Shows now touring primary and secondary schools in Australia:

Suitcase Stories

For years 2-7. Available in Perth, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne.

The history of Australian immigration.

"The best incursion we've ever had. Bravo!" Teacher, Parkwood Primary School.

"Incredible educational value and so entertaining. Thank you." Bea Bouska, teacher,  Bletchley Park Primary

Suitcase Stories is a 50 minute, one-woman show for those in years 2-7. Originally commissioned by and performed at the Western Australia Maritime Museum in Fremantle, it's very funny and has a message: 'This is the lucky country, it's great here so... shall we get on?' Suitcase Stories celebrates the cultural diversity of Australia. In the show we meet eight different women from eight different eras, each with a tale to tell about coming to Australia. There's Eliza Delaney from Ireland, a pioneer of early settlement, Afifa the Lebanese footballing legend, Anna Petrovna the batty Russian ballet dancer, Zhou the Chinese girl with a yen for disco dancing, Dutch girl Danke, Beth Barry the Ten Pound Pom and Bardi, a blackfella with a yarn or two to tell about Dreamtime and the impact of white settlement. Then there's Vittoria, the Italian nurse with a great heaving bosomful of ice-cream and motherly love. The humour and the ever-changing cast enable us to discover the legacy of those who have gone before, to savour the flavours of those who have just arrived and to relish the fact that we are all very lucky to be here. Suitcase Stories was written by Tiffany Barton and Mick Devine. Performed in Perth by Tiffany Barton, in Adelaide by Bronwen James, in Melbourne by Anthea Campione and in Sydney by Eliane Morel.

What they say about the show

"The best incursion we've ever had. Bravo!" — Esme Pashley, teacher, Parkwood Primary, WA

"It was AMAZING!" — Prince Alfred College, Adelaide.

"The performance was fabulous. The children at each of the shows were really engaged and learnt so much. Incredible educational value and so entertaining. Thank you." — Bea Bouska, teacher,  Bletchley Park Primary

"It was fabulous!!” — Ilana Segal, Clarinda Primary School, Victoria

"Anthea was terrific…good content for teachers to take it further…an enjoyable and educational experience for all.” — Con Pakavakis, Assistant Principal, Auburn South Primary School, Victoria

"Suitcase Stories is a wonderful example of performance that presents Western Australian history in a dynamic and contemporary way by bringing it to life. The challenges of a variety of migration experiences is expressed through these women's stories, blending fiction with history based on personal accounts from women in their own words. As both a writer and performer Tiffany Barton has brought us a sophisticated and valuable perspective on these great everyday stories of arrival that bring new colour to the palette of recent Western Australian history. I am very pleased that through the Western Australian Museum I have been involved in the early life of this fine theatrical work." — Felena Alach, Public Programs Officer, Western Australian Museum

"The children of Burrendah Primary School were lucky enough to experience the fabulous, extremely entertaining, Tiffany Barton who brought much fun and laughter to our stage. Thank you Tiffany!" — Sobhoin Ialacci and Samantha Holdcroft, year 5, Burrendah Primary School, WA.

"The children from years 1-3 thoroughly enjoyed today's performance...a valuable resource for events such as Harmony Day...highly recommended." — Riverton Primary, WA

The syllabus

Suitcase Stories comes with a set of teachers' notes with ideas for discussion. Subject areas covered include the history of Australia, society and environment, cultural diversity and tolerance, Aboriginal culture and dreamtime.

Bookings

Suitcase Stories costs $500 (Sydney $550) for audiences of up to 100 (add $5 per child -Sydney $5.50- for larger audiences).

Email: creativecollaborations@rocketmail.com

The Lucky Country

For years 7-10. Available in Perth and Sydney. See our videos for a preview or use this link:  https://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=qvX2AHAIdaM&u=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DA4aKiLN-kyY%26feature%3Dshare

The history of Australian immigration.

"A huge success and very much enjoyed by all." — Lyn Murtha, teacher, Cannington Community College.

Written to appeal to those in years 7, 8, 9 and 10 The Lucky Country is the 45 minute, Secondary School version of the highly successful Suitcase Stories (above). We again meet Beth Barry and her husband, Ten Pound Poms from the early 60s, Eliza Delaney from Ireland, a pioneer of early settlement, Afifa the modern-day footballing Lebanese legend, and Vittoria,the Italian nurse from the 50s with a great heaving bosomful of ice-cream, tears and motherly love. Pearl The Girl introduces us to a family history of intermarriage between the Chinese and Aboriginal pearl fishers of Broome, Ivana is determined to bury the horrors of Kosovo and Anisha tells us about her sooo embarrassing Indian grandfather. The humour and the ever-changing cast enable us to discover the legacy of those who have gone before, to savour the flavours of those who have just arrived and to relish the fact that we're all very lucky to be here. So... shall we get on?

The Lucky Country was wrtten by Mick Devine and Eliane Morel. Performed in Perth by Hilary Mann and in Sydney by Eliane Morel.

What they say about the show

"Terrific. So good... I really did 'laugh and cry'!" — Audience member, Joondalup Library.

"Thanks for your fantastic performance...a huge success and very much enjoyed by all." — Lyn Murtha, teacher, Cannington Community College.

"...performed with an exuberant positivity and the transformation that she exacted from within each character was remarkable." — Gabrielle Everall, Maritime Museum.

The syllabus

The Lucky Country comes with a set of teachers' notes with brief histories and maps of historical events that have impacted on the migrant experience including the break-up of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo conflict, the influx of Chinese and Japanese fishermen to Broome, the White Australia policy, the Vietnam War, the Rwandan massacres, Indian independence and the events of 9/11.                                                                                                                                                        

Bookings

The Lucky Country costs $600 for audiences of up to 120. Add $5 per child for larger audiences. Email thedevinemick@yahoo.com.au

The Big Book Show

For years 2-7. Available in Perth only.

A show for Book Week and beyond showcasing 16 classics. A ripper of a trip to the kids' lit' Oscars to promote literacy and the love of reading.

"Fantastic! It engaged all the children. Thoroughly professional." — Trevor Dent. Teacher, Gidgegannup Primary

"Brilliant!" — Teacher, Lake Gwelup Primary

"Terrific - brilliant - loved it!"—Teacher, Riverton Primary

"Fantastic, wonderful. The children, and staff, were totally enthralled." — Head, North Dandalup Primary

The hilarious and informative Big Book Show was written especially for Children’s Book Week and promotes the enjoyment of, not just books, but of stories in general. The show appeals to those in years 2-7 and comes complete with copious teacher’s notes: we’ve included a précis of each featured book and suggestions as to how to use them to introduce the ideas of narrative, themes, persuasive writing, descriptive writing, assonance, alliteration, synonyms, issues, being imaginative, setting, dialogue, similes and metaphors. The audience finds itself at The Big Book Awards, the kids’ lit’ equivalent of the Oscars. Our presenter Claudia is either a world famous actress or the school cleaning lady with delusions of grandeur. As the show progresses she acts out scenes from those books nominated for an award...                                                         "Dharlinks, let's look at each of our nominees... Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Moby Dick, Alice in Wonderland, The Time Machine, Jabberwocky, Suckathumb, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, Peter Pan, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Lockie Leonard The Human Torpedo, The Lost Thing, Black Beauty and Born to Run. And the winner is…”

Strangely enough, as gripping as those excerpts are, Claudia’s autobiography sweeps the board. Hmmm. Claudia is eventually unmasked as a bit of a dreamer…but that’s why we like her…she’s a story-teller. And the winner is…books! So what’s so good about books? Well, the batteries don’t fall out for a start, and they’re a bit like radio: the pictures are better when you have to make them up yourself. Books will take you all the way round the world, even into outer space and you don’t even have to get out of bed!                                                                                                                                                                       The Big Book Show was written by Mick Devine who has designed for London’s National Theatre and for Olivier Award-winning West End musical “Return to the Forbidden Planet”. 

Bookings

The Big Book Show runs for 50 minutes and costs $600 for audiences of up to 120 (add $5 per child for larger audiences). Phone Mick (0400553428) or email thedevinemick@yahoo.com.au

Hooking Up

For years 8-10. Available in Perth only.

All you ever wanted to know about dating, relationships and sex. By Tiffany Barton. Tiffany's show  Girls' Talk, about puberty, toured secondary schools in Perth and Melbourne in recent  years. Tiffany studied Sexology at Curtin University.

Treya and Alex are two normal teenagers who have come to your school to have a frank discussion about sex. Yup, SEX, that secret thing that lots of people do but few people like to talk about. They negotiate the minefield of dating, how to deal with rejection and jealousy, explore the rollercoaster of losing your virginity, the problems associated with poor communication, and other issues like consent, coming out, sexting, the drunken pick-up, the double standard,STIs, contraception and that big four letter word, LOVE. Based on real-lifestories and case histories, Treya and Alex use humor and candor to cover a bunch of sensitive topics and open up an important conversation about sex and ethics for the modern teenager. Hooking Up runs for 50 minutes and includes a 10 minute question time at the end.

Bookings:

Hooking Up costs $500 for audiences of up to 100 (add $5 per student for larger audiences). Email creativecollaborations@rocketmail.com or phone Tiffany Barton on 0410890283 for more information.