Mixed bag full of short, sweet treats at Anglesea Play Festival
Good things come in ‘shorts’. No one know better than the actors preparing to perform at the upcoming Anglesea One Act Play Festival on August 16-17. Now in its 24th year, this annual theatrical event attracts theatre groups from right across Victoria that will gather to explore the short play format through 17 individual performances at the Anglesea Community Hall.
Anglesea Performing Arts president Kirstin Honey says audiences can expect a lucky dip into an exciting range of theatrical works – from traditional one-act plays through to original scripts being debuted at the festival.
“Variety is the name of the game,” Ms Honey says. “You really never know what you’re going to get at this festival, but you’ll always find a real gem in any session.”
As the host company, Anglesea will be entering three individual Australian works at the festival, including a moving poetic piece about WWII and a bitting satirical Australian works are the festival, including a moving poetic piece about WWII and biting satirical comedy. Joining them will be theatre companies travelling from Torquay, Geelong, Ararat, Gisborne, and throughout Melbourne to showcase their talents across the diverse program.
The first session will kick off on Saturday at 1pm, followed by an official opening drinks at 6pm, and the festival will culminate in an awards ceremony following teh afternoon session on Sunday.
Companies will be competing for the prestige of awards such as Best Play, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Script, to name a few. Awards will be accompanied by cash prizes thanks to the generosity of the festival’s key sponsor Alcoa Australia, as well as support from the Victorian Drama League, Anglesea Golf Club, and Anglesea IGA.
Ms Honey says the festival is thrilled to announce Xan Coleman as this years adjudicator. Mr Coeman is artistic director of Melbourne-based contemporary performance company ‘A is for Atlas’, but his creative career has seen him perform and direct around the world, collecting a string of honours in the process.
“Getting Xan is a real coup,” she says. “His work is so exciting, we can’t wait to see how he interprets the plays he sees at our festival.”
The festival café, located in the hall, will keep everyone fulled; serving wholesome homemade soups, savouries, sweets, tea and coffee to keep you going all weekend with the wine bar open for Saturday night’s session.
The 24th annual Anglesea One Act Play Festival is on August 16-17 at the Anglesea Community Hall, McMillan Street. Tickets available at the door, $30 for a weekend gold pass, $15 per session. For further information go to www.angleseaperformers.org.au
[photo by Mellissa Elliot Photography]