Word for Word

3 Mar 2015

Max Gillies – the man behind many masks.

Arts, News & Politics, Society & Culture

You don’t have to be a political scholar to know Australia is suffering a leadership crisis.  The colourful orators and characters of the past have morphed into media managed puppets with sound bites at best.

30 years ago the ABC’s satirical comedy show “The Gillies Report” brought the leaders of the day to life.  The man behind the characters was Max Gillies – a mild mannered man out of make-up, clearly more comfortable when disguised.

His new show pays homage to the geniuses behind his characters – the script writers.

Once were Leaders is a cutting edge satire with the best of Gillies’ incredible caricatures.  It is Max Gilles in his purest form where you get to peer behind the mask – no make-up, no prosthetics – and relish the skills of an Australian comic legend.

Once were Leaders is playing at the Arts Centre Melbourne from 13-28 March.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:50 — 51.1MB)

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