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Perth, |
Australia keeps its leading lady
Marina Prior returns to
Perth later this month with baritone
Donald Cant to perform The Music of
Rodgers and Hammerstein with the
Australian Philharmonic Orchestra
(below). Marina, Australia's
best-known musical theatre star, was in Perth last
week for one night's performance as part of a
corporate event tour covering Brisbane, Sydney,
Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Although sleep
deprived, like most new mothers, Marina looked
relaxed and said she was enjoying the tour as a
refreshing change to her eight weekly performances
in musical theatre. Marina is touring
with eight-week-old Campbell and her mother, while
husband Peter and four-year-old Olivia remain in
Melbourne. "They are doing
special father and daughter things like fish and
chips on the beach," she smiled. Peter, a
choreographer and performer, met Marina when they
were in Cats together. "There was never
going to be a convenient time to have children,"
said Marina cheerfully." So we just had to have
them at inconvenient times and work around
it." Having children has
ensured that Australia keeps its leading lady of
musical theatre, at least in the short
term. "Australia is the
best place for bringing up children and, besides,
the opportunities just keep coming in." Marina said that
while she was performing Christine in the original
Australian production of The Phantom of the Opera,
people were constantly telling her she should take
over the role in London. "I thought then
about how exciting going to London would be," she
admitted. "But then I realised that I would be the
eighth person to have taken on that role over
there. Here, I was the first." Aware that
Australians still believe you have to have
performed overseas before you can be regarded as
"famous", she pointed out that producer and
directors Cameron McIntosh, Hal Prince
(Phantom/Showboat) and Trevor Nunn (Cats and Les
Miserable) constantly expressed amazement at the
level of talent in Australia when they came to
produce shows here. "The offer came up
to perform with Jose Carreras and I decided to
stay," she continued. "And now I have a family and
my priorities have changed." Marina's priorities
at the start of her career were leaning towards
opera singing and teaching music. While studying for
her Bachelor of Music at Melbourne University, she
decided to audition for the Victorian State Opera's
production of The Pirates of Penzance. She thought
she might get a chorus part, just for the fun and
experience. She landed the female lead,
Mabel. "I was just 18
years old and didn't even know enough to be
nervous," she laughed, still with a sense of awe
about her surprise success. She went on to
perform Guinevere opposite Richard Harris in
Camelot and lead roles in HMS. Pinafore, Die
Fledermaus, Cats, Les Miserables, Phantom, West
Side Story, The Merry Widow and more recently, Gus
and Dolls. She has been
awarded two Green Room awards, two MO awards,
nominated for Australian Performer of the Year and
won the Advance Australia Award for her
contribution to performing arts. Her 1991 debut
album, Leading Lady, reached platinum status within
a month of its release. She has since recorded two
more successful albums and is planning a fourth
this year. "It was only a few
years ago that I took stock of my career and
realised how extraordinary it's all
been." Last year, Marina
was surprised again when she became the subject of
the television show, This Is Your Life. "It took weeks to
get over it - it was the biggest shock of my life!"
she exclaimed. She was presented
with the big red book at a curtain call of The
Merry Widow. "In the time they
gave me to change from my costume, I was panicking
about what they could possible talk about? This
isn't going to be interesting... what are they
going to do?" Pointing out that
there was a string of very interesting leading men
who made an appearance on the show, she laughed
heartlily and said: "Well, that's the bonus of this
job - gorgeous leading men I have to kiss every
night." Remembering
all the shows that were Jill Perryman with a
gown once worn by Dame Joan Sutherland in
the opera Lakme. Arts Minister Sheila McHale and music theatre
actor Jill Perryman shared the task of launching
the museum, which was designed by world-renowned
theatre and opera house architect Maciek
Miszewski. Polish-born Miszewski first met His Majesty's
Theatre manager Rodney Phillips 30 years ago in
Cape Town. Rodney said he was just starting out in
the world of arts management when he met the
architect who had come to design the Cape Town
Opera House. When plans were floated to refurbish the
basement of Perth's only remaining Edwardian
Theatre, Miszewski, who had already retired, told
Rodney: "I know just what you need," and flew to
Perth to offer his services for free. The basement now houses the museum and a new
cabaret lounge. For the first time museum curator Ivan King has
a formal setting for his collection of more than
25,000 catalogued items, including photos,
programs, press clippings, scripts, sheet music,
costumes, video and audio tapes, all of which have
languished backstage at His Majesty's for almost 20
years. The exhibition will change regularly so that as
many items as possible can go on display, covering
every genre of the performing arts from music and
opera to dance, drama, vaudeville, circus and
cinema. The museum opens with a tribute to Dame Joan
Sutherland, including an emerald green gown she
wore in Lakme at the Sydney Opera House in
1976. The museum is open Monday to Friday, from 10am
to 4pm, and for one hour before an opening night
performance in the theatre. The Museum of Performing Arts is supported by
His Majesty's Theatre Foundation. Entry is by a
gold coin donation. School and tour groups are welcome. For details
contact Ivan King on 9265 0918. Copyright © 1999 - 2006 Post Newspapers Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.
Marina Prior
calculates that by the end of her current tour her
12-week-old baby will have been on 24 flights
around Australia.
-Sarah McNeill
The Museum of Performing Arts opened this week in
the basement of His Majesty's Theatre.
In Post Impressions this week:
Theatre:
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Cinema:
Music:
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Off to the real Positano
Chocolat is not to be resisted
Kel's vision comes with sound