There are many arts and cultural events held on the Mid North Coast, listed below are the Wauchope Arts events followed by other arts events. Click here to find out more about listing your event on the Wauchope Arts website.

Lost Property

Wauchope Arts Hall Friday 14th November at 8pm

Tickets
$23 full
$18 concession

Bookings 0429 854733

‘Lost Property’ by Anne Frost

‘Must see theatre.’
‘Honest and moving text’. Ken Longworth Newcastle Herald.

‘Lost Property’ was first performed by Shakespeare et al in 2007 at the Newcastle Civic Theatre Playhouse, where it received critical and audience acclaim. Set in Stroud it is a drama about the changing landscape of rural NSW within the context of the division of a family farm.

This reality is often extremely problematic in rural areas as it can also mean the division of the family. In the current financial environment the sale of properties that have been within a family, often for generations, is almost unavoidable but does the destruction of one’s history have consequences?

As the play unfolds reminiscence uncovers some happy but also dark and distasteful memories of childhood on the seemingly idyllic farm.

Writer director Anne Frost was raised in Stroud and is the 2007 recipient of the Newcastle City Council CONDA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Theatre.

As a daughter of Stroud Anne is confident in creating ‘real’ characters that echo the struggle, pride, loyalty and humour of rural life.

Anne’s understanding of the constraints of living in a small town have spurred her to tour this fully professional production to rural areas. 

The Picture Show returns to Wauchope

For decades going to the pictures at the Regent Theatre (formerly Bailey’s Picture Palace) was a rich part of Wauchope’s history.  Generations of  movie goers would dress up and after the  film they’d fold up the chairs and dance til it was milking time.

From 1995 Wauchope Arts Council led the campaign to save the building and to provide a cultural centre for Wauchope. This included the Regent Square Festival where giant puppets told the story of the picture palace.

The community was polarised with some seeing the place as an old tin shed that should be bulldozed down and others excited by its old world charm and significant heritage features.

Research on the history of the building, conducted by Krissa Wilkinson convinced professor Ross Thorne to change the heritage listing of the Regent and culminated in a radio documentary “If Those walls Could talk” – a collage of memories from the Regent’s hey days.

The theatre was a significant building on many levels particularly as it was where the soldiers were welcomed home from World War 2 and the place of many other significant community events including the annual flower show and the Bachelor and Spinster Balls.

Sadly, despite convincing council to oppose its demolition, the campaign led by Trish Crick and Carol Randall, to save the 1930’s picture palace was unsuccessful and it was burnt down in May 2001.

Like the picture palace, the  arts hall serves as a kind of cultural centre many ways with concerts and theatre and we are now delighted to expand our cultural program to include cinema.

Coming Soon