IN ALL HONESTY – The Podcast
These are stories you haven’t heard before. Not like this.
These are stories you haven’t heard before. Not like this.
IN ALL HONESTY is a non-fiction theatrical podcast that allows people from different walks of life to share the experiences they’ve lived through that society doesn’t like to talk about. These are stories that you don’t hear every day. Each episode features recordings of real people, sharing their circumstances candidly on their own terms. Original musical composition supports each of these stories, in a podcast so unique and intimate it feels like being confided in by a close friend.
It breaks down stigmas, allowing its story tellers to have frank and honest conversations about social barriers, relationships, and mental and physical health. It answers questions you were too afraid to ask. This podcast brings our experiences into the light, in order to inspire, entertain, and foster human connection.
Society talks about these emotions and experiences in a way that induces shame.
In all honesty, it’s time we changed that.
SEASONS
SEASON 1
MEG
Still birth. Two words we don’t like to speak or hear. However, if these two words become part of someone’s story, then the least we can do is be brave enough to listen.
Season 1 tells a true and heartbreaking story of still birth, the impact on a father, his
relationship, and their family.
Bringing this conversation into the light is both important and necessary. Bert LaBonté
generously shares the story of how he lost his daughter Meg and how a little unexpected
magic appeared in the darkest of times.
Out of heartbreak, we can find hope. Through vulnerability, we unveil bravery.
Sharing this story inspired the musical composition and verbatim lyricising by Gillian Cosgriff, which features throughout the podcast and creates an accessible platform for the listener.
The storyteller and composer come together, so we can connect with what may have been
previously a confronting narrative.
Bert LaBonté
Creator/Writer/Storyteller
One of Australia’s leading men, Bert’s Melbourne Theatre Company credits include: Kiss of the Spider Woman, Lungs, Rupert, Birdland, The Mountaintop, Elling, A Behanding in Spokane, Clybourne Park, Richard III and others. For Sydney Theatre Company, he has performed in All My Sons, The Grenade and Spelling Bee, and for Malthouse Theatre credits include: Cloudstreet, I am A Miracle, Time Share.
Musical theatre include: The Book of Mormon (Watchtower Productions), Helpmann Award Winner An Officer and a Gentleman (Gordon Frost Organisation), Chess (The Production Company), Grey Gardens (The Production Company), Pippin (Kookaburra Theatre), Full Monty (IMG / David Atkins), Jesus Christ Superstar (Really Useful Group), Showboat (Livent/Marriner Productions), Guys and Dolls (Ambassador Group).
Screen credits include a recurring role on Wentworth (Foxtel), Upper Middle Bogan (ABC), Tomorrow When The War Began (ABC), Lowdown (ABC), Wilfred (ABC), The Let Down (ABC/Netflix), Squinters (SBS). Film credits including Animal Kingdom (Porchlight Films) and The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee (Kathy Morgan International).
GILLIAN COSGRIFF
Creator/Composer
Gillian graduated from WAAPA in 2010 with a Bachelor of Music Theatre. Theatre credits: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions); Vivid White (Melbourne Theatre Company); Company (Watch This); Loving Repeating (Vic Theatre Company). Television credits: Upfront Gala, ABC Comedy Up Late, Tonightly, Offspring, House Husbands, Fat Tony & Co., Ricketts Lane, and Get Krack!n. She has toured extensively with her solo shows as a comedian and cabaret performer. Awards: Green Room Award Best New Australian Work (Opera, Lorelei), Green Room Awards for Writing, Original Songs, and Artiste (Cabaret).
MIKE MCLIESH
Creator/Collaborator
Mike is best known for his portrayal of Paul Keating in Casey Bennetto's Keating! The Musical. Other stage credits include Shane Warne The Musical, Miracle City, Georgy Girl: The Seekers Musical and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Off stage, Mike has appeared in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Lowdown, Utopia, Wentworth and Mustangs FC. He worked as a song writer, music adviser and script consultant on both series of the ABC’s The Time Of Our Lives, and as script consultant on Matchbox Picture’s Mustangs FC. Mike was head scriptwriter for the 2019 Helpmann Awards.
NAT GRANT
SOUND DESIGNER
Dr. Nat Grant is a multi-skilled artist and researcher: performer, sound artist and composer working on unceded Wurundjeri country in Melbourne, Australia, Nat has created original music for theatre, dance, film, and live art, holds a PhD in composition from the Victorian College of the Arts, and in 2018 received the Age Music Victoria award for best Experimental/Avant-Garde Act. A podcaster and programmer for 3CR community radio, Nat is interested in the power of sound and music as storytelling tools. A cocurator for the weekly experimental performance series the Make it Up Club, Nat is invested in creating and maintaining community around sound making.
Liza McLean
Producer/Collaborator
Liza McLean has dedicated her career to the entertainment industry in Australia and overseas, working for and collaborating with extraordinary Producers, Directors and some of worlds’ finest actors, singers and artists. Most recently Liza Co Created, Produced and Directed David Suchet, Poirot & More A Retrospective. Company Director and Producer for Tinderbox Productions, credits include The Last Confession, Little Shop of Horrors and Sweet Charity. For Kay and McLean Productions, North By North West, The Graduate and The Bridge Project’s Richard III. In 2017 Liza produced her greatest achievement, the birth of her long-awaited son, Javier Bear Gumbleton McLean who is her inspiration and muse.
Harry Prouse
Associate Producer/Collaborator
Harry is a graduate of WAAPA (BA Music Theatre, 2015) and RMIT (MA Arts Management, 2019.) Productions for Tinderbox Productions include: David Suchet Poirot & More: A Retrospective (for Kay & McLean Productions) and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (for Nica Burns, Garry McQuinn, Lyndi Adler & Sydney Opera House.) Prior to joining Liza McLean’s Tinderbox Productions, Harry worked with Stuart Hendricks at Music Theatre International – Australasia and touring internationally for Life Like Touring (TEG Dainty.) Before attending university, Harry was the producer of the Four Walls Festival and Little BIGSOUND co-produced with QMusic and the Judith Wright Centre.
PRODUCER NOTES
Well I think it’s fair to say that 2020 has been the most challenging year for me and most people I know, particularly on a professional level. Despite this, I am honoured to say that I have been lucky enough to have been part of some of the most beautiful creative development works during this time, and in particular, the creation of the podcast In All Honesty. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to work in this weird and new way with Bert, Gill, Mike & Harry and extraordinarily proud of what we’ve ultimately created.
Bert LaBonté is an actor who I have admired professionally for decades. Some of my favourite people are in his inner circle and I’ve always felt we should be friends, he’s also a mad Carlton supporter so I guess I’ve just been waiting for us to connect. Through Covid, that’s finally occurred, sure we knew each other well enough to say hi in a foyer, but we didn’t KNOW each other. Now I think actually I hope, that he Amanda, Ollie, Felix and their Meg will be in my life forever more.
Gillian Cosgriff – well where do you start. I’ve always known what an extraordinary talent she was, but I’d never been in the position to really experience it first-hand other than as an audience member. And WOW, this woman is like no other and I just hope that this is the first of many collaborations for us.
Mike McLeish and I came together about a year ago and discussed the potential of working together on something. I’m so glad we managed to make that happen. While we say goodbye to him for now while he pursues new and amazing opportunities in his career, I am certain we will cross each other’s creative journey for future endeavours in years to come.
And Harry Prouse, who came to me looking for experience 18 months ago, and who is literally now the other half of my business. Here’s to the beginning of what I hope is a long professional relationship with projects across all platforms.
Bert’s story “Meg” is the first series for In All Honesty the podcast and provides the basis and inspiration for future real stories to be told. It is through the verbatim vocals and musical composition by Gillian Cosgriff, that we believe audiences will find a way to connect and not just listen to but really hear individual personal experiences that often feel too difficult to voice or share. In All Honesty will provide a platform for individuals to share their most vulnerable selves providing a pathway to open lines of communication, understanding , acceptance and a little more joy for us all!
EPISODE TRANSCRIPTS
EPISODE 1 - Megs and The Mowing of the Lawn