An exquisite new play developed through the Red Stitch INK program, The Way Out by Josephine Collins will be presented in a world premiere season from 30 August 2017.
In a dystopian future Australia, Helen and her civil war veteran father sell moonshine to a broken town, struggling to survive in a poisoned landscape. Helen sees a way out, but no-one is listening. The fragile world they’ve constructed is thrown into crisis when a government inspector arrives on the same day as a black market salesman, forcing Helen to confront the darker side of their family history.
The Way Out is an allegorical tale, both playfully imaginative and cautionary, where quirks and oddities give way to dangerous truths, and where the last glimmer of hope is growing in a little pub in regional Victoria.
The Way Out has been developed through the Red Stitch INK program, which is defined by the bespoke, writer-centric development opportunities offered to artists over an extended time-frame. Past INK productions include the multi-award winning Jurassica (Dan Giovannoni) and Dead Centre (Tom Holloway). The Way Out is Josephine Collins’ first full length play, although her work to date includes short stories, cartoons, animation scripts and songs.
After performing in You Got Older last year, Penny Harpham makes her Red Stitch directorial debut. Penny is the co-founder and co-Artistic Director of She Said Theatre. She has worked across Australia, South Korea, Germany and the UK as a director and performer, and her directing credits include HART (winner of three Melbourne Fringe 2015 awards, nominated for a Green Room Award), Bock Kills Her Father (She Said Theatre/La Mama), Slut (VCA One Act Play Season) and Breaking (She Said Theatre for Melbourne Fringe).
The cast features Red Stitch ensemble members Kevin Hofbauer, Rory Kelly, Grace Lowry, Olga Makeeva and Dion Mills. Making their Red Stitch debuts, the company is delighted to welcome Sahil Saluja in the role of Harry, and Khisraw Jones- Shukoor, sharing the role of Ryan with Kevin Hofbauer.
Director: Penny Harpham Featuring: Kevin Hofbauer, Rory Kelly, Grace Lowry, Olga Makeeva, Dion Mills, Sahil Saluja Set and Costume Design: Charlotte Lane Lighting Design: Clare Springett and Michael Robinson Sound Design: Daniel Nixon Stage Manager: Liberty Gilbert Assistant Stage Manager: Natalie Lim
The Way Out
Red Stitch Theatre, Rear 2 Chapel Street, St Kilda
Season: 30 August – 24 September 2017
Information and Bookings: www.redstitch.net
Image: The Cast of The Way Out – photo by Teresa Noble