'The Hope Song'... an APA production

Norm Stanley and Corrine Eccles Welcome To Country at premiere performance 

The wondering and the waiting are over. On Sunday afternoon I was privileged to be part of the audience of  APA's (Anglesea Performing Arts) premiere performance of  my verbatim theatre project 'The Hope Song.' My beautiful talented friend, director Iris Walshe-Howling, and her great co-director Janine McKenzie have created a stunning theatre production. The actors are all so sensitive and nuanced. The community singers led by Sheridan Guiney add a powerful layer of song to the performance, and, the staging - with giant portrait photos book-ending the simplicity of the stage - an elegant and creative choice. Congratulations APA! You can only imagine how proud and happy I feel.

Here's a link to a lovely review from Colin Mockett - we've all been nominated for Oscars!
http://www.entertainmentgeelong.com/colinmockett/Reviews.html

Introducing..... The Hope Song

Here's a beautiful photo of the talented actors who co directors Iris Walshe Howling and Janine McKenzie are working with for my play The Hope Song. It will be presented by Anglesea Performing Arts (APA) as part of the Arts of The Mind Festival. The premiere performance of The Hope Song on Sunday 8th October at 3pm will launch the event for Mental Health Week on The Surfcoast at the Anglesea Memorial Hall in Mc Millan Street.

The project is in the form of Verbatim Theatre, based on the real words of seven people who have shared their experiences and insights with me.  The play will explore and build community awareness of the lived experience of people with mental illness, with the aim of building empathy and reducing stigma and taboo. Each of the seven people interviewed has nominated a song that is meaningful to them, and these will be performed - in part  - by community singers during the production.

There are 7 performances planned over two weeks from Sunday the 8th October  LAUNCH @ 3pm followed by a two week season.

Bookings at www.trybooking.com $25 / $20 con. Or at the door.

Under the Influence of a very special experience

At the recent Under the Influence of Words event for Love Winter In Aireys

we had an extraordinary experience. Mardi McDonald read us her poem about war and peace that she wrote as a 17 year old at the end of the Second World War in August 1945. It doesn't get much more special than that. Thank you for sharing your poem with us all Mardi.

Life Writing at Anglesea

What a pleasure it is to be back at Anglesea Community House teaching not one but two Life Writing Courses this term! It is such a privilege to work with people so that they have the motivation to Just Do It. Make a start. Reflect, reminisce, laugh and cry. Don't just think about what to include, what to leave out. Make decisions. Find your voice, it's unique. Make a story out of it. Now make a different one. Start in a different place.... or refuse to. Share it. Or else write it just for your own eyes.

 It's your story. Tell it your way.

Six weeks of exploration....what a great adventure we will have.

Under The Influence of Words #3

Looking forward to hosting Under The Influence of Words #3. June 18, Aireys Pub. A great afternoon for all - writers come and share your work with our enthusiastic friendly audience. All info on the flyer. FREE event for Love Winter In Aireys.

‘Swimming In Circles’ My new script for Norway theatre

On Saturday 6 May at 3pm two of my favourite actors – Cherie Mills and Kate Hunter – will present a public reading of my script ‘Swimming In Circles’ at the Surf Coast Arts Space, Shop 2, 103 Great Ocean Rd Anglesea (near Noble St). Come along, have a listen, see what you think.  While you are there enjoy the Printmaker and Glassmaker exhibition. 

‘Swimming In Circles’ explores a connection between Green Turtles on the Great Barrier Reef and the Midnight Sun in Norway. It might be stranger than you think….

My talented Norwegian theatre friend, Charlotte Hukvari, asked me recently to write a short play for two women actors that may be suitable to perform in Oslo. How enticing. I thought I’d do what any playwright would do - say ‘Ja!’, do some research, hope for some inspiration floating around in the ether,  and attempt to set a story in a country where I have never been, during a phenomenon I have never experienced (the long summer nights of the midnight sun) between two Norwegian sisters, Karin and Astrid who have a difficult relationship.

There may or may not be: a drowning dog, a green coat, speaking in tongues, green turtles (who return to the same beach where they were hatched, maybe thousands of kilometres away, to breed and lay their eggs), some shagging, some lying, someone is pregnant, David Attenborough, a dead mother, a broken photo frame, a Polish neighbour and a wild duck (just for a nice little Ibsen reference).

We’d love to see you there at the reading – May 6 2017, 3pm Surf Coast Arts Space.

'Water, Water' now on Youtube

If you haven't  already viewed our international award -winning short film 'Water, Water' it is now up on Youtube. Check it out when you have 17 minutes to spare.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=aOKtXI2oQ2E