Almanac Arts: Filling the Cultural Reservoir

 

 

As a life long Saints supporter, this 2022 season ended in the mire of mediocrity I’ve come to expect.

 

When you’re a diehard footy fan, the fortunes of your team can directly effect other aspects of your life. When you’re as consistently uninspiring as my Saints, it hurts you at a creative and cultural level.

 

Suddenly you stop reading books and start watching ‘The Masked Singer’.

 

We all have cultural reservoirs of joy, acceptance, curiosity, creativity and energy that we dip into every day. For me, an underperforming St Kilda season quickly drains that reservoir, so this weekend it was time to replenish.

 

 

Friday Night– Hannah Gadsby, Body of Work. Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne.

 

The native Tasmanian has become an international star through two previous shows, Nanette and Douglas which were produced by Netflix.

 

Whilst both these outstanding shows contained more serious material, Body of Work allows Hannah to let her hair down after two years of Covid. She also during that time married her partner Jenny, an American.

 

The hilarious material covers off her parents, her dogs, Jenny and rabbits, breaking her ankle in Iceland, her newfound celebrity status and being hopelessly unprepared to meet celebrities.

 

Hannah’s self-deprecating style combined with razor sharp wit are irrepressible. The fact that she is autistic only heightens her observations.

 

Like other great comedians she has the inalienable capacity to get distracted, side-tracked, provide a funny anecdote and seamlessly return to her routine.

 

This was a masterclass of stand-up and highly recommended but tickets are scarce. Here is Hannah’s website and ticketing details.

 

If you are walking near the Arts Centre keep your eye out for this Chinese busker. Middle aged and swathed in studded leather, this lovely man belts out all manner of songs on request, utilising a portable karaoke machine.

 

 

 

 

Clearly tone deaf, he delivers the lyrics in a monotonous style that when first heard, you wonder if you’ve come across a Japanese salaryman in a Tokyo karaoke bar at 2am.

 

Before the Hannah show we walked passed him to grab some dinner on Southbank. He was singing Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. When we returned an hour later he was finishing Olivia’s Xanadu. We donated some money and asked him if liked Olivia. He replied that she was his favourite and promptly kicked into Hopelessly Devoted to You.

 

Lynda and I responded by swaying arm in arm admiring this courageous man who’s voice ‘could take the scab off a cold sore’ and yet he was completely impervious to it.

 

We shook his hand and headed inside for the show. Another two hours later we exit Hamer Hall and we hear the unforgettable strains of Flashdance-What a feeling. This time the busker had two young women dancing feverishly in front of him and I’m pleased to say his donation box was overflowing.

 

 

Saturday morning – The Picasso Century, NGV

 

Whenever I think of Pablo Picasso I immediately start singing the Jonathan Richman classic.

 

 

I wisely avoided belting out the song at this dedicated exhibition which includes lots of other surrealist artists from Picasso’s era, being the early 1900’s to the 1960’s.

 

There are approximately eighty works by Picasso and another hundred or so of his contemporaries.

 

For $30 admission, it’s a bargain for a couple of hours taking in many priceless works of art. The NGV is great to visit anytime and I think a lot of people don’t realise the bulk of the exhibitions are free. I’ve always found solitude wandering around the rooms housing the permanent art.

 

The Picasso exhibition runs through to October 9. Here is the website.

As you finish the exhibition there is a visual installation that was highly engaging. A bunch of 11 and 12 year old kids from Liverpool are shown Picasso’s Weeping Woman and asked for their opinion on what it means to them.

 

The interpretations are hilarious but it demonstrates firstly how honest and fearless kids are at that age and just how art stimulates one’s imagination.

 

 

 

Saturday afternoon – Bangarra Dance Theatre, Sandsong- Stories from the Great Sandy Desert, The Playhouse, Arts Centre

 

My mouth hasn’t been this ajar since the first 2010 AFL grand final. I’m a relatively slow starter when it comes to Bangarra but ever since I saw their documentary Firestarter last year I’ve been hooked.

 

The story of the Page brothers is as heart wrenching as it is beautiful. Without a doubt Firestarter is one of the greatest documentaries ever made.

 

Sandsong is an interpretation of the Indigenous stories from the Kimberley through colonisation, enforced slavery and removal of children.

 

Sadly our First Nations history is littered with similar stories but as tragic as the premise for this production is, it’s massively offset by the most exquisite dancing, music and costumes.

 

The audience was spellbound at the artistry and I’m not ashamed to admit I may have emitted a salty discharge from my eyes at one stage. Such was the power and emotion of this show.

 

Sandsong is travelling nationally including the regions. Here is the link to Bangarra.

 

There is no better city than Melbourne when choosing to top up your cultural reservoir. Grab a cheap hotel and make a weekend of it. So much to do and you’re helping our great city’s economy get back on track.

 

Images: Ian Wilson

 

 

You can read more from Ian Wilson Here.

 

 

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