An Evening with Geoffrey Robertson. The Canberra Theatre Centre. 13 May 2015
Lawyers in their natural habitat are required to be effective performers in order to win a case, and so it is no surprise that so many of them make such a smooth transition to the world of entertainment. You don’t need to look very far to find successful examples of this phenomenon in Australia; the Chasers, Shaun Micallef and Jane Turner are just a handful of the country’s most revered celebrities that are former lawyers or law students – you’ll also note that they are all specifically comedians.
But there is one formidable Australian in particular that has managed to straddle both the law profession and the arts simultaneously in quite spectacular fashion: the brilliant and flamboyant Geoffrey Robertson QC.
A seasoned media personality, Robertson’s show Dreaming Too Loud is based on his autobiography of sorts, bearing the same name, which he wrote in 2013. At the beginning of the show I was actually starting to become a little concerned that it was simply going to be a lengthy reading of the book when he sat down and started to recite passages from some of the chapters he penned, however, this was mercifully not to be.
Rather, Dreaming Too Loud is more like a live version of what would be ‘The Very Best of Geoffrey Robertson’ album, featuring the superb kind of oration we have come to expect from this exceedingly accomplished man. Weaving in social commentary, Australian colonial history and demonstrative anecdotes, he crafts a colourful story in which he has played crucial roles in many significant world events.
As serious as Robertson’s work often is, he maintains one of the most robust and wicked senses of humour that you’re ever likely to come across. Coupled with his keen wit and acquired British accent, he really is quite the captivating showman – I don’t believe for a second there was one person in the sold-out Playhouse that didn’t feel privileged to bear witness to this remarkable, rabble rousing life that has been so dedicated to furthering the cause of human rights.
One critique one would make of Dreaming Too Loud is that, for a show that speaks so loudly for human rights, the prohibitive cost for a ticket made it a very exclusive occasion indeed. I would have expected a show with such an important and powerful humanitarian message be more accessible to those with lesser means. That said, the 2.5-hour event was packed to the brim with not only high quality content, but also unbridled energy from Robertson who went above and beyond in giving people their money’s worth.
Dreaming Too Loud is an endlessly fascinating insight into the world of this home-grown champion of the human race and the infamous characters he has represented along the way. It will truly be a night that you’ll treasure in the memory bank for a lifetime and is also an affirmation of the Australian legal profession’s apparent comedic prowess.
Deborah Hawke
When: Closed
Where: Canberra Theatre Centre
Bookings: Closed
