18 Months of One Night Stands
Dolores Dunbar
"HAPPY TO BE HERE...EASY TO WORK WITH"
At eighty years young, I never imagined I’d still be learning and teaching life’s most enduring lessons. My career began over 60 years ago on an 18-month tour with an Australian music legend, and this memoir chronicles a journey that took me from a small rural town to the global stage.
From a wide-eyed child growing up in Far North Queensland to decades spent moulding future performers as Head of Dance and Head of Musical Theatre at The McDonald College, this book is my record of quiet triumphs, heartfelt anecdotes, and hard-won wisdom. It is my way of passing down the lessons I learned through every challenge, big or small.
If you’ve ever dared to chase a dream, found yourself at the crossroads of fear and possibility, or simply believe that it’s never too late, this book will inspire you to take the next step, onstage or off.
Link to review by C.S.Burrough
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Format: Perfect Bound
Size: 152mm x 228mm
Page Count: 360
"HAPPY TO BE HERE...EASY TO WORK WITH"
At eighty years young, I never imagined I’d still be learning and teaching life’s most enduring lessons. My career began over 60 years ago on an 18-month tour with an Australian music legend, and this memoir chronicles a journey that took me from a small rural town to the global stage.
From a wide-eyed child growing up in Far North Queensland to decades spent moulding future performers as Head of Dance and Head of Musical Theatre at The McDonald College, this book is my record of quiet triumphs, heartfelt anecdotes, and hard-won wisdom. It is my way of passing down the lessons I learned through every challenge, big or small.
If you’ve ever dared to chase a dream, found yourself at the crossroads of fear and possibility, or simply believe that it’s never too late, this book will inspire you to take the next step, onstage or off.
Link to review by C.S.Burrough
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Format: Perfect Bound
Size: 152mm x 228mm
Page Count: 360
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It was real, funny and I couldn't put it down, great read.
Dord is a much loved and revered legend of the Australian showbiz fraternity. In this beautifully written memoir we are taken on a wonderful ride of the highs and lows she has experienced in an extraordinary career in the entertainment industry. A great read for anyone already ‘in’ the theatre… it is also a MUST read for any aspiring young performer. Backstage stories are combined with the life story of a woman who is resilient, ambitious and passionate. I LOVED it!
Dolores' book "18 Months of One Night Stands" is a beautiful tribute to a life well lived, and an inspiring encouragement for anyone still chasing their dreams.
I found it to be a truly inspiring and heartfelt memoir that beautifully captures a lifetime dedicated to passion, perseverance, and the performing arts. From her humble beginnings in Far North Queensland to an extraordinary career that shaped future generations, this book is filled with wisdom, warmth, and genuine reflection.
Dolores shared her journey with such grace and humility, offering not only remarkable experiences but also the quiet lessons learned along the way.
Every so often somebody no one has ever heard of will publish their career book. It is harder to grasp an audience when this is the case, so I hold some sympathy for Dunbar. Sometimes there is an inspirational story behind these releases. Unfortunately, Dunbar’s book is almost unreadable.
It quickly becomes apparent that many of the positive reviews for this book appear to come from people who have either worked with or studied under Dunbar. If that was the intended audience, then perhaps the reception makes sense. However, for readers approaching the book without any personal connection to the author, the experience is uninteresting. As someone who usually enjoys biographical writing - particularly in the worlds of theatre and entertainment, I was expecting some degree of insight, reflection, or at least an engaging personal story. Instead, what’s presented feels less like a thoughtful memoir and more like a lightly edited personal journal.
Dunbar appears to have had only modest involvement in the stage industry, yet the book is written as though every moment of that journey should automatically hold significance for the reader. Without stronger storytelling, deeper reflection, or notable experiences to anchor it, the narrative often feels self-indulgent and unsurprisingly bland. Ultimately, the book reads less like a biography intended for a broader audience and more like a private record of one person’s career that perhaps should have remained exactly that.
Dear BH,
Your review comes as a shock. Fortunately everyone else who has actually purchased this book (and I cannot find where you did in this bookstore)
there are adults who realise that life occurrances and memoirs are personal to the author. Everyone is entitled to their opinion including you.
Reading 18 Months of One Night Stands feels like sitting down for a long coffee with an old friend who just happens to be a theatre icon. Dolores Dunbar takes us on a wonderful journey from her far north Queensland roots to the bright lights of the stage, proving that "making it" is possible for anyone with enough heart, passion and perseverance.
What I loved most was her honesty. Dolores doesn’t sugarcoat the industry; she shares her mistakes with a generosity that allows us to learn alongside her. Filled with incredible theatre lore and practical tips, this book is a gift to the Australian arts scene. We are so lucky to have a legend like Dolores sharing her wisdom and giving back to young aspiring artists which she has continued to do so gracefully for the past 30 years.
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