This number came about because of Linda Tregonning and Charles Oliver, both vital parts of Canberra’s theatrical community – in a number of capacities – for as long as I can remember, and for several evenings that I cannot.
I’d written a song for Canberra Philharmonic, celebrating its tendency to stage Les Mis whenever possible, and I’d been lucky enough to win a CAT Award for the same. That song was a reasonably gentle piss-take, so when Linda asked if I might do another, at Philharmonic’s 60th birthday, I thought I’d try something less mocking.
But not, hopefully, mawkish.
It was a lot like the number below, but with more Christian names and fewer towns, and it went over well enough.
This is, more or less, what Charles Oliver said to me afterwards:
“Could you do that song again at the CAT Awards, but with more mention of all the places people come from? So they all feel included?”
“Sure,” quoth I, and then “Bugger,” thought I, because there are many, many towns whose theatre-folk are nominated for CAT Awards, and I couldn’t afford to leave a single one out.
This video, by kind courtesy of Stage Whispers magazine, turned up on YouTube a little later. While watching it, I feel the same as anyone watching themselves onscreen (“Hit the treadmill, fatty”), but I also know what’s running through my head:
“BatemansBayMerimbulaShellHarbourMolongMolongit’spronouncedMow-LongMolong …”
Brian the Chemist
PS I’m happy I worked in a reference to making a hat. Not, I trust, too obviously.
major to minor 