Queensland Theatre Company presents Head Full of Love from July 7

Colette Mann & Roxanne McDonald at their best in this heart-warming tale

When a white woman flees her Sydney life she is surprised to find herself in Alice Springs, sitting on a bench with a black woman crocheting a beanie. It is in this setting that woolen thread is entwined into a touching yarn, sure to enchant audiences with warm humour and tender heartbreak that feeds the soul. Inspired by the annual Alice Springs Beanie Festival, Queensland Theatre Company presents Head Full of Love, at QPAC’s Cremorne Theatre from 7^th July for a five-week season.

This intricate and wisely told tale by Australian playwright Alana Valentine (Run Rabbit Run, Parramatta Girls) is directed by QTC Artistic Director Wesley Enoch and stars Colette Mann (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Strange Bedfellows) and Roxanne McDonald (Skin of our Teeth, Parramatta Girls, The Story of the Miracles at Cookie’s Table).

It’s a long way from the big smoke for Nessa Tavistock (Colette Mann) who finds herself inadvertently part of the Alice Springs Beanie Festival pilgrimage for women as diverse and distant as the Anangu and Tjanpi weavers and Western women from all over the world. For Nessa’s happenstance friend Tilly Napuljari (Roxanne McDonald), meeting the entry deadline for her new creation allows the women to weave a relationship based on shared secrets, struggles and successes. The two women realize that despite their differences in language, surroundings and upbringing, they are not so different after all, and their stories are forever linked together, row by row, colour by colour. “As they crochet their beanies there is a healing process, and from this, a sense of self evolves. It is a wonderful metaphor for Australia today,” says QTC Artistic Director, Wesley Enoch. “Theatre is a vehicle to share the stories that we may not otherwise hear, and the way a remote community has found a way to overcome the limitations of access to healthcare is an important one to share with the greater community of Australia.”

What: Head Full of Love, by Alana Valentine

When:      7 July – 11 August
Where:     Cremorne Theatre, QPAC
Director: Wesley Enoch
Cast:         Colette Mann and Roxanne McDonald

Tickets: $33-$65 queenslandtheatre.com.au

Lots of Americans seem to think that May 5 is Mexican Independence Day, but that holiday actually falls on Sept. 16.

May 5 is the celebration of the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexicans defeated the French in 1862. Independence Day marks the beginning of their fight for independence from Spain in 1810. That was the day of what’s known as El Grito de Dolores, or the cry of Dolores, for when the Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the church bells at his church in Dolores and declared that Mexico should be free from Spanish rule.

They would fight for their freedom until 1821 when they finally gained independence.

Fabulous Classroom has a little of the history and ideas for celebrating the holiday for all age groups. There’s also a link to a good video in that post about the real story of Mexican Independence Day.

Twinkl also has a good tops about the history and different activities, discussion ideas, crafts and foods that can be incorporated into lessons at school or used at home.

I also found a few pins that no longer link to a website but include good information on Mexican Independence Day, including some questions for students to answer based on the reading. You can find more printables and questions for kids from TX Homeschool Mama on Etsy (also available in Spanish).

You can find a lot more paid resources about Mexican Independence Day at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Mexican flag crafts are a fun option for celebrating Mexican Independence Day (though the current iteration of their flag has only been in use since 1968). Kids Activities Blog has a free Mexican flag printable and a few different ideas for decorating it including dot markers and torn tissue paper.

You can also find some great Mexican crafts at Red Ted Art. The post includes all sorts of Mexican inspired projects including Day of the Dead crafts, Frida Kahlo pinatas and upcycled musical instruments. I love the giant paper flowers they shared from Honestly WTF.

Have you read?