The Father, The Songs, The Holy Jokes

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday June 11, 2008

with Emily Dunn & Elicia Murray with Garry Maddox

CROTCH GRABS, pelvic thrusts and spank-the-pony moves are stock-standard manoeuvres in the repertoire of any self-respecting boy band. Jesus-on-the-cross is not.

Altar Boyz is a musical about Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham, the all-singing, all-dancing members of a Christian boy band on the last night of their national tour.

As World Youth Day approaches, the director of the Australian production of the off-Broadway hit, Kate Gaul, said if any devout Christians were concerned about the production, which features a Jewish character and a Christian pin-up struggling with his sexuality, she hadn't heard about it.

"It's a parody," she said. "The laughter from the audience is the laughter of recognition. That's the beauty of the show."

The cast has even been invited to perform three songs during Youth Day festivities, though Gaul said she hadn't decided whether to leave the crotch-grabbing moves in.

"It's a little way off yet."

Cameron MacDonald plays Matthew, the group's hunk. He said while some castmates had attended Hillsong church services to research their roles, he was surprised to find his own persona just waiting to bust out.

"I'm your Justin Timberlake," MacDonald said. "In the 1990s, you couldn't miss the boy bands."

Jeremy Brennan, who plays the swarthy Juan, said he was getting into the boy-band lifestyle, taking advantage of a free gym membership that came with the part.

"The whole boy-band thing - you sell your soul to it," he said.

Altar Boyz opens at the Seymour Centre tonight.

ONE FOR THE ROADIE

Behind every great rock'n'roll show is an even greater roadie. For many Australian rockers and visiting artists over the past 40 years Norm Sweeney was that man. The face at the wheel of the van, the hands loading the gear and the muscle guarding the backstage door. Sweeney began working as a roadie in the '60s with Max Merritt and the Meteors before joining Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs; a relationship that lasted until Thorpe's death last year. In between were gigs with touring artists such as the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Abba, Joe Cocker, Alice Cooper, Bad Company and Frank Zappa along with local rockers Brian Cadd and Rose Tattoo. In December Sweeney was diagnosed with pancreatic and kidney cancer. With his treatment for the disease taking him off the road, his famous friends have not forgotten him. On Sunday Sweeney will be the guest of honour at "One for the Road", a benefit concert at The Bridge Hotel in Rozelle where a host of performers including Brian Cadd, the Aztecs, Richard Clapton, John Paul Young, Jim Keays, Doug Parkinson, Swanee, Phil Manning and Dinah Lee will perform. Good friend and concert promoter Michael Chugg will return from Phuket for the show. The concert has been organised by Support Act, a charity organisation started by Cadd to help music industry workers - most of whom work on a casual basis, without entitlements such as sick pay. "We had musicians fighting for room on the bill. When something like this happens everyone wants to help," Cadd's partner, Amanda Pelman, told SiT. "We are still expecting plenty of drop-by acts on the night." Doors open at 5pm, till late. Tickets $40, with all of the proceeds donated towards Sweeney's medical and living expenses and are for sale only from the venue. Phone 9810 1260 for bookings.

TABLOIDS TALK

The man formerly known as "Eddie Everywhere" has been noticeably absent from television screens of late.

Then, after a last minute reshuffle, Eddie McGuire returned on Monday night, hosting Nine's tabloid pin-up, A Current Affair, and helping to deliver the show its best ratings of the year last night with an average of 1.42 million viewers. Although not enough to beat its arch-rival Seven's Today Tonight which averaged 1.47 million across all capital cities, it was a healthy jump on both last Monday's episode - hosted by fill-in host Leila McKinnon - which drew 1.25 million, or the 1.2 million who tuned in to see regular host Tracy Grimshaw's final week before she went on leave.

This year is the fifth year running that ACA, a former 6.30pm timeslot leader and flagship program for the Nine Network, has trailed TT, but despite the ratings spike a Nine spokeswoman assured SiT McGuire wouldn't become a fixture in the ACA seat, with Grimshaw returing from holidays next week. "Eddie McGuire will return to air on Channel Nine when the right show presents itself. Nine is currently discussing lots of different ideas with him."

Seven News was the most watched program of Monday night, with almost 1.72 million viewers, however the night was won by Nine. The network led with a 28.9 per cent audience share to Seven's 27.7 per cent, helped by strong performances from its drama series Sea Patrol and the documentary David Attenborough's Lion: A Spy In The Den. Poor performers included Big Brother, which dipped to 906,000 and ABC1's Australian Story puff piece on Sydney ironwoman, Candice Falzon, which averaged 969,000 at 8pm.

THREE QUESTIONS

Naomi Robson

Are the Chaser boys so self-righteous when you meet them in person?

The Chaser boys are fantastic. In fact, they asked me to be on standby to accept the Logie for them if they'd won the year before last. Naturally, I said yes - I figured it was overdue recognition of my substantial contribution to their show. On reflection, I think I should have been on a retainer for all the material I provided them. As we know, they didn't win, but I'm still available to accept that retainer or a Logie on their behalf if they ever do win one.

If you could relive any moment in your life what would you choose?

The last day I spent with my grandma in England. We laughed so much and had such a great time together. When I hugged her goodbye, she said, "This may be the last time I see you". I couldn't even conceive it ... but sadly she was right. I'd love to go back and do it all again if I could.

Would you consider wearing a starfish on your shoulder during the new season of Surf Patrol?

Well, as I'm only narrating Surf Patrol it would be a rather meaningless sight gag. Nevertheless, I will give it some consideration.

Naomi Robson hosts Surf Patrol on Channel Seven on Mondays.

TODAY'S PICKS

Garry Maddox

* LA CORONA

Contestants prepare for a beauty pageant with a difference. It's for murderers, thieves and other inmates at a women's prison in Columbia. This Oscar-nominated documentary screens at the State Theatre at 4.20pm.

* TOKYO SONATA The eighth film in the 12-day competition - the race for the Blue Pavlova - is a drama from director Kiyoshi Kurosawa about a dysfunctional Japanese family. It screens at the State Theatre at 6.30pm.

* SLINGSHOT The amazingly prolific Filipino director Brillante Mendoza heads into the Manila slums for his sixth film in two years. Screens at Greater Union George Street at 7.45pm.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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