A fast-paced dark comedy about trying to be a bloke in a world where no one really knows what that means, Wax Lyrical Productions presents the world premiere of Shane Pike’s Nineteen at the Brisbane Powerhouse from 9 November 2017.
A powerful and provocative new work, Nineteen will introduce Brisbane audiences to Noah, George, Adam and Josh. The four young men you see onstage are strangely familiar – we all know someone like them. We’ve all rolled our eyes at them: right after we’ve dared them to run nude across the cricket pitch.
From the outside they seem like fun, lovable larrikins but underneath the bravado and binge drinking lurks something more sinister. From beers and brotherhood to loss and loneliness, this endearing story uncovers the hidden side of finding yourself in a world filled with complexity and confusion.
Nineteen finds its roots in real-life stories collected from young Australians across the continent. Crafted from interviews with over ninety young people, the four mates at the heart of Nineteen reflect the hopes and fears of the next generation.
Amongst the laughs and unmistakable Australian sense of humour, writer/director Shane Pike unmasks the complexity and fear our brothers and mates are living with which, if left uncovered, can result in the greatest of tragedy. This show will leave a lasting impression.
Emerging from work created at one of the world’s leading arts academies, the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), this script by Dr Shane Pike is one of the freshest since David Williamson’s The Club, or Alex Buzo’s Front Room Boys. It is a return to Australian storytelling at its finest.
Showcasing the Sunshine State’s brightest theatrical talent, Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts graduate, Leonard Donahue (Kookoo Kookaburra, In_dig_en_ous, The New Black) is your charismatic guide through this testosterone-filled tale. He is joined by star-on-the-rise, Jackson McGovern (RENT – The Musical, American Buffalo), alongside Matilda Award nominated Silvan Rus (The Winter’s Tale, Morsels from the Heart, Appalling Behaviour) and newcomer Daniel Hurst.
“I hope audiences will be entertained but also challenged: challenged to consider how we promote masculinity in this country, and the consequences of that on our young men and women. But also have a laugh!” said Pike. “This is gritty, raw and packed with animal energy. Be prepared for beer to flow!
Shane Pike is a writer/director based in Brisbane, Australia. He has a PhD (Performing Arts – Directing) from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where he was a recipient of an Edith Cowan University Research Excellence Award for his investigation of (re)presentations of masculinity in contemporary Australian theatre.
Along with his wife, Zoë Tuffin, he is Co-Artistic Director of the Matilda Award winning company, Wax Lyrical Productions (Carrie the Musical, Appalling Behaviour, and Ma Ma Ma Mad). Shane has created works nationally and internationally (Sail Away, Seoul, South Korea; Nineteen, São Paulo, Brazil). He has been commissioned for major projects as a writer/dramaturg (Ten Percent Terror, Brisbane Powerhouse) and his play The Boys of St Crispian will be published by Playlab this year.
Currently an Associate Lecturer in Performance Studies at the Queensland University of Technology’s School of Creative Practice, Shane has also worked with students from the WAAPA, the College of the Arts at the University of Tasmania (where he was also Artist in Residence) and the University of Queensland.
Director and Playwright: Shane Pike Featuring: Leonard Donahue, Daniel Hurst, Silvan Rus, Jackson McGovern Lighting Designer: Jason Glenwright Production Manager: Sophie McKeown
Nineteen
Visy Theatre – Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington Street, New Farm
Season: 9 -12 November 2017
Information and Bookings: www.brisbanepowerhouse.org
Image: Daniel Hurst, Jackson McGovern, Leonard Donahue and Silvan Rus feature in Nineteen – photo by Joel Devereux