Arena Theatre Company will unveil its latest production on Thursday.
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The new show, Air Race, is inspired by the teams and pilots that competed in the 1919 Air Race from London to Australia.
It is the second show Arena has premiered in Bendigo since basing itself here in 2017.
Ingenuity, willpower and creativity are the themes Arena’s artistic director Christian Leavesley has focused on in creating Air Race.
“When heard about it (the 1919 air race) on the ABC about eight years ago, I thought the material was dynamite and it would make a fantastic show,” he said.
“It took a few years to find the reason to do it but the ingenuity and risk taking is what I loved about (the stories from 1919).
“I was drawn to the (air race participants) who weren’t so well backed or as good but got there through sheer willpower and creativity. It’s about what you can do with what you’ve got.”
Air Race has been three years in the making and makes use of some see-saw based sets to give the idea of aircraft in flight.
“When I was a kid all the parks had see saws and now they don't because they're considered to dangerous,” Leavesley said.
“I liked idea that the sets hark back to a piece playground equipment that is a little bit dangerous.
“The see saws are surfed on, sat on and the actors use various combinations to make the planes.”
Cast also manage to play cellos, violins and melodicas while swinging and surfing on the sees saws.
“What the actors do up there is just delightful. There’s a real naivety there and it is real fun because who doesn't like to pretend to fly?” Leavesley said.
“I love the idea that kids will go down park and pretend to fly and dream up stories based on characters from Australian history.”
Arena Theatre Company’s Air Race is on at The Capital on On Thursday at 11.30am, Friday at 11.30am and 7pm and Saturday at 2pm and 7pm.
Tickets are $24 for adults and $16 for children. Visit www.gotix.com.au to book.
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