Benita Collings As the Smiling Playschool Presenter, but Now, Nearing 80, She’S Back Touring, Writes ANGELA BENSTED

OUR PEOPLE There’d no holding back our veterans of stage and screen Many will remember Benita Collings as the smiling Playschool presenter, but now, nearing 80, she’s back touring, writes ANGELA BENSTED. he veteran actor has featured on “It’s a real send-up of childhood shows “I can’t remember the exact words Australian screens for almost as that used to be around way back when. they used,” she says. Tmany years as we’ve had them. It’s fun,” she says. “They were just getting rid of some With television credits including While some of the show’s gags might presenters. Nobody was told why. It Homicide, Cop Shop and Division 4, rely on longer memories for a giggle, wasn’t an age thing because some of the Benita’s longest gig was playing the Benita says her 18-year-old people they got in were our age.” straight guy to John Hamblin’s Ham on granddaughter found plenty to laugh at. With casting calls from other studios Playschool, reading stories and singing “She said she kept turning to her also petering out, Benita did what many songs beside Big Ted, Little Ted, Humpty mother and saying, ‘that’s you’, so she was people in their 50s do; she changed tack and Jemima. getting the point from that generation,” and sought new challenges. But touring is a new challenge for the Benita says. “I didn’t want to wait on tables or 78-year-old who still hasn’t conquered A war baby with a “regular work in a call centre,” she says. the art of packing. upbringing” in Sydney, Benita says she Instead, she retrained to teach “I had to buy a new suitcase because knew from a young age she wanted a life presentation skills, starting her own the old one was too old and heavy,” she on stage. company along the way. Benita Collings has a senior’s moment with says as she prepares to leave Mackay for Even so, she took her mother’s advice Since then she’s been picked up by Geoff Harvey, Max Gillies and John Wood. her next performance in Canberra. to learn typing and shorthand first, skills the National Institute of Dramatic Arts “The new one is much lighter, but show signs of slowing down. that saw her through her early years in (NIDA)’s corporate performance program when I put the packed case on the scales “Bits of the company have a few ails the industry. and later NIDA Open, where she runs it weighs exactly the same,” she says with and ills but they keep on keeping on. Once acting jobs started flowing she short courses in television presenting. a sigh. That’s what we do,” the actor says, abandoned secretarial work, but Benita It’s a busy dance card, but despite the “You wouldn’t believe I used to crediting her own stamina to healthy doesn’t regret her time behind the desk. demand for her teaching skills it’s clear backpack.” eating, gentle gym classes and regular “When computers arrived, I was the Benita Collings is unlikely to pass up a The actor is touring Australia with walks. smartie pants who could say ‘guess who chance to be on stage herself. Senior Moments, a sketch revue mocking Her favourite sketch from the show is can touch type?’” she says with her “I enjoy doing it,” she says. ageism, which comes to southeast called Old School, a playful poke at familiar laugh. “I won’t do anything if the word ‘fun’ Queensland in May. children’s television. The longest-serving presenter, Benita isn’t in there somewhere.” The tour is the second road trip for Benita plays Miss Jane and Geoff fronted Playschool’s cameras for the last Events Centre Caloundra. Friday May 24, Benita and her fellow acting veterans – Harvey (Midday) is Mr Music in a time in 1999, 30 years after she’d started 1pm and 7.30pm; Saturday May 25, 2pm Max Gillies, John Woods, Russell tongue-in-cheek mash-up of and just months before being and 7.30pm. Tickets $55-$69. Bookings Newman and Kim Lewis - none of whom kindergarten classics. unceremoniously let go. 5491 4240 or theeventscentre.com.au 14 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / April 2019 Brisbane 14.indd 14 21/03/2019 11:31:42 AM.

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