Harvey Town Hall venue for sneak peek of JULIA

Harvey has been chosen by a bunch of international performers to host the development phase of the upcoming JULIA production, set to premiere at the State Theatre in May. The production captures the political era and treatment of Australia’s first female prime minister Julia Gillard. South West residents will even get a sneak peek of the show at the Harvey Town Hall on March 20. Steamworks Arts producer and director Sally Richardson said she was thrilled to have arrived in Harvey and commended Harvey Recreation and Cultural Centre manager David Marshall for his devotion to the arts. “I think David is an exceptional supporter of the arts and he is known really broadly across WA for his advocacy of artists, generosity and willingness to try new things,” Richardson said. The pair met at the Circuit West Showcase, where companies and artists pitch their work. “We were looking for an artist residency and we had half a dozen different towns pitch to us and we have chosen Harvey as the critical location to develop our work,” Richardson said. “We will get this wonderful opportunity to play, experiment and see what the audience thinks of the early version of the work.” The crew has even been working with local arts groups during the development period in Harvey to mentor them and pass on their skills. Richardson said she chose to hold the production in the town hall because it had a history of being at the “centre of the action”. “It’s a space that has many layers and memories for the community,” she said. International performer Natalie Allen will be performing as the title character. “It was primarily on Julia Gillard’s misogyny speech in 2012, and from there it has become a discussion about what it’s like to be a woman in power,” Allen said. “There is sexism and misogyny and how women are objectified. “The fact that this actually happened to a real person gives it more of a truth, but it’s not just her, it’s all women and also men who have been abused.” She said the discussion was timely after recent rape allegations in Canberra and concerns about the treatment of women in Parliament. Associate artist Charlotte Otton said she hoped the production would open up discussion. “Hopefully it will be really inspirational and spark a conversation,” she said. People can get tickets by contacting the Harvey Recreation and Cultural Centre or heading to its website.