Years in the making: this independent 87 minute documentary called “Parkerville Amphitheatre: Sets, Bugs & Rock n Roll” will be screened at three cinemas around Perth on 4, 11 & 12 July 2015 (Luna Palace, Cinema Paradiso & Luna on SX).
Jenny & Susie of Tempest Productions have done a great job with this massive project to collect material and interview lots of people who were associated with my late father, John Joseph Jones (1930-2000), and his amphitheatre (1966-2001). Kickstarter crowd funding helped them buy rare ABC television footage from the 1970s. They’ve fashioned a compelling story out of all the twists and turns, the big and little dramas, the private family story, and the very public story.
See a brief history of the amphitheatre and links to the doco and how to buy tickets, plus some myth busting at: www.parkerville-amphitheatre.com
The official name of the amphitheatre was The Seddon Vincent Memorial Theatre for Australian Playwrights.
Hi Margaret I saw the documentary tonight and was so moved by it. Such a complex journey for your family. You were great in it and I just hope that there’s another opportunity for my husband to see the doco too up here in the hills. We actually met your father at the property when we took students on an Art and Literature camp circa 1989 and John brought over a whole pile of English books for the students to use. So that was generous. I see you play at the Soul Tree cafe so will get some friends there on a Sunday to hear you play. Congratulations and best wishes. Michelle Harris
Thanks, Michelle. I really hope they put on a screening in the Hills, too. My main concern is that many people who knew the place or Dad and would love to see the doco will not get that opportunity simply because they haven’t heard about it.
I’m at the cafe tomorrow (err, today, actually). Usually I play classical piano on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month, 12 noon to closing time at 3pm. (But note the final screening of the documentary is at exactly the same time: 12 noon Sunday 12 July 2015 at Luna SX cinema in Fremantle).
“Sets Bugs and Rock and Roll” Sunday 12th 2015.
I found the documentary better than Good ! The story of Parkerville Amphitheatre……Anybody who has ever dreamed of building something wonderfull. This is the show to watch and be moved by. Sad that such a Great idea could be so hard to to bring to maturity. For me, this is the kind of work that people sometimes do that helps make life worth living for the rest of us. I guess, a cautionary tale to some extent but nevertheless it could still be an inspiration to someone with a strong heart, some luck and a kilo or two of buisiness acumen ?