Mister Brisbane: Cracker night
City smells | Sounds right | Long or short? | Theatre returns
By any standards, the plot in 1605 by a group of English Catholics including Guy Fawkes (a.k.a. Guido Fawkes or John Johnson) to blow up Parliament by igniting barrels of gunpowder in the basement was poorly planned and executed. It came undone largely because one of the rebels decided to warn a prominent Catholic peer, Lord Monteagle, not to attend on the day. Monteagle informed King James, the main target of the conspiracy, and Fawkes was captured and tortured in the Tower of London. He and others were then executed in a ghastly way.
As an indirect consequence of the so-called Gunpowder Plot, about 360 years later I was among thousands of Aussie kids playing with fireworks in the backyard of the family home on the evening of November 5. Guy Fawkes Night, or Cracker Night, was an annual event in Brisbane, and across Australia (plus, of course, England, where it all began). It was especially fun for me, because it was held on the day after my birthday (no hint intended). But it came to an end before my childhood did, because letting off fireworks in the backyard isn’t exactly the safest thing to do. Apparently, a lot of kids lost eyes, fingers and other bits of their bodies, or became terribly burnt, because threepenny bungers, catherine wheels, roman candles and throwdowns are dangerous things in unskilled hands.
Through sheer luck, I suppose, none of my family or friends were hurt and, to be perfectly honest, I have happy memories of setting off penny rockets and blowing up letterboxes. I’d add a warning not to try this at home, but since it’s impossible to buy fireworks these days without a proper licence, I suppose that’s not necessary.
Join Brett Debritz and Spencer Howson for the Mister Brisbane show on Reading Radio at 1296AM or DAB+ in Brisbane on Tuesdays at 6.30pm, Wednesdays at 4am and 7am, Fridays at 4am, Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 5pm. It is also available as a podcast on popular platforms including Spotify, Apple and Google Podcasts.
ON THE NOSE
A few weeks ago on the podcast, Spencer mentioned the unpleasant smell of the Fourex Brewery at Milton. A drive along Coronation Drive last week reminded me of another, more pleasing, odour that used to permeate the inner-western suburbs: that of the old Arnott’s Factory. Many’s the time I enjoyed the smell of baking biscuits as I drove along that stretch to and from the University of Queensland during my student years. I wasn’t, however, gifted with such acute olfactory organs that I could tell which particular treats were being made that day. The factory is long gone and has been replaced by apartments (below) that, as far as I know, don’t have much of a smell at all.
SIZE MATTERS
Thanks to Jason on Twitter for directing me to an article in The Guardian that points out how everything from books to movies to podcasts seems to be so damn long these days. This is something I’ve written about before, especially in my days as a theatre critic, where I’ve noted that less is often more. (I also wrote that “life’s too short to see Les Misérables twice” — even though I have.) The story quotes author Val McDermid as saying: “Sometimes books and films merit length. But a lot of stuff is quite self-indulgent and needs a serious edit.”
Back on Twitter, Jason asked where people got the time to listen to very long podcasts. I guess a lot of people listen during their commutes, but who commutes for more than an hour? And if they’re listening at work to a podcast that’s all talk (and hence requires some concentration, unlike listening to music) then I think it’s fair to say that they’re not doing their job properly. It genuinely worries me that I might be addicted to the internet (I certainly failed at giving up Twitter) and I do worry about people who seem to spend all their time bingeing on Netflix and other streaming services.
All this raises a few questions. Have our lives gone out of balance? And are we neglecting important tasks, or important people, because we’re consuming too much media that goes on for far too long? Or do people like me, who often break up or fast-forward our viewing and listening, simply have attention spans that are too short?
(The good news is that the Mister Brisbane radio show and podcast is only about 15 minutes. All killer, no filler.)
NAME GAME
It’s an oldie but a goodie. Gossip newsletter Popbitch calls it “nominative determinism”; I call it “people with names that suit their jobs”. And, over on Facebook, my friend Jim Devine noted last week that there was a glazier called Mr Payne. It caused me to remember that there used to be a McDonald’s manager in the CBD with the surname Hamburger. Other names to emerge in the comments were medical practitioners called Dr Death and Dr Butcher, a paint-shop manager called Wall, an art teacher named Potter, and a dentist called Dr Puller. Oh, and I weighed in with an opera critic named Julio Bravo. Anyone know any others?
WHAT THE DICKENS
Live theatre is slowly returning, under Covid-safe conditions of course. If you’re in the mood for a Christmas morality tale, then book now for the Shake & Stir production of A Christmas Carol, which is returning to QPAC from December 16-24. This acclaimed production is directed by Michael Futcher and stars Eugene Gilfedder as Scrooge, with Ross Balbuziente, Salliana Campbell, Nelle Lee and Nick Skubij.
On the subject of theatre, Queensland Theatre has announced its 2021 season, beginning with the Thornton Wilder classic, Our Town, then Triple X, Taming of the Shrew, White Pearl, Prima Facie, Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe, Return to the Dirt and Robyn Archer: An Australian Songbook. Details of the plays and how to purchase tickets are available on the QT website.
FEEDBACK
The big takeaway from last week is that it seems lots of people still have World Expo 88 memorabilia. Mike, a photographer, has a hard hat from the building site and a press pass; Jay has “a commemorative coin thingy”'; Trina has a collection of newspaper cuttings; Jim has a number plate; and John has some video of Wickety Wak playing on the river stage.
John responded to my shout-out for radio stars of the 1960s and 70s with a few more names: Dave Grey, John Greenwood and Geoff Mullins, while Warren recalled Lee Cornell. Oh, and I also remembered Mike Ahern, a veteran of Britain’s pirate radio era, who used to host breakfast on 4BC and became their London correspondent for many years. Bruce weighed in with John Daly, Jim Sweeney, Bob Bax and Frank O’Callaghan. Meanwhile, Andrew noted: “Wow. Looking at that list of names and realising not a woman amongst them. Sign of the times right there!”
Regarding songs that follow us around, Sean named Will I Ever See Your Face Again by The Angels; Ted mentioned Joe Jackson’s (It’s a) Big World; Warren and Jim say they are haunted by Greensleeves (the tune played by Mr Whippy vans), while Jim adds Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves by Cher; and David asks: “Does the Imperial March from Star Wars count as a ‘song’?”
And, finally, Brenden commented on the demise of a formerly well-known soft drink: “I would love one last sip of TAB before it retires. Just for old-times’ sake.”