In Principio v16 no1 (2005)

COLLEGE OF I ARTS WA'S TOP WRITER VISITS NOTRE DAME Award-winning West Australian author Tim Winton, visited Notre Dame students in an event held by the College of Arts in conjunction with student group the Arts Union in September. Mr Winton read a short story from his book, The Turning, before it was released - the first public reading from his novel. Dean of the College of Arts, Associate Professor Simon Adams said, "Tim is not only one of Western Australia's first-class writers; he's also one of the world's finest novelists." "To have him share his views on literature and life with our students was an extraordinary experience," he said. "THOSE WERE THE DAYS," A PLAY ON THE HISTORY OF FREMANTLE'S WEST END BUILDINGS. Theatre Studies students from the College of Arts wrote and performed a play on the history of the buildings which the University now occupies. This incredible blast from the past took the audience back to the turn of the 20th century to a time when Fremantle was at the height of its formation. Janny O'Connell, Theatre Studies Lecturer and Director, said the play was, "A promenade performance, highlighting the unique history of the West End buildings." The play showcased the talent of the students, both as actors and w riters, as the entire play was self-devised. "With a little artistic licence, the students created a unique theatre experience. They used their research to generate authentic yet entertaining characters," she said. The series of true short stories stretch from the historical opening of the Fremantle tram to the horrific tale of Elizabeth Gamble who set fire to her house in order to murder her eight-day-old baby. Enhancing the play further was the fact that it travelled around Fremantle taking the audience to a series of locations, bringing .a. Tim Winton with students. alive the stories in a way previously unseen in theatre. The journey through the different historical buildings such as the various pubs and even the old courthouse, was a unique experience for the audience and a chance to see theatre in a way in which they've never seen it before. The West Australian Newspaper descried the play as "An entertaining and enlightening romp through history, enlivened by the enthusiastic performances of the students who did all the research, wrote the dialogue, dressed up in period costume and created the characters." .a. The full cast of "Those Were The Days". NOTRE DAME'S MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH LA SALLE SIA COLLEGE The University of Notre Dame Australia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with La Salle SIA College of the Arts in Singapore. This Memorandum will allow students from Notre Dame and La Salle to take part in an exchange program to study Theatre Arts or Communications at either University for a semester. Notre Dame's Dean of the College of Arts, Associate Professor Simon Adams said, "As a Catho lic University and a private institution we are committed in terms of our mission and geography to build a strong relationship with Asia." "We would like to further build and maintain our ties with Singapore, considering that outside of Singapore, Perth has the largest Singaporean community in the world." "We will also be exploring the opportunity for these students to visit the Broome Campus," he said. La Salle SIA College of the Arts has around 1500 students and offers the widest range of Arts programs in Singapore. It was founded by De La Salle brother, Brother Joseph McNally in 1984. ii