Musical biography profiles one of Australia’s literary giants

Coming to the Bellarine and timed to coincide with the Archibald Prize exhibition in Geelong is a new live-on-stage musical biography titled J F Archibald – Australia’s Gift To The World.

Presented by writer/historian Colin Mockett with his musician wife, Shirley Power, the show profiles the Geelong-bornman who was named ‘Australia’s Greatest Journalist’.

J F Archibald founded and edited the magazine which became Australia’s first nationwide publication – The Bulletin.

This journal gave a platform – and made the reputations – of most of Australia’s literary giants.

Think Henry Lawson, Banjo Paterson, C J Dennis, Breaker Morant, Edward Dyson, Dorothy Mackellar, Steele Rudd, Louise Mack, Joseph Furphy and Mary Gilmour among many others. They all were published first by J F Archibald.

His Bulletin was even credited with helping to create the nation of Australia, with J F Archibald’s strong and unwavering supportfor the federation of colonies helping to win the series of referendums deemednecessary by the British government.

But perhaps most importantly, J FArchibald’s Bulletin created for Australia its image as a nation of tough, independentthinking self-confident larrikins.

Prior to J F Archibald, the nation’s reputation was that of a place for miserable convicts.

The new show is presented against abackdrop of images and highlighted withsongs from the times. These were written by Banjo Paterson, Henry Lawson, Breaker Morant and more.

J F Archibald – Australia’s Gift To The World is part of the City of Greater Geelong’s Morning Showtimes series.

It’s presented on Tuesday November 12 in the Potato Shed, Drysdale at 10.30am.

All tickets $15 include refreshments – buy them through COGG’s service centres or phone 5251 1998.