A gripping new play focusing on the Black Summer bushfires is coming to Laycock St Community Theatre Gosford on August 30 as part of a tour to five NSW fire-affected areas.
Victoria’s HotHouse Theatre is debuting its most exciting touring production to-date, Unprecedented – a new play which stands as a rallying call and raises urgent questions about our collective response to Australia’s growing climate emergency.
With incisive humour and a powerful tenderness, it promises to be an unforgettable theatre experience.
Developed by acclaimed playwright Campion Decent, Unprecedented delves into the events of the Black Summer bushfires that swept through the nation during 2019-20, exposing the politics behind Australia’s deepening climate crisis.
The production opens at HotHouse Theatre in Wodonga on August 10 and is set to tour fire-affected areas including Corryong, Bright, Wagga Wagga, Gosford, and the Blue Mountains in the following weeks.
The play meticulously weaves together an account of the fires, the smoke that engulfed the country, the communities left to fend for themselves, the heroism amidst tragedy and the pivotal coronial inquests.
Though the Black Summer fire season is now three years behind us, Unprecedented has emerged as not simply an historical record, but an urgent examination of where we are now and serves as the warning bell for the season to come.
Decent’s frustration at the lack of action surrounding climate change forms the heart of Unprecedented, providing a poignant contrast to narratives conveyed by the media.
At the helm of this ground-breaking theatrical endeavour is Karla Conway, an award-winning director, dramaturg and theatre-maker currently serving as the Artistic Director and CEO of HotHouse Theatre.
“The word ‘unprecedented’ became the buzzword of the Black Summer fires,” Conway said.
“We had ample reports and recommendations dating back to 1939, yet we still find ourselves grappling with ongoing catastrophes.
“How did we arrive at this point?”
Conway said this was a protest play, led by artist activists who recognised the urgent need for change where our institutions and leaders have fallen short.
The cast of six has strong Indigenous representation with three First Nations actors, including stage legend Lisa Maza, and rising star Ari Maza Long, joining 30-year veteran Billy McPherson.
“It is a story of the land,” Decent said.
“We can’t tell this story without the commitment of the First Nations voice.”
“Our job as a company is first to entertain our audiences – from gameshow to vaudeville, verbatim to bouffon, these six incredible actors take on 70 characters to carve a path through the story, helping audiences navigate this important information that at times feels overwhelming,” Conway said.
“We bring every theatrical trick in the book to shift the audience from a place of knowing to feeling and in doing so, hopefully we inspire them to take action.”
Unprecedented promises to be a transformative theatrical experience, provoking audiences to contemplate their role in shaping a sustainable and resilient future.
The performance will be at Laycock Street Theatre on August 30 at 8pm.
Book on the theatre website.
Source:
Central Coast Council