How far is too far?
Thu, 16 Aug 2001, 02:33 pmWalter Plinge10 posts in thread
How far is too far?
Thu, 16 Aug 2001, 02:33 pmOne of my recent posts mentioned my cousins who live around Bunbury (Eaton), whom I thought would be interested to see a show to be performed in Perth.
One of the replies to that post seemed to suggest that she was surprised that anyone might come from that far away just to see a show. I'm informed that it's around a two-to-three-hour drive to Perth from Bunbury (?) which to us seems not too far at all. The rellies pop up there regularly.
For me, living two and a half hours outside of Brisbane, it's nothing to drive to the city to catch a show once a fortnight.
Conversely, it's not unusual to be talking to a city-dweller who, after pointing out where you've travelled from, will reply "You came ALL THE WAY from OUT THERE?!!". There seems to be an attitude in the capital cities that anything more than a one-hour drive outside the metropolitan centre is a whole other world. Whereas for us, it's nothing to go for a Sunday drive three hours one way.
Just last week a few of us went down to Brisbane one afternoon after work to see "Burn the Floor" and came back the same night no worries, but an associate in Brisbane thought we were mad to come all the way to the city without staying at least a few days.
Perhaps these opposing views of distance are common traits between city and country dwellers all around the nation? But I would have thought that if any state could relate to long-distance travel, it would have been WA, considering the vastness of the place.
I'd be keen to know how many non-city dwellers use this site? And how often do they travel to a capital city to see a show?
...And also how often the city-dwellers undertake the same length of hike for the same reason?
One of the replies to that post seemed to suggest that she was surprised that anyone might come from that far away just to see a show. I'm informed that it's around a two-to-three-hour drive to Perth from Bunbury (?) which to us seems not too far at all. The rellies pop up there regularly.
For me, living two and a half hours outside of Brisbane, it's nothing to drive to the city to catch a show once a fortnight.
Conversely, it's not unusual to be talking to a city-dweller who, after pointing out where you've travelled from, will reply "You came ALL THE WAY from OUT THERE?!!". There seems to be an attitude in the capital cities that anything more than a one-hour drive outside the metropolitan centre is a whole other world. Whereas for us, it's nothing to go for a Sunday drive three hours one way.
Just last week a few of us went down to Brisbane one afternoon after work to see "Burn the Floor" and came back the same night no worries, but an associate in Brisbane thought we were mad to come all the way to the city without staying at least a few days.
Perhaps these opposing views of distance are common traits between city and country dwellers all around the nation? But I would have thought that if any state could relate to long-distance travel, it would have been WA, considering the vastness of the place.
I'd be keen to know how many non-city dwellers use this site? And how often do they travel to a capital city to see a show?
...And also how often the city-dwellers undertake the same length of hike for the same reason?
Walter PlingeThu, 16 Aug 2001, 02:33 pm
One of my recent posts mentioned my cousins who live around Bunbury (Eaton), whom I thought would be interested to see a show to be performed in Perth.
One of the replies to that post seemed to suggest that she was surprised that anyone might come from that far away just to see a show. I'm informed that it's around a two-to-three-hour drive to Perth from Bunbury (?) which to us seems not too far at all. The rellies pop up there regularly.
For me, living two and a half hours outside of Brisbane, it's nothing to drive to the city to catch a show once a fortnight.
Conversely, it's not unusual to be talking to a city-dweller who, after pointing out where you've travelled from, will reply "You came ALL THE WAY from OUT THERE?!!". There seems to be an attitude in the capital cities that anything more than a one-hour drive outside the metropolitan centre is a whole other world. Whereas for us, it's nothing to go for a Sunday drive three hours one way.
Just last week a few of us went down to Brisbane one afternoon after work to see "Burn the Floor" and came back the same night no worries, but an associate in Brisbane thought we were mad to come all the way to the city without staying at least a few days.
Perhaps these opposing views of distance are common traits between city and country dwellers all around the nation? But I would have thought that if any state could relate to long-distance travel, it would have been WA, considering the vastness of the place.
I'd be keen to know how many non-city dwellers use this site? And how often do they travel to a capital city to see a show?
...And also how often the city-dwellers undertake the same length of hike for the same reason?
One of the replies to that post seemed to suggest that she was surprised that anyone might come from that far away just to see a show. I'm informed that it's around a two-to-three-hour drive to Perth from Bunbury (?) which to us seems not too far at all. The rellies pop up there regularly.
For me, living two and a half hours outside of Brisbane, it's nothing to drive to the city to catch a show once a fortnight.
Conversely, it's not unusual to be talking to a city-dweller who, after pointing out where you've travelled from, will reply "You came ALL THE WAY from OUT THERE?!!". There seems to be an attitude in the capital cities that anything more than a one-hour drive outside the metropolitan centre is a whole other world. Whereas for us, it's nothing to go for a Sunday drive three hours one way.
Just last week a few of us went down to Brisbane one afternoon after work to see "Burn the Floor" and came back the same night no worries, but an associate in Brisbane thought we were mad to come all the way to the city without staying at least a few days.
Perhaps these opposing views of distance are common traits between city and country dwellers all around the nation? But I would have thought that if any state could relate to long-distance travel, it would have been WA, considering the vastness of the place.
I'd be keen to know how many non-city dwellers use this site? And how often do they travel to a capital city to see a show?
...And also how often the city-dwellers undertake the same length of hike for the same reason?
Walter PlingeThu, 16 Aug 2001, 02:44 pm
RE: How far is too far?
Nothing to do wtih theatre, but when I lived in Mt Isa we thought little of "popping over" to Alice or Townsville for a weekend (1200 and 700 ks respectively - each way) but then once we moved to "ther big smoke" our distances have shortened dramatically.
AngeliqueThu, 16 Aug 2001, 03:33 pm
RE: How far is too far?
WA is a strange place - I have often had where I live and rehearse referred to as "whoop whoop". It is 15 mins from Perth down the Freeway! So no wonder they think Bunbury is on another planet.
Walter PlingeThu, 16 Aug 2001, 06:48 pm
RE: How far is too far?
Blame the suburban mentality!!
Living as I do in Lesmurdie (which is in the Hills region on the eastern fringes of Perth's metro area- purely for the non-Perthites) a trip to "The Hills" is considered to require a packed lunch and waterbag by those who dwell in the "Flats". We found this with the recent production of Amadeus- people were loathe to travel to the Hills thinking "it's too far away!".
Most of this prejudice stems from the Hills meaning travelling (strangely!) UP A HILL!! Hence the tyranny of distance also contains a tyrrany of altitude.
Conversely Hill-dwellers often go to rehearsals or performances down in "The Flats" without second thought. Often, it's warmer down there...
Eliot
Living as I do in Lesmurdie (which is in the Hills region on the eastern fringes of Perth's metro area- purely for the non-Perthites) a trip to "The Hills" is considered to require a packed lunch and waterbag by those who dwell in the "Flats". We found this with the recent production of Amadeus- people were loathe to travel to the Hills thinking "it's too far away!".
Most of this prejudice stems from the Hills meaning travelling (strangely!) UP A HILL!! Hence the tyranny of distance also contains a tyrrany of altitude.
Conversely Hill-dwellers often go to rehearsals or performances down in "The Flats" without second thought. Often, it's warmer down there...
Eliot
stuartFri, 17 Aug 2001, 09:13 am
RE: How far is too far?
Without wishing to start a "North -v- South" war in Perth, it does sometimes seem that Northsiders think that coming south of the river to a show involves visa and passport implications
cheers
Stuart
cheers
Stuart
JoeMcFri, 17 Aug 2001, 02:29 pm
RE: How far is too far?
In reverse I had an altercation with a performing rights agent once, about a show we were going to perform in Bunbury. Because another show, out of the same agency, was also to be performed there. {the two shows were totally different - she would have no objection if it was two different suburbs of Perth - but not a country town???}
So we decided to do the first show at Augusta, which is just as far from Bunbury as Bunbury is from Perth.
I can still visualise her, when she objected to this on the grounds as being still too close, because she had measured it on a map { probably a world atlas?} as it is only an inch away from Bunbury.
It took a long time to convince her that is about two hour + driving too get from one to the other.
In the Opera Company down south we had a number of singers who would commute for rehearsals from Perth. Also a lot go to Bunbury and Mandurah Performing Arts Centres to see showÂ’s on a regular basis.
It depends were the boundaries of your little universe are?????
Joe McCabe
So we decided to do the first show at Augusta, which is just as far from Bunbury as Bunbury is from Perth.
I can still visualise her, when she objected to this on the grounds as being still too close, because she had measured it on a map { probably a world atlas?} as it is only an inch away from Bunbury.
It took a long time to convince her that is about two hour + driving too get from one to the other.
In the Opera Company down south we had a number of singers who would commute for rehearsals from Perth. Also a lot go to Bunbury and Mandurah Performing Arts Centres to see showÂ’s on a regular basis.
It depends were the boundaries of your little universe are?????
Joe McCabe
Walter PlingeSun, 19 Aug 2001, 03:30 pm
RE: How far is too far?
I remember that in the early days of Bunbury, around 13% of the audience came from Mandurah. I am also aware that in the great Northwest, we used to get around 10% of our audiences for the big stuff in Karratha from Port Hedland, a mere 250km away (500km round trip).
As I live in Armadale and work in Kwinana and City Beach, distance has never been an issue to me, or my friends.
Interesting arguement though!
The population at Wattle Grove went mad a couple of years ago when the local chemist closed down, resulting in some of the pensioners having to travel upto a 1000m to the next chemist...... A spell in the Country would restore a bit of perspective to these people for certain.
regards
Ian
As I live in Armadale and work in Kwinana and City Beach, distance has never been an issue to me, or my friends.
Interesting arguement though!
The population at Wattle Grove went mad a couple of years ago when the local chemist closed down, resulting in some of the pensioners having to travel upto a 1000m to the next chemist...... A spell in the Country would restore a bit of perspective to these people for certain.
regards
Ian
Mark KontMon, 20 Aug 2001, 02:09 pm
RE: How far is too far?
There were extenuating circumstances, but......
there was the case of an actor in a Perth production earlier this year (not me!) who lived and worked in Kalgoorlie and who travelled to and from rehearsals (round trip = 1200km) on a regular basis.
there was the case of an actor in a Perth production earlier this year (not me!) who lived and worked in Kalgoorlie and who travelled to and from rehearsals (round trip = 1200km) on a regular basis.
Walter PlingeMon, 20 Aug 2001, 03:07 pm
RE: How far is too far?
distance isn't a great problem problem for us down in the southeast corridor(Armadale, Kelmscott & Roleystone) for those not in the know. We travel regularly to Darlington, Wanneroo or even Kalamunda to see a good production especially at the prices community theatre charge.
Mark Kont wrote:
-------------------------------
There were extenuating circumstances, but......
there was the case of an actor in a Perth production earlier this year (not me!) who lived and worked in Kalgoorlie and who travelled to and from rehearsals (round trip = 1200km) on a regular basis.
Mark Kont wrote:
-------------------------------
There were extenuating circumstances, but......
there was the case of an actor in a Perth production earlier this year (not me!) who lived and worked in Kalgoorlie and who travelled to and from rehearsals (round trip = 1200km) on a regular basis.
Walter PlingeMon, 20 Aug 2001, 03:45 pm
RE: How far is too far?
For me it is not the actual distance, but the difficulty of getting there that would prevent me from going to a show. I did a performance in Melbounre when I lived in country Victoria which required a seven hour return train journey. I have also taken the same journey many times to see a performance. Last yea after moving to Perthr I expressed my desire to audition for a company on the opposite side of the city to what I live and was told that i was crazy as I could never get there without a car. Consequently, until I bought a car seeing a Performance in the city required a large degree of orchestration and many a performance was passe up because it was too far.