“You probably don’t remember me, but I interviewed you for radio many years ago in Wagga Wagga”, I said to Michael Kirby, the former High Court judge and prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights earlier tonight. I remember being quite young at the time, and quite nervous about interviewing such an important national figure.
He introduced himself to me at the theater, along with three others, as I sat in the front row with them at a play, ‘The Queen’s City of the South’ by Mark Salvestro at the Qtopia Theater.
The play’s premise tonight intrigued me. It centres around a radio announcer at a community station in Cooma, a NSW country town, who uncovers a hidden part of the town’s history. So of course, I connected with the premise.
The story deals with a dark chapter from the 1950s and ’60s, when the local prison was used to incarcerate homosexual men, and later pedophiles. Cooma, at that time, was also known for the Snowy Mountain Scheme, a source of national pride. The play’s plot follows a young man from Sydney investigating his recently deceased grandfather, who, it turns out, was a gay man despite being married. Through letters, the grandson discovers that his grandfather had a relationship with another man, possibly leading to his imprisonment in Cooma during that era.
In the play, this young man connects with a local community radio host who presents a Saturday night music and talk show. The presenter is originally from Cooma but spent time in Sydney, where he experienced his own period of uncertainty. Through the course of the play, we learn about Cooma’s difficult history, the impact of the prison, and the tension between forgetting and remembering what actually happened there. I don’t want to give away too much, as there’s an excellent plot twist.
Despite dealing with serious themes, the play has heart and even a bit of humor, with a couple of cheeky moments along the way. The male leads are both quite cute!!!
Later I chattted briefly to the playwright and actor, Mark, and establlished he was from Cooma, which explains the play’s strong and authentic understanding of the complexities of gay country life. even now. I told him about my own experiences of working in country radio, being gay, and that my mum was born at nearby Bombala.
I thoroughly enjoyed the play and would highly recommend it to anyone in Sydney over the next week.
I also didn’t know Qtopia had its own theater, so it was a pleasant discovery. The intimate setting, with an audience of about 100, made for a wonderful experience, especially sitting in the front row next to Justice Kirby.
Jack Calver is not bad at all.
You were nervous about interviewing Kirby many years ago. I would be very nervous speaking to him now and no doubt say something inane.
Audio something launched a few years ago and by joining, at no cost, I listened to a fascinating podcast about the Cooma gaol and tales of who had been incarcerated there. I think the presenter was of a Middle Eastern background. It is something I would listen to again, as I forgotten all the detail now.
I really liked Cooma when I visited a few years ago. We stopped for lunch in Bombala, a rather strange place, I thought.
I waa aware of the podcast, The Greatest Menace, as I used to know the journalist who made it, but had only listened to a bit of it. When I spoke to the actor and playwright, Mark, I mentioned it, and he said it was how he became aware of the story, even though he actually lives in Cooma.