WEILDING a 2.5 metre-long imitation medieval infantry axe, Dorrigo Drama Club President Dina Luciani and Member for Oxley Melinda Pavey officially reopened the Old Gazette Theatre by slicing through the ribbon, celebrating the completion of the foyer refurbishments and a return to business.

The symbolism of the cut was not lost on celebrating guests who have supported both the Drama Club and the Theatre through the Covid-disrupted ride.

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Their first play in two years to take to the stage, ‘Minefields and Miniskirts’, opens on 2 March.

The foyer-opening celebrations and Minefields and Miniskirts are interpreted by club members as a sloughing off of the recent hard times and the beginning of a bright, positive, ambitious era.

The play was adapted for the stage by Terence O’Connell from a social research project conducted by Siobhan McHugh where she interviewed and recorded fifty Australian women about their experiences of the Vietnam War.

Terence distilled the women’s testimonies to create five characters: Ruth, a journalist, Kathy, a nurse, Sandy, an entertainer, Eve, a volunteer and Margaret, a Vietnam Veteran’s wife.

The cast includes Dorrigo Drama Club members Tamar Collier, Cyn Shord, Ali Clements, Cathy Marsden and Kate Smith playing the five key characters who depict the highs and lows of their adventures and engagements with the Vietnam War.

The deep-seated emotions evoked by their war time experiences are brought on to the stage through a blend of spoken word and music of the era.

Anyone retaining good vibes of popular music of the sixties and seventies will love the show for that alone.
Kate Smith makes her debut as a director.

A Dorrigo Drama Club spokesperson told News Of The Area, “In differing ways Minefields and Miniskirts is a celebration of the club’s recent considerable achievements and a launching pad of a projected exciting future.

“The play’s record time in rehearsal has been caused, largely, by the effects of Covid 19.

“These provoked frequent interruptions in preparation and the need to cast new actors when others were forced to withdraw from the production because of other commitments.”

The $200,000 foyer refurbishment program and the provision of other amenities also made regular rehearsals difficult.

“The opening celebrations remembered present and former members in the club’s 66-year history, their achievements and great successes,” said the spokesperson.

“Understandably, the afternoon involved many, many stories, a great deal of laughter and enormous fun.

“This promises to be a great start to Dorrigo’s cultural calendar, so don’t miss it,” he said.

For information phone the Secretary on 0419 558 028.

By Andrea FERRARI