Author Archives: admin

Continuing in a Latinish vein out of “Redfern”, but picking the mood up a little. There was never a demo version of “Mabo” – I scribbled a rudimentary chord chart, took it into a Belvoirs rehearsal and we went from … Continue reading →

This one turned into a big second-act number, due to Terry Serio’s performance and to the astounding costumes created by Jennifer Irwin. The outfit into which Terry changed for the last verse was, like his impersonation, so creepily accurate that … Continue reading →

The second-act opener of the Belvoir version, conceived of and designed as a rushing-rushing-rushing-lots-of-movement-welcome-to-Act-II-kinda dealie. It was also important, I thought, that we actually got to see Keating in office – the Drowsy version was kinda skinny on that. And … Continue reading →

There’s no demo for “Sweet” – the concept was so pro-forma Elvis rockabilly that it would’ve been a waste of time (which was of the essence; most of the new Belvoir songs were actually written during the rehearsal period). With … Continue reading →

I was much happier with this than “Dogs Of Damnation”, the song it replaced for the Belvoir show. We never really got “Whitlam’s ghost” the way we wanted it, but I think it’s the right idea – every Labor government … Continue reading →

Now here’s an odd one. At Neil Armfield’s behest, I was trying to find a way to put a song on this topic into the second act of the Belvoir show without stealing any of the gravitas of “The Light … Continue reading →

Don’t know where this one came from – otherwise, frankly, I’d head straight back there and pick up some more. I’m quite proud of it. Not that I’ve any real right to be, of course: it just fell out one … Continue reading →

The fun with this one was live – in getting the two contenders out into the audience to ‘press the flesh’, and in giving the band some downtime to just, y’know, play. PAUL KEATING: Since we’ve been together, baby, what … Continue reading →

Introducing John Winston Howard (at the time the show premiered, the Prime Minister). This was great fun to sing (in the Drowsy version) and to watch Terry Serio be absolutely chilling in (in the Belvoir one). The instrumental prelude on … Continue reading →

The one song that didn’t remotely belong in the main narrative arc of the show. But, y’know, fuck the narrative arc! GARETH EVANS: It’s always the same Whenever she walks by My face is aflame and my mouth goes dry … Continue reading →