Company has new outlook on theatre

A NEW local theatre company is aimed at providing opportunities for the region’s professional actors to perform in unique spaces.

Established by actors and Ballarat Arts Academy alumni Miranda Donald and Adam Turnbull, Overlook Productions will stage their first play in April and there’s plans to have a long-term focus on local works.

“We’re very interested in presenting work that talks about Australia and is in an interesting Australian voice,” Donald said.

The company’s first one-act production, I See You, will be staged in The Crypt, the re-branded 18th Amendment Bar on Camp Street.

This play is an original work written and directed by Donald, and its opening night on Wednesday 17 April will double as a world premiere.

It’s an “emotional” story full of grief and sorrow, but also joy and humour.

“This is my second play,” Donald said. “We’ve got nine in the cast and one crew member.

“The venue is intimate and small, it’s underground and interesting.”

Turnbull is in the play’s multigenerational cast and said he’s enjoying the experience of building a character which has never been brought to life before.

“You can put any angle, backstory and subtext on your character,” he said. “We can delve into them, make them more three-dimensional through the rehearsal process, and it’s fantastic.

“We can play with it so much.”

Donald and Turnbull said Ballarat has a strong performing arts community, particularly in musical theatre, and Overlook is a way to add a branch to what’s on offer.

“Our goal is to create good quality theatre that’s meaningful and worthwhile, with a mix of professional stage and screen actors, and trained people,” Donald said.

“Theatre is for everyone and we want the audience to walk out having had an amazing experience.

“We think we’ll produce one or two shows a year to keep up our craft and skills.”

Visit bit.ly/3UGq2LE for tickets to I See You.