...and in more Design/Performance/Mammary news...

Here's a shout out to any friends in Sydney who may be at a loss as to how to fill the gaping void that is Tuesday Night....


I whipped this flyer up for my mate Jon. Go and see the show - they're brilliant performers and it's loads of fun for a good cause.

More Design! More Shows! More Fun!

Here's a couple of designs I did for the upcoming season of Spontaneous Broadway at the fabulous Spiegeltent - I'll be there on Saturday, furiously writing down my ideas for new songs and laughing heartily at the brilliance of these freakishly talented improvisers. See you there.

Alternative DL flyer (not used)

Halloween Classic 2007

Lliam gets into the Halloween mood...growl.

A proper update soon folks - but for now - a gratuitous plug for a very special weekend we have coming up - The Theatresports Halloween Classic 2007. I'll be performing on the Sunday night but I'm also very proud to say that I'm part of the cast for Mr. Fish and His Spooky Library of Improv Macabre - a project directed by Derek Flores from the Three Canadians. Here's the lowdown brown:

"World-renowned improviser Derek Flores (The Three Canadians) is returning to Melbourne especially for the 2007 Halloween Classic! With him comes his new show, Mr. Fish and His Spooky Library of Improv Macabre.

Mr. Fish has spent his life traveling the world in search of the spookiest and most horrifying stories the human mind can muster, and tonight, deep with in his ancient library, moments from his mortal passing, he passes them long them to you. Be it a twisted urban myth, a tale of ghosts from the old country, or a truly macabre story of witches he has collected them all and with your help he, by dim candle light, shares them with only those brave enough to seek them out.

Running over three nights, this show will feature Derek Flores, Patti Stiles, Lliam Amor, Rama Nicholas and more!"

Also featured on this weekend will be some amazing guests from interstate and O/S who will come and play with the good folk from Impro Melbourne - creating a lovely impromoltov cocktail of talent. See you there.

More info at www.impromelbourne.com.au

I live in the suburb of Mandom

All things manly in this post folks:

In this ever-increasingly homogenised society (thank you Rik Brown) I find men wandering around the streets sniffing at lamp-posts and rooting through rubbish bins in search of their 'lost identities'. Fearing I'm always a man-size salada crack away from these poor fools I'm always on the look out for signposts, tips and suggestions on how to be a real man in this sterile wasteland. Now, thanks to "The Groovy Age of Horror" and Charles Bronson - a clear, manly Dolphin-Torch size light is shining the way:


It's the 50th anniversary of Jack Kerouac's seminal work "On The Road" - a book that has held me in good stead ever since my dad handed his battered copy over to me with a knowing wink (or was it a tear?) - This article may go some way to explaining his feelings...


Some more swell guys from the swipe files: (can you name them all?)
















Coming soon - Impro Melbourne's Halloween Classic

Mis-Quotes of our time

"Some are born thrusting, some achieve thrustness, some have great thrusting thrust upon them"

Lliam Shakespeare

Big ol' update - part two

Ok so here’s the long awaited part deux:

Remember how I was lamenting the fact that I didn’t have the car for a week and how tough it was to function without it – sheesh what a carbon moronoxide.

On the 23^rd Aug I drove down to Mornington to perform a corporate gig for the Alinta Energy group. The route took me down through the sites of my childhood, Frankston, the start of Golf Links road and where my regular milk bar used to be – it’s now a Ritchies Liquor store and there’s nothing left of it. It was here that used to buy my mixed lollies, Star Wars and Indiana Jones bubble gum cards as well as the occasional packet of roll caps for my (frowned upon) toy handgun which I had for around two weeks before it was ‘mysteriously’ lost. Wolfe was right – never go back.

I arrived at the location and went inside, men in working blue sat around looking blue and talking somewhat blue as well – hilarious to watch and hear especially as one launched into an impassioned speech about the managers that would make Joe Pesci do a double take. After a full afternoon of Safety roleplay I drove away (still feeling my way with the new clutch and gearbox that had been put in). I was off to meet Carole Patulo for another corporate gig the next day when I realised I was heading the wrong way down a dusty dirt road, cursing, I swung the car around and headed back. On one particular stretch a car sped passed me, dust flew up, and I swerved slightly out of caution, lost control of the steering and went into fish-tale skid. The little voice in my mind went through all the classic instructions: “slow down… no – is it speed up? Turn into the skid…no wait if I do that I’ll end heading for the embankment………………” and that’s what happened – at that point the voice gave up “well there’s nothing I can do now knucklehead”.

The car hit the small, grassy wall and launched into the air, rolling over and stopping on its side, driver’s side down. I opened my eyes and thought “this is different…” I turned off the music and the engine. All the crap I kept in the car was strewn everywhere, the back of my head felt wet and I was starting to go into escape mode. I tried the passenger side door but it had been crumpled in and wouldn’t open so I wound down the window and hoisted myself out, Dukes of hazard style (an oxymoron?). The first thing I saw was a cluster of cows who had come over to see what was happening. They seemed vaguely disappointed that I hadn't sustained greater injuries (later when the tow truck came and took the car they all left mumbling about ticket prices and “value for money”.)

The other car hadn’t seen me crash and was long gone, soon two guys pulled up and asked if I was ok and wanted a hand pushing the car over. Another guy stopped as well and we all gave the battered Mazda 121 a shove and she thudded to the ground, leaking green fluid and looking decidedly worse for wear.

Check out the dint above my head on the driver's side

A quick body check seemed to indicate that I was ok (there was no wetness at the back of my head or back) and a few phone calls later the car was towed and I was being driven back to Melbourne feeling very surreal and just a little shaky. I left the car at the wreckers over the weekend and went back on Monday to clear out what was left and say goodbye (it was a write-off as they say). Compared to the two twisted pieces of metal that flanked it in the yard I thank my lucky stars I got off with just a sore back and two stiff arms. Not having comprehensive insurance and out of pocket after the towing fees etc I face a car-less future for the time being - with hindsight this is proving to be a mixed blessing - for the pros there’s the no pollution issue, more exercise and seeing the world from the window of public transport…for the cons there’s the huge range of awful smells that come with public transport (yes, I’m talking about you – bong-water couple, Christ – air yourself first next time will you?) and the sheer frustration of having to add extra time to get anywhere…

So – no money, no car, feeling sore and depressed… but wait! Who’s this on the phone? It’s my agent (bless ‘em)… what’s that? Mulliners are desperate for someone for a Television ad? They want me to audition and its $10,000? Wow! What’s it for?

The Workplace agreement ads for the Liberal party.

Deep breath as I thank her but decline the offer. No matter how low life gets, no matter how hard fate grinds it’s boney finger into my breastbone… there are just some things I won’t do.

That night I attend my mate’s book launch* at the Trades Hall – I walk up those steps and notice that my head is still proudly held high (even though my neck hurts).

*The book is Game as Ned by Tim Pegler and is a brilliant piece of against-the-odds teen fiction about an autistic boy in a country town. I had a wonderfully massive lump in my throat as I finished the last chapter and can’t recommend it highly enough.

Big ol' update - part one

Ok – this is massive ‘cause I’m a lazy bum.
Hey Lliam - What’s been happening since July 31^st? I hear you ask... well, I’ll tell you nosy:

Aug 4^th - Impro Australia’s Celebrity Theatresports

Each year (like Impro Melbourne) IA holds a massive night of Theatresports peppered with celebs from all over. A portion of the proceeds go to the Starlight foundation and there are massive raffled prizes etc. It’s always a big production and this year was no exception. Being 2007, the directors Nikki Parry and Jon Williams went with a James Bond – style theme (007 geddit?…also brought on by Jon watching a spotlight dance around a stage reminding him of the opening credits of the classic Bond films)

They asked me a couple of months ago if I would like to design the poster/postcard for it and being a fan I whipped up a design.

Then came time for the production and they asked if I would like to Judge along with Benita from Playschool and local impro guru Lyn Pierce – I said yes of course (I was going to be in Sydney that weekend anyway). Fates twisted a string and Jon rang and asked if I would like to play instead – so on Saturday the 4^th I hit the Enmore Stage in the team 'Casino Royale With Cheese' - Lee Naimo, Jordan Raskopoulos, Clare Hooper and myself won the night after a game of 'everything replay' that involved the 'Velociraptor of Christmas Past'.

'Casino Royale With Cheese' - we were the Villains

Clare attempts to revive me as I wimp on yet another song by faking a heart attack

We were monster pudding... or was it jelly? Dan looks on with his heroic beard


All Show photos (copyright) by the excellent Stephen Gustav Reinhardt
More show pics here

We won… I had to kiss Jordan's sock... but we won. On to the After party and mooching, drinks and laughing all good fun (apart from the fact that I was in the grip of a terrible cold – curse those airborne beasties)

Aug 5^th – My sister Zoe’s little girl Asha had a birthday – she turned 5 and I forgot it (BAD UNCLE) then on the 8^th Zoe had her opening at the MARS gallery – loads of fantastic sculptures and beautiful pieces.

More Corporate work – I don the Suit costume once again and take the elevator to financial gain. Thank you Performing Matters and ABT.

The car is sick and needs a new gearbox and clutch. $1600 jumps out of my bank account and scampers off into the distance. I find life is much harder while my car is in the garage.

AB and Susie leave for OS. Have fun chums (and they do - as the photos don’t lie)

Here endth part one…