Wealth of Nations – the fringe festival experience – is all over, but i managed to grab some photos and videos. Lachlan’s uploaded them to places like youtube and flickr.. and there they are.

Pete and the Tar Gang were one of my favourite performances from the season. Pete is such a bold character on stage, with his old sea shanties.

They played the following week at the Fringe Club in North Melbourne, and followed up with the Tar Pit Men’s Choir. One of the guys sang a truly amazing solo piece which got the whole crowd turning their heads (at the Fringe CLub). Talk about upstaging!

Mamushka were hilarious and jazzie. Aviva is so stunning up front, and when she pulls out that bass clarinet, you know you’re in for some rollicking.

(i saw them again last week at Open Studio.. without all the costumes. They leap from their circus jazz into a bit of rock thrash every now and then.. and back again. What a blast.. but why was nobody dancing?)

The Kurtletts of course were thoroughly gorgeous.. Kirri and Sofiya play so beautifully together.

Links:

• more videos from the Tar Gang, and their myspace
• mamushka on myspace
• sanctum theatre (main site, youtube, flickr)

Oh, and the photo slideshow, which has some of my photos mixed in with other people’s too.

“You are invited to join Sanctum Theatre and Fenestra Productions in celebrating the 233rd anniversary of Adam Smith’s seminal work, Wealth of Nations as part of this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival. The ship may be sinking, the ‘invisible hand’ might have lost its grip on the invisible wheel, but there is an alternative. For two weekends in September Sanctum and Fenestra break away from the globular economic system to realise Smith’s ideal of a true and unfettered market on a small patch of turf in Brunswick – ‘Wall Street on Barkly’.”

Lachlan read us the Business Age yesterday, because the economical journalists there had noticed the number 233 in connection with Adam Smith. They suspect theatrical shenanigans. They would be correct: here comes the Nut Economy. The roller coaster of free trade.

• Opening Thursday 24th September. 6 evenings only. (1, 2 + 3 October still to come!)
• Music, performances and more. Street hawkers, snake oil merchants.. etc:
• Mamushka (Thursday 1st October!)
• Suitcase Royale, the GFC dj masters (Grand Funk Connection).. Pete & the Tar Gang.
• Visit Sanctum Theatre dot org for full details.

Here are some photos from the previous incarnation back in May ’09

Oh and here’s the official publicity line: ‘Merchants of mania, hawkers of hubris, snake oil salesmen and peddlers of useless pendants’ peddle their wares in the Wealth of Nations market place. Do you have anything to offer? Come up with a product and a pitch, fill in a Trader’s Application form, get in for free and earn your peanuts to buy drinks for the evening. Get your Trader’s Application form from Sanctum Theatre.

WARNING: MAY CONTAIN PEANUTS!!

Each night will feature a different band and guest performer. Bands include:

• Pete and the Tar Gang,
  

Sam Downing as Agent Smog was delighted when she heard that one audience member had asked, “Who was on the door? She was such a bitch!”

Job well done Sam!!

Tim gave us the brief to be casual and dismissive in our authority as customs agents, interrogating and searching immigrants to the Wealth of Nations Nut Economy by Sanctum Theatre.

Of course Tim has the expertise as Sergeant Blank from the Watch-house. He knows all about tormenting people who refuse to acknowledge his authority or try to play funny games.

Nice to be directed by a master of his craft.