imtalap rap #3
DESCRIPTION
IMATALAP Rap #3August 2014Newsletter of the International Museum Theatre Alliance - Asia PacificTRANSCRIPT
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Also insidePage 2 More on the symposium!Page 3 A few words from the EditorPage 5 We’d like to thank the AcademyPage 6 The Aztecs have come to MelbournePage 8 The Point of No ReturnPage 9 Finding Nellie MelbaPage 10 A Guide to SA
August 2014
IMTALAP-RAP!“What’s the buzz? We’ll tell you what’s a happening...”
PUTTING THE MUSE INTO THE MUSEUMThe role of narrative in Museum Theatre. Coming to Adelaide on Oct 17th and 18th, 2014
A preview of our October symposium, and why you ought to be heading to Adelaide!
On Friday October 17th, amongst the hub of cultural ins9tu9ons of Adelaide’s North Terrace, we are set to explore where the stories of museums come from, why we tell stories in the first place, and whose they are to tell. In so doing, we’ll discuss how to deal with controversial narra9ves, and with a panel of experts explore the role and func9ons o f per formances in museums from the point of view of educators, theatre prac99oners public programmes professionals, and curators. And yep... maybe even the public! You’ll have the opportunity to tell us what it is you do through a programme of fast-‐paced 2 minute “Snapshots!” And, of course, we experience and deconstruct a number of performances within the precinct.
We have also included a bonus day to make it worth your while! There’ll be a few minor costs involved, but since you’re heading to Adelaide, we figured we might as well give you some awesome things to do!
Sooooooo... Saturday October 18th takes us to historical Port Adelaide, and includes a special performance of the HeapsGood performance of “Gory stories from the Putrid Past” at the South Australian Mari9me Museum. We’re also arranging a private river cruise of one of the only city ports in the world that has dolphins dwelling in it’s waters, a tour of the Port, and...
... Cont on Page 2
Don’t just sit there, click on the link, and start planning your
trip to Adelaide!http://www.mavic.asn.au/events?
mode=Day&d=17&n=10&y=2014
REGISTER NOW!
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...a visit and tour of one of the oldest, and most successful spor9ng clubs in Australia, with an explora9on of what stories it might have to tell...
Access to the S.A. Mari9me Museum, and the performance of “Gory stories from the Putrid Past” is courtesy of IMTAL-‐AP and the S.A. Mari9me Museum. The day will provide a fascina9ng and insighUul low-‐cost addi9on to the major part of the sympos ium, and i t i s s t rong l y recommended for those aWending on Friday.
Friday’s highlights include Andy Packer, Crea9ve Director of interna9onally renowned creators of amazing theatrical stories, Slingsby. Andy will give us an insight into the Slingsby story, and in so doing, an insight into where stories come from. For more info about the “tales of shadows and sunshine for young and old” that define Slingsby, head to... hWp://www.slingsby.net.au Addi9onal Friday highlights are as follows...
JeaneWe Sewell, former Associate Producer of Channel 7’s “The Book Place” will tell us why it is that we tell stories in the first place.
Dr Moira G. Simpson of Evoca9ve Art a n d H e r i t a g e h W p : / / w ww. e -‐voca9ve.com raises some important issues relevant to whose story it is we’re telling, and the differences between the way we tell stories in the West, compared with how they are told, and where ownership sits with many indigenous cultures.
Adrienne Leith of Melbourne Museum argues that “Mary Shelley” had it easy” in the telling of her stories, and explores what she describes as the risks and “the pain in wri9ng narra9ves for museum theatre.”
J o H e n w o o d h W p : / /www.johenwoodstoryteller.com.au of the Australian Storytellers’ Guild gives a workshop on the importance of a good story as the founda9on of museum theatre, including some prac9cal exercises to get us up and about!
As with any good symposium, we have a panel!! Ours will discuss the role of storytelling in museum performances, and how to create and then tell those stories... Chaired by Nigel SuWon of NDS P r o d u c 9 o n s , h W p : / /www.ndsproduc9ons.com.au/ the panel features a range of professionals from curators, to theatre producers, to public programmes folk!
Delegates are encouraged to par9cipate in 2 minute “Snapshots” at the end of the day and tell us a liWle about something they’re working on, about themselves, or about something they’ve done!
In addi9on to “Gory Stories” on the Saturday, Friday features a number of performances to dissect and discuss from the Australian Classical Youth Bal let , Nel l ie Melba hersel f as channelled by Jo Clyne, and a special surprise at the Adelaide Fes9val Centre.
Pictures from a symposium
The Irish Orphan, South Australian Migration Museum
Graphic for Slingsby’s “The Tragical Life of
Cheeseboy”
The cast of “Gory stories from the Putrid Past”
PUTTING THE MUSE INTO THE MUSEUM ...CONT
IMTALAP-Rap August 2014 http://www.imtalasiapacific.org
As we said on the previous page, don’t just sit there, get registering...
http://www.mavic.asn.au/events?mode=Day&d=17&n=10&y=2014
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The importance of the story is
that it is the thing that binds
everything together. People do not
engage with objects. They engage
with the stories contained within
those objects... the narra9ve! And so,
when the IMTAL-‐AP CommiWee was
pondering on what it was that we
might arrange for a symposium for
2014, we decided that it would focus
on that. On the role of the muse in
the museum... Of where the stories
come from, and how we turn them
into performances. Of whose stories
we are telling, and whether we ought
to be telling them. And of why we tell
stories in the first place!
And so it is that several of the
contributors to the symposium are
included in this edi9on to whet your
appe9te a liWle... to tempt and tease
you into to coming to the Fes9val
City... Where so many of the cultural
ins9tu9ons are within a minute or
two’s walking distance. Where
connec9ons are there to be made...
Where ideas go to dance!
One of the great advantages of
having a symposium in Adelaide for
those outside of Adelaide is that it
takes you away from your daily tasks
to join a collec9ve of like minded folk.
Many of them you might email with,
and talk on the phone with from 9me
to 9me. It is in such a gathering,
however, that we get to watch our
ideas dance together... To form lives of
their own, and forge their own
pathways.
Importantly, there will be a
number of performances during the
symposium. There wi l l be an
opportunity to discuss with each ar9st
the development and execu9on of the
works. There will also be plenty of
networking 9me; 9me to chat and
wax lyrical about whatever ideas are
both brought along, and are born in
the caldron of crea9vity that such
occasions can become.
I hear9ly encourage you all to do
what you can to make your way to
Adelaide for both days, being October
17th and 18th. I’d also suggest you
s9ck around a liWle longer if you can...
There is much to see, much to talk
about, and much to experience in the
city that seems to get it right in
pucng fes9vals together.
The following page contains a
ready made flyer to print off and s9ck
up around the office, or email to your
colleagues. I encourage you to do
both.
So that’s it, then! All sorted! We’ll
see you all in Adelaide for a grande
adventure in storytelling, and a
unique opportunity to share the stuff
that we do that we love, with many of
those who get what we do!
Michael Mills, Editor
Creative Director,
HeapsGood Productions
A WORD IN YOUR EAR...Did I mention we have a symposium in Adelaide coming up?
Keep us updated...Please help us update our database. Send us your name, role, institution, phone number and email address to...
Ask to join our Facebook group for regular updates and conversations...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/IMTALAP/
Check out our website at...
http://www.imtalasiapacific.org
IMTALAP-RAPSend articles and items with colour photos to...
Word limit is 900 words, unless pre-arranged with the Editor
Colour pics, please!
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http://www.mavic.asn.au/events?mode=Day&d=17&n=10&y=2014
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We’d like to thank the Academy...Michael van Tiel, Powerhouse Museum
It seems that here in Museum Land, it’s awards season! In par9cular, two members of the esteemed IMTAL-‐AP commiWee were recently presented with awards acknowledging their fine work!
Award number one went to Michael Mills. Michael has been awarded the South Australian Unsung Hero of Science Communica9on Award. This Award is presented by the SA branches of the Australian Science Communicators and Na9onal Science Week to recognise exemplary but previously unrecognised excellence in science communica9on by someone who is not a researcher. As Barry rightly commented “What's this 'unsung' business?! You're the 'singingest' hero I've ever known!” In the pic above, Mr Mills is holding his award with everyones childhood science heroes Rob Morrison and Deane HuWon from The Curiosity Show.
The second award went to our very own President Patrick WaW! Patrick won the Museums Australia (Victoria branch) Individual Award for Excellence for his work at the Burke Museum and Beechworth Historic Precinct over the past 2 years. The Awards judges commented: “Mr WaW has made
a huge difference to his organisa9on in a short space of 9me and has already made a substan9al impact on the schools and community groups of the area. Mr WaW has raised the overall standard of the museum to a new level, increased visita9on, and has made the museum a place people look forward to working at and visi9ng”.
Congratula9ons to you both! And if anyone else has secretly won an award be sure to share it with the rest of us!
Left: Michael Mills accepting his award.
Below: Patrick Watt receiving his award.
IMTALAP-Rap August 2014 http://www.imtalasiapacific.org
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The Aztecs have come to M e l b o u r n e i n a n exhibi9on of amazing artefacts from Mexico. As p a r t o f t h e o ve ra l l programming for the Aztecs exhibi9on, the Educa9on and Community P r o g r a m s t e a m a t Me l bou rne Museum c reated a theat r i ca l presenta9on called “Aztec City”.
I’d like to tell you about the style of theatre and presen9ng that we use at Melbourne Museum, and some of the c o n u n d r um s w e f a c e d w i t h interpre9ng human blood-‐lecng and sacrifice without sani9sing Aztec history.
Our style falls between standard presen9ng formats (such as a person talking in the front of a room using a Powerpoint presenta9on), and full-‐on ac9ng in a theatre secng. We call it theatrical presen9ng. We use drama and comedy and some9mes even pathos. We do have props and use simple staging. Some of the people in the team are trained actors, but we make a point of not taking on characterisa9on nor wear costumes. We write ourselves into the script as the narrator, traveller, observer or interpreter.
Bernard Caleo and I, with the help of a contract expert on Aztecs, Ann Butler, h ad t he j ob o f c rea9ng t he presenta9on. Inspired by the success of our presenta9on “A Slave’s Eye View” made for the Day in Pompeii exhibi9on some years ago, we wanted to develop a presenta9on which
would u9lise the skills of mul9ple external ar9sts to bring those bloody Aztecs to life. We brought in an illustrator, animators, a musician and soundscape ar9st. We also hired actors and embedded the film into the anima9on.
“Aztec City” takes the form of a visit to the main c i ty o f the Aztecs , Tenoch9tlan. There are three main scenes; at the floa9ng gardens which surrounded the city, in the small neighbourhoods within the city boundaries, and then finally at the main temple. We wanted to show that the Aztecs’ psyche was framed by their close rela9onship to their gods, and their belief that if they didn’t follow rigid cultural, social and religious prac9ses, the earth would die. We also wanted people to know that the Aztecs had a sophis9cated, clean and ordered city. Importantly, the development of an empathy with the Aztecs was key to the audience’s ability to absorb what to us seem like horrific prac9ces.
We r e a l i s e d t h a t sacrifice, so central to Aztec life, needed to be p a r t o f t h e presenta9on. Prisoners who were to be ‘gioed’ are shown going up the temple stairs and then blood runs down the steps. And because the A z t e c s p e r s o n a l l y blood-‐let on a daily basis to appease the gods, we included a scene with one of the actors cucng her arm with a maguey plant
(spiky kind of American aloe), and the blood was suggested with animated sequences of red s9cky dots applied to the actor.
Limited places available for this thought provoking,
developmental opportunity...
http://www.mavic.asn.au/events?
mode=Day&d=17&n=10&y=2014
REGISTER NOW!
The Aztecs have come to Melbourne...Adrienne Leith, Senior Programs Officer, Education and Community Programs, Melbourne Museum
Adrienne will be presenting at our symposium in Adelaide... October 17th and 18th, 2014
IMTALAP-Rap August 2014 http://www.imtalasiapacific.org
The weather’s pretty awesome in Adelaide in
October... The symposiums are pretty cool, too! So...
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The Aztecs have come to Melbourne... cont
When it came 9me to show the presenta9on to the volunteer staff, one person who was a teacher at a high school said “you can’t show the cucng of the arm” as this may be seen as a vision of the disturbing prac9ce of self-‐harm amongst teenagers. The blood running down the temple stairs was seen to be far enough removed from our audience’s daily life, but the woman cucng herself alone in her home was thought of as an example of self-‐harm.
F rom d i s cuss ions i n v o l v i n g m a n y col leagues across Museum Victoria, we dec i ded t ha t we wou l d s h ow t h e woman cucng her arm but there was no blood shown in that scene.
Other co l l eagues thought it too scary f o r o u r t a r g e t audience, which during the holidays, starts from around 4 years old. I held focus groups showing the presenta9on to children and adults. The kids were fine, but the parents were not so sure. In response, we wrote a preamble to the script about how ‘different’ Aztecs were to us, that they were fearful of their gods, and that the presenta9on might be scary, so that our audiences were warned about the nature of the
content. As part of this preamble we warned audiences specifically about the cucng scene. We also changed the show to adver9se a PG ra9ng, something we’ve never done before.
In the end, none of this content seemed to concern our audiences. During the holidays, it was presented to over 3,000 children and their carers. One family walked out when the gods started appearing. But the perceived ‘nasty’ content seem to go over the heads of the very young kids, and parents and children said aoer shows
that they thought it was informa9ve and enjoyable. It was an interes9ng outcome, given our fe a r s o f fi l l i n g c h i l d r e n w i t h n i g h t m a r i s h thoughts. (Are we to thank ‘Horrible Histories’ for laying the groundwork for this content?)
Museums are given the responsibility
of being true to history but also not affec9ng children nega9vely. I’d like to hear of other people’s experiences if they’ve had to interpret very sensi9ve material in museums. I’d also like to hear whether you guys, the theatre in museums crew, think ‘theatrical presenta9ons’ are the real deal. Is it museum theatre? And meanwhile, come and see Aztecs at Melbourne Museum and we can show you “Aztec City”.
If you have something to say, something to share, something you’re pondering over, the deadlines for the next few editions of IMTALAP-Rap are...
November 20th 2014 February 20th 2015 May 20th 2015 August 20th 2015
Word limit 900 words.
PUT IT THESE YOUR DIARY: FUTURE IMTALAP-RAP DATES...
IMTALAP-Rap August 2014 http://www.imtalasiapacific.org
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Call for papers...16th International Network of School Heritage Symposium
Sovereign Hill Museum, March 25th-‐28th 2015
THE THEME IS “LEARNING THROUGH HISTORY”
Whilst this is a very broad theme we wish to explore the crea9ve ways schools, museums and universi9es present the history of the past.
The aim of the symposium, which connects school museums, researchers, history teachers and museum schools, is to present and explore:
The effec9veness of role play; Museums -‐ How do you present history? Lobbying for funds; The history of educa9on from a university perspec9ve.
The working language of the conference is English. The presenta9ons should be no longer than 15 minutes and at the end of four presenta9ons there will be 30 minutes for discussion and ques9ons.
Deadline for the proposal of abstracts submission: 30th September 2014
Interested par9es are invited to submit an abstract of no more than 200 words to
or by mail to: Sovereign Hill School, c/o Sovereign Hill Post Office Magpie Street Ballarat Victoria, Australia 3350
“The Point of no return...”Alaine Beek, Essence Food Studio
In 2007 I have wrote a one act play ‘Point of No Return’ which is based on the history of the boys prison Point Puer (next to Port Arthur in Tasmania). I entered it into a Na9onal One Act Playwright compe99on and I have recently found out it is one of three finalists in the open sec9on.
The backstory to this is I visited Port Arthur in 2007 and the boys prison Point Puer located next to the adult prison. I was fascinated by its story and when I returned to Australia I wrote a one act play about it which I workshopped with some local primary school students. As of 2014 I am direc9ng plays for the Werribee Secondary Drama Club and whilst searching for suitable plays that the male students could perform in, I thought of the Point of No Return. They were very enthusias9c about performing it so we workshopped the play to make improvements and performed it to the school community. The boys took it on with gusto. They loved the story of the prison and performing characters of their age. Since then I con9nued to rework the play and eventually decided to enter it in the compe99on. The judging has already been decided on the wri9ng aspect and will be announced aoer a performance of the play October 11th at the Richmond TheatreWe. There will be four performances evenings October 9, 10 and then aoernoon and evening on 11th. There will be other awards on the night for People’s Choice and Best Performance. On August 24th the plays are read and audi9ons are held for directors and cast for the plays to be performed but I have put up my hand to direct it myself and use the same boys who workshopped it previously.
For the past 11 years Essence Produc9ons has been performing historical plays at Werribee Park both in the Mansion and also at the old farm. As a member of IMTAL and, like you all, someone who is passionate about live performance to tell a story, I am thrilled that this historical play has been chosen as a finalist in this compe99on. Seeing the enthusiasm of the boys involved is another reminder that museum theatre works. I’ll be returning to Port Arthur with script in hand.
IMTALAP-Rap August 2014 http://www.imtalasiapacific.org
Pictured: Alaine Beek
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“Finding Nellie Melba”Jo Clyne, History Teachers’ Association of Victoria
Jo will be presenting at our symposium in Adelaide... October 17th and 18th, 2014
It is always exci9ng when a museum takes its first step into using museum theatre as an interpre9ve tool. At the start of 2014, an informal conversa9on with Megan Sheehy, curator of public programs at the Yarra Ranges Regional Museum became a commission for the History Teachers’ Associa9on of Victoria to develop a short performance about Nellie Melba for a Mother’s Day event at the museum.
Working with the museum, rather than as an outsider performer, made the process of developing t h e s h o w w o n d e r f u l l y collabora9ve. All hands were on deck. The idea of presen9ng a special Mother’s Day performance developed into ‘High Tea with Nellie Melba,’ a show performed in the museum’s café while aud iences ate morn ing o r aoernoon tea. We worked closely with the café to create an envi ronment conducive to performance and even raffled a boWle of Nellie Melba wine, donated by Coombe Farm. A very successful (and last minute) part of the performance was the souvenirs that visitors could take away from the show. These included a choice of a Nellie Melba badge or buWer knife, the 9cket or ‘invita9on’ and a Polaroid of themselves posing with Melba.
There are many challenges in playing a character as famous as Melba. As a performer, I had to make many decisions. Working with the curatorial and programs staff at the Yarra Ranges Regional Museum, we considered at what age I should play Nellie Melba. As an icon, she is always remembered with a 9ghtly corseted waist and large brimmed hat. But this is Melba as the beginning of her career. As she grew older, her story con9nued to develop. Some of the most interes9ng artefacts in the Yarra Ranges Museum collec9on were items rela9ng to Melba’s involvement with fund-‐raising during World War I. Many do not realise Melba was appointed a
Dame due to her contribu9ons to na9onal service through fund-‐raising, rather than her singing.
The final script had set the story on the aoernoon before Melba received her OBE. Melba has invited dis9nguished guests from the Lilydale area for high tea to celebrate. The year is 1918 and Melba looks nothing like the portraits on stamps and the $100 bill. She is in her late 50s, has grown solid and now favours more conserva9ve hats and dresses.
Between courses of the high tea, Melba rises to give a speech about the war effort. She speaks about the contribu9ons of the local community and reads a leWer from a Lieutenant Wilkie, who has wriWen to her from the trenches to thank her for the Christmas puddings sent to his regiment. She emphasises the need to keep s uppo r9ng damaged soldiers when they return from warfare and boasts about the considerable sum (over 100,000 pounds) she has raised for the war effort. As the Yarra Ranges Museum is based in Lilydale, Melba’s hometown and the loca9on of her house ‘Coombe CoWage’ she reflects on her love for the town and closes with her most famous song...
Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home;
A charm from the skies seems to hallow us there,
Which seek thro' the world, is ne'er met elsewhere.
Home! Home!
Sweet, sweet home!
There's no place like home
There's no place like home!
mothers day High tea with Nellie Melba
Sunday 11th may 2014
Enjoy High Tea with the Yarra Valley's own Nellie Melba, as she prepares to accept her honour as Dame at the end of the First World War. Hear about
Melba's love of Australia and the Yarra Valley, her fundraising efforts during World War One, and the personal side of her glamorous life!
This exclusive twenty minute theatrical performance has beendeveloped for Yarra Ranges Regional Museum from original
historical materials held in the Museum Collection.
a seasonal high tea chicken & cucumber
sandwichessmoked salmon pastriespear & almond friands
peach & raspberry tartslittle chocolate eclairs
Tea & Coffee
Tickets$65 per personTwo Sittings ....
From 11.15am until 1pmor 1.30pm until 3.30pm
includes performance & high teaBookings essential
Museum harvest, 35 - 37 castella street lilydale 9739 7234
IMTALAP-Rap August 2014 http://www.imtalasiapacific.org
Jo Clyne as Nellie Melba
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Here’s what the good folk at Urban Spoon are saying about Adelaide’s eateries... http://www.urbanspoon.com/c/336/Adelaide-restaurants.html
For those of you heading, or thinking about heading to Adelaide for the 2014 IMTAL-AP Symposium, be aware that you are heading to the land of wine, restaurants, and culture! Following is some information about the main culturual institutions that you’ll be visiting as part of the symposium, and a few other things you might want to ponder doing while in the Festival State!
IMTALAP-Rap August 2014 http://www.imtalasiapacific.org
A quick guide to South Australia...
The North Terrace precinct in Adelaide provides an easy walk between a number of the State’s most significant cultural ins9tu9ons. Two of those ins9tu9ons, the South Australian Migra9on Museum, and the Adelaide Fes9val Centre will be hos9ng Friday’s symposium ac9vi9es. Exploring each ins9tu9on is essen9al for any visitor, and if you’re planning on arriving early, or staying a liWle longer, are both on the must see list.
Of course, the newly refurbished, and well aWended Adelaide Oval, the South Australian Art Gallery, the Adelaide Botanic Garden, the State Library, and Parliament House, are all within the precinct and equally essen9al spots to visit. You can spend an en9re day exploring the precinct, with lunch and dinner at one of the many, many, many dining places to be found within walking distance.
The South Australian Mari9me Museum houses a wonderful collec9on of artefacts that explore and tell the stories of the fascina9ng mari9me story of South Australia. In “Rough Medicine; Life and Death in the Age of Sail”, the Museum has created an exhibi9on that explores immigrant voyages that are part of the family histories of millions of Australians. The exhibi9on probes passengers’ leWers and diaries, surgeons’ journals and brings together an extraordinary collec9on that includes bone syringes used to inject mercury as a hoped cure for sailors’ suffering the clap, surgical kits, 9nctures and powders, even jars of wriggling leeches.
“Gory Stories from the Putrid Past” was developed in close consulta9on with the Museum at the same 9me Rough Medicine was being put together. It serves as an interes9ng template for how museum theatre might be produced, and in being performed and discussed as part of the extra day on Saturday, gives an opportunity for delegates to gain an insight into how the folk at Heaps Good Produc9ons go about their work.
Everything you want to know about South Australian tourism is here... http://www.southaustralia.com/index.aspx
Here’s a direct link to some wine tour info... http://www.southaustralia.com/food-and-wine/food-wine-tours.aspx