A GOOD YARN
By
©
1990
Ph (08) 8 327 4142
A
GOOD YARN IS A PLAY ABOUT THE HISTORY OF LOBETHAL
AND
ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE ONKAPARINGA
WOOLLEN
MILL WHICH HAS BEEN CENTRAL TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.
THE
PLAY WAS DEVELOPED FROM RESEARCH WRITTEN AND ORAL
WHICH
WAS CONDUCTED OVER A SIXTEEN WEEK PERIOD FROM
RESEARCH
HAVE BEEN LODGED WITH THE ORAL HISTORY
COLLECTION OF THE MORTLOCK LIBRARY OF
TWENTY
SIX ACTORS TOOK PART IN THE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION
AND ALL, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE AUTHOR WHO
APPEARED
IN TWO VERY SMALL ROLES AND THE PRODUCTION MANAGER,
WERE LOCAL HILLS ACTORS.
SEVERAL WERE FROM THE TOWN OF
LOBETHAL
AS WAS MOST OF THE PRODUCTION TEAM.
TWO
BANDS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF ANDREW RICHARDSON, A
VICTORIAN
MUSICIAN, SUPPLIED THE WONDERFULLY VARIED MUSICAL
SUPPORT. THESE WERE THE
ONKAPARINGA VALLEY BAND WHICH IS
LOCATED
IN LOBETHAL AND A ROCK AND ROLL BAND ESPECIALLY
FORMED FOR THE PROJECT FROM
CENTENNIAL
HALL LOBETHAL WAS THE VENUE AND THIS OLD CINEMA
WAS
TRANSFORMED INTO A LIVE VENUE FOR THE PERFORMANCE
SEASON. THE PRODUCTION
TEAM BUILT TWO ROSTRA LEVELS OUT
FROM
THE STAGE AND THE FOREFRONT OF THE STAGE WAS USED
AS WELL GIVING THREE LEVELS OF ACTING. THE BANDS WERE
LOCATED EITHER SIDE OF THE ACTING AREA. RAKED SEATING WAS
INSTALLED
AND WHAT HAD STARTED OFF AS A BARN OF AN OLD HALL
BECAME
A NICE VENUE TO PERFORM OR BE AUDIENCE IN. THE SENIOR
CITIZENS
HALL NEXT DOOR WAS THE SUPPER VENUE FOR INTERVAL.
THE
STYLE OF ACTING WAS BIG AND MOSTLY OUT FRONT.
MONOLOGUES
WERE MAINLY ON MICROPHONE WITH MUSICAL BACKING.
THE
PRODUCTION AT ALL TIMES TRIED TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN
AUDIENCE
AND ACTORS AND INVOLVE THE AUDIENCE AS A PART OF THE
ACTION.
THE
ACTORS AND MUSICIANS APPEARING IN A GOOD YARN RANGED IN AGE
FROM 14 UP TO THE 60S.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF COMBINATIONS OF
MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS ONSTAGE. THE
PLAY
WAS ABOUT LOCAL HISTORY WITH LOCAL PEOPLE PERFORMING AND
THE
"OWNERSHIP" OF THE MATERIAL BY THE CAST WAS VERY STRONG.
Musical
Director/ComposerAndrew Richardson
Designer/Production
ManagerAlan Holy
ChoreographerBeverly
Graeber
Cast:
Todd
GrantJulia Barnard
Jorin DerksJohanna Selth
Alan
SandarsHeidi Sandars
Sarah
JeffriesNatalie Pfeiffer
Sheila
BrownGlen Liebelt
Laurens
DerksSally van Zelst
Peter
StaffordMax Oswald
Beverly
GraeberSharon Kemp
Gerard
van RysbergenAlan Holy
Mandy
PaussaEmily Doolan
Jessica
RolevinkWendy Rolevink
Cecil
MitchellBrenton Kowald
Sue
Ward
Kirri RileySax
Jamie
LarsenDrums
Todd
HowardBass
Justin
YorkGuitars
Gavin
O'LoughlinGuitar & Keyboards
Andrew
RichardsonFlute
Production
Team
Stage
manager
PublicitySharon
Kemp
CostumesSheila
Brown
LightingBob Brown: Grant
Kininmont
PropsClint Prior &
Matt
Prior
Poster
DesignStudents at Oakbank
PhotographySharon
Kemp: Alan Holy:
Staff
and students of
School, Lobethal.
THANKS
TO:-
Workers
and Management at the Onkaparinga Woollen Mill and especially
Cyril
Zilm: Kim Clark: Keith Gilbert and
the Amalgamated Footwear
and Textile Workers'
German
translations: Maestro Clarrie Size and The Onkaparinga
Valley Band:
Sgt.
Crisp:
Gavin O'Loughlin: Ivan Marek
and all staff at
Dean
Heyne: D
this project: All the people we interviewed: Harvest Theatre
Co.: Junction
Theatre
Co.: Wally and Isa Henschke:
All the mums and Dads for dropping
and picking up the
kids for workshops and rehearsals.
Webber's
Pharmacy, Lobethal: Gumeracha General Store: Oakbank Antiques:
Balhannah
Deli:
Special Thanks to Mary Anne Hunter and Howard Boerth.
We
gratefully acknowledge the support of The Australia Council: Central Region
Cultural
Authority: The Amalgamated Footwear and Textile
trades and Labour Council
of S.A.: The ACTU
OPENING SONG.
LOBETHAL. LIGHTS DOWN. MACHINE SOUNDS
ARE
HEARD AND THEN THE LIGHTS COME UP ON A MACHINE
WORKING. CROSS FADE TO BOARD
ROOM.
Executive 1
Pass
the port, Percy.
Executive 2
Righto
Roger
Executive 3
Cigar Cedric?
Executive 4
Cheers
Charlie.
Executive 5
Executive 6
No
Nigel.
Chairperson
Here
today to decide ... err ... To decide ... Is there an agenda?
Executive 3
Agenda
Archie
Archie
Certainly Sir Cedric.
Chairperson
Err
... What's on it.
Archie
Closure of either Warnambool or Lobethal.
MACHINE SOUNDS. CROSS FADE TO MACHINES.
Voice Over
General
Investments regrets to announce that the Onakaparinga
Woollen
Mill at Lobethal is closing because this plant is surplus to
requirements.
CROSS FADE TO BOARDROOM.
Chairperson
Oh?
Whose idea was that.
Archie
Yours sir.
Chairperson
Really? Where's Lobethal?
Percy
Roger
Cecil
Archie
It's
in
All
Where?
Archie
MACHINE SOUNDS. CROSS FADE TO MACHINES.
Voice Over
While
the Board Of Directors of the company is fully aware
of the distress
this will obviously
cause to employees of Onkaparinga Woollen Mill, the
prevailingeconomic climate in
makes rationalisation
of the company's operations imperative. The decision
to close the Lobethal
Mill was only taken after the most thorough and
exhaustive deliberations by
the board and senior management of the company.
CROSSFADE TO BOARDROOM
Chairperson
Oh,
Onkaparinga. Do we own them?
Archie
Yes
sir.
Chairperson
Then
why are we closing them down?
Archie
Not
closing, sir. Rationalising.
THE EXECUTIVES FALL ASLEEP ONE BY ONE.
Chairperson
Oh,
good show. Where's this other place?
Archie
Warnambool is in
Chairperson
Why
don't we close that instead?
Archie
That's
what this board meeting has to decide, sir.
Chairperson
Decide? What?
Archie
Do
we move the Lobethal operation to Warnambool or
the Warnambool
operation to Lobethal.
Chairperson
What's
the difference?
Archie
Lobethal
has a hundred and twenty year history and a skill level amongst its
workforce second to none
in
and the finish of its
products can't be matched by any other plant. Including
Warnambool.
MACHINE SOUNDS. CROSS FADE TO MACHINES.
Voice Over
It
is with deep regret that General Investments makes this announcement
and the company is
fully aware of the debt it owes to its loyal employees
at the Lobethal plant.
With this in mind, General Investments is offering a
generous package to relocate
these employees at Warnambool
CROSS FADE TO BOARD ROOM
Chairperson
All in favour of moving Warnambool to Lobethal.
Archie
Err
... the mill, sir.
Chairperson
Pardon?
Archie
You're
moving the mill sir. Not the town.
Chairperson
Oh,
are we? Right. All in favour of moving Warnambool to Lobethal,
err, Warnambool to Lobethal mill? Wake up damn you. I'll say it
again.
All
in favour of moving ...err Lobethal to Warnambool?
All
Aye
THE EXECUTIVES FALL ASLEEP AGAIN.
Chairperson
Archie
But ....
LIGHTS DOWN ON BOARD
ROOM. MACHINE SOUNDS.
LIGHTS UP ON MACHINE. SPECIAL ON CYRIL
Cyril
Fellow
workers, we are here today to decide whether or not we
should take the company's
offer and move with them to
MACHINE STOPS. "
Cyril
After
a hundred and twenty years of making profits for the company
here in Lobethal, they
expect us to,leave everything we know and love
up here in the Adelaide
Hills and move to the town of
MACHINE STOPS. "WARNAMBOOL?" IT STARTS AGAIN.
Cyril
They
expect us to uproot from our families and friends. To destroy
relationships
between families that sometimes go back generations
and to move so we can
continue making profits for the company like
we have for the last
hundred and twenty years. Make no mistake
about it, they need us
in Warnambool. They need our craft and
expertise that's been built
up here in the past hundred and twenty
years and passed down
from generation to generation. They need us
and they needour skills if they are to continue producing quality woollen
products like we've
been producing here all these years. They are very
kindly offering to let
us move to
MACHINE STOPS. "
Cyril
We
can sell our houses here and buy more expensive ones when
we get to Warnambool, leave our families, our friends, our town,
the hills,
us what we are, we
can leave all this behind because they want to
close our mill in their
quest for more profits and a leaner and hungrier
industry. Fellow workers,
what is our answer to General Investments?
MACHINE STOPS AND GIVES ITS ANSWER.
SONG- WHO KNOWS WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS?
Teacher
Welcome
to the first day of school for the year 2021.
In history this year
I
have some fascinating projects. Hands
up all the students who are new
to
little project I have
in mind
SPOT OUT ON TEACHER. LIGHTS UP ON KIDS
Kid 1
History!
Kid 2
Worse. Local History!
Kid 3
Boring!
Kid 4
Boring!
Kid 1
What
an assignment!
Kid 2
Research
the history of the Lobethal woollen mill
Kid 3
Who
cares?
Kid 4
The
Lobethal what?
Kid 1
Woollen mill.
Kid 4
So? What's to research?
Kid 1
I've
seen it. The buildings are real old.
Kid 2
How
do you research a building?
Kid 1
It
says here, "Research the history of the town of
Kid 4
Where
do we start?
Kid 3
The
library I suppose.
THE BOOK APPEARS.
Kid
1Wow.
Look at the size of that!
Kid 2
This
is the new special type of book they're using in history this year.
Kid 3
What's
special? It's just Biiiiiiiig!
Kid 2
Nah. You turn the page
and you can talk to people from the past.
Kid 4
Get
away!
Kid 2
No,
really. You watch.
THE KID OPENS THE BOOK. WELYN AND MARJ
APPEAR.
Marj
Oh,
hello. What year is it?
Kid 1
2021.
Marj
It's
2021 Welyn.
Welyn
I
heard, Marj.
Marj
You've
opened the book at the wrong place. You have to go back to the
beginning to find out about
the plant.
Kid 2
When
were you there?
Welyn
I
retired in 1990 after 51 years at the plant.
Kid 3
Did
they have this woollen mill back in the dark ages in 1990?
Marj
one hundred and twenty
years further back than that.
Welyn
It
was the Lobethal Tweed Factory then.
Marj
But
you're getting ahead of yourself. Go back.
Welyn
Go
back.
THE
KIDS TURN BACK THE PAGES.
Charles
You're
not far enough back. You must go back to the beginning to understand.
Kid 1
Who
are you?
Kid 4
When
were you there?
Charles
I'm
Charles Frederick Aufderheid. In 1928 I was the
first shop steward at the mill.
Kid 2
The Onkaparinga Woollen Mill?
Charles
That's
right. You'll hear my story later. Go back.
THEY TURN BACK MORE PAGES. AS EACH
CHARACTER FINISHES,
THE KIDS TURN BACK MORE PAGES AND THE
NEXT CHARACTER
APPEARS.
Rose
Rose
Gerhardy. I worked at the Onkaparinga Clothing company
which
became the Onkaparinga
Woollen Mill. worked
there between 1911
and 1962. But you need to go further back. Talk to old
Daddy Redpath.
Redpath
Och aye the noo.
Redpath's the name and woollen
mills was me game.
First
manager when the mill really became established. You need to go further back
than me.
Anna
Anna
Ey. Wife of one of the early Lutheran pastors in Lobethal.
I had 16 children.
Further back still.
Kleinschmidt
Kleinschmidt's
the name. I built the first government offices in
I
built
here as well. but you need to go further back still.
Hentschke
Johann
Hentschke, I was one of the original settlers and
my family is still in Lobethal
today. You must go further
back
Kid 1
Why
do we need to go back further if you were one of the original settlers?
Hentschke
Because
you need to understand what lead to a bevy of German settlers coming
out here and settling
in a place called Lobethal. That's why. Why do you think we did?
Kid 4
Search
me?
Hentschke
Because
we were persecuted for our religious beliefs, that's why. Go back further!
MORE PAGES ARE TURNED. SMOKE. BLACKOUT. MUSIC STARTS. PIN
SPOTS ON BOOK. THE SPIRIT OF AGES
PAST APPEARS WHEN THE
LIGHTS COME UP, ALL HISTORICALCHARACTERS
WE HAVE SEEN
SO FAR ARE DANCING. THE SPIRIT JOINS
THEM AS THE KIDS STAND
AND WATCH IN AMAZEMENT. MUSIC FADES
AND HISTORICAL
CHARACTERS DANCE OFF. SPIRIT AND KIDS
REMAIN ONSTAGE.
Spirit
Hey,
wooby woobah, get down, what year is it?
Kid 1
Spirit
Two thousand and twenty one? You know it's two years since anyone
took out this book.
Groovy Baby, freedom.
Kid 2
Who
are you?
Spirit
The spirit of ages past.
Wow. You want to know something? The history
of Lobethal? The beginning? Last year? 1900? Just ask
Kid 3
This
history book is really weird
Kid 4
We
want to know about the whole history.
Spirit
The whole box and dice? The complete shooting match?
Hey baby,
we are going to have
a ball
TABLEAUS ARE SET UP
Spirit
Ladies
and gentlemen, introducing the story of.
All
Lobethal
Spirit
Valley of praise.
Tonight we will tell you tall tales and true about
All
Lobethal
Spirit
Stories
about how the town came to be About early days on the farms.
LIGHTS UP ON FARMING
TABLEAU. DOWN
Spirit
About the history of the mill.
LIGHTS UP ON MILL
TABLEAU. DOWN.
Spirit
About Kumnick's cricket bat factory.
LIGHTS UP ON CRICKET
TABLEAU. DOWN.
Spirit
About
people past and present.
LIGHTS UP ON TWO CHARACTERS WHO CHANGE
TOP HAT
AND BIKE HELMET. DOWN.
Spirit
About
the day the union came to the mill.
LIGHTS UP ON CHARLES AUFDERHEID AND
DADDY REDPATH
AT LOGGERHEADS. DOWN.
Spirit
About all this and so much more. About what makes Lobethal.
All
Lobethal.
Spirit
But
first we need to start at the beginning.
LIGHTS DOWN. SPOTLIGHT ON KING FREDERICK
WILLIAM 3
KW 3
I
King Frederick William the third declare the unification of the Lutheran
church and the Calvinist
church.
GENERAL LIGHTING
UP TO REVEAL TWO MOBS. ONE PRO AND
ONE ANTI UNIFICATION. THEY BEGIN TO CHANT SOFTLY AS KW 3
CONTINUES HIS SPEECH.
KW 3
Henceforth
let it be known that they are one and indivisable.
I, King
Frederick
William 3 of Prussia, declare that I am head of the church as
well as head of state.
Let it be known that I will brook no opposition. None!
Fritzche
He's
been trying this on for years.
kw3
The
catechism, sacraments and litany of the church shall be as I decree.
If anyone dares oppose me....
THE PRO UNIFICATION MOBS CHANT SWELLS
TO A ROAR.
Chant 1
What
do we want? Unification
When
do we want it? Now. X 3
THE ANTI UNIFICATION MOBS CHANT SWELLS
TO A ROAR.
Chant 2
William
3 is a fink
We
don't want him
For our kink.
KW3
Stop
it! Stop it at once. Restrain those people. Stop them.
THE PRO UNIFICATION MOB AND THE GUARDS
MOVE
VIOLENTLY IN SLOW MOTION TOWARDS THE
FRITSCHE
MOB. JUST AS THE TWO
GROUPS ARE ABOUT TO CLASH,
DRUMBEAT, BLACKOUT
MUSIC. WAGNER. LIGHTS UP ON
KING SITTING DEJECTEDLY.
Guard
(enters) Sir, sir, King William your mighty majesty. The peasants are revolting.
KW 3
You're
telling me?
Guard
No
no. I mean they're a riot.
KW 3
I
find them most unfunny.
Guard
It's
an insurrection.
KW 3
Haven't had one for years.
Guard
It's
a rebellion. a ... a civil war.
KW 3
They
seem most uncivil to me.
Guard
You've
got to do something.
KW 3
What
do you suggest?
Guard
Um
... err ... Make another speech.
LIGHTS DOWN. SPOTLIGHT ON KW 3
KW 3
...
and furthermore, I decree that opponents of unification
shall forfeit
their property to the
crown. Their rights of citizenship
shall be revoked
and they shall be deprived
of their liberty until they repent
SPOTLIGHT ON FRITZCHE
Fritzsche
You
do not have the authority
KW 3
Pastors
who transgress against my decree shall be extremely harshly dealt with.
Fritzsche
I
refuse to recognise your authority
KW 3
Especially you, Fritzsche.
Fritzsche
I
recognise no authority before god.
KW 3
I'm
warning you, Fritzsche.You will regret the day you
were born
SPOTLIGHT OUT ON KW 3
Fritzsche
to the whims of despotic
rulers. We have the right to free association. To
decide for ourselves where
and how we will worship our god. How can this
man sitting on his
throne in his palace far away ever understand our needs.
My
congregation and congregations of people, now called dissenters by this
one man's decree, have
been good citizens. Now they are called
criminals
for worshipping their
god as they see fit.
LIGHTS UP ON REST
OF SCENE.
Fritzsche
I
defy you!
KW 3
Reconsider, Pastor.
Fritzsche
I
defy your authority.
KW 3
Seize
him. Throw him in jail and bring me the key.
Pluck out his eyes.
Boil
him in oil.
MUSIC. KEYSTONE COPS SCENE
AS FRITZSCHE DODGES AROUND
THE STAGE PURSUED BY GUARDS. HE IS
HIDDEN IN VARIOUS
CREATIVE WAYS. FINALLY THE GUARDS TRAP FRITZCHE. MUSIC
STOPS.
Guard
Have
you seen Pastor Fritzche anywhere?
Fritzche
I
am Pastor Fritzche.
Guard
We
haven't time to play the fool, peasant.
MUSIC BEGINS AGAIN. FRITSCHE STANDS
CENTRE
NONPLUSSED. THE GUARDS DANCE ON. MUSIC FADES
AND THE GUARDS DANCE OUT.
Kid 1
Hey,
heavy scene.
Spirit
There
were some pretty heavy dudes around in those days.
Kid 2
Did
they throw him in jail?
Spirit
Nope,
it just made the pastor come out faster
Kid 3
Really weird.
Kid 4
What
happened?
Spirit
These
cats will tell you.
LIGHTS UP ON PARISHIONERS
Parishioner 1
Pastor
Fritzsche spent eight years as a clandestine preacher
Parishioner 2
Travelling
from place to place, constantly hiding from the law
Parishioner 3
Being hidden by supporters. it was no life for a dog
LIGHTS UP ON FRITZSCHE.
Fritzsche
I'm
sick of this. I give up.
KW 111
You
renounce your heresy?
Fritzsche
My
congregation want to leave and settle overseas.
KW 111
Fritzsche
Only
if I can take my congregation with me
KW 111
Anything. Just get out and
stop bugging me.
Fritzsche
We
will leave
MUCH CHEERING AND
ENTHUSIASM.
Fritzche
But
first we must find the money to go. Psst! Hoy, George
GEORGE
Angas
Hoot
mon, and what can I do
for you?
Fritzche
We
need money to get to
Angas
Och
Aye the noo, and if I had the loot, you'd be the first to have a loan,
Pastor. But I've already
lent so much to Kavel and the other bonney
German
lads and lasses wanting to emigrate that I have not got a bean
left
LIGHTS DOWN TO SPOT ON ANGAS
Angas
I'm
a grand fellow and make no mistake about it. I sponsored German
Lutheran
migrants because I'm a fellow Christ
rights of all people to
freedom of religious worship. It's a grand thing to
help your fellow man,
especially at 7 percent interest. Besides,
there
might just be a little
something in it for me and the South Austral
Company
as well.
German
lads and lasses are a bonny lot indeed. Strong backs. Good
or should I say goot? farmers. They can turn their
hands to anything
from ploughing the land
to shearing sheep. And the men are not bad
either. I'm not a gambling
man, but if I had to bet my life on someone
making a go of things
in a new colony I'd have a canny wee bet on the
German
people
GENERAL LIGHTING UP.
Angas
I've
no got the loot right now myself, Pastor, but I'll talk to people who have
ANGAS DANCES OUT
TO BAGPIPE MUSIC.
Parishioner 1
George
Fife Angas was a great friend to the early Lutheran settlers.
Angas(spotlight)
At
seven percent interest!
LIGHTS DOWN. VOICE IN BLACK: "
FROM
Parishioner 1
Oooooooh. Why are we going to
Parishioner 2
We
must be mad.
Fritzsche
We
are going to discover Lobethal.
Parishioner 3
Lober chunder thal. oooooh!
Spirit
And
so the journey continued on its chunderous way
Parishioner 2
The
Skjold arrived in
Fritzsche
Here
we are in
Parishioner 3
Let
us give thanks the ship's stopped rocking.
Parishioner 4
We
finished up at Hahndorf.
Parishioner 1
One
day a shepherd named Mueller was chasing some sheep.
Shepherd
Come
back here you rotten sheep.
HE CHASES THEM ACROSS THE STAGE.
Parishioner 2
He
discovered a valley.
FX SOMETHING DROPPING. CRASH AND CRY.
Shepherd
(spotlight) oooh, I've discovered a valley.
Parishioner 3
The
shepherd came back and reported his find to
All
The
eighteen families
MUSIC. THE EIGHTEEN FAMILIES PROMENADE.
Bride
We
were eighteen families who decided to make Lobethal our home.
We
had left
us. It is hard to
leave the things you love and value most. We left our
friends and families, we
left our land and our farms to come out to South
families for many generations.
Being in Hahndorf, working other people's
land, made most of us
feel like we were without roots. As though we had
nowhere to belong. And
we needed to belong. We needed land to belong
to, to make us complete
once again. The move to Lobethal was our chance
to regain something
of what we had lost. To till our own soil and to set up our
own community with
the type of family life we knew and loved. We were happy
to move to Lobethal
even though we knew it would be a struggle to establish
our farms and the town.
We accepted the challenge gratefully and felt
honoured to be put to such
a test. This was our chance to make our lives rich
and full again. To
see our children grow in the sun in joy and in freedom. Ah,
Lobethal,
we are coming to you,
LIGHTS FADE AND COME UP ON KIDS AND
SPIRIT
Kid 1
So
that's how they came to Lobethal
Spirit
I
don't know why they weren't wanted in Hahndorf.
Kid 2
This
is exciting.
Kid 4
What
happened next.
Kid 3
Weird.
Spirit
The
eighteen families drew lots and established the Hufendorf.
Kid 1
The
Hufen what?
Spirit
Dorf. Three acre farmlets.
Kid 2
Is
that like Hamlet?
Kid 3
To be or not to be.
all
Get
off!
LIGHTS DOWN AND SPOTLIGHT ON HENTSCHKE.
MUSIC.
Hentschke
Johann
Hentschke is my name. We met before. I was one of
the original
settlers here in Lobethal.
Ah
named the place and what
an appropriate name. Here we found a home.
Land of our own to farm.
Freedom to worship our god in the way we
chose free from the whims
of a despotic ruler. It wasn't all
ale and
German
sausage though, it's a hard country this
to what we were used
to at home . So dry and so hot here in the summer
it could break your
heart. But we persevered. And we stuck with what we
knew, Mixed farming,
before long we had sheep and cattle, vegetables and
fruit, wheat corn and
rye, hops and barley. Oh we were happy here raising
our families, tending
our farms, building our church and worshipping our God.
SPOTLIGHT OUT OU HENTSCHKE. SPOTLIGHT
ON ANNA EY.
Anna
My
name is Anna Ey and I was the pastor's wife in Lobethal for many years.
Life
was so different when I lived here in the nineteenth century. Just going to
used to walk from Lobethal
to
products at the market.
They'd carry these big willow baskets on their heads.
Sixteen
miles they'd walk through the bush to get there. Then, when they'd sold
what they had to sell,
they'd buy the things they needed for their households
and walk home again.
They did that year round in all sorts of weather. If you
wanted to get to
Woodside,
get the mail coach to Balhannah, walk to Hahndorf and then catch
the coach to
each way. Life was hard
in the old days, but people looked after one another
and life was rich and
full.
SPOTLIGHT OUT. MUSIC FADES. GENERAL
LIGHTING UP.
Kid 1
Sounds like they were happy people.
Spirit
Sure
they were. Mostly.
Kid 2
Mostly?
Spirit
You
heard about the dancing?
Kid 3
What
dancing?
Spirit
Dirty
dancing
Kid 4
That's
the latest.
Spirit
It
was around then too.
Kid 1
Dirty dancing?
Kid 2
Bull.
Kid 3
Get
real.
Spirit
Every
generation thinks it invented sin. See, these Lutherans at that time
weren't supposed to do
things like dancing.
Kid 4
Get
away!
Spirit
I
kid you not, kid. They reckoned it was worldly and worldly things
were a no no. Watch.
WEDDING MARCH. BRIDE AND GROOM PROMENADE.
WEDDING GUESTS WATCH
AND CLAP. WEDDING
MARCH ENDS. GENERAL
HUBBUB FROM WEDDING GUESTS.
Parishioner 1
Lovely wedding.
Parishioner 2
The
bride was so lovely.
HUBBUB FROM WEDDING
GUESTS. POLKA BEGINS.
BRIDE AND GROOM
BEGIN TO DANCE. TWO OTHER
COUPLES JOIN THEM.
Parishioner 3
Disgraceful
Parishioner 4
Disgusting.
Parishioner 1
It
is forbidden
THEIR FEET ARE BEGINNING TO TAP.
TWO BY TWO
THEY JOIN THE DANCE. PARISHIONER 3 REMAINS.
FRITZSCHE COMES FORWARD.
Fritzsche
You
must stop this.You must stop this dancing. It is
forbidden.
It
is worldly. Stop this dirty dancing.
THE
DANCE GOES FROM A POLKA TO MODERN DIRTY
DANCING.
PARISHIONER
3 COMES FORWARD AND JOINS FRITZSCHE.
Parishioner 3
I
cannot look upon this scene of debauchery any longer. It is worldly.
It
is worldly.
Fritzsche
It
is dirty dancing.
FRITZSCHE AND PARISHIONER 3 EXIT. THE
DANCE CONTINUES
FOR A MOMENT AND THEN ENDS. LIGHTS DOWN AND UP ON KIDS
AND SPIRIT.
Kid 1
Another heavy scene.
Kid 2
He
got pretty upset that pastor.
Kid 3
Did
that really happen.
SpiritMore
or less. We take a few liberties in these history books
you know.
days. People thought
and behaved differently, just like they'll
behave differently a couple
of hundred years after you're in the
pages of the history
books. It wasn't funny at the time even
though it seems so now.
It all caused pretty big hassles in
Lobethal. People were excommunicated.
It led to a breakaway
church being formed. Would
you believe they finished up with
four Lutheran churches
here in Lobethal? But whatever church
people belonged to, religion
played a real big part in those early
years.
HYMN:
ONSTAGE AND WATCH.
Kid 4
That
was beautiful.
Spirit
Those
German people know how to sing. Always wonderful singers.
Kid 1
We're
supposed to find out about the woollen mill.
Spirit
Kleinschmidt's
the man to talk to.
SPOTLIGHT ON KLEINSCHMIDT
Kleinschmidt
Yes
I am too. I was a builder and a businessman. I built
church, with a little
bit of help from my friends, and I also built the
first brewery. In 1869
I closed my brewery and sold the equipment
to the Johnson's over
in Oakbank. The buildings were standing
empty. Then the Kumnich brothers and I heard about a man named
Kramm who had set up a weaving factory in
a small hut over in Hahndorf.
LIGHTS
UP ON KRAMM WHO IS SPINNING.
Kumnich
Mr
Kramm, sir, what are you doing?
Kramm
Spinning!
KLEINSCHMIDT AND THE KUMNICH BROTHERS
BEGIN TO SPIN.
Kleinschmidt
Stop
it! Mr Kramm, sir, my name is Kleinschmidt
and these two gentlemen
are the Kumnich brothers. We are here to persuade you to move your
factory to Lobethal.
Kumnich 1
We
offer you more space and financial support from our good selves, Mr. Kramm
Kumnich 2
Mr.
Kramm, We'll float a company.
Kramm
More
space you say?
Kleinschmidt
Mr.
Kramm, we have much more.
Kramm
I've
got this machinery and lots more at Port Adelaide. Are you sure
your buildings are big
enough.
Kumnich 1
Oh,
we'll cram it in.
LIGHTS UP ON THE CITIZENS
Kleinschmidt
Citizens of Lobethal.
I have called you here tonight to put a proposition
to you. If we can
raise eighty pounds from our community, we can get
Mr. Kramm to move his tweed factory to
Lobethal. It could be the biggest
thing ever to happen
in our town. All in favour?
All
Aye.
LIGHTS DOWN ON KLEISCHMIDT AND THE
CITIZENS
Spirit
So
they raised eighty pounds and paid off the customs duty on
Kramm's machinery which was impounded at Port
Adelaide.
And
so in 1870 the Lobethal Tweed factory was born. They
threw a party to celebrate.
Fritsche
(Runs
on) As long as there
is no dancing.
…………………………..
And
so the history of Lobethal and the Mill continues.
If
you want to read the rest of the script, get in touch
And
I'll send it to you.