$95K State funding for Albany play to be performed in newly renovated town hall

Albany arts organisation Southern Edge Arts has received more than $95,000 in funding from the State Government to redevelop and present theatre production The Ballad of Penelope and Marlin.

The company received $95,576 through the State’s WA Theatre Development Initiative to present the play to Great Southern audiences in July next year.

It will be the first theatre performance inside the recently refurbished Albany Town Hall.

The production is set to create employment opportunities for Great Southern artists, who will be cast in lead roles in the creative and production teams.

Young local performers will also be able to gain experience by volunteering as performers or technicians.

The production is particularly relevant today as it is set in a dystopian future where people are in lockdown and unable to go outside due to an uninhabitable environment.

The script, songs and costume design for The Ballad of Penelope and Marlin were originally conceived in 2016 by artists from the region.

Culture and Arts Minister David Templeman said the contemporary performance will be fitting during the current state of our world.

“Although it was originally conceived in 2016, the script is particularly relevant during this time of lockdowns and physical distancing, but I know Great Southern audiences will appreciate the humour and suspenseful plot,” he said.

“I am delighted to see the WATDI is supporting projects that will contribute to a vibrant and sustainable WA theatre sector.”