No winners in Geoffrey Rush affair

Can you hear that clanging noise? It’s the deafening sound of Australia’s elder statesmen and women of the theatre, closing ranks.

One by one, Geoffrey Rush’s oldest and dearest friends and colleagues have appeared before Justice Michael Wigney to attest that he could never have behaved ‘inappropriately’ towards his former King Lear co-star, Eryn Jean Norvill.

Directors Fred Schepisi and Robyn Nevin both reported they had never had any inkling of anything untoward occurring during the time they’ve known Rush.

Neil Armfield, who directed Rush and Norvill in the production in question, “can’t remember” ever telling the older actor he was being “creepy”.

Powerhouse actress Judy Davis lent her support as well, telling the court the proceedings had effected serious damage to Rush’s standing in the acting community.

Up against the collective scorn of these industry heavyweights, Norvill has described the ways in which Rush allegedly made her feel uncomfortable and vulnerable both on stage and off.

No official complaint

It’s important to remember here that Norvill never made an official complaint to the Sydney Theatre Company about Rush’s alleged misbehaviour, or about her discomfort around him.

She did not talk to anyone from The Daily Telegraph, the newspaper currently being sued for defamation by Rush, or Jonathan Moran, the reporter also being sued for the same.

Despite the fact that Norvill had decided, as so many people do, to remain officially silent about the way she recalls the experiences she has now been called upon to describe in court, her story was inexplicably told to journalist Jonathan Moran by the then-executive director of STC, Patrick McIntyre.

The utter injustice and unfairness of it all is frightening.

If Norvill’s description of what happened is true, she was harassed and intimidated by a much older, much more powerful man in her workplace. Not only that, but another man from her workplace then described these events to a third man still, who chose to write about it.

She’s now had to relive all of it all over again in front of a packed courtroom, knowing the rest of the world would read all the juicy details in the press.

How, in 2018, can this be so?

As Norvill wrote in a series of text messages to Robyn Nevin last December – “I didn’t ask for any of this.”

Toxic messaging

Whatever happened during that production of King Lear, and whatever comes of this mess once the case is resolved, one message has been telegraphed loud and clear to anyone who feels that they have experienced harassment in the workplace: no matter what you do, you’re screwed.

Want to speak up? Have fun running the gauntlet of public opinion. Want to stay quiet? There’s every chance you’ll have to do it anyway. And all of this is on top of the suffering you’re already experiencing.

There are no winners here.

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