The history of Shiraz will play out in the form of dinner and a show in the courtyard of Alby and Esthers on Friday, November 13.
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The café courtyard will provide the backdrop for a comedy by Sam Paine that travels from ancient legendary Persia to the collapse of human civilisation in the distant future, via the crusades and the origins of winemaking in Australia.
Before, during and after the show, Alby and Esthers will serve a dinner of an entree, main and dessert, making up a night of entertainment and delicious food – with plenty of Shiraz available as well.
The Story of Shiraz was staged at Fairview Artspace and the Small Winemakers Centre in 2009, and returns now in an updated production to take advantage of the unique character of the Alby and Esthers courtyard.
“When you look into the history of wine, the most romantic and exotic stories are around Shiraz,” said Sam.
“In the Persian city of Shiraz, which gives the wine its name, you find an old, old legend about the invention of wine.
“Several millennia later, you have the crusades, and the knight Gaspard de Sterimberg, who brought the variety to France and established the Hermitage, which is vital to the wine’s evolution.
“Because of the spread of phylloxera in Europe, Australia now has some of the world’s oldest Shiraz varieties, which brings the story closer to home.”
The Story of Shiraz draws on all these aspects of the wine’s history, jumping back and forwards in time and finally following the history of a family vineyard in a region very like Mudgee.
“You will discover more about Shiraz than you ever thought was there to learn, while also being guaranteed an evening of spectacular entertainment and hilarious performances,” Sam said.
The cast includes the finest actors seen regularly on the stage of the Town Hall Theatre, taking on roles ranging from an Arabian princess to a futuristic mad scientist.
Sam himself plays successive generations of the winemaking Stratton family.
“It’s going to be a fun night, with plenty of energy and a lot of wine involved,” he said.
The evening will begin at 6.30 for a 7pm start, with entrees and wine being served before the beginning of the show. Tickets are $50, and bookings can be made at Alby and Esthers. Audiences should book early, as space in the courtyard is limited and it will fill up.