Kaarin Fairfax
Born
Kaarin Louise Fairfax

(1959-09-30) 30 September 1959
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Other namesMary-Jo Starr
Occupations
  • Actress
  • director
  • singer
  • theatre founder
Years active1980 (1980)–present
SpousePaul Kelly (1993-2001)
Children2
Websitehttp://www.kaarinfairfax.com.au/

Kaarin Louise Fairfax (born 30 September 1959) is an Australian actress, director and singer who played the role of Dolour Darcy in two TV miniseries, The Harp in the South (1986) and its sequel Poor Man's Orange (1987), based on books of the same names by Ruth Park.

Career

Acting

Fairfax acted in several Australian television series throughout the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.[1]

She appeared in the Australian sitcom Col'n Carpenter, a spin-off from The Comedy Company, after Vikki Blanche left the series. She starred in the Rachel Perkins 2001 short film One Night the Moon alongside her husband at the time, Paul Kelly – a story of racial prejudice in the outback.[2] She also played the role of Deb Mathieson on Australian Broadcasting Corporation TV series, Bed of Roses (2008, 2010).[3][4]

Fairfax has worked as both actor and director in Australian theatre. By 2008, Fairfax had established The Little Theatre Company in Frankston, Victoria, in honour of her father George Fairfax. Fairfax directed t he musical Frankston Lights in January 2009, which included songs co-written by her children (Madeleine and Memphis) and Robert McHugh. Kaarin has been working extensively since that time, joining forces with Sally Baillieu and directing The Wetlands Project, One Last Chance, performed in the Wetlands at Tootgarook. In January 2012 she directed Good People for Red Stitch Actors Theatre.

In 2015, Fairfax co-starred in the film StalkHer alongside John Jarratt.

Music

Fairfax was a vocalist for Wild Blue Yonder, a Sydney-based band from 1985 which had a varied line-up but had no known recordings.[5] In the late 1970s she was part of a comedy vocal trio The Droolettes which also included Gina Riley and Gina Mendoza, with Geoff O'Connell on piano. During 1989–1991 she supplied backing vocals on tracks by Paul Kelly & the Messengers.

In 1990, under the name, Mary-Jo Starr, she released three singles and an album, Too Many Movies.[1] She was nominated for the 1991 ARIA Award for Best New Talent[6] and appeared on the Breaking Ground - New Directions in Country Music compilation which was also nominated for Best Country Album.[7] She joined Truckasaurus in 1993, a Melbourne-based Grungey/country band which released Truckasaurus in October.[8]

Together with Sally Baillieu, Fairfax runs The Lineup at Frankston Arts Centre Cube37, a musical mentorship program for young emerging artists. Madeleine and Memphis, together with band member Sam Humphrey, record under the band name Wishful. Their first EP, Fifty Days was produced by their father Paul Kelly. Fairfax and Baillieu also have an arts program on 3RPP Radio Port Phillip on the Mornington Peninsula, called Arts About.

Personal life

Fairfax is the former wife of Australian musician Paul Kelly—they met in 1988. Their two children are Madeleine (born 1991) and Memphis (born 1993). Memphis appeared with her parents in short film, One Night the Moon. The couple separated not long after the film's release.[2]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Type
1982 Starstruck Icecream Girl Feature film
1983 A Descant for Gossips Vinny Lalor TV movie
1987 Around the World in Eighty Ways Checkout Chick Feature film
1987 Damsels Be Damned Michelle Short film
1988 Belinda Sandra Feature film
1988 Young Einstein The Brunette Feature film
1988 A Crack in the Curtains Sarah Short film
1989 Shadow Panic The Hothead Short film
1990 Worse than Xmas Angela Short film
2001 One Night the Moon Rose Ryan Short film
2015 Holding the Man Wedding Singer Feature film
2015 StalkHer Emily Feature film
2017 Pillars Rosetta Short film
2017 What if it Works? Dr. Karen Di Scala Feature film
2017 West of Sunshine Andrea Feature film
2017 Deep Six Bonnie Short film
2018 The Resurgence Melanie Short film
2018 Just Between Us Meryl Feature film
2018 In the Wake Sue Short film
2018 The Greta Fragments Mary Short film
2018 Skewwhiff Rae Short film
2019 The Hunt Nell Short film
2019 The Diver Dorothy Short film
2019 Bloom Aunty Vera Short film
2020 The Green Door Lady in Church Feature film
2020 Paper Champions Morine Feature film
2020 Hakuumacaato Marion (voice) Short film
2023 What About Sal? Sophie Feature film

Television

Year Title Role Type
1980 The Last Outlaw Grace TV miniseries, 4 episodes
1981 Cop Shop Joan Wyndham TV series, 1 episode
1981 I Can Jump Puddles Rene TV miniseries, 1 episode
1982 Sons and Daughters Schoolgirl TV series, 1 episodes
1982 Prisoner Kathy Hudson TV series, 2 episodes
1983 Home TV series, 3 episodes
1983 The Sullivans Mona TV series, 1 episodes
1984 Carson's Law Agnes Knight TV series, 1 episode
1984 The Mike Walsh Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode
1986 The Harp in the South Dolour Darcy TV miniseries, 3 episodes
1987 Poor Man's Orange Dolour Darcy TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1990 Catalyst Presenter TV series
1990-91 Col'n Carpenter Linda Williams TV series, 26 episodes
1992 Tuesday Night Live: The Big Gig Mary-Jo Starr TV series, 1 episode
1995 Correlli Terri TV miniseries, 1 episode
2000 SeaChange Suzy TV series, 1 episode
2003 Kath & Kim Nurse TV series, 1 episode
2004 Fergus McPhail Ms. Rolla TV series, 4 episodes
2009 Rush Janey Merryn TV series, 1 episode
2010 Offspring Florist TV series, 1 episode
2008-11 Bed of Roses Deb Mathieson TV series, 26 episodes
2012-13 You're Skitting Me Additional cast TV series, 26 episodes
2017 Method Gina Delaware TV series, 1 episode
2018 Picnic at Hanging Rock Cook TV miniseries, 4 episodes
2019 Internment Janet TV series, 3 episodes
2022 Darby and Joan Heidi TV series, 1 episode

As crew

Year Title Role Type
1993 Say a Little Prayer Drama Coach Feature film
2015 StalkHer Co-director Feature film
2018 The Greta Fragments Writer Short film

Stage

Actor

Year Title Role Type
1979 The Woman Astyanax / Gemil Pram Factory with Australian Performing Group
Zig Zag Follies Lead Adelaide Festival
1980-81 Cain's Hand Kathy (Lead girl) Scott Theatre, Adelaide & St Martins Youth Arts Centre with Nimrod Theatre Company
Quick Ease Cafe Comedy Lead
1980 Slipped Disco Cigs Flying Trapeze Cafe, Fitzroy
1983 Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Bubba Anthill Theatre, Melbourne with Australian Nouveau Theatre
1984 Beach Blanket Tempest Gidget Townsville, Cairns Civic Theatre, Theatre Royal, Mackay, Rockhampton, Mount Isa, Araluen Arts Centre, Playhouse, Adelaide, Canberra Theatre & University of Sydney with New Moon Theatre Company
1984 The Kid Snake St Martins Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company
1984 Top Girls Shona / Kit Russell Street Theatre with Melbourne Theatre Company
1985 The Doll Trilogy: Kid Stakes / Other Times / Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Bubba Sydney Opera House & Athenaeum Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company & Melbourne Theatre Company
1986 No Worries Ensemble Wharf Theatre with Sydney Theatre Company
1987 A Lie of the Mind Beth Belvoir Street Theatre
1987 Shakers Belvoir Street Theatre
1988 Darlinghurst Nights Gunman's Girl Wharf Theatre, Australian National University with Sydney Theatre Company
1988 King Lear Cordelia Playhouse, Adelaide with State Theatre Company of South Australia
1988-90 The Glass Menagerie Laura Playhouse, Adelaide & Marian Street Theatre with State Theatre Company of South Australia
1989 Speed-the-Plow Karen Sydney Opera House, Russell Street Theatre with Melbourne Theatre Company
1990 Beach Blanket Tempest Gidget Q Theatre, Penrith
1994 The Swan Dora Space Theatre, Adelaide with State Theatre Company of South Australia
1995 Haxby's Circus Gina Playhouse, Adelaide with Stare Theatre Company of South Australia
1996 Miss Bosnia Selma Fairfax Studio, Melbourne, West Gippsland Arts Centre, Monash University, Canberra Theatre, Bendigo Performing Arts Centre, Geelong Performing Arts Centre, Gold Coast Arts Centre with Melbourne Theatre Company
1999 Into the Woods Lucinda (Stepsister) Playhouse, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company

Director

Year Title Role Type
Go Away Mr. Worrythoughts Frankston Arts Centre & Australian regional tour
Almost with You La Mama & Cube37 FAC
The Wetlands Project: One Last Chance Director Frankston Arts Centre Cube37 & 3940 Arts
1992 Funerals and Circuses Director, Assistant Theatre 62, Universal Theatre, Playhouse, Canberra
1993 Tall Tales and True Director South Australia with Magpie Theatre Company
1994 Planet K Director Continental Cafe, Prahran
1994 All of Me Director Belvoir Street Theatre & Melbourne Town Hall for Melbourne International Comedy Festival
1997 Patsy Cline: Her Songs, Her Story Director Universal Theatre, Melbourne
1998-2002 Mum's the Word Director Glen Street Theatre, Bendigo Performing Arts Centre, Fairfax Studio, Melbourne, Athenaeum Theatre for Melbourne Comedy Festival
2001 It's a Dad Thing Director Athenaeum Theatre
2001 Always ... Patsy Cline Director Darwin Entertainment Centre with Majestic Theatre Company
2002 Uncle Bob Director Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2002 The Play About the Baby Director Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2003 The War Against Short Trousers Director Chapel Off Chapel
2003 Push Up Director Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2008 Mum's the Word 2: Teenagers Director Theatre Royal, Sydney, Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
2009 Frankston Lights Director The Little Theatre Company
2010 Fairweather Island Directorial consultant Carlton Courthouse with La Mama
2012 Good People Red Stitch Actors Theatre
Popcorn Popcorn Productions

[9]

Discography

Albums

Year Title Artist Details
1990 Too Many Movies Mary-Jo Starr

Singles

Year Title Artist Album
1989 "Kissing in a Taxi" Mary-Jo Starr Too Many Movies
1990 "Passionate Kisses" Mary-Jo Starr
"Lonesome, Lovely & Alone" Mary-Jo Starr non album single
1989 "Killer in Me" StalkHer film soundtrack

Awards & nominations

Film & TV

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1987 Belinda AFI Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated
1988 Poor Man's Orange AFI Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries Nominated
2002 Uncle Bob Green Room Award for Outstanding Direction Won [10]
2011 Bed of Roses Ensemble Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Series in a Drama Series Nominated
2012 Nominated
2018 The Greta Fragments Top Indie Film Award for Best Writing Nominated

Music

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
1991 Too Many Movies ARIA Award for Best New Talent Nominated [11]

References

  1. 1 2 Spencer, Chris; Zbig Nowara, Paul McHenry with notes by Ed Nimmervoll (2002) [1987]. "STARR Mary Jo". The Who's Who of Australian Rock. Noble Park, Vic.: Five Mile Press. ISBN 1-86503-891-1. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Note: [on-line] version established at White Room Electronic Publishing Pty Ltd in 2007 and was expanded from the 2002 edition.
  2. 1 2 Wilkie, Meredith (25 April 2004). "Lure of hearth and home". The Age. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  3. ↑ "Bed of Roses Episode guide: Series 1". Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  4. ↑ "Bed of Roses Episode guide: Series 2". Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  5. ↑ Spencer, Chris; Zbig Nowara, Paul McHenry with notes by Ed Nimmervoll (2002) [1987]. "WILD BLUE YONDER". The Who's Who of Australian Rock. Noble Park, Vic.: Five Mile Press. ISBN 1-86503-891-1.
  6. ↑ "ARIA Awards Best New Talent". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  7. ↑ "ARIA Awards Best Country Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  8. ↑ Spencer, Chris; Zbig Nowara, Paul McHenry with notes by Ed Nimmervoll (2002) [1987]. "TRUCKASAURUS". The Who's Who of Australian Rock. Noble Park, Vic.: Five Mile Press. ISBN 1-86503-891-1.
  9. ↑ https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/682
  10. ↑ http://www.bgmagency.com.au/uploaded/cv/FAIRFAXKaarin.pdf
  11. ↑ "Winners by Year 1991". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 8 June 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
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