With the geographical move of The Homestead came some deep thinking and noisy debate over all manner of subjects; Change breeds opportunity and all that. One proposal that met no opposition and spurred no noisy debate was the idea to prioritise experiences over the million and one things that beg to have dollars spent on them when you move abode. New curtains can wait! We’ll look past those blue walls! The minimalist benchtop does the job for now!
Somehow, “experience” has equated to visits to the theatre of late.
The first was to witness our family songbird, Ms Dee, tread the boards of our flashy Isaac Theatre Royal – as Cosette in Les Miserables, no less!
Homestead representatives, The Goat Herd and Milk Maid, dusted off their good frocks, donned the going-out shoes – hell, even lipstick was even applied which, those who know us will testify, proclaims this a very big deal indeed. And while we may be one of the few households in the developed world who’d had no previous exposure to this famous telling of Victor Hugo’s novel (save playing the music in various bands over the years), we left the theatre with pride-bursting hearts and hands pink from hearty applause. Bravo!
The surroundings were a little less salubrious and the show a tad less cerebral for our second trip to the theatre, but the Riccarton Player’s production of a Farm Girl favourite, Annie, made for another great night out and much raucous singing on the journey home.
Tomorra! tomorra!, I love ya, tomorra… What’s not to love about rags-to-riches stories.
Our theatrical trifecta was completed with a visit to our favourite Christchurch playhouse (don’t let them know I called them that, it’s just I have terribly overused the word theatre in this post and it’s getting late), The Court Theatre, which is small, intimate, and comfortable. Every seats a good one and it doesn’t matter how tall the person is in front of you; an huge positive for those vertically challenged but very vocal Homesteaders. The production?
I wonder if all families have coming-of-age traditions? Somehow Jesus Christ Superstar, the movie, has become something that gets dusted off and shared with each child as they reach the age of ten-ish (as the movie, The Breakfast Club, does around the age of thirteen). The Farmer, in particular, was fixated by it: the rock opera format, the rockin’ music, the very cool lyrics (getting the word omnipresent into a song!), and of course Judas’ wonderful fringed shirt. There was no way we could not attend a live performance…so we did.
While it’s not nice to play favourites (especially when family is involved), of our three very diverse theatre outings, this one was the Homestead pick.
My intention was to complete this post with photographic evidence that, for the right occasion, we Homesteaders can spruce ourselves up mighty fine. Unfortunately, and sadly very par for the course, we all got so caught up in the act of living we forgot to get the camera out.
The decree did go out that this was to be a fancy outing. The good frocks got another airing as did the going-out shoes, The Farmer donned is fancy Rarotonga-bought shirt, The Bean Counter wore his job interview/wedding/funeral trousers, and the lipstick was once again applied. We ask that you let your imagination paint the picture and we promise we’ll try to be more onto it in 2019.
It’s just doing the stuff is way more fun than gathering the proof.
Union Homestead 
What an absolutely splendid way to spend hard earned dollars and on three such good shows too – Wow!
As far as catering to Homestead tastes, it was a dream run of shows.
Supporting artists of all kinds always gets my vote. Plus there is nothing like theater, and I say this as a film buff. Nothing can replicate the experience of watching actors on a stage.
So true, Laurie. There’s a definite connection between audience and actor. The better the audience, the better the performance. It’s that buy-in that makes it.
It sounds as though the audience might have been as entertaining as the shows.
😁
Jesus Christ Superstar, the live production and the movie, was the theatrical highlight of my 20s. I could singalong to all the songs. At present, my theatrical experiences consist of going to see one of my nieces in various roles in amateur youth theatre. I am off to see Gui play a rabbit in ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ on Saturday, the 19th.
Sounds like great fun!
I love that JC Superstar is a rite of passage for your family – it was for huge for me as a teenager, but neither of my kids really felt the vibe the way I thought they might :(. Les Miz though is a whole ‘nother story – hubby and I saw it live twice in our young and salad days when living in Vancouver – the first time, we were given tickets by a relative, and they were superb seats in the premier playhouse in the city, but we were a little daunted by the discovery that we were seated right behind my Commanding Officer and his wife – turns out their daughter was Little Cosette that night (it played for months and two little girls alternated). I ended up sitting ramrod straight for almost the whole production, despite being emotionally wrung by the music and story. And Annie! an old tried and true favourite – one of two productions my grandmother took me to in London when I was 16. Good memories all of them! I”m glad living in Darfield doesn’t place you out of reach of the high life – every once in a while it’s good to make sure those fancy clothes still fit :). And tell me, who is Fat Freddy? A Canuck friend living in Nelson has filled her FB feed with enthusiastic footage….
After Christmas, those fancy clothes were a tad snugger it has to be said.
Darfield is only about 30 minutes from Chch so a night out is still totally doable.
As for Fat Freddy, not sure who inspired the name but know for a fact they are impossible to keep still to. Back when I taught pre school music, part of the session was movement to music…the kids loved Flight of the Bumblebee, and the theme to Pot Black, the Mums always sung along to Oasis (included because of the cello playing) and the Beatles. When I played Fat Freddy “Wandering Eye”, even the dads danced😊
preschool music teacher? How cool!
Less cool, more chaotic😊
well, yes, but not something ordinary people do, just extraordinary people…and I have learned from experience that chaos is a necessary adjunct to creativity.
I had a lot of fun; mostly the kids did, too. Extraordinary/abnormal…it all comes down to perspective. I think the world is safer when I’m dancing with my goats 🤣