Luxville a love letter

Luxville Photoplay, hosted by by burlesque performer Miss Nellie and “Drag King” Lance DeBoyle, is a multimedia experience where the audience is part of the show.

The event, to be held at the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, is a sister act alongside the Ballarat Cabaret Festival.

Luxville will unravel as a live film shoot, where the audience are extras on-set. The event will include a live performance, film, photography and word. Attendees will take part in a mock citizenship ceremony and be inducted to the town of Luxville, a mythical city that hints at Ballarat.

Ballarat creative director Erin McCusky, aka Madame Yum, said Luxville Photoplay was a totally new concept for the city and was about encouraging residents to re-embrace their arts culture.

“Luxville is a love letter to Ballarat and it’s a call to say we can be better, we can be more creative, if we let arts and culture lead,” she said.

However, Ms McCusky said the event was also about changing up the way an audience participates in a show.

“It’s about intrigue. We’re so used to having everything at our fingertips and everything flashing past every five seconds. This is a longform project that will play out over time. It’s about building people’s curiosity, piquing their wonder, it’s about getting art back to questioning and challenging. It’s a little bit complicated you know?” she said.

“It’s been a bit tricky for people to get a hold of. Some people have been diving right in and some people are taking it a bit slower.”

Ms McCusky said the event aimed to encourage attendees to “look forward”.

“They will swear the oath to ‘get above themselves’.

“They can expect to have a lot of fun, to walk away with a few questions about their own levels of creativity, to be connected in a slow-form artwork and they can be expected to be inducted as a citizen of Luxville.”

Photoplay is the second of a five-part Luxville series – the first was launched in the recent Ballarat International Foto Biennale and the next event will run during November at the Post Office Gallery and Lydiard Street.

Luxville Photoplay will be held Saturday 4pm-6pm in the Minerva Space. General admission $35 or $50 to be a “featured extra”: luxville.me or luxville.eventbrite.com.au