The irrepressibly entertaining Jacki Weaver writes generously and wittily on her life, her loves and her passions.
My grandfather took me see the pantomime Aladdin at the Tivoli Theatre when I was three. It starred the fabulous Jenny Howard as the Principal Boy with her hands on her hips in the customary garb of tights, jerkin and high-heeled boots ready to take on all villains. It was that magical experience that made me determined, aged only three, to be up there on the stage one day telling stories '
So began the career of one of Australia's best-loved and most respected performers, Jacki Weaver. Raised in Clive James's territory of Kogarah, Jacki is the daughter of an Australian air ace and a gentle North Country English woman he chatted up in the pub between bombing raids. She was talent-scouted by Keith Smith for his popular Pied Piper radio programs at a very young age, and by 15 was starring in a highly successful stage production of Hansel & Gretel. She hasn't looked back. From the iconic films Picnic at Hanging Rock and Caddie, to on-stage roles in They're Playing Our Song and Last Cab to Darwin, Jacki's career has spanned thirty-eight fabulous years of theatre, film, television and music. She has appeared in some of Australia's most memorable shows, has worked with everyone who's anyone in the Australian entertainment industry and has been won Logies, Variety Club and AFI awards.
Along the way, Jacki's personal life has been the subject of much public intrigue. In this warm and witty memoir, Jacki Weaver talks frankly about her early childhood and family, her extraordinary life, her passions, loves and very great losses as well as the ups and downs of her professional career. Fascinating, funny and poignant, this is storytelling at its best.
