Following days of interviews, months of development, and years in the making, Tilted Projects brings Melbourne audiences a powerful new piece of verbatim theatre, We Were There as part of the 2018 Midsumma Festival at Chapel Off Chapel from 23 January.
Telling Australian stories by Australian women, We Were There offers a unique perspective of HIV and AIDS. It explores the real lives and untold stories of the sisters, mothers, wives, friends, volunteers, and medical professionals who cared for those living with HIV and AIDS in the 80s and 90s.
Performed by four talented female actors, this work gives a voice to 15 different real life women. Who were there. With humour and heart, the play celebrates the achievements and sacrifices of these women, and remembers those left behind.
“We Were There was born out of a desire to tell Australian stories that rarely get told,” explains Dirk Hoult from Tilted Projects. “So often stories from the HIV and AIDS crisis in Australia focus on a male gaze and we felt that this was an opportunity to shine a light on a part of the community that have seemed to have been forgotten. It’s a humorous and surprising trip down memory lane for audiences, with stories that are still relevant today.”
Created in 2016 by VCA Graduates and theatre-collaborators Dirk Hoult and Gavin Roach, Tilted Projects is committed to developing obscured and untold queer stories into works that reflect our contemporary cultural landscape. The work is community focused and shines a light on the lives of everyday Australians through a tilted lens. Their inaugural production, We Were There is truly one not to be missed.
Director: Dirk Hoult Featuring: Leah Baulch, Perri Cummings, Jodie Le Vesconte, Olivia Monticciolo Dramaturgy: Alyson Campbell Set Design: Alex Hiller Sound Design: Connor Ross Lighting Design: Jason Bovaird
We Were There
Chapel Off Chapel: 12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran
Season: 25 January – 4 February 2018 (previews: 23 & 24 January)
Bookings: www.chapeloffchapel.com.au / www.midsumma.org.au
For more information, visit: www.tiltedprojects.com for details.
Image: Anita Posterino – photo by Amelia Dowd