WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL HOME PAGE OF AUSTRALIAN WRITER-ENTERTAINER

MICHAEL JEFFERY.

"Excellent...the enigmatic industry must see." The Age.

Michael at a "Modern With It Hip Kind Of Dude!" photo shoot.

"Dosh" handbill.

MICHAEL JEFFERY - WHAT THE CRITICS HAVE SAID.

Michael is one of Victoria's leading writer-entertainers : his shows have regularly been placed among the top dozen of The Melbourne International Comedy Festival - "the largest cultural event in Australia." Michael Ward, "Cracking the Quips", Herald-Sun, p.59, 17-3-2004.

"One of this nation's leading comedy-cabaret exponents." Theatrealive, November 2005.

"It's very good!" Derek Guille, 774 ABC Melbourne, Statewide Evenings With Derek Guille, November 15, 2005.

"Michael Jeffery is one of those annoying people that seems to have the energy to do a gazillion things really well...a renaissance man." Szeling Po, 'Michael Jeffery - Not The G-G!', The Groggy Squirrel, p.8, 14 November 2005.

"Excellent...the enigmatic industry must-see." Fiona Scott-Norman, "Laughter Triumphant", The Age, Today Section, p. 5, 24-4-2000.

For additional reviews/media quotes please click here.

Musical director/arranger Daniel Walmsley and Michael working on the score of "Dosh!"

For information about Michael's plays, would you please click here.

Also, you can click here to read a sketch; "The Audition" which appeared as part of his Comedy Festival offering ; "What, And Give Up Showbiz?"

"Coping!" handbill.

MICHAEL JEFFERY - BIOGRAPHY.

A graduate of Monash University (winner of the A.J. Aird Memorial Prize), Michael has worked widely in most aspects of the performing arts.

His seven shows for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival have included “What, And Give Up Showbiz?”, “Michael Jeffery - Coping!”; both at Chapel Off Chapel - “That home of everything imaginative.” Peter Burch, The Sunday Show, ABC Radio, 7 July 2002, “Melbourne’s most influential cabaret venue.” The Age, The Culture Section, p. 6, 24.12.02, and the highly successful original musical “Michael Jeffery - Dosh!” at the Melbourne Town Hall.

Michael appeared in two of IF Award recipient Sandy Fairthorne's projects, both as part of The Seriously Funny National Screenwriters' Conference. Michael played effervescent morning chat show host Richard Ashton in Bloom, and a charismatic Booth Announcer opposite Russell Fletcher and Chris Keogh in Venus & Mars.

Michael is also an accomplished writer.

“Since the early 1990s, Michael’s scripts have become the most often performed of any Australian playwright at Victorian drama festivals, his work receiving more than 30 awards.” Stage Whispers, ‘The Write Stuff’, April 1998, p. 8.

For further information about Michael’s plays, please click here.

As a humorist, Michael has been published widely, his work appearing in Beat magazine, dramaticsonline, MoneyMoves and The Age.

Michael also contributed to the second series of Channel Nine's "...most successful..." Glenn Mitchell, Herald-Sun, The Guide, 'You Have To Strike While The Gag Is Hot', August 18, 2004, p.8. Comedy Inc., and the AFL-Telstra project Sledge Ya Mates!_™

As an actor, Michael's credits are extensive and include radio ; Sex, Lies and Gramophone Records - 774 ABC Melbourne, Fox Comedy - Fox F.M., television - Good Morning Australia, The 7.30 Report, Denise, Pizza, The Footy Show (A.F.L.), and live work - Kerry Jewel's Princess Theatre production of Peter Pan, The Sydney Cabaret Convention (Sydney Town Hall), and as the tragic Malvolio in an Australian tour of Twelfth Night -

"4.5 stars (out of 5)...a triumph...the Bard at his best." Richard Flynn, Theatre Guide, 24 February, 2008.

Michael has starred in various television commercials, including two created for overseas markets - the Alpenliebe "Log Cabin" campaign, aired in Italy and shot in Malaysia (Alpenliebe is a confectionery product manufactured by Perfetti Van Melle - the company behind Mentos), and the Daihatsu Boon commercial; shot around Melbourne for the Japanese market, in which he played The Baron Of France.

Michael is perhaps most widely recognised for his portrayal of irritating (a BIG stretch, he assures us) journalist Anthony Timms on the Seven Network’s Blue Heelers - “...one of Australia’s most popular and long-running series...” Fran Cusworth, ‘A Plot To Capture Millions’, Herald-Sun, Weekend Section, p. 21, 11.1.2003.

Michael as Anthony Timms

“Don’t miss.” Robert Fidgeon, Herald-Sun, The Guide, p. 19, 22 May 2002.

As a director, Michael has guided the premiere of many new shows. A particular favourite occurred when he returned to his alma mater, Monash University, this time as an employee, to script edit and stage their annual Comedy Revue. The result, "Prime Alien Carcass" went on to become one of the most successful student revues of its time, and helped to launch the careers of Moosehead Award recipients Barfoot and Cantone.

Prime Alien Carcass flier.

"Such a pearler. I haven't enjoyed a show so much in ages." Lot's Wife, (University Newspaper), p. 6, October 1998.

Michael has taught at Lights Camera Action Performing Arts, run workshops for The Pelican Theatre Company, and, from 2004 to 2006, adjudicated The Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Heats at Vodafone Arena and Grand Finals at Rod Laver Arena. The Rock Eisteddfod is Australia's “...biggest youth performance movement...” The Daily Telegraph, 8.6.06, page 1.

Film credits include the psychotic Frank Knight in Karl Quinton's short of the same name, the kindly pet shop proprietor in Prime Time Productions' Too Close For Comfort, and many projects for VEA Pty Ltd, including Workplace Communications directed by David Swann (Let The Blood Run Free, Stingers, Crackers) as Barry Walton - the inept manager of a dry cleaning establishment.

As a voice artist, Michael has lent his talents to everything from The Great Aussie Bush Show (as the loveable Cocky Cockatoo) for Joy Voice Pty Ltd, to Jerilderie Letter as Edwin Living - the man to whom Ned Kelly entrusted his manifesto, for The State Library Of Victoria.

Michael was admitted to The Comedy Academy - a peer voting organisation responsible for The Australian Comedy Awards "...the annual night of nights..." Carolyn Webb, 'A Serious Comedy', The Age, 2.12.2003 for Australia's comedic entertainers.

"Michael Jeffery - Modern With It Hip Kind Of Dude!" - a new stage show, presented at The Beckett Theatre, and musically directed by Adrian Portell, has been another recent project. "Dude!" consisted of showbiz stories, detailing Michael's work with Humphrey B. Bear, Nick Giannopoulos, Geraldine Turner and others, plus songs, performed by Michael, and written by some of his favourite composers - Sondheim, Coward, and William Finn.

"Dude!" publicity still

In November 2005, "Michael Jeffery - Modern With It Hip Kind Of Dude!" successfully played The Grand Ballroom of Rippon Lea Estate. Click here for details.

Michael's showreels are available on-line. At www.showcast.com.au you will find a 3 minute video reel, which includes highlights from the Alpenliebe Log Cabin commercial, Frank Knight, Blue Heelers, How To Deal With Difficult Customers and Bloom. The audio reel at Showcast is made up of two songs from Dosh!; written and performed by Michael.

At www.at2.com.au, you will find a 5 minute, extended version of the above video reel. The audio reel at AT2 represents highlights from Michael's voice over work. The reel can also be heard here.

When not writing, directing, or performing, Michael can be found looking after his tortoise-shell cat “Kitty”, and cheering on his beloved St Kilda Football Club.

Daniel and Michael rehearsing “Dosh!”