MAN ABOUT TOWN

So, for the past nine days I've been housebound - and often bed-bound - with swine flu. I haven't been this sick for about 15 years. Blah. But being sick pales into comparison with the news that my very dear friend Jack O'Loughlin was hit and killed by a car while walking to work at 6.30pm on Thursday morning. The above photos were taken at his wedding to Dee only two months ago. RIP big feller. I'll miss you more than words can say.

Quite a bit actually, and as usual I've been a bit tardy blogging about it. In recent weeks, I've seen: White Whale Theatre 's magnificent MELBURNALIA No. 2 , featuring five short plays by five Melbourne playwrights, each set in a different suburb and exploring a different aspect of Melbourne life. My favourites were the two plays which bookended the show: Andrea James' Birrarung , in which an Aboriginal warrior wreaked havoc on a trio of Yarra Tram ticket inspectors; and Aidan Fennessy's beautiful Mentone , inspired by Under Milk Wood (and cleverly incorporating part of the poem into its text), which had me wiping away tears at its simple, beautiful conclusion. A solid ensemble cast, with a standout performance by Margot Fenley, who brought pathos and emotion you could taste to every role; and directed by David Mence. Season concluded at 45 Downstairs. The opening night of the St Kilda Film Festival at the Palais Theatre; a collection of superb shorts marred by p...

The best ever (literal) reworking of a film clip : in this case, the 80s extravaganza which was Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart ...