John Michael Swinbank
Wednesday 21 May, 7.30pm
John Michael Swinbank is a raconteur/singer with an international reputation gained by a distinctive interpretation of the Noël Coward musical repertoire. Renowned American novelist Gore Vidal noted, “JMS is better looking than my old friend, Noël and very funny!”
John Michael’s special affinity for the British composer’s material came to prominence through various glamorous career peaks, such as firing Hong Kong’s Noonday Gun (immortalised in Coward’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen), re-opening Singapore’s world famous Raffles Hotel and aboard Cunard ocean-liner, QE2.
“One of Western Australia’s more unusual exports”, Swinbank has a significant track record of performances in Australia and overseas, including 18 international tours to countries such as Bahrain, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Oman, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
Based in Perth, Australia, it has been suggested that he is “the country's foremost Coward exponent”. Beyond Coward, his repertoire extends to the sophisticated lyrics of Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim, Alan Jay Lerner, Sammy Cahn and their ilk. His vocal and acting skills enable him to characterise songs from the musical theatre whether they be witty postcards from high society or harrowing essays drawn from the human heart.
Corporate work includes 2002 World Congress of Orchidology, 2002 Ronald McDonald House Conference Australia, 2002 Australian Conference of Immunology, launches of Landrover and Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777s, West Australian Opera's 30th Anniversary Black & White Ball and 4th International Wine Symposium.
In 2005, John Michael starred in the world premiere of a play with music, Imperial Façade a sparkling comedy about the adventures of Noël Coward in Singapore in 1930. Especially written for Swinbank by Western Australian playwright, John Aitken, Imperial Façade is a witty take on colonial society where nothing and no one are what they seem. Swinbank worked with highly regarded pianist and Musical Director, Mark Coughlan and a host of Perth’s leading actors.
John Michael appeared in cabaret at Downstairs at the Maj in December 2005 to celebrate Coward’s 106th birthday and his own anniversary of a 25 year grand obsession with The Master’s dazzling words and music.
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