Damian Callinan to tell hall stories in the Wangaratta region

The Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre will be hitting the road in October bringing its Rural Towns Tour to Cheshunt, Eldorado, Boorhaman and Everton, presenting Hall Stories with Damian Callinan. There is barely a bakery in regional Australia, that hasn’t had one of Damian Callinan’s show posters blu-tacked to its window. Damian is no stranger to the region, having delighted local audiences last year with his heartfelt show Double Feature, which shared the story of his parents, their meeting and life together, as Australians tried to readjust after the trials of WW2. It was created following the surprise discovery of his mother’s 1946 diary, and the show impacted with audiences even before it hit the stage following Damian's interview on ABC Conversations with Richard Fidler about his parent’s story. Before Double Feature there was Mayor for a Day, in which he slipped on the mayoral robes for three days to run his comedic eyes over small towns, before presenting his findings in local halls armed only with a projector and a microphone. In Hall Stories, the celebrated actor, comedian and creator of the hit Netflix film The Merger, combines his skills as a storyteller, stand-up and character actor, to pull back the curtain on his own tour stories and examine the quirks, traditions and characters of Australian halls and meeting places. It is a multi format venture combining a live show based on Damian’s collected stories, observations, monologues and photo montages from hall touring. In this particular show, Damian will also be spending time with the local community to delve into the history and characters of each town, and the role that it plays in the broader community. As well as the show, he will later deliver a podcast to document the story of each town. Hall Stories is Callinan doing what he does best, where he does it best. He knows how to talk over a bubbling urn, wind up when the CWA head into the supper room and stack the chairs in fives at the end of the night - just let him know where to get the hall key, and he’ll do the rest. Damian will visit the Cheshunt Hall on Saturday, 11 October, the Eldorado Memorial Hall on Monday, 13 October, the Boorhaman Recreation Reserve on Thursday, 16 October and the Everton Hall on Saturday, 18 October, with a sausage sizzle from 6pm before the show starts at 7pm. All tickets are $25, available now by visiting wpacc.com.au. * What's on in brief Ross Noble and his Cranium of Curiosities The one and only Ross Noble will share his Cranium of Curiosities during a hilarious show at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre on Thursday, 4 September at 8pm. Described as the Wizard of Waffle, The Rambler Royale, The Noodlers’ Noodler, he’s back live on stage to tour a tornado of tangents; and what the show will be about is anybody’s guess, but that’s all part of the fun when you look inside his Cranium of Curiosities. Tickets are available now at wpacc.com.au. * Duck House exhibition at Art Gallery on Ovens See a selection of works from Duck House, the home and studio of King Valley artists Cara Dosser and Alexander Ryan, in an exhibition opening at the Art Gallery on Ovens this week. In her figurative monochromatic series and moody landscapes, Cara explores profile, texture and emotion, working with a mix of materials including graphite and oil paint, while Alexander paints with an organic colour palette, applying thin layers of acrylic, water and black tea to canvas in his first series as an emerging artist. An opening celebration will be held at the gallery in the laneway off Murphy Street on Thursday, 4 September from 5pm to 7pm, with all welcome to attend. * Afternoon of music with Wangaratta Symphony Orchestra Join the Wangaratta Symphony Orchestra for an unforgettable afternoon of music from the New World on Sunday, 7 September at 2.30pm. The feature of the program will be the classical masterpiece by Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 "From the New World", with items from other new world composers such as Stravinski's The Firebird Suite, Sousa's Liberty Bell, a Cohan Medley and a compilation of well-known themes from George Gershwin. This concert will also feature orchestra soloists, with Tim Wong to present a movement from Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 on piano, and Emma Lang to present a Haydn concerto and Dvorak's Silent Woods on cello. With guest conductor Craig Fullerton leading the orchestra, tickets are available at wpacc.com.au. * Fringe winning circus In Common in Wangaratta Winner of the coveted Melbourne Fringe Best Circus 2023, In Common invites audience members to experience an impossible structure built from steel and rope held aloft with floating invisible tension. A thrilling new work by Melbourne’s One Fell Swoop Circus, In Common sees a unique sculpture brought to life by eight acrobats using the company’s signature style of acrobatics – heartfelt, powerful and intimate. Virtuosic acrobatics and intricate choreography guide you through a visceral understanding of the care we owe others in our community and the safety nets we collectively weave. It will be presented on Friday, 12 September with shows at 1pm and 7pm and tickets are available at wpacc.com.au. * Royal Australian Air Force Band matinee show The Royal Australian Air Force Band will play at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre on Thursday, 18 September at 1pm. The 40-piece ensemble will present a spectacular variety concert that spans genres, from stirring patriotic anthems to light classics, contemporary hits and jazz. Led by squadron leader Daniel Phillips, the band’s highly skilled musicians will deliver an afternoon of exceptional music, displaying the rich heritage of the Royal Australian Air Force, with tickets $25, available at wpacc.com.au or by calling the box office on 5722 8105. *

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