The sleepy town of Basin holds secrets that have not made their way to the surface, until now.
Stories of love, loss and water are told by seven inter-generational voices: an alcoholic, an immigrant, a dreamer, a gossip, a diviner, a survivor and a Meals on Wheels volunteer.
They are all in search of redemption and a way to cleanse themselves of the past so they can embrace the future.
Basin was written by seven Riverina writers: Marty Boyle, Sulari Gentill, Diana Lovett, Freda Marnie Nicholls, David O’Sullivan, Craig Palmer and John Riddell with acclaimed playwright Vanessa Bates.
The writers hail from all corners of our region including Batlow, Cootamundra, The Rock and Wagga Wagga and their expertise ranges from established novelists to freelance writers and journalists.
The writing process occurred over four weekend workshops, much like a television show’s writers’ room, with the overall goal of producing a script for a play revolving around water in some way.
With the guidance from Vanessa, each writer created a character and the story unfolded when the writers and characters interacted with each other.
The characters will be brought to the stage by actors Virginia Anderson, Haya Arzidin and Stephen Holt – all from Wagga Wagga.
Virginia is making her triumphant return to the stage, Haya is a student in Charles Sturt University’s Acting for Stage and Screen program, and Stephen is a longtime actor who was most recently seen in the 2014 production of Away and 2013’s Backyard Ashes.
To top off a brilliant script and cast, Basin’s crew includes Wagga Wagga’s Sophie Kurylowicz on lighting design and Cootamundra’s Dave Burraston on sound design.
The production is directed by Scott Howie.
Basin opens at Arts Centre Cootamundra on June 17 and tours around the region to Young, Tumbarumba, Temora, West Wyalong, Ganmain, Adelong over June and July until culminating in Wagga Wagga at the Civic Theatre.
It will be performed at the the national regional arts conference - Artlands Dubbo 2016.
Tickets for all shows, except Wagga Wagga, are currently on sale through basin.eventbrite.com.au or ERA Office 6921 6890.
The Wagga Wagga show tickets are available from the Civic Theatre at 6926 9688.
Basin is supported by the NSW Government through the Regional Theatre Fund.
TOUR DATES
Cootamundra, Arts Centre. June 17-18, 7.30pm and 2pm Matinee.
Young, Southern Cross Theatre. June 23 at 7.30pm.
Tumbarumba, Memorial Hall. June 25 at 7.30pm.
Temora, Town Hall Theatre. June 30 at 7.30pm/Friday School Matinee 11am.
West Wyalong, Memorial Hall. July 8-9 at 7.30pm.
Ganmain, Town Hall. July 15 at 7.30pm.
Adelong, Adelonia Theatre. July 16 at 7.30pm.
Wagga Wagga, Civic Theatre. July 22-23 at 7.30pm.
