Inspired by a play that got its author charged with immorality, five authors have worked together to write the stories of ten couples—always played by the same two actors—that take place over a day and a night in the middle of a Hobart winter. Oh, and the characters have sex in every scene.
Carrie McLean – Writer Stephanie Jack – Writer Hera Fox – Writer Andy Vagg – Writer Matthew Cooke – Writer Chris Mead – Director and Dramaturg Fengyi Liu – Actor Jem Nicholas – Actor Natalya Bing – Composer Joshua Santospirito – Composer Jason James – Lighting Design Nicole Robson – Set Design Lucien Simon – Producer
Inspired by the play that was banned on its 1903 publication, started a riot on its 1920 Berlin premiere, was shut down by police in Vienna a year later when its author was charged with immorality, La Ronde also inspired David Hare’s The Blue Room, the musical Hello Again!, 18 movies (including by Max Ophüls and Roger Vadim) and Australia’s own three hundred and sixty positions in a one night stand. This is a story with staying power, genuine insight, and a real point of difference—the characters have sex in every scene. Freud was a fan, really.*
In this new play, commissioned by Salamanca Arts Centre, five writers gather to give audiences an erotic, wild and wicked tour of an Australian waterside city. Spur-of-the-moment hook-ups, long-standing clandestine assignations and unanticipated encounters provide the prism with which to see real people, groping towards intimacy, awkward, curious, uncertain, sometimes finding relief, intermittently uncovering meaning, occasionally even discovering joy.
This is no suburban bump-and-grind mini-bus ride for voyeurs, but a rich, provocative and elegant dissection of desire and politics, their points of intersection, disturbing collisions and bewildering deviations. With a year of development, led by director and dramaturg Chris Mead, there’s been time to get more than just a mouthful of those ‘c words’ up on the rehearsal room floor, but time to consult, champion, co-operate, construct and create.
Keen to move beyond the tacky, crass or salacious, this play takes the opportunity to plumb the depths of a city, its glorious geography, demographic contours, rental crises, immorality, failing parliament, ostentatious mid-winter festivals, stiff conservatism, dirty secrets, history, forgotten corners, psychosexual dynamics as well as some of its people, their yearnings, peccadilloes, transgressions, crimes of the heart, indulgences, confessions, gifts, cravings.
Two actors play all ten characters. You will have seen nothing like it. Not only is it a workout for the mind, for the senses, maybe even post-show for dating apps, but for the two crazy-brave actors Fengyi Liu and Jem Nicholas, it’s the kind of job to keep you up at night, researching characters, locales and probable backstories. Quick changes and detailed vocal and physical behaviours are the order of the day as the characters range from 16 to 55 years old, and hail variously from Brighton, Smithton, Sandy Bay, New Town, the corner of Brisbane and Campbell, even Shenzen.
And the writers: Matthew Cooke is a data analyst; Hera Fox is already a legendary young playwright and cabaret hostess; Stephanie Jack is an Australian and Singaporean-Chinese actor, writer, and singer who has lived in six different countries and aboard a yacht; Carrie McLean is a playwright, founding member of Mudlark Theatre, an actor and mother of four; and Andy Vagg is an artist, writer, poet and performer whose work utilises post-consumer materials and objects to encourage positive social change.
Two musicians, Joshua Santospirito and Natalya Bing have composed the music for the piece. Bing/Santospirito create hypnotic improvised soundscapes using elements from classical improvisation combined with noise-improv-jazz. They often collaborate with visual artists and film-makers to create fully immersive performances. Bing/Santospirito has performed at major festivals and underground venues.
A Mouthful of ‘C’ Words is theatre at its most inventive, of-the-moment, in-yer-face, moving, ribald, shrewd, it shows and it tells.
Creative Team
Chris Mead| Director
Associate Professor Chris is Head of Drama at the Victorian College of the Arts, Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Melbourne. He has recently published Wondrous Strange: Seven Brief Thoughts on New Plays (Currency Press, 2022). Previous institutional position include: Literary Director, Melbourne Theatre Company; inaugural artistic director, PlayWriting Australia; Literary Manager, Sydney Theatre Company; Literary Manager, Belvoir; Curator, Australian National Playwrights’ Conference; and Festival Director, Interplay, the International Festival for Young Playwrights. Recent directing credits include Ross Mueller’s A Strategic Plan (Griffin Theatre, 2017), Richard Frankland’s Walking into the Bigness (co-directed by Wayne Blair, Malthouse 2014), Ian Wilding’s Rare Earth (NIDA 2011) and Quack (Griffin 2010), and Damien Millar’s The Modern International Dead (Griffin 2008) which won Best New Play (Sydney Theatre Critics’ Awards) and the WA Premier’s Literary Award. He has a PhD from Sydney University. His Currency House Platform Paper on institutional racism and outreach strategies, ‘What is an Australian Play?’ was published in 2008. In the past five years he has worked closely with writers Anchuli Felicia King, Aidan Fennessy, Merlynn Tong, Emme Hoy, Andrea James, Elise Esther Hearst, Phillip Kavanagh, Louris van de Geer, Lally Katz, Brendan Cowell, Joanna Murray-Smith, David Williamson, Eddie Perfect, Hannie Rayson, Tom Holloway, Angela Betzien, Rob Sitch, Santo Cilauro and Tom Gleisner, and Steve Vizard.
Photo: Amy Brown
Carrie MacLean| Writer
Carrie McLean is a freelance writer, director, actor and mother of four based in Hobart. She holds a BPA from UTAS, and is a founding member of Mudlark Theatre and Radio Gothic. For Mudlark, Carrie has written the plays Beautiful: A Ghost Story, Strange Fruit, The Angels of Two Hoots, Mind the Gap, The Fools of Fire, Danger #31and Cafe. In 2012, she wrote Chasing a Sound Like Rain, a youth theatre project for SSYT performed for Ten Days, and the Gros Morne Theatre Festival.
For Radio Gothic, Carrie wrote The Hanniford Tapes for Dark MOFO (2018), and performed in The Pit by Briony Kidd and The Illustrated Girl by Alison Mann. In 2020, Carrie directed the one woman show Who Cares? by Helen Swain for a Tasmania Performs tour and was part of the Imprognosis collective, performing long form improvisation, for the Burning Desire Festival.
In 2021, The Motherload, a documentary theatre performance co-created over four years, premiered at Junction Arts Festival with TTC. Carrie will be performing in Hobart’s Festival of Improvised Theatre with the Practitioners of Ephemeral Arts in 2022, and she is currently writing a solo theatre show called 100 F#@&ing Days.
Photo: Kishka Jensen
Stephanie Jack| Writer
Stephanie Jack is an Asian Australian actor and writer based in nipaluna/Hobart. She completed an M.F.A. Acting at Harvard’s American Repertory Theater Institute, including a semester at the Moscow Art Theatre School. Her performance highlights include acting alongside Essie Davis and Marta Dusseldorp in Archipelago Productions’ The Maids; playing the Queen in the N.Y. Times’ Critics’ Pick musical The Light Princess; and a recurring role in Amazon Prime’s upcoming television series, Deadloch. In 2021, Stephanie was the Tasmanian Theatre Company’s Associate Artist, and a core member of MONA’s Faro Ensemble. As a writer, she has contributed to Forty South, Peril Magazine, Mixed Asian Media, and Doyenne. Stephanie is currently developing a play called Mixed Feelings, a deep dive into mixed race heritage and modern Chinese culture, with the support of Asialink, a Regional Arts Fund Fellowship and Arts Tasmania. In 2022 she received the Margaret Scott Young Writer’s Fellowship at the Tasmanian Literary Awards, and was recognised by Asialink/University of Melbourne as one of 40 under 40 Most Influential Asian Australians.
Photo: Ben Dilger
Matthew Cooke| Writer
Matthew Cooke is a screenwriter and playwright from Hobart, Tasmania. He specializes in zeitgeist humour and is passionate about telling authentic LGBTQIA+ stories.
He was also a poet for forty-five harrowing minutes in high school, after his year nine English teacher came up with a cruel and unusual punishment during detention. The poem he wrote that lunchtime, titled A Day in the Life of Matt Cooke, later won an award in a national competition.
His most recent credits include completing Wide Angle Tasmania’s End Game program in 2019, and co-writing Uni Revue: Pundemic in 2020.
Photo: Ethan Woodward
Hera Fox| Writer
Hera is a playwright, and circus & cabaret creator based in nipaluna (Hobart). Having grown up in the Huon Valley starting in community musicals, they have had a varied career in burlesque and drag to circus and acrobatics. Now they have found their voice as a transgender woman returning to song and cabaret creating work for and by transgender people. Her plays have endeavored to assist in changing the culture of the live performing arts, to be more inclusive, and to not take itself too seriously. She has a tendency to write about love, lust, and loss, with a style reflecting reactions of your various ex partners.
They are the founder and artistic director of QT Cabaret, a space for transgender and gender queer performers to trial new cabaret and circus work, which won Artfully Queers unifying voice award 2019. Hera is also the winner of 2020’s Out For Australia Community Champion award.
Photo: Gabrielle Kneebone
Andy Vagg| Writer
Andy Vagg is an artist, writer, and performer. His art practice explores the qualities and limitations of contemporary existence, and how the choices we make inherently effect, respond to, and delineate social evolution. He creates work in social contexts, to activate spaces to form literal and metaphorical platforms for the development of ideas to encourage positive social change. His work utilises post consumer materials, to create installations, sculptures and objects. His performances explore the role of religion, liturgy and ritual in a contemporary secular context, and how they can help us come to terms with the rapid changes brought about by industrialisation, globalisation and climate change. Andy has created work in public and private spaces in Newcastle, Sydney, Melbourne, Launceston and Hobart. He has collaborated with community in colleges, high schools, primary schools, community centres, and child and family centres.
Photo: Cassie Sullivan
Jem Nicholas| Actor
Jem Nicholas has worked as an actor in Australia, New Zealand and New York. Jem holds a Bachelor of Performing Arts from Monash University, and has since further her studies at the Susan Batson Studio NY, 16TH Street Actors Studio and The Melbourne Actors Lab. Jem has also trained with Hollywood Director and coach Kim Farrant. Some of her notable theatre credits include playing Carrie in ‘Rules for Living’ (Red Stitch Theatre), Sylvia in ‘You Are the Blood’ (Spinning Plates Co.), various lead roles in ‘Song Contest, Almost Eurovision Experience’ (Glynn Nicholas Group), Vendla in ‘Spring Awakening’ (Monash University), and many more. Jem has also appeared in ABC’s ‘Dr Blake Murder Mysteries,’ directed by Diana Reid, and as Elizabeth in ‘The spirit of the Game’ (Shearwater Entertainment). Jem is an independent play write and physical theatre performer and puppeteer and has received a Green Room Nomination for Best Actress in an Ensemble for her role as Rose in ‘Love, Love, Love’ with Red Stitch. She is currently training in the Alexander Technique in Hobart and will graduate as a teacher in 2014.
Photo: Cassie Sullivan
Fengyi Liu| Actor
Fengyi Liu studied Master of arts and cultural management in University of Melbourne, then went to Columbia University in the U.S, studying contemporary theatre as an exchange student. In 2020, he came to the University of Tasmania, studied theatre and performing arts, during which time he also performed in a number of critically acclaimed community theatres productions. As a theatre practitioner, he has directed and performed in 21 productions in Australia. He is also the artistic director of Do Theatre. Do theatre is a team of 13 people from linguistic diverse background and they are all passionate about developing multicultural theatre arts and with related experience accordingly as well. ENE World, as an event management company, support the production in administrative, marketing and management role. Do Theatre and ENE World have been worked with each other from March 2021 and presented more than 2 shows in Hobart, and staged the Last Laugh at Anywhere Festival Brisbane this year (winning best theatre show).
Natalya Bing& Joshua Santospirito | Composers
Natalya Bing is a classically-trained concert violinist with decades of experience performing at Opera houses with symphony orchestras and underground dive bars. She currently performs with Hartz Trio, Van Diemens Band, Warner Smith & Bancroft and occasionally with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Joshua Santospirito is a multimedia artist, writer, experimental musician/performer and an award winning graphic novelist. As a musician he has performed solo for 20 years across Australia and Europe but can usually be found these days in his studio making marks with ink on paper or in the garden with his chickens.
Jason James| Lighting Designer
Jason has worked as a designer for over fourteen years; creating designs principally for new works. His recent credits include design for Backwards from Winter, Echos, The Barbarians, and Kimisis IHOS Opera; Riddle of Washpool Gully, Red Racing Hood, Big Baby, Pip and Pooch, Shadow Dreams, Sleeping Horses Lie, and LoveTerrapin Puppet Theatre; BabelInvisible Practice, Merchant of Venice Loud Mouth, What Rhymes with Cars and Girls,Born from Animals, Branch Book Bench, The Company I KeepTasmanian Theatre Company; Flux, Wild at Heart, Motel DreamingUnconscious Collective; Abandoned Dances, Episodes, Birds, Sing for MeMature Artists Dance Experience. Fall, Winter, SpringSecond Echo Ensemble.
Jason has developed a broader arts practice around light, sound and projection over the last seven years. He is recently graduated with a Fine Arts Degree from the Tasmanian School of Art, and has had several artworks presented in festivals, and galleries, around Tasmania. Recent works include Wind and WaveformsKingston Beach Arts Hub 2018, Eat ArtMoonah Arts Centre 2018, The Search The Unconformity 2016, and Angry ElectronsDark Mofo 2015.
In April 2022 he curated the video art survey exhibition Photons at Moonah Arts Centre.
Nicole Robson | Set Designer
Nicole has a Masters in Fine Art, she works primarily in photography and design. Nicole traveled to Lausanne, Switzerland to participate in reGeneration2: tomorrow’s photographers today, launched at the Musée de l’Elysée. and touring to countries such as China, South Africa, USA, and France. Nicole received a Marie Edwards Travel scholarship to attend the opening and folio review at the Aperture foundation in New York. This exhibition also included a publication of the same name, printed by Thames and Hudson.
Nicole has had exhibitions in CAT Gallery (Contemporary Arts Tasmania), Queen Victoria Museum, The Australian Centre for Photography in Sydney and a solo exhibition at The Edmund Pearce Gallery, Melbourne. Nicole is represented by Penny Contemporary Gallery.
Nicole Master’s exegesis explored the theatricality in the domestic space, examining the suburban ‘home’ as a performative space. Over the last 10 years Nicole has taken her design and visual art experience into theatre environment. Working closely with various organisations such as MADE (Mature Artist Dance Experience), in productions such as Pane, Sing For Me and Episodes, as well as Invisible Practice, creating sets for Brittle, and F*ck and Salamanca Arts Centre, with the design and construction for the SAC Art Ball.
Most recently Nicole worked on the set design for the Opera, The Call of the Aurora by Joe Bugden and with Sacred Heart School, designing and constructing the set for their major combined high school and primary school production, Sinbad.
This event is part of Winter Light 2022 and is presented by Salamanca Arts Centre
Friday 12 August CANCELLED. Sadly, this performance has been cancelled. Apologises for any inconvenience. Risa Ray + Georgia Shine 9.00pm – 9.30pm In front of the Peacock Theatre
Saturday 13 August Risa Ray + Jem Nicholas + Georgia Shine 9.00pm – 9.30pm In front of the Peacock Theatre
Friday 19 August Jem Nicholas + Georgia Shine 10.00pm – 10.30pm Long Gallery
Saturday 20 August Jem Nicholas + Georgia Shine + Risa Ray 10.00pm – 10.30pm Long Gallery
Random Acts of Weirdness – where the strange and beautiful meet. Short form performances with extreme undertakings.
Not to be missed.
Artists
Photo: supplied by the artist
Georgia Shine
Georgia Shine is a cellist, vocalist, improviser, and multi-disciplinary artist. A University of Queensland graduate in Music Performance (Hons) and an Alexander Technique practitioner and teacher, she is the founder of Moving Connections, which uses live music and improvised dance to build community with therapeutic arts practices.
Georgia has performed around Australia with the Southern Cross Soloists, the Armilla Quartet, Nessi Gomes and most recently with the Tasmanian folk duo, Yyan and Emily. Her festival appearances include Dark MOFO, Bangalow Music Festival, Beaker St Festival, The Unconformity, Cygnet Folk Festival, Mt Roland Folk Festival and Woodford Folk Festival. Georgia has performed regularly as a solo cellist at MONA for the Ladies’ Lounge, Faro Restaurant and Salon Sunday.
Being also an improvisational dancer and award-winning visual artist, Georgia is currently working on her own body of performance art that is inspired by the connection between the diversity of the Tasmanian landscape and her own ecology of artistic practices with an Arts Tasmania funded Artist in Residency Program at Cradle Mountain.
Photo: Marie Nosaka
Risa Ray
I’m a dancer from Japan. I have family there and here, and who exist in both worlds. I grew up around Tokyo, the direct opposite of Tasmania. I’ve been Tasmania for over six years and I love here. My connections are varied and contrasting. I’m not a native speaker and still studying English, but I can communicate. Dance is possibly my best way of communicating. It helps me form bridges between my worlds.
Photo: supplied by the artist
Jem Nicholas
Jem Nicholas has worked as an actor in Australia, New Zealand and New York. Jem holds a Bachelor of Performing Arts from Monash University, and has since further her studies at the Susan Batson Studio NY, 16TH Street Actors Studio and The Melbourne Actors Lab. Jem has also trained with Hollywood Director and coach Kim Farrant. Some of her notable theatre credits include playing Carrie in ‘Rules for Living’ (Red Stitch Theatre), Sylvia in ‘You Are the Blood’ (Spinning Plates Co.), various lead roles in ‘Song Contest, Almost Eurovision Experience’ (Glynn Nicholas Group), Vendla in ‘Spring Awakening’ (Monash University), and many more. Jem has also appeared in ABC’s ‘Dr Blake Murder Mysteries,’ directed by Diana Reid, and as Elizabeth in ‘The spirit of the Game’ (Shearwater Entertainment). Jem is an independent play write and physical theatre performer and puppeteer and has received a Green Room Nomination for Best Actress in an Ensemble for her role as Rose in ‘Love, Love, Love’ with Red Stitch. She is currently training in the Alexander Technique in Hobart and will graduate as a teacher in 2014.
Photo: video still from Lachy Hamill
This event is part of Winter Light 2022 and is presented by Salamanca Arts Centre
For the entire second week of Winter Light, we’ll be screening music videos made by Tasmanians in The Courtyard at Salamanca Arts Centre on the giant Optus screen! The music scene in Tasmania is going through a creative surge that is increasingly being recognised and appreciated by audiences here and beyond.
At the end of the festival, we will have a special screening of 12 shortlisted music videos that will be competing for two prizes:
Best Tasmanian Music Video
This award is sponsored by Wide Angle Tasmania and Salamanca Arts Centre. With the winner receiving $500 of free equipment hire from Wide Angle Tasmania and free use of a Salamanca Arts Centre venue for filming. This award will be judged by Industry experts.
The People’s Choice Award
The winner will receive $500 cash from MyState Bank. This award will be voted by you, the makers, the players, and the audience.
Award Presentation Night 19 August 2022 Founders Room, Salamanca Arts Centre 7-9pm Free event
Winners
Congratulations EWAH who took out the ‘Best Tasmanian Music Video’ for their work ‘Walk the Night (Dark Room Version)’ shot by Ursula Woods . You can view the film clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jbgHoApk9w
A big congratulations to all of the entrants to the Winter Light Music Video Showcase. Salamanca Arts Centre is a proud supporter of Tasmanian Music and creatives.
We’d like to thank our sponsors of these Awards, MyState, WideAngle and Optus in conjunction with Salamanca Arts Centre.
Shortlisted Videos
Absinthe – Tai Harlii – filmmaker Dameza Walsh Arcadia – EWAH & The Vision of Paradise – filmmaker Joseph Shrimpton Ausberg – Sissysocks – filmmakers Ursula Woods and Jacob Collings Calculated Lies – Bailey Jaxxon, filmmaker Will Joseph Fireworx – Bailey Jaxxon – filmmaker Callum Ball Front Row – Morgan’s Sandpit – filmmaker Scott Lleonart Man with a Silhouette – The Sign, filmmaker Paul Volta Out of Love – Robotikus – filmmaker Cal Young Parachute – Morgan’s Sandpit, filmmaker Scott Lleonart Strongest Mob – DENNI (feat Craig Everett) filmmaker Lachy Hamill Vanishing Point – EWAH & The Vision Of Paradise – filmmaker Joseph Shrimpton Walk the Night (Dark Room Version) – EWAH and Charles Donnelly, filmmaker Ursula Woods
The Entries
Walk the Night (Dark Room Version)| EWAH & The Vision of Paradise | Ursula Woods
EWAH (vocals) and Charles Donnelly (piano) first arranged a collection of songs for piano and voice from critically acclaimed album Everything Fades to Blue (independent release, 2017) for a series of curated shows in 2019. Walk the Night was one of them. In a bid to not let these exquisite versions entirely disappear into the ether, they recorded Walk the Night (Dark Room Version) at the Donnelly family home in the middle of winter in Tasmania, 2021.
The song is based on a true story about a mother who goes to a party, but never makes it back home to her children. The song imagines her walking the streets, caught between life and death, making the journey through the night to be reunited with them.
The album Everything Fades to Blue is a eulogy to women victims of violent crime; telling stories imagined from the female point of view, rather than focusing on violence from the point of view of the perpetrator, a position popular culture takes all too often.
The video for Walk the Night (Dark Room Version) was filmed live as EWAH and Donnelly performed, set in a grand room veiled in white sheets and lace. A ghostly liminal space for a ghost story.
EWAH/Emma Waters
Best known for her work with noir post punk band, EWAH & The Vision of Paradise, EWAH is a published writer, award winning musician and sometime actor. Her music is often cited as cinematic. Influenced heavily by film, it was only a matter of time before she ventured into filmmaking after collaborations in music video making.
Ursula Woods Ursula Woods is a filmmaker with a visual art and music background. Her 16mm video artwork has been exhibited, and a number of film and video works screened, at various film festivals throughout Australia and Europe.
Based in southern Tasmania, Ursula has experience working on various productions such as short narrative drama, music video, TVC, installation and documentary.
Hole in the Sky | EWAH & The Vision of Paradise | Ursula Woods
Hole in the Sky is the lead single from EWAH & The Vision of Paradise’ second album The Warning Birds. This song serves as the centrepiece of the album, a cinematically tense exploration of the band’s home state of lutruwita/Tasmania; the perils of its geographical isolation and perceived idyllic reputation. Tasmania is often seen as a pristine wilderness; however, it has a pocked history of environmental crisis and degradation. Think Franklin River, Lake Pedder, mining, deforestation and salmon farming. It is a place of brutal beauty, harsh weather and moments of political and community divide.
The video for Hole in the Sky sees the enigmatic band playing live, as Ursula zooms in and chases after their performance, both capturing it within and escaping the frame.
Director Ursula Woods and artist EWAH have collaborated previously on small scale music videos. This time the video brings together a team of local videographers and lighting talents to film at Moonah Arts Centre, located on muwinina country in the outskirts of nipaluna/Hobart suburbia. Drawing inspiration from 60s French pop and girl band videos like that of The Ronettes, the band’s strong live performance and dark post punk sound is echoed by the deep inky blacks and stark noir lighting.
EWAH/Emma Waters
Best known for her work with noir post punk band, EWAH & The Vision of Paradise, EWAH is a published writer, award winning musician and sometime actor. Her music is often cited as cinematic. Influenced heavily by film, it was only a matter of time before she ventured into filmmaking after collaborations in music video making.
Ursula Woods
Ursula Woods is a filmmaker with a visual art and music background. Her 16mm video artwork has been exhibited, and a number of film and video works screened, at various film festivals throughout Australia and Europe.
Based in southern Tasmania, Ursula has experience working on various productions such as short narrative drama, music video, TVC, installation and documentary.
Arcadia| EWAH & The Vision of Paradise | Joseph Shrimpton + Tess Campbell
Arcadia is inspired by the idea of the ancient garden, an idyll, a place of innocence and abundance. This vision is skewed with the concept of fire being introduced to earth dwellers by the god Prometheus in ancient Greek mythology. The introduction of fire to civilisation may be seen as the beginning of harnessing energy, creating tools, weapons and industrialisation. Fire, in its natural state when running wild can be destructive and global warming sees these patterns of fire threat and its ferocity increasing.
Thinking also of the story of Pandora’s jar, the song reflects on this repetitious theme in history of curiosity, of playing with fire, playing with nature and unleashing uncontrollable energies into the world.
EWAH on the video, We riffed on the idea of The Man Who Fell to Earth (by Nicolas Roeg, who also directed another favourite reference point, Walkabout). With this in mind we both referenced and reimagined the idea of an alien in the landscape with a mission to complete.
EWAH/Emma Waters
Best known for her work with noir post punk band, EWAH & The Vision of Paradise, EWAH is a published writer, award winning musician and sometime actor. Her music is often cited as cinematic. Influenced heavily by film, it was only a matter of time before she ventured into filmmaking after collaborations in music video making.
Tess Campbell
An award winning artist, and active proponent of her local arts scene, Campbell has exhibited at festivals, ARIs and notable galleries in Hobart and Melbourne, Australia.
Joseph Shrimpton
A tech creative and uber film boffin, Shrimpton’s main game is videography, but he’s also a dab hand at kinetics and electronics, creating installations for indoor and outdoor exhibitions.
Vanishing Point| EWAH & The Vision of Paradise | Joseph Shrimpton + Tess Campbell
The video for Vanishing Point was filmed in the wilds of turbunna/Ben Lomond, a craggy and imposing mountain in lutrawita/Tasmania.
This music video is an extract from a larger project, a movie Finding Paradise: a film set to the music of EWAH & The Vision of Paradise.
In the movie EWAH plays a lone explorer traversing a new world with the hope of finding a safe haven to start new life. Playing with the idea of early colonists, EWAH is equipped with a handful of cumbersome devices and tools in a perhaps foolhardy attempt to understand the strange world she is trying to survive in.
EWAH on the video, We riffed on the idea of The Man Who Fell to Earth (by Nicolas Roeg, who also directed another favourite reference point, Walkabout). With this in mind we both referenced and reimagined the idea of an alien in the landscape with a mission to complete.
Artist Bio:
EWAH/Emma Waters
Best known for her work with noir post punk band, EWAH & The Vision of Paradise, EWAH is a published writer, award winning musician and sometime actor. Her music is often cited as cinematic. Influenced heavily by film, it was only a matter of time before she ventured into filmmaking after collaborations in music video making.
Tess Campbell
An award winning artist, and active proponent of her local arts scene, Campbell has exhibited at festivals, ARIs and notable galleries in Hobart and Melbourne, Australia.
Joseph Shrimpton
A tech creative and uber film boffin, Shrimpton’s main game is videography, but he’s also a dab hand at kinetics and electronics, creating installations for indoor and outdoor exhibitions.
Deep Blue | All India Radio | Helena Papageorgiou
The video for All India Radio’s song Deep Blue is created by award winning Queensland animator Helena Papageorgiou, created in the spirit of animation greats Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle) and René Laloux (La Planète sauvage, Gandahar).
The song features Tasmanian singer Sasquin.
All India Radio
Hobart based cosmic sonic architects All India Radio have created shimmering aural edifices that cross genres and defy easy definition across a staggering 30+ releases since the late 1990s. A fusion of psychedelia, prog rock, ambience, and pure dreamy pop creates something greater than the sum of its parts: a monument to the creativity and vision of songwriter Martin Kennedy in the control room of the band since its inception.
Helena Papageorgiou, creates in the spirit of animation greats Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle) and René Laloux (La Planète sauvage, Gandahar). Her projects include working with clients such Snap, Google, Apple, Nike, Qantas, EyeJack, Gallery of NSW, Warner Music, Sunshine Coast Council as well as live visuals created for festival events such as Splendour in the Grass, Laneway, Groovin’ the Moo, Commonwealth Games Festival 2018, Geelong After Dark and BIGSOUND.
California Dreaming | The Sign |Bobby + Media
All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey. Our interpretation of a Mamas and Papas song we thought it should sound like. Thanks to POT Productions for camera and editing work.
Bobby + Media
Bobby + Media focuses on the journey involved with the creation of media. Each task is more than the final product, it’s the experience.
Man With A Silhouette| The Sign
Man With A Silhouette takes you on a journey of mystery and intrigue. This film was animated using Reallusion iClone animation software and edited using Davinci Resolve. Characters were created using Reallusion Character Creator.
The Sign
If when you hear the term ‘acoustic duo’ you imagine two people sitting on stools, lightly strumming guitars singing folk songs, think again. With a combination of 6 string and 12 string acoustic and electric guitars, The Sign are dynamic, uplifting, and fun, while their music is a harmonic combination of artfully written songs and powerful musical phrasing.
Robot Romance | The Sign
Do robots love? These robots are certainly having a great time chatting and dancing and seem to be loving it. Animated with iClone animation software and edited in Davinci Resolve. Actual footage of band was filmed in front of green screen and put back into iClone along with female character created with Character Creator.
The Sign
If when you hear the term ‘acoustic duo’ you imagine two people sitting on stools, lightly strumming guitars singing folk songs, think again. With a combination of 6 string and 12 string acoustic and electric guitars, The Sign are dynamic, uplifting, and fun, while their music is a harmonic combination of artfully written songs and powerful musical phrasing.
Lifegarden | The Sign
Lifegarden is a song written by JoAnne Volta and animated by Paul Volta using Reallusion iClone animation software. Characters created with Reallusion Character Creator and edited with Davinci Resolve.
The Sign
If when you hear the term ‘acoustic duo’ you imagine two people sitting on stools, lightly strumming guitars singing folk songs, think again. With a combination of 6 string and 12 string acoustic and electric guitars, The Sign are dynamic, uplifting, and fun, while their music is a harmonic combination of artfully written songs and powerful musical phrasing.
I Remember | The Sign
I remember a time when the air and water were clean. Filmed in front of a green screen and edited in Davinci Resolve.
The Sign
If when you hear the term ‘acoustic duo’ you imagine two people sitting on stools, lightly strumming guitars singing folk songs, think again. With a combination of 6 string and 12 string acoustic and electric guitars, The Sign are dynamic, uplifting, and fun, while their music is a harmonic combination of artfully written songs and powerful musical phrasing.
Cages| The Sign
Please don’t keep children in cages. This film is about the problems of keeping children in cages who were separated from their families only looking for a better place to live. Filmed live in front of a green screen and edited in Davinci Resolve.
The Sign
If when you hear the term ‘acoustic duo’ you imagine two people sitting on stools, lightly strumming guitars singing folk songs, think again. With a combination of 6 string and 12 string acoustic and electric guitars, The Sign are dynamic, uplifting, and fun, while their music is a harmonic combination of artfully written songs and powerful musical phrasing.
Ain’t Necessarily So| The Sign
Cover of a Gershwin brothers song. Animated by Paul using Cartoon Animator 4 and edited in Davinci Resolve. The tings that you libel to read in the bible Ain’t Necessarily So.
The Sign
If when you hear the term ‘acoustic duo’ you imagine two people sitting on stools, lightly strumming guitars singing folk songs, think again. With a combination of 6 string and 12 string acoustic and electric guitars, The Sign are dynamic, uplifting, and fun, while their music is a harmonic combination of artfully written songs and powerful musical phrasing.
War Pigs | The Sign
Our cover of a Black Sabbath song. Played in front of a green screen and edited in Davinci Resolve. War Pig video is a sign of the times.
The Sign
If when you hear the term ‘acoustic duo’ you imagine two people sitting on stools, lightly strumming guitars singing folk songs, think again. With a combination of 6 string and 12 string acoustic and electric guitars, The Sign are dynamic, uplifting, and fun, while their music is a harmonic combination of artfully written songs and powerful musical phrasing.
Pills and Wine | The DK Effect | David Johnstone+ Lizzie Johnstone
Pills and Wine is a song about making bad decisions for the wrong reasons and finding yourself in a dark and seemingly inescapable place. It’s also about realising you’ve become the very person you’ve been running from. While wanting the video to echo the feel and meaning of the track we also wanted it to be a stand-alone video art / contemporary screen dance piece. With no budget we set about light-proofing a shed, hanging black material from the rafters and using two homemade lights on mic stands. The dancer / choreographer (Lizzie Johnstone – a recent graduate of contemporary dance from VCA) listened to the track just once before performing to the brief “feel the music, but stay on the chair”. So the video is a one-take recording of her improvised and powerfully hypnotic performance.
David Johnstone is the writer, arranger, producer and engineer of the 10-song album Moving Time by The DK Effect which spent two months in the top 10 of the Australian Blues and Roots Airplay Chart in May / June 2021. He also wrote and played bass on the 10 songs for the album Blind released by Mama K and the Big Love (2017) and has songs published through Sony Music and Acuff-Rose Opryland Music (UK). David also conceived, filmed and edited the music videos Pills and Wine by The DK Effect, Moth to the Flame by Mama K and the Big Love and conceived and edited / added animation and graphics to Moving Time by The DK Effect.
Lizzie Johnstone is an emerging Australian dance artist and maker, currently based in lutruwita/Tasmania. Her practice mainly focuses on screen based works and performance.
Lizzie began her dance training at four years old and has trained in classical ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop and contemporary. She began her formal contemporary dance training at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in 2018 and graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance). It was there that Lizzie’s passion for movement and film was nurtured, which encouraged her to explore and experiment within these two artforms. This led to the creation of her two short screen dance works, Checkmate and Chaos, baby, which was curated by the Ian Potter Museum of Art, as part of their online exhibition Inside Out in 2020.
Moving Time| The DK Effect | David Johnstone+ Lizzie Johnstone
Moving Time was the first single released from The DK Effect’s 2021 debut album of the same name. The music video was filmed on an iPhone and features a static, single-shot, improvised, first-take performance by three graduate contemporary dancers, Lizzie Johnstone (VCA), Bethany Reece (WAAPA) and Sarah Saxon (VCA). It was filmed near the Glenorchy Art & Sculpture Park, produced by Lizzie Johnstone and graphics / animation were added by David Johnstone.
David Johnstone is the writer, arranger, producer and engineer of the 10-song album Moving Time by The DK Effect which spent two months in the top 10 of the Australian Blues and Roots Airplay Chart in May / June 2021. He also wrote and played bass on the 10 songs for the album Blind released by Mama K and the Big Love (2017) and has songs published through Sony Music and Acuff-Rose Opryland Music (UK). David also conceived, filmed and edited the music videos Pills and Wine by The DK Effect, Moth to the Flame by Mama K and the Big Love and conceived and edited / added animation and graphics to Moving Time by The DK Effect.
Lizzie Johnstone is an emerging Australian dance artist and maker, currently based in lutruwita/Tasmania. Her practice mainly focuses on screen based works and performance.
Lizzie began her dance training at four years old and has trained in classical ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop and contemporary. She began her formal contemporary dance training at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in 2018 and graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance). It was there that Lizzie’s passion for movement and film was nurtured, which encouraged her to explore and experiment within these two artforms. This led to the creation of her two short screen dance works, Checkmate and Chaos, baby, which was curated by the Ian Potter Museum of Art, as part of their online exhibition Inside Out in 2020.
Fallout – Premonition Part 1 | Kudu Joy | Sebine Bester, Jacob Collings + Takani Clark
Premonition is a tale of self-healing performed by Kudu Joy, directed by Takani Clark and shot by Jacob Collings. The subtle story unfolds as Kudu Joy delves into the world of tarot iconography and the telling of fate. The narrative is experienced through a feminine lens, traversing the mystique of true love, in the form of friendship, connection and self love.
Sabine Bester is a freelance musician based in Hobart. She works in a range of contemporary styles as well as having a diverse understanding and appreciation for music from the Balkan region, performing with and teaching voice, trumpet, piano and guitar, setting her place in the core of Tasmania’s music scene. She has completed a Bachelor of music at UTAS, with further training in Jazz vocals from Berklee University. Sabine has been working as an associate artist with BIGhART since 2019, delivering music workshops for young people in the North West of Tasmania, and being part of the creative team towards various music events. She has taken a leading role in the running of Bonzaki, and has come to understand the importance of bringing community together to create a meaningful experience like this event.
Jacob Collings Jacob Collings is a nipaluna based filmmaker and Director. His work has an honesty and identity that has developed over time. Upon leaving College, he quickly acquainted himself with local filmmakers and began freelancing, then making his way to London for a 6 month internship with production company The Narrative which took him on filmmaking expeditions to France, Germany and America. In 2019 he met a Props Standby by the name of Dean Sullivan and began working on The Gloaming as a props assistant. This connection has led Jacob to work on productions for the likes of National Geographic, ABC, Channel 7 and IMAX.
Takani Clark Takani Clark is a professional dabbler and multidisciplinary creative from lutruwita, exploring and engaging with mediums of filmmaking, visual art and performance.
As a First Nations woman, Takani draws inspiration from her Aboriginal and Pacifika communities. Feeling a deep responsibility to protect and document the island and its cultural identity and diversity, both environmentally and socially. As a storyteller she strives to use her creative voice to explore the natural world and our relationship with it, using documentational and fantastical lenses. Takani believes that diversity is an integral part of her creative practice, striving to collaborate with people from different artistic practices, any background and all walks of life.
Parachute| Morgan’s Sandpit
Parachute by Morgan’s Sandpit showcases several locations around Hobart Tasmania, with a melody designed to make listeners want to dance like there’s no one watching. This music video was the recipient of the ‘Best Original Song’ award at the 2021 Mystate Student Film Festival and is the first track on the bands debut album Tuesday Night Lies.
Scott Lleonart Scott Lleonart is a local Tasmanian Film maker who is in his 3rd Year at UTAS, undergoing a Bachelor of Media. Scott has been making films since 2017 and has produced three music videos for local band Morgan’s Sandpit for which he participates as the Lead Singer/Bassist. In 2021 Morgans Sandpit released their first album ‘Tuesday Night Lies’ where a featured track ‘Parachute’ won the 2021 Best Original Song category for the Mystate Film Festival.
Luke Pettit Luke Pettit is a local musician and media producer. He has been working as a chief editor and videographer for Hobart based company Beetleblack Media for four years and is the lead guitarist for band Morgan’s Sandpit. Luke is passionate about all things film, music and Sonic the Hedgehog so he was thrilled to work on the bands music video for their song Front Row as well as being the starring actor in their video for Parachute. Luke is hopeful for the future of Morgan’s Sandpit as they embark on recording their 2nd album later this year.
Front Row| Morgan’s Sandpit
A featured single from Morgan’s Sandpit’s debut album, Front Row is drenched with multi-layered guitar tracks, an infectious melody and a distain for parking tickets. The music video follows a masked individual (with a clear Sonic the Hedgehog fixation) out on the town, but they are soon to find that the streets of Hobart isn’t the safest place for a hedgehog to spend a night out. Morgan’s Sandpit would like to thank local venues Twisted Lime, Grand Poohbah and Replay Bar for allowing access to film, as well as Town-goers who were willing to participate 🙂
Scott Lleonart Scott Lleonart is a local Tasmanian Film maker who is in his 3rd Year at UTAS, undergoing a Bachelor of Media. Scott has been making films since 2017 and has produced three music videos for local band Morgan’s Sandpit for which he participates as the Lead Singer/Bassist. In 2021 Morgans Sandpit released their first album ‘Tuesday Night Lies’ where a featured track ‘Parachute’ won the 2021 Best Original Song category for the Mystate Film Festival.
Luke Pettit Luke Pettit is a local musician and media producer. He has been working as a chief editor and videographer for Hobart based company Beetleblack Media for four years and is the lead guitarist for band Morgan’s Sandpit. Luke is passionate about all things film, music and Sonic the Hedgehog so he was thrilled to work on the bands music video for their song Front Row as well as being the starring actor in their video for Parachute. Luke is hopeful for the future of Morgan’s Sandpit as they embark on recording their 2nd album later this year.
You and I | The DK Effect | Sarah Louise Badcock + Isabella von Lichtan
You and I was created for the Tasmanian band The DK Effect to accompany the release of their album Moving Time. It tells the story of a love that isn’t quite as it seems and focuses on the themes of blame, projected expectations, and lack of communication within a relationship. The film was shot on location at St David’s Park, Hobart, and uses this familiar backdrop to tell the story of a conflict between the two central characters.
Sarah Louise Badcock Sarah Louise Badcock is a Tasmanian multimedia artist with a background in creative writing, many types of visual art, and independent film making. She is interested in telling stories using archetypes and symbolism. She enjoys working with musicians to create blends of sound and image that explore both inner emotional experience and imaginary dream-like worlds. When she’s not making art, Sarah’s other interests include classical dance, beekeeping, and dressing up in costume for charity events.
Isabella von Lichtan Isabella von Lichtan is an artist who works in a range of mediums from photography and film to puppetry, painting, drawing, and mixed media. Art continues to be essential part of her life even though she works part-time as a geology curator and lecturer. She tries to spend much of her free time involved with creative projects. The most notable project has been building three 18ft scientifically accurate replicas of the Tasmanian cave spider as part of the Bookend Trust’s Sixteen Legs film and exhibition program. The touring exhibition that featured these spiders has been across Australia, including at Dark Mofo and the Australia Museum, and has also visited the USA.
Augsburg | Sissysocks | Ursula Woods + Jacob Collings + Tom Briglia
Music video for Melbourne electronic musician Sissysocks. This video for the song Augsburg, tells the story of Gill, a unique being in a messed up world. They don’t fit in. They are outcast. Their one connection is to the music which sparks a dance and beautiful moment of connection against the disconnect with the world they live in. Inspired by a real life scream into the phone hotline, this story is set in a future of despair.
Ursula Woods Ursula Woods is an artist and filmmaker with a visual art and music background. Based in southern Tasmania, Ursula has experience working on productions such as music video, narrative drama, documentary and installation. In 2021, Ursula directed and shot 6 recreation stories for Roar Film as part of their documentary on dementia. She also was the DoP for a pilot dramedy for Beyond International Productions. In 2022, Ursula was the camera attachment on Amazon Prime’s Deadloch production in Tasmania and as a result, worked on the ABC show, Bay of Fires. Ursula’s videos have been screened on RAGE, her short film at Cinema Nova, and an experimental work at ACMI Melbourne. Two of her experimental film artworks are currently showing in the Tasmanian Women’s Art Prize. Ursula writes, directs and shoots, working on productions in collaboration with others.
Jacob Collings Jacob Collings is a nipaluna based filmmaker and Director. His work has an honesty and identity that has developed over time. Upon leaving College, he quickly acquainted himself with local filmmakers and began freelancing, then making his way to London for a 6 month internship with production company The Narrative which took him on filmmaking expeditions to France, Germany and America. In 2019 he met a Props Standby by the name of Dean Sullivan and began working on The Gloaming as a props assistant. This connection has led Jacob to work on productions for the likes of National Geographic, ABC, Channel 7 and IMAX.
Tom Briglia Melbourne/Naarm-based electronic producer Sissysocks trawls vocal and instrumental textures to create easy-listening goth meditations; soundtracks for the best moments of a bad dream, or a world making the same mistakes over and over again.
Sissysocks recently released their third album, Slink Away, an exploration of fallibility via oblivion pop, produced and mixed by Architecture in Helsinki alumni James Cecil and mastered by David Walker. The album charts the artist’s evolution from harsh tones and vacuum drone towards lush textures, cinematic pop melodies, and apocalyptic atmospherics. Futuristic, doomy, but above all, human.
A Piano of Tasmania at Gordon | Mark Thomson + Kelvin Smith
It’s a short, poetic video of Kelvin performing a piece he composed called My Beautiful Home, on a rocky outcrop near Gordon in the channel area south of Hobart. The short film aims to capture some of the mood and feel of the place on a bracing winter’s day with ominous clouds looming in the background but gentle waves lapping against the surrounding rocky shoreline.
Mark Thomson Mark Thomson is a part-time videographer and photographer, who has been involved in production of numerous short films, including a short documentary called Sidelines currently available on SBS On Demand. He has been filming videos with Kelvin playing piano in different Tasmania locations since early 2020.
Kelvin Smith Kelvin Smith had the idea to bring music to people in covid lockdown in 2020 and started playing his piano in unusual locations, filming it and sharing on social media. It soon attracted widespread attention and following and his A Piano of Tasmania project has featured on ABC 7.30 Report and also NZ TV.
Calculated Lies | Bailey Jaxxon | Will Joseph
When you think you’re being cheated on, every conversation turns into an investigation. This is Calculated Lies.
Will Joseph Taroona High School Alumnus Will Joseph is a cinematographer who works under the moniker “ISHIKI” and is currently working as the tour videographer for Baker Boy and Allday.
Bailey Jaxxon Bailey Jaxxon is a singer/songwriter who is very lucky to have friends around like Mr. Ball. Fortunately for Bailey, Mr. Ball can work with very little information to somehow give artist’s exactly what they were after. Bailey prides himself on humming melodies, writing lyrics and little more.
Fireworxx | Bailey Jaxxon | Callum Ball
I thought it would be a bigger deal when you left, I pictured a marching band sending you off down the street or that there’d be fireworks to mark the end of a chapter so important to me. But they didn’t. It just fizzled.. and that was that.
Callum Ball Located in Lutana, Callum Ball is Hobart’s most in demand music producer and he has now become a one-stop shop for music and music video services.
Bailey Jaxxon Bailey Jaxxon is a singer/songwriter who is very lucky to have friends around like Mr. Ball. Fortunately for Bailey, Mr. Ball can work with very little information to somehow give artist’s exactly what they were after. Bailey prides himself on humming melodies, writing lyrics and little more.
Machine Driven| Fenella Edwards
A rap music video
Fenella Edwards is a Palawa rapper
Strongest Mob | DENNI | Lachy Hamill
Strongest Mob is a song and film clip that stands as a proud celebration of Tasmanian Aboriginal culture. It showcases a wide array of cultural practices and the lyrics reflect an unflinching and steadfast sense of identity in the fact of adversity and a lack of acknowledgement.
Lachy Hamill I’m a hip-hop producer, recordist, mix engineer and videographer based in Hobart, Tasmania. I have been a very active and passionate member of the Tasmania hip-hop scene for around 10 years and have recently started taking an even greater and more active role. I run a large music platform for Tasmanian hip-hop music alongside my colleague Andrew Greeley. We have released over 260 music videos on our YouTube channel and have amassed over 18,500 subscribers. Recently we have been focusing more on providing a platform to a multicultural and diverse array of artists, working on and releasing music in both palawa kani and Hindi.
Locked Down | Boil Up
Film clip for Boilup’s song Locked Down, written 2010
Boil Up Boil Up are a ten piece band based in Hobart. A melting pot of contemporary Australia, their roots stretch from the traditional owners of Tasmania, New Zealand and Fiji, to as far away as Ireland, England and Croatia; celebrating the coming together of different cultures into one family. Featuring rich harmonies blended together with traditional reggae, funk and R&B.
Sending You A Rainbow | The Pits | Peter Charles Macpherson
This is a video from The Pits’ lockdown LP 1.0, Sending You A Rainbow
Peter Charles Macpherson Peter Charles Macpherson videos local bands and plays in a band called The Pits.
Out of Love | Scott Targett + KOWL + Calypso
The idea for Out of Love stemmed from an old Instagram clip I made for another track of mine where my good friend Kyle played a character called Gary but he wore a green suit out at the pub which I keyed out. Basically he was a silhouette acting like a bit of a di*k. A few years go by and I’d been toying with videography and wanted to make a clip all on my own and Out of Love was the perfect opportunity to slap something together which was (in my mind) kinda dodgy but with a bit of charm.
The narrative came about after my partner and I broke up and I wanted to express something that was similar. Donning the green suits, it represents an ex couples struggles, one more than the other. Having the keyed out green suits was meant to let the audience know that their situation is unique to them but also something that we all go through with love lost. Also green screens are so much fun to play around with!
Scott Targett Scott has been professionally playing music most of his life. As a musical director, he has curated shows for festivals and worked alongside iconic Australian artists such as Shane Howard (Goanna), Mike Noga (The Drones) and Glenn Richards (Augie March). As a studio session musician, Scott has worked on a variety of records ranging in style from Afro-beat, Country, Lo-fi-Instrumental, Folk, Country and Soul. He is also a member of Tasmanian indie-rock band Lennon Wells and a touring member of Golden Guitar winning band the Wolfe Brothers.
KOWL KOWL aka Cal Young is an artist and producer from Hobart, whose music has been described as “Disco-Tinged House,” though he habitually self-describes it as “Beach House House.” Outside of Robotikus and Calypso, Cal has produced tracks for such notable Australian artists as Asta and Hugo Bladel, and in 2017 released his collaborative hit single ‘Just Words’ with Juno Award-winning Canadian, Guyanese, Indian artist Anjulie.
Calypso Melbourne-via-Tassie artist Calypso is a singer songwriter and producer. After finishing her study at Hobart’s Conservatorium of Music and delving into the eclectic world of folk music in Edinburgh, Calypso returned to Australia to pursue electronic music and now releases her own unique blend of subdued electronic/acoustic sounds where her voice is the captivating centrepiece. Together with KOWL, Calypso is also one half of electronic duo S L O W who have played major festivals including Falls Festival, Party in the Paddock, Dark Mofo, Bigsound and A Festival Called Panama.
Truth | The Blue Water Bandits | Steven Pecl
On the day the song and film clip Truth was released by The Blue Water Bandits, the writer and band member Ben Corrigan shared the following:
The last couple of years have been quite the journey, and I made a deal with myself: if I was to get through my illness and out the other side, I would get back into my music…I am lucky enough to also be working with some very talented friends of mine, who have helped this creation come together…This name came about after having to face my situation and redefine what I thought was important and what was not; I had to be brutally true with myself about what was going on and face it head on – to be true to myself and my family and friends and just be the real me without the bullshit. From this feeling then came the song…
The Blue Water Bandits (Ben Corrigan, Helen Crowther, Bede Crowley, and Jeremy Price) From the South of lutruwita (Tasmania), The Bluewater Bandits are a blend of ambience, alternative rock, and indie/soul. Growing up near the beaches surrounding The Southern Coast, our music is infused with the tales of The Island, sea & land.
Steven Pecl, Filmmaker With a day job as a nurse, in his spare time, Steven Pecl has dabbled over the years in writing, acting, stand-up comedy, filmmaking, and photography – a self-proclaimed jack of all trades, master of none.
Absinthe | Tai Harlii | Dameza Walsh
The Absinthe video clip was a DIY project filmed by Dameza Walsh and edited by Tai Harlii. The video centres around water and contains liquid imagery which were compiled by manipulating dyes with water, milk and movement and filmed on an iphone. A GoPro, lights and projectors were also used to create scenes under and above water and the visuals escalate to flow with the emotions and dynamics of the song. Absinthe has a definite lo-fi aesthetic but the clips were very slowly and meticulously gathered over nine months of sessions to create a visual that reflected the songs sentiment.
Tai Harlii Tasmania/Lutruwita based Tai Harlii was visualised into reality by singer and songwriter Jamie Taylor and the project has been performed solo and with a live band since late 2018 in both Tasmania and on the mainland. Tai Harlii songs lean towards futuristic R&B and progressive soul and with influences ranging anywhere from metal to jazz the project has been dubbed as sporting a “Jazz-Goth” vibe.
Faded Memories | Koh-Dee | Kevin Gintzburger
Faded Memories. A song created by Jarin White and I, with the video created by Kevin Gintzburger.
Cody Webberley Cody Webberley or better known by his stage name of ‘Koh-Dee’ is an electronic music producer / DJ from Sorell, Tasmania. Cody operates from his personal music production studio, where he releases a mixture of indie electronica songs – a sonic blend of lo-fi, hip hop and trap / bass music. Koh-Dee has released one full-length album, two EP albums, many many single releases, and one video game soundtrack.
The Call of Aurora is a chamber opera, based on Douglas Mawson’s 1911 – 1914 expedition to Antarctica and explores the challenges faced by all those who were stranded on the ice continent for two years, before being returned to Hobart in January 1914.
In December 1911 the SY Aurora departed from Hobart Harbour for Antarctica. Heading this expedition was Douglas Mawson, a geologist, who had previously been to Antarctica with Ernest Shackleton. But on this expedition, despite having been invited to accompany Robert Falcon Scott to attempt to be the first men to reach the South Pole (an invitation that Mawson declined, of course), Mawson chose to lead on his own expedition to undertake scientific exploration on the Antarctic Continent. The SY Aurora arrived at Commonwealth Bay in January 1912, and Mawson and his crew set to work in the remaining summer months to build their huts, and establish their main base and outposts before winter – and the complete darkness that would come with it – arrived.
During that winter of 1912 the men would have busied themselves with the many and necessary preparations for the respective scientific expeditions that each party would embark upon in the late spring of 1912. Their plan was to go out as parties of three or four, leaving base camp in October or November, and to all be back in time for the Aurora’s return in January 1913, when they would board for their trip back to Hobart.
In October 1912 Mawson and his party, which comprised Xavier Mertz and Belgrave Ninnis, along with their team of huskies pulling three sledges containing tents, food, and other provisions, headed out for what they expected to be a 500 miles and three month expedition.
For the first 300 miles or so, thing went well enough, until Ninnis suffered frost bite on one of his fingers, which, in his reluctance to bother Mawson with, ultimately became septic. When eventually Ninnis, so affected by his poisoned finger, became of no use in pulling his weight, Mawson decided to ditch one of the three sledges and some of their provisions, and pack what he believed was necessary onto the two remaining sledges, re-assigning the dogs into two teams. As Xavier Mertz, some way out front of the first sledge (on which Ninnis rode as an incapacitated passenger, and in front of Mawson’s second sledge) realised that they were all perilously close to the soft drift that had only that night before covered what he knew just then to be a crevasse, Mertz raises his hand, as a signal to go no further. But it was already too late.
The first sledge, pulled by the best team of dogs, and carrying the dogs’ food, some of the ‘man food’, many of the provisions – and Belgrave Ninnis – had completely disappeared down a deep crevasse. Going to the edge of the crevasse, Mawson and Mertz could hear the strangling cries of the dangling dogs, but could see nothing, and despite their calls – for almost three hours – heard nothing of Ninnis. They fed their longest rope down the crevasse, but it was too deep. Just like that, they had lost one companion, the best dogs, food and much of their provisions. Mawson had no choice but to turn back for camp, with the last remaining sledge and those dogs, lucky enough not to have fallen to their deaths.
The Call of Aurora begins here.
Music & Libretto by Joe Bugden
Directed by Lucien Simon Musical Direction by Johanna Bostock Set Design by Nicole Robson Lighting Design by Louise Goich
Cast (in order of appearance): Christopher Bryg as Sidney Jeffryes (the mad wireless operator) Phillip Joughin as Douglas Mawson Nick Monk as Xavier Mertz Grace Ovens as Paquita Delprat (Mawson’s fiancee) Michael Kregor as Cecil Madigan Nathan Males as The Ghost of Robert Falcon Scott Zoe Fitzherbert-Smith as The Spirit of Aurora
Ensemble Members: Rosemary Holloway ~ flute Derek Grice ~ clarinet Damien Holloway ~ viola James Anderson ~ cello Jamie Wilson ~ vibraphone
Photo by Jordan Smith. Australian Antarctic Division
More than a century ago, Australia was introduced to the wonder of Antarctica by the great scientist and explorer Sir Douglas Mawson.
Understanding the continent is key to a deeper understanding of climate, weather and sea level changes. As a nation, Australia has an enduring commitment to protect and preserve Antarctica for future generations.
Photo by Andy Hung. Australian Antarctic Division
Raise your voice with pride and joy.
Includes performance as part of Headline Concert.
If you are looking to find your voice, why not join this workshop experience and explore the possibilities by singing with others? We invite Same Sex Attracted and Gender Questioning (SSAGQ), Gender Diverse (SSAGD), people of diverse gender and sexuality, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) singers, affirming allies and gender curious to join us!
This three-day singing experience offers you the opportunity to share your journey through choral singing in a joyful, inclusive community setting. No experience necessary! You’ll be guided every step of the way, singing accessible music in a variety of styles, with on-topic themes sure to leave you feeling inspired, uplifted, and empowered.
Come and raise your voice under the leadership of world-renowned queer conductor, composer and educator Dr Kathleen McGuire and who knows, maybe you’ll keep singing well after the festival curtains close!
Spend some time with outstanding Tibetan composer/ performer Tenzin Choegyal in this thoroughly enjoyable workshop.
Drawing on his nomadic heritage Tenzin shares his knowledge of Tibetan folk song and the nomadic style of vocal projection which is unique to his musical lineage. Tenzin will also share the practice of mantra singing. Derived from two Sanskrit words, manas (mind) and tra (tool or vehicle), mantras are considered to be powerful “tools of thought” – a means of harnessing and focusing the mind.
In this workshop Tenzin leads participants on a musical journey from the joyous to the contemplative. Come along prepared to sing your heart out!
Work with Kath Williams to bring a new level of understanding of your own voice and how it works.
Find the YOU in your Singing to create ease, freedom and enjoyment through some great techniques and tools you will take away to use at Festival of Voices and beyond!
As a self-confessed vocal pedagogy nerd and ever curious lifelong learner, voice teacher Kath Williams loves to create life changing experiences for all levels of singers through sharing her passion, knowledge and wisdom gained through studying extensively, and 30 + years as a singer, musician, and performer, via discovery exploration and curiosity.
The Richard Smallwood Gospel Retrospective.
Includes performance as part of the Headline Concert and recording with the Southern Gospel Choir.
Spanning over 50 years, the music of Richard Smallwood, alongside James Cleveland and Edwin Hawkins, paved the way for and became the driving force behind the ‘new’ contemporary gospel music from the 1970’s to the present day.The influence of Smallwood’s music is immense, but at the heart of his music are the inspirational musicianship, arrangements, musical direction and production of Steven Ford. Now undertaking his PhD at the University of Tasmania with Associate Professor Legg, Steven Ford will act as a consultant with Andrew Legg and Maria Lurighi teaming up to facilitate and produce a landmark recording and concert series – a retrospective of the music of Richard Smallwood.
This workshop will create a gospel choir who will have the unique opportunity to be a part of this international project by participating in performing and recording some of Smallwood’s most loved tunes including : Anthem of Praise; Psalm 8; Total Praise and one of Steven Ford’s original compositions Faith To Believe.
Thirty years in the making, Steven Ford (Richard Smallwood/Fred Hammond/the Winans), Andrew Legg (Myron Butler/Kirk Franklin/Michael Spiby/UTAS Southern Gospel Choir), and Maria Lurighi (Voice Lecturer at UTAS since 1999 and Coordinator of Voice since 2012 at UTAS since 1999) have forged a remarkable musical and personal relationship, underpinning and reinventing the contemporary gospel music tradition in Australia.
Glee Club’s Singalong Trivia comes to the festival
This is a trivia night where some of the questions are asked and some of the questions are sung!
Your host, Vicky Jacobs is not just a gameshow fanatic, she comes equipped with her very own live choir to sing and sometimes even sing along with!
But don’t worry, this isn’t just a music-centric trivia night, it’s more! You won’t need to know what Paul McCartney’s favourite food is (it’s chip butties).
There will be questions on science, history, travel and culture and we guarantee you’ll know at least one of the answers and probably a whole lot more!
Get a table together and come along to play for some fabulous prizes and be part of a trivia night you’ll be telling people about for years!
