Photo from an unknown local newspaper

A History page a while back was about the Railway Institute in Penrith and the various uses it enjoyed. Since then, I came across a newspaper article I had kept that had a connection to the building over 40 years ago. The review was by Lindsay Fisher. “Penrith’s Railway Street Theatre has done it again. Its production of Shakespeare’s Much ado About Nothing is a winner. With creative direction and a wonderful cast, the show is witty, fast paced and delightful. A love story in the truest sense. Director Mary-Anne Gifford cleverly brings the story (set in the Sicilian town of Messina in the 1950’s) the feel and music of the era, including a touch of Elvis. The story centres on the return of two brothers from the war. One is determined to find happiness, the other is intent on causing trouble. The good brother is played by the likeable Patrick Dickson and the evil brother is convincingly portrayed by the talented Peter Kowitz. With the cast required to play several roles, some even changing onstage, Peter is amazing in his portrayal of the characters.  Is it possible to bring together the feisty Beatrice and jester Benedick?. Will Claudo and Hero marry, or will evil forces intervene?  Rebecca Frith (GP, Water Rats, Flying Doctors and movies including Me Myself & I and Strange Planet) is adorable as Beatrice. She’s quick-witted and, like her love match Benedick has sworn never to marry. Benedick is portrayed wonderfully by Nicholas Garsden (Heartbreak High) and a prominent face at the Griffin & Sydney Theatre companies. His café scene will leave you in stitches. Will the intervention of the returned soldiers and the family of Leonarto bring this couple together or are they too busy arranging the marriage of Leonarto’s daughter Hero?  Mikaelo Martin  makes a professional debut to be proud of and Claudio (The Blue Planet’s Don Hany) is perfect for the role of the wronged lover.  Patrick Dickson is an actor known for (A Bridge Too Far 1977), (Home and Away 1988), (Sea Change 1998) and (Rogue Nation 2009).  From 1977 to 2019 he acted in thirty-five TV series including Mini-TV series and voice-overs. He met Maeliosa Stafford at the Crossroads Theatre in Sydney’s Darlinghurst in late 1989 and accepted his offer to join the cast as co-artistic director and founding member of O’Punksky’s Theatre in Coogee. Essentially an actor he also designs, directs, produces, teaches, builds sets, etc. Maeliosa directed their inaugural production of (Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme) and as there was a tiny budget, Patrick volunteered to design the production which was a small triumph and O’Punksky’s was born and a creative partnership was galvanized. Patrick has been acting professionally since 1976 when he started his career at the Theatre Royal in Stratford, East London and after a year he joined an Education Company the Roundabout Theatre in Nottingham. He returned to Stratford for another year then emigrated to Australia. Over the years he has worked with many companies in Australia and is the co-producer/writer of a series of training films that he performs in and sometimes directs. He has taught acting courses and directed students at the University of NSW and Actors College of Theatre & TV and has various TV credits and extensive voice credits that include many commercial voice-overs, prose and poetry readings for ABC Radio Arts and book readings and has self-produced two audio books “The Toilers of the Sea” by Victor Hugo and “Kabaka Lear” by David Allen. Peter Kowitz is one of Australia’s most versatile and accomplished actors who has been nominated four times for the AFI awards for drama (Bodysurfer), (The Long Way Home), (GP) and comedy (Supernova) and won Best Actor for (Bodysurfer) and (The Long Way Home). He had roles in classics like (Summer of the Seventeenth Doll), (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) and (A Doll’s House), as well as numerous Shakespearean plays. In 1988 he was in the (Clean Machine) and was instantly recognised in TV’s (Prime Time), (Richmond Hill), (Chances), (Heartbreak High), (Pacific Drive), (Water Rats), (Wild side), (Farscape), (Murder Call), (Grass Roots), (All Saints), (McLeod’s Daughters), (Janet King) and (Crownies). Between 1980 to 2017 he acted in forty-five TV series, mini-TV series, TV movies and provided the English introductions at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Opening Ceremony. He is also a regular on Sydney stages with credits including (Tot Mom & Blackbird) for Sydney Theatre Company (directed by Cate Blanchett), (The Floating World) for the Griffin Theatre Company and (King Lear) for Bell Shakespeare. When he was asked “how you do what you do”? he said that “I think for me it’s because I didn’t train, it’s instinctual to a certain extent but I’ve picked up just different techniques over the years. A lot of it’s really about thoroughness, to be perfectly frank I spend a lot of time with the script. I started at university in the 70s. I’ve always loved the vaudeville tradition. I think most of my acting owes a great deal to the hams of the past and watching songs come about and the work done with choreography, because sometimes in a play you really don’t hit anything until week three because people are still fumbling about learning stuff.  I went to university to do something else and then I got in with the drama group that included Geoff Rush and Bille Brown who handed me the flyer to the Dram Society at the Queensland University. I remember going along that night and I thought I’d found my tribe. I’d been through boarding school and had a kind of a jock style education and suddenly there were women and men in nighties. Handsome men and ugly men, and I can remember that night clearly now, walking in and just seeing this crazy bunch of people who seemed so witty and intelligent and bright, so I don’t really have a set way of acting other than it’s all from the script”. The Railway Street Theatre was demolished in 2005. How lucky was Penrith to have the privilege of seeing over 40 years ago, two talented actors who would become icons of Australia’s stage, screen and television? 

Sources: Peoplepill.com, AussieTheatre.com, O’Punksky’s Theatre all online.