Is Australia suffering a leadership deficit? There was a time when politicians could inspire us. But were they really better than the current crop or has our perception benefited from the passage of time? Is it a case of the more things change the more they stay the same?

Max Gillies has been a keen observer of the political combat zone for half a century. His fascination with the ups and downs of political leadership is variously sociological, historical, behavioural, psychological, ideological and parodic.

Once Max used to apply makeup, wigs and prosthetic enhancements in order to disguise himself. He doesn’t have those bits and pieces anymore. But he has accumulated a rich collection of pen portraits. Join Max as he shares his memories of a life spent on the fringes of power mining the archive for his favourite speeches, orations and soliloquies.

Once Were Leaders is an intimate evening with Max Gillies.