As actors, they might bicker on the stage, but Shae Salmon and her daughter Kashmir Miller are actually very supportive of each other.

The two women are enjoying rehearsing their lines together - getting ready to perform in the stage play Witches Abroad at the Rochdale Theatre this week.

The play by Lismore Theatre Company is a mash of witches and fairytales and good versus evil.

It’s an adaptation of one of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld fantasy books and has brought a cast - spanning generations - of local families to the stage.

Shae and Kashmir have been on the stage together before, but Kashmir’s acting studies at Sydney Theatre School have allowed her to really help out her mum.

“She prompts me when on stage if I forget lines,” Shae said. “It’s fun being with her and going to rehearsal three times a week.

“We get on really well. We bicker and get more carried away in the play than we do in real life.”

Shae, who plays Granny Weatherwax in the production, said Witches Abroad is a story of rival witches and good conquering evil - but that sometimes it’s uncertain what is good and what is evil.

“Lily, the wicked godmother thinks she’s good, but manipulates people in the country and Genua city,” Shae said. 

“She makes stories out of the people and guides their lives so they fulfil her dreams of what the story should be.” 

Gray Wilson and Danyon Saxe-Wilson are in Witches Abroad.

Shae said she watched the Terry Pratchet Discworld movies before joining the cast, but wanted to bring her “own sense of granny into the character”.

“The play is shorter than the book’s story,” Shae said. “It’s been adapted from the novel by Henri Rennie, who was a friend of Terry Pratchett’s and gave him permission to write it.

“Henri is an experienced actor and also the play’s director. He’ll be acting in the play as Toymaker, along with his wife Meredith Yardley who plays Mrs Pleasant, the palace cook.”

The play has a cast of four family groupings - father and son, mother and sons, mother and daughter and husband and wife.

Shae said “you might see a few people you know on stage”.

“Peter Lehner, the Lismore choirmaster plays the baron,” Shae said. “He’s new to the stage.

“There’s a few of Nimbin locals in the play too. 

“There’s also Sharon Brodie, Dave Brodie and Morgan Montague Elliott (mother and sons) and Gray Wilson and Danyon Saxe-Wilson (father and son).

Gray Wilson, who plays Captain de Vere, is an experienced actor who is on stage with his son Danyon for the first time. 

Both of them say that while Gray has directed Danyon before, this opportunity to be on stage together is a long-held shared “dream come true”.

Shae said in the production, the backstage crew have been working hard creating lighting and sound effects, and there’s lots of costumes. 

“I love being involved with community theatre,” Shae said.

“Rochdale is beautiful theatre and we’d like more people come and support us.” 

Witches Abroad plays at the Rochdale Theatre on Ballina Road, Goonellabah on October 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20.

Tickets cost $17 - $23. To book tickets, visit http://www.trybooking.com, or contact Lismore Theatre company http://www.lismoretheatrecompany.org.au

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