What Did She Think?

WHAT: Surat Suratnya WHEN: 6 - 17 December 2023 WHERE: La Mama HQ WRITTEN BY: Ratna Ayu Budiarti and Wawan Sofwan DIRECTED BY: Wawan Sofwan COMPOSITIONS BY: Kurnia Eka Fajar and Ria Soemardjo PERFORMED BY: Kurnia Eka Fajar, Ellen Marning, and Ria Soemardjo LIGHTING BY: Cole McKenna TRANSLATION & DRAMATURGY BY: Sandra Fiona Long Ellen Marning and Kurnia Eka Fajar - photo by Darren Gill Surat Suratnya literally means "her letters" in Indonesian and knowing that tells you everything about the event happening at La Mama HQ right now. Comprised of a pre-performance sound installation called 'Between The Letters' and a theatrical monologue called 'Our Last Dinner was Sayur Lodeh ' the creative team immerses us in the sounds, smells and stories of Indonesia in the mid 1960's. Inspired by letters written by Ria Soemardjo's mother during the communist purges in Indonesia across 1965-1966, Sandra Fiona Long (translator/dramaturg/producer) has gathered he

WHAT: The Last Emperox WRITTEN BY: John Scalzi 2020 was a place for some arts to die, but it was also a place where other arts got to fly. Books were one of the winners of that difficult time. According to The Authors Guild fiction books sales increased by 18%. One book published in the midst of lockdowns and a world turned inside out was the final instalment of the Interdependency trilogy, called The Last Emperox , written by John Scalzi . I must admit, I started reading this when it was released. I feel it is quite telling that I have only just finished this book, so many years later.  The Interdependency trilogy actually began as a two-book space opera. As it was written it became apparent a third instalment was necessary and, whilst I haven't read the first two, I feel like the whole story actually lies in the second half of this third book. The trouble with writing what have become known as space operas is that the authors think they can reveal things slowly and in a convolut

WHAT: Christmas Under The Big Top WHEN: 24 Nov - 24 Dec 2023 WHERE: Burnley Oval PRESENTED BY: Damian Syred Christmas Under The Big Top The genie is out of the bottle, or perhaps it is more correct to say the Santa is out of the North Pole . Christmas is nearly here, merchandising has already hit the stores and some people have already put up their Christmas lights (WTF?). It's all becoming very real and - just in time - the magic of Christmas has come to Burnley Oval in the form of Christmas Under The Big Top. Christmas Under The Big Top is a unbelievable event full of fun and magic for toddlers whith just enough consideration for the parents to make it fun for all. To be honest, part of what makes it fun is how much joy and play the kids get from all the activities. This event is possibly the best value for money parents are likely to find in the festive lead up. There are 3 circus tents and the journey through them results in a joy filled, wonder filled, food filled night ful