program 2001

Featured some of the finest and up and coming guitarists in the Sydney Jazz scene. The groups were quite varied, some were acoustic trios, others were electric groups.

6th november

Emmanuel Schmidt

10th november

Carl Dewhurst

13th november

Kees Stein

20th november

Cameron Deyell

27th november

Steve Crain

This series included a production of Strindberg's Miss Julie - "Not your average Swedish psycho-sexual suicide play".

17th - 18th - 23rd - 24th - 25th May

Miss Julie

director - James Scott

The 2000 season included a sell-out production of Waiting for Godot, which was part of the inspiration for our name.

19th - 20th - 25th - 26th - 27th May

Waiting for Godot

director - James Scott
Pozzo - Brian Mott
Lucky - Andrew Filmer
Lucky - Estragon (Gogo) Michael Lewis
Vladimir (Didi) - James Scott

With special thanks to The Actors College of Theatre and Television, Alison Avery, Cafe Church, Danes Gourmet Coffee, Mal Heap, Hot M, Ian Baldwin, Rick Bull, Sue Hanna, Cathy Kirkpatrick, Andrew Lorien, Spike Mason, Graham Meredith, Jon Ollis, Elizabeth Scott, Jacqui Winn.

Director's Notes

When I first read Waiting For Godot in 1988, the play astonished me.  Apart from the sheer beauty of the language, and the play's perception of the human spirit, I loved the unashamed contrast between the prosaic and the ethereal.  The play jumps around from philosophical dialogue to mundane questions of whether carrots are better than turnips, to plain old vaudeville comedy.  It was also one of the funniest plays I had ever come across.

Another aspect of the play that intrigues me, and one that has caused many challenges in putting hte play on the stage, is the notion that a story line does not have to progress to be entertaining.  Beckett shows that it is people and their reactions to situations that make plays exciting, not just the unfolding of a plot.

What I have tried to do in this production of the play is fuind the balance between hope and futility.  Society is built around individuals having to wait.  Be it for a train, a doctor's appointment, or for a live person on the bank's helpline, we experience waiting every day.  It is what we do while waiting that colours our life.

I have also been interested in the major characters' levels of awareness of their situation and of an outside force on their lives - whether that force is God, Godot, or perhaps the playwright himself.  Lucky seems hyper-sensitive to these forces, but he is unable to express this clearly.  Vladimir understands that there is something out side his world, but never really knows that to do about it.  Estragon is more interested in how it affects his baseic needs (God have pity on me! On me! On me!) And Pozzo seems blind to all spiritual issues, and this is made literal in the second act.

My hope is that you, the uaudience, will travel a spiritual journey through the play.

james scott

The inaugural Eight Oclock Sharp featured a grand piano, and a selection of Sydney's greatest improvising pianists.

1st may

Bill Risby trio

Our first official night. Bill was the perfect choice. The music was very beautiful. Steve Elphick recorded the concert and Bill released it as an album, which you can buy on his website. www.billrisby.com

8th may

Alistair Spence

Alistair is a very musical pianist, and a very unique and dedicated composer. He invited the Australian Jazz Musician of the Year award winning saxophonist Sandy Evans to join him for a wonderful performance of some of Alistair's most beautiful compositions.

12th may

Barney Wakeford

Barney is the dark horse of the Sydney jazz scene. His compositions are moody and evocative. This concert was filled with all the wonderful things that Barney brings to his playing, melody, surprise, space, joy and groove.

15th may

Gerard Masters

22nd may

Judy Bailey

Judy played some amazing solo pieces in her own wonderful style, and then invited some guests to play some lovely long formed and twisting jazz standards. The guests were David Symes on double bass and Spike Mason on saxophone.

29th may

Mike Nock