Loose Ends knitted into telling tale

Quirky and kinetic performer Jens Altheimer will return to Broome to take people on a magical journey through a tinkering wonderland of puppetry, shadow play and invention.

Altheimer’s one-man show Loose Ends will be performed at Broome Civic Centre on Thursday, June 14, at 6pm, during a tour of regional WA after a string of successful shows around Australia.

Loose Ends tells a story of friendship, loyalty and inventiveness where a man thinks he can organise his life in boxes.

Built from hard rubbish and op-shop treasures, the Loose Ends set is a celebration of the unorthodox, as household items are transformed and given new uses and contexts, resulting in a highly visual, emotional and unpredictable entertainment experience.

Altheimer, who brought his previous show Squaring the Wheel to Broome and regional WA in 2014, said he was thrilled at the opportunity to return.

“Regional WA is one of my favourite places to perform,” he said. “I had so much fun taking Squaring the Wheel to communities all over the State and meeting many great people on the way from the Kimberley to the South West, and I’m looking forward to sharing my new creations in Loose Ends with even more communities.”

The regional tour of Loose Ends will be part of the Shows on the Go program, presented by Country Arts WA and Healthway, promoting Act-Belong-Commit.

Country Arts WA executive director Paul MacPhail said the program’s success was because of its community-driven model, developed to take professional productions directly to regional and remote WA where they would not travel without support.

“Country Arts WA is proud of our Shows on the Go program which has been running for over 20 years, supporting up to 40 communities and reaching more than 5000 people each year,” he said.

“Loose Ends was voted by regional communities to be one of three Shows on the Go to tour in 2018. As part of the program, we support local presenters to build and engage their audiences and maximise the value of each visiting performance.”

Healthway chief executive Susan Hunt said the organisation has proudly supported Shows on the Go since its inception and this year will provide $110,000 to deliver the Act-Belong-Commit mental health message throughout the program.

“Creative and engaging shows like Loose Ends offer a fantastic way to encourage families and young people to come together and reflect on their friendships, explore their creativity and find out what it means to Act-Belong- Commit,” Ms Hunt says.

For more information about Loose Ends, visit www.country artswa.asn.au.

Tickets, at $29 for adults, are available at www.broomecivic centre.com.au.