A sell-out crowd of 140 people packed the Ravensthorpe Town Hall to enjoy the sizzling sounds of Adam Hall and the Velvet Playboys and dazzling dance moves of Sugar Blue Burlesque and Swing It dancers at the interactive I’ve Got News For You show.

The tour, which ended in Ravensthorpe, was the first of two Country Arts WA’s Shows on the Go tours throughout regional WA, with the next a production of the play Road Train, which is scheduled to appear at Jerdacuttup later in the year.

Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council member and Ravensthorpe Show coordinator Bettina Bowling said she was thrilled with the local audience’s response to the show.

“I’m so glad people came out in force to support the show, especially because it was on during seeding and after the mine closure we weren’t sure how well ticket sales would go. However, the hall was packed and everyone seemed to have a really good night out,” Ms Bowling said.

 

“The performers even got two encores, which was great. And it was so much fun! During the first half of the show the audience was foot-tapping along to the music and watching the amazing dancers in their itty-bitty costumes and then in the second half we gave the dance floor a good workout!”

Earlier in the day, about 15 members of the community learnt a few swing steps under the guidance of the Swing It dancers while the band and Sugar Blue Burlesque dancers entertained pupils at Ravensthorpe District High School.

“The pupils really got into it, playing the right notes on the xylophones to the songs and learning the dance moves - even the older kids were up dancing,” Ms Bowling said. “The band did really well because there was a power blackout for most of the high school workshop so the bass player sat out most of the set and Adam had to sing as loudly as he could while the band played as quietly as possible.”

Some of the pupils remembered the routine they learnt so well they were able to dance move-for-move with the Sugar Blue Burlesque dancers at the show that night.

Shows on the Go is made possible through support from the State Government of Western Australia through the Department of Culture and the Arts, Lotterywest, Healthway promoting a SmokeFree WA and WIN Television. Tour coordination is by Country Arts WA in association with The Blue Room.