Beauty and the Beast star on playing Hugh Jackman's role
Jackson Head and the rest of the stellar cast, including Perth's Shubshri Kandiah as Belle, took to the Crown Theatre stage on Thursday night for the musical's debut WA performance.
The Brisbane actor channels his inner villain as Gaston, an arrogant and ruthless hunter whose unrequited feelings for Belle make him want to kill the Beast once he learns she loves him instead.
It was the role a young Hugh Jackman played in the original show, which opened in 1995 and also starred Rachael Beck, Michael Cormick and the late Bert Newton. Shubshri Kandiah as Belle and Brendan Xavier as Beast. Credit: Daniel Boud
'It's incredible, Hugh is amazing,' he said.
'WA's own (acting product), very cool, great to be on the hallowed turf of Hugh Jackman.
'Gaston is a really cool role and lots of fun, the Gaston-Le Fou dynamic as well is really fun to play with,
The charming and charismatic but ultimately dark character has his sidekick, Le Fou, played by Adam Di Martino, with him at all times.
Di Martino, who has also starred in the Aladdin musical, said as Gaston's buddy, he was there to 'make sure he's feeling great all the time'.
'It's a pretty fun job because Jackson's a pretty good guy himself, so it's not too bad,' he said.
Head responded with: 'I get the privilege of being supported every night.' There are a total of 300 costumes and 119 wigs in the show. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper / The West Australian
The duo take part in a Gaston prodcution number, during which the cast clink their mugs more than 800 times.
It's taken a huge team to bring the musical over to Perth from Adelaide with 23 trucks needed to transport the set and a team of 70 spending 15,000 hours to load it all up.
After a national tour enchanting more than 1.2 million Aussies in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide, Perth is the final stop and last opportunity to see the show in Australia.
After the Perth season wraps up, the musical will head to Singapore in December.
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News.com.au
33 minutes ago
- News.com.au
‘Extravagant' party before entertainment company's collapse
The 'extravagant' party to celebrate the opening night of a big name musical included a Cadillac in the centre of the room, cocktails and go-go dancers – but behind the scenes the company was staring down potential troubles. Videos of the night reveal generous platters filled with meats and vegetables, dipping sauces and breads and cheeses, as well as people drinking and talking as they surround a Cadillac while colourful lights flash around the room. The party had been put on by Australian producer David Venn and his company to mark the start of Elvis: The Musical Revolution's season in Sydney. But a year later the company called David Venn Enterprises spectacularly collapsed owing $7.5 million, with Mr Venn pointing to ticket sales not meeting expectations and broader financial risks such as high operating costs and unpredictable revenue leaving little margin for error in the live entertainment industry. What wasn't known to those at the glamorous August 2023 party, including the cast and crew who ended up being owed tens of thousands of dollars each, was that David Venn Enterprises was potentially trading insolvent already in June that year, according to a liquidator's report. Now another artist Sam*, who was involved with the Elvis production, has come forward to raise questions about the flashy display, given the company's financial troubles that later emerged. 'The Elvis opening night was wild for a producer compared to things I've done before – it's rather extraordinary,' Sam, who asked that their real name be withheld, told Sam said the party, held at the Sofitel Wentworth had go-go dancers, as well as the Cadillac that had been brought into the foyer of the function rooms. 'It was further than most opening nights – it was a full produced gala. It wasn't like drinks and nibbles and chats with anyone. I was shocked – it was extravagant,' he added. Meanwhile, an artist who previously blew the whistle on how the abrupt cancellation of the show came with just eight days notice and also asked that their name be withheld, said they remembered thinking the party was 'quite over the top'. 'In comparison, the next opening night we had there were mini spring rolls and samosas served from foil oven trays from a folding table in the foyer of the Atheneum (theatre in Melbourne),' they said. Mr Venn, from the production company, declined to further comment on the most recent claims but previously said he regretted the impact of the company's collapse on those affected and remained committed to doing the right thing where circumstances allow. Cast and crew faced turmoil inside the production before the company went under as an unpaid superannuation bill of $440,000 racked up and seasons in Melbourne and New Zealand faced cancellation. Documents obtained by also showed that just $304,000 will be returned to creditors from the $7.5 million owed after they voted to accept a personal insolvency agreement. A government scheme paid out $744,000 in outstanding entitlements to employees of David Venn Enterprises after its collapse, learned. Now a big name industry player who is behind some of the country's most recognisable shows is speaking out about how he worked with Mr Venn and his company when Mr Venn was an 'up and coming producer' but felt 'bitten' after their interactions. Vas Katos has worked in the entertainment industry for 30 years and launched his latest company Anthem in 2021. It boasts clients such as Live Nation, festivals and iconic art institutions, invests in Broadway and West End shows and has worked on the likes of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and SIX the Musical. 'Alarm bells' started to ring when Mr Venn's business had racked up a bill of around $400,000 with Anthem, Mr Katos claims, before the debt was slashed to half via a payment plan. But it's not about the lost money for Mr Katos. Instead he said there is a bigger problem in the industry that he claims props up people even when debts go bad. 'It doesn't really hurt us as the money owed was relatively small as we pushed hard to bring down the debt,' he told Mr Katsos thought he might be able to use his 'clout' to ensure payment, until the 'avalanche of debt came to light', he added. 'But this seems to be so unique in the theatre business and it's so highly disrespectful and immoral to be working while (potentially) insolvent but everyone in the industry seems to accept it,' he said. 'It's really not fair especially to artists who only get a gig or two a year and the production crew.' Mr Venn previously told that ticket sales for the Elvis season did not meet expectations, despite best efforts and significant marketing investment. 'Demand simply didn't materialise at the level needed to cover costs,' he said, adding he had cancelled the remaining tour to prevent further losses and risk to all involved. He said there was a significant and unforeseen drop in ticket sales part way through the tour and strategies to improve revenue were pursued but the company's financial position did not recover in time. Mr Katos is especially critical that Mr Venn has already launched a new outfit this year – with his mum as the company's director — called DV Live that has already staged a number of musicals. 'I just don't give young producers a go as the industry is set up to protect bad behaviour,' he said. 'That's unfortunate for the industry at large as it makes it harder for the next up and comer to work with the best agencies … If it's a one off that's OK but it has been endemic in the industry.' Mr Katos acknowledged being a producer is high risk for anyone but said they should also be prepared that if a show is a 'disaster to cut it off'. 'If Elvis was not a success in Sydney, cut it off,' he added. 'Don't chase losses as the performers and production crew can't afford it. 'It keeps me up at night and boils my blood. People give services in good faith they will be paid – it wouldn't happen in other industries – they would be black-listed.' revealed that Mr Venn had told artists in a Gold Coast meeting last year that Elvis' return to Sydney had sent the company's finances backwards with the show costing $450,000 a week to operate. Sam has also questioned whether David Venn Enterprises should have been shut down earlier. 'I feel like it was continuing because the word Elvis was in the show but ticket sales reflections should have been obvious enough about not continuing,' they said. 'It would have been much better to cancel as opposed to racking up $7.5 million in debt over a year.' DV Live, where Mr Venn is the 100 per cent shareholder, was incorporated in February this year. Sam claims that DV Live was launched just days before the company put on Footloose: The Musical this year. Mr Venn previously said DV Live is a new opportunity that was started to contribute to an entertainment industry he is passionate about. 'DV Live was built with the support of industry partners, believing in the work we were achieving before the liquidation. It is only through these relationships that we have been able to get off the ground again,' he said. 'My mother was appointed as director. We are both actively working on the business daily and I continue in the role of lead producer as an employee.' He added DV Live is a separate entity which continues to meet all legal obligations. Mitchell Ball from insolvency firm Mackay Goodwin was appointed as the liquidator of David Venn Enterprises. His investigations found poor economic conditions, the inability to pay statutory debts when they fell due, trading losses, inadequate cash flow or high cash use and the inability to service loans obtained were all factors that contributed to the company's failure. Mr Venn blamed the company's collapse on struggling ticket sales amid high competition, cost of living pressures causing consumers to have less discretionary income, and licensing and creative issues with entertainment product leading to reduced sales. The report also identified 17 transactions in the books and records of the company 'that may be considered unreasonable director-related transactions', but investigations were continuing. Mr Venn said the liquidator's report raised matters that he takes seriously and responded to appropriately at the time. 'It's important to note that the report does not fully reflect the broader financial context at the time, including significant advance ticket sales and pending investment commitments that were expected to support the business and its obligations,' he said. *Name has been changed
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Musicians, actors, writers call for protection from AI
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The media union surveyed more than 730 workers in creative industries, such as television, radio and film production, news media, art and music. More than two in three (69 per cent) revealed they strongly agreed with calls for government intervention to regulate AI tools, and three in four (78 per cent) strongly agreed tech firms should pay for the work they used to train AI models. Misinformation ranked as the top AI concern for respondents, followed by the loss of human creativity, the theft of work, and a lack of transparency about the technology. The study highlighted serious and widespread concerns, MEAA chief executive Erin Madeley said, and followed a number of examples in which AI had been misused. "We know that Australian voices, music and artwork have been scraped and faked, that ChatGPT is substituting the work of journalists, and that AI-generated clone hosts have been used for radio programs with no disclosure to audiences," she said. 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Changing attitudes towards AI in the US and a change of minister had delayed AI regulations, he said, but the issue could not be ignored. "There's definitely a public appetite for it and when there's a public appetite, politicians do move," Professor Walsh said. "There's clearly significant public concerns around AI and the impacts it will have on jobs and different aspects of our lives so the pressure will surely be mounting on politicians to do something." Most creative workers want the government to intervene in the unrestricted use of artificial intelligence software, a study has found, and more than half are "extremely concerned" about use of the technology and its impact on jobs. Actors, musicians, crew members and journalists expressed concerns in a study released by the Media and Entertainment Arts Alliance on Wednesday, which also found many were unaware whether their work had been used to train generative AI models. 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The study highlighted serious and widespread concerns, MEAA chief executive Erin Madeley said, and followed a number of examples in which AI had been misused. "We know that Australian voices, music and artwork have been scraped and faked, that ChatGPT is substituting the work of journalists, and that AI-generated clone hosts have been used for radio programs with no disclosure to audiences," she said. "This amounts to unsanctioned, unregulated and untaxed mining Australia's creative resources." The study also found more than half of those surveyed did not know if their work had been used to train AI, and only three per cent had consented to its use and been compensated for their work. While AI was expected to become a major focus at the government's Economic Reform Roundtable in August, Ms Madeley said the talks should also centre on appropriate safeguards for employees. "It is becoming increasingly clear that further government intervention will be required to ensure that productivity benefits arising from the use of AI filter down and are shared with Australian workers," she said. A Senate inquiry into adopting AI recommended a dedicated law to regulate the technology last year, and a consultation into mandatory AI guardrails attracted record submissions, UNSW AI Institute chief scientist Toby Walsh said. Changing attitudes towards AI in the US and a change of minister had delayed AI regulations, he said, but the issue could not be ignored. "There's definitely a public appetite for it and when there's a public appetite, politicians do move," Professor Walsh said. "There's clearly significant public concerns around AI and the impacts it will have on jobs and different aspects of our lives so the pressure will surely be mounting on politicians to do something." Most creative workers want the government to intervene in the unrestricted use of artificial intelligence software, a study has found, and more than half are "extremely concerned" about use of the technology and its impact on jobs. Actors, musicians, crew members and journalists expressed concerns in a study released by the Media and Entertainment Arts Alliance on Wednesday, which also found many were unaware whether their work had been used to train generative AI models. The findings come weeks before the federal government is expected to sit down with industry stakeholders and discuss the use of AI software to boost productivity at its economic roundtable. Artificial intelligence experts warn the talks may not result in swift action on AI regulation, however, after policy changes in the United States and ongoing delays in formulating an AI law. The media union surveyed more than 730 workers in creative industries, such as television, radio and film production, news media, art and music. More than two in three (69 per cent) revealed they strongly agreed with calls for government intervention to regulate AI tools, and three in four (78 per cent) strongly agreed tech firms should pay for the work they used to train AI models. Misinformation ranked as the top AI concern for respondents, followed by the loss of human creativity, the theft of work, and a lack of transparency about the technology. The study highlighted serious and widespread concerns, MEAA chief executive Erin Madeley said, and followed a number of examples in which AI had been misused. "We know that Australian voices, music and artwork have been scraped and faked, that ChatGPT is substituting the work of journalists, and that AI-generated clone hosts have been used for radio programs with no disclosure to audiences," she said. "This amounts to unsanctioned, unregulated and untaxed mining Australia's creative resources." The study also found more than half of those surveyed did not know if their work had been used to train AI, and only three per cent had consented to its use and been compensated for their work. While AI was expected to become a major focus at the government's Economic Reform Roundtable in August, Ms Madeley said the talks should also centre on appropriate safeguards for employees. "It is becoming increasingly clear that further government intervention will be required to ensure that productivity benefits arising from the use of AI filter down and are shared with Australian workers," she said. A Senate inquiry into adopting AI recommended a dedicated law to regulate the technology last year, and a consultation into mandatory AI guardrails attracted record submissions, UNSW AI Institute chief scientist Toby Walsh said. Changing attitudes towards AI in the US and a change of minister had delayed AI regulations, he said, but the issue could not be ignored. "There's definitely a public appetite for it and when there's a public appetite, politicians do move," Professor Walsh said. "There's clearly significant public concerns around AI and the impacts it will have on jobs and different aspects of our lives so the pressure will surely be mounting on politicians to do something." Most creative workers want the government to intervene in the unrestricted use of artificial intelligence software, a study has found, and more than half are "extremely concerned" about use of the technology and its impact on jobs. Actors, musicians, crew members and journalists expressed concerns in a study released by the Media and Entertainment Arts Alliance on Wednesday, which also found many were unaware whether their work had been used to train generative AI models. 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The study highlighted serious and widespread concerns, MEAA chief executive Erin Madeley said, and followed a number of examples in which AI had been misused. "We know that Australian voices, music and artwork have been scraped and faked, that ChatGPT is substituting the work of journalists, and that AI-generated clone hosts have been used for radio programs with no disclosure to audiences," she said. "This amounts to unsanctioned, unregulated and untaxed mining Australia's creative resources." The study also found more than half of those surveyed did not know if their work had been used to train AI, and only three per cent had consented to its use and been compensated for their work. While AI was expected to become a major focus at the government's Economic Reform Roundtable in August, Ms Madeley said the talks should also centre on appropriate safeguards for employees. "It is becoming increasingly clear that further government intervention will be required to ensure that productivity benefits arising from the use of AI filter down and are shared with Australian workers," she said. A Senate inquiry into adopting AI recommended a dedicated law to regulate the technology last year, and a consultation into mandatory AI guardrails attracted record submissions, UNSW AI Institute chief scientist Toby Walsh said. Changing attitudes towards AI in the US and a change of minister had delayed AI regulations, he said, but the issue could not be ignored. "There's definitely a public appetite for it and when there's a public appetite, politicians do move," Professor Walsh said. "There's clearly significant public concerns around AI and the impacts it will have on jobs and different aspects of our lives so the pressure will surely be mounting on politicians to do something."
7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
MAKE MAGIC COME TO LIFE
Calling all witches, wizards, and muggles! Want to step inside the magical world of Harry Potter? Sunrise are giving one lucky family the ultimate day out to Harry Potter: The Exhibition in Melbourne! Here's what's up for grabs Return flights for a family of four from your nearest Australian capital city to Melbourne One night's accommodation at the stylish Sebel Melbourne Moonee Ponds A $500 gift card to go wild at the exhibition merchandise store robes, wands, chocolate frogs, you name it! Four tickets to Harry Potter: The Exhibition, where magic comes to life! To enter you'll need to tell us in 25 words or less, who gave harry potter his birthday caske, and why oes your family deserve to win— don't miss your chance to make some magical memories with the family! Good luck.
