AustLit

'Reflecting on religion, life, death and the importance of tea and cake, Tasmania’s living theatre treasure Robert Jarman returns with his latest solo show about the power of ritual in modern life. The Protecting Veil mixes the richness of the Catholic and Anglican traditions with a generous serve of gay sensibility and a dash of Renaissance Art History to explore how ceremonies help us all make sense of the passage of our fragile bodies from birth to death. With a maximum audience of 25, The Protecting Veil is a secular sacrament, a thoughtful ritual of community.'

Source: Ten Days on the Island.

'To celebrate his 60th birthday, Robert Jarman, Artistic Director of Blue Cow Theatre, created a new show. A tribute to his parents and a celebration of the theatre to which he has devoted his life.'

Source: Blue Cow Theatre.

'A celebration of the lives of two of the 20th Century most idiosyncratic, charismatic icons: Mexican surrealist painter Frida Kahlo and English punk film-maker Derek Jarman.

'The lives of these striking individuals share surprising parallels. Both had almost mystical regard for colour, both practiced their art with exuberant excess, opulence and flirtation, and both kept exotic gardens. Derek was a loud and proud gay activist; Frida a committed communist. Pain, injury and illnesses stalked Frida for her whole life, while Derek’s final year was veiled in blindness.

'These fascinating characters have captured the world’s imagination. In “Frida and Derek”, Blue Cow set them free in Tasmania’s gardens.'

Source: Blue Cow Theatre.

'Sex is his lifeblood, and his lips drip kisses. Pursuit, seduction and betrayal are his standard operating procedure. Now this archetypal story gets given a modern and very local spin by Robert Jarman. As a director/designer Robert has staged many of Tasmania’s most memorable and beautiful productions of the last two decades. His take on Don Juan is thoughtful, sexy, funny, gorgeous and philosophical. It’s about sex and deception and hypocrisy and, of course, it’s a comedy.'

Source: Blue Cow Theatre.

Imagines the period in prison of French writer Jean Genet.

'Les Darcy is "the Maitland Wonder" and rates with Don Bradman and Phar Lap as a sporting legend. Les Darcy was 22 years old when he died in the USA on 24 May 1917. But how many of us know that Les Darcy was an amateur violinist? When he prepared to fight Fritz Holland, a renowned vaudevillian and cello player, he calmed himself by playing violin, while his opponent did likewise on cello. The Flight of Les Darcy is a new chamber opera that unites art and music and will be staged in a boxing ring in City Hall.'

Source: Ten Days on the Island program.