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Kelburn Family Helps Revive Theatrical University Tradition

While an old university tradition will be revived with fond memories and nostalgia this weekend, it will hold more of a special place in the hearts of a Kelburn family.

Three generations of a Kelburn family, Deirdre Tarrant, her sister Stephanie Dwyer, their father Ted Tarrant and Deirdre's son Bret McKenzie are part of the big revival of an age old university tradition, O Extravaganza this Saturday.

Dance teacher Deirdre Tarrant and her son Bret who live in Kelburn, say they have come together for a one-off celebration which is involving about 60 former students and participators.

Irreverent and bawdy student revues used to be a major feature of student life as far back as 1904, but it is now 35 years since the last performance of an "Extrav" and former student have got together for a revival.

Deirdre and Stephanie appeared in the newspapers in 1967 as being the sisters who choreographed the Extravaganza shows when they were both university students. Stephanie has travelled from Brisbane especially for the event.

Deirdre has now gone onto a career in the entertainment business and is director of the Footnote Dance Company.

Although she hasn't danced on stage for 20 years, Deirdre will be dusting off her shoes to appear in a section of the show with Stephanie.

Her father Ted, who was a student in the 1930s will take part in the opening dialogue and her son Bret is a drummer in the show.

Deirdre says the idea for a revival of Extrav began to form last year at a student reunion dinner organised by the newly formed Alumuni.

A small number of sketches and songs were organised for entertainment at the dinner and the idea grew from there, says Deirdre.

Now the first university Extrav since 1967 is on at Victoria University Memorial Theatre on July 17 at 4.30pm and 8.30pm.

Although no one seems to know why the Extrav tradition died out in 1967, Deirdre believes it is linked with the introduction of internal assessment.

Student life was a lot more relaxed before internal assessment and there was more time for many extra-curriculum drama and theatre activities during the year, she says.

Looking back at some of the old dance steps she choreographed during the 1960s has been an amusing experience for Deirdre. "It's funny looking at some of the steps that were terribly modern in 1966."

The dances in the show at that time were part of the development of contemporary dance in the country.

The Extrav has been broken down into three sections, The Old Ages, The Middle Ages and The New Age covering the variety of sketches, plays, dances and songs performed over the years.

Western News 16 July 1993