Blackwell, Mr P.

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (15:31): I rise to pay tribute to an amazingly talented and much-loved South Australian stage and screen actor Paul Blackwell, who sadly passed away last Sunday at the age of 64. Educated at NIDA, Paul worked with many of Australia's theatre companies, including the State Theatre Company of South Australia, Brink Productions, Patch Theatre, Melbourne Theatre Company, Belvoir and Sydney Theatre Company.

His screen career saw him appear in Candy, December Boys, Dr. Plonk, Red Dog and the feature film I saw him in only a couple of weeks ago, Storm Boy, which is very much a local film and the kind of project that was dear to Paul's heart. He was also the co-creator of children's productions, including Mr McGee and the Biting Flea, Who Sank the Boat? and The Happiest Show on Earth for Patch Theatre Company.

As a Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance SA Actors Equity Vice-President, member of the National Performers Committee and delegate to Federal Council, Paul embodied what it is to be a proud MEAA Equity member, and I had the privilege of first knowing him in this role during my time with the MEAA. Equity to the heart, his many union roles saw him as an activist and a strong voice for performers. The MEAA Facebook post reads:

A multiple Helpmann Award nominee, his career spanned decades and he touched the lives of his friends, colleagues and audiences across the nation. Those lucky enough to have shared a rehearsal room or stage or set time with him, know of his warmth, generosity and kindness, and how incredibly hard he worked. He was one of the country's finest actors and craftsmen, and he will continue to inspire us.

MEAA SA/NT Director, Angelique Ivanica, said:

On whatever stage was honoured by Paul's presence, or any screen that shone brighter because of his light, he was truly gracious.

Geordie Brookman, outgoing State Theatre Company Artistic Director, wrote on social media:

Sometimes we are blessed just to share the spin of the Earth with someone. Paul Blackwell was a unique soul, extraordinary talent and deeply humane being. One of the country's best and most humble actors, here in South Australia we've been lucky enough to call him our own. There are so many onstage moments that took the breath away. His high precision comic anarchy made my sides split in The Venetian Twins; he broke my heart in Chris Drummond's beautiful production of When The Rain Stops Falling and he made my soul shake every single night in Things I Know To Be True, and he combined all of these beautiful elements to quietly steal the show in Faith Healer. But that barely scratches the surface. An actor, a clown, an artist in every sense. Offstage he was an example to us all. A wise guide for many young directors, generous to his co-performers and, simply, generous to the world that was lucky to hold him as long as it did.

The Sydney Theatre Company posted:

Paul graced our stage many times over the past 30 years. His great talent on stage has been described by audiences and theatre lovers as brilliant, perfection, outstanding, wonderful. These are all words that also describe the Paul that many of us at Sydney Theatre Company had the honour to work with.

Brink Productions said of Paul:

Compassionate, generous, funny, searingly honest, heart-breakingly tender, always vulnerable, always open, always listening, always leading from the front—a total gift of an actor and an artist and a human being; in every rehearsal room and theatre you entered. The privilege of being in your company in rehearsals as you worked a moment, often taking an entire cast with you down the rabbit hole of your delicious insanity, everyone in thrall of the special brand of lunacy only you could unleash. Your ceaseless invention and imagination and your absolute demand for truth giving birth to so many incredible characters. The anguish and grief and sadness in your portrayal of Joe Ryan in When The Rain Stops Falling just shattered us night after night, and now we are truly shattered.

MEAA National Performers Committee delegate and fellow performer, Patrick Frost, whose work history with Paul spans across 30 years, was struck by his brave, crazy and enthusiastic energy in the rehearsal room. He told me Paul was able to take the audience from hilarity to pathos on the turn of his heel, well illustrated by his astonishing performance recently in Andrew Bovell's Things I Know To Be True. He said:

Paul was a very loyal supporter of Actors Equity throughout his career. He had a real devotion to mentoring his young colleagues and would often spend his own time supporting and encouraging Indigenous and disabled performers. I think his fellow actors and crew around our theatres and film sets, and the friendships he built here were the reason he chose to live in Adelaide—the city he truly loved, the city where he lived with his wife Lee-anne and children Joey, Bea and Dom.

Heather Croall, Director and CEO of the Adelaide Fringe, a longtime family friend and colleague of Paul, said:

The world has lost a beautiful soul, an incredible family man, a brilliant actor, a genius, a truly unique guy with a sharp mind, incredible wit and a generous heart.

Vale, Paul Blackwell, actor, performer, mentor, inspirer—a truly great member of the South Australian and wider Australian theatrical family.