Winner of 4 Green Room Awards for Independent Theatre, fortyfivedownstairs continues its commitment to reviving outstanding independent productions with their encore season of Patricia Cornelius’ SHIT from 4 May 2016.
Meet Billy, Bobby and Sam – these girls don’t believe in anything. They’re mean, foul-mouthed, downtrodden, hard-bitten and utterly damaged women. They’re neither salt of the earth nor sexy. They love no one and no one loves them.
They believe the world is shit, that their lives are shit, that they are shit. SHIT asks who are these women that defy gender demarcations and transgress the boundaries and restraints of social order and expectation?
Originally presented as part of MTC’s NEON Festival of Independent Theatre in 2015, fortyfivedownstairs’ co-founder and artistic director, Mary Lou Jelbart said there is a need for Australian and independent works to find life beyond their premiere seasons.
“The independent theatre scene has extremely limited presentation opportunities. Too often productions are seen for only a couple of weeks and then disappear forever,” said Jelbart.
Nominated for the 2016 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, SHIT sees the return of long-time collaborators Cornelius and director Susie Dee to fortyfivedownstairs, where their 2013 production of Savages was the recipient of four Green Room Awards for Independent Theatre, including Director and New Writing.
Cornelius said that she has had the good fortune to have two of her recent works produced and presented at fortyfivedownstairs (Savages – 2013 and Do Not Go Gentle – 2010), “To have SHIT remounted so quickly after its premiere season is an extraordinary opportunity,” said Cornelius.
“Mary Lou Jelbart is a wonderful and passionate advocate for Australian work and independent theatre, and I am extremely grateful that she has seen the life in SHIT and backed it.”
The 2016 season of SHIT will feature the same creative team and fantastic female ensemble behind the premiere season, a collaboration that is sure to deepen further as they continue their exploration of this powerful work at fortyfivedownstairs.
“Shit is provocative and tragic, bracing and bitterly funny. It’s the sort of bold theatre that will have us confronting our own prejudices…” – The Age
Director: Susie Dee Featuring: Peta Brady, Sarah Ward, Nicci Wilks Set & Costume Design: Marg Horwell Lighting Design: Rachel Burke Sound Design: Anna Liebzeit Production/Stage Management: Bec Moore
SHIT
fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Season: 4 – 15 May 2016
Information and bookings: www.fortyfivedownstairs.com
Image: Peta Brady, Nicci Wilks and Sarah Ward feature in SHIT – photo by Sebastian Bourges