The Hobyahs Return!

Hard to believe that I've been so busy that I haven't posted since APRIL 2005!

The big change has been relocating to Melbourne, in October. There were many reasons for doing this, including an urgent need to be closer to my family, and changing directions in business. But also because Lynne called me earlier in the year to ask if Diamond Valley Singers -- a music theatre group she belongs to -- could have permission to produce my original kids' pantomime, "The HOBYAHS".

I wrote this in 1974, together with my good friend and (then) business partner, Greg Simmons. (That's Greg in the photo at left.) I wrote it for several reasons:

First, the local theatre group in Wonthaggi, where we lived, needed a panto for the summer holiday season to make enough money to pay the mortgage payment on its theatre, which it purchased that year. So Greg and I volunteered to write, produce, direct and participate, since so many people would be away at that time.

Second, my children, Marnie 5 and Josh 3, loved pantomime but were bored silly by the usual offerings in Melbourne, which tended to be written by television writers. So the kids just sat there watching, without participating. I wanted to write a more traditional panto with LOTS of audience participation. That's them (right) at the time, in their Hobyah t-shirts. They're now in their mid-30s and parents themselves. Josh is a make-up artist and teacher based in Orlando, FL and he's created the masks for the Hobyahs for this season (see below).

And finally, the story of the Hobyahs, in the Second Grade Reader when I was just seven, scared the living daylights out of me, and gave me nightmares for years!

I figured this could be a way for me to expunge them, and turn that experience into something more positive.

It worked, and both Josh and Marnie have enjoyed being involved in subsequent seasons (Josh playing a Hobyah and Marnie running the box office in the 1986 production).

This season, our youngest daughter, Esther 16, is playing the female lead, Amelia Peppercorn and winning hearts with her charming performance and effortless singing. Here she is with the rest of the principal cast members, from left: Captain Lightning (Drew Hanna), Trooper Trott (yours truly), Amelia (Esther), Mrs Peppercorn (Malcolm Wilton as the traditional panto Dame), Mr Peppercorn (Troy Larkin) and the Head Hobyah (Anne Gasko).

The reviews have been terrific, and audience responses -- from all ages -- deafening! You can learn all about the show, and this season's production, download freebies, listen to the music and more at the web site here...

www.hobyahs.com