The Bingara Community is to remember the Great War and the beginnings of the ANZACS with a Community Variety Concert. Saturday evening, April 18 is the date, 7:00pm the time, and Bingara’s Roxy Theatre the venue, for this nostalgic and timely event.
The Concert will mark 100 years since the landings at Gallipoli. The ANZAC tradition was forged there in tragic circumstances as the narrow Turkish beach witnessed the baptism to fire for many young men. For some, it became their final resting place. At a number of battlefields, across several theatres of war, troops from Australia and New Zealand built their reputation for mateship, courage and sacrifice. They faced unbelievable hardships often with good humour and a song in their heart.
The Producer of the Community Variety Concert, Nancy MacInnes, said that the spirit of ANZAC was reinforced by the ‘folk back home’. “Variety concerts were major fund raisers for the families and friends back home during both World Wars,” she said. “The songs and tunes that were popular at the time reflected the purpose of the War and of its stories and events, often with a good dash of humour. They raised morale and gave courage to those they left behind.”
“Money was often scarce, and a Concert was a chance for people to contribute and be entertained,” Nancy explained. “The chance to meet and share news, sometimes sad, but always with the purpose of lifting spirits, by having a laugh and a sing-along, and perhaps a dance and a supper, was a feature of country towns across Australia and New Zealand,” she said.
A variety of acts and performers are being co-ordinated by Nancy and by the Concert Director, Rick Hutton. Several community members have been invited to perform and there are openings for more. If you would like to audition for a place on the program, if you can sing or play an instrument, please contact Rick on 0428 255 380.
Tickets through the Bingara Visitor Information Centre: Ph: 6724 0066 or book online.
