Inspired by the In the Dark events in the UK, I curated and produced two public ‘listening’ events for regional and state festivals.
Stories in the Dark Bendigo Writers Festival 2016
A unique program of stories by members of the Bendigo and Central Victorian community. Listen to the full program (45 minutes):
I did the sound design and production of 8 of the 10 stories.
- The Red Shag Machine (Luba Bradford: 2016) A story about cars, dating, French perfume and red shagpile carpet.
- The Four Hour School Run (Tara Dean: 2015) Every day Tara and three teachers drove 300km to work and back. People thought they were mad. They preferred ‘intrepid.’
- The Soup Angels, Margaret and Henry Harmony Nelson (Jessica Lloyd and Trent Nelson: 2016) From the mid 1800s, many Aboriginal people were forcibly removed from their homes and relocated to live in missions, stations and reserves. A song and story of two unsung heroes, originally written for and performed in the 2015 show, Ulumbarra.
- The Bombola (Judy Peel: 2016) As a child growing up on a farm, Judy didn’t have a choice on how she got to school. As long as no one saw her in “the Bombola”.
- A legacy of love (Robert Acton: 2014) Robert Acton on the love of a lifetime.
- Through the ages (Peggy Aeschlimann: 2015) Relationships, like people, grow and change.
- A visit to the vet (Anne-Marie Middlemast: 2016) Australians are big pet owners, with 4.2 million pet dogs and 29% of households owning a cat. With all that fur, companionship and joy, comes the inevitable visit to the vet.
- Poppy said horses are like people (Paul Fox: 2015) Paul’s Grandpa was a blacksmith and spent his life working with horses. His knowledge and experiences became a metaphor for life.
- Down the rabbit hole (Jane Beranic: 2015) A struggle for psychological survival growing up.
- Complimentary Caravan excerpt (Rose Turtle Ertler: 2016) An exploration of what it is to give and receive a compliment. A heartfelt collection of sincere compliments by Castlemaine folks about real people they admire.
In the Dark Castlemaine State Festival 2015
A unique program of stories by members of the Castlemaine community:
- Dja Dja Wurrung family history and country
(Rick Nelson and Alison Hanly: 2014) The first episode in a weekly radio segment about Dja Dja Wurrung history and local Indigenous news on Castlemaine community radio’s MAINfm 94.9 Breakfast Show. - Winter Sound Walk (Ros Bandt: 2013) A walk through Jaara Jaara country recorded in a year-long residency to know country as the first Australians did.
- There is only this breath (Lisa D’Onofrio: 2014) Sometimes it’s a fine line between there being too much time – and not enough.
- Classical Music from ‘The Memory Crowd’ (Rose Turtle Ertler and Glendon Blazely: 2013) A good piece of music can live on in our memories forever. This excerpt from a Maldon community arts project involved Chris Crassweller, Norm Keegel, Robert Hall, Adrian Hughes, Jill McWilliam, Bill Moore, Daphne Rooms and Nancy Whittaker.
- A legacy of Love (Robert Acton: 2013) Does anything truly end? Is death really all that final? The story of a love that continues after one partner has crossed that mortal threshold.
- Music by John Ferguson, Castlemaine (Organ and accordion) http://soundcloud.com/fergophone
- My grandma is trying to kill me (Sherryn Groch: 2013) Sherryn and her family worry that her grandma’s forgetfulness could prove fatal… not to her, but to them. A story in ABC Open’s writing project 500 Words.
- ‘Where You’ll Find Me’ around regional Victoria (Wendy Couch, Liz Dellar, Liz Martin, Ben Shue, Amy Tsilemanis: 2013). How do people spend their summer? Stories from ABC Open’s mobile video project Where You’ll Find Me.
- Where is ‘away’? (Jessie Boylan 2013) Mark Anstey shares the philosophy behind building Castlemaine’s unique gallery and artist centre Lot 19. A story from ABC Open’s video project Makers and Creators.
- Writing Through Fences (Jane Curtis 2013) From her kitchen table in Castlemaine, Janet Galbraith coordinates an online writing group of around 100 asylum seekers. A story from ABC Open’s #MentalAs project Speak Your Mind.
Jane Curtis: Curator, event producer
John Jacobs: Sound mastering
