CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
As prominent Australian stage and theatre identities take to the stand in Sydney as part of the ongoing Geoffrey Rush defamation trial, the only members of the public who actually like theatre claim to be shocked about the alleged culture of abuse and harassment that exists within the industry.
“Oh, well I never” said one die-hard theatre-goer, Bronte Newfarm (55).
“I mean, Geoffrey’s obviously innocent, but to think if he wasn’t, to think that there would be a cultural structure that protected him and belittled his victims”
“It gives me the heebee geebees. It honestly does”
The actress at the centre of Geoffrey Rush’s defamation trial has told a court her older female colleagues in a Sydney Theatre Company production “enabled” his alleged harassment.
Eryn Jean Norvill today stepped back into the witness box of the Federal Court in Sydney as the key witness for the defence case.
She claimed a culture of bullying, harassment and “normalised” inappropriate behaviour existed within her industry, a claim that has surprised both media and the public, who never thought that there possibly could have been a scenario where an industry built around creepy old boomers who use big words would leave young women vulnerable.
“If it wasn’t that low-brow Daily Telegraph that published the article, there is probably a chance I would have taken it seriously” says another aggressive creative elite, Milton Balmain (71).
“For heaven’s sake. This is Geoffrey Rush were are talking about! Not some neckless rugby league player!”
