Looking at persona in the age of social media, nine young folk wade through the wasteland of the internet to find themselves as Riot Stage presents Everyone is Famous, written by Morgan Rose and directed by Katrina Cornwell, at Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre from 21 April, as part of the Darebin Arts Speakeasy program.
The internet is the Wild West. Persona in 2021 is post-ironic, post-truth, post and delete, pre-apocalypse and politically charged. It is freeing, it is constricting, it is genderbending / breaking / ignoring.
It is Cardi, it is catfishers, it is completely new, it is Hype House, it is Rachel Dolezal, it is red vs. blue, it is Fyre Festival, it is #like4like, it is Miley, it is Kylie, it is filtered and honed. It is up to you. It is an art. It is a career. It is breaking all the rules. It is more complicated than ever.
In Everyone is Famous, a group of kidz pioneer this uncertain territory on stage for you to witness with awe / shock / pleasure / horror / commiseration / empathy / lols. Image is not just attached to our bodies, it’s in the cloud.
With a 10-year history, Riot Stage makes work for with young people for adult audiences that are “bold enough to give space to young voices in such an uncompromising manner” (Melbourne Critique).
The company makes theatre about and for now, which has been described as “a brilliant, close-to-the-bone portrayal of millennials” (Cameron Woodhead, The Age).
Two years in the making and originally set to debut as a part of Next Wave’s postponed 2020 Festival, Everyone is Famous is Riot Stage’s latest dynamic performance.
The COVID enforced postponement then led to a mini documentary on the team’s attempt to make the show, Riot Stage Gets Famous, presented as a part of the 2020 Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Celebrating its 8th birthday in 2021, Darebin Arts Speakeasy presents a creative and challenging contemporary performing arts program by emerging and established artists presented at Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre and Darebin Arts Centre.
Director: Katrina Cornwell Assistant Director: Belle Hansen Featuring: Bonnie Brown, Sunny Chiron, Mila Lawson, Anna Louey, Amelia Newman, Jack Palit, Lillah Summers Dixon, Liam Trumble, Alex Veljanovski Sound & AudioVisual: Justin Gardam Set & Costume: Yvette Turnbull Lighting: Clare Springett Production Management: Sarah Branton Stage Manager: Jacinta Anderson Writer: Morgan Rose
Everyone is Famous
Studio 1 – Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre, 189 High Street, Northcote
Season: 21 April – 1 May 2021
Information and Bookings: www.darebinarts.com.au
Image: Everyone is Famous – photo by Pia Johnson