NEVER BEFORE SEEN PHOTOS OF RUDE'S FAMED 1981 HUNGER STRIKE just in, courtesy Helana Glass, per Quincy McLean, per Mark E. Lawrence...thanks guys!

Promo for 2003 Season (Past)

The City of Port Phillip, Gilgamesh Connections, Claypots Seafood Restaurant at St Kilda and Beachcombers Restaurant, St Kilda present:

3XY or I Die - by Kieran Carroll - 2003 Season

An oral portrait of Ron Rude

Mon 24th to Sat 29th November 2003

At "the Memo", Albert St, St Kilda

Directed by Lynne Ellis

Performed by Mark E. Lawrence

Mark E Lawrence as Ron, crooning Mark dialling rotary phone Mark with stage band in green light

The play, in essence a one man monologue, but complete with a stage band and a troupe of hippy dancers, features veteran actor Mark E. Lawrence (Stingers, Blue Heelers, Neighbours) as Ron Rude in a snapshot of Rude's adventures from 1979 - 1981 including his hunger strike, attempted drowning on radio, and chaining himself to Molly Meldrum's fence.

With elaborate multi level sets utilising the grandeur of the 'Memo', you could call it a one man show with a cast of thousands.

Whilst the work is largely a comic farce, it is based on actual events, and has serious comments to make about the unsupported underground music scene in inner Melbourne, and the alienation of people in the vast suburban belts - comments that are equally relevant today as in the era of the work.

The grand old Memorial hall in Albert St, St Kilda, behind the Army and Navy Club in Acland St, is gradually being renovated with help from the city of Port Phillip, to take it's place as a people's theatre in the heart of of St Kilda.

"Out of all the many roles I've played, this is my favourite", says Lawrence. "It's great fun to actually perform as a punk rock singer, and to play a complex, angst ridden character, who might, and I say, just might be likeable under the many layers of aggro!

Playwright Kieran Carroll has taken a hands-off approach this year, employing experienced director Lynne Ellis, to take the work to a new level of theatrical delivery.

This year, the subject of the play, Ron Rude, delivers an opening monologue, and provides bonus performances with his current band, the Ron Rude Renaissance, at the Greyhound on Fri 28th November (after 3XY finishes at the Memo) and in the Memo on the last night, Sat 29th.

"I always thought I had nothing to say, until someone else said it as me." says Rude.

Admission is $15 or $10 concession, and advance bookings can be made on 9553 6887. Tickets will be available at the door.

Promo for 2002 Season (Past)

The Play: "3XY or I Die"

An Oral Portrait of Ron Rude - 1979 to 1981

After a sellout in September 2001, it came back again for 9 shows in October 2002 upstairs at the Duke of Windsor in Prahran and won the award for "Best Original Production" at the Fringe Festival Awards:

Here's a Copy of the Programme

ABOUT RON RUDE: OUT OF THE MELBOURNE PUNK SCENE OF THE MID TO LATE 70'S RON RUDE APPEARED IN WHITE FROM THE UNLIKELY + UNSUSPECTING SUBURB OF BELGRAVE. HIS 4 TRACK HOME RECORDING STUDIO PRODUCED TWO VINYL ALBUMS: THE BORDERS OF DISGRACE ('79) AND THE VORPAL BLADE ('80) ON HIS OWN LABEL, UNFORGETTABLE MUSIC. HE ALSO RECORDED NUMEROUS MELBOURNE BANDS FROM HIS BELGRAVE LOFT TO COMPILE THE RARE AND HIGHLY PRIZED COMPILATION ALBUM: 'FROM BELGRAVE WITH LOVE'. RETREATING FROM LIVE GIGS AROUND '83, RON RUDE CONTINUED TO WRITE AND RECORD BEFORE RETURNING TO THE LIVE ARENA IN THE EARLY '90'S WITH THE VELVET UNDERGROUND INSPIRED 'EDIE SEDGEWICK'S OVERDOSE'. RECENTLY HE HAD HIS FIRST SOLO DIGITAL ART EXHIBITION AND NOW HAS A NEW BAND SET TO PERFORM SOON CALLED: RON RUDE AND THE RESURRECTION. HE ALSO ENJOYS FLINDERS ST POTATO CAKES.
PLEASE NOTE: 3XY OR I DIE + OTHER PROJECTS ABOUT RON RUDE CURRENTLY IN PRODUCTION ARE PURE COINCIDENCE AND HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUDE HIMSELF - EXCEPT FOR HIS KIND PERMISSION,
Kieran Carroll Sept 2001
THE BAND:
DRUMS - MR CINEMA
GUITAR - CON VENOM II
KEYBOARDS - GISBORNE IRRESISTABLE
BASS - MULGRAVE GALLUP
SET DESIGN - KATE + ALECIA ROGERS
LIGHTING - WEDNESDAY FRIDAY
THANKS - DANIEL (DUKE OF WINDSOR), THE BAND, KATE + ALECIA, DOMINIC (Au-go-go), LA PORCHETTA STH YARRA, + OF COURSE, RR.

Writer/Director Kieran Carroll

Kieran Carroll - picture links to Big Rig Records site for details of Kieran's band, the Beautiful Few

Kieran Carroll has been described as the 'David Bowie' of Melbourne poetry. He has released two spoken word cassettes - "One Day Business Shirts, the Next Day Flairs" (1994), and "Summer Ode to the Sporting 70s" (1997). As well as performing everywhere from the west coast of Tasmania, to the Big Day Out, to Ballina, his poems have appeared in the Age, and numerous literary journals like Melbourne's 'Overland' and Adelaide's "Otis Rush", and "JAAM" (Just Another Art Movement) from Wellington, New Zealand. As a frontman and lyricist, he began in the early 1990s poetic camp cabaret outfit, 'The Apostles of Beauty' before forming 'The Beautiful Few' whose two CDs to date are "Dancing Under the Lights" (1995) and 'The October Lovers' (1999). In between, he recorded "A Straight Line to Wander Through', an album of poems set to music, under the name "The Charcoal Sea". Currently another "Beautiful Few" album and an EP of dance/pop tunes under the name 'TAA' are set for release in late 2001.

Mark E. Lawrence as Ron Rude

Since his early days of treading the boards at la Mama during the first Melbourne University Mud Festival, Mark E. Lawrence has forged a unique and enigmatic path through Melbourne's theatrical firmament. His credits include "The Shooting" (Melbourne Fringe 1997), "281" (Melbourne Fringe 2000), Poetry readings at la Mama, a small part in Neighbours (1987), Stingers (1998, 1999, 2000), Blue Heelers (1992).

Read what the media had to say: Rude Awakening, 'The Big Issue' 3-18/Sept 2001 (with annotations by Martin le Touche)
Former Punk Stuntman, Beat Magazine, 11th Sept 2001,
Sticky Carpet, The Age EG 14th Sep 2001,
and more from Sophie Best from the ATN site
A Rude Awakening - Rock Reject Back in Town, Sandringham Leader Sept 2001,

Ron Rude writes about being on air with 'the Ghost'

Moler Starlette Helcat reviewed the play in her column at Coolgrrrls

Here's a snap of Ron Rude on the hunger strike, in 1981, with 3XY DJs, Hans Christian and Barry Bissel, attempting to tempt Rude into breaking his hunger strike by offerring him a pie and a sausage. The Rudester, sensing that victory was at hand, was unmoved.

DJs Tempting Ron With A Pie - Photo courtesy Helena Glass

More Pics of the Hunger Strike

In 1981, Ron Rude wrote an article for a rock paper, Vox Muzepaper, explaining in diary form, the reasons behind his hunger strike. The article was entitled: "Diary of a Desperate"