class father’ but this veteran thespian hasn’t stopped distinguishing himself, and his characterisations, since his graduation from NIDA in 1973. His place within the Australian theatrical community is respected (and, thanks to Mick Taylor, perhaps a little feared). The respect Jarratt receives from the Australian community is matched by an equal amount of love and respect from him, which he bestows on his past and present colleagues by stating, “I work with the best and I work with Australians.” 

When asked what he wanted to say to anyone wondering if they should go and see some Australian theatre, Jarratt sparked, “this is an example of an extremely well-reviewed Australian play that is well-loved.  So hurry up and buy a ticket because we’ll be getting full houses with it!”
Certainly, the significance of David Steven’s play ‘The Sum of Us’ was clear when it was transported to the screen in 1994, just as it has been clear each time the play traveled to theatres across the globe, and the message still remains unmistakably relevant to this day.  

‘The Sum of Us’ is being staged at the QUT Gardens Theatre from Thursday September 15 – Saturday September 17.