The Bella Trilogy Worn Art Revamped 2014 2016 & 2018

The first installment of the "Bella Trilogy"

  "The Great Pearl Tragedy"

Friday October 31st and Saturday November 1st, 2014

In this first installment of the trilogy, we meet the Tragic Pearl for the first time, and the family whose fate it determines. The Worn Art Revamped trilogy begins with the life of young Bella, our spirited protagonist. Bella was born in 1886, to a pearling master and his First Nation's servant - the 'Secret' that the whole town knew about. Bella's life was shattered when her childhood sweetheart, Ben, left her immediately after their wedding to seek his fortune. After his departure, Bella found out that she was pregnant with their child 'Poppy', who was born on 18th August 1903. Bella waited for many years while Poppy grew up, hoping to see her Ben come back to her. It was the early 1900's and times were hard for a single mother. Bella finally ended up as a working girl in Sheba Lane, the notorious red-light district of Broome, where pearls and money were traded. She left home each night in her drab long grey, skirt and bonnet, clutching her bible to her heart, telling Poppy she was out saving souls with the good book. Poppy believed her mother was a real-life angel and she wanted to grow up just like her. During Bella's work one night she acquires the Tragic Pearl which was believed to be cursed and hides it in her bible. When Ben does finally return Bella believes he wants to take Poppy away from her and accidentally shoots him. She believes she has killed him and in despair ends up in the local Opium den where she tragically dies from an overdose. Ben has only been wounded and flees Broome in terror. Poppy is devastated and has only her mother's bible to remember her by. When she finally opens the book, she discovers the secret within - the Tragic Pearl safe and hidden.

This is the end of the first installment.

Review of the Show

Worn Art Revamped played to a full-house on November 1 after a last minute panic buy for tickets while Friday night had seats to spare. Well done to Theatre Kimberley Inc. for putting on a brilliant show. It was Lesley Marsh’s directorial debut under the guidance of Worn Arts stalwart Gwen Knox. Chris Hill’s effective stage sets combined with Andrew Chambers and Jaye Smokers technical brilliance brought the story of ‘Bella’ to life. The story was set in Broome’s heydays of 1903-20. It took you on a journey from the pearling-beds of Bidyadanga to the Red Light district of Shiba Lane and finally to a girl whose great Aunt Bella was her hero.  

Choreographers Justine De Bryn, Melissa Arnott-Barker and Nicole Gallus excelled with their talented group of performers. The character of ‘Bella’ dressed in the prize-winning costume by emerging designer Janelle Walford was received by the audience with whoops of delight as she shed the layers to reveal a girl who did what she had to, to survive those harsh times.

The show began with a look back to past Worn Art costumes. Next the telephone exchange girls and narrators of the story were brought to life in costumes made from paper bags and artwork printed on fabric.  Thereafter flowed a bevy of costumes made from Plastic carry bags ‘Bella’ winner of the  Overall Prize,  ‘Um-bella Brella’ made from umbrellas, winner of the Backstage and Crew Prize and also the Audience Choice prize. There was the ballerina in a quirky cupcake collection and later in a beautiful pearl and coconut husk ensemble.  The Mermaid ‘Mershimmer’ resplendent in recycled elements of Broome’s flora and fauna while the elegant ‘Saltwater Siren’ innovated with an expanding foam headdress. The Diver’s helmet from  ‘Buoy of the Bay’ was a great papier-mâché creation while the ‘Fish-herders’ were a combination of ring-pulls collected from all the hotels in Broome, inner-tyre rubber, air-ducting and steam sieves. In the background ‘Sea-dee Mystified’ the giant fish made from CD’s and paint samplers prowled the stage. Then the Burlesque girls arrived in an assortment of macramé sulo bin liners, body scrubbers, show curtains, shade cloth, shopping bags etc.

The second half saw the resolute Maude Telfer teetering in a paper dress, while ‘De-filed filly’ made from file holders elegantly teetered with her. Then came the tent ‘Camping Queen’ with the camp fire as a headpiece and the winning ‘Um-bella Brella’ closely followed. ‘Mrs Penelope Farthing’ in a recycled Wedding dress appeared and headed for the 2-up. Then in The Den we saw a field of Poppies entice and devour ‘Bella’ while death waited on the tissue. The story revealed the Tragic Pearl finally being recovered.

Theatre Kimberley Inc. would like to thank all Sponsors, Performers, Backstage and Crew with their incredible work ethic and for bringing to life a part of Broome’s history.

The second installment of the "Bella Trilogy"

  "Poppy - Child of the Lane"

Friday July 29 and Saturday July 30, 2016

‘Poppy’ is the second story in a trilogy that follows the inaugural 2014 ‘The Great Pearl Tragedy’ show. This sell-out show was a time-twisting tale set in Shiba Lane the red light district of old Broome [1905] where the main character Bella worked. She acquired a pearl that had been lost 3 times linked with 2 mysterious deaths then lost forever after the demise of Bella in an Opium den. A tale inspired by the local story ‘Tragic Pearl’ by W.C. Charnley.

‘Poppy – Child of the Lane’ begins on the night before Bella dies as she and her daughter Poppy sit beneath the night sky. Bella tells Poppy a story of the ‘Pleiades’ constellation known as the Seven Sisters, a story told to Bella by Poppy’s father. This detail was Inspired by Munya Andrew’s book ‘The Seven Sisters of The Pleiades’ which allows the storyline to investigate the connection between the ‘Pleiades’ multicultural stories and Broome’s multicultural community while leading up to WW1 and  the acknowledgement of the 2015 ANZAC anniversary while supporting the main theme of Poppy’s search for her father.

The third and final installment of the "Bella Trilogy"

  "X-Girl Red and the Tragic Pearl"

Friday November 2 and Saturday November 3, 2018