AS a teaser to The Wyz Wimmin and Friends Theatre Company’s performance of a new play, ‘Love Bites’, at the North Coast Botanic Gardens, the Nambucca Valley thespians are giving a pop-up show at Artists in the Garden on Sunday 2 April.

The company will be presenting excerpts from its 2021 production ‘Yours Sincerely’ commencing at 12.30pm.

The three short pieces being performed range from laugh-out-loud comedy to drama.

Coffs Harbour playwright Willa Hogarth has written two of the scripts that will be presented.

The other script is by Carrolline Rhodes.

‘Yours Sincerely’ is a diverse collection of letters; some are authentic, some are fiction.

“One of the letters was from a gay man to his nephew and it revealed to the audience how acceptance of the LGBT+ community has evolved since the 1950s,” Carrolline told News Of The Area.

“Another was a collection of letters home from an RAAF gunner stationed with Bomber Command in England during WWII, another was from a young woman in a mental health facility and this script illustrated the journey that took her there.”

While most pieces are individual performances, the group chemistry is palpable.

“It is an ensemble company that celebrates every member’s contribution.”

Carrolline is an award-winning playwright and has had scripts performed in Noosa, Murwillumbah, Coffs Harbour, Newcastle and Melbourne.

“I relish the opportunity to write scripts specifically for the actors in our company,” she said.

Wyz Wimmin and Friends Theatre Company actor Laurel Astle is a photographer and poet who is involved in Artists in the Gardens in a variety of roles and recommended the group whip out their teaser and promote their local show and tour to Nambucca where many of the company’s members live.

“Our aim is to use theatre to celebrate the region’s diverse cultural identity and to support local playwrights by helping them develop scripts that achieve this.

“I don’t believe that any other company in Australia is doing what we are doing: writing wholly original scripts, specifically for the company’s actors.

“All have adult themes,” she said.

Tammy Mills-Thom from Artists in the Garden told NOTA the gathering on April 2 will also feature the ‘A Play with Clay’ workshop.

“Free to the public, this workshop means they can try their hand at shaping form with this pliable, practical and expressive medium.

“Air drying clay will be provided and the pieces produced will be air dried to then become available to adorn through paint or other media at the May Artists in the Garden gathering.”

Visual art is always a feature of the day, and artists can register free at www.Artistsinthegarden.au.

“All artistic expression is welcome, across sculpture, performance, music, voice, drama, dance.

“This is an artist showcase with the celebration and experience of art at its core.”

Musicians Tareik Hart and Elena Sincock as ‘Aurora Kallisto’ and singer/songwriter Sue Cordell are on the bill.

Speakers Corner is available to all on the day, with headline performances by Jaiden Whitton and Amy Robinson.

For more information contact carrollinerhodes@gmail.com or 0458462751 or check Wyz Wimmin on Facebook – 3Wyz Wimmin.

By Andrea FERRARI