Sunday in the Park

The hallmark of this festival is the crazy variety of venues where performances are staged. We’ve got the 900-seat Princess Theatre, at one end of the spectrum, to literal hallways at the other. Not that the less glamorous situations take away from the performances - but when you juxtapose them with this particular venue - we really have travelled from the ridiculous to the sublime over these five days.

Just a 15-minute drive out of Launceston is historic Entally Estate and Winery. It was originally built in 1819 (by convicts, of course) for Thomas Reibey II - Son of Mary Reibey (yes, that lady on the $20 Note). The story goes that Thomas farmed food and sent it to Sydney to help feed the masses entering Australia. The house still retains most of its original Regency furniture and the property also features (Australia’s oldest) Conservatory, a Chapel, a Coach House and Stables. After a historic talk by one of the property’s volunteers, the crowd of one hundred or so were divided in half to take turns wafting from room to room; then to the stables and all around the property - for the most atmospheric and modular concerts imaginable. 

Picture it if you can. You’re standing in a very old-but-still-posh dining room and there is a radiant, motionless, stunningly dressed Caroline O’Connor. She patiently waits for the room to fill; and then fills the room with her amazing voice - right there, in this historic setting, just a metre or so away. Surreal.

And so it flowed from room to room, with the best of the fest performing in the most captivating and intimate fashion. With glorious weather, the verandah, the conservatory, the trees and the ponds were literally sparkling. Each and every performer charmed the stockings off us. (I don’t think they had socks back then, did they?) 

The last stop on this magical history tour was the chapel -where Mark Vincent blessed the congregation with ‘Ave Maria’. This choice seemed particularly poetic considering my previous review of Mark’s one man show. Coincidence, or divine intervention?

Rose Cooper

Images: Cameron Jones and AMTF