And Geoffrey is always happy to help the Belvoir-he's a member of the syndicate that owns the theatre that includes some pretty big names. Nicole Kidman, Mel Gibson, Sam Neill, Gillian Armstrong and Peter Carey are all part owners.
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| David Wenham & Bille Brown |
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| Barry Humphries at Belvoir Street |
It's on sale from tonight at the box office for $77 and there are a limited number signed by Rush and Armfield.
Below is part of Geoffrey Rush's speech which went on for nearly 20 minutes.
One great Belvoir Street supporter who decided not to attend knowing her presence would draw attention from the tome was Cate Blanchett.
On the weekend the News Ltd tabloids, the Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun and Rupert Murdoch's own baby The Australian tore into Cate because she is starring in a Climate Change series of adverts with actor Michael Caton.
News Ltd's campaign against Blanchett was a spectacular low point for a bunch of tabloids that regularly sup in the gutter. The main gripe seemed to be that the actress is apparently worth $53M according to BRW's 2011 Rich List and that she was 'out of touch' with 'ordinary' Australians.
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| Emily Barclay & Geoffrey |
Since Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that Labor would be introducing a carbon tax News Corp have been beside themselves with rage-none of which surfaced when 4 billionaires last year mounted a deceptive campaign against a new mining tax (that would have cleared Australia's debts in four years) on the billions those magnates reap from mineral deposits owned by the whole country.
News Ltd spouted the line of the mining magnates-that they would up stakes and go elsewhere, Which would be some feat with the wealth being actually in the ground here.
According to the tabloids Blanchett's appearance in the adverts had "sparked outrage in the community". And who was the 'community ?. The far right wing Australian Families Association (patron : Dame Elisabeth Murdoch) and nutbag politician Barnaby Joyce. Missing in most News Ltd reports on the great Climate Change debate is that the tax raised by Labor will be distributed to working families to cover increased costs.
We think Cate may have the last laugh here. ** On Wednesday 8th June at the Belvoir the long awaited Benedict Andrews production of The Seagull opens. The Chekhov play stars Emily Barclay, Bille Brown, Judy Davis (Woody Allen reckons she's the greatest actress in the world) and David Wenham.
The season has already sold out but there is standing room available but get in quick:
Box office 612 9699 3444
