THERE were very happy audiences to be seen both in Delegate and Bombala last Saturday, as big crowds came along to enjoy the ‘Farmer will Swap Combine Harvester for Wife’ production presented by the Cooma Little Theatre.

A matinee of the play attracted 84 people to the Delegate School of Arts on Saturday, while the evening production at the Bombala RSL Club saw 97 audience members rolling up.

The play also scored a crowd of 84 in Nimmitabel the evening before.

These are impressive numbers, with Jim Brindle of Cooma Little Theatre being delighted with the response to ‘Farmer’, which was very comical, whilst still touching on some serious rural issues.

“The response we received in Nimmitabel, Delegate and Bombala was terrific,” Mr Brindle said.

“The play was very well accepted, and the message of the production was delivered and received very well.”

Those involved with the production were thrilled to have audience members approach them during the afternoon tea and supper, praising the play as “fantastic”, and asking what the Little Theatre has up its sleeve next.

“It was great to be able to tell everyone about our upcoming pantomime, ‘Cinderella’, which will be performed in Cooma in November,” Mr Brindle said.

“Overall we were very pleased with how ‘Farmer’ went in Nimmitabel, Delegate and Bombala, and believe it was certainly worth the effort.”

This was also the feeling of the Monaro Family Support Service which assisted in presenting the play, with financial support coming from the South East Arts Regional Arts Foundation, the Foundation of Rural and Regional Renewal, and the NSW Department of Primary Industries.