Canberra Youth Theatre’s (CYT) 2009 Semester 1 Brochure has been released and is going to cause one drama after another. CYT invites young people aged 7-25 to come in and create some drama: act, learn, have fun, make new friends and perform in our theatre.
 
Canberra Youth Theatre was established in 1972 and is the longest running youth theatre in Australia. CYT provides young people ages 7-25 with the opportunity to explore, extend and develop their creativity through theatre workshops and productions. Young people work with professional artists to unleash their imaginations and create enriching, collaborative and innovative theatre.
 
This semester CYT is packed full of dramas as we:
 
-Invite young people to perform at the National Folk Festival as part of our youth variety performance event hiJinx
 
-Launch our new Teen Actors Ensemble for 15-18 year olds who want to commit to developing their performance skills
 
– Engage our senior CYT Actors Ensemble (ages 18-25) in TANK, a touring production about our relationship to water ,written by local writer Hadley
 
– Expand Open House, our Emerging Artists Residency Program for  young developing artists seeking to create/rehearse/ develop their own theatrical project
 
– Introduce two new Chrysalis Scholarships: the David Branson Memorial Performance Scholarship & the Jan Wawrzynczak Memorial Technical Scholarship
 
– Create STUFF!, a radio drama set inside the Ministry of Stuff, with a group of 10-12 year olds and local artists John Shortis and Kimmo Vennonen
 
– Offer workshops and performance opportunities for ages 7-25 ranging from storytelling to improvisation, screen acting to Shakespeare, acting technique to physical theatre.

CYT invites young people to join in the dramas and enrol now.
Enrolments close on 6 February.  
Check out our website on www.cytc.net for the full workshop program
or call 6248 5057 for more information.

Little Actors
Age: 7-9 years            
Tutor: Gretel Burgess / Camilla Blunden
What: Two fun workshops for little actors who want to explore the magic of theatre.
 Participants will play drama games and actively engage their imaginations through creative movement and vocal expression as they improvise characters to create performances based on Aesops’ fables. These timeless greek tales told by Aesop are packed full of characters who need to learn to look before they leap, be slow and steady and laugh last. Both workshops will conclude with a short performance for family & friends.
 Where: C Block Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon
When: Wednesdays 4.30pm-6.00pm
Cost: $260 / participant (sibling and friend discount available)


Act Now!
Age: 10-12
Tutor: Adele Chynoweth
What: Act. Create. Perform. In this fun workshop participants will develop their performance skills as they play drama games and exercises.
 The workshop will focus on the essentials of acting: voice, movement, improvisation and characterisation. The group will create a unique performance based on a well known story. This workshop will conclude with a short performance for family & friends.
Where: C Block Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon
When: Mondays 4.30pm-6.30pm
Cost: $210 / participant (sibling and friend discount available) (12 WEEKS)


RADIO PLAY: Stuff!
Age: 10-12
Tutor: Adam Hadley
What:The Right Honorable Godfrey F Kerfuffle is the head of The Ministry of Stuff, the government department which represents the cares and concerns of kids. There are Ministers who are in charge of all the important stuff like… pets, friends, playstations, lollies etc. But watch out because budget cuts are looming and the Ministry of Stuff is in jeopardy!!!!
Participants in this workshop will create the story and characters of Stuff! with theatre maker Hadley, then work with John Shortis to create songs and finally they will record their radio Play with local sound artist Kimmo Vennenen… and then prepare to hear themselves on air!
This workshop will conclude with STUFF! being played across the airwaves of Canberra and maybe beyond….
Where: Bogong Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon
When: Tuesdays 4.30pm-6.30pm
Cost: $260 / participant (sibling and friend discount available)
 
Improvisation
Age: 13-16
Tutor: Nick Byrne
What: Improvisation is about imagination, energy, spontaneity, courage and self confidence. Improvisation processes develop lateral thinking, encourage team work and ignite creativity.
 Participants will learn the basics of improvisation and storytelling through drama games and exercises. The workshop will provide them with the opportunity to develop acting skills as they explore characters and situations developed from their own imaginations.
Where: Bogong Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon
When: Thursdays 4.30pm-6.30pm
Cost: $260 / participant (sibling and friend discount available)
 
CYT Teen Actors Ensemble
Age: 15-18
Tutor: Peter Wilkins & Joe Woodward
What:
Learn to ACT!
Commit to training all year with a group of dedicated young performers and then perform at the end of the year!
In Semester 1 participants will explore the essentials of acting. Develop skills in voice, movement, characterisation and improvisation.
 In Semester 2 you will bring to life 4 short plays written by the participants of the Artist’s Unite Project from CYT, Backbone Youth Theatre (Brisbane), Urban Myth Theatre of Youth (SA), Tantrum Youth Theatre (Newcastle) and Mess Up The Mess (UK).  Participants will be guided through the creative process, focusing on developing acting techniques and script interpretation & analysis.This workshop will conclude with performances on 21 and 22 November.
Enrol now as places are strictly limited!
Where: C Block Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon
When: Thursdays 4.30pm-6.30pm
& Sundays 10am-3pm 19 July, 16 August, 20 September, 18 October, 15 November
Cost: $560*/ year ($280/ semester)
*Discount available for full year payment $540
 
Screen Acting: Beginners
Age: 13-25
Tutor: Stephen Barker
What: Lights. Camera. Action. Participants will learn and develop skills in screen acting as they explore the differences between stage and screen acting in this fun and engaging practical workshop. The workshop will conclude with a gala screening of film/ television scenes shot throughout the duration of the course.
Where: C Block Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon
When: Tuesdays 4.30pm-6.30pm
Cost: $260 / participant (sibling and friend discount available)
 
Screen Acting: Advanced – Shakespeare on Screen
Age: 15-25
Tutor: Stephen Barker
What: Rise to the challenge and discover how the works of Shakespeare translate onto the big screen! This workshop will explore practical skills you can use to get the most out of Shakespeare’s plays, and how to perform them for the camera.  If you have some previous screen acting experience, come along and join this dynamic workshop and crash-tackle scenes from one of the greatest (and most performed) playwrights ever. You will also get the chance to see your work screened at our end of semester performance.  
Where: C Block Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon
When: Tuesdays 7pm-9pm
Cost: $260 / participant (sibling and friend discount available)
 
Acting Technique
Age: 18+
Tutor: TBC
What: Develop skills in voice, movement, improvisation and characterization.
Participants will work with an experienced director on in-depth character and scene analysis, focusing on developing an understanding of sub text and emotional truth. The workshop will conclude with a short performance for family & friends.
Where: C Block Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon
When: Wednesdays 6.30-8.30pm
Cost: $260 / participant (sibling and friend discount available)
 

THE CYT ACTORS ENSEMBLE 2009
Age: 18-25            
Tutor: Pip Buining and Guest Tutors
Auditions: Saturday 28 February 10am-3pm
Where: C Block Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon
When: Saturdays 10am – 5pm starting from 14 March.
Cost: $580* / year (or $290/semester) *
Discount available for upfront yearly payment / payment plan also available.
What: The CYT Actors Ensemble is for young people aged 18-25 who are passionate about developing their skills in performance. Auditions for the Ensemble are held at the start of each year and those selected commit to training together on a weekly basis developing core skills in acting, movement, voice, improvisation and performance making.
 In 2009 the Ensemble will be actively engaged in the development and performance of CYT’s major touring production, TANK.
 TANK is sustainable theatre. TANK is about water. Our need and use of it. It’s priceless existence. TANK is set inside a small theatrical water tank. TANK is 6 x 6 minute plays for an audience of 6. TANK is flexible, fun, intimate portable theatre that will tour.
 Application forms can be obtained by contacting the CYT office, applications close on Monday 23 February.
The CYT Actors Ensemble is proudly supported by Canberra Milk
 TANK is sponsored by the Rock Development Group


OPEN HOUSE: Artistic Residency for Emerging Artists
Age:                         18-25
Mentor:             Pip Buining or a professional theatre practitioner of your choice*
What:
“Open House was the perfect testing ground, we failed, we succeeded, we discovered new ideas waiting for us “                        Cathy Petocz 2008 Open House Recipient

CYT’s Open House program is for young independent artists seeking to create/ rehearse/develop a theatrical project. Open House invites emerging artists to take theatrical risks and expand their performance horizons through engaging in an artistic residency in our space for a fortnight.
 In 2009 CYT will run Open House twice: providing an ACT and an interstate emerging artist with the opportunity to develop new work in our theatre.
 The selected artist will have:
– the support of the Artistic Director of CYT
– access to the resources of the company (office, workshop, technical & theatrical)
– rent-free access to a flexible performance space with lighting rig and sound system for two weeks.
– travel reimbursement* for non ACT recipient (*within Australia, conditions apply)
– accommodation for non ACT recipient at Gorman House Arts Centre
– a stipend to financially support* them for the duration of Open House (conditions apply)
 Contact the Artistic Director for further details and an application form.
Open House Recipients must be Australian Citizens.
 Applications Due: Tuesday 1st April 2009 & 1st July
 Where:             C Block Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon
When:            Open House #1             Monday 25 June- Sunday 8 July
                        Open House #2            Monday 1 -13 December
Cost:                         FREE!


hiJinx @ The National Folk Festival
hiJinx : boisterous celebration or merrymaking, unrestrained fun.
 Do you want to PERFORM? If so then read on…
 hiJinx is a youth managed and produced evening of youth variety performance at the National Folk Festival.
 If you are between the ages of 12-25 and have an act then you are invited to apply to perform at hiJinx. Get up off your couch and act, sing, dance, juggle, play a tune, show your short film, cavort and do your hiJinx on stage. All performers get a complimentary day pass to the National Folk Festival.
 For an application form please contact the hiJinx Committee at [email protected]
 When & Where:
Auditions: Sunday 22 March 2pm @ CYT
Rehearsal: Sunday 5 April 2pm @ CYT
Performance: Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 April
Cost: Free

MASTER IT! Professional Development 18+
The Street Theatre & CYT presents (street development logo here)
Inspire yourself. Discover new possibilities. Extend your practice. Acquire new skills.
 Throughout the year CYT and The Street Theatre will provide Professional Development workshops for local artists (see website throughout the year for details) as well as conducting the Affiliate Program
The Affiliate Program is for theatre makers who want to extend themselves as a Director, Stage Designer, Lighting Designer, Stage Manager or Actor.
This program provides selected participants with the opportunity to be attached to an artist of their choosing through an affiliation with a specific professional Street Theatre production. These secondments will enable you to observe every aspect of a production, from rehearsals to production meetings. Regular meetings will be held with your principal artist of choice where issues of interest arising from your observation of process will be discussed. Each secondment includes a modest stipend for affiliated artists.
For more information contact the Artistic Director of The Street Theatre [email protected]


CHRYSALIS SCHOLARSHIPS
The CYT Chrysalis Program aims to support young and emerging theatre artists. In the past Chrysalis has assisted CYT members through subsiding workshop fees, providing individual mentorship programs and facilitating professional development opportunities. In 2008 Anthony Arblaster was the recipient of the Chrysalis Program and engaged in a technical internship with Belvoir Street Theatre and the Sydney Theatre Company.

Jan Wawrzynczak Memorial Technical Scholarship &
David Branson Memorial Performance Scholarship
can assist a young person through:
 
– subsidising the cost of a semester workshop at CYT OR
– assisting with fees for a specific workshop/course outside the ACT OR
– paying the fee of a professional artist to mentor and work one on one with you OR
– assisting with travel costs to attend a workshop/course outside the ACT
 
For more information or to apply for a Scholarship contact the CYT office 6248 5057 or [email protected]
By Design
What: CYT also designs theatre workshops that are tailored specifically to meet the needs of school groups, community organisations and individuals.
 Where: Workshops can be conducted in our theatre space at Gorman House or at your venue.
 Contact: If you would like to know more about our By Design Workshops contact the office
 Phone: 6248 5057
 Email: pip @cytc.net
 
In the past we have run workshops in:
 Audition Preparation, Acting Technique, Improvisation, Group Devising, Comedy, Physical Theatre, Circus, Acting For Camera, Commedia dell’Arte, Voice, Scriptwriting, Unlocking Shakespeare, 20th Century Theatre Practitioners, Suzuki, Laban, Viewpoints, Butoh, Boal, Directing, Approaching Text, Lighting Design, Set & Costume Design, Stage Management & Teaching Primary and Secondary Drama.

Act Now!
Age: 10-12
Tutor: Adele Chynoweth
What:

Act. Create. Perform. In this fun workshop participants will develop their performance skills as they play drama games and exercises.

The workshop will focus on the essentials of acting:  voice, movement, improvisation and characterisation. The group will create a unique performance based on a well known story. This workshop will conclude with a short performance for family & friends.

Where: C Block Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon
When: Mondays 4.30pm-6.30pm
Cost: $210 / participant (sibling and friend discount available) (12 WEEKS)

Little Actors
Age: 7-9 years   
Tutor: Gretel Burgess / Camilla Blunden
What:
Two fun workshops for little actors who want to explore the magic of theatre.

Participants will play drama games and actively engage their imaginations through creative movement and vocal expression as they improvise characters to create performances based on Aesops’ fables.

These timeless greek tales told by Aesop are packed full of characters who need to learn to look before they leap, be slow and steady and laugh last. Both workshops will conclude with a short performance for family & friends.

Where: C Block Theatre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon
When: Wednesdays 4.30pm-6.00pm
Cost: $260 / participant (sibling and friend discount available)
 

By Shanna Provost

Guys and Dolls has been described as the perfect musical comedy. First produced on Broadway in 1950, it won five 1951 Tony Awards (including Best Musical). Since then it has been played to thousands of audiences in thousands of cities across the world.

The storyline is highly entertaining, the music full of memorable songs, the dance flirtatious and energetic, and the Free Rain Theatre Company’s production is top quality.

Guys and Dolls opens in brash, flashy Runyonland – where cops, con men, gamblers, ladies of dubious morals and a group from the Save the Soul Mission mingle. It’s packed with classic songs known the world over, including I’ll Know, Luck Be a Lady Tonight, Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat and the title song, you’ll tap your feet through the entire show.

Director Anne Somes has pulled in ‘the big guns’: Lucy Bermingham (CAT Awards for Best Musical Directon for The Hot Mikado and Sweet Charity) as Musical Director and Annette Sharpe as choreographer.

She is delighted with her strong cast including leads Sarah Darnley Stewart, Adrian Flor, Georgia Pike and Tim Dal Cativo and says they give their all to the show.

Guys and Dolls is playing at the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre or three weeks from 13 February to 28 February with matinees on 14 February, 21 & 22 February and 28 February. Tickets from $26-$35. Special group rates. For bookings phone 02 62980290 or visit www.theq.net.au

By Shanna Provost

So you think you can always solve a whodunit? Q Theatre’s first offering for its 2009 season titled In Cold Light by Everyman Theatre, with its myriad twists and turns, will challenge even the most adept mystery buffs.

Written by one of Canberra’s leading theatre practitioners, Duncan Ley, In Cold Light won Best Original Work at the 2003 Canberra Area Theatre Awards. This production is directed by Dr Duncan Driver, who has been involved in Canberra theatre for nearly 20 years both on-stage and as a director.

Ley’s latest play The Ides of March was shortlisted for the 2007 Sydney Theatre Company’s Patrick White Playwright’s Award and had its world premiere in London in 2008.

In Cold Light is short and sharp says Ley.

“Like any decent mystery we start slow and the stakes progressively get higher. The playing space is defined by paint and light and intentionally claustrophobic to enhance the tension, and we hope the audience will feel as if they are first hand witnesses to the unfolding intrigue.”

So what’s it about? They’re not telling (it’s a mystery of course), but we do known that one evening a well respected Assistant Headmaster at an isolated religious college is summoned for questioning by a relentless and ruthlessly intelligent young inspector. Who are these men? What are they hiding?

Described as a slowly uncoiling spring, the plot weaves through a tapestry of twists designed to keep the audience guessing until the very end.

“You’ll need to play close attention and look for clues, and hopefully enjoy having the wool pulled over your eyes”, says Ley.

The Q’s Artistic Director Stephen Pike says it’s appropriate that the first production of the season be home grown.

“In recognition and support of the talent residing in our region we decided to include some locally produced shows in our 2009 Subscription Season and, as Canberra’s most significant resident playwright, Duncan Ley’s work was an obvious choice. Duncan has an incredible gift with dialogue and having a personal knowledge of his work I can assure you that you are in for a treat”, says Pike.

In Cold Light at the Q Performing Arts Centre 4-7 February at 8pm and 2pm on 7 February. Tickets $25-$42 available at www.theq.net.au or phone 02 62980290.

By Shanna Provost

Jasmine House in Gunghalin has the honour of catering 2700 meals to the Wind of Shaolin troupe from Beijing during their tour of Canberra.

The hungry cast of the internationally-acclaimed dance spectacular need three meals each day for the nine days they are in Canberra.

They’re highly trained, incredibly fit acrobats who need to keep their lean muscle and maintain a diet that won’t throw their digestion out of kilter, so traditional Chinese food is an essential.

Jasmine House, the home of Asian delights on the corner of Ernest Cavanagh & Gribble Streets in Gunghalin is best known for its signature dishes, including the piquant San Dong Duck, Yuxiang Stir Fry, the Famous Singapore Chili and a Shaolin Duck dish whose recipe was created by the monks of the Shaolin Temple in China.

Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to dine at Jasmine House while they’re busy creating these 2700 dishes—it’s business as usual.For bookings phone 6242 4788.

Australia’s Chief Scientist Professor Penny Sackett launched the 2009 International Year of Astronomy this morning at Questacon in Canberra with a live cross to the Anglo Australian Telescope at Siding Spring and to Chile.

400 years ago Galileo turned a telescope to the sky.
40 years ago Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.

Galileo’s work was the beginning of modern instrumental astronomy and a milestone in the history of evidence-based science. To mark this historical turning point, 2009 has been endorsed as the International Year of Astronomy by both UNESCO and the UN General Assembly.
 

The night sky is the common cultural heritage of all humanity. With hundreds of events happening around Australia alone, IYA will be a year-long, community-based celebration of the science, history and cultural impact of astronomy for people throughout the world.
 

Highlights of the launch included:
• The search for dark energy – an Australian-driven study of 400,000 galaxies to precisely measure dark energy – introduced by Matthew Colless in a live cross to the Anglo Australian Telescope at Siding Spring.
• Win an hour on one of the world’s leading telescopes: the 8m Gemini telescope in Chile. This competition for Australian high school students was launched with a live cross to Chile.
• Remarkable high resolution footage of Earthrise as seen from the Moon.
 

IYA is coordinated globally by the International Astronomical Union, which represents the world’s professional astronomers. In Australia, the National Committee for Astronomy, a committee of the Academy of Science, is responsible for coordinating IYA activities.
 

International website: www.astronomy2009.org
Australian website: www.astronomy2009.org.au
The Gemini competition: ausgo.aao.gov.au/IYAcontest

Encuentro in association with the Belconnen Gallery and the National Multicultural Festival presents:

Belconnen Community Centre, Swanson Court, Belconnen

Monday 2nd of February to Friday 27th of February 2009

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday from 9:00 am. to 4:30 pm.

This exhibition will be opened by Caroline Le Couteur MLA on Wednesday February 4 at 6pm

Encuentro is a Canberra based not for profit cultural organisation of artists from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Encuentro artists work across all artforms including visual art, music, literature and multi-media.

Tierra Viva – A Changing World is an exhibition of painting, photography, ceramics and drawing that explores the dynamics of our changing world. The artists exhibiting in Tierra Viva – A Changing World include: Oscar del Pozo (Argentina), Rosemary von Behrens (Australia), Chun-chiang Shih (Taiwan), Celia Gallardo (Argentina), Ian Haynes (Australia) and Ana Gallardo (Argentina).

For more detailed information, please contact:

Belconnen Arts and Cultural Development Officer:

[email protected] 62640235

What prompts this film is recognition of our deep dependence on the natural world and the significant threat to that world posed by war and preparations for war. The scale of environmental damage over the last half century is unprecedented. Falling water tables, shrinking forest cover, declining species diversity – all presage ecosystems in distress. These trends are now widely acknowledged as emanating from forces of humanity’s own making: massive population increases, unsustainable demands on natural resources, species loss, ruinous environmental practices. Ironically however, war, that most destructive of human behaviors, is commonly bypassed.

In all its stages, from the production of weapons through combat to cleanup and restoration, war entails actions that pollute land, air, and water, destroy biodiversity, and drain natural resources. Yet the environmental damage occasioned by war and preparation for war is routinely underestimated, underreported, even ignored. The environment remains war’s “silent casualty.”

Activities that do such damage cry out for far-reaching public scrutiny. The very sustainability of our planet is at stake. We can no longer maintain silence about the environmental impact of war on the grounds that such scrutiny is “inconvenient” or “callous” at a time when human life is so endangered.

If we cannot eliminate war, we can at least require a fuller accounting of war’s costs and consequences, and demand that destructive forces used in our name leave a lighter footprint on this highly vulnerable planet. It is to this change in values and actions that this documentary film is directed.

Medical Association for Prevention Against War
www.mapw.org.au

David Tydd announces that former Bardot and Las Vegas (Confidential) The Musical star Tiffani Wood will star in the 2009 production of ‘David Tydd’s VALENTINO alongside her former bandmate Katie Underwood (in the role of Betsy) for the first time!

“It’s great to land a role in a second musical within such a short period of time. I’m excited that Valentino will be touring various theatres across this country of ours, especially when the show takes me back to my hometown of Newcastle.” said Wood.

“David Tydd and the principal cast are all very passionate about this show and this is one of the main things i look for when working with people on any level.”

From the creator of the musical blockbuster Rasputin comes another stunning theatrical production ‘David Tydd’s VALENTINO’, showcasing the breathtaking choreography of Strictly Dancing’s Atalie Wilmoth.

‘David Tydd’s VALENTINO’ embraces Rudolph Valentino’s dramatic struggle to fame set against the spectacular backdrop of 1920s Hollywood with all its glamour and romance.

Latin dance star Michael Miziner (Dancing with the Stars fame) stars as Rudolph Valentino, who introduced Latin dancing to the world. Tiffani Wood stars as Valentino’s lover, Natacha, while fellow Bardot member Katie Underwood plays the Hollywood glamour girl, Betsy.

“I can’t wait to work with Katie again. It’s been way too long and she was such an asset to Bardot especially with her vocal ability and strength. Now to work with her on such a different level is going to be a great experience and bring back a lot of great memories. We are both playing roles that people wouldn’t expect to see us in so it’s going to be a great surprise!" Said Wood

Legendary entertainer and star Normie Rowe (Les Miserables) stars as the Hollywood studio boss Max. ‘David Tydd’s VALENTINO’ will also showcase dancers who have featured on the hit television series So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars.

‘David Tydd’s VALENTINO’ will leave you breathless!
 

Global Research, January 22, 2009

During the end of the 1970’s into the 1980’s British Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the City of London financial interests who backed her, introduced wholesale measures of privatization, state budget cuts, moves against labor and deregulation of the financial markets. She did so in parallel with similar moves in the USA initiated by advisers around President Ronald Reagan.

The claim was that hard medicine was needed to curb inflation and that the bloated state bureaucracy was a central problem. For almost three decades, Anglo-American university economic faculties have turned to Thatcherite deregulation of financial markets as ‘the efficient way,’ in the process, undoing many of the hard-fought gains secured for personal social security, public health care and pension security of the population. Now the ‘poster child’ economy of the Thatcher Revolution, Great Britain, is sinking like the proverbial Titanic, a testimony to the incompetence of what is generally called Neo-liberalism or free market ideology.

As the Neo-liberal revolution began in the economies of the USA and UK, it should not be not surprising that the epi-center of catastrophe in the global crisis now unfolding also lies with the economies of the USA and UK, as well as a handful of economies, including Ireland Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Iceland, all of which embraced the free market Thatcherite agenda most strongly in recent years. Notably, the man who personally implemented Thatcherite financial market reforms and deregulation during the era of Tony Blair in Britain was Gordon Brown, then Treasury Secretary.

A sample of most recent British developments is instructive. Britain’s economy is about to suffer its most vicious slump since 1946, shrinking by a drastic 2.8 per cent this year, according to EU latest estimates. The UK is predicted to suffer the worst recession of any large European economy. The consequences for the UK will include soaring unemployment, while the economy also teeters on the brink of full-blown deflation. Unemployment will rise by more than 900,000 people over the next 12 months, driving the jobless total to 2.55 million by the end of the year, or 8.2 per cent of the workforce, from 5.3 per cent at present.

In parallel, the currency, the Pound, which is not part of the Eurozone currencies, has fallen dramatically against the Euro and even the US dollar in recent weeks over growing fears of the collapsing UK economy and banking system. Sterling has fallen below $1.40 to its lowest point in seven and a half years because of concerns about the depth of Britain’s banking crisis and the Government’s rising debt levels. This coming year the UK Government’s borrowing levels may exceed £118 billion, equal to 8 per cent of GDP.

Britain will not be able to reap much benefit from a lower pound for exports because, as part of the Thatcher Revolution, the national economy has out-sourced, de-industrialized and turned to a service economy where, as in the USA, finance and banking became the motor of economic growth the past two decades. That motor has now broken.

Public debt soaring
Fuelled by the cost of state bank bailouts, the UK’s national debt is set to rise to £1.06 trillion, or 72 per cent of GDP, by 2010, a sharp rise of more than 70% from present levels. Yesterday, the Gordon Brown Government, only three months ago hailed as the place which was taking effective action to control the global financial meltdown, was forced to introduce yet another new bank bailout package of measures designed to rescue the country’s banking sector. He refused to put any ceiling on the amount that he might ultimately need, creating great distrust in the Brussels and across the EU.

Combined, British banks have some $4.4 trillion of foreign liabilities. That is twice the size of the British economy. UK foreign reserves are virtually nothing at $60.6 billion. Little wonder that savvy currency traders and hedge funds have decided the British Pound can go only one way, down. Swap markets for CDS now price in an alarming 10% probability of Britain having to default on state debt obligations in the next few years as public debt explodes.

The last time England had a default on state debt in the early 14th Century when King Edward III decided to declare default on his then huge debts to the large Italian banking house of Bardi & Peruzzi, taking the large bank down with it and spreading ruin across Europe.

‘.giving the kiss of life to a corpse’

The Brown Government admits it does not know whether the second bank rescue package it just launched will work, senior ministers admit. One minister is quoted anonymously in the British press, ‘The truth is that we can’t be sure whether it will be effective. We have to look calm to try to instil some confidence in the system. But we don’t know what will happen next. No one can be sure that this is the end of it. We are in completely uncharted waters. The position is changing all the time.’ In brief, the authorities have lost control in the UK.

Gordon Brown and Treasury Secretary Alistair Darling claim the second bailout did not mean the first package they unveiled last October had failed. That deal, they insist, was about preventing banks from going bust; this one was about ensuring they had the confidence to lend to businesses and the public.

The Government refuses to reveal how much it would cost taxpayers. Officials dismissed talk of a £200bn bailout, saying some measures had a low risk and figures were still being calculated. Labour backbenchers conceded it would be difficult to “sell” the rescue plan to an increasingly hostile public. Not surprisingly, polls have turned dramatically against Labour and Brown, now showing that were elections held today, the Conservative Party would win a gain over Labour of 9% to 13 %. An astonishing 49% of all Brotins fear losing their job this year as well.

A major impediment to swift and consequent Government action to contain the impact of the banking crisis has been the dominance of Thatcherite ideology as an almost religious dogma that permeates even Labour, where Tony Blair was portrayed as a Labour version of Thatcher. The ideological absurdity of the situation was underscored recently when the Conservative opposition offered broad support for yesterday’s measures, even though their concern over soaring borrowing led them to oppose the Government’s £20bn fiscal stimulus designed to keep the economy moving.

As well, it is clear, following the nationalization last year of Northern Rock and the forced state share of 70% in the large Royal Bank of Scotland, that a type of approach as that used in the early 1990’s Swedish banking crisis, in which the State nationalized banks that were insolvent and unable to raise private capital. Sweden then split the banks into ‘good bank’ and ‘bad bank.’ In the good bank, business of lending to the real economy continued unabated. The assets in the bad bank, largely illiquid Swedish real estate holdings, were held by the state until economic growth again allowed the government to sell the assets in a healthy market. The ultimate taxpayer cost of the Securum model were estimated to have been zero or even a tiny profit when all costs were factored.

The ideological Labour government is stubbornly refusing to admit the logic of the situation, and ends up ‘cutting the dog’s tail off by inches.’ As certain Labour MPs call for the full nationalisation of the banks the Government says that is not its goal. Chancellor Darling stated, ‘We have a clear view that British banks are best managed and owned commercially and not by the Government. That remains our policy.’

John McFall, Labour chairman of the Treasury Select Committee, who believes full nationalisation of the banks is inevitable, asked Darling in recent House of Commons debate if the Government would take a 100 per cent stake in the banks if the new package did not restart lending. Vince Cable, Treasury spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said, ‘The Government increasingly resembles somebody who is trying to give the kiss of life to a corpse. The Government now effectively controls one of the largest banks in the world. It will almost certainly have to put more money in; it may well acquire other banks.’ Cable had also predicted the bursting of the house price and personal debt bubbles – and the nationalisation of Northern Rock.

Royal Bank of Scotland next
The same day Brown’s Government announced the second bank bailout attempt, Royal Bank of Scotland issued a statement revealing it expects losses of £28bn for 2008, far greater than anyone was expecting, and triggered further selloff in all major British banks. The huge losses announced at RBS were mainly the result of its acquisition of ABN Amro in 2007. RBS paid a high price for ABN and yesterday admitted that the business was worth around £20bn less than it had previously thought. This unexpected announcement resulted in a 67 per cent fall in its shares.
Brown, in a pathetic attempt to deflect blame, has said that he was particularly ‘angry’ at the record losses racked up by the Royal Bank of Scotland, and the large write-offs of foreign debt. Lloyds Bank is rumored to be the next bank in need of emergency help as the economy of Britain goes into free-fall, the tragic eulogy to Thatcherism.

Origins of the neo-liberal model
The so-called neo-liberal finance model which was espoused by the Thatcher government after 1979 had its origins in a decision by leading Anglo-American financial powers and their circle that it was time to begin a wholesale clawing back of the concessions which they had granted under, as they saw it, duress, during the great depression of the 1930’s and in the case of Britain the postwar economic difficulties.

The origins of the effort in the United States go back to a seminal little known book by a scion of the vastly wealthy Rockefeller family, the late John D. Rockefeller III, titled The Second American Revolution. There, amid soporific rhetoric about creation of a ‘humanistic capitalism’ he calls for drastic reduction in the role and size of government in the economy. That theme was then propagated through the efficient propaganda apparatus of the Rockefeller imperium, aided by the economist guru of the Rockefellers’ University of Chicago, Milton Friedman.

Amid the misnamed ‘stagflation’ sluggish growth high inflation era of the late 1970’s into the 1980’s, that propaganda machine, conveniently ignoring the pivotal role of the manipulated oil shocks, shocks incidentally manipulated and brought about by the same Rockefeller family, as I detail in A Century of War: Anglo-American Oil Politics, blamed all ills on ‘big government.’ Rockefeller protégé, Paul Volcker of Chase Manhattan Bank was sent to Jimmy Carter on orders of David Rockefeller, to ‘wring inflation out of the system’ in October 1979, the same general time Thatcher’s Bank of England imposed its own form of economic ‘shock therapy.’

True economic causality was obscured and reams of press copy from the Friedmanite free market camp, during the Reagan and Thatcher era claimed that the ‘defeat of inflation’ had been due to the ruthless discipline of Volcker and Thatcher. That was, we were told, again and again, the reason why the market should be unfettered from government regulation, freed to the devices of its own unbounded innovative genius. The results of that unfettered ‘humanistic capitalism’ or what Alan Greenspan approvingly called the ‘revolution in finance’ is now bringing both meccas of neo-liberalism, the United States and Great Britain to economic ruin. Somewhere between this and Stalin’s Soviet central planning there lies a better way.

F. William Engdahl is author of A Century of War: Anglo-American Oil Politics and the New World Order (Pluto Press) and Seeds of Destruction: The Hidden Agenda of Genetic Manipulation (www.globalresearch.ca). The present article is adapted from his forthcoming book, due in summer 2009, Power of Money: The Rise and Decline of the American Century. He may be contacted through his website, www.engdahl.oilgeopolitics.net.

F. William Engdahl is a frequent contributor to Global Research. Global Research Articles by F. William Engdahl

This article first appeared on my blog ‘En Passant with John Passant’ (http://enpassant.com.au)

The Rudd Labor Government’s next budget in May will take a meat axe to vital public services and public servants.

As Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner said recently: "We have got further efficiency work (sic) under way – the second phase of the razor gang." (Danielle Cronin and David McLennan ‘PS pain not over as China hits the wall’ The Canberra Times Friday January 23 2009 page 1.)

He went on to say: "It’s all about squeezing more out of the lemon, cutting out waste, getting greater efficiency, but time will tell how successful we are."

Ominously, Tanner said that the number of public service positions had grown from 212,000 to 247,000 under John Howard in his final years in office.

Remember 1996 when Howard and Costello sacked 25,000 public servants and axed a large number of programs?

Tanner is softening us up for the HowRudd Government’s version of 1996. Given the benchmark Tanner is using – 212,000 compared to 247,000, could this rotten Labor Government be tempted to go further than Howard and Costello and sack 35,000 public services and axe vital programs across the board?

The CPSU – the public servants’ union – has condemned the comments, saying you can’t get blood out of a stone. The CPSU accepted the 1996 attacks. It should take a stand now. Instead of being an acolyte of Labor, it should defend its members.

If you are a public servant, and not a union member, now would be a good time to join.  But don’t imagine that somehow the "union" will save you without you doing anything. The union leadership is essentially a conservatising force, afraid of industrial action and wedded to the ALP and the fear of upsetting it.  So if you do join, join prepared to argue and agitate for mass meetings, demonstrations, bans and strikes to defend public services, jobs, wages and conditions. Join and fight!

These meetings, bans and strikes should be on the union agenda now to force the Government to back down before their attacks become a debilitating and confidence destroying fait accompli. The added bonus is that such action would help rebuild the union, tainted from years of collaboration with the employer and class enemy – Hawke, Keating, Howard and Rudd.

This looks unlikely from the CPSU leadership. Instead the Union is affiliating with ALP branches around the country. In Canberra these moves are just beginning. The talk is of influencing the ALP from the inside. The union may as well join the Liberals for all the good it will do.

This entryism is doomed to failure because managing capitalism for the bosses demands attack on workers. That’s the essence of the ALP in times of economic crisis, and no amount of "influence" is going to change that. In fact the end result is more likely to be the host ALP taking over the parasite CPSU.

This affiliation nonsense is the consequence of the CPSU limply rolling over to governments for 25 years. The alternatives are affiliation or action to defend jobs. I’m in favour of action instead of passing do nothing resolutions through the ALP and getting do nothing officials on to the backbenches.

Strike to defend vital public programs, jobs, wages and conditions.

Global Research, January 20, 2009

Across the land, an atmosphere of hope and optimism prevails. The Bush regime has gone. A new president is in the White House. While America had its eyes riveted on the live TV broadcast of Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration, financial markets were sliding. A major “market correction” had occurred. Removed from the public eye, virtually unnoticed, a new stage of the financial crisis has unfolded. Immediately following the inauguration, the Dow Jones plummeted, largely affecting the share prices of major financial institutions.

The quoted stock values of major Wall Street banks plummeted. Citigroup fell by 20 percent, Bank of America by 29 percent and JP Morgan Chase by 20 percent. The Royal Bank of Scotland fell by 69 percent in New York trading.

Related Quotes
Symbol Price Change
BAC 5.10 -2.08
BK 19.00 -3.96
C 2.80 -0.70
FITB 4.22 -1.21
JPM 18.09 -4.73
Source: Yahoo

The difficulties and book value losses of major banks were known well in advance of the inauguration of President Obama.

So why now?
The inauguration of a president Obama was expected to provide confidence to financial markets. Exactly the opposite occurred. There was nothing spontaneous and accidental in this collapse of the stock values of amjor financial institutions. Obama’s speech outside the Capitol, had been drafted well in advance. Its contents was carefully prepared.

President Obama made explicit reference to the global economy’s woes, while emphasizing that: “without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control.” “Obama warned the economic recovery would be difficult and that the nation must choose “hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord” to overcome the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.” (Associated Press, January 20, 2009)

There were “high expectations” on Wall Street. Many Wall Street brokers, who were not privy to the contents of Obama’s speech, were “betting” President Obama’s statements would help stabilize financial markets. Those who drafted Obama’s speech were fully aware of its possible financial repercussions. “High expectations for details on how the new administration would address the growing banking crisis and faltering economy were dampened after the inauguration speech.”(Reuters, Jan 20, 2009)

Coincidentally, the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Christopher Cox, appointed by Bush in 2005, resigned on the very same day of the presidential inauguration, leading to vacuum in the adoption of crucial financial regulatory decisions. His successor, Mary Shapiro, will only take office following lengthy Senate confirmation hearings.

Those who had advanced knowledge and/or inside information regarding the text of Obama’s speech and who had the ability to “move the market” at the right time and the right place, stood to gain in the conduct of major speculative transactions on stock markets and currency exchanges. Were these speculative transactions planned in advance of January 20th? Was there a concerted and deliberate effort to “short the market” on the very same day as the presidential inauguration?

On currency markets, the movement was in reverse, the US dollar was rising, the Euro, the British Pound and the Canadian dollar were plummeting. Canada’s Central Bank Governor chose the date of the presidential inauguration to announce a cut in the interest rate in an apparent “bid to stimulate the economy and boost lending to consumers and businesses”. The impact: the Canadian dollar declined dramatically in relation to Greenback.

Were have All the Creditors Gone?
The largest financial institutions are said to be in troubled waters, indebted to unnamed creditors. Since the onslaught of the financial meltdown, the identity of the creditors remains a mystery. Over the years, the financial establishment has set up private hedge funds invariably registered in the name of wealthy individuals. Large amounts of wealth have been transferred from the large financial institutions to these privately owned hedge funds, which largely escape government regulation.

Why are the banks indebted? To whom? Are they the victims or the recipients? Are they the debtors or the creditors? America’s largest banks have, over the years, sifted off part of their surplus profits to various proxy financial outfits, hedge funds, accounts registered in tropical offshore banking havens, etc.

While these billion dollar transfers are conducted electronically from one financial entity to another, the identity of the creditors is never mentioned. Who is collecting these multibillion debts which are in large part the consequence of financial manipulation? The collapse in bank stock market values was in all likelihood known in advance. The banks had already moved their loot to a safe financial haven.

The banks are in troubled water after having received hundred of billions of dollars of bailout money.
Where is the bailout money going? Who is cashing in on the multibillion dollar government bailout money? This process is contributing to an unprecedented concentration of private wealth. The financial press acknowledges the existence of billions of dollars of “inter bank debt”. But not a word is mentioned about the creditors.

For every debtor, there is a creditor. Is this not money which the financial elites owe to themselves?
Whoever holds these trillions will eventually pick up the pieces. They will transform their enormous paper wealth into the acquisition of real assets.

Waking up the Day After
And the day after the hopes and promises of the presidential inauguration, Middle Class Americans who had invested in “safe” bank shares, will come to realize that part of their lifelong savings have once again been confiscated.

Global Research Articles by Michel Chossudovsky