Some Joy For Geoffrey Rush & Sly Stallone Loves Jackie

Lucy Durack

Pippa Grandison & David Wenham

He may not have picked up a gong at the Golden Globe Awards but Geoffrey Rush scored some accolades at last night's Sydney Theatre Awards when the production of Diary of A Madman in which Geoffrey stars won 4 awards : Best Supporting Actress, Best Costume, Best Lighting Design and Best Score. 

A host of theatricals like David Wenham, Pippa Grandison, Gia Carrides and Susie Porter attended the awards at the Paddington RSL Club.

Rush is the executive producer of The King's Speech so he should feel some satisfaction in it's Best Film award last night at the Globes and Jackie Weaver, despite being a non-winner still  has a staggering nine nominations in various US  film awards for her role in Animal Kingdom and she is sure to be nominated for an Oscar

Adam Garcia at the awards

Jackie is drowning in compliments on her US promotional tour with a host of Globe attendees heaping praise upon her. She told the Shuttle this morning from LA that she had met Sylvester Stallone, Mel Brooks and Colin Firth who all approached her on the night to congratulate her. She has also received dozens of offers of work and is carting a pile of scripts around to read on her nationwide tour.

Diary of A Madman demonstrates Geoffrey Rush's extraordinary commitment to live theatre. He commands up to $5 million a picture but is working for union wages in the state subsidised Belvoir Street Theatre

The Shuttle watched Geoffrey's wonderful performance in the 150 seat theatre at last Sunday's matinee.

Within 3 hours of the curtain falling Rush was on a Qantas jet to Los Angeles to attend the Golden Globe Awards. At mid-day today, Rush was again in the air for the 18 hour trip back to Sydney to appear in Wednesday evening's production.

Now that is dedication !

"inspiration"

At the Sydney Theatre Awards, legendary Shakespearean actor and director John Bell  (left ) received a Lifetime Achievement award. John revealed the inspiration for his theatre career-as a child in the UK watching George Formby (right) performing.

Other awards received: Scott Rankin for Best New Production with Namatjira, the play about the Aboriginal artist with indigenous actor Derek Lynch receiving an award for Best Newcomer. Another indigenous performer Christine Anu won Best Performance in a Musical while Trevor Ashley received the award for Best Cabaret in his one-man show I'm Every Woman.

John Malkovich for Casanova role in Sydney

Actor John Malkovich will be the star attraction at the 2011  Sydney Festival in The Giacomo Variations, portraying Casanova to the tune of Mozart at the Opera House.

Opening night on January 8th draws up to 250,000 to the Domain and the central business district for the numerous free star acts which this year include Emmy Lou Harris and her Red Dirt Boys and hip hop group Arrested Development .

Los Angeles rock legends Los Lobos will play at Summer Sounds in the Domain on January 15, and the actor John Bell joins the Sydney Symphony and Sydney Philharmonic Choirs for the Symphony in the Domain: Midsummer Shakespeare on January 22 along with Kneehigh Theatre's rendition of The Red Shoes at the Seymour Centre and the singer Paul Kelly over four nights at the City Recital Hall.



Emmy Lou Harris



Over 1000 local and international artists will descend on the city in January to deliver more than 300 free and ticketed performances. Music, dance, film and theatre all feature heavily in the program.

Director Lindy Hume said at the launch today :
"the festival was a celebration of Sydney itself. It would be contemporary, diverse and ambitious, but also ''welcoming, whimsical and slightly eccentric''.''It's for the entire community to just get out there and really live life large,''