Hello, I'm Krusty Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive.

For rights reasons, we've had to shorten the music.

The program was originally broadcast in 1978, and the presenter was Roy Plumlee. Our castaway this week has achieved distinction as a dancer, as a choreographer, as an actor, as a director.

In short, he's a man of the theatre. Sir Robert Helplen, we haven't seen much of

in London in recent years. You've spent a lot of time in Australia.

I became the director or co-director for seven years of the Australian ballet and then for the rest of the 12 years that I was associated

with them I was the sole director. So naturally I was there most of the time.

Now of course Australians have considerable advantages as a castaway brought up to open all life.

I don't know whether that's a good remark or not.

Well I know you've spent time on the barrier reef indeed indeed so you should be quite good at fishing

uh... no no I think I'd die

i'd starve to death boredom mostly but still anyway i'm cast on an island yeah that's it you're reputed to have skill with a boomerang

Yes, yes, I have yes, but I learned that as a little boy on a sheep station.

Well, you would still do it.

It's a very useful social asset on a desert island.

But I mean, there's nothing much flying over death down but seagulls,

and I understand they're not very nice to eat.

Nevertheless, I think you will get your

Castaways badge first class. Oh I hope so. Your first record? Well my first record

is the Sabaliaia's first symphony, simply because it's the last ballet I did, called Perasympian.

What's rather? Persympian. It was rather funny because I had a great triumph over all of Knowles.

They all thought it was a character and kept saying so and so as Peracinthian.

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