Award-winning playwright Katie Pollock will perform a special show at Woy Woy’s Peninsula Theatre on June 23 and 24.
Presented by Rogue Projects and Central Coast Council, the one-woman play Rough Trade is part stand-up, part takedown of capitalism and part wannabe musical, with plenty of humour.
Through an intricate web of objects and a drive for community and connection, the members of Facebook group Rough Trade Sydney are giving the giant middle finger to capitalism, with trades that are funny, sexy, strange and touching.
Inspired by these true stories, playwright Pollock peels back the layers to reveal a character for whom life has taken a series of wrong turns, leaving her in a place where she is dependent on an internet community for her very survival.
With women aged over 55 the fastest growing group experiencing homelessness in Australia, Rough Trade shines a light on the systemic and compounding factors placing women in this precarious position.
The play premiered as part of the Made in Sydney program at the 2022 Sydney Fringe Festival, where it garnered critical acclaim and three award nominations including Best in Theatre and Best in Spoken Word.
Directed by Anthony Skuse and performed by the playwright herself, Rough Trade is a thrilling (and sometimes terrifying) examination of the ways capitalism and the patriarchy fail us, and the precarious position all women risk finding themselves in.
It is ultimately a story of hope in challenging times.
Ticket buyers can also register (free of charge) for a conversation and masterclass in playwriting to be given by Pollock at 2pm on Saturday, June 24.
Rough Trade will be performed at Peninsula Theatre at 8pm on Friday and Saturday, June 23 and 24.
Tickets are available on the theatre website.
Source:
Critical Stages Touring