The Port Arthur Historic Site
Management Authority presents this semi-regular series of talks by
authoritative speakers on a variety of topics, ranging from history and
conservation to environmental issues, research results, study tours and
much more.
The talks are held every couple of months at the Port Arthur Historic
Site, are free of charge and open to anyone who is interested in the
topic. Rich and varied subjects and speakers make for fascinating
listening and discussion.
For more information about our Port Arthur Talks, please phone +61 (0)3 6251 2324.
Forthcoming Port Arthur Talks
Thursday 27 October 2016
History in action: performance as interpretation of historic sites
presented by Sue Benner and Alan Andrews
From William Shakespeare to Hilary Mantel, many authors have been
writing about history in a fictional framework. Does fiction dilute
historical fact? And whose facts are the truth? This talk will focus on
the complex nature of writing history that is both narratively
accessible yet holds the integrity of the historical evidence. Sue
Benner will approach the talk from her writing lens and Alan will
discuss his interpretation of the writing through his role as actor.
Sue has been involved in the arts for over 30 years as an
administrator, theatre director and producer, teacher and writer. She is
Chair of the Tasmanian Theatre Company, Chair of the Community Advisory
Committee for the Tasmanian Health and Community Service, President of
the local branch of Tasmanian Regional Arts, a member of the TRA Arts
Advisory Panel, and a Partner in Turin Productions on the Tasman
Peninsula. She is currently involved in the writing and production of
interpretive performances at the Port Arthur Historic Site. One day she
will retire.
Alan trained as an actor at NIDA and has since worked in theatre,
film, television and radio both in Australia and the UK for 44 years.
He represented Port Arthur at the first national conference of ‘The
International Museum Theatre Alliance’ in Canberra and subsequently sat
on ‘The Performance Review Panel’ at the National Museum. He is Vice
President of the local branch of Tasmanian Regional Arts and Artistic
Director of Turin Productions. He has enjoyed being involved in the
research, development and performance of a new Theatre Interpretation
program for Port Arthur this year.
All welcome.
Thursday 27 October, 2016 at 5.30 p.m.
Junior Medical Officer’s House conference room (rear of the house)
Port Arthur Historic Site
For more information call 6251 2324
Wednesday 23 November 2016
Better to marry than to burn? Female convicts and the effects of marriage
presented by James Parker
Colonial authorities firmly believed that marriage could reform
female convicts. They also believed it was good for male convicts.
Anne Forrest, who got into trouble at Port Arthur, was the first
stimulus for this examination of convict marriage. She was a thoroughly
“bad girl” before marriage, always in trouble with the authorities, but
with a completely “clean sheet” after her nuptials. The transcription
of female convict records by the Female Convict Research Centre makes
it possible to see whether this was a general phenomenon. This paper
uses a combination of statistical analysis and anecdotes (numbers and
stories) to examine convict behaviour before and after marriage – with
surprising results.
James Parker is a native Tasmanian who spent 20 years away from the
island working in theatre and films. Returning in the ‘80s, he settled
on the Tasman Peninsula where he had spent many holidays as a child and
teenager. He went broke in the fishing industry, did his time at Port
Arthur, and did a degree in History, Philosphy and Aboriginal Studies in
his fifties. He is a founding member of both the Female Convict
Research Centre and the Convict Women’s Press.
All welcome.
Wednesday 23 November, 2016 at 5.30 p.m.
Junior Medical Officer’s House conference room (rear of the house)
Port Arthur Historic Site
For more information call 6251 2324
Documents