Lynda and I performed Wall 2 Wall: The Shagpile Floorshow, and the original version of From Dragges To Riches at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (1995) and the Adelaide Fringe Festival (1996). I performed a solo version of 'From Dragges To Riches' at the MICF in 1996, the year Lynda turned 40.
I've performed as Noeline on radio RRR in Melbourne on a show called The Cheese Shop which was hosted by the legendary Dave Taranto. I also guested on FOX-FM in Melbourne as Noels. Over about ten years I have brought Noeline to punters at a fantastic local bingo night at the Terminus Hotel in Abbotsford (Victoria).
I was asked by my friend Trevor Wight (the long-time host) to unleash Noeline on the unsuspecting drinkers at the pub and had a wonderful time messing with their heads, forcing them to act out bingo calls like 'seventy-six trombones led the big parade Brrp-brrp-oo!' and 'sixty-nine - dinner for two!' I improvised as Noeline and learned so much about her (having to 'be' her for two and a half hours I learned a heap... how to fend idiots off, how to catch up with friends while still 'being' Noeline, amongst other things...)
Over my time at the Terminus I worked with many hosts: Anita Smith (current), John Weldon and childhood friend Bernard Caleo (as his alter-ego Fernando). Termi Bingo was a great place to be on a Wednesday night, and a handy gig to have when the phone wasn't ringing. My sisters ran the Terminus Kitchen for a few years, so it was a family affair for a while there.
The Terminus Hotel appears in a short film made by Nic Ridge, Carlo San Giorgio and myself about Noeline and Laurie, and the video footage I used in the 1996 MICF season of From Dragges to Riches was shot there as well.
A blonde Noeline appeared on TV when I was in Totally Full Frontal (1998-9). Click here to see her in action.
Tributes to Lynda Gibson and Dave Taranto
The Taranto Show
photos on this page by James Penlidis, except the colour one, which is by Dean Gangell (de ja view media) |
