Ned Kelly: The Fringe Festival
Ned Kelly by Ashley Davies and Ian Jones
Melbourne Fringe Festival 2002
7, 8 and 9 October
Chapel off Chapel
Further information: 03 9531 4046 or ashdavies@smartchat.net.au

Ashley Davies’ production of Ned Kelly is a raw, stripped back telling of a story that many Australians think they know. The live show incorporates a six piece band and visual display including photos, historical documents, footage of Kelly country, and text narrated by Ian Jones, Australia’s foremost Kelly historian. The performance transports the audience to key moments in the life of Ned Kelly. Among those events are Ned’s teenage years, his mother’s incarceration, the gang’s bank robberies, the last stand at Glenrowan and the court proceedings. It all makes for a moving, powerful and true account of the Kelly story.

Ashley Davies is regarded as one of Australia’s most innovative drummers. He also plays and composes for guitar, piano, harmonica and voice. Five years ago he teamed up with blues guitarist Matt Walker and together they became a highly sought after live act. Their energetic and unique style of improvised performance landed them supports with Bob Dylan & Patti Smith, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and The Cruel Sea, as well as opening for Gomez, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Cowboy Junkies, ZZ Top, Cold Chisel and Junior Brown. In 2001 their album ‘Soul Witness’ took out the ARIA award for Best Blues Album. He has recorded and released more than 20 CD’s and toured with artists including Jeff Lang (Best Blues Album “Cedar Grove” 1999 Australian Blues Music Awards), Chris Wilson and the Crown of Thorns, The Blackeyed Susans, Lisa Miller and The Backsliders.

This live show is his most recent project. It is based on his CD, Ned Kelly, which won the 2001 Best Australian Debut CD in Rhythms Magazine Readers Poll. When Ned Kelly premiered at the Apollo Bay Music Festival this year, it played to packed houses and was described by Patrick Donovan, Music Writer, The Age, as the highlight of the festival.

Ian Jones is Australia’s most respected Kelly historian and author. His published works includes Ned Kelly: A Short Life and The Friendship that Destroyed Ned Kelly. Also a highly regarded military historian, he has written two books on the Australian Light Horse. As a script writer, producer and director his credits include Homicide, The Sullivans, the mini-series Against The Wind and feature film The Lighthorsemen. With his wife Bronwyn Binns, he co-wrote and produced the award-winning mini-series The Last Outlaw. His most recent book is Joshua, The Man They Called Jesus.