Theatre Review: Luke

The Play: Luke by Angus Cameron

The Theatre: Red Stitch Actors Theatre, St Kilda

Runtime: 90 minutes

Until: 11 October

Stars: 4

I love when a cheap ticket over- delivers. This cheap seat, procured on TodayTix for $50 was worth every cent. 

Angus Cameron's Luke is going to become an Australian classic. It's awesome. The Red Stitch website describes it as such:

"One night in 2007, Chris - fresh out of high school - drinks, argues and philosophises with his two older teacher friends, Damon and Olena. But when a buried secret begins to surface, the night takes an irreversible turn, and their lives are rewritten forever."

Things I can tell you. Firstly, this is going to become a queer classic. It's got everything you need. Three characters, no straight answers, no way to know what actually happened all those years ago, and now way of seeing what was going to happen after the initial events. 

I'm not going to delve into the plot as it would spoil it. Needless to say, it involves accusations of grooming

However, I can say that the acting was very enjoyable. Dion Mills as Damon, the country teacher, proud of the job he's doing, probably better suited to the city, hopeful and despondent in turn. Olga Makeeva is Olena, Damon's colleague and housemate, also an outsider in the town. The third hand to the play is Will Lonsdale, who plays Chris, a favourite student of Damon, caught in his own bubble. 

The play takes place over two decades. The first act takes place at the end of 2007, which sets the scene. The other two acts take place decades later, still in the hometown where Chris has grown up and the consequences of his actions must be address. 

I've remained intentionally vague about the plot so not to ruin this. 

What I will say is Angus Cameron's script is tight, fun and walks a brilliantly morally ambiguous line from the plays first line until its conclusion.  Iain Sinclair, who directorial work with the Melbourne Theatre Company includes The View From the Bridge and Berlin, keeps the action fast paced and the relationships between the main characters very real. 

The Red Stitch's tiny stage is used to great effect, screens making the transition between time periods seemless. 

The 90 minutes of this play kept me on the edge of my seat. This is a punchy, pacy and thought-provoking play that should do very well. This is on until 11 October. Hunt out a ticket. This is one play you'll want to see before this gets more airtime. Like Break of Day, which was on at the Malthouse last month, this has the feel of a new modern classic.  

Today's song:

Sunday Stealing - Stealers are doing it form themselves

 As I'm heading off to a play in a minute, after another busy day, I'll see what I can get done before I take off. 

Questions which were garnered from Sunday Stealing player this time around, come from Sunday Stealing.

1. If you were trapped in a TV universe for a month, what TV show would you choose? 

Bridgerton - that looks fun. But with better plumbing. 

2. What song instantly revs you up and gets you going?  

As an Australian, if Tina Turner's Nutbush City Limits comes on, I'm on the dancefloor with the rest of Australia. We're taught this in school and find it bizarre that the rest of the world doesn't do this. 

I'm serious. This is our national dance. Government sponsored in the 70s and 80s. We all do it. 

The B52s Rock Lobster and Echo Beach also get me up. 

3. Are you decorating your home for fall? 

I'm in the Southern Hemisphere. We're going into Spring. So, no. 

4. How do you treat a cold? 

Ugh, colds. Hate them. I take a naturopathic tablet daily from April to September to ward them off. But when I do get them, lots of paracetamol or ibuprofen, fluids and rest and then hope for the best. Hate colds. 

5. What insignificant thing would you be genuinely annoyed if you lost it or it was taken from you? 

Oh, that would be my jar top popper. It's a handy implement that helps the bubble pop in jars - no more struggling with opening jars. It makes this easy. You can get them on Temu. I have an orange one. I've had it for more than ten years and it's saved a heap of frustration.

6. What place do you remember vividly, even though you haven't been there in years? 

Oh, that would be Toledo in Spain. Serious deja vu, and a place that feels very much like it has been my home many lives over.

7. Do you have a favorite Dolly Parton song or story?

Um, no. I have always had a lot of respect for Dolly Parton. Her Imagination Network and the fact that she's provided over 300,000,000 books to children over the year is enough for me. 

Today's song:

Movie Review: The Great Arch

Movie number 36 of 2026

The Movie: The Great Arch (L'inconnu de la Grande Arche)

The Cinema: Palace Cinemas, The Kino, Collins Street

Language: French/Danish/English with subtitles

Runtime: One hour 47 minutes

Stars: 4

What better thing can you do on Grand Final day other than go see a film while the game is on. With no skin in the game, there was no point watching in, and I've been wanting to see this. Why? Three factors. It's a French film, and secondly, Claes Bang. Thirdly, it looks at a bit of unknown French History. 

I try to see anything I can in French to keep my ear in and my language skills up. 

And as for Claes Bang - he's a thinking menopausal woman's crumpet. Tall, Danish and utterly yummy. Be still my dead ovaries. Some would recognise him. He was the odious J.P. on Apple TVs Bad Sisters, along with roles in a few other indie hits. 

As for the historical side of things, it the movie looks at how the Danish architect, Otto von Spreckelson, the Danish architect who designed The Cube, which resides in La Defense in Paris, and like the Eiffel Tower, is a modern landmark. 

This movie looks at the inception of the Grande Arch, from the announcement of Mitterrand announcing the winner of the design competition to the problems getting the project done. Spreckelson, it happens, was a bit of a control freak. The government overseer, Subilon (Xavier Dolan) and the project manager, Andreu (Swann Arlaud) only want the best for the project, but with some excessive government building laws, a lot of big asks for materials, a marriage under strain and generally all the stuff that goes on when you build a house times 100, it makes for an interesting hour and 45 minutes. 

I loved the fact that the screen ration was set to 1:1.37, the shortened length of the screen making it feel like we were watching this through a box. The colour palette was very early 80s, as were then costumes (and the onscreen smoking - I do not miss those days).

Something else which I loved about this, the film mostly ran in French, with a bit of Danish, subtitles making easy work of the language. What was surprising was when Bang occasionally broke into English. This was done to great effect making the character appear sinister. This is worth a look, just for this. 

I came out of The Great Arch wanting to learn more about this fascinating piece of history about a well- known Parisian landmark. It's worth a look for a number of reasons. Claes Bang being a big part of this. 

Today's song:

 

It's Footy Day

 Pointless public holiday.

Dan Andrews had a brain fart,

On one Election Eve, 

A day off for the Grand Final

We want it, you believe. 

It's Grand Final tomorrow.... so what?!

It's Grand Final tomorrow... no way?!

It's Grand Final tomorrow, the streets are all empty,

And nobody comes out to play.

Being a contractor, I lose a day's pay on public holidays- so I resent pointless public holidays. I watched my mandatory 15 minutes of finals football last weekend. I caught the final moments of the Hawks vs Brisbane match last week. That's enough footy for the year. 

In my defense, I'm not really into football. I know if the Crows have won, what North Melbourne are doing, so that I can have some sort of conversation with Jay at the gym and I can talk a little about Hawthorn because I know too many Hawks supporters. But really, I don't care that much. 

Jay was horrified when I told her I was seeing a movie during the grand final. She couldn't comprehend that I'd not be watching the game. I think seeing a film is a perfectly sensible thing to do. The grand final is only fun if you have some skin in the game, or you're at a house party when you can get into it. I remember one year being at a barbeque with a baby on my lap. Not my baby - but it was a good grand final - ended in a draw. 

When I go to my yearly football game, normally when the Hawks play the Crows, I tend to take my book or my knitting, much to Barney and Norty's chagrin. I pay enough attention to the match. Being ADHD, doing two things at once comes pretty easily. 

But I just don't care enough about football to have a public holiday for it. I can't be the only one. 

Today's song:

Bye Bye Boxing

 It was my last boxing session tonight, and to be honest, I'm a sad about it. I've loved these sessions. 

Over the last six weeks I've been doing a half-hour boxing sessions at Duke's Gym with one of their trainers.

It has been fantastic. 

As somebody who avoids cardio like I do measles, this has been a journey. I bought a cheap a pair of pad gloves and over seven half hour sessions, I got to bash the crap out of my trainer, Mak. 

There are a lot of good things about muscle memory. Years of boxing training has me in the stance, arms up, head protected, ready to pounce. My left jab is fast. My right cross powerful. My hooks come from the hips, upper cuts from the knees. 

I chant the moves as I punch...chin... chin... kidney... jaw. I slip and duck.... and I come out looking like a pomegranate, albeit a happy one. 

Mak and I parted on good terms. We're going to miss each other. Me, I'll miss having somebody to beat up, even if they are wearing focus pads (and he smells very nice). 

Mak's going to miss this psycho middle-aged woman who makes him laugh between rounds.

I wanted to get him a gift - but time and inspiration were lacking. He said the best gift I can get him is to keep up the cardio - and maybe find a boxing gym that lets women in and maybe cart my now warn in gloves with me to the new gym use the big bag and speed bag regularly, and get onto the skipping rope again.... and do what it appears my body craves.

Because I have the absolute privilege, at 58-years-old, overweight, yet very strong, of being able to take on this physical challenge head on and love every minute of it. 

I know how lucky I am. 

(As an aside, I saw one of the old crew from the old gym tonight while boxing - it was great to see her - though we never knew each other's names but have always admired each other's dedication from afar. Gyms really are a community.)

Today's song:

Facing Transition

 I'm getting my head around the fact that my job is coming to an end next week. 

It's okay. 

Today I went into the office, mostly to say goodbye to some colleagues, many who've been with the firm for over ten years. As I move jobs fairly regularly, the rigmarole of looking for work is something I know how to do. I feel for the 'lifers' who are now sent out to market, most of whom have been awarded sizeable payouts, but they've not had to go on the job-hunting merry-go-round for over a decade. It's daunting. 

For me, I'm getting my head around the fact I'll be on 'leave' for a while. I don't know where I'm going after 1 October. I don't know when I'll start work again - though I don't think it will be very long before something comes my way. I started looking a few weeks ago. I've had an interview. I'm getting call backs. There is a possibility that I may go back to where I am if some funding comes through. 

Regardless, I'm going into 'leave' mode next week. I time block the day. 

• An hour of exercise
• An hour of cleaning/spring cleaning/Marie Kondo-ing the flat
• And hour of job hunting (which gets done early so it's out the way)
• and at least an hour of writing - preferably in a library where distractions are minimalised. 
• And ensure I have some sort of social interaction every day. 

The rest of the time is mine. 

I find job hunting a mind set. Good people get work. The effort is going into finding work. 

It will come. All will be well. I have my Believe post-it, green candles and tarot cards. I manifest all that I need. 

This is just another transition. 

Today's song:

Did you know...

 ... that they have a list of names for the next set of cyclones which will inevitably barrel across the top end over the country for the next couple of months. 

Some common.

Some a bit more out there. 

One girl's name. 

One boy's name. 

This is an improvement - cyclones used to be only named after women, but somebody at the Bureau of Meteorology worked out that this was sexist. If we were to get really politically correct, maybe they should throw in some androgynous or unisex names to bring things into balance - a Sam, or Chris or Bex or Shae wouldn't go astray. 

Moving forward, the Bureau are moving away from whitebread Anglo names too, with Ming Zhu, Niran, Hadi and Trung on the greater list. 

Of course, it's the big and destructive cyclones that get into our group consciousness. The Traceys and Yasis and Marcuses and the Chrises. Names that come to be synonymous with destruction and death. 

 Of course, once a name is used, it can't be used again.

But looking at this list, it's a good mix of old and new. I look at the list and think that it's good that some of the names are there, knowing a few people with some pretty toxic traits. It's rather fitting that they are there. I won''t say which one. 

As a side quest, this was a fun thing to write. 

Now, I will attempt to do the dishes. Let's see what side quests we can go on to avoid that!

Today's song: