HISTORIC Beleura house, Mornington will open its garden to fairies and other magical creatures for the school holidays, and children are invited to enjoy the fun.
The 40-minute Pirate-Fairy-Dinosaur-Rainbow Magic Show will be on Tuesday 18 April and Thursday 20 April over two sessions (10am and 1pm) and is suitable for children three to seven.
General manager of Beleura, Martin Green, said he was delighted to invite families to the house and let magician Jo Clyne “create an experience that welcomes younger peninsula residents and their families to the beautiful grounds of Beleura”.
“The show is called the Pirate-Fairy-Dinosaur-Rainbow Magic Show because it has something for everyone. We hope that audience members will dress up to join in the fun,” he said.
The show will be performed in the pavilion theatre, with audiences invited to explore the five hectare gardens after the show.
Beleura’s grounds include garden rooms, a Japanese garden, a folly, a Hansel and Gretel garden, statues, fountains and ponds.
“It is a wonderful place to explore and uncover new secrets around every corner,” Green said.
“Visitors agree that it absolutely magical. So, there is no one better to have at Beleura than a real magician.
“Jo brings all her sense of wonder and curiosity that particularly appeal to younger members of the family. And she’s very funny.”
Clyne said the magic show had originally been planned pre-pandemic and that many of the themes of the past few years had worked their way into her performance.
“Penelope is a rainbow fairy, who decides to make a career change and see what it would be like to be a pirate. She orders some pirate equipment online and … well, you’ll just have to come and see the show,” she said.
Beleura was built in 1863 for successful merchant James Butchart, who spared no expense in creating a country seat on the edge of the bay away from busy Melbourne.
Nowadays Beleura is a state heritage-listed house museum that contains a collection belonging to composer and previous owner John Tallis and the Tallis family. The Tallis family had connections to Melbourne’s theatre and entertainment world.
Book at: beleura.org.au/home/the-pfdr-magic-show/
First published in the Mornington News – 4 April 2023
