Scenes on the Yarra @ Yarra Glen

Photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

Scenes on the Yarra is an inter-disciplinary walking performance series that takes audiences on a journey through the land and waters at sites along the Yarra River. Each site has its own history, personalities, moods and soul that are explored in each performance. The series is being produced by scenographer, Jeminah Alli Reidy and supported by Melbourne Water and Yarra Ranges Council (for the Yarra Glen installment). For each site artists are invited to be involved in a week long workshop exploring Yarra River at that particular section. This then culminating in a site specific performance along its banks evoking the unique history and surrounds of each location.

Last month was the second installment at the Yarra Flats Billabong, Yarra Glen. I was invited along with a whole host of other artists (local and visiting to the area). The artists involved were Elle Wolfhagen, Rollander Mackenzie, Mandy Pickett, Hannah Koch, Shirley Allott, Jacinta Chiron Birchall, William Veitch, Angie Macmillan, Zephlyn Neilson, Cora Zon, Thomas Veitch, Ellicia Rosemary Klimic and Jess Maguire. We spent an amazing week hearing all sorts of stories and histories, while exploring the place itself. It was an intense and rewarding experience to take all this in and then craft it into a performance. I created an installation piece referencing the birdlife of the billabong.

Big thanks to Jeminah for getting it all happening, and to all the artists, speakers and others involved over the week. Keep an ear out for the next installment coming to a site in Warrandyte in October…

Workshop meeting, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

Thoughts on Yarra Glen, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

Yarra Glen Peg Factory tray, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

Photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

The workshop set up, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

Weaving the wing, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

Shaping the body, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

Making the eagle, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

Making the eagle, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

Making the eagle, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

Sounding out the site, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

Scoping out the site, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

The show begins… Photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

Photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

Photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

Down the river they go… Photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

Photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

Mud women, photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

Photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

Photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

Kevin Heeley telling the story of the Battle of Yering, photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

The crowd… Photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

Shirley and her harp, photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

Hannah the Bower, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

Photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

Photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

The Eagle, photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

The Eagle, photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

The Eagle, photo credits: Mike Emmett, Redfish Bluefish Creative

The Eagle, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

The Eagle, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

The Eagle, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

The Eagle, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

The Eagle, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

The Eagle, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

The Eagle, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

The Eagle, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key

The Eagle, photo credits: Tim Denshire-Key