The Living Stage March 15, 2013

THE LIVING STAGE

The Castlemaine State Festival presents the world premiere of The Living Stage; a recyclable, biodegradable and edible performance space.

The Living Stage combines stage design, permaculture and community engagement to create a recyclable, biodegradable and edible performance space. Part theatre and part garden, The Living Stage features vertical garden walls, suspended pots and portable garden beds with edible plants. The space will house a series of experimental works that draw on the concept of regeneration, and interact with the unique design that surrounds them. The result will be part experiment and part food growing demonstration; inspiring our collective optimism about the future and a “how-to” initiative that reveals what is actually possible in a world facing increasing global food crises.

Created by Tanja Beer, with Hamish McCallum, Sas Allardice and local community members.

“If Tanja Beer is not one of Melbourne’s hottest and most inventive designers, then I have no idea who is. Her signature and singular abilities to substantially alter our perception of spatial relationships within the theatre space is without peer…” (Stage Whispers)

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Performance highlights to take place within The Living Stage include PRODUCE; a site specific performance project by collaborators CreateAbility Events Network (Bendigo-based disability network), Born in a taxi (Theatre company) and Justin Bull (Local musician and composer). Also, GARDEN CHEF; an Iron Chef-inspired theatrical cook-off using produce grown in The Living Stage, including local comics Tim Ratcliffe and Sam Downing, and contestants Chef Alex Perry (Movida trained, The Good Table restaurant proprietor) and Chewton resident Beau Cook (2012 Masterchef Finalist).

The Program of The Living Stage as part of The Grove

PRODUCE: Saturday and Sunday 3pm

CreateAbility (Bendigo) along with Born in a Taxi and Justin Bull (undue noise) present an ambitious new work full of budding, shooting, blooming liveliness — out of the fruit bowl and into the fresh air.
Set amongst the elements and taking cues from the living world around us Produce grafts together sound and movement and a living, interactive theatrical space (The Living Stage). Playful and surreal, we witness growth, change, moments of unexpected generosity and the chaos of nature in this visual feast. Together we hope to find that restriction and growth are not opposites and in fact work creatively together.

THE PRESERVES PROJECT

What do we value most and what do we want to take into the future? Can we keep what is precious to us and share it at the same time? Dig into these questions with Berni M Janssen, Alison Richards and their team around the preserves table. Bring your recipes, stories, images and ideas. Discover, exchange, share, make art. Join us in The Preserves Project to add your words, thoughts, drawings, stamps and stencils to the Big Tablecloth.

GARDEN CHEF: Saturday 1pm

This is our very own version of Iron Chef meets Naked Chef. Using produce from The Living Stage, two comic hosts and three hilarious judges will entertain as local chefs and food celebrities face-off for the 2013 Castlemaine State Festival Garden Chef title. They will also be joined by the Carmen Mirandas and their entourage of little singing helpers from Castlemaine Primary School.

MINDFUL OF GROWTH

Working with Eliza-Jane Gilchrist and Suzanne Kalk, Winters Flat Primary School students will create minds full of growth to decorate the park for The Grove weekend.

LONG TABLE FEAST: Saturday and Sunday 11am

Using food sourced only within 100 miles of Castlemaine, community harvest group Growing Abundance brings the Long Table Feast to The Grove. Join us in sharing this bounty of local produce and celebration of community spirit.

16 and 17 March, 2013
11am to 4pm
Location: Victory Park - Mostyn Street, Castlemaine
Long Table Feast: $10
FREE access for all abilities and ages to other events
www.castlemainefestival.com.au/2013/the-grove/

Official Website: http://www.castlemainefestival.com.au