Based on a Chinese proverb dealing with connectivity, ‘The Red Thread’ is the perfect vehicle for this year’s Lunar New Year Performance at the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre.
At a time when COVID-19 has made connectivity difficult for many people worldwide, an intrepid gathering of Bundaberg Region artists has banded together to ensure that the bond between Bundaberg and its Chinese sister city Nanning remains strong.
Bundaberg is traditionally graced each year with a variety performance by visiting Nanning performers for the Lunar New Year, a significant date on the Chinese calendar.
However, with international travel restrictions in place, that was not possible this year.
Rather than let the opportunity to celebrate the significant date in Chinese culture pass without recognition, Bundaberg Region artists have united to create The Red Thread, a production that will be performed twice on Saturday, February 13.
Bundaberg Regional Council portfolio spokesperson Cr John Learmonth said Brisbane theatre performer and director, Anna Yen, had worked with Bundaberg’s abundant artistic talents to create the production.
“We have a range of groups and individuals who have worked together, including dance schools, acrobats, and musicians,” Cr Learmonth said.
“It’s a variety show in a sense, but it has this lovely story of a young person growing up and all the people they encounter in the process threaded throughout the performance.”
The Red Thread is based on a Chinese proverb that asserts that there is an invisible red thread that connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance.
Anna said she enjoyed working with communities and creating arts opportunities for local performers, with the production enhancing connectedness between cultures, much like the thread referred to in its title.
“Arts are a magnificent expression and arts are a way to connect everyone and create a cultural exchange” Anna said. “Art is a way to build connections between people.”
“Art helps us to go beyond our differences and see our similarities and share our cultural treasures together.
“And that is an excellent way for people to understand each other’s cultures and realise that we are all one heart – not just across cultures, but across ages.
“In this show we’ve got this thread of a young person going through the journey of life to being an old person and then back to the young person connecting with the old person.”
Anna said she had been impressed with the depth of local artistic talent involved in the production, including the Bundaberg Academy of Dance performers who had quickly learnt the arts of Chinese dancing, plate juggling, tai chi and gongfu (kung fu), Bundaberg choreographer and costumer Trevor Green, and the Norville State School taiko drumming group.
“This is wonderful, I am so happy to be in Bundaberg and contributing to something that people enjoy and that expands people’s horizons and perspectives,” she said.
Cr Learmonth said the performance would be recorded and sent to Nanning so that our sister city friends can view it, further establishing the strong relationship between the two centres.
The Nanning Minzu Road Primary School, sister school to Bundaberg’s St Luke’s Anglican School, has filmed two shows including dancing and instrumental playing performed by their students and which will be included in the Bundaberg event.
Tickets are $5 each, which includes a Chinese snack box, for the 2.30pm and 4pm hour-long performances.
Bookings are essential. Tickets can be purchased via the Arts Bundaberg website or phone the Moncrieff Box Office on 4130 4100.
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