During our River City Players period, Talia was one of the three ladies who presented monologues from the Talking Heads series by the wonderful Alan Bennett. She also starred in Educating Rita, where, in my opinion, she produced a performance which Julie Walters herself would have admired.
A powerful stage presence, she inhabits a role completely, displaying an ability to dig deep into the emotional aspect of a character. During Amdram's Steel Magnolias, I acted as Joan's general factotum, and, sitting in the wings, listening to a moving speech by M'Lynn, Talia's character, I had to fight back tears every night.
Yet another 'tour de force' for Talia was Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, in which she switched from a drunken lush, pouring out vitriolic abuse, to a broken, sobbing wreck - the full gamut of emotions.
At the end of last year we were both in Key for Two, a farcical romp at Amdram. Motel is Talia's first experience of an April Phillips' play, and she seems to be relishing the challenge. There is a strong bond between the three of us, since, of the nine plays mentioned here, Joan was director on seven occasions and I was on stage in the same number. We have, I think Talia will agree, an intuitive rapport and an instinctive trust in each other on stage.
Lynn, of course, is well-known in Whanganui musical circles, both as a teacher and, more prominently, as conductor of the Community Choir. Her verve and vivacity in that capacity is transferred easily to the stage, as she portrays a full-on character in Motel.
Lynn and I were on stage together a decade ago in Rep's production of Little Voice, when she played the fast-living mother of a precociously talented young girl, whose forte was the ability to imitate the voices of famous singers, Shirley Bassey, Edith Piaf, Peggy Lee among others. The eponymous Little Voice was a Nga Tawa student, taught by Lynn, who proved a great success in the role, Chelsea Bognuda.
When we formed the River City Players, our first show was April's Stiff, in which both Lynn and I figured. All five of our productions took place in the Gilligan Theatre at Collegiate School, but the rehearsal period needed a different venue. For Stiff that venue was the spacious drawing room of the Whitesides' gracious home.
As well as being in front of an audience, Lynn does a lot of background work on the Amdram Committee. Prior to coming to Whanganui, Lynn was a member of the Taupo Centre Stage group. Interestingly enough, she also was in Key for Two, as well as Noises Off, where she played Brooke, the role Talia enjoyed at Rep.
JOAN: Recently I joined Sylvia Shepherd's Whanganui Tappers and it is one of the best things I have done for a long time. Sylvia is a dynamic teacher of Tap Dancing, a joy to watch and incredibly patient. Her Northern England sense of humour is a fortunate asset too! Monday mornings and Thursday afternoons, this group of glamorous ladies of a certain age gather.
Beginners and then Intermediates meet in a hall behind the Greyhound Stadium, decorated with posters, costumes and, dauntingly, large mirrors! There is laughter and warmth and a developing camaraderie which is a precious thing to share as we get older.
The music is mainly fast and slick but Tea For Two requires a certain elegance. We're working on that! We practise hard, sometimes with grim determination, but always with enjoyment and a sense of satisfaction when we get it right.
I can be forgiven for saying that we are of all shapes and sizes and I personally envy the tall, slim ladies who have less of themselves to move about. But when the music starts, I think of Ginger Rogers and I am off! I love it. Big thanks to our lovely leader and thank you to those smashing ladies who are so very special to be with. 'Shuffle, ball, tap!'
MIKE: Mark Dawson's editorial in last Wednesday's Chronicle struck me as a sensible, reasoned discussion of the recent court case brought against Chester Borrows by two TPPA protesters. Allow me to state immediately that I am not a supporter of Mr Borrows, Paula Bennett or the National Party. In fact, I approved of the aims of the anti-TPPA group, signing their petition and attending the rally at Majestic Square, though not the demonstration at the Collegiate Motel.
However, Mr Dawson's conclusion that it was a waste of taxpayers' money, a mountain out of a molehill, certainly aligned with what I felt, after seeing several re-runs of the incident on TV. The police, as he said, could possibly have been a little more alert in helping to prevent the 'accident'. And as for those words uttered in the witness box, 'horror flooded through me' - what an unnecessarily flowery, hyperbolic phrase!
Comments and suggestions to mjstreet@xtra.co.nz
