Literature, Modern History and Drama students recently enjoyed the Katherine Susannah Pritchard Writer’s Centre performance of Potchnagoola in the Maali Mia.
The play was penned by Louise Helfgott for the commemoration of 50 years since the passing of Ms Pritchard, a celebrated Australian author who lived in Greenmount.
The play explores the friendship between an elderly Ms Pritchard and an aspiring young pianist, David Helfgott, whom she inspired to pursue his art – something he did with significant success as shown in the movie Shine. Pritchard’s own complex relationship with the Australian authorities, due to her Communist Party sympathies, is also touched on in the story, thus creating a fascinating inter-personal interaction and historical context.
Pictured above with the cast are Jasmin Williams, Olivia Fellows and Tiana Langley. And yes, that is Mr Raymond, seated beside his aunt by marriage, Kerry Goode who brought Pritchard wonderfully to life on stage. Cameron Tarran played the young David Helfgott and the play was directed by theatre stalwart, Douglas Sutherland-Bruce.
