Article: RESTAURANT SHOW OFFERS A FARCICAL APPROACH TO POLITICS

Thursday November 12, 1981

'PHOCH' cast members Shani Wood and Will Mulholland

A COMICAL study of Parliament 10 years from now is the theme taken by writers Mark O’Connor and Neil Fredericks, assisted by Peter Batey, for ‘PHOCH’ (Parliament House on Capital Hill).

Will Mulholland, one of the cast of five, describes the show as a farcical approach to politics.

With Canberra theatre-restaurant actor Doug Williams as The Speaker, members of the audience have the opportunity to catch his eye and put a few pertinent points to some of the “ministers” in the cast.

The cast reports that there are occasions when members of the audience depart from the script and ask a few awkward questions of their own. But such august persons as the Minister for Decadence and the Minister for Interior Decorating are ready with answers.

Tamara Ross and Shani Wood make their sales pitch as the Fug Sisters and the fifth member of the cast it Chris Rutter, who is well known to Canberra theatre goers.

Music for the show is provided by Tony “Fingers” Magee.

The show plays at the new Tonic Theatre Restaurant at Marios, Petrie Plaza, Civic, on Friday and Saturday nights with an a la carte menu for diners to select from.

First published in The Canberra Times, November 12, 1981

Article: POLITICAL 'STUDY'

CANBERRA

Standard

Thursday, November 5, 1981

WHEN writing a comical study of Parliament 10 years from now, the hard task is to know what to leave out.

So many aspects leave themselves open to ridicule that the new Theatre Restaurant show “PHOCH ’91” has only the best ingredients left.

Canberra writers Mark O’Connor and Neil Fredericks, assisted by Peter Batey, have devised a script for Mario’s new Tonic Theatre Restaurant.

Canberra’s most experienced theatre restaurant actors, Doug Williams, Tamara Ross, Chris Rutter, Shani Wood and Will Mulholland make up the cast and Tony Magee supplies the music.

Produced by Coralie Wood and directed by Jim Hutchins, “PHOCH ’91” (Parliament House on Capital Hill) will be updated every week as the rich tapestry of Parliament life unfolds.

Initially, PHOCH ’91 will play every Friday and Saturday in the new Tonic Theatre Restaurant at Mario’s, Petrie Plaza, Civic.

First published in The Canberra Standard, November 5, 1981

WEEKLY UPDATE ON PARLIAMENT HOUSE - dinner and show

THEATRE restaurant returns to Canberra in a big way in the next two weeks.

From this Friday, PHOCH ’91 (Parliament House on Capital Hill) starts at the refurbished Mario’s Restaurant in Civic. Every Friday and Saturday night, patrons can have their funny bones assaulted as the cast take them on an irreverent tourist’s eye view of Parliament House ten years from now (1991).

Written by Canberra writers Mark O’Connor and Neil Fredericks, assisted by Peter Batey, the script will be updated weekly as the rich tapestry of Parliamentary life unfolds.

Doug Williams, Tamara Ross, Chris Rutter, Shani Wood and Will Mulholland make up the cast and pianist Tony Magee will supply the music.

Mario's and PHOCH - The Canberra Times 1981

Ad from the Canberra Times, October 17, 1981

by Tony Magee

In mid 1981, I was still working as the house pianist at Marios’ Restaurant, Petrie Plaza, Canberra City.

They had by then procured a late night supper show called War to War - the hits of the war era, starring singers Jillian Donaldson and Kelly Auty with musical director and pianist 18 year old Andrew Ross.

It was a great show and had audiences clapping and singing along with gusto.

Coralie Wood and Jim Hutchins approached the owners (Ton Van der Zandt and Nick van Zommeron) about putting on a dinner show.

The plans for the “new” Parliament House had just been announced. It was a grand design, to be placed on the top of Capital Hill.

This became the theme of the new dinner show, called PHOCH ’91 (Parliament House on Capital Hill) - set ten years in the future.

Ton and Nick suggested me as pianist and MD for the show, to which Coralie and Jim agreed. 

Coralie later became my first agent, also securring me future work at the Lakeside Hotel and on Ron Murray’s new and exciting cruising restaurant The City of Canberra (on lake Burley Griffin).

Austin 1800 brochure for the Mk I automatic in 1966, plus my own car (1970 Mk II automatic)

 

My 1970 Austin 1800 Mk II automatic. Photo taken at Weston Park, Canberra, 1981 (by me)

My 1970 Austin 1800 Mk II automatic. Photo taken at Weston Park, Canberra, 1981 (by me)

Below, is a 4 page brochure produced by BMC Australia, announcing the Australian Austin 1800 Mk I automatic. I believe the Ansett flying boat is a Short Sandringham. Info on those here.

My Great Uncle Cliff and my Great Aunt Daisy both bought the Mk I brand new in about 1965. I went for rides in both as a child and loved them.

When I was 19 and considering what I'd buy for my first car, I decided on the Austin 1800. Dad and I found a nice 1970 Mk II auto in yellow and Mum and I jointly purchased it in 1979.

Alas, two weeks later, it was written off when the General Manager of The Bank of New South Wales (now WESTPAC) crashed into me in his enormous Ford LTD. No injuries to either party.

So, we found another one  - the car you see above in the first two photos. I owned that car for ten years, 1979 to 1989.

And here is a 4 page brochure announcing the release of the Mk I automatic I found on eBay and grabbed it.

Update January 2, 2024

FB contributor David Alan Hird believes the Ansett flying boat is a Short Sandringham. I discovered a page on the net called David Goodall's Aviation History which has more information. It's a good read. Click here to read.