How I Clawed My Way to the Middle is the not so boastful title of actor John Wood’s long-awaited autobiography. John is one of Australia’s most admired and indeed versatile actors, to such an extent that we may well take him for granted. Generations have grown up watching John ply his trade in the effortless style of a man who is at the top of his game. Like a world-class golfer, John makes acting look easy when anyone who has ever tried it knows full well it is not.
John grew up in working-class Melbourne. His memoir paints a vivid picture of his youth. No detail misses the mark; indeed, one feels like they could be scampering down the street, hanging out with a much younger version of the man we all believe we know so well.
When he failed out of high school, an employment officer told him, “You have the mind of an artist and the body of a labourer.” Taking these comments to heart, John continued to pursue his acting dreams via amateur theatre, sustaining himself by working various jobs such as bricklayer, railway clerk and even spent time working in the same abattoir as his father.
When he won a scholarship to NIDA, in Sydney, it moved John into a new and at times baffling world, full of extraordinary characters, much to his delight. It was the start of a decades-long acting career, most famously on TV shows such as Rafferty’s Rules and Blue Heelers, where his charm made him beloved in households across the country. His popularity was such that he was nominated for a Gold Logie nine times in a row, finally culminating in a deserved win in 2006.
“Your job is to go out there, grab the audience by the balls, and drag them up on stage with you!’ I was flabbergasted. This I understood. A language that I spoke – had spoken most of my life. It was the best acting note I ever got.”
How I Clawed My Way to the Middle is a beguiling memoir from one of Australia’s most cherished actors on both stage and screen. Full of humility, warmth, and humour, it tells of the ephemeral nature of theatre, the luminous personalities John encountered along the way, and the perilous reality of life as a professional actor in Australia.
How I Clawed My Way to the Middle is a wonderful read, written by a master of his chosen craft.
RRP $34.99
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