Women in War - in the Second World War Gallery, Australian War Memorial. Commemorative opening ceremony, Telstra Theatre Fri Feb 26. Program Coordinator: Carolyn Newman. Keynote Speaker: Julia Zaetta, Editorial Director of The Australian Women's Weekly.
Theatre often takes you by surprise. So it was when Beryl Williams, an original WAAAF, described the showers at Bradfield Park in 1941: a long pipe with shower roses every 18 inches. "Can you imagine all us 18 year old naked girls every morning?" she asked. Bradfield Park! I was there - a ten-pound (Sterling) migrant in 1955! I'm sure the showers had cubicles by then.
"Theatre of war" was a US term for a geographical region, but this exhibition gives it new meaning. Julia Zaetta spoke of the contrasts: the loss and sorrow which her generation was fortunate to miss; but the cameraderie and community among women which the war experience gave them, and which she envied.
The new Second World War Gallery certainly is a living theatre surrounding us with all the contrasts. I felt quite overwhelmed and unsure of my feelings in the midst of lights, moving pictures and soundscapes. Ms Zaetta had asked people to speak of their memories, and I talked to many other women among the exhibits and at afternoon tea.
The strongest memory for so many women was that joining up gave them independence and a feeling of control of their lives. Nurses told me how they couldn't wait to get into the air force and the army. They had no family responsibilties, were anxious for adventure. "I didn't think it would matter if a bomb got me", said one. But the other response was disappointment that the end of the war saw most women back in the old woman-in-the-kitchen role.
They lost the opportunity to put all their skills and training into practice, and expressed regret that young women in recent times have had to "re-invent the wheel, when we were doing it all back then."
And what of the exhibition? Some felt it was too overwhelming emotionally - indeed one woman had to leave. Some were concerned it seemed to glorify war's excitement, and yet thought the young today will get to know more about the war than the 60's generation which had scoffed at it. Some felt it glorified the enemy: "I was really non-plussed when I walked into the light and saw I was standing on an image of the Japanese flag - the Rising Sun. I think it might be..." She didn't say "offensive" but I felt that's what she meant.
Many said the film and sound exhibits made them shiver and re-live feelings from that time. "But we would like to put that back in the past. Perhaps it is concentrating too much in the past, when we should think of the future." "But the exhibits are very well done."
Mixed feelings. Controversial thoughts. Strong theatre indeed.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Friday 26 February 1999
Thursday 18 February 1999
1999: Kiryuho - Art of Movement Workshop
Kiryuho - Art of Movement Workshop. Master Kajo Tsuboi assisted by Teruomi Kuchina and Kyoko Sato. At the Choreographic Centre for Weereewa - Festival of Lake George Wed Feb 17, 1999.
Japanese theatre and training methods have influenced actors and dancers world-wide, but I, like most western drama teachers, had to rely on reading works such as The Way of Acting by Tadashi Suzuki, reading No plays and studying Zen. To meet Master Kajo and watch him teach was a privilege - and a humble admission to myself about how short a distance I had travelled along the road.
At least I think I was going in the right direction, towards the three R's: Relaxation, Realisation and Relationship. In three hours Master Kajo took people, of varying levels of experience, remarkably far - though he told me that even the best students take three years to absorb the lessons and be able to practice Kiryuho well.
Ki is the energy of the mind and body - physical and creative energy working together. Ryu is the streaming of energy - which can run free or be held back. Ho is the order or structure which we can give to the flow of the stream.
By using movement based on the shape of the mobius strip - in which infinity is represented by never-ending clockwise and anti-clockwise motion - Master Kajo taught how to observe the movement of all the body which follows the movement of one part; how this awareness creates relaxation, leading to realisation as one chooses to shift the lead to new parts of the body; and how this naturally allows good relationships to develop throughout the body. The result is strong and impressive movement, which is the basis not only of all acting and dance, but of healthy and effective relationships in life.
With the help of Andrew McNicol playing a ground note on didgeridoo, people created fascinating improvised movement which seemed to have no end after 45 minutes and could easily have gone on to become an extended group improvisation. Julie Rogers, who translated for us and organised the workshop, explained that this would happen in longer sessions.
Ring Mirramu Creative Arts Centre 02 6238 1492 to book for more Kajo workshops May 20-23.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Japanese theatre and training methods have influenced actors and dancers world-wide, but I, like most western drama teachers, had to rely on reading works such as The Way of Acting by Tadashi Suzuki, reading No plays and studying Zen. To meet Master Kajo and watch him teach was a privilege - and a humble admission to myself about how short a distance I had travelled along the road.
At least I think I was going in the right direction, towards the three R's: Relaxation, Realisation and Relationship. In three hours Master Kajo took people, of varying levels of experience, remarkably far - though he told me that even the best students take three years to absorb the lessons and be able to practice Kiryuho well.
Ki is the energy of the mind and body - physical and creative energy working together. Ryu is the streaming of energy - which can run free or be held back. Ho is the order or structure which we can give to the flow of the stream.
By using movement based on the shape of the mobius strip - in which infinity is represented by never-ending clockwise and anti-clockwise motion - Master Kajo taught how to observe the movement of all the body which follows the movement of one part; how this awareness creates relaxation, leading to realisation as one chooses to shift the lead to new parts of the body; and how this naturally allows good relationships to develop throughout the body. The result is strong and impressive movement, which is the basis not only of all acting and dance, but of healthy and effective relationships in life.
With the help of Andrew McNicol playing a ground note on didgeridoo, people created fascinating improvised movement which seemed to have no end after 45 minutes and could easily have gone on to become an extended group improvisation. Julie Rogers, who translated for us and organised the workshop, explained that this would happen in longer sessions.
Ring Mirramu Creative Arts Centre 02 6238 1492 to book for more Kajo workshops May 20-23.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Wednesday 17 February 1999
1999: Eco-Maze by Evelyn Roth
Eco-Maze by installation artist Evelyn Roth. Bungendore Park: Fri Feb 19, 1999, 3.30-5pm, Sat Feb 20 1-5.30pm, Sun Feb 21 11am-6pm.
"Would you like me to help you read?" said the 10 year-old Eco-Guide from Bungendore's Youth Theatre to a 5 year old. "Aw, I know how to read!" came the indignant reply.
This was after nature had already had its way with the air-pressured construction - a jealous gusty north-westerly tore into the fabric of life at Lake George from the days of volcanoes and uplifts to the need to replant vegetation today.
While repairs were made I had an excellent hot cappucino at the Gib (pronounced 'jib' for Gibraltar) Street Café and delicious Armenian tea cake (walnuts and orange) under a clear sky. It looks to me that the Weereewa - Festival of Lake George is a blue sky investment for Bungendore and district.
Stan d'Argeaval deserves accolades for his organising work - and here he was with daughter Renee fixing the maze for its inaugural walk-through by an excited bunch of children guided by Sarah, Monique and Natasha whom Evelyn Roth had met only the day before. They took us through the blue-green wetlands, into a land of orange volcanoes (where we peered into the cones to read all about Lake George's history) and through to a bright blue-yellow lake where we planted velcro vegetation all around.
Evelyn - a Canadian shortly to become Australian and based nowadays in Adelaide - began by sewing a blow-up salmon for a Salmon Festival with the Haida people on Queen Charlotte Islands in 1977, having already established her work as an environmental dancer, and today has a busy career creating mazes, webs and other amazing structures for festivals in many countries.
The value of her Eco-Maze is part theatrical (this is participatory theatre, of course) and especially educational as the children experience visual stimulation, information gathering and dramatic activity around a theme which is already established in school. The maze is a support for the work of the children's teachers - and Evelyn is available to work in a residency situation for a school or community to develop fabric environments which are tailored to more specific interests. Her website is www.evelynroth.com.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
"Would you like me to help you read?" said the 10 year-old Eco-Guide from Bungendore's Youth Theatre to a 5 year old. "Aw, I know how to read!" came the indignant reply.
This was after nature had already had its way with the air-pressured construction - a jealous gusty north-westerly tore into the fabric of life at Lake George from the days of volcanoes and uplifts to the need to replant vegetation today.
While repairs were made I had an excellent hot cappucino at the Gib (pronounced 'jib' for Gibraltar) Street Café and delicious Armenian tea cake (walnuts and orange) under a clear sky. It looks to me that the Weereewa - Festival of Lake George is a blue sky investment for Bungendore and district.
Stan d'Argeaval deserves accolades for his organising work - and here he was with daughter Renee fixing the maze for its inaugural walk-through by an excited bunch of children guided by Sarah, Monique and Natasha whom Evelyn Roth had met only the day before. They took us through the blue-green wetlands, into a land of orange volcanoes (where we peered into the cones to read all about Lake George's history) and through to a bright blue-yellow lake where we planted velcro vegetation all around.
Evelyn - a Canadian shortly to become Australian and based nowadays in Adelaide - began by sewing a blow-up salmon for a Salmon Festival with the Haida people on Queen Charlotte Islands in 1977, having already established her work as an environmental dancer, and today has a busy career creating mazes, webs and other amazing structures for festivals in many countries.
The value of her Eco-Maze is part theatrical (this is participatory theatre, of course) and especially educational as the children experience visual stimulation, information gathering and dramatic activity around a theme which is already established in school. The maze is a support for the work of the children's teachers - and Evelyn is available to work in a residency situation for a school or community to develop fabric environments which are tailored to more specific interests. Her website is www.evelynroth.com.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
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