Openings

Wendy Whiteley & Anna Schwartz at the premiere

St George's Open Air Cinema at Mrs Macquarie's Chair with it's unsurpassed view opposite the Sydney Opera House is one Whisper's favourite spots on these warm, balmy evenings. Open air cinema takes us back to our childhood when we used to sneak into the local cinema. It had no roof mainly because it burnt off one very hot summer and they sensibly thought, "why bother replacing it?". We were of course so small at the time we could fit between the wooden boards that made up the walls and find an empty deck chair to take in the latest Hollywood flick. It may have been silent film.

 I digress- this was also the location to premier the new film Whiteley directed by James Bogle, a fascinating examination of the career of the late Aussie artist Brett Whiteley. The movie will be released in May and it's narrated by Wendy Whiteley, Brett's widow who has become keeper of the flame for one of the countries most famed painters. (pictures by William Yang)

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Warren Fahey

Picture right is actor Max Cullen preparing for his new role in Warren Fahey's new show Dead Men Laughing.

Fahey and Cullen toured Australia last year to huge acclaim with their show Dead Man Talking.

The new production tells of the lives of Australia's two greatest humorists, Lennie 'Lo' Lower, author of 'Here's Luck', and Roy 'Mo' Rene, star of vaudeville and radio's 'McCackie Mansion' - who are "stuck outside of Heaven's Gate" with the two just about saying or doing anything to get inside! 

 Warren Fahey is one of Australia's most renowned historians of folk music and folk lore. At a Kings Cross party a few moons ago we recorded Warren singing a song he claims was a favourite in the early colonies :  The Kings Cross Harlot's Ball. Here it is for your delight and for bookings for the new show go here.

Barry wins the Archibald

 Louise Hearman's portrait of Barry Hunphries has won the 2016 Archibald portrait contest

Finalists 'Pat  by Alan Jones * Peter Weiss by Nicholas Harding* Deng by Nick Stathopolous* Self by Benjamin Aitken

                                                           Wendy Whiteley by Natasha Bieniek

Winner of the Wynne Prize:Spring Frost by Eiloth Gruner

           The Archibald Portrait exhibition is now open at the art Gallery of NSW : entry is free

Book Launch Brings out Movie Crowd

He wasn't well known by the general public but within Australian cinema the late Albie Thoms was a name to be reckoned with. He completed his memoir My Generation days before he slipped away from cancer at aged 70, three weeks ago.

Albie Thoms, Charles Higham and Frank Thring

Bryan Brown & Gillian Armstrong

Thoms was a leading figure in the revival  of the local film industry in the 1970s when he began Ubu Films inspired by the French New Wave , British and US underground film movements.

Many of today's most recognisable names came within Albie's orbit and were inspired or encouraged by Thoms to pursue their dreams at a time when their hopes of success at best may have seen them appear in an episode of an ABC drama or a commercial TV cop show, in front of, or behind the camera.

Peter Clifton & Glen A.Baker

Claudia Karvan

At the celebration to honour Albie Thoms' life and to launch his just completed autobiography, many turned up to discuss old times. Actors Claudia Karvan, Bryan Brown and Judy Davis joined directors Bruce Beresford, Jan Chapman and Gillian Armstrong along with producers Jim McElroy, Margaret  Fink and Oz Magazine's Richard Neville.

Publisher Richard Walsh & Jim McElroy

Wendy Whiteley

Richard Neville

Over 300 guests packed Paddington Town Hall's newly decorated auditorium to take in screenings of some Albie's first movie productions like Bluto and Blunderball which were praised in their day by the late US film critic Charles Higham.
 There was also time to re-tell one of Albie's favorite stories : Thoms was commissioned to produce several episodes of the TV series Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo (still big in Eastern Europe) and the guest star was the high camp actor Frank Thring, star of Hollywood biblical blockbusters like Ben Hur.                                      
As the crew brought on yet another struggling  kangaroo in a sack for the day's shoot- Thring quipped  "If that's the star's friggin' dressing room, what's mine going to be like?"