Picnic at Hanging Rock is coming to Burnie

A play based on one of Australia’s best novels is coming to Burnie in August.

Rehearsals have begun for DoMaur productions latest performance Picnic at Hanging Rock.

The novel by Joan Lindsay focuses on a group of female students from an Australian girls boarding school vanish at Hanging Rock on Valentine’s day.

Director of the production Douglass Doherty said they chose Picnic at Hanging Rock for a few reasons.

“This year is the 50th anniversary of the publication of the book and Lady Joan Lindsay wrote a fantastic novel in 1968,” Mr Doherty said.

“It is a fantastic piece of Australian literature that had not been performed for a few years and we thought it was worth bringing it to the stage," he said.

When you watch a movie everything is given to you on a platter and when you experience theatre you need to make your own interpretations.
Douglass Doherty

The novel and movie are both based near Woodend, Victoria at the former volcano site of Hanging Rock.

Mr Doherty said he went to Woodend over Christmas to research the area for the production.

“I went to get a feel for the rock and to get a feel for Woodend, the town itself,” Mr Doherty said.

“We will be creating a theatre space that will reflect the rock and those areas. It is a challenge but we can make it work.”

He said the genre of the play was suspense and that they were doing their best to recreate the suspense that was in the book.

“We are working with Saxon Hornet from the Conservatorium of Music in Hobart. We are designing a brand new score and sound track for the play.”

Mr Doherty said he had been doing theatre since 2010 and enjoyed it because it is not real life.

“It is an opportunity for the audience to use their imagination and to be taken away to a place where they have to use their imagination as well as be entertained.

“When you watch a movie everything is given to you on a platter and when you experience theatre you need to make your own interpretations.”

He said he particularly enjoyed drama because people can revisit things that they may not have thought about.

There will be seven dates to see the performance in August at the Burnie Uniting Church.

Opening night of the production is August 17.

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