HER | Australian Arts Review

A beautiful, poetic and visual feast, HotHouse Theatre presents the world premiere of HER by Kerryn Beatty at the Butter Factory Theatre this March.

From farm to little town to big town and back again, HER comes face to face with her own mortality. Unable to access the specialist care she needs in the country, she travels the long journey in and out of the city confronting the ultimate journey to save herself, alone.

As she prepares to go under, HER’s past returns. HER’s truth can no longer remain buried. On the operating table HER’s chest is cracked open, unleashing a scream from depths unknown, spilling out a poetic and lyrical avalanche of words unspoken and desires unfulfilled. When she wakes, she is no longer the same.

Based on a true story, HER explores the conditioning and social expectations on girls and women in regional Australia, examining the depths we must travel inward, to reclaim ourselves.

HotHouse Theatre commissioned Albury writer and performer Kerryn Beatty, to expand a monologue, based on her personal experience going through open heart surgery, into a full-length play.

Beatty worked with HotHouse Theatre Artistic Director, Karla Conway as dramaturg, and composer Helena Kernaghan (Director, Murray River Fine Music) over three years, to evolve the play from its original monologue/song cycle into a full-length play.

The production will feature Beatty in the title role, supported by HotHouse Industry Co:Lab graduate, Laura Trebley as YOUNG HER, in her professional debut.

“HER is a work of fiction, based in fact. It’s a story of being female, growing up in a regional setting and what expectations, real or imagined, are placed on us. Of how hard parenting can be, how hard being a partner is,” said Beatty.

“HER is vividly poetic and profoundly theatrical. Two incredible local performers entice us to dive below the surface of our daily routines, toward our deepest truths – the ones we may never dare to speak- to examine the simplest and most complex of questions – who am I?” said Director Karla Conway.