A HISTORY book bought during a Melbourne school’s last North East tour has inspired its latest production.
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The Last Train To Tarrawingee will be performed this weekend in Beechworth, Yackandandah, Chiltern, Corowa and Bright by students from Carey Baptist Grammar School’s middle school.
The touring group of 53 year 7 to 9 students and five adults are continuing a school tradition of annual regional tours, with every second one based around Beechworth.
Leader of learning for performing arts Martin Arnold said two years ago he visited a Beechworth bookshop and bought Railways of the Ovens & King by Nick Anchen.
“Basically that’s the inspiration for the show because it’s full of wonderful anecdotes and people about the railways in the Ovens Valley,” he said.
About 17 years ago, Carey’s middle school moved away from a purely music ensemble tour to one that focused on a region’s history.
“I have a great passion for Australian history, you get far more engagement with the audience if you are telling a story,” Mr Arnold said.
The Ovens Valley railway operated between 1876 and 1977, serving the people and businesses of Beechworth, Bright and Yackandandah.
The Last Train to Tarrawingee portrays some of the characters who filled the railway cars, like gold miners, politicians, travelling entertainers, bushrangers, farmers and sportspeople.
The students use instrumental music, drama, puppetry, song and dance to illustrate many of the colourful aspects of life in the North East and the railway’s contribution. A couple of scenes are taken word for word from historical accounts while the music includes Mozart, Gilbert and Sullivan and Irish folk tunes.
Mr Arnold said the tour, with eight shows over four days, taught the students a great deal about performing.
“We’ll turn up in a bus, we haven’t seen the space,” he said.
“We’ll have about 15 minutes to set up a whole PA system, drum kits, music stands, props, get into costumes.
“The only way that works is with a lot of teamwork, they all have very specific roles.”
Carey’s tour of free public performances begins on Friday at 7.30pm in Beechworth Town Hall. On Saturday, shows will be presented at Yackandandah Memorial Gardens (10.30am) and The Old Priory, Beechworth (7pm, bookings for dinner show on (03) 5728 1024).
The three Sunday productions take place at 10.30am (Beechworth Town Hall gardens), 3.30pm (Karinya Aged Care, Corowa) and 7pm (Star Theatre, Chiltern). Monday sees two performances on the Bright Uniting Church lawns at 10.30am and 1pm.
