Play to look at triumphs and tragedies of war

A new thought-provoking play which offers a glimpse into the triumphs and tragedies of war will be performed at Bribie Island next month.

Actors from 6 Mangrove Productions Community Theatre have been rehearsing for the production, Windows on War, which will be performed at the Bribie Community Hall on April 26 and 27.

6 Mangrove Productions President Afra Feeney says the show incorporates three mediums with different storylines to represent various wars.

“This show is a combination of radio theatre, traditional theatre and multimedia which are all brought together through a narrator,” Afra says.

“There is a radio play, letters from the front, as well as poems, stories and images.

“The first medium is an old radio play that we were gifted the royalties to. It is about a mother who loses her son in WWI and joins the anti-protest war and movement.

“For the second medium we have letters from WWII and in the third we have excerpts from a script called Minefields and Miniskirts, which is written verbatim (exact words) from the women that went to Vietnam.

“One of the gentlemen in our cast was in Vietnam and he took a lot of photos while he was there, so we are going to use them in the background with frozen images and poetry.

“We also have some other really lovely multimedia that has been contributed.”

While there are some comedy scenes in the production, Afra says the tone of the play is “quite serious”.

“The idea of this play is for the audience to question the senseless loss that war brings,” Afra says.

“There is a famous Australian play called One Day of the Year and it questions whether Anzac Day is a worthwhile celebration.

“It’s interesting because it is about a young guy who watches his father get drunk every year on Anzac Day.

“It was a play I wanted to do but unfortunately, we didn’t have the capacity to cast it.

“I did, however, like the idea of the questioning around it, so that is what Windows on War is about.

“There is an underlying question of the senseless loss that war brings, and in our production, there will be a number of scenes throughout that identify or speak to that.

“I do want to be very clear; we do not want to give the idea that there is anything wrong with Anzac Day at all, and we do not want to insult any veterans.

“We recognise that we have never participated in a war on our own back, and this play recognises the sacrifice of not only the soldiers who did go to war, but also the people that stayed home.

“It’s a review of Australians and the war.”

To see more photos, click through the gallery below. 

Details

Tickets are now available for Windows on War, which will be performed at Bribie Community Hall, 98 Arcadia Ave, Woorim.

Show times are:

Friday, April 26 – 6.30pm

Saturday, April 27 – 1.30pm and 6.30pm

Tickets are $25. To reserve your seat, click here.

For more information and updates, follow 6 Mangrove Productions on Facebook or visit the website.

About 6 Mangrove Productions

Established in 2021, 6 Mangrove Productions is a community-based theatre group committed to developing performing arts on Bribie Island and surrounding region.

The group puts on several plays and shows each year and is always on the lookout for new members.

If you would like to join, sign up to their mailing list or check the upcoming auditions tab on their website.