Party Piece is sure to please

A fence separates the neighbours, but it has a peep hole which is used to riotous effect for each household to spy on the other as class warfare intensifies.

Director Sarah Lovesy, who makes her debut for WWLT, has directed for Sydney companies, including the Pymble Players and the Elanora Players and is a drama teacher with a degree in Performing Arts, specialising in direction and design.

She helped set up the drama department at the Newtown High School of the Performing Arts and was involved in the design of the HSC drama course.

Moving to the Central Coast

18 months ago to be closer to family, Lovesy said she was drawn to direct Party Piece because of its complicated nature.

“It’s a very good farce – quick paced and funny – but it’s also a challenge and is rarely put on by community theatre groups,” she said.

“The set, special effects and props are all very complicated but all add to the hilarity and while the storyline of farces is often very simple, this one has lots of dramatic action.

“There are seven fabulous diverse characters, each with their own story and background and that really appealed to me.”

Lovesy said the rehearsal had been plagues by some difficulties due to illness but that the cast had risen to the occasion beautifully.

“There have been some pressures byt the cast have remained positive,” she said.

“It’s a great play and they all wanted to be part of it.”

The cast comprises Troy Hester, Jenna Arnold, Karyn Wiffen, Terry Matthews, Jessica Curtis, Oliver Shepherd and Katrina Cook.

Party Piece opens for a threeweek season at Peninsula Theatre on February 24. Bookings can be made on the Woy Woy Little Theatre website.

Koala love in the air on Valentine’s Day

Love was truly in the air at the Australian Reptile Park on Valentine’s Day, February 14, as Elsa the world-famous koala discovered she had a secret admirer.

Gundy the koala enlisted the help of mammals keeper Lauren Hunter to deliver a fresh bouquet of pink and red eucalyptus blossoms with hopes high the pair will eventually take part in this year’s breeding season.

Hunter said Elsa’s favourite snack is eucalyptus blossom and she munched on the massive bunch of flowers all day long.

“Elsa and Gundy are both beautiful koalas and would make the most perfect couple,” she said.

“We have plans to pair them together for this year’s breeding season, and hopefully there will soon be a little joey along the way.”

The Park, at Somersby, continues to breed koalas to help boost population numbers for the endangered species. The program also seeks to educate visitors about koalas and with last years’ breeding season seeing more joeys born into the program, staff hope 2023’s additional joeys and

SATURDAY 11 MARCH 2023

3.00 – 5.30 pm heightened awareness will help protect the species from extinction.

“It’s more important now than ever to show the world just how special our koalas are and the importance of our crucial conservation breeding program,” Hunter said.

Source: Media release, Feb 14 Australian Reptile Park

You don’t usually associate senior citizens with motor bikes, but residents at Uniting Nareen Gardens Lodge at Bateau Bay were thrilled when the Central Coast Classic Motorcycle Club displayed 15 historic bikes at the Lodge recently as part of the NSW Seniors’ Festival.

Motorcycle Club President Peter Redman said the 15 bikes, supplied by club members, were all more than 30 years old.

“There were bikes ranging from the 1950s to the 1980s and (we also had) a motorbike and sidecar,” he said.

Classic bikes a hit with older residents

“I think the old British Bikes, like the Triumph and BSA, were the most popular because they are bikes residents can relate to.

“(There were) also some BMWs and some Japanese bikes.

“Our Club has been going since 1983 as a branch of the Classic & Enthusiasts Motor Cycle Club of NSW, and in 1987 we formed our stand alone club, Central Coast Classic Motor Cycle Club.

“The aim of the club is to provide an association for people interested in the preservation, restoration and use of historic motorcycles, which are 30 years old and

Better Hearing Australia

Central Coast (BHACC) will host a captioned screening of the new movie, Empire of Light, at Avoca Beach Picture Theatre on Monday, February 27, at 2pm as part of the NSW Seniors Festival.

Set in an English coastal town in the early 1980s, the film is about the power of human connection during turbulent older.

“At present we have 175 members and hold monthly meeting and club organized rides.”

Uniting Leisure and Wellness

Coordinator Shannon Roughan said a range of exciting activities had been organised

Captioned screening at Avoca Beach

times.

It stars Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Monica Dolan, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, Toby Jones, and Colin Firth.

It follows Hilary Small, who works as a duty manager at the Empire Cinema in Margate and struggles with bipolar disorder and lives alone.

When a new employee starts at the cinema, he and Hilary enter into an inter-racial relationship.

The first 100 tickets booked will be free and 100 choc-top ice creams will be given out on the day.

When all the free tickets are booked, tickets will be sold at a reduced price of $8.80.

As the movie screening is captioned, it will be suitable for people who have hearing loss.

BHACC is a local volunteer not-for-profit organisation which assists people with hearing loss through the provision of support, education, and advocacy.

The NSW Government provided a grant to help BHACC hold the event.

Tickets can be booked online at www.avocabeachtheatre. com.au for residents to celebrate the Seniors Festival.

“Not only fun activities, such as our classic bike show, our kindi farm and mocktail afternoon, but also some more serious stuff as well, such as having the SES to come by to speak about storm and flooding safety and how to handle bush fire season,” she said.

“Ultimately we were hoping to get important information to our residents for their wellbeing and show them that they are our number one priority.

“We were hoping to bring joy and happiness to our residents with something different.”

Terry Collins