SLAP. BANG. KISS. is returning to Australian stages for a national tour from July 30 including a performance at Laycock Street Theatre on September 20 as part of the Melbourne Theatre Company’s (MTC) acclaimed Education and Families Program.
Writer Dan Giovannoni tracks three young people whose stories kickstart a series of events none of them could have anticipated, transforming them into global symbols of revolution.
SLAP. BANG. KISS. returns following a sell-out season in 2022 and explores themes of hope, identity and activism.
It is a bold MTC Next Stage original from multi-award-winning playwright Dan Giovannoni (Merciless Gods), directed by Katy Maudlin (Meet Me At Dawn) and starring Sarah Fitzgerald (The Great Australian Play), Tomáš Kantor (West Side Story) and Tsungirai Wachenuka (Paw Patrol Live).
“I wanted this play to be an invitation to young people stepping into the world, an opportunity to see folks like them leading change, demanding their voices be heard,” Giovannoni said.
“They are often shaped by the world around them, but they are also capable of doing the shaping.”
MTC’s Artistic Director and Co-CEO Anne-Louise Sarks said the work spoke directly to younger generations.
“This national tour ensures this work is seen by more young Australians in the hope it inspires them, as it did for so many during the 2022 season,” she said.
The touring performances will be complemented by a suite of detailed digital resources to support students’ study and learning outcomes.
MTC Education’s array of study resources is provided free of charge and available alongside a growing library of award-winning materials designed to enhance students’ experience and engagement with the arts.
SLAP. A video of 16-year-old Immi hitting a security officer goes viral.
BANG. Sofia’s impassioned speech for the victims of a school shooting makes international news.
KISS. In the carpark of a small-town Woolies, people rally around Darby and Daniel as the boys lock lips in an attempt to set the world record for the longest kiss, but when their stories go viral and the whole world is watching, what will they do next?
The play was commissioned and developed through MTC’s Next Stage Writers’ Program, with the support of the Playwrights Giving Circle, including The Ian Potter Foundation, Naomi Milgrom Foundation, The Myer Foundation, Malcolm Robertson Foundation and The University of Melbourne.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
Ticketing information: mtc.com.au/plays-and-tickets/whats-on/other-events/slap-bang-kiss-tour/