THE FIRST CONVOY COMMEMORATION
COMMISSIONED BY THE CITY OF PORT PHILLIP AND THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, this was a commemoration of 100 years since the departure of the first convoy of ships to WW1 from Melbourne's Princes Pier. October 19, 2014.
The event took place across one afternoon and early evening utilising the full Pier. A simple and hypnotic 'slow walk' by young people dressed as WW1 soldiers and nurses was an arresting reminder of the gravity of so many young people leaving to war. Tactical Art Projects also programmed an afternoon of activities including band and choral performances, information stalls, and smaller theatrical actions.
THE WESTERN RING CYCLE
Western Ring Cycle produced for the Big West Festival is an acclaimed community cultural development project where busloads of audiences were taken into the private world of the Western suburbs in 3 entirely different bus based theatre works. Aboard each bus, and without ever leaving their seats, audiences saw events, irrelevant and profound, take place in front yards, on the pavement, in cars, in house windows, on roof tops, and aboard the bus. Each journey was a show, and each show had been created in collaboration with different communities, in response to the physical and human characteristics of their streets.
“With an imperceptible shift in approach, the street scenes beyond the tint became whole, delicate sagas, and the theatrical bows of boarding latecomers were greeted with joyous applause as we set off in a stupor of humanitarian appreciation. It was difficult not to wobble our heads, enchanted, at our fellow passengers and wonder “Are you art?””
Liz Seymour ARTS HUB 2007