From the story of four generations of First Nations women to nostalgia of the ’burbs, the challenges of the #MeToo movement, contemporary Indigenous art, cutting-edge digital cultural survival games and interactive virtual reality, the ninth annual Glen Eira Storytelling Festival once again brings captivating, provocative and meaningful stories for all to share from Saturday 22 June to Sunday 7 July 2019. Australian Arts Review takes a look at five events worth checking out.
Matriarch:
Winner of two Melbourne Fringe Festival Awards and nominated for two Green Room Awards winning Best Independent Theatre Performer 2019, Matriarch is an original and dynamic one-woman show celebrating the strength and resilience of four generations of Indigenous women.
Writers Victoria:
Writers Victoria will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a line-up of stellar authors, sharing some of the writing that lifts us up, makes us think, changes our world and brings us home. There will also be a Q&A. Authors include Christos Tsiolkas, Bram Presser, Jamie Marina Lau and Enza Gandolfo.
Towards Cinematic Fiction:
Join Writers Victoria Chair Nicolas Brasch and author of The Nowhere Child Christian White as they discuss how to pick the right medium for your story, the differences between writing for the screen and for the page, and how learning one can help with the other.
Ron Elisha – Unsolicited Male:
Inspired by the #MeToo movement, acclaimed playwright Ron Elisha’s new work explores the dynamics of power in the workplace. Instead of Hollywood moguls, the protagonists are people like you and me, yet the dynamics are not all that far removed from those of the casting couch. Kym Valentine (Neighbours and Baby in Dirty Dancing), joins Russell Fletcher and Liam Seymour, alongside Q44 company members Gabriella Rose Carter and William Atkinson. Directed by Suzanne Heywood.
The Adventures of Catvinkle with Elliot Perlman:
This is international best-selling author Elliot Perlman as you’ve never seen him. Based on The Adventures of Catvinkle – his tailspin of a tale that makes children and adults howl with laughter – comes a storytelling workshop to help let young writers off their leash.
The 2019 Glen Eira Storytelling Festival runs Saturday 22 June to Sunday 7 July. For more information and full program, visit: www.gleneira.vic.gov.au for details.
Image: Sandy Greenwood stars in Matriarch (supplied)