John & Moya in Singing Budget mode
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ValangaValentine
Cabaret Politico #1- Frankie and Fearless
Ghosts of Christmas Past
Why Sing?
Three Nights at The Bleeding Heart
Australian Prime Ministers' Centre Fellowsjhip Eleven Year Itch
John, Paul, Ringo and Georgia
Cinderella Acappella
Political Animals
Homage
A Liberal Dose of Shortis and Simpson
ACT Creative Arts Fellowship
Tin Pan Aussie
A Yearn For Utzon
Peace Concert
Three Wise Monkeys
On Our Election
The Glugs of Gosh
City of Dreams
A Community Remembers
Sunday Afternoon with George
Spring Into Jazz
Christmas On the House
Dancing On Air
Smart Arses, Bums and Short Arses
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VALANGA VALENTINE As part of the National Multicultural Festival, Valanga Khosa and Andrea Khosa performed South African songs, with Ian Blake, Worldly Goods and Can Belto choirs. Sat Feb 14, Italo-Australian Club, 8pm.
CABARET POLITICO #1- Frankie and Fearless Cabaret Politico is a new political satire series, a six-pack of satire performed every two months. Each show is different, and each has a different guest artist. The first show featured Frankie Armstrong. Wed Feb 25, 8pm, at Italo-Australian Club, Forrest. GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST This year's edition of Canberra's silliest and sharpest revue, saw the team of Peter J Casey, John Shortis and Moya Simpson combine brand new material with the most requested gems from past shows. This included a medley of real country songs with titles like If My Nose Was Running Money I’d Blow It All On You, up-to-date political satire, a segment of mondegreens, Christmas carols superimposed over John Lennon songs, and much more. Directed by Carissa Campbell, at Teatro Vivaldi, Nov 20- Dec 6 WHY SING? 5 choirs joined together to sing and tell the stories of why they sing and what singing means to them. A joyous celebration of the reach of community choirs. Featuring Can Belto, The Canberra Gay and Lesbian Qwire, Out of the Shower Choir, The Cyrenes and Worldly Goods. Street Theatre Sept 11-13 2008. Funded by artsACT THREE NIGHTS AT THE BLEEDING HEART The latest political satire by Shortis and Simpson brought together Queenie van de Zandt, Ian Blake, Moya and John with director Nick Byrne in an innovative, very theatrical, satirical look at our new PM and his sidekicks. New directions in satire for the New Order. Street Theatre June 19-28 2008. Funded by artsACT FELLOWSHIP at THE PRIME MINISTERS' CENTRE John Shortis was awarded a fellowship in 2008 to research the stories of the earliest Prime Minister and write a series of songs about them. The songs were performed at Old parliament House on Sunday October 19 2008 ELEVEN YEAR ITCH- annual political satire John and Moya presented their new political satire show from May 3-19 at The Street Theatre. This year European cabaret, vaudeville, and karaoke combined in a satire of the Howard Years. Directed by The Street Theatre’s artistic director Caroline Stacey, this show was a sell-out, with extra shows. Supported by the ACT Government through their arts funding body, artsACT. JOHN, PAUL, RINGO and GEORGIA- musical mystery tour- In Melbourne, there lives a Georgian musicologist by the name of Joseph Jordania who grew up on Georgian music and is crazy about the Beatles. In Canberra, there lives satirist and choir leader Moya Simpson who grew up on Beatles music and is wild about Eastern European music. Their two stories combined to tell a tale of musical passions, life under Soviet censorship, swinging London, and much more. The music in John, Paul, Ringo and Georgia ranged from traditional Georgian/Bulgarian music, to Beatles music, and a bizarre mix of both. Where else would you hear Help and Back in the USSR superimposed over traditional Georgian songs, or Love Me Do sung to the chords of Georgian work songs, or a Middle Eastern version of Please Please Me? John, Paul, Ringo and Georgia featured Joseph Jordania’s Golden Fleece, with Shortis and Simpson, Worldly Goods and Can Belto choirs. It ran for two nights at The Street Thetare, Feb 8/9, to sell-out crowds. The show was taken to Hobart for the Festival of Voices in July 2007, and Melbourne in August 2008. John and Moya presented a paper at The 4th International Symposium of Georgian Traditional Polyphonic Music in Tbilisi, Georgia on Sept 17 2008. Their paper was about the similarities between Georgian traditional music and The Beatles. Cinderella Acappella Music by John Shortis, script by John Shortis and Greg Lissaman, Directed by Greg Lissaman Presented at The Street Theatre Studio in the October holidays 2006, this show was based on the children's songs of John Shortis. With songs aimed at the target group of 4-8 year olds, but, with sharp and witty lyrics, the show was a hit with children as well as their grown-ups. Cinderella Acappella was a musical and theatrical experience that introduced children to the creative process, and included an original song written with each audience and performed acappella. John Shortis told the stories behind the songs while singers Cherie Heaton, Julie McElhone and Moya Simpson brought the songs alive. Songs included I'm a Green Pea, I'm Not Afraid, Wee Poo, I Am a Spider and Cinderella Acappella, among others. many of these songs were written when he was writer of ABC radio broadcasts for schools (the Sing Books) in the '70s and '80s. “…one of those rare, original, gentle and thoroughly engaging shows that offers the ideal holiday treat for the target age group…..catchy, enchanting melodies and a cappella harmonies…Apart from the sense of fun, joy and drama that this skilful quartet of performers manage to exude, there are the moments of magic that good, honest storytelling can arouse for young and old alike…..Shortis makes songwriting seem so simple that any four-year-old can do it, and I suspect that after seeing this performance, there will be kids singing their own songs at bedtime….” Peter Wilkins, Canberra Times Oct 4 2006. Political Animals The Street Theatre Studio, Canberra, May 17-June 3. As usual, around budget time, Shortis and Simpson presented their brand new political satire show. This year Canberra Times cartoonist drew a series of cartoons that depicted our fearless leaders with animal characteristics, and John Shortis wrote a series of songs that accompanied the visuals. Gorillis Kirribillis saw John Howard as a gorilla, He's a Kimbat saw Kim Beazley as a wombat. Brendan Nelson was half poodle/half Nelson in Brendandoodle. Kevin Rudd and Alexander Downer were cat (Downer) and marsupial mouse (Rudd) in Cat and Mouse Game. Amanda Vanstone was a mutton Bird in The Mutton Bird Who Should Have Stayed at Home. Bob Brown was a sugar glider in The Greenish-Brownish Sugar Glider, Julia Gillard a darter in She's a Darter, and Peter Costello a bull in The Costello Bull. There were also songs about the Wheat Board scandal, petrol costs, cartoon controversies, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, ACT politics, the Cronulla riots, and Rolf Harris painting the Queen's portrait. The season was a sell-out, with full houses every night. Animals. Supported by the ACT Government through their arts funding body, artsACT. Homage Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial, Feb 17/18. Presented by Shortis and Simpson with Australian War Memorial In two sell-out performances , the Hall of Memory, affectionately known as the HOM, was the venue for this exciting and unusual performance of world music featuring Shortis and Simpson, their two choirs Worldly Goods and Can Belto, and cellist Charlotte Winslade. The HOM’s extraordinary acoustics enhanced the spine-tingling sounds of fifty voices, with a world premiere piece composed by John Shortis based on the images and words that appear in the stained glass windows. Also an extraordinary improvisation by Moya and Charlotte based on the sculptures of earth, wind, water and fire. _____________________________
A Liberal Dose of Shortis and Simpson May 19-June 4 2005 The Street Theatre The Shortis and Simpson annual season of up-to-the-minute political satire. As usual, Shortis was locked up for three weeks before the season opened, fed on a diet of daily newspapers, and furiously writing as the news happened. He slipped the new songs back under the door for Simpson to learn, they met up for rehearsals and a brand new hot-off-the-press show was born. The show was up-dated during the season as news changed, and stories broke. Songs included Shorter Than Menzies-Longer Than Hawke, Earlwood Boys Don't Say Sorry, The Not-So-Mellow Costello, I Don’t Know How to Love Kim, Please Don’t Let One Sit Next to Camilla, Mad Abbott, Is The Pope a Catholic?, Don't You Worry 'Bout Joh.
ACT Creative Arts Fellowship At first he delved into books, scores, scripts, recordings to gain an understanding of how this style of cabaret began and grew, the political climates against which it developed, and countless examples of the main writers and venue owners. His research has taken him from nineteenth century Paris to twentieth century Germany, to its spread throughout Europe, its connection to the American and English satirists, and the use of this form during the apartheid era of South Africa. He has now written the first draft of a new show, implementing the influences of the songs, scripts and settings that he has been studying. The script had a reading at The Street Theatre in early 2005. Supported by artsACT Tin Pan
Aussie (A treatment for a documentary film on the history of Australian popular music before rock
'n' roll) Starting with the coming of ragtime and Tin Pan Alley influences to our shores at the end of the nineteenth century, the series will give the background to the Aussie hit songs, the singers, bandleaders, songwriters and publishers. Tin Pan Aussie will chart the explosion of the sheet music market for home musiic-making on piano, player piano, guitar and ukulele. It will follow the story of live stage productions from vaudeville to silent film accompaniment, pantomime to musicals, and military concert parties. It will tell of the rise of the gramophone and wireless, and the changing dance crazes. From swing to hillbilly, patriotic song to foxtrot, dance bands and dance styles, musicals, pantomimes, Tin Pan Aussie will make use of archival footage and sound recordings, interviews, oral histories, stills, sheet music covers, and re-created performances. John and Fred have completed a first draft of their proposal, and are now compiling a package to present to potential producers. Information 6230 4868 Assisted by artsACT A Yearn for Utzon March 2005 Commissioned by Historic Houses Trust, this was an original show with footage that told the story of the Opera House against the backdrop of social and political history. Performed at the Museum of Sydney. Peace Concert Feb 2005 Part of the National Multicultural Festival, this amazing event brought together Shortis and Simpson with actor John Derum (leading C J Dennis exponent), Eric Bogle and band, and the extraordinary Samsun Turkish Classical Music Choirs, direct from Turkey. Three Wise Monkeys Dec 2004 Shortis and Simpson combined with Peter J Casey, to make the silly season bearable by sending it up along with anything else that captured their imaginations. Directed by Carissa Campbell. Review- Artlook Magazine, Dec 2004 ‘‘….. witty, tuneful and above all, entertaining… ….. directed with a sure touch by Carissa Campbell…..highlights include Casey’s take on the current vogue for stage musicals based on films; the fashion show which introduces a new John Howard fashion label J.HO; and the hilarious Thank God I’m a Canberra Boy……....Moya Simpson was at her best in her moving version of "The Streets of London" in which she incorporates a series of stories relating her experiences as a teacher in the East End of London to an expressive keyboard accompaniment from Peter Casey………among other special pleasures of the show is the double keyboard accompaniments of Casey and Shortis highlighted in a duelling pianos sequence where each tries to outdo the other with overly familiar piano cliches. There is also an interestingly harmonised version of the Hallelejuh Chorus sung by Shortis, Simpson and Casey accompanied by body slapping, and a cleverly arranged Christmas Medley in which popular songs are sung against traditional Christmas carols….…If you’re in the mood for some light-hearted festive entertainment then you should get yourself along to the Street Theatre Studio for a rare evening of topical intimate revue with three of Canberra’s most experienced entertainers in top form in Three Wise Monkeys….’ ‘ On Our Election After last year’s sell-out season of The Singing Budget,
Shortis and Simpson were back with 2004’s brand new up-to-the-minute satire show, On
Our Election. Shortis and Simpson, Can Belto and John Derum presented this C J Dennis classic, using the music of Michael Askill. CITY OF DREAMS Opening of the national Multicultural Festival, Llewellyn Hall, Feb 6 Shortis and Simpson, with Can Belto and Worldly Goods, linked an amazing array of acts, giving a taste of the highlights of the Multicultural Festival. A COMMUNITY REMEMBERS Stage '88 Commonwealth Park, January 18 2004 As part of the major commemoration of the January 2003 bushfires, Shortis and Simpson performed John's powerful Soul of the City with cellist David Pereira and massed choir made up of members of Worldly Goods (including Worldly Goodlets Children's Choir), Can Belto and the Gay and Lesbian Choir. SUNDAY AFTERNOON WITH GEORGE Telstra Theatre, Australian War Memorial, Dec 7 2003, Jan 25 2004 In the tradition of their previous War Memorial shows, the usual Shortis and Simpson mix of humour and poignancy in this look at Aussie airmen in Britain, their perilous missions, their social lives, experiences of British culture, war brides etc- accomopanying the exhibition Striking By Night, featuring G for George Lancaster bomber. Included footage and archival songs. Written and researched by John Shortis, performed by Shortis and Simpson. SPRING INTO JAZZ Various locations in Bungendore Nov 14-16 2003 John and Moya appeared in many guises throughout this extraordinarily varied weekend of performances, which were part of celebrations of twenty years of the Old Carrington Inn and Bungendore Woodworks. On Friday Nov 14 at St Phillip's church Bungendore, Can Belto appeared with jazz pianist Kevin Hunt in a concert of world music and jazz. Moya even got to sing a couple of jazz standards with Kevin, which is a rare event for a singer who mostly sings original Shortis songs. On the Saturday, Worldly Goods Choir performed at the Woodworks Gallery with legendary cellist David Pereira, Latin percussionist Fabian Hevia, and Kevin Hunt in an amazing concert that brought together world music, contemporary classical music and jazz. The choir opened the show with a set of their own, then joined all the other musicians for a premiere performance of the Woodlands Suite by Kevin Hunt. Then on the Sunday (in the Bungendore school hall (because of bad weather), Shortis and Simpson did a mixture of their political satire material along with a couple of jazzish moments when they were joined by Sandy Evans and Kevin Hunt. CHRISTMAS ON THE HOUSE The Street Theatre Studio Nov 18-22, Elizabeth bay House, Dec 12 2003 Shortis and Simpson went straight from Spring Into Jazz into a week's season in the Street Theatre Studio, to mark the launch of their new CD On the House (officially launched on Tuesday Nov 18 at Old Parliament House by Canberra Times cartoonist Geoff Pryor). Christmas On the House featured tracks from the CD, along with songs that sent up the silly season, plus some of their most recent political satire. The season went well and they even managed good houses on the nights that Australian Idol and the Rugby final were on the tele. They performed the show again in Sydney at Elizabeth Bay House, to a full house. Thier CD had its official Sydney launch that night, with ex MP Tom Uren making an outstanding speech. DANCING ON AIR ArtSound FM presented Shortis and Simpson with actor Ian Croker and a dance band in a live show that re-created actual segments from radio classics like Yes What?, synthetic cricket matches, Bob Dyer's Can You Take It?, the soapie Dr Paul, and comedy with Ada and Elsie and Mo McCackie. The dance band consisted of Ian Blake (bass and saxes), Ross Clarke (piano),Jonathon Jones (drums) and Dave O'Neill (guitar, mandolin, fiddle) and played hits from the '30s, '40s and '50s while dancers from Canberra Old Time Dance Club tripped the light fantastic to foxtrots, quicksteps, waltzes and tangos. SMART ARSES, BUMS and SHORT ARSES Merry Muse Folk Club, Turner, Saturday Sept 27 2003 A full house came to witness this celebration of Canberra's political satire satire from 3 perspectives- The House Howlers (acappella choir of journalists and parliamentary staffers from Parliament House), The Shiny Bum Singers (public servants) and Shortis and Simpson. HEARTBREAK HOTEL Sell-out audiences marked the 26th anniversary of the alleged death of the King, when cabaret met rock 'n' roll, comedy met ballad, truth met legend, and Elvis met Canberra and Bungendore in Heartbreak Hotel. Shortis and Simpson, and singer/guitarist Adam Conroy, became half of a six-piece band that took a fondly satirical look at the music and life of the man who gave the world some of the best music, and some of the worst outfits. The joint was jumping at Heartbreak Hotel with the best of Elvis music from rock to sentimental, roots music to pop. There were plenty of familiar tunes along with unpredictable moments as Moya, John, Adam and the band took an interesting and amusing journey through the songs, the life and loves, and the musical and social revolution that was rock 'n' roll. THE SINGING BUDGET
Written after Peter Costello brought down the budget, the show was re-written several times with John Howard announcing that he was staying on as PM, and Kim Beazley challenging Simon Crean for leadership of the ALP.
Extracts from review by Peter Wilkins, Canberra Times, June 9, 2003
ANZAC CONCERT Eric Bogle and band, with his extraordinarily moving songs of World War I, actor John Derum with the poems of C. J. Dennis, Shortis & Simpson with their combination of archival and original songs, and Paul Koerbin and Andy Busutil with songs of the Turkish war experience. LAGER THAN LIFE- the story of
pub rock In conjunction with Festival Records exhibition, Shortis and Simpson took a musical, satirical look at Australia in the 70s, telling the story behind the phenomenon of Aussie pub rock- the golden age of Thorpie, the Tatts, Acca Dacca, Chisel etc- first half cabaret, second half full-on dancing music from Annie and the Armadillos. This show began as a pub show at The Harp Inn Hotel Bungendore in October last year. |
Shortis and Simpson's annual up-to-the-minute political satire
show was a box-office and critical hit.
The songs performed were-
"…..The Singing Budget signals a subtle
departure from previous work. There is still the stinging wit of John Shortis's dart-sharp
lyrics, piercing the bulls-eye of political chicanery and Moya Simpson's stunning vocal
versatility from the blues to the bossa nova or country and western to
samba……However, in drawing on the issues that have shaped Costello's 2003
Budget, Shortis and Simpson uncover a more serious side to their popular cynical
frivolity. Nothing escapes their sharp satirical bite…… cajoling an audience
into peals of laughter with a Gigi-style tribute to the G-G saga or probing the tragedy of
rural suffering with Dry, a moving rendition of the effects of the drought. Shortis is a
songwriter of consummate skill, as adept at a swift jibe at Little Johnny as he is at a
moving tribute to the courage of the ordinary Aussie battler…..Simpson has always
shown her talent to toss out a tune, but it is Simpson the actor who shines in Dry,
bringing the house to the verge of tears….Her impersonations of Australia's own
Singing Budgie, Kylie Minogue, and the King himself, as well as her talent for vamping out
a sultry, sexy fridge magnet from an anti-terrorism pack reveal an actor of considerable
note…..As stinging as a treasurer's retort, as snide as John Howard's stab in the
back and as funny as a gaggle of pollies at Question Time, The Singing Budget is a welcome
breath of fresh air in troubled times. Don't miss it."