Tales from outer suburbia
05 Nov 2010 - 07 Nov 2010
Now in it’s third year, FYRE drama will once again be bringing original and inspiring theatre to the valley on the first weekend in November, with this years production Tales from Outer Suburbia.
Australian author Shaun Tan’s Tales from Outer Suburbia is a collection of short, quirky, thought provoking stories about ordinary people and extraordinary events.
Set in the back blocks of suburban Australia, the characters and situations are instantly familiar, while the events that take place are imbued with magic.
These stories are loved by both children and adults alike, with Shaun Tan’s words and magnificent drawings creating layers of meaning, poignancy and breathtaking insightfulness.
FYRE drama’s theatrical production of Tales from Outer Suburbia, created by Sarah Butler, combines five of Shaun Tan’s stories with words and inspiration from some other great chroniclers of suburban/urban lives (T S Eliot; Lennon/McCartney; Steven Berkoff) to create a play full of colourful characters, each with a story tell.
The play is set in a suburban street, some time last century, on the long weekend of the “Nameless Holiday”.
We meet the neighbourhood as they prepare for the traditional “choosing” celebrations: Mr and Mrs Rigby, the over-protective parents of Eleanor and Sadie; the Lane family who have a foreign exchange student staying with them; Mrs Bad-News an old Japanese lady who terrorises the neighbourhood children; Mr Mustard, a retired ‘important’ man trying to find meaning in his old age; the forever shouting, arguing Hammers and a wise old Buffalo who lives in the vacant block and offers advice to those who ask.
In the course of the weekend some amazing things happen which change the lives of these neighbours forever.
Tales from Outer Suburbia will be performed at the Upper River Hall (10 minutes from town along the Upper River Rd) on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th November at 7pm and on Sunday 7th November at 1.00pm. Tickets are $10 per person or $30 for a family. Tickets will be available at the door or you can book by emailing sarahjbutler@bigpond.com.
If there is anyone, old or young, who is interested in helping backstage for this production (experience not necessary), we’d love to hear from you. Call Sarah on 4465 2632.
Please come and support original, local theatre and our emerging Valley thespians.