Gripping voyage of the human spirit

Hell Ship: The Journey of the Ticonderoga

ONE OF Australia’s most compelling maritime stories, in which the power of the human spirit emerged during a colonial plague, comes to life in a one-man show touring the stages of the New England North West region across March.

Created by a formidable Australian artist: actor, writer and broadcaster Michael Veitch and brought to the region by Arts North West On Tour, Hell Ship: The Journey of the Ticonderoga is a gripping night of live theatre with epic themes that modern audiences will find resonance within.

Based on Veitch’s 2018 book of the same name, this play is set in the spring of 1852 when the clipper Ticonderoga set off from Liverpool to the colony of Victoria, carrying many Scots Highlander families to the New World.

“On the voyage, however, disaster struck when a deadly typhus epidemic erupted throughout her decks, taking scores of her passengers,” Veitch said.

“On the high seas, an epic struggle of life and death played out.” Michael Veitch

According to Veitch’s research, a hero emerged in this unfolding tragedy: the ship’s surgeon, a young man on his maiden voyage, ably assisted by a brave young woman passenger.

“The couple survived the tragedy, and were soon married,” Veitch said.

In Hell Ship, the playwright takes on this doctor’s role, retelling this long-forgotten episode half a century after the event.

The drama is made all the more powerful by the fact that this courageous couple were James William Henry Veitch and Annie Morrison, Veitch’s very own great-great grandparents.

“Hell Ship is the story of a disaster, and the strength of the human spirit; a family story, but one which brings the history of so many of our brave but forgotten forbears to life,” he said.

Veitch is familiar to audiences from his years on comedy shows Fast Forward, Full Frontal and The D-Generation.

Reviewing in Stage Whispers, Cathy Bannister wrote: “Veitch’s story-telling style is tremendously warm and engaging. The character he draws is not strictly natural, but a beautifully drawn caricature, full of life and compelling to watch. He has captured a certain musicality of the language as it was written and presumably spoken in the 1800s—those long, rhythmically complex sentences that went out of vogue in the 1900s. He delivers these lines with comedic timing, moving into rapid fire urgency as the horror of the situation becomes apparent. As an audience, we come to empathise with ship’s inhabitants as we imagine the truly horrific conditions and awful inevitability of what would happen.”

Opening at the Crossing Theatre, Narrabri on Thursday March 18, Hell Ship is part of the region’s fortnight-long Create Festival, before touring to the Capitol Theatre, Tamworth on Wednesday March 24; Gunnedah’s Civic Theatre on Thursday March 25; the Royal Theatre, Quirindi on Friday March 26; Inverell’s Town Hall on Saturday March 27, and The Chapel Theatre Glen Innes on Sunday March 28.

Head to The Arts North West On Tour website for more information: http://www.artsnw.com.au/anw-on-tour-shows

Loren Ryan and Quarralia Knox ‘Bawi-li’ Tour

Arts North West are proud to announce that Loren Ryan and Quarralia Knox will be hitting the road for the ‘Bawi-li’ tour, debuting fresh and modernistic original music. Their trek takes place in the New England North West and small First Nations communities are topping the list.

POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER
Wee Waa Public School
26 March
5-7pm

Mungindi War Memorial Hall
27 March
6-8pm

Toomelah Hall
28 March
1-3pm

Walhallow Hall
29 March
4:30-6:30pm

Loren Ryan is a First Nations Australian and comes from the Gamilaraay people native to North West, New South Wales. She is renowned for combining her love of music and language, showcasing both in a creatively captivating splendor. Writing original songs and translating well known Australian songs into her “Ngamba Dhalaay” mother’s tongue.

“I am enthusiastic to play these small communities within our region because of the genuine human connection you get playing intimate gigs like this. Places like Toomelah and Walhollow, its residents would have to travel to see a concert like this, so I am thrilled to bring the show basically to their doorstep.”
Loren Ryan.

With a voice that drizzles emotion every performance, best described as a mixture of soul and R&B, resonating over a modern acoustic grass roots sound.

Quarralia Knox is a third generation singer song-writer from Tamworth, NSW and a proud Gomeroi woman. Music has always been a part of Quarralia’s life, she has developed her own sound in harmony with the styles that have surrounded her growing up varying from Blues, Rock, R&B and Rap.

“To be releasing my own music for the first time is one of the most exhilarating things I think I could ever do. I have been writing up a storm and enjoying the journey of finding myself through music and I am ready to share it with my fellow music devotees.” Quarralia Knox.

You are in for a delicious blend of genre’s when you set your ears on Quarralia’s original music.

This is an Arts North West and 2 Rivers initiative made possible by Arts Restart funding through the NSW Government.

Their original songs will be available on digital platforms on Spotify, Apple Music and all good online music stores from the 26 of March 2021.

Media contact:
Christiana: projects@2rivers.com.au or Loren: loren@2rivers.com.au

BOOK YOUR FREE TICKETS HERE

Art Word Place hangs at University

LAUNCHING IN 2019 at Tamworth Artstate and going on to the Regional Australia Institute in Canberra, Arts North West’s Art Word Place exhibition has returned home to the New England, being installed at UNE’s Dixson Library this week.

The exhibition’s final install on the walls of a library is a very fitting one, as words were the inspiration for the visual work. Art Word Place first commissioned 18 writers to create a short poem or prose based on their home landscape and then selected 18 artists, to draw on this composition as the basis and inspiration for a new work capturing the identity and sense of place in the New England.

“It was fascinating to see the similarities in the creative process for both writer and artist. Usually, artworks inspire the words, not the other way.” said Arts North West Executive Director and exhibition curator, Caroline Downer.

“When the works were created in 2019, our region was faced with the combination of lack of rain and record temperatures, devastating our local communities, the theme of drought had absolutely captured the imaginations of both writer and artist, this also resulted in themes of strength, resilience and of perseverance.” Ms. Downer continued.

The exhibition arrangement is the first of its kind in the New England North West, bringing creatives together who in most cases have not met, let alone worked together before, to take part in a unique creative exchange.

Armidale author and UNE alumni, Sophie Masson was paired with Walcha artist, Angus Nivison for the exhibition.

“I loved being involved in Art Word Place and found it absolutely inspirational to be collaborating with Angus. And as a proud alumnus of the University of New England (BA.M.Litt and PhD ) I' m delighted that our work is now to be featured in an exhibition at UNE's Dixson Library.” Said Ms. Masson.

Art Word Place is currently on exhibit in the ground floor area of Dixson Library at the University of New England. The show is really worth a visit, so if you are on a lunch break or picking up a book head down and enjoy the very best of New England North West creative talent. Dixson Library is only open to UNE students and staff.

Arts Restarts in the New England North West

IMAGE: Arts North West staff outside the office in Glen Innes.
Back L - R Michael Burge, Chris McIntosh. Front L - R: Michèle Jedlicka, Steph McIntosh, Caroline Downer.

In response to recent announcements made by Create NSW, the Arts North West team have spent considerable time over the last couple of months, developing new and exciting projects that encompass majority of the New England North West creative community.

The suite of Arts Restart projects includes the following paid opportunities for creatives in the New England North West:

In the Museum: Expressions of Interest from local artists, performers, and writers for artists-in-residence at volunteer-run, historical museums nestled in communities across the New England and North West of NSW.

There are five residency opportunities available for individuals develop their creative work in response collections at the following museums: Wee Waa Namoi Echo Museum, Dorothea Mackellar Centre and the Water Tower Museum (Gunnedah), Hillgrove Museum, Emmaville Mining Museum and Tenterfield Railway Museum.

NENW Snapshot: Arts North West is also seeking Expressions of Interest to employ 12 photographers for the New England North West Snapshot project to grow the arts events and art venue imagery database for the Arts North West platforms, to share with local council tourism centres, and media. Preference for this position will be given to developing photographers aged 18-25 with a desire to develop their skills, portfolios and experience.

Creative Champions Arts North West is seeking 12 individuals with a passion and strong interest in the arts to grow the resource base of ANW creative directory and cultural tourism site, Arts North West Connect. Creative Champions will seek out professional or advanced visual and performing artists, writers, designers, technicians, and community arts workers in the shires where they live, and assist them to enhance their resumes, bios and portfolios in the process of linking them to the Arts North West Connect regional registry of arts workers in the New England North West.

This position will be vital to establishing links between the creative population of our region and council tourism and information centres, giving our local artists and arts-related industries acknowledgment, recognition, and employment opportunities, growing sustainability for the arts within our communities.

Arts North West Executive Director Caroline Downer is thrilled to offer employment opportunities to creatives in the New England North West.

“This funding will allow us to build stronger and wider networks throughout the New England North West region, which is something we are constantly working on, but with such a large geographical area and 12 contributing councils, it is not always easy to do with a small staff.” Said Ms. Downer

“I can’t wait to see these projects roll out across the region; they will also give us greater scope supporting all things creative in the region which will help us develop future programming.” she continued.

To submit an EOI, please visit the Arts North West website and complete the online form www.artsnw.com.au

The Arts Restart Projects are being project managed by Arts North West projects officer, Michèle Jedlicka. Please direct any enquiries to projects@artsnw.com.au