Interesting comment considering the Finley's have been experiencing an increased number of submission over the past years. I think this year has seen a record number of submissions. Perhaps someone can confirm or deny this?

Absit invidia

Jeff Watkins
Perth based Actor/Performer
who can also sing and dance
Fight/Sword Choreographer
Virgin Director
UPstageWA Rep

Home Page

Before things get out-of-hand, there is no way to tell if the person picking up spelling mistakes is the same as the one stating their feelings on attending. I believe that they are different individuals.

Walter Plinge is the Anonymous Name stage actors occasionally when they do not wish to be credited for any appearance. It is the name of anonymity.

Good to hear you are a staunch supporter. Sadly, I'll not be in the state at the time. I'll miss out.

Absit invidia

Jeff Watkins
Perth based Actor/Performer
who can also sing and dance
Fight/Sword Choreographer
Virgin Director
UPstageWA Rep

Home Page

Hi Labrug

"Walter Plinge' is the default name of this website if no one enters a name, which is why he seems to be everywhere...and you're right, this is definitely many different anonymous people appearing under the same name.

If you're canny enough to create a new name like 'Walter Plingeman', 'Walter Plingette', 'Walter Plinger', or other variations, etc, then that actually IS an individual's username. It would appear unverified because as soon as it was created they would have submitted a false email address to cover their tracks.

Cheers,
Craig

~<8>-/====\---------

Quote: "The ITA, in their infinite wisdom, refuses to say who's nominated. Which is why I won't be going. Again."

Yes, but the Australian Fooball League also refuses to say who's going to be playing in the 2007 Grand Final, and yet there are people already booking their flights and accomodation to see it next September.

The timescale is different but the concept is the same. If you were really a fan of local theatre, you'd be interested in watching regardless of which teams make the finals.
If you'd been following the 'season' you'd probably have a good idea of who the top teams and players were, anyway.

Why don't you just admit the real reason you're not going...which is you're not interested enough to care.

...In which case, your comments aren't really worth noticing.

Cheers,
Craig

~<8>-/====\---------

I think that the connection between an awards night where the winners are chosen by vote (presumably) and the AFL Grand final where a team has arrived by winning (in the finals round) a knock out competition is specious. It is impossible to predict accurately the AFL Grand final teams until after the final games of the finals round whereas the ITA presumably knows now who has won. Unless they do a count on the night like the Brownlow or Sandover medals.
I actually don't care either way. I am not a western australian and I don't go to awards nights even if nominated. Call me an old hippie if you like but I don't do this to win awards and I find the whole awards thing a bit subjective. The choices end up simply reflecting the prejudices of the judges. There is no truly objective way to choose a winner between two plays.

Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
www.tonymoore.id.au

One constant remains – the theatre world and those inhabit it, can be a touch bitchy. Oh well, comes with the territory I suppose.

Yes, Craig’s comparison of an AFL result with the Finley system of notification was wide of the mark and yes, perhaps a paid MC will inevitably leap to the defence of something he or she is involved in, but so what? This is purely a forum for opinion and he's quite open about who he is. Full marks for integrity.

I for one, am very pleased that somebody like Craig (who I don’t think I’ve ever met), manages to eke out a paying career in theatre in this town, fantastic.

As to the Finleys, I guess I come down on the side of making a marketing meal of the event, by releasing names etc before the event - a press release every week for three weeks beforehand, talking about a nominated play, or actor. However I’ve purchased a couple of tickets, in the full knowledge that I certainly won’t be amongst those up for any sort of award. I just feel the event should be supported, for the very reasons some else has written, that of fading awards attendance / interest elsewhere in Oz. If you don’t use it, you lose it.

I’d be prepared to bet that almost everyone on the Finley judging system / panel, has a full time job and / or a family to look after, quite apart from their theatre interests. Their time is just as precious as yours or mine. If you’d like to change the way things are done, nominate for the committee board at the next AGM.

All Good Things

Two things I kind of need to reply to:

1).

Look, those who jumped on my argument about the AFL are absolutely right...you can't logically compare the organisers of a competition of skill based on scoring points for CONCRETE attributes with the organisers of a competition of skill based on scoring points for ABSTRACT attributes...

But you're totally missing the point of what I said, which was NOT about the ORGANISERS at all !

I was being cynical about the quote made by the anonymous audience member, and my point was to compare ONE audience member paying in advance to see a show with unknown participants with ANOTHER audience member paying in advance to see a show with unknown participants...and that there was no real difference.

It is not a strong enough argument to complain that you won't go and see something you will probably enjoy, simply on the basis that you haven't been told who will participate....because as I pointed out, many people do just that, for all sorts of events. You'd be pretty restricted in your entertainment options if you wanted advance warning of everything you went to.

However, I accept that everyone is entitled to believe what they like, and many people (probably myself included) hold onto illogical beliefs to justify the way they feel about something.

I may have been wrong to surmise that the one who made that statement didn't care enough....I shouldn't have made a comment at all about his/her feelings...all I intended was to attack their logic. So my apology. Come along if you like. Or not. Up to you, it won't really effect anyone who's there.

2).

New quote: "Someone being paid for hosting the show is always going to leap to its defence"

This may or may not be true...but let's not argue a hypothesis.

Either way, it doesn't apply to ME. I'm NOT BEING PAID to host the evening. I haven't been paid for hosting the previous two Finleys either. Just like everyone else who volunteers on the night, I take enough of an interest in community theatre to be happy to support ventures like this, without expecting them to pay for it.

This response has gone on long enough without me demonstrating that I'm not necessarily leaping to anyone's defence but my own (do a search on this site for anything I've previously written about the arbitrary nature of judging an arts event) - but while I deflect your insinuation that I am always going to leap to the ITA's defence, I will concede that I am happy to leap to their support...because they are an organisation well worth supporting.

Hence, points 2) and 1) above: I'm going along for the fun of it; and I reckon you should too.

Cheers,
Craig

~<8>-/====\---------

"There' a difference between the AFL and ITA here..."

Uh-huh, yes. Well I wasn't arguing about that. (See above). I could have just as easily said "Triple J doesn't tell me what song they're going to play when I'll be driving home tomorow, and yet I still plan to listen", or "I don't know what the headlines are going to be in next month's newspapers, but I still plan to have them delivered"....etc.

Now (before anyone objects), there's a difference between the ITA and Triple J or your newspaper..(!) ...all I'm saying is, you might THINK you prefer to be told what you're going to encounter, but in practise you can have a perfectly enjoyable life not having to know so much in advance.

Cheers,
Craig

~<8>-/====\---------

What, I am to be burned for a simple typo now? Finlayers are a dying breed you know...

Absit invidia

Jeff Watkins
Perth based Actor/Performer
who can also sing and dance
Fight/Sword Choreographer
Virgin Director
UPstageWA Rep

Home Page