Performances to showcase characters of the goldfields

THE faces behind award-winning podcast Tales of Rat City are putting on a series of performances as part of the Ballarat Heritage Festival.

The podcast includes historian Dr David Waldron and local actors Katrina Hill and Shannon Nicholls telling real Victorian goldfields stories.

“For us the Ballarat Heritage Festival is a great opportunity to showcase real Ballarat goldfields characters and tell their stories in compelling ways while supporting local artists,” Ms Hill said.

“Tales From Rat City exists as a group where we can work together as a team to produce content or work on our own and explore stories of individuals or groups that speak to us directly.

“We have been involved in the Ballarat Heritage Festival since 2016 creating new content and telling stories of suffragists, ghost hoaxing, spiritualists as well as guiding people through some of Ballarat’s most remarkable buildings.”

This year’s performances include Wizard Oil and Wonders: The Peculiar Legacy of Frank Weston, the Wizard Oil Prince tomorrow (Friday 23 May) at the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Insitute.

Historian and magician Dr Jo Clyne and Dr David Waldron will present an evening of strange tales and stranger remedies including live music from Drongo and the Crow.

This Saturday afternoon and evening, High Spirits will be performed outside the Ballarat train station with the opportunity to ‘meet’ three of the great entertainers of the gold rush.

The group’s other performances including Ballarat Old Gaol Tours and A Midsummer Night’s Darkness took place over the past week.

To purchase tickets to the remaining performances, visit the Ballarat Heritage Festival website.