MEANWHILE, Bayswater council recently announced the winners of its annual community art awards at The Rise.
Miik Green won the open award for Xylem Series: Avium24, Jane Button took out the sculpture award with Navigate, and George Linke snagged the resident award for Lady of the Lake.
The city received 176 entries across 11 categories, including a new photography award won by Mayland’s Marnie Richardson.
• Marnie Richardson from Maylands won the photography category with Atlantic Poppy. Photo supplied
“The community art awards are a long-standing tradition in Bayswater and we are consistently blown away by the level of creative talent that exists in our community,” says Bayswater mayor Dan Bull.
“Council prides itself on fostering art and culture within our local community.
“Thank you to members of Bayswater Art Society and Ellis House Community Arts Centre who volunteered to oversee the exhibition, the judges Alex Maciver and Sharon Tassicker and to curator Leo Flavel of Studio 281.”
Other winners included Srinika Sambath Kumar, who won the primary school award for Chasing Your Star Dreams.
In this week’s Speaker’s Corner, North Perth’s Eva Niedzwiedz talks about her recent ulcerative colitis diagnosis. As a personal trainer, her active lifestyle means she can look fine on the outside but the invisible illness can strike unexpectedly. She says businesses can make going out in public easier for people with Crohn’s and colitis by signing up to the “Can’t Wait Card” register and making their toilets available for emergencies: https://www.crohnsandcolitis.com.au/cant-wait-card
WOULD you be willing to open your (bathroom) door for me?
I’m currently in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital being treated for the incurable chronic condition ulcerative colitis (one of the irritable bowel diseases).
Being in hospital, along with all my recent experiences living with my new diagnosis, has taught me a lot about a world I previously knew little about, and something tells me that unless you or someone close to you has an IBD, you won’t know a lot about it either.
I wanted to share this world with you, in the hope it might help you make life a little friendlier for someone suffering an IBD.
As it turns out, you can register your business premise as a toilet-friendly location for sufferers of Crohn’s disease and colitis … but there’s currently no businesses in North Perth on the list.
Access
Research and personal experience from now being in the IBD community, has made it clear many sufferers base decisions on where to shop, eat and travel on how confident they feel about access to toilets.
One of the symptoms that comes with IBDs is the inability to “hold on”. Urgency leaves you with 10-30 seconds to find a bathroom, and it’s common to have that occur 10-30 times per day, even waking you up in the middle of the night.
Trust me, having 30 seconds to find a toilet, and needing to go anywhere from 10-30 times a day is scary!
Throw in the unpredictable chronic pain component, and it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that people with Crohn’s and colitis are prone to isolation, depression and anxiety.
• Eva Niedwiedz is an expert in looking after her body, and helps others keep theirs in shape as well, but not even that could stave off a stint in hospital this week.
Since being diagnosed I’ve spent a lot of my time in hospital talking to people suffering with this disease, and the one thing everyone agrees on is that living with an incurable IBD is hard, scary and truly life-altering.
I’ve spoken to people who are now scared to leave the house after being turned away from using bathrooms, or not being able to locate one when in need.
No-one should have to experience that.
So, thank you for reading this and learning a little bit more about these often stigmatised and hidden diseases.
And to anyone who would be willing to consider registering their business, or talking to their boss about allowing their doors to be open to suffers, please know that whilst it may seem insignificant and possibly slightly inconvenient to a non-sufferer, knowing there is a business that will make their bathroom available in an emergency can really help give a person with an IBD the confidence to go out … and that’s a big thing.
RELAXING amongst the brightly coloured cushions in a packing crate seat at Lot Twenty was a great start to an evening of culture.
A friend and I were off to the Blue Room Theatre next door, and as time was short, the helpful waiter recommended we order from the share section on the menu.
In hindsight I should have gone for the peanut satay instead of mayo with our Dutch fries ($12), just for a change.
The first time I tried mayo with chips was in Amsterdam eons ago and I’ve stayed clear of tomato sauce ever since.
My mate was keen to try the smoked lamb ribs with pomegranate caramel and coriander ($17).
Moist, tender and meaty, the ribs had a slightly crispy crust.
“They dissolved in the mouth,” she said.
A serve of barramundi croquettes ($14) was added to the order.
The chubby, crumbed parcels were deliciously moist, and enhanced by the rich tartare sauce.
The hummus plate ($12) was decked out with fresh flowers and was gorgeous to look at, but was a case of form over function.
The flavour and textures were great, but the hummus was spread so thinly over the plate it wasn’t easy to scoop up with the accompanying tortillas.
Lot Twenty is situated in a heritage-listed building that was originally a police station and stables, and it was lovely sitting outside in the chic courtyard on a balmy Spring evening.
Rough timbers, designer-rusted metal screens and colourful murals add to the semi-industrial ambience.
Lot Twenty is a great spot for anyone looking for good food, wine, beer or cocktails in pleasant surroundings.
by JENNY D’ANGER
Lot Twenty 206 William Street, Northbridge 6162 1195 open seven days for lunch and dinner
DO I frighten you?” asks the 13-year-old Lucy in Playthings.
The tiny teenager (Courtney Henri) often backs up her words with a sharp box knife.
Written by Scott McArdle, the play is a dark look at growing up in suburban WA and centres around Lucy and another 13-year-old Arnold (Daniel Buckle).
They both struggle to live with a secret, but deal with it in very different ways.
Lucy uses rage and aggression, while nerdy Arnold is bullied and tries to keep a low profile at school.
The pair form an unlikely friendship, drawn together by the burden of concealing their dark secrets.
• Daniel Buckle and Courtney Henri in the unsettling Playthings.
The adults in Playthings have their own crosses to bear, including English teacher Miss Richards (Siobhan Dow-Hall) and Lucy’s stepdad Rhys (St John Cowcher).
There’s a sinister edge to the play, and when Lucy leads Arnold into bushland to find a kangaroo that’s bleeding to death, you could feel the tension in the audience.
But despite the heavy themes, there are lighter moments including a great dance routine by Arnold that had the young woman next to me snorting loudly with laughter.
While writing the play, McArle says he drew on his school years and the death of two young friends in freak accidents.
“The effect that trauma can have on young people, whether though accidents, abuse or being caught in the crossfire of life, is irreversible, incomprehensible and life changing,” he says.
“It’s here we can see vicious cycles, violent cycles, beginning to emerge: mental illness, drug use, self-harm, violence to others and suicide.
“Our job as adults…is to do our best to ensure a better life for those just starting out. To protect and guide and love all of the children in our lives.”
The theatre may be small, but the story is not, he concludes.
“It’s a story of us, of people like us, and that’s never small.”
Playthings is on at the Blue Room Theatre in Northbridge until November 23. Tix at blueroom.org.au
WITH modern families increasingly disappearing behind computer screens, the US Civil War classic Little Women has lessons about the importance of meaningful human interaction, says the director of a new version of the stage adaptation.
Little Women is dramatised from the famous Loise May Alcott story of the same name and will be presented by ARENAarts at Roxy Lane Theatre in Maylands this November.
Award-winning actor Christine Ellis will be in the director’s seat this time and say the story conveys the complex lives of four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, and their journey of growth into adulthood.
Set in the 1860s, the story explores various themes around gender, family and love, independence and poverty and how they are affected by the civil war raging around the family.
Ellis is the winner of numerous awards, including at the Hills Festival of Theatre, Youthfest, Mandurah One-Act Play Festival and Blak Yak Theatre’s 24-hour stage project and has more than 45 years’ experience on stage.
She said she was excited about the upcoming production.
• Steph Hickey, left, Justin Markham, Jenny Smith and Annabelle Eirth, at back, Evie Madeleine and Bella Freeman, at front, are appearing in Little Women.
Culture
“I have directed Little Women once before and thought it would be a lovely show to bring to the Roxy Lane Theatre to give the audience a real taste of culture and entertainment,” she said.
“I have worked with young actors for more than 20 years and know the strength of talent we have in Perth at the moment, so I wanted to showcase this in an end-of-year show.”
Little Women plays 8pm on November 15, 16, 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30 with 2pm matinees on November 17 and 24. Tickets are $22, $16 concession from http://www.TAZTix.com.au or call TAZTix on 9255 3336
Roxy Lane Theatre is at 55 Ninth Avenue (on the corner of Roxy Lane) in Maylands.
ROSLYN” is emblazoned across the front of this art deco complex in Mt Lawley.
Was she the daughter of the developer? A long lost love? Or perhaps one of the “bright young things” of the 1930s?
Outside, a path lined with gorgeous flowers leads to an arched portico that wouldn’t look out of place in The Great Gatsby.
The interior of this apartment is as original as it gets, with art deco jarrah door frames, plate rails and stunning decorative ceilings.
One of three bedrooms has a large sash window opening onto the sheltered, lush portico.
Lead-light doors either side of the central lounge ensure it’s cosy in winter, and being on the ground-floor it’s cool in summer.
The third bedroom is currently a dining room, where huge ornate, bevelled-glass mirrors (included in the sale) face each other, creating a Citizen Kane infinity effect.
The owner was so delighted with the original kitchen she simply had the cupboards repainted, the benches topped with black granite, and installed a black retro-looking stove.
A set of french doors in the hall is embossed with the words “dining room”, but they don’t actually lead there.
“It’s the dining room to nowhere,” the owner says, enjoying her own practical joke.
The bathroom has been given a thoroughly modern face-lift.
An enclosed rear verandah creates a pleasant sun-room: “It’s gorgeous in winter because it’s north facing.”
There’s a third sitting area off the sun-room, sheltered by an overhead balcony, a small garden and a heap of pot plants.
Situated on Walcott Street, this two-storey apartment complex is close to all the shops, cafes and restaurants on the Beaufort Street strip.
by JENNY D’ANGER
5/94 Walcott Street, Mount Lawley offers over $629,000 Carlos Lehn 0478 927 017 Acton Mt Lawley 9272 2488
• In a break from usual protocol, Bayswater CEO Andrew Brien will have a say in telling councillors what issues they’ll be dealing with.
Ministerial portfolios to tackle social media pressure
CABINET-STYLE portfolios may be allocated to Bayswater councillors.
As part of a suite of measures pushed by CEO Andrew Brien, the proposed two-year portfolios are aimed at ensuring councillors aren’t tripping over each other to help on populist issues while neglecting important but mundane problems.
Disunity
Mr Brien’s directorate says it will cut down on disagreement, disunity and disorganisation among councillors, which has been exacerbated by residents contacting councillors through social media or making public posts to drum up support for footpath repair or street sweeping, which are normally the domain of staff.
The CEO’s directorate report says social media “places additional pressure on the time of councillors and highlights the need for early planning to ensure that councillors’ time is spent working on important, high level strategy rather than getting mired in operational issues”.
Two councillors will each be assigned to one of five portfolios, aligning with the top five directors on staff: Community, natural environment, built environment, local economy, and leadership/governance.
The mayor will have no portfolio, but can put his two-cents’ worth into whichever issue he deems necessary. He and the CEO will be responsible for allocating portfolios.
Staff were keen to bang out a framework in time for a vote at the December meeting, but councillors deferred it until they could hold a workshop early next year.
Workshop
The workshop’s another measure staff are keen on, and their report says it’ll help councillors “form a high performing council, which handles disagreements and conflicts constructively, remains united even when members disagree” and “trusts each other and city officers”.
The newly minted council was split over whether to spend $20,000 on an independent facilitator to run the workshop and keep it unbiased and constructive.
Veteran councillor Barry McKenna, their longest-serving member, argued it was too much and the cost had shot up from the $15,000 fee from the last workshop they ran, but a split 5/4 vote was narrowly in favour of the spend.
• Rescue greyhound Alex looking fabulous. Photo by @pixelpetphotos
THE usually greyscale greyhounds of Perth got all rainbowed to support Pride on Fairday, November 2.
Greyhound lover Tiffany Cole said the upcoming Pride parade on November 30 made her reflect on whether the speedy pooches might want to support gay rights.
“We have gay members in our greyhound community, and greyhounds are really a minority just like gay people are, so I thought what a fantastic combination,” Ms Cole said.
About 50 other greyhound owners were keen but discovered animals weren’t allowed to march in the Pride Parade (apart from Bears Perth — the gay community’s group for big, hairy fellas).
Instead they chose Fairday on November 2 for their “Greys for Gays” March, decking the dogs out in rainbow outfits for a mini march from Point Fraser to Barrack Street jetty.
It was such a gay old day that Ms Cole says she now hopes to make it a yearly Pride tradition.
• Akademi Small Bar owners Kat Henderson, David Jardine and Sara White (tied up).
NORTH PERTH’S local fetish bar is being strangled by social media censorship.
Akademi Small Bar, a pansexual, gay and trans-friendly venue, opened up in the old Classroom building on Charles Street last month.
Owners David Jardine, Sara White and Kat Henderson say consent is at the forefront of their concept and they run workshops on communication, safety, comfort zones and healthy relationship dynamics.
But Mr Jardine says despite the positive message, discussing topics such as “combating rape culture” or healthy sex positivity, seemingly falls foul of Facebook and Instagram’s automated blocking algorithms.
“It’s totally being restricted,” Mr Jardine says.
“Unfortunately, it’s extremely difficult to address any kind of adult topic on Facebook or Instagram without those words being used to flag you as an adult restricted category.”
Mr Jardine says consent and communication are vital in the current sexual culture and people are thirsty for information.
Fiction like 50 Shades of Grey and online BDSM porn have spread kink to a wider audience, but aficionados say those mediums don’t educate people on keeping it safe and positive.
Whipping requires a solid technique to avoid unnecessary harm, while veteran kinksters say “aftercare” kindness and comfort is vital for a submissive partner after an intense session.
“The younger generations are a lot more sexually aware and active, and have a lot more material at their disposal thanks to the internet,” Mr Jardine says. “So they’ve got access to advanced topics and advanced ideas – without any of the background.
This Wednesday as the Voice was going to print Akademi was holding a Save Your Local Fetish Bar night to encourage supporters to spread news of them by word of mouth.
Mr Jardine says all are welcome at their free Sunday open days, where the usual fetish dress code is given the night off.
He says the demographic is “totally across the board … we have 18 year olds coming in and we have 60 year olds coming in, there’s no age limit”.
Mr Jardine says older couples benefit from communication workshops (some have never had an open discussion about sexual desires and limits), while younger people tend to be more in need of learning about setting and respecting boundaries.
“Getting them to talk to each other is revolutionary,” he says.
”Literally every single standard relationship out there could benefit from these basics – your relationship with your partner is going to get 100 per cent better if you agree to limits, agree to consent, and explore each other like that.”
by DAVID BELL
‘Shadowbanned’
WHEN an ordinary business posts something on Facebook, it might be seen by anyone who likes the business’s page, or whose friends like the post.
The ratio varies, but it’s normal for one engagement to lead to five, 10 or 20 times as many people being reached.
Akademi’s posts are getting bafflingly small exposure.
One screenshot Akademi took showed a post with 55 engagements reaching only 22 others – not the 300 to 1000 you’d normally expect.
That refers to the censoring by social media giants when they’re antsy about your account, but you haven’t broken any rules to justify being outright banned.
The aim is to discourage users who get tired of shouting into the void; a hard ban might encourage them to create new accounts or use creative letter substitutions to fool the word filter (eg, “s3x”).
The social media giants are cagey about acknowledging shadowbans, but in July Facebook was granted a patent for a censorship technique which hides posts from the public, but still displays “the blocked content to the commenting user such that the commenting user is not made aware that his or her comment was blocked” — a near-perfect description of a shadowban.
Instagram (owned by Facebook) uses a similar system, hiding posts from searches that it thinks are “sexually suggestive” but which fall short of breaching its actual rules. It also hides any post featuring the eggplant emoji from searches, since many users included that emoji in sexual posts because it resembles a p3n1s.
NORTH PERTH’S Rosemount Hotel refused to screen the Melbourne Cup this year after overwhelming feedback from online fans.
The pub put the moral question to its Facebook followers on November 1 following headlines of horse mistreatment in recent weeks.
Of more than 300 comments, the mood was near 100 per cent against the cup.
Cool Perth Nights director Andrew Ryan heads up programming at the Rosemount, and told the Voice it was “a vote of the people”.
“It was clear to me that a venue such as the Rosemount Hotel, priding itself on being a platform for diverse conversations and thinking, and operators and artists, should continue to pose questions on and off the stage,” Mr Ryan said.
“The venue has screened it in the past and it has gone well – moderately well – but we asked our followers and they were clear.”
One commenter urged: “No. Please don’t screen it. Have the courage to have a moral and ethical compass facing the right direction.”
Scrolling down, the Voice spotted just one pro-Cup comment.
Only one horse was hurt in the main race this year: last-place finisher Rostropovich has a stress-fractured pelvis.
Whether the industry was hurt by the protests is a bone of contention. Melbourne Cup crowds have dwindled from a 122,000 high in 2003 to 81,000 in 2019.
The winning horse’s part owner, former NSW politician Geoff Corrigan, acknowledged the animal cruelty allegations had “fractured” racing’s social contract. But he reckons the numbers on Cup Day dropped because it’s now competing with so many other big interstate horse events.
Perth Voice Interactive 