By Stephen Brook and Samantha Hutchinson
Julian Morrow and Nick Murray are fighting over more than toilet paper.Credit: Shakespeare
Radio National’s Sunday Extra with Julian Morrow was its usual mix of intelligent conversation yesterday. But here’s one story it didn’t cover: that of an ABC presenter sensationally taking legal action against the national broadcaster. And the presenter in question? None other than Morrow himself.
Morrow, a founding member of The Chaser and brains behind The Checkout consumer affairs show, has been locked in a long contract dispute and defamation action via his production companies The Checkout Pty Ltd and Giant Dwarf against producer Nick Murray and the Cordell Jigsaw production house.
Once upon a time both men worked on The Checkout but things fell apart. Here’s a potted history. Take a deep breath.
Giant Dwarf claims Cordell Jigsaw breached its contract by blocking it from making another series of The Checkout with the ABC, and wants compensation. Cordell Jigsaw says Giant Dwarf was deceptive and misleading over its plans for the extra series, which CJZ did not know about when it agreed to sell its share of their joint venture, The Checkout Pty Ltd, to Giant Dwarf for $50. Now exhale.
Then there’s the action over the series of emails Murray wrote to ABC executives, including Michael Carrington, director of entertainment and specialist, including one where Murray referred to Morrow as Lord Voldemort.
The “additional contempt” claim over “further substantial damage to his reputation by referring to him as ‘Lord Voldemort’ ” is no longer part of the defamation action, but is still part of the breach of contract action.
Last week The Checkout and Giant Dwarf filed a contempt of court action against the ABC and want the court to declare that the ABC failed to comply with two subpoenas because it was “redacting documents in an impermissible manner”.
“The ABC believes it has complied with its obligations under various subpoenas issued by the parties to the dispute and will oppose the motion filed by the plaintiffs,” an ABC spokeswoman said.
For their part, The Checkout Pty Ltd and the other plaintiffs declined to comment.
Back in action
Patrons attending Because the Night, the Malthouse Theatre’s new immersive blockbuster retelling of Hamlet, won’t know where to turn. That’s because in a fit of COVID-19 pivoting, the theatre company has ripped out its two stages and replaced them with a sprawling 33-room maze of interconnecting zones to update William Shakespeare’s famous tale of politics, revenge and madness. It’s part choose-your-own adventure, part escape room.
Each performance, 60 theatregoers don black capes and malevolent rabbit masks to follow the action to its inevitable, bloody conclusion.
Particular props to a peroxided Belinda McClory as a steely blonde Gertrude, whom this columnist narrowly avoided colliding with as she power-walked to her Versace Home-inspired boudoir for yet more Elsinore intensity.
After the play, the masks were removed to reveal an opening night crowd that included actor Eddie Perfect and ABC identities Myf Warhurst and Zan Rowe, who nipped upstairs for a post-show debrief over a glass of sparkling while Malthouse artistic director Matt Lutton held court explaining the production’s 1980s vibe.
One other attendee at the Friday performance was Andrew Parker, the Qantas group executive, government, industry, international and sustainability. Parker sent the Daily Mail Australia into a meltdown after he was revealed as the “mystery date” who recently accompanied NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to the Sydney premiere of Hamilton, so he is clearly a man who loves his theatre. For what it’s worth, CBD can confirm he wasn’t two-timing Berejiklian with Dan Andrews at the Malthouse opening.
Even at this early stage the Malthouse’s gamble on Because The Night is paying off. The event is close to being a sellout and there is talk of a season extension. As a performance, it was by no means perfect. But it was amazing.
Price point
Federal Liberal fundraisers are still in backslapping mode after tickets to its annual budget night dinner sold out in a heartbeat, with some tickets priced at $2500 a head.
The cash chasers inside the ALP’s fundraising machine are hoping for a similar result for the party’s own slew of post-budget events, scheduled to follow Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese’s budget reply speech on Thursday, May 13.
Neatly, they’ve got every price bracket covered. Those keen to press the flesh with Labor’s up-and-comers can opt for tickets to networking drinks with Labor’s backbench, hosted by NSW Eden-Monaro MP Kristy McBain. Doors open for $250 a head.
The next step up is tickets to a federal budget reply drinks and dinner with the shadow ministry, presided over by deputy leader Richard Marles and introduced by opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong and with a panel discussion between Albo, opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers and senators Kristina Keneally and Katy Gallagher.
Those keen on the dinner alone without the pre-drinks can opt for a table with a VIP – if that’s what you can call an MP who isn’t in government – for $1500 a head.
Uber fans can opt for the drinks-and-dinner package with a VIP at the table for $1700 a head or $11,000 a table. And those who don’t need the VIP treatment can get a table for 10 people for $9000.
No word yet on whether it’s rubber chicken or beef.