Design Graphics cover July 1997

I noticed your post that mentioned Kai Krause. So I wanted to send you this picture but your blog doesn’t have any contact details or allow comments. I’ve put it on my own blog and if you pass by or google yourself – you might see it. I don’t understand half the stuff you blog about but anyhoo… BTW your about page is dysfunctioned. (I like making up my own words)

I didn’t know much about this particular production, so was in for a big surprise. The stage design was great, it consisted of a hotel room with bed, bathroom, tv and bar fridge that rotated 360 degrees. The actors were all amazing speaking in classic Shakespearean language, with occasional modern day lines. At first it was a bit hard to understand what they were saying, but a little bit of high school Shakespeare came back to me. The blurb said Theatre for the open-minded, which it certainly was. One scene was really violent, gory and vile! The characters went to the toilet a lot on stage! The most intriguing part of the production was the use of video cameras that projected the action onto screens next to the stage. The camera operators were the actors, out of character, but on stage. There was also a camera inside the bathroom mirror and one pointing directly down from above as well. Sometimes, I didn’t know where to look, it’s a small theatre so you could see all the action on stage quite clearly, not like you were at a concert and really far away, so you look at the screens. Anyway, it was a really great production, the story was intense and so was the acting. Although it was a bit disturbing, I really enjoyed it (and it wasn’t as intense as Women of Troy)

This is a permissive, decaying city with a dysfunctional government, and the Duke has mysteriously gone on leave. In his place he’s appointed a man whose “urine is congealed ice” – the austere moralist Angelo. His first act of law is to apply the death penalty for fornication: Claudio is the first to be condemned. But when Isabella arrives to beg for her brother’s life, her pleas threaten to bring Angelo and the state to their knees.

Measure for Measure is Shakespeare’s great dark comedy about desire and power. His world is familiar: sex is a commodity, government is subject to the leader’s moral whimsy, extreme liberality goes head to head with emergency powers to constrain and punish. And lurking in the shadows of this play is the idea that real wisdom comes from unleashed chaos.

Benedict Andrews was last at Belvoir St in 2007 with his brilliant production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. He’s returned to tackle a play he’s probably born to direct: Shakespeare’s magnificent and explicit meditation on anarchy and authority.

Theatre for the open-minded.

Can I claim this as a work related expense? Unfortunately, they don’t get into Detroit techno in the office.

It’s also NAIDOC Week and my workplace has organised many activities to celebrate this year’s theme ‘Unsung Heroes – Closing the Gap by Leading Their Way’.

NAIDOC Week balloons at work

* That means, it’s not really that cold and includes sunshine.

I got this recipe out of a Family Circle recipe book I had at home. I was originally inspired to make an asparagus souffle that I saw on Poh’s Kitchen but really it was too complicated for a first attempt. Maybe next time.

Robert Hood, Sydney, Australia

For our niche circle of Detroit techno fandom, it was great to see Robert Hood finally come to Sydney again after many years and a cancellation a couple of years ago. The last time he was here, was 1992 with legendary Underground Resistance at a rave called Flight 303 which I think was held at the former Graffiti Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, I missed that gig as I was busy promoting my own rave which was on the next night. I remember getting a call at Disco City records (who were selling our tickets) asking for all of Underground Resistance’s names on the door of my party! I don’t think they turned up. I wish I could find a decent link about Disco City record store in Sydney this is the only thing I could find that name checks Disco City Records. Anyway back to the gig, Disconnected Presents 002: Robert Hood. I am so out of the scene, I didn’t even know or care who the promoter was and/or who the supports were, I just wanted to see Rob Hood. At least we didn’t do the true trainspotter thing and turn up 5 minutes before his set. The “new” venue was the former Empire/Palladium/Les Girls in Kings Cross – we have been to many, many great parties there, but haven’t been in there for about 10 years! So what can I say about Robert Hood’s set… he played a solid, hard, techno set, just what I expected, wanted and got. After about 2 hours he started to drop some more melodic, funky tracks but by then my steam had run out. I think everyone had a good time, especially the guy in the open shirt who kept gyrating near Ames, Mel & I. We lasted until almost 4am which is a recent record for me! Ms Melody kindly gave us a lift home. Dave made me some toast while we watched the start of the USA vs Ghana World Cup match before crashing out until lunch time on Sunday. Am I/I am too old for this $hit???

Robert Hood Sat. 26th June @ Plantation, Kings Cross, Sydney 2010

Roast Lamb, potato, provolone and baby spinach pizza by Dave

Caramelised Oranges