A NEW theatre company in Maldon will hold its premiere production at The Capital’s Bendigo Bank Theatre.
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Wordsmith Theatre will present Peaked Caps and Khaki between April 21 and 23.
Written and directed by Laura Telford, the play is about a local family and it's matriarch who suffered through major loss in both the first and second world war only to later struggle with her own mental health.
The story spans across two generations of the O'Sullivan family who started in the Mallee but eventually settled in the goldfields town of Maldon.
Laura wrote the play after a university assignment showed her family connections to the First World War.
“I was digging around in the old files and found a story about my great-grandparents,” she said.
“When I was talking to people and trying to share the story, they told me to write it down or I would lose it.
“I managed to write it as a dot point short story but knew more about plays and it transformed into that.”
Laura based the story on her great-grandparents, James and Isobelle O’Sullivan, and the diaries James kept.
“He kept a diary, so I had a great resource. Anything he had written down was kept,” she said.
“My aunts have also been great resources and my great aunt lived across the road from James. So I’ve been very fortunate to hear those some stories.”
It took Laura two years to finish writing the play. Casting and rehearsals began in January.
“We're Ballarat graduates that have come together and said ‘it’s a pity regional arts scenes don’t have more original works and Australian stories. We’re fixing that by putting our own productions on,” Laura said..
“This is our first full production. We have been lucky to have a great support network in the area. A number of people have given us recommendations and tips.
“There is a great community of arts people between Bendigo and Ballarat that have helped us. It is a beautiful period piece that will be in a period place like The Capital. It all ties in nicely.”
Peaked Caps and Khaki premieres at The Capital’s Bendigo Bank Theatre from April 21 to 23. Head to www.thecapital.com.au/Whats_On to book tickets.