Dancing at Lughnasa in Woodmans Hill

BALLARAT and District Irish Association vice-president Mary Darcy said after she witnessed an adaptation of the distinctly Irish play Dancing at Lughnasa in Dublin in 1984, she never forgot it.

Now, forty years later, that memory has formed the catalyst for a collaboration between BDIA and Ballarat National Theatre, who are bringing their own take on the play to the region.

Ms Darcy said the partnership is an extension of BDIA’s intent to further highlight Irish culture in Ballarat. “One of our aims is to celebrate Irish culture and raise awareness about what the Irish have brought to Ballarat,” she said.

“Over the last few years, we’ve put a few things on mirroring Irish events and I was very keen to put on an Irish play.

“We want to make this a big success so we may be tempted to put on another Irish play some time.”

In bringing the play to life, Ms Darcy reached out to a years-long connection.

“I knew [the production’s director] Mary-Rose McLaren because I taught her when she was in grade two and over the years I’ve known her mum and dad who were very involved in theatre here,” she said.

“Mary-Rose was very much involved in Ballarat National Theatre when she lived here so I reached out to see if she would pitch it and she did.”

Written by dramatist Brian Friel, the play is set in County Donegal in 1936 and follows the conflict between the five Mundy sisters during the Festival of Lughnasa.

The local production features a cast of eight performers, with BDIA members helping with costumes, props, to potentially assisting with sets, and sourcing traditional Irish musicians.

“The association has been very involved,” McLaren said.

“The play is set in Donegal which has a specific accent as well so we’ve had accent support from people who come from there, and additional support around culture and accent through the association.

“In my experience, this is probably the first time this has been explicitly done with BNT where there’s been a particular cultural association and a play linking up and working together.”

The production’s opening night will double as a fundraiser for the Ballarat Arts Foundation.

Dancing at Lughnasa will run from 27 September until 6 October at Woodmans Hill Performing Arts Centre.

Tickets are $25 adult, $20 concession, $18 for BNT members, and $10 for children under 16 and can be booked at bit.ly/4d4ZBov.