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NZ Herald
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
The Start of The Golden Weather: Andrew Dickens remembers a special theatre performance
Takapuna Beach on Auckland's North Shore, rumoured to be the setting of The End of the Golden Weather. Canterbury's Court Theatre has just opened its spiffing new building with a production of Bruce Mason's The End of the Golden Weather. It's an iconic New Zealand performance piece. Witten as a novella, The End of the Golden Weather is set at a mythical Kiwi beach in Auckland during the Depression of the 1930s. It's the story of a boy growing up and coming of age and witnessing his community and family cope with hard times in an idyllic place. It's also the story of a loner called Firpo, who dreams of success by running in the Olympic Games – a delusion, but for a moment he becomes a hero in the boy's eyes. Mason wrote the piece in the 1950s and then toured the country performing it solo. The first time he did that was in 1959. He went on to perform it more than a 1000 times in community halls the length and breadth of the country. It was made into a film in 1991 by Ian Mune. The recently deceased Raymond Hawthorne fashioned it into a piece for a theatre company in the '80s. But that was not the first time a company performed it. That honour belongs to a school production by Auckland Grammar and Epsom Girls Grammar in 1980. I know because I was in it. I was Firpo. I was 17. Freda Mitchinson from EGGS was the architect, with help from John Heyes at Grammar. Their ambition was spurred on by the success of the previous year's production of Death of a Salesman, which featured knock-out performances from kids who went on to make names for themselves. Simon Prast was Willie Loman, Rima Te Wiata the scarlet lady (aka The Woman) and Finlay MacDonald, later Listener editor, played Happy. We had a narrator, a boy called Tim, but that's all I remember. He was very good. He was our Bruce Mason. The boy at the heart of it was played by Andrew Laxon, a fourth former at the time. He's now a senior member of staff at the Herald. His character was an allegory of New Zealand coming of age. He was sweet and confused at the growing comprehension of adult life that was coming at him like a train. Miss Effie Brent was played by Liz Mullane, who became the New Zealand casting director for The Lord of the Rings. And me. The scripts were the books that we were all issued with. Our lines underscored with pencils, and our annotations in the margins. A lot of the stage direction was verbal, and we just had to remember it. The real genius of the production was the design in the Centennial Theatre. Much of the tale is recalled as memory. Later productions handle the shift from the present to past with lighting colour changes – golden yellowy lighting for memories. In 1980 we masked half the stage with a wall of muslin. When the lights were in front of it, it was a wall. When the lights were brought up behind it, the scenes became visible through a gauzy haze. No one has tried that since. It was magic. Our production was dark. We included the 1932 Auckland riots, something the film omitted. Firpo was deeply challenged mentally. The picture here is my only photographic evidence of the role, taken from the audience with a Kodak Instamatic. Alone in a spotlight screaming the 'Made Man' monologue at the heart of the character; I was shocked by my own intensity and the flying spittle. I had never wailed like that in real life, I was subsumed. A young Andrew Dickens as Firpo in Auckland Grammar's The End of the Golden Weather. Photo / supplied Bruce Mason himself came to see the final dress rehearsal, only two years from his death and ravaged by a stroke. He died before the Raymond Hawthorne production, so this was the only time Mason saw his creation as a play with a full company. I remember him watching silently with his half-collapsed face. He said nothing because he could not say anything, but we were told he enjoyed it. I am immensely proud of the production, its ambition and how it formed me. It was then I realised I had a performance gene, which later came out in my radio career. A girl called Helen Wild played the psychologist who committed Firpo to an asylum. She became my girlfriend and later the mother of my children. We're still together 45 years on, and we still joke that she committed me, once upon a time. I don't know whether schools take production risks the way the two grammars did back in the day. We would do a Gilbert and Sullivan for mass participation and general snogging but then put a serious drama on later in the year. It was the serious drama that forged and inspired the actors like Simon Prast and Rima Te Wiata to embark upon their journeys in drama. It's a reminder that kids don't need to be cosseted. Kids grow when challenged. Pressure makes diamonds. We can all become a Made Man.
Winnipeg Free Press
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
George Wendt a ‘humble, quiet guy' whose post-‘Cheers' days brought him to Canada
TORONTO – George Wendt endeared himself to TV audiences as the beer-loving Norm Peterson on the 1980s sitcom 'Cheers,' but in real life, it was his 'humble, quiet guy' persona that seemed to connect with locals on his visits to Canada. After his celebrated run on the TV smash, the late Chicago-born actor racked up theatre roles that included productions mounted in Winnipeg, Prince Edward Island and smalltown Ontario. He once even trekked an hour's drive outside Ottawa to appear as the celebrity guest at a craft beer company's Oktoberfest in 2009. Steve Beauchesne, co-founder of Beau's Brewing Co., says Wendt's name helped sell 10 times the usual number of tickets, filling the space to capacity and forcing organizers to close the gates. He says Wendt embraced the pandemonium and stuck around all day to sign autographs and pose for photos with his fans. He was similarly down-to-earth when he starred as Willy Loman in a 2017 production of 'Death of a Salesman,' mounted in the southwestern Ontario township of Drayton. Alex Mustakas, founder of the Ontario theatre company Drayton Entertainment, says Wendt was easily the biggest celebrity in the production but didn't act like it. 'He was a humble, quiet guy,' said Mustakas. 'To find someone that is down to earth and understands and respects (his fellow) actors … he got along really well with everyone.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2025.
Los Angeles Times
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Around Town: Pinwheel Project fundraiser for foster kids comes to Fashion Island
Visitors to Newport Beach's Fashion Island on May 31 will have the chance to sponsor a child in Orange County's foster care system during the annual 'Pinwheel Project' at the Neiman Marcus/Bloomingdale's Lawn, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hosted by Court Appointed Special Advocates of Orange County (CASA OC) for the ninth year in a row, 2,915 colorful pinwheels will be 'planted' across the lawn, each one representing a child in the foster care system. Guests can donate $10 to sponsor a pinwheel, funding advocacy and support efforts on behalf of foster children. Those who purchase a pinwheel will receive a voucher for a discounted $40 family meal from ZOOD. For details and to sponsor a pinwheel, visit or visit Fashion Island, 401 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, during the event. The Costa Mesa Historical Society invites local history buffs to attend the nonprofit's 3rd annual Spring Social Luncheon at the Costa Mesa Women's Club on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This year, members will be 'Celebrating Dates,' — significant milestone commemorations coming up in Costa Mesa and beyond in the year ahead, including the Society's own 60th anniversary. Participants can feast on Greek cuisine provided by Costa Mesa restaurant My Greek Kitchen while they learn more about key dates in the city's past. A $25 donation includes one catered meal and helps the Historical Society upgrade its museum with a new 65-inch SMART TV and sound bar. The Costa Mesa Women's Club is located at 610 W. 18th St. RSVP by May 19 at Now that school's out, the professional American Coast Theater Company will take the stage at Vanguard University's Lyceum Theater in Costa Mesa with two upcoming productions. 'The Importance of Being Earnest — a Wilde New Musical!' is adapted from the classic mistaken-identity comedy by Oscar Wilde and features a five-piece band/orchestra. Performances run through June 8 with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and weekend matinees at 2 p.m. Later in June, ACTC presents Arthur Miller's classic award-winning drama, 'Death of a Salesman,' directed by Chance Theater's Executive Artistic Director Oanh Nguyen. The play introduces Willy Loman, an unsuccessful salesman whose pursuit of the American Dream leads to tragedy for himself and his family. 'Death of a Salesman' previews June 19 at 7:30 p.m. and continues through June 29 with 7:30 p.m. shows Thursday through Saturday, plus 2 p.m. shows on Saturday and Sunday with a special two-for-one ticket offer Wednesday, June 25. Lyceum Theater at Vanguard University is located at 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. Admission costs $20-$30. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit Customers served by Costa Mesa Sanitary District are invited to attend a free drive-thru compost giveaway and shredding event on May 31, from 8 a.m. to noon, at Orange Coast College's Lot K, 2701 Fairview Road, in Costa Mesa. In addition to receiving up to two backs of compost while supplies last, participants can also drop off up to five standard file boxes of paper per household. Kitchen pails will also be available while supplies last. Services and giveaways are available only to customers with proof of residence, such as a driver's license, ID or utility bill. For more, visit or call (949) 645-8400 during regular business hours. The Laguna Beach Chamber Singers announced this week it is accepting audition submissions for its upcoming 2025-2026 season. The group rehearses on Tuesday evenings in Laguna Beach. Those with an interest in joining the Chamber Singers are asked to submit a short video recording by May 31. This can be of a recent solo performance or a simple melody. Videos must be uploaded and the audition form completed at by the deadline. Selected applicants will be invited to an in-person audition day in Laguna Beach, which includes a group rehearsal and quartet singing. Results of the audition will be announced approximately three weeks later. For more information, contact ryan@
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tom Cruise reveals how he landed ‘Rain Man' opposite Dustin Hoffman
Tom Cruise has revealed the story of how he landed his role opposite Dustin Hoffman in 1988's Rain Man. Speaking at the British Film Institute, which honoured him this week with its prestigious BFI fellowship, the legendary actor shared how a chance meeting with Hoffman at a New York City restaurant led to their collaboration in the beloved dramedy. Having just completed filming on Ridley Scott's Legend back in 1985, Cruise recounted how he was having lunch with his sister Cass when she spotted Hoffman across the dining room. 'She goes, 'There's Dustin Hoffman.' I looked up and there he was, in a hat — he was doing Death of a Salesman — and he was ordering takeout,' Cruise recalled, according to Variety, Entertainment Weekly, Deadline and PEOPLE. 'She goes, 'You go over there and say hello to him.' I was like, 'I'm not going to say hello.' She goes, 'You know him, you know his movies.' And she doesn't do stuff like that. And I don't walk up to people, but she was so pushy.' His sister then gave him an ultimatum: 'My sister says, 'If you don't go up and say hello to him, I'm going to say hello to him,' and I was like 'Oh my god.'' Worried about being embarrassed publicly, Cruise acquiesced and approached the two-time Oscar winner. 'Finally she pestered me so much I said fine and walked over there. He had his hat on and was obviously ordering take out and I said 'Mr. Hoffman, I'm sorry,' And he looked at me and said 'Cruise!'' Hoffman invited Cruise and his sister to watch him on Broadway and afterwards they chatted backstage. 'So we were there, and as I was leaving, he said, 'I want to make a movie with you.' I was like, 'That'd be nice,' ' Cruise said. 'I was very Southern: Yes, sir, no, sir, yes, ma'am, no ma'am …. And basically a year later he sent me Rain Man.' The Oscar-winning film cast Cruise as a self-absorbed car dealer who embarks on a road trip with his autistic half-brother (Hoffman) after he learns that their father has left him his $3 million fortune to pay for his medical care. The film dominated awards season that year, winning best picture at the Oscars, in addition to best director for Barry Levinson, actor for Hoffman and original screenplay for Ronald Bass and Barry Morrow. Cruise told moderator Edith Bowman that he shared with Hoffman how his 1967 classic The Graduate was a major influence on his 1983 breakout movie Risky Business. He also shared a piece of advice Hoffman gave him. 'Hoffman and I spent two years working together. One of the things he took me through is everything he did on Kramer vs Kramer,' Cruise explained. 'Dustin told me how he structured the scenes based on the talent of his son in the movie and how to film it so that that actor really was what you needed.' Rain Man was released in the midst of a hot streak that found Cruise appearing in films like Cocktail, Born of the Fourth of July (for which he was nominated for his first Oscar) and a role opposite Paul Newman in The Color of Money. It also followed the first Top Gun, which was a worldwide hit. Cruise said that after that high-flying movie, he withstood calls for a sequel and sought out different parts. 'They really wanted me to make Top Gun over and over,' Cruise said. 'But I wanted to develop my talent in different areas, and I wanted more challenges.' Going forward, after appearing in 2012's adaptation of the jukebox musical Rock of Ages, Cruise said he wants to try belting out more songs on the big screen. 'Definitely a musical. Absolutely, musicals,' the actor said of future films he hopes to be a part of. 'You know, dramas, action adventures. It's endless. My goals are endless.' Cruise is in the midst of a global press tour to support the latest — and supposedly final — Mission: Impossible movie. Set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this week, the new adventure finds Cruise's Ethan Hunt trying to stop a terrifying artificial intelligence threat determined to wipe out mankind. Speaking to Postmedia at the red carpet premiere for the previous entry — Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning — back in 2023, Cruise said the nearly 30-year globe-trotting adventure series allowed him to realize his childhood dreams. 'I get to travel the world. I always wanted to go make movies and travel the world,' he said. 'That's what I love doing.' mdaniell@ 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning' director says viewer 'almost had a heart attack' watching Tom Cruise stunts Tom Cruise 'passed out' filming new 'Mission: Impossible' stunt
Toronto Sun
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
Tom Cruise reveals how he landed ‘Rain Man' opposite Dustin Hoffman
Tom Cruise reveals how he landed 'Rain Man' opposite Dustin Hoffman Get the latest from Mark Daniell straight to your inbox Sign Up Photo by MGM/UA / Sun Media Archive Article content Tom Cruise has revealed the story of how he landed his role opposite Dustin Hoffman in 1988's Rain Man. Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account or Sign in without password View more offers Article content Article content tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Tom Cruise reveals how he landed 'Rain Man' opposite Dustin Hoffman Back to video tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Play Video Article content Speaking at the British Film Institute, which honoured him this week with its prestigious BFI fellowship, the legendary actor shared how a chance meeting with Hoffman at a New York City restaurant led to their collaboration in the beloved dramedy. Having just completed filming on Ridley Scott's Legend back in 1985, Cruise recounted how he was having lunch with his sister Cass when she spotted Hoffman across the dining room. 'She goes, 'There's Dustin Hoffman.' I looked up and there he was, in a hat — he was doing Death of a Salesman — and he was ordering takeout,' Cruise recalled, according to Variety, Entertainment Weekly, Deadline and PEOPLE. 'She goes, 'You go over there and say hello to him.' I was like, 'I'm not going to say hello.' She goes, 'You know him, you know his movies.' And she doesn't do stuff like that. And I don't walk up to people, but she was so pushy.' Your Midday Sun Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Your Midday Sun will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Article content Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content His sister then gave him an ultimatum: 'My sister says, 'If you don't go up and say hello to him, I'm going to say hello to him,' and I was like 'Oh my god.'' Worried about being embarrassed publicly, Cruise acquiesced and approached the two-time Oscar winner. 'Finally she pestered me so much I said fine and walked over there. He had his hat on and was obviously ordering take out and I said 'Mr. Hoffman, I'm sorry,' And he looked at me and said 'Cruise!'' Hoffman invited Cruise and his sister to watch him on Broadway and afterwards they chatted backstage. 'So we were there, and as I was leaving, he said, 'I want to make a movie with you.' I was like, 'That'd be nice,' ' Cruise said. 'I was very Southern: Yes, sir, no, sir, yes, ma'am, no ma'am …. And basically a year later he sent me Rain Man.' Advertisement 4 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content The Oscar-winning film cast Cruise as a self-absorbed car dealer who embarks on a road trip with his autistic half-brother (Hoffman) after he learns that their father has left him his $3 million fortune to pay for his medical care. Photo by MGM/UA / GUBER-PETERS COMPANY / MIRAGE EN The film dominated awards season that year, winning best picture at the Oscars, in addition to best director for Barry Levinson, actor for Hoffman and original screenplay for Ronald Bass and Barry Morrow. Cruise told moderator Edith Bowman that he shared with Hoffman how his 1967 classic The Graduate was a major influence on his 1983 breakout movie Risky Business. He also shared a piece of advice Hoffman gave him. 'Hoffman and I spent two years working together. One of the things he took me through is everything he did on Kramer vs Kramer,' Cruise explained. 'Dustin told me how he structured the scenes based on the talent of his son in the movie and how to film it so that that actor really was what you needed.' Advertisement 5 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Photo by MGM/UA / Sun Media Archive Rain Man was released in the midst of a hot streak that found Cruise appearing in films like Cocktail, Born of the Fourth of July (for which he was nominated for his first Oscar) and a role opposite Paul Newman in The Color of Money. It also followed the first Top Gun, which was a worldwide hit. Cruise said that after that high-flying movie, he withstood calls for a sequel and sought out different parts. 'They really wanted me to make Top Gun over and over,' Cruise said. 'But I wanted to develop my talent in different areas, and I wanted more challenges.' Going forward, after appearing in 2012's adaptation of the jukebox musical Rock of Ages, Cruise said he wants to try belting out more songs on the big screen. 'Definitely a musical. Absolutely, musicals,' the actor said of future films he hopes to be a part of. 'You know, dramas, action adventures. It's endless. My goals are endless.' Advertisement 6 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Share this article in your social network Read Next
