This is what I do

Things are about to get really intense as we move into production week and then we commence performances. I tried to cram in some sunshine and fresh air on a few bike rides and runs in the great outdoors before I am tucked away in the theatre for a month.

Drake Brockman Drive

Shepherd's Lookout

The Pinnacles

Exercise companions

I met a friend for coffee at the National Library and we admired some of the artwork while there. The Australia for Tomorrow poster was part of an immigration campaign in the 1940s. The rural setting is vibrant and spacious with a European Alpine feel, aiming to evoke feelings of cheerfulness and optimism among those refugees who would recognise such scenery - there is not a koala, kangaroo or desert in sight. There is an interesting article about this artefact here.

Australia, Land of Tomorrow by Joe Greenberg

Hanging in the foyer are Three Tapestries by Mathieu Matégot from 1968. For some reason, I only took pictures of two of them. In the second tapestry, there are depictions of Australian flora and fauna.The middle tapestry depicts Australian flora and fauna. The two-metre parrot represents ‘Terra Psittacorum’ or ‘Land of Parrots’—a name given to the Australian region in early navigational charts.

The other one has a multitude of themes. Starting from the top, it shows a blue area symbolising the Great Barrier Reef. The pineapple evokes tropical Australia and the riverboat and the outline of the Sydney Opera House represent urban life. The ram’s head stands for wool, Australia’s major export at the time, with the brown area at the bottom representing the land.

One of Three Tapestries by Mathieu Matégot

Another of Three Tapestries by Mathieu Matégot 

Fountains outside the National Library of Australia

And the rest of the time I have been in Theatre 3, working on this:

The Pierrot puppet scene from Oh, What a Lovely War!

The cast of Oh, What a Lovely War!

And some photos from the dressing room.

Meanwhile, I'm still working - managing the bottle shop - and hosting tastings from the likes of Hamish Young with his newly released Mada wines. I thoroughly recommend the Sagrantino - a grape originally grown in Umbria with one of the highest tannic levels of any variety in the world; this expression is elegant and earthy with hints of plum and cinnamon.

Hamish Young with Mada Wines

And after all this work and play, it is wonderful to come home to a rare night off and find that Him Outdoors has cooked me a delicious roast lamb, even if it does mess with my mind a little to have a Sunday roast on a Saturday.

Roast dinner with Him Outdoors