If one of the main purposes in presenting art and theatre events is to bring the community together then 'Three Blokes and Their Barbies' at the Hopetoun hall on Thursday last was a huge success, attracting patrons from Ravensthorpe, Jerramungup, Jerdacuttup, Hopetoun and places in between. About 150 people braved inclement weather to watch three talented lads present a vaudeville style show that had the audience clapping and laughing with gusto.
The three performers presented well-rehearsed skits that quite accurately reflected Australian ockerism at its most outrageous. We like to laugh at the worst in ourselves and the show gave us that opportunity in spades. The stage setting, incongruously featuring a shimmering silver burlesque-style curtain behind a farm-junk contraption that was the 'barbie', brought the performers into intimate contact with the audience so that nothing was left to the imagination. If it was loud guffaws the boys were seeking then they were very well rewarded.
Ainsley Foulds organised the event with help from her family and many others. The ladies and children of the region had previously decorated bbq aprons which were displayed around the walls and judged by the audience as to their comparative merits. Ranging from artistic masterpieces to more modest offerings the aprons provided an interesting background to the evening as did table decorations featuring grass mats complete with miniature clothes lines, hills hoists, bbqs and sundry backyard detritus. The bar and sausage sizzle, again organised by the Foulds family, did a roaring trade, lubricating the audience vocal chords. The smell of sizzling sausages gave a very authentic ambience to the performance.
Prior to the show, the artists conducted a workshop for Hopetoun kids in the Sports pavilion, called 'From Junk to Funk, wherein the kids brought along any old junk with the aim of creating musical instruments. Despite a booking for 12, kids came out of the woodwork to make a crowd of over 30. With the amazing instruments they made the kids then coalesced into an orchestra to perform 'the Overture to the Ducks' based on a story devised by one of the 'blokes'. It was a wonderful experience for all involved.
'Three Blokes and Their Barbies' was an initiative of the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council and financially supported by Country Arts WA, the Department of Culture and the Arts, Lottery west and the Ravensthorpe Shire Council.
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