2010 Cabramatta Moon Festival - Vietnamese Theatre Project

After diving from the "Quest for Jackie Chan!" stage 2 transmedia project I plunged into rehearsals for the Vietnamese Theatre Project showing at the 2010 Cabramatta Moon Festival. The show started at 7pm and was watched by hundreds and hundreds of people who lined the streets of Cabramatta.

After months of workshops and rehearsals, I must admit, I've grown a big attachment to those involved and have seen major transitions in all of them. The majority of them embarked on the project, only to be sideliners, but with due time, have been cleverly roped into some acting roles.

Everyone beamed with anticipation on show night; scurrying around in preparation with costumes, make up, rehearsing lines and dance movements. I recall hearing snippets of recollections of the beginning of this project, of uncertainty, disbelief, but all has changed and evolved into something bonding and magical.

About the theatre production "Aussie Cuoi"
Coming together at the Whitlam Library, Cabramatta in July this year, a group of local Vietnamese residents shared stories and experiences close to their hearts – family life, settling and growing up in a new country, Vietnamese folktales and proverbs. Each week, this group grew larger and closer, and soon began meeting at the Cabravale Leisure Centre where they learnt new skills in acting,comedy, storytelling, movement and singing, under the guidance of Director, Lex Marinos.

The culmination of these ten weeks of theatre workshops is Aussie Cuoi, an interpretation of the traditional Vietnamese folktale of the wise old man in the moon, with a modern twist.

Devising Aussie Cuoi has been community-based, with the Vietnamese community collaborating to develop the themes and script ideas, designing the set and making costumes and props.

With the assistance of experienced artists, the project has also sparked compositions of new music which will be performed live alongside traditional songs, a new multimedia production and also features a children’s choir. Aussie Cuoi premieres at the 2010 Cabramatta Moon Festival.

Aussie Cuoi will be performed in both Vietnamese and English. It interweaves the
themes of migration and settlement in a new country and - with the performers and crew
ranging in age from 7-78 years - it also explores the relationship between parents and
children.

Aussie Cuoi is an initiative of Fairfield City Council, supported by the NSW Governmentthrough Arts NSW. We also thank the Vietnamese Community in Australia (NSW
Chapter) and Powerhouse Youth Theatre and the generous assistance of Mekong Panthers.
Check out the photos below. For the originals, check out Haline Ly.