Behind My Lens

My Journal

This is where my Blog is. It is where I muse about life in general and the things that grab my attention. For my Photographic collections just click here

If you would like to support the upkeep of my website why not buy me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/darylhunt62

“Read, read, read. Read everything – trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.”
–William Faulkner

“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.”
–Franz Kafka

“The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.”
–Albert Camus


Daryl Hunt Daryl Hunt

Banning not the Answer

Banning something is a way for politicians to look like they are doing something and being tough at the same time. So when they ban under 16 year olds from social media, without including education about said social media, firstly all the teens will rush to instal VPN apps to try and get around it and parents will live in a false sense of security thinking their children are now safe. How will you prove your age? Is anybody seriously considering giving for example Facebook copies of your ID? This is such an ill conceived idea which absolves the social media titans from making their platforms better and safer for everybody.

Read More
Daryl Hunt Daryl Hunt

Liquid Amber

Well I finished reading Jack Hibbert's play "Liquid Amber" last night. I must say I enjoyed it in particular its irreverence and as it says on the back cover its vulgarity. it poked fun at and tore strips off just about everybody and everything. The cast had an age range from 70 to 18 which means if it were done you could have a real cross section of ages I think making for a much richer experience.

Read More
Daryl Hunt Daryl Hunt

Poverty & Popularism

If Trump wins, which is sadly becoming more likely, what lessons can Australia take from this? Populists like Trump thrive on issues like institutionalised inequality'. If people loose hope in democratic institutions then they turn to populists like Trump.

Read More
Daryl Hunt Daryl Hunt

Young People & The Performing Arts

One thing I took away from The Georgy awards last night was the talent displayed by young people in that region. The exerts they performed from their shows were wonderful and I am sure some of them have very bright careers in Theatre. They obviously have strong school based performing arts programs in place, and it showed. What else I took away from the night and my reflections after was how proud I was and still am of the team of young people who worked with me on Kid Stakes. Ayshia and Oscar who ran the lighting and sound and the youngest member Jasper who played an important role in the stage crew. They all are as talented in their areas as any and in spite of not having the same opportunities as those who performed last night are as passionate about the performing arts as anybody I have seen in my forty plus year involvement.

I thought after we spent seven long years busting a gut to get the Performing Arts Centre built we would be able to partner with and support secondary school based performing arts in Mansfield but alas that is no longer the case. So it looks like MMuDS will need to step up to support our communities young people. We have done it in the past, I am an product of that, and we can do it again. I am confident that we have a group of younger committee members who also feel passionate about creating opportunities. This post was not a whinge. It is a half glass full post. Achieving this would be the best award of all.

Read More
Daryl Hunt Daryl Hunt

Into The Woods

I was really pleased last night to see that a Theatre company had put on "Into The Woods" a Stephen Sondheim musical. That musical brings back so many memories for me and as the young lady, who played the Bakers Wife, sang I could not help thinking back to our production of it. I had wanted to Direct it for years and finally in 2010 the opportunity arrived. Last night however the strongest memory was off the privilege I had to collaborate with my friend and fellow Life member David Parsons. Although David was battling health issues he put up his hand to be Musical Director and like he always did he gave it one homered and ten percent. Those who know the show will understand that it's probably over eighty percent music and twenty percent dialogue. David stood night after night in the Orchestra pit conducting. At the end of each performance his arm would be so sore but yet he was back the next night. Into The Woods would be David Last active role in MMuDS and I feel blessed we were able to work together. Last night as The Bakers Wife sang my eyes got a little moist. I'm sure it was just the Hay Fever I have been suffering from. I am also sure David was looking down smiling and thinking "Well it took you long enough to catch up to MMuDS"

Read More