In 2018 the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre (BMEC) will bring some of the finest national and international talents to our city. The program is packed with a diverse variety of drama, music, dance, and physical theatre performances that are passionate, smart, fun and moving.

The annual season is a cornerstone of BMEC’s program which has facilitated the development of the Local Stages Program, the Inland Sea of Sound Music Festival and an expansion of opportunities for local performers.

Children will be captivated by the show Yo Diddle Diddle with a live DJ and positive energy beats as well as George’s Marvellous Medicine; a cleverly adapted show from the much-loved book by Roald Dahl.

For something thought-provoking, Letters to Lindy provides a deep insight into one of the most compelling legal and human dramas of our times and A Town Named War Boy brings to life the personal accounts of the young men that set sail for the far side of the world. The Climbing Tree is another powerful play that looks at the experiences of generations of teenagers in Bathurst.

Fans of physical theatre and dance can enjoy performances such as A Simple Space that features seven acrobats who push their physical limits without reserve and the all-singing and all dancing performance of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers with Cheek to Cheek.

Some other program highlights include Boys in the Band; a high energy concert journeying through 50 years of the greatest songs as well as A Ragtime Piano Party and Ragtime Memories where the audience can experience the era of ragtime piano music with Adam Swanson the foremost young ragtime enthusiast from the US.

The calibre of cultural experiences coming to our region continues to grow and evolve. BMEC is one of the finest facilities in the region to host international, national and local performances proving that Bathurst is a wonderful place to live, work and visit.


Mayor Graeme Hanger OAM

Reliance Bank has supported the financial well-being of Bathurst and the surrounding communities for 50 years. Our history of being the only customer owned banking institution established in Bathurst provides us with a connection and understanding of the region that places us in a unique position. Being a good corporate citizen that plays an important role within the community is something we are very proud of.

The level of community support we provide to over 100 organisations and charities across the region and our long standing association with BMEC is a great example of how a locally owned banking institution can help improve the well-being of the region. During the past twelve months Reliance has donated over $300,000 to local charities, community events, schools and sporting organisations.

Assisting the cultural identity of the region where our members live is something we are also very proud of. Reliance understands that it is important that there continues to be access to, and participation in, artistic expression and appreciation which contributes to sustaining a strong sense of community identity and social cohesion.

The support provided by Reliance since 2000 has assisted BMEC to present outstanding touring productions as well as developing programs that extend opportunities for local residents, especially young people. Such programs considerably enhance the lifestyle of the region which aligns extremely well with our desire to realise our vision of fostering the financial and social well-being of our members.

We are extremely pleased to be the Principal Sponsor of BMEC and we wish them and their audiences an entertaining and memorable 2018 season.

Mark Genovese
Chief Executive Officer

Last year, in this message, I spoke about how we seek to leverage the Annual Season to make additional connections for our community; connections which provide performance and development opportunities for artists in the Central West and which profile the extremely high standard of performing arts practice in the region. 2018 will see these opportunities manifested in exciting new ways.

In April we are bringing the leading Australian circus and physical theatre company Gravity and Other Myths to Bathurst for the Catapult Festival. They will be here for a full week and will work with local performers either side of the festival as these regional artists begin preparation for the opening celebration of Artstate. Artstate involves both performance and forums which focus on regional arts practice. It will take over the city for an arts celebration in the first week of November.

We will use the additional State and national profile that Artstate will bring to launch the world premiere of The Climbing Tree a new play about life in Bathurst from a young person’s perspective which will be the culmination of a three year collaboration with the Australian Theatre for Young People. Although this is a show about young people it is also very much for an adult audience. The intention is to cast the play, which includes two Aboriginal characters, with actors from the Central West. The play will then transfer to the Riverside Theatres, Parramatta for the first Sydney season of a play developed by BMEC.

The final local connection in the Annual Season is the exciting collaboration between the Mitchell Chamber Orchestra and the wonderfully talented rapper and social activist L- Fresh the Lion. That is a “mash-up” that seems unlikely but which I am sure will be a stunning success, one which we expect will bring a new audience to both the chamber orchestra and L-Fresh.

Stephen Champion
Centre Manager

Lewis Carroll’s whirling, fantastical masterpiece is faithfully and beautifully recreated as a nonstop, madcap theatrical adventure for the whole family.  See the classic kids’ tale in an all-new Australian adaptation by multi  award-winning playwright Mary Anne Butler, starring Dubs Yunupingu as Alice – the first time the role has been played by an Indigenous woman.

Published more than 150 years ago, Carroll’s classic tale of the girl who fell down the rabbit hole has proven as timeless as it is entertaining. Directed by Cristabel Sved (Before/After, Sydney Theatre Company), Alice in Wonderland is a brand new production from the producer of the critically acclaimed The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show (Sydney Festival 2015).

Executive Producer: Michael Sieders; Adapted by: Mary Anne Butler; Director: Cristabel Sved; Production Designer: Melanie Kiertz; Composer & Sound Designer: Steve Toulmin; 
Lighting Designer: Matt Cox; With: Dubs Yunupingu as Alice.

Since its publication 150 years ago, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has kept a powerful grip on the public imagination.” THE GUARDIAN

“We hit Cairo like a train! ... Every dirty little alley, every dusty back room bar – the pyramids are marvellous, but I could spend the rest of my days quite happily in the arms of your temptation.” Based on the State Library of NSW’s jaw-dropping collection of First World War diaries, photographs and letters, A Town Named War Boy brings to life the personal accounts of the young men that set sail for the far side of the world. Some of these diaries and letters are finished, others just stop. When you read them you meet the person, see the changes in their hand-writing, feel the indentation of the pen, the smudges of changed thoughts. Award winning playwright Ross Mueller shows his extraordinary talent in this funny and moving play that sold out in its premiere Sydney season and provides “the most moving ANZAC experience of all.” – The Australian

Developed and presented in partnership with: State Library of NSW; Director Fraser Corfield; Designer Adrienn Lord; Lighting Designer Emma Lockhart-Wilson; Composer Steve Francis; Sound Designer Alistair Wallace; Performers Ryan Morgan (Tom), Josh McElroy (Snow), Edward McKenna (Huddo) and Simon Croker (John); Producer Australian Theatre for Young People with the State Library of New South Wales.

“... a touching commemoration to the ANZACs and a compelling piece of theatre. It was a confronting reminder of the horror of war whilst remaining an enjoyable and humorous play that showcased power of the human spirit.”  AUSSIETHEATRE.COM 

A Town Named War Boy has been commissioned and developed by Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) in partnership with the State Library of New South Wales, and is toured by Performing Lines in association with Arts on Tour. This tour has been supported by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body; and the New South Wales Government through CreateNSW

A shake & stir theatre co and QPAC production

What starts as just another boring day for George quickly turns into a marvellous experiment of epic proportions! Cleverly adapted from the much-loved book by Roald Dahl, George’s Marvellous Medicine bounds off the page in a spectacular live show for the whole family. 

On a good day, George can’t stand his Grandma. She complains all the time, she’s mean and she smells funny. On this particular day, Grandma is much more annoying than usual and George has had enough. “George – make me a cup of tea! George – rub my feet! George – stop growing!” Ugh. Wanting to put an end to her constant nagging, George creates a special medicine, greater than any medicine in the history of the world. What he doesn’t expect is that this medicine may actually work – just not in the way he thinks...

The award-winning team behind the multi-Helpmann Award nominated Australian production of Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts brings you this brand-new stage adaptation from the wacky mind of the World’s No. 1 Storyteller. Direct from a sold-out season at the Sydney Opera House, George’s Marvellous Medicine is packed to the rafters with mischief, music, magic and mammoth laughs. Just remember – do not try this at home!

HAZE, SMOKE AND STROBE EFFECTS, LOUD MUSIC.
PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ANIMALS (OR GRANDMAS) WILL BE HARMED IN THE STAGING OF THIS PRODUCTION

Cheek to Cheek is an all-singing, all-dancing celebration of the romance, the glamour, the elegance of Hollywood’s most iconic song and dance partnerships – the immortal Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It features some of the most electric dance sequences ever conceived for film and is a rare chance to see the flair and skill of the two silver screen legends recreated live on stage by two of Australia’s brightest young music theatre performers.

Featuring classic songs including the Academy Award winning ‘Night and Day’, ‘Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off’, ‘Top Hat, White Tie and Tails’,’They Can’t Take that Away from Me’ & ‘The Way You Look Tonight’.

Ross Hannaford and Amy Berrisford are two of the most sought after musical theatre performers in Australia today. They have performed in over 30 major musicals including Wicked, Chicago, A Chorus Line, Guys and Dolls, Sweeney Todd, CATS and the list goes on.

For Amy and Ross, stepping in to the challenging and incredibly well crafted catalogue of Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger’s material was a perfect fit. Having worked together for over 10 years, the partnership of Amy and Ross is finessed and seamless.

“They don’t make ‘em like that anymore!’

Seven acrobats push their physical limits without reserve; this performance is simultaneously raw, frantic and delicate. Supported by driving live percussion and presented so intimately that you can feel the heat, hear every breath, and be immersed in every moment.

“Cirque du Soleil with a fistful of grit” – UK Express

A Simple Space evokes real responses in audiences, something visceral rather than cerebral. Instead of fine-tuning the performance with makeup, lighting and contrived theatrical overlay, the cast have deliberately gone the opposite way. The audience is brought in close to surround the stripped back stage. In that space the acrobats are pushed to the physical limit, breaking down their usual guards and introducing the reality of failure and weakness. With nothing left to hide behind personal narratives come through naturally. This honesty is the essence behind A Simple Space.

“Stripped back and raw... an awe-inspiring display of strength, skill and creativity.” – The Advertiser

WINNER  BEST CIRCUS ADELAIDE  FRINGE AWARD 2014
WINNER AUSTRALIAN DANCE AWARD 2015
WINNER GREENROOM AWARD OUTSTANDING CIRCUS 2015AWARD 2015
WINNER AUDIENCE CHOICE – THEATER SPEKTAKEL FESTIVAL 2016

“It is not often you leave a performance lost for words.  However, any viewer leaving the dimly lit and  beautifully simplistic set of A Simple Space  cannot help but leave impressed.”
BROADWAY BABY

Photo: Chris Herzfeld

Billed as “the feel good show of the year”, Boys in the Band is a high energy concert journeying through 50 years of the greatest songs from the biggest boy bands of all time including Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, The Beatles, The Jackson 5, Bee Gees, Righteous Brothers, Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, Take That, Human Nature and Backstreet Boys.

Boys in the Band is a show with superstar credentials performing alongside Bon Jovi, Pharrell Williams and Maroon 5 at the Singapore F1 Grand Prix in addition to international concerts at Mandela Theatre, Johannesburg and Grand Theatre Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. At home they have performed to sell out crowds at Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers, Arts Centre Melbourne, Sydney Taronga Zoo and Melbourne Zoo Twilight festivals.

Backed live by their band The Players with songs including:  Walk Like a Man, Sherry, Can’t Buy Me Love, Let it Be, Imagine, Blame it on the Boogie, ABC,Unchained Melody, Surfin’ USA, Good Vibrations, Staying Alive and medleys of the biggest hits the world has ever known.

www.boysintheband.com.au

“A wonderful megamix of hits from 50s to 90s. Gorgeous harmonies, slick chorey, fun show!”
JO LITSON, ARTS EDITOR SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

What if your dream was only one jump away? Cow dreams of doing the impossible – she wants to jump the moon. I wanted to make a show that explores resilience for our 4–8-year-old audience. I wanted to nurture children’s natural instinct to create and discover without the fear of failure. When I found Tony Wilson’s The Cow Tripped Over the Moon, I knew I had found our inspiration. Hip-hop immediately came to mind with its playful rhyming language, live DJ, and the positive energy of its beats. Combined with George Melies’ film Le Voyage Dans La Lune and Lauren Wood’s beautiful book illustrations we had an inspired palette for dreaming.

Over the past two years, through a series of creative developments, the creative team and I met, played, sang, failed, wrote, jumped, failed, researched, built, failed, refined and created. Building on Patch Theatre’s commitment to rigorous and playful invention, we worked with Scientist Prof Martin Westwell, a specialist in Executive Function – and children as co-creators. Our Patch Satellites in Bathurst and Whyalla allowed the creative team to work with kids as fellow artists.

Enjoy the show. Watch for how it seeps into the play and dreaming of our kids. Naomi Edwards, Artistic Director

“The small cast have a delightful chemistry, with both each other and the audience, quickly drawing the kids into the story with their humorous and interesting antics.” THEATRE GUIDE

Based on the book
THE COW TRIPPED OVER THE MOON
Written by Tony Wilson, illustrated by Laura Wood
Text copyright © Tony Wilson 2015
Illustrations copyright © Laura Wood 2015
First published by Scholastic Press a division of Scholastic Australia Pty Limited in 2015
This production produced under license from Curtis Brown (Aust) Pty Ltd

From award-winning documentary theatre maker David Williams (Smurf in Wanderland, Grace Under Pressure, The Table of Knowledge), comes a surprising journey into the world of the quietly, progressively faithful.

The place of Christian faith in Australian politics is often linked to conservatism and intolerance. Many members of the current Federal Government profess deep Christian beliefs and groups such as the Australian Christian Lobby loudly intervene in public policy debates.

Yet, new faith-based social movements such as Love Makes A Way, actively campaign against government policies. The spectacle of religious leaders undertaking non-violent acts of civil disobedience, including prayer vigils in the offices of Christian politicians, has captured the imaginations of many.

Generated from hours of interviews with Christian Australians, Quiet Faith offers a beautiful, immersive and heartfelt portrait of the very different ways that faith can underpin civic life.

Writer/Director David Williams; Designer Jonathon Oxlade; Sound Designer Bob Scott; Lighting Designer Chris Petridis; Outside Eye Roz Hervey; Original performer and collaborator Ashton Malcolm; Producer Suzie Franke for Alternative Facts.

Quiet Faith was co-commissioned by Vitalstatistix and HotHouse Theatre and has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

“Quiet Faith is hallowed ground, a little bit like going to church, and a powerful voice for the faithful who actually practice what they preach. Whether you are a full-blown atheist, one of the flock, or a complete hypocrite, you will not leave the same as you entered.”
DAVID GRYBOWSKI, THE BAREFOOT REVIEW

Photo: Heidrun Lohr

The true story of Guillaume de Machaut & Péronnelle d’Armentières

In 1359 the English attempted to lay siege to Rheims – a crucial prize in the Hundred Years’ War as France’s coronation city; two years later France’s greatest poet and composer, Guillaume de Machaut entertained the heir to the throne and in 1364 witnessed the coronation of Charles the Fifth. But the early 1360s were exciting and fruitful for Machaut for other reasons: he began a lengthy correspondence with a young female admirer and documented their friendship in what he called the “book of the true story”, Le Livre du Voir Dit, containing over 9000 lines of poetry, and the  love-poems, and songs they sent to each other – the ultimate 14th-century multimedia presentation. The Song Company brings this true love story to life in their mesmerising a cappella performance of the poems and songs penned by de Machaut & d’Armentières.

An autobiographical mediaeval French romance in a time of war and plague – as told by poet and composer Guillaume de Machaut.

Semistaged program of music & words by Guillaume de Machaut:
Ballade 32 – Ploures dames
Rondeau 13 – Dame se vous n’avez aperceu
Ballade 33 – Nes que on porroit
Rondeau 4 – Sans cuer dolens
Lai 13 – ‘Le Lay de bonne esperance’
Rondeau 17 – Dix et sept, cinq
Rondeau 18 – Puis qu’en oubli
Ballade 34 – Quant Theseus / Ne quier veoir
Ballade 36 – Se pour ce muir
Ballade 31 – De toute flours

Filled with humour and heartbreak, this stunning work by award-winning playwright Alana Valentine (Parramatta Girls, Head Full of Love) explores the public’s relationship with one of 20th Century Australia’s most iconic figures. The story captivated a nation. A mother accused of murdering her child, her claim – that the baby was taken by a dingo – denied and discredited by zealous police and a flawed legal system. The media circus, the rumours, the mob mentality, and a nation’s prejudices laid bare. Over three decades, from baby Azaria’s death to the final coroner’s report, the public wrote more than 20,000 letters to Lindy Chamberlain. From sympathy to abuse, letters from children and letters from those who have lost a child, these letters traverse the gamut of human response to Lindy’s story. Letters to Lindy draws on this correspondence, as well as extensive interviews with Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton herself, to create an enthralling, moving, and long overdue dialogue between Lindy and the nation.

Directed by Darren Yap and featuring the critically acclaimed performance from Jeanette Cronin as Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton, Letters to Lindy provides a deep insight into one of the most compelling legal and human dramas of our times. It paints a singular portrait of the heartbreak, wisdom and resilience of a grieving mother and her 30 year fight for justice.

Director Darren Yap; Designer James Browne; Co-Composer/Co-Sound Designer Max Lambert and Roger Lock; Lighting Designer Toby Knyvett; Cast Includes: Jeanette Cronin.

“Exquisitely touching... Detail upon detail is woven into a finely stitched masterpiece.”
AUSTRALIAN STAGE

CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE AND ADULT THEMES

Photo: AP via AAP

Explore the depth of human impulse with the world premiere of Rafael Bonachela’s ab [intra], meaning ‘from within’ in Latin.

Sydney Dance Company’s 2018 season opens with an electrifying journey into the extremes of human nature. Discover what drives our relationships and ignites our ambitions in this visceral new piece showcasing Australia’s best contemporary dancers.

ab [intra] is Bonachela’s latest collaboration with composer Nick Wales and his first full-length work since the epic masterpieces 2 One Another and the critically acclaimed Project Rameau with ACO in 2012.

A dynamic work of exquisite athleticism, ab [intra] exposes the shared instincts that drive us apart and bring us back together.

“Bonachela has done Sydney Dance Company proud with this thrilling, visceral piece, exploiting every inch of his precise, virtuosic dancers.”  
LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE REVIEW OF OCHO 2017

Photo: Pedro Greig

A man enchanted by the beauty of the East. A woman in love with the promise of the West. Separated by a vast ocean and many years, what will become of their love?

Madame Butterfly is a love story that reaches across cultures, across oceans, across time.

U.S. Naval officer B.F. Pinkerton is ashore in Japan, and enchanted with its beauty and freedoms. He decides to take a wife, and when the gorgeous geisha Butterfly arrives, he is transfixed by her charms. She falls hopelessly in love, and a passionate marriage begins.

Years later, Pinkerton has returned home. Abandoned by her family, Butterfly waits faithfully for her husband to return. Dawn breaks on a ship in the harbour. What will become of her great hope?

Puccini’s popular opera inspired the musical Miss Saigon. It is filled with gorgeous music, from the lovers’ first rapturous embrace to the intense finale. It features the famous aria ‘One Fine Day’ and the Humming Chorus, along with Japanese and American musical themes.

One of Australia’s greatest theatrical minds, John Bell, directs this English-language production, complete with beautiful costumes and sets. Hear Opera Australia’s wonderful singers perform with a chamber orchestra, along with a children’s chorus, drawn from local communities.

Conductor Warwick Stengards; Director John Bell; Set & Costume Designer Jennie Tate; Set & Costumes Realised by Julie Lynch; Lighting Designer Matt Scott; Choreographer Sachiko Tange

Performed in English

“With a mission to make people fall in love with opera, Artistic Director, Lyndon Terracini believes it is vital to reinvent productions regularly to make them contemporary and engaging for different kinds of settings.” ARTSREVIEW 2016

Photo: Georges Antoni

Brutus is suspicious. Cassius is conspiring. Caesar’s days are numbered. Loved by the people, Caesar’s power is growing – which is dangerous if you live in a world driven by ego and idealism. Those that rise too fast must be dealt with. For the good of the country. For the good of those who wish to be rulers themselves.

Julius Caesar is Shakespeare’s political thriller, a masterpiece of intrigue and treachery. Stand witness to the assassination that leads to a life and death struggle for power in the Republic. Citizens mutiny, Mark Antony schemes, and the fate of Rome hangs in the balance.

Bell Shakespeare’s Associate Director, James Evans, will direct a production that’s seething with rage, leaving audiences breathless at how quickly violence reveals the fragility of democracy.

Starring Kenneth Ransom (Gods of Egypt, Belvoir’s Prize Fighter) as Caesar, and featuring an ensemble cast including Ivan Donato (Richard 3 ), Emily Havea, Louisa Mignone, Nick Simpson Deeks and Russell Smith, this production will tour to 27 venues around Australia.

Experience the tension between aspiration and ambition, the triumphal entrances and brutal exits, as it is all laid on the line for Rome.

By: William Shakespeare; Director: James Evans With: Kenneth Ransom; Ivan Donato; Emily Havea; Maryanne Fonceca; Nick Simpson-Deeks; Russell Smith

“Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war” ACT 3, SCENE 1

Prowling the Australian scene, Western Sydney artist L-FRESH The LION has quickly become renowned for his powerful presence, inspiring live shows and thought-provoking lyricism. His organic amalgam of world-class music and social activism has seen him seamlessly segue from underground events and ciphers to national tours and major festivals, the natural ascent of an MC with an abundance of purpose and self-belief.

Many musicians lay claim to being unique, but inspired by hip hop music from the mid-‘90s and early-2000s, and a deep love and respect for his own cultural and ancestral roots which trace back to the Sikhs from Punjab, India, L-FRESH is truly an artist like no other.

The Mitchell Chamber Orchestra is the flagship ensemble of the Mitchell Conservatorium Chamber Music Academy. Comprising a core of MitCon professional staff members and advanced students, the orchestra partners with guest artists in traditional, and innovative, ways from across a broad range of professional relationships. Past collaborations include the orchestra’s inaugural outing as part of the Touchstones project with The Andrew Robson Quartet and Richard Gill in 2014, and the 2015 presentation with international concert pianist Avan Yu at BMEC. The MCO is particularly excited to see the L-FRESH the LION initiative come to fruition and hope you enjoy the evening as much as we have enjoyed its preparation.

“..the real highlight from the night’s formal proceedings was a live performance from Australia’s own  L-FRESH The LION ...Fresh simply owned the stage...”
MUSIC.COM.AU

Adam Swanson is the foremost young ragtime enthusiast in the United States. He has been performing since he was ten years old and graduated with a bachelor’s in classical piano and a master’s degree in musicology at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University in 2015. Between 2008 and 2015, he became the only four-time winner of the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest. Adam made his New York debut at Carnegie Hall when he was nineteen. This is Adam’s first Australian trip.

A RAGTIME PIANO PARTY – WEDNESDAY 24 OCTOBER 7:30PM
The name Scott Joplin will be known to many people; others may know of James Scott or Joseph Lamb. However these three, considered to be the finest three classic ragtime composers, were joined by over 1,000 others, some of whom only ever had one ragtime composition published. Much of this music languishes unplayed, until now.

RAGTIME MEMORIES – THURSDAY 25 OCTOBER 11AM
Do you remember the honky tonk piano playing of Winifred Atwell and Joe “Fingers” Carr (Lou Busch) in the 1950s? It was based on ragtime, the dance music of the day, when the steps were cakewalks and two steps. There was a revival in the late 1940s and during the 1950s driven by bands mainly in the US and UK, and locally by Graeme Bell’s Ragtime Four. The 1970s film The Sting saw another resurgence of interest. Come along and relive the ragtime days.

www.adamgswanson.com

“Adam Swanson has accomplished more feats in his young musical career than many artists dream of achieving in a lifetime’s work.”
THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE

“Across the Great Dividing Range lies another great divide. Between us and them. Dreamed and the dreaming. Haves and have-nots. Gold and dust. Coppers and gangs. Always an us, and always a them. Changing form, skin, name. Big sparkling city chewing them up, spitting them out, pushing them over the mountains to us.”

It’s Rayleen’s birthday, but she’s not getting excited. She and three other teenagers are caught in an interrogation room. Their lives overlap but their challenges are very different. In this town, the past is with you everywhere you go, looking over your shoulder, whispering songs of survival. It’s hard to live for the moment when you can’t see a future. Particularly when the past keeps closing doors.

Developed over three years as a partnership between the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre and the Australian Theatre for Young People, with extensive community consultation, this powerful new play looks at the experiences of generations of teenagers in Bathurst. Part drama, part music, part ghost story, it’s a personal tale that reflects experiences shared in towns across Australia. Rachael Coopes and Guy Webster, part of the creative force behind the multi-award winning Sugarland, bring to life another particularly Australian story.

Writer Rachael Coopes; Music & Lyrics Guy Webster; Director Stephen Champion; Dramaturg Fraser Corfield.

CONTAINS COARSE LANGUAGE

A feast of Romantic poetry and music featuring the works of Keats and Schubert.

Australian theatre icon, John Bell AO OBE and internationally acclaimed pianist Simon Tedeschi renew their triumphant partnership with Bright Star, exploring the life, love and genius of two bright stars of the Romantic era – John Keats and Franz Schubert. Though they never met, these contemporaneous geniuses of literature and music were kindred spirits: both died young, having loved a woman beyond his reach due to her superior social standing, and both created masterpieces which still resonate strongly today.

Performing some of the most beloved poems of Keats including Bright Star, Ode to a Nightingale, and La Belle Dame Sans Merci, and music by Schubert including Ave Maria, Winterreise and Sonata no.18 in G major (‘Fantasie’), Bell and Tedeschi share their insights into the enduring power of these timeless works, and the lives of the artists who created them.

“It is story-telling for adults, heart-rending and sophisticated...
Tedeschi is a true master of the pianoforte... [Bell’s] voice soars above the piano accompaniment and runs the gamut of emotions from the faintest whisper to intense grief to anger. It is a virtuoso performance and the synergy between these two performers was obvious.”
STAGEWHISPERS, 2017 (ENOCH ARDEN, ADELAIDE FESTIVAL CENTRE)