Subi Farmers Market and Play

Last Saturday, I went to Subiaco, a suburb of Perth, to check out the farmers market and see Waltzing the Wilarra, a play put on by the Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company. The Market runs every Saturday from 8-12 noon. It was located at the primary school and was very busy.

I bought one banana and a cup of chai tea. I also tried several olives, a rhubarb tart, local cheese, olive oil, a gluten-free bread. It was all very delicious. There were mostly produce vendors, but the market also included meats, cheeses, jams, crepes, baked goods, and live music. It reminded me of the Edmonds and Salem Saturday Markets.

My first chai of Australia!

Crepe stand

After wandering through the market we walked around Subiaco and found an "Op-shop," or thrift store. It was a Salvation Army, but in AUS they are called "Salvos." I have located several other op-shops in Perth including two "Good Sammy" stores and a "Vinnies" or St. Vincent de Paul. In general, the thrift shops I have been to are smaller than in the US and they don't have that weird smell.

After thrifting, we headed to the Subiaco Art Centre. It was located in a park, so we sat outside for a while waiting for the play to start. Here is the entrance to the theater: It was lined with lights and featured a shiny, sparkling moon hung between two trees.

Check out this giant fiddlehead! It's from a fern tree.

There was also a mosaic featuring unique Australian animals like the emu, koala, platypus, and others like a seahorse, turtle, and crab.

The theater was small and I had a ticket for the front row! Inside, there were foil stars hanging from the ceiling, which reflected in the lights and created patterns on the walls.

Here is a description of the play from the newspaper which explains the plot better than I could:

"Set in the Coolbaroo Club, a real-life Perth music hangout where both black and white Australians would gather to dance and socialise during the 1940s, the play explores the racial tension, domestic violence and inequality that surrounded the venue. It’s not until the second act however, that the character’s emotional wounds are painfully reopened and the play’s modern relevance is fully realised. Forty years on, with the club facing demolition, the singers, MC and punters that frequented the club are drawn back together in an effort to reconcile their differences in the hilariously politically-correct “learning circle”."
Source: http://www.perthnow.com.au/entertainment/perth-confidential/historical-musical-waltzing-the-wilarra-lives-up-to-the-hype/story-e6frg30l-1226000426989

I also listened to this audio segment about the music- all of the songs were written specially for this play:
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/musicshow/stories/2011/3130768.htm

Overall, I thought the play was excellent. I didn't know much about the reconciliation efforts, but after seeing the play I can start to understand how members of the "stolen generations" felt. I also liked the songs and the way in which the actors made fun of the "learning circle" approach in a humorous but serious way. They also used the phrase "according to the accordion," which was funny.

After the play we walked around Subi some more and came across the Earthwise center. It is a community gathering place where people meet to garden, share meals, and participate in volunteer projects. I am considering volunteering here. They had this dragon installation hanging from a tree: