Two letters from Sydney in early April. Describes Melbourne, which he likes; tells the story of a group of men on the train who drink with him who achieve a 'moment of freeze' in the club car (which he compares to the staging of 'Amadeus') when one of them pulls down his pants to show off a tattoo of questionable taste; spends a day in Sydney with Patrick Hockey at the National Agricultural Show; asks if Britain is really going to go to war. On Good Friday he reports on the opening of 'Amadeus' the night before: he didn't like Constanze and thought it more staged than directed; went with Helen Montegue [Montagu] and Patrick; finds her cold, apparently because he does not make enough fuss over her; enjoyed the film 'Starstruck'; is heading to Brisbane and then up to Cairns to Diane [Cilento]'s house. The second letter describes his pleasure at getting three letters from Peter, is sorry he's having a rotten time with the film script, and is sorry that Peter will not be able to join him in the East; reacts to news about Peter Firth, Paul Giovanni, Howard [?], and RL's bird; Tony [Shaffer] will be at Cairns; admires a vegetarian restaurant in Sydney.
Sydney - Is staying with Patrick [Hockey] and getting organised to go to the Far East; is sorry things aren't going well for PS, agrees the movie business 'stinks'; has encountered it in the form of Jeanne Maroux [Mareau?] who is here for Diane [Cilento]'s film; Tony does not behave, brags and is pompous; Diane is 'running scared', outclassed by Jeanne; being around Tony costs him money as he has to pay for expensive things; tells PS to go ahead and buy the stables, is appreciating England more now.
Three letters dated 27 Feb., 1 and 3 March from Sydney. He describes being ill with inflamed glands, visiting the Sydney hospital, and improving after Diane Cilento adjusts his back and head; having dinner with Diane's friend Patrick Hockey and others who talked about their blood lines and their money, and make unwanted sexual advances; describes Diane's plans to direct a movie called 'The Last Tango of Rudolph Valentino' and going to 'Love & Pain & the Whole Damn Thing' with Diane to evaluate Maggie Smith for the film. Describes Sydney's beauty and peacefulness and expense; going to the Opera House, also beautiful, to see Dame Joan Sutherland in 'Lucrezia Borgia', though he thinks the acoustics too bright and [Richard] Bonynge 'played it like Waltzing Matilda'; describes the bodies of the people on Bondi Beach, which 'would drive [Paul] Giovanni out of his mind'; goes to the zoo and sees a platypus; hopes PS is holding up well with Milos [Forman].