In 2008 actress Leah Purcell was honoured with Australian theatre’s highest recognition the Helpmann Award (Australia’s version of the Tony Award) for her role in Wesley Enoch’s The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table. Produced in Sydney as a Hothouse Theatre/Griffin Theatre Company production and directed by Marion Potts, the play was critically acclaimed, making its mark as an important piece of contemporary Australian theatre. Now a new production, presented by QPAC and staged by Purcell’s Bungabura Productions, brings this quintessentially Queensland story home.
While deep into the plays rehearsal period, the actress, who is also directing this version, took time to answer some questions for Pepa Wolfe.
What is the play about?
Well there’re two story lines. There’s the history of the table – it was my Great-great Grandmother’s birth tree. When settlement happened on this island they cut down that birth tree and turned it into a table. As a little girl she followed the table and got a job as a cook in the house where the table ended up. And throughout the lifetimes the table has been passed down…
…To the present day story about my character Annie and her estranged son Nathan. They’ve been estranged for 25 years. She had him when she was 13 and she left because of the talk around the incident where she fell pregnant, and the lies around that. [Annie’s] mother Faith passes away, which brings Nathan and Annie back together. The surface story is to argue and discuss who gets the table, but though that discussion we learn more about each individual character.
Continue reading Dreaming Up The Vision: Interview with Leah Purcell, 11th October 2010 – LifeMusicMedia Interviews
Photographer: Silvana Macarone
Continue reading Delta Spirit @ @ Hi-Fi, Brisbane 5th October 2010 – Photo Gallery
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Straight Arrows formed almost 3 years ago in a Sydney wasteland. Initially finding trouble and frustration with regular venue operation, Straight Arrows began a 4 month residency in a small space above notorious (and now shut-down) gay bar The Newtown Hotel that culminatined in the release of their debut 7” record. Since this point the band have… Continue reading about Straight Arrows here. |
DJ ::
Live Act ::
I saw King Khan and BBQ throw food all over the opera house a couple months ago. That’d ruled! Lou Reed was falling asleep up the back of the room on a chair throughout. Otherwise the Mummies or Billy Childish.
Album ::
Os Mutantes’ first
Track that changed your life ::
Louie Louie!
City to play in ::
Houseparty anywhere! Or Canberra. Really.
Movie ::
Any shitty punksploitation film, especially if it’s got ‘punk’ zombies. Return of the Living Dead!
Gadget ::
Fuzz pedal? Car? Internet? 7 inch record? Skynet?
Food ::
Pepperoni Pizza!
Listen to Straight Arrows’ single ‘BAD TEMPER’
Straight Arrows single ‘BAD TEMPER’ at LifeMusicMedia
  – The Jezabels |
Due to the sudden closure of The Troubadour, The Jezabels shows will now be one show only at The Zoo on Sun Dec 5th.
Tickets for both Troubadour shows will be valid for The Zoo. And extra tickets are now on sale as a result of the extra space. Refunds are available from point of purchase for the Saturday night tickets if they’re not able to make the Sunday Zoo show. |
The Jezabels Dark Storm Tour Sold Out Shows!
The good news is that The Jezabels have a brand spankin’ new film clip for Mace Spray. The bad news is that all of the capital city shows on their imminent Dark Storm Tour have hung up the SOLD OUT sign. The best news… now you have an excuse for a summer road trip to see them live!
This month The Jezabels delivered their new EP, Dark Storm, which hit #1 on the iTunes album charts this week. The third and final release in a trilogy of EPs that began with 2009’s The Man Is Dead, its five songs represent the band’s most confident outing to date – moody, mysterious and epic, yet buzzing with the quartet’s ever-present knack for an irresistible pop hook.
Continue reading The Jezabels “Dark Storm Tour” – November 2010 [Tour News]
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Every year on Halloween, GWAR takes to the stage to put on a spectacle that only certain fans in certain cities have gotten to witness. But this year, GWAR is giving human scum across the globe the chance to watch their Halloween show streaming live from The Rave/Eagle’s Club in Milwaukee. The event will be a Pay Per View extravaganza and is scheduled to kick of at 11:00 PM Eastern Halloween night. Make sure to head over to GWARLive.com to sign up for the Pay Per View event of a lifetime today! |
Continue reading Watch Gwar’s Epic Halloween Night Performance Live From The Rave In Milwaukee!
Since its inception in 2004, the St Jerome’s Laneway Festival has become synonymous, as they say, with hot summer days, awesome locations and diverse, forward-thinking line-ups filled to overflowing with vital, surprising bands. Favouring cutting edge talent over mainstream success, Laneway has consistently delivered compelling, boundary-pushing acts to discerning punters and next year’s event will continue that tradition.
In 2011, Laneway returns to the disparate yet uniformly gorgeous metropolitan settings of Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland. Whether the backdrop is an historic sandstone courtyard, a riverbed overlooking the city or a tree-lined laneway a stone’s throw from the CBD, we guarantee a day of musical discovery and revelry that‘ll be as scenic as it will be memorable.
Next year’s event will also feature a stage co-programmed by our friends at The Windish Agency (Chicago) and Eat Your Own Ears (London). These two tastemakers are among the most respected in their territories and their involvement reflects both their close association with the Laneway Festival and our commitment to uncovering the freshest artists from every corner of the globe. Speaking of global, stay tuned for news on Laneway Festival’s official launch into Asia later this year!
The Laneway Festival is pleased to announce that its association with Young Care, an organisation which works to provide choice in care and accommodation options for over 700,000 young Australians who need it. All gold coin donations made at the festival will go directly towards Young Care.
And now, for the line-up. The A-Z of the most important, exciting acts of this year and next. Behold:
!!! (Chk Chk Chk) – THE ANTLERS – ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI – BEACH HOUSE – BEAR IN HEAVEN – BLONDE REDHEAD – CLOUD CONTROL – CUT COPY – DEERHUNTER – FOALS – GOTYE – THE HOLIDAYS – HOLY FUCK – JENNY & JOHNNY – LES SAVY FAV – LOCAL NATIVES – MENOMENA – PVT – RAT vs POSSUM (excluding Perth) – STORNOWAY – TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB – VIOLENT SOHO – WARPAINT – WORLD’S END PRESS YEASAYER
MONDAY 31 JANUARY 2011 – AUCKLAND
Aotea Square, 303 Queen Street. Auckland Central (beside the Auckland Town Hall)
New Zealanders will experience their second Laneway Festival in the newly revamped Aotea Square (Auckland city’s new premier civic open space). The square itself is perfect for Laneway, with room to fit stalls, stages and audience comfortably, and more space and atmosphere than ever. Punters will have access to two different stages, enough amenities to cater for those wanting to wander between the stages or stay in front of their favourite all day, plus local arts showcases and delicious cuisine.
FRIDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2011 – BRISBANE
Alexandria St off St Paul’s Terrace, Fortitude Valley (Twilight event)
Returning to the tree-lined streets of Alexandria Street in Queensland’s creative hub, Fortitude Valley, music lovers can check out their favourite bands in a casual friendly atmosphere. Kicking off in the early afternoon, the 2011 event will introduce an extra stage so you can watch bands inside, outside, on a car park, or on the street. The Festival will again feature local designer markets and loads of food stalls. Result.
SATURDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2011 – MELBOURNE
Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC)
In 2010 we found a beautiful home for Melbourne’s Laneway Festival in the fabulous surrounds of Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC), and we’re staying put in 2011 to bring you more of a good thing. An oasis in the heart of the (greater) city just two train stops from the CBD, and set on the banks of the Maribyrnong river with the city as a backdrop, the site is the perfect spot to check out your favourite bands. Teaming up again with our friends at Footscray Community Arts Centre, we’ve managed to make the space a little bigger, the day a little longer and the grass a little greener. There will be more amenities, more food, more (free!) trains and more music than ever! Again, there will be three very different stages to wander to and from or settle in front of all day, plus local arts showcases and cuisine.
A fresh cultural hotspot, Footscray is an area of Melbourne that’s fast becoming renowned for its grass-roots arts community (FCAC is a mecca for original contemporary community-based art). It’s perfectly in line with Laneway’s continuing support of the unique and undiscovered, and we’re extremely excited to be hosting the Festival there again. The feeling is mutual: “We’re thrilled to co-present the Melbourne edition of the fabulous St Jerome’s Laneway Festival in 2011. Last year’s Festival was amazing and we can’t wait to welcome back thousands of music-loving fans to our beautiful arts centre for some more FootscraZy fun” (Jennifer Barry, Director and CEO, FCAC).
SUNDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2011 – SYDNEY
Sydney College of the Arts (SCA), Rozelle
The gorgeous setting of the historic courtyards of the SCA in Rozelle made for a pretty special festival in 2010 (not to mention some fairly stunning photos). We are thrilled to be returning to the sandstone buildings in 2011, bringing with us more fine food outlets and amenities to make your day as comfortable as possible.
The SCA is set in the pristine grounds of Callan Park and is a short cab, light rail or bus ride from Sydney’s CBD.
Friday 11 FEBRUARY 2011 – ADELAIDE
Fowler’s Live, North Terrace (Twilight event)
Adelaide punters can expect a certain level of intimacy with the kinds of bands that don’t often get to their fair city when the Laneway Festival returns to the iconic Adelaide venue, Fowler’s Live. Located among the towering urban surrounds of the University of SA (City West campus) it is one of the most intimate Laneway sites. The addition of extra catering and shady hang out areas, plus a second outdoor stage in Fenn Place – original site of the Fringe Outdoor Stages in the early 90’s – increases the space of Adelaide Laneway without affecting the friendly Fowler’s Live based intimacy.
With a strictly limited capacity, the Laneway Festival promises an unforgettable experience within the tree-lined courtyard of Fowler’s Live.
Saturday 12 FEBRUARY 2011 – PERTH*
Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge
In 2011, Laneway will again take over the Perth Cultural Centre however there will be some pretty nifty changes to last year’s layout. To accommodate the newly developed Wetlands, the local stage will now move to a special stage in the brand new Urban Orchard, which will house the cream of WA’s musical talent. The main stage will move from the Museum Stage to the Francis St stage. In other words, the Laneway Perth site will be bigger and better than in previous years.
*subject to council approval
Visit: Laneway Festival website for full festival details.
www.lanewayfestival.com.au
By Naomi Rahim www.auroradesign.nu
Click here for FULL gallery [Photo Credit: Naomi Rahim] – Sarah McLachlan
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The resurrected Lilith Fair music festival, co-founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan in North America made its way to Australia in the condensed version – A Taste of Lilith. In contrast to the usual male-dominated bills of most music festivals, Lilith Fair celebrates female singer-songwriters and female-fronted bands across a variety of genres with the aim of breaking the artists into new markets. From each ticket sold, $1 is donated to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation in Australia. |
A Taste of Lilith got off to a bumpy start amid date changes and major act Court Yard Hounds dropping off the bill. Melbourne’s line-up included Sarah McLachlan, Kate Miller-Heidke and The Verses (formerly Killing Heidi). One international act from the North American lineup (to replace Court Yard Hounds) would’ve rounded out the show, Miller-Heidke and The Verses appeared more like support acts to McLachlan’s star. The rescheduling and possibly Melbourne’s freak monsoon affected the turnout, but the dramas were all but forgotten by McLachlan’s eager fans who waited 5 years to see her perform in Australia again.
Continue reading A Taste of Lilith @ Palais Theatre, Melbourne : October 6th 2010 – Live Review
LifeMusicMedia asks RED INK singer John Jakubenko –
 Catching a Killer – EP – Red Ink |
DJ :: Gamma.. Live Act :: local/current – Colour Age (Melb), int./past – INXS 80s &90s Album :: War by U2 Track that changed your life :: London Calling – The Clash City to play in :: Adelaide Movie :: West Side Story Gadget :: I hate gadgets.. i’m technology retardant Food :: Waves’ Chicken Scollopini |
We’re running a Double Pass Giveaway: Click Here For Details.
RED INK – ‘Catching A Killer’ EP Launch Double Pass Giveaway: See below for details.
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RED INK are not your average band, they are not here for a quick rise to the top, to jump on a style trend or to ride a wave of hype. These guys are musicians, good ones. And over the last four years they have proved that they are here to do the hard yards. Their hundreds of gigs across the country and thousands of hours crafting their sound have paid off in the form of a strong underground following across Australia and sinking its claws in across the world.
The groups latest killer track is 3 minutes of violence, pop and adrenaline, with a chorus that will jam through your mind for days. The slurred audacity of John Jakubenko’s vocals takes your mind straight back to your craziest house party and that teetering feeling that things could get out of control – but no matter what, you’re gonna have a blast. |
Review: Victoria Nugent
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The Bones by Brisbane band The Rocketsmiths is relentlessly, unashamedly rock with edgy guitars, and taut vocals by the bucket load. These guys have been described as vaudevillian rock, and there’s a definite hint at the weird and wacky in their songs.
The first track of the album is Monster Part 1, which features some dark riffs, a catchy beat, wailing vocals, and great dynamics, switching from loud to soft throughout the song. |
This song is followed up with a later track on the album called “Monster Parts 2 &3”, and starts off with eerie organ, echoing vocals and a tempo that steadily gets faster, before breaking into edgy riffs and screaming vocals.
Continue reading Rocketsmiths “The Bones” – Album Review
Photographer: Silvana Macarone
Continue reading Ben Kweller @ Hi-Fi, Brisbane : 5th October 2010 – Photo Gallery
Review: Victoria Nugent
 Second Lovers |
This unnamed single is intended as a taste of Nick Batterham’s debut solo album Second Lovers due out in October, and it shows a skilled collection of laidback folk from the singer songwriter.
Batterham is a former member of Blindside and The Earthmen, and in more recent years has been doing sound design, producing music for film and TV and playing guitar for Cordrazine. The disc kicks off with ‘Dragonfly’, a melodic folk tune with simplistic lyrics and gentle acoustic guitar. ‘From Now On’ starts with a slow piano intro, with husky, |
slightly gravelly vocals giving the song a melancholic feel. The occasional chime of bells adds to the atmosphere, as does the addition of slightly seventies sounding electric guitar.
Continue reading Nick Batterham [Self Titled] – Single Review
“A powerful play about family and culture and the ways in which storytelling binds people together” – The Australian
“Purcell delivers a startlingly powerful performance” – Daily Telegraph
Award-winning Queensland actor and director Leah Purcell (Box the Pony, King Lear, Black Chicks Talking) will direct and star in Bungabura Production’s new presentation of Wesley Enoch’s powerful drama The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table at Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s (QPAC) Cremorne Theatre from 14 – 30 October 2010.
This powerful family saga spans four generations and is a moving testament to culture lived, lost and found and the strength of a family adapting and gathering together.
First produced by Griffin and Hothouse Theatre Company, this new production of The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table offers a compelling theatre experience that encapsulates themes of ownership, heritage, culture and sexuality.
QPAC Chief Executive John Kotzas said that QPAC is very pleased to be presenting this work because of its cultural significance for Queensland and the Centre’s longstanding relationship with Bungabura Productions.
“The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table is an immensely important piece of theatre –a story about families that transcends cultures,” said Kotzas.
In the 1870s a girl is born under a tree, which is cut down to become a kitchen table. Generations later, a young man and his mother fight for ownership of the table.
Winner of Patrick White Playwrights Award 2005 and short listed for both the New South Wales and Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table was written by renowned Queensland-born director and playwright, Wesley Enoch, who was recently appointed as the new Artistic Director of Queensland Theatre Company.
Wesley Enoch said the Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table has a mix between a strong naturalistic narrative of connection and a long imaginative storytelling about family and heritage. I was trying to write a piece about the emotional power of stories to bind a family together through hardship and adversity. Leah Purcell is one of the country’s best actors and she has created a character in a way that goes beyond what I could imagine as a writer,” said Enoch.
Director and lead actor Leah Purcell, whose portrayal of Annie has been described by reviewers as startlingly powerful, received a Helpmann Award for Best Actress in a Play in 2008.
“I am very proud of winning a Helpmann Award because I worked extremely hard to bring Annie to life, but being conscious of not making her character a cliché.
“This play is a universal story for all. It’s gutsy, it packs a punch or two, it’s laugh-out loud funny and takes you on an emotional journey as Annie and Nathan re-connect from being estranged for many years,” said Purcell.
“The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table is a great yarn and a theatre experience worth seeing, whether you are a regular to the Arts or if you are experiencing theatre for the first time, this is something worth seeing,” she said.
QPAC presents
Wesley Enoch’s
THE STORY OF THE MIRACLES AT COOKIE’S TABLE
A Bungabura Production
Starring and directed by Leah Purcell
Winner Patrick White Playwrights Award 2005
Winner Helpmann Award Best Actress in a Play 2008
WHEN 14 to 30 October
WHERE
Cremorne Theatre, QPAC, Cultural Centre, South Bank
TICKETS*
Adult $49 Concession $39
Matinees – Adult $39/Concession $29
Schools $18
BOOKINGS 136 246 or www.qpac.com.au
*Ticket price includes GST and Booking Fee. Please note transaction fees may apply
Please note this performance contains strong language.
