Starry Night: The Last Hours of Vincent van Gogh

"They build national museums costing hundreds of thousands but meanwhile the artists starve."

Vincent van Gogh expressed this view over a century ago, and according to Stephen Beckett, Producer/Director of Starry Night: The Last Hours of Vincent van Gogh, a one-man Play making its Melbourne debut, not much has changed in all that time. "The majority of artists, in various creative fields, are exploited by governments and corporations," says Beckett, "Many in power still pay lip service to artists and the Arts but privately consider themselves superior in their “real” positions of influence."

When asked what inspired him to bring Vincent’s death (and life) to the stage, Beckett says: "I wanted to remind every struggling artist out there, including myself, that failure is an acceptable destiny. Vincent was spat on, laughed at, isolated, depressed, anxious, and rejected. Art dealers told him he had no talent. Only one of his paintings sold during his lifetime - one painting. And yet he kept painting right up until his suicide at age 37."

What can audiences expect from this Play? "Hopefully some insight into the troubled existence of a genius – a very human one, at the time of his death," says Beckett. "I studied every single letter Vincent wrote, and with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam granting permission to quote from them, I was able to let Vincent speak mainly in his own words. Audiences will also see some of his masterpieces."

Details
WHAT: ‘Starry Night: The Last Hours of Vincent van Gogh’ featuring Chris Rattray as Vincent
WHEN: Thursday 10th July 7pm, Friday 11th July 7pm, Saturday 12th July 2.30pm and 7pm.
WHERE: Beckett Theatre, The Malthouse, 113 Sturt St, Southbank, Melbourne
BOOKINGS: Adult $35, Conc $30, Group (Adult 8+) $30, (Conc 8+) $25
Tickets from The Malthouse Box Office (03) 9685 5111 or www.malthousetheatre.com.au (under Buy Tickets/Other Events)

Vulkanisch eiland permanent gevaar voor kustgebieden Indonesië

Rick Blekkink uit Brunssum onthult de schokkende feiten in zijn boek: Ontsnapt uit de kaken van de dood, de Krakatau tragedie
Een ongelooflijk verhaal over een Indië-veteraan uit Hedel.
Het eerste exemplaar van deze historische roman wordt door de auteur op vrijdag 18 april 2014 uitgereikt aan de Inspecteur Generaal der Krijgsmacht, tevens Inspecteur der Veteranen, luitenant-generaal der mariniers A.G.(Ton) van Ede. De uitreiking vindt plaats oplandgoed De Zwaluwenberg in Hilversum. De schrijver, zelf veteraan, heeft het boek opgedragen aan de talrijke slachtoffers die tijdens de uitbarsting van het vulkanische eiland Krakatau in 1883 het leven verloren.
Om die reden heeft hij zich verbonden aan een 5-tal stichtingen waarvan het werkgebied in Indonesië ligt. Zij ontvangen elk een percentage van de netto schrijverswinst.
Een onderschat gevaar
De catastrofale vulkaanuitbarsting op het eiland Krakatau ging gepaard met huiveringwekkend hoge tsunami’s die door Straat Soenda rolden en de nabijgelegen kustgebieden van Java en Sumatra compleet verwoestten. Het was een ramp die bijzonder veel leed veroorzaakt heeft. Hele families waren uitgeroeid, talloze vrienden en bekenden deelden dat onfortuinlijke lot. Voor hen restte slechts een massagraf of ze zijn nooit meer teruggevonden.
Op het restant van het vroegere eiland Krakatau is in de loop der jaren een nieuw eiland ontstaan, het heeft de naam Anak Krakatau gekregen – het kind van Krakatau. Het eiland is minstens zo gevaarlijk als zijn beruchte voorganger, doch het gevaar wordt ernstig onderschat. Wat er in 1883 in dit deel van de wereld is gebeurd, kan namelijk zomaar opnieuw gebeuren. Alleen zullen de gevolgen vele malen groter zijn omdat de bevolkingsdichtheid sindsdien massaal is toegenomen.
Over het boek
Hoofdpersoon in het verhaal is Andreas Braam uit Hedel, een Indië-veteraan die in 1887 na een 5 jarig dienstverband getraumatiseerd op weg is naar huis en in de stoomtrein terugkijkt op zijn leven. De auteur brengt in dit op historische feiten gebaseerde boek niet alleen de rampzalige vulkaanuitbarsting op het eiland Krakatau onder de aandacht van de lezer. Ook het Koninklijk Nederlands-Indisch Leger, de Nederlandse samenleving, de scheepvaart en vooral het koloniale leven in Nederlands-Indië gedurende de tweede helft van de 19e eeuw worden ruimschoots besproken. Het is een ontroerend verhaal over vriendschap, liefde, religie, Tempo Doeloe – de tijd van vroeger – en vooral het omgaan met angst. Het is een roman die het onweerstaanbare verlangen naar Indië beschrijft en de gevolgen van keuzes die de hoofdpersoon maakt. Een jongeman die regelmatig met de dood te maken krijgt en zo van het leven leert houden.
Verschijningsdatum: 22 april 2014, uitgeverij Brave New Books.
Paperback: 336 pagina’s
Genre: Historische Roman
ISBN: 9789402117295
Voor informatie over de prijs en verzendkosten, neem kontakt op met de auteur, de heer Rick Blekkink: rickblekkink@ziggo.nl of tel: 045-2057459/06-27282722

Wanted: Dutchies in Australia!

Dutch PhD student Laurence Bruggeman is looking for Dutch people living in the Sydney area who would like to participate in her PhD research project on language perception.
The Dutch language study requires participants who lived in the Netherlands until they were at least 18 years old and now live in Australia, with Dutch as their (only) native language. It does not matter whether they still speak Dutch daily, or hardly ever.
Participants in the research study will listen to sentences, words or sounds in both Dutch and English, and make decisions about them. They will also fill in a questionnaire about their language background and Laurence will administer a brief hearing test. The goal of this study is to find out why some listening tasks are so much easier in a person's native language than in a second language.
Laurence was born in the Netherlands. She grew up in Noord-Brabant and moved to Nijmegen to study Language and Speech Technology at the Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen. She then worked at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics for several years, researching spoken language comprehension.
Laurence moved to Sydney early last year after she was awarded a doctoral scholarship to carry out her PhD research project at The MARCS Institute, University of Western Sydney. Her current research focuses on spoken language comprehension and bilingualism.
More specifically, Laurence investigates what happens to a person's native listening flexibility once their native language is no longer used every day. Does it remain stable? Or does it decrease when it is no longer necessary and make room for the new dominant language?
Laurence's Dutch language study takes place in Milperra, at The MARCS Institute, University of Western Sydney. It consists of two sessions that take one hour and 45 minutes, and one hour, respectively. Every eligible participant that takes part in the study will receive a reimbursement of $55 for his or her time.
The language study will be carried out from April 2014 and is expected to continue throughout the rest of the year.

If you're eligible and would like to take part in this Dutch language study, or if you would like some more information first, please contact Laurence on (02) 9772 6535, or L.Bruggeman@uws.edu.au.

Half price public transport for international students in Melbourne, Victoria from 2015

Victoria is set to become an even more attractive destination for overseas students through a new scheme that offers a 50 per cent discount on annual public transport tickets for international students.

Speaking at the 2014 Indian Education Summit in New Delhi, Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business Louise Asher said international education is Victoria’s largest single export, worth over $4.3 billion annually. “We are proud of the high quality educational experience we can offer international students and we are committed to ensuring they also have a safe and rewarding time in Melbourne and Victoria and every opportunity to enjoy our acclaimed quality of life,” Ms Asher said.

Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder said the initiative would provide a 50 per cent discount on annual public transport tickets covering trains, trams and buses for all eligible international students. “Victoria’s scheme will make available discounted tickets in all metropolitan travel zones, including Zone 1 only which covers inner Melbourne, as well as within regional centres,” Mr Mulder said. “The scheme will be trialled from 2015 for three years in partnership with education providers to reduce transport costs for eligible students in eligible Melbourne metropolitan and country educational institutions. This will make international students feel even more welcome when they come to study in Victoria and enhance our reputation as a world leading international student city. An overseas student will now save up to $1105 per year travelling across the greater city of Melbourne,” Mr Mulder said.

Ms Asher said the new scheme joined a range of other initiatives to improve the international student experience in Victoria. These include support for the International Student Welcome Desk at Melbourne Airport that ensures new students have the information they need to adapt quickly to life in Victoria and an International Student Care Service, which provides vital support, advice and help to international students 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

International students can also receive a free Culture Card which provides special offers to Victoria’s cultural experiences, from sport to the arts and community events and the Study Melbourne website, a central source of information available in several languages for international students settling into life and study in Victoria.

Ms Asher is in Delhi leading the Victorian Government’s latest Super Trade Mission to India, showcasing Victorian strengths in health and aged care, information and communication technology, sustainability, tourism and education.
Ms Asher said the mission had a very strong focus on stepping up Victoria’s education, skills and training engagement with India from hosting international students to working with Indian institutions to develop and expand the nation’s education, skills and training capabilities.

Mission members included leaders and senior representatives of Victorian universities and vocational institutes.

Melbourne Gang Show 2014

My name is Charlotte Tax and I am 11 years old.
This year I am taking part in the 62nd Melbourne gang show. Every year the Scouts association puts on a huge musical stage production called the gang show. It is not funded by any government department. The actors (including me) are practicing for almost 15 weeks and perform around 12 days. As it is not funded in relies on people who come and watch it. I can guarantee a great family day out. So order your tickets and don't forget to mention Charlotte Tax when ordering them online here.
WHERE:
Besen Performing Arts Centre, Burwood, 87 – 89 Station St (in Mount Scopus College).
WHEN:
Friday 20 June 7.30pm
Saturday 21 June 2pm
Saturday 21 June 7.30pm
Sunday 22 June 2pm
Wednesday 25 June 7.30pm
Thursday 26 June 7.30pm
Friday 27 June 7.30pm
Saturday 28 June 2pm
Saturday 28June 7.30pm