Tales Of Kabbarli heading to Adelaide

Following acclaimed reviews interstate, South Australia’s popular Holden Street Theatres along with Playscript are presenting the Adelaide premiere of Geoffrey Sykes’ Tales of Kabbarli from November 21 to December 2.

The evening is a multi-media event, as following the one hour show there will be a screening of Angels over Kangarilla – a new documentary film centered on the art and life of Kangaroo Island born painter and printmaker Janet Ayliffe.

Tales of Kabbarli is a one-hander staring Robina Beard. Those old enough may remember Beard as Australia’s own ‘Madge The Manicurist’ from the quaint Palmolive Dishwashing Liquid TV ads shown on national television from the late 1960’s to the early 1980’s. But don’t let that skew your view – Beard is a highly experienced triple-threat performer with the prestige of having been awarded an OAM for Services to the Theatre and a Lifetime Achievement honour from the Australian Dance Awards, both just last year.

Tales of Kabbarli is set on the banks of the Murray River where we meet the elderly Irish immigrant Daisy Bates who proceeds to reminisce on her life. Bates was a pioneering anthropologist, government adviser,  journalist, welfare worker and “Protector of Aboriginies” –  the name ‘Kabbarli’ is a tribal word for Grandmother (Interestingly Bates was also the wife of the legendary horseman, poet and soldier Harry ‘Breaker’ Morant). A nice symmetry between actor and subject is the fact Bates was also honoured, in 1934 with a CBE for her efforts by King George V.

This show is written and directed by Geoffrey Sykes, a veteran of over twenty theatrical productions. Sykes also directs the hour long documentary film on Ayliffe Angels Over Kangarilla. Ayliffe is a contemporary artist pioneering in the field of solar plate (Photopolymer) etching techniques whose work has been exhibited both in Australia and throughout the world. Ayliffe teaches drawing and etching near her home at Honey Humm Farm just outside of Kangarilla.

All in all Tales of Kabbarli with Angels Over Kangarilla promises an entertaining as well as an informative night out.

Tickets through Venue*Tix ($19-$26 plus groups/family) (08) 8225 8888 or at door.