SYDNEY II: LOST AND FOUND
AUSTRALIA’S GREATEST NAVAL MYSTERY PERFORMANCE BACK BY
POPULAR DEMAND IN PERTH
Following the groundbreaking success of the original tour of SYDNEY II: LOST AND FOUND, THEATRE 180 continues their series of Great Stories, Well Told with the return of this unique production to Windsor Cinemas, Nedlands
11-13 August.
A true story of romance, danger, courage and fateful decisions, from the dark days of WWII and a race against time over sixty years later, comes an epic true story of love, loss, hope, fear and courage – and the resolution of a mystery for those who never gave up. SYDNEY II: LOST AND FOUND tells the tale of Australia’s greatest naval disaster – the sinking of HMAS Sydney II.
When HMAS Sydney II was sunk by the disguised German Raider HSK Kormoran in November 1941, it took with it, along with her entire crew of 645 men, the hopes and dreams of a nation as the war arrived on our doorstep. Among the Sydney’s crew was a young Western Australian Able Seaman, Allan Rowe. Recently wed, Allan had only just learned that he was to be a father. For 66 years Allan’s wife, Jessie, and their daughter, Ellen, hoped that one day the wreck of The Sydney would be located.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the director Stuart Halusz.
Where water once was
A storm is brewing
Under the Kelly’s floorboards runs a stream… yet only Dylan seems to notice. Margaret’s dementia grows worse by the day… but only Stephanie seems to care. Lily’s love is seldom returned… no one seems to know she exists. But it wasn’t always like this. The past made sense, the past was safe…
Like a river flows to the sea, change is inevitable.
With a cast and crew spanning several generations, Where Water Once Was is a surreal exploration of memory, change, and family, that’s sure to leave you questioning your own perception of the past, present and future.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the director / writer Evan Rickman.
The sisterhood of travelling lighter
Crash Theatre Company opens their 15-show season of Sisterhood of the Travelling Lighter at The Blue Room Theatre on 16 May – 3 June 2023.
The work theatrically portrays the unique lens of womanhood and explores a rich tapestry of connection and love. Forged by Ana Ferreira Manhoso and Courtney McManus, two young female theatremakers, CRASH produces radical and future bound independent theatre that tells stories of risk, resiliency, resourcefulness. The story of Sisterhood of the Travelling Lighter, co-written by McManus and Hannah Quaden, leaves us no choice but to revere the relationships that raise us and to celebrate them as instrumental to the fabric of our being. There is nothing quiet or mundane about this piece, it is an epic of all proportions.
It is grand and sweeping and shows the messiness and vulnerability of four women with genuine love at the forefront of their friendship. It’s the moment at your first sleepover party with a Freddo ice-cream cake and Lizzie McGuire. It’s the memory of tackling the local shopping centre food court together with resumes so you can afford One Direction concert tickets. It’s the moment when you and your friends entered the school talent show as a joke, but now it’s showtime and you’re stealing looks at each other, holding back giggles on stage. The sound of the most secretive whisper to the loud bellows of peeling laughs – Sisterhood of the Travelling Lighter will wrap you in a warm hug of nostalgia and remind you of the first crushes, the friendship bracelets, and the love that you and your friends share after all this time.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with Courtney McManus.
The House of Bernanda Alba
A story of women on the verge of breakdown. The murderous silence at the core of oppression.
Bernarda Alba.
Widow. Tyrant. Oppressor.
What happens to our hearts when they are confined? In her grief, Bernarda Alba imposes 8 long years of isolation on her five daughters, never to step outside, leave their home or be married. They are trapped together inside the thin walls of their home, subject to the tyranny of their misogynist mother.
The House of Bernarda Alba is an adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s play, which explores the passion and torture of growing up in 1930s rural Spain. It pays particular attention to the invisible ways in which women are harmed in the conflict between repression, desire, and society’s expectation.
Directed by PAWA award nominated director Susie Conte and starring a company of six feminist performers, tempest will present a parable of gendered oppression. It is visceral and an uncompromising piece of theatre that questions the concept of sisterhood and family loyalty.
CAST:
Alexandria Steffensen (Medea, Black Swan State Theatre Company)
Sarria Butler
Amber Gilmour
Shelby McKenzie
Amanda Watson
Amy Welsh
The House of Bernarda Alba
2-6 May 2023
Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Rd
Tickets from $36.00 (Adult) – $26.00 (Student).
Book via the Arts and Culture Trust website.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the director Susie Conte
HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE
Yes, that means you
Three unlikely strangers meet in a waiting room. Each takes a ticket and waits for their number to be called. But what happens when their number is never called, the door locks & reality starts warping. Without the fire or torture devices, would you realise you were in hell?
Laugh, cry & lose your mind with a visual & physical spectacle not for the fainthearted… this is hell after all…
OFFIE-nominated movement director Yvan Karlsson leads a group of Boorloo’s rising theatrical talent in this bold, non-verbal, reimagining of Jean Paul Sartre’s existentialist play ‘No Exit/Huis Clos’, that will change your perception of what physical theatre can be.
Take a ticket and sit down, your numbers next.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the director Yvan Karlsson.
NOT FAR FROM THE TREE
This is a show about two brothers, two sisters and two lands” A crackling radio, the smell of warm kesra wafting through the air, the sound of revolution echoing through cobbled streets. Welcome to Algeria in the 90s. This year, The Blue Room Theatre and Sabrina Hafid invite you to take a seat at the table of an Algerian Australian family to break bread, share old stories and make new memories. Written and performed by Sabrina Hafid (Car rides with Ahmad) and directed by Laura Liu (The Complete Show of Water Skiing), Not Far from the Tree is a semi autobiographical show about the stories that course through our veins and the past that propels us towards our future.
Mohammad and Boelem are two Algerian brothers on opposite sides of the activist spectrum. Boelem is the tender hearted revolutionary with stars in his eyes and a fire in his belly. Mohammad is the academic realist, sceptical of any political party that promises change. They can agree on one thing, however: The political scene in Algeria is riddled with corruption. Faced with the decision to leave strife ridden Algeria for good, Mohammad seizes the opportunity to immigrate to Australia with both hands.
After all, they say the streets of Perth are paved with gold! Twenty years on, he still feels pangs of homesickness every time he bakes bread. And what of the family he left behind? What is that dangerous but familiar revolutionary spark in his Australian daughter’s eyes? Utilising traditional storytelling methods, intimate set design elements and laced with gentle audience participation, this beautiful work will explore themes of heritage, legacy, intergenerational conflict and healing. This is a show not to be missed by those who want to experience a taste of authentic Algerian hospitality intertwined with a heartwarming tale of culture and family.
The 2021 Census found that almost half of Australians have a parent born overseas. Performer and writer Sabrina Hafid believes that there is no better time or medium to explore intergenerational dialogue: “I wanted to explore that flux- that connection and disconnection between two generations who have grown up in completely different environments. How does the upbringing of someone’s parents affect them? Are there experiences that travel through blood and become part of our collective memory? What parallels can be drawn between the stories of our parents and our own stories as the children of immigrants” asks Hafid, a first generation Algerian Australian theatre maker. “These are questions that children of immigrants often ask themselves on a daily basis and ultimately it is this self reflection that ends up shaping our Australian identity.” Says Hafid “ At the heart of it all, this is a play about what we carry from our loved ones, and the stories that shape who we are.”
SEASON DETAILS Dates: 18 April – 6 May 2023 Time: 6.45 PM Address: The Blue Room Theatre 53 James Street Northbridge Telephone: 08 9227 7005
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with Sabrina Hafid – the playwright of the play.
Utopia
Horror of war, hope of freedom
Utopia is a collection of unreliable narratives from Afghanistan where only dreams of escape to paradise give hope.
Afghani director Amir Musavi remounts his first Australian work, sold out in advance at The Blue Room Theatre Summer Nights 2022. Experimental, experiential and confronting, Utopia cuts across borders and cultures, repeating difficult events to find a solution… a raw and thrilling expression from a young man watching horrors unfold in his homelands and across the globe.
Stagger into a minefield. See siblings demand the ultimate sacrifice. Marvel as families embark on dangerous journeys to escape a hellish life. Juggle your ethics as points of view shift and change.
Performed by an exciting and diverse ensemble of actors, it’s complex, dark and not for the fainthearted.
“Promising writing, genuine performances, and a striking performance style” – Stage Whispers.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the writer /director Amir Musavi
Art
Company O is back this September with a modern classic – “Art”, a play by Yasmina Reza, presented by Company O.
Three friends argue about a white painting! Serge has bought an almost entirely white painting, much to the chagrin of his friend, Marc. Their friend Ivan tries to keep them from arguing about the painting but he only makes things worse!
This is promising to be an exciting production as we’re staging it in the Holmes a Court (art) Gallery in West Perth! (So you can appreciate some art while you’re there!)
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the director Andrew O’Connell.
The Woman who cooked her husband
“Lust, gluttony, and wrath — served up in a delicious black comedy!”
AFTER a sell-out season in Perth, Much Productions brings Debbie Isitt’s delectable comedy, The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband, back to Perth
After 20 years of marriage, Kenneth leaves his wife, Hilary, for the younger, sexier Laura—but soon finds that his new love can’t cook. As Kenneth juggles his gut and his groin, his comeuppance comes as no surprise!
This 90- minute play will be staged at Camelot in Mosman Park in August. Director Jane Sherwood—originally from Melbourne—is delighted to be bringing this hilarious hit show back to Perth
“Much Productions was formed to present small, portable shows in a variety of venues. Most of the action in The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband occurs in Hilary’s dining room, and we first presented the show at the Mid-Century Café in Yokine (Perth). “After a member of the public complained that we were trivializing a real-life NSW murder case, our local council discontinued advertising our play. The story made The West Australian newspaper and Channel 9 News. The resultant publicity gave us a sell-out season!”
Jarrod Buttery (industrial chemist by day) portrays Kenneth: “Playing the villain can be fun but Kenneth’s behaviour is so appalling, and some of his lines so gobsmackingly awful, that it’s enough to make anybody cringe!” Meredith Hunter (divorce lawyer by day) first played Hilary—opposite Jarrod’s Kenneth—six years ago. “I was delighted to revisit Hilary, and recook Jarrod, in this fast-moving, iconic show. Jane Sherwood brings out the dark comedy of the script, as well as the underlying emotions of this wronged woman.” Phoebe Deklerk (opera singer by day) relished the thought of sinking her teeth into the meaty role of the mistress. “Initially, Laura comes across as naive—taken in by Kenneth—but she soon displays remarkable strength and determination of her own. It has been a joy joining this show and stretching my acting chops!”
“Much Productions specialises in small, transportable shows that require minimal set-up for maximum entertainment,” explains Sherwood. “We have visited a variety of venues and shared our shows with different audiences across Perth and southwest WA.
Blue/Orange
Race, madness and medical ethics collide in this Olivier award-winning and exquisitely sharp modern classic by Joe Penhall.
With stinging satire, burning writing and vibrant humour, BLUE / ORANGE in its WA Premiere opening at Burt Memorial Hall on 20 August, asks the important questions about mental health, ethnic prejudice and the stigmas around schizophrenia.
Christopher stands on the cusp of release from a psychiatric ward. The problem is he still thinks oranges are blue. Psychiatrists Robert and Bruce are juggling the moral compass between their own personal and professional gain as they argue over whether Christopher should be released back into society. Bruce believes he still needs professional help whereas Robert, his senior, feels he would be better placed amongst ‘his community’…and besides ‘he’ll be less of a drain on resources’.
Stuart Halusz, Artistic Director of THEATRE 180, says, “I am thrilled to be directing a stellar cast in this compelling modern classic which challenges our notion of ethnic prejudice and mental wellness in society.”
“Joe Penhall has the rare gift of engaging both emotion and intellect and making you care desperately about the outcome”
The Guardian
“Blue/Orange explores the connection between ethnicity and perceptions of mental health…it illuminates the way psychiatry can be strategic – and anatomises the politics of medical care.” Evening Standard (London)
“In the great way of comedy, Blue/Orange touches on great themes: self-advancement at the expense of others and perceptions of sanity.” The Independent (London)
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the director Stuart Halusz.
Walk
We have already died a thousand deaths, but to carry suffering in our arms isn’t honouring life.” – Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés.
Meet Bobby, your shimmering, battle fatigued guide. Learning to let go of past ghosts, Bobby discovers what it means to be free in their body and walk into their power. WALK is an immersive dreamlike experience. Journey through Bobby’s mindscape built across two spaces; one that is sweet to smell and blanketed with clouds so close you can reach out and touch, and the other is dark, gleaming, and cavernous.
A collaboration between experimental performance maker Bobby Russell (MoveMoveMove, Perth Festival), set and sculpture designer Opie Robinson (Gassed Up, Cool Change), lighting by Joe Lui (The Ugly), and sound by Peter McAvan (Midnight Elevator Records), WALK playfully intersect sculpture, design, and choreography.
About The Artists Bobby Russell is an experimental performance maker based in Perth WA with a BA in dance from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Combining their experience across multiple performance Media Release for 22 June 2022 platforms they have been developing their own experimental performance works HOME (2019) and THE FARM (2020), and in 2021 debuted their first solo work The Walk at MoveMoveMove as part of Perth Festival, receiving glowing reviews. Inspired by 80’s sci-fi, 70’s horror and David Lynch’s beloved ‘Twin Peaks’ Bobby enjoys weaving all these components through their work, to create an uncomfortable familiarity that questions time, place, and space.
Opie Robinson is a trans-masculine non-binary artist living and working on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar (Perth, Western Australia). Their artistic practice is multi-disciplinary, employing mediums and techniques in relation to a project at hand. Heavily influenced by personal experience, Robinson’s work presently revolves around investigations into gender, embodiment/disembodiment, and representation, and reflects their keen interest in queering the visual tropes of male-dominated or hyper-masculine cultures.
Joe Cassandra Lui is a submerging -nay, drowning- artist and undisputed winner of the 2013 Spirit of the Fringe award. He has won no awards since. Joe Lui is a founding member of Renegade Productions. Within its aegis, he creates experimental theatre and performance works. Joe Lui is also a freelance director, writer, and sound and lighting designer. His most recent directing credits include Black Swan State Theatre Company’s Unsung Heroes, and Beginning at the End (of Capitalism) presented at The Blue Room Theatre. His most recent design work was The Sum of Us by Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company as part of the Perth Festival.
Peter McAvan is an acclaimed composer, producer, radio presenter, label director, event coordinator, and performer. He is committed to refreshing the Perth dance scene, releasing music as PTMC, and co-ordinating the Midnight Elevator record label; a project created to showcase the talent of local electronic artists in Perth. He has previously been commissioned for original works in Perth Festival, The Blue Room Theatre, Fringe Festival, and Strut Dance. Informed by a classical and music technology education at WAAPA, his work often combines elements of the underground dance culture with classical, ambient, and experimental sonic textures.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the writer Bobby Russell
Pull the Pin
We play to win, baby. It’s the Mid-Year Tenpin Bowling Championship and the Old Hags have something to prove. There’s a lot on the line: cash, a huge trophy, and most importantly, bragging rights.
After last year’s unfortunate pants split on the last ball, the Old Hags are back to prove that age does come before beauty.
Fighting hot flushes, existential midlife crises, and kids that are too old to be living at home, these women need more than high-waisted undies to beat their biggest opponent: age.
Written by Rebecca Fingher (What Of It) and directed by Sian Murphy (Love Letters To The Revolution), Pull the Pin is a comedic ode to the invisible woman, or in this case, the invisible female tenpin bowling team in their 50s.
Starring local talent Caitlin Beresford-Ord, Tegan Mulvany, and Elisa Williams as the Old Hags, the underdog team with big dreams, and Hannah Davidson as the young up-and-comer Media Release for 17 June 2022 ready to kick them off their pedestal, it’ll be a game you won’t want to miss. About Just Friends, Theatre Company Pull the Pin is a biting new comedy from the exciting emerging theatre company Just Friends (Allstars), which is a company of friends (and nothing more than that) that aims to make work that makes you giggle and feel a little lighter in this heavy world.
The company consists of Rebecca Fingher, Sian Murphy, and Hannah Davidson who all met at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts doing an undergrad in Performance Making. They instantly found a connection and flow working together and thought it would be wise to team up to make some fun and big laughs happen. Expect big, funny things from them.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the writer Rebecca Fingher.
Monstrous Woman
| COMING SOON A radical feminist adaptation of Phaedra.“I was a woman, a mark for the world’s contempt.” The story of Phaedra is one of lust and shame. Phaedra was the wife of King Theseus, an older woman with an all-consuming lust for her stepson Hippolytus. Monstrous Woman is a highly visual, metaphorical allegory investigating the intersections between repressed desire and the older woman. The play rewrites the myth of the damaging effects of the sexual transgressions of mothers and the tides of fate.Starring a company of five feminist performers from the Perth theatre scene, tempest will present an invocation of the body as a plurality of experiences. It is visceral and an uncompromising piece of feminist theatre horrified by the history of shaming women for their sexuality. MONSTROUS WOMAN 3-6 November 2021 Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley RdTickets from $36.00 (Adult) – $26.00 (Student). Book via the Perth Theatre Trust website. |
| JOIN US AT ‘MONSTROUS WOMAN’ MONSTROUS WOMAN marks a significant milestone in tempest’s history – its the culmination of Artistic Director Susie Conte’s PhD candidacy research into feminist theatre in Australia, and the final production of our tenth birthday year! We’re offering discounted tickets via the link below, or using the promo code “MONSTER”. Click on the “Special Offer” price to access your $30.00 tickets. Booking fees may apply. The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the writer Susie Conte |
Dating Black
A funny and energetic story of the trials and tribulations of dating and finding love.
BACKGROUND
The latest work to have come out of Yirra Yaakin Writers’ Group, Dating Black will be the first play by new playwright Narelle Thorne.
SHORT SYNOPSIS
Djinda has come out of a bad marriage and moved back in with family. Her best friend Hope is also single and ready to mingle. “Window shopping is what she enjoys most”. Djinda’s brother is very protective of her and ready to take on anyone that might risk her heart being broken again. Justin is the new man on the scene but is he too smooth? No one comes without baggage after 30!
A funny and energetic story of the trials and tribulations of dating and finding love as a mature adult – compounded by being a blackfulla and the comedic threat of being related, even distantly, to anyone that shows an interest. How do we find love and understanding later in life?
TEAM
Playwright: Narelle Thorne
Director: Bruce Denny
Dramaturg: Polly Low
Set and Costume Designer: Matthew Raven
Lighting Designer: Peter Young
Sound Designer: Ella Portwine
Stage Manager: Jennifer Poh
Cast: Bobbi Henry, Derek Nannup, Maitland Schnaars, Rayma Morrison, Tegan Mulvany
SEASON INFORMATION
Where: Subiaco Arts Centre, Main Auditorium | 180 Hamersley Road, Subiaco WA 6008
When: 16 – 27 November 2021
Time: 7:30pm | Matinee Performance: Sat 27 Nov 3:00pm
Post Show Q&A: Wed 24 Nov | Stay in your seats after the performance to hear from creators and artists in a Q&A session.
AUSLAN interpreted performance: Wed 24 Nov
Audio described performance: Thu 25 Nov
Tactile tour available before the show on Thu 25 Nov
Pictures provided by Dana Weeks.
ARCO – SNR
Would you like to know more about autism. A generally misunderstood situation that put autistic people into boxes. Do they really belong there. This extremely fascinating show reveals how an autistic boy Adam who is number 5 on the spectrum feels, thinks and behaves.
We are first introduced to Adam at the start where he shows us that although he is autistic , he can function very well. He says of his condition “Autism itself is really difficult to explain. It’s not simply something that effects how I function; it is how I am wired. Asking me how autism feels like is pretty much like asking a fish if it knows it’s in water. I guess that as I am autistic, but adapted slightly to the neurotypical world, metaphorically I am neither fully a fish (autistic) nor a land creature (neurotypical) but rather an amphibian.” Adam Kelly said of the condition that inspires his theatrical creation. We are then shown some really colourful animation of a fish moving through the water. Ben Hollingsworth’s animation just makes the whole show so much more appealing and joyful. It helps to unpack Adam’s character through colourful cartoons.
Arco – what does it stand for . A stands for Autism, R for rejection, C for community or Celibacy and O for optimism. Adam feels this acronym helps explain his show perfectly and I agree.
The show required a lot of audience participation which created a jovial happy atmosphere throughout the show. Towards the end of the show Adam showed us how to make paper planes and then throw them away – thus discarding all the negative emotions that crop up in everyday life.
Adam’s message to the world and to his autistic friends is that we are perfect the way we are and we need to love ourselves. There may be good and bad days but hey – that OK. Everyone has them and we should not be dejected by them.
I felt this show was extremely illuminating and provided me with a clearer understanding of these amazing human beings.
The show is going on a regional tour shortly and once Covid is over James Berlyn hopes to take the show to London.
Queer as flux
A TOMBOY AND A TIME-TRAVELLING DRAG QUEEN “QUEERY” WHAT’S IN-BETWEEN, IN WA PREMIERE AT THE BLUE ROOM THEATRE QUEER AS FLUX Writer/Performer Stace Callaghan Director/Dramaturg Leah Mercer Presented by The Nest Ensemble and The Blue Room Theatre
Ever wondered what it’s like to live in a body that doesn’t match who you are?
Fresh from a sold-out season at the Brisbane Powerhouse for Melt Festival, multi-award-winning writer/performer Stace Callaghan premieres their new one-person show, Queer as Flux at The Blue Room Theatre 26 October to 13 November.
This intimate, life-affirming, autobiographical performance invites the audience to see the world through the eyes of a grown-up tomboy and their Drag Queen Fairy Godmother alter-ego, Polly Tickle, as they pay homage to queer ancestors who paved the way (and not-so-queer folks who did their best).
Transitioning isn’t a new fad – everybody’s doing it! From babies to Drag Queens, aging parents to Superheroes, Stace’s dynamic solo performance of multiple characters showcases transitions of bodies, hearts and minds via stories of gender, sexuality, spirituality, near-death experiences, aging, dementia and dying. Completely busting the myth that transitioning is only about sexuality, Queer as Flux, unpacks and celebrates the complexities of transitioning in a world obsessed with sticking people in boxes and fixing them with labels.
“I’m not broken. I don’t need fixing. I’m nearly 50. Clearly it’s not just a phase,” says Stace.
This is Stace Callaghan’s fourth auto-biographical solo show as writer/performer, which builds on their reputation of creating challenging theatre that uplifts, unites and entertains. A professional shape-shifter, at 39 years Stace won a Matilda Award for playing a 9-year-old boy in La Boite’s The White Earth and in 2001 a Matilda Commendation and Sydney Mardi Gras Festival Award for their ground-breaking solo show when i was a boy. Other life-changing career moments for Stace include breaking their back as a trapeze artist, sleeping with lions at a zoo and co-inventing a music theory board game!
What reviewers have said about Stace’s work: Queer as Flux is a “… poignant work…of great heart and queerly triumphant humanity” (Patrick Gunasekera, Seesaw)
“Ultimately, the tone is calm and conciliatory, its message one of healing and hope. It speaks from the heart and its essential rawness, sensuality, humour and truth are what hits home.” (when i was a boy, Bryce Hallett, The Sydney Morning Herald).
“The word, ‘inspirational’ gets sprayed around loosely, but it best describes Stace Callaghan…” (Veronica Kelly, The Australian).
Queer as Flux was originally supported as a work-in-development by The Blue Room Theatre as part of Winter Nights.
CREATIVE TEAM Writer / Performer / Co-Producer: Stace Callaghan (they/them) | Director / Dramaturg / Co-Producer: Leah Mercer (she/her) | Co-Producer: Sam Nerida (they/them) | Lighting Designer: Peter Young (he/him) | Sound Designer: Olivia Cosham (she/her) | Stage Manager: Maddy Mullins (she/her) | Puppetry Consultant: Jessica Harlond-Kenny (she/her) | Visual Projection Production: Alison Ross (she/her) | Technical Mentor: Stephen Carr (he/him) | Publicist: Ali Welburn (she/her)
Where: The Blue Room Theatre, 53 James St, Northbridge When: 26 October to 13 November Bookings: blueroom.org.au or 9227 7005 Tickets: $25 | $30 Running time: 75 min
CONTENT WAR: Contains adult themes coarse language, nudity, drug, sexual and surgical references.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the writer/performer Stace Callaghan
Watch and Act
A darkly comedic flight or fight response to bushfire season is coming to The Blue Room Theatre.
What if the only language you had to cope with an impending climate catastrophe was from the classic 90s rom-com Notting Hill and imaginary conversations with Julia Roberts?
Watch and Act is a comedy that stares down the paradox of caring too much and not enough. It’s a one woman show about learning to cope with the uncertainty of OCD symptoms and how that might be excellent preparation for coping with the uncertainty of climate grief. It’s also a gentle suggestion of a new kind of emergency warning system, from someone who spent a few summers reading emergency fire warnings on the radio.
That someone is writer and performer Katie McAllister who grew up on Menang and Pibulmen Noongar Boodjar in Albany and Denmark.
“This is a show about a place that I (and Tim Winton) love, a climate that’s changing, my obsessive, scared brain, and how I’m dealing with all that,” says McAllister. “It’s also about taking my psychologist’s advice seriously: the best time to go to therapy is when you’re not in crisis. Surely the best time to deal with climate change is when we’re not literally on fire?”
While Watch and Act sees McAllister make her theatre writing debut, you might recognise her as a roller derby star from Ugly Virgins, the Lindstedt and Davies hit at The Blue Room Theatre earlier this year.
She is joined on Watch and Act by phenomenal sound designer Georgina Cramond (Interrupting a Crisis), who has conceived a moving and immersive soundscape that somehow evokes Ledge Beach in Albany, interviews with Nigella Lawson plus urgent fire warnings.
Accomplished designer Clare Testoni (Tale of Tales; The Double) has brought the karri forests to the heart of Northbridge, creating a silvery grey backdrop to hold AV and the atmospheric lighting of Kristie Smith (Every Brilliant Thing; In Case of Emergency). Director Michelle Endersbee (ARADIA, Super-Fanny-Tastic) brings precision, patience and timing to McAllister’s multi-layered script. She also brings tireless country gal energy to the show, as does comedian Andrea Gibbs in her performance mentoring.
Watch and Act is an earnest late-night message to Nigella Lawson and every tree in every karri forest in Denmark, and it’s showing at The Blue Room Theatre for three weeks from 28 September. Media Kit with photography by Marnie Richardson can be found here. Watch and Act 28 September – 16 October 7pm, Tuesday – Saturday Tickets $20 – $30 from blueroom.org.au The Blue Room Theatre 53 James Street, Northbridge WA
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the performer Katie McAllister
My Shout
Come join the creatives of Undercurrent Theatre Company down at the pub… because it would be weird to catch up without a beer, right? My Shout is an ode to the desire for connection that underpins contemporary Australia’s drinking culture, both celebrating and critiquing how alcohol has become entangled with a sense of identity and community.
What’s your drink of choice? Who is that person you can always rely on to meet you at your local? What’s your best drunken story? This group of emerging performers will share their answers as one drink too many throws them into ceremonious drunken chants before the inevitable hangover kicks in.
Ultimately My Shout is about connection and inhibition raised in a poetic form of performance that shifts between stylised movement sequences, live music, and personal stories – all framed within the setting of a classic Australian pub. So come on, pull up a chair and grab a drink. My Shout! My Shout brings Aussie pubs to the stage A dive into the social culture around alcohol in Australia brought to life in an experimental performance at The Blue Room Theatre.
Image by Samuel Gordon Bruce Pictured: The Performers/ Devisers of My Shout. (Left to right) Claire Appleby, David Stewart, Scarlet Davis, Christopher Moro, Shaun Johnston Season Dates: Tuesday August 31 – Saturday September 18, 7PM/8.30PM Location: The Blue Room Theatre | 53 James St, Northbridge WA 6003 Tickets: $20 – $30 Purchase at blueroom.org.au Warnings: Adult themes, Depictions of alcohol, Loud noises including live music Director Samuel Gordon Bruce Performers/ Devisers Claire Appleby Scarlet Davis Shaun Johnston Christopher Moro David Stewart Dramaturg Andrew Sutherland Movement Dramaturg Emma Fishwick Producer Amber Kitney Set Designer Matthew Raven Sound Designer David Stewart Lighting Designer Adelaide Harney Stage Manager Grace Guppy
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the deviser Shaun Johnston
Big little lives implode in small and cute – Oh no
It’s Christmas time at the shopping centre in Squid Vicious’ contemporary tale of class, identity and capitalism that exposes the many small tragedies of our many small lives.
Image by Duncan Wright Jen says she’s down and out and just needs this job as a casual Santa. Peter, her colleague, thinks she’s a loser and is busy spinning lies to seduce a series of twinks. Bob, their boss, just wants everything to go well so he can ascend to third-floor management.
Everything’s shit, as usual, ’til Peter discovers Jen’s secret: she’s searching for a lost child. In the melancholy cool of the shopping mall, codependency grows, and the quest for truth gets a little too real. small and cute oh no is a strange and compelling new dark comedy devised by the independent theatre outfit Squid Vicious (Poorly Drawn Shark) and Vidya Rajan (The Lizard Is Present). small & cute oh no dives through class, identity, and the reductions of contemporary capitalism in search of the tragedies beneath fact and fiction
Featuring a truly hot team of performers, you’ll wanna catch them all. Ming Yang Lim and Louis Spencer (Jiangshi) are joined by veteran actor Caitlin Beresford-Ord (Whalefall, Perth Festival) to tell a story about the stories and identities people construct and cling to in order to survive, understand their own behaviour, and justify their very existence in a capitalistic, labour-driven world. small & cute oh no is narrative drama toeing a strange and shifting line between comedy and tragedy, blending pop culture explosions with Annie Baker-esque, near[1]Chekhovian naturalistic detail and smallness.
Season Details
Season Dates: Tuesday, July 20 – Saturday, August 7, 7 PM/8.30 PM Location: The Blue Room Theatre | 53 James St, Northbridge WA 6003
Tickets: $20 – $30 Purchase at blueroom.org.au
Warnings: Violence, Coarse Language, Adult Concepts, Smoke Machine/Hazer, Strobe Lighting
Director Andrew Sutherland Writer Vidya Rajan Performers Caitlin Beresford-Ord Louis Spencer Ming Yang Lim Sound Designer and Composer Jess Nyanda Moyle Dramaturg Renee Newman Producer Liz Newell Set and Costume Designer Eilish Campbell Lighting Designer Jasmine Lifford Stage Manager Georgia Smith Publicist Hayden Mumby
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with one of the writers Vidya Rajan
Borderline
The Blue Room Theatre and Stumble. Present
BORDERLINE By Evelyn Snook
“Borderline Personality Disorder. I’d never heard of it but the doctor handed me a checklist and it felt like I was reading myself on a page.” Evelyn is brave, funny, sad, vulnerable, colourful and utterly relatable. This tour-de-force solo performance is their deeply personal and lyrical exploration of growing up and living with mental illness. From struggling to make it to the next check-in text, to believing in tomorrow. Experience a life told as a story, chaotic and unfinished, filled with poetry, shadow puppetry and plenty of dance breaks. Borderline is a heartfelt story told in honest glory about Evelyn’s own lived experience as a young person diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The story is injected with hope, determination, and a bright-eyed belief in tomorrow and the future that lays beyond. Inspired by the artist’s recent joining of a BPD peer support group where they discussed common lived experiences including lengthy wait times for treatment, stigma within the mental health sector against BPD, and the refusal of treatment
Accompanied by heartfelt live music from folk singer-songwriter Be Gosper, witness stories from the backyard, memories in the kitchen, hugs on the front porch and dancing in the driveway. Borderline is an ode to the nights we survive. Borderline will premier in July as a part of The Blue Room Theatre’s upcoming 2021 Season. Stumble Stumble is a collective of Perth-based performance makers that formed in 2018 with the aim of bringing together artists and creators who live with mental health disorders to tell their stories. Lead by Evelyn Snook (they/them), the collective promotes mental health awareness, queer representation, and producing innovative contemporary theatre. The collective holds the belief that people living with mental health disorders are commonly misrepresented and stigmatised within our society and hopes by providing the platform for artists to tell stories from their own lived experiences they can bridge this gap. Borderline is the second performance presented by Stumble and is based on the original script for their first show Dancing in the Driveway that premiered at FRINGE WORLD in 2019.
Team Evelyn Snook – Performer & Writer Be Gosper – Performer & Musician Kylie Bywaters – Director Chelsea Gibson – Stage Manager Astrid Dainton – Assistant Stage Manager Claire Testoni – AV Designer Jasmine Lifford – Lighting Designer Daniel Dosek – Puppetry Advisor Kailyn Crabbe – Producer & Marketing Manager
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the Performer Evelyn Snook.
Beginning at the End (of Capitalism)
A Show Beyond Your Wildest Means!
A retro-futurist sci-fi adventure, beloved astro-navigatrix Earth girl, Phera, journeys to destroy capitalism. Beginning at the End (of Capitalism), created & performed by Phoebe Sullivan (Beside) and directed by Joe Lui (Unsung Heroes) invites you into a live streaming studio setup, where audiences can expect both the director’s cut and behind the scenes exclusives.
Her first one woman show, performance maker Phoebe Sullivan explores matters close to home; her love of fashion, her relationship with her mother, debt and the love that created it.
For Phoebe, there was never a moment in her childhood where she was without. However, for her mother, that meant a reality of sacrifice; working multiple jobs; using credit card upon credit card at every checkout; and the endurance of keeping face when your head’s only just above water.
“Even though the subject matter is quite bleak, it’s important that audiences still enjoy themselves and leave having witnessed something beautiful and a bit silly. Because that also resembles what that experience is like. Things are kind of fucked, but at the end of the day, maybe there’s still a reason to go shopping with my Mum” – Phoebe Sullivan. As seen in shows like The Second Woman (Nat Randall) and Whistleblower (The Last Great Hunt), audiences of Beginning at the End (of Capitalism) can dance between watching a live performance being filmed in real time, or experience the edited footage as if it were hitting the silver screen. Regardless of which way you turn, audiences can expect to be blown simply out of this world! Collaborating with some of Perth’s most exciting independent film and theatre artists, Beginning at the End (of Capitalism) is exploding with swaths of haute-couture fantasy and laser beam fight sequences, and encapsulates a battle already lost inside a dream worth fighting.
As seen in shows like The Second Woman (Nat Randall) and Whistleblower (The Last Great Hunt), audiences of Beginning at the End (of Capitalism) can dance between watching a live performance being filmed in real time, or experience the edited footage as if it were hitting the silver screen. Regardless of which way you turn, audiences can expect to be blown simply out of this world! Collaborating with some of Perth’s most exciting independent film and theatre artists, Beginning at the End (of Capitalism) is exploding with swaths of haute-couture fantasy and laser beam fight sequences, and encapsulates a battle already lost inside a dream worth fighting
FIRE
FIRE Siblings, Culture and Koort (Heart). The Blue Room Theatre and Kalyakoorl Collective present FIRE, a powerful First Nations work and an ode to the strength of sisterhood. Forming part of The Blue Room Theatre’s annual Winter Nights program the piece is a deep exploration of culture, sisterhood and complex family dynamics. Written by emerging playwright and actor Ebony McGuire (Wirun), this is a story about love and loss, grief and sisterhood; and why family can always bring out the FIRE in you
. With the last week of the performance season aligning with NAIDOC week – there is no better time for Kalyakoorl Collective, a brand new First Nations Theatre Company to premiere its first full length Blue Room season. Off the back of a highly successful season at FRINGE WORLD 2021 and further refined in a recent creative development FIRE is a new female lead, First Nations work filled with comedy, culture and koort (heart).
Written and performed by Ebony McGuire (Cloudstreet) alongside Nadia Maritich (CO_EX_EN, Bilya Kaatijin), FIRE combines dance, poetry, song and storytelling to take audiences on a powerful journey. Follow the journey of two sisters as they learn to rebuild their fractured relationship after becoming estranged during their childhood. Two sisters, two sides, and everything that has been left unsaid. Holly and Lyss haven’t seen each other for years, so of course living together is the perfect idea. But what happens when the memory of someone you held so close, is a far distance from the person in front of you now? “Holly and Lyss have a lot to talk about and being able to explore that since our last season at Fringe has been a dream, especially with such a great team. So many discoveries have been made and yet the heart of this story is still there, even with the addition of another character” – Ebony McGuire Follow two women as they discover how to be sisters once again, and the culture that continues to call them home. Jam packed with sharp humour, nagging sisters who borrow your stuff without asking and bond that runs deep – FIRE is a powerful work not to be missed
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with Ebony, Nadia and Sian.
MONICA
MONICA
MONICA
A publicapology
Subiaco Arts Centre STUDIO
June 30 – July 3, 7.30pm
July 3, 2.00pm
In 1998, at the cusp of a new world of the internet,a new woman was born. A creature from the media lagoon.Monica Lewinsky, we all know the name. Patient Zero of the new Internet phenomenon of online shaming.Branded as a tramp, tart, bimbo and worse. ‘That woman’, she was known by many, but actually known by few.It was easy to forget ‘that woman’ was dimensional and had a soul. The face that launched a thousand headlines. This is my apology to the woman I judged harshly when I was the same age as her.
In a post #metoo world, can we look back and right the wrongs we visited on our own sisters? Are we all culpable in the shame?
This show takes Monica Lewinsky as the starting provocation to a conversation about how women can make complicated decisions and choices that have a personal cost.
Devised and directed by PAWA award nominated director Susie Conte, and starring a company of ten feminist performers from the Perth theatre scene, tempestwill present an invocation of the body as a plurality of experiences. It is visceral and an uncompromising piece of feminist theatre horrified by the history of bullying of vulnerable women. And a long-awaited apology.
ABOUT tempest
tempest is a feminist theatre company making theatre for women, by women, and about women. Dedicated to telling women’s stories, tempest brings together experienced and emerging feminist theatre makers in a bid to showcase WA’s brightest talents. tempest strives to offer professional, independent theatre and believes that women should raise women up to tell their stories.
What: Monica
When: June30 – July 3
Where: Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Rd
Tickets: Adult $36
Groups (6+) $30
More info: www.ptt.wa.gov.au
CLUEDUNNIT
CLUEDUNNIT’ are presenting our Agatha Christie inspired murder mysteries in the ‘Downstairs at the Maj’ space.
They are presenting a murder every month (except for June) and each plot runs for three nights .Thursday / Friday & Saturday.
Guests enjoy a fabulous three course dinner and a three hour ‘whodunnit’ The diners sit at tables of ten and work as a team to try & uncover ‘the murderer!’ from clues given out.
What excitement! A murder where the audience are allowed to work out who the murderer is with the storyline inspired by agathe Christe.
And the man behind these great and exciting shows is Robbie Burns who has come all the way from the Isle of man to bring us good healthy live theatre.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the writer /director Robbie Burns
Third Culture Kids and The Blue Room Theatre presents MOR
Apothecary meets science lab in this loving exploration of motherhood.
Following their critically acclaimed 2019 show Sharbat, Third Culture Kids are back with MoR, created by and starring Dureshawar Khan. This one woman debut show explores the liminal space between two places: the “middle of the road”. This is not art v science, east v west, or mother v father; rather an exploration of that third space in between. Through storytelling, spoken word poetry and science experiments, Khan lovingly shares stories and lessons of migrant motherhood – inspired by her own mother’s story.
Told in both English and Pashto, MoR is a love letter to every person we’ve ever called mum. Dureshawar Khan wanted to make this show because she feels that mothers are the backbone of migrant communities. “Mothers are often the ones that weave culture, family history and folklore into day to day affairs, keeping us tethered to our identities and ancestry. I wanted to make a show about being the daughter of an immigrant mother because I wanted to acknowledge the delicate balancing act that most “third culture” children participate in. It’s not always beautiful, poetic moments of cultural sharing over a cup of chai; there are also darker, more confusing moments where we find ourselves torn between loyalty to our mothers and self preservation; moments where we have to choose between our parent culture and our new Australian identity.”
Director Susie Conte, founder of feminist theatre company Tempest Theatre is excited to be involved in this project because she feels Khan’s writing is phenomenal, poetic and urgent. “I love working on a show about motherhood as a mother myself. I have learned a lot about my own parenting as a result. This is a love story, how the love of mother and child forms one’s identity, with all its nuances and and difficulties and ruptures, as well as stories and cooking and teaching. Third Culture Kids are a multicultural, multilingual and multidisciplinary collective of artists from Perth. They believe in the power of theatre to bridge cultural divides, choosing to tell stories that might otherwise be ignored, forgotten or silenced. Originally planned to take place in August 2020 before COVID-19 intervened, Third Culture Kids are excited to debut MoR at The Blue Room Theatre as one of the first performances of their 2021 season.
SEX AND SKATING ROLLS ONSTAGE
The rough-and-ready sport of roller derby collides with the indie theatre world in a bold new show set to debut at The Blue Room Theatre in June
Ugly Virgins is a new production created by up & coming Perth artists Sally Davies (A Region Where Nobody Goes) and Anna Lindstedt (The Wolves), whose company Lindstedt & Davies has partnered with award-winning local theatre makers Maiden Voyage Theatre Company (Toast) for an all-star collaboration.
Heaped together on the reject pile of life, the women of Ugly Virgins skate circles around shit dates, self-worth and sticking it to the man. How the hell are you supposed to win anything when you can’t get yourself out of the penalty box?
Originally slated to premiere in 2020 but delayed when the venue closed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ugly Virgins brings together a cast of five women, including exciting emerging performers Courtney Cavallaro (The Wolves) and Mikayla Merks (Cloudstreet). Together with Perth derby legend Wheels McCoy, former Captain of The Bloody Sundaes, the actors have spent the past six months learning the ins and outs of the sport and polishing up their skating skills before they take to the stage. Featuring a hotshot team of hot-shot designers determined to transform Perth’s beloved home of indie theatre into a derby rink, Ugly Virgins is the wheels-to-the-wall tournament of fun, fear and fury you won’t want to miss.
SEX AND SKATING ROLLS ONSTAGE The rough-and-ready sport of roller derby collides with the indie theatre world in a bold new show set to debut at The Blue Room Theatre in June Image by Daniel James Grant. See you on the track
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with Courtney Cavallaro.
Kangaroo Stew
Desert Wirla Presents Kangaroo Stew Written by Zac James Presented in Partnership with The Blue Room Theatre & Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company Culture, money and power ‘You gonna sell your soul for a fist full of diamonds?’ Desert Wirla proudly presents the World Premiere of Kangaroo Stew, in partnership with The Blue Room Theatre & Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company. David is returning home under the guise of remembering the anniversary of his father John’s death. However, David’s actual motivations, unbeknownst to his family, are somewhat more mercenary. First Nations heritage, a family curse and ghosts at the dinner table, Kangaroo Stew will treat everyone present to a rich immersion in culture and a dramatic rollercoaster, guaranteed to engage all audiences. There will be love, punch ups and of course, the spirits of ancestors’ past.
Kangaroo Stew is the newest work by Zac James, a Martu/Yamatji/Murri man, who wrote Ice Land: A Hip h’Opera and starred in 8MMM: Aboriginal Radio (ABC/Netflix) and Shadow Trackers (SBS/ NITV). Kangaroo Stew is being launched through James’ recently formed independent company, Desert Wirla. Wirla means “heart”, in Tjupan, the language used throughout the Wiluna / Leonora region, where James is from. James says of his work; “I’m really excited to bring Kangaroo Stew to the public, it’s been 11 years in the making and is a story very close to my heart!”
Desert Wirla has teamed up with an array of established theatre professionals, who bring a wealth of knowledge to their roles and the stage. These include the Director, Bruce Denny, who audiences will know from The Sum of Us (most recently presented by Yirra Yaakin in association with Perth Festival), Sparkles, Cracked, Paper Planes, Cloud Street and Bran Nue Dae; Maitland Schnaars (Hecate); Rayma Morrison (Skylab) andBlue Room debuts, Caitlin-Jane Hampson (Do You Know Me) and Micah Kickett. The staging of Kangaroo Stew aims to pave the way for more independent First Nations’ work.
What: Kangaroo Stew Where: The Blue Room Theatre- 53 James Street Northbridge WA 6003 When: April 27 – May 8 || All shows 7pm PREVIEW: Tuesday, April 27 OPENING NIGHT: Wednesday, April 28 Cost: Full Price $30 | Concession $25.00 | Groups 6+ $25.00 Bookings: https://blueroom.org.au/events/kangaroo-stew/
Western Australia’s Feminist Theatre Company tempest presents
Fifo – Fit IN OR F**K off
The boom went bust, and now Jono’s in a desert mine site’s donga, trapped in debt and a lifestyle that is slowly strangling his liyarn. Jono’s wife Mary feels stuck in the high flying life of the lonely FIFO parent and has decided they’d be better off cutting their losses and moving home to Broome, close to family and her younger sister Janey. But the old neighbourhood, and her sister, ‘ain’t what they used to be’. Janey is locked in her house, sliding into stand-up comedic delusion as she awaits her FIFO husband Brad’s return. But where is Brad? And where’s their young daughter Katie? Something’s gotta give, but what will it take to stop the slide into the deepening pit that threatens to engulf them all?
In a country abundant with natural resources, mining is a way of life. This warm, tautly written drama pulls no punches as it explores the impact of mining on two Indigenous families, developed from extensive interviews with miners from across the country and lived experience of the writer. Starting in Broome with Goolarri Media’s Indigenous Writers program, and developing with the support of Yirra Yaakin, Playwriting Australia, Ilbijerri and Mooga
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the playwright Melody Dia.
A DOLL’S HOUSE
Subiaco Arts Centre STUDIO
October 28 – November 2, 7.30pm
A moment in time. A suspended breath. A door slam.
Ibsen’s iconic play is reimagined as a bold one woman show – we are invited into Nora’s world to hear her point of view and see her vulnerabilities.
Tempest will present a brand-new adaptation of Ibsen’s play that allows us insight into the most famous door slam in theatre history. One of the most performed plays in the world, the themes of the fate of women and femininity, and the true meaning of marriage, still ring true today.
Adapted and directed by PAWA award nominated director Susie Conte, this show is not to be missed.
ABOUT tempest
tempest is a feminist theatre company making theatre for women, by women, and about women. Dedicated to telling women’s stories, tempest brings together experienced and emerging female theatre makers in a bid to showcase WA’s brightest talents. tempest strives to offer professional, independent theatre and believes that women should raise women up to tell their stories.
What: A Doll’s House
When: Oct 28 – Nov 2 7.30pm
Where: Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Rd
Tickets: Adult $36
Groups (6+) $30
More info: www.ptt.wa.gov.au
The interview was done by Jane Sherwood with the director Susie Conte.
A classic Persian Story for 21st Century Perth A poetic tale of star-crossed lovers told in English and Farsi, Layla Majnun is a brand new translation of the Persian classic that will premiere this October at the Subiaco Arts Centre, produced by Performing Lines WA. Described as the ‘Romeo and Juliet of the East’ and central to Persian culture, Layla Majnun is a powerful and enduring tale of love and separation passed down over the centuries through poetry and song.
Now award-winning producers Performing Lines WA are bringing together the talents of acclaimed US based scholar and performer Ustaadh Feraidoon Mojadedi, director James Berlyn and artists from local intercultural artist collective illUMEnate to stage this much-loved story from the Islamic canon. Stunning large-scale projections, an original score and a new translation of one of the world’s oldest surviving stories will bring this work to life for audiences in Perth.
“Being able to bring this iconic story to the stage not only honours and revives the tradition of theatre within our communities, but it is a powerful way to counter the xenophobia many of us experience,” said creative producer Zainab Syed. “This production aims to bring people from across different cultures together through ideas central to the story that impact us all – universal themes of love, loss and separation”. Showcasing poems by Rumi and other giants of Islamic literature, this hour-long performance is accompanied by a program of free activities to allow audiences from all backgrounds to get a greater insight into the production, the story and Persian culture and history.
Syed said this project builds on Performing Lines’ commitment to ensuring audiences can experience the best in contemporary performance; shows that reflect the diversity of stories and experiences that make the Australian community “Through our work on Layla Majnun, and with artists like disability theatremakers Sensorium Theatre and Sally Richardson’s upcoming intercultural work Gui Shu, we are making good on our promise to change what theatre and the audiences who attend it can look like” Syed said
Layla Majnun by illUMEnate Wed 2 – Sat 5 October | Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Rd, Subiaco Food, refreshments and activities from 6:30pm, showtime 7:30pm
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the writer Ustaadh Feraidoon Mojadedi.
Five of the best, right from the bench
A SIMPLE premise delivers a quintet of short original plays at the Carlisle Hotel this August.
Written and directed by prolific Perth playwright Noel O’Neill, A View from the Park is presented by Maverick Theatre Productions and features five different plays with two or three actors on a park bench.
Connie and Clyde opens the show with the title characters agreeing to meet after only sharing emails, then discovering they’re not quite who they pretended to be.
It’s followed by The Flat where two people meet in a park before having a liaison in a friend’s flat, leading to consequences neither of them bargained for.
In Serenade in Blue, a music teacher is found in a park by a girl and, as the story unfolds, it’s revealed he has dementia and she is trying to bring him home.
Love And Marriage is the tale of a couple agreeing to meet a woman to straighten out her marriage – but they have troubles of their own.
Rounding out the set is A Ticket To Paradise, where two retired Jewish men meet in a cemetery after working together for 30 years and discover more about each other than during their whole working career.
“This is a show about art reflecting life,” O’Neill said. “The main challenge was for the actors to make the script active, instead of themselves, because they only had a park bench when dealing with each other.
“The most important thing when staging a production is to keep everything simple, including both the set and the story, to give the actors room to explore.
“I relate it to walking my dog – I let the dog take me and, through his intuition, he comes alive to explore and enjoys the freedom, although the leash is on so he doesn’t run away.
“The only metaphoric leash I put on the actors is to ensure they don’t run away with themselves; I let them explore and enjoy the freedom to use their intuition.”
Born in Ireland, O’Neill moved to New York in his late teens and studied acting with Lee Strasberg and Herbert Berghof, appearing in many off-Broadway productions including One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and Of Mice and Men.
Since moving to Perth more than 20 years ago, he has appeared on stage and directed and written numerous shows for the Old Mill and KADS Theatres, Graduate Dramatic Society and the Irish Theatre Players.
O’Neill has won numerous awards for writing and directing and has previously worked as a lecturer at the WA Academy of Performing Arts and Perth Actors’ Collective.
Most recently, he has written and directed the sell-out production The Trials Of John Boyle O’Reilly and is currently appearing as Watto in the ABC-TV series The Heights.
“The inspiration for A View from the Park came from observing people and the complicated ways we go through our lives,” O’Neill said.
“The dialogue comes from people I have observed over the years, although the circumstances and situations are imagined.
“I recall their voices and the type of characters they were and then put them onto the page – but I have to hear and remember the voices first.”
A View from the Park plays at 7.30pm August 2, 3, 9 and 10 with 2.30pm matinees August 3, 4, 10 and 11. Tickets are $25, $20 concession – book at www.trybooking.com/BDQOP.
The Carlisle Hotel is at 174 Rutland Avenue, Carlisle.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the writer/director Noel O’Neill.
THE WOLVES
By Sarah DeLappe
Lace up for the WA premiere of the Pulitzer Prize nominated play that is kicking goals on stages across the globe —
THE WOLVES by up-and-coming New York playwright Sarah De Lappe opens at The Blue Room Theatre on 20 August.
A soccer team of teenage girls somewhere in Middle America; The Wolves are close; they look out for each other. They laugh hard, train harder, and over a season, fight battles with each other and themselves. Undefeated, smart, tough; they are both terrified and terrifying as together they step into the arena of adulthood.But this is just the warm up. The real game is about to come crashing into their lives.
From the incredible squad that brought you Grounded – Red Ryder Productions has teamed upthis season with nine of Perth’s dynamic young actors to bring this sophisticated debut play to WA for the first time.
The Wolves is a fascinating work which has the wow factor of skill and the instinctive flash of the unexpected. PERFORMING ARTS HUB 2019
The scary, exhilarating brightness of raw adolescence. – THE NEW YORK TIMES
These are Wolves of hope and innocence, determination and vulnerability, bravery and passion. Pay them a visit! NEW YORK THEATRE GUIDE 2017
Watch these incredible young women at play – joyful, wild and dangerous – where they grow up before your eyes. Life isn’t a game – but each player realises she’s part of a team, and never truly alone.
West Coast Fever sells out the Perth Arena, interest in the AFL Women’s competition is surging, the women’s cricket team are World Champions and 2019 sees the Matildas compete in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Sam Kerr, Tayla Harris, and Ellyce Perry are becoming household names. Women’s sport is finally finding an audience and the girls who are
THE WOLVES show us why.
Red Ryder Productions have been proudly making theatre in Perth for 15 years and are three-time Member’s Choice Award winners at The Blue Room Awards.
CREATIVE TEAM
Performed byThe Wolves:Courtney Cavallaro, Molly Earnshaw, Chelsea Gibson, Anna Lindstedt, Angela Mahlatjie, Caitlin McFeat, Sam Nerida, Tallulah Starkie, Elise Wilson | Alison van Reeken is the Soccer Mum.
Directed by Emily McLean|Produced by BenjD’Addario | Sound Design by Rachael Dease
Lighting Design by Karen Cook |Stage Managed by Georgia Smith
* Warning: This production contains some coarse language and adult themes.
Where: The Blue Room Theatre, 53 James St, Northbridge
When: 20 August – 7 September @ 7.00pm
Suitable: 15 years+
Bookings: blueroom.org.au or 9227 7005
Tickets: $20-30| Groups 6+ $25
Photos were provided courtesy Marshall Stay.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the director of the play Emily Mclean.
FLOOR THIRTEEN
FLOOR THIRTEEN PERTH’S MOST PROMISING PERFORMANCE MAKERS LOOK AT THE FOUNDATIONS OF MEMORIES AND HOW WE TELL OUR OWN STORY Delve into a world where nothing is safe. FLOOR THIRTEEN follows the story of Phoebe, a woman who’s had a big night. 
It’s 3am and she’s trapped in an elevator with nothing but a half-empty bottle of Moet and her anxious thoughts. Profoundly alone, wrecked and panicking, she’s trying to figure out her next move. Over and over again, she ruminates on her memories from the evening. She’s got to get her story straight… Race through a mind in turmoil and be prepared to question everything; this is Memento meets Chunky Move. Fast lights, throbbing beats – FLOOR THIRTEEN is a trip down memory lane in fifth gear. Recent WAAPA graduates Marshall Stay (DAD, THE COCKBURN INCIDENT), Elise Wilson (COOKIES AND CREAM, GRACE) and Courtney Henri, (GIRL & THING) are behind this premiere work as part of The Blue Room Theatre’s 2019 season. “This show will be a smorgasbord for the senses. It will be an experience that ignites our curiosities about memory and imagination by experimenting with movement and text. We are investigating how we see the world through a first-person point of view and we’re looking at the narrative of our own identity and how we retell stories to one another. Do we pitch ourselves as the hero, survivor or villain?” says Elise Wilson. Using cutting-edge technology, live projection and voice manipulations and an incredible ensemble of WAAPA graduates comes FLOOR THIRTEEN, a bold and powerful new work infused with clever tricks and sharp storytelling to create a memory-scape that slides between a party, a childhood home and Kings Park. Director Marshall Stay is excited to explore the physicality and malleability of memory in this piece. “We invite the audience to piece together the truth” says Stay. “Expect this journey to be dark, surprising and leave you second guessing everything you see.” Strap in for this thrilling ride with one woman and all the spooks her mind can conjure.
FLOOR THIRTEEN When, 7pm, 25th June – 13th July, 2019 Where: The Blue Room Theatre, Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge Bookings: blueroom.org.au | (08) 9227 7005 Tickets: $20 – $30
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the writer Elise Wilson .
Hey! Precious and The Blue Room Theatre present “Unrule” Directed by Michelle Aitken Devised and performed by Chelsea Gibson, Mani Mae Gomes, Alicia Osyka, and Rhiannon Petersen
MAY 28 –JUNE 15The Blue Room Theatre
There will be blood. Menstrual blood. Inspired by true tales of body horror, and the prom scene from Carrie, Unrule is a spooky, scary new work that teases apart our complicated relationships with female bodies.
With humour, rage, and vulnerability, an ensemble of women grapple with deep seated anxieties around sexual, mental, and reproductive healthFrom light bladder leakage to serious accounts of medical mistreatment, they attempt to live with the monsters within by bringing them to life in grotesque, glorious, and moist forms.From the award winning Michelle Aitken (Future’s Eve) and an ace team of collaborators comes a surreal performance spectacle that can turn from hilarious to horrifying on a dime.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the director Michelle Aitkins.
[/fusion_text][/fullwidth][fullwidth backgroundcolor=”” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”0px” bordercolor=”” borderstyle=”” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”0px” paddingright=”0px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]No honour among thieves in 1960s gangster comedy
A Picture of Betrayal
A BLACK comedy about gangsters in London’s East End during the 1960s comes to the Old Mill Theatre this May – and it has more twists and turns than a pretzel.
Presented by Maverick Theatre Productions, A Picture of Betrayal is written and directed by Noel O’Neill and explores the day-to-day life of criminals going about their business of thieving, cheating and killing each other.
Ray uses initiative he doesn’t have and makes decisions best left to others, causing the wheels of scheming retribution to be set in motion.
The question remains: who will be left with the prize?
“A Picture of Betrayal is a black comedy about there being no honour among thieves,” O’Neill.
“I watched a television show called Fake or Fortune? and let my imagination wander with a ‘what if?’ scenario.”
Fake or Fortune? is a BBC-TV program that uses detective skills and forensic testing to reveal tales of lost artistic masterpieces and major forgeries.
“It set my mind racing and I set the play in London in 1964 because I grew up there in the late ’50s and ’60s,” O’Neill said.
“As it often is with criminals, each character in the play ultimately betrays each other.”
Born in Ireland, O’Neill moved to New York in his late teens and studied acting with Lee Strasberg and Herbert Berghof, appearing in many off-Broadway productions including One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and Of Mice and Men.
Since moving to Perth more than 20 years ago, he has appeared on stage and directed and written numerous shows for the Old Mill and KADS Theatres, Graduate Dramatic Society and the Irish Theatre Players.
O’Neill has won numerous awards for writing and directing and has previously worked as a lecturer at the WA Academy of Performing Arts and Perth Actors’ Collective.
Most recently, he has written and directed the sell-out production The Trials Of John Boyle O’Reilly and is currently appearing as Watto in the ABC-TV series The Heights.
With A Picture of Betrayal, O’Neill said the main challenge was ensuring each character didn’t give away too much.
“Each one has a different motivation but greed is common to all of them,” he said.
“While I’d describe it as a black comedy, it’s up to the audience to decide.”
A Picture of Betrayal plays at 7.30pm May 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18 with a 2pm matinee May 12. Tickets are $30, $25 concession – book at www.trybooking.com/BBJDQ.
The heritage-listed Old Mill Theatre is on the corner of Mends Street and Mill Point Road, South Perth (opposite the Windsor Hotel and Australia Post).
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the writer/director Noel O’Neill.
Cracked
Frankie is in jail for serious offences of assault and drug possession. She’s bitter, disenfranchised and just wants to live life on her terms. But jail is a temporary escape for her – free from financial hardship, homelessness, and hunger. Cracked is the story of Frankie as she rages her way through the criminal justice system with the hope of being reunited with her kids. Weaving several narratives, Cracked shows the complexity and disconnectedness of people that fall into a life of crime, and the trials faced by prisoners and others who are determined to help them find a better life. Written by Barbara Hostalek, whose first play Banned sold out two seasons at The Blue Room Theatre in 2018, Cracked is a powerful and thought-provoking look inside our criminal justice system from an exciting new voice.
Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company, in collaboration with Playwriting Australia as part of their inaugural Ignition Program, will bring Cracked to life.
Praise for Barbara’s work:
… thoughtfully structured drama, with well developed characters. – Stage Whispers
The writing is brilliant… Hostalek’s script is genuine and believable. – Seesaw Mag
[Hostalek] has used the power of words to, in effect, examine the power of words. – The West Australian
This production contains course language, drug references and adult themes. It is recommended for patrons aged 15+.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the writer Barbara Hostelek.
The Double
Opening the 2019 Blue Room Theatre Development Season comes The Double, the latest work from Clare Testoni (2018 Best Production – Tale of Tales). A new Faustian thriller that interrogates humanity’s relationship with technology, the digital, and our own images.
“A struggling actress sells her likeness to a tech giant. As her double begins to take shape, she recognises herself less- and-less in it. The deal with the devil is sealed, and soon her double appears on every phone, every computer, every screen, everywhere.”
This is a recorded interview with Claire Testoni – the writer and director
MEDUSA
Written by Finn O’Branagáin
Directed by Joe Hooligan Lui
16 October – 3 November 2018
THE BLUE ROOM THEATRE
MEDUSA is an immersive, theatrical experience that says time’s up on sexual assault through this bold re-telling of the Medusa tale from Greek mythology.
With no seating, The Blue Room Theatre is transformed into a pumping, sweaty nightclub for three weeks as the story of Medusa is retold to reflect the modern horror that women face when it comes to gaslighting, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.
This production marks the very first collaboration between beloved indie theatre stalwart Renegade Productions and new feminist collective Bow & Dagger, fusing the outlandish and brilliant minds of writer Finn O’Branagáin and director Joe Lui.
“After the public and private purging that occurred as part of the #metoo movement, I wanted to make something that continues the conversation and carries it towards a place of solidarity and empowerment,” O’Branagáin says.
“I’m sick of feeling unsafe as I walk down the street at night. I want to feel strong and powerful.
I want women of all ages and backgrounds to feel this way. I wanted to make a movement that would support this in a way that is radical and unifying and fun and fierce.”
Featuring a cast of fierce warrior women, MEDUSA is an immersive experience of ritual, togetherness, sacrifice, and empowerment – not a play but a provocation for women to take to the streets and reclaim their spaces.
Sacrifice your inhibitions and join us
[/fusion_text][/fullwidth][fullwidth backgroundcolor=”” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”0px” bordercolor=”” borderstyle=”” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”0px” paddingright=”0px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S FEMINIST THEATRE COMPANY
tempest PRESENTS (dis)Solution
Subiaco Arts Centre STUDIO
October 16-20, 7pm
Two sisters inherit an unwilling grandma.
(dis)Solution is a comedy about caring for others when you can’t even care for yourself.
And the options are slim, anyway.
Tempest will present the WA premiere of (dis)Solution, a new, uniquely Australian play written by emerging talent Ariella Stoianand co-devised by Madeline Clouston and Camilla Turnbull, at Subiaco Arts Centre as part of their 2018 season.
Originally conceived for Sydney Fringe Festival 2016, (dis)Solution is an intimate two-hander, told through the relationship of 20-something sisters Abby and Margot, whose opinions on where to house their grandmother couldn’t be more different. Both feel unprepared to deal with this enormous responsibility and the stubbornness of their Nonna, who has no intention to move from her farm to the city. Tensions rise as the sisters tussle on how to manage issues of autonomy alongside securing the best care.
“Finding appropriate care for a loved one is a complex task that is rarely discussed. We want to encourage audiences to think and feel differently around issues of assumed care, putting forward all the options. These issues are particularly prevalent in WA, where the ratio of working population to dependent population is changing at a faster rate than the rest of the country.” – Ariella Stoian
(dis)Solutionexamines one of the most important issues of our generation; how to manage a rapidly aging population in need of care whilst balancing life’s other pressures.It engages with complex and sensitive subject matter with irreverent humour and boisterous, stitch-giving energy. The show helps create a dialogue around what is silent, in a world that only offers interim solutions.
The show will be a first time collaboration betweentempest co-founders Susie Conte andKylie Bywatersand the project’s co-devisor Madeline Clouston.(dis)Solution was created, imagined and devised entirely by women, aligning withtempest’s goal to produce strong independent theatre with female roles.
What: (dis)Solution
When: Tues 16 Oct to Sat 20 Oct 7pm
Where: Subiaco Arts Centre, 180 Hamersley Rd
Tickets: Adult $36
Groups (6+) $30
MEDUSA
Written by Finn O’Branagáin
Directed by Joe Hooligan Lui
16 October – 3 November 2018
THE BLUE ROOM THEATRE
MEDUSA is an immersive, theatrical experience that says time’s up on sexual assault through this bold re-telling of the Medusa tale from Greek mythology.
With no seating, The Blue Room Theatre is transformed into a pumping, sweaty nightclubfor three weeks as the story of Medusa is retold to reflect the modern horror that women face when it comes to gaslighting, sexual harassment, and sexual assault.
This production marks the very first collaboration between beloved indie theatre stalwart Renegade Productions and new feminist collective Bow & Dagger, fusing the outlandish and brilliant minds of writer Finn O’Branagáin and director Joe Lui.
“After the public and private purging that occurred as part of the #metoo movement, I wanted to make something that continues the conversation and carries it towards a place of solidarity and empowerment,” O’Branagáin says.
“I’m sick of feeling unsafe as I walk down the street at night. I want to feel strong and powerful.
I want women of all ages and backgrounds to feel this way. I wanted to make a movement that would support this in a way that is radical and unifying and fun and fierce.”
Featuring a cast of fierce warrior women, MEDUSA is an immersive experience of ritual, togetherness, sacrifice, and empowerment – not a play but a provocation for women to take to the streets and reclaim their spaces.
Sacrifice your inhibitions and join us
[/fusion_text][/fullwidth][fullwidth backgroundcolor=”” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”0px” bordercolor=”” borderstyle=”” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”0px” paddingright=”0px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]
Presented by The Blue Room Theatre & Charlotte Otton
A collective of electrifying contemporary artists join forces to present Let me finish., a burning work that strikes the core of female empowerment and sexual liberation. This performance offers real, queer and culturally diverse tales and rules the stage with a power-ballad of laughs, grotesqueness and self-acceptance.
Lead by Charlotte Otton (Hive Mind), Phoebe Sullivan (Minus One Sister, Blueprint) and Emily Stokoe (Minus One Sister, An Almost Perfect Thing) – these fresh as f#ck theatre makers tear off society’s labels and dive deep into the complex narratives that lead to female sexual empowerment and self-destruction.
Let me finish. is part of the larger conversation – it rose to the surface with #metoo and became more urgent with the death of Melbourne comedian Eurydice Dixon in June this year. It’s time. Let me finish. demands to be heard.
“I began developing this work early in 2017 and the development over the year has proven that this show holds urgency and importance now more than ever. I’m ready to make work that’s brutally honest. Let me finish. is the exploration of what it’s like to be a socialised female and all that comes with that; taking up space, the presence and impression of men and the beast that is sexuality,” says Otton
Let me finish. is your opportunity to bear witness to a humorous exposé of life as a twenty-something female in Australia. Intersectional feminism has never been so damn funny. This is a full throttle performance that’ll crush and disrupt tradition, simply by telling it how it is.
No apologies.
Let me finish.
2 – 7 October, 8:30pm | 9 – 20 October, 7:00pm
Tickets $20 – $30 via blueroom.org.au
The Blue Room Theatre
53 James Street, Northbridge WA
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the writer/performer Charlotte Otton.
The inconsequential life of little fish
Love, Cruelty and Revenge.
A fisherman catches himself a wife, and so begins this charming love story. The Inconsequential Lives of Little Fish is an unlikely romance set in a world filled with corruption and greed.
With two mouths to feed and another on the way, our fisherman takes a job at the helm of a delivery boat headed towards the big city. On the journey a storm wrecks the boat and leaves our couple with an enormous debt. They are conned into bonded labour – the fisherman is trafficked and his wife is put to work in a fish processing factory.
Written by Malcolm Robertson Foundation award recipient Frieda Lee (All His Beloved Children), this is a heartfelt two hander with a dark twist.
Presented by Frieda, Sam & Friends
Producer: Erin Lockyer
Lead Creative: Frieda Lee
Performer: Sam Hayes
Designer: Maeli Cherel
Sound Designer: Isaac Diamond
Lighting Designer/StageManager: Phoebe Pilcher
Publicity & Marketing: Mitchell Whelan
Recommended for ages 12+
Meet The Artists Q&A on 12 September
Image: Tracey Killen
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the playwright/ performer Frieda Lee.
The Orchid and the CRow
A comedy about an atheist surviving cancer by finding God in Lance Armstrong
Daniel Tobias grew up in a Jewish-atheist household. In 2004, he found out he had stage-four testicular cancer and went searching for God… Any God. Enter Lance Armstrong.
★★★★ “Turns divine vengeance into comedy gold.” The Age
Following a highly successful international tour of Canada, UK and New Zealand, Daniel Tobias’
award winning one man show The Orchid and the Crow is back in Australia setting sail on a 17 venue national tour.
Reflecting on Daniel’s real life experiences, The Orchid and the Crow is a funny, uplifting musical rollercoaster about faith, family and survival. Part storytelling, part cabaret, part theatre, the show segues between rock, pop and contemporary opera, featuring original songs from the writers of Die Roten Punkte – the lipstick-smeared, tantrum-loving, sonic collision that has gone down a storm at various Edinburgh and international Festivals.
★★★★ “It’s confessional and works on a therapeutic level too, but damn if it isn’t a riot of entertainment”
Time Out Melbourne
At 29, Daniel is an atheist, single and living the life of a bohemian artist in Melbourne. And lo, God was not pleased! Appalled with Daniel’s lifestyle choices, God makes an example of him and appears on earth to smite him with stage four testicular cancer. Stage five is death.
As Dan prepares for his upcoming treatment he is left in a spiritual vacuum. He is reaching for faith in something, but he’s certainly not going to find it in a deity who has already stolen one of his balls.
Instead, Daniel finds salvation in an unlikely modern messiah, seven-time winner of the Tour de France and testicular cancer survivor Lance Armstrong.
★★★★ “Tobias is an intelligent, dynamic and honest performer who is highly entertaining to watch. This
show will renew your faith in love, life, and possibly even Lance Armstrong” CBC Canada
Created and performed by Daniel Tobias, director – Christian Leavesley, dramaturg – Casey
Bennetto, script consultant – David Quirk, songs – Daniel Tobias and Clare Bartholomew with John
Thorn, Casey Bennetto and Jherek Bischoff. Developed with the assistance of the Australia Council
for the Arts, Creative Victoria and the Besen Family Foundation.
Some performances will come with a post-show Q and A where audiences will have the opportunity
to ask Daniel questions about the show and his journey with cancer.
WINNER: Best Writing (Cabaret) – Green Room Awards 2015
WINNER: Outstanding Solo Performance – Ottawa Fringe 2015
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the actor Daniel Tobias.
The Last Great Hunt presents:
IMPROVEMENT CLUB
By Jeffrey Jay Fowler
27 June – 7 July 2018, 7:30PM
STATE THEATRE CENTRE OF WA
Media Release – May 2018
ARE YOU DESTINED FOR GREATNESS?
Razor-sharp Perth writer Jeffrey Jay Fowler (FAG/STAG, BALI, Second Hands, The One) is behind the second premiere work from The Last Great Hunt‘s 2018 Perth season. IMPROVEMENT CLUB is Being John Malkovich meets The Office, in a surreal comedy about our infinite pursuit of excellence.
For nine shows only at the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia June 27 –July 7, tickets are on sale now, with early bird prices until 20 June.
One day Ash comes up with an idea that he’s sure will change his life and the world: IMPROVEMENT CLUB, an exclusive association with the singular goal of improving.
But as members join they begin to question him. What does improvement actually mean? Fitter bodies? Better brains? More dollars in the bank? A place for everyone at the table?
“Who cares,” Ash declares, “as long as the club is always heading towards the stars and I’m always in charge!” But his unsatisfactory answers lead to the first vote for leadership, and soon Ash finds himself on the outside looking in.
Written and directed by the award-winning theatre maker, and co-founder of The Last Great Hunt, IMPROVEMENT CLUB reunites the team behind 2017’s THE ADVISORS: ‘Hunters’ Gita Bezard, Arielle Gray, and Chris Isaacs, with guest theatre makers Frieda Lee and Mararo Wangai.
“It’s great to be back with the team of risk taking theatre makers from The Advisors” says Fowler “I needed a group of people who would support me making one of my most radically post-structural works yet.”
“Improvement Club is a response to the constant insistence from capitalist entities that tell us to always improve ourselves without pause. Every day I am bashed with messages telling me to be fitter, happier, more relaxed, more balanced, younger looking, a better friend, wealthier and better travelled. What would happen if someone actually attempted to improve themselves as aggressively as the world suggests we should? What would happen if everyone heeded these messages for self improvement?”
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW: Writer and Director Jeffrey Jay Fowler.
27 JUNE – 7 JULY, 2018 – 7.30pm
STATE THEATRE CENTRE OF WA
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY JEFFREY JAY FOWLER
SET & COSTUME DESIGN BY SALLY PHIPPS
SOUND & LIGHTING DESIGN BY JOE LUI
TICKETS FROM $22-$35 PLUS BOOKING FEE
BOOKINGS: tickets.ptt.wa.gov.au
MORE INFORMATION: www.thelastgreathunt.com
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the director Jeffrey Jay Ffowler.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S FEMINIST THEATRE COMPANY
PRESENTS LYSISTRATA
LYSISTRATA
Subiaco Arts Centre STUDIO
JULY 10-14, 7pm
Women and war. Sex and politics. A battle of the sexes.
The most famous Greek comedy of all time, Lysistrata tells the story of a woman’s extraordinary mission to end the war by denying all the men of the land any sex. In light of the recent #MeToo movement, Lysistrata celebrates consensual sex and women’s agency to use their sexuality as a political tool. Written in 411 BC, the play’s themes of femininity, sex, power and politics still holds true in 2018.
tempest brings this iconic Greek play to life this winter at Subiaco Arts Centre with an all-star female cast from Perth’s theatre scene.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
tempest is a feminist theatre company making theatre for women, by women, and about women. Run by Susie Conte and Kylie Maree, and dedicated to telling women’s stories, tempest brings together experienced and emerging female theatre makers in a bid to showcase WA’s brightest talents. tempest strives to offer professional, independent theatre and believes that women should raise women up to tell their stories.
ABOUT THE CAST AND CREW
SUSIE CONTE(Director) is the Creative Director of tempest and has recently finished her MA in Performing Arts (Directing) at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). Susie is a writer, producer, performer and director. Susie has worked at Black Swan State Theatre Co, The Blue Room Theatre, on WAAPA shows and with other independent theatre artists. She has produced and directed award-nominated works at FringeWorld such as The Fifteen Minute Hamlet, Macbeth-ish, BASH, and The Yellow Wallpaper. tempest created a brand new venue at FringeWorld 2018 supporting female artists and acts, Lady Beaufort. She has just directed a successful season of Hold Your Breath (Count to Ten) for the Blue Room Theatre. She is currently directing NY playwright Ann Marie Healey’s When He Gets That Way for Subiaco Theatre Festival, as well as her own adaptation of Lysistrata for Subiaco Arts Centre.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the director Susie Conte.
HIRO
Subtitle:The man who sailed his house
From the team that brought you the award winning The Astronaut, comes HIROthe tale of incredible survival; aworld premiere collaboration between Samantha Chester and Humphrey Bower at The Blue Room Theatre from 19 June 2018.
Adapted from the long form article ‘The man who sailed his house’ by American writer Michael Paterniti. HIRO is a new devised theatrical work that tells the incredible true story of HiromitsuShinkawa who, after the waves had left their destruction, and as rescue workers searched the ruins,came the news of an almost surreal survival.
Miles out to sea a man was found. Alone. Riding on nothing, but the roof of his house.
HIRO will tell his story – an astonishing true story that is an exquisite analysis of the trembling of the human condition, of the difference between what we think is important and what actually is.
At two forty-six, something rumbles from deep in the earth, a sickening sort of grinding, and then everything lurches wildly, whips back, lurches more wildly still. The cut boards stacked along the wall clatter down, and your first move is to flee the shed, to dive twenty feet free onto open ground and clutch it, as if riding the back of a whale. Time elongates. Three minutes becomes a lifetime
HIRO uses sound, image, puppetry and movement to shape the world of Hiroand his amazing journey of survival.
This production is part two in Chester’s triptych small works that that deal with big things – specifically her ongoing contemplation on how one deals with loss and the unreal capacity of the human spirit to go on.The work also features composition by critically-acclaimed composer Ekrem Eli Phoenix, lighting design by emerging artist Phoebe Pilcher and collaboration and performance by Perth based artist Kylie Maree 
and Tim Green.
Samantha Chester, creator and director of HIRO has firmly made her mark in Perth. Since relocating from Sydney in 2015 she has created and directed three works at WAAPA most recently ATLAS and IM SPIEGAL for Link Dance Company and in 2016 she was the creator of award winning work The Astronautfor the Blue Room Theatrealongside director Frances Barbe. The Astronautreceived much critical acclaim and was nominated for Best Actor, Best Independent Production and Best New Work as well as taking out best overall design for The Blue Room Theatre. She is currently the movement lecturer at WAAPA for Acting and Performance Making and prior to moving to Perth she was an integral part of the dance and theatre community. She worked for all main stage theatre companies in Sydney as well as creating space for independent artists through Queen Street Studio (now BRAND X) and ReadyMade Works whom she is still the director.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the director Samatha Chester.
Part of the Subiaco Theatre Festival
Presented by Subiaco Arts Centre and Matt Penny
Theft, betrayal, and ambition – the rags to riches story unfolds, only to crumble like the proverbial house of cards.
Fame and fortune can be fleeting when you trust the wrong people.
Acclaimed magician and theatre-maker Matt Penny (The Magical Faces Project, Experiments in Mind Reading) returns to our stages with his usual dose of magic and mayhem.
We follow an ambitious con-man who can’t believe his luck when he stumbles across the ability to read people’s minds, only to realise too late that as soon you get to the top, people start plotting your downfall.
Directed by Mikala Westall (Moving On Inc) Find the Lady is a story of love, life and betrayal, with a touch of magic and some deft piano playing thrown in for good measure.
Winner of the 2018 FRINGE WORLD Blaz Award & Nominated for the 2018 FRINGE WORLD Martin Sims Award.
The interview was done by Malti Elliott with the main star of the play Matt Penny