Getting high on life MARK PARTON
Pea is for pleasing WENDY JOHNSON
‘Lincoln’ DOUGAL MACDONALD
Happy is the hardy Hebe CEDRIC BRYANT
The incredible effect of internet ‘crowdfunding’
Over the next 3 years clubs in the ACT will PROVIDE...
Swinging on your hills hoist
By Laura Edwards
IT survived two severe air raids during World War II and has been the backdrop for countless weddings, but now – after almost 100 years – the stained glass window at All Saints Anglican Church, Ainslie will get a makeover.
This month the church launched a fundraising campaign to refurbish the ageing, five-panel window, with all money raised to go towards the $80,000 repair bill.
“We’ve raised about $10,000 from the community so far, and received $15,000 from the government; now we’re looking for around $50-60,000,” the church’s project manager Les Davey says.
“The work will go ahead either way so we’ll keep the fundraising going as long as we need to and what we don’t raise immediately we’ll cover with the lay [the congregation]. We’re confident we can raise the funds though, the Canberra community is very generous.”
Les says the window, created in 1917, was originally a memorial to servicemen and women of World War I in St Clement’s Church in Sheffield, England.
“The window survived two severe air raids on Sheffield in World War II, but St Clement’s
suffered badly,” he says.
“When St Clement’s was demolished in 1963, the window was made available to All Saints, mainly through the efforts of the late Lady de L’Isle, wife of the then-Governor-General. It was dedicated here in 1967.”
The window features the crucified Christ, flanked by Mary, Mother of Jesus, and St John the Baptist, with many other depictions of angels and other saints in the intricate detail.
Les says the window will take about four months to complete.
In the meantime, enlarged photos of the original window have been be fitted into the space in plastic panels, acting as a replica.
“You wouldn’t know they weren’t the real ones from a distance,” Les says.
“It will be exciting to get them back when they’re nicely refurbished, it’s the most striking feature of the church.”
Donations to the window appeal can be made to the Parish Office, corner Cowper and Bonney Streets, Ainslie or 6248 7420 for cash donations or electronic banking details. Cheques can be posted to All Saints Ainslie, PO Box 328, Dickson ACT 2602, with name and address for receipt.
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UNTIL now, the contest between incumbent Gary Humphries and challenger Zed Seselja for the number one spot on the Liberal Senate ticket for September’s poll has been based on a conspiracy of deceit, manipulation and distortion – the sort of baggage no-one wants to take to an election.
But it is not too late because there is an honourable way through the muddy, messy mire in which the party and the protagonists have landed.
Ethics seem to have been the last consideration in the ambush of Humphries.
As it stands, about a third of Liberal Party members will be able to vote on who will represent their party in the Senate elections on September 14.
Putting the morality aside, if the Liberal Party cannot get themselves out of the gutter and come up with an appropriately conducted pre-selection they can expect an electoral backlash in what they consider a safe seat.
Some will argue that this is “just politics” and that Zed Seselja and his factional supporters from the “right” of the Liberal Party have operated within the rules. Fair comment! But it is a change among the Canberra Liberals to “machine politics”. This approach drags the party into the very thing it has always used to discredit ACT Labor. It is the stuff of small cliques controlling a political party
Ethics seem to have been the last consideration in the ambush of Gary Humphries, but it is not too late for the Canberra Liberals to adopt an ethical approach to pre-selecting a Senate candidate for the next election, says MICHAEL MOORE
through self-interest, factional fights, disenfranchisement and divisiveness.
Legislative Assembly Opposition
Leader Seselja announced his nomination for pre-selection as a senator for the ACT half an hour after nominations had closed. He had only completed his nomination an hour earlier. It was within months of having been newly elected to represent the seat of Brindabella in the ACT Assembly.
It is the first time that anyone has challenged a sitting Liberal senator from the time the ACT first had senatorial representation. Had Seselja announced his intention earlier, the break with tradition would have been clear and others who were interested might also have entered the fray rather than respecting the tradition.
There is no doubt in my mind that this challenge was an ambush. It was carefully considered, planned and implemented with careful attention to timing. Even before the October ACT election there were rumours, including those circulated by media outlets such as Crikey, that Seselja was planning a run on the Senate if he did not become Chief Minister. Not surpris -
ingly, such rumours were scotched during the election campaign. The matter was not raised publicly until the announcement.
The factional preparation included postponing the Senate pre-selection well beyond the usual 12 months. According to insiders, the excuse was that it should be conducted at the same time as the House of Representative seats.
Thanks to the timing of the ACT election, a vigorous end of the year in Federal politics and the swearing in of the ACT Assembly, many politically weary Liberal members were not attending meetings – unless specifically asked by Seselja and his cronies to ensure eligibility to vote.
Politics is often about getting the numbers. However, in this case the plan was to gain support by disenfranchising as many members of the party as possible. It worked. The result – only about 240 of the 640 Liberal members will be able to vote in the pre-selection. A condition of eligibility includes having attended a recent Liberal Party meeting. These are the people who put so much effort
into supporting Seselja and his Assembly colleagues only months before as he contested the ACT election. How often have the Seselja-led Liberals demanded openness and transparency from the ACT Labor Government? Do they not remember the goose and the gander?
There is an ethical solution. It is not too late to save face and demonstrate that the ACT Liberals are interested in a fair and open democratic process. It provides a moral test for politicians! If they have the fibre, both candidates would write to the party
president and include the words: “I withdraw from the pre-selection subject to the withdrawal of the other candidate”. They can then indicate preparedness to contest the Senate nomination when party members have a fair chance to be eligible to vote. The pre-selection process could then be timed to be fair and inclusive.
Michael Moore was an independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly (1989 to 2001) and was minister for health, including for a time when Gary Humphries was Chief Minister.
Crowdfunding is the latest phenomenon where creative projects come to life via the generosity of strangers throwing money at an idea through the internet. It worked for one small business in Braddon. LAURA EDWARDS reports...
EMILY and Russell Brindley always knew they wanted to start their own business, but never thought the generosity of strangers would help them do it.
The Dickson couple started fitting out their own organic vegan bakery, Sweet Bones, at Braddon’s Lonsdale Street Traders in December, but needed extra cash to get to the final stage.
“There were so many hidden costs and lots of regulations, we still needed to get an oven and hire staff,” Emily says.
With help from crowdfunding website Kickstarter, the couple were able to raise enough money to finish the job.
The website encourages people to pitch their own creative projects, outlining to potential investors exactly how much money they are looking for, with bids of anything from $1 to thousands.
Since the website’s launch
on April 28, 2009, more than $450 million has been pledged by more than three million people, or “backers”, funding more than 35,000 creative projects.
With 188 backers, Emily and Russell raised their target of $10,000 in just over 20 days.
“We ended up making $12,000 in the end, some donations were as little as $1 and as high as $1000,” Emily says.
And while some backers were family and friends, half were complete strangers.
“We couldn’t believe the generosity of people we’d never met, it was mind-blowing,” Emily says.
“Donations were from all over the world – Australia, America, even Berlin. I think many backers are just inspired by a new idea or inspired by a project’s rewards, and they want to see something good happen with their money.”
Emily, a qualified chef from
New Jersey, met Canberrabased Russell while he was on holiday in the US seven years ago. She moved to the capital a year later to be with him.
The couple, both 28, vegans and with years of experience in the food industry, say the idea to start a bakery at Lonsdale Street Traders “just kind of fell into our laps.”
“We knew we’d wanted to do it for a while and one day our friend just said there’s this cool new warehouse in Braddon, you guys should open a bakery there,” Emily says.
“We figured we had nothing to lose.”
And some of their Kickstarter backers have even come into the store to visit.
“We’re putting their names on our store board and they’ll get sent some of our treats,” Emily says.
“They can’t believe the progress, and they should feel proud they helped us achieve it.”
Visit the Australian version of Kickstarter at pozible.com. For more information on Sweet Bones visit facebook.com/ SweetBonesCompany.
CREATING a market-style venue to sell affordable, original art has become the mission of local couple Matt McDonald and Melissa Christie, who are working together to create Canberra’s first art market.
“We’re hobby artists, and we were painting in the backyard one weekend, thinking about why our art would be worth nothing,” says Melissa.
“We started thinking about whether we could sell it somehow.
“People go into department stores all the time to buy massproduced prints, and we thought there might be a gap there for local artists to reach the wider community.
“We came up with the idea of bringing together professional or emerging artists, and hobby artists like us, to sell their artworks at the same venue.”
And so the idea was born. The first This is Art Market will be held at the Yarralumla Woolshed on the weekend of April 13-14, combining artists, art suppliers, food stalls and entertainment.
“We really want the market to be dedicated to art – this one’s not
Kathryn Vukovljak reports
about craft,” says Melissa. “Our aim is to connect the community to the fantastic artists here in Canberra – why would anyone go to a department store when there is so much amazing, original work being made right here?
“We want people to see that one-of-a-kind art doesn’t have to be expensive or out of reach.”
Melissa, who has previous experience as a band manager and events organiser, says their ideas have refined as the planning process has gone on, but that they’re happy with how it’s working out.
“Originally we wanted to cap the art for sale at $150, but we found it was too restricting,” she says. “Now we’re asking that people consider our goal to make the art as affordable as possible, but pricier pieces are welcome.
“In our experience, artists usually have some small, lessdetailed paintings, or something lying around that they may be happy to sell at a discounted price.”
Matt says they’re hoping to attract everyone from people who want to brighten up their walls to
Melissa Christie and Matt McDonald... “We want people to see that one-ofa-kind art doesn’t have to be expensive or out of reach.”
art collectors.
“We want as many people as possible to come and support the art community,” he says. “We’ve had a lot of positive feedback so far.”
Matt says he enjoys making abstract paintings and working with oils, while Melissa paints landscapes in acrylics.
Photo by Silas Brown
“Even though the idea started as a way for us to sell our art, we won’t have time to have a stall of our own at the first market –maybe next time,” she says. This is Art Market, Yarralumla Woolshed, Saturday April 13, 12pm-5pm, and Sunday, April 14 from 10am-4pm. More information at thisisartmarket.com
JEREMY Hanson has been elected ACT Opposition Leader following Zed Seselja’s pre-selection challenge to Liberal Senator Gary Humphries. Alistair Coe was elected the parliamentary party’s deputy leader.
CHARITY LifeCircle is looking for people with experience in end-of-life care for a loved one either at home, hospital, hospice or aged residence to volunteer a few hours a week to support carers facing the death of a loved one. There’s a mentor’s information session on Wednesday, February 20. To register call 0410 930726 or visit lifecircle.org.au
THE Canberra Lakes Ladies Probus Club is looking for past members to attend a 20th birthday lunch at The Gold Creek Tourist Resort on Monday, March 18. More information from president Ellen Matthews on 6247 6127 or president-elect Joyce Goodman on 6258 1598.
ST Saviour’s Church Hall, Goulburn, is the venue for the Edwardian Ragtime Ball on February 23, the second in the Centenary of Canberra’s Kick Up Your Heels series of social dances through Canberra’s decades. The “ragtime” theme represents the 1910s decade, when construction of Canberra had barely started and there were no dance halls in which to socialise, so people had to travel for a good dance to nearby towns in NSW, such as Goulburn. Tickets at $30 include a three-course supper. Bookings to 1800 353 646.
MARCH 12 marks 100 years since the official naming of Canberra – a day when we declared to the world that Australia was a newly federated nation.
One century on and we can celebrate all that it means to be the nation’s capital – the people, the politics, our community and varied cultures.
But as we take a collective deep breath to blow out the candles, we should be thinking about our birthday wishes – what we want for the future.
Let’s demand a worldclass public transport system – light rail that connects north and south Canberra to work and play; cycleways and bike sharing to rival Copenhagen or Paris and highspeed rail linking the capital to Sydney and Melbourne.
Let’s fight for a 24/7 city centre, vibrant and cohesive. Civic needs a master plan. We deserve better public
spaces and we should revitalise our heritage buildings.
Real development in West Basin must be a priority with a convention centre meeting international standards. We deserve a community promenade and an urban waterfront to gather and celebrate.
And we need to ensure that Canberra remains a home for all Australians –not just the privileged few. A variety of housing options is crucial if we are to maintain diversity in our community and offer a future to younger Canberrans.
Our city is still young and ripe for “new-think” urban planning and design. Canberra must continue to be a city of optimism, setting new standards and aiming high in hope.
Catherine Carter is the ACT executive director of the Property Council of Australia
CANBERRA Antiques Centre is hosting its 10th annual fundraising Antiques & Collectables Valuation day at 37 Townsville Street, Fyshwick, 10am-2pm, Saturday, February 16. Specialist and general dealers will donate their time and expertise to inspect, discuss and evaluate items from the public, such as jewellery and artworks. A donation is requested of $5 per item.
WINEMAKER John Kirk and harpist Carl Sampson are the guests at the February 20 meeting of the Canberra Friends of Ireland Society at the Canberra Irish Club. Kirk immigrated to Australia from Ireland to work at the CSIRO in 1968. In 1971, he founded Clonakilla Winery at Murrumbateman, named after the farm owned by his grandfather. The name of the winery translates to “meadow of the church”.
THREE Canberra Grammar students have been selected for the 2013 Australian Dragon Boat squad and will represent Australia at the World Championships in Hungary. The year 11 and 12 students, Riley Sandeman, Braydon Sloan and Theshikan Santhirasegaran have all been selected in the Under 18 boys’ team.
AS a Tuggeranong Valley resident one can empathise with the sentiments expressed by Roger Smeed (“Ignore the Valley at your peril”, CN, letters February 7). However, it is the former leader of the Canberra Liberals that has chosen to ignore the Tuggeranong Valley. Having received an unprecedented level of support personally and for his party at the ACT Election, the lure of Federal politics has proven a far more appealing prospect than dealing with peeling paint, public art and the people of Brindabella.
Amanda Bresnan and the ACT Greens were committed to the cleaning of Canberra’s lakes and waterways, including Lake Tuggeranong. The rejection of the Greens at the ballot box suggests the health of Lake Tuggeranong and surrounds was just not that important an issue. For those that are concerned in the Valley, Clean Up Australia day is on Sunday, March 3.
Chris Doyle, Gordon
WAKE up, Nick Jensen! (“Church upset: politicians move in strange ways. . . “ CN, February 7).
Speaker Vicki Dunne is using the church for political purposes to divide the Assembly and the community and to garner support among churchgoers for her side of politics, hardly a Christian act.
She and the small percentage of Canberrans who actually attend church are welcome to pray for whatever they like, but why not in private or during a normal Sunday service? It would surely be just as efficacious and much less divisive.
Patricia Saunders, Chapman
YOUR political commentator Michael Moore had a very long and distinguished career in the Legislative Assembly, and is particularly well schooled in the machinations of the wheeling and dealing that go on as part of the political process.
However, I am sure that Gary Humphries is hoping that Michael’s predictions, (CN, February 7), about the outcome of the Liberal senate pre-selection contest, are significantly more accurate than those he made for the ACT Liberal Party leadership ballot.
Ian De Landelles, Hawker
THERE are a handful of the unique and legendary Spiegeltents left in the world today, and ex-Canberran David Bates owns or operates a number as part of his Spiegeltent project (“So where’s the tent?”, Canberra Confidential, CN, February 7).
The project often sees tents operating in multiple locations at the same time – for example, there are frequently simultaneous seasons in Melbourne and Sydney, other Australian cities and international festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival.
David is bringing the beautiful “Idolize” Spiegeltent to Canberra, and she is set to be a star in her own right, hosting parties, concerts, clubs and a myriad stunning performances.
Fittingly, as the Canberra Spiegeltent celebrations are taking place in the Old Parliament House Senate Gardens, the Canberra tour is now being presented under the moniker of “The Famous Spiegel Garden”.
Anita Perkins, public relations manager, Canberra Centenary
MARK PARTON walks to the top of our world.
THERE are a handful of things that all Canberrans should do, if they get the chance.
Spending the whole day at a PM’s XI cricket match is a must, as is having a swim at Manuka Pool.
To be a true Canberran, I think you have to attend Question Time at Parliament House at least once and to go along to the Old Bus Depot Markets. If you’re a bike rider, you’ve gotta do the Cotter loop; if not, you really must stroll around Lake Burley Griffin, including the whole West Basin.
I also believe all Canberrans should climb Mt Kosciuszko at least once. The highest peak in the country is just down the road and, until this year, all I’d done is peer longingly at it from the lookout at Charlotte Pass. In January, Luisa and I decided to change that and hike to the top.
We rocked up at the top car park at Charlotte Pass about midday on a Sunday armed with water bottles, chocolate bars, insect repellent and hats for the “Summit Walk” – nine kilometres each way.
Initially, the incline was so slight that we may as well have been walking on a flat surface on what used to be the “road” to the summit. We strolled amongst the gum trees with a gorgeous view of the Snowy River in the valley below. Beside us on the other side of the track the never-ending mountain streams trickled down from higher peaks. After a while we were above the tree line and in the genuine Alpine zone. It is breathtakingly beautiful.
Don’t dare try the walk without serious insect repellent. Mountain flies are hard-working, boisterous mongrels and while the spray deters most of them, I fear without it the flies may just carry you away. Swearing at them appears to have little effect.
After about five kilometres of virtually flat walking, we descend into the valley and cross the Snowy River before a relatively steady climb towards the mountain, past the historic Seaman’s Hut. This structure has been in place since 1929 after a few skiers perished in a blizzard.
The last couple of kilometres are very much uphill, but the views from the summit are awesome and there’s something special about being at the very top of the country. Walking down is a lot easier. The whole thing took us four hours and, at the end, I was ready for a big, long bath!
Do give it a go before winter arrives. It won’t disappoint...
HERE’S news of life returning to the Manuka shop left vacant when the Wine and Cheese Providore closed.
Belinda Notaras and Kylie Krinas (pictured from left) are preparing to open a children’s shop called Wolfie at the Flinders Way location.
With eight kids between them, Belinda and Kylie have plenty of experience shopping for children.
It will cater for those aged 0-12 with clothes and giftware. CC is told Wolfie will stock brands that aren’t currently available in Canberra. It’s set to open on May 15.
THE noble act of turning the first sod hilariously became “turning the first on-site spadeful of ground” in a press release about Chief Minister Katy Gallagher and Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek cosying up to mark construction of a new general practice Super Clinic at the University of Canberra.
GOOD to see Centenary artistic director Robyn Archer doing more than talking. A talented singer in her own right, she will be entertaining anyone prepared to shell out $265 for the
“Toulouse-Lautrec: Cabaret and Dinner” at the National Gallery as part of the Enlighten festival on Saturday, March 2. For those coconuts, you will be treated to a “late-night viewing” of the Lautrec exhibition (starting at 5.30pm!) then on to French-inspired dinner spiced by Archer and an unnamed curator.
YOU’LL soon need a law degree to park in this town. Deakin shops has this tester. Plumb in the middle of a parking bay there’s a pole with two signs: to the left, you have an hour; to the right, 30 minutes. If you were booked for exceeding, say, the 30-minute side, would that mean you’d be fined only half the penalty?
OVERHEARD... national media snappers complaining at the Australian War Memorial that the continual presence of PM Julia Gillard and would-be PM Tony Abbott’s personal “social media experts” (read
unwelcome, non-media individuals tasked with continuously tweeting and facebooking) are too often getting in the way of good shots of their bosses by the professionals.
COME late March, Civic is in for a little sophistication when the Waldorf on London launches a monthly Saturday dinner and show.
“This is something that Canberra needs for weekend entertainment, which is successfully done in Sydney and Melbourne as well as overseas,” says organiser Paul Hunt
“The idea is to bring in variety performers from Canberra and interstate to provide a quality performance while guests enjoy a three-course meal or a bar snack with a drink.
“I really think our location and setup can provide something different for Canberra ‘sophisticated’ entertainment, i.e. a show with quality food and wine!”
THE Canberra Centenary’s mission to satisfy the ungrateful, grumbling masses has taken a turn into condoms. The Centenary logo has been cheerfully affixed to boxes of condoms that the Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT will be handing out this year, including on National Condom Day (more popularly known as Valentine’s Day). Are we having enough fun, yet?
NOTHING gets past snapper Silas Brown’s sharp eye. For instance, just a nanosecond before tripping to the floor, looking up he caught this largely unnoticed piece of
FROM the “Henry 4” rehearsals, concerns that skinny principal John Bell who has to wear an enormous, hot “fat suit” to play Sir John Falstaff is going to sweat away more weight. He’s already thin as a rake, they reckon.
ADORED and rewarded with a full house and a standing ovation at the Royalty barn, veteran American singer/songwriter
artistic humour at the entry to the Canberra Museum and Gallery. On the ceiling of the portico entrance is a painting of what looks like the carpet view of an office, with a desk and filing cabinet.
Carol King wasn’t always hitting the notes. She turned 71 on February 9.
CIVIC merry go round’s wide-eyed new operators, the charity group Lead, appear to have blinked under parental (and CC) pressure and are finally honouring the pre-paid ride tickets that the outgoing operators had issued but weren’t around long enough to see them used up.
At Geocon cocktail event hosted by Jamie Durie, Civic
HE’S John Bell’s “outside eye.”
He’s the artistic director of his own Sport for Jove Theatre and the founding director of the Sydney Hills Shakespeare in the Park, the Leura Shakespeare Festival and Shakespeare in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
Yes, Damien Ryan is exactly the right person to co-direct “Henry 4”, premiering in Canberra, with Bell, who dons a fat suit to play that old reprobate, Sir John Falstaff, the antithesis of his famous portrayal of Henry V à la Laurence Olivier in a tent at Rushcutters Bay back in the ‘60s.
Bell knows that Falstaff is perhaps the greatest Shakespearean role of all, so he needs that outside eye “to push him and give him a different perspective”.
Ryan makes no secret of his admiration of Bell.
“He’s incredibly open as a director,” he says. “So it’s more a matter of solving problems than coming up with a new vision.” Typical problems might be anachronisms such as whether to have royal characters wearing crowns in modern dress.
Ryan has worked with Bell Shakespeare as an actor, then – since 2008 – as director of their educational program and applauds the influence of
Helen Musa reports
the company on schoolkids’ love of the Bard’s works.
In the old days, they preferred what he calls “Boys’ Own” plays, such as “Julius Caesar” and “Macbeth”, but now they’re up for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Romeo and Juliet”, too.
“Bell Shakespeare has, over 20 or so years, made a great difference,” he enthuses, “now there are so many schoolkids who are getting experience of professional theatre – they’re more theatre-literate.”
So as the outside eye, what is Bell’s vision?
“The Henry plays,” Ryan suggests, “are quintessential Shakespeare… they show his thirst for the common man as he gives a full portrait of the nation –like a Breughel painting.”
In that portrait are kings, princes, drug users, prostitutes, “all given equal time and all given equal humanity”.
It’s Bell’s own adaptation of “I & II Henry IV”, and he’s done it before. While Bell introduced a touch of football hooliganism in his previous production, this version is more political. All the same, Ryan says,
whether it’s footie hooligans or the London Riots, the play’s coming from the same place, a world of insurrection, alcoholic excess, drug abuse and political conniving.
The play ends with the coronation of young Prince Hal as the heroic king Henry V, and while Ryan reports that the first half is full of “lively bravado”, the second half turns darker and more nuanced, dealing with death and ageing.
It’s “a very raw, family-based story,” he says.
Prince Hal has two fathers – his birth father Henry IV, who stole the crown from Richard II, and his spiritual father, that old rogue Falstaff, who stole from everyone and whom Hal eventually rejects.
“It’s a roller-coaster,” Ryan says.
“Henry 4”, The Playhouse, February 23-March 9, bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.
SHADOWHOUSE Pits director Joe Woodward has sent us an enticing video preview of his newest play, “Our Lady by the Beach over the Sea”, described as a “psycho/sexual odyssey”. In it, an old man is confronted by the woman who was the goddess of youth. The production features the formidable local talents of Oliver Baudert and Trish Kelly, and young performers such as Kat Bramston. At the Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre Centre, February 20-March 2, bookings to 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au
MEANWHILE, Canberra Philharmonic is reviving its all-time money spinner, “Les Miserables”. Jim McMullen is at the helm, Dave Smith plays Jena Valjean, Kate Tricks and Ian Croker take on the grotesque Thenardiers and, in an unusual move, Adrian Flor plays Inspector Javert. At Erindale Theatre, February 21-March 16, bookings to philo.org.au/ticketing
NOW in its 18th year, the Cobargo Folk Festival is expecting more than 200 performers and thousands of fans to pour into the village from February 22-24 for a weekend of music, dance, song, comedy and poetry. International headliners this year include Jali Buba Kuyateh and Afro Diyaa from West Africa. Bookings to cobargofolkfestival.com
DIRECTOR Catherine Hill is back with Rep staging “Calendar Girls”, based on the Miramax movie by Juliette Towhidi and Tim Firth. At Theatre
IMAGINE today’s US as two polities, one where slavery provides the economic and social mainstay, the other implementing the principles of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. That’s a schism too dreadful to contemplate.
Steven Spielberg’s historical blockbuster unfolds in Washington DC in January, 1865.
Both sides craved an end to an awful war, a major social upheaval that still resonates globally. But Lincoln knew unless Congress voted to adopt the 13th Amendment of the US Constitution before making peace, the pre-war status quo would be set in concrete.
The totally US-centric film has garnered 13 nominations in this year’s Academy Awards. Win or lose, they all have great merit. “Lincoln” is unlikely to pull Australian audiences like, for example, Harry Potter did. For me, it brought memories of Fin Crisp and Sol Encel in the Pol. Science department at Canberra University College. But such preparation is not an essential precursor for taking deep satisfactions from Spielberg’s film. Casting Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln is a nice conceit, an English actor rather than an American one. It’s a perceptive portrayal delivering deep emotional energy. Sally Field is powerful as Mary Lincoln. Tommy Lee Jones has never been better than here playing congressman Thaddeus Stevens, a master of “sarcastic eloquence”.
Screenwriter Tony Kushner mixes recorded oratory with imagined domestic moments and polemics to give “Lincoln” a convincing verity in a film with qualities of a cinematic masterpiece.
At all cinemas
“Monsieur Lazhar” (M)
the city
3, Acton, until March 2, bookings to 6257 1950.
SELBY and Friends will soon bring Mozart, Fauré and Dvorák, for their first concert of the year and introduce their 2013 development artist, violinist Grace Clifford. “Blossom & Grow”, at Fairfax Theatre, NGA, 7.30pm, February 18. Bookings to 1300 511099 or www.selbyandfriends.com.au
CAMILLA Blunden, Liliana Bogatko, Raoul Craemer, and Noonee Doronila will be revisiting “Destination Home,” their Street Theatre show about migration, during an artistic residency at Belconnen Arts Centre. They’ll stage two final readings of the piece at 7pm on February 21 and 23. Bookings to info@belconnenartscentre.com.au or 6173 3300.
OIL painter Jess Annetts is exhibiting at the newish Tuggeranong Arts Centre Shopfront Gallery, on Anketell Street, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm until February 27. In “An Unguarded Moment”, she comments on how people never quite have complete control over their bodies in their reactions.
BELCONNEN Arts Centre is “thrilled” about its new creative workshop “Starting Point – Art for Adults” with Nicolette Black, over two terms. Bookings to info@belconnenartscentre. com.au or 6173 3300.
AT a Montreal school, the grade six teacher has hanged herself in her classroom. That’s a serious plot precursor for writer/ director Phillipe Falardeau’s gently affectionate and moving observation of its consequences.
Bachir Lazhar (Mohamed Fellag) has fled Algeria after terrorists murdered his wife and children. Canadian immigration authorities are slowly processing his application for residence. He gets the gig to replace the dead woman.
Quite quickly, staff and students become as close to family as he is likely to get.
The dead teacher has left unexpected consequences for her replacement, who must withdraw from the classroom while a psychologist comes to counsel the children who are no different from grade sixers in any school. But Simon (Emilion Neron) discovered the death and Alice (Sophie Nelisse) saw the body before the classroom was put out of bounds.
In his film, Falardeau makes statements which move through the story as natural parts of life, neither proselytising nor pontificating.
At Palace Electric
“Elles” (R)
TO avoid having their work consigned to the shelf marked X-rated (“Forbes” magazine estimates the value of the porn movie industry at more than $2 billion) filmmakers need to tread carefully with sexuality.
With “Elles”, Polish filmmaker Malgorzata Szumowska treads bravely but carefully through the minefield of sex work. Juliette Binoche plays well-off middle-class, married with two sons, magazine feature-writer Anne, doing a story about students supporting themselves by having sex with strangers for money.
Alicja (Joanna Kulig) and Charlotte aka Lola (Anais Demoustier) are intelligent and comfortable in their lifestyle choices. Writing their story becomes a sort of collegiate process, carried out against the background of Anne’s family life.
It deals with love in the world of sex work by finding no place for it. Its only woman character to experience an orgasm is Anne herself, masturbating apparently to obliterate exasperation at the contrast between the sexual ambience of Alicja and Lola’s lives and her own. Strong stuff, but worth seeing.
At Palace Electric
Wendy Johnson dining
WHAT’S in a name? Who knows, but I do know that the “pea” part of The Elk and Pea, a venue that opened on Lonsdale Street in “happening Braddon” before Christmas, doesn’t represent the delightful, small, round, green vegetable. Rather it’s short for the stunningly elegant peacock.
And, you guessed it, you will see a peacock (stuffed, of course) and elk heads (stuffed, of course) as main elements of the décor in this “eating house”.
The Elk and Pea is the latest venture of Bria Sydney (Parlour and Knightsbridge Penthouse) and chef Nick Parkinson.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it now has its liquor licence and martini lovers are catered for from 8am (breakfast martini and an espresso tequila martini are $16).
I’ve been a couple of times and welcome refinements such as tablecloths outside (table surfaces used to get painfully hot under the sun) and a refreshed menu that is not so “bread heavy”.
Back to the pea – green, vegetable type. I ordered the “Peas and Q”, a refreshing summer salad created with quinoa (all the rage), roast tomato, Persian feta, rocket, peas and basil vinaigrette ($15). It was good value and oh-so-very-healthy. My friend’s slow-braised goat enchilada, wrapped in soft, corn tortillas ($16), was a bit small to be sufficiently filling, but high on taste.
Other salads include a chicken and mango with coconut dressing ($16). Meals to share feature mushrooms and maize, with crunchy panko and almond-crumbed cactus ($24). The flamed ground beef and pimento chicken-breast burgers sound yummy, also (both $16).
On a hot day ceviche would go down well – limemarinated kingfish, pickled jalapeño, corn crisps and radish ($15), and I will return for the Caribbean jerk chicken, so famous for its pack-a-punch flavour ($26).
The décor features many eccentric items, but I’m not convinced it works as a whole. The long stretch of peacock-blue bench seating is too high for the accompanying tables. Although a shorty, I felt tall compared to my dining companion on the opposite side of our table. And the high, wooden, communal
“WEST Side Story”, with its familiar Romeo and Juliet story set among warring gangs in the New York slums, is given an impressive new production by Free Rain Theatre.
Leonard Bernstein’s still-stunning score, thrillingly performed by a large orchestra conducted by Maj Geoff Grey, drives the production along, complemented by a series of well-staged set pieces, most notably the “Dance at the Gym” and the impressively staged fight sequences, that are genuinely exciting.
Director Anne Somes has chosen a predominantly young cast and while this has paid off in the lead roles, some ensemble members simply do not have the technical skills to do justice to Lisa Buckley’s demanding choreography, especially obvious in the opening “Jet Song”.
Despite his slim physique, Lachlan Whan is a virile,
musical theatre
“West Side Story” Free Rain Theatre, At the Q, Queanbeyan, until February 24. Reviewed by Bill Stephens
passionate Tony, whose depiction of ecstatic first love is both believable and affecting. His performance of “Maria” is a highlight. Nicola Hall is equally impressive as Maria and despite her pretty voice showing signs of tiredness in the second act, her acting remained focused and convincing.
Zack Drury (Riff) and Jordan Kelly (Bernado) are both outstanding as the warring gang leaders, but Amy Dunham as Anita, (unexpectedly, in flat shoes) appeared tentative and insecure in a role that should deliver fireworks.
table seems awkward (we watched gangly lads trying to get comfy, to no avail).
The birdcage in the middle of the room is playful and, when in the back near the open-concept kitchen, look up – way, way up – and explore the paintings, many framed in carved, gold gilt.
The wine list has some lovely drops. Service is decent, although I could do without watching staff munch on their lunch behind the bar while I’m waiting for water and a menu.
Overall, I like The Elk and Pea. And congrats for opening weekends – Braddon doesn’t have a whole lot of choice on Sundays.
The Elk and Pea, 21 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Open seven days. 6162 0222.
By Helen Musa
THERE was passion and justification in abundance as the Centenary of Canberra launched its indigenous cultural program, “Celebrating First Australians”.
Robyn Archer, creative director of the Centenary, argued her case for the strong focus placed on first Australians during the 2013 program.
For one thing, she said, when Australia was federated in 1901 there was little if any reference to our indigenous population. Also, this year presented a great chance to show how things are changing and how important Canberra has been to that, with events such as the establishment of the Tent Embassy, the voiding of Terra Nullius by the High Court and Kevin Rudd’s apology all taking place here.
Archer introduced the handsome program, featuring rock art from Namadgi National Park, praising the producer of indigenous programming, Helen Healy, of HHO events from Mildura, who later told “CityNews” that, contrary to some claims that much of the Centenary program was “going to happen anyway”, every bit of her community-friendly program had been specifically commissioned for and funded by the Centenary.
Centenary patron Sir William Deane reminded the crowd that 2013 would be an occasion for sadness as well as celebration and added to Archer’s list of landmark events the 1967 Aboriginal Referendum and the establishment of Reconciliation Australia. No more, he said, were indigenous Australians “essentially invisible.”
ACT Minister for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Affairs Shane Rattenbury announced a nationwide program encompassing 64 events and involving almost 400 people from over 50 places around Australia. Program details at canberra100.com.au/programs/ indigenous-focus/.
A house is likely to be our biggest single investment, so it makes sense to make the most of living in it and, at the same time, adding value through professionally guided improvement. Here “CityNews” showcases the goods and services of experts who can help you achieve those objectives...
LOCALLY owned and operated, GoSolarACT is a company focused on delivering renewable energy and green solutions to make the environment more sustainable.
Sales director Lucas Sena has been working in the green industry since 2008 and says he has helped many clients to achieve their “green” goals.
“Not only can I advise you on renewable energy options, but also how to make your home more energy efficient including improving your home’s insulation,” he says.
“With the experience gained through more than 400 solar-panel installations and the reassurance of dealing with a Canberra-owned and based solar power installation company, you can be confident in allowing Go Solar to install your solar power system and start enjoying the savings on your power bill and insulating yourself from inevitable electricity price increases in years to come.”
6/12 Lomax Street, Forde, call 6145 2446 or go to actsolar. com.au
“WE make life hard for ourselves when we are surrounded by clutter,” says Creative by Design owner Rosana McLeod.
“At Creative by Design, we create order from chaos and make life simple.”
Rosana and her team look at the storage in people’s homes and help them develop solutions.
“We’re big consumers these days and many people buy a new home and move in only to realise they don’t have enough storage space,” she says.
Rosana says the fourth bedroom is often the biggest problem in the house because it’s often a spare bedroom, office
and playroom in one.
“We create pull-down wall beds, which offer the perfect solution for when guests come over,” she says.
It also helps that the Creative by Design team are mostly females, despite joinery being a male-dominated industry.
“Females make the decisions in homes,” Rosana says.
Creative by design have solutions for the bedroom, home office, living room, kitchen, bathroom and other parts of the house.
175 Gilmore Road, Queanbeyan. Call 6284 2759 or go to creativebydesign.com.au
SOLACE Creations managing director Karen Fisher has a vision for every home in Australia to be double glazed.
“I would love to see a shift from windows and doors being a standard part of the construction to being part of the insulation process,” she says.
“Our ideal client is a home owner, architect or builder who would like to get the most out of their insulation.”
She says most people know that they need insulation in their walls, ceiling and floor, but don’t know that double glazing is also an insulator.
“This means that you need to put it in every opening of your home for maximum benefits.
So what are the best windows?
“The most obvious choice for builders, architects and homeowners is aluminium frames, but heat and cold still passes through aluminium because it is a conductor.
“We have had clients remark to us that double glazing their aluminium frames was basically a waste of time. The best materials are timber or uPVC because they are an insulated material.
“Most people don’t like to maintain timber so uPVC is left as a best choice for insulating your windows and doors,” Karen says.
79 Dundas Court, Phillip. Call 6260 1621 or go to solacecreations.com.au
THIS week’s feature plant is Hebe from NZ, in flower in many gardens at present. The Hebe genus is classed as NZ’s horticultural treasure trove.
In the UK, the Royal Horticultural Society publish each year “The Plant Finder” book, which lists more than 85,000 plants and, more importantly, from which garden centres and nurseries they can be purchased.
I mention this as they list a staggering 535 varieties of Hebe, such is the popularity of this plant over there. Equally, it is becoming a favourite among gardeners here.
The Hebe, or Veronica as the genus was originally known, was discovered by naturalists Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander, who accompanied Capt James Cook. The discovery was made on Cook’s first voyage to NZ from 1769 to 1771. Although interestingly, the first Hebe brought into cultivation was from the Falkland Islands in 1776. The rest is history.
HEBES range from varieties growing to just 60 centimetres to those up to two metres.
They look great planted in groups of three, five or seven, or planted as a hedge, as illustrated here. It blends perfectly with other plants such as Daphne. The range of leaf shapes and colours, from grey to dark green, or variegated green and yellow, are attractive in their own right.
One of the largest mass plantings here of Hebes was undertaken by the National Capital Authority in the central beds of Anzac Parade. These represent the “NZ” part of Anzac. Eleven
The now-flowering Hebe x “andersonii”... a small, evergreen shrub with large, creamy white and grey, variegated leaves and purple-violet flowers.
thousand “Otari White” were planted, the pink buds opening to pure-white flowers. Here are a few suggestions that I know from experience grow well in this district:
• “La Seduisante”, although sounding French, was first recorded in an English nursery in 1906. Its deep-violet-purple flowers are set off with dark green leaves, growing from one to 1.8 metres tall.
• “Marie Antoinette” with red-purple flowers, a low shrub to 75cm tall. This plant is an ideal alternative to Buxus sempervirens, or box plant, with the advantage of flowering over a long period.
• Possibly one of the most popular is “Inspiration”, a neat compact shrub with petuniapurple flowers. This is a good coastal plant surviving salt spray and salt-laden winds.
• “Icing Sugar” is just as delicious as the name. The rose-pink flower buds open to the same colour and then change to white giving them a most attractive appearance.
• “Oratia Beauty” also has pink flowers changing to white, to 75-centimetres tall - this is another good low-hedge plant.
These few varieties are just to tempt you with a hardy plant for Canberra, not forgetting Queanbeyan gardeners. Check out other varieties at your local garden centre. “Hebes”, by Lawrie Metcalf, Timber Press, 2006, is the bible on these super plants. Check availability online.
WHILE I worry about the demise of our street trees here, other places have the same problem. Parks, gardens and trees are vital to make town centres inviting, yet are too often overlooked and are now the subject of new government guidelines to town planners in the UK. Streets, especially high streets, have reached a crisis point and action is needed. Suggestions include communities growing “pocket parks”, with perhaps wildflower gardens, while sites await development. This could be a good idea when one sees overgrown sites such as demolished service stations disfiguring our suburbs here.
WITH barely two weeks of summer left, I remind readers of the adage: “autumn time is planting time”:
• Prepare ground for shrubs and bulbs. Do not have the soil too rich, especially for bulbs. For shrubs, prepare the ground to at least 30cm deep.
• Consider now where to plant shade or blossom trees, giving them plenty of room to grow.
• Do you know where the underground services are on your block? “Dial before you dig” is recommended before you start preparing deep holes for trees
• Consider the contents of potting mixes and where the materials come from, such as peat from endangered peat bogs.
• Do you really need to buy potting mixes with chemical fertilisers already added? Are those fertilisers ideal for the particular plants you intend to grow?
your week in the stars / February 18 - 24
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
Your quicksilver mind is firing on all cylinders and you’re keen to communicate, study and learn. But your sharp tongue and razor wit could get you into trouble – especially if you gossip up a storm. So be careful. The motto for ambitious Aries is from birthday great Steve Irwin: “Be passionate and enthusiastic in the direction that you choose in life, and you’ll be a winner.”
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)
With Venus in your career zone, it’s time to beautify your work environment and socialise with colleagues. Some single Bulls will start an on-the-job romance. Watch out for stubbornly holding a fixed position in your dealings with others. You may not be seeing the full picture so aim to be more flexible. And don’t let a child, teenager or friend pull the wool over your eyes.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)
Avoid being a garrulous Gemini and don’t believe everything you hear (especially at work). If you pass on unverified hearsay, you could end up with egg on your face! Your ruling planet Mercury goes retrograde (from February 23-March 18), so prepare for mixed messages, missed appointments, car trouble or computer chaos … and make sure you back-up all your files.
CANCER (June 22 – July 22)
Foster friendships and make sure you’re carrying your weight in all your major relationships. Communicating with loved ones will be tense, but a pinch of patience will get you through. Saturday favours being more experimental than usual – especially at work. Saturn pours cold water on displays of affection on Sunday … but that doesn’t mean you aren’t loved.
LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)
You may feel as if you are going backwards with a loved one (as Saturn reverses through your family zone), but it gives you the opportunity to rebuild a problematic relationship. Money is tight for many luxury-loving Lions at the moment, so try to keep your urge to splurge under tight control. Aim for your personal best on Saturday, as others sit up and take notice.
VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)
Jupiter blesses professional projects with one proviso Virgo … your heart must be in what you’re doing. If you are just going through the motions, it will affect the quality of your work. On the weekend, don’t jump to conclusions and assume you know what a loved one is thinking … you may be way off the mark. With Mercury going retro, check and re-check.
LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)
Have you been feeling lethargic Libra? With four planets activating your wellbeing zone, it’s time to focus on health and fitness. And make sure any exercise program you start also has a social element to it (like tennis or golf), otherwise you’ll quickly lose interest. Saturn starts reversing through your money zone so avoid buying things on credit … stick to cash.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)
Creativity is highlighted but with Saturn reversing through your sign, don’t listen to unconstructive criticism – or let others highjack your ideas. Have faith in your unique Scorpio talents. Your motto for the moment is from writer Anais Nin (born on February 21, 1903): “You should not give anybody the power to decide what is right and wrong in your creativity.”
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)
Are you sick of being a single Sagittarian? Jupiter is journeying through your relationship, so (until June 26) expect a plethora of potential partners to beat a path to your door. You’re in the mood to chat on the weekend but watch what you say – especially to a frazzled family member. Think before you speak because hasty words now could lead to regrets later on.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)
With so many planets in your communication zone, it will be hard to keep up with correspondence this week as you connect with others via talking, texting or tweeting. And expect some misunderstandings along the way as both Saturn and Mercury go retrograde. Clear communication is the key. Stress levels are high on Sunday so be patient and pace yourself.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)
When it comes to your current financial situation, resist the urge to be impulsive with cash and careless with credit. And, if you are carrying a lot of debt, don’t put your head in the sand. Avoidance will only compound the problems. If you can’t manage your money yourself, then call in the professionals. Saturday is wonderful for love and lashings of romance.
PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)
The Sun hooks up with Neptune on Thursday which highlights creativity, spirituality and compassion, as you reach out and help those in need. But avoid escaping into a fantasy world for too long. Make the most of mighty Mars moving through your sign, as you go out and get what you want. As birthday great Anais Nin wrote: “Good things happen to those who hustle.”
Across
1 What is a brightly coloured lightweight jacket?
8 Name the tackles used to hoist sails, flags, etc
9 What term relates to any lofty mountain?
10 In horseracing parlance, what is a longshot?
11 What are sets of containers for vinegar and oil, etc?
13 What are the larvae of frogs?
16 Name the small organisms that float near the water surface
19 Which central WA desert is near Lake Hopkins?
22 What is a sudden, unexpected reaction called?
24 In which dome-shaped snow huts do Eskimos live?
25 Which crustacean clings to ship bottoms, etc?
26 What are weighing machines also known as?
2 Who led the Eureka rebellion in 1854, Peter ...?
3 What was the former name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
4 Name a variable electrical resistor
5 What is a more common term for a surfeit?
6 Which establishment is used for gambling games?
7 To stick fast, is to do what?
12 Which is that one of the two bones of the forearm that is on the side opposite to the thumb?
14 What are small rowing boats?
15 Name an alternative term for Hawaiian garlands
17 What are woolly-haired S American ruminants?
18 To be cooking in a microwave oven is to be doing what (coll)?
20 Name a very light wood
21 What is a particular form of oxygen?
23 What are parts of a circle?
