Pianist Sonya Lifschitz will perform Duet for One. Photos: Supplied.
Bega Valley’s newest performing arts venue is proving to be a hit with both audiences and performers, encouraging theatre manager Andrew Gray to program an eclectic range of high-quality events for spring.
Since Headland Theatre opened at the Tathra Hotel in mid-March, it has staged more than 50 events.
In addition to live music, theatre, film screenings, talks, presentations and workshops, the space has been used for creative development and private functions.
Arts leader Mr Gray, co-director of Crimson Rosella Creative Adventures, has planned another diverse line-up of acts. As word spreads about the intimate venue with its excellent sound and projection facilities and stunning coastal location, he is attracting and being approached by high-quality acts.
Take Duet for One, created by composer/media artist Damian Barbeler with celebrated pianist Sonya Lifschitz. While she plays a grand piano in duet with herself on video, the audience will see breathtaking scenes of her playing a specially constructed string instrument in different landscapes across Australia.
The show is a finalist in the APRA AMCOS Art Music Awards. Days after performing in Tathra, Ms Lifschitz will take the show to the Melbourne Recital Centre. “It is a bit of a coup to get an act of that quality,” Mr Gray said.
Coexistence featuring Alex Meagher and Jesse Vivante.
The grand piano will also get a workout from boogie-woogie queen Jan Preston as she celebrates the life and music of piano legend Winifred Atwell and performs her musical accompaniment for the classic silent film The Kid Stakes.
Another performance that combines bold visual and musical elements is Coexistence. Acclaimed sound artists Alexander Meagher and Jesse Vivante will take the audience on a sonic and visual odyssey through contemporary percussion performance.
POV is contemporary cutting-edge theatre that features the character of Bub, an 11-year-old aspiring documentary filmmaker. In the aftermath of a family breakdown, she turns to dramatised re-enactments to try to figure out what happened. Two new, unrehearsed adult actors join the young performer onstage, as she guides them to re-enact her personal experiences.
Local musical talent is well represented with performances by Heath Cullen, Benji Fowler and the long-running alternative/folk group The Gadflys. Classical music fans will have the chance to see internationally acclaimed Acacia Quartet perform, featuring local music teacher and cellist Anna Martin-Scrase.
Mr Gray said film screenings had been very popular. The theatre’s owners Cliff Wallis and Sayaka Mihara have programmed a regular series of art house films with matinee and evening screenings throughout the week and affordable ticket prices.
“Generally, there is a diverse market for what audiences are interested in and we have been able to respond to people who have come to us to screen short film collections, documentaries and feature films,” Mr Gray said.
Acacia Quartet will perform works by Haydn and Brahms.
Spring screenings include David Attenborough’s visually stunning Ocean documentary, plus Big Bike Film Night that will appeal to the many regular cyclists on Tathra’s mountain bike trails.
The theatre will host many of the author talks and panel discussions as part of the Headland Writers Festival that is being held on 23-25 October, co-presented by South East Arts and Candelo Books.
One of the festival highlights will be On Track, an immersive multimedia performance inspired by the ancient Aboriginal pathway, the Bundian Way. The show combines narration, film and live music to explore landscape, memory, movement and connection to Country. Drawing on John Blay’s celebrated book On Track, the performance takes audiences on a journey through one of Australia’s most significant cultural pathways.
As more people hear about the Headland Theatre, Mr Gray is encouraging locals and visitors to catch a performance during spring as Tathra’s spectacular headland offers one of the region’s best vantage points for whale watching because it juts out so far.
“It’s a place where visitors can spend the afternoon spotting whales from the clifftops before settling into the intimate surrounds of Headland Theatre for an unforgettable performance,” he said.
Visit the Headland Theatre’s website for more details about the exceptional and inspiring experiences on offer.
