In the last 5 Years The Naked Poets have emerged as the premier bush comedy act in Australia. With sales in the tens of thousands they haveextended the appeal of this wonderfully Australian genre of country entertainment. Naked Poets Lie...v was a recording of one of the shows which have become the sell out, hot ticket item at the Tamworth Country Music Festival held in January over the last four years. In 2001 "Naked Poets 2....Newdirections" won Album of the year in the 2001 Bush Laureate Awards and Marco Gliori's track "The Other Homebush Games" from the same album won single recorded performance. Naked Poets 3 picked up the 2003 Album of the year in the Bush Laureate Awards. Looking at the pedigree of the individual performers gives some clue to the success of the troupe.
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MARCO GLIORI. is principal
touring poet for The Queensland Arts
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MURRAY HARTIN, has possibly produced the most popular and successful bush poem of modern times with his outrageously hilarious piece "Turbulence (at 40,000 ft)" Awarded best single performance in the Bush Laureate Awards 2000, it has dominated airplay across Australia in a way no other spoken piece has in recent memory. Murray is also a finalist in the single recorded performance of this year's Bush Laureate Awards, As co-founder of 'The Naked Poets' and long time resident of Tamworth NSW, Murray's background as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader has provided him with an intimate understanding of rural Australia, its foibles and potential heroism. His poem, 'Rain From Nowhere' has well and truly established his credentials as a heavyweight in Australian Serious Bush Poetry and his solo career continues from strength to strength. Not bad for the ugly duckling kid from Moree
Murray's Website: http://www.murrayhartin.com |
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The late great , BOBBY MILLER, also commonly known as "The Larrikin" possibly penned more recent comedy classics than any other poet in Australia. "The Brew", "The Bachelor's Revenge", "Dumb Jim", are staple repertoire for Australiaís hundreds of bush poet performers. Bobby was a dominant figure at the many Bush Poets Breakfasts, which have become a gigantically well supported of every Australian Folk and Country Music Festival. He is still represented on every Naked Poets new release. |
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SHIRLEY FRIEND is everyone's grandmother...although not everyone's grandmother deals so hilariously with such subjects. Her smash hit "The Mammogram", has not only ensured that "Naked Poets 2 Newdirections" hit the ground running in Australiaís retail outlets but has beenpraised by Women's Breast Cancer groups for highlighting an importantwomen's health issue. If bush poetry if often thought of as bloke dominated, Shirley certainly turns the tables as women laugh uproariously, as much amused by Shirley's on-stage antics as they are by their squirming male partners in the seat beside them. Her proper English delivery and sense of outraged proprietary, sit in comedic juxtaposition with her subjects. |
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RAY ESSERY, is the face of every rural farmer. His capacity to project the stoicism earthy and fatalistic humour of the bush is spellbinding. It's sometimes difficult to ascertain where Ray stops and the character begins. Also a finalist in the single recorded performance of this year's Bush Laureate Awards, Ray's gentle bewilderment in the face of the modern world and his mythical life long romance with Shirley Friend are an integral part of the nature of bush comedy. |
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PAT DRUMMOND, awesome singer/songwriter, whose very serious side has resulted in multi grand final positions in the Toyota Country Music Awards, was awarded 2000/2001 Australian Independent Country Music Artist of the year and along with Karen Lynne was awarded The 2001 TSA Contemporary Country Song Of The Year for their song "The Rush". His comedic bent however has produced a number of classic country comedy songs, including "The Toilet Paper Line Dance", "The Spider in The Car" and "The Sao Song", and it is this side of him that shines in "The Naked Poets", providing the musical underpinning, the theme songs and musical pieces for the show. He is also the producer of the Naked Poets' twobarnstorming albums which have been released through his recording company, Shoestring Productions which was awarded CMAA Independent Record Company of the Year in 2003.
Pat's Website : http://www.patdrummond.net |
But it is far more that their individual accomplishments that makes The Naked Poets such a highly successful act. It is a strange, weird, 'liquorice all sorts' mixed up chemistry that has emerged between the poets themselves and their rowdy participative audience which makes each Naked Poet show such a distinctive Australian event. There are no heroes in this rough and tumble self-effacing comedy and the good natured roasting Murray Hartin receives for the outrageous success of "Turbulence" is testament to the good natured mateship that is so much a part of the ethos of country comedy. Uproarious, in your face, highly Australian and not to be missed The Naked Poets coming to a theatre or tent near you.
to Order contact Shoestring Productions
P.O. Box 7013, Leura, 2780
phone 02 4788 1157
fax 02 4788 1162
patdrum@lisp.com.auor go straight to the Naked Poets Order page