Sell-out Success!
SUNDOWNER was a major, new, performance work for KAGE combining dance, drama and original composition to reflect the experiences and frustrations of younger onset dementia. It was presented on the opening weekend of Castlemaine State Festival 2011.
2pm Friday 1st April
2pm and 7:30pm Saturday 2nd April
2pm and 7:30pm Sunday 3rd April
Through this show KAGE aimed to give authentic creative representation to the often hidden personal experience of those dealing with dementia and to increase the communities understanding of Alzheimer's disease. With only five shows KAGE still managed to make our mark and presented to full houses across the season.
We were delighted to see so many of our supporters, funders, KAGE Companions, and industry peers at the show especially making the trip to Castlemaine just for us.
Plus a huge thanks to all our KAGE Communication readers who came and saw SUNDOWNER and congratulations to those that won tickets!
Audience Feedback
It's always a scary time for KAGE when it comes to the first performance of a new work - what will people think and how will they react?
Thankfully our audiences were very generous and despite being teary, and often red eyed, were able to give us standing ovations, and share their throughts with us both in the foyer after the show and via email.
Here are a just a few...
Congratulations! Sundowner is a gorgeous piece of theatre. I was moved to laughter, to wonderings and to tears...but overall, I walked away from that theatre feeling inspired and connected, and I think others felt the same way. For me the play expressed significant ideas about identity and how it is held...and so beautifully.
Sue Mitchell
Just a quick word to say how fantastic was the production on Saturday. All of my guests were mightily impressed, and affected. It has been such a delight being associated with KAGE from the moment you came to see us over two years ago through to the blooming of this wonderful interpretation of the Alzheimer’s journey. The use of the boy was pure genius. The Tivoli Lovelies were more than lovely. Helen was sublime and the dancers ethereal. Thank you so much for the collaboration.
Jack Sach, General Manager - Strategic Initiatives - Alzheimer's Australia Vic
Thank you for inviting me to attend - the pleasure was all mine :)
Every person I have spoken to that has seen SUNDOWNER has said that it is one of the best shows they have ever seen. My guest was most disappointed that she couldn't attend and I can't stop raving about the show so she's even more disappointed now! It was one of the most beautiful and moving productions I have personally seen and I sincerely hope that someone picks up the show so that many more people can see the work - it definitely deserves a longer and wider run!
Congratulations to you all!
Tania Grant, Arts Officer - Programming and Innovation - Arts Victoria
Congratulations. Talk about not a dry eye in the house! There are some exceptional moments in the piece that are truly memorable! So well done to one & all – I was very proud to be able to say that KAGE is one of the Abbotsford Convents tenants!!!!!
Maggie Maguire, CEO - Abbotsford Convent Foundation
More comments can be found on Twitter.
Kate Denborough's Thoughts
It is a great feeling to have finally premiered SUNDOWNER! It has been a long and rewarding journey to get to this point.
During our season at Castlemaine State Festival, several members of our Community Advisory Group (from Alzheimer's Australia Vic) attended the show. One woman in particular, approached me after seeing the show. She said that when she first met me, and I was introducing the project to AA, she thought we were undertaking an impossible task and that there was no way we would accuratley be able to truthfully depict the impact dementia has on people diaganosed with the disease as well as their families. She then went onto say that to her utter disbelief we had proved her wrong! We have received such wonderful feedback from people directly effected by Alzheimer's as well as general public. As a Director it feels very satisfying to engage an audience and for the work that we have spent so long making has resonated with so many people.
There were definitley some challenges in making this work. I was always trying to balance people's real life stories with a sense of lightness and theatrically. It was a reflief to hear so much laughter during the performance but then also so moving to feel and hear the silence from the audience during the final scenes of the work. During the curtain call the sniffling and nose blowing was almost as loud as the applause! It's always strange to make a work that isn't an upbeat, laugh out loud show, as the audience reacts so differently when they are stirred.
Thanks to Everyone Involved
It takes a huge team of people on the ground to make a show like SUNDOWNER happen. The key people and their roles in this World Premiere production of SUNDOWNER were as follows:
Conceived and Directed by Kate Denborough
Conveived and Written by David Denborough
Set Concept: Dan Potra
Set Realisation: Julie RentonSet Construction: Hans Van Dyck
Composer: Kelly Ryall with addition original music by Paul Kelly and Megan Washington
Lighting Designer: Damien Cooper
Lighting Operator: Paul Lim
Costume Designer: Paula Levis
Costume Construction: Bridie Wilkinson and Naomi Van Dyck
Production Manager: Emily O'Brien
Stage Manager: Alice Fleming
KAGE General Manager: Simone Collins
Devised and Performed by: Helen Morse, Gerard Van Dyck, Michelle Heaven and Stuart Christie plus the Tivoli Lovlies - Vicki Charleston, Dot Lanphier, Jackie O'Neil, Lil Paranos and Verlie Whittaker.
Child Performers: Marlo Cobham (Friday 1st April) and Oscar Wilson (Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd April).
Alzheimer's Australia Vic Community Advisors: Rachelle Better-Johnston, Liz Brady, Robyn Carmichael, Liz Fenwick, Pamela Hore, Carol Liavas, Megan Major, Judith Wheaton, Kris Samuel, Fiona Beale, Kim Martin, Margaret Tonks, Dennis Tonks, Rob McGrath, Carmel McGrath, Tom Valenta, Wynn Rogan, Judy Hogarth, Tony Walsh and Paul Wenn.
Those Who Made it Possible
It's time to thank those who made it all possible. SUNDOWNER was generously supported by Alzheimer's Australia Vic, Castlemaine State Festival, Convent Bakery, Abbotsford Convent Foundation, ABC television, the Australian Governement through the Department of Helath and Ageing and the Australia Council for the Arts, Victorian Government through Arts Victoria, Besen Family Foundation, Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, Lord Mayor's Charitbale Foundation, The Ian Potter Foundation and the Thyne Reid Foundation.
Thankyou all! We couldn't have done it without you.
SUNDOWNER on ABC's Artscape
As you know, the ABC has been following KAGE around filming the making of SUNDOWER. Most recently they filmed the bump in, as well as one of our performances. They also caught some of your responses on camera after the show. This documentary wil go to air on as part of Artscape in mid 2011. Keep reading KAGE Communication for the specific date and time to tune in.
The Future
KAGE looks forward to presenting SUNDOWNER many more times for audiences far and wide. We are currently in discussions with major Australian festivals and presenters and are also looking to tour the work to our regional audiences.
If you missed it, never fear, SUNDOWNER will be back.
In the mean time we have many more photos of the show now up on the KAGE website and video to come soon. Check it out!
