THE GIRAFFE’S UNCLE: THE LES ROBINSON STORY
The Giraffe’s Uncle: The Les Robinson Story is a new one-man play by Kieran Carroll that uncovers one of Sydney’s hidden literary treasures. Les Robinson was a writer, journalist and bohemian eccentric whose unconventional living gained him notoriety during the early 20th Century. A man with a complete aversion to work, he lived in derelict houses and caves along Sydney Harbour writing, fishing and playing his old gramophone on the rocks.
Former Radio National arts broadcaster, journalist and theatre critic Martin Portus will return to the stage after 30 years to take on the role. “I knew as soon as I read the script that I wanted to do it… I feel an affinity with Les because in the different stages of your life you think about success and failure and about how much you want to be in the mainstream of life and then how much you want to go your own bohemian way.”
Portus says, “Les regarded himself as an alienated curiosity in the world of Australian letters, a sort of strange … author. But like all of us, he had the tyranny of the world in him.”
The play also paints a vivid picture of Sydney in the early 20th Century, traversing the bohemian hangouts of the day, the downtown cafes Les Robinson frequented and the company he kept including Kenneth Slessor, Norman Lindsay, Douglas Stewart and the critic HM Green. “Audiences will be historically transported, they’ll be taken into the mind of someone who’s very appealing and self-deprecating and very funny. They will be taken on an emotional voyage about success and failure,” Portus says.
Nov 16-27, King St Theatre, cnr King & Bray Sts, Newtown, $15-20, 9519 5081, newtowntheatre.com.au
BY ROSLYN HELPER
